Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ One Good Party ❯ Children's Laughter ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter #8

Children's Laughter

 

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto (Will someone pass the ice cream this is depressing)

 

Weee!! Yes I have had way to much sugar but you'll find that I am pretty much just a sugar freak with a computer and way to much spare time.

*Eats favourite chocolate cookies & yummy pumpkin pie*

Shh! Don't tell the man in white, they might try and take it away from me again. They say that I'm not allowed sugar anymore.

 

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Looking out on the street from her balcony Sakura sighed, she wasn't bored or depressed today she was just tired. She just needed time to relax and think for a while.

 

Sakura was due any day now, the baby timer was about to run out as she drew nearer and nearer to the nine month mark. Tsunade had already made arrangements for when the baby arrived and her friends were also getting more excited about the big day, which could be any day.

 

She was going to have the baby in her apartment, they all decided it was better than having Sakura run across town when she was about to go into labor. When the time came she would just send someone to fetch Tsunade and she would in a word be set.

 

But truth be told Sakura was scared, she didn't know what to expect. She only knew what she had ever read in books or heard from her parents as a child. Sakura knew what would be going on but would still be scared when it came. This kid Sakura could already tell would be a fire cracker and would probably have a mind of its own even during birth.

 

Mom always did say as a child I was quite the character, Sakura took a breath of the afternoon air, I am betting anything this child will be a mini me if my mom was telling the truth.

 

During the past weeks Sakura had been beginning to wonder what the child would look like. She had no idea who the father was so anything could happen, any colour hair, any colour eyes, even if her friends kept insisting it was going to look exactly like Sakura.

 

Glancing downward Sakura was able to pick out a familiar face. She would have recognized the long grape coloured hair anywhere even if they had only talked a couple times in the market place. It was Juri the toy seller and her three children.

 

She had not seen Juri in months and with the baby been born she looked different in a lot of obvious ways. She had already worked off a lot of the weight she had naturally gained during pregnancy and her more defined features stood out now. Everything from her button nose to her graceful high cheek bones now showed. She had started wearing her regular cloths again which was a more proper fitting red dress kimono, and had since their last meeting cut her hair shoulder length.

 

By her side were the two young twin boys, who had grown quite a bit for only a couple of months. One of them had started growing his hair out a bit longer in an attempt to be different from his sibling and in Juri carried the newest addition in the family. It was a young baby girl dressed in a light pink outfit and had light blonde purple hair setting her apart from the happy little scene.

 

“Juri,” Sakura called over the railing, “Juri up here!”

 

The purple haired woman looked around for the source of the call until she found it almost exactly above her. She beamed, “Hello there Sakura, I see you are almost done with that baby. When are you expected to deliver?”

 

“Any time now,” Sakura replied, “I see yours had already arrived. She is adorable, congratulations.”

 

“Thank you, hey we are just going for a walk if you feel up to joining us,” she yelled back.

 

Sakura nodded, “Sure I'll be right down, just give me a minute.”

 

The pink haired soon to be mom went back into her apartment and quickly checked all the locks before leaving. It had become a habit for Sakura ever since that night a few weeks back, since then visits from Kakashi had become more frequent, not that Sakura minded. He was strong and brave, she felt safe with him.

 

It only took her five minutes to have her apartment locked and for her to get downstairs. Juri was still waiting with her children.

 

“Where are we going,” Sakura asked.

 

“Oh just around the outside of town a bit, maybe by the training grounds. My boys enjoy watching the ninja train,” Juri said absently rocking her sleeping baby, “They are already saying they want to be ninjas when they grow up.”

 

“I remember my days back in the academy, and then there was training with sensei. They were good times,” Sakura murmured remembering all of it.

 

“You are a Jounin,” Juri asked in surprise.

 

Sakura laughed, “I decided to become a medical nin after a while. I still got to be out doing all the fun stuff and Tsunade really thinks my future looks bright with it. I just thought I would deliver a baby in my job before actually having one.”

 

“Well live sometimes sends you an odd turn.”

 

The group walked alone a quiet little path through the trees. The canopy of trees blocked out a little sun but and a lot of the sun that came through set spot patterns all over the ground below. Through the trees they could still see homes and people walking off to their jobs or where ever else they needed to go.

 

The boys were running ahead with what seemed to be a never ending amount of energy. Sometimes they would double back and start running circles around the women but they only started running ahead again scaring wildlife and kicking up rocks.

 

“I never got the chance before to get the children's names,” Sakura said out of the blue trying to start some more conversation.

 

Juri laughed, “No you didn't. Well the one that had the hair in his face is Taiji, his twin the hyperactive monkey is Emori and this little one here is Tsukika.”

 

“I haven't even thought about what I am going to name my baby yet,” Sakura sighed, “I guess I should start, but there are so many different names I have always been fond of I don't know what to choose.”

 

“You'll know when the time comes don't worry,” assured Juri.

 

“I hope so.”

 

“One thing you will find Sakura,” Juri sighed taking in the fresh air, “As long as you love them you can never go wrong. My children are the world to me, and I wouldn't change them for all the riches in the land.”

 

Sakura thought about it for a moment thinking about all the things her child would have to live with, but soon a small smile played her lips, “No I wouldn't either, this baby is mine and no one will change that. I will treat it like it deserves to be, like a prince … or princess no one can really tell which yet for sure can they?”

 

“No real 100% way I'm afraid.”

 

They had been walking aimlessly down the familiar paths they walked when they were children. They were the old paths that went right by the training grounds, just past a thin row of trees were training ninja fighting and learning new techniques.

 

Taiji looked at them with wide eyes, “Wow! That is so cool, one day I am going to be just like them!”

 

“Me too,” Emori agreed, “One day I am going to be powerful and strong like them!”

 

“If you train and work hard then you will,” Sakura assured.

 

Both boys grinned and watched the young ninja train under the supervision of their Sensei. Once and a while they would attempt to do a stunt they saw an older kid do but they did not yet have the skill to do so, but Sakura explained that once they were in the academy then they would be taught how to do stuff like it and once they were out training with real Jounin they would gain the experience they needed.

 

“For someone who is so unsure of her parenting capabilities you are sure good with children,” Juri smirked.

 

The line of trees separating them from the training grounds grew thin until they were standing in a clearing where they decided to watch. They picked a spot in the shade of a few trees, the women sat down and the boys watched the sparing in between climbing trees. Juri was not kidding when she said her son Emori was a monkey, he was able to climb the tree just above them faster than any other boy his age, even his twin had a hard time keeping up in the trees.

 

Sakura sat with her back against a tree to ease some of the weight of the baby from her back and Juri sat next to her bouncing Tsukika on her lap. The infant seemed bubbly and laughed when her mom played little games with her.

 

“Amazing,” Sakura laughed looking up in the tree at Emori, “He can't be more than five now and he has already climbed half way up this tree.”

 

Juri gave a nervous laugh, “Yes but he also has a bad habit of pretending he is going to fall just to get me all worried. Last time he almost fell for real and no one believed him until Taiji got to him and caught him just in time.”

 

If this ever does that I would have a heart attack, Sakura thought harshly, Please don't let it play nasty jokes all the time…it would be way to much like having a second Naruto.

 

“Mom look at that Jounin,” Emori called from the tree. Once he had his mom's attention he pointed to a particular silver haired Jounin Sensei instructing his students near by.

 

Sakura smiled, he is talking about Kakashi.

 

“He can beat those students so easily,” Taiji said in awe leaning on his branch to get a better view, “I think he is even reading a book while he is doing it.”

 

He never changes does he, Sakura giggled at the all too true statement.

 

Juri laughed, “He almost looks bored.”

 

Sakura's smirk grew wider, nope, he never will change.

 

The boys continued to watch the silver haired man for quite some time until he dismissed his students, and glanced in their direction. Both boys looked like they just had heart attacks when he began heading in their direction. Juri had almost the same surprised reaction and it made it hard for Sakura not to laugh.

 

“Hey Sakura what are you doing here,” Kakashi asked sitting himself down next to her.

 

“I was just out for a walk with Juri and her kids,” explained Sakura, “Were those kids your new students?”

 

“You and the boys were not the only students I have taught you know,” Kakashi laughed before turning to Juri and offering a handshake, “I'm Hatake Kakashi pleased to meet you.”

 

“Juri,” she smiled taking the handshake, “Did you say you were Sakura's Sensei?”

 

“Ya,” Kakashi said simply.

 

“Wow,” Emori said hanging upside down on his branch.

 

Kakashi looked up at the boys, “Wow these kids are everywhere.”

 

Juri laughed, “Those are my sons Emori and Taiji, quiet the goof balls aren't they?”

 

“They're kids,” Kakashi smiled through his mask and got to his feet, “I think I'll go up and join them.”

 

Show off, Sakura smirked as she watched.

 

The twins expected him to start climbing the normal way, they never expected him to walk strait up the tree. Sakura remember the old trick, she had always been the best at it out of the old team seven. Kakashi always made it look easier than it was, especially when he did it with crutches the one time.

 

“Whoa,” Taiji's jaw dropped, “That is so cool.”

 

“I'm surprised two boys your size could get up here and get around so easily,” Kakashi sat on a thick branch and leaned against the tree.

 

“You don't know the half of it,” Juri chuckled stroking the baby's hair.

 

The six of them just hung around talking for quite a few hours, by the time they all decided it was time to head back the sun was preparing itself to set, but it was such a nice peaceful day no one minded. Sakura especially was sad that they were going home, when it came down to it she preferred the company of others over her own. Her apartment just seemed to empty and hollow; she almost couldn't wait to have a child to share it with.

 

Kakashi decided to walk back with them since his apartment was in the same direction; Sakura was just surprised he did not mind the question mark twins. If it had been her she definitely would have minded having questions shot at her left and right, it was how she felt about being asked who the father of her child was.

 

“See ya guys,” Sakura waved goodbye to her friends as she walked into her apartment building.

 

“Bye Sakura,” Kakashi walked in a different direction than Juri and her children deciding to stop off downtown before going back to his place.

 

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Sakura shoved the last bit of her carrot snack in her mouth as she stretched out on the couch; she had to admit she was bored. There was no one to talk to and nothing to do. The only thing close to company she had was her baby trying to fight her from inside out.

 

“Calm down,” she mumbled to her stomach, “You'll be out of there soon enough. After that you can run a marathon if you want.”

 

Moaning Sakura decided to go out onto the balcony again, the sun was now setting and watching it go down always relaxed her. Maybe even though her child couldn't see the sunset it would sooth it too, anything was worth a shot at this point to calm her unborn infant.

 

Soon enough you will be able to look at the sunset with me little one, Sakura patted her stomach slightly as she headed to her balcony.

 

That sunset seemed to be more beautiful than anything on earth. There were so many shades of reds, yellows, pinks and oranges it just took Sakura's breath away. The sun still shone brightly in the clear late afternoon sky signaling another warm and beautiful day the next day.

 

The one thing I can always count on these moments to be in my memories forever, thought Sakura.

 

There was a knock at the door, and not feeling like leaving the sight she just yelled, “Who is it.”

 

“Its us,” Hinita's voice called, “Can we come in?”

 

“Go nuts,” Sakura replied absently.

 

The door swung open in the dim apartment and the four friends entered.

 

“Hey how's it going Sakura,” Naruto asked casually, “Do you have any ramen I'm starving.”

 

Sasuke gave Naruto an annoyed disbelieving look, “You have got to be kidding me! You made us stop for ramen on the way here you bottomless pit. Where the hell do you put it all for Kami's sake?”

 

Sakura gave a small smile, “Just give me a second Naruto I'll check and see if I have any left.”

 

Hinita stepped forward to stop her, “No, no just tell me where it is and I'll get it. You can sit down.”

 

“I can still walk Hinita,” Sakura said smartly, “You all sit and I'll go get Naruto his ramen, but while I'm up does anyone want a drink or something?”

 

Everybody shook their heads and shot Naruto death glares for being such a pit.

 

Sakura shook his head in amusement but she really did not mind, something to do was something to do no matter how much of a block head she was doing it for. At least this time she had something to keep her busy and if Sasuke and Naruto kept arguing the way they always did then it made for good entertainment. Hey, beggars can't be choosers right?

 

Ramen, ramen, the little voice in Sakura's mind pondered, I think I keep it on the top shelf of the cupboard don't I? Yes I think I do…

 

Finding the ramen Sakura yelled back into the living room, “What kind do you want Naruto?”

 

“What kinds to you have?”

 

“Just chicken.”

 

“What the hell did you bother asking me then?”

 

“You were being annoying I figured I should get a turn,” giggled Sakura.

 

“…I will never understand women.”

 

Taking the bowl of instant noodles Sakura got her kettle and started boiling the water.

 

After the kettle whistled Sakura reached for it to poor the hot water when her hand stopped dead in its tracks. Instead it rested on her stomach as a slight wince began to appear on her face.

 

Hinita walked into the room to see if her friend needed help to find her bent over clutching her stomach slightly, “Oh my god Sakura!”

 

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Sorry about the cliffy guys! Hehe I bet you all can guess what is happening next.

Keep up the reviews people! & thank ya'll for the baby names!!

 

Love ya!

Lil_Pix