Chapter 41 – My Love Is A Burning, Consuming Fire
Shit.
Shit.
Shit!
"Oh, fuck," stammered Naruto while gently ushering her into a seat.
They were waiting for the nurse to return with a wheelchair, the three of them helplessly and pointlessly flailing around as they tried to wrap their heads around what had just happened.
"Don't mention her to Itachi," she ordered through clenched teeth, fingers digging into the arms of the chair she was slouched in. Shifting to try and get more comfortable, she grimaced, the feeling of the continuous gushing turning her stomach. "Don't mention any of this to him, got it?"
"Sakura-"
She was yanking Sasuke down to eye level without hesitation, glowering at him. "I mean it, Sasuke-kun. He's got enough to stress about right now, don't you think?"
He didn't get the chance to reply, her head falling back with a thud against the wall as contractions stole her breath, only allowing her to sob once before they silenced her.
"Call Itachi," Sasuke told Naruto. "Tell him Sakura's in labour."
"You can't get a good signal in here," Sakura eventually managed to spit when Naruto cursed for the third time, hanging up as the call once again failed to go through. "You have to stand outside."
The blond left without hesitating, muttering under his breath about how bullshit hospitals were.
"Here we are, Haruno-san," the nurse told her gently. "We'll take you straight to the birthing suite. The doctor is setting up as we speak and has everything we need on standby."
They'd had everything on standby for the past week, even though there'd been no show of the babies appearing.
"I've messed up, haven't I?" she asked of the nurse as Sasuke followed the woman calmly, towing her along the way. "The babies-"
"This isn't your fault, Haruno-san," she assured her, tone soft and soothing. "Anything could have triggered the labour, or it could simply be your babies feeling impatient. Nobody is blaming you so please, do not blame yourself."
How could she not when–
Green eyes went impossibly wide and she cried out, head bowing as everything suddenly tightened unbearably. For the briefest of seconds, Sasuke's hand touched her shoulder and had she not been too scared to let go of her armrests, she would've grabbed him, but–
She sobbed.
Braxton Hicks had nothing on the real deal and they had, in no way, prepared her for real contractions. The people who said differently clearly didn't have a fucking clue, Sakura inwardly snarled. Genuinely shaking from the agony, she struggled to get her breath back, scratching at the armrests while blindly searching for something to anchor herself to.
"Deep breaths, Haruno-san," the nurse said, though her voice sounded distant to her. Or was it distracted? She couldn't tell at that point. "You must remember to breathe through the contractions."
"She's prone to panic attacks," Sasuke muttered in response. "Will the doctor have anything at hand to combat that?"
"Panic attacks?" Turning, she assessed them with a frown, asking, "Does the doctor know of this?"
Yes, she did and had proceeded to run risk assessments that would allow them to act accordingly, but considering she hadn't had one in a few months, they hadn't believed it to be something to obsess over for fear of it actually winding her up and causing one.
"Y-Yeah," Sakura responded when they repeated the question.
Why the hell were they asking her questions when she could just about breathe normally? No, scratch that. She wasn't breathing normally. She was hyperventilating and–
"Sakura."
It wasn't until he was kneeling before her that she realised they'd come to a stop in an elevator, the fluorescent lights made worse by Sakura squeezing her eyes shut before attempting to look at Sasuke, squinting to try and counter being blinded.
The space wasn't as small as other elevators since they had to have enough room for gurneys, much to her gratefulness. It already felt like no oxygen was filling her lungs, so the last thing she needed was to be stuck in a confined space with two other people.
"I want Itachi," she whimpered to her best friend, ignoring his usual wishes of physical distance as she clutched at his arms. "P-Please–"
"He's coming," he assured her.
Knowing Itachi, he would speed to get to her before full blown labour, though that was if he was alone. If he happened to be with Kakashi, then she knew her adoptive father would use his sirens to defy traffic and get him to the hospital sooner. Was he supposed to do that? Nope. But he would. For her.
"I can't do this alone," Sakura whined. Tears burned her eyes. "Please. Please, stay until Itachi gets here. Please."
She wasn't really asking, though it seemed Sasuke didn't take it as a question, anyway. By the first please, he'd already nodded his agreement but in her hazed mind, she hadn't registered it until after she'd finished begging.
No, it was back. She–
Sobbing, her forehead fell to Sasuke's shoulder, the clenching of her inner muscles enough to force bile up her throat. It reminded her of the blogs she'd read belonging to women who claimed they'd thrown up during labour, though they could never pinpoint whether it was from the sheer pain their bodies were going through, or the drugs.
Hurry, Itachi!
Although he was in the process of washing dishes alongside Shisui, Itachi was swift in drying a single hand and answering his phone within the first three rings.
He'd disliked the thought of Sasuke and Naruto returning Sakura to the hospital for the simple fact that everything that happened, was now out of his control, leading to a horrendous number of what ifs and potential scenarios to play out in his mind, torturing Itachi with endless possibilities.
And just one glance at the caller ID had his stomach sinking.
"Naruto-kun," he greeted levelly, ensuring the panic was not evident in his voice.
But apparently, his cousin sensed it, for Shisui shifted his footing and took over cleaning the dishes, gesturing with a tip of his chin for Itachi to take the call in private, should he need to.
It was greatly appreciated, especially when the blond started the conversation with the dreaded, "Don't be mad–"
Itachi shut his eyes and paused in the doorway, leaning against it for support before he could stop himself. "Do not start a conversation like that, Naruto-kun." His anxiety couldn't handle it as it exploded to epic proportions in response to those damned what ifs. "Where is Sakura?"
"Th-That's the thing, um…"
"Naruto-kun."
"She's gone into labour."
Trusting them had been a bad idea.
He should have taken her back himself.
Allowing her the day out of the hospital was wrong.
He should have been there for her.
"Assure Sakura I will be there shortly–"
"They've already taken her down–"
Damn it. "Where is my brother?"
"With her."
Good. Good. Sasuke knew of Sakura's anxiety and would remind the doctor and nurses of it – not only that, but he would know how to handle her personally, too (not that he didn't believe the medical staff capable of empathy or the ability to treat Sakura). He not only knew of it, but also understood her routine such as how she calmed down, what she needed afterwards, etc. She would respond better to his presence than that of a stranger's.
"I don't know what to do," admitted Naruto in a mumble. "Do I go back in there and help? Or do I stay out here?"
Trying to think similarly to Sakura when his nerves were wound so tight was a difficult task, but not impossible after telling himself Sakura would need him.
As much as she loved Naruto, Itachi knew that he often times acted without thinking (including most of what he said) and that it drove her (in her own words) crazy. So, assuming she was in more pain than what the Braxton Hicks caused her, alongside her anxiety, then Naruto's presence was not what she needed in that moment in time. She would appreciate his support, of course, but she would feel obligated to allow him to stay, even if it made her uncomfortable.
Adding to that, she wanted skin-to-skin contact as soon as the babies were born, if they weren't whisked away due to complications. That meant she would be naked. And while Itachi was uncomfortable with his brother seeing her in such a state of undress, he knew there was no attraction there and not just because of the situation, whereas Naruto was, for lack of better word, shamelessly sexually active (more than he'd ever believed to be possible), to the point where Itachi had left the apartment on many occasions to escape the crude sounds that escaped his bedroom when Naruto believed nobody to be home.
"Stay in the waiting room," he said at length, trying to think of the kindest way to reject his offer. "Sasuke will find you if Sakura wishes for more support."
There was a sigh of relief and Itachi surmised that Naruto hadn't actually wanted to be there. "Can do," he said with more enthusiasm. "Hurry up!"
A recently dried hand came to his shoulder, though Itachi didn't need to look up to see Shisui watching him worriedly. "Sakura?" He nodded once while hanging up, sighing. "C'mon. I'll drive you. Do we need to take anything?"
No. Courtesy of Ino, Sakura's bags (and the babies') had been filled to the brim with supplies for both the labour and afterwards, when they were no doubt incubated due to being so early.
"It'll be okay," Shisui assured him gently. Ushering him to get a move on, Itachi did so, slipping on his shoes and jacket in a daze. It was a good thing Kakashi had offered to take the dogs when Sakura was first admitted. "Is she in labour?" All he could do was nod. "They're stubbornly eager to meet their parents," he said with a smile. "Even though that means worrying them."
"What if–"
"Nope, we're not doing what ifs, got it?" Shisui told him firmly while locking up. Itachi hadn't even noticed him donning his own shoes. "We're going to get there, you're going to see your girl give birth to your children, and it's all going to be okay."
But what if it wasn't? A disgusting knot of dread was settled deep in his stomach and no matter how much he knew he was being irrational by focusing on those what ifs, Itachi couldn't stop himself. They entered his mind and embedded themselves before he had the chance to force them back out.
He sincerely hoped that he left his own head soon, Itachi thought numbly as he buckled himself into Shisui's cruiser, for fear of being on autopilot during the birth of his children. Luckily for him, the sirens worked somewhat and part of Itachi huffed with amusement. Shisui had always been a stickler for the rules, never wanting to step out of line, but many times now, he'd done so for the sake of his little family. It was an act he could never fully repay, although he intended to try.
"Here we are," Shisui said after way too long. Even with the sirens it'd taken fifteen minutes to get there. "Remember what you told me: all equipment needed was put on standby last week. They're prepared."
Movement on the roof of the hospital captured Itachi's attention and he narrowed his gaze fractionally, focusing on it until a mask he knew all too well came into his line of sight, the subtle two-fingered salute putting him at ease.
Kakashi.
He'd been aware of the man taking up extra work for ANBU after Sakura was admitted (disliking how easy it was to get to her), even lying to Naruto by saying he was needed more at the station, though Itachi had believed him to be personally going after Hidan than merely watching over the hospital. Then again, if there was ever going to be a good opportunity to attack Sakura, it would be when she was at her most defenceless, when visiting hours were over and she was confined to a hospital bed, too exhausted or too scared to move.
What Hidan hopefully wasn't aware of was ANBU being stationed not only at the hospital grounds, but in the hospital, also. They posed as janitors and receptionists. Healthcare assistants or (for the more qualified ones – the medics of ANBU) nurses.
Had Danzo been thrilled by the request? No. But Itachi had a sneaking suspicion that he was learning of his straying and understood that the best way to keep Itachi under his control, was to have Sakura as a bargaining chip. Danzo wouldn't let her die. It was a double-edged sword in every sense of the world.
"Itachi!"
He blinked a few times like that alone would bring him out of his thoughts, looking to Shisui with a frown.
"What do you want me to do?"
What was there to do? It seemed redundant having Shisui sitting around the waiting area when Sakura could be in labour for hours, not to mention they wouldn't be up for visits once she'd given birth. Not only would Sakura need to rest, she would also need space mentally. Despite her leaps in growth and acceptance regarding their children, she was still wary and frightened. The adjustment would be huge for her and Itachi wanted her to take all the time and space she needed, to try and make the changes easier for her mentally.
Perhaps alert their friends and family? But who, exactly? And again, what use would that be when they weren't sure how long labour would be? They'd just be sat around worrying unnecessarily.
"Keep it quiet for now," suggested Itachi.
"There's no use in worrying everyone," he said, unknowingly repeating his thoughts. Then, with a smile, he pushed, "Go, Itachi. And you better make sure to let me know how everyone's doing."
"Of course."
"Oh, and try to take a few pictures," Shisui called after him when Itachi was already walking away. "Even if you're not talking to her, your mother would love to see them."
That all depended on Sakura and whether she was comfortable with such photographs being taken. He doubted he would even ask, for he knew she would feel obligated to agree to them. Like with everyone else, his mother would receive a photograph of the children when they were born and nothing more. The labour and birth was theirs and he refused to share such a moment.
"Thank you for the ride," he said instead.
"Good luck!"
She couldn't do it.
Apparently, she'd said it out loud, because Sasuke huffed and rolled his eyes, muttering, "It's too late for that."
Her teeth already hurt from biting down so hard on the gas and air tube, but for the life of her, she could not ease up, not when another damned contraction wracked her body and left her attempting to curl in on herself. There was a short-lived grunt from beside her as a hand cracked sickeningly in her grasp, however, Sakura was too lost in the pain to even notice or care.
"I-I need Itachi," she sobbed. "Where is he?"
There was no room for modesty in the birthing suite. Due to wanting skin-to-skin with the babies once they were born, the healthcare assistant had aided her in undressing, though Sakura had been so tempted to rip the clothes from her body the second she became more aware of the soiled underwear and dress. Poor Sasuke hadn't known where to look or what to do with himself as they left her in just a bra and a sheet precariously covering her hips – still didn't. His eyes never dared to stray any lower than her shoulders.
"Try to relax, Haruno-san. I'm going to check how far dilated you are now."
"He should be coming," Sasuke assured her. "Naruto–"
He was rudely interrupted by her squeal, back arching off the bed completely.
"What are you doing?" he demanded, part of her relaxing when he returned the pressure on her hand.
"Checking Haruno-san's cervix," the midwife informed him before looking to her. "I'm sorry, Haruno-san. I thought you heard me."
Like hell. She'd said she was seeing how far dilated she was.
It was the lousiest fucking excuse for incompetence–
"And?" he pushed.
It seemed Sasuke thought it was bullshit too, saving her from getting into a verbal altercation with someone providing her care. For that, she was so very grateful, because Sakura truly didn't believe she have the strength to fight on top of giving birth. Already, she felt drained and it was terrifying her because what did that mean for the actual labour?
Sitting back on her stool, the midwife said, "The first baby is engaged, but you're only two centimetres dilated. With your contractions coming so quickly it's a possibility the babies will become distressed–"
She tuned her out, slumping back against the bed with a sickening knot of dread and a single, petrifying thought running through her mind on repeat.
Holy shit, she was going to be ripped from hole to fucking hole.
"We can't advise or recommend anything," she told her more understandingly, thin eyebrows knitting together with genuine worry. "But personally, I would consider stronger pain relief than gas and air."
"Don't tell her that," snapped Sasuke harshly, his hold strengthening like he could sense that tightness in her chest. "She has a history of anxiety and has frequent panic attacks – or haven't you bothered to read her file?"
While Itachi would have spoken in a calm, polite manner, she found in that moment, while so angry and frightened, she preferred Sasuke's harshness. She preferred that he was firmly putting his foot down with zero room for miscommunication. She needed that. The midwife easily could have twisted Itachi's politeness as him suggesting rather than ordering and although she knew he had a scary side, he seldom let it show. He was a gentle person.
"Forgive me," she murmured, head bowing.
Dismissing her entirely, Sasuke focused on Sakura. "What do you want to do?"
But she wasn't allowed to answer, body damn near convulsing when the next contraction hit her powerfully. Her mind blanked completely, eyes shut so tightly that when she dared to reopen them, her vision was marred with flashes that aided in her vomiting.
"I-I need Itachi," she sobbed into her sick bucket.
"Uchiha Shisui."
Raising a curious brow at the vaguely unfamiliar voice, he held onto his cruiser's door and glanced over his shoulder, until he recognised the man standing before him and shut the door silently with an inward sigh, giving him his undivided attention. Anything less would be suicidal of him.
Behind him stood three of his henchmen and momentarily, concern laced through him upon seeing a red-haired woman sprawled out in the passenger seat of the running sports car behind them, blood staining the lower half of her face. However, he soon recognised her beneath the blood and swelling as his accomplice – the one from the CCTV footage ANBU had kindly shared with the department.
"Hidan," he greeted.
"Oh? You remember me?" he asked with a smirk.
In a tick he'd noticed the first time he'd arrested him a couple of years ago, Hidan rolled his shoulders and neck, the cracking of his joints meant as an intimidation tactic. Instead of being disturbed by it, he kept his level gaze fixed on the man, acutely aware of the gun he had concealed, should he be required to defend himself at any point.
"I'm honoured."
"You should be," Shisui replied in a rare show of arrogance. "It's not every day that an officer of my calibre is assigned to a case regarding a thug such as yourself."
The masked henchmen looked between themselves and he refrained from snorting at the pitiful attempts to conceal their identities. He didn't need a whole face to find out who they were – their eyes were enough.
"So?" he questioned when Hidan merely glared. "Are you here to try and use me as leverage against Itachi?"
"How did you–"
He smirked and leaned back against his cruiser, foot coming to rest on the door and arms folding. "You killed his friend. Attempted to murder my adorable little cousin and repeatedly tried your luck to get to Sakura." Shrugging, he continued while watching the man closely, "I was wondering when you would approach me, although I must say, I'm surprised that you brought three of your men with you."
Although he wasn't ANBU like Itachi was (a fact he detested with every fibre of his being, for he knew it was Fugaku's way of bettering his connections to aid in lowering Konoha's crime rate, even though it meant sentencing his son to such a life), he was still trained to be above average in self-defence and martial arts. If his cousin was not using ANBU's dirty tactics, then they were more than capable of going toe-to-toe during a spar until they collapsed with exhaustion, the only difference in their skills being that Shisui had much better stamina.
"Too much for you to handle?" one of them dared to question, and Shisui instantly placed his voice as a petty criminal who'd previously been arrested on drug charges.
"On the contrary," he began and assessed each of them like they were below him, Hidan included. "I'm offended, Jibachi-san." The sudden unease silenced him, making Shisui smirk. "How's the wife and children?"
"You–"
"Ah, I wouldn't," he advised when two of them stepped forward, gesturing with his chin to the roof of the hospital. "They're trained to shoot first and never ask questions."
"How scary," Hidan replied before taunting the three ANBU operatives with a vicious grin, tongue sticking out and middle fingers raised. "It's a piece of piss killing those dicks."
Shisui raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. From previous arrests, he knew Hidan to be a loose cannon who had once, during a short stint for a battery charge, caused what could only be described as a royal rumble in the dining hall of the prison, going on to taking out several officers alongside most of the prisoners. All the while, he'd laughed hysterically, blatantly getting off on the shitshow he created. He genuinely felt no fear for his own life or regard for human life in general. And Shisui knew that, given half the chance, he would engage all operatives on the roof without a care or shred of hesitancy.
"I'm surprised after all your run ins with ANBU that you failed to notice an important fact."
"Important?" he repeated with a scoff. "And what's that, fuck face?"
"ANBU travel in packs of four," muttered a new voice, the sight of the fourth operative hopping effortlessly on top of Hidan's flashy car enraging the man. Breaking protocol as Hidan spun on his heel, already halfway through a scream to get the hell off, he removed his dog styled porcelain mask, revealing a murderous glower. "This has been a long time coming."
Hidan's own expression darkened considerably, upper lip curling with hate. "Hatake Kakashi."
Clenching his fists, he tried to breathe normally, deeply, but every time he gained just a semblance of composure, it was stripped away from him by the sounds of her screams.
Itachi was ashamed of himself for becoming rooted in his spot the moment he heard Sakura's pain and he found it to be unforgivable that his mind disappeared from reality altogether, taking him from the birthing ward and throwing him into a nightmare.
They weren't the screams of a woman in labour – it was torture. In his mind, Hidan had finally managed to abduct Sakura and was enacting–
"Uchiha-san?"
He all but flinched when a careful hand came to his arm, fiercely fighting back the natural response to restrain the person who'd touched him.
"You're shaking," the doctor noted worriedly, frowning. "Are you sick?"
"No," he attempted to assure her smoothly. Instead, his voice cracked embarrassingly for the first time since puberty, showing his rampaging emotions for all to see.
The worry lingered – rightfully so, considering how godawful his acting was in that moment – until she smiled encouragingly, saying, "Sakura-san has been asking for you and I believe your brother may need the reprieve, if only for the sake of his hand. Would you care to follow me?"
That was right. Sasuke was there. With Sasuke, Sakura was safe, to an extent. He had proven before that she was safe with him and he knew he could trust his younger brother to protect her again, should he need to.
Deciding not to risk his brother's hand any longer, he nodded his agreement and followed the doctor, silently thankful that she was there. Remaining composed was easier when there was another looking to him – not specifically for guidance, but in the doctor's case, reminding him that Sakura needed him – and the walk to her room gave Itachi a few moments to rein in his emotions into the calm mask he knew she would need from him.
The midwife was stressed when she granted them entry to the room, Itachi noted instantly. Her body language indicated that she was in a standoff of some form, though Itachi knew that it could have been either of his precious people to make the middle-aged woman uncomfortable. The most likely candidate was unsurprisingly Sakura, especially now that she was in extreme pain, but the way Sasuke refused to acknowledge the midwife led him to believe it was him.
It wasn't worth thinking about, Itachi settled, not when said brother's discoloured hand was shockingly red, purple and white in Sakura's unyielding grasp. He was attempting to remain composed and Itachi admired the support he gave his friend despite the pain he was in.
As for Sakura, she was in a state that he knew would escalate to a panic attack, should they not tread carefully and seeing that, he removed the paper bag in his jacket pocket that he always carried around nowadays, setting it down on the table beside the bed. Then, after hanging his jacket over the back of a chair, he finally approached her, greeting the mother of his children with an apologetic smile.
"I-Itachi," she whimpered, face a mess with tears, snot and… Was that vomit?
Freezing in the corridor was unbelievably selfish of him. Resisting the urge to frown or show his guilt, he turned to the sink and soaked a clean flannel that had been left there, returning moments later to wipe Sakura's face clean. The coolness of the wet towel aided in her relaxing somewhat, body sagging with relief under his gentle touch.
"Forgive me," he pleaded softly, hand lingering when he brushed her damp hair back.
His momentary lapse in control must have been obvious to her (a notion he both loved and hated, for he was supposed to be strong for her), because she shook her head with a smile, saying, "You're here now."
There was a conversation behind him that Sasuke was focused intently on, soon interrupting their own when he cut the midwife off, saying, "You told her you were seeing how far dilated she was, then was suddenly checking her cervix."
Itachi's smile dropped instantly and he looked back to Sakura with a frown. He knew from previous examinations that the latter was a more distressing check, for the midwife obviously had to insert their fingers further. Without appropriate warning, and knowing her the way he did, Sakura would have jolted and caused herself more pain.
"I did warn her–"
"And then you proceeded to freak Sakura out–"
"I think we should all calm down," the doctor insisted firmly and Itachi was grateful for her levelheadedness. For the past couple of weeks, she'd become a great source of strength and comfort for Sakura, allowing his girlfriend to feel at ease with her constant reassurances – or as much as she could, in their situation. "Sakura-san, we can discuss this after the birth, if you wish and, in the meantime, I can have another midwife relieve Azarni-san for the duration of your labour, should that make you feel more comfortable."
He appreciated the swift action taken and knew that, by privately discussing what had happened afterwards rather than in the heat of the moment (so that she would not be influenced by outside perspectives or perhaps feel obligated to stay quiet for fear of getting someone in trouble), they would decide on an investigation for the woman to be appropriately punished.
"Azarni-san, please send Kanon-san as your replacement. You can take over her duties at the desk for the remainder of your shift."
"Sensei, I–"
"Please do not argue with me in front of my patient."
She'd been all smiles and reassurances until that point, but it seemed the violation had irked her more than she was letting on.
Tuning them out once more now that action had been taken, Itachi took Sakura's other hand. Immediately, the grip she had on him was intense and he pitied his little brother for having to deal with it for so long.
"Perhaps it would be best to let go of Sasuke," he insisted gently, amused by her sudden sheepishness as she quickly released him.
Sasuke tried to remain unaffected, merely shaking out his hand a couple of times, but his brother could not lie or hide anything from him. Itachi could quite clearly see the twitching of his fingers as the blood rushed back to them and he knew he would be experiencing horrific pins and needles shortly.
His attention was stolen from Sasuke's injured hand when Sakura's hold on his own suddenly tightened impressively, the cracking of his fingers registering a moment before the pain did. He'd always known she was remarkably strong, always surprising him with how much she could carry, but Itachi had never experienced that raw strength for himself.
The pessimistic, constantly paranoid side of him warned Itachi not to allow Danzo to find out about her strength. Combined with appropriate training and her deceptively innocent and youthful appearance, he knew she would be a notable assassin.
Shaking the irrational fear was tough, the images of Sakura submerged in the darkness of ANBU and controlled by Danzo threatening to render him immobile once more.
"Itachi," Sasuke snapped.
It appeared her screams were a trigger of his, Itachi noted with a pang of unshakeable remorse. Would that be the case for the entirety of the labour? Would he continue to zone out?
Uncertainly, he glanced between Sakura and Sasuke, the sight of his brother helping her with the gas and air striking him, because that was supposed to be him helping her. He was supposed to be the one she could rely on.
Snap out of it, he growled in warning to himself. Get out of your head.
The once painful grip on his hand shifted to become more comforting and it disgusted him because he was supposed to be the one comforting her. He was supposed to be supporting her. Yet, there she lay hunched over and trying to silence her screams of agony (no doubt noticing his stillness in response to them), body trembling and clammy, consoling him.
He breathed in deeply until his lungs ached, refusing to fall victim to the twisting of his own mind as it tried to coerce him into taking panicked, shallow breaths.
"You're doing well," he encouraged and despite his attempts to even his breathing, both Sasuke and the doctor shot him cautious glances, informing Itachi that he wasn't fooling anyone.
Rather than grant them any of his already unreliable attention, he focused entirely on Sakura.
Once more using the damp cloth to try and keep her cool, his heart warmed when she leaned into his touch, their eyes meeting briefly before she was squeezing hers shut, her cry of pain barely choked back.
He truly did not deserve a single inch of her, yet she'd chosen him regardless.
"I can go," Sasuke offered when the contraction finally faded, watching them both unsurely.
No, he wanted to plead with his brother, taking back everything he'd said about refusing to share the moment. Don't go.
It appeared Sakura felt the same way and he couldn't bring himself to feel hurt or annoyed by her request, because he knew he was struggling too much to help her.
"No, please. Stay."
"Are you both sure?"
"Yes," they replied simultaneously.
"Don't move," Kakashi warned, holding up a hand when the three henchmen tried their luck. Upon registering his signal, his team shifted, and three red lasers focused on the hearts of each criminal. "They won't hesitate."
"Pussies," snarled Hidan at his own men, not surprising Shisui in the least how quickly he turned on them. The turnover rate of his henchmen would've been comical, had it not been so tragic and meant the deaths of people. "You better fucking hope they kill you."
"Why?" came Kakashi's flippant question and he watched as the man suddenly brandished a knife, twirling it effortlessly around a single finger before he held it out in front of him, directed straight at Hidan. "You're not coming out of this alive."
It was best for him to stay out of it now or even leave while he still had the chance, but a morbid part of Shisui longed to stick around to witness Hidan's defeat at the hands of Kakashi.
"You think that matters?" he demanded with a manic laugh. "Do you think I'm a fucking imbecile, Hatake?"
Ah. As suspected by himself and Fugaku, Hidan had made backup plans in the event of his prospective death and most likely had someone waiting on the side lines to take over his plans when it happened. Or possibly waiting to strike Hidan's enemies or heal him, as they had the last time.
Through a narrowed gaze, Shisui glanced around the vacant car park, assessing all potential hiding spots, but he couldn't see anyone.
"I took precautions of my own," he continued in a mutter, smirking. "With that bitch being–"
Kakashi swiftly dropped from the roof of the car, closing the distance between them as he glared down at the other man. The knife that'd been directed at him was now pressed to Hidan's throat, but he was unperturbed, continuing to smirk maddeningly. "Watch your mouth."
"Sorry," he cackled nastily. "With sweet, innocent Sakura-chan being in the hospital, I knew Uchiha would be close by."
He snorted at that and applied more pressure, stepping with him when Hidan gave ground and moved back. "Itachi-san is the least of your worries."
Do it, Shisui inwardly demanded, gripping his biceps in a show of agitated anxiety. Why was Kakashi prolonging it? What reason–
There.
He straightened and drew his gun the moment he noticed movement from his peripheral. "Stop."
It was another henchmen, this one dressed as a janitor and it had Shisui's blood cooling in his veins as he envisioned several of them stationed around the hospital, waiting for the moment to strike. It would be so heartbreakingly easy, what with Sakura being exhausted from giving birth, both parents too lost in the highly likely ill health of their premature children. Hidan would have ample opportunity to strike.
He removed the safety, knowing ANBU would cover him if he opened fire.
"How many?" questioned Kakashi calmly.
"Sorry," Hidan laughed. "This imbecile can't fucking count–"
The handle of the knife colliding with the side of Hidan's face had blood splattering through the air, but Shisui kept his attention on the fake janitor. Afterwards, he would demand Fugaku gave him a warrant to access the data of all employees at the hospital. Since Fugaku was connected with Danzo through Itachi (as well as Kakashi working in both places), they would soon figure out who was working there from their side and who wasn't.
"I'll ask once more before I give them the signal to take her out," Kakashi warned him casually, settling the other man with a dark glare. There must have been something in Hidan's expression that Shisui missed, because Kakashi suddenly smirked, saying, "Looks like I hit a nerve. Let me guess: you're also pissed about the face?"
"No doubt it was Sakura–"
"I can confirm quite happily that it was Sakura," he said with a proud smirk. "And would you look at that? A single punch and she's out cold. That's my girl."
"You–"
Once more raising his knife, he stated bluntly, "Listen, I have better things to be doing with my time than standing around listening to this shit."
"Like seeing the babies?" he sneered. "I heard she's in labour."
Kakashi's deadpan was quite honestly terrifying, Shisui found, only sparing it a moment of his attention before he was looking back to the janitor.
"Looks like I hit a nerve," repeated Hidan, smirking. He stared the knife down for a second, then stepped closer, grinning when the blade pushed against his throat threateningly. "I can't wait to see them either."
Like hell he was getting anywhere near those babies, Shisui thought with a snarl, his grip on the gun tightening. The temptation to change targets and shoot Hidan through the side of the head was so goddamn tempting, but he knew ANBU needed the bastard alive, now that they had suspicions of someone taking over if they took him out.
More movement garnered his attention and Shisui shifted in his footing to glance over his shoulder, eyes narrowing at the men and women standing motionlessly in and outside of the hospital, awaiting their orders. Some were dressed as patients, some as cleaners or cooks, but most worryingly, he had lackeys in medical staff uniforms.
Shisui knew a threat when he saw one.
Hidan had infiltrated the hospital.
He was torn between a state of awe and shock as the woman he loved clutched at his and Sasuke's arms securely, like she was anchoring herself to them and drawing from their strength, her features scrunching up, teeth clamping down on the tube for the gas and air. The noises that came from her were downright animalistic – noises he'd never thought her capable of making, along with harsh curses spewing from her chapped lips – and already, her voice was growing hoarse.
Two other midwives had entered, despite the doctor only requesting one – Kanon. Still, the assistance was greatly appreciated as one worked quickly and efficiently in preparing the incubators for the twins, the other's hands cradling Sakura's bump gently and aiding the first baby to stay in position.
"Kamiko-sensei," the midwife beside him called out. "The second baby is turning – I believe they're breech."
Breech.
It seemed Sakura didn't hear the daunting words, for she continued sucking harshly on the gas and air, chest rising and falling in what he knew to be as a warning. Even if she didn't hear them, she was still getting worked up, or perhaps the gas and air itself was triggering her anxiety as she struggled to maintain regular breathing.
Kamiko looked up though hid her alarm well, much to Itachi's gratefulness (he was certain it was due to the surgical mask but didn't question it). "Footling breech?"
The midwife felt around and finally captured Sakura's attention as she squinted up at her, blinking in response to the harsh lights. "No. Transverse."
That was bad news. Itachi could tell from the way her eyes threatened to widen. "Mayuko-san, please inform the surgery unit that plan B may be happening."
Plan B? What was–
Caesarean.
"Can't you move them?" asked Sakura breathlessly, her grip shifting on his arm out of fear. "Or try to?"
"You're already in labour, Sakura-san."
"But is it possible?"
"It is," Kamiko relented with a worried sigh, exchanging a glance with the midwife - Kanon. "But it is risky."
"Risky for them or me?"
"Sakura–" Sasuke tried to dissuade her, his shock evident.
The holds on their arms tightened and he knew that it was the start of another contraction, because the monitor connected to his children's hearts picked up on the tightening. "Well?"
"Both. There's the risk of the cord coming out before Baby B."
Itachi looked up to find Sasuke watching him intently, his lips moving to mouth two simple words, "Stay focused."
"Try it," she ordered through clenched teeth, head falling forward just as she cried out in pain. "Please. Please, try it."
"Kanon-san," Kamiko wasted no time in ordering after a brief glance downwards. "Baby A is crowning. Do you remember the name of the medication to relax the womb?" She nodded seriously, still holding the first baby in position. "Once the head is out, get the injection and quickly give it to Sakura-san. It will help us with the EVC."
Crowning.
Itachi breathed deeply, encouraging Sakura to do the same.
Curiosity got the better of him and instantly, checking the sight of his child being born was regretted, though certainly not because of a weak stomach.
Until that moment, he hadn't been aware of the blood – of her blood, Itachi reminded himself firmly, but it was a lost cause. Once he had seen the blood coating his child's head and her vagina and the doctor's hands, it was all he could see. It was all he could hear.
"You're doing well Sakura-san," the doctor's praise was distant to him, drowned out by the drip, drip, dripping.
He was unable to focus as the sounds of blood hitting the floor filled his mind, becoming all that he could hear, becoming all that he could smell.
He was back there.
Back in the cold, dissolute building he had used as his torture chambers. Tied down on a simple, metal table that was never cleaned no matter what torture was inflicted on him. Back to the rawness of the injuries, back when infections had only just started to kick in. Back to witnessing him standing over him with that almost lecherous grin, lost in his bloodlust, each time with a new instrument for torture in his hands.
Drip.
Bile rose in his throat and Itachi could have sworn that he felt the pain all over again. He could have sworn that his chest was being blistered even as he held onto Sakura almost as tightly as she was him.
Drip.
He was trembling, clammy, but Itachi didn't notice. Wasn't even able to feel regret as his mind unwillingly fell victim to his memories.
Memories, he tried to tell himself. That's all they are.
But how could they be mere memories when he could smell the fire licking his wounds in slow, deliberate strokes? When his chest burned and back felt soaked?
Drip.
And he could hear him. Hidan. He could hear Hidan taunting him and laughing manically the whole time, informing him of everything else he had in store for Itachi.
Drip.
Blood filled his mouth, but it wasn't a great enough incentive to free his cheek as he bit down on it.
Drip.
And–
A harsh, resounding cry broke through his memories, piercing straight through Hidan and demanding he take notice of it. And he was lost, could only stare in a state of awe, as the other midwife (he wasn't sure when she returned) gingerly took the baby from Kamiko's arms, easing it down onto Sakura's chest with a smile.
"She's a girl," Mayuko informed them with a smile. "Born twenty-one fifty-seven."
His daughter.
Itachi's lips parted as their daughter struggled to turn, her tiny limbs working tirelessly to move up Sakura's apparently now-bare chest. Guilt exploded within him as he couldn't recall when she'd removed her bra, for it would have been between pushing and the guilt doubled when he saw Kanon tossing the used injection into the hazardous waste bin. And then he caught sight of two more being in the room, and that guilt dug its claws into him mercilessly, refusing to ever release him.
She wasn't as small as he'd believed her to be, though that was mainly due to his being a pessimist and believing their children would be no bigger or weighing any more than bags of sugar.
He watched in fascination as Sakura slumped with relief, her trembling hands hesitantly touching their daughter, like she was terrified of one wrong movement.
"Sakura-san, we're going to try moving Baby B now," Kamiko warned her gently, still between her legs. "So we're going to need you to hand Baby A over for a few minutes."
Part of Itachi longed to hold his daughter while they changed his son's position, but he knew he was not in the right frame of mind. Not only that, but Sakura needed him too. She was already spent, her eyes drooping momentarily and she was barely even nodding when they took their daughter, her gaze remaining locked on her until she was out of sight, being placed down on a much smaller examination table by one of the strangers.
His heart lurched. Attention torn between the two women in his life, he held onto Sakura, sparing her a glance before leaning down, offering a short, apologetic and thankful kiss on her forehead.
"You can do this," he told her.
"I-Is she… okay?"
In his glancing over to her, he found Sasuke also in a state of awe, watching the person checking her over seemingly in a trance. Turning back to her, he nodded and was grateful that their daughter was crying again, for he found it the perfect way to remain grounded in the present.
"W-Why…?"
"They are giving your daughter a quick examination to ensure she's healthy," Kanon informed her gently. Sparing a glance with Mayuko, the two midwives began easing their son into a different position, apologising separately when Sakura winced. "Come on, Sakura-san. You're doing so well!"
"You've got this," Mayuko joined in the support.
It was crowded around her bed, with himself and Sasuke stationed on either side of Sakura's head, the midwives right next to them and Kamiko at the bottom of the bed, peering upwards every so often to encourage Sakura or check in with the midwives.
Stay focused, Itachi repeated Sasuke's words.
"We've…"
"Got him! He's engaged," Kanon cheered. "Kamiko-sensei?"
"Good work," she praised with a smile that was hidden beneath her mask. "Sakura-san, on your next contraction, we want you to start pushing again. You're still fully dilated, don't worry."
Weakly, she nodded.
Itachi tightened his hold on her, the other hand brushing the hair off her clammy forehead. Heavy green eyes met his and he offered a smile, one that was returned tiredly.
And then the next contraction started, eradicating all tiredness as Sakura shuffled on the bed awkwardly, unknowingly yanking both himself and Sasuke closer. Itachi met his brother's gaze, surprised to find out via his reflection in his eyes that his own expression was just as open, conveying his amazement.
"Come on, Sakura," Sasuke surprised him by saying.
"Keep pushing."
"You can do this, Sakura-san!"
Sensing the dangerous situation that they were now in, Kakashi backed off with obvious reluctance and it left a bitter taste in Shisui's mouth. He'd never been one to easily admit defeat and to be trounced by someone such as Hidan…
"He thought he was clever destroying The Ring, didn't he?"
The ring? Clearly, Hidan wasn't referring to an actual ring – he could tell from the narrowing of Kakashi's hard eyes. So, purely going off how evil the man was through and through, Shisui assumed that it was regarding a sex trafficking ring that was reported in only a few weeks ago. They'd had an inkling it was ANBU to discover and destroy it, but obviously held no concrete proof.
"Congratulate him for me," Hidan spat over his shoulder at him, causing Shisui to square his shoulders, jaw clenching. "Or better yet, tell Uchiha I'll be seeing him soon, if he can hold his shit together until then."
He knew about Itachi's mental health struggles. Then again, it didn't come as too great a shock considering the hell he'd been through. Shisui grit his teeth.
"Now, if you little bitches are done," Hidan snorted and stepped around Kakashi, going as far as to dare pat his back harshly. The older man remained stoic until his jaw clenched, eyes narrowing with hate. "I need to do damage control thanks to Pinky."
Shisui's eyes darted through the fake staff members as they began to back away, working hard to commit all faces to memory and he noticed Kakashi doing the same, confident in his backup watching Hidan's every move as he did.
"Maybe next time, Uchiha," Hidan yelled over his unconscious partner and out of the window to him, grinning. "Keep an eye out for me, won't you?"
He reluctantly lowered his gun, though the secure hold he possessed didn't relinquish in the slightest. Not even as Hidan sped out of the car park, tyres screeching in protest.
"Remind me why we didn't just shoot him," Shisui muttered, watching in anger as the original three henchmen disappeared in their own getaway car. "So that I feel less shitty."
Kakashi sighed, his resentment evident and understandable. "Several reasons. First being that we have no idea what he has lined up for us in the aftermath of his death."
Jaw clenching, he glanced up at the roof, nodding once to his comrades. They disappeared into the darkness seconds later, but Shisui didn't question what his orders had been.
"Second reason is his henchmen." The tightness of Kakashi's eyes echoed in Shisui's chest and he swallowed hard when he said, "They could be in the room with Sakura as we speak, ready to strike." He looked around cautiously and replaced his porcelain mask over his face, the eeriness of it making Shisui uneasy. It was so different to his ordinary mask. Deadlier. It was like, with it on, Kakashi was a completely different person. "Third is that they could have descended on us all at once. We were outnumbered on an almost preposterous scale."
Yes, he agreed with that one entirely. The sheer number of criminals Hidan had working for him alerted Shisui to the fact that, while Fugaku had succeeded in lowering the overall crime rate, they still had a frightening number of offenders amongst them.
"Finally, because of the risk to civilians." Gesturing to the entrance of the women and children's unit, he said, "There are many innocent lives inside those walls, out in the open, including Naruto and Sasuke. While I know they're not entirely defenceless, this is not one of their childish scraps and I refuse to put their lives at risk."
They wouldn't know that employees of the hospital were Hidan's lackeys and while Sasuke had a suspicious nature, he would generally trust the medical staff. Sighing, Shisui returned his gun to its holder, watching Kakashi for a moment, wondering where he was looking.
"So, what now?"
"I remember a majority of the faces," Kakashi informed him, voice muffled somewhat due to the mask. That didn't make his words any less menacing, though. "I'll get a head start."
He shook off the natural discomfort. "Anything you want me to do?"
Kakashi paused in turning away, saying over his shoulder, "Stay with Naruto and Sasuke on the off chance Hidan orders his henchmen to go after them. Trust no-one."
"Understood."
Upon the safe arrival of their son, Sasuke left the delivery room to inform Naruto of the news, granting them some privacy before the twins were taken for thorough examinations. Overall, the doctor informed them, they appeared in great health and while their daughter weighed five pounds and seven ounces, their son just grazed six pounds, much to the astonishment of them all. They'd been prepared for threes or, if they were lucky, four pounds. She didn't know how or why the calculations were so off, but she was so, so grateful for it.
It was impossible to hold back a sudden sob as they nursed away with only a few struggles (the midwives had given her personal tips on how to combat said struggles, before aiding her in once more getting the babies to latch on and feed). Was it the agonising relief her body was in? Was it the overwhelming experience of giving birth to… to two beautiful babies she'd carried for seven months or–
Sakura attempted to snuggle them both closer to her chest without disrupting the unusual sensation of their feeding, as close as she possibly could without suffocating them. Gods, they were so tiny. So fragile.
She created them with the man she loved.
How in the hell could she have ever thought about giving them up?
"Itachi…" Her eyes were still wide as they met his, filled with surprised love and tenderness. "They're our babies."
He could only nod, his hand coming up and gently touching his daughter's cheek, then his son's. "Yes, they are."
"I didn't think that I would feel this way," she whispered shakily when their son opened his eyes by the tiniest amount, Sakura's heart swooning in response to their gazes locking. "This… This love."
So this is what true love feels like, she marvelled, eyes shutting in content and a brief smile crossed her lips at the sound of a camera (Itachi had asked permission before she started nursing, so it didn't come as a shock).
She met his gaze after he kissed her forehead again, his quiet voice expressing a powerful gratitude and vulnerability as he murmured, "Thank you, Sakura."
No, thank you, for having faith in me when I believed myself incapable of loving them.
A/N - Giving birth is one of the most terrifying, yet rewarding experiences of my life. Everything was completely out of my control, I couldn't remember what the pain relief was called that I originally wanted (and the unhelpful midwife who took over during handover said they weren't allowed to tell me what I could have just in case it influenced my choice) and I had two near panic attacks and one actual panic attack, according to my partner. And I say according to my partner, because I can't even remember half of it after having the epidural that only worked on one half of my body.