Part Ten

SASUKE'S POV

Our flight back was uneventful, Shoda did seem to be uncomfortable; I didn't know if it was from me or the plane that made him feel so uneasy. After Sakura left, I couldn't bear to be in that apartment so I moved into another place just for me. It was easier for me to just get out of there, because all I saw was Sakura - her things may have been gone but I still felt her there.

Itachi and Naruto thought it would be better for me to move into a new place, a place where Sakura's never been, all to myself and it was okay, it did help but even though everything changed, my feelings didn't.

I helped him with his bags, most are light and he informed me that his stuffed animals were in there so I had to be careful when setting the bags down. He really is a sweet kid, he must get that from Sakura.

"Here we are." I closed the apartment door behind me, as he took of his shoes and walked into the living room. "I don't have a lot of things for you to do but we could go out and pick some things out, if you want too?"

I have never been alone with a child, any child, it is a little overwhelming especially because he is my own and I do not know how to act around him.

"Okay." He was interested in the pictures I had lined up next to the T.V., "Mommy has pictures of him too." He pointed out; I knew he was talking about Naruto.

"Uh, yes he's a good friend of your mother's and mine as well."

Shoda nodded his head, the silence was suffocating.

"Ahem." I cleared my throat. "So, what do you want to do?"

He tapped his chin in thought. "Do you have games?"

"Uh, no."

"Movies?"

"None that are cartoons." Sasuke sighed. "I should have prepared more." He muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.

I was feeling shitty about this whole predicament but Shoda didn't seem fazed one bit by my cluelessness. "That's okay, mommy figured you wouldn't. I've got the good stuff." Shoda ran back to the front door for his suitcase.

I stood there, dumbfounded for a moment; thank you Sakura.

When he returned, he sat on the living room floor and pulled out movies, two board games and a coloring book with a box of crayons.

"Have you ever played Candyland?" He asked me, his little face favors so much of Sakura in these moments where he is content and is looking at me with curiosity in those dark green eyes.

"I haven't." I took a seat next to him as he sets out the pieces, we haven't even unpacked yet but that can wait, right now I would rather listen to Shoda explain the rules of the game and how to win.

It's safe to say that I suck at board games, after three rounds of Candyland and two of Operation, Shoda saw that I was no threat to his awesome skills at board games and decided that he wanted to watch a movie, 'Finding Nemo', something about a fish that gets taken away and his father searches all over the ocean for him.

I've never even heard of it but it keeps Shoda occupied long enough for me to clean up and order pizza, it's late and we have plans for tomorrow so I planned to turn in early.

My phone started to ring and I figured it was about time he called.

"Aa."

"Ototo, where have you been?" Itachi didn't sound to pleased, probably because I've been avoiding his call.

"I'm back in town for the weekend."

"The weekend? You live here, do you not?"

Like a Band-Aid, Sasuke. Rip it off.

"Sasuke?"

"I'm moving to Kirigakure." I told him, the line went quiet.

"Aniki?"

"Sasuke, I am not in the mood for your games." Itachi seethed through the phone, "Do you know the shit I've had to put up with, and where have you been! Getting rained on I hope."

"I'm serious, aniki. I'm moving." I checked on Shoda, he was so into that movie.

"What. Why? You're life is here."

"But it isn't." I replied.

"What, what the hell? Are you speaking in code? What's going on Sasuke?" He whispered harshly into the phone. "You leave with this crazy idea to support a hospital center and now you're moving without even talking about it with me first, you're acting very strange."

"I'll explain tomorrow, will you meet me at my apartment around lunchtime? It'll all make sense."

"Fine, but you better have a good reason for all this shit."

I chuckled, as I watch Shoda draw on a piece paper. "Aa."

I hung up, Itachi would understand once he knew the whole story, he's not a father but he knows that I wanted that life, eventually, although he's not going to be happy about how I got it.

After another movie and dinner, Shoda falls asleep on the couch and I make a mental note to shop for a bedroom set for him. I have a spare room in this apartment, even if I was not going to be here often I still wanted him to have his own room.

I turned off the shower, and wrapped the towel around my waist when I heard Shoda whining from the living room.

"Shit." I cursed.

I quickly dried off and dressed, Shoda was sitting on the couch with his shoes on, his bag repacked, and I felt my stomach drop.

"I want to go home." His nose was red from crying and fresh tears filled his eyes again, the tightening in my chest didn't lessen. "I want to go home." He demanded.

"What happened?" I asked. I was concerned and upset because I thought we were actually making progress in our relationship. He did not look at me at first, "Shoda, you can talk to me." I really hoped he would give me a chance.

I kneeled down in front of him and rested my hand on his knee, "I had a bad dream." He whispered, his head was facing down, hiding his tears. "Can you fix it?"

Fix it? It's fake.

"A bad dream? Those aren't real, Shoda." I told him, but he was not convinced.

"I want to go home to mommy." He lifted his head and his bottom lip trembled as fresh tears coated his chubby cheeks.

I am at a loss, I don't want him to go but I don't want him to cry, if I keep him here he'll be upset with me and I don't want that either.

"Alright, let's call your mother and then I'll take you home."

My heart was pounding, if Shoda returned to Sakura tonight would he even want to come back and he's up way past his bedtime! Sakura is going to be pissed. All these thoughts are filling my head as he speaks with her on the phone. I already have the car on because I am sure she will want him back, he is crying for her.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair in frustration.

However, when Shoda hands me the phone, she does not demand I bring her son back instead she coaches me through their process on how to fight off nightmares, I refuse tell her that I wrote that shit down and turned off my car.

Once our conversation is over, Shoda is sitting quietly on the couch as I dug through his backpack and found that green dinosaur, "Let's get you changed and washed up." I take his hand in mine and lead him to the bathroom, where he brushes his teeth and I help him change into red pajamas.

"How about you sleep with me tonight?" I offered, and he fiddled with his hands for a moment.

"Are you sure?" I remember he said that he had to sleep on his own because he is growing up but since he has never gotten the chance to sleep with me, I figured we would make an exception.

"Yes. I get nightmares too, we can fight them together." I handed him his dinosaur and he smiled for the first time since this whole mess happened, it was comforting.

My bed was more than big enough for the both of us but that did not stop Shoda from scooting closer and closer until his back was tucked safety at my side as I sat up and leaned against the headboard.

"Feel better?" I asked him, he had the dinosaur clutched tightly in his hand. He nodded and cuddled deeper into the sheets, I smiled as I watched him.

Sakura mentioned I tell Shoda a story but he didn't pack any books and I don't know any stories off the top of my head, it's frustrating because Sakura had the time to prepare to be a mother while I had to play catch-up and I still have no idea what to do.

"Where's your mommy and daddy?" Shoda asked out of nowhere – he was facing away from me, my eyes widened at his question. Did Sakura tell him? Surely, she wouldn't but those are his grandparents, he has a right to know.

"My parents passed away a long time ago." I laid down beside him, and slowly rubbed up and down his back as Sakura instructed. It was a little awkward at first, our relationship is not where I would like it to be but at least he was allowing me to tend him like Sakura would have. The topic of my parents is a hard one, it is even harder now when their grandson is asking about them and they are gone.

"Oh." He mumbled, "Is that why you were lonely?" I stopped moving my hand; he looked over his shoulder back at me. "Mommy said that you were lonely when you were little."

A flashback of Sakura cornering me back at school flew to the front of my mind, she always managed to catch me and she would always tell me the same thing.

'I won't give up, Sasuke. I'll be here for you; you just have to let me.'

"Aa." I started rubbing again but he turned over to face me.

"Why?" He rested his hands under his face, as he got comfortable on his side – his stare was so intense, I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling fan.

"My parents passed away, and my older brother had to leave for school. I didn't have a lot of friends because I … I wasn't the nicest person." I looked over at him as I said this. "But your mother didn't seem to mind. All my attempts to keep her out-" I chuckled, lightly. "Let's just say I failed, miserably. It wasn't until I got a little older that I started to appreciate all her efforts to involve me."

"Because she loved you." His words are innocent, he does not understand the impact that they hold. Her love for me changed everything.

Once I allowed myself to accept her, everything changed from dull to bright. People flocked to Sakura, she was pretty, funny and kind - everyone loved her for her fierce attitude and caring spirit. Our friendship grew stronger and my feelings for her started to shift to what she was feeling all along but it still wasn't easy for me to express it, especially in front of an audience.

Our innocent touches and caresses stayed between the two of us, no one else needed to know about our private moments with one another. It was like I had her all to myself, I didn't have to share her with anyone, it was just us.

"Hn."

"Do you love mommy too?" He turned over like me and held his dinosaur in the air as if he were flying over us.

I thought heavily about his question, if I told him the truth Sakura would surely get upset about it and I don't want to give him any false hope about his parent's relationship but I was not about to lie and tell him, no.

"I love you." Those three simple words that took me years to say to Sakura, only took me a couple of minutes before I realized what I was feeling in my chest for the smaller Uchiha.

He rolled over on his stomach, looked over at me with his dark green orbs and his face split into a grin. "I love you too, daddy." Warmth spread through my chest, I could feel the smile tugging at my lips as I ruffled his hair and he laughed.

Best moment of my life, hands down, it was everything – it would have been his birth, or the day Sakura and I finally got married but no; his smile was perfect, he is just perfect.

"Do you think it's safe to go to bed now?" I asked.

"Yup." Shoda tucked his dinosaur in, and turned so his back was facing me.

"Alright, goodnight Shoda." I whispered, softly as I turned off the bedside lamp.

"Night, daddy." He yawned, as I got comfortable in the small space he left for me. Before I closed my eyes, I heard his little voice.

"I'm really glad I stayed."

Sorry if this is so short. Also, I had to update the timeline so it made more sense! Instead of four years, it's been changed to five so Shoda's age makes sense. Thanks to the reader that pointed that out. I appreciate it. :)

Shoda will meet Naruto and Itachi in the next chapter, and Itachi still has no idea what is going on. So that should be fun.