Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Tails of a Heritage ❯ More Than Just Good Friends ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Five years has passed, with Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura as advanced level Chunin. But when Sakura finds herself in trouble, Naruto is again the one who has to pay the ultimate price...

Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.24.2006 | Pages: 6 | Words: 12.2K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Work In Progress

Chapter One

More Than Just Good Friends

((Author's Note: Hiya everyone! 'Niji here. 'Just wanted to say stuff like "enjoy this" and "review that", but I also wanted to tell you that this is like, my second Naruto ficcy, so, I'm not exactly one hundred percent on all the things I may say. Like, I haven't read a million manga (I've read about most), and I haven't watched all the anime series (All of them so far...), so I might not be accurate, like I said, for you hard-core Naruto fans. Ha. I tried my best to make up things that would be plausible (Like the time this takes place in, a made up time when everyone's like, seventeen and such and they're still in Ninja school as being trained as a Chunin)... Correct me if I'm wrong. No, seriously, please do. Not a flame or anything that bad, but just correcting me would be good so I can fix it. Hee. Anyways, in the middle of this chapter (Or last quarter, it doesn't matter what you call it), it goes quickly to Naruto's point of view. The story then continues on after that. Hee! I thought some creativity would spice the story up. Well, sorry for rambling on you! Enjoy! ))

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"Hey, Naruto-sensei!"

Naruto grumbled as he turned to the side, tangled up in his bed sheets. A wet (Chewed on one corner) pillow lay on the ground, tossed away in probable discontent from another one of Naruto's ramen dreams.

"Naruto-sensei! Wake up!"

"Aagh!" Naruto growled as he went to sat up, but ended up rolling off the edge of his bed onto the hard, wooden floor. When he untangled himself from the many sheets, he took a glance over at his calendar (On the wall near his window, the calendar being a nude one), then raised his eyebrows. "What?" There was no school for him today. Why was that kid bugging him when it was so early? He opened his eyes from their regular squint, then walked over to his window to see an impatient Konohamaru tapping his foot, arms folded, and looking around the block.

"Naru-- Oh!" Konohamaru blinked. "Geez, that took you long enough. I thought Chunin were supposed to be swift and sneaky. I wouldn't have been surprised if you snook up behind me and made me trip like you usually do, Naruto-sensei. Now I'm just unimpressed." Of course, Konohamaru was still as clumsy as ever, and Naruto had never once tripped him on his face. Everyone knew that fact, and was partly the reason why at sixteen, he was still a lesser advanced Genin. Konohamaru still and will probably always consist that it's tricky Naruto.

Konohamaru, just having turned sixteen, was much taller and less bratty looking. Replaced by that strange hat he wore was a Konoha hitai-ate, now that he was a Ninja, Genin who's almost a Chunin, which was close to Naruto's level (Now that Naruto was a more-advanced Chunin, while Konohamaru was having trouble with being Genin- How pathetic for a Hokage's Grandson!).

"Do you want that to happen?" Naruto shot, rubbing his eyes, sleepily.

"No!" Konohamaru answered obediently.

"Well, what do you want? You woke me up early enough."

"First of all, Naruto-sensei, it's a little past noon. Secondly, Sakura-chan wants to see you. She was throwing rocks at my window to get me out of bed and was breaking stuff 'cause it went right through, then when I answered, I got this!" He pointed to his left eye. "It's pitch freakin' black! Believe it!"

When Konohamaru considered himself to be grown and wanted out of living with his Grandfather, he ended up buying a house right next to Sakura's. And that was good for Naruto, since he and Sakura were now good friends, because Sakura would go bug Konohamaru to get Naruto, and knowing loyal Konohamaru, he would.

"Sure, it is... Mffh... Wait, Sakura wants to see me!" Naruto went from lazy to completely alert. He stood straight up, leaned out his winder, then pointed harshly at Konohamaru. "Why didn't you tell me as soon as she called on you!"

"I had to eat breakfast, then I had to go to school! I don't get time off all the time, unlike you Chunin..." He went off into grumbles. "...I'm here on my lunch break."

"Oh!" Naruto pretty-much flew down the flight of stairs, then ran into the kitchen (Which was really the only other room other than upstairs), making ramen as quick as he could. Konohamaru walked in, then pulled up a seat at Naruto's tiny table.

"You're in a hurry, Naruto-sensei. It's just Sakura-chan. Take a break, she can wait."

"'Just'?" Naruto repeated as he tapped his foot on the ground, waiting for his ramen to boil. "Do you know who you're talking to here, Konohamaru?"

"Oh... Right..." Konohamaru's voice trailed off. "...Ever since Sakura-chan became your friend, I thought you got over that, and not get greedy." He smirked.

"Unlike you, I don't get 'girlfriends'! People don't like me, other than Sakura and you... And a few other people like Kakashi-sensei. They can stand me. Most people can't bear me. So I tell them to beat it! Believe it!" Yes, it's ture. Five years later and Naruto still says his most favorite line. Everyone he hung out with, including Kakashi, said that line to mock Naruto with a sense of humor.

"Ah, I guess I get what you mean. I bet if people got to know you, they'd like you."

"Uh..." Naruto turned around a little, the expression on his face being no longer rushed but a little freaked out. "...Thanks?"

"Holy crap! Look at the time!" Konohamaru jumped to his feet, then started towards the door. "See ya, Naruto-sensei! Be sure to tell me later what Sakura-chan told you. Hah!" After that, Konohamaru ran off on his way, being sure to trip on his face on the way out. When he jumped back up to his feet, he turned around to Naruto with a grin. "Sneaky you, Naruto-sensei!"

After Naruto finished his ramen, he headed out to Sakura's house. What could she want? Well, Naruto didn't care; it was a good excuse to be able to hang out with Sakura some more... And it was a day-off, too.

Even as Sakura grew older and got closer to her friends, she still spent her days-off cramming and such for tests that Kakashi didn't even get to handing out, never mind executing them.

"Hey, Naruto," Shikamaru stuck his tongue out at Naruto as he walked by. Naruto stopped for a second.

Shikamaru Nara, still looking the same, leaned against Ino's housed, right next to the door like he did when he waited for Ino to either let him in, or for Ino to come out; That is, now that Ino and Shikamaru had been going out.

"Hrm, Shikamaru," Naruto gave a grin towards Shikamaru. "Still hanging around Ino's house? Why don't you get a life?"

Naruto and Shikamaru were still rivals, but not nearly as much as the inevitable Sasuke and Naruto. They (Shikamaru and Naruto) could actually enjoy each other's company... Well, to a lesser extent.

"Still moping around Sakura's house? Just because her mom thinks you're an adorible-little-pookykins doesn't mean that Sakura will accept you into her life like her mom suggest she should. Believe it!" Shikamaru said in a mocking voice, copying Naruto's line as mostly everyone else did.

"Pfft," Naruto couldn't think of a comeback. After all, Shikamaru was right; Sakura's mother did see a son-in-law in Naruto, but he knew that the chance of Sakura ever thinking that way was very low indeed. When he got to her house, he knocked several times. Of course, it was Sakura's mom whom answered.

"Naruto-chan!" She squealed as she grabbed Naruto's hand, pulling him inside. Naruto turned his head and caught a glance of a snickering pair of Ino and Shikamaru. "Come in! Sakura was worried since you came later than she expected you to. I bet it was the Honorable Grandson of the Third Lord Hokage who got you late?"

"Yeah, but it's not all his fault. He had Ninja-academy today."

"Hmm... Well, next time, Sakura will have to go to your house on her own. It's only a street or two down. She can make it. Anyways, she's in her room; Studying, like usual. So, anyways, I'm making a big dinner tonight (That you can join, of course, if you aren't busy), so I'm going to get started on it. You can just head up to her room."

"Mmhmm!" Naruto gave a nod as he nodded to the dinner idea, then headed up a flight of small stairs to Sakura's room; Two rooms, to be exact. Her house was fairly large, probably because of the expensive area. The Ninja Academy/Hokage's house was down the street, so were several stores (Including the flowering shop that is also the Yamanaka's household).

"Naruto?" Sakura opened the door to her room as she asked hopefully. Her concerned expression turned large and bubbly at the confused Naruto, never getting which door lead to Sakura's room. "Naruto! My room's here." The inner-Sakura, of course, added it's two cents. 'Late enough! Stupid boys. Loud Naruto. He'll probably make my situation a living hell if I know him correctly.'

"Ooh, yeah, I always get mixed up."

"Mmhmm..." Sakura gave a nervous laugh as she sat down, using her bed as a chair. "...The way I remember is that the other room is a bathroom..." She was obviously being sarcastic, except for the part of the other room being a bathroom, in which it was. Naruto, however, gave a nod as he looked around her room. He didn't tell that she was sarcastic. If so, he didn't care.

"So, Konohamaru said that you had something important to tell me?" Naruto's blue eyes twinkled as they opened a little for her answer. He had high hopes of Sakura asking to go out with Naruto, but the possibility of that awesome factor was probably less than zero.

"Yeah..." Sakura started slowly as she looked towards the ground. Naruto walked over near her window, then leaned out as he caught a nice, cool breeze. "...About that..." She twirled a string of her medium-long, pink hair with her finger, in a nervous fashion, more or less.

Sakura, now being five years older, decided to take both Ino and Naruto's advice to grow her hair back. Ino told her to do it because 'she looked butch', and Naruto agreed, but with a more sensitive; 'You look prettier with long hair, Sakura! But you look pretty all the time, so, it doesn't matter'. Corny. Sasuke gave a 'Keh' while Kakashi suggested, 'Why don't you just shave it all off?'.

"Yeah?"

"Um..." Sakura started to turn red. "...I just found out that..."

"Yeah?"

"Naruto, I found out that I'm pregnant."

"What!" Naruto nearly choked on both his and her words. 'Damn Sasuke!' immediately rang throughout his mind. "No!"

Sakura rested her hands on her hands, giving a slight whimper, as Naruto started walking away. She was surprised.

"Where are you going?"

"To kick that bastard Sasuke's ass!" Naruto harshly replied as he clenched his fist. Sakura immediately gave thought to note that Naruto's voice was not only just plain anger, but it was mostly a sound of jealousy mixed with being extremely protective towards Sakura. She felt flushed and complimented a little by that.

"Why...?"

"It doesn't take a genius! You're having his kid!"

"What? Is that what you think?"

"Yeah..." Naruto said slowly. He turned to face Sakura. "...Wait, what should I be thinking?"

"Sasuke has nothing to do with this, Naruto," Sakura's voice went softer, but she was still stern.

"Who does, then?" Naruto was dumbfounded. Who else did Sakura have a crush on? No one he knew of. Damn! Still, now Sakura was going to have to resign from the academy; You can't be a great Ninja with a little baby hanging off your shoulder.

"Hmm. Surely, you haven't forgotten."

"I don't remember."

"Last... Week..." Sakura said slowly, her fingers poking around shyly to each other.

"Last..." Naruto headed towards the window again. He might have known what Sakura's question was, if he was really listening. If it wasn't Sasuke's child, then it was someone else's that was now-competition, though Sakura had probably made up her mind. It was of no use, but he would still try; Even without the guarantee of success. "... I don't remember! But in any case, I don't think you're pregnant! You're just fooling me! You aren't even married yet..."

"Oh! Yes, that's true. But I plan to be."

Naruto turned to see Sakura's hazel green eyes meet his oceanic blue. They paused for a moment. Then, a dumb comment by Naruto just broke the attractive tension.

"So, can you just tell me who the damn father is?"

With a far look out the window again to see if he could see a possible beau, Sakura simply said;

"You."

"Whaaa--aagh!" Naruto had flipped himself over and out the window from shock and just plain not paying attention from how much he leaned out. The result of this was Naruto landing flat on his face.

Sakura shook her head then laid back, stretched out on her bed. Great. Just great. This was going to be the father of her child.

Meanwhile, with Naruto just getting up from the ground, another scream (A little bit of masculinity, but mostly feminine) was heard a few doors down at Ino's house/Flower shop.

Shikamaru ran clumsily out the door, falling and slipping every few steps, until he tripped over the unsuspecting Naruto, and both of them hit the ground once more.

"Damn! What is it with you, Shikamaru!" Naruto growled as he jumped to his feet.

"I'm not in the mood for your crappy Ninja tactics!" Shikamaru hopped up, nearly slipping over in the back. Both boys did a fighting position, though it was obvious that neither of them would do any moves against each other.

"What's wrong with you?" Naruto asked, just as Shikamaru did the same.

"I'm not telling." Once again, the two boys did the same.

"Well, you first." Same.

"Fine!" Repeated.

"Sakura/Ino's pregnant." It's predictable.

"What!" It'll probably just keep going...

"No way." ...And going...

They both went silent, as they walked down the dusty road, past a few street market-cars. They remained silent until...

"Well--"

Then they both stopped with a glare at each other. They continued to wander aimlessly, silently at that, since neither of them wanted to say a word that would be most-likely doubled.

Naruto stopped in his tracks, then turned around to his house. He would go take a long, long nap, even though it was a little after one.

The next day was a day that Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were planned to meet Kakashi at the Academy to learn a little more about being an intermediate Chunin.

Naruto and Sasuke challenged each other to be early; Both of them were. But where was Sakura? She wasn't first like always.

Hours past of silence between Sasuke and Naruto, and the late (What else is knew?) Kakashi entered the classroom, being splashed with a bucket of water that rested on top of teh door; Another one of Naruto's signature immature tricks. Naruto howled with laughter, Kakashi did absolutely nothing, and Sasuke didn't crack a smile or a chuckle. Usually, Sakura would scold Naruto, but she didn't, as she wasn't there.

"Where's Sakura?" Kakashi asked with surprise, as he looked around the classroom.

"Not here, obviously," A regular delinquent Naruto leaned back on the bench he sat on. Sasuke blinked normally, looking really out-of it.

"That's odd. Usually she's upfront and center, and would come even if she was sick. Oh well. Something important must have come up..." He started slowly in a monotone voice. Sasuke and Naruto gave him a strange look, not understanding his ways of rambling. "...However, that isn't the way of a Chunin! I'll give Sakura a warning, as she has a good reason, other than you two. If either of you don't come at anytime without a fair warning, you'll hear from me. You aren't little Genin or Academy-goers; You're responsible Chunin now. Get used to it."

Naruto gulped, mouthing the word 'brutal', while Sasuke remained completely smooth. Naruto scowled.

Kakashi started his meaningless lesson of rambles and points with no tip. The day was regular, but then again, not exactly the same without Sakura there. Even Sasuke understood that.

At the end of Kakashi's lesson, Naruto decided he would check on Sakura. Sasuke ended up having the very same idea; As did Kakashi, except Kakashi was probably going to yell at her more than a check up.

Sakura poked her head out the front window, since she thought she heard that obnoxiously loud voice that emitted from Naruto, and she was right. But Sasuke and Kakashi caught Sakura's quick peak, then rushed their pace.

"Kakashi-sensei! Why are you going to Sakura's house?" Naruto started walking faster than Sasuke and Kakashi to show them off. Sasuke then fastened their pace, and soon enough, they were several houses away from their sensei.

"I told you before the lesson began, Naruto... Hmm. Now I wonder if you listened to the rest of the lesson..." Kakashi stopped as he put his hand to his chin. Naruto stopped and gulped. Sasuke stopped and gave a growl at the back of his throat, as he knew what was coming next. "...I'm going to have a review test first thing in the morning for you two. Not Sakura, since she wasn't at the lesson. As for you two, a test. That sounds good." Kakashi gave a cheery look as he continued onto Sakura's house. When he got there, without hesitation he knocked on the door.

Sakura's mom answered, gave a strange look to Kakashi and Sasuke, but smiled to Naruto; Sakura had told her mother what she had discovered, and Sakura's mother was overjoyed to know that Naruto was her son-in-law from then on, even though Sakura and Naruto weren't engaged.

"Excuse me, but, who are you?" Sakura's mom asked with a cock of her head. Sakura peeked from the stairs, then gasped at the sight of Kakashi.

"Oh no!" She whispered in shock. "I'm in trouble now!" Then, Sakura's inner voice poked into the situation. 'Nice move, Delinquent Sakura, on skipping! Now Kakashi-sensei will know of you being pregnant and he won't be very pleased. Oh! And look; Sasuke is with him! So is Naruto! You're doomed now, Sakura! Doomed!'

Kakashi's eyes spotted Sakura upstairs. She gulped, then gave a nervous wave. Kakashi pretended to do a smile, but Sasuke and Naruto could tell that Kakashi was ticked.

"It's alright, mom! That's just Kakashi-sensei! He's the Jounin that's training Sasuke, Naruto and I," Sakura cheeped from upstairs. "Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke and Naruto are probably here to listen to me explain on why I wasn't at class today." Suddenly, Sakura hurried down the stairs, then pushed past her mother at the door, giving a nervous laugh. Sakura's mom left the doorway to go somewhere else. "Uh... Hi! I'm here." That was followed with and by more nervous giggles.

"Where were you?" Kakashi asked sternly.

"Here, Sensei," Sakura replied, studiously, like she was practicing her answers all day; Knowing Sakura, she probably was. "I stayed at home today."

"Why? Are you sick?"

"No, Sensei... Or, in a way, I guess."

Naruto gulped.

"How is that?" Kakashi's eyes narrowed a little from their cheery position.

"Oh... I suppose I should tell you this first..." Sakura opened the door for the sensei and her two colleagues to enter her house, and she led them into her living room where they could sit down.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Sasuke finally spoke up. Naruto nodded for a first at Sasuke's question.

"Ah... I'm..." She gave a sniffle. Sakura never thought she would ever have to say this. "...Dropping out. I can't be a Chunin any longer."

"Why!" Naruto and Sasuke stood straight up. Kakashi looked shocked, instead of his usually calm expression.

"Naruto, don't be a fool, you know very well why," Sakura barried her face in her hands. Naruto turned flushed and sat down.

"Naruto! What did you do to Sakura!" Both Kakashi and Sasuke glared at Naruto. They knew that if Sakura dropped out, there was no longer a team, and Naruto and Sasuke would be in trouble, even though they weren't really in teams any longer. Kakashi considered them to be, so it was really the same as being a Genin for them.

"N-Nothing! Ask Sakura! I can't explain!" Naruto stuttered, adding a, "Believe it!"

"Oh, pfft!" Sakura turned redder as the moments passed. Sasuke and Kakashi's heads turned from Sasuke and Sakura as they argued back and forth. But now, having confessed her situation to people that included her mother, Naruto and Ino (Since Ino, too, admitted her situation to Sakura first), she was getting better at it. But the embarrassment that was before and followed was still the same. "Fine... Well... Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke, I'm dropping out because I'm pregnant."

They were both speechless. Sasuke's expression turned jealous in an instant towards Naruto. Kakashi was confused.

"I understand that you and Naruto are finally friends, but you were obsessed with Sasuke... How did you manage to get pregnant by Naruto? I'm confused."

"It's complicated!" Both Sakura and Naruto exclaimed at the same time.

"But Sakura, that's not a perfect reason on dropping out of of being a Chunin. We won't do any dangerous missions until you have your child, right, Sasuke? Naruto?" Kakashi gave a deep sigh as he spoke softly and calmlu. He gave a glance to Sasuke and Naruto. They both nodded slowly, but Naruto seemed more reluctant. Sasuke didn't really care, but he was awfully interested in Sakura now, probably now because he couldn't have her, and actually lost something to Naruto. "We'll only do 'D' ranked missions, like babysitting. Dog walking. Things like that that are really easy and not dangerous. Then when you have your child, we'll move on to our regular 'C' and 'B' ranked missions and your child will be well-taken care of at the Academy. You'd be surprised to know this, but lots of kunoichi your age get pregnant, and their children are always well taken care of while they continue their training."

"Um..." Sakura gave a nod. She was obviously uncomfortable with Kakashi, of all people, talking about pregnant kunoichis, her unborn child, and the plan that their team will be doing because of Sakura's nine-month disability. "...Mmhmm. It sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura's inner-voice; 'Oh, yes, thanks, Kakashi-sensei. Now everyone's going to point and laugh at the seventeen year-old Chunin who're babysitting three year olds and walking dogs. Thanks, Kakashi-sensei for making Sasuke and Naruto probably hate me now! Damn!'

Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto started to make their leave, but Sakura closed the door before Naruto was able to leave.

Sasuke, noticing this, gave a strange blink towards Kakashi. Kakashi shrugged, then continued to walk away. Sasuke had a ticked-off glint in his eyes. How did Naruto manage to get Sakura pregnant, even when Sakura was so obsessed with Sasuke-- or himself? It was truly a mystery. Well, between him and himself. Sasuke.

"Naruto," Sakura turned Naruto to face her by turning him by his shoulders. "I need to talk to you."

Naruto gave a sigh, nodded, then walked back into the living room to sit down. Sakura did beside him.

"I decided that even though I'm having your baby, you don't need to be involved; It'll just slow you down on wanting to be the fifth Hokage. So, if you want, we can just pretend this whole thing never happened. Because, you know, if you did want to be involved with this child, we'd have to get married either before or after it's born."

Naruto raised his eyebrows. His slit eyes opened a little. "What are you talking about, Sakura? Now you're the one being foolish. Of course I'll take care of this kid with you! It takes two people to make a kid! Or... Right? Did I get that right?" He didn't exactly know. No one ever taught him. Sakura gave a nod. "Yeah! So, believe it, Sakura! I don't care if it takes a little while longer to become the next Hokage. And I wouldn't mind getting married to you! So everything's fine! Believe it!"

Sakura blushed. "Well, Naruto, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you don't even know how you conceive a child, never mind feeding and taking care of one. Believe it."

"What makes you think that? Ever since I was a baby, I lived alone in my house. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, but no offence Naruto... You drink milk (Mostly old milk) and eat ramen all the time. That's all you eat and drink!"

"First of all, the milk I don't drink is old. I buy it new from the store everyday. Unless... Agh! Bastards! They've been selling me old milk!"

"Well, don't you check the expiry date?"

"'Expiry date'?"

"See...? You don't even know what an expiry date is. What happens if you have to get baby-food for our child and they give you poison? Or old baby-food?" Sakura shook her head as she folded her arms. She wasn't impressed, but then again, you could expect that when it was Naruto you were talking to.

"No! That's not true. I'll learn!" Naruto exclaimed. Sakura gave a cheery, fake smile as she chuckled and nodded.

Sakura's inner-voice; 'Right... Naruto, you're so frickin' dumb, I bet you can't tell black from white!'

"And anyway, I don't only drink milk. I drink water. Juice, sometimes. And then there's ramen; Sure, I like it (It gives me calories, and Ninja need calories!), but I also eat riceballs, sushi (A tiny bit), and--"

"Naruto, that's not the point. It's just that I don't think you're ready to have a child. We're both children ourselves. And anyways, my mother is here to help me and then there's the Academy with will help me out--"

"Don't forget me."

"Oh, Naruto... You just don't understand."

"What don't I understand, Sakura?" His eyes returned slit, as he gave a hard look at Sakura, Naruto now standing up. "Listen. Tell me if some dumbass Chunin would tell you this plan; I'll help you while you're pregnant, and when you have the baby, I'll help you take care of it. After the baby's born, we'll have a wedding! Everything'll be fine. And since my house is kinda' big, we can move in there. I live alone, after all. And plus, you live just a few streets down so we aren't very far from your house-right-now. Come on, Sakura! I promise I'll help you out... Just give me a chance! Trust me! I haven't failed you before, so what makes you think I will now? Believe it, Sakura! Believe it!"

"Oh... Um..." Sakura's hazel eyes glistened like she was going to cry. Naruto kept a still, stable face, though he, too, felt like he would break down at either of her answers. She looked at Naruto wistfully, as the sappy Sakura sniffled, standing up to join Naruto. "...You know what? Naruto, fine, I will! I'll do your plan. Just... Don't fail me."

"I won't."

And you know what? I kept that promise. I helped Sakura out as best as I could. She continued being taught on Chunin-intermideate... Well, I wouldn't call it the 'testing-testing' that Kakashi-sensei still made Sasuke and I do, but she had long word essays that the happy, pregnant Sakura sopped up like a sponge. We did babysitting, dog walking, no danger involved like Kakashi-sensei promised Sakura. And as the months went on, Sakura's stomach grew... Well... Pretty damn big, in my standards. It was now the ninth month of her pregnancy, and Kakashi insisted for Sakura to stop her damn studying and to just rest; It wouldn't be telling when her and I's child would be born. Of course, Sakura did as her (and mine) Sensei told. Soon enough, Sakura would go into labor. It would be then that I would get one of the biggest shocks of my then-seventeen year-old life... Believe it!

"Naruto-sensei! Naruto-sensei!" Konohamaru's alarmed, ringing voice yelled into Naruto's window. This time, Konohamaru was more impatient than before, was skipping school hours and was right perched at Naruto's windowsill. He could have just walked in, but he 'didn't want to be invading on his Sensei's property (Other than his windowsill, of course)'.

"W-what?" Naruto sat straight up in surprise from Konohamaru's nearby, yelling voice. He rubbed his eyes open to see him sitting at his windowsill, the top floor of his house. "Konohamaru! What are you doing here!"

"Sakura-chan! She needs you!"

"What! Why!"

"Iruka-sensei told me to skip out of class and get you, as quick as I could, because no one else volunteered; Sakura-chan's in labor at the Academy! But don't worry, she's already at the Academy's byoin!"

"Agh! Crap!" Naruto jumped out of bed, then ran to the window. "Move it, Konohamaru! I'm following you to the Academy the fast way!"

"Hey! I'm in your window! I can't move--"

"Shove it, I don't care! Just move! Move, or I'll push!"

"Eep! I'm going!"

Soon enough, the two boys got to the Academy's byoin section (It was large, of course, having a byoin section, rooms for the Jounin that lived there and a special-twice-the-sized room for the Hokage. It also had many, many other things). Miko/nurses gave strange glances to Naruto as he and the Honorable Third Lord Hokage's Grandson charged through the wooden, paper-pannelled-walls hallway.

When Naruto reached to slide open the door to the room Sakura was in, a miko stood behind him, tapping her sandled-foot against the wooden floor. Naruto turned with a glare. Konohamaru gulped, then moved behind Naruto for extra-protection.

"What do you think you're doing, Naruto?" She glared hard at him. Naruto recognized her to be a girl he went to Ninja Academy with, but apparently her group failed her test and turned into a miko, other than just trying again. He didn't exactly know her name, either.

"Sakura's in there!" He shot back. "Yeah, and she's having my kid right now! Believe it! So you can't have a problem lettin' me in there, because I have to be in there!"

"Ttch. Yeah, right. Sakura was obsessed with Sasuke--" Dreamy sigh. "--Just like everyone else was! She hated you. So, why the Buddha would she get pregnant with you?"

"Oh, yeah? Well, I really don't know! But I got her pregnant, that's one thing I do know, and we're gettin' married after she has our kid! Believe it!"

"Well, I think you're lying! Believethat!"

The door slid open a little, Iruka's head poking out of the door.

"Oh, Naruto," Iruka gave a grin. "I thought I heard a familiar someone yelling... Like usual. Anyways, Naruto, Sakura's in here. I think you're allowed in, I don't see why not. But Konohamaru, you have to go back to class. Kakashi-sensei's subbing for me, right now." Truly, that was the sad truth. But Iruka couldn't find anyone else who would sub for him, as the class he was currently teaching was quite a handful.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei!" Konohamaru gave a nod, then ran down the halls to class. He fell on his face. Iruka chortled a snicker and Naruto grew to ignore it. "Oh, you're a tricky one, Naruto-sensei! But now's not the time, I have to get to class!"

"Yeah, whatever."

Konohamaru continued on his way.

( Meanwhile, at the class room, Kakashi sat at the teacher's desk reading his pervy-romance novel, while the Genin class passed notes, spat spit-balls and threw poorly done paper-shurikens. It would seem that he could care less... Alas, that was true. Anyways, it was Iruka's upcoming problem, not Kakashi's. )

Iruka let Naruto in the room. Sakura looked to the door with curiosity, then gave a large grin.

"Naruto! It's about time!"

"Sakura, how come you were here when you went into labor? What were you doing here? I thought you were at home, like you were supposed to be; Kakashi-sensei gave us these days off because our kid's due in this time span."

"Oh," Sakura lifted her arm and pointed towards Iruka. Iruka gulped, then looked away. "Iruka-sensei told me that he needed help in the testing-room, since the Genin are getting a test today once more before they get assigned. It's the new policy, so the teachers see what they're getting offered, and also so their last test as mere students wasn't a fluke. Anyways, one Chunin teacher was busy and couldn't arrive, so Iruka-sensei asked me to take his place and just see what the new Genin are made of. But right before their test started, my water broke, and I was shipped out here." She put her hand down, then patted it several times down on the thin mattress she was laying on. Several sheets were below her, and several sheets were on top of her. A few pillows propped her up; It was the old-tyme hospital bed.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto turned at Iruka with a glare. Iruka gave a nervous laugh. "If you needed someone to fill in, why didn't you call on me! I am going to be the Fifth Hokage, anyways! 'Give the shrimps a glimps at their new leader!"

"Right... That option never crossed my mind. Sorry, Naruto. Heh-heh..." Iruka was relieved that Naruto wasn't going to bite his head off because he pulled Sakura out of her resting time at home.

"That's alright, Iruka-sensei. I guess it was a good thing that you called her over here. Now she's safe in the Academy's byoin."

"Ah. That's right," Iruka gave a relived sigh. Naruto gave a laugh as he looked towards Sakura. They then exchanged smiles.

Time went by quickly. Soon enough, it was night. Rain spattered against the roof and temporarily stained the dry ground, making it sopping wet. Dark clouds covered the dark sky. It was a miserable night.

Naruto leaned against the wall by the door of the room Sakura was in; He was kicked out, since Sakura was now having the baby, and for some reason, he wasn't permitted to be in the room at the same time (He guessed that it was because he was the 'dreaded Nine Tailed Fox') He didn't care, as in a few hours, a baby son or daughter would bless both him and Sakura's new home together; And a little while after that, the couple would become one in marriage. Naruto smiled at the thought. And soon enough, the door opened. It was the miko that Naruto had gone to school with; That's right, the one with the attitude.

"Sakura can see you now," She said, almost sounding polite except for the fact that she had to rehearse the line, and said the same thing to everyone who entered the byoin.

Naruto stayed silent, then bolted into the room. Everyone else left to leave the two alone.

"Sakura!" He exclaimed, running to her side, collapsing to his knees to be closer at her side. "Are you alright?"

Sakura coughed a bit. She was more pale than usual. With a nod, she weakly held up a blanketed bundle. "I'm fine, Naruto..."

Naruto looked extremely emotional as he reached out to hold his and Sakura's newborn. "A girl or a boy?"

She cringed from what looked like pain for a moment. "A girl."

He smiled at his daughter; A daughter! He had a daughter. But he couldn't help the fact that Sakura looked like she was in much pain, though she insisted that she was so-called 'fine'. "Sakura! You look hurt! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," She repeated.

It was then that he noticed that the blood from her earlier that was stained on the thin mattress was turning darker, red soaking the pure white, devouring it whole, in a way; Even Naruto himself could tell that something was wrong.

"Sakura!" He nearly jumped to his feet, but he witheld himself. A look of horror washed over his face, a scared tear running down his face. Sakura seemed to cry too, as she knew what was happening, though she tried to hide the fact. "What's happening to you!"

"Calm down," Her soft lips were cracked but not to the extent that they would dribble blood. Her soft voice was light, like she was tired. Well, that was obvious; She just gave birth! "I'm sorry, Naruto... I guess I just wasn't strong enough..."

"What the hell are you talking about!" Naruto looked intently at Sakura. A few tears streamed down his face, dripping gently onto his baby daughter. She blinked up at him, her tiny baby hands smearing the droplets around on her face, unsure of what they were. "Sakura, you're one of the strongest people I know, so I don't know what you're talking about!"

Sakura gave a weak smile. Her hazel eyes blinked slowly and longer. Naruto sniffled hard.

"I'm sorry--"

"Don't be 'sorry', you're going to get through this!"

"Just listen," She started her emotional speech. Naruto remained silent, though he was sure he would want to object during 'debate'. Tears streamed more down her face; Truly, it was hard for her to say the things she was about to say. "I'm not going to be here for our daughter. I'm not going to be here for you. I know you're responsible, so I plead for you to take good care of her, if not just for her, for me, too. Make her to be a strong young woman..." She paused. Naruto looked a bit unsure of what she was saying. Maybe not 'unsure', but probably 'reluctant'. "...Naruto, you're responsible! I know you can do it!"
"No! No, Sakura! Not without you! And 'responsible'? Me! Are you kidding? Like you said before, I can't even get milk at the store or any shotengai without getting sour milk because of... Ah, you know...! So how will I be able to get baby food when they'll give me expired crap! Sakura, I need you! And so does she!" Naruto cried as he motioned down to the baby girl. She had a confused look on her face, but then again, she had no clue on what was going on; Something that would probably effect her entire life.

"You can do it, I know you're responsible, so that excuse won't work on me," Sakura laughed a little lightly. But pain struck her again. Time was running out, yet the byoin-bystanders in the other room (Which could probably hear, as the walls were paper thin; Literally!) did nothing to help. "Listen, Naruto, as I don't have much time left; Tell our daughter everyday that both you and I love her, even though she probably won't know or believe that all the time. Make her feel like her mother will always be there for her, though she won't be able to physically see or talk to her." Pause. "And Naruto..." She coughed a bit. She was now so pale, her skin was white. The blood ran dry on the sheets; No more did she bleed. Help would be no use now. Not even a miracle could help this situation now, never mind any mikos with their herbs or doctors with their old-tyme instruments. "...Remember... Aisheteru..."

Sakura reached out at Naruto's free hand. After a moment, her hand went limp. Her hazel eyes closed for the last time. Naruto started to sob; How come! How come this had happened to him! The one time in his whole life that he heard that one word, it was from the mother of his child who was now dead. And he probably would never hear that one word again; 'Aisheteru'. Of course, that meant 'I love you'.

"Okay, you had enough time with Sakura and the baby. We have to take the baby now, and we'll let Sakura rest," They (a few miko) walked in the room, then stopped in their tracks. "Wait, what happened here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Naruto snapped as he stood up. "Sakura's dead! Damn, and none of you wanted to help her! You were in the other freakin' room! It's paper walls, people! You could probably hear everything! And yet, none of you wanted to help Sakura! And now she's never coming back! And this child has no mother, because of this!"

One miko shyly walked up to Naruto, and he handed her his daughter.
They headed off to the other room without saying a word. They didn't care. Now it was just the Nine Tailed Fox and his kid, now that Sakura was dead... And they didn't care about that, either!

As Sakura's death started to sink in to Naruto, without any words of apology or care, he was shoved out of the room, the door being then locked behind him. Great! He wouldn't be even able to watch the doctors and such do a check-up on his newborn daughter. He wouldn't even be surprised if they thought he wanted his daughter up for adoption! They saw Naruto as someone who was no longer important to them, now that Sakura had passed, and he was cast away, unwanted.

As he sighed and sat depressedly down on the floor against the wall, he heard a screech come from the room they were checking on his baby daughter in.

"This is so not funny!" One girl cried, seeming like she wanted an explanation. "Whoever drew on her, damn, you'd better confess now or I can get you in... Like... Lots of trouble! It's not funny!"

"What?" A male's voice seemed confused. "No one even got to hold her for very long, and I bet that this kid's dad, Naruto, is probably so dumb he can't even hold a marker straight. And I doubt Sakura would ever do that to any of her children... She was a good kid, you know that."

"Hey, yeah, it does look like someone doodled on her!" A third voice exclaimed.

"Whoa! Wait a second! I recognize that sign... That's no drawing! Get Lord Hokage!"

"'Get Lord Hokage'? Er... Alright!" A male's voice repeated the task as he unlocked the door, then ran past a disturbed Naruto to the Hokage's room, now it being near to the middle of the night.

"What the hell's going on?" Naruto was pissed as he almost stood up, but the Hokage and the male-messenger had ran past him before he was able to even sit up straight. He decided he would just sit and listen instead of causing a scene, even though this scenario was causing him great disturbance and was ticking him off quite a bit. Someone drew on his kid? Then that marker, Naruto would shove up that bastard's ass!

"Someone had to have drawn this," The Third Hokage, looking the same as before (Yet he was much more frail), was in disbelief. "There is no way that a Seal could be on her. There's nothing sealed inside of her."

"Ah! The Seal! That's what's on Naruto, this newborn's father, right?"

"Yes."

"Of the Nine Tailed Fox?"

"Yes."

"Lord Hokage, maybe you should read that scroll the Honorable Fourth Lord Hokage wrote about the Nine Tailed Fox, now," A well-informed girl, probably several years older than Naruto, started to the Hokage. "Maybe the Seal passes generations? Perhaps the Seal on Naruto has passed onto his kin."

"No such thing could ever happen!" Another person argued her point. "Wasn't that Seal like a burned-on tattoo?"

"I heard that it was," Said another.

"So how in the Five Lands can a newborn be Seal burned inside the womb?"

Silence illumed the many people. The argument ended for a split moment, as they were all thinking for a reply.

"How about this," The Third Hokage started. Everyone listened intently. "I'll go check the scroll. Perhaps she's right." He motioned his head in a nod towards the girl who was well-informed. She blushed. He then left the room and went down to his. Everyone from that room (Fourteen mikos and doctors) followed after him, one of the smaller mikos holding onto Naruto's daughter.

"Hey," She whispered as she trailed off from her spot at the back of the line. She looked callingly at Naruto. He blinked. "Come on." She motioned her head for him to follow, took a few steps, turned back to look at him, then continued on after the line.

Naruto gave a slight smile. Perhaps there were only a few people in the entire Five Lands that wouldn't completely shut him out, the rest hating his guts. Perhaps that was the truth. If so, that didn't matter to him. But then again, it was nice to know that not everyone ignored him. That someone else knew that he was there so he wouldn't just vanish into thin air. For him to remember that he was living on Earth. So, he followed. Naruto was interested greatly (Of course) on finding out what was going on.