I Do Not Own Naruto

Chapter 25

Sasuke found himself again sitting across from Shikamaru playing a game of shogi and found himself twitchy under the watchful gazes of two others' he barely knew.

The first was a girl slight of build, pixie like features, black eyes and short brown hair. He didn't like her on the principle of her gawking at him; he had been surrounded by fangirls long enough to know when he was being gawked at and when a girl was ignoring him; and then there was the ever confusing, always annoying Haruno Sakura but she didn't count.

The other person in the room was a huge muscular man with blonde hair, a bulbous nose, dark skin, and black eyes. Sasuke had a feeling that if there were to be a fight between him and these people, that man and Shikamaru were his only real threat. However, he was keeping that assessment to himself as he sat there playing shogi with Shikamaru.

This was a strenuous day as he sat there moving board pieces, he didn't like having all eyes on him, it made him twitchy and uneasy, not something he liked as he sat there studying the board.

It was a crucial test, he knew this, but it didn't mean much to him; if anything, and he wasn't certain why they were going through all this trouble to evaluate him when he was about eighty percent certain that he was going to be executed. But again, he kept this to himself. Mostly because Sakura was driving him into insanity with her determination to hope for the best and the false cheer it was putting on her. There were times he wanted to snap at her that he wasn't the dobe and didn't need her false cheer to keep himself sane, but telling her this would likely hurt her and since his resolve was to not hurt or disappoint his few friends ever again, he was keeping his insanity to himself.

"Your move," Shikamaru said.

"Hn," he grunted and he moved the piece he wanted to move to weaken Shikamaru's defenses.

"Does he ever speak?" the pixie girl whispered, he glared up at her as he refrained from snarling. She paled when he looked at her and she was immediately silent.

"You'll have to teach me that trick," Shikamaru muttered.

"Hn," he replied. Well, when one fended off Karin then they learnt to silence rooms with looks; also when she and Suigetsu started in on one another they could drive anyone insane. But trying to interfere usually egged them on so he had learnt to sharpen his abilities to silence people with looks. He'd always had it, so why not use it?

"Alright, Sasuke, I think that's all for now, we'll have more tests throughout the week before the hearing," Shikamaru said when they finished their game of shogi.

Nodding his head he stood up and was quick to leave, however as he left he heard the parting words of the larger man and frowned.

"What is he? A functioning mute?"

"Alright Tenten, we're going to examine your baby now," Sakura said after taking the blood samples from Tenten. It was imparitive that they examine Tenten for any strange deises that she might have accumulated whilst out on the battle field, also, Sakura had just received the report from the Cloud that Tenten had used a rare spiritual weapon, Bashōsen, on the battlefield and it had drained her completely of all her chakra. Sakura just wanted to make certain that using such a power hadn't harmed her or her, then, forming baby.

"Is everything alright?" Tenten asked uncertainly.

"Yes, I just want to make certain that this little one is perfectly healthy," she smiled. "If I were to hazard a guess you and Neji conceived this one just before the Pain Attack."

"Yes, I guess," she mumbled.

"Alright, lift your shirt," Sakura said, Tenten did as she was ordered and lowered the waistband of her pant then. "Have you talked to Kurenai talked at all? She's gone through something similar, and is also a single mother."

"Oh, yes, Hinata had us start talking when we got back from the girls' weekend, she's been… helpful, and Mirai is very cute," Tenten admitted.

"What is Mirai? Six months?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah," Tenten said a bit wistfully.

"Do you still not want to know the sex?" Sakura asked as she moved the wand over Tenten's swelling belly.

"No, I think… I want a surprise," Tenten murmured.

"Neji would be a very proud father," Sakura said as she found a good examination position for the screen. After Tenten's tear at fourteen weeks Sakura didn't want to do a chakra examination of her patient in case she accidently re-ripped the tear Tenten already had with the surge of invading chakra. That wouldn't do, so Sakura was making do with what she could at this moment.

"After this week will you be my attending doctor again?" Tenten asked her.

"If you want me to be," Sakura replied as she examined the screen and smiled at the knowledge she had obtained from looking at the grainy image of the baby, who promptly kicked.

"I'd prefer you to the other one," Tenten said.

"Alright then I'll take over again, now, if you look here, Tenten you can see your baby," she said. Tenten looked over and Sakura saw her bitter smile as she stared at the screen.

"Neji would be a proud father," she murmured. "How do you know?"

"Because, if there was ever on thing Neji was, it was proud, and I have a feeling that any child of his would be his pride and joy," Sakura said carefully.

"Thank you Sakura," Tenten murmured.

"Certainly. Everything is looking good, the baby is very active, which is good, but I want you to remain on bed rest with a few walks a day. Nothing strenuous, if there is any sign of bleeding…"

"Come here," Tenten said.

"Yes, I don't want anything to happen to the baby or you, it's best just to get you here," Sakura said.

"I'm still due in January, right?" Tenten asked uncertainly.

"This isn't an exact science, but yes, I'd say late December or early January," Sakura said as she printed the image for Tenten and handed it to her. They then went about cleaning her belly off.

"Have you thought about midwives?" Sakura asked.

"Uh… would you mind?" Tenten asked uneasily.

"No, I'll study up about it," Sakura replied. She hadn't ever delievered a baby (that had been something Tsunade hadn't taught her just yet, mostly because she had been too young and wanted to be a shinobi medic), however, it appeared she was going to learn to be a doctor with all the crash courses she was taking. Between the war and the immediate post war carnage she had dealt with it appeared that she was going to be a doctor before too long.

"You don't mind?" Tenten said uncertainly.

"Not at all," Sakura smiled as she offered her hand to the pregnant woman. "I've never helped bring a new life into the world so this will be interesting. Now, I recommend you find a support system of friends to help you, even Kurenai had one with Shikamaru and the Sarutobi Clan. I would speak with Hyūga Hiashi about this, and don't leave out Lee and Guy."

"Thank you Sakura," Tenten said with a slight smile as they walked out of the examination room.

"No problem," she smiled, and she tried to fake the cheer she felt for the other. The truth was she had come to the hospital desperate for something to do to take her mind off of what was going on with Sasuke. And since her options were limited she had chosen to do what she did best and help her patients. Tenten had come in, seen her and literally latched on in desperation. Sakura had agreed to examine her and the baby and now there was nothing new to do.

Sighing she dragged a hand through her hair and bit her lip as she prayed that Sasuke survive the exams and make it through the evaluations with flying colors. She was hopeful that he would do it as she turned around, her heart skipped a beat as she saw him coming towards her.

"Sasuke!" she smiled. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Annoying," he said and she frowned at him in good nature.

"I try," she mused dryly.

"Why are you here?"

"I was bored and you've been gone all day, and I do work here in the hospital," she pointed out as they walked out of the hospital together. Sakura felt the eyes on them but she wasn't annoyed by them.

"Hn," he grunted and she sighed.

"Believe it or not, my life does not revolve around you and everything I feel for you," she informed him.

"Annoying, stalker, fangirl," he said and she gaped at him until she saw the smirk on his lips.

Sasuke had been desperate to leave that examination room and get away from the eyes watching him. But there was something that he followed which was more pressing that the desire to escape. Which was how he had come upon Haruno Sakura as she waved off the girl with two buns on her head; Tenten, he thought; before she turned on him and smiled.

There was a calm he could find around Sakura and when he had found her after that strenuous exam he felt the calm again.

"You are a very rude, antisocial, bastard," she snorted and he smirked. "Hey, let's have dinner with Naruto, he'd like a Team 7 birthday celebration before… and you could give him his present to prove you didn't forget his birthday this time!"

Before his fate was decided, he finished mentally.

"Aa," he nodded, she beamed in delight as they walked back to her apartment. Sakura was chatting away, he was listening absently.

It was strange, it really was, he had never felt this peaceful or calm in this village since the massacre. However, being around Sakura, though not contagious, was very soothing and it was about the only way he found himself able to tolerate the village. It was strange.

Looking up he saw the leave turning colors again and he looked at the pinkette who smiled at him.

He nodded and decided that having a true friend wasn't all that bad. It had been a long time since he had ever just had someone.

"How'd the evaluation go?"

"Hn," he managed. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her, it was more of, he'd rather not talk about it.

"That well?" she said dryly.

"Aa," he agreed knowing she understood what he was trying to convey. However, he couldn't convey what he wanted to say as he stared at the apartment he had lived in for the past four months. He still arranged the furnature when his nightmares were killing him but he didn't do it as frequently anymore. He looked back to the pinkette who was pulling out a radio for communication.

"Naruto!" she shouted, he winced at the pitch but smirked as the dobe promptly replied to her. Sasuke just picked up his book and then he sat on her couch and tried not to think about his impending future.

Would he live?

Or would he die?

If one had asked him four months ago what he would prefer he'd have taken death and washed his hands of the mess in his head and heart.

But now… now he didn't know. Death was a possibility, but he didn't think it to be what he wanted as he stared at the pages of the book and tried focus past his future. Well, he wanted to live, he wanted redemption, he had tasted it, and he wanted it, but he didn't know if he would get a chance to have it.

He looked at the pinkette and then at the book.

ANNOUNCEMENT!

THERE IS NOW A SIXTH UNTIL THE DAY I... STORY:

UNTIL THE DAY I CONTINUE

I started writing these little oddball spin offs from the main stories; for fun, and because there are so many Naruto characters that I want to touch up on. Now, if you read the other five stories then you know there are no instant couples, I am trying to follow the cannon line with as few deviations as possible, and is immediate post war life.

Now, all of these little spin offs will be following the same guide lines, but on top of that, they will fall chronologically in line with the other Until the Day I… Stories. Mostly so I can keep track of everything, as the writer, which is important to know. Now, also know that I will take character requests for one shots, and I might even come back to the character later in these mini-series, so don't be shy to make requests. If I cannot do your request because of reasons, mostly life, I will tell you but I will be happy to try at another character or a pairing you'd like to see.

Now, I don't mess with canon pairings or semi-canon pairings, but everything else is essentially fair game.

Now for the current list of Until the Day I Continue I have here or intend to put here and their characters:

-Until the Day I Find Serenity: [Neji & Tenten] (UtDIFS)

If you have other requests tell me the character and I'll see what I can do.

So send me a PM or a review!

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That's all for now folks!

Enjoy Until the Day I Die! =)