Chapter 41
"Sakura," he greeted her as he walked in that night, Kakashi had taken Sarada with him for dinner and left him to return to the hospital.
Initially he hadn't even wanted to return to her at this moment, he wanted to go pummel something because of the council and what they had done to his family. What right did they think they had ripping him apart from Sakura and Sarada, they were his; damnit! Hadn't he fought enough in his life for a family, and lost enough family in this life to at least have earned the right to one family? Apparently not, not that it mattered. As long as his daughter and wife were free and safe he wouldn't really care about the 'where' of what he was up to.
Emerald eyes sleepily opened when he walked into her room, he slid the door shut softly and walked over to her. Sakura was curled up on her side as she looked up at him, part of him wanted to tell her what was going on, and another part of him; the reasonable part of him, was going to keep this to himself until she was well again. According to what she had said to him, and what Tsunade would tell him, she had nearly died, which was why he wouldn't tell her what had been going on yet. She had sustained a lot of damage to her body, internally the damage had been extensive.
"Mmn, where's Sarada?" she mumbled as she moved a bit.
"Kakashi," he answered.
"Mmm-hmm, sleep with me," she mumbled as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to her side. He nodded as he lay down beside her. He let her pull his arm where she wanted it as he curled around her. It was like at home now, sleeping like this. Sakura fidgeted a bit in his grasp her hand grasping his tightly as they lay there.
"Sasuke, I'm sorry," she mumbled.
"There is nothing to apologize for," he murmured as he pressed his lips to her temple. There was nothing for her to be sorry about in her case. He'd take her alive rather than have another child any day of the year, he'd take having her in his life still; even if she hated him. Some people were needed in this world, he believed Sakura to be one of those people.
"But…" she whimpered.
"It's alright Sakura, there will be a chance for other children if you want them," he assured her and he felt her trembled. She was crying so he just tightened his hold on her, pulling her closer to him, and she whimpered a bit as she lay there.
"I feel miserable, like I failed, like I can't even do the simple thing a woman's supposed to do right," she admitted.
"It's not your fault Sakura. And twice now you've nearly died because of our children, I need you here, not dead," he admitted harshly. She turned to look at him with wet eyes. "You did nothing wrong, Sakura, it just is this time around." He murmured as he pressed his lips to her seal.
"I'm still sorry," she mumbled as she curled up against him.
"That's enough Sakura, you're fine," he murmured as he rubbed her sore abdomen. She sighed as he knew she was crying again. He didn't mind though, she had every right to cry, he had heard from his mother once losing a child was really painful; he didn't know if his mother had lost a child or not, but he would assume Sakura was taking the loss really hard now.
"I still hurt," she murmured as she pressed herself tightly against him.
"I know," he murmured. "I know," he said as his fingers slid across her abdomen. He felt her crying but he couldn't do much for her as he just kissed her brow and held tightly. His fingers traced her abdomen, she rested her hand on his, eventually she stopped crying, her breathing evened out, and he felt her chakra settle soundly then. Finally, she was sleeping, he could feel the peace on her as slept but he knew she was hurting, there was nothing he could do though. He was not good at comforting people, hurting them was his specialty.
"It will be alright Sakura," he murmured to her pink hair as he lay there. His eyes closed as he held her to him. Sleep over came him finally as they slept.
Kakashi was sound asleep, Sarada had been set up in the corner of his room with Buru with her; Buru was to scare off anyone who came near her who was unwelcomed; and Buru had a soft spot for the toddler. Anyway, it was about two in the morning when he felt something crawl onto his bed, instinct had him bolting up with a kunai in hand and he found himself staring into a set of glowing red eyes, each with a single tomoe.
"Kami," he groaned as he rubbed his brow as he slipped the kunai back to its hiding place. "What's the matter Sarada?" he asked as he rubbed his brow sleepily.
"Scary," she mumbled and then ran up to his side, grabbed his blankets and disappeared beneath the covers.
"Huh?" he grumbled and then he sighed.
"Scary happen often?" he asked her as he lay down beside the little heat monster intruding on his bed.
"No, papa and mama let me stay anyway," she mumbled. He just sighed as she lay there asleep again. He didn't say anything as he stared at his ceiling, the kid was curled up against his side and sighed contently. She really was just like Sakura; he remembered missions when they'd camp and he, or Naruto, or Yamato, or Sai would wake up with Sakura curled up right beside them; she liked heat and heat sources when she slept, it appeared that Sarada was just like her mother in that aspect. He sighed and let sleep come to him again.
Tsunade knocked on Kakashi's door; she was eager to snatch her great-grandchild from her honorary grandfather. And yes, that was how Tsunade felt about Sarada; the kid was adorable! Just like her mother too, all the more reason to love that kid!
"Huh?" a sleepy looking Kakashi opened the door then.
"Tsuny!" Sarada shouted as she darted around Kakashi and leapt up. Tsunade caught the kid then.
"Hey squirt, and how'd you sleep?" Tsuande asked as she hefted the toddler with her battered bear up to her hip.
"Aa," she nodded. And at moments like this, it was hilarious to think her to even be an Uchiha, at least until she acted like her father with grunts and sounds for answers rather than words.
"Little heat monster," Kakashi grumbled. Sarada grinned happily.
"Mama! I want mama!" she declared.
"Alright, alright! Kakashi I'm taking her this morning," Tsunade declared.
"She's all yours, little energy bundle of heat, just like her mother," Kakashi was grumbling when he shut the door on her and Sarada snickered.
"Breakfast! Mama! Papa!" Sarada declared.
"Okay, kid, okay, we'll swing by Grandpop's and Nana's pastries to see Mama and Papa," Tsunade decided.
"Aa!" Sarada declared happily as she clung to Tsunade.
"And today I'll teach you about gambling big," she informed her. The girl giggled as she looked around the village as they walked towards the Haruno bakery.
"Opa!" Sarada shouted when Kizashi came into view, the pink man looked up with a smile then.
"Morning," he called out to her.
Sakura woke to the smell of hot dumplings wafting into her room, her husband's arm tightly encircling her waist, his fingers lightly tracing patterns on her tender abdomen.
"Mama! Mama! Breakfast!" the toddler girl exclaimed as the door was yanked open with a thud and the toddler came trotting in with fast feet. Sakura cracked her eyes open to see her daughter peeking up the bed.
"I see you're comfortable," Tsunade said. She heard Sasuke growl, he tightened his hold on her as he curled tighter around her. Sakura turned her head to look at her mentor then, she was so comfortable she didn't feel like moving, she didn't feel like even waking or starting her day. She wanted to stay here with her husband; warm, comfortable and guarded.
"Morning," she mumbled as she waved at Tsunade. Sasuke's fingers hadn't stopped rubbing her stomach as they lay there together; however, she could feel him glaring as he lay there.
"Papa! Papa! Breakfast! Sarada declared as she darted around the bed to Sasuke's side and leapt up. Sakura turned her head as she saw Sarada furiously shake a waking Sasuke's shoulder.
"Hn," he grunted.
"Papa!" she whined.
"Aa," he yawned, Sakura smiled as Sarada clambered over Sasuke and her and wiggled her way between them as she poked her father's brow. Black eyes flew open, the girl giggled then at seeing her father awake, and he was grumpy as always. Sasuke was not a morning person, though he would wake up stupid early most of the time.
"Coffee," he grumbled.
"Aa!" Sarada shouted as she hopped off the bed and grabbed Tsunade's hand to drag her mentor with her. Sakura sighed and her husband kissed her temple as he pulled away from her and stood with a stretch, she heard every joint of his pop and she smiled a bit at the routine of it all. She turned a bit as she stretched out on the bed, wincing at moving her stomach that way.
"Take it slow," he ordered. Tsunade returned with Sarada and coffee for Sasuke.
"Did you know the kid knows how you like your coffee?" she asked with the most ludacris expression on her face making Sakura smile as her daughter clambered onto the bed, right onto her lap and yanked her arms around her.
"Mama says it's the little things that matter!" Sarada declared as she grabbed the bear she had left on the bed. "Right mama!?"
"Right, baby," she said as she ran her fingers through Sarada's hair again. Sarada was beaming then, a dull ache formed in her heart again as she looked at the toddler. What would her miscarried child have looked like? Like her, with pink hair and green eyes? Or like Sasuke with ebony hair, onyx eyes? Or like Sarada, a balance of them both? No matter, she had a living child right here in her arms, she was never letting her baby go; ever.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Tsunade asked as she walked over to Sakura, Sasuke handed her, her family pastries and she smiled at this small gesture.
"Tender," she admitted.
"Not surprising, you had a little explosion in there, you're lucky to be alive," Tsunade said as she let her hands glow green and she began examining her. Sarada was munching on a cinnamon bun, her black eyes were watching Tsunade like a little hawk. It was a look which had Sarada smiling softly, that was a look from her father.
"Well, you appear to be healing well," Tsunade said softly as she withdrew her hand from Sakura's stomach.
"How is the damage healing up?" Sakura asked softly. Sasuke was standing there looking ready for a fight should she say anything negative, but Sakura ignored him at this moment.
"Slowly, I want you hear for the next few weeks. You will be under constant monitoring, just to be safe, and you need to stay relaxed and free of any stress. The internal tissues are still weak and healing; one wrong move and you could tear everything open inside of you and bleed to death before anyone could save you," Tsunade informed her.
"I could always…"
"NO!" her husband snapped drawing three sets of eyes to him. "I'll kill you if you even think about it. You are not releasing that damn seal ever again!" he snarled darkly.
She sighed.
"So… bed rest," she sighed; it appeared she wouldn't be getting around Sasuke anytime soon.
Shannarō! Her inner pouted; she just wanted out of this damn hospital. Her husband lifted a brow at her as if daring her to defy him, she stuck her tongue out at him, Sarada giggled then and Tsunade smirked.
"Naruto's right about you; you are a teme!" she hissed. He shrugged.
