Problems, problems

''Mikoto, I am saying that our daughter is pregnant by your son, have to hurry up with their wedding before the news go around.'' a determined female voice spoke in a serious tone. The overheard words had Sasuke getting automatically shocked, his cell phone leaving his hands in the process.

The thick noise of the object's fall gave out Sasuke's presence, and everyone on the table instantly turned their heads alarmed towards his spot.

''Sasuke?'' his mother spoke, guessing it was him. Sasuke coughed softly, took a deep breath and started descending the stair case, till he was standing in front of the gathering.

His mother looked at him with an apologetic look. Sasuke had never told her so far, but she knew her son very well and she knew that Nao wasn't nothing near the woman of his life. Sasuke just didn't fall for that type of girls. But here she was now, ready to ask him to sacrifice his personal happiness for his family's social image and economical future.

Nao's parents looked at him in a kind yet serious look. His heart started pounding hard in his chest. His mind was rather distracted,. Absorbed somewhere internally, where the news that he would become a father and a married man were struggling to sink in. But as a child that hates his vegetables, he would keep denying them in his head, even though deep down he knew it was real and not just a nightmare.

''Nao is pregnant?'' he snapped out of his thoughts, as he felt everyone's eyes looking at him expectantly.

Nao's mom spoke.

''Yes, dear. I am sorry you had to learn about this, that way. You have to come up with a wedding date around this month, now.'' She said, almost as if she was dealing with another bussineman in her company's office.

Mikoto gave her a secretly annoyed look and turned her gaze to Sasuke.

''You see, honey, you remember when after every survivor from Konoha was taken to the hospital and the nurses took your blood tests, right?'' she spoke as if she was trying to explain a tough situation to a kid.

''Yes.'' Sasuke nodded, speaking in a low serious tone.

''Well, after examining Nao's blood tests, the doctors found out that she is pregnant.'' She finished, averting her gaze to the ground. She knew very well, that now they had Sasuke trapped, and he couldn't say no to that wedding not in a million years. Cornering him though like that, it saddened her. It wasn't what a good mom should do to her kids about such important decisions.

Sasuke looked at his mom in disbelief and exasperation.

''But…they didn't tell me about that while we were there. They said there was nothing to worry about, that we were both healthy and that we could leave from the hospital.''

Nao's dad interrupted.

''Nao is a shy and sensitive girl, Sasuke. Even if she doesn't seem very much so. She asked the doctors not to tell you, judging that it wasn't the right moment right there. But you learnt it by us, in an unplanned way.'' He finished leaving down his cigarette.

Mikoto looked at Sasuke deeply in the eyes, as if she was trying to tell him things she couldn't voice in front of the guests.

As Sasuke kept silent in secret awe, Nao's mom, Ophelia, spoke.

''My my, Sasuke. Do you doubt the honest of our words? Instead of being anxious whether we are right or wrong, you should be coming up with a date for your wedding. It's what a father should do. We would be fine if you wanted to call it an end with Nao, but now with the baby and all, you understand… Our family is a big name around, we can't have people gossiping about Nao's bastard kid just because you chose to be irresponsible. Please, think about it.''

Sasuke averted his gaze from the ground to Nao's parents. It was cold and angry.

''Are you sure it's mine?'' he asked in a calm but absolute tone, leaving Nao's parents agape in offence.

Nao's father stood up and walked close to Sasuke. Mikoto alarmed by his threatening stance stood up automatically, but stayed on her spot, watching over her son, worried.

''Listen here, young man. I know my daughter very well. Inside and out. She is a spoiled, ego centric, childish, demanding young lady, but a whore she is not. And I suggest you take back what you said right now.'' He said, poking Sasuke's chest with his short stick

Mikoto made some steps towards the men.

''He…he didn't mean it that way! Sasuke?'' she exclaimed as Sasuke stayed silent and unaffected, just looking at the man fearless.

''Dad!'' a girly voice came up from above just in time. Everyone's heads turned to see a awaken Nao standing on top of the staircase, looking at the event in wide eyes.

''Nao!'' Ophelia exclaimed.

Her father moved away from Sasuke, kind of surprised by his daughter's sudden arrival. His eyes though, were still pinned coldly at Sasuke.

Nao ran down the stairs in a hurry and hugged Sasuke in a clingy way.

Sasuke became stiff, choosing to not return the hug. He felt confused and irritated and hurt and lost and betrayed. He didn't know how to feel at that point, above all.

A certain word had taken over his thoughts: What?

''How long have you been there?'' Her father asked, looking at her softly.

''Enough to know that Sasuke knows about my prgnancy. I told you, you shouldn't talk about it in the house. I wanted to tell him myself, in another way and time.'' She said, unburying her blushing face from Sasuke's chest.

Sasuke gave her a questioning look as they locked eyes.

''Sasuke hun, I am sorry I didn't tell you earlier. But you see, Sasuke, it is our child and it is an important matter to me. I needed some time to ready myself. And I am sure you know very well how faithful I have been to you ever since we got together. This baby could be yours and only yours.'' She said in a defensive tone.

Sasuke sighed silently and made some steps back.

''We have to arrange a wedding date. At noon.'' Sasuke said lifelessly, turning around and walking slowly up the stairs. Nao's father gave him an irked look.

''I hope he keeps his word. Or else…'' he muttered, so that only Nao could hear him.

''Dad, don't worry. Sasuke loves me. He will.'' She smiled reassuringly to her dad, even if she wasn't as sure inside her.

On the other side, Mikoto watched as Sasuke climbed up the stairs slowly and in boredom.

Knowing him, she knew he must feel very depressed. It's not that he was irresponsible, but he could barely stand a girl by his side, how would he deal with a baby and a wedding so soon in his life? She sighed pointedly and sat back on the beige couch, taking her still hot coffee cup in her refined hands.

Under Nao's family stairs, she took a pensive sip, ignoring their persistant looks.

Her son needed some time to deal with those news, and if they couldn't deal with it, she wouldn't bother for that now.

The cold silence in the house broke by the loud noise of a closing door somewhere above.

Yup, Sasuke was in a bad mood.

Sakura's house

''I have already booked the tickets. I should be at Konoha, by tomorrow early noon. How is Sakura?'' a depressed voice spoke in Claris' cell phone.

''Well, I took her from the hospital this morning, and she slept heavily till noon. When she woke up, she appeared to remember me and other things about her life. This is a good sign, right? Her memory is slowly coming back.'' Claris whispered, sipping her coffee occasionally.

''What about me? Does she remember me?'' Sakura's dad asked, hope obvious in his voice.

''I didn't go there yet from fear to not confuse her more. Anyways, she's reacting smoothly to her environment, even despite some memory gaps she still has.'' Claris said, her voice breaking down in the last words.

''Does she remember the house? Konoha? Her friends maybe?'' he asked, as if trying to turn around something.

''Oh, come on! You know this is nothing! The memory problem is temporary. She will get over it. It won't kill her. No, it won't. Unlike…unlike that other thing!'' Claris tried to keep her tone low, but she eventually broke down in tears as she spoke.

''I…I know, hun. But as her parents, we have to keep optimistic and strong,…you know?'' her dad sounded at the verge of desperation too, despite his cheering words.

''Why? Why to her?'' Claris whispered, her voice empty as if she was addressing the question to the god.

''Claris…'' the man whispered, in loss of any other cheerful words to share. It was equally hard for him too, being strong right now was easier said than done.

''Please, promise me that you won't tell anyone about this. If others know, Sakura will learn too. And we don't want that, no. She must not know. Promise me , once more, that the only ones knowing will be you, me and the doctors.'' Claris said, her voice sounding almost maddened.

''I have promised countless times so far, Claris. What makes you think I'd risk our daughter's happiness like that? You know I won't tell a thing. And I promise once more, I promise that this will stay between us till the end.'' Aaron said, his voice sounding unsure and lost.

''…till the end?'' Claris voice broke down again, and sobs were heard at the finality words that her ex had spoken so thoughtlessly.. After some seconds though, she strongly forced herself to recover.

''I have to hang up now. I need to check on her. I will call you later.''

Sakura sat on her bed, looking out of her window. Now that her memory had partially returned, for some reason she didn't feel shocked by her new memories. It came smoothly, natural to her. It was facts of her life, either way. Why should they feel strange to her? But what she couldn't remember, so far at least, was what happened during the days she spent at that island. She could remember everything before that though, like how she met Sasuke on the plane, how she met his fiancé, how she almost fainted before all that and the raven helped her out.

Sasuke…so he loved someone? It seemed hard to believe. She opened her shelf and took out a small diary she left at Konoha for every time she came back. It was nice remembering such small details. It made her smile.

She flipped the pages, till she found a clear one and started writing.

''So, I am finally back safe and sound.

And I started remembering things. A lot of them. And the fact that I am copying by fine with all of this is surprising me in a good way. My mum is sweeter to me than I ever remembered her to be. But even if she tries hard to mask her feelings, I know something is troubling her. I wish I knew what it was though. Shouldn't she just be happy I am back? Well, I never understood her though, so why would I start now? Meh

Well, you know, dear diary, I have to confess right here in your perfumed pages that hold so many of my secrets-I bet mum had read you but let's leave that aside- I feel bitter. The reason? Sasuke. Yes, you guessed right. Half your pages and more mention his name. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. Yes, sadly, I am still in love with him, after all those years. I won't deny it, well maybe I will but …only out loud! .

I like him, yes I do! Blame me for that! I know it now, thinking of how I felt when I saw his face again in that plane. The way he touched me and sent my head over the clouds again. I was so nervous, I felt like a trapped cat. But all this intense heart beating for him, made me feel alive. Isn't that like what we all want in this life? Other people do risky sports, other people make tones of money, other help in charities…Anything that makes them feel alive, anything that makes them happy.

Don't get me wrong, Sasuke isn't the only thing that can make me happy. In fact, he has made me more sad than happy, anyways. And I have many of other things that could entertain me and make me feel complete, like:…oh well, the list is long so let's not stray from my main point! Which is:

HOW COULD HE? HOW DOES HE DARE THAT BASTARD OF HELL? OH MY GOD! I GAVE HIM MY HEART SOME YEARS AGO! HE SAID HE LOVED ME. HE SAID HE LOVED ME! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW POWERFUL OF A WORD THAT IS FOR ME? AND NOW I SEE, I SEE THAT IT WAS ALL A LIE! IF HE LOVED ME AS HE SAID, HE WOULDN'T MOVE ON SO EASILY! I MEAN I GO AWAY FOR 4 YEARS AND BAM! HE'S LIKE ABOUT TO GET MARRIED WITH A SPOILED RICH FAKE BRAT! HE OPENED A HOLE IN MY HEART ONCE MORE. YES, I AM MAD. I AM IN TEARS AS I AM WRITING THIS NOW.

But moreover, I am wondering, how smart is it for me to think about him now, when I have other things to occupy with? More than him, I hate myself for being so selfish. I don't like seeing my mum sad, so I should hurry and get all my memories back and show her what I remember, so she stops being so worried about me! The poor woman must have lost years of her life when she learnt I went missing.

You know, I can see how life can suddenly turn so unexpected, unstable and tough, but I will not give up on facing all the hardships with a smile. Even if right now, that smile is fake, if I keep on with it, I know it will turn genuine one day. All I need to do is keep trying. Thank you for teaching me that, Dad.

R&R please?

Sorry for all the drama, but I can tell you now that this fic won't be always so much of a pleasant read. It will however have a happy ending.