There is no mountain you can't face
There is no giant you can't take
All of your tears were not a waste
You're one step away - The Comeback by Danny Gokey

I sat in Sakura's apartment, it was comfortable and I liked how homey it was compared to the rooms we met in when I had my turn to host my friend. Her advice over the past month, her shoulder, her listening ear, had chased away a lot of my demons. She was always ready to argue with me or cry with me, whichever I needed. Today was to be my last day of appointments.

"So," Sakura dusted her hands, she was rolling out bread on her counter, "You said you had something you wanted to show me?"

I got up, crossing the room with a scroll that I'd not been able to even look at since putting it away after seeing Itachi's name on the Memorial. I showed it to her, "Itachi gave this to me the last time I saw him." I held the scroll close, then handed it to her, "It's a storage scroll."

Sakura unrolled it, "Oh," she lay it flat on a clean countertop, "Oh, Hinata, this is precious. He wrote into the seal what each held." She traced a finger around the first seal, which I hoped was empty. Or maybe full. My stomach was starting to rebel at the strangest things. "It says 'her cinnamon roll'." She smiled, "Oh," she laughed, "Have you seen these?"

"I haven't wanted to look. I thought it would be too hard. But..." I smiled at Sakura, "I think this is the last thing I had that I needed to bring to light. Well, and baby-chan."

Sakura beamed, "Thank you for sharing this with me, Hinata. Here, look at how much he loved you. It's easy to see in the way he wrote the seal. It doesn't have to be this complicated. This one reads, 'Sweetened Coffee. She prefers tea.' God, that's so sweet." I looked over her shoulder, "We both love onigiri," Sakura sighed, "And this one says, 'dango', well, that one was a little uninspired."

I smiled and swallowed the sudden lump, "He liked dango. He had a sweet-tooth."

Sakura squinted at the last seal, "Oh. Hinata." I looked at the final circle. She traced the words I could see, "It's your name. It's your name in every style - are some of them codes? - I've ever seen." She gasped, "I think this is written for someone to see with a dojutsu. I wish Kakashi-sensei still had his sharingan." She frowned, "Well, not really, it hurt him, but you know what I mean. Do you know what's in it?"

"Yeah." I held my hand on the seal, "Hinata." The seal irised open, and I pulled free a navy kimono. I gathered the material, and shifting it brought out the smell of the cologne he'd worn that day. I brought the bundle to my face and breathed deeply, "He bought this kimono. I think he wanted to stop wearing shinobi gear." I regarded it, then sat it on top of the scroll. I untied the string tying it together, and the material fell open. I patted it, quickly finding the box and then a smaller, scruffier scroll. "This was his mother's ring," I showed her the box, before opening it and spilling the ring onto the counter top.

Sakura touched it wonderingly, "It's absolutely beautiful."

"The scroll is his crow summon." I unrolled it, showing Itachi's name and fingerprint, "He said I should try and summon one."

"Did you want to try?"

I blinked. Did I? I do want to put the ring on a necklace I kept my mother's wedding band so I could wear them both near my heart. I honestly didn't know what I wanted to do with a possibly grumpy crow summon. "No, I..." I laughed, "I feel like I'd better wait."

"What are you going to do with the ring?"

"Itachi said his father had bought it after Sasuke was born, it's red for the Uchiha family name, the diamonds are their sons." I rubbed my abdomen, "Itachi said that it was his to give. I was thinking of putting it on a necklace I wear that has my mother's wedding band on it. But, now, I wonder if I shouldn't give it to Sasuke."

Sakura pursed her lips, "Itachi was the elder brother. There was probably more where that came from, don't you think? Keep it. Wear it." She poked a ball of dough, "Even though you said you don't need any more appointments, I've really enjoyed getting to know you better. Can we stay friends?"

I nodded, I understood her perfectly. We weren't as close in the past as we had gotten, "I would like that." I giggled then, "Kiba-kun asked me to ask you if you wouldn't mind helping me move? I've decided to move into the Uchiha clan seat." Her eyes looked away, I wondered suddenly if she'd had any contact with Sasuke. She'd loved him the way I'd loved Naruto. Now, I was getting everything she'd probably imagined came with being a Uchiha. "Did I offend? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

Sakura's smile was genuine, "No, I was just thinking." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "Itachi..." She took a breath, "He wasn't what I thought he was. I wonder if Sasuke isn't what I think."

"Naruto seems to think he's changed." I shrugged.

"I said goodbye on the day he left," Sakura's jade eyes fastened on something far away. "He bonked my forehead, and told me he'd be back."

"Do you want him to?"

"For his own sake, I do." Sakura sighed, "For mine, too. I have to know if what I feel is ever going to be real. I keep wanting to give up, but I keep holding on with both hands."

"That sounds tiring," I rubbed her shoulder. "But giving up... I don't see you doing that, Sakura."

"I'll help you move." She put the loaves in a pan, slipping them into her oven to bake, "How about baby-chan?"

"I go in for my first sonogram tomorrow. I'm a little nervous, but so excited at the same time. I'll be telling everyone in another two weeks, if everything looks good." I laughed, "Which is why I've decided to live in the Seat. I'm pretty sure my father's going to lose his mind."

"You're probably right." Sakura squinted out the window at the bright late summer sun, "You know you have to report the pregnancy to the Hokage?"

"Makes sense." I tapped my lip, "It doesn't matter how, though?"

Her pink hair swung as she shook her head, "I don't think so. Why?"

"I promised to make him dinner. Now's as good a time as any. What does Kakashi-sama like?"

Sakura's brows rose, "He's partial to whatever's not sweet or fried. He has simple tastes, from what I've seen."

"I'll go see him today, too."

"You're not going to be rattling around alone there, are you? I mean, you can come live with me if your father gets mad."

I waved my hand, "Thank you for the offer, but no. I have a legal right to part of my inheritance, and I can hire some part time help if I need it." I sighed, the memories of Itachi and I at the Seat flooding through me, "The place is livable now, if just barely."

"Just don't isolate yourself, okay?"

I nodded, "I think I've learned my lesson." I hugged her tightly, and she squeezed right back, "I can't thank you enough, Sakura. I think you may have saved more than my life, I want you to know."

She snuffled in my ear, "It was my pleasure." She let go, "Thanks for listening to me, too."

I left her waving happily at me as I picked my way out to the Hokage's tower. I ran lazy fingers over the scroll, wishing as Sakura had, that someone could read Itachi's last words to me. I probably should have been watching where I was going.

"Oof!" I bounced back, losing my balance before strong arms caught me.

"Hinata!" Naruto's smile stunned me, "I'm happy to hear you're feeling better."

I could feel a blush climbing my cheeks. I'd been avoiding him, too. I was still completely uncomfortable with my reaction when he'd connected all our emotions. The only excuse for the feelings that flowed out of me was that I'd been in love with the idiot for nearly a whole decade. Now, those emotions were all tied in a knot with how I still feel for Itachi.

"S-sorry, Naruto!" I allowed a nervous giggle as he set me aright, "I should have been watching where I was going." I took a step back, "Thanks for catching me, though."

"Hinata...?" His big blue eyes took me in, "I'm sorry. I've been meaning to talk to you," he rubbed his neck, "but it never seemed to be a good time."

I blinked, I suppose this too was something I would have to come to terms with. "I have time now. I was just going to the Hokage's Tower. I don't mind company."

His eyes swept up to Sakara's place, his brows scrunching, "I was going to see if Sakara wanted to go on a quick mission."

"She is baking right now, and a walk to the Tower won't take long."

He nodded, a small smile blooming, "Sure. You're right." He took a step and I mirrored him, "So, how's things?"

"Better." I watched him study his shoes, "You know I was in the hospital?"

"Yeah. Sorry about that, by the way. You were sick?"

"I fell apart..." I shrugged, lifting my eyes, "After Neji and Itachi and everyone else who won't be coming back; I just fell apart. Didn't eat or sleep."

He looked up again, studying me, "I'm really sorry. Sakara didn't tell me that."

I laughed a little, "You asked Sakara?" I shook my head, "I've always been right here. Guess some things just won't change, will they?"

"I suppose not." Naruto huffed, "It wasn't me who had a boyfriend out of the blue."

"You should try it." I laughed again, a real one and he joined me.

"Seriously, though, I meant everything I said, everything I did after that."

"I know. And with the sage chakra, I'm sure you knew exactly what I was feeling." I rolled the hem of my shirt with the hand not carrying the scroll, "But I was sure confused by it all. I know I love... loved? Itachi and you too, somehow, but at that moment..."

"It was my inspiring speech."

"Must have been." I breathed out a soft laugh and Naruto smiled.

He pressed, "So, about Itachi."

I raised my brows, and searched his face. He blushed slightly, "It was a week. I know to people like us, it can seem like forever, but..." He resumed walking, his eyes averted, "I'm still in love with you."

"Naruto..." I breathed in a deep breath to sort my thoughts. I did care about him, certainly. I'd loved him for too long to just discard those feelings. But with Itachi's child and becoming the new clan head for the Uchiha I felt like it wasn't time for us. Maybe I'd never feel that way again. Maybe I'd change my mind tomorrow, but I owed him the truth.

"Please stop for a moment." He took a half-step back, his blue eyes wide with curiosity. "I don't know how I feel right now. But you should know that Sasuke turned the Uchiha Clan over to me." He frowned, and opened his mouth, but I lifted a hand, "Wait, there's more." He snapped his mouth closed, and I took a large calming breath, "I'll be the clan head until the newest Uchiha comes of age."

He leaned away from me like my shirt was on fire, "What do you mean?"

"Itachi and I..." I trailed off, sure that even Naruto could follow this train of thought. He did, and his eyes widened as his mouth gaped open.

"You're pregnant?"

I nodded, a small smile lifting my lips, "Yeah. I'm... well, I don't know if I should say sorry or what."

"Don't be." Naruto mastered his expression and stood straight again. He smiled, "It's fine." He held his hand out again, and I took it as he walked toward the Hokage's Tower. "I'm really happy for you. Not only for becoming Clan Head, but for the baby, too."

"Don't tell anyone just yet. It's bad luck."

"Okay." He slowed a tiny bit, "Even though... I.."

I nodded, his hand squeezed and I squeezed back, "I understand. I just need time to sort things out." He gave me his famous grin and we walked hand-in-hand to the Hokage's Tower where he let me go at the front doors.

AN/ We'll call it 9 weeks. I just wanted to say, if you think I'm waffling over Kakashi-sama and -sensei; I will try not to! I may have typed it wrong in some places, but when it's one of the big 3 (Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto) they think of him as their teacher first, and it just slips out. Thanks for reading!

Also, I did have one review. They posted a mean thing anonymously, so it's been deleted. Shipping wars are stupid. All hate, be it brave or cowardly, will be dealt with similarly.

Constructive or nice reviews, those I welcome! LOL I know there's people reading, so let me know what you think! I'm still writing, and if you have an idea how you'd like this to go, or a scene you'd like, if I can work it, and it fits with my overall vision, I'll see what I can do. Credit is given, of course.