EDITED- Thanks to some observant fans who noticed that, well... I made some baka mistakes. So 'tis edited. Enjoy.

This is it, folks! The EPILOGUE! Now… suggestions for my next story? XD

Epilogue

It always seemed like spring in Konoha. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and bird sang as they flew overhead. And in the streets below, delighted giggling could be heard.

"Haishen! You're it!" one little boy called out, pointing at a white-eyed little boy with long brown hair pulled back in a single braid. The selected youngster blinked uncertainly.

"And you can't use your Byakkugan!" a little girl with twin mahogany brown ponytails tied high on her head declared.

"Then Mimi can't either, Inoko," Haishen Hyuuga replied logically. He turned to his cousin, who looked like she could be his twin sister with her large white eyes and matching brown hair divided into twin braids. Only the red marks on her cheeks announced her Inuzuka heritage. "Agreed?"

The little girl smiled shyly. "We won't."

Inoko Akimichi, Kohaku Uzumaki, and Shikazu Nara all nodded, bright grins on their faces. "Okay!" Kohaku yelled. "Haishen'll go count and we'll all hide. Let's go!"

A hand reached out and caught the orange-haired youngster by his red collar, holding him off the ground as his little legs tried to run off. "You are supposed to be in class, Uzumaki," Akina huffed as she held him aloft. She turned her brown eyes on the other children gathered nearby. "And so are the rest of you! Father's going to have a fit if you don't get over to the Academy immediately!"

Shikazu scowled at his older sister. "Akina, you're such a pain…"

"And you sound entirely too much like Father," she retorted. "Mother should've buried you in sand at birth, like I suggested."

"Uncle Gaara would've never let you," he mumbled, sticking his tongue out at her.

A pretty girl with long brown hair appeared next to Akina as if she had been there the whole time. "Mimi, Haishen… you know better," she said feather-softly to her sister and cousin. A small, pure white dog sat comfortably inside her jacket, her little head looking out over the assembly, triangular dog ears twitching. "Why would you skip class like this?" The puppy barked twice in agreement.

The inseparable duo lowered their heads and looked guiltily at the ground, matching their movements. "Sorry, sister Teiru," they apologized simultaneously.

A chubby boy with blue zig-zag marks on each cheek, a couple years younger than Akina and Teiru, walked around the corner, a bag of chips in his hands. His white-blonde hair was disheveled as always. "Shikamaru-sensei is grumbling," he told his friends. "If he gets really ticked, he'll tell my dad… and if Mom finds out…"

Inoko let out a muffled squeal of horror and proceeded to bolt past her brother, heading for the Academy, with Shikazu, as always, right behind her. Teiru and her dog, Shiromi, merely glanced at Mimi and Haishen and they, too, hurried along to school. That left-

"Kohaku."

Naruto's son scowled up at Akina, who was still holding his shirt collar like he was some sort of puppy. "What?"

"Why can't you be more like your mother?" Akina sighed, dropping the youngster.

He landed on his feet and glared up at her. "Why would I want to be like a grumpy old girl?" he retorted. "Just like your mother!" With a last smirk coupled with a tongue stuck in her direction, the mischievous boy ran off towards the Academy, leaving the trio of older children to gaze after him.

"It's scary, is it not?" Teiru mused. Shiromi barked.

Chouichi nodded, munching on another chip. "I'm surprised Akina didn't kick him across Konoha."

Akina huffed, crossing her arms and closing her eyes as if she could care less. "He's just a stupid brat," she snorted. Then she cracked open an eye and looked at her friends. "But he's right- Mother is rather grumpy…"

Teiru giggled and Chouchi choked on a chip. "I can't believe she said that…"

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Shikamaru scowled at his tardy students as they were lined up in front of him. "This is the third day this week," he scolded them. "What is wrong with you? Don't you want to become shinobi of Konoha?"

Kohaku puffed out his little chest and stared the Jounin right in the eye. "I'm gonna be Hokage, just like my dad!" he declared. "He did it and I'm gonna too!"

Mimi giggled, earning her a discreet elbow from her cousin. Shikamaru's sharp gaze snapped to them and they immediately straightened, looking innocent. He turned back to Kohaku. "If you plan on becoming Hokage someday," he told the orange-haired boy, "you're going to have to go to school first!"

Shikazu lowered his dark brown head. "Man, what a pain…" he muttered under his breath.

His father's eyes were on him in an instant. "Shikazu…"

His son winced. "Sorry, pop…"

Shikamaru heaved a sigh. "Never mind. All of you- get your tails back into that classroom and I expect every one of you to have your textbooks open and you to be reading!"

"Yes, Shikamaru-sensei," they chorused, albeit without much enthusiasm. They filed into the Academy, leaving the Jounin watching after them.

It's amazing how much they're like us, he mused. Every one of them… it's like watching our childhood play over again. I wonder if our parents felt like this watching us grow up…

"Shikamaru?"

He turned to see his wife walking across the grassy clearing. He raised an eyebrow. "Temari? What's wrong?"

She gave him a small grin. "My brother's here," she told him. "He and Safaia and their kids are at Naruto's."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "And he complained about us having a big family…"

Temari laughed. "Safaia blames it on Gobi. Apparently the Five-tails can tell when her host is fertile, but doesn't bother to tell Safaia. And thus…"

"Stop," Shikamaru held up a hand, cutting off his wife's commentary. "I don't need to hear it. Some things I just don't want to know."

"I just thought you'd like to visit with your niece and nephew while they were here."

He glanced at the Academy. "I have class," he reminded her, "but I'll be by after."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Temari smiled and leaned up to kiss her husband on the cheek. He flushed- even after all these years of marriage, he still got embarrassed about that stuff. "You're so troublesome," she murmured with a sly grin.

"That goes double for you, woman."

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Haru gazed with unblinking aquamarine eyes at Naruto, who was grinning like a fool at him and his little sister, Aikou. She huddled behind her brother, her sky blue eyes wide with shyness and curiosity at the blonde-haired man.

"They're adorable, Safaia!" Sakura gushed, hugging the younger woman. She leaned back in the embrace and took stock of Safaia's obviously rounded abdomen. "And you're expecting again!" She shook her head, but she was grinning. "Gobi's got it in for you, doesn't she?"

Safaia smiled demurely, aware of Gobi's mischievous snickering inside her mind. "She claims that if humans cannot have litters all at once, then this is the next best thing." She rubbed her belly affectionately. "She is out to destroy my sanity."

Naruto chuckled. "And these two imps aren't?"

Gaara gazed at his old friend. "I am certain our children are better behaved than that mini-Naruto you have to deal with."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, still grinning goofily. "Yeah, well… you got me there." He chuckled. "Kohaku is way too much like me. I was hoping he'd take after Sakura more, but…"

Safaia raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps if you gave him a sibling, he would calm down some," she offered. "Haru is very protective of his little sister."

"That's an idea, but it's up to Sakura. I don't think she wants to take the chance of having another Naruto-clone running around Konoha." He grinned. "And one that won't poof into smoke when bonked on the head for goofing off."

Haru turned to his mother, his face much too serious for one so young. "Mother?"

She glanced down at the reddish-brown-haired boy. "Yes?"

"May Aikou and I have a snack?"

Sakura whistled in appreciation. "Wow… they sure are polite."

Naruto snorted. "Must get it from Safaia. Gaara's a grump."

"And you are still a baka," Gaara deadpanned.

"Guilty as charged."

Sakura knelt down in front of the two children. "The kitchen is just downstairs. Would you like to come with me and we'll see what we can find?"

Haru looked at his red-haired sister. She blinked at him, a finger in her mouth. He turned to Sakura and nodded. "Thank you," he told her.

The remaining three adults watched as Sakura held each child's hand and led them out of the room. Naruto shook his head. "Wish Kohaku was that well-behaved. Any day now I expect him to paint the stone faces of the previous Hokages like I did all those years ago."

"And it would be extremely entertaining," Gaara replied. Safaia giggled.

Naruto frowned. "Man, I thought she'd loosen you up a bit," he whined. "You're still as emotionless as ever. Why?"

"My emotions are not for you to experience," he replied. Yet his eyes grew visibly soft when he looked at Safaia. "They belong to my wife alone."

The Hokage eyed Safaia's round belly. "Obviously…"

Sakura walked back in with Haru and Aikou. Each child had a jelly bun in their hand and Aikou's sky blue eyes were sparkling in childish delight. She ran up to her father. "Dada," she whispered, as if sharing a secret, "Wook! Jewwy bun!"

Gaara actually smiled as he leaned down and picked up his daughter. "So I see," he told her. "You better eat it before I do."

Naruto, who had been sitting on the edge of his desk, fell off of it and landed on the floor in a shocked heap. "I must be dreaming," he declared, staring up at father and daughter in disbelief. "Gaara smiling… and threatening to eat a jelly bun? You hate sweet things."

Aikou paused with half the jelly bun in her mouth, blinking her large eyes at Naruto. She turned to her father, bun still in her mouth. "Mou mo?" she asked around the bun, her innocent eyes looking rather watery.

"Do not listen to his idiocy," Gaara told her. Then he glared at his friend on the floor. "Baka."

Sakura knelt down by her husband and sighed in exasperation. "Sometimes, I wonder why I married you…"

"For my good looks, of course."

Haru swallowed the last of his jelly bun and eyed the man on the floor. "Are you really the Hokage?" he asked Naruto.

Naruto looked surprised. He stood up and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Of course I am! Why would you ask?"

Haru frowned. "You do not act like one. Father acts like a Kazekage- why don't you act like he does?"

Safaia rested a hand on her son's head. "Naruto Hokage is a different person than your father," she told him quietly. "He leads in a different manner. Just because his behaviors and methods are not the same as your father's does not mean he is not a strong and just Hokage."

The boy scowled slightly. "I still don't approve."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at Sakura. "I need the approval of a five-year-old who talks like an adult?"

"He'll warm up to you," she replied confidently. "He barely knows you."

Gaara nodded once, Aikou resting her head against his shoulder, their matching red hair blending together. "The last time we managed to escape for a visit, he was too young to remember. It is difficult to get away."

Naruto grunted in agreement. "Trouble with the Land of Earth and the Hidden Village of Rock, huh…"

"There have been rumors that they plan to invade our borders," Safaia murmured as Haru hugged her leg. She gently stroked his reddish-brown hair as she spoke. "We worry that it will become war."

Naruto growled, thumping his fist against his desk. "Ever since that Kanaye took over as Tsuchikage he's been itching to take over both the Wind Country and the Fire Country. But he won't make his move until he's got a veritable army amassed. He's trouble waiting to happen."

Gaara nodded and Aikou clung tighter to her father. "Our only problem is that we do not know when he will strike- or how."

Sakura looked sadly at their friends and their family. "All we can do is try and prepare the best we can. If Kanaye tries to invade Suna, we will come to your aid, of course."

Safaia smiled slightly. "As we would come to yours."

Naruto stood up, his face serious. "When you return, I will send an escort," he told them. "I don't trust Iwa to not send shinobi after you to try and assassinate you on your way home."

Safaia bowed slightly. Haru saw this and frowned. "Our thanks, Naruto Hokage," she murmured. "Even Gaara's sand cannot protect us as it once used to."

Gaara shrugged one shoulder, as Aikou was still attached to the other one. "One drawback to no longer having Shukaku sealed inside me. My ability with sand has decreased some. I can still fight, but it takes more concentration than it used to."

"And if Kanaye and the Iwa shinobi discover this," Sakura said quietly, "they will use it to their advantage."

"Indeed."

Naruto looked out the window, his blue eyes looking over his home, his Konoha. "We will protect our home and our friends," he declared. "I swear that nothing will harm them." He turned and gave his famous grin. "Believe it!"

The End

EDITED FOR PITY'S SAKE… That's what I get for not paying attention to what I'm writing before I post it.

And I do believe I left that in a fine spot for a sequel! Or not… not sure… oh, well. I hope everyone liked it- I sure had a great time writing it! I look forward to writing more for all you wonderful readers! And I hope some of you will check out my other stories- they need some love, too!

The Amber Dragonfly