Hm, seems to me some of you are not thrilled with the 'mom' choice. Sorry, guess that's just how it is. I still love you though. You got used to Itaten, I think you can get used to this too! ;) sorry I didn't update yesterday. Wednesdays are my busiest day.

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

Internal Affairs

Chapter 28: We all have our reasons


A door to what Ino and Deidara had both assumed to be a closet, swung open with a creak. And Ino stood to her feet when she saw a tall and slender woman with dark brown hair emerge from the secret room.

"Mommy." Ino whispered behind trembling lips as memories from her past came flooding toward her.

"Oh, you're really real!" The brunette woman, Rin exclaimed as she rushed to Ino and took her in her arms.

"Of course I am." Ino whispered, slowly wrapping her arms around the woman with a hint of uncertainty.

"My, look at you! You're grown!" Rin stepped back, taking Ino's hands in her own and looked her over.

Deidara, realizing he was the reason Ino's mother was angry and left, decided it would be best if he gave the two some privacy, so he stood and walked out of the room quietly.

"Well, of course I am, mom. I'm 26 now." She stated, having trouble believing it herself. "I-I just don't understand why you left dad like that, he says you just abandoned us, to go back to the US."

"I didn't mean to leave you like that, you have to understand sweetie, I was very young when your father and I were together. I got scared and I ran away from what I should've loved the most. I'm so sorry." She said as tears rolled down your cheeks. "But I never forgot about you, and I'm here now to make things right."


As Deidara waited in the hallway, he began to pace to and fro, before his phone rang. He looked down, realizing it was Itachi and he wasn't sure what it could be about, so he answered right away. "Hello?"

"I-I need your advice." Itachi admitted sheepishly On the other end.

"You need my advice?" Deidara blinked, completely bewildered by his friends strange statement.

"Yes."

"Well, alright. Shoot." Deidara chimed as he leaned against the wall.

"It's about Tenten. I want her to be happy, but I don't think I can handle her fighting again." He admitted, sighing.

Deidara frowned and scratched his head, a little unsure how to handle the situation. He knew Tenten, and knew that this was a passion of hers, but he also knew that if she were to continue fighting, Itachi would not be able to handle it. They saw her very differently. Itachi viewed Tenten as his prize, something that should be kept on display and never tampered with. Deidara viewed Tenten as a scary, independent woman who could kick his ass. "I'm sorry, Itachi. This is what she loves."

"I just don't like watching her like that, she's my wife." Itachi defended.

"Yeah, you're right. So you have to honor what she decides." Deidara stated.

"She won't listen to me, it's just not a good idea. She could get hurt."

"No, Itachi, she will get hurt. You can count on that. It's a dangerous sport, but she can handle herself."

"How do you know that?"

"I just do, okay." Deidara replied, not wanting to get into the details.

"Deidara."

"What?"

"Is there something you're keeping from me?"

"N-no! Of course not!" Deidara laughed nervously.

"I know that you kissed Tenten, but I don't know why. I can tell when you're keeping something from me."

"L-look. A long time ago, Tenten and I dated. It's not a big deal."


"You mean, you're gonna stay?" Ino asked her estranged mother.

"Yes, I am. I hear you have twins ?" Rin asked curiously.

"I do," Ino smiled, "they're eight months now."

"I can't believe that." Rin shook her head in disbelief looking at her child in awe. "I'm so sorry I've missed out on all of this."

"Me too, mom. Me too." Ino admitted, tearing up a little.

At that time, Ino, Rin and the private investigator looked toward the door, hearing Deidara begin to yell.

"Itachi, calm down!" He plead.

"Uh oh.." Ino sighed, looking at her mother.

"Who was that man with you? Your husband?"

"Oh, no. He's my brother. The reason you left my father." Ino said, frowning and crossing her arms.

"Your brother? Oh, the boy your father had before he and I had you." Rin nodded. "He is not the reason I left. I can explain everything. Can we go somewhere?"

"Sure." Ino replied.


The three of then went to a small sit down restaurant so that Ino's mother could explain everything to her daughter.

Ino stared at the brunette stranger, unable to put words to how she was feeling inside. She was desperate for answers, but at the same time she was desperate for acceptance. Acceptance from the one person in life she had needed more than any other. Not Sasuke, not her father, there was only one person she hadn't been loved by, and that was her mother. As angry as she was, she wanted to be loved, she wanted to be happy.

"You look a lot like your father." Rin stated, shattering the awkward silence that had draped over she, Deidara and Ino as they sat there.

"I want to know the truth." Ino ignored the woman's statement, eager to get to the point. "I want to know why you decided it was okay to leave a toddler and a husband out of the blue."

Deidara was feeling painfully awkward, but he stayed in case things went south. And he had a feeling they might.

"Ino, I do not expect you to understand-"

"No, I don't. Because when I, as a mother, look at my two children, I don't for one second think I could ever walk out on them." Ino replied, frowning deeply.

Rin blinked, looking at her daughter somewhat surprised. Earlier in the office of the private investigator she seemed very happy to be reunited, but it wasn't the same now. "Ino, I was only eighteen. I married your dad out of rebellion and we had you a year later. I didn't know what I was doing, but I felt like I wouldn't be a good mother to you, or wife to Inoichi. Out of fear, I did what I thought was best. Giving you your best shot."

"My best shot? Growing up without a mother, do you really believe that was my best Shot?" Ino snapped.

"Like I said, I don't expect you to understand." Rin said, looking down sadly.

Ino sighed, realizing the wounds she had inflicted and unopened. "I'm sorry." Ino started. "I guess I'm still a little shocked, after all, daddy told me you had died."

"Your father told you that I died?!" Rin exclaimed. "What? That coward."

"Yes, he did. So when I found out you were alive, all of these emotions just flooded me. I'm angry, yes. But I can learn to get over it, if you're serious about being in my life now." Ino replied.

"Of course, that's what I want more than anything, Ino." Her mother stated, taking her daughter's hands and squeezing them lightly.

"Me too," Ino replied with teary eyes and a smile.


"Why didn't you tell me about you and Deidara?" Itachi questioned his wife as she walked in the front door.

"Uh, because there's nothing to tell." She replied, stepping past him and walking toward the staircase so she could see her son. He's not the one you should worry about. She thought to herself.

"No, there is. I always knew he had feelings for you, and now I know why. You two were together, right before we got together." Itachi frowned and grabbed his wife's wrist. "And you shouldn't have been training, your wounds aren't totally healed yet."

"Deidara broke up with me. It doesn't matter anymore because I'm with you. And what is your problem?" Tenten snapped, yanking her wrist away from Itachi.

"I don't want you fighting anymore. I can't handle it." He frowned.

"I don't care if you can't handle it, it's not your choice. If you want to support me then get used to it, otherwise don't come to my fights." She shrugged and rushed up the stairs to Tidus' room.

The boy was sleeping soundly in his crib, with his butt sticking out in the air, and drool coming out of his mouth. She giggled quietly at the sight.

Itachi stared after her, unable to comprehend what had just happened. His wife would normally do what he asked if she knew he really felt strongly about something. She was increasingly distant lately, and acting rather strange. He couldn't place it.

Sighing, he walked to the couch and sat down, staring into space until his wife walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She began to gather some things and start dinner, and she would periodically check her cellphone. Itachi noted that she became more and more antsy during the time she was preparing dinner, and grew extremely suspicious when she left the house in a hurry, claiming to have forgotten an ingredient she needed at the store.


"Well, did the P.I. Have any information for you?" Sasuke asked as he greeted Ino after she had walked into their home.

"He found her." Ino replied as she began to smile. "Amazingly, he even got her to come here."

"So you met her?!" Sasuke exclaimed, excitedly.

Ino nodded and smiled more. "We went to lunch, she's beautiful."

"Well if she's anything like you, of course." Sasuke chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Ino.

"Oh stop it. Deidara and I were thinking, maybe she and my dad would.. Well.."

"Don't get your hopes up Ino, there's a reason they didn't stay together, obviously. Just be thankful that she came to meet you." He said.

Ino nodded again and sighed. "You're right, I know. But wouldn't it be amazing if they got back together after all these years?"

"Well, it would be kind of crazy. But don't go playing match maker now." He said with a smirk.

Ino giggled before pulling away. "Of course not."


"He doesn't want me fighting anymore." Tenten stated as she climbed into Orochimaru's car. He had summoned her as she was preparing dinner for Itachi.

"What?" Orochimaru questioned, looking at Tenten curiously. If he was honest with himself, he didn't want her to either. He had grown fond of her, and it bothered him greatly to see her in the ring. "Well, I have to say that I agree with your husband."

"I don't have very much ti- wait, you agree with him? But you're sponsoring me." Tenten looked at the man, perplexed.

Orochimaru stared at the woman for a moment, seemingly deep in thought before he grabbed her wrists tightly. "Kabuto, drive to the estate. We are taking her with us." He ordered.

"What?! No!" Tenten exclaimed, trying to wriggle her wrists free of his icy grip.

The car began to move and quickly they were on the highway. Tenten finally was released but the car was moving too fast for her to leap out. Tears began to form in her eyes as she began to regret her actions toward Itachi, she had a sinking feeling that she may not see the love of her life again.

"Don't cry, it'll be fine." Orochimaru hissed, gently touching her cheek.

Tenten angrily slapped his hand away from her face and glared intensely at her captor. "Take me home."

"I am taking you home."


Ino and Sasuke had been sound asleep when Sasuke's phone began to ring in the middle of the night. He rubbed his weary eyes and snagged his cellphone off the nightstand, not bothering to check and see who it was. "Hello?" He said, groggily.

"You put Deidara up to this, and now I find out that he's Ino's brother?!" A familiar and ominous voice screamed.

Ino sat up and looked at the raven haired man curiously, as his expression hardened.

"Sakura, calm down. Deidara is dating you because he likes you." He lied, hoping that his ex would buy it.

"I will have no part. I want nothing to do with that bitch! He's her brother, I can't believe it! And by the way, our court date is going to be postponed."

Sasuke growled lowly. "Why?"

"You lied to me, and I'm not just going to hand you over to that bimbo!" Sakura warned. "You really shouldn't have crossed me. I know all of your secrets."