When Kakashi stepped down as Hokage everyone knew what was going to happen.

"Guys," Naruto yelled, "you need to stop."

Ino and Sakura both looked at each other. If Naruto thought he could be the only one loud as hell right now he certainly was being as dumb as he used to be.

Naruto couldn't believe that he was becoming Hokage. He would have said "finally", but there had been moments when he had felt that it wouldn't happen. But everything was working out.

No. They weren't working out, because it implied that he had just sat idly by waiting for the Hokage's hat to fall onto his own head, but he had worked so hard.

"Naruto," Itachi whispered. "Tomorrow is an important day. You have to at least look like you weren't busy getting debauched all night. Although that would only increase my sex appeal."

Naruto laughed pulling Itachi closer. "I keep forgetting that there's a genetic code for the Uchiha making them horrible at jokes.

"They always seem to make you laugh," Itachi whispered kissing Naruto on the temple.

"I don't count though. I love you so of course I'm going to laugh, and I like to think that I am the kind of person who will give kudos to those who try."

Itachi couldn't agree more.

Iruka looked out at the crowd as they cheered for their new leader as if they had never held any ill will towards Naruto at all. As if they hadn't been wished at one point or another that he had been killed as a young orphaned child. As if they hadn't spurned an innocent child until he proved useful.

He couldn't take it.

Kakashi nudged his shoulder.

"Now is not the time, Iruka-sensei. Be happy for Naruto. He has finally reached the goal he has been working for, and he has all the important people in his life here to support him."

Iruka deflated, and looked at Naruto who happened to be on his way over excitedly bouncing on his toes. When he was pulled into a rough hug he couldn't help but laugh, because Kakashi was right. This was not the time for him to be feeling anything but happy.

Sasuke sat down at the table, and looked at his brother's face. This was the one Naruto chose.

"I don't know what to do without him. I didn't have anything or anyone, but I had him. I had only you to hate, and him to look forward to."

"Sasuke, you sound absolutely pathetic right now. Naruto isn't a dream, and I am not a nightmare. You need to understand that this quest you're on right now, the quest for Naruto, is not what you really want, or need. You're obsessed, and this is partly, if not completely, on my shoulders. I apologize, because I have set you on this path and I regret it seeing how far we have come."

Sasuke looked away from his brother, and away from the rest of the crowd in the restaurant.

"I am so sorry for everything that has happened. I had only ever thought that I was helping you, keeping you safe, and saving Konoha from war. It was something that I never wanted you to have to live through." Itachi spoke these words hoping that maybe they would be the ones to reach his brother.

"I hate this feeling," Sasuke whispered.

"I don't know how you feel Sasuke, but I want you to know that it is finally time for us to work on our relationship," Itachi whispered to his brother as he moved from one side of the booth to be on the same side.

-1 Year Later-

"We have come so far in a year," Sasuke announced as he looked towards Naruto. He held out a cup of sake and waited for others to do the same. "We have come so far in this time, and I want to thank you all who have made this so different from all of the others that I have spent on this earth."

Naruto smiled at Sasuke than turned his head towards Itachi. They had all grown so much during this time, and so much closer. The family he had always wanted he finally knew was complete.

"Happy birthday Naruto!"