Happy St. Patrick's Day! Not normally a gift giving holiday but here is one anyways! Chapter 3! Woot! Enjoy...

March

March 12th

Winter began to melt away slowly. Snow still covered the ground but it fell less and less often. Here and there patches of brown, muddy grass poked through the no longer pristine white of the crystallized water. The days grew longer and longer and the nights began to wane.

Sasuke spent his days working and wondering. Though for four months he and Ino have been hanging out she remains a mystery to him. More than anything in the world he wished she would open up to him. He knew that if they could get past the secrets she keeps they would be able to move their relationship to the next level.

"Sasuke! Wake up man!" Naruto called. The raven haired man jerks back, nearly falling out of his chair. His blonde companion frowns at him. "Dude, what is up with you? This is the fifth time you've fallen asleep at work in the past month!" Naruto sat on the edge of the desk and watched his friend seriously.

"I'm fine. I've just had some late nights recently" Sasuke replied.

"What have you been doing that keeps you up late?" Naruto asked. "Are you moonlighting again? If you're strapped for cash just hit the boss up for a raise man! No need to get a second job! I mean, it's not like we're in college anymore."

Sasuke shook his head and sighed. "I don't have a second job. I've just been hanging out with Ino for a while."

"Oh, I see how it is. Hit me up top, player!" Naruto held his hand out for a high five but instead only earned a glare.

"It's not like that. We're just friends" he explained. Naruto dropped is hand and frowned.

"Then why are you staying up late? Don't you hang out during the day?" he inquired.

"She is only free at night, so I work around her schedule" Sasuke said.

"That sucks man. This chick has you friend zoned, yet you're jumping through all her hoops anyways." Naruto stood up and faced his friend. "You've got it bad for her, don't you?"

Sasuke sighed and nodded. "I think I do, buddy, I think I do." Naruto walked away and Sasuke went back to work.

March 17th

"Happy St. Patrick's Day!" Ino called as she walked across the bar. Sasuke was sitting with his friends, some of whom were already wasted.

"Ino! I'm so glad you decided to come out with us!" Sakura said with a smile. "We haven't gotten to see you much lately. Damn Sasuke's been keeping you all to himself" she said with mock anger.

"Yes, I am so evil" Sasuke said then took a sip of his beer. Sakura pulled Ino over to an empty seat between herself and Hinata and handed her a mug of amber liquid.

"Drink up. We're all a little Irish today!" Kiba shouted, then he grabbed his own glass and chugged it.

"Thanks" she said. She lifted the glass and took a long sip.

Sasuke sat silently watching her from the other side of the table. He finished off his drink and went to the bar to get another.

As the night wears on everyone becomes a little intoxicated, with the exception of Ino, and they decide to call it a night around 2am. Kiba was loaded into a cab destined for Shino's couch, Hinata supported Naruto as they stumbled down the road, and Sakura and Lee strolled down the sidewalk headed for their apartment.

Ino smiled and waved goodbye to their friends as she and Sasuke walked away. Her smile grew as she spun around and around down the sidewalk.

"That was so much fun!" she said with a laugh. She turned around to face Sasuke and continued walking in reverse. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" he replied gruffly. She stopped in front of him and made a face.

"Sounds like someone's a grumpy drunk" she said with a fake pout.

"I'm not drunk" he snapped. She laughed out loud and he frowned deeper.

"Come on, I saw you downing booze like it was water back there" she explained. He started walking again and pushed past her. She spun around and watched him walk away. "What is your problem?" she demanded. He stopped again and stood fuming for a minute before turning to face her.

"I'm sick of this!" he cried. She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sick of the secrets and the lies. I just got out of a two year relationship that was nothing but lies and excuses." He began pacing on the sidewalk before her. "I love spending time with you and at first I was ok with giving you your space but I just cannot understand it anymore."

She watched him sadly as he moved anxiously in front of her. He would cross his arms then uncross them and walk from the left to the right and back again. The more worked up he got the louder he became.

"I thought I was ok with keeping this platonic but I'm just not anymore. I… I think I'm in love with you" he said, his voice dropping on the last sentence. She remained silent and her shoulder shook as tears rolled down her face. He sighed and looked down at the ground. "Please, just… just let me in. I don't know what you're so afraid of." He ran his hands through his hair and sighed again. "If you don't want to I won't make you, but I can't do this anymore. It… it just hurts too much" Sasuke explained.

Still she didn't speak but continued to cry quietly. He watched her for a few minutes waiting for her to respond. He glanced around at the eerily silent and empty street then back at Ino. He turned and was about to leave when she called out.

"Wait! Please!" she cried. He stopped but didn't turn around. "I want to tell you everything… but…" she paused and wiped her eyes. Sasuke turned back around.

"But what?" he asked softly.

"You wouldn't believe me. How could you. How could anyone?" she said sadly. Ino walked over to him and took his hand. "I have to show you something."

She silently led down the empty streets of the city. They stopped in front of the alley with the mural and she let go of his hand. Sasuke watched her as she walked up to the wall with the painting and gently reached out to touch the full moon in the center.

"It's a nice picture, but what are we doing here?" He crossed his arms over his chest and she swiveled around to face him.

"I died" she blurted. He studied her for a minute then smiled.

"Funny, very amusing. Look if you don't want to tell me-" He was cut off by her exasperated sigh.

"This isn't a joke, or a lie" she stated seriously. "Come here" she ordered, waving him over. He walked up to the wall and they knelt down beside it. "Look." She pointed out a small white cross painted onto the wall with her name written on it.

"What? How is that possible? You're standing right here. You can't be dead" he exclaimed.

"But I am" she replied firmly. The two stood in silence for a few minutes.

"How did it happen?" Sasuke asked quietly. She sighed and shook her head before replying.

"I moved to the city the summer after I graduated college. My parents didn't want me to, but I did anyways. My friends had found an apartment a few blocks from here and we were invited to a Halloween party…"

October 31st three years ago…

"Ino! Are you ready to go yet?!" Sayo shouted from her perch on the recliner. Ino hurried around the corner into the living room and threw her arms out in a pose to show off her angel costume.

"Ta da!" she said giddily. Upon seeing Sayo's costume she dropped her arms and sighed. "Slutty pirate again, Sayo?" she asked. Sayo jumped up, her stiletto heels clicking on the hardwood.

"This costume is hot! And I spent a lot of money on it. So I'm gonna get as many miles out of it as I can. Besides, it's a new town. No one here has even seen it yet." She spun in front of the mirror and smiled wickedly. "Just wait until they do."

"Yes, we all know you're hot shit, Sayo" Asaka said as she stood up from the couch, her Greek style dress flowing out behind her. "Shall we go to the party now?" The three girls smiled, grabbed their bags and headed out the door.

Music was blasting from the loft as the girls walked in. People were crowded in every open space, making out, dancing, drinking and talking loudly. Sayo grinned and headed straight to the makeshift dance floor. Asaka and Ino found a place to stand and began chatting easily with other partygoers.

Ino noticed someone staring at her from across the room. She gave the guy a smile and he walked over to her.

"Did it hurt?" he asked with a grin. She looked at him in mild amusement.

"When I fell from heaven?" she asked causing him to laugh.

"Not very original, huh?" he said. "But it sure is a nice ice breaker. I'm Ishio." He held his hand out and she shook it.

"Ino" she replied loudly.

"Hey, you wanna find somewhere less crowded to talk?" he inquired. She nodded and let him lead her away. She shot an apologetic glance back at Asaka then disappeared into the crowd.

Ishio shoved open the door to the roof and pulled Ino through after him. There was a small living area set up including reclining lawn chairs, an iron table set and a charcoal barbecue grill.

Ino took a deep breath of fresh air free of hormones and BO smell.

"It is so much nicer out here!" she cried happily. She walked over to the ledge which had an ankle high barrier around it. "Look at that full moon! It's stunning!"

"Not as stunning as you" Ishio said suggestively. She looked back at him and rolled her eyes. "Come sit with me" he said gesturing her over to the reclining chair he was seated on. She sat gingerly on the end of it allowing for comfortable space between them. Ishio frowned and reached out to pull her closer. She hesitated then allowed herself to be pulled into his lap. "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever met" he told her. Then he pulled her closer and kissed her. After a moment she pulled away and tried to get up but he held her down.

"Let me go" she said softly. He ignored her and tried to kiss her again. This time she pushed him away with some force. "Let me go" she repeated. She shoved against him and got away. She moved as far from the chair as she could, stopping at the ledge. Ishio got up and approached her.

"Don't be like that. We were just starting to get to know each other. He reached out and grabbed her arm. She yanked her arm away and he moved closer and grabbed both her arms. "Relax girl, we're just having some fun."

"I said let. Me. Go." She simultaneously shoved him back and pulled her arms free but her momentum carried her too far back and her ankle hit the barrier and she fell over the edge.

She seemed to fall in slow motion. Her white dress and wings fluttered around her as she descended. She barely had time to understand what was happening when she hit the pavement with a sickening thud.

Ishio hurried to the ledge in time to see her hit the ground. Her arms were spread out on top of her wings and her legs were bent as if she were jumping. Blood began to pool around her head like a halo and he screamed.

March 17th present

"The next thing I remember is appearing in this alley the following night, still in my costume" she explained. Both of them were sitting cross legged leaning again the wall. "I knew what had happened but couldn't figure out what I was."

Sasuke remained silent throughout the story. Now Ino studied him and waited for him to respond. He stayed frozen, thinking deeply for a few more minutes.

"Are you all right?" she asked gently. She reached out to touch his arm and he pulled away then stood up.

"I need some time" he replied brusquely. Then he stood and stormed away leaving Ino alone in her alley.

March 27th

Sasuke paced on the sidewalk in front of the alley. He checked his watch three times in less than five minutes and glanced nervously at the sky then at the mural then back at his watch. Eventually there was a swift breeze and he turned and saw Ino materialize out of nothing. She met his gaze emotionlessly and they stared at each other for a moment.

"Hi" he said awkwardly. She smiled weakly.

"Hi" she replied. He walked over to her and stopped. He stood there for a moment, trying to decide what to do. Then he surprised her by throwing his arms around her and hugging her tightly.

"I want to help you" he whispered. She wrapped her arms around him to return the hug.

"I don't know if you can" she said sadly. He rested his chin on the top of her head and sighed.

"I'll find a way. I promise."