Hello Everyone!

First of all, I'm sorry for being late. I am busy with my academics these days, so I couldn't devote my time here.

As usual, Episode 170 again gave me some idea. The anime really tried to show Sakura's anxiety. Here is my attempt to pen down Sasuke's thought. Hope you enjoy it and don't forget to leave your thoughts in review.

A big thanks to CherryBerry12 for taking time out to go through the chapter.

She had researched the mankegyou!

Sasuke sighed as he let his thoughts dive into that darkness. His inner murkiness melded quite perfectly with the darkness of the room. For years he had atoned, persevered, and wandered to the tame this darkness. There was a reason why his daughter didn't know the real secrets of sharingan.

She had researched about mankegyou!

Sasuke repeated as he sank deeper into the couch. Sasuke also sank deeper in his own heavy sadness and memories - losing his parents, bearing the burden of being born in an ostracized clan, and facing the existential crisis being the lone survivor of the massacre.

When he was Sarada's age, he knew about the mankegyou sharingan, but his absence from her life and the dreadful secrets of awakening it were the reasons he hadn't told her about it yet. Not only that, but then Sarada would know about his past life - the life he was shameful of and was still trying to make amends for. Sarada would know about the person.

Nii-san, he thought.

How was he supposed to explain that witnessing Itachi's death triggered his mankegyou?

How was he supposed to explain the emotional trauma, the pain of loss and the heart wrenching truth that followed?

How was he supposed to explain these things to his own daughter?

He couldn't ignore the question every time. He couldn't run from the truth—he had to reveal the secrets of the Uchiha clan to his daughter. His daughter was living a life very different from him, but deep down he knew Sarada too would inherit the curse of the Uchiha clan - the link between unimaginable suffering and unparalleled strength. Still, the thought of telling Sarada himself was far better than her rummaging through the clan's secrets like he had done.

Tonight, Sasuke felt like the same old self who mourned for his family, remembering the bitter images. Even years later, he couldn't forget Itachi's face and parting words. He didn't want to, because Itachi's love was ingrained within those moments.

Loneliness had been a curse that had always been borne from the loss of loved ones. The feeling of love always came with the risk of hatred, which was why he always ran away from affection. Letting Sakura into his life after shedding all the insecurities, hadn't been an easy thing, but their journey and the eventual birth of Sarada proved that it was worth it.

Sasuke closed his eyes, sighing, thinking about the conversation with Sakura earlier that day. All the words that she had said were piercing his soul. What infuriated him most were Sakura's naive conclusions about herself and her underestimating her daughter's resolve. Repeatedly, he had reminded Sakura not to do so. His expression became grimmer when he remembered Sakura telling him he wouldn't understand her anxiety. He always thought Sakura understood him, but it seemed like she couldn't this time - the agony of a father.

Clicking noises coming from the other side of the door broke his chains of thoughts.

.

.

With dizzy steps, Sakura entered her house. While placing the key in the key stand, she noticed the spare key that Sasuke kept with him was there. She rubbed her eyes, still intoxicated slightly, trying to figure out in the dark if it was Sasuke who was sitting on the couch.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, I thought you would sleep," she said while switching on a lamp.

She stood still for a few seconds, waiting for Sasuke to say something when hiccups started, and she stumbled to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water.

In a true sense, alcohol wasn't the only reason her senses were dulled. She had lost her senses from the day Sarada returned injured. Ino's words had hit right at her heart. Life, responsibilities, and a growing daughter had made her forget her younger self. Now, she realised Sasuke was right. They had been the same in their younger days - going to any heights to become powerful. Perhaps that was just how the cycle goes.

Sakura came and sat beside Sasuke. Sasuke hadn't said anything, but she sensed her actions from morning might be why. She felt terrible after accusing him, and she knew her husband would just accept her words silently, resenting not her but himself more. She needed to break the ice.

"I'm sorry. I have hurt both you and Sarada," Sakura spoke in a low voice.

No response came from Sasuke's side. Not even a shift of position or a change in a breathing pattern.

"What goes around comes around!" Sakura laughed sheepishly and added, "Now I understand why my mom always nagged me, and I responded in the same as Sarada did."

She didn't blame Sarada for lashing out at her, but her own child raising a voice left a little dent in her mind. After all, she thought she deserved it. She had done the same too.

She looked towards Sasuke, expecting a reply, but was greeted by his uneasy silence.

Sakura's vision was still a little blurred from alcohol, but she was sure she could see Sasuke's eyes tightly shut, brows narrow, with an annoyed expression... She had faced his icy silence before, when he hated feeling helpless over something. Sakura was nervous that she was the reason now. Sakura knew she had crossed her limits much to Sasuke's dislike, but she was a mother and she had every right to worry about her daughter.

"I know I have spoken terrible things, but you need to understand that…"

"She researched the mankegyou!"

Sakura blinked, contemplating the situation. Sakura felt a bit at ease now that Sasuke finally replied something, though the tension between them hung stiff.

"She has asked me a couple of times too."

Sakura understood the real reason behind his ill mood. She thought that Sasuke was fine with her daughter rushing to make her eyes stronger and sharper.

"Anata," she spoke in a calm tone. "But didn't you tell me earlier it was not something to be worried about?" Although she knew Sasuke wasn't the person who would answer how she wanted, she asked cautiously, "What exactly are you worried about?"

Sasuke sighed heavily. He didn't want to answer, but he knew he had given her enough trouble living away from his family and from his silences, so he didn't want her to make her more anxious.

He opened his eyes and looked towards Sakura. He noticed her face flushed with effects of alcohol. He wanted to ask her about it but he went on explaining, "She wanted to know how…" He averted his gaze and sighed again, "how I awakened my mankegyou?"

She realised she was not the only one who was worried over Sarada awakening the mangekyou. Sasuke too was bothered, and she had thought Sasuke wasn't capable of understanding her. She felt a lump of guilt in her throat and she could clearly see his pain now.

"And?"

"I told her we would talk about the mankegyou sharingan next time."

He looked towards the floor and spoke again, "How am I going to tell her about the past I regret?"

The day he held Sarada in his arm, he knew that one of the hardest tasks of his life would be to tell her about the cursed blood that flowed through her veins too. He had been constantly plagued by the fear that he couldn't be a perfect father! What inspiration his daughter would draw from him - a life that had thrived in darkness, driven by revenge on the person he adored most and full of wrong decisions.

It was one of those moments when Sakura saw her husband crumbling down because of his past. Sympathy replaced all the anger she had towards Sasuke for helping Sarada train against her wishes. She placed her hands firmly on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. She was again in one of those situations where she didn't know how to console him. After Sarada was born, she had seen Sasuke spending sleepless nights wondering about the same things. Sakura felt shameful for accusing Sasuke earlier.

"Sorry. I was so clouded by my worries that I couldn't see your own."

Sasuke was about to get up. He had never wanted Sakura to bear this particular burden for him just because he shared his clan's name with her. He always knew it was his own responsibility to tell the truth to his daughter. Sooner or later, he would have to.

"Ino said that we are parents of a shinobi."

This caught Sasuke's attention as it explained why Sakura was tipsy when she came home. He wasn't sure what this had to do with the topic.

"I-I mean- I understand you are stressing more about Sarada undergoing emotional traumas to awaken her mankegyou than letting her know about your past to her."

Sasuke blankly stared into her eyes, with a relief that Sakura hadn't misunderstood him.

With a tinge of sadness, she spoke again, "It worries me like hell, but we can't hide things from her anymore. Eventually, she has to know everything and has to get stronger." Sakura squeezed Sasuke's shoulder gently, "And don't worry, she will understand the choices you had to make in the past. After all, she is our daughter."

Through his mismatched eyes, he saw her smiling, reflecting pure assurance as he heard her saying those words. He nodded as he realised Sakura was right. Hesitating just due to his past and the pain that her daughter would go through wouldn't do any good to Sarada. He remembered his own words to Sakura earlier in the morning about how they have to make her capable so Sarada could protect herself. He also remembered Sarada's face when he praised her - the cheerful face that replicated Sakura's.

"Hn. In certain traits, she is exactly like you, although she is not a crybaby like you," he smirked.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura felt embarrassed as Sasuke teased her. She had realised it too that both Sasuke and Ino were right - it's a part of growing up that everyone goes through; they had done it, and now it was their children's turn.

Sasuke got up to finally call it a day, walking towards their bedroom.

"Sasuke-kun, can I help with Sarada's training?" Sakura asked enthusiastically as she got up too.

"Aah." Sasuke knew it would be difficult to answer all of Sarada's questions about the mankegyou sharingan, but with Sakura by his side it would be easier.

A/N: Since episode 171 is out too, so I have decided to write another chapter, which would be the last one, finally!

A special thanks to all the lovely people who left such wonderful reviews. It meant a lot to me.

Thank you for reading :)