Chapter 10:
Salvation Lies Beyond That Downcast Gaze
Love.
How could such a euphoric emotion be so damn painful? How could this wonderful feeling make your heart soar one moment, then the next cause a crippling, agonizing pain?
Love really is a double edged sword…
Though, I guess, taking the chance to love someone is always a dangerous bet… especially with our profession…, Naruto thought to himself.
Naruto sat in the waiting room, silent. He leaned forward, staring at the ground, hands clasped together, concentrating on his breathing. The blond shinobi found that if he didn't, he would begin to hyperventilate. He closed his eyes as he felt a small, gentle hand smooth over his back in a comforting gesture. It was only Hinata's touch that managed to steady his racing heart.
"Would you like some water Naruto-kun?" she asked quietly.
Knowing that if he opened his mouth to speak, he would likely vomit, he simply shook his head. Hinata sighed as she looked around the full waiting room. Everyone was there. News must have spread fast.
Sai was sitting across from Naruto and herself, stoic. Not showing an iota of emotion. This was strange because he always expressed his emotions clearly whenever it came to the pink haired medic. Hinata had to guess he's withdrawing again.
He was sketching something…
Sai looked up to see the Hyuuga girl staring at him. When their eyes met, she quickly fixed her gaze elsewhere. Sai sighed as he looked back down at his sketch. He was drawing what he saw. The disquiet concern. The heavy tension. It was almost too much. All being ninja, they knew something was terribly wrong. And if instinct wasn't enough, the waves of sorrow rolling off Naruto would be. The ebony haired shinobi unconsciously slipped back into his Root ANBU façade. Outwardly emotionless. But contrary to his appearance, Sai's insides were whirling. Clenching with concern and angst. He cared for Sakura. She was the first person to ever accept him for who he really was, despite his many flaws. She was his first friend. His first companion. His sister. Just the mere thought of something happening to her…
Sai blinked rapidly, refusing to let the sting of unshed tears be known to the rest. He looked up to check if anyone noticed his close call to an emotional breakdown. No one did. They were all deep within their own thoughts. His eyes landed on the tall silver haired shinobi standing in the far corner of the room, decidedly away from everyone else. There was no surprise in seeing the familiar little orange book in his hand, but what was strange was that his eyes were unfocused, staring thought the pages of his beloved book.
Kakashi felt someone watching him, but disregarded it. His eyes finally came back into focus. He had lost himself to his thoughts.
Sakura…
The Copy-nin felt that all too familiar heave of pain. The pain that started in the pit of his stomach and surged up into his throat, making him feel sick. This pain that clenched at his already tattered heart. Kami, he really didn't know how much she meant to him until he was faced with the prospect of loosing her. Sakura. That little annoying, pink-haired, Sasuke obsessed, loudmouthed, whiny genin who slowly, but quite surely, made a nice comfy soft spot in his hard heart. That intelligent, caring, emotional, temperamental, strong (and admittedly a little scary) kunoichi who proved herself to everyone time and time again, making him proud to have once held the title of sensei for her. And now, the beautiful, strong, selfless, compassionate, (and yet still quite scary) woman she was today.
Kakashi's brows furrowed as he thought of his last meeting with her yesterday. Leaving her was probably one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. It nearly broke his heart in two watching her disappear inside Ino's flower shop, knowing that that was most likely the last time he would see her alive…
Kakashi closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the overwhelming emotions. He hadn't felt like this since his own sensei died. Both were making a sacrifice for something they loved dearly. Both undeniably strong and selfless. Kakashi gave a humorless laugh as he realized the similarities between the Yondaime and Sakura.
Will I always outlive the ones I love…?
The rest of the room looked up at the usually impassive Copy-nin at the sound of a laugh. Something that sounded so out of place and time in that room. Ino glared up at the silver haired man with venom. She sat in between Shikamaru and Choji, holding the two dieing zinnia Sakura had left on her counter the previous day. She had been in a constant state of fright since then. Nothing could calm her nerves. She told her teammates what had happened, and it seemed they both understood her panic, Shikamaru especially. Ino guessed that the lazy genius had already came to a conclusion on Sakura's weird behavior as of late.
They all cared about the pink haired kunoichi, in their own way. Everyone in this room! All these people wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case…
Choji was stress eating because of the worry, Shikamaru wouldn't stop fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, Kiba sat quietly on the floor with a subdued Akamaru, Shino stood with a constant frown adoring his revealed features, Tenten absentmindedly toyed with a kunai while biting her lip nervously, Neji's foot continued tapping the floor impatiently, Lee was in a corner crying on Gai's shoulder, exclaiming that such youth and vitality could concur a simple childbirth. That Sakura was Konoha's beautiful Blossom and she would come out of this glowing with youth and pride as a new mother…
And there was not one heart in that room that didn't pray that the green beasts of Konoha were right.
--
"Your almost at ten centimeters Sakura. It's about time you start pushing," Tsunade said from behind the blanket conserving Sakura's modesty.
"I couldn't perhaps have another shot of epidural?" Sakura asked, cringing in pain after another contraction.
"No, I'm sorry. Giving you another dose would knock you out, and that's the last thing we need right now…" the blond answered.
"Oh, great," Sakura gasped sarcastically.
"Is there nothing you can do for the pain?" Sasuke asked as he stood by Sakura's side, letting her clench his hand during the particularly bad contractions.
Sasuke tried his hardest to ignore the pain and hide the grimaces as she clenched his already broken fingers…
"I can shoot numbing chakra in that general area once the baby breaches. That's the most I can do."
"Hn."
"…Sasuke?"
"Yes?"
"Will you take my bag out to Naruto now?" Sakura asked with a wane smile.
"…Hn."
"…And Sasuke…?" she called as he turned towards the door, "Can you tell him that I love him. That he will be the best god father the world has ever seen. And… And that I apologize…"
Sasuke swallowed down the lump in his throat as he bent down to pick up Sakura's mysterious bag and walked out into the waiting room.
"Naruto?"
Said man looked up to see his best friend standing at the door with a bag in his hand and a frown on his face.
"Sasuke? What is it? Is something wrong? Is Sakura-chan okay?" Naruto asked quickly, now standing before Sasuke, holding the stoic mans arms, ready to shake the answers out of him.
"Sakura's fine Naruto. She's just about to start pushing," he explained, prying Naruto's fingers from his arms. "She told me to give you this though." Sasuke held out the black bag for Naruto to take.
Naruto took the bag and sat back down, "What's in it?"
"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me…" Sasuke answered as he stepped towards the blond man.
Everyone watched as Sasuke bent down to whisper something into his best friends ear.
Everyone watched Naruto's features scrunch up in pain as he bit his lip to keep from crying out.
And everyone watched as Naruto smiled through his tears, and though his most evident pain.
Sasuke straightened up and turned towards the doors to leave once again.
"Your not going to stay to see what's in the bag?" Naruto asked, confused.
"She told me earlier that if you wanted to tell me what's in the bag, then you'd tell me. Its for you Naruto. So just take it."
And with that, Sasuke disappeared behind the double doors.
Naruto looked down at the bag apprehensively, then he looked around the room. All eyes were on him.
"You going to open it or what?" Ino called out impatiently.
Naruto shook his head as he unzipped the bag. There were a few scrolls and a single envelope. The blond man lifted the pristine envelope out of the bag to read his name printed on the front in Sakura's precise handwriting.
He flipped it over to see read aloud scribbled on the back before he opened it carefully and pulled out a folded paper.
Naruto looked up at everyone in the room, "It's a letter from Sakura-chan. She wants me to read it out loud…"
After receiving a few nods, Naruto turned his attention back to the letter:
"Dear Naruto,
Kami I don't know where to begin. There's so much to tell you all. So much to say. And before I do so, I want to apologize. I would understand if any one of you hate me for not telling you in the first place. Some of you may feel betrayed. Some may be confused. And some of you might have already figured it out… Shikamaru."
Naruto stopped to look up at the quiet Nara, confused. Shikamaru refused to look at anyone, preferring the white tile of the floor. He clenched his jaw, hating that he was right.
"Please continue Naruto," Kakashi said, breaking the silence.
"I guess I'll start from the beginning… It was probably three years ago when I found out my immune system was beginning to fail. I examined every inch of my body both manually and with chakra. I did test after test in secret, trying to figure out what the problem was… It was the first symptom."
"I remember that," Ino interrupted, lookin pained. "While I was working a shift in the hospital, I found a whole bunch of tests for an Akira Haruno. But I know for a fact that there is no Akira in Sakura's family… I knew she was hiding something, but I didn't call her out on it."
"What did the tests say?" Neji asked, speaking for the first time.
"They were all negative for each test respectively. There were symptoms for the common cold, but I didn't look into that. Even the best of medics get sick once in awhile…"
"For months I took medicines to strengthen my immune system again. But nothing worked. I kept getting sick. A cough here. A sore throat there. A stomach virus quite often (sorry Ino, you got the brunt of that one on your shoes). And there was nothing I could do about it. So I kept it all under wraps, hoping that none of you would notice my first slip into the void I was to become trapped in."
Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath, hoping it would steady his racing heart.
"I think we all remember that…" he whispered.
Everyone nodded.
"And we did nothing. We all noticed something was wrong with her then and not one of us did a fucking thing-"
"She didn't want us to know Naruto," Kakashi interrupted. "There was nothing we could have done."
Naruto shook his head and continued, "After almost a year of this I finally created my own remedy to a weak immune system. So I found a way around once obstacle just as another reared its big ugly head… I began going through coughing fits. At first it was just that, coughing. Then it got worse. I would cough so much I would end up vomiting. Then it progressed into coughing up blood, then worse, throwing up blood. I examined my lungs nonstop for days, searching for the problem. Then finally I found it, and finally I knew… I was terminally ill…"
Naruto clenched his eyes shut, willing the tears away. The knot in his throat was painful, and he was sure his heart was attempting to rip its way out of his chest at that moment.
"Terminally ill…" Ino gasped, tears streaming down her face already.
The room was silent with the exception of stifled sobs. Naruto cleared his throat and brushed his tears away in vain, "I searched every country for some type of cure, but there was none. And even when Tsunade-shishou examined me, she was at a loss as well. There was nothing she, Shizune, nor I could do about it. I would just have to cope.
So eventually, I tried to push you all away, hoping the blow of my death wouldn't be as painful. But I couldn't. It was only after Sasuke returned that I decided that I would be selfish. That I would take what I could get while I still had time. But trust me, the last thing I expected was to become pregnant. Though I will tell you this… Sasuke knew of my illness before he impregnated me, but please, don't blame him. That's the last thing I want. It's an equivalent exchange, right? My life for another? There is no other way I would rather leave this world than by sacrificing my life for my own child's. It's a blessing within itself. And I pray to Kami you all understand my decision and respect it. And that you love this child as much (and possibly even more) than I'm sure you loved and cared for me.
"I love you all. And I never want you to forget that. I apologize for keeping such a large secret from you, but I did it to protect you. This burden was mine to hold, not yours. And I ask you all, love my child as your own. No doubt Sasuke will need all the help he can get, but I trust he will raise this child with all the love I know he has somewhere within that fragmented heart of his.
So now I would like to say goodbye to all of you. Naruto, you probably noticed there were a few other scrolls in the bag. If you would do this last favor for me and hand them out to each respectively.
I love you so much and I wish the best for you all.
With love always and forever,
Haruno Sakura
Everyone was still. There has never been a silence so loud. Deafening. Painful.
Until a scream ripped though the room from behind the double doors.
"Sakura-chan…" Naruto cried.
--
"Can't you numb her any more?!" Sasuke yelled over his screaming lover.
Tsunade glared from behind the sheet draped over Sakura's legs and replied, "If I numb the girl anymore she'll end up pushing her intestines out! Now shut up boy!"
Sasuke growled in response and looked down at the pink-haired woman propped up by three pillows on the bed. Sakura had hair plastered to the side of her red, perspiring face and tears streaming down her cheeks. Her eyes were shut tight, trying to block out the pain in vain.
"Push Sakura!" Tsunade called from between her legs.
"I cant!" Sakura gasped, out of breath. "I can feel my energy draining… Its taking everything I've got to sit up like this…"
"Don't tell my you cant do this Haruno Sakura! Now push!"
Sakura took a deep breath with determination in her eyes. And pushed.
--
"This one says 'To team 10'", Naruto proclaimed, handing the scroll to Ino with shaky hands, "Thank you…"
Naruto reached back into the bag and pulled out two others, "'Team 8 and Team Guy', these ones are for you…"
Neji and Kiba took their respected scrolls and returned to their teams.
Naruto sat staring at the last scroll, hands trembling as he ran a finger over the writing.
'Team Kakashi'
"…Naruto?"
The blond man looked up to find Kakashi standing beside him, a silent question in his eyes, "This one's for us. Team Kakashi…"
The Copy ninja looked over at the silent raven haired man sitting across from Naruto, "It for 'Team Kakashi' Sai. That means you too."
Sai stared at him blankly before standing up to join them. All the other teams were reading their respective scrolls. Ino had already broken down, on her knees sobbing into the floor. Her teammates obviously trying to stay strong for their friend.
Hinata was in tears also, though, a little more gracefully. Silent tears streamed down her pale face, eyes clenched tight against the heavy reality.
Lee, like Ino, was sobbing into the floor. His shoulders shook and his breath came in short, trembling gasps. Neji kneeled next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. It wasn't much, but it was a lot coming from the Hyuuga.
"…Open it Naruto," Kakashi whispered.
--
"Shizune! Her lungs! Use medical chakra-"
"I'm on it!" the medic called, leaning over Sakura with glowing green hands.
Sakura was shaking with effort to try to suppress the oncoming coughing fit. She could already feel the blood bile coming up her throat. Shizune must have noticed this.
"Sasuke! Get me a bed pan!" she yelled.
Just as the Uchiha handed the medic the bed pan, blood hurled from Sakura, half into the bed pan, half over her front. Her coughing was more along the lines of hacking and wheezing this time around.
Tsunade looked over the blanketed knees of her most beloved apprentice with pain, "Get her some water Sasuke. Shizune, get her some blood replenishing pills."
The Hokage's voice was quiet, but strong. Her reign on her emotions was insurmountable.
"Sakura-chan…" she whispered, rubbing the younger medics leg. "It's almost time. I know you don't have much strength left, but I need you to push one more time."
Sakura's dull, unfocused eyes fell on Tsunade, and with a trembling breath replied, "I-I don't have it in me…"
"Sakura…."
"I c-cant shishou. I'm just s-so tired. T-the pain…"
"Sakura. Push."
Sakura turned her head to the left. Her vision was blurry, but she knew it was Sasuke. He stood next to her and held her hand tight, "One more time."
A sob escaped as she took a deep breath, the final one, and pushed.
She cried out, giving her entire being into this final stride for a new life.
And finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a tiny wail was heard.
"It's a girl!" Tsunade cried out with joy. "A healthy, beautiful girl!"
Sakura fell back onto the bed, trying to not let the black hazing her eyesight take over. Tsunade cleaned and wrapped the little bundle in a pink blanked and walked over to Sakura's side, "Hold her Sakura."
Sasuke helped the half conscious woman sit up as the Hokage placed their daughter into her arms. Sakura's gaze was soft and full of unconditional love, despite how unfocused it was. One of her hands gently swept over the small tuft of black hair and down the childs face. Sakura pressed her forehead to her daughters and whispered, "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I know t-this overwhelming love isn't g-going to last you your entire life… but its just as g-good right now. You be good for y-your father. Don't give him t-too much of a hard time. I love you. I love you. I love you. My beautiful baby. My beautiful d-daughter…."
Sasuke leaned forward and whispered into his lovers ear, "What's her name Sakura?"
The pink haired kunoichi's gaze never left her daughters as she answered. Whispering the name sweetly, as if it were honey, "Sayuri… Uchiha Sayuri."
--
'What's death really? But the final stage of growth. We all die someday, right? So why not take reign on the inevitable, and choose for yourself? And no Sai, I don't mean suicide. That should never be the answer… Inevitability. Sooner than later. That's simply the unfortunate situation I found myself in. Kakashi, you may know, that heavy realization that you are going to die. Without a doubt. And at that moment, your okay with it, because… well, I guess no one knows why, but I know that feeling very well. I'm okay with death. I'm okay with leaving this world, and everything and everyone I love. I don't like it… but its okay…'
--
Sasuke gently took his daughter from Sakura's frail arms, "Tsunade…"
The Hokage understood his silent request as she took the child from him and stood on the other side of the room, giving him some privacy.
Sakura's eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow and forced. Her entire frame trembled with the utmost effort to…to stay alive.
"Sakura…", Sasuke whispered, taking his lovers hand.
Her eyes cracked open, heavy and red, "Sayuri… Where is she?"
"Tsunade-sama has her. She's fine," he whispered, forcing his voice to stay steady when all it wanted to do was shake feebly.
"Safe. Healthy…" Sakura was mumbled, her eyes closed helplessly.
"Yes, she is…"
"I'm not though…"
In that moment, Sasuke's firm control on his emotions shattered as fell to his knees and held Sakura's fragile, pale hand to his forehead and gasped her name helplessly, as if he were begging forgiveness. He didn't cry, but the blatant show of emotion was enough to force both Tsunade and Shizune to turn their head.
--
'I know I'll be remembered and loved by you guys. That's all I want. For you to think of me with a smile on your face and nostalgia in your eyes. And I don't want you to remember just the good things either. Naruto, I want you to remember how I pummeled you for the slightest things. Sai, I want you to remember, well… the same thing really. And Kakashi, I want you to remember how lazy and useless I was as a genin. Because Kami knows I'm not perfect, so please, don't remember me as such.'
--
Sasuke clenched his eyes tight ignoring the way his hands trembled in Sakura's. Or was that hers? He couldn't tell. His chest was tight and his stomach nauseous. Was this really it? Is this really what he's been dreading for the past several months?
Shaking his head against his own thoughts, Sasuke struggled to stand on trembling legs. With is free hand, he gently smoothed Sakura's damp hair away from her ashen face. Her eyes opened slightly- revealing her dull jade orbs- and smiled slightly, "Why the miserable face?"
Unable to reply, he just shook his head pitifully. How was he to answer that?
"Come here…" she breathed, tugging slightly at his hand. Sasuke complied by bringing his face to hers. "Please don't be sad. You have a beautiful daughter. You have a family to take care of now. Love her Sasuke, as you could never love me."
"…Sakura-"
"Don't," she gasped. Her eyes were clenched in pain. "Don't say a word about it. Just promise me…promise me that you will love her!"
"…"
"Promise me!" she almost yelled, causing another coughing fit.
"I promise Sakura," he replied sincerely once her coughs subsided.
"Thank you."
--
'This is really hard you know. Trying to write the very last thing you guys will ever hear from me. Every single thing I think of writing sound so cliché and insincere. I really hate that. I don't want this final letter to sound like it came from some tasteless book. And when I say tasteless book, I did in fact have Icha Icha in mind. Sorry Kakashi.'
--
"Sakura?"
"Have you ever been on the brink of death Sasuke?" she asked quietly, eyes closed.
"…Yes."
"Did the dark takeover your sight?"
"I-I don't remember," he stuttered, for once, his voice shook.
"It's almost taken over my consciences," she cried.
Sasuke held her hand tighter as his forehead met hers, letting her tears fall on his face. It made him feel better for some reason.
"I'm talking, but it feels… like I'm listening to someone…" she cringed. "someone else talk in another room…"
His lips met hers in a chaste, bittersweet kiss.
--
'Now, the things I want you guys to know. Sai. You have come so far from when we first met, and I'm so proud of you for that. You've become a true friend to us all. Our bonds are strong. Thank you for that. Now, stop reading those stupid sociology books. They only serve to confuse you. Watch, learn, and listen. It's the best way to gain knowledge.
Kakashi… my old, strong, perverted sensei. I know your going to find some way to somehow blame yourself for my death. I know you've lost almost all the people you've ever really, truly cared about in your life, and you hurt because of it. But if you hold any guilt over me, I will never forgive you. This was my choice. Now, for years I've watched passively as you work yourself to death. I want you to take it easy from now on. That means no more using your sharingan excessively. Your not twenty-six anymore!
And Naruto. My knuckleheaded teammate. My best friend. My brother. Let me just start out by saying that I am so proud of the man you've become. Still to this day, I am baffled that you grew up to be someone so…just so amazing! You've become a strong shinobi, one of the strongest I know. And you Naruto… you have a heart bigger than all five great hidden villages combined. You perform miracles with that hard head and big heart of yours. And when your Hokage, I'll be there watching you, smiling and telling everyone who ever laughed at your dream to stick it! Because your going to be the best damn Hokage this village has ever seen!'
--
A bittersweet last kiss.
Sasuke didn't move as he let out a shuddering breath. He knew. He just knew. Kami…
After what seemed like an eternity, he opened his eyes wide and stared down at the pallid face of his lover. He brought both trembling hands up to cup her face, "…Sakura."
His voice cracked, but he didn't seem to notice. He noticed nothing but the cool, lifeless form beneath his fingers.
He didn't even notice the wails of a new born baby.
--
'I love you guys. I don't thing I ever told you enough when I was alive. Each one of you has taught me something that formed the person I am…or was. Thank you. And please, be safe, be cautious, and don't be reckless with life. Live for everything you've got. For the people you care for and love. And once again, just to reaffirm my point, I love you! This is my last goodbye. So farewell my beloved teammates. Live strong and live long. Love forever and always, Haruno Sakura.'
--
Tsunade held the crying child close as she herself continued to sob as she watched her apprentice take her last breath and the supposedly stoic Uchiha go into emotional shock as he clutched his dead lover in his arms. Neither woman in the room had the heart to pull him away from Sakura's body. At the moment, Shizune was having her own breakdown in the opposite corner of the room, back facing the heart wrenching scene.
The Hokage did her best to control the pitiful sobs that wracked her body and forced her to gasp for breath. This was no way for a Hokage to behave, death of her "daughter" or not. She had things to take care of, then she could grieve and mourn to her jaded hearts desire in her own private rooms. So she took a deep, steadying breath, wiped her face clean of tears, and cleared her throat.
"Sasuke," she called, voice cracking more than she would have liked. The boy ignored her. "Sasuke."
Finally, for the first time, Sasuke tore his gaze away from Sakura to stare blankly at the blond woman, "I need to tell them…" she whispered.
Without answering, Sasuke bent down, brushed his lips over Sakura's forehead, then pulled her blankets up over her head. Without a single glance back, he walked towards Tsunade with his arms stretched, "I'll take Sayuri."
--
The scroll fell from Naruto's limp, trembling hands. That was it. That was Sakura's last goodbye. The blond man ignored the tears streaming down his face and the sobs that threatened to escape from deep within him.
Was she already dead? Right now, and they didn't even know yet?! Was the baby alright? What?! Naruto hated the unknown, especially when it came to the people he loved most in the world.
S-Sakura-chan…!
Beside him, Kakashi slid down the wall onto the floor, eyes glazed over with unshed tears. He said nothing as Naruto fell to the floor next to him and cried into his shoulder. Sai sat in the chair next to them, head in hands, unable to cry, but still felt the sting in his eyes and knot in his throat.
The door into the emergency room opened and a pale, bloodshot eyed Tsunade entered. Everyone looked on expectantly, but knew what their Hokage was going to say. It was inevitable, right?
Tsunade cleared her throat, "It's a beautiful, healthy girl."
Everyone in the room gave a halfhearted smile.
"Uchiha Sayuri. She's perfect…" Tsunade continued, trying to hide the crack in her voice.
It was Naruto who voiced the question everyone else was to afraid to ask. In a fractured, raw whisper he asked, "Sakura-chan…?"
Tsunade met his bloodshot, tear glazed, sapphire eyes and did her best not to cringe. The pain she saw there was…was unimaginable. The blond Hokage looked away from those pleading eyes and shook her head, swallowing the sobs that threatened to escape. Especially as she heard more than one person so willingly let their own cries of distress out.
This wasn't fair. Haruno Sakura's death wasn't fair at all.
--
Sasuke stood in the middle of the room, cradling his daughter tightly to his chest. His crimson eyes ran over every inch of her tiny body, filing this moment, this picture, with every detail, into his head forever. She was beautiful. She really was. Sayuri was perfect. And really, Sasuke couldn't find it in him to be the least bit disappointed that his Sayuri wasn't a boy. This little creature was what Sakura gave her life for, and he would cherish her as such.
Sayuri had finally stopped crying as Sasuke continued to sway as Shizune had instructed him to. She opened her eyes and blinked up at him with her blue-green eyes. She's definitely going to have her mothers eyes.
"Why didn't she tell me you were a girl?" he asked quietly. Sayuri yawned as she closed her eyes to fall asleep. Sasuke ran a finger over her dark tuft of hair and over the bridge of her tiny nose. "One day, when your old enough to understand, I'll tell you everything about your mother. And I hope, you don't hate me for what I did. Because I even hate myself for it, but I can honestly say, I don't regret it. I have you now…"
The sleeping infant snuggled deeper into the pink blanket in response. Sasuke pressed his lips lightly to her forehead, then her nose, then her cheek, "I love you," he whispered softly.
--
A/N Soooo it's a bittersweet ending. There will be an epilogue. It'll be out in 2-3 days. And I really mean that. I'm already more than halfway done with it. Anyways, I just want to thank all of you who've put up with my sucky updating schedule and procrastination problems. And it was really only the reviews that helped me finish this fic. So thanks!!! And still, reviews are much appreciated! I really want to know what you guys thought of the end.