For Whom The Bell Tolls

My final salute goes to Silk, who has pushed me further and further along in writing this story. You, Silk, have been an amazing person throughout most of my stories, especially this one. It means a lot that you were here and reading. I hope you can enjoy more of my stories, silk.

Once again, it's been a triumph for this one as well.

Naruto smiled in delight as he watched Sasuke clear the kitchen table. He loved the man. So much. With his life. With everything.

There was something about Sasuke Uchiha, now Sasuke Namikaze, that made Naruto want to scream to the world. Something fascinating about the man.

Not just his eyes, the way they would crinkle when Naruto said something very funny or when he told Sasuke he loved him.

Not just his hands, the way they would caress his children's back. Or ball up when someone offended anyone in his family. Or the way they always seemed to be roaming over Naruto's broad back and shoulders, trying to find something to enlighten.

Not just his legs, which seemed to be everywhere at once. Helping an older villager, packing lunches for the kids, or around Naruto.

Not just his heart, which seemed to be working every minute of everyday. Which donated to all the raven held dear.

But his soul; the one that looked straight at Naruto's when they were younger and said 'you're going to be my best friend, no matter what they say.' And when they were 16, it said 'you're going to love me as I love you, no matter what they say.' And when they were 19, it said 'You're going to get through this pain and be the best father I know, no matter what they say.'

And when they inched closer to 40. And then to 50 years old. To 60 and 70. Until finally, Naruto just couldn't remain in the world anymore. Until finally at the age of 80, Chi grabbed his hands and wished him a safe journey. But Sasuke Uchiha's soul looked right at his and still it spoke.

'You're going to be with me forever, no matter what the world says, dobe.'

The blond let out a sob and cry all together. "I was hoping I could stay with him longer, Chi. I wanted him to go first so that it was me alone. So that he didn't have time to think about walking in that room alone."

Naruto inhaled strongly as he watched the tailed beasts leave Konoha. They had vowed to protect the world, but Naruto had given them the power to roam freely for the rest of their days. And roam together they would, never to be sealed or used again.

He wondered silently if Kurama would let his tears go at that moment. The fox had been crouched as they walked, his face sullen and low to the dirt….just incase he needed to hide anything.

The blond let out a small laugh. "You know I've been so close to death before. When I was younger too. I know that the fear of death followed after a fear of life. I knew that I lived fully. And I always thought that when it came closer, I'd be brave. But I'm not. I don't want to leave my best friend. I don't want Kurama to think he's alone either. I don't want the world to think the bad things will start happening."

The blond covered his face. "I think death is a foggy road, and we have to get through that fog called life to finally see the clearing. It's yet another path to walk, and who's to say it'll be our last? Life may be the beginning, but who's to say death is our last path? What if death is the middle of the story, and you have to read through that to get to a place beyond death? Is there a place beyond death, Chi?"

A hand touched his shoulder and Chi crouched near him. "Little boy had grown a lot. Now eight and nothing. Now unliving. Child of mine, death is straight path. It is not a gate to immortality, but simply departure from life.

It has no pattern in which I control. And it will be there until the time comes for the world to end. Now child, head my words. Death is inevitable. He will turn a blind eye to right and wrong. He does not discriminate, unlike those of the vastly different human race. He is neither fair nor unfair, unmoved by the prayers that grasp him through the nights and days like a statue frozen amongst the crowds."

Naruto nodded. "The crazy thing is….I knew it was coming. And I only told the tailed beasts." The man whispered.

Naruto inhaled deeply as the tailed beasts sat around him.

"He is near." He murmured. "And soon you all will be free."

"Free from what?" Kurama questioned, confused and in denial. The other tailed beasts remained silent, their heads down. "What's going on?"

"I'm dying, Kurama. For real this time. I fear that death has come too close. I will not falter. I won't beg for my life because frankly, I've had enough."

Kurama slumped to the floor not. "Why?"

"Because I've lived fully. Having a chance to meet wonderful people. Wonderful creatures like you all." He rubbed Saiken's head.

The old man coughed and sat down. "Tomorrow, I will not wake up. Sasuke may try to hug my corpse when he wakes. I hope it doesn't hurt him. But you all will be free. Remember that no one will ever use you again."

Kurama looked away. "Okay." He whispered.

"Kurama. Know that I loved you all as my own family. Know that I still love and I will protect if anyone ever tries to hurt you."

"Only told them." He muttered. He watched carefully as the old Sasuke sat down in the chair with a long sigh of content.

"Most of this I've told before, or at least hinted at, but what I never told is the full truth. How I cracked. How at work one morning, sitting at the desk, I felt something break open in my chest. I don't know what it was. I'll never know. But it was real, I know that much. It was a physical rapture-a cracking-leaking-popping feeling. I remember dropping my pen. Quickly, almost without thought, I took off my hokage cloak and walked out of the office and raced home. It was midmorning, I remember, and the house was empty. Down in my chest there was still that leaking sensation, something very warm and precious spilling out, and I was covered with blood and hog-stink, and for a long while I just concentrated on holding myself together."

Chi grabbed his hand. "Being alive was very hard for little boy."

"It was. I've been fighting images my whole life; trauma my whole life. And now all that's over."

"Are you ready to take your steps forward?"

Naruto stood. "You don't have to tell me my sins. I know I've committed many."

The old woman nodded. "Place of rest?"

"I want to go where my family is. Where my brothers and parents rest. What's the place called again, Chi-baasan?"

"Forgets in his old age. Remember story. If you go slow you can go."

Naruto laughed. "Yeah. Slocan. That's where I want to stay. Slow can. They call is slocan now. Real name is slow can go."

Sasuke sat at the kitchen table, staring into space. They had come and sealed his husband's body only this morning and the man did not find it hard to cope.

Of course, there was no one on earth that could make Sasuke ever feel the way Naruto once made him, but Sasuke knew, he would see his love in due time.

"Death." His voice came out hoarse and scratchy. It could hardly be used anymore. "I've seen you many times. You arrive in front of my eyes and take what I love. I've seen you in my house, walking around, on the green grass. I look forward to meeting you."

The man coughed and put his head down, wanting to drown out the loud voices of the world, celebrating the life of their beloved savior. The only kind of hokage they knew was the kind that died in battle. Not this one. Not their Naruto. This one had died old and peaceful. It was a life they loved.

The man pulled a photo album close to himself and began to look through it silently.

When Boruto walked near the kitchen door, he stopped, opting instead to stare at his now aged mother.

The silky grey hair swinging in his eyes. The slight tremor of his fingers as he turned the pages. He stared at that photo book so intensely that Boruto believed it was a fire in literary disguise.

The old man hunched over in his chair, leaning closer to the fire, edging his hands towards the flames to warm them from the bitter evening. The light from the flames illuminated his tired, worn face, wrinkles boring deeply into his expression was of frustration and fatigue. The world seemed no place for this man; he had had enough. This man had stories to tell, experience danced on his lips like a curious child. And yet he stayed silent, those listless eyes just watching, not telling, fire adorning his skin.

Boruto stepped inside. It took him sitting at the table for his mother to actually notice his presence. The older Namikaze looked up at the clan head and smiled softly, light still in his eyes from when they were all children.

"Are you okay, love?"

"I am kaa-san." The sixty year old murmured. He waited until Sasuke looked back down at the book to speak again. "Did he die hard? Oh Chi, I hope he didn't die hard."

Sasuke smiled. "Nope. Died soft as a cream. Being alive was the hard part."

Boruto stood. "I'll make tea. Everyone else should be here soon."

Sasuke sighed. "Your father's story was the story of a hero. He was a man who could make the wind shudder with one breath."

"My feet were there first." Naruto murmured Sasuke pushed his feet away under the water.

"Just put your feet on top of mine." The five year old Uchiha muttered.

Naruto did so and stared at their feet for a very long time.

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah, dobe."

"Don't they say that none of us leave the world alive?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Not for me. I intend to leave the biggest and most beautiful footprint I can. Maybe yours will be right next to mine. So that it is together we walk, together we leave a path to guide future generations. Right, teme?"

"Right." Sasuke affirmed.

"And leave a mark he did." Sasuke stated, closing the book and smiling at everyone in the large kitchen.

His children and their children and their children. And Gaara and his own grandchildren.

Boruto sighed. It had taken sixty years of his life and his father's death just to hear the full story. The thing about his story was that Boruto could dream it as his mother told it, hoping that others might then dream along with him, and in this way memory and imagination and language combine to make spirits in the head.

The man looked outside at his father's stone statue, at the stone that hovered over the village for as long as he could remember. He wondered silently if that stone cried the tears his mother wouldn't.

The wind blew and shook the house and loud screams of joy could be heard outside. Sasuke smiled and put his head down as his descendants watched his hair move to no wind in particular. His chuckled.

"Dobe." He whispered.

Standing slowly, Sasuke smiled at his children and grabbed the book. "If you all need me, I'll be in my room."

And Sasuke Namikaze shuffled to his room, holding his husband's hand. He rose his small frame into bed and curled into Naruto's pillow. He would not move from that spot for the next five years.

Naruto smiled as Nagato crouched near him. He watched Sasuke silently curl into his pillow.

"Goodbye, my friend. That I have loved you means I always will, no matter the harsh words or the failings of the moment. I have tried to ice over your memory, to hate, anything to stop the pain of your loss. You're still in my soul, all those times you laughed, smiled, were irreverent and silly. I honestly don't know what kind of parting this is. Perhaps we will walk on diverging paths forever, onwards to new adventures. Perhaps we come back together after a time. Know that my door is always open, that I would still move heaven and earth for you. I am both near and far. You are both forgiven and eternal. We are forever, yet finite within each span - each incarnation with only so many days to bask in the shared love. Perhaps we've had our run this time, maybe not - it could be just a nap with a warm afternoon just ahead."

Naruto laughed as Sasuke began to snore. He wiped his eyes. "And they say the dead don't cry." He muttered.

Nagato smiled. "Well they do. They do."

Naruto kissed his own fingers and stretched them out toward Sasuke. "I love you and I'll see you soon."

I'm crying right now. I hope this wasn't too sad. I hope it was a content one. Once again, it has been a triumph. It meant so much to write this story and I hope you all can enjoy more.

To clear confusion:

Naruto has been dead this whole chapter. He was in the in-between in the beginning as he spoke with Chi. And yes, he died at eighty years old. That's what Chi meant when she said eight and nothing. 8 and 0. Hm. Hm.

Sasuke seemed okay with Naruto's death. And it is hinted that Sasuke will die five years after Naruto when he lays down.

I hope you guys loved it. Once again, don't hesitate to review. And thank you all.

PS. New Story coming out in two days time. It's called We Lived as Gods. Squealing right now.