Barren

Disclaimer: Nope, Naruto is not mine! (Isn't life funny like that?)

"No."

His hands stiffened into fists within his pockets. Hs eyebrows creased and his black eyes stared at her pointedly. He took a step forward and pursed his lips into a hard, thin line. "What?"

"I can't, Sasuke."

Her eyes were soft and glazing. She felt herself retreating, her hands pressed fast against her chest to dull the familiar ache.

He considered her for a moment, swallowing harshly. "Why not?"

She avoided his hard gaze, her face twisting solemnly. "I.. You don't…" She quieted herself and attempted to force her thumping heart to calm. Sakura gathered enough courage to meet his eyes for a split-second. "You won't want me."

He scoffed, his lips curling inwards. "Ridiculous." He paused and pulled a pale hand from his pocket. In an uncertain gesture, he steadied his palm against her chin, raising her face to his. His lips twitched, and he almost seemed to smile. "I want you, Sakura." His voice dropped to a whisper, his eyes searching hers. "I need you."

She pulled back and watched as his hand dropped. "No!" She bit down hard on her lip and forced her hands out to him, flat and stiff as if she were telling him to stop. "You don't want me."

Sasuke didn't know how to respond. His eyes swept dubiously over her, up and down her petite form, searching for some kind of answer. He ran through any possible explanations in his mind – proposal not good enough, he hurt her, she loved someone else…? He shook the thoughts away.

"Sakura." His voice was firm and determined. He caught her green orbs and held them captive. "I love you."

Her hands flew over her lips, as if she were suppressing a scream. She shook her head furiously and blinked back the burning tears. Sakura took a slow, trembling step backwards. Sasuke advanced.

Her hands fell and her lips burst. "No! You don't love me! You can't love me!" Her eyes shifted fast, back and forth over his. "Sasuke! You have to love someone else! Not me!" Her voice was shaking, hitching, cracking.

He watched her, his black eyes clouding with uncertainty. "Explain."

She drew in a shuddering breath and swallowed. "With me… With me, you can't restore your clan."

He raised a drastic eyebrow. "Sakura, what the hell does that mean?"

She clutched her hands together and her eyes watched him desperately. Her lips pursed and twisted and finally produced an answer. "Sasuke, I'm barren."

Shock.

Silence.

"What?"

Sakura smiled sadly. "I can't have children, Sasuke."

He averted his eyes and felt his throat clenching, his head pounding, his breath shortening.

She watched as the proposal faded from his face. She felt a dull ache in her chest – a hard, numbing pain that settled into her. She watched as Sasuke retreated into himself, as he decided any thoughts of a life with her a waste, a costly, unrealistic idea.

"Many other kunoichi in this village are strong and fertile though, Sasuke." The words fell tight and forced from her lips. He drew his eyes back to hers and watched the glassy green orbs tremble. "I'm sure you will find someone who suits you as a wife."

There was a short, tense silence before Sasuke nodded and pushed both hands back into his pockets.

Sakura smiled and absently touched a hand to her sterile womb. "Good night, Sasuke." She smiled and tried to orient herself. "I'll see you at training tomorrow."

The morning was dark and unforgiving, clouds pregnant with the promise of rain.

They were to assemble at the bridge as usual.

Sakura leaned against the railing, her eyes on her belly and lips set firmly into a desperate frown. She raised her hand limply and rubbing it across the length of her stomach, finally settling it in the center.

She smiled bitterly and dropped her hand.

Sasuke and Kakashi had not yet arrived.

Naruto fell into place beside her and pushed lightly against her. "Looks like rain."

Sakura nodded and forced a smile. "It does. A little element training, I suppose."

The blonde nodded and grimaced. "I could go without the rain though." His face brightened and he flashed her a stately grin. "It will bring me one step closer to becoming the Hokage!"

The pinkette couldn't resist a feeble smile. "Never give up your dream, Naruto." She tapped the tip of his nose. "That's very important."

He laughed lightly and set his eyes on his teammate. "What's your dream Sakura?"

She was slightly surprised at the question, as she didn't have an answer. She almost shrugged it off, but sighed and opened her lips. "To become a medic and help keep my loved ones safe."

Naruto seemed only partially satisfied. "But, well, you've already done that Sakura." He swept a curious eye over her. "Don't you have another dream? Something you haven't already accomplished?" His lips stretched with some kind of clumsy humor. "I know what it is."

Sakura raised a brow. "What?"

He scrunched his eyes shut and wagged a finger at her. "You wanna marry Sasuke and make lots of babies!"

He lapsed into laughter and Sakura forced a wearied smile. "Got me there," she murmured softly.

Kakashi appeared with an enthusiastic "Yo!" and reported that Sasuke would be late on account of a meeting with the Hokage to pronounce the end of his sentence. With a couple nods and few passive words, the three present members of Team Kakashi went out to train.

Sasuke listened absently to the words of gratitude and reform and expectation that Tsunade spit out drearily and left the Hokage's office with a piece of paper in his hand and the ability to go on actual missions with his team.

His team.

Sakura.

"Damn it." He shook the pink haired woman out of his head, reminding himself only of her barren womb. His lips pressed together and he muttered, "She's not worth it."

His flexed his hands inside his pockets and turned his attention to the people he passed on his way to the bridge. Most of them were civilians, barely worth his time. He passed a few familiar shinobi and even fewer kunoichi.

His thoughts wandered to the possibilities.

Until then, he had only ever considered having one woman bear his children.

But she wasn't a possibility anymore. He had to move on, to find a woman who was strong, an able-bodied ninja, who he could stand as a wife and a mother to his children.

He stopped and stared off in the direction of the bridge.

He had to determine his options. Now.

His lips pressed hard together and he headed towards the training grounds on the other side of the village.

He accomplished one goal. He had killed his brother, Uchiha Itachi. Now was time to focus on the other one. Restoring his clan.

Going to train with the pervert, the dobe, and a barren woman would not help him accomplish this.

He stiffened and straightened up his back, and took confident, steady strides to his new destination.

A/N: Alright, so what do you think? It's an idea I've had for a while now... and I'm not sure if anyone has ever written about it here, so I thought I'd put it out there. To be honest, I'm not quite sure where I'm going with it (I never plan these things out) and I can't promise very consistent updating. But I'll do my best! I hope Sasuke wasn't too OOC in the first bit, and I hope I'm getting the emotions out there like I want to. I want Sakura to seem a little desperate (for obvious reasons) and Sasuke to seem a little cold, a little harsh, and of course, Kakashi and Naruto, as always, very oblivious. Is it working? Well, this is supposed to be my first multi-chapter piece, so we'll see how this puppy turns out, aye?

Anyway, thanks for reading! Sorry for any grammer mistakes - I'm good at making those, and constructive critiscm is always appreciated. Sooo...

REVIEW!

(Please!)

Thanks,
eb.