Disclaimer: Sis didn't own Naruto, only her story plots and her OCs.
21— Home Sweet Home
Sakura smiled as she sat with Gaara on the couch of the house they lived in together. They were 'renting' it from Hiashi and Meyumi. In reality, it was the guest house on the outskirts of the manor. It was a duplex, therefore they were not the only ones living there. Neji and Tenten, who had been married a month after they had, moved into one side of the duplex while Sakura and Gaara moved into the other. All four teens still shared meals with the Hyuuga family, but they always retreated to their 'homes' at the end of the day.
Meyumi, Hinata, Hanabi and Tenten had enjoyed helping Sakura decorate the nursery. Meyumi had retrieved the remainder of Sakura's belongings from the Haruno house, but when she'd returned it was to tell Sakura that the house was abandoned. The only things left there had been Sakura's. She'd swallowed and nodded, asking if the house was on the market yet. It wasn't. That had confused Sakura and she'd contacted her brother and asked him to check into something for her. He'd readily agreed, but had balked when she asked him if the house he'd grown up in had been sold.
It had taken her brother two weeks to track down info on the house and he'd been shocked when he'd told her that the house had been abandoned since his parents had left years ago. That had made Sakura smile. Despite everything, their parents had left them something, even if it was just a house. Sakura had asked Meyumi to put the house up as a rental property. Meyumi had been confused, asking why Sakura didn't move into the house herself, and Sakura and blushed slightly and told her that she didn't have a way to pay the utilities yet, so it would be useless to live there until after she'd graduated high school and managed to find a job.
It had shocked Meyumi and Hiashi that Sakura had taken such things into account, but it also made them smile. And so she and Gaara had stayed in the duplex with Sakura's 'in-laws' for neighbors. Hinata and Hanabi spent a lot of time with Sakura while Gaara worked at his part time job. Surprisingly, since Sakura's wedding, Hanabi's condition had been improving. She could walk from the manor to the guest house and back without much trouble. Sakura encouraged the girl to swim and often got into the water with her, as the water alleviated the weight of the baby.
And that is how Hiashi came up with the 'rent'. He'd stated that Sakura and Hinata spending time with Hanabi seemed to be improving her health. Therefore, as long as Sakura helped in Hanabi's rehabilitation, they could stay in the duplex. Sakura had smiled gently and nodded, stating that spending time with Hanabi and Hinata was enjoyable and that she hoped both would help her with the baby when it came. Hanabi had seemed excited at the prospect of getting to hold a baby.
She looked over at Gaara, who was lightly snoozing as they watched a program on childbirth and the first few months of infancy. She smiled and snuggled up to his side. According to her brother, their baby was happy and healthy and from the size of him, would be ready to be born any day now, even though she was due mid-September. She looked down at her belly and smiled. She was much larger than she had been at their wedding three months ago. Time had gone by more quickly than she anticipated.
A knock on their door had Gaara startling awake. Sakura had tried to push herself up and go answer the door but Gaara had mumbled at her to stay seated and had gone himself. She looked over when Meyumi, Hinata, and Hanabi walked in. Meyumi had an envelope for Sakura…one the pinkette was all too familiar with. It was how the people who rented the house her parents had left behind paid their rent. An envelope with her name on it, sealed, and hand delivered to her via one of the Hyuugas. The property was one of those 'utilities separate' types.
The young couple living there had asked about that, but when it was explained that the proprietor of the property was a sixteen-year-old high school student who'd been left to fend for herself by her parents, the people had said nothing more. Sakura took the envelope and pushed herself up, with Hanabi's help, and slowly made her way into their bedroom, where there was a safe built into their closet. She put the money in the safe and locked it up before making her way into the living room once more.
When she got there, it was to find Hiashi, Neji and Tenten were there, smiling at her. Gaara was scratching the back of his head in confusion and Sakura laughed slightly, her confusion evident as well. It was Tenten that stepped forward and handed Sakura a beautifully wrapped box with white wrapping paper and a silver bow. Gaara took the box from her, noticing how it strained her slightly. He led her to the love seat and sat with her as they looked at the box. Neji spoke to them when they looked up at the other married teen couple.
"We never got to give you your wedding presents, what with all the fuss being made about two weddings a month apart for our family." Sakura's eyes warmed at being considered part of their family. She carefully pulled the end of the bow and watched it unravel. She smiled and delicately peeled back the white paper. Gaara held the gift as she carefully unwrapped it. She laid the paper and the bow aside and went to open the box. It was taped shut. She looked at Gaara, who pulled a knife from his pocket and cut the tape strips so that she now had access to the box. She smiled and carefully opened the box.
She gasped and stared, as did Gaara, at the beautiful frame inside the box. It was very obviously custom made. The two long sides were elegantly painted glass framed out by black powdered wrought iron. The glass depicted cherry blossom trees in full bloom. On the top and bottom, there was the kanji for love twisted in wrought iron in the very center. And in the frame was one of the pictures taken at their wedding. It was of Gaara hugging Sakura, his hand on her belly as they stared into each other's' eyes. Gaara was smiling and Sakura was blushing, a gentle smile on her pink tinted lips. The image still brought tears to Sakura's eyes and she wiped at her eyes, a happy smile on her face.
"Thank you…all of you. I know this was a collaborated effort." She sniffled and smiled, leaning over to kiss Gaara, who was just staring at the frame with awe. He kissed her before looking up at the Hyuugas and thanking them in a quiet voice. They all smiled and then Hanabi stepped forward, no longer needing her oxygen mask on all the time. She smiled, happiness in her eyes as she regarded the couple who were as close to them as family. It was Hinata that spoke when Hanabi stepped back and hugged the older Hyuuga girl around the waist.
"Hanabi has been able to go to school thanks to you. She made this for you both." Sakura smiled and leaned forward, indicating she wanted a hug. Hanabi went back to the pinkette and hugged her gently. She blushed and went back to her sister, hugging her and hiding her face slightly. Sakura smiled and began opening the gift with the same amount of care as she did the first one. When she had the paper off, she gasped. It was another picture frame, but this one was hand carved. It had no picture in it, but it the simple craftsmanship of the piece took Sakura's breath away.
"Hanabi, it's beautiful! Thank you so much!" The girl blushed and smiled, happy that Sakura liked her gift. Hanabi then looked up at her parents, who smiled at Sakura and looked at their daughters.
"Hanabi asked us for something, as well. She wants us, all of us, to take a family portrait. She wants you and your family in it as well." Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes and she smiled, wiping at them.
"I would love that." Hanabi smiled brighter and watched as Hiashi handed Sakura a gift, his long arms easily spanning the distance from where they stood to where Sakura sat. Sakura opened this one as well and her eyes welled up with more tears. She smiled gently and put her hand to her mouth. It was another picture frame, but this one was ceramic. It was obviously handmade, but it was old. She looked up at Hiashi, who had tears in his own eyes.
"Your parents made that for Meyumi and I when we were pregnant with Hinata. Your father was sure she was going to be a boy. I have kept it, all these years, in hopes that perhaps we would have a boy. But I think it would be better for you to have it now." The tears fell, from Sakura's eyes, from Hiashi and Meyumi's eyes…Gaara hugged her gently and she smiled. The frame was blue, powder blue, and had a darker blue bow that wrapped around the frame elegantly. On one side there was a stork with a little white bundle. Obviously her mother had painted it.
"My father made this?" She asked in a quiet voice. Hiashi nodded and looked at the frame, his eyes softening.
"There are things about you parents that you don't know, Sakura. Your father was a fantastic artist, but his parents forbade him to pursue it. He was denied his dream." Sakura's eyes darkened with sadness but then she smiled and caressed the ceramic frame.
"I have a pink one, a lot like this. There's a crown on one side and on the bottom it says Princess. Daddy gave it to me when I was three." Tears streaked down her cheeks. "It's the only gift they ever gave me that wasn't meant to make me smarter." She heard Meyumi sniffle.
"I remember it. Your father made that frame the day they found out they were having a girl. He was so proud of it…until his parents visited and called it rubbish." Sakura looked down at the frame and bit her lip. Her tears fell more often.
"They're not bad people…are they Meyumi-sama? My parents aren't bad…" She hiccupped and buried her face against Gaara's shoulder. He shushed her and kissed her temple, taking the frame from her. Meyumi crooned and went to Sakura's side, kneeling down by the girl and rubbing her back.
"No sweetie, they're not bad people. They were given a raw deal by Hiroji's parents. Your mother isn't who they picked out for him to marry, but he loved her." Sakura gasped and looked over at Meyumi, who nodded with a sad smile.
"Your parents suffered every day of their early marriage with barbed comments from Hiroji's parents. Aimee was never pretty enough, never smart enough, never good enough for them because they hadn't chosen her for Hiroji. My guess is they were afraid of the same happening to you." Sakura sniffled and looked down at her hand, where her wedding ring sat. She smiled and looked over at Gaara, at the love she saw there.
"I have a man who loves me more than anything. We're good enough for each other and that's all that matters." Gaara reached out and wiped her tears away. Sakura's smile turned to a gasp and she looked down at her belly. She felt Gaara pulling at her face and she looked up at him, saw the concern in his eyes. She smiled at him and put her hand on her stomach.
"The baby moved. It startled me." She smiled gently and giggled, only for it to be cut off with another gasp and her spine straightening. "Ow…" She looked over at Meyumi, who gasped and looked at the others.
"Hiashi, get the car. Hinata, pack a bag of clothes for Sakura. Neji, Tenten, get the car seat, just in case." Meyumi then looked at Gaara, who looked concerned for his little pink haired wife.
"Gaara, this may be false labor pains, but it might not be. You need to inform your family that we are taking Sakura to the hospital and you need to call Xavier and let him know what's happening. He will most certainly want to be involved in this." Gaara nodded and stood, going to their bedroom and picking up Sakura's phone and calling her brother. He spoke several moments with his brother-in-law before hanging up and going to his wife, who let out another gasp of pain.
"I…I don't…ah…I don't understand!" Sakura sniffled, tears pricking her eyes at the pain. Meyumi smiled tightly as she waited for Hiashi to return with the car.
"Calm down, sweetie. It could be nothing." Sakura took a few deep breaths and Gaara stared at her, holding her hand as she leaned back against him. It was then that Neji stuck his head back into the house.
"Uncle has the car. The driver was notified of the emergency and has phoned ahead to the hospital. They are transferring Sakura's brother down to oversee her care." Meyumi nodded and looked at Sakura, who looked slightly frightened. She smiled and took Sakura's hand.
"It's going to be alright Sakura. We're here for you. Your family is here for you." Sakura nodded, tears gathering in her eyes, and she managed a small smile. Meyumi watched as Hinata and Hanabi returned with a bag for Sakura, Hanabi carrying a smaller one with clothes for the baby. Meyumi then looked at Gaara. "It's going to be hard for her to walk. Get her to the car as quickly as you can and let her lean against you. Don't put her legs up." Gaara nodded and helped Sakura up. He pursed his lips before bending and picking Sakura up, letting her legs dangle over his arm. She protested but he just hurried her out of the house.
Meyumi looked over at Hinata. "You may want to call all of Sakura's friends. I have a feeling that one way or another, that baby is coming today." Hinata's eyes widened and she nodded, pulling out her phone. She called Naruto and told him to get Gaara's family to the hospital, that Sakura had gone into labor. She told him to call Sasuke and tell him what was going on. She then phoned Ino's mom and told her what was happening and asked if she'd bring Ino and Kiba to the hospital. The older woman affirmed and said she'd take Ino's phone so the girl couldn't tell anyone else. Hinata thanked the woman and then followed her mother out, locking the house up.