Aijo no Katachi
A form of affection
Chapter 7: Watashi no mono
"Hold still okay?"
Chakra enveloped her hands as she skillfully took out a broken tip of the kunai, embedded on the man's side, with a small scalpel. Precision and skill to master intricate blade work such as that amazes her patient but fascination was mere distraction to keep the thought of the pain seeping inside his body in control.
"Ungghh..."
The unbearable pain finally kicked in.
"Daijobou I'm almost finished"
String-like chakra flowed out from her fingertips and she quickly interlaced it to form a sharp pointed end. With swift and fluid motions she quickly laced the wound into a tight close and performed a series of hand seals just before she snapped the thread of chakra off. The wound was cleaned and bore no scar, another work done splendidly by her.
"Really, You should be more careful Lee-san"
Sakura dipped her hand into a tub of lukewarm water that was on top of the side table of her patient's bed, Rock Lee. The genki otoko who always fashions that bowl haircut and Gai-sensei's ultimate streamlined, form fitting, easily-accessible, perfectly made body suit. Yes, the one Jiraiya quoted as a Fashion faux pas. She smiled inwardly; he's still the same as he was before.
"Arigatou Sakura-san, for you to take care of me like this.... it makes my heart thump like it did almost 8 years ago in the peak of my youth!"
Sakura sighed. Here he goes again...
"For this act of kindness, I promise not to get injured again! If I break this promise I would commit to 1 million push ups and sit ups!"
He raises his thumb and grins just like Gai-sensei does, with those teeth shining noticeably. It was just like him to do those impossible self imposed rule
"Hai, hai. Now stay still and lie down on your bed. The wound is still fresh so it would take time for it to heal."
"Haruno-sensei! Haruno-sensei!"
A woman dressed as a nurse came in barging through Lee's room.
"Yes? What is it?"
"Haruno-sensei....Shikamaru-san....and Ino-san...they're here..."
The nurse tried her best to make out the words as she tried to catch her breath.
Sakura froze on her spot for a moment and then dashed out of the room before yelling out to her assistant.
"Bandage him up and let him rest for a while. I'll be back Lee-san!"
Ino and her baby!
She didn't think of her own child as she ran frantically to find the couple. She finally spots them, Ino on a stretcher being carried by a nurse followed by Shikamaru.
"The current status?"
She asks the nurse from behind taking Shikamaru by surprise. The nurse quickly gave her the clipboard and she flipped the report, reading it quickly.
"Where have ya been? Ino's water broke just a while ago so I rushed her here."
"I'm not exactly free 24/7 Shikamaru, the clinic has other patients too."
"She's right Shikamaru...don't scold Sakura"
Ino said, barely able to make out words as she gripped her husband's hand in pain. Shikamaru smiled and squeezed her hand back, still worried as they arrived at the front doors of the operating room.
"Better stay here for a while, no husbands inside"
Sakura smiled while Shikamaru shook his head accepting her lame ass joke. He stood there outside the double doors that flipped open as Sakura and Ino passed through, then closed slowly leaving him behind to wait, impatiently.
"Yukime's a lucky girl Ino.."
Ino smiled, her hair was slightly ruffled and flowed onto her back she held her child into her arms. Shikamaru grinned as his spunky daughter pulled Ino's long blond hair.
"Arigatou Sakura-chan for being my doctor, forgive Shikamaru for being a huge jerk he was a while ago, but at least he's my jerk"
She elbowed Shikamaru on his stomach and the man just smiled.
"Yeah bit sorry for awhile ago, guess I wasn't being myself at that time"
Sakura laughed. "Yeah you looked like a lost kid with no sense of direction. Panic was written well on your forehead too"
"Desho? desho? I told him so haha!" Ino joined the laughter.
"Hai Hai, mendokuse na onna ta ra..." Shikamaru mumbled slightly embarrassed his friend and wife ganging up on him.
"Well I should be taking my leave now, don't want to disturb you two on this occasion" Sakura smiled weakly feeling the fatigue creeping up to her.
"Ah...Sakura-chan!" Ino called out.
"Hmm?"
"Arigatou, take care!"
Sakura smiled and went to the faculty room. The thought of a hot tea down her parched throat was inviting. As soon as she entered, she quickly poured herself a nice glass of tea and sat herself to a chair.
"You look fine despite your pregnancy Sakura"
Sakura took the liberty to take another glass and poured it some tea; This was going to be a long conversation.
"Tsunade-sama, what brings you here?"
Tsunade remained as young as she was when Sakura first saw her. A jutsu that she was yet to learn but it was soon. For now jutsus weren't the topic of this visit. Tsunade took a sit across her.
"Arigatou for the tea... How is your baby Sakura?"
Just like Tsunade-sama to cut to the chase.
"I have been well these past few days. No need to worry."
The older woman took a small sip of the tea and put it down graciously, her eyes were cast low.
"Sakura will you tell me who is the father of this child you bear?"
She gritted her teeth, just the memory of HIM was driving her to insanity.
"Gomen, I cannot simply tell you that..."
"Is it Kakashi?"
Sakura shook her head.
"Sakura I don't mean to pry on your private life. I have known you carried this child months ago and I have remained silent about this matter for I chose to keep your secret as a secret, but are you sure about this? I mean Kakashi?"
A long withheld sigh came out of Sakura, a long sip of her tea felt good as it warms her insides. She places the cup down and held a firm look.
"This child... I desperately tried to love this child despite the small nagging voice inside me that wanted to hate it. Every time that voice speaks up, I fool myself into believing that this child was a gift not a curse until I could not bear with the stress anymore..."
Sakura leaned back comfortably in her chair and spoke again.
"I kept having nightmares of this child killing me and its father abandoning me until I was dead so I decided to push myself in my work, drowned the voice and the fact I have a child rested inside me. But facts don't just change by will right? But by the time I realized it, I came to accept this child because of Kakashi."
Tsunade gaze were soft and mother like, as if she was Sakura's own mother listening to her daughter's small confession and story.
"It felt good to be cared for. I never knew, being a doctor myself, that being a patient can feel so good. He would always worry about my health, my well being. He often stayed beside me and we would fall asleep under the huge oak tree just atop the hill. Really, for me being with him...."
A genuine smile appeared on her lips.
"It was heaven."
Her mentor shared a same smile.
"I thought so..."
As the night grow deeper, blood colored eyes loomed over Sakura's petite form. The figure stood on one of the branches of the tree that was next to her room, drinking the sight of his woman from the darkness. He always loved how she would let her soft pink hair down and those emerald jewels that crowns her face...
...And finally he could come back to her.
The moon was full and bright; its light peeked through the wooden frames of her windows bathing her in beauty. The woman wiped her hands after cleaning her dishes. She just finished her painstakingly effort of homemade dinner which was stir fried vegetables and noodles. She grabbed a glass filled it with water from a pitcher that was resting on the dining table and gulped half of it down then placed it to a small table next to an antique rocking chair. Tired and exhausted from the busy day at the clinic, she decided to lounge on the rocking chair, to enjoy the midnight breeze coming from the window right next to it.
Motherly instincts must be creeping up to her because she finds herself humming a sweet lullaby, she learned from her own mother, to the child that rested inside her. It wasn't too bad, her voice wasn't that bad as to the point that plates would break in the instant she sings, but there was something inside her that she just couldn't contain to herself....
Happiness maybe?
Though she has this child, Kakashi somehow believed in her and stayed by her side despite everything. His personality was something enigmatic and mysterious to her, she didn't knew exactly why he was doing this for her but still, despite their age gap, she has grown to love him each day.
She closed her eyes to picture his masculine porceline like face, that annoying mask of his, his deep set eyes, even the one with the long scar, that frizzy silver hair and the humorous air around him. She could just laugh right now while she imagined him sitting on a rock, reading his orange book, that Icha Icha Paradise of his. Though he had a reputation of being a perverted teacher with that book, he was more than that to Sakura. He was someone who didn't left her in the time that she needed someone the most, He was someone who didn't judge her by her sins, He was someone whom she wanted to love.
"Sakura..."
A deep voice different from Kakashi made her jump in her seat. The rocking chair hit the table and knocks over her glass of water, making it crash to the ground. She spun around to face the stranger who called her and she see HIM standing there.
His ebony black hair that frames his face delicately..
...Wearing a thick black cloak around him and a large straw hat on his head slightly hiding his Red Sharinggan eyes.
"Tadaima..."
He said with a smile and she can't help but edge back to the walls and sank down to her knees.
"...y-you...!!"
Sakura clutched her chest, she felt her heart tightening into a painful knot, pain so excruciating she could almost feel tears starting to well up in the corner of her eyes. She shook her head in confusion; this must be a mirage, an illusion! That's it! This must some kind of jutsu! He's not HIM! Why would HE be here right? He left her after that night, the last night she shared with this stranger....
He shouldn't care right? This is HIM...
For god's sakes Sakura! Wake up and smell the truth! A bloodthirsty killer can't love you, your better off with Kakashi remember?
Sakura shook her head in confusion and fear.
He wasn't supposed to be here.
Isn't he supposed to leave me?
Why is he here?!
Why now?
Why at this time were everything is perfect?!
He took a step closer and kneeled down so they could be at eye level. The man brushed a tender hand over her short bangs and then brought it down to her enlarged belly, were he kissed it lightly. He moved like a panther and whispered to her enticingly..
"..mine.."
Her mouth gapes open in shock.
She was definitely shaking in fear.
He was there, the father of her child.
...The man she loved once.
Uchiha Itachi...
A/N: kukuku! (another pitiful imitation of Orochimaru's laugh) Uchiha Itachi is the father of Sakura's child?!? ooohhhh! how did it happened? when? where? What will Kakashi say to this? Will this story ever end? ahaha! Maybe not for the mean time...next chapter will reveal some, ok most of the mystery! Sorry for the long wait but...what's this? I've only got uhmm two reviews I think...
(kuroro weeps) how depressing... haha! Oh well, can't expect all people to read and actually like this stuff, anyway READ and REVIEW!
(kuroro bows and takes a sit in a corner, waiting for Hisoka sure is boring... ;)
Japanese Translation:
Watashi no mono – Mine
Tadaima – I'm home
Daijobou – Don't worry
Genki otoko - Lively/cheerful man
Arigatou – thank you
Hai – yes
Gomen – sorry (informal)
Desho? Desho? – see? See?
"Hai Hai, mendokuse na onna ta ra..." – "Yeah yeah, women are so troublesome..."
Extra note: Is it just me or do I use Japanese words often? (people might actually be learning japanese from this fic....Aaahhh!!!!! scary thoughts!)