Konoha Chronicles: Days of future past

Part 13:Tsunade's heartache

       15 minutes later ...

They both sit down at the table simultaneously saying thank you for the food. She smiles at him taking the first bite.

"I'll admit it;your cooking is better than mine," she laughs.

"And I'll take that as a compliment," he teases.

"Well this is delicious Dan," she takes another bite.

"Thank you," he takes another bite.

            After dinner ...

"I'll wash the dishes," he puts their plates in the sink.

"You don't have to;you've already made dinner I'll do it," she smiles.

"Thank you Tsuna," he smiles warm.

She takes of her wedding ring placing it on the counter. Dan silently stares at her from behind and opens his mouth as if to say something but doesn't.

"Tsunade," he finally speaks.

"I'm listening," she rinses a plate.

"Can I talk to you about something," he sounds serious.

"What's wrong?" She looks over her shoulder at him.

"We've been married for two and a half years now," he points out.

"Yes why?" She dries off her hands.

"Well I've been having so much fun training Asuma that I ..." His words trail off.

"Dan what is it?" She asks confused.

"Well has having kids ever crossed your mind?" He asks unsure.

"So this is about kids?" She sighs.

"Well yes. We've never really talked about," he watches her closely.

"I ... It has crossed my mind," she hangs her head clenching her fist.

Flashback ...

Her mother and father had just died in war. She was only nine years old and left with Nawaki only five years old. Tsunade had to take care of him.

Raise him. Feed him. She alone had to burden the responsibilities of both her mother and father. Not to mention that she had to take care of herself as well.

Tsunade rose above the challenge. She raised Nawaki just like a mother would. She enrolled him in the academy, took care of him,made sure he did his homework,trained hard herself and took life by the horns. All this for him.

She took care of him till the day of his death.

End of flashback ...

"I had to raise Nawaki all by myself," she doesn't look up.

"Tsunade I," he stumbles.

"I had to be the mother,the sister and the father," she swallows.

Dan looks at her a guilty feeling crawling up his throat. He had no idea that her pain extended so far back. Tsunade forgive me.

"Why didn't you mention this before?" He pulls her into a hug.

"I wanted to forget about the pain but I was wrong I should've told you," she holds back her tears.

"I'm sorry Tsuna;will you forgive me?" He hugs her tight.

"I'm just afraid that the same might happen to us," she pulls away.

"I'm sure it won't," he tries to console her.

"How can you be so sure?" Her voice becomes shaky.

"I don't know to be honest," he looks down.

Before he could utter another word she walks past him wiping the tears from her face. He tries to stop her but she continues and heads for the door leaving the house. O,what have I done?

Tsunade wanders through the streets. The echoes of Nawaki's voice ringing in her head. Images of him a mere five years old crying endlessly wanting his mom and dad. Gripping her hand tight. His brown eyes shining with tears.

       Sometime later ....

Dan finds Tsunade sitting alone on a bench near a dim street lamp. She is staring out blank in front of her tears rolling down her cheeks. Nawaki I'm sorry.

"Tsunade I'm sorry," he sits down next to her.

"It's not your fault. I should've told you earlier," she sniffs.

He uses his thumbs to wipe away her tears holding her face. She leans into his arms shaking and sniffing.

"I'm just so afraid that when we have kids something might happen to us and I can't stand the thought of leaving our kid to fend for himself," she takes a deep breath.

"If it's any consolation I think that,it's because of this that, you will be a wonderful mother," he strokes her cheek.

"I'm sorry for being so hard on you Dan," she wipes her nose.

"The last thing I meant was for you to get hurt," he lifts up her chin.

"I know," she smiles faint.

"Let's go home," he stands up pulling her to her feet.