Here is my little fanfic for ShikaIno month for Shikamaru's birthday. Though I apologize for it being late.

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me, Masashi Kishimoto owns it.

Shikamaru lay in the bed he shares with his lover, or more specifically his wife of four years, spending yet another restless night in worry for her that he was wide awake now that it is morning. Ino was sent on an A-Rank mission that required her spy skills and it was supposed to last at least eight months but somehow it lasted a year. He knows it's a year because she had left after celebrating their birthdays on his birthday before she went on her mission. It's not that he doesn't have faith in her; he always knows that Ino can take care of herself, but he can't help but be worried for her safety. He also had to take care of their children by himself; their daughter, Shikako and their son, Inoichi. They had turned four in February and Ino had missed their fourth birthday. He was so weary, that he didn't notice two pairs of eyes peek through his bedroom door. His children were just as smart as he was at that age and they knew that something was wrong with their father. So they snuck in his room and climbed up on the bed to alert him of their presence.

"Daddy?" Shikako called to him and it had snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, I didn't hear you two get up, were both of you hungry?" Shikamaru asked as he put on a small smile.

Shikako had a concerned look on her face and then Inoichi asked, "Dad, are you alright? You seem sad."

Shikamaru blinked at them and thought, "Great, my own children are worried about me, they are getting more perceptive every day."

Then he answered, "I'm fine, really. If your two are hungry, I'll make you breakfast okay?"

He sat up and picked Shikako up from his bed and then she surprised him by hugging him tightly, her little arms wound themselves around his neck. Then he felt arms wrap themselves around his legs. He looked down to see Inoichi grip his legs tightly before they both chorused together, "Happy Birthday, Dad."

He looked at them both with a warm smile and before he put his daughter down on the floor next to Inoichi and he hugged them both.

He said to them, "Thank you, I appreciate it. Now go get ready, I'll make breakfast."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it, Dad," Inoichi replied.

Shikamaru retorted, "That's yes and only once!"

Shikako and Inoichi looked at each other in surprise and then Shikako commented, "Daddy, you sounded like Yoshino-baa-chan."

Shikamaru's eyes widened as he realized what he just said and put his hand on his forehead in dismay.

"Oh no, I'm beginning to act like my mother when she would scold me," Shikamaru said aloud. Both his kids started to laugh or had tried not to laugh anyway.

"Just get ready, you two," Shikamaru said to them while slightly irritated.

They went to their rooms to get ready and he got himself ready as well and did his normal morning routine.

Then he went into the kitchen and prepared breakfast and then he heard two sets of pattering footsteps come down the hall. They ate together and his kids asked him what he wanted to do today for his birthday.

Then he gave it some thought and then answered, "Let's go cloud watching."

Normally, while Shikako loved to cloud watch; Inoichi didn't find it as fascinating as star gazing.

Then he surprised Shikamaru by saying, "Okay, but only because it's your birthday, Dad."

Shikamaru then smirked when he watched his son's face turned red from embarrassment.

So then they helped Shikamaru with cleaning the dishes and then all three went outside and laid themselves down on the grass, watching as the pure white clouds drifted slowly across the skies. Shikako had made a game of what they see in the clouds and her father and brother played along and they were having fun. Time had passed by and before they knew it, it was late afternoon by having fun. Shikamaru was smiling as he listened to his kids arguing about the same cloud they saw but they see it differently; they were trying to prove the other wrong.

But then his mind started to wander as he only just stared at the sky itself, painfully aware of how it reminds him of his wife's eyes. He really misses her and this would be the first time they celebrated their birthdays without her. He was lost in his musings until Shikako and Inoichi literally shook him out of it. Confused, he looked to Inoichi who had a small bird perched on his finger.

He explained, "It's one of Naruto-ji's messenger birds; it's for you, I guess."

He raised his eyebrow and thought, "What could Naruto want on my day off when he said I could have the day off today and tomorrow?"

Naruto had been made the Hokage two years previously and he had done a good job at it, though he had help from Shikamaru as his advisor and from his wife, Hinata who had helped on etiquette.

He had untied the scroll strapped to it's back and then read it.

It said:

Shikamaru,

I request that you come to my office right now. I know it's your day off but it's important. Anyway, come to my office and bring your kids with you.

Naruto.

He was a bit confused that he should bring his kids to Naruto's office with him even if he loves to play with them when he and Hinata visit their house with their own kids.

Shrugging it off, he told Shikako and Inoichi, "Looks like we're paying Naruto a visit."

So they walked on to Naruto's office at the Hokage Tower, but on the way he noticed that he didn't see any of his other friends along the way and he would at least see them every other day. So then they reached the outside of the Hokage Tower and went on inside until they got to Naruto's office door.

He knocked and then heard Naruto call from the other side, "Come in."

He opened the door and then heard many people shout, "Surprise!"

He blinked in astonishment and then he smiled as he saw everyone there, some with their kids and even Sasuke who he still hasn't gotten along with.

"You guys, you didn't have to do this," Shikamaru stated.

"We wanted to Shikamaru, to let you know we are there for you and that we care for you," Naruto replied as he smiled widely.

Then Hinata offered a kind smile as she held out a cake and placed it on the desk with the candles already lit.

She says, "Please, make a wish, Shikamaru-kun."

He smiled back at her and then looked at the cake that had been obviously made by Hinata and thought that maybe making a wish was silly. But then he thought about it and then blew them out. Then everyone had some food and cake that was brought to the surprise party and they all enjoyed themselves while their kids played together. Then the day had turned to night before everyone knew it and it was close to ten at night. Shikamaru gathered up his presents that he received from his friends and his mother.

"You guys, normally I don't really like making a big deal of my birthday, but I really appreciate what you did. Thanks," Shikamaru thanked them with a small smile.

Then Naruto came up to him and offered, "Listen, why don't we take your kids home with us. You can't carry both of them home by yourself and Minato and Kushina would like their friends to spend the night; besides all of them are already asleep."

Shikamaru looked at the sofa that been placed there recently and four of them were asleep on it. Kushina, a little red-haired girl was curled up to the arm of the sofa on the left with Shikako next to her. While in the middle, Minato, a blue-haired boy was sleeping sitting up with Inoichi on the other arm with his mouth hanging open.

Shikamaru smirked but then said, "You two don't have to do that, I can…"

"We insist, now you just go on home and you can pick them up tomorrow," Naruto cut him off.

Knowing that he won't take 'no' for an answer, he shrugged and said, "Troublesome, but fine, just let me tell them good night."

He walked to the sofa and quietly went to Shikako first and kissed her forehead, whispering, "Good night, Shikako."

Then he went to Inoichi and he kissed the top of his head and then ruffled his blond hair, whispering, "You watch your sister, okay? Good night, Inoichi."

So then he went on home with his presents and he entered in through the front door and placed his presents on the ground so he could take off his sandals. Then he went into the bathroom and prepared for bed. Then he laid down on the bed as he mused about how his friends had cared though he had noticed that they skirted the subject of Ino when they talked to him. He had just laid there staring up the ceiling, wondering, "Ino, where are you?"

Then he started to drift off as his eyes were getting heavier and then he fell asleep from fatigue because of his lack of sleep. An hour had passed and it was close to midnight when he suddenly heard someone come in through his bedroom window and come near his bed. He couldn't see properly but then he pulled the person and pinned them down on his bed in an arm lock.

He demanded, "Who are you and what do you want?"

Then the person replied, "Is that any way to greet your wife who has finally come home?"

Shikamaru gasped, he had not heard it in a year but he would recognize that voice anywhere. He released the person and then his eyes adjusted to the dark with the moonlight shining through the window. The person who turned out to be a woman, faced him, the light casting a soft glow on her platinum blonde locks. Then he looked into the eyes of the woman he loves, the eyes that he missed so much but not as much as he missed her.

"Ino…?" Shikamaru questioned wondering vaguely if he was dreaming.

"Yes, it's me silly. I'm so sorry that I arrived home so late and I…" Ino explained but then was suddenly cut off as Shikamaru suddenly went to her side and tightly embraced her in his arms.

"I don't care if you're late, Ino, I'm only relieved to see you home safe and alive," Shikamaru explained.

He realized that he was trembling as he held her but then he felt her embrace him just as tightly.

"By the way, Shika, Happy Birthday," Ino whispered in his ear.

Shikamaru smiled and replied, "Thanks, Ino."

He pulled away from her and gently tilted her chin upwards bringing up so that they close the gap between them in sweet kiss.

It started out soft, to show how much he missed her, and then it turned passionate after he bit her bottom lip and their tongues engaged in battle for dominance; which evidently Shikamaru won in the end. They pulled apart, and looked into each other's eyes as they breathed heavily.

Then Shikamaru brought his forehead to hers and smiled, whispering, "I missed you so much Ino, I didn't know whether or not if you were alright or if something went wrong. And I…"

Ino brought her finger up to his lips to shush him, as she replied, "Shika, I missed you too. I wanted to get home to you and our children so badly that I did whatever I could to get home. Because as long as I know that you are waiting for me to come home, I'll do whatever I can to see you and our children again."

He smiled and said to her, "I'll always wait for you, Ino as long you come home to me."

Ino beamed at him and she hugged him tightly, both content that they're with each other again. Shikamaru looked at the alarm clock next to the bed and saw that it had read 12 A.M., and he smiled and whispered, "It's midnight, Happy Birthday, Ino."

"Thanks, though I feel bad for not getting you a present as I came home. Is there anything you want?" Ino asked.

Shikamaru slowly smirked and he said huskily in her ear, "Oh, there is something but would it be the same thing that you would want for your birthday?"

As he said that, he slid his hand underneath her shirt to caress her back in gentle motions that made her shiver with pleasure.

She smirked up at him, "Actually, it would, but wouldn't we wake up the kids?"

"Naruto and Hinata took them to their house so they could spend the night; we have the house to ourselves," Shikamaru explained. "Besides…"

He abruptly pushed her down on their bed making her gasp in excitement and then he brought his lips to her neck, trailing little kisses from her neck to her cheek.

He gazed straight in her eyes, and continued, "What I especially missed most was being with you like this, and making love to you. So will you let me?"

Ino smiled as she tangled her hands in his hair, pulling the hair tie out to let his black hair loose and she brought his head down so that their lips are millimeters apart.

She replied, "By all means, make love to me, Shika."

That was all he needed to hear as he kissed her passionately and he couldn't help but feel that he got his wish after all, having Ino home again and with him. And he could definitely say that this was the best birthday he ever had.

This is Shikamaru's story the next one will be Ino's story. I hoped you enjoyed this first part, please feel free to review.