Author's Note: Introducing Little Akari Uchiha!
Sakura had numbly opened her house to Karin and the little one bundled in her arms, allowing them inside before she looked to the paper and the picture as Karin went to take a seat.
The picture showed Karin and Sasuke with their little bundle of joy, Sasuke having his arms around Karin with his head on her shoulder as she was beaming, her head tilted back to be beside his as her eyes were closed, her hairstyle unshaven unlike now as she cradled a little baby girl to see the world before her.
The child, unlike Sarada, was a mix of her parents. Her hair was a vibrant red like her mother's, spiking in every which way as her eyes were black with tears beaded at the ends, a pacifier in her mouth to keep her calm as she wore a cute Azure onesie, the scenery around them being unfamiliar, not of Konoha.
Tears welling in her own eyes she turned her attention to the letter.
To the Reader of this Letter,
If this jutsu is a success, then the one reading this is a friend of ours, or is us ourselves in another universe.
I am Karin Uchiha, the woman in the photo, the man is my husband Sasuke Uchiha.
With this you must have received our little eleven month old daughter Akari Uchiha and we have saved her from the fate of our other world.
There is not much else we can do but ask you to take care of her and let her know we are proud of her.
Sincerely, Karin Uchiha.
Tears hit the page as Sakura read the little note below that in a style she only recognized from the one-word letter she had received during her birthday/Naruto and Hinata's wedding, Sasuke's.
There is a chance she is not alone in coming to this world. Keep an eye out for the other children, and let her know we are always watching over her, just like her Uncle did for me. -Sasuke
Sakura immediately knew she couldn't handle this as she looked after Karin where she disappeared, trying not to crush the letter in her grip as she heard a rattle shake, slowly approaching the living room where Karin sat down, the little one squirming as she shook the rattle, sitting up in her mother's arms, Karin murmuring things to her as the older woman looked so tired and a little on guard about what was to come.
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This wasn't Karin's fault.
But Sakura didn't have the sacrificial love Hinata had for Naruto.
She couldn't accept the other child as a daily part of her life.
Placing her hands over her eyes she grit her teeth, her whole body shuddering as Karin watched her tiredly, sadly.
" Karin... Karin I can't do this."
There was a silence before Karin bowed her head, " I understand."
" I... I don't know if you do... But... I'll take it." Sakura rubbed at her eyes, smearing tears over her face as she staggered forward and sat beside the one whom helped her give birth to her daughter, " I'm sorry Karin. I don't mean this as a slight to you or Akari… But I can't accept Sasuke's other child. Even if it's not his, I-I can't."
Wet drops fell off her jaw onto her clothes as she sniffled, " I know he's off in other dimensions to fight a giant evil or whatever... But that's just what he tells us. How do we know if that's really the case? What if some other woman steps up with a baby and says it's 'from another dimension' but it's not?"
Karin looked down at the redhead baby whom looked back with dark eyes and her little teeth clamped on her Uchiha fan rattle, " I don't think Sasuke likes women that much. I don't think he likes anyone that much."
Sakura gave a watery laugh, " Unless that's Naruto." The words were so bitter that she had to bite her lower lip as she hugged herself, but Karin merely closed her eyes and gave a brief nod.
" I may not be in your exact position... but I get your thought process. I just... I just didn't want to be a hypocrite and not come to you when she showed up."
Sakura couldn't help but appreciate that herself on some levels.
" How long has she been around, Karin?"
" Six Days."
It was a long time to keep that stuff a secret, but Karin was always so honest and cared so much about the happiness of Sarada and Sasuke, which in affect was also both of their own happiness.
Sakura looked to her head-on, turning her whole body to her while still on the couch, and bowed to her, " Thank you Karin. I appreciate that very much.
I'm sorry I cannot be a better friend but I can't-"
" Sakura." Karin spoke, her eyes down on the ground, " Before you say what you're going to say... I have to ask a favor."
" A favor?" Sakura asked as she looked bewildered to the redhead, whom bowed her head almost as from shame.
" I... I need to live in Konoha.
You don't have to see me or Akari… But I need to live here."
Sakura's heart was in her stomach.
" Because I don't trust Orochimaru."
Oh.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
" He may have 'Calmed Down' in a sense with Konoha watching him and Kabuto but I am taking no chances with this.
Please, I just need you to ask someone like Naruto for a place for me to stay."
Sakura could see where she was coming from.
Orochimaru had experimented on hundreds, maybe even thousands of people for a long period of time, killing many and ruining the lives of countless more.
Sakura even wondered why he was still alive if he was under such close watch from Konoha, everyone knew what he did, but she and others always trusted Naruto- so there was no rioting when the one to bring the most World Peace anyone has seen said Orochimaru wasn't going to die, just quiet acceptance.
Sakura then remembered the other two always constantly hanging around Karin and a question came forefront.
" Are your teammates coming with you?"
" They're thinking about it, the only reason it isn't an outright yes is because of Juugo's Cursemark, medication wears off after a long time of using it because his kekkei genkai is adaptive and he believes Orochimaru is the only one who can help."
Sakura leaned back a little in her seat and nodded.
Karin had done so much for her and her family, and Sarada would be overjoyed to see her more often... So maybe...?
" Did you tell Sasuke about Akari?"
" Haven't seen him in months." Karin answered honestly as the loud rattling from the child's toy came up again.
" You can tell him if you need to. He should know." Sakura bowed her head before bringing a hand up and biting on the thumb nail, " And you can bring your teammates, Shizune and I can work on what Orochimaru's cone so far with the medication- if you can give us the papers. Having Naruto order for them lets him know exactly where the three of you would leave to and it's not what we're looking for."
Karin nodded and Sakura let go, taking a deep breath before looking to the red-eyed woman, " I may not want to see her around much because of what she is... But you are still free to come to me when you have any need to.
I think some Inns are open at this time, tomorrow I'll ask Naruto for some help." Sakura stood and rifled around before coming out with a coin purse and bringing out Ryo for Karin to use to get a place, the other woman hesitantly offering out one hand while the other cradled the child as she took the money and nodded, her clasped hand pushing up her glasses for her to rub at the corners of her eyes.
" Thank you Sakura. I'm sorry to ask this of you."
" And I'm sorry to put this on you." Sakura bowed her head, " But there's nothing we can do about it.
Please be safe."
Karin nodded and stood, walking to the front door which Sakura opened for her, handing her the letter and picture before the redhead stepped out with her child secure against her chest, looking back once more before turning away and by the look and sound of it giving her child a kiss on the head, disappearing into the darkness as Sakura was quiet, standing there for almost half a minute before eventually shutting the door.
Only to turn around and jolt as Sarada stood there in her pajamas.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
" Sarada..."
" Mom..."
" How long were you here?"
" The rattle..."
Sakura wiped at her tear-dried face and gave a shaky smile, " So all of it. I knew I shouldn't have let you go to sleep early, you wake up at the latest times..." She then gave one last sniff before straightening herself, " So... are you angry at me for sending her away?"
Sarada clenched a hand before her heart, looking to the side as she tried to search within herself.
" Not... Really..."
That almost surprised Sakura, " Why? Don't you like Karin-San?"
Sarada's head jolted up and she nodded vigorously, " I do!" Then she faltered, " But... That's..."
The younger girl struggled to piece together why she felt the way she did about Karin and her half-sister being turned away at the door, " That was... me in a way... and I don't... know..."
Sakura tried to make an educated guess on it as she had once questioned her legitimacy to being Sakura's child and for a time believed she was Karin's.
This little girl was now actually the child of Karin and her Papa, leading to more complex feelings on the matter, as well as trying to take into account how her mother was feeling about all of it.
Sakura approached her and wrapped her arms around her.
" You are mine and Sasuke's, Sarada. No one else's. If you want to befriend her, you can. I just cannot handle taking her in. I've already sacrificed enough for you on Sasuke's behalf, I can't take this even if it isn't his fault."
Sarada nodded against her and also hugged her mother as Sakura shook her head, " Sometimes I wonder how Hinata can do it... Take him in and try to treat Shina-Chan nicely."
" Because he deserves it." Sarada muffled.
" But so does Akari." Sakura gently reminded as she stroked her daughter's head.
" It's just complicated mom..."
" You're right about that... Now come on Sarada, let's get you to bed."
" I'm not that tired though!"
" Well that's just tough, because I'm not letting you stay up the rest of the night!" Sakura chuckled as she turned her around and ushered her daughter up to her room.
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The next morning Sakura was dressing up Shinachiku in a green onesie lined in red, Sarada getting dressed as well when the door opened with a SLAM!
Sakura immediately stopped and ran out the room for the front door.
" AUNT SAKURA!" Boruto hollered as he was running in, the two of them colliding with each other.
" Boruto! Boruto what happened?!" Sakura grabbed his shoulders.
" Y-You gotta help me, it's mom!" Boruto spoke, in a panic with tears beading in his eyes.
Sakura paused for only a moment before looking back and hollering, " Sarada! Grab Shinachiku and head to the Uzumaki house!"
Her raven-haired daughter appeared at the end of that, looking to the teary Boruto before back to her mother and giving a firm nod, disappearing back to where Shinachiku was left behind as Sakura and Boruto ran out for the Uzumaki house.
' Hinata, please be okay.'
