"Oka-san, how much longer? My legs are numb." Yori asked as they ran toward Konoha with the Anbu squad.
"Not far kid. What was your name again? If you want, you can ride my back the rest of the way." Naruto spoke up before Sakura had a chance to reply.
"His name is Yori, yeah. And I would prefer one of his family carry him, yeah. We love him. You are just putting up with him since you want Sakura-chan back, yeah." Deidara said mistrust in his voice toward the Anbu.
"THAT'S NOT TRUE! IF SAKURA-CHAN LOVES HIM THAN I DO TOO! SAKURA-CHAN IS MY TEAMMATE, FRIEND AND SISTER. IF SHE IS OK WITH SOMEONE, I AM TOO! EVEN IF THEY ARE THE REMAINS OF THE AKATSUKI, I AM WILLING TO ACCEPT THEM FOR HER SAKE!" Naruto yelled back.
Everyone turned to stare at him. They realized Naruto had just said he was willing to accept them, even after everything they had done to him. It was then the former Akatsuki members realized they might be forgive and given a chance at a life. A real life, in Konoha.
"I don't mean to interrupt the staring contest or sound weak here but my legs are really killing me." Yori spoke up, sounding like the 8 year old boy he was.
"Kisame, would you take my pack so I can carry Yori?" Itachi asked. At the time, him and Sakura both had a pack and child they were carrying. Yori had volunteered to run so his siblings could be carried by his parents.
"No need. I'll carry Yori." Pein said ask he picked the boy up, placing him on his back.
"Thanks. My legs feel like jelly…" Yori said gratefully as he became adjusted on Pein's back.
"No problem. We are only about ten minutes out of town." Pein replied.
"Is any one else hungry?" Kisame asked suddenly.
"I know I am." Honoka spoke up out of Sakura's arms.
"YEAH! ME TOO! ANYONE WANT RAMEN WHEN WE GET HOME!" Naruto yelled.
"Naruto, we have to see the Hokage as soon as we get to Konoha but if you are really hungry, I made some Onigiri that is in my pack." Sakura replied.
"Oh, may I have some too, yeah?" Deidara practically begged.
"Sure, just save some for the kids, ok? I don't know how long it will be before we can eat and I don't want them to be hungry." Sakura stated.
"Sure thing, yeah!" Deidara replied.
"You don't have to worry about them eating Sakura-Chan. If Baa-chan lets me, I'll take them out to eat than to the park while you all work through terms and papers. I don't want them to be bored out of their mind waiting." Naruto spoke up. Even though he had just met the kids, he already loved them and wanted to be the best Uncle ever.
"Really? You would do that for me Naruto?"
"Of course! The kids aren't the ones that are being brought into the village under terms so I don't think Baa-chan will mind. She will want to meet them first however, being her future grandkids and all…" Naruto said with a mischievous smile.
"Hai, she will be rather surprised. Not only was I kidnapped but I come back a mother and engaged. Boy, I'm looking forward to that conversation." Sakura said, dripping in sarcasm.
"A MOTHER! YOUR NOT?" Naruto looked at Sakura with huge eyes.
"NO BAKA! I was talking about these three." Sakura replied, rolling her eyes.
"Oh yeah. HEHE!"
"I can see the gates." Itachi spoke up suddenly. He slowed the speed and reached for Sakura's hand. "Guys, I need to talk with Sakura alone for a second, before we enter the village. Would you take care of the kids?"
"Sure, yeah. Give me the little guy." Deidara said as he took a sleeping Kichirou from Sakura's arms.
"May I please hold Honoka? I promise to be gentle." Naruto pleaded, looking at Itachi hopefully.
"Of course." Itachi replied, handing his daughter off to Naruto. Sakura could only smile at the exchange, knowing it was a sign of trust from Itachi.
Itachi took Sakura to a confined part of the woods to speak with her. He knew what would happen the second they set foot in the village and wanted to make sure she did too.
"What's wrong Love? What did you need to talk to me about?" Sakura asked concerned.
"I wanted to make sure you understand what is about to happen. The village hates me and if they realize you are with me, they will see you as a traitor and hate you too. Goodness knows Sakura, I love you but if it is too much, I will let you go. I never thought you would love me back and you have no clue how your love makes me feel. However, I also know what people are like. They don't know the truth, like you do, and they will be brutal. It will take a long time for them to accept me back, if ever….. I guess what I am trying to say is, if you don't want to do this and you want to leave me, I understand. I never deserved your love in the first place."
"Love, look at me." Sakura said as she stepped forward, taking Itachi's face in her hands. "Do you think that would scare me off? That I would stop loving you just like that? After everything we have been through, I'm not just going to sit around and let them win. I tried my best to forget you when you left but I could never let you go. When I woke up in that room and saw you for the first time, I was flooded with so many emotions, I couldn't define one from the other. But one was so evident to me, it scared me. I realized I still loved you and I had never stopped loving you. They say death can not stop true love. Why would hatred, misjudgment, rumors or prejudice? Now that we are together, nothing is going to tear us apart as long as I live. This feeling I have in my heart for you, has taken control of my whole existence. I can't live without you now. Honoka, Yori and Kichirou mean more to me than you could possibly know. We are a family now. From the moment I saw you sit down at the table with the children the first morning I was there, I knew in my heart, we would be a family so I decided not to fight it. Our relationship may have been slightly fast to some, okay really fast, but why fight what you know to be right? Even Kisame, Deidara, Pein and Konan are dear to me. We are a family, I admit an odd one of outcasts and freaks but the bond between us is unbreakable. Don't worry, Love. We will make it and be stronger for it."
Itachi pulled her into a tight embrace as silent tears fell down his face. "What did I do to deserve you? I have messed up so much in my life. Everything I have done seems to have been for the worse. How you can love someone like me, I don't know. But one thing I do know, I will never let you go. No matter what happens, I will love you until the day I die. Even if you did leave me, I would never move on, never love again. I love you, Haruno Sakura. I love you more than you will ever know."
Sakura pulled him even tighter to her as she whispered in his ear. "I love you too, Uchiha Itachi. I loved you in the past, I love you now and I will love you until the day I die."
After a few minutes of holding each other in silence, they headed back to the group, fingers entwined.
"About time, yeah." Deidara said as they approached.
"There were some things I needed to explain to Sakura to make sure she understood before we entered the village." Itachi explained. Deidara looked clueless but Pein gave a knowing look.
"Here we go then." Kisame said, trying to sound confident but the feeling of nervousness was thick in the air.
…
"Sakura! You're home!" Ino yelled as she rushed up to Sakura, hugging her furiously.
"Hey Ino! It is so good to see you too. I have missed you so much." Sakura replied as she hugged back just as furiously.
"I was afraid I had lost you for good after a whole month passed. What would I have done without you? You are my best friend and sister. I was so worried." Ino said looking at her, oblivious to anyone else standing there.
"I know Ino. But, I am back and I am fine. More than fine actually." Sakura replied with a smile.
Ino smiled back. It was then she realized who was standing behind Sakura. She looked at each member and realized exactly who they were and that they weren't causing trouble.
"Okay, would you like to explain now? What are they doing here?" Ino demanded, looking straight into Sakura's eyes.
"Well, you see- " Sakura started to explain but before she could finish, Kichirou woke up and started to cried for oka-san. Ino scanned the group looking for Konan to come and get the child. But much to her surprise, Sakura walked over and took the child from Deidara's arms.
"OKA-SAN! You had better start explaining!" Ino all but yelled.
"Whoa girly. No need to get upset. She can explain later but we need to get to the Hokage tower." Kisame said as he walked up to Ino.
"Don't interrupt Fishsticks!" Ino growled.
"Don't call me Fishsticks." Kisame growled back.
"Well, I see you two are practically best friends already but he is right Ino. Tsunade-sama is going to want to see us ASAP." Sakura said, trying not to laugh at the scene in front of her.
"Alright, but we are so having a girls' night to talk about everything soon!" Ino stated giving Sakura hug before moving aside to let the group pass.
"You know it! Love ya pig."
"Love you to forehead."
…..
As they walked through town, people gave the former Akatsuki members glares from every corner on the street. Sakura looked around, realizing that life was not going to be easy for a while. Not until the official announcement anyway. She looked for Itachi and saw he was walking a little bit behind her, so as to appear nothing more than another one of the group. She knew he was doing this to keep her reputation intact incase she wanted to back out but she knew what she had to do.
Sakura slowed down long enough for Itachi to catch up to her then reach for his hand. As she hand his hand, she could feel him tense and his aura get even more nervous. She squeezed his hand, rubbing the back of it with her thumb in hope of reassuring him of her words earlier. As she did that, she felt to tension release until he was calm once again. She knew he realized she meant everything she had said earlier.
As the walked into the Hokage tower, Sakura got nervous but excited about seeing Tsunade at the same time.
"Should we stay apart for a while once we enter her office or will she not care?" Itachi asked, nervous about Tsunade's reaction.
"No, we should stay together. Let's get the children though. I want them with us." Sakura smiled as she saw a look of understand cross Itachi's face.
"Good idea." he replied as they gathered the kids.
They reached the Tsunade's door at this time and knocked.
"COME IN!" Tsunade yelled.
Slowly, they opened the door.
CLIFFHANGER! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review!