I Loved Her First

This is just a one-shot about Orochimaru and his daughter (my character, Mika) getting married, and his thoughts on it. I do not own Naruto, I do not own the lyrics to 'I Loved Her First' (they belong to Heartland) Oh, this just got done right in time for Orochimaru's birthday. So Happy Birthday, Oro-sama, you deserve it!

Look at the two of you dancing that way

Lost in the moment and each other's face

So much in love you're alone in this place

Like there's nobody else in the world

Orochimaru looked over at the young woman in the middle of the room, the one who looked so much like him, with pride, but also with sadness. You could tell that, to them, no one else was here. That's how content they were with each other, how in love they were. He could tell the man, who he'd known since he'd come to Sound, that his right-hand man, loved her deeply by the way he held her in his arms.

I was enough for her not long ago

I was her number one

She told me so

And still means the world to me

Just so you know

He remembered a hot summer day a year ago today that he'd spent with her…

"Hey, Dad?" she asked him, a content peaceful look on her face.

"Yeah?"

"You'll always be my number one."

He smiled. "Not for long, Mika. Someday you'll meet a man you'll love. He'll be your number one then."

"I don't want to, Dad." She said, chuckling sadly.

"You say that now." He said with wisdom only a father could know. Her mother had been the same way about him…

He somehow was content with her getting married. He knew she'd be protected, loved, and cherished. But a part of him still didn't want to let her go.

So be careful when you hold my girl

Time changes everything

Life must go on

And I'm not gonna stand in your way

He pulled out the letter he was going to give his new son-in-law. It wasn't threatening, it just said that he wanted his daughter, ultimately, to be happy. He didn't wish her to be stuck in a hurtful relationship, and he knew he'd take care of his little girl. He told him a few memories of her childhood, and then got to the point, saying he knew he couldn't keep her forever, and that he wouldn't stop him from loving her.

But I loved her first and I held her first

And a place in my heart will always be hers

From the first breath she breathed

When she first smiled at me

I knew the love of a father runs deep

And I prayed that she'd find you someday

But it's still hard to give her away

I loved her first

He remembered back twenty-two years when he'd found out Anko was pregnant…back to the day she'd been born…back to when she'd given him her first smile. They'd been among the best moments in life.

He'd known the very moment that he'd held her that the love of a father runs to the very core of his being. But he'd never known it'd be this hard to give her away.

How could that beautiful woman with you

Be the same freckle-faced kid that I knew

The one that I read all those fairy tales to

And tucked into bed all those nights

And I knew the first time I saw her with you

It was only a matter of time

He recalled the days he'd spent with her when she was only a kid. Because her mother had insisted she didn't want her to know him, she'd been raised in Konoha. Due to that, she'd –had no talent as a ninja whatsoever. Then she'd met Kabuto when she thirteen. That, he believed, was the first moment he'd realized that someday they'd fall in love. How could this woman, an accomplished ninja, since he'd helped her hone her worthless skills, be the same little kid he'd known and loved?

But I loved her first and I held her first

And a place in my heart will always be hers

From the first breath she breathed

When she first smiled at me

I knew the love of a father runs deep

And I prayed that she'd find you someday

But it's still hard to give her away

I loved her first

He looked at her. She still wasn't wearing a dress, and it was her wedding! She really, truly was a tomboy. And he loved her. He wondered if his father had ever cared about him?

From the first breath she breathed

When she first smiled at me

I knew the love of a father runs deep

Someday you might know what I'm going through

When a miracle smiles up at you

I loved her first

He wondered if, maybe, Mika may give up being a tomboy long enough to give him a grandchild. Maybe then he'd understand…

So how crappy was it? I thought it was OK…but that's just me. It's in honor of Orochimaru's birthday, and to show people that he has a soft side, too.