My Bad Habit

"Save Me Please"

I hope this is a good wrap on this story, I hope you guys enjoy it. Thank you being here on this journey of a lifetime with me, and I will continue to write my other stories... I almost don't want it to end...

INO POV:

I have to tell him.

I have to tell someone.

My father's father, my grandfather, passed today 7 years ago. It's when my mom changed, my dad gave up, and our extended family estranged us. It's been 4 years since I've visited his grave but I've got a lot of things on my mind. My grandfather was the only one to bob me on his knee, pat my head, and listened to everything I had to say, from serious to silly.

I missed him dearly, but with the passing of my mother, I just didn't have the heart to face him. At the time I thought it was my fault. That my failure had caused her death. I couldn't face him knowing I took his son's love away.

I understood afterwards but the timing just never felt right.

Dad usually goes to visit him early mornings, so I plan to go around 1 in the afternoon. I gag over my cereal but continue to eat nonetheless, since dad was currently enjoying his morning joe and newspaper right across the table.

We hadn't talked about the dinner or me throwing up, we just sort of went back to normal. It's been a couple of weeks since then.

My baby bump hasn't come in yet but I haven't had my cycle in about two months either so, you do the math. I'm on my way to applying to different office jobs around the city. I happen to be glad though, that I can continue to be close with at least one of my parents.

If I play my cards right then I'll be able to tell him when I'm sure that it's a healthy pregnancy. Not to mention then I'll have more time to think about what to do about this.

Pregnancy is one thing but motherhood is a whole other beast. I'll have to love, comfort and care for another human being which will be slowly pushing out of me at high levels of pain. I mean birth pain is no joke understandably. I'll also have to guide another through life, it's a gargantuan responsibility. If I don't think things through, and even if i do, I have no guarantee that my child will be happy.

That's all I really want. I don't want to stress my child, I don't want them to think less of themselves because of me. I just want them to be happy. It feels good to already know that Shika and I are on the same page in regards to that.

I finish my bowl and put it in the sink. Since I've been throwing up so much recently, sometimes the food spontaneously stays down. It's a blessing to be able to eat something I don't immediately feel like hurling back out. I just try not to do it out in the open anymore, I do go and excuse myself to the restroom. Otherwise, Dad will become suspicious.

I go to my room up the stairs to sit and wait. Wait for what you may be asking, well for him to leave, of course. When he gets back, that's when I'll leave to go to see my grandfather. I've been on my computer a lot these days to spend time researching different ways to care for newborns. School has been a total wash and I feel I don't deserve to be around my peers, so long story short, I've dropped out.

I know, I'm planning to take the G.E.D. Route, as it should be a walk in the park.

My mom is probably doing backflips in her grave now.

I sit and read up on how to get the newborn to latch whilst hearing my dad close the door, the car starting shortly after. Immersed in the material, I just barely hear a yell from my window. I get up, pushing my curtains to the side, only to find my Shika standing in our yard. As handsome as always I fear. I motion him to wait and close the curtains, making my way back down the stairs. I pad towards the door, opening it and immediately getting engulfed with his addictive scent. He brings me close for a bear hug.

"Wanna go for a ride?" He motions towards his bike and my stomach lurches at the thought. "I don't think it's a good idea, I've got a lot on my mind lately, how about a walk?" I ask him with no real emotion showing on my features. "That's precisely why we should go, don't be a drag my flower." He rolls his eyes and looks at me with the same blank expression I've been giving him. We stare each other down for a minute or two before I cave with a huff. He smirks and holds me by the hips, pulling me towards the death machine. He opens the seat to retrieve the helmet he recently got for me to ride along with him. After securing my helmet, he goes to put his on. He climbs on effortlessly and reaches his hand out to me. I take a calming breath before climbing on.

He flips the ignition and the machine roars to life, "Where to my flower?" He looks back at me through the helmet and I shrug my shoulders in return, "wherever the wind takes us my love."

He revs the engine, I hold onto him tightly, and we begin to back out of the drive way, going towards the exit of the neighborhood. Once on the main roads, he begins to fly, weaving through traffic with ease.

I lose track of things in my thoughts as we continue, simply wondering about how my grandfather is doing, how my mom is doing, how I'm going to eventually tell my dad about the baby in my womb. The thoughts overwhelm me and consume me to point of no return.

I only check back into reality when I hear tires screeching in a close proximity. Then the light of day turns black.

I hear everything but I can't process anything. I hear our tangling shallow breaths, I feel my body aching and warmth coming from my side. We've crashed, and I am dying.

I desperately try to reach to Shika but can only feel broken fingers that I clasp inside of my weak ones.

Shouldn't my life be flashing before my eyes? Why do I only see darkness? My breathing becomes shallow, my heartbeat weakens in my ears, and everything ceases to exist, inluding me.

"Shika... save me please..."

Inoichi POV

On my way home, I got the phone call I never wanted to receive, again. Only twice before have I ever received such a heartbreaking call. Only this time it was my little girl. I change routes immediately headed for the specified road. The scene I pull up to has my heart sinking. Yellow tape, Shikamaru's bike in pieces, blood on the blacktop, and two body bags. I rush past the police and paramedics and immediately know the smaller bag is my daughter. I weep.

I weep until I am simply dry heaving on the ground. "...sir, are you the father of the woman?"

Before I lash out, I look through teary eyes at a medic. "Her name is Ino, yes, why? Can't you see I am trying to process my babygirl not being with me?! I just left the house... I just left..."

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss Mr. Yamanaka, we are sorry to inform that the baby didn't make it either, as she was just beginning the second trimester."

I look up at the medic with disbelief and shock, my heart breaking all over again. "She... she was with child?"

I begin to weep again. Oh Ino, I am so sorry I didn't realize, I am so sorry I wasn't checking on you more, I am so sorry that I couldn't save you.

Fin.