W.I.T.C.H. Fan: Hola mi Amigos! Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I hope you all have a great time with your family on what I like to call the National Pig Out Day. You know it's a perfect name for Thanksgiving. But I digress. Enjoy!

Chapter 12

The next morning, after a long, sleepless night, Naruto was in his office with both the treaties sitting on his desk. He knew that very soon on the guardians would come to get them and then they would leave again for good this time. Sure enough a knock echoed through the room before Will opened the door.

The Hokage gave his sister a small smile. "No offence or anything Will, but you look like a mess."

Will returned the smile. "I know." She had a major headache and the bags under bloodshot eyes were evidence that she did not get any sleep last night. "Do you have the treaties?"

"Right here," her brother said holding them up. "Gaara didn't ask any questions and I didn't tell him anything so he has no idea that you're even here."

"Thank you Naruto," Will said taking the scrolls from him.

"So I guess you'll be leaving in a few minutes then," Naruto said looking down.

"Yeah, but hey maybe I'll send you a copy of my book," the redhead said with a grin.

The blonde nodded. "I'd like that. I bet it will be fantastic!"

"That's what I'm hoping," Will said. After a few seconds she took a deep breath. "Naruto after I leave will you do something for me?"

"Sure what is it?" Naruto asked.

"Tell Sasuke that I'm sorry for what I'm putting him through and that the last thing I wanted to do was hurt him. Tell him that I want him to move on and that I hope he'll be happy," the guardian said.

The young Hokage nodded. "I'll be sure to tell him. He won't like it though."

"I know, but he should still hear it," Will replied. "Well, goodbye Naruto," she said turning and walking out of the room.

"Goodbye Will," Naruto mumbled quietly.

Several hours later the guardians and Elyon were all standing together outside the doors to their apartments.

"This is it guys, it's time to go report to the oracle," Will said.

Cornelia looked over at Elyon and saw her looking downcast. "You okay?"

"Leaving is even harder the second time around," the queen replied.

The earth guardian put a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "I know."

Raising the Heart of Candracar Will created a fold. "Come on guys let's go."

"Wait!"

The sudden cry made the group turn around and they were surprised to see Ino and Choji running towards them.

"Ino, Choji, what the heck are you guys doing here?" Irma asked.

"You didn't really think we'd let you leave without saying goodbye a second time did you?" Ino asked placing her hand on her hips.

The water guardian smiled. "You're right I should have known better." With that she wrapped her arms around both Ino and Choji in a hug goodbye.

"We'll miss you Irma," Choji said.

His wife nodded in agreement. "You have to find a way to keep in touch with us," she demanded.

"I don't know if that's possible, but I'll see what I can do," Irma said.

"Well good luck in the other world, or whatever it's called," Ino said.

The Akimichi head smiled. "It was really good seeing you again Irma."

"Same here. Goodbye you guys," Irma said stepping away from her friends and holding back tears. Looking at Will she nodded. "Let's go."

Ino and Choji watched sadly as Irma walked through the fold along with the other guardians. After they were gone, the blonde looked at her husband. "This is going to kill Shikamaru."

Choji sighed. "I know."

Stepping out of the fold onto the steps of Candracar the girls were surprised to see not only the Oracle waiting for them, but Miradel, Alborn, and Yan Lin as well.

"Mom, dad, what are doing here?" Elyon asked her adoptive parents.

"You'll see soon enough your majesty," her mother replied with a knowing smile, which only confused the young queen further.

Will stepped forward and held the scrolls out to the Oracle. "Here are the treaties signed by both the Hokage and the Kazekage."

"Well done guardians," the oracle said. After a moment he looked at the six girls in front of him questioningly. "I sense that something troubles you. Did something happen in the village?"

"Oh something happened all right," Irma muttered.

"Be quiet," Taranee whispered to Irma.

"Girls what's wrong?" Yan Lin asked. "Is it those boys?"

Each of the guardians cringed. "Unfortunately yes," Elyon said.

"What happened?" Alborn asked.

There was a long pause before Cornelia answered. "It's a long story and I don't think any of us want to say what happened."

The former air guardian smiled gently. "Oh girls, you don't have to tell us, we can see it on all of your faces. You still love those young shinobi."

This bold statement stunned the girls into silence and for some reason, the Oracle and Elyon parents smiled knowingly.

"Elyon sweetheart," Miradel said placing her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Do you really love that young man from the leaf village?"

Not being able to lie to parents Elyon nodded. "Yes mom, I love him."

"And are you happy when you're with him?" Her father asked. Again Elyon nodded.

Hay Lin looked at her grandmother. "Grandma, what is going on?"

"Ever since you first left the village five years ago none of you ever seemed to be genuinely happy. I knew that you never stopped loving those boys, but I also knew there was no way any of you would own up to it. So Alborn, Miradel, and I went to the Oracle and asked him to help us," Yan Lin explained.

"What are you saying, Yan Lin?" Taranee asked

"She's saying that this was never a real mission. It was just a way for you girls to go back to the village and realize that it was where you were truly happy," Miradel finished.

For several seconds all six of the girls just stared at their four friends, mouths agape. Will was the first to pull herself together. "Okay hang on, I'm still confused here. If you sent us there trying to make us happy, then why did you want us to come back?"

The oracle, whose all knowing smile had never left his face stepped forward. "Just because we sent you, it doesn't mean that we were sure everything would work out the way we hoped. Seeing as it has though, I am offering you all a choice. You can give up being guardians and return to the leaf village or remain guardians and stay in Heatherfield."

"Wait, are you really saying that we can go back if we wanted to?" Irma asked. The Oracle nodded.

"Oh don't look so surprised girls," Yan Lin laughed upon seeing their faces. "You are all grown up women who can make their own choices. What I want you all to do right now, is think about what you truly want."

Tears filled Hay Lin's eyes and jumped forward embracing her grandmother. "Thank you grandma, thank you so much."

"Well I guess you already know what you want," the older woman laughed.

Alborn looked at his daughter and saw the downcast expression on her face. "What's wrong Elyon?"

"I don't have a choice like they all do. I have to stay on Meridian for my people and I don't want to make Kiba leave his village for me. There's no way for us to be together," the queen said sadly.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that your majesty," her mother said. "Your father and I have worked out a way for you and this young man to be together, if you will both agree to it."

When she heard the plan that her parents had in mind, a huge smile split Elyon's face and she threw her arms around them. "You're the best parents a girl could ask for."

Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin were bouncing up and down excitedly by this point and Will and Cornelia had big smiles plastered onto their faces.

"Well guardians, what is your choice?" The oracle asked.

Will looked at her friends, asking a silent question. They answered by nodding their heads. Turning back to the Oracle the keeper's smile got even bigger. "I think you already know your answer, Oracle."

Shikamaru Nara sighed for what must have been the millionth time since Ino and Choji had informed him that Irma had left, which had been two hours ago. He closed his eyes and had to refrain from punching something as the thought again crossed his mind that the love of his life was gone. "I should have stopped her," the genius muttered. "I should have asked her to stay."

His head fell back onto his pillow when he heard someone knocking at the door and decided to just ignore it. The knocking persisted for several seconds and just as Shikamaru was about to nod off, his eyes shot open when he heard the person at the door yell.

"Shikamaru I know you're in there! Don't make me regret coming back!" Irma's voice shouted.

Within three seconds Shikamaru was out of bed and the door was wide open revealing a smirking brunette with big blue eyes.

"Irma?" He asked in disbelief. "What…how…I…you left-"

"Yeah I did, but there was a change in plans," Irma said.

"What kind of change?" the young Nara asked, still surprised that Irma was standing right in front of him.

"Let's just say that I realized that these past five years I was just kidding myself in thinking I had moved on," The spunky girl said. Then, without giving any warning, she reached up and kissed Shikamaru, shocking him even more.

"Okay Irma I really need some context here," The genius said after Irma had pulled back. "I mean it's not that I'm not happy to see you because I am, but can you please explain things better?"

Irma smiled up at him and put her hand on his cheek. "When I first came back to the village a few days ago, I was determined to never get near you. Obviously that plan failed miserably when you came to see Ino."

"Was there a plan B?" Shikamaru asked, feeling his heart start to beat a little faster.

"Yep. Don't let our past get in the way of the mission at hand. Again that failed miserably."

The pineapple head raised an eyebrow. "When?"

"The second I heard you say my name," Irma responded.

Shikamaru smiled and put his hand over hers. "So what now? Are you staying?"

The water queen nodded. "Yes and I'm staying because I want to be with you."

The shadow user's heart almost burst with happiness right then and there. She was staying with him and she wasn't going to leave him again! "Well if that's the case, then I guess I finally get to give this back to you," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out Irma's ring.

Irma felt happy tears form in her eyes as Shikamaru took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. With a gentle smile, the young man wrapped his arms around her. "I love you Irma," he said.

At that, a few of the tears fell as the ex-water guardian gave a happy laugh. "I love you too."

"I know. You told me last night when you thought I was sleeping," the genius said with smirk.

Irma's jaw dropped in surprise. "Wait a minute, you were faking the whole freaking-" She was cut off when Shikamaru fused their mouths together. Just before the kiss wiped her mind clean, Irma decided that coming back to be with the lazy genius was without a doubt the best freaking decision she had ever made in her life.

"You know if you two keep pushing yourself this hard, you'll be unconscious before the day is over," TenTen said, looking at her teammates with concern.

Neji and Lee had been training nonstop since the early morning, knowing that Cornelia and Taranee were gone and they refused to stop no matter what their friend said.

With a frustrated sigh the weapon's mistress threw her hands in the air. "Would you idiots please listen to me? I know you're upset by the fact they left, but training harder than usual isn't going to help. Don't you remember that you both almost killed each other the first time they left because you were training too hard?"

Once again, Neji and Lee ignored TenTen. Just as she was about to go over and beat some sense back into them, two kunai flew between the young men, stopping them mid-attack. Turning to look for the source their eyes widened in surprise when they saw Cornelia and Taranee standing several feet away.

TenTen's eyebrows shot up as she watched the scene in front of her. 'This should be interesting,' she thought.

With nervous smiles, the now former earth and the fire guardians went up to Neji and Lee. Cornelia brushed her hair away from her eyes, something she always did when she was nervous, as she stood in front of the Hyuga. "Hi Neji."

"Cornelia what are you doing here. I heard you left," the prodigy said.

The blonde nodded. "I did."

"But then why did you come back?" he asked, hope beginning to spread through him.

Cornelia smirked. "Did you really think I was going to leave the man I loved twice?"

Neji practically stopped breathing as he processed her words. "You still love me?"

"Yes and I shouldn't have left you all those years ago," she responded. Before the Byakugan wielder could reply in any way, Cornelia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He was, of course, only too happy to return it.

Lee and Taranee were too busy having their own conversation to take notice of their friends.

"What made you change your mind?" the green beast asked.

The dark skinned girl raised an eyebrow. "Hmm let's see if you can guess. He's tall, strong, brave, kind, has bushy eyebrows, loves green spandex, and I'm completely in love with him."

Almost instantly after the words left her mouth, Taranee found herself in Lee's arms as she spun her around.

"I love you too, my beautiful flower!" he cried happily as he stopped spinning Taranee.

"I know," the ex-guardian said just before Lee kissed her.

Oblivious to her friends, TenTen had remained in the same spot the whole time, completely unnoticed. She smiled and shook her head. 'Well they're definitely happy now. At least I don't have to worry about Lee and Neji killing each other anymore."

At his team's training ground, Kiba was sitting on a small hill with Akamaru's head in his lap. The dog ninja sighed as he continued to think about the young queen he had fallen in love with. As if knowing what was going on, Akamaru let out a small whimper.

"Yeah I know boy," Kiba said scratching his friend's head. "I miss her too."

It was silent for a few more minutes until Akamaru's head perked up and he leapt away from Kiba.

"Hey Akamaru where are you going?" The Inuzuka cried standing up to go after him. He stopped short however when he saw Elyon gently petting the dog. Looking up, the queen smiled at the expression on Kiba's face.

"Hey Kiba, did you miss me?"

Slowly a smile appeared on Kiba's face and he quickly walked over to the blonde. "You came back. Why?"

"I came to make Naruto an offer. I've been thinking about it and I figured it would be in Meridian and the Leaf's best interest to form an alliance," Elyon explained.

"Another treaty? Isn't that what started this mess in the first place?" Kiba asked crossing his arms.

"It's not like that, Naruto just needs to approve of my proposal. Besides treaties are just pieces of paper that lose value very quickly. My idea for an alliance is something much stronger and more permanent," the queen said.

The dog ninja looked at her, confused. "What kind of alliance are you thinking of."

A sly smile appeared on Elyon's face. "It's simple really, all I would have to do is marry someone from the leaf. Preferably someone from the Inuzuka clan."

Her smile grew as she saw understanding dawn on Kiba and his eyes widened as his jaw dropped. After several seconds he was finally able to speak.

"Elyon did you…did you just ask me to marry you?" He asked incredulously .

"Yeah pretty much," Elyon said with a laugh. "But it isn't like I'm forcing. You can choose whether or not you want to do this. I know this may not have been what you were thinking when you said there might have been a way for us to be together."

Kiba smirked. "Elyon, although this is probably the weirdest marriage proposal in history, nothing would make me happier than marrying you."

With a delighted squeal Elyon jumped into Kiba's arms and kissed him soundly. When she heard the Inuzuka laugh she pulled away slightly. "What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking that soon your name will be Elyon Inuzuka. Gotta say I really like the sound of that," the dog ninja said before he and Elyon kissed again.

Will bit her bottom lip as she stood nervously in front of the Uchiha mansion. She was terrified of what Sasuke what would say to her after the way she had said to him last night. Gathering her courage she knocked on the door. She didn't have to wait long before it opened.

"Naruto for the last time I don't-" Sasuke stopped when he saw that it was Will standing in front of him and not the knuckle head.

"Hi Sasuke," she said.

"What are you doing here, Will?" he asked narrowing his eyes.

"I have to talk with you," the former keeper said.

"I thought you said it all last night," Sasuke said angrily.

The redhead flinched at his words. "Please let me explain." When he said nothing Will took it as a sign to continue. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to say those words to you Sasuke. I never wanted to hurt you, but I had to. I thought that with me being a guardian we couldn't be together."

"Then why did you come back?" The Uchiha asked.

"I gave up being a guardian Sasuke. I gave up my powers so I could be with you. I know you're never going to let me live this down, but you were right about me being unhappy. I wanted to forget about you and told myself that I was happy, but I was lying. I guess the first time I admitted it to myself was when you kissed me and I realized that I was still in love with you. I love you Sasuke Uchiha, you make me happy and I…"

She trailed off when Sasuke took her face in his hands. Looking at his own face she saw his eyes were filled with the kind of emotion she knew were reserved just for her. "Just shut up and kiss me," he said before he captured Will's mouth with his.

As the redhead returned the kiss she put her hands on Sasuke's chest and smirked as she felt his heart pounding. 'I guess I have more power over him than I thought,' she thought just before the Uchiha deepened the kiss, wiping her mind clean. It was only when the need for air became too great that they separated.

"Wow," Will breathed as she tried to calm her racing heart.

Sasuke smirked and pulled her even closer to him, his arms wrapped possessively around her waist. "I hope you realize that now I'm never going to let you leave me again, no matter what the circumstance."

The ex-guardian smiled and rested her head on his chest. "I wouldn't have it any other way Sasuke."

Naruto took a deep breath as he looked sat in his chair looking at the view of the leaf from his office. 'I still can't believe Hay Lin's gone.'

When someone knocked on the door the Hokage didn't even turn around. "Come in," he called. 'It's probably Konahamaru coming to bug me about the whole Hay Lin thing,' he thought.

"Naruto it's me," Hay Lin said.

The knuckle head whipped around immediately and when he saw it was Hay Lin he flew out of his chair. However he stood up so fast that he tripped over his own two feet, doing a face plant on the floor.

"Are you okay?" The black haired girl asked trying not to laugh.

"Am I okay?" Naruto asked with a huge smile as he quickly stood up. "You're standing right in front of me after I thought you had left. How could I not be okay?"

"I shouldn't have even thought about leaving you," Hay Lin said as the young Hokage hugged her. "Naruto, you told me last night that you were still in love with me and I came back to tell you that I still love you too and that I'm never going to leave you again."

At that, Naruto pulled back slightly, only to rest his forehead against Hay Lin's. "You have no idea how happy I am right now."

The former air guardian smiled. "Actually I think I have a pretty good idea."

The spiky haired blonde smiled gently and slowly leaned in pressing his lips to Hay Lin's and was only too happy when she reached up to hold him at his back.

"Alright way to go boss!"

The two quickly pulled apart at the yell and saw Konohamru, Moegi, and Udon standing in the doorway. Somehow they had managed to open the door without Naruto or Hay Lin noticing.

"You three get out of here!" The Hokage shouted.

Konohamaru laughed. "You have to tell me everything later boss," he said giving Naruto the thumbs up as he and his friends quickly ran off.

"Sorry that kinda killed the moment didn't it?" Naruto asked Hay Lin, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

The girl shrugged her shoulder. "Nah, not really. Now where were we?"

The blonde was pleasantly surprised when Hay Lin grabbed the collar of his cloak and pulled him down so she could kiss him again. Who knew little Hay Lin, could be so bold? Well Naruto certainly wasn't complaining that's for sure.

As he wrapped his arms around the love of life, the Hokage was certain of one thing. No matter what happened after today he and Hay Lin could face. Whatever challenges presented themselves, Naruto would be beside her.

Because this was only the beginning of their new life together.

END OF CHAPTER

W.I.T.C.H. Fan: Well what do you guys think? I hope you're all happy with how this turned out. Well it's not over yet, there's one more chapter to go and it will be up soon, I promise.