This story was meant to be just a companion story, but it seems to be liked. So I have turned it into a stand alone story that is written in parts.

Again it was originally a companion story to Hinata's story. I tried to make as stand alone as I could, but there may still be a few holes that are filled by that story.

And warning: part two is a bit darker than part one for those who would like to forgo.

Part three will follow...

I own nothing. These characters are all owned by Mavashi Kishimoto.

Part Two

Sakura was worried about Sarada. She had been acting strange ever since Sasuke's return to Konoha.

Sakura already received several complaints from friends about their daughter asking odd and somewhat embarrassing questions about her parent's relationship. She was even caught with Chocho in Kakashi's office, attempting to look through classified documents about Sasuke.

She tried to talk to Sarada about her behavior, but Sarada not only looked like her father, she also acted just like him. Therefore, once she got something in her head, there was no changing it. Sakura still had not figured out what exactly had gotten into Sarada's head, but whatever it was, she was focused on it like a seasoned ninja.

"She asked Naruto if he'd ever seen the two of you kissing." Ino informed Sakura as they stood together at the nurse's station. She leaned forward and whispered, "she even asked me if you ever discussed being… intimate with Sasuke."

Ino leaned back, raised an eyebrow, and continued, "Now you know, I'm all for gathering information, but this is getting strange, Forehead. You need to talk to her."

Sakura frowned at the charts in front of her. "She's always been curious about Sasuke's absences. She knows some of what happened to her father and his clan. She knows he's done some terrible things in the past, but she doesn't understand the extent of the damage. And I don't really think it's my place to tell her."

"So you're waiting for Sasuke to tell her?" Ino asked, skeptically.

Sakura sighed. "He should be the one to tell her."

"Have you told him that?" Ino asked.

Sakura planned to speak to Sasuke about having the discussion with Sarada, but she had been procrastinating. His reaction could range anywhere from agreement to adamant refusal, and then possibly, departure from the village all together.

"What about Sai? Have you heard from him?" Sakura asked, changing the subject.

During the time that Sakura left Konoha to travel with Sasuke, Ino married Sai and had their son, Inojin. Sai also became captain and was running portions of the ANBU. He was gone a lot from Konoha as well. "No. But he should be back in a few days. He wouldn't miss Naruto's Hokage ceremony."

"Sasuke came back for the ceremony too. He was gone for so long this time, maybe he'll stay in the village a bit longer." Sakura said hopefully. The two years without him had been hard. And before that he had only come back for two days after he was gone for another year and a half.

She knew she was not the only one who missed him. Sarada would never admit it out loud, but Sakura knew she missed her father terribly. So, it was not too surprising that she had started to behave so strangely after he returned.

"Do you think maybe she's interested in a boy? I mean she is almost eleven –maybe she's just just trying to find out about love." Sakura asked Sasuke. She found him on top of the Hokage Monument. The place where he hid when he was in Konoha, and he needed the solitude that he was used to while he traveled outside of the village.

She usually did not bother him there. It put him in a mood, if she pushed too far into the places that he kept to himself. But for their daughter, he would just have to get over it.

Sasuke scoffed. "Who was thinking about love at age eleven?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. He was very aware that she was in love with him at age eleven. He chose to ignore it then, just as he chose to forget about it now.

"…But, I've never understood girls or their minds. So I'm the last person to ask." Sasuke continued.

Sakura laughed and replied. "Just because she's a girl doesn't mean she is not an Uchiha… or fully your daughter. If anyone understands how that girl's mind works, it would be you."

Sasuke looked at Sakura with a half smirk on his face. Sakura smiled back. Despite his effort to hide it, she knew Sasuke was immensely proud of his daughter. He saw her as the one aspect in his life that was not marred by his past sins.

Sarada had already awoken her sharingan years before Sasuke, after her grandfather died when she was only nine. She was at the top of her class and already proficient at genjutsu and shirukenjutsu before she was even a genin. She was as focused as any Uchiha had ever been, and despite being the best in the class, she started taking private lessons under Kurenai Sarutobi. She could use genjutsu even without her sharingan like her uncle.

Sakura just hoped maybe Sasuke might finally decide to tell Sarada how proud he was of her before it was too late. "Whatever this is about, she needs to understand what it means to be an Uchiha, Sasuke… everything. And you should tell her before someone else does."

"I'll talk to her." He relented.

Sakura moved closer to her husband and kissed him on the cheek. "Today?"

"Yep." Sasuke replied, though he did not appear too happy about it.

Sarada stood beside Chocho, looking at her feet, as Shino Sensei lectured them about being kids and staying out of the adults' business. This was the second time that they had been caught sneaking around the hokage's office during their lunch break.

Chocho, who missed eating the last of her meal, looked particularly sorry, but mainly because her stomach was growling with hunger.

"What's going on, Shino?" Sasuke appeared behind Shino, eyeing his daughter and her friend.

"You called, HIM!" Sarada protested, looking like she wanted to stomp her foot.

"Actually I didn't." Shino retorted before he turned to his old comrade. "Hello, Sasuke. I was just reminding Sarada and Chocho that the lunch hour was better spent –actually eating lunch."

"Do you mind if I borrow Sarada for a moment?" Sasuke asked Shino. "I'll have her back for class."

Shino nodded. "Sure. There is a free period after lunch so take your time. Come on Chocho let's find your food before you pass out."

"Yes, Shino Sensei!" Chocho said eagerly. "See ya, Sarada."

"See ya." Sarada responded, glumly.

Sasuke motioned towards his daughter. "Come on. We should talk."

Sarada looked at Sasuke cautiously. What could her father possibly want to talk about? They had never had a 'talk' before. That was usually her mother's job. She could not count the number of 'talks' that she had endured from Sakura. Most of them were highly embarrassing, and moments that she wanted to quickly forget. Like the last one... after she bought her first training bra.

She followed Sasuke outside into a quiet area of the park. He sat down on a bench and waited for her to sit down next to him.

"I heard that you've been asking a lot of questions… about me and your mother." Sasuke said.

Sarada frowned. Then defensively, she replied, "So? You're never around, and Mom never wants to talk about it. I always have to ask other people to know about my own parents."

"Your mother is just trying to protect you." Sasuke responded. "I've done many things… our family has done many things against this village. Things that countless in the village still haven't forgiven."

"If you're talking about my grandfather's attempt to betray the village, and my uncle… your brother's betrayal and massacre of our clan in exchange for your safety. Followed by your need for vengeance, which turned you into an international criminal and almost ended up killing both you and Uncle Naruto… I already know all of that."

Sarada rolled her eyes. How her parents figured she made it to age eleven, without some one spilling those beans was beyond her.

She endured merciless teasing when she first moved back to Konoha with Sakura. She hid it well from her mother, but she was lonely and she had no friends. She spent all of her time training and reading and bettering herself. Focused on becoming hokage one day, she was determined to show the entire village that just because her last name Uchiha, she was not the same as her father, or his brother, or any of the rest of her clan.

After she started school and everyone realized how talented she was, the kids stopped teasing her and just avoided her. No one would sit near her in the classroom or at lunch because they thought she might murder them. And after she awakened her sharingan a year ago, she was given an even wider berth.

Chocho had been her first and only friend for a long time now. First of all, because no one ever dared to tease Chocho, unless they wanted their face rearranged, and second of all, because Chocho was an avid nonconformist. So as soon as she saw Sarada was shunned and alone, she planned to defy everyone else and befriend her.

Sasuke frowned at Sarada now, confused. "Well that about summarizes it... So... if that's not what the questions are about…"

He paused, a nauseous look spreading across his face. "Are you- are you interested in a boy?"

Sarada's mouth dropped open. She stared at her father like he had just lost his mind for a second. Then she turned and folded her arms over her chest. "This is NOT about a boy!"

Sasuke sighed, relieved. But his relief was premature because then Sarada asked her question. "Have you ever been in love with another woman?"

Now Sasuke's mouth dropped open. "What?!"

"I mean, you did travel with a group once, right? Taka? There was a woman, who was part of that group… you must have spent a lot of time with her." She narrowed her eyes at Sasuke.

In her and Chocho's sleuthing, Sarada found the only picture that Sakura kept of Sasuke in the house. The picture was folded over and included three other people, one being the loud mouthed red headed woman, who had approached her a few weeks ago.

That was the first clue that maybe the woman was telling the truth. Then they found some folders in the sixth's office that contained old intel on a group called Taka, which was led by Sasuke Uchiha and had included three others, Jugo and Suigetsu, and Karin Uzumaki.

"Who Karin?" Sasuke asked, incredulously. "She was just a coworker. I married your mother for a reason. She's the only woman, I've ever loved."

Sarada sighed. Maybe her father did love Sakura. But did that prove that Karin was not her biological mother?

A six year old Sarada stood facing a semicircle of six angry kids.

"You Uchiha! You traitor!" They yelled at her, viciously.

"I'm not! I'm just a kid!" Sarada yelled back, her face turning red. She wished her mom did not make her wear this stupid symbol on her back. It made her a walking bullseye for every villager, who hated her family... and there were many.

"My dad said that your father is a criminal and a murderer, and that's why he hardly ever shows his face in this village!" The tallest boy in the front yelled accusingly. "And we, good citizens, don't want trash like you in our village, either!"

He picked up a clump of mud from the ground and threw it at her. It splattered across the side of her face. Some it getting into her mouth.

"Ha! Ha!" The kids laughed and pointed, as Sarada tried to wipe the mud off of her face, starting to cry.

"Freak! Murderer! Criminal!" The kids started to push at her, jostling her around as she cried harder.

Abruptly they all stopped, backing up a bit. Sarada looked at them, surprised. They were all looking at her with wide eyes and fear. She frowned and started to look around her. What had happened?

A very large girl with brown skin and long burnt orange hair was standing behind her staring daggers at her tormentors. The girl was pounding her right fist into her left palm threateningly. She growled. "You better leave her alone before I pound all six of you into dust."

"Chocho, we were.. just... she is... an Uchiha." The tall boy stuttered.

"I DON'T CARE! Scatter before you eat dirt!" The large girl yelled, taking a step forward.

The kids ran off. Sarada watched them go. She turned to the girl shyly and said, "Thank you."

"Not a problem. I'm Chocho." The girl stuck out her hand for Sarada to shake.

Sakura was certain that it would help if Sasuke spent more time with Sarada.

Sarada was almost as unreadable as her father, but Sakura had noticed the subtle undertone of hostility that Sarada had whenever Sasuke came up in conversation. And the fact that she started acting funny right after he came back into town suggested that this had to do with her relationship with her father. Or lack there of.

Sakura's mother was not helping matters. Mebuki did not even attempt to keep her opinions about Sasuke and his absences to herself around Sarada, despite Sakura's many threats to cut off the relationship if she was not more tactful.

A few days later, Sakura managed to drag Sasuke across town to visit her mother for their usual family dinner.

She expected him to adamantly refuse, but after two years of hardly any word from him, this return seemed different than the others. Not only did he finally tell her that he loved her, but he made a true effort to spend time with both her and Sarada.

He still disappeared to his hiding spots, but he would return quickly, and he was not even upset when Sakura invaded his space to discuss her worries about Sarada.

Mebuki saw her daughter and granddaughter opening their hearts to Sasuke again. And like a mother bear, who was protecting her cubs from a full grown mountain lion, she was ready to maul her son-in-law.

"So you're back, eh?" That was the greeting that they received when she opened the door to her daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law. "For how long this time?"

Sakura scowled at her mother. "We can leave, or you can be nice. Your choice, Mother."

Mebuki smiled a fake and compliant smile, and then stepped back, letting her family in the house. Then she grabbed Sarada's hand. "Come, Bug! I have a special treat for you."

"Mother… she doesn't need any junk…" Sakura called after them as Mebuki dragged her granddaughter into the kitchen.

"Nonsense!" Mebuki yelled over her shoulder. "My granddaughter is a skilled and hardworking shinobi, who deserves to be spoiled by her grandmother! Look at how well she is turning out –despite who her father is."

"Mother!" Sakura snapped. She was infuriated. But, apparently she was the only one. Sasuke was ignoring Mebuki, looking around the living room at the pictures, which were almost entirely of Sarada.

The only person, who might have been more proud of Sarada than her parents, was her grandmother, who had pummeled her sewing circle with so many boasts about her prodigious granddaughter that they stopped inviting her.

Mebuki even had Sarada's first lost tooth encased in a small framed box on the mantel piece.

"Dinner!" Mebuki called as she and Sarada returned from the kitchen. Sarada had a half eaten bar of chocolate in one hand.

Sakura rolled her eyes and slipped her arm through Sasuke's arm, leading him to the dinner table. She cringed as she sat down next to him.

The last time Sasuke and Mebuki sat across the table from each other, Sasuke ended up putting his mother-in-law in a genjutsu just to shut her up. Now that her father was no longer around to play mediator, Sakura did not have high hopes for this dinner, either.

"So?" Mebuki said to Sasuke, as she took her seat. "Where have you been for the last two years… and what brings you back?"

Sakura kicked her mother lightly under the table. "You know Sasuke can't talk about that."

"Oh well." Mebuki sighed. "I get it. He has an important job –but he might want to consider he has a family too. You're a grown woman dear, but Sarada is still a child. He comes back here, acts like a father for a few days, gets Sarada's hopes up, and then leaves only to disappoint her again."

Sarada looked intently back and forth between the grown ups at the table.

"Sarada understands that her father is out there to protect the village…" Sakura started.

"I don't think so, dear." Mebuki replied, snarkily.

"Don't worry. I plan to stay longer this time." Sasuke said, his voice even and unemotional. He said this to Mebuki, but he was looking at his daughter.

"Well, I hope so." Mebuki said. "I'm really just concerned about what is best for my granddaughter."

Sakura slammed the door shut, as she walked back into their house behind Sarada and Sasuke. She looked at Sarada and said, "Bug. Why don't you get ready for bed, huh? School tomorrow."

"Ok, Mom." Sarada said and walked off to her bedroom.

Sasuke followed Sakura as she stomped into their bedroom. When they were alone in the room, she complained, "I can't believe my mother! I told her how Sarada has been acting and all the strange questions that she's been asking… yet Mebuki still had to go there!"

Sasuke shrugged and sat down on their bed. "Sarada seems ok. And everyone is use to your mother."

"She shouldn't have taken all those digs at you. And definitely not in front of our daughter!" Sakura yelled at no one in particular.

Sasuke moved across the room and wrapped his arms around Sakura's waist, pulling her towards him and kissing her on the forehead. He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly on the lips. "I don't care what your mother thinks. As long as I have you and our daughter, everyone else can go to hell."

He moved his hand to her face, stroking her cheek and jaw line, kissing her again. His hands moved down her arm as his kissed her. He gripped the small of her back and pulled her body harder against his body. She opened her mouth to accept his tongue. He tasted her mouth, her tongue, her lips. Then he pulled back slightly.

"Tell me that I have you." Sasuke whispered, his black eyes large and lustful.

Sakura placed her hands on the sides of Sasuke's face, rubbing her nose against his nose. "You have us… always."

Sasuke released her and took her hand, leading her to the bathroom. He filled their tub and undressed. As he stepped into the hot water, Sakura moved to take up the cloth to bath him, but he held onto her hand so she could not reach it. He pulled her back to him as he stood in the tub, unbuttoning her dress and pushing it off of her shoulders so it fell to the ground. "Remove your panties."

Sakura obeyed Sasuke and shimmied out of her pink lace panties, stepping out of them. Sasuke removed her matching bra and sat down in the tub, pulling her in with him, so she was seated on his lap.

He gently bathed her and himself, kissing her neck and her back until he felt the tension and anger relax out of her muscles.

Then he gripped her breasts from behind, his lips brushing softly against her ear, his tongue tracing a line down to her neck. She felt a moan escape her lips before she could stop herself. He responded by rubbing her nipples with slightly more friction. She leaned her head back, arching her breasts further into his hands as his mouth found her collar bone and the base of her neck.

His hands wandered down further, across her flat abdomen and in between her thighs. He rubbed her most sensitive spot, made even more sensitive in the warm water. She felt herself reflexively respond to his hand. He pushed his fingers into her as he continued to tease her clitoris.

In between the waves of pleasure that his fingers were sending through her body, she had a distant thought that she should be pleasuring him too. But his fingers would not relent enough to allow her an entire coherent a thought. And damn, he felt so good. Sakura was addicted to her husband, and like any addict, no matter how long she went without him, she never stopped feening for him.

As his hand brought her to orgasm, she moaned, "Sasuke."

He whispered into her ear. "Tell me again that I have you."

He moved his fingers just slightly so her body shuddered with another orgasm, and she moaned, "Oooh... you have me. It's all yours."

Sasuke stood up out of the water, picking Sakura up bridal style and carrying her to their bed. Both their bodies were wet and slick with the bathwater. He lay her on the bed and climbed on top of her, entering her before she even had a chance to collect her thoughts. She clung to him as he moved inside of her. Their bodies passionately intertwined together.

Finally gaining her bearings, she rolled over top of him and began to ride him, looking into his black eyes. She could tell from his face that he was beginning to orgasm, but was attempting to hold back in order to ensure she had another peak too. He moved his hands to her hips placing pressure right at the top of her buttucks. She felt her pelvic muscles start to shudder and she arched back, moaning with her coming orgasm. Sasuke allowed himself to release at the same time, both of them groaning with pleasure.

Two days later, Sarada stuck her head all the way out of her bedroom door, as she heard her father come into the house. He was not alone. She almost fell out of her doorway face first, as she inspected the blonde boy and the dark haired girl, who stood with Sasuke in their living room.

They were strangers. She had never seen them in the village before.

"Sarada!" Sakura called.

Sarada straightened her red dress and ascot, adjusting her glasses on her face. Then, she walked out into the front room to stand next her mother.

"This is Boruto and Himawari… they are going to be staying with us for awhile." Sakura motioned to the kids, who stood on either side of Sasuke. "They are… your Uncle Naruto's children."

"And this is our daughter, Sarada Uchiha." Sakura said, smiling kindly at the twins.

Sarada's eyes opened wide. Naruto has children? When did that happen? And they appeared to be the same age as her. "Nice to meet you."

Sarada stuck her hand out to them. The boy's blue eyes brightened, and he shook her hand enthusiastically. The girl was a bit more cautious. She had large white eyes, which seemed to pierce right through you. Sarada had read about the byakugan in books before, but she had never actually seen anyone with the dojutsu in person. Most of the Hyugas were gone from Konoha by the time Sarada was old enough to notice.

Immediately, she took Himawari's hand and pulled her out of the front room, calling over her shoulder to Sakura. "I'm going to show Himawari my room!"

Boruto took a step forward to follow, enthralled by the pretty girl with the raven hair. But Sasuke promptly placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, stopping him.

After Sarada shut the door behind her and Himawari, she sat down on the bed and started grilling her guest. "So if you're Uncle Naruto's daughter, where have you been all this time?"

"With my mother." Himawari stated quietly, looking around the room. "We lived in the Land of Lightning with Lady Tsunade for a long time, but we've been traveling with my mother for the last year. That is… until my stupid brother ran away and came here to find our long lost father."

Sarada knew that Naruto was married once to Hinata Hyuga, but she disappeared years ago, before Sarada was born. Her father and Naruto searched for Hinata for years without any success. Apparently, she finally returned to Konoha, and she brought two children with her.

"It wasn't a pretty reunion." Himawari continued. "And it's all Boruto's fault. If he would've just, listened… Our mother was going to bring us back here eventually. But OH NO! He just had to follow your father here and create this mess. I think my mother might be locked up now."

Himawari sat down on the bed next to Sarada and started to sob.

"My father is a rogue ninja too." Sarada offered. She place a hand on the crying girl's shoulder. "Uncle Naruto was the reason why they let him go and accepted him back in the village. Everyone knows he loved your mother. I'm sure he will do the same for her. He is supposed to become hokage tomorrow, you know?"

Himawari did not respond. She just wiped her face, and crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

Sarada inspected Himawari's white eyes again. "Your mother was Hyuga. Do you have the byakugan?"

Himawari nodded, smiling slightly for the first time.

Now she looked at Sarada curiously. "And you are an Uchiha, huh? Do you have the sharingan?"

Sarada smiled back and nodded. "We should be friends."