Well, I was just thinking, maybe updating this story would be fun. I'm not really into Naruto anymore, but hey, why not give it a whirl? And I've never mentioned this, but this story is pre-shippuden.

I don't own Naruto! end /AN/

Shikamaru woke up slowly, blearily, as unknown forces gently shook him. He looked around groggily, wondering where and why he was. Then he realised that he was looking into the faces of Asuma and Ino, and he blinked slowly, mouth forming the words, "What is it?"

"Shikamaru, Asuma's been worried sick! Why did you run away from the hospital?" Ino's voice was like listening to metal being torn, and Shikamaru wrinkled his nose in distaste. Wait... Ino had asked him a question, hadn't she? He concentrated on figuring out an answer, but Asuma spoke up next.

"How did you even get out of the hospital? The nurses should have been watching you." He sounded very concerned, and Shikamaru felt a hand press against his forehead. "I dunno..." It seemed as though it was the only thing he could think of, as his thoughts came as slow as snails.

How had he gotten out of the hospital? He seemed to recall simply leaving, but maybe that wasn't right. Maybe someone had helped him out, or he'd went out through a window. He squirmed under the hand, which withdrew.

"We need to get you back there, Shikamaru," Asuma said, and Shikamaru stared dumbly at him. Until it computed what he meant, and then he began shaking his head. "I don' wanna go back there," he mumbled, curling tighter in the chair, as if being smaller would make him harder to move.

Ino immediately began to pull on him, and Shikamaru jumped, beginning to squirm and try to pull away. "No, stoppit! Stoppit!"

Asuma put a hand on Ino's shoulder, making her stop. "Ino, that's unnecessary. If we need to move him, I'll move him." He turned to Shikamaru, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly. "Now, I'm not going to force you to go anywhere... Shikamaru? Hello?"

Asuma couldn't get Shikamaru's attention, as the boy was trapped in a memory. Hands grabbing him, he couldn't scream, couldn't move, couldn't escape. There was nothing beyond his horrible predicament, nothing beyond the pain and the terror-

"Shikamaru!" There was a sharp slap on the side of his face, and Asuma came into focus. Shikamaru's eyes were wide with confusion and betrayal. Why had Asuma hit him? Why would Asuma ever do that?

"Shikamaru, are you alright?" Asuma's hand was back on his shoulder, and Shikamaru tried to figure out if he was alright. What was alright? It wasn't something he had felt lately, that was for sure. He hadn't felt alright in the past week or so.

"I'm fine." Was what he said, despite it not quite describing at all how he felt.

Ino sighed in relief. "You looked like you were stuck somewhere else, Shikamaru! It was kind of scary!" Shikamaru could only think that Ino had no idea just how scary.

"We need to take you back to the hospital so you can recover properly, alright?" Asuma sounded gentle, but Shikamaru knew that he had more than the capacity to remove him forcibly to the hospital. He squirmed more in his chair, looking up at Asuma pleadingly.

"I don't want to stay there," he said, enunciating as clearly as he could. "I want to stay with you. Don't leave me alone, please."

Asuma sighed, putting his other hand on Shikamaru's other shoulder. "Maybe you can, but first we have to go to the hospital to get permission, alright?" Asuma didn't ask if he would rather stay with his parents, which was a comfort to Shikamaru. He didn't want to see them right now, because he didn't know what they would think of him.

Asuma gave Shikamaru a hand up, letting him lean on him. "Now, let's head back. Thank you Ino, for bringing me to him." Ino nodded, watching them go.

/AN/ Well, I hope that you liked it! I'm going to try to update this story more frequently now...