Journey of Discovery

Chapter 12 - More Questions

"Good" Sakura said with a smile of relief. "It's been hard to just sit here and wait." She had been anxious the entire time and was about to get out of the tub to investigate when Sasuke had come in.

While the conversation may have helped ease some of the tension between him and his daughter he knew there were still some unresolved issues. He could still see the pain and confusion in her eyes.

He wouldn't worry about that at the moment. He put it to the back of his mind as to not worry Sakura.

"She asked me how long I've loved you" he said, breaking the silence between them.

She cracked one eye open, a smile spreading across her lips, "Is that so?"

"It is. She also asked how you forgave me after what she saw at the bridge. I explained that you've loved me since you were five but there's a lot more to it."

"Let me guess, after she asked you told her next time right?" Sakura said playfully, knowing her husband all too well. He smirked because she was almost right, "Actually" he corrected, "I told her to ask you."

"You don't have to be so tough in front of her Sasuke. Talking about your feelings isn't weakness."

"I don't -"

"Yes, you do."

He narrowed his eyes at her and she let out a small laugh, "She's your daughter Sasuke, you don't have to keep your guard up all the time. You've managed to open up to me, and she's an extension of me. Of us."

"It's- I'm trying" he said. "I've just been gone for so long. I barely know my own kid."

She sat up and looked at him over the tub, stretching her hand out to him, "join me?" Of course he couldn't say no to that.

He stood silently from his place on the floor and grabbed the bottom hem of his shirt, stripping it up and off of him in one smooth motion over his head. He shoved his thumb into the waistband of his pants and pushed them down to pool on the floor.

Sakura watched him closely as he walked over and stepped over the edge of the tub into the water. "Sakura this is scalding!" he complained as he gingerly sat down into the water.

"You'll get used to it" she said with a sly grin. He grumbled another complaint she didn't quite catch.

"I can tell you're worried about your relationship with her" she said once he settled into the water.

"How could I not be?" he sank further down into the bath, the tips of his onyx hair dipping into the water. He was terrified of losing her forever after finding out she'd seen so many terrible moments in his past.

"Do you remember when you were a kid, and your parents or your big brother did something to upset you or make you mad? And you still loved them at the end of the day no matter what they did?"

"Yes" he said softly.

"That's kind of how Sarada feels. She loves you with her whole heart and looks up to you. She's not swayed easily, she just needs to process it all."

Sasuke smirked, "She gets that from her mother."

Sakura smiled and sank down into the water to match Sasuke, her legs were spread out on each side of him under the water. He was too tall, his knees were jutting up from the water like two small islands.

"You know she's going to have some questions for you too now" he told her. "More than just how long I've loved you."

"Trust me Sasuke, she's been asking them for years. I'll just be able to give her some answers now."

He raised his hand to Sakura, once she took it he pulled her to him to sit between his legs with her back resting against his chest.

"What all has she asked about?" he asked as his one hand got to work kneading her shoulder. She hummed with satisfaction and leaned even closer into him. "Mainly they're all questions about you."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Hmmm, I suppose I could" she teased. "Of course she would ask where you were or when you'd be home, those were the most common."

Sasuke instantly felt the guilt resurface.

"But she always asked if we loved each other, she would ask who she looks like more, or where she got a certain personality trait or quirk from. She was curious to know every detail about herself that connected her to you."

Sakura continued, "Kakashi-Sensei and Naruto would always tell her stories about you. They never once excluded you from her life. They always told her how much she resembles you."

Sasuke couldn't help but smile, "I am afraid to know what they said about me."

"They told her stories about our Genin days; missions we went on, pranks we pulled on Kakashi, lighthearted stories. And she loved every minute of it."

Sasuke was happy to know his old Sensei and teammate helped support and nurture his daughter while he was away. It was a debt he could never repay.

"Do you want me with you when you talk to Sarada tomorrow?"

"I think will be a good time for Sarada and I to work through some things together. She has always held a level of resentment towards me because I wouldn't tell her anything. I want to fix that."

"I'm sorry Sakura. For all the pain and confusion I've caused Sarada to go through. I never meant for it to be like this."

Sakura turned in the water to face Sasuke, taking his face in her hands, "Sasuke, you don't have to keep apologizing. This is just how our lives are, we will make it through this."

He covered one of her hands with his, "I honestly don't know how you've never come to hate me after everything." Sarada's question from earlier stuck with him. He truly didn't know how Sakura didn't hate him, even a little.

"I'm not easily swayed, remember?"