"It's a girl!" Shizune announced. She held the newborn in her arms and looked at the mother, Sakura Uchiha née Haruno, who lay on the bed, drenched in sweat from having just given birth. Despite being completely drained of strength and energy, Sakura smiled.

"A girl," she echoed, her voice hoarse from the effort of childbirth. She looked at her mentor now, Tsunade, who was present to cut the umbilical cord in the father's absence. But the older woman didn't move from where she stood, and her expression was troubled. "What is it?" Sakura asked, feeling panicked. "Is there something wrong with the baby?"

"No," Shizune answered, looking confused. "She's perfect. Tsunade-sama…"

Without a word of explanation, Tsunade stepped forward and severed the cord. While Shizune hurried to clean the baby girl, Tsunade stared down at her young disciple. "Sakura," she said in her serious voice. "It's a girl."

"Yes," Sakura said. "It's a girl. That's what Shizune said, that my baby is a girl."

"Your baby, yes," Tsunade remarked. "But…"

"What?" Sakura said loudly. She was sleep-deprived, exhausted from labour, and covered in what books ill-described as 'a new mother's glow'; she just wanted to hold her baby girl, not deal with her teacher's cryptic words.

Tsunade must have sensed this, because, with a huff, she said, "The Uchiha have never, in the history of the clan, produced a daughter."

Sakura stared blankly at Tsunade, and if it were not for the gentle cries of her daughter, she would have thought time had stopped. "What did you say?" she whispered, though she knew exactly what the older woman had said.

"They have sons, Sakura," Tsunade exclaimed, almost angrily. "The women of the Uchiha clan are married in, never born – like you! You marry one, take the family name, and give them more sons. Sons!"

"But… But…" At least this was as difficult to swallow for Shizune as it was for Sakura – of course, Shizune wasn't holding her enigmatic Baby Girl Uchiha in her arms. That was Sakura's problem.

"Are you suggesting that I –" Sakura shouted, pushing herself up on the bed. So great was her fury that despite having just given birth, even the hospital walls shook with her anger.

"Of course not," Tsunade shouted in return, quieting the girl with her own rush of power. Her enormous chakra washed over Sakura like she hadn't experienced in years, and in it, she sensed as much uncertainty as she felt herself. "Of course we're not suggesting that you cheated on your husband, but this…" With a sigh she fell into a chair. "I need time to think."

Quietly, Shizune shuffled over and handed Sakura her daughter. "Regardless," she said, with a thin smile. "You're her mother. Have you chosen a name yet?"

"I – No," Sakura answered. Actually, they had chosen names – for a baby boy or a baby girl, but why hadn't Sasuke known that his clan never produced girls? And if he found out, what would he think?

"Well that's okay," Shizune continued. "For now you should bond with her. We'll give you some privacy?" Her eyes moved to Tsunade, who was sitting quietly with her arms crossed, looking deep in thought. "Tsunade-sama?"

"Tell no one," Tsunade said in a hushed whisper. She looked sharply at Sakura and Shizune. "I need to check some things," she said, getting to her feet and walking to the door. Shizune started to say something, but Tsunade silenced her with hard look. "If someone asks, tell them Sakura is still in labour, that there are complications, and that she is not taking guests." After Tsunade disappeared behind the door, Shizune looked back at Sakura.

"Well, I guess that's that," she said quietly. "I'm going to speak with the head nurse; I'll be back shortly. I'll lock the door behind me. You should rest."

Left alone with her daughter, Sakura stared about her in silence. This was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of her life, but Sasuke was not there – though maybe now, that was a good thing, and her daughter, though healthy, was a medical marvel – because it was impossible for her to not be Sasuke's daughter. Furthermore, she was not allowed to share the news with anyone, seek comfort from any of her friends, or even leave the room. Her daughter was supposed to be her whole world, but in reality, her arrival threatened to bring it all down. Unable to hold back, tears flooded Sakura's eyes, and dripped onto her daughter's cheeks as she held her.

Author's Note:

I had, for a long while, toyed with the idea that the Uchiha only had boys - it was exceedingly plausible until Sarada was born. When Naruto Gaiden: The Seventh Hokage [and the Scarlet Spring] questioned who Sarada's mother was, it reminded me of this old story I'd started about a daughter born into the Uchiha clan - except, in that story, the girl was definitely not a biological daughter of Uchiha. But taking the same idea, I thought it'd be interesting to apply it to Sarada as the only notable female Uchiha. It's been a very long time since I wrote anything for the Naruto Universe so hopefully it's not awkward.

Cover Image is by Atarple.