Ch.22: To Only Hold You

(Author's Note: So I figured I would really quickly set the timeline straight from when Sakura is captured to when she arrived at Orochimaru's hideout.

So Sasuke's trip only should have lasted for about a month.

By that time Sakura was already 7 1/2 months so by the time he should have gotten back, she would have been nearly 9 months along.

Now when she is captured she was knocked out with a drug put into her food. ( This is very dangerous for the baby)

She was out from that drug for 2 weeks, and when she was close to waking up she was then moved to that room that she wakes up in. (All of this plus the effects of the drug and the stress, induced early labor)

Now while all that is happening is when Sasuke is headed back to her, It took Sasuke 2 days to reach her once he landed.

Then once Karin and Sasuke arrive, Karin takes Sakura who at this time has already started pre-labor to Orochimaru's hideout.

This journey took nearly 5 hours.

Sasuke finished off the gang in nearly 5 hours, meaning Sakura is already at the hideout by the time Sasuke heads that way.

And Karin's Sealing Jutsu she used isn't helpful to Sakura's condition.

So that is why Sakura starts bleeding. She isn't in a good condition at all.

I hope that explains everything really well

Sakura will have been in labor for a total of 10 hours.)

(Karin's POV)

*This is just some cruel twist of fate.

I'm expected to help this girl out... Why?

Why was she the one he chose?

What was so special about her?

She didn't seem all that. So why would he pick her...over me...?

And now, she is in a critical state, and I am sure if she ends up dying Sasuke will blame me.

He trusted me with her and here she is on her death bed basically.

This was all just a lose-lose situation for me.

I feel like a joke.

To have to help some other woman give birth to a child fathered by the man I love.

It's just too cruel.* I was consumed by these thoughts. As I looked at the pink-haired girl I felt only disdain and jealously.

But even though I felt that way I decided, for now, to push all that aside and just do what needed to be done. It's not like I could change things. I just needed to accept them and move on.

I tried to get a better understanding of her condition. She was right when she said it was too early for her to be going into labor. But there was no stopping it.

Once I got her onto the table I released my sealing Jutsu, which like I warned her caused her extreme pain.

I could tell she was trying to bear with it as she bit her lip blood dripping from her bite, but I kept her from doing that as I handed her something to bite down on instead.

Though I was no expert in this particular field. I figured I knew enough to at least deliver the baby somewhat safely. But this didn't seem to be what a 'normal' labor should be like, I could tell something was wrong.

Because of the sealing jutsu I placed on her, even after I released it, it was hard to get a clear sign of the baby's vitals.

After a while, the pain seemed to lessened only for small periods of time than would kick back up again. I'm guessing these were contractions.

I started to try time them but it was hard to focus on timing them, she was slipping in and out of consciousness which couldn't be good for either of them.

During one of her 'quite' spells.

I sat down and took a breath.

This was exhausting trying to analyze all this, especially since it seemed her condition just kept changing.

"How is it looking?" I turned to see Lord Orochimaru.

"You don't really expect me to do this all on my own do you?" I asked him.

"You are the only one best suited for this, I am not well knowledged in these types of matters. And even if I was I am sure 'he' wouldn't be pleased in my having anything to do with this." He replied as he walked next to Sakura.

She was currently... sleeping if you could call it that.

"Well, I am no expert in this either." I argued.

"Well I suggest you do your best for your sake, mess up and it might be the end of you." He said as he left.

I sighed, he was right I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't think twice about ending me.

I clutched my chest as I thought about the time before.

He was so cold then...

I never wanted to see him like that again.

I shivered.

I was then broken from my thoughts by her screams.

"Damn you really are a handful." I said as I got her bite guard.

(Sakura's POV)

I had seen plenty of births to know this was wrong.

I was terrified, the pain was almost more than I could bear, it felt like my insides were being ripped apart from the inside.

I wanted to scream, I wanted someone to hold my hand... I wanted... I wanted Sasuke.

I couldn't hold back my tears at this thought.

I felt alone, and in pain. Surrounded by only strangers, and something was going wrong.

The contractions were coming quicker and quicker. Each more painful than the last.

"Ok, if you think you can bear with it... I think you need to push." Karin said hesitantly.

*She thinks? Oh great...* I thought in disbelief.

I had to just stop and breathe.

*Everything is going to be fine.* I mentally repeated to myself trying to think it into existence.

I started to push when the pain intensified.

Worse than anything I had felt yet.

"Wait, wait, something is wrong. Karin, I don't think I can do this." I said.

"Well, you really don't have a choice...unless... You don't mean?" She said realizing what I meant.

"Can you do it?" I asked her.

"I don't have the proper medication for you though... The best I can do is numb some of the pain.

"It will have to be...AH!...fine..." I could barely talk through the pain.

I just tried to convey what I wanted to say with my eyes.

After a second Karin nodded.

"I'll be back in a second, I have to go get the supplies." She said before leaving.

*I will do everything I can to make sure you survive. Even if it costs me my life, for you I would give it gladly. Because you are the precious living proof of our bond.* I mentally told the baby as I held my stomach.

"Though I want to be able to hold you, just once." I said as a tear fell down my cheek.

"Or to see him hold you.." I continued.

"Alright, I have what I think we need." Karin said as she laid down a bag of tools.

I took a deep breath as I readied myself.

*No matter what, you will be safe.* I thought as I glanced down.

"Ok first I am going to use this, it should make your body numb to the pain." She said as she injected me with something.

She was right I soon felt completely numb I couldn't even move my fingers.

"Alright, I am going to do a test cut to see if this will work." She said as she looked at me.

I just slowly nodded.

"How was that?" She asked.

I didn't even feel a thing.

I just smiled at her.

"Ok...here we go then." She said as she put on gloves and a mask.

I was no stranger to seeing a c section, but it was unnerving to see one performed on yourself, but at least this way I could make sure nothing went wrong.

"Ok, I think I am almost there, and from what I can see, it looks like the baby is positioned sideways, that was probably why you couldn't push before." She said as she continued with the procedure.

"Just a little bit more." She said.

I was glad she was talking to me because it was keeping me awake.

I was so tired but I knew I needed to stay awake if only for just a little bit longer.

"Ok here it comes." She said. Then I heard it.

Crying, I was so relieved to hear those sounds.

I cried.

*Thank goodness, you're safe now.* I thought as I looked at the tiny being in her hands.

I heard a door open.

"I'm sorry but you need to get out right now, we aren't finished. Suigetsu come here I need your help." She said with a worried look on her face.

I couldn't fight back my eyes as they began to close.

Then everything went black.

(Karin's POV)

"Damn it! Sakura stay with me!" I said trying to get her to stay awake.

But she had already passed out.

*This isn't good she's losing too much blood.* I thought as I watched her vitals plummeting.

I let Suigetsu take care of the baby while I tried to focus on saving her.

"Come on, you can't give up now, you haven't even held your baby yet." I said as I tried to stop the bleeding.

"Sasuke is here he is waiting for you, are you just going to quit now?" I said as I finished sewing her back up.

"Everything seems fine over here." Suigestu said.

I nodded.

When I heard the monitors flatline.

"No, no, no, no you fucking don't I won't let you!" I yelled as I brought my arm to her mouth.

I grabbed her jaw forcing her to bite me.

"Suigestu start compressions on her. QUICKLY!" I yelled.

After a few minutes that felt like an eternity. Suigetsu stopped.

"Karin... She's gone..." He said as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Shut up idiot!" I said as I shook his hand off.

Then the monitor started again, it was slow and weak but her heart had started beating again.

I fell to my knees.

"Thank goodness..." I said as I couldn't help but feel tears in my eyes.

I quickly got her some blood to replace what she had lost. She seemed to have stabilized.

Then I walked over to the sleeping bundle.

It looked just like him, it seemed to be sleeping so peacefully.

I fell into my chair exhausted, she had taken a lot of chakra from me I felt like I could barely move.

"Someone needs to let him know everything is alright now." I said as I felt my eyelids grow heavy.

"You've done your part, I'll handle the rest." Suigetsu said as he laid a blanket on me.

"Don't let him see the baby...until she does.." I said before finally drifting off.

(Author's Notes:

I hope this all made sense, I tried to think about how Karin would feel, And I hope the whole labor thing made sense as well.)