Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

Ino dreamt of Tim that night, against her own will.

"Daddy, I love him!" She stomped her foot and crossed her arms, pouting. The blonde adult had been belittled to a child once again by her father. Inoichi narrowed his eyes into slits, looking up from his newspaper, "Just like you loved Shikamaru before Tim, and Sai before Shikamaru. It's nothing to discuss; I won't have you marrying a foreigner."

Ino growled and turned to walk away from her father, but his words stopped her, "Inoshishi Yamanaka." Being called by her full name caused her to turn around.

"Yes, Daddy?" Ino avoided eye contact and twiddled her thumbs.

"Promise me. Look me in the eye and promise me."

Ino didn't lift her eyes when she mumbled, "I promise." Inoichi stood up and walked towards his daughter, forcing her chin up with his hand, "You promise what?"

Ino's eyes welled up and she sniffed before she said, "I promise I…won't marry Tim…"

Inoichi smiled, "That's my girl," and pulled her into his arms tight.

Ino quickly sat up in bed. Why was she dreaming about that? It wasn't possible she was trying to justify being in bed with…

Her eyes flicked to the sleeping man next to her. He looked like a contented child, fast asleep. She felt like screaming, like throwing up, like rolling over and doing last night all over again. Her stomach was in knots as she recalled the night's events…

She came home, Shikamaru practically pounced on her, the best sex she'd had in a long time, and then…Oh, Kami. Oh, no. That didn't happen! Shikamaru wouldn't be so irresponsible, so reckless, so…fucking stupid! Before she could stop herself she gritted her teeth and smacked the resting male across his arm. He immediately woke up and rolled off the bed onto the floor with a loud thud.

"What the hell?" Ino jumped off the bed and started gathering her clothes. By the time he'd stood up, she already had her bra and panties back on, and armed herself with a nearby lamp.

"You're asking me what the hell? You're the one who…who…attacked me last night!"

Shikamaru gripped the sheets around him and covered up as best he could, "Attacked? You didn't exactly say no."

Ino huffed and threw the lamp at him screaming, "Ugh! You fucking bastard!" She missed him by just an inch or two. "You ruined everything!" She picked up a wooden jewelry box off her dresser and threw it at him, this time hitting him square in the chest. She then walked through to her living room to pick up the rest of her clothes. Shikamaru was hesitant to follow her, so he waited. It was silent for a couple of minutes, so he figured it might be safe. Wrapping the sheet around his waist, he trepidatiously entered her living room. He found a still mostly naked Ino in her sexy lingerie sitting on her couch and holding shreds of fabric. She was sitting cross legged and bent over. Shikamaru still kept his distance. When she looked up at him, she had tears streaks down her face. She sniffled and said, "This…was my favorite shirt…"

Crying over a shirt, Shikamaru thought, she has got to get out more…

Ino's bottom lip suddenly went stiff and she pointed at the door, "Get out," she said. At first, he didn't move, so she repeated, "Get your shit, and get. Out!" She was like a roaring lioness that time and the lazy ninja ironically collected his clothes, threw them on, and was out the door in a flash.

When he was gone, Ino threw the shirt that Shikamaru had ripped in his fit of passion across the room. She held her legs to her chest and plopped sideways on her couch. How could she have cheated on Tim? He would never forgive her if he knew. Well, you did almost cheat on Shikamaru, a bitter part of her mind added. She stared at the wall and thought about that awful night…

Before Shikamaru could get any words out, Sai ran out the door like lightening, dropping Ino's ring at her feet. Shikamaru's eyes didn't even acknowledge the man's exit; his gaze only burned through his wife across the little apartment's living room. "I just came back to get my coat." Shikamaru grabbed his jacket off the hook next to the door and turned to walk away. No, Ino told herself, I can't let him leave again.

"Shikamaru, wait!" There was something about the way she said his name that kept a hard leash on him. He paused, but didn't turn around.

Ino continued, "Shika, just let me explain. Sai was only—"Shikamaru cut her off when he promptly turned around and got close to her, but this was never the kind of close Ino wanted. His eyes burned like roaring dark coals and a scowl met his lips.

"I'll deal with that little cunt later. Right now, you explain about you." His words were full of venom and it caused Ino's eyes to refill with tears. She knew Shikamaru deep down hated being mean even when she deserved it because he backed off and rubbed the back of his neck. He slammed the door while he seemed to be collecting his thoughts."I would never cheat on you, Ino. We may fight sometimes, but we are in this together. At least…I thought so."

Ino bit her lip to keep from audibly sobbing. She just deserved this; she needed to stand there and take it.

"And with Sai? The guy tortured you with those awful nicknames all through high school…And you broke up with him to be with me…"

Ino's heart started to hurt and she couldn't just take it anymore, "At least Sai complimented me when we were together, made me feel good."

Shikamaru raised his voice. She'd never heard him speak that loudly, "What do you wanna hear, Ino? That you're beautiful? Well, here it is! Your eyes—Kami, your eyes—I've never seen anything so damn blue! I could get lost in them. And your body—your fucking body could make me do anything! You're so damn perfect, Ino! I don't know why you'd go so below your league and marry me when you could have any rich, good-lookin' guy in the village, who are all—by the way—wrapped around your little finger!

"Do you feel better now, baby? Now that you've heard how fan-freakin'-tastic you are!"

Shikamaru sighed from exhaustion. Ino didn't think he'd ever talked that much in one sitting, and she immediately regretted bringing it up. As much as she wished for her husband to pay her more compliments, the wildly angry tone in his voice made the compliments mean nothing.

Ino stayed silent.

"Holy shit, Ino. I can't keep doing this! You're driving me out of my fucking mind! I feel like I'm giving you all I can and you're just takin' it!" He sighed again and pressed his hand to his forehead. Ino suddenly felt repulsed by herself that she could have reduced this thoughtful, strong, wonderful man into a babbling madman. He didn't deserve this…he didn't deserve her. She bent down and picked up the ring that Sai had dropped. She gripped it in her palm then held out her hand to Shikamaru. She tried to her best to suppress her tears and to come across with a steady voice, "You're right."

Shikamaru looked up at her, wide-eyed. He probably expected her to fight. Well she was tired of fighting, and he warranted someone better. The stressed man's eyes then travelled down to the ring in her hand.

Shikamaru could do nothing but stare at the piece of silver glimmering over her skin.

Ino bit back tears and held her arms across her stomach as she made her way to the drug store. She never thought she'd be doing this when she was single. Ino had thrown on a pair of sweatpants and a big sweatshirt, highly unusual for her. But she felt dirty, and wrong; no one should be allowed to see her looking good now that she was an adulteress. As she walked into the corner drug store, she felt like a scarlet letter had been stitched on her baggy clothes. Every clerk and customer stared at her just a little too long as she slowly scanned the aisles. Her blurry eyes made out the family planning/feminine care section. There was another woman buying tampons, so Ino pretended to look at pads until the lady moved on.

Ino quickly turned to the other side of the aisle and looked around before grabbing the first box she saw and stuffing it into her sweatshirt. Her heart was racing and she jumped when she heard, "Hey, Ino-chan!"

It was Sakura. The pink haired girl was bobbing down the aisle, happily carrying her basket filled with normal female accoutrements. Ino tried to fake a smile, even though her heart had sunk to her stomach.

"So what are you in the market for today, Ino?" Sakura was totally oblivious; Thank goodness, Ino thought. She flipped herself back around to the tampons and picked up a box. "Just…you know…that time of the month…"

Sakura's smile faded a bit, "Oh yeah, I know what you mean. I'm on mine, too. I tell ya, these cramps are killing me. I had to take off work yesterday. You know that's funny that we're on ours at the same time! I read in a magazine the other day that sometimes girls who spend a lot of time together get on the same schedule! Isn't it interesting how our bodies work like that…"

Same old' Sakura; still blathering away. Only this time Ino was thankful for it; less time for Ino to have to talk about Tim, or worse—Shikamaru…

Sakura finally finished up her speech with a sigh, "Anyway, Ino. I don't wanna take up any more of your time. I'm sure you have to get back to the gym or something."

Ino furrowed her brow, "The gym?"

Sakura giggled, "Well, yeah! You are in workout clothes, silly! You think I'm an idiot? I'll see ya around, Ino-chan!" And the bubblegum haired girl was bouncing off again.

Ino shakily sat the tampons back on the shelf. Oh, how she wished she was really here for them instead of the scarier box under her shirt. She looked up to the front of the store and now realized she'd have to go up and pay for it…right behind Sakura…and she hadn't even brought any money.

Well this day is shaping up, she muttered to herself.

Wow, I don't think I've ever done that much cursing in a fic-ever!

So, like I said in the last chapter, I'll be on vacay starting Monday, so no updates that week. Sorry! I'm trying to get as much done as I can before I leave.

Your reviews have been so encouraging! Keep 'em coming! I love to hear how I'm doing!