DNON
A/N-Hey, guys! Didja miss me?
Ahaha. Well, you see, I took on that Sasuke & Sakura Month challenge on LJ and wrote a whole slew of one-shots for it, for July. My name over there is kaze_and_kiba but I have nothing posted yet. Anyway, I'm all done with that now, so I'm back to my main stories—but, you won't see too many updates from me in the next month, because I have tons of things to do, on top regular of spring gardening and I just got my motorcycle out on the road again—yahoo! So the writing will be on hold a bit. Don't worry! I will still update, just not as frequently for a while. Right now, I plan to update co9t's next and probably FK after that.
Thank you all, for your patience and reviews—they really keep me motivated.
Thanks, Sakura's Unicorn, for all your editing and help getting everything just right. Missed you this week on Skype—hope you're all okey-dokey.
Happy Mother's Day, C!
K&K
Gravity
By Kaze and Kiba
Chapter 38—Absolution
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Guilt is anger directed at ourselves. ~Peter Williams.
It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution. ~Oscar Wilde
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"Go right in, and take a seat." Shizune said, waving Sakura and Sasuke into the Hokage's office. "She's expecting you both."
As he held the door for her, Sasuke thought that Sakura had been pretty quiet since his confession earlier that day. He hoped that telling her the truth had been the right thing to do. He didn't push her to make a decision on anything, but he hoped she'd give him the chance to make up for his mistakes.
Sakura fidgeted in her chair and looked around the room—everywhere but at Sasuke—before she finally spoke so softly that he thought he misheard her.
"Shishou," Sakura said hesitantly. "I think maybe Sasuke should leave."
"Why? This situation involves both of you."
'Because when he hears what I did, he'll hate me,' she thought morosely. Her hand fisted nervously on her knee, her fingernails digging into her palm.
Sasuke frowned. He put his hand on top of hers and laced her fingers through his to relax her hand. "I'm not leaving."
"I want you to know that you're not in any trouble, Sakura," Tsunade told her. "I just need to know what happened to you in Wind Country and if any sensitive information might've been passed to the daimyo during your incarceration."
"H-Hai." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and the dark-haired man next to her watched her with deep concern.
Tsunade looked sharply at the man beside her. "Uchiha Sasuke, you will behave yourself, no matter what Sakura reveals."
"Aa."
"All right. The brat can stay—for now," Tsunade warned him with a stern look. "Go on, Sakura. Tell me how you came to be captured."
"Karin tricked me into leaving the base in River Country." Sakura took a calming breath. Now that she was actually telling Tsunade her story, she did feel a little better. "Working together with the leader of the Rising Sun, she captured me, and then, henged as me, Karin reported to the base camp and told them I was returning to Konoha."
"Why did she help the Rising Sun capture you?"
"She made a deal with them—my life for Sasuke's child. She knew I was pregnant before I did. Karin sensed I was carrying a child from the baby's chakra signature." Sakura placed her hand on her belly. "I had no idea—I was only a few weeks along."
Tsunade nodded. "It's not unusual to not recognize the signs that early in pregnancy—it takes most woman two to three months."
Sakura nodded somberly. She pulled her hand from Sasuke's and rubbed her palms against her knees.
"I was foolish to believe she wanted to be friends…" Her mind drifted over the numerous mistakes she'd made.
"Sakura," Tsunade interrupted her wandering thoughts gently, "tell me what happened next."
"They stuck me in a sack and brought me to Wind Country. I was confined to a room in the east wing of the daimyo's palace, where I was told I'd be held until the baby was born," she finished quickly. Her eyes shifted uneasily toward Sasuke and she began to clench her hands anxiously. She knew she'd left out so much—information that the Hokage would want to know.
"I tried to escape—to make contact—but everything failed."
"You didn't fail, Sakura," Sasuke tried to give her confidence. "We got your message, that's why we were searching Wind Country—only, part of the code was indecipherable."
'So, if I'd been better at working the telegraph I might have been rescued sooner,' she reflected with bitter disappointment. She put a hand to her forehead.
"Sakura, are you—?"
"Four weeks ago, Karin returned again, wanting to take the baby, dead, to Sasuke. I was scared, so I…" She licked her lips nervously. "I accepted an offer from the daimyo in return for his protection."
"Protection?" Tsunade asked.
"What offer?" Sasuke was instantly wary. 'What did that bastard do to her to frighten her so much?' he worried. 'Is this the reason she's been so withdrawn?' Before his focus had only been on getting her home safely, but now he fought to keep his composure as horrific thoughts crept into his mind.
She glanced apprehensively at Sasuke, bit her lip, and tears filled her eyes.
"He t-told me…"
Sakura was shaking. She was terrified that Sasuke would view her deal with the daimyo as a personal betrayal. Tsunade seized her wrist and took her pulse, her brows drawing together with worry. She crossed her arms over her bosom.
"Uchiha, leave us now."
Sasuke ignored the Hokage. "Sakura, you can tell me."
Tsunade glared at him. "You will leave or I will have ANBU drag you out!"
Sakura buried her face in her hands.
"We're going home." Sasuke immediately picked her up and walked over to the open window.
Tsunade's mouth fell open in shock. "Brat! You bring her back, or so help me…"
Sasuke stepped to the sill and jumped. He took Sakura home over the rooftops.
Seeing her so miserable was killing him—he sat on the couch with her in his lap.
"Listen to me," he told her softly. "I don't care what you did or said to stay alive and save our baby." He gently pried her hands from her face, and wiped her tears, tilting her chin up to face him. "It was worth all of it and more, because you kept both of you safe. I know you did your best."
"But, Sasuke—"
"You did nothing wrong."
"I'm sorry, S-Sasuke," she wept.
His chest hurt. Sasuke wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "There's nothing to be sorry for. You can tell me everything."
She shook her head.
There was a loud knock at the door. They heard the knob click and the soft squeak of the hinge.
"Oi, teme." Naruto called from down the hall. "Baa-chan is mad as hell. You better bring Sakura-chan back."
"Sasuke," Kakashi's voice added, "we're coming in."
"Get out," Sasuke snapped at the two men who came to stand in his living room.
"Baa-chan's outside with two ANBU cells, teme."
Sasuke tucked Sakura's head into his neck, trying to comfort her. "Forget it, dobe."
"Sasuke," Kakashi reprimanded quietly, "you can't protect them alone."
"Let her in, Sensei," Sakura whispered in a resigned voice, pushing away and standing up from Sasuke's lap just as the Tsunade let herself in the house.
"Uchiha Sasuke," the Hokage barked. "If you pull another move like that, I'll have your ass in an ANBU cell faster than you can employ your Kekkei Genkai!"
"No," Sakura insisted, stepping between them. "He was only looking after me."
"I'm trying to do that, too, Sakura. Sit down." Glowing green hands began to access her condition before either of them could protest. "Damn it, girl, you know this kind of stress isn't good for you or the baby, but I need to know if there could be further danger for you or Konoha."
Sakura looked from Kakashi to Sasuke. She was afraid of what Sasuke would do if he heard any more, but he refused to budge.
Kakashi caught her furtive looks between himself and Sasuke. "Sakura, if it's ok with you, I'd like to stay."
She nodded once. The truth had to come out sooner or later, she knew.
"I'll stay, too, Sakura-chan."
"No, you won't," Tsunade growled.
"Go make some tea for Sakura, Naruto," Kakashi urged.
"Mah-"
Sakura shook her head at him and he acquiesced with a shrug before going into the kitchen.
Sasuke felt a twinge of jealousy at the easy level of trust and communication between his teammates. He snagged Sakura's hand and pulled her down next to him on the couch. He already didn't like that she wasn't looking at him. She had nothing to be ashamed of in his eyes, whether she believed it or not. None of this was her fault. He was to blame and it was up to him to make everything right.
Sakura glanced at Tsunade and she told her to continue.
"Karin's original plan was to take the baby at thirty-two weeks—alive."
"And you?"
She shook her head. "Executed."
"What changed?"
"The daimyo's wife."
"His wife?"
"She couldn't have children of her own. She convinced Hanshu that she should have the baby instead of Karin."
Sakura felt Sasuke stiffen in rage beside her and trembled because she had not even come to the worst part yet.
'Of course he'd be mad,' she couldn't blame him. 'Rulers of another country almost succeeded in stealing his child.'
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Her lip quivered.
"Take a deep breath Sakura," Tsunade instructed.
She took a deep shuddering breath and a few tears escaped to run down her cheeks.
"Hanshu made me an offer—a chance to live."
"In exchange for the baby?"
She shook her head.
"He promised me freedom if I…if I provided them with something they wanted very badly...a family."
"I don't understand. They were willing to let you go in exchange for the baby?"
She closed her eyes and exhaled. "He was taking the baby regardless of what I decided. In order for me to live…he wanted more."
Sasuke felt as if all the air had just been sucked from the room. That bastard had Sakura and was about to steal their child—and he wanted more?
"More what?" Kakashi asked.
"Children."
"I'll fucking kill him." Sasuke stood up and Kakashi immediately put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Sasuke, you can't go," Sakura insisted quietly.
"Sit down and shut up, Uchiha!" Tsunade ordered. "This is more important than your pride." She knew that look—her apprentice was holding something back—something important. "Sakura, that's not everything, is it?"
She shook her head.
"I tried to reason with him. I offered to try and figure out why his own wife was barren in exchange for keeping the baby, but he refused."
"He refused help for his wife?"
"No. He refused to let me keep the baby even if I helped his wife. But I did it anyway, hoping it might change his mind. But then…"
Sasuke squeezed her hand, silently encouraging her to go on.
"Karin came to visit and told me she'd be back to kill me because she only wanted the fetus."
'Sasuke's gonna know I betrayed him.' The dark reflection crossed her mind again.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I agreed…to give Hanshu the children he wanted in exchange for him protecting our baby from Karin."
Sasuke was silent. Sakura could almost hear the thoughts echoing in his head—echoes of the past.
Weak…useless.
She could barely go on in a whisper.
"She came back."
"Karin? Where is she?"
"Dead." Sakura said flatly. "Hanshu saved me. It didn't matter anymore, though. I'd nearly outlived my usefulness."
Unable to just sit and listen any longer to what they had done to his family Sasuke jumped to his feet. Kakashi stopped him.
"Where are you going?"
"To kill them."
"You can't leave, Sasuke-kun," Sakura insisted once again.
"Quit defending them, Sakura," Sasuke snapped without thinking. Kakashi grabbed him by his shirt roughly.
Sakura pulled back as if slapped. Sasuke didn't understand that the threats had come from more than just Karin or the daimyo. "If it hadn't been for that offer, the daimyo would have let Karin take the baby…her, or the other one."
Sasuke stopped pressing past Kakashi and looked at her in incredulity, his gut twisting at the injustice and the plain fact that he was doing nothing to punish the offenders. "Who?"
"Hanshu told me his brother received an offer from another man, too. One who offered a great deal of money for me."
"Who was it?"
"He didn't tell me the man's name—only that he was from Sound."
"Kabuto!" Tsunade hissed. She grasped Sakura's shoulders. "Sakura, was it Kabuto?"
She shook her head. "I don't know—I think so."
"I'll kill them all," Sasuke snarled.
"You'll do no such thing, young man," Tsunade growled, standing face to face with him. "Everyone knows that Sakura is pregnant now. What do you think will happen if it's true that Kabuto knows there is an Uchiha en utero and that you've abandoned the village to start a one-man war against the Daimyo of Wind Country?" she demanded. "Do you think he'll hesitate to creep in here and steal your son? You'll stay here. If I have to chain you to the damn floor, I will."
Sakura was sitting alone and scared. Sasuke was already drawing away from her, she could feel it. She tiredly rubbed her forehead to stave off the pulsing ache beginning there. She didn't know how to fix this.
When Sasuke turned back and saw Sakura, so small, sitting alone, guilt welled up inside him. In his selfish pride he had forgotten how fragile she was right now. She believed she had betrayed him by offering to bear another man's child in order to keep their baby safe. He sighed heavily. Did she think his ego so flimsy?
Sakura felt the weight of a hand on top of her head. She looked up through tear-tipped lashes to see Sasuke looking at down her.
"Is that all?"
She nodded.
"You did the right thing." He smoothed his hand over her silky hair affectionately. "Come on. The dobe made tea." He took her arm, drawing her off her seat and accompanied her to the kitchen, where Naruto was making…a big mess. He scowled.
"You were told to make tea, dobe." Sasuke guided Sakura to a seat at the kitchen table, placing his hands on her shoulders comfortingly.
"Shut up, teme! Sakura-chan might be hungry. She's eating for two, you know."
"You would know about eating for two, wouldn't you, Naruto?" Kakashi poked him in the gut and the blond protested noisily. Even though she knew they were acting foolish for her benefit, Sakura couldn't help but smile softly at their silly banter.
"Funny, Sensei. Look, Sakura-chan!" He held up the pot. "I made you ramen."
"Thank you, Naruto."
"Hah!" Naruto gave Sasuke a smug grin over her head.
"But I'm not very hungry right now. Maybe you should eat it."
Sasuke turned to leave the room.
"Sasuke-kun?"
He stopped and gave her a steady look. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Give me a minute." He went to speak with the Hokage.
"Kabuto will come after Sakura if he's continuing Orochimaru's experiments," Tsunade told him as soon as he entered the living room. "Instead of hunting him down, you will work together with Kakashi and Shikamaru and make plans to ambush him. That way you can stay by Sakura's side and protect her."
"Aa."
"Make sure she takes it easy."
Sakura overheard them and came in from the kitchen to protest. "But—"
"No arguments, Sakura. Complete bed rest for you. That's an order." Tsunade ushered her back to a chair. "No working. No training. I know you're young and healthy, but it's a miracle with the stress you've been under these last few months that you haven't lost your baby. It's a testament to your strength that your son is doing so well, but I don't want you to take any more chances."
"Hai, Shishou." The pink-haired girl sighed in defeat. She knew there was no way Tsunade would back down.
Now that they'd cleared the air between them, Sasuke had one more important step to take. He was suddenly a little nervous, treading in unknown waters. He took a deep breath and plunged in.
"Hokage-sama, I want you to put Sakura into my family registry."
"What!?" It was a good thing she was sitting down or Sakura might've fainted from shock. From the kitchen, they heard Naruto choking on his mouthful of ramen and Kakashi smacking him and telling him to be quiet before he peeked around the corner.
Tsunade snickered. "That's not a very romantic way to propose, Uchiha."
"Hn." Sasuke frowned, his pale skin flushed. "Now isn't the right time to hold a big celebration, Hokage-sama. I want to marry Sakura, but I also want to keep her safe."
"Well, Sakura, he's right about that. We can't let our guard down right now. And a wedding would make everything official. What do you say to this brat's proposal?"
"I, ah…" She looked around in wonder her at precious people surrounding her. 'Is it possible that I'm dreaming?' It was so surreal—like her daydreams during her incarceration.
Sasuke carefully pulled the pregnant girl out of her chair and into his arms. He pushed her long bangs back, tucked them behind her ear and cupped her cheek with his palm. "You've given me so much, Sakura. Please stay…be my wife."
'Oh, I must be dreaming,' she thought distractedly, looking deep into his dark, fathomless gaze.
"Sakura?"
Her green eyes were impossibly wide as she stared at him, speechless.
"I won't take no for an answer," Sasuke warned and she blinked in astonishment.
"Sasuke-kun, I…ah…ok?"
He smirked at her questioning answer and kissed her soundly. From the kitchen, they heard a loud whoop!
"Get in here, you idiot," Tsunade scolded the young man attempting to spy from the kitchen—Kakashi was openly watching from the hall, with a huge grin evident under his mask. "Find Shizune and tell her to prepare the Uchiha family registry. Kakashi, send out a summons for…," she considered for a moment, "Ino Yamanaka. We'll need witnesses. Pick up some good sake, too."
"Hai."
"I want everyone assembled in the Tower by ten a.m. tomorrow."
"Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi and Naruto disappeared.
"Tomorrow?" Sasuke asked.
"Yes. Sakura's coming home with me tonight. It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. Say goodbye, Sakura. You'll see him tomorrow, bright and early."
"Hai, Shishou." Sakura smiled at Tsunade's gruff mothering. Her heart felt light.
"Uchiha, I assume you have some type of dress robes?"
Sasuke was reluctant to let Sakura go for even one night, but he was so pleased that Sakura would marry him that he didn't argue. "Hai, Hokage-sama."
"We'll see you in morning at the ceremony. Sakura, say goodnight to your fiancé and come with me."
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Happy Mother's Day, everyone!