Tests of Heart

🌸Chapter 12: A Little Help

It was only five weeks since Sakura had her sweet little girl, Reiko, and it was hard. Every time she seemed to lay her head down for a quick nap, the little one was crying or waking up immediately after Sakura put her down. Single motherhood was taking a toll already. No matter how tired she was though, Sakura wouldn't ask for help. One day help came to her though.

It was a night Reiko wasn't sleeping. Sakura was out on her balcony rocking the little one in a chair, dozing off herself as she rocked despite Reiko's cries. It was then a voice woke her.

"Hard time?"

Sakura looked up to find Gaara leaning against the balcony railing with a soft smile on his face.

"Gaara...what are you doing here?" she asked then realized how she sounded. "Not that seeing you is a bad thing, of course!"

Gaara laughed as she fumbled over her words.

"I'm here on official business, but no one else is awake in the middle of the night, of course," he said softly as he took in the sight of the tired looking Sakura and the baby that still hadn't stopped crying. "Well, no one is awake except you and the little one."

Sakura smiled tiredly as she continued rocking Reiko.

"She's had a hard time sleeping ever since coming into the world. I'm starting to think she just doesn't like me," Sakura laughed.

Gaara couldn't help but smile.

"Let me give it a try," he said suddenly.

Sakura looked at him like he grew a second head.

"E-excuse me?" she finally got out, clearly surprised.

"Let me try," he repeated.

Sakura looked at the man as he held his arms out to her. Gaara with a baby was something she never saw before, something she thought she'd never see until that night when she did indeed, give him her little bundle.

Within minutes of Gaara cooing and shushing as he rocked the tiny one in his arms, she was quiet and out like a light. Amazed, Sakura followed him as he walked into her room and to the crib she had for the baby. He gently put her down into the crib and as he stepped away quietly, she stayed asleep for the first time in the crib. They quietly went back onto the balcony and shut the door part way, just enough to be able to listen for her cries.

"How," Sakura pouted.

Gaara laughed quietly and shrugged. "I dunno."

Sakura just frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, not satisfied with the answer. Not like she cared though because her daughter was finally asleep, and it wasn't in her arms or in her bed right beside her.

"Who are the packages from?" Gaara asked, his voice breaking the content silence between them.

Sakura smiled softly and her hand went to the ring on the necklace around her neck subconsciously. She rubbed it between her fingers absentmindedly and looked over at him as he watched her in curiosity.

"Nagato," she sighed. "Someone told him I had Reiko and he's been sending new things like clothes and toys for her every day."

"Sounds like a good father," Gaara said softly as he looked out at the village.

"Yeah," Sakura whispered, then realized her fingers were playing with the ring. She forced her hands down to grip the railing as she gazed out on the village.

"Do you miss him?" Gaara asked.

Sakura, surprised by the question, turned to him to find his gaze never left the view. She turned back to the view then looked up at the stars and didn't even think about it before responding.

"I do. Every day."

Gaara smiled. He thought so.

🌸

Nagato busied himself and avoided any work with Konoha to give Sakura the time she needed. Thanks to some anonymous letters, he knew Reiko was born April 15th and had been sending packages for not just the baby, but Sakura herself to help with her recovery. He hoped the items would aid her and hoped the clothes would fit the little one.

Nagato looked over her desk when his eyes caught the most recent letter sent to him. With the letter was a picture of little Reiko, bright red hair and jade green eyes with the same fair skin as her mother. She was the picture of cuteness.

He couldn't help but frown when looking at Sakura in the picture though. It looked like she wasn't getting much sleep, and he hoped that would change as the baby got older. He knew she knew that not getting enough sleep could be detrimental, especially with a little one to take care of. Nagato wished nothing more than to be there with her to help shoulder the burden.

But he was stuck in Ame or wherever work took him, away from her and his little one.

"Nagato-san?"

The voice knocked him out of his thoughts, and he looked up, finding Sasori's protege Kikuoka standing in the doorway of his balcony door. Nagato laughed and beckoned the young one into the room.

"I-I tried knocking o-on the front door," he stuttered.

The boy had a letter in his hand, a letter not unlike the letter he held.

"Another one?" he asked as the boy held the letter out for the man to grab.

Nagato quickly grabbed it and opened the letter. Out popped another picture, a picture of Sakura with the Kazekage in the background, Gaara, holding Reiko. They seemed to be on some sort of outing and Nagato grew jealous. It was then he noticed the ring on the necklace around Sakura's neck and he smiled. It was their engagement ring.

"So there's still a chance..." he muttered to himself.

It was then that Nagato noticed Kikuoka was still standing there, looking at him in curiosity.

"Is that a picture of Sakura?" he asked.

Nagato nodded and smiled.

"Who's that man holding the baby?" Kikuoka asked curiously. "Is that Kazekage Gaara-sama?"

Nagato laughed and waved his arm at the boy.

"So many questions!" Nagato laughed as he nodded. "Thanks for the letter. You can go now."

The boy blushed and nodded as he bowed and headed back out the balcony doors. Nagato just shook his head. The boy was very different from Sasori's other protege, Kankurou. Nagato didn't mind that though. The few times he interacted with the man, Kankurou seemed like a loud person by nature.

Nagato looked back to the letter and read through it. Gaara had been helping Sakura out the last few days while he was in the village for business. That's why she looked much better than the picture before. The letter assured him that there was nothing between the two as of that moment though. Just Gaara being friendly.

Nagato looked back at the picture. He looked specifically at Gaara's expression as he held Reiko but looked at Sakura. He knew that look. There may not be anything between them, but that didn't stop Gaara from looking at her with adoration. She may not realize it, and neither did the person writing the letters, but he could see it on the man's face.

He realized long ago that he screwed up. He wouldn't blame her for going for someone like Gaara after his screw up. But her keeping that ring and the bracelet still being on her wrist told him she wasn't over him and her. At least, that's what he hoped.