Title: Saving Sakura

Prompt: The Deep End

Summary: As Mikoto observed her son scrambling to save the girl in the pool, she knew that that pink-haired girl would be a very important person in Sasuke's life.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Rating: K+

"But mother! I want to go train with Itachi-kun!"

"Itachi needs to train, Sasuke. How is he supposed to become a good ninja?"

"I want to be a good ninja! That's why I need to train with Itachi!"

"Sasuke, you'll become a good ninja if you listen to mommy. Itachi needs to train today, and you need to come with mommy to the pool party Hinata's hosting. Don't you remember Hinata-chan? Come on, all your academy friends will be there!"

"But–"

"I'll sneak in a bunch of tomatoes for you!" Mikoto said with a wink.

"…Can I train with Itachi tomorrow then?"

"If he has time honey. Now go on, grab your trunks. We don't want to be late." She said, kissing her son on the forehead and ushering him to his room.

Sasuke sat in his seat, eating the tomatoes Mikoto had brought to the party. It was all so boring. His mother had gone over to talk to a bunch of other moms, and he had been left alone on one of the tables. A bunch of other kids were playing in the pool, but he didn't feel like joining in. What he'd much rather do was train with Itachi instead of watching kids play.

"Are those yours?"

Sasuke looked beside him, coming face to face with a young girl who was staring at his tomatoes in curiosity. The first thing he noticed was her pink hair and her pretty emerald green eyes. The second thing he noticed was that she was staring at his tomatoes – his tomatoes, and she looked like she wanted to eat them.

"Yes." He said menacingly, going back to eating them and pretending she didn't exist in the hopes of driving her away.

"Can I have some?"

He turned to her once again, staring at her with an unfathomable look in his onyx eyes. The girl's own green eyes looked at him curiously, her head cocked to one side as she waited patiently for his answer.

"No."

She continued looking at him, not fazed at all with his curt and dismissive answer. When he realized that she wasn't going away, he stopped eating his tomatoes and gave her his meanest glare possible. Though it would've scared off even the toughest Academy bullies by now, she simply stared back at him, not moving from her place.

"Go. Away."

She gave him one last look before calmly walking away, staying alongside the edge of the pool. The pool in the Hyuuga's party had a floor that slanted downwards, so that one end of the pool was much deeper than the other. The pink-haired girl was walking on edge of the deep end of the pool lazily, staring at the water. All the children were in the shallow area, none being tall enough to stay in the deep end.

Sasuke, satisfied that the girl wouldn't bother him any longer, turned back to his tomatoes.

Mikoto smiled, laughing ever so slightly at the stories her friends were telling her. She missed being a jonin and being able to go on missions, but being a housewife did have its benefits, such as relaxation. Although she trusted Sasuke not to get into trouble, she still kept a watchful eye on him nonetheless.

"Leave me alone!"

Mikoto turned to her right to see a young girl with pink hair stubbornly facing a group of three girls.

"What are you doing at this party, Sakura?" sneered one, a girl with purple hair. "This is only for cool people. You shouldn't be here."

"I was invited." The pink haired girl – Sakura, was it? – whispered softly. "So I came to the party."

"You shouldn't have been invited. No one wants you here, Forehead Girl!" As if on cue, the other two girls laughed with the one with purple hair.

Sakura looked down, and Mikoto felt her heart clench in both sadness and anger. At the corner of her eye, she saw her son looking at the girls in mild interest. Before she could step in, she saw Sakura clench her fists and look up once again, a fire burning in her green eyes. Mikoto smiled as she saw the pink haired girl steel her resolve, inwardly cheering her on.

"Oh yeah?" And all the girls stopped laughing at her words, their faces settling to an angry sneer once again. "Well, at least I'm not stupid enough to think that those flowers Ino threw in your mouth were flowers are poisonous, Ami!" And she stuck out her tongue and turned away towards the pool.

Several expressions flew across Ami's features, before settling on anger. "You little–!"

And she shoved her into the pool.

Mikoto gasped, watching the shocked little girl flew headfirst into the deep end of the pool, struggling to reach the edge, which was about a foot away from her reach. Ami had given her a pretty hard push, resulting in the poor girl now in the middle of the pool.

"SAKURA!" Mikoto whipped her head to her right, seeing a blond girl with short hair frantically screaming for help. "Someone help her! She can't swim! Sakura!" She yelled as the pink haired girl's head sunk underwater.

Splash!

At the sound, Mikoto turned her head to the pool once again, only to seen raven black hair…

Wait…raven black hair?

Where was Sasuke?

She widened her eyes as she realized her son had just dove in the pool, feeling a panic rise within her. Had he fallen in too? But Sasuke knew how to swim!

Until it hit her.

Her son was saving the little girl.

The young boy swam freestyle, reaching the girl in a matter of seconds and pulling her up out of the water, and Mikoto sighed in relief as the girl coughed and spluttered as she breathed in air. He dragged her towards the edge of the pool and with the blond girl's help, hoisted her up, still coughing. However, her eyes narrowed as the purple haired girl approached the trio.

"Are you alright? I am so sorry!" exclaimed Ami. Somehow, her apology didn't sound sincere. "Wow Sasuke, you're so brave! Thanks for saving her!" She plastered a smile on her face and batted her eyelashes, only to be surprised when the Uchiha boy turned his glare on her.

"You leave her alone." He growled angrily, his hand on Sakura's back. Mikoto cheered, a swell of pride rising for her son. Ami's smile faltered, and she backed away, her two minions behind her. Sasuke turned his head towards the girl who was now gulping in air, rubbing her back soothingly, a glimpse of concern showing on his face.

As an adult came by and wrapped a towel around Sakura's shoulders, Sasuke backed away, returning to his tomatoes. Before Mikoto could approach him, he grabbed the plate, returned to the girl, and shoved them in her face. At her questioning look, he said, "Eat. I'm not hungry anymore."

Mikoto shrewdly noticed a small blush on her son's cheeks as she gave him a small smile in thanks. Mikoto finally approached her son, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Come on, Sasuke, I'm so proud of you." She said, a beaming smile on her face.

As they turned to leave the scene, Sasuke had a strange look clouding his eyes. "Mother," he asked, his eyes still clouded. "What was her name?"

"Hm? Oh, I think it was Sakura."

"Sakura." He whispered, relishing the way it rolled off his tongue.

And Mikoto smiled. Call it a mother's intuition, but she knew that Sakura was going to be a very important girl in her son's life.