Title: Stand My Ground
Rating: M
Distribution: Sure, just ask and let me know where it's going.
Diclaimer: I sadly do NOT own NARUTO...
A/N: Well, my chapters never come out as I want them! Grrraaahhh! Anyway, here's number 1-4!! Amazing. I feel like I just started this thing yesterday.
XxX
Sakura woke up and tiredly rubbed her eyes. Sasuke was lying in bed next to her. He'd learned his lesson. He wasn't leaving her to wake up to an empty bed without leaving a note ever again. Unless he wanted to get a part of his body chopped off. He winced. She'd given him three bruises and hadn't talked to him for the entire day he'd left her.
He knew that he had to get up. It was 12:30 and Jugo's trial was in an hour. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stood up and headed for the bathroom. After his long, hot shower he walked back into Sakura's bedroom and watched her expression when he dropped his towel yet again. The emotions that spread over her face were hard to read. He could tell she was remembering everything that had happened to them and between them. The dropping of the towel, the passionate intimacy, and the un-expected pregnancy. He pulled on his clothes and thought about the baby growing inside of her. His baby. He was going to be a daddy. Suddenly, Sakura jumped up and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door. He strode over to it and twisted the handle. She'd locked it.
"Sakura?" He could hear her wretching inside and began to get worried, "Hey, open the door. Are you okay? Open the damn door."
He heard her cough and the toilet flush. Then he heard the sink turn on. When it shut off, the door handle turned and she was standing before him, extremely pale.
"Are you okay?" He asked again.
She nodded. "Just a side affect of this pregnancy."
He nodded, feeling guilty. It was pretty much his fault.
"I've got to go to Hebi's trial soon, will you be okay by yourself? Do you want me to get somebody?"
She shook her head, moving over to him and hugging him around the waist, her head on his chest. "No, I'll be fine. I'll meet you right after, okay?"
"Aa."
XxX
The whole court was staring at Jugo. Tsunade was standing by him, holding his arm, a reasurring smile on her lips. Jugo smiled a little too, understanding that she was taking Sasuke's place. The way Sasuke had taken Kimmimaru's. She had been his protecter against himself and the world since he had gotten there and he liked Tsunade. She made him feel like he was at home. He turned when he heard someone enter the room and smiled wide when he saw it was the Uchiha. He looked the same except that he had on a dark blue t-shirt and the hideous purple bow was gone.
Jugo knew Sasuke would keep his word. Everything would be okay.
After both trials, Jugo and Karin were ruled as not a threat and allowed to stay in Konoha.
Deciding to thank Sasuke, Karin had approached him quickly as soon as the trail was over.
"Sasuke," She said smiling what she thought was 'sweetly'. "Arigato." He nodded and continued looking out the door of the room. Karin got angry. "Sasuke," she said again, "where are you going now?" He didn't answer her. She would make him pay attention to her. Grabbing his arm suddenly and pulling him to her she planted her lips on his. It hadn't been even two seconds before she was shoved roughly to the floor.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked calmly, glaring holes into her.
"Getting your attention," she said.
"Don't make me regret my decision to let you stay in Konoha."
Karin adverted her eyes. Sasuke looked up back out the door. Where Sakura was standing, paler than she had been this morning, gawking but also managing to glare furiously at Karin. Sasuke knew this would be very bad. He had to get Sakura out of there before she did something she would later regret. Wanting to see what Sasuke was looking at, Karin stood up and looked to what he was looking at. It was hard for her not the back up. Sakura stomped towards them, obviously extremely mad. She looked like she was going to burst into angry flames any minute. Sasuke walked to meet her and Karin watched her exhange harsh words with him before he leaned down and kissed her. Karin was fuming as she watched Sakura break away to glare triumphantly at her once more and be led away by Sasuke.
If Karin was going to do anything bad, she'd most definitally think that it'd be worth it to ruin her stay in Konoha... by killing the weird pink haired girl.
XxX
Sakura was deathly pale as she sat in the cold room. She'd thrown up twice that morning from her morning sickness and was still extremely nauseous. What with yesterday and the ugly girl with the un-even hair trying to make a move on Sasuke and the stupid first trimester side affects, she was feeling like she was in HELL. The elders were sitting at a high table with Tsunade in the middle at the front of the room and Sasuke was standing in front of them. They were asking every possible question and he was answering them all honestly. As far as she could tell.
Next to her, Naruto was stiffling a yelp of pain. Sakura was holding his hand and her nails were digging into the skin. Sharp pains were shooting up his arm and his hand was stiff, still in her painfully strong grip. He didn't want to look down. He was afraid that his hand was going to be purple and mangled.
Finally, they stopped questioning Sasuke and stood up from the table. Tsunade said something quietly to Sasuke who nodded and let out another simple, "Hn." He'd done enough talking for the day. More talking then he'd done in a long time. The elders and Tsunade disappeared into another room. Nobody in the room moved.
"What's going on?" Sakura whispered to Kakashi, loosening her grip on Naruto's hand. He sighed in relief.
"They're going to evaluate Sasuke in the other room and then come back and tell him his punishment." Kakashi answered, his eyebrow raising at the sight of Naruto's hand
"Oh," Sakura said, watching Sasuke with sad jade eyes.
"Uh, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked nervously.
"Yeah, Naruto?"
"Can you.. uhm, heal my hand?"
Sakura looked down at his hand in surprise. It was bruised and looked almost broken. Her eyes widened and she could see the nail marks on the top of his hand. Had she really been gripping his hand that tight? She healed his hand with chakra.
"Gomen-nasai," Sakura said quietly and a minute or so later, Tsunade reappeared before the court which caused Sakura to clutch at Naruto's newly healed hand again.
"Uchiha Sasuke," she said quietly. "Because you have killed two members of the Akatsuki and have not threatened Konohagakure in any way, your punishment for your temporary betrayl will not be severe. You will be on probation starting in two months. You will be on it for six and if you have not caused any other offenses, you will be released from that probation."
Sasuke nodded. This is what he had expected. Finally, they were all excused and Sakura was the first to run over and envelop in a hug. He waited a moment before turning and leading the way out of the building.
XxX
"Shikamaru," Ino called, walking faster to catch up to him. He nodded at her, hands in his pockets, walking lazily towards his destination. "I need to tell you something really important."
The Nara stopped at stared at her. "What is so important?" Ino looked around uneasily and he could suddenly see the worry in her eyes. "Hey, is something wrong?"
"We need to go someplace private, okay?" Ino asked, playing with her weapons pouch.
The lazy genius nodded and allowed the blonde haired girl to lead him in the direction of her apartment. Once they got there, Ino moved swiftly and nervously about the kitchen, producing two cups of tea and handing one to Shikamaru who had seated himself at Ino's kitchen table. She sat down opposite of him, her brows knit slightly.
"So what's the matter?" Shikamaru asked, noticing that she was nervously playing with her tea cup.
"Okay, this is hard for me but i'm just going to say it... because I mean... you deserve to know..."
"Deserve to know what?" Troublesome woman...
"That I'm... I'm-I'm pregnant."
Shikamaru's spoon clattered on the table.
XxX
Short, I know. Once again. A girl can only do so much! But hey, I covered A LOT in that last chapter. I mean in so little words... right? Do you guys like 'em longer or shorter? I can't really tell. But anyway, I hope you've enjoyed!
Review!!
--rach