Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto. I DO own Kendo Uzumaki and Youshi Garukin (Yes, he's back! It's the prequel silly.) Ai Mizuri (now known as Kaori) is owned by xEMOtIoNaLLyCOnSTipaTEDx-

Chapter Nine - Forced Life

As Sakura's pregnancy blossomed, her friendship with Naruto began to suffer. Youshi would sulk, or complain at her every time she got together with her closest friend. With all her friends.

Ino and Hinata had long since stopped coming over to the house. Sakura knew something had upset them but they continually assured her that they simply thought that she should be getting out more. That the more fresh air she got, the better it was for the baby.

Hinata, having just become a mother herself, was always listened to. Even Youshi paid attention when Hinata spoke. Mind you, Sakura never missed that strange look in Naruto's eyes whenever Youshi was near Hinata. It almost looked predatory, like Naruto was fighting to not rip her husband apart.

However, Sakura couldn't help but smirk every time Ino came out with something pregnancy related. Ino, mother of none, giving her baby care advice? Sakura often joked to Naruto, wondering if Sai knew just how broody his girlfriend seemed to be getting. It came as a shock when Sakura found out that Ino was no longer Sai's girlfriend, but his fiancée and that she had been pregnant but a bad fall had brought an end to that.

It saddened Sakura that her best female friend had gone through something like that and not told her. When out visiting one night, she mentioned it to Naruto and Hinata, they both looked away. Hinata, fearing she would cry, was grateful when she heard the baby calling out for attention and rushed out of the room. Naruto sighed deeply. "She did."

"What? When?" asked Sakura, shocked.

"She was coming to tell you about the baby." started Naruto, his eyes seeming suddenly distant. "She was so excited that the two of you could go through it together." Naruto sighed deeply and shook his head slowly. "Youshi wouldn't let her in, told her you were sleeping. She said she would wait but he wouldn't let her. He…"

A deep feeling of dread surged through Sakura's body. "He what, Naruto? What did he say to her?"

"Nothing." exhaled the pained blonde. "He didn't say anything. He… he pushed her." Naruto's head shot up and his eyes locked with Sakura's. "He's the reason she fell. He was the bad fall, Sakura!"

"NO!" snapped Sakura, shooting to her feet. "Youshi wouldn't do that!"

Naruto shot to his feet as well, his eyes blazing with anger. "You don't know a damn thing about what your husband is capable of!"

"How dare you?!" snapped Sakura. She grabbed her jacket from the back of the couch and pulled it on as she stormed out of the house.

"That was unfair." stated Hinata as she returned to the room. "You and I both know that none of this is Sakura's fault!"

"I know." sighed Naruto, defeated. "I'll go talk to her in the morning."

As Hinata headed off up to bed, Naruto grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat out on the roof to drink it, just as he had done many times before. Only, this time, there was no dark haired man sitting beside him, no dark eyes gleaming with new hope.

Naruto felt his heart break just a little bit more as he wondered what Sasuke was doing right at that moment. Not knowing that, at that exact moment, said dark haired man was sitting on a roof, in another country, drinking a similar beer and staring at the same moon while wondering the same thing about him, and a certain pink haired Goddess.

***

Early one summer morning, Sakura was out for her daily walk through the Cherry Blossom trees. It was her favourite place in all of Konoha. Sasuke had taken her on a picnic lunch there. It had been a surprise, his way of getting her to relax after working so hard but also a way for him to show her how much she meant to him.

The memory was so sweet, so fresh in her mind. It was as though it had only happened the previous day, instead of almost a year ago. It always brought tears to her eyes and a stinging pain to her heart but Sakura would rather endure the pain of remembering, than even risk forgetting him.

"You're up early."

Sakura was startled by the sudden sound. She turned, half stumbling, and found Kaori sitting in one of the lower tree branches, a small book in her hand. Sakura laughed nervously and turned away slightly to wipe the growing tears away.

"It's okay." came Kaori's hushed voice, closer this time. "I come here to remember him too."

Sakura smiled slightly and looked back at Kaori. Said woman was now less than a foot away from her, a sad look in her eyes that was not given away by her face.

"You must miss him terribly." Kaori said softly. "You know, when we were working together, back during our little undercover time, he always asked about you. Always wanted updates about how his old team were doing."

Sakura couldn't fight back the tears any longer. She threw her arms around Kaori's neck and sobbed, broken heartedly, into the woman's shoulder. Kaori's arms wrapped themselves around her back and tenderly held her close as her friend fell apart in front of her.

"Thank you." mumbled Sakura into Kaori's shoulder. "Thank you so much!"

***

"Kaisuke?" asked Youshi as he looked down at the tiny brown haired bundle in Sakura's arms. "Are you sure?"

Sakura, her eyes firmly locked on her brand new baby son, smiled brightly. It was the first time she had truly smiled in over a year. "Yes!"

"Okay. I suppose I could get use to it." muttered Youshi, already heading toward the door.

Sakura's head shot up. "You're leaving?!" When Youshi merely nodded and closed the door behind him, she was beyond shocked. She had only given birth twenty minutes ago and her husband was already heading back to work.

Sakura thought back to when Hinata had gone in to labour with Kendo, Naruto had been in the hospital the entire time. In fact, the nurses had even tried to force him to go home. That, of course, failed. In the end, they had simply made up an extra bed for him in her room.

Now it was Sakura's turn to become a mother and what did she have? No-one!

The door creaked open. "Hey! Sakura-Chan!"

Sakura's face lit up as she saw Naruto, Hinata carrying Kendo, Kakashi, Ino, Sai, Tenten and even Neji. Tears of happiness filled her eyes and dripped down her cheeks as she saw her closest friends making their way into the room.

"I love you guys!" she announced, careful not to wake her sleeping bundle.

"Didn't think we'd leave you here by yourself, did you?!" Kakashi was clearly smirking under that ever present mask of his. Ino eyes filled with joy as she was offered first hold of the baby. "Ino." stated Sakura. "I'd like you to meet, Kaisuke!"

***

Youshi was sick and tired. Sick of all those interfering pests and tired of Sakura always listening to those same pests. She was his wife. That meant she was suppose to be on his side, she was suppose to believe him.

But would she?

NO!

Sakura just had to ask questions, just had to find things out for herself.

***

Two year old Kaisuke toddled after his mother through the market place. He watched with wide, amazed, eyes as she checked fruit and vegetables for freshness. "Mommy?" he asked in his sweet little voice, his hand pointing frantically at the shiny red things beside him. "Mommy, dat, peez."

Sakura glanced down to where her son was pointing. Shiny red tomatoes gleamed back at her suddenly teary eyes. She choked back the sadness and slowly shook her head. "No baby, not those."

A tiny hand gripped her own, small dark green eyes looked up at her. "Mommy? Whas wong?"

Sakura sighed softly then smiled at her son. "Nothing, baby."

Kaisuke reached his little hands towards the tomatoes. "Whas dem?" he asked, trying to pick one up but fumbling slightly, causing it to drop back into the pile.

Sakura laughed slightly, taking the tomato in her hand and gently, tenderly, placing it back on the stack. "It's called a tomato, Kaisuke. It's a fruit."

Kaisuke's eyes lit up as his mind took in the new information. "Mommy?" he looked up at her, his eyes brimming with hope. "Mato, peez?"

Sakura slowly shook her head. Just as she was about to say that, no he couldn't have one, that his father wouldn't allow it, she paused. Kaisuke's eyes were gleaming, hope and happiness shining in them, clearer than the sun bouncing off the fresh skin of the tomatoes.

She had said no to her son over many requests. Her husband had made his opinion on things very clear. In other words, if Youshi didn't like it, Kaisuke wasn't even allowed to try it.

Sakura was sick and tired of being ruled over. There was little she cold do about her own situation, but she'd be damned if she let Kaisuke endure it a moment longer.

She smiled to her son and nodded. "Okay, baby. You can have a mato. But just one, alright?"

Kaisuke squealed happily, a strange pink tinge showing in his hair. Now, this was nothing new to those who knew the boy, his hair had always reflected his mood. The old woman behind the counter grinned at him as he place his precious mato down on the counter next to his mothers basket.

"I got mato!" he announced proudly.

The old woman laughed slightly. "So you have, Kaisuke. So you have." she beamed as he picked it up again after she had rung it through the till. "Would Kaisuke like a lolly pop to go with his mato?"

Kaisuke instantly cringed away from the offered lolly, his face scrunched up in disgust. "Yucky!" he stated boldly as he held the tomato closer. "I got mato not yucky lolly!" and with that, he followed his mother from the market.

When Sakura and Kaisuke got home, Ino was waiting for them. She was pacing back and fore muttering to herself. Her whole body gave of a furious aura.

"Ino?" asked Sakura, carefully moving Kaisuke behind her.

Ino instantly spun on her heel, charging over to Sakura. Kaisuke squealed in fear and clung to the back of his mothers legs.

"Sakura! Thank Kami you're finally home! We need to talk!"

***

Ino had been walking home from work. She was deliberately taking her time today. Sai was due back from his patrol any minute and she wanted the chance to 'bump' into him.

What she got, was a completely different story.

Ino pulled back just as she was about to round the final corner, the one that led on to the street her and Sai's apartment was on. Youshi had Naruto by the collar, his fist raised threateningly. Ino shimmied a little closer, trying to find out just what was going on.

"You need to learn to keep your mouth shut!" hissed Youshi.

Naruto laughed, actually laughed in the man's face. "You need to learn to stop messing my best friend about!" he snarled back.

"MY wife is nothing to do with you!" growled Youshi.

Naruto shoved Youshi off of him, sending the man flying in to a nearby wall. His eyes took on a red tinge and his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

"You don't scare me, Garukin! You never have and you never will! I've seen children better than you! You think you're some sort of God?! Well, listen up, ass-hole. I'm on to you! I know all about the other women! I know that you've been screwing behind Sakura-Chan's back for years! I know that you're a selfish little worm who can't stand to share her attention with anybody! That's why you shoved Ino, isn't it?!"

Naruto advanced on the retreating Youshi and pinned him to the wall by his collar as he continued his rant.

"She's only going to buy your bullshit for so long. You can keep trying to push all her friends away. You can try to isolate her but guess what, worm?! I'm not leaving! I made a promise to look out for her and you are never going to make me break it! You got that?!"

Youshi shoved Naruto back and got free from his grasp. He brushed his hands down his collar, trying to act unaffected, and sneered at Naruto.

"You can keep all the promises you want, Naruto! You can make a million more for all I care. But you listen to me! Sakura is my wife! Kaisuke is my son! What happens with my family has got fuck all to do with you! And as for your little hero? He left her! Remember? He had his chance to claim her back and he left! He moved on. She moved on! Maybe its time you did the same?!"

Youshi shoved Naruto again as he barged past him and stormed down the street. Ino ducked behind a store front to avoid being seen. Her mind was reeling with everything she had heard.

Youshi had made her fall on purpose?! Youshi was cheating on Sakura from the start?!

Ino made a mental note to talk to Sai about what she had just overheard, but at the moment, one thing was plaguing her mind more than all the others combined.

Sasuke is alive?!

Ino's feet were already moving by the time her brain caught up with her actions. She had to reach Sakura before Youshi could get home. She couldn't give him the chance to twist Sakura's mind. Not again, not like last time.

***

Sakura was stunned beyond all belief. Her mind was spinning so fast, even her Inner was dizzy.

"You're positive?!" she pleaded. "You're sure that's what was said?"

Ino grabbed Sakura's shoulders. "Sakura! That's exactly what they said!"

Sakura fought back the tears but one escaped anyway. "He's alive?!" her voice was little more than a whisper now. Ino had to strain to hear what her friend was saying. Confusion, pain and anger started flowing through her, frying her nerves.

"What are you doing here?!"

Sakura and Ino spun round to face the new voice. Youshi stood there at the street end of the garden path, his face set in a firm scowl and his glare directed at Ino. Sakura stepped between the two and sent her own glare back at Youshi.

"You lied to me!" she half growled at him.

"What are you talking about?" asked Youshi, sounded innocent.

Ino stepped out from behind Sakura and marched straight up to Youshi, jabbing her finger in to his chest as she shouted at him.

"I saw your little 'chat' with Naruto!" she hissed. "I've already told Sakura everything! You're not going to squirm your way out of this one, worm!"

Youshi grabbed Ino's arms tightly, squeezing them so hard that bruises were a definite. "You interfering bitch!"

"LET HER GO!"

Youshi instantly released Ino and turned to face where that sudden deadly growl had come from. Sai was racing up the street towards them, murder in his mind and the promise of it clear in his eyes. Youshi dashed away from Ino and hurried into the garden, standing beside Sakura before Sai had the chance to reach him. Ino dashed into Sai's arms the second he was close enough.

"We need to go home." she whispered to him. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

When they started walking away, Youshi turned to Sakura, his sweetest smile on his face. "Sakura, let me explain. I…"

SLAP!

Youshi flew backwards, landing on the ground with such force, he left a dent in the flowerbed.

"You lied to me!" Sakura screamed at him. "You told me he was dead!"

Youshi stepped closer towards her, his arms outstretched and his face looking sad and pleading. "I thought he was."

"Don't lie to me!" snapped Sakura, pulling away from him again. The urge to slap him again growing once more. She stormed in to the house, Youshi following directly behind her. Sakura put Kaisuke into his bedroom to play, gathered up his dirty clothes and took them down to the kitchen to wash. Again, Youshi was right behind her the whole way.

"Fine!" huffed Youshi. "You want the truth?" He paused, waiting for her answer. When Sakura nodded, Youshi continued.

"After he killed Itachi, I honestly thought he had died from his injuries. I checked him, Sakura. I really did. I couldn't find a pulse. So I came home, as injured as I was, I came home, because I knew that you deserved to know what happened. I only found out he was still alive a few weeks ago. I didn't know what to do, what to say. Hell, I've been terrified that you might leave me for him."

Youshi's voice trailed off as he turned away and wiped some tears from his eyes. Sakura's heart began to melt. Her husband had been through so much pain, so much worry. He had only known for a short while but had been scared, scared that he would loose her. Sakura raised her hand slightly, her heart turning to mush for the upset man before her, as she reached out towards his cheek, ready to sooth him.

Sakura's hand dropped, her heart hardened and her soul enraged. While she was busy melting, her Inner had been watching. While she had been distracted by his words, her Inner had seen his smirk!

"You're lying to me, again!" she hissed. Her Inner screamed out in triumph.

Youshi straightened up, his face blank and his eyes dry. "Fine." he simply stated. "You want the truth?"

"Obviously." stated Sakura, trying to keep her temper under check.

Youshi dropped the act completely. The hint of a spiteful sneer was showing on his face as he finally told her the truth.

"I've known he was alive since before the wedding. I also knew that he was too injured to make in back in time to stop it from happening. He was there, you know. Turns out he did make it back in time. Just in time to see the end of the ceremony. He left, knowing that you had married someone else and were having another man's child!"

Sakura was furious but held it back. "You and I both know that Kaisuke might be Sasuke's."

When Youshi laughed, Sakura had to force herself not to lash out at him again. She hardened herself, the way Sasuke had taught her, and glared at him.

"I'm leaving you." she announced. "I'm going to find Sasuke and I'm getting my family back, the way it should have been." Youshi opened his mouth but Sakura cut him off. "And I'm taking Kaisuke!"

Youshi's eyes blazed with fury. "For all you know, he's already found someone else. Just like you did! He could be a husband to some other woman, father to some other child. You really going to walk into that and break it? You might be a bitch but you're not heartless. Besides, Kaisuke might be mine! You really think someone like an Uchiha would raise another man's child?!"

Sakura was stunned at the cruelty of his words. The possible truth in them scared her too. What if Sasuke had moved on? It had been over two years after all. What if he did have a wife and child? Kaisuke was only possibly Sasuke's son.

"I'm taking Kaisuke to the park." announced Sakura as she grabbed their coats and called her son. "I promised to meet Hinata there so the boys could play."

"Fine." said Youshi. "But if you're both not back by dinner, I'm coming to find you."

Sakura nodded. There wasn't much else she could do. The threat in his voice was unmistakable. If she tried to defy him on his command… Sakura felt a shiver run down her spine at what Youshi might do.

***

"It's not like you to be late." smiled Hinata as Sakura sat down beside her. Kaisuke shrieked with joy the second he spotted Kendo and rushed over to join his friend in the sandpit.

Sakura sighed heavily. "It's complicated."

Hinata merely nodded and waited for Sakura to decide if she wanted to talk about it.

***

"Hey beautiful!" announced Naruto, running over after chatting with Sai. He kissed his wife then beamed a happy grin at Sakura. "Hey Sakura-Chan!"

Hinata and Sakura, who had been in the middle of explaining her day so far, stopped talking when they saw Naruto coming their way. Hinata blushed madly as her husband kissed her. Sakura sighed at the display of affection. All she ever got from Youshi was for display purposes only. In truth, Sakura was miserable.

"Hey! You're going to love what I've just heard." stated Naruto. "Well, part of it anyway."

"Okay," started Sakura. "Start with the bad stuff, then cheer us up with the good news."

Naruto nodded, scratched the back of his head and fidgeted slightly in front of them, shifting from foot to foot. Finally, after receiving slight glares from the two waiting women, he cleared his throat and spoke.

"The Sand Village was attacked. Tsunade-Baa-Chan sent out a search party to find out what happened. They got back this morning. Suna's gone, it's been totally destroyed…"

"OH KAMI!" gasped Sakura. "What about…"

"Gaara survived. Temari and Kankuro are alright as well. About forty people made it out okay. The search party found a letter, left by Gaara. It was the Akatsuki. There was no warning. Mind you…" Naruto trailed off slightly and smirked. "…the Akatsuki didn't get any warning either!"

"What do you mean?" asked both women as one. Both leaning forward to hear more.

Naruto grinned. "From what I've heard, Sasuke showed up with a squad to help. Must have scared the crap out of the Akatsuki, don't you think?" he grinned proudly. "The guy who took out Orochimaru and Itachi, shows up to help the people your trying to kill!"

Naruto laughed happily, his face glowing as he spoke of his, obviously still, best friend. "According to the note, Gaara and the survivors have left with Sasuke. Something about looking for a new home."

Sakura and Hinata sighed in unison and leaned back against the bench they were sitting on. Relief was evident on their faces. What wasn't obvious, well to anyone passing at least, was the fluttering in Sakura's heart at the mere mention of Sasuke's name.

"What was the other news?" asked Hinata. "You said we'd love part?"

Naruto nodded frantically, his head becoming a blonde blur.

"Oh yeah! Yeah! I bumped into to Sai on my way over to find you. Ino's pregnant! Three months gone already and they only found out this morning."

While Hinata gushed, Sakura smiled happily. She was truly pleased for her friend. She had loved being bridesmaid at their wedding earlier that year and now, they were finally going to be a family. She felt her guts twist slightly. She was happy for her friends, they were all finding happiness. She just wished her own family wasn't such a web of lies. Everything she thought she had known was turning into one big cosmic joke.

Naruto spotted Sakura's mood change almost instantly. He handed some money over to Hinata and asked her if she could get the boys some ice cream. Hinata, understanding that he wanted to talk to Sakura, nodded and quickly went over to take the boys to the vendor at the corner of the park.

"What's wrong, Sak?"

Sakura knew she'd been caught. Naruto only called her that when he knew something was bothering her.

Sakura wept on Naruto's shoulder as she told him what had happened at home earlier. She felt Naruto's fists clenching repeatedly as her words reached him.

"I want to leave Youshi. I want to find Sasuke and be with him again. But…"

Then she asked him the one question she dreaded the answer of.

"Would Sasuke accept Kaisuke as his son?"

Sakura watched Naruto's every movement. She had deliberately left out the part about Sasuke possibly being Kaisuke's father. She needed to know how he would react if he wasn't.

Naruto's head lowered. "Sak," he sighed. "Sasuke loves you. He always has and, probably, always will. But I can't guarantee that he'd take on a father role for a kid that's not his. I'm sorry, Sak! He is still an Uchiha! Got that whole clan pride thing hanging over him."

Sakura fought back the fresh tears. Hearing that from Naruto, possibly the only man in Konoha who could speak for Sasuke, sealed her fate. She would have to stay with Youshi after all. Sakura felt herself die a little bit more inside.

To be continued…