...

Chapter Twelve
The Flower, The Shark, and The Truth

...
She whispers in his ear,
Don't hurt me, don't forget me,
Don't hurt me, I'm still not properly together.
...

"What did you say?" Sakura breathed, certain that she hadn't heard him correctly.

The air around them had stilled, the cold breeze from before calming most strangely. The goosebumps that had erupted on her skin still refused to subside and she shivered even so.

"I said, I'm taking you back to Konoha."

"B-But why? Why would you do that?"

She wasn't sure whether to be hurt or grateful; she settled for neither.

"You don't belong here, kunoichi."

'You don't belong with me.'

Kisame didn't want to be around her, and while she thought she'd been prepared for this - had expected it even - hearing him admit it aloud had hurt unexpectedly. She should be happy, she thought distantly, she would be able to go home. Isn't that what she had wanted? What she had been pining over all these months?

She had no idea what she wanted anymore.

"Won't you get in trouble?" She asked his back, trying to fight back the tremble in her words. A part of her felt like arguing with him, to demand a reason as to why he was so intent to get rid of her, but her pride wouldn't allow this and he'd clearly already made his decision.

"I'll be fine," He said dismissively, opening the door, "Come on."

Kisame started making his way down the staircase and numbly she found her feet following. Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something but she couldn't find any words. What exactly was she supposed to say? If she argued and he relented, it meant she'd be deciding to stay here of her own free will. Such an act was traitorous and she shouldn't even consider such a thing. He was giving her an out and risking himself in the process; how could she even think to argue?

"You have ten minutes to grab what you need, I'll wait for you in the atrium." He said as they neared her quarter door. She nodded numbly, keeping her eyes on the floor as she entered the room. He was gone before the door shut.

...

Twenty minutes later found the two shinobi weaving their way through the bustling streets of Ame, still busy with nightlife even during the late hours. If the two guards at the gate thought the pair suspicious, they said nothing about it, merely waving them through in silence. The rain had finally begun to fall and Sakura was grateful for the thick poncho she'd thought to wear.

They traveled slowly on the road leading out of the village for about an hour before Kisame finally broke the silence, pulling his hood down and turning to her.

"We're going to have to go faster. I can carry you if you can't, but it's too exposed down here." His eyes lingered on a place behind her and she wasn't sure if he'd seen something or if he didn't want to look at her.

"I don't know, I can try-"

Apparently trying wasn't good enough for the Mist-nin, because before she could finish the sentence, she was hoisted onto his back like she weighed nothing. He shifted Samehada over to allow her room.

Her stomach clenched at their sudden close proximity, her mouth was barely an inch from his ear, her legs wrapped around his middle, arms slung over his broad shoulders. He grabbed her thighs and effortlessly took off into the tree line above them.

"Hang on tight," He said, not breaking speed. Sakura thought he might be going a little faster than he needed to, but said nothing. He was probably desperate to get rid of her, she thought forlornly. She tightened her grip around his neck.

They had been traveling for a few hours now and Sakura couldn't keep her thoughts from wandering in places she knew they shouldn't.

Despite her warring thoughts and emotions, she couldn't help but feel some modicum of relief and excitement to be going back to Konoha. She couldn't stop him if he wanted nothing to do with her and he was right: she didn't belong there.

She belonged in Konoha, with her friends, her family.

But even so, she couldn't help the pull in her heart that wound her to him. She would be lying if she said she wasn't going to miss him, especially since he likely never wanted to see her again. A small part of her longed to squeeze him tighter and whisper into his ear to come with her, that they didn't have to stay in either village, that they could make it work, somehow.

Sakura bit her lip, feeling her face grow warm at the thought of what such an admission would mean and a new question arose then, one she'd been avoiding for longer than she realized. Was it possible that she had feelings for Kisame? Not just these consistent pangs of lust or whatever it was that drew her to him time and time again, but actual feelings? At some point, through the weirdness that had been their journey together, had she actually fallen for this man?

The idea seemed insane, but she couldn't deny the way her heart would pick up its pace when he was near, or how his touch felt like fire on her skin, how, even now, nestled against his back, she felt like she belonged there.

She didn't have time to feel much of anything at this shocking realization as something whizzed by her head. She felt it then, new chakra signatures that had seemingly come from nowhere, surrounding them on all sides. Kisame dodged just in time to avoid the senbon that had come from the trees and dropped down below.

"Hoshigaki Kisame, drop the woman and come along quietly. We've got you surrounded, there's nowhere to run," Sakura's head snapped up in the direction of the voice and she counted them now, ten in all.

"Hunter-nin," Kisame whispered as he placed her down on her feet, pulling Samehada from his back. He handed her a weapons pouch, "Stay close to me."

Sakura nodded, strapping the pouch to her waist and pulling out a kunai.

The first one appeared then, a green and white mask on his face as he dropped to the ground across from them.

"I will give you one more warning, Hoshigaki. If you cause us trouble, we will be forced to kill you both. Drop your weapons and surrender."

Sakura grit her teeth as she watched the others come into view, some in the trees and some on the forest floor, like beetles scurrying from light. Some of them were armed heavily, swords unsheathed, ready to strike as soon as the order was given.

"Nao, is that you? You haven't changed a bit," Kisame chuckled and Sakura snapped her head towards him. Despite his casual tone towards the man, his body was tense for the ensuing fight, something like excitement alive in his eyes, "Still running around playing tag, huh?"

"Don't make this difficult, Kisame. The only reason I haven't given the order to kill you yet is because of her," The man Kisame called Nao motioned to Sakura, "It wouldn't do to have an unnecessary casualty on my hands."

"Aww, and here I thought it was because we were old friends." Kisame joked a sharp grin etched on his features, raising Samehada up towards the man.

Internally he was plotting. They were still about three hours from Konoha and while Sakura would be able to make it on her own, chances were that the group of Hunters would never just let her run off without someone breaking off to go after her. She might be able to take one or two down, but in her state, she was pretty vulnerable and who knew what could get her in the interim.

'Damn it...'

"Hn. I never thought you to be the sentimental type, Kisame. And taking hostages, that's not like you," Nao said, tilting his head at Sakura as if trying to decipher her, "And this one does look familiar..."

The joking facade dropped from Kisame then and he brought his arm in front of Sakura to push her behind him, "She's not your concern, Nao. Your fight is with me."

"Nao-taichou, I do believe that's Haruno Sakura. She's a kunoichi from Konohagakure."

A female voice echoed from behind them, causing Sakura to whip her head in its direction as the owner stepped from the bushes, a teasing smile on her uncovered face. Her bright violet eyes roved Sakura appraisingly, long auburn hair shimmering over her shoulders as she circled the pair, a hachiwari in each hand.

"The Godaime Hokage's apprentice?" Nao exclaimed, not bothering to hide the disbelief in his tone.

"The very same. One of the best medic-nin in the five great nations. Last I heard, she'd gone missing from her village," The woman was still eyeing her with great interest, circling them cautiously, "Rumor has it that she died but clearly," She smirked and raised her weapons at Sakura who snarled as she continued, "She is very much alive."

"Stand down, Kirai," Nao barked before turning back to Kisame, whose arm was still wrapped around the rosette, "Release her, Hoshigaki. Now."

"Get bent."

With an audible snarl, the captain unsheathed his katana but made no move except turning to Sakura, "You! Haruno! Are you affiliated with this criminal?"

Sakura wasn't even sure how to answer that. Green eyes looked up to Kisame and his head made an almost imperceptible twitch. Kisame didn't allow her to respond, his hand tightening against the small of her back as he spoke.

"You're even more stupid than I remember, Nao," He sighed, "She's a hostage, nothing more and I don't have time to play catch-up with you anymore. I suggest you let us pass unless you want to drag all these corpses back to the Mist."

The Hunter-nin 'tsk'd' and rose his hand in a signal, "Kill Hoshigaki. Retrieve Haruno, alive if possible. We don't need an international incident on our hands."

Sakura barely had time to blink as something pulled her from Kisame's side. Without thinking she stabbed the kunai backward, a small smile of satisfaction at the curse that met her ears. The man behind her was gripping his thigh where the blade had caught him, fairly deep from the looks of it. She'd caught him unawares, clearly, he hadn't expected her to attack and didn't have time to dodge the chakra-enhanced punch she landed into his midsection.

'Holy shit! It worked!'

She hadn't honestly thought she'd be able to do that, but her chakra control had gotten much more refined since the last time she'd tried. Maybe now, she could actually hold her own. Although what exactly she was holding her own against she was unsure of. Chances were, these Kiri shinobi would return her to Konohagakure anyway, after this was over, after they took down-

"Kisame..." She breathed, her head snapping around to see him viciously entangled with four of the Hunter-nin, surrounded on all sides. He swung his sword down on top of one of the masked ones, knocking them back into a nearby tree. Another one, an unmasked male, swung a heavy-looking chigriki at Kisame, landing the ball into his stomach.

Sakura ran towards him, chakra readying in her fist to intervene, but something collided into her before she could get anywhere close. Her side met with the ground painfully and she cursed, looking up into the violet eyes of the hachiwari-wielding kunoichi from before.

"Hostage huh? Now correct me if I'm wrong, Haruno-san, but aren't hostages generally supposed to be running away from their captors?" The woman - Kirai, Sakura remembered - teased, standing over her with a rather amused smirk on her pretty features.

"Well you know what they say," Sakura stood, immediately taking a fighting stance, "Better the enemy you know..."

"And who said we're the enemy?" Kirai raised her blades, her smirk growing, "Surely you know just who Kisame-senpai is?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed, and the quizzical look that befell the rosette's face wasn't unnoticed by the Kiri kunoichi, who laughed loudly.

"Of course you do. And yet you were trying to help him anyway. That's pretty funny."

Sakura didn't have time to respond as the kunoichi swung out towards her with one sword. She hopped back, gathering her chakra in her hand as Kirai swung her other blade at Sakura's shoulder. Sakura slid to the side, her fist connecting with Kirai's back. Despite her increased control, it wasn't enough to do more than momentarily distract the Kiri kunoichi. Luckily that distraction was just enough for Sakura to land a kick into the back of Kirai's knee and she buckled, dropping one of her swords in surprise.

With a speed that Sakura hadn't thought she was capable of, she rolled and swooped the hachiwari up, raising it as she circled the other kunoichi.

"You little bitch... You're going to regret that," Kirai whispered, trying to stand on what Sakura was sure was a broken knee. She managed to lift herself up, bracing her weight on the other leg, holstering her sword. Sakura didn't have time to act as Kirai flew through hand seals, "Futton: Teppōdama!"

A steaming water bullet flew from the redhead's mouth and hit Sakura in the shoulder, the flesh there sizzling as she was catapulted back into a tree. Blinding pain seared through her arm and back and she cried out, her body immediately gathering chakra in an attempt to stop the still-sizzling water solution. Clearly, it wasn't just water, as evidenced by the hole in her poncho and it felt like boiling acid. Her attempts to beat it back with her chakra were failing as the liquid continued to eat through her skin, blood pooling up from the wound. Just what the hell kind of jutsu was this?

"Vapor style," The redheaded woman snarked as she limped over towards Sakura, still huddled against the tree in pain, "Pride of the Terumi clan, stings doesn't it?"

Sakura's chakra was fading and clearly, she didn't have enough control of it to attempt to nullify the acidic pH of the jutsu. Her vision was starting to waver as the pain spread through her chest and arm.

"You can keep trying to stop it, Haruno-san, but it won't do you any good. Only the wielder can change the acidity of that jutsu," Kirai teased, closing in on her, "And I only have plans to do so when you are good and unconscious. Oh, don't worry, it won't kill you," She giggled venomously and bent down, "It'll just hurt a whole fucking lot!"

Kirai's fist collided with her stomach and Sakura heaved forward, eyes widening at the hot, sticky feel of something leaking from between her legs.

'Oh gods, no...'

Sakura snapped, unthinking as some unbidden killer instinct forced her to act. She wrenched the hachiwari from the sheath on the other kunoichi's back and in less than a second, an angry cry ripping from her throat, buried it deep into Kirai's jaw. The Kiri kunoichi's eyes went wide as the blade sliced through her head and pierced her brain; she was dead in seconds, slumping onto the ground in front of Sakura.

The rosette wasn't thinking about the now cooling corpse crumpled at her feet or the searing pain of her shoulder - the jutsu's effect now halted since its wielder was dead - all she could focus on was the crimson leak that she could now see making its way down her pants.

"Ki-Kis..." She tried to pull herself up, tears springing to her eyes, as her vision wavered.

Oh, gods. The baby...

'Please no...'

...

Kisame ripped Samehada out of the chest of the last Hunter-nin, noting that the rest seemed to have scampered off somewhere. Nao had considered his losses and dragged the rest to retreat. Kisame couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He'd lost Sakura in the fight, those bastards had overwhelmed them and hadn't let up. He couldn't see her from where he was but a familiar smell caught in his nose and he ran toward it, easily able to pick her blood apart from the rest of the bloodbath that surrounded him.

He found her half hanging on to a tree, as if unsure - or unable - to get up further. His eyes immediately latched on to the red splotch spreading from the middle of her legs.

"Sakura!" He couldn't stop the panic filling his voice, as he raced to her, dropping to his knees in front of her, reaching out to catch her as she stumbled.

"Ki-Kisame... the baby is... I can't feel..." Her voice was strangled, panicked, as a flickering green light spread out from her hands into her abdomen. Another rather nasty wound was on her right shoulder, but she ignored it. She looked up at him with terrified jade orbs, and without another breath he swooped her up as quickly and gently as he could manage with his shaking arms, wrapping her in his cloak. He broke out into a run faster than he could ever remember running before, leaping up into the trees.

He had to get her to Konoha immediately. The Hokage would surely be able to do something if he could get her there quickly. All thoughts of Hunter-nin or that he'd surely be caught at the village's gates were lost and all that he could think of was going faster, faster - Kami, please let him go fucking faster!

"We're almost there, Sakura, just try and focus on stopping the bleeding. Almost there, princess, just hang in there with me okay?" If only he had been faster before and kept her closer, this would have never happened. He thought he'd been doing the right thing, taking her back, but now, due to his carelessness, he'd only managed to get her almost killed. And not just her...

'Fuck, fuck, fuck!'

He could feel her chakra waning fast now and her breaths becoming more shallow. The active bleeding had been staunched, he realized with relief, but Sakura's eyes were now glazed over, and her lids were growing heavy.

"Damnit, Sakura, come on. Stay with me," Kisame ground out clutching her tighter now, her hand clenched in his shirt weakly, "Hey listen, you're going to be okay alright? Everything is going to be okay. I promise."

"Ki...same... I'm sorry..." A strangled little whisper left her lips, and he pressed his chin into her hair as he pushed himself harder, using chakra to enhance his jumps and increase his speed.

"Shh, none of that. Save your strength."

He could see them now, the great red gates of Konoha shining through the trees like a beacon in the moonlight, and he jumped down, careful to not jostle the kunoichi now on the brink of consciousness in his arms.

Two guards noticed his approach and were running toward him, weapons drawn and ready to strike until they noticed the little pink head poking out of the black cloak bundled in his arms. Confused they faltered and he ignored them, racing past the gates and through the village as fast as he possibly could, heading directly for the Hokage Tower.

...

Naruto had been on his third bowl of ramen when he heard the cacophony of cries and terrified gasps that surrounded the main road. He looked to his dark-haired companion in confusion as both men leaned out from their stools to see a blue, black, and pink blur bolting toward them.

"What the hell-"

"Naruto! It's Sakura!" Sai said, panic lacing his words as he took off after the blur. Naruto's bowl fell to the ground as he flailed off his stool, apologizing to Teuchi and promising to pay him later. The two men raced off after it, and another flash of white and green came up on their side.

"What's happening?" Kakashi shouted over the wind in his ears. He'd been reading on one of the rooftops when he spotted Sai and Naruto speeding off in a hurry.

"It's Sakura, Kakashi-sensei! That...person...has Sakura!" Naruto shouted pointing forward, trying to close the distance. Whoever that was was now heading directly for the Hokage Tower and they were holding Sakura!

"What!?" Kakashi ripped his hitae-ate up and sure enough, he could sense her chakra, and another larger one, wrapped around her. There was also another, tiny little flicker between them but it was fading rapidly. The larger one he recognized almost immediately, "Hoshigaki..."

"Hoshigaki? Like Hoshigaki Kisame?! The Akatsuki bastard?! What the fuck is he doing with Sakura?!" Naruto sneered angrily and broke off to the roofs above, intending to cut the Akatsuki off at the pass. Kakashi and Sai followed suit and after zig-zagging through the rooftops, descended back down, now effectively halting the rogue shinobi as he skidded to a stop.

The Copy-Ninja noticed immediately the disheveled appearance of the towering Mist-nin, the way his chest heaved with the exertion of clearly having just run several miles, and what looked like gallons of blood that covered them both. Most importantly though, he noticed the panic that was written all over Kisame's face. It was obvious, at least to Kakashi, what was happening here: Sakura was hurt, badly, and Kisame was trying to get her to Tsunade.

"Drop her right now you bastard!" Naruto screamed, only a little out of breath.

"Look, kid!" Kisame started, voice panicked and pleading, a complete opposite from the sneering, teasing tone Kakashi remembered, "I surrender and you can do whatever the fuck you want to me as long as you let me get her to the Hokage, right now!"

"What?"

"Naruto, stand down, Sakura's injured!" He turned to Kisame, "We'll lead you to the hospital," The Shark-nin looked at him with something akin to relief as Kakashi continued, "Naruto, you go to the tower, get Tsunade, hurry!"

Kakashi took off, Sai and Kisame following after him quickly, leaving Naruto to sputter in confusion for just a moment before he raced after them.

The four men bounded past the gate that surrounded the Hokage Tower and Naruto slid to a stop and shouted to the guard as they passed, "I need Granny-baa-chan! Sakura's hurt, bad! Tell her to meet us at the hospital!"

The man could only gape on at Naruto, clearly caught off guard by the rambunctious shinobi sputtering at him. Naruto balled his fist, "Stop staring, you idiot! Get her now!"

He didn't have to wait very long, or at all really, because apparently Tsunade had heard the commotion and was racing out the door then, Shizune quick at her heels.

"Naruto, what the hell is going on?-" The blond Kyuubi container grabbed her hands and pulled her forward.

"Granny! It's Sakura! -the hospital, come on!"

Tsunade didn't need to hear another word as she raced after him.

...

As soon as they barreled through the hospital entrance, Sakura was ripped from Kisame's arms, commotion and chaos ensuing all around him. The Hokage bounded in directly after, led by the Kyuubi kid, and though she glared at him said nothing as she ran in the direction the person who had grabbed Sakura went.

And now... Now he was trapped dead center in a village surrounded by a horde of shinobi who wanted his head on a silver platter. Moreso since he'd just run through said village like a man unhinged, carrying their precious medic-nin princess who he was certain was said to be dead.

Oh yeah, he was really fucked this time.

Amongst that horde of pitchfork wielders were the three faces staring at him now, in the otherwise abandoned waiting room, one with a curiously raised eyebrow, one who smiled at him very strangely, and one who looked like he was about to blow his lid at any moment.

What he should have done was get the fuck out of there, before they could fetch that gem of an interrogator he'd heard so much about. What was his name? Morino something? He couldn't remember the details, having only met him once, but what he could remember were the haunting stories Itachi had told him about the man's methods. He could respect that, he supposed, he had a rather interesting method of getting intel himself. That being said, he had never been very interested in being on the receiving end of such tactics.

So why was he still here? Well, the answer was as simple as it was complex. Sakura was here and honestly, he didn't care what happened to him as long as she was safe. The self-preservation he'd clung to his entire life had fallen away the second he felt their child beneath his hand and reinforced when that child's life was on the line. The same was true for the woman that carried it. He knew he'd die to protect them both.

Another new set of emotions he was unfamiliar with, but surprisingly he had taken to it quickly. There hadn't been time to contemplate what that would mean for him, he hadn't cared. It didn't matter as long as they were both safe

Someone shifted near him and his eyes darted to the Copy-Nin Kakashi who was looking at him with something that he might have mistaken for an apology in his grey and red eyes.

Wait, eyes?

The single red eye kept his attention, tomoe spinning lazily and he found he couldn't look away. It wasn't until he felt the chakra bind wrap around his wrists did he become fully aware of what was happening, his body dropping to the ground in a heap.

"Hoshigaki Kisame," A gruff voice sounded from the doorway, "Under the jurisdiction of Konohagakure no Sato, in addition to other various crimes, I am hereby placing you under arrest for the abduction and attempted murder of Haruno Sakura."

'Speak of the devil...'

He felt someone remove the sword holster from his back and pull him up to a stand. Whatever jutsu the Copy-Nin had used on him had rendered his entire body completely immobile and he tried opening his mouth to speak but he couldn't. He could still see, however, as several other Leaf shinobi arrived behind the Morino guy, possibly the rest of the interrogation squad.

"Thanks for subduing him, Kakashi. We'll take it over from here."

"No problem, Ibiki. So what's the plan now?" He heard Kakashi say, looking over to Kisame with that strange look in his one exposed eye. Yes, Ibiki, that was his name, Kisame remembered. They had met briefly during the mission he'd had with the Cypher Division and he had been eager to get away from the bastard, having heard details of his infamous sadism even before.

"What do you mean 'what's the plan', Kakashi-sensei? They're going to kill the bastard for what he did to Sakura!" The Kyuubi kid spoke, looking to Ibiki now, "Right?"

"It's not that simple, Naruto. The Interrogation squad will need to get whatever information he's got before anything happens." Kakashi said, a placating hand on the kid's arm.

The kid was fuming, pulling away with a growl as he faced Kisame now, face hardening as he sized him up.

"Kakashi-sensei, break the jutsu."

"Naruto, I don't think-"

"It's fine, Kakashi, we've got him now. He's not getting away," Ibiki said, an amused look on his face. Somewhere behind them, someone was sealing Samehada in a scroll.

With a whoosh, Kisame felt the feeling in his body return. The fist that connected with his gut knocked the air out of his lungs aggressively and Kisame couldn't help but smirk just a little, a dribble of blood creeping out the corner of his mouth. That Kyuubi kid could really pack a punch.

"You bastard! What did you do to Sakura, huh? Talk!"

Kisame laughed, a humorless noise that sounded pathetic even to him. Naruto sneered and latched onto his shirt collar and pulled him down to eye level. The two shinobi who flanked him tightened their grips on his arms but allowed him forward.

"What the hell is so funny?! Tell me what you did to her!"

"Kid..." Kisame sighed forlornly, ignoring the ache in his chest, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

The look of confusion on Naruto's face would have normally been quite funny to the Mist-nin, but Kisame couldn't find it in himself to find any humor in this situation.

"Alright, let's go," Ibiki motioned for the shinobi holding him forward, he turned to Kakashi again, "You're welcome to come along, Kakashi, we could use your help. Something tells me this one is going to be tough to crack."

Kakashi merely nodded and turned to the still-fuming blond man, "Stay here, wait for any news, I'll be back later."

He felt them pull him forward and though everything in his body was screaming at him to fight back, to maim, to kill, he merely allowed himself to be moved through the door and out into the rising dawn.

The Copy-Nin fell into step near Kisame, coming a little closer than he'd have liked.

"You took a big risk, doing what you did," He said to Kisame, eyebrow quirking before continuing, "But you knew that already huh? Seems pretty out of character for you. Still, I can't help but wonder why you did it, though I have a feeling you won't tell us willingly."

Unlike the feisty Kyuubi kid, there wasn't a hint of malice in the white-haired man's words, only curiosity and something akin to amusement.

"It's not my story to tell, Hatake." Kisame sighed, immense exhaustion pressing into his body now as the events of the evening caught up with him. He knew things were only going to get much worse from here.

"Oh no? Is it Sakura's then?"

Kisame didn't respond to that, as he was led into a large building covered by windows. Surprisingly non-threatening, he thought idly, though he knew all of the really fun activities took place far beneath it, where the screams and cries couldn't be heard by anyone but those who administered them.

Yup, things were about to get very interesting.

...

A single, bleary eye cracked open as warm light stabbed through her eyelids. Distantly, Sakura could hear voices, somewhere beyond where she was now, and the steady beep of what she recognized as a heart monitor chirped on close by.

Her entire body felt like she'd been dragged through the depths of hell and back and carefully she moved her shoulder, wincing at the tightness she felt there. Other than that, she noted it felt much better. Lazily she allowed both eyes to open, the sound of a gasp alerting her that she wasn't alone.

"Sakura!" A high-pitched cry from a voice that could only belong to one person. Sakura's heart squeezed as her best friend's delicate arms wrapped around her shoulders, the wetness of tears leaking onto her cheek.

"Stop it, Pig, you're smushing me..." She rasped into her hair.

"Oh you stupid, stupid, stupid, girl," Ino choked out in a small laugh, squeezing her tightly before retreating, her hands smoothing pink strands away from Sakura's eyes, "Do you have any idea what you've put us through?"

"I know...I'm sorry, Ino..." Sakura winced, unsure of what she was apologizing for, but the terrified/relieved/admonishing way Ino was staring her down caused a pang of remorse in her gut. Ino's hand grabbed her own, tracing little lines, as she stared over at another screen.

"You never told me, Sakura... I would have helped you, you know. You didn't have to do this on your own," Ino's voice was full of sadness and regret.

Green eyes followed Ino's blue path and widened at the second heart-rate monitor, this one connected to her still protruding abdomen. A strangled sound of relief escaped her lips, as tears flooded down her cheeks.

"Oh thank god..." She gasped out, Ino's hand squeezing hers tighter.

"It was real touch and go there for a second but Lady Tsunade pulled you both through. We lost you twice but..." Ino smiled at her, laying her other hand on Sakura's belly, "She never gave up. You've got a real little fighter on your hands there, Forehead."

Sakura, overcome with a barrage of emotions, leaned forward and grabbed the blonde, wrapping her trembling arms around her, and sobbing into Ino's shoulder. Ino rubbed her back slowly until Sakura pulled away, surprise in her green eyes.

"Wait, did you just say she?"

A sheepish look settled on Ino's face as the door opened and Tsunade entered, all but rushing to the bedside.

"Shishou..." Sakura sighed as she was pulled into a brief embrace by the older blonde.

"I gotta hand it to ya kid, you had us worried there for a minute," The Hokage chuckled into her hair, before straightening back up, "I'm just glad you're okay."

A rather uncomfortable look crossed over the rosette's features then, and Tsunade turned to Ino, "I need to speak to Sakura alone. Why don't you head over to her apartment and grab some of her things? I bet she'd like to get into some more comfortable clothes."

"Yes ma'am. I'll be back, Forehead. Don't go anywhere."

"Thank you, Pig." Sakura smiled at her friend as she left. As if she could go anywhere, she sighed inwardly, she'd probably never be allowed outside of the village again after this debacle.

"So," Tsunade started, settling into the chair next to her, "I know you're exhausted but... Do you want to talk about what happened out there?"

Oh shit, here it comes. Sakura winced.

"I honestly don't even know where to start, Shishou..."

To her surprise, the Hokage let out a laugh, leaning forward to adjust the receptors on Sakura's belly before she spoke, "Tell you what, kiddo? I'll relay to you what happened while you were out and you can fill in the blanks for me, how's that sound?"

Sakura nodded, transfixed on the steady lines pulsing through the prenatal monitor.

"First of all, the baby is fine. Whatever trauma that occurred had broken the placental wall and in response, your body was trying to send you into early labor. There was a decent amount of distress, and some blood loss and we had to mend your amniotic sac back up to prevent any more fluid loss, as well as stop the labor, but we managed. Her heart rate and oxygen dropped a couple of times, and we lost you twice. That wound there," Tsunade unraveled the bandages on her shoulder, "I've only seen that sort of damage once before, during a fight I had a long time ago, with a member of the Terumi clan. Their Vapor style is quite nasty."

The Hokage rewrapped her shoulder with fresh bandages as she continued, "Between the depth of the wound and the trauma of early labor, your body went into shock. However," Tsunade sat back down and caught Sakura's gaze into her own, narrowing her eyes intently, suspiciously, "Hoshigaki got you to us just in time."

Sakura felt her breath hitch in her throat, unable to turn from her master's piercing look of knowing, though if she could, she'd sink into the bed and disappear.

"W-What happened to him?" She stuttered what she assumed was the safest thing she could ask, her hands clenching nervously in her blanket.

"You mean after he stormed into the village like a crazy man, hanging on to you desperately and terrifying half the citizens?"

Sakura blanched. He did what? She couldn't remember anything after the last couple of words he'd whispered into her ear but never had she imagined that he'd have done something like that. She'd assumed he'd merely drop her at the gates and make a run for it, never to be seen again. That's what she had expected, that's what he would have normally done.

"He couldn't have-"

"Oh, he sure did, Sakura. Threw the village into quite an uproar, too. It's been three days and they're still talking about it," Tsunade couldn't help the tiny amused smirk that crept on her lips, "The giant, blood-covered, blue Akatsuki member whose only goal was to save you. Makes for quite an interesting tale, don't you think?"

Sakura couldn't respond. The shock of what Tsunade was telling her rendered her speechless.

"Well, after that...after ensuring that you were under my care, I had Shizune summon Ibiki to detain him, as is protocol," Tsunade took the electrodes off of Sakura's chest, wiping the sticky residue they'd left behind as she sighed, "I'd expected Hoshigaki to put up a fight, but according to Ibiki and Kakashi, he did nothing of the sort. He just...went along quietly. What I can't figure out, is why someone as notoriously ruthless as Hoshigaki would do something like that. And for you, even."

Sakura's hand flew up to her mouth, reservations all but out the window, "He's still here? In the village!?"

"He is. Under Ibiki's watch, at the Interrogation building."

"I have to get to him, I-" The rosette scrambled to stand, only to be pushed gently back down onto the bed.

"Oh no, you don't! You're out of your little mind if you think you're going anywhere right now, Sakura. You are in no state to be running around the village half-cocked. You almost lost that kid once and until I decide that your pelvic floor is strong enough to support it, you're going to stay in this bed. Is that clear?"

"I- Yes, Shishou..."

"Good. Now," Tsunade stood to lock the door and Sakura gulped weakly, as she returned to sit on the bed beside her, "If there is anything - and I do mean anything, Sakura - regarding this situation that you need to tell me, I would do it now. I can only assume that you've been under the watchful eye of the Akatsuki these past few months and because of that, protocol dictates that at some point I'll have to send for Ibiki to get your side of the story."

The rosette frowned, if that were to happen and it was determined that she was hiding anything, chances were that they'd get Inoichi-san to go deep diving into her brain for answers. They'd see it all then, every little awful detail that would serve as the nails in her coffin. Her interactions with Deidara and the rest of the members, and with Kisame especially. Sakura breathed deeply.

"When I told you...before, that the person I'd slept with was...a civilian from Ame, I... wasn't being entirely truthful, Shishou," Sakura sighed, looking down at her stomach. Tsunade didn't say anything, her silence admission that clearly she'd figured that part out already.

Sakura looked up into her Hokage's eyes with as much fierce determination as she could muster. Fear was gripped around her heart but the cat was all but out of the bag now, especially with the way Kisame had acted while she was unconscious.

"It was him... It was...Kisame."

After everything that had transpired, Tsunade had expected something like this, but to hear Sakura admit it aloud - and with Hoshigaki Kisame of all people - made her fist clench.

"So Hoshigaki Kisame is-"

"Yes. He's the father of this child."

Tsunade deflated as she released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, her voice sounding much older than she even recognized.

"Well, that would certainly explain his actions," She looked to Sakura, "Kakashi's team found your anklet you know, Naruto said he knew it was yours, it was a gift. We figured that you must have lost it in a scuffle and got a blood sample off of it but we still haven't matched it to anything we had on file. If I had to take a wild guess, I'd bet that it's Hoshigaki's blood, isn't it?"

Sakura nodded, pretty sure of that herself. The night she was taken was the night she'd lost it and with a ghost of a smile, remembered the kick she'd landed to the Mist-nin's face. She hadn't realized she'd drawn blood.

"Do you know what the Akatsuki wanted you for, Sakura?" Tsunade asked, her voice low.

"All I was ever told was that my skills were needed," The rosette said simply. It was the truth after all, if there was another reason, she was never aware of it.

"So they kept you around as a medic-nin?"

Sakura nodded, adding with an almost pleading tone, "Kisame didn't know, Shishou. He didn't know anything about me... He didn't even remember that we'd met before until I told him."

"And then?" Tsunade was leaning forward now, intently fixed on her student.

"As time went by, it was becoming harder and harder to hide this..." She placed her hand on her stomach, "I knew I had to tell him, I didn't know how long I'd be there for. And when I did... he decided to bring me back here. We were ambushed by a group of Kiri Hunter-nin and I managed to get separated from Kisame and then I got hurt."

"And he raced you back here."

"I suppose he did...yeah."

Tsunade let out a ragged breath, covering her face with her hands, muffled as she spoke, "Ohhhh...Sakura...This is one fine hell of a mess you've gotten yourself into this time, kid."

"What are they going to do to him?"

The Hokage couldn't help the pull in her chest at the pained way Sakura's voice cracked and honestly, she wasn't sure what she could tell her, because she didn't know. Nothing like this had ever happened, at least that she had ever been privy to, and certainly not during her time as Hokage. The council would want his blood, he'd be nothing more than one more dead Akatsuki member for the books, one more criminal wiped from the nations. Tsunade herself couldn't deny the part of her that wanted him to suffer as well, for having a hand in causing her beloved student so much distress, in addition to his association with the Akatsuki.

But Sakura...

It was clear that the kunoichi beside her had some affection for the rogue shinobi, though she couldn't be sure how far that went. It could be as surface as the fact that he'd saved her - albeit from a mess he'd created - or that he was the father of her child, but something in the way Sakura said his name, held his safety higher than her own, told her it was much deeper than that. Tsunade sighed and rubbed her eyebrows.

No, she would have to be an oblivious fool to not see that her apprentice was clearly in love with Hoshigaki. It was a sobering thought, one she wasn't prepared for and one that Sakura probably hadn't admitted even to herself, and certainly not him. Did it matter if she had? No, Tsunade thought, probably not.

Though she'd have to be an even bigger fool to not see that Hoshigaki cared for Sakura as well. If he didn't, there's no way he'd have done what he did, even if he had fathered this kid.

"I don't know yet, Sakura. I will need to speak with him first, and the council, and Ibiki, before any decisions are made."

"I see." The rosette said simply, not surprised at that. It made sense really, it wasn't as if they'd just let Kisame go. If he wasn't executed or turned over to the Kirigakure government - where he'd certainly be executed - then he'd probably sit in that detention cell until they managed to squeeze every bit of information possible out of him and then after that...well she didn't know what then.

And then, there was the question of the Akatsuki. Would they just write him - or her - off as a loss and just leave him to rot? Would they come after him? There were too many unknowns and neither Sakura nor Tsunade had any answers.

"Ino says it's a girl. Is that true?"

Tsunade's head snapped up, happy for the change in subject, honey eyes softening at her apprentice, "It is. I hadn't meant for Ino to be the one to tell you that, in case you didn't know."

"She was never good at keeping her big trap shut." Sakura chuckled.

Tsunade's hand found Sakura's and gave it a tight squeeze, "Speaking of Ino, she should be coming back soon and I've got some business to attend to. I promise I'll keep you updated on any decisions made," She stood and made her way toward the door, "You get some rest and if you need anything, have one of the nurses fetch me."

The blonde Hokage was hesitant to leave Sakura's side, especially after everything, but it couldn't be helped. There was a certain rogue Mist shinobi Tsunade had some very particular words for, after all.

Sakura nodded as she let her back touch the pillow, watching out the window as the late afternoon sun dropped below the horizon to signal nightfall, "Okay, Shishou."

Tsunade opened the door but didn't leave, looking at her apprentice with a motherly warmth in her eyes, "I'm relieved to have you back home, Sakura. Don't worry too much, okay? It's not good for the baby."

"Yeah..."

As the door clicked shut with finality, and Sakura was left alone with her thoughts, all of which revolved around a man who she was certain was probably being beaten to within an inch of his life right now, all she could do was worry.

...

Look, before you end it all,
Look, before you shut your eyes.
For the last time, there's no more room to go back down.
Will you fight for me? And not back down?
Your picture trends in black and white,
I will show you what it's like.

...