BTW: Yeah...nothing much to say.

RECAP: Shikamaru and Ino fight.

Shikamaru woke up with an awful headache, and a heavy feeling of guilt. He got up and composed himself and started walking to Ino's. When he got there it was about noon, he'd left at 10 but had taken the long way along with stopping for ramen. He knocked on her door, no answer, she must be asleep. After a little bit he came back and knocked again. He heard shuffling across the floor and the door opened. It was Ino, looking disheveled, eyes swollen. She smelled of booze but it was faint due to the cigarette she was smoking. Shikamaru was more than shocked at her state. He took the cigarette out of her mouth and put it out with his foot.

"Where'd you get those?"

"Asuma left some behind a few days back."

"Why are you smoking them?"

"He left them at the training grounds. he obviously doesn't want 'em."

Ino turned around and walked further into her house and grabbed a drink. Shikamaru followed her and grabbed the drink out of her hand, went to the kitchen and poured it down the sink.

"Look Ino, I'm really sorry for what I said. Really sorry."

"For what calling me a bitch and a whore? Why would you be sorry for that?"

Shikamaru usually found her sarcasm laughable but it had never been directed at him.

"I'm really sorry. I just really miss Temari and...when we kissed...I thought you were her...and I can't stop thinking about her."

"Do you remember what I told you last night?"

"Yes. And I'm sorry I don't feel the same. I won't say something trite like 'you'll meet the right guy' and 'everything'll be OK' even though that's what's going to happen. I'm sorry I was such an ass about it, I really am."

Shikamaru went over and hugged Ino. She smelled like and alcoholic cigarette, it made him gag a little bit. Ino didn't hug back.

"I guess I'm sorry too..."

"You don't need to be. I was the jerk."

"But I made this whole mess, I was barely drunk too."

"It's over, in the past. Friends?"

"OK."

Shikamaru finally let go of Ino and smiled at her. He left not long after. Ino wasn't really upset with him, she was really upset with herself, she liked Shikamaru but she knew how he felt about Temari. Why had she been so stupid, she ruined what they had.

Shikamaru was walking home when he ran into Naruto. He waved to him, Naruto didn't wave back, they had made eye contact but Naruto didn't care. They passed each other and Naruto bumped into him. Shikamaru turned around and grabbed Naruto's shoulder and turned him around.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"What's my problem? What's your problem, you arrogant jerk!"

"Hey let's not get into name calling OK? Why are you mad at me?"

"Drop dead!"

Naruto walked off, Gaara had stayed back a little when he saw Shikamaru coming towards them. He stopped to talk to Shikamaru.

"What's his deal?"

"He's just a little mad at you is all."

"Why?"

"What you said yesterday."

"What did I say?"

"Well, you and I of all people both know Naruto lives to be needed. You told him you didn't need...I mean I know it's not really his business but...it was really more of how you phrased it."

"I get it. I didn't think he was so sensitive."

"That's the last thing he'd want you thinking about him. As far as you know he's tough and pissed off."

"OK."

Gaara left and caught up with Naruto. Shikamaru watched him run up to the angered and tensed up Naruto, as soon as Gaara wrapped himself around Naruto's arm the anger melted and he kissed Gaara's forehead. That's what he wanted being with Temari to be like-easy. He finished walking home. When he got there he called the operator and found Temari's number. He called it once, no answer, he figured they weren't back yet so he gave up for now.

MEANWHILE

Naruto and Gaara were walking home, Gaara was holding Naruto's hand.

"You know I'll always love you and need you."

"You don't need to make me feel better. I'm over it..."

"Naruto no you're not. Shikamaru didn't mean he doesn't need you. It's just this one thing that he wants to handle on his own."

"...I know."

"That doesn't mean you're not needed. I need you."

"I need you too."

They kept walking for a little longer until they made it home. When they did the phone rang and Naruto went to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Naruto! It's Sakura, you have to come over right now!"

"Why?"

"It's an emergency!"

"Where's Sasuke?"

"He went to get groceries."

"What's the emergency?"

She'd hung up. Naruto started panicking then realized nothing bad could've happened, at least nothing severe. And she wasn't going into labor, at least not for a while. Naruto told Gaara he'd be right back and went over to Sasuke's. He knocked on the door and Sakura answered. She was hysterical.

"Thank God you're here!"

"What's going on?"

"Naruto...I'm...I'm...fat!"

"You called me over here because you think you're fat?"

"I know right. I'm so fat, Sasuke hates it."

"Uh, Sakura, first, there's a difference between fat and pregnant. Second, I was supposed to be meeting Gaara for lunch so I'm gonna go."

"But I'm so fat!"

"Sakura, why are you acting so weird?"

"I am not."

Sasuke came home and sighed when he saw Naruto trying to talk to Sakura. Naruto went to help him with the grocery bags in the kitchen.

"What's going on with Sakura?"

"I have no idea. At first I thought it was mood swings but it's a little different. I think some how she has combined a panic attack with a mood swing and this mixture happens as often as mood swings usually do. And I was freaked out so I took her to the doctor and they said the panicking messes with her heart rate which isn't good for the baby so now she needs to take these mood regulators, which I can't get for two more days."

"So you took her to the doctor, I thought you were gonna keep me posted on stuff."

"I was going to I swear, but I was afraid she'd think it was something more serious or something and I didn't wanna freak her out."

"...Just keep me posted no matter what from now on OK?"

"OK. So she called you over here to tell you she's fat?"

"Yep, and that you hate the fatness."

"She's only gained like 10 pounds. I'm kind of wondering why she hasn't gained more, but I guess girls think they're fat no matter what."

"Sounds like you've been having a lot of fun around here."

"You don't know the half of it. I figured she'd keep her head but no first it's these freakish mood swings, then it was the weird cravings-"

"Wait, I wanna hear about those."

"First one she had was ice. At first I didn't car because ice is cheap. Then she decided for lunch the next few days she'd want this high end sushi. I told her she couldn't eat fish when she was pregnant and along came another mood swing. But this time it wasn't that weird of a craving. She wants olives and cereal."

"How is that not weird."

"Both are edible."

"I can't even fathom how you deal with this."

"Sure you can, you have Gaara. Imagine if he was pregnant...that sounded weird but you know what I mean. Plus there are some times when she's all there mentally."

"I guess you're right. Speaking of Gaara we were going out to lunch when Sakura called, I'm supposed to meet him there."

"Better get going then."

"Mhm, by the way I expect more calls from you two, I haven't heard nearly enough about Naru."

"What about Little Naruto?"

"I have a feeling it's a girl."

"Well you'll find out tomorrow."

"What?"

"The ultrasound. I should've known you wouldn't get the call. I asked Sakura to tell you then she started going on about how I don't even know what it's like slowly getting fat an not being able to do anything about it. Anyway I had to go out for more ice after that and came home and she was fast asleep."

"Sounds like pregnancy is really tiring her out."

"She can take it."

"I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow then. Meeting at the hospital?"

"Yeah, at noon. You should bring Gaara. If you're going to help me and Sakura mentor our kid, he should too."

"I think there's one more person we should invite. I don't want him to come either but...he should. He's tried to make amends...he deserves some form of acknowledgement."

"Come on Naruto...I don't want him there. I don't want him near our kid at all. The idea was me and Sakura teach him or her all we can then you and Gaara do the same, Kakashi was never a part of this."

"He doesn't have to mentor this kid Sasuke, but he'd be kind of a grandpa. As much as I'd like to think that it wouldn't matter whether or not this kid has and relatives other than the four of us, it does matter. He or she can't have four of the same, Kakashi adds another generation of knowledge. Between the five of use this kid'll be the best ninja ever to come out of Konoha."

"You call him."

"...Only if you talk to him at the hospital. Deal?"

"Deal. Now goto lunch."

"Thanks Sasuke, bye."

"Bye."

"BYE SAKURA!"

He heard some sort of noise come from Sakura's general location in the back of the house and left to meet Gaara. He felt bad about leaving Sasuke with Sakura but not bad enough to stay. He was walking toward the barbeque place, Gaara was already there. He greeted him with a kiss and they walked in to have lunch. They'd forgotten about how popular this place was. Kiba and Choji were eating there too. Gaara turned to Naruto while they waited for the people in front to be seated.

"Naruto...we can eat somewhere else, it's OK."

"Why would we do that? This is the best barbeque here."

"Naruto, seriously, you don't have to-"

"I want to."

Naruto kissed him and they sat down a table across from Kiba and Chouji's. Kiba and Chouji tried not to notice them, unlike Shikamaru they didn't know how to handle a situation that strayed from the norm. Naruto said hi as they sat down and they said it back but other than that it was as if the others didn't exist for both tables.

BOTTOM NOTE: Yup that's right folks it's October 22, my birthday. I can't sleep so I'm uploading this chapter at 5 in the morning my time. Anyway sorry I made Shika and Ino dramatic but otherwise it'd be a really boring chapter so yeah bday celebrations later so I need to goto bed.