After a long, random hiatus, here is my epilogue. I apologize.

"Naruto, open you eyes." A voice demanded. "I'm not letting you go out like this."

Why? So someone can shoot me again? No, thanks.

"Idiot."

Bastard.

There was silence for a long time. Sasuke watched Naruto's unconscious form, like he had been doing for 8 days. Sasuke was finally the only one in the hospital room with Naruto. He ran his fingers over the back of the blondes hand. Naruto looked like he was going to stretch and sit up any minute now, but he didn't. "Are... Do you ever... Naruto, do you ever hate me for what I've done? To you I mean." Sasuke was speaking aloud, so sure his blonde could hear him, even in a coma. "It's my fault you ended up like this."

No... Sasuke, it's not your fault. I've never truly hated you—

"If I had loved you the right way to begin with, if I wasn't such a coward." Sasuke swallowed thickly. "If I had stopped putting myself before you and our child's, you might've been able to see her by now." Sasuke reached up to run his thumb over Naruto's whiskered cheeks. "And she's so beautiful—you've just got to see her. You have to." His voice broke.

Sasuke, please don't cry. I never want to see—hear you cry. I'm sure she is beautiful, she's half of you. I just need a little more time, I'm afraid to wake up. I'm scared—scared of the future, of all the anger, of meeting my little girl. I already love her, Sasuke... What if she hates me for not being there when she took her first breath? Just give me a little more time.

"Naruto, I love you." Sasuke chocked. "I need you to come back to me, to Kizuna-chan, and to the rest of our family—our family is down in the lobby causing an uproar." The Uchiha managed a sad smile. "All over an idiot like you. So, please just open your eyes."

I will, but—

"Naruto, wake up!"

I don't know—how will I face any of you after being so weak? I'm afraid. It's easier just floating.

"I swear, I'll stay here for the rest of my days. I'll be here until you wake up."

Naruto thought he heard a door open. Footsteps. "Sasuke! Here, take your brat, she won't stop crying. She's a stubborn little Uchiha." A tired voice sounded throughout the room. The raven stood to take his daughter from Tsunade. The busty blonde looked at Naruto's peaceful state. "I'm sure he'll wake up soon." She patted Sasuke on the shoulder then left the family alone.

"Shhh, little baby." Naruto heard Sasuke coo over their child. "Look, that's daddy. But he's asleep. Don't you want him to wake his dummy-head up? I know I do." He smiled at the redheaded baby, who had quieted in the arms of her father. Her dark eyes roamed the room, looking this way and that. Sasuke turned her in his arms so that she was facing Naruto.

"Kizuna wants to see you, Naruto."

I want to see her too! More than you understand.

Naruto felt something warm between his side and arm. Sasuke must have laid Kizuna on the bed with him. Wait—he felt her warmth. Naruto could feel. His arm tightened around the bundle. I can feel her! She's warm, and small, and amazing. I bet she isn't afraid of anything! I want to see her, I'm going to see her.

"Naruto?" Sasuke gasped when he saw the movement. "Dobe..."

Naruto opened his eyes.

It was blurry at first, like everything was spinning. Then he was able to focus. He saw Sasuke staring down at him, his eyes wide and bloodshot. "Sasuke..." His voice was little more than a whisper.

"Save your energy. I'm so happy..." Sasuke was out of words. He just wanted to stare into those blue eyes forever. He kissed Naruto's forehead, thankful to the heavens for returning him. A little whine caught their attention.

The blonde looked down at his baby for the first time. It was true, Kizuna was pale and her hair was red—courtesy of Naruto's mother—and she looked exactly like Sasuke. She had Uchiha written all over, even being a little more than a week old. Kizuna refused to sleep like most newborns, and she kept her eyes open. Naruto felt his eyes water, he tried lifting the baby closer. The raven saw his struggle and reached over to help move their baby to Naruto's chest. "My baby..." Why didn't he have one sooner? The blonde had never felt such an emotion before. Like nothing else mattered more than the defiant looking baby in his arms. She had cast a spell over him, and he was happy to be a victim. Now the blonde was full on crying.

Sasuke was quick to wipe away the tears. "She's already being blasted over the headlines, all of Konoha is dying to see her. Our little Kizuna-chan."

Naruto broke his eyes from his child. "I love her. I love you." He spoke as though he had just come to this conclusion, like it was news.

"I know." Again, he pressed a kiss to the blondes forehead.

/O\/O\/O\/O\/O\/O\

A short-while after Naruto's release from the hospital, the culprit who had shot him went to trial. Hidan Jashin was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after the minimum of 30 years. There was a chance of parole only because Naruto had asked the judge to be lenient, something about being the bigger person—which Sasuke did not understand. He wanted Hidan to fry, his father almost made it happen but again Naruto intervened.

"Sasuke! What's the point of killing him? I'm alive, our daughter is alive. He'll get plenty of backlash from the other inmates anyway." Naruto had said.

A month later came graduation. Naruto was able to walk on stage, slowly but surely, and accept his diploma. He watched Sakura give her valedictorian speech, where she thanked him for opening her eyes. "... I'd never met such a rival in anyone before, especially from someone who didn't even try. For as long as I live, I will never forget you, Naruto."

In the hype of graduation, and raising a baby, Naruto found himself moving into the Uchiha household. Their house—mansion—served for a change. "Whoa, how many bathrooms do you have?" Naruto said in awe, holding his daughter on his hip. "I mean, you could shit all day."

"Language!" Sasuke lightly reprimanded, taking Kizuna from his boyfriend and handing her off to his mother, who took her granddaughter to the kitchen for lunch. "I don't want our daughters first words to be profanity."

"Well, I don't want them to be 'hn'" Naruto pointed out. He walked back down the long hallway to where their empty bedroom was located. It was bigger than his whole apartment had been. Arms wrapped around his waist. "I don't know how to live like an Uchiha." He pouted.

"It's all in the attitude. Plus you're not legally an Uchiha..." Sasuke laughed, leaning over to kiss his blonde on the side of his neck. He felt Naruto melt into his arms and pulled him closer. "Yet."

"Hey, hey now!" A voice called. The couple jumped apart and turned to see a playful Itachi in the doorway, holding a box. "I don't need another niece or nephew anytime soon." He grinned at the embarrassed look on his younger brothers face.

"Especially since you're getting one, Sasuke-kun!" Deidara peaked from around Itachi's shoulder, smiling hugely at the couple. "Sorry to take the spotlight from you, un." He spoke Naruto. Itachi chuckled softly at his husband before setting the box down and leading him back down the hall.

"We're just like them Sasuke." Naruto said, shaking his head.

"No, we're cuter." The raven grabbed his blonde by the waist again, putting them chest to chest. "Way cuter."

/O\/O\/O\

Around Kizuna's first birthday, Naruto heard from Kiba again. But not in person, no. After the incident and fighting with Sasuke, Kiba had gone MIA. Suddenly, Naruto had gotten an invitation to a wedding between Kiba and some woman. "We are going!" Naruto had declared. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"We have class that day."

"We're college students. We don't have class."

The wedding was small and quaint, very sweet. Kizuna had been left with her grandparents for the week while her parents went to Kumo. "Hello, Kiba." Naruto extended his hand to the groom during the reception.

"Naruto." Kiba took the hand and shook. Then he eyed Sasuke warily, who stood glaring at him behind Naruto. "Do you mind if I have a word with you? Alone of course." He smiled thinly at the Uchiha who went to sulk by the buffet table, waving away the women that flocked to him.

"How have you been?" Kiba started casually. Naruto answered that he was fine, "That's great, you have no idea how good that is to hear."

"And look at you, married." Naruto grinned and looked over to where the bride was being admired. "She's pretty."

"Thank you." Kiba nodded. "But... I just want you to know, I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused back then. I had no right to intervene in your life—I was immature and foolish to think I could drag you away from that." He motioned to the raven. "Clearly, you two are meant for each other." He chuckled.

The blonde giggled. "Yeah, we are sadly. He's a bit of a handful sometimes, but it's just because he's crazy about me." Then Naruto looked up into Kiba's eyes and said, "You don't have anything to be sorry for. It's in the past, no hard feelings about anything. I made you happy once, you made me happy once, now we both have other people to make us happy. It's as simple as that."

"Naruto, thank you." Kiba leaned down and hugged him tightly. "I'm glad we can be friends."

"Okay, okay." Sasuke arrived to split them apart. "Enough." Kiba let go of the blonde and returned to his reception. "What did he want?" Sasuke demanded. Naruto just laughed and pecked him on the cheek.

/O\/O\/O\

Years and years later, after Itachi and Deidara had welcomed their second child, after Gaara and Neji had moved to Suna, even after Jiraiya's funeral, Naruto found himself amazed that he had ended up with Sasuke Uchiha as a partner.

Back in his high school days, he would never have guessed that he would wake up each morning to a pale face surrounded by midnight black hair. Or that a little redheaded girl would beg to be driven to ballet rehearsal every evening. Or that he would have a in-laws who would treat him like another son, acting as parental figures.

None of that would have even graced his mind back then. But it was right here before him. "Sasuke." Naruto said one day during dinner. "I love you."

"Are you pregnant?" Sasuke looked up from the food he was eating, puzzled by the sudden statement. The raven was on high alert. "Why didn't you tell me sooner, we have to prepare!" He stood from the table.

Kizuna gasped. "Dad, you're having a baby?" She clapped her hands. The 7-year-old beamed. "I want a brother!"

Naruto held his hands up to calm his family, "Whoa, I just wanted to tell you that I loved you. No biggie." He smiled softly at the disappointed look in his daughters face.

"Thank goodness. And I love you too, dear." Sasuke relaxed, picking up the newspaper again.

"But I am pregnant." Naruto said nonchalantly, lifting his fork to his mouth casually. Across the table the raven looked at him, dumbfounded. "What? We have to catch up to Itachi and Deidara. I hope it's twins." Naruto smirked.

Sasuke finally broke into a smile and ran a hand through his hair. "You're going to be the death of me, Naruto."

"The feelings mutual."

A cliché 'till the very end. Thank you for all your loyal reviews, favs, and follows. I hope I did this story justice for all of you absolutely great readers.

Until we meet again.