I got a record number of five reviews for the last chappie(don't laugh that's good for me). So you know what that means: reply time!
Tomboy14- Yes it was sad wasn't it? But never fear, it won't get worse cause I really can't write anything anstier or more dramatic than that.
Brat-I'm so glad you like the pairings and your right they are the best pairings ever! Especially ShikaxIno, DOWN WITH ShikaxTemari!
Youko-Kuramas-Kitsune-What a mouthful(lol)! Glad you like my ficcy so much! Happy New Year!!!
Ness345-Yeah that was kinda depressing now that I look back, this chappie is semi-happy though!
Sienna Maiu-Sorry the guys are OOC I tried not to make them like that but alas! Yes the fic takes some strange twists doesn't it? Oh well that's just how I am.
Chapter Eight
Sakura woke to silence the next morning. Treading lightly into the Yamanka's kitchen Sakura was about to call out a hello when she remembered what had happened the night before and where Ino and her parents were. It was strange, without the usual sound of breakfast cooking and Ino and her father's bantering the house seemedcold and uninviting. She shivered, deciding that she needed to get out of the house Sakura mentally noted that she would be early to meet Sasuke.
Ah well, I'll just get breakfast on the way there.
Unfortunately for the pink haired kunoichithere was no where to stopfor food on the way. Sitting on the railing of the bridge Sakura sighed and waited for Sasuke. She wasn't waiting long before she saw Sasuke walking over to heraccompanied by Naruto looking extremely annoyed.
"If you didn't want me to come you should have just said that instead of glaring at me." Naruto was saying.
"If someone glares at you then they usually don't want you around." Sakura supplied Sasuke's answer for him.
"Well how was I supposed to know Sasuke glares at everything." Naruto whined. The three stood there in silence and just as Sakura was about to suggest that they go somewhere Naruto's stomach growled.
"Oh yeah, I missed breakfast. See you two later!" the blonde yelled running off.
How do you forget that you missed breakfast?
Good question I'm starving, but first we have to talk to someone.
"Hey Sasuke before we go anywhere can we go see Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru was currently laying under a tree sleeping looking as if he didn't have a care in the world. Of course he did but he didn't look like he did, in fact he wasn't even looking at anything his eyes were closed. Which is why Sakura was able to walk right up to him and slap him.
Rubbing his cheek he glared up at her closed his eyes and appeared to go back to sleep. Sakura wasn't fooled though
"Whatthe hell is wrong with you?!Ino's in the hospital because of you and your sitting here sleeping?"
In a flash Shikamaru was standing uphe grabbed Sakura's wrist and his eyes bore into hers.
"What happened? What's wrong with Ino?"
"O-oh well you remember how she followed you last night..."
Flashback...
"I'll be right back, I have to find Ino so we can go back to her house." Sakura broke from the cheery group of people on their way back to their houses. The group had waited out the rain under the roof of Icharakuuntil it was no more than a fine drizzle. Sakura had noticed that Shikamaru and Ino were missing but Sasuke wouldn't let her go into the downpour to look for them, so she had waited with the rest of the genins for it to let up.
She was beginningto think listening to Sasuke had been a bad idea when she saw Ino sitting in a puddle of muddy water.
"Ino what happened? Are you ok?" She ran up to the blonde girl.
"Yeah I tripped and then I..."
Sakura only looked confused"What? Where's Shikamaru?"
"He left, he said we weren't friends..." Ino didn't sound sad or angryjust detached a if it had happened to someone else.
"WHAT! He left you here in the rain? What's wrong with him?!"
"Don't be mad at him. He thought I was going to go home, I thought I was going to go home." It was strange even though he had left her here in the rainIno was still defending him.
She must really like him.
It's love.
Leaning down Sakura grabbed Ino's hand and pulled her up. "Why did you sit in a puddle Ino, really you'll catch a cold." Realizing the truth of her words Sakura reached up to put a hand on the blonde girls forehead, and immediately recoiled. "Ino your burning up! C'mon you need to go home and get dry then we'll ask your parents what to do."
End Flashback...
"When we got back Ino's mom said to wait and see what happened with her fever but it got worse really quickly so they went to the hospital." Sakura finished up her recount.
"..." Shikamaru seemed to be at a loss for words. Ino had assumed correctly when she'd said he thought she was going home. Never had he imagined that she would stay in the rain.
"Don't worry she's fine, her fever had gone down a lot by the time I left the hospital last night...Shikamaru?" Sakura swung her head from side to side looking for him. Sasuke who had watched this scene play out from a tree branch jumped down and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey Sasuke do you think we could get some thing to eat? I missed breakfast..."
"What do you mean she left? She can't leave she's sick." Shikamaru stood in front of the waiting room desk his arms out to either side.
"I'm sorry, but Miss. Yamanaka left an hour ago, she said that she felt fine and her fever was gone..." the receptionist answered cooly.
Groaning the chuunin left, how was he supposed to find the troublesome blonde now?
Standing in front of the bushes of his favorite cloud gazing spot Shikamaru thought, maybe he should go somewhere else to think, after all his last experience here with Ino was anything but peaceful.
"Seems like it was yesterday when I saw your face
You told me how proud you were, but I walked away
If only I knew what I know today
Ooh, ooh"
Was that Ino's voice? Shikamaru had never heard Ino sing but the bittersweet melodic tune he heard now sounded a lot like her. Climbing a tree and sitting on a branch where he could just see the blonde girl-It was Ino!-Shikamaru had the faintest thought that the song was about him, before she continued singing.
"I would hold you in my arms
I would take the pain away
Thank you for all you've done
Forgive all your mistakes"
She was asking him to forgive her, he realized.
"There's nothing I wouldn't do
To hear your voice again
Sometimes I wanna call you
But I know you won't be there"
She's saying sorry, Shikamaru had unwittingly began to decipher the song.
Ohh I'm sorry for blaming you
For everything I just couldn't do
And I've hurt myself by hurting you
She doesn't want to fight anymore.
Some days I feel broke inside but I won't admit
Sometimes I just wanna hide 'cause it's you I miss
And it's so hard to say goodbye
When it comes to this, oooh
She's already forgiven me, but wouldn't forgive her.
Would you tell me I was wrong?
Would you help me understand?
Are you looking down upon me?
Are you proud of who I am?
She's even more confused than I am.
There's nothing I wouldn't do
To have just one more chance
To look into your eyes
And see you looking back
Last time I talk to her I wasn't even looking at her.
Ohh I'm sorry for blaming you
For everything I just couldn't do
And I've hurt myself, ohh
That was the chorus where she askes to stop fighting.
If I had just one more day
I would tell you how much that I've missed you
Since you've been away
Ooh, it's dangerous
It's so out of line
To try and turn back time
What would have happened if they had never argued?
I'm sorry for blaming you
For everything I just couldn't do
And I've hurt myself by hurting you
"Hey, Ino..." She turned around quickly her mouth wide open face pale, "Did you write that?" He was of course asking about the song.
"I, yes I wrote it...for you...Shikamaru I really am sorry! Please, please forgive me-" He jumped down and put a finger to her lips quieting her.
"I forgive you." With those words it seemed like the clouds lifted and Ino could feel the sun again. Grinning she hugged him and squealed.
"Hey Shikamaru guess what. I don't think I love Sasuke any more..." She was still hugging him so Ino didn't see the smile that spread across Shikamaru's usually indifferent face.
And with that comes the time where they both like each other but neither one knows the other likes them back. But all of you readers will have to wait because the next chappie is pure SasuxSaku fluff(or as close to fluff as you can get when it's Sasuke...). Please review! And the song I used was Hurt by Christina Aguilera, I don't own it and I never will. I do think it worked almost perfectly with this chapter however.
-Fumei