Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Past Midnight ❯ Child of Mine ( Chapter 6 )

A/N: Maybe this will help clear some things up for you Inu+Kago and whoever else is confused.

 

Sasuke's issue: the kid is drowning in his own guilt and wants to get rid of it, but is too much of a wimp to actually face his problems head on. The forest incident is the beginning of Sasuke and Sakura's relationship or downfall, whichever one you like. That's when the guilt first begins, after shunning her away when the next day he realizes she needed his help. The rape incident happens later, much later, thus causing him to run away from his problems thinking it would rid him of his guilt, oh but what a fool he was…

 

I think I went off topic, sorry.

 

To answer your question: when Sakura remembers the night she spent with Sasuke (in the earlier chapters) it's actually the rape incident, and Sasuke is remembering the night in the forest.

 

Yes, yes, I've been wanting to clear up the miscarriage deal and Sakura's break up with Neji. (cracks evilly)

 

But was it Neji's or Sasuke's baby? You'll have to find out…

 

Enjoy!

 

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The little girl inside of her wanted to run ahead and fly through the opened gates of the village just like she used to when she had loving parents waiting for her return after long missions with team seven. A fleeting swelling of sadness crept upon her momentarily as she thought of her late parents and whose mysterious deaths were never solved even as the years passed. But at the moment she wanted nothing more than to welcome everything, every detail to her senses, from the way the orange glow swallowed the heavenly sky to the soft green earth painted by wild living colors and to the way the air was warm yet cool at the same time. It had been too long and she suddenly realized how much she missed home.

 

Behind her Naruto and Sasuke walked silently, and she could feel his stare upon her. Somehow longing and desperate in a way she could not comprehend and she silently hoped he was only feeling needy or possessive because Sakura wasn't sure she could handle a somewhat emotional Sasuke. She didn't need him to start any more trouble; she already had problems of her own.

 

The guard up ahead looked a bit startled with their arrival, mouth hanging slightly open with wide surprised eyes, she couldn't remember where she'd seen him before, but she was certain his chakra was familiar from somewhere.

 

“Lieutenant?” he squeaked.

 

She stopped, quite aware that his voice held that of bewilderment and an astonishment tone, and then remembered that the young man was once one of her late pupils who became a medic. He wasn't much, his skills and talents were average like most of the other people she had taken in, but he was so sweet and tender to the patients and his gentleness had somehow captivated her. He reminded Sakura of her younger self before the self-loathing and loneliness took over. She was glad he made it out alive from the war with Orochimaru; he was too precious to die.

 

She nodded and began her stride inside the village followed closely behind by what seemed like two lost little puppies. The call through the radio to the Hokage tower did not go unnoticed by Sakura.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The news of Sakura's arrival was a bit of a shock for everyone in the village, especially for the poor young man who hurriedly made his way to the Hokage's office too see the pink-haired woman. His mind swam with so many thoughts of her haunting image as he shoved people roughly out of his path not really caring if he looked more like an asshole, he could care less about his image or what others thought of him. He was almost certain with the uneasy feeling in his chest that threatened to burst out that the object of his affection was way beyond saving.

 

Last time he had been lucky.

 

Even though they never spoke prior to her teammates' departure, he always admired from afar how well she kept herself together in times of sorrow and her never-ending determination never failed to amaze him. She was sweet and quiet most of the time and she had a bad habit of hiding behind a fake happy and fiery façade to conceal her shy self and loneliness. He never questioned her about it; it wasn't any of his business what she hid from the world, but he did try his best to push her out of her shell.

 

They quickly became very close. More so when they shared quiet nights together after long days of hard training, watching the night sky shimmering with thousands of golden stars had always calmed Sakura and eased her troubled mind. His heart always sped crazily when she would shyly smile at him, eyes glittering with delight and happiness, as a delicate hand rubbed the little swell of her growing belly.

 

“I think it's a boy,” she chirped cheerfully as she rubbed her aching tummy. Her companion beside her examined the little bulge sticking oddly out of her petite body before spreading his calloused fingers around her revealing flesh.

 

She looked so good, even when being pregnant. She, Haruno Sakura, was the only girl he knew that could sport pregnancy as sexy. As the days passed her clothes started to fit her more snugly and Neji found it rather hard not to stare as the buttons of her blouses came undone from the top and bottom from time to time.

 

“I think it's a girl,” he smirked as she childishly stuck her tongue out at him, blushing wildly and soon regretting her innocent gesture as his mouth was upon her devouring her hungrily.

 

“Ne-eeji!” she slapped him playfully on the shoulder as she gasped for air earning a deep, rich chuckle from the serious young man.

 

“Really, Neji, you can be so childish sometimes.”

 

“It doesn't matter because you seem to like me that way,” he spoke smugly as he saw her cheeks tinting a bright scarlet red.

 

“Jerk,” she muttered embarrassingly.

 

She had refused him and his offer of marriage. Arguing that she would ruin his life and career because of the ongoing cruel whispers and gossip that spread around the village like wild fire. He remembered telling her he didn't give a shit after kissing her tenderly. He was going to marry her whether or not he had to drag her down the aisle and she nervously laughed because he was very calm and serious. He deeply cared for her and her unborn child and that fact would not change no matter what people said. When she still refused his offer he made a scene in front of everyone in the middle of the street that had her burning up red in embarrassment and he didn't stop until she agreed to marry him.

 

“Sakura, please…”

 

“No, I won't marry you and that's final,” her stubbornness irked him. Here he was spilling his feelings and offering her a better life for her and the unborn child and she flat out refused him. No one rejects a Hyuuga, especially Hyuuga Neji.

 

He dropped to one knee and held her hand tenderly against his lips as he watched her confused emerald eyes widening. He hollered as if he were in pain gaining everyone's attention in the crowded street, “My dear Sakura blossom, how much I cherish thee!”

 

The couple earned questioning stares and a decent crowd as the villagers came close to investigate all the commotion that was occurring.

 

“You would make me the happiest man in the world if you would accept to be my youthful, beautiful bride and I, your loyal, youthful husband,” he grinned wickedly at her when she realized that he was posing like Rock Lee. Her face flamed as she heard the quiet chuckles and giggles from the people watching them.

 

She tried to pull her hand away only resulting in a slight firm tug from her hollering boyfriend, which caused her to fall easily into his expecting arms. He picked her up and rubbed his cheek against hers, “We are in our time of flaming youth and it should not go to waste because of fear of becoming one in mind, body, and soul!”

 

The laughter was becoming quite unbearable for Sakura as she struggled in Neji's tight hold, “Be my bride and I promise I will grant you all the happiness in the world for being mine. Our children, all fifteen of them will be playing happily in a beautiful home fit only for a queen. Their innocent little minds full of determination will roam the village and—”

 

“FINE!!” she yelled, “I'll marry you…”

 

She whimpered when the clapping roared as her prince in shining armor kissed her sweetly on the lips.

 

Of course not every story ends in a happy ending. After her miscarriage she became distant and eerily quiet. There was nothing he could do or say that would change her mood. She had cancelled the wedding, tearing each and every invitation with her own bare hands until she was drowning in piles of ripped paper. He found her on some occasions in the Uchiha property, crying her sorrows away on the weed-infested gardens.

 

“Sakura, how are you feeling?” he approached her slowly. Her red-rimmed eyes revealed the pain of losing her first child that would never be able to experience the meaning of living.

 

“I guess you were right after all, it was a girl…” she smiled bitterly.

 

Neji loudly burst through the office doors, head moving around frantically searching for pink hair and when his silver eyes finally rested on the petite woman he felt his heart break.

 

“Sakura,” she didn't acknowledge Neji when he called her name, she was too busy trying to come up with a believable lie that would fool the occupants in the office, yet she knew right away the idea would not work. She did not need them interrogating her. She already had enough of people forcing information out of her, of forcing her in general. All she wanted was to be left alone and at peace.

 

“Neji, close the door.”

 

He nodded, closed the door quietly, then made his way to the empty seat next to Kakashi, who was busily staring at the ground somberly. Sasuke and Naruto were on opposite sides of the room, both facing Sakura. Tsunade was watching Sakura carefully from her desk; quite aware of her image, she was thin and tired. She sighed; she had hoped their reunion would have been a better one with laughs and tears of joy not of frowns and somber atmospheres.

 

Sakura kept her gaze to the opened balcony door, trying to ignore the confused and questioning looks she received from all of them. When it seemed she would not speak, Tsunade rubbed her aching temples and walked around her desk to stand in front of Sakura.

 

“Sakura, where have you been for the past year?”

 

She made no move as she kept her gaze away from Tsunade, “On vacation.”

 

Naruto scowled, “Vacation?! On vacation! What kind of vacation makes your hands disfigured?!”

 

“Naruto!” Sasuke spat warningly.

 

“The kind that has you dying to stay longer,” she hissed back.

 

“Sakura, I won't repeat myself,” Tsunade calmly said before demanding the answer that was plaguing everyone, “Where have you been?”

 

She shrank back into her seat feeling like a little child caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. She mumbled something under her breath while still refusing to make eye contact with Tsunade.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I said, it's non of your business,” she replied bitterly.

 

Over a year of feeling guilty and drowning her sorrows away with alcohol thinking she was responsible for Sakura's death and all she received as an answer was, `it's non of your business'. She felt betrayed and cheated, she had mourned for her, days, weeks, and months and all she had to say was `Vacation,' and `it's non of your business'. No, she was hiding something big from her and she would not let her go until she spilled the beans.

 

“It is my business,” Tsunade scoffed.

 

Sakura clenched her covered hands, “It is not!”

 

“IT IS! I've been worried sick about you. I had every available ninja search for you after the incident and…and,” Tsunade was at loss of words, “JUST ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!!”

 

“YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER,” Sakura screeched back almost childishly.

 

Her head whipped the side, cheek burning with a stinging sensation as she brought her scarred hand to briefly touch the tender flesh. Tsunade was breathing hard, eyes pooling rivers of tears, “No, I'm not your Mother…”

 

The dull tone to Tsunade's words made her cringe inside, almost regretful for taking out her frustration on the woman she adored as an aunt. But she had every right to be upset, it seemed everyone was accusing her of a crime that had yet to be confessed and proven.

 

“Please, Sakura. I beg of you, please tell me…” she touched Sakura's cheek and grabbed her chin, softly pulling her face up to meet her begging brown eyes.

 

Tsunade wasn't expecting what she saw clearly written on her pupil's face. Torn, beaten look, her eyes…her eyes flashing with raw pain as haunting as she had ever seen her. Pale, pale eyes that didn't even focus anymore…

 

She dropped her hand from Sakura's chin and staggered back a few steps before bumping into her desk, “You-you're…”

 

“I'm blind,” she whispered shamefully.

 

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A/N: Ok, so I did say I was going to end this in two chapters, but it seems it might be a little more. It just refuses to end and it's driving me a bit mad. This chapter is a little short, but I'm quite happy how it turned out.

 

Alas we have Neji in the story and once again the flashbacks attacked. And Sakura's secret is revealed or is it really revealed?