The Flower Remedy: Chapter 2

(One year later.)

I stood with my mother in David's Bridal. Itachi Uchiha and I were due to be wed in three months and I still hadn't bought my dress. We had all the flowers and the location set, but no dress. So my mother asked me if I wanted to go shopping today. I said yes and we hopped in the car and drove to the mall.

My mother trotted up to me, holding a white dress with bows below the waist, complete with a fifteen foot train and a veil. "What about this one?"

"Ew, no, never." I said disgustedly.

She nodded and walked away. I turned back to the dress I had been looking at before my mother had walked up. I took it off the rack and went into a dressing room. I slipped out of my outfit and into the dress. I turned toward the mirror and couldn't stop staring at myself. It was strapless and the fabric was bunched into tight, ruffled lines, below the waist. And it flowed into a seven foot train. And the thing that I liked the most was a flower resting between my breasts.

I had to touch the dress to make sure it was real. It was. I had to hold a hand over my mouth to hold in my sob. I knew as soon as I saw myself in the dress, that it was the one I wanted to walk down the aisle in.

I heard a knock on the door and heard my mother ask, "Ino, sweetheart, are you okay?"

I took a deep breath and tried to stop trembling. I opened the door and ushered my mother in. I closed the door behind her and turned towards her. She was close to tears. "What? Do I look that bad?"

"No, no, honey, it's beautiful, it really is." My mother said, fanning her face with her hand.

I turned back to the mirror and looked at myself really hard. I knew then that it was definitely the dress that I wanted.

"Can I get it?" I asked.

"Do you really want it?" She inclined her head.

"Yes! I put it on and I instantly knew that this is the dress that I want to walk down the aisle in, Mom." I insisted.

"Okay, then, lets see the price." My mother said. She picked up the tag that hung under my armpit. I watched as her eyes widened. "It's five thousand dollars, hon. Are you sure that you want it?"

"Yes! I just said that." I begged.

"Well, it is your wedding day, so I guess if it makes you happy, we can buy it." My mother surrendered. I jumped and clapped. I ran to my mother and hugged her as tears of joy washed my face.

"Thank you so much, Mom." I wiped my eyes and got back into my clothes. I put the dress back in the bag and they went to the register.

The woman that rung up the dress looked at me and smiled, "Is this your wedding or your mothers?"

"It's mine." I smiled widely and looked up at my mother, whose radiant smile lit up her face as well.

"Well, congratulations." She said, holding out the bag to me.

"Thanks." I took the bag and we left. I was so happy, I thought I might burst. I was in love with the best man I had ever known and I had the perfect dress.

I got into the car and we drove home in silence. When we arrived home, I put the dress and called Itachi. He had transferred to Konoha after he had proposed to me. I was so happy that he did, because she could see him anytime she wanted to.

"Hello?" Itachi picked up the phone.

"Hey, it's me." I said, sitting on my bed.

"Whatcha up to?" Itachi asked. It sounded like there was a smile his voice.

"Nothing much. I just got back from shopping for my dress." I explained.

"Really? Did you get one?" He asked.

"Yeah, I did. It's really pretty. Mom and I cried when we saw me in it." I said, laughing at how silly it sounded.

"Oh, you don't have to cry, Ino." Itachi laughed.

I laughed too. "Yeah, its just that I knew instantly that it was the one. It looked so beautiful on me."

"That's great! Now I have a lot more to look forward to at our wedding." He said.

"Wanna come over?" I asked, twirling a piece of my blonde hair around my finger.

"Sure, be right there." He hung up.

I sat on my bed until I heard a knock on the outside of my window. I got up and unlocked the window and let Itachi in. He took me in his arms and kissed me. I smiled up at him when we broke apart.

"I love you." He announced.

I cocked my head to the side. "Really?"

"Most definitely." Itachi said and kissed me again.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat it?" I giggled.

He brought his mouth down on mine and I nearly fainted. I loved his kisses. When we broke apart, a strand of hair fell into his eyes. I reached up and brushed it away.

"Thanks." He said.

I nodded and we sat down on the edge of my bed. I sat with my hands in my lap. He scooped it up and rubbed his thumbs over my knuckles. "Can I see that dress of yours?"

"No, not until I am walking down the aisle towards you." I said, laying backwards on my bed. Itachi came back also.

"Why not now?" Itachi asked, turning his head to look into my eyes.

"Because, its tradition that the fiancé cant see his bride in her dress until at the wedding." I explained.

"Oh." Was all he said. Then he asked, "Are you still going to move in with me after we're married?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" I replied.

"I don't know." Itachi said.

"Okay." I sat and looked up at the ceiling. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer. I snuggled into him. He leaned his head down and kissed the tip of my nose. "Our wedding should be just perfect."

I hoped. I really hoped that nothing would ruin our plans.

I had set the location at a local resturaunt. It sat over-looking a lake and had a gazebo that Itachi and I would wed in. I had chosen white daffodils for the bouquet that I was to hold walking down the aisle. I had steak and ramen for our dinner. And for dessert I had choosen a slice of devils food cake. And the wedding cake. Oh, the wedding cake. It was huge and white and it had flowers all over it. It was also a five layer cake. I, personally couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it.

Itachi stiffled a big yawn and I said, "Are you sleepy, Itachi?"

"Just a little." He replied, yawning again.

"Well, I guess it's time for you to go." I said, getting to my feet.

"Can I stay here for tonight? I'm sure your parents won't mind since we are to be married." Itachi mummbled.

I giggled. "Yeah, sure, you can stay." I said. I pulled the blankets down and jumped onto the bed. Itachi got in next to me and I pulled the blankets up to our chins.

"Goodnight." I said and closed my eyes. Itachi pulled me to him and stroked my bare skin. I shivered and looked up at him. He was smiling and I flashed him one of my sexiest smiles. He kissed me, all the while bringing the covers up over our heads.

(Three months later. Wedding day.)

I stared at myself in the mirror, shaking and trying not to throw up. I was in the dressing room waiting to be led by my father down the aisle.

I smoothed my hand over my ever-growing stomach. I had to have my dress made a bigger size every couple weeks after I got pregnant.

I was feeling a little shaky ever since I had woken up that morning. I was rushed out of bed and over to the resturaunt at seven o'clock to make sure everything was in order and ready for my big day. It was. My mother had breathed a sigh and sat down at the table, with tears in her eyes. I had sat next to her and gave her a big hug. We had cried for a couple minutes then we had to get back to work.

I stood looking at myself now. I was excited but then I was terrified. My heart raced and my head pounded. I thought I couldn't last another second of waiting, when my father opened the door and said, "Are you ready?"

I nodded and hooked my arm through his. "How nervous are you?" he asked.

"Very. I think I might pass out." I confessed.

He laughed and patted my shoulder, as we stood outside the door to wait for the music to play. "Has the baby been bothering you at all?"

"Nope. He hasn't kicked since last night." I said.

"That's good." He replied. I heard the music start and saw the doors open. We took a step and all heads turned toward me. I didn't feel like old mean Ino at that moment. I felt like a soft and nice Ino. I saw Itachi waiting for me at the end of the aisle. He was wearing a tux and his hair blew in the wind. I smiled at him. His smile was so wide, I thought he would get stuck like that. I finally reached the end and I smiled at my father and said, "Thanks." ans stepped up beside Itachi.

The minister cleared his throat and said, "Today we are here on this lovely night to celebrate the joining together off Ino Yamanaka and Itachi Uchiha. They have........" The minister's voice droned on and on until Itachi and I were to say our vows.

Itachi took my hand and said, "Ino Yamanaka, you are my life. I feel like the sun rises and sets only for you. I want to give you and our son everything that I can give you in life. I promise to be there for you til the day I die."

I looked up into his face. "Itachi Uchiha, you are my life. I feel the sun rises and sets only for you. I want to give you and our son all I can give to you for as long as I live. I promise to be there for you til the day I die."

The minister began again, "The rings, please." My neice and nephew brought the minister our rings on white satin pillows. Itachi picked one up and so did I. "Ino Yamanaka, do you promise to love and cherish this man, to love him in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, til death do you part?"

"I-I do." I stammered, sliding the wedding band onto Itachi's finger.

The minister turned to Itachi. "Itachi Uchiha, do you promise to love and cherish this man, to love him in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, til death do you part?"

"I do." His voice rang out over the lake. He slid the ring onto my finger.

"Then, you may now kiss the bride." Itachi pulled me into his chest, careful not to press on my stomach, and kissed me. All the shouts and cheers faded out as we stood there, kissing passionately.

We broke apart and turned. As soon as we did, I saw a byakugan fly through the air. It sliced right into Itachi's heart and he crumpled to the floor. I screamed and sunk down next to him. I shook him furiously. His eyes never opened. I cried out and screamed. I looked up and noticed that it had begun to rain. I saw Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi's brother, standing with a smile on his face. I got up and crossed over to him.

"Did you do this?" I asked, gesturing to Itachi's lifeless body.

"Yes, and it feels great to finally kill off my evil older brother." He smirked.

"How could you? We just got married and we have a son on the way!" I shouted at him. By now, dress was soaked through. My make-up was running down my face and I was shivering.

"I don't care. He killed his whole clan and he killed our mother and father. How could I not do it?" Sasuke said.

I tried to launch myself at him but I felt arms hold me back. My mother was behind me. "Ino, come on get inside before you catch your death."

"I don't care. He killed my husband!" I shouted. She wouldn't let me go.

"Ino, think about your baby. Think about Itachi's son growing here." She touched my stomach. At her touch, I felt my son kick. It was like a sign, telling me to forget about Sasuke for now and think about the baby that was growing inside me. If I stayed out in the rain much longer, my son could die too.

So, I turned toward my mother and nodded. But before I let her take me inside the resturaunt, I turned back to Sasuke and growled, "I will find you someday. And when I do, I'll kill you!" I turned and ran into the building.