Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and I do love ShikaIno

Prologue

Princess...

There was a time that she felt like one.

She was gazing across the fields of flowers and strawberries. The sky painted with streaks of orange and gold as the sun starts to set. The breeze rolled on and off the hill, creating waves of grass as it passed along the hill. The wind carried with its leaves of autumn. It was truly the perfect afternoon.

She was a princess waiting for her prince to come. Her platinum blonde hair tied up with a pink ribbon which likened to a small tiara was gracing her head. The end of the purple dress she wore ruffled and swayed with the wind as she moves. She can see her own little feet as she was pushed upwards, she felt like she was flying.

It was her tower and it was her throne. A small seat reserved only for her. The scent of strawberries and a swing that can make her fly. She smiled as she went higher and higher. The air felt cold against her small face and it made her cheeks flushed and pink. Even then she looked pretty; a vision of what a real princess would look like. The six years old girl closed her eyes and savored the moment.

It was the spirit of freedom, she felt free, she felt small and she felt flying.

She thinks she can do almost anything.

As she returned to the ground, the chubby boy pushed her up again. Then she remembered the game she was playing.

He was her captor and she was her prisoner.

She could have argue to put her down, but she was enjoying the feeling of flying that she just let him, besides she needed to see the arrival of her prince. She strained her eyes as she arrived at the top, looking for any signs of him.

When her feet touched the ground, she frowned. There was no sign of him yet, anywhere. He was late and she had been captured for quite some time now. A nagging feeling reside within her that he won't be bothering to look for her. She can already feel the lump on her throat forming as tears began to form on her small blue eyes.

"I think I had enough, please take me down." She said with her little voice.

The chubby boy with swirly cheeks nodded and held the rope of the swing to slow her down. As soon as the swing stopped, he reached for her small hand and gently helped her off. She stood up, dusting her purple dress.

"Are you ok, Ino?" The boy asked hurriedly noting the disappointed look on her face.

Little Ino nodded and wiped her eyes.

"Let her go, troublesome." A lazy voice drawled out of nowhere, startling the two youngsters.

She turned around and saw a lazy pineapple head boy. He was walking slowly towards her and her captor. A brown cape was draped over his shoulders. His eyes marked the sign of someone who just awoke from a long nap.

The little boy yawned again. "Let her go Chouji." He lifted his right hand and presented him a bag of potato chips. "Here." The boy tossed it over to Chouji, who caught it enthusiastically and nodded.

Ino put her hands on her hips and deeply frowned at the arrival of the lazy boy. "You are late, Shika."

"I'm here now. Troublesome." He put his little arms up under his head and glanced up the sky.

"You are still late." Ino scolded. "Where have you been? What if I'm in danger?" She demandingly asked.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "It's Chouji. You know he won't harm you."

The chubby boy nodded, agreeing with him.

"You are the prince. Prince should not be late." The little girl stomped her feet, impatiently and stuck her tongue out towards the two little boys. Little tears were forming on her eyes as disappointment set in.

She run towards the swing and looked down the ground, not wanting them to see her crying.

Shikamaru and Chouji looked at each other, knowing how upset the little girl was. It was her favorite game after all. And even though she would force them to play the game most of the times, they still gladly join her. She was their friend and they do care for her, even it was troublesome.

"Talked to her." Chouji nudged the little Nara as he munched on his chips.

"Troublesome." He grumbled but complied. He reached inside his pocket and retrieved a small object. It was the reason he was late this afternoon, after all. He closed his small fists and walked towards the little girl.

Ino stirred as a shadow fell over her. When she looked up, she saw Shikamaru held his closed hand at her.

"Here." He said and opened his hand, revealing a small red hair pin. His little face showing a faint blush on his cheeks and he refused to meet her eyes.

Ino rubbed her eyes and smiled. Really surprised with his sweet gesture, she stood up and hugged the little boy.

"Troublesome" The young boy mumbled, blushing even further.

"Thanks Shika!" She smiled happily, as she let him go. She held her hair back and placed the small red pin on her bangs.

He stared at her, and marveled how pretty and happy she was at the moment just by giving her his simple present.

They both stood facing each other, smiling.

It was a perfect day, after all.

"Miss Yamanaka?"

"Miss Yamanaka?" The voice repeated.

"Ino!"

She heard her name and immediately snapped back to reality. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and rounded her eyes to scan her surroundings. The room she was in was small and painted with white. There was an office desk, a small window and one painting.

She was not sure why, but she focused on the painting. It was a colorful drawing of a strawberry field mixed in with flowers of yellow and gold. An empty swing stood lonely, hanging from a tree in the corner of the painting. It is as if the painter wanted the person to swing higher for him to gaze and appreciate the beauty of the field.

This was ironic and peculiar that just mere moment ago she was imagining she was the small kid and she was playing and swaying on the swing.

It was taking her higher and higher.

"Ino?" A gentle woman voice called her back again to the present.

Ino straightened on her seat and turned to the woman sitting behind the desk. The dark haired woman was wearing a white doctor's lab coat. She was far too pretty to be a doctor, she noted. But although her doctor looked like a couple of years older than her, Ino knew that she was already the best in the field. She wouldn't be here if she wasn't and currently she needed her expertise.

She was her friend now, spending more time with her than any of her friends and family for the past year. Really, she was alienating everyone, as Sakura, her best friend angrily pointed out to her last month.

Ino watched the woman quietly as she scanned the thick bunch of papers she was holding. Ino knew the report was completely about her. She fidgeted on her seat from time to time, waiting and expecting. She hated that part.

Then the doctor glanced up and looked at her with a serious expression on her face.

Ino felt her hands became cold.

"First of all, how are you doing?" The doctor asked with a hint of concern on her voice.

Ino remained muted, eyes wandered and nodded. She gently wiped her sweaty hands with her skirt and placed them a little calmly on her lap. Her demeanor remained calm but deep inside she was growing nervous by the seconds. The news that the doctor has can either break her or save her.

"Shizune you can say it to me." She replied, controlling the shakiness creeping up from her voice. All politeness of calling her a doctor gone but then she knew she won't mind.

Shizune stared at her for a while and nodded. "Your lab results are back." She glanced at the papers and gave her an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry."

Ino shifted and closed her eyes. She felt like she had already expected that to be the result.

"How long?" She asked trying to keep her voice neutral. She can already feel her knees shaking and her legs crumbling.

"Ino, there are still procedures we can try. I am here, we can do this together. Don't give up now." Shizune said to her softly. She reached out to touch the blonde woman's arms..

"I know. But how long?" Ino insisted.

Shizune sighed, as a doctor she hated this part but she needed to be honest to her. All doctors do and part of being her friend, too.

"6 months to a year, at best." Shizune replied.

Ino opened her eyes.

The terminal was full of people that day, the same as every day. It was late afternoon, rush hour, the busiest part of the day. Workers, students, husbands, wives, old and young. All of them are going places. From here and then, to back again.

The platinum blonde was sitting quietly at the terminal watching the people go by, observing the life all around her. Her eyes were bloodshot and tired. Her mascara was ruined and her cheeks were tainted with dried tears. But even so, when people look at her she was still someone who is beautiful and gorgeous.

A number of people already turned their head towards her directions. She had been in the terminal since morning, after her appointment with the doctor. They all wondered what a pretty girl like her looking so sad and bewildered. She looked like someone who had taken the weight of the world on her shoulder. They wondered who had made her heart broken. Or if someone from her family died. Or she lost her job.

It was peculiar for someone like her, young and beautiful to be seen as sad and alone, when she could have everything in the world.

Ino ignored most of the stares that she received.

She just continued watching the people all around her. The small children being held by their parents. The elderly walking slowly with their canes. Men in black suits rushing towards their business destinations. Lover and couples, stealing kisses from each other. Group of teenagers hanging out together.

And all the while she was sitting there, she was also writing on the small notebook on her lap. It was her journal for the past year.

A creased appeared on her forehead as she read.

The bucket list, she heard it before. A list of things she would like to do before she hit the bucket. How ironic, that she has one now.

As she scanned it, some were difficult, some were not. The list top priority included telling her parents and Sakura. It shouldn't be that easy she knew. She had alienated herself from them for the past year, so she will need some strategy to help her tell them.

Strategy…

She felt she will also need that. She will need help fulfilling some of her items, especially if she wanted to do them all, before, erm, her time is up. Admittedly, she was not exactly someone who strategized or planned. Before, she just let life dictated where she goes.

She glanced at her list again and sighed. The climbing the Konoha mountain part, will also be difficult since it was currently close to public visitors. She also don't know on where and how to find Sasuke.

Her eyes wandered on the list again and found his name.

It included telling him, her best friend, during childhood. He was a genius, she remembered well, she knew he can help her plan them all, if she could just convinced him.

And who says no to a dying woman, right?

For the first time that day she let out a small smile, a little hope forming on her heart.

She reached for her phone and dialed his number.

The phone rings.

"Ino?" A man's voice answered.

"Shikamaru..."

As promised, this is my new story. Actually, I have just written the prologue yet but I already have drafted the story outline.

Based on Strawberry Swing by Coldplay

I am also thinking of getting a beta, so please anyone interested PM me. J

I hope you all enjoy this, as well as my other stories. I am updating them as well, just see my profile for the updates.