Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Mother's Son ❯ We Could Have Been Something Beautiful ( Chapter 16 )

Besides being worried out of her mind, Sakura was a little exasperated. Honestly, how much longer would this go on? There was no possible way for both sides to win. Sakura knew that Sasuke wanted to one-up Naruto, as well as keep his son. And she also knew that Naruto would never let that happen.

So, how was she supposed to live, with all this drama and violence going back and forth between the two men she loved? She had seen what had become of her peaceful home, due to the Uchiha. Half-awake, she had seen Kakashi, a bloody mess on her kitchen floor. That was what had confused her most. How had Itachi gotten the best of the Copy Ninja so quickly? It seemed unthinkable. And Naruto, standing stock-still, staring into nothing. She hoped he was alright. There was no telling what Itachi was showing him.

Sakura fought at the rope binding her hands, but they held her firmly. She glanced across the wagon at Sasuke, who held Daisuke. If he had looked up just then, he would have seen the daggers being shot at him by Sakura's eyes. Instead, he sat, in the covered wagon, a sleeping Daisuke in his lap, studying the boy.

“He's beautiful,” Sasuke said suddenly, surprising Sakura. She had to keep herself from melting. She looked at her son, who was snoring softly, his pale skin even paler in the moonlight.

“Yes,” Sakura agreed. Sasuke looked up at her, his eyes full of awe and wonder.

“I've never really thought about it before,” he said quietly. “But, this is my son. He's ours…we…we made him. He belongs to us.” He smiled at the sleeping boy. Sakura frowned.

“He's mine.” She corrected softly. Sasuke shook his head, not unkindly.

“Sakura,” Shivers ran through her body when he said her name. She wondered if that would ever change. Maybe, when she was forty, he would say her name, and that same feeling would move through her. It didn't mean anything, she reasoned. “No matter what, this is my son. No matter if you love Naruto, or if Naruto loves Daisuke, or if you and Naruto had another kid. This one, he's mine. Naruto doesn't have a claim to him.”

Sakura knew he was right. She knew that no amount of wishing could change DNA. She knew that nothing she did would change anything already done. She also knew that she would never tell Sasuke that he was right. Instead, she stubbornly kept on it. “Naruto has more of a claim than you think.”

Sasuke, not really listening, moved some hair away from Dai's face. “How's that?” he asked, absent-mindedly.

“He's Daisuke's father. Dai's never known anybody else.”

“There's still time for us to start over.” Sasuke whispered earnestly. He looked up at Itachi, who was directing the one horse pulling the wagon. “We're going back to the base. We can live there, together. I know we can make this work.”

Sakura scoffed, disbelieving. “Make it work? Are you drunk? After everything…everything you've done? To me, to Naruto? There's nothing left with us. We're over. So over.”

“You don't mean that.” Sasuke said, his voice hardening. “I know you still feel…something. For me. I know you do. I can tell, when you look at me.”

If Sakura could have slapped him then, she would have. It was a pity her hands were bound, else she would've launched herself at him. The nerve that Sasuke had! Thinking he could understand her feelings! “The only thing I feel for you is revulsion.” Sakura hissed icily. “When you first came back, when I saw you at the market, I felt something. I felt something, right until the minute you stabbed me in the gut!”

Sasuke sighed. “You don't always have to be so difficult, Sakura.” She said nothing, just glared at him, and he looked away, back at his son. The rush of emotions through him was dizzying. He had never felt anything like it. Sakura had been the first person he had cared for, besides himself, but that concern was eclipsed by the way he felt for the small boy on his lap. Sasuke tried to memorize Daisuke's face, and found that each feature brought a memory. His high forehead gave reminders of Sakura's old insecurity, and his small nose reminded Sasuke of his mother.

The eyes, when opened, were slate grey, like Itachi's, like Sasuke's. Like every other Uchiha in their history. But the long fingers, they were not his. Sakura, also, did not have such graceful looking hands. Her hands were small and dainty; Sasuke's were large and powerful. These seemed to be a combination of the two, or perhaps someone in Sakura's family was a dancer. In any case, they were one thing that belonged to Daisuke only.

As he examined his son's face, he found an odd, semi-circle scar along is chubby jaw line. He looked at Sakura and saw that she was watching him, wide-eyed. “What's that from?” he asked casually, pointing out the pale line. Sakura shrugged, trying to look casual as well.

In reality, she looked tense and unsure. “A fan.”

“A fan? How do you cut yourself on a fan?”

“We got it, in the baby shower. It was a paper fan. When we opened it, it turned out to be a small shukusen. The blade on the end nicked his face. We never figured out who sent it.”

“Who would send a gift like that?” Sasuke asked, frowning.

Sakura sighed, itching to reach out to her son, to stroke the pale scar that decorated his skin, to find comfort in knowing he was safe with her. Bound as she was, it was impossible. “We figured, Naruto and I, that the person who sent it meant it to be a warning. That they knew who Daisuke was. They sent the war fan to the Uchiha heir, to warn us. Of what, I'm still not sure.”

Sasuke took this in, Glancing up at his brother. Itachi had his head cocked slightly, listening to Sakura. He was still watching the road, but he was very interested in this mystery. After three years with his brother, Sasuke could tell when something made Itachi curious. “Did you talk to Kakashi about it?” he asked, slightly worried. A warning sent to his son, it was something he wasn't too pleased about.

“Of course not!” Sakura said harshly. Sasuke looked up at her in surprise, startled by the change in tone. Her voice softened in understanding. “Sorry.” She said quiet now. “I forget that you don't know. Nobody knew that he was yours. I didn't tell anyone besides Naruto.” Sasuke frowned, unbidden fury rising up within him. This anger was cut off by Sakura's small laugh. “But, how they couldn't tell, I can't guess. I mean, everyone just accepted that he was Naruto's. I mean, look at him, Sasuke. Really, look at him.”

Sasuke did, his anger fully depleted as he took in the image of Daisuke once again. “I mean, how could he be anything but a Uchiha? He even has the glare, when he wants to. It's uncanny, how he looks like you.” she smiled to herself. “Snores like you do, too.”

A voice startled her from her calm. It took her a moment to figure out where it was coming from. “It is most likely that your little friends wished to believe what you told them, to make things easiest on their collective conscious.” Itachi said, his voice low and cool. Sakura couldn't remember the last time she had heard him speak, but knew that it had been a while, if ever.

She pondered on his words, until Sasuke's snort of amusement and bitterness made her look at him again. He looked pained and guilty, and more than a bit angry. “Yes, because knowing that one of their beloved kunoichi was carrying the baby of their newest missing-nin was probably too much to handle. To accept that it was Naruto's, their new pride and joy, that was probably much easier.” He shook his head again. Sakura only smiled, unsympathetic.

“It wouldn't have gone like that if you hadn't left.”

“We've had this conversation.” Sasuke said shortly. “You think that you're right, I know that I am, so why don't you just drop it. I just want to get to the base, and get started with starting over.”

Itachi had turned away from the conversation again, the topic boring him, so Sakura felt a new wave of courage. “I told you. As soon as I can, I'm getting out of here. And then Naruto will hunt you down, and kill you. He's not gonna let you live. You're too much of a threat.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Look, Sakura, I saw how Naruto was moving. Obviously, he's been off the job a bit too long. I mean, he's gained like, thirty pounds. He's just not in the shape he needs to be to even come close to beating me.”

Sakura said nothing for a while.

“He'll do it anyway.” She finally whispered. “He'll come for you, and he'll fight you. To the death. And I think that Kyuubi is just a little bit more than you've bargained for, Uchiha.”

The small lights above his eyelids were what woke him up. The sharp pain in his side was what made him pass out again. It went on like this for a few tries, until Kakashi could pen his eyes. He saw a panicked Aniline leaning over him, blood dripping down from a cut on her cheek. She had pressed her hands to his side, he figured that was why it hurt so much. He could see an orange blur behind Aniline, moving in and out of his line of vision. Aniline was talking to the blur, who he assumed was Naruto, but Kakashi could hear nothing. Her mouth moved like fish lips, no noise reaching his brain. She noticed he was awake, and tried to talk to him. Still, he heard nothing.

Finally, another presence came behind her. It was a small, thin man, carrying a first aid bag nervously. When he saw the wound, his nervousness vanished, and he went straight to business. Kakashi saw Naruto drag Aniline away, out of his sight. He tied to call out to her, but his lips wouldn't move. The man tending him was always speaking, but he seemed to know he wasn't heard.

Kakashi closed his eyes, falling to sleep.

“He's…He's out there…Let go of me, Naruto…He's…I have to…I said, let go! I have to help him!”

“There's nothing we can do.” Naruto said firmly, his tired eyes focused on Aniline. He held her shoulder firmly; convinced she would try to escape. He was right; Aniline was already planning how to distract him best.

“He…he needs me!” She protested.

“What he needs,” Naruto explained. “Is a medic that isn't distracted by a worried girlfriend, alright?”

Aniline didn't agree, but she stopped trying to pull herself free. Naruto looked at her intently. “They took them, didn't they? They took Daisuke and Sakura, right? Did you see it?”

Aniline shook her head. “Some sort of flash bomb.” She said, unsure. “Sasuke was picking up Dai when Sakura came in. One look at her, and I was sure that boy was done for. But he pulled something out, from behind his back, and threw it. At first, I thought it was a knife or somesuch, but then he yelled, and everything went white. And then…nothing. I must have passed out.”

Naruto nodded, taking this information in. “That makes sense. He doesn't want to hurt Sakura, just hide her away. But where?”

“The base.”

The voice came from behind him, and Naruto looked behind him to see Kakashi, a bloodied hand pressing white bandages against his shoulder, leaning unsteadily against the door jamb. The medic stood next to him, fluttering his hands, trying to make Kakashi let him fix the wound.

“Kakashi, why are you standing?” Aniline screeched. She pointed to the bed, glaring. Kakashi looked at her, saying nothing and pleading. Aniline shook her head slightly, and he sighed to himself, before letting the medic escort him to the bed, were he sat heavily. Aniline sat on his other side, petting his leg in comfort.

“The base?” Naruto repeated. “You don't mean…Sasuke wouldn't join the Akatsuki, would he?”

Kakashi shook his head. “They wouldn't let him. He would need Orochimaru to join.”

Naruto shook his head, not understanding. “Then what base?” he asked.

“The Akatsuki. It is most likely, that even though he is not a member, Sasuke has made one of their small bases his home. He would take Sakura there, and force her to be his wife, I'm assuming.”

Images from the nightmare that Itachi had showed him flashed in Naruto's mind, and he grit his teeth in determination. “I'm going after her.” He announced.

“I know.” Kakashi answered. “But not today. Not now. You're nearly dead on your feet, and I'm in no condition to help you.” Naruto looked at his Sensei, and then to the door. Kakashi chuckled. “I am, however, in well enough condition to prevent you from leaving, so don't even try.”

Naruto nodded. “I'm going to bed, then.” He said. “Don't die before morning.”

Kakashi nodded soberly. “I'll try my hardest.” He said.

Naruto walked out, pulling his shirt over his head and throwing himself on the bed. He tried to sleep, he really did, but found himself dwelling on the events before long. Hours passed, and again and again he relived his nightmare, until he was finally able to sleep.

`We know who he is. Give up the child for termination, or prepare for war.'

Sakura had cried out in shock at the note found pinned to her pillow. Naruto rolled over, looking at the pale paper. “What the hell is that?” he demanded, snatching it away. He scanned it quickly, before looking up at Sakura in horror. As one, they dashed from their bedroom, and into Daisuke's. Sakura nearly fell down in relief when she saw Dai in his crib, sleeping. She clutched at Naruto

“Who?” she asked weakly.

“I don't know.” He answered.

“How…how would they know? Why would they care?” she asked, approaching Daisuke's crib. The pink cut on his jaw was a vivid reminder of the week before, and the strange warning they had received.

“We have to go to the Hokage.” Naruto said firmly. Sakura spun around.

“No!” she said fiercely. “We can't tell them! Nobody can know about Dai!”

“You'd rather he's be dead?” Naruto shot out. Sakura looked as if she had been slapped.

“How can you ask me that?” she demanded. “I'm doing this for him! I don't want them to look down on him, because of who his father is!”

Naruto sighed. “I know. I'm sorry. But this is more important. I mean, a war? Just for one boy?”

Sakura shrugged wearily, rubbing her temples. “A war, for an ordinary boy? It's unthinkable. But for the Uchiha heir…well, I think I know one person who wouldn't mind terminating him.”

Naruto nodded in understanding. Itachi may have let his little brother live, but maybe he was to be less generous with his nephew.

“What do we do Naruto?” Sakura asked. “What can we do?”

“I don't know. I'm sorry.”