Author Note: This is the final chapter and as a treat both I and Iasha have written this chapter. I wanted something more in it after I was done and asker her for help. It's been a true pleasure to write for you. Thank you all reviewers, your support have been great and it's thanks to you that I've been able to create all these stories. Many thanks to the beta's I've worked with during my years here so far. You've all taught me alot on the spelling and grammar, I still have a long way to go but thanks to you I've made big improvement. It's been fun working with you all. And just as many thanks to the ones that simply picked this story up to read from among all other great pieces of work here, both those that followed from the beginning and those that jumped on during the ride. I'm honored that I was able to catch your interest. Happy reading and see ya all again!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Never have.

Pairings: Sasuke x Naruto. Itachi x Yue.

Warning: This is mainly a shounen-ai story. Boy loves boy. And beware of the lunatic Nuriko.

Read, Enjoy and Review. All feedbacks of encouragement, joy, happiness are welcomed.

Music In My Heart
By Monkan, Beta and co-writer Dark Iasha

Part 23 of 23

The trees were filled with apple blossoms, making the branches hang lower from the weight of them. The ground had puddles from last night's rain, around the edges were a few petals, casting colour on the otherwise grey ground. The air was a bit chilly but as the sky was clear the sun was taking it upon itself to warm everything up. A bird landed on the fence and chirped happily as it looked around. And when it spotted a person walking towards it, it flew away and landed in one of the many apple trees and watched the human with interest.

His hair had grown longer and he had gotten taller. In every aspect that you looked at him he had finally become a man. His skin not as pale as it used to be as when he was a child but not tanned like one someone who spent time outside and played everyday since child's legs. He wore a white shirt with black pants and just a pair of sandals as he entered the local mini shopping store.

He took a basket and began to pick out the things he needed. He was greeted by the personal there with a smile and he returned it as he went by. Since they were changing everything it took longer than normal to find everything but soon he was finished and had paid for everything. He stopped outside to read the headlines of the day's newspaper for a moment before heading up the hill to one of the many apartments that was built there.

He did not see the little bird as he walked past the apple tree but it would be strange if it still had been there. He had to shift the bag to his other hand as a wound on his hand began to sting.

When he reached the top of the hill he looked around for a moment to take in the spring of the surrounding, the green trees, the equal green grass, the parking lot in the middle that were surrounded by it all and the bushes with little flowers that smelled nice as he walked past them and to the door in one of the many high buildings there. He took the elevator up to the seventh floor and took out his key and entered an apartment there.

It was a small apartment of one room, with a small bathroom and the kitchen in the hall, but he liked it. He dumped the bag on his bed and walked over to open the window, fresh air swept into the room. Thereafter he went to his small fridge and put everything inside. Since the fridge was in the hall he also kicked of his sandals before he walked into his room. He sat down in the chair by the desk and took a quick look in his mail to see if anything new had come up.

Since it was his day off from work he wanted to do nothing but be lazy once in a while. He had finished his studies half a year ago and was now living alone and working. His job wasn't really something his parents liked since they wanted him to do something with the high level education he had received until now but since he seemed happy with a low paying job in the public they couldn't object to it. Four and a half year, that was how long ago since he moved from his birth town.

At the time he had been depressed but since his brother had taken care of everything and their parents had received the best medical treatment life was fine, but it had not stop the pain in his heart from fading. He missed Naruto and the distance between them was so big that it felt even bigger in his heart.

Some nights for the first year, he had thought he was hearing the haunting sound of a violin playing in his room. But when he got up to investigate, he always found that it was only in his head. Now, the delusions had stopped. Well, of course they would. What he heard now a days were not delusions.

Now, as he was an adult he had left mostly his family name behind. Although he would not say it to his parents, he had felt like the Uchiha name was slowly strangling him alive. He could not feel alive as long as he stayed in the prison of the family name.

That was why he used a different last name now; his brother had taken care of talking to their parents for him since he couldn't go against them even if he wanted to. He loved his parents and brother but hated the name Uchiha with passion. He kept contact with them so they wouldn't worry about him. He wouldn't even admit it to anyone but living under the same roof as one of the Uchiha had left his inner self pretty twisted.

It had all began over four years ago when he had to leave his only love behind. He fell more easily into periods of depressions, making him even more anti-social and bitter. His life lost meaning in those times but he hanged onto it in the hope that he would one day see Naruto again. He had something like a split personality. A complete other side of him that he tried to hide so others wouldn't take notice of it.

He had noticed it during his last year of school. There had been a gang that went after a class mate that everyone knew was bisexual and something in him had snapped. The gang ended up in the hospital and he had no memories of what he had done. None suspected him so he went on like nothing happened but he became scared of his other side because of that. He noticed that he couldn't remember small periods of the past but what his darker self was capable of scared him so much so he pushed it down as deep as he could.

That's why it was freedom when he graduated and moved out of the house. Since then, his other side hadn't surfaced even once. He kept close contact with Itachi and Yue. Since he moved out he felt that they could become more like brothers than they had ever been. For that he was thankful.

Mostly he lived his own life.

His own life as Sasuke Issei. The guy who worked as a car mechanic at the local carshop. A job that was not exactly something an Uchiha could do without earning a few raised eyebrows but an Issei could do earning welcoming smiles instead. He liked it, it payed the bills, he was happy. That was that.

And now he was even happier after his hope payed off.

A beep on his mobile caught his attention and he read the new mail. As he read it he smiled and he sent a quick message and closed it.

He did a quick clean on the table and pushed the trash down the bin before he heard the door bell ring. He adjusted his shirt before opening the door with a smile.

On the other side stood a person, a little shorter, and with spiky blond hair. The violin case in his hand told that he had come as soon as he could after class. The smile was returned as blue eyes sparkled with life and happiness.

"Hi Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't reply but leaned forward and stole a quick kiss. "I missed you Naruto," he said happily. "Come in."

The operation over four years ago had been a success and Naruto got his eyesight back. After that he attended school and played his violin even more and his efforts earned him a place in one of the best music schools. It was over a year ago that they had been reunited, all by chance. They had had no idea that they were in the same town and had run into each other when the Issei/Uchiha had been shopping.

(Flashback)

Sasuke sighed as he lugged his bag of groceries across the road, keeping a careful eye out for any cars. Of all days for him to run out of food it was the day he wanted to just sit at home and read.

'Someone wants me to be out here today,' he thought sourly. 'Well they better have a damn good reason.'

He did not notice the slight unevening of the ground ahead of him as he stepped onto the pavement, obscured due to the big bag of food he held in his arms. And because he did not see it, it managed to catch his toe causing him to trip.

"Oof!"

He fell, along with the grocery bag, with a painful thud. There was a moment of disorientation before irritated onyx eyes glared at the rising in the ground and cursed it silently. Then he remembered his food and frantically looked around for it.

Sasuke groaned when he spotted the plastic bag of fruit a few feet away, the tin of biscuits next to it and a variety of other food lolling around everywhere. He had to be glad that the eggs and bread looked to be undamaged.

Once again cursing, his luck this time, he sat up and winced a bit when he felt his arm throb. Dang. His hand was sore as well. Perfect. Could things just get any better?

"Hey, you! Are you okay?"

Oh great. Someone was there. Someone had seen the normally graceful Sasuke being clumsy. Oh, things were just peachy.

"I'm fine," he muttered, not registering the voice. He got to his feet and shook his hand, glad that the soreness was receding slightly. It was not hurt much. He looked around at his gorceries and sighed. Better get them off the ground before critters came a creeping.

The dark-haired man bent down to pick his bag of fruits up when he spotted the hand reaching for the tin of biscuits.

"Here, let me help you with all this," said the voice again and the tin of biscuits was picked up by a tan hand right in front of him.

Sasuke blinked when a strange feeling overcame him, telling him to look up. Look up at the stranger that was helping him. And when he did so, his onyx eyes widened in shock.

Twinkling blue eyes stared down at him, framed by golden hair that shone in the sun. A tan complexion with six long scars lined both cheeks like whiskers.

The eyes that were staring at him enlarged the moment they caught sight of his face. Recognition flooded the blue depths and a breathless whisper escaped pink lips.

"Sasuke...?"

"Naruto..."

The Uchiha shot to his feet, still unable to believe his eyes. Was this real? Was this really Naruto? Was this boy, nearly a man, whom he had not seen for years and clearly not blind his Naruto?

"Is that...is that really you?" he whispered, desperately hoping that he was not wrong. That this truly was the person he had fallen in love with.

"Are you...are you Sasuke Uchiha?" was the reply from the blond before him, his tone similar to the one which Sasuke had used.

"Sasuke Issei." The mechanic had automatically answered that. Then he realized his mistake. "No! No, I'm Sasuke Uchiha! Naruto...are you really Naruto?"

"Yes..." The boy slowly nodded, still cautious but looking happier by the minute.

And that was when Sasuke finally felt the happiness that he had lost all those years ago return to him. The happiness he had left behind with his love when he was forced to go with Itachi.

"Naruto!" In a moment he had swept the blond in a tight embrace, feelings overwhelming him. He could feel the other burying his head in his chest, as arms wrapped around his shoulders. His love was here. His precious lover was here.

And this time, Sasuke would not let Naruto go.

(End Flashback)

Now they saw each other daily after class ended for Naruto and when Sasuke either had a free day or had finished work. They lived in separate apartments since moving in so soon would call for unwanted attention and they didn't want to take that step yet. With Naruto able to see him all the time now it felt different but not in a bad way. He loved how those same eyes finally shone with life and love.

Right now they were happy with their newfound freedom, Sasuke free from his past and family, Naruto from his bad eyesight and solitude, and that they had found each other again. They still had time left and until Naruto graduated, he would not ask for anything. He wouldn't even mention the cash he had saved up in his account ever since he started to work; a resource he had saved for their future.

Sasuke stood next to Naruto as he put his case down on the floor by the sofa. He didn't care that the window was open right in front of them. He hugged Naruto and his heart filled with a warm, happy feeling. He leaned his head against Naruto's and felt how the blond's hands came up to rest on his lower back.

Life had truly blessed them this time.

"I love you."

The End.