~Chapter Sixteen~

Decisions

I woke abruptly to see a place I did not recognize. I sat up sharply, terrified my hallucinations had completely taken me over and I would now have to face a cruel reality. I looked around me frantically and saw nothing I remembered until I looked down at the bed next to me. Laying there I saw his beautifully pale body, eyes still closed, breathing slowly. I returned to my place in the crook of his arm, letting my head fall to his shoulder. "Move in with me Naruto." His voice surprised me since I'd believed him to still be asleep.

"What?" was he serious?

"I have an extra room here for Iruka and Kakashi, and you of course would stay in here with me."

His question surprised me; I didn't expect him to want me on such a permanent basis already, though the joy his question brought me was unimaginable. "Yes love, yes!"

I reached the base of the stairs and entered the kitchen to see Itachi standing over the restaurant style stove, the scents of bacon, eggs and pancakes filling my nostrils. I smiled as I watched him, thinking of his offer to have me see this every morning for the rest of my life. The sound of a chair screeching across the tile floor distracted my thoughts. My head turned toward the sound just fast enough to catch a glimpse of a small figure racing toward me.

"Otousan!" I smiled as my breath caught in my throat and my eyes widened. At her speed Nara was sure to knock Itachi onto the stove top, but her small figure had a different idea. She ran toward me instead, her arms outstretched and her eyes bright. She jumped into my arms and squeezed her arms around my neck tightly. "Stay with us Otousan! Daddy doesn't want you to go and I don't either. Grandpa Iruka already said they would stay if you did. Please?"

I looked into her bright blue eyes and couldn't help but let the grin break across my face. "Of course I'll stay honey, I couldn't be happier anywhere else."

She looked up at me with question in her eyes. "Does that mean I can call you Papa too?" the fear of rejection was obviously gripping the young girl in my arms.

"I'd love that sweetheart." Itachi turned to look at us, his giant smile invisible on his lips but obvious in his eyes. Nara jumped from my arms, ran to Itachi and hugged his legs, then skipped from the room chanting: I have two daddies! I have two daddies!

"AHH! MOMMA!" her piercing scream shattered the quiet of the house and sent my body into a rush, along with Itachi, into the living room. We both stopped short as we saw Nara leaning over the catatonic body of her mother lying on the floor near the couch.

"Naruto, call 911 – quickly!" Itachi shouted the order and ran to Ankos' side. I returned to the kitchen and quickly dialed the phone.

Nara hadn't forgotten her mother in the last nine months since her death, but instead has kept her memory alive. She thankfully didn't become depressed, on the other hand kept her disposition bright and joyous, remembering only the best times they shared. Itachi also took it lightly, attempting to stay positive I'm sure. We didn't have a typical funeral for Anko, Nara wouldn't let us. Instead Nara had us cremate her remains then she took the ashes to the hills and tossed the ashes to the wind. Nara said her mother used to tell her stories of flying and wanted her mama to have everything she'd dreamed of.

Nara and I had taken up the tradition of sitting together on the couch every night after dinner; the only time the house was calm and quiet. She would talk for an hour or two, telling me all about her mother, what growing up was like and what she'd done that day. Then once she'd fallen asleep on my lap Itachi would carry her to her room. Tonight was no different. I sat there with Nara sleeping in my lap and Itachi next to me, his arm around my shoulders, just watching TV. "It's late Hun, we should get her upstairs."

"Yeah, probably," he looked down at his sleeping daughter as he lifted her into his arms. He smiled as he then looked into my tired eyes, "I have her, you stay here until I get back then I'll carry you up to bed." I laughed softly but stayed on the couch, though I did watch him until he was out of my line of sight. A few moments later I heard footsteps behind me.

"I'm moving out." The voice was deep and strained.

I turned to look toward the voice, seeing the tall pale crow that I hadn't seen much in the last few weeks. "Sasuke? Why?" my tired mind refused to believe his words.

There is no need for me here anymore. Now that Anko has passed you only have Nara to worry about and Itachi has that under control. I'm not going far and I'll visit probably, I just don't want to be here anymore."

"But why Sasu?" he'd begun to walk away until I'd spoken my nickname for him.

"Don't call me that Naruto; the time for nicknames is over now. I need to go and that's just how it has to be." His eyes were sad and his words desperate.

"What?" I walked to him, placing my palm against his jaw. I felt him lean in for a split second before he pulled away and looked to the ground. "Sasu, stop it! You're being ridiculous! Is this really about you and me or me and Itachi?" as soon as I referenced our night together a single tear fell from his eye. He looked back into my eyes, a sharp anger filling his face.

"Don't speak of that Naruto. That was then, this is now and I released that dream years ago. That time is over." His eyes dug into me, ripping my heart to pieces.

"Sasu...I-I'm –" What am I supposed to say to this?

"Just don't..." his voice was soft, defeated but strong. "I'm going, I have to. I can't see this anymore, I've accepted I've lost and can't keep looking at what I can't have." He looked into my eyes and watched my tears fall. "Goodbye Naruto. I – Goodbye."

He turned from me, walking toward the door. My knees buckled beneath me and I fell to the floor in despair. My eyes closed as my face rested on the floor. The last thing I heard before Itachi came to my side was the click of the front door behind Sasuke.

"Goodbye Sasu..."

Almost done...what else could i possibly put you guys through?