The Road Back to you

Three and a half years had passed since the last time she had seen him. He was still a young boy then! 17 years old... and already a Jounin.

She remembered the way she felt when he became Jounin. Her heart beat was fast, her cheeks felt warm and her eyes were watery. It was a wonderful feeling.

“You idiot! You had me worried sick over you! Do you know how long were you in there?” Her voice was cracking, her knees were faltering. Shikamaru was bleeding all over but he looked at her and a smile formed in his lips.

“I’m sorry...”

Ino fell down next to him and started sobbing. She had been so worried... The medical nins aproached her and told her to leave beacause they needed space to treat the boy. She silently obeyed.

They were now 20 years old... almost 21, actualy... and she missed him so... he had left for a mission somewhere to do something to someone... she didn’t know the details. Everything was classified...

“Will you be careful?” She looked up at the setting sun. Some clouds were gathered near the fainting light. She wanted to smile... but her heart wouldn’t allow her, not just yet.

“I’m always careful...” He layed back, his hands behind his head, as always.

“It’s just... you’re a Jounin now, you have to be extra careful! And don’t forget to eat! And take some blankets! You know how cold nights get at this time of the year!”

Ino heard him chuckle slightly. A boyish grin remained in his lips.

“You sound like my mother.”

Ino placed her hands on her hips. “Well you have to listen to someone! And if you don’t listen to her, you have to listen to me!”

Shikamaru sat up, still staring at her.

“Stop being so troublesome.” Then he tickled her slightly, just bellow her ribs.

Ino flinched at the sudden touch and let out a light giggle.

“I don’t get you! How can you be so light hearted? You’re leaving tomorrow to God knows where! You’re going alone and you’ll be away for some time! How can you laugh, how can you smile!? I... I...”

She stoped talking... a knot had formed on her troath and her eyes were getting wet. She turned away from him, not wanting to cry on his last day before his very important mission.

Shikamaru stared down, his expression serious.

“I can laugh because I don’t want to think of what will happen tomorrow, I can smile because I know that you’ll be here waiting for me until the day I return... I’m light hearted because you are here... with me.”

Ino ignored the fact that fresh tears were streaming down her, now wet, cheeks, and turned around to face him.

He got up, sighing heavily, and extended his hand towards her. She took it, still in shock because of what he had just said, and he helped her up.

“Will you wait? Will be here when I come back?”

Ino stared into his dark brown eyes and her lips started trembling. She nodded, slowly at first but then  vigorously.

“Yes...” She answered softly. “Of course I’ll be here...”

Shikamaru smiled a sad smile and leaned forward, kissing her lightly on the lips. Ino felt her knees weeken and her heart skiped a beat. Her first kiss...

“Thank you.” He stated.

Then he disapeared... away from the village, away from the country, away from her...

Ino placed her index finger on her lips, gently. She could still feel the firmness of his lips on her’s... it had felt so ridiculusly right that she wondered why hadn’t they done it before?

She chuckled at the rememberance. She missed him so...

“Tsunade-Sama! Why hasn’t he come back yet? Why? It’s been a year! He should’ve returned by now!”

Ino slamed her fists on the table demanding answers from the Godaime Hokage. And she sure wouldn’t leave without one!

Tsunade sighed heavily. “I seariously don’t know what happened, Ino... We lost contact with him a week ago. I already sent someone but they still haven’t found him or his-...”

Tsunade shut up abruptly but Ino caught the unsaid word.

“His body? What? You think that he was killed? Was his mission that dangerous?”

Ino’s eyes became more serious and her expression was a frightned one. She was no longer demanding answers... she needed answers...

“You better sit down, Ino-chan...” Tsunade’s voice became much more softer. Ino felt tears coming.

“I’m not saying that he is dead. I don’t know that. I surely wish he is alive! I do.” She paused and breathed in. “But we lost contact... that can mean anything!”

“Anything...?” Ino whispered...

Tsunade nodded. “I will wait for the rescue team to arrive with news Ino. I’m sure that it will be good news, but you have to expect the unexpected.”

Ino stared down. Her eyes became determined once again.

“No! You cannot say that! Shikamaru is alive! I know it!! I... I feel it...” She ended softly. “He will come back! He will come back to me! Because I will be waiting...”

Then she stormed out of the Hokage’s office while Tsunade still called for her.

And she ran... ran fast, ran blinded by tears and despair... but she ran... ran to forget, ran because she had hope... she ran.

One month passed after that day and still there was no sign on Shikamaru. The rescue team returned and informed the Godaime that they hadn’t found any sign of him. He had simply disapeared altough something was found... Ino’s necklace...

“Shika-kun! Where are you Shika-kun?” Little 7 year old Ino ran trough the fields, trying to find her lazy friend.

“Oh! You’re here!” She placed her hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you answer? Didn’t you hear me call you?”

Shikamaru was laying lazily on the grass, his arms behind his head and his eyes glued to the clouds. The way he always was.

“Everyone heard you, you troublesome girl.”

She glared at him then her gaze softned and she sat near him.

“It’s your birthday today!” She spilled the information out like she was the only person in the hole world that knew that. “I remembered!” She smiled proudly.

Shikamaru remained stoic.

“Say something!!” Then she smacked him in the arm.

Shikamaru winced and glared at her. “You only remembered because it’s your birthday tomorrow!”

Ino beamed. “You remembered!”

Shikamaru sighed. “Troublesome...”

“Anyway, grumpy, I bought you something...”

That sparked his interest.

“But I’ll only give it to you if you promise me something...”

Shikamaru nodded, his gaze was again on the clouds in the big blue sky.

“Promise me that... that you will keep this! Because this means that we are friends forever! And that we will never forget each other’s birthday! Alright?”

She concluded her speach and stared at him, waiting for his reply.

“I guess...”

Ino was enfuriated.

“You guess?! I want you to promise me, you idiot!” Then she started hitting him, hard!

She made sure he promised and she made sure he kept his promise. When he grew up she forgot to check on his promise, but he always wore the necklace with him. It reminded him of a friendship he never wanted to forget...

Ino felt tears sting her eyes. She didn’t want to cry! She remembered the look on Tsunade’s face when she returned the necklace to Ino. She was saddened, her eyes filled with sorrow and simpathy.

But Ino couldn’t belive! She couldn’t belive that Shikamaru was dead! They hadn’t found the body! So he could still be alive!

A memorial was held the day after the return of the rescue team. Ino didn’t show up. She refused to accept Shikamaru’s death. He would return. And she would be there for him, like she had promised...

“Will you wait? Will be here when I come back?”

Ino stared into his dark brown eyes and her lips started trembling. She nodded, slowly at first but then  vigorously.

“Yes...” She answered softly. “Of course I’ll be here...”

Today was Ino’s birthday. The day before had been too painful to remember. She spent the day locked in her house. Sorrow filled every bit of air in that small space. And she was sad. But she didn’t cry. She ran out of tears to cry a long time ago...

Sakura called. She wanted to take Ino out to dinner. Ino refused. Sakura insisted.

“You better be dressed in your best Kimono, Ino! Because we are going out to have some fun! And we will be going to the best restaurant in Konoha! Oh... my trait!”

Ino could only comply to her friend. So she was now dressing her best and most beautiful Kimono. She had bought it for when Shikamaru returned. She would show it to him and he would shower her with kisses.

She giggled at her sillyness. But that was a distant memory...

Her eyes faced the ground and she sighed. Silk caressed her skin while she slowly dressed the yellow Kimono. It was long and revealing, but not too much. She tied it up by the waist with her red elegant Obi and smiled sadly.

Ino cought her long hair in an elaborated bun, letting some strands fall into her face. She was stunningly atractive.

Now that she looked at herself in the mirror, she realized that she didn’t want to dress this Kimono to go to the restaurant. It was private... it was only for Shikamaru’s eyes...

Her eyes began to water but she fought back tears. Her heart felt really heavy and her knees faltered.

She fell down sobbing.

“Why...? Why aren’t you here! It’s my birthday...”

Ino slamed her fists against the hard floor and let tears drip down her wet face.

“I remembered, Ino...”

Time seemed to stop. That voice... she hadn’t heard it in three years, yet it was so familiar...

“Shi... Shikamaru?”

She turned to the window and a new flow of tears ran down her face.

“It’s me...” He smiled a soft smile, repressing the urge to hold her in his arms and kiss the tears away. She needed time. She probabily tought that he was dead... and all this time...

“It can’t be you!”

She got up and stared at the man in her windowstep. He wore a green ninja outfit and had green gloves in his hands. His hair was slightly longer, but still in his silly ponytail. He had a scarf around his neck and a katana on his back.

It had to be him.

Shikamaru alowed himself to enter the room and walk a few steps towards her.

“It’s me...”

She smiled wildly.

“Shikamaru!” She got up and was ready to run for him but stoped. “Wait... what about... this?”

She took the necklace she had given him a long time ago from her neck and showed it to him.

His eyes softned at the sight.

“I tought I had lost it... I’m sorry Ino... I’m sorry I took so long to return, I’m sorry you didn’t know where I was, I’m sorry you had to suffer... I’m so sorry!”

She felt every word he had said and knew that it was true. He wouldn’t lie to her, never! She allowed herself to take a step forward.

“Is it really you...?” her voice was so soft he had trouble hearing it.

“Yes.”

He wanted to touch her so badly, he wanted to held her in his arms, he wanted to smother her with kisses... but that had to wait... not yet, not just yet.

She took another step forward.

“How can I be certain?”

Shikamaru smiled. She knew that smile well.

“Because you feel it... deep down, in your heart...”

Ino stared down and smiled softly. Yes, she knew. It was him. The man she had waited all these years for, the man she had dreamnt of all those lonely nights, the man she loved.

“I missed you.” Her voice was shaky from the tears and all the feelings that were welling up deep inside of her.

“I missed you too, Ino. Every day, every night, every single minute of these years! I needed to touch you, I needed to feel that you were there, by my side... but you weren’t...”

They were really close now.

“I’m sorry...” She whispered.

His eyes widened. “No. I’m the one who’s sorry! I should’ve returned earlier! But I couldn’t... I’m so sorry Ino... I really am...”

He raised his arm and his hand brushed her soft cheek. She closed her eyes and blushed while a shiver went down her spine. She waited for his touch for so long that now it felt so unreal...

“Don’t leave me ever again... ever!” She pleaded.

He nodded. “I won’t.” And that was another promise that we whished to keep, as well as the promise he had made while trying to return home these three years and a half.

If I ever get to see her again, I’ll hold her in my arms forever. I won’t let go...

The End