It was a simple statement of fact. One that wasn't even that hard to comprehend. At this very moment a living being, a union of DNA from himself and Sakura, was growing inside of her womb. He should have been happy, but the tingling sensation that spread across his skin was not from elation. It was the result of his blood running cold with absolute dread. He sat there on the bathroom floor, holding his lover as she continued to shake, frozen. He couldn't move, couldn't breath. There was only one thought he could focus on: If the Hokage found out Sakura would be tortured and the pregnancy brutally terminated. Though the medic-nin had never told him about the day she had been called to the bowls the Hokage tower, he knew well what happened. He had been present for several similar events himself.
"I thought you were on birth control?" His voice was small, weak. He'd never heard himself sound so pathetic before.
"I-I am. Though it does have a marginally s-small failure r-rate."
"Hn."
Gathering Sakura in his arms the white-haired jounin lifted her up from the tile floor. As he carried her back to the bedroom, he began to gather his thoughts.
"How far along are you?"
"A month, give or take a week." She sounded tired.
"How long have you known?" His tone was flat and even. He needed all the facts before he could formulate a plan.
Sakura was silent for several moments before whispering, "Two weeks.."
Kakashi frowned as he set her on the bed, pulling the comforter over her emaciated body.
"And you haven't been taking care of yourself, have you?" He asked the question even though the answer was obvious.
Shame danced across Sakura's features, she couldn't bring herself to look her lover in the eye. "I thought...I t-thought maybe...if I.." Her eyes began to fill with tears.
"If you didn't take care of yourself you would miscarry?" Sighing he sat down next to her, resting a hand on hers.
A slight nodding of her head was her only response.
"Get some sleep Sakura, you need it."
"But Kakashi! We need to do something! I have to get ri-" A finger against her lips stole away the rest of her words.
"We won't be getting rid of the baby." He stated softly. Sakura's eyes darkened with confusion but he kept his finger against her mouth to stop anymore protest she may have. Was that a flicker of hope Kakashi saw in her eyes?
"The first thing that needs to happen is you getting some proper rest." Removing his finger from her lips, her began to stroke her hair slowly.
"Kakashi...I'm scared."
"I know Sakura, I am to." It was the truth. He couldn't remember a point in his life when he had been as afraid as he was now. But it wasn't fear for himself, it was fear for the young woman whom had become such an integral part of his life and happiness.
Such a simple admission of truth seemed to sooth Sakura, enough at least for her to fall into a light slumber. Once the jounin was positive she had slipped into a restful sleep he was up and moving around the apartment as quickly as he could. Taking care to make no noise to disturb his slumbering cherry blossom. Grabbing both their packs from the closet, he began filling them with all the supplies necessary for a long journey. He didn't know where they would be going yet, but he knew it had to be as far away from the Leaf Village as possible. It was foolishness really, to try and escape from the village when he hadn't even formulated a plan, but necessary. Active kunoichi were forced to under go pregnancy testing every month. Sakura might to be able to fool the test for the first few months, but afterward some very noticeable physical changes would begin that would require elaborate explaining.
Tenten, the poor girl, had tried to hide her pregnancy from ROOT. A slip in her diligence however had cost her the life of her unborn child, and her sanity. He remembered the day she had been released from the Hokage tower. She looked so lost, confused and broken. Later that day, Sakura, Kakashi and Guy had found her hanging from a tree in field nine. He had never heard Guy cry out in such anguish, and he had never seen Sakura collapse into a pure hysterical mess. They were some the strongest shinobi Kakashi knew and both of them had been reduced to sobbing piles of despair at the sight of her swaying form. He never thought he could hate Danzo more than he did, but as he cut Tenten from the tree and gingerly laid her stiff body across the grass, he felt his hatred for the old war hawk grow into something more, something...darker.
The memory brought a chill to his body and renewed his belief that running was their only option. But as he began to shove summoning scrolls into his pack, a treacherous voice whispered in the back of his mind. This was not their only option, there was another. One that wasn't suicidal.
Terminating the pregnancy would solve all their problems. Done discreetly, no one would be any wiser to existence of the small life inside the medic-nin, then Sakura wouldn't have to suffer at the hands of Danzo. He knew it was the easier way, the safer way but the thought of following such a course of action filled him with burning rage and distaste. That was his blood growing inside her, his legacy.
That final thought made him blink. Where had it come from? Frowning, he squashed it back into his subconscious. There was no point examining why they would run instead of terminating. No matter where the examination of his thoughts led him, they would still be running come sundown. For now it was in his best interest to simply ignored them and focused on the task at at hand.
Once he was statified with the contents of both packs, Kakashi formed the appropriate hand seals to summon Pakkun and Bisuke. Pakkun was surprised to find himself summoned along side the other dog, usually his master only called for him alone these days.
"Kakashi, what is wrong?" Pakkun inquired, an uneasy feeling settling over the pug.
The Copy-nin did not answer his summon instead he grabbed a pen and piece of paper from his desk and began to write. Once finished, Kakashi bit into his thumb and allowed a small drop of blood fall onto the note. Placing his palm over the stained paper, it began to glow and crackle as it was engulfed by his chakra. Once the note began to hiss, the white-haired jounin removed it from the desk and brought it to Pakkun. The small dog eyed the paper as if it were poison.
"What is going on?" For his master to use such a seal...Pakkun knew this was a very dangerous situation.
"I can't tell you that right now Pakkun. But I need to you to take this note to our contact. You need to make sure the contact, and only the contact, gets this note. If it is a Hensojutsu, or if you are attacked along the way, the message will destruct." Kakashi's voice was hard steel.
"That would kill me." Pakkun spoke with slight surprise.
"I know.." Kakashi said softly.
With a deep breath, Pakkun bowed his head to Kakashi and took the note. "Whatever mess you are in Kakashi, know that I will always stand beside you." with that the pug vanished into smoke.
Bisuke, who had remained silent through the exchange, turned expectant eyes to Kakashi who wrote and sealed another note.
"Take this to Guy, as you saw, it is sealed in the same manner as the one I gave Pakkun."
Bisuke nodded and took the paper from his master. "If I die, it will be a death that I deserve, for it means I have failed my master!" With a dramatic bow, Bisuke disappeared.
Returning to the closet, Kakashi pulled out an old, dusty box. From it he withdrew several of his old ANBU uniforms. Having enter at such a young age, the jounin had found himself outgrowing uniforms constantly. His oldest pair, slightly out dated in style, he was certain would fit Sakura while he still had several that fit him. He spent the next hour digging through various pieces of armor and accessories that would serve to protect them the best without hindering their movement. The last thing he added to Sakura's new outfit were her medical apron and pouch.
Rocking back on his heels he surveyed the outfits before gathering the rest of his old ANBU equipment and sealing it into a scroll which he promptly shoved into his pack. With nothing left to distract him, Kakashi settled on the bed next to a dozing Sakura, staring at his hands. There were four hours left until sundown. Four hours for him to think of a plan. Somehow, he didn't think those four hours would be enough.