Chapter 22

Hello everyone. Thank you all for your support! This is the second to last chapter of "Naruto's Baby." I think I decided on a way to end this series and to finally close this story.

Warning! Depression and mentions of cutting in this chapter.

I don't own Naruto, Just OCs

Naruto's Baby Chapter 22

It was a beautiful wedding. The wedding itself had only been pushed back by a day so there was no real harm done. In fact, if anything it was even more beautiful when the cherry blossoms bloomed and the petals began to fall. Guests were gathered up and there to celebrate Naruto and Hinata's wedding. Everyone was there.

Expect for two people.

While Sasuke was off doing his own thing, only sending a hawk with a note "congratulations" on it, Ai was grounded and watched over by a Naruto clone back in their old apartment. Ai was packing up her belongings, instructed by Naruto since they were moving. Ever since she woke up, after being knocked unconscious by her dad, she had been quiet and angry. It wasn't the outlandish anger that Naruto experienced in his life. No, Ai was much like an Uchiha in the regard that her anger was powerful but silent. Her resolve to just let it build up inside her until she couldn't handle it. As she was putting her toys in a cardboard box, Naruto's clone was at the doorway, leaning against the opening with his arms crossed. "If you're a good girl and apologize to everyone for running away, then you can come to the wedding and celebrate our new family together."

Ai stopped packing, "your new family."

"Excuse me, what was that?" Naruto asked sternly.

"You heard me. Your new family. Not mine," Ai said and turned to the clone with anger and sadness in her eyes. "It's not that I don't like Hinata. She's nice. It's you who's the problem!" She proclaimed.

"Oh, so I'm the problem?" Naruto asked. "Enlighten me oh wise child! How I'm the problem?"

"You're a liar!" Ai shouted at him. "You told me nothing would change after you started dating Hinata but you haven't been home in weeks! You didn't even tell me that you would be gone! The least you could have done was let me stay at someone's house!" Ai informed him. "And you're my mama! Not my papa. That's a lot to take in." Ai softened her voice and turned back away from him. "And you don't even care…you said he was laying, but Orochimaru has no reason to lie to me," Ai mentioned. "I wish you were honest with me."

Naruto went over, feeling guilty about some of the things Ai was saying, and say down on the bed in front of her. He was a little scared to touch now since he had hurt her. Yes, Sakura managed to heal her up, but when she had first woken up, Ai flinched away from him and that was painful. "I love you…I never lied about that." He assured her.

"It takes more than love to care about someone," Ai said. "Honesty needs a part of that."

Naruto couldn't deny that, but if he told everything about what happened, she couldn't understand it, or worse, she would talk about it. Naruto knew Ai was blabbermouth, much like how he was, so he couldn't tell her much. "I am your mama. That still means I'm your parent," he said. "But I don't want you to call me that. Call me Pa or dad or anything like that."

"Then who's-"

"That's a story for another day Ai," Naruto cut her off. When she was about to ask again, Naruto put his finger to her lips, shutting her up. "I want you to know these truths about yourself," he began. "I love you. You are my daughter. And I wouldn't change you for all the bowls of ramen at Ichiraku ramen," he smiled and kissed her forehead, though the girl wasn't as receptive on that end. She frowned her brows and pushed herself away, "It doesn't mean much when it's your clone saying it. Enjoy your wedding. I'm not going." She said and went back to packing.

Naruto frowned as he got up and Ai walked around the room, grabbing things and shoved them into boxes.

While Naruto and Hinata were on their honeymoon, Ai stayed with her new grandfather and aunt at the Hyuuga estate. Ai was polite and didn't do anything to get into trouble while there, but when she was with Senji, things were different.

The young Hyuga had decided to make his stand known with Ai. As she was in her room, doing some homework, he came in. "That stunt you pulled nearly costed the Hyuga a lot of money ya know," he said, approaching her. "My family paid for the wedding that you didn't even attend even though it was your dad marrying my cousin," he said.

Ai looked at him, glaring, "you want me to pay you back or something Senji?" She asked.

"No. I want to you stay away from me."

"What? Why?" Ai asked raising an eyebrow. She had known Senji since they were babies and now, all of the sudden, he wanted nothing to do with her? Not be her friend anymore?

"You're nothing but a drama queen! Running away because you missed your daddy! That was really stupid of you. And for what? Why did you do it? Huh?" Senji asked. "What's the real reason?"

Ai remained still, as her anger was boiling over, remembering that she was a guest at the house. It wasn't like Senji was her sibling or whatever. She couldn't just punch him straight. She was biting her tongue and making sure she didn't attack her once-friend.

Senji didn't seem to care anymore, and crossed his arms, "that's right. Sit there and finish your homework, like a good girl." He soon left the room and Ai sat there, hugging herself. She rocked a bit in her seat and tried to hold in the tears. Well, who needed Senji anyways? He was a jerk!

It didn't just end with Senji's taunts.

The entire class Ai was in had heard that she didn't even go to Naruto and Hinata's wedding. Senji had spread the word that she wasn't even invited. Even Zuko confirmed that she didn't attend, but he didn't know why. When he tried to be her friend and ask if she was okay, she shut him out. She began to shut everyone out. However, it wasn't hatred she was feeling, it was ostracism. Her classmates all began shutting her out, only Zuko kept his hand outreach for Ai to grab onto, but that was only muddled when that one act of kindness was overshadowed by everyone else's treatment of her.

It started off as drawing lines on her arms. Black markers turned into red markers and red markers turned to blood. The lines had acted like all the moments that hurt her deep inside. She made her first line when Hinata and Naruto announced their first baby together.

Then there was a line when the teacher announced that the school was changing its curriculum and when she saw that other options were available for students instead of the shinobi life, she made a line because Naruto told her no, that becoming a ninja was her destiny.

She made a line.

One was for her brother's birth and the favoritism that followed.

One was for when told that she was made fun of for not looking like Naruto.

One was for when she told that she failed her first ninja exam because she had anxiety.

She wasn't good enough! She could see it on everyone's eyes. How could she have let down everyone down?! What were these expectations they all seem to have for her were coming from anyways? Why were all of her flaws always pointed out huh? Senji got F's on his report card and she hadn't heard about any punishment from him! She was just falling into a despair and she didn't know why she was!

One more line for being caught talking to herself by Hinata and Naruto.

Another for being accused of going crazy.

Once more for being overly-dramatic.

Another line was about to be drawn when she heard a gurgle. Ai looked up and saw a baby girl, tapping at her legs and smiling. "Himawari," Ai spoke softly, putting away her kunai and standing up, picking up the girl carefully. Ai was eleven years old, and Himawari was only a few months old. "What are you doing outside your nursery?" She wondered if Boruto let her out again. Despite those things being baby-proof, they weren't toddler-proofed. Himawari snuggled close to Ai, making herself comfortable. Ai was surprised. The girl hadn't really been near her siblings unless they were at dinner and she was forced to attend. Ai walked back to the nursery and just as she was trying to lay down her baby sister, Hima began to get fussy and Ai just continue to hold her.

It seemed like someone liked her still.

"Hima-chan," Ai said and tickled her, making the girl giggle in response. Ai only smiled, "you're lucky Hima-chan, you have dad's eyes." She said. Ai went to the rocking chair and began laughing to herself, "I suppose Hinata went to the store or something…I don't exactly remember her telling me to watch over you," she said.

Maybe now was time to dish out some sisterly advice. "Hima…you're so lucky to have your mama and papa. I know should be lucky, but the truth is that I'm very sad. I'm sad all the time anymore. It seems like one little thing I do wrong; I'm yelled at for it. It's not a good feeling Hima-chan." She said and wiped her tears with her free arm. "One day though, I won't be as sad anymore…and I'll be able to do whatever I want and no one will say anything and if they do, I won't care enough to listen," she said. "I hope you have all the happiness in the world Hima. No one deserves to be sad," she said. Just then, she could hear some loud clanging noises from downstairs. Boruto must have gotten into the pots and pans again and was banging up a storm. She could hear Naruto's voice as he tried to tell Boruto to stop. Ai smiled sadly, "don't even be Boruto. He may be the favorite now, but that will all come back and ruin him. You'll see," Ai said and stood up, and laid Himawari down once she was asleep. "Do you best Hima-chan. Your big sis will watch over you," she said and pulled over the small blanket over her sister and kissed her forehead.

Unknown to Ai, Naruto had heard what Ai had said to Himawari through the baby monitor. Since he was the one watching the kids today, he tried to keep everything in check, but Boruto was a rascally little boy. He just had to get into everything.

Naruto might be the hero of Konoha, or even on the path to becoming hokage, but being a father was the hardest thing he had ever become. He didn't even know where to start…but he had an idea.