I don't own anything but me, myself and I.
The morning sun came creeping above the horizon and Ino reluctantly started to wake up to the smell of fire, oil, grease and coal. As she cuddled with the fuzzy blanket Colby had given her last night and tried to hang onto a dream of her railroad boy.
"I wish I could wake up to seeing him every morning" she said quietly as she yawned and hugged the blanket tighter. As her clock hit 8am there was a knock at her door then it opened as her father poked his head in.
"Wake up sleepy head. Colby is here." Iniochi sang, or more like tried to sing, Ino shot up and out of bed and started to get dressed. She grabbed her favorite pair of jeans and a purple t-shirt and a pair of sneakers and booked it out of her room and down the hallway to the living room where Colby was waiting on the couch. She tackled him and knocked him over on the couch and ended up on top of him. She didn't waste any time to lay on top of him and cuddle up to him with her head on his chest.
"Well that didn't take you long to get up and dressed." Iniochi chuckled.
"Good morning to you too sleepy head. You ready?" Colby asked.
"No... I just wanna stay here and have you as my pillow." Ino said still half asleep, Iniochi and Colby laughed. "Why did you come so early, you goober?"
"Because I thought you would be up and bright eyed and bushy tailed, but I guess that aint the case with you and mornings hahaha. You want breakfast or not?" Colby said. Ino was listening to his heart beat as the rhythm of it rocked her back to sleep. "Well, I guess that answers that."
"She fall back asleep?" Inoichi asked.
"Yeah I think she did." Colby said.
"She would too, I'll make breakfast for you two. Eggs and bacon work?" Inoichi asked.
"Yes sir, that sounds good." Colby said.
When Inoichi finished making breakfast he brought it over to Colby who still had Ino sleeping on him.
"Ino wake up... Inooo wake uuupp!" Colby said trying to move the arm Ino was lying on top of. It had gone numb on him and it was tingling and it felt like there were thousands of little needles being poked into his arm with each twitch of a muscle. Ino yawned then slowly opened her eyes. The smell of fresh eggs and bacon wafted through the air to Ino. Her eyes opened as she smelled the food, but when she tried to reach for a piece of bacon Colby moved the plate away out of her reach.
"Hey you ass, let me have some!" Ino wined.
"Get off my arm and you will get some. I can't feel it anymore." Colby said as he placed the plate on the coffee table. Ino glared at him before surprising him with a kiss as she crawled over him and snatched a piece of bacon from the plate then went back to cuddling up to him. Colby moved his arm before she could lay back on it. Just then there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it." Inoichi said. Ino looked up and Colby turned his head so he could see the door. He didn't like the feeling he was getting as Inoichi opened the door, and Ino could sense him tense up.
"Hey." Ino said. Colby turned his head towards Ino. "Relax it's probably Suzanna and Kiba coming by to visit." Ino touched his face and felt him relax at her touch. She smiled as she kissed him and felt him relax a bit more. "You have been on edge last few days. What's up?"
"It's nothing just, worried I may lose you, and Sasuke and Chouji don't give up do they?" Colby said.
"Ah! Suzanna, Kiba, nice to see you again. Please come on in." Inoichi said as Suzanna and Kiba walked in.
"You don't need to worry about them. I'm yours." Ino said as she cuddled up close to him.
"You don't need to worry about losing Ino to anyone. You are the only one in this town that she loves that isn't family." Suzanna said, Colby chuckled as Suzanna and Kiba sat in the couch across from Ino and Colby.
"You and your sensitive hearing." Colby chuckled.
"She is right, you know." Inoichi said as he sat down in his recliner. "You are the only guy I have seen make Ino as happy as she is now."
Colby could only smile and blush as Ino kissed him on the cheek. Ino sat up as did Colby as Inoichi cleared his throat and gave Ino a stern look.
"So what are you guys here for?" Colby asked.
"What are you doing today?" Suzanna asked.
"Didn't have much in mind. Why?" Colby asked as Ino and Suzanna giggled and Kiba just grinned.
"Are you up for a day out on the town?" Ino asked.
"As long as I am with you I'll do anything with you." Colby said.
"ANYTHING?" Ino asked as she flashed her blue eyes at him. Suzanna flashed her eyes at Kiba.
"Yes anything." Colby said.
"YAY! Suzanna you got the list?" Ino cheered.
"You know it girl. You want to hit up the mall or the beauty salon first? Or do we want to get Ten Ten, Sakura, Hinata and Temari?" Suzanna said.
"Wait what?" Colby said completely lost at what was going on. Kiba and Inoichi laughed.
"Come on let's get going!" Ino and Suzanna said together as Ino grabbed Colby and Suzanna grabbed Kiba and hauled them out the door.
"Have fun kids!" Inoichi called after them as the group went out the door. "Young love is such a beautiful thing." He chuckled to himself when the door closed.
"The girls going to meet us at Inchi-Ramen?" Ino asked.
"Yeap, they should be there now." Suzanna answered as the group saw the sign for the ramen stand come into view.
"Say, Naruto and Hinata going out yet?" Kiba asked.
"I have no clue, last I knew Naruto still had a thing for Ino but I think Colby has clearly claimed Ino has his girl now so we should see how this goes." Suzanna said as she glanced back at her cousin and laughed when she saw the look on his face as Ino was going off about going to the mall and hanging with the girls. As Ino finished talking Suzanna heard Colby say; "So what happened to me and you laying on the couch and me being your pillow for the day?"
"That will be for later tonight, you have enough energy left after today." Ino said seductively.
"Oh I see. Your dad won't mind if you stay with me tonight?" Colby asked.
"We will have to ask but I don't see why not." Ino said.
"What are you two love birds planning back there?" Kiba said with a chuckle as they walked into Inchi-Ramen.
Colby POV.
"What are you two love birds planning back there?" Kiba hollered back at Ino and me as we walked into the ramen stand. He had a smirk on his face like he knew what was going on.
"Nothing you and Suzanna haven't done yet." I say. Ino and Suzanna give me both of their death glares. I don't think that was the right choice of words as I find myself the center of attention in the Ramen stand. Talk about an awkward moment as the place went quiet.
"Umm, what were we talking about?" I ask as I sit down at the counter. Ino sits down next to me and slaps me in the head. Hard. "Yeah, I may have deserved that one."
"Yes, you did." Ino says.
Normal POV.
"Hey Suzanna, Kiba, Ino. What can I get for you today?" The owner asked.
"The usual for Kiba and I." Suzanna said.
"I'll have the BBQ pork ramen." Ino said.
"You must be new to the Leaf. You work for the railroad?" The owner asked Colby.
"I am and yes I do. How could you tell?"
"Not to be rude, but you smell like fire and oil. Also your hands they have a weathered and worn look to them. This only comes from constant hard work." The owner said. "So what can I get you?"
"I'm all set for right now, but a glass of water sounds good." Colby said.
"Alright then" The owner said as he turned around and fixed up Ino, Suzanna and Kiba's meals.
"Naruto comes here right about now doesn't he?" Kiba asked the owner.
"Yes he does." The owner said no sooner had he finished his sentence than Naruto walked in and sat down as the far end of the counter.
"Hey guys. Hi Ino." Naruto said, Colby glance over at Naruto as he took a sip from his glass of water.
"Hey Naruto." Ino said. Colby gave Ino a hard questioning look.
"Don't start anything with him. You already kicked his ass once." She whispered to Colby.
"I won't but he starts anything. I'll finish it."
"No you won't finish anything." Suddenly Colby felt Ino's firm grip on his crotch. "You won't get into any fights today or you lose these."
"Yes dear." Colby said in a quiet voice. "Can you let go now?" Ino let got and Colby breathed a sigh of relief as Suzanna and Kiba chuckled quietly to them.
"Hey when are your friends supposed to get here?" Colby asked.
"INO! SUZANNA! Bout time we lined up some girl time!" A voice came from behind them. Ino and Suzanna turned around and half tackled half hugged a girl with pink hair and green eyes. Colby recognized her as one of the Ninja's that tried to race the train to the Leaf Village the first day he came to the Leaf.
"SAKURA!"
"Hey don't forget about us!" another girl said as three more came walking in. One girl was taller than the rest and had two buns in her hair. Behind here was a shorter girl with straight black hair with hollow looking eyes that were a solid grey color. The fourth girl had blonde hair that was in four short pony tails and had a large fan on her back.
"Ten Ten! Hinata! Temari! It's great to see you again!" Ino said.
"So, Ino. I hear you finally have a boyfriend now." Temari said with a grin. Ino smiled as Colby wrapped his arm around her.
"Yeap I do! Girls this is Colby. Colby this is Sakura, Ten Ten, Hinata and Temari"
"Hello." Colby said. The girls smiled as each of them said hello.
"Alright girls let's get rolling." Suzanna said as she finished her meal. Ino quickly downed what was left of hers and the group got up to leave. Ino and Colby were the last ones to get up and just as they were about to leave, Naruto spoke up from his quiet corner of the ramen stand.
"Hey Ino, you are looking good today." Naruto said casually, but Colby saw a look of want in Naruto's eyes. He knew that Naruto still wanted Ino but it was clear to him that Naruto wasn't trying to take her away from him. Colby relaxed a little bit but still didn't like what he saw in Naruto's eyes.
"Thanks Naruto." Ino said with a smile as she and Colby left the ramen stand.
Suzanna, Ino, Ten Ten, Sakura, Temari, and Hinata were in a group with Colby and Kiba following them. It was a nice day out and it had been 2 weeks since Colby had first arrived in the Leaf village. He longed to be riding high in the cab of his father's engine with the engine singing out the song of the rails, but he also wanted to be with Ino as much as he could. He was lost in his thoughts when Kiba nudged him.
"Hey you ok?" Kiba asked.
"Uh? Oh, yeah I am just thinking about stuff." Colby said.
"Like what?" Kiba asked.
"I got two weeks left of my leave before I have to go back to work. When that happens I won't be around much. Just thinking how it will work with me and Ino." Colby said honestly.
"It will. Don't let it get to you. Think of it as an extended mission with occasional visits to home to report in." Kiba said but Colby wasn't paying attention to Kiba, his attention was squarely focused on Ino.
"Hey Ino." Colby called out to her.
"Yeah?" Ino replied as she let Colby catch up to her.
"Been thinking a bit, and you know I only got two more weeks of my leave left. I got to go back to work soon." Colby said in a mellow tone.
"We will work it out. It will be harder I bet but we will make it work." Ino said then she grabbed his arm and kissed him. "I love you and always will." Everyone watched as Ino kissed him again and watched him give into it.
"You guys keep going we will meet up with you in a bit." Ino said then she turned to Colby. "You miss it bad don't you?"
"Yeah I do." He said as he sat down on a nearby bench. Ino sat down next to him. "I feel so out of place being away from the rails for so long."
"It's alright. I know you are getting antsy but you still got to enjoy time with me you know!" Ino said as she playfully punched him in the arm.
"You still up for spending the night with me?" Colby asked.
"Yes, I am. As long as you can handle me." Ino giggled. Colby laughed at this, he hadn't expected to hear that but he got his 'yes' so he was happy. A whistle chimed from the yard as a train got ready to depart.
"I can handle you easy. Now let's get going. I bet the others are wondering what's taking us."
"Sure you can..." Ino said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. As they walked to the shops where Kiba, Suzanna, Sakura, Hinata, Temari and Ten Ten were shopping at, Colby saw a lot of guys he knew from the railroad, most of them could remember when he was nothing but a little kid watching his father take his train out of town. Ino and Colby held hands as they walked, they both got a lot of looks from people Ino knew and people Colby knew. The two of them laughed at the thought of how fast word would spread if it hadn't already.
The crews from the railroad that walked by Colby and Ino all nodded their heads and had a look on their faces as if to say "Everyone if going to know about this." Ino could see the rest of the group up ahead of them and was about to run up to them when a track works crew stopped to talk with Colby. There were four very capable look guys in the group and one of them was Colby's cousin, Denny. All of them looked like they were twice the size of Colby. Ino thought they made Chouji look a little child.
"Fifty-seven men on the hardest mile" Colby called out to the track crew as they walked over to him.
"Murdered for their troubles, left to die" Denny sang back to him.
"Immigrant sons from Donegal, Tyrone & Derry" Colby sang back.
"Their numbers were few but they did the job of many" The crew of four sang together. People around them looked at them like they had three heads but the few railroaders that heard them just smiled.
"Scott, Stephen, Dakota, and finally me dear cousin Denny." Colby said.
"Colby and his lovely girlfriend Ino, how are you guys doing?" Denny asked as he shook Colby's hand and gave him a hug and then hugged Ino. Ino blushed at the compliment.
"Pretty good cuz. What are you guys doing in town?" Colby asked.
"Prepping for a major track over haul on the main line and the yard." Denny said. "Well we got a lot ahead of us see you around Colby. Cya Ino!"
Colby and Ino caught up with Kiba, Suzanna, Ten Ten, Sakura, Temari, and Hinata as they were leaving a clothes shop.
"Hey Suz. You buy more camo?" Colby teased with a grin.
"Maybe…" Suzanna said in her innocent sister voice and grinned. Colby and Ino laughed. It was just like Suzanna to find camo in any store, no matter how high strung or fancy the store was. Everyone laughed as the echoes of trains in the yard wafted through the air. However nobody had noticed Sasuke walking up to them. It wasn't until Sasuke was right behind Ino that Suzanna noticed him.
"Hey Ino.", Sasuke said is his usually calm and cold voice. Ino jumped as did everyone else in surprise. "You want to come to lunch with me?" Sasuke grabbed Ino's hand and started to pull her away from the group. Colby was not going to have any of that.
"Hey asshole let go of my girl." Colby said as he punched Sasuke in the face. Sasuke was sent reeling from the punch and let go of Ino's hand. Ino darted behind Suzanna and Kiba in sock as Sasuke came back with a punch but Colby grabbed his fist and stopped it cold.
"The hell you thinking trying pull a move like that? Stay away from Ino, now beat it!" Colby said trying to restrain himself from launching right at Sasuke. Sasuke only laughed as he pulled his fist away from Colby .
"She will be mine! One way or another, I will have her." Sasuke said with a creepy pedophile smile on his face. Ino stayed behind Suzanna and Kiba as things got heated between Colby and Sasuke.
"You will never have her. Not even over my cold, dead body. A guy like you does not deserve a girl like her. You are out of your league boy, turn around and go home before you get hurt." Colby said.
"Your cold, dead body I will gladly step on to get her." Sasuke said as blue sparks streaked off his hand.
"I'd be glad to stomp your ass if that is what you want." A dragon of water rose out of the ground behind Colby.
"Then Let us begin." Sasuke said as he charged at Colby. The water dragon shot towards Sasuke like grease lighting as Sasuke sent his lighting blade through the water dragon and closed the gap between him and Colby. Suzanna, Kiba, Ten Ten, Sakura, Hinata, Temari and Ino watched them is disbelief.
Colby just stood there and Sasuke came right up to him but at the last second he sent his foot with his steel toe boots right into Sasuke's crotch stopping him instantly and dropping him to the ground. A round house kick then came flying in from the side and connected with Sasuke's jaw shattering it. Sasuke's mouth hung open loosely as blood dripped from it. Colby's boot then came flying into Sasuke's gut and the sickening sound of cracking of ribs was heard. Everyone flinched at the sound as Sasuke doubled over and then vanished in a cloud of smoke.
"That cheap bastard." Colby muttered as the smoke cleared Sasuke was behind him with his sword drawn. His mouth still loosely hanging open.
"Colby!" Ino yelled as Sasuke drove his sword into Colby but it turned out to be a shadow clone as Colby appeared next to Ino.
"You called?" he grinned as he gave Ino a quick kiss. Ino didn't know whether to blush or smack him for fighting Sasuke again but before she could make up her mind Colby darted back after Sasuke. Sasuke was ready and waiting as the two of them went at each other. Sasuke and Colby were locked in close combat and neither of them gave the other a chance to use any of their jutsu. It was a knock out, drag out brawl. Colby was getting the better of Sasuke and it was taking its toll on both of them.
Blood was dripping down Sasuke's face and from his mouth. One of his eyes was swollen shut, and his left hand was bent at an odd angle from being dislocated at the wrist. Colby on the other hand was guarding a dislocated shoulder and a broken arm as blood dripped from his mouth and cuts on his hands and arms. The two of them stared each other down trying to figure out the other's next move.
"Not this fight Colby. You don't need to go demon." Shinkasen's voice rang through his head. "Back out and let Suzanna handle it from here."
"What? No! I will not back out now." Colby thought as Ino came running over to him.
"Colby you need to stop fighting now!" Ino said in a commanding voice with a death glare in her eye. A quick flash back of Ino having a firm grip of his nuts crossed his mind and decided it would be a smart thing to let this one go.
"Do it Colby, back out" Shinkasen said. Colby it was no use trying to argue against Ino let alone having to go against Ino AND Shinkasen.
"Alright." Colby said reluctantly as he turned his back to Sasuke and started to walk over to a bench to sit down. Suddenly a blue light illuminated the area and blue sparks started to chirp and dance along the ground as Sasuke charged at Colby. In a flash, Suzanna was there and sent Sasuke skidding backwards in a wooden bench that exploded into splinters.
"Alright Sasuke time for you to get lost" Suzanna said as she glared at Sasuke with Akamaru at her side.
"What the hell Suzanna! I was going to end this fight for good!" Sasuke yelled as he got up and tried to attack Suzanna but a wall of ice rose but between them and Sasuke was stopped cold. Suzanna looked back at Colby and saw him holding a hand sign.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" The voice of an extremely pissed off Tsunade came thundering through the air. Everyone turned and looked at her.
"We are fucked" Colby said quietly to Ino and she nodded in agreement.