Auntie Ino!" Arashi-chan shouted, fighting to get out of my arms to get to his beloved auntie. I didn't fight him on it so I put him down and watched as he clumsily ran into my best friend's arms.

Ino quickly wrapped her arms around Arashi and picked him up. "Arashi-chan! Hello! Aren't you supposed to be in school?" She asked.

"Yes but mom wanted to spend some time with me." He said. He leaned into her ear and whispered something I couldn't hear. "She's been acting kind of weird since yesterday but don't tell her I said that..."

Feeling out of place, I placed my attention anywhere except those two.

'Looking at them reminds me how much of a bad mother I have been before.' I clench my teeth and look down. 'But that's all in the past! Not this time! Not ever!'

"Sakura-chan."

Ino's voice ripped me of my thoughts and to be perfectly honest, I was a little grateful. She was still holding Arashi in her arms, him looking quite comfortable with her. It made me a little jealous. A lot jealous.

"Y-Yes?" I answered.

She hesitated but walked towards me with a look in her eye. It wasn't anger nor was it pity. It was...shock? I couldn't tell really.

She put Arashi down and lowered herself to his level. "Hey um, mommy and I have to talk but Keiski is upstairs. I'm sure she'd be happy to see you." She stated.

He nodded his head and made his way up to her daughter's room. As soon as he was out of sight, Ino turned towards me. She was about to speak but I beat her to it.

'She deserves an explanation.'

"B-Before you say anything, I just wanna say that I am so so sorry for shutting you out. I never should have done that. I was hurt and made some selfish decisions and I'm so sorry!" I felt tears form in the corners if my eyes. " I-I don't know if you'll forgive me but-"

My rambling was interrupted by Ino surprising me with a tight hug. "Sakura-san..." She said in a shaky voice. I could tell that she was crying which made my tears form even more. "...I forgive you...I'm just glad you're back..." She cried.

Those words were like a wave of relief over my mental and physical state and at that point, I just let everything go. The tears, the hurt, the pain...everything.

"I missed you too..."

"And that's what happened..." I took a sip of my coffee Ino made for me. I decided to tell her about what happened last night and this morning.

"Oh man... that's..."

"I know. I'm such a piece of shit for saying that that."

"Yeah that was a shitty thing to say." Ino agreed.

"You're not helping..." I murmured into my mug.

"Well, it was. They lost a father as well as a close friend so early on into their lives. They're hurting Sakura-san..."

"I know. I know... I-I just don't know what to do anymore. I want to talk to each of them one on one because..." I thought back to the future I came back from. "Because, in a dream, I saw that I pushed everybody away. Especially my children and...and I don't want that to happen..."

"Mmmm. Look I don't really know much on what to do but I'll tell you this." She clasped my hand into hers and looked me dead in my eyes. "Your children love you so much and you love them. The best way to approach this is to first, give them some space. I think it's important for them to think about the situation and to let them breathe. They're not going to listen to you if you don't give them time."

"I know that but..."

"But what?" She asked. I bit my lip and broke eye contact.

"But...what if in that time, it's too late? What if I already fucked it all up? What if-" I was interrupted yet again by her cupping my face, forcing me to look at her.

"There's no what if's! This is now Sakura! Now! And if you don't show that you're sorry and try to talk to them, that's when you worry! But not right now!"

I looked down for a moment but quickly regained contact with her. I smiled brightly at her, believing in her words. "You're right Ino-san! Thank you so much for this!" I said pulling her in for a hug.

"You're welcome..."

We separated and helped each other up from the glass table.

"Arashi-chan! Come on it's time to go!" I called out.

"Ok!" He yelled back. A few minutes later, he ran down the steps along with Keiski.

"Hi, Auntie Sakura!" She said. I waved at her and picked up Arashi.

"Thanks again Ino-san. I really appreciate it. And I really missed this..." I said as she walked me towards my door.

"I did as well. Now, don't disappear on me again hm?" She playfully poked at me.

"I won't. I promise..."