AN: This chapter is dedicated to my first reviewer Shangdoh. Thank you thank you thank you thank you! I love you soooo much!

Disclaimer: Don't own jack, let alone Naruto. Just Ayeka …so far… … - (but I have dreams)

Hail to Chythulu!

And on with the fic!

"Speak-a"

'Thoughts'

"Inner voices"

'Inner peoples thoughts'

&&&&Chapter 1 &&&&

Sakura sped through the deep woods of fire country heading for the border of Wave country. Leaping from branch to branch in a steady rhythm, a squirming bundle held in a sling against her front. On her back was a ninja mission pack, bearing as many of her possessions as she dared to bring with her. Sakura was covered in a black travel cloak to help hide her presence; the hood pulled low over her features. It would not do for her to be recognized now. The Hokage had seen to it that she would have a clear path out of the village, but there were still ninja out on missions that might notice her and report her movements to others back in Konoha. Attention would ruin the hasty deception arranged for her to able to leave the village unseen. A false corpse had been used to fool others of Sakura's death in child birth, along with her daughter. Tsunade would arrange small bundle would be buried along with the body to give the impression of a still born child. In the morning the village would morn for the loss of two of the leaf's elite ninja.

'Yes the tears will flow this morning.' Sakura thought to herself, but that didn't change the fact that she had to get out of the country before anyone took notice of the pink haired woman traveling with a new born child unaccompanied. The thought of raising the little bundle at her chest, alone was daunting to say the least. Her eyes misted, tears of grief that threatened to be her undoing if she let them. But she knew that if they fell now she would never make it to the border before morning. She couldn't give in yet, there was too much left to lose. Her newly arrived daughter squirmed in her sling, as if in protest to her mothers down sloping mood. Sakura swiped an arm quickly across her eyes to dissipate any gathering moisture.

'Rule No. 25, remember Rule 25. : Ninja must not shed a single tear during a mission. They must stay in control; a wrong move could mean the loss of a teammate's life, or their own.'

Her husbandhad beenkilled by men who excelled in taking advantage of the emotional turmoil of others. Hyuuga Neji had said that the Akatsuki were no more, but Sakura was taking no chances. There were fowler things hunting the countryside than S-class Nins. She shuddered. There were far too many people in the world that wanted the last of the Uzumaki family dead.

Sakura reached the border of Wave country as the first rays of sunshine came over the horizon. The light reflected off the waves to illuminate a great white stone bridge.

The Great Naruto Bridge, Sakura's lips twisted into a wry smile. Protecting the bridges designer was Team Sevens first big mission. And nearly their last. Her smile fell slightly. That was the first time Sakura had seen the truly great ninja hidden behind Naruto's happy-go-lucky front.

In hindsight she should have also have seen the dark obsession that drove the third member of Team Seven. No, Sakura shook her head; she had been too caught up in her hero worship of the broody Uchicha to really look at who he was. It took complete betrayal of the village before she had been able to let go of that obsession. Now he was one of the very people she had to hide from. The irony was not lost on her.

A whimper came from the bundle at her front. The sound reminded her that her new daughter was hungry and would soon begin loudly demanding to be fed. Sakura's smile returned with full force. Looking around she spotted a slightly hollowed area at the base of a tree. She set up some basic warning traps around the area to warn of anyone's approach. Putting down her pack, and sitting down against the tree trunk Sakura eased the squirming burden from her sling. Unbuttoning her shirt, she procured her breast for the child to latch onto. Sakura sighed at the sensation. Loud slurping noises rose from her newly enthused chest creature, but remarkably not a drop was lost.

"Hmm, her father's eating habits"' came the caustic comment from Inner Sakura.

'Yes, but at least she's cleaner the he was.' Sakura replied, gently taking hold a tiny baby fist resting against her other breast. Strangely enough her alter ego had mellowed out a lot in the later half of her pregnancy, a fact for which the baby's father had been very thankful.

"She needs a name."

Sakura shifted the child, stalling for time before replying.

'How about Naru?'

Inner Sakura sent a mental glare her way refusing to acknowledge that suggestion.

'Chi chi?'

Inner Sakura made a sound suspiciously like a snort.

'I like Sasami.'

Inner Sakura flared in anger.

"No! Not a chance in hell! That brat who called us "glacial forehead" from the Academy was named Sasami. If you call her that she'll grow up to be a complete brat."

'Hikaru?'

"She'll have a nickname like 'Hic.' No."

'Ino?'

"That doesn't deserve a response."

'Hinata?'

"Oh, that would go well…Not!"

'Fine…How about Ayeka?'

"Of course no- …" Inner Sakura paused, and then nodded as if agreeing with herself. "Ayeka. Good name."

Sakura smiled down at the now drowsing baby.

'Ayeka, Uzumaki Ayeka.'