Guilty

In a cold winter morning, Naruto was sleeping, hugging his pillow tightly and drooling a lot. Sachiko was in her warm basket, ignoring the sounds her owner made while sleeping.

There was a ring in the door.

Naruto turned himself to the other side, covering his ears with the pillow, but that didn't make the ring stop. He sat in his bed, with his eyes half opened and with his face very hot.

"It's 3.43 a.m. ..." Naruto picked the clock. "Who would come at this time of the night?" The rings continued. "What the fuck..." The young man looked down and noticed his sheets. "Oh crap... I really didn't want to change this now..." Naruto got up and wet his private place with cold water, dressing some new boxers after that. "If it is Rock Lee asking me to join him in his Youth Marathon of the Night, I swear I will kill him." The Kurogane's heir opened the door and Sakura, with Kirika in her arms, appeared in front of him, crying. "Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto..." She hugged him tightly. The boy was so sleepy that he was not getting anything.

"Wha-What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" He helped her in and boiled some water, making a chamomile tea. "Why are you crying?" Sakura was about to talk, but she noticed some bottles in the trash bin.

"Since when you drink?" Sakura asked him. Naruto stared her, making a confused face.

"Since I'm thirsty..." He answered. She noticed he was not ok.

"What... Are you drunk or something?" Sakura left Kirika in her softy bag-bed and went near her friend, staring him in the eyes. "You are drunk!"

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto turned his eyes away, but Sakura put her hand in his face, turning it back to her.

"I'm a medical nin, I know you have drank above the line." She criticized. Naruto sighed and tears appeared in his eyes. "What happened?"

"I don't want to speak about that." He confessed. Sakura sighed and went back to Kirika. "I..." Naruto knew Sakura was his friend. He wanted to tell her the truth... he knew she would understand. She always does. The kunoichi turned back at him. "Mirai gave birth this afternoon." He said, catching Sakura by surprise. Naruto smiled proudly. "The baby is healthy and pretty. I never saw anything like that." He stared his hands. "He was so small... so precious. I wanted to hug him! I wanted to have him in my arms! My son..." Naruto cried. Sakura decided to hug him, making him feel a little better. "I couldn't even hold him... He looks so much like me, Sakura-chan. I'm so happy..."

"I know I also had a baby, remember?" She said, cleaning Naruto's tears. "But drinking will not help you. You knew it was going to be like that when you decided it about a year ago." Naruto lowered his head once more. "Things happen and we..." Sakura bound her hands, remembering her pain. "And we have to live with that." 'Naruto also has his hands filled with problems, I shouldn't have come here and give him one more...' The kunoichi thought, but in that moment, her friend put his hands in her shoulders.

"What brought you here in the middle of the night?" Naruto asked, making Sakura duelling with herself about telling him what was happening with Kirika. She couldn't hold herself and started hiccupping. "What?"

Sakura told him everything about Kirika's decease, shocking the young Jinchuuriki. He couldn't believe how serious Sasuke's mistakes were, but still, he continued thinking his friend was not guilty, after all he had no idea he was going to have a baby daughter.

"And the problem is..." Sakura continued, holding the tea cup with her trembling hands. "I saw the money Kiba has been saving for the baby and it is not enough... it won't last a month. The medicine and drugs needed are too much expensive and rare, but... if we don't give them to Kirika... she will..." Naruto stared the cup in his hands, seeing his face reflected by the tea. "Master told me Konoha has no money to afford for a treatment of only one baby, especially such an expensive one." The girl cleaned her tears and glanced her baby. "I don't know what to do, Naruto. I'm desperate."

"Well..." Naruto gazed her in the eyes. "I have the money I won when I was looking over Mirai." Sakura's eyes opened wide. "I can give it to you."

"But that's a lot of money!" Sakura exclaimed. "I also won that... but once I let Chi being kidnapped by Sasuke, I had to deliver it to the Hidden Moon. Are you sure? Don't you want to keep it to yourself, maybe to buy something to Hinata or to a gift to Kaoru?" Naruto sighed sadly.

"Maybe a present to Hinata would be good... She keeps worrying about me, I guess she deserves that." The boy smiled. "I continue to work... there is no problem in giving you the money, I can buy a present for Kaoru later... after all..." A tear fell inside the tea, turning the tasty liquid salty. "I'm never going to hear a 'Thank you, daddy' from him."

"Naruto..." Sakura realized how sad he was and tried to find some tender words to say, but with all the sorrow within her... tenderness was forgotten in a far place within her heart... just like her memories from Sasuke, that day after day, were becoming more a reason to hate than to love. "Please don't cry..." That sentence only unleashed the sadness within Kurogane's heir heart. Naruto shrunk over himself before the enormous guilt of the mistake he did about a year ago... when he gave his child away for saving Konoha. When he betrayed Kurogane by breaking the promise he made to him.

"My baby... I wanted to hold him!" Naruto cried, making noises of agony. "I'm so stupid... Why have I done that? I should have died..."

"Naruto! That's so not like you!" Sakura remembered grabbing his hand. "You would never die like that! I know you! Please, don't say those things! Don't go down like this! If you go away, I'll be alone." Naruto stared her, surprised with her confession. "You're just like my brother. Please... Naruto."

"Sakura-chan." Naruto smiled and then stared Kirika, seeing the baby with her toy in the mouth, drooling a lot. "You're right. There are people who need me. You and Kirika. Sasuke. Hinata... and Kaoru..." Sakura smiled, happy for seeing the Naruto she knew coming back. "Konoha can no longer live without me tormenting it." They laughed quietly. "Tell Kiba he doesn't need to worry. I will help you two."

"Thank you, for listening to all of my problems." Sakura hugged her friend and decided to leave. "You know... you promised me you will bring Sasuke-kun back." Naruto stared her. "I don't know if I want to see him again... after all Kirika has been suffering."

"But Sasuke doesn't know... I'm sure he would help you. He would never hurt a child of his. His dream was to make his clan come back." Naruto remembered, but Sakura didn't think sweet about Sasuke anymore. All the pain within her soul was destroying the image of her long lost love. "Try to understand..."

"I rather not, otherwise... I would have to answer him... why I let his daughter die... when he was the one who drove her..." Sakura stared her baby and smiled. "I will work hard and I'm sure, I will see Kirika growing up and one day... I will hear her calling for me." Naruto gave Kirika a goodbye kiss and saw Sakura leaving under the starish night of winter.

"Sakura-chan... I hate seeing you like that..." Naruto confessed and entered in his house. In that moment, everything around him started becoming blurred. "What the?" The lights become more vivid and the boy began losing his balance, hitting the table near him. "Why..." Naruto felt as if his strengths were being sucked away from him. His eyes rolled up and he fell in the ground.

Within his mind, Naruto saw the water from the sewer getting dirtier and then he looked up, seeing Skuld, landing near him.

"Skuld?" He was surprised with her presence in his mind, but then again, it was not the first time that happened. She put her hands in his chest, sighing forlornly. "What are you doing here?"

"The soul that helped Mirai living has left her body. Now..." Skuld touched Naruto's heart with her finger. "You will be the one who will sustain her from now on, making her live longer..." Great amounts of energy started leaving the sewer, turning it older and rotten. Naruto watched it open-mouthed. "... in order to prevent the demon within you from destroying Konoha." All the energy condensed in Skuld's hands, producing a huge yellow ball that illuminated the place. Naruto was amazed with its size. In his cage, Kyuubi opened his eyes, staring that light. "Oh holy light of the Kurogane, may your blessed energy give life." Skuld smiled at Naruto. "For every year given to another one, for the good of Konoha, fifteen from yours will be taken, until there is no more."

"What?!" Naruto was caught by surprise. "You mean... You mean that big amount of chakra represents fifteen years of my life?!" The boy stared the ball of light, imagining all the moments that could represent... all the moments that now... will never happen.

"Yes. Remember, that was what you agreed... when we saved Konoha." Skuld recalled and Naruto lowered his head. "Every time you come back to the village, you put it in danger. Once Mirai can die at any moment... that means Kyuubi could get free at any moment and kill you. If that happens within Konoha, many innocent lives will be taken. Are you going to let Mirai die?"

"No!" Naruto quickly answered. "Of course not! Especially with Kaoru..." Skuld's eyes opened wide. "I can't let my child stay without a mother. Kaoru needs her..." Skuld smiled and went near the boy.

"You're so fond." She said and pulled his face with her hand, making him blush. "I'm glad I met you." She kissed him romantically. Naruto's heart was beating faster and faster and it was heard within the sewer. He crossed his arms around her, caressing her body. When she let him, he had tears in the corner of his eyes and was very embarrassed. "You haven't changed a thing. I'm happy to see you are worried with Kaoru." The boy stared her. "I feared you could forget about him, guess I was wrong. You're just like Kurogane."

"No..." Naruto confessed. "He would never betray a member from his family." Skuld caressed his face.

"Things are different now. I'm sure that, if Kurogane was in your place, he would do the same thing." Skuld assured, but Naruto didn't feel better. "Be sad not. The Gods never forget about those who sacrifice their lives for the welfare of the others. You will see, good that goes around, comes around."

"And Kaoru...?" He asked, making Skuld sad.

"That was the great sacrifice both of us needed to do." She explained, feeling a stab in her heart. "I have to go. You will feel very bad after I take this energy out of you. Your body will continue young and pretty from the outside, but the inside will tear apart very quickly, after all, fifteen years of his life were taken. Please, don't lose your hope. I'm sure your pleas will be heard." Skuld left and Naruto fainted, drowning within the waters of his mind, entering inside Kyuubi's cage.

"Stupid... you had no idea about what you get into, do you?" Kyuubi said, getting Naruto with his claws. His demon fox body started shining and turned into a twenty five years old handsome man with long red brown hair, fox tail and ears and a face whiskered, just like Naruto's. He was wearing a dark kimono and a necklace with a yang. "You're lucky only half of me was sealed within you. I only have half of my powers, that's why you can only go up to four tails. But..." Kyuubi grinned, holding Naruto's face. "I wonder what Konoha thinks about you."

The red chakra from the demon got out from the cage and started filling the cracks that were left by the removed energy. Kyuubi's laughs were heard all the way.

In the hotel, Mirai was nursing Kaoru when she felt something. Only a lamp brightened the big and lonely room. Her five pupil eyes were staring the window, gazing Naruto's house.

"Naruto..." She said and then smiled at Kaoru. "I know how you feel." She said, caressing Kaoru's face and crying; while the sweet fragrance of her body made Kaoru's vanish. "It hurts..."

In the next day, Hinata was at Naruto's door. She was wearing a white silk ribbon on her head and carried a present in her hands. Her pink sleeveless shirt was very pretty and anyone could noticed that she had adorned herself for a special occasion.

"I'm sure Naruto-kun will like this." She smiled, taking her pocket mirror to see if she was pretty enough for her lover. "This is a special day after all." She knocked on the door, very nervous.

There was no answer.

She knocked again, but nothing happened.

"Naruto-kun?" She called. 'Don't tell me he forget it? It's not surprising coming from him.' Hinata was about to put her hand in the doorknob when she remembered something. "Dad told me Mirai-sama gave birth yesterday... could it be... Naruto-kun" Naruto was taking so much time to answer the door that Hinata decided to open it. Once it was locked, she took a slide out of her hair and opened it. "NARUTO-KUN!"

The young boy was lying in the ground, with lots of blood surrounding him. Hinata was desperately holding him, trying to make him breathe.

"Please, Naruto-kun! Say something! Don't leave me..." Hinata cried, touching his could face. "I love you... please." She put him on her back. "I... Naruto-kun..." The Hyuuga princess started jumping from roof to roof until she reached the hospital, where Tsunade left everything just to look over the Jinchuuriki.

Hinata was waiting in the corridor, crying a lot. All the make-up she has so devotedly put upon her face was now being washed away by her tears of desolation. Inside the room, Tsunade was checking Naruto, surprised with what she was seeing.

"This... all his organs seem to be older than before. It's just like an adult body." Tsunade whispered. "What happened with him? Beside, why did he lose so many blood? He has no injury? Could it be the same as his mother? No... Skuld was the one who made Kushina's wounds, then... how?"

The door opened and the Hokage went near Hinata, smiling at her in order to give the girl some calmness.

"Naruto is fine. He just lost some blood and fainted with the shock. He also seems to be very tired; after all, he had just come from one mission yesterday." Tsunade explained. "You can stay with him in the room, waiting for his recover."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Hinata made a bow and entered the room, seeing Naruto attached to a big machine that was giving him blood. "Naruto-kun... what happened with you?"

The Kurogane's heir only opened his eyes late at night. He unknown the roof he was staring upon and then looked aside, seeing his girlfriend sleeping at his side. Naruto smiled and caressed her face.

"You saved me." He whispered, kissing her hand. "It hurts..." Naruto felt all his body hurting and he couldn't move. "Crap... I feel so weak." He stared Hinata again. "Please, don't leave my side... my love..."

Next day, Tsunade gave him permission to leave the hospital, but to continue resting due to the missing of blood. Hinata helped him and cleaned his house.

"What happened?" She asked, giving him some food after finishing the cleaning. Naruto lowered his eyes and sighed.

"Skuld came here and took fifteen years of my life." Naruto explained, shocking Hinata.

"Fifteen?" Hinata bound Naruto's arm tightly, showing him she was a little scared. "But then..."

"Yes..." Naruto stared her, smiling sadly. "My lifespan became smaller and it will decrease more... with the passing of time." Hinata hugged him quickly, making the plate with cookies fall all over the white sheets of the bed. "Hinata?!"

"I will always be with you, Naruto-kun!" She assured. "Forever and ever!" He smiled and put his hand on her face. "Always..."

"I love you, Hinata." He said from the bottom of his heart, blushing at the same time Hinata did. "I can no longer live without you." They got closer, closing their eyes. "Be mine... Hinata... forever."

Sealed kiss.

Days continue to pass and the flowers began to bloom, announcing the spring was coming. Birds sang on the branches of the trees now filled with leaves. Nights were also cleaner and warmer, blew by a soft breeze of new life.

Kiba had just came from a mission and saw Sakura sleeping in the kitchen's table, above lots of books, papers and drug lists. Kirika had also fallen asleep in her bag-bed. The Inuzuka boy picked the baby, who started making some adorable noise.

"Don't worry, sweetie. It's just daddy." He said. "Come, let's change that diaper and put you in that comfy bed." After giving the baby a goodnight kiss, Kiba went for a blanket and then put it around Sakura. "If I could just put a smile upon your face..." He said, caressing her face and seeing she had been crying. "Sakura..." He kissed her forehead and then started to make something for him to eat, after giving Akamaru a huge bone. While he was cooking, he felt someone hugging him, making him blush.

"You've came back. I'm so happy." Sakura said, with tears in the corner of her eyes. Kiba blushed a lot. "I was feeling so alone... I missed you."

"Missed me...?" He asked, turning to her. Sakura's face was red and her eyes wet. Kiba could sense her body trembling. "You are very tired. You shouldn't stay awake at this time of the night. It's better for you to have a good night of sleep so your head will be fresh in the morning. Are you hungry? I'm making some Umeboshi. I know you like it."

"I..." Sakura bit her lower lip.

"Haven't you see Naruto or Ino? You always told me you went to see them when you were feeling lonely?" Kiba asked. Sakura held him even tightly, noticing he continued doing the dinner.

"Naruto has his life and his own problems." Sakura explained, remembering Naruto's suffering. "Ino is in the middle of her youth. I don't want to fill her with my problems." Kiba stared her. "You are the only one I have." Kiba smiled.

"What does that mean? Do wanna get laid?" Kiba mocked, knowing that would piss her up, but the answer was...

"Yes." Sakura confessed, making her companion shiver and turn back at her, seeing her smile and crying eyes. The kunoichi turned the stove off and put her face closer to Kiba's. "I really want to be yours."

"What are you saying?!" Kiba was much nervous, without knowing how to react to something like that. "I'm a boy! I should be the one saying I wanted to get laid." Kiba said, moving his arms frenetically while stepping back. Sakura continued following him. "Why so sudden? Plus, you haven't been taking any pills. I'm sure you don't want to give Kirika a brother or a sister. And-and you..." Kiba knocked against the wall and was left with no place else to escape. Sakura crossed her arms around him once again. "S-S-Sakura..."

"I've been working all day long with Master and Kimi-san." Sakura said. "Always trying to find a cure for her... always... you've been supporting me... always, without asking anything back... only someone who truly loves me would do something like that." Kiba continued staring Sakura's eyes, with his heart beating faster and faster. "Then I realize how fool I was... Fool because I passed my days cursing Sasuke-kun... instead of blessing you." Kiba's eyes opened wide. "When I realized that... I noticed I was already in love with you." Kiba's heart was beating as it has never beaten before. "I..." Sakura lowered her head, rubbing it in Kiba's chest. "I loved every time you came back from a mission and check me and Kirika in our sleep. How you were always tender and worried about every little aspect of our lives. I've always seen you as an animal, but..." Sakura was crying, hugging Kiba. "Even animals have fraternal instincts and... even animals know how to love... So I beg you... love me..." Kiba caressed her face.

"I... Do you really... love me?" Kiba asked, with a happiness inside of his soul that he thought he was never going to feel. It was making him feel so handsome... so godly.

"Yes." Sakura answered with a smile.

"No more Sasuke..."

"No more... the only thing that my heart can feel towards him is hate." Sakura confessed.

"Even if tomorrow he comes back and saves Kirika?" Kiba asked.

"I don't care. He almost killed her. Saving her it's his obligation, once he is the one responsible for this." Sakura explained. "I don't want more to speak about Sasuke... I no longer... love him." Kiba put his hands in her face. "You... you are the one I love. I'm not saying this because I'm thankful for all that you have done for me and Kirika, but because I really love you. I'm in love with you... so in love..." Kiba leaned his head in hers and remembered every single thing she said about Sasuke, when she loved him, but then... he could really sense she was loving him, nevertheless, the fear that she could be saying that because she was tired and lonely also filled his head.

"Even if you love me... that's not a reason to go ahead and get laid." Kiba said. "It's already past 2 a.m. ..." Sakura knit her brows and put her face near Kiba's neck, licking it and sucking hard. He moaned loud, feeling his body trembling. The places where Sakura was touching him were burning. "Hey... Mmm... Ah... UH!"

"I'm a medical ninja... I know every place a man likes to be touched." Sakura said defying Kiba with her eyes. "I wanna see how long you will last..." She started unzipping his jacket.

"Wait... un... I... I don't have..." Kiba was about to speak, but Sakura showed him a condom. "That was fast! Don't tell me you planned this all out! I bet you meet Ino for this!"

"I'm also a kind of pervert myself." She grinned and then started to lick Kiba's chest.

"You freaking Amazon. Un! Ah! Uh!" He moaned with pleasure, feeling Sakura's tongue in his chest. He grabbed her hair, pulling it and then rolled her against the wall. Sakura was kind of surprised, staring him with her eyes opened. "Even the great Hypolita had to be submissive to her lover. If you really want it that much," Kiba took the condom out from her hand. "Then I will show you, how animals do it in the National Geographic Channel." He put his hand in her leg, caressing it, while staring Sakura passionfully before kissing her. She was grabbing Kiba's jacket, sensing him pulling her skirt up and his thumb in her panties, pulling them out. The kunoichi could smell Kiba's fragrance getting stronger as their bodies started sweating. They slide down the wall. Kiba pulled her, sitting Sakura on his lap. She already had her shirt opened and Kiba was licking her breasts. Sakura crossed her arms around his neck, leaning her head in his shoulder.

"I'm happy, Kiba. I wish I could stay like this forever..." She whispered at his ear, while she panted along with Kiba. "Stay with me forever... Kiba..."

"I will... Sakura. I will... I promise you that." Kiba assured and the two continued being possessed by love.

Sasuke's memories were no longer there... He was far... far far away...

In the morning, Kiba woke up with the sun hitting his eyes. Sakura was peacefully sleeping at his side. He smiled at hugged her, kissing her lips.

"I will make you happy. No matter what. I will be here for you. My lovely Amazon." Kiba confessed and got up to see Kirika, who continued sleeping as her mother. "You too, Kirika."

Kiba made the breakfast for Sakura and then left for a mission, with a beautiful smile on his face.

Days continued to pass and nor Tsunade nor Kimi had found a cure for Kirika's problem, which was started to reveal itself. Kirika took more and more time to be hungry than usual and sleep too much. Tsunade didn't tell Sakura about it, trying to spare her from some suffering, but her student noticed how Shikaichi and Kaoru reacted to the calls of their mothers and how Kirika did.

Time was going away...

The clock continued ticking...

And Kirika continued sleeping peacefully... too young to know the Death God was already near her.

In one of Konoha's hotel, Kimi went to see his Tsukikage and her son. He sat on the table and let his head fall right into his ramen cup.

"Kimi?! Are you ok?" Mirai said, pulling him up and cleaning his face.

"I'm so tired." He confessed. "Who the hell made that drug? It's impossible to find out a cure..." Mirai stared him. "I haven't slept for three days..."

"You guys should rest a little bit more. Kirika's life is important, but you can't forget you also have one." Mirai remembered. Kimi sighed.

"This village is to hot! I miss my Usagi and my baby daughter." Kimi complained. "That Hokage is merciless. Sometimes, she makes me remember Sjöfn-sensei."

"Yeah, they look alike sometimes." Mirai said, picking Kaoru. "So baby, what to you wanna do now? Do you wanna play with mommy? Do you wanna play with mommy?" Mirai tickled Kaoru's belly, making him laugh out loud. "Mommy's cute little thing. You're so pretty!" Kaoru continued laughing, but that didn't prevent Kimi from falling asleep above the table again. "Kimi?!" She helped him going to bed.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who could it be? It can't be Kakashi, he is in a mission." Mirai opened and saw Naruto. She smiled and let him in. "Long time no see, my sweet. How are you? I heard you have been in the hospital. What happened?"

"I got injured during my last mission." Naruto lied and then noticed Kaoru in his blue pram. He smiled proudly. Mirai noticed and smiled too.

"Kaoru is so cute. He is growing up very well." Mirai said. "I'll stay in Konoha a little bit more, until Kaoru gets bigger. I can't take him with me to the Hidden Moon, the road is very hazard and I don't want to make him go through unnecessary dangers." Naruto picked the baby, caressing him. Kaoru made a weird face. "He doesn't know you yet. You have to come here more often."

"Yeah..." Naruto said, but his heart was in pain. 'He doesn't know me yet...' He thought. 'I guess it will always be like this... after all... the father he has ever known was Kakashi-sensei... I'm just... his mother's surrogate child.'

"You look so serious, Naruto. Is there something tormenting you?" Mirai asked. He quickly smiled and faked a laugh.

"No! It's nothing." He lied again, but Mirai saw right through him.

"I demand you to tell me." She ordered, but Naruto couldn't tell her... he couldn't tell anyone. The only ones who knew where Hinata and Shikamaru... who find out right in the day he gave his child away and Sakura, who he told everything... no-one else. Even Mirai, who he always saw as a mother, who he so desperately loved and tried to save, even her didn't know it. Maybe because... she was the last person, along with Kakashi, who Naruto didn't want to tell. It would cause them too much pain, knowing that Kaoru was not their child. Even if it appears so... everything was made for everybody, even them, think Kaoru was their child and not Naruto's. "I'm waiting." Mirai insisted.

"I don't wanna speak about that." He answered, leaving the Tsukikage a little sad. "Sorry..."

"Sine when we started having secrets between us?" Mirai asked. Naruto smiled trickily.

"We always had secrets between us." Naruto said, making Mirai blush. "You never told me anything about Itachi or Akatsuki. I don't know how you feel about that. You never told me you were expecting Chi in the first place and you were living with me."

"I... I don't speak with Itachi about you because... every time we were going to speak about that you came out with Sasuke and I hate him." Mirai explained, letting Naruto a little angry. "Besides, you also hate Itachi. So, speaking about that will bring us no good."

"But... we would know each other better." Naruto said. "At least, that's what I think." Mirai lowered her head. "The Akatsuki leader seemed to know you pretty well... How did he know about Skuld, if he wears a Hidden Rain headband?" Mirai startled and moved her eyes away from Naruto. "See... that's the kind of things I was talking about." Kaoru stared Naruto. "But even with all those secrets..." Naruto blushed. "I still care about you." Mirai blushed too. "It's funny... I'm always worried about you... about how you are feeling... if you need anything."

"I feel that way too, Naruto..." Mirai confessed. "As if you were..." A tear fell from her eye. "My little brother..." Naruto was delighted for hearing that. The two decided to stop that chit-chat and started speaking about something else. In the end, Naruto went back to his house and Mirai went to put Kaoru on his cradle. "Naruto..." Mirai looked over the window, seeing the Hokage's monument. "I wonder when the councillors will give me permission to tell you that..." Mirai stared Yondaime's face. "You are my brother. I wonder, uncle Flash... if you were the one who didn't want Konoha to know Naruto was your child. But why? I can't understand... Daddy too... I wonder how mommy would feel about this. She was a sentimental stupid... just like me."

The flowers continued to bloom and the sun continued rising and setting every day. Sakura was on her house, along with Kiba and Kirika. The boy was trying to make the baby pay attention to him, but Kirika was simply smiling and looking everywhere.

"It's no use. She doesn't pay me attention." Kiba said, but Sakura hugged the boy to comfort him, making him smile.

"Don't worry." Sakura said. "She is growing up. Soon we can teach her how to walk." Kiba kissed her and then the woman picked her baby, sitting Kirika in her lap. "Isn't that right, my sweetie? You're going to dirty daddy's trousers many times, don't you?" Kirika stared Sakura without blinking.

"That's weird." Kiba noticed. "Seconds ago, she couldn't focus on me." Kirika continued looking at her mother.

"What's wrong, baby?" Sakura asked and Kirika smiled, laughing. Her mother sighed relief, but then she noticed blood coming out from her mouth. "KIRIKA?!" Sakura was much scared. Kiba stared her and then noticed the baby was bleeding, but amazingly, not crying because of it. "We need to take her to Master. Pick her stuff. I'm running to the hospital."

Sakura's legs have never run as fast as that day. When she entered the hospital, the nurses quickly informed the Hokage and Kimi, who came to check on Kirika.

Kiba came with the baby stuff and saw Sakura in the corridor. If those walls and chairs could speak... they would testify all of the Leafs sufferings and anguish.

"So... the baby?" Kiba asked, sitting near Sakura and hugging her.

"Tsunade-sama is inside with Kimi-san..." She said. "I'm feeling so useless." She leaned her head in Kiba's chest. "I wanted to help."

"Don't worry. She will be fine. Tsunade-sama and Kimi-san are the best medical ninjas I've ever seen. She is in good hands."

Minutes later, Tsunade came out and went near Sakura. The young kunoichi's heart was expecting everything... but unwilling to hear the worst.

"Kirika's a fighting girl." Tsunade said. "Her body is resisting the drugs. Her levels of intoxication are very high. If she didn't have Uchiha blood in her, she would be dead by now." Sakura's eyes opened wide.

"Then... Then there is a way... She will survive..." Sakura asked, with her eyes and lips trembling. Tsunade lowered her face. Kiba held Sakura's hand tightly, fearing she could break. "Why..."

"Due to the drugs, Kirika is unable to feel any pain." Tsunade explained. "It's only a matter of time... until the levels of intoxication make her brain and heart stop. I'm sorry." Sakura fell in her knees and if it wasn't for Kiba holding her, she would have fainted with pain. "You know we did everything on our reach... but that drug is just..."

"Kirika..." Sakura cried out loud, feeling her throat hurting at every scream she gave. Kiba bit his lower lip and hugged Sakura tightly, fearing she could tear apart. "It can't be... my baby. My Kirika! Why? WHY?!"

"Sakura..." Kiba didn't know what to say. Tsunade too... was holding her tears.

"You can enter to see her. She is awake." Tsunade said. "Kimi is looking over her." Sakura didn't think twice and entered.

Her baby daughter was connected to a machine that was supporting her. Kimi was checking the baby when Sakura ran at her.

"Kirika..." She cried. The baby laughed again, raising her hands to her mother. Sakura gave the baby her finger, so her tiny hand could hold it. "Mommy loves you. Mommy will always love you. You know that, don't you, Kirika?" Kirika made some adorable noises, making Sakura's heart feel just a little better.

"There's daddy big girl! How are you doing?" Kiba asked, caressing her hair. Kirika smiled and continued making noises to her parents.

At the Hokage's room, Tsunade was sit at her blue chair, with her head leaned in her crossed fingers.

"Hello!" Mirai and Kakashi entered and noticed her bad mood right away. "What's wrong?" Mirai asked, putting Kaoru in Kakashi's arms. "You seem to be..."

"Kirika died..." She said. Mirai and Kakashi stopped, with their eyes opened wide with the shock. "I couldn't save her..."

"Sakura..." Kakashi whispered, looking at Kaoru and hugging him tightly. He couldn't avoid being sad for his student and also for Sasuke... who... without knowing, caused his daughter's death. "How is she?"

"Demolished, as you may imagine." Tsunade said. "It's horrible. So young and already lost a child." The Hokage couldn't hold her tears. "I had no idea what to say to her. What could we say to a mother who had just lost her child...?" Mirai remembered when she was told that Chi was missing. Undoubtedly... no words could calm a heart with that feeling of loss. "The funeral will be hold tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Mirai's eyes turned blue. "You know..." Mirai went near Tsunade. "You know the Rock plans to attack Konoha after tomorrow."

"That's why..." Tsunade explained. "I will leave after the funeral and crush them like ants."

"I will go with you." Mirai said. Tsunade stared her. "Somebody needs to take you back to Konoha after the fight. Neh?" Mirai smiled. Tsunade sighed.

"Knowing the future must be troublesome." Tsunade said.

"Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have told you you're dying tomorrow... but... only those who know their future can change it." Mirai explained. Kakashi didn't get surprised, once he also knew that Tsunade was going to die. "I will be there for you. You have also supported me when I had to leave the Hidden Moon. Friends forever!" Mirai showed the Hokage her little finger.

In his house, Naruto was getting dress to Kirika's funeral. He hasn't seen Sakura after he knew about the baby's death, but he was feeling very sad for her. After watering his plants and giving some food to Sachiko, the Heir of Kurogane stopped in front of Team 7 photograph. He stared Sasuke's face and felt sorry.

"I wonder... if you can feel it... if you can feel your heart hurting because of Kirika." Naruto asked and sighed. "Sakura-chan..."

In her house, Sakura was crying and crying in Kiba's arms. She couldn't bear the pain. The baby daughter she so carefully took in her womb and raised was dead and minutes way for being buried.

"Sakura... I know you are hurt. I'm hurt too, but... we have to go." Kiba alerted. His eyes were also red from crying. He wanted to cry along with Sakura, but they had to go to the cemetery.

Spring sun shinned like never. It was very hot. Ino and Sai were the only ones who have came before them.

"Oh, Sakura." Ino went near the girl and hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry."

"Ino..." Sakura felt happy for her friend's presence. "Sai, you came too... thank you."

"No problem. Ino-san said friends should be there for each other. Ino-san is better than any book I have ever read." Sai said with a smile. Sakura looked at Ino, imagining what more she could be teaching him.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto and Hinata came and looked at her, giving her a bunch of roses. Sakura couldn't hold herself when she saw Naruto and let herself fall in his arms. "Saku-"

"Naruto..." She cried. "It really hurts... now I know, Naruto. Now I know how you..." He caressed her head, also feeling very bad for seeing his friend like that. Sakura and Kiba's suffering in that day was behind the comprehension of men.

With the time passing, more and more people came to the funeral. Kirika was wearing a pretty white dress, all lace-trimmed and a rose in her head. Her coffin was so small that made people cry just for knowing someone so small had just left.

"When I look at this, I realize how lucky I am." Shikamaru said to Temari, who was holding Shikaichi. He caressed his baby's face. "My son is right here, smiling at me..." Naruto didn't take his eyes away from Sakura, trying to let her know he was there for her.

Tsunade was very sad for Sakura. She saw the kunoichi as a daughter and did all she could to save Kirika, but ninjas are humans too... and humans die.

"It's awful... being a medical ninja." Kimi said. Tsunade and Shizune looked at him. "When our patient dies, we always got torment with the idea we could do something more and that maybe, just that little more, would be enough to keep him alive one more day. That was... what Sjöfn-sensei told me. Doctors are fools who try to play God, some of them can... others cannot."

"I never thought she could say something so deep." Jiraya said. "I bet she heard it in a soap opera." Kimi smiled. "But then again, she also tried to save someone and failed, maybe she has started thinking that way after that." Kirika's coffin was being buried in the Inuzuka's grave.

"It makes our heart break and leaves us bitter memories that will never fade." Mirai said. "The Death God must be someone very sad and lonely... because Death is just like that. Only Heroes have company in death... everybody else goes alone."

"Kirika..." Sakura put a soft toy on her grave. Her face was all messed up with tears, just like her hair. "I will always keep you within my heart. Kirika..." She cried. "I love you. Please, rest in peace. One day, mommy will go to see you. Kirika." Sakura had her clothes wet with tears. She was feeling horrible, as if nothing in the word could make her smile again.

Smile...

She remembered Kirika's smile... It was so innocent and pure, just like a blessing from Heaven. Kiba put his arm around her shoulders.

"Only the future knew she was going to die... The Gods can be mean sometimes." Kiba tried to comfort her, but Sakura's eyes opened wide. Her boyfriend noticed something was wrong.

"Future... only the future knew it..." Sakura's arms were trembling with a mixed of revolt and anger. She stared Mirai with her killing intent increasing. The Tsukikage didn't noticed, once she was trying to make Kaoru sleep, but Kakashi did and give her a touch.

"What?" Mirai asked and looked back.

"You knew... Mirai-sama!" Sakura left Kiba and went near her. The Tsukikage felt something was wrong and gave Kaoru to Kakashi. "You knew Kirika was going to die right from the start... YOU ALWAYS KNEW AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME!! YOU MOCKED WITH ME!"

"Sakura? What are you saying?" Kiba went near her, but she pushed him aside.

"This woman... You knew about me and Sasuke... yet... you knew I was going to get pregnant all along... Why did you left me suffer?"

"What are you..."

"Don't play fool!" Sakura said. "You knew Kirika was going to die! All the smiles you have sent me were faked! You are a liar!"

"Sakura-chan! What are you saying?!" Naruto went near her. "Mom has nothing to do with Kirika's death."

"I hate you!" Sakura cried. "I HATE YOU!"

"But..." Mirai was trying to understand the girl's behaviour, but the only thing that came to her mind was that she was trying to transfer her anger to someone else.

"Why haven't you told me?" Sakura remembered the times Mirai came to see her. "You have been faking all this time. You're a liar! A cheap liar who played as my friend, and... and you let Kirika die."

"Sakura, Mirai-dono has nothing to do with it. Try to be rational!" Tsunade alerted.

"She is a liar!" Sakura screamed. "She is allied with Akatsuki!"

"Akatsuki, what...?" Ino found that strange.

"How can we trust her?! I'm sure she only allied with Konoha to give Naruto to them!" Sakura appointed, completely pissed off. Kiba held her, very nervous.

"What are you saying?" He called her attention. "Mirai-dono is the Tsukikage, do you wanna get problems with the Hidden Moon because of this?!"

"I hate her! She could have told me!" Sakura said again. "If it wasn't for her cocky bitch boyfriend nothing of this would have happen! She is just like Itachi! None of them worst a thing!" Jiraya noticed Mirai's eyebrow moving. 'This is bad! When she's pissed off, Mirai is just like her father.' "You suck."

"Me?" Mirai asked, pissing Sakura even more.

"Mirai, you know she is just saying that because she is demolished by Kirika's death. Don't listen to her. She doesn't mean what she is saying." Kakashi whispered, but Mirai walked to Sakura.

"Itachi killed his clan, because of that... Sasuke was alone all his life..." Sakura cried, accusing Mirai. Kiba stared her when she mentioned the Uchiha. "He left Konoha because of Itachi... He did the things he did because of that awful fucker you call love. I hate you! You lie to everybody! You have lied to Kakashi-sensei... to Naruto... to Konoha! Signing the Peace Treaty between our villages was a big mistake!"

"Now that's something I agree." Kimi quickly said. Mirai continued staring Sakura without showing any expression. "We help out and we end up being insulted. I wonder what will come next..."

"I hate you!" Sakura said. "If you could just have told me."

"Why should I? You wouldn't listen and do just the opposite of what I told you." Mirai said, but ended up being slapped by Sakura. The Tsukikage's face was marked with the palm from the Leaf kunoichi. Mirai's look changed to anger.

"You suck! You and Itachi suck!" Sakura cried.

"Insulting me is something I'm already used to it. After all, I usually mess up, but..." Mirai stared Sakura with some scary eyes. "Don't ever badmouth Itachi again. If it wasn't for him, none of you Konoha scum would be alive." Tsunade, Jiraya, Shizune and Kakashi found that affirmation very strange.

"What?! You call us scum?!" Sakura was about to slap her again, but this time, Mirai caught her hand, binding it. "Auch!"

"What should I call you, underling?" Mirai said.

"I hate you! Why haven't you told me? YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT PAINS TO LOSE A DAUGHTER YOU HAVE CARED SO MUCH!" Sakura screamed. Mirai let her go.

"Thanks to you, I know." Mirai simply said, making Sakura's eyes open wide. "I can tell you were Kirika is. She is over there." Sakura shrunk over herself, while the skies started crying, surprising everyone. "Now tell me, where is Chi? TELL ME!" There was a thunder.

"I'm sorry... I..." Sakura cried.

"The only responsible for Kirika's death are you and Sasuke. Not me!" Mirai said. Sakura felt even worst. "That and you should think better about your words. You're hurting your boyfriend." Sakura's eyes opened wide and she stared Kiba, who was tearing. Mirai turned her back at her and passed by Tsunade. "I'm leaving."

"Mom!" Naruto ran after her. Mirai turned to him. "Konoha is not scum. You understand it all wrong. Mom..."

"They were about to let you die starving when you were just one day old. How do you call people like that?" Mirai said. Naruto's eyes opened wide.

"That was long ago, Mirai." Jiraya said. "Let's not..." He noticed Naruto's expression.

"Sorry, I messed up again." Mirai said with her eyes closed. "I'll be at your office within an hour, Tsunade-sama." Naruto looked at her and then back to Sakura, who was staring Kiba, knowing she had just hurt the heart of the one who always cared for her.

The Tsukikage was alone in the roof of a building, letting herself being touched and wet by the rain.

"The Alfa female from wolves should never show her tears." A voice said. Mirai looked aside and saw the astral projection of her father... the same he used when he was with the Sealing Statue and the rest of Akatsuki. "What was this time?" Mirai cried a lot. "That much?! I wish you could be more like me and not so much as your mother."

"Me too..." Mirai cried, while her father sat near her, moving as if he was trying to hug her. "Daddy..."

Back into her house, Sakura went to Kirika's room, seeing her soft toys everywhere.

"Kirika..." She cried for longing. "My baby... How am I going to live without you?" She noticed team 7 photo in the bed side table. She picked it up, staring Sasuke angrily. "ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?! UH?!" She threw the picture against the wall, breaking it. "I hate you... for making me hurt myself." She picked the photo and focuses her chakra in the fingers. "For making me hurt Kiba..." She put the fingers in the photo, burning Sasuke away. "For killing my daughter." Sasuke was completely burned away. "There. The photo looks much prettier this way. No Sasuke..." She let it fall again... "No more Sasuke."

...

"At the sunset, Mirai left with Old Lady Tsunade and the two fought against the Hidden Rock. They won the battle, but our Hokage perished. Kakashi-sensei was appointed as the new one right away. I was a little upset, but I couldn't find anyone better to be Hokage but him. Sakura-chan never forgot Kirika. Her bedroom is still there at her and Kiba's house. At every special occasion, Sakura-chan and Kiba bought some baby stuff and adorn the bedroom... at Kirika's birthday, at the anniversary of her death, in Children's day, Christmas, even in Mother and Father's day. I also buy something cute to put there, Ino and Shikamaru too. Kakashi decided to put Sakura-chan back in the ANBU and so she came back to her place, replacing Hinata and Kiba came too, instead of Neji. That's how the four of us are now stick in a team. Sakura-chan... When she wants to relax... she goes to Kirika's bedroom and reads a book loud, as if she was reading for her baby. There are lots of her photos all over the bedroom... as if it was a shrine." Naruto stared Sasuke, who was dumb founded with what he had just heard. "Kirika was your daughter... yours and Sakura-chan's." Sasuke lowered his head, letting his hair cover his face. Naruto noticed he was breathing faster. "Sasu-"

The Uchiha got up and started walking, passing by Chi and Kaoru, who were playing with the baby dragonesses. Chi noticed his bad mood. Sasuke continued walking and landed his forehead in one of the frozen cherry trees. The pain in his arms was nothing compared to what he was feeling within. It was an intense twinge that made his throat dry and his heart shrunk.

"Daddy..." Chi went near him, a little blushed and with her hair filled with snow. "Why are you crying?" Sasuke let his body slide down, scratching his forehead. "Daddy!"

"Sasuke!" Naruto noticed he got hurt and ran at him.

"What's wrong with daddy?" Chi asked, scared for seeing her father like that.

"Don't worry, Chi-ga-bu. Your father just needs some sleep." Naruto held Sasuke on his arms. "Keep playing with the snow. Have you heard me, Kaoru?"

"Yes, Naru-nii-chan!" He said, raising his arms. Naruto smiled and went inside the castle, laying Sasuke down.

"Hurting yourself will not erase it." Naruto said. Sasuke turned his back at him, grabbing the pillow tightly with his hand, making the wounds bleed.

"I..." Sasuke cried. The Kurogane's heir realized he didn't want to cry in front of him. "If only I knew... If only I..." He sniffed. "I loved Sakura... I really did... I was in myself... I really wanted to have her... for me..." The Uchiha's voice showed he was in pain.

"I know. I fought you, remember? I saw in your eyes, that it was the real Sasuke standing there in front of me." Naruto said, trying to make him feel better.

"I never wanted to impregnate Sakura... at least, not at that time..." Sasuke said with his body trembling. Naruto noticed Sasuke's reflection in the window, seeing him crying as a waterfall and biting his hand to avoid crying in front of Naruto.

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered. "It's ok to cry... you don't need to hide it. I'm here. I'm your friend."

"Kirika... that's a pretty name..." Sasuke said, sitting in the bed and letting Naruto see his face. The Jinchuuriki could only remember a face that ported such sad expression... Sakura's... in Kirika's funeral. The Uchiha leaned his head in Naruto's chest, grabbing the boy's shoulders. "I'm a useless piece of crap..." Sasuke whispered before started crying and crying. Naruto never saw him like that. His screams could be heard all over the castle. All the dragonesses came to see what was going one, but Naruto gave them sign to leave and look over the kids.

"Sasuke." Naruto crossed his arms around his friend, pulling Sasuke to him. "As long as I'm here... you will never be a useless piece of crap. You will always be... the Uchiha Sasuke I have always admired and longed for." In the middle of Sasuke's cries, Naruto could only understand one sentence.

"If I could have any wish granted... just one... I wished I could be a better person..." He cried. Naruto caressed his hair and continued holding him. Sasuke cried the rest of the day and the entire night, until he fell asleep from tiredness. Naruto laid him down and covered him with blankets.

"You already are a great person, Sasuke." Naruto said. "You have just been lost. I'm sure. You have a great heart."

...

Will Sasuke go and ask for Sakura's forgiveness?

Will Naruto really make Hinata a baby?

And the next Hokage's selection... who will be nominated.

Conceal yourselves for the next Jutsu "My beloved one"

The councillors' reaction about Naruto harbouring Sasuke.

The selection of the new Hokage and the Hyuuga not accepting Naruto.

Hi! First of all, I'm sorry for taking so long to update, but you see, I read the chapter and I thought... Nah! It sucks! Let's re-write it differently and I did so. I couldn't make Kirika's death. She was so cute, I can't kill her... that's why I only put Tsunade informing later.

Kisses for you all.