Chapter Four: Secrets and Sorrow

Sasuke was pissed off, never before had he heard something so incredibly horrific then to hear the words coming from the medic ninja's mouth. "Shizune." He whispered angrily.

As soon as Shizune standing around the corner left Sasuke headed off to the Hospital as fast as he could. When he got there he didn't bother not to barge in, but he knew from then on he'd have to keep his cool.

Slowly holding back his rage he walked up to the front desk. "Excuse me?"

The lady looked up half distracted until she recognized who he was. "Sasuke Uchiha? What can I help you with? Are you here to see someone?" She sounded almost suspicious.

Sasuke already had a plan "Yes. I'm here to see Ino, Yamanaka."

"Ino, Y? Do you know her?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes annoyingly "Yes she's a close friend, I've known her since we were kids. Is she in today?"

"Uh." The lady looked at her most recent files to see if Ino had checked in that day. "Of course she's in room 2b."

"Thanks." Sasuke stalked off, even more pissed off now ignoring the woman shouting 'I didn't say you could just walk in on her!'. As he walked down the hall he knew he'd have to be conscious of anyone recognizing him and telling Shizune, or even Tsunade as a possibility. But he was lucky because room 2b was fairly close by. Stepping in slowly he could see the long blond ponytail in front of him. "Ino?"

She turned around to look at Sasuke rather confused. "Sasuke? Why are you here?" Some of the other medic nins were giving him strange stares. He was wondering if pulling off a fake liking to each other would work until he remembered that she was engaged to Chouji.

"Nothing I just wanted to discuss a future mission with you, Naruto's being a pain in my ass." He snorted.

"A...alright." She stepped into the hall to speak with him shutting the door quietly behind them.

Sasuke bent forward and whispered into her ear. "Listen pretend what I'm saying is funny or something. I overheard something important and I need you to take me someplace private without any cameras or

recording systems." He looked at her quickly and she was smiling joyfully but was still obviously confused. "I also can't be seen by anyone specific, if they take the news that I'm here to Tsunade or Shizune I'm

done for."

She nodded slowly as he leaned back to listen to her response. "Okay, Follow me then, there's one place." She whispered.

Sasuke hurriedly followed his friend down two halls until they made a right into a small old room inside the building, used for storage. There were bookshelves and cabinets everywhere holding old and important

information, and records.

"They stopped using this room years ago, before our technology was upgraded and we had specific cameras and recording devices. I've gotten away with a few things in this room myself so I'm positive there's

no danger behind it." Smirking she added. "If it's that urgent you don't get seen we better lock the door and escape through the windows if needed, but as a backup there are hiding spaces in here, of course

you'd have to suppress your chakra." Quickly she paused then added one more thing as Sasuke walked up to a bookshelf and observed the conditions of it. "The rooms door is also in a blind spot of any cameras

out in the hallways."

"Wow. You certainly know how to get away with things, that's the Ino I know." He looked at her gently with surprise and amusement as she blushed slightly from the praise.

Turning around Ino quickly checked the hall then locked the door. "If any of the medics who were with me or passed by in the hallways saw you and went to inform Tsunade or Shizune I'd say you better wrap this

up in about five minutes starting now."

"Okay, listen I overheard Shizune talking about something...disturbing and I need your help Ino, you're the only person who will." He looked at the shinobi desperately. "It was so horrific, what she said. I heard her

talking about, Naruto...and Sakura, or..." he took a brief pause before continuing. "Naruto and Sakura's daughter that is."

At that point Ino gasped shockingly looking at him with wide eyes. "Y...you mean?"

"Their daughter's alive and here in this hospital right now, I have no idea what Tsunade's intentions were and why she decided to take their child out of Sakura's belly so early and prematurely. One things for sure

she's purposely keeping it secret, that's why I tried to avoid being spotted. You're the only person I can count on, I'd do anything for my best friends." Quietly Sasuke looked away, there were no windows to

look out of because they were all banded up.

"Alright. So what's your plan I say we have about three minutes left, and I think we'd be best to hide, Tsunade knows very well that I've come here before and would expect us to try to leave out the windows."

"That would seem best." He looked at her nervously. "From now on I think you and I should look for the place where their keeping her, I know one key important thing."

"What's that?"

Sasuke grinned as he spoke. "That red hair runs through Utzamaki veins, particularly in woman."

"Wait, how far along was Sakura anyways?"

He snorted out his answer. "Six and a half months, so I believe there may be quite a chance."

"So how are we going to pull this off, and why take their child anyways?"

"No, I just need to know where she is, and I'm counting roughly on you Ino to keep a close eye on her." He looked at his friend solemnly, "Promise?"

"Of course Sakura's my best friend, I don't know about that dope you call your brother but still." Then a light went off in her head. "Wait? Why can't Naruto just solve this, he is Hokage now."

"He's far too early in his years of being Hokage to solve such a matter, and if I know anything it's that Tsunade is determined and it'll be a challenge just to stay out of her reach."

As if on cue Ino whispered loudly to him "I sense a lot of chakra ahead I think Tsunade or Shizune may be here! Quickly!" She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards a small door hidden under a desk

that led to a crawl space. She pushed him in and then crawled in after. "Suppress your chakra.

"Yes, Miss Yamanaka." He spoke in an annoying voice.

"Shut up." She placed her hand over his mouth and quickly but silently closed the small door.

...

Tsunade kicked the door in loudly in attempt to find her pray. She hated doing this so much, but they have no idea how dangerous it was. Angrily she shouted loudly into the two medic nins beside her's ears.

"Sasuke Uchiha! Ino Yamanaka! Get out here now where I can see you!"

Sasuke hiding in the crawl space leaned over and whispered to Ino. "Shit. Either she's going to break our bones, or try to convince us against it."

"Well at least were already in a hospital." She joked back, whispering quietly. But what the two of them heard next shocked them.

"Kiba!" Tsunade shouted.

"Yes Milady." He sounded awfully annoyed.

"Find them out, Now!"

Hurriedly Kiba started to sniff the air.

Sasuke and Ino held their breaths hoping he wouldn't give them up. They didn't want to get beat or reasoned with.

"Hmm.." Kiba whined.

"What!?"

He smirked as he responded to her. "They're not here anymore, I can only pick up a faint trace." Akamaru beside the ninja woofed.

Both Ino and Sasuke let out a deep breath, even Akamaru was keeping loyal to them, and Kiba of course.

"I don't believe you!" Tsunade put her finger up against his chest and spoke un nervily to him. "Where are they? Or would you like a beating too."

Sighing Kiba found he really had no choice.

Ino and Sasuke bit their lips as they heard his answer.

"They're in a crawl space tunnel under that desk." Kiba pointed to his right then shouted "Were sorry you guys!" And Akamaru sadly woofed the same.

"Fuck it!" Ino started to open the door. "When I say now attack."

"What!"

"She isn't Hokage anymore."

"Do you know what she'll do to us when she finds us afterwards." He tried to un-convince her but it didn't seem to be working.

"Hey do you want a beating now or later?"

"Fine whatever."

"Here she is. Ready?"

Quickly Ino opened the door slamming it into Tsunade's face. "Now!"

Sasuke crawled out after her to join the fighting amongst them he noticed Kiba attack the two ninja medics but when he looked behind Tsunade was right there. "Fuck!" He shouted and got ready to do chidori.

But he was too late because she punched the ground made him lose his balance and grabbed him by the neck.

"Let. Me. Go" He warned her.

"No, I HAVE SOMETHING IMORTANT THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!"

Quickly Sasuke stopped in his tracks his sharingan already activated.

Ino rushed over about to attack when she noticed the tears in Tsunade's eyes.

"I know you know everything. But I can't afford to let Naruto or Sakura even their closet 'friends' know. You don't understand the danger their both in." She let a tear drop before continuing. "Somehow the

remaining Jinchuriki's demons have been released besides Naruto's and Killer bees. Those ninja who attacked threw a spear into Sakura's stomach not to the point to hurt her but to open her up and steal her

child. I don't know why at such an early stage, but either they wanted to seal another jinchuriki in their daughter or kill her because of fear amongst themselves and their comrades." She paused and took a

breath, then looked up to see Sasuke's wide eyes.

"That's horrible, what do they even what? To continue having some kind of Utzamaki jinchuriki tradition." He spoke.

"Yes, they do, because the Utzamaki have strong wills and beliefs. Naruto eventually stopped putting up with Kurama and be-friended him instead."

Ino thought for second before continuing. "Then wouldn't they want to seal Ninetails into their daughter not some other tail?'

"Well that's also another possibility, that they don't want the kage of the Hidden Leaf to carry a demon and so why not seal it inside his daughter instead."

"That's horrific I don't feel like I can believe this." Sasuke who was released from the former Hokage's grasp, started to get choked up with hatred. "Take me to her."

"What?" Ino and Tsunade managed to speak in sync. Kiba who was listening from farther away looked down at Akamaru sorely.

"Take me to Naruto and Sakura's daughter."

"I can't do that."

"Yes you can, and you will." Sasuke spoke.

"..." Tsunade crossed her arms and pouted. "You have to swear on your lives…" Turning to look at Kiba she continued. "…all three of you. Swear on your lives and as ninjas that you'll keep this secret from Naruto and Sakura. Then will I take you to her."

Sasuke kept quiet, but now he understood why it must stay secret. "Alright I swear."

"Me too." Ino responded following Sasuke.

"Hmph, Okay I swear as well." Kiba woofed.

"You all better behave and respect your limits." With that she turned around and walked out of the broken door frame.

...

Ino looked carefully through the glass frame at the tiny bundle laying in blankets. Smiling gently she sang when she spoke. "Hi there Kasumi."

Sasuke looked at her annoyed. "You named their daughter!?"

She looked at him twice as annoyed wondering how he could be so stupid. "No you idiot, Sakura told me when Kasumi was in her stomach the names they'd chosen." She smiled at the little child who looked at her curiously. "Wow she looks so healthy and adorable." Ino grinned.

Sasuke couldn't help but be curious as well as Ino, she was certainly small but she looked strong and healthy. He smiled joyfully at the little baby, who almost laughed back.

"Wow. I can't believe those ninjas would have the heart to do such horrible things to this child."

"I know." Tsunade replied. "They have no idea she's alive because the news has just spread to the other villages that the new Hokage's lost his child, otherwise they'd keep coming back trying to find as much information as they could. Which is why you mustn't speak to anyone else about this."

Ino nodded and Kiba who was standing beside Tsunade sneezed.

But Sasuke was memorized by the little bundle, he saw so much of the two closet people he knew in this tiny life. She holds onto them and who they are, keeps them safe and alive.

Tsunade then walked slowly towards the door to the small room Kasumi was in and gently picked her up cradling her softly. She spoke up and gestured for Sasuke to come in. Hesitantly he did and when he walked up to the former Hokage she held her out to him.

Sasuke looked up at her with a 'are you sure?' look. But she just smiled and put Kasumi in his arms.

"And she's only 7 months?" He asked.

"Eight, Sakura's belly was small for how far along she was."

"I can tell. Kasumi you're so small." The little baby looked up at him with light blue eyes, specks of visible green. He smiled at the thought but quickly downed at the fact that Naruto and Sakura wouldn't be able to see her for so long. "Will Naruto and Sakura ever get to see her."

Tsunade didn't speak for a bit but just observed him sadly, "I don't know if it gets to the point we might have to have her be raised as someone else's child."

Sasuke looked at the former kage with sorrow eyes. "Then at least let me raise her, only if it comes to that." A tear slide down his cheek and landed on Kasumi's who wiped it away with her tiny hand and then grabbed his finger gently.

Sasuke said one more thing before handing her over to the very curious Ino standing in the doorway. "I can't believe she might have to live the same life as Naruto." He handed Ino her and she looked at him upset.

But when she noticed the bits of red hair Kasumi had she smiled.

"You were right Sasuke her hair is red."