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Chapter 7- Important Gift

12 years ago

Sakura had been looking at the piece of paper in front of Kakashi from behind his hokage chair as someone knocked on the door. Kakashi signed before telling them to come in. Sakura allowed herself a small smile at her old sensei's behavior. 'Serves him right for being so lazy all his life' she couldn't help thinking.

"Hokage-sama, Sasuke Uchiha is back." The ANBU with the tiger mask said in a hurry. Sakura and Kakashi looked at each other. Sasuke hadn't come back to the village since leaving it four months ago after the war had finally come to an end. He had gone on his redemption journey, leaving Konoha behind again, but other than getting simple notes from him letting them know his whereabouts, he hasn't visited at at ll. The note he sent Sakura a week ago hadn't mentioned it at all either. Which is why Sakura and Kakashi were surprised to hear of his return so suddenly.

Before Kakashi had a chance to tell the ANBU to let Sasuke in, someone pushed aside the bewildered ANBU and came in to the hokage office. If Sakura and Kakashi were surprised to hear of Sasuke's sudden return, they were stupefied seeing him carry what could only be an infant in his arms. Sakura knew her green eyes were impossibly wide, staring at the bundle in Sasuke's arms. Her heart dropped to her stomach because she instantly knew.

Sakura's eyes moved from the bundle to Sasuke as he fixed his uneven gaze on her, boring into her soul telling her who this child was and he didn't need to use words for her to know. She walked out from behind Kakashi's chair, walking towards the two newcomers, completely forgetting Kakashi and the ANBU who hadn't found it in himself to walk out. She stood in front of the Sasuke, her breaths coming out as pants, her eyes still wide as saucers. Sasuke didn't say anything, as Sakura lifted a shaking hand towards the blanket covering the baby, he just continued to watch her.

She moved the blanket aside to reveal a beautiful head of dark hair and a pale face still sleeping with their eyes closed.

"It's a girl." She heard Sasuke murmur, which was a surprise to Sakura but she was too enamored by the most beautiful creature she has ever lain her eyes on to notice anything about him. She smiled as tears blurred her vision of the baby.

"She's so beautiful." Sakura whispered, a little heart broken at the sight of her. "Can I…?" she asked looking up at Sasuke with her hands raised towards the baby. Sasuke nodded before gently handing the baby over to Sakura. The baby moved as she was moved from her previous position and as she was disturbed from her slumber, she woke up whining quietly at first but then becoming louder as she went into unfamiliar territory from the one she had been on for the last four days. Sakura cooed and moved the baby up and down in her arms.

"Hold her close to your heart, she calms down at the beat." Sasuke told her as the baby continued to cry along with a distraught Sakura. She looked up at him before moving the child around in her arms, resting herlittle head right above where her heart would be. Just as Sasuke said, she only cried for a couple of more seconds before calming down, closing her eyes again.

"You are quite the parent Sasuke." Kakashi teased from behind them. She only now noticed that he was also peering at the baby from over her shoulder.

"I was traveling with her for four days." He offered in a way of answering Kakashi's unanswered questions.

"How did you feed her?" Sakura asked not taking her attention away from the baby, moving her body from side to side.

"Karin filled a few bottles and I stopped at a few villages on my way here." Sasuke replied remembering the distressed woman he had left behind in the hospital. Sakura sighed sadly hearing this but resolved to not be upset about it considering the baby was perfectly healthy, that was all that mattered.

"Do you have a name?" She heard Kakashi ask and felt stupid for not asking earlier. She had been so distracted.

"Sarada…Sarada Uchiha." Sasuke answered and she looked up at Sasuke knowing full well that he had been thinking of names his whole journey here. She smiled at the notion, imagining Sasuke trying to come up with the perfect name for his baby.

"What about Karin?" Sakura hesitantly asked.

"She told me to take her…. she was forced into this after…" Sasuke didn't finish his sentence, looking at Sakura hesitantly.

"Is she alright?" Sakura asked feeling sad and slightly guilty however much she didn't need to feel it. Sasuke nodded his head in affirmation. She felt a little relieved at that.

"I take it you'll be staying from now on then?" Kakashi asked returning back to his seat now that Sarada was asleep again, though Sakura continued to rock her back and forth.

"No." Sasuke's abrupt answer took Sakura and Kakashi by surprise both looking up at him. "Not for a few months, but I will be leaving." He continued much to Sakura's annoyance. But Sakura kept her thought to herself for the moment.

"You can leave now Hisashi." Only after Kakashi brought him to attention did everyone else notice that the ANBU was still standing near the door.

"O-of course hokage-sama." He abruptly said, leaving the room in a hurry closing the door behind him.

"I take it you will stay at the Uchiha manor. I had it fixed while you were away." Kakashi said smiling under his black mask. Sasuke looked at his old sensei and felt grateful for him, he had no idea where he would stay. He had a feeling Sakura would take Sarada but he couldn't expect the same treatment she gave Sarada so his plan had been Naruto but that was under desperate outcomes. But he is grateful that he wouldn't have to drop that low. Though looking at Sakura, he doubted she will ever let Sarada go which made his lips quirk up in sincere smile. "You can leave too Sakura. I don't think you'd get much done now anyway or for the next few months. But I can't give you that long." Kakashi said as Sakura looked at him with disappointment. He chuckled as Sakura pouted at him. "But I can give you a week." He said bringing a bright smile to Sakura's eyes through the tears from earlier.

Just as he had come, Sasuke left the room with Sakura and Sarada. Kakashi watched them with a small smile behind his mask.

Sakura was blissfully unaware of the glances they were getting from everyone they passed by. But Sasuke was angrily aware of them as they all but stared only looking away as Sasuke turned his angry glare their way. He quickened his steps hoping Sakura would follow, but instead she called his name making him slow down to walk beside her.

"Can she stay with me?" she asked as her apartment came into view in the distance. They would have to pass by it anyway and Sakura just didn't want to let Sarada go. She had missed nine months and she wasn't going to miss anymore. Sasuke had a strange expression of his face as if he didn't want to spend anytime away from Sarada either. "You can – come too, if you want?" she added hesitantly unsure of what to expect from him for that offer.

This would be the first time they were having a real conversation, if you could all it that, since she tried to kill him. After coming back from Kabuto she had resolved to never speak to this man again for putting her through that sick experiment with that sicko. After the war she had thought she may be able to forgive him because of the mess his head was in back then, but as soon as she saw him in the village after the war, she couldn't handle it, she couldn't forgive him.

While he stayed with Kabuto, his dream of restoring his clan was brought to the surface only to be crushed at the failure that was that attempt. She knew she wanted children, but not that way. Not with some kind of sick experiment modeled only to create a weapon, no matter how much Sasuke wanted it at the time.

As if on cue, Sarada cuddled closer to Sakura, her dark hair tickling Sakura's neck. They both watched the child, now halted in the middle of the street not caring about the stares of the villagers. Sasuke lifted his hand up and moved a small patch of hair from Sarada's face. she had been born with such thick hair and a lot of it too, it reminded him of his own hair back when he was a child, always getting in the way.

"Thank you…for bringing her to me." Sakura said as Sasuke watched Sarada.

"Tch, who else would I bring her to?" Sasuke said as he started walking again. Sakura followed only remembering her previous question as Sasuke stood in front of her apartment door. She allowed herself a small smile before carefully rummaging her pocket for her keys.

Sakura laid Sarada down on her bed surrounding her with pillows before going to her closet to grab a towel and some fresh clothes for Sasuke.

"Naruto is going to freak out when he comes back." She said handing Sasuke the clothes and towel. He smirked taking them from her as he finished drinking his glass of water. She had a few of Sasuke's own clothes at her house from back when he had no place to stay, though it hadn't lasted long. He had quickly moved in with Naruto about three weeks after for whatever reason.

Sakura heard her shower turn on and she sat down at her small kitchen table as reality suddenly dawned on her. She had taken full responsibility of Sarada as soon as she saw her but she had no idea how to take care of a baby and Sasuke will be leaving in a couple of months too, though she didn't really think he'd be much help anyway. As much as she knew that she would eventually get the hang of it, she knew she needed to visit someone who was already a mother. If she had known Sarada was going to come to her life, she would've read all the books in the village about it, but it had happened so suddenly, she knew nothing.

What does Sarada eat? It's not like she could breastfeed her, despite Sakura wishing she really could. But if Karin had given Sasuke bottled breast milk, then Sarada would've already gotten the most nutrient part. Sakura was sure Karin would've breast fed her without bottles at least once before giving her to Sasuke. Putting all that into account, it would be perfectly alright to give Sarada formula. She knew of few other ingredients she could add to the formula to make it as close to breast milk as possible though it was impossible for it to be hundred percent similar.

Sarada would also need a crib as well. They could sleep on the bed together for a while, but it was best for her and Sarada if she slept in a crib. And clothes, she would have to buy some clothes and either attach the Uchiha emblem herself or have a tailor do it. Though she doubted she will have time to do it herself.

Oh my god! She had to baby proof the apartment. 'No…no that won't be for a few months at least. Phew.' She thought as she was bombarded with questions of how to take care of an infant.

"Why are you making that face?" she started as Sasuke said from the door way still drying his hair with the towel.

"Sasuke, we don't have anything. Clothes, food, a crib. We are not prepared at all." She panicked looking up at him from her seat at the table, her green eyes wide and wild.

"Sakura, stop panicking. We'll get everything." Sasuke's attempt to calm her down didn't work as he didn't really give a plan. Sakura continued to fret. "She has the only thing she needs." Sasuke added coming closer to Sakura, leaving his towel on a chair. She looked up at him with expectance, waiting for his answer. He lifted her up from the chair holding her shoulders. He stared at her green green eyes. "She has her mother." He finished softly, making tears come to her eyes as panic subsided and adoration and sadness filled it. She rested her head on his shoulder and cried for her missed opportunity and unbelievable happiness despite it.

This was an excerpt from the past. It was only supposed to be half of chapter and then back to the present but it kind of came out long.

Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying this story. Despite me saying this probably wont be sasusaku, my inner fangirl wont allow it, so I suppose it will have sasusaku.

Rate and review if you get a chance. Thank you!