Damaged Pieces (SasuSaku AU)

XI. Slipped

DAMAGED PIECES:

Like time suspended,
A wound unmended -
You & I.

We had no ending,
No said good-bye.

For all my life,
I'll wonder why.
______________________________________

He had come home drained of all energy. Too much work at college and then there was that intense football practice. He was exhausted. The thought of having to do more work at home was completely unappealing. He decided to just order food when he reached, even though he was not much of a fan.

He could hear laughter through the door as he turned the key in its lock. Since the past week, he had been coming back to a more.. lively.. home. He welcomed it.
And then he remembered. Sakura was home. Which meant...

"Welcome home, Sasuke," she greeted from the open kitchen in that way of hers that made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Papa!" A little ball of dark hair launched herself into his arms - the kind of behavior Sarada strictly limited to being demonstrated inside the house only.

Sasuke patted Sarada's head affectionately and then put her down so she could go back to doing... whatever it was that got her hand looking like she'd bathed it in talc. He followed.

"How was your day?"

He glanced back up at Sakura, then heaved a sigh and slumped down on the chair, dropping his bag unceremoniously in the process.

She chuckled in response. "Well, go freshen up. We have rice balls and tomato soup today."

He lightened up. Food. And tomato soup.

"Papa, we are making cookies together!"

He looked at the pinkette for confirmation and found her looking lovingly at Sarada. She just passed a reassuring look his way before getting back to business.

Sasuke smiled to himself. Looks like he won't have to do the cooking, afterall.
And just like that, she was there everyday.
.
.

Sometimes, he'd step in the house expecting the same welcoming smile that made him fuzzy and his little ball of energy at the kitchen counter with her. He'd be disappointed each time. Just like today.

A part of him thought it best to let her go, since she was such a 'distraction'. Besides, hadn't he said so himself that Sarada was going to have all his attention? Another part of him called the prior bullshit and wanted to pursue her. She'd been gone a month now and he couldn't get her out of his head.
Unfortunately for him, the latter was the bigger part.

When he'd called Naruto to watch Sarada last week, he thought he knew what he was doing. But he'd been unable to find her brother's exact address. He'd decided to just let it go, when, the next day, Naruto had brought him the right address. Since then it has been 2 days and he just keeps staring at that piece of paper.

What if I go and she isn't there?
What if I go and she is there? What reason do I have to search for her? What will I even tell her?

His doubts had kept him home for these two days. And like the last two times, he folded the paper neatly and put it back in his pocket. He put away the washed dishes and headed upstairs to see Sarada.

She wasn't asleep when he entered. No, Sarada was readi- crying?
He rushed to her side and gently placed a palm on her head.
"Sara?"

She looked up at her papa and rubbed her eyes to brush off the tears. Sasuke sat on the bed and gently lifted his daughter into his arms, patting her back softly till she calmed down.