Ch.24: The Meaning Of A Name

(Sakura's POV)

"Have you looked?" I asked him.

He just smiled.

*So he did look while I was asleep...jerk.* I thought as I looked at him.

Karin then entered.

"Here let me." She said as she went behind where the curtain was and came out holding a small bundle.

"Nope." She said as she passed Sasuke.

"Mother is always first." She said as she handed me the tiny person.

"And don't worry, I made sure he didn't peek while you were asleep." She whispered in my ear.

"Well if you don't need anything else, I will let you become acquainted with each other." She said as she left again.

I was eternally grateful to her, what she did I would never be able to repay.

I looked down at the tiny person.

tears started to well up in my eyes.

I remembered everything I had gone through to get to this point.

I couldn't help but begin to sob.

I held the tiny person close to me while I let all the pent up feelings I had been holding flow out like a river.

It was so hard, there were times I didn't think I would make it... but here I am by his side able to hold our precious child.

The relief I felt was indescribable.

"Sakura?" I looked to see Sasuke's worried face.

"Sorry, I'm just so relieved." I said as I wiped the tears from my eyes.

He quickly embraced me.

"I'm sorry."He whispered.

"Huh? What are you sorry for. This isn't your fault."I said confused by his apology.

"You're wrong, if not for me you wouldn't have gone through all this." He said in a sad tone.

"No, you did not force me to go through anything. We made it through this together. And given the opportunity, I wouldn't change a single thing.

Cause without those experiences we wouldn't be together like we are now, and I wouldn't be holding our child in my arms.

So please don't ever apologize for something that has made me the happiest person in the world, because that is just too cruel.

I want you to feel just as happy as I do. And if you aren't then I will make you feel this happiness." I said as I laid my head on his chest.

"Sakura... I am... happy that you have loved me even when I have done nothing to deserve it, and that you chose to be with me and that you have birthed our child. I can never thank you enough for how happy you have made me, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to." He said as he kissed my forehead.

His words were so kind and gentle, as was his expression. I wanted Sasuke to always look like this.

I looked down at the sleeping bundle in my arms.

"Do you want to hold it?" I asked.

He looked surprised.

"It's ok, look just make sure you support the head." I said as I laid the baby in his arm.

Since it was premature it was quite small so it was easy for him to hold with one arm.

I then remembered something.

"Oh, yeah!" I said as I started to mess with the blanket.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked confused.

"We need to know if it's a girl or a boy." I said as I checked.

I could have sworn I saw Sasuke blush which made me giggle.

"Well?" He said as he waited for the result.

I looked at him and smiled.

"Say hello to our precious daughter." I replied.

He looked down at her.

"Daughter huh?" He said with a gentle smile.

I wished I could watch him smiling and holding our child forever.

"Sasuke, will you please look after her for a while? I am still a little tired so I am going to take a little nap if that's ok?" I said as I felt my eyes begin to close.

"That's fine, don't worry I will take care of it." He said as he smiled at me.

* I hope from now on you will always smile like that.* I thought as I drifted asleep.

(Sasuke's POV)

*This...is...my...child?* I thought it just didn't seem real to me.

That this came from me and Sakura.

She was so small and seemed so helpless as she slept in my arm.

I felt so warm as I held her.

Was this how my parents felt when they looked at me?

This feeling of needing to protect this tiny being from any danger.* I wondered.

"Are you really so content to just have me hold you like this?" I asked as I looked at her.

She just stayed sleeping.

I sat back in my chair and got comfortable.

*I just hope I can be a good dad for you...* I thought to myself.

(Karin's POV)

It had been a few hours since I had last checked on them so I decided to just peek in and make sure everything was still good.

I cracked the door open and looked in.

Sakura was asleep and so was Sasuke.

*Where is the baby?* I wondered as I stepped in quietly.

She laid in Sasuke's arms.

*Well I should lay you back in your bed so they can rest comfortably.* I thought as I walked over towards Sasuke.

As I reached down to take the child he shot awake.

"Oh, sorry. I was just going to lay her down so you could rest." I said as I backed away.

"It's fine, let me." He said as he got up and laid her down.

"Well, then sorry to bother." I said as I tried to leave. The atmosphere was too intense and awkward for my tastes.

"Karin." I stopped

"W...wh..what is it?" I asked nervously.

"I owe you." Was all he said before returning to his chair.

"Y..y..yeah you do, so remember that." I said before quickly leaving.

*What is with him? I have never seen him act like this before. And his chakra is a lot warmer now too. Was it her?* My heart ached at this thought.

Since the last time I had seen him, he seemed to have changed and yet still stayed the same.

He seemed softer now less... evil.

Even though he didn't choose me, I was content that he had found happiness. For me, that was enough.* I smiled as I went back to my room.

(Sasuke's POV)

I drifted off again. I awoke to the feeling of something touching my face. I slowly opened my eyes to see Sakura.

"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you, I was just moving the hair out of your face." She said as she blushed.

*She gets flustered over the smallest things.* I thought amused.

I grabbed her hand and brought the back of it to my lips.

I glanced up, her face was red as a tomato.

"Is that so?" I asked.

If I was being honest I loved the effect I could have on her sometimes.

I could feel her hands getting warmer as her face seemed to get redder.

She just slowly nodded her head.

I smirked.

"S..sasuke?" She yelped my name as I quickly pulled her into my lap.

"Just stay like this for a while." I said as I leaned into her head.

She just sat quietly.

"You know..." She mumbled.

"What is it?" I asked as I took in her scent. It was intoxicating to me.

"Wait are you sniffing me?" She blurted out.

I chuckled to myself.

"No, you're just imagining things. Now, what is it?" I said as I just held her closer.

"Well... we need to come up with a name." She replied.

"A name?" I asked confused by what she meant.

"For the baby." She replied.

*Oh...right* I though.

"You're right." I said as I nuzzled my head on her shoulder.

"Can you think of one?" She asked as she began to run her hand through my hair, sending shivers down my spine.

* A name...* I thought.

"Let me think about it." I said as I stood up and laid her back on her bed.

"Sasuke?" She said puzzled.

"I am going to get some fresh air." I said as I left.

When I thought about coming up with a name I felt pressure. A name was something someone was stuck with for the rest of their life.

It has to be a name that has meaning.

I thought of my brother.

イタチ - (Itachi)

Then there was her's.

サクラ - (Sakura)

Even my own.

サスケ - (Sasuke).

I took out a pen and paper and wrote them down and stared at them.

I then decided to try writing them in different orders until I found one I liked.

After a little bit of time passed, I walked back to Sakura's room.

I handed her the paper.

"Will this do?" I asked.

She looked down at the paper.

サ(Sasuke)

ラ(Sakura)

ダ(Itachi)

サラダ (Sarada)

She smiled.

"Sarada..." She let the name leave her lips.

"It's perfect." She said as she walked over to her.

"What do you think? Do you like Sarada?" She asked.

"Welcome to our little family Sarada Uchiha." She said as she picked her up.

I hugged them both.

Enjoying their presence in my arms.

(Sakura's POV)

*Sarada. It was perfect the moment I saw it. No other name would do.* I thought as I looked at her.

"So what is our next move now?" I asked him.

He stayed quiet.

He seemed to be thinking.

"Our next move should be heading back to the village, we have finished the mission we set out to do. So there is no reason for us to stay away any longer." He replied.

He was right. Our goal for this journey had been accomplished Sasuke had taken down the Syndicate. So there was no reason to keep journeying.

"I guess that is true." I said.

There was a knock at the door.

"What?" Was all Sasuke said in response.

Orochimaru and everyone else came in.

"I came to see how everyone was doing since the sounds of screams have subsided." Orochimaru said with a devilish smile that made my skin crawl.

I held Sarada closer to me on instinct.

Sasuke seemed to notice my unease as he stepped in front of me.

"They are not for you to concern yourself." Sasuke said in a threatening tone.

This seemed to amuse Orochimaru.

"We will not be intruding on you much longer, We plan to leave soon to head back to the hidden Leaf." He said.

"Um, you should wait a little before you start traveling again."Karin said quietly.

Sasuke just glanced at her.

"Well, Sakura needs to heal and the baby is too weak to travel that great distance as well. It might catch a disease or be injured during the journey." She explained.

*She was right, we would need to wait at least a month before we could travel 'safely' back to the village.

I just hope Sasuke is ok with having to wait to leave.* I wondered as I glanced at him.

He had stayed silent.

He then nodded his head.

"I see. Well, I guess we have no choice as long as you are ok with that." He said as he looked at me.

*Wait he is asking me?* I thought confused.

"Um, well that would be the best option for Sarada." I said as I looked at her.

"Sarada?" Suigetsu said confused.

"Yes, that's the name we decided on. Sarada Uchiha is her name." I said as I smiled.

Her name was like music to my ears.

After a little a while everyone left leaving us alone again.

Sasuke walked over to the bed and sat down.

He seemed upset.

*Is it because we have to stay with Orochimaru longer?* I wondered.

I walked over to him, he didn't move.

I sighed.

"Here." I said as I stretched out my arms.

He looked up confused.

I just kept my arms out till he took her.

"Now just sit down and relax." I said as I walked behind him.

I climbed up behind him on the bed.

I then draped my arms around his shoulder and nuzzled my head into his neck.

"For now just enjoy this moment, we can worry about everything later. We have earned this moment for ourselves." I said as I closed my eyes.

His shoulders felt tense as I leaned against them.

Then an idea popped into my head.

I smiled at it.

I sat on my heels and placed my hands on his shoulders.

I then let my hands start to massage the tense muscles.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he turned to look at me.

I just kissed his cheek.

"Just focus on holding Sarada. I will focus on relaxing you." I said as I kept massaging his shoulders and upper back.

He just sighed as I felt his muscles relax against my palms.

I leaned my face into the back of his head.

"I love you." I whispered into his hair.

It was silent until I heard him whisper.

"And I you."

I started blushing.

*Geeze idiot.* I chuckled to myself.