This chapter is a little more relationship heavy on Sarada and Sasuke with a hint of what's to come! Thank you all so much for your support and comments! It's been so fun planning this out when I didn't think I'd get this far. At least one good thing has come from this quarantine.

"I know his real identity, Kakashi."

Sasuke's confession hung heavy in the air above them, and the air was so dense and silent that it felt to Itachi like all sound had been vacuumed out of the room.

Kakashi's eyes instantly hardened and his jaw clenched. "Sasuke…"

Sasuke held up another hand against Kakashi's words. "We have more important things to worry about right now. You can apologize later."

Kakashi's eyes traveled over to Itachi who was leaning against the doorway. "He's good," he admitted to Kakashi's silent questioning. "It was either die or tell the truth." He shrugged to show there was no other choice he could have made.

"You need to tell me everything you two know," Sasuke demanded. He wasted no time with frilly reunions of welcomes- he was clearly here for business. "It was totally irresponsible not going to anyone about this if you knew the Akatsuki had returned."

"Like who?" Kakashi challenged, also transforming into the serious role. "What the hell were we supposed to say? 'We have intel that the Akatsuki is back. Oh, how do we know this you ask? Just ask Itachi Uchiha.' There was too much that could unravel by giving Akatsuki information away. It's better to keep this to ourselves until we have more concrete proof of their intentions and who is behind it. We felt there was a bigger chance of putting the village in danger if we jumped too soon."

"We're still staking out," Itachi piped in.

Itachi could see Sasuke's jaw twitching. His little brother had always been hot headed and impatient. He knew he was ready to strike at any moment if it meant protecting his daughter and overall the village.

"Who are you going to tell?" Kakashi continued. "Naruto? You know the implications of this type of information getting out before we have concrete evidence. Itachi and I were Anbu together: we are used to taking care of things from the shadows. You of all people should also understand that."

Kakashi and Sasuke stared each other down, their eyes challenging the other. Itachi could see twenty years of silent conversations and pleading pass between them, and though he knew Kakashi was always a good role model for his brother, he couldn't help but feel slightly left out because he was unable to produce the same memories that had shaped Sasuke.

"Fine." Sasuke finally crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. "I concede." He suddenly turned to Itachi then snapped his fingers and pointed to the chair next to him. "Come sit. Now I need to know everything you know so far: who knows what, anything you know about the Akatsuki, everything."

"Well, we are still trying to figure that out at the moment," Itachi admitted. He sat gingerly next to Sasuke. "We pieced together that white zetsus are probably a piece of it, but we don't know anything else. They have been good at hiding their identities and have made no indication of what they specifically want. All I know is that they recruited Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki. They gave us one small mission to collect intel on Cho Cho Akimichi and Inojin Yamanaka, but other than that, they haven't had much contact. They also said they'd watch us during the exams, but after we discovered the white zetsu, we haven't received any more contact."

Sasuke brought his hand to his mouth as he stared hard at the table in thought. "And Naruto said that the zetsu impersonated the Akimichi girl and Yamanaka boy during the exams as well."

"Yes."

"So they wanted to use you to gain some intel on them?" he then asked. His eyes rose to meet Itachi's. "If the white zetsu are truly behind the Akatsuki of course. And they wanted to use that intel to understand their skill before attacking them and morphing into them?"

"I'm starting to believe that as well…" Itachi's theories swirled in his head. "I visited Inojin in the hospital and he said he thinks that they only attacked to gain their jutsu then left then because they weren't worth killing."

"But they tried to kill you three?" Sasuke asked.

"I think so."

"So why? Why you?"

"I have a theory," Kakashi now piped in. "One I shared with Itachi and Yamato already. I think they are going after your children in particular; I think those behind this are trying to use them to get to you and Naruto."

Sasuke's eyes flashed and Itachi saw his jaw twitch again. He instinctively reached out to lay a protective hand on him. "Relax," he demanded softly.

"But why recreate the Akatsuki and go through all this trouble?" Sasuke continued but didn't shake Itachi's hand off. "Why not attack straight on?"

Kakashi leaned back in his chair now. "I think if we could figure out who is behind it, then we'd have our answer."

"So we literally have zero answers except knowing there is some sort of threat," Sasuke concluded blandly.

The other two nodded. They were still stuck. No matter how many times they fleshed out the problem, no answers surfaced. Itachi didn't want to say it aloud to avoid sounding presumptuous, but he knew he was surrounded by two of the smartest people in the village, and if they couldn't figure it out, then no one else could.

"We have no choice but to keep gaining intel," Itachi announced calmly. "We see what they ask of us."

"So what do I tell Naruto then?" Sasuke asked. "So much just changed. What the hell am I supposed to say when I talk to him?"

"Tell him the truth," Kakashi said. "You know there's white zetsu. You know there's a threat of the Akatsuki-"

"I know there's the Akatsuki!"

"But you don't know who is behind it. Until we know that, you know it's too much to say anything concrete. We take care of that for now. We just went through this."

But Itachi could see the impatience behind Sasuke's eyes. It was closer to home more than ever knowing Sarada was on it. It was like he could read straight into his brother's heart: he'd do anything, including act reckless, for his daughter. The love in his heart for her- the same for his brother, for his clan- charged his hate as well. He didn't just want to sit back and wait for something bad to happen, even if waiting was the best decision they had.

"Sasuke," he said softly, and grabbed his arm again. "Look at me."

Sasuke raised his eyes to Itachi's. Itachi made sure to harden his own glare to force him to see how serious he was about his next statement. "I will not let anything happen to Sarada, okay?" he said. He then grabbed onto Sasuke's face and brought it close to his. "I promise. She is my responsibility right now. I will make sure that if we are in this, she is watched over."

Sasuke didn't say a word. Itachi could see his eyes continue to probe him, challenging him on if he could keep his only child safe. She's all we have left, Itachi wanted to say but stopped himself.

"It's weird…" Sasuke said suddenly. He didn't pull away from Itachi. "Those are Boruto's eyes, but behind them? It's one hundred percent you."

Itachi released Sasuke's face and sat backwards, silent again. Somehow his grown little brother was always saying things to stump him now.

"Whatever you need to do, I am here as well." Kakashi sat forward again. "We're in this now too- we're watching her moves along with Itachi."

Sasuke sat up and closed his eyes. "Thank you," he said softly after a moment. Itachi could hear the exhaustion in his voice, the worry he carried for his family melting out of his body.

"So you need to go talk to Naruto," Itachi said. "Tell him you saw a white zetsu-"

"Wait, you saw a white zetsu too?" Kakashi cut him off.

Sasuke nodded grimly. "Right before I received Naruto's letter about what happened during the exams. Like I said, we've been tracing this as well but so far I haven't found anything concrete on any more from the Otsutsuki."

"So it's spread even further than we thought," Kakashi noted and sat up straighter. " This might not have even originated here…"

"So go," Itachi said, cutting him off. "Go talk to Naruto, see what he knows. Kakashi." He turned to his former captain. "Go update Yamato. I will go home- I'm sure Hinata is expecting me. And Sasuke?" His voice pitched downward. "One more thing."

Sasuke was rising from his chair but stopped to look at his brother. Even in Boruto's body, Itachi's presence and demand still had a magnetic charge to pull his brother back to him.

"You need to go home after. Sarada needs you more than ever."

"Why?" his eyes narrowed again. "Did something happen?"

Itachi and Kakashi exchanged glances. "During the second exam...Mitsuki told her about the massacre…"

"What." Sasuke's voice instantly climbed in volume." Please tell me you are kidding! How?! I purposely kept that from her. She's not ready-"

"She may ask you about it," Kakashi admitted. "She asked me about it yesterday. I told her to talk to you."

Sasuke looked between the two again as though waiting for one of them to begin laughing and telling them they were kidding. As they just stared back at him grimly, his eyes widened in horror as the truth set in, and they began to probe theirs now for any information, Itachi interpreted, to help him navigate the conversation with her.

"I thought I'd have more time," he said definitively after a long pause. "I thought-"

"You can't keep her from growing up," Kakashi stated quietly. "You can't keep the truth from her forever."

Sasuke grimaced and looked away; he couldn't look his sensei in the face and admit he was right.

"She's mad at me..." Itachi then piped up. "Because she thought I was keeping it from her. I tried to get Mitsuki to stop but he wouldn't. She thinks you told Boruto over her."

"Why you?"

"She thought you told Boruto and that I was purposely keeping it from her."

"Of course I wouldn't tell Boruto that," Sasuke scoffed at the ridiculousness of Itachi's statement. "Why would I do something like that? If I didn't tell her I definitely wouldn't tell him."

Itachi shrugged matter-of-factly. "I'm just trying to prepare you for what you may be walking into. But she's very upset. Leave the lines of communication open- I know that's not always easy for you." He narrowed his own eyes at Sasuke now. "She deserves this, you know."

Sasuke cast his eyes downward to avoid his brother's stare. "I can take care of my family, thank you," he said. "I have considered what she needs to know in order to protect her from people who could use information against her. I wanted her to have a normal childhood; I didn't want anyone to use the past to influence her future."

"Looks like that didn't really matter in the end," Itachi replied.

Sasuke turned away completely now toward the door. "I'll contact you both later," he stated gruffly then headed outside, leaving his big brother and sensei staring after him.

"Welcome home!"

Naruto's words were always the same no matter when he saw Sasuke or the situation at hand. Sasuke suspected it was to keep the air encouraging and light, like his excitement would influence Sasuke to keep coming home. It was as though he was scared, deep down, that he'd leave again. Naruto obviously knew that would never happen, but nevertheless the ritual stuck and Sasuke walked into those words the moment he stepped into Naruto's empty office; the other kages had just departed and Naruto was left with Shikamaru waiting for Sasuke to return.

"How was the exam today?" he asked.

"Sarada did amazing, if that's what you're asking!" Naruto beamed. Sasuke found it so odd yet comforting to see Naruto smile through the news that his best friend's daughter had done well in the exams at the expense of his own son. It was proof he loved his child as his own. His heart and mind wandered back to Boruto and the secret he now carried, but he pushed the heavy thought from it. Business first.

"That's wonderful. We're very proud of her. I look forward to hearing what you decide for her as well."

Naruto smiled wider. "I think this is the year for her honestly." He then sat up straighter as though he remembered himself and added, "But enough about that, we can talk exams later. You said you had news on white zetsu as well?"

You have no idea, Naruto. "Yes." Sasuke sat down across from him. "I saw a white zetsu at the northwest corner of the Land of Fire. Only one though."

"So they have traveled," Naruto said gruffly. "Have you found any more relics from Kaguya or the Otsutsukis?"

"Not anything more than we found a few weeks ago and no documents on the Akatsuki either."

"These have to be connected." Naruto slammed his fist on the desk in frustration. "We can't stop here."

"And I will go as soon as you want me to," Sasuke replied. "I wanted to return to see if I could be of help here." And to probe your kid.

Naruto shook his head. "All went well today. We have more security up and not one white zetsu has been spotted. It was only that one time. I want to keep looking as soon as possible but I understand if you want to stay for a few days while Sarada competes again."

"Naruto." Sasuke sighed and leaned his head back. "You know you can just ask me to leave if that's what the village needs."

"But I also understand if you want-"

Sasuke held his hand up to cut him off. "Naruto."

"Sasuke," he challenged back. "The world won't end if you take a few days to watch your daughter, you know. And if you'd like to help with security to feel like you're being useful, of course it would greatly appreciated."

Sasuke went silent for a few moments. Should he stay? Watch Sarada? He had so much to talk to her about… Or did he leave right away? What would be best for his family?

"I need time to think about it," he admitted.

Naruto nodded understandingly. Of course he was understanding. He was always so understanding of his best friend's needs. "Go home, Sasuke."

A few minutes later Sasuke's feet hit the pavement outside of the building. How his life had changed completely in a matter of hours. That had only happened a handful of times in his life: the day his family was murdered and he was alone for the first time, the day he left the village, the day he killed Itachi, the day Sarada was born... and today.

He realized all those days revolved around Itachi. Even Sarada's birth. Seeing his child for the first time was a reminder that new life can come from darkness and her presence was proof that he could be forgiven for all his mistakes. Itachi's memory was fully there, taking up space in the room; she was a new Uchiha and instantly held a place in a family she would never meet. Look at her, he silently talked to his family as he took her into his arms for the first time. She's perfect.

He imagined showing her off to his parents and Itachi, proudly pointing out all her features that came from him, from them. And somehow Itachi did get to meet her, that dream he dreamed the day of her birth had come true. Everything he wanted was real, and Itachi was at the center of his world again, but this time sharing space- physical space not even just in his heart- with Sarada. He thought of the statement that made his heart palpitate each time: Itachi had met his daughter. It almost didn't feel real that a world could exist with his elder brother and his daughter.

He was pulled between both worlds- a pin in between a long string, punctuating the end of the line for the life his brother existed in, and the beginning of the one in which Sarada lived. Itachi was here, watching over his daughter, actually protecting her, in a way he never thought possible. Now that his one wish had come true- both worlds, past and present existing as one- there was no way he could let it pass. He was indebted to both equally now; he had to protect both of them and the world he never thought he'd get a chance to see.

This was too precious. It ignited a deeper fire he hadn't felt since Sarada was born. This innate guttural, primal emotion of needing to protect this life at all costs. He now knew what Itachi must have felt with him in going to the ends of the Earth- sacrificing himself, sacrificing his clan himself- to keep him safe.

No, no. Even Itachi's love couldn't be as deep. This was his daughter, his baby, somehow old enough to walk, talk, and become a chunin. This was a love even deeper than Itachi felt for him.

And now he had to carry the both of them.

Sasuke turned the key to his home and pushed open the door. Inside, he could hear the kitchen sink running then turn off. "Sasuke?" he heard Sakura call out.

As much as he wanted to see Sakura, his heart cried out more for Sarada. He had to stop himself from running as he rounded the corner to the kitchen, and his heart instantly dropped upon seeing Sarada at the table. She was safe, freshly showered in pajamas, and her cheeks were still pink from the hot water.

She and Sakura looked up, surprised to see him, as though his presence wasn't totally expected.

"Sasuke," Sarada breathed. "Sarada said you were home but-"

But he walked past her and straight to Sarada who was staring questioningly at him.

"Dad-" she began and Sasuke silently reached out and pulled her into him. He was instantly overcome with the same emotion of seeing her for the first time: all the promises he made her, to keep her and her mother safe and happy for the rest of their lives. He needed her to know that everything was going to be alright.

No one said a word as Sarada gingerly reached up to hug him back.

"I'm proud of you," he whispered into her hair. He instantly recognized the smell of sakura, the fitting shampoo his Sakura had always used since their childhood. It flitted into his nostrils, bringing back every memory of Sakura and how much she had done for him, including giving him Sarada.

"And I love you."

Sarada didn't move at his words. He noted how stiff she stood against him.

He finally pulled back after a moment to stare down at her; her eyes were wide with confusion.

"Do you have anything to ask me?" he asked sincerely. Itachi's speech rang in his ears: She deserves this.

They stared into each other's eyes for another moment, both sets of black eyes unreadable, before Sarada finally broke away from her dad. "No," she said, and walked out of the room.

SARADA'S DIARY

I wanted to ask but something stopped me. Something was in his voice that I couldn't quite pin down. Sadness? Exhaustion?

I'm really not sure what made me say no. Maybe it was because he looked tired in a way I'd never seen him and I didn't want to burden him more. Maybe it was because I was scared he'd hold something back that he let out to Boruto. Or maybe it was because I had a sneaking feeling that Boruto said something to him and that was why he was prompting me to ask my questions. But he needed to tell me his past on his own on his own, not because Boruto had asked. I needed him to do this because he wanted to, and if he didn't want to, then I wouldn't force him.

I could feel myself pull away from him. I wasn't about to let myself be pulled into this conversation just because Boruto asked him to talk to me.

So instead all I said was no.

SARADA'S DIARY- LATER EDIT:

Obviously I wish now I had asked because it's too late. I don't know if I'll ever see him again.

I'm so sorry.

Somebody please help us.