A/N: Hate to say this, but Love Among Shinobi will end in seven chapters.

Chapter Fifteen: The Happiest Day

Four more months had come and gone since the Hokage's death. Naruto had done an incredible job of managing the village, much to everyone's surprise. He could not have done it without the help and support of his friends and Hinata, who was now seven months pregnant. Their wedding was just a day away, and all of their friends were invited. Tenten and Neji had already been wed, as had Sasuke and Sakura. Much to the disappointment of the newlyweds, Sakura still could not conceive. Sasuke was beginning to wonder if it was the Curse Mark, or just bad genetics on his side. They decided to have Sakura perform an artificial insemination soon.

Naruto and Hinata were the talk of the village as of late. Their wedding was to be at the mountaintop lake where they had experienced so many of their firsts. Hinata was having the prewedding jitters, but she held fast. She was truly in love with Naruto and he was with her as well. Naruto's friends had been busy preparing a big surprise for the new Hokage. It was Tenten and Temari's job to keep Hinata away from the house for the night. As Naruto entered the house, he expected Hinata to be asleep, as late as it was. Instead, he found Sasuke, Neji, Choji, Lee, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru and Gaara waiting for him. It was a reunion of old friends. Lee smiled and opened a small cooler that rested by the small couch. Inside were three bottles of sake, and a bottle of regular sparkling water. Lee pouted slightly at the sake. He knew nothing of his drunken rage.

"Well, it has been some time since it was just us guys like this."

Said the usually quiet Shino. Everyone turned to him and they nodded.

"That is has Shino. To what shall we toast to?"

Naruto smiled and took a glass. Neji did the same. As best man, it was his call.

"To the future of Konoha, and to the next generation of Shinobi to be born."

Choji smiled.

"I'll drink to that. To our unborns!"

Choji drank as did Neji and Naruto. Ino was pregnant with twins by him, and he was ecstatic. Sasuke, however, did not drink. He was lost in thought when Naruto clapped his best friend on the shoulder.

"I'm sure that in time you'll have a child too. I know that your new dream was to reestablish your clan. Sakura told me that she may have found the answer to the problem. Besides, we're young. We have our whole lives to worry about this."

Sasuke nodded but said nothing. Naruto sighed at this but it was Gaara who came to his rescue. Gaara laid a deck of cards on the table, and gave a smile to his friends.

"Let's play a game. I call it Drink Poker. Whoever wins each hand drinks. The first one to pass out wins. Who's in?"

They all decided to play. They even let Lee in, on the condition that they tied his legs to the floor. After the first hand, Sasuke won. He took a drink, and all his friends started to laugh. The night was young, and was just getting started. After thirty some hands, it was none other than Gaara himself who passed out. All of his friends were tired and their level of intoxication ranged from totally faced to a minor buzz. Naruto smiled as he saw Hinata enter their house late at night. They both went to bed for the night.

When Naruto woke early the next morning, Hinata was already gone. He knew he wasn't supposed to see her until the wedding, and he smiled. He went back to the living room where all of his friends were still in their sleep from the night before. Lee was the only one awake, and he was sitting there calmly, lifting the edge of the table with just one finger. Naruto smiled evilly and went into the kitchen. He quickly returned and proceeded to smash pots and pans together, and all of his friends jerked awake holding their ears in pain. Naruto doubled over laughing as Neji stood up and took a step and fell.

"Come on you drunks. Its my wedding day."

They all laughed and grumbled at the loud noise. They all quickly dressed in their black suits and hurried to the lake. The entire village was there to witness the marriage of the Hokage and his love. Jiraiya was to perform the ceremony, which some of the Shinobi found to be odd, given his peculiar habits of peeking on women.

"We are gathered here to join Naruto and Hinata in marriage. They have given each other body, mind and soul, and they feel that their love is pure and just. Each of them is a unique person, and they deserve to be happy with one another."

Naruto turned around as he had said this, and there stood Hinata, dressed in a flowing two piece dress. It was tight around her stomach, and even though she was seven months pregnant, she looked very beautiful. Her long hair was pulled back in a double bun, and was held in place by a single blue coral hairpin. She smiled as she walked towards Naruto, a bouquet of flowers in her hands. She turned and looked at her husband to be, and she lifted her eyes to meet his. They were full of the love she held in her heart for him.

"We are all very happy that we can witness this moment, the moment these two Shinobi become one. Naruto and Hinata have made a lifelong promise to one another. Naruto, please give your vows to Hinata."

Hinata smiled as Naruto took her gloved hand in his, and softly stroked her slender fingers.

"We have been through so much together. We have laughed and cried, we have cuddled and argued. But through it all, we have loved each other. I would have no other woman in my entire life but you Hinata. You fill my heart with so much glee and joy, and I feel so special that the love you show me is just for me. I take you before all gathered here to be my wife, for as long as I live."

Naruto's words brought the young woman to tears, and she gently wiped her eyes as she spoke her vows to him.

"You were always the object of my interest. No matter the situation, you were always so brave. It was that bravery that made me fall so madly in love with you. You never gave up, and you never went back on your word. You always keep your promises to me, and I know that this promise will be no different. I take you here to be my husband, for as long as I live."

Jiraiya smiled again before he spoke.

"It is with great pleasure that I can now introduce the Uzumaki Clan. I give you Hinata and Naruto Uzumaki. May you both live in happiness and health."

"In happiness and health."

Naruto swept Hinata off of her feet, and Hinata tossed the flowers into the crowd, only to be grabbed by both Ino and Temari. All of them wished the newlyweds a good honeymoon and Naruto smiled at them all.

"We'll be back soon. Take care everyone."

Naruto and Hinata kissed each other lovingly for everyone to see before he used Transparency Jutsu to vanish from their sight. Naruto carried Hinata home, where they both lay in bed, cuddling for warmth in the cold house. Just two months remained before the baby was to be born.

To be continued…