New story, new plot, new everything.

I obviously don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does :)

Let me know what you think. Happy Reading!


The pink "+" was staring back at her from its plastic casing. Each test had yielded the same result. Four pink "+s" later, she was at an agonizing standstill. These all have to be wrong! She picked up the lightweight plastic object for a second reading--just to make sure there weren't any last minute changes. The same pink "+" sign. What was more ironic was that it was same shade of pink as her hair.

She groaned, as her back slid against the cold bathroom wall. Her legs collapsed under her and she slowly lowered herself to the floor. She sat there, holding her head in her hands as her elbows rested against her knees. Not me. It can't be! How did this happen? she asked herself. She knew how it happened. She just didn't know how it happened to her. It wasn't like her to be so irresponsible, but she had known—in the back of her mind—that it was a possibility all along. She had indications: the late-morning nausea, the missing menstrual cycles, and the "bloating" (as she deemed it) that never went away. Even Ino had noticed she had put on a few pounds, though it didn't do much to bulk up her slim frame. She hadn't even noticed the extra weight until the blonde commented about how "big" Sakura was getting. It wasn't unusual for Ino to notice fluctuations in others' weights. She was, after all, the most self-obsessed about being "thin and attractive"—as Ino always so delicately put it.

The day prior, the two women enjoyed a lunch break away from the clinic. Ino had ordered a spinach salad and water to drink. Sakura, on the other hand, ordered every fried vegetable and meat that was on the menu. Ino jokingly mentioned that Sakura "ate like she was preggers", to which Sakura became a ghostly shade of pale. The reaction wasn't missed by her blonde lunch companion and apprentice—who immediately began asking about who Sakura had spent the night with. Sakura had to offer Ino an unlimited supply of special weight loss tablets just to get her to shut up about it. Sakura knew she could trust Ino, despite her less-than-intelligent demeanor. Ino was a very promising apprentice, one of the few that Konoha could boast.

Sakura felt the biting pain in her hand, and yelped as she realized she had decimated her fourth test with her "superhuman strength"—as Naruto called it. She hadn't realized she was grasping it so tightly in her fist that she had turned it to a plastic memory of its former shape. She let it crumble to the floor, joining the previous three tests she had also crumbled earlier. She leaned her head back against the cool tile of the bathroom wall as she tried to think back to when 'it' had occurred. It had been three months since they had celebrated the success of their big mission. They had eradicated the forest surrounding the Kinzan gold mine of rogue ninjas. The traitors were using the mine as both a hideout and a means to supply their terroristic actions. The mines were long-ago abandoned, though it was rumored that gold was still abundant in the caves. Apparently, the rumor had some truth to it.

It hadn't been much of a fight, really. They had easily disbanded the group, bringing a few back to Konoha for interrogation. The mission had been a success for many reasons. Because they found where the terrorists had been harvesting gold, the country was able to renew their financial stores. In the process, Konoha had received a new ally—and the former members of Team 7 were to blame for that milestone. Naruto was the only one who hadn't managed to come out of it uninjured. He was foolish enough to chase them into the mines—breaking his leg in the process. They were delayed a few days while she healed his wounds, chastising him about how the mine could have collapsed. He was always so headstrong and impatient, that much hadn't changed since their younger years. But, they weren't kids anymore. Right now, they were both parents.

Why? Why wasn't I more careful? she asked herself, gently hitting her head on the creamy yellow tile. She knew the answer: she didn't think of the consequences. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that night didn't exist, she found she could still remember every single detail. Most of Konoha's shinobi had celebrated at Jiraiya's house that night. He was away, meeting with the Kazekage in Sunagakure on Tsunade's behalf. The two countries had successfully worked in unison to stop the rising terroristic threats that were sprouting throughout the land. The alliance was mainly due to Naruto—who had become good friends with Gaara years before, back when Akatsuki was a bit threat.

Being Naruto's godfather, Jiraiya allowed him full use of the large house—and Naruto made use of it. Most of their old colleagues had come to join in on the celebration. Ino had spent the night flirting with Shikamaru—despite his constant disinterest. Lee, Tenten, and Shino were all on missions with their teams and missed out on the festivities. The older jonin also came to celebrate—as it was an accomplishment for them to have their former students become such astute shinobi.

She should have seen it coming, in all honesty. She had decided that she would enjoy the alcoholic beverages—and she did just that. Everyone had started to say their goodbyes by the time midnight came around. Kiba and Hinata had been the last two to leave, and Sakura had been pretty sure that Kiba was finally going to confess his love to Hinata. Both her and Naruto had joked about it, since everyone but Hinata seemed to know how Kiba felt. It wasn't that he kept it a secret, it was that he joked so much that Sakura could see how it would be difficult to really know whether or not he was serious. Hinata had come a long way since her introverted days. She was an excellent jonin and a phenomenal teacher to her team. She was currently the appointed head of the Hyuuga household, which she was planning to undertake jointly with her cousin, Neji. The two had become quite close since their exams years. Hinata was easily one of the most beautiful women in the village, and had her share of suitors, though she seemed to have no interest in any of them. Except one—and he was finally going to get around to telling her that.

Sakura and Naruto had pretended to be Hinata and Kiba as he confessed his love to Hinata. Sakura could still remember the look in Naruto's eyes as he played his role as Kiba—confessing his undying love and devotion. It had felt as if he had almost meant it. Before she could commend him on his acting skills, he kissed her. She didn't resist his advances, much to her surprise. She never thought she would be kissing Naruto—the fearless and enthusiastic teammate whom she had known since childhood. But, it was Naruto she kissed, returning his fervor. She blamed the alcohol, though deep down she knew that it wasn't entirely responsible for her actions in returning his endeavors.

She recalled the soft, tentative kisses as they became more passionate and needing. They kissed until her lips tingled and burned. Their hands wandered over each other's clothing—finding their way under and through. It was clumsy, but it was never awkward. She reveled at how comfortable it felt with him. He was so careful with her, as if he was afraid she was a fragile glass doll. She giggled at his seriousness, but she couldn't deny that he—at times—felt so loving.

It hadn't hurt as much as she thought it would, and it was far less awkward than she imagined. In fact, she enjoyed the feelings and sensations she encountered that night with him. It exceeded everything she had heard or expected. They had both been so inexperienced, but their desire made up for their lack of knowledge. She remembered how much his hands shook as he undressed her--and the grave expression on his face as he asked her if she was sure this was what she wanted.

They were both surprised at her enthusiasm as she pulled him down on her in a sudden rush of need and emotion. Sakura blamed the alcohol, but part of her doubted that it was the only reason for her actions. They spent hours in that bed, getting to know each other's body and exploring. They had finally exhausted themselves, falling asleep in the satin sheets of the guest bedroom.

That morning, Sakura had awoken with a splitting headache and a sour taste in her mouth from the drinks the night before. She realized she wasn't clothed, and it took her a few minutes to realize where she was. It hadn't been a dream! She remembered feeling slightly disappointed at herself for being so wanton and careless with herself—especially with her own teammate and friend. She had quietly slipped out of the sheets, scavenging for her clothes from the night before. She hastily dressed, only stopping to watch Naruto's deep breaths. His face was so innocent as he dreamed dreams that she would never know. She silently slipped out of the house, attempting to make it home unseen. She drank a few glasses of water when she made it to her own apartment before collapsing into her own soft bed. She slept until the early evening, only awakening to the pounding on the door.

She had been startled to find Naruto at her doorstep, nervously scratching his head and mumbling about being "so sorry for what happened". She had stopped him mid-sentence telling him that they were both drunk and no apology was necessary. She remembered the look in his eyes as she relieved him of his guilt. It wasn't entirely relief, there was something else….

She had felt her stomach sink at how he responded, nodding his head and telling her to feel better before he retreated home. She was surprised at his indifference, as if she expected something more from him. She wasn't sure what it was that she expected, but she couldn't stop thinking about that night after he left her at the front door. There had been more awkward moments between them after that day. They were sent on a few missions together, though they were never alone. There was always an unspoken weight that hung between them. Sometimes, she thought Kakashi could feel it, too. She had removed herself from the last mission he had been on, stating she wanted to spend more time at the clinic as well as practice her defensive jutsu. He had been disappointed when Tsunade briefed him on her last minute withdrawl before he left, but he said nothing. He just looked at her with questioning blue eyes that were filled with a sort of sadness that hurt her. She wanted to talk to him, she just didn't know how. They had always been able to talk--they had been close since they were kids. But, they weren't kids anymore.

Sakura sighed, running her index finger through the crumbled mess of plastic pregnancy tests on the floor. No, she couldn't deny it. She was most likely about twelve weeks along. And she hadn't known it! How could one of the most experienced medic-nin not know she was carrying a living being in her own body? She could create an antidote to almost any poison she encountered. She was the best trauma medic that Konoha had ever seen—even surpassing Tsunade's skill. She could precisely pinpoint a bleed from over one hundred yards away—even healing it from that distance. Yet, she didn't know she was carrying a child—a living, breathing, baby!

What am I going to tell my parents? she thought, groaning at the concept. What was she going to tell everyone? She knew she had to speak to Tsunade, as the Hokage would know how to handle the situation. Sakura knew that she could easily drink a tea that would promote early uterine contractions—dispelling the dependent fetus, but she couldn't bring herself to do something like that. It was, after all, her actions that brought this consequence about. Most would be elated at the possibility of being pregnant, but she was in shock.

She helped herself to her feet, standing at the sink. She turned on the cold water, letting it run for a few seconds before filling her cupped hands with the clear liquid. She leaned down, soaking her face with its coolness. She wiped her face with her soft cotton towel, looking at her reflection in the mirror. A pair of green eyes returned her gaze. She had slight dark rings under them, and hair pink hair hung limply as it fell over her shoulders. She decided to shower before she went to see Tsunade.

She quickly slipped into the shower, letting the warm water beat against her back. She looked down at the slight bulge that protruded from her once flat abdomen. It wasn't entirely noticeable, so she could get away with wearing her normal clothes for the time being. Perhaps she would carry her medic pack up a little higher on her waist to cover some of it. It was then that the realization hit her—she was pregnant! Her hot tears mingled with the shower water, her body shaking from the sobs. She leaned against the shower, crying harder--pitying herself. She cried until she had no more tears. She resolved to see Tsunade before she made any decisions regarding the new development. She could leave Konoha on a mission for six months, easily, and put the baby up for adoption. Naruto would never have to know.

She knew she couldn't do that to him. He deserved to know that she was carrying his child, too. The new revelation would have to wait until he returned from his current mission. They were traveling to Kumogakure, which wasn't a short journey in itself. She had no idea he would return. He had left with Shikamaru, Kakashi, and Shino the day before. It had been a secretive mission, and she hadn't pressed the issue with the Hokage. She suspected it involved some spying and information retrieval about the Land of Lightning's military movements. Naruto had stopped to say goodbye to her, but she pretended to not be home. He left her a note that told her where he was heading and that he hoped she would remain safe while he was away. She wondered how he would feel when he returned--would he believe that it was his child? Would he hate her? Or would he be ecstatic? Would he turn and walk away from her again?

She felt anxious at the unanswered questions that resounded in her head as she dried the water from her body. She looked at her slightly fuller figure in the mirror. How had she not seen this earlier? Well, I'm going to have to buy some ginger on the way home to calm my stomach in the mornings, she made a mental note to stop at the grocer's on the way back from Tsunade's. She dried her hair and put a floating blue dress to hide her new curves. No one will suspect anything, she told herself, judging her new size in the mirror. She knew that she was being too critical—only Ino could notice a five pound weight gain. She touched her stomach, wondering if she would be able to feel it kick soon. She knew that she was, at the most, twelve weeks. Babies don't kick until at least sixteen weeks. Good, I can pretend this isn't real for another month, she convinced herself.

She grabbed her handbag from the chair as she headed for the door. She twisted the knob, and was greeted by a light breeze that was warmed by the sun. She breathed in the spring air, looking around the neighborhood. It would be a decent place to raise a child, she thought. She took another deep breath, calming her racing heart as she stepped out into the sunlight--into the newfound pages that were going to be both her life and the life of the child living inside of her.