Reviewers;

St3rfire: Welllll...Some of those may or may not happen, but I love the hope in your words.

Czar Joseph: I hope I have done that, but you can be the judge of that, Czar.

JayK24: Well, You'll have to wait just a little longer for the battle to occur, but the time at hand is mighty close to occurring. I just need to present one last night together with our main protagonists.

AN: Hey everyone! So! I'm using this AN to promote my upcoming story, High School, Name will be changed at a later date, and I've been working rather hard for it. Tell you what? I promise that most, if not all, of the chapters will have 5000 words. How does that sound? Good enough for you? Well, that's how I'm writing it out, so please tell me some ideas you may like to see in the story and I'll try to incorporate that into the plot line.

Anyways, Onwards!...To Victory!

Fire & Ice

Arc 3: Trust

Chapter 44: One Last Night Together

The waves twisted and churned underneath the numerous hulls of the many ships, which were moving steadily across the wide expanse of black and blue and white waters, as the moon's light cast off the shines in the impurity of the liquids itself. As the waves crashed upon the hulls, the ships rocked to and fro, while the captains stood at their helms, turning the wheels to compensate for the water's great tide and to keep them in the direction of where they had to go.

All of the ships moved as part of a large massive blob, moving through the expanse under the watchful eye of their falconers, looking out from the crow's nest at the tops of the highest masts, looking for trouble and signs of smoke and ash from afar. Each of these three hundred and twenty vessels held around two hundred soldiers a piece, but none of the ships were alike as they moved to their goal.

A hundred of the ships were warships, made for the sea and to defend against anything in their way, but besides them, what lay inside the circles were the vulnerable ships. Inside were numerous small fishing boats, rafts with small sides, anything to transport for this large invasion force into the Uchiha Plains. And in the center, was a large barge, as large as that of the port in which they were heading now. Port Haruno itself. It trailed between the other ships, guarded because of the many wagons and battle materials needed once they arrived.

Over near the front of the armada, Sakura stood just under the nest, located on the tallest mast and looked out behind her to see the numerous small fires held in lanterns to guide the way to others around them. Sasuke hadn't attacked them at all, and they would reach the shoreline tomorrow morning. She supposed she had her new friends to thank for that.

Sakura looked down, her arms gently resting back against the gentle wrappings of the ropes. Her wrist and legs wrapped lazily around them as she leaned forward into the water where the sound of animals jumping out of the water, their bodies smacking into the waves, reached her ears and her eyes. All around the armada were seals, their slick bodies of blubber keeping them warm and keeping the water slick against them. They were one of Sakura's newest creations, to protect the open waters, and it seemed like they were a huge success. Plus…they were so adorable with their cute noses and tiny faces, looking like cuddles in the water. Sakura's powers simply made her happy to know that she was making a difference.

The feeling of the long ladder of ropes and netting being pulled stiff signaled that someone had started to climb up from below and Sakura's eyes closed as soon, warm hands, slick with a little sweat from the climb up two hundred feet, pressed against her current bare and exposed stomach, and Sakura leaned into Naruto, who smiled warmly at her. "You ready for tomorrow?"

"I'm returning home, Naruto."

"Yeah, you and I and everyone else."

"You know, this will be the most people in Port Haruno's borders than ever before."

"Just goes to show you Sakura that you have done as much as your parents could have hoped for."

"I suppose so, but I feel…content."

"...Content?"

"Well, content in whatever happens, you know? I feel like I've lived my life. There's nothing left that I could wish for." Sakura smiled as she looked outward, her hand wrapped in Naruto's, interlocked and intertwined fondly. "I have you, and I don't need anything else."

Naruto smiled and kissed Sakura's cheek. "Come on, We should get some sleep tonight. We have a big day tomorrow." Sakura's slowly yawned and nodded, before she followed Naruto down the rigging, and off to the captain's cabin, to sleep what she hoped would be a great second to last night of sleep.

In the next morning, the ships began to hear the caw of the seagulls and looked up to see the very cliffs of Port Haruno and the Great Haruno Ice Wall. To say that most were astonished was an understatement as many eyes of soldiers and sailors alike looked at the first of what was to be many great walls of ice. And at the very front of the armada was Sakura herself at the front of her ship, with Naruto and another of her soldiers just behind her. Sakura looked up at the walls and breathed in deeply. She didn't want to do it, but she had to.

"You can do it, Sakura." Naruto encouraged, and Sakura nodded and raised her hands towards the wall. Everyone soon watched and heard as a gentle rumble sounded from within the wall, and soon, small rivers began to flow from the tops of the wall. These rivers moved steadily from the ramparts, as small holes in the railings formed as the wall broke and began to fall controlled into the water.

The water sounded like a waterfall pounding on the surf, as the hundred foot wall shrunk down to eighty feet, then down to sixty, lower than the cliffs next to them, down to forty feet and had fallen down to twenty feet before the pounding water sent up the misty wave for the last few feet, and a wave as large as could be from rocks falling into the sea and crashing against the ocean, sent the armada back and forth a few feet before the mist cleared and the pathway was clear.

Sakura signaled for her ship to enter the harbor, a harbor that had only been entered a few times with her help, but now, with the wall gone, her barriers were down, and not just the physical ones. She was open wide for everything and now everything was free for anyone to see. Even now, Sakura's decision to reverse her initial freezing was shown clearly as she edged closer to the royal docking area, as the houses, frozen in time, began to recede as the ice melted and dripped to the ground.

Sakura's ship docked where it was, as well as many other ships, all along the harbor docks and along the edges, as smaller crafts moved all the way to the beaches before soldiers and sailors began to move and step foot within Port Haruno's borders. Sakura cast a glance around as she stepped back onto the stone pier out to the harbor's entrance, as the barge dropped its many anchors offshore, and ships began to make runs to and from the barge, bringing the supplies to the shore.

Sakura and Naruto watched as Tsunade and Kakashi's ships came in to the harbor, and signaled for Itachi's ship to dock onto the royal pier. Sakura moved to the end of the dock and smiled as a light trumpet sounded at the canyon entrance and she watched as her own soldiers began to pour out of the canyon at a relaxed pace, carrying symbols to show that they were not here to defend but instead to welcome the arriving ships.

In a few minutes, Sakura stood with Naruto by her side and Tsunade, Kakashi, and Itachi stood in a line behind them as Layla showed her face after taking off the cloth covering her lower half, and jumped off her horse, before moving through the thawing snow towards Sakura, before the two girls embraced the other, and without words as only close friends could accomplish.

"Everything has been prepared, My Queen. All of the soldiers await you at the eastern walls. We have prepared the tents for the army as you instructed."

"Thank you, Layla. You have done well."

"Only in your absence. Now, you can lead us once again."

Sakura's hand gripped Naruto's, her slim, uncovered, bare fingers brushing against his knuckles, as he did the same. He nodded to her and she knew that he would stay by her side, no matter what happened. "Of course. Show the army the way, and protect them."

"As you wish, my Lady." Layla replied, her voice full of emotion and full respect as she made a signal, and the long column of soldiers split in two, dividing along the main street of Port Haruno, one on each side, and at one soldier every twenty feet, and Sakura nodded to Itachi who signaled for the caravan of supplies and soldiers to commence the march. It was not long until the royals were all on their horses and approaching the inside of the canyon itself, and making their two hour long journey to the eastern entrance.

Naruto looked back as they watched from a higher cliff as the caravan continued for miles and miles, and still came from the barge and the ships looked so small from so high up, as shields and swords, and food and the sounds of turning wheels and the neighing of horses and crunching metallic footsteps were ringing in all ears. Naruto heard something like an attempt at hiding a sniffle and looked towards his girlfriend who was crying with a smile on her face.

"What is it, Sakura-Chan?"

"I just never thought that I would be leading these people through my home. I always imagined my father and mother beside me, leading me, just like when I first hurt you."

Naruto smiled though and Sakura felt his thumb slide up her cheek, wiping away some of the tears. "It just shows how far you've come since then, Sakura. You have truly changed since way back then."

"…We changed, right?"

"Yes. We. Forgive me. I'm still getting used to it."

"Well, we have the rest of our lives to get used to it." Sakura smiled as she pulled on her horse's reins. "Come on, we still have a long way to go."

It was two hours later when the front of the convoy reached the eastern wall, and Tsunade for once of the first times in her life felt humbled at the sight of a wall made not just out of ice, but complete with houses, towers, ballistae, and ornagers. It was a marvel in its own right, and then there was the addition that Sakura had mentioned on having her troops make for the convoy. Now, down the center was a gatehouse, with sharp spikes rising up from inside uncut stone, before ice doors opened inward and a small community of a sprawling city was seen before another wall protected the opposing side.

Tsunade's troops and column moved inside and as they moved towards the other wall, Tsunade stopped her horse altogether, at the sight of a small group of six or seven children watching them with smiles on their face from a side street before Tsunade saw some local hunters and wives conversing over prices with the old Haruno currency. And up above her, soldiers still guarded the walls for these people's safety. Sakura had truly created a life all her own here, in her own world. It was like a Narnia of so long ago, except with Sakura the maker and not claiming to be a God. She was just a simply brilliant genius.

"You okay, Shisou?" A voice called out as it approach her and Tsunade smiled at her old apprentice.

"I am fine, Sakura. You made an entire city for yourself."

"Oh, no, Shisou. This is an outpost."

"...You mean, you did not live here?"

"No, at times I wish I had, but I was needed in the main city, somewhere else. Perhaps after all this, you would like to stop by and have a banquet? I'd like to throw one after all these years."

Tsunade smiled fondly. "I'd like that a lot, and I'm sure the Alliance and the soldiers would love to be there. But I feel pretty tired right now. These old bones can't do this anymore."

"You're not old," Sakura smiled assuredly as Tsunade thanked her silently for the compliment. "…..Tsunade-baa-chan." Sakura ended teasingly, and Tsunade shook her head, as they spurred their horses on, and the second gate opened up and the army began to enter the small hillside of the safe zone, where thousands of tents were set up, ready to be slept, and relaxed in.

As the two girls paused again, and waited for the boys to come up beside them, they looked around at the tents and the field before Tsunade's eyes widened as she looked out to the distance as just over the flat plains and just next to the gentle mountains towards the north, a molten and smoky fire began to build in the distance.

"…That's where Sasuke's soldiers are camping out". Sakura explained and Tsunade gulped and nodded.

"I suppose I never should have doubted you."

"I would have doubted myself, if I had been sane enough to realize that I could ask for help before all of this started. I should have accepted the alliance's help all those years ago."

"Sakura, we cannot change the past, but we can affect the future." And together, with Sakura's nod and leading the group forward as the boys arrived, they headed inside the encampment, to prepare themselves for the day ahead.

The sun was setting in the fall air as Naruto Namikaze, the last of his name, walked among the various tents and small clearings, checking in with his men that he had been assigned thanks to Kakashi. Like Kakashi's battalion of highly skilled ninja, Naruto's battalion of five hundred men were equipped with equipment made for speed and for surprising and stunning their enemy by the sheer force of their attacks. Their speed was not at all on par with Naruto's, but after practicing with Sakura, Naruto found that he could, at the price of slowing his own body down, he could send out his magic to others to give them speed boosts in a way that they became nearly invisible to the sight.

Naruto watched from around a tent as some of his men joked around in their new light armor, really only made to protect against arrows and fire. Everyone would have to defend themselves well against swords and spears, but fire was the enemy here. And yet, as the sun set, the metal canisters were lit in orange flame to provide the men here with heat because while not in snow in these plains, it was still cold. It seemed that Sasuke's flames only served to heat himself and the air immediately around him, and not the land itself.

Naruto sighed and walked off, hoping to see Sakura tonight before he went to bed. He was in one of the long tents that could house a hundred soldiers, with his men, but he had to see her, like a magnet being pulled to its metallic opposite. Sakura could pull him from anywhere, and though Naruto had been a little…dark when he pulled on Sakura's magic, a few wisps of magic to signal her that he wanted to be with her, this was straight up longing.

The truth was, unless Sasuke was killed, unless Akhlys was somehow destroyed, then this war would not end, and they couldn't start their lives together. And besides that, Naruto had a feeling like he had to stay by her side. He felt like she was going to do something stupid and idiotic. After all, she was Sakura. She was the Queen who sacrificed herself for her people, so why not sacrifice herself for the world?

No. He would find Sasuke first and kill him before Sakura got the chance. If Sasuke died, then maybe Akhlys's body would be forced to disappear from this realm, and go back to where she belonged. Maybe if he got to Sakura in time, she would not die, like he had had a nightmare about a few nights ago, dying by the duel blades of both man and Goddess. With that thought in mind, Naruto pushed Sakura's flap aside and walked in.

Warning: Mature Content Ahead

"N-N-Naru~~?!" Sakura screeched at his entry. There she was, fully bare to him, her supple breasts heaving gently, her hardened nipples hidden from a small piece of cloth placed across them, as one of her hands pressed against her pelvis, hiding her modesty from view, unlike the rest of her nubile body.

For the second that Naruto watched her, he noticed that her hair was soaked and stuck to her neck and back, meaning that she had had a recent bath and had chosen to dry herself off. Oh God, she was beautiful. How he wanted to rip that small piece of cloth away and make love to her and-

"I'm sorry!" Naruto yelled as he swiftly turned around and moved to leave when a feminine hand shot out for his and Naruto's breath hitched.

"D-don't leave, Naru. I was just surprised is all. I didn't expect to see you until a little later."

"I should have announced myself. Did you take a bath?"

Sakura smiled, though Naruto still could see her. "Yeah, I knew you'd come, so I wanted to look good for you."

Naruto gulped as Sakura moved closer, her hand pulling Naruto's down towards her maidenhood, and his fingers grazed against her lower lips, making Naruto's body shiver and Sakura's voice quiver.

"Oh God..." Sakura quivered, and Naruto couldn't take it anymore, and turned around, his lips crashing into Sakura's as she mewled and pulled him closer. Naruto's fingers grazed across her lips again and her hips bucked a little into him, and her body grew wet as Sakura leaned up, and her tongue tickled at Naruto's ear "….I want you Naru."

"I shouldn't." Naruto looked away as Sakura kissed his ear. "None of these men can be with the ones they love. I have no right to see you like this."

"You have every right to see me this way Naruto. Come here." Sakura insisted, as Naruto smiled and they kissed softly as they stepped backwards, armor falling off of Naruto before the sounds of cloth reached the grassy floor before Sakura squealed lightly as her ankles hit the wooden platform and they fell back upon the bed inside, covered in light furs, and Naruto stood on his hands and knees above Sakura's sunken body within the furs. Her eyes looked at him in wanting, but he was the closest person to knowing her, and he saw the worry.

Naruto's hand moved down as Sakura's head turned to the side as he stroked her outer thigh. "What's wrong Sakura?"

Sakura scoffed lightly. "I knew you'd see through me. It's just that I've fought Sasuke before, and we always end up in a stalemate. Naruto, with our powers so equally matched, how can we win if I can't kill him?"

Naruto smiled as he lowered his body to mold into Sakura's, and Sakura held her breath as she felt his member press against her stomach, her body craving it. "Sakura…My dearest Sakura-Chan…You have always controlled your powers, even when we're intimate like this."

"…That's because somewhere deep inside me, I feel like there is a part of my magic that will hurt others. I mean, I have killed people, Naru…"

"Sakura, do you know the secret to sealing?"

"No..."

"…Trust…" Naruto smiled as he held Sakura's face between his hands, and smiled into her eyes. "You need to trust that your magic will work and you will be more powerful than ever."

Sakura giggled suddenly, and her stomach rumbled across his, and she smiled at him. "Trust huh?" Sakura looks to her boot, the only piece of cloth she had still on her before Naruto leaned back and dipped down, and Sakura's eyes shimmered with a well of love as he moved to take it off. "Naru~"

"In case I don't see you again, I-"

"Don't say that Naruto."

"I need to. I love you Sakura."

"With all my heart, as do I." Sakura touches Naruto's thigh, "So then…..one last time? Just in case? F-for old times sake?"

(Mature Content- Made for the Explicit Use of bringing the romance to its climax- Note, not for those who are not MATURE- You know what you are)

Naruto's eyes filled with a single brim of tears and he nodded as he leaned back up and kissed Sakura with unkempt passion as Sakura moved her arms around her lover as Naruto's lips suckled hers, biting her lower lip as Sakura moaned just for him. Someone could walk in on them, but they didn't care as Sakura moved her pelvis back and forth in much want and desire for Naruto's member. She wanted to feel him inside her, giving her what she had wanted all her life.

Naruto came up for air, and he looked down to see Sakura's breasts heaving and her body glowing, and he couldn't help but be greedy. Sakura meanwhile was feeling every little touch of Naruto's skin to hers. His member along her thigh, his hands along her side and on her shoulder. His breath along her jawline. And then he pulled back and Sakura's closed eyes opened wide with the suddenness of everything as her arms surged out and wrapped around Naruto's blond locks as his mouth opened and was soon atop of Sakura's supple point, his tongue lapping around her most sensible nub and Sakura's held in her urge of intensity as Naruto's hands continued to tease her everywhere else.

It was then that Sakura's powers made themselves known as they warmed the couple up even more, as sweat began to glisten and form outside of their pours, as the two breathed heavier as the magic pulled and sucked at their strength. Sakura's magic flared all around with its lights around them, but this time, it decided to stay around Sakura's core, from her pelvis to her neck, it slid against Naruto's member as it moved around and Naruto's mouth tasted the magic as pure bliss, before he moved back and looked into Sakura's eyes.

"N-Naru…I want you. P-please…"

Naruto smiled and nodded to her before he thrusted inside and Sakura mewled louder, biting into her hand to silence herself as Naruto began to move inside her, filling her up, as her body clenched around him and her magic chose this time to help Naruto along as it slicked his member in which he moaned and began to move faster.

Sakura's eyes moved wider and wider, this…this was how to make love. This was how she always wanted Naruto to love her, just like this. Naruto was right. She couldn't hold her power in like when she was younger, and she couldn't just let it be completely free and on its own. No, she had to trust that it would all be okay.

Sakura's muffled moans reached Naruto's ears and he reached up and drew Sakura's bite-ridden hand out of her mouth before thrusting again, and Sakura's resounding moan joined her skeptical face, asking him why he wanted people to hear before he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Sakura's neck and kissed her. So that was why.

Slowly moving forward, Sakura's elbows deep in the fur, Sakura pushed off and wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck, embedding herself fully on Naruto's member, and they both groaned and relished the feeling of Naruto's member pushing past Sakura's inner barrier, as she bounced up and down atop of him as her sensitive areas brushed against his.

Naruto's hold on himself was slipping and he wasn't going to last. Sakura's magic was everywhere inside him, pulling him further inside her. He had to be as far as he could go. His mouth crushing against her lips, his tongue down her throat, silencing her continuous moans as her hips jarred his member from within her ever tightening walls.

"S-Sa (Gulp)…Sakura-Chan…I can't hold out…" Naruto breathed before moving back in for the kill. He wasn't asking for her permission, he was just telling her what was coming. Sakura just continued to mewl ever louder and louder, as her magic moved lines of rope between the two of them, holding them hostage as they could go no further than inches apart before the ropes of magic pulled them forward like bungee cords.

When Naruto finally gave into his primal desires, he bit into Sakura's lower lip, drawing the slightest of blood, as the rest of Sakura's mouth moved free and she moaned loud as she threw her body back and Naruto yelled out as he was pulled forward to lie against her as Sakura spasmed as Naruto shot inside her, his essence filling her womb to the brim, as time slowed and the adrenaline that had been with them, suddenly left them as the tiredness filled them with a need for sleep.

(End Mature)

Naruto was simply breathing on top of Sakura, his member still inside her, softening, as he felt Sakura slowly push him off and out of her. Naruto breathed in a breathless chuckle. It figured that Sakura would be okay after just five minutes of rest. Sakura though simply turned and cuddled into Naruto's side, slightly on top of his chest, her legs intertwined with his.

"You take my breath away, Sakura-Chan."

"So….So do you, Naru."

Sakura and Naruto chuckled as they leaned in to kiss the other, as Sakura's magic stayed in the air around them, not bothering to flicker away tonight. The tent grew dark, but the magic made their bodies glow, as Naruto held his girlfriend's stomach, which glowed brighter than the rest of her body, and he pulled her closer, as Sakura's eyes closed, and he waited until he heard her shallow breathing before he concentrated on it, and willed it to help him sleep. They would be okay. They would be okay.

AN: Next Time: The Battle Begins