I want to thank everyone who supported me by reviewing or in any other way. Thank you guys, you are truly awesome and I admire you all. You were able to pull through such a dumb story. I'm impressed.
Special thanks to: Dom, Vivien, Lidia, and Francesca (My virtual fanclub;) If it weren't for you, your encouragement and your helpful advices, this fic would probably never got finished. Your reviews helped me to pull through my writer's block and moments of depression. Without you, this story might not get finished at all.Thank you.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Some of the lines from the end come from Hillary's Duff song "The math". I don't own them.
Everything was dark and quiet. Gradually, a regular beeping noise made it's way through his sleepy mind. Slowly opening his swollen eyes, Sasuke raised his head and blinked, still trying to force sleep from his eyes.
There was a small, wet spot on the bed where his head laid. Almost automatically, Sasuke wiped his mouth. He always slept with his mouth open, when he was stressed and that caused saliva to leak out. He slept like that since...his parents' death? Yes, that's it. But...actually, since he returned to Konoha and met Ino, he noticed a lacking of saliva dripping from his mouth at nights.
Blinking continuously, Uchiha turned his head, looking around the room. His neck made a cracking sound and he winced. That's the price you pay when you sleep on your knees, resting your head on the bed, thus making your body lie still in an unnatural position for hours. His back felt quite in pain, too.
A pink blanket slowly slipped off his shoulders.
The sharingan user picked it up and examined it carefully. It looked familiar, but he couldn't remember covering himself with a blanket.
"Good morning, Sasuke-kun."
The boy turned around, only to be greeted with a sight of Sakura Haruno, sitting on a nearby chair.
"Good morning, Sakura-chan." Yawning and stretching, Sasuke changed his position to cross legged. An uncomfortable silence fell on them.
"Um...thanks for the blanket." Sasuke broke the silence, trying to come up with anything to say. What's a guy supposed to say to a girl that loved him and he broke her heart?
"No problem. I'm a medic, Sasuke. It's my job."
Again, there was the same awkward silence.
The pink haired girl sighed and got up, kneeling by Sasuke.
"Naruto told me what happened. Every word you said. Everything you did for Ino." There was a small pang of pain in her heart, but Sakura quickly dismissed it. She understood what she should do.
"He did?" The Uchiha prodigy was still feeling really uneasy; he had no idea what to expect.
"Yes. And...Sasuke, I want you to know something. I care about you. I care a lot." Sakura took a deep breath, " I even love you. I always had. But...I don't want you nor Ino to hold back because of my feelings. If it makes you both happy, be together." She placed her hand on his shoulders, feeling small tears gathering in her eyes, "Knowing Ino, she will be very concerned about me. She always took care of me, since we were little." Smiling a little, she carried on, "Now it's my turn. Tell her that you have my blessing. Tell her, I'm happy. And make her happy Sasuke. Or," She smiled a little wider, chuckling to herself, "I'll make sure that Naruto will make you suffer."
Out of his still sleepy and dizzy mind, Sasuke managed to get one sentence: "Sakura...Why?"
Her smile seemed really sad when she turned her head, looking wistfully at the pale figure on the bed.
"She always took care of me. When we were children, it was always me walking after her back, in her shadow. Just this once...I want to protect her." The medic raised her head sharply, looking straight into the man's eyes. "She already suffered from one heartbreak, Sasuke. I don't want that to happen again, do you understand?" When the boy nodded, she got up and dusted her self. "Good. Well, then, good-" A cold hand gripped her wrist and tugged her down. Cold lips pressed to her cheek.
"Thank you, Sakura. I'm really grateful for you did for Ino. I'll never forget that, remember."
A small jolt of happiness raised in Haruno's heart, only to die quickly when the dark haired man looked at the blond girl lovingly.
"You're welcome, Sasuke-kun." Despite her sadness, a small smile tugged at her lips. "Friends again?" she asked, offering him her hand.
"Sure. Team 7 forever." Sasuke smiled, shaking her slender hand. It felt really good to be finally free from the nightmares of his past. Then, a sly grin made it's way on his face. "Take care of this dumbass, Naruto, alright?"
"You-you know?" Why am I blushing? Thought Sakura, it's not like I haven't hear those words from that loudmouth before...But...he never sounded so sincere...
I love you with all my heart, Sakura-san.
Sakura quickly banished the memories from the day before from her mind, focusing on the pair before her. "I'll leave you two alone. She'll wake up any moment now and probably there'll be a quick and intense wave of pain after the surgery. You'll be the best painkiller for it, Sasuke-kun." Sasuke nodded and pulled a chair closer to the bed, grasping thin fingers in his own.
Sakura turned to look at them, just one last time.
Gambare, Sasuke-kun.
Darkness. That was the only thing her mind seemed to understand. Some blurred figures passed by her eyes, but she was unable to tell who they were. She heard voices, strangely familiar, which brought a warm feeling in her chest...though she couldn't understand the words. Especially the man's voice was making her feel very content and warm.
When he spoke, she could see a strange, red symbol in dark eyes, staring at her. And ice. It was so strange...she could feel warmth in her chest, but rest of her body was like covered in ice...only it was very pleasant. Like a cold shower on an extremely hot afternoon, after extremely hard taijutsu training.
Slowly, the voices faded away and light started to seep through her eyelashes. The darkness was slowly replaced by dark eyes, placed on pale face and bangs of dark hair falling on both, her and his face.
She blinked leisurely, her mind still working very slowly due to the medicine. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, everything came back to her.
"Sasuke?" she partially asked, partially screamed, abruptly sitting up. Thanks to his fast reflex, the Uchiha avoided a massive crash with her head.
"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the cell! When Tsunade finds out what...wait, where am I anyway? This is a hospital, right? How did I get here?" Question after question kept coming from her mouth, forming before she could even think.
"Ino...you were on a mission, remember? You got hurt and Tsunade sent me as a back up. I brought you here and that's the end of the story." Sasuke took advantage to the fact that Ino had to take a new breath and answered all her questions with one, simple sentence.
"...Alright. I understand. But...why you?" Burring her head in her hands, Ino tried to process all the information.
"I'm a Konoha shinobi again. I was proved innocent by Tsunade."
"Oh."
Silence fell over them. But it was a little different then the one before...it was awkward, true, but there was also something magical in it...an atmosphere of a shy hope.
"I had a dream, you know." Suddenly the Yamanaka girl felt her mouth moving. What were those words?
"I...I was alone. There was darkness and I could feel great danger coming towards me. But...all I could do is run. And everywhere I ran, there was it again. I...shouted for help, but there was no one. And...then...I saw you."
Sasuke was half listening, trying to come up with an idea how to tell her about his newly discovered feelings. However, when he heard the last sentence, his head shoot up.
"Really?"
"Yea. But...you were leaving me, going further until all I could see was a small spot in the distance. And... you know what? That scared me much more than this feeling of a danger earlier. I was so sacred that you'll walk away from me...like...Shikamaru..." Her voice slowly died.
She thinks of him again.
That's not fair...she's not even giving me a chance.
Even if she doesn't care...I'm willing to open my heart for her.
And I will.
Suddenly, she cried out, doubling over so much that her head was almost touching her knees. The wounds taken made themselves known.
"Owwww...It...hurts..." Her croaky, strained voice sounded weak even to her.
"Hang on, Ino, it'll be over soon...please, hang on...look, I'm here." He replied, panic entering his voice, his throat tightening with tears.
Ino didn't seem to hear him as she moaned in pain, curling even more. In lack of better ideas, he picked her up and sat on the bed, rocking her gently. The pain seemed to fade.
The dark haired man cursed modern medicine for not finding a cure for this kind of pain, just after surgery.
Her quiet sobs reached his ears, and he thought his heart was going to explode.
"Sasuke...I'm all covered in cuts...and I'm so skinny...and I feel so weak..." Her pitiful whimpering made its way through his ears right into his heart.
"You're beautiful," He murmured, kissing her forehead. The pain seemed almost gone. It was, just like Sakura explained, a sudden wave of a very strong ache, running through her whole body. "You're more beautiful then ever."
"You lie, Sasuke. Since when did you call any woman beautiful?" She sat up straight now, a small smile on her face.
"Since I saw someone worth it." Sasuke too, smiled, the rare one, full of love of tenderness. "Ino, I want you to know something." Taking a deep breath, he rested his forehead against hers, bending slightly. "I want to be with you."
The girl's eyes widened slightly, remembering the words of Itachi Uchiha. Forcing herself to calm down, she whispered, her warm breath tickling his lips. "Because of the prophecy? Because you want to finally avenge your clan?"
"No. I don't care about it. I want to be with you and only you. I'm willing to open my heart for you, even if you don't care about me in that way. I'm not saying that it wouldn't have been great to have a son, a child that will surpass everyone but it doesn't matter to me anymore. What I want right now, is a real family with you as my wife."
Ino remained speechless for a moment, before pushing him gently off her and sitting in front of him, her back resting by the wall. She slowly rested her head on her knees, her arms encircling them.
A dark haired jounin with small brown eyes passed before her eyes. He was standing, his lazy expression the same. His mouth was moving, forming a sentence...a sentence she heard before. Words echoed in her head.
Don't make the same mistake, Ino.
He felt, that even if you don't care, he would do it. He hoped...he hoped that you would also open your heart and accept him.
And suddenly she knew what she should do. She listened to her heart and it gave her the right answer. She sharply raised her face to meet Uchiha's rejected and concerned eyes.
For you, Shikamaru. I'm sorry...but I love him now. I finally got over you, though I'll never forget what you did for me. You made me so happy Shika.
She could swear she saw him smiling at her.
And a great feeling of relief washed over her. Everything would change now. She smirked, in her own arrogant way.
"Are you sure you know what exactly you are getting yourself into, Uchiha?"
Sasuke was truly taken aback. Just a minute ago, she seemed on a brick of depression, not to mention she was crying with pain. It had to be those woman's mood swings.
"Shall I treat it like a proposal, then?" She flashed him one of her playful smiles.
Unable to help himself, the dark eyes man smiled back, leaning a little closer to her. "It would help me a lot, thank you. I could be spared all this dating nonsense."
Ino arched an eyebrow at him, feeling great with what she was doing. It was as if a huuuge part of her soul was back, and she loved it!
"Do you have any idea how much money the wedding will take? Not to mention moving in together? Are you really sure? I want a big, fairytale wedding..." She trailed off, tracing his face with her finger. Somehow, Sasuke managed to corner her to a wall, both his arms preventing her from escaping.
"Shall I take it, that you accept?" An equally teasing smirk appeared on Sasuke's face.
Wordlessly, Ino pulled one of his bangs to draw his face to hers.
Tentatively they brushed their lips together. He entangled his fists in her hair, grabbing it roughly, slowly urging her to deepen the kiss, tasting the feel of her mouth. When they finally parted, both were panting a little and the Uchiha prodigy could feel himself becoming more and more excited. He'd never been this close to a woman before.
However, he could see that Ino's face completely lost color. What's more her eyes were dropping.
"Sleep now, Ino," He said gently and tucked her into the bed. "You should be out of here in a few days."
"You won't leave, right?" She whispered, gripping his hand weakly.
"Of course I won't. Never again." He kissed her gently on the cheek and when he was sure that she was deeply asleep, he laid by her side, pulling the girl's body closer to him, gripping her frame tightly.
Never they had slept so peacefully like that night in the hospital.
You're always trying to figure out
What I am all about
If you don't know what the answer is
Then just shut up and kiss
Epilogue
"Shikamaru! " A tall, blond woman shouted, standing in the door frame. "I swear, that boy is going to get it if he's cloud watching again..." She muttered under her breath.
"Ino, darling, you shouldn't get so nervous. Not in your condition." Her husband stood by her, embracing her shoulders and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "He's probably just with Nasu, again." His hands warmly stroking her growing belly with their second child. Ino giggled.
To make long story short, after that accident Ino and Sasuke got married almost immediately. Barely a year after them, Naruto and Sakura followed. What's more, almost in the same day, it was announced that both young wives were pregnant. And the competition began. Ino and Sakura constantly fought with each other about the unborn babies. Sasuke and Naruto suspected that it was thanks to that, both women gave birth on the same day. And that was how Shikamaru Uchiha and Nasu Uzumaki were born. The new generation of Konoha.
Of course, Sasuke knew his son's fate. Despite his laziness (He was, after all, the reincarnation of Nara Shikamaru), the boy was very skilled. Now a seven year old, he could not only fully use his sharingan, but he also knew the basis of Shadow techniques and Mind Controlling jutsus. Both his parents planned to continue training him, no matter what he said in his defense.
Of course, Ino knew who was it behind this child's mask. It was her best friend, coming back to life. And that was why she loved Shikamaru Uchiha even more. It wasn't the passionate love she felt for Sasuke, but it was love nevertheless. Something more than just average motherly love. It was a feeling of fondness she felt for her best friend...affection for someone who was always by her side, even after death.
As for the young boy, he didn't ponder what love he felt for Ino. Too troublesome. He just loved her for being his mother and always being by his side.
It didn't matter that one day fate would tear them apart. Whatever would be, would be. All three of them would continue to love each other and nothing could change that. Not even Itachi Uchiha, and Sasuke was sure of it.
It shouldn't take forever
To put it all together
Info about Uchiha Shikamaru:
Age: 7 years
Eyes: Dark blue with sharingan
Hair: Black, tied to a topknot with bangs falling on his face
Skin color: Pale, getting a little tanned by lying in the sun all the time
Special abilities: Almost 200 IQ brain, amazing strategic skills, master at shougi and go, fully developed sharingan, can use shadow jutsus as well as mind controlling.
Character: Lazy, uncaring, cunning, loyal, trustworthy etc.
A/N: #crawls under a rock# I'm sorry. Everyone, I'm so sorry. All of you hoped for a touching ending, full of tears, love etc and you were served such a crap. I'm sooo sorry. Those who managed to bear with me until this, thank you and please leave a review. Flame all you want, I deserve it. I hate this chapter. It's all OOC and woozy. Stupid, worthless piece of writing! Still, please review. Even if it's negative, leave a comment. Please.
A random fact: If you're wondering how Sasuke got the letter, it were Naruto frogs who delivered it.