A thin beam of light cut through the haze, forcing her eyes open.
Sakura blinked slowly, her vision swimming in and out of focus. For a moment, she thought she was in the Konoha Hospital—had the medics found her? Was she rescued?
But something was… wrong.
Her body didn't feel like her body. It was heavy, unresponsive, like she was wrapped in a layer of lead. Her limbs wouldn't move the way she wanted them to, no matter how hard she tried.
And everything felt off. The air smelled different—soft, clean, with no trace of antiseptic or the faint earthy tang of herbs used in Konoha's infirmaries. The sounds were strange too—gentler, muffled, nothing like the familiar shuffle of sandals or the distant calls of shinobi.
'What the fuck is going on?' She thought. 'Why I can't move?'
A voice reached her. Low, warm, and trembling. She didn't understand the words at first, only the emotion in them—relief, disbelief, joy so sharp it bordered on pain. Her blurry vision cleared just enough for her to see a man leaning over her, he's wearing round glasses.
He lifted her from whatever she'd been lying on. His arms were careful but firm, and his touch trembled slightly, as if he feared she might vanish if he held her too tightly.
James Potter held his daughter as though she were the most precious thing in the world. For nearly a month, he had believed she might not survive. He had prepared himself for heartbreak. But now… now she was here, breathing, warm, alive.
"My little Bambi," he murmured, his voice breaking. "You're okay… you're okay."
Sakura stared up at him, her mind a whirl of questions. Bambi? What's a Bambi? She tried to speak, to demand answers, but all that came out was a tiny, helpless noise. She froze at the sound.
That wasn't her voice.
Her gaze dropped to her hands—small, soft, impossibly delicate. What the heck?! What is this? What genjutsu is this?!
"You are finally awake!" He sounded emotional like he's holding back himself from crying.
Panic flared, but slowly, the pieces clicked together. The man's words—at first alien—began to make sense in fragments. She recognized a few English phrases from her Academy language classes back in Konoha. Each time he spoke, more of the meaning filtered through.
No freaking way. This person doesn't even look Japanese or sounded like one. Did she real die?
She didn't survive the blast, Sakura knows that. So, that means...
She had been reborn.
The realization sat heavy in her chest, strange and terrifying and… final. She had died in the blast. This was no genjutsu, no medical ward, no second chance in the same life.
Other figures entered her limited field of vision—faces she didn't know. Their expressions were soft, full of warmth, curiosity, and lingering worry.
Then the man—her father, she realized with a jolt—passed her into the arms of a sobbing woman. The woman's hold was desperate yet gentle, cradling Sakura as though she might shatter at the slightest pressure. Her tears fell onto Sakura's cheek, warm and real.
Through the broken sobs, one word stood out clear as day."...Mama…here..."
Sakura stilled. The woman was her mother.
The kunoichi in her bristled at the vulnerability of the situation, but somewhere deep in her chest, a small, unexpected warmth began to bloom.
————
Lily Potter clung to her daughter as if letting go would make her vanish. Her tears had slowed, but her eyes still shone with raw emotion. She pressed her cheek gently to the baby's soft head, breathing in the warm, faintly sweet scent that only newborns seemed to have.
Across the room, Sirius Black cradled Harry with surprising gentleness, his godson blinking up at him with wide curiosity. Sirius smirked and glanced at James.
"She's a Potter, mate," he said, jerking his chin toward the tiny bundle in Lily's arms. "And Potters are stubborn as hell. Of course she pulled through."
James laughed, the tension in his shoulders finally breaking. "That's so true," he agreed, running a hand through his messy hair. His gaze kept drifting back to his daughter—alive, breathing, warm—and every time it did, the relief hit him all over again.
"I still can't believe it," Lily murmured, her voice trembling. "The medics told us there was… there was no chance. That she…" She trailed off, tightening her hold on the baby, as if to anchor herself to the reality in her arms.
Sirius snorted dismissively. "Those people know nothing. They clearly haven't met a Potter. Or a baby with this much fight in her."
Lily let out a watery laugh. "You might be right."
Sirius tilted his head, studying the tiny face peeking out from the blanket. "Speaking of… is it just me, or does the little one's hair look… pink?"
Both Lily and James blinked at him. "Pink?"
"At first it looked black," Lily said, brushing her fingers gently over the fine strands. "But now that you mention it…" She tilted the baby's head toward the light. Sure enough, there was a faint blush of soft pink woven into the dark.
James leaned in for a closer look and grinned. "Well, I'll be damned… it's there. Light as a whisper, but definitely pink."
Sirius chuckled. "Guess she's going to stand out in more ways than one."
James's eyes softened as he gazed at her. "Her eyes are like yours, Lily. Bright, clear… beautiful."
Sirius nodded in agreement. "Yeah. She's got Lily's face, no doubt about it. Meanwhile, Harry here—" He bounced the baby in his arms lightly. "—is all James. Poor kid."
James laughed, and for a moment, the room was filled with easy warmth—two parents, their children, and a godfather who would probably spoil them both rotten. The fear of earlier that day faded, replaced with the quiet joy of a family complete.
'How did I turn into a baby again?! Where am I anyway?!' Sakura thought almost in frustration and confusion.
Someone explain, damn it!!