DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Naruto. Which sucks ass, by the way. -runs away and cries-

We watched the whole thing, even the part where I was screaming that I wanted my "Naruto-kun" my pajamas that had Naruto on 'em, which was really embarrassing by the way…

When it was over, I grabbed the remote and fast-forwarded a couple of episodes until I found the one I was looking for.

Okay!! There I was, falling down from the sky again, screaming as usual. Except my hair was blonde instead of blue. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke once again ran over to me, and as it played, I stared in awe. This was what had happened to me!! I turned to Naruto. "Na-na-naruto-kun… do you know what this means??" I asked and he nodded slowly.

A big grin spread across my face and I grabbed the remote. "It means that I can see what happens to me in the future!!" I exclaimed and skipped past a dozen episodes.

Naruto grinned widely as well, when he figured out what I meant. "Me next!! Me next!!" he exclaimed, and I laughed.

I skipped to the part about the Chunin Exams. Or I was, when I saw something. I hit "pause" and looked. As I did, my face flushed red. It was Naruto and I, our faces centimeters apart. In the picture, I was also blushing. Naruto began to blush and I opened my mouth to say something when suddenly the door swung open and I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Nikki!! Nikki-chan?? Where are you?? Hello??" It was Ino. Ino and I had become good friends, even though half the time all she wanted to do was talk about Sasuke.

Well who wouldn't want to? He's smexy.

I wouldn't. Gaara could totally kick his butt.

What about Naruto? You seem to be getting really close to him. Or, at least that's what it looks like to me.

Shut up!! We're friends!! Besides, who knows when the next time I'm going home will be!! I have to admit, I don't belong here. I could be swept off at any time or place, so I don't want to get involved with anyone.

You are leaving in exactly 67 days, seven hours, three minutes, and twenty seconds.

...

What?

That is when you're leaving.

How exactly do you know that?

I'm like your conscious or something. You know, I know everything about you, everything that's gonna happen to you, when it is gonna happen, where it is going to happen and all that crap.

O.o What. In. Seven. Hells?

Deal wid it homey. Dats how a gansta's life flows in the 'hood yo. Fo snizzle my izzle bo dizzle.

TT You are so weird…

F'sho

Anyways…

Both Naruto and I scrambled for the remote, but each time or hands touched we would blush and snatch our hands back.

Ino walked in as we continued to try to get the remote, glancing between me, Naruto, and the frozen picture on the TV.

Finally, I decided to just get up and turn it off by hand. As I watched the screen go blank, I sighed and spun around, plastering a forced smile on my face.

"Um, Nikki-chan, was that you and Naruto on TV?" she asked.

I laughed nervously. "No! Of course not!! Why would Naruto and I be on TV?? Hahaha…" Naruto nodded in agreement.

She raised her eyebrows suspiciously, but then shrugged. "Well Choji, Shikamaru, and I were all going out to eat and I was wondering if you wanted to come. They said it was okay. So how 'bout it?"

"Um… I was going to go out and walk around Konoha with Naruto…" I said and turned to the blonde-haired genin, still embarrassed about the whole scenario.

"It's okay!!" Naruto exclaimed, turning pink in the face, also embarrassed. "Go ahead!! I'll see you later!!" he insisted and rubbed the back of his head uneasily.

I nodded and turned back to Ino, feeling a little bit of relief. "Alright. I'll come along!!" I smiled.

But as we walked out, I turned back to Naruto, doubting that he really was okay if I went. And really, something in me didn't want to go either. However, I ignored it and went with Ino anyway, doubting that I should have gone.

So there we were, Choji gorging himself with barbeque, Shikamaru complaining on how this was "such a drag", and Ino talking about how gorgeous Sasuke looked.

"Oh my god, doesn't he look so hot when he—"

"No he doesn't, Ino!!" I exclaimed, interrupting Ino. "Listen, we know how 'gorgeous' Sasuke is. You've told us a million times!! Now could we please change the subject??" I asked, growing annoyed with the blonde-haired kunoichi

Ino rolled her eyes. "You're just jealous because Sasuke likes me and not you." She said and crossed her arms.

I sighed and glared at her, looking up from the table where I was resting my head. "Okay, number one: He doesn't like you!! And number two: Even if he did, I wouldn't be the least bit jealous. And why is that? Because he's just a grouchy little asshole with hair that looks like a freaking duck's butt!!" I exclaimed.

Okay, maybe that was a little much, but I was really pissed off at her for talking non-stop about Sasuke.

Excuse me, but did you just insult my Sas-chan?

Your "Sas-chan"…?

Yup!! That's his new nickname. Sas for Sasuke and chan for little!!

TT' you are so weird…

Yup!! That's me for ya!!

Whatever…

"So… what was up with you and Naruto? Your faces were both bright red when I came in!!" Ino asked, finally changing the subject.

Choji and Shikamaru looked up, curious about what she was talking about.

My face flushed as I thought about it. "Um… well… I mean… we were just…" I sat there looking at my feet as I tried to think of what to say, all the while tucking my hair behind my ears over and over like I usually did when I was embarrassed.

Ino's mouth dropped open. "Don't tell me that you…!!" She made a gesture with her fingers, which made Shikamaru and Choji's eyes widen.

I looked up in shock and blushed, my face turning positively violet at the thought. "You perv!! It wasn't like that!! I am still a virgin, thank you very much!!" I exclaimed.

"Well then what happened?" Choji asked, his face stuffed with barbeque so that you couldn't really tell what he was saying.

Shikamaru remained silent, but I could tell he was wondering the same thing because his eyes were watching Ino and I intensely.

"Nothing!! It was nothing!!" I insisted, but they didn't buy it. "Guys, I'm serious!! Nothing happened between me and Naruto!!"

"Well then why are you blushing?? Do you like him??" Ino asked.

"No! He's just my friend!! Really." I swore.

It took a little while or a couple hours, which was okay since Choji had to finish his barbeque but I finally convinced them.

After barbeque, we all decided to hit the town!!

Our first stop was the weapon store. I needed a couple new kunai and I wanted to get a Windmill Shuriken or two.

Ino grabbed a weapon pouch, Shikamaru just looked around, and Choji stayed entertained in the snacks section. Why there was a snack section in a weapons store, I really do not know.

I grabbed what I needed then went to admire the katanas before I got in line. However, while I was waiting in line, something caught my eye.

It looked a lot like Zabuza's sword, except it was a little smaller than a Windmill Shuriken. It was so shiny and sharp; I just had to have it!!

As I was drooling over it, a man that I assumed was the manager approached me.

"You like 'er, huh?" he asked, seeming a bit drunk.

I decided to take caution, but since I really wanted those swords, I went ahead and nodded. "How much for two?" I asked, thinking how awesome I would look with one in each hand, defeating my enemies with a single blow.

"¥150,000 150,000 yen. And that's with a discount since you're so cute. Follow me, they're in the back." He said, and I nodded, following him into a door that read Storage.

Shuffling though some boxes, he pulled out two of the swords, still wrapped up in that bubble wrap, that I loved to stomp the crap out of. But suddenly he tossed the to the side and leaned over to me. "Hey baby, you're all mine!" his voice slurred as he leaned close to me, his lips puckering.

"Ew!! Get away from me you perv!!" I exclaimed and took a quick step back.

He grinned hungrily and reached out to me, trying to grab me. "Come on baby, just a little taste." He exclaimed.

I unsheathed my katana but, before I had a chance to react, he had knocked it out of my hand and hurled me to the ground with him on top of me, holding me down with one arm. His elbow was digging into my ribs, making it hard to breath, and I felt his mouth press against my lips roughly. I gasped out of shock and fear. The man took advantage of the situation and stuffed his tongue in, moving it around to explore roughly. I was suffocating, and tried my hardest to break out of his grasp. But he held my wrists tight, and I was unable to move. I bit his tongue, figuring it would cause him to release me. It didn't. It just made him angrier. He cursed and stood up, kicking me in the gut.

'Help me, somebody. Please help me!!' I thought, but no one came. And I was stuck, too hurt to get up as he beat me.

"Lousy bitch!" He cursed, and kicked me again. "How dare you, you fucking cunt!!" I grimaced as he moved his leg back to kick me again.

I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the pain. When nothing happened, I opened my eyes just a tad, though they went wide from what came next.

Shikamaru had kicked him and sent him flying across the store, only the wall finally stopping him. He lay there, unconscious, and I scrambled to get up. Shikamaru stood there, a scowl across his face as he glared at the man. "Bastard," he muttered.

Running over to Shikamaru, I struggled to speak, but I couldn't, for I was still in shock. So I just fell into his arms and cried, and he patiently waited until I had calmed down.

While I was wiping away the tears that littered my face, Ino and Choji ran up, looking first at me collapsed in Shikamaru's arms, and then at the man lying across the room.

"Oh my god Nikki, what happened??" Ino asked, a look of genuine concern on her face.

I opened my mouth and tried to tell her, but the words would not come out, and as I thought about it, I broke into tears again. Shikamaru hugged me tighter and looked at Ino and explained what happened.

Ino gasped and rushed over to me. "Nikki!! Are you okay?? You're still... you know...?"

I nodded, knowing what she was asking me.

After that, we all headed home, Shikamaru walking me back to Sakura's house.

As we walked, we didn't really say anything. We just walked, holding hands. Shikamaru... today he was like a hero to me. No, he was a hero. And if he hadn't been there, I don't know what I would have done.

When we reached the house, Sakura answered the door, and when she saw me her face twisted with worry just like Ino's had. "Nikki, are you okay??" she looked at Shikamaru. "What happened to her?"

He told her the same thing he had told Ino, and Sakura exploded. "That asshole!! I swear, if you ever see him again Nikki, you tell me where he is and I will kick his butt!! Cha!!"

I smiled and thanked her when Sakura's mom yelled to Sakura, "Sakura-chan, can you please close the door? It's getting drafty in here!!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and asked me, "You coming in?"

I nodded and replied, "In a moment. I'll be right in."

She nodded back and closed the door softly. I turned to Shikamaru. "Thanks for what you did back there. If you hadn't been there, I don't know what I would have done." I told him, and he shrugged.

"Your welcome. It was no big. Besides, what else was I supposed to do?" he noted.

I smiled. "Guess you're right. See you later?"

He nodded, and as I was about to turn to go inside, he gave me a small peck on the cheek. "Yeah, see you later." He replied and walked away, giving a small wave as he left.

I blushed and went inside and closed the door. My legs collapsed and I fell to the ground and I leaned against the door, grinning to myself.

A/N: No, she is not falling for Shikamaru. It was just a little friendly peck, and she was kind of embarrassed. That's it. For the record, Shikamaru doesn't like her like that either.