Meet Up

Sakura pushed open the gates and followed the instructions that were left to her by Karin. It was a little dangerous and a little fun making this housecall. Sakura had her suspicions but it was about time they found out for real if Karin were pregnant or not. The fact that they were meeting at a friend's house instead of at the hospital meant that Karin desperately wanted her information to stay private.

A small dog met Sakura at the gate and barked at her intrusion. She was told the friend of Karin's had a small dog but was startled nonetheless. Doing the best to keep a low profile she slipped in the back gate and climbed the tree that lead to the open window where she climbed into the house.

Geeze Karin sending me to a place like this.

The house was quite with minimal decorations. A few sets of family pictures set in frames lined the walls and bookended the tables. Sakura climbed the stairs and knocked on the second door as instructed.

"What took you so long," Karin's voice called out from the otherside of the door.

"You know you could have come to the hospital…we can keep secrets there," Sakura replied.

"I just need you to make sure the baby is healthy for me. I know my way around a lab and it didn't take long to figure out that yeah I am pregnant," Karin said.

"You were too scared to find out on your own," Sakura said.

"You can say whatever you want but I don't scare easily. It is just these nightmares and I had a scare back with Miyako. You wouldn't…couldn't understand the way I feel," Karin said.

"Well all the equipment seems to be here…so what you just want me to run a panel of test," Sakura asked.

"Truthfully I just needed someone to talk to as well. I know you couldn't talk him out of it and the pregnancy is not going to make a difference I just need to find the right time to let him know. What I need is Sasuke to stay in Kohona until he or she is born. I just have this feeling that it is important to not be on the road. I want to have Sasuke stay with me," Karin said.

"That is a reasonable request," Sakura said.

"Not in our world. It is really selfish to try to order him around and make him stay. I know he would choose to stay on his own but the Otogakure is important to him too. I don't want to let him down," Karin said.

"That doesn't sound like you Karin. Sasuke isn't going to leave you alone. He'll want to stay for his family. Trust me I know he will," Sakura said.

"I'm not going to tell him I'm pregnant and don't you go telling him either," Karin said.

"So you want him to leave," Sakura asked.

"Maybe it is for the best if he can leave and take care of some of these villains. A better world will be waiting for him when he gets home," Karin said.

"I don't think that is for the best," Sakura said.

"It is hard enough for him to know Miyako is out there," Karin said.

"All the more reason to tell him about the unborn child. He deserves to know about the love he is sworn to protect," Sakura said.

"They have me rattled and I am never like this," Karin confessed.

"It is fine we'll fight them I know we can we have been making positive strides," Sakura said with a renewed confidence.

"You're right Sasuke's had far too many betrayals in his life. I would never want to be the one to let him down. I'll tell him when the time is right. If he hasn't figured it out already…that man I swear…but I do love him so…thank you for talking to me," Karin said looking over the numbers on the test results.

"I've been talking a lot recently. It only helps me I suppose. You have no idea how I feel going through all this too," Sakura said.

"Well I am just glad the Miyako is a sleep because I nearly bit her head off over her simply playing earlier. I just couldn't take it. Like every sound brought back every moment of that nightmare. They really did craft their jutsu well," Karin said.

"I can't believe you were able to hide so well amongst the other women all this time," Sakura said.

000

Sasuke waited until the door closed and turned back to Karin.

"What was all that about," Sasuke asked.

"Really," Karin said rolling her eyes.

She ignored the question knowing that it was making things worse. Grabbing a dishtowel she dried off the cups and placed each one carefully back in the cupboard. The place was a friend of Sasuke's and she was determined to leave everything as neatly as she found it.

"What were you two talking about," Sasuke asked.

"Sasuke…It honestly has nothing to do with you I promise…well then again…no it has nothing to do with you," she said decisively.

"Nothing," he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Sakura is concerned about you leaving again," Karin said.

"Teenager stuff again," Sasuke said.

"Sure," Karin agreed in an attempt to change the subject.

"They aren't teenagers anymore," Sasuke said.

"Things are complicated for us. You can't brush someone's feeling away as being juvenile when you mean so much to all of us. I think she wanted the distraction from worrying about you Sasuke. She cares about you so much," Karin said.

"There are people out there you care about besides Miyako and me so what if Sakura cares about me," Sasuke asked.

"Sakura was upset and I had a talk with Naruto about her," Karin said.

"I see," Sasuke said.

"So yeah I might have talked to Shikamaru about us but he was only trying to help us," Karin said addressing his overall concern.

Sasuke was silent still thinking about what she said.

"Suigetsu was-

"Enough Karin I don't need to know about everyone you spoke to," Sasuke said.

Karin wrapped arms around his waist and held him. That part of the story was hardest to accept.

"Are you upset that I mention it," she asked.

"It's funny," he said pulling away to look in her eyes, "I laughed and dismissed Sakura's problem as 'teenage stuff' and here I am feeling jealous. I don't want to think about you with someone else."
"Jealousy is natural I guess. But tell me you are not hurt," Karin said.

"I'm not hurt," Sasuke said.

"Good," she buried her head in his chest.

"I know how it feels. Just because he cared so much about you don't feel bad that you couldn't make him happy. He was never a real possibility. If he was I wouldn't be holding you now; I don't pretend and I can't be fooled. You are not worried about how hurt he is when you hold me," Sasuke said.

"It would have been wrong to pretend Sakura meant something more to you just because you knew how much Naruto loved her," Karin said.

Sasuke looked at her a little surprised.

"Not reading your mind," Karin said grinning.

"It's like you're in my head sometimes. Naruto really did love Sakura so much that he was willing to risk his life for her and I…I just watched…," he said trailing off.

"You know that isn't true," Karin said.

"You're right I tried to kill her and did so much more than just watch," Sasuke said.

"Sasuke don't say things like that," Karin said.

"It is the truth," Sasuke said.

Her serious face was on now. To Sasuke she looked upset and he didn't blame her. Just because she knew his story and could empathize with him didn't mean she wanted to watch his latest pity party.

"Sorry. What I should be worried about are the dark circles under your eyes," Sasuke said.

"I know," Karin said.

Her face softened.

"What can I do," Sasuke asked.

"I am not sure. I promise to try," Karin said.

Sasuke her out of his grip and Karin headed toward the room to try and get some sleep.