First of all, a great apology to all of you for the huge delay. This chapter was originally supposed to be longer, but since it took forever to write (we had to write it about 5 different ways until we found one that we liked) and the second part isn't finished yet, we decided to give you this part in advance. A small update is better than no update at all, right?... Right?

Also, we would like to express our thanks to ElementKitsune, Shizuka Taiyou, JustAnOrdinaryReader, sumtyms, shikainoisthebest, 4LonelySouls, Tiffany-Epiphany, Le Dancing Flamingo, blackxmist18, Guest #1 and Guest#2 and Sayaka M for reviewing the previous chapter (we'll be writing our review replies in a second so expect our randomness in your inbox very soon).

Obviously enough, we also thank all of you who have ever reviewed this story as well as the silent readers for their support. This story is almost finished (some 6 or 7 chapters more and we're done) and we couldn't have done it without you.

Please enjoy the chapter and let us know what you think.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Something To Fight For

(Month Five)

"Focus!" He grit his teeth, willing the shadow to creep forward despite his depleted reserve of chakra.

"The last time we tried this, it went totally wrong"

"Shikamaru!" Chouji groaned at his left. One of his arms hung limply at his side while the other hand, maximised by his Baika no Jutsu, struggled to keep five enemies within its grip. "I can't hold them back anymore!"

"Damn it." He cursed as the remaining chakra he had left was not enough for Kage Nui.

"I know, but…" She looked up at him imploringly. "Just… please stay here tonight. Just this once."

"Shikamaru!"

"I'm on it!" His hands shift into a different seal, his mind trying desperately to come up with a strategy that would work. "Kage Kubi Shibari no Jutsu!"

"Ino..."

"I know."

Not enough… it just wasn't enough. He was far too weak due to the blood loss, but he had to protect the fallen comrade behind him. At least until he could come up with a strategy that would allow them to retrieve since the previous one had completely failed.

It was his fault, he knew, for not taking his new teammate's abilities into consideration. A mistake he had doomed them all to pay for.

"I'm not going to die."

"I know…"

The shadow slowly crept up his opponents' necks despite his blurred vision. He had to get his team out of that situation, he just had to.

He had promised her he would return, no matter how dangerous his mission turned out to be.

He had promised as he wiped away her worried tears, right before kissing her and leaving without a word.

"Shikamaru watch out!" Chouji's cry reached his ears a fraction of second before the enemy's foot connected against his jaw.

"Tsunade won't take a no for an answer. You should know that already."

"But why does it have to be you? She could have sent anyone else!"

"We are all shinobi Ino. We all have something to fight for."

His eyes went out of focus as he landed with a crash, his head bouncing hard against a tree stump. In the darkness, he could make out the grayish lines in Sakura's screen, forming the outline of the faces he longed to see.

"We all have something to protect."

Pain numbed his senses as he struggled to get back on his feet. Whatever the cost, he would get his team out of danger.

Whatever the cost, he would keep his promise to Ino.

Focus… think…

Tsunade had promised back-up. They just had to hold on long enough for them to arrive.

'Formation Ino-Shika-Chou' His stupefied mind briefly considered the idea, then he grimaced feeling both guilty that Ino could no longer be part of the team because of him, and glad that at least she didn't have to face the danger he had before him now.

"What can we do?!" Chouji ran next to him, half-dragging their unconscious teammate. "I can't form seals anymore!"

"We have to find an opening." He said among ragged breaths. "We have to get out of here, just let me think."

"Get down!" Chouji tackled him to the ground to avoid the kunai flying their way. He braced himself for the searing pain of the weapons sinking into his skin and the loud 'clinks' as they bounced off on Chouji's armor.

Instead of that, they heard the deaf sound of the kunai hitting against something soft.

"Nimpo-"

The battlefield cleared in a second. The reinforcements had arrived.

(Loves Me… Loves Me Not…)

Ten.- And before we start getting flames… no, this isn't a filler chapter. It's just an "incomplete" chapter because writer's block is being a bitch right now.

Glacia.- We assure you that it is totally relevant in the story. You will understand as soon as you read the next chapter.

Vianey.- And there are some hints of the developing relationship there, if you've noticed. There'll be a lot more progress in the next chapter, which we will try to update once again on Wednesday because we haven't been respecting the update date lately and that makes us feel really bad.

Have any comments? Please be nice :(