Title: Can't Stop the Tears

Prompt: Flood

Summary: He hated himself. What was the point of being able to battle hundreds of ninjas with one hand tied behind his back when he couldn't stop her flood of tears?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Rating: K+

He didn't want to tell her. Heck, no one did. Even the nurses didn't want to go near the hospital room. None of them wanted to see the heartbreak on the face of the one they had joyfully worked beside, the healer they had gotten so close to.

So he did it. It was his duty, after all. He was Sasuke Uchiha. As her husband, it was his responsibility to tell her what no woman would ever want to hear. That…that…

He didn't even want to think about it.

He stepped into the room and approached the hospital bed. She looked at him, her emerald green eyes sparkling with joy and excitement. She had been looking forward to this for months. Heck, she had been looking forward to this for forever. His heart broke as he imagined her look after he delivered the news.

"Where is he, Sasuke-kun?" she said, a bright smile on her face.

And he almost, almost lost his resolve right there and then, but he told himself to be strong. Because he had a wife who needed him. He needed to be the strong one for her. He needed to be strong for Sakura.

So he took a deep breath, and told her.

The change was instantaneous. Her eyes lost their sparkle, and instead of joy, Sasuke saw shock and disbelief. The corners of her mouth turned down, her lower lip trembling. Her shoulders sagged, as if in defeat, and her hands shook uncontrollably.

"Sakura…it's not your fault."

Then that's when she burst. She collapsed, her head in her hands as he held her. Wave upon wave of tears spilled out of her eyes as she sobbed in sorrow. She let out a flood of tears and cried in his arms as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders in vain to console her.

But how could he? How could anyone comfort a mother that had just lost her child?

It was in that moment that Sasuke hated himself. Him, and him alone. He had never done that before. He had always put the blame on other people, and it had always worked out. When his clan died, he hated his brother. When he killed Itachi, he hated Konoha. But now…now the only one he hated was himself.

Because what was his purpose if he couldn't stop her flood of tears?

"It's all my fault, Sasuke…all my fault…I'm so sorry…" she whispered, sobs wracking her body. At those words, Sasuke's eyes hardened and he gripped her tighter.

"No. Don't say that. Don't ever say that." He growled, struggling not to let his own tears fall. He had to be strong for her, he repeated to himself. "He was already weak the second he was born, and there was nothing anyone could do."

"Why didn't anyone force me awake? I'm Tsunade's student! One of the best medical ninja in Konoha!"

"You were in labor for 47 hours, Sakura. I doubt even Tsunade could stay conscious after that."

"No. Tsunade-sama is strong. Stronger than I am. I bet she could've done something! She would've been able to save him!"

"Sakura, he was barely breathing. If Tsunade were alive, she wouldn't want you beating yourself up…"

"NO! It's my fault, it's always my fault! I'm never strong enough, never strong enough no matter how hard I try! I can't even save my own son!"

And she cried, a flood of tears pouring from her eyes as he cradled her in his arms. And he wanted to do anything to take away her pain, but he couldn't, and he hated feeling so useless and helpless. He felt like a little boy again, watching his older brother kill his family in front of his eyes and not being able to do anything about it, except now, he was watching his wife crumble in his arms.

And all he could do was hold her.

A few days later Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha stood in front of a gravestone, the words 'Itachi Uchiha' carved on delicately. Sakura leaned on Sasuke's chest, his arm around her shoulder, holding her close to him. They stood together in the cemetery, grieving for their child in silence.

As they lay in bed that night, Sakura laid her head on his chest, feeling the thud of his heart.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn." She smiled as she felt the comforting rumble of his chest.

"Thank you. Thank you…for…for being there, for staying with me, for–"

"You're welcome." he interrupted.

And she smiled, because she knew he understood her meaning better than words could ever convey. And he always would, because he was Sasuke, her Sasuke, the one who'd always be there for her, who would always comfort her in times of need. And although she knew they would go through more challenging times, many more than she would be able to count, she knew that it wouldn't matter because he'd be there.

And he was all she needed, and all she would ever need.