When I started posting this story all I got were negative reviews because of the pairing, and I'd just like to thank all those who've responded to my writing positively! It really makes all the hard work worth it, knowing that people out there like my story.

This chapter is a little late. I wanted to post it on Christmas but it didn't end up happening. Oh well, here it is!

Chichi - father

Hahaoya - mother

o.O.o

Chapter 10

It was Christmas morning. Sakura woke at nine o'clock to the smell of eggs benedict frying in the kitchen. She pressed her face into her pillow, rubbing her rounded belly lovingly and breathing in the scent of breakfast. Eggs benedict was one of the few things she'd been able to stomach in the first trimester.

Four months pregnant. Yay.

She crawled out of bed lazily and yawned as she wandered out to the kitchen. Mebuki and Kizashi were both feasting on the eggs benedict, as expected, and looked up in delight as their daughter joined them.

"Morning Sakura!" Mebuki greeted. "We made your favourite."

"Merry Christmas hahaoya, Merry Christmas chichi." She hugged them both and sat down, heaping a generous amount of eggs benedict onto her plate. "So I'm guessing you got presents for the baby instead of me?"

"Does that include toys and clothes?" Mebuki grinned.

"Yep."

"Then I'll keep you guessing."

"Hahaoya! Chichi, what did you get?"

"That's the magic of Christmas, blossom," Kizashi said, brandishing his fork, "you never know what you'll expect."

"Gai and Lee are coming over at twelve for lunch. I expect you to be properly awake and out of your pyjamas."

"Hahaoya!"

"No buts! If we were going to their house you'd put on nice clothes."

"Fine." Sakura sulked over her breakfast, but after a few long moments her parents burst into laughter.

"You're so cute when you're flustered!" Kizashi chuckled, pinching her cheek. Sakura slapped his hand away and couldn't help a small smile from gracing her face.

"I'm finishing this in my room. That way I don't have to see your faces any longer," she grinned, whisking her plate away. Mebuki and Kizashi's laughter rang throughout the house and Sakura didn't have the heart to close the door to her room, as she hadn't heard them laugh like that in a long time.

o.O.o

Lee came home from a short jog and collapsed on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Today was Christmas and he was going to see Sakura for the first time in a week, as he'd been too busy with work and going behind her back to buy presents. He couldn't wait to see her and how she was growing.

That was his child inside her, he thought savagely. It wasn't Sasuke's. It wasn't any other boys. It was his. That only increased his love for her, as well as his heartache because he feared she would never love him back. She'd been trying, that much was clear, but he had no idea if she felt anything beyond friendship.

The whole thing made him want to curl up in a ball and cry.

He stood and made his way to his bathroom, where he had a cold shower to wash away the sweat. Today he dressed in some new clothes, as he wanted to prove that he could be stylish, but decided against gelling his hair. He knew Sakura liked his bowl cut. Gai was in the lounge reading the newspaper when Lee entered.

"Chichi, how do I look?" he asked, spinning.

"You look positively youthful!" Gai shouted, brandishing his newspaper. Lee glowed from Gai's praise, as always. He idolised his adoptive chichi for his enthusiasm and dedication, as well as his strength and speed. Lee wanted to be exactly like Gai, except not as loud. Sometimes Gai could be a bit much.

"When are we going?" he asked.

"At twelve o'clock! Are you going to tell young Sakura that you love her? Today is the perfect day to do it!"

"I… did not think of it."

That was a lie. Lee had been deciding how to tell Sakura of his love for quite a few months.

"You should do it today!"

"You think so?"

"I know so! Now I must take the presents into the car!" Gai leapt to his feet and rushed around, gathering up all their gifts to put in the boot of the car. Lee watched him vaguely, knowing that Gai was right. Today he would tell her. He couldn't bear to go another day without her not knowing.

o.O.o

"Merry Christmas Lee," she smiled, hugging the tall boy. She had to admit, he looked very nice wearing a button-up shirt, jean-shorts and canvas shoes. If not for the bowl cut and bushy eyebrows he'd almost be attractive in a Sasuke way. But the bad haircut and eyebrows made Lee who he was: he didn't conform.

"Merry Christmas blossom!" he cried, pulling back and bringing his face down to her belly. "Merry Christmas little one."

"And may we enjoy the Christmas festivities!" Gai bellowed from the doorway, charging in with a huge sack of presents flying behind him. Lee dived out of the way, dragging Sakura with him, the pair giggling at Gai's antics. It took a moment for her to register Lee's arms around her waist and the strangest feeling was coursing through her body. Was that… nervousness? Her skin was covered in goose bumps and she swallowed.

"Welcome!" Kizashi grinned, dragging the trio into the lounge room. "Now that you're here, it's time to open presents!"

Christmases were going to be like this for a long time, Sakura realised. Gai and Lee were a part of their family now, permanently.

The present-giving ensued. Gai received some clothes that weren't embarrassingly skin-tight, and a meal-for-two voucher to one of the more prominent restaurants in the area. Mebuki and Kizashi got some clothes and a new-age technology blender that had at least ten different functions.

Lee and Sakura were buried to the ceiling in baby clothes, toys, and other things baby-related. There was a large selection of maternity clothes for Sakura, which annoyed her because her parents must have spent so much money on them.

"Hahaoya! Chichi! This is too much," she chided, opening up yet another pile of maternity dresses.

"It's not too much! We said we would support you, and Lee chipped in too."

"Lee!"

"I am not sorry. You will need these clothing items and the rest will come in use when our child is born."

She rolled her eyes, seeing the logic in his statement. Sometimes, Lee was annoyingly logical. Other times he had a complete lack of common sense, but everyone was allowed to be stupid at times. She smacked his arm playfully and their grins were identical. Their parents exchanged knowing glances and handed over the next present. Sakura's mouth dropped open. There was more?!

"You're all idiots," she said softly.

"Hey, you're the one that's having a baby at sixteen," Kizashi pointed out.

"That makes me the biggest idiot of all, I suppose?"

"Yep," her chichi replied cheerfully. "Now open it!"

Instead of maternity clothes and baby items, this parcel contained a book, Grimm's Brothers Tales. Sakura cradled the book in her hands for a moment, loving the smooth feel of actual paper.

"This is fantastic," she said finally. The book would be very useful for her own entertainment, as well as the baby's. Reading her fairy tales before bed… that was a nice mental image.

Gai handed Lee a small rectangular package labelled 'To Lee, From Sakura' and Lee tore it open eagerly, blinking as he was faced with a painting. It was a painting of a cherry blossom tree, with a green-clad boy sitting underneath it. The boy was clearly Lee and he was surrounded by pink flower petals as he leant against the tree trunk.

He looked up at Sakura, wide-eyed. "Thank you," he said shakily, smiling. Sakura smiled in reply. Gai slapped his back and Lee began to laugh, returning his gaze to the painting fondly.

Her family looked pleased. "Well," Mebuki grinned, "that's the last of them." Finally, was the unsaid word. "Sakura, you and Lee can take your things to your room and we'll clean up down here."

So Sakura and Lee gathered up all the presents and lugged them to her room, barely managing it in one trip. Lee dumped his pile on the floor and Sakura collapsed on her bed, her pile strewn around her. As she stretched back, her belly poked out from beneath her shirt.

"Well, that was –"

She never finished, as Lee approached the bed and slowly moved on top of her, his knees resting on the edge of the bed and his elbows on either side of her head. Her breath hitched as his face hovered inches above hers, so close that their breath mingled. Then he moved even closer and she couldn't help but close her eyes and snake her arms around his waist.

Lee gently pressed his lips against her own and she felt like she was going to explode. Her stomach churned with butterflies and she pulled him closer. They hadn't kissed like this since their baby was conceived and she suddenly wondered why he hadn't kissed her before now.

His tongue snaked into her mouth and she moaned, moving her hands up and tangling them in his hair. The moan seemed to rouse him and he broke the kiss, breathing deeply. Her eyes snapped open and she stared at him, panting.

"I am sorry for accosting you," he whispered, "but I could not go on without you knowing of my feelings. Sakura, blossom, I love you with all my heart. I have for some time now. My only hope is that you can love me back."

With that, he stood and left the room, not even stopping to straighten his hair.

Sakura sat up slowly, her fingers ghosting over her lips. Lee had just… kissed her. And she'd liked it.

Suddenly everything made sense in a brief, world-changing moment.

"I've been looking at this the wrong way," she said softly to the empty room. "I was so focused on trying to fall in love with him that I didn't realise… I already did." She buried her face in her hands, whispering the words, "I love Lee."

Lee, when they were babies, giving her his teddy because hers was ripped.

Lee, in kindergarten, running around and encouraging her to run with him.

Lee, when they were seven, chasing away two girls that were being mean to her.

Lee, on Sakura's thirteenth birthday, yelling "HIP HIP!" as she was about to blow out the candles.

Lee, on the first day of high school, letting her hold his hand as they walked through the gates together for the first time.

Lee, when Sakura failed to complete her homework one night, letting her copy his.

Lee, when their group went to a water park during the summer holidays, holding her close when they were going down a particularly scary slide.

Lee, when she started to date Sasuke, threatening to bash the other boy's face in.

Lee, when she told him she was pregnant, declaring that he was staying no matter what.

Lee, remaining at her side.

"I love him. I love Lee." She bit back a sob. "How could I have been so blind…?"

When she went downstairs for lunch she was perfectly composed. She said she'd been putting her things away and her parents believed her, not reading between the lines and noticing that she was strangely calm for a pregnant girl.

"There was so much stuff to put away," she said jokingly. "Half of it couldn't fit in my wardrobe."

"We'll have to get started on turning the guest room into a nursery," Kizashi declared. "Let's make that next year's project."

"I would be glad to help!" Gai shouted.

The five of them sat down at the table, which had been set with plates, cutlery, glasses and a wide array of Christmas dishes (seafood, of course, as Sakura was partial to seafood in her condition). Kizashi raised his glass.

"To our family," he toasted.

"To our family," everyone echoed, clinking their glasses together and taking a deep drink.

The next hour was filled with food, cheerful talk and laughter. Lee was especially cheerful, grinning and being the butt of most of the jokes. Sakura sensed that it was a mask designed to protect his hurt at his 'rejection'. Later tonight, she planned to share her earth-shattering revelation. Now that she knew of her feelings she was seeing him in a new light. Lee was possibly the most beautiful boy in the entire world, his personality rendering his huge eyebrows obsolete. He was the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful person she knew. How could she have once seen him as nothing more than a friend?

Her breath caught whenever she thought of his lips on hers.

o.O.o

The sun had set an hour ago and the parents were lounging in the kitchen, chatting while fixing up some tea. Gai had brought over his special brew, the one that both Mebuki and Kizashi were always happy to drink.

Sakura didn't feel like tea and was quietly nursing a glass of water. Lee held a hot chocolate, sipping it occasionally as they watched television – some movie about sword-fighting. Neither teenager was very focused on the movie, instead mulling over inner problems.

Knowing that Lee wouldn't start talking, Sakura decided to take the lead. "How long have you liked me?"

He let the silence drag out before answering. "Since we were six, when I first saw you in our primary school uniform with your hair clipped back. I had never seen someone so beautiful." He sighed and turned his face further away from her. "I understand if you reject my advance and we can continue as if it never happened."

She smiled, as he'd left the perfect opening for her to accept or reject. "We won't continue as if it never happened. I've spent the last few months trying my hardest to fall in love with you, but it never happened. Then you kissed me, and I didn't have to force myself. I never had to because I already love you."

His head snapped around. "You…"

"That's right. I love you." She shook her head. "I don't know how I could've been so stupid."

He leapt up from the armchair and slid onto the couch beside her, his face alive with excitement. "And I love you." A sob escaped his throat and he quickly covered his mouth, eyes wide. "I am so sorry… I just… I never thought you would return my feelings. I cannot explain how happy this makes me!" He cupped her face with one hand and the other was laid on top of her belly. "I promise to faithfully love both you and our child for as long as we may live."

"Hey, don't get ahead of yourself! We have to get through this little tyrant first." She laid a small hand over his large one, smiling widely.

His eyes watered as he met her gaze. She couldn't imagine how he must feel right now, learning that the girl he'd loved for… ten years (!) loved him back. Suddenly, she was incredibly happy, proud and glad of her pregnancy: her little blessing in disguise.

"Does this mean we are boyfriend and girlfriend?" he asked eagerly. She tilted her head.

"Yeah, I think so. Now shut up and kiss me." Kissing him was ecstasy and she wanted to kiss him for the rest of her life. Naïve? Probably.

He leaned close and pressed his lips to hers, closing his eyes at the contact. Sakura melted into the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck of their own accord, skin heating at his touch.

"Well Gai, it looks like I owe you one-hundred yen."

Sakura and Lee jumped apart guiltily, eyeing the three adults standing in the room with them.

Kizashi was the first to speak. "And I owe both of you two-hundred yen."

"Thank you," Gai said proudly.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"Oh, the three of us had bets. Gai bet that you two would be a couple before the year was past, I bet you would get together before the baby was born and Kizashi bet you'd realise your feelings once the baby was born." Mebuki shrugged. "Seems Gai was right, but I was too." She wandered to the coffee table and set down the teapot and mugs, leaving the tea to cool slightly.

Kizashi crossed to the teenagers and placed a hand on Lee's shoulder. "You're one of the good ones," he said seriously. "I still hate you for getting my daughter pregnant, but I'd prefer you as a son-in-law than any other whack-job."

Sakura rubbed her stomach lovingly, imagining what the baby would look like when she was born. She'd be tiny, according to the books. Lee would have to be careful not to crush her!

Babies were blessings in disguise, she mused, staring around as her family smiled and laughed together, Gai doing a few poses. They were her family. They loved her and she loved them. Seated beside her, Lee casually draped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, laughing as Mebuki made a joke about the movie that was playing.

She settled down in Lee's arms, feeling completely content for the first time in a long time.