Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

Summery

ONE SHOT – It's funny how the more things change the more they stay the same and the same can be said of people. (Sasuke/Ino) (Lemon)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

"Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished and persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot."

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!

Muse: On with the fic!

I guess we never really moved on,
It's really good to hear your voice say my name,
It sounds so sweet,
Coming from the lips of an angel,
Hearing those words it makes me weak,
And I never wanna say goodbye,

Differently the Same

Konohagakure no Sato, it was strange really, Uchiha Sasuke thought. In the years that had past since he had left, his heart and head filled with the burning desire for revenge, the hidden village that he had always thought of as home had changed. Which in its self was not surprising, but what was, was the fact that it had somehow changed and yet was still the same as it had always been.

The streets were still as known and familiar to him as if he had been walking down them everyday for the past five years. From the academy, when he paused outside it, he could hear the moans and wails, and occasionally the laughter, of the students inside, training to become genin. Even the way the light wind whispered through the trees, causing the leaves to rustle and dance, was just as he remembered it.

Then of course there were the people and here too he noted that they had somehow changed while remaining the same. Perhaps it was because he had willingly returned to Konoha, and had undergone the interrogation process, as he knew he must, without complaint that most people had excepted him back so eagerly. The fact that he had never really sided with Orochimaru, had merely used him to gain power, was now common knowledge and in the eyes of many this somehow wiped clean the sin of treachery. And the fact that it had been he who had in the end killed Orochimaru no doubt had helped.

But even if that were not the case, he thought most would have welcomed him back with open arms and open hearts just the same.

It seemed almost as if the moment his interrogation was through, as he had taken that first step out into the warmth of the new day he had been leapt upon by 'The Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja' a.k.a. Uzumaki Naruto. He was older, taller, and a little less orange in the clothing department, but other than that he was still just the same.

Greetings were mixed with insults, the welcomed delight at his return mingled with snarled abuse at him for leaving in the first place. And the whole thing had dissolved into an impromptu sparing match, which had left the pair of them battered and bruised and feeling as if he had never left. It wasn't until that moment that Sasuke realised how strong the connection between himself that the boy he thought of as his best friend really was.

But still, it was almost as if he had never been away. Things had changed but were still that same. The same was true of his other team-mate; Haruno Sakura. Again she was older, the gangly girl was now well on her way to becoming an attractive young woman, but her childish idolisation of him had not faded with the passing of time. And still her interest bordered on obsession.

It wasn't that he didn't like her, far from it in fact, it was just that he didn't like her the same way that she liked him. As a team-mate she was brilliant, balancing out the rivalry that so often flared between himself and Naruto. On top of that she was one of the best medical Nins in the village, hard years spent training under the Fifth Hokage had obviously paid off. You couldn't ask for a better friend, either. She was always going out of her way to do things for those she cared about… most of the time anyway. The one exception to this was still Yamanaka Ino.

Oh yes, Yamanaka Ino. She at least had changed in the time he had been gone, the angry red mark, which had by now faded somewhat, bore testament to that. Where others seemed so eager to forgive and forget the ice eyed blonde looked like she wasn't about to do either.

It had been barley three days since his release, and in truth he had expected to see her long before then. Had almost expected her to be pushing and shoving with Sakura as to whom got to speak to him first, but she hadn't. It was slightly disconcerting, for reasons that Sasuke hadn't wished to look at too closely, but he had told himself not to think of it. It wasn't that she was avoiding him, though he wondered why he should worry that she was, it was simply that she hadn't sort him out as other people had.

But on the afternoon of the third day he had finally spotted her, only to be disconcerted by the sudden thump of his heart when his eyes drifted over her slender form. She had once again grown out her hair; the long ponytail of light blonde strands hanging down her back and the dark purple outfit she wore clung to every subtle curve of her lithe, athletic body. Repeatedly he told himself that he wasn't noticing any of the changes that had taken place, though with each step he took closer to her he was finding his lies harder to believe.

She was standing with the two other members of her team Akimichi Chouji and Nara Shikamaru; the three of them just chatting away and Ino tossing her head back laughing at something one of them had said. Then suddenly Naruto was calling out an exuberant, not to mention loud, greeting and bounded over to the trio Sakura and Sasuke following in his wake. The former frowning slightly, her eyes constantly flicking back forth between the boy at her side and her sometime best friend. While that later had his eyes fixed on Ino's face; a face that had become hard and distant, her eyes looking like frosted glass.

The pair came to a halt beside the small group; Naruto was chattering away, Chouji was demolishing a bag of chips, Shikamaru was gazing into the middle distance and Ino…

Her hand moved so fast that Sasuke barely saw it coming. He certainly felt its impact however; the burning sting sensation in his cheek, the slight whiplash effect as the force of the blow forced his head back. Had he been expecting the attack he would have been easily able to avoid it, but it had come, seemingly unprovoked, from such an unexpected quarter. The flat hollow sound of her palm meting his skin hung in the air, and on such a flat final note the world could have imploded.

It didn't however, instead Ino spoke. The first words she had spoken to him in over five years, and each one was dripping with venom, as if each letter had been dipped in acid. "So glad you're back."

Spinning on her heel, Ino had marched off down the street; head held high, fists clenched at her sides and hips swaying in a manner that Sasuke would never again be able to convince himself he was oblivious of.

He had heard enough people talking about that 'special moment' when they suddenly discovered the one they had wanted had been under their nose the whole time. Case in point was Naruto, every time Hyuuga Hinata's name came up in conversation; the stupid idiot would get this misty far away look in his eyes and start grinning like a dumb love struck fool.

So, yes Sasuke knew all about that moment when realisation struck, he just never thought it would be the same moment as her hand connected with his face. But then again perhaps the moment had just been slowly building over time, and this was the catalyst, the spark, he'd needed to see things for what they really were.

Shaking his head slightly to dispel the memorise of the events of the previous day, Sasuke continued on his way. As much as he'd tried to ignore the fact, the thought of seeing Ino again had been one of the things that had made the idea of returning to Konoha such an attractive one. It hadn't been the sole reason but it had defiantly made things easier. There had also been the fact that his friends had needed him, with the Akatsuki closing in if there was ever a time that they needed to stick together it was now. And if that meant he could get to his brother, all the better.

And finely he was just sick and tired of the way leggy blondes had been sauntering through his dreams for the past six months or so. Always laughing and teasing, only to disappear with the rising of the sun. Well enough was enough and if she thought he was just going to let her go, she was sorely mistaken.

The streets, though busy, were not overly crowded something for which he was grateful. The less people there were around, meant that there would be less shoppers to get in his way and the Yamanaka flower shop did, after all, do a lot of business.

Turning a corner he headed down the street to where the florist's was situated. One way or another he was going to get this thing sorted and Yamanaka Ino could either like it or lump it, he was a Uchiha damn it all and he always got his own way. He reached out for the door and paused as suddenly, from inside came the sound of two girls laughing and joking together.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I mean it Ino," Hinata said, brushing a strand of indigo hair out of her slightly flushed face. "Shut up right now or else –"

"Or else what?" The blonde countered, suppressed laughter adding a rippling quality to her voice. "Anyway you know it's true, all Naruto has to do is bat those big baby blues at you and…"

Ino gave and exaggerated sigh and sprawled her torso across the counter, one arm cushioning her head while she rolled her eyes back in her head as if she were floating on cloud nine. "…Oh Naruto, you foxy thing you."

"Oh that's it. You are so dead Yamanaka." One icy eye regarded the Hyuuga heiress warily, her current position making it impossible to see through both, while her free hand scrabbled furiously on the shelf under the counter.

Ino much preferred this new more confident Hinata to the shy girl she had been back in their academy days, it was just that this one would only put up with so much of her teasing before putting a stop to it. There were diffidently some down sides to her finely getting it together with Naruto, even if they were mostly outweighed by the good.

"Hinata-chan…" Ino said in her most pleading voice, the one designed to melt even the coldest of hearts. "You wouldn't really hurt little me, would you?"

"Just watch me," The silver-eyed girl said in a deadly hiss stepping closer to her recumbent friend.

In close combat, both knew that Hinata would easily overpower Ino with the use of her 'gentle fist' technique. But when it came to the sneaky surprise attack Ino would always come out on top, as she proved by whipping out a spray bottle from under the counter and catching Hinata full in the face with the stream of water.

"Haha!" Ino bounced round the counter cackling like a mad woman, finger pumping the spray maniacally and causing Hinata to burst into uncontrollable giggles. "Now bow down before the power of my superior ninja skills."

"Remind me again, how did you become a jounin?" Pushing damp indigo locks out of her face; Hinata looked quizzically at the still bouncing blonde.

"Don't ask me," Ino said, giving an elegant shrug and replacing the bottle under the counter. "I think I must have just wowed them all with my stunning good looks and grade A sex appeal."

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say." Hinata waved her hand in dismissal not in the least bothered by Ino's dramatic boasting. "But I've gotta go, I said I meet Naruto like ten minutes ago."

"Yep," The blonde said, nodding her head and sending her ponytail dancing. "You mean you just realised how fun it would be if you saw him while your top is all wet and clinging to you like a second skin."

"I mean it Yamanaka," Hinata said, with a not all that unaffectionate growl. "Next time you are so dead."

And with that the Hyuuga heiress headed for the door, pulled it open, stepped out into the warm sunshine and came face to face with the recently returned Uchiha Sasuke.

For a moment Hinata wondered what would be the best thing to do; to simply nod, smile and walk on or to greet him and in doing so let Ino know who was about to enter the shop. She knew what had happened the last time the two had met up, mainly because every five minutes said blonde would go off into a rant over just how much she hated him and wished not only that he hadn't come back but better that he had never been born.

The only thing was, for someone she hated so much Ino sure did talk about him a lot. Deciding to err on the side of caution Hinata offered Sasuke a warm smile and walked past him, not all that surprised when he caught the door before it could swing shut and set the bell jangling once more.

Whatever might be going on between them, she thought with a backward glance at the now closed door, she was best out of it. If Ino really was as angry as she was making out… well Ino armed with a water spray was one thing. Ino pissed off and on the rampage and with that mind transfer of hers, Hinata shuddered, there were some aspects of her privet life she'd like to keep just that, privet.

XXXXXXXXXX

Pushing the door gently closed, Sasuke watched as the blonde fussed over an arrangement of roses that was positioned on the counter, completely oblivious to his presence. Never taking his eyes from Ino, he reached round and flipped over the sign that said 'Hello we're open' so that it showed the 'Sorry we're closed' message, the last thing he needed was anyone interrupting them and waited for her to realise she wasn't alone.

White roses were one of her favourite flowers, there was just something about the purity and innocence of them that caught at her imagination, and these blooms possessed a sweet heavy scent that only added to their beauty in her mind. Ino was so absorbed in her work, letting her fingers trace the slender stems and petals like crushed velvet, that it took several moments for her to become aware of the presence of another person.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ino said glancing up and catching sight of him. "I didn't realise that anyone… oh."

With the dawning of recognition the warm smile faded from her face to be replaced by a cold hard stare and she folded her arms across her chest in a typical defensive gustier. Her whole attitude was broadcasting the message loud and clear that she didn't want him there. Hostile, just wasn't the word to describe her Sasuke thought, she was radiating rage in almost tangible waves.

"Get. Out." The two syllables held more suppressed fury than Sasuke would have thought possible, even for her.

"No." Such a simple little word, he mused, but the effect was impressive and had the blonde so tense he wondered if she might snap in two.

"Get out now, or else." Ino's voice was a low growl, as she used the same threat the Hinata had used not long before, but there was a faint tremble in her tone that had Sasuke cocking one brow in confusion. There was no way that she really could dislike him as much as she was making out. Was there?

"Or else… what?" He couldn't keep the slight teasing edge from his coating his words as the slightly trembling Ino walked up to where he was standing, her eyes glimmering with a threat he highly doubted she would follow through.

Her open palm caught him round the face in a perfect copy of her action three days before, and though irritated Sasuke had to admit that he wasn't all the surprised. What did catch him slightly off guard was the look on Ino's face, the red flush of rage that coloured her cheeks, wild strands of hair falling into eyes brimming with hatred. She really did look as if she would try and kill him.

The sharp rise and fall of her chest as Ino breathed deeply through her nose, though distracting only served to highlight how angry she really was. Shock filled Sasuke, was this what she had been living with since he left? Had her idolisation of him really tuned into this pure loathing?

The second blow, a backhand this time stinging his other cheek brought him back to reality with an unpleasant jolt. When had Ino become so violent? The girl he remembered liked nothing better than cutting someone dead with an icy look and a well chosen barbed comment. How had that girl turned into this?

And from the back of his mind came a small voice that questioned was this because of him? The look of smug satisfaction as she swung her arm again, told him that that just might be the case.

"Enough." It was almost a plea, but his hand locked tightly around her right wrist when she made to slap him a third time.

Ino's eyes narrowed, complicated emotions swirling in their clear blue depths. He could have easily snapped her wrist if he'd wanted to, but he was just holding her with enough pressure to keep her from escaping and that some how worried her more.

She didn't like this new Sasuke, the one who seemed to care for those that he'd left behind, he made her life too difficult. She just wanted the old Sasuke back, the one who had run off and abandoned them all without a second thought. He was the one she wanted, she could hate him and her hatred was all she had left. But this boy holding her, watching her with a deep searching look was threatening to take that away.

"Let me go!" Only fuelled by the futility of her action, Ino thrashed madly, desperately trying to pull free, her free hand clawing savagely at his fingers.

"No, not this time." Just what he meant by that Ino didn't know and wasn't in the mood to care.

"I hate you!" Guttural scream was ripped from her throat, and the blonde was ashamed to feel tears pricking the backs of her eyes. It wasn't fair; it wasn't meant to be this way.

Ino swung at him with her other hand only to have that wrist captured too in a vice like grip, and rage and confusion bubbled within her in a boiling mass. She had thought that she had finally starved her heart into submission, that at long last she really didn't care. When he had left he had torn so many lives apart and without meaning to, Ino had found herself in the roll of comforter and support giver. While all around her people were braking down she had found herself having to stay strong.

It had been easier to convince herself that she hated Sasuke than to grieve over his leaving. And over the years she had wrapped that hatred tightly round her, using it as a shield to block out the pain she refused to acknowledge even in the privacy of her own mind. She had taken his betrayal and used it to make herself stronger, turning it into an amour that she could place round her heart.

But now he was back and already he was easily braking through her carefully constructed defences as if they had never existed. And for that she really did hate him. For coming back and reminding her that no matter what she did or where she went she would always care, no matter how much she wished she didn't. Sasuke simply held her as she thrashed wildly, her face contorted with rage and something he couldn't place until all strength seemed to seep from her body.

"I hate you." Ino repeated, except that this time her voice was barely above a whisper. Her body hung limply sandwiched between Sasuke's at the front and the counter at the back, which she managed to back up to during her mad struggle to break free from him.

Sasuke could not help but wince at the venom in her tone and the hatred in her words. He had been wrong then, she hadn't changed, she was just the same as she had been all those years ago, selfish, arrogant, vain and headstrong, but she was somehow charming with it. There had always been something magnetic about her, she was vivacious and drew people to her. But now there was something else there too, something diamond hard and ice cold something almost cruel, and for that there was only him to blame. He had hurt her so much without ever meaning to, she was just one more in the long list of casualties that had been left in the wake of his need for revenge.

"No, you don't Ino." He relaxed his hold on her wrists, not releasing her but no longer holding her in place with the vice like grip that would probably leave bruises of her fair skin. "You wouldn't be acting like this if you really hated me. You still care and that's what you hate."

"No!" It was a piteous wail, an absolute denial of the possible truth he had presented her with. "What I hate is you! I loathe and despise you! I. Hate. You."

"Maybe you really do." And for a moment something like hurt flashed in his eyes. "But the thing is Ino love and hate, are two sides of the same coin. One can become another with a flick of a finger. Can you imagine what it's like to love with the same raw passion that you hate?"

"I don't need to imagine." The blonde spat as she once again tried to pull free, though her effort had little effect. "I can remember! All the hurt and the pain. The loneliness and most if all feeling so useless cus there was nothing I could do to bring you back! Nothing! D'you understand me? Nothing! You left the village, left me and hurt those I cared about in the process. But the worst thing was that in spite of everything, all the pain and suffering you caused, I still can't help but love you."

Sasuke picked up on her slip instantly, jumping on it before she had time to realize what she had said and try and take it back. "You still can't help but love me? Part of you wants to hate me for everything but the truth is you can't can you Ino? You can't hate me because you love me."

"I… I…" Ino stuttered, her eyes filled with pained confusion as she dropped her head so as she didn't have to meet his eyes. It wasn't fair, she was meant to be the one who strolled into other people's heads, not him. But he was, he was in her head and in her heart and it scared her in ways she couldn't define.

"Yes Ino, I hurt you… I hurt a lot of people when I left. But I've came back now, and I've come back for you." Almost unwillingly the seventeen-year-old blonde lifted her gaze. She could see the sincerity burning in those intense dark eyes, hear the truth in his words but was loathed to let her self believe in him.

Onyx orbs flicked from her eyes to her mouth and then back again, before finally coming to rest on Ino's full bee stung lips. For months he'd been dreaming and fantasizing about kissing that mouth and the last of Sasuke's self control was rapidly evaporating like morning mist. Her harsh hot breath was a burning silken touch against his skin, and he leaned in to claim that which he had wanted for so long.

"Try it and I'll bite you!" Ino's voice was almost hysterical as she drew her head back sharply. Sasuke could see the fear plainly etched on her face, but also the desperate longing that filled her eyes and his did not miss the way that the tip of her tongue brushed her lower lip.

"If you were going to bite me Ino…" The dark eyed male whispered, his dark blue/black hair falling forward, casting a shadow over a face that was alight with wicked intent. "I don't think you'd warn me."

"Find out!" She snarled lunging forward her teeth snapping shut just missing his lips as he made to kiss her a second time.

Sasuke tried again, and again Ino made to bite him the moment he goo too close to her. The fourth time he was not quick enough and the blue eyed kunoichi's teeth closed on his lower lip, but she seemed as shocked by this as he and made no move bite into the soft flesh. Taking advantage of her momentary hesitation the last surviving Uchiha pushed his advantage; he forced his tongue past Ino's lips and teeth and into the warm wet cavern of her mouth. And for a moment it seemed as if she would not respond, her whole body tensed under his touch and her arms still held in his grasped locked tightly.

Almost as if she were detached from them somehow, Ino could sense her massing emotions boiling behind the walls that she had carefully constructed over the years. Like a red tide they rose, building in the space behind her eyes and filling her head with a rolling mist that was slowly and steadily making thinking impossible. Until there was no room left for thought and she was thrown back into relying on her five senses all of which were screaming one thing, and one thing only.

Sasuke.

And the tidal wave of suppressed emotion crashed down upon the blonde who had hoped she possessed a truly stone cold heart.

There was nothing subtle or gentle about the kiss that followed. Both of them seemed almost desperate to show with that one action all that they had been feeling in the long years since they had been parted. The hands that had been holding Ino's wrists in a tight grasp suddenly let go and the blonde wasted no time in letting her fingers entwine in the silky strands of Sasuke's hair as she tried to pull him still closer.

Sasuke moved his arms until they wrapped themselves around her waist and with one simple move he lifted her until Ino was seated on the edge of the counter. His mouth never left hers as he moved into the space he had created, and the blonde's legs automatically came up and wrapped themselves tightly around his waist. Unable to resist he ground his pelvis into Ino's, and smirked widely when the goddess before him threw back her head and a sound somewhere between a growl and a moan was wrenched from her lips.

Sasuke growled in frustration with the stupid top that she wore, even with her head thrown back the high neck style was keeping him from kissing the soft skin of her throat as he had so long been fantasising about. He consoled himself with the thought that it would only be a matter of time before that dream, along with the many others Ino had featured in, would become reality. His wondering right hand found the bottom of the top and slipped under and he placed butterfly kissed along the line of her jaw.

"Oh Kami." The hoarse groan escaped his lips as his fingers made contact with her naked flesh, and Ino unconsciously ached forward pressing the swell of her left breast into his palm. For the love of Kami, his beautiful blonde had not bothered with wrappings that morning.

Ino's fingers pressed against Sasuke's skull, her nails digging almost deep enough to brake the skin, as she forced his head up. For a fleeting moment their gazes locked. The normal arctic ice blue of Ino's, flickering and shifting like quicksilver. While Sasuke's inky black orbs were tinged with red as he fought to keep his volatile emotions under control. It only lasted a second and then her mouth was back on his and everything else in the world ceased to exist.

And then suddenly Ino became aware that his hands were no longer toying with her breasts, but were intent on pulling up her skirt. "Sasuke, no, we can't. Not right now…."

His lips hovered above hers. "Yes. Right now. We need this, to feel this. We've had to wait too long as it is. Please Ino, don't make me wait any longer." His voice dropped to a husky whisper that was almost a groan. "Please Ino. Feel this with me. Feel me."

Sasuke could see the momentary indecision, a wavering of hesitation behind in her bright eyes, and then the dam broke. It had been too long. And it almost felt that if they didn't act then they might never have the chance again. Her lips locked with his and his tongue plunged inside, almost as if he was trying to remember every detail of her mouth. Or was it that he was trying to block out the fact that he hadn't known before? Ino wasn't sure but didn't really care as she pushed back and did the same, attempting to commit every detail of him to memory. The lack of air was making her feel giddy and light-headed. And Sasuke thought it was a miracle they could breathe at all because it felt as if all the oxygen just been sucked out of the humid florists.

They broke apart for a moment, and she went straight for his jacket, pulling it off. His hands went right back to her waist to move under her tight top and she gapped as his hands found both breasts again. Kneading them, fingers working roughly over the hardened nipples, causing so much pleasure she might have screamed from how good it felt. Then just when she thought she couldn't take any more, his hands stilled, moving instead to rip off the top completely. He just stood there for a moment, looking hungrily down at her partly exposed body before his gaze travelled back up to her eyes. Something dark and primal had come to life within him, and even in her current state Ino didn't think he could look any sexier than he did in that moment.

"Off. Now." He growled, the words rumbling deep his chest.

Sasuke pulled her off of the counter so she could obey, it would have amazed anyone that the headstrong Yamanaka allowed herself to be bossed around in such a way, but she did. The lacy garment was quickly discarded, leaving her only in her short purple skirt, which was already rucked up around her waist. His eyes, blazing crimson for he could no longer be bother to try and control the Sharingan, burned across every exposed inch of her smooth creamy skin. She stood before him while that single-minded, razor-like gaze seared her flesh, and he removed his belt and pants. He lifted her easily back up onto the counter, and she gasped against the feel of the cool wood on her butt and thighs.

The world was burning, but neither of them could spare even a thought to care. They just wanted, needed, to burn too. He attacked her mouth the same time he plunged into her, and Ino thought she might just die in that moment. It all just felt so fucking good, but more even than that it felt so right.

Instinct took over and she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, forcing him deeper. Her hands grabbed his shirt, almost ripping the fabric as she moved to bite his neck and wrap her arms around his bare shoulders. His hands were so rough, so perfect, digging into her ass as he momentarily lifted her off the counter top before slamming her back down again. She saw stars, white and purple lights flashed behind her closed lids, but it was so fucking good.

Never before in her life had she felt more alive. It was almost like she had been living her life and black and white and that only now, for the first time, was she seeing the world in all its brilliant Technicolour glory. And all the time Sasuke kept kissing her. Again and again, their tongues somehow managing to keeping time with the wild, almost frantic thrusts. He had one hand wrapped around her ass and the other gripped the opposite side on the counter, steadying them even as the world seemed to spin crazily around them.

The blonde mind walker thought she could die right then and there and she'd be just fine with it. Every nerve ending was on fire, they were both panting, and all she could do was keep chanting 'Please, Sasuke, please.' over and over like it was some kind of prayer. And maybe in a way it was, he was the centre of her earth so it only made sense for him to be heaven too.

Her words only encouraged him, making him speed up, pumping harder and faster until they were both poised to fall over the precipice and lose themselves completely. She was gripping his shoulders so tightly that it wouldn't have surprised Ino to find that it was his blood as well as his sweat that she felt under her fingernails. They were both painting and gasping, rocking together as they search for the climax to a coupling that went far beyond the purely physical. One final thrust sent them both tumbling over the edge into the waiting abyss and they cried out together. And it was the sound of him calling out her name that echoed in Ino's ears.

For seconds, minutes, or it could even have been hours for time had long ceased to hold any meaning, they clung to each other, still gasping for air. Sasuke pulled back to look deep into her eyes, searching for any sign that she regretted what they had done. But though they were lust glazed they were also shining and a wicked grin started to form at the corners of her mouth. It was infectious, and soon he was grinning too. He leaned his forehead into hers, and they stayed still like that for just a moment meeting each other breath for breath. He kissed her once more, soft and sweet, the kiss of a lover, of someone who cared.

There were so many things he needed to say, that they both need to say, but this was not time for that. So he settled for pulling her closer to him and murmuring softly into her hair, "I missed you Ino. I missed you so much."

"Are you gonna leave me again?" She hated the way she sounded when she asked the question, the tremor in her words, the crack in her voice, but she couldn't help it. In the years that had past Ino had grown so much but there was still a part of her that was, would forever be, tied to Sasuke.

"Ino, I…" Sasuke started but trailed off as he stared into her face, there was so much he wanted to tell her everything that was in his heart. That he loved and would never leave her again, that to live without her was the worst form of punishment.

"Ino –" He tried again but stopped abruptly as both he and Ino froze. The sound filled the air, the low, whining creak of the back door of the flower shop being pushed open followed by the distinctive sound of footsteps. From the way tension rolled through the girl in his arms Sasuke knew she recognised the aura of the unwelcome visitor as well as he.

"Ino? Ino? Are you here?" The male voice called out, the tone a combination of worry and irritation. A very definite fatherly tone. "I got a call saying that the you'd closed up early and I was starring…. to… get… worried…."

Yamanaka Inoichi words trailed off as he took in the sight of his almost completely naked daughter sitting on the counter top with her legs wrapped around the waist of an equally undressed recently returned traitor. Part of him wanted to yell, part of him wanted to scream, but both were overruled but the instinct to cover his eyes and try to forget he'd seen his baby girl like that.

"Yamanaka-san" It took every scrap of will power he possessed for Inoichi to look up when the Uchiha called his name. The half-naked Uchiha around whom his equally half-naked daughter was twined like a vine. "Would this be the wrong time to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage?"

Sasuke didn't care that Yamanaka Inoichi gawked at the question, didn't give a damn that the man's mouth had fallen open and that his eyes were bulging out of his skull. He could have vanished into a puff of smoke and he wouldn't have minded at all, because Yamanaka Ino was hugging him tightly to her, smiling against his skin and whispering one word over and over again.

"Yes, yes, yes."

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth