"Sakura, what are you doing out of bed?!."

"Honestly, I'm f-f-f-ine!"

"No, you're not. You need to rest."

"B-but," Sakura stammered, trying to resist her friend's gentle prodding, "What about—"

"Whatever it is, don't worry about it. I can handle it."

She let out an exasperated sigh, while Naruto gently guided her back to the bedroom. The past couple of days had been filled with an array of quiet sniffles and muddled coughs, but today consisted of nothing but feverish sweats and nausea. Her face, except her chapped lips and nose, was devoid of color, and she looked almost spectral. As they passed the threshold of the door, slowly approaching the bed, he gingerly helped ease her under the covers. She continued to protest, "Naruto, really, this is v-very kind of you but…," cutting herself off mid-sentence with a bout of dizziness. "Sakura, you're very sick! Please, just let me take care of you." The chilly sheets of her bed were soothing. She gradually began to relax, Naruto sitting on the edge, and he delicately parted the errant strands of hair sticking to her face. Noticing the release of tension in her forehead, he murmured, "Do you need anything?" Sakura sank further into her blanket, making herself comfortable. "…Some soup would be nice."

Rising as gently as he could from the bed, as not to disturb her, he shuffled toward the door and cautiously shut it behind him. Making his way into the living room, he found an anxious little Sarada sitting worriedly on the couch. She was clutching to her favorite stuffed bear with the suffocating strength her mother had given her. "Is mama going to be okay? She was throwing up very badly this morning." She asked. "Oh, of course!" he beamed in his most consoling voice, "She's just got a tiny cold is all." He saw that his words had little impact in reassuring her, and she continued to stare at him with her sad, wide eyes. Sarada had only just turned eight years old; Sasuke had been gone for a little over three years, and Sakura was immensely busy with her duties running both the hospital and taking care of her only child. In all the time they spent together, her mother was like a superhero, ambling between work and home with superhuman ease, as she was always so acclimated to multitasking. Watching her mother be overcome with something as little as a cold was not so little to her. Naruto thought on how he could comfort her, and his eyes glimmered once it popped in his head. Bent over, hands haphazardly pressed to his knees, he spoke enthusiastically, "You know what would really help your mother feel better?" The small Uchiha glumly shook her head. "If you and I made her some soup!" Her big black eyes softened, and the corners of her mouth upturned into an optimistic smile. "Really?" Naruto emphatically nodded his head, and held out his hand for her to take. Looking him over once more, analyzing the genuineness of his offer, Sarada shyly let go of her stuffed animal, and slid off the couch. Graciously taking her teeny hand, they dawdled into the kitchen.

"Now, where does she keep the chicken broth?" Naruto whispered to himself, as he rummaged through the kitchen cupboards. Weaving between his legs, Sarada reached inside the bottom cabinets and grabbed onto her mother's favorite ceramic pot. He turned his head to see her scampering across the kitchen floor, pot cradled in her arm, heading toward her wooden stepstool that leaned against the refrigerator. Once she grabbed it with her other hand, she dragged it over to the counter, and waited curiously for Naruto. "Ah! There it is," he exclaimed, as he grabbed the box and set it on the counter. "What else do we need?" she asked as she set up her stool. He quietly pondered in the middle of the kitchen. "Well, for a good soup," he mumbled, familiarizing himself with the kitchen's layout, "We'll need some scallions, some garlic, maybe some tofu, miso of course…" His voice trailed off as he darted from counter to counter, through every shelf in the fridge for the rest of his ingredients. Sarada happily watched him bumble around, guiding him as best as she could, and he shot her a quick smile to placate her. With his arms full, he sprawled them out on the counter near the stove.

Grasping her petite fingers around the measuring cup, Sarada meticulously measured out the cups of broth. Wanting to impress Naruto with her ability to be sensible and mature, she was especially cautious not to let any spill. "Very good!" he praised, tussling her neatly brushed hair. "Now, pour that in the pot, and let's let that simmer for a bit while we prepare the other ingredients, hmm?" She nodded understandingly, and tentatively tossed the liquid in. Naruto quickly glanced over the counter, as he knew he was missing something, but could not for the life of him figure out what it was. "That's right, I need a knife," he muttered to himself. He spun around and made his way to the drawers on the other side of the kitchen, rummaging through the many drawers below the cupboards. Junk…more junk…ju…wait a second, these are those papers I told Sakura to get to Shizune for Kakashi! She said I never gave them to her! Oi, I am going to be so mad at her when she feels better. Maybe Sarada knows where she keeps the utensils. "Hey Sarada?" Naruto asked, still searching mindlessly, "Do you know where your mother keeps the knives?" In her sweet, innocent voice, she chirped, "I have one!" Naruto blinked confusedly, looking over his shoulder. "What do you…O-OH GOD!" Smiling maniacally, the stubby six year-old brandished a considerably large cooking knife directly above her head. Just as she was about to swing down onto a stalk of scallions, Naruto swiftly plucked the knife from her hands. "Hey!" She protested, reaching for Naruto's arms. "I know you're a big girl," Naruto laughed sheepishly, "But this is a job for an adult!" She crossed her arms and pouted while he quickly began to chop up the vegetables. He let out a defeated sigh. "Okay, you can chop up some of them up. But be very careful! And for the love of god, do not tell your mother I let you do this."

Sarada rhythmically stirred the thickening pot of soup, while Naruto filled a kettle with water. "Uncle Naruto?" she muttered. Processing the use of the word "uncle", made his way toward the stove. "Yes, Sarada?" He set the kettle on the burner, and prepared the cup with her favorite lavender tea; a tablespoon of honey and cinnamon for sweetness. "Are you sure mama is going to be okay? I've never seen her that sick before." He directed his attention back to her, while she stared absently into the stew.

"Heh, you'd think a medic as skilled as herself could prevent the flu."

"What kind of work does she do at the hospital?"

"Y'know, stuff like surgery, research, healing the sick. I think it's what she's best at."

"Mama does make me feel lots better when I don't feel good."

"Did I ever tell you that she's saved my life before?"

"Really?!"

"Oh yeah. Multiple times, actually. She's healed or saved many of the shinobi in this village. She and Grandma Tsunade healed the entire army during the war."

"Wow!"

"Pretty cool, right? But yes, I'm sure. Your mother is a very strong woman. She's gone through much worse."

"Like what?"

"Pfft, your mother has gone toe-to-toe with some of the most sinister villains in all the land. No sickness could ever take her down-ttebayo! She's one of the most powerful shinobi to ever live. Your father isn't the only great ninja in your family, y'know."

"Really? Could you tell me some stories about her?"

"Of course! Let's see…oh! This one is my favorite…"

…

Naruto breezily pushed open Sakura's bedroom door, while Sarada stood in front of him. In her hands she held a wooden serving tray, complete with one bowl of soup, one cup of tea, and some flowers she had picked from the garden in a small glass vase. They marched their feet airily across the room. Sakura limbs were scrawled across the bed; her feet dangled on either side of the bed, one arm underneath her pillow, and the other bent at a nondescript angle. Some of the color had already returned to her face, and her cheeks were flush with a peachy hue. Alongside gentle prodding from Naruto, Sarada's whisper-shout of "Mama! Mama!" stirred her from her sleep. She blinked rapidly, and found the two of them at her bedside. Sarada happily lifted up the tray just below her chin, and she smiled from ear to ear, proud of her contribution to her mother's wellbeing. "We made you some soup!" Sakura's eyes lit up, both with hunger and gratitude, as her face warmly melted. "Uncle Naruto and I made it ourselves." She bowed her head in Naruto's direction. "Thank you for keeping Sarada company today." He nonchalantly waved his hand, "I was happy to do it." As she sat up further in the bed, Sarada rested the tray in her lap. "This looks lovely," Sakura hummed, and she eagerly began to eat. Naruto inquired, "Does it taste all right?"

"Yes, it's wonderful! Thank you."

"Good! Now, about those papers…"