Author's Note

This is it! The final chapter! I am sincerely very sorry it took this long to finish this story! But I didn't give up, I did it! I really hope you have enjoyed the fic and will enjoy this ending.

I have also posted this on AO3 under the same username, where I have a more proof-read and cleaner version because before I uploaded it there, I went through what I had already written and fixed the cringe that I could. Also, the chapters are ordered differently, I switched ch4 &5 because it flowed better. The only reason I haven't fixed anything here is because this is the original in its pure state and I kind of like that, but also I am not sure how to go about fixing it without accidentally deleting it so ... sorry.

Please let me know what you think and thank you for staying with my on this ridiculously loooooong journey. :)

End Author'sNote

The rest of the day had passed with a flurry of activity and items to be seen to such as working on plans to reconstruct the arena, the Kage meeting, and setting forth a recon mission to search for any other remnants or artifacts of Kagura that might pose a threat like yesterday ... or worse.

It was one o'clock in the morning and Naruto had been working at his desk for the past couple of hours. His chakra level hadn't improved much in the second half of his day as he was using more than his daily, exhaustive amount to see his village through the wreckage. His shadow clones had been many and everywhere. He'd sent one to the hospital to check on the injured and the medical-nin, another to the Hyuuga complex to pick up Himawari, and another to his own home to say he wouldn't be home until late into the night, and a few others to check on daily and scheduled items on his agenda that wouldn't be cast aside just because there was an attack. The best thing to do was to resume life as usual, to not give the power of disruption to enemies and to show that Konoha and the allied Shinobi villages are strong and resilient.

He still had some work to do, but now that the immediate needs of the aftermath had been seen to, there was not much left for him to do. Sure, there would be more to come, but the worst had past.

Naruto was finishing a report as his last shadow clone rejoined him. When he looked at the clock it was 1:23am. His eyes drifted to the right and landed on the photo of his family he had resting in a frame. Sighing, he stared long at the photo before looking back at his paperwork. He only had a few more. Looking through the rest, he found nothing more urgent than his need to sleep. Glancing once again at the photograph, he decided it was time to make his way home.

He had just enough chakra to make it there … he hoped.

The lights were all off and nothing but silence greeted him as he stepped inside his home for the first time in days. A much more common welcome since becoming Hokage, and it gripped him in old memories every time. The only thing that soothed the ache it brought him was the knowledge that when he said he was home, he wasn't speaking to an empty house anymore. There was life to the knicks in the walls from Boruto's recklessness. There was the warmth in the lingering aroma from dinner Hinata had cooked hours before. There was fondness, if not exasperation, for the well-worn stuffed animals left lying around the house by Himawari. And in everything, there was love, in the shoes lined in the front entrance, in the photos hanging on the walls, in the notes his family would write for him and stick next to his waiting dinner. The love in this quiet darkness was in every other way different from the stark, lonely kind of his past. It was this thought that keep him from falling.

Even still, it was, now, nearly two in the morning and with the light of the moon steaming into the house and the crickets chirping, he hadn't expected anyone to still be awake. But as he rounded the corner to where his dinner would be waiting, Hinata sat resting against the pillows of the couch with her legs drawn up beside her, facing the glass paneled wall, and gazing intently at the moon.

She was beautiful.

Instantly, Naruto was brought back to the night he realized he was in love with her, where she stood awash in the moon's light and with a look of contemplative sadness. Her ancestry from the moon made complete sense to him, as she embodied its likeness; her ivory tone, her grace and iridescence, and the guidance, strength, and company she brought to those lonely and lost seekers of her stable, embracing comfort.

This intimate view of her he is allowed to experience is what breaks him. His energy gone. His fight over. Finally, he could let go. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground with only his arms to brace himself from completely collapsing.

The sound of his decent broke Hinata out of her gazing. Immediately alarmed at his sudden crumpled appearance she rushed over to him.

"Naruto-kun!" she said worriedly, kneeling beside him. She reached out to him; one hand at his waist and the other cupping his jaw to raise his face to meet her studied gaze.

"I'm home," he announced tiredly, her eyes already leaving his to run her byakugan over his body. He was just as depleted as he was when he first came back through the portal.

After a small gasp at his condition, his hand came to rest on top of her head before gently sliding down her silky hair to cup the nape of her neck and stroke his thumb along her jaw. As her eyes relaxed its jutsu and leveled with his, his other hand came up to brush back her hair before settling to mirror his other hand. Hinata's face now cupped in his hands, her had her full attention.

"Hinata, I am fine. I just need some rest and I will be fine."

She still looked worried, so he kissed her. It wasn't deep but it was lingering as he slowly pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. After a few quiet moments, she finally relaxed, her hand falling away from his cheek to rest firmly on his chest just over his heart. Slowly, she lifted her head to look at him.

"Have you eaten?" she asked softly.

"Not ye-," he started, interrupted by his sudden growling at the sudden mention of food. He hadn't eaten since she brought him lunch over twelve hours ago. His face reddened. She giggled. "N- no, not yet."

"I'll go warm up your dinner. But you are not eating on the floor. Come on, if you don't get up now, you will end up sleeping here." She offered, already moving around him to help lift him up.

She sat with him while he ate. They chatted about what she had done today and how the kids were managing. He still hadn't seen Himawari since he'd gotten back, but according to Hinata she was doing alright, though a little quiet. He'd see her in the morning.

When he finished eating she moved to stand up and take him dishes.

"You should go wash up. I will finish up here."

"Thank you, I won't be long." He was looking forward to cleaning up. He was still a mess, and it had been a long two days and his body was sore. As much as he wanted to soak in a warm bath, a shower was all he could manage at the moment, he was too worried he would fall asleep in the bath.

Twenty minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom and went to their bedroom to dress and finally lie down. Hinata was nowhere to be seen. Sighing, he went to look for her. It had been a long couple days for her, as well, and she needed the rest and comfort of each other just as him. He didn't want to go to bed alone tonight. He needed to be reminded that this wasn't like the past. This time he he isn't alone and that he is loved. He wants her to know that she is loved, too. He hadn't been home before the attack, either, due to the chunin exam preparation and the Kage summit.

Naruto found her sitting in the same spot he found her in when he got home, staring at the moon.

"Hinata." he called quietly as he rounded the sofa to sit next to her. "It's late we should go to bed."

"Naruto-kun." She murmured. "You should go ahead. I will be in soon."

"I'll stay." He said quietly after a moment.

She nodded. After a few more moments, she reached out to linked their hands in his lap and curling her other hand around his arm, sinking slowly into his side and resting her head on his shoulder.

Neither said a word. The moment was soothing, staring at the moon and view from their windowed wall and the warm of them both seeping into one another. It was lulling.

Naruto was about to nod off, until he felt a dampness on growing on his shoulder and heard a light sniff to his side.

"Hinata~." He called worriedly.

At the sound of his concern the silent tears she had been shedding turned to shakey sobs as she turned into him and wrapped her arms around him to cry into the crook of his neck.

"Hinata?" he called again, wrapping his arms securely around her. His only response was for her to tighten her embrace and cry even harder. So, he let her, resting his cheek again her head and just holding onto her as she let her pent up worries go.

After a few minutes she finally started to settle down and her breathing started to even out. Still, they held onto each other for many moments before Hinata finally spoke.

"I know, I shouldn't need to worry about you," she started quietly. "I know because I have fought alongside you my whole life. I have fought with you when Pain attacked the village, I fought with you during the Shinobi war, where I witnessed you not only fight all our opponents, but also sustain the lives and chakras of all the shinobi in attendance. I know i shouldn't worry because you are the strongest shinobi I know, because you care so much and you never give up. But I can't help it."

"Hinata," he breathed. Her tears had started to flow again, silently. He breath hitched as she continued.

"I was so scared. When they took you, I almost thought I lost you."

"You didn't lose me. I am right here."

"I don't know what I would do without you, what we or the world would do without you." she paused.

"I can't lose you."

Silence resumed while her words settled in between them.

"Today, when I came back through the portal, you used your byakugan to check on Boruto and me and for a second I couldn't breath … the concern and care you showed me … it's not even the first time but I don't ever think i will ever get used to it."

"Used to what?"

"Being cared for so intently, out of love and not duty."

"Naruto-kun," she whispered and raised her head up to meet his gaze.

"Thank you." He said honestly.

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment longer. Hinata was so taken aback by Naruto's confession, her words failed her. She was so filled up with affection, and sadness, and love for him, she could only nod in response. His hand came up to cup her cheek.

"Do you remember as we were returning from the moon, I told you not to let go? You have always been there for me since the beginning. You have been my strength when I don't think I can make it. I find my resolve with you by my side." He said brushing away the tear falling down her cheek with his thumb.

"I won't let there be a chance to let go … don't worry."

More tears fell from her eyes before she quickly leaned forward to catch his lips with hers. Startled but immediately responsive, he kissed her back just as desperately. After a short while she slowly pulled away and rested her head against his, her eyes still closed.

"I love you," She whispered between their breaths.

"I love you, too."

As if she could finally breathe again after the attack she melted back into him, resting her face back in the crook of his neck, where his shirt was still damp. They stayed like that for a few long minutes before the long day started to weigh on their eyelids and the suggestion to finally go to bed was made.

Naruto stood up and took her hand to lead her to their bedroom. Settling under the covers, they kissed once more before Naruto gathered her into his arms, her back pressed against his chest. Almost immediately they were asleep. The day finally over and things were starting to get back to normal.

Author's Note

Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this fic!

If you were wondering, They managed to sleep for a good while before Himawari came in to wake them up because she saw Naruto's shoes at the entrance and wanted to see him. Reunions were made, Himawari want back to normal, and Naruto went back to sleep.

Also, If you were interested in what inspired this fic, it was a fan-comic by bluedragonfan on deviantart called "Boruto: After the Movie." It is really cute and good and I suggest you read it :)