It was as soon as Sakura got home after officially deciding to take in Shinachiku as her own that she realized the gaping hole of logic that she didn't even look at when making this decision:
Who exactly was going to take care of Shina-Chan?
Sure, Sarada could on some levels, but not only was she a child but part of a three-man cell which would require her to be on missions, and Sakura was absolutely refused to take Shinachiku with her to work, the probability of more people seeing him would skyrocket and the gossip getting to Naruto or his family would be assured.
So who exactly could she turn to?
Ino was a gossip no matter how much of a good friend she was she would likely tell, and Sakura did not know Temari or Tenten very well to gauge anything despite being on good terms. Tsunade wouldn't be able to shut up about it and Shizune was busy being Naruto's assistant, not the advisor anymore, that went to Shikamaru but still a busy woman nonetheless.
A clone would just be reckless for either Shinachiku's well-being or the well being of her patient whichever way it went, so she had to get a real person, a person she trusted and would keep her secret.
And of course she knew who to turn to, even if it hurt her inside.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
That night Sakura heard a knock on her door and opened it to see Karin Uzumaki on the other side.
Sakura didn't hate Karin... but she had always been envious of her, if it hadn't been obvious from Sakura taping herself over Karin for the entirety of Sarada's existence on the only picture she had of Sasuke until very recently.
Karin however didn't really seem to hold anything against her, merely viewing her as someone to make Sasuke happy when she couldn't, even when Sakura wasn't very sure of that.
She knew she could trust the red head, that and her Team surprisingly never even attempted to settle into the village for any amount of time, merely turning around and leaving with Sasuke without staying to take root with any friends, which led to her having no one to confide this secret in besides the other members of the team she stayed around with.
She informed the redhead of the situation and showed the blond child sleeping beside an enamored Sarada, the two of them asleep in the bed with Sarada in a sleeping Yukata with fireworks all over it covering her and a small baby blanket that used to belong to the older girl draped over him, her glasses off on the bedside table as Karin made her way over and eyed over the baby before looking back.
" He does look like Naruto, though I think I've seen his other children, this one doesn't have whiskers?" The redhead asked, curious as Sakura gave a small shrug as she had no idea how to explain Boruto and Himawari having whiskers when Shinachiku didn't.
" Probably just random chance. I don't exactly know how Kurama and the genetics work." Sakura confessed, a little put off by that, " But it doesn't really matter. He is what they said he is, the son of Naruto and I from another place, and I agreed to take care of him.
However, I need the money, Sasuke-kun didn't even give any to us when Sarada was born I don't think he'll give anything for this. So I'm taking extra shifts at the Hospital to help pay for raising him, and I need someone to be there for him, seeing as Sarada has to go on missions sometimes and she's never had a sibling to help raise or understand."
" Makes sense. However I do not know how successful I myself would be, I wasn't around children a lot myself." Karin confessed with a small frown, " Are you sure you don't want to tell Naruto?"
" And tell him what exactly? I mean I could tell him the truth and of course he would believe me, I have Shizune to back me up and the fact this isn't a genjutsu… However I don't think his family would be able to take the strain. He's already so distant to his two children, Boruto acts out and Himawari's recent art drawings say all she wants is for him to spend time with her. And Hinata... When Naruto isn't around she looks so fragile, Shina-Chan's like a rock that would shatter her gut and she's my friend." Sakura gestured helplessly.
" We didn't do anything but maybe the knowledge that in some place somewhere we had done something just makes her shut down-"
" Sakura." Karin cut her off as she folded her arms, " I'll admit I don't know Naruto very well, nor his family.
But wouldn't it hurt more to them if you actually acted like there was something to hide? You didn't cheat with anyone, there's nothing you have to hide. So that child is your kid from another universe, so what? It doesn't betray the fact that you both are different here. You have children with other people here, not there.
Use this as an opportunity for good, to make sure the child has all options opened to him, to have the ability to have a full family who loves him, if they accept him, and for you to have the support you need. If it doesn't work out then I will be there with Juugo and Suigetsu, but I promise you that if everything works out they would be more fulfilling than we will."
Karin wasn't trying to push the responsibilities off herself, but she remembered her own past with nothing but her mother who died when she was still young.
If a child had the opportunity to be surrounded in a full and loving family then she felt obligated to help them.
It's what she would have wanted for herself.
" I'll be back tomorrow, I hope by then you will have told them. Sakura... I care about you and Sarada very much.
Don't struggle alone."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
She then walked past the pink-haired woman whom almost looked pained, closing the door behind her as Sakura bowed her head.
For so long she had been taking care of Sarada all by herself...
For so long no one had been there besides Ino who talked to her from time to time, Naruto had vanished from everyone's sight and Hinata didn't really spend time with anyone but her daughter now.
The thought of asking for help seemed so hard...
But she looked up with teary eyes and both of the children were the only thing in her sight.
She would swallow her pride.
She would do it.
For them.
