Preparations

Sakura had woken up before the birds could even start chirping on this particular morning. She was eager to introduce herself to a client that Tsunade had been talking about all month.

The only hints Sakura could ever get out of Tsunade, was that this particular client was an extremely difficult one, but one with a lot of wisdom to share. Tsunade even mentioned that this man might even sweep Sakura off her feet.

"I do wonder what they will look like," Sakura started before stroking her delicate hair down past her collarbone. "and how old will they be?"

Sakura started to daydream while brushing her hair and fashioning it into a high and puffy ponytail with her fringe still in place. The sunlight slowly clawed its way into her room, engulfing the room with a natural yellowish glow.

Sakura decided that it would be best to wear casual clothing as she and her client were supposed to keep their heads down outside of the village whilst they were to go about their tasks. So she grabbed a pair of tight fitting, black, jean-like shorts and stumbled into them with little effort.

"Huh, so I have lost a bit of weight." She mumbled to herself while she smiled slightly. She removed her top and grabbed some bandages to wrap around her chest in attempts to make her chest seem flatter. At best she made her boobs look only one size smaller.

"I guess having boobs really is a curse." Sakura mumbled, silently reminding herself to have a word with Tsunade about this small problem.

Reluctantly she sighed and pinned the bandages in place before throwing her deep red coloured hoodie over her body, she zipped up the hoodie until it reached above where her bandages started.

"Well…With this pink hair, I guess this is as casual as it gets." Sakura grunted while picking up a photo that caught her eye.

It was the old team seven photo.

"Gosh…Sasuke really has changed. Although after the big ordeal with the ninja war…I've not seen him in years. This is the longest he's been away." Sakura slowly started to get quieter as she spoke more words. She sighed and placed the photo back down. "I hope you're okay, Sasuke."

Sakura headed downstairs, and to her surprise Sakura's mother, Mebuki, was setting some warm food on the table.

"Good morning mother." Sakura greeted softly as she sat down. "You know, you didn't have to wake up this early and make me food. I appreciate it."

"Oh Sakura. It's no big deal!" Mebuki sung slightly out of tune. "I'd like to spend a little time with my daughter before she went on her yearlong expedition." She continued as she started to drink out of her mug. "You'll understand it when you have a precious child of your own."

"Mother…" Sakura groaned after eating some of the rice from her bowl. "I won't ever have children, and it's not because I don't want to…I just, ugh." Sakura looked down at her rice again before she greedily took a bigger bite.

"It's Sasuke. Isn't it?" Mebuki started as she gently placed her cup down. "Look, sweetie. I know it's hard, having a first love and being rejected. But don't you think it's about time you moved on? I mean, look at Naruto and Hinata they've got married and Hinata is having their first child soon. And Ino, her and Sai are getting married next year." Mebuki tried to list as Sakura silently grew more agitated. "..Even Choji-"

"Haha, yeah. I get it. It's not just because of Sasuke you know? I'm just…I need to focus on myself a bit more before I can tie myself down to a guy. Heck, it feels like I have been tying myself down to Sasuke all this time by chasing after him. I'll be okay." Sakura reassured her mother, who only wore a worried expression in response to Sakura's smile.

"Okay, sweetie. I just hope I get to see the face of my granddaughter in my lifetime, how amazing will that be…" Mebuki drifted off in her own thoughts as Sakura finished her bowl of food.

"You will get to see their face, I mean, If you want to you can be the very first person to see their face if you wish." Sakura joked, although it seemed her crude comment went unnoticed.

Sakura stood up and took her empty bowl to the sink.

"I have to make a move. Give father my love. I will be back in no time, don't you worry." Sakura said as her mother simply stood up and wrapped her arms around Sakura'

"You be careful ok? Who knows how worried you'll get me if you don't-"

"I'll send you messages via a messenger pigeon every week. Ok?" Sakura interrupted as her mother nodded her head.

Sakura headed to the door and started to put her usual kunoichi boots on.

"Oh wait! That's right. I bought you some new boots from that overpriced civilian shop!" Mebuki shrilled in excitement as she rushed over to Sakura to hand over a long pair of sturdy black boots, which were also surprisingly fashionable.

Sakura thanked her mother before moving her old boots to the side and tried her new ones on.

"Oh? These have weights in them...at the toes?" Sakura observed and she walked around a bit.

"Yeah, I always thought it was for those pesky times you jam your foot into a door. Maybe they should invent those in a sock form…" Mebuki trailed off, as if distracted by something.

Sakura giggled slightly before opening the door.

"Goodbye. I'll see you this time next year, I love you!" Sakura's voice seemed to echo around the house as she closed the door.

Mebuki couldn't help the small tears that formed in her eyes.

Before she knew it Mebuki was bawling her eyes out as she made her way back to the dining table. She just sat there and cried and cried and cried for a long and lonely hour.

"Hey, hey, hey…Honey." Mebuki's husband Kizashi had walked into the room and hung his arms gently on her shoulders. "Did she react badly?" Were his only words. They both sat there in silence before Mebuki shook her head. "What happened?"

"I-I just couldn't tell her. She…she looked so happy the way she is. I-I couldn't be selfish." She sobbed through her hands. Kizashi closed his eyes and held Mebuki closer. He kissed her head and started to stroke her hair.

"So you didn't tell her...Would you like me to tell her before she leaves the village this afternoon?" Kizashi suggested.

Again there was a long pause of silence.

"Isn't it selfish?" Mebuki regained her stead breathing as she wiped her eyes.

"No way! Besides, I don't think Sakura would think that either if we told her the situation. She'll understand it."

A.N

Hey peeps! ^^; I'm back with another fanfiction Idea! BUT THIS TIME IT'S DIFFERENT! I actually have an ending in mind so this one will actually be complete within a month or twos time :3 Pleas review as this is kinda new to me again D; I've not wrote in a while so please share with me your thoughts ^_^ and thank you for reading!