The Return

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Let's just start with a thank you to my three reviewers! Sad little monkey, Nufze, and CanadianKickshipper! You guys are very special to me as my first reviewers!

Also special thanks to 'guest' for their review on chapter two!

Onward and Outwards!

They told him it was impossible, that he couldn't get into a good college because of his grades. He had always been a bit of a slacker, he was always doing something more important than homework (like cloud gazing), and he didn't try very hard to improve himself. But what he lacked in day to day work, he made up for ten-fold on tests. His teachers were amazed by how drastic of a change he showed them at the end of every semester. He would ace every test with flying colors...they just couldn't figure him out. No one knew how he did it, nobody but Shizune the school councilor. She understood Shikamaru more than anyone else (because, she later said, she had been just like him). It wasn't that he didn't have the knowledge, but that he had too much. He was bored at school because he was a genius. She told him that he should apply to a school that fit him, and she gave him a list of schools that were prestigious (and very expensive). Not that his parents didn't have money, they were actually very well off. His father worked for the government as a strategist, but had gone to college to be a mathematician. Shikamaru knew where he got his brains from. Math was his best subject because it was his favorite, although he was skilled in all of his studies equally.

With Shizune's help he got accepted to an elite University, and when he graduated he immediately set off to start the early summer courses. He also got a job working at a small café, The Pinwheel. It wasn't anything fancy, just a small store pushed between more small stores. He also took up residence in a co-ed dorm with two floors. Each floor held fourteen apartments (two bedrooms, one bath, a kitchenette, and a small living area). Shikamaru's apartment was set up just like all the others; The front door opened into the small living room(which came decorated with a beige couch and matching recliner) which overlooked a pretty good view of the park across the street, then to the right was the small kitchenette (which came with a small oven, a microwave, a minfridge, sink, and a very sparse ammount of cabinet space), to the left were the two rooms divided by a bathroom ( Shikamaru didn't know what his roommate's room looked like on the inside, but it was supposedly the same as his), the bathroom was very basic (a simple toilet, a podium sink, and a small shower that he barely fit into), His bedroom was quite large and came with a queen sized beige covered bed and a small closet (The only personal items he owned were his clothes and a few pictures of the lake camp. Pictures of everyone, pictures of Choji and himself, and a stunning view of the water reflecting the mountains, and some books he needed for college).

Shikamaru lived on the second floor in room twenty-two, and as of the present he had the most annoying female roommate ever. Her name was Temari Subaku and Shikamaru was sure that god was punishing him. In almost every way she reminded him of his past, of Ino. The only difference between them was that Temari's hair was a dirty blonde and her eyes were green. Other than the slight difference in color they could have been twins, or maybe just sisters. She was bossy, shrill, unbearable, and a clean freak. She was always telling him what to do, what to eat, what to wear, and when to study. If he didn't know better he would think that it was Ino dressed up, but of course he did know better.

Shikamaru hadn't seen Ino in almost three and a half years, but sometimes he would have dreams about her. It wasn't like he missed her or anything, but sometimes he would wake up and look over to see if she was in her sleeping bag...but of course all he saw was his dark room.

As Shikamaru handed the red haired girl before him her latte, he plastered a cocky smile on his face, "Thanks beautiful, come again." He watched the girl blush and look down before murmuring a response, but forgot her once she walked away. She was a beautiful girl, but Shikamaru just didn't want to have anything else to deal with, plus Temari usually chased them off if he brought anyone back to the dorm.

When the next customer walked up to the counter he was turned the other way, so the cashier beside him took the order instead. It was around noon and Shikamaru was just about to take off, his shift was almost over.

When he finally turned around there was no one else in line, and he looked out the front window of the shop longingly. He would do anything to be on his grassy knoll, instead of being cooped up inside. As he looked out the window at the snow covered sidewalk he sighed, the clouds wouldn't be pretty today anyways. There was a storm coming in from the north and the whole sky was a blanket of heavily packed clouds. The temperature was perfect for snow, and Shikamaru was suddenly thankful for the warmth of the coffee shop. At least he wasn't working at the hot dog quioscsk anymore, or he would be freezing. He sighed as the door to the shop opened and a woman with a hat and sunglasses walked in, her coat billowing around in the frosty air. Behind her, holding her gloved hand, was a little girl that was two or three years old; with blonde hair and rosey cheeks, on her head she wore a pink knitted hat and a pair of earmuffs, her puffy purple coat making her look like a miniature version of the Michelin Man. When the woman finally entered the shop she turned and hung her coat and hat on the coat rack, and Shikamaru's eyes almost fell out of his head. Blonde waves cascaded down her slender back, her hips curving underneath her black suit. He couldn't fathom why she was wearing a skirt in this weather, but he supposed the stockings and knee high leather boots kept her warm. It wasn't that this lady was a bombshell...he knew the color of that hair too well. He had never met anyone with that shade of blonde besides Ino, and when he looked at the brown eyed little girl, he knew. He knew that when she turned around he would see teal eyes and pouty lips.

Shikamaru felt the cold sweat run down the nape of his neck, and his palms started to feel moist as the little girl pulled her mitten covered hand out of her mother's. She scampered over to the counter and pressed her hands and face to the glass, her breath fogging the barrier where her mouth was. Shikamaru could see all of this out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn't take his eyes of the woman.

"Donut! donut!" The little girl shouted excitedly.

Several chuckles resounded through the tiny shop.

The woman had turned to her child, and as she slipped the sunglasses off of her eyes he saw teal. Teal as the ocean on a clear day, teal as the scarf around her neck, teal as they had always been and always would be. She didn't notice him at first, and she grabbed her child's hand, smiling down at her.

"Alright alright, calm down Mizuumi."

When their eyes met Shikamaru felt a spark run through his body. They stared at each other for a long moment and when they finally spoke, they said simultaneously:

"I-Ino-"

"S-Shikamaru-"

A long moment of silence passed between them. In the background Shikamaru could hear the dinging of the door alarm as a customer left, the sound of a honking car horn, the shout of a man calling for a taxi. He looked at her with curious eyes. God she was beautiful. It seemed like every part of her had magnified itself in beauty; her lips were fuller, her eyes shone brightly, her hair was longer, and he didn't fail to notice how much the rest of her body had filled out also. But even though she had all this beauty..she had gained something else. Ino had a child. A child. How did that happen? How come no one ever told him about it?

He realized he was staring at her when she blushed and looked away, and he mentally kicked himself. 'Dont stare at her! You're freaking her out!' He told himself, averting his eyes.

Before they could say anything else, Mizuumi informed Shikamaru that she wanted a donut filled with jelly. He smiled sheepishly at her and bent down, a brown paper bag in hand. He slid the glass door open and grabbed a pink jelly filled donut with tongs, placing it in the bag. The little girl smiled up at him as he handed her the donut, and he couldn't help but notice the resemblance the child had to her mother.

"She looks just like you." He mumbled quietly, he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

He turned his eyes up to Ino to see her blushing, and he rubbed the back of his neck with a smile.

"Thank you, that's what everyone says." She smiled down at her daughter and patted her on the head before she looked back up at him. Suddenly Shikamaru remembered he had a job, and he blushed as he pointed up to the menu, he hoped she didn't notice.

"What'll you have? A latte? A cappuccino?"

He watched as Ino tapped her chin, but in the end she just asked for a black coffee.

"Alright, have a seat and I'll have it right to you." He gave her the ticket with her number, and went off to make the coffee.

Walking around the corner of the counter, a tray held high above his head he brought; Her black coffee, some scones, an eclaire, a frappuccino, and another jelly filled donut. He smiled as she looked up at him from her place in the booth, and he brought the tray down to rest on the edge of the table.

"Do you mind if I join you?" He asked as he handed out the coffee and slid the donut over to Mizuumi.

Ino looked nervous, and her cheeks were flushed, but she accepted.

"Sure."

Shikamaru nodded and took off his apron, throwing it beside him as he sat in the booth. He had so many questions to ask her, but he was scared. He was scared it would bring up old memories, bad ones. It was hard to believe that there had been any bad blood between them when he looked at her now, but maybe she had never been angry with him to begin with.. He shook his head and looked up at her. She was staring intensely at her cup of coffee. He frowned and took a sip of his frappuccino.

"What brings you to Yuki no Kuni?" He asked her quietly, trying to break the ice between them. He remembered a time long ago, in a small tent, when they could talk about anything.

"I live here." She answered just as quietly, peering over her steaming mug at him.

He nodded his head and let out a sigh, biting into his eclaire. He pushed the scones forward and told her to have one, and watched as she delicately took a bite.

"These are good." She moaned, covering her mouth with her hand as she continued to chew.

Shikamaru smiled, "Thanks, I made them this morning."

He watched her eyes widen and she almost choked on her food. His smile turned into a grin and he nodded when she asked if he had really made them.

"Of course I did." He said laughing, looking over to see that Mizuumi had fallen asleep leaning against her mother. His eyes softened and he looked back at Ino, who was staring at him with a strange look.

"She is a good girl." Ino said suddenly, her eyes clouding over. "Even if I did have her when I was too young."

Shikamaru felt a strange aching in his chest, and he felt like there was a meaning behind that statement that he couldn't decipher.

"Nobody told me you were pregnant." He added quietly, stirring his frappe with his straw. He didn't look up at her, but he knew she was looking at him.

"I'm not surprised," She said with a humorless laugh, "Mom and dad were ashamed of me."

Shikamaru scowled, "Is that why they sent you to the all girl's school?"

He watched her mouth tighten, just as her hands did around the mug. Things were getting touchy, sensitive. He decided to back off as he finished his cold coffee. She still hadn't answered when he finished his eclaire, and things were getting really awkward, but he heard her mumble,"You could say that."

He frowned at the statement, she wasn't going to tell him everything. He didn't even know why he had expected her to. Because they had once slept side by side? Because they hade made love, made-out? Because on one spring break she had made him feel special? No. He knew better than that. He knew he didn't mean that much, she didn't owe him that much.

With a sudden change of mood he looked at her with a smile, "Do you want to go somewhere else and talk?"

The look of surprize on her face and her stuttering made Shikamaru chuckle.

"I suppose we can do that, I'm not busy at the moment."

So Shikamaru stood from the table and told her he would be right back, a smile on his face. He rushed behind the counter and threw some money in the cash register before punching out for the day (he didn't think his boss would mind, besides Temari's brother Kankuro was his replacement and he had come in a little earlier today). He slipped on his jacket and his gray earmuffs and thanked his roommates' brother for covering for him. When he got back to the table he saw Ino struggling to get out of the seat without making Mizuumi fall, and he put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"I can get her." He said softly, reaching out and slipping his hands under the little girls armpits. He lifted her up and laid her head on his shoulder, one hand upon her tiny back and his arm hooked underneath her bottom. He watched Ino nod gratefully before moving to put her coat and hat on. When they were all ready he pushed the door open with his back, allowing Ino to walk out before him.

"Oh gosh!" Ino suddenly said, turning back toward the shop. " I forgot to pay!"

Shikamaru laughed and shook his head before telling her that he had already paid for it.

They walked together in a comfortable silence afterwards, and Shikamaru kept glancing at her from the corner of his eye. He couldn't believe they lived in the same city for a while now and had never seen her. But he supposed it was a big city. 'What a coincidence.' He thought to himself.

He smiled over at her as they stopped at a traffic light, and he pushed the button so that they could walk across the crosswalk. When they reached the otherside he nudged Ino with his elbow.

Mizuumi had turned her head in her sleep and was cuddling against his neck, her fingers rubbing his stubble softly. Ino smiled up at him as they continued to walk, and Shikamaru felt a strange emotion over come him. Was this what it would be like to be with Ino? To have a child with her? He had often dreamed about being with her, but he had never imagined a child. He wondered if she was married, and if her bare left hand was any kind of indication, she wasn't.

"Would you like to come to my place?" He asked her quietly, nodding down the street. "It's just a block away and we could get Mizuumi out of the cold."

He watched the blonde shake her head in agreement, and they picked up their pace.

When they arrived at the dorm he had to get out his ID to scan to get into the building, so he handed Mizuumi over to Ino. Once he had put his card away he felt kind of at a loss, he had rather liked carrying her around. They walked to the elevator and Shikamaru informed her he was on the second floor, so they had to get on. She nodded at him, and he fished his hand in his pocket for the keys.

"My roommate shouldn't be home." He said aloud as he unlocked the door. When they entered the apartment he got a blanket from his room for Ino to cover the little girl with.

He watched her lay Mizuumi on the couch when he suddenly became curious.

"Why did you name her Mizuumi?" He asked quietly, watching as Ino pulled the little girls' hat off. Her unruly hair stuck up in every direction from the static the hat caused.

Ino suddenly got very still, and she looked away from him for a long time. It didn't look like she was going to tell him the origin of the name, so he finally gave up on it. With a sigh he stood from his chair by the window. He looked outside for a moment and noticed the softly falling snow. It looked like the storm hadn't started yet.

"Would you like some tea?" He asked quietly, his voice far away.

He turned and saw her nod, and he went off to the kitchen to boil some tea.

When he came back Ino was standing by the window with a far away expression, and her hand rested gently against the glass.

"Her name means 'lake'."

Shikamaru's arms suddenly felt weak, and he almost dropped the two cups of tea he was carrying.

"W-Why would you name her after a lake?"

His hands were shaking and he was starting to spill drops of tea on the floor, and she turned to him with soft eyes.

"Shikamaru.."

He sat the cups down sharply on the table top, and he turned to face her with a gnawing suspicion growing in his chest.

"What are you saying? Are you saying she is mine?"

Shikamaru turned and looked at the sleeping child, his eyes wide and filled with fear.

"We were so young," She said quietly, turning back towards the window. "No one wanted to put the responsibility on you."

"How do you know she is mine?" He asked, his eyes moving from the little girl back to Ino. In his mind it could be anyone's, it could even be Sasuke's for all he knew.

It was apparent that Ino saw the disbelief on his face, but she didn't shout like the old Ino would've. Instead she remained calm as she walked towards him.

"I was a virgin Shikamaru," She sighed as she reached out and stroked his arm softly. "I gave my virginity to you and I didn't even know I was pregnant until we were already back in school."

Shikamaru shook his head, "She could be anyone's. She could be Kiba's, you dated him for a week and a half in high school."

Ino's eyes became misty as she grabbed his arm tightly. "She's so smart Shikamaru," tears started to roll down her cheeks, "And she always falls asleep and she is so lazy." she laughed a little then, choking on her tears. "I promise it was only you, you're the only one I ever made love to."

Shikamaru was in shock, he had never expected something like that to happen. Sure they never used a condom, they never even had one. Somehow he had thought that it couldn't have been his, but how did she raise her? Who took care of Mizuumi while Ino went to school?

"Did my parents know that she was mine? Did yours?" It was his turn to grab her arms tightly, and he did grab them. He stared at her half lidded eyes as he pulled her to him. "Why didn't anyone tell me? You know I would've been there! You know I would've done anything!" He shook her a little when he spoke, and her tears fell more freely and she sobbed quietly.

"I wanted to tell you," She whispered, looking up to search his eyes." I came to your house that night to tell you but it just wouldn't come out..and..and you told me to leave."

Shikamaru released his grip on her and stumbled back into his chair, his fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He could really use a smoke, a drink, anything really. He looked away when Ino knelt down in front of him, her hand on his knees.

"I tried to call you a few times from the academy, but your mother always answered and I would hang up."

Ino explained that her family wanted to keep it a secret, and that together their parents had conspired without his knowledge. They didn't want to have their son lose his opportunity to go to an elite school because of a stupid mistake. They had felt guilty for putting them into the situation in the first place, so that was when they had decided Shikamaru would never know. They wanted him to get a job, and earn his place in society without a child born out of wedlock to hold him back. She explained that the school had helped her raise the baby and even find a job, which was why she was living in Yuki in the first place.

"After leaving the school I tried my best to resist calling you," She mumbled while fingering the fabric of his pants, she traced little circles on the denim with glazed eyes. "But one day last week I walked by that coffee shop and I saw you standing behind the counter..I couldn't help myself Shikamaru, I hope you will forgive me."

Shikamaru looked up at her in disbelief, but his reply was cut short by the sudden cry of Mizuumi, who had rolled off of the couch. Ino immediately rushed over to her and picked up, cradling her in her arms gently. Shikamaru stood and slowly walked over to look at the weeping little girl with the blonde hair and blown eyes, his daughter. He was still in a state of shock when Ino sat down with her and rocked her back to sleep, and for a long time he just stared at the little girl.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked Ino quietly, his hand reaching out to cover the one resting on Mizuumi's tiny head. Ino's hands were soft just like he remembered them to be.

She smiled and shook her head. "I don't want anything from you Shikamaru," She paused and took her hand from beneath his. "I just want my daughter to know her father."

Shikamaru scowled, but he nodded at her. He could do that. He could be this child's father, there was no doubt in his mind.

So that's the end of this chap! Wow guys! Were you surprised? Did you like it? Tell me what you think in a review! I've read it wice and fixed some mistakes, so if you see any please don't hesitate to tell me!

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