When Mothers Meddle

Chapter 18- Ann Announcement

Sakura

Sakura watched the many Uchiha's mill about as they found seats. Her heart was pounding in her chest, chakra gathering in her hands and feet from the nervousness of the moment. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Beside her, Itachi was quiet, peaceful almost. He squeezed her hand, glancing at her and then back at the room.

When everyone was sitting he cleared his throat.

"You all know why we're here today." He waited for the mumbling to subside before continuing. "I will assume my duties as clan leader. I have no doubt that many of you will disagree with the decisions that I make, the policies I update, and other changes I bring to the clan. I will remind you that if the Uchiha Clan is going to compete in the modern world we need to accept some change. We cannot cling to the old ways and demand to be considered a modern clan."

"What's she doing here?" "She's not an Uchiha!" "This is a private meeting! She needs to leave!"

Unidentified voices echoed in the room. Sakura held his hand firmly, sidling a little closer to him. The hostility rolling off the crowd in front of them was choking.

When she'd been searching for him, determined to tell him it didn't matter what odds they faced, she didn't want to live without him, she'd forgotten how hateful they could be. She'd forgotten how bitterly they'd fight to prevent a non-Uchiha from marrying into the clan.

She squeezed Itachi's hand and glanced up at him, her heart swelling when he met her gaze. Time stopped, the dull roar of the room drifting away as she saw their future in his eyes. His Sharingan spun, drawing her in and showing her a room of people smiling at her as she chased little pink-haired Uchiha's. "Trust me."

Sakura nodded her head and broke the genjutsu to turn and face the room. The voices rising to a deafening level. She gathered her nerves and then let her best Tsunade roar over them.

"It's time to pay attention!" She was polite in her insistence.

Shocked faces looked back at her, some glaring, some just staring in surprise. In the front row, Hibiki glowered at her, but remained quiet, sitting next to Mikoto and Daisuke. Mikoto nodded her head and smiled at Sakura encouragingly.

"Thank you." Itachi acknowledged her ability to get the room under control and chuckled. "I'll remember you can do that in the future."

"No kidding. How did you do that?" Shisui's whisper from her other side surprised her. He stood just behind them, clutching a paper bag with a slightly greasy bottom. When she glanced at it and back at him he mouthed the word lunch and tipped his head toward Itachi.

She turned back to the room when Itachi began speaking.

"Mother, will you join us?" Itachi stepped down to offer his hand to his mother and guide her to stand beside Sakura. "I'm sorry we didn't have time to plan this. Tell me what the order should be."

The people in the hall strained to listen as Mikoto listed the steps they had to take and when she was done Itachi nodded his head and turned back to the crowd.

"Thank you for being here to share this momentous occasion with me. It's not what I would have planned, but," he looked at Sakura with a smile and then back to the people, "I'll make it up to Sakura somehow."

The crowd filled with hushed whispers, silencing when Itachi turned to Sakura and dropped to one knee in front of her.

Sakura stared down at him. She wasn't sure what she'd expected when Sasuke had offered to bring her to the meeting. At best, she'd hoped she and Itachi could have a few minutes alone to work out a plan so they could stay together. A public proposal hadn't been on her mind at all.

"You don't have to do this, not here." She leaned down to him, letting her hair fall forward to give them some privacy.

"That's where you're wrong. They need to see how far I'm willing to go to have you in my life." His lips brushed her cheek and then he gently pushed her back to standing.

Tears welled in her eyes, a few tracing hot paths to her jaw before she could blink them back.

"Sakura Haruno," Itachi's voice rang out through the room, the silence broken only by one distinctly feminine gasp, "will you marry me?"

He held up one finger as her mouth opened to answer. "The life I'm offering you won't be an easy one. It will be one of sacrifice and strife as my clan struggles to accept an outsider, but I promise you, I will be at your side bearing the burden with you."

"I— I" Sakura swallowed heavily, excitement and terror running through her body, "I will." Tears filled her eyes again, blurring Itachi's sweet handsome face in front of her.

The hall burst into activity, conversation and outraged shouts.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this Uchiha-san," an elder of the clan approached them, "and I'm not trying to be contrary, but the marriage must be sealed, a ring must be on her finger for this to be legal and allow you to take leadership legally."

"I've got that covered." Mikoto swept in beside them. "Where's your lunch Itachi?"

Itachi frowned at her. "Lunch?"

"Right here, cousin. You're welcome." Shisui pushed the crumpled bag with the greasy bottom into Itachi's hands only to have Mikoto snatch it up.

She dug through the bag, producing two rice balls, which she handed to Itachi, bidding him to eat before he fainted from hunger, and a ring box. When Itachi had obediently eaten the food she'd given him she nodded her head at both him and Sakura and looked out over the room.

"As the current clan leader it is my honor to recognize the engagement of my son, Itachi Uchiha, to the daughter I've been waiting for all my adult life, Sakura Haruno." She handed the box to Itachi who opened it to reveal a pair of simple bands, etched with the Uchiha fan all around them.

"Mother?" Itachi frowned at her.

"Hush and put them on. They were your grandfathers. I've been saving them for you for years." She chuckled quietly. "And your father is probably rolling over in his grave."