this was a hard chapter to write...mutters about random things enjoy!
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Tap tap
Hinata stirred in her sleep
Tap tap
Fully awake she activated her bloodline skill and looked around the room. Near the window she saw a shock of blond hair and a hand reaching up to tap the window again. Instead she opened it.
"Naruto-kun, get in quick" she whispered dragging him through the window and quickly shutting and drawing the curtains. Moments later they heard the steady walk of a guard.
When all was silent Naruto spoke "Ohio Hinata" he said with a foxy grin.
Hinata let out an exasperated sigh "Naruto…what brings you here so late?"
Naruto took a moment to answer, he'd never seen Hinata in just pyjamas before but he blinked and shook his head "I have a mission…A-rank, I'll be gone a while I might be back in time for Lee and Sakura's wedding"
Clinging to him Hinata held back tears, failing.
He felt them hit his shoulder "hey Hinata don't cry, no one cares if I come back, not really"
"I care!" she hissed back punching him in the shoulder fiercely "Don't you dare say no one cares Naruto! Come back…please…please" she collapsed into his arms
Closing his eyes Naruto returned her hug "Hinata I love you, thank you for being there for me…I will come back" With a kiss on her forehead he slipped out of the window and was gone.
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"I now pronounce you man and wife" Tsunade cried eyes shining with tears. Lee and Sakura kissed in front of a crowd of friends and family. Ino and Hinita concentrating performed a jutsu they had been working on, "Flower fall!" they cried petals began to float down like confetti as Lee and Sakura ran down the aisle to a waiting cart.
Sakura threw her bouquet, which ironically was caught by kakashi!
The two bridesmaids released their jutsu and grinned.
"Man that was an effort" Ino gasped wiping sweat from her brow. Both of them were dressed in warm dresses in blues and whites as Sakura had colour coordinated to match the month and season she was getting married in (about March).
Hinata frowned; she hadn't ever strained with that jutsu "Ino are you okay? That didn't even touch my main reserve"
"I feel a bit sick, maybe I'll go see Tsunade-sama tomorrow"
"Make sure you do…." Hinata's reply was lost as Naruto suddenly appeared.
"NARUTO!" she cried throwing herself into the tired looking, but clean Ninja
He promptly swept her away. Ino for once was glad to see her friend go, she stumbled home and dropped into her bed. Have I got the flu? She wondered feeling her head, no temperature. I'll go see the Hokage tomorrow she promised herself and fell into a deep sleep.
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Next day
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Ino woke up –threw up – went to the Hokage's office. Four hours later Ino was laying down on the Hokage's coach staring into space. The first thing Ino remembered about that morning was throwing up. She had managed to have a shower and clean herself up before heading to the Hokage tower, where luckily Tsunade had seen her straight away.
The normally happy woman had gone quiet when Ino had described her symptoms and examined her.
"Ino…are you a virgin?" she had asked seriously
Ino swallowed "No"
"I know this is embarrassing but when was the last time you had sex"
"About three months ago…."
"Ino………you are pregnant" the words had left her breathless. On one hand she was horrified she had been so stupid, on the other hand, she wondered what a baby of hers and Gaara's would look like.
"I see" she finally managed
"Do you know whose it is?" Tsunade asked carefully privately guessing
Ino chuckled to herself "Yes"
"Do you know your options?" Tsunade looked sad, the options of course were termination, giving the child up for adoption or keeping the child.
"I know the options Tsunade-sama…. I have a question"
"Yes?"
"When is the next time anyone is going to the hidden sand village?"
Tsunade looked on her calendar silently congratulating herself on making a correct bet "I am going in two days…I could take you if you like"
"I really need to go" Ino looked at her stomach wondering if it already looked bigger, wondering how Gaara would react.
Tsunade's voice brought her back "…need plenty of rest so have a nap in here no one will bother you" she nodded sleepily
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Gaara frowned as he faced the horizon. Miles of sand were visible with the heat wavering the light. Tsunade had sent a message saying they would be slightly late, one of their members were ill so they would be travelling in the cool night arriving that morning.
Why bring an ill person with them? He thought irritably his sand twitching about like a giant snake. He jumped to the top of the wall to get a better view. There, a black spot on the horizon he focused his eyes, four people. Tsunade…her other apprentice…Shikamaru…good for Temari…and a fourth person who was wearing a large hat, a woman he guessed. She was lagging behind and tripped. Tsunade immediately stopped and turning helped the woman back to her feet, Shikamaru was at her side immediately. Gaara's eyes widened, the woman had blond hair. Immediately he closed his eyes you cannot see Ino in everyone you meet he berated himself. The woman was back on her feet replacing the sun hat, again the quartet ran towards the gates.
Gaara jumped down just as they entered. Tsunade greeted him while Shizune and Shikamaru stood behind her. The woman with the hat rubbed her arm whilst looking down. Feeling his eyes on her she looked up. Had Gaara not been in front of his people he would have gasped. It was Ino, he smiled at her, but was worried, she looked ill, her face was thin and there were large bags under her eyes.
"Ino…." He began only to be interrupted by Tsunade
"Perhaps we had best retire to the rooms you have provided Kazekage-sama" she said meaningfully.
Nodding Gaara led them towards his tower home, still worried.
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Once there Ino and Shizune disappeared into the bathroom almost immediately. There was a period of silence before Gaara snapped and immediately rounded on Tsunade.
"Tsunade! What is wrong with Ino? Why have you allowed her to travel when she is so obviously sick?"
Wow he looks mad Tsunade thought "I …"
"I asked her to bring me" Ino's rough voice came from the bathroom doorway where she leant. Shizune hovered nearby.
With her sunhat off Gaara could appreciate how ragged Ino actually looked. She looks like she hasn't slept for days he thought to herself.
"Do you want to talk to Gaara Ino" Tsunade asked
Ino's face flickered with fear, which caused Gaara to shudder inwardly why, is she suddenly, scared?
"Yes" Immediately the three ninjas left the room.
Gaara looked towards Ino who still stood in the doorway trembling. "Ino..?" he asked stepping forward. Suddenly she flung herself into his arms and burst into tears.
Gaara frowned; she only acted this way when she was really upset about something, like when Sakura was raped, he softly ran his fingers through her hair.
"Hey" he said lifting her to a nearby sofa and settling her still crying form in his lap cradling her against his chest "Hey, shhhhhh, hey, what's wrong Ino…. has something happened to Sakura?"
She shook her head wiping away her tears.
"Gaara…please, please just hold me for now" she begged, Gaara frowned holding her close, as he did a thought struck him is she dying? Is that why she had to see me? Oh Kama Sama, you are cruel he held her even tighter. Suddenly Ino shot from his arms to the bathroom. It sounded like she was throwing up. Gaara froze not knowing what to do. He followed her and noticing she was still at the toilet held her hair and rubbed her back.
"Thank you" she whispered.
"Are you alright?" he asked worried
"No" she shook her head and washed her face in the sink
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He led her back to the living room where she sat on a sofa, and then stood, she paced up and down.
"Ino, please tell me what's wrong"
Ino swallowed and turned to him. "Gaara…. I'll tell you if you promise to let me finish"
He nodded, dreading what he was going to hear
"I'm pregnant…. it's yours…" she turned as she said this to find Gaara staring at her, open mouthed frozen, she swallowed and carried on turning back to the window "I can understand if you don't want a child, but you must see that I don't want a termination…. if you don't want to acknowledge the baby as yours you will never have to see him or her…and I would never bother you with anything" she choked back a sob at the thought…. to never see him again.
Gaara's mind was in turmoil, she wasn't dying? She was pregnant? He was going to be a father? "I'm going to be a father?" were the first words from his frozen lips
Ino spun at those words, having hope for the first time "Hai" she replied softly
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He suddenly grabbed Ino's discarded hat and placing it on her head picked the woman up bridal style. He then proceeded to run out of the building, past the Hokage and the other leaf ninjas, past surprised sand residents, past his unusually hairy secretaries and into his dim cool office. There they met Temari.
"Gaara? What's going on, hey Ino!"
"OUT" was all Gaara said to her, with a startled glance Temari left at a run. Gaara placed Ino on her feet, slammed and locked the door and opened a drawer in his desk.
Ino blinked. She guessed she was in Gaara's office as the plants she had given him were there. Gaara was rummaging in a drawer "Got it!" he shouted causing her to jump. Seeing that he shot her an apologetic smile.
"Ino?" he asked with a gentleness she had to respond to.
"Yes?"
"I want to let you know…. I was planning on doing this anyway, even though I didn't know when I would see you again"
"Gaara what are you…"
"Ino…. I've wanted you here with me for so long, I missed you. I never knew when I would see you again and it was killing me inside, I told you once that I loved you, and I would love you forever. We can raise this child together if you agree…. but I only want you to agree if you want to be beside me, here." Gaara was on his knees now holding out an old looking stone ring
"Gaara…. please stand up" Gaara wouldn't move, he just knelt there holding the ring out. Eventually Ino smiled "I can't have my fiancée not being able to look at me…"
His head snapped up "Yes?"
Ino's eyes crinkled at the edges as she smiled "Every day" Gaara slid the ring onto her finger "If you'll excuse me…." She ran into the bathroom
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"TEMARI!" Gaara yelled opening the office door, Kankuro, Temari, Shikamaru, Shizune and Tsunade fell into the room in a heap. Gaara's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.
"If it makes you feel any better we couldn't see or hear a thing because of fat ass here" Kankuro said pointing at Shikamaru. He then went and kissed one of the hairiest secretaries in the room.
"Shikamaru!" Temari yelled stomping on the mans foot…he promptly released the shadow jutsu
"He deserved it…"
"Get in here – NOW" When everyone was in his office Gaara promptly asked Shizune and Tsunade to look after Ino, Shikamaru went too sensing this would be a 'family' moment.
"Gaara what's wrong with…."
"Dude was that…."
"Shut up and I'll explain" silence "One. I am getting married within the next 4 months"
"Whaaaaaaat????" Temari slammed her hand over Kankuro's mouth
"Kankuro if you don't shut up you'll be on diaper duties"
"What?" Temari added utterly confused
"I'm going to be a dad," Gaara said with a smile
Cue anime style fall