Music of the update: "Wide awake" By Katy Perry

Neji had spent the first eighteen hours in a calm, practical mood. He even rounded the first twenty four hours with a grace of a noble of the house of Hyuuga as he waited in the hospital. It was unrealistic for him to expect news with the list of extensive injuries she had. She would probably be undergoing several procedures. Poison protocol was definitely a twenty four hour over night ordeal to monitor the victim and insure that there was no lingering effects or residue left in the blood stream. It was at thirty hours and fourty two minutes in the hospital when Neji begin to panic. He could not sit in the chairs any longer, and took to pacing. In the middle of his 3,756th step he saw the pink haired medic nin taking off her surgery cap and mask, and flash stepped to her as she nearly fell.

"S-sorry- I'm a little woozy" Sakura smiled weakly and Neji helped her to a chair. She settled, and it was then that Neji realized she was still in her scrubs. Dark stains marred them, where she had clearly been leaning over too much of her work. Neji's eyes darkened perceptively.

"I wanted you to hear it from me first because I know you've been waiting for news." Sakura said.

Neji felt the pit in his stomach sink. He swallowed hard, fists clenched as he waited.

"It was looking grim as we extracted the poison. It had been in her system for so long already. If she had been an hour later..." Sakura trembled.

If...Neji's heart skipped a beat as he gripped her shoulder, pearlescent eyes compassionate as he looked down on her, giving her the strength to continue.

"There were several complications, which is why I did not come to see you sooner" Sakura began, hesitating as she looked away from those eyes that could see through her fatigue and professional thick skin.

Sakura slumped her shoulders. "Ino's lung was punctured by the knife and we found fragments of bone shards from her cracked ribs. Her arm was shattered, full of shards and fragments, it looked like it had been through a shredder. She was poisoned which complicated the healing of everything else. She had a concussion from a blow to the head. She had various burns, second degree and third degree, explosions from the look of it, and splinters and gravel buried in her skin. Her back was lacerated from the knife, skin in tatters. There was so much surface abrasion..." Sakura confessed.

"Sakura. Tell me." Neji ordered.

"The poison has been extracted as far as I can tell, but we're monitoring her vitals for other signs and symptoms around the clock for the next twenty four hours to be sure. I was able to perform an advanced surgery, and get rid of the bone shards in her lungs, regrow the tissue there with some extensive stitches. We were able to stabilize her. She should pull through, but her recovery will depend on a variety of factors, how well her system takes to the blood transfusions we've already given her." Sakura said.

Neji closed his eyes, exultant, gratitude overwhelming him. He had no right to expect for her to come through and it was only through Sakura's abilities that she had managed to.

"Thank you." Neji opened his eyes, his weary smile beaming in those exhausted pearlescent eyes.

"Of course. Ino is my best friend." Sakura said, as if it should be obvious, but there was more going on than what she was saying. Byakugan eyed the pinkette medic carefully. Her words held an edge to them as she looked fearlessly into his eyes.

Neji returned the look, surprised by the amount of tension held in her tone. They were meant as an veiled threat judging by her stance, the hardened look in those jade eyes. The question was what was she threatened about?

"Neji what is this about?" Sakura asked him, biting her lip as she crossed her arms over her chest as she looked up at the Hyuuga prodigy. She was uncertain even as she was asking it.

"I'm not sure I understand your question, Sakura" Neji replied with a frown.

Pink brows pulled together as worry lines appeared above her forehead. "Okay, let's try this another way. Why is this so important to you? Why would you risk your position for Ino? Why did you wait so long to hear this news?" Sakura asked him, waiting for an answer.

"It was my mission." Neji replied, as if volunteering to find her was a regular ordinary part of his responsibilities. Sakura scowled at the expression, rising to her feet.

"What's in it for you?" Sakura pressed further. Her bold words gave him some sort of indication of what she was after, but Neji was not one to be provoked.

Neji's eyes narrowed a fraction. "The satisfaction of knowing that she's alive. Is that not enough for you to believe?" He retorted.

Clearly it wasn't, as she crossed her arms.

"I'm not sure I'm understanding what you're trying to imply, Sakura." Neji replied, crossing his own arms as he met her jaded look.

Sakura sighed. Perhaps she was pushing too hard, but she couldn't help but be defensive about Ino, particularly in the state she was in. Ino was her best friend. Sure they had arguments and spats all the time, and drove each other bat shit crazy. But in the end, she always knew where she stood with Ino-pig. Sakura had come far too close to loosing her best friend, and it had awoken something fierce in her. She would protect her friend as best she could, and the fact that he was another clan prodigy with an interest in the blonde had the hair on the back of her neck standing up. She wouldn't let Ino be used. She would protect her precious people.

"What do you want from Ino?" Sakura asked him, stabbing an accusing finger into his chest, green eyes sharp and penetrating.

Neji did not flinch from the look as he interpreted her concerns correctly. Sakura was worried for her friend, worried about his intentions for Ino. In that they were even.

"I expect nothing from her." Neji replied.

Sakura's look suggested otherwise.

"Please listen to me, Haruno san. Ino owes me no debt to be paid. This isn't about numbers, vendettas or even politics" He replied softly, thinking to address some of the the concerns Sakura seemed to have.

"You're evading my questions, Neji." Sakura replied with a slight grin as her stance grew less aggressive.

"What I want from her..." Neji replied simply, turning as he made his way out of the hospital

"Is everything." He said over his shoulder.

…...

Ino opened her eyes and regretted it immediately. The sterile smell of medical equipment, the smell of the hospital making her eyes water. And the agonizing pain. She tried to sit up and felt the stars in her eyes, excruciating sensations lancing through her nervous system, feeling the pull of muscles and bone, most of which she'd broken, torn, bruised and battered. It hurt to breathe and she began to cough as she realized the tenderness of her lungs. She noticed the lattice work of stitches done on her chest cavity and just below her ribs which were definitely broken. Various bones that had been set in place. Her arm was in a cast and from the looks and feel of it, had been through hell and a half and back.

Her back burned, ached, the wounds pulling with every miniscule movement she made and Ino had had to suck in a sharp shuddering breathe to get a hold of herself. Confused perwinkle eyes flickered underneath black lashes as she remembered what had happened. In her last moments she had been pinned to a tree. She remembered dying or something akin to it. And she remembered the smell of sweet pine and cedar and the color of the water.

She stared at the room, taking it all in as if she had never seen it before. She was definitely in Konoha given the view of the windows and that led her to take a deep sigh of relief. Tiled squares of white, splayed across the roof, and mismatching yellow and orange tiles across the floor of the iron hospital bed and the aura of light around everything looking like a false halo. How many drugs had they pumped into her system? Barely managing to turn her head a fraction, she realized she was in a neck brace. Ino hoped it was for precaution. On the borders of her senses, she felt their chakra. Dark pineapple shaped hair greeted her, along with a mane of red hair as both cried out her name.

"INO!" They declared, both of her boys practically rushing her, as they embraced her in a tight hug jostling the bed. Their tears dampened her hospital gown and had she had the ability she would have ruffled their hair, punched them in the shoulder and scolded them. As it was she let out a gasp of pain.

"Idiots." She hissed feeling something of her former self. "Get offa me before I break something else!" She wheezed, though the tears in her eyes weren't entirely ascribed to her pain as she grinned through her pain. Of course her boys were here. They were InoShikaChou after all.

"I-I-Ino..." Shikamaru's eye was swollen black bruise apparent though it looked like he was was trying to hide it. She would have to ask him where he got the shiner later currently she was more concerned by the rest of his appearance. His clothing was unkempt, his hair more of a birds nest than usual. Aside from the bruise his eyes were puffy like he hadn't slept in weeks, saline streaming down as he released her. Chouji was in no better shape, though he did not bear a swollen eye. His bottom lip trembled, wet trails down his face as he stood there.

"C'mon boys, cheer up. I made it back didn't I?" Ino stated trying to lighten the mood with a grin.

This only made it worse it seemed as they wiped with their sleeves. "You almost didn't" Chouji murmured.

Ino's eyes softened at the heartbroken look of her boys, trying to sit up before the tremor of pain shook through her. She hissed, sucking in breathe between clenched teeth as she tried to relax her body but her fists clenched. Shikamaru rose as Chouji grabbed her hand and winced as he held on while she rode the waves of pain.

"Hurts" She choked between tears that were now entirely attributed to pain.

"Get Sakura in here, Now." Shikamaru ordered to the nurse down the hall. He took off sprinting, but the petal haired nin wasn't far anyways, entering into the room, pushing through the boys as her hands glowed green.

"Settle down Ino, if you break those stitches, you'll bleed out. You're gonna need another transfusion as it is" Sakura told her.

Ino glared with contempt as she felt the precision of Forehead's chakra enter her system. Cool healing relief poured into her, and Ino was helpless against it. The waves of chakra lapped at her pain, flooding it, cleansing the wounds and infections, overflowing into her conciousness.

"I-Ino..." Shikamaru began, unable to look at her.

"Shika, knock it off." Ino retorted sharply, and this did make him look up. "You didn't do anything wrong. You followed my orders." Ino told him, grimacing as Sakura began to change her bandages.

"I should have never listened." Shikamaru replied apparently in one of his, "I'm a bad leader" moods more than likely inspired by the over-expectations of his clan as clan head and his own unrealistic expectations of himself. She'd have to beat that out of him later when she could walk again. "I should have known any idea you have would be too troublesome." He continued, trying to be humorous, and failing miserably.

Ino could have gotten upset, but it would only serve to make him more self loathing than he already was. So she decided to go with unfailing optimism.

"But it worked didn't it?" Ino gave him a wink and the victory sign and flinched as Sakura poked her ribs.

"Ahg, careful Forehead! I just busted those!" Ino screeched.

Chouji and Shikamaru exchanged bemused looks in spite of themselves. "Same old Ino." Chouji said with a grin relieved that she was feeling well enough to be sassy, and banter with her best friend. It was a good sign.

"I would say your plan worked a little too well, Ino pig. The next time you think about sacrificing yourself, do us all the favor and DON'T" Sakura scowled.

"Always complaining about your job. You would think you were some kind of medic nin or something." Ino trolled and yelled at Sakura when she pulled the bandages tighter.

"Do what she says Ino." Shikamaru said, trying to hide a smile.

"I don't do what anybody tells me to" Ino said sticking her tongue out at her childhood friend.

"Yeah well until these stitches are out, you're gonna get used to it" Sakura threatened wth a shake of her fist.

"We'll check back in on you later." Chouji waved.

Sakura sighed as they left, and Ino settled on the bed, feeling her head spin just a little with all the excitement and people. It was a little overwhelming.

"Pushing yourself like that is really dumb for their sake ya know" Sakura told her, eyes filling with tears.

Ino was startled by the expression on her face. "S-sakura-"

The girl coughed, swallowed her tears, composing herself as she looked up. "We were really worried about you for a while there." Sakura said smiling that bright obnoxious smile of hers as she wiped away the stray tear.

Damn. Leave it to forehead girl to go all sentimental on her.

"I feel like I've been through hell and a half of anbu training. I'm gonna have to pay for another uniform on top of the medical bills" Ino replied groaning. "And my hair has probably got split ends and lost it's shine too. Damn hospital shampoo"

"You nearly died, Ino!" Sakura snapped, eyes serious. "You've been in and out on consciousness for the past week. There was a stretch where we were struggling to keep your organs functioning. You were poisoned."

"Oh. Right. That." She said looking away from those accusing green eyes.

"First off, Ino pig what is wrong with you thinking that you can take on so many ninja at once? You're not some kind of super hero Shannaro! Second off; What were you even thinking sending Shikamaru and Chouji away like that?" Sakura demanded.

Ino sighed. "Sakura, it's done. There's no use crying over spilled milk."

"And what about spilled blood?" Sakura retorted. "You were reckless! I'm not going to let this one go Ino-pig. We barely managed to save you."

"I'm not going to sit through a lecture on protocol and standards. Not from you Forehead girl" Ino retorted, trying to cross her arms and failing as she realized she could barely move. Why did everything have to hurt?

"You will sit through them Ino-pig, one way or another. The council has brought up claims from the missions report. A formal hearing will be held because of this whole mission, and you, your teammates, Tsunade and even Neji will all be there."

"N-Neji?" Ino asked, startled by the notion. "Why would he be there?" She asked periwinkle eyes wide.

Sakura's eyelashes flickered as she regarded her best friend with astonishment. " You don't know, do you?" She asked. The blonde was genuinely speechless, waiting for her to continue which answered the question for her. "He was part of the rescue team...in fact according to the medical report Hinata submitted-"

"We talking about the same Hyuuga? One Hyuuga Neji, anbu captain and hard ass extrodinaire?"

Sakura nodded.

Ino's thunderstruck expression was genuine.

Sakura was surprised that Ino seemed shocked by the information. Sure she hadn't put the pieces together until Naruto had told her of Neji's affections but once he had mentioned it, it was impossible not to see. Anyone could see, especially given Neji's reaction and prompt rescue of her that he was in over his head for her stubborn friend though why remained a bit unclear. Then again, Ino had been unconcious for most of the portion of his timely rescue so how would she know. But Neji was hardly subtle when she talked to him at the hospital. Did she really not know?

"Neji was in an uproar about you being left. He insisted they form a team and try and find you right away. Tsunade sent him, Kakashi, Shino, Hinata, Kiba and Akamaru after you. Neji was the one who actually found you... pinned to a tree." Sakura strangled out the last words.

Neji had been the one to save her? The smell of cedar, and spruce pine...It must have been him. She had thought she'd dreamed that part. Then again she'd also thought she was dead. Black eyelashes fluttered close, much like the butterflies in her stomach, as Ino took the information and buried it deep within, close to her heart. She was a master of espionage and secrets afterall. Ino couldn't help but wonder though. How much had she been imagining things and how much had been real then? Ino knew her best friend was looking at her searching her expressions, trying to decypher what Ino really felt. Silly forehead, unlike you I don't wear my heart on my sleeve she thought wryly. Her feelings on the Hyuuga prodigy were her own. She had her own researching to do on the subject matter. It would only complicate things further to involve Sakura, so Ino changed subjects.

"Do we still have the knife?" Ino asked.

Sakura's eyes widened astonished.

"What? I want to keep it. It was a nice blade." Ino tried to shrug and failed, wincing. "How long am I stuck here again?"

"Ughhhh!" Sakura roared. "I cannot believe that you are so inconsiderate Ino pig!" She snarled.

"Who's inconsiderate shoving that Gigantic billboard brow in my face?" Ino taunted.

"OOOooo...You don't even realize how close you were! You almost died and all you care about is that stupid weapon that almost killed you and even now you're looking to get yourself back on the anbu roster and-" Sakura exploded.

Ino stopped listening to the tirade at that point, wincing as her best friend went off. She heard the knock at the door, and saw the blonde pony tails and those blazing hazel eyes.

"S-Shishou.." Sakura stammered.

"I hate to interrupt, but it is important." Tsunade said with kage authority. "O-of course Shishou." Sakura replied.

"If you'll excuse us Sakura, I have a few things to discuss with Ino about her mission." Tsunade dismissed.

Sakura nodded and stepped out, leaving Ino snickering. Tsunade's disapproving look only deepened, brows furrowed as she regarded the Yamanaka girl.

"You are fortunate you are alive, do you know that?''

"So they keep telling me." Ino said with a wave of her good hand.

"Ino, there are a few questions I have that need answers immediately." Her no nonsense tone, caught the blonde and she fixed hardened periwinkle eyes on the Godaime Hokage.

"Yes, Hokage sama." Ino replied, focused.

"You ordered Shikamaru and Chouji to return back to the village with those children, did you not?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes. I ordered them to leave and take the children to Konoha. In return for protection, they would testify to piece together the whereabouts of the abducted clan children. It was my belief that these children had important information on their whereabouts. Information that you had sent us to search for before we stumbled upon them" Ino replied testily. Why was everyone making it such a big deal?

"Why?" Tsunade asked, scrutinizing her. The Hokage wasn't asking about the children. Tsunade knew why Ino had sent the children on. She was asking why Ino made the sacrifice herself.

"Because of my team, I am the best suited for diversion and distraction. Shikamaru and Chouji were already injured and low on chakra from breaking into the compound and they needed a diversion to get past 60 jounin leveled shinobi with that many small untrained children." Ino retorted, sarcasm scathing.

"You violated your orders." Tsunade reprimanded. Ino shook her head fiercely, wincing at the pain.

"I reinterpreted them as a part of our mission. As captain, I was given that jurisdiction under the protocols of the mission. Those children were connected to the scouting mission we were on, Tsunade sama and leaving behind that much tangible evidence, and useful information, when we might not be able to trace those children again seemed stupid and careless."

"And sacrificing yourself for them seemed like a better plan?" Tsunade's voice had a timbre of amusement lurking beneath her disdain.

Ino flushed. "It seemed like a good plan at the time, and Shikamaru couldn't come up with a better one, so I made the decision."

"Regardless, Shikamaru's status as Anbu strategic operatives and clan head gives him...certain authority." Tsunade finished.

Ino's eyes widened as the information. "Is that what this is about? The hearing is about Shikamaru following my orders? Ow-" Ino exclaimed.

"Ino stop moving before you hurt yourself more and listen. This is quite serious. By Konoha law, his rank is higher than yours as a clan head. His actions are scrutinized more by the other clan heads." Tsunade sighed.

"I will be a clan head eventually when my dad finally gets tired of the politics and steps down. This is absurd. Social rank has no place within the teams and on missions, and you know it." Ino retorted. "Who filed this claim?"

"It appears that the council has filed it, given the field report by one Hyuuga Neji followed by the medical report of one Haruno Sakura." Tsunade replied as she flipped through the paperwork.

"That's bullshit! He was following orders. My orders." Ino snarled, and had to pause as her world spun.

"Don't overexert yourself. Those stitches-"Tsunade chided.

"Yes, Yes, Mother" Ino rolled her eyes.

"Your Mother has checked in on you several times now, you should know." Tsunade retorted.

"Oh Goody" Ino replied with a scowl. Tsunade let that one go.

"I need you to file a report of your own when you can get out of bed. Since your paperwork was unable to be submitted at the time the issue was filed, it will have to be added and considered during the council meeting. You will attend the hearing as will I, and we will see if we can't recover some of this mess" Tsunade sighed.

"When can I get out of here?' Ino pleaded.

"In regards to your health you will be staying at the hospital another 3 days just to monitor your vitals and make sure there is no further damage to your white blood cells. You will need to cooperate in some physical therapy for that arm, and I want you to take your recovery slowly. You are off of the roster for this next month until I am satisfied you are back in peak condition. No training this week or the next."

"But Tsunade!-" Ino protested. She had already been bed rested a week. Three weeks without training would take three months to bring back.

"-Ino, given the severity of your condition, I will take no chances. You need to ease back into training, building up slowly, and I will be monitoring your progression. You will report to me before and after those appointments, to make sure you don't ruin Sakura's good work. Do I make myself clear?" Tsunade ordered. When she had that tone there was no point in arguing.

"Yes Hokage sama." Ino replied subdued.

"Good. Now get some rest. That's an order" Tsunade smiled.

…...

When she woke again, she was greeted by a different sight. Long blonde hair, characterized by a harrowed sorrow torn face. Bags were swollen beneath his eyes, that were like her own, eyes that were closed. Her father stood before her. His arm was bound, and she glanced at her own arm. He must have given her blood, as Sakura had mentioned.

"Daddy" Ino greeted. He was instantly aware, and smiled at her brightly.

"How's my little baby girl doing?" Inoichi asked her, grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently as his eyes softened crinkling at the corners of his tan skin.

"Better." She replied with a soft smile.

Her father's eyes hardened.

"Dad, stop it." Ino demanded, trying to carefully sit up. "Shikamaru did nothing, but follow my orders I had given him." Ino told him. "It was my decision, and my orders to stay behind. They were merely following what I'd told them to do. Someone had to stay to keep them from taking those kids. I volunteered myself." Ino told him.

"How could you do something so stupid? The core of our strength lies in each other, Ino. That's why you were put on a team. Our abilities are not designed to be of use alone." Inoichi demanded.

"No. The core of our strength lies in the will of fire, the will to protect those we love." Ino replied. "I was protecting what was mine." Ino replied icily.

"There was another way, there had to be another way. You think this was up to you, but he-" Inoichi insisted, fist clenched.

"There wasn't another way, dad. Shikamaru knew that, as did I which is why he followed it. Do you think they would have left me otherwise? I ordered him and Chouji to take the kids and go. You don't get to be mad at Shikamaru and Chouji. Nobody does. And I'm going to set anyone else straight. If you're gonna be mad at anybody, be mad at me. It was my decision to make, and I made it for the sake of the mission." Ino replied.

"Then you made the wrong choice. How could you be so foolish so as to throw yourself away like that?" Inoichi exploded, and it was clear the worry and fears he'd held for so long had just given way.

Ino sighed, waited and he sat back down again, rubbed his neck.

"That was uncalled for." He said. "Yes it was" Ino replied. "I'm sorry." He murmured.

"Are the kids alright?" Ino asked.

Her father looked at her cluelessly for a second, but his features slowly faded to a weary smile and he nodded. Realizing what she had done, he could not help but laugh. Ino did not find the humor. Inoichi merely chuckled at her look. "My my. I guess it's hard for dads to watch their little girls grow up." He said his tone trembling on the end.

His words, the words of her father broke her, the toughness she'd been hiding behind and with it came the guilt. She hadn't thought of her family as she was about to die, but on reconsidering it maybe it was because she didn't have to. They knew, they always knew where they stood with each other.

"I love you daddy." Ino confessed, feeling the tears. "Please don't be mad at me or my team for this. I made the best decision we could."

Inoichi gathered his daughter into a tight hug being careful working around the iv in her arm.

"All of the children are safe thanks to you." He replied. "Just promise me you won't do something so foolish again."

Ino nodded. "Promise me you won't be mad at Shikamaru or Chouji." Ino told him.

Inoichi scratched his head. "Dad." Ino demanded.

He sighed and nodded. Ino felt the sleep coming again and didn't fight it. "Love you..."

…...

It had been the longest most pain filled three days of Ino's entire life. After multiple healing sessions and the removal of countless bandages Ino was finally dismissed with the threat of physical therapy and regular scheduled check ups looming over her head. Getting out of that bed had taken a lot out of her. Her arm was still in a cast. She fingered the hilt of the knife with her good hand. She'd guilted Shikamaru into swiping for her, and placed it in the holster Chouji had bought for it.

She walked, more so hobbled out of the hospital her ribs still tender, the sun bright and harsher than she had remembered. She shielded her eyes from it and her gaze caught something else. The lake of Konoha gleamed bright, the surface clear. Memories, comforting memories and she knew where she needed to head. The Hyuuga compound. Ino battened down the hatches of her soul. She was clear. She had to be. Ino needed talk to Neji. She needed to know the truth. She strode with purpose out of the hospital grounds making her way slowly but steadily to the Hyuuga house.