Mission Impossible: Housewife

By KawaiPanda

Chapter Twenty

An GaaIno Love story

By the time I reached the hospital, my foot was numb, and I was able to limp without assistance. The medic in me knew that that wasn't good, but the ninja in me was grateful because I didn't want help. I wasn't some weakling... I wasn't. Stumbling into the building, I headed for the nurses station to be seen, but when the girl saw me, she was up and at my side, trying to push me back the way I came.

"I'm sorry miss but civilians -" She began, and I held up a hand.

"Excuse me? Civilian? Do you know who I am?" I demanded, feeling my temper rising. This bitch obviously had to be new to not recognize me.

She narrowed her eyes at me, like I was being difficult or something. She grabbed my arm, determined to make me leave. "Ma'am, you can't be in here."

My voice raised quickly. "Get your hands off of me you stupid -"

"Pig?" At the familiar nickname, I relaxed. Sakura would talk some sense into this new girl. As she walked towards us, I let out a sigh of relief.

"Forehead. Thank Kami. Inform these idiots that I have every right to be treated here."

"Actually Ino... I don't think we can treat you here." Or maybe not.

I crossed my arms. "The fuck?"

"You aren't a ninja here anymore." I felt like I had been slapped.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

She looked away. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever." I shook my head in disappointment at my best friend. With a glare, I turned to the nurse who had the gall to stand there looking smug. "Don't just stand there! Get me a fucking wheelchair and push me to the civilian hospital."

"But-"

Sakura interrupted. "Do it."

"Yes, Dr. Haruno."

"This is bullshit and you know it Sakura." It hurt, the fact that it was Sakura of all people doing this.

"I know... but it's policy. We cannot treat foreign ninja." She looked down at the ground, unwilling to look me in the eyes. "I would treat you, but I don't get off for a few more hours."

"What the fuck ever." Best friend my ass.

XxXxXxXxX

After I got patched up at the civilian hospital, I marched straight to Naruto's office, well as best as I could with my foot in a cast and all. I had to use crutches. Crutches! I ignored the looks I got as I made my way there, thankfully I didn't pass any familiar faces because I didn't want to deal with the looks. Not from them.

By the time I'd reached the Hokage's tower, the pain killers the doctor had given me wore off, and I had to stop several times on my way up the stairs to Naruto's office. The second I was on the landing and Hinata spotted me, she was up from her desk and by my side in a heartbeat. "Ino-chan! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just need to talk to Naruto." I winced at the throbbing pain radiating throughout my whole foot now.

She helped me to the door of his office, fretting over me. "He's inside."

"Thanks Hina."

"If you need anything, let me know, okay?" She handed me back my crutches.

"I will." With that she hesitantly went back to her desk and I stepped inside of Naruto's office. At the sight of the other blonde hunched over some paperwork, I smirked before calling his name. "Naruto."

He blinked and glanced up at me. "I-Ino?"

"Yes Naruto. It's me." I hobbled further into the room, my voice deathly calm. "You wanna know why I'm here?"

The color drained from his face. He knew I was getting impatient. I was so sick of waiting, and the last time I'd thrown a paperweight at his head, though he ducked and it went through the window. "To see if Gaara contacted me?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm here because I broke my toe."

His brow furled in confusion. "Shouldn't you go to the hospital and get it looked at?"

I gave him a tight smile. "I did, only they, no-Sakura, my ex-best friend, informed me that I had to be healed by a civilian doctor." Hence the bulky cast on my leg, when only my toe was broken. Hence why I hadn't bothered to mention my illness to the doctor and my sudden inability to use my chakra. He wouldn't have been able to do anything about it.

"Why?"

"Because apparently the fact that I married your best friend overshadows the fact that I have given this village twenty fucking years of my life." And counting. I gave him a bitter smile. "You would think I would be an exception to the whole "foreign" shit, huh?"

"Whoa-"

I put up my hand, shutting him up immediately. My eyes were glaring daggers at him. I knew this wasn't all his fault, but someone had to answer for this bullshit. "I might not legally be a ninja for Konoha right now, but I do not appreciate being treated like shit for it. I might be leaving Gaara, but I damn well expect to get some better treatment around here!"

"Calm down!" I slammed my hand down on his desk, and startled, he sat down.

"Don't you tell me to calm down! I have given everything for this village of ungrateful assholes. Everything!"

"Okay, okay!" Hands up in submission, he replied, "I'll talk to Sakura or Granny, see what's going on." He gave me his signature grin. "We'll have your foot healed in no time."

"It had better be."

XxXxXxXxX

Three days later, I had been informed via messenger, that Tsunade would heal my foot in the morning. I felt kind of bad for snapping at Naruto, but I was in a lot of pain, and frustrated, and I didn't have anyone I could talk to. Not really. I mean, who else has been in my position?

None of my friends except maybe Tenten with the whole Neji situation, and with Kankuro hanging all over her, I couldn't whisper a word around her without him hearing and by extension, Gaara.

Gaara... my workaholic husband. I wondered what he was up to... if he had moved on yet. Had the elders finally convinced him to let me go? I wondered... why did it hurt so much to think about him. I chose to go, so my heart needed to get in-sync with my head.

With a sigh, I nibbled on a cracker and skimmed through the newspaper.

The past couple of days I hadn't been able to keep anything down except the crackers, and it was getting old fast. When Tsunade healed me tomorrow, I was going to have her check me out, see what was going on in my stomach and why my chakra was out of wack. I wondered briefly about what Choji asked me the other day, but I knew deep in my heart I wasn't pregnant. I couldn't conceive anymore. I was too damaged. I guess I'd find out for sure tomorrow.

Tears stung my eyes but I forced them away at the sound of the bell ringing to alert me of a customers presence. I put the paper up and straightened up in my chair. If mom came by while I was watching the shop and slacking off like that with a customer browsing, she'd kill me. Daddy was in the back, taking inventory.

"Hello! Welcome to Yamanaka Flowers. Anything in particular you're needing?" I asked, faking cheerfulness. I hoped they didn't stay long. It felt better to have my foot elevated, but I didn't want to do that in public. It looked sloppy.

"Not, re-" He broke off glancing in my direction, and spotting the crutches came to stand before me. "What happened?"

"I kicked a tree." I figured the truth was the best answer. Why did I need to lie?

"Ouch." He winced and leaned against the wall. "That wasn't smart."

"No, I suppose not. But I was pissed off and I couldn't hit anyone in the face at the time." Taking the time to scan his face, I realized why he was so familiar. Reaching under the counter, I grasped the jar holding his tulips. "Oh, by the way, you forgot your flowers the other day."

He shook his head. "No I didn't."

"Yes you did. They're right here." I gestured at them.

"I left them on purpose." I blinked, frowning.

So apparently they were for me. "Oh."

He looked amused. "Yes, oh."

With a sigh, I began. "Look, I can't-"

He cut me off. "I'm not asking you to marry me. I just want a date."

I shook my head. "I can't."

"Can't or won't?" He asked, eyebrow cocked.

"I'm married."

"Oh."

I smirked. Surely that would get him to back off. "Yes, oh."

"Who is he?"

I lost the frown at his invasive question. "Why?"

"Because he deserves to get his ass kicked for making you work with in your condition." His heated answer had my heart fluttering in response.

"He doesn't know." I felt the need to defend Gaara. After all, who the fuck was he to judge my husband? Just some random guy who couldn't take the hint that I wasn't interested. "He doesn't live in Konoha." I don't know why that slipped out. I could have just said he was off on a mission.

"Really?"

"Really." No, I'm lying about it. Pft.

"And why isn't he living in Konoha, or you with him?" Again with the invasive questions?

"It's personal." I crossed my arms. "Are you going to leave me alone now?"

"Are you going to go on a date with me?"

"What the-" I sputtered. "I just told you I'm married."

"A proper husband doesn't abandon his wife."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Then tell me. I want to get to know you."

"Well maybe I don't want to get to know you? Did you consider that?"

"If you didn't, I know your father would have already kicked my ass for bothering you." It was then that I knew he was a ninja for certain. If he was a normal civilian he shouldn't have been able to know daddy was in the back. Not unless he could pick up on his chakra signature. I frowned. How he didn't know who I was must have meant one of two things... He was several years my junior, or he just didn't care to put two and two together.

Even though I tried to make myself scarce and keep the fact that I was here from leaking, I knew a vast majority of Konoha was aware of my presence. They were probably snickering behind their hands about what a failure I was.

"Look, I'm not interested. Go find someone else." Oh my Kami... Why me? Why, why, why? Why couldn't this guy just leave me alone.

"Just one date. Just give me one shot."

"You're not going to leave me alone are you?" Persistent little bugger...

"Nope." He replied cheerfully.

"... Fine. One date. You're paying, and if I want to leave or feel uncomfortable whatsoever, I am leaving, and I better not see your face again, capish?"

"Got it!" His boyish grin had me leaning to the first conclusion I came to... but then again, Naruto was the same age as me and he acted like a five year old sometimes. "Kenta."

"Huh?"

"My name. My name is Kenta." Oh. Duh, Ino.

"Oh." I couldn't help but think about Gaara. Was this considered cheating? Agreeing to go on a date with some random stranger? I mean, it's not like Gaara would care. He hasn't come after me. I was all in the clear... so why did it hurt thinking of this stranger, rather any stranger, taking Gaara's place. Forcing down my feelings, I gave him a small smile. "I guess you already know my name."

"I should, Mrs. Yamanaka."

"Actually it's..." Breaking off with a smirk, I cocked my head at him in defiance. If he didn't know that he was taking out the Kazekage's wife, then he wouldn't find out until I wanted to let him know. "Just call me Ino."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Suna: Meeting between the Kazekage and the Elders

"I knew that hussy was trouble from the moment I saw her," The elder spat, glaring at the young Kazekage.

"Now Elder-" The newest member of their group tried to interrupt only to be hushed by the member next to her.

"No! We did this his way, and it backfired. I say we annul the marriage and find someone more suitable to our needs."