Daffodil
by Diana-san
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Her namesake represented the fragility and the beauty of life. Nothing could be more fragile or beautiful than the celebration of a new life.
04. Cherry Blossom
Sakura closed her eyes as she listened to the soft hum of the humidifier in the room. She opened them momentarily to stare up at the ceiling. It was white overhead and then it faded to black as she closed her eyes again.
She knew childbirth would be painful but she didn't expect it to be this painful. Somehow, she didn't have the energy to exert any chakra to try to alleviate the pain. The baby was strong and she felt like all her chakra was being drained into her.
"Sakura," a voice called out to her. "Hang in there."
Her eyes fluttered open as she recognize the voice. "Sasuke-kun," she barely whispered out as she felt a hand gripped onto hers. The hold was tight and she found strength in his presence and the warmth flooded to her very core. The baby inside her must have sensed it too.
"Push, Sakura!"
This time it was her master's voice. Tsunade was the medic in charge of delivering the baby. Sakura shut her eyes tightly as she took a few quick breaths before attempting to push again.
Sakura thought about her own mother and wondered how her mother ever gave birth to her. She will have to remember to go talk to her mother one day and thank her for going through the pain of birthing her. If she ever made out of this delivery room.
In the moments between her thoughts and the constant pushing, she heard a small cry as it grew louder and louder.
"The head is out!" Tsunade cried out. "Keep pushing Sakura!"
Sakura was about to cry herself but she didn't as she listened to the words of her master being drowned out by the sounds of crying. That was her baby crying. Sakura pushed as she focused on the sound. It was almost hypnotizing the way the crying had an effect on her. She wanted to comfort the source of the sound. Desperately, she gave one last struggle and soon she passed out.
She awoke a few minutes later as the room came back into view.
"You did it," Tsunade said with a smile.
Sakura smiled weakly back at her.
"Where is she?" Sakura barely managed to say as Sasuke came towards her with something cradled in his arms.
Carefully, Tsunade helped Sakura sit up a little as Sasuke gently handed the baby to Sakura. Sasuke smiled as he sat on the edge of the bed beside his wife. Sakura gasped as she saw the baby. Was it only just moments ago that this baby was inside of her?
"Hi," Sakura uttered out in a quiet choke behind a closed off sob. She was overcome with a flood of emotions. "This is your mama."
The baby continued crying but Sakura didn't care. She and Sasuke had create a new life. Both figuratively and literally. The two of them had started out on the path of a new future and now it had been filled with the sounds of a newborn child.
"What's her name?" Sakura asked as she glanced up at Sasuke. She had never given any consideration to picking out a name and had hoped that Sasuke had given this some thought in the past twenty hours that she had been in labor.
"Sarada," Sasuke said simply.
"Sarada," Sakura repeated. She liked it. It rolled off her tongue nicely. Not to mention how the first character of her name matches her parents.
"The oil that will restart the flame of the Uchiha," Sakura murmured with a smile as Sasuke kissed her on top of her head.
"Thank you for lighting up the fire," he whispered. Sakura smiled at his words. Sasuke was making a mention towards how she had melted his icy heart and made him a changed man with her continuous love.
"You fanned the flames," Sakura whispered back to him. And he did. He loved her back. That was one thing to celebrate about. But now they have a new thing to add to the list. The celebration of a new life.
