I never cease to amaze me. I got two chapters finished and up mere hours apart. Aren't you guys so proud of meeee! I bet you are. But since so few of you say so I'll simply answer for you. "Yes Monkey sama, you are the bestest story teller in all of the land!" "Why thank you loyal subjects. I shall now grace you with a new chapter!" Enjoy.
Ino sat in the stark white interrogation room. Ever since it had become know that she was having the child of a traitor those who knew had begun to doubt her loyalties. She grew more and more uneasy as time went by and no one entered the room. Finally a large imposing man walked through the door. He eyed her warily and eventually sat down opposite her. She kept her cool and did not show any fear.
"So, Miss Yamanaka. Have you had any contact with the traitor Sasuke Uchiha?"
"Um, do you mean recently, or ever?" She asked.
"I mean are you telling him our secrets!" The man said, raising his voice. She flinched involuntarily.
"What secrets? I just got back like four days ago." She replied. The man's eye twitched in agitation.
"Are you back sassing me?" He shouted. Each time he spoke he got louder and now she was shaking.
"N-no." She whimpered.
"So stop lying to me!" He slapped his hands down on the table for emphasis. "Are you a double agent?" He screamed. She sat in silence for a moment, shaking. Then she started to cry. That's when the door flew open and Sakura stalked in.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Iwao? Making a pregnant woman cry!" She walked around the table to comfort her friend.
"I-I'm fine, Sakura." Ino sniffled, but she clung to her pink haired friend anyways. The large man stomped out of the room. "Damn hormones." She wiped her eyes and regained her composure.
"Ok, now Ino the sooner we finish this, the sooner you can get back to your normal life." Sakura said soothingly.
"I already told you everything!" Ino said hysterically.
"Yes, I know, but we need and official record of it. So just calm down and tell me again." Sakura explained. Ino nodded and began her story again.
When she'd finished about two hours had passed. They got every small detail that Ino could remember and had it written into an official record. Well every detail except the fact that she fell in love with the traitor. That one she kept to herself.
"Alright, that's all we need. Are you ready to go home?" Sakura asked. Ino nodded excitedly.
"I've been waiting for this for so long." Before they walked out Ino turned to Sakura. "Could you do me a favor and not tell anyone about Sasuke and…" She didn't finish but being her best friend, Sakura knew what she meant.
"Of course." The two women walked out of the building and ran into all of their friends who had gathered outside the building once word had spread that it was Ino who had returned. She had tears in her eyes, this time it was due to overwhelming happiness.
They swarmed her with questions, and hugs and she quickly became exhausted by all the attention. Sakura noticed this and began shooing them away.
"Can I go home now?" Ino asked.
"Well you kind of lost your apartment when we thought you were dead, but you father got all of your stuff. I can bring you back there, but he is out on a mission now and won't be back until tomorrow night."
"I don't want to be alone." Ino said frantically. Sakura looked at her friend sadly then nodded.
"Ok, you will stay with me then." She said resolutely. Ino smiled appreciatively until she noticed someone standing a ways off behind Sakura. Her smile dropped and tears formed in her eyes. Sakura turned around to see what she was staring at. Shikamaru stood some distance behind them and was staring at Ino sadly.
She walked over to him and stopped a couple of feet away.
"Been a while." He said emotionlessly. She nodded, letting a few tears fall.
"Sorry I didn't write." She replied. He cracked a smile and she lunged at him wrapping her arms around him tightly. He returned the hug and she began crying.
"Why do you do this to me, you troublesome woman?" He asked.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" She cried. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I'm sorry I put you through that again."
"Shh, I know. It's ok." He said gently. Suddenly she pushed away from him.
"Wait. Why are you comforting me?" She asked wiping away tears.
"Because you're the one who's crying." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She shoved him gently and laughed. "You should get going. Sakura looks like she's getting impatient." She nodded and hugged him again.
"We're gonna hang out, you me and Choji. Just like old times." She said happily. Then she walked back over to Sakura and together they walked to her apartment.
"You're lucky I just finished redoing the guest room. Hope you like it." The room wasn't very large but it had a comfortable looking bed against the wall by the window.
"It's great. Thank you." Ino replied walking into the room.
"I'm going to go make some lunch. The bathroom is the door to the left. If you want to take a shower there are towels in the closet to the right. Call me if you need anything." With that the pink haired woman walked out of the room and into the kitchen. Ino walked to the bed and knelt on it to open the window. A soft breeze swept by, blowing her hair back gently. She sighed happily and just stared out the window for a while.
The next nine months were difficult for Ino, but she had the support of all of her friends and her father. She was never alone the entire time. If Sakura went away on a mission she would stay with her father. There was always someone there for her all the time. Often she'd lie in bed at night and look up at the moon, wondering where Sasuke might be. What did he think happened? Was he searching for her? These things constantly floated through her mind.
A pregnant Ino was not very easy to handle, and one day, about five months later, Sakura came flying out of the apartment building, nearly crashing into Shikamaru.
"Whoa, where's the fire?" He asked.
"She is driving me INSANE! Seriously, I cannot take it anymore!" Shikamaru blinked then cracked a smile.
"What is it this time? Mood swings, cravings, or just plain old obnoxious Ino?" He asked.
"She is up there throwing a tantrum about the stupid air freshener! Says 'it's making a mockery of true flowers'! She demanded I go out and buy a different one, or some real flowers." She explained getting more worked up as she went on. Shikamaru chuckled.
"Sounds about right. Why don't you go out and do something fun. I'll handle this one." He said. She nearly cried when he said that.
"Oh you are an angel, Shikamaru. Thank you." Then she turned and ran off thinking he might change his mind. Shikamaru resumed walking to the apartment door. He rapped on it gently and waited for some response.
"Come in." came a weepy sounding voice from inside. He opened the door and saw Ino sitting on the ground sobbing.
"What happened here?" He asked moving towards her from the doorway.
"I'm a horrible friend!" She cried. She was sitting in front of the couch with her legs stretched out in front of her.
"No you're not." He replied.
"Ye-yes I am. I got s-so worked up that S-Sakura stormed out!" She began sobbing again. He sat down beside her and put his arm around her shaking shoulders. "She hates me now."
"No she doesn't. She's just a little frustrated."
"That's because of me!" She cried.
"No, it's because of your mood swings. In a few hours you'll both be over it." He said soothingly rubbing her arms comfortingly.
"Why are you so nice to me?" She asked finally slowing her tears enough to speak almost calmly.
"Because I have to be." He joked. She nudged him playfully and smiled.
"You are so sweet. You know what would be even better?" She asked innocently. He knew where this was going.
"No idea. Why don't you tell me?"
"If you brought me a big bowl of fish flavored ramen!" She said excitedly. He simply smiled at her.
"Would you like to go to Ichiraku?" He asked. She scrunched up her nose.
"No."
"Would you like me to go to Ichiraku?" He asked in that ever patient tone of his. She looked up at him through her thick lashes and smiled innocently. "I'll be right back." He stood up and walked to the door. "Before I leave, is there anything else you want?" She shook her head and continued to smile at him. "How troublesome." He whispered under his breath.
When he got to the ramen stand he was not surprised to find Naruto slurping down what had to be his second bowl. Beside him sat his girlfriend Hinata. The other two who sat beside her were Choji and Kiba and of course Akamaru who snoozed on the ground beside his mater's feet.
"Hey Shikamaru!" Called Kiba when he noticed the lazy ninja walk up. "What are you doing here?"
"She's hungry." He said. The three guys flinched, having each felt the wraith of a hormonal Ino.
"How is Ino chan doing?" Hinata asked.
"She's good, ran Sakura ragged though. I'm her savior."
"Sucks for you, man." Kiba said. Choji and Naruto nodded in agreement. Shikamaru shrugged.
"I know how to handle her." Shikamaru explained after putting in her order.
"At least she's got good taste. Ichiraku is the best ramen!" Naruto cheered.
"Here is your order." Ayame said sweetly handing Shikamaru the to-go bag. He paid for the food then said goodbye to his friends.
"Good luck!" Shouted Choji as he was walking away.
When he arrived back at the apartment he found Ino fast asleep on the couch, she was snoring quietly. He shook his head at her and set the food down in the kitchen.
"Ino." He gently shook her arm to try and wake her. Her eyes flew open and she swiped her arm at his head. He ducked out of the way. When he looked back at her she was asleep again. He walked behind the couch and tried again. This time she simply opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Oh, hey Shika, what's up?" She asked sleepily.
"I got your ramen." He said. She frowned. "Let me guess, you're not hungry anymore." She smiled sheepishly. "All right, why don't you get up and go to bed." He suggested. He reached down and helped her off the couch. Then he led her to her room.
"Thank you for being so nice. I know I can be a bitch." She said drowsily. Then she yawned and promptly fell asleep. He left the room and settled on the couch to wait for Sakura to return.
There were many other moments like that throughout her pregnancy. The night she went into labor she was at her father's house having dinner with him. They rushed to the hospital, all the while Ino was screaming for Sakura.
After many painful hours, for everyone involved, Ino had a healthy baby boy, who she named Haro.
So that concludes chapter 10. Hope you liked it as much as the nine others. Or more! I am contemplating starting another SasuIno story. Hope you read that one too, should it ever become a reality. Till next time. EAT YOUR VEGTABLES! Or not, who am I to tell you that when I wouldn't be caught dead near broccoli?