Chapter Three: Awareness
Naruto woke suddenly with a confused expression on his face from seeing the familar room known to him as the Hokage's office. He'd been here many times before but was very curious as to why he was one minute walking home with his very pregnant wife and then somehow wound up here. All he remembered was a being with Sakura and then the next moment he was here laying on the couch in Ba-chan's Office. Something seemed very wrong but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember. Naruto probably layed there for ten minutes or so before he got a flash of an image through to his head. The image showed Ba-chan shouting at him whilest he was walking Sakura back to their aparment. It hadn't added up but he thought and came to the possible conclusion that one of the two woman there with him knocked him out. But then wouldn't Sakura have just taken him home? Maybe not if Ba-chan wanted to speak with him. It still didn't add up at all.
Just then Naruto shot up into a sitting position as Shizune came barging in shouting "Tsunade-sama!, It's Sa..." She turned her head cutting herself off to see a very frighted and confused Naruto.
"Sa? Don't you mean Sai?" Suddenly Naruto's head started to pound and he recalled seeing Sai standing in front of him.
"Naruto! Y...you're awake!?" Shizune barely lowered her voice.
"Did something happen last night I don't remember anything. Heh Ba-chan must've hit me pretty hard...unless Sakura was having mood swings again." He laughed trying to ease up Shizune's sense of stress and panic. But she just stood there and started at Naruto blanky wondering how he had the least bit of an idea. "Shizune? You were looking for Ba-chan?" Naruto scanned the room as if Sakura was standing there the whole time, it brought him back many memories. "Where is Sakura anyways?"
"Uh...She's at the Hospital." Shizune cringed expecting Naruto to jump and shout "IS SHE IN LABOUR!" even though it was way to early for that. But he just looked even more confused.
"Oh she's working again...did something happen?"
Shizune kept staring at him blankly until he stood up and approached her gently. "Are you sure your okay? I'll help you find Ba-chan I still don't quite remember what happened last night."
"We thought you were in a c...coma Naruto!" She shouted as she embraced him then and there silent tears streaming down her face.
"Coma?" He wondered blankly as another flash of images went through his head he recalled seeing Tsunade and the ANBU and Sai standing in a defensive position in front of him and his wife.
"W...we were attacked weren't we."
Shizune cringed.
A sense of dread filled him instintly as he came to his senses remembering the attack the night before. "SAKURA'S IN THE HOSPITAL. FUCK SHIZUNE!" He pushed her off and ran towards the door, he could hear her footsteps behind him and the shouting.
"NARUTO! YOU'VE BEEN OUT COLD FOR THREE DAYS TAKE IT EASY!"
Turning around he shouted back now everything added up. "NO! YOU WERE JUST ABOUT TO SAY IT YOURSELF! SOMETHING'S UP WITH SAKURA ISN'T THERE!" He stopped running and let the Hokage's ninja bump into him gently as she stopped herself from running aswell.
"N...Naruto. I'm so sorry but..."
"Listen." He grabbed her shoulders and continued. "I'll do anything for her and for my child! Their my family Shizune, It's more important to me then becoming Hokage!" He turned away from the shocked medic and went back in the direction of the hospital.
...
"Sakura?"
The faint figure lying in the hospital bed looked up to see familar eyes above her. She was warmed to see him it'd been quite awhile and see really needed the comfort. "Sasuke."
He smiled at her gently. "Look at you. You go marry our dumbass, get pregnant with his kid, and then when i come back from my mission I find you here lying in this hospital bed. Smart."
"Shut up!" She gently threw a pillow at him but when the movement disturbed her she stopped immediately. Fear grew inside her so largely that it shut her throat so tight she felt that she couldn't breath.
Sasuke looked away out the window and when she turned her gaze to look at him a silver tear slid down his face. "Naruto woke up." He simply stated.
Sakura's eyes grew wide at the sudden realization of reality around her regretfully she let the tears go and didn't hold them back this time, she'd never hold them back again. That was her vow to Naruto on their wedding day, that even though she cries enough she'd never hold a tear back for him, nor a secret that needed kept secret, she would keep faith and trust in him and would never let anything go past him again. She was such a liar. But this would be impossible to keep secret from him, and honestly she didn't want to, he'd share the same fears, agony, pain. tears, and sorrow. They share'd everything now and they always have.
"How is he?" She barely managed to get the words out.
"Tsunade had to litterally drag him away yesterday, he's been confined for a whole day. I'm so...so sorry Sakura Shizune put you under secretly before they did the surgery." He refused to make eye contact with her it was just to much for him, he actually understood her pain in a way, he had a sister, once.
Taking in a deep breath she started to slowly, peacfully sob. Sasuke couldn't take it anymore so he carefully walked over to her sat down on the edge of the bed and let her rest her head on his shoulder as she embraced him. Feeling the same as she did in that current situation he found no more strength left as the silver tears strolled down his cheeks turning a deep red at the sight in front of him and acceptence of it all.
...
"Tsunade I don't agree with this!" Shizune shouted fusteratedly. She stood in front of the Hokage sending her palms down angerly on the inferiors desk. "Why keep something this important from them! They deserve to know now, otherwise Naruto won't even take on the position of Hokage!"
"Shizune. Listen. I'm doing this to protect them. Those rouge ninja know that they've killed Naruto and Sakura's child, or they think we still don't know for sure if she can survive with the medical technology we have now." Tsunade spoke calmly but there was an edge of some other emotion in her voice.
"I know, but still can't you at least tell them the other news. I beg you Tsunade." Shizune quieted her voice but the sense of desperation came out as well.
"No I'm sorry but I can't. Sakura's never experienced it until now she has absolutly no idea, I'd perfere to keep her under watch until then. If they know then word may get out to the other villages, we know for sure the rouge ninja are either from the Rock or the Cloud." Tsunade was hoping to make a good point, Shizune went out of her way to tell her that they were pregnant in the first place, she'd very well go behind the Hokage's back if she felt it she needed to.
"I understand Lady Tsunade, but this doesn't seem right. How do you know what's best for them." She questioned.
Tsunade looked up at her assistent and smirked. "I'm one of the very few who understands Naruto like family, if there's one thing I know then he'll be forgiving if it means saving Sakura's life. That was the very reason I had to put her under surgery and remove their child. It's no doubt in my mind she would try to use her medical powers to heal their daughter."
Shizune didn't say a word. "Alright. I'll trust you on this, I just feel it won't be enough for Naruto."
"I know, by now I'm sure Sakura has woken up and Sasuke should be there comforting her. I also made sure Naruto had the chance to escape his confinment. She'll tell him, any mother would know when they'd lost their child."
Shizune didn't understand it still seemed harsh to her, but then again that was the world they lived in this solution was un advoidable.
Everything was unavoidable.
...
Sasuke was walking his team mates back to their aparment. He hated continuing to live in the Uchiha compound though he hadn't much choice, but when Sakura asked if he had wanted to stay with them for a few nights he definantly didn't refuse. "As long as I don't hear any noise coming from your bedroom." He smirked.
"Don't be absurd you idiot!" Sakura stated, smirking at her friend's outburst. He was defiantly disrespectful but she liked that about him, it made him who he really was.
"I don't want to hear any sobbing either, there's still good things coming..." At that point Sasuke turned to look at Naruto and spoke sternly, "You're going to be appointed Hokage don't forget."
Naruto had no idea how he knew but everything added up to the fact that Sakura told him. Naruto looked at his wife gently with a loving expression but despair was still overlooking them both, even Sasuke. He hadn't had any reaction when Sakura told him except to just let the tears flow from his wide eyes.
Flashback-
Naruto burst through the door to his wife's hospital room in Kurama's chakra mode. He was angry that Ba-chan was keeping him away from the most important person in his life, people to be exact. But when he left Chakra mode and turned his head to look at them the expression on his two best friends and teammates
,brother and wife's faces told him that something was terribly wrong.
"Sakura!" He rushed over to her unable to contain it and kissed her quite hard. Sasuke gagged who was holding Sakura comfortly from the closeness to the gesture.
"N...Naruto!" She gasped trying to get a puff of air into her lungs.
He looked at her softly. "I'm sorry Sakura-chan. I've just been away from you for too long."
Sakura was surprised to hear him say 'Sakura-chan' again since in...forever. But she still didn't want to break the news to him, though she had to, she as her duty being his wife had no other choice. "Naruto please sit down and listen to me."
At that point he looked at her seriously enough to notice the tear streaks under her eyes. He had a horribly bad feeling about it all.
"I'm so sorry... it's just..." Sakura spoke, trying to force the words out.
"Are you hurt?"
"Naruto I'm fine."
"Is the baby okay!?" He asked desperately.
"That's what I'm trying to tell you!"
Sasuke interrupted. "Naruto it's not Sakura's fault, Shizune put her under as Tsunade helped perform the surgery, I guess something was wrong."
"Wait what do you mean by surgery?" Naruto looked at his brother confused.
"Naruto. I...I'm not...pregnant anymore." She saw the gaze of desperation in her husband's eyes turn into fear and agony. He looked so shocked and upset. Obviously he was greeted by one of his worst nightmares. And she was greeted with the tearing pain of watching the tears pour down his face, never had she
imagined she'd carry one of her best friend's worst burdens, literally. The thoughts overwhelmed her immensely.
End Flashback-
"Goodnight Sasuke." Sakura gave him a hug and let Naruto lead her away.
"Goodnight." He repeated her.
Naruto smiled at his brother who mouthed the words "Good luck" to him.
(Okay I'm sick or writing such depressing stories so after Naruto is appointed Hokage we are going to skip forward a few months. yay XDD actually I came up with something better XDD)
...
The Hokage stood in her office prepared excitedly awaiting for the day that had just come, when her figurative brother would take on the role she held. He had defiantly deserved it. Sakura demanded that she made it a little special hoping it'd ease his mind off of the loss of his daughter a week ago, Truth be told she was still alive but barely by a breath. The agony of hiding the secret killed Tsunade on the inside, but right now more important matters were approaching her.
Naruto stepped into the room unexpected by the sight of his wife, brother, and friends and teammates, even his sensei's. "Ba-chan what is this?"
Sakura who was practically beside him hit him on the top of his head. "Naruto you idiot, it's your Hokage ceremony."
"What!? Ceremony?"
"We all just wanted to share the moment with you." Shikamaru Nara spoke up from among the crowd.
Naruto looked around calling the names of everyone he saw. "Sakura, Shikamaru, Sasuke, Kakashi sensei, Kiba, Hinata, Tenten, Ino, Chouji, Sai, Shino, Gai sensei, Lee, Sai, Shizune, even Kurenai. Everyone's here."
"Of course you dumbass." Sasuke spoke it like it was too obvious and that Naruto shouldn't have required thinking at all.
Tsunade stood up from her desk smiling largely as she walked up to Naruto quietly and collectively. "Utzamaki, Naruto. I hereby on the first, second, third, sixth, and especially the fourth Hokage's will have decided to appoint you as the seventh Hokage of Kohona Gakure. I still have faith that you'll show me up even as Hokage."
pausing she took a deep breath. "Do you Naruto apprehend this role as the head of the village, and one of the heads of the Ninja Alliance, and all of the Shinobi world.
Naruto looked at her embarrassed and with hesitation, he didn't know whether it was a good time or not but his father wouldn't improve if he refused, and his mother would be sure to kill him as well, well figuratively speaking. Quietly but respectfully he spoke "I promise to take on the role with all of you in mind. I promise not to fail, and I promise that I won't back down and that I'll protect this village and every one of you with my life."
Tsunade smiled contempt as she picked up a piece of clothing behind her atop of her, Naruto's desk and handed it to him. "It belongs to you now."
Naruto looked at the piece of cloth with shock on his face. "This, is my father's robe."
"It was damaged the night that Kurama and Tobi attacked, I repaired it in your and the Fourth Hokage's honor." She smiled gently.
"T...thank you Ba-chan." He looked at her gratefully. And upon the piece of cloth he held he could read the words 'Seventh Hokage' and right beside it there was the word 'Fourth'. Upon the gesture Naruto started to tear up emotionally and had to hold back with all his strength.
"I now commend you as Hokage in your turn." She finalized.
He let the tears go as everyone congratulated him. It was enough to throw him over board when he saw the pride and love in Sakura's eyes.
...
