A Mother's Love

The smell of disinfectant was the first thing that registered in Sakura's mind. Faint sounds of the heart monitor beeped and the cool sensation on her forehead made her realized that she had fainted. And who wouldn't? That was the second house she had acquired through a loan and she haven't even paid it fully yet.

Stress and worry had sent her to unconsciousness and the slight sting on her arm told her that she was hooked up on an IV drip. Dehydration? No, it was more of a precaution. She slowly sat up and studied the chart that was placed on the bedside table. Her blood count was normal, so was her temperature- Sakura skimmed over the reports to see that her attendant was Shizune.

As if on cue, the door opened to reveal the older woman with her face with a troubled cloud. Her dark eyes widened as she approached Sakura with a strained smile, "Ah, glad to see you're up!"

Sakura ignored the faux grin, "Where's Sarada?" she asked. Her child's words had stung more than the time Madara had impaled her with his sword. While she understood the pain and confusion that evoke those words from Sarada, it didn't mean it softened the blow.

'Hey mom, are you even his wife?'

The snarky words doubled with an even tone like she was stating a fact almost made her want to hit the child- but she didn't. Sakura knew the repercussions about keeping secrets from her daughter, even more so when it's about her father. Did Itachi feel like this when he donned the facade of a stone-hearted killer?

Shizune was taking too long to answer such a trivial question; in fact, her eyes were glued to the ground and her hands were folded into a nervous lace. Sakura only saw her do that whenever she was about to tell a rather grave news to Tsunade-shishou...

"Shizune, where's my daughter?" she asked again, her tone frigid and slightly threatening.

Finally the dark-haired woman opened her mouth and her voice slightly trembled, "I-I believe she went out to find Sasuke..."

Silence filled the room but for Sakura, it's like a surge of sounds blasting in her ears and her whole body felt as if it was doused with ice-cold water. Before she knew it, she was yanking the needle from her forearm and marching towards the door with blood dripping from the tiny wound.

Shizune's voice sounded a thousand miles away as she began to walk out of the door when she heard the words "-a search team was already been sent! Plus she wasn't alone, Akimichi Chōchō's with her so she-"

"Oh, so my twelve year old daughter wanders out of the village by herself but since she's with a classmate, she should be fine! I'm so fucking relieved!" she mocked in a punitive tone that made Shizune flinch but Sakura didn't have the time to even feel guilty about screaming at her senior. All she was focused on was her stubborn daughter and how much punishment will it cost to her daughter for leaving the village and running off to Kami knows where.

The rubble that was once their house was now taped around with words of caution but she effortlessly skimmed over the tape and began to lift up the fallen concrete with ease. She managed to locate her satchel and her dresser. Weapons and supplies were even harder but she got them anyway. With her gear complete and her forehead protector back in its place on her head, she was more than ready to go.

A small glint caught her eye; near the edge of the slabs of concrete and what seems to be their living room carpet was the shards of broken glass and a frame where only hers was present.

Sasuke's half was missing.

Sakura's lips curled as she fastened her weapon pouch on her lower back. 'That girl...' she mused as she picked up a kunai knife and began to cut her hair short like in her younger years. Naruto will have a fit if he finds out what she was planning- maybe he won't as he had done this as well but not in the same urgency as hers.

He can't understand what it means to be a mother.

As she looked up to the clear blue sky, her mind began to wander back to flashbacks about her daughter's birth.

-It was raining; the smell of moss and damp earth had invaded her nose. It was evident that she was taken from her apartment-

Sakura started to advance but masked her chakra and used the alleyways that everybody rarely used. Her green eyes focused on the sight of the gigantic wall that surrounded the village.

-Her mouth was filled with the taste of copper and her body felt heavy; heavier than her eight-month pregnant state. It was dark and the cold surface beneath her reminded her of experiment tables. What made nausea rise to her throat was the numerous tubes that had house multiple foetus', some were deformed-

The Uchiha matriarch rushed past the sweets shop she and Sarada used to frequent in her earlier years but she started to feel distant as is she was so far away. A heavy weight in her heart began to feel heavier each time Sarada pulled away; longing more for her absent father.

For a while, Sakura felt that she was unable to satisfy her daughter's needs- that her love and presence wasn't enough. That she wasn't enough...

Sometimes motherhood is a thankless job...

-She was running. Breaking the chains around her wrist was easy but they had somehow blocked the rest of her chakra on other parts of her body. Then, a hand from the shadows grabbed her hair and began to yank her back and she retaliated with a kick.

She heard herself shriek when a powerful force sent a punch on her swollen belly. The fear for her unborn child's safety overlapped any concern over her own welfare-

Motherhood wasn't just about giving birth and sending her kid to school. Countless of sleepless nights and lengthy days were crossed out of her calendar. She soothed every burning fever and stomach aches, healed Sarada's wounds whenever she falls down or scrapes herself on the knee or elbow. Even after having a heated fight over not buying something that the child wanted, she still bought it secretly before placing it on her bed that night as she slept.

It's a hard job; being a mother. But even if it was difficult on so many levels, she does it wholeheartedly anyway because she loves her stubbornly strong-willed daughter. She will endure pain and heartache if it meant keeping her safe.

Even if Sarada will end up hating her for it.

A mother's love is unconditional and whole.

Flashback:

The pain on her belly made the alarms in her head go off. It wasn't from the hit, but she was already having contractions. Out of desperation, she twisted her body and dug her nails to her assailant's flesh before she pulled down with bits of his skin.

The person cursed up a storm and slapped her-hard- on the face before she scrambled from the floor and started to run. To where she didn't know but she wanted to escape the gruesome sight of embryos and foetuses that floated in their containers.

Her voice was caught in her throat as she staggered through the large dark room; the only source of light came from the cylinders.

No, she will not die here, neither she nor her child will. Damn it she is Haruno (technically Uchiha now) Sakura! She can punch a hole on the mountains and heal with precision. She won't yield to a sadistic monster. The very thought of Orochimaru had sent chills through her body; he had vanished after the Fourth War, disappearing to the underground world and he might even be the instigator to these horrific experiments.

Her thoughts were derailed when she was sent flying to the opposite side of the room. Her first instinct as a kunoichi was to protect her head but her maternal instincts took over and covered her belly. Her head throbbed as she collided with the wall, her eyes blurred and there was a loud ringing in her ears. Something wet trickled from her forehead but she knew it was blood before it could even enter her mouth.

'Shit' was all she managed to think before a blast entered the scene and the eerie purple flames entered the room. Never had she been so relieved to see Sasuke's Susano'o.

His tall form was swallowed by the black cloak and his face made her remember Madara's own. His exposed skin was still fair despite his travels but what captured her attention the most was his eyes.

His eyes were burning with fury, his right eye bled red with the tomoe of the Mangekyo Sharingan while his Rinnegan burned with the same intensity. His eyes settled on her prone form before his lips moved and pointed at something in the dark. A line of blue lightning came out from the tips of his fingers and struck down several bodies. The smell of scorched flesh invaded her nose but she wasn't fazed.

As he continued to annihilate her captors, Sakura felt something trickle between her legs. Her water broke. Sakura couldn't believe her child's ill timing. "No," she whispered, "Not now".

But even if she pleaded, the baby's still coming whether it was convenient for her or not. Sakura crawled to the side, careful to avoid the conflict and tuned out the sounds of weapons clashing and the smell of blood.

She holed herself against a corner and began to prepare herself for the worst when another hole blasted through the wall and the light permitted her to see Naruto, Kakashi-sensei and Tsunade-shishou with her fist raised.

"Thank Kami" she whispered as her mentor ran towards her. The blonde woman examined her condition before she carried her off to a dense forest where she gave birth to a baby girl that was wrapped with a spare travelling cloak.

But when she came out, she wasn't breathing. Panic and bile rose from her stomach as Tsunade tried to stimulate breathing from the child. It was long, two minutes was far too long even with Tsunade-shishou's abilities.

Without thinking and with sheer will alone, Sakura managed to sit up and took the baby from her disgruntled mentor's arms. The baby's slightly misshapen head, the smell of blood and ammonia engulfed her senses. A wave of tears threatened to overcome her but she focused all her chakra to her hands and began to stroke the baby's back.

"Sakura you can't-"

"No!" she yelled out, her throat raw and angry tears sprang out from her eyes. She had no reserved chakra and what she had was barely able to keep her body up but she was willing to give everything if it means her daughter will be able to live.

She winced as she placed the infant to the ground and began to pump on her chest with all her chakra all the while Tsunade was telling her to stop.

Why?

Why should she stop?

Can't her master see she's trying to keep her daughter alive?

Hope was dimming and she was about to give up when a flicker of a new chakra light up like a small flame on a candle's wick.

A sudden rhythm began to beat against her palms. A feeble yet undeniable pulse made Sakura open her mouth in surprise. Tsunade's eyes widened as well before she cupped her hands with hers as well and flowed their chakra into the child.

Then a thin wail erupted from the infant. Her thin lips opened and the cry of a newborn enveloped the area. Sakura gave off a shaky laugh as she tucked the squealing baby in the curve of her neck; knowing that she will do everything in her power to protect this child, her daughter. She barley registered Sasuke's presence as he arrived with Naruto and Kakashi.

Sakura pressed her lips against Sarada's forehead and the baby settled herself against her mother's chest. Something this small and precious had awakened something in the new mother; this urge to keep her safe and happy was rather overwhelming and the pain she had endured during her labor was worth it when she saw her child open her onyx eyes although the baby can't see anything clearly yet. For a second, she bristled when she saw a large hand stroke her baby's head only to simmer down when she realized it was her husband.

Sasuke's eyes softened as he watched Sarada gurgle and stare up at her mother as if they were talking to each other. Sarada was new to this world and she will be exposed to both the good and bad side of humans but Sakura vowed that she will do everything she can to prevent her daughter from getting into such perils. The little bundle in her hands was now the most important person for her.

Her Sarada.

Sakura took a last deep breath before she scaled the walls and jumped through the rails. The Konoha guards are not idiots, they'll know someone had left using the wall and no doubt Naruto will try to get her back along with her daughter and Chōchō but right now, she really needs to get to Sarada first before anyone else does.

A mother isn't someone who just gave birth to a child; she protects them, and took care of their wellbeing. Even during a heated argument, her heart will soften at the thought of her child and she's willing to risk everything to keep her children safe. And she won't hesitate to kill and die for them.

That's what a mother's love is.

A/N: Read and Review to show support to the author.

Edited: Yes it is my own theory on Sarada's birth but it was already 'Word of God (Kishimoto)' that Sarada's born from Sakura and Sasuke. He just added the twist to expand the plot of Gaiden and explain why Sasuke's still travelling.