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Author's Notes:

Hello, my lovelies! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Well, I don't know about y'all, but I'm excited for the 100th chapter of this story. Trust me, when I originally made the outline for this story, it was not supposed to have this many chapters. However, it fits the story's progress and helps with the build-up for the final installment of this trilogy. So, I hope you enjoy the 100th chapter and continue all the couples and characters within the story!

Secondly, I would like to thank the many fans who stuck with me throughout this lengthy process. It is worth it knowing that someone out there enjoys my ridiculous thoughts and ideas. I love this community and look forward to producing more work. Love you!

Chapter 100: Returning to You

Normal P.O.V.

The room was filled with darkness and depression. The sky outside threatened rainfall before long and cast its heavy shadow along the off-white walls. Only the sounds of the beeping medical machine and soft breathing could be heard in the still room. Naruto's unconscious body rested on the same hospital bed for the past two weeks without any sign of him waking up. His nine tails were spread over a small thing of bedding while his mate curled up on the small couch. However, the exhausted feline finally rose from his useless cat nap before long.

The raven-haired male yawned and stretched out his body before sitting up and looking at his unconscious mate. Then, without thinking, Sasuke Uchiha fell into his routine of constantly checking on the sleeping blond-haired fox alpha. First, he dragged his body over to the drawers and pulled out some medical supplies before grabbing some towels from the bathroom. Then, with the help of the nurses, Sasuke took it upon himself to gently clean his mate's severed arm, change the bandages, give him a sponge bath, and change out his bedpan. It wasn't the most rewarding work, nor the cleanest, but it was the least he could do for his mate. Unfortunately, it caused him to neglect his own health.

As Sasuke changed Naruto's bandages and cleaned the arm wound, his mind thought back to every time he was scolded for his neglectful behavior. Tsunade, Kakashi, Iruka, Jiraiya, Karin, or one of the nurses would scold him or threaten to snitch to Naruto. And then there was Sakura. Although things have progressed positively between them since their last conversation, things still were not what they used to be. Luckily, it didn't change how much she cared for the feline omega and would practically beg or threaten him about taking better care of himself. Anyone who saw him would think that he was annoyed by their antics on the outside. However, it was quite the opposite.

Having the small group of people fuss and fight him about how he cares for Naruto and himself made Sasuke feel like he was home again. And he didn't mean just back in the Hidden Leaf. No, this time, Sasuke Uchiha felt as happy as he was when his clansmen were alive. Now, if only his alpha would finally wake up, his family would be complete. But, alas, who knew when that time would come.

Tsunade and Sakura said that it was undetermined when Naruto might wake up. At one point, there was talk of it being years, to which Sasuke had a heart attack over. None of it made sense. Naruto was now the Jinchūriki for all the Nine-Tailed Beasts, so why wasn't he waking up? Hell, why didn't his arm grow back? His other injuries healed fine, so what was going on with him? One of the theories was that Naruto's body and mind needed time to adjust to the newfound power he wielded. How much time was something that they had to wait on. But, for now, Sasuke would do everything that he could to be by his mate's side whenever he woke up.

Iruka and Kakashi and their friends agreed to check on their apartment until Naruto woke up if Sasuke promised to take care of both. They would take turns watering Naruto's plants, cooking meals, cleaning the house, and bringing them new, comfortable clothes while in the hospital. And, when they came to visit, they would either sit in comfortable silence or try to talk to both, hoping that Naruto would respond. Unfortunately, nothing has worked yet. All they could do was remain hopeful that their friend would awaken soon.

The sound and flash of thunder shocked Sasuke as he finished wrapping Naruto's amputated arm. He quickly turned around and tried to calm his racing heart. Once that was done, he sighed, smoothed his fluffed tail, and stood up. He yawned and stretched again as he looked out the window. The raindrops pelted the window. Below him were some of the villagers rushing to get out of the rain. The wind didn't blow, but Sasuke didn't need to see the wind to tell it was a chilly night. The raven-haired male leaned against the wall by the window and watched the rainfall with a tired expression. His thoughts naturally drifted back to Naruto's unconscious form. Memories of a bright smile, loud words, heart-filled promises, large hands, strong arms, and a warm body filled his mind. As much as everyone jokes about Naruto being the Number One Knuckle-Headed, Loudmouth, Unpredictable Ninja, the world seemed empty without him. And for what it was worth, Sasuke would give anything to have his mate back to normal.

Sasuke heavily sighed as he pushed off the wall. He allowed the sound of rain to relax his soul and body as he continued to stare at Naruto. Finally, with nothing else to do, Sasuke decided this would be the perfect weather to shower and curl up with one of his books. He walked over to the bag Iruka dropped off and took it into the bathroom. Next, turned on the water to his desired hot temperature. Then, he brushed his teeth and pulled some clothes out before jumping under the hot water. He sighed in relief at the feeling of the water heating up his skin and washing away his depression. On days like this, where he missed Naruto the most, the only thing that soothed him was a hot shower. For Sasuke, it was the closest thing to Naruto's body heat that he could get.

While the water ran over his body and the steam filled the small room, Sasuke lathered up his hair and body with Naruto's cinnamon and vanilla 3-in-1 body wash shampoo and conditioner. He allowed the fruity, sweet scent to fill his lungs and further relax him. Although his natural scent is strawberries, Sasuke preferred Naruto's manly scent of cinnamon and vanilla. Another small thing that helped keep him grounded during these grim times. He stayed in the shower until the water turned lukewarm. After that, he decided it was time to get out and get dressed for the night.

"Later tonight or in the morning, I'll make sure to give Naruto his sponge bath." Sasuke thought to himself as he dried off.

Once he was dry and clothed in a pair of sweatpants, a t-shirt, slippers, and one of Naruto's jackets, Sasuke reentered the room. Before dropping the bag on the floor, he got the latest book Hinata recommended and walked towards the couch. He plopped onto it with a sigh and did his best to make himself comfortable. The rain and thunder roared in the background as flashes randomly appeared along the walls. Sasuke tsked when he realized that he had forgotten to turn on his reading lamp. He heaved himself up and turned on the light. But before he could go back to the couch, a soft sound caught his attention.

Sasuke's heart pounded in his chest, and his eyes widened hugely as he slowly turned around. The tiniest movement of a tan finger caught his attention. Cautiously, Sasuke tiptoed over to his mate's bedside and watched as his mate started to wake up. Short, blond eyelashes dusted with sleep crust slowly peeled open. Once bright clear, ocean blue eyes were dulled over until life shone in them. Sasuke held his breath as he watched those eyes curiously search the room as if he tried to figure out where he was. It only took a few moments for those same eyes to land on him. Moments passed as dulled blue eyes and onyx eyes stared into the other; only one was waiting for the other to recognize them. Finally, once the blond male realized who he was staring at, Naruto's eyes widened as he tried to reach for Sasuke.

"S-S-S-Sasuke?" Naruto whispered harshly.

"Welcome back, dobe. Glad to see you're still alive." Sasuke smirked as he held his mate's hand. Naruto tried to talk again, but he went into a coughing fit. The raven-haired male was at his side at once. "Don't try to talk yet. Your vocal cords might be damaged. Hang on, and I'll get you a glass of water and a nurse."

Naruto silently watched as Sasuke left his bedside. Before long, the young feline returned with a glass of water. He reached under Naruto's head and tilted the glass back. Naruto happily opened his mouth and drank the water until there wasn't a drop left. After that, Sasuke helped Naruto settle back into his bed.

"Where… where am I? What happened?" Naruto asked.

"We're at the hospital in the Hidden Leaf. You've been asleep for two weeks."

"Two weeks? Are you sure?"

Sasuke nodded. "How much do you remember?"

Naruto didn't answer right away. Instead, he lowered his gaze and searched his memory for anything from the past two weeks. "I remember we defeated Madara and Kaguya, Space Gramps gave me the power of all the Nine-Tailed Beasts, Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei fighting alongside us, and my dad and the other Hokages disappearing. That's about it."

"After the war, we carried you and a lot of other people, including four of the five Kages, back to the Hidden Leaf to be watched over and cared for. Lady Tsunade, Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Karin, and the other medical-nin groups healed everyone's injuries. In contrast, the others either looked for the remaining shinobi or helped the other Five Nations. Everyone was busy waiting for you and the other three Kages to awaken. Oh, and you also gained your ninth and final tail." Sasuke explained.

Naruto looked over to the bedding and noticed said tail and smiled. "Oh wow. I thought I would have remembered that." He joked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't. You passed out as soon as the sun came up. You've been asleep ever since." Naruto nodded his head but didn't turn away from his mate. Instead, he reached out towards Sasuke and caressed a pale cheek. A purr escaped the feline's chest as he leaned into the touch of callous, rough fingertips against his skin. "What… was it like while you were asleep? Do you remember anything?"

"Not too much. The whole time I was unconscious, I remembered hearing Kurama and the other Tailed-Beasts talking. Finally, they told me that I needed to rest and recover. They explained that, since they were inside of me now, it would take some time for me to adjust to my new powers. So that's what I did. I rested and meditated as they poured their chakra into me. I could feel myself becoming more powerful. It felt… nice. It was as if I received warm hugs from them. And, if I remembered correctly, it would take even more time for my physical body to adjust as well. However, the thing I remembered the most was wanting to return to you. That's why it took me so long. I had to let them finish healing and restore me. They wouldn't let me leave any earlier, or else I would risk damaging my chakra channels and physical body."

"You would basically cripple yourself." Sasuke finished.

Naruto nodded and gently smiled. "Of course, I couldn't do that. So, I waited until I was cleared before returning. Kurama and the other Tailed-Beasts wanted me to say hello too. I hope you can forgive me."

Sasuke shook his head and returned his own gentle smile. "There's nothing to forgive. I'm glad that you're alive and mostly well. Now, you just need to focus on your recovery here."

Naruto was about to say something else, but then the door swung open and hit the nearest wall with great force. Both boys turned and saw a stunned Tsunade and Jiraiya walk into the room. Cautiously, the busty blond-haired person walked towards them and stood next to Sasuke. Her honey-hazel eyes were wide, and the color had drained from her face. Anyone who saw her would say that she looked like she had seen a ghost.

With shaky, timid hands, she reached towards Naruto. First, she caressed his whiskered cheek. Then she ran her fingers through his choppy, uneven hair. Their eyes never left the other as Tsunade continued to feel his face. Finally, her diligent fingers grabbed his left ear and tugged hard.

Naruto loudly yelped as he smacked her hand away and glared. "Ouch! Damn Granny. I'm back 10 minutes, and this is how you greet~."

He didn't get to finish his sentence as she engulfed him in a bone-crushing hug. "You're back. I can't believe that you're back. I… I thought we lost you… Don't ever scare me like that again, you damned brat." She sniffed as her shoulders trembled.

Naruto's wide eyes softened as he reached up and wrapped his arms around her back. "I'm sorry, Granny. I promise it won't happen again."

She sighed as she pulled away with a gentle smile on her face. "It better not, or I'll drag you back here by your tails."

He chuckled, knowing that she was half-serious. Once she pulled away and started examining him, Jiraiya stepped up after closing the door. "It's good to see that you finally rejoined us in the land of the living, son."

"Yeah. I missed everyone here. There was no way I was leaving this world yet. I still have some responsibilities here, ya know." He smiled brightly.

"Hn. Yes, well, it is good to know that you've finally matured some." Jiraiya teased.

"Speaking of which, where is everyone? I thought I would have had the entire village in my room by now."

"Since you just woke up, I sent the ANBU to retrieve Sakura, Ino, and Hinata at least. Therefore, Kakashi, Iruka, and others will be allowed to visit tomorrow. However, until I can fully see you and figure out where you stand medically, you will have to remain in the hospital." Tsunade explained.

"Oh, man! I was hoping to go home soon. I think my body hurts from laying in this hospital bed the whole time." Naruto whined as he sunk further into the bed.

"I know, but a lot has happened brat. And, until I can clear you medically, you'll have to deal with it. Don't worry, though. It shouldn't be too much longer, especially with your personal nurse by your side." She giggled.

Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion until he turned and saw a blushing Sasuke looking away from him. "Sasuke? You stayed and took care of me?'

"Of course, I did, dobe. Where else would I go? You were unconscious in a hospital bed. None of us knew if you would make it, although we never doubted you. I was never going to leave your side when I knew that you were in that kind of condition." Sasuke explained with his arms crossed and a blush dusting his cheeks.

"Oh, don't be so modest, sunny boy. Your mate was a major help. He has stayed by your side since he woke up. He helped change your IV, gave you medical treatment, and guarded your room until you woke up. In fact, when everyone came to visit you, he was always there. He even talked to a few people. But, unfortunately, too often, we had to scold him for neglecting himself in favor of caring for you. But one thing I could say for this boy was that he was dedicated to making sure you recovered, one way or another." Jiraiya smiled with a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

Naruto's shock turned into admiration as he stared at his shy mate. "Yeah. I'm one lucky son-of-a-gun to have him with me. Thanks, babe."

"I told you not to call me that…." Sasuke whispered as his blush deepened.

Suddenly, before anyone could say anything, the door swung open again. Everyone jumped as Sakura, Lee, Ino, Sai, Hinata, and Kiba ran into the room with wide eyes. Their eyes were wide, and their faces were as white as Tsunade and Jiraiya when they first came into the room. They couldn't believe that their friend and the Hero of the Five Nations was finally awake and smiling like the idiot he was.

"Hey, guys… What's going on…?" Naruto nervously chuckled while scratching the back of his head. Then, when they didn't move or say anything, he continued. "I'm back, and I missed you guys." Still no response. "Aren't you gonna say anything?"

Sakura was the first to step forward. She bit her trembling lip as her fingers subconsciously flexed. "Are you… Are you really back, Naruto…?"

"I think so. I may not be back in one piece, but I'm here." He joked.

"Yep. That's our Naruto. Only he would make a joke about almost being dead in front of the only three people who could kill him." Kiba chuckled.

"Yes, but it only shows that he never lost his youthful spirit! Welcome back, Naruto!" Lee cheered.

"I'm so glad that you're alright, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled and sighed with her hands on her chest.

"Yes. I would be sad if I couldn't call you dickless anymore." Sai smiled.

"What did you say?! I may be in this hospital bed, but as soon as I'm out of here, I'll kick your ass!" Naruto shouted with his fist in the air.

"Don't yell! This is a hospital, and others are trying to rest, especially this late!" Sakura scolded, matching his movements.

"Yep. He's back all right. And he's just as loud as ever." Ino smirked as she shook her head.

"Yeah, but let's be honest; we wouldn't want him any other way." Kiba laughed.

"Which reminds me, did you girls check in with Karin before coming in here?" Tsunade asked as she sat down near the window.

Sakura nodded as her face morphed into a frown. "Yes. She informed us of Naruto waking up and… the loss of our other patient."

"Loss of another patient? What do you mean? I know that we just got out of a war and that not everyone made it, but was this patient an important person or something?" Naruto asked.

The atmosphere in the room turned dark and cold at his question. "I'm not sure how much Sasuke told you, but allow me to fill you in." Tsunade sighed as she leaned further into her chair.

"After the war, most of our troops returned either unconscious, injured, in critical condition, or dead. Us Kages were among those statistics. Sakura, Ino, Karin, and Hinata were the least been wounded on the medical-nin team and helped lead in the recovery and care for the Five Nations alongside Shizune and me. Lord Gaara and I were the least injured out of the five of us, leaving Lady Mei, the Fourth Raikage, and Lord Ōnoki in critical condition.

Lady Mei was the first to wake up and is recovering well. The Fourth Raikage is no longer in critical condition, but he still needs constant care and recovery. However, we found out that Lord Ōnoki… is no longer with us. The war put too much strain on him, and his heart or body could take it. He put up a hard fight, but in the end, he couldn't do it anymore, and he passed on to the next world. I haven't told his subordinates yet because you woke up soon after."

Naruto's shocked expression turned to one of sadness after hearing the news. His mind raced a mile a minute as he cursed Madara and Kaguya for the chaos and tragedies they created.

"Damnit to hell. Why did this have to happen?"

"It's a part of the war." This time Sasuke was the one who spoke, capturing everyone's attention. "Death and destruction. There are no clear winners, only sides that sustain the most minor damages or casualties. We're just lucky that it was us who came out on top, especially since we had you leading the charges."

"I know you're trying to make me feel better, but it's not. I still can't get over how unfair shit like this happens. I promised everyone that when I became Hokage that I would bring peace. I plan to see that promise through, believe it!"

Hearing his old catchphrase brought a lighter feeling into the room. The rain still pelted the window, and thunder lit up the room, but it couldn't damper the more peaceful atmosphere Naruto always brought with him.

"Alright, Hero of the Five Nations, that's enough for tonight," Tsunade said as she clapped her hands together to gain everyone's attention. It's getting late, and you should rest. I'll be by in the morning to go over some other information with you, especially about your Hokage position and your right arm replacement."

"We'll be back tomorrow too, Naruto. But, until then, can you please make sure he stays in bed, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura teased, causing Sasuke to nod.

"When you're ready to leave, I'll come by and fix your hair. Ok?" Ino smiled as she followed everyone out.

Naruto and Sasuke watched as everyone left the room before releasing sighs.

"Wow. There's so much going on. I wasn't expecting to wake up to that."

"What were you expecting?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.

"I don't know, but definitely not that."

Sasuke watched his depressed mate for a bit of time before sighing and pushing off the wall to sit on the edge of his bed. "I know this is a lot to take in. And, it doesn't help that there is more to discuss tomorrow. However, the only thing you can do is rest and finish recovering. Now, try and go back to sleep. I'll be watching over you."

"How can you say that? All I've been doing is resting. But now I have to rest more? You know I can't do that, especially not alone." Naruto smirked as he wiggled his eyebrows.

Sasuke tsked and rolled his eyes before removing his slippers, turning off the light, and crawling into the bed. "Even when you wake up from a temporary coma, you're still an idiot."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have me any other way." The blond fox smiled as he made room for his mate.

With the young feline's help, the two of them made the best out of sleeping in a lx twin hospital bed. Once Sasuke was settled under the thin blankets, Naruto wrapped his left arm around his slender waist and pulled him closer. Naruto buried his nose into Sasuke's hair and inhaled deeply, taking in the mixture of his cinnamon and vanilla shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and Sasuke's natural strawberry scent. A wide smile spread over tan, full lips at the realization that his mate missed him more than he led on. And tomorrow, the young teenager will be sure to torment his personal nurse. But for now, the only thing that mattered was that they were finally together and content for the moment.

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To Be Continued…