The Deepest of Bonds

Prompt- Closure

SasuSaku Month- Day 29

There was a time when Sarada couldn't understand the bond her parents had and she'd even questioned their love for one another. Papa was away for so long… mama was always alone.

Those were hard times for her and even after the three of them had been reunited she still hadn't been able to grasp the entirety of how deep and true the love of the Uchiha ran. It was only after Papa had returned home for good that things truly started to become clear to her.

Papa was quiet and reserved, but Mama was easy enough to read. She was always her happiest when Papa was around, and Papa was happy too. Sarada spent a lot of time with her parents. They trained with her, taught her many things, and always made sure she was loved.

Those days were some of the happiest and most memorable of her life.

A new joy was born into their lives, another daughter who was named Sakuto. Sarada was fourteen at the time of her birth and though it was unexpected, she was just as elated as her parents to have a new member of their family.

Though she wasn't a mirror image of Mama, she had her same soft, pink hair and had obtained her freckles as well. She had Papa's eyes which contrasted beautifully against her pale skin and light-colored hair. Sarada and her parents loved Sakuto deeply, just as they loved each other and after her birth, their family was complete.

They were happy. Their bond was stronger than ever. There was so much love and affection, even if it was on the quiet side.

The more time that passed, the easier it was for Sarada to see just how much Mama and Papa cherished one another, and how much she and her sister meant to them. Papa was home most of the time, though Mama did work at the hospital almost every day.

Sarada took pride in her chores, even having dinner prepared for her family on nights when Mama was working late. She adored all the time she got to spend with her baby sister. But most of all, she loved watching her parents together.

It was unreal, how those two could just exchange a glance alone and it be so full of affection, understanding, and mutual love and respect. What really got her though, were those moments that Papa would reach out and poke Mama's forehead.

Mama always said it was better than a kiss, and it had always been touching to Sarada; but she knew it meant so much to Mama. She would always blush and avert her eyes from Papa, and Papa would get that suggestive smirk on his lips.

Sarada hoped that one day, she could have a love as unbreakable as the one her parents shared.

Things weren't always perfect, but they were pretty close. Mama and Papa never argued. They never got angry with each other. They were both patient and caring and always striving to have the best for her and Sakuto. Mama had finally talked Papa into accepting a prosthetic arm. It was funny seeing him get used to having two arms.

They were happy.

But their happiness wasn't meant to last forever.

Mama had been away on a mission to aid a neighboring village. An epidemic had spread like wildfire there, one that Mama had been helping to concoct a cure for before things took a turn for the worst and the citizens and shinobi alike were dying one after the other. Mama claimed she was the only one who could take this mission, but it was strange having her away from home for those few weeks.

Though even in her absence, even knowing the severity of the situation, Sarada nor Papa had ever anticipated mama coming home sick. Mama never got sick. She was always healthy. She was the healer. She made sick people better, brought those on the brink of death back to full health. She was always taking care of others… but now she needed someone to take care of her.

Sarada was washing dishes while Papa played with Sakuto on the living room floor when the front door slammed open and Uncle Naruto barged in, a panicked look on his face. He quickly explained that Mama was in the hospital and Sarada knew by the way he entered their home, the way he spoke and the way he looked, that it was bad.

Papa was on his feet in an instant, while Sarada dropped the dishes and dried her hands to go and pick Sakuto up. Papa had told her to stay home with Sakuto but uncle Naruto told him that they should all go. Sarada had never seen such a look of fear on Papa's face. He said nothing else as the four of them made their way quickly to the hospital.

This was the first time she'd seen him so beside himself with worry. She knew it must have been serious, but how serious she didn't know... and it was something she wasn't sure she wanted to think about...

Upon their arrival, Sarada was forced to stand outside of the hospital room while Papa and Uncle Naruto went inside. She held Sakuto tight to her chest, the small four-year old girl sleeping soundly in her hold. Sarada was nervous and afraid but she was certain Mama would be okay. Mama had to be okay.

It was too much, being out there and not knowing what was going on. The blinds at the window were cracked slightly so Sarada walked there and peeked inside. The sight of Mama there, so pale and lifeless looking made her heart lurch into her throat. What hurt even more was the pain she saw so easily on Papa's face.

He knelt beside mama's bed, taking her frail hand in his while Mama struggled to even turn her head to look at him. Fighting off the fear she felt, Sarada activated her sharingan in order to read Mama's lips as she spoke.

"Forgive me, Anata… our girls… you have to… take care of them… no matter what."

Sarada's lips trembled as tears brimmed in her eyes. This was her Mama… what was she even saying? How sick was she? Sarada didn't understand, but she found herself holding protectively to her younger sister while she looked on, watching as Mama's eyes fought to stay open, to remain on Papa's face that was contorted in anguish.

Papa had never looked such a way… his brows were pulled so tightly together, his lips in a flat line while his eyes wavered. His chakra was flaring, and Sarada knew he was speaking to Mama, but she couldn't make out what he was saying through the tears that obstructed her vision.

Mama's eyes closed after that and Papa's head fell, his hands holding hers tightly as his forehead rested against them. When she saw that Papa was crying as well, she knew this was far worse than she was prepared for.

That day, Mama went into a coma. The epidemic had gotten to even her and without the cure being perfected, with it reaching this late stage, they were told that there was nothing they could do. To prevent it from spreading, Sarada and Sakuto were forbidden from entering the room. They couldn't see her. They couldn't hug her. They couldn't tell her how much they loved her, even while she slept.

Days passed and while Mama appeared to be sleeping soundly, Sarada was no fool. She knew she was dying. She knew she'd never get to see her mother's smile again. She'd never be squished by one of her strong embraces again. She'd never hear her sweet voice again.

Mama wasn't getting any better… and neither was Papa.

An entire army couldn't have kept him away from her. He never left her, not even for a moment. Sarada came to the hospital every day, spending almost the entire day there with Sakuto, even if they couldn't go inside to see Mama. They'd stand by that window and peer inside, watching their Mama's sleeping face, just as Papa always did.

It got harder every day. Even after Sarada had managed to come to terms with what was happening- with the loss that was coming so quickly to them all. She knew Mama wasn't getting any better, but she really needed Papa to. Unfortunately, he was only getting worse.

His eyes were always so distant, and yet so full of emotion as he stared at Mama. He sat on her bed often, fingers ever so gently caressing her face. His jaw would tense and he'd swallow hard. Even though it was painfully obvious how much it hurt him to see Mama like this, he would never look away from her.

It was as if he was afraid to.

Sarada could see Papa's thoughts, written so plainly on his face.

When would he see her face for the last time? How soon would her last breath come? What was he going to do without her?

The more uncertain and shaken her Papa appeared, the harder it was for Sarada to watch their final moments together. Yet, she could never stop. Because even as horrible as it hurt, just seeing Papa like this, so affected, so broken, so pitiful- Papa's love for her shone brighter than it ever had. It was so easy to see just how connected they were, how special Mama was to Papa.

Papa would never be the same without Mama… and Sarada knew it.

Mama's friends visited, even though they weren't allowed in the room either. Grandma Tsunade seemed the most emotional of all of them. She hugged Sarada and Sakuto tight, giving them the softest and saddest look. She never said anything, probably not having any words to convey her feelings, but she visited a few times.

It was just one week after Mama went to sleep that her last moments came and passed. Papa was there of course, as were Sarada and Sakuto. It was then that Papa really and truly broke down, as if his heart shattered into a million pieces the instant Mama took her last breath.

His mouth had fell open, but no sounds escaped him. His eyes were bloodshot, and for several beats he didn't even breathe. Papa was crumbling, so quickly and so strongly that for the first time, Sarada had to look away.

Her sobs choked her up as she held tight to Sakuto who only rubbed Sarada's cheek as if to soothe her. Sarada hugged her even tighter as a group of medical nin's ran past them and into Mama's room. Uncle Naruto showed up soon after, looking just as broken as Papa, though he had warm hugs and kind words of encouragement.

Sarada would be strong… for Mama and for Papa. For Sakuto as well. She knew they'd need her now more than ever.

It was later that day that Sarada had finally worked up enough courage to peek back through that window. Papa had yet to come out, and Uncle Naruto had been in there several times and was back again, having just walked back inside.

Papa appeared as if he'd lost his very own soul, his sad obsidian eyes never leaving Mama though he was sitting in the chair a few feet away from her now. Sarada couldn't help but read Uncle Naruto's lips as he tried to console Papa.

"Sasuke, I know you're hurting right now. I know this is hard. But you have to leave now. They have to take her."

The icy cold glower that Papa sent Uncle Naruto's way had Sarada gasping, though the look was fleeting, there for the shortest of instances before that lifeless look returned to them as he looked back to Mama. His eyes wandered her face slowly, as if he was trying to memorize every slight detail.

He moved back to her bed, his middle and index fingers tapping lightly to her forehead as he watched her so brokenly, so lovingly. As Papa's head shook in defeat, Sarada realized her whole body was trembling as well.

Mama was gone… she wasn't coming back... would they lose Papa too… would he be able to come back from this? Sarada wasn't so sure, for the more she witnessed his broken anguish, the more uncertain she became.

Sarada had taken Sakuto home long before Uncle Naruto finally managed to get Papa out of that room. She'd had to be the one to explain things to her younger sister. While she was only four years old, she was wise beyond her years and she understood. They cried together but made a pact between them to be strong for Papa. To get their family through this no matter what.

Because that was what Mama would want.

The funeral came and went, days passing in an emotional and painful blur. Papa had only seemed to get worse. He kept a distance, having not uttered a single word to either of his daughters since before Mama had gone into that coma, not even after he finally returned home to them.

They both watched Papa closely, feeling it was necessary to do so, even without Uncle Naruto having advised them to do so. For the entire first day after the funeral, he hadn't left his room. The door remained open slightly, so Sarada peeked in on him several times a day.

She found Papa crying silently, staring at Mama's pictures and pacing the room back and forth.

It was the day after the funeral that Uncle Naruto had made the mistake of telling Papa that the cure had been perfected, just a few days too late. Papa lost it. As soon as Uncle Naruto left, Papa screamed. It was the most harrowing and aggrieved sound that had ever befallen Sarada's ears.

The entire house shook with his rage, Papa's chakra alone unbearable to be near. Surprisingly enough, Sarada was the one whimpering as she listened to the destruction happening in Papa and Mama's room while Sakuto remained the epitome of composure.

Glass could be heard shattering; the walls were taking a beating that quaked the whole house. Things were being thrown around and all the while Sarada cried for Papa, because he was hurting so deeply she feared he'd never recover.

"Don't cry. Let me see Papa."

Sarada sniffled as she shook her head at Sakuto, feeling that now wasn't a good time. Papa was outraged, disgruntled and she couldn't send her baby sister to him like that. Papa cherished them both deeply, and he always would… but he wasn't in a very good state of mind at the time.

"Let me." Sakuto ordered firmly, a serious look in her onyx eyes. She scrambled out of Sarada's lap, refusing to take no for an answer and Sarada could only run after her as she took off with a frightening speed down the hall.

Sakuto pushed the door open without so much as a knock. Papa whirled around to face her. He looked nothing short of frightening, but Sakuto wasn't afraid. Papa looked ready for blood, both his sharingan and rinnegan spinning wildly in his rage. His breathing was ragged, cheeks tear-stained and body shuddering with adrenaline.

But as his eyes settled on his youngest daughter, he started to calm. Watching her carefully as she walked closer to him slowly, one small step at a time. His eyes returned to normal and his chakra settled just before he dropped to his knees and tugged Sakuto into a strong embrace.

Sarada's knees buckled as she witnessed the scene before her. Sakuto hadn't needed to speak a single word. She'd calmed Papa by a look alone and for the longest time after that, Papa held her, and she held him back- and this gave Sarada a semblance of hope.

It would take time, but Papa would come back.

Unfortunately, it seemed it would take much longer than Sarada hoped. For that brief moment with Sakuto, Papa was himself. He was still broken, he was hurt and in pain, but he was himself. The next day came though, and he was no better.

Sarada cooked breakfast, set Sakuto up at the table with her food and then carried a tray to the bedroom for Papa. He had yet to come out. She looked into the room through the cracked door and saw him sitting on the bed, Mama's dress in his hands as he stared at the Uchiha crest there.

A deep frown marred Papa's features but he seemed much calmer so she let herself in with a single knock.

"Papa, I've brought breakfast for you." She announced while coming closer to him slowly.

His eyes never wavered from that crest on Mama's top, but he nodded at her words. "Just leave it, please."

Sarada did as Papa asked, saying nothing more as she left the tray on the bed next to him and retreated quietly from the room. She stood at the door momentarily, watching him worriedly all the while. He just continued to stare at the clothing in his hands and it hurt so much to see him like that.

The room was still a mess, the walls having holes and cuts in them, the curtains shredded over broken windows. Glass and debris were everywhere, several picture frames were shattered and scattered around the floor. Mama's medical scrolls were everywhere, even some of her clothes. But the biggest mess in the room was Papa.

Days passed with no change at all. Papa had cleaned the room, taking all pictures of Mama and putting them into a box and hiding it away in the hallway closet. Sarada hated that he felt the need to do such a thing, but if he needed to try to forget for a little while to move on, she would understand.

Uncle Naruto came to check in on them and was disappointed to find Papa still in such a bad state of mind. He didn't take it easy on Papa. The yelling between the two had urged Sarada and Sakuto to wander towards the bedroom worriedly, only to find Papa having Uncle Naruto against the wall, a firm grip on his cloak at the chest.

"You've got to unleash all this anger Sasuke… you can't hold it in. So, you want to fight? Then let's go. Meet me in the training grounds."

With those words, Uncle Naruto disappeared and Papa's fist pounded onto the wall. He seemed at a loss and he was certainly full of anger. So much that Sarada feared it may not have been the wisest idea for him to be fighting anyone… even his rival who equaled his power.

Papa would go though, as if he agreed it was something he did need. Sarada could see it in his eyes. Bottling up all the anger and resentment for what had happened to Mama couldn't be good for him. Hoping that this could be what finally brought Papa back to the man they needed him to be, Sarada packed Sakuto a bag and scooped her up, leaving the house before Papa.

She would drop her younger sister off with their grandparents and wait in the training grounds to see what would happen. Uncle Naruto was there when she arrived, leaning casually against one of the three wooden posts there. His eyes were closed and he seemed in deep concentration. The sun was beginning to set now and papa had yet to arrive.

For the briefest moments, she feared he wouldn't show up, but then he suddenly appeared right before Uncle Naruto and the two of them just stared at each other silently for the longest time. The tension radiating from Papa was palpable, even from the distance Sarada posted up at.

Not a word was spoken between them. Sarada swallowed hard as she looked on, anxious about what she was about to witness. This was the calmest she'd seen Papa. He seemed completely at ease as he drew his sword and Uncle Naruto finally left the post to stand before him, appearing just as calm.

Sarada's breath hitched as the two of them suddenly went at each other, their movements so quick that they seemed to disappear just before they were suddenly right at each other, Papa's sword against a kunai in Uncle Naruto's hand. They were fast and Papa wielded his sword so easily, so effortlessly. It was amazing to watch the way he moved, the blade hardly visible.

Uncle Naruto was just as quick and didn't have any trouble keeping Papa's sword at bay. For a long time they stayed at it, no other skills used until Papa's chidori made an appearance, channeling through his sword and aiming right at his opponent. Uncle Naruto got out of the way just in the brink of time, having three shadow clones run at Papa at once but they were gone as quickly as they were made, the chidori running through them and effectively ending them.

It was easy to see that they were both into this fight, especially Papa. Until late into the night it went on, their jutsu seeming endless. Their stamina was appalling and they had so many different skills that Sarada felt beside herself just taking it all in. She'd seen them in action before, but she had never known that they were this capable.

If it hadn't been for her excitement to see such talent, she would have long been tired. However, she was to enthralled in the show those two put on that before she knew it, the sun was beginning to rise. Her Papa's Susanoo had made an appearance by that time, as well as Uncle Naruto's nine tails mode. By then they finally seemed to be wearing down. Weapons were flying now with blinding speed, no more jutsu coming. Sarada knew that had to be considerably low on chakra after so many hours of such high level jutsu coming from them.

It was aweing, and inspiring as well. But this wasn't a friendly spar. This was a battle full of emotion, and pain, and Uncle Naruto was allowing Papa to unleash, allowing him to let out all his anger on him and him alone. Sarada had never been more thankful for her Uncle as she was then; for he was the only one capable of handling Papa in this state.

He was probably the only one who could handle him ever.

Papa was definitely a master when it came to using shuriken, but Sarada had always known this. Still, to see him actually using his abilities in a fight like this…

It was breathtaking. Her eyes remained wide as the fight continued. Uncle Naruto used a single kunai in his hand to block the weapons flying his way. At this point he was only on the defensive.

Not long after that, the weapons were forgotten and the two of them started a bout of hand to hand combat that had Sarada's fist clenching anxiously. The raw power that they possessed was almost unfathomable. A single punch from either of them was so strong that she could see the force behind it. She could feel it, even from a distance.

Surprisingly, even after all the jutsu they'd unleashed earlier, it was now that they were taking the most damage. Their fists were connecting in their punches more often than not. Uncle Naruto punched Papa really hard in the stomach and he coughed but instantly after his hands went behind Uncle Naruto's head, knee raising and catching him right in the nose.

Sarada cringed then, though she never looked away as Uncle Naruto fell to his back only for Papa to mount him. Papa's fists came down with such power and speed that Sarada flinched each time he connected, and he connected each time. Uncle Naruto just laid there, taking the beating and allowing Papa to unleash without even fighting back or defending himself.

Only after what seemed like several moments did Papa's fists stop swinging and instead hung at his sides as he breathed heavily while staring down at his best friend. Sarada's lips were trembling as she watched Papa break down once more, tears streaming down his face.

"Teme, I'm here for you. Always."

"Sakura was supposed to be too!" Papa shouted back, sounding furious as he got to his feet. His hand covered his face as he groaned miserably and Sarada's heart constricted.

Uncle Naruto got to his feet then and pulled Papa into a heartwarming hug that had Sarada holding her breath. They said nothing more. Uncle Naruto just held Papa for the longest time, until he'd let it all out, until he was finally calm. They then sat on the ground next to each other in silence and Sarada sighed. Uncle Naruto would be good for Papa. She would leave them now and head home to rest. She really hoped that, that fight was enough to help Papa.

Unfortunately, even that evening after Sarada had woken up and started dinner, she found Papa sitting in the living room on the couch, seemingly just as depressed as he had been all along. He couldn't stop thinking about her, about losing her. He couldn't move on because it was haunting him, and Sarada had no idea what to do to help.

She kept quiet as she worked on cooking, having called her grandmother to bring Sakuto home as soon as she could. She missed her sister and wanted her home. Sakuto made Sarada feel better and Sarada wanted to be the one to care for her unless she had a reason she couldn't.

Just as Sarada finished preparing dinner, a soft knock sounded on the front door before it opened wide and Sakuto came barreling in. Papa looked at her just in time to notice her jumping at him with her arms stretched wide. He had to open his arms instantly to be able to catch her. She grinned so happily at him and Sarada could only smile as she watched. Sakuto had always been Papa's girl.

"Hi, Papa! I love you lots." She told him excitedly and the softest of smiles came to Papa's lips as his he pulled one hand from around her and raised it to her cheek, stroking it gently with his thumb before his fingers started playing with her hair.

"And I love you." He said, seeming to be okay for that moment.

However, it was only a second later that he set her beside him on the couch and stood. He left the living room without another word and went down the hall and into his room. Sarada sighed, unable to contain the frown that took to her face. It was disappointing, just when she thought some progress would be made, she found that they were still stuck. But with time, she knew things would get better. They had to.

Mama would not want Papa to be like this.

That fact was what kept Sarada pushing forward. She'd mourned the loss of Mama in her own way and it still hurt. It hurt every single day, but Mama wanted her family to be okay more than anything. Papa knew this too, but he'd been blindsided by his own emotions. Papa felt so strongly, so deeply, but he wasn't going about things the right way.

If mama had seen him like this, she would have punched him into another dimension for sure. That night, Sarada said a special prayer for Papa, one that she hoped Mama could hear as well. If he could find peace after her death, it would have meant everything to her. All she wanted anymore was for Papa to be okay, to get back to normal. Because right now, he wasn't even Papa anymore.

Sakuto knew this too. She'd gotten so excited to see papa in the living room but then he went back to hide in his room like he had been since Mama's death. The little girl's heart broke all over again, Sarada could tell by the way her face fell as she watched Papa walk away. So, she also prayed for her little sister because at the time, Sakuto was the only one keeping Sarada's sanity alive.

The next day Sarada and Sakuto walked down to the flower shop hand in hand to buy some flowers on their way to visit Mama's grave. They hadn't paid Mama a visit yet so they were both happy to be doing so. It was hard to be around anyone, their own anguish was hard enough to deal with but when other people saw them, they looked at them with such sadness and pity that it was hard to handle.

Even buying the flowers had been a task, with Mama's good friend Ino owning the shop. She was emotional just knowing the girls were buying flowers for Mama, even refusing to let the girls pay. Sarada understood that Mama's friends were sad as well, but they didn't want to be pitied. Still, they accepted the flowers without complaint.

Sakuto seemed excited as they made their way there. She danced around as she carried the arrangement she'd chosen to bring herself, she'd chosen white daisies and her arrangement was smaller than the one Sarada had chosen.

As she walked along she admired the pink and red roses in the vase she carried. She and Sakuto had decided to visit Mama as often as possible, while bringing fresh flowers each time they came. It was one way that they could honor Mama and let her know that even though she was no longer with them, they would forever love her with all their hearts, just as she had always loved them.

Upon arriving before Mama's grave, the first thing both of the girls noticed was the fresh and elegant arrangement that was already there. It consisted of all white roses, snapdragons, alstroemeria and more. It was beautiful and symbolic enough that tears filled Sarada's eyes. It was a touching tribute for Mama and Sarada knew without a doubt that Papa had been the one to leave those there.

Sarada's hand raised to her trembling lips as she fought back a sob while watching Sakuto place her arrangement right next to papa's. As soon as it was in place, just on the right side, Sakuto got on her knees and sat there, bowing her head while she silently paid her respects to Mama.

Heart feeling as if it was breaking all over again, Sarada knelt beside her younger sister and placed her own arrangement on the left side, tears spilling from her eyes as she looked at Mama's grave. She missed her Mama so much. Mama had gotten her through everything and had never left her, never stopped showering her with love. She was gone too soon and Sarada understood why Papa was suffering so strongly.

If it hadn't been for her will to get through this loss with her family, Sarada would have been just as much of a mess as him. Sarada cried for a long time and Sakuto scooted closer to her, resting her small head against Sarada in hope of comforting her.

"I miss Mama…" Sakuto said softly. "I miss her a lot… but I know Mama don't want us to be sad, so that's why I still smile. It's hard though, because I miss Papa. I want Papa better."

"I know." Sarada whispered brokenly, sniffling as she tried to calm her sobs only to fail miserably.

Sarada felt exactly the same way, but she didn't know what to do. All they could do was be here for Papa and hope that he would come to terms with Mama's death soon.

Later that night, Sarada was cleaning up the kitchen after cooking dinner while Sakuto played around to herself. She was quiet for the most part and Sarada only glanced at her on occasion as she worked. It was just after she'd finished her cleaning and was wiping her hands on her apron that she noticed Sakuto had a box out in the middle of the living room floor. Upon closer inspection, Sarada found that the box contained a variety of pictures, all that they had of Mama it seemed.

Sarada knew Papa had put them away, but the forlorn look in her little sister's eyes as she stared at the one family photo they had all taken together really tugged at her heartstrings. Sakuto was strong as she was wise, but it was easy to see how sad she was as her small fingers traced over Mama and Papa's faces again and again.

After another moment passed, Sakuto looked up, her onyx eyes meeting Sarada's with a newfound determination. "I don't like this… I'm going to talk to Papa."

"Sakuto," Sarada began, frowning deeply as Sakuto stood slowly. "Papa needs time."

"We all do. But, we need it together!" Sakuto's sadness had turned to anger and Sarada couldn't even argue. She knew Sakuto was hurt and that she needed to confront Papa, if only to make herself feel better.

Sarada nodded once. For all she knew, this could help Papa. He'd seemed to gravitate towards Sakuto whenever she had time to be around him so maybe she was what he truly did need. Sarada wanted her to give it a shot, it couldn't hurt.

Sakuto hugged the family portrait tight to her small chest as she started down the hallway. Sarada followed, but she would let Sakuto handle this on her own. Papa was in his room as he was any other time. Sakuto didn't bother knocking on the slightly opened door, she just let herself in, announcing herself only after she was already inside.

"Papa, it's me." She told him softly as she hid the framed picture behind her back.

Papa was sitting on the side of the bed, head hung low as he stared down at nothing. He only looked up at her once she was standing directly before him. Sarada watched quietly and somewhat hopefully. As he took her in the smallest semblance of life flickered in his obsidian eyes. He met her eyes which were full of purpose.

"You're upset with me." Papa whispered, his hand reaching out to finger her soft pink locks. "I understand… I'm upset with me too."

"I just miss you papa." She admitted, her small face leaning in to his touch. "I miss you so much."

"I'm sorry." Papa sighed then and Sakuto's brows pulled together.

"I don't want you to be sorry, I want you to be better!" Her tiny body trembled slightly as her eyes watered with tears. "I lost Mama but I can't lose you Papa. Don't do this anymore… what would Mama think?"

Papa's eyes widened slightly then and his hand fell away from her hair as he absorbed her words.

"Do you think Mama would want this? You think she would let you be this way if she had a choice?" With each word, Sakuto's voice grew louder and Sarada feared she may set Papa off, but he only seemed to take in her words.

"I know she wouldn't… but that still doesn't change the way I feel."

Sarada didn't need him to elaborate for her to know just how deeply Mama's death had affected him. A part of him was now missing, and it would never return. Mama was the only woman he ever loved- she meant everything to him. She gave him his children and she loved him unconditionally until she took her last breath. Even when there were times that Papa couldn't see Mama, he always knew she was waiting for him, and only when he was with her was he home.

Now, his home was gone. He didn't know how to move on.

"Mama loved you. She loved us. I know you love her, so do we… but you're wrong, papa. You should honor Mama's memory. I know you want to, because you took her those pretty flowers, but it takes more than that, Papa."

Papa pinched the bridge of his nose before running his hand through his hair. "What else can I do?" He asked, seemingly at a loss as his eyes returned to his youngest daughter.

"You can be with Sarada and me… together we can honor Mama by living as happily as we can, because that's what Mama would expect. We're a family, even if it's just the three of us now, we're still a family. It will help if you are together with us, Papa."

Papa bit his lip then and his fingers dug into her hair as he rested his forehead against hers. "You're right."

Sakuto sniffled as Papa leaned back away from her, and only then did she bring around the family portrait and show it to him. "Mama was always happy." She told him. "She always wanted us happy and that means you too, Papa."

Papa reached out and took the picture from her, looking down at it for the longest time. "You're just like Mama… even more than Sarada."

"Mama is with us... She's in me… and Sarada… and she's here," Her small hand went to lay against Papa's chest, right over his heart. Papa looked up then, eyes wide and full of emotion. "She will always be here Papa, and she's here too," She added, moving her small fingers to his forehead. "Mama will never leave you so don't leave her. Don't leave us, Papa."

Papa was shaken by her words and her resolve. Sarada couldn't have agreed more that Sakuto was so much like Mama. Small as she was, she was so smart and so right. Sarada's fist clutched at her chest as she watched Papa lay the picture on the bed before he pulled her tightly against his chest in a hug that was as strong as Mama's had always been.

"I'll never leave you." Papa promised and it was then that Sarada knew he'd woken up.

Sakuto had made him realize what he needed to do to accept what had happened, and now the three of them could move on, together as a family. Just like it was meant to be. With tears brimming in her eyes, Sarada smiled softly as she admired them. Her little sister was something else, and Sarada was so thankful for her. Quietly, she retreated from the door, leaving the two of them alone because it was more obvious now than ever that Sakuto was just what Papa needed.

A/N:

Thanks for reading!

This was by far the hardest thing I've ever written, but I was glad to be able to do this collab with Freshtoxinn!

You can also find this on tumblr by searching the tag (ssm18d29) and in the tumblr post Freshtoxinn's illustrations are added! I know it's a sad story, but I felt that it was very fitting for sasusaku. To be able to read it with all the beautiful illustrations just gives all the more feels! I hope you enjoy!

My tumblr: ss-tyytyy don't forget to follow Freshtoxinn as well!