Chapter 12

Meeting "Daddy"

"Akemi-chan?" Shizune was the one to speak. "That doesn't sound like something she would be capable of doing."

"No, it actually makes perfect sense, Akemi always made sure to take a vacation at the end of each month, and was a good month late after we had found and rescued the in-coma Sakura, also with her abilities, she can lock away a person's memories in the deepest, darkest depths of their mind and make them impossible to reach ever again," Tsunade explained.

"Man, I feel bad for Akemi-chan, having to endure all that because of Sasuke-teme, you totally ruined like two people's lives man," Naruto sighed.

"I will deal with Akemi's punishment later, as of now please consider all of this information as highly classified, if you fail to keep this a secret, then I will have Akemi use her abilities once more to make sure this all remains secret," Tsunade threatened, "Now! Uchiha, Sasuke I cannot just welcome you back in as though you have done nothing! After all you are a missin-nin, and therefore must be treated as one! Also, although you may be an S-Rank ninja, you are still a mere genin level-"

"GENIN? Oh God! Sasuke's still a Genin?" Naruto laughed.

Sasuke shot a glare at the blonde who had fallen to the floor due to the great amount of laughing. Sakura was giggling as silently as she possibly could, since it was rather funny if you thought about it, Uchiha, Sasuke, most wanted criminal, is still a Genin level ninja! Who would have thought!

"Anyway!" Tsunade cut through the laughter. "There is a special type of punishment, which was once made long ago for a situation similar to yours, and since I don't want your children to hate Konoha, I have decided to alter this punishment a little bit."

"So just how will my little brother be punished?" Itachi asked, rather curious.

"You Uchiha, Sasuke, will have to fight three rounds of elite-jounin and survive in order to become a jounin level shinobi and be reaccepted as a Konoha shinobi," Tsunade declared.

"This punishment, huh?" Itachi thought aloud. "The original had you fighting two rounds of chunin and if you managed to defeat them all, then you would have to fight one elite jounin in the end."

"And you have to defeat all of them?" Sakura gaped.

"No, you wouldn't have to win against the jounin, just hold your own," Itachi said simply.

"How many jounin are in each round?" Sasuke asked.

"Three in the first round, two in the second round, and one in the last round," Tsuande answered, her voice serious, "you don't need to kill them, just immobilize them."

"You must think highly of Sasuke's abilities to be giving him such a punishment," Kakashi rubbed his chin.

"No, actually in a way, I found this to be the most suiting," Tsunade took a deep breath, "I do acknowledge his abilities in battle, however, by giving him such a hard task, I can see if he really is jounin material, and I can use this as a test to judge how willing he is to become a suitable man for Sakura."

"So you do not approve of me yet?" Sasuke questioned.

"Me approving of you won't change much, it's that damn Katsuki-sorry Sakura for my language- you should be worried about."

"Katsuki?"

"Haruno, Katsuki, Sakura-chan's father, he's like a total, my-word-is-law-fail-to-listen-to-me-and-I-will-crush-you type of guy," Naruto said in a robotic tone, "he likes to control Sakura's life, he's like over obsessed with controlling people, and not only that, but he disapproves of me because you know, I'm the…"

"Kyuubi brat was what he called you right?" Kakashi looked at Naruto.

"Yeah, but I swear the Kyuubi isn't all bad, he's actually really nice on the inside, under all that hate," Naruto looked down to his clothes tummy where his seal was.

"Now's not the time to get into lovey-dovey mode Uchiha, you have a lot of obstacles ahead of you if you want to marry Sakura, like I know you want to," Tsunade glared.

"Oh yes and by the way," Tsunade turned to look at Sakura, "We shall keep the fact that you are the mother a secret from everyone, only those who already know, will be the ones to know, so try your best not to give too many hints away, you hear me Uchiha, Sasuke?" Tsunade turned to glare at Sasuke.

"Shizune!"

"Hai!"

"Please watch my desk, I'm going to visit the Uzumakis' home and discuss this with Hinata and have her discuss this with kids," Tsunade got up and marched out the door with everyone minus Itachi and Akemi. Since they didn't need the second Uchiha to catch any more attention than his brother was going to.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

"WELCOME BACK KAA-CHAN!" Two little spiky haired boys jumped to the entrance of their home, where their mother had just set foot in.

Hinata giggled at her sons' behaviors. "I brought some guests over, be nice to them okay?" Hinata bent down and smiled warmly at her sons.

"H-Hello," Emi blushed slightly embarrassed at meeting two new guys.

"Hello!" The blonde twin spoke first, "I'm Minato!"

"And I'm Hikaru!" The black haired twin chimed in.

"And we are," The twins said together, "the Uzumaki tag team!"

"So what's your name?" They said at the same time.

"U-Uchiha, E-Emi," Emi blushed, "and th-this is my brother-"

"My name is Uchiha, Sora," Sora declared proudly.

The twins stopped staring at the twins and ran back to their mother, "Kaa-chan, Kaa-chan," they said together.

"Yes?" Hinata answered.

"Emi-chan is really…" Hikaru started.

"Really cute," Minato finished.

Meanwhile the twins were expressing their ideas of what they thought of Emi, Sora took notice of a little head that had poked out from behind the wall, before hiding back behind it. Curious, Sora went to investigate. "Hello," Sora said cutely poking his head behind the wall so that the stranger could see his face, "I'm Uchiha, Sora."

The poor little girl-who was the owner of the shy little head-jumped in surprise. "Ah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" Sora jumped back and started apologizing nervously.

"N-no! I-it's okay! U-ummm, my name is Uzumaki, Hana, sorry, for hiding," the cute little girl said, bowing nervously.

"W-well, anyway, umm," Sora scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "hey why don't you meet my sister," Sora took Hana by the hand and lead her to Emi.

"H-hello, I'm Uzumaki, Hana," Hana bowed nervously again.

"Oh hi! I'm Emi! Uchiha, Emi!" Emi smiled and bowed excitedly.

"Okay everyone, play nicely, I'm going to go fix lunch okay?" Hinata said before retreating into the kitchen.

The kids then began to play around with each other and talk. It was no surprise that Hana and Emi got along really well. Minato, Hinkaru, and Sora, talked about becoming ninja, and the Uzumaki boys tried to teach Sora how to throw kunai in their small backyard. About two hours or so later they heard a knock on the door.

"WHO IS IT?" The twins yelled in not so surprising harmony.

Hinata opened the door and revealed her husband who was standing right behind the frame of the door. "TOU-SAN!" The boys went running, but were beat to their father by their little sister, who had the advantage of distance.

It was no surprise when Naruto fell over due to the impact of the two boys jumping on him. Naruto laughed as he held his three children. The twins quickly got off. "Hey, hey Tou-san! Did you kick the bad guy's butt? Huh? Huh?" Minato asked excitedly.

"Yeah! Yeah! Did you use Rasengan again? Who was the enemy? Who? Who? Who?" Hikaru looked at Naruto with the biggest and most excited blue eyes.

"Actually, it was a stealth mission, so I didn't do any fighting, sorry," Naruto smiled sheepishly at his children.

"Hello, Tsunade-sama," Hana, who finally got off her father, bowed at the powerful lady.

"Hello, could you please go in and call your mother for me?" Tsunade asked the little girl, she had a soft spot for the polite little girl.

"Hai, why don't you come in?" Hana invited the old lady into her home.

Tsunade walked in followed by Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, since Kakashi had decided to go home. "Tou-san!" The younger pair of twins ran towards the tall and dark man, who kindly welcomed them into his arms.

"Oi, oi Tou-san," Minato tugged at Naruto's orange jump-suit,

"Who's he?" Hikaru nudged his head toward Sasuke.

"Oh, him, no need to mind him he's no one important," Naruto waved the matter away.

"Oh Auntie Sakura!" Hikaru took notice of the pinkette.

"How are you?" Minato asked her being as polite as possible.

"I'm good thanks, how are you guys?" Sakura smiled.

"We're good thanks."

And so, Tsunade explained the situation to Hinata, who had already been susupicious that Sakura was the mother, and Hinata explained everything to the kids, who swore secrecy and Tsunade took her leave. Sasuke became Sasuke -ojii-san, and Sora and the Uzumaki twins became really good friends, and so did the two girls. The group had a very animated lunch. Soon enough, the Uchihas and Sakura had to leave. They walked back to the Uchiha complex which had surprisingly enough appeared to be clean. Well it was surprising until Itachi showed up and then it made perfect sense.

"Well, since everything's looking good here, I think I'll go ahead and head back home," Sakura smiled, "See you later, Sora, Emi."

"Bye Ka-I mean Sakura-sensei!" Sora waved.

"Bye bye, Kaa-chan," Emi whispered into Sakura's ear giving her a hug.

Sora who felt he deserved a hug walked over to Sakura and gave her a hug too. "Well then, bye Sasuke-kun, Itachi-san!" Sakura waved on her way out the door.

"Hn."

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

It was the next day, and Sakura felt exhausted, she was not at all in the mood to get up. She felt she deserved this small break. Well that was before her mother announced she'd made strawberry pancakes for the kuniochi as a welcome back home breakfast. That was all it took for the little pinkette to spring out of bed. She stood up and took a long yawn while stretching. She ran down the stairs to the kitchen where the lovely aroma of her favorite pancakes awaited her. It was a lovely morning she ate her breakfast happily, her father and mother told awkward jokes and laughed together. Sakura then turned to look at her father. He was a strict man, but he was still kind and gentle when with his family. She knew his strictness was because he loved her and her mother a lot, though sometimes he really was a bit too controlling.

Sakura was doing the dishes when the bell rang. It was her mother, who went to answer the door. A gasp was heard and Sakura and her father rushed to the door. When Sakura saw who is was she giggled nervously and smiled sheepishly at her parents. "Sorry I forgot to tell you, but my mission ended with a success! Uchiha, Sasuke has returned to Konoha!" Sakura announced with a nervous smile.

Katsuki, better known as Sakura's father was glaring at the man standing in his doorway. Sakura's mother however, kindly welcomed the man in, as she was familiar with him, and although she didn't like the way he had betrayed her daughter, she was fairly forgiving, and so, she decided that if her daughter was willing to forgive the boy who had caused he so much pain, then she had no right to not forgive him. Sakura's father on the other hand was an entirely different story. He refused to forgive such a man; and should the said man want forgiveness, then he would have him experience hell before he even considered forgiving him.

"Hello," Sasuke greeted coolly once he was seated down on one of the couches in the Haruno living room.

"Hello," Katsuki greeted back, Sasuke had yet to make a move that would permit him to be rude, "What brings you to my home today?"

Sakura could feel the heavy tension in the room and went back into the kitchen to make some tea. Sasuke hated beating around the bush, but he decided that he would, just for now. "Well, I had heard that you had gotten into a fight with one of Konoha's most wanted and was wondering how you were doing Haruno-san."

"As you can see I am doing just fine, thank you for your concern," Katsuki answered smoothly, "how are you fairing coming back after becoming a missing-nin?"

"I am doing rather well, thank you," Sasuke answered.

"Will you be returning to your former team, the one with Sakura, the Kyuubi brat, and Kakashi-san?" Katsuki continued the conversation.

"I don't know as of the moment, however I might."

Katsuki raised a sandy brown eyebrow. Sakura appeared with two cups of tea, "Sasuke-kun has a little test you see."

"Oh?" Katsuki smirked. "So now, since I know that you did not pay me a visit to check on my wellbeing, just what is it that you want?"

"I have come to ask for your permission," Sasuke stated calmly.

"Permission for what?" Katsuki's brow furrowed not liking where this was going at all.

"I would like to marry your daughter, if you would let me," Sasuke bowed slightly.

Katsuki was glaring at Sasuke really, really hard, Sakura's mother was shocked out of her wits, and Sakura only wished she could die at that very moment. Why? She could see it, her father's glare at Sasuke was just too intense, he loathed him, and this was not going to end nicely.

"You honestly expect me to hand over my precious little daughter over to the likes of you?" Katsuki finally answered.

Sasuke raised his head. He would have glared if only he wasn't trying to win this guy over. "I was only hoping that you would."

"Well too bad, I don't deem you worthy enough to be my daughter's husband or my son-in-law, so just go back to your home," Katsuki seethed.

It was when the older man suddenly smirked that Sasuke really got irritated, "Besides, she has already been engaged to Kaito of the prestigious and wealthy Nami clan."

"WHAT?" Sakura jumped out of the kitchen.

"I find him to be suitable, respectable, and loyal," Katsuki said, "you know the man don't you?"

"I refuse to marry a man I do not love!" Sakura stated. "If I was given the choice-"

"If you were given the choice," Katsuki grit his teeth, "you would choose Uchiha, Sasuke right?"

There was a pregnant silence waiting to be broken by Sakura's proud and true, "Yes, yes I would."

"You are much too naïve Sakura, and that will cost you," Katsuki spoke.

"Father, you can't just go and choose the man for me to marry!" Sakura demanded. "I'm not royalty!"

Katsuki was furious that his daughter refused to listen to him. "Listen very closely Sakura, you are in fact testing my patience, now, I don't care whether you quietly obey me or if you choose to do what the Hyuuga girl did, but know this," Katsuki paused, "I don't care if you have a million kids with the Uchiha, you will still marry Kaito! Understood?"

"N-No! I don't wanna!" Sakura ran out of the living room.

"Sakura! Stop being childish!" Katsuki got up. "And you go home," he ordered Sasuke.

"Thank you for your time," Sasuke bowed and left.

Sasuke had a feeling Sakura was in her room, and snuck up to her window. Sure enough Sakura was there. Her face was on her pillow and she looked like she was crying. So Sasuke made sure to make some shuffling noise when he was changing from a crouching position to a sitting position. He was happy that Sakura's head snapped towards the noise and she gave a light gasp at the fact that Sasuke was there. "Do you wanna take a walk with me?"

"Y-yes, I," Sakura took a deep breath, "yes I would."

Sakura blinked and she found herself in Sasuke's arms. He jumped out the window like a bandit that had kidnapped a princess in her pajamas. He took her to the bridge where they used to have their team meetings when they were younger. He set her on the railing and made a promise, "We will be married, I'll make sure of it, I'll become one of Konoha's most precious weapons, and then your father will have to accept me."

"I hope so," Sakura breathed out.

"Oh yeah, and Sakura?" Sasuke said looking at her face.

"Hmm?" Sakura answered looking back at him.

"I think you look stunning in short-shorts," Sasuke smirked, "you should wear them with that tank-top of yours all the time."

"P-pervert! You totally ruined the mood!" Sakura stammered blushing.

"Shhh, Sakura you shouldn't be calling people names, it's rude."

"Oh yeah? And just how do you plan on punishing me? Pervert."

Sasuke smirked mischievously, before hooking his finger around her chin, "like this."

Sakura closed her eyes and embraced the kiss, although she was a little bit surprised.

"Oh yeah, where are Sora and Emi?" Sakura after they broke away.

"I left them with Itachi," Sasuke answered simply.

"Oh."

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

"Oh God! That was amazing Itachi-ojii-san!" Emi bounced up and down.

"I wanna be just like you and Tou-san when I grow older!" Sora said his bright green eyes gleaming.

Itachi chuckled and ruffled the little boy's hair. No matter how many times he did this eyes-closed-and-get-bulls-eye-on-the-target trick he always got the same reaction. Sora was just like Sasuke when he was little. Itachi was allowed to reminisce a little before the demand came again. "Do it again! Do it again! Please!" The twins gave him their best puppy-dog eyes.

Itachi pretended to be exasperated and breathed a sigh out, "fine. I can't say no to those eyes."

"YOSHA!"

Thanks Again For Reading! I hope that the updates will continue to come this fast! Please press on that little blue Review Button bellow and tell me what you think. And thank you anon, for that review! (It was the first one I had gotten in a very, very, long time.) Now a preview!

Dealing the Punishment

"What? Itachi? You don't have any punishment?"

"Hn."

"Good Luck Sasuke, if you make it through this, then you're one step closer to marrying Sakura."

"Get the hell away from me!"

"Well I must say you really do live up to our expectations Uchiha."

"Kakashi?"