Chapter 19: A Gentle Touch

Ino shot up, surprised that the sun was already sitting high in the sky and that the spot beside her was empty. She glanced at the clock on her bedside, it was already noon, she has slept an awful long time. Ino sighed and got out of bed, then made her way to the bathroom.

She pulled off her pyjamas and jumped into the shower, allowing the droplets to fall down on her skin. She rubbed shampoo into her short blonde hair, then scrubbed her body. After she showered, she pulled on a purple summer dress and brushed her hair. As she moved the brush through her short locks she noticed a small black pattern on her underarm. She frowned and stepped closer to the mirror and investigated the black mark. It looked like a swirl, very much like the red one Konoha shinobi wore on their vests. It was tiny, which explained why she hadn't seen it before, but what was it? Surely it wasn't a tattoo, Ino knew that she would never get a tattoo, and if she ever did, she would not get it under her arm. Ino decided she would ask Naruto as soon as he came home.

Ino made herself some toast and headed for Naruto's study, where she knew a bookcase stood with books that probably belonged to her older-self. She was hoping that she would find something on the Mind Transfer Technique, or anything about her family history that could give her answers about her new theory.

Was it really possible that the technique that caused Ino to appear in her alternate-self, was a Mind Transfer Technique? And if it was, where was her other-self? But of all things she wanted answers to, she wanted to know why she no longer had the urge to stick her finger down her throat. It was almost like her bulimia disappeared into thin air. And she knew that was impossible, bulimia wasn't cured overnight, it was, after all, all in the mind.

Ino pulled out several books and moved to Naruto's desk. She sat down and opened the first one, a thick book with yellowing pages from age. It was filled with diagrams, some she recognised from her training, others she had never seen before. Her older-self had scribbled notes all over the pages. Ino had to admit she was impressed, her other-self was very intelligent.

Ino studied the book for hours, she was so drawn into the notes her other-self had written down that she hadn't even heard the front door open and close.

"What are you doing?" a voice made her jump. Ino looked up, but calmed down when she realised it was Naruto. He was dressed in his standard Jounin attire, his robe long taken off and placed on the coat rack.

"I'm investigating something," Ino admitted. Naruto raised an eyebrow and approached her. He leaned over her to have a look at the book, and Ino couldn't help but feel intimidated by him leaning over her. She berated herself, she slept next to him, surely she should be able to handle standing this close to him!

"Ah, the alternate dimension theory," Naruto grinned, "you were quite curious about that. Locked yourself up in here all the time."

"I did?" Ino asked, knowing Naruto was speaking of her other-self. He nodded and moved away from her.

"Minato will be staying the night with Masashi," Naruto pointed out, "Karin will bring him home tomorrow, then you will go shopping."

"I will?" Ino asked, surprised.

"Karin says you need to get out and explore," Naruto shrugged, "Hinata's going too."

"Great," Ino smiled, suddenly excited.

"You want a fact for the day?" Naruto asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Ino laughed.

"I do actually," Ino grinned, as she crossed her legs, "who's Hatake Kana's mother?"

Naruto was surprised by her question, but then he chuckled. "Shizune."

"No way, really?" Ino asked, shocked.

"Yes, really," Naruto grinned, "we saw it coming, it was quite obvious. Anko wasn't very happy, though."

Ino laughed. She was well-aware of the chemistry that moved around Kakashi and Shizune when they were in the same room together, it was the same in her world too. And she understood the part about Anko too, the wild woman was madly in love with Kakashi, but maybe she was a bit too wild for him.

"Can I ask another question?" Ino asked.

"Sure," Naruto shrugged, it wasn't like there were any ground rules about the arrangement they made.

"What do you think will happen when I go back?" Ino asked in a whisper. Naruto's eyes widened. He had never thought about the consequences that the strange transfer was to bring. Sure, he knew the future or past could change, perhaps, but he still wasn't sure about the nature of the events either, so what really waited for them on the other side of the bridge?

"I don't know," Naruto replied, "I really don't know."

"I have another problem," Ino whispered again, this time much softer than before.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, noticed the worry on his wife's face. How he wished he could step up and pull her close to him.

"I...how do I put this...I'm...I'm bulimic," Ino confessed, ashamed.

"Oh," Naruto's voice was crestfallen, "do you want me to...contact a doctor?"

"No," Ino replied, too quickly to her liking, "I'm supposed to be bulimic. Ever since the transfer I have not felt the compulsion to overeat or vomit on purpose. In fact, the thought of sticking my finger down my throat is almost disgusting."

Naruto sighed in relief. "So? What's the problem then?"

"Bulimia doesn't heal overnight!" Ino shrieked. Naruto stepped back, surprised at her outburst. He sighed and stepped closer to her, reached out and pulled her against him. He knew he was possibly overstepping a boundary, but he could feel she needed comfort.

"I'm sure nothing is wrong," Naruto whispered soothingly into her ear.

"What if the transfer did something to me? What if I'm a completely different person now? What if your wife...your real wife is suffering now? What if she's dead?"

Naruto's grip tightened, causing Ino to swallow her words. Naruto closed his eyes and inhaled his wife's sweet scent. He knew the woman in his arms was only his wife in body, not in spirit, but they felt so similar, so alike, it was frightening. He cared about her, and he did not like the fact that she was so afraid.

"I'm sure everything is fine," Naruto soothed her, "I'm sure that your other-self is out there somewhere, safe and working on a way to find her way back too."

"I'm sorry," Ino sobbed. Naruto pulled away just enough to see Ino's face. A lonesome tear ran down her cheek and he wiped it away.

"Don't cry," Naruto grinned, "big girls don't cry."

"I'm just very emotional right now."

"I know."

With thirty-seven-year-old Ino...

Ino tossed and turned in the early hours of the morning, but the pain in her head would not subside. She sighed and stood up, a sudden wave if nausea hitting her. Surprised, Ino moved to the bathroom, in hopes that she didn't actually have to lean over the toilet bowl and puke her guts out.

Luck wasn't on her side.

Ino groaned and washed her mouth, then she stumbled downstairs. It was barely six o' clock, so everyone was still asleep. She poured herself a glass of water and sipped on it slowly. She sat down in the living room and pulled a blanket over her, the early morning freshness being a bit too chilly for her liking.

When she finished her water, she lay down again and closed her eyes. Sleep did not come back. After an hour, Ino stood up again and went to the toilet. After she flushed the toilet, she stripped and climbed into the shower. As she rubbed soap on her arms she realised her breasts were surprisingly sensitive when she brushed against them. Confused, Ino looked down.

They were swollen.

She blinked, then it hit her. But it couldn't be...could it? Alarmed, Ino jumped out of the shower and rushed to her room where she hurriedly got dressed. After she made sure she looked presentable, she dashed out of the house, apple in hand and ran towards where she assumed the Nara family lived.

When she knocked on the door, she prayed it was the right house.

When the door opened, she knew she was at the right place. No one could look so dishevelled in the morning. Shikamaru was not a morning person. Shikamaru yawned.

"Ino? What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to ask you a very strange question," Ino said quickly, causing her friend to frown, "do you know if I am a virgin?"

Shikamaru would have choked had he been drinking at that very moment. He stared at his team mate, suddenly very alarmed. He was convinced it was a joke, but her expression was so serious...

"Uh...as far as I know you are," Shikamaru muttered.

"Are you positive?" Ino asked.

"Yes," Shikamaru stated, "you have been with a few boys, but none of them were serious enough for sex."

"Okay," Ino sighed, "who was my last conquest again?"

Shikamaru was giving her an odd look. Ino knew she was probably giving a lot away, but she had to discover the truth and soon. If she was pregnant, she had to be sure which Ino the mother was, and then figure out how on earth pregnancy was drawn into this complicated situation. Was it even possible for her to carry her pregnancy with her from another body? Clearly there might be a lot more dangers to Five Dimensions to Heaven than she bargained for.

"Ino," Shikamaru sighed, "I doubt you are pregnant."

Ino's eyes widened. She should have known he would deduce that was why she was questioning him, he was far too smart for his own good.

"I don't know, Shikamaru," Ino trailed off. What was she supposed to say?

"How about I take you to the hospital?" Shikamaru offered. Ino nodded slowly. Yes, that was a good idea. Shikamaru sighed, "So much for sleeping in. Wait in the living room while I get dressed."

Sakura returned with a series of documents tucked under arm, he face drawn into a frown. Ino knew that look, Sakura was confused. Sakura put the papers down on the desk and sat down opposite Ino.

"Well," Sakura started, but trailed off, as if trying to gather her thoughts, "your assumption was correct, you are pregnant."

Ino sat in silence. Oh hell. Now what was going to happen?

Sakura seemed just as shocked and lost. "I guess congratulations are in order."

Ino smiled weakly. Sakura took the documents and flipped through them until she found a green-coloured one. She scanned over it, then looked up into Ino's eyes.

"Something is bothering me, Ino," Sakura admitted.

"What is it?" Ino asked.

"I had a look at your chakra system," Sakura explained, "and it is disrupted. Almost like you are under a genjutsu. I've sensed this oddity around you for awhile now."

Ino bit her lip. Her chakra was disrupted? What did that mean? "Is that a problem?"

"Yes," Sakura nodded, "it means that it could be harmful to the baby. Your chakra flow is not normal and therefore almost none is travelling to your uterus. I'm worried that the lack of chakra to assist with the development of the foetus could cause problems."

Ino paled. This was not good. "What do you suggest we do?"

Sakura sighed. "I don't know. I've never encountered something like this before. I'll talk to the Hokage, but she might have to do research. But we will find a solution, I promise."

Ino nodded.

"Meanwhile," Sakura changed the subject, "I would like for you to take this information package and read it. It tells you everything about the forty or so weeks of pregnancy and labour." Sakura handed a booklet over, which Ino took, knowing she didn't actually need it. She's had two children before and she was a trained medic. Nevertheless, she knew Sakura was giving it to her for ease of mind.

"I'll need to take vitamins too," Ino stated. Sakura nodded.

"You're taking this awfully well," Sakura pointed out.

Ino smiled weakly and nodded. Being told she was pregnant was not a foreign concept. The only thing that worried her was the fact that this wasn't her actual body. And to make things worse, she knew nothing of what the transfer could do to the unborn child. What if she miscarried, or if the baby was born with a deformity? She would love it to bits, no matter how malformed the baby might be, but it still worried her.

And what on earth would happen if she swapped back with her other-self and left the poor unsuspecting sixteen-year-old pregnant?

When Ino returned home, she headed straight for the pantry and pulled out as much food as she could. Then she collapsed on the couch and devoured everything her eyes could set on. Afterwards, she sat back and sighed. She still could not understand why she was having the bulimic tendencies of her other-self. Clearly it was a malfunction, a negative side effect of the transfer, but Ino had always believed she had a strong-will. Surely a petty disorder such as bulimia could not overpower her?

Ino stood up and headed for the bathroom where she relieved herself. When she flushed the toilet, she scolded herself for wasting such good food. She really needed to see a doctor about the bulimia, the sooner she got over this, the better. She had another to feed now.

With that going through her mind, she suddenly froze in realisation. Could it be that the baby was actually hers? That she was pregnant with the child she had conceived with Naruto before the transfer? It seemed feasible, she did end up with the other Ino's bulimia, perhaps the baby travelled with her. The thought made Ino nauseous. She knew the dangers of Five Dimensions to Heaven. She knew that it was dangerous, that it could harm, that's why it had been labelled forbidden. Horror pitted in Ino's stomach.

What if the transfer killed the baby? No, Sakura would have noticed that. So the baby lives...but was it really out of danger? And if she were to reverse the technique, would the baby be safe in her real body?

Ino collapsed on the ground and buried her head in her hands. What was she going to do? Everything had just gotten very complicated.

Meanwhile with sixteen-year-old Ino...

Karin knocked on the door the next morning just after ten. Ino opened the door and allowed the red head inside, followed by Minato who was smiling widely.

"Hello mama!" Minato exclaimed as he threw himself into Ino's arms. She smiled and hugged her son tightly. He was so small, so warn and fragile. She loved him to bits. Karin watched with a smile on her face. Minato gave his mother a kiss, then ran upstairs to his room.

"He's a real Uzumaki that boy," Karin chuckled, "full of energy."

Ino smiled. "So...shopping?"

"Yep," Karin nodded as she made her way to the kitchen and sat down at the dining table. Ino watched amazed at how comfortable Karin made herself. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Ino answered.

"Good," Karin nodded, "your chakra is still disrupted, but at least you haven't fainted yet."

"Tea?" Ino offered. Karin nodded, not bothered by the fact that Ino had changed the subject. Just as the kettle started boiling, another knock came from the front door. Ino knew it was Hinata, so she opened the door without hesitation and invited her best friend inside. The two moved to the kitchen. Hinata sat down, while Ino prepared the tea.

"How is your sex life, Hinata?" Karin asked, no embarrassment present in her tone. Hinata blushed bright red, while Ino bit her lip. Now this was awkward. Ino joined the two ladies at the table with three cups of tea.

"Uh...alright," Hinata finally answered.

"Alright? Is that it? Geez, is Gaara not satisfying you or something?" Karin asked. Hinata's blush deepened.

"N-no...I didn't say that," Hinata muttered. Karin laughed.

"I'm pulling your leg," Karin chuckled as she took a sip of tea, "Oh, I'm pregnant again by the way."

Ino and Hinata's eyes widened in surprise. "Congratulations," they said together. Karin thanked them, then muttered something about an overly fertile Sasuke under her breath. Hinata giggled.

"I think you're the more fertile one," Hinata stated, a devious glint in her eyes. Ino watched in amazement, she's never seen Hinata look like that! Karin raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" Karin asked, surprised.

"Well...Uzumaki clan members are known for having very strong sources of life. Don't you think that would include making babies too?" Hinata asked, wiggling her eyebrows. Ino burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Hinata was being devious! She wished she had a camera.

Karin blushed. "J-just because I'm from the Uzumaki clan doesn't mean I can make lots of babies! Where did you get that absurd idea from?"

Ino stopped laughing and stared at Karin, surprised.

"You're an Uzumaki?" Ino asked, flabbergasted.

"Was," Karin corrected, "but yes, I am from the Uzumaki clan."

Ino could not believe it. Right here before her sat a possible relative of Naruto. Well, they were probably only distantly related, but they were related nonetheless. The thought made Ino smile. Naruto had somebody else in the world, someone who shared his name. Or well, did, she was an Uchiha now.

After they finished their tea, the three women headed out to the shops. They popped in at a few accessory stores, but did not buy anything. After that, they decided to spend some time at a clothing store. The store Karin and Hinata led Ino too was small and cosy, with colourful garments hanging from metal racks. The scent of vanilla hung in the air.

Karin spotted a purple dress and was already in the fitting rooms to try it on. Hinata was browsing through a small collection of maternity wear, while Ino looked through the sun dresses. She finally found a baby blue one with white flower prints. She ran her fingers over the soft fabric, mesmerized by the dress's simplicity. How could something so simple, be so beautiful?

A sudden force snapped through her. Ino stumbled backwards, her stomach churning. She dropped the dress, the hanger clanging on the wooden floor, which alarmed Hinata. Ino grabbed the first rack she could find and leaned forward. She felt like she was going to vomit and her palms were sweaty. Another strong force shot through her, this time painful. The pain settled in her back. Ino closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like her throat was tight.

And then she saw it. A flash. It was quick, so quick she barely saw it, but it was there. An image. She saw it, she saw herself, well, her older-self, holding a small bundle in pink in her arms. Ino at first thought it was a dream, but when another image, clearer this time flashed through her mind she knew it was real. She saw the baby's eyes.

It was Kaguya.

Hinata placed her hand on Ino's shoulder. "Are you alright, Ino?"

"Yes," Ino breathed, tears flowing down her cheeks, "I just saw something. A memory."

"You did?" Hinata asked, alarmed, "What did you see?"

Ino turned around, the tears still flowing, to look into her best friend's eyes. "I saw my daughter's first time in my arms."