And you thought I would only give you guys one gift?

I just wanted to thank you guys for 5 amazing years. You guys have literally been with me through thick and thin, since 2012! Your reviews helped me get through the worst time of my life, your patience and support when I got busy really inspired and motivated me, and your constructive criticism, awesome ideas and excellent feedback never cease to make me smile.

Here's to the end of 2017, and to the beginning of a new year!

Tomorrow (or today for some people) is my birthday, and I wish I had another medium of connecting with you so I could share part of the day with you all!

Anyway, this came highly requested, in reviews and PMs, so here you guys go!

An Indispensable Assistant (Sequel)

1: The Year's End

Uchiha Conglomerate HQ

Saturday

December 29

10:08 AM

Itachi was, in a word, excited.

He'd never felt like this before. This heart-racing, stupid smile-inducing, restless, happy excitement.

The words on the papers blurred before him, taking the form of his favorite green eyes, his favorite pink hair, his favorite loving smile.

Sakura.

At the thought of her, his lips spread wider and a small breathy laugh escaped him, and he covered his mouth with his hand.

He couldn't concentrate.

Dropping his pen on the desk, he reached for his phone and called her.

"You have to stop doing this," she answered on the second ring, sounding distracted.

"I will. Eventually," he promised, knowing fully well that he probably would call her again by lunch time. He loved the way she sounded when she answered the phone.

"What is it about this time?" Sakura asked. He heard shuffling sounds on the other side of the line. She must be packing. She'd been away for two months, and sure, video-chatting with her was great, but he was dying to see her again.

The knowledge that she would be moving in with him when she returned made him that much more anxious to see her. Her stuff was already in his house. Every morning for the past month he would see her clothes hanging on the other side of the walk-in closet. He'd see her toothbrush in the bathroom and her mugs in the kitchen.

"I'm finding it difficult to focus," he responded, absently rolling his pen back and forth on the surface of the desk with his forefinger. "I want to see you." She chuckled at this.

"And you will. In about…" she paused as she checked the time.

"Six hours and fifty-one minutes," Itachi finished for her. "I miss you. Can't you come sooner?" She laughed, the sound making Itachi's smile come forward again.

"It's already set, Itachi, based on my flights."

"I checked online… I can book you an earlier flight," Itachi offered, bringing back up the page that was still open on his computer. "It comes in thirty minutes earlier, and-"

"Itachi," Sakura giggled. "You miss me that much?" she teased.

"Yes," Itachi replied seriously. "I will buy the ticket for you," he said, clicking on the flight information.

"Don't," Sakura said. "I've already organized everything, and…hold on," she said. He heard her speaking to someone else, but he couldn't make out what either of them were saying. "Itachi? I'm back, sorry about that. That was Gaara. But, by the way," she continued, then stopped there. Itachi released the mouse and frowned.

"By the way, what?"

"By the way… can you come over instead? I really don't want to travel today and-"

"I can get there in four hours," Itachi said as he shifted tabs, already eyeing a ticket.

He had missed their first Christmas day together. Boxing day. That whole season. He had been stuck with his family for their traditional gathering. He had been stuck with his annoyingly busy social calendar, and he had to do it alone.

Every year he did it alone, but this year had been excruciating.

Everyone asked for Sakura, after her health, after the status of their relationship, about the baby, was her hair really pink… it had just made him miss her more, and he made no attempt to look happy. He missed her and he was miserable and he was desperate to see her.

This worked out better.

If he left right now, he could be with her in four hours instead of six.

He didn't need to pack. He already had the most important thing already on him, and as for clothing… he could purchase them online, have them cleaned and delivered. He didn't even need to stop at home.

"Itachi," she giggled. "Were you already looking at flights?"

She burst out into delighted laughter when he replied.

"I just bought the ticket. I will be leaving the office in ten minutes," he said firmly, saving his ticket information to his online account.

"Oh Kami, I love you," she laughed. "Okay sweetie, I will see you when you get here. A whole two hours earlier than expected."

"I'm looking forward to seeing you." His intentions were made obvious when his vocal pitch dropped.

"Oh… Oh, my," Sakura responded. "When did you say you were leaving the office again?"

Sunagakure International Airport

December 29

2:38 PM

She had known he was serious.

Still, it was a glorious feeling seeing his stately figure strolling out into the arrivals section. She drank in the sight of him. He had cut his glorious hair for reasons he had yet to tell her, but although she missed it, she had to say that this shorter style was incredibly gorgeous on him. It highlighted the angles of his face and somehow made his dark eyes more intense.

Kami, he was beautiful.

He really had come directly from the office. He was still in his suit. He hadn't even removed his jacket.

Somehow, Sakura found that completely adorable.

She watched as he scanned the crowd of people in the airport, looking for her, and waved to catch his attention. The moment his eyes fell on her, he froze.

A blinding smile split his lips.

Sakura couldn't help but feel honored that the legendary Uchiha Itachi was looking at her that way.

She had never seen that particular expression on his face. He was positively grinning.

He started to walk in her direction.

Began to trot.

Broke into a run.

Then he was around her, all masculine scent and firm muscles, his hands framing her face and his lips locked with hers in a deep kiss before she could even say hello. Time and location might as well have been nonexistent.

His kiss was almost desperate, as if he had been underwater for the two months she was gone and she was now his air. He pulled away slowly, both of them oblivious to the stares and the few people who had the audacity to capture the moment on their smartphones.

He kissed her eyelids, her cheeks, her nose, and placed a final gentle kiss on her lips before pulling in a shuddering breath as he stared down at her face.

"Sakura," he breathed, as if saying her name alone made him happy. Apparently it did, for he smiled again and kissed her forehead. Sakura giggled.

"Are you that happy to see me?" she asked. "I've never seen you smile like that before."

"I am," he said, pressing his face into her hair and breathing her in. "I missed you. I thought I might perish. My face hurts."

Seriously.

He could say the most adorable things sometimes.

"I missed you too," Sakura managed, before she randomly started bawling. When he looked down at her in concern, she blubbered, "I'm really happy to see you. Also pregnancy hormones. I cried in the supermarket because they have the same jam as in Konoha. I'll stop soon, I promise."

When he gently wiped at her tears with his thumbs, his expression caught between amusement and concern, Sakura only cried harder and turned away from him.

"Don't be sweet to me or I will never stop." She shoved the car keys behind her and waved them in his general direction."You drive, because I can't see anything."

He chuckled and pulled her against his chest.

"Sakura?"

"What?" she half snapped, wiping furiously at her eyes.

"I love you."

Even as he drove, Itachi found it next to impossible to keep his eyes off her.

She'd stopped crying eventually, and was now happily chattering about everything and nothing. She was so very beautiful.

He would never say it aloud lest she misunderstand, but the weight she had put on while pregnant really suited her. Her cheeks were softer, pudgier, and all he wanted to do was hold her close and kiss her and adore her. Apparently, her pregnancy also made her hair grow. He couldn't complain about that either. It was halfway down her back already and he absolutely loved it.

"You've been staring at my hair for a while now," Sakura said, smiling a little smugly.

"Hn," Itachi responded, turning his attention to the road.

"Is that all the response I am going to get? I grew it out just for you…" she pouted.

Itachi pulled over.

Some things deserved to be repaid in kisses, and he couldn't, wouldn't, kiss Sakura while driving.

"Where are we going, by the way? Your apartment is not in this direction," he murmured when they pulled apart. Sakura gave him a secretive smile.

"You'll soon find out. I had a little help, but I figured we might as well relax. You must be tired after all those events. I told Gaara that we want to spend the last moments of the year together. No parties. Just us. We already missed the other holidays," she said.

She knew him so well.

He linked his fingers with hers and pulled back onto the highway.

Heavensgate Hotel, Sunagakure

Uchiha Private Suite

December 31

11:28 PM

Itachi lightly kissed the nape of her neck, which was warm from the rays of the overhead sun. Droplets of water collected on her shoulders, magnifying the tiny freckles that dotted her skin. Her long pink hair, damp from her swim, was swept to the side over one shoulder, leaving the other bare for his appreciation.

She had made arrangements with Shisui for the Uchiha suite at the Heavensgate to be cleaned up and made ready for their arrival. She hadn't been his assistant for nothing. She had clothes ordered and cleaned before he had even gotten there. As if she had planned the whole thing in advance…

They had decided to usher in the new year in Suna, and perhaps stay on for a few more weeks. The warmer temperatures were much easier on Sakura, who was well into her second trimester. She was showing beautifully, and much to her amusement and sometimes annoyance, Itachi loved to take her out, and show her off. Two months had made a big difference, and Itachi was almost itching to take her out now. It gave him the strangest sense of pleasure to be seen with her.

His father was a little disgruntled about the fact that she was so openly pregnant and unmarried, and while the day was modern, the clan elders felt the same.

However Itachi refused to move until everything was right. He had spoken to Sakura about it, and they both preferred to wait until they had spent just a little more time with each other.

But now… now he wanted her to be his. He had no intention of ever falling out of love with her, or doing anything to effect such a result in her, and he wanted to claim her.

"I love you," he murmured against her exposed shoulder and neck, leaning closer to trail soft kisses along her jawline. He wrapped his arms around her under the surface of the water, loving the feeling of her bare skin underneath his palms. She leaned back against him, sighing happily as they both leaned against the edge of the infinity pool, looking out at the horizon.

'Should I do it now?' he wondered.

He'd made preparations just in case there was a moment. Just in case the timing was just right.

Like right now.

His heart suddenly pounding heavily, Itachi pulled back, giving Sakura a small smile when she turned to face him. She looked up at him, a question in her eyes.

"I'll be right back," he responded, feeling his heartbeat in his throat. The anticipation and nervousness was unprecedented and unreasonable.

There was no way she would refuse, right?

She loved him.

Still, there was a possibility. There was a chance that for some reason, she would refuse him. And it was that niggling unknown that made Itachi almost dizzy with anxiety. He logically shouldn't be this nervous.

All the signs were there that she would accept. Her joy over her pregnancy. The way she looked at him. The way she was around him. But still…

Itachi pulled himself out of the pool, leaving wet footprints as he walked across the private deck and inside their suite. He retrieved the ring from its box, staring at its simple design for a few seconds before curling his fist tightly around it.

He hoped she would like it.

He'd purposefully chosen something that looked expensive enough to make her feel treasured, but was simple and classy enough to make her know he cared about her tastes as well. Pulling in a quick, fortifying breath, he stepped back out onto the deck. She didn't turn around fully, but seemed to sense his return by tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Itachi, come here…" she said softly, cautiously.

Itachi stepped back into the water, walking over to her. He cupped her shoulder with his free hand and turned her slightly to face him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his concern now growing. He was uncertain about her tone, and it added fluttering bats to the butterflies in his stomach.

"My stomach…" she started, but at his widened eyes quickly continued with a reassuring smile. "I'm okay, I'm okay. Just… put your hand on it." She reached up for his hand and pressed his open palm to her stomach.

Itachi's entire body went into a state of confusion. Wonder, excitement, concern, delirious happiness, and impatience were among the myriad of emotions that threatened to short circuit his brain. He could feel his child moving within her.

He'd known it, and he had been happy, but Itachi was conscious at that moment, that it hadn't quite hit home to him that this was real. Even after the trips to the OBGYN, even after the ups and downs of Sakura's pregnancy, it hadn't really hit him. Even seeing her begin to show, even seeing the adorable fat that added to her cheeks… it hadn't really hit him that this was real.

But now.

Feeling his own child.

This.

This had to be the best moment of his entire life to date.

He was crying before he even knew it, face buried into the curve of her neck and his heart aching with a pain that was so beautiful he thought he might just die. The ring box nearly broke in his fist.

There was no way he could propose now.

There was no way this ring could ever match the depth of the preciousness of what Sakura was and was giving to him. She turned in his arms, her eyes tearing up in response to his.

"You can't do this, 'Tachi," she murmured, holding his face between her hands. "You can't cry like this in front of me, I am pregnant and I won't stop!" she complained, stretching up to press her lips to his. His hand came up to cup the back of her head as he kissed her softly, slowly, trying in vain to calm himself down.

He had never known that this extreme happiness could even exist, and it brought with it an element of fear, of panic… of slight distress.

She reached down for his other hand, intending to wrap it around her waist, but hand hand stopped when it reached his tightly curled fist.

She pulled away.

Looked into his eyes.

He dropped his gaze with something akin to guilt.

She stepped back, lifted his hand and opened his palm.

"Itachi…" she breathed. "What…?" She looked up at him, her pink eyelashes darkened and spiky around her vivid green eyes. Eyes he dreamed of. He tried to close his fist back around the box, but she wouldn't let him.

"Is this for me?" she asked, the corner of her lips turning upward.

A sigh jerked through his chest, and she looked up, read his eyes and chuckled. Her eyes filled back with tears. She took the box from him and opened it, and then pressed her hand to her mouth.

"I don't want to be away from you. I didn't… this isn't enough… your worth to me cannot… I love you," he uttered, only broken fragments of what he wanted to say coming out in disjointed harmony. She nodded, her eyes smiling even as the tears rolled from them.

"Can I tell you a secret?" she asked then, laughing a little through her tears.

He was confused, still too emotional to really process much, and already thoroughly overwhelmed and so he nodded like a fool.

He really wasn't ready for it when she stuck reached into her bikini top and pulled something out.

"So," she muttered. "I was struggling for the whole day, trying to find this, wondering if it was a good idea… but I feel like…" she continued, reaching for his palm and pressing something hard and slightly warm into his palm.

He looked down.

A ring.

A masculine ring.

His gaze met hers again. Wonder and hope and knowing all rolled into one. She was going to say what he desperately wanted to but couldn't seem to get out because sometimes looking at her made him feel so unworthy.

"The two of us…" she began. "Let's get married."

Yaayyyy!

Okay so guys, as usual and obviously I am going to ask for reviews haha. In any case, you know I love to give power back to you all.

As you can see, the title of this is super generic. That is because I actually plan to change the name and (you guessed it) I am asking you guys for your suggestions.

Quite frankly I got so used to calling this universe AIA that AIA is stuck in my brain and not allowing me to move forward. (T_T)

So once again, I am looking forward to your comments!

As it relates to the plot of this, I'm thinking to continue it in arc style like I have been doing for The Confession 2 (please check that out as well), so it's shorter chapters that I can (hopefully) get out faster. It will mostly be centred on what you guys asked for. Days in the lives of Itachi and Sakura, exploring them as a couple, their baby etc etc.

I don't know if I will be doing the events in sequence yet or not. We will take it as it comes haha.