A/n: Next chapter woot. Thanks for reading and reviewing last chapter, enjoy and keep reading.
Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto and co.
No one spoke a word. Ino's eyes never left the dark-haired male.
"S-Shikamaru." She managed to speak again.
"Yeah, uh hey Ino. Long time no see."
She seemed frozen in time like she could not move. She looked down to see the broken beer bottle and it's contents at the bottom of her feet.
"Oh," she whispered.
Kiba instantly got up.
"Don't worry about it Ino. I'll clean this mess up."
Shikamaru looked at the platinum-blonde and quietly observed the situation. There was something wrong with her. She didn't look at all like the Ino he remembered.
"Ino you look…"
"Like a wreck." She finished.
"I…" Shikamaru started again.
"Why don't you guys sit?" Temari tried to suggest.
"Yeah, sure." The pony-tailed male took a seat. Ino stood there for awhile before hesitantly taking a seat as well.
"So you finally got your lazy ass out, huh?" Kiba asked Shikamaru while he currently swept up the broken glasses on the floor.
"I've been busy." Shikamaru admitted. "My father's been preparing me to take over the family business."
"Oh yeah, the Nara's are into all those herbal medicine's right? Hey, Shika if I buy something from you nothing weird will happen to me right, like I don't know growing an extra eye or something? The sandy-blonde joked.
Shikamaru sighed while rolling his eyes.
"No of course not, but in your case you might turn into a screaming, raging banshee of a woman, you know like my mom."
The friends began to laugh all except for Gaara, Neji, and Ino the three of them all silent for different reasons.
"Nara." Temari used Shikamaru's last name. "That's very funny. You know you'll never settle down and meet a good, respectable woman if you keep talking such trash like that."
"Well," Shikamaru paused to take a beer. "If this good, respectable woman is anything at all like my mom then I think I will pass."
Ino sat there with her hands in her lap. She was no longer drinking or doing much of anything really. She still appeared to look to be frozen in time.
"Ino what's wrong?"
She did not respond.
"What's up Ino cat got your tongue? That isn't like you." The dark-haired male spoke.
She continued to remain as silent as ever. Temari placed her hand on to Ino's shoulder gently.
"Hey are you going to be alright? We can go if you want?"
"What is he doing here?" The platinum-blonde thought silently.
Every part of her was screaming to get up and get the hell out of this place right now, but she couldn't do that. She had to at least put some effort in for now.
"I'm fine." Ino lied.
Only she wasn't fine. She was definitely far from being fine. She wasn't really sure if she would be able to get through this evening.
"Hey Shikamaru how's Chouji. He couldn't make it today right?" Sakura asked in an attempt to ease some of the awkwardness.
"No." Shikamaru shook his head. Chouji had been Shikamaru's best friend since they were boys. Their father's as well as Ino's father had been best friends for years so Ino, Chouji, and Shikamaru had grown up together. "Chouji is busy with the opening of his latest restaurant so that's why he couldn't make it. He wanted to though, anyway Sakura how is the hospital treating you?"
"Pretty good I'm busy as always but it is rewarding."
"Hm." The dark-haired male nodded. "Are you still in school Hinata?"
"Y-Yes." The blue-haired female nodded. "I'll be graduating soon though."
"That's good; you'll be fine I'm sure."
Ino trembled slightly as she hoped that Shikamaru would not ask her anything about her life.
"Don't ask me, just don't ask me."
Naruto could barely take his eyes off of the platinum-blonde. Her mood and overall demeanor had seemed to worsen.
"Gaara, Neji you guys are still as silent as ever I see."
"Nara." Neji frowned.
Gaara just glanced between Shikamaru and Neji without saying a word. Temari could only sigh. "Oh boy."
Tenten just let out a nervous sort of laugh while Lee jumped out of his seat.
"This is so beautiful being with all of you again is rejuvenating my soul. Yosh!"
Tenten suddenly grabbed him.
"Lee!" She shouted. "Not now."
Hinata and Sakura smiled while Shikamaru could only sigh.
"Jeez he will never change."
"You got that right." Kiba agreed while taking a large sip of his beer.
"Fuck I can't take it I need a real drink." Ino thought with her hand slowly reaching for the bottle of vodka.
"Ino-chan?" Naruto spoke.
"Ino don't." Temari said next.
"Since when did you drink the hard stuff?" Shikamaru questioned.
At the sound of his question Ino looked up into his dull, lazy hazel eyes.
"Fuck it." She thought. "Never mind."
From there conversations continued on between the friends Ino would offer very little input, as well as Gaara and Neji but it was expected from those two to be silent. Ino on the other hand was a different story. Shikamaru though it all to be very odd.
"What's wrong with her?" he wondered. "She isn't acting at all like the Ino I know."
He knew that everyone had pretty much gone their separate ways and had become very busy with their own lives. He knew for sure he was out of the loop but he had heard some things here and there.
"I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can keep this up." Ino thought.
"Gaara, Temari-chan how come Kankuro didn't come with you? Sakura wondered as she asked about their brother.
"He had prior engagements." The red-haired male answered.
"Heh," Temari rolled her eyes. "Don't make it sound cute Gaara. He's busy chasing anything in a skirt as usual but he sends his love or so he wanted me to tell you all."
"Yeah that's Kankuro for you." Shikamaru nodded.
"He'll never change." Tenten agreed. "Hey does he still wear makeup?"
Temari laughed and even Gaara wore a small smile.
"Does he still have those weird puppets too?" Kiba asked.
"I thought his puppets were nice." Hinata admitted.
"What about that stupid hood that made him look like a cat?" Naruto suddenly remembered.
"Kankuro-san is a strange one." Neji said.
Temari raised an eyebrow to the brown-haired male.
"Well so are you Hyuuga you have something in common. As far as the make-up and black hood he only uses them when he performs with his band and the puppets well…."
"What does he use them for blow-up dolls or something?" Kiba asked.
Sakura coughed over her soda and Hinata turned red.
"Kiba that is gross." Naruto shook his head.
"Yeah it definitely is." Sakura agreed.
"Kiba-kun, honestly." Hinata sighed.
"What, just wondering. Everyone's got their fetishes you know."
"Oh, yeah?" Temari raised an eyebrow "What are you into then, huh Dog-boy?"
Kiba turned red slightly. His family had been known as being exclusive dog breeders.
"Hey, hey when did this become about me?"
"Well you did start it?" Sakura said.
"Jeez Temari you're flirting with Kiba like you want to dominate him or something, be careful Kiba." Shikamaru warned.
A look of mischief appeared in Temari's teal eyes. She might as well have some fun with him.
"Oh well you know all about domination don't you Nara, what's the matter, jealous?"
"Nah I'm not really into bondage and shit."
"That's because it'll probably be too much work for you huh Shikamaru?" Tenten teased with Temari and Sakura laughing.
"Good one Ten."
"Thanks." The brunette nodded.
"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered. "And as far jealousy there's only one person who would be am I right?' he looked over to the brown-haired male. "Hyuuga."
"Huh?" Tenten, Sakura, and Hinata all gasped.
"No freaking way!" Naruto and Kiba shouted.
Temari stayed silent but wasn't really too surprised that Shikamaru went there.
"Lazy bastard."
"Cut it out Nara right now." Neji warned with a deadly look in his eyes.
"Okay, okay." Kiba smiled nervously. "There is no need to get violent guys."
"Don't worry it wont. I was only kidding, mostly. I think Lee and Tenten are the only official pair anyway right?" Shikamaru thought to himself for a moment.
"Uh, Neji-nii, Temari-chan are you…." Hinata started.
"What?" both Neji and Temari spoke together?
"Oh yea…" Shikamaru finally remembered. "Ino how are you and…."
That did it.
"Shikamaru!" Naruto exclaimed.
In an instant Ino was on her feet.
"Ah!" She screamed while hurling a large bottle of champagne at a wall, leaving all around her stunned.
"I-Ino-chan." Hinata whispered with slight fear.
"That's it. That's fucking it!" She shouted. "I tried. I tried to sit here and pretend that it's all okay and that this isn't the weirdest piece of fucking shit get together that I've ever been to. Naruto," She turned to look at the whisker-faced male. "What if fucks sake were you thinking inviting him." She pointed to Shikamaru. "You…" She paused. "You had to know what his presence here would mean, what it would do to me. How dare you, you fucking stupid baka." She shouted.
He sat there while her rage seemed to be just getting started.
"How could you fucking do this?"
"Ino wait calm down." Sakura started as she could no longer sit and let Naruto take this verbal abuse any longer.
"Sakura! Stay out of this." There were hot tears in here eyes. "I don't know why you would do this to me Naruto. Did you think his being here would make me open my eyes have some sort of epiphany and chose you once and for all."
Tenten tried to put an arm to Ino so she could relax.
"Calm down Ino you've had too much to drink."
Ino pushed Tenten's hand away.
"I' am not drunk! Naruto what the fuck is wrong with you? Are you happy now, do you realize how many goddamn wounds you opened up tonight?
Naruto just sat silenced. He saw the hurt, anger and pain on her face. He heard it in her voice as well. He did his best to remain firm and not allow any tears although he surely felt them threatening to come down.
"I…"
"Fuck it." She shouted with tears streaming down her eyes. "I have to get out of here. I…I just can't be here." And with that she ran off.
"Ino!" Naruto shouted out then turned to get up to go after her.
"No." Temari stopped him. "Don't."
"But Temari-chan we have to go after her." Hinata said.
"Y-Yea." Tenten agreed looking rather nervous. "I've never seen her act like that before."
"Neither have I, look at what she did to the wall." Sakura spoke.
Shikamaru too was on his feet. He had never witnessed the platinum-blonde in such a state before. She was like a completely different person.
"What in god's name happened to her? What the hell is going on and don't lie to me."
"First off everyone sit down." Temari advised. "Shikamaru, everyone calm down okay. We are not going to go running after Ino right now. She needs time to calm down herself."
"But…" Naruto. "She'll do something stupid I know she will."
"Naruto I know you're worried. We all are but now is not the time to go out there without a plan, got it."
"She's right." Gaara nodded. "Ino's behavior was unlike her though, such rage."
Naruto just nodded. Temari was very smart he should listen to her so everyone just sat back down.
"So who wants to start." The lazy male asked.
"Ino has been going through a lot lately." Tenten began.
"I know that your presence here would possibly cause this." Temari admitted.
Hearing her confession only confused the dark-haired male.
"So it's my fault that she had that breakdown."
"I'm not saying it's your fault Shikamaru. You don't know what's going on so of course you weren't aware that this would happen."
Naruto hung his head down low and slammed his fist into the table.
"This is my fault."
"Naruto," Sakura whispered. "It's not. Ino didn't mean any of that she was just overwhelmed."
"It is my fault. I thought that getting everyone together would be good for her. I honesty didn't think her seeing Shikamaru would have this sort of effect on her, but I should have known better."
Shikamaru began to rack his brain for answers.
"Naruto its okay." Temari spoke.
"Yeah you were doing a good thing." Tenten tried to comfort him.
"Why did she flip the hell out like that? What's wrong with her that was not the Ino I know?"
The friends all agreed with him there. The girl who stormed out of the bar in such a way, the one who tore into Naruto with such a rage was not the Yamanaka Ino they all knew.
"Shikamaru who were you going to ask Ino about before she went off."
"Oh." He immediately realized.
"They broke up." Tenten let him know.
"So she isn't with…."
Naruto stood up slamming both his hands on to the table.
"Don't! Don't speak that assholes name."
"Alright fine then I wont. So they're done, a break-up is no reason for that behavior."
"I agree." Sakura nodded. "But I think she really loved him."
"You see Shikamaru you unintentionally caused this outburst. We all know that Ino's been through some pretty bad break-ups." Temari started.
"Yeah." He nodded.
"I think this one probably sent her over the edge. She's been messed up for awhile right Naruto."
"Yes." Naruto nodded. "She has."
"I get it." Sakura said. "Seeing Shikamaru again must have triggered all of those bad memories and failed romances."
"Exactly." Temari nodded. "He was like a reminder for her. It was something she didn't want to face. Remember Shikamaru you were her first boyfriend and the first of all the other breakups."
Shikamaru said nothing but he understood.
"It was so many years ago though. I had no idea my being here would have caused this much upset."
"Shikamaru-kun I don't think it was all you. It most likely is because of what happened with her and…." Hinata paused as to not say his name. "Her latest relationship."
"Her seeing you was like a catalyst, you were the trigger on an already loaded gun." Neji spoke.
Naruto sighed. "I should have thought it out better but I really didn't think Ino-chan would react like that. Out of all her relationships Shikamaru, the one you two had didn't end nearly as bad as the rest."
The pony-tailed male let everything sink in. Ino looked to be in the most unbelievable kind of pain. First and foremost she was his friend he stood up.
"I had no idea she was in mess like this. I'm going to go find her." he started to walk off.
"Shikamaru wait."
"I can't just leave her out there even if somehow I caused this. I need to try to help her."
"Shikamaru this isn't your fault. I take full responsibility for this. I'll find her." Naruto said.
"Wrong." Temari shook her head.
"Temari you still don't suggest we leave her out there to do god knows what."
The sandy-blonde too was on her feet.
"No she's had time to cool down. We'll split up and look for her okay. We'll meet back here in an hour or so, everyone keep their phones on so we can stay posted."
"Right." Lee nodded. "Don't worry we shall find Ino-chan."
Tenten, Lee, and Sakura formed a group and went one direction. Gaara accompanied Shikamaru and Naruto, oddly enough leaving Kiba with Hinata and Temari with Neji.
"Hm," Temari sighed. "It looks like we're stuck together, huh Hyuuga."
The brown-haired male said nothing for he was already walking away.
"Hey wait up." She walked after him.
A small smirk graced his lips. "Keep up Temari."
"Oi so you do know my name."
He didn't respond instead he continued to walk.
"You wish to find Ino correct. Let's go."
"Typical Hyuuga." She thought. "We'll find her don't worry. Don't use this as an excuse though you can't avoid me forever."
Neji knew that she was right. He would eventually have to talk to her, however now was not the time.
"Not here and not like this."
"I agree." She nodded. "Let's go."
Poor Ino-chan." Hinata spoke. "Naruto-kun looked so hurt too."
She knew she would not forget anything she had witnessed tonight. Honestly she was freaked out from the moment Ino threw the champagne bottle against the wall.
"Yeah it was pretty messed up." Kiba agreed. "She really ripped into him. I've never seen her act that way."
The blue-haired female looked up into the night sky with a single tear strolling down her pale orbs. Her friends were in pain and she hated it.
"She's really hurting Kiba-kun. I saw that tonight. Naruto-kun loves her too so much. I know he must be hurting too. I just…" more tears came down her eyes. It hurt the brown-haired male to see Hinata crying. He grabbed her then pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Please don't cry Hinata. I can't stand to see you hurt."
"K-Kiba-kun," she whispered.
He pulled away from her so he could wipe the tears out of her eyes.
"Don't cry okay." He placed a kiss on her forehead. "It's going to be okay. Let's go find Ino."
"Alright," she smiled bravely. "Thank you, let's go Kiba-kun."
Hinata could only hope that wherever Ino had run off to that she was okay.
"I hope that you're alright Ino-chan."
Shikamaru, Naruto, and Gaara checked several of the places that Ino liked to hang around. She wasn't at any of them it was as if she had somehow vanished.
"You haven't found her yet either Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as he was now on the phone with her.
"No we even went by her old neighborhood but we haven't found her yet. Don't worry Naruto we will find her."
"yeah." He nodded. "I will call you if anything."
"Sure, okay bye."
Shikamaru had gotten off of his own phone the around the same time Naruto had hung up from Sakura.
"Temari said that she hasn't found her."
"Sakura-chan didn't see her either."
"We'll find her don't worry." Gaara spoke. "It'll be okay."
Shikamaru had one had in his pocket. He still couldn't get the image of the blue-eyed female freaking out like that from his mind. He knew that Naruto had to be thinking of it still too.
"Hey Naruto you still love her don't you?" the dark-haired male asked.
Shikamaru just like everyone else knew of his feelings for the platinum-blonde.
"Yeah." He nodded. "It's not a big secret everyone knows."
"Yeah I want to be able to say that it'll all be okay but I feel like if I said that I would be lying. Ino is really messed up. She is clearly in a bad place. She'll need her friends now more than ever but more than anything Ino needs you."
Naruto paused.
"Shikamaru?"
"She's upset and lashing out but she doesn't hate you. She must know that she needs you too either way you look at it, no one loves her like you do that I'm sure of."
The red-haired male nodded his head in agreement.
"I agree. It is clear that you are very passionate about Ino. Naruto I hope to one day experience feelings like that for someone."
Naruto really appreciated Shikamaru and Gaara's words to him. He especially needed to hear it because he was still reeling over the way Ino had tore into him. She'd never once yelled at him in such a harsh way. He felt as if he were the reason why she had been feeling all that pain. He wanted to find her so he could fix things.
"Thanks guys."
"Okay let's go." Shikamaru said. "I'd really like to find Ino before anything really bad happens."
"Yeah." Naruto agreed. "Me too."
Naruto didn't want to think about the sort of trouble Ino could and would possibly get into. He was more worried now than ever because of the clear rage she had been in.
"She was more upset than I've ever seen her."
The blue-eyed male wasn't sure if he would be able to forget it.
"She was so angry but even more than that Ino-chan was hurting."
All of that anger had come out of a place of pain. Ino needed someone to direct that pain and if he had to be the one to bare it he would because he loved her. He loved her more than anything. Naruto paused when out of the corner of his eye he had been almost certain he'd seen a flash of platinum-blonde hair.
"Huh?"
"What, what's wrong?" Shikamaru asked.
"It's…" Naruto started. "It's nothing, never mind."
"Let's move on." Gaara said.
He wasn't sure if that flash of platinum-blonde was her. For all he knew he hadn't seen her at all, it could have all been hopeful thinking on his part. It felt as if they were getting nowhere, everywhere they looked there had been no sign of the blue-eyed female. Naruto knew Ino very well if she didn't want to be found then she wouldn't be.
"Hey guys." Naruto started.
"Yeah."
"What's up?"
"Let's head back to the bar okay."
Gaara and Shikamaru exchanged looks with one another.
"But why?"
"Naruto we haven't found her yet."
"Lets just go alright it's already been about an hour. Let's go meet with the others."
The whisker-faced male said no more as he led the way back to the direction of the bar leaving his friends to do nothing except shrug their shoulders and wonder why. As they were nearing the bar Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, Temari, Kiba, Neji, and Lee were all waiting with the pink-haired female seeing them first.
"Naruto, Shikamaru, Gaara what happened."
"No luck."
"We didn't find her either." Kiba said.
Naruto appreciated that they were all willing to keep up the search for her but he had come to a conclusion of sorts.
"Guys lets forget it okay."
"What?" Sakura asked with confusion.
"Naruto-kun why?"
"I know her if she doesn't want to be found she wont be. We don't have to run around the whole city looking for her anymore."
He wanted to find her but felt like right now he should just let her go.
"Naruto are you sure?" Temari asked.
"Yeah she's our friend we don't mind." The brown-haired female spoke.
"I know but I think for now its better if we just leave her alone. I'll let you guys now if I hear from her."
"Okay then we'll do it your way for now Naruto. If any of us do see her though we'll let you know, because I do want to talk to her." Shikamaru said.
"Although Naruto does have the best chance of anyone in seeing her." Neji spoke.
They had all agreed to Naruto's plan but in all honesty no one really felt too good about leaving her out there. She was upset and there was no telling what she would do at a time like this.
'So I guess we're going to call it a night then." Kiba said.
"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "It turned out to be a mess but I'm glad you guys came."
"Well we wanted to Naruto and now that we've seen how serious it is we need to be there for her."
"Yes." The red-haired male nodded. "We will all help however we can."
"We will do everything we can to help Ino-chan get back to normal." Hinata promised.
"Thanks guys I appreciate it. Let's all just go for now there isn't anymore we can do."
"Okay." Sakura nodded. "But if anyone does see Ino, call alright?"
"Right." The friends all agreed. "Goodbye for now."
With that everyone bid farewell and ended up going their separate ways. Naruto couldn't believe what a disaster the evening had turned out to be. Ino could be out there doing god knows what all because she was in a rage. He could only hope that she was okay out there. It was hard but he knew that he had to do it. He had to leave Ino alone; running after her would not solve anything. In the end he felt as if he had made the right choice.
"If it really was the right choice then how come I feel so messed up about it?" he wondered.