Power of the Human Sacrifice.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Summary: When a simple C-rank spirals out of control and Naruto falls into a coma with a 0 recovery rate, what will happen to the reminants of the Rookie 9?

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Chapter 2 - Christmas Time.

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It was the 20th of December, and the Konoha 12, minus Naruto had gathered. It was tradition. They would all gather, and talk about the year so far.
It was the first time Sakura had turned up since . . .that day.

"12 days of christmas . . . . Hinata, what did your true love bring you."

"Fleas"
At least Kiba has the decencey to look embarresed, while the others laughed.
Kiba was next.

"Erm. . . Flea power"
That set the group of again.

Neji got a set of ornamental Kunai, and in return Ten-ten got pregnant.
Ino got nothing, and her boyfriend got a smack round the head for being so lazy (Shikamaru, if you didn't guess)
Chouji got a free meal from Ayame.
Sasuke got a son.
Shino got laid.
Lee got ignored (he's still chasing Sakura)

"Hey, Sakura, your turn"
She just looked at her friends.

"He hasn't got me anything this year, but I have his heart, as he has mine, and he always used to get me somthing . . "
Ino started quizing Sakura on who it was, until . . .

"Ino. Stop it. Now. I miss him too, Sakura"
She smiled.

"He should be awake any day now"
The others realised who whe was talking about.

"But, Sakura, the chances-"

"He's done the impossible before, besides, he promised"
Sasuke looked at her.

"What did he promise?"

"That he would do anything to make me happy, and for him to wake is all I want"
The others looked sad, then Ino spoke up.

"Sakura, I"
She was interrupted.

"And here I was thinking you wanted this"
A box was dropped onto her knee, and she looked around - that was his voice. But he was nowhere to be seen.
She opened the box. Inside was a ring, purest gold. Suddenly she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, and a breath on her ear.
It was just a whisper, but she heard it anyway.

"Haruno Sakura, will you marry me"
Slowly she turned, and was face to face with Naruto. Her eyes widened, then a grin formed. She stepped towards him,leaning in until her lips were mere inches from his.
Then she bought her fist into contact with the top of his head.

"BAKA, like you even need to ask!"

"Jeez, Sakura I only woke up about . . .10 minutes ago . . .OW . . . that hurts . . .besides, I was just making sure . . "
She smiled at him, then furrowed her brow.

"How did you get the ring, if you've only been up 10 minutes"
He grinned sheepishly.

"You remember just before our last mission, we went on a date"
She nodded, while the others gasped (guess who didn't know?).

"You remember me asking if you loved me"
Her eyes widened as she realised what he was about to say . . .

"But then that ANBU interrupted, telling us we had a mission, just us 2 and Kakashi, as Sasuke was still on probation."

"What was your answer going to be"
She smirked

"The same as the answer I just gave to your proposal." He grinned.

"Then my next action would have been to take that box out of my pocket."

"So you had it with you this whole time."

"Yup. Inside breast pocket, close to my heart, sorry about the chip in it, though"
She looked closely at the ring, and saw that it was chipped slightly.

"That was another of the fuma shuriken thrown by that Su bitch . . .kinda funny how my love for you saved my life, after all, if that ring wasn't there, the blade would have sliced my lung and heart in half. Not even Kyuubi could have bought me out of my coma then"
Sakura was now wearing the biggest smile of her whole life.

"You know, Tsunade's gonna be a little stressed for the next couple of years . . . "
The others looked at her strangly, so she explaioned her bet.

"Good thing she's not lost her losers touch, eh, Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah, Naruto-kun. . ." she mumbled as she grazed her lips across his face, eventually meeting in a kiss that deepened almost instantly.
The pair didn't even hear the whistles and catcalls, engrossed as they were in there own little world. Once the kiss ended, they left the room, not to be seen again until their wedding day.
As the wedding ended, they knew that nothing could beat the happiness they felt at that moment.
Nothing, that is, except for the birth of their daugter, nine months to the day from the might he woke from what everyone thought would be his eternal rest.