145Author's Note: Hi guys! This is a suprise bonus chapter! An anonymous on tumblr asked me to write something where Sarada gets to see the ultrasound of a new sibling, so I decided to write this as a follow-up companion to The Sanctity of Siblings (Chapter 24). Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: Naruto, not mine since 1999.
"Mama, why do you need to see the doctor? Is there something wrong with the baby?"
Sarada halts the long strides of her parents, breaking their linked hands apart. Scowling heavily, she steps in front of Sakura and places her ear to her belly, listening intently for any sign of activity. Sakura smiles and runs her fingers through her daughter's hair reassuringly.
"The baby's fine, sweetheart, we're just going to get an ultrasound."
Hearing this, Sarada becomes even more confused. "We're going to Otogakure?" Sasuke chuckles. "No, Sarada, an ultrasound is a technology that lets us see the baby while it's still inside your mother, and even find out whether it's a boy or a girl."
Sarada's eyes go as wide as saucers behind her glasses. "We get to SEE him?! Why are we standing around then, let's gooo!"
Grabbing her parents hands, she pulls them along behind her at a jog.
As they enter the obstetrics ward of the hospital, Sakura is still trying to convince Sarada not to get her hopes up for a boy. But Sarada will not be swayed in her conviction that the baby growing inside Mama's tummy is a boy. He will be little Itachi, and as far as she's concerned, that's all there is to it.
One of the nurses, greeting Sakura with familiarity and warmth, ushers them into an empty room. Inside is a standard hospital bed, set to the recline position and covered with a white paper sheet. Sasuke helps Sakura into a sitting position on the bed, while Sarada inspects the strange computer next to the bed.
"What's this?" she asks, pointing to the screen.
Sakura pulls herself back onto the bed so she can lie back. "That's where we're going to see the baby." She beckons Sarada over and pulls her (in reality, one of Sasuke's) shirt up over the small mound of her belly, rubbing it gently. Sarada looks on with grave intensity as Sakura explains the process.
"The nurse is going to rub some cold gel on mama's belly, and then she's going to take this wand here," she gestures to a vaguely cone-shaped object attached to a thick cord, "and wave it over where the baby is. That will make a picture of the baby on the screen."
Sarada absorbs this information and frowns. "It won't hurt you or little Itachi will it?"
Sakura smiles and shakes her head. "No, sweetie. It will be cold and tickle a bit, but it won't hurt either one of us. I promise."
Satisfied, Sarada turns to Sasuke, who is leaning back against the wall with his eyes closed. "Papa, did you see me on the screen when I was in Mama's tummy?"
Smiling at the memory, he nods. Before Sarada can ask what she looked like, there is a knock at the door.
"Shizune!" The joy in Sakura's voice is palpable as she struggles to a sitting position. The older woman embraces her and smiles brightly. "I'm glad to see you in here again, Sakura. About time you started expanding your family." She winks.
"Shizune-san!" Sarada, who has visited Sakura at work quite often, is very familiar with the fifth Hokage's other former apprentice. Shizune kneels down to hug her as well, before holding her out for inspection.
"My, look how big you've gotten. You're almost a full-grown lady, aren't you?" Sarada's chest puffs out in pride as Sakura rolls her eyes and laughs. "That's right, I'm six now!"
"Six, huh? You'll be working here at the hospital with me and your mother in no time." Turning away, Shizune pulls on a pair of latex gloves. The clear gel soon coats Sakura's abdomen, and the computer screen flickers on to static as Shizune moves the wand over Sakura' s belly.
Sarada bounces up and down impatiently, ready to confirm her certainty that the baby is indeed a little brother. It takes a few more minutes before a fuzzy picture begins to form on the screen in black and white. Her breath catches as a small, moving baby-shaped blob becomes distinct.
"Is that...?" She asks tentatively. Shizune beams and nods. "That's your little brother or sister in there. And by the looks of it..." She inspects the image closely, and her smile turns into a full blown grin.
"It's a boy."
Sarada is too enthralled to gloat over her victory. She moves as close to the monitor as possible, hesitantly reaching toward the screen. Her face is full of wonder as she aligns her finger with the baby's tiny hand. A sudden motion causes her to jump.
"Did you see that?! He waved at me! Itachi waved at me!"
She turns back excitedly to her parents with a million-watt smile. Sakura is smiling and crying happy tears as Sasuke rests his hand on her shoulder, and he's also wearing a fiercely proud smirk.
Sarada turns back to the screen impatiently and waves back. She stands there for ten minutes, watching in awe as her little brother kicks and flails around. His heartbeat absolutely fascinates her. Eventually though, Shizune turns the machine off, and Sarada sighs in disappointment.
Sakura pats her head in understanding. "He's got a few more months of growing to do, and then we get to meet him. Are you excited?"
Sarada nods enthusiastically. "Will I get to hold him when he's born?"
Sakura glances at Sasuke, biting her lip. "You'll have to be very careful with him. As a baby, he'll be very fragile and could get hurt easily."
Sarada waves off her concern. "Don't worry, Mama. I'll be the best big sister ever, you'll see."
Holding her belly, Sakura smiles again. "I don't doubt that at all."