Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

I apologize this was not submitted earlier. Gee, I bet you're wondering where I've been! Well…through situations too confusing to go into right now, I lost my internet for a while. I had started this a while ago, but I wasn't…"feeling" it, so I waited. It could have been finished earlier, but I feel like the chapter would have suffered. So yes, expect sporadic chapter updates from now on; I'm sorry. I really appreciate the reviews though; they brighten my day and make me want to keep writing. But enjoy.

The sun shined bright as he dragged his ex-wife up his favorite hill. He needed to be somewhere calming, where he could see the clouds…

Part of him was excited that Yamanaka Ino, the most beautiful girl in the village, was carrying his child. But part of him was also angry, angrier than he'd been in a long time. But not at her—at himself. He was rash and selfish last night (something only she reduces him to). He got carried away and was stupid enough to not use protection when having sex with a woman who wasn't his. How could he have been so damn idiotic? He wouldn't be surprised if she had already called up a hit man for him…

He took in the fresh crisp air and tried to compose his self hatred as Ino gracefully paused in front of him. She looked nervous, but beautiful and Shikamaru couldn't resist his old habit of rubbing the back of his head and shoving a hand in his pocket.

"So what do we do now?" Ino said in an ornery tone. Shikamaru sighed and trailed his eyes to her stomach. He had to try really hard to stop a small smile from coming over his lips at the thought of having a baby with Ino.

"Can you pull it off as Tim's?" Shikamaru hated saying his name, but it would be the easiest solution.

Ino scoffed and popped her hip out, "No…we haven't had sex in a while…He wants to wait. Besides, what is he going to think when two blondes make a brunette baby!"

Shikamaru stayed silent under her rising tone. She took it as an initiative to go on, "I mean what the hell, Shikamaru? You're the smartest guy I know and you pull a rookie mistake like this? And now I have to pay for it!"

She paused and took in a deep shaky breath, holding her stomach, "This is your child, Shikamaru…I have your baby inside of me…all because you couldn't keep it in your pants." He was hurting for her…he had ruined her life because he was selfish in one heated moment.

He was taking a risk in what he was about to do, but he didn't care. He loved her so much and the hurt he was causing her propelled him forward. He stood within inches of her and placed his hands on her flat stomach. He looked into her eyes even though she kept them downcast. Whispering with the warm sun on his neck, he tried to compress his excitement at being so close to her again,

"Please, Ino…don't get an abortion." Ino shot her eyes up to his—they were red and burning through him—and kept a firm face. "Stay away from me, Shikamaru." And he watched her walk away.

Ino found herself stopping at the bottom of the hill and lying down against the slanted ground. She closed her smoldering eyes and clutched her stomach. "My baby…"she thought, "Our baby…just a few years ago, how badly would I wish for this to happen to us? Watching my little girl's ballet recital, cheering on my baby boy at his first soccer game…And with Shikamaru: the smartest, handsomest man out there—"

She widened her eyes, staring shamelessly into the sun, "Handsome? Smart?Since when do I compliment Shikamaru? The jackass who knocked me up? The most despicable guy I know…" She turned her head on the soft grass and closed her eyes, smiling warmly against her own will. "The same guy that loses control around me, can't be tamed…" She ran her arms over the grass and gripped the blades. She leaned her head back and arched her back slightly off the ground…

Ino gripped the sheets the instant her husband plopped her on the bed. Shikamaru always lost control in bed, but especially tonight. He ran his rough hands harshly down her curves and kissed her deeply, trying desperately to manage his breathing. His touch electrified her every nerve as he slipped his fingers under her shirt, lifting it over her head. Her insides were on fire, and she twisted her legs around his hips, pulling him down. She made her desires known and he smirked, chuckling slightly. He leaned down and whispered huskily over her lips, "Needy, aren't we?" She moaned loudly in response and escaped into Shikamaru's body molding perfectly to hers as they made sloppy, intimate love after yet another fight.

Shikamaru watched her. From a rock on the hill, he watched her. She was sleeping, but this wasn't slumber. Something was happening under that veil of blonde hair. He narrowed his eyes as if he could read her dreams. She was curving her back and making tight fists. There was a look of pleasure on her face and he smirked contentedly, knowing what she must be dreaming of doing. He watched her dream into dusk. It was only when nightfall hit that he scowled at the realization of who she might be dreaming about. He should leave her, the devil on his shoulder said. If she wants to dream of her fiancé pretty boy, she can walk home alone. He clenched his fists and stood up to walk away. He had his back turned to her and took a few steps before he heard that all too familiar sound: Ino moaning. It was throaty and feminine and pure ecstasy, and it was his name dripping from her lips. His name. He turned around, hardly able to believe his ears; she was dreaming of him. He would never figure out this woman. Was she the same one who just told him to stay away from her? The same woman who was contorting her body in the most beautiful ways at whatever dream Shikamaru was doing to her? "I don't think so," he thought. "But the least I could do is walk her home now."

So he found his spot on the rock once more and watched her breathing become slower and slower until she fluttered her eyelashes out of slumber. Upon seeing him, she immediately sat straight up and flattened her hair with her palms. Her cheeks were stained red, and he fought to keep his stoic demeanor in front of her.

"Nice nap?" He said nonchalantly with one eyebrow raised. Ino cleared her throat and stood up.

"Yes," she piped out quickly. Shikamaru stood up next to her.

"Any good dreams?" He tried not to blush at his words. In total Ino character, she looked at him straight on and stuck out a stiff lip, saying, "Not really."

I'm still not too happy with this chapter. I may rewrite it.

Reviews? :D