My beta reader never read this chapter, so please bear with me.
Loneliness is no longer a part of my daily life. I have a family. A beautiful wife, a son, an adorable daughter, and some of the best friends in the world. A person would have to be an idiot to ask for anything else. To me, being alone was my biggest fear. When I was a kid, I was always plagued with the thought that I would always be alone. I'd never have friends. I'd never know who my parents were. Nobody would love me...
Well, now I know I was wrong. People did love me. My parents loved me, protecting me with their dying breath... Hinata loved me, willing to die for me when Pain attack led the village... I'm not alone anymore. I'll never have to worry about that anymore...
Naruto smiled as his family came into view. Hinata's face, flooded with relief, Boruto holding his sister in his arms, tears streaming down his face. His friends, faces filled with hope, and happiness.
Sasuke, willing to carry his weight around.
Naruto grinned, leaning on Sasuke as he helped him walk. Using his free hand he waved at the waiting crowd. The closer Naruto got, the more anxious he became. He wanted to go faster... He wanted to hug Hinata and tell her everything was fine now. He wanted to ruffle Boruto's hair, and tell him another story about his past... Only happy stories though.
"Gosh Naruto, you're heavy..." Sasuke grunted. "You eat too much ramen."
Naruto playfully glared at him, and replied with a sarcastic remark that shouldn't be heard by young ears, making Sasuke freeze and drop him.
"Owww... Sasuke!" Naruto stood up, grinning at the shuddering figure of the Uchiha. "Did I traumatize you? Aww. .. You poor baby."
Hinata was the first to greet the duo, now turned quartet with the added members Sasuke was keeping a strict eye on. Hitashiki was relatively passive, while her male counterpart was extremely antsy and annoyed to be surrounded by so many lesser beings.
"Naruto..." Hinata smiled a broken smile, holding Naruto's hand in her own. Taking his fatigued body, she helped him up and led him over to a stretcher that was a prepared for him. She gently laid his head on the soft fabric, leaning down to kiss him softly.
They sat in a moment of silence, everyone willing to give the Hokage and his wife some space after a life threatening situation. The first person to speak was Sakura, who had been anxiously awaiting to get a look at his injuries.
"Excuse me Hinata..." She gently asked as she leaned over her teammates body. Infusing her palm with chakra, she scanned his body for internal injuries. Her brow was covered in perspiration as she accounted all of her findings. He was about to die any second now... She failed as a medic. The one person she who was impossible to help just had to be her teammate. Her face scrunched up as she struggled not to cry, alarming the other bystanders.
"Sakura... What's wrong?" Ino asked. Her hands were held tightly by her chest, and her eyes filled with concern.
"I... I can't do anything. He's..." Sakura was cut off by a hand grasping hers.
"It's fine Sakura... I knew it all along. It's okay..." Naruto gave her a reassuring grin, but it didn't help due to her being able to see everything he felt.
I can't even imagine how much pain he's in right now... Multiple organ failure, it's a miracle he's even still alive.
Naruto smiled, squeezing her hand tighter. Sakura nodded, tears still freely falling as Ino tried to comfort her.
Choji walked up to Naruto, tears leaking from his eyes too. "Naruto... I never thought that this would be the way we'd say goodbye but..." He sniffled. "I guess there isn't any way we could change it, is there."
Naruto shook his head, a light grin plastered on his face. "Choji... Take care of everyone for me. You too Sakura, Sasuke... Ino, Shikamaru... Like Asuma-sensei said... The next generation is the King. We must protect them at all costs."
Choji nodded, covering his face in hands before walking away. Shikamaru sighed before taking Choji's place.
"I'm sorry Naruto... That we weren't nicer to you during your childhood. I wish sometimes that we could've became friends sooner, but I was always thinking it'd be too troublesome. I guess bad decisions come to haunt you in the future, eh?"
Naruto closed his eyes a moment. "Yeah... I guess they do."
Shikamaru gave a slight nod and turned before taking a spot besides Choji. It wasn't that Shikamaru wasn't sad that Naruto was dying, but he just couldn't really express what he was feeling at the moment. He was usually so upfront about his feelings, yet he was struggling to say what he really felt.
Naruto struggled to breath, a raspy sound emitting from his chest. His lungs were giving out. Struggling to make the most of his last moments, he tried to talk to Hinata.
"Hinata... Thank you. Thank you for loving a loser like me. Thank you for continuing to love me even after I continuously showed you how much of an idiot I was, not noticing you sooner... I just want you to know how sorry I am... For not being as attentive as I should have been, for being a terrible husband and father, for-" he was cut off from his rambling by a finger on his lips. Looking towards Hinata in surprise.
"No... Don't say sorry... I can't lie to you, yes it hurt when you were always busy... But I know that the Hokage is a busy man. And although our kids don't always understand the reason you do things, they love you too. I love you... Your Pros, your Cons... They 're what define you, and I wouldn't want you any other way."
Naruto smiled.
"Thanks... Hinata."
N*A*R*U*T*O
Sarada waited for the signal. Konohamaru lingered at the entrance of the evacuation center, waiting for a sign to show him it was safe to lead everybody out. Konohamaru held up his hand, letting Sarada know it was okay.
"Alright, everybody leave in an orderly fashion." Sarada and Temari herded the subdued crowd of villagers out of the cave, picking up young children as they left.
"Everything is alright now... Your safe." Sarada smiled as she patted a young child on the head. The little girl looked up at her with teary eyes.
"My mama... I don't know where she is."
"What's your name?" Sarada knelt down, looking the girl in the eye. Through he sniffles and sobs Sarada was able to pick out the name muttered
"S-samine..."
"Samine eh? That's a pretty name..." Sarada smiled softly.
"T-thank you..." Samine rubbed the tears from her eyes and smiled.
Sarada looked through the crowd, catching sight of a distraught looking woman.
"Samine!" The woman covered her mouth with her hands, tears coming to her eyes.
"Mrs! She's right here!" Sarada led the little girl to her mother and sighed as they were reunited.
"Reminds me... I hope your okay mama." Sarada looked outside the cave. She turned her head towards the cave entrance and smiled as the sunlight bathed the crowd in its comforting light.
N*A*R*U*T*O
Konohamaru was the first Jounin to exit the cave. Directing a few Chunin to help the injured towards the hospital, he turned his attention to the gathering crowd.
"What's going on?" Konohamaru pushed his way to the center of the crowd. "What happened?" The moment his eyes rested on the resting form of the Seventh Hokage his breath hitched.
"Boss... Lord Seventh!" Konohamaru rushed to the side of the Hokage, glancing at the teary eyed face of Hinata.
"What happened?" Konohamaru's eyes darted back an forth from Sasuke to Hinata, then around at the surrounding previous Konoha 11. "What's wrong with him?!"
Shikamaru stepped forward to reply but Sakura held him back.
"I-its my fault... I should have told them earlier, so I will tell them now." Sakura took a deep breath before turning and looking Konohamaru in the eye.
"Naruto has been suffering from an internal illness for some time now... I was reluctant to let him tell anyone, Instead pushing him to keep his mouth shut about it. I was... so sure, and hopeful that I would find a cure... I don't know what's causing it, I don't think it's contagious because no one else has gotten it yet but..." Sakura wrapped her arms around herself as she started to cry. "He won't recover... I should have been a better doctor. It was stupid of me to keep it from his family and friends, I was being stupid and selfish... it's all my fault."
Konohamaru stood, mouth agape.
"B-big bro..." Konohamaru slumped on the ground, his body becoming limp and paralyzed.
"Konohamaru..." Naruto opened his eyes, looking directly towards his adoptive brother. "Sorry..."
Konohamaru wiped his eyes, and sniffled. "W-why? I don't understand..."
Naruto grinned, despite his inner pain. The mental taxation of the dumb illness was killing him... literally. His shaky limbs were too painful to move, so he decided it'd be best if he stayed still. He was going to stay alive long enough to tell his loved ones goodbye... and have the satisfaction of telling Konohamaru he'd be the next Hokage.
"Konohamaru... I want to give you something." Naruto grinned softly. "I want to tell you..."
"Its an honor to have known you, Lord Eighth."
"Lord Eighth... you mean..." Konohamaru looked at Naruto with wide eyes. "I'm... the next Hokage."
Naruto nodded. "You should be having the ceremony soon... I wish I could stay for it but..."
"What about team 7?"
Boruto looked at his dad and sensei. Both were engaged in a conversation he had wished would never have to happen. But here it was... the discussion of the next Hokage. It seemed so surreal... like a bad dream he couldn't wake up from.
Any moment now...
He would wake up and it'd be a normal day in his household. His dad would wake up late, like always. His sister would eagerly help his mom set the table. Everyone would be smiling... except him. Breakfast would be plentiful and delicious like his mother never failed at. And he'd be a normal moody brat...
"No..." Boruto wiped the tears from his eyes as he struggled not to cry. Hima clenched his jacket harder as she noticed the tremors in his body as he sobbed uncontrollably. Hinata held both children in her arms.
"Hinata... Boruto, Hima." Naruto held out his left arm and put it on top of his sons head, gently patting it.
"Boruto... make sure you take care of your mom. I don't want my house in a depressive state while I'm gone. It's okay to cry... a little. Hima... keep being a little sunflower, you'll be a great Kunoichi, if you decide to be one when your older." Naruto clenched his right fist. "And... Hinata. Don't stay single because of me... it's okay, if you fall in love again. It won't be betrayal, and it won't be cheating. I would want you to feel like that... I want to say that I love you... I love all of you. And thanks, for giving me a family..." Naruto struggled to get the last sentence out before he succumbed to darkness. His arm went limp, and a peaceful smile rested on his soft features. Hinata cried as she held his hand, the warmth still residing in the limp body. Himawari, her blues eyes filled with tears leaped forward.
"Daddy! Don't go, don't leave us... come back..." Himawari tugged her father's sleeve, pleading with pain filled cries. Boruto held her back, pulling her into a tight hug. He glanced towards his mom, who was rocking back and forth still holding onto her husband's arm like a treasure she could lose any moment. Her pale eyes were wide and filled with tears.
"Naruto..."
Sakura sobbed and threw herself into Sasuke's chest. The raven pulled his single arm and held her tightly, his own eyes filled with sadness. The rest of the crowd that had gathered around started to mourn the loss of their hero, the Seventh Hokage.
N*A*R*U*T*O
The funeral seemed to last forever. The long procession of villagers passed by to pay their last respects to the greatest Hokage of all time. Naruto Uzumaki is a hero worth remembering... His stories would be told far and wide, earning him the title of a Legend. His bright smile, way with words, and understanding...
Sasuke grimaced as the rain drenched his hair and cloak. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting here. In front of the grave stone the villagers had prepared. The ground was muddy, and he was shivering from head to toe. Guilt kept him there... the guilt of knowing that he probably could have saved him. His rinnegan had special abilities... He could do the technique that had brought Kakashi and many villagers and Shinobi back to life during Pains attack on the village...
"Idiot..." Sasuke muttered. It was impossible to use the technique. Naruto had found a way to counter it, never wanting Sasuke to use it. It made him mad... how could an idiot do something like that.
Sasuke slowly stood up, the rain that had pooled in his cloak ran down and drenched the ground where he had been sitting. He stepped forward, taking one more look at the tombstone before the tears started falling.
Sasuke screamed in frustration as he punched the ground. Pounding his one good arm into the dirt, splashing the mud all over him.
"Why! Why! Why you stupid idiot! Dead last..." Sasuke stiffened as he heard footsteps. Sakura stepped softly besides him, bending down and putting her hand on his back.
"Please Sasuke... don't blame yourself. It's not your fault..."
"Well who's is it then? I just... wanna tell him what I never got a round to saying... I had so many things I wanted to tell him... like thank you. I never told him that you know?" Sasuke looked up at the pinkette, his normally stoic expression gone, and remaining a sad look, and emptiness. "After bringing me back to my senses... I never once told him thank you..."
Sakura swallowed back the tears. "Me either... but you know what? He knew... He forgave you Sasuke, maybe you should forgive yourself. I know, you still blame yourself. Naruto sees it... He knew you were still under the self inflicted weight of guilt... He would never want this Sasuke..." Sakura bit her lip and looked down. "He would never have wanted that..."
The couple remained quietly, the only sound was the pattering of rain as it hit the ground. The bitter silence caused by the emptiness of their beloved teammate. Sakura rubbed Sasuke's back as she wrapped her other arm around him.
"Come Sasuke... we need to go home. Sarada is worried about us. I think she's afraid that she might lose you too... her and Naruto had a tight relationship, she's probably affected more than you think."
Sasuke nodded stiffly, standing up. He took one last glance at the tombstone before leaving with his wife.
N*A*R*U*T*O
The trip home was agonizing for the Uzumaki's. Hima was continuously wailing, and the villagers stopped them every five seconds to give them their condolences... it irritated Boruto so much he wanted to punch everybody that said it.
"I'm sorry..." A villager gave Hinata a reassuring squeeze of the hand as the next one took her place. Boruto glanced away from the villagers, and he caught sight of something bright red.
"The Kazekage... mom." Boruto grabbed his mom's arm. "What's the Kazekage doing here?"
"All of the Kazekage came and gave their respects. Naruto was a Shinobi they had fought alongside in the war, he saved them all multiple times. They wanted to say thank you..."
Boruto nodded, before gazing in the spot where he had seen him. "He's gone..."
Boruto shook his head and grasped Hima's small hand. Her entire form was shivering, and the jacket she wore was drenched. Glancing at the number of villagers he'd seen, they could be here all night.
"Mom... we need to get home. Hima's cold."
Hinata nodded slowly, picking up her daughter. She enveloped her in a warm hug and the three made their way home, ignoring the growing amount of people.
The house was dark, and seemed to Boruto to be unwelcoming. Now that the head of the home was no longer there, it had an empty feel to it. Like something was missing... but he knew what it was. In his room, he sadly examined any picture he had of his dad. The dusty surfaces of the frames caused a pang of guilt to run through his body.
"I'm sorry..." Boruto whimpered as his grip on the frame tightened. He gazed at the picture once more before setting it back down on his desk. He turned towards the bed and flipped down, not bothering to get dressed, or cover himself with the blankets.
"Why?" Boruto asked, his voice breaking. "Why my dad?"
He continued to gaze at the ceiling, his mind replaying scenes of his childhood, when everyone was seemingly happy. His father was as irritating as he had remembered him... but he was his idol. His father was his first hero... Boruto covered his eyes with the back of his hand as he started to cry.
"Why?"
N*A*R*U*T*O
Now, you all may ask why it's so rushed... I have no explanation. I rewrote it soooo many times (6) it's not even funny... eventually, this version made me the happiest, so I went with it. I honestly don't really like how I wrote this book, so after the Epilogue, in the future, I'm going to edit it. It won't be soon, though cause will be taking a break from writing... not. I'll be working on other projects, I have a really neat idea I want to try out, but I have a few others as well... After the Epilogue will put to to a vote. I'd love to hear your input, so please comment. If it was sad, or just a real drag to read just let me know. I will edit this book when I feel like I have improved enough to make it better.
Or an entire rewrite. Whichever I want.
Hina-chan signing off.