Chapter six: Ino and Sakura

Ino woke up in the morning to find herself exhausted and….naked? Memories of what they did last night and the day before yesterday came flooding in. Comes to think of it the flower shop was never opened for two days in a row. She rolled out of bed and ran to the bathroom to take a shower. Wow, she hasn't taken a bath for two days. With that thought in mind she washed herself with extra soap thinking how dirty she was for not taking a bath….for 'two' days.

She walked out of the bathroom feeling refreshed for the first time. She walked to the bed to see Shikamaru still sleeping with his face smashed in the pillow. She walked to her side of the bed to grab her cell phone to check her messages. She clicked on the voice mail and pressed the device close to her ear.

'You have one new message…'

"Ino…I… I just…"

'…End of messages.'

Ino flipped her phone closed and looked at it. It was Sakura. It sounded like she really wanted to say something to her but she hung up. Ino sat on the bed and shook her head.

--

"Come on its easy…." Sasuke said.

"Hnn…" Kyo said under his breath. "….that's what you said when I first got on the ice before I fell down…" He said as Sasuke and Sakura tried to force him onto the ice again. Sasuke and Sakura already knew how to skate and they were trying to teach Kyo how to skate if he would let them.

"It's not that bad, Kyo…" Sakura grabbed his hand and tried to pull him but he wouldn't leave the comfort of the rubber floor to go onto the ice or in his words. 'The evil ice that always makes me fall'. "….come on last time and then we'll leave you alone…"

Kyo groaned but let his mother pull him onto the slippery ice that has been recently cleaned. "Now you just have to push your feet in and out…" Sasuke said and Kyo looked at his feet as he tries to copy Sasuke's moves and before he knew it he was skating very slowly. He stopped in the middle of the ice and looked at his mother and he laughed.

He threw his arms up in the air in victory. "I did it…" He laughed. Kyo stopped laughing when he fell backwards on his behind. Sakura and Sasuke laughed and skate to him to help him up. They pulled him up and he started laughing again. Kyo held onto the sides of the skating ring. "…well it was fun while it lasted." He smiled the whole time.

Just a moment ago he was complaining about falling down and didn't want to go back on the ice and then now he doesn't want to come off. Sakura laughed and watched as Kyo tried to get away from Sasuke because he was threatening to push him down. As if he's been skating for a long time Kyo quickly skated to the other side and around the whole ring again to get away from Sasuke.

He stopped to take a deep breath only to have Sasuke come up behind him. "I can't breathe…" Kyo laughed and looked around to see what he's done. He just skate the whole ring without knowing it. I guess it takes a lot of motivation. He turned to see his mother skating towards them while clapping her hands. "…did you see that, mom?" She smiled and nodded.

"He was a fast learner…" Sasuke said. "….just ten minutes ago you were waiting by the side lines waiting to go home but now you don't want to…"

Kyo gave him a smirk. "Hey…" He started. "….first one to do two laps is the winner…" Kyo said before skating away from him. Sasuke laughed before skating after him leaving Sakura to her thoughts.

--

Ino was cleaning the counters to her flower shop getting ready to close down until a bell rung signaling that there is a customer in her shop. "I'm sorry we're closed…" Ino said walking to the front of the shop only to see a very familiar face staring at her. "….Sakura..." She whispered and folded her arms across her chest. "…how did you find this place?" She asked and Sakura grabbed a card out of her pocket.

"There was a card attached to the roses you sent to me and I just thought I'd stop by…" Sakura whispered. She was actually planning on calling her but she finally gathered enough courage to see her in person. "…. I just want to apologize about what happened at the apartment a couple days ago…" Tears welled up in her eyes. "…you were right. I was stupid and ran away without solving the problem. I'm sorry that you had to go through all the troubles and then Sasuke…." Ino frowned at her friend before walking to her and giving her a hug.

"It's okay Sakura…" She assured. "….I'm sorry for yelling at you… I just wanted to know everything…" She pulled back and looked at her and smiled. "…glad to have you back…"

Sakura wiped her tears. "You…you didn't tell Sasuke did you?" She asked and Ino shook her head.

"Even after everything that happened, what kind of friend would I be if I did?"

"Thank you, Ino…" She said. "…. I'm just not ready to face everyone just yet… I just need some time…"

Ino looked at her friend again and smiled.

Sakura laughed. "I'm guessing to the name of your store you married Shikamaru…"

"Yeah…" She sighed. "….apparently he's the same old and lazy ass bum we know in high school. He didn't change one bit."

"So…" Sakura said. "…any kids yet?"

"Three and still working…." Ino said with a slight blush but she kept talking. "….two four year old sons and a ten month old daughter…"

"Ten months and you want another one?" Sakura asked. "…gosh Ino can't you wait until she turns at least one?"

"Well now I have to because Shikamaru keeps ignoring me every time I said I want another one. He gets up and leaves the room without another word." Ino sighed.

"I know Shikamaru is not a children kind of person but how did he handle the whole birthing situation?" Sakura asked and Ino just snorted.

"He didn't…" Ino said. "….he was no help at all. He was knocked out the whole time and my father had to get him up. He was up when my girl was born and that was it for him." Ino laughed actually remembering that time. "Hey um, I have to go but we can meet somewhere… I'm free during lunch tomorrow…"

"Okay…" Sakura said hugging Ino one last time. "…. I'll meet you at that new down town café tomorrow at 1:30…"

"Sounds good…" Sakura said as they walked out of the shop and went their separate ways until tomorrow.

--

Shikamaru woke up at 12:45 in the afternoon to find himself all alone in the room. Ino usually wakes him up at eleven unless there was something wrong. He got up in just his boxers and ran to Aya's nursery to find it empty…no Ino and no….Aya?" He ran in the room and looked in the crib to find it empty.

Parent instinct took over him. 'Holy shit Aya is missing. How am I going to tell Ino this? She's probably going to bite my head off when she gets home.'

Shikamaru ran downstairs and in the kitchen to see Ino making bottles. "Ino…" He said. "…Aya is missing…." He said and Ino just looked at him as if he were crazy. He did a double take. "…wait weren't you suppose to be at work?"

"No, I have a day off… It's a Sunday and I'm going to meet a friend for lunch…" She said laughing at his face. "….what did you say about Aya?"

"She's missing…" He said looking for any signs of worry in her face but there was none.

"Keep your boxers on, Shikamaru…" She said. "…in the car seat in the living room… I'm taking her with me." She said as a wave of relief washed over him. "I didn't wake you because she always wants her daddy…"

"Oh…." He said stupidly and walked in the living room to see the infant in her car seat wearing a dress and sleeping. He kneeled down and looked at her. She looked so peaceful until she opened her eyes and looked at him. She laughed quietly and waved her hands at him. He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Why did you wake her up?" Ino asked walking in the living room with all the baby stuff slung on her shoulder. "Now she's never going to want to leave…" Ino sighed as Aya looked at her and then at her daddy and happily waved her arms at him again. "… I have to go…." Ino said kissing his cheek and picking up her car seat. After realizing that she is never going to her daddy she made teary eyes before crying.

Ino looked at Aya when she strapped her in the car. Her face was so red. She wants her daddy. "Why can't you be a momma's girl?"

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Hello… I was supposed to post this up yesterday but I was too lazy to type and I apologize for that and I will update tomorrow.

--aprilfreak101