"So!" Ino chirps while jumping on the scene. "Normally we would apologize for yet another huge delay, but since neither Shikamaru nor me know when the writers will go into another suicide rampage and stop updating, we can't really warrantee there won't be any more delays."

"Well, unluckily for us," Shikamaru yawns, walking on the scene next to Ino. "They haven't really stopped writing during the hiatus, so there are about 4 chapters ready for upload."

"Great." Ino claps her hands. "I can't wait to see what happens next."

"Yeah? Well I can't wait to see how it ends! I've been living here with the four of you for almost two years now! I can only cope with so much misery polluting the air!"

Chapter Nine

Forget That You Forgot

"I'm pregnant!" She sobbed miserably.

Either the whole village had gone silent just then, or the blood pumping in his ears was blocking away all other sounds.

"E-excuse me?" He managed to stammer, trying to fool himself into believing that he might have mistaken her words. "What?"

But Ino didn't answer. She didn't have to. The way she was choking in gulping sobs and drowning in her own tears made it more than clear.

"Pre... pregnant?" It sounded like a foreign word to him. "A baby... mine?... MINE?!"

That seemed to make Ino cry harder and he could bet both his arms he knew why. he was probably the first guy in her "would rather die" list, right before Chouji and Lee.

"Oh shit." He pressed his hands to the sides of his head. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!"

No, seriously. SHIT!

How could it have happened? He... well, he knew well enough how... he just couldn't understand how neither of them had thought of that possibility before.

"What am I going to do?" She cried out, almost clawing at her own face. "What can I possibly..."

"You?" He huffed. "What are we going to do?!

"W-what...?" She hiccupped.

"Well, I'm into this too, aren't I?"

Ino turned to gape at him incredulously, as if his answer were the last thing she expected.

"Well, don't look so surprised!" He frowned. "If you come here to tell me that, what did you think my reaction would be?!

"I thought *sob* you'd be angry... I thought you'd..." She pursed her lips.

"You thought I'd deny it?" Tears welled up in her eyes again as she nodded weakly. "For God's sake Ino!" he cried out indignant. "What kind of person do you think I am?!"

'But this would ruin your life, wouldn't it?' He asked himself. 'It would mess up everything.'

Shikamaru was quite aware of that. In fact, it felt as though his future had just been dropped head first down a cliff. Still, he wouldn't be able to call himself a man if he left Ino alone with this.

"You would help me, then?"

"Of course I would. If I knew how."

Ino opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. She eyed him nervously for a few seconds, as though unsure of how to say what was on her mind.

"The Nara clan." She spoke up at last, choosing her words carefully. "They specialize in medicine, don't they?"

"Well, yeah. But medicine won't help us here, this isn't something that can just be reversed, you know?"

"Not reversed, no… but... we could... maybe we could... stop it?"

"Stop it?" He repeated the last two words, which on Ino's lips had been almost inaudible. "We can't do that either, there is no medicine to stop a baby from..."

He trailed off, finally getting Ino's proposal.

"Wait! You don't mean..." His voice shook, but whether it was out of shock or just anger, he couldn't tell.

"That would solve it." She whimpered. "That way no one would find out that-"

"Are you out of your mind?!" He boomed, jumping to his feet.

"And what else can I do?" She wailed. "I just can't keep it! I need to get rid of it!"

"Get rid of it? GET RID OF IT?!" The sole thought horrified him, made him sick. Had his father not taught him that women should not be mistreated, he would have slapped her right then. "That's a baby you have in there Ino, not a freaking rat!"

She let out a loud, anguished sob, but he'd had enough of that.

"Don't give me that again! Is crying really all you can do?!"

"Yes!" Ino wailed, wiping her eyes with her fists. "Because there's nothing else I can do!" She stood up and Shikamaru noticed for the first time how weak her legs seemed. "Because I have nothing left to do! My life is ruined now, what else can I do but cry?!"

Her swollen face had gone red with unhealthy purplish dots as she continued to drown in her own tears and Shikamaru couldn't help but to feel sorry for her.

His anger was quickly replaced by an overwhelming feeling of guilt and remorse as he realized that Ino hadn't actually intended to be cruel, she was just scared of what would become of her.

Besides, who was he to judge Ino for breaking down and talking nonsense while facing the situation she was into now?

'It's all your fault.' He reminded himself. 'It's all because of you.'

"Ino..." He reached out his shaking hand, but Ino sank to her knees before he could touch her.

"I can't do this Shikamaru!" She was crying so hard now that her voice made it sound as though she were being shaken. "I can't tell my father... the whole village would laugh at me!" She hid her face behind her hands again. "I'm nothing but a disgrace!"

"Don't say that!" He kneeled down in front of her. "Ino please, don't say that..."

He remembered the first time he'd met her, on a playground, way before academy days. She'd been doing the same thing then.

He'd paid her no mind, why should he? She was just a brat who'd sat to wail after falling off a swing instead of getting up on her own. So he hadn't helped her, because how was he supposed to know that her foot was actually broken?

That she couldn't bring herself up?

But this time it was different. This time, he knew...

He would help her up, because her spirit was so broken that she couldn't even stand her ground anymore. He would bring her back on her feet, because no one else could and because it was his responsibility. Because he was willing to fix it no matter what it took.

Thought... what exactly could he do to fix it?

"But I am! I AM a disgrace!" Ino shook her head. "What kind of man would even take me seriously now?!"

' No one's interested in me!" Shikamaru flinched as he remembered Ino's words.

He had kissed Ino that night (the only fragment he had been able to force his brain into remembering), but it wasn't until that moment that he remembered why.

Ino had gotten her heart broken by some random guy, and even though he didn't know much about girls' feelings (how should he?), he was sure Ino was worried about never finding a love partner and now, thanks to him, her fears had turned into reality.

'No.' He grit his teeth in determination. 'I'm not ruining her life. NO!'

'It's all your fault!'

"Who would ever... who would ever want to marry me knowing that-" She didn't get to finish her sentence.

He did it without thinking, because he didn't have to. His mind had made itself up without informing him.

And even though he hadn't meant to be so rough when pulling her close, he could feel Ino's body relax as he pressed her face against his chest.

Her shaky breathing seemed to seep right through his clothes and wrap around his soul and his pride.

"I would..." He whispered gently into her ear. Ino's breath caught in her chest. "I would... and if you let me... I will..."

(Loves Me… Loves Me Not…)

Vianey.- And the fan girls are squealing!

Glacia.- Another cliff hanger, courtesy of your least favorite writers. You are totally welcome.

Ten.- Now you have to keep on reading :D See what we did there?

Vianey.- So, once again a huuuuuuuge apologize for the mega-sized delay. And if you have a second to spare we beg you to please, PLEASE review this chapter.

Ten.- If you are reading these notes at all.

Glacia.- On with the preview. That is the only reason people read the Authoress Notes.

Ten.- If they read them at all.

PREVIEW

But he was no hero. He was nothing even remotely similar.

He was a jerk, an idiot, a scumbag. Someone who had no right to live or even to exist.

He was the douche who would soon have to confront his beloved girlfriend for getting his own teammate pregnant. What kind of hero was that?!"

"So..." He got up, trying to get away from her as fast as possible. "Go home Ino, and follow our plan."

He turned around to leave, almost wishing he could just run away. In his head, he could already picture the look of disappointment on Temari's face. So he clenched his teeth to push back the sobs that fought their way up his throat and made his way back to the door.

"See you tomorrow, Ino..."

Chapter Ten.- "Hero."