Extra! Extra! Read all about it! It's Chapter 7, and somebody's getting married!

Okay, standard thanks once again to Nube de Cristal for allowing me to adopt this story, as well as to my anonymous beta for his help and support.

So, what's new here? Pretty much everything, which is why it took so long to write, in addition to the fact that life has gotten in the way the last few weeks. I struggled with the idea of releasing one BIG chapter for the wedding or stretching it out over two or three. I opted for the second choice, and I hope you guys enjoy reading the upcoming chapters as much as I did writing them.

As always, I love the reviews, and I appreciate when people take the time to leave one for me. Since this is the first chapter that I've written where I didn't really use anything from Nube's original story, I really want to hear what people think.

I also want to mention something…Last week, I asked a reader of my story if they got the movie reference I hinted at in the disclaimer, to which they replied, "What movie reference?" I was a bit shocked, but for those who missed it, I wanted to explain why I do that.

My philosophy has always been that you need to go through life with a sense of humor. Every week, I reference a famous quote from a TV show (the yada yada yada was from Seinfeld) or a famous comedy movie (two chapters ago was from Spaceballs) and my hope is that when you see it, it brings a smile to your face and makes you laugh at least once as you go through your day. It's true that laughter is the best medicine, and life is far too short to be pissed off all the time.

Now, having said that…if you figure out this week's reference and you don't have to use Google to do it, I'm extremely impressed because the movie came out in 1984.

So remember – REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS! Love them, want them, need them, leave them!

Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto, and I feel like singing! One, two, three, four…

Somebody get some flowers, somebody get a ring!

Somebody get a chapel and a choir to sing!

Somebody get an organ to play!

'Cause somebody's getting married today! (+1 if you get the reference).

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Chapter 7 – Somebody's getting married!

It was a beautiful day at the park.

Hikaru was pushing his sister Kiseki on the swings, as she screamed at him to go higher while several meters away, a blanket was spread out beneath a large oak tree ready for a family picnic. Hinata was curled up in her husband's arms, watching their children play as she held their sleeping newborn daughter, Megumi close to her heart.

"A Ryo for your thoughts, my hime."

She smiled with satisfaction. "You don't need Ryo to know what my thoughts are, Naruto-kun. They're the same as always…of you and our children, and how much I love you."

"And I love you as well. Although I'm pretty sure when it comes to that, our children will always hold the majority vote in your heart. They do outnumber me three-to-one."

Hinata pouted. "You know that's not true! You will always hold the biggest piece, no matter what."

He looked slyly at her. "Really?"

"Well, maybe half of it. Let's see how the rest of the day goes."

Naruto laughed and wrapped his arms tighter around Hinata. "I'm glad you talked me into taking a day off from being Hokage. I haven't felt this relaxed in a long time, and I don't think there's any way this day could be more perfect."

Hinata turned her head to look at her husband. "I can think of one way it could. Want to guess what it is?"

"There's no need. Your wish is my command, hime." Smiling, Naruto bent his head down to kiss her. However, a voice intruded on their moment.

HINATA.

Naruto looked around, startled. "Did you hear that?"

She didn't stop looking at him. "Ignore it. Care to finish what you were about to start?"

"Always." He smiled again, bending his head down to kiss her but the voice echoed around them one more time.

HINATA, YOU NEED TO WAKE UP.

The image of the park, her husband and her family disappeared in a swirl of colors as she opened her eyes to the sight of Neji shaking her awake.

"Hinata, it's eight o'clock in the morning. You need to get up and start getting ready; the wedding is in five hours."

Confused, she blinked her eyes several times and said, "Nii-san?"

"Yes, cousin. Are you okay? You look like you're still half asleep, and I'm not sure what you were dreaming about, but it was very hard to wake…"

"NII-SAN! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

The look on Hinata's face quickly changed from confused woman to enraged predator, and if looks could kill Neji would be dead several times over by now. Falling on his backside, he scrambled backwards on his hands and knees and asked, "What…what's wrong, cousin? All I asked was…"

"YOU JUST WOKE ME UP FROM THE MOST WONDERFUL DREAM I'VE HAD IN YEARS, AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO ASK ME WHAT'S WRONG?" She clenched her teeth and spat, "GET OUT."

"Hinata, I'm only trying…"

"OUT!" she screamed, leveling a massive amount of killing intent at him.

Neji scurried out the door, swiftly closing it behind him as he listened to the screams of rage from within. He quickly walked down the hall, thinking that the last time he had seen Hinata this mad was when they were children and he'd accidentally eaten all of her cinnamon rolls without her getting even one.

That must have been some dream for her to be so angry at me, he thought. I hope to Kami this doesn't last, otherwise Naruto is in for a very unpleasant honeymoon tonight.

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Across town in his hotel room, Naruto woke from a dreamless sleep. He was still a little tired from the summoning, but there was simply too much to do today for him to sleep in. Stretching, he got out of bed and placed a pillow on the floor, sitting in the lotus position to begin his meditation. But his goal this morning wasn't inner peace…at least not in the traditional sense.

Closing his eyes, he entered his mind and appeared in front of the cage that held the kyuubi and just like a week ago, he noticed that some drastic changes had taken place. The sewer had basically disappeared, and the sky was now a bright gray almost as if it were a blank canvas ready to be painted.

Good morning, kit. Sleep well?

Not really Kurama, but at least I didn't have any nightmares last night. He looked around at the landscape. Things have changed again. When did all this happen?

Last night after you completed the ceremony. I assumed that it was another positive sign.

I certainly hope so. Contrary to how I appear both inside and outside, I'm feeling a bit nervous about today. She still has time to reconsider.

I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, especially after the promise she made to you yesterday. Unlike the pink-haired female, I believe that this one will keep her word and see it through to the end.

He sighed. For the time being, I'll reserve judgment on that. After the last eight years, I'm too much of a pessimist to think she'll marry me until I hear the words, 'I do'.

Kurama chuckled. I find it amusing after the events of the past two weeks that you still believe she'll run. Didn't the ceremony last night convince you otherwise? For all intents and purposes, she carries your mark and shares your essence.

I know, and that's basically the only reason why I'm here right now. Naruto paused for a moment, understanding the gravity of his next words. I've been giving it some thought, and assuming that Hinata goes through with it and marries me, I...accept the terms of your offer.

Kurama raised his head from his front paws and stared hard at him. You asked me this last week when I made my offer, so I will ask the same of you. You understand what this means? What you will be required to do?

Yes Kurama, I understand fully and I know what I have to do.

Swear to me, Naruto. Swear on the life of your one true mate that you will keep your word.

As long as the wedding goes as planned, I swear to you that I will honor the agreement.

After a few moments, Kurama nodded. I accept your offer, Naruto. Do not make me regret this.

You won't, Kurama. I promise. He looked around. There's a lot to do, so I should be going. But the meeting to complete our transaction will take place tomorrow, and I'll have Kakashi get everyone together at his office around two in the afternoon...will that be acceptable to you?

I've waited this long, so one more day certainly won't matter in the grand scheme of things. He paused a moment. And Naruto?

Yes, Kurama?

He bowed his head low. You have my gratitude. Thank you.

Naruto returned the bow. You are welcome…friend.

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Hinata was sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair as her maid, Yui waited for her to finish so that she could braid it into an elaborate hairstyle for her wedding. Behind her, Hanabi sat on the edge of the bed, trying to maintain an outward semblance of calm even though on the inside she felt broken and lost.

The conversation with Neji yesterday had offered little help. In all honesty, it appeared he was just as shocked as they were that Hiashi had accepted the offer from Lord Isamu and immediately went looking for him to discuss the issue. The sisters had no idea what was said between them, but apparently it had changed nothing as Neji had left his office angry and shaken.

Hinata could only hope for a miracle for Hanabi, but for now she thought it might be best to keep her sister's mind occupied with other things.

"Imōto, could you have Neji find Hikaru for me? I haven't seen him all morning, and he needs to bathe and get dressed."

"Sure, Nee-san. I think I saw him running out of the compound this morning heading for the training grounds; I'll have Neji start looking for him there."

Hinata scowled. Hikaru knew this day was important to her; he should be dressing in his formal kimono and not out getting sweaty and dirty. He would get a firm scolding when Neji brought him here.

After several minutes, Hinata set her brush down and said, "Yui, when you style my hair please make sure to use the combs that Naruto-kun gave me. It's important that he sees me wearing them today."

"Yes, Lady Hinata." As she began to braid her hair, Yui noticed Hinata's face in the mirror. Having served the Hyuga household for so long – and in particular, Hinata – she could tell when something was wrong.

As her hands continued their work she asked, "What troubles you, Lady Hinata?"

Her eyes came back into focus and she looked at Yui in the mirror. "What? Oh, I'm sorry Yui. Did you say something?"

"Yes, I did. I asked what's troubling you because your thoughts seemed a million miles away."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Is what obvious?" Hanabi asked, coming back into the room and retaking her seat on Hinata's bed.

Yui smiled. "Your sister is troubled about something."

Hanabi looked at her sister and smirked. "I'm guessing it's about tonight, right Nee-san?"

Hinata blushed and replied, "I don't need you to remind me, Imōto. I'm nervous enough as it is, but that's not all I'm worried about. This day is very special to me and I hope it isn't ruined by…"

She trailed off, not wanting to say 'father'. Hinata knew it was still a sensitive subject, and Hanabi was one step away from a nervous breakdown. She thought it best to avoid anything that would mentally push her over the edge right now.

Feeling tense, her thoughts turned to what had happened last night in the forest, wondering if it had been real or if she'd imagined the whole thing. Wanting to confirm the event for herself, she raised her right hand and pushed some chakra into it, making the seal visible.

Hanabi saw it appear on the back of her hand and asked, "Nee-san…what is that?"

"Naruto-kun called it an amalgamation seal. He has one just like it, but the yin part is missing on his while the yang part is missing on mine."

"Cool." She continued to study it, her inquisitive nature coming to the surface. "What does it do?"

"It's sort of an emotional bond, where we can sense each other's feelings. Naruto-kun did this so that if he ever senses I'm hurt or in danger, he can be there to protect me."

Hanabi held her hand, tracing the outlines of the seal. "That is so incredibly romantic." She looked at her sister and asked, "Does it work?"

Last night still being mostly a blur, she thought it might be a good idea to test it out. She smiled at Hanabi and said, "Let's see." She thought about how nervous and frightened she was and reached out to brush Naruto's essence. After a few moments, his essence caressed hers back.

Hanabi's eyes became wide. "Nee-san! I felt that!"

Hinata was surprised. She hadn't realized that someone else could feel the effects of the seal if they held her hand. "And what exactly did you feel?"

Hanabi thought about that for a moment before saying, "It's hard to describe, but the best word I can think of is…comfort." Her eyes became moist, and she looked at Hinata with a hopeful smile on her face. "It's like he's telling us not to worry, because everything will be all right."

She didn't miss the fact that subconsciously, Hanabi had said 'us' and not 'you'. Without knowing it, Naruto had given both her and Hanabi the courage to make it through the day, but it was still too depressing to think about what tomorrow would bring for her sister.

Their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of two male voices echoing down the hallway as they argued with one another.

"No! I don't need a bath! And why do I have to wear a fancy kimono?"

"Stop being difficult, Hikaru. Today is a very special day for your mother. You need to be presentable, and right now you look like an unkempt pigsty."

The door to her bedroom flew open, and Neji walked in dragging Hikaru by the scruff of his neck. It appeared the words 'unkempt pigsty' were fairly accurate, as both of them smelled rather bad and looked like they had been rolling around in the mud, their clothes torn in several places.

Hikaru saw the disapproving gaze his mother was leveling at him, and knew his chances of getting out of trouble were slim, but he decided to try anyway. He smiled at her and said, "Mom! You look so pretty!"

"Don't play innocent with me, Hikaru. You know very well how important this day is to me, and despite that you still disobeyed me. The only reason why you're not being punished right now is because I don't have the time to do it." She looked at Neji and asked, "Where did you find him?"

"He was at training ground twelve, throwing kunai at moving targets."

"If that's all he was doing, then why do you both look like that?"

Neji leveled a stern gaze at Hikaru and said, "Because when I told him it was time to go, he stubbornly refused and forced me to chase him down. His reasoning was that nothing important would happen until one o'clock, so he could still get in another hour or so of training." Looking back up at Hinata, his voice tempered somewhat as he finished, "He was very hard to catch."

Any other day, Hinata would be proud of the compliment Neji just gave to her son but today she wasn't in the mood for his disobedience.

She sighed and said, "Nii-san, please take Hikaru and make sure he washes thoroughly. Then see that he dresses in his formal kimono for the ceremony since we don't have much time. We have to be at the shrine at noon."

Nodding, he dragged Hikaru out of the room and down the hall towards the baths, despite his repeated protests that he didn't need one and was fine exactly how he was.

Hinata closed her eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. I know Hikaru can be difficult at times, but for the love of Kami why does it have to be today? She opened her eyes and turned to her attendant. "Yui, please go and help Neji with Hikaru. Hanabi can help me finish here."

"Are you certain, Lady Hinata?"

Another round of screaming protests came from down the hall, followed once again by a stern response. Hinata frowned and said, "Unfortunately I know my son, and right now I'm very certain that Neji needs your help far more than I do."

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He looked at the clock. Thirty minutes and ten seconds to go.

Time was moving painfully slow as Naruto waited in a small alcove of the shrine. His attempts at meditation to calm himself had been useless, so he'd settled for simply pacing back and forth in his kimono until the wedding was set to begin.

He was anxious to get the ceremony started. Despite all evidence to the contrary, he still carried a nagging doubt that Hinata wasn't going to show up and until he actually stood at that altar and saw her walking towards him, he wouldn't believe it.

He looked at the clock again. Twenty nine minutes and fifteen seconds to go.

That Kami damned clock was trying to torture him, he was sure of it. A Rasengan formed in his right hand as he got up close and personal with the object.

"You think you're REAL funny, don't you? Sitting on that wall, ticking away at a snail's pace without a care in the world as to what you're doing to my nerves. Well, how will you feel when I drive a Rasengan though that smug little face of yours?" He lifted his arm, intent on turning the clock into tiny bits and pieces.

His arm froze as he was distracted by a knock on the door. Without waiting for an answer, Iruka walked in followed immediately by Kakashi. They quickly put two and two together when they saw how close he was to the clock, the Rasengan in his hand and the slightly insane look on his face.

Iruka looked at him and asked, "Umm, hey Naruto…something wrong?"

"Yeah, Iruka-sensei there is something wrong." He pointed his free hand at the clock. "This thing is mocking me. It's moving slow on purpose, and it needs to know I'm not someone who should be fucked with right now!" He reared his arm back again, ready to strike…

Kakashi leapt in quickly and caught his arm. "It's okay, Naruto…calm down. It's just a clock. It's not mocking you, I promise."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and looked at it. "Are you sure, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yes, I'm sure. This is perfectly normal; you're just nervous about the wedding." Kakashi looked at his right hand. "Now can you please disperse that before someone gets hurt?"

The words seemed to snap Naruto back to reality, and he quickly dispelled the Rasengan and apologized. "Sorry, guys. I'm not sure what came over me…I'm just…"

Iruka grinned and replied, "Really, it's fine. I was the same way when I married Shizune. I thought the door to the men's bathroom was laughing at me when it got stuck and wouldn't let me out, so I destroyed it with a chakra-enhanced punch."

They all laughed a bit, diffusing the tension in the room before Naruto asked, "So is that why you guys are here? To check up on me and make sure I'm not having a nervous breakdown?"

Kakashi eye smiled at him. "Yes and no. We did want to check up on you, but I also have another purpose in mind." He pulled a storage scroll from his kimono and said, "Since today is your wedding day and you are adopting the Namikaze name, I have some things to give you."

Unrolling the scroll on the table, he placed his hand on the seal in the center and immediately several items popped up. Kakashi walked up to the first item and said, "These are your father's jutsu scrolls. I found them in the archives when I became Hokage, and now I'm returning them to their rightful owner, the last living Namikaze."

He picked up the second item. "This is a ledger that represents what's left in the accounts from your father's estate. It's now yours and I transferred ownership of the account to you this morning."

Handing over the checkbook, Naruto looked at the last entry and his eyebrows rose. Five hundred thousand Ryo, he thought. Not bad at all. He silently thanked his father for the gift.

Kakashi moved on to the third item. "These are Jiraiya's jutsu scrolls. He left them to you in his will, along with the rights to any publishing residuals from the Icha Icha series." He picked up the fourth item. "And this is a ledger that represents what's left in the accounts from his estate. As his sole heir, the rights to these are now yours and I transferred ownership of them to you as well."

"I…I was his sole heir? He left everything to me?"

Kakashi's lone eye looked at him sadly. "Yes, Naruto. You may not know this, but your parents made Jiraiya your godfather. He never married and didn't have any children…at least not that we could find. So by default, the rights to his entire estate fell to you." He handed the checkbook over to Naruto and said, "I know he would have wanted you to have the scrolls. As well as this."

Naruto's eyes grew wide when he saw the number. "Three million Ryo?"

Kakashi eye smiled at him and said, "I'm sure you'll put it to good use rebuilding either the Namikaze or Uzumaki clan. Who knows? Maybe it'll be both."

He smiled at Kakashi and said, "Thank you. I don't think I've ever received better presents in my life."

"Oh, I'm not through yet." Kakashi produced one final storage scroll and said, "This isn't a gift from your Hokage. This is from me personally." He unrolled the scroll and placed his hand in the center.

A dark grey kimono appeared, embroidered on the back in yellow with the Namikaze crest. Kakashi gingerly picked it up, brushing off some stray dust that he thought he saw on it.

"This belonged to your father…my sensei. He left it in my care to give to you when you finally decided to settle down and get married."

He placed it in Naruto's shaking hands. "I know your father would be very proud of you, Naruto. And Iruka and I are proud of you as well. You honor his memory with the man you have become."

Naruto studied the kimono for a few moments, tracing the outline of his family crest with his fingertips. Gently setting it down, he turned and hugged Iruka and Kakashi fiercely and said, "Thanks, guys…for everything. You don't know how much this means to me."

They hugged him as well, slapping him on the back. It was Iruka who spoke first. "You're welcome, Naruto. Now, how about you try your dad's kimono on for size?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, not just yet. I think I should get these other items home for safekeeping; they're too valuable to just leave sitting here at the shrine." He put his hand in the center of the storage scroll, resealing the jutsu scrolls and ledgers inside of it.

"We can take care of that for you, Naruto. I'll just get one of the Anbu to…"

"It's not a problem, really. Here, hold this." He produced a three-pronged kunai with the Hiraishin symbol engraved on the hilt and gave it to Iruka. Grabbing the storage scroll, he smiled and said, "Be back in a flash!" And with that, he disappeared.

Iruka looked at Kakashi and asked, "You think he'll be okay? He did seem a little on edge when we walked in."

"Yeah, I know. He'll be fine once the ceremony starts and it shouldn't be long now…"

They both looked at the clock. Twenty five minutes and thirty seven seconds to go.

Kakashi's eye narrowed and a Chidori appeared in his right hand. "You know, I think Naruto was right. That clock is mocking us…"

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The shrine was filled to capacity with friends and family. In fact, a large number of guests decided to stand in the back rather than miss out on a chance to see what was being called the wedding of the decade. It's not often a person gets to see someone as important as the Hero of the Leaf and Savior of the Shinobi World get tied down and become a family man, all in the same day.

Everyone was waiting patiently until a small noise caught their attention, as a door next to the altar opened up and Naruto came out, resplendent in his father's kimono. Closing the door behind him, he walked over to stand next to his best man, Iruka and nodded his thanks to his groomsmen, Neji and Konohamaru. However, he knew something was wrong as they turned their faces to acknowledge his thanks.

He leaned over and whispered, "Iruka-sensei, what's up with Konohamaru? His face looks like he ate a bad plate of sushi, and Neji looks like someone just died."

"I have no idea, Naruto. I noticed it as well but haven't had the opportunity to ask them yet. Maybe we'll have the chance at the reception later."

Naruto barely had time to nod in agreement before the music started to play, and the doors at the back of the shrine opened. The first person through the doors was Tenten, wearing what Hinata had chosen for her bridesmaids, which was a striking lavender peacock kimono with butterfly sleeves and a magnificent floral pattern in shades of pink, gold and green. She walked slowly up to the altar, smiling at Neji before turning to the left to stand and wait.

Shizune was the next one down the aisle, and she gave Iruka the same smile that Tenten had given Neji. She walked to the front and turned to the left, standing next to Tenten.

Hanabi was the last person to enter before Hinata, however Naruto could tell the smile on her face was forced and she had the same haunted look on her face that Konohamaru wore. She walked down the aisle staring straight ahead, not even glancing at Konohamaru as she turned to the left to stand next to Shizune.

Before he had a chance to contemplate what he just saw, the music changed and the guests who had been seated rose. At the back of the shrine, Hiashi appeared with Hinata on his arm. All eyes were on her as she slowly walked down the aisle, looking radiant in her white kimono with embroidered floral patterns and silk tassels.

Along with everyone else, Naruto couldn't help but stare. He'd traveled to many lands and seen lots of beautiful women, but right now he could honestly say he'd never seen anyone look more beautiful than Hinata looked right now. Not Princess Koyuki, not Sakura…Nobody.

As they reached the front Hiashi gave her to Naruto, and his look made it very clear that he was more than happy to do so. Naruto was itching to wipe that grin off of his face, but this wasn't the proper time or place so he shoved that desire to the back of his mind and took her hand, slightly bowing in thanks.

As she stepped onto the altar and faced him, he looked at her and mouthed the word "Wow." She smiled at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears as he held her shaking hands. At this point, a grinning Tsunade stepped up to the altar to begin the ceremony.

"Friends, family and honored guests, we are gathered here together to witness and celebrate the union of Hinata Hyūga and Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze in marriage. They have come to realize that their personal dreams, hopes, and goals are more attainable and more meaningful through the combined effort and mutual support provided in love, commitment, and family. And with that, they have made the decision to live together as husband and wife."

"True marriage is more than just the joining of bonds between two people; it is the union of two souls, united in love and light. It lives on in the love you give each other, never grows old, and thrives on the joy of each new day. When two people are married they blend together as one heart, one mind, and one spirit. In mathematics, one plus one equals two but only in marriage can one plus one…truly equal one."

"Naruto and Hinata, today you choose each other before your family and friends to begin your life together. Let your love and friendship guide you as you learn and grow together, and through your partnership may you triumph over the challenges in your path. Through the comfort of loving arms, may you be blessed with a lifetime of happiness and a home of warmth and understanding. May you always be able to confide in each other, laugh with each other, and share moments of quiet and peace when the day is finished."

Tsunade closed her book and took a step back. She looked at the gathering and said, "I'm told that the bride and groom have written their own vows, and will read them now."

Nodding, Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He cleared his throat and said, "Hinata, it amazes me that you are standing in front of me right now, because I can think of no greater challenge than marrying me." A few chuckles came from the crowd upon hearing this. "In front of everyone here today, I again make you the promise of a lifetime that I'll protect and care for you and Hikaru always. I pledge to you endless strength that you can count on when you are weak; I will encourage you in your successes and support you in your failures. I promise to hold you when you cry, to care for you when you are sick, to softly kiss you when you are hurting, and to be your companion and your friend, on this journey that we make together."

Hinata was overcome with joy at the words Naruto had spoken to her. He'd just publicly announced his acceptance of both her and Hikaru to everyone present, including some of the most powerful people in the elemental nations. Tears fell silently from her eyes and stained her cheeks, as her lower lip quivered with emotion.

There were several "oohs" and "aahs" heard throughout the crowd, as well as sniffles from some of the more emotional people. Naruto put his vows away and looked at Hinata, waiting to hear what she had written.

Hinata wiped some tears from her cheeks, and then lifted her paper to read the vows she'd prepared but when she tried, she couldn't speak.

Concerned, Naruto looked at her and whispered, "Hinata? Are you okay?"

She looked up from the paper she held and stared straight into his eyes, which had turned a bright sapphire blue. Right away, she knew she wouldn't be able to read anything and handed the paper off to Tsunade.

Tsunade said, "Well, it appears that our bride is at a loss for words." Again, there were several small chuckles from the crowd. "I'm assuming you want me to read your vows for you?"

Blushing and slightly embarrassed, Hinata nodded at this.

Tsunade held up the piece of paper and read, "Naruto-kun, when we were young I had always hoped that we would end up here, in this moment. You balance me, you challenge me, and you encourage me. You are my strength and comfort when I need it most, and you believe in me even when I find it hard to believe in myself. You are my inspiration, and my soul's fire. You have saved me from loneliness and offered me freedom. You are my breath, my every heartbeat, and in your eyes I have found my home. On this day, I give to you my promise that I will walk beside you through whatever our lives may bring as I join my life to yours."

As Tsunade finished, she noticed that the sniffling in the crowd had turned to outright sobbing. She folded the paper back up and returned it to Hinata, who appeared to be struggling to stay upright.

Tsunade leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Breathe, Hinata. Just a few more minutes and it'll all be over."

Hinata nodded, but inside she was unsure if she would make it that long.

"We will now perform the ritual of San-San-Kudo." Tsunade gestured to three cups of sake sitting on the altar and said, "I hope you like the vintage. It's from my private stock."

There were more than a few laughs at this before the crowd quickly became quiet again as the bride and groom approached the altar. Naruto took the smallest cup of sake and sipped from it before passing it to Hinata. The process was repeated with the medium and large cups before they walked back to their original places.

"And now, with the divine guidance of Kami and the authority granted to me by the Daimyo, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Tsunade smirked and finished, "Naruto…you may kiss the bride."

Hinata thought Naruto would simply give her a formal kiss, but apparently he was having none of that. A lecherous grin appeared on his face as he quickly picked her up bridal style, bringing her body close to his.

Her arms encircled his neck in shock before she exclaimed softly, "Naruto! Please put me down; everybody is looking at us."

His eyes smouldered as he said, "I don't care. Let them look."

He dipped his head and gave her a kiss that made her toes curl from the emotional force of it. She melted into the kiss, returning it with an equal amount of passion and was a moment away from losing consciousness when he set her back on her feet, dazed and lightheaded.

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause along with more than a few whistles. However, the applause nearly doubled in volume as Naruto motioned towards Hikaru, who was standing in the front row to come and join them. Quickly running up to the altar, Hikaru was startled as Naruto picked him up to share in a three-way hug with Hinata and himself before setting him back on his feet.

Tsunade declared, "Everyone, I present to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze."

The applause continued as Naruto, Hinata and Hikaru walked back down the aisle hand in hand, radiating happiness to each other through the bond that they shared.

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A/N: Okay, I know everyone is going "WOW, was that chapter short!" You're right, but it was either release this OR have everyone wait for me to finish the entire scene, which might have taken another month based on how my life has been going. I thought everyone might enjoy some new content, and any reviews I get will help me tweak the next chapter as well.

I really did quite a bit of research for the wedding since I wanted to incorporate traditional Japanese ceremonies with a bit of western culture and hopefully I've done that. A lot of what happened here was referenced from my own wedding, especially the part about Hinata not being able to say her vows and her general nervousness. And in case you're wondering, this part of the story will be long because I'm a big fan of weddings.

As usual, I'm adding a small part here to explain some plot development. I had a few readers from last chapter talk about the situation with Hanabi and Konohamaru. Rest assured, this is addressed in the next chapter. And to my reader Rinnealex who was concerned about the Hiashi issue, this will be cleared up in next chapter as well. So stay tuned!

So moving forward, you're going to see mostly new stuff from me with a smattering of stuff from Nube for fill-in material. She did have some great stuff I still want to use, but the content will swing more in my favor from here on out.

That's all for now. Take care and stay safe.

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Serious Sam