Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Note: This is the corrected version. Francesca, my great fanfic-adviser and beta reader, not to mention an awasome friend- went through thisstory and corrected all grammar and spelling mistakes. Thank you.
She's always been loved and she always loved.
There are many kinds of love in this world.
There are childish crushes that fade with time. There's the love of your life, which is more intense as the time passes. How do you know which one is which? How do you know that a childish crush isn't a life love? Do you really have to wait to see? Do you really have to risk...that it'll be too late?
And she will be loved.
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye.
"I won't. I will never say goodbye to you, Shikamaru."
The monument. The darkness. The field. A familiar scenery.
"I'm going on a mission, Shikamaru. This one's really dangerous. I might die. Actually, I think I will die. Because you won't be there to protect me."
A lone tear. A tear of regret, sadness and pain. A lone tear for a single name.
Nara Shikamaru
"How long has it be? Two years? Something like that. I lost count after 489 days."
A pause. A choking sound.
"I'm being stupid and blind as always, aren't I? I know...I always was after impossible guys...they always left me...First, Sasuke betrayed Leaf...now, you...you died...protecting what you believed in. You were always stubborn. And always...there. I just regret...not seeing that...that...feeling earlier. I regret not seeing your heart earlier. If I did, then...then..."
She pauses once again, more tears running down her pale cheeks. She thinks of what she would do.
"Then...I would probably cry. And I would hug and kiss you...and have a family with you...and..."
Choked sob.
"And in the end...we would be old and...and die together and...our ki-kids would..."
What were you thinking before you died? Were you thinking the same?
"Yamanaka-San. We need to go."
Four ANBU ninja stand behind her. She stands up.
"Yes. Let's go."
She quickly puts on the mask. The same mask Shikamaru had...the only thing they managed to get from him...
Her lips touching the place where his lips were, just two years ago.
"When I die will you be with me?"
"What is it, Yamanaka-San?"
"Nothing. Let's go."
They dash together through the forest.
ANBU wear masks to not be recognized. Ino never really cared for that. Her ANBU mask was to hide her tears...the tears that are now slowly flowing down her cheeks, one after another...
What were you thinking before you died?
Deep down, she knows. Deep down she knows that all Chouji words were true.
"He was thinking about a way to die in most efficient way. In the way that will help Konoha most."
What will I think before my death? What will my heart feel? What did your heart feel?
"He felt what he wanted, Ino. You know that he always did what he wanted to. He felt that...that...his heart always will belong to you Ino. He told me that. He felt that...that if you only gave him a chance he would...he would open it for you. He felt that...He felt...that it's not a bad way to die. Because, all he could see is you. All he could hear was your voice. All he could feel was his love for you. And even if a part of his brain thought of plans, the other one thought of memories he made with you. He also felt that...it's still not too late to open his heart for you. He felt, that even if you don't care, he will do it. He hoped...he hoped that you will also open your heart and accept him. He hoped you will be with him even if he died."
Chouji pauses, taking a deep breath as tears fall from his small eyes.
"Do you, Ino? Do you want to be with him? Do you want him here?"
And, not waiting for an answer, he leaves Ino in her room. He did what Shikamaru couldn't. That was the only thing he could do for him.
And as time passes, maybe even weeks, she is ready to give an answer. She picks up the last photo of him and stares at the two of them, standing beside each other.
And she sees it...she sees that almost invisible glimmer in his eyes...and suddenly, as the tears start, she knows.
His heart was always open for her. He just waited for her to step in his arms.
"All this time...I'm sorry for being so stupid. I'm sorry for all this pain...I know how it hurts..."
Her hand grabs her shirt.
"Will you forgive me, Shikamaru?"
Ino said it to the empty room, to the ghost that may be lingering, just like he was always by her side.
And she feels her heart beating with more power, as if someone wanted to force her to live.
Her lips curl into faint smile as she goes to see the new name, freshly graved on the monument.
"You always forgave so easily, Shika. If that's what you want, then fine. My heart won't stop now. But...you can't force me to live. I can't live without you and I think you know it."
The door doesn't close behind her, even though she pushes it. She understands it now, so clearly that it hurts. It had always been open for him, just like her heart.
And the same goes for her.
They never saw that they shared one life. And when finally, one of them understood, the other had to pay a really high price for it.
What Ino didn't know, was that Shikamaru never regretted it. For him, it was worth his life to see Ino love him.
What she didn't know, that when the enemies thought he was already dead, his half-closed eyes drifted towards the sky, whispering one short sentence, while having a picture of a blond haired girl with big blue eyes, smiling at him.
"Thank you for that light."
"Thank you," he whispered closing his eyes.
"Here's the target, Yamanaka-San."
"Let's go."
And the battle started.
Kunai hitting flesh, metal, wood. Shurikens flying everywhere. And blood. Lots of blood.
"Was it like this when you fought too, Shikamaru? Was it that...troublesome?"
It's finally over, no enemies are left. Then why...why does it feel like something's missing? Why...?
And a huge explosion follows, fire burning everything.
"They had planned it all along...that trap..."
"Is this...death...?"
Everything burns, everything's hazy. Everything's...quiet.
And Ino dares to open her eyes, hoping to see dark brown eyes with that glimmer...
And she sees dark orbs, looking at her.
Familiar pale face...thin, bloodless lips...dark hair, bangs falling on the dark eyes...dark eyes with sharingan in them...
Sasuke...the traitor of Konoha...the prodigy of the Uchiha clan...Was it him? Did he activate the trap...?
Suddenly, Ino's brain register that the burning stopped. She lifts herself slightly from his arms and looks around to see unmoving bodies of her teammates.
"Sasuke...why...?"
"Now it's my turn to protect you."
"What...Ah!"
Bending down, Sasuke kisses the opening of her shirt.
His lips...are so cold...
And as he moves upwards, kissing her neck and the spot under her ear, her eyes close in content, and comforting blackness surrounds her as she thinks about the ice that lays on her shoulders and neck, constantly fading and returning with more force...
...and then, she feels nothing.
A/N: Well, from the next or the one after the next, I'm moving this fic into Sasuke x Ino category. Please, review!