Hey fanfiction readers! This is my first story I am uploading! Hope you all like it! Once again, I want everyone to know I include my OC in my stories, so if you don't like reading stories with OCs, I suggest you not read this one. Please be gentle, I would like critism, but not insults. Please review and if you've read my profile, you should already know that I suck as grammer ^_^ sorry, I did the best I could. Well then, enough chit chat...on to the story!

Chapter One: The Doctor's Fate

It's been eight years...eight years since the woman of my dreams walked into my life. Well, actually I've known her for my entire life, but eight years ago was when I finally realized my true feelings for her. When I finally noticed her as a woman instead of the annoying little girl who I went to school with. Eight years ago was also a time when I realized that I couldn't talk to her anymore; I couldn't even look at her without blushing! Yelp, eight years ago was a memorable occasion, both good and bad. Good that I finally found someone that I would want to spend the rest of my life with, but bad because I'm too nervous to even say hello. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Like mentioned before, Ino and I lived in the same neighborhood as children. We went to the same elementary, middle, and high school. Ino was always the know-it-all, bossy girl of the school. Most people liked her, but I just thought she was annoying. At the time, I was too busy being a knuckle headed young boy. All I wanted to do was slack off and have fun with the guys, but she always had something to say! Saying that if she didn't look out for the students, then the teachers would have no hope in controlling us. I think she was just still pissed off at the prank that I pulled on her when we were in kindergarten. I was five years old, how was I supposed to know that shooting multiple pieces of gum with a sling-shot into the back of her head was bad? At the time, I thought it was pretty funny! She had to get her hair cut, and believe me, I felt bad afterwards; but that was kindergarten! Anyway, after that incident, I think she made it her sole purpose in life to become the demon in mine.

Finally after high school, we parted ways and went to college. It was then I became more focused in school, and pursued the life and career of a doctor, specializing in cardiology. Somehow, I guess it's always been there I just never took the time to actually use my brain, I became the top of my class. I got excepted to a prestigious graduate school, and was well on my way to becoming a great doctor. It was when I was aspiring to obtain my doctorates degree when I finally met up with her again. She had been going to the same graduate school as me, I just never knew it. It's a big school, with many students, of course I didn't know; but there she was, back in my life again just like that!

There was a banquet going on that the students could attend. I wasn't going to go, but I did. I had nothing else better to do anyway. So there I was, pretending to enjoy the conversation I was having with some other classmates of mine, when I heard a faint chuckle that caught my attention. I looked over, and what happened next was just like something out of a movie. A cool, spring breeze blew by and carried the cherry blossoms with it, blowing past a beautiful blue eyed blonde. She brought her delicate, small hand up to her hair to keep it from blowing into her face, and cringed from the chilling breeze going through her yellow sundress. I couldn't take my eyes off of her, this captivating woman...who was she? When the breeze died down, she was able to relax and I realized that this beautiful, captivating woman was the same annoying, little girl who I despised all through elementary to high school! I quickly walked over to her.

This was great, I already knew her...well somewhat, so that meant that I didn't have to go through all the formalities that you would normally go through when meeting someone new! I would just casually ask her out for a cup of coffee or something, say that it's just to catch up on old times and discuss new times, and then suggest another date, and so on and so forth! Yeah right, if it was only that easy. I was so confident in myself, thinking that I already had this one in the bag, that I suddenly forgot that another thing changed once I got to college. I raised my hand, opened my mouth to say hi, but the only thing that came out was a small whimper which I'm still surprised to this day that she actually heard. I mean...it was small, like almost nothing. "Naruto," she let out with a surprised, yet happy look on her face. I just smiled back, that was all I could do. She reached out, and if I thought my face couldn't ever burn from my blushes, when she hugged me that day just proved me wrong. My face was beat red, I didn't even touch her...I couldn't! "Naruto, are you okay," she asked after pulling back away from me. I had turned my head so she couldn't see my face, but that didn't help much because now she thought something was wrong with me. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that this moment would just be over and done with. "Yeah I'm fine, it's just really hot out here! Woo, I'm burning up! I didn't know you went here! I do too! Well, it was nice seeing you again Ino, but I have to go now so see ya later," I yelled at her.

Yelp that's right, once I got to college and became so focused on my school work, I didn't really socialize much with people. I just...I just stayed in my room doing school work and studying. I had something I wanted to do, and I had a lot of work to do if I wanted to reach that goal. But by the time I felt comfortable enough with school work and my ability to do it, it was already to late. Talking with guys I was fine, but I couldn't talk to women at all. I would just blush and never know what to say. It was embarrassing, and I used to be such a ladies man. Even though Shikamaru and Sasuke would disagree, I was pretty hot stuff back in high school. Now look at me, I had the smarts, but I couldn't even look at a girl with out blushing and I couldn't even talk to Ino, matter fact any girl. Words just didn't come out my mouth. So for the rest of my time left in grad school, I avoided Ino, at least when she noticed me which was...I'd say...once out of every hundredth time. I mean who would blame her. If I was her, I wouldn't notice someone like me either. It's been years since we've seen each other, and I act so immature, I act as if I wasn't thrilled to see her, and on top of that, I screamed in her face. I just couldn't wait for it to all be over. And then I would just slip off to a hospital, start a new life there, and forget about all of this.

Right if only it was that easy. There's definitely a thin line between a good and a bad thing, because unfortunately and fortunately, we ended up working at the same hospital together. Fate smiles upon me, I know it (sarcasm). Still, I think I would be a little depressed if she wasn't here. She's the girl of my dreams, would I really not want a second chance? I really didn't want things to end that way, I really wanted to be with her! I just needed to find a way to get back into the groove of things. I needed to work my nerve up to talk to her again, even though she still paid no attention to me. I didn't even know if she knew I worked with her. It didn't matter, I was going to find a way to be able to talk to girls again. I started to date. You'd be surprised the kind of girls you meet in a hospital. That was the only place I was really going to meet anyone, because well, that was the only place I ever was besides my one bedroom loft and half of the time I wasn't there either. I got asked on many dates in the beginning by girls who were just after me because I was one of the top cardiac surgeons there and girls just love men with power right? Eventually after a couple dates, I managed to work up enough nerve to look at my mistress of the night. Then after a few more dates, I was able to make small conversation with some of them only to regret even trying to talk to some of the whack jobs I went on dates with. And then, I was finally at the point where I could approach a woman, say hi first, and actually ask them on a date! I had made a full recovery! I mean sure, I had to go through a lot of women to do so, and broke a lot of those women's hearts, but it was well worth it. All for the love of one, my dear Ino.

It was finally here, the day that I had been waiting for! The day that I was going to try to spark up a conversation with Ino again. It had been three years since that dreadful day, and a whole year had gone by of us working together without her even noticing me. Well, today she was going to notice me, and today I was going to ask her out on a date, just like I was supposed to do three years ago. I walked into work that day in a good and up beat mood. I just knew everything would go as plan. I went on my daily routine visits, researched a few material that I needed, avoided the many stalkers I had now, and had finally made it to the maternity ward. Ino was an obstetrician, and a respected one at that. She was very much like me, a top obstetrician. There was only one other person who was on her level. Many thought he was the best, but to me there could only be one and that one was Ino. Sasori was admired by a lot of the doctors at Konoha Memorial Hospital, especially the women doctors and Ino was one of them. I don't think she looked at him like a piece of eye candy like the rest of the vultures women doctors in the hospital, it was more of a admiration as a senior doctor, someone to look up to. He was there before her, and she aspired to be like him, nothing more.

Now was the time, she was alone and I wouldn't have any other chances that day. I walked over to her, taking deep breaths to keep myself calm. I could do this, I continued to tell myself over and over again as I got over to her. I was almost there, I could just see the whole event happening in my head and going smoothly. I reached out to tap her on the shoulder, but then I lost all my nerve and just casually walked up to the counter she was leaning on and placed the folder I had in my hand on it. Out the corner of my eye, I could see her slowly looking up towards me.

"Naruto," she asked confused. I looked down at the confused blond for about five seconds, which was progress because that's five seconds more than what I could do before. I felt my face start to blush again so I quickly looked back up to conceal my cheeks that were turning red.

"Oh...h-hey...Ino," I said. Yes! That was another improvement!

"Naruto! You work here as well, I didn't know that. Wow we keep meeting each other in the strangest places. I would have never imagined us working at the same hospital! How long have you been here?"

I put up my pointer finger, "O-one ye," I tried to say, but couldn't get the rest out. Oh no, it was happening again. I had to get out of there.

"Did you say one year?"

I nodded my head.

"Really! Me too! That's great Naruto! I wonder why I never seen you around here before? Wait, weren't you going to school for cardiology, what are you doing in the maternity wing?"

I gasped at the fact that she knew what I went to school for. I never told her, yet she knew! She must have been looking me up, which means, I must have been on her mind in grad school. I guess I didn't totally mess up my chances after all! But how was I supposed to answer her question now? My Ino-phobia was coming back now. Unwillingly, I closed my eyes shut and looked in the opposite direction of her. It was going to happen again, just like before, but this time, I wasn't going to scream. If anything, I was going to try my hardest to control that. I calmed myself just enough to relax my eyes, so now instead of squeezing them together, I just calmly had them closed. "Th-This is some research that Sasori asked if I couldlookupcouldyoupleasegivethistohimthankyougoodbye," I started to calmly speak, but suddenly started to speed up and put my words together. At least I waved this time. This woman probably thinks I hate her. Every time I had seen her, I looked away and made it seem as if I didn't want to talk to her. If she only knew the truth, that in fact everyday I long to sit down and just converse with her all day. That I didn't hate her, what I felt for her was the exact opposite, I loved her.

So here I am, eight years later since the first day she walked into my life. Five years of us just casually and randomly walking by each other. Of her waving first, and me politely waving back. Of us never having actual conversations with each other. Of her getting closer and closer with Sasori. Of him being so impressed with my research that day, he just had to make me his only "worthy" friend in the hospital. And of course, of me still going on dates trying to break this phobia of mine, and hating and regretting every single one.

Don't forget to review! Please and Thank you!