Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto. I DO own Kaisuke. Aya-Sama3000 owns Aya Kiriyama.
Chapter Eight - Plus Two
"SAKURA!" yelled Sasuke, racing toward his wife, panic showing on his usually stoic face.
Aya groaned in pain as she tried to get up to help but Gaara held her down. "Stay still!" he commanded softly. "You're in no condition to move."
Aya glared at him. "I have to help her!"
Gaara ignored her remark, picked her up bridal style and slowly rose to his feet with Aya cradled safely in his arms. Aya started wriggling, trying to break free of his grasp but Gaara would not be moved.
"I can walk, you know!" Aya announced, although her voice betrayed how weakened she was from the battle.
Gaara shook his head, sighed and started walking back toward the village. "Sure you can." he whispered as Aya lost her fight for consciousness and passed out against his chest.
***
"FASTER!" shouted Naruto.
Kakashi and Tsunade exchanged a knowing glance as they watched Sai and Ino race to catch up with the blur formerly known as Naruto.
Tsunade and Kakashi pushed a little more chakra in to their feet, knowing just how urgent their current mission was.
Flashback
"Do you have everything you need?" asked Tsunade.
Ino nodded as she double checked her pack.
It was time for Sakura's monthly check up, her seven month check to be exact, and Ino was taking no chances. Tsunade would skin her alive if she messed something up. After all, Sakura was still the Hokage's favourite.
Just as Ino and Tsunade had finished going over what was to be done during that months check, the double doors of the office flew open.
"Thank Kami, I caught you in time!" gasped Naruto as he paused for breath, only to be hit by the doors as they closed again and knocked back out into the hallway he had just come from.
Tsunade and Ino both sighed and shook their heads at the same time. Both had a little trouble suppressing a giggle or snigger at what had just happened. Naruto could still be such a fool sometimes, even if he had been named as Tsunade's successor for Hokage.
Naruto was blushing madly as he re-entered the office. This time he was much more careful around those doors. Once was bad enough, he didn't want to risk it happening twice. That would have made him a laughing stock.
He scratched the back of his head lightly as he straightened up his stance. Reaching in to the pack on his back, he pulled out two small woven bracelets, both were pastel blue in colour and each bore an intricately stitched Uchiha fan in shimmering white and red thread.
"Hinata made them for the twins." Naruto clarified quietly.
Ino and Tsunade were already across the room, each taking one of the bracelets for a closer look. However, while Tsunade admired the detailed craftsmanship, Ino was too busy swooning over the sweetness of the idea.
"She just finished the second one this morning. She wanted them ready to go with you. I had to run all the way here to reach you in time but… It was worth it!" beamed Naruto proudly as Ino took both bracelets and put them in the pack on her back, more than happy to deliver the beautiful gifts.
Ino wasn't sure if it was pride in his wife's fine work or at his own speed but Tsunade knew only too well that it was a mixture of both. She had learned years ago that, when it came to Hinata, there was nothing Naruto was not willing to do.
"Lady Hokage!"
All three heads already in the room, snapped up to the doors at the sound of Sai's voice. Said man bowed curtly before surging forward into the office, a scroll held tightly in his outstretched hand.
Sai bowed again as Tsunade accepted the scroll. As soon as she had opened and read it, her eyes shot wider open. Tsunade's head snapped up to lock eyes with the waiting Sai. "Get Kakashi!"
Without a word, Sai was gone.
"What's wrong, Baa-chan?" asked Naruto, feeling more than a little uneasy about what had just happened.
Tsunade lowered her head and seemed to re-read the scroll but Naruto could tell that she was actually deep in thought.
"Three days ago, Kaisuke was snatched from the carnival by the Akatsuki. The fire on the Ferris Wheel was a distraction. Sasuke, Gaara and Suigetsu immediately set off to rescue…"
"WHAT?!" interrupted Naruto. He was beyond furious that he was only just finding out about this. He loved Kaisuke like family!
Tsunade glared at him, the venom in her eyes instantly silencing him. "And I've just received this!"
Tsunade turned the scroll to face Naruto and Ino. Both gasped in shock and fury as they saw the hurried black strokes on the paper before them.
Hokage,
Sakura in danger!
Karin.
Kakashi and Sai returned at that very moment. Kakashi's visible eye instantly locked on to the scroll still facing the door. He bowed to Tsunade and turned on his heel, leaving as quickly as he had arrived. This was one time the copy-nin refused to be late.
Less than a second later, the others, including Tsunade, had joined him on his rescue mission.
End Of Flashback
The gates of Free were fast approaching but the surprises were far from over.
Kakashi motioned for them all to freeze as his Sharingan eye spotted movement just east of the gate, heading in their direction.
They masked their chakra, which was extremely difficult at that moment considering how furious and worried they all were, and took up defensive positions nearby.
Suddenly, a familiar figure emerged from the tree line.
"GAARA!" shouted Naruto, bursting out of his hiding spot, and almost his own skin, and rushed over to his friend. Gaara jumped slightly, surprised at Naruto's sudden appearance and more than a little annoyed that he hadn't sensed him coming.
Naruto skidded to a halt as he realised who Gaara was holding. It was Aya! She was unconscious and covered in blood, bruises, scraps and had a large, still bleeding wound on her shoulder.
The others leapt from their hiding places and rushed forward to find out what happened.
"What happened to her?!" demanded Naruto. "And where's Kaisuke?!"
Gaara glanced down at Aya, assessing whether or she had enough time left in her for him to explain. Ino's glowing green hand suddenly appeared on Aya's shoulder, healing her. Gaara nodded his thanks to Ino, took a deep breath and explained the situation as best he could.
"We retrieved Kaisuke from the Akatsuki. They took him by mistake. They were really after Kendo. You don't need to worry though, we wiped them out! We killed all but one. Kisame had managed to sneak out while we were trying to get to Kaisuke. He came here and attacked Sakura but Aya got in his way. She protected Sakura and managed to kill Kisame but she's taken a lot of damage. Sakura wasn't hurt by Kisame but the stress has put her in to premature labour. She's still in the meadow. Sasuke, Suigetsu and Kaisuke are with her."
As Gaara finished, he motioned with his head to where the meadow was. Naruto and Kakashi instantly turned and raced toward it. Ino looked torn but Tsunade placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You stay and heal Aya. If Sakura's in premature labour, she's going to need expert assistance."
Ino nodded and returned to focus to healing Aya. Gaara motioned for her to follow him into the village. His arms were growing weary and he refused to drop her. She deserved more respect than that.
***
A scream of pain echoed throughout the meadow. Kaisuke squirmed in Suigetsu's grasp, having been handed to the man by his father, allowing Sasuke to take the chakra infused squeezing her hand was doing.
Sasuke was pumping as much chakra as possible into his hand, desperately trying to stop it from shattering under his wife's intense grip.
"Calm down, Sakura!" pleaded Sasuke. "Relax!"
He regretted the words the second they left his mouth. Sakura was barely able to stand, she was crying in utter agony but her glare was so full of pain, anger and fury that it made his fear for his life.
"CALM DOWN?! RELAX?!" she hissed at him. "Exactly how the fuck am I suppose to do that?!" her anger seemed to be growing with each word. "In case you haven't noticed, you chicken-ass moron! I'm in fucking labour, with you're fucking twins and I'm only seven months gone! How the fuck do you expect me to fucking… OW! OW! OW!"
Sasuke cringed at Sakura's rage. He prayed to Kami that it was just hormones. He had to add more chakra to the flow already pulsing around in his hand just to keep the bones in one piece.
Sakura's left hand started glowing green and she placed it to her swollen belly, desperate for even a little pain relief.
"SAKURA-CHAN!"
Sasuke's head snapped up at the familiar call. The relief at seeing the Dobe and Kakashi racing toward them was almost overwhelming. Reinforcements. His mind screamed out in delight although his face showed nothing but the strain of trying to keep his right hand intact.
"Sakura!" called Kakashi as the two finally grew closer. "Sakura, look at me!"
Another surge of pain flowed Sakura's system. Sasuke cringed as the bones of his right hand had another near death experience. Sakura's head snapped up and her eyes locked with Kakashi's.
"Do you have pain relief?!" she demanded.
"Well, no. But…"
"Then you're no fucking use to me, are you?!" snapped Sakura.
Kakashi drew back slightly. More than a little unnerved by Sakura's behaviour. Behind him, standing at a safe distance, Naruto chuckled quietly to himself. He had been with Sakura during her labour with Kaisuke. He knew exactly what to expect and was going nowhere near the firing line!
"Sakura." called Naruto from his safe spot. Sakura's head snapped up in his direction. Her most evil of glares firmly fixed on her face. Naruto gulped back his sudden fear of his friend and motioned toward the tree line to his right. "We brought Tsunade-sama!"
Sakura's glare was gone the second that name left his lips. Her head snapped around to where Naruto had pointed and she almost squealed with delighted relief when her eyes locked on Tsunade's figure, now racing toward her.
"Help!" she whimpered as Tsunade's eyes locked with her own.
The pain began to ease the instant that Tsunade's glowing hands made contact with her belly. Sakura closed her eyes and sighed heavily in sheer relief. Sasuke sighed too, his hand was spared, at least for now.
Tsunade frowned slightly as she examined Sakura's bump. "I'm sorry, Sakura. I can't stop it. Your waters have already broken. Your babies are coming today!"
All male eyes glanced down at Sakura's legs. Her once cream trousers were now a dark stone colour. Sasuke own trousers showed a darker patch where his legs braced Sakura's body from behind.
"EW!" cried Kaisuke and Suigetsu, moving further away, as if afraid of being splashed themselves. Sakura growled at that and Tsunade sighed.
"Sasuke?" Sasuke's head snapped up at Tsunade calling his name. "We need to get Sakura inside." she glanced down at the vile mess on the meadow and frowned again. "Whatever that is, it isn't good for the babies!"
Sasuke nodded quickly and held Sakura tighter. With his other hand, he took hold of Tsunade's shoulder. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.
"Hey! Suigetsu?" called Naruto waving his hand toward a rather disturbing looking pile of mush in the middle of the meadow. "What is this shit anyway?!"
Suigetsu glanced over to where Naruto had motioned. A smirk suddenly growing on his face. "That's what happens when you piss of Aya!"
"But what is it?!" demanded Naruto.
"Kisame!" stated Suigetsu, his smirk now slightly evil.
"And that?" asked Kakashi, already suspecting what the answer might be.
"Same!" boasted Suigetsu. "Aya blew him up!"
Naruto's face paled slightly and he shook his hand violently, trying to dislodge the piece of goopy cloth he had just picked up. "EW! EW! EW!"
Kaisuke looked like he was going to be sick. Suigetsu quickly picked him up and carried him away from the meadow, making sure to avoid the bigger puddles of Kisame mush as he passed.
Naruto and Kakashi exchanged a curious glance. Both had their own ideas as to just how Aya had done it. Both men realised, at the same time, that they were still in small puddles of what use to be Kisame. With a single nodded, they both began to leap clear of the meadow and back to the Village of Free.
***
"Stay still!" demanded Ino.
She wasn't having much luck with Aya, or getting much in co-operation from said woman. Now that her shoulder was healed, Aya made become determined to get back to Sakura.
Ino tried, yet again, to hold Aya still so that she could heal the rest of her extensive injuries. "I said, stay sti…"
Ino's words were cut off, along with her oxygen supply as Aya's hand clamped around her throat. The bruised and battered woman was glaring at Ino in such a way that Ino was in no doubt that her very life could hang in the next words she chose.
"AYA!"
Aya's head snapped round at the sound of her name being growled. Her eyes locked with Gaara's. "Sakura is going to be fine!" he stated, rather forcefully. "Tsunade, an expert medic, is taking care of her."
"Really?!" demanded Aya.
"I swear!" promised Gaara. "Now, Let. Ino. Go!"
Aya sighed in defeat and released her grip on Ino's throat. A mumbled 'sorry' was all Ino heard before the battle weary, but every ready, woman passed out once again.
***
"Okay, Sakura." said Tsunade calmly. "At the next contraction, push!"
Sakura panted breathlessly and nodded at Tsunade. At her side, Sasuke was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Normally, father's were sent away for the birth, but he was stuck there. Sakura had the tightest grip of his right hand, he was sure that neither Heaven or Hell would be able to pry him free.
Tsunade pressed her hand down more firmly on to Sakura's belly, sending and extra burst of pain relief throughout her cramping muscles. "NOW!"
Sakura pushed with all her might. Not even Kami himself was going to stop her baby from being born. Sakura made a vow to herself to burn what was left of Kisame's remains if anything was wrong with either of her babies.
Sasuke fought back the scream that was building up inside of him. Almost all his chakra was pulsing through his right hand. He had known Sakura was stronger now than before, but damn! He had no idea she was capable of inflicting this kind of pain on him. His hand felt like it was on fire!
Sakura screamed in pain but continued to push with the strength and determination on an expectant mother could possess.
A sudden, high pitched, shrill cry filled the room.
Sasuke looked on in total awe, and a tiny bit disgusted, as Tsunade reached down, picked up the first born twin and cleaned them up. Sasuke was sure his heart was about to explode when he heard those beautiful cries.
"Congratulations." stated Tsunade, passing the now tightly wrapped, wriggling, bundle to Sakura's outstretched arms. "It's a boy!"
"Kaisuke's not gonna be too impressed." chucked Sasuke. "He wanted sisters."
Sakura half sighed, half laughed. "Not when he sees this little man, he won't. He's got a little brother to help train."
Sasuke smiled softly. Tsunade caught a glimpse of it, was shocked the once ice prince was capable of such acts, and turned her full attention back to soothing Sakura's belly, ready for the next one.
"Would you introduce Kaisuke to his new baby brother?" Sakura asked, handing the bundle to Sasuke. Sasuke was more than a little nervous about holding his new born son. He'd never held a baby before.
"What are you going to call him?" asked Tsunade, smiling over at the tiny bundle in Sasuke's arms.
"Rayu!" came their reply in one voice.
Tsunade nodded in approval, not that either parent noticed or cared. Sasuke tenderly kissed Sakura's forehead before taking his, now sleeping, son to meet his big brother.
"He's beautiful!" announced Kakashi as soon as he laid eye on the baby. Naruto nodded, too overjoyed to speak.
***
"Ready for the next one?" asked Tsunade.
Sakura nodded, braced herself and prepared to push. Suddenly, she winced in extreme pain. "Tsunade!" she yelped. "Something's… wrong!"
Sakura's words were drowned out by her own scream. Tsunade frantically held her hands to Sakura's belly as blood began to flood out of the birth canal.
"INO! I NEED YOU! NOW!"
***
"He's gorgeous, Sasuke!" cooed Ino, almost drooling over the baby.
Kaisuke sat in the chair next to Aya's bed, smiling smugly at his Dad and baby brother. He didn't mind having a baby brother at all. He was still convinced that a girl was coming though. Now he'd have Rayu to help him protect her!
Beside them, Aya was slowly regaining consciousness. She looked over at the slumbering tot and smiled softly. "He's perfect, cousin. You can tell he's an U…"
Aya's eyes suddenly widened and her head snapped round to the door of her hospital room. "Sakura!" she gasped.
Just as Sasuke opened his mouth. "What's wro…"
"INO! I NEED YOU! NOW!"
Ino was gone in a blonde blur. Sasuke tried to go after her but Gaara stopped him. Sasuke growled dangerously at Gaara but the man still wouldn't move.
"The baby!" gasped Aya, clearly experiencing pain. The men in the room didn't know if it was her own pain or Sakura's but Aya was clearly in agony as she spoke. "Give Gaara the baby!"
Sasuke glared a warning at Gaara as he handed over his son. Gaara was no fool. He knew exactly what that look meant. No harm was allowed to come to that boy. Then Sasuke was nothing more than a dark blur, speeding through the hallways after Ino.
***
"I'm here! I'm… Oh Kami!" gasped Ino at the sight of so much blood.
"SAKURA!"
Sasuke burst through the door, startling everyone, and ran straight to Sakura, ignoring the blood and distress of the two blonde medics as he desperately tried to comfort and sooth his frantic wife.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun! I'm so sorry!" whispered a broken Sakura.
"You've done nothing wrong, Sakura!" Sasuke whispered back, trying to calm both their nerves by stroking her sweat soaked hair.
"Sakura!" called Tsunade. "You haven't lost the baby!"
Sakura's eyes tried desperate to lock with Tsunade's but the damn blonde kept shifting around.
"Sakura, listen to me." called Tsunade. "The second placenta has ruptured. Your baby's still alive but in a lot of distress. We can't wait for it to turn to deliver. We're going to have to force a breech birth."
"What?!" gasped Sakura, not grasping what was going on.
"Sakura." came Sasuke's instantly soothing voice in her ear. "The baby's alive but in trouble. You've got do a breech birth if our baby's gonna make it. You can manage and I'm not leaving you!"
Sakura, looking deep into Sasuke's eyes found a strength growing within her that she'd never thought possible. Sasuke wasn't giving up on her so she wasn't giving up on their baby. Not now! Not ever!
***
Suigetsu, Kakashi and Naruto were learning first hand, just how much Kaisuke took after his father.
Ever since Sasuke had fled to Sakura's side, it had taken the three of them to hold the boy back and keep him from bursting into the delivery room as well.
Gaara and Aya were two of the few people the boy hadn't beaten yet but they were both a little busy at the moment to help.
"I WANT TO SEE MY MOMMY!"
Kaisuke's eyes were blazing red and spinning black, Chidori was sparking off of his entire body. The boy clearly had anger management issues.
"OH SHIT!"
The sudden call from inside the room was almost to much of everyone waiting outside. Kaisuke's red eyes were now dripping heated tears on to his cheeks as he pleaded and begged to be let in.
"Short Stuff!"
Kaisuke spun around to face Gaara as said man came walking down the hallway. "Can you give me a hand soothing Rayu?"
Kaisuke's eyes flashed back to normal the instant he heard his baby brother crying. He was Gaara's side in an instant, taking his brother in his arms carefully. "There, there, Rayu! Kaisuke's got you!"
The second he spoke, Rayu fell silent, his tiny eyes widening happily at the sound of his brothers voice. Gaara smiled proudly at him. "Think you could do the same with Aya?"
"I'll see what I can do." whispered Kaisuke, lulling Rayu back to sleep with the gentle rocking as he walked.
Suigetsu, Kakashi and Naruto let out a heavy collective sigh of relief. They would have to buy Gaara a drink for that timely rescue. Kaisuke Uchiha, in full rage as he was, was a very hard kid to control.
***
"IT HURTS!" screamed Sakura, sweat and tears flooding down her face.
"Then give it to me!" stated Sasuke, holding her hand that bit tighter.
Sakura felt him lowering his chakra guard, ready to take the full effects of her pain and bare it, just for her. However, with her chakra enhanced strength, Sakura feared it would kill him. That strange strength surged within her again. There was no force in heaven or hell that was going to make her quit now!
"I can do this!" Sakura screamed, finally hearing Tsunade's command to push and giving her all. This was her family!
A new chakra signature sudden filled the room, along with a ear-piercing shrill cry.
"It's a girl!" squealed Ino, quickly taking the baby and freeing her from the cord tangled around her body.
Tsunade's hands were moving so rapidly over Sakura's body that they seemed to be everywhere at once.
Sasuke kissed Sakura's forehead repeatedly as his Sharingan eyes followed every move Ino was making with his daughter. She was only seconds old and he was already an overprotective father to her.
Tsunade's heavy and heartfelt sigh gave Sasuke the relieved news that Sakura would be alright. Sakura was drifting in and out of consciousness but she was fighting back the darkness of slumber that called to her. She would be holding her daughter before her body got what it wanted.
Ino quickly finished healing the slightly damage the distress and forced breech had done to the tiny girl. When she turned around with the baby, now cleaned and wrapped, in her arms, she was instantly under the urgent gazes of both parents, anxious to have their daughter back.
"Here you go. A beautiful, healthy, baby girl." smiled Ino, handing the baby to Sakura before said woman could rip her arms off. The gaze was that serious.
"Hello, Mikoto!" whispered Sakura, kissing the baby's forehead lovingly before handing her to an almost weeping Sasuke and finally giving in to her bodies need for rest.
Epilogue Up Next…
