Surrogacy

-chapter 37-

rated for language / adult themes

When Sakura awoke barely half an hour after she dozed off she awoke to the pain of the contractions. Sasuke knew this because when her eyes cracked open they immediately closed shut with a long sigh full of dread. He wished there was something he could do to alleviate the pain that rocked her entire body but alas, he had no knowledge of how things like that worked.

"Isn't there something they can give you?" He questioned once she sat up in the hospital bed and buried her face into her hands. She shook her head.

"Sometimes the medications can complicate things. I'd rather not risk it." She groaned and got out of the bed with one hand on the small of her back. She began to pace around the room to aid the discomfort. "Like taking an epidural can increase the risk of needing a vacuum delivery. It can also cause fetal distress and faulty milk delivery."

Well then, he supposed Sakura would just have to grit her teeth, as much as he didn't want her to, he understood why she thought this way. "Are you hungry?" She shook her head. "Are you thirsty?" She gave him a nod, still regulating her deep breathing.

"Yeah, I'm kind of thirsty, but I don't like the water they give us here.. The cafeteria has some good water in the vending machine." Once she finished he stood up from the bed and paced out of the room and once the light from the bright hallways hit his eyes he clenched them shut.

A few moments later when the blur escaped his vision, he walked down the hallway until he hit a directory. He scanned over the long lists of the different rooms until he saw the tiny little picture that had a fork and the words CAFETERIA written by its side. He lazily cracked his back and paced over to the stairwell and meandered the second floor until the scent of nasty food hit his nose. The hallway opened up into a large cafeteria place with bistro tables placed in the middle while small kiosks with different foods. There were different families dotting the open area, each with a different reason for being in this hospital. There was an elderly woman with a woman he presumed to be her daughter, both crying and wiping their eyes with their handkerchiefs. He trekked on as he spotted the pair of vending machines on the opposite side of him, hoping not to catch anything. He disliked hospitals. If any of these people were sick he could possibly bring it with him and into their delivery room and that was something he did not want. He quickly paced over to the vending machines and the only thing he could hear was a family sitting at a table near the machines, a man holding a teeny tiny little baby while the presumed wife sniffled.

He dug into his pocket to find his wallet and as he did so the young child piped up in their family. "Mama why did my baby sister have to die?" It seems that she had kept asking her parents that question because she didn't understand, but the father sighed in a frustrated manner.

"Because, Sweetie..." The mother started as she blew her nose into her tissue. "The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and wouldn't let her breath.. But remember that your baby sister is with God now and she's watching over us."

A shiver ran down Sasuke's spine as she shoved his money into the machine until he popped out two water bottles and quickly got the hell out of there, a new fear festering in the pit of his stomach. He threw himself into their room, startling Sakura in the process. "Ah! You're back! I'm dying for some water right now."

He placed the water down on the metal table beside her and looked at her with a serious gaze. "Can the umbilical cord wrap around the baby's neck?"

She cocked her head at this sudden change of attitude but ever since she got pregnant he'd always been on his toes about this. "Yes it can. What brought this on?" She uncapped her water and chugged down a quarter of it.

"There was a family in the cafeteria that were expecting twins but one died because the cord choked her to death!"

"Aw, you're so cute Sasuke." She smile and twisted the cap tightly. "It can happen, yes. But it's something that can be helped if caught early. Plus, most families can catch a wrapped cord early in an ultrasound. We haven't seen that yet. I promise our baby will not be choked to death."

Sasuke let out a sigh. He felt somewhat better but he didn't quite like seeing a family that had lost a baby when he was currently expecting one. Sakura walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and looked him in the eyes. "I promised you in the beginning of this that I would deliver a healthy little baby for you and that's what I'm going to do, okay?"

Her smirked and gave her a nod.

She smiled and pecked him on the lips gently. "I love you."

...

"Ugh I haaate you." Sakura groaned as she arched her back in the bed and clenched her eyes again. Sasuke sat in the hospital chair, slightly scared of her wrath bit remained in the room anyways. Her contractions had gotten worse over the few hours that had passed and she was now in visible, audible pain and it scared the shit out of him. He just wanted to wrap her up in his arms but she insisted that he stay away from her or she'd choke him out. He didn't mind. After all he did try and kill her when they were younger.

The door to the barely lit delivery room opened to the obstetrician and a flame burned within him. He did not like this man whatsoever and he didn't care if what he was doing was for medical reasons. In all honesty, he'd rather have the inexperienced younger obstetrician than having a man stick his fingers inside of Sakura.

"Alright Sakura, we're going to check your dilation again and see where you're at..." He began as he pulled on a latex glove as Sakura readied herself to be examined. Sasuke pressed his lips into a thin line as the doctor did what needed to be done, angrily at that, his eyes burning into the man. "Well, you've dilated about two centimeters more, so you're at about seven centimeters, only three more needed to delivery this baby! How are the contractions going? What's the timing between them?"

"Mmm, they're about six minutes apart right now, and getting worse. So it's a good sign. No spikes on the heart rate machine either." Sakura pulled her dress back down and snuggled back into the sheets, patting her forehead with the back of her hand. "So three centimeters left, three hours left." She groaned. "Three hours of labor."

He chuckled as he peeled the gloves off his hands and tossed them away. "There's always medications when you need them, Sakura." She nodded and he left the room.

"You need to loosen up, Sasuke." She spoke gently and tenderly as she turned her head on the pillow, reaching over to run her fingers through his hair. "Or your muscles will turn to rock."

"I can't." He told her seriously but without pulling away from her touch. Most of the night she wanted to remain in her own company in her own pain so when she wanted attention he'd give it to her. "I'm too worried."

"Our baby is too strong to let anything happen to them, don't you think? Stubborn as a mule, thanks to you. In all honesty I think they're gonna get a lot of your traits." Her smile lingered as she traced his jaw line with her finger.

"I hope not." He couldn't imagine raising a little shit like him. He'd end up ripping his hair out. "Unless you want a devil child, then you can raise it."

She laughed. "They wont be a devil child. I know if they are you'll whip em' into shape, right? And if they don't listen to you, they'll have me to deal with or we'll send them to Naruto's house." He smirked at the thought of Naruto's house being the penalty for being a brat. It seemed about right. "After that experience I doubt they'll ever back talk us again, even if Karin chooses to keep her share of the custody and he'll be their uncle."

He shivered. He totally forgot all about that mess. "Even if it's his own child that house would still be a punishment."

With a giggle, she shook her head. "You're so mean." She cupped his cheek within her hand lovingly. "I hope our child will be as strong as you are."

His brows furrowed. "You're strong as well, Sakura."

"Not like you are. I hope they have your thick skin and wont listen to what others say to them. Most likely they wont, I can picture our child getting into a lot of fights, like you and Naruto would. With my strength and your unwillingness to back down I have a feeling they're gonna be in a lot of trouble."

He liked to imagine his children ending up with most of Sakura's traits. They'd be respectful toward others, appreciate what they have, know where they come from... The list could go on, he thought. And as long as they came out with black hair he'd be fine. Either way he'd know Sakura's temper would whip them into shape. He nodded at her words. He could definitely see their child being a tough little fighter if they took traits from both him and Sakura. "And once that idiot proposes to that girl-"

"-Hinata..."

"...her, our child will have someone to fight with." He smirked at the mere thought of their two offspring fighting like he and Naruto did. Both of their families would be at it for years to come.

"Yeah, that would be funny if that actually happened. He's got a lot on his plate right now, though, so I don't know if that will be happening anytime soon. Plus I don't think he's emotionally ready to have a child. Could you imagine? I'm not worried about Hinata... But he's a completely different story. I'd just wish that this baby had a classmate from the parents of someone in our year."

He shrugged. He didn't hate the people in his year but he definitely didn't love them. They were all mostly annoying and hated him so he could care less if his child would be within the same year as them. "They'd only slow our child down."

She rolled her eyes and he could see on the monitor a contraction approaching, so he kept quiet, knowing her bad side was approaching as well.

...

With two hours passing and Sakura's agony growing by the minute, the obstetrician entered the room, sliding gloves onto his nasty hands. He didn't think it was a good idea to bother Sakura in her mind state right now but she readied herself and he was without fear, unlike himself.

"Wow, hm." Minutes later the obstetrician completed his job and threw away the disposable gloves into the trash. "Well, it seems like the one hour is no longer needed. You're at about ten centimeters already! If you're ready, we can begin. The woman from Ame had finished, so we have nurses everywhere needing a job."

"Oh jeez, so soon." Sakura groaned and put her hand to her forehead, sucking in a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess we can.."

"Alright, I'll go grab a few nurses and we can get you prepared." He immediately left the office, leaving both Sakura and Sasuke in shock. He knew it was coming... But it was another feeling knowing that soon that baby could be outside of her belly, something to hold, something real. A sickening feeling was now bubbling in his stomach.

"Did you hear that? We're going to have the baby so soon..." She murmured as she sat up in the bed and exhaled deeply and chuckled. "I thought I'd have time to give myself a mental preparation...But a baby! A baby can be in our arms! It's so close!"

Talk about mental preparation he felt like he needed to give him one himself. It seemed like he was all bark and no bite. He thought it would be easy but he didn't particularly like taking care of people and didn't like carrying others weight in a mission - so how could he care for a tiny human being that depended on him knowing what to do? He knew Sakura knew what to do and she taught him but when it came down to it he had no real experience with taking care of somebody like she did. Just looking away for one second could result in the baby's death! He knew it. He was going to be a horrid parent.

While Sakura was mentally preparing herself, Sasuke sat in utter terror. He didn't want to admit it but he regretted ever wanting children because he'd end up screwing up their lives one way or another.

The obstetrician walked in with two nurses in tow, hauling in some equipment and machines they may need for the birth. The thing he didn't really like to look at was the metal stirrup to hold her legs open while she gave birth. They looked like they belonged in a mental ward. Even though he didn't like them, he never once heard Sakura object to the things, so he kept his trap shut.

They talked a lot of medical talk which he only understood some parts, gave her some things, made sure she had water on her side table, and then made sure they had everything they needed.

It was time.

He gulped thickly and glanced over to Sakura who seemed so calm compared to his own blanched face. She looked back over to him with a timid smile.

"You know they say that childbirth's the easiest part."

Dread filled his entire being and once she took his hand he knew he had to man up. If she could push a baby out of her then he could at least live to see this child. With that being said he also wondered if he'd survive her wrath through this. The doctor talked to her for a moment more before the words finally left his mouth.

"Ready when you are, Sakura. Push."

This was it! He looked over at Sakura as she nodded her head with teeth clenched. He could already feel his hand being squished in her hands. She licked her lips, got a tiny bit more comfortable in her bed, and began to push that child out of her.

Only ten minutes into her trying to force that baby out of her he could feel his hand tingling and loosing feeling but he would never complain.

Fifteen minutes later his hand went completely numb and slightly red, being crushed to death in her fist by her massive amount of strength. Even so, he couldn't imagine the pains she was toughing through. She had a straight face through everything, she looked so concentrated. Sometimes people would push the pain to another part of them to get it done and then eventually crash and he believed that's what she was doing.

Half an hour later the obstetrician announced he could see the head and he felt like passing out. Sakura still looked like a trooper, though, she still had that strong and concentrated look plastered on her face, breathing deeply and grumbling different things as she did that he could not understand but he supposed she didn't want an answer when she never complained.

A little while later the doctor announced loudly. "The baby's head is crowning!"

The nurse asked him if he'd like to see and he shook his head. He didn't think he'd be ready to see that just yet. He'd been warned not to look otherwise you'd never want to go back in that area for a while.

Shortly after that and his whole arm losing feeling, the doctor told them the head was out and about three seconds after that the cry of a baby entered the room, shocking him completely. It was real. That was an actual baby crying, not just a baby on the other glass in the nursery wing he saw, it was his actual baby crying. The noises around that baby's cry seemed to zone out. The sound of Sakura's cry of joy, the Doctor announcing she just needed a few more pushes to get the shoulders passed, the nurses blabbering on.. It faded away because to him at that exact moment were of no importance. For almost nine months he had been awaiting this moment, for years even, for his own flesh and blood to enter this world and it was actually happening.

Sakura gave one last strong push, he could tell because her knuckles turned a frosty white and she clenched her tear filled eyes shut and grit her teeth together. "Augh!" She cried out one last time as her head, almost in slow motion, laid back on the pillow, her forehead covered in a sheen coating of sweat, her cheeks flustered a deep red, her eyes glossy. As she panted and tried her best to regain her breath the Doctor pulled the child from her and the raspy wailing continued.

He was so thankful to hear that cry coming from his child and he knew it would be the only cry he'd be thankful for.

He looked to Sakura and her face was wet with joyful tears, sniffling and still trying to stop her heart from pounding against her chest. She turned her face just in time for Sasuke to gently pat her forehead dry and carefully move the strands of her bangs from her face. He could already see the pride written all over her face.

The doctors carefully brought the stark naked baby over to her side and placed it in her arms, the obstetrician also taking a step forward. "Congratulations to a little boy!" He cheered enthusiastically as he readied the umbilical cord. "The Father, of course, should cut the cord!"

Sakura told him cutting the cord was a symbolic thing for a father. It was almost like showing that the baby was no longer apart of the woman but now was theirs. Plus since the father did almost nothing with this pregnancy it was the only thing they could do. A son. The doctor placed a silver pair of scissors and directed him to the clamped off part of the cord, indicating that's where it needed to be cut. So he did it. He quickly snipped it in half, half worried that it would somehow hurt his son in anyway but he was sure these people knew what they were doing.

Still in minor shock, he retook his seat beside her bed, his eyes glued to the little thing flailing it's tiny chubby little arms about, almost smacking his mother in the face in the process. His son had healthy lungs, he could tell by that screeching voice that Sakura just seemed absolutely thrilled to hear. He had use of his limb. There was no cord wrapped around his neck. No visible deformities. He was born alive. Nothing had gone wrong!

He would have smiled but he was still frozen in shock and slight apprehension to even be in this situation.

It did warm his heart; however, to watch Sakura coddle him lovingly, looking like she'd never let him go. It was something special to witness, or at least he thought. Seeing a mother hold her newborn child for the very first time. Witnessing the fruit of her hard labor. That baby looked like he belonged in her arms and he didn't want them to part, ever.

Sakura requested they swaddle him in their blankets so as she hesitantly let them take her son away from them, she let her head sway to the side to glance at him, her face bursting with emotion. "Sasuke!" She cried through her tears, capturing his hand in her own and giving it a gentle squeeze. "A son!"

"Yeah.." He looked deep in those joy filled eyes and found solace. He gulped thickly. He wasn't sure of what to say next because he was just too flabbergasted to think of anything appropriate. "..You did a great job."

She smiled brightly with a sparkle in her eyes and the nurse was back at her side with a swaddled little boy, awaiting his mothers arms, his crying ceased. She immediately took him into her arms and gazed down upon him, studying every single detail, every single pore, every little strand of hair. "Sasuke..." She whispered gently and even though their son was awake, she still felt the need to whisper. "Look at him, our son.. Look at those chubby cheeks he has..."

They both glanced over to his barely open eyes that looked around even though he could barely see, obviously looking a little bit scared by this big and new world. His eyes were light colored, almost a sea foam green, unlike his mothers rich jade eyes. She did tell him that if their child inherited her eyes they'd most likely start off with a lighter color then eventually darken within the upcoming months. He was so thankful that boy got his mothers eyes... But the bigger question was...

He and Sakura glanced at each other and in a silent agreement, Sakura gently lifted the tiny cap over his little head and both parents leaned in. Strands of dark hair lined the newborns head and it was safe to say both parents let out a sigh of relief.

"So..." Sakura began as she gently rubbed the back of her index finger against their baby's cheek. "Does he look like the name you had in mind?"

He thought for a moment then promptly shook his head. "No. You can name him."

She seemed giddy with his decision. "When I was younger there a story my father used to tell me and the name of the little boy stuck with me, so it's a name that I guess I've been saving for my own son..."

"What is it?" He questioned, leaning forward to be just a little closer to the two.

She smiled and snuggled their son just a teeny little bit more. "Makoto.. But I like the shortened version of the name like in the storybook, Mako."

Sasuke smiled a genuine smile. "Makoto Uchiha."

OMG IT'S A SON!
There's only a few more chapter before I officially start the sequel!
Were you guys happy?! Tell me! Also, please don't be upset over the name. Choosing names in different languages is hard. I don't know what sounds nice and what doesn't and in all honesty I chose this for the shortened version of the name, Mako.

Thanks for the reviews and to the people that gave me their opinion on what they thought the sex would be! Keep them coming!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto