Last chapter! :)

I'm in the middle with how it came out, but in the end, I think it turned out alright.

Thank you again to all of the amazing people, readers and reviewers alike, on this site. This fic was intended to be a one-shot, but as you all know, it turned out to be thirteen chapters. Couldn't have done it without your consistent encouragement and faithfulness. :D So, THANK YOU!

Song: Eclipse (All Yours) – Metric

Disclaimer: M. Kishimoto owns all characters. The plot is my own.

Treize.

Ino felt like she had been in hibernation, and she had only now just left her cave to experience spring. She was returning to herself.

"The key to overcoming is letting go of the control. Let things happen. Allow yourself to forfeit the control and just live. Just be," her psychiatrist frequently reiterated during their weekly sessions.

Ino was surviving Maison Paisible. It was by no means easy, changing the way you thought about yourself. But Ino was learning day by day that it was possible.

She had met other people with the same problems. They played a dual role in her recovery: the encouragers and the relapsers. But they all had their bad days. Ino didn't blame them.

Her parents called her every Friday to check up on her and her progress. They missed her a lot, and the feeling was mutual.

Ino felt herself shaking off the frost that had coated her insides for so long. She was warming up the closer she approached the fire, however uncomfortable and terrifying it left her feeling.

Shikamaru sighed and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

He was intently focused on the computer screen in front of him. A slideshow of the works he would be displaying at his exhibition was playing.

Shikamaru was finished. His exhibition pieces were complete, the space was rented, the invites had been sent. Everything was set.

Shikamaru closed his eyes briefly, exhausted. He'd done nothing but work these past few months, and the weights he'd been carrying on his shoulders slowly slid off.

Lazily, Shikamaru opened an eye and scanned the calendar over his desk.

The twenty-fourth of May was circled in black ink.

Shikamaru smiled to himself.

As he was preparing to leave his work for the night, Shikamaru heard his front door open.

His forehead creased in confusion, and he cautiously got up to investigate.

He turned his head towards the living room after seeing no one in the hall.

A figure sat on his couch, legs crossed.

Shikamaru couldn't be more surprised.

"What are you doing here?" he murmured.

Temari slowly turned her head to look at him.

"I need to talk to you," she replied.

Shikamaru blinked and shuffled further into the room.

"You could have called me," Shikamaru said, sitting across from her. "I would have come and picked you up at the airport if I had known you were coming."

Temari just shook her head and replied, "A cab was easier."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows.

"Why are you here? It's the middle of semester. . ."

"This was important," Temari clarified. She fixed her steely eyes on Shikamaru's confused ones. "I was angry with you when I got back to Oxford and . . . and I did something stupid."

Shikamaru remained steadfast in his expression.

Temari sighed heavily. Shikamaru noticed her fingers tapping impatiently on her leg. She was craving a cigarette.

Temari focused on the window and the balcony outside as she spoke, too prideful even in her shame to look at him.

"I got back to Oxford and went back to class as usual. My professor went on sabbatical, so he left his TA in charge. I asked him for help on a few things. . ." Temari paused, eyes distant. "I slept with him, Shikamaru. I thought it was just a fling, and that I was blowing off steam and jealousy, but it turned into something more than that."

Shikamaru stared at her, feeling his insides deflate.

Temari's fingers clenched.

"I'm sorry, Shikamaru," she said softly.

Shikamaru knew she was being sincere. He covered his face with one hand.

"Troublesome woman," he muttered.

"I thought that you were going behind my back with Ino. I felt like I had to retaliate," Temari responded.

Shikamaru peeked at her through his fingers.

"Idiot woman, I told you—!"

"I've seen the way you look at her, Shikamaru," Temari cut him off, her voice quiet. "It's the way you used to look at me, a really long time ago."

Shikamaru stayed silent.

"I don't hate you for it," Temari clarified. "I mean, you and I both know that I have my faults. I don't exactly deserve your forgiveness, especially now."

They sat in the dark living room for a while. Shikamaru eventually unearthed his cigarettes and gestured to Temari, walking out onto the balcony.

After they lighted up, it was several moments before Shikamaru murmured, "So, is this it?"

Temari exhaled smoke.

"Yes," she said decisively.

Shikamaru nodded, feeling a cruel sort of peace wash over his body.

Before Temari left, Shikamaru pressed a kiss to her cheek and paid for her cab fare back to the airport.

Shikamaru stood out on the balcony a long time after Temari left. It hurt a bit, but the pain wasn't unbearable.

Shikamaru was scheduled to pick her up at noon.

Ino glanced at the clock for the third time in the past minute, itchy.

She stood and analyzed her reflection in the small mirror in her room.

The center had a strict policy to put weight on its patients dealing with eating disorders. Ino had walked in a frail eighty-seven pounds and now she was leaving a slightly heavier one-o-two.

Her nutritionist had assured her the gross feeling Ino was having was normal for someone with an eating disorder.

That morning, as she had been getting ready, Ino had decided to leave her hair down. It had gained back some of its healthiness and shine, and made her face not seem as sallow as before.

Ino hoped Shikamaru would like it.

A little before noon, Ino was paged to the front of the building.

She slowly walked to the foyer, her stomach bubbling in nervousness.

Ino saw him before he saw her.

She noticed that he had lost a few pounds. Has he really been working that hard? Ino wondered. His hair was disheveled. Ino wondered if he'd ridden his motorbike out here instead of taking a cab.

Shikamaru was focused on the woman at the counter, who was having him sign in as a guest.

Ino felt her feet walking faster.

Shikamaru put down the pen and slid the clipboard back to the woman, letting his eyes wander around.

He stopped when he saw Ino, now speeding towards him involuntarily.

A rare, slow smile spread across his mouth. His brown eyes lit up, and Ino felt like her heart might just stop from the pressure.

Ino finally reached him, colliding into him.

His arms wrapped tight around her. Ino buried her face in Shikamaru's neck and closed her eyes, overcome by his presence.

Shikamaru chuckled a little.

"You look amazing," he said into her ear.

Ino felt shivers descend down her spine.

They stood there a long time, bathed in the sunlight from the foyer windows.

Ino once again glanced at herself in the mirror, slightly self-conscious.

Tonight was Shikamaru's exhibition and Ino was planning to look her best.

Nearly twenty pounds heavier, her eating disorder remarked.

Ino recited softly the five compliments she had committed to say to herself every time her eating disorder thoughts flared up.

Ino closed her eyes and summoned confidence.

I am healthy. I am pretty. I am intelligent. I am strong. I am special.

She opened her eyes and tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her ear.

She had chosen to wear a little white dress that accentuated the bone structure of her shoulders and neck. Ino knew it looked great on her. She hoped Shikamaru would like it.

After leaving Maison Paisible, Shikamaru had informed Ino of Temari and their expired relationship. Ino hadn't had much to say about the matter. If Shikamaru was happy with the arrangement, then she was as well.

As Ino slipped into her shoes, she wondered (not for the first time) if Shikamaru had feelings for her and if he did, would he ever act on them.

Ino grimaced and grabbed her purse.

Shikamaru's venue was at the Magnum Gallery in the heart of Paris.(1)

Ino stepped through the doors and looked around.

The place was crowded, which Ino assumed was good news for Shikamaru.

He was standing close to the entryway, his back to her as he discussed something with Choji.

Choji nodded, scanning the area, and Shikamaru turned, forehead creased.

Their eyes met and Ino watched Shikamaru run his eyes all over her.

"Damn," he said.

Choji heard him and turned to look at Ino. Amused, Choji raised an eyebrow at her and smiled.

Shikamaru recovered and grasped Ino's hand.

"Come on. I'll walk you through."

Ino thought she detected Choji waggling his eyebrows suggestively at Shikamaru, but she ignored it.

Shikamaru led her around the corner of the entrance and into his exhibition.

The pictures started in black and white, and they featured the traditional monuments and landscapes at first.

"This is all old stuff," Shikamaru spoke privately to Ino, still clutching her hand.

"It's beautiful, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru nodded his thanks, replying, "I think you'll like my later stuff more."

He continued to lead her through the winding path of the exhibition.

About halfway through, as they were entering the portraits of people, Ino noticed some familiar faces.

TenTen beamed and threw her arms around her, almost crushing Ino with the force of her hug.

"Let her breathe, TenTen," Neji remarked from behind her.

TenTen pulled back and grinned at Ino, overcome with joy to see her.

"It's so great to see you!" the brunette gushed.

"It's good to see you too. I missed you guys a lot," Ino responded, spotting Naruto's blonde head behind her. He was boisterously explaining the meaning behind a photograph to a group of women, who looked slightly amused.

"You look great," TenTen complimented.

Ino smiled back.

TenTen commented to Shikamaru, "Shikamaru! I can't believe you put photos of us in your exhibition! I don't remember you asking our permission!"

Shikamaru shrugged carelessly.

"Too late now," Neji muttered.

TenTen amended, "They are really good pictures though."

Shikamaru smiled wryly.

"Thanks." He reached for Ino's hand again. "I'm going to show her the rest. We'll see you guys later."

Ino waved as Shikamaru pulled her away.

Ino noticed as they drew closer to the end that the pictures on the walls got more and more familiar. There were several pictures on the walls that matched the ones hanging in Shikamaru's living room. The picture of Temari was there, along with the group shot of TenTen, Neji, and Choji, and Naruto at their favorite restaurant. They were all here. Every aspect of Shikamaru's life was on display here. His heart was here.

Slowly, Shikamaru guided her to a particular section.

Ino was surprised to see her own face staring back at her.

She glanced at Shikamaru, shocked.

"I hope you don't mind," he murmured, eyes carefully judging her expression. "I couldn't help myself."

Ino looked back at the arrangement.

The first photograph was one she hadn't known had been taken. It was in black and white, and Ino was crossing a crosswalk. Her body aligned perfectly as she stepped off the curb and onto the street. Ino looked at the others. There was the one with the fireworks behind her that Shikamaru had taken with the throwaway camera. It was slightly blurry, but she could see her familiar, defined bone structure in the poor quality of the camera. Another one was of her walking down the street, eyes focused on the sky, her hair flowing behind her in the wind.

Ino shook her head in amazement.

Shikamaru squeezed her hand and turned her towards the last wall.

It was a single picture of her, larger in size than the others.

Ino felt her knuckles grow tight as she gripped Shikamaru's hand.

"That one's my favorite," Shikamaru shared confidentially.

Ino could see why.

It was another candid, but Ino knew exactly by intuition when he had taken this photograph. It was the night she had fallen asleep in his room after Shikamaru's insistence that she stay at his apartment.

In the picture, it was dawn, the soft colors sprouting rosily outside the glass windows behind Ino's head. She was sleeping peacefully.

Ino noted the slight imperfections of herself. The dark half-moons under her eyes were apparent, and her hair was mussed. The impression of the fabric of the sheets was on her cheek.

Still, Ino loved it.

She felt tears bud in her eyes.

"This is amazing," she whispered to Shikamaru.

"You like it?" he prompted, watching her.

Ino nodded, gazing at him.

Shikamaru smiled and dropped her hand. He knotted his fingers in her hair, stepping closer. Shikamaru kissed her, with all of the warmth and feeling and care he had within him.

Ino's psychiatrist's words came back to her at that moment, and Ino felt complete knowing what they meant.

Let things happen. Allow yourself to forfeit the control and just live.

Just be.

(1) The Magnum Gallery is an actual space that features photographers' exhibitions.

Let me know what you thought.

Thanks again, as always. :) - KNO