A/N:

I might just respond to reviews and shout out some people in the beginning from each chapter. (Let me know if i should do it in the end notes instead) I think it's fun to read everyone's opinion. Thank you so much for liking this story so far.

Dark: I 100% agree with you. Itachi is such a difficult character to understand because a lot does not make sense. Thanks Kishimoto. One thing though, Itachi did many terrible things but no one can deny he was powerful. He was feared as a criminal but looked up to and respected when he wasn't. Politics over all is complicated so im assuming the Hokage doesn't have a say in everything just like irl.

Rey Bee: OMG I'm so glad you liked the sasusaku moment I was nervous when I wrote it. Sakura obviously seems to have calmed over the years and she is a smart girl. I'm hoping to do her justice in this fanfic unlike how Kishimoto kind of failed to do. He even admits that he sucks at writing female characters. Sakura's reasoning on not telling the truth will be revealed more clearly later on. It doesn't justify anything but it shows her mentality in the matter.

Yamora: I'm glad you enjoyed, thank you so much.

Thank you for the favorites:

KawaiiKatia
anthologylover
boo56
littleivy0211
Yamora Love n Friendship

XXX

He's been through it all. Witnessed hundreds of dead bodies of fellow clansmen, witnessed his own parents corpses as his own brother stands over them, the same brother put him in a genjutsu to watch his beloved parents' death over and over again, been told that everything was a lie so everything he worked his ass off, everything that he sacrificed was, potentially, for nothing, and just become clinically bat shit crazy. But here he is, trying to convince himself that he doesn't need to be nervous while he stands in front of a, potentially, hostile 11 year old girl's room. Who is his daughter.

Oh, what life does to you.

Sasuke is not a nervous person at all. He is just, by nature and possibly trauma (definitely trauma), a very socially awkward person. He can handle a physical confrontation in his sleep, but social confrontation? Yeah, no. Sasuke took a deep breath and his lifted fist to knock on her door.

"What are you doing Papa?" a slightly nasally high pitch voice asked behind him.

Death by heart attack is not how Sasuke Uchiha wanted to go. Hand on his chest trying to calm his nerves before Sarada notices that she had actually given him a scare he turn towards her. Her eyes filled with mirth as she looks up at him.

"I was knocking on you door so we can talk," he grows confused as she tries to hold her laughter.

"Papa my room is on the other side of the hallway. That door that you're knocking on is the door to the laundry room."

Oh.

There was a beat of silence.

"This never happened."

"Pft-"

XXX

It took Sarada a good five minutes to stop laughing and to finally calm down. Both father and child were sitting in the dining area facing each other. Sasuke glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. 10:48pm It has been a long night.

Sasuke started to realize that he should have thought of how to start this conversation before even trying to find Sarada. Now here they are watching dust collect around each other not moving an inch. Sarada starts to look sheepishly at him like he's about to scold her. He starts to wonder if she is as socially awkward as he was. Was she doing well in the academy? These never made it to mind until now. So much happening at once he couldn't even think straight. Looking at her she is now looking down at her lap finding the loose thread on her shirt entertaining.

Meanwhile Sarada's thoughts were running in circles. What is this about? Is she going to be scolded for being rude? She frustrated and didn't mean to lash out so childishly like that. Is he going to answer my questions?

"Are…Are you doing well in the academy?" her head snapped back up, eyes wide. Onyx eyes staring right back at him.

"Ah. Um…yeah. I mean, I'm top of the class along with Boruto," Boruto? Naruto's kid? Guess the apple does fall far from the tree after all. "He gets on my nerves though. Always causes trouble for everyone," Spoke too soon.

"I guess me and Boruto are like you and Lord Seventh" Sasuke's eye started to twitch. Thinking back in his academy days just triggers the older Uchiha in a different way than any other traumatic event in his life.

"What do you mean?" I swear to god if that moron said anything weird he's gonna get it.

"Oh, well Lord Seventh said that you two would compete against each other. Rivals, he said," Sarada then looked like she trying to remember something "There was something else that he said…"

"We were both extreme competitive and the dobe never let me be. He was always too loud and-"

"OH! He said you two where even in academic ranking too! Go figure, huh" What. Sasuke swore he going to give the dobe a talking to, feeding plain lies to his daughter. It's like he needs to boost his own ego. In what world was the blonde dunce ever smart in the time they were in the academy. He was the rare species that was neither book or street smart. It is honest astounding that he survived living alone. Especially when his diet consisted mostly of ramen.

"Papa are we really here to talk about the academy? Because if so it is getting late-" "No" Sasuke stopped her before she can finish. Taking a deep breath he starts to wonder where the hell should he start. There is so much to say yet so little he actually wants to reminisce with the daughter an hour before midnight.

"Have you tried learning the fireball jutsu?" It's a start at least. Sarada looks at her father like he's grown a second head. Is he insane?

"Papa I'm still in the academy. If they taught that there the building would burn down and it wouldn't be an accident either," Sarada said shaking her head. She leaned of the back of her seat with a grimace on her face. "I don't even want to think what Boruto might do if he had that technique up his sleeve."

"That doesn't matter, my father taught me around the time I first entered the academy. There is no harm in learning a jutsu closely affiliated to your clan," Sasuke crosses his arms staring right back at her.

"I can teach you the signs I don't how long I can stay in the village I might need to leave tomorrow," With that Sarada's eyes widened.

"B-but you just got here," Sarada couldn't believe it, he was leaving again. Just when she has so many unanswered questions. So many doubts So many-

"I won't be able to tell you everything Sarada. We wound be here for three days nonstop if that were the case. I can cheat and use my Sharingan, but you need to understand Sarada. The day your mom found out she was pregnant I swore to myself that I'd rather die than ever use the Sharingan against you unless it was a dire circumstance," Papa… Sarada's eyes soften. "I want you to know that your grandparents, my parents, would have been here they wouldn't let you go." Sasuke smiled thinking of his mother spoiling Sarada rotten while his father teaches her a fire jutsu. He almost got lost in his imagination. Where everything would've been fine. Where war didn't exist. Where Obito Uchiha didn't fall into the clutches of Madara Uchiha. Itachi wasn't burdened with the sins he had committed. Where he himself didn't succumb into hatred. Where the Uchiha weren't oppressed just because of the bad rep Madara Uchiha had caused since the beginning.

"Papa did you have a sibling?" Sasuke smiles sadly at Sarada, pain in his eyes.

"An older brother, by 5 years. He…was always looking after me when I was younger. I really clung to him too. Always following him around, asking him to teach me how to throw shuriken until he'd give in, only for me to get injured and he had to carry me home," Those days of innocence like the there was nothing against them. No manipulating, no killing…

"He helped you learn jutsus?"

"Rarely ever did, honestly. Never had the time. He graduated the academy at the age of seven and became an ANBU at your age," An ANBU at age eleven was insane in Sarada's eyes but back then things were different. Even if the war ended, there was still tension between the nations. Now, thanks to Naruto and his magical ability of just befriending anyone that walks his path, the nations have all fallen into a consensus. But there one thing for sure as Sarada thought it over. Mama would punch Lord Seventh into oblivion if he even thought of doing that.

"Like I said earlier my father taught me the fireball jutsu. I didn't get it in my first try but I was stubborn. I wanted him to be proud of me. Show him that even though I wasn't like my brother I can still be able to reach his expectations of me. I mastered it in a week and showed it off to my father," after staying till late, burning his mouth numerous times hearing the "That's my son." From his father… he'll never forget that sense of pride. "That would be my fondest memory of my father. My mother, she'd make help her in the kitchen I acted like I hated it but it was fun, spending time with her while everyone was out," If it weren't for her I wouldn't be able to fend for myself after the massacre.

"Papa… do you think about them a lot?" She really isn't holding any punches.

"Every single day." Sasuke's hair was covering his eyes. His fist clenched so tight his knuckle turned whiter than his already pale skin. Sarada does not need to see him like. Not now. Not ever. Sarada noticed the change in mood immediately. She didn't know what to do. He's her father, but it's been barely over 24 hours since she's met him for the first time since she was a baby. She isn't really a touchy person to begin with, too.

Sarada gave up on her panic and decided to reach out towards his clenched fist. Immediately he started to relax. Looking closer into his eyes, she can see it, the pain, the hatred. What happened? What… who can make Papa like this? How can a normal life turn to hell.

"Sarada, everything is more than what meets the eye," Sasuke knew he was saying too much. Reliving everything, going back into the deep crevices of his mind where he stored all those memories so long ago. Remembering the kind older brother that looked after him. Feeling the conflict of wondering was it all fake. He knows it wasn't, Sasuke knows that Itachi loved him till the very end. But, after all the mental trauma, the heartache, the near death experiences. Sasuke just can't help himself but be angry, to be unforgiving. He has every right to be. Sakura has told him. Itachi never expected to be forgiven, hell, Sasuke is sure that Itachi never expected Sasuke to find out the truth. Itachi cultivated his path for Sasuke to follow. Sasuke would've done exactly what Itachi wanted without even knowing if it weren't for Obito's interference. This is making him fuzzy. He was getting better. He was able to find peace within himself, with Sakura and Sarada. He hasn't gotten like since his first trip after the war. His better judgement is lacking.

"How was Uncle? What type of person was he?" Sarada questioned with hopes that he feel better little did she know she just making it worse.

Itachi…what type of person even was he. He never fully understood his brother. They really were the total opposites of each other. Sasuke as a kid was more energetic, outgoing. Itachi was calm, patient. Itachi witnessed the evils of this world at a young age but never truly lost himself. At least, not that he knows of. It's true what Obito said all those years ago. He never really knew his brother.

"Itachi was mature for his age. A lot of people would forget that he was still a teenager, myself included. He was strong too, this is not me being biased but you can ask any shinobi in the village and they'll tell you that he was one of the strongest shinobi that came from Konoha. He always looked out for me. Back then, in my eyes he was good at everything. He never got angry I can count with one hand the times I have ever seen the least bit annoyed," thinking on that faithful day, the day that Itachi was accused of Shisui's death. Sasuke had never seen his older brother snap like that. It was honestly scary back then. Even the men that cornered him were scared. God I hate this.

"He was a good brother to you, right Papa?" Sarada is happy that she is learning about her family. She wanted Papa to tell her, not some grungy book with vague details. She wanted to know everything. She wanted to learn more about her uncle who seemed like someone to look up. He seemed so kin-

"Not by a long shot"

Huh?

"It's 1 am Sarada we should go to bed" Sasuke stood from his sit and without even giving her glance going straight to the hallway towards his bedroom and closing the door behind him, leaving a flabbergasted Sarada in the dining table.

HUH?

XXX

Yup. Thank you everyone for all the favorites, comments, and follows I really appreciate it. If anyone wants to talk my PM is open and if you don't like using PM we can exchange in twt accounts. I like having discussion over my favorite shows. This took me a lot longer to write. I would go back to add and remove stuff. Check out my bio i release the dates when the next chapter will be posted. Normally it will be once a week, so every Thursday. But just in case I get held back I will announce it. Like always, leave a favorite, follow, and review let me know what you guys think and leave some suggestions. Thank you fo reading ^.^