Hello! I hope you'll like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or any OCCness.

"Oh." Sasuke was there, but not alone. Kakashi, Naruto and Shisui were there. "I asked only you to come." Naruto embraced me tightly.

"Nee-chan…I…"

"I love you baby brother, I'm so proud of you," I whispered to him, returning his embrace.

"Say hello to them for me." I sniffed as I heard his sobs.

"Will do." Kakashi didn't say anything and just hugged me tighter that he even did before. "I'll say hello to all of them."

"Remind sensei you beat him by improving the Hiraishin by understanding how Kamui worked." I snickered at that. "Annoying little sister."

"Stupid big brother." He patted my hair for good measure, his hand staying a few seconds too long on my head. Then Shisui replaced him, almost choking me in his arms.

"Thank you for everything," he whispered tearfully in my ear. "Thank you, so much. I wouldn't be married...or a dad if..."

"Thank you for staying alive and loving me like you did, even if it hurt you." He let a chuckle out. "Take care of him Shisui, please he…"

"I'll do. Don't worry about that, I'll do." I let go of him and, with one last look, left with Sasuke.

I had said my goodbyes with Mom already, as well as Mikoto-san. Min was married with a life of her own now, but we had grown closer. I also had to say goodbye to Hyo, to Temari, to Tsunade-san. Fubuki and Kagura, now adults, both shed tears, but they would pull through. Haku as well.

They all would.

"Sorry for asking you this Sasuke, it's just…I feel like it has to be you."

"I know." I looked at him, surprised. "I was there the first time. It's logical I'm here now too." He shot me a quick look. "We'll take care of Itachi and the kids."

"…thank you."

We reached Uzushio at sunset. I jumped on a still standing tori, half immerged in water. The sun setting and the reflection on the sea was beautiful, and so peaceful. Uzushio had been destroyed sixty-four years ago, in a brutal and awful way, yet…it was peaceful.

Or maybe I was the one being peaceful as I had accepted my faith and made peace with it. Seventy-three…I lived a long, good life for a kunoichi.

It was my turn to close the curtains on my story. I turned to Sasuke and grinned.

"Let's go." He furrowed his brows.

"Nee-san…" I put my hand on his head, still smiling.

"You have a loving and supporting wife Sasuke, and a loving brother, a great best friend…don't stay alone in this, okay?" He nodded slowly, gulping.

My dad was in front of the Shinigami room. We didn't exchange a word. He seemed at peace too, even if eternal damnation was waiting for him.

We entered the room. I summoned the Shinigami and shot her a look above my shoulder. She knew as well. Sasuke threw me the kami stone and with the Claw, I destroyed it. Something…snapped in my seal. I dived the Claw in it and turned it, opening it. I could feel my soul one step away from falling straight to Yomi.

"Dad." He nodded.

"Go ahead." I pursed my lips.

"Thank you…and sorry." I dived the Claw in my father's stomach. He didn't scream or anything. If anything, he took the opportunity to come to me and hug me.

"I'm the one who's sorry Akane," he whispered in my ear. My father had not hugged me since I was four…it was so, so long ago.

With a deep breath, I tore his soul off his body. He stumbled back and fell, panting. Then, I turned around and handed the soul to Izanami. She took it with one, monstruous purple hand as my soul, her captive for thirty-five years, was released. I saw my father's take its place as my left arm rot on the spot, down to my seal.

I fell on my knees, Sasuke catching me.

"Akane…I…"

"No need…little brother…" My body was stopping. "Proud of you too…Sasuke…"

I breathed my last breath.

As quickly as I was in Yomi decades ago, I found myself in front of a white tori. I walked through it. Was it the Pure Land?

"Akane." I widened my eyes at Fugaku-san, in front of me with his arms crossed. He had not changed at all since the last time I had seen him, giving him orders as we were fighting side by side during the war.

We were dead, so there was little he could actually do. I ran to him and hugged him, surprising him.

"I'm your daughter-in-law you know!" I reminded him, knowing he probably already knew. He sighed and put an arm around my shoulders, patting one awkwardly.

"I know. You stuck to my sons for years."

"Of course, he's a piece of work your son." He sighed a little.

"I know."

"I never got to tell you but…thank you, for saving Naruto's life." He didn't say anything. I moved back. "It's…"

"UZU!" That…was a voice I had not heard in many, many years either.

I widened my eyes at the voice and turned around to be tackled. Someone was kissing me. A woman.

"Kimou?" I said, stunned. She got up, wiping her eyes.

"Uzu it's been so long! You've forgot…" I hugged her tightly, which shocked her.

"I did miss you," I admitted. She didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"Really?" I nodded. "Did you hear that Utakata!? Sh…"

"Senpai!" I yelled, seeing him in his blue kimono in the distance.

Much like he used to do when he was living, he moved aside and let me fall to the floor. I glanced sadly at him.

"You're married, don't start harassing me the second you die Akane!"

"I missed you!"

"Yeah, sure, well I'm here now, ain't I?" He helped me up. "Come."

I was hugged tightly by Naoto, and I got a head pat by Yagura. Gosh, Zabuza-san was also here and nodded at me, telling me his kid was good, and that Haku was doing a good job. Mangetsu hugged me so hard I could have choked. He said he was proud of me and that he was right, that I was a good Mizukage. I hugged him as hard as I could as well.

Then I got to see my grandparents on Dad's side, Grandma crying because she was moved I named my daughter after her. Hashirama came, with Mito who I finally met. Tobirama was with the previous Yuurei, Umiko. We talked for a bit before I heard a 'dattebane' in my back. I froze and turned around.

"Baby!" Auntry cried, Onii-chan waving at me in front of her. Oji-chan was next to her, smiling gently at me. Rin-nee was grinning, her hands joined in front of her. Obito was hiding behind her.

"Onii-chan! Aunty Kushina!" I screamed, running to them.

I seemingly shrunk on the way, going back to my four-year-old appearance. I didn't mind though.

Onii-chan caught me without any issue.

"Onii…onii-chan…"

"I know Red-chan, I'm proud of you too baby sister." I burst into tears in his chest. He hugged me, crying too. Aunty knelt and hugged us both, sobbing as well.

"Rin, get in there!" She joined happily, winking knowingly at me. I grinned at her through my tears. Soon, Oji-chan joined us and shot Obito a look. He looked like his thirteen-year-old self.

Shyly, Obito joined us too.

"Can you believe it Obito?" He looked down at me. "I have all eternity to make you pay for what you did!" He paled.

I knew I had died but…I felt at home. After so many years, I was with the family that was taken away from me as a child.

One day, my children would meet them too.

He was numb to everything. When his brother came, a broken look in his eyes, he knew his love was really gone. His children cried and he stood there, letting them cry in his arms.

He had promised himself he wouldn't cry until the funerals were over. His children needed him. They had just lost their mother, their father had to stay strong, for them. Even if he was feeling so empty inside.

The days until the funeral went by quick. Akane had written instructions, as well as her will. She wanted her body cremated as soon as possible, so once the Mizukage and anyone from Kiri would be here. Her tombstone would be next to her brother's, close to Minato's and Kushina's. She had asked him if he wanted to be with her when his time came, but he remembered just staring at her going through preparations for her final resting place with what felt like a dagger in his heart. Now that he had had the papers in front of him, he agreed.

Sasuke had told him not to look at her entirely, saying that it wasn't pretty. Once the Shinagami's seal broken, any part of her body directly impacted by it just rot and fell to ash. Apparently, his love, his beautiful, sweet love was now missing her left arm and a part of the left side of her body.

She wasn't even…complete, anymore.

He listened to his brother. Akane had written the same, she didn't want anyone to see her except Sasuke, who was with her, to confirm her identity.

Even in his sorrow and grief, he felt bad for his brother. His other self couldn't do anything to prevent Akane from dying, and now, he had accepted to go with her for her one, final journey.

Even when they were all gathered on her grave, a picture of her on it and himself in front of everyone, he didn't cry. He couldn't. His eyes were dry. There wasn't anything going in his mind. It was just…blank.

When they sorted her belongings out, he went to her photography laboratory. When he entered the place, he remembered the first time they moved in, their brothers bickering. They were so young back then…all of them. Itachi walked around the place, memories flooding his mind. When he entered what had been her, then their room, he walked to the bed. It was there he had touched her for the first time, that they had laughed, cried and hugged so many times together. He remembered waking up in the early morning, looking at her sleeping face. Then Sushi, who had passed away the year before, would get between them, so small when she was a kitten.

His knees met the floor before he could think, screaming his heart out. She was gone.

Akane was gone. She was gone and he was still here. How was he supposed to keep on going? It was as if someone had ripped his heart out and the bleeding wouldn't stop. It was as if someone had cut off one of his limbs and it wouldn't stop bleeding.

It was as if someone had taken the sun out of his life, leaving only a dull world in sight.

How was he supposed to go on like this?

How could she go on like this when he left her alone?

He didn't hear his mother come in behind him or feel the floor when he fainted.

When he woke up, his mother was here, a tissue in her hand and dried tears on her ageing face.

"I know, Itachi," she said softly. "I know more than you think," she continued, her hand on his.

"Does it ever get better?" he asked her in a hoarse voice. She pursed her lips, looking down for a second.

"You get used to it, sadly."

"It's not fair Mom."

"I know Itachi, I know."

The first year, if not two, were difficult. He didn't want to go out for anything not necessary and would just remember again and again all the memories he had of her, looking at pictures of her through the years. Then, his son suggested he could write things down if it could make him feel better. He wasn't sure at first, but then he remembered the letters him and Akane would sometimes give each other. He remembered it was how they had said their wedding vows to each other.

So, he wrote her letters, telling her what was happening and how much he was missing her presence every single day. He wrote her how he had gotten used to no longer seeing her smile and hearing her voice when he would open his eyes in the morning. He wrote her how broken he was and how he needed her when Sasuke died seven years later during a mission, how his mother was broken beyond repair to have her son taken away from her.

He wrote her when, when he was sixty, his mother passed away shortly after meeting her great-grandson. He wrote her how she had had a spot next to him at their daughter's wedding, who was as beautiful as her in the same wedding dress.

He wrote her how Akiko, even with so much heartbreak, would outlive most of them. She was eighty-six and looked sixty only.

'Dear Mom,

You must be wondering why it is I, Mamiko, and not Dad writing to you. Although, you probably know why because, if I'm right, Dad must have found you by now. You're probably mad at him for diving straight into danger when we were attacked. He took every enemy down with him.

He is one hell of a fighter your man. I'm just glad he had the chance to hear my son call him 'Grandpa' before he died. He never recovered from your death you know. I once asked him if he was going to date anyone or fall in love again. He said that he was in love still and that you just were not with him at the moment.

As a child and a teen, I often wondered if I would find someone I'd love like you loved him, and someone who would love me like he loved you. The answer in 'no', we all love differently. Dad's love for you was beyond what most people think of 'love' after all.

We're going to be alright here. Akira is heartbroken, but he'll be alright. I'm his big sister and I'll make sure he is alright.

I hope you finally get to spend eternity together. You left fourteen years ago Mom, and sometimes, I would think Dad was just waiting to join you and just pretending to enjoy being around us. Now, I think that while he did and that it was what was making go through the motions each day, what he really, truly wanted was to see you again. I'm glad he finally has what he had desperately wanted for years. Uncle Sasuke's death broke him even more and, for a while, I really thought he would just kill himself.

I am glad he didn't.

I will lead the clan now. It is much different from what Grandpa Fugaku knew, from what Dad knew, but I'll make them, and you, proud.

Keep a spot for us up there and please watch over us.

See you in the clouds Mom,

Mami-chan

"Sasuke." His little brother embraced him tightly, looking like a young adult. He looked like a young adult too.

"Hey Nii-san," Sasuke replied in a muffled voice. Behind him were his parents.

Mikoto embraced him tightly, then his father, who told him he was proud of him. His father who apologized for not being there for him, or Sasuke, when they became fathers as well.

"There are people who would like to meet you Nii-san."

"Who?" Sasuke pointed behind them.

Itachi turned around, blinking at the two adults. A boy and girl, who looked alike. They both had dark red hair and black eyes.

"Hey Dad," the woman whispered shyly, waving a little at him. The man just nodded at him, not looking at him.

Itachi didn't care. He walked up to them and embraced them both. He had had a lot of time with his children, but never could embrace the first two.

"I finally get to meet you, Aki, Shisui," he whispered painfully. "I'm sorry, for everything." Aki hugged him back. Shisui did too, a few seconds later.

"We know Dad, we know," his oldest daughter told him.

"You're gonna have him wrapped around your finger like Mami Aki," Shisui told his sister, who elbowed him in the ribs.

"How…" Then everything came back. His time in the Pure Land before and how it worked. "Never mind."

"We're all here to be able to look down on our loved ones," Aki told him. "But outside of this room, it's like a big, beautiful forest. We all…find our own home here."

"Mom's waiting for you," Shi added.

"So was I." He looked at his twins. "I love you both." Shisui widened his eyes and his daughter wipe a tear from her eye.

"We know Dad, we've always known." His stare remained on his son a little bit longer.

"I know too," he admitted quietly before crossing his hands behind his head. "Damn; I wish Akira had been with us, I was too often the minority growing up!"

"We would have owned you with Mamiko," his sister retorted with a smirk.

He left them, knowing where to go. The small cabin Akane had gotten from an old woman was quickly in view. He walked faster as he got there.

He remembered everything, the Pure Land, the times in Limbo where he'd see her, their conversations…he remembered it before, but like a dream you'd wake up from. The times Akane was in Limbo with him were always blurry. Now they were so clear.

He opened the door breathless. His eyes immediately found the comforting brown ones he loved so much.

"Akane…" he whispered, still breathless. She smiled at him.

"Welcome home Itachi." He closed the door behind him. "Did you meet the twins?" He nodded. "And?"

"They have accepted me. Both of them." She sighed in relief.

"Thank God, I thought I'd need to give him another scolding to this stubborn son of ours." He stopped in front of her. "Hello."

"Hello," he replied, touching her cheek. "You're real, right? You're…" She put his fingers on her neck, on her pulse.

"You can't feel it, but yes. It is real. I told you we would say 'hello' again." He embraced her, his face buried in her hair.

"God I missed you so damn much," he mumbled in her hair. She embraced him back.

"I know, I saw." Her nails were digging in his back. "Sorry."

"Don't…I've been dreaming of this moment for fourteen years…"

"I know…you got old and got white hair!" She pulled back laughing. "I'm the one in love with an old geezer now!"

"You're the worst," he stated with a deadpan, making her laugh even harder. She leaned her face against his chest, laughing in his arms.

He let her calm down. Once she was done, she tip-toed and hugged his neck, her forehead against his.

"You didn't say it back," she pouted.

"What?"

"I said welcome home handsome." He looked deep in her eyes and smiled, his thumb running over her bottom lip.

"I'm home."

And now, he truly was.

Hey! Thanks for reading and please leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter!

So here we are. After six years and many, many chapter, more than I would have thought, this story has come to an end. I had never thought it would happen to be honest, and when I wrote the last word of it alst September, I felt a little empty and depressed because in a way, these characters were with me for six years. Maybe it's weird and silly because they're not real, but it felt like companionship. I hope it felt the same for you, even if it was just a little bit. Now I can admit that the reason for the "spin-off" of this story was because I was sad the story was over. I have to confess that there are so, so many "what-if' scenario of this story with Akane in my mind, there always have been like: what if Akane was sent back to before Itachi left to fight Sasuke and such.

Thanks for ready, it's been a long ride but it is over! Thanks for reading and commenting, which prompted me to keep writing in English and getting better at it and such (it really was useful for some classes in college, even to this day in my current classes but I decided to study English as a university level so I shouldn't complain) and I hope you'll keep loving Akane and characters, and the exploration of the Naruto world I have come up with in my mind on my other story: "The Shinigami Side Effect: Konoha's Second Chance".

On this note, I wish you all well, thanks for embarking on this journey with me and Happy New Year!

Bye!