To the lovely guest reviewer who told me to 'Kill yourself, pathetic loser', suicide rates around the world have increased over the past few years and thankfully I have no part in those ratings so how about... no. Honestly, there's no call for such rude comments from gits like you.

As for everyone else, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Chichi - father

Hahaoya - mother

o.O.o

Chapter 1

Normally school holidays were a time of joy where one would go out with friends. Sakura disagreed as she doubled over the bathroom toilet, throwing up the sandwich she'd only just finished. She hadn't even had a chance to digest.

Coughing, she flushed the sandwich remains and stood shakily, crossing to the sink and rinsing the taste from her mouth. She looked up at the mirror and noted that she looked terrible – her face was pale and dark circles surrounded her eyes – and it was because of the sickness. The final term of school started tomorrow and she didn't think she'd make it if she was still sick. She'd been ill all holidays and had only left the house once, and even then it was for thirty minutes. Ino, Tenten and Hinata often called to invite her out with them, but she'd declined all offers since she was hunched over the toilet at all hours of the day and she didn't fancy ruining any outing.

Her hahaoya, Mebuki Haruno, peeked her head into the bathroom. "Are you still sick?"

"Yeah," Sakura sighed, sinking to the floor. "I don't know what it could be. Normal stomach bugs don't last this long."

Mebuki crouched next to her daughter. "You're right about that. I've spoken with your chichi and I'm taking you to the doctors."

"But-"

"No buts blossom; I won't stand by while you throw up everything you eat."

Sakura nodded slowly. "Okay." Mebuki helped Sakura stand and the pink-haired girl walked slowly to her room, where she peeled off her pyjamas and climbed into jeans and a jumper. Her chichi, Kizashi, was sitting in the lounge room when she walked through.

"Blossom, are you okay?" he asked softly, standing.

"I'm fine. I'm sure it's nothing serious. It's not like I'm anorexic." She smiled weakly as Kizashi stepped forward, taking her petite hands in his large ones.

"I hope you're right," he said earnestly, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "I'll see you when I get back from work." Kizashi worked as a hotel manager in one of the quieter establishments, and Mebuki was a receptionist at a local spa.

"See you then." Sakura pulled away and joined her hahaoya at the front door. How she hoped the doctor could figure out what was wrong with her.

o.O.o

The doctors waiting area was sparsely furnished with light-blue and purple chairs stationed back-to-back and a pot plant in the corner. A large desk took up one wall and two receptionists sat there, busily typing on their computers. Sakura and Mebuki sat against one wall without talking, absorbed in their own thoughts. The sixteen-year-old had already run to the bathroom once already, which concerned her hahaoya more than she let on.

A grey-haired doctor approached them. "Miss Haruno?" he asked quietly, appraising her through thick-lensed glasses.

"That's me," Sakura said, standing. He held out his hand and she shook it, noting his strong grip.

"Good morning Miss Haruno, I'm Doctor Kabuto Yakushi and I'll be taking care of you today."

Mebuki stood and offered her hand, which he shook. "Morning, I'm Mebuki Haruno, Sakura's hahaoya."

He nodded and smiled warmly. "Please follow me."

The hahaoya and daughter followed the doctor up a narrow corridor and into his office. Inside was a cluttered desk with a computer, a white linen bed, two straight-backed chairs and a large collection of medical equipment lay to one side. Sakura sat on the bed while Mebuki reclined in one of the chairs. They watched as the doctor closed the door, cutting off all excess noise.

Kabuto sat in his office chair and swivelled to face Sakura. "Now Miss Haruno, what seems to be the problem?"

"I've been throwing up regularly for about two weeks, normally after eating, but mostly in the mornings. It doesn't sound like any stomach bug I've heard of."

Kabuto nodded and turned to his computer, opening a new file and typing a few notes. "Okay. Have you tried any new foods recently?"

"Not that I know of."

"Do you have any allergies?"

"Just morphine, but I haven't been near any."

Mebuki nodded empathetically. "We've been very careful about morphine since Sakura had her appendix out three years ago."

Kabuto typed some more notes. "Have you been drinking lots of fluids?"

"Just water. It's the only thing I don't throw up."

"So you're throwing up after eating?"

"Yes."

"Has your appetite changed?" She stared blankly and he rephrased his question. "Would you say you've been eating more or less since you became sick?"

"Well I'm hungry all the time, but I vomit when I eat so I don't eat." Her stomach grumbled loudly at that moment, backing up her words. Kabuto pursed his lips.

"How are you sleeping?"

"Not well," she admitted, recalling the many nights she spent tossing and turning, unable to get to sleep. Thinking about it, sometimes her head ached at night at that was part of the reason she couldn't fall asleep. "I just feel terrible because I can't eat and sleep and I don't know why."

Kabuto looked her in the eye. "Have you had your period this month?"

Sakura's eyes widened at the personal question. "I, uh… that's a really weird question."

"It's okay blossom," Mebuki said comfortingly.

"Last month," Sakura said slowly, uncomfortable with discussing the topic with a stranger.

"So you haven't had your period this month?"

"No, but I only got my first one six months ago and I've heard that it's normal to skip them."

"Still…" Kabuto muttered, opening his desk drawer and digging through. Sakura exchanged a confused glance with her hahaoya, who just shook her head. "Ah ha!" Kabuto pulled a box from his drawer and shook it, the contents rattling. "I knew I still had one." He crossed to the bed and handed the box to Sakura. "Do you know what this is?" Shaking her head, the girl looked down at the box, noting the words 'pregnancy test' emblazoned on the side.

Mebuki gasped and Sakura's hands tightened on the box. "You're saying…" the girl whispered, a note of panic entering her voice. "Why did you give me this?" A blush crossed her face.

"Morning sickness is a usual sign of pregnancy," Kabuto said gently. "If you had a stomach bug then you'd be a lot sicker than you are now. Otherwise, no illness I know can explain your problems."

"This is ridiculous!" Mebuki declared. "You can't be pregnant."

Kabuto smiled understandingly. "It doesn't do any harm to take the test." He looked at Sakura, who hadn't moved for a minute now. "Do you know what to do?" The girl shook her head slowly, her eyes on the ground. "You open the box and take out the stick." She did as she was told, her movements hesitant. "Now you need to pee on the end of the stick. It'll only take a few minutes. The bathroom is down the hall."

"I know where," Sakura whispered. "I've already been." She stood stiffly and wandered from the room, her expression vacant. There was no way she was pregnant. She couldn't be. Still, she locked the bathroom door behind her and obediently peed on the end of the stick. Afterwards she walked back to Kabuto's office with the stick held tightly. It would be negative. There was no way she was pregnant.

When she opened the door to the office a slight drone of voices stopped. Mebuki and Kabuto looked up at her expectantly and she handed over the stick without a word, sitting back on the bed to await the result. The next minute passed agonisingly slow as Kabuto examined the stick, his brow furrowed slightly. When he looked back up, his expression was neutral.

"Miss Haruno… the test is positive."

Mebuki gasped in horror and Sakura's head swam for a moment as all the blood rushed from her face. Her heart hammered in her chest and her breath caught. No… she couldn't be pregnant. It wasn't possible. Her vision blurred and she instantly realised the truth of the situation.

o.O.o

When the handsome Sasuke Uchiha agreed to go out with her, Sakura Haruno thought her life couldn't get any better. He was smart, popular, attractive and completely desirable, and he was hers. They went on a few dates to popular locations around town and Sakura always ignored how unenthusiastic he was about physical contact. She knew he was uncomfortable with touching and didn't push him. After all, she didn't want to chase him off.

All her friends were happy for her. Ino, Tenten and Hinata were pleased that Sakura was happy and Lee well… Lee was Lee. Predictably, he threatened to punch Sasuke if the Uchiha hurt her in any way.

Things started going wrong when Sasuke began to spend time with Naruto Uzumaki, as the blonde had just lost his chichi. Sasuke's chichi was dead too so the boys bonded over their lack of a chichi-figure. Sakura should have seen the signs. She should have realised that Sasuke had lost interest to the point that he refused to touch her. They didn't kiss anymore and their relationship was over in everything but name.

When Sasuke finally dumped her on the final day of term, Sakura accepted it on the outside, while on the inside she was screaming. She locked herself in her bedroom and cried all night, knowing that she had three weeks of moping to do before next term began.

Mebuki eventually knocked on her door.

"Sakura?" Mebuki asked, concern in her voice. "Are you okay?"

"Go away!" Sakura shouted, burying her face in her pillow.

She lost track of time until there was another knock on the door. By this time she was exhausted from crying and wiped her face tiredly, peering through the darkness in her room. The door opened and a familiar face poked through, followed by a familiar body.

"Hello Sakura," Lee said hesitantly. "Mebuki said you are upset."

Sakura allowed a small smile as Lee said her hahaoya's name. Lee was like a son to her parents; lord knows he was over enough.

"Sasuke…" she murmured, her voice hoarse.

Lee crossed the room and sat on the bed, reaching out to stroke her hair. "I will punch him if you wish."

"No. He likes Naruto and that makes him gay. I don't have a chance." A fresh wave of sadness washed over her and she bit her lip to stop it from wobbling.

"My dear cherry blossom," Lee said softly, pulling her up with his strong arms. He held her to his chest and rocked her quietly, allowing her to grieve in his arms. "I will do anything you want me to, just tell me what." Sakura lifted her head to look at him, taking in his awful bowl cut and bushy eyebrows, but she'd never seen such a sweet, thoughtful face.

"Stay with me," she whispered. "Be with me."

He frowned slightly. "Sakura…"

She pressed her hand to the back of his head brought him down until his lips connected with hers. He froze slightly at the contact before relaxing into the kiss.

"Stay with me," she murmured against his lips.

"Of course," he replied. This kiss felt right. All thoughts of Sasuke flew from Sakura's mind as she fell into Lee's embrace.

o.O.o

Sakura's breath hitched and she swayed on the bed in Kabuto's office, the shock taking full effect. Mebuki leapt from her chair and pulled her daughter into a crushing hug, holding her tight.

"Oh my blossom, are you okay?"

"We should give Miss Haruno some space," Kabuto said gently. "Miss Haruno, how are you feeling? I know it must have come as a shock."

"It's okay," Sakura breathed. "I just… it was just really unexpected, is all." Mebuki released Sakura from the embrace but remained close by her daughter.

"Doctor, can the test be wrong?"

"It could be," he admitted. "Miss Haruno, I realise that this is a very personal question, but have you had unprotected intercourse recently?"

Sakura couldn't look at her hahaoya. She swallowed and glanced at the comforting face of the doctor. "Three weeks ago," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Mebuki cried out in alarm and pulled her daughter into another hug, sobbing.

"Was it that Sasuke boy? Is that why he broke up with you?"

"No hahaoya," Sakura replied softly. "Sasuke is gay. It wasn't him. But it was only once and it just sort of… happened." She returned her hahaoya's embrace and closed her eyes, fighting the tears. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm sorry…"

"I know blossom," Mebuki whispered, pulling back. "What do you want to do? Do you want an abortion?"

Sakura gasped. An abortion? Sure, an abortion was the easy way out of this. No one at school would find out and life would go on as usual. But then she thought of Lee. It was his child too. Wouldn't he deserve to have some say over what happened?

"I need some time," she said finally.

Kabuto nodded and returned to the computer. "If that is your decision, I ask that you call me when you decide. If you decide to abort the baby, I will organise an abortion. If you decide to keep it, you'll need to come back in so we can discuss things."

"Okay." She gripped Mebuki's hand. "Doctor, do you have any books on pregnancy and child-rearing? I should probably do some reading before making a decision."

"Of course," he said warmly. "Stay here and I'll get some books." He left the office and Mebuki held her daughter tight. Sakura's belly clenched in fear as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.