Chapter 1: Inoichi's Return

Inoichi, along with the rest of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, leisurely walked through the busy streets of Konoha. They just returned from a week long mission, and not a day too soon. "A week away from home and I already missed this place." Inoichi said with a yawn, "What I wouldn't do for a nice bed right about now."

"Aoh, sleep can wait, I'm starving. Let's head to my restaurant and eat!" Choza suggested merrily.

Shikaku politely declined, "Sorry, I'm going to head home and work on the report for the hokage."

"Shizune-sama said the fifth will be out for a few days for family issues." Choza slapped Shikaku on the back playfully. He gave his scarred friend a wide smile, "It can wait until later."

Shikaku tucked his thumbs into the pockets of his pants and hung his arms lifelessly at his sides. His posture slouched a bit with a masked of indifference in his eyes. Inoichi and Choza immediately picked up the tell sign of when Shikaku had something on his mind. "Troublesome." The shadow master mumbled as if he was talking to no one in general.

Choza and Inoichi looked at each other and then back at their comrade. "Something happen Shikaku?" Inoichi voiced his concern.

"You don't find it odd?" Shikaku looked at their unchanging expressions. "So much for mind walkers being Konoha's best lie detectors." He thought cynically.

They walked by the Yamanaka flower shop as Inochi came to a sudden stop. "It's Thursday."

"I know." Choza said as his eyes turned toward the door to the shop and noticed the closed sign. "Ah."

"Hime must be sick today." Choza shrugged. Wasn't like he kept up with the man's daughter.

"Mr. Yamanaka! Mr. Nara! Mr. Akimichi!" Came a bright voice drowning out the noise of the busy crowd. They looked down the wall as Konoha's Cherry Blossom came running toward them with an arm waving wildly.

"Hey, have either of you seen Ino, Naruto or Tsunade?" Sakura asked coming to a full stop in front of them.

"Sorry Sakura, we just got back into town from a mission. Been gone for a week." Choza explained as the other two nodded.

"Oh… strange. I haven't seen Naruto for a couple of days now." Sakura crossed her arms under her breasts. Her brow was hard pressed, as if she had a lot on her mind. "I wanted to talk to Naruto about the other day. Then suddenly Ino disappear and now Tsunade-shishō. Shizune-sempai said Tsunade-shishō had a family emergency, but I didn't realize she had any relatives alive."

That pique the three jonin's interest, "Have you tried my house?" asked Inoichi.

"Yes. I've already asked Shikamaru and Choji as well and all I get is "We're not her baby sitter" or something along those lines." An idea suddenly popped into Sakura's head as she banged a fist against her palm, "Ah ha! I should check the casino. Bet I'll find Tsunade-shishō there."

Sakura turned around and took a few steps away before coming to a sudden stop, remembering why she waved them down to begin with. She turned and flashed her left hand up to reveal an engagement ring, "Oh did I tell you the news?"

"Oh?" Choza and Inoichi responded in unison. "I'm engaged! We're having the wedding the day after my ninja license expires next month."

"Congratulations. Tell Naruto if he needs some advice on marriage to come ask me." Shikaku offered nonchalantly.

Sakura gave a small, unsure laugh. Inoichi and Shikaku immediately picked up her tense body language, "Well, the thing is…" She trailed off. The three jonins immediately put half of the news together.

"Poor boy." Choza thought saddened. The other two had similar thoughts. They knew the boy was madly in love with Sakura, and from the way she acted around the boy in public, her feelings were mutual.

"I'm getting married to Sasuke." Sakura smiled happily.

Inoichi's eyes widened as Shikaku gave a scowl of disgust. "Sasuke…" The name slipped off of Inoichi's lips with malice. Many of the jonins abhorred the Uchiha, Inoichi included.

"Yep!" Sakura chirped. "Well, I'll be seeing you. Bye." Sakura waved then took off to the rooftops in the direction of the casino.

"That explains Naruto and Tsunade-sama." Inoichi said.

Choza looked at Shikaku, "How'd you figure it out?"

"Shizune said Tsunade was out due to a family emergency. It wasn't hard to figure it out that it involved Naruto. Though, I wasn't expecting Sakura to have a hand in this." Shikaku said.

"I'd love to stay and talk about this, but I'm going home to take a shower and a long nap. I'll stop by the restaurant tonight for some dinner." Inoichi said as he began to walk in the direction to his house.

"Come by at eight if you want the meal for free. You too." Choza said to Inoichi then turned to Shikaku. Inoichi just raised a hand in acknowledgement.

XX

Inoichi went to grab the doorknob to his front door but found it locked. Cursing and fumbling with his keys he unlocked the door and slipped inside. He took a step forward before tripping and falling his face on the soft carpet. "Ino and her stuff." He grumbled with a few curses mixed in.

He picked himself up and reached down to pick up a green duffle bag, "Huh? I don't remember Ino buying this." He opened it and scanned the contents of the bag with his hand and eyes. What the hell? It was nothing but male clothes!

"There better not be a boy in my house!" His eyes flared up with fire. Determined to catch her in the act, he snuck down the hallway until he came near the kitchen. The sound of water alerted him that someone was in there at the sink.

He jumped into the kitchen with the duffle bag in hand, "Alright young lady! Where is he?" He demanded with a father's authority that promised years of pain and suffering.

The curved figure at the sink who wore a very familiar kimono turned around with a butcher knife in hand. Almond chocolate eyes met pale blue. Fright shivered down the spine of the Yamanaka head, "Tsunade-hime. What are you doing here?"

"I've been helping your daughter take care of Naruto." Tsunade said sternly.

Inoichi gave her a blank look, "Naruto's here?"

"'fraid so. His nerves are shot and his body is reacting to extreme stress. In short, severe depression. Upset stomach, fever, chills, fatigue." Tsunade turned toward her cutting board and picked it up. She walked over to the stove with a large pot of boiling water. "I'm making some soup if your hungry. Ino is upstairs tending to Naruto if you want to see them."

Inoichi smiled softly. This was a side of the Hokage he never seen before. No masks, no title, just a woman looking after her child. Now he understood why the kid was so fond of the elderly woman. "I met Sakura on the way over here."

Tsunade stopped stirring and stared lifelessly into the pot. While she didn't hate the girl, she hated what she did to her child. "She told me about the wedding." Inoichi admitted.

"How's my daughter?" Inoichi walked toward the counter. He eyed the various medicine that were organized by size against the wall. He recognized some of the drugs. Expensive but high quality medicine. He chuckled inwardly. "Leave it to Tsunade to pull no punches when it comes to the kid."

"She's been with him continuously." Tsunade turned toward Inoichi. "Hand me the salt." Inoichi reached into the cabinet and grabbed the large salt shaker Ino used for cooking and handed it to the Hokage.

"It'll be ready shortly." Tsunade said sensing the man's uneasiness. "Your daughter is with Naruto in her bedroom."

Inoichi had a deer-in-the-headlights look, "She let Naruto use her bedroom?"

Tsunade nodded, "She feels guilty because she overheard Naruto arguing with Sakura and Sasuke and watched him break down."

Inoichi walked toward the door and sat the duffle bag on the table as he passed by. "Inoichi." He heard Tsunade call out.

"Ino heard Sakura and Sasuke call Naruto a jinchūriki. Any questions she has about it is Naruto's place to tell." Tsunade said as she walked toward the cabinet and grabbed several large bowls.

Inoichi nodded in agreement., "Are you going to invoke the third's law then?"

"'fraid not. The brat's got a heart of gold. He begged me not to." Tsunade walked back toward the pot and took a large spoon and tasted her handiwork. "Needs more pepper."

"Then what are you going to do?" Inoichi felt a slight tug of respect toward the jinchūriki. It would take someone with a very kind heart to refuse ill will toward someone who slighted him so jadedly.

"Legally nothing." Tsunade said. Inoichi frowned. "Doesn't mean their actions are going unchecked. Karma always was a bitch."

XX

Ino sat on a chair beside Naruto. The room was quite large for a bedroom. Stuffed dolls were neatly arranged in one corner on top of a dresser. Beside it was a large mirror with a orient design. Sticky notes with various beauty tips ranging from the strange to the insane plastered the top of it.

In the other corner was a door leading to a large walk in closet. Sakura once made a comment about it being half the size of her bedroom. She wasn't far off. Ino measured both.

Ino took pride and joy in her room. Unlike Shikamaru and Choji, their house was modern so it allowed her to paint her walls her favorite shade of purple. Between her closet and doorway was a large bed with pink covers. She always slept with far more pillows than she really needed, but she had felt the current occupant of the bed would've been unaccustomed to such a luxury and threw but two on the floor.

She had borrowed the white chair from her desk against the wall near the window and sat close to Naruto as he slept. Her fingers delicately caressed his strands of oily hair. First thing he was doing when he got better was taking a bath! Still, it amazed her at how soft his hair could be even after a few days of not bathing.

His face twisted to discomfort as he shifted his body, "No… I'm sorry. Don't leave… me…" Ino frowned and wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead with the small towel on her chair's armrest.

"Still having nightmares. I always thought the great Uzumaki had no fears." She set the towel and placed a palm on his forehead. "To hold your head up high with such a burden on your shoulders. To always smile even though everyday just brought pain."

She checked to make sure he was still asleep and then lowered close to his ear, "Don't tell anyone this, but I envy you. I wish I had your courage."

"I'd say your pretty courageous yourself, Hime." Ino turned her head and saw Inoichi standing at the doorway.

"Father!" She rushed out her chair, knocking it over, and embraced Inoichi in a tearful hug.

"There now. Hokaga-sama is cooking some food. Let's go downstairs and eat and we'll talk." Inoichi smiled as his daughter turned and looked at Naruto. "He'll be fine."

XX

"I see." Inoichi sipped his sake. Ino had just finished telling him everything that had happened. From Naruto's argument with Sakura and Sasuke to her asking Shikamaru to get Tsunade for help. Quite frankly, he was impressed with the way Ino handled herself.

"Tsunade-shishō," Ino looked at Tsunade as she set her spoon down. "I know you said it was Naruto's place to tell me about his burden, but can I ask you something?"

Tsunade gave a nod for the teen to say what she wanted. "I never thought about it until the other day. When we were kids I used to see the grownups torment him. I always thought it was because of his pranks…"

The girl was sharp, Tsunade had to give her that. Though considering who she hung around with and her clan it didn't really surprise her, "The life of a jinchūriki is a lonely one. People are foolish and hate what they do not understand. They tormented and alienated him every chance they could. And when their actions wasn't enough, they ingrained it into their children."

"Such a sad existence." Ino said suddenly losing all hunger.

"It is. Me and that perverted sage used to talk a lot about Naruto. There were many things we regretted in the past. One regret we shared was not coming to Konoha sooner for the brat. Heaven knows the boy deserved a family." Though what Tsunade had said carried a lot of weight, Ino still smiled because she knew that along the way the boy had gained a family. He just never opened his eyes to see it.

"I'd still like to get even with Sasuke and Sakura." Ino spoke with malice.

"Just like I told your father. Our hands are tied." Tsunade said pouring herself another glass of saki, "The jonin council already passed their verdict on the Uchiha last week."

Inoichi gave Tsunade a confused look, "No one told me about a jonin session."

"We didn't call for a session until the day after you left." Tsunade informed.

"What was it about?" asked Inoichi.

"The sanctions concerning Uchiha Sasuke." The name rolled off of Tsunade's lips venomously. Ino cringed at the thought of Tsunade catching Sasuke in an alley. A dead man tell no tales and she was pretty sure the Uchiha wouldn't be around to point out his murderer.

"And that is?" He watched Tsunade with interest as she took a large gulp from her glass of sake. He'd never understand how that woman could drink sake like most people drank water.

Tsunade set her glass down and returned the gaze to Inoichi, "His ninja license has been suspended indefinitely. His chakra has been sealed and he is forbidden from leaving Konoha for three years unless he has permission and an escort. Furthermore, he's allowed to keep his family's estate and money, but they're losing their status as a clan. It takes more than one person to make a clan after all."

Ino's and Inoichi's jaw dropped. Ino heard there were sanctions being placed on the Uchiha, but she never imagined they were this severe.

"Oh it gets better. All of his family's jutsus are being confiscated and will be copied and, depending on the jutsu, will be handed over to the academy and library. Not to mention he's stuck working community service for about a year. I hear Hiashi is making his life hell right now." Tsunade laughed at Ino's and Inoichi's reaction.

Inoichi ate a spoonful of his soup and begin talking with a mouthful of vegetables, "Now I see why you can't do anything to the Uchiha legally."

"Daddy!" Ino scolded, "Manners."

Inoichi swallowed his food, "Sorry sweetie."

Ino gave a yawn. "Tired hime?" Inoichi eyed his daughter as she stood up from the table.

"A little. Nothing a soldier pill won't solve." She said.

The sound of a glass being set back down on the table echoed through the room, "Oh no young lady. You'll be sleeping in my bed."

"But daddy!" Ino protested.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of Naruto while you're asleep. Hokage-sama, if your staying the night, your more than welcome to share my bed with Ino. It's quite large. I'll take the couch." Inoichi offered.

Ino kissed Inoichi's cheek, "Night daddy. Night Tsunade-shishō." Ino left the dinning room and headed for the stairs.

"I'll take you up on that offer. Now that Ino is gone." Tsunade said as she pushed her bowl away and rested her elbows on the table. She locked her fingers together and rested them under her chin. "I have a matter to discuss with you."

"Hmm?" Inoichi sat his spoon down and pushed his bowl to the side as well. The look in Tsunade's eyes told him she meant business.

"We are having a Kage summit here in Konoha in a couple of weeks. I realize you just got home, but this is an important mission and must be kept under wraps. I need the original Ino-Shika-Cho to escort a special guest for me. Consider it a D-rank mission with S-rank pay. It'll be under the radar of course." Tsunade smirked as a familiar gleam of greed hit Inoichi's eyes.

Easy money always had a loud voice.

A/N: I've already written three more chapters for this story. I'm just proof reading them and tweaking them to my liking. It's just too fun and I had to much time on my hands this weekend so meh… why not? Make sure you guys spoil me with reviews and tell me how much you enjoy it.