Arranged marriage (ItaSaku) COMPLETED

Chapter 24

"There is nothing that moves a loving father's soul quite like his child's cry." - Joni Eareckson Tada

Sarada's chest was raising and falling heavily as fear refused to leave her body. Sweat covered her big forehead and her eyes were teary. She was so close to death, but a stranger saved her and she couldn't comperhend why. Her body started to tremble u der Itachi's intense gaze. His eyes were wids open with the Sharingan activated. He felt a lump in his throat that he couldn't swallow.

The little Uchiha stared at him in awe. "Your eyes... Are the same as my uncle's..." she whispered confused.

"Uncle..." he whispered, moving his gaze to the ground. "Sasuke..." he felt tears in his eyes as the realization hit him. She was his daughter. Sakura's daughter. He left her pregnant, he almost killed his pregnant wife that day. His chest hurt. His heart was beating at an abnormal rate and he felt dizzy. He was so unaware of these consequences. How could he? He always wished to have a child with her, a complete family. And now that his dream came true, it was actually a nightmare. She had a childhood without a father, without the main natural protection, without the other half of love, even though he was sure that Sakura did her best to feel that emptiness.

"Wh-who are you?" Sarada asked a bit afraid and hesitant. She had an idea, but refused to believe that it's true. He said that he did bad things, after all. The little raven took two steps back.

"I am the person who should have been there for you, Sarada." he closed his eyes, dezactivating his Sharingan. When he opened them, his deep dark orbs stared ar her and giving her a warm and familiar smile. How didn't she figure? It was the same smile that she saw everyday in the mirror. She had her father's smile.

"Papa?" Sarada asked with her voice cracking. Her eyes were full of tears. When she was about to embrace him in a hug, Sasuke arrived between Orocimaru and Itachi, pointing his sword at his brother's neck. Anger could be read on his face as thise Sharingans stared into the criminal's skull.

"What are you doing here?" the raven haired man asked, venom dipping from his voice. Itachi's eyes were empty. The only thing that he felt was... Guilty, love. But not fear.

Orochimaru chuckled. "Well, isn't this pretty? A family reunion."

"Don't touch my family, shanaroooo!" Sakura shouted, punching Itachi in the jaw with her brute strenght and sending him flying into the closest tree, creating a great damage. She took everyone by surprise. They looked at her angered expression with their mouth wide open.

"Mama, no!"

Sakura was panting heavily but her exppression softened as soon as she saw that her daughter was ok.

"Papa!" the little girl screamed and ran near him, bending down with tears in her eyes.

Orochimaru made some hand signs, disappearing into the ground.

"Sarada, no, he's dangerous!" Sasuke warned his niece but she didn't listen.

"Leave me alone!" she shouted back at him. It took him aback. She was always such a mannered girl but now... She was different, she had Sakura's personality.

Blood poured from the corners of Itachi's mouth as she watched his daughter with his eyes half closed. His vision was blurred thank's to the tears but he felt her soft fingers wipimg the blood.

"Papa, please, don't die!" she cried loudly.

He hesitantly raised his hand, caressing her cheek and giving her a soft smile.

"You are so beautiful." he whispered. "Everything that I wished for. You are exactly how I imaginated." he felt his consciounes slipping away. "Sarada, I'm sorry..." he whispered before closing his eyes.

"N-no..." she whispered hugging his body tight and buring her head into his chest. "Please, papa. You can't do that. Don't leave me alone again. I just found you." she cried.

Sakura approached them and bent down, putting two fingers on his wrist and checking his pulse.

"It's still there, even though it's weak. He just fainted." the she noticed the two holed from his arm. Her eyes widened in shock. "He's been poisoned. We have to take him to the hospital as soon as possible." she turned her head towards Sasuke, panicked. He just sighed.

***

As they left him to the hospital, heavily guarded, all three of them returned home. As soon as the entered the house, Sarada ran upstairs crying, not saying one single word to them.

"Sarada." Sakura called softly after her.

The little girl stopped at the top of the stairs and clentched her fists, turning towards her mother.

"Leave me alone! I hate you! It should be you instead of him!" she shouted and ran off. Sakura covered her mouth with her palm, not believing her ears. She found her support on Sasuke when her legs betrayed her.

He helped the pinkette into the living room, sitting her down on the couch. She played with her fingers absently, looking at her lap. He sat beside her, rubbing her back gently.

"Am I a bad mother?" she asked a bit afraid of the answer. Sasuke frowned.

"No, you are the best mother. You fulfilled her loneliness, you raised her almost by yourself, offered her a good education. She turned into a brautiful young lady thank's to you. You did right for punching him, even though she doesn't understand this. He could have been a threat to her."

"No... I was impulsive and scared. He didn't look like he wanted to kill her, especially with that smile on his face..." she smiled at the recent memory. Could it be possible for him to be happy to see his daughter? "I have to talk to him when he wakes up."