Papa's Baby Girl

Final chapter

Chapter 7

Sarada watched her mother as she tried to calm down the sobbing ten-month-old in her arms. Her little brother, Mamoru, was crying for some new reason and it was starting to get on Sarada's nerves. She really did like the baby boy, but it got to be a lot when he started crying for no reason or because he needed Sakura.

Not to mention, most of the time he cried it was late at night when Sarada was almost asleep and his wailing would wake her up to the point she needed some help to get back to sleep, usually from Sasuke but sometimes from Sakura if Mamoru didn't need fed.

The last week, though, Sasuke had been so busy that he had gone right to bed most nights and hadn't been able to help Sarada get back to sleep, but she was hoping he would tonight, as Mamoru showed no signs of calming down.

"Mama."

Sakura stopped trying to shush Mamoru and looked at Sarada, giving her a small smile. "Yes, Sarada? What's wrong?"

"Is papa awake?"

"Yeah, he is, I think. Do you want to go see if he can help you fall back asleep?"

Sarada nodded, running out of the room with her purple dinosaur in her arms when Sakura gave her permission to go find Sasuke.

"Papa~" Sarada had looked all over the house, but hadn't seen Sasuke yet. After a few minutes, she headed right for her parents' bedroom, pouting when she saw that Sasuke actually was asleep, thinking that he had probably gone to bed right before Mamoru started crying and Sakura must have been doing something that distracted her.

Staying almost as silent as a mouse, Sarada walked over to Sasuke's side of the bed, watching him for a moment before poking his cheek to see if he was as asleep as she thought he was.

When he didn't move, Sarada frowned and poked him again.

"Papa~"

"No, Sarada..."

"But... I can't sleep! Mamoru's still crying!"

Hearing Sasuke groan proved to Sarada she had woken him from a deep sleep, but when he sat up and lifted her into his lap, she didn't feel that bad about it at all, especially when he hugged her to him and kissed her forehead.

"Did mama send you in here?"

Sarada nodded, hiding her face in her papa's shirt, pouting while she still holds onto her stuffed dinosaur. "Why does he cry all the time?"

"Babies do that. It's how they tell their parents they needed them."

"Did I do that?"

Sasuke tried not to smile, but failed as he nodded and his young daughter, finally laying back down with her right next to me. "Yes, you did. Quite often... Mama says you mostly did it when I wasn't there."

"...why?"

"She says it was because you missed me whenever I went to work."

Sarada didn't say anything, but stared at her half asleep papa for a few minutes, snuggling up against him with a smile on her face. "I love you, papa."

"I love you too, Sarada."

When Sakura came back about twenty minutes later, Mamoru still with her and wide awake, she just sighed and smiled seeing her husband and oldest child fast asleep.

Mamoru gurgled after a few minutes, flailing his arms and hitting Sakura lightly, making her look at him. "Why won't you go to sleep?"

Blinking, Mamoru just giggled as Sakura sighed once more, shaking her head. Sarada was such an easy baby... guess I'm heading back to the nursery with this one.