I DO NOT OWN NARUTO
THE WOODS OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE WALLS:
Sakura leaned back against the trunk of the large tree leaning over the small pond outside the cabin that Mikoto had brought her too. She was gazing down into the water, her eyes unfocused, and one hand held unconsciously against the small bump swelling her abdomen. She sighed for the umpteenth time, wondering yet again how the situation she was in was going to pan out. Though Mikoto seemed perfectly content to stay here in this woodland sanctuary she had carved out, Sakura was aware that she at least was going to have to go back and face Itachi at some point.
They were hiding out in the one of the few places that their men would be unable to find them. Mikoto was the last of a proud clan that had the ability to create areas that were completely hidden from detection. It was the specialty of her clan- creating spaces that were voids in physical world. It was almost like a masking genjutsu, and yet the layer of chakra needed was so fine it was virtually undetectable. They way the older lady had described it to her was that she was able to make pockets of land disappear to the senses of anyone that approached.
Sakura thought it was incredibly cool, and she hoped that this child inherited it's grandmother's abilities. She rubbed her baby bump absentmindedly as she considered the traits that this child could inherit. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that her son or daughter was going to be powerful- the baby's chakra pattern was already strong, and she was only three months along. She smiled down at her belly as she pushed a small amount of chakra to the baby and had it pushed back against her hand. Yes, her child was going to be incredibly strong. The smile left her face as she contemplated the problem of what to do about the baby's father. Her initial anger and hurt had settled down to a fine determination to not be controlled.
Itachi had taken her choices away from her, and she didn't appreciate it one small bit. It was humiliating to find that for all her strength, he had been able to force his will on her like she was still the weak girl that she had once been. They would have to come to an understanding of some sort, and she had no intention of letting him have everything his own way ever again. He would either take her on as a full partner, or they would have no relationship outside their duties as parents.
She and his mother had spent many hours talking about what to do. As upset as they both were with their ornery Uchiha men, they missed them. Mikoto pretended that she didn't, but Sakura had caught her staring off into the distance with a pained expression on her face. Soon it would be time to go back to the village and engage in a battle for the lives they wanted to live. It was decided between the two of them that when they went back, they would be living in Sakura's apartment, which Tsunade had made sure was not rented out in her absence. Neither lady would be moving out until her man had proven that he loved her and considered her a partner, rather than a maid, bed warmer, hostess, and breeder. Tomorrow they would be heading back, and Sakura was looking forward to seeing all her friends again. Only to 'Inner' would she admit that she missed Itachi as well, and craved his touch on her body once again. He had scared her badly with the sheer intensity of his lovemaking, and yet she knew instinctively that no man would ever be able to give her the pleasure he had.
She couldn't even give the excuse that the mark had caused her reaction to him, considering the fact that their first bout of lovemaking had been the most orgasmic experience she had ever had. He hadn't marked her at that point, and so she had to face the fact that her body acknowledged Itachi's on some primitive level that had nothing to do with any jutsu, but rather the man himself. The fact that she would have to go back and face him knowing how hard he was to resist scared her. Her entire future was going to be decided in the next few months.
THE HOKAGE'S OFFICE:
"Has my mother sent the update yet?" Itachi inquired.
"Yes. Both mother and baby are doing fine. As a matter of fact, according to Sakura, the little one is already able to push chakra back against her hand." Tsunade informed him excitedly. Though he tried to hide it, Itachi's eyes gleamed with pride and longing. The past through months being unable to see or touch Sakura had taken there toll on him, he had circles underneath his eyes from lack of sleep, and the stress marks on his face had deepened.
Tsunade almost felt sorry for him, and she contemplated telling him that Sakura was coming back to the village, but she stopped herself. She wanted to allow her former apprentice the element of surprise. She had a feeling that the young woman would need it- she was going to go up against a genius after all. Both Mikoto and Sakura had sent her long letters discussing their feelings about the cavalier way they had been treated, and what they wanted to happen in the future. It was going to be one hell of a struggle, and she was glad that she would have a front row set for it. She already had a bet with Jiarya over who was going to break first: Fugaku or Itachi. Her money was on Itachi, and for Sakura's sake she was hoping for the first time that she would lose a bet.