ItaNaru (our favorite Uchiha and femNaruto for short) again, and it's gotten so addictive as much as him and Hanaru, my OC. Although before we get started, don't ask me for NaruIta (Naruto and femItachi), because someone asked me in a review for "Message in a Bottle". Some things aren't meant to be.

Anyhoo, new shot - and I mean SHOT - involves Itachi having been in an accident, and it looks critical as he remains in a coma. His poor girlfriend has suffers it through as much as his brother, and their friends and families. Let's see what happens.

Update (01/20/19): I changed from Naruko to Naru, like I recently changed her name in "Merman's Quest", because Naruko is too weird much less speak aloud. So Naru it is. :)

Naruto and its characters all belong to their rightful owner.

Here she was today, looking him over as he slept.

When he was up and walking around well, he was a face the girls would fall over, wetly dream and fantasize about. Long raven hair tied by red thread below the nape of his neck. Aristocratic features you didn't see every day in the typical Japanese male. Eyes dark as his hair, empty and mysterious, but fiery when provoked while the rest of his face was passive.

She'd known him since she was a child, because she'd known his younger brother since elementary school. Then in high school, she dated Sasuke before it ended when their paths took them away from each other. He was burdened with the stress of working in the family software corps; she started a fashion magazine, dealing with meaning behind it all besides how it looked, with Hinata her best friend.

In college, she somehow met up with Itachi again when he happened to come across her work when a colleague teased him and insisted he take a look in understanding it - and that was none other than his cousin Shisui. How funny was it that he got to appreciate her simply because of his cousin's antics? And when her career was nothing like his - except opposites attracted.

Naru Uzumaki didn't want to be in any relationship with her ex's boyfriend because he resembled Sasuke, or because he was filthy rich CEO after his father died of lung cancer. No, Itachi was his own man. They didn't try too hard for each other, either.

But, three years after they got together, the accident took place when he was driving home from the airport after being in New York City for a conference.

Mikoto was frantic when she got a hold of her and told her Itachi's car had run into another that ran the red light and caused a collision on the highway. He was pronounced dead for an hour at least before a miracle took place and he awoke - well, he was showing vital signs. "He's made of really strong stuff," Sakura said as she did the checking over when Naru came to visit him a few days after the long surgery took place. She'd also known the pinkette since childhood, and she was currently with Sasuke whilst having a couple years left in medical school under Naru's godmother, Tsunade.

The damage done to her boyfriend was this: three cracked ribs, so much damage done to his left femur that he would need a brace for his entire leg in order to walk. It would heal, yes, but it would take time and extensive treatment.

That would be as soon as he was out of his coma. Who knew how long that would be.

Today she was sitting in the visitors' chair beside his bed, looking over that beautiful, masculine face and body. In the light blue hospital gown, IV attached to his vein, catheter and all, and his heartbeat as well as his blood pressure all normal. The oxygen mask over his mouth. To see him like this, making him so different than before...

"This makes me think back to when Jiraiya was brought back, before we had to pull the plug," Tsunade told her when she came in to check in on them both. The memory made Naru close her eyes and try not to cry. "But hopefully we can't have a repeat of history in here - although it's best to prepare for the big picture, Naru." She put her manicured hand on the girl's shoulder, the gesture and feeling that followed being comforting.

That meant, until he awoke on his own, they would keep him on light diets and attached with those tubes, and immobile. Unable to speak or be aware of those coming in to visit him - family and friends alike.

"Oh, poor Itachi," Hinata whispered as she was with her one day, looking over Itachi. "Why did he have to suffer because he was trying to get home to you and his family? And more importantly, no one knows when he will wake up, but Tsunade seems confident he might. He's made of strong stuff, like Sakura said, too." She gave a small smile. It was like dear sweet Hina-chan, the girl with her lavender-tinted raven hair cut short to show the crystal flower studs in her ears, dressed in a gray jogging suit and lavender t-shirt, to keep her hopes up in hard times. And when they were girls, they'd also been through harder times than today.

But in Naru's case, it involved her boyfriend who HAD to wake up if she had anything to say about it. Holding the crystal Tsunade gave her as a child fueled the prayers she would give him day and night.

The news was all over for the entirety of the month. On the social media, the television, and from the lips of others. And for her to constantly be badgered with sympathies and wishes for a speedy recovery - it was nice, but sometimes she wondered if some people said they were sorry simply because of her dating the most eligible bachelor in Konoha.

To deal with Sasuke was something else. He was with Sakura now, but even so, their friendship was still a little strained. Mostly on his end since he was the one who broke up with her and was feeling very guilty about it. Itachi had to assure her that his brother needed to forgive himself, but by the looks of it, eight years hadn't done much of anything, and neither did his relationship with one of their friends from childhood.

When Sasuke came by to just see his brother, Naru did him a favor by getting up and leaving the room, but at the end of the fourth time, he gently but firmly grabbed her by the forearm and made her look at him. "Naru, how much longer is it going to be like this?"

She didn't like the look in his eye. It told her he still had feelings for her, but he also knew he lost her for good. Naru said nothing, just turned away and left the room. She just needed to be alone.

Sasuke didn't bother her again after that. It wasn't like they were that close much anymore anyway.

The flower orders came in eventually. One was an expression of friendship and love, with red gerbera daisies, yellow roses and alstroemerias, blue statice and green ferns. Next was calm and serene with plenty of sunshine: yellow alstroemeria and gerberas, green buttons and a few stalks, all in a bamboo vase.

The final one was from Naru herself, and it was on this day when she brought the warm, orange combination of roses, lilies, and red carnations in a matching vase that her prayers and the others' were answered.

On the final day of the month, Itachi's eyes finally fluttered open.

~o~

Something was piercing his skin, likely the veins. An IV.

Crisp fabric covered him along with something heavier. Blankets and sheets.

There was also a numbing pain in certain parts of his body, mostly his ribs and his left leg. He feared having it removed if the damage was that extensive; the last thing he wanted was to spend the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair.

And then he heard a voice speak over him as he slowly emerged from the darkness: "Itachi."

The voice became clearer and clearer. Naru was over him. She must have been beside him the entire time. The knowledge of her made his insides spin around with his thoughts. What a fool I was, but it was no fault of mine. I was coming home to her only for THIS to happen. He could imagine her suffering, but her hopes in his survival. But what about Sasuke and their mother? Shisui and his friends? What of them?

Itachi opened his eyes and looked upon her, smiling when her face and body became clear. Long sunlight hair behind her back in a ponytail, showing tear-shaped agate in her ears. Against the taupe sweater blouse was a faceted crystal against a gold antique setting. She was beautiful, but it was her face his attention was on: bright crystalline blue rimmed with red. She had been holding back tears, but now they were flowing freely with joy that they saw him wake up from who knew how long.

"You've been in a coma for a month," Naru whispered, leaning over and kissing his brow. "I've missed you so much. I'm going to get baa-chan and Sakura!"

She was gone in a flash, making him chuckle. It was then that Itachi noticed the heavy wrapping of his left thigh. The pain must be in his femur, but he was no doctor. However he learned all the basics in order to take care of himself in his life.

The sun was shining, but only peeking through gray clouds that told of a partly sunny forecast. The clock said it was a quarter to two in the afternoon. And it was then that Tsunade Senju arrived, clad in teal surgeon scrubs, mask around her neck, telling him she'd finished a surgery before her god daughter came in. She smiled slightly when she looked him over, oxygen mask still over his face. He left it on because she had the final say in its removal.

"Well, Itachi, I told Naru you would make it. But it's not like she didn't believe it herself," the well-endowed blonde chipped, marching in, and the pink-haired Sakura behind her. "Let's look you over and see how you feel, your circulation, heartbeat and all..."

Heartbeat was normal as was his circulation. She even told him of his cracked ribs which would heal within weeks or a month more at most. But his femur - he would need a brace after physical therapy and to take it easy with running activity of any kind.

If he had seen the other car coming sooner, he wouldn't have been in this situation.

It wasn't like he couldn't deal with it; he could imagine what it would do to those around him. He looked at the brightly colored flowers that surrounded him, grateful that everyone was patiently waiting for and supporting him. And when he finally received visitors, his mother cried joyfully and bowed her head on his chest. It was also like Sasuke to just quietly stand behind her and give a one-sided smile, not saying anything except with that curling of his lips.

"Ah ha, nobody is dying today!" Shisui said as he slapped his hand on the back of Itachi's good one, but not enough to make his skin sting. "I was just telling all the boys at work you were going to pop out sooner or later."

"Shisui, it's not like he was already dead after he did pull himself back to life an hour and a half later!" Sakura scolded him, reaching behind to pull at his ear, making him yelp and everyone else laugh.

Eventually, everyone piled out, on Tsunade's orders, but it was Shisui who stayed behind - only for a second - enough to reach into his pants and pull out the one thing that Sakura called him for and asked him to hold onto while Itachi was in his coma for the last month. Within the black box was what he spent a year waiting for, and it was supposed to be worth it, but now in his condition...

This treasure that was a true beauty, with Naru's birthstone surrounded with a ring of lush garnets, should never go to waste like this, but it just meant he had to wait a little longer until things went more smoothly.

Which might as well be a long time in the making.

~o~

She decided to move in with Itachi, at least until he was well again with his leg. The good news was that he would one day not need the brace again, but the problem was he couldn't get up any stairs without the need for a wall elevator, or any form of an elevator. His ribs were still hurting, but as long as no pressure by another's hand was applied, he should be all right.

Naru woke up one morning to look at her reflection in the mirror. She hadn't slept well since her boyfriend was comatose, and it was hard to cover the circles up, but now that he was home, she was going to ask Sakura for a technique on getting rid of them. She wasn't one of those girls who fussed about their appearance, but now that she saw them for the first time, she didn't like how sickly she appeared.

She remembered the times she would cry nonstop, often for no reason. It was so hard to keep it from the others at work even. Hinata, too, struggled to keep her flood in.

It had been a week since she moved into Itachi's crisp black, white and steel flat. But she took the liberties of decorating it herself with a few knick-knacks of her own to brighten the space up. Itachi never complained about anything. He always liked every little thing she did. Such as her making his meals morning and night. He still went to work without trouble, but the early days meant his driver Kisame and her helping him into the back seat. And her car had broken down by accident, specifically with the left rear tire pressure, forcing her to pull over and call to have it towed until it was fixed.

Rotten luck, she dared say.

She and Itachi ended up sharing a bed, not that she minded. And it wasn't like they hadn't had sex before - sex with protection, to add. She wasn't ready to have a baby when they weren't married yet. The idea of motherhood was frightening even though her parents raised her right.

Speaking of her parents, her mom called from the cruise she and Minato were on for their two-week anniversary vacation. Kushina was extremely chipper, but when she asked about Itachi, she was goggle-eyed and slightly hysterical. She'd been that way when she heard her daughter's boyfriend was in an accident, presumed dead for an hour and a half, and she and Minato were there whenever they could to support their daughter as she prayed for Itachi to come through. But Itachi had done that while they were still on their cruise, and it would be a couple more days before they would be back home.

Now Naru was telling her about how life was since she moved in with her man. And that also meant no sex, which her mom had to ask about despite Itachi needing her help more than any physical contact. "Oh, sweetie, I hear you on that, but maybe a little stimulation -" She could just picture her redheaded, hot-blooded mother batting her lashes suggestively. "- could help get him walking on that leg again? You still have that gift I sent you on your last birthday, do you?"

"Mom, of course I do," she said, rolling her eyes even though the other woman couldn't see it. "Just don't drop any hints to Dad, okay?"

"Like I want him blushing or making the protective dad mode kick in! That spoils the fun!"

So she took Kushina's advice as soon as the call ended. And it had to be on a night like tonight. Where it was hot during the day, humid at night. Skies clear and showing twinkling stars, with only a few bright ones present. But none of them were as vivid as the moon that surpassed them, or even the sun which brought more happiness.

Naru felt on fire as it was; the timing couldn't have been perfect. She knew just what to do, but if Itachi wasn't in the mood, she wasn't going to force him.

What her mom gave her on her birthday was this pretty little chemise: the lace was icy blue, over a ruffle of blushing chiffon that peeked at the end. Hugging and loose at the same time. She was leaving the shower when she heard Itachi in the bedroom - his but now theirs. She took a few breaths before stepping in and cleared her throat so he looked up at her. He wasn't in his brace now; he sat at the foot of the bed taking it off now. He was also just in his briefs, which just made things better.

Itachi looked up at her, eyes alight with stars. A faint blush came over his cheeks. It was rare to see him blush, but it was also the first time he saw her in something like this, especially since they usually just stripped out of their day clothing or just casual sleepwear to get right to it.

But tonight was different.

"I really missed you, Itachi," she said suggestively, reaching for the straps and pushing them off her shoulders, just to bare them and press up against her breasts to show more curves. "Are you...in the mood?" She batted her lashes.

He sat up straighter, unblinking, eyes widening by a small fraction. She wished he would give a straight yes or no, but instead, he laid back and took his leg with him afterwards. That was his answer, it turned out. Now that he said yes, she was happy and excited. But why didn't he show it on his face? Well, it's not like he is ever outgoing as I am. But that look in his eye - it means he wants it as much as I do.

Naru crawled atop him, but on her side and away from his leg. The last thing she wanted to do was to add pressure and slow his healing. "How do you want to do this?" she asked quietly.

"However you want," he replied huskily, now showing a small smile. "I trust you won't further injure my leg than it already is."

Giggling, Naru got to work, starting with kissing him on his lips. Soft and smooth as they should be. The first time she'd kissed them, she'd been afraid because she was still getting over Sasuke - but Itachi electrified her in a way his brother never did. She worshipped a body firm and rippled with muscles that not every modern man was blessed with. She avoided his nipples, simply because even though they were sensitive, he was best enjoying this better than anything being too easy. He grumbled in his throat, knowing this. Naru dipped her tongue into his navel, causing his abdominal muscles to heave before clenching tightly. Now she found her way down to where his erection was tenting his briefs.

Off went the shorts, and there be his manhood. Proudly standing from a small bush of black. Still giggling, Naru let her pink tongue take the pearly white bud into her buds, enjoying the bitter sweetness before getting to the best part that was her licking all the way down and back up, finally taking him all the way into her mouth.

It was a joy to see him writhing and rumbling in his throat. He never spoke words, neither did she - except during climax she screamed much louder than he, and he just growled, which he did when he peaked down her throat, like a geyser.

"That was...worth the wait, baby," he purred, looking her over when she came to lay beside him. "I really missed YOU."

"Then you want more to make up for the troubles?" She looked down at his left leg which had a couple, barely noticeable scars that identified his issue.

Itachi chuckled, his right hand reaching down, ghosting over her thigh on the outside and then going inside. Her heart thumped at the same time her belly knotted and pooled liquid heat to another part of her body. He wasn't going to just move his body to give her similar treatment, but he was going to use his hand. His fingers were just pure magic, working on the overtly sensitive bud turning pink to red like a flower, and bringing her to see stars like the ones outside their window.

~o~

The sun was setting when they were finally married a year later on the beach shore of Konoha. By then all of his injuries were healed.

Orange and white rose petals strewn across the sands. The sun was at its highest. When it fell, blanketing the sky with luminous colors, they would go into the clearing of the trees to party. The waves were calm now, but at night, they would lap loudly, giving more music.

The bride and groom stood before the sea, underneath no arch besides the heavens, and the one officiating was none other than Tsunade. Hinata in turquoise blue chiffon was her maid of honor, Sasuke his best man. The rest of the party on either side were Sakura and then Shisui. At least Sasuke came just for us. But the focus was on the happy couple themselves.

Naru - dress had a sheer, lacy bodice with long sleeves and a rounded neck, the skirt sleek and slitted in the front, and the blue satin sash around her waist gave it a sweet something blue. When she took her steps forward, the little heels peeked out to show jeweled flower adornments. And of course she held roses in shades of light, dark and regular orange. To represent the sun that came out today, tomorrow and always.

What was most important was the ring he gave her, which signified them both - the opal, her birthstone, ringed with dark red gemstones. The day she took him to Tsunade and Sakura was when they were leaving with the great news, and he took it out before her eyes.

Both her mom and dad walking her to Itachi was the best thing she could ask for.

Her family, his mother and brother, their friends - everything was glowing. Just like the sun which was the brightest star that came out. Just like it did the day her new husband's leg healed after all wounds.

I'm sorry for the lack of a lemon besides the blow job and intimate touches, but this is so much more than just a love scene. Or maybe I didn't have to say it after all.

"Friendship and Love" by Zenerific1 and "Second Love is Best" by sarhea inspired me in addition. :') Both beautiful stories. The first one was the VERY first Naruto fic my best friend made me read when I was in the early stages of getting into the anime, two years ago. And about halfway through that one, Sasuke broke up with Naruto because of the pressures of the family business he gets into, but eventually after a near-death experience, they got back together.

There are some similarities with "Second Love is Best", but I did NOT plagiarize anything. Although because it's been awhile since I read it myself, phrase or word similarities is purely coincidental. Plus: Sasuke broke up with Naruto (Narumi in that story) because they dated in high school, he wanted her to do things she wasn't yet ready for, so later she wound up with Itachi the better bro; she started a magazine of her own while still in college. Fugaku also lives in that fic. But Sasuke continued to avoid his brother and ex-girlfriend for many years, unable to forgive himself and never able to match up to Itachi. Please don't flame me.

I'd also seen the movie "90 Minutes in Heaven", which is a powerful true story of a reverend who had claimed to have been in heaven for an hour and a half only to come back to life following a terrible accident.

If anyone asks for more, know this is it. There won't be a sequel. Before I was writing for Naruto, I found myself targeted more and more when people ask for more than they got. The author has the choice of his or her own to plan a sequel if they are inspired. In other words: this is more than enough.

Review please. :D