Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto. All rights reserved to Masashi Kishimoto.
A/N: Ok, so things have finally calmed down a bit and my beta is local so we can work together more. More chapters on the way! Thanks for being so patient!
Sakura sighed as she walked into the clothing store. It had been two weeks since Naruto left and he wasn't back yet. Sakura was beginning to worry. 'I'm sure he's fine...' she reassured herself as she sifted through the tops on the rack. Pregnancy definitely had its downsides.
"Sakura?"
Sakura looked up at the sound of her name. She smiled at the woman who stood across from her.
"Kurenai-sensei"
Kurenai walked around the rack and stood next to Sakura. "How are you doing?" She asked, adjusting the shopping bag on her arm. Sakura smiled sadly.
"I'm ok. I've...been better...but..." She trailed off, her mind taking her somewhere else.
"Hm, of course...I've heard about what happened. I'm so sorry Sakura."
Sakura nodded and looked away, unwanted tears forming in her eyes. It had been a while since she had actually thought about what happened and...it affected her much more than she'd believed. Hearing it from somebody like Kurenai sent another nail into Sasuke's coffin, a coffin that Sakura couldn't admit existed. "It's hard..." Sakura whispered, slowly confiding in the kunoichi. Kurenai moved closer and hugged Sakura tightly.
"I know sweetheart. I was where you were a few years ago. It'll hurt for a while, but you have to move on for yourself... and the baby." Kurenai said softly as she stepped back and smiled caringly at Sakura. Sakura wiped her eyes and nodded.
"I'm trying..."
"That's all you really can do."
"Mommy!" Kurenai turned at the sound, a smile spreading across her face as the little boy ran up to her. She knelt down and scooped the boy into her arms. Sakura looked carefully at the child. He was a spitting image of his father but his dark crimson eyes definitely came from his mother. It made her think of her own baby, and what he or she would look like. Konohamaru walked up to the trio, sporting his new Jounin vest. Kurenai looked up and grinned at the young man, Sakura had to admit that he had grown up from the little brat that used to chase Naruto around.
"Konohamaru, thanks for taking him with you."
Konohamaru put his hands in his pockets and shrugged, a small smile gracing his features. "It's what big cousins are for." He said looking at his younger cousin, "We had fun last night huh?" The little boy nodded vehemently, his eyes glowing with remembered excitement.
Kurenai chuckled. "Well, thank you again Konohamaru. You've been so helpful lately." Konohamaru blushed and shrugged.
"It's no problem," he said, his eyes landing on the clock in the corner. "AH! I'm late! Moegi's going to kill me!" He moved towards Kurenai and kissed her in the cheek.
"Bye Aunt Kurenai! Bye Sakura-San! Tell Naruto Nii-San I say hello!" he exclaimed as he ran out of the store. Kurenai shook her head and smiled. Sakura waved at the little boy and giggled softly when he waved and playfully stuck his tongue out at her.
"Kurenai-Sensei, he's gotten so big!" Sakura said, smiling.
"I know, and he's so heavy." Kurenai said, shifting her son to her left side.
"Sakura...we're going to grab some lunch, why don't you join us?" Sakura looked at Kurenai.
"I'd love to but...." She trailed off, her mind going to Naruto. 'He's probably fine...' she thought, smiling. "Alright...sounds like fun!"
Kurenai smiled and paid for her items before the three headed out to eat.
'Where the hell do they keep coming from?'Naruto thought as he back flipped to avoid an oncoming kunai. He landed next to Neji.
"Can you see anything?"
Neji frowned and shook his head.
"That's the problem. I don't see anything...or anyone for that matter." Naruto frowned and scanned the area the kunai's came from.
"Well, what are we going to do?" Neji sighed.
"We have no choice, we have to fight." He said as he slid into formation. Naruto sighed and made a few quick hand signs.
"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu! Let's do this..." He said as he charged at the invisible threat.
"So...How are things living with Naruto?" Kurenai asked as she adjusted the chopsticks in her son's hand. Sakura looked up from her plate at Kurenai questioningly. The older woman smiled knowingly and admitted, "Shikamaru told me."
"Oh... well, it's good. He's really sweet and supportive. To be honest…" her voice dropped. "I don't know where I'd be without him." Kurenai nodded.
"It's helpful to have someone who cares about you to be there."
"It is. He's helped me so much...." Sakura quieted causing Kurenai to frown.
"Is that...bad?"
Sakura shook her head, her now Auburn hair slowly slipping out of the ponytail she wore. "No...I-I think I hurt him." This caught the Kunoichi attention. She had heard how Naruto had taken it after Sakura laughed at him three years ago, but she'd been under the impression Sakura didn't know what she'd really done to him.
"How?"
Sakura lightly gnawed on her bottom lip. "I...told him I hated him."
Kurenai's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really? Why?"
"Because he had a mission to go on..." Sakura said putting her chopsticks down on the table, and sighed. "I know it was selfish of me to yell at him for leaving but I just..." She took a deep, shuddery breath. "I don't want to lose him." Her voice lowered to a whimper. "I...I can't lose anyone else I care about." Kurenai nodded, contemplating.
"Naruto probably didn't want to leave just as much as you didn't want him to. Naruto has lost a lot of people. His parents, Sasuke, you... the poor boy even lost himself for a while. Now that he has you back in a way, I doubt he'd want to jeopardize that over such a simple matter."
Sakura frowned in confusion. "Naruto never lost me...I've always been here..."
"You've always been here, but you haven't always been his, Sakura." Sakura blinked in realization, slowly leaning back in her seat. "Sakura, I-" Kurenai began but was cut off when her son stood up in his seat.
"Uncle Shikam'ru!" he yelled happily, his mouth full of food. Kurenai and Sakura followed the little boy's gaze to the front of the restaurant. Shikamaru smiled at the child as he walked over. He knelt down, his hands hanging limply between his knees.
"Hey kiddo. How've you been?" The little boy plopped down in his seat, a huge smile on his face.
"Good!"
"That's good. You been practicing your ninjutsu?"
"Yeah!" Shikamaru smiled and ruffled the boy's hair before standing.
"Good Morning, Shikamaru." Kurenai said as she gently wiped her son's mouth with a napkin.
"Morning Kurenai-Sensei, Sakura." Shikamaru bid, taking notice of Sakura's presence. The dark haired man studied Sakura's face intently and tried to find the woman who had save lives without a twitch behind the sulking form of the broken down girl sitting at the table.
"Why don't you join us?" Kurenai smiled and motioned to the empty seat next to Sakura. He shook his head.
"I'm ok, I'm not hungry. Mom made sure I ate breakfast... came over at 7:00 in the morning and everything." He grumbled, slightly irritated.
"Shikamaru..."
He sighed and sat down, clearing his throat in the process. "So, How've you been?" Shikamaru asked, leaning back in his seat.
"I'm ok...a little tired though. He can wear you out." She said, looking down at her son and his attempt to use his chopsticks. Sakura sighed inwardly and looked out the window. For almost noon, it was rather calm. Her mind idly wandered back to what Kurenai had said earlier. She frowned and blinked when a sudden and unaccounted for feeling of guilt hit her. Kurenai looked at Sakura with concern. Shikamaru followed Kurenai's gaze.
"Sakura?" She asked quietly. Sakura panned over to the group.
"You ok?" He asked, eyeing her carefully. Sakura smiled weakly and nodded.
"I'm fine...I-I think I'm going to head back home..."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Sakura shook her head. "I'm a little tired actually, and I still have a few errands to run."
"Oh... want me to walk you back?" Shikamaru asked, preparing to stand.
"No, no...It's fine. My errands are in the way home anyway." She lied. Shikamaru frowned slightly but nodded and took his seat. Sakura slipped out of her seat and gathered her packages.
"Bye Sakura." Sakura turned and looked back at the table.
"Bye Kurenai-Sensei, Shikamaru," she leaned down "and bye to you too Shizaki ."
Sakura smiled when the little boy looked up from his plate and waved, smiling with his mouth full of food. Sakura walked out of the restaurant and began the trek, across town, to Naruto's apartment; her mind reeling with what Kurenai had said. 'He'll come back… he promised.' She thought again, he had to come back.