After her father had taken her home, Ino went straight to bed. She had been awake for nearly two days now, and it was more than just the lack of sleep that had her body drained. Her emotional roller coaster ride had also taken quite a toll on her as well.

Not even bothering to shower off the dirt and tears that covered her body, she returned to her bed, falling asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

It was near three that afternoon when she awoke and headed towards the kitchen for some lunch.

When she arrived she met her father who looked like he hadn't slept a wink since they arrived home.

"Good morning Dad." Ino muttered as an awkward presence filled the room and surrounded her. She let her gaze fall to the floor as she walked past him and pulled out a bag of cookies from the cabinet.

There it was again, that feeling of fear and dread, lingering within her and covering her like a mink coat. It boiled into the very center of her heart and wrapped thorned wire around her lungs, squeezing and stabbing her with each breath she took. Ino shuddered as she felt her father's eyes lingering on her lower back, as if starring through her to the small child growing inside of her. She closed her eyes and took a breath; she had made a promise not only to herself but to her baby. No longer would she let her fear or selfishness take over her, and no longer would she let any harm befall her baby in any way, whether it be by her own wickedness or someone else's.

Taking a bite of one of the cookies, she turned to her father and watched him. He looked like he was slowly coming to terms with his inner thoughts and emotions. Ino finished the cookie and sat down across the table from her father and gave him a sweet smile before asking "You're not mad at me are you?"

Inoichi looked at her, bags hung from his eyes like wind chimes. "No chrysanthemum, I'm not anymore…..After last night, I'm reminded that there are always worse things that could happen. This isn't so bad anymore in comparison."

Those were the words he spoke but his eyes told another story. It was true what he told her but this whole ordeal was still weighing heavily on his mind, but truthfully, who could blame him? For a father to find out his teenage daughter is pregnant, it must be like being hit by a tsunami, then to find out that the father was one of the only two boys you actually trusted around her, it must make a person feel like a complete fool in all sense of the word.

Ino sighed standing up and running over to her father, she gripped him into a hug. She knew no matter what he said he would still be a little disappointed in her but it's not like she could go back on anything now. What's done was done and nothing could change it.

Inoichi held onto his daughter and despite his less than enthusiastic reaction towards his grandchild, he thought that everything might not be so bad after all.

"Ino." He whispered. "Yes, Dad?"

"Choji stopped by today…..he said Shikamaru is in the hospital."

Ino released her father and asked "Why?"

"He got knocked out pretty bad after he chased the guy that kidnapped you. He's doing okay but Choji said he's being held there until he recovers all his strength." Ino nodded her head and muttered "I'm going to go see him….he could probably use some cheering up." Inoichi nodded watching her head to her the bathroom for a quick shower.

After changing into some clean clothes Ino smiled. It felt nice to know things were slowly going back to normal, or as normal as it can get from this point on. Grabbing what was left from the bag of cookies, Ino left for the hospital where she opened the door to Shikamaru's room expecting him to be asleep, only to find him awake, arms folded and scowling with that 'Come here' look on his face. She gulped, this can't be good.

"Ino," He growled "We need to talk."

'Talk. When did such a simple word become so evil?' She mused, sitting down on the bed next to him, her hand digging in the bag for the last cookie only to realize she'd devoured them all on the way here when her fingers found only crumbs.

"Now….why did you say I was the father?"Shikamaru questioned, his arms still folded. Rubbing the back of her head and taking a deep breath Ino spoke. "I think its best I started from the beginning." He gave her a nod waiting for her to continue. "Well when I told you I slept with rouge nin it was true but….I…I never told you who the rouge was." She looked dead into his eyes now. "The rouge was….someone we've all heard about the horrible things he's done one way or another as we were growing up…..Itachi Uchiha."

Shikamaru nearly flipped out. "What in the hell? Ino have you lost your mind?" he yelled nearly falling off the bed. "Shhh!" Ino spat clasping her hands over his mouth. "Be quiet! And let me continue!"

Shikamaru groaned regaining his composure. Was nothing simple anymore?

"Okay now the reason I told Sakura you were the father was because one, she assumed that you were the father anyway- and no I don't know why." She added quickly seeing the freaked out look on his face.

"Two, I was afraid that if I told her who the real father was she'd get upset and hate me because I'm sure she still wants to be the one to help revive the Uchiha clan and that by me having Itachi's baby would make her feel like I stole a right or something from her so I just let her think that it was you because I knew that if I told her it wasn't you that she'd question me over and over again till I lost my mind and blabbed!" She finished, glad to get that off her chest.

Shikamaru merely stared at her for a few moments before saying "So because of that I'm the one who has to take responsibility for what that Uchiha did?" Ino bit her lip. "Shikamaru I'm really sorry, I know I shouldn't have but I-" He covered her mouth with his hand and cut her off. "Ino, you women are more complex and troublesome than your worth."

She groaned. 'What's this, the new saying or something?'

Removing his hand from her mouth, Ino continued. "Shikamaru, I'm sorry I let Sakura think that and- wait a minute! How did you find out?"

She stared at him, that demanding look on her face. "Heh," He smirked "Your father told me, let's just say that Sakura has a big mouth, even when she is only taking to herself." Ino's jaw dropped, she could kill Sakura right now. "Shikamaru…should I kill her now or let her live so she can change diapers later?" He gave a small laugh and rubbed her shoulder. "Let her live, you never know when she might come in handy. Although…when are you going to tell her I'm not the father?" Ino stayed quiet. "Ino….you are going to tell her and your father too right?"

"Ehh….about that…" She remarked nervously. "I-ah…..kinda would still prefer you pretend to be the father…."

The Nara just stared at here again. "You're nuts. Haven't I been through enough already?"

Ino grabbed his hand and using her helpless voice, whispered "Shika…."

He eyed her hand. 'Oh no not the pet name, she's gonna start begging now I know it.'

"Please Shika, I really don't want to tell my Daddy that Itachi is this little one's father so please, if not for me then for the baby, will you pretend to be the father? Please Shika, I'm begging you." He watched as she moved his hand onto her lower stomach and held it there. "Please?"

"Ech…Ino, you do know that if the kid inherits the Sharingan, which it mostly likely will since Itachi is the heir to the Uchiha clan, that this will all be for nothing."

"Don't you think I know that?" She spat letting go of his hand. "Shikamaru, please I'm begging you, I need time to prepare myself before I tell my Dad! Besides, even if the child does have Sharingan, we won't know until the kid is anywhere from three to eight! So please Shikamaru help me out here, I'm begging you, at least until I learn to stand and walk on my own two feet with this baby! I'm only asking for your help as a friend and a comrade. Besides, if you don't then you're going to have to help me one way or another because when everyone asks who the father is I'm going to make you tell them and do you really think you can stand by and watch as they look at me with those harsh and wicked eyes?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Three to eight?" Ino gave a small embarrassed blush. "You never know, the kid might turn out to be a prodigy like its father…"

Shikamaru sighed. This was just too much; there was no escape with this woman. His hand still sat upon her stomach as he contemplated this. Ino had a point. One way or another he was gonna be a part of this whether he liked it or not and even if he tried to stop the madness now, it would only lead into another troublesome path. Besides, his dad already thought he was the father so that took out some of the sting. He might as well, at least he could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't freak out and get herself kidnapped again.

"Fine Ino….I'll be your baby daddy." She squealed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Shikamaru; I owe you big time for this!" Ino grinning hugging him to death. "Good, you can start paying me back now."

"How's that?" She asked after kissing his forehead from happiness.

"I'm not marrying you, no matter what you or your dad says. At least give me that much." Shikamaru muttered, lying back down and taking Ino with him.

Ino laughed. "Of course Shikamaru." Closing his eyes Shikamaru added one last thing. "Oh and Ino, one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"You have the honor of telling my mother, because I will honestly admit, I'm not man enough to do it." Ino scowled at him. "Shikamaru, hasn't enough happened to me already?"

His lips curled into a smirk and he let three words escape his lips. "You. Owe. Me."

"Aww." The door opened and an overly happy voice echoed through to see Ino lying atop Shikamaru's chest.

"Nice to see that the lover's are doing well after their little scare yesterday. You are okay aren't you Ino?" Sakura chirped as she walked into the room and made small talk with Ino who replied back that she was perfectly fine and healthy and that she wanted to schedule a check up for her unborn baby to which Sakura gladly agreed, dragging Ino away.

"Don't worry Shikamaru; I'll have her back to you in just a little bit. Don't get too lonely."

When the door closed Shikamaru groaned and buried his head in the pillow, muffledly muttering "I stand by what I said, women are more trouble than there worth!"

Please Review!

~HornyWolf