AN: This chapter is short but thank you for those who still look for this story! Your reviews and support is always appreciated.

But the moment you've all been waiting for is finally here!

Docile 16

Silence engulfed the two as neither said a word. The stars followed them as they walked the grassy path of the sidewalk to reach their temporary home. Konohamaru was quite surprised he didn't have to show Naruto the way and he could only wonder how much planning ahead Sasuke and he had done.

Their walk down the rugged path was quiet, except for the occasional hoots from the owls and the crickets. To Konohamaru's surprise, he didn't realize how far he had wandered until he found the bridge. Suddenly, his shoulders lowered as he thought about what could have happened if Naruto had not shown up when he did.

Another heartbreak would have occurred.

His eyes traveled to Naruto, and he was speechless to find his face did not show the same worry he did. Perhaps, that is what made him and Naruto so different. Looking down at his bare feet, he could only mumble a few words due to the pain from the pebbles, that hid between the grass and pierced his feet.

"You chose to leave barefoot, so therefore you shall return the same way you came."

After everything he'd been through, Naruto still had that attitude about him and that was something Konohamaru admired.

He went to open his mouth to say something until he heard someone call his name.

"Konohamaru!"

His eyes widened by the known voice.

"Konohamaru!"

Tears began to blur his vision when hearing her voice.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw Hinata pacing back and forth in front of their temporary home.

"Konohamaru!"

Her long hair flowed back and forth as she ran around frantically.

A lump formed in Konohamaru's throat when he realized she was looking for him in the dark. Hinata, who was terrified of the darkness, was looking for him.

Guilt overcame him as he stood there nervously.

"Kono—"Hinata froze when she saw the boy standing there. "Konohamaru!" She shouted, picking up the hem of the kimono as she ran to him.

The two embraced one another and she held him tightly which made him wail.

"Oh, Konohamaru," She whispered. "I was so worried about you."

"I-I-I'm sorry!" He hollered. "I'm sorry!"

Sasuke panted as he'd ran to the front of the house when hearing someone from the distance. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and his heart stopped beating fast when he saw Konohamaru. He was relieved that nothing had happened to the young boy, and just as he was about to scold him for leaving without notifying them, Sasuke's eyes widened when he saw that blond unruly hair blow back and forth with the wind.

"Don't you ever leave like that again!" Hinata scolded him. "Do you know how worried you had Sasuke and me? We were running around like madmen looking for you!" Her eyes sharpened, but the pain was obvious. "W… we already lost Naruto. I don't want to lose you too, Konohamaru." Her grip around him trembled. Saying those words aloud made her finally realize Naruto was no longer with them.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Let's get— "

"You didn't lose me, Hinata."

That voice was as soft as the wind, but she heard it quite well. Time felt slow when she raised her head in his direction. Her happiness had found her. Before she even realized it, she was already in his arms, embracing him.

Even with the sharp pain shooting throughout his arm or the possibility of popping his stitches, holding Hinata like this meant everything to him.

Her grip around his neck tightened as she didn't want to let go. Not if it meant losing him again.

The words she wanted to say were stuck in the back of her throat, but Naruto knew what she wanted to say. All he did was smile and nodded. Seeing that, she cried louder.

If this is what it felt like losing him, she would rather have death take her first.


There were many things they wanted to ask him, but they kept their mouth shut. All that mattered was they were all together again.

Konohamaru and Hinata tried to fight the sleep that was taken over, but it was no use, and they were fast asleep leaving Sasuke and Naruto alone.

"What happened?" Sasuke's voice came out in a whisper.

Naruto pulled his knees to his chest, his eyes stared at the firefly floating back and forth between him and Sasuke.

The trees in the distance shook every so often when the wind blew by. Sasuke noticed Naruto was quiet and he knew he couldn't blame him. He could only imagine what might have happened during those long days.

"I don't know. I still taste the salt water." Naruto frowned. "Every time I close my eyes, I feel myself being pulled under. I can still hear those other people being flushed out of the brothel, being swallowed."

Sasuke pressed his lips as he was about to speak, but he decided against it.

"I honestly don't know how I survived Sasuke." He admitted. "I shouldn't have survived that."

"It's best not to question these things. Everything happens for a reason. It wasn't your turn."

Sighing, Naruto stretched out his legs and tilted his head to look at the starry sky. "I suppose." He mumbled. "I just don't want to ever taste salt water again."

"You said you wanted to travel to Suna to meet Shikamaru to find out what was going on, but what was your true intention?"

Naruto muttered a few curse words at his friend's observation. "At the time, I thought it would have been best to leave Hinata and Konohamaru while I return to Konoha."

"So, you believed Hinata seeing her sister would help with that?"

There was no response.

"Did you believe those two would have left you without a fight?"

"They wouldn't have had a choice," Naruto answered. "Hinata and Konohamaru are happier now that they are not in Konoha."

Sasuke almost chuckled which made Naruto look at him. "You can be really selfish when you want to be."

Naruto scoffed. "That's rich coming from someone like you."

He shook his head. "Are they happier now that they aren't in Konoha? Or are they happier because you're by their side?"

An owl hooted in the distance.

"Konoha isn't friendly to Hinata. They spread these rumors about her. And I can't be there to protect them, especially with what we're about to do. What if something happens? What if someone comes after them?" Naruto's mind began to race. "Wouldn't it be best to leave them where they're safe?"

"You don't get to make those decisions for them." Sasuke countered. "You led them out of Konoha with false hope believing they would return home."

"I just want to protect them."

"Danger lurks around every corner, Naruto. I know you're just trying to make them happy, but these few days without you were not good. They missed you and I'll put my life on it that you missed them, especially Hinata." Naruto's cheeks turned red at the mere mention of Hinata's name. "No country is safe. Even if you did leave them, who's to say that something wouldn't happen?"

He hadn't considered that.

"These days are short, and life is unpredictable. Your happiness is just as important."

"Then we'll turn around…"

Sasuke shook his head. "It's too late to turn around. We received a letter from Danzo, and he needs us to head to Suna to pick up a scroll from Shikaku." He got up. "It's time you tell her about how you feel. Also, the little guy may keep you up all night."

Trickles of sweat formed on Konohamaru's forehead as he tossed and turned on his futon. He clutched the blanket tightly as his face scrunched up.

"Why didn't you save me, Konohamaru?"

"Why did you kill Naruto, Konohamaru?"

"Why did my friend have to die because of you?"

Konohamaru let out a scream, throwing the blanket off him and landing right on Naruto. He screamed and screamed until his vision became blurry. The lights of the bedroom turned on, and Sasuke rubbed his eyes for the fourth time that night. He was hoping now that Naruto was safe, these episodes would stop but clearly, he was wrong.

"There, there Konohamaru," Hinata whispered. "Naruto's here." She wrung out the damp cloth and dabbed it across his forehead.

When hearing that, he peeped through one eye and that's when his heart calmed down when he saw Naruto throwing the blanket off him. He briefly looked at Sasuke and he could tell the man had little to no sleep. The area around his eyes was dark and exhaustion was evident on his face.

"Come on Konohamaru," Naruto said, standing up. "Let's sleep out there for the time being." Hinata went to get up, but Naruto shook his head. "You stay here, Hinata. Get as much sleep as you can. We're going to need it."

She bit down on her bottom lip, but she nodded. As much as she wanted Naruto by her side, Konohamaru needed him just as more.

Konohamaru took a deep breath as he stared at the ceiling above. Closing his eyes only brought back the nightmares he wanted to forget. Naruto was alive. Alive and here! So, why did he get plagued with these intrusive dreams? He turned slightly to his left when he heard a slight snore come from Naruto. Many questions entered his mind, and he only wondered how he and Sasuke could sleep as if something traumatic didn't just happen.

His eyes felt heavy and soon he fell asleep.

Naruto opened his eyes when he felt Konohamaru jolt every so often next to him. He wrapped his left arm around him and pulled him in. That seemed to ease the boy as he didn't squirm as much.

"If this frightens you, I can only imagine how that will affect you." Naruto thought to himself.

With Naruto's arm wrapped around him, made him feel safe and he was able to sleep peacefully without those nightmares hunting him.

Once Konohamaru was fast asleep, Naruto let go of him and turned on his back. He thought about what Sasuke said, and he felt terrible. It was true he did have the intention of leaving Konohamaru and Hinata behind while he returned alone, but he never realized how much hurt he was doing.

Life was too short, and that experience did leave a bitter taste in his mouth. He would have died with regrets. How could he possibly rest in peace with these regrets lingering around?

Running his fingers through his hair, he closed his eyes.


Hinata rose when she saw Naruto entering the room. Ever since Konohamaru had woken them up, she couldn't fall back to sleep. Just knowing Naruto was right outside that door made her restless and no doubt jealous that Konohamaru got to spend that night with him.

He beckoned her to follow him, and she gladly did. Carefully, she tiptoed out of the room in fear of waking up Sasuke, but Naruto already knew he was awake. That man was a light sleeper and nothing could get past him.

When the two made it outside, Hinata hugged him tightly. "I missed you so much, Naruto!" By then the tears were flowing. "I thought I would never see you again." She squeezed her eyes tightly. "Please don't leave me again." She sobbed.

His heart felt as if someone had slammed a hammer against it, shattering it into millions of pieces. Shakenly, he wrapped his arms around her, lost for words. Was this how it was going to be once he bid them farewell? He hadn't thought about the scenario, but now he understood just how cruel he was.

"Please don't leave me," She cried. Her heart felt heavy, even with Naruto here. During their time apart, she thought she would have died from heartbreak.

"Oh Hinata, I'm truly sorry." He whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you or Konohamaru." Hinata buried her head into his chest, allowing the tears to pour down.

Every so often Hinata would wipe the tears from her eyes. The two were sitting next to one another, taking in the night sky that had stars splattered all around. It had been a long time since they said anything, and it almost felt bittersweet.

Hinata finally understood how short life could be. In the blink of an eye, life could take a turn for the better or worse. This is what made this feeling between them so bittersweet.

Just as she was about to say something, Naruto called out to her. The way he said her name made her feel nauseous.

"I thought lying to you and Konohamaru would make things better, but all I did was made it worse." She played with her hands, unaware of what he meant. "When I led you two out of Konoha, it was all built on a lie. During our time together, I'd honestly forgotten what my true intentions were but…" He looked down at the palm of his hands. "I was going to lead you to Suna in hopes of reuniting you with your sister." Hinata's eyes widened. "I believed if you had spent time with her, then it would have made leaving me easier."

By then Hinata's hands were trembling. "Y-you," Her voice was shaking at this point. "You were going to abandon me?"

Naruto nodded. "That was my initial plan."

Hinata quickly stood up, glaring down at Naruto. "Am I such a burden to you?"

"No!" He said, shooting up. "Never!"

"Then why!"

"Because I thought it meant I would be protecting you!" Naruto clenched his fist. "It pains me when I see how hurt you look and…. And I just wanted to protect you from that. Protect you from the whispers and what's to come. It's going to be…" He paused as if trying to find the right words.

Hinata shook her head like a madman as she pounded on Naruto's chest, shouting at him. Her punches didn't hurt him, but her tears made him shiver. "You didn't have the right to make that decision for me!" She cried. "You lied to me!"

"I did it to protect you!"

She had grown tired, and the punches stopped altogether.

Naruto grabbed a hold of her hands, rubbing them gently. "I only lied to protect you, Hinata." He whispered. "But I didn't know how much damage I was doing."

"So, did everything else you said was a lie?"

"No."

"The whispers… they do hurt but leaving you is a pain I wish not to endure," Hinata said. "What's ever to come, then so be but I would rather die if it meant you and I being together for a little while longer."

"Hinata, don't think for a second I whispered sweet nothings to you. I meant every word I said. I want to do all those things with you because I love you. Looking back," he chuckled. "I can't believe how dense I was, but I love you Hinata. I don't care about your status. I just want to be with you. I want to marry you, have children with you, and spend the rest of my days with you. You complete me."

A seed blossomed within Hinata and soon an array of flowers blossomed around her as it dawned on her what Naruto had confessed.

"It feels so selfish to say these things to you now. I wanted to wait to confess these feelings, but there are some things you deserve to know. Hinata, there's a possibility I might die."

Hinata squeezed his hands because just imagining his death caused her great heartbreak. "For a good cause, I can only assume."

He nodded. "At first, I didn't understand why I was doing this or had a clear sense of purpose, but now I do. I finally understood why my father put his life on the line and I want to do the same for you, Hinata."

"When I was first given to you, there was a sense of dread in my heart. If Madam Saya was like this, how would her nephew be? It frightened me when she first told me she would give me to you. I've had countless masters before you, so imagine how I felt so bothered when I realized how my heart yearned for you. It was terrifying, and I tried my hardest not to harbor these feelings but the more time we spent together, and the more you showed me I couldn't stop this thing… my feelings."

Naruto's heartbeat quickened with each word.

"I meant every word when I said I would not marry another because it meant I could be selfish for a little while and keep you to myself. When you said we should get married, you had no idea how I felt. I was over the moon and wanted to believe what you had told me." She looked into his eyes as she caressed his hands. "Can I be selfish and think about me for once? Can I be selfish and remain by your side until death do us part? I love you, Naruto."

Finally… the door to his heart had finally opened.

Under the starry sky and full moon, he pulled her into him. Their bodies pressed together, preventing anything from passing through. Hinata's eyes were half closed, and so was Naruto's as they gazed upon one another in a dream-like state. Her lips were inviting, so he leaned in and did what he always wanted to. When Hinata's eyes closed, he pressed his lips against hers and of course, they were the perfect fit to his.

Hinata felt tickled, and she couldn't stop herself from giggling which made Naruto smile. He felt tickled too.

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