Ino stared ahead, her once bright blue orbs that were so full of life and joy had been dulled to a somewhat grey pair. Ones that had forgotten what it meant to love, how it felt to laugh or so much as feel joy. There was nothing. Nothing but dark, cold, emotionless eyes. She gave after the day she said "I do" to the man who had seemed to be the one in her dreams. That day in which she had planned to be the best day of her life, the day when she would finally marry the man she loved. The day when she would walk down the aisle, happy.

But that day, she did not even smile. All she could think of was what she had brought herself into. He wasn't right for her. No matter how many reasons her mind could come up with supporting this, he heart had come up with a thousand more against it.

FLASHBACK

Sakura walked into the room where her best friend was. No longer was Yamanaka Ino going to be Yamanaka Ino. In less than an hour, she was going to be Uchiha Ino. Oh, how happy Ino must be. She's getting married to the man she loved. The man that had almost ruined their friendship forever when they were young.

But Sakura was wrong. Oh so very wrong.

As soon as she had walked into the room, she saw Ino crying. At first Sakura had thought it was out of nervousness or happiness, but when Ino looked up to see Sakura there wasn't happiness or nervousness in her eyes.

There was Sadness. Fright. Pain.

"Ino! What's wrong?" Sakura questioned, hugging Ino.

"I... I can't do this Sakura. I-I-I can't marry him!" Ino cried into Sakura's shoulder.

"Ino, everything will be fine."She said rubbing her friends back in a comforting way. After all what could she do? Tell her to run away? She knew Ino was in love with him still, no matter what. "It's okay. When this is all over, you'll have no regrets."

Ino sniffled. "Y-You don't understand Sakura... The... The things he does... I... He said not to tell anyone! B-but... I can't d-do this. I can't m-m-marry him!" Ino cried.

"What happened Ino?" Sakura asked worriedly. The things he does? He said not to tell anyone? Could this mean he..?

"Sa-sakura... He... He's been a-abusing me... Remember the day I told you I g-got a black eye f-from dropping a box dropping from the closet, or when I h-had bruises all over my legs and arms from falling down m-my s-st-stairs?" Ino stuttered, pausing. "They... He... Sasuke... He was the one who... who caused them..."

Ino looked down at the floor. "I just can't do this... I don't want the abuse... I don't want to lie about it... But I can't leave him... Sakura, I love him too much."

Sakura's eyes had widened. She looked at the blonde girl with pity. Such a beautiful girl so full of life and happiness. Why did she have to go through this? Why her? And why did Sasuke, of all people have to be the one to cause her pain?

"Ino... I just wan-"

"Ino, it's time to go. The ceremony is to start in ten minutes!" An excited brides maid explained, interrupting Sakura.

"I guess I have to redo my make-up Sakura." Ino said with a forced, yet even weak smile. "I'll see you there."

With that, Sakura left after wishing Ino luck and heading for her spot as the maid of honour.

Not five minutes later, Ino walked down the aisle linking arms with her father Inoichi who was to give her to Sasuke.

Sakura smiled at Ino, with Ino who tried to smile back, but it turned out as a pained look.

And soon enough came the time when those two dreaded words were to come out of the soon to be married couples mouths.

"I do." The cold, emotionless words from Sasuke entered her mind.

"And do you, Yamanaka Ino take Uchiha Sasuke to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest asked, turning to Ino.

This was the moment. The moment that would change her life. Everyone's eyes fixed on her. Just like she had wanted. Next to Uchiha Sasuke. Just as she wanted. But there was something missing. There was no love there. No connection. No happiness between her and the man she had dreamed of marrying. Nothing.

Sasuke looked down at her, with the slightest bit of hurt showing on his face. But his emotionless mask he always wore had covered it too well. He waited anxiously for Ino to say it.

There was a ten second silence where everyone's eyes were on Ino.

'Make a decision to make yourself happy Ino.' Sakura tried to send the message to Ino's mind.

Finally, Ino closed her eyes painfully and opened them. "I do."

'This was my decision, I can't back out now.' Ino thought regretfully, while turning to the Uchiha who was now facing her.

"You may kiss the bride." Came the five words everyone had waited for.

Soon after, came the party. Naturally, the bride and groom were to share the first dance.

The pair danced together, refusing to look at each other. Not only that, they had danced far apart for a couple who was sharing a slow dance.

They both knew the real reason why Sasuke had asked Ino to marry her. She was from one of Konoha's most noted clans. With the blood of her clan and that of his, their children would be perfect. The perfect killing machines. Not only that, but it would restore his clan. Nothing more. The marriage held no love. And if there was any to be shared between the two, it was certainly not showing.

Everyone watched the two dance, staring at them in an odd fashion. Even Sai, the one who could not notice the simplest emotion, realized something was wrong. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

BACK TO INO.

"Hn." Ino grunted. It was a habit that had rubbed off onto her from Sasuke. She didn't exactly know why she had ever loved him. All he ever done was grunted and glared at people. At the time when she had fallen in love with him, she thought he was so unpredictable and mysterious.

She smirked at her foolishness. Unpredictable and mysterious? No. All that he ever thought about was "avenging" his clan and restoring it. She thought that under the mask he had worn was a nice boy. One who would hold her when she was crying. One who would comfort her and take care of her when she was sick. One she would share all her secrets with.

No. It was all wrong. He didn't do any of those. When she was crying, he had told her to shut-up and stop being a kid. If he was in a good mood. Sasuke? Good mood? It was rare for THAT to happen. Sometimes he would beat her for disturbing her.

"See what happens when you let emotions get in your way? You disgust me." He would sometimes say.

When she was sick, she thought the Uchiha was finally realizing that he loved her. He was gentle with her then. He did everything he could to make her feel better and wouldn't leave her side at those times.

That was until the day his words came out in a somewhat happy tone. "Get better soon." He told her. "We don't want our children to get sick as much as her mother does."

At that her smile faded. That was the last straw. She finally lost her hope for a good life.

Not only was she not allowed to go out without having to be back by a certain time, but her husband, the man who was to love her and care for her only cared for the future of his clan. All he cared about was keeping his family alive. Ino was tossed aside. She lived a secluded life, with only rare visits from her best friend Sakura, who at times seemed to be the only one there for Ino. But now Sakura was off in her own life. She had married Naruto, the new Hokage.

Ino envied Sakura. What Ino would give to smile again. To laugh with her friends. To live her life.

But it was he who ruined it. He who left bruises and scars all over her.

Physically and mentally.

Ino finally reached the Uchiha compound and walked up to her bedroom where Sasuke had been waiting for her impatiently.

Sasuke looked up at her with a cold stare that told her there were going to be more bruises and cuts tonight.

"Where were you?" Sasuke asked her in a frightening tone.

But this didn't phase Ino. In fact, she just looked back at him with the same cold stare.

"What does it matter to you?" She replied in a cold voice. One that was lower than her usual voice.

With that, Sasuke had her pinned against the wall, with a kunai pressing to her neck, threatening to pierce her skin.

"What are you going to do, idot? Kill me?" She tested him. "Too bad. I guess the future for your clan is gone." She smirked.

Sasuke threw the kunai at the wall on the other side of the room and threw her on the bed, pinning her down again.

"Who do you think you're talking to?!" He yelled at her.

"Well, it feels like I'm talking to an idi-" She tried to reply before she was cut off by Sasuke's mouth crashing harshly onto hers.

This happened every night. It was like a routine. She would come home to an angry Sasuke who threatened to kill her, she got on his nerves and he took it out on her by either beating her or forcing himself upon her. Then the next morning, he came in serving her breakfast and apologizing. Ino was sick of it.

Sasuke ripped off his clothes and discarded his before forcing himself onto her. He really did wish he could make it all better for her. When he had proposed to her, he had promised her happiness and joy. But he did not know how to bring her to happiness now. He abused her and brought her down. He wished he was not like this anymore.

Before Sasuke had done anything else, he stopped. Ino looked up at him with an odd look, which he turned away from. Even after three years of being together, she still showed pain in her eyes. The pain he couldn't bear to look at.

"I...Ino..." He paused.

Ino stared up at him with a questioning look. 'He stuttered?' she thought, surprised. "Yes..?" She asked.

Sasukes face looked down at her sincerely for the first time ever since he proposed.

"I'm... I... I'm sorry." He said looking down at her sympathetically. "I want to make you happy. I want to see you smile again. I... I can't take it anymore. I promise... I won't do this again." He said, bring her into an embrace.

Ino felt the soothing warmth coming from his embrace. She could tell he meant what he said and hugged him back, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you." She whispered, tears of happiness coming from her eyes.