Chapter Seventeen: The Uchiha's Bride (Finale)

Two years later…

Hinata's bulging stomach left Sasuke's field of vision so he decided to throw a fit. "Let me come with her." He demanded at Sakura, who was wearing her medical nin coat and mask. "As the Anbu captain I demand to go with my wife!"

The Haruno rolled his eyes. "No. I can't concentrate if you're there Sasuke."

Neji stepped forward from the crowd of Konoha eleven who was observing the scene with interest. It was the first time that they have seen Sasuke so unorganized and his composure in tatters. The Hokage's right hand and Anbu captain was losing it.

It was just because his wife was giving birth to their first child.

Kiba was grinning with the current Hokage. Naruto was still in his night shirt and pants—a not so decent clothing style for a village leader but he just doesn't care. The moment he heard that Hinata was about to go into labor, he left all his paperwork flying around in his office as he left in haste, following his wife who was summoned to be the one to perform a medic's duty.

He really wanted to see Sasuke lose it.

"Sasuke." Neji placed his hand on the Anbu's shoulder. "Let Sakura-chan do her job. Hinata-sama is in good hands." Looking at Sakura, he gave her a weary smile. "She's going to be alright with you…right?"

The pink haired medic winked. "Of course…besides, it would be me and Ino assisting Hina-chan."

Neji nodded and turned his head towards the husband. "See?"

Sasuke was on the verge of pulling his hair out. "But I need to see her with my eyes damnit!"

"I can send in a watcher bug." Shino offered somewhere in the amused crowd.

"Don't you dare." The Haruno snapped. Shaking her head, she looked at his husband who was giving Kiba a pat on the back. "Naruto…can you please help calm Sasuke? Don't make him use his sharingan on me or something. I really need to go." With that, she turned and closed the emergency room door.

Shikamaru looked at the roof as if he just remembered something worth thinking about. "Sheesh…this is troublesome." He was holding little Asuma on his arms. The little boy was restless and he was pointing his chubby little fingers on the room where Hinata disappeared.

"Hi-Hina-nee…" The boy stuttered.

"Neh Shikamaru…" Choji opened his bag of ships. "Don't think you can escape this…Temari is due next month."

The Nara pretended not to hear, but focused his attention on his god-son. "Your Hina-Neechan would be fine Asuma…don't worry. You are going to have a playmate soon."

"What is this?" Kiba asked as he scratched his head. "Is this a boom baby mission or something?"

Tenten sighed and exchanged smiles with Hanabi. "Husbands…" Looking at her own bulging stomach, she shook her head and watched as her Neji was trying to talk sense into Sasuke. She saw Neji glanced her way and she smiled encouragingly at him. She knew that Sasuke was not the only one who a bundle of nerves tonight…Neji just knew how to handle it better than the Uchiha.

Hanabi nodded. "Sasuke Ni-san is really good to Hina-Nee…but sometimes, he can be…uhm…a little over the top?"

Lee raised his hand into the air. "Another life! Another youth—"

"Shhh!"

-o-

Minutes dragged by…and when Sasuke thought that he was really going to lose it, there was a loud sound of a baby crying its little lungs out.

Everyone turned silent and eyes suddenly glued at the stunned Anbu.

Naruto was the first to break the silence. Smiling, he gave his best friend a pat. "Congratulations…you're a father now."

Everyone smiled.

"I'm an uncle…" Kiba grinned.

"I'm an aunt!" Hanabi squealed the loudest.

Sakura and Ino appeared on the door, sweat on their brows but grins on their lips. Ino crossed her arms and looked at Sasuke. "You can go in now Mr. Hotshot."

If Sasuke was so determined to barge into the emergency room earlier, it was as if his feelings are reversed now. Weirdly, his feet won't move and Shino has to give him a gentle push to keep him going. As he found his strength to move, a part of his mind realized how lucky he was to have friends like the people who are grinning behind his back.

When he stepped into the room and the door closed behind him, Sasuke saw Hinata lying on the bed and a little bundle of cloth was placed beside her.

"Hina…"

When she saw him, her face lit up. "Sasu…"

Walking towards her, he cupped her face and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Are you alright?"

Hinata nodded and she touched his cheek, directing his gaze to land on the soft bundle next to her. "Come meet our son."

"I-It's a boy…"

The baby was so small and so fragile looking that the father was hesitant to even touch his son. With Hinata's reassuring smile, he took the baby in his arms and his heart suddenly stopped. Looking at the baby's face, his mind was suddenly reeling of the thoughts that in the past, seems insignificant.

He needs to ask Naruto for a one month leave…or he can make it two.

He needs to fix his old baby crib so that the baby would have a place to sleep.

He needs to look to a nanny so that his wife won't strain herself too much—knowing that she was going to be a doting mother and—

"Sasu…." Hinata noticed a tear forming in his left eye.

"What are we going to name him?" He asked, his voice husky and thick.

"Itachi. I want to name our son Itachi."

The sharingan user looked at his wife as a gentle smile hovered on her lips. That was the same smile he knew he would destroy worlds just to see again and again and again. "Little Itachi."

All his life, he never thought that he would be given a second chance in happiness despite of all the wrongs he has done. Pulling her with one hand, he captured her lips in a passionate kiss. "I love you Hinata."

"I love you too."

Outside their window, a raven spread its powerful wings and flew away.

-end-

AN: Thank you for reading my first ever fanfic.

Thank you for all the readers that I have the honor to be friends even just in the world of …you guys are awesome. I would have never have finished this story if not for your encouragements and suggestions. I love you guys!

Oh…my next story is ItaHina so please check it out.