Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
A gentle wind picked up her flowing, knee-length skirt, and she smoothed it down while impatiently staring at the revolving, glass doors. She hated to wait for anyone, but supposed that this time, she could not blame anyone but herself. He did not know she was waiting downstairs the corporate business building he worked in, despite it being a fairly windy day. He was one of her best friends though, and if anyone, he would be able to help her.
She had known his younger brother long before she had known him, having attended the same high school. His moody, younger brother, her, and their mutual blond, knuckle-headed friend, had been inseparable for those four years, and even throughout college, they had remained close. Sakura had been a premedical student at the university when she had met him, five years her senior, and in the middle of getting a masters in business. At the time, she had not realized he was at all related to one of her two best friends, despite the very obvious physical similarities they shared. She wanted to laugh now, when she thought of how they had, quite literally, bumped into each other in one of the university's long corridors.
He had been speaking with another student in the same masters program, and had not been looking exactly where he was walking. She, on the other hand, had been carrying a stack of textbooks that was too mountainous for her to properly see over, and could not have seen him coming. Much to the amusement of the tall, shark-like student Itachi had been conversing with, they had walked right into each other, her falling onto the hard, tiled floor and her books scattering everywhere, while the man she had accidently crashed into had just barely maintained his balance. The glare he had sent down at her had been positively deadly, and invoked a juvenile sort of anger she had still possessed at the time.
According to most that had witnessed it, the yelling match that had followed to their having bumped into each other had been comical, but she did not think it so at the time. Now, of course, the thought of how they had fought like a pair of children was amusing, especially considering how close friends they had become in recent years. It was rare when they argued now, and when they did, it was usually over the most ridiculous of things, like who would be first player on the x-box, or what the best sort of coffee was.
She had grown to trust him more than most, and knew he felt the same. She really was lucky to have such a good friend, even if he was the most obstinate, self-righteous man in her acquaintance. Similarly, he had much to deal with, between her awful stubbornness, and constant need to show off. They had never really stopped being friends, however, and he was probably the only person she could possibly trust in this situation. Her reasons for choosing him were much more than that, though, but she could never tell him. He would surely walk out of her life, without glancing back, because it was not something he was looking for.
Finally, Itachi emerged with the crowd of nine-to-five workers returning home. He worked for his family's corporation, and when his father retired in the next few years, he would be the CEO. It was a huge responsibility, and she knew that sometimes, he wished he had studied something besides business, and gone into a completely different field, because he was not enjoying having members of his family around him all the time. She could not blame him, because most Uchiha were unbearable to be around, besides himself, his brother on occasion, and his cousin, when he remembered to take his medications.
"Hey, Itachi!" She called, grinning widely and waving her arm. She was quick to catch his attention, not that she was surprised, and a dozen other heads turned to watch as he approached the casually dressed, pink-haired woman that had just hollered his name. With a teasing smirk, Itachi removed his fedora and bowed.
"To what do I owe the honor of your untimely visit?" He asked, straightening his back to tower a good head and a half above her. Sakura rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out to counter his unwanted sarcasm. He, in turn, shook his head with exasperation, unable to keep the small smile from gracing his features. It was strange, the sort of effects the girl had on him, without even trying.
Smartly, she asked, "Do you have any plans tonight?" Sakura looped her arm around his, starting towards the street.
"No, but I'm expecting an aggravating call from my mother tonight, and if I go bar-hopping with you, I'm not going to be home in time to answer it." Itachi replied dubiously, giving the smaller woman a knowing look.
She smiled back up at him innocently. "I promise you will be home in time to hear your mother nag about how much you belong back at home, even if it's more convenient to live in Tokyo." She said, before adding, "Besides, I have only one bar in mind, and I'm not in the mood to get wasted. I only want to talk to you about something."
Itachi sighed, knowing there really was no out of it. Between Sakura and his mother, he would much rather spend his evening with his pink-haired friend. "Very well, then. If you insist." He relented.
Pleased, Sakura raised her hand, hailing a taxi with little effort.
Itachi glanced about the bright parlor, not sure if he was amused or irritated by her loose definition of a bar. He certainly had anticipated a more sophisticated establishment, with a different sort of crowd, to be sure. This was Sakura though, so he should have known she would have something utterly ridiculous up her sleeves.
"You know," he muttered from where he stood in line, "when you said bar, I didn't think you had meant an ice cream bar, where there are more children than adults."
Sakura elbowed the impossible man. "Itachi, when are you ever going to learn to have fun? I know you have a sweet-tooth, so there's no point in denying it. This place is much better for us to talk in anyway, considering what happened last time we tried to have a peaceful conversation in a bar." She accused.
Of course, she was right. He had no idea how, but women had the tendency to gravitate towards him whenever they had gone drinking together. Naturally, it bothered them both to be eavesdropped on, so an ice cream parlor probably was better, since most of the women there were with their children for a treat, or still in high school, and much too young to be interested in Itachi. It was also true that he had a taste for sweets, since most of his childhood, he had been denied anything that was not strictly nutritional. Itachi supposed he could live with it.
"I know how to have fun," he defended instead, frowning slightly. She did not reply though, shooting him a doubtful look, before she was addressed by one of the girls working behind the counter, serving ice cream. Itachi huffed, eyes dancing with mirth as she excitedly made her order, asking for different samples of flavors, and getting an array of toppings. He shook his head, trying not to laugh as she asked for extra whipped cream for her sundae.
Sakura turned back at Itachi as the ice cream girl went to him for his order.
"Vanilla ice cream, please." Itachi said evenly, watching with a hawk-like eye as the girl nervously scooped the ice cream into his cup.
Sakura nearly screeched with her annoyance. "See what I mean, Itachi? That's no fun at all," she scolded, before speaking to the girl with his order. "Give him some chocolate fudge and whipped cream on top. A cherry might do him some good too, don't you think?" She asked, winking. The poor girl, still in her teens, anxiously looked between them, not sure exactly what to do.
"Sir?" She asked, hoping that he would agree with the woman who had just ordered before him. She looked like she would fight to the end, to get what she wanted.
"I don't need anything extra," Itachi told the girl, before sending Sakura a subtle glare. "For a doctor, you don't pay much attention to what you eat. Do you tell your patients to get mountains of toppings as well?"
Sakura looked at the confused girl. "I'm paying, so get the fudge and whipped cream. I'll deal with his temper tantrum." She said gently, before glaring back at Itachi. "I haven't had a sundae in two years, so I think I can afford to treat myself. Besides, I'm not that kind of doctor. Last I knew, ice cream was not a cause for cancer."
Itachi could see where this was going. Already, people where listening in on their bickering, and if they started yelling, they probably would be kicked out. Growling to himself, he relented. "Very well. Do as she says," he told the girl, before proclaiming, "Next time we play Halo, I'm first player. And we're playing on legendary."
Sakura gasped. "That's not fair! We aren't negotiating about that, because you already agreed in the taxi that I would pay for everything, so I got to order whatever I wanted. Heroic, and it's a deal, but legendary kills me every time, especially when we get to the Flood."
Itachi had half the heart to tell her she had been leading him on, because he had been under the impression that they would be going out for cocktails, which was much more expensive than a few sundaes. He had to contemplate over it for a moment though, before sticking his hand out to shake on it. Cackling to herself, she gripped his hand, before adding, "Dibs on rocket launcher ammo."
"You're dealing with the Hunters, then." Itachi said, taking his cup of ice cream, and following her to a small table in the back corner of the parlor, where they would attract the least attention. She turned back at him to stick her tongue out again, crossing her legs elegantly as she sat, taking a second to taste her strawberry and chocolate ice cream swirl. He took the seat across from her placing his fedora on the table top, while shrugging out of his suit coat to be more comfortable.
Itachi watched with quiet amusement as she popped her maraschino cherry into her mouth, chewing around the stem carefully. After a minute of concentration, she pulled the stem out, and placed it, now knotted, onto the tabletop.
"So, what's this all about, Sakura?" He asked at last, flicking the knotted, dyed-red stem from the table. Her first response was a long, heavy sigh, and she took a bite of ice cream that was much too large to fit in her mouth, as if she were trying to buy herself some time to properly answer him. Itachi's eyes flickered from the whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles around her mouth to her hesitant, emerald eyes, before she innocently licked her lips clean. Naturally, the thought entering his mind at seeing that were far from pure.
Finally, she met his gaze. "Before I tell you anything, you should know that what I am going to request of you is awkward to an extreme, but in all honesty, you are really the only one I could ever trust. I don't expect you to understand anything at all, but please consider your answer fully, before downright refusing. I'm almost at the end of the line on this, and I'm afraid to wait much longer."
Silently, he nodded his head in agreement, somewhat startled by the seriousness of the situation. He was almost afraid that something was wrong, that someone was dying, and that she needed help with fixing the problem at hand, whatever it was. Itachi did not like seeing her so anxious, and hoped he really was capable of assisting the woman who had become one of his best of friends. If he had his wish, they would be more than just friends, but he could hardly tell her that. She would run for the hills, because he was certain she only wanted a kindred spirit to lean on, and nothing beyond the platonic relationship they already shared. He would not ruin something he already cherished so desperately.
"I had thought, by now, that I would be married, or at least on the path of that, and I had hoped to have a child." Sakura started, her voice only just above a whisper. "You already know that I haven't been in an official relationship with anyone for over a year and a half, but I haven't even had sex with someone in almost seven months. Maybe it's my own fault, but if it goes on like this, I will start to get too old to bear children, and I don't want to be one of those parents that are already fifty when their child is still going through school. I'm already thirty-three as it is, and I know you're probably thinking that isn't very old at all, but if I keep waiting like this, hoping that the one will get off his ass and get down on one knee, I'm never going to become a mother."
Itachi could only stare at her. He still was not sure where this was going, but he was mortified of what it could mean. She obviously had someone she felt was the one, and was upset that he had not yet made her an offer. Itachi felt his chest tighten at the thought of someone else becoming Sakura's husband, but he knew he had to tell her it would work out in the end, that he had to comfort her somehow.
"Sakura, I'm sure that he will figure it out eventually. He won't let you slip by so easily."
Sakura felt tears gather in her eyes. Had he no idea just who she was talking about? It was probably best he did not know, she realized, but it still hurt that he had never been able to comprehend her feelings for him. They had known each other for over a decade, and she knew him better than anyone else in his life. He knew her just as well, or so she had thought, but still he did not consider that he could be the person she believed to be the one.
Dabbing her eyes, Sakura sniffled. "Trust me, he doesn't think of me like that. He would never want a more intimate relationship with me, not if he could help it."
Itachi reached his hand across to place it on her shoulder. "Then he is a fool."
Sakura was very tempted to laugh at this, despite the sorrow she felt. She had thought she would be able to handle this, but she supposed not. "Yes, he's an idiot," she agreed, "but that is not what I wanted to speak about with you." Sakura said.
"I'm tired of waiting for this to happen, so I have come to a conclusion. I don't want to be artificially inseminated, Itachi. The only reason I came to you was because I knew you would understand how I felt about that, if anyone did. While I have complete confidence in modern medicine, I don't believe that's the way it should be done. I'm not expecting much, and I completely understand if you refuse on principal. You will never have to be involved with the pregnancy, or any of the upbringing, and I don't need child support, or anything like that."
Itachi felt his throat go dry. To say he was tempted by what she was suggesting was an understatement, but at the same time, it would feel selfish of him to take advantage of her, even if it was at her request. She did not want him, he was the last resort, and he should have been insulted by that, but this was going to be his only opportunity to ever be with her, and he could not let his chance go.
"You want me to have sex with you," he breathed, his head swimming. "You want me to help you produce a child."
Her answer was simple. "Yes, I do."
With that, she stood, unable to so much as look at her half eaten sundae anymore. "You don't need to give me your answer now. If you make a decision by nine tomorrow night, come to my apartment. If not, send me a message, so I know you won't be coming."
Itachi stared after her helplessly as she left the small establishment. So many things could be ruined by what she wanted from him, but he knew he had to give her what she wanted. Every part of him longed to touch her, to taste her, to become her mate and impregnate her, but he would always know in the back of his mind. She wanted this man, the one, to be the person she conceived with, and it was not him.
All day, Sakura had been checking her phone anxiously, to see if Itachi had gotten back at her to say he was not interested. Part of her could not comprehend why he would not want to help her. He got to have sex with a perfectly willing female without having to work for it or pay anything, and he was not going to be held responsible after impregnating her. What did he have to lose? Surely the thought of having sex with her was not so unappealing.
He never did send her a message though, and she was left to assume that he was going to come to her apartment, after all. At nine, she paced the small hallway to her flat, dressed in a simple bathrobe. He had no reason to expect her to dress up for him, so she did not have an excuse worthy to bring out the lacy lingerie. She had not realized the ten minutes that had passed as she walked back and forth, and nearly jumped when hearing the doorbell chime.
As expected, Itachi stood on the other side, looking for once in his life, as if he were uncertain. That expression disappeared the moment their eyes met though, and relief washed through her. He was going to help her. And at that point, that was all that mattered.
Mutedly, he stepped in, taking a look around the familiar apartment. She opened her mouth to speak, but he lifted his hand, silencing her. Itachi already knew it was best to keep it simple. "Where?" He asked.
Sakura bit her lip, taking his hand and leading him down the hallway she had just been pacing, before entering the bedroom. To think, he would be the first man in seven months to sleep with her. It was such a long time to go without, and part of him wondered how she had ever survived.
Gracefully, she stepped closer to him, removing his fedora for him, then his glasses, before unbuttoning his coat and helping him out of it. Slowly, she tugged off his red tie, then untucked his white, button-up shirt. He watched as she unbuttoned that as well, removing the material, then as she unbuckled his belt, and unzipped his pants. It was only then that she paused, as if needing his permission to continue. Itachi stepped out of his pants, removing his socks, and allowed his eyes to scrape along her form. He knew she probably was not wearing anything at all beneath her robe.
Curious to see if his prediction was true, Itachi carefully untied the knot at her waist, removing the small belt, and watching intently as the material of her robe parted, revealing that she was, indeed, not dressed under her bathrobe. A stripe of pale skin made itself visible down her body, showing him first the creamy skin of her cleavage, her flat stomach, then the patch of dark, curly hairs that protected her most sacred of places. Her eyes fluttered up at him, as if she knew he had just become determined to bury himself there so many times in the next few hours that she would be incapable of walking in the morning.
Then she let the soft material fall from her body completely, displaying her dainty, feminine curves, and rounded breasts that were already perked with excitement. He could already feel himself growing hard at seeing her like that, so unbelievably vulnerable to him, and utterly unafraid of what he could do to her. Not that he could ever hurt Sakura without causing pain to himself.
"Get on the bed," Itachi murmured, eyes unable to stop looking at her as she turned and walked away from him. She sat on the edge, uncertain of what she would do. For the moment, he was in charge, and could take her in any position he wished. She tried to keep her eyes on his as he moved closer to the bed, but had a hard time looking away from his erection, making itself known through the thin, dark material of his boxer shorts.
He must have realized just where she was looking, because a moment later, with a prominent smirk on his face, he had bent over to tug the boxers down. Sakura inhaled sharply, surprised by how...large he was. She was no virgin, but the thought of him inside her was enough to make her squirm. He had always been extremely attractive, but never before had she seen such a beautiful man. Itachi was much more muscular that she had ever recalled, but still had the narrow hips and lean body she adored.
Feeling slightly embarrassed by how she had been inspecting him so closely, she let her eyes gaze upwards, meeting his shockingly heated look. Liquid heat pooled together in her lower abdomen, her breathing already becoming heavy. The strange thing was, he never said a thing, as he arranged her limbs in the way he wished, with her bottom in the air, her knees propped apart and her back arched in such a way that her face was pressed into the bedding. He was still silent as he dipped a finger into her core, and dissatisfied, reached around her to tweak the small, hidden, pink pearl that would trigger so much pleasure that she could not help but gasping. She had already been wet, but after he wriggled his long, slender finger around that small bud repetitively, she knew her arousal was starting to drip down her legs.
Sakura was panting by the time he finished his pleasuring assault, and moaned when he, again, inserted his finger inside her. Pleased, he moved his hands to grip her hips, holding her steadfast as he just barely pressed the tip of his erection to her core, letting her fidget with anticipation first. She tried to inch herself back, towards him so that he would enter her more fully, but he kept her still, wanting her to writhe with impatience first.
She was shocked when almost suddenly, she felt completely full with him. It was as if the air had been knocked right out of her, and she struggled to catch her breath again. Sakura could never have prepared herself for how wonderful it felt as he moved within her, and she tried so desperately to keep him there, but he exited her, leaving her empty. Adjusting her legs slightly, she was readied the next time he thrust into her, making room for his girth. His hands seemed to burn on her hips, the contact of skin more than enough to drive her mad with intoxicating pleasure.
Then, she suddenly heard it. His voice, deep, animalistic and rumbling from inside of his chest; he growled. All she could think was oh, dear god, before she let loose a cry of delight he had triggered in her. He had been so quiet before that she had almost been concerned, because really, she wanted him to be just as enraptured by their joining as she was. In reaction to all this, he pumped faster, overtaken by instincts and needing more. Sakura clenched her fingers on the bedding beneath her, needing to hold onto something, or she would lose herself completely, and she was not ready for it to be over.
Sweat began to trickle down her face, their coupling strenuous and pushing her closer to her end. She had to bite her tongue to hold the screams in as she felt it near. His voice was labored and hot when he spoke at last though, giving her a simple command she dared not disobey.
"Sakura, look at me."
Biting her lip, her head turned to look at him, and seeing their bodies connected so intimately had been too much for her to handle. Only a moment of seeing his rigid length thrusting in and out of her from behind had been enough to push her over the edge. Her shaky gasp was all that could be heard as her slick walls clamped down on him hard, holding him so tightly that his own climax was eminent. He let out a guttural groan as released with his next thrust, holding himself there so that she took in every bit of him.
As he left her, she collapsed onto her side, fingers still gripping the blankets. Carefully, he inched towards her, moving strands of pink hair from her sweaty face, and appreciatively gazing at her smaller body. She had been an even better mate than he had expected, and Itachi already decided that he would have more. Even if, at first, he had been somewhat worried about going to her apartment to give her the child she desired so desperately, he suddenly wanted it for himself as well.
He was thirty-eight years old, and for years, his mother and father had been urging him to find himself a wife, and to procreate. They wanted him to produce an heir, to continue their Uchiha line. Surely they would never approve of his doing this with a woman so wholly unconnected with their ancient clan, especially since Sasuke had deviated from that path years previous, in marrying a once Yamanaka Ino. For him, the eldest son, to do that as well would be more than just frowned upon. His father, who was traditional to an extreme, would never accept Sakura, when he had been pushing distant cousins in his direction for years.
Sakura, as his pregnant mate, would be attacked beyond all reason. There was no Haruno clan, and she was of no descent. He was uncertain if he could protect her from what his family would do. His mother may be open to the idea of new blood in the family, as long as it meant she got grandchildren to dote on, but his father would never consider their child to be an Uchiha. Did he want his own child to suffer rejection because of his selfishness?
Of course, Itachi had no idea that Sakura would ever wish to become legally united through marriage. Even if she had been physically satisfied by their copulation, she still had someone she was attached to emotionally. He could never possibly tear her away from that, and force her into something she had no desire to do. All she had wanted was to bear a child, and he had agreed to help her with that. There had been no talk of tying themselves together completely and indefinitely.
Sighing, Itachi unfolded her clenched fingers, observing her mildly as she regained composure, her chest rising and falling slowly.
"Sakura?"
Her response was quiet. "Hmm?"
"The full-length mirror in your hallway; go get it."
Sakura sat up immediately, shocked and blushing at his order. "Itachi, I've never-
"Go get it," he repeated, interrupting her flustered statement. This time, she did not dare disobey him, getting up and crossing the dimly lit room, not returning until she had the tall, framed mirror. When she had come back into the bedroom, Itachi had sat himself against the headboard, pillows all tossed to the floor, and her bedding completely thrown back, so that there was only the fitted sheet on the mattress. He had her lean the mirror up against her small desk, before signaling her over to him.
With ease, he had lifted her, then placed her so she straddled him. "We are going to do this until there is no way I haven't impregnated you."
Sakura nodded her head, understanding. She supposed she was lucky he was willing to stay late into the night. Eye lashes fluttering up at him, Sakura smirked devilishly, shifting her hips slowly, and rubbing him in such a way that would drive him mad. He ground back up at her, his hands running along the insides of her thighs.
Itachi was rather delighted with her reactions to him. She was quick to learn why he had the mirror brought in, so that she could see their bodies fused, and her orgasms came more easily. It got to a certain point where there was no thought to it at all, and was only impulsive aggression. At that point, it had been, simply put, fucking. And he had adored every last second of it.
She had started off slowly, when he had demanded that she ride him, moving herself up and down at a pace that was nearly torturous. As he began to thrust upwards into her, she seemed to take the hint, and decided to hell with being gentle. She had picked up speed then, not caring that her backside made a loud slap against his thighs each time she landed, and that her soft breasts were jumping up and down with enthusiasm. The best part, however, was when her moans of pleasure slowly turned into absolute screams, and when her face contorted beautifully as she reached her high.
What had originally been somewhat sane turned into something too animalistic. He had, plainly, fucked her in so many ways that she could hardly move or breathe, and her muscles became stiff. Considerate man he was, he lifted her from the bedroom and into the bathroom, admiring for a moment the expensive jacuzzi tub within. With the air pressure on, and her muscles more relaxed, he took her again. He should have been exhausted, but he still had not found satisfaction, no matter how many times he emptied himself in-between her milky thighs. She kept up with him though with a ferocity he had not expected from her.
The entire experience, though, had felt so impersonal to him. Throughout their several rounds of mind-blowing sex, not once had they kissed, or even gotten close to each other's faces. He was not sure if he should change that, but as he gently wrapped a towel around her slight bodice, and reentered the bedroom to see her laying on her back, legs lazily outstretched, he could deny himself no longer.
It should have been only one kiss. He had leaned down to her level, and pressed his lips to hers, as simple as that. Then she had kissed him back. She had wrapped her arms around his neck to keep him there, her towel falling away from her body. He had curled his arms about her, his tongue sweeping the inside of her mouth before gliding against hers, and the mewling sounds that came from the back of her throat had spread a certain warmth through him that had not been there before.
It was so sweet, he moved his mouth to the elegant curvature of her slender neck, then to her breasts. She raked her fingers down his back, and before either of them had the power to stop it, they were clawing at each other, trying to get as close as physically possible in their lovemaking. It was nothing like it had been before, and Itachi could not figure out why. Sakura was on the verge of crying, because she had wanted him to kiss her so passionately before, but could never have asked him.
"Itachi, have you ever been in love with someone?" Sakura asked softly, tracing the contours of his chest with gentle fingers as they basked in after-sex glory.
He did not lie. "Yes, I have."
She smiled sadly. "Are you in love with anyone right now?"
Itachi paused, uncertain if he should tell her the truth, but found that he had to. "Yes," he admitted quietly. She froze for a moment, looking up at him in confusion.
"Yet you agreed to have sex with me?" Sakura questioned in bewilderment.
He met her eyes ruefully. "I'm afraid that my love remains unrequited. She has no idea that I'm attracted her."
She continued to run her fingers over the planes of his flat stomach. "She must be an idiot too, then. We have the worst of luck."
Itachi chuckled. "Yes, she has her moments, but I would never consider myself unlucky for loving her."
Sakura nodded in understanding, curling up against him in contentment. She had to take advantage of her situation the best she could.
Three weeks of silence. Three weeks of not knowing what had happened, what the result of their actions had been. Itachi hoped that this meant she was, indeed, pregnant, and that she was happy because of it. Still, he had thought she would have at least had the decency to let him know. Even if she had claimed it was unnecessary to be at involved with their child's life, he still wanted to know if he was to be a father.
That was when, at last, his secretary called him. "Uchiha-sama, there is a woman on the line for you. I think she's crying."
"Did she give you a name?" He asked in disinterest. It was not uncommon for a woman to call his office, trying to reach him for god knew what. Itachi could not understand for the life of him how he was so capable of attracting desperate, easy women, when he could not get the woman he loved to realize how much he cared for her.
"Yes, sir. Haruno Sakura. I told her you were busy, but she said it was important. Otherwise I would not have bothered you." The woman drawled tiredly. She too, knew just how many ridiculous calls her boss could get, and could not see how this one would be much different.
Sakura was crying? "Put her through, right now. Clear my schedule, if you can."
"Yes, sir."
The line was silent for a moment, before it connected. "Sakura?" Itachi asked into the receiver. "Are you okay? What happened?"
He heard a long, shaky sigh before she answered him. "Itachi, I know I said you wouldn't have to do anything but help me conceive, but I just can't do this alone." Sakura sniffled over the phone.
"Calm down, Sakura," Itachi hushed. "Just tell me what happened, all right?"
"Well," she sniffed, "I just took the pregnancy test."
That could not be all, he knew. He saw no reason for her to be so upset, unless it had shown that she was not pregnant, after all. Itachi could hardly see how that was possible though, after how long they had spent together, tangled in her sheets. "Is there something wrong? Did it turn out to be negative?" He grasped at, standing subconsciously with his anxiousness.
"I don't know!" Sakura sobbed. "I took the test, but I can't look at it. I was hoping you could come over at some point and just tell me if it turned out negative or positive."
Itachi swallowed. "Stay where you are, okay? I'll be right there." He murmured, already putting his belongings into his briefcase to leave.
"Thank you, Itachi. I don't know what I would ever do without you."
He huffed, smiling to himself tiredly. "It's no problem. Just wait a few minutes and I'll read it for you."
Her response had been something between laughing and crying, and the call ended with that. Pulling on his coat as he walked through the cubical neighborhood outside his office, Itachi rushed down the twenty-five flights of stairs, being much too impatient to wait for the elevator, even if it would have probably been a lot faster. How he had managed to catch a taxi without any problems was beyond him, but the driver seemed to comprehend his urgency, and took a short-cut he had not even known existed to Sakura's apartment building.
The door to her twelfth-story apartment had been unlocked, and instead of scolding her for it, Itachi entered without permission, and rushed to the sound of her crying; the bathroom. She was sitting on the edge of the tub, her face buried in her hands, before it shot up with his entrance. She started to stand, but he pushed her back down gently, cupping her cheeks and kissing the crown of her head.
Trepidation shot through him as he saw the test sitting on the toilet water tank, across the bathroom. Wordlessly, he stepped up to the toilet, picking up the pregnancy test to read its results. Whether he was shocked by what he saw or not, Itachi did not know, but his heart thumped loudly in his chest, at seeing the distinctively red plus sign on the small screen. For a long moment, he stared at it, unsure if what he was facing then was reality or not.
"Sakura," he whispered, "it's positive."
She stared at him in shock, before she smiled brightly, and looked down at her abdomen. She giggled softly, palms pressed to her flat stomach. "Itachi, I'm having a baby." Sakura grinned, looking back up at him. He chuckled softly, joining her at the tub, and curling stray locks of pink hair behind her ear.
"Yes, you are," he agreed. It was more than that, though. She was having his baby.
Two months, and that was when she really started to understand the trials and tribulations of being a woman. Menstrual cramps she had always been able to handle, but morning sickness was something else entirely. The day had been going so nicely, too, and she had reached nine-thirty without any hitches. By then, she had already been at the hospital for an hour at least, as head of the oncology department. Sakura was not even sure what had triggered it, but she had been speaking to a nurse, before suddenly bolting down the hallway in the direction of the nearest restroom to empty her stomach.
She had not had a particularly large breakfast either, eating only an orange and half a toasted peanut-butter sandwich. Either way, it had not looked pretty on its way out. Clearly, the baby was not a big fan of her favorite breakfast, if she was vomiting it back up.
Unfortunately, she must have frightened the nurse whom she had been speaking to before making her mad dash to the toilet, because a few minutes after her disappearance, her best girl friend, and fellow oncologist, Ino, entered as well. Sakura had no doubt that the nurse, in her concern, had gone to Ino so she could check if she was feeling okay. She was not in the mood to deal with her friend, not after she had been hiding the pregnancy so nicely. If Ino knew, the entire world knew.
"Forehead? You in there?" She heard Ino call, her high heels clicking on the tiled floor. "Poor Meiko-chan said you ran in here with your hand over your mouth," Ino added.
Sakura groaned from the handicapped stall, hesitantly unlocking it. "I'm in here, Ino-pig," She muttered, knowing it would be best to get telling Ino the news over with, before it became obvious. Hopefully, her blond friend would be able to keep the secret to herself, at least for a month.
"Dear god, Sakura," Ino said under her breath as she entered the larger stall. "Don't tell me that you're hungover. You've been coming to work sober for as long as I can remember."
"I'm not hungover, Ino," Sakura answered calmly, hand gripping the front of her shirt as she regained balance.
Ino rolled her eyes at how unbothered her friend looked, stepping over to place the back of her hand on Sakura's forehead. She frowned with disappointment. "You don't feel feverish to me either, not that I expected you to be. It would be much stranger if you arrived to work sick than if you showed up with a hangover. It would shock the world."
Sakura smiled though, much to her surprise. "I'm not sick either, Ino," she murmured softly.
With that serene smile, and the way Sakura's dainty hand drifted to rest over her abdomen, it suddenly struck Ino, just what was happening. Disbelief washed over her in waves. Ino had always known that Sakura wanted a child of her own, but she could not believe that it was possible. Surely her friend had to know that being a parent alone was difficult, but raising a child as a single mother was even more complicated. She and Sasuke would always be there to help her, at least whenever possible, but Sakura would always feel strained, without the presence of the father.
"How many weeks along are you?" She asked at last, not wanting to tell Sakura she was stupid to get pregnant, without being in a permanent relationship, especially with the glowing expression on her face.
She positively beamed at her. "I'm eight weeks in. The first ultrasound is scheduled to be in another two weeks. I wanted it to be sooner, but I couldn't get the time off, and there isn't an opening until then."
Ino nodded her head, trying to smile, for the sake of her friend. "Who's the father?"
At this, she saw Sakura's face fall, much to her surprise. Ino had wanted to hope that the father in the situation would have asked for her hand, after impregnating her, or at least offered to move in with her, to help care for their child, but that did not appear to be the case. She had been afraid that Sakura would be left to herself in the care of the child in question.
Sakura had not realized how hormones could truly effect her emotions, until tears started to collect in her eyes. "Ino, can't we leave it at this, with you knowing I'm pregnant? Without you knowing who the father is? I don't know if he would want me telling anyone, least of all you."
"First off, no, I need to know who he is." Ino frowned, "Second, I didn't even know you were pregnant until now, when your first trimester is more than half over, even though I should have been the first you told," she accused with a pout. "Last of all, why the hell would he care if I knew? Do I know him, or something?"
Sakura looked away in embarrassment. "Please, Ino, don't do this. I can't tell you, even if you didn't know who he was."
She did not need to look to know that Ino had her hands on her hips. "Sakura, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. You know just what I'm capable of, and I am not afraid to make flyers with your face on it, asking, who knocked this chick up?" Ino threatened, adding with complete seriousness, "I'll even use the candid shot of you stumbling around after the Christmas party two years ago."
Sakura blushed a violent, tomato red. "Please, Ino, understand me a little. If you knew who it was, you would throw a fit, and so would Sasuke, when you went to tell him." She whispered, rubbing her teary eyes with her sleeves. "I'm sure you'll be able to tell who the father is once the baby is born, so can't you wait until then?"
Ino's answer was simple. "No, I can't."
She saw how distressed her friend was, though, and hugged the crying woman. Ino understood how emotional a person could become throughout pregnancy, having already had two children of her own. "Sakura, this is me talking. We've known each other since grade school. You can tell me anything, and if it really bothers you, I'll keep it between us, and not even let Sasuke know that you're having a baby, okay?" She ignored the dubious look Sakura gave her.
Sakura let out a long, shaky sigh, and already, Ino knew she was going to relent. "If I tell you this, I understand if you feel the need to tell Sasuke who the father is, but I don't want anyone beyond you two to know yet, if at all." Sakura said, waiting for Ino to nod her head in agreement. "It is also possible, though I doubt it, that the father has spoken to Sasuke about it already."
Again, Ino nodded, to show her understanding. Sakura sucked in sharply.
"Itachi is the father."
Sakura watched, wondering if she should laugh at how wide Ino's eyes became at hearing her utter such a thing, or if she should be concerned, because her friend was so shocked by the news. It was rather startling, she supposed, for Ino, since Sakura had never told her of the fatal attraction she had for Itachi, even through the year that she had such feelings. After such a long time to be attracted to a man though, Sakura knew it was time to tell Ino, since this was what she was there for. To jump for joy with when love first struck, then to cry with when it came to an unfortunate end. No one else had ever done this with her, and Sakura saw it appropriate for her to share this with Ino now, even if the timing was off.
Ino gaped in disbelief. She hardly knew how to start. "Itachi, as in, my brother law...he fucked you? What the hell is going on? You never told me until now!"
Sakura shrugged, trying to remain indifferent to the situation. "There was nothing to tell."
Ino shrieked in indignation. "Like hell, there isn't! No one has sex with people, with friends they've had for ten years, unless it's absolutely serious! Not unless they seriously want to fuck up the relationship! And it had better be serious, because that's an Uchiha you're screwing around with. Trust me, they don't fool around with stuff like this, especially if he got you pregnant! Does he even know that you're having his kid?"
Sakura bit her lip. "Ino, it isn't like that at all. We weren't fooling around for the sake of it. He knew that I was pregnant before I did."
"What then? Were you trying to have a baby?"
Sakura was silent, and Ino, stunned, stared at her again. Sakura knew she did not have to explain much further, but suddenly had the urge to do so anyway.
"I told Itachi that I wished more than anything to conceive, and when I said that I did not want an artificial insemination, he agreed to help me. I knew I could trust him more than anyone else in the world, and I was right. I promised him that he would never have to trouble himself with anything else, and that I would never ask him for support in raising my baby. Even then, when I was too afraid to dare look at the pregnancy test, he raced from the office to read it for me because Ino, he's my best friend. I don't think I would have anything to live for without him."
At this point, Sakura's face was covered with tears, and feeling somewhat helpless to her friend's pain, Ino got a piece of toilet paper to wipe her eyes. "Sakura," she asked quietly, "are you in love with him?"
Her sobs, in return, were enough of an answer.
"Oh, Sakura, why couldn't you have done this the normal way? You should have told him that you had feelings for him, and let it go from there! Now this is the weirdest situation I have ever heard of, and one of my dearest friends is stuck in the middle of it. I'm sure, if you told Itachi that you loved him, he would return your feelings." Ino tried, rubbing small circles into Sakura's back as she cried into her shoulder.
"No, he wouldn't have! I was tired of waiting for him to make a move after a year of me dropping hints he ignored, or simply didn't catch. I wanted to be a mother, and he was kind enough to give me that, but he would never feel the same way I do. I've already heard him say that he's in love with someone, and I know that it can't be me, or he would have said as much."
Ino did not agree, but decided it best to not voice her opinion. No one, least of all Itachi, would ever have sex with a woman with every intention of impregnating her, if he felt nothing for her. Sakura would have shot this idea down the second she heard it though, because she was determined to have no hope in her situation. Besides, Ino was quite certain now, that Itachi had meant he was attracted to Sakura when he said he was in love with someone. Itachi was a hard man to read, but generally, men were rather predictable.
She had to say something, though. Or rather, she could not say nothing. "Sakura, I'm sure it will work out, in the end, right? I'll go with you to your ultrasound appointment."
Much to her surprise, Sakura shook her head. "No; Itachi already said he wanted to come to the first ultrasound when we first learned that I was positive, and I said he could." She answered, sniffling, before standing straight again, apparently feeling better. "Thank you anyway, Ino-pig."
Ino rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Forehead." Either way, that alone had just proved to her where her brother-in-law stood.
Apprehension rose in him as he approached Sakura where she sat on a bench opposite the hospital. It was her day off, so she was dressed casually, with jeans and a red top, instead of the business clothes she wore at the hospital. He hardly knew what to even say to her, standing awkwardly with his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets. What he wanted was beyond appropriate, because he was not sure how she would receive him pulling her up and kissing her silly. She was too adorable for her own good.
"There is something you should know," Sakura murmured softly, slowly getting to her feet, before realizing just what he was wearing. She snickered to herself. "Only you would wear a polish death metal band tee to an ultrasound."
His eyebrow rose in amusement. "You know Behemoth? I approve," he commented lightly, before giving her suspicious glance. "What was it that you were going to tell me, before you were so throughly distracted by my awesome shirt?"
Sakura knew that Itachi was not going to be happy. In a lapse of weakness, she had allowed the biggest gossip in her acquaintance to know what should have been a secret between herself and Itachi. She should have had the foresight to ask him how he felt about others in their circle of friends knowing that she was carrying his child, but it was too late now. The damage was done, and she should have considered herself fortunate that no one had approached her about the matter yet. At least Ino had done a good job of keeping it to herself, so far.
"Don't be too upset with me, but I told Ino that you were the father, when she figured out I was pregnant." Sakura said quietly, emerald orbs looking up at him through rose eyelashes. She was glad he did not appear too upset by what she had told him, and so she linked arms with him, walking him to the entrance of the hospital.
He sighed softly, before smirking to himself. "Then, in that case, I hope it won't bother you that my cousin, Shisui, knows as well."
At that, Sakura froze. "Woah, you told Shisui? And I haven't had masked, ninja assassins sent after me yet by your family? I mean, I was suffering from morning sickness and my hormones were controlling my emotions when I told Ino, but what was your excuse?" She inquired in complete seriousness.
Itachi rolled his eyes, pushing the front door open. "Sakura, you know already that the Uchiha have not sent shinobi out to do their dirty work in well over two centuries. Your concern is both unfounded and insulting. And even then, ninja were only hired because noble, samurai families that had once served the emperor had been taken out of the scheme of things." He informed her haughtily.
Sakura huffed, sending him a delirious glare. "Thank you, Itachi, for the history lesson. I already know that all you Uchiha are extremely proud of your noble heritage, so there's no need to brag. Just because your family were members of both the Oniwanbanshu and Shinsengumi a million years ago does not mean I want to hear all the stories I've been hearing from Sasuke and you for forever."
"Anyway," Itachi muttered, "Shisui isn't going to tell anyone in the family, I assure you. He may be stupid, but he isn't that stupid."
Sakura decided it was best not to argue with him. At least they could agree on one point. Shisui was stupid. Only slightly annoyed with the man at her hip, and partially wishing she had asked Ino to come along as well, so she could at least have someone on her side of their arguments besides herself. She probably heard all sorts of things from Sasuke, considering she was married to the irritating man.
Deciding to ignore him all together, she entered the clinic, stringing him along as she went. With a smile, she addressed the nurse at the front desk, conversing casually for a moment, seemingly at ease in the environment she found herself in. Itachi should hope she felt comfortable within the walls of the hospital, since she worked there. He then found himself being led into a small waiting room, and observed Sakura as she nervously fidgeted.
She was clearly anxious to get the ultrasound over with, and he had to wonder if his presence somehow added to her nervousness. He did not want to think it was possible for her to be worried around him, since they had been so close for such a long time, but it seemed to be the case. After they had made love to each other in her apartment, and she had curled her naked body next to his, he had thought being together would have been simple. That time they had spent together after their lovemaking, innocently touching each other, learning each other, had proven to him that they were compatible. He had wished she saw it the same way, as well.
She appeared relieved when her name was called though, and with an excited grin, she squeezed his hand. They were led to a small room, where the nurse said Shizune-sensei would join them soon. To her word, another woman, with short, brown hair entered the room, assumedly the Shizune whom had been mentioned not five minutes earlier.
"Sakura-chan! Are you really my patient?" The woman asked, clearly familiar with her.
Sakura gave her a sheepish look. "Yeah, I am. Does Tsunade know about this yet?"
"She is your godmother, Sakura. Tsunade has already asked me to report everything that happens during your appointment, in the off-chance it was really you, and not some other Haruno Sakura. She's worried about you, you know, since you never told her about this personally. Imagine her shock." Shizune said gently, before sending Itachi a skeptical glance. "I don't believe I know you, but I'm Shizune," she said evenly. "Is it safe to assume that you are the father?"
Sakura looked as if she had been about to answer for him, but he spoke before she could even open her mouth. "I'm Uchiha Itachi," he returned, "and yes, I am the father. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Sakura bit her lip, embarrassed as Shizune shook his hand. She had never dared dream Itachi would admit he had impregnated her so easily. In her mind, she had prepared herself for anything, coming up with explanations to why he was there with her, because she had never imagined he would want anyone to know the truth. He seemed to have no qualms in telling people though, having first shared the news with his cousin, and now with Shizune, who was the closest person she had to being a sister.
"Well, in that case, I'm glad you could come, Uchiha-san," Shizune smiled. "I always believed it was best for parents to experience first seeing the fetus together." She added, busy with readying the equipment. The room was then quiet as Sakura laid herself back on the clinic bed, the only sound being the crinkle of paper underneath her. Wordlessly, Shizune rolled up Sakura's red top to just below her breasts.
Sakura gasped slightly at the feel of cool gel against her bare skin, subconsciously seeking Itachi's hand. He found hers though, gently rubbing the pad of his thumb over the top of her hand. Itachi did not look down at her, and she was fine with that, because she could not look at him either, with her gaze fixated on the screen. Slowly, the image cleared as Shizune focused the device on a specific spot.
"Well, there's the fetus," Shizune sighed warmly, glancing from the image to the two adults who were staring at it in awe. "If you want, the genitals should be developed far enough to know the sex."
"I want it to be a surprise," Sakura said back, before asking, "Do you mind?" As she indicated the sonogram device.
"Only for you, Sakura-chan."
"You know, Itachi," she murmured as she took the handle from Shizune, "I was originally studying to do this, before going into oncology. It always seemed so magical to me." Sakura said, unintentionally moving the device elsewhere, only freezing at the sound of Shizune's startled gasp.
"That was a second heartbeat!" Shizune exclaimed, easily maneuvering the device back over to the spot she had seen moments before. Stunned, Sakura stared at the indistinct image to realize Shizune had been right. "My god, Sakura, I can't believe it...but it's obvious now." She breathed.
Confused, Itachi looked first at Shizune, then to Sakura, for some sort of explanation. They were both too distracted to notice however, and he was not allowed to understand just what had shocked the two women so much, until Shizune had focused the device on the screen to show him as well. He was too astonished to voice just how he felt at that moment. There was certainly excitement, and happiness for both himself and the woman who was gripping his hand so tightly, but how to express this was beyond him.
"I suppose a congratulations are in order then, Sakura-chan, Uchiha-san." Shizune finally said, in a daze. "You're having twins."
AN: Yeah, this was something that's been bothering me for two weeks, and I had to get it out of my system. This is only the first half (or so) but I should have the second part up at some point. Consider it a belated birthday present to everyone's favorite Uchiha. :) No, I haven't forgotten about Heartbeat yet, so don't worry. I'll get to it eventually. Stupid muse. So damn bossy, sometimes.
Anyway, all feedback is greatly appreciated. Drop a review, and feed the starving artist! :D
