Fighting. Sacrifice. Death. Grief.

They are all part and parcel of war. It doesn't matter if the war is won; no one will be truly happy in the aftermath.

The losses are great. They've lost many comrades. Parents, friends, team-mates, colleagues… people never to be in their lives again.

Ino concentrates on the work in the medical unit. There are many casualties to heal and treat, and Ino uses the opportunity to keep her mind occupied. Pushing thoughts away has always been easy if she has something else to do.

It works, until she faints from chakra exhaustion on the fifth day after the war ended. In the hours she is out, she remembers the battle with Asuma-sensei, the death of the ninja at the headquarters, her father's bid of farewell to her, as well as Shikaku's to Shikamaru. She remembers seeing the bloodied corpses of Neji, Tsunade-sama, and many more people she had met and worked with before.

She wakes up, abruptly and sweating profusely. Around her lay several casualties, some unconscious, others groaning, but most, just staring into space. That's when she realizes, she needs to get out. Out, somewhere, anywhere, as long as it doesn't remind her of war at all.

So she takes off, not caring if someone is calling her back to get more rest, or that her body still feels too sluggish to run at an unnatural speed.

It takes a long while before she finds a place she deems suitable: a plain, green field, seemingly untouched by the battles that had taken place. It is, however, already occupied by an individual whom Ino should find no surprise in discovering. Shikamaru lies right in the middle of the field, a hand supporting his head, and another over his eyes. She doesn't need a second look to know he is crying, and goes off in search of a spot far away from his. Grieving is something both of them, no, Chouji too, do individually.

She walks, walks, and walks, till she doesn't have the energy to walk anymore, and simply drops herself on the spot, wrapping her arms around her knees tightly. It's no use trying to stop the memories, because they just keep rushing in endlessly like a waterfall.

The plan backfires. The place is untouched by war, but her mind is. She feels herself collapsing.

She wants to scream for the unfairness of war, for it taking away the people she loves, for hurting her and others around her… She refrains though. Screaming won't bring her father or Asuma-sensei back. It won't lessen her pain, or fade the memories in her head.

She tries to keep in control, digging her nails into her skin, and biting her lower lip, till both actions draw blood. This pain is nothing; the one in her heart is far worse. She closes her eyes, and suddenly, she sees images of her father. A sob escapes. And far many more follows.

Stop! she tells herself. I have to be strong.

She can't. No matter how much she tries, the sobs and gasps and hiccups and tears would not end. She can't muster the resolve to stay strong.

Otou-san, otou-san, Asuma-sensei… Otousan…

She hadn't realized she had spoken out loud— more likely screamed– until she felt a warmth wrapped around her. She grips his arms, and presses her face into his shaking chest.

Ino doesn't know how long they stayed in the position. All she knows, they've cried their fair share of tears, and she's very exhausted.

"Will… will we be all right?" she asks quietly, once the gasps slow and she's breathing normally.

Shikamaru doesn't answer immediately, choosing to hold her tighter against him. Ino relishes in the warmth, and takes the little comfort she can get.

"We will be… eventually."

That's all she needs to hear now.