Chapter 2

Telling

Sakura POV

Well my parents reacted better than I had pictured it. I told them one fine day when the two were in home after work. That day was exactly when I turned three months pregnant. Three months ago I was in his embrace lying to myself expecting a change in him.

I sat in front of father and mother in the kitchen's table at afternoon looking calm and serious. They were concerned and a little freaked out for my strange behavior. Thanks God I was a medical ninja and I took care of myself and hide my growing belly in these three months to not let them know before I was ready. I was amazed with my own security and decision even with a little inner fear and uncertainty of the future lying ahead of me. Perhaps I had matured and grew and I hadn't realized it. And I was content and proud of myself. I told them very quietly and slowly to let them know I was not joking and to let them comprehend the notice. "Mom, Dad, I need to tell you something very important. I need your support please, try to forgive me, to understand me… I know I didn't do the things correctly but I can't take it back and more importantly, I don't want to. I… ashamed to tell you this… I know you have expectations for me and my life… but I need you to know that I'm sorry for disappoint you and that I love you so much that I… I just… I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a baby. I'm three months long".

There was silence after the words left my mouth. I was staring directly at them with tears in my eyes and falling in an expression of fear of being shunned or forsaken. I sobbed and started crying expecting them to talk. For a long moment they looked at me wide eyed and confused and I thought I had lost their unconditional love and support. Even with my independency and security I still needed my family to handle the pain I feel in my heart remembering the father of my unborn baby. My father was the one who recovered first to my surprise and was serious and concerned staring at me. I felt he was somehow angry. Mother was silent looking at the table with paralyzed face in shock. She didn't seem angry. She seemed disappointed.

"Who's the father?"

That was it. I knew this was going to be the first question I would be asked by everyone. And I wouldn't lie about it. Everyone would know. I was pretty obvious in my infatuation with him. My father's voice was somehow strained.

"You know who Dad. Please don't make me elaborate."

I didn't say anymore still crying calmly. Father's angriness grew and it scared me.

"HIM! Did he take advantage of you Sakura?!"

"Did he… did he… ra… rape?..."

Mother was crying scared looking deeply concerned for me. Father had a strange look in his face, like if he was feeling guilty.

"NO! NO! He didn't take me by force… he didn't… I just… I made love with the person I love since I was a child… I just… made love…"

"Sakura…"

Mother just said my name looking tenderly at me. Father slammed his fists against the table. He looked miserable.

"Sakura… daughter… I feel… guilty…"

"No Dad, don't say that…"

"I should have take care more of you! If only I knew how much you felt for…"

His father had tears in his eyes now. Her mother was crying still calm and sad.

"It wasn't your fault father… please, don't say that…"

"It just…"

The pink haired girl took his father's hands in hers crying. Her mother looked at her sadly.

"We feel guilty. We knew that you loved him since a long time ago. We took it for a childish feeling that you would lose after you grow up. At first we accepted the whole idea of you marrying him… but with all that happened then… we were praying and expecting to our wish to come true… that you had left that infatuation in the past like Ino did… we knew that if you had the opportunity you would surrender to him and you would end up suffering and in a lot of pain… lonely…we wanted other thing for you, a good boy who you would marry and…"

"Your mother is right… we should have said something to you about it… to prevent you to fall… to make you realize he wasn't good for you! but… we trusted… and take it for granted…"

Sakura listened to both surprised and hurting. Her mother didn't want to say they wanted her to marry a good boy and have children. After all she was going to give them a grandson or granddaughter.

"When you told us you were pregnant… I even was praying to hear that the father was Naruto or Lee… or any other of your friends… It's silly isn't it? We have accepted the idea of your pregnancy in the same moment you said it and were worrying more about the father."

Her parents laughed a little relaxed and the noise made the atmosphere lighten up. Sakura couldn't help to smile at the strangeness of it. Hoping she looked sadly at them.

"You're not angry at me? For being pregnant so young and without a husband?"

"We're not exactly angry honey. Your mother and I started to imagine what could be when you said at morning that you wanted to talk with us. And when you have a daughter, pregnancy is a very high possibility in the list. We're a little angry because you're young and this will change your life. You would not live things that you should have live. We thought in the line of not being married and yes, it's a little hard to know that people will comment about it. But you're our daughter and we love you. You asked our support and are acting mature and aware of your situation. You are an amazing medical ninja. You made us proud. You make us proud."

"We will be a little angry and confused and sad about this Sakura. You must understand us. This isn't easy for us. When you have your baby you will understand. You'll see. But your father is right. We love you and we will support you and help you. We don't want to let this family be broken with all the things that are happening in the world and the battles and the death… we need to be united. Your baby and you will always have a home with us."

Sakura was crying freely now totally moved by her parents' words. She didn't know she was so afraid of losing them and disappointed them without repair. She couldn't say thank you and just stayed crying relieved and happy while her mother embraced her warmly and her father took her hands in his and kissed them tenderly. They were worried for her.

And the pink haired girl cried and cried noticing the pain besides the happiness she felt. She was happy because her parents were there for her still but there were something else in her heart aching. Something she had pushed to the deep of her soul with all her will. So when her father asked her what was wrong she answered truly and sadly between tears.

"I wish he was here with me…"

And she continued crying in her mother's arms and with her father's worried and suddenly angry (but not directed to her) stare.

Telling to her friends and Kakashi-Sensei and the Hokage wasn't as hard as telling her parents. After talking to her mother and father she felt more secure and prepared and went then to tell it to Kakashi-Sensei and Tsunade-Sensei. She dated the two in the office of the fifth Hokage and talk about her pregnancy calmly and seriously, feeling a little ashamed of it. She knew she had done wrong having sex with someone who wasn't even his boyfriend and never loved her. The two were understanding and listened at her quietly. Sakura could felt the sadness behind their supporting faces.

They knew she was sad very sad even hiding it. But they were kind and wise and comforted her when she started crying like when she told it to her parents, only that now she was calmer. They expressed their opinion similarly and tell her they will support her and that she could count on them if she needed it. Sakura was happy and relieved to hear all that. They didn't ask about the father of the baby but they knew it already. Tsunade promised her to keep training and teaching her until she could do it being pregnant. She would not be sent in missions until the baby was born and older. Kakashi was silent and sad until he spoke his heart about the thing that was bothering him.

"I feel guilty about it. It was when Naruto and you accompanied me in that mission right? I'm sorry."

"You don't need to feel guilty or sorry Kakashi-Sensei. Please. You are acting like my father and mother."

She said smiling softly and sadly. The man looked kindly at her.

"I'm happy about this. I want and I love my baby. The only ones guilty here are me and he. Just us. But at least I'm going to have his baby. If I couldn't have him…"

She stopped feeling the tears forming and coming in her eyes and Tsunade held her staring proudly at the young ninja. Kakashi-Sensei only put a hand in her shoulder in signal of support and caring with a soft look in his dark and visible eye.

"He doesn't know how lucky he is for being loved by a girl like you."

"I wish he was here with me…"

It was all she could mutter in response trying not to burst in tears and melancholy. Tsunade just told her that everything was going to be fine and smiled happy at her congratulating the pink haired girl for her unborn baby.

When Sakura, later that day, dated her ninja friends to tell them about her pregnancy she was expecting that reaction in advance. The reaction of being silent by incommensurable surprise and shock paralyzing their minds and bodies. They were in their old school and even Iruka-Sensei was there with the mouth open wide. She was straight to the point looking from one to another. "I'm pregnant. I have three months". That was the line that left all of them in that state. Of course every one of them was correctly guessing who the father of the child was.

The one who looked more amazed and wide eyed was Naruto. Her friend. Her closest friend. She felt awkwardly ashamed and sad of telling him this notice, knowing he felt something for her since they were little, like she felt it for the father of her baby and team member and companion of both of them. She almost felt like betraying one brother with the other. Even she could pick the furtive glances Shikamaru, Hinata, Tenten and Shino shot at him. Ino was looking hurt at her and Sakura understood it. Chouji and Kiba were shocked more than the others. Neji just was staring at her concerned in his serious mask and Lee seemed worried for her. But she focused in his team companion.

"I'm sorry for disappointed all of you… if you don't… want to… still be… my…"

"How the hell you can say that Haruno? We will be your friends always!"

" Kiba is right! You can count on us forever!"

"Thank you Kiba… Lee-San…"

But she was staring at Naruto who was strangely quiet and still and thoughtful.

"Naruto… I didn't…"

"Have you told him?"

Sakura and the others looked at him surprised. Their sensei stared at the blond boy worried. The pregnant girl denied it with a gesture and spoke truthfully.

"No. I don't know… how or where he is. And I don't want him to know it. I know how he would react. There's not point. I cannot bring him back. So there's no point in telling him."

"He needs to know Sakura-Chan!"

"Why Naruto? Why do I have to tell him? He doesn't care. And I fine with it. I have accepted it."

"That's bullshit and you know it!"

"Naruto!"

Iruka-Sensei decided to interfere in the chat seeing how Sakura seemed affected by Naruto's words. She was glaring sadly and confusedly at him in the verge of tears. Naruto was still serious and he looked angry and hurt.

"Don't interfere Iruka-Sensei! You said that he doesn't care but he needs to know anyway. He's the father of the baby and he has the right to know it. Even if after hearing it he doesn't care still… He did care to be with you, right? And not with a simple chat or greeting…"

The blond boy seemed ashamed of mentioning the part of the sex between his two closest friends but continued even with a shade of red in his cheeks

"I never thought… that he would get down his defenses so much to… to… be with you in that way… so… Why do you think that he doesn't care?"

"Naruto is right."

Shikamaru said calmly. Sakura listened a little confused.

"He isn't the kind of man to decide just one day to have sex with someone just because he's horny."

"Shikamaru!"

Hinata hardly could talk hearing the words. She was as red as Naruto who smiled warmly at her feeling the same awkwardness. Chouji, Kiba and Lee seemed scandalized but not as the blond and the shy girl.

"How troublesome. People, we are older now. We can talk about sex. And not about the bees and the flowers and all that crap."

"But not about our SEX life!

Ino said finally still looking somehow angry.

"Kids please you're babbling and not getting to the point signaled by Naruto and Shikamaru."

He got closer to Sakura who was shocked and thoughtful.

"Sakura, Naruto is right. He needs to know he's going to be a father very soon. But I think that he doesn't need to know it now. He's dangerous and we don't know what he could do if he knows that. We need to protect you and your baby. We need to study the situation. But one day you would have to tell him."

Sakura nodded still wordless and sad. She knew it. But…

"I'm sorry Sakura-Chan. I… didn't think in that. But I'm angry at him. For not being here with you, when you need him, when his baby needs him. Parents should be always there no matter what. It angers me to know that there are parents and family who doesn't value what they have… and maybe I hope… that this can… change… him and bring him home…"

Naruto stopped talking looking miserable and sad and Sakura got up and went to hold him thanking him for his words and pure intention. She knew why he had said what he said. The blond just embraced her kindly while she dried her tears with the back of her hands. After all she was hoping the same as he even in her denial and bitterness and hopelessness. All the boys congratulate her for her pregnancy and then leave her with the three other girls of the group.

Iruka-Sensei left too very happy for her and with the possibility of teaching a new member of Konoha soon. Tenten and Hinata were so happy asking her about babies' stuff. She smiled and answered happily the best she could. But then they were silent by Ino who slapped Sakura straight in the face with crystal eyes and serious and hurting look. Tenten and Hinata stared wide eyed and with the mouth open confused. Sakura was confused too and just stayed with her cheek red and seeing her old friend with sadness and guiltiness.

"There you have it… Sakura…"

" Ino you shouldn't have done that!"

Ino didn't say or look at the other two girls and just stared softer at the pink haired girl.

"I know… I always know. But you know I always knew that my infatuation is little against the love you felt for him… I just needed to accept it and you need it to get a grip… I'm sorry for slapping you…I just…"

Sakura smiled kindly at her understanding at last her feelings. Ino smiled back in her former self. Tenten and Hinata just looked at each other confused.

"Now all is settled between you and me. Congratulations Sakura "future mom"."

"Thank you Ino."

Tenten and Hinata smiled relieved and happily. Ino put her hands on her hips looking mischievously at a confused Sakura.

"Now you have to tell us everything! ALL OF IT!"

"WHAT??"

Tenten and Hinata were again shocked by her blond and blue eyed pretty friend who was smiling evilly.

"Yeah! All about that moment!"

"Ino! I can't…"

" OH no! You have to illustrate your poor boyfriendless and virgin friends! Come on!"

"Wait a minute Ino! "Boyfriendless and Virgin friends?" Maybe virgin but…!"

"Oh come on Tenten! You couldn't decide between Neji, Lee, Kiba or even Kankuro!"

"Eh… Ino…"

"What is it Hinata?"

"Does it count as boyfriendless if you are dating someone but they're still knowing each other?"

While Ino was shocked by the shy and red Hinata and Tenten was left thoughtful, Sakura just smiled enjoying the moment and remembering Naruto's words. And there was hope.