Until Tsunade could arrange a meeting with the elders, she had sent Naruto down to the basement. (Of course, knowing the two elders, it might take a while; they were never available when she needed them, but they were when she didn't) A few ANBU had been sent down with Naruto to watch him, leaving Sakura to return home alone. While the Hokage continued to try and hold a meeting with the elders, she allowed Naruto's friends to visit him with an escort, though he was becoming a shadow of his former self.

Finally, the sannin was able to get a hold of the two people she needed an audience with the most. It had taken a couple of weeks, but she finally caught them. She quickly briefed them on the situation and Naruto's desires. She waited patiently as the two held a private conversation regarding Naruto's situation.

The two nodded finally before facing Tsunade, "All right. We'll grant Uzumaki Naruto's desire to be with Uchiha Sasuke." Koharu said. Homura nodded in agreement, "It'll ultimately protect Konoha as well."

Tsunade's temple twitched, but remained silently. She merely turned on her heels and made her way downstairs to tell Naruto the news.

"Naruto... You should at least eat something," Iruka urged, but his plea fell upon deaf ears. Naruto had been sitting in his cell for the past two weeks, hardly saying a word and hardly eating. The last time that he ate, Iruka recalled, was when Tsunade had the ANBU on-duty force-feed him, and that was two days ago.

Though he was hardly visible in the dank lighting, he could tell that Naruto had lost weight. He frowned upon this, of course, which was why he kept nagging at Naruto to at least eat to get his strength back so he could train...

Iruka's thoughts were cut short as the sound of the basement's heavy door opened, pouring light down the staircase and onto the small group. Kakashi noticed how Naruto shied away from it.

Tsunade descended the stairs and walked over to the group of three, nodding to the ANBU as she passed him.

"Tsunade-sama..." Sakura took a step toward her master, emerald eyes pleading. Tsunade glanced at her before shifting her gaze onto Naruto, "Uzumaki Naruto. Your desires will be fulfilled. The funeral will be held in five hours."

At this, Naruto lifted his head from his bent legs and arms and looked up at Tsunade. His eyes had lost all signs of the shine that they always held, now nothing more than two dull, lifeless orbs of blue. The ANBU moved and unlocked the cell door before walking in to help Naruto to his feet. With a nod from Tsunade, he led Naruto back upstairs.

The sannin made a move to follow after, but stopped to glance back at the small group, "I suggest telling your friends." Again, she made a move to leave, but at that moment one of the medical nins stopped in front of her.

"We're finished gathering all the data from Uchiha Itachi's body, Hokage-sama. Where shall we burn it?" The blonde Hokage blinked at the medic nin in front of her, pondering over the many sites they used for this purpose.

"Uchiha estate." The nin stared at her, but Tsunade gave no explanation as she walked past him and up the stairs. It was fitting, she thought. There shouldn't be any problems with that.

--

By the time of the funeral, it had gotten cloudy. The villagers gathered atop the Hokage Tower to pay their respects, while those closest to Naruto were already crying – well, most, anyway. No one paid attention to the black smoke rising to greet the heavy storm clouds.

A flash of lightning, a low rumble of thunder. Koharu, Tsunade, and Homura all stood at the front, behind a single picture of both Sasuke and Naruto. Stepping up, Koharu cleared her throat to begin the service as it started to rain.

"We are gathered here today to mourn the lives of..."

--

Sasuke fidgeted as he watched his parents take their place before two coffins to pray. His grandparents had just passed away, and it was in their will to be buried with the other for eternal rest.

"Be still, Sasuke." Itachi patted his brother lightly on the head to calm him, but that only drew Sasuke's gaze upon him, "Hm?"

"Nii-san... If... if something happens to us, um..." The child flushed, quickly looking away. Curious, Itachi knelt down so he was eye-level with Sasuke, gently shifting his head so Sasuke could look at him.

"If something happens to us?"

"I-If something happens... nii-san, I want to be buried next to you!" Itachi blinked at him before offering a smile. He let go of Sasuke's hand that he had been holding and offered him a pinky.

"All right. Pinky promise, Sasuke." Sasuke's eyes lit up and nodded, intertwining his smaller pinky with Itachi's, "Pinky promise!"

Fin.

Bah. I never figured that getting this chapter out would be difficult x.o But, after about a month or so, here it is. Probably isn't the best, really... but if I ever feel up to it or when my muse slaps me with this, I'll try and revise it.

But other than that, I hope everyone enjoyed this Took me about a year to get around to xD