Chapter 4: Memories and regret

The two teenagers left Konoha Village and made thier way to the Rain Country, Thier job was to deliver the equipment to the Hidden Rain Village. Where the heart of the disease was, So far on thier trip. Himawari never talks to him, dissapears in the forest and come back with a remorse look on her face, Shikadai knew something was up, But he let it slide.

For now.

The First Trimester : The fetus is now 4 cm and is a size of a grape, the brain and spinal cord are forming and the organ systems are developing, Adding on to this,the heart has already developed.

Symptoms include : nausea or vomiting, frequent urination, tender or tingly breast, fatigue, dizziness, mood swings and cravings.

Himawari : 9 weeks pregnant.

"Alright, we'll stop here." Himawari sighed and dropped her sack to the ground, Shikadai sat on a rock and opened his sack. Himawari groaned as her stomach churned and her breasts tingled, she whimpered and stood up, "I'm going to go find a river." With one step she turned around, "Please. Don't follow me." Her voice was flat and cold as usual, Shikadai sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay. Just come back soon." He looked at her with concern. Himawari felt her shoulders slump a bit-his gaze melting her vulnerable soul. with teary eyes she nodded and left.

After Himawari left, Shikadai unclipped his sack lock and pulled out the map. He scanned the routes and shortcuts of the forest, he thought of every possibility and outcomes of the trip, he found some. He dug his hand into the sack and pulled out a necklace, it had the Nara Clan symbol in the middle. His old-man gave him this before he left.

Shikadai glanced at the necklace then at his father, his confusion was very obvious to the eye. "Dad? why do you have mom's necklace?" Shikamaru gave his son a teasing look, " Hinata told Temari what happened between you and Himawari." Shikadai face went pale, His father put his hand up.

"At first she was furious and wanted to kill you for having sex without getting married, but when Hinata explained her side of the story about Himawari, she knew that she was the one." Shikadai looked down and smiled, "So long story short-Your mother gave this to you and to wish you good luck."

Shikamaru gave his son the necklace, Shikadai looked up, tears starting to form."Shikadai. If she pushes you away or be mean or cold to you, just give her space she'll come around eventually." Shikadai raised a brow at his father attitude-but shrugged it off . He grinned at the necklace and smirked "Thanks dad. I promise I won't let you and mom down." Shikamaru nodded, "Good."

Shikadai licked his lips and sighed, 'Looks like I failed you dad.' He checked his watch and narrowed his eyes, 'Himawari has been gone for the past 20 minutes.' He packed his stuff and went the same direction she went into. He jumped over a branch and twisted his way through the tall trees, finally hearing the gushing sound of water, he spotted Himawari right in front of the river, crouched down, a retched sound echoed with the water current.

He realized what was making that retching sound. Himawari was vomiting. All of the contents she was puking were being washed away by the river. Shikadai scurried to her side and helped her pulling back her hair for easier comfort. Coughing up the last bit, she did a couple of dry heaves before Scooting to another part of the riverside she was on and cleaned her mouth, she panted and turned to Shikadai. Shikadai grasped her into a hug she really needed for a long time.

She flinched and pushed him back, "What are you doing here? I thought I told you Not to follow me! Why are you following me?" Shikadai furrowed his eyebrows, his patience almost at the limit. "You were gone for 20 minutes-" "Yeah! a few minutes! why don't you leave me the hell alone!" He growled and took a step forward thier faces centimeters apart. "I can't leave you alone, I promised your father that I'll protect and take care of you. Why can't you just see that? Why are you so cold and mean to me ? I-" he took a deep breath. "I just want you to know , I care about you." His pained expression almost reflecting off of hers.

almost.

Himawari laughed mockingly shaking her head and clapping her hands, "You! Caring about me?" She pointed to herself and laughed again, Shikadai stared at her, Himawari stopped laughing and glared at the young adult boy. "Cut the crap Nara, if you had cared about me. Then you wouldn't have used me like a whore searching for a sugar daddy."

Shikadai didn't know that he was crying till he felt a irritative itch to wipe under his cheek. He sniffed and nodded, "Okay." He said voice cracked. "I deserved that, but I didn't use you. That was a mistake." Himawari put her fist at his chest, "Us having sex was a mistake?!" She yelled her voice starting to crack, Shikadai shooked his head, "No. That joke I told you when you visited my house-that was the mistake." He whispered making eye contact with her red outlined eyes, "So us having sex wasn't a mistake?" She whispered back, moving closer to him. He replied "No. It wasn't." As he gently kissed the fist that she put on his chest, Himawari laughed and sobbed, "Good." She said hooking her hands around the nape of his neck. "Good". He smiled putting his hands on her waist as he leaned down and kissed her softly. She smiled into the kiss and moved her lips with his in sync.

She felt a tear fall from her cheek touching Shikadai's cheek, Shikadai tilted his head a little and deepened the kiss slightly. Himawari moaned and picked at the small strands of his black hair at his nape of his neck. Shikadai brought Himawari closer, his chest rubbing with her breasts. She hissed and broke the kiss, Shikadai looked at her confused, "What's wrong?" Himawari groaned and closed her eyes, "Nothing, nothing at all." She smiled reassuringly.

Shikadai put his hand on her forehead, "Are you sick? I mean you were puking 15 minutes ago?" Himawari chuckled, "I'm fine see." She twirled, facing him as she finshed her act.

Shikadai smirked, "Good. Now I'm going to make dinner, the sun is going down." He was right, the sky was orange-yellow with a hint of blue and purple. Himawari nodded,"Okay! Let me just wash my hands, then I'll meet up with you at the camp." Shikadai nodded and pecked her lips, "I love you." He whispered, Himawari blushed, "I love you too." He smiled and left. When Himawari was certain Shikadai was gone, she put her hand on her stomach and smiled. "Well little one, It looks like your father and I might be becoming closer than ever." She smiled and left the river.

Shikadai was still suspicious about Himawari's attitude. When they had dinner she cried and whined that she wanted ramen, and just before they went to bed, Himawari said that she was cold.

It's Summer.

Giving her his blanket, she smiled and went inside her tent. Shikadai sighed and muttered out his complaints, he couldn't sleep so he decided to guard thier camp. He curiously glanced at Himawari's tent wondering if she had gone to sleep. Her light was on, her shadow moving around the tent, she looked like she was taking off her cloak. Shikadai blushed and looked away. He gazed at the sky, breathing softly in the crisp midnight air, the light in Himawari's tent died down slowly.

Shikadai walked to a tree and sat down under the tree-watching Himawari's tent intently. He promised Naruto that he would protect her with his life, Shikadai snorted at the memory that popped in his head out of nowhere.

The snowflakes slowly fell on the rooftops of Konoha Village, the citizens were bursting with content and laughter. Christmas time has arrived again and everyone was buying presents for someone they loved. Shikadai moaned at the warmth of the kotatsu heating up his legs and lower body. His mother went out shopping for his uncle and grandma, leaving him by himself at home.

He grumbled at the tv channels showing mostly couples and families opening presents and eating dinner together, he mostly grumbled at the games coming out and how expensive they were. He turned his head at the door that was knocked on and resonated through the Nara home, standing up he groaned and trudged to the door, he opened the door.

There stood Himawari, her cheeks and the tips of her ears were flushed, small puffs of air came out of her glossed lips, her small hands were covered in blue mittens and a scarf hid her small neck. Her crystal found emerald and she smiled making his cheeks very hot. "Shikadai-kun! Merry Christmas!" the 10-year old girl beamed her smile blinding him a little bit, "M-Merry Christmas Himawari." the 12-year old boy muttered and shyly looking away.

The girl giggled covering her mouth with the small baby blue mittens, "Hee! your so funny Shikadai-kun, anyway your probably wondering why I'm here? Well I wanted to give you my present early cause next week I'm staying with my grandpa and Aunt Hanabi for Christmas, so-" she said slowly revealing a green bag with a reindeer on it. Shikadai glanced at the bag then at her, "- I asked Inojin what you wanted, he said to go to Denki, I went to Denki and he said nii-chan might know, so I went to him and he told me what you might want this year."

She extended her present out to him and smiled nervously, he gently took the bag and peeked inside. It was the latest game consle, labled with many updates and new softwares, It was the most expensive game on the market.

Where did she even get the money?

He smiled, a really huge smile. Himawari stuttered and waved her hands back and forth, "I-I d-don't know w-what b-boys like, but-" her breath was taken away by something holding on to her small body. She coughed and blinked turning her head to Shikadai's neck, some of his hair on his back.

Since when did his hair get this long?

She exhaled softly on his neck her breaths making him hug her tighter. "Hima, thank you" he whispered, his lips kissing her neck softly. She giggled at the sensation and separated the hug. "Your welcome Shikadai." She grinned walking down the recent snow shoveled steps. He nodded and waved goodbye. She ran out of thier front yard and disappearing into the street, Shikadai closed the door and looked at the game, he grinned and went back to his warm kotatsu.

Even though Himawari got the game he finished 2 days later, she still went out to buy him something for Christmas. He was amazed at the determination she was showing just to get a game. Shikadai knew that she was the one, the one he loved. Like father said "She's totally a keeper." And he was right. She was.

A/N: Next chapter will be a time skip, and Shikadai and Himawari are going to have thier first battle on thier trip.

tab231.