***(Lee Residence)***

"S-saradaaa.. Nooo.. nooo.... noooo...!" Sakura was mumbling while she's having a nightmare.

"Wake up, wake up Sakura." Lee shooked her to awaken her.

She woke up and hugged Lee crying. "I dream about Sarada. She's alive in my dream and she is imprisoned."

Lee comforted her and tap her back. "It's been more than three years Sakura. Our daughter is dead. We saw the CCTV of that grocery store. She was left by the mob unconscious when the fire broke out.  No one rescued our baby." Lee cried sorrowful.

"But the CCTV recordings was only up to there. It may have been broken because of the fire. It is still possible someone got her, right? We didn't found her body. She could be alive somewhere." Sakura insisted.

"But why isn't she back to us? She is a responsible child, she will never let us worry this much." Lee argued.

"It is possible that she had amnesia. I saw many stories like that on TV dramas." Sakura said still hoping.

"I wish this is TV drama, but amnesia do not happen in real life." Lee and Sakura cried hugging each other.

"Let me go to Hinata's house Lee." Sakura asked for permission.

"Ok no problem Sakura." Lee permitted her.

*** (Uzumaki Residence)***

"How can you simply give up on our son Naruto? I thought your nindo is to never give up." Hinata stormed at Naruto and throw a glass of water.

"It's been three years Hinata. I know he is still alive, I know he can manage his life. But we cannot penetrate the Hidden Mist village after their leaders complaint against the Konoha.  If we insist on going in, we are declaring war against them... As the Hokage, I cannot endanger the lives of our villagers and other shinobis for the sake of my son who failed his mission." Naruto explained.

"But he might be held prisoner of war. He could be abused and he could possibly be dead right now." Hinata cried and worried sick again. "Let me go there or send someone in secret."

"Hinata, the world is watching us, watching you, our family. We cannot do that. We are lucky to just been warned for the illegal entry Boruto and his teammates did to spy on their village. Had they pushed for declaring war against us or filing case of espionage against us, many people would have suffered the lost of war and I would have been out evicted as Hokage." he explained further.

"Hokage? Is that position important to you than the life of our son?!" Hinata threw plates towards Naruto.

"Calm down Hinata, it's not about the position. I can only protect Himawari if I am Hokage. Do you not see how she has been bullied at school because his brother was caught in espionage in another country? I grew up with people looking down on me like I am worst than a piece of shit because their family died in a war against the nine-tail. I don't want Himawari to experience the same. If we insist on saving Boruto, war could break out, Boruto, you and me could die and only Himawari may live. Then the family of those who will be killed in action will blame it on our family, they will ostracize Himawari for that." he said insisting his point.

Hinata calmed down and murmured. "I hate you for sending Boruto with that mission."

He hugged her full of regret and sorrow while Hinata was blankly staring at the wall.

"I know... it was my fault... But I trust our son. He will survive this." he whispered to her.

Then  someone came knocking on the door loudly. Naruto went to open it and Neko smiled  weakly.

"I'm back sir." Neko reported.

"Neko!" Hinata ran to her at the door. "Where is Boruto and Sarada?"

"I don't know about Sarada. She was on the grocery store when Boruto and I were together spying on Kasai. We were imprisoned by Orochimaru... I mean Kasai.. Or Kasai inside Orochimaru." she said.

"Naruto. What did she say?" Sakura asked when she overheard them. 

"Sakura, you're here. Let's all come in first." Naruto invited them all.

"I am also here Naruto." Sasuke called out from the car. "I brought Kakashi-sensei with me."

"Come-in you both." Naruto waved at them.

.

.

Short timeskip

.

.

"So what were you saying again Neko?" they asked in chorus.

"Three years ago, Boruto and I were tailing Kasai. Boruto saw from his jougan that Kasai was possessed by something. But we were discovered and imprisoned, then from there we learned that it was Orochimaru who possessed Kasai's body. She had been his vessel." Neko reported.

"Damn Orochimaru. His lust for an Uchiha has never ended. He targeted my daughter." Sasuke was angry.

 "Orochimaru has been using Kasai's face and fame to influence the world leaders. So that means Kasai is dead?" Sakura asked.

"No, according to Orochimaru her soul is being held hostage and sealed inside her as the voice from within Orochimaru." Neko said.

"How about Boruto? where is he?" Hinata asked.

"He's still in prison. We tried to prison break for a hundred times already. But every time we're out, we were always on to a fight with many guards.  Until I finally succeeded. It was only possible because he was left there to distract them and gave way for me to escape." Neko said.

"So it wasn't the government who imprisoned him. It was Orochimaru. But their leader made it appear that they imprisoned him for espionage." Naruto said.

"Since it wasn't the government holding him,  we can rescue Boruto." Kakashi added.

 They were all silent as they thought of a master plan.

************

Author's Note!!!

Thank you everyone who supported my story. I am so happy to know that people who read my story are from different parts of the world. This inspires me to continue writing. I may not know all of you but I love you all!!!

USA - 54.902% Thank you so much!

Philippines - 9.804% Maraming Salamat po!

Netherlands - 5.882% Heel erg bedankt

France - 3.922% Merci beaucoup

India - 3.922% बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद  (bahut bahut dhanyavaad)

Australia - 1.961% Thank you so much!

Bangladesh - 1.961% তোমাকে অনেক ধন্যবাদ (Tōmākē anēka dhan'yabāda)

Hungary - 1.961% nagyon szépen köszönöm

Indonesia - 1.961% Terima kasih banyak

Malaysia - 1.961% terima kasih banyak-banyak

Mexico - 1.961% Muchas gracias

Poland - 1.961% Dziękuję bardzo

Serbia - 1.961% Хвала Вам много (Hvala Vam mnogo)

Turkey - 1.961% çok teşekkür ederim

To GOD be all the glory!!!