Chapter 31

The atmosphere is heavy as Sakura chatters on.

Sasuke can't keep his eyes away from her as she fiddles with the zipper on her dress—up, down, up, down—blathering on about everything that pops into her head. She explains to Sasuke about Amu, and what she was doing with her life now that becoming a medic was out of the question. "That's why I've been getting Hojo to help me, uh, learn how to babysit. I want to help her any way I can."

"Ah," he replies, trying his best to ignore the plain-looking man that sat so closely to her. When their knees brush together, he decides to watch the baby totter around instead.

Sasuke had minded children before—a lot of times, actually. It seemed every spring a new set of Uchiha flourished forth, and more often than not, the familiar wail of a newborn echoed through the corridors of their mansion.

"I hope you're not mad. We had a long discussion about you—about her actions—about why it happened…"

He wasn't mad, not in the least. They lived in a world of fighting and killing and death, after all. Hell, both he and Sakura had tried to off one another for various reasons, although, he had no idea how close Sakura could have gotten with that very poison. Revenge is a bitter dish, but an addictive one. Sasuke certainly had no right to judge this young woman. Whatever reason she'd given Sakura to save herself had apparently worked, and that would be good enough for him.

Sasuke points a lazy finger towards the crawling baby. "She doesn't need to chew on that."

Hojo and Sakura hop up simultaneously, reaching towards the child just as she started to stuff a ryo into her mouth. Somehow she'd found it in the corner of the room.+Her grin is gummy and her face is dirty and her fingers are wet with slobber. The baby coos and looks up at her pink-haired babysitter.

She's not a very good cook. Sasuke's eyebrows furrow as the strange thought burst through his head. She's impatient, she dawdles. She cusses like a veteran and the zipper that's supposed to keep her mouth shut is just as broken as Naruto's.

These things would normally keep a woman from seeming maternal, right? But, as she lifts the infant and adjusts her onto the heavy curve of her hip, throwing a shoulder-length lock of hair towards her back, Sasuke can't see her as anything but a mother. In fact, the revelation sends a tremor throughout his body. Because she'd look so well with a child in her arms.

"Nice save," Sakura says to Sasuke, ignorant of his inner monologue. She looks towards him with glittery eyes between pale, almost white eyelashes. "Do you want to hold her?"

"Her mother tried to kill me. I doubt she'd approve of me touching her baby."

Realization alters Sakura's features, but before she can respond, the kitchen landline rings. The woman frolics towards it and balances the phone between her cheek and shoulder as the baby leaves wet spots on her shirt.

"Oh, hey Naruto, what's up? You want us to go out to eat tonight? Uh…sure, let me ask him."

The woman dips her head into the living room, darting her eyes between the ridged Hojo and the relaxed Sasuke. "Would you…like to have dinner with Hinata and Naruto?"

Though the question was directed towards Sasuke, Hojo didn't seem to notice. "Wow, I'd love to! Having dinner with the future Hokage and his wife; that would be awesome!"

Sakura bites her lip, realizing her mistake. Great, what do I say now?

Sasuke stands then, brushing invisible dirt from his shirt. He nods to her briefly, choosing this time to escape while Naruto chatters. Hojo stands up too, and reaches out his hand. It's a respectful, masculine gesture that makes Sasuke hesitate.

Perhaps, what Sasuke is thinking is simply a petty thought. Perhaps it stems from some sort of heavy dominance the Uchiha have always prided themselves with. Still, Sasuke can't help but wonder if her boyfriend would be so courteous, had he known what Sasuke did Sakura on her couch moments ago.

Either way, the strangeness of the whole situation is too much to handle, and Sasuke isn't really sure he could keep his mouth closed. After a quick grasp, he leaves Sakura behind and walks out of the door.

Said woman watches with a heaviness in her heart. This wasn't exactly the type of reunion she'd hoped for.

The restaurant was lovely. Really, it was. Sakura had heard about it a few times on the television, but she'd never felt the need to eat there (especially not alone). Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't the "dating" type. She'd rather eat at a café in plain civilian clothing, with messy hair and comfortable shoes.

A man takes her coat and directs her to the table where Naruto and Hinata are already waiting. Naruto passes her a warm bun before she can even sit down. He stuffs his mouth with an extra and speaks with full cheeks. "Stick this in your face-hole. It's super good."

Sakura laughs and takes the bread, letting it crunch between her teeth. They speak for a few moments about pleasantries and unimportant matters. Hojo speaks the most, mostly out of nervousness.

"So, why is there a baby here?" Naruto interrupts, pointing towards the highchair after hearing Hojo drone on.

Sakura looks at the little girl. Her eyes were still baby-blue, sparking as she gnawed on the inner stuffing of Sakura's bread. The woman plays with a single curl, twirling it around in her fingers.

"Her name is Ahiru. She's Amu's daughter, and Hojo's niece. Amu actually works here. Since I'm a babysitter in training, I thought it would be a good idea to take her...especially with mommy being so close by."

Naruto looks between the munching baby and the bowl of rolls. The women pick up on his tentativeness as the cogs of his brain work. Really, it was a sight to behold. They'd seen this man in his most brutal of states—a rampaging demon fox, and a relentless soldier. But, Naruto was as bright as he was warmhearted, and he was soon to have a child of his own. This revelation could mellow the most hardened of warriors. He picks up the bread and slowly looks to Hojo.

"C…can I feed her?"

"Yeah, have at it!"

Hinata smiles as the man starts the difficult task of de-crusting the bread, pinching the insides into small, round bites. Ahiru hungrily takes them, snatching the morsels from Naruto before he can even place them on the tray.

Naruto wonders if his child will like these rolls. He wonders if, every day after he leaves the Hokage tower, he'll drop by here and pick up a dozen. Maybe it will be their favorite treat. Maybe it will be the only thing his kid will eat.

What if they had more than one child? What if she had twins? Oh god...

Ahiru wraps her small hand around his thumb. He's never seen anything so tiny. (Well, maybe he has, but it doesn't seem like it!) He runs his thumb over her fingernail—it's only as big as a half-grain of rice.

They're all fixated on the baby; they don't even notice Sasuke's arrival.

The man hadn't bothered debating with himself. Sasuke figured he owed it to Naruto to go on an actual, normal outing at least once before the last part of the exams started. He would be leaving immediately afterwards, and he wanted to reserve the final days beforehand for intense training.

Naruto scoots over after an excited "Hey!", and crams Hinata into the wall so Sasuke can have the outside seat adjacent to Sakura. The kyuubi gives him a small, rolled up piece of bread that had belonged to Ahiru. "Enjoy, you bastar—"

Sasuke elbows him, jerking his head towards the little thing beside him as she rubs her face on the food tray. "Don't curse."

Sakura's surprised, and delighted, to see him. It feels as though a heavy weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. In the background of her mind, she hears that Hojo is speaking again, but she can't seem to pretend to enjoy his conversation anymore. She watches as Sasuke leans back, letting Naruto carefully pass food to Ahiru.

Sighing and heeling her palm to her chin, the woman bats her long lashes and takes him in. Sasuke isn't inept to such affections, but before he could shoot her a quizzical look, their waitress bounds over and embraces her daughter with a quick hug.

"I'm so happy to see you here!"

Amu smiles radiantly at the table, looking healthy and happier than anyone had ever seen of her before. When her eyes land on Sasuke, she hesitates.

This time it's not out of abhorrence or fear. This time it's not because she has a deviant, murderous thought.

Taking a step back, she bows lowly. Loose strands of her mousy hair flutter in front of her face as she dips, showing proper respects. Her heart was thrumming powerfully within her own chest as she tried to find the right words. It wasn't as if she could buy a card that said, "Sorry for trying to kill you.", and flowers wouldn't do this justice.

"Forgive me, sir. Please allow me to explain my retched actions."

Sakura had already heard her confessions. It was incredibly personal, and incredibly sad. She places a delicate hand on the girls shoulder, meeting her with what she hoped were steady, supportive eyes. "Sasuke doesn't need a reason."

Sasuke looks at her, thankful that she could portray his thoughts so easily. Amu, however, wasn't having it.

"My husband married me very young." The young woman begins. "I hadn't even had the chance to finish school. We had a good life, though. A small house, a nice farm, two kittens—we were lonely, but happy. Soon after our wedding, I became pregnant, and we didn't feel so lonely anymore."

Sasuke watches with weary eyes and a placid expression.

"We were so blessed. It was the best news I'd ever heard! But, good doesn't last long in shinobi villages. Before Ahiru was born, war broke out, and my husband was sent to the frontlines."

The table grows still and quiet. Naruto and Hinata knew all too well what that war had done firsthand. The pain of loss echoed throughout the village, to both ninja and commoners alike. Mothers lost sons, fathers lost daughters, and many a lover was left widowed. It was a hate-filled chain of events that had tragically engulfed yet another victim—yet another family.

"They told me Uchiha Madara had killed him." Tears had stopped running freely. Amu had always made it a point to never cry in front of her daughter. She would not cry for lost heroes. Her husband deserved more than that. "They said he'd fought bravely, and that they were sorry. I held his cold hitai-ate in my hands on the floor of our living room that night, looking at Ahiru, searching for his features in her own. We were left with a small house, a nice farm, two kittens, and husband-less...fatherless."

"You do—" Sasuke begins, but he's cut off.

"But then…then you came back. You came back to this village and they put you in jail for such a short time and…and…it was your family that destroyed mine. I hated you. I hated you with every ounce of my being, because Madara was dead and there was no one else I could pour my rage into."

Absentmindedly, she rubs her finger along Ahiru's cheek. "I had to do good for her, though. She didn't need me to stay at home and mourn. She didn't need a withered, decaying mother. I became a nurse, so I could save families from the loss I'd been through."

Naruto feels Hinata's hand under the table as they all listen intently. She runs her thumb across his knuckles, and her eyes start to water because she could have been husband-less, too. It terrifies her, because it's still a very real possibility.

What if she was left with only a child and memories of orange jackets and blond hair and piercing blue eyes?

"One day, I heard some people talking about...you two." Amu isn't worried about admitting her misdeeds and illegalities. "I'd heard that there was a special poison that Lady Sakura had created to kill Sasuke, specifically. And I…I knew that I could do it, even if my teacher couldn't. So I transferred just enough of the toxin—one dose—into a spare vial. I kept it on my person every shift. I'd have to see you sooner or later."

Amu bows again, keeping her voice steady though she was on the edge of falling apart. "Because of my foolishness, I rightfully lost my position. My healing won't be used properly, and I can only put the blame on myself. I'm thankful for being able to walk freely and still raise my daughter. I see now, with Lady Sakura's explanations and kindheartedness, that sometimes we do bad things when we're hurt and misguided. I don't know much about your situation, or your family, but…but…"

"I'd like a glass of water." Sasuke says suddenly. He wasn't used to such admissions. He was a private person, and Sasuke especially didn't like outsiders to speak of his family. \

Still, he especially knew what it was like to be in such a dark, hateful state. In a way, Sasuke leveled with Amu, though his curse was physically and mentally manipulative. The fact was, he would do anything in his power to avenge his wife. He looks at her from the corner of his eye, shining his rinnegan through a black fringe of hair. It's a look normally reserved for Sakura—an "I understand." But, this child does not know him the way Sakura does, so he'll have to speak his word aloud.

"There's nothing to forgive."

Blinking quickly, Amu tries to stop the heat from spreading to her cheeks. Being thrust into the adult lifestyle at a young age, she rarely felt like a kid. For some strange reason, Sasuke sounds…fatherly, and Amu can't remember the last time she's heard just a stern, but forgiving tone.

She scribbles on her notepad and smiles to herself as she takes the table's orders. The heavy mood that had plagued everyone since Amu's arrival had drifted away. The tension was lifted. They could breathe again.

Normal conversation picks back up once more. Sakura smiles towards Hinata as she explains how difficult it was telling her father the news—not because he was going to be angry, but because he was a big softie for children. Hojo laughs and moves suddenly, spilling water onto the edge of Sakura's dress.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" He says as they both reach for a napkin at the same time. His hands are large as they curl around hers, and with a timid embarrassment, they meet each other's eyes.

"D-don't worry about it!"

It's a scene right out of a shitty soap-opera. There would probably be songbirds and floating hearts drifting around, if Sasuke's seething wouldn't shoot them dead.

He understood jealousy—wanting something you couldn't have.

This certainly didn't apply to this situation. Sasuke didn't think of Sakura as a possession or an item to covet, after all.

No, his temper was flaring because Hojo did see Sakura as...paraphernalia. In what little time he'd spent with the guy, Sasuke had caught him ogling five times, just this evening. Little "accidental" touches ricocheted between the two, all on his part. Spilling water, dropping his fork, using her napkin instead of his...it was completely juvenile and absolutely silly. Hojo was a ninja. No one but Naruto could be that clumsy.

She was more than a beautiful woman...so, so much more.

"So, are you two like, a thing or something?" Naruto asks, pointing his chopsticks between Hojo and Sakura. She'd just finished taking a large spoonful of Sukiyaki when she started choking on a mushroom. As she hacks into her napkin, Hojo speaks for her.

"Well, I mean, pretty much. We've been hanging out a lot."

She gulps a swift drink of her half-empty water, trying to calm her fit so she could deny the allegation. But before she can say anything, Naruto was already speaking again.

"Huh, I wouldn't have guessed. You're kind of dorky. I would have bet on Rock Lee before you..." He reaches for a packet of honey and drizzles it on a roll. "But hell, what do I know? Apparently Hinata has liked me since the beginning of time." Before he can pass the sticky bun to Ahiru, Sasuke catches his wrists.

"Don't. She's not one, yet."

Hojo looks at him questioningly, with a bit too much heat. His anger was misdirected. It was Naruto who chided him, after all. "What does that mean?"

Sasuke could have preached off the long spiel his mother had given him when he tried the same thing—infant botulism and all that. But instead, he removes his grip from Naruto and ignores Hojo's completely. After all, Sasuke was a man of few words that neither Naruto nor Sakura questioned very often.

Or, maybe he didn't answer because Sasuke didn't care for Hojo, or feel like he owed him any type of explanation.

I guess we'll never know.

"Infant botulism," Sakura says. Her voice is sore, so it comes out gruffly. No one seems to question her, and she intern eats the sticky bread Naruto offered.

The reason seems to suffice for Hojo, and the meal continues in silence for a few moments. It's peaceful, really. You can hear the chatter between neighboring guests, the thunk of chopsticks and cutlery, the scuff of waiters as they skitter to and fro. But "silence" and "Naruto" weren't very compatible. "Silence" and "Naruto" didn't ever last very long.

"So, uh, Sasuke…Kakashi told me you laid into him the other day about the Exams. Now they're not going to make it all "sci-fi" for the last round."

"I didn't lay into him." He replies, taking a bite of his sushi. "I gave him an ultimatum."

Sasuke understood that, after the war, it wouldn't look good for any nation to seem weak. However, they were spending funds wantonly—on stupid things. That money could go to bigger and better projects like orphanages and school systems. Like helping Amu here, so that she didn't have to work her fingers to the bone because her husband died and she had a child that needed basic necessities.

Still, the council had a heavy hand over Kakashi, and that made for tough was the middleman, and in the end, his coinage would be the deciding factor.

Sakura leans on the table, peeking under her pink bangs. It always amused her that Sasuke was so arrogant. Sure, he earned his superiority as the years stretched on, but Kakashi was their previous teacher. Now, as Lord Sixth, Sasuke's Chunin status wouldn't hold very high. (Although, he was much stronger than said Hokage.) "What bargaining chip do you have that can sway the Hokage so easily?"

Under his breath, Naruto mumbles, "They wouldn't be able to do anything without Sasuke's money…"

Another heavy stillness befalls them. "Mumble" and "Naruto" weren't compatible, either.

"Do what?" Sakura stutters, shaking her head. "What do you mean by that, Naruto?"

Sasuke sighs. It wasn't as if it was a secret. It was simply…something that need not be mentioned.

"You're paying for the exams?" She asks Sasuke incredulously.

Naruto leans back, crossing his arms behind his head. "There's no point in dancing around it." He closes his eyes. "Sasuke's—well, the Uchiha's—are the ones that are paying for Konoha's restoration. He's literally "restoring" his clan through the rebuilding."

"You're…you're joking. There's no way…"

Naruto, AKA Sasuke's wannabe mouth, responds. "I guess it's what's left of his estate. I followed Sasuke around after sparing one morning, because he always said, "Blah-blah, I'm going to the bank, blah-blah, errands to run, blah-blah." I thought he was super poor, ya know? Considering he stayed with me for like, a week, but turns out this guy is loooooaaaaded. And it pisses me off because I always pay for my meal with him. Lame, right?"

Sakura tries to process all of this as Hojo asks his own questions. "You're paying for the reconstruction? All of these new houses and businesses—the updated technology—that's from your clan?"

Before the conversation can progress any further Amu brings the bill. She smiles at Sakura sweetly, unbothered by the strange revelation that caused the table's mood to shift once more. "Lady Sakura, I'll be by late to get Ahiru. We close at eleven, but I won't be able to get there until about one in the morning. Is that alright?"

"Of course," Sakura says dazedly. Her head was still spinning.

Amu turns towards her brother. "If you're finished eating, do you mind picking up my jacket from the house? It looks like it's going to rain again."

Hojo opens his hand to protest, but Sakura sends him a thumbs up. That makes him stand immediately, playing the part of a respectable gentleman. Placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder lingeringly, he grins. "Give me a call if you need any help with Ahiru. I'll see you soon. Probably...tonight."

Sasuke doesn't like that implication, and he's...relieved that Sakura doesn't notice the indecency behind his words. (She'd be a blushing mess, if she did.) And just like that, all that's left is Team 7, Hinata, and a baby.

Thankfully the meal is over, and there's no point in chatting with her friends any longer. Sakura stands and starts to gather things—the huge diaper bag that Hojo left behind and her own small purse. There's a sippy cup, a pacifier, two stuffed animals, and a spare bib that won't fit in the overstuffed satchel. She's a ninja though, so this is nothing. Once everything is in her arms, she stands and…

…and how did you get a baby out of this…this contraption?

She looks around the high chair, eyeing any obvious levers or handles that would free the girl. Feeling like an idiot, Sakura calls out to Naruto and makes up an excuse. "Hey, my hands are…full. Pass Ahiru to me, would you?"

Sasuke takes one last sip of water, glancing at Sakura with a tired, skeptical stare. He sees right thorough her charade. Naruto, (the innocent fool that he was), shimmies past Sasuke and tugs on the unmoving food tray as he carefully avoids the toddler's chubby hands. She is impatient, after all, and wants to be picked up now.

"I know, I'm trying," Naruto whispers to the baby while wiggling a plastic joint. It doesn't budge in the least. Was all this baby shit difficult? Man, he really needed to figure this stuff out. He sighs, unafraid to admit defeat. "Sakura, how do you open this thing? Help me out."

She blanches, because she had no idea.

But Sasuke was her knight in dull, black armor. Expertly he unhinges the tray and, to everyone's surprise, takes the infant into his arms without hesitation. He presses Ahiru flat against his chest to calm her annoyed whimpers expertly.

"Let's go,"

Sakura was pretty sure she was going to feint today. So much was happening, and it was all strange.

"Oh, Sasuke," Hinata calls. "Shall I prepare the spare bedroom for you, again?"

"No," Sasuke replies, and looks down at Sakura with an unabashed gaze.

Yep, for sure she was going to feint.

They walk together in silence, watching through Ahiru's eyes as the world around them comes into focus. The little girl notices every leaf that flutters along the sidewalk and every cackling bird that chants its goodnight calls. The stars are slowly starting to arrive, sprinkling along the darkening sky. It smells of winter, but the air isn't unbearably cold.

There's a splash in the distance that causes the baby to whip her head around.

"Oh, look Ahiru!" Sakura says, touching her soft hand. "There's a pond. Do you want to look at the fish?"

Sasuke hands the girl to Sakura and takes the diaper bag in return. They tread slowly towards the glinting water as a koi breaks the surface and sloshes, causing Ahiru to laugh and clap her hands.

She's found where the noise has come from. It's been a good day, for a 10-month-old.

The woman sits by a bench and beckons to Sasuke. "Take that blanket out, please? She can play by the grass for a bit."

He does as told, surprisingly, and Ahiru finds her place on the minky cloth with excitement. Sakura watches the fishpond expressionlessly as more koi flitter in and out of view, capturing bugs that dare to land on the brim. Sasuke is uncomfortable keeping his eyes off of the baby—especially so close to water, so she holds his attention. Any other time, Sakura would be his preferred choice.

"These last few months have been crazy, haven't they?"

She should know by now that Sasuke didn't care for small talk. "Ah."

But, that was alright. Sakura didn't speak to fill space. She spoke simply because she wanted to.

She turns just as Ahiru places a rock into Sasuke's hand with a toothless grin. He rolls the pebble around for a moment, and rears back to chunk it into the pond. Sakura's hand stops him.

"You can't throw that away. It's important to Ahiru!"

He rolls his eyes. "I'm supposed to accept just any old rock she gives me?"

"It's not just any rock." Sakura replies. "It's one she picked especially for you."

He looks at the stone. It's nothing special, of course. It's not even the subtly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, kind of pretty. Honestly, it may be just a stray piece of concrete from the bench they sat on; useless, gray, and boring. He shakes his head, finding no need for such a useless thing, and wedges it between Sakura's curled fingers.

"What, so I'm just supposed to accept just any old rock you give me?" She mocks with a dramatic eye roll. She even deepens her voice to mimic Sasuke's.

Sasuke leans forwards then, bracing his elbows on his knees. A sentence pops into his head, and it's a bit too flirty to say aloud. But around Sakura, Sasuke finds that he has no need for walls anymore. So, with an upturn of his lip, he asks: "Would you prefer a diamond, then?"

She sputters like broth had gone down the wrong pipe again. Her skin is three shades redder, growing hot from Sasuke's tease, and Sasuke wonders if Hojo could get her that embarrassed.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Sakura, however, doesn't think she can handle an answer. She rushes over to Ahiru, and gathers her while simultaneously shaking out the blanket. Finding her words, and the perfect excuse, she retorts: "I-Idiot, let's go home already. The mosquitoes are out."

She walks off ahead, but pauses shortly. A moment like this would probably never come up again in her life. Sakura has told him of her love and admiration on many occasions, but nothing like this had ever...

Throwing her hair over her shoulder, she calls out to him. "If you're really wondering, this is good enough. So, I'll accept."

She slips the stone into her pocket and continues, too frantic to look back and see his expression.

Funny, proposing always seemed like it would be harder than that.