No turning back now
Maru) This is a re-post. I had this story up a month or so ago and I took it down to fix some of the mistakes in it and to also attempt, I say attempt to fix the grammar and the punctuation in it -not really promising anything with those- but I tried.
Maru) Okay I'm going to explain something first this is not going to be a Naruto/Sakura fic, Naruto's name is on the filter because of the simple fact that he is an important character in the development of this story.
Maru) This is a sequel! So if you haven't read the first story called 'What if' I suggest you read it before reading this one.
Maru) I do not own Naruto
Five years.
It's been five years since it's happened, in the course of those years, many things happened love was found, life began, some lives ended, happiness was established for most involved. But one thing remained the same, he was still gone. What was left was her source of joy, what made her get out of bed every morning and sleep every night. Her source was standing right next to her spiky silver hair, big green-gray eyes on a round chubby face, clad in red and blue clothes was her son, his son, Raiko. Standing next to the pink haired Kunoichi gripping her hand was her five year old son; his free hand reached out and rested on the polished stone in front of them.
His small, stubby fingers traced the Kanji etched into the stone that she herself had traced many times before, thinking always thinking if she had been stronger, if she had thought of a better plan, if she had been a better leader would he be with them. Thinking was all she could do actions wouldn't help now, looking down at the boy next to her she bit her bottom lip. The time was getting closer and closer and she still hadn't reached a decision yet would she allow is or wouldn't she it was a hard choice but it had to be made.
Bowing her head she sighed and looked at the beautifully written Kanji and watched as Raiko's small fingers traced the name carefully. As if too much pressure would shatter the polished stone in front of him, this boy was gentle, kind, always smiling…could she take it away from him? Would she be able to stomach the decision she made? Would she later regret either choice? It was a simple 'yes' or 'no' question. To her though, those two words held both her and her son's future, there was so much riding on such small words that took mere seconds to say.
Tightening her grip on Raiko's hand Sakura turned away from her lover's tombstone and walked from the cemetery all the while thinking on the question she was asked earlier that day by the Hokage. Feeling Raiko tug at her shirt Sakura looked to where the boy was now pointing and a smile found its way to her face. Holding a baby wrapped in a powder blue blanket and a small girl with red hair and pale green eyes clinging to her jacket was Hinata. Walking over Sakura ruffled the small girls' hair and looked down at the baby in the blanket; midnight hair rested against pale skin, Hinata's baby looked exactly like her. While his big sister mostly resembled their father the Suna Kazakage in looks and the fact she was quiet- well maybe that was a contribution of both parents.
Gaara and Hinata had two children now, the oldest was Aiko the little red head attached to the Byakugan users side and the youngest was Kiyoshi the baby wrapped in blue.
"Oh Hinata he's beautiful he looks just like you" Sakura exclaimed looking at the bundle in his mother's arms, looking at the pink haired woman Hinata smiled.
"Sakura would like to hold him?" Hinata asked gentle holding the baby out for the other Kunoichi.
"Of course I want to hold him Hinata!" the pinkett said taking the baby from Hinata's arms and bringing him close to her chest. "How old is he now?"
"He's three months old now and he eats like Naruto-kun!" Hinata said laughing making Sakura laugh with her then looked at his mother.
"I could put him on a special diet of formula if you want me to Hinata it's not good if he eats too much" Sakura said looking down at the chubby baby in her arms.
"I already talked to lady Tsunade about that and she's going to give me a recipe to give to the Suna medics for him but thank you Sakura"
"So Aiko has gotten big since the last time I saw her" the pinkett said looking at the small girl who clung tighter to her mother's jacket.
"Yes she has gotten a lot bigger and she's very attached to me and Gaara as you can tell" the former heiress said motioning to the little girl turned leach.
"It looks like she has inherited your shyness when it comes to boys Hinata" Sakura said pointing at the girl who was alternating between looking at the ground then looking at Raiko who was standing beside Sakura looking oddly at Aiko.
"It seems she is shy" Hinata said laughing "Maybe we should let them play together Sakura and see if Raiko can bring Aiko out of her shell before it gets too bad" the pale eyed woman suggested.
"That's a good idea Hinata we can go to the park and talk while Raiko and Aiko play"
"Okay let's do that then"
Once they made it to the park the two women found a bench they could sit on and watch their children play and after a few minutes of trying to detach Aiko from her mother and finally succeeding. Sakura told Raiko to take Aiko and go play nodding his silver head vigorously Raiko grabbed Aiko's hand and dragged her toward the sand box. Watching as the two children made piles of sand Sakura suddenly broke in to a fit of laughter causing Hinata to look over at her smiling Sakura gave Kiyoshi back to the pale eyed woman then spoke.
"I just thought about your wedding Hinata" Sakura said smiling again.
"O-oh you remember that?" Hinata asked, suddenly finding repositioning Kiyoshi's blanket very interesting as she recalled that day.
"Of course, who could forget it Hinata with Kankuro losing the rings and Naruto being allergic to the flowers you chose, Neji trying to choke Gaara after everyone found out you were pregnant with Aiko it was a very unusually wedding Hinata" Sakura said smiling.
Sakura remembered the day Hinata and Gaara were married she was four months pregnant with Raiko and Hinata unknown to her at the time was carrying her daughter Aiko. Gaara and Hinata were wed in Konoha (after tweaking their plans a little) on the training grounds that team eight used to train on at Hinata's request that is and the Hokage herself lead the service.
Sakura was Hinata's maid of honor while Hanbai, Hinata's younger sister played her part as a maid of honor and Neji gave Hinata away in place of her father. In Gaara's case Naruto was the red heads best man and Kankuro was the ring bearer all in all it was a rather strange and humorous wedding. Especially when Hinata fainted into the arms of the red head after the kiss that sealed them together for life, then when Tsunade examined Hinata when she woke up the blonde smiled. Telling the Byakugan user that she was pregnant the pale eyed woman fainted again mostly from embarrassment even Gaara turned a light shade of red when he heard. Tenten had to hold back Neji to keep him from strangling the Kazakage telling him it was natural that Gaara and Hinata did what they did.
"Yes, it was wasn't it?" Hinata said smiling at the memories of Kankuro crawling on the floor looking for the rings and Naruto's eyes getting red and puff from the flowers messing with him and finally Tenten having to hold Neji back from trying to kill her husband.
"Yeah but it was fun" Sakura said.
"And the dresses Temari-chan picked out for the girls where beautiful weren't they Sakura-chan?" Hinata said looking at the pink haired woman.
"Yeah they were but you stole it all Hinata you looked like an angel" Sakura said making the other woman blush as she remembered what she had worn at her wedding it was her mother's dress which was white with a blue silk sash tied around her waist. She had borrowed a thin golden chained necklace from Ino and she wore the silver bracelet Gaara had bought her. Her long midnight hair was pulled up and done up in modest curls and was pinned up so some of her hair fell around her face and the vail fell to the middle of her back and was a pale blue like the sash adorning her waist.
"N-no I wasn't-" she started but Sakura cut her off.
"Hinata you were beautiful and you know it!" Sakura said crossing her arms in front of her.
"You really think so Sakura?"
"I know so Hinata" Sakura said and looked over to where their children were now playing on the swings Aiko was sitting on the wooden seat and Raiko was pushing her. "They seem to get along well don't you think?"
"Mmm yes very well" Hinata said as she watched Aiko laughing as Raiko pushed her higher on the swing then running under it with the momentum of the push and he in turn had to run around the swing set to push the girl again.
"Oh Hinata have you spoken to Naruto yet?" Sakura asked looking at the pale eyed woman who looked away from the kids to her emerald eyes.
"No, not yet I wanted to find you first so I could show you Kiyoshi and so I could see how big Raiko got" the woman admitted as she shifted a now sleeping Kiyoshi.
"You should go talk to him, he's wanted to see you and Gaara for a while now and you can show him Kiyoshi and Aiko, I'll even go with you" the pinkett said smiling as she stood up.
"Okay, Sakura we can go talk to Naruto-kun, Aiko time to go" Hinata called to the little red head who looked over her shoulder to her mother.
"You too Raiko time to go we're going to go see Naruto" Sakura said causing the boy to slow the swing down enough for Aiko to jump off and the two of them ran to their mothers and all four started to the Hokage tower.
Reaching the tower they started up the stairs on the outside of the building and made their way to the top floor that held the blondes office. Making it to the top Sakura reached for the door only for it to fly open nearly smacking her in the face as a boy with wild brown spiky hair wearing gray shorts and a yellow shirt with a blue scarf wrapped around his neck stumbled out the open door. Followed by a yelling woman's voice and manic laughter, watching as Konahamaru ran down the hall Sakura chanced a look in the room and smiled.
Tsunade was sitting in the Hokage's chair glaring at the door holding a thick book poised to throw and Naruto was lying on the floor laughing holding his sides. Stepping into the room with Raiko at her side and Hinata behind her Sakura looked at her former teammate and her medical teacher. Then she noticed a certain red head standing beside another chair Hinata also noticed him as she walked over and sat in the chair her husband was standing by. Looking down at Naruto who was now sitting on the floor Sakura still couldn't believe he was the new Hokage of the village.
That's right Naruto Uzumaki was the sixth Hokage of the hidden leaf village he took on the role of being Hokage two weeks after Hinata and Gaara's wedding. Tsunade relinquished her role of Hokage to the blonde 25 year old almost five years ago; Tsunade was now the head of the hospital with Sakura right under her and Shizune under that. Ino Yamanaka took over Shizune's job as secretary for Naruto, enabling Shizune to remain with Tsunade as she requested.
Standing from the floor Naruto dusted off his back side and smiled at Sakura she had to admit he looked much more mature and rather handsome in his Hokage drab. He had the clothes altered into what he referred to as a more 'stylish' fashion not to mention more comfortable. The Hokage robe was cut shorter reaching only to slightly below his knees and was black with his signature color orange represented as flames around the bottom and the short sleeves that stopped about halfway down his upper arm. His orange and black jumpsuit was replaced with a pair of white ninja pants and a black long sleeved shirt and black sandals where on his feet.
Naruto wore his head band on his forehead like always and his bright yellow hair still suck up but was grown out longer it reached the base of his neck in the back and to his chin at the sides but was held out of his eyes by his head band. Tsunade's necklace was around his neck and laid proudly against his chest the beautiful blue crystal standing out against the black shirt. The Hokage hat was sitting on the desk and it was also altered it was now black with orange trim where white used to be and the white Kanji on the front was also replaced with a black one.
"Sakura-chan, Hinata-chan how are you two?" the blonde man asked looking at Sakura then at Hinata.
"We're fine Naruto we came because I told Hinata that you wanted to see her and Gaara and she wanted to show you the new baby" Sakura explained motioning toward the dark haired woman.
"Oh right Hinata-chan you did have another baby, a boy I think, right?" Naruto asked walking toward the married couple.
"Yes Naruto-kun his name is Kiyoshi" Hinata said moving the blanket aside so her former crush could see the small baby in her arms.
"Neh, Hinata-chan he's so cute!" the Hokage exclaimed looking at the little boy.
"Do you want to hold him Naruto-kun?"
"Can I Hinata-chan" the blonde asked in awe at the question, nodding Hinata stood up and handed the little bundle over to the blonde making sure he was holding her baby properly.
"Naruto"
"Yeah Gaara"
"If you drop him, I will kill you" the red head said staring at his friend with teal eyes that held no hint of joking at the threat and the blonde knew it.
"Heh, maybe I should sit down while holding him"
"That would be wise" Gaara said crossing his arms then looked at Tsunade who was smiling at the whole seen in front of her.
"Lady Tsunade, why are you here?" Sakura asked looking at her former teacher who looked toward her.
"I was asked to come here by Gaara and Naruto to discuss something of importance, we have yet to get to what that is but you might want to stay for this Sakura, I believe it will interest you very much if I'm correct in what I assume this is about" the former Hokage said smiling at her former student who looked back dumbly.
"I see no point in dragging this out any longer" Gaara said drawing all attention to him.
"To further strengthen the bonds between our villages, myself and Hinata have decided that we will have Aiko enrolled in the Konoha academy instead of the Suna academy." Gaara said looking at the others in the room.
"So" Naruto said suddenly serious "in exchange you want me to have a child from the hidden leaf enroll in Suna's Academy?"
"Exactly, I believe if the eldest child of the Kazakage is enrolled in the Leaf academy it would improve the flow of trade between our villages and lower suspicions of either village planning an attack on the other" Gaara said.
"But who will we send Naruto doesn't have any children?" Sakura said looking at Gaara who returned her gaze.
"I am aware of this but there are others in your village with high pedigrees with children at academy age" the red head said making Sakura cringe at the way he spoke of class.
"Who did you have in mind?" Tsunade asked looking at the red head her honey eyes reading his expression carefully waiting for him to speak.
"Hinata has told me that her cousins' child is now old enough to enter into the academy also that Ino Yamanaka's child is of the academy age"
"What about Temari and Shikamaru's daughter she's also at academy age" Naruto said looking at Gaara.
"Temari-chan and Shikamaru-kun have already decided that Kumoko will attend the Suna academy then transfer to the Leaf academy in her fourth year" Hinata said as she gently took Kiyoshi back from Naruto who stood up and crossed his arms in a thinking manner.
"Hum… it is a good way to strengthen the bonds of our villages" Naruto mused closing his eyes he sighed then looked to the window behind him "Bring me the two we were talking about and their partner"
"Yes, Hokage-Sama" said an eagle ANBU and was gone.
"Sakura-chan, have you decide on your answer for what I asked you this morning?" Naruto asked looking at his pink haired friend who looked at the wooden floor and shook her head.
"No, I haven't, not yet Naruto it's a hard decision for me to make" she said.
"Right you still have time Sakura-chan no rush"
"Thank you Naruto"
"Do you want to stay and hear what has to be said Sakura-chan, this involves you too?" Naruto asked still being serious.
"I better stay in case I need to calm Ino down" Sakura answered looking down at Raiko who was smiling at Naruto.
"Okay Sakura-chan, Ino-chan can be kinda scary when it comes to Asumi-chan" Naruto shivered remembering what had happened when he had accidently made the small girl cry and the beating he had gotten from her mother.
"You're welcome Naruto"
Just then a knock was heard on the doors and the Eagle ANBU walked in with Ino and Neji and their partners next to them. Neji who was looking at Gaara stood next to Ten-ten who gave a warm smile to the couple then elbowed her husband in the ribs. Causing him to look at her with a disappointed sigh, he turned his attention to the Hokage and to the blonde woman sitting in his chair. Ino stood with her arm hooked through Choji's as she leaned against him watching the others then she looked over and smiled at Sakura. Choji was the one to break the silence as he spoke.
"So Naruto why did you send an ANBU to get us usually you come yourself?"
"I'm going to get to the point guys, your all here because you have children about to join the Academy-" he was interrupted by Ino.
"Naruto we all know this why are we here!" the blonde asked impatiently.
"Ino let him finish before you start asking questions" Choji said pulling the blonde closer to him.
"As I was saying, Gaara and Hinata-chan also have a child at academy age and they have decided to send her to the Leaf academy and not to the Suna academy" he paused to let his words sink in seeing the reactions of those in the room they had understood what he was getting at. Ino's features went from annoyance to utter anger in about six seconds; gripping onto Choji's sleeve she bit her lip. Wanting to get the point across so he could get the beating over with faster, Naruto continued with his explanation.
"We have come to the conclusion that a child from the hidden leaf should attend the Suna academy to strengthen the bonds of the two villages. Seeing you are the only ones with academy age children, as such we need to decide who will be accompanying Gaara back to Suna?" At this Ino lost her composure completely.
"Naruto you want us to decide who's going to drag ourselves and our child to Suna to join an academy, when we have a perfectly fine one right here in the village!?" the blonde shouted "What about Shikamaru huh? His daughter is attending the Suna academy, she could be the 'bond' for the two villages I'm not going to drag Asumi to Suna do you understand me Naruto, it's not going to happen!" the blonde yelled her arms down at her sides and fists clenched tightly.
"INO!" Jumping at the harsh tone of the fifth's voice, Ino looked over to the older blonde woman who stood from the chair.
"How dare you raise you voice at Naruto, despite who he used to be he is now your Hokage and you will treat him with the respect he deserves, do you understand me!" the blonde growled.
"Ino" Choji said walking up behind his wife and resting his hand on her shoulder he pulled her back to him wrapping his arms around her he nodded at Naruto who continued.
"I believe the easiest way to decide who would be going to Suna is to take into consideration the amount of influence their families have on the village" Naruto said making Ino's saddened features brighten a little. "Ino your family is important because of your ability to take over the minds of your enemy your basically our spies. Choji your family has a great advantage in size in more than one way, your one of the villages' trump cards." Gauging their reactions he went on.
"Neji your family possesses the Byakugan your eyes are the greatest assesse the village has and your family has quite a bit of influence on what happens in the village. Ten-ten, you where an orphan but your skills as a weapons master are noticeable by most everyone in the village. Also you're admired by younger Kunoichi, so with this all said I have made the decision on who is leaving." Naruto said looking over those standing in the Hokage's office sighing he closed his eyes opening them he spoke "the ones going to Suna will be Neji and Ten-ten and their daughter"
"When do we leave Naruto?" Neji asked.
"Tomorrow, it will give you time to gather your things, your all dismissed" with that everyone filed from the office all but Sakura.
"Naruto I have a question"
"What is it Sakura-chan?"
"Do you think what you asked me would be good for Raiko?"
"Sakura-chan, you're his mother if you think it's a good idea then do it and if it turns out to be a bad thing you always have the option to revoke what you said" the blonde said.
"No, I won't pull him out, if I do this it's going all the way Naruto" Sakura said looking down at the boy standing next to her closing her eyes she looked back to the Hokage.
"Sakura-chan?"
"Hokage-Sama, I Sakura Haruno, am hereby enlisting Raiko Haruno into the Hidden leaf academy." Sakura said looking at Naruto she saw him smile; giving a small grin of her own she placed her hand on Raiko's shoulder glancing down at him. She had given her word she now knew there was no turning back now, they had to push on and she would, for herself and their son.
Maru) ….Well how was it? Let me know was it good? Or did it suck?
Maru) Here are the name meanings of the kids:
Kumoko- pretty sure it means cloud child (Shikamaru & Temari)
Kiyoshi- quiet one (Hinata & Gaara)
Aiko- the little loved one, beloved (Hinata & Gaara)
Raiko- pretty sure it means lightning child (Sakura)
Asami- morning beauty (Ino & Choji)
Harumi- Spring beauty (Ten-ten & Neji)