Chapter 34
The day was a normal day, she knew this was a beautiful day as she let Sarada play on the pond in the yard. And she did mean on the pond, Sarada was running after fireflies over the water, her control of chakra never ceased to amaze her.
But it was a lovely day, she loved days like this even if Sasuke wasn't here to be with them. She understood his mission, he was doing this because Sarada was important to him and because he was never going to let anyone harm her. that meant he was hunting, her husband was a very dangerous hunter. And when something was his prey it did not live or escape him. Which was why she was so content sitting here in her garden reading the newest medical ninjutsu scroll she had gotten from Kakashi. He had also sent a new red dress for Sarada, which her daughter had refused to take off for four days now.
She smiled to herself as she watched her daughter and read the scroll.
It was a great day for her, she loved today, and she was so happy with Kakashi's letter. And he was pestering her for a picture of Sarada, and he was promising to keep it a secret. Sakura had agreed and managed to get a picture of Sarada with Ino's old ribbon in her ebony hair, her bear in her arms, and Kakashi's gift dress on.
It amazed her at how attached Kakashi was to Sarada and he had only met her once…
She had a feeling Sarada had managed to worm her way into her sensei's quirky guarded heart without really trying. Sarada had earned another champion for herself other than her father or her. Which was good for her.
"Sarada, come here please!" Sakura called over to her toddler. Sarada trotted over, bear in one arm and a fist in hand. The girl grinned as she trotted to stand over her.
"What have you go there?" Sakura asked, Sarada opened her delicate fist to reveal a butterfly.
"Beautiful, sweetie, but it's prettier if you don't hold it," she informed her daughter as she took that tiny hand in her own. The girl nodded, and the butterfly fluttered from her fingers then.
"Alright, you want a new game with chakra?" Sakura asked her daughter. Sarada grinned as she nodded.
"Alright, now, make a fist, and throw a punch for me," Sakura ordered. Her daughter did so with glee. "No, I want you to focus all your chakra in your fist, and when you're about to make your hit, release the chakra on impact, go practice on the pond," Sakura ordered.
Sarada dropped her bear as she darted off in her excitement. Sakura sat back and smiled at the waves her daughter was making on the pond; her five month pregnancy still wasn't really showing as she sat back and winced a bit before resuming her read of the scroll. The cramps today were painful, it felt like her period had returned in full force today, but she ignored the twinges, she was fine.
Kakashi felt like a really proud father as he stared at the picture Sakura had sent him of Sarada; Kami she was ever adorable. He was in love with the toddler, she was adorable, and cute! It was a really good thing Sarada took after Sakura and not Sasuke. Sasuke was a downer, and Kakashi had legitimately worried for a time that Sasuke would drag Sakura down as he had when they had left. Sasuke was not exactly a happy or sensitive man, Sakura was a very happy woman and a sensitive one; even if she didn't mind using her fists to knock sense in any of her boys.
Sakura was also like a daughter to him, he could not claim any of his other students were like his children, but he had forged a fatherly bond with Sakura. She was his favorite too, he found her to be the most resilient and she was the most genuine.
Also, there was the matter of her being the most hurt by Sasuke.
Kakashi also had been against their marriage, threatening Sasuke on his wedding day about if he were to hurt Sakura in anyway ever again with a death he'd never be able to defend himself against. Sasuke had then assured him that there'd be no reason to worry about Sakura for if he were to hurt her again then he'd just end it himself. Also, there was a line for his death if he harmed Sakura again, starting with Kakashi, then Naruto, Sai, Shikamaru, Ino, Tsunade, Hinata, Tenten, Kiba, Shino, Gaara, the other Kage, and pretty much anyone who dared to call themselves a friend of Haruno Sakura's.
Now though, well, Kakashi had changed quite a few opinions he had formed about Sasuke during his years of being rogue and traveling.
He grinned at the image of Sarada, the Uchiha had turned out pretty good in the long run he guessed. Which was why he had the sweetest daughter known to mankind with the most amazing Kunoichi of their age. And yes, he knew he sounded like a proud grandfather or a bragging father, but in Sakura's case that was exactly how he felt.
"Hey Kakashi! So what are we doing to day!?" Naruto demanded as he barged into the office. Kakashi slipped Sarada's picture in his Icha Icha novel (it was the last place anyone could look for it! No judging was allowed on this action of his!), and turned his attention to Naruto.
"Today, there are reports to read, missions to assign, and a new problem developing with the Land of Sound; again," Kakashi informed Naruto. The blonde knuckle head sighed in disappointment then. "This is all very important work Naruto, and if you want to be Hokage you're going to have to do this work as well, and jut so you know it's not all glamor. A lot of it is reports and paperwork."
"I know, but…" he sighed.
"I understand, but you could always be running around on a mission with Sakura or Sasuke, or you could just work towards being Hokage like you always claimed you were going to be," Kakashi pointed out. Nothing better motivated Naruto than reminding him of his claim Hokage. Also, Kakashi would have to get Sarada a bear, now that he thought about paperwork to fill out… order it now while Naruto wasn't paying attention to his true actions.
Kami he was thrilled about having Sarada, he was going to spoil the kid rotten!
Sasuke walked towards his home and he felt exhausted from everything he had encountered these past two months, and he was going to be content to see his daughter and wife again. It had been a long few months, and after all the fighting and tracking he had done he was furious, frustrated and exhausted. His eyes were burning, his body ached, and his tolerance for anything was short. Sakura and Sarada were going to be a breath of fresh air for a moment for him.
Closing his eyes his Sharingan brought all the memories to life, and then his body twitched with the yearning to be home. It was strange; having a home again, but he was eager to return to his home either way. And he was also craving Sakura's cooking… not the mess she had no doubt made, but definitely her cooking.
"Alright, time for bed," Sakura declared as she finished toweling her daughter's black hair then. A ripping pain tore through her stomach which had her wincing a bit as Sarada giggled and ran out of the bathroom with her towel wrapped around her and a bear.
"Sarada! Get dressed for bed!" she shouted for her daughter as she pulled herself up and winced a bit. It was these damn cramps today, they were painful today, she knew she shouldn't have eaten those eggs for breakfast! No matter, she'd be fine tomorrow, wincing a bit she walked to Sarada's room. The girl was already in bed with the book Sakura would read for her bedtime.
"Alrighty, baby, settle down and go to sleep while I read." Sakura settled on the bed and started reading then as she tried not to let her discomfort show. About an hour passed of her reading and Sarada was sound asleep, smiling to herself she stood up, put the book beside Sarada's futon, pulled the blanket up, kissed her daughter's brow and then left the room.
Leaning on the wall she sighed, she'd get a heat compress for this cramps. The cramps weren't anything to worry about, she had brought it up with the doctor in charge of her pregnancy about this and she wasn't worried about it. Just uncomfortable. Also, the doctor had been kind enough to give her a sleeping draft as well so she'd make it through the nights.
Sighing she pulled out her heating compress as she started getting ready for bed then. Once dressed she sprawled out on her bed, put the compress on her lower abdomen, took her sleep aid and let the world fade away then. Sleep was good for her…
Little black eyes opened as when the light was warming her cheeks as she sat up and yawned. Sarada got out of her bed, grabbed her favorite ribbon, her favorite dress, her bear as she trotted down the hall to her mama's room. She was happy today, her mama would make her favorite breakfast! And they play all day in the sun! she was so excited as she opened her mama's room.
"Aa!" she greeted as she ran to her mama's bed. Her mama was still sleeping…
Sarada frowned then as she tossed the bear onto the bed, then her ribbon and she pulled her dress up with her as she clambered up to her mama's shoulder.
Touching her mama's skin she froze, mama was cold. She looked at her mama's face, mama was white too.
"Mama?" Sarada shook her mama's shoulder then.
No response, her mama didn't even flinch.
"MAMA!" Sarada screamed as she shook her mama's shoulder with all her might, nothing happened, her mama's head lolled to the other side then.
"Mama! Mama! Mama!" Sarada screamed, she was terrified now.
Her mama was cold to the touch, white as paper, and she wasn't waking up.
"Mama!" Sarada screamed as she then pulled her mama's arm. Nothing, she yanked the blanket away, maybe if mama was colder she would wake up.
The blankets and her tumbled on the ground, her mama didn't move. Sarada scrambled back up to the bed and she screamed then.
The white sheets were mama was sleeping on were stained with blood. Lots of blood around her legs, Sarada fell back and she felt power surge into her eyes as the world became sharper and more refined then, her heart was slamming in her ribs.
"MAMA!"
Sasuke heard the scream when he was just about to the house, he surged towards his home with his sword drawn as he crashed through the door.
"Sakura! Sarada!" he shouted then, his Sharingan whirled to life then as he scanned the house. He shoved his way into his room then.
The sight he saw actually paralyzed him with memories and fears as he stood there frozen.
"MAMA!" Sarada screamed, she was crying, her eyes were red with her Sharingan but he couldn't pull his attention away from his wife then.
All the blood…
All of it, Sakura, was so pale, and all the blood pooling at her legs…
"Sakura…" he breathed and then he leapt to her. His sword clattered to the ground then, his fingers on her throat, and he felt a faint pulse.
"Sarada, get dressed," he ordered. Her chakra was weak, but she was alive. Sarada grabbed her dress and ribbon. Sasuke kept his attention on Sakura as he used Susanoo to grab Sarada then. They had to go, now.
"Mama?" Sarada whispered as she knelt by her mother.
"Mama's going to be alright," he assured her as he opened a portal, and had Susanoo flying towards where he needed them to go. He had to get her to the village, she needed Tsunade, consequences be damned! He needed Sakura to stay alive!
"Mama! Mama! MAMA! Mama! Wake Up!" Sarada screamed as she hugged her bear and her mother's arm.
