Eye for an Eye

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters and make no money from this.

Chapter Nineteen:

Sakura's aggressive screams and grows filled the room, echoing off the walls and reverbrating in the hallway. Kakashi chuckled to himself, thinking about all the people she must be terrying. His attention was quickly pulled back to his own situation as his girlfriend's hand clamped down on his, clearly breaking a bone a or two.


"Sakura! Please stop maiming my poor hand. I don't think there's anything left of it." He pleaded, giving her the best happy eye crease he could muster.

"I'll consider when you're the one having your insides torn apart!" She raged, whimpering as another contraction wracked her body.

"Okay, Sakura! Enough arguing, when I tell you to, push! As hard as you can!" Tsunade instructed from between her thighs. This had to be one of the most awkward moments of her life. She was half naked in front of half of dozen people who watched her intently.

"But it's not even my fault if you're going through this!" He begged as she tightened her hold on his already mangled hand. He was starting to doubt the pain she was going through was really worse than what she was making the nerves of his poor hand endure. His statement caused glances to be thrown his way as it roused curiosity, but it was quickly forgotten when another contraction came.

"Okay, push! Push, push, push!" Tsunade's voice boomed.

Kakashi and Sakura hadn't told anyone about who the real father of her child was. It's not like they'd had that long to ponder over it anyway. An hour after she had stepped in Konoha as a free woman for the first time in years, her water had burst and her contraction had started. Baby was too happy to see his home it seemed, and wanted out a month earlier.

To say everyone had been shocked when the pink-haired kunoichi entered the hospital screaming and bossing everyone around as to how to handle her and who to get was an understatement. No one had been aware of her pregnancy, and before they had even had the time to register it, she was giving birth. Their close friends had just been contacted and were on their way to give their support to the soon-to-be mother.

"Sakura! They told me you were having a baby and I really thought the guy wasn't joking for a second, he looked so serious!" Naruto let out, his voice loud and enthusiastic as well. His jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes nearly popped out as his brain processed what he was witnessing.

"Oh my gosh, you are having a baby!" He blurted before proceeding to faint in the hall.

"Naruto, you asshole! Wake up!" Sakura screamed at him, the anger in her voice easily mistakable for muderous intent. For just a second, Kakashi was grateful he wasn't in Naruto's position. The blonde remained blissfully obvious and passed out on the floor, much to the jonin's dismay. He could use some support, too.

It wasn't long before his wish was granted and nearly a dozen people tried to enter the room, only to have Tsunade threaten to kill them if any of them made one more single sound and didn't let Sakura deliver in peace. Everyone had backed out in a flash once they'd realized that what they saw was real. The door closed loudly and the room was silent for a second, before Sakura's screams tore through it once more.

A few moments later, Sakura's screams of agony were replaced by the tiny, powerful crying voice of a baby boy. Tsunade stared at the newborn in shock as she took in his appearance. Pitch black hair and eyes. There was no way that this was brat's father was Kakashi. One of the nurses was about to speak up about this fact, but the murderous glare the Hokage threw her way shut her up immediately. The new parents were definitely thankful for her silent acknowledgment of who the father was. They didn't want to deal with this just yet.

As soon as her baby boy was placed in her arms, Sakura forgot everything that she had just endured.

All the pain, the anxiousness, the fear flew away from her and was replaced by pure joy. Her heart swelled with pride as she took in every little detail of her baby, biting her lip as she thought he was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen. Kakashi watched her silently, unsure of how to react to all of this. He couldn't help but feel immediate affection for the child that she held so lovingly in her arms, but the fact that he was not the father stopped him from trying to get closer to the baby. The look on her face was priceless though, making every of his worries evaporate. This woman was in heaven right now. It didn't matter who the father was or how he had been conceived, she loved him with all her heart immediately. He was happy for her. He had been worrying that she might see the
child as a constant reminder of what Sasuke had done to her.

"Kakashi, isn't he beautiful?" She asked expectantly, looking up to him with eyes so full of happiness that he thought he might fall for her all over again.

"He is." He replied nonchalantly, crinkling his eye. Her smile diminished slightly at his reaction and he felt incredibly guilty for it, even though he didn't know how else to react or what he had even done.

"He is your son, Kakashi." She said as if it was the most obvious thing on Eart. Thing was, he wasn't.

"I hate to break it to you, Sakura, but it's obvious he's not from me..." He whispered, scratching the back of his neck in extreme discomfort.

"It doesn't matter. We'll raise him like our own. You will, won't you?" Her gaze had shifted to the boy who was now gripping her finger will all his might, using his whole tiny hand to do it, before going back to his eyes. His remained on the baby as he registered what she said and evaluated it, but failed to come up with an answer. It wasn't his child, it was Sasuke's. But he'd be glad to act as his fatherly figure.

"Here, hold him. You'll see." She said as she handed the tiny, towel covered being to him as if it would move his world upside down.

And move his world upside down it did. When he had cradled him carefully, if not awkwardly in his arms, the baby had started shouting violently, yearning for his mother's warmth it seemed. Kakashi swore he could feel his eardrums bleeding, but as he examined the newborn's face, he knew that he would give his life for him. Kami, how did babies do this? He'd heard about this phenomenom. About when you finally held your child in your arms, that it rocked your world and scrambled everything until the baby was sure it was the center of your world.

"W-Wow." He commented out loud, having meant for it to be only a thought.

"Call them in, Tsunade. I think he's ready to meet everybody." Sakura exclaimed happily as she noticed the visible change in the jonin's stance.

When everyone had come in, quietly to Sakura's suprise, she'd presented her little boy proudly, without a hint of worry or doubt in her voice and eyes. Their friends had all hesitated for a moment as they saw the baby. It was obvious who the father was. Genma even threw a weary glance Kakashi's way, but when he shrugged, accepted the fact easily.

The day had been long and strenous on both new parents. Presenting a baby to an overeager mob of ninja was no easy job. A sigh of relief escaped Sakura's lips as she put the baby in his bed. She had just fed him and was thoroughly ready for bed herself. She laid down by Kakashi's side on the small cot, eyes dropping in pure exhaustion.

"You can teach him to use his sharingan when he's old enough." She muttered against his chest. He chuckled.

"How do you know he even has it?" He questionned, fingers playing in her hair.

"A mother knows, shut up." She complained weakly.

"Hm, I guess. Are you scared?" His question was a little unexpected, but Sakura's response was swift.

"No. He's going to be a great child." She said with such confidence that it warmed the older jonin's heart.

"I mean, about... His roots." He adde, trying to remain elusive. He didn't want to say out loud that he wasn't the father. He would never admit it to any living soul, but it was true.

"You saw today, no body even asked. They'll love him. Or I'll kick their asses." She grumbled, obviously succumbing to sleep.

"It doesn't matter to you who... Who is father really is?" His voice was hesitant.

"It's a blessing in disguise. He looks like a copy of Sasuke. I'll make sure he lives a great life this time around." Once more her answer came quickly and with confidence. It was true. He looked every bit like his father. Maybe she was right. Maybe with this child, team 7 would get its rightful closure. He truly hoped this child led a happy life, nothing like the tragedy Sasuke had lived through. He wouldn't fail him.

It had been five years since Kosuke's birth. In a way, you could say everything had changed. But nothing had changed. Konoha was back to normal, finally done with its reconstruction. Relationships with Suna were no longer strained. The Hokage made sure of it. The boisterous blonde had taken to the job like a fish to water. He couldn't be happier, his lifelong dream was finally fulfilled.

On their side, Kakashi and Sakura had moved into a bigger appartment. No one had made a big deal of their son's true background. Team 7 considered it a second chance, while it allowed others to come to terms with the Uchiha massacre. Maybe the clan did have a chance at survival if its last member was no longer a revenge-driven madman.

Sakura's screams were ripping through the hospital once more as she gave birth to another child. As usual, the birth went smoothly. She was a strong and solid woman, nothing would bring her down, Kakashi was certain of that much. A boyish grin graced his features as he got to hold his white-haired and green-eyed daughter for the first time.

"Well, aren't you a beauty." He sing-songed, giving her a happy eye crease. It still gave Sakura the creeps when he used that voiced. He was a great father. But she had never been able to imagine him baby-talking and bieng able to be playful with children. She had always assumed them to be a nuisance to him. He had even freaked out so many times with their previous baby. Ah, good memories.

"Dad! Dad! Want to see sis too." A pink-haired toddler whined as he tugged on his father's pant leg.

"Of course, Nagashi. Here's your baby sister." He said as kneeled down, presenting his black-eyed son the newborn girl he held. The scene warmed Sakura's heart to no end, even if all she wanted was to sleep right then.

"She looks like she spent too much time in the bath." Kosuke complained, poking carefully at her round cheek.

"No worries, she's perfectly healthy, boys." He reassured, ruffling his older son's hair.

Sakura reflected on her life for the past ten years as she drifted to sleep. It had been so hectic. Running around as a missing nin and giving birth to her first child basically the second she stepped through the gates. Then, five years of peace. If could count screaming babies and painful birthgiving peace. She smiled and chuckled, realizing she wouldn't trade her life and her family for anything in the world. Kakashi smiled a knowing smile as he watched his wife. They were happy now. They all were. What a nice ending.


Chapter Twenty: Click Here