Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.

Author’s Note: Well, I was feeling really angsty today so I decided to write this. It’s inspired by a Hiei X Kurama fic by Kiki Fairy. It’s a song fic about Naruto and Hinata. Figure most of it out as you go along. Be warned, it is sad, and is tragic. No comfort in this at all, don’t read unless you like depressing stories. BTW, I took all day writing most of it in school, and then typed it when I got home.

Song: “Sleep the Pain Away” by Too Sorry For Apologies
I changed some of the words slightly to better fit the meaning of the story, BEGIN!!!

“I woke up this morning, not myself; and thoughts filled my mind, are you someone else.”

Today was the day of his funeral.

Hinata rolled out of bed and slowly got dressed, still half asleep. She was depressed; today was her final goodbye.

She didn’t even want to think about how he died, but her mind wouldn’t let her block it out. She was out on a mission with him yesterday, only a week after they had become Jounin, only three months after they had born a child, and only a year after they had been married. He suddenly fell ill, and she didn’t know why. The medical ninja with them could not figure out what was wrong, and he died in her arms. His last words were, “Hinata-chan… I love you… Never forget how beautiful you truly are.”

Those words bit at Hinata’s heart, stomping it down. His last words were for her, and they were selfless. He knew that she would blame herself, and that she would be sad, and he tried to console her, even in his last breath. He was so selfless, and it made her feel unworthy of his love.

She knew that the only two things he regretted, were not seeing his little boy grow up, and never becoming Hokage. Although, Tsunade had issued it that he was to be named the Sixth Hokage of Konoha. The only thing Hinata found solace in was that perhaps in heaven, he would meet his parents, and he could be happy.

“And all this pain I feel, is caused by me; oh I’d feel this pain forever, if it means you’re happy.”

Hinata got into the shower alone. She’d never woken up alone in this house before today, and she’d rarely showered alone. This was a memory filled shower. Her baby boy in the next room was conceived in this very shower. Suddenly Hinata’s head filled with memories of their honeymoon at home. Hinata began to weep aloud, letting her tears mix with the water that ran over her head.

It was hard for her to even think about losing her husband. They hadn’t been together long enough for him to die. One year wasn’t enough time to drift apart from someone, and Hinata loved him more every day she spent with him. He loved her more every day as well. She could not deal with his death right now; it wasn’t fair.

“But I know I’ll always wanna be with you; and I’ll love you forever, until time’s through.”

Hinata got out of the shower and clothed herself quickly, donning a black gown and a black veil. She then fed her baby quickly, wrapped him up and carried him outside.

Konoha had grown in the last several years since the Orochimaru had attacked. Tsunade had rebuilt it, and even expanded. In the most recent years roads were added and automobiles were used. Although no one really owned one, the Hokage hired taxi drivers to usher people places.

Hinata hailed a cab with her right hand as she held her child with the other. Soon enough a small yellow cab pulled up and the driver, who was a stout, mustached civilian, asked her were she was heading.

“The Memorial Stone,” she said quietly getting into the back seat. She handed him some money and leaned back as she dozed off holding her baby.

“I’ll sleep, the pain away; I’ll meet tomorrow with you; I’ll sleep, the pain away; and I’ll pray that you still love me too”

The cab driver kept quiet and allowed Hinata to sleep until they got to the stone. By the time he turned around to wake her up she was already awake and was adjusting herself to get out of the car. When she opened the door she faintly heard the cab driver speak.

“He was a good man,” he said softly, and then he paused, ready to pull away.

“Yes…” Hinata said so quietly, “he was a great man.” She began crying and closed the car door before walking to the procession with her head down.

“I woke up this morning, all alone; when it’s no one’s fault but my own; and all the pain I feel is caused by me; well I’d feel this pain forever, if it means you’re happy.”

Hinata smiled through her tears as she walked to the crowd of people gathered around her lover’s open casket. Several people noticed her, but nobody spoke to her as she walked to the other side and watched the funeral from the opposite side.

Most of the Konoha ninja that she knew were there. Sakura, Ino, Sasuke, Lee, Neji, TenTen, Kakashi, Gai, Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Shizune, Konohomaru, and even the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. Hinata hugged her baby in her arms as he slept peacefully, not knowing that his father was no longer in this world.

Hinata began to cry as she saw her friends with each other, together. Sakura held both Ino’s and Sasuke’s, hands, and wept openly. Anko arrived soon with the Sand Shinobi, and immediately went to where Kakashi was and kissed him sadly. Shikamaru left Chouji’s side to greet Temari in a similar manner, with a gentle kiss and a hug.

Kankuro and Gaara both walked to the front of the crowd to better see the corpse. Hinata could hardly stand seeing these people all together and cried more intensely as she stood in wait.

Ino’s eyes watered, Sasuke’s face was streaked with tears as they stood waiting for the ceremony to start. Hinata noticed the sadness in Sasuke’s face being more intense than any other person there, excluding herself. She knew that Sasuke also cared deeply for Naruto, and she wanted to talk with him about Naruto. She did not however, and stayed where she was, watching the rest of the funeral party.

TenTen was wrapped in Neji’s arms and Lee was crying on Gai’s shoulder. Lee was another of the more real people at the funeral. Lee had not known Naruto as long as Hinata, but he had been friends with him since the day they met. Lee truly cared for Naruto as well, Hinata could tell by the pain in his face as he openly bawled on his sensei’s shoulder.

Neji was sad as well, however he hid it much better. There was a pain in his face that showed a great deal of experience with this kind of thing. Hinata remembered her uncle’s, his father’s funeral. He had blubbered in total misery that day, but he was grown up now, and Naruto was not his father, was not even his brother. A single tear stained his face, and his mouth contorted oddly, but otherwise, he looked just like he always did.

As she scanned the crowd she saw more faces of sad people, such as Jiraya in the distance, standing by a tree more than a hundred yards away. Even without her Byakugan, she could see the stress and anguish in Naruto’s true teacher, ero-sennin himself. He had lost another of his students to the law that is of the ninja. He did not cry at all, but simply stared on through the crowd, seemingly lost in thought.

Gaara was the last face she landed on. He was next to the casket looking in at his friend and Hinata’s lover. She could tell that Gaara cared as well. Naruto had taught Gaara about connections, and bonds, and had been Gaara’s first real friend. Now his friend was gone, and Gaara began to cry. Hinata had never seen a site like it in all of her life. The monster that was Gaara of the Desert, was openly sobbing for her husband. This just proved more and more, how special Naruto was.

“But I know I’ll always wanna be with you; and I’ll love you forever, until time’s through.”

The Fifth Hokage walked out to the front of the crowd, in between Hinata and everyone else. She called for everyone’s attention loudly and everyone stopped to listen to her.

“Uzumaki Naruto,” Tsunade began, already with tears staining her face, “Not one of you here can deny that he was a great man. He spent his entire life caring for others, and pressing through every obstacle thrown in his way. At every turn he worked to be acknowledged by us, the selfish people in his life. This man…” Tsunade pointed at the body of Hinata’s love. “…Was destined to be Hokage from the day he was born, and he was going to be when I stepped down. This man is the true owner of the title Hokage, and I have made it official now, his face will go on that mountain, as the Sixth Hokage.” Tsunade paused, “I loved this boy like he was my own son…” Tsunade began to cry more, and her Henge Jutsu faded, revealing her wrinkled face. “… And then he became a man while I wasn’t looking.” She looked so fragile. “He saved Sasuke from Orochimaru, and he became a Chuunin, and then a Jounin. He married the girl of his dreams a year ago, or now I should say, the woman of his dreams. For the first time in his life, I could tell from any place in the world, just by looking at him…” Tsunade broke down again and whimpered trying to regain her composure. “… He… he was happy… truly, 110 happy.”

This made Hinata smile and sob at the same time, as she was glad that his last time on earth was happy, but sad that it didn’t last longer.

“Naruto was special… in more ways than one. As you all know, he had the Kyuubi’s spirit and chakra sealed inside of him. But that wasn’t what made him special, no!” She was very adamant about making this part clear with the ‘no’. “… No! He was special because he overcame that. He never backed down from his problems, and he faced everyone head on. He was abandoned, and was all alone, always being shunned. But still, he loved Konoha, he still loved everyone in it, despite the cruelty he faced, he loved us all, every last one of us…” Tsunade was having difficulty speaking now, and could hardly hold back her sobs. She grabbed the necklace around her neck now, which had been Naruto’s and tore it off. “He won this from me, by perfecting the Fourth’s technique, the Rasengan, in three days… three days… it took the Fourth three years to perfect it. This isn’t mine to take back anymore…” she said, trailing off and then set the necklace on Naruto’s chest. She began to fall feebly to the ground until suddenly, Jiraya was there to catch her. He carried her away as Sasuke walked forward to speak.

“I hated Naruto!” He practically shouted, “I think everyone here but his wife, Hinata, did. He did nothing but bug me in the Academy… but as we were put on the Team 7 together, he grew on me. We were still rivals, until I left with Orochimaru. He held up Naruto’s and his own forehead protectors. “Naruto once risked his life, to get this thing from under the foot of the demon ninja himself, Zabuza. He put this scratch on mine, in our first epic battle…” Sasuke chuckled to himself, trying to keep himself from breaking down. Hinata smiled at Sasuke’s attempt to cheer himself up.

“He saved me from my own mind, and beat some sense into me as well…” he chuckled again, this time he was joined by Neji, Tsunade, Gaara, and Konohomaru. “I love Naruto. He was my best friend, my greatest rival, and most importantly, he understood me.”

At this, Hinata burst out in tears and closed her eyes tight.

“I’ll sleep, the pain away; I’ll meet tomorrow with you; I’ll sleep the pain away; and I’ll pray, you still love me too.”

Hinata walked slowly up to the casket, causing everyone to stop and watch her. She looked down at Naruto one last time, and she cried again. She set her husband’s son on his chest, still asleep.

“Say goodbye to daddy,” she whispered as though he would be coming back later that night. She then lifted him out of the casket, turned and walked away, not turning back.

“Well I know, I don’t deserve another shot; and that’s okay I still love you with all I’ve got; I wouldn’t trade anything for the time; I spent with you, I got to call you mine.”

She walked towards the crowd, and when she came to Sakura and Sasuke, she handed the baby to Sasuke, who took him without a second word. She leaned in to Sasuke, and whispered quietly in his ear. “Please, take care of him.”

Sasuke seemed to understand, and didn’t argue. Maybe he knew what she was going to do and didn’t stop her. Maybe he didn’t know what she was going to do and was just going to give her time alone. Hinata kissed him lightly on the cheek and said, “thank you.”

Hinata then walked home, all the way. When she arrived at the house Naruto had bought for their family, she burst out in tears one more time, and walked inside. When she got in, she searched until she found a thick piece of rope and tied it to a support beam parallel to the floor. As she tied the knot around her throat only one thing kept running through her head.

“I’ll sleep, the pain away; I’ll meet tomorrow with you; I’ll sleep, the pain away; and I’ll pray, you still love me too.”

I know it’s very sad, but this is what ran through my head all day and I had to write it down. If I offended you I apologize, but I had to get this out. I warned you of the tragedy at the beginning. Also, I worked it out; Sasuke takes care of the child as his uncle. I hope you like it, and I hope it didn’t offend you in anyway.