Title: More than a Summer Fling

Authoress: LaurenxMichelle127

Chapter: Eight "Fue una tortura, perderte."

Tenten opened her eyes and the light from the windows hurt her eyes. She groaned and pulled the covers over her. "Stupid sun." She muttered.

Jesus, her head hurt. She pulled the covers back down and sat up.

"Oh, god." She groaned. She watched her bedroom door open and Neji walked in a glass of water in his hands.

"Some Alka-Seltzer and water. I'll bring up some orange juice." Neji said as he placed the things on her nightstand. "Try taking a cold and hot shower. Everyone's at Ino's house because they knew you needed you sleep." Tenten nodded, slowly.

"How long can I not have alcohol?" The brunette asked.

"Until you're fully hydrated. You can have a Bloody Mary tomorrow, though. It has tomato juice and celery."

"Okay." Tenten murmured and lay back down, clutching her head.

--

"I think its adorable how Neji's taking care of TenTen." Sakura gushed. She sat on one of the lawn chairs, Naruto next to her, with one tanned arm around her shoulders.

Ino smiled, and looked at her best friend. She looked extremely happy with the blonde boy. It was at that very moment that Ino notice Naruto was…attractive? She mentally shrugged. The boy was hot, his tan chiseled chest, strong arms, fun exterior, but nothing really compared to-

"Sasuke." Ino chirped as she saw the Uchiha place a glass of lemonade in front of her. She cocked her head to the side, and the raven haired boy placed a kiss on her lips.

"Hey." He smiled and sat down next to her, intertwining her hand with his.

"Any word from Neji?" Naruto asked and Sasuke shrugged.

"I tried going inside, but he almost bit me."

Everyone knew that although Sasuke and Neji were somewhat rivals, they were still friends, not as good friends as Naruto and him, but still.

Ino pouted. "That sucks. Not having Tennie here."

Sakura laughed at TenTen's ridiculous nickname.

Suddenly, Ino felt someone ruffle her blonde hair and looked up.

"Good morning, Gaara." She smiled, and felt the Uchiha's grip tighten. Ino knew Sasuke didn't like Gaara, but eventually, he was going to have to get over it. Right? Wrong.

Uchiha Sasuke despised the red-head. Ever since he saw him so many years ago, when his life in Konoha, wasn't exactly simple, but normal, to a certain point.

"Morning, Uchiha." Gaara nodded towards said boy.

"Sabuku." Sasuke acknowledged.

Ino sighed.

From across the table, Naruto stood up. "I'm gonna play some pool. Anyone up for a game?"

Gaara nodded, and Ino felt Sasuke's hand leave hers as he stood up.

She watched as they turned the corner of the house, towards the pool table. She could faintly hear a small conversation.

"Ready to get your ass kicked, Uchiha?"

Ino could hear the smirk in Sasuke's voice. "You wish, Sabuku."

Maybe they could be friends after all.

---

Ino slipped on her jean skirt and ballet flats and ran down the stairs. The Uchiha was already there, her jacket in his hands. The Yamanka girl didn't know why, but every night, they'd go for a walk. It had started after the party, when she and Sasuke had slowed down, and stayed out all night.

The blonde smiled and put on her jacket.

"After you." Sasuke said and opened the door.

"Why, thank you." Ino replied and gave a quick curtsy, before laughing.

Their walks usually took half an hour to a full sixty minutes, and neither of them minded.

"When did your mother…y'know?" Sasuke asked.

"I was five." Ino sighed. "I don't remember much. She threw a fit, started yelling and throwing things. I remember crying. A lot." Ino frowned.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that." Sasuke apologized.

"Nah." The blue eyed girl shrugged. "It's no problem."

"Your turn."

"Have you… Um, considered…I mean, taken any thought…"

Sasuke chuckled. "What is it, Ino?"

She stopped and took a deep breath. "The whole…Uchiha Clan thing." She felt her face heat up.

Sasuke blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Ino said, quickly, and began walking again.

"No." He reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that." Ino apologized again.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek to keep back his smirk. "Ino, why are you asking?" The smallest hint of amusement in his voice. This didn't go unnoticed by Ino, who blushed furiously, and gave him a playful smack on the arm.

"It's not like I'm…interested."

The Uchiha chuckled, again. "That's good. I'm not ready to settle down with anyone."

Ino felt something constrict. With anyone.

Not 'with you', which meant, that maybe…he hadn't even considered it.

"What's wrong?" His brows furrowed.

"N-nothing." Ino shook her head. "I just…I get too caught up. You've never even said those three-" she cut herself off.

The Uchiha understood immediately.

"Ino-"

"I'm not feeling well." She interrupted. "I think I'm gonna head back."

"You wanna go back?" The Uchiha asked. The usually passed all the houses, and they had barely passed TenTen's.

"No, you keep on going. Take your walk." She said, turned around and began walking.

"Ino." He called. Said girl turned around.

"Yes?"

"Please understand," Something about the tone in his voice sounded pleading. "Everything I've ever cared about has been taken away from me."

"Sasuke-"

"I just…I can't say that to you. Not now"

Ino bit her tongue.

"It's okay." She murmured. "I'll see you at home."

"Alright." the Uchiha nodded.

---

Sasuke watched Naruto walk down the stairs, his hair a mess. He had continued with his walk, like the Yamanaka girl had told him to. He took longer, though. Didn't get home until past midnight. He considered going to her room and begging her not be upset, to understand, but thought against it. He'd talk to her in the morning.

"Ino-chan isn't up, yet?" Naruto asked, groggily.

"No." Sasuke murmured.

Naruto sat across from the Uchiha and squinted.

"What?"

"Did you sleep, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha blinked. "I wasn't tired."

The Uzumaki rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"Good morning!"

Sasuke looked towards the door where TenTen stood, looking very sober, with Hinata and Temari.

"You're looking nice and sober, TenTen." Naruto chirped.

TenTen glared. "Thanks."

"Is Ino up, yet? We're starving." Temari said and plopped on the couch.

"Nice to know you only come over here for food." Sasuke answered, bitterly.

The dark haired blonde rolled her eyes.

"Where's everyone else?" Naruto asked, stretching.

"Oh, they're getting here soon." The bun haired girl replied.

Sure enough. Neij, Shikamaru, Gaara and Kiba walked through the door, and sat down, at the same time that Sakura walked down the stairs.

The pinkette did a quick glance and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Where's Ino?" She asked and gave Naruto a kiss on the cheek.

Sasuke stared at the blonde and pink haired girl.

No one else seemed to notice that Sakura kissed Naruto.

"She's not up, yet." Temari answered.

"But…Ino's always up early."

Kiba elbowed Sasuke in the ribs, lightly. "Way to tire a girl out, Uchiha."

Sasuke shoved the dog boy. "Shut up. We didn't do anything last night."

"Maybe she doesn't feel well." Sakura murmured and glanced up to the second floor. "I'll go see if she's okay."

"How was she last night?" Gaara asked, and the Uchiha glared.

"Nothing happened last night." He growled.

Gaara rolled his eyes. "I mean, did she had a fever or something?"

Just as Sasuke was going to answer, Sakura came bolting down the stairs.

"Is she okay?" Several voices asked at the same time.

"She's not there." Sakura answered, panic evident in her voice.

"Maybe she went for a run or something. It's not like Ino to go for weeks without doing something related to training." Naruto offered and she shook her head.

"Her bed is made. Ino never makes her bed in the mornings."

Sasuke suddenly felt panic course through his whole body.

"So…she didn't come back last night?"

"That's impossible. Sasuke walked her back."

Eighteen eyes looked at him, but the Uchiha didn't move.

Ino didn't sleep in her bed, which means she didn't come home, which means it was his fault. If he had walked her home, she would be fine. Even if he had gone up to her room last night, and noticed she wasn't there, they could have found her.

"Sasuke?" He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up.

Chocolate brown eyes looked at him, concerned. "Was she upset about something?"

He shook his head, ignoring her question. "I didn't walk her back."

"What?" Sakura's voice broke.

He looked over to her. "We got into a…it wasn't a fight. I said something that I shouldn't have, but she wasn't angry, she wouldn't have left."

"You let a beautiful blue eyed blonde girl walk back home after midnight?" Gaara asked, his tone angry.

"I didn't think something was going to happen, Sabuku." The Uchiha growled.

At that moment, a thump was heard on the porch. Everyone's eyes turned, but no one moved.

"Ino?" Sakura's voice broke again.

The Uchiha stood up and almost yanked the door off its hinges. His eyes widened as he took in the girl curled up on the porch. She surely wasn't Ino; the raven hair had given that away.

"Sakura." The Uchiha yelled, and picked up the girl, bringing her inside.

Sakura let out a gasp as she looked at the girl. Her arms covered in bruises and a horrible gash on her forehead was opened, red liquid trickling down her cheek and onto the Uchiha's shirt.

In a second, the Haruno girl switched moods.

"Hinata." She barked. "I need you to get Tsunade on the phone. Tell her I need an IV, and ask her which hospital is the closest."

The Hyuuga nodded and was off in a second.

"Tenten. I need you to change the sheets in…" Sakura glanced at the Uchiha quickly. "In Ino's room. This girl will stay there…for now."

"Okay." TenTen nodded, looked over at Sasuke, and ran up the stairs.

"What can I do?" Naruto, who was half asleep only moments ago, was now wide awake.

"Go into town; get me Tylenol, Aspirin, a needle and thread. Anything that may get rid of her pain."

"Anything?"

"I don't know if she's allergic to something." Sakura answered and the Uzumaki nodded.

"We'll go with you." Neji stood up. Kiba and Shikamaru doing the same.

"Gaara?"

"I'm gonna stay behind."

"That's okay. Sakura will need an extra hand." Naruto patted the red head, and they were off.

"Sakura! The room is ready." TenTen called from upstairs.

"Sasuke, could you bring her up?"

The Uchiha nodded and walked up the stairs, into Ino's room, and set the girl down.

TenTen's forehead creased. "What's this?" She asked and pulled at a sheet of paper tucked into her skirt pocket.

The Uchiha expected her to read it out-loud, but as he watched her face turn from confusion to horror, he didn't want to know.

Those words still escaped, "What does it say, TenTen?"

The brunette didn't answer, but he watched her eyes scan the paper again, and again. He could almost see it in her eyes, the way she was begging herself to realize the words on the paper were wrong.

"What does it say, Tenten?" The Uchiha asked again.

"What does what say?" Sakura asked as she walked into the room, a pair of gloves in her hand.

TenTen extended her hand. Sakura grabbed the note and read it, her eyes widening.

"What does it say?!" Sasuke barked.

Sakura composed herself, quickly. "I think its best if you left."

"Sakura." Sasuke's voice warned.

"Sasuke." She answered. "I have to see where else she may have cuts, and I don't think this girl would want you to see her undressed."

Sasuke sighed and did as he was told.

TenTen watched him go, and then looked at the pinkette.

"Sakura." Her voice shook. "What are we going to do?!"

"We'll find her, TenTen."

"Sakura." TenTen's voice was stern. "The people that did this." She pointed at the girl. "The same people who harmed this girl, who have her bleeding, have Ino."