well i guess, I'm improving on the length of the fic ne~? hehe ;)

anyways, thanks for the reviews Sandy smiles and anielka hyuuga.

R&R people. it motivates me to write, thanks~

disclaimer: i do not own the characters

Together, as one

Chapter 14

"How could Konoha shinobis be so untrustworthy?" Lord Hiroki appeared with his two hired ninjas; without any word, Sasuke launched on attacking Naruto was close behind, Ino was left but still prepared to fight. It was all too sudden and she felt someone from behind and all she could see was black.

"Sasuke~!" she yelled before darkness engulfed her mind.

.

.

.

"Kami did listen to my prayer!" Ino heard someone said and she was familiar to it.

"Shika. . . maru?" She uttered weakly; she felt a pair of hands wrapped around her frail ones. "am I back at Konoha?" she asked fully aware now of her surroundings. She looked at the pineapple-haired male and saw him smile.

"You were unconscious for the past week. Hokage-sama even told us that you might not make it, but we still prayed that you will recover, Ino," Shikamaru explained; she couldn't remember anything that happened at the Land of Waves right after she fainted.

"Where's Sas- I mean, where's Naruto?" she asked, Shikamaru shrugged. After she woke up, she still looked for other people instead of her own husband.

"He was resting on his place; he too was badly hurt but not as bad as yours." He said as he squeezed her hand gently. "I'm glad you're okay now." She looked at him; then remembered suddenly what happened between her and Sasuke, she felt guilty alright but she couldn't make herself feel at ease with Shikamaru's presence now that she knew that the raven-haired was still alive. She wondered where could he been. Is he with Naruto now? Did he stayed at Yuka's house or came back here at Konoha? There were so many questions that floated in her mind that she didn't even heard Shikamaru asked her. "Ino"

"Ino?"

"S-Shikamaru?" she asked astonished, the shadow-possessor smiled at her and gestured for her to drink a glass of water. She drank the water slowly and thanked him; she was even shocked when Shikamaru kissed her on the cheek. "w-what was that for?"

"Nothing; am I not allowed to kiss my wife without any reason?" he asked; she did not say anything to avoid conflict. This marriage surely made a toll on her feelings with Shikamaru.

"Shika" she called out and he was hurriedly at her aid

"What is it? Do you need anything?" her husband asked attentively; she was sure, before she departed for her mission, she and Shika had a fight and he did not even see her leave; heck, she didn't even sure if he knew about her mission. What's with him right now was something Ino has doubted. "hey~ Ino"

"Ah~ can I make a request?" she asked and smiled shyly at him. "Will you take Naruto here? I want to him what happened on our mission" she said and Shikamaru just smiled at him.

"Alright, I'll be quick" he said and planted a kiss on her lips before he left which startled the blond.

He smiles a lot. Is there anything wrong? She thought. She was lost on her own thoughts that she didn't know Sakura had entered her room.

"How are you Ino?" the pink-haired medic nin asked as he made her way towards Ino's bed, the blond smiled at her

"I'm doing okay now." She replied, Sakura examined her before she jotted down some information on her pad. "How's Naruto? Shika said he was hurt from our mission too"

"Yeah~, but he's okay now. Unlike you, it took a week before you wake up" she said and Ino dropped her gazed on her lap. "Do you know what happened before you passed out?" Ino looked at her again before she shook her head. Sakura changed the topic to cheer Ino up; the girls continued to talk until Shikamaru came back and brought Naruto along.

"Are you feeling okay now, Ino?" Naruto asked the moment he saw Ino. As if it was a sign or something, Shikamaru and Sakura left the room to let the two blond talked.

"I'm okay now" Ino replied when she was sure that the two was away from the room. "Where is he? Is he with you?" Naruto did not met her eyes when she asked about Sasuke, "Naru"

"We failed the mission, but it was okay. Lord Hiroki died and the town was now freed from his selfishness" the blond male said instead, avoiding the topic Ino brought up. "You were kidnapped by his men and we both find you until we were dragged at the palace. He saw you tied up and someone forced his chakra on your unconscious body, we suspected it was some kind of jutsu to weaken the limbs of its target until it died. He was furious and killed the people surrounded him; the one who put you in a coma was killed merciless, when I arrived; he was beating the hell out of Hiroki. He was really angry, Ino." Naruto explained and Ino was shaking from the tears that were pouring out of her eyes.

"I want to know where he is" she begged as she clutched Naruto's jacket. "Is he here?"

"He stayed there. He said, it would be safe for the two of you to separate" Naruto said sadly "it was he who carried you all through out until we get here."

"Does Sakura know he is alive?" Ino asked, trying to calm herself. Naruto shook his head

"I'm going to tell her when you're out of the hospital. Rest well Ino" he said. "By the way, he wanted you to have this" he added as he fished out something from his pocket and gave Ino a rectangular box

"What is this?" she asked as she looked at Naruto who just encouraged her to open the box; lying in there was a necklace with a fan-shaped pendant- the symbol of the Uchiha clan; she also saw a letter incorporated on the box and she pulled it out and read its contents.

Ino, by the time you have this we were probably away from each other again. I won't see you for the mean time, that's why I gave you this Uchiha necklace for you to remember that I'm always here for you. I love you and I promise you, we'll see each other again.

-Sasuke

She folded back the paper and wiped away her tears.

No matter what happened, I will always protect you- even if I'm afar from you.

"Thank you Naruto." She said as she smiled at the blond.

One month has passed and everything was normal; she was still aloof with Shikamaru but get along well with his parents, but then, she still did her duties as his wife; she also worked part time at their flower shop and accept missions occasionally.

"kaa-san, have you seen Shikamaru?" she asked when she arrived at the kitchen where Yoshino was. The older Nara female shook her head as she turned around to meet her daughter-in-law. "I think he didn't sleep here. I waited for him until before midnight but he didn't went home" she said, Yoshino walked over her and held her hands soothingly

"Did you two fight?" Yoshino asked, Ino shook her head "maybe he was with Chouji, he was stressing himself because of the Chunin exams" the older female said and she smiled. When she was about to stood up, a nauseating feeling overwhelmed her and the urged to go to the bathroom took over her. "Ino~ are you okay?" Yoshino yelled as she followed the young blond up until the bathroom door. Ino opened the faucet of the sink to overcome the noise of her puke.

What the hell's happening to me? She thought as she gargled her mouth and wiped it with a clean towel.

"Ino~!" she still heard Yoshino behind the bathroom door, she closed the faucet and opened the door

"I'm okay now 'kaa-san." She said and excused herself.

It was noontime when Shikamaru arrived at his house; he was exhausted because of the previous night. He went directly to their room only to found his wife sound asleep, he smiled at her peaceful form and slipped on the sheets with her, wrapping his arms around her waist; she felt Ino stirred a bit but didn't wake up so he just tightened his grip on her and savoured the smell of her hair.

"Shikama~" Yoshino was cut when she saw his son and daughter sleeping peacefully together; Shikamaru's arm was still on the blond's waist and Ino's arms were on Shikamaru's side and her face was buried on his chest. Contented at what she saw, she left the couple's room and headed back to the kitchen.

By the time Ino went to see her best friend, Sakura knew all about Sasuke; at first she was mad at the blond for not telling her that the raven-haired was still alive, but Ino managed to explain everything on the pink-haired woman and easily forgave her.

"Do you feel anything other than throwing up every morning?" Sakura asked the blond; it was almost two weeks now since Ino experienced this weird feeling and she's afraid that her conclusion was right so she consulted her friend about it.

"I feel dizzy; please Sakura, I know that we both know what's happening to me. I just want to confirm it" she pleaded, Sakura looked at her worriedly and finally gave her the kit; she took a glimpsed of it and hesitantly went to used the restroom.

After a couple of minutes, she went back at Sakura and eyes were now watery as she held the kit on her hand; Sakura knew what was the result from the way Ino's whole body was shaking. She shrugged at her best friend's complicated situation; she led her to the hair she once seated and calm the blond.

"I know it's rude to ask about this but. . ." she looked at Ino's eyes and took a deep breath. "Do you know who the father is?" Ino clenched the kit on her hand; her eyes were puffy and swollen due to her cries. After a few more minutes, she was calm now; Sakura gave her a glass of tea to calm her more before she asked again the dreaded question.

"It's Sasuke"