Tormint: Hey guys, welcome back to another chapter!

Without further ado, let's get into it

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters

She's gone. The one person that was there for him all the time, was gone. He watched her die, the black rod piercing her through her abdomen. He could still feel the blood on her cheek. Naruto woke up from his coma a week ago, the memory hit him hard. They were to have the funeral today. Everyone was required to be there.

Naruto walked to the crowd dressed in all black, standard for a shinobi funeral. Sakura spotted him and waked up to him. "Naruto-kun, are you okay?" Naruto nodded and walked away.

Naruto was distraught. Itachi's girlfriend, Izumi, tried to cheer him up, but nothing could get to him. Mikoto was the best mother to ever live in his eyes. Having her gone is going to be so weird.

The funeral ended 30 minutes later. The three brothers said a few words but didn't say much because they were sad. They then went home.

At the Uchiha Compound

Naruto, Sasuke, Fugaku, and Itachi were sitting around the table. They weren't talking, just sitting, thinking about Mikoto. Naruto then stood up.

"I'm going over Sakura-chan's apartment." Naruto said.

Sasuke scoffs. "Of course." Sasuke says under his breath, but Naruto hears and turns around furiously.

"What was that teme." Naruto says.

"I said of course you're going to go spend time with other people beside your family. You did it when mom was alive and you're doing it now. Some people just don't change."

Naruto dashed at Sasuke and picked him up by the collar, eyes flooded with the mangekyō sharingan. "Fuck you. You know I loved kaa-san. You were always stuck under tou-san's ass, even though he never acknowledged you, and he probably never will as long as Itachi is still alive. Kaa-san would offer to train you, but you were too prideful and would say it's not the same." Naruto threw him on the ground.

Naruto calmed down and deactivated his sharingan. "I'm going to Sakura-chan's house. I'll see you all later." Naruto went up to his room and sealed some clothes into some scrolls. He then jumped out of his window towards Sakura's apartment.

Xxxxx

Naruto knocked on the door, a few tears rolling down his face. Sakura answered. "Naruto-kun, here come in and sit down." Naruto walked in and sat down on the couch.

A little after Sakura sat down beside him and patted her lap, telling him to lay his head there. He did so and she started to run her fingers through his hair with one hand, while her other was stroking his face, wiping tears away.

"It won't feel any better, if you don't let out Naruto-kun." Naruto lifted his head from her lap, eyes about to burst. She pulled him into a tight hug, feeling her back start to get wet with Naruto's tears.

He cried for 5 minutes and Sakura was holding him the whole time. "She's gone, Sakura-chan. She'll never come back." Naruto stopped crying and leaned back to look at Sakura. "I'll never see her again."

"I know and I'm so sad she's dead. Your kaa-san was nice. It's like she was a second mom to me." She took Naruto's hands into her hands. "I don't think Mikoto would want you to look like this. She would want you to be happy." Naruto put on a small smile. It was miniscule, but it was a start.

"Remember that time she interrogated me with her sharingan. You were so mad." Naruto tried his hardest not to laugh, but the humor got to him and he started to laugh.

"Thanks for cheering me up Sakura-chan." He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Do you think it's okay if I stay here for a few days. I'm kind of mad at my family at the moment." Sakura nodded.

"Why would I pass up sharing the same bed with my boyfriend."

"And I can't wait to hold you close tonight."

"You don't have to wait to do that." Naruto then pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her, eventually falling asleep.

Xxxxx

The few days that Naruto stayed there turned into a forever thing. Sakura decided that he should just move into the apartment because she said it got lonely when Ino wasn't around. Naruto didn't complain because he was going to ask anyway, but she beat him to it.

The past months have been peaceful. Naruto has gotten better with his mother's death, he's gotten better with his sharingan, Itachi and Izumi got married, and Naruto and Sakura got closer. Not just because they've had more sex in a week than Naruto has had in a year, but it's because they've really started to understand each other more.

Naruto walked over to the door after hearing a knock. "Naruto Uchiha, you and Itachi Uchiha are to escort the Hokage to a Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron." Naruto nodded as the ANBU member vanished.

"Who was that?" Sakura said as she hugged him from the back.

"Itachi and I have to escort the Hokage to a summit." Sakura face faltered.

"Are you serious, but Christmas is coming up and this was our week off." Naruto stroked her hair.

"I know, but I have to do this. I'm a jōnin." He hugged her, holding the back of her head, burying her face in his chest. "I'll be back before you know it. I'll even take you out to dinner, ok?"

Sakura nodded after a sigh of annoyance in him having to leave. "Alright but be safe."

"If I can survive 3 years with that perverted sage without becoming a pervert, I can survive escorting the Hokage." Naruto said.

Sakura broke away from the hug. "You're such a liar about being a pervert." Naruto laughed at her remark.

Xxxxx

Naruto met Danzō and Itachi at the front gate.

"Itachi nii, Danzō-sama, shall we get going?" They nodded and then they were on their way.

"So, Itachi, how's married life?" Naruto asked while nudging him.

"It's amazing. Izumi is great, I'm great, life's great. Also, how would you like to be an uncle?" Itachi asked with a smirk.

Naruto looked at him with wide eyes. "No way. Izumi's pregnant?" Itachi nodded. "Congratulations nii-san." Naruto said while shaking his hand.

"How are you and Sakura? I'm guessing you've moved in with Sakura because you haven't been in the compound for months." Naruto chuckled.

"Yeah I moved in with her. I'm sorry I didn't stay in touch with you guys, after what Sasuke said, I was really mad." Itachi put his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"It's ok little brother. Whatever happens, I'll always love." Naruto said thank you and they continued to walk.

In the Land of Iron

"Halt. Name, rank, and village." A samurai stopped Danzō.

"Danzō Shimura, kage, Konohagakure no Sato." The samurai checked his clipboard and let him pass. He then pointed to Naruto and Itachi.

"Naruto Uchiha, jōnin, Konohagakure no Sato." He let him pass.

"Itachi Uchiha, jōnin, Konohagakure no Sato." He let him pass also.

In the meeting

"Madara Uchiha is declaring war against the Five Great Nations. The Fourth Great Shinobi War is about to happen, and we don't have a game plan." The Raikage, A, said.

"I say we make a shinobi alliance between all the nations. Madara is the common enemy, not each other." Gaara said.

Onoki chuckled. "Foolish youngster, to hell with the idea of me teaming up with Konoha."

"Still mad about the Yondaime kicking Iwa's ass I see." A laughed.

Onoki scoffed. "But did we try to steal a jinchuriki and get our asses kicked by, oh wait, the Yondaime when he was 10." That shut A right up.

"Everyone stop yelling. I say we listen to the young kage, he says something pretty wise." The Mizukage, Mei, says.

"I, too, believe we should make an alliance. It's probably the only way we'll be able to down Madara." Danzō said, finally speaking up.

"If we make this alliance, who will be the leader. We can't have Iwa because they've used the Akatsuki to fight." A says.

"I say we nominate the Kazekage. He has a clean slate. Plus, it was his idea." Mei says.

After about 20 minutes of arguing, they finally agreed that Gaara should be the leader of the shinobi alliance.

"Well, if there aren't any more things to discuss, this summit is dismissed. Let's get ready for war." A said as he got up from his seat. Everyone else did the same and left for their villages.

In Konoha with Naruto back

Naruto and Sakura were laying in the bed. Sakura was laying on Naruto's bare chest while he stroked her hair.

"What happened at the summit?" Sakura asked with her eyes still closed.

"We're going to war…against Madara Uchiha and his white zetsu army." Naruto said.

Sakura lifted from his chest. "Really? It was so peaceful though."

Naruto lowered her head back on his chest. "Don't worry Sakura-chan. We're teaming up with the other nations in one big shinobi alliance."

"I'm not worrying. I'm just annoyed that we can never have peace for at least a year. Ain't no rest for the weary I guess." Naruto chuckled and kissed her head.

"Well, we are shinobi. I'm tired, so if you don't mind, I'm going to get some sleep." Naruto said as he closed his eyes.

"Before you sleep, I just want to say that I'm happy you moved in with me." Sakura said as she snuggled in his chest more.

"I am too, Sakura-chan." He yawned. "I am too."

Tormint: Sorry for not updating, I was sick, so I wasn't really doing anything but laying in bed. I hope you enjoyed the chapter though.

Next chapter will be the war excluding the Kaguya fight, but I will put a lot of fights in it to substitute for it. Again, sorry for not updating.

Anyway, I've rambled on for long enough. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Have an amazing, day, afternoon, or evening depending on when you read this. Tormint out!