It's done! I had originally wanted to wait before posting this, but I finished it and got very excited! This is it everyone, the very last installment to this story! It's been a fun ride and I'm so grateful for the views and reviews that you have all given me and my story, I know it tended to get a little rocky and holey at times but I'm so happy that you finished it to the end with me. I will have great satisfaction turning this story from 'In-Progress' to 'Complete' let me tell you that! Anyways, be on the look out for Naruto one-shots I will post and I am planning to write KakaSaku & SasuSaku fics as well! So enjoy and I love you all!

WARNING: There is smut in this chapter so please beware if that makes you uncomfortable.

Epilogue 3: Always

Hinata looked down at the slip of paper in her hand, Sakura and Ino had invited her out that night and had told her to meet them at a local restaurant. Hefting her purse more firmly on her shoulder she leaned against a light post to wait for her friends.

"Oh? Hinata?" A familiar voice made her look up, Naruto stood in front of her dressed in casual clothing clutching a piece of paper. "What are you doing here?" the blonde's face brightened as he hurried up to her.

Hinata found herself smiling up at him but before she could say anything another voice cut in "We called you both here… actually." Ino and Sakura stood off to the side arm in arm sheepishly grinning at them.

They headed inside and were seated at a table, Hinata and Naruto on one side and Sakura and Ino on the other. Ino and Sakura were shooting nervous looks at one another and Naruto just looked confused.

"Um…" Hinata said quietly not sure of what was going on "What do you need Naruto and I for?"

"Haha well… we sort of have a confession for you two that we should have told you as soon as we left for the mission… but things got really busy and then really dramatic and there was no time and I'm really sorry!" Sakura jabbered on until Ino elbowed her in the side.

"Okay so um what we're trying to say is that… we were also drunk that night—really really drunk." Ino confessed "And well Sakura—" she was elbowed in the arm "God fine! We were not in full control of our bodies and we sort of kind of… were messing around in the fountain… naked."

They sat for a moment until everything clicked.

"Ah!" Naruto bellowed loudly standing up as everything clicked. "In the big main fountain?" Everyone in the restaurant looked at him and he quickly sat back down and ducked his head down.

It clicked for Hinata a moment later; she remembered hearing the water splashing behind her as Naruto enveloped her lips with his own. Could that be why he had said her name? Hinata's heart wanted to hope, but her own insecurities were having trouble.

"Why didn't I see as I ran away?" she queried and the two girls blushed even further.

"Ino fell down in the water—which is actually deeper than it looks—and I dove down to get her… aaanndd then we got arrested." Sakura didn't meet their eyes.

"By her boyfriend no less." Ino giggled under her breath and Sakura shot her a death glare.

"We saw Naruto walking away like a sad puppy but didn't really think anything of it until after we'd left for the mission… and then by that point we were too embarrassed to say anything."

Hinata and Naruto looked at each other and Naruto burst out laughing, Hinata followed him a moment later until they were both laughing. Sakura and Ino quietly excused themselves a moment later while the couple was still laughing, muttering to each other about them being an idiot couple.

After they had finished laughing Hinata brushed the tears from the corner of her eyes and Naruto slid his hand through hers, it was warm. "Are you hungry?" he asked and she shook her head. "Me neither."

They left the restaurant holding hands and began to walk; they strolled down the streets of Konoha as the sun began to set bathing everything in a lovely orange color. They didn't say much, Naruto would point out things or crack the occasional joke but mostly they just enjoyed being near one another as all of Hinata's worries and insecurities seemed to melt off of her.

After twenty minutes Naruto finally stopped and turned to face her "I have a question, would you still want to be with me even if Sakura and Ino hadn't been there that night? Would it have bothered you if that instance forever went unexplained?" His blue eyes met hers and she realized with a jolt that he looked vulnerable.

She took a deep breath and let it out "Honestly? If you had asked me this question before we visited Chiaka the answer would probably have been more confusing and knowing what we know now is very reassuring. I learned something at the Dune Sister Inn, Naruto," the memory of Chiaka's loving look towards Rizu who was no longer whole and who had committed sins of her own flashed through Hinata's mind. "And that is: I love you, wholly and completely. No matter what you do or where you go in life please let me walk with you."

Naruto looked down at Hinata with surprise which quickly turned into utter joy, he place his arms around her and lifted her into the air and spun her around causing her to laugh before getting quiet. Leaning down she placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him gently. His arms around her loosened and she slid down his body until her feet were once again touching the ground and he was leaning down to kiss her. Heat sparked up between them, similar to their first kiss—but this time they were both completely sober.

They kissed again and the world seemed to blur around them, somehow they ended up back at the Hokage's compound and inside of the Hokage's suite. A large bed sat against one circular wall opposite of the bed were six large curved windows overlooking Konoha and the sun could be seen setting in the distance in one final blaze of glory.

They stood together on the threshold of the bedroom, their previous heat being tampered down upon by the looming decision. Naruto turned towards Hinata, his heart thudding within his chest like a caged bird begging to fly free.

"Hinata we don't have to do any—" but he was cut off by her standing on her tip toes and kissing him.

"I want to." She insisted meeting his eyes tenderly.

His arms wrapped around her and he drew her into a tight embrace before his mouth crushed down onto hers again with more urgency than before. He pushed her further into the room, kicking the door shut behind them.

Her hands were moving over the expanse of his shoulders, as Naruto deepened the kiss. When the backs of her knees bumped the softness that was the bed she fell backwards until her back met the mattress with a little thump. She had kept a hold of Naruto's jacket and dragged him down with her; placing a palm on the bed by her head he hovered over her with heat filled eyes then—with his free hand—he began to slowly unbutton the floral blouse that she was wearing. With each pop of a button more skin was exposed and Hinata could feel a hardness against her thigh, as he finally unbuttoned the last button his hand spread the cloth apart exposing the pretty white skin beneath. She was wearing a lacy white bra that brought red to his cheeks.

He was so focused on drinking in the vision she made lying beneath him in her lacy underwear that he barely noticed her fingers smoothing the jacket off his shoulders and lifting the hem of his shirt. He sat up, his knees on the bed on either side of her and finished lifting the shirt for her. His torso was nicked with dozen of small scars and his stomach still bore the remnants of the seal that had held the Kyuubi's chakra.

Hinata sat up with him and ran her fingers a long his chest, stopping at each scar for a moment before moving on. Naruto quickly grew impatient with this and grabbed her wrists and bore down on her with his mouth again, his kisses becoming deeper and deeper until their tongues danced together.

"Naruto!" Hinata murmured against his mouth in surprise as one warm hand cupped a bra covered breast. He immediately stopped "Too fast?" he asked drawing his hand away quickly as if it had hurt her. Hinata shook her head and used her hands to bring his back to her breast "Not fast enough." She murmured quietly before blushing, she'd never been so forward before.

Naruto grinned at her red face, "Then we'll speed it up then!" he growled and tugged her further up onto the bed and reached underneath her to unclasp her bra, struggling very little before the clasp came undone and the bra slackened on her bra. He got rid of it quickly, tossing it over his shoulder. Hinata placed an arm over her round breasts and Naruto shook his head "Never hide from me Hinata." Before he gently slid her arm out of the way and gazed down at her, her breasts were round and smooth and light pink nipples capped them. "Beautiful." Naruto breathed before leaning down and taking a nipple inside of his mouth.

Naruto wasn't very experienced—he'd kissed a handful of girls (and one guy) in his life and Hinata was in that handful. He had however gotten a hold of Jiraiya's copies of Icha Icha Paradise, so he hoped what he'd read in there was enough.

Hinata's little gasp was answer enough for him to keep going, her hands flew to his hair as little waves of pleasure radiated from her breast. After a few moments he began to kiss his way up from her nipple, up her throat and past her chin until his lips met hers again. His fingers danced down her skin, linger on her breasts for a moment before continuing their trek down her stomach until he reached her hip where the zipper of her long flowing skirt.

The next few moments were full of fumbling as they divested each other of the rest of their clothing and they sat together on the bed naked, their eyes drinking in each other's bodies with curiosity.

Hinata was the first to break the motionlessness she leaned forward and gently touched the head of his shaft, her eyes widening with slight surprise as it twitched underneath her touch. Naruto made a noise deep in his throat and moved her hand away gently Hinata looked at him with confusion "You don't want me to touch you?" she queried quietly.

Naruto chuckled "No that's not it, that can come later on but right now I just need you." He wove his fingers through hers and drew her into his chest again before flipping her underneath him and moving up until their hips aligned, he positioned himself at her damp slit and met her eyes before slowly entering her. She made a small sound under her breath as she adjusted to his girth.

"Are you alright?" he murmured in her ear and she nodded her affirmative "Can I start moving?" he asked a moment later and was given another nod.

He drew out of her slowly, and then back in, doing his best to be as gentle as possible with her. She gasped lightly as discomfort melted into pleasure, her hips bucked upwards lightly to meet his and suddenly they were moving together. His hands flew to her hips and hers to his shoulders, both gripping tightly as their pace escalated until Hinata let out her first moan surprising them both.

Hinata felt herself tighten around Naruto as he dragged his shaft upwards and hitting her most sensitive spot over and over again, then she was sent over a wave of pleasure that had her wrapping her legs around Naruto's waist and hang on for dear life as little lightening bolts of pleasure surged through her body. Naruto followed her on that wave a moment later as she tightened around him—he buried his face in her hair and called out her name before spilling his seed within her.

They lay together for a while panting and not saying anything, Hinata lay on Naruto's chest and he pulled the covers up and around them before smoothing her hair out of her face "Are you okay?" he asked meeting her eyes.

She smiled at his concern and rested her chin on his chest "I am perfect."

"I love you." He blurted suddenly, as if he couldn't get enough of saying it.

"I love you too." She leaned forwards and kissed him gently.

"Promise? For always?" he asked holding out a pinky finger to her and she laughed at the childish act but hooked her own pinky with his and beamed at him "Always."

Thats all folks!