Title: Being a Mother
Rating: K+
Genre: General/ Drama
Summary: Motherhood- the state of being a mother. Can Haruno Sakura handle being a mother at the young age of eighteen? (A/N: No lemons. Warning! Spoilers ahead…)
Chapter One: Please Take care of my Child.
Tsunade looked at the profiles of people who passed the ANBU test this morning. Team Kakashi consists of Uzumaki Naruto, Sai, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke. Yes, the Uchiha Sasuke is back. Three years ago, when these young adults were at the young age of fifteen, the Akatsuki attacked Konoha. Uchiha Sasuke returned to the village with team Taka, previously Team Hebi to kill the elders and Danzou for the Uchiha Massacre.
At first, Uchiha Sasuke wanted to destroy Konoha but when he saw his old friend and village being slaughtered and destroyed, he ordered team Taka to assist the Leaf-nin in battle.
After the disastrous war and Konoha won, Uchiha Sasuke surrendered himself. The Hokage, Tsunade took pity on the boy who lived his whole life in lies and agony. She accepted him back to the village but she still gave him three years to lay low and prove his loyalty to Konoha. Tsunade was also going to consider accepting team Taka but unfortunately, the team died in battle. She gave them proper burial and she along with Team Three—which consists of Shizune, Yamanaka Ino, Hyuga Hinata and Haruno Sakura, healed Sasuke's eyes thus he avoided being blind for using his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Team Seven was reunited and along with Yamato and Sai they formed Team Kakashi—with Kakashi still their leader. The four teens made it to Jounin at their second year together and at their third, Yamato and Kakashi were requested back at the ANBU thus resulting in the four to enter the ANBU Examination.
Tsunade sighed. Those four passed with flying colors. Of course, no one would expect less from the teens trained by the Sannins themselves and a former ROOT member trained by Danzou.
Tsunade decided to form a Seven-man squad, including team Kakashi and two other ANBU. Unfortunately, Tenzou or Yamato was already demanded by his team to be part of them and Tsunade granted their demands.
"Shizune!" She called out.
"Hai? You called for me, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked as she entered the room holding Tonton, their pet pig.
"I want you to call for Team Kakashi, all five of them—without Yamato and also for Squad One's Captain and Vice-captain." She ordered.
"Hai."
At Ichiraku's a blonde man shouted,
"Miso Ramen please! With extra noodles and eggs!" Uzumaki Naruto waved his chopsticks. At the age of 18, Naruto had grown into a nice looking-man. He matured a bit but them, his mischievous side just would not disappear.
"Dobe, tone it down. Pork Ramen for me." Said Uchiha Sasuke, he also like Naruto grew up into a handsome young man but more matured yet he now opens up to them.
"Sasuke is right Naruto. Ah, Ayame-san, Miso Ramen for me without eggs please." Sai said. Here Sai was another bishounen. He now understands emotions through the help of his friends.
"How about you Sakura-chan?" Ayame asked the quiet Kunoichi—who was reading some medical reports.
"Ah, none for me. Just a glass of water please." Sakura smiled. At eighteen, Sakura grew up into a beautiful young lady who was respected and loved by the village. She also was at the same level of skills as her Shishou, be it medical skills or fighting skills. She had her fair share of horrible events in her life.
While Naruto lost his teacher, Jiraiya and Sasuke lost his brother, Itatchi; Sakura lost her parents at the war against Akatsuki.
"You won't be eating, Sakura-san?" asked Sai, he had stopped using hag or ugly in addressing Sakura because of reasons unknown by the kunoichi.
"Ah, yes. I will just be finishing these reports today." Sakura smiled at Sai for being thoughtful.
As their food arrived, Kakashi appeared with a "Yo!" as his greeting.
"Hi Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura grinned.
Kakashi frowned, "Sakura, I'm not your teacher anymore so stop using that. It makes me feel old." At 32, Kakashi still has his firm build and exceptional skills.
"Fine, Kakashi." Sakura's grinned widened as she turned back to her job.
After a few bowls of ramen, Naruto finally got full and they paid for their meals. As they were heading out to continue their training, a messenger-nin appeared and addressed the five of them.
"Team Kakashi, your presence are requested by the Hokage-sama immediately." At that he vanished with a poof.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go." Sakura said.
When they arrived at the Hokage Tower, they saw Hyuga Neji and Nara Shikamaru sitting at one side of the room.
"Shishou, you called for us?" Sakura asked as she nodded towards Tsunade in respect.
"Yes. Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Sai and Haruno Sakura. I congratulate you four on passing the ANBU Examination." Tsunade grinned at them.
"Shishou, really? Me? I also passed?" Sakura asked in disbelief.
"Yes, see I told you Sakura. You are strong. I wonder why you think otherwise… Anyway the reason I called you all here because I would want you seven to become one team. The leader would be Kakashi because he is the most experienced person here." Tsunade said.
"Seven?" asked Naruto.
"Yes, seven. Team Kakashi with Nara and Hyuga here." Tsunade answered.
"Oh..But isn't the number too large? I mean, seven?"Naruto commented.
"I know its large but there would be times I would be separating you guys, it all depends on the mission." She sighed.
"So, Hokage-sama, I assume that besides telling us that we would be a team there is another reason of you calling us here?" asked the stoic Hyuga.
"Yes, I received some disturbing news last night. A group of missing shinobi were gathering at a campsite near our village and that they were planning to attack. I want you to assassinate the all." Tsunade said.
"Hai." The newly formed team answered.
"Your ANBU uniforms and masks will be delivered at you respective apartments." She informed the four newest addition to the ANBU.
"When will we start our mission?" Neji asked.
"Tonight. You will leave Konoha at 11 pm SHARP." She eyed Kakashi, "You're dismissed."
The team left and went to their respective homes to prepare for their mission.
At exactly 11 pm, surprisingly the new team was complete. They were already wearing their uniforms and masks.
"Let's go." Kakashi ordered as they started their mission officially as they left the gates of Konoha.
Their trip was unusually quiet. It was very professional of them not to make any noise. Neji then activated his Byakugan and informed them that they were merely 50 meters away from the enemy. They masked their chakras and attacked stealthy.
They were counting the bodies and dumping them at the center of the camp when they heard a woman scream.
"I'll go check on it." Sakura volunteered.
"Be quick about it."Kakashi said.
As Sakura reached the source of the scream she saw a shinobi they missed and killed him immediately. She noticed a second to late that the woman was bleeding.
She turned to her and was about to ask if she was unharmed when the woman grabbed her hand, "Please, take care of my child…" she sobbed.
Sakura removed her mask and looked at the woman, she was two months pregnant and if she doesn't get the fetus out, the woman would die.
"Ma'am, you're dying because of the baby..i should remove it."
"NO! I know a hidden jutsu! Please promise me you will take care of my child, I beg you." The woman sobbed harder.
Sakura gave in and thinking there was no way to save the mother and the child she promised, "Yes, I swear I will take care of your child."
As soon as Sakura said that the woman did some hand seals, then her hands glowed with a golden light. She looked at Sakura then said, "Thank you" before pressing one hand on her belly and the other at Sakura's.
Sakura felt that scorching pain in her stomach and she knew… she read about this hidden jutsu. It was only used when a mother is desperate and dying. The woman was transferring her child to Sakura. Sakura thought it was a very fictional jutsu but as she felt the pain, she knew it wasn't.
When the pain subsided, the woman looked at her thankfully and whispered, "Please take care of my child as if he or she was your own."
Sakura felt the woman's love for her child and vowed to love and protect the—her child.
She buried the woman and started heading back dragging the enemy's carcass with her.
"What's taking her so long?" Naruto complained.
"Yeah, Sakura is usually a fast worker." Sasuke commented.
"How troublesome…." Shikamaru muttered.
Just then they saw Sakura approaching them with a carcass being dragged by her carelessly. She silently threw the man's corpse on the pile of other bodies and nodded to Sasuke. Sasuke then used a fire jutsu to burn the bodies.
Sakura watched the man's body burn. She hated the man for taking an innocent life, for taking a mother away from her child forever. She was so occupied in staring that she did not realize the hot tears streak down her face.
The team got alarmed as they saw Sakura's tears, even Neji and Shikamaru. Those two became friends—close friends with Sakura over the past three years and they were pretty protective of said girl. Sai chose to be the one to ask her, "Sakura-san? Are you alright?"
"Huh?" Sakura mumbled and quickly looked at Sai.
"You are crying.." Sai whispered as he sat down beside her. Imagine his surprise when Sakura suddenly hugged him and sobbed harder.
"Oh… I hate him…. Sai, I wanted to mutilate his body so that he can never be recognized as a human again…" she sobbed harder.
Sai looked at his teammates for help.
"Sakura, what are you talking about?" Kakashi asked and pat her shoulder.
Sakura then told them what happened; only leaving out the part in which the woman transferred her baby to Sakura.
After that, they prepared their sleeping bags and slept. Sakura tossed and turned through the whole night.
When morning came, Sakura woke up and rushed to one of the bushes and threw up. The boys woke up and saw their only female member throwing up, alarmed, Naruto rushed towards her and handed her a canteen of water.
"Are you sick?" Naruto asked her, concerned.
"No...it'll pass.." Sakura mumbled not wanting to let them know her situation.
"Maybe you shoul eat more… you barely eat nowadays…" Naruto said.
"Yeah, probably that.." she walked—more like hobbled her way towards her thing and started packing.
"We should head back soon. If we start now, we will reach Konoha in no time." Kakashi started his run and the others followed.
On the way, Sakura felt so hungry. She suddenly had the urge to eat apples. She took out an apple from her bag and started nibbling at it as they traveled. By noon they were already by the gates of Konoha. Sakura was so relieved that she could finally talk to her Shishou but as she was merely 10 feet away from the gates, she stopped and vomited.
"You alright there Sakura?" Shikamaru asked being the nearest person to her, he handed her a canteen of water.
"Yeah…" she mubled. 'F*cking sickness.'
"You look pale." Shikamaru stated worriedly as they began their way back to their team.
"I'm fine.." Sakura insisted.
"If you say so." Shikamaru dismissed the topic, seeing that Sakura was in her stubborn side again.
When they arrived at the Hokage's office, they reported everything that had happened and that their mission was complete. When they were dismissed, Sakura said she had something to ask her Shishou so the boys left her and headed to their houses or Ichiraku, for Naruto's case.
Tsunade heard knocking on her door, thinking it was Shizune she yelled for hr to enter. When she looked up, she saw her favorite apprentice looking very worried and troubled.
"Shishou, I need to tell you something." Sakura started.
"Sakura, sit down first. You look pale, are you sick?" Tsunade fused over the teen as she sat down beside her on the couch at the side. Tsunade took it upon herself to be Sakura's mother.
"Ah, in a way, yes…" Sakura mumbled.
"Elaborate." Tsunade commanded in her medic-voice.
"Do you know of a hidden jutsu that transfers an unborn child from one female to another?" Sakura asked,secretly hoping that what she was doing was the right thing to do.
"Yes. How did you know about that?" Tsunade looked at the girl, the jutsu was only supposed to be passed down from master to apprentice, and seeing that Sakura was still a little girl—in Tsunade's book, she did not tell her about the jutsu.
"I read a scroll from the library. I sneaked it out from the Restricted Section.. but that's nothing to worry about, Shishou, I am carrying a two month child because of the said jutsu." Sakura sighed.
"You, WHAT?" Tsunade shouted.
"I am pregnant." Sakura sighed once again; she knew it was going to be like this when she told her 'mother'.
"Elaborate. Damn it." Tsunade ordered, now in her 'I'm-your-mother' voice.
"During our mission, I found a woman being killed by one of those bastards that we were gonna kill and then I killed the man immediately. After that, I went to her and she was sobbing she informed me that she was two-months pregnant and she begged me to take care of her child; thinking she was delirious because of the blood leaking from her, I told her I promise to take care of her child. She thanked me and started the hand seals. She performed the jutsu and it took me all my strength not to scream. When I realized that I have a child in my womb, I felt so… so sad for the woman and the—my child…I vowed to protect this child…" Sakura sobbed as she rubbed her belly, affectionately.
"So you are saying that, you want to raise this child?" Tsunade asked.
"Yes…I—I'm not sure…"
"I will give you thirty minutes to walk around, think about your decision and come back here after you decide. Whatever your decision is, I will support you. Now, go.." Tsunade said in a caring and loving voice.
"Thank you, Shishou…" muttered Sakura as she went out the office.
Tsunade sighed heavily. She called out for Shizune, "I know you were listening, so come out now, Shizune."
"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune trailed off, obviously worried about her sister—in way.
"I know…call for team Kakashi with Hyuga and Nara. Those boys have the right to know the situation about their little cherry blossom…" Tsunade stood up and headed to her chair and sighed.
"Hai.." shizune walked out.
'Sakura, what are you gonna do?' Tsunade thought to herself. She knew that if Sakura decides to raise the child, the village would criticize her for being pregnant at such a young age and if she decides to remove the child, it will haunt Sakura for the rest of her life. And also, she knew of those boys who love Sakura (not in a platonic way), what will their reactions be?
She sighed as she heard the door opening and decided to explain everything thoroughly
Meanwhile, Sakura was wandering around, thinking of her options. She knew that it will be a hard decision. As she walked, she did not realize that she ended up at the playground.
She sat on a swing an observed the children around her playing. She knew that being a mother is a very tough responsibility and she did not know if she can do this.. but looking at those children—playing happily, enjoying life… she felt content… she wanted this—no, her child to be happy too…
She rubbed her belly affectionately and whispered quietly, "My child, don't worry, mom is here for you.."
Minutes passed and she started walking back to the Hokage Tower. Making up her mind, she decided to carry on with her decision.
At the Hokage's office, after Tsunade explained about Sakura's current state, hell froze over. The boys were as quiet as stone, even Naruto was not talking. Tsunade sighed.
Naruto could not believe what she said, no… Sakura—his heart's sister, could not be pregnant. Yes, over the years, Naruto has moved on from his infatuation with Sakura and realized that he loved her as a sister also that he loved Hinata and with the help of Sakura, they had started going out as a couple. If his sister was pregnant, then he would be the uncle…right?
Kakashi thought his mind was playing tricks in him. NO! What the hell, his Sakura was pregnant? Kakashi then started to absorb the whole situation, there was no man, it was only a jutsu. Relief flooded in his system as he thought of that, but nonetheless, she was still pregnant. But, at a young age, he knew Sakura can't do this on her own. Strengthening his resolve, he sat down beside Neji and waited for Sakura to arrive.
Sasuke looked impassive on the outside but he was running around in circles in his mind. After he went back to Konoha, he realized that Sakura meant more to him than just a comrade. But seeing she was over her crush on him, he decided to lay low first and rebuild their friendship. Sasuke decided to stop thinking negatively and waited for Sakura.
Sai was actively freaking out. He was pacing back and forth. Sakura-san just can't be pregnant. And he decided to kill the bastard—wait. Jutsu… right, there was no man, like Kakashi he felt relieved. After he became friends with Naruto and Sakura, he regained his emotions. He knew that Sakura had loved the Uchiha so he decided to—like Sasuke, lay low first. Now, Sai thought that Sakura will need all the support she can have and he will support her.
Neji, being the master of hiding emotions was just sitting at the couch. His thoughts were going around in circles. No, his Sakura can't be pregnant.. wait, his? His Sakura? He knew deep inside that he loved the rosette and he accepted the fact that she was pregnant. He knew she would need help and he would help her no matter what. He will even court her if he has to, he doesn't care about the situation because he loved her no matter what.
Shikamaru's 200 I.Q. brain failed him at the moment. He was torn from being shocked or sad. Yet he knew it was not Sakura's fault. Thinking back, he knew that Sakura is to kind to raise the child as her own. He decided now that he did not care about her situation and vowed to himself to take care of her. After all, love is troublesome, right? *sigh*
After a few more moments of silence, they heard the knocking on Tsunade's door.
"Come in." Tsunade said.
As the door opened it revealed a determined looking rosette. As Sakura looked around the room she noticed the faces of her teammates and friends.
"You told them, Shishou?" She asked as she closed the door.
"Yes, they had the right to know." Tsunade stated calmly, expecting a burst of anger from her apprentice.
"I see," Sakura nodded and then bowed to her boys, "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. I just want to decide first before I tell you guys."
A series of hn's, and we undertand's echoed in the room. Neji stood up and led her to the couch, offering her his seat.
"Thank you, Neji.." Sakura mumbled as she sat down. She then looked at her Shishou and started, "I decided to raise this child as my own, Shishou. I do not care if people criticize me but I will love my child."
"Also, I decided to still take missions but I will stop when I reach 6 months for it will be critical for my baby. Please do not object because seeing that I will be a single mother, I want to give my baby everything she or he needs." Sakura was about to continue on her conditions when Naruto spoke.
"No. You will not be raising that child alone, Sakura-chan." He smiled as he knelt before his sister.
"The dobe is right." Said Sasuke as he too knelt before her. Everyone in the room went to her and said, "We are all here for you."
"Thank you…" Sakura sobbed. Tsunade hugged her tightly.
"Besides Sakura-chan, you are very important to all of us. The Konoha 13 (with Sai) and Shizune-nee chan, Tsunade-ba chan here and Kakashi-sensei will be with you throughout." Naruto smiled.
"Thank you…" Sakura smiled at her family.
"But Sakura-chan, I have one request." Naruto said.
"What is it?" Sakura asked her brother.
"I will be the baby's godfather right? You know, the kid would be happy and prud to have me, the future Hokage as his or her uncle ne?" Naruto smiled.
"I don't think so, dobe/Naruto. Besides, who would want you for an uncle?" everyone but Sakura and Shizune said.
"What?" Naruto shouted.
Sakura sweat dropped and laughed as she felt content. She rubbed her belly and said, "See my child; everyone is here for you… Mom is here for you…"
At that everyone looked at Sakura lovingly as she cooed to her child.
End of Chapter One.
Bluebreeze27: Hey guys! To those who read Haruno Sakura; a Different Story please do not worry I will still continue it, I just had to write this one. Please support this story and review!
Love you guys, Ja ne!