Retrieve

Sakura felt a gentle nudge and blearily opened her eyes. It was entirely too early in the morning, and it felt like Conner, with all his rambunctiousness, had just gone to sleep. When she focused, it was to see Barry smiling down gently at her.

They were in Konoha and were supposed to head to Central City in two days, and Sakura was looking forward to going back. She was slowly building a life that was sustainable.

Sakura groaned. "Barry, why are you up this early? The chickens are angry that you're trying to take their job." Sakura grabbed a pillow and put it over her head, but Barry chuckled and pulled it away.

"I have to go."

Sakura turned her head and faced the man she was hiding from.

"To Central City?" Barry nodded. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. A call went out to all League members to return to base."

"Should I get Conner and come with you?" The boy had just fallen asleep. A three-year-old Conner was a hellion. Sakura, who had previously despaired so much at not being able to see any of herself in Conner, saw a lot of it now. Toddler Conner was just as much as a brat as she had been—or at least that's what her mother had told her in the past. She wondered just how much of herself she'd see in Conner now that she had the chance to watch him grow older.

Barry shook his head. "You're supposed to stay here two more days. I'll miss you, but you should stay until then just in case there's trouble."

Sakura frowned. "You know I can take care of myself."

"I know, but you know, I like to take care of you." Sakura huffed but sat up slowly. "Besides, I'm not about to put you and Conner in danger if I don't have to. It wouldn't be right."

Sakura sighed, seeing the logic. The thought of Conner being in danger sent a sliver of fear down her spine, and her mind rejected the idea. "Fine. I'll let it pass this one time."

Barry leaned in and kissed her on the lips quickly then went back in for another. "Marry me?"

Sakura gasped, not sure she heard the man correctly. Tears filled her eyes because, for some reason, she never thought that he'd ask-at least not this soon. They had been together for over a year now, so maybe that wasn't too early at all. Hope fluttered in her chest, and she missed Barry's flinch. "Bad timing. I know. Can I get a do-over?"

"No!" Sakura shouted before she could stop herself, and before a wounded look could enter the man's eyes, she continued, "You get a yes to the worse proposal ever." Sakura said with a grin and threw her arms around Barry's neck and squeezed him tightly.

"It can't be that bad if you're saying yes."

Sakura snorted. "You get a yes because I love you. You get an F on your proposal, but I'll let you make it up to me later."

Barry stole another kiss. "I will. I promise."

He left shortly after that.

:::

"Mama, where Barry?"

"Where is Barry." Sakura corrected.

It had only taken half the day for her little man to realize that Barry was gone. Sakura suspected that had something to do with his senses. A younger Conner, unlike the older, adored Barry. His favorite spot to fall asleep was with his head against Barry's chest. Sakura did not doubt that he was very familiar with the man's heartbeat. He could probably hear it at a great distance.

"He went to Central City."

Conner frowned.

"'Lone?"

"Alone."

Conner scowled, and the look on his face was adorable. "A. Lone." He struggled to correct himself.

"Alone." Sakura patiently reiterated, but Conner just nodded his head like he said the right thing already. Sakura didn't press because with the boy's stubborn streak, he would deliberately start saying it wrong out of spite.

"But, he in trouble."

Sakura paused and forced the panic that ran to the forefront of her brain back.

"I'm sure your father is with him to help him." Surprisingly the two men had been able to work together. Initially, Sakura noted that there was a little bitterness in Barry concerning Clark, but she didn't understand why. She didn't press either because if Barry wanted to tell her, he would. She figured it was one of those things she had to let lie.

Still, whatever it had been, hadn't affected the League as a whole. Clark and Barry still watched each other's back.

Conner shook his head and looked at Sakura solemnly. "No. Dada is gone."

That…couldn't have been correct. Barry said that all the League had been called in. He would have told her, even if he shouldn't, that there had been an exception to the rule.

"Why do you say that, Conner?"

"Can't hear him."

Sakura frowned. "Can't hear Barry?"

"Can't hear Dada. He gone." Conner waved his hands in the air as if the concept exasperated him.

Sakura stared at her son as the dread threatened to overtake her. She fought it and decided to let anger take its place. The rage she could manage easily. Fear would cripple her.

"Conner, would you like to spend the night with Uncle Naruto and Uncle Sasuke?"

Conner's eyes lit up. Conner adored her teammates. Mainly because Naruto let him get away with murder, and Sasuke encouraged the murder in the first place.

"Go get Barry and Dada?"

Sakura smiled. "Yes, I'm going to get them."

Conner nodded, approving of her plan. "I go." The boy rose to his feet and ran to his room—probably to fill a bag with as many of his toys as he could.

Sakura would take him to them, and then she would see Kakashi because it was possible that he knew more about what was going on than she did. Barry trusted Sakura with his life.

But Diana trusted Kakashi with her everything. Sakura wasn't about to leave unprepared.