When the Deer Run

Chapter 4

Except the Ones Who Are Dead

POV – Shikamaru

The forest was dark, cold and wet as the fog closed in but that was the least of my worries. I had to get home as quickly as possible without my 'father' noticing me or Inoichi getting their first to talk to my father about me. I had cut it close just now when he had clearly noticed some of my marks (he was always good at seeing through disguises and lies).

"Shikamaru."

I am really loosing my touch for me not to notice him following me.

"Shikamaru…" repeated Inoichi placing a hand on my shoulder.

I froze. I like Inoichi. I really do. He's like a second father to me. But… It would kill him if he heard what his best friend was doing; I couldn't hurt him like that.

"What's the matter? You hurt Chouji, badly. He's your best mate. You love him as a brother and I know you would never hurt him. So why did you?"

What do I tell him? 'Your best mate, my father, is beating me to a pulp with no explanation while sober'? Something tells me that isn't going to go down well.

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

"That's the response of someone who is not fine."

"…"

"…"

"It's nothing I can't deal with." And with that I left, ignoring Chouza appearing just behind Inoichi and a few dear as I went.

POV – Ino

Food!

The low table was covered in it. I couldn't see the dark wood anymore.

The table was coated in food but at the same time it was empty. No one was here. The table which can hold nine people comfortably had only two sat around it now.

I looked over at Chouji. It was horrible to watch him having a full plate of food and only picking at it. I looked down at my own and noticed that I had barely eaten anything either. Chouji's house was the only place I ever ate a proper meal and scrapped my diet entirely. We where alone at the table which just made it worse.

Something was wrong with Shikamaru. I'd noticed something was off this morning but that didn't prepare me for his sudden departure. Our dads had gone after him. I'd wanted to go with them but Chouza was very determined that we left him alone for a bit.

I don't like it. I don't like it at all.

Sighing again I get up and move over to Couji's side. Rapping my arms around his large form I hug him.

We just sit there for a while. Hugging. Hoping. Hoping Shika was alright.

POV – Shikamaru

I ran up to the house and ran through the door.

He wasn't in the first room.

I ran through the corridor.

He wasn't in the corridor.

I ran through the kitchen.

He wasn't in the kitchen.

I ran through the Dojo.

He wasn't in the Dojo.

I ran out the back.

He wasn't in the back.

I ran through the door into my new room at the back of the house.

He was there.

The pain came almost instantly. After a few minutes I was on the floor again. I was bleeding from almost every point he could reach. My arms where over my head protecting it enough for me to vaguely register where the blows were landing. But then it changed.

Something hard, something metal hit the crown of my head. It had only been the flat of the kunai but it had been enough. I started and momentarily lost my defensive position due to pain and surprise giving him the opening he had been looking for.

He grabbed me and punched me in the face sending my head crashing into the table. Black spots began to appear in my vision as I fell to the floor and everything went grey.

I couldn't move. I didn't have the energy to even protect myself anymore.

I felt him draw nearer. He dug his knee into my chest and put his hand around my neck, choking me.

I couldn't see anymore.

I couldn't hear anymore.

I couldn't breathe anymore.

POV – Inoichi

I just stood there and watched in shock.

Shika ... my best friend ... Shikaku ... was ... beating his ... his ... son.

Clenching my fists tightly I can't do anything except stare towards the open door of the back room now serving as Shikamaru's room. I knew Chouza was looking at the same scene with the same thoughts going through his head. As we watched Shikamaru flew backwards into the table. Then as Shikaku approached his son both of us saw at the same time what had given our old friend such an advantage.

He had drawn a kunai. Before I even knew I'd left the branch I was in the door and dragging Shikaku off his son. I was failing until Chouza caught up and helped. While Chou pinned the mad man down sufficiently I ran over to Shikamaru.

He looked bad.

Very bad.

Spinning round I took up a defensive stance with my body between Shikaku and the unmoving Shikamaru. I wasn't a med nin, nor was I genius, I had no idea what was going on or how to help the beaten kid.

I narrowed my eyes.

Shikaku, Chouza and I had been working in a team together for the majority of our life now; we knew each other like the back of our hand and hardly needed to do anything for the other to get what we wanted.

Today was no exception.

Chouza instantly straightened up and held the increasingly struggling deer herder as still as he could; lining our friend up for my shot.

The hand signs came quick and swift. They flowed naturally from one to the other. It was almost no time at all before I was in Shikaku's mind.

At first I was at the for-front of the genius' head. I was looking out of his eyes, seeing mine and the kid's bodies' slumped by the wall. I could feel Chouza's iron grip slacken slightly when I stilled Shikaku's body.

"Don't." I whispered before turning my attention inward.

I had been in Shikaku's head once before and the first thought that came to me then was that it was just so cramped (comes with being a genius). Compared to now though that was like being alone in a field, this is suffocating.

It didn't take long to locate the source of the problem. There was a third mind in there. In fact it took me a while for me to even locate Shikaku's conscience mind. And when I did locate it I lost my grip on his mind all together. There was no need for the invading mind to kick me out.

I'd seen enough.

Gasping and crying I returned to my body. Shakily getting to my feet I looked the now calm Shikaku straight in the eye.

"Knock him out, Chouza. I think we found our spy."

Author's Note:- I am so sorry this took so long to update but life hated me. I know I've said 'life hates' me for absolutely ages as an excuse but it really did for about a year and a bit. I'm so sorry but hopefully I will be back and running from now on. My other stories are still on hold but I really want to get this one completed before I do anything else because it seems to have had the most feedback. I'm so sorry this took so long, please forgive me!

Anyways, I hope you liked the end of this chappy. I think it was alright for once. Still, next should be up soon. And be warned, I'm hoping Naruto will be making his grand entry in it so don't say you haven't been warned.

Cake's still on offer for all who click here...!

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