Kiss me, hug me and smile for me or I'll just keep on dreaming that you're just a far away prince that can't be mine forever.
Most of the rookie nine has been inform of the situation Sakura and the baby is in. Some of them have been visiting her, bringing fruits and flowers. Ino is one of the constant visitors that Sakura had. She always brings white lilies and talk about her and Shikamarus' relationship. "Honestly, Forehead! I really don't understand that guy. He always ignores me and all the times he calls me troublesome. Am I troublesome? Ha? Tell me! Sigh." Ino asked Sakura as she keeps on rambling about her and Shikamaru's love commitment. Sakura just keep on or rather keep on pretending that she is listening to Ino. A knock has been heard while Ino stop her talking galore and open the door.
"OH! It's Keiko darling" Ino gleefully said as she bring Keiko to her mother but then when Keiko is in Ino's arms she started to cry until Ino gave her to Sakura.
"My baby, how are you today? Did you miss mama? Mmmmm?" Sakura cuddle Keiko in her arms while Ino watch the mother – daughter interaction happen. Keiko just looks at her mother and clumsily claps her hand while grabbing her mother's hair.
"Ahahahha! Forehead! My granddaughter is strong!" Ino exclaimed while laughing at the site.
Sakura just look at Keiko and smile tenderly which make Ino smile also. It was those moment when a daughter and mother shows how they cherish each other.
"Hey, Pig? I just remember did you always bring me tomato? As in everyday?" Sakura ask Ino.
"Ha? What tomato?" Ino questioned.
"Ah. Every morning when I woke up there's always a tomato to the table."
"I don't know about that Forehead but I'll make sure it to you that it's not me or Shikamaru."
Sighing, Sakura decided to ask one of the nurses later about the tomato incident. And then, Ino continue her talks about Shikamaru and clouds while Keiko drifted to sleep as she sucks her thumb. The day pass until Ino went home and Keiko was brought back to the baby ward and Sakura was left alone in the room just thinking on how she can move on with life.
She make her mind to live on her own and rent an apartment where she and Keiko can have their own privacy and she doesn't want to invade Tsunade anymore. The Hokage has plenty of problems in her hands therefore she doesn't want her sensei to disturb her rest whenever she is home. Keiko might perturb the Hokage's rest whenever she is home.
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Weeks has pass when Sakura has been out of the hospital though Keiko is still on the baby ward for she is too young for normal baby to get out of the hospital. Tsunade said that Keiko would not leave the hospital for another month. This gives Sakura time to prepare and look for apartment within her savings budget. Since she is the second in command in the hospital a 50 percent discount was given to her and the payment could be deduction to her salary. Seeing that she had an amount of money, Sakura didn't had the hard time to find an apartment to her liking and as well as safe for Keiko. It is also near the hospital and the park consequently to Keiko's favor.
Everything Sakura did was for the goodwill of Keiko. Of course she is the only person that was so precious to her and she might argue with it, but Keiko is the only thing Sakura and Sasuke shared together.
Her job at the bar continues. She needs a large amount of money for Keiko's baby things. Also for the diaper and milk which will be very expensive and due to being a single mom she need to work harder and double for it. Since her work for Bob's is night, at day she work at the hospital but since Tsunade understand Sakura's situation she let her do the paper's work and look after Keiko in the ward.
THE bar is pack for the night, and most ninja's are there just to waste their time or just looking for someone or something. The kitchen department seems to be cramming of orders so Sakura need to work double time.
"Miko! Techi! I need some onions here! Where's the damn parleys?!" Sakura shouted as she barks orders to her cram assistant Chef's. "Here's the onion and where out of parsley." Miko said as he passes the chopped onion to Sakura who was preparing some Beef Broccoli. "What?!" "I said…." Miko started to speak again but then Sakura beat him to it. "Yeah! Yeah! I heard what you said. Go to Bob and tell him that I need parsley here. Ok?" Sakura said as she continues to cook the Beef Broccoli. "But Sakura-san, I need to make the Cheese Sticks here, ask Techi instead." Miko pleaded to Sakura as he fries the Cheese Sticks. "Whatever! Just tell Techi about the parsley because he went to the stock room to get some potatoes." Sakura said to Miko while tasting the Beef Broccoli that she was cooking. Miko went to the stock room to inform Techi about Sakura's order and he proceeds to fry the Cheese Sticks.
At the bar counter, several people where drinking their time away, at the dark corner of the bar there are two people who were talking harshly to each other. One of them has a semi-bald hair and he was wiping some shot glass while listening to the man.
"You what?" said the semi-bald hair man.
"I want you to triple her salary." The mystery man said.
"Are you nuts boy?!"
"Does it look like that I am joking?"
"No, but boy you're going to make me run out of my business!"
"I figure that you're going to say that, so here's my proposal to you. I want you to raise her salary but the raise that she is going to have will come from me."
"What do you mean by that, ha?!"
"Hnn! What I am trying to say is, I will give you money to raise her salary so you won't have any problem for your business to become bankrupt." Explain the mystery man.
"So you're telling me, that you will give me money to triple her salary but the money will not come from me but to you?"
"Hn"
Not getting a proper answer the semi-bald man decided to ask again. "Why?"
"Hn" was the only thing he got from the mysterious man again.
Since the man couldn't get a proper answer from the boy he sighed and nods his head to agree with the proposal. He wondered what is wrong with that boy and what his relationship with his Head Chef was. Bob poured the remaining scotch to the boy's shot glass and decided to ignore his curiosity and mind his own thing.
The mysterious man leave the bar in somewhat nearing the midnight. The bar wouldn't close until 2 am in the morning and they still have plenty of time to sell the food and beverages. The kitchen still busy, was doing some fairly actions though the piles of dishes has increase its volume. At the roof top of the adjacent building the mysterious man stare at the kitchen. With one look at the kitchen window, the mystery man disappears with a swirling of leaves.
The Hokage has been doing paper works since 3pm in the afternoon that day and it is already midnight and she wasn't nearing the half of it. Sake in left hand and a pen in right hand the amount of papers wouldn't budge to its size. A knock on her door made her come to her sense and allowed the person enter her office.
"Ah, Uchiha what are you doing here?"
"I need to ask you something"
A left eyebrow raise and a straight lip settle on the Hokage's mouth.
"What can I do for you?"
"I want you to not sign the divorce paper"
A shock in her face was visibly seen and then suddenly it change to anger. The nerve
"Why should I do that? It is very clear and with evidence that your relationship with Sakura is nothing but a trash. And how thick is your face to think that I would do that or better yet you've got some guts to ask a Hokage a favor such that when it includes my apprentice!" Tsunade growled to the Uchiha prodigy.
"Hn! I know what I am doing and you said it to yourself that I should take care of her from now on!"
"Yes I did ask you that, but preserving the marriage is not a good move for you and Sakura especially to Keiko!"
"Don't you think that I know that already?"
"No! Because you don't deserve them!"
"I want my child to have a family where I didn't have a chance to experience." Was the only thing that Sasuke said to the Hokage. Hearing those words the Hokage stop for a minute to think a reply that will counter attack the Uchiha's word.
"The family you wanted is not a family. (gulp of sake) You may only call a family a family if there is love, care, hope and trust. (gulp of sake) A family consists of a mother and father who love each other and will always protect their love as they care and love for their children. (gulp of sake) The family you are talking about is nothing compare to this. (gulp of sake) The family you thought was long gone before it has been started." (gulp of sake) Tsunade said while drinking sake in between sentence.
"I am allowed to be happy"
"Oh, yes! You are allowed to be happy, heck everyone is allowed to be happy, but the question is DO YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY?"
Sharingan activated.
Swirling red eyes with dots look straight to the Hokage.
Footsteps neared the Hokage.
Table broken to pieces.
Papers twirling in the air.
Chairs broken into two.
But then…
"I will think about the divorce paper." Tsunade said as she now continues to drink her sake. "Now, get out of my office!"
The Uchiha left the office without bothering to reply and was glad that it went well rather than he anticipated.
This is so much troublesome for me! Sigh. Tsunade thought gulping at the sake but the bottle is out of sake to drink. Need more sake.
I had the very best of all. I had it in the grasp of my heart. I had it all and in that moment, when I look into your eyes, I've become lost and couldn't found my way back. So help me please not back in your heart but help me to come back to my life.
Morning came and it's been a ruff night for Sakura though tired from the nights work she happily head her way to the hospital. Why? Bob increase her salary by three times, he said that it is for her hard working attitude that got her the raise and for her expertise in cooking that the bar is selling more than ever. This raise can be a good start for Sakura, this way she can buy the expensive things that is suitable for the comfort of baby and she can give Keiko a brighter future.
Arriving at the hospital, Medic Nin seems to be having a trouble on going in and out of the emergency room. They appear to be having a hard time controlling a certain ninja who keeps on shouting and throwing things at them.
"I want Sakura! Can't you damn understand it?! Ha! Are you that stupid! Damn it! Get Sakura for me! She is the only one who can understand me. She is the only one who has the same situation!" the voice shouts at the doctors.
Sakura neared the room as she heard her name, and she fairly recognizes the voice. Turning the knob of the door she came face to face with a doctor. "Ah! Sakura-san quick! We need you! Uzumaki Naruto is injured and he keeps on struggling and demand to see you! Quick! quick inside the room!" the doctor frankly hurried Sakura.
Inside the room a bloody beaten up Naruto keeps on shouting and growling with nurse who tried to tend to his wounds. There are plenty of wounds that scattered on his body, what caught Sakura's attention were his almost shredded hands and his knuckles where so bloody that it is almost turning pale. Sakura immediate attend to Naruto's hand while he keeps on struggling.
"Naruto! What happen to you! Who did this to you?" was Sakura's frantic question.
"Sakura? Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me. What happen to your hand?"
Naruto stops his struggling and look at Sakura with tears in his eyes. He sobs uncontrollably and his body started to shake.
"Naruto? Naruto?! What's wrong?!"
Crying, Naruto with a shaky voice said. "Sakura. Hinata broke up with me. She told me that doesn't love me anymore, tha…that.. She found another man..tha..that I…I am not worthy and… and… and.. she said that it is her duty as the head of the clan."
Sakura stop her healing when she heard what Naruto said. She couldn't believe that the Hinata she knew was ever going to do that. She look at her friend and what she sees is herself a few months ago. She pump a boast of chakra now to heal Naruto faster and to prevent the wound to become infected. Naruto just keeps on crying and shaking. Sakura knew that this time she can't help him. All she can do is to say something that both of them knew something that both of them experience already.
"Naruto! Listen to me! Listen ok?! This things or situation happen because there are reasons why they must occur. Maybe god is telling us that even though the person we love left us or cheated on us there is still a chance that someday or somehow there is a person which is meant for us will come and will love us unconditionally. They might not be our greatest love but for sure they are the reason why we must continue to live and to love. Killing yourself because Hinata broke up with you will not solve anything. I've been there on your situation and I know I've ask god the same things and he always made me realize that this is just his reason for you to find someone who will take good care and not hurt of you. Ok? Don't do it again, promise me."
"I promise, Sakura-chan"
As Sakura said those words, tears can bee seen to the Uchiha survivor.
Tears of ache,
Tears of regret,
Tears of longing,
Tears of guilty and most of all.
Tears of love.
Sasuke leave the room where Naruto was in, tears where pouring out of his crimson eyes. He couldn't believe that what Sakura said was going to hurt him.
Emotionally.
He couldn't or rather wouldn't think that what he did to Sakura really hurt her deeply; he thought that it was just a petty fight that leaves to nothing. But oh boy, he was so wrong. He knew he hurt her, but not that unfathomable, it was so deep that even he can't breathe properly. Jumping to roof top, he made his way to the bar to waste his feeling away and he hope for it to happen straight away.
He was just so lost.
Sakura never knew that Sasuke heard it all, for she never saw him there due to the shocking event.
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Hours have been passed since Naruto's outbreak. Sakura silently leave the room for him to take a rest and she really wanted to see Keiko now. It's nearing dawn when she got on the baby ward to look for Keiko. Sakura smiled when she approach her daughters crib. She caresses Keiko's cheeks and sung a lullaby. Hearing her mother's voice Keiko open her eyes and stare at her mother. Sakura beam to see that Keiko is awake and she continue to sing the last verse of the lullaby.
My darling baby,
Sweet goodnight,
Rest for tomorrow is another blessed day.
Flash!
Ino took a picture of Sakura and Keiko. It was a Kodak moment to remember. Ino grin at Sakura and gave the picture to her. It was sweet photo of them. Sakura kept the picture in her bag.
"Forehead! How are you? I've heard about Naruto."
"Pig, I am fine. Yeah, sad to say but Hinata-chan broke up with Naruto."
"What?! Hinata? As in the Hinata we know who always fainted whenever Naruto is close?"
Sighing Sakura answered Ino with a nod. "Shocking news" Ino said while sighing too.
"Well, Forehead, I've got to go. Shikamaru is waiting for me outside the hospital and my duty is off already. Bye!" Before Sakura can reply Ino already closed the door and run to the entrance of the hospital.
Sakura stay for an hour before she got home to her new apartment. Since she had the night off from the bar she decided to take a sleep to regain her energy and to prepare for the next day's activity.
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Midnight, when Sakura heard someone shouting at her front door and a crash of bottle throwing at her apartment wall, she hurriedly get leave her room and open the door to see who it is.
"Sakura! Open the door!" as the banging in her door gets louder. Bang! Bang!
Sakura open the door to see who it was and for the time of that night, she got her shock. It was her soon to be ex-husband.
"Sakura! Hows 're youl?" Sasuke's word where slurry for he is heavily drunk and he obviously smell like alcohol.
"Sasuke?" Sakura look at her husband with frown.
"Yes, My dearest wife?! That is my name. Did you miss me?"
Sakura ignore Sasuke's question and she ask him her own question. "What are you doing here?"
Sasuke grab Sakura and crash her to his chest while hugging her tight. "I miss you so much. I am so sorry. I didn't mean it to happen. I am sorry" Sasuke said in his drunken state.
"Argh! You're drunk!" Sakura said as she pushes Sasuke from hugging her. "What are you doing here? And for sake don't hug me!"
Sasuke release Sakura from the firm hug. He look at her like he never been before. Sakura got her second shock of the night more like morning when she looks at the clock on her wall it is already 1:30 in the morning. His eyes where full of emotions and he started to speak again but Sakura beat him to it.
"You need to go home." Sakura said calmly to Sasuke.
"No! I don't want to. I want to stay with you."
"What?! What the hell are you talking?"
Again before Sasuke can reply, Sakura already pump some chakra to her hand and brush Sasuke's forehead to make him sleepy.
Groggily, Sasuke tried to say something. "I've regret what I've done. I want to start again with you and Keiko. I lov…." Sasuke never finish his sentence because he is already asleep. Sakura knew what he is talking about but she doesn't want to talk about it and not possibly in his state. She made her self proud for a quick thinking. She decided to bring him to his home, their former home the Uchiha mansion.
Thanking her super strength, Sakura carried Sasuke in a bridal style in the middle of the street. She knew her way to the house. But of course she once lives there with him. Nearing the house she had the flashback of the night of the betrayal. It was all coming back to her. Close to the entrance of the house she, tried to get the house keys from Sasuke's pocket and fumble at the door while maintaining to balance Sasuke and the keys to her hand. Finally she got the keys and inserted it to the hole when suddenly the door opens.
"Sasuke-kun!"
The woman who stole her husband to her face was in front of her. The woman who self proclaimed that her husband love is living in the Uchiha Mansion. The woman who she nearly killed in their first encounter. The woman who destroys her fairy tale of a life, the wicked witch of her story is there.
"Oh! Sasuke-kun, what happen to you? Please place him here in couch" The woman said while ushering Sakura to the living room. The woman started to caress Sasuke's face and look for any sign of wound. The woman ignores Sakura and she still hasn't recognized her. Sakura decided to leave the mansion before the woman recognized her. Sakura made her way out of the house and turn her back at the site that was in front of her. It still hurt to see them like that but she need to bear the hurt and pain. It will never get her to anything. Her footsteps echo at the marbled floor as she leaves the house.
"Thank you for bringing him home. Haruno" The woman said still checking Sasuke.
"It's Uchiha" Sakura said as she started to leave.
Sakura never turn around. She just nodded her head and made her way out. Not bothering to look back.
Bringing with her damage and broken heart, Sakura went to the hospital.
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Author's Message: I have a message for everybody it is in the review of this story.. ^o^