Dominick-chan: So kitties, here is a new story. It is quite sad, I recommend a box of tissues lol I cried when I was thinking about it. Seriously. It is that precious to me. So, I know I need to update everything, but believe you me, I am trying. Right now I am out of inspiration and my Muse is not quite being a Muse right now lol Maybe it is because he knows it not? That is unimportant. It is 2:18 in the a.m. here, and so now I must bid you all adieu and a good night :) Yes night. Insomnia really likes to kick my ass D: Quite lame, I assure you :P Moving on!

Disclaimer: I do not own any Naruto characters, as they belong to Master Masashi, Kishimoto. I do however, own the plot :) Thank god I own something! lol

ALMOST LOVER

CHAPTER I:

Uzumaki, Naruto's sky blue gems filled with tears as he placed his hand upon the grave stone that marked where his lost beloved rested six feet under. The sky was a drizzly gray as the rain began to pour harshly down upon his shivering flesh as he remembered the happier times the two of them had; their first confession, their first time at love making, their first mission together. . .

Sunlight streamed through the window of the cave, settling softly like a ray of silk upon the bodies of two lovers, entwined in their embrace. Obsidian eyes opened and a small smile graced the usually stoic face of the eldest of the two as he looked down and stroked the mane of golden hair before him.

Sapphire blues opened slowly and a dazzling smile lit up his face; the whisker marks upon his cheeks becoming mere slits. "Morning." The raven placed a chaste kiss upon his timid lips and pushed their temples together. "Good morning. Are you still sore?" The blond laughed quietly and gave a small nod. "A bit. My hips are just tender."

Pulling back the blanket that covered them, the male frowned at the dark bruising he had left there the night before and traced them lightly with his fingertips. Kissing each finger-like bruise softly, the blond ran a hair through his tousled hair and nodded. "Apology accepted." Sitting up, the two got out of bed and proceeded towards the shower, where they made love again until the water turned freezing.

"How can you be gone? Can you not see that I need you most now?" The tears he had tried to stop from falling was in vain as they cascaded down his cheeks in waves of sorrow. Naruto's shoulders shook as he was gripped with another memory of their time together.

Giggling could be heard throughout the small room in which the youngest blond Akatsuki member currently inhabited, small children curled around him and listening in fascination as he wove them into a spell with the children's book he was reading. The tall raven male stared with concealed love in his eyes at the scene and waited for the story to end to knock softly on the door with his knuckles, telling the boy their time was done.

Many of the children groaned as their favourite person was being taken away from them again, but he shushed them. "Now, I know you all know that I will be back if I can next week! What is with all the sad faces?" Stroking each child's cheek softly, smiles erupted upon their faces and they giggled before hugging him goodbye. As Naruto turned to take the hand of his lover, one of the children refused to let go of his leg. With a warm smile upon his lips, the blond kneeled and pried her from his limb. "Now Kaori, you know I have to leave." Gently, he wiped the tears from her watery brown eyes and kissed her forehead. "I'll be back before you know it!" She looked up at him with her dirty face. "You promise?" Nodding, he linked her pinky finger with his own. "I promise."

Giving a smile, the girl released him and waved goodbye to him as the two left the orphanage. Turning to his lover, the blond raised a brow. "What are you planning? You've been unusually quiet." The raven stared back at him with indifference, proving to the blond that something was brewing in his genius mind.

"Naruto, do you wish for children?" Raising his startling blue eyes up to his lover, a small smile graced his lips. "It would be nice, but being here with you is something I would never trade." Straddling his hips, he placed his arms around the raven's neck and pulled him in for a much needed kiss.

"Naruto, do to you being the vassal of the Kyuubi-no-Youko, it seems that he has been working on a small project within you." The blond cocked his head to the side in confusion. "What are you talking about, Leader-sama?" Pein, or Leader-sama, smirked; the piercings in his face moving fluidly with his movements. "I am saying that the Kyuubi has bestowed a uterus to you." Eyes widening in understanding, he gave a silly smile and leapt into his lovers arms with joy.

"Tonight. We try tonight." In no mood to argue with the boy, the raven nodded and returned the kiss with fervor.

Thirteen weeks into his pregnancy, the two had scheduled an appointment with a midwife who owed a few favours to the Akatsuki. Once prepped and ready, and with his lover by his side, Naruto stared at the lady with excitement. "So? How does it look?" A distraught look overcame her smile and she searched around some more. Sighing, she wiped her hands off on a towel and stared at the two. "This happens some times in pregnancies. The egg doesn't attach itself to the uterus and nothing develops. I'm sorry."

Seeing the tears in the boy's eyes, she frowned and bit her lip, looking to either of them. "In a few months you can try again." After cleaning the blond up, they were free to go. For weeks Naruto said nothing, walking around in a daze and completing meaningless chores around the hideout. Many of his friends would try to comfort him, but it seemed as though nothing would cheer him up. Surprising the blond one day, the obsidian eyed male packed up their things and began walking from the base.

Curious, Naruto followed the male silently. After about a day of walking, he finally looked to his lover. "Where are we going?" Smiling at the sound of his beau's voice, he turned to him. "Leader-sama has given us a duty to perform in Wind Country." Cocking a brow, the blond gave him an 'Oh really?' face. "And how long is this mission to last?" Turning swiftly, he placed a small kiss to his temple and a hand on his head. "Until you are well again." He tried to protest, saying that he was feeling fine, but was silenced with a look from his older lover and they continued on in silence.

It took two and a half months for the blond to fully return to himself, but it was worth the stay with Tazuna and his family to see the warmth in his face again. A week before they were to leave, they had made love many times over, to make up for their lost time, and found that the blond was pregnant once again. Joy radiated through both of them as the pregnancy was following through this time.

Sunshine seemed to dim for the raven whenever his beau was beside him; the glow of being a parent enveloping them both and sending gentle waves around them. Straddling the older males waist, Naruto giggled and placed a kiss at the nape of his neck and on his lips. "I love you."

Three months before the blonds due date, a pain enveloped his midsection and blood leaked down his legs. Deidara, the other blond of Akatsuki, rushed to his side to keep him from falling. Before he could say or answer any questions, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he had passed out from the pain. Three days later, he had woken up, the anesthesia gone from his system and his lover by his side. "Wh-what happened?" The raven took his hand and placed his forehead against the boy's, whispering gentle words of comfort.

Looking around the room, Naruto gathered he was in a hospital and glanced down at his belly. Realization and understanding dawned on him and he clung to his dark mate for sanity. "Hush love." His tears stained the black tank the raven was wearing. "I wasn't strong enough! I-" He couldn't finish his sentence for his sobbing became too much and buried his face into the chest before him.

The funeral was sweet and simple. The tombstone upon the earth had been engraved with hearts and the dates of her birth and death. They had not named her, so it simply read 'Baby'. All Akatsuki members were there and offered their support for the grief stricken couple.

Naruto reverted back into the zombie-like stage from before, causing worry over his friends and lover.

Fresh tear tracks spilled down his cheeks as his fists hit the soil beneath him as he screamed into the sky with sorrow, frustration, anger and hurt. "You weren't supposed to leave before me, you bastard! You weren't!" Curling up next to the headstone, he wrapped his arms around it and wept as yet another slew of memories assaulted him.

They were laying in a meadow before the raven's last mission for a few days in the sunlight, basking in one another's company. Naruto held a purple wildflower between his fingers and was sweeping back and forth over his lovers nose; giggling as the man sneezed. "I'll miss you while you're gone. . ." Using his index and middle finger, he raised the blonds chin up so he could gaze into his eyes. "And I shall miss you, my mischievous fox, but we both know I have to go." Wiping the tears from the whiskered cheeks, he sighed and pulled him to his chest. "We will take a break when I return. Contemplate on where you wish to go and surprise me, all right?"

Giving a nod, the two kissed and romped about the sweet green grass until it was dusk and dinner was the time. After their meal, they showered and changed into bedroom wear before slipping into bed and cuddling one another and tracing random patterns on each other's chests until falling asleep.

"No!" The battle between the two Uchiha brothers unfolded before the blonds eyes and he could only stare, horrifyingly, at the scene. When Itachi fell, Naruto was beside him, cradling his head on his lap. "No! Itachi! Stay with me! Please! Stay with me!" Tears fell onto the pale porcelain face of the elder Uchiha as he wept. "Itachi. . ." Burying his head into the blood-soaked Akatsuki robes, he sobbed until his throat was raw and his eyes stung. Lying beside him, he placed his head on his chest and cradled him closer. "Itachi, do you remember, before you left, you told me to pick our destination for our trip when you got back?" He imagined the man giving a hum in answer and he sighed. "I couldn't pick a place. . .But, I decided that, wherever you are, I would go. . ."

Tears swam in his orbs again and he sobbed, screamed, cursed and threw objects around until he was too drained to do anything but crawl back to his lover and kiss his frozen lips.

"I'd steal a hundred kisses
Before you'd say goodbye
And then make a hundred wishes
In the name of you and I
Cause what we have is secret
So don't let no one know
The past can't come between us if we both just let it go
Today's the perfect day
Today's the day I tell you, oh
If you ever walk away
Then I would die right there for you"

His broken and rough voice sang until he was too tired and worn out, and he fell asleep beside his lovers cold, dead body.

The members of Akatsuki had been sent on a search to scour everywhere to find their two missing members after a day and a half, and came upon the tragic scene of the fallen lovers. Deidara walked closer to the two and kneeled before the smaller blond, checking his pulse and picking him up. "Itachi " His heart broke with the words uttered from the chapped lips and he shook his head as he hurried back to base with the precious bundle in his arms.

When Naruto awoke, he felt dead inside. Everything he had ever wanted had been taken from him, yet he held no grudge against the cause. Sasuke had long fled the scene after watching him bound up to his brother with a heart-wrenching sob, and he assumed was no where to be found. Tears pricked his eyelids again and he threw his arm over his eyes. 'Am I destined to weep forever? First my children, and now my lover…God truly has a vendetta against my happiness.' Hearing footsteps coming towards him, he remained still and waited for Pein to say what he needed to .

"The funeral is in a few hours. I suggest you get up and get moving, Naruto. " Nodding, he sat up slowly once the carrot top was gone and slid from the bed. Pulling his arms around his torso, he blindly made his way to his rooms and rummaged through the armoire for his funeral clothes. Once he was dressed, he made his way to the base of the hideout and followed the entourage down into the meadow. A large hole had already been dug out of the earth and the handmade casket had been lowered into the ground. Naruto had to restrain himself from screaming out again as the dirt fell atop the coffin. No longer having any strength in his legs, he fell to his knees and held himself together, fearing he would break in two.

Many members cast a pitying glance at the heartbroken boy who had lost two children and now his lover, and made their condolences before taking their quiet leave. Placing a hand upon his head, Pein sighed as he stared straight ahead into the forest. "All is not lost, Naruto. Remember that. He was a good man in the physical real and nothing has changed that in the spiritual. Itachi will always be with you. Come back when you are ready to." Leaving him with those parting words, the blond wallowed in his misery beside the piled soil and cried until his tears would no longer come.

It was well into the night before Naruto was awoken by the warm, soft caress of lips against his neck. Blinking his stinging eyes, he looked up into the face of his dead lover. "Great. Now I'm hallucinating." Itachi chuckled and sat beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him to his chest. "Why, Itachi?" The raven shrugged. "It was something that needed to be done. My brother needed to see reason." Naruto grew angry. "And he achieved that by murdering you?! Itachi!" Heaving a sigh, the Uchiha silenced the boy with a kiss. "Naruto, I need you to be strong now. Stronger than you have ever been."

A sorrow-filled look passed over his features. "You are gone now, Itachi. How can I be strong anymore? You were my pillar, my rock. You kept me sane. How do you expect me to become strong now?" With a smile, black painted fingernails ghosted over his stomach and rested there; a warm yet cool tingly sensation spilling through him. "You will be strong, Naruto. You will need it not only for yourself, but for our son as well. Promise me you will be strong." Blue eyes widened at his specter's statement and he covered the hand with his own. "What?" Itachi nodded and kissed his lips. "Yes. He will need you." Naruto blinked heavily and nuzzled into the raven's chest. "Promise me, Naru-chan." Looking up through swollen eyes, he smiled and linked his pinky with Itachi's. "I promise I'll grow stronger."

Nodding, he kissed his temple and began to pull away. "You have to leave now?" Giving a sigh, he smiled. "Yes. But I will always be with you, my mischievous fox. Go back to bed. I'll be watching you." Concurring with the man, he stood from the ground and stared into the blackness of the forest. "I love you…" No one bothered him as he slipped into his room, stripped from his clothes and slid into bed. With Itachi's scent on one of the pillows, he pulled it close to his chest and fell into a deep slumber, ready to wake up to a glorious morning and a new beginning.

Dominick-chan: Aw! I love happy endings! lol Please tell me what y'all honestly think! I love reviews, good or bad, stupid or practical. Feel free to ask me any questions at any time and point out any mistakes I have made :D As I stated earlier, it is rather early in the morning, though I know that is no excuse for spelling and/or grammatical errors.

I do have a playlist that I made on a website called playlist . com (without the spaces) Each song played its part to keep me going in writing this :) Feel free to check it out! It's URL is:

http : // www . playlist . com / playlist / 1 8 3 3 7 1 1 1 8 1 9 though we all know there are no spaces lol

Happy reading friends, haters, flamers and lovers :D