rigger Warning: Mentions of domestic abuse are within this chapter

Chapter 7, Diamonds (Are a Girl's Best Friend) Part 1

A kiss may be grand

But it won't pay the rental

On your humble flat

Or help you at the automat

Men grow cold

As girls grow old

And we all lose our charms in the end

But square-cut or pear-shape

These rocks don't lose their shape

Diamonds are a girl's best friend!

Sakura

For the umpeenth time in the last hour her phone vibrated with a text message, and she ignored it. Instead, she focused on her discomfort of the faded blue plastic chair beneath her, its coldness and hardness. Yet, despite her discomfort, she sunk further into it with an exasperated sigh. How could it have only been a couple of hours that had gone by since they arrived at the police station? It felt like weeks had passed.

The broken engagement text, the fight, the rain, and now the police station - Sakura could literally feel herself shutting down whenever she attempted to process everything. She knew that she couldn't keep up with this pacing for long, if at all. Was it so wrong that she only wanted to end her engagement in peace and with dignity? Apparently so, because she was currently sitting at a police station having pictures taken of her cuts and bruises, and was filing a report. The pinkette still couldn't understand how within a week one of her best friends and confidants became her enemy. She couldn't understand how he could hurt her so.

Sakura felt sick at the thought of what her relationship with Shikamaru had become.

Being in the police station made it all that real, and how couldn't it? The starkness of the room - all square, with sharp lines, scratched metal desks and counters, and dirty white walls - felt suffocating. It was making her feel claustrophobic. Suddenly, she felt the tender squeeze of her hand from the woman beside her. Ino.

"We're almost done. Then we can go back to Sai's." Sakura nodded slowly, a bit of warmth overcoming her at the thought of leaving the chilly room. "Ino, I'm so glad you're here." the bombshell smiled at her in that comforting way that she had done since they were in middle school. She was always there for her. And while she knew it must be difficult to navigate her relationship with her and Shikamaru, she was glad that at least she hadn't lost her in the midst of this "de-coupling" too.

"How are you feeling?" Sakura asked Ino, suddenly aware that they hadn't talked about her at all. She shrugged once, then retreated her hand. The pink haired woman admittedly missed the comfort of her hand right away. "It's not easy, I will admit. Shikimaru and I have known each other since we were toddlers. I wouldn't have expected this from him." She leans forward to swipe a loose strand of pink hair from Sakura's bruised face. "I didn't know he had it in him." "A lot happened last night," she agreed.

"Did you want to talk about it when we get back?" Sakura thought about her interview with the officer she had not that long ago, and felt herself wither inside at the thought of recounting the details again. "Honestly? I'm tired of talking about it, of even acknowledging it. I just want to go to sleep." The pink-haired pediatrician laughed tiredly. "I feel like… None of this is real. How could Shikimaru put his hands on me? How could this be my life right now?" she asked, arms extended hands, hands open, and body twisting to showcase their surroundings. "And that stupid ring," Sakura whispered. "With it off, everyone's going to know something is up. Everyone is going to ask questions. God, why are engagement rings even a thing?" Her lower lip began to quiver despite herself. "I can't stand it."

Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. "Anyway, you gotta keep moving forward, right?" With a tight lipped smile Ino agreed, "Right." Licking her lips, Sakura felt her phone vibrate in her hand. Without looking, she knew it was Itachi messaging her again. She hadn't bothered checking her texts after his first few messages post his earlier phone call. She didn't have the energy to talk with him again at the moment, even if he was well-intended. She wondered when he was going to tell Sasuke and Naruto about everything, because she doubted anyone else would allow her to relay the news herself. A headache formed at the thought that the text was actually from her newlywed friends and not Itachi at all.

Rubbing her temple, she exhaled sharply. "You okay? Who the hell keeps messaging you?" Ino asked. Sakura didn't have a chance to answer.

"Ms. Haruno?"

Both women turned to face the voice that addressed her, it was the friendly police officer that had taken her statement earlier. "We've got what we need, you're free to go."

Exiting the glass doorway, it didn't feel right for the sun to be shining so brightfully. Not when she felt this off, and wrong, and distraught. Shielding her eyes, she watched her step as she scaled the stairway and felt herself also sink lower and lower into her anxiety. It wasn't until she was sitting in Ino's car that she began to gain some feeling, momentarily hidden from the cheerful rays of outside. With a shudder, she felt herself breathe in deep, though discreet, desperate gulps.

Ino, thankfully, didn't seem to notice Sakura's distress.

"So, you mentioned the ring earlier," Ino began slowly once they pulled out of the parking garage they were in. Sakura felt her anxiety spike impossibly more. "Yea…?" "What are you going to do with it? I noticed it's not on you." Green eyes peered at her ringless hand. "It isn't. I took it off for good yesterday." "Are you going to give it back to Shikamaru?" There was a strange rumble of something more than curiosity in Ino's relaxed tone. Sakura chose to ignore it at the moment. "I think so. Shikamaru, after all, bought it." Sakura knew it wasn't in her imagination when she saw Ino subtly relax in her black leather seat. "Yea, that's the right thing to do. It was his grandma's, you know?"

"Of course…"

Not for the first time Sakura noticed that despite her comforting and kind nature, Ino and Shikimaru had an intensely close relationship. She wondered how she was navigating her feelings for them both, honestly.

How did she truly view Sakura? Because while the pinkette was grateful to have her here, she knew that Ino could be here for more than just support. But was she just being paranoid? If so, why was her gut warning her to be careful? And too, was she being considerate enough to her right now? Her mind began to reel on proper etiquette to her ex-fiance's best friend.

Sakura also realized that she hadn't even thought of the ring much until the police station. She tried to remember where she put it last. Vaguely, she remembered putting it in her pant's pocket back at the hotel. But her pants were washed and she hadn't seen or thought of it since. A moment of worry plagued her if it had fallen out of her pocket when she ran out of her house. Or that it was somewhere in Sai's house on the floor unattended. To consider it currently lost was too much for her, and so she landed on "misplaced." Sakura vowed to look for the ring once she made it home. That, and to get a handle on her text messages. Speaking of which, her phone was vibrating in her hand again.

Sakura considered their familiar surroundings and knew that it would be happening sooner rather than later. The two had made it to Sai's humble abode in no time. "I have an errand to run, mind if I just drop you off?" Ino asked nonchalantly. Sakura blinked, "Oh for sure. Do you." The moment they were in the driveway Ino gave her a quick side hug within her vehicle, then drove off the moment Sakura closed the black shiny door behind her.

As she drove off, Sakura stared at Ino's retreating vehicle and felt a sinking feeling stir within her stomach.

It was only when she was out of sight that Sakura realized Ino hadn't looked at her even once when they were in the car.

Ino

Sisterhood is telling your girl when she has lipstick on her teeth and giving her a tampon when she needs it. It's reassuring her of her worth and supporting her at times even when you might not have the emotional capacity to. It's letting her borrow your favorite clothes and threatening her new boyfriends. And then planning on just how to get away with murder on any man that dares to wrong her.

So, what does one do when the said boyfriend is someone who is like your brother?

Ino was quickly learning, sisterhood only ran so far when it came to complicated dynamics.

Ino felt strange opposing her natural instinct to remain completely true to Sakura Haruno. But she didn't know any other way. The Nara and Yamanka's relationship went back farther than Sakura and her. It went decades, centuries. What hope did sisterhood have against that? Upon dropping off Sakura at Sai's, she drove in the direction of Shikimaru's job with her phone comfortably fitted in the crook of her ear and shoulder. Her stomach stirred with each ring.

Sakura was roughed up, that much was true. But the storm that was brewing went beyond what Shikimaru's punishment should be, and she knew that. The Uchiha were a brutal front, and Shikimaru was going to be feeling their heat soon, if not already. She sighed at the thought of her role in this impending predicament. She would feel their scorn too, that went without saying. Her reputation with the family would be tarnished, Sasuke Uchiha would make sure of it. So would the Uzimaki's, thanks to Naruto and Sasuke's recent union. Though, even without the wedding they'd have Sakura's back. They were an infamous threesome. Even so, she couldn't in good conscience abandon Shikamaru either.

Speaking of the bastard, he finally picked up his phone.

"Hey," her voice was stony and cold. "I already know you were with Sakura." This did not surprise her. "Who told you?" "Itachi Uchiha." Shit, she thought, the Uchiha moved fast. "Listen, this looks worse than what it is." "I know." "You know?" Shikimaru asked, surprised. "Yes, but I'm still mad at you." "So why are you calling me?" "Because of our family history." He snorted over his end, "I should feel so lucky." "Look, don't be cheeky. Shit's about to get real. The Uchiha are involved with this. The Uchiha," She emphasized.

"It's not like I woke up and decided to hit her. It all just sort of happened. Sakura came home when Temari was here and-" "Who's Temari?" "My girlfriend. Anyway-" Her anger spiked, and her SUV swerved momentarily from within the carline she was in. "E-Excuse me?" Her nose flared in that way that she hated but couldn't help when she was upset. "Why is everyone acting so strange when I talk about Temari? Sakura and I may have just officially ended things but we've been done for a long time."

"Shikamaru?" "Yes?" "If you want my help, please stop talking." "Who says I need your help?" She snorted. You're doing this for your families, remember that. That's what dad would have wanted from you. "Look, I'm on my way to your job now. Let's talk once I'm there." "God, must you? This is all so troublesome already."

Family, family, remember this is about family, her mind chanted. "Just shut up. I'll be there in twenty."

As she drove, Ino tried not to think about how disappointed Sakura was going to be once she found out what she was about to do.