Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Mother's Son ❯ Into The Fire ( Chapter 21 )

They say you know, that you can feel it, when the person you love most in the world is in pain. As the doctor spoke quietly with Kakashi, I felt it. I felt the tearing at my heart, pulling me two different ways. One, I could feel Naruto, feel his bitter denial, feel his crushing grief.

And Sasuke…I couldn't feel him.

That's how I knew. I couldn't feel him at all. Naruto was in pain, and Sasuke was oblivion. It was over.

It was all over.

Kakashi was trying to persuade the doctor to attempt the healing when it started. Sakura's first wail pierced his mind, sending waves of foreboding through him. The doctor rushed to his patient, he and his assistant pinning her down. She fought them, crying and yelling incoherently. Kakashi watched in shock and disbelief while Sakura thrashed around, crying violently. The doctor pulled out a sedative and worked to administer it.

“No! Kakashi!” Sakura watched the fluid push through the needle, feeding into her bloodstream. Her eyes sought Kakashi. “You have to go back! Find them! Don't let me fall asleep…” Her eyes dropped as the drug went through her body, but she fought to stay awake. “Sensei…find him…Naruto…Sasu…”

Kakashi stepped close when Sakura was finally still. Helping the assistant cover Sakura, he looked at the doctor. “I don't care how many medics it takes, when I get back, she better be healed.” His eyes were hard with determination. “Her, and the baby.”

With one last look at Sakura, he strode out, leaving the doctor shaking his head in disbelief. The medic motioned to his assistant, and the nervous man came over, notebook in hand. “I want the top four doctors in this city in here within half an hour. See the Hokage if you must. Tell him it concerns Uzumaki's child. He will understand. Remember, half an hour. Our time is running out.”

The man nodded and bowed on his way out. He scurried away, leaving the doctor alone with Sakura. The thin man turned, frowning at his young patient. Chakra tingled at his fingertips, and he spread his hands wide over her flat stomach. He felt, through twisting tendrils of chakra, the faint heartbeat of Sakura's unborn child. He could also feel the wrongness. The injury was so severe that Sakura's womb felt unnatural, trampled. The doctor, whose name was Ayumi, was thinking frantically on how to save this child. The child of Uzumaki Naruto was more important than most people let on.

This child would solve the mystery. Would Kyuubi pass itself on to Naruto's children, or would the demon die with Naruto? No one knew, and much hope was riding on this child.

“What's that, Mommy?”

“It's a bird.”

“What bird?”

“Well, that one's a blackbird.”

“Can I have one?”

“No.”

“Not even if I ask Dad?”

“Definitely no.”

There was blood. 10 pints to a person, that's what they taught you in school. But it seems like more. Ten pints of blood, covering hands, feet, mouth, face, eyes, it's a lot more. When it's hot, sticky, and filled with the life of your best friend, it's a whole lot more than ten pints.

Naruto stared at his hands, red with guilt, and at the kunai clenched in his fist. The dark metal was slick and the scent of copper filled the air. Naruto could feel Sasuke's hair sticking to his hand, where it had been ripped out in his haste to distance himself from the body.

His eyes refused to look.

They refused to see the slumped heap in the grass, just a few feet away, redness seeping into the soil. They refused to look at the open eyes of Uchiha Sasuke, now empty and lifeless. Naruto's eyes refused to look at Itachi, who had made his presence known, and stood with Daisuke. His eyes refused to look at his son, who watched his crimson soaked father with wide eyes, terrified of what he had seen. A fine mist of blood had showered the pair, and Daisuke was slowly wiping it from his face with a horrified expression.

Itachi made no move towards Naruto, or Sasuke. He did not attack. He did not run. Naruto looked up at him. He thought he saw a glimmer of respect in the other man's eyes, and hated himself. He had done something that Itachi, clan killer, thought was deserving of respect. It was a sickening idea.

Slowly, agonizingly slow, Naruto let his fingers relax, and felt the kunai slip from his hand and embed itself in the soil near his feet. He let his breathing slow, his aching ribs protesting every movement. His blue eyes, swimming with tears and shame, flicked up at his son. At the eye contact, Daisuke's face crumpled and he started to cry. He reached for his father, and Naruto didn't hesitate to move forward. What surprised him was as he neared the older Uchiha, the man made no move to keep Daisuke away. Naruto reached out from his son, and Itachi handed him over. Naruto felt relief wash over him like a tidal wave.

He looked at Itachi, who said nothing. “What are you going to do now?” Naruto finally asked. Itachi gave a small shrug.

“This was never my mission.” He said, his smooth voice calm and serene. “This was all for Sasuke.” He seemed unconcerned that his brother lay dead, only metres away. Naruto could feel red hot anger pulse through him at that. His face was contorting with grief, and guilt at his actions.

“Don't you care?” He demanded loudly. “I just…I just killed him! Don't you care?” Daisuke was burrowed into his shoulder, small sobs shaking his body. Naruto held him tightly, his whole body taut.

Itachi sighed, suddenly looking very human. Gone was his indifferent demeanor, his shoulder were slumped. “I am glad…” he said finally. He looked to the side quickly, his crimson eyes settling on his brother. “Sasuke was…sick. I don't know. It's my fault. The death of our family drove him mad, eventually. His hatred for me kept him stable, for many years. When he couldn't defeat me, he just…broke.”

Naruto didn't know what to say. Sasuke had been insane, this whole time?

“No rational man would attack the woman he loves, or put his child in harms way. This mission, this was Sasuke's last straw. I am glad that he is gone. Nothing can ever touch him, where he is now.”

“Will you be coming after us?” Naruto asked wearily. He did not want to deal with another Uchiha. Itachi shook his head.

“No. And tell your wife that it was me. I sent the fan. I sent the assassins.”

Naruto's eyes widened in shock, but before he could ask more, Itachi was gone.

Kakashi stood lazily, his one eye roaming the landscape. He had no intention of going after Naruto or Sasuke. The man who survived would come back on his own. Kakashi was hoping that Naruto was the one who lived, but by the way Sakura was acting, he was not so sure.

He sat, half crouching on the rooftop of an apartment building. The busy marketplace lay spread out before him, and his hungry eyes searched the crowd. Finally, he caught sight of his target. Her long hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail, and the bruise that decorated her jaw was livid, even from where Kakashi was. He grimaced. The husband needed to pay.

He watched Aniline walk the streets with Sarah, unaware of his eyes. Her skin shone with summer sweat, and her hand grasped her daughter's tightly. She was looking at trinkets, bracelets and other jewelry, when Kakashi nimbly climbed down the building, and landed beside her.

She did not see him; her eyes were focused on a ribboned necklace. Kakashi bent close to whisper in her ear. “It would look good on you.”

Aniline turned slightly, jumping at the sound of his voice. At the sight of his silver hair, she relaxed. “You're back!” she said happily. She didn't turn around to hug him, instead showed Sarah the necklace.

Kakashi slid his tired arms around her stomach, resting his chin on her shoulder. He felt her stiffen, then relax. “I was hoping you'd come back in one piece.” She told him.

“And I did, so, do I get a prize?”

“Not until you tell me what happened.”

Kakashi sighed. This was what he was dreading. Telling Aniline about Sakura's newest problem would just add weight to her already exhausted shoulders. But not telling her would make things worse in the end. He let out another breath. “I have both good and bad news.” He told her. She stilled in his arms, tensing slightly. The girl at her side looked up at her mother worriedly when her hand tightened around hers.

“Tell me.” Aniline said softly.

“Sakura is safe. I brought her home. That's the good news.” He paused, not knowing which to say first. “Naruto made me leave him behind. Kyuubi was controlling him. He and Sasuke are fighting. Sasuke hurt Sakura, beat her up real bad. She's gonna lose the baby.”

Aniline stood straight, her back stiff. “Baby?” she said sharply. “You mean Daisuke?” She knew this was not what he meant, but all other possibilities seemed impossible.

Kakashi shook his head, pulling away from Aniline. She turned to face him, her hands resting on Sarah's shoulders. “Sakura is pregnant.” Kakashi confirmed. “A few weeks, the doctor said. He also said the baby's real damaged. He might not be able to save it. I told him to get the Hokage, but…”

Aniline let out a long, shuddering breath. “Oh, that poor, poor girl. And Naruto…he's not back yet?”

Kakashi shook his head. “I'm hoping that the Hokage will have the sense to get Tsunade down here. She knows Sakura personally, and has invested great interest in Naruto. Plus, she's our best medic.”

Aniline nodded slowly, frowning. “I have to get there.” She said firmly. “How's Sakura taking this?”

“She's sedated. She had a bit of an…episode. Out of the blue, she started thrashing, screaming. It would've hurt the baby more, so they knocked her out.”

Aniline's brows furrowed. “Out of the blue? No, Kakashi, I think her timing's bang on! She's losing her baby! Her husband may be dead!”

Kakashi frowned. Why was he being yelled at? “They're not married yet…” he said sullenly.

“You know what I mean!” Aniline snapped. “She's in distress, and you just drug her? Take her out of the picture so she can't cause trouble?”

Kakashi was losing his patience. “She'll thank us for this later! That kid is threads away from dying! Anything could send it to its death. She would be horrified if she thought that she may have been the cause.”

The air seemed to rush out of Aniline suddenly, and she sagged. “I'm sorry. I just…” she trailed off, looking down at Sarah.

The girl was looking back, her dark lips quavering. “Is Sakura gonna die?” she asked, her voice small. For the first time, Kakashi noticed that her eyes matched her mother's perfectly, and he found that that pleased him.

Aniline shook her head. “No baby, Sakura's tough. She'll be fine.”

She'll be fine.

They say you know.

But I didn't know. Not really.

I had no idea that there was a living thing inside me. A baby, a product of the love Naruto and I had worked so hard to make. It seemed too soon to be happening. And to know that you could have something beautiful, but then to realize it's just gonna get snatched away, like everything else, it's horrifying.

I mean, I didn't know know. I just guessed. As a woman, I know my body pretty well. When things start changing, you get to wondering. To taking pregnancy tests when your boyfriend's gone to work.

Not that I thought he'd be mad. I just didn't want him to know, not until I was sure.

Naruto was the type of guy that any pregnancy scare would send him running for the nearest library, just to take out every baby book in the place, and then buy a jumble of onesies, so we'd be prepared.

I couldn't give him hope like that, and then snatch it away. It was too cruel.

This is too cruel.

This life. This pulsing, fighting, dying life inside of me. My son, my daughter. A ninja, a writer, a carpenter. This person, who was trying so hard, just to live, it was too cruel, to take that away from me.

Sasuke had takeneverything away from me.

My son, Naruto, my dignity, my sanity. All in danger, because of Sasuke.

He was not allowed to take this one last thing from me.