When the fire and lightning hit the sugikon the explosion rocked the entire village. Kazehana was thrown backwards and into a fabric shop.

Everyone else was far enough away that hiding behind a building was enough cover.

When everything settled Pein was...everywhere. The pieces of his body and blood were anywhere anyone looked. Naruto peeked out from behind the building and saw Kazehana's tail sticking out of the glass front of the fabric store. "Kazehana!" He stood and ran to his friend.

Kazehana was covered in cuts and bruises but was in the process of getting up. "I'll be okay, Naruto. I am gonna need a lot of bandages though," she said with a bemused smile.

Naruto smiled in return. "No you're not." He turned toward the window. "KAA-SAN!"

Tsunade hurried over to her son.

"Can you heal Kazehana?" Naruto requested.

"Of course." Tsunade turned to Kazehana. "This might hurt a little."

Kazehana nodded and Tsunade began her work.

Naruto surveyed the damage to the village and let out a low whistle. "This is gonna take forever to fix." His gaze fell on the Hokage monument and when he saw the broken off hand made of wood he remembered Oturan. "Kazehana, I'll be back." And with that he sped off.

Oturan looked up when a shadow fell over his face. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tightly. "Kill me quickly."

Naruto cocked his head to one side and used his rasengan to destroy the wood holding the other boy down. "Why would I kill you?"

Oturan opened his eyes and stared at Naruto in confusion. "Because I'm your enemy."

Naruto smiled a little. "Didn't seem like it during the fight."

Oturan tentatively stood up. "But my father..." He sighed. "No...I don't have a father. I'm just a clone."

"You're not just a clone. It doesn't matter how you were born. You're still a person," Naruto said with determination.

Oturan looked stunned. He shook his head in amazement. "Pein was wrong; So wrong. It's funny. I called him father but I never really felt like his son. I don't know what I should do now. I thought Pein was my family but it turns out I don't really have one."

Naruto put a hand on Oturan's shoulder. "Pein made you from my DNA right?"

"Yeah. So?"

"So that makes me your family," Naruto said with a grin.

"Actually," Tsunade said as she landed next to Naruto, "If you think about it, technically you're his father, kiddo."

Naruto went bug-eyed for a moment but his expression quickly settled down to one of quiet contemplation. "I...I guess so." He looked at Oturan. "But if you don't want me ta be your dad I get it. It's a little weird since we look the same age."

Oturan's face creased in thought. Finally he smiled. "We may look the same age but you're much older than me. I'd like to try having you as a father if...if that's okay."

"We might get some weird looks if you call me dad in public. Hey, what about being brothers?"

Oturan smiled widely. "I like that even better."

Three months later all of Naruto's graduating class, Oturan, Tsunade, Kakashi, Jiraiya and Tomoyo stood in a group as they watched Naruto hammer the final nail in the sign he was putting up. He flipped backwards off the post he'd been glued to by his chakra and stood next to Hinata.

"It looks wonderful, Naruto-kun," Hinata said as she kissed he boyfriend's cheek. She heard sniffling and moved so she could see his face. Naruto had tears in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Naruto smiled and wiped his eyes. "Nothing. It's just...It's done. It's finally done."

The sign that read 'Namikaze' was situated above a large wooden arch that served as the entryway for the main road of the Namikaze complex. To Naruto and Oturan it was more than a piece of oak stained wood. It symbolized the completion of the restoration of their family's home.

Naruto turned to the group. "Come on in, guys."

Everyone walked into the complex. It looked amazing. All unwanted vegetation was gone, the roads had been restored and even the dragon fountain in the center was working.

"It's so good to see this place restored," Tomoyo commented dreamily.

Kakashi smiled at his wife. "So can I assume you'd like the idea of us moving in here?"

Tomoyo gasped. "Really?"

Kakashi nodded. "I can't think of a better place to raise a family."

Tomoyo smiled wide and gave Kakashi a huge hug.

Naruto, Tsunade and Oturan walked up to one of the houses. "This one's mine," Oturan said excitedly.

Tsunade smiled. "Are you sure you don't want to live with us? I did adopt you after all."

"I'm sure, Kaa-san," Oturan confirmed.

"Kaa-san, um, I'll be...living here too," Naruto said with trepidation.

Tsunade's face fell a bit. "I had a feeling this was coming. I don't like that you won't be living with me anymore but it's good that you're not leaving Oturan alone." She gave Naruto and Oturan hugs.

"Thanks," Naruto said with a smile.

Two and a half years later Naruto gently held Hinata's hands as he lead her blindfolded through the woods. "Oh, careful. There's a rock right in front of you." They walked through the woods for about eight minutes before Naruto stopped and let go of Hinata's hands. "Okay. Stay right there. And no peaking."

Hinata giggled. "Okay."

Naruto let out a calming breath and put his hands in his favorite seal. A large group of clones appeared. "Okay, guys. C'mere." He whispered to them for a minute. "Got it?"

All the clones saluted. "OSU!" They sped off to the huge clearing in front of Naruto and Hinata.

Naruto rubbed his hands together. "Okay. Next part. Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

Kazehana appeared, saw Hinata, and smiled. "Ready?"

"Yup. Here, Hina-chan. Climb on Kazehana's back."

"Okay."

Naruto climbed on facing her and held her hands. "You okay, Kazehana?"

"No problem. I told you; dragons are strong," Kazehana said with a scaly smile. She took off and when the three were roughly forty feet up Naruto tapped her on the shoulder.

"That's high enough." Naruto waited until all movement below them stopped and then began removing the blindfold from Hinata's eyes.

Once the piece of fabric was gone from her vision Hinata looked around. "It's beautiful up here, Naruto-kun! Thank you!" she said as she took in the sky around them.

"I'm glad you like it but that's not the surprise," Naruto said. He took a deep breath. "Look down there," he said as he pointed at the clearing.

Hinata let out a gasp when she saw that 'Will you marry me?' was spelled out on the ground by the bodies of Naruto's clones. She turned back to Naruto with tears in her eyes to find him holding up an open black velvet box with a diamond ring in it. "Hyuuga Hinata. From the beginning you believed in me, cheered me on when nobody else would. You love me even though I'm an idiot sometimes and there is no one, no one with a more beautiful soul than you. I couldn't imagine my life without you so please...will you be my wife?"

Tears streamed down Hinata's face. "Yes!"

Naruto whooped loudly and pulled his fiancé into a deep, loving kiss.

"Naruto. You'll be fine," Tsunade said as her son paced back and forth in his new robe.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor, Nii-san," Oturan said.

"He's right, Otouto," Sasuke added with a smile. "You've been prepping for this since we were in school. You can do this."

Tsunade looked at the clock on the wall. "Time to get going. I'll go announce you. Wait here till I send Nabiki to get you."

Tsunade walked out onto the roof of the Hokage tower to cheers and applause from the huge crowd of citizens assembled at its base. Her Hokage hat was held in her right hand. "Today is a day I've been waiting for since my son convinced me to take this job five years ago. Today I will pass on the title of Hokage to him." She nodded to Nabiki as the crowd cheered again. Nabiki left and reappeared a moment later with Naruto, who was wearing the white Hokage robe and a nervous smile. "He's grown up a lot since the day I met him. Back then he was a bullheaded little brat but even when he was so immature he still managed to convince me to do what was right. He had the power to make people believe in him and to heal their hearts in the process. He's changed me and changed countless others for the better. And now that he's old enough I know he will use that power to lead this village with strength, compassion, maturity and intelligence." She turned to Naruto. "I give you your new Hokage. Uzumaki Naruto!" With that, Tsunade placed the Hokage hat on his head and the crowd exploded into cheers. She backed up to give the 'stage' to her son. "They're all yours, Gaki," she said with a smirk.

Naruto returned the smirk. "Thanks, Baa-chan." He strode up to the edge of the roof and held up a hand to silence the crowd. "Thank you all. When I was twelve years old and told everyone I was going to be Hokage someday I believed it...but a little voice inside me also wondered if it was really possible. I mean, let's face it, I wasn't exactly the most popular guy back then. But after I graduated I got some friends. For the first time I had people who loved me and that little voice got quieter and quieter until it vanished completely. Then my mom adopted me and I started dating my beautiful fiancé," he said, gesturing to Hinata. She blushed and gave a small wave while the crowd cheered.

"I promise I'll always do my best for all of you. We've got a lot to do in the days ahead to make the shinobi world a better place...so let's get started!" Naruto said, thrusting a fist into the air. The roar of the crowd was deafening. Naruto had never felt so fulfilled. He looked up at the sky. Tou-san, Kaa-san. Can you see me? I made it. I'm finally Hokage..

Six months later Naruto was sitting in his office in the Hokage mansion. He wished he hadn't had to move out of the Namikaze complex but Tsunade had insisted. He heard a knock on his door. "Come in."

The door opened and Hinata stood there. "Naruto-kun, I need to tell you something. Can you come in the living room?" she said with a smile.

Naruto looked up at his wife. "Sure, Hina-chan."

The couple stood in the center of the room. Naruto was perplexed since Hinata had made no move to sit. "What's up?"

Hinata smiled widely. "You're going to be a father, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto's eyes went wide as dinner plates. "Really?!"

Hinata nodded. "Mm hm."

"YATTA!" Naruto cheered. He picked Hinata up by the waist and swung her around in circles. After a bit he put her down. "Names. We need to come up with names! And I've gotta put a nursery together and..." he was suddenly silenced by Hinata's finger on his lips.

"We have plenty of time for all that. Don't worry," Hinata said in a soothing tone.

Naruto smiled. "You're right. I'm just excited." He suddenly laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Now my mom really will be a Baa-san!"

Naruto and Hinata laughed and when they were done they sat down on the couch together. Naruto looked at Hinata then lifted the bottom of her shirt and planted a tender kiss on her belly. "I don't care if you're a boy or a girl. I just can't wait to meet you," he said softly. He put the shirt back in place and pulled his wife into his arms. This was where he belonged and where he always wanted to be; Holding Hinata in his house, in his village, in the place where he found truth...in dreams.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Wow. I can't believe it's actually done. Do you guys realize it's been eleven years since I started writing this monster? Anyone who is still here who was here from the beginning...thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. So many of you have stuck with me and many have been incredibly supportive. You've put up with my writer's block and my huge pauses in between chapters when my life was in the crapper. You've encouraged me and made me feel like I really gave you something good to read.

I read every single review. Some made me laugh, some made me proud, some pissed me off (lol), and some filled me with warmth in my darkest times.

I hope this ending was satisfactory. I haven't had a beta reader in ages so there might be a few mistakes. I know the final fight wasn't insanely long but I didn't feel it really needed to be. The final battle in the manga just dragged on and on and on. It seriously made me want to throw things.

This has been one hell of a journey. Writing this story taught me so much. It was writing COLAD that made it so I could acquire the skills needed to write and publish my novel. It's only sold about thirty copies so far but I'm still hopeful.

On that note I'd like to let you guys know once again my novel "Bloodline of Atlantis: The Triple Psi" is available for $2.99 from Amazon (On Kindle and in print:Print is $7.99), $1.99 on Barnes & Noble (Nook), and $1.99 on Etsy (Ebook). You can read the first seven chapters for free on Fictionpress. Just look up Songbird21 and you'll find it. :) And even if you can't buy it, please consider posting a link (From one of the store pages) to it on your social media (Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook etc). It would help me out tremendously.

Oh, and if you like Supernatural please check out my new fic called "Triad of Blood". Thanks again, guys.

Much love,

Song