~*Deliverance*~

Chapter Five: Life and Death

Sakura had been in a good mood that day, despite the things that had been going on in her life as of late. She was still anxiously awaiting Sasuke's return, as usual, but she focused her attention elsewhere to keep her mind off that particular subject. Her pregnancy proved to be the perfect distraction as she patiently waited for the arrival of her child. Though no one in the entire village knew just who the father was...

To say the news had come as a great shock to her friends and acquaintances would have been an understatement. Haruno Sakura, the sweetly innocent yet destructively violent cherry blossom of Konoha, was pregnant. Half of them were shocked because she would have the audacity to sleep around then claim to not know who the father was (she lied through her teeth so that her interactions with the missing-nin would not be discovered), and the other half were surprised that the apprentice of the Sannin would actually let a man get close enough to impregnate her in the first place. Sakura did not miss the whispers behind her back, and the rumors ultimately made their way back to her. Some thought that she was simply a whore, while others speculated that she was actually raped. Perhaps the child was a mistake from a seduction mission gone awry, or just maybe Haruno Sakura had a secret lover...

Those last few people had no idea how close to the truth they really were, and for her it was just a tad too close for comfort.

Naruto had been there for her enthusiastically for comfort despite everything, and so had Hinata alongside him. Tsunade had been oddly sympathetic, making Sakura a bit curious though she kept her questions to herself. Kakashi had been awkwardly reassuring, which was all Sakura could ask from her former sensei. Ino had initially bombarded her with questions but had been silenced with Sakura's declaration of not knowing the identity of the father, and ever since the blonde had been there for her every step of the way. From accompanying her to each prenatal check-up to making midnight runs to the store whenever the pinkette had the sudden unbearable craving, her best friend was always there. Ino had even moved in with her for the time being, seeing as she lived alone.

To put it shortly, Ino had been there doing everything that Sasuke should have been doing.

Sakura would have been lying if she claimed not to have been even the slightest tad bitter about that fact, but there really was no helping it. Sasuke had assured her that he would return when he could, she only had to wait for him. And besides, it wasn't like he knew she was four months pregnant with their child. But she couldn't keep their reunion a secret forever, she knew; once the child was born, Sakura had a sneaky suspicion that the child's parentage would be obvious by appearance alone. And if Sasuke didn't return by then... Sakura simply didn't know what she would do. And so she waited on pins and needles, living each day as it came if only to put off the desperation.

Sakura gathered her belongings from the changing room, done with work at the hospital for the day. She smiled to herself at the thought of a warm bubble bath and the comfortable bed that awaited her at home, where she would relax to the utmost and finally have some alone time. Well, not that she was ever completely alone now... Sakura's hand brushed lightly over the barely noticeable protrusion in her abdomen, a small smile gracing her lips. She placed the straps of her duffel bag in the crook of her arm as she rounded the corner, fully intending to head home before she was caught leaving. Though her shift was technically over she would always pick up slack where it was needed; she was a people-pleaser and couldn't say no to helping others, thus the reason she had to escape undetected.

The pink-haired kunoichi took a quick glance down the hallway to ensure none of her co-workers were present before passing the front desk and heading for the front door.

"Sakura-san!" The girl cursed inwardly before masking her disappointment with a bright, sunny smile and turning around.

"Ah, Yume-chan! Is there something you need?" Sakura asked politely, smiling at the young receptionist.

"Oh no, it's nothing important... Er, actually it's more... Personal." The mousy-haired brunette flushed crimson, clasping her hands together awkwardly. Sakura smiled at the shy, civilian girl whom she had grown to have a pleasant work-place friendship with.

"What's on your mind?" The pinkette asked amiably, walking up to the counter to rest her bag on its surface. Luckily the hospital wasn't busy that day; this talk may take a little while, with the direction it was taking...

"It's about a boy..." Yup, this talk was definitely going to take a bit, Sakura decided. She nodded understandingly.

"Go on."

"There's this boy who has been in the hospital for a chronic illness... The last few months he was here, we kind of became friends. But now he's checking out since he's been treated... Not that it's a bad thing! I mean, I'm glad he's gotten better, but..."

"He's checking out soon, and you won't be able to visit him anymore." Sakura finished, and the other girl nodded with a frown.

"I want to keep seeing him, but I don't know what to do... I would give him my number, but is that too forward for a girl? Shouldn't a boy make the first move? That's what my mother always tells me, anyway..." Yume murmured with uncertainty, and Sakura tapped her chin thoughtfully. What this girl needed was a push, she decided. This shy girl needed to take a page out of Hinata's book and get over her bashfulness to step up and claim the boy of her affections. Sakura smiled warmly at the thought.

"You don't have to give him your number. Just go tell him what you're telling me: you want to see him more, out of the hospital." Sakura assured with a smile. "Even if the words don't come out right, the attempt should be enough. Actions speak louder than words, after all." Yume considered this quietly while nervously chewing on her lip.

"Do you have a special someone?" The girl blurted out before covering her mouth with a small gasp. Sakura blinked in surprise.

"N-nevermind Sakura-san, I'm sorry I asked..."

"No, no." Sakura quickly raised her hands. "It's okay, really. I um..." Yume watched her intently, awaiting her answer without knowing the whirlwind of thoughts inside the pinkette's mind. Did she have a special someone? Of course she did... Not that she was in any position to admit it. Though Yume was a civilian who probably wouldn't connect the dots... And it would feel nice to admit to someone that she did indeed have that special someone. Even if she couldn't say his name, Sakura longed to tell someone of her new-found happiness.

"Yes, I do. A very special someone..." Sakura glanced down at her stomach and traced her fingers over it absently, and Yume followed the movement with a small smile.

"Well! My shift is over, so I'll be going now... Unless you needed anything else?"

"Oh no, that's all! Thank you so much, Sakura-san." Yume bowed respectfully.

"No problem. See you tomorrow." Sakura waved with a wink, retrieving her bag off the counter once more. Now it was time to go home to the peace. The pink-haired kunoichi exited the hospital, a light breeze rustling her choppy locks. The sun was setting low in the sky, dipping precariously close to the horizon in the distance, basking the streets in a dim glow. Summer was in full swing, Konoha's signature greenery sprouting everywhere in the form of flowers and trees. Sakura walked down the street feeling the warmth on her skin and reveling in the scenery. She took a deep breath and could smell the freshness of the air. Closing her eyes, she listened for the chirping of birds... But instead was met with frantic voices in the distance. She cracked her eyes open and scowled, wondering what all the commotion was about.

To say that Sakura was not prepared for the sight that awaited her at the end of the street leading towards the gates of Konoha would have been a severe understatement. A familiar, raven-haired man staggered through the open doors and was immediately flanked by several Leaf ANBU. He carried something odd on his back, something large and vaguely body shaped... The man looked up and met her shocked gaze.

"S-Sasuke?" she whispered to herself in disbelief. He made a move towards her but was held back by the ANBU, who held him down before performing a few hand signs. They disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving a group of onlookers baffled on the sides of the street. Sakura pivoted on her heel and briskly made her way to the Hokage Tower as quickly as a woman in her condition could, knowing that was exactly where they would have taken Sasuke. The journey took longer than usual considering she was no longer in her top physical condition, and her duffel bag also slowed her down. It was a solid fifteen minutes before Sakura entered the lobby, heavily out of breath.

"Sakura-chan!" called a familiar voice, and she looked over to see none other than Naruto. He quickly jogged to her side and filled her in on what he knew.

"I was going through mission debriefing when Sasuke-teme was brought in all of a sudden! I can't believe it... He came back! He actually came back!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, but after a moments thought he scowled. "But if he thinks we're gonna take him back so easily with open arms, then he's got another thing coming, dattebayo..." he grumbled, and Sakura smiled at his pouting face.

The duo anxiously sat in the waiting area for their teammate, the minutes ticking by slowly but surely. The sun had long since set, and it was well into the night when the door opened. Sakura, who had almost fallen asleep on Naruto's shoulder, sat straight with a jolt and the blonde jerked his head up and stopped snoring at once.

"Teme." Naruto acknowledged as the raven-haired man walked from the door, cuffed with chakra-resistant restraints around his wrists and ankles along with an ANBU on each side.

"Dobe." Sasuke returned shortly. His eyes landed on Sakura's form but his expression didn't change.

"Sakura." he nodded, and she almost broke their cover by throwing herself at him. Instead, she returned his neutral look.

"Sasuke," she returned. His eyes roamed her form for a split second, lingering on the small protrusion on her abdomen. He looked away afterward and she couldn't catch the expression on his face, but she could only imagine he would be pleased... Right? She bit the inside of her cheek.

"His trial will be held soon," one of the ANBU informed, and Sakura was surprised to find that it was none other than Kakashi-sensei. She could only guess that Sai was the other ANBU flanking Sasuke.

"When?" Naruto demanded, and Kakashi met their gazes from inside his mask.

"Now. The council will meet immediately in an emergency trial, and the verdict will be given out tonight." Sakura felt her jaw drop in shock.

"Tonight? Don't you think that's a little quick? That's not even enough time to hold a proper trial to begin with!" The pinkette snapped, but Kakashi held up a hand to placate her.

"There's nothing I can do about it, Sakura. This is beyond our control. We'll just have to wait and see what happens and go from there," he replied understandingly, and Sakura took a deep breath to calm herself, resting a hand on her stomach instinctively. The motion did not go unnoticed by the Uchiha in the room, though no one else seemed to see.

"For now, we have to escort Sasuke to the council room. You and Naruto have been asked to witness the trial as his teammates, being the only people close to him." Kakashi's eyes roamed to Sakura then slid over to Sasuke, then back again knowingly. She met his gaze unflinchingly. Even if he did know their secret, it wasn't like he'd report them. He was their sensei after all, and Team Seven was known for being a tight-knit group. The air was tense as the team made their way to the council room, where the elders were already gathered along with Tsunade.

"Step forward, Uchiha." Homura stated with authority and Sasuke did as he was told, albeit with his chin held high. The trial thus far had been tense and Sakura had just about chewed her own lip off from worry. Naruto sat beside her, his usually bright expression darkened with seriousness as his hand fisted by his side. Sasuke had been questioned ruthlessly, though he never answered any of their questions. He simply glared, jaw clenched tightly, as if to keep himself from lashing out.

"You are being prosecuted for defection of the village without consent, allying with enemies of Konoha, resisting arrest on multiple occasions, and attempting to murder several Leaf shinobi. What do you have to say for yourself?" The elder snapped, eyes narrowed. Sasuke leveled them with a cold stare.

"I have no regrets." He replied seriously for the first time that night, and the councilman bristled visibly in response.

"You will pay for your impertinence in due time, Uchiha." Sasuke grew strangely rigid at the sound of Shimura Danzō's voice. Sakura watched carefully, noting his body language.

"We should have expected no less from an Uchiha, after all. The cursed blood that runs through his veins sealed his fate from before he was born; such madness is his birthright." Danzō continued, and Sakura heard Naruto growl under his breath. She took his hand in her own in hopes to calm him, though she wasn't much better herself.

"The Uchiha have always suffered from the Curse of Hatred, and this boy is no different. An Uchiha's love turns into hatred the moment they lose the ones they hold dear; there is no redemption. The Uchiha line should be put to a stop once and for all, for the greater good." Sakura's eyes widened as she gasped at the implication behind the councilman's words. Surely he didn't mean...

"What the hell do you mean, put to a stop once and for all?" Naruto demanded, shooting up from where he sat. His eyes blazed accusingly but Danzō was not affected in the least.

"Sit down and keep quiet, Uzumaki. Your outbursts will not be tolerated in this courtroom." Koharu snapped in outrage.

"You heard me correctly. It is my professional opinion that the Uchiha line be put to an end," Danzō stated, "and that Uchiha Sasuke shall be executed not only for his transgressions, but so that he cannot spread his cursed name any further." Sakura's heart felt like it was about to hammer right out of her chest. After everything they had endured, after everything he had gone through, after he had finally come back... He was going to be put to death. Just as this thought crossed her mind, she was slapped in the face with reality. Uchiha Sasuke shall be executed not only for his transgressions, but so that he cannot spread his cursed name any further... So that he cannot spread his cursed name any further. She resisted the urge to cover her stomach protectively, knowing it would only draw suspicion. Sakura shut her eyes tightly to repress the tears that threatened to overflow; she wouldn't break down here. There had to be another way- she would think of another way.

"You can't do that! He came back of his own free will! Sasuke would never-"

"He brought back Uchiha Itachi's body like the man had been some sort of sacred being. If that isn't proof of being a traitor, I don't know what is-" Koharu exclaimed, but she was interrupted.

"Don't you dare slander his name." Sasuke's voice rang out in the court room, frigidly cold yet solid. He glared heatedly at Koharu, who visibly shrunk back into her chair and did not meet his gaze.

"That is of no matter. His criminal status has stripped him of nearly all his rights. I suggest he be executed tomorrow morning." Danzō stated with finality, and Naruto was stunned into speechlessness. Sakura began to tremble, trying to keep control. Her mind reeled with a way to fix the whole situation.

"We will have a ten minute recess while the council finalizes their verdict." No sooner than those words were spoken out loud, Sakura had grabbed Naruto by the arm and pulled him out the doorway.

"Sakura-chan, what are you-"

"I need you to listen to me, Naruto. I need you to listen carefully." Sakura insisted, and Naruto slowly nodded at her serious tone.

"What is it?"

"The council... They're going to sentence Sasuke to death. There's no doubt about it." Sakura replied gravely. Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief.

"WHAT? But it wasn't his fault, dattebayo!" He declared fervently.

"Don't you think I know that, Naruto? But there's no getting around it. We have to be realistic if we're going to devise a plan." Sakura took a deep breath to calm herself. This stress wouldn't do her any good, and it certainly wouldn't be good for the baby.

"What are you thinking?" Naruto inquired. Sakura thought for a moment in silence.

"Tsunade-shishou wouldn't want his execution. We've worked so hard to bring him back and now he's finally here; she wouldn't take that away from us. I know she will support us. But the council... They need to be taken care of." Sakura couldn't believe what she was saying. The mere words were borderline treason, and what she was about to say next was certainly a crime in itself.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked with uncertainty.

"We have to dispose of the council. Maybe not Homura and Koharu- they're just followers- but definitely Danzō. He's the head of the council who's making all these decisions." Naruto's eyes widened in shock at her audacity.

"You can't be serious... You want to kill him?"

"It's either him or Sasuke. Who would you choose?" She shot back, and Naruto looked stricken.

"...What do you have in mind?" He finally asked, and Sakura breathed out in relief.

"Sasuke's execution will probably be made public. In that case, we can be there to intervene- but that's only a temporary fix since they can simply reschedule his execution. We need a more permanent solution."

"Like what?"

"You can be there at the execution, and have a disguised shadow clone take out the executioner. Run away outside the village until it dispels, leaving no evidence behind." Sakura plotted out, but Naruto frowned.

"Won't it be obvious that it's me though? Even with a disguise? I mean, who else would do it?"

"It will be extremely obvious. In fact, most everyone will probably know that we were behind it. But the point is they'll have no evidence to pin us with, even if they know it's us. A motive alone is not enough to arrest either of us." Naruto nodded in realization.

"But what about Danzō?"

"We'll take care of him, too. Delaying the execution will give us some time."

"Alright, we'll do it," he replied with a determined air, and Sakura nearly melted with relief at his compliance. Of course he would agree, she really shouldn't have doubted him to begin with.

"Court will resume in one minute." Sakura and Naruto quickly returned to their seats. The air was silently tense.

"Has the council reached a verdict?" Tsunade asked through gritted teeth, glaring at the council she addressed. Sakura could tell her shishou hadn't gone down without a fight.

"The council has reached a verdict," Homura announced. "Uchiha Sasuke- you are sentenced to death. The execution will be held at sunrise tomorrow morning. Do you have any last wishes?" Sasuke did not look the least bit fazed by the news, and Sakura was inwardly angry that he seemed so resigned. Everyone grew silent as Sasuke began to speak.

"I want Uchiha Itachi's name to be officially cleared of any and all criminal and treacherous activity. My brother was never a traitor; everything he ever did was for the sake of this village, even when they turned their backs and had forsaken him. Uchiha Itachi was a true hero, and no one can take that away from him. Furthermore, he shall be given a proper funeral service held in Konoha and his noble endeavors will be publicly made known. He will be buried with the rest of the Uchiha family." Sasuke's speech had shocked everyone in the room, Sakura being no exception.

"Granted." Tsunade affirmed before the council could even breathe a word. Danzō's eyes narrowed and the other council members sputtered indignantly, but to no avail.

"Guards, take him away-"

"That will not be necessary." Tsunade continued, and Danzō glared up at her.

"What is the meaning of this, Hokage-sama?"

"Surely you wouldn't deny a prisoner his few rights. I grant Uchiha Sasuke a 12 hour period of probation before his execution. His officer will be... Haruno Sakura." Emerald eyes widened in shock as she stared up at her shishou. Tsunade hadn't been able to sway the council from their verdict, but this was all she could do... And Sakura was eternally grateful.

"Do you accept, Haruno Sakura?"

"Yes, I do." She assented neutrally, and the courtroom broke into a series of whispers.

"Very well. Uchiha Sasuke will be under the custody of Haruno Sakura for a period of 12 hours. Court adjourned." Sakura made her way up to the raven haired prisoner and clenched her hands to stop the trembling. Kakashi, still in his ANBU garb, led Sasuke over to her and took her hand to loop it around Sasuke's arm firmly. Sakura didn't so much as blink when Kakashi subtly tucked a small key into her palm. She didn't have time to say anything even if she wanted, because Naruto had ran over to pull them all into a tight embrace. At the sight of the blonde's crying face, Sakura couldn't help but shed a few tears herself. The irony was tragically comical; they were finally back together, only to be torn apart all over again.

Sakura had led her prisoner through the streets of Konoha to keep up appearances, headed straight for the Uchiha Manor. It was past nightfall now, and twelve hours would pass in the blink of an eye, she knew. She couldn't break down until they reached their destination- she wouldn't.

When they stepped through the doorway, neither of them said a word. They didn't jump into each others arms the first chance they had, as one might imagine. They merely took their shoes off at the door silently and Sakura used the key Kakashi had given to her to unlock the cuffs around Sasuke's wrists; they fell with a metallic clank onto the floor. Sakura walked to the living room, where she dropped her duffel bag, and shrugged her coat off her shoulders to hang it on the back of a dining room chair. Something told her Sasuke wouldn't mind the intrusion; no doubt he could tell she had cleaned it out already. She stood there for a moment, at a loss of what to do, when she felt Sasuke move closer until he stood behind her. She didn't dare count the seconds of silence between them.

"Sakura." Her breath caught in her throat at the sound of her name; he had said it before back in the Hokage Tower, but his tone was completely different now.

"Sasuke..." She whispered, biting her lip. She had held back her emotions thus far, but couldn't seem to last a second longer. A dam burst forth in her and the tears overflowed without any sign of stopping. Sasuke stepped up and his hands rested on her trembling shoulders, gently turning her around to face him. Wordlessly, he pulled her into a loose embrace. She clutched to his shirt pathetically, sobs wracking her body, and the only sound was her sniffling.

She didn't know how long they were like that, but eventually the tears stopped of their own accord. It was surprising, really. She hadn't thought it was possible. When Sasuke pulled away from her slightly, his eyes on the small swell of her stomach, Sakura smiled somewhat brokenly.

"Four months," she started. "I found out when I was a month along from blood work, and- Sasuke!" She yelped in surprise as he knelt down slightly and swept her up with ease. She could do nothing but cling to him as he carried her off down the hallway. When he reached the master bedroom he gently set her on the bed before sitting beside her. His curious gaze was still on her belly, and it seemed as if he was inwardly deliberating something. Sakura watched him for a moment before carefully pulling his hand into her own, sliding it onto her stomach while watching his expression. His reaction was almost instantaneous, if the slight widening of his onyx eyes was any indication. A moment later he placed his other hand on her belly as well, almost uncertainly so.

"It's a boy, you know." She said after a while, and he looked up at her in confusion.

"How do you know for sure?" He asked, obviously having her time of pregnancy in mind.

"I just do," she shrugged with a smile, placing her hand over his. She knew that there was a chance he would be dead in the morning, though she would do her best to prevent that, and so she couldn't help making this last night be as normal as possible. As if there wasn't impending doom afoot. As if it was any ordinary night between lovers.

He was staring at her with the most interesting expression; if Sakura had to guess what it was, she could only describe it as being something akin to awe. It invoked butterflies in her stomach and she felt her smile widen.

"Do you want to feel him kick?" She suddenly asked, and he blinked at her. Slowly he nodded, watching her curiously. Sakura hopped off the bed and walked off, her socks slipping slightly on the hard floor, and Sasuke followed her to the kitchen. She opened a cupboard to retrieve a plastic cup and went over to the refrigerator. She smiled knowingly as he cocked a brow at her antics, and she turned away to fill the cup half full with ice cubes. She walked past him back to the bedroom, and he dutifully followed her until they both were on the bed once again.

"Put your hands on my stomach," she instructed. Sasuke did as she told him. Sakura put the cup to her mouth, tilting it until a single cube slid into her mouth, and swallowed it whole. She felt the piece of ice slide down her throat, down, down, until...

Sasuke literally gasped, a mere small intake of a sharp breath, as he felt a slight flutter underneath his fingertips. He looked up at her with unbridled amazement and Sakura laughed. He looked back down and smiled genuinely, prodding her stomach carefully.

"Again," he murmured, and Sakura gladly obliged with a shrug as she swallowed another ice cube. The reaction was instantaneous as the baby squirmed inside from the slight chill, making Sakura giggle a little. She sobered at the serious look of happiness he showed. Sakura placed her hands on either side of his face, pulling him close until their foreheads touched. She searched his eyes, marveling at the expression there, before kissing him chastely upon the lips. He responded at once, gently placing one hand at her waist while the other never strayed from her stomach. When they pulled away, Sakura leaned back on the mattress and pulled him down with her until they faced each other lying down.

"Sasuke... What happened?" She asked quietly. He remained silent at her question and instead held her closer into his chest. She almost gave up on expecting an answer when he finally spoke.

"It was all Danzō's fault. Everything... It was all was because of him." Sakura quietly listened to his story without interrupting, from beginning to end. She was shocked at times, anguished, and enraged at the injustice of it all. Uchiha Itachi had been painted a traitor and a murderer, yet he had sacrificed everything for the sake of the village. Things began to fall into place as Sasuke continued his story and she knew that when daybreak came, when they attempted to execute him, she would not allow it to happen. No, she thought as she wrapped her arm tighter around his waist, I will save you.

A/N: I know it's been a long time- please don't kill me! xI This chapter gave me a lot of trouble, and the courtroom scene was a real bitch for some reason. But, on the upside, this chapter is the longest yet. We're reaching the homestretch now. In fact, the next chapter will be the last. Well, I might write an epilogue if you guys insist... ;P

Also, about the ice cube scene, that really is possible. When my aunt was pregnant she would swallow ice cubes whole and the baby would squirm around from the coldness. So cute! ;D

Ack, I know this waiting period was terrible. Forgive me! School has finally ended for the year, and I had my two week summer break! ;D Why two weeks, you ask? Well, I'm sort of a masochist, you see; I take online summer classes. They suck, they really do, but I can't help myself! I have two of them this year, and I'm almost done with the first. I can't say when the next chapter will be up. I don't have a lot of free time on my hands really, but I can promise that I will finish this story. Also, it won't take me a year to upload or something crazy like that.

Review? Pretty please? ;3