A/N Oh my gosh! This is THE chapter! The last of part one! I am so excited for you to cry- I mean love this! I loved writing this chapter, let me know what you think!

Chapter 23

Sakura

Seven-hundred and thirty-three days into the past

April 14th, Kazuki's birthday

When Sakura woke that morning, she did not want to get out of bed. The weight of the day pressed heavily down on her and she felt despair. So she wrapped herself around Kakashi and mumbled something about how they should spend the day in bed. He hummed thoughtfully, staring into her green eyes like he was trying to read her soul. When he seemed to find whatever he was looking for there, he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I love you, you know that?"

She smiled, ignoring the burn in her eyes to focus on the warmth that spread through her chest at his softly murmured words, chasing away the despair. "I do." Her lips sought his in a lingering kiss. "I love you too, Kakashi… so, so much."

This time when he kissed her, it felt like he was trying to tell her something. His unspoken message to her continued as he rolled her over so she was facing away from him. As he reached around her to touch her where he knew she liked, as he kissed her neck, her back, angling her hips so that he could fit himself between her thighs—his silent expression conveyed with every touch.

She wished she could understand it fully.

Afterwards, he pulled her back flush against his chest and buried his face in her hair. She was glad she was faced away from him. That way he couldn't see her eyes, red rimmed and glassy from all the tears she'd silently wept as he'd made love to her.

They lay that way for a while, neither one speaking, both lost in their heads as they clung to one another. Eventually, she had to get up. As she tugged on one of his shirts, much less roomy now than it used to be, he sat up and scrubbed at his face.

"I'm going to get breakfast. Do you want anything special, Sakura?"

She turned around and leaned against the door frame as she watched him tug on a pair of sweats and crossed to follow her. "I bought some strawberries yesterday." She knew she needed to eat that day if she was going to stretch her chakra to the end. But all she wanted to do was lie with him. "Maybe an egg with rice?"

The corner of his mouth turned up before he kissed her, moving them both out into the hall. "You know I'm terrible with eggs."

Sakura couldn't help but smile back, remembering Kazuki complaining about his father's eggs the first time she'd made him one. He would not improve, apparently. "Don't be silly. They're perfectly edible."

He nuzzled into her neck, his light breathy laugh tickling her skin. "'Edible,' she says. Fine." He kissed her shoulder as he pulled away, crossing the hall to the kitchen. "I'll meet you back in bed with breakfast. Don't get dressed."

Sakura walked down the hall to the bathroom with a soft, sad chuckle. After cleaning herself up a bit, she combed her fingers through her hair to braid it back. Her fingers stilled and she stared at herself in the mirror. Quite a bit of the back of her hair was damp, where Kakashi had buried his face.

Sakura was not the only one hiding tears that morning.

KSK

After feeding her in bed, Kakashi grabbed their favorite book and they spent the next several hours reading together. As they finished their favorite chapter, Sakura pushed him down and climbed on top of him. This time was much less bittersweet. He nipped playfully at her fingers, kissing away the sting when she laughed at him and stilled her hips until he gave in. When she came, he had just made her laugh again, the joyful sound becoming a moan that vibrated in her chest and was echoed by Kakashi when he followed her over the edge.

"Aiko and Genma are still coming over for dinner, right?"

Sakura hummed in assent, nuzzling against his chest. She had invited their friends so they would be there to help Kakashi. She had no idea what would happen, but since it was almost lunchtime and she'd not felt a single contraction, she assumed that meant an emergency situation. Sakura may have been the best medic in the country, but even she couldn't give herself a cesarean.

"Then we'd better get cleaned up." He slid from the bed and gathered her into his arms. Sakura's laughter followed them down the hall as he carried her to the bathroom and set her on the shower stool. While the tub filled, he washed her hair for her—his fingers gently scraped her scalp and rinsed her long pink hair with the utmost care.

Then they soaked together for almost an hour in their oversized tub. Sakura sat between his legs, resting against his chest as they talked about everything and nothing, dozed off, and spent more time kissing than getting clean. Considering how she knew the day was going to end, it was a beautiful day spent together.

But it couldn't last forever.

That evening, with carefully concealed dread, she welcomed their friends. They brought dinner from Hatsue's and her current favorite flavor of Ramune—strawberry. As they sat around the table—Sakura sitting on Kakashi's lap—eating and talking, Sakura focused on Kakashi's arm around her waist to keep from panicking.

As Genma teased Kakashi about something work related, Sakura ran her hand along Kakashi's arm and wondered for the millionth time what was about to happen to her. She was a clone. Was she going to die? Was her real body dead? Was she about to see her grown son again?

"Hana?"

She blinked rapidly and looked across at her friend. "Hm, what?"

Aiko smiled at her. "I was just asking if you'd had any contractions yet. You're due any day. My mom said both of my brothers came early, but I was late." She chuckled to herself. "I wonder if your boy will be early too."

Glancing back at Kakashi, Sakura smiled. "No, nothing yet. But I have a feeling we'll be meeting him soon." Watching her with mismatched eyes, Kakashi dropped a kiss on her shoulder before going back to his dinner.

He'd been doing that a lot lately, watching her with his Sharingan. Monitoring her chakra drain and their son's growth at the same time. She wondered if he sensed how close they were to the end too.

As she reached her chopsticks back towards her food, something itched behind her eyes and her grip faltered—the chopsticks clattering against the table. "Oh." She pressed her fingers to her eyes trying to alleviate the sensation.

"Hana!"

Startled by the concern in her friend's voice, she looked up to see Aiko leaning over the table, staring at her. "What?"

"Your seal… it's activated."

Reaching up to touch it, she saw the black marks slithering down her arms. Gasping softly, she turned around to face Kakashi. His borrowed eye was watching her carefully, his expression resigned and sad as he reached up to trace his fingers along the marks on her face.

Panic and sorrow threatened to strangle her as tears burned her eyes.

"Sakura, look at me." Kakashi's even, low command gave her something to focus on. She obeyed. "What's your plan? What do we need to do?"

He was too calm. Why was he so calm? Why wasn't he freaking out like she was? Like Aiko was?

"Um… plan… I—"

He reached up and cupped her face with both of his hands, the sorrow she felt finally reflected in his eyes too. "It's okay. Breathe with me, Sakura." A single tear slipped from his left eye as he made her breathe with him. Deep breath in, hold, breathe out. "What do we need to do?"

She didn't know how he was holding it together so well, but she didn't dwell on it. He was right. She had a plan. "Give me a kunai."

Holding out her hand to no one in particular, her fingers closed around the cold metal of Genma's offering. Not looking away from Kakashi, she formed familiar hand signs and sliced her thumb, summoning Katsuyu on the table. She could feel the chakra leave her with the summons. It hurt.

"Mistress."

Finally looking away, she set the kunai down and scooped up the slug. "How long do I have, Katsuyu?"

Eye stalks wagging, Katsuyu slid up her arm, considering the activated seal. "An hour at the most." A soft, miserable groan escaped Kakashi's lips and his hold on her waist tightened. "The child is strong and healthy but he needs to come now, Mistress. You may have a bit more time without the added drain."

Ignoring the tears pouring down her face, she nodded. "Okay. Thank you." She looked back at her husband. "Take me to our bed, please Kakashi."

He nodded and stood, holding her against his chest. "Aiko—" His voice broke as he tried to speak. "Please…" She was already on her feet and rounding the table.

"I'm coming, Kakashi." She looked back at a white faced Genma as she followed them out of the room. "Bring me a few towels, Genma."

Sakura couldn't see anything but Kakashi. Her world shrank to the child in her stomach and the man carrying her to bed. "Kakashi…" She reached for him when he sat her down. Seeming to understand, he sat beside her, brushing her hair from her face and kissing the back of her hand.

"I'm here, Sakura."

Aiko was beside her too. "Can you tell me what's happening please?"

Suddenly not having the words, Sakura held her summons out to Aiko. The slug slid from her hand to address the other medic. "Her body is failing. It is a clone and, so far as I understand, will fail in the same manner."

Aiko's face twisted with confusion as she listened. "What? A clone… how is that possible?"

"It is the result of an unknown jutsu. No, soldier pills will not help. There is nothing we can do. You must perform an emergency cesarean to take the baby before she disappears. Do you know how?"

Eyes wide and jaw slack, Aiko nodded. "Yes. I…" She looked at Sakura. "Hana… who is Sakura? What?"

With a deep frown and glassy eyes, Kakashi answered for her. "Just do it, Aiko. I'll explain everything later, just…" He swallowed hard and looked back into Sakura's eyes. "Do what she said."

"Okay." She sniffed hard and nodded, resolved. "Okay."

Sakura held both of Kakashi's hands in hers and focused on him—his forehead pressed against hers—and tried to breathe.

"I'm going to do a nerve block, okay?" She felt her friend's hands on her until suddenly everything from the waist down went numb. This was real. This was happening. When Aiko began cutting into her with a glowing chakra blade, Sakura whimpered and tensed, despite not being able to feel more than a heavy pressure.

"Hey, it's okay, Sakura. Just look at me, okay? Breathe. It's okay." His voice was so broken and miserable but he was trying to smile at her. "You're going to have him in your arms soon. I know you've missed him." He kissed the back of her hand. "Our Kazuki, hm?"

She gasped. How did he know? Somehow, they had never—not once—seriously talked about baby names. Sakura had been unsure how to suggest it, having already mentioned him more than once, without revealing too much. And for some reason, Kakashi had not brought it up either. She had been so focused on not being miserable or thinking about the future most days that it never occurred to her as odd. He already had a name, he already was.

"Yeah… our Kazuki."

He glanced down to check Aiko's progress. "Tell me about him."

"He's so smart, Kakashi… and he loves my rakugan." She let out a watery laugh. "He graduated from the Academy the day before I came here…" Remembering and knowing ahead that she wasn't going to be there, she sobbed. "I was so proud of him. So were you."

He kissed her tears. "Yeah?"

There was a deep pressure and she could feel Aiko shifting beside her. "Yeah. He's the very best of us, Kakashi."

"Okay, Genma, have a towel ready."

Sakura watched, squeezing Kakashi's hands tighter with the pressure, as Aiko pulled her son free. Wrapping him in the towel Genma held, she held a glowing hand over his face to clear his airway and check him over. Satisfied, she leaned closer to Sakura to show her. "Oh Hana… I—" Aiko stumbled over her name, shaking the confusion away and smiling again. "He's so perfect. That hair!" She smiled, bringing him to Sakura's outstretched hands. "Here… Kakashi, help her open her top. He needs skin to skin contact."

Wiping his face, he did as he was told and Aiko placed the tiny, slimy baby on her chest, tucking the towel around them both. She disappeared to finish tending to her, but Sakura did not notice. She was too focused on the fussing, wriggling little boy in her arms.

"Oh…" She chuckled and sobbed. "Oh hello little Kazuki." Kakashi tentatively reached out, running his fingers through his sticky pink hair. "I'm your mom." Her heart broke. "Oh, I missed you so much." She peppered his scrunched little face with kisses. "I love you, you perfect little boy."

Kakashi kissed her temple, his large hand dwarfing their son when he placed it on his back. She looked up at him with tear-filled green eyes. He was watching their son, awe lighting his face as Kazuki bobbed his little head around in his direction.

Grinning, Sakura brushed a finger along his round cheek. "That's your daddy. Say hello to your son, Kakashi."

He huffed, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to his hair. "Hey, Buddy." His voice faltered again and Sakura had to fight against another sob at the familiar-to-her greeting. "I'm your dad." His breathy laugh stirred Kazuki's wispy hair. "I'm a dad." He looked back to Sakura with a tearful, amazed little smile that immediately crumbled when their eyes met. "Sakura." He pressed his forehead against hers and let the tears fall, unbothered by their audience.

On her other side, Aiko knelt beside the bed. "Hana… I mean, Sakura?" Turning to her friend, Sakura offered her a hand which she grasped tightly in both of hers. "I don't… I don't understand what's happening. But…" Glancing between the baby and Kakashi's gently shaking shoulders, Aiko's face twisted with grief. Her voice shook as she fought to get her words out. "I love you, yeah? And… And I'll be here, okay?" She glanced at Kakashi and Kazuki again and nodded back towards a silent Genma before meeting Sakura's eyes again. "We both will be. I promise."

"I love you too, Aiko. Thank you."

Aiko nodded, wiping her eyes on her shoulder. "We'll be in the other room, okay? We won't leave… not yet."

Sakura wished she had more time. She wanted to say goodbye properly to her friend. But there was so little time left, and she wanted to spend every second with Kakashi and their son.

Unbidden, Katsuyu—who had been on Aiko's shoulder—split herself in two. The new slug whispered in Aiko's ear and was promptly placed on the bedside table. When Kakashi needed them, Katsuyu would let them know. With a final squeeze of her hand, Aiko stood and left the room. Genma, who had been staring quietly at the floor, his hands tucked under his arms, met her eyes once before glancing at his friend. His frown deepened and he looked back to Sakura and nodded, as if to reiterate what Aiko had promised before following her out.

Once they were alone, all the things she'd wanted to say, every line she'd rehearsed for their goodbye, flooded her mind at once and she found she was overwhelmed. One thing at a time. "Kakashi?"

Slowly, he lifted his head to look at her. "Hm?"

"I…" His broken expression was too much. She focused on their son. He had stopped fussing and was bobbing his little mouth around in search of his first meal. "Can you help me sit up, please?"

Sniffing hard and looking around at the bed, Kakashi nodded, grabbing pillows to prop behind her as he helped her. "There, is that better?"

"Yes, thank you." Adjusting Kazuki, she held him to her breast and helped like the books said to. Miraculously, he seemed to know what to do and latched easily. She sighed, content. She had wanted to do this at least once. "He's so perfect, Kakashi." With the edge of the towel, Sakura gently wiped him clean as he nursed, kissing his fuzzy head again.

He had moved too, sitting beside her in bed, one arm draped around her shoulders, the other covering hers beside their son. "Yeah, he is. Sakura?"

"Hm?"

He leaned in close, the tip of his nose dragging along her jaw as he inhaled deeply. "What did Katsuyu mean, that this body is a clone?"

She sighed and did her best to answer. "Exactly that. We don't understand how. It must be some new, extremely stable kind. Part of whatever jutsu that sent me here, I'd imagine. Katsuyu said she thinks my real body, wherever it is, is likely comatose from lack of chakra… and maybe soul."

"Do you think that means that when… when you—" He swallowed hard. "Do you think you'll wake up in your real body, back in the future?"

Tracing a finger along Kazuki's cheek, she blinked back tears. "I hope so." Finally tearing her eyes away from their son, she gazed up into her husband's heartbroken, tear streaked face. "I'm scared, Kakashi. If that's what happens, my body will be so weak and I'll be alone with those men who kidnapped me. I don't want to wake up alone, Kakashi. What if they don't need me anymore after this? I don't want them to take me from you twice."

"Hey…" He wiped away her worried tears, kissing her softly. "You won't be alone, Sakura. I'll follow you, I'll be there. I won't let them hurt you. I promise."

She nodded and accepted another kiss, and another and another before he dropped his forehead to hers. "Kakashi?"

"Yes, Sakura?"

"I need you to promise me something, again."

His eyes, which had been watching their son, met hers. "Alright."

She had gone back and forth so many times, trying to decide what to say. She had no way of knowing how much anything she said to him now—any promises she asked of him or didn't—would affect the future she knew. She knew he would survive the next twelve years, and how wonderfully he would do with their son, but he didn't. These, their last moments, their last conversations, might have had an important impact on him.

Taking a steadying breath, she spoke.

Maybe it was a selfish thing to ask—and as she watched self doubt and hurt flicker across his face, she thought maybe cruel too—but in that terrifying and vulnerable moment, Sakura found that she needed to hear him say it.

But then his expression cleared and he seemed to understand. "I promise, Sakura. I won't leave our son."

She sniffled and nodded, her own pain at having to leave him consuming her thoughts as she looked back down at Kazuki. It had been something she'd done her best to ignore for months, but now reality was right in front of her. "Oh Kakashi, I don't want to leave him." She choked on another sob. "How can I? It isn't fair. He needs me. You need me." Leaning down, she kissed his soft cheek again, the top of his head and his perfect little fingers.

When she felt Kakashi press his face against her shoulder, she sobbed again—torn between wanting to give her baby son every bit of her attention and wanting to do the same for her husband. Knowing he would remember, Sakura turned back to him, reaching for him with her free hand. He kissed her palm, covering her hand with his.

"I'm so sorry, Kakashi. I knew… from the very beginning that this would happen. But I had to—" Another sob, "—I meant every second, I love you so much, Kakashi. And I'm so sorry I have to leave you now. I hope… I hope you'll be able to forgive me."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, memories of him tried to remind her that he would, but she was too lost to hormones and chakra exhaustion and sorrow to remember.

"Shh…" He kissed her once and tucked her under his chin against his chest. "There's nothing to forgive, Sakura. I told you, remember? I knew it was a risk and I chose you anyway." She felt his body shake with emotion, his lips pressing against her temple. "I love you, Sakura. I promise I'll love our son too. And someday, I promise I'll be there when you come back to me, okay?"

She nodded, unable to speak as she clung to their son and Kakashi clung to her. It wasn't fair. It hurt so much more than she'd imagined it would. But he loved her, and he had promised he would wait for her.

KSK

Genma

Genma watched his girlfriend pace back and forth, her tearstained face twisted with confusion as she tried to understand what the little slug was trying to explain to her.

For his part, Genma felt a little numb.

He'd known Kakashi for years. In almost all of that time, he had been almost as emotionless and aloof as any member of ROOT. They always creeped him out. In recent years—due to some drama or other that he hadn't been a part of before Tenzō joined their team—Kakashi had started to relax.

Now, Genma was almost surprised to realize how close they'd gotten, how much he genuinely cared about his captain. Seeing him—someone that even still only really showed emotion in private moments—so completely broken as his wife lay dying in his arms had deeply disturbed him.

He wished there was something he could do, some way to save her for his captain, his friend. But there was nothing any of them could do, apparently. This, he thought bitterly, was why he'd always preferred meaningless flings to actual relationships. They were shinobi: any mission could be his last.

Kakashi knew that. Until Hana—or Sakura, apparently—the famous Copy nin had never even dated. If Genma hadn't been the caring senpai that he was, Kakashi would probably have been a virgin when he met her.

But Aiko was different. He cared about her. And now, having watched his friend lose his wife, Genma didn't know what that meant for him anymore.

"So… her name is Sakura, not Hana. And she's… from the future?"

"Yes." The little slug wiggled her eyes. Genma looked down at her where she sat beside him on the couch and shuddered.

"Do you have any idea how far?"

"Twelve years."

Genma sighed, dropping his head into his hands. Damn. That was a long fucking time.

"Twelve years?" Aiko sounded devastated. "But that's ages! Is she going back? Or is she just… gone? Do you have any idea?"

"I am unsure. Whatever jutsu used to send her clone back in time is unfamiliar to me. It is my hypothesis, though."

Suddenly his girlfriend was scooping up the slug and sitting down beside him. Glancing over at her, he could see that she was crying. "Poor Kakashi. Poor baby." She sniffled and looked back at him. "Do you think he knew this would happen? He was a lot calmer when it started than I'd have expected."

Genma thought about it. "Maybe. He did seem kind of distracted all night." He shrugged, not wanting to dissect his friend's complicated thought process just then. "I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready, Aiko."

Nodding, she looked down at the slug on her lap. The slimy thing was oddly still, as if listening to something only she could hear. If half of her was in the other room, he supposed that was more or less the case. "I told her I'd be here for them, Genma. Both of them. Hana… Sakura is…" Aiko paused, taking a deep breath before going on. "Was my best friend. I intend to help them as much as they need. Do you…" She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "I mean… is that okay? I don't know how much of a time commitment it will be. Between the hospital and both of our missions, we already don't get a lot of time together."

Her best friend was in the other room, dying, and Aiko was worried he'd dump her for spending time helping her best friend's husband take care of their baby. He scoffed, shaking his head. Silly woman. Of course it was okay. Kakashi was his friend.

Then again, even though they'd been seeing each other exclusively for almost two years, their relationship still felt casual. They didn't even live together. He supposed he could see why she might worry about him losing interest if she wanted to allot some of her scant free time to caring for someone else's baby.

Sighing, he reached for her hand and made a decision. "Move in with me. We already sleep together most nights we're both home anyway. And… I don't really like kids. But Kakashi is my friend. I don't know how much help I'd be, but I'll be here too. Yeah?"

A sad smile crept up her face as her shoulders drooped with relief. "Okay."

On Aiko's lap, the slug gasped and shuddered.

From across the hall came the most heartbroken cry Genma had ever heard. It chilled him to the bones, his own chest aching for his friend. Without thinking, he squeezed his girlfriend's hand tighter, leaning closer.

Hatake Sakura was no more.

For some reason, all Genma could think was how stupid he was for wasting time. He should have told her that he loved her ages ago.

End Part One

A/N Like I said, I am going to be taking a break before I post Part 2, I think depending on how much time my beta has. I have stalled on writing the last few chapters but I have like... 18 written so its nbd for now. I am about to push out my own baby in a week or two so I will be laying around for a couple of weeks to recover. Besides taking too many pictures of my newborn, I will probably be in the mood to write some fluffy end stuff.