:Last chappie! I'm happy I actually finished it…
:I still don't own Naruto… and I'm okay with that.
:On to Chapter 20… It's the end of the road!
Chapter 20: The Times Ahead
"I never really thought about what I'm going to do after getting my revenge and restoring my clan, everything I planned for just stops there." Sasuke said, it was true, but he was happy, he was free. "I've got no idea what to do with my life." He remembered something that Kakashi told him before he left. "Kakashi-sensei, does your offer still stand?" referring to a place in the ANBU ranks he offered him.
"Of course, but you'll be working for me." The masked jonin said. He drew confused looks from his former students. "I've stopped teaching genin teams. It was too, uhm, in the words of a certain Nara, 'troublesome'. The Hokage offered me a job in the ANBU, and it's hard looking for capable assassin-type shinobi for a squad. I thought Sasuke here fit the bill quite nicely." His smile showing from his one exposed eye.
"Perfect, I'll take it." Sasuke said. "Are we going after the Akatsuki?"
"Most likely." Kakashi said. "Anyone in mind?"
"I think one of them knows something about Madara. I'm gonna consider my brother's suggestion. He wasn't much of a brother really, but still, he is an Uchiha." Sasuke replied. "And I would love to kill the one who helped murder my family."
"Wait Sasuke-kun. You can't possibly think of going after him RIGHT NOW right?" Sakura said, with a worried look on her face. "I mean, you need to rest and heal, and, and…"
"Of course not. I'm not going to leave for too long. Not until my son is born." Sasuke said, smiling.
"Uhm… uhm… I-I." Sakura wondered why no word of marriage was coming out of his mouth, he didn't think she was just a brood-mare or something, or what if he just didn't want to say the obvious?
"You will marry me, right?" Sasuke said, as if answering her unspoken question.
"Of course, why wouldn't I? I'd love to marry you." Sakura said, relieved.
"Good, because the marriage contracts are already being signed." Sasuke replied.
"But, but, when did you-?" Sakura said.
"I asked Ino to go make them for us. She looked pretty happy, and she was nice enough to agree, but she looked like she was about to cry when she closed the door." Sasuke answered.
"Oh okay." Sakura said. Ino must have sent the contracts after she checked on Temari and Shikamaru. "Wait, wait, your SON? When did we tell you it was gonna be a boy?" She didn't even know that herself.
"It just has to be." Sasuke said with a smug smile.
At Hokage tower…
"Come in Ino." The Godaime said.
Ino entered the door carrying papers. "Thank you Hokage-sama."
"Since when did you become a messenger?" Tsunade said, looking at the papers in the blonde's hands dreading the fact of even more paperwork.
"This was from Sasuke." Ino said, handing the paper to her.
"Oh." Tsunade said, taking a look at the paper and reading through it. "Finally!" she exclaimed as she finished reading the marriage contract.
"Uhm… Hokage-sama? Can I ask a favor from you?" Ino said.
"Is this about your training mission?" Tsunade eyed the blonde-haired kunoichi warily. "It's fine if you don't want to accept it. You have to be really dedicated, and I just can't send you out there."
"No, Hokage-sama. I'm still going on the training mission. I really want to improve. It's just that with Sakura getting married and all, and she asked me to be there." She said. "We've been friends for so long and she'll kill me if I miss her wedding."
"Of course. Her wedding is next week. I guess you'd do the same to her on your wedding?" she chuckled. "I'll inform Anko to wait just a week longer." Tsunade said, smiling.
Ino froze at the words 'your wedding' and dreams of what-could-have-been flashed through her mind. Then she snapped back into reality and said: "Anko? I'm training under Anko Mitarashi?" remembering the purple haired kunoichi that took charge of the second stage of the chunin exams, she had a habit of calling everyone 'maggot'. Her training mission would be harder than she thought. She had to get used to a boot camp type trainer.
The next week…
Sakura was putting on her red wedding kimono, which had cherry-blossoms on it. With the help of Ino of course.
"I'm so nervous." She muttered.
"Everyone gets nervous on their wedding day." Ino said, sighing as she fixed Sakura's hair. "Not that I've ever experienced this really, it's what my mother tells me though." She thought sarcastically.
"You look sad Ino, is there a problem?" Sakura said with a worried look.
"No, no. I'm fine really." She lied.
"Well then get a smile on that face of yours. I'm sure Kiba will be very happy to see how pretty you are in that kimono." Sakura said with a giggle. Eyeing Ino's purple kimono.
"Let's not talk about that. This is your wedding." Ino said, forcing a small smile on her face. "You ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." She answered with a smile.
"Lets go then." Ino said as she opened the door.
Only their closest friends and family were there for the wedding. Sasuke smiled as they met at the end of the aisle. It was a beautiful wedding.
The reception was less formal though, food and sake for everyone. Almost everyone showed up for it.
"To the new Uchiha clan!" everyone said for the toast.
Everyone had a great time… well, almost.
"I have to go Sakura." Ino said with a sad smile.
"Thanks for everything Ino." She replied and gave a hug to her friend.
"No problem." Ino said, and she made her way to her house.
On her way out of the garden though, she saw Kiba, downing glass after glass of sake. She hurried of and packed her bags, and left Konoha to train with Anko the next day.
...--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--….--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--…--
Eight months later, Sakura's baby was born. Tsunade was happy to win the betting pool guessing the child's gender. It was, like Sasuke said, a boy. To Shizune's dismay, the Godaime spent all the money on a month's supply of sake. They named him after Sasuke's father, Fugaku Uchiha. He was seen as a younger version of Sasuke in every way, except for the great strength, green eyes and chakra control he inherited from his mother.
Sasuke soon became Konoha's second-best assassin, the first being Kakashi himself, using his brother's techniques and abilities. When he fought against Madara, he was shocked at the facts he told him about his brother, and how he did everything to protect his little brother. Sasuke was glad that he had Itachi buried with the clan, concluding that he wasn't such a bad brother after all. He only regrets that his brother had to die. When not on a mission, he spends his time in Konoha, shaping up Fugaku for the life of a shinobi, and he also often spars with Naruto, who annoys him, convincing them to fight. The score stands with Sasuke in the lead by 1.
Sakura was still Konoha's best medic-nin, second only to the Godaime, who still trained her. She and Sasuke didn't try getting more children until Sasuke found a way for the future Uchihas to not end up killing each other for the Mangekyo's final secret. She was content taking care of her son, and doing her job. She constantly worries about Ino and how she's doing on her mission.
Kiba was training hard as a tracker/hunter nin. He was always busy training, but everyone concluded that sake was now his favorite drink, much to the dismay of her sister, Hana, and his best friend, Shino.
Nobody heard from Ino since she left the village on her training mission. The flower shop her family owned was never quite the same again.
Naruto was still set on his dream of becoming Hokage, and still spars with Sasuke whenever he sees the opportunity. That rivalry and will to outdo each other was still there after all these years. He also goes to Ichiraku's for ramen every single day, if possible.
Hinata was getting frustrated at Naruto for being blind of her hints of wanting to get married, but was too shy to ask him herself. She just settles with going out with him for ramen and helping him train.
Shikamaru and Temari got married a month after Sasuke and Sakura, solidifying Konoha's alliance with Suna even more. Shikamaru, when asked how married life is for him, answers with one word: 'troublesome'.
:Well, that's it… for now! I'm continuing on the Kiba-Ino part of the story. I'm not sure on a title yet, but the first chapter is waiting to be posted.
:This really turned out happier than when I started the story. It was really meant to be a tragedy, with Sakura dying in the tunnels on their mission to save Hinata, and Sasuke dying after he gets his revenge from Itachi... but I'm actually happier with this!!
:THANKS FOR READING!!