"Orochimaru" Gaara said, Red eyes showed itself as soon as Sasuke heard the name. "He killed my father… and used us, and now he wants to kill me and use the village against Konoha" "What does it have to do with Mekidozo?" Ino asked as they were discussing the matter while jumping from branch to branch. "Mekidozo simply wants the Kazekage title for himself, and what better way than to be allies with Orochimaru who shares the same grudge with Konoha" Gaara explained.

"Is it right that we push through this mission with Orochimaru involved without telling Tsunade-sama?" Ino asked again, "We can handle this" Sasuke finally said. "All we have to do is assassinate Mekidozo but before that we will try to find and destroy the document ending our alliance with Konoha, apparently he is trying to prove that it was the Konoha ninjas who killed my father" Gaara said. "And Orochimaru?" Ino asked, "I will handle him" Sasuke sternly said, Ino felt worried, she stared at Sasuke's sharingan eyes. she didn't want Sasuke near that monster. She knows he may leave again and this time, she may not be lucky. It was hard to argue about this with Gaara around.

After that briefing, the three began to work silently, no one spoke. But Ino could feel he tension between the two guys, she knew something was wrong, it was so different that having Shika and Chouji around, they would always treat her like a baby sister and protect her but this time, she feels like baby sitting two boys quarreling over something. Finally they found themselves in the village it was already dark out, Ino tied her long blonde hair and noticed Gaara looking at her, she smiled at him and slightly blushing Gaara turned away, Sasuke tried to remain calm, like it was nothing. They were positioned on the rooftop of Mekidozo's office. Ino used shintenshin on one of Mekidozo's guards to see clearly what was going on. When Ino's body was about to fall unconscious, Gaara quickly caught her body nearly before Sasuke took hold. "Back off…" Sasuke said, "Afraid to have a challenge?" Gaara answered back.

Finally Ino regained her consciousness, "He's not around, the office is not heavily protected, we can take them" Ino said, but to her surprise she saw Gaara and Sasuke staring sharply at each other, "Nani? Is there something wrong?" Ino asked feeing a bit scared, she knows she can't fan the fire if ever Gaara and Sasuke should start one. She found herself lying on Gaara's lap, realizing this she quickly sat up and blushed, "stupid Ino" she thought. "Let's finish the mission" Sasuke said as he jumped down the office, he took all ninjas before they could even call for reinforcements.

Gaara and Ino followed, Ino began scanning the drawers of the room as Gaara and Sasuke took guard, "This is the first time I saw this office poorly guarded" Gaara said, "Where is it…" Ino said to herself, "If that's the case" Sasuke thought, "They must have done this intentionally!", "TRAP!" Sasuke and Gaara chorused, kunais came out of nowhere towards Ino, "INO!" Sasuke warned, before Ino could react, Gaara's sand has already shielded her. "You ok?" He asked, "Yeah" Ino said.

Ino stood up ready "I got it!" then someone busted the door open, three shadows were visible. Mekidozo's, Kabuto and Orochimaru's. "Silly children" Mekidozo sneered in his imperial clothes. "Nice to see you again, Sasuke-sama" Kabuto said, "You… I knew it was you" Orochimaru turned to Ino, Sasuke and Gaara advanced forward. "Orochimaru..." Sasuke said clenching his fists. "Well what are you waiting for? Kill them!" Mekidozo ordered, "You want Konoha destroyed don't you!" He said. "We came here to kill you…." Gaara replied. "You fell for it! Gaara-sama you and your friends will die and I will become Kazekage! And who to blame that the Konoha ninjas and I will be a hero, I tried to save him but it was too late, all I could do was to bring justice!" he mocked, "Actually you fell for the trap as well… " Sasuke said. Mekidozo's eyes widened, as he pointed his finger at the three, "I command you to kill them!" he yelled at Orochimaru, "Kabuto…" Orochimaru said.

"You want me don't you?" Sasuke asked, "Yeah" Kabuto said, "All we needed was to lure Sasuke here, you were just a bait" Kabuto explained, "We had an agreement that if I became Kazekage, I will declare war with Konoha!" Mekidozo protested, "That is not how I plan to destroy Konoha" Orochimaru said, then with his bare hands, he took Mekidozo's heart out. Ino was shocked, Mekidozo fell drop dead with his blood staining the carpets. "I will destroy you" Sasuke said, he bit his lips with anger and bled. "Come then and destroy me" Orochimaru said as he and Kabuto ran for it.

Sasuke was furious, he wants Orochimaru dead, with his seal burning so bad, and he can already feel it spreading.

Sasuke was about to follow them when Ino held Sasuke back, "don't go!" she said teary, "the mission is complete.. Let's go back ne?' she pleaded. Ino bravely looked at Sasuke in the eye though it scared her to death to see those deadly eyes. Slowly, Sasuke's eyes turned to its natural color and he smiled. Ino was scared, Sasuke is going to ran after Orochimaru again and she knew she might not be able to bring Sasuke back Sasuke slowly approached her and whispered something… hearing this Ino's grip loosened and Sasuke broke free and ran after Orochimaru.

It took a moment while Ino was able to face Gaara, she tried to hide her tears, so instead she smiled. "I know that we must be headed to Konoha and complete the mission, demo I can't leave him behind…that's why I'm going after him… you go back and complete the mission" Ino said, "Yeah…" Gaara answered, before Ino could turn back, Gaara tapped her shoulders Ino looked back and Gaara kissed her, she was shocked, then he boxed her on the midsection. Ino fell in his arms as he slowly laid her down; he took one more look at her before he ran after Sasuke… "I'll do this for you…" he said.

When Gaara was able to catch up with Sasuke, he used his sand to block his way. "What the hell are you doing!" he yelled, "Stopping you!" Gaara answered, "What for! This is non of your business!" Sasuke fired, his eyed glaring, "You made her cry!" Gaara said furious, Sasuke paused, "Let me through… Ino's life and everyone else' is in danger and if I have to kill you then I will…" Sasuke answered, trying to fight his inner demons. "She loves you…" Gaara then answered, "Not me…" he said, Sasuke was speechless, "But I'm not giving up… I'm going to protect her too" with this Gaara lead and ran after Orochimaru as well, puzzled Sasuke followed.

Ino woke up in a doze; she jumped off bed, "Sasuke-kun! Gaara-sama!" Ino said, she found herself in a room with Hinata and Sakura, "Ino, calm down" Sakura said, " "How long have I been here?" Ino asked. "We found you three hours ago" Sakura said, "You were a mess" "Naruto-kun already went after Sasuke-kun and Gaara-sama" Hinata said, "IIE!" Ino protested, "They were after Orochimaru!" "NANI?" Sakura's eyes widened, "We must ran after them!" Ino suggested, Hinata was worried sick especially with Naruto. "Right!" Hinata said.

With Ino's instincts, they were able to arrive at the scene. Ino's mind was busy with what was happening to Sasuke and Gaara, and finally there they were, by the cliff, Orochimaru gasping for air, Kabuto unconscious, Naruto unconscious, Sasuke maintaining his balance with his seal covering his body and Gaara whose chakra was out. Hinata quickly went to Naruto's aid, "Stop!" Gaara cried, "Ino don't come! I told you I'd come back for you!" Sasuke said, "How sweet…" Orochimaru said, "The field is inside a barrier" Orochimaru explained, "I still have one attack left" he said as he tore his shirt open with a seal on it. "But I'll have all of you dead" Ino tried to enter and sat up beside Sasuke.. Sakura was busy transferring Chakra to Gaara hoping his ultimate defense can still save them from any attack. Sasuke fell on her arms, "I can still fight" he said, "You cant" she said, Gaara was just behind her when she looked back at him and said, "thank you…", Gaara was embarrassed, Naruto was revived by Hinata. Orochimaru was still gathering u chakras

Gaara tried to stand up but Ino pulled him down, "It's fine now.. Don't worry" Sasuke too tried to fight back; Ino held his hand, "enough…" she said. With this Ino stood up, "What are you going to do!" Sakura asked, "I'm going to make the big sacrifice" She said, she looked back at Naruto and Hinata, Sakura, Gaara and Sasuke… then she smiled, the breeze swaying her long hair, there was a halo of light around her, she was so radiant. "Say hi to Shika and Chouji for me ne? and you two!" she looked at Gaara and Sasuke, "Take care of my beautiful body" she said beaming.

She faced Orochimaru, Orochimaru laughed, "You are going to be the one to face me?" he asked, "Ino remained silent, then with her full determination, she gathered everything she's got. Vines crawled from the ground to hold Orochimaru, "Nani?" he asked, "Nipou: Shintenshin!" the simplest of all her techniques. She practiced and trained so hard to become stronger but in the end, it was her simplest technique that can help her. Like a movie trailer, she saw how her life has been, it was a beautiful life, with friends… family, every one is family and she is ready to sacrifice herself that was her way of being a ninja. She was able to enter Orochimaru's body, the vines loosened; her body fell on the ground. With several steps backward, she took one last look at the sky, "NO!" they chorused, then…

Orochimaru's body was found below the cliff he is good as dead. And Ino? She was placed in her very own sanctuary, a chamber filled with flowers that miraculously never wither. On her right is her rose and left is her desert lily. She was in a deep slumber, imagine someone without a soul… her body is alive but her mind and her soul… is gone. And who to protect her than Sasuke and Gaara, hoping one day Ino would wake up from her slumber and choose between them… until then…

Nickymail:

Yup final chappy! See I really couldn't decide what to do with it soo there goes… prequel? I'll think about it, thankz so much for reviews! You guys really helped sorry for cheesy ending really cant decide between Sasuke and Gaara.