Sakura had been crying for the past week. The person she loved had betrayed the village, then left her on a park bench after knocking her out, and now he was dead. And the worse part was it was her own brother that killed him. She dug her face even deeper into her pillow as she lay on the bed in the Yamanaka's guest room. She heard a knock on her door, "GO AWAY!"
The door seemed to be in a rebellious mood that day as the knob turned and Ino walked in. "Sakura, we need to talk."
Sakura looked up from her pillow. Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were puffy from all the crying, "I thought I said to go away."
Ino walked in sitting herself on the corner of the bed, "I know, but there are some things you need to get through that stubborn gigantic fore-head of yours."
"Good way to start off," growled Sakura as she turned her back to Ino.
Ino sighed, "When did things change between us?"
Sakura frowned still not facing Ino, "I don't know, but you probably started it."
Ino thought back trying to remember, "When we were little we would have never let anyone come between us. I guess that all changed when we both started having crushes on Sasuke. That was stupid of us."
Sakura nodded, "We both wanted to be with him so much. We just let that get in the way of things." She turned around and sat up now sitting next to Ino.
Ino chuckled slightly, "I hated you so much when you got to be on Sasuke's team and not me. What was he like when he started to open up?"
Sakura frowned, "He never did. You know how Sasuke was. He was focused on killing his brother and reviving his clan. Those two things were all that mattered."
Ino glanced at Sakura with the corner of her eye, "We were idiots for caring for him that much."
Sakura shook her head, "If I could have just tried harder. Maybe if I wasn't so weak then-"
Ino then whirled around the bed and slapped her, "HOW STUPID ARE YOU FOREHEAD! YOU'RE STILL CHASING AFTER HIM EVEN AFTER HE LEFT US ALL!"
Sakura held her cheek, "You don't understand."
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND! WELL LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND. THE LAST FAMILY YOU HAVE LEFT IS ABOUT TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON A TRAINING MISSION, AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN SMART ENOUGH TO GO SEE HIM OFF!"
Sakura stared at Ino in shock, "He's leaving?"
Ino nodded as tears started to reach the edge of her eyes, "He thinks you hate him damn it! Are you going to let him think that the entire time he is gone? Cause if you are I will tell you right now I will hate you for every single second until he comes back!"
Sakura was shocked. Of course Ino had always been protective of Sakura and Naruto, but never like this. She had never gone as far as to choose sides between the two. "Ino, what aren't you telling me?"
Ino shook it off, "That doesn't matter. Naruto is leaving in an hour. You have to go meet him at the front gate before he leaves and tell him you forgive him."
Sakura narrowed her eyes as if trying to read Ino, "Why do you care so much about this?"
Ino blushed slightly and shook her head again, "I just hate to see Naruto being all sad and miserable."
Sakura noticed the blush on Ino's cheek and smirked, "So, the big idiot finally confessed, and you want to help out your new boyfriend. Boy Ino, you switch between boys faster than anyone I have ever seen."
"He didn't confess. He gave me a letter your mom wrote for me. That's how I found out."
"Then hurry up and go tell him then. Nothing will cheer him up faster."
Ino looked away, "I already did. He…he pushed me away."
Sakura was on her feet in a second, "HE WHAT!" She then quickly changed clothes before grabbing Ino's wrist and dragging her out of the house and towards the front gate.
"Sa-Sakura? What are you doing?" asked Ino as she desperately tried to free her wrist.
"I'm going to say good-bye to my brother, then kick his ass for being so stupid."
"And me?"
Sakura looked over her shoulder with a glint in her eye, "You're going to give him a proper good-bye."
Ino's face turned blood red, "A proper good-bye!"
Sakura nodded, "I'll give you two a little time alone and leave the rest to you."
Ino continued to struggle against the grip. Her desperation increased when they came into site of the front gate. There stood Kakashi, Asuma, Shikamaru and Tsunade at the front gate saying good-bye to Naruto and Jiraiya. Everyone seemed to be a little sad that it was going to be such a long time apart, but Naruto looked like he was nothing more than a shell void of anything that could be considered happiness or even a soul. It changed however when he saw the approaching females. Sakura stopped in front of him, and they stood there for a second facing each other. The entire group was silent waiting for some kind of reaction. They got it when Sakura burst into tears and hugged her brother tight digging her head into the side of Naruto's neck. "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry."
The weight of the world seemed to be lifted off Naruto's shoulders as he smiled a inhaled the scent of his sister's hair and hugged her back, "It's okay. I really tried to bring him back to you alive, but he wouldn't."
Sakura nodded against her brother's neck, "Please forgive me for being so stubborn and stupid. I don't want to loose you too."
Naruto smiled, "You won't. When I get back I should have my rightful inheritance, and we'll work hard to become a family again."
Sakura pulled away and smiled, "One more thing before you leave."
Naruto smiled back, "What?"
BAM! Naruto winced when a fist hit the top of his head, "BAKA! How stupid are you to reject Ino!"
Naruto paled back away from his now furious sister, "Well, I…she…we."
Sakura then glanced at the rest of the group, "We're giving them a few minutes."
Everyone quickly obeyed and backed away. Sakura walked away too and whispered to Ino as she passed, "He's all yours. Just don't break his heart or I will kick your ass."
Ino kept her gaze on the ground for a god 2 minutes before looking up, "I'm glad you could make up with Forehead before you left."
Naruto nodded his cheeks a red glow, "Thanks. I know you probably had something to do with that."
Ino blushed too, "I just want to see you happy." A silence began to grow between the two. The long it lasted the more awkward it grew.
Naruto sighed, "I'm sorry that Sakura tried to force you to talk with me."
"I wanted to though. I didn't want you to leave before I gave you something."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, "What?"
Ino slowly walked closer until she was not far from Naruto. She smirked, "You better get a lot taller while you are gone, cause next time I want to have to be able to look up to do this." She then leaned forward pressing her lips to Naruto's.
Both worlds froze in that moments. Naruto could only focus of the softness and taste of Ino's lips. Ino was amazed by the gentle yet firmness of Naruto's kiss. Ino slowly looped her hands around Naruto's neck as she leaned closer as she closed her eyes. Naruto's resolve slowly started to melt away, but at the last second he regained it and pushed Ino away.
Ino looked at Naruto as she held her hand against her lips, "Naruto."
Naruto was obviously struggling not to give in and kiss Ino again. He looked up at her and sighed, "I told you no one else will ever have my heart….I just can't let you have it either. I love you too much to give you that kind of burden." He then picked up his pack and started for the gate, "Take care of Sakura for me." The gates opened as Jiraiya appeared beside him and the two walked off.
Sakura walked up beside Ino who was still in shock, "You okay?"
Ino's eyes then lit up with a new determination, "If he wants to play it that way, then let him. Be careful Naruto Uzumaki, because when you get back, I'm going to make you love me. No matter how hard I have to try."
