Redemption |complete| (SasuSaku)

A symbolic promise

"How long has it been?"

"Twenty-seven weeks... six months and a half."

"It was to be expected that at some point things were gonna be different Sakura. It's extremely hard to keep the relationship healthy when you don't see each other or when there is no actual communication. Maybe you should go over there and spend a week or two with him?"

"I would love to but I don't know his exact location."

"He's her dad! He should, at least, be a little bit more present even if it's through letters."

"Dada?" Sarada lifted her head up as she said the word. Sakura looked at Ino with her eyes full of sadness.

"Yes dad. I told you that he was away doing very important things."

Sarada nodded her head and lay back in Sakura's arms.

"Sakura... you can't keep saying that to her. You can't even tell her when he'll be back because you don't even know if he'll be back!"

"She's still little, it's fine for now. Ino... I just need to know that he still cares about us. I just need a letter of him saying "I miss you" or anything like that! I know that he can't come back and I understand but... he could send a clone and come in here late at night to see his daughter."

"I know... Isn't Naruto supposed to join him on mission?"

"Yes... I tried to get his location by asking Naruto but he didn't tell me anything. I wonder if Sasuke didn't specifically asked them not to tell me because he knew that I would be going."

"Possible. Does Naruto knows how you feel?"

Sakura chuckled as she caressed her daughter's back. "Oh he does... we had long conversations about it."

"Hopefully he will be smart enough to tell Sasuke."

"Mh..."

Ino stayed until the sun started to set behind the trees surrounding the village. Sakura appreciated how often her friend stopped by to make sure that she was doing alright. Hinata and Naruto were also giving her a lot of support. She was so grateful for all of them.

As she put Sarada to bed, Sasuke's hawk entered the bedroom and she took the letter off its leg. It flew away right after. She opened it knowing exactly what was going to be inside.

"Hi Sakura,

I am still in Ishi. I might start moving closer to the city soon. Things are fine.

Sasuke Uchiha."

She closed the letter and threw it away. At the beginning she was keeping every single one of his letters but not anymore.

Sarada was looking at her with her little eyes.

"You want your bedtime story, don't you?"

Her daughter smiled and Sakura took a deep breath as she sat on a chair next to the crib.

"Alright... what can I tell you? I have o stories anymore. I'll talk about your dad an I then. It started about two years ago. Your dad came back to the village and asked Kakashi-sensei to go on mission with me. We travelled together for a very long time. We travelled in the forest, to a blown up village with a mysterious star and to other dimensions together. I was already in love but he wasn't. At first, he was very cold and distant but one day he started to change... he was talking more, he was protecting me, holding my hand to make sure that I wouldn't fall and even hugged me. He saved my life... since we were children he always saved my life. He always made sure that I was safe. One day he brought me to the sea. It was beautiful. He knew that I had never seen the sea and so he brought me there. It lasted for about a minute and a half but it was beautiful. Your dad was so caring..." she stopped herself. "What am I saying? He is still caring... I don't know why I said "was". Well... I think he still is... anyway, go to bed."