The Uchiha Clan Survivors

Jess : OMG! You've all ABANDONED ME! -cries softly in a corner-

Reb : No reviews in...-checks- 3 chapters. -looks at dejected Vietnamese girl standing next to her- No Nhi, you don't count. We know you from school. -girls walks out- Dudes...what happened to you? -sudden, fake wide eyes- Did you die?

Chapter 16 - The Greatest Birthday Gift?

"Ah!" Satsuki fell from above the ladder, still holding the banner.

"Watch out!" Sakura called, jumping below her just in time to catch Satsuki. "Whew..."

"Ow...Sorry Sakura." Satsuki apologized, getting up.

"It's ok." Sakura stood up too. "But you need to be more careful. Remember, Hokage said we could have a small party in this room, which is huge compared to my room, but we have to be careful. Our safety is up to us."

"Uh, yea. Thanks." Satsuki climbed the ladder and pinned the banner up. "How's it look?"

Sakura backed up and read the banner. It was white with red boarders and written in bold black letters was "Happy Birthday Sasuke" below that, in much smaller letters was "from all of us."

"Great job. And it's almost perfectly straight as far as banners go I think." she smiled and looked around the room as Satsuki got down.

There was a table to one side that had chips, cookies, dip, and an assortment of other snacks. At the end was a round turner with a lid. Satsuki and Sakura smiled at the thought of the large cake they would set there just as Satsuki went to get Sasuke.

Balloons and streamers were on the walls and Satsuki thought it was great, except one detail. She frowned. Sakura noticed this.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Satsuki motioned towards the colorful streamers, banners, and balloons.

"Sasuke...he's dark and mysterious." she put her hands to her chest. "I just don't know what he'll think of all this color."

"Well, we can't make he whole thing black. It'd be a funeral, not a party." Sakura said, placing her hands on her hips.

Satsuki smiled and pulled Sakura along to one of the tables. This one was where some people would be sitting. Ok, they only had a few tables. Only a few people were coming. Kakashi, Iruka, Sakura, Naruto, and Satsuki that was it. The tables had no fancy clothes on them, just set tables. There were 3 tables, 2 at each table. Satsuki and Sasuke, being the siblings, would have one table. On their left would be Iruka and Kakashi, on the right would be Naruto and Sakura unless they switched places with someone else.

"Uh, Satsuki..." Naruto started.

"Hmm?" Satsuki stopped looking around and looked at Naruto.

"It's about 1:00 p.m. already." he motioned towards the clock. Satsuki freaked and ran out.

"I'll be back with Sasuke! Be ready!" was all they heard besides her footsteps as she ran.

-

"Huh?" Sasuke asked mid milk pour into breakfast that morning. "Where?"

"That cute little stable on the edge of town. They have horses, pigs, chickens, you name it." Satsuki smiled after swallowing her cereal.

"And you want me to meet you there today, why?" he asked. She just smiled.

"No reason. Who knows, I might have a surprise for you." she hinted, then stood up and went to leave. "See ya later B boy!" she then left.

"B boy? Surprise?" Sasuke wondered. Then it clicked and he checked the calendar he'd set up. "Damn, she saw the calendar. I never celebrate my birthday...What's she up to?" he contemplated this. "Worst is she told the whole town about this and I'll be publically humiliated forever. Most likely? She got me a gift." he smirked and decided to go. "1:00 it is Satsuki."

-

Satsuki huffed and skidded to a stop. She looked at the clock near the stables. 1:05...5 minutes late. Was Sasuke here?

"Sasuke?" she asked. No answer. "Sasuke?" she walked inside. Satsuki was about to call him again when she heard talking and stopped.

"So, what do you think she's up to? Satsuki seems to be planning something. If she were any other girl in town, I expect her to kiss me. But seeing as how we're related, I'm guessing a extra expensive gift, or a handmade one."

It was Sasuke. He was sitting down near a large grey horse's stall, a cat in his lap and the horse seemed to be listening too. Sasuke was talking to the animals. He checked the wall clock.

"She's 6 minutes late." he pointed out. Satsuki took a step towards him and the cat jumped out of Sasuke's lap and onto Satsuki's shoulder. "Huh? Oh, Satsuki." he blushed slightly at being seen talking to animals.

"That was sweet Sasuke." she smiled, pulling the cat off. She was wearing a long jacket, so her clothes were pretty much unseen, but hey, no big deal, lots of girls dressed like that. Ok, that was a lie. All other girls dressed skimpy to get guys attention, except Hinata, and Satsuki, and he supposed Sakura didn't either...Ok, so a lot of girls didn't. But a lot did too!

"It was nothing. Never speak of it again." he said coldly. Satsuki paused a moment and frowned, then placed her hands behind her back and smiled. "What?"

"Nothing. But we need to get going." she smiled widely, then stood up and regained her usual small smile ness.

"Going? Where?" he asked, suspicious.

"You'll see...or, maybe you won't." she laughed. Sasuke was confused until she took her hands out from behind her back and he suddenly couldn't see.

"What the-?" he asked. The horse backed away and the cat was gone. "What are you doing Satsuki?" he went for the blindfold, but Satsuki, who was now behind him, put his hands down.

"I don't want you to see until we get there!" She said, you could hear the smile in her voice. "Just go with it."

They walked, and walked, and walked. Sasuke supposed they were taking the long way to wherever it was they were going so as not to draw attention. After all, he was blindfolded and no body really knew her.

He walked up some steps and then through a few doors. They paused, and all was quiet. Strangely quiet. He looked around, but couldn't see anything. Sasuke wondered if the Sharingin could see through blindfolds, but supposed he would have to copy a technique like that first. Then he really noticed the silence.

"Satsuki?" he asked. He heard a few noises, a grunt and a small yipe as someone fell over. Then a few footsteps.

"Yea?" Satsuki asked, somewhat out of breath.

"Where are we?" he asked in a serious tone.

He heard Satsuki smile, then the blindfold began coming off. This didn't help, he was in a large hallway and was standing in front of two large doors. The walls were white and the only furniture besides a few chairs along the walls was a screen like traditional japanese girls used to change behind. He blinked when he saw the jacket, shoes, shirt, and shorts that Satsuki had been wearing were hanging on or near the screen.

"Satsuki?" he asked, turning to face his half-sister. He took a step back and nearly hit the doors. "W-what are you wearing?"

She was wearing a black dress that wasn't anything flashy, but was better than casual. She was also wearing her headband, like usual, non high-heeled dress shoes, and a jacket. She looked like a girl that had just come back from a date. Her boyfriend had won her a toy ninja headband and had given her his jacket. She had very little make-up on, but he had to admit she looked rather cute in that outfit.

"What?" she asked, looking herself over. "Is it too much?"

"Ok, what is going on here?" Sasuke asked, regaining his usual demeanor. She sweat-dropped, then pushed open the doors.

The room was dark, Sasuke couldn't see much except a few outlines. He walked in and the doors shut behind him, he couldn't see Satsuki either now.

"Happy Birthday!" came many voices as the lights came on. Sasuke had jumped back and reached for his kunai to find they weren't there. Satsuki must've taken them when we met at the stables...

He saw that everyone was moderately dressed up. Naruto wasn't, he was in his usual clothing, as was Kakashi. Sakura was wearing a fancier outfit than usual, it was dark red with lighter red bordering and pink symbols with the black on it from her usual outfit too. Iruka had on a vest that was an olive green and his usual black attire with special shoes on and his hair was up like usual. Apparently, only Sakura had a nice outfit to wear...well, except Satsuki. Her outfit was nice too. Sasuke had to admit that Satsuki looked good in a dress. He mentally hit himself after that thought.

"A party?" Sasuke asked, looking around the room.

"Yep. Satsuki found out your birthday and we got to work as soon as Hokage gave us this room." Iruka explained.

"She decided to keep the list of guests small." Kakashi explained.

"Like how we decorated?" Naruto asked with enthusiasm. Sasuke looked at the room with slight disapproval on his face. Sakura gave one, half hearted laugh. The guys had begun to talk amongst themselves.

"Satsuki said you wouldn't approve of the color. She said you were more of a 'dark and mysterious' person. But hey, funeral, party." she acted like she was weighing them. "Party sounds better right?" she smiled and hugged him. "Happy Birthday Sasuke...oh!"she stood up and blushed before walking to the other side of the room.

"Um...ok..." Sasuke still hadn't fully accepted the idea that his half sister, or anybody for that matter, was celebrating his birthday.

"S-sasuke?" came a timid voice behind him. He turned around and saw Satsuki standing there. Sakura was pulling Naruto off of Kakashi after he'd said something stupid.

"Huh? What?" he asked.

"Happy Birthday." she said with a slight smile. "Now, tell the truth. How do you like the outfit?"

"Huh? Uh...it's...it's great." he didn't know how to respond. Things he could've said rang through his head.

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen!" No, makes me sound like I'm in love with her...in a strange way...Or that we're married...

"I like your other clothes better" No! Makes me sound mean. Of course I liked her other clothes better, they looked like mine and she always wore them. I was used to those clothes! But she does look good in a dress...Ah!

"Satsuki...You look absolutely wonderful!" Um...cut out the absolutely, and maybe...-hug- No!

Sasuke shook his head slightly and blinked to rid himself of the thoughts. Satsuki frowned when he shook his head and then smiled smally and spun.

"Are you sure you don't like it?" she asked. Sasuke peered at her. She was getting at something, what though? When she spun he caught a glimpse of something. She stopped and he walked behind her. Satsuki smiled contently, obviously happy he'd seen whatever it was.

Sasuke rounded his sister and saw that the jacket she was wearing was...the jacket he'd fixed up. The one with the Uchiha clan symbol on it. The fan, the color, this jacket was exactly like his. She was wearing it for the first time in public. The second time ever. He smiled and walked back to the front.

"Uchiha" was all he said, with a smirk. She smirked too. Satsuki looked about to speak when Sakura called to her.

"Satsuki! It's not going to be this fresh forever!" she called. Sasuke looked from Sakura to Satsuki.

"What?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know.

"Over there." she pushed Sasuke over to the food table, to the round turner. Sasuke now knew what it was, but played along. They lifted the turned to reveal a cake with 13 non-lit candles on the edges. Kakashi used his chakra and blew fire. The candles were lit and Iruka turned the lights off again.

After a round of 'Happy Birthday To You' and the second chorus as well (sung only by Satsuki and Naruto), everyone sat down and Iruka turned the lights on again. Iruka'd be sitting with Naruto, Sakura had found refuge from the boy with Kakashi. Kakashi was already serving the cake when he sat down.

"So, do you like your birthday so far?" Satsuki asked, surveying the room. Sasuke smiled a simple smile.

"Yea. Your gift is the best thing anyone's given me since before Itachi." he glared involuntarily as he spoke the name. Satsuki placed her hand on Sasuke's, re-drawing his attention to her.

"Don't talk about Itachi. Not on your birthday." she said, smiling sadly. He nodded and she withdrew her hand. Soon Kakashi gave the signal, and everyone began to eat...after Sasuke took the first bite of course.

Preview : 'I'm touching Sasuke and he isn't glaring or trying to pull away!' Inner Sakura was jumping for joy. Outer Sakura smiled. A hand was placed on Sakura's, it was Sasuke's. He looked up, a small smile...very small, on his face. They stared into each other's eyes until laughing was heard.

 Inner Sakura was jumping for joy. Outer Sakura smiled. A hand was placed on Sakura's, it was Sasuke's. He looked up, a small smile...very small, on his face. They stared into each other's eyes until laughing was heard.

Jess : PLEASE REVIEW! I BEG OF YOU!

Reb : -hits her on the head with a mallet-