"Heaven is a place where the mind and soul reconnect. Sort of like a yin and yang. Whatever your heaven is...there will I be also."
Disclaimer: Notice:
This last chapter is told in Sakura's POV. Enjoy!
"Kuso…" I said as I put down the test on a table. This was the third time I took it and still the answer came out as blue. I checked the screen. The plus sign was bold and evident. No…no…NO! This wasn't supposed to happen!
There was a tap on the door as Tsunade-shishou entered my hospital room. "Well…what did it say?" she asked curiously as she walked cautiously towards me.
I bowed my head in shame. "G-guess who's going to be a new mommy?" I mumbled, not really wanting Tsunade to hear me. Of course, I couldn't get my wish. I closed my eyes tightly waiting for her to flare off at me. I could hear her now.
WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU HAVE SEX UNPROTECTED AND NOW CHOOSE THIS TIME TO GET PREGNANT?!?!!? ONTOP OF THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A BASTARDIZED CHILD?!??!?!?!?
Surprisingly, as I opened my eyes again, I saw Tsunade standing there with a motherly expression and a beautiful smile.
I stood there bemused by her appearance. Was she actually…happy?
"I can't say that I'm not disappointed by what you have done Sakura, but I can say this: It's about damn time." Tsunade replied.
"Matte…nani?" I asked still not understanding. Did she somehow know this was going to happen? Did she know that I was sooner or later going to come in conflict with Sasuke?
"Ee, Sakura, I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away from the Uchiha kid forever, however I didn't know that he made you pregnant. Weren't you able to detect it since you had intercourse?" Tsunade responded nonchalantly.
"Well…I mean I was throwing up a lot, but other than that I seemed perfectly fine." I answered thankful that the baby wasn't hurt after the fights I had. She sighed.
"Sakura, we can keep this a secret for now, but when you get further along in your pregnancy, the village will know, and I know that ladies will be wondering who the father is. You have a reputation to uphold as my successor. I hope you remember that." Tsunade warned.
Shit, I knew that this was bad.
"It's your decision. You can abort---''
"HELL NO!!! Sumimasen Tsunade-shishou, but this is the next UCHIHA HEIR. I am carrying the next Uchiha heir. There is no way on Kami's green earth that I would abort this child. Abortion is out of the question." I responded.
Tsunade smiled. She must have known that I would say something like that. "Just continue thinking about some plans, and as soon as I finish up with your hospital report, I'll release you and we'll break the news to your mother. I'll leave it up to you to tell your friends." Tsunade said as she left the room.
My thoughts then did drift to my friends.
"Ino-pig…" I thought out loud. I began to think about when we had gotten back from the mission to check on how everyone was doing. Ino was the first person I wanted to see.
Flashback…
"I WANT THE ROOM NUMBER FOR YAMANAKA INO NOW!!!" I yelled as I furiously pounded the desk which crumbled underneath of me. The flustered nurse managed to stutter out the room number and I immediately dashed down the hallway.
"E-1, E-2, E-3!" I said as I knocked on the door. There was a muffled "come in." I entered to see Ino-pig lying in her bed with her hair down. She was hooked up to an IV with some bandages here or there, but overall looked like she was fine. I sighed with relief, glad knowing that Deidara had not killed her.
"Hey Billboard Brow! Nice to see that you care. Are those flowers for me?" Ino asked slightly pushing herself up from her pillow. In my hand was a bouquet of crimson roses and in the center was a large cosmos flower. Ino's favorite flower.
"Ee, I just wanted to see how you were doing. You had me scared when you said you would take on Deidara by yourself." I replied scratching my head as I put the flowers in a pot.
"You should be worried. Ino suffered from severe blood loss and broke some bones as well as a mild heat stroke. The doctors said that she wouldn't make it." A voice cut in from the other side of the room.
Shikamaru stood alone by the window as the noon sun's rays beamed down on him increasing his shadow. It seems like the shadow increased enough to touch…Ino.
"Oh Shika-kun. When you say it like that, it does make it seem like it's a bad thing." Ino said as rolled her eyes. "AND CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE THIS KAGEMANE NO JUTSU OFF OF ME!?!?!" Ino barked. Her piercing blue eyes glared daggers at Shikamaru.
"Lie down, would you troublesome woman? Damn, I don't want you hurting yourself." Shikamaru retorted.
As I watched them bicker amongst themselves, I noticed that they really did care for each other, and that, was enough for me. Chouji came in with a bag of chips and told them to stop fighting. They'd wake up the other patients. "It made them seem like an old married couple." As Chouji liked to put it. Ino then got into a fit of giggles as Shikamaru looked away with red tints on his cheeks.
It was pure love. And they're hearts and minds were so indefinitely linked. It seemed that they didn't know it, but they were already in their own heaven.
My thoughts then drifted over to Hinata.
"Hina-hime…" I mumbled as I made my way to the sink, staring at my reflection in the water.
Flashback…
I walked into the Intensive Care Unit looking for another room number. White lilies were in my hand complimented by Blue bells. I knocked on the door, to which I met Hinata's little sister, Hanabi.
"Oh, konnichiwa Sakura! It's good to see that you're here. Join the party." She said as she opened the door fully. I got a glimpse of everyone in the room. Kiba, Shino, and Akamaru were all keeping watch over Hinata with guarded eyes. While her old sensei Kurenai with a 4 year old boy running around her sat patiently inside the room. Her father, Hiashi was standing on the other side of the room, looking as stern as ever. But what had shocked me the most was that Naruto was there holding Hinata's hand.
Hinata of course was blushing madly. But I had never seen her so happy.
"Hinata-ane suffered from broken ribs, over exertion of the body, and major blood loss. She needed at least 6 blood transfusions, but she's strong. I'm glad she's okay! Neji was here, but he went to go see his teammate. Naruto-sempai hasn't left Hinata's side since she got here. I'm telling ya, that's dedication." She said. She then giggled.
"Hina's got a boyfriend. Hina's got a boyfriend." Hanabi replied in a sing-song sort of voice.
"HANABI!!!" Hinata said as her frantic eyes switched between her father, to her teammates, to Naruto, and back to Hanabi.
Naruto smirked. "I don't mind being called your boyfriend. Hina-hime." He said took Hinata's chin and kissed her cheek. Of course, the lovely moment was interrupted when Hiashi chased Naruto around with his cane. Hinata, Kiba, and Hanabi burst into a laugh and I also took in the fact that their hearts were connected too in heaven's magical way.
I laughed at the thought as I walked to the window and looked at the sky.
"Tenten…Panda-chan…" I said absent mindedly.
Flashback…
Tenten was a different matter. As I walked down the hallway, I noticed that Tenten was in the more critical part of the ICU. I raced down the hallway with the pink orchids and rare, red dogwoods in my hand. I knocked on the door that the nurse had told me belonged to Tenten's.
Her team leader Gai-sensei had opened the door with a slightly saddened expression. I entered looking around seeing a hysterical Lee. He was inconsolable at the moment. Neji was so dangerously quiet, something that I never liked. It meant he was thinking, and thinking hard. I then looked at Tenten. She was still in a coma, and her scanning showed that her heartbeat was steady, but she was on life support.
Neji walked toward the window looking out. I noticed that he had a crafted… BOX in his hand. W-was he going to propose to Tenten? I put the flowers into a vase and touched his shoulder. He slightly flinched as he looked at me. Never had I seen such emotion out of Neji's eyes.
"She's a fighter. You know that." I replied trying to fan away the depressing atmosphere.
"I don't want her to leave. Not now. Not ever." He said as he looked down. Just then a nurse came inside with a gravely pale expression.
"Have you come to a decision, Gai-san?" she asked trying to lighten up the mood with a smile. "I-I wouldn't know. It all depends on Neji." He responded looking towards Neji's direction.
I looked confused for a moment. I glanced from the nurse to Tenten and back. I understood then. They were gathering the decision of whether to take her off of life support or not.
"Ne—'' I tried to intercede.
"Do it." Neji said briskly and sharply. The nurse nodded abruptly and took the life support plugs off of Tenten. Neji had to turn away as he heard the beeping of the machine slow down and then stopped in dead silence. I bit my lip. Tenten could die. She was the toughest fighter I knew. I felt a tear roll down my eye as I saw Tenten's comatose figure. Was she really gone?
The nurse proceeded to pull the covers over Tenten's head as they were heading to the morgue.
I looked up as I heard a muffled moan underneath the sheets.
"…emp ish ing…op up…EEE!!!" the stifled voice yelled from underneath of Tenten's covers.
Neji immediately turned around and Lee choked up his tears. The nurse pulled the covers down from Tenten's face to see her hazel bulging eyes glaring at her.
"I've…always hated hospitals." She grunted.
"PANDA-CHAN!!!"I yelled as I dropped her flowers to the floor and held her in a tight hug.
"Sakura." She said as she smiled and returned the hug. I let go and watched as her eyes traveled to Neji.
Neji was glaring at Tenten. I helped Tenten sit up.
"Mm…How long was I out?" Tenten asked.
"TENTEN!!!!!!" Lee yelled out crushing Tenten's probably already broken bones.
"OW LEE OW OW OW OW OW OW!!! IT'S OW NICE OW TO SEE OW YOU TOO OW LEE!!!!!" Tenten yelled, as Lee sincerely apologized and set her down.
"It's so good to see your youthfulness again! Isn't she just as youthful as ever Gai-sensei?" Lee asked. His bulging eyes and waggling eyebrows was just too irresistible to the green spandex-suited teacher.
"She's our blossom, Lee. Konoha's beautiful flower. Youthful as ever! BUT THE YOUTHFULNESS YOU ARE SHOWING LEE IS BLINDING WONDERFUL!!!" Gai said as he took one of his animated poses. Lee looked up to him with tear-stained, happy eyes which somehow led to a sunset background…
I giggled as I turned toward Neji and Tenten. Neji of course didn't look so happy.
Tenten sighed. As soon as she tried to open her mouth Neji cut her off.
"Tenten, I don't know what possessed you to do such a thing!" he said starting to pace back and forth.
"I was trying—''
"You were trying to get yourself killed. That was a suicidal move. Something stupid! If we were on a mission, I don't think I'd be able to deflect all of those weapons. You had me worried sick!" he reprimanded. His voice was rising slightly, but not enough to get Lee's and Gai-sensei's attention.
Tenten punched the pillow and furrowed her brows. Her hazel eyes were blazing towards Neji who looked just as furious.
"WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU NEJI?!?!? WE'VE BEEN IN MISSIONS ALMOST AS LETHAL AS THIS! WHY DO YOU EVEN FUCKING CARE???" Tenten yelled. Her voice was strained. This caught Lee's and Gai-sensei's attention. Tenten ranted on.
"YOU'RE ALWAYS SO COLD AND HEARTLESS AND NOW YOU TAKE THE TIME OUT TO SHOW SOME EMOTION. YOU'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT FATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT! WHAT IF IT WAS FATE THAT I DIED!!!!!?!?!? IT'S LIKE YOU SAID. YOU CAN'T DENY FA---''
Neji pulled her into a hard, needy kiss. Lee, Gai-sensei, and I had to look away at how intimate they were. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks making me blush madly. Once I could decipher that they were done I saw Neji with a serious expression.
"One part of my fate that I do know is that it's not time for me to lose you." He said as he took out a beautifully crafted, silk box. It was all black with a white ribbon on it. On the ribbon were detailed, traditional, Japanese-styled cranes with water surrounding the birds and weeping willows with some cherry blossoms.
Tenten gasped. "N-neji what are you doing?" she asked getting a little flustered.
Neji got down on bended knee. Lee and I were holding each other, jumping up and down, squealing for joy.
HE'S GONNA PROPOSE!!!!! HE'S GONNA PROPOSE!!!! I practically screamed in my head.
"Tenten…you know I'm not the romantic type of guy. I don't really deal with any of that. But one thing I do know is this. I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world and I don't want to lose you. Marry me." Neji replied.
I shook my head as to how straightforward he was. It seemed more like a demand than a question. But all Tenten had to say was…
"Yes! YES!!! YES!!! A ZILLION TIMES YES! YES!" Tenten screamed. She immediately used the rest of the strength that she had to throw her arms around her new fiancée. I smiled at how happy they were. I congratulated both of them as I gave Tenten her bouquet. No matter how awkward it was, their hearts were definitely connected. Heaven did it again.
My thoughts were interrupted by a tak tak coming from another window. There beside me was figure in the window. His clothing swished as he landed gracefully. I immediately recognized him as I breathed his name out.
"Sasuke."
He looked at me with indifferent eyes, and then smirked. "You said that you would come find me."
"I said that, but it would be complicated."
"Doushite?"
"Because it would hinder something." He knew I was stalling him.
"And what is that something? Sakura don't toy with me. We're both tired and injured. I don't need to play games."
I sighed as I mumbled.
"Nani?" he asked. His patience was wavering thin.
"I-I'm…I'm pregnant."
Sasuke didn't say anything at first. Not that he could say anything. I'm pretty sure he was shocked to some degree. He knew we didn't use any protection so I'm also pretty sure that he knew the consequences.
He walked slowly and cautiously up towards me. Looking at from head to toe. He then looked towards the counter and saw the test. I flinched as he raised his arm. I thought he was going to hurt me, but instead he put a hand to my stomach. We made eye contact again.
"Tell me that you're not lying Sakura."
"I'm not Sasuke. You see the test. I'm pregnant."
He slightly rubbed my stomach, and slightly smirked.
I closed my eyes as I tried to muster up all my strength to try one more time.
"Sasuke-kun, please, I don't want our child to be a bastardized child. Could you just come home? I'm begging you."
Sasuke looked up at me one more time and put his arms around me, embracing me. I didn't want him to let me go as I held on tighter to him. He kissed my forehead and ran his fingers through my hair.
"Sakura…aishiteru."
My eyes widened as I could feel that darkness was overcoming me. He was using the same cheap trick that he did those 5 years ago. But…he said that he loved me. I couldn't help but smile. I swear I could hear his last few words though:
"You were always my heaven."
And somehow, I couldn't help but feel that even though it wasn't picture-perfect like everyone else, and even though I knew I was going to have my share of tough times, I knew one more thing:
"Sasuke-kun…We're in Heaven."
Authoress' Note: IT'S DONE GUYS!!!!!! OH MY GOSH! IT'S DONE! I'VE COMPLETED MY FIRST SERIES!!!!! I'M JUMPING FOR JOY!!!!!!! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE REVIEWS AND FAVORITES AND STORY ALERTS!!! YOU'VE MADE MY DAY!!!!!! AND A HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL OF YOU GUYS!!!!!! AISHITERU!!!!
Ahem…on a serious note: I wanted this last one to be told in Sakura's POV, because I wanted it to set up the basis for the sequel. "When Courage Isn't Enough," which is indeed told in Sakura's POV. This ending had major fluff for the other couples, and a little bit of angsty fluff for SasuSaku, but then again, SasuSaku is bound to have some hard times, like in the manga. Any questions you guys have about this series I will answer, but PM me, I don't want any question reviews. Also, R&R!!!!!! No flames please! If you do not like how I ended the story please do not flame me for it. It's a waste of my time and yours and will NOT be tolerated. See you in the sequel!
Ja ne!
Saku-chan
P.S.: Yes, guys I'm working on the next Chapter of "My Belonging." Look out for it! Sorry if I don't have it posted up today, but I kind of have been very, very busy.