GAHH!!! I know, I know. It has taken me MONTHS to get this chapter up. It has been sitting in my document for ever I wanted it to be perfect, and school, sports, clubs, and other things kept me so busy. I am soooo sorry readers. I will TRY to get the next one out sooner. Dx

Ino walked down the stairs as slow as she could. Her skirt ruffled as she went from one step to another. Her high heals made a soft noise on each one. Her hair was long again and down, no pony tail. Her bangs faded into the rest of her hair and covered her eyes for the most part, only so that she could see. Her face needed no make up, and she was glad she didn't wear any or else it would have run down her face, like the tears she was still trying to stop. Making her way to the bottom, she looked around and heard her father and Shikaku talking in Inoichi's study, drinking too, like every year. But this year there was some sadness in the house. Mrs. Nara didn't like Shikamaru seeing who he was seeing…either did Shikaku. They liked it when it was Ino and him where seeing each other. But it would never be like that again. Looking at the shoes left at the door, she saw a pair of Suna sandals and felt her heart wince, as if she had been stabbed. Yes, Shikamaru was seeing Temari now…and it made her sick to see them together…and they were always together. Feeling another tear slip from the strong girls face, she wiped it and stood up straight. Walking into the kitchen where she saw her mother and Mrs. Nara.

"Merry Christmas, Ino dear."

Mrs. Nara said to her and hugged her, kissing her cheek. It was always like that, the families where so close. Ino felt empty as she hugged her back, trying not to show that she just finished sobbing. After talking for awhile, Ino wanted to head back to her room. As she did, she passed the den; she saw Temari and Shikamaru kissing. Unwilling tears swelled to her eyes and she bit her lip so hard it hurt. Running up the stairs, Shikamaru broke the kiss and looked at Ino as she ran up. His well trained eyes caught sight of a tear as it fell down her soft face and onto the ground. He started to feel bad for kissing Temari in Ino's house…but Temari turned his head back to her, and she kissed him again.

Ino slammed her door and broke down sobbing again. It wasn't long till the Akimichi's showed up at the Yamanka house. Choji walked up to Ino's room and knocked on the door.

"Go away!!"

She cried out, sobbing into her pillow.

"Please Ino…please let's just talk..?"

Choji said in a quiet voice, feeling so bad for his team mate and friend.

"No Choji!! Go away!!"

She yelled back. Choji opened the door slightly and peered in at Ino's figure laying on her bed, sobbing and withering away in front of him. The once bright and smiling girl…the stubborn leader of InoShikaCho was crying…sobbing with her heart aching so badly.

"Please leave…I don't want to be seen like this…!"

Ino yelled at him, seeing that he had come into the room. Choji gave his head a nod and walked out of the room, closing the door slowly. As he walked down the stairs, he saw Shikamaru and Temari kissing. He shot his best friend and angry and disappointed look, and Temari scowled at Choji. Shikamaru started to feel guilty for all this…but one again went back to kissing Temari when she forced another kiss onto his lips.

FLASHBACK

Ino walked through the streets of Konoha, looking for Shikamaru. It was New Years Day, and she got him a small something, wanting to give it to him. Her feet took her through the snow to a place where Shikamaru would like to get tea, he liked it so much because Asuma used to take them there as genin. Also, you could smoke there. Getting there, he didn't see Shikamaru. Sighing, she rolled her eyes.

'Where is that lazy ass..?'

she thought as she asked the shop keeper if he had been there that day. He said that Shikamaru had been here not to long ago and walked off with a blonde haired shinobi from Suna. Ino felt her heart drop at those words.

'Temari..? What in the hell is she doing here..? And why is she with…Shikamaru..?'

she thought as she walked off in that direction that the shop keeper said that they had gone in. Getting to a street lined in sakura blossom trees and snow…Ino's eyes filled with tears and the small present that she got Shikamaru dropped the ground, breaking… It was anther piece to his Shogi game. Tears flowed from her eyes and hit the ground at the sight she saw. Temari's arms where wrapped around Shikamaru's neck, Shikamaru's on her waist. Their lips interlocked in a kiss.

Temari broke the kiss and looked at Ino, no regret or any sign of emotion on her face for the tears Ino was shedding. Shikamaru looked at Ino and his eyes grew wide.

"I-Ino…I can-"

he started to say, but Ino wiped her eyes and started to yell at him.

"H-How could you Shikamaru!? Why…why would you do this?! I thought…I though that you.."

She put her hands over her heart, feeling it breaking and more tears fall down her face. Temari smirked and put her hands on her hips.

"You thought what? That he loooooovvvvveeddddd you?"

She said, mocking Ino and laughing.

"Just so you know, he's been cheating on you for the past two weeks little girl. He wants a woman, not a toddler."

She said as she closed her eyes and smirked in her winning of Shikamaru. Ino lowered her head and felt more tears drip down her face.

"Temari!"

Shikamaru yelled at her after hearing what she said to Ino.

"Ino…please…I'm so sorry…I..."

He couldn't think of what to say… Ino lifted her head and looked at him with her crystal blue eyes, her hands shaking and tears flowing down her porcelain like face.

"H-Happy…New Year.."

she choked out and turned, running away…

END FlASH BACK.

Ino lifted her head from the pillow and wiped her eyes with the sleave of her shirt. She wasnt going to be able to stay here this Chrsitmas, she just couldnt. Her heart wa breking in to thousands of pieces all over again each tims she saw the both of them together. It was too much for her to bear. Swallowing hard, she gathered her courage and walked to the bedroom door. Opening it, she left her room and headed down stairs again.She didnt bothr to look at anyone, she just did what she had to do. Grabbing her coat and slipped it on and went to the door..

"I-Ino!! Where are you going?! Its a blizzard out there!!"

Choji said, trying to stop the girl from leaving. But she didn't listen. Opening the door, she ran out into the snow and didn't look back. This was it, she was done with watching her sanity disapear, she was done with seeing her heart breaking so much. She was done. Running still, she started to get colder and colder. Only wearing high heals and stockings with a short skirt, her legs froze. But she didn't care. The pain inside...was much, much worse. But what now? She could barley see through the snow, and she was out alone..at night...on Christmas Eve in the middle of a blizzard...

'God help me...'

she thought, running on.