Epilogue: Serenity

The tide lapped against his feet; he stared down at the foamy water, watching how the wet sand molded around his toes as the water went back to the sea. It was so wide, the distance so unmeasureably far where the sky met the ocean, with nothing out there, just the endless blue. He sighed when a breeze met his face, ruffling his blonde locks, and causing Goosebumps to rise over his tanned skin. it was an unsettling calm.

Naruto looked down at the rippled sand, and for a second he wondered what he was doing out here of all places. How did he get here, on the beach amongst the sand and the sea, wasn't he at the airport, with Sasuke?

Wasn't he going home?

"Naruto…" the voice calling his name was like the wind, and he could barely catch it.

But he was sure he knew the voice, and it gave him a bad feeling.

"Naruto…"

Yet it was so familiar.

"Sasuke…?" he said, more to himself than anyone around him. Not that there seemed to be anyone else here.

"Dobe, behind you."

For some reason it was difficult for him to move, much less even try to turn around. It felt like his body was being weighed down, it felt like it wasn't his own. But he did turn around, the sand itching under his feet, and there he saw Sasuke. He was smiling, which was unusual in itself, and he wasn't wearing a suit, but instead he wore an unbuttoned shirt that showed off his pale skin and toned abs, and black swimming trunks. It was the first time he had even seen Sasuke looking so casual, but for some reason something didn't look right.

Something felt out of place.

"Sasuke?" he said again, the trepidation grew.

"Why do you look so scared, dobe?" Sasuke asked, the grin on his face growing, and that unsettled him.

Something wasn't right at all.

That's when he noticed something else different about Sasuke; it was a red ink stain just under his shoulder. He was sure that that ink stain hadn't been there before, and why did it look like it was growing? Spider-like tendrils spreading along the white cloth, covering it, and still Sasuke kept on smiling. He kept on smiling like nothing was wrong, couldn't he see it?

Couldn't he see all that red?

Sasuke looked up at him, reaching his right hand out to stroke his face, but the blonde's eyes widened when he saw the pale hand stained crimson. Just like the ink on his shirt, although now he was pretty sure that the red stuff wasn't ink anymore.

It was blood.

"Did you forget, dobe," Sasuke said with a smile, his bloody finger tracing down his chin.

"I got shot."

Naruto gasped awake; he looked around, realizing that he wasn't on a beach but in a hospital room.

He had fallen asleep; it was just a dream, just a bad dream. Although looking upon Sasuke's prone form lying on the bed he knew that he was still within a real nightmare.

The room was white, and the sound of waves came from the TV that he had left on overnight to drown the horrible beeping sound of the life support machines. He didn't want to listen to them; they only made the situation worse for him, it just kept on telling him how close he had come to losing Sasuke.

The bullet had hit his back and embedded himself into his shoulder, and when he fell it triggered a riot. Somehow in all the confusion Gaara had managed to shoot Orochimaru, while everyone else had done their best to bundle Sasuke up in the Landover and take him to the hospital. Naruto had sat frozen in the jet, far too shocked to move; it was only through gentle coaxing from Iruka that he managed to stand up and follow them to the hospital.

The operation took 8 and a half hours; for a few moments Sasuke's vitals were critical, he had lost a lot of blood, but he managed to pull through. There was some nerve damage and Sasuke would probably always have difficult using his left shoulder again, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Just a coupe of inches to the right and the bullet would have hit his spine. Or maybe even his heart. Then he would have truly lost Sasuke.

Naruto sighed and laid his head down on the bed so that he could watch the pale man sleep. With shaky fingers he reached out and grasped Sasuke's hand, glad that it wasn't covered in blood like in his dream, and intertwined their fingers together. For now he just wanted to feel him, hold him, and be reassured that the other wouldn't slip out of his fingers again. Naruto didn't think he could take that.

He closed his eyes and then gave Sasuke's hand a squeeze, but his breath stopped when he felt Sasuke squeeze him back.

Hesitantly he sat up straight in his chair and turned to look at the sleeping figure, although now Sasuke wasn't sleeping anymore. The raven gave him a sleepy smile, his black eyes slightly blearily probably due to the sedatives they had given him for the pain. But he was awake… he was awake…

"Miss me, dobe?"

OoOoOoOoOoO

And now it had really ended, although I do wonder if this is more of a chapter then an epilogue… Oh well!

The first chapter of the sequel 'Chasing Eden' will come out tomorrow. Here is a small summary:

'After a year of being together the cracks on the wall start to appear, Naruto wants independence, something that Sasuke cant give. Will it tear them apart? Or will their love overcome it all?'

Obviously once again full of Yakuza's but I'm thinking of adding other crime syndicates in the midst as well. Not to mention a hot headed cop right on Sasuke's heels. Should be fun!

Now to ask you all something, what kind of stuff would like to read in the sequel? Anything specific that you would like me to go more indepth about? Or would you all just like more smex?

Review and tell me, and I shall give you all cookies!

See you all next time!

Lilbakasaru xx