Around three in the morning, Sasuke took the time to return to the cave again to check Yasuda and his gang. He left a clone beforehand, so he would be sure that they wouldn't be able to escape.
He came back to see all three of them unconscious. He even searched a little further from that spot to find the black-haired boy, Hiroshi. Sasuke figured that he could call allies to assist him and take the culprits to the Konoha Police Force for investigation. However, it would take time. So instead, he formed a few clones to carry each of the unconscious bodies and lock them up in the hideout.
"Eh?" Suigetsu reacted rather violently upon hearing his former comrade's request - or, by the tone of his voice, it was more of a demand. "You can't be serious."
The ravenette ignored his side comments. "Let me repeat. You guard the four of them while I escort my wife and daughter back to Konoha. I'll come back for them. I'll investigate them along with the Police Force in the village."
"I have no problem with the last part but come on! I'm alone here. Orochimaru is away and Karin left after Sarada's operation. What if they wake up?" He protested.
"What if they do?" Sasuke glanced at his reluctant-filled face. "They won't be regaining their powers, most especially their chakra. The girl is a sensory type so she won't be able to do much."
Suigetsu released a loud sigh before slouching. "Do I even have a choice?" He whispered before nodding. "Whatever. Just be sure to get them after."
. . .
Sakura walked out of her room right after she woke up from a short nap. She figured she would check on Sarada but when she stepped inside her room, she refused to even meet her gaze and said (coldly) that she still felt sick.
The pinkette thought it was probably because of the trauma. That or she's probably exhausted physically. Understanding her daughter's current state, she left her room and simply walked away.
She was about to find Suigetsu to ask for Sasuke's whereabouts when she walked by him in the hallway.
"Sasuke-kun," she noticed that he still had the bandages she wrapped on him earlier. "You're back."
He nodded and stepped forward until he was right in front of her small figure. "Is Sarada okay?"
"I just went to her room and she said she still feels a little bad. I've injected her medicine after the operation, though. She'll be better." Sakura further explained as her eyes fell down, a tired sigh escaping her lips.
Sasuke studied her appearance before speaking again. "How about you?"
The pinkette let a delicate smile grace her face as she looked up to meet his charcoal eyes. "I'm fine, dear."
He nodded. "We need to leave soon."
. . .
With an apprehensive expression displayed on the Seventh Hokage's face, he tapped his foot impatiently, a scroll spread across his wooden table. His eyes repeatedly scanned the words written, but he was too distracted by the current problem inside his head to even understand what he was reading.
"Naruto," Shikamaru watched his friend's agitated face. "You need to calm down."
A sigh escaped the blonde's lips, nodding at his assistant's comment, although not exactly taking his advice. It's almost been twenty hours since his last sleep; he's been working in the office since morning and until now that it's three. It was around twelve midnight when he was supposedly going to pack up and leave with Shikamaru, but then a report from Shizune reached his ears and it was about a culprit trying to enter the facilities in the village.
So instead of going home and sleeping, he sent orders to the jounins to keep a look-out for the intruder. Shizune also reported about Sakura's condition and Sarada's disappearance. Upon hearing this, of course, he was flabbergasted - it partly didn't make sense that Sarada was to be kidnapped but on the other hand, he had speculations why she was taken away.
Naruto was well aware that Sasuke would go after them, in spite of his small knowledge of the enemies - or lack thereof. The only thing he couldn't fully comprehend was that Sasuke asked Shizune to tell him that he didn't want any allies to be involved.
It's been hours and being alone on the journey, Naruto had wondered about the dangerous predicament Sasuke and his family are involved in.
He slammed a fist down the table in frustration. "Damn it! That bastard better come back alive with Sakura-chan and Sarada!"
"That's highly possible, it is Sasuke we're talking about," Shikamaru replied honestly. "However, I'm bothered too. The only ones included in this conflict is, quite obviously, the remaining Uchiha family. That must mean something."
"I know that," Naruto grasp his aching head. "All the more reason to give them reinforcements!"
"Logically speaking, yes, because there is a high possibility that Sasuke is outnumbered out there in the battlefield. But he wouldn't suggest his idea without thinking properly. He might actually needed allies, but his resolve to face the conflict alone might have meant something." Shikamaru clarified, which shortly reminded Naruto how smart his assistant is. "Well, that's only a hunch. I never really understood his way of thinking."
Hearing this, the Hokage sighed again. He wasn't a smarty pants to begin with and he wasn't the best at analyzing situations, but he did sometimes understand people and their decisions through their emotions. And if what Shikamaru said was accurate, then it probably had something to do with Sasuke's emotions.
"That made me calm down," Naruto bobbed his head in understanding. "I hope they're fine."
As if on cue, a hawk messenger settled itself near the windows and repeatedly knocked the glass with its beak. Naruto rolled his head to check, his eyes widening at the realization that it was Sasuke's.
He immediately opened the window and took the scroll tied around the bird, opening it hastily and placing it down on the table.
When he saw the content of the message, however, he didn't understand wether he was supposed to be relieved or even more worried.
We're fine.
The scroll was composed of those two short words. Shikamaru managed to read it as well, his eyes flicking up to see Naruto's reaction.
The blonde breathed sharply before cursing again. "That bastard didn't even explain what happened!"
However, he completely believed and trusted Sasuke's message.
. . .
The moment Sarada opened her eyes again, she wasn't greeted by the previous dim room. Instead, it was the familiar creamy white ceiling - the one she always stares at when she's in bed.
She squinted her eyes a few times to adjust her vision. She saw her eyeglasses by the side table and she was about to reach it when another hand took it and placed it on her.
"You're awake," the familiar gentle voice of her mother greeted her ears, but instead of feeling her muscles soothe at her tone, it triggered a painful thought. "Sarada?"
Sarada didn't reply as she glanced at her bed. Unlike when she last woke up, she had more bandages this time and plenty of medicine on the side table.
"I took you home because the hospital was insanely full." Sakura mentioned. "It wasn't so bad, though. I already treated you back at the hideout so all you have to do is take your medicine."
The young Uchiha's eyes found the wall clock and found out that it was already six in the evening. A shocked expression displayed on her face upon realizing that she slept for so long.
"H-How long was I out?"
"Well, you haven't woken up since we came back in Konoha. It's normal. Your body is tired and bruised." She explained.
Sarada tried to sit up, wincing a bit in the process. The pinkette noticed her inconvenience and helped her immediately.
"And... Chocho? How is she?" She suddenly remembered her good friend who was left wounded inside their house. "Where is she? Is she okay?" She asked with panic attached to her voice.
Sakura swiftly nodded to convince Sarada. "Your father left a clone to help Chocho before he came to get you. Chocho is fine. She's recovering in the hospital and her dad just came back from a mission so he's with her."
Guilt-ridden and confused, Sarada's negative emotions doubled when Sakura mentioned her father. Her body tensed and she felt nauseous when her head started to accumulate negative thoughts again.
"Sarada? You okay?"
"Where's Papa?" She cut her off. "I need to speak to him."
Sakura almost flinched at her surprisingly urgent and demanding tone. "He's with Naruto. He's reporting about what happened."
As if on cue, the door creaked open and a smile graced the pink-headed woman's lips. "Oh, here he is. Sasuke-kun, Sarada is looking for you."
The ravenette took steps towards the bed, his tired eyes bore into Sarada's. He expected the usual talk with her but when he saw the unfamiliar glint in her onyx eyes, he felt uneasy.
Sakura didn't fail to notice the unusual emotion hiding in her daughter's face. She inwardly frowned, noticing Sarada's change of aura.
"Papa... I wanted to talk to you... about something important." Sarada carefully spoke each word with emphasis, as if she wanted him to hear everything clearly.
He anticipated for her next statement, noticing her trembling, clenched fists. Silence was a common thing for him, but he felt bothered by it for some reason - especially now that Sarada looked troubled by something.
"I.. I don't know where to start," she admitted, hanging her head low to collect her thoughts. "But I found out something."
Sakura's eyebrows furrowed. "Is everything okay, Sarada?"
Ignoring the pinkette's question, the young Uchiha shot her head up and locked eyes with her father. Tears began to well up in her onyx eyes as she asked with a voice that trembled as hard as her hands, "Did you really leave Konoha?"
Sakura was dumbstruck with terror the moment she heard those words from Sarada. Sasuke, on the other hand, held a surprised expression in his eyes for a split second, too short to even be noticed by his daughter.
"Sarada, what are you saying?" Sakura tried to cut in, attempting to straighten the situation and cover up for Sasuke. "The only time he did so was for his duties!"
"Don't interfere, Mom!" Sarada raised her voice, turning at the appalled medic. "Don't treat me like I'm some clueless child! Stop lying! You know exactly what I mean!"
Sakura watched her outraged expression, a pang of guilt hidden in her face. "Sarada!" She reprimanded, slamming a fist on the side table, breaking the lamp easily.
"Sarada." The arguement of the two were interrupted by Sasuke right away. His keen eyes were directed to his child, aware of the fury hiding in her eyes beneath those glasses.
"Well, Papa? Do you have anything to say for yourself?" She managed to choke out, heart pounding out of tension. She needs to push him. Provoke. Anything to just make him speak. "Do you want to confirm anything?"
Sarada wanted - no, craved for the truth. She needed answers. She needed confirmations. Because without those, she felt incomplete. As if she was a bird with only a single wing. She demanded to know facts about her family because frankly, she was starting to lose herself as well.
"Will it make you feel better if you knew?" The raven-haired man questioned vaguely.
Her frown deepening, Sarada clenched her fist tighter. "It will make me feel better, Papa. Truths were always better than lies."
Those words sinked quickly into Sasuke's mind. Sakura listened to the two with an anxious heart, hoping that the conversation will soon come to an end.
"Yes," Sasuke confirmed. "I left Konoha."
Sarada's pale cheeks were covered with tears soon after he verified the accusation. But to say she was mad was an understatement. She was furious.
"You... You were a traitor, just like what I heard," Sarada spat. "You left your village! And you killed people! You went against your friends! For what, Papa? What kind of insane background did you have to reach such a stupid decision?!"
"Sarada, your words!" Sakura stood up from her seat. "Stop raising your voice-"
"You too, Mom!" Sarada yelled furiously. "Papa tried to kill you! Even you! And yet you... you're still..."
Sakura froze. If Sarada was to find out about their dark past, she still didn't expect her to know about that part of the story.
"Where did you get all of those ideas from?" The pinkette hissed.
"Mom," Sarada's lips quivered as she sobbed painfully. "I just want the truth."
Sakura suddenly felt ashamed for her mistakes. She glanced momentarily at Sasuke, whose eyes were only locked on Sarada. She knew there was no escape. No turns. No small lies to cover the truth.
Sarada didn't know what hurts more: being deceived for years or simply just having a criminal for a father. She couldn't decide which broke her heart and mentality more.
"Understood," Sasuke suddenly spoke up, gaining their attention. "Then I will tell you everything."
"No," the young girl shook her head. "I can't... I can't bring myself to be with you right now. I'd rather have Mom explain."
To say that he felt pain was an underemphasis. He didn't know when was the last time he felt real, genuine pain crushing every part of him.
"Sarada..." Sakura muttered, tears around her eyes.
Sasuke respected her decision and nodded. He swiftly turned his back, amidst Sakura's concerned calls of his name, and left the room.
. . .
A/N;
I'm so sorry for the extremely late update aahh but I promise to post more chapters while I'm on my break. Happy Holidays!