Author's notes

So...I feel better now...melencholey, and little empty, but my life is back on track, hopefully...Anyways, here's the latest chapter of Baby Steps! I'm not feeling in a particularly inspired mood, or even really want to continue this or Bound, but....But you guys want me to write -I think- so I will...

Warning: Violence, BL

Disclamor: One day, one day soon, Naruto will be all mine...

Author: Obsessive


A pink haired woman stood outside the coffee shop, lightly rubbing her small baby-bump. She turned to look at the blonde at her side. "What…do you think this was a good idea?"

She gave her a blank look. "Honey, this entire thing, from sleeping with a taken man, to accepting this invitation, has one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of." Sakura glared at her.

"Glad to know I have your support." She sighed and pushed open the doors. Looking around, her eyes stopped at the most gorgeous men she had ever laid her eyes on. A blonde, obviously a cross-dresser, was talking calmly to a brunette with his back turned. The brunette turned his head, and she recognized the killer glare instantly.

Walking over to him, she kept her head held high, and her eyes fierce. Ino followed her, and when they reached the table, Deidara stood, and the two glared at each other.

"What, you couldn't go it alone, so you had to bring a prostitute?" He aimed at Sakura.

"And you had to bring a drag queen?" Ino spat at Sasuke. Their glares intensified.

"Bitch."

"Bastard."

"Slut."

"Whore." A few seconds later, they smiled and laughed. "Come-on, let's let them talk in peace." They both giggled, and went to another table. Sakura sat down at the seat Deidara abandoned, and they watched each other for a long couple of moments.

When a busboy came up to take their orders, Sasuke ordered before he could even opened his mouth. "Mocha, no whip."

"Um…a hot-chocolate, please." She gave the teenager a small smile, which he graciously returned before scampering off.

"How far along are you?" She looked at him, surprised by how soft his voice was.

"Um…A little over four months…Listen, Sasuke, I'm so sorry."

"Why'd you do it, Sakura? I mean, didn't you know…couldn't you have guessed?" His face was emotionless, but his eyes were distressed. She bit her lip.

"I-I was lonely, and…you weren't the only one who liked him! I did too, once upon-a-time…he was so depressed, and drunk out of his mind…I don't know how he was still able to function…" She paused. "And how was I supposed to know that you two were still together? Far as I knew, you were history!" They stopped talking when the busboy arrived with their drinks.

"You have to know that I would've never…I mean, I'm an idiot, but not a home-wrecker! I just didn't think…" She looked at him desperately. "If I had known you were still his, then I would have stayed far away!"

He held up a hand to silence her. "So…the question is, what're we going to do now? Naruto, and I, would never just let you do this on your own…"

She saw where he was going, and grabbed his hand. "No, Sasuke, you guys need to be with each other. You're soul mates. I can do this alone. I have Ino, and I know that we could do it."

They were quiet for a long time. Finally, Sasuke spoke. "You know, there is another option…" she looked up at him curiously. "We could always live together…"

"Do you mean like, the three of us, plus the baby, together?" He nodded.

"It's a bit unorthodox…but this whole situation is, you know? And honestly, that's the only way both of us could be happy…" He trailed off. Sakura just stared at him, gaping.

Finally, she managed to say something. "All of the sickness aside, don't you think that Naruto might have something to say about this?"

"Trust me, any and all negative thoughts he has about this will be silenced when I tell him my ultimatum; He either gets you and me together, or just you. I will not settle for anything else." She watched him carefully.

"Then…it's settled?" She wanted to argue, but honestly, she could think of anything else to say. Deidara and Ino strolled up, arm-in-arm, smiling.

"You two play nicely?"

"Good, now let's go!" With that, they dragged their friends out of the coffee shop.

On the other side of town, Naruto was reaching his car, getting ready to take his lunch break. He yawned, his red-rimmed eyes drooping. Suddenly, a large hand reached out and spun him into the wall of the parking structure. He jerked from the pain of being flung so hard, and glared at his assailants. When he saw who it was, the glare faded into a look of surprise.

"Itachi? Kisame? What're you-" His sentence was cut short by a well-aimed kick to his sternum. His breathe whooshed out, and he would have fallen had it not been for the large man pinning him up.

"How dare you? How dare you make my brother love you?" He aimed another kick for his gut, and Kisame let him fall to the ground. When he tried to get up, Kisame placed a foot on his chest, holding him down.

"My sweet, innocent baby brother just spent the last month crying his eyes out because you betrayed him! You stupid mutt, you don't deserve him! He deserves the moon, the stars, everything! Not some second-rate boyfriend who can't even keep in his pants!" He kicked him again, and the blonde doubled-up in pain.

"He's given you everything that he is…everything, for the last eight years, it's been all about you." He paused, and looked down at him in disgust. "You'd better hope that he takes you back, or you won't have his protection anymore…and you don't want to know what'll happen then." He gave him a sick smile, then kicked him one last time, and left, Kisame following like a puppy.

Naruto groaned in pain. "Sasuke…"


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