I'm reposting this because I wasn't happy with how I'd ended it. You guys deserve something that wasn't thrown together in the last minute. So, with a lot of consideration, here is the second Epilogue.

Props to Rikado and Ovicati. You be bomb.

This is unBeta-d. All mistakes are my own.

Epilogue: New Day

First Public Address: Police Commissioner Hatake Kakashi. To the people of Konoha, June 21st.

"People of Konoha, one year ago today we suffered a devastating blow to the freedoms, morals and liberties we take so for granted. Three hundred and sixty-five days ago, a man named Pain, a man who came to devour this city, died. He and his comrades trapped us all in a regime of illusions and magical promises.

"That regime was broken, thanks to seven stupid men and women who thought they could change the world. Those brave individuals were willing to give up everything they had; even to die for what they knew was right. They knew that the freedom of Konoha must be bought for a price. And that price was heavy.

"The loss of even a single life is worth morning; even those we thought were tyrants.

"And so we must remember. It is our duty and our honor to consider those who have fallen for our newfound freedom. But we cannot allow ourselves to grow mired in that memorial. We must move past this tragedy. We must prove to the 'Pain's' of this world that we are not afraid of what lies ahead. We are a strong people and we will rebuild, regain what was lost in those six months.

"It has already begun. Two of Pain's accomplices have been tried and sentenced. They will never bring another city to its knees. We have begun to rebuild. Our economy has grown. New jobs spring up every day. We live more, love more, appreciate more than ever before.

"We are a hard-working people. Show the gangs and thugs that we don't need them to survive. We will move beyond the mistakes of the past. Kick them to the curb and continue to live in the best way you can.

"But as we step into a new economic age, I charge you: do not forget those who gave of themselves to stop Pain. People like Nara Shikamaru, Karin, Suigetsu, Saratobi Asuma, Umino Iruka, Uchiha Sasuke and our masked man, Kyuubi. Do not forget the innocent names tarnished and torn apart by Akatsuki.

No matter what tragedy befalls our great city, the devastation that overruns our lives, our homes, we must never forget who our Hero's are and what they have sacrificed."

.:xXXx:.

Konoha General Hospital- One Year Ago

"Are you sure, Naruto?" Kakashi glanced at the doctor standing silently in the corner. "You're a hero to Konoha. Do you really want to leave?"

The blond nodded and continued to stare at the still form on the hospital bed. All around him, monitors trilled. "I didn't become Kyuubi to be a hero. I did it to protect the people I love."

Blue eyes flicked up to meet grey. "There's nothing for me here anymore."

Kakashi nodded once and turned to the doctor. "Do it."

The man scribbled something quickly onto the clipboard he held in his hands and left.

"There you go." The white-haired man said quietly. "That's all I can do."

Naruto stuck out his hand to shake. Kakashi gripped it. The blonds' eyes were filled to the brim with gratitude and sadness.

This was, after all, goodbye.

"It's more than I could have ever hoped for."

.:xXXx:.

Naruto woke, as he always did: slowly.

He grunted and groggily stretched out his hand to the other side of the bed. It was, as ever, empty and cold.

He didn't know why he kept reaching for Sasuke after a year's worth of mornings. Maybe he hoped that one day he would push his fingers out and feel warm skin and silky, sleep rumpled hair. All he ever felt were cold pillows and sheets.

The blond man sighed and stretched. He rolled out of bed and to his feet, blinking down sleepily at the clean floor. Quietly he slipped into the hall in search of breakfast.

The smell of French toast and bacon frying greeted his newly aroused senses.

Naruto smiled as he padded into the kitchen.

A lone figure stood at the stove, studiously considering the piece of toast in the skillet before him.

The blond sauntered up wrapped his arms around the slender chest, burying his nose into the thick black spikes at the man's nape.

He breathed in deeply, loving how Sasuke's addictive scent washed over his brain and sent tiny tingling fingers over his skin. He heard the brunette's breathing deepen ever so slightly. It was the only outward indication that Sasuke was enjoying the contact.

"You always wake up so early." Naruto mumbled into the raven's neck. "You should wait for me to wake up one of these days."

He felt Sasuke smile, ever so slightly. When the raven smiled his tiny, incredible smile, his whole body relaxed. There was so much more, Naruto was finding out, to Sasuke then cunning and jaded sarcasm. Whenever the Uchiha spoke to him he could hear the affection, however hard Sasuke tried to hide it. Maybe his arsenal of superpowers had just developed Sasuke-telepathy. Or maybe love really did do crazy things to a person. It didn't matter. The important part was that Sasuke's affection was something only he understood. Where Iruka and Shikamaru saw apathy and heard only arrogance, he saw love and heard only affection. It was subtle and implied. Heaven forbid Sasuke ever say anything as sappy and romantic as 'I care about you.' But even if the words were never there, the actions were. Making breakfast every morning, the way he was gentle during their lovemaking, the way he smiled. Yes, the raven had begun smiling; secretly and so small that no one else could see, but Naruto saw and he loved it. It was something only he could have. The beautiful smiles were just for him.

He nestled deeper into Sasuke's warmth, savoring the intimacy of the moment. The raven's next words, however, utterly destroyed the warm fuzzies flitting around in his tummy.

"Someone has to make you real food, usuratonkachi."

This was an old argument. And, as always, Naruto felt his ire skyrocket with its' resurgence. He released the raven and folded his arms, even if Sasuke wasn't looking at him.

"I eat great. Ramen isn't the devil, Sasuke. And for your information, I survived just fine before you were around to mother me." His rejoinder wasn't new either.

"Just sit down at the table." Sasuke forked the last piece of toast onto a platter and moved to the dining room.

Their flat wasn't huge, larger than Naruto's first apartment, but small enough to reflect Sasuke's slightly diminished assets. Okay, so 'diminished assets' was kind of a joke between them. They were living off a rather substantial cut of the newly rebuilt Sound's profits. But they still have to be careful. A 'dead' man couldn't write checks after all.

Now that Sasuke had been cleared of all charges (since he had been declared dead a year ago), the sheep of Konoha were bleating at his club's door, ready to assuage their guilty consciences with a few rounds. It was a twisted sort of memorial, but Sasuke was making more in effigy than he did while he was 'alive'. And Suigetsu was more than willing to be the front man for the sympathetic crowds.

Naruto had heard rumors that the blond gunman and a certain red-head were tying the knot. But he also heard about Suigetsu's gruesome demise at the hands of that same red-headed woman so he couldn't be sure. Either way, they were still together and from all reports, quiet noisy…er,…happy with their arrangement.

In fact, happiness seemed to be something of a buzz-word amongst Naruto's immediate circle of friends.

Asuma was reunited with his wife. Their second child was due around Christmas.

The restaurant was fine, busy as always. Tsunade and the gang were sorry to see him leave, but were raking in the dough since the grand re-opening.

Kiba and Hinata were working on their third son and their seventh litter of puppies.

Iruka, of course, was more than happy.

Naruto had only talked to his step father a handful of times after leaving Konoha with Sasuke. But the older man wasn't angry with his son's choice. He was glad Naruto had found his precious person and told him as much.

Kakashi was still in the picture.

The former model had become the Commissioner and had actually moved in a few months previously. It was good to know that Iruka would be taken care of, even if Naruto wasn't around to do it.

Actually, not much had happened beyond the rebuilding of Konoha. In fact, the most surprising change was Shikamaru's decision to join Konoha Police Department. After the man played lead witness in the trial that convicted Hidan, he had gained some notoriety in the criminal justice side of the city. The Nara was in the middle of taking his test for 'detective'. The new job title would suit him better. Shikamaru didn't strike Naruto as a coffee shop and donuts kind of guy, no matter how troublesome the man said writing out tickets was. But it wasn't as though Shikamaru's job was all that stressful now that the gangs were gone.

In his march to power, Pain had destroyed everything he came in contact. It was odd to think that they had that mad man to thank for the new peace.

"Hey," The raven knocked him lightly on the head with knuckles. "I didn't make it so you could stare at it."

Naruto grinned and captured the pale digits in his hand, lacing them together. One slender eyebrow rose in response, but the raven made no move to extricate his fingers from the intimate gesture.

Everything was as it should be. In this moment, he, Uzumaki Naruto was eating breakfast with his precious person, Uchiha Sasuke.

Later, once the dishes were washed and dried and properly put away they would go to their room and make love. Sasuke would worship every inch of tan skin, speaking three words to him over and over with his hands, lips and tongue. The words that were never spoken, but ever between them.

It was those three words that made Naruto lean forward. It was them that beckoned him taste the sweetness of Sasuke's mouth.

The raven did not pull away, nor did he seem surprised by the unsolicited affection. A year spent living with Naruto would, to a certain extent, cauterize someone to shock.

Instead, it was Sasuke who continued to surprise Naruto and did once more then.

Fingers curled into the nape of Naruto's neck, guiding him closer. His own tanned arms wound slowly around Sasuke's broad shoulders, the tips of fingers toying with a stray spike of silky hair.

Heads tilted, lips parted, breaths mingled tongues slid together in a rhythm as old as time itself.

Naruto felt joy well up within his very soul. Every time they touched, every time they kissed, he knew.

There were moments he missed Konoha, his father, Shikamaru, the gang at leaf, Asuma, Yamato and Kakashi.

He had made his choice a year ago, the choice to stay with Sasuke, to die with him. The time for regret, if he had ever considered feeling it, was long over.

But even as he took in the raven's cloying taste against his tongue, he knew. He would never regret his choice. The life he had in Konoha was a thing of the past, a distant blurred memory.

His place was here, beside the man he loved.

Pale fingers drew them apart. Naruto panted for long moments, allowing himself to be overwhelmed by the love and longing he felt for the raven-haired beauty sitting in front of him.

No, he could never regret Sasuke.

The raven surprised him with the touch of a pale forehead against his own. This was like his smiles like the one on his face. It was just for him, just in front of Naruto.

"Idiot," Sasuke smiled. "Breakfast is still getting cold."

AN: I still can't believe that this story is finished. I know I haven't updated Men are from Mars yet. I will. I just haven't gotten the inspiration for the next chapter. It will be completed. I finished this one after all.

Thank you all who reviewed and supported me through this fiasco (sp?). You've brought joy to my heart.

Until next time.