Naruto 1. Prologue

**Okayyyyyy. I know what majority of you guys are thinking. Why'd she restarted it!? It wasn't because of the lack of reviews, it wasn't because I was tired of not having time to update, it was because it wasn't flowing right, it wasn't moving at the right pace. It was going extremely too fast. So i'm sorry, but its going to take even longer to find out what's wrong with our lovable Temari. :p Just wait and be patient. Track is indeed taking a lot out of me, so forgive me as such...  
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**I dont own this idea of Naruto and the ninjas and stuff, but i own the plot of htis story. ENjoy!

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Prologue

"I command all those who have advanced to the finals for the third level of the chunin exams," Gekkou Hayate said in his dull, monotonic voice. Everyone was surrounding him, the Third Hokage, and Anko in a semi circle. "Well, there's one person missing, but still, congraduations."

Everyone was silent at his words, trying to remain that way. The felt the field crumble at the feet each time they shifted their weight from not only the Rock Lee vs. Gaara battle, but also the debri Choji's Human Boulder had produced.

Indeed this day was not like many. So many different techniques and styles had been released at this point in time. The mysterious Gaara's powerful gourd, Kankuro's abilities with his puppets, Dosu's sound waves, Naruto's amazing luck, Neji's Byuakugan. Shikamaru's shadows and even Temari's wind controlling ability with her fan.

Shikamaru's eyes wandered over to her briefly, recognizing her slight masculine nature and her rough and rugged outlook. She seemed to be the type of female that didn't care about her outlook. She was the exact opposite of Ino on certain ideas on carrying herself.

Her blonde hair was definitely not platinum like Ino's either. It was a sandier color, more natural looking and she didn't have this bright, random eyes. They were a deep emerald green, sort of an envious dark color.

Next he looked at her skin. It looked tougher, a lot tougher on her arms and hands, but her face looked softer with a few uneven tones. _Ehh. To be expected. She lives in the desert. Sleep on the wrong side and you've gotten half baked. _But it wasn't as bad as he normally would have thought.

Her clothes were a pale purple. Odd choice in his opinion considering he expected more earthy, darker colors of her. The fishnets were just as surprising. Even though she seemed to have a tough exterior, she didn't mind showing off a little skin, being a little more feminine.

_She's got wayy too much body to be twelve like the rest of us...how old is she? _he wondered as he averted his eyes back to Gekkou. So many thoughts were going through his mind. Not to mention she was the only female actually competing in the final exam. That's what caught his attention.

_Pwwt. Women. No use._ His eyes wondered back to the third to make sure that he wouldn't miss out on anything else while he was standing there. He wasn't going to be the idiot who would ask him to repeat because he was asking mental questions about some female he would probably never see again in his life.

At the tip of his hat, the Third Hokage smirked a sneaky, mischevious smirk that made everyone's minds ponder momentarily on what he was thinking. He had something in store for everyone who was participating.

"And now, I will begin the explination of the final rounds," he said with a slightly excited tone. Anyone could tell that the old man was an eager one just as the rest of them were. The silence was excruiating to their minds at the anxiety they each began to produce.

To pass the time, Temari's deep green eyes slowly pass by all the ninjas that surrounded her. First she came to Dosu, the mummifed little bastard that seemed to have no end to his life. Someone just needed to take it and get it over with. She passed her eyes over to Kankuro as he caught her gaze and rolled his own eyes before looking back at the third. Then there was Gaara. She only hoped he wouldn't look at her or notice her looking at him. She shuddered at the thought of those icy eyes digging into the depths of her soul.

She decided to look at the Konoha nin and first it came down to Naruto. All she could do was mentally rolled her eyes at his ignorance. At least he wasn't ranting all over the place. She passed the one known as Shino and shuddered. She hated bugs, the disgusting little things. She then passed her eyes through Neji, mentally wondering why such a cold person had to be so pretty, shrugging to herself. Then it came down the the one named Shikamaru. For some reason, he was different. He wasn't loud or obnoxious, or prim or proper, or just even silent and kinda creepy. He looked normal compared to the others.

_Gosh...look at him. He's a twig. Why's he so scrawny? _She asked herself in a slightly disgusted tone. _Does he not eat or something? Go swallow a cow or two. I hope he's not anorexic..._

She was drawn to notice his stance. It wasn't straight or scraggly, but it was still slightly slumped like he didn't want to raise his shoulders while his hands were stuffed in his pockets like he didn't know what to do with them.

_Earrings? Oh yes, your such a manly man,_ she thought to herself as she noticed the earrings in each of his ears. His hair looked like he just pulled it back because he didn't know what he wanted to do with it. It looked really thick from where she was standing. I_ would not dare to attack __**that **__with a comb. It looks like it would snap it in two!_

His skin looked like a baby's, probably because he was still growing older. _He's only twelve, Gaara's skin still looks like that, _she admitted as she looked at his clothing. It wasn't tight, but it was enough to show the fact that he had a small torso. _Is he wearing a fishnet? That thing is a jacket!? _She held her surprise in as she looked at his baggy cargo pants and looked back at his upper body. _Jeez!_ Suddenlt she decided to look at his piercing hawkeyes. They were drawn to her as she gazed into them. They were brown and intense almost like it was trying to intimidate people without him noticing.

They're...really nice... she admitted to herself. She almost lost it when those eyes were directed towards her, and caught then before she could look away. They both just looked at each other for a brief second before realizing what they were doing and snatching their eyes from one another's clutches.

_I can't believe I just did that, _they both thought in unison. To everyone else around though, no one seemed to have noticed their eye version of footsy, not even for a moment. They both decided to toss it away and leave it for no one to find out. They attention was yanked by the string when they heard the elderly Hokage speak.

"In the final rounds, each of you will put your battle skills on display," He explained. "You'll demonstrate the power and control that you've acheived in your respective disciplines. Accordingly the final rounds will commence one month from now."

"Wait, we're not going to do it right here and now?" Naruto asked with a rude tone that sounded like he didn't like the idea of waiting. Temari rolled her eyes unnoticeably and Shikamaru just shook his head at his aquantaince's reaction.

"This is to provide a suitable period of preparation," he explained to the boy who he seemed to have favored. His bad manners went unpunished to the man. Neji's eyebrow seemed to have quirked, showing a sign of curiousity.

"What do you mean by that?" he questioned. _His voice is a lot deeper than expected. Isn't he like thirteen? These kids are young...what the hell are they doing in the Chunin Exams? _Temari asked herself in annoyance. Suddenly she felt like she was being challenged and her mood went downhill.

_Mr. Perfection doesn't understand? Wow, this is actually something unexpected for once. I coulda sworn a prodigy would challenge himself by attempting to answer questions he didn't know himself,_ Shikamaru scoffed in his mind.

"Simply this. In addition to announcing the conclusion of the preliminary matches to each country's leaders, we must also have some time to prepare and distrubute the summons for the final selection. Not to mention that you examinees are going to need time to prepare for something this important," he explained as Kankuro's weight shifted slightly, only enough for the sand siblings to notice.

_Uh-oh, Kankuro's starting to get anxious. You better hurry up old man, I don't wanna hear his mouth when we get back to the inn. You really don't have to deal with him, I do,_ Temari mentally said with a slight movement of her foot as if it were to be a tap of impatience.

"Look, don't really get what you're trying to say. What's the point of this?" he asked in an annoyed tone as Temari decided it was over. He was going to whine and bitch the whole month away like she expected._ Baby brothers are pains in the ass..._

"I mean, that to know your adversaries and prepare yourselves, you will need time. Even though up to the this point all of the battles have been real battles, as i'm sure you can all atest. They were conducted on the premise that you were fighting an unknown enemy, but that is no longer the case now that you battle each other," he explained as Shikamaru's eyes darted towards Gaara.

_Yeah...Seriously. I would have never dreamed that this guy could turn sand into a weapon, _he admitted to himself. The way he had taken down Rock Lee had amazed everyone, even though Lee was an amazing fighter as well. No one would have thought that what was in that gourd was sand. Not if you hadn't already seen him attack the person before.

"So in order to make the finals fair and just, we're giving you this month, each of you must embrace the opportunity to practice hard and learn some new tricks. Because by now, everyone knows your techniques, so using your old tricks is a sure way to lose in the finals. And be sure to get some rest as well," he added.

_Gosh, this guy is long winded. If was as impatient as Kankuro, I would have already started yelling and acting as stupid as Naruto... _Temari said with an exasperated thought. She wanted to sigh, but she being the eldest of the siblings she had to at least uphold the respect if Gaara and Kankuro didn't.

"Now with all of that behind us, I'd like to begin winding things up,. But before we can bring this to the end, first there is one more important matter to take care of for the final round," he decided. At least his tone starts to sound like it concluding. For God sakes, I need to go home and take a nap.

"Let's get on with it! I mean, come on! How long do we have to wait before we start training?" Naruto nagged. Everyone at this point had gotten over his factor and started to ignore him just as Temari's eyes wandered towrads Shikamaru again. He wasn't looking back at her, thankfully to save her the embarassment but he was looking very intense, more than last time. Probably from impatience as well as everyone else...

"In a calm, orderly fashion, all of you are going to take one slip of paper from the box that Anko is holding," he explained as Anko stepped forward with a brown box with a hole in it big enough to put your hand in. No one had a chance to move, she sort of barked an order.

"Everyone stay where you are, I'll come to you," she behested as she started at the end of the line, everyone taking a slip of paper. "Just take one."

"Good, now everyone has one. Going from left to right, tell me the number that is written on your slip of paper," Ibiki stated as everyone seemed to just wonder where this situation was going and what direction it was heading in.

"I've got eight," Dosu drawled.

"Number one of course," Naruto said in a sarcasmic tone.

"Seven," Temari simply stated.

"Five," Kankuro muttered.

"Three," Gaara whispered in a morbid tone.

"Nine," Shikamaru dragged.

"Two," Neji said properly.

"Six," Shino mumbled.

"And that means that Sasuke will be number four," Ibiki stated obviously as the Third acknowledged.

"Very good. Now I'm going to tell you about how the final selection tournament is going to work," the third finally decided as everyone realized that they had been pulled into what was going to be a tournament.

"Ehhh?" Naruto exclaimed in disbelief as Temari looked at Shikamaru when he spoke, pointing out what the point of the numbers were for.

"Is that what these numbers are for? Drawing lots?" He wasn't answered, Sarutobi acted like no one had responded and like Shikamaru didn't even ask the question. His blood boiled up a notch at the feeling of being ignored, even by the Third Hokage.

"Ibiki, you may reveal which ninja have been paired up," he commanded in a respectful tone. Ibiki nodded as he finished scribbling down everyone's names on the paper he held on the clipboard.

"Yes sir."

He turned it around and everyone's eyes lit up in utter surprise at the one who they would be faced to go against. The first four rounds were already planned. If Ino and Sakura hadn't had a double knock out it would have been an easier matter.

Everyone's eyes were first drawn to Naruto and Neji. Naruto was going to have to train hard to beat Neji. He was not only a prodigy, but he was an amazingly exceptional fighter when it came to Hyuga Style Taijutsu. Everyone was waiting for that match.

Then there was Gaara vs. Sasuke. Not only were they wondering if Sasuke would be able to get well and ready enough for the fight of his life, but Gaara, who seemed to always stay at ease and always had sand fight for him seemed eager for his match.

Then it was Kankuro vs. Shino. Kankuro rolled his eyes, realizing that he had to fight this bug guy. He was feeling like he had been let off easy, but not easy enough. The Shikamaru kid would have been an easy match.

And he had to fight Dosu. Shikamaru that is. Everyone's own thoughts flew through their minds at the sight of the sheet of paper that held their chances of becoming a Chunin.

_Is that all the final rounds are? A stupid tournament? For the love of Kami, they could at least try and be original with how they plan on doing this sorta thing. Plus, I don't even know who my opponent is technically. I'm going to have to find ways to maneuver around sound and shadows._

_Shadows..._ Her eyes glanced towards Shikamaru not once, not twice, not even three times, but at least four for the day. he didn't look that excited either. He had just as much work to do as she did and he had to fight back to back if he won. Her eyes faced towards the front again, hoping to get that little scrawny punk out of her mind. What was up with her? It was just something...different about him...

_I have to fight an extra round? I'll probably be expected to redeem Choji's loss. Like that'll work. If I use all my chakra trying to beat down the Sound Village guy, I'm going to be completely burned out when I fight Temari. If I win..._

Temari... his eyes averted towards her again, looking at her reaction. She showed no physical outlook on how she felt about the whole thing, other than a little agitated. Then again everyone was, her green eyes were trying hard to stay focused forward for some reason. _She's fourteen. No, thirteen. No, she's gotta be at least fifteen...God, three years? _

Shaking his thoughts from his head realizing that everyone was working up the ladder. Sudden a thought come upon him and he felt the need to ask it for the sake of everyone else, even if he was the only one who noticed.

"May I ask you a question?" Shikamaru spoke up as Sarutobi nodded. "If this is a tournament, does that mean there's only going to be one winner? I mean, is only one of us going to be able to become a Chunin then?"

Temari's eyes shot a glance and then she began to wonder._ I didn't think of it that way...That would be the case wouldn't it? I mean, the whole eliminating everyone idea._

"Actually, it's quite the contrary. There's going to be several judges for the final round, including myself, the Shinobi Leaders, the Kazekage and the other Lords of the countries who will be assigning your missions to you," he explained as Naruto's head began to bob up and down like he knew what was going on. "Through this tournament, these judges will be able make a thorough evaluation of your abilities. They will then decide if any or all of you possess the qualities required of a Chunin. Even if someone loses the first round, they can still become a Chunin."

"So there's a chance that everyone of us who competes in the final selections could be aa Chunin?" Temari asked to clear up everything as the elderly man nodded.

"Correct. But there's also the possibility that none of you become a Chunin. The advantage in fighting more rounds in the tournament is a way of displaying more of your talents to persuade the judges who decide your fate," he answered to Temari. His gaze was then transfered to the Shadow Possessor. "Does that answer your question, Shikamaru?"

He didn't respond outloud, and he avoided the eyes of his village leader. _This is probably the biggest pain ever. I'm pretty sure of it. This is too much work. In front of everyone, the Shinobi leaders, the proctors...I'm starting to wonder if this is even worth it..._

"I thank you all for your patience. Now let us adjourn until next month."

Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari all walked out of the arena together, heading onto the dirt road. The tunnel they travelled to opened up into the bright sunny outer way with a small river near by. Kankuro let out an annoyed groan.

"That old man had me standing so long I thought my feet would snap off my ankles," he complained as Temari rolled her eyes. She took a peek at Gaara and saw his usual morbid look, his eyes straight head.

"Shut up, you moron. You act like your the only one who was standing. We all were dealing with it, get over yourself," Temari muttered as Kankuro shot her a glare and actually did be quiet. They saw the lazy bum down the road, sitting in a peach tree, about to doze off.

"And look at this guy..." Kankuro muttered as Temari stopped while her brothers continued on. She looked at him, his eyes shut and his chest rising as he breathed and released air. His face looked peaceful, content...even...

"Temari? What are you doing? Get over here!" Kankuro called as Temari's gaze averted to her younger brother who had stopped. Gaara had kept walking like he didn't care whether they went back to the hotel or not. Kankuro approached her, backtracking his previous steps and stopped in front of him.

"We need to go ahead and get to the hotel. The sooner we're there, the sooner Baki can go ahead and get these stupid instructions down," he sneered as Temari slapped him in the back of the head before pointing an evil finger at Shikamaru.

"Are you stupid? Mentally retarded? Do you not see this Leaf Genin here? God, Kankuro!" she scolded as he grabbed his head in pain and swung a length of curses. That abrupted the Shadow Posessor from his deep slumber. Forgetting where he was he tried to turn over but it only caused him to fall from the tree on his face.

Kankuro found that to be one of the most hilarious things to ever happen in his life. He couldn't stop laughing as Temari scoffed and rolled her eyes. From where he was, it had to have hurt him. Pushing his body up, he stood and dusted himself off, a icy glare in his eyes and a scowl on his face.

"That had to have hurt...you okay, kid?" she asked in a tone that made it sound like she wasn't sure if she was honestly worried about him. He just gave her a look of annoyance as he slinked off somewhere else. Temari shoved Kankuro, stopping his laughter long enough for him to look at her like she had broken his puppets.

"What the hell? Why'd you push me?" he asked, his voice edging towards a yell.

"That fall could have broken that kid's neck! You shouldn't be laughing like that!" she yelled, beating him to the tone before he could make it. He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Since when do you care? You barely care about me or Gaara's wellbeing, why for a stranger who's ass your going to eventually kick?" Kankuro asked with a slight bit of curiousity in his tone. "You like the little snot, don't you?"

Temari's cheeks flared up from the sudden question and how her younger brother had blurted it out so easily. She shook her head frantically, trying to convince her brother that he had the wrong idea before he started to howl with laughter all over again.

"No, I don't!"

"You probably just wanna bang him, don't you? Come on, Temari, taking little boy's virginities is morally wrong, you know better!" Kankuro teased as her cheeks continued to grow a darker red each passin moment.

"Kankuro, that's disgusting! He's friggin' twelve years old! I was just worried about him! You heard the old man! he said that you need more fights to get promoted!" she pointed out as Kankuro's laughter stopped and he looked at her.

"You can't be serious. You know why we're here. Not to become Chunin, but-"

"I know, I know. Aren't I supposed to be the one who reminds you?" she asked as Kankuro started down the road, throwing his hand up telling her that he wasn't listening any longer. Sighing, she started to follow him but turned around and remembered the direction Shikamaru had gone in.

Am I really about to do this...?

"Kankuro!" he stopped once more after letting out an exasperated groan of impatience. Temari's eyes cut at his as he turned around and folded his arms across his chest.

"For God sakes what?" he asked in an agitated tone.

"I've gotta...go pick up some medicine from the medical corp. Just something for a headache, I'm getting one," she fibbed as he sighed and nodded before turning around and started down the road.

"I'll be sure to tell Baki. Gaara's already left me, so I've gotta catch up with him. I'll see you back at the room, okay?" Kankuro told her as she nodded before she turned around and started towards the direction of Shikamaru.

"Why the hell am I doing this?" she asked herself aloud as if she was talking to someone else. A figure jumped down in front of her, catching her off guard, thankfully not enough to make her scream, but her to back away with a kunai between her fingers.

"Why are you doing this?" She saw that it was the one she had been attempting to follow. Shikamaru Nara, was standing directly in front of her, his hands shoved in his pockets. "Why were you following me?"

"I uh, I, you need go the infirmary. You might have hurt your neck or collarbone from that fall-"

"You don't even know yourself do you? Just curiosity. No way you would care about me. If you get rid of me, that makes life so much easier in the tournament," he pointed out as she bit her lip. She really had no excuse for trailing the kid...

"I was heading back to the Medical nin inside to ask for something to cure my headache that's coming on," she said, reusing the lie she had told her younger brother. "I thought you were heading that way because you fell. I don't know exactly where it is."

There was a silence between them as Shikamaru sighed and turned around, pointing her down the road. Her surprise was not shown. He actually believed that fib?

"Go down that road until you come to a fork. Then split to the right and you'll see the building for the Konoha Hospital. Show them your passport into the city and they'll give you some asprin," he explained before turning around.

"W-wait!" He stopped and looked at her, his eyes piercing through hers.

"What now?"

"You're not going to the hospital? You might want to check your body out before you start training," she offered as advice as he shrugged and turned around.

"I really don't care. This is too much work to be premoted. If I do get promoted, I'm gonna stay a Chunin for a long time," he mumbled as he kept walking. She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"Everything's not easy in life, you know. You have to put as much work and effort in as you can. Especially if you're going to fight me AND be promoted to Chunin," she said in an arrogant tone. Shikamaru scoffed without even turning around before he started to walk. She sped up to walk at his pace.

"God, you sound just like my mother. Put a quirk in it. And I'm tired of fighting all these girls. I think you should get you techniques in and let Dosu win," Shikamaru stated in his opinion. Temari's jaw dropped. This sexist little bastard!

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked in a heated tone as the corners of Shikamaru's mouth went up into a smirk.

"That females are a drag. You're no different. You just made a move my mother would. 'Everything's not easy in life.' 'Put as much work and effort in as you can.'," he mocked as her teeth started to grit together. "And plus, I refuse to lose to a girl. At least get beaten down like one like you did that Tenten girl."

"Who do you think your talking to, you little scrawny punk!?" she yelled as she grabbed the collar of his shirt, yanking him towards her. His piercing hazel eyes were digging through her emerald green ones.

"Temper, temper. Everyone else knows I'm this nature towards women. I get it from my father. Not to mention I believe in chivalry in plenty of ways. I believe women should stay at home where they need to be," he admitted as Temari's hands balled up in a fist. "You know, you should learn to keep your anger under control if you plan on being a Kunoichi. I know someone who could turn your brain to mush if she saw you right now."

Temari released him with a shove as he stumbled backwards, catching himself before he lost his balance to an extent to fall down. Putting her hands on her hips, she leaned in with a mischevious smile.

"You mean that blondie, anorexic, girlfriend of yours?" as his eyes seemed to harden at her words. She saw his reaction and let out a laugh.

"She's not my girlfriend," he stated in a whispery tone. She poked his chest hard with her index finger as if she was taunting him. He slapped her hand away, but it didn't seem to offend her.

"You love her and you know it! It's really sad, ya know. She's more interested in that Uchiha to notice you. And you actually want to give up," she teased as his hands balled up into fists at her words. "Maybe it'd be a lot better off if she led you on for a while and then smash! Your heart in pieces!"

"Shut your trap, you got it!" he yelled as the sound of the wind blowing against the trees stopped the silence from overwhelming them. She smiled sinisterly as Shikamaru avoided her eyes in hope to regain his composure. She had dared mess with a part of him that he found a touchy subject.

"You talk about me having a temper? You don't even have the guts to admit to-"

"I don't love Ino!" he interrupted before he could stop himself. "I care about her, but I don't love her! Love is a stupid word to used as an excuse to take that one person who you want no one else to have before your friggin' selfish." Temari frowned at his explanation for the word that she longed for.

"Who stepped on your roses? Love is supposed to be the most powerful emotion in the world. You must not know how it feels to be loved, do you?" she questioned in a serious tone. Shikamaru's teeth gritted together.

"And what the hell do you know about love?" he yelled back, his pulse starting to speed up. "Everyone knows that your little brother is a demon from hell with that kind of murderous intent! It's obvious that your other brother doesn't love him, much less you!"

Temari's hand met his face fast before he could speak anymore, her own temper now sparked. Her eyes were glossier than before, showing she had been tearing up, but her eyes themselves showed anger. Shikamaru realized that he hit a bad spot, possibly worse than his own.

"You don't know anything about us Sabaku Siblings! Even if you did you wouldn't be able to understand! Gaara's...a big impact, and it something you have to get over. I don't see why a pompous, pious, sexist little child would understand that," she seethed before she turned around, stomping back towards the hotel.

He dared to call Gaara a demon from hell, to say that she and Kankuro didn't love him. _He wouldn't be the way he was if he actually had a choice. And I do love both of my brothers...even Gaara..._ she reminded herself.

Shikamaru knew that even though he couldn't see her face, he just knew that she was probably more pissed off than she had in her life. He felt guilt wash over him as he leaned against the wall, taking his face in his hands.

They were not on good terms to start with.

Shikamaru chased after her, realizing that he had hit a bad spot. She was a girl and he knew that she hurt by his words that he had just slung so easily. Something told him deep down that her brothers were almost literally all she had to say as her family.

"Hey, Temari! Temari!" She stopped and turned around, recognizing the voice, except this time it had a different tone to it. She had her hands balled up into fists and a deep urge to punch him till he bled.

"What the hell do you want?" she seethed, her hands on her hips in an impatient fashion. Shikamaru cringed slightly. The wrath of this woman was unlike any other he had to deal with...

"Look, I realized what you said and what I said...and your right. I really don't know anything about your family and what you guys have to deal with, especially not Gaara. I apologize," he asked as he held out a hand for forgiveness.

Temari swallowed a lump in her throat, feeling it disperse just enough for her to clear her throat, realizing that the apology he was giving was truly sincere. Sure he was a smart ass and sexist, but he was a gentleman enough to admit that he was wrong, proving that he believed chivalry.

She took his hand in hers and shook it firmly, giving him a weak smile that turned into a brighter one, making Shikamaru know that he really did make her feel a lot better.

"You're really not that bad. Thanks a lot," she whispered as he let go, smiling at her reaction. The moment between them as of right now was pretty good, very positive as if it was meant that way at the moment. Her sandy blonde hair blowing gently, her deep green eyes shining from the sun falling to the west. His hawkeyes staring deeply into her own...almost like establishing a connection.

"SHIKAMARU!" he slapped his forehead and turned seeing the platinum blonde known as Ino appeared down the road and he let out a groan at her appearance. Temari felt a tinge of jealousy as she watched the girl appear beside him.

"What are you doing? You know Asuma-Sensei said that we were going to meet at the barbeque shop so we can reward Choji!" she scolded in her high-pitched voice. Temari let out a slight giggle as Shikamaru smirked.

"What's he being rewarded for again?" Temari whispered for only Shikamaru to hear. He laughed as he shrugged. Ino's icy blue eyes flashed towrads Temari as she looked at her up and down as if she was trying to figure out why she was looking the way she was.

"Oh. You're that...Sand Genin girl," she stated shortly as she looked back at Shikamaru. "Why are you socializing with the enemy? Don't you have to fight her in a month?"

"What's wrong with having a word or two? Get over yourself, Ino," Shikamaru said in response as Temari started to laugh, but hid it with a snicker before she covered her mouth in surprise. Ino's cheeks turned a tinted pink color before she shot a glare at Temari.

"What are you laughing at? I don't see anything funny!" she objected as Temari folded her arms across her chest, not finding the way she was talking to her at all humorous.

"Um, little girl, you should watch who your talking to in such a way," Temari responded curtly as Ino's jaw dropped and balled her hands up into fists.

"I'm no older than you!" she objected.

"Umm...I'm fifteen, going on sixteen. Get it right," Temari said with a poke at Ino's chest. Shikamaru's eyes brightened. Haha, I knew it!

"Well, Ms. Hag, go and find your little demon child you call a brother and convince him to go play in traffic," Ino said harshly as Temari's eyes widened. Shikamaru's widened just as well, knowing that that wasn't something to say to the Wind Mistress.

"Ino, you should move!" Shikamaru warned as he shoved her out of the way. Temari had pulled out her fan and attempted to swing the large object down onto Temari's head in a downward motion towards the ground. Shikamaru saved her from having her brains splattered along the road..

"Don't you ever talk about my brother that way again!" she yelled as she opened the entire thing, all three lavender moons showing. Shikamaru gave up trying to save Ino, and instead attempted to calm Temari down.

Realizing her life was in danger, Ino fled at realizing how dangerous this particular Kunoichi was, but Shikamaru was still attempting ot calm her down. Managing to push her against a wooden fence nearby, he braced her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"Lemme go!" she demanded as she realized that this kid was really strong even though he looked like a scrawny stick.

"Ino's off limits you hear me?" he said in his own threatening tone. Temari's eyes cut into his eyes as the sound of small children walking by seemed to ring in both of their ears along with the sound of a rubber ball being bounced around.

"Or else what?" she threatened as Shikamaru's own eyes narrowed. His eyes were already piercing and intimidating but when he did that it made him look...older...

"Hey mister! Watch out!" a small girl called out as a rubber ball made contact with the back of Shikamaru's head. He would have been able to turn around and stay angry if his lips hadn't made contact with Temari's.

They were both shocked. The serious, threatening moment had changed into an awkward, no not even awkward, a fiery moment. Even for a split moment when they were gazing into one another's eyes there was something about the others mouth that made them not want to separate the kiss.

Shikamaru was lost for words as he closed his eyes and deepened the kiss._ Am i really kissing this masculine, older, more mature, probably powerful woman? Am I trying to dig an early grave or something?_

Temari's eyes seemed to have closed as well as soon as his did. For the oddest reason, she clutched the front flaps of his jacket slash shirt thing and enjoyed it when he deepened the kiss._ I'm not a pedophile. I'm not actually enjoying the way he's kissing me and...gosh, what am i doing!?_

"Whoa." They both broke away when they turned and saw Sakura standing there, a shocked and unexpected look on her face. SHikamaru and Temari pushed each other away as Sakura's face didn't change, though Temari and Shikamaru's both started to turn a red color.

"S-Sakura, I-" she held up her hand to Shikamaru and shook her head.

"I won't say a word." He exhaled out of relief.

"Thank you." She walked on and Shikamaru turned back and faced the fifteen year old woman before him, a smile on his own lips while she looked away, trying to get rid of the redness in her own cheeks.

"I appreciate that. You just made my day a whole lot better," he admitted as her eyes widened and made contact with his own. "See ya around...Temari. I've gotta go to a barbeque and then head out training." A wink and he started down the road. Temari's own lips started to form a smirk of her own and she started in the opposite direction. A kiss started such an odd friendship.

She was not telling her brothers about what just happened.


	2. Chapter 1: Pain

**Heh...I guess I rose from the dead, huh? yeahhhh. I'm soooooooooooo sorry you guys. I really haven't been writing like i used to. Like, consistantly. Only cause...well, track season is over, i'm still moving into my house, something's up with my body...like, pains all over, classes, especially english aren't heaven's greatest gifts (yeah, english. what the hell, right?) and my birthday was yesterday soooo. . I'm not on my groove. And don't worry, this isn't anything. I mean, this is just a start off. I've gotta get warmed up again. This is just a little taste to see if i'm still just like before. I'll get right back up people. Promise. XD**

**Umm, what else? Hmm. OH MY GAWD. I just remembered something. We've got a new anime. Oh ho ho! It's the remake of Fullmetal Alchemist!! Okay, lemme clear up some questions. 1. Is it starting off where the movie ended? No. This is going mainly by the manga by what my knowledge has told me. 2. Wow! I can't wait till we get it! ...when do we get it? Well, we being america and actually SUCKING at everything. We'll get it in a matter of possibly two or three years. could even be four. Yeah, we suck don't we? 3. Where do I go to start this amazing creation? Funimation dot com man. Search Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and see four episodes. 5. Where do I go to download them? I recommend, Gendou dot com. Get the membership, go to download series, and look for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Glad to be of service. -bows-**

**Hmm...am I forgetting something? Oh yes! I just did. The timeline is different, trust me. So don't go and say HEYYYYY! YOU CHANGED THAT! And plus, its not going to go exactly as it was before. You'll know what i mean. Oh yeah, please stay in tune for a lot of things for this story. I think it may possibly be longer than Losing Everything. XD So stick wit meh! I'll try and update as often as I can.**

**I don't own Naruto.... If i did, several people would not have died. That and Sasuke would have died in episode four. And it would be called NEJI, not NARUTO.

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Pain

Chapter 1

Temari's eyes remained closed as she walked along the dirt pathway to Konohagakure. She had woke up late and that had only resulted from her leaving Suna so late. She had sent Shikamaru a text message that she was barely in the boundaries of Konoha to get a decent signal.

As a result, the Shadow Possesor had called her not only but minutes later and they had plenty of hours of talking before she fell asleep on him. _I think I fell asleep on him... _she admitted remembering the time on her phone that had read two o' clock AM. _It was kinda late anyway... and he was nice enough to hang up and leave me a text saying goodnight...yeah...i fell asleep on him, _she decided before she smiled to herself.

Shikamaru was always like that about some things, considering he was so stuck on being a gentleman, even to some females that he didn't like. He was just raised that way. But something was different this time. The tone of his voice was what made her think such a way. It was rougher and less enthusiastic than he was. Sure he wasn't the most hyperactive person, but he sounded a little depressed.

She tried to avoid certain subjects and decided to keep his attention as long as she could on happy subjects, one's that could easily distract him, but the efforts failed. She remembered the last thing she told him that everything was going to be okay. He didn't sound reassured but managed to avoid the subject.

That's all she could remember before she drifted to sleep. Now she had tried to call again, but she got no answer, it went straight to his voicemail. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, she instead called Tsunade and stated that she would be behind as in coming to the village. Tsunade, also sounding solemn and distraught said that it would be okay.

_Something's not right..._ she thought to herself in an uneasy tone.

What else would have all of Konoha suddenly in a remorse mood? Sure, it wasn't all of Konoha, but Shikamaru was definitely someone who was never below a neutral mood unless something big happened. Tsunade was another one who seemed affected by a personal thunder cloud. This wasn't something that was a minor issue.

She saw the road signs directing her to Konoha's front gates as she passed a few nin, more less than to be expected. _Hmm...that's strange. They're not as heavily guarded as they usually are...does Tsunade-sama know this? _she questioned to herself as she continued walking, greeting the random men she met as she walked on, showing her passport as a routine before entering the gates.

Normally, first thing she saw under the oak tree by the entrance was a sleeping, snoring Shikamaru under the shadow for relaxation until she arrived. This time, he was no where to be found. It was some random nin that had been as her new escort.

He had dirty blonde hair and wore sunglasses to conceal his eyes from sunlight and people onlooking towards them. When he caught sight of Temari, he saluted her as if she was kind of ANBU squad captain, causing her to look at him with a confused look.

"Temari-san! I will be escorting you to your household until later on this evening!" he said in a robotic tone as she blinked at his words. Scratching at the back of her head, she looked around him and saw all the streets completely bare.

"Yeah...um, where's Shikamaru? Hell, where's everyone at in general?" she questioned as the nin didn't answer, but turned around and started walking. Her teeth grit together at being ignored, and in such a rude manner.

"Everyone's attending a gathering. Everyone who has a heart at least," he added at the end as Temari's eyebrow quirked in slight suspicion. Okay...something definitely not right. "There's currently a funeral going on, Ms. Sabaku. Everyone is in attendance except the few nin who are needed for protection of the village and me, whom Tsunade asked to take control of the whole ordeal of escorting you back to your home."

_So there's a funeral...? That's what had Shikamaru down last night. He must have been dreading it...I hope it wasn't someone he knew too close. That'd be horrible,_ she thought to herself with a shudder. _The Choji kid and the anorexic chick have got to be out of the ordeal...I hope..._

Temari remembered Shikamaru's reaction to the whole Retrievin Sasuke Mission when he almost lost Choji, how Naruto barely made it back against the last Uchiha. The boy burst into tears and Temari honestly never expected him to break down like that. Then again, no one would have. His father's words had scared him a little and he could only cry out of relief from their survival.

For some reason in particular, this man knew her address and where he was going, because she surely was no leading the way. Temari's eyebrow quirked in slight suspicion and she had to admit it was kinda creepy for this complete stranger to know her address.

"Who told you-?"

"Shikamaru Nara, ma'am. He told me to escort you to your home address here in Konoha. I'm sorry, is there somewhere else you would like to go?" he asked in an apologetic tone. Temari blinked and shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. So Shikamaru gave the orders to take her. Normally they would have gone somewhere else, but since he wasn't here...

"Oh, don't worry about it, I was just wondering," she said with a warmhearted smile. The man blushed a deep red color. He looked away, coughing as if he was trying to look like he hadn't fallen victim to her deep green eyes. She smirked at his sudden skin color changed and shook her head. Men...

"Who's funeral is it-?" before she could finish it, they had already appeared in front of her house. The nin turned around and bowed, saying that he had finished the mission and disappeared in a poof of smoke. Temari's teeth grit together as she balled her hands up into fists. "How dare you ignore me! Incompetent little-!"

Temari paused and turned, the sound of children running towards her catching her off guard. They were academy students by the way they looked, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. _So everyone didn't disappear... then again, children don't need to go to funerals at such a young age if needed..._

Temari shuddered at the thought of innocent, naive children who were ninja to be going to a funeral of someone killed in battle. _It would scare the living daylights of them. I still can't help but wonder who's passed away..._

Pulling out her house key, she unlocked the door until she heard a faint clicking noise. For some reason, she paused and turned, the noise only irritating her when it refused to stop. She moved from under her small visor over the front doorstep of her house and looked above at all the following rooftops. A smile broke across her face, but then it disappeared.

It was indeed, Shikamaru.

She felt her soul lift and lighten at the sight of one of her closest friends, but it only diminished when she saw something that no normal person would have noticed. He still had his usual apathetic, lazy attitude, but he was in all black attire. The nin from before said that the funeral hadn't been over. Maybe he hadn't gone at all. Temari looked a little closer and realized what she had seen was real, not a hallucination. If you knew Shikamaru and you looked him in the eyes at the moment, you would notice a distance in his gaze, one that was completely against his usual. He was in...

Pain.

A pain that he hadn't grown used to, a pain he never expected to feel. A pain like he lost one of his best friends. Temari's heart stopped in her throat as she closed her eyes. _No... Choji couldn't have died..._

Shikamaru had already had an emotional breakdown for his closest male friend. She had a feeling that they talked a lot more than they used to about serious matters. Shikamaru wasn't the type to open up and if he did, it was most likely only to be to Tenten.

She loved Shikamaru like he was the closest thing to a little brother possible (discluding our beloved Lee of course. XD). She asked him for advice and usually gave him some whenever he asked for it. Unfortunately, Tenten had married Neji Hyuga about two years early and her life had its own issues... Where else would he retreat to?

_Ino..._ her mind reminded her as her blood boiled at the platinum blonde's name. People always said that they acted a lot alike in many ways, though their physical appearances differed by just looking at them. Ino's platinum blonde hair, oddly crystal blue eyes, and thin and slightly rounded figure seemed to make her look like an artificial doll in Temari's eyes. She felt like she was more realistic. Sandy blonde hair, deep green eyes. Not fat, and definitely not skinny. More muscular when she was younger but now she slimmed and rounded out.

Sure, they had they're conflicts. They didn't like each other, the whole disliking and despising of another afflicted by the one and only Shadow Possessor unconsiously. But Temari couldn't stand the idea of Shikamaru's emotions being so wrapped up and hidden because of her death.

That's what was tearing him apart. He was hiding his emotions. _Even I know that's not smart. And he's supposed to be a genius. He's bound to crack, I hate to admit it... She _wanted to reach out towards him, tell him that she was there if he needed to talk. He sounded bad on the phone for a reason, but this... his eyes led a passage to his soul. Temari had never seen him impacted by something such as this.

Swallowing hard, she remembered how Shikamaru, Neji, and Lee said that Tenten was affected by the loss of her mother. Sure people lost family members all the time, but Tenten had never felt emotional pain and she put so much dependence into her mother that it sucked her soul away from herself.

Thank God Neji was there.

But Shikamaru...that story about Tenten, she was seeing it repeat. He looked like he was trying to hold it in, but it was inevitable by the way he sharply inhaled every other moment, like he was trying to prevent himself from hyperventilating.

She saw him lift his hand, the flicking, irritating noise that had alarmed and aggravated her in the first place only began again. It was a lighter, a gasoline lighter. He continuously clicked it, telling her that he had no purpose in having the flame appear. He seemed to have been thinking. And not about the usual...

He finally stuffed the lighter back into his pocket and stood back up, sighing as he looked up, gazing at the clouds, the dark gray ones that he knew contained rain. There was a slight bit of thunder, only causing him chuckle.

"Heh...messing with me already? It's only been three days. You're cruel, you know that, right?" he stated like he was talking to someone else, like a person was in his prescence. A gust of wind blew by and he took that as a sign. Turning around, he shoved his hands into his pockets and disappeared into a gust of smoke.

Temari stood there, in shock and amazement at the state Shikamaru had been in. She never had seen him that way. She leaned against her front door, her palms against the mahogany, her face pressing against it, the wood cooling her skin before she slowly sunk down, squatting against the door to relieve her heated skin.

_What the hell... is this? _Nostalgia ran over her skin and reopened her wounds. Her breathing shallowed, her pulse racing before she felt tears in her eyes. Closing them in hope of stopping the salty rivers to run, she shuddered slightly before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Temari-chan?" She turned and gasped, amazed at Tenten standing in an all black attire as well. Her hair was free, billowing over her shoulders, her eyes large with concern. Instinctively almost as if a child had fallen, Tenten reached down and picked up Temari. The Sand Mistress could only feel embarassed and all the negative effects that had inflicted her body disappeared.

"Tente-"

"Temari-chan, what happened? Are you okay? You...you look like you've seen a ghost," she whispered as Temari's hand searched for her front doorknob while her body was still facing Tenten, who was still supporting her left side.

"I'm...I'm fine, Tenten. I just haven't been feeling well. I just need to sit down," she explained as her hand clasped the doorknob and pushed it inward before attempting to enter her house.

She leaned her large fan against the wall before sitting down on the couch with the help of her best friend. Tenten, eager to care for her friend not only for the concern of her health, she turned and headed towards the kitchen.

"I'm going to get you a glass of water," she called as she disappeared. Temari sighed as she stood up, her state of balance returning to her as she walked in fornt of the mirror. Her jaw dropped at the white color of her skin and the drenched sweat on her forehead. Wiping it away furiously, she looked back at herself, but she still looked troubled.

"Don't you have a husband waiting for you at home or something like that?" Temari called back, hopin to keep the Weapons Master preoccupied in that area. Her voice sounded stern and almost scolding.

"Well, I heard you were back and Neji knows we're close. And look what I find when i get here."

She couldn't help but scoff even thought if it had been a vice versa situation, she would have been spazzing and dragged Tenten to Konoha Hospital. She should be grateful for her calm and cool nature at times like this.

"Yeah, speaking of Neji...why don't you just go home to your prince charming and give him a nice footrub?" Temari yelled with a smirk on her lips, the tension from what had happen before easing up. She felt someone shove her head in one direction and she laughed before Tenten sat down, a glass of water in front of them on the desk.

"Oh, haha. But seriously though, Tem," she started, Tenten's eyes turning serious as her words were like steel. She couldn't get out of this one.

"I really don't know Ten. I just...It just happened," she said shortly as she avoided her friend's eyes. Stealing a glance at her she remembered the all black attire. "There was a funeral today, wasn't there? Who die? Ino? Choji?"

Tenten's eyes widened as she looked away, avoiding her eyes as Tenten's began to water. _Oh no... it's worse than i thought..._

"Was it Lee? Gai? Come on, Tenten, you've gotta tell me who died," she whispered as Tenten wiped the tear that was coming from the corner of her eye.

"I didn't know him very well...Asuma-sensei...I'm crying in the place of Shika-kun," she whispered as she dabbed at her eye. Temari's eyes widened. His sensei...?

"Why? I understand why he's taking it hard, but-"

"No, Temari. You don't understand. Shikamaru's father, yes, he was there, but he's a very needed and requested nin. He's never there. Asuma filled that gap in his heart where a boy should hold the feeling of loving his father. Because he's a ninja, he didn't stay home a lot, so his bond with his mother is only so tight. Asuma was the only thing close enough to him his last ten years," Tenten breathed. Temari bit her lip and realized that Shikamaru was affected by this harder than anyone else on his squad.

No wonder he was dressed for the occasion. But by the way Temari had seen him, he didn't go. He didn't want to look like a wimp. He didn't want to cry. He didn't want to let his sensei go. Now he was hiding out from everyone to see and at the same time, holding in emotions that were not meant to be, especially for his health safety.

"Do you know where he is?" Temari asked as Tenten shook her head, sniffing slightly.

"I went especially to comfort him but...he never showed up. It was just like he up and quit on the funeral," Tenten explained. "But no one knows Shikamaru like I do. He did to because he felt like he needed to conserve his pride. That's the only reason he's not letting his feelings out."

Tenten's gaze went back to her, her eyes still slightly red from the sudden outburst of tears. She smiled weakly and took Temari's hand in hers in a sisterly fashion. Temari smiled back as Tenten closed her eyes and exhaled sharply.

"Temari..." she blinked.

"What is it?"

"Did you see Shikamaru?" she asked as Temari's heart skipped a beat. How did Tenten know these things? What is she, a friggin' mind reader? Temari sighed and nodded, realizing that lying to this psychiatric nightmare would not be the smartest thing in the book.

"Did you talk to him?" She shook her head while scratching the back of her head uneasily. "Well, what'd you see him doing? What was his expression?" Temari shot her a glare that spoke in another way to slow down how fast she was talking. Tenten bit her tongue and nodded.

"He was sitting on a random rooftop, just sitting there, looking at a silver lighter and he constantly flicked it. HE was hiding the way he felt with his expression. He looked apathetic. Like he didn't care but his eyes reeked with how he felt and I just..." Tenten leaned in as Temari trailed off.

"Is that when you started to feel the odd affects?" Temari nodded as Tenten leaned on her hand, her eyes driftin around the entire room. She seemed to have been thinking. She looked back at her best friend and sighed.

"You have a deep connection with Shikamaru. A deeper one than mine. I mean you just..." Tenten sighed and closed her eyes. "You just looked at him and collapsed. That's a connection that I can't even compete with-"

"Whoa, wait a second!" Temari interrupted as she held her chest. "You're telling me...I nearly had an emotinoal breakdown because I _saw_ him?" Tenten shrugged and merely nodded.

"It is very possibly that someone can be so close to another being that they feel their pain. Shikamaru's holding his in and you had no idea what was going on. You didn't even know and you almost went crazy," Tenten stated as Temari covered her face in her hands and groaned. "What?"

"I don't...I don't like being attached to people, Tenten. That feeling makes me worry about losing them," she admitted in the softest tone Tenten had ever heard her friend speak in.

"But...you're close to me...and you're close to your brothers. By the way it looks your close to Shikamaru-"

"I couldn't help but feel close to Gaara and Kankuro. They're the closest things in my heart. But you, Tenten. Our friendship was really not supposed to happen because I was scared of losing you. We are ninja...then that whole issue with your mother..." Tenten inhaled sharply and closed her eyes, reminiscing even for the slightest moment. Temari's eyes were filled with so much fear when she woke up in the hospital.

"Shikamaru...I've always cared about him, but I don't want to be too close-"

"You can't help who you're close to, Temari. You're heart controls that. You could be in love with Sasuke and try and stay away from him, but that will only make your love for him stronger. Your heart will eventually get what it wants," Tenten whispered in a soothing tone. Temari covered her face in her hands just in case her eyes started to tear up.

"That...look on Shikamaru's face...I swear it, the moment i looked into those eyes...I saw my mother's death all over again..." she barely breathed as her hands clenched and fisted the bangs of her hair. "I...I remember we were allowed in the hospital room...right after Gaara had been born but...there was this unsettling feeling. Our father was so desperate, he refused to leave her alone in the room..."

Tenten hugged Temari's head into her shoulder, hoping to make her feel better.

"My mother looked at me. I had her eyes...those big green eyes that seemed to have been this giant pool that you could just disappear into...She was crying and sweating...whispering consolations to me the moment she saw me...Kuro, he was too small. He knew that mom wasn't...okay but, he thought...he thought she would eventually be alright. I had held her hand. It was so unsteady..."

"Shhh. Temari, don't. You don't have to-"

"She whispered...in the softest voice...that she loved me...and she asked me to take care of Gaara and Kuro...and then she just...she just..." Temari felt liquid drops falling on her head. She looked up and saw Tenten's own tears being shed. She had lost her mother as well...

"Her hand was so cold...I asked daddy why...why isn't she warm? He...he wouldn't answer..." There was silence in the entire room. Tenten was sobbing silently and Temari just held her best friend, refusing to cry anymore for the loss of the only woman who meant anything to her at that age. She hated remembering her so vividly. It only hurt the more. The tears she wanted to cry were in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She had cried enough in her life and she felt it did no good.

She knew one thing though.

If Shikamaru had been feeling the pain she had felt when she lost her mother, or if he was feeling how Tenten felt when she lost her mother, he needed someone to talk to. She remembered how he cried and how she picked on him when it was over. She knew this wasn't the time for that. He needed someone to lean on. And if she could feel how he felt by just gazing into those piercing brown eyes...

She knew she had to be the one to heal all his pain.


	3. Chapter 2: Emotions

**Yeahhh. I'm back you guys! Sorry it always takes forever. I don't always stay on task when it comes to writing. I might be working on something that's not even been published yet, so, you know me. Haha, Holly, Syd, and Pavie have been faithful reviewers, and sometimes one of them will message me and check and see whats up with me not updating. But that's that! **

**This chapter is something that I know I did pretty well on, so please enjoy and review! Arigato!**

**I don't own Naruto! I own this story though!

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Emotions

Chapter 2

After Tenten went home to her beloved husband and Hyuga Compound, Temari's entire household was silenced before Tenten could make it down the street. She always felt lonely in the house, which was exactly why she hated staying there. At least not with company.

Or in another word, Shikamaru.

Whenever silence enveloped her, her mind began to sway and go many places. She just let her mind reminisce on somethings, daydream on others, or even just close her eyes and enjoy the peace and quiet until it drove her utterly mad.

Unfortunately, this time, her mind began to wander on the subject of her close guy friend. At first, she thought her little episode was just something random. It was possible for some as such to happen and have no excuse. But this...because she actually had a bond with him...

_This is what happens...whenever i come to Konoha. This is why...I avoid Konoha, _she told herself as she turned off her kitchen lights and headed into the living room. She slumped down and flipped through channels with an uncaring expression and finally just turned it off.

It didn't help her not think about it. Every show she turned to it was some female and some guy having an arguement, or it was the climax of the dramatic romance and then they just seemed to want each other and kiss, ending the movie. She didn't know why, but that gave her butterflies.

She continued to worry and finally sighed before reaching into her shirt and pulling her phone out of her bosom area. She didn't have any pockets, where else would she put her cellphone? Dialing Shikamaru's phone number, she didn't even hear it ring. It automatically said,

"Hey, this is Shikamaru. I might not be in the mood for talking, I apologize. But if it's really important enough, just leave your name and number if i don't already have it or recognize your voice. I'll get back to you whenever I can. Thanks for calling." BEEP!

Hanging up, she sighed. That was an odd voicemail. She had never really heard it before, he always picked up the phone whenever she called him. 'I might not be in the mood for talking'? _That's not something you tell everyone. I wonder who he ignores all the time..._

That didn't end her worrying. Shikamaru was like herself in a lot of ways. She didn't like showing emotions, she wanted to hold all pain in for the hope of her pride. Tenten was bawling like a baby for her a few minutes ago because of the story about her mother and Temari refused to cry over anything else.

_The only person who has actually seen me cry other than my parents...? I think its...only Kankuro. And we were so little. It's not really fair now that I think about it. Gaara's never cried, not that I know of. It seems like our eyes refuse to cry. Except for earlier..._

She shuddered again at the unclear movement of liquid threatening to fall from her eyes. It felt so good, that idea of crying out everything. She wanted to but...she knew she couldn't allow it. Of course not for reputation or anything like that, but pride. She had taken care of her younger brothers for at least ten years and she struggled through it, without tears, only blood and sweat. Letting out all her feelings by letting herself cry was something she refused to do.

Temari knew that because of it, she wasn't the most stable of people, she wasn't the most healthy person in doing so. But she knew for sure, that she was a strong person, a hell of a strong person who could deal with any emotions that was thrown at her.

At least the ones she knew of.

She wondered what would happen if she ever became an actual emotional disaster. Not saying that Tenten was like that, but what if she cried on thought of her old memories as the Weapon Mistress did? What if she didn't have the strength she had no to take everything she did? What if she was as vulnerable as any other human being?

Sighing uncontrollably, she sat back and closed her eyes, suddenly feeling tired.

How did Tenten deal with her emotions? She bawled like a baby some days, and she didn't care who saw. But at the same time, she remembered all the smiles and laughs she shared with her best friend. No one seemed dto have minded the idea of Tenten shedding tears for anything.

_Especially after her mother's death... _Temari reminded herself. Before then, Tenten never really cried. Her feelings and emotions were always neutral, never too happy, never too sad. She seemed...perfect in some ways, at least emotionally. And once her mother passed, it seemed to change around, like she was bipolar. If yo uwere to leave her somewhere by herself, she'd stare off somewhere until she would burst into tears. But if she caught sight of Neji, she'd be hyper and bouncing off the walls. It seemed unstable.

_I couldn't be able to stand that. Imagine how Tenten will be when she gets pregnant. _Temari let out an uncontrollable laugh at the thought of Neji running around trying to fullfill her every want and need. She would pay good money to see the prodigy do that for his lovely wife.

Tenten seemed the perfect motherly type. It always felt that way. She would get these vibs about her friends and they always seemed to fill in what she had unexpectedly expected.

Deciding that it was getting a little too boring in to comfort of her home, she stood up and decided she needed to go out and explore the city for a while. She headed into her master bathroom and started her shower right before she pulled off her black yutata.

Stepping into the heated water, she closed her eyes and felt her body climate shift to a warmer, more humid climate. She opened her large, emerald eyes and suddenly started to remember all her old memories, the feelings she had held it not only a moment ago, but all the feelings she had before.

Her emotions, the ones that she had held together her entire life, the barrier she had put up had suddenly fallen because of that one man in her life was hurting so much more than she had ever seen. Diving her head into the spray of water, she closed her eyes and fell to her knees, thankful for the isolation from others while she released her pain, bawling like she never had before.

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_That woman... when she found out about his passing... she cried like a baby. The way I had said it... she probably hated me at that moment. So apathetic... as if I don't care... I hate myself for allowing my tone and body language to be shown as such._

Shikamaru kicked a small stone as he walked down the dirtpath. All the small children were running around, playing, enjoying themselves and adults were conversating, laughing, gossiping among one another. He felt a deep hatred for them.

_Selfish bastards... _he thought darkly as he continued to walk in his daze. _As long as it's no one you know, everything's perfect, isn't it? Children, I understand. But these adults... They always expect compassion when they lose someone but aren't so willing to give out their own when others are in ened. Disgusting..._

He stopped and closed his eye lids, remembering Kurenai's bright, deep, red eyes stare at him with disbelief when he first spoke the words to her about what had happened with Hidan. His gaze into hers, she knew that he felt if not equal, but more pain than herself. The moment the tears flooded her eyes, she collapsed and Shikamaru couldn't find words to console her.

_What the hell was I supposed to do? There's nothing I could do. I cannot take his place in protecting her, no matter what he asks. She wants him. What makes him think that she'd really just let me watch over- _

He caught himself midthought and had to stop walking and lean against the side of a market building. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, realizing his breathing had sped up very quickly in such little time. Sitting up, he reposure regaining itself, he decided it was best to head home instead of getting in anyone else's way.

He walked up a flight of street stairs, a narrow passage, following the trail as the shadows of the walls fell over himself. He knew he looked like the living dead; he most likely would have scared any children or women he would walk by, but no one was there.

Except.

He blinked and saw long, flowing brown hair and chestnut brown eyes. He knew that at that moment in time, the woman didn't see him, but he made it clear to disappear from her prescence before eshe caught sight of him. She turned, a slight breeze blowing her hair in the wind. She must have sensed his chakra before he had disappeared. Her eyes scanned the area suspiciously before she turned and walked away.

Tenten knew his chakra just as if she felt Neji or Temari, or Lee or Gai nearby. She wouldn't simply ignore it, she'd look around. But Shikamaru noticed briefly the red in her eyes as if she had been crying.

_It's to clear for her to have been crying from this morning. She must've been crying recently, not even five, ten minutes ago... _he told himself as he appaered from behind the support beam he had slid his body behind and masked his chakra.

Closing his eyes, his mind was telling him something, that he was forgetting something that would have meant great importance to him, especially now. A thought popped into his head as his heart lifted a little.

Temari's here. he reminded himself. He wanted to visit her, but at the same time, he didn't. She nag him about being a cry baby, about how he should take it like a man. _She would know how do to do that better than anyone, _he insulted. He knew she wouldn't help at all in his current condition.

_If I even go see her at all and she makes fun or me, or pokes, or taunts at me, I might start to hate her, _he admitted to himself and realized taht going to see the Wind Master would not be a good idea for the sake of their friendship.

_Friendship..._

We they even really friends? They were higher than aquaintances and asssociates, but he had no idea whether the feelings between them went higher than friends or made it far enough to meet the border. What if there was less on her side of the relationship or what if he was viewing the relationship they had now as...

_More?_

Shikamaru shook the thoughts from his head, the ones about the Sand Princess at least. Immediately after he did that, his thoughts were surpressed and he became depressed again at the realization of the person he had lost in a matter of twenty four hours. He couldn't deal with this out in public. He needed to get home just in case he accidently cracked.

Forgetting about the walk to clear his mind off things, he disappeared in a dispatch of smoke and was in front of the Nara Clan gate way before he entered. Walking by all the neighboring members of the clan, he nodded and waved or simply kept walking by.

It's not like they care anyway.

Sliding open the doorway to his own home, Shikamaru opened the door and saw his mother, stirring a pot of food that he didn't bother looking at or figuring out what it was and his father at the table, sipping on a cup of lukewarm tea. Both of them were also dressed the all black attire, but he didn't bother to give them any acknowledgement.

His mother's eyes lit up, glad that she knew where her only child was and gave him a warmhearted smile in hope to make him feel even the slightest bit better about the morning's events, but he didn't even pay it any attention.

"Shikamaru! You're home! I'm making miso soup for lunch, would you-?"

Shikaku touched his wife's arm gently, grabbing her attention as she looked down at him, his piercing hawkeyes givin signals to her to leave their son alone.

"I can't stand to see him like this, Shikaku. You have to do something. I want my baby back," she whispered softly as the sound of her son's door closing told her he couldn't hear them speak. Shikaku shook his head.

"Yoshino, you must learn. You lost your baby when he became a genin, even moreso when he became a Chunin. Now, you have to let him deal with his problems like a man," his father objected as she sighed and merely nodded.

Sitting on the floor of his bedroom for a while, he leaned his head against the support beam, feeling to room start to suffocate him the more he thought about Hidan, the more he thought about Asuma's fall, the more he thought about his teacher's last words to them.

He pushed open his back door that lead to his small courtyard area of his house. Sitting down there, he began to gaze off as the sun curved around the sky and filled it with miraculous colors. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Asuma's silver lighter. Flicking it constantly, waiting for it to light until he finally caught a flame.

His eyes caught sight of the white box within arms reach and the inside of his mind and his conscious began to conflict about his current question about his health and wellbeing. One side eventually won as he reached and grasped the small box in his hand. He opened the top and pulled out a small, cylidrical item and placed it in his mouth.

Flicking the gas lighter a few times, he lit the cigarette, and just looked at it, the sliver of smoke coming from the end ascending and dissapating. He continued to conflict with himself about whether he should start the habit he had begged his sensei to end through their entire period of knowing each other.

His lungs contracted before they began to reacted to his body, lurching with each cough he choked out. Gathering up the tainted saliva in his mouth, he spit it out onto the ground and shuddered at the taste, looking at the cigarette.

_How the hell, Asuma..._

He inhaled again, this time, breathing it in the right way as the end of the cigarette glowed neon orange and the end of the ash blew away into the breeze. His head hit the wooden support beam and he closed his eyes after he exhaled through his nose, the grayish smoke billowing from his mouth before inhaling the cigarette again.

Several minutes rolled by before he flicked the tan stub of the end of the cigarette, finishing off the cigarette. He started to reach for another until he heard the faint footsteps of a female approaching. They were dainty and gradually grew louder.

"Shikamaru? Dinner's ready, dear. Come and eat," his mother called as she knocked on his door. She pushed it open and looked at him, his gaze off into the amber red and orange sky. His eyes refused to meet hers and he didn't even make any kind of movement in front of her. He must have felt guilty for what he had done not even five minutes ago.

"I'm not hungry. Go ahead and eat without me," he decided as after a moment of thought. His mother's eyes saddened and realized that her son was going to deal with plenty of suffering because of this.

"I'll leave you a plate in the fridge for you to heat back up, okay?" she explained as he merely nodded. She left and her footsteps faded before he covered his face in his hands, swearing a variety of words, praying he would get through this pain.

* * *

Temari turned over and looked at her clock, seeing that it read four thirty eight. She shifted again, sighing at her restlessness. She hadn't gotten any sleep and she was tired. It only she wasn't having such insomnia attacks...

She pulled her sheets and comforter back and sat up before she swung her legs over the end of the bed. She scratched her scraggly bed hair and stood up, stumbling slightly. She might as well go ahead and get up and try and make herself even more tired so she could sleep easier later.

Starting yet another shower, nostalgia ran over her at the remembrance at what she actually did. Shaking off the feeling, she ran the hot water once again and bathed herself. When she got out, she felt bored all over again. There was nothing to do, no one to talk to...

_I might as well roam the streets. Maybe I'll get bit by a handsome vampire or something, _she told herself randomly as she tied the knot in the red sash. _Oh hell, now I know I'm tired... _Pulling her hand gloves on, she looked at her fan before contemplating whether or not to take it. When she decided not to, she headed out the door, locking it before turning the lights off.

Walking down the darkened street, she realized that Konoha's residences must not have gotten up that early. You'd always find people walking around in Suna, whether they were homeless beggars or people just setting out really early and preparing for something like a mission.

_They're so lax, almost an apathetic and lazy country if you're not a ninja, _she told herself. _They need something better to do. It seems like if they didn't have any ninjas, they wouldn't be worth a shit..._

She suddenly felt an intense chakra, one that seemed to have been burning some kind of murderous intent, almost a deep desire. Temari stopped midwalk and felt the chakra's leisurely pace move even closer to her. She leaned back into a defensive position leaned against a wall in hope to hide herself before she sheilded her chakra level.

She loosened up and felt her spirit lift when she recognized the chakra that she had identified. She walked out and saw him almost instantaneously.

Shikamaru.

His fists seemed balled up with determination as she would say. Both of his hands unclenched and a silver lighter fell from his finers as she smiled warmly at him, hiding the fear in her eyes when she had looked into his.

They were a bloodshot red. Not that he had been doing any kind of drugs or anything, but she could tell by how he was avoiding to look at her he had been crying. For his sensei.

He still looked hurt and uncertain about his emotions, still looked like he was trying to conceal his pride, moreso now that Temari was in front of him. But she saw his eyes soften and warm up when they came face to face. She closed her eyes and laughed lightly to herself.

She had a deep affect on him as well.

His face frowned slightly as he managed to make eyecontact.

"What's so funny?" he asked as she slowly walked towards him, catching him offguard. He took a slight step backwards and watched her approach him before she held out her arms for him and held him in her arms.

He felt kind of backwards in the moment. He remember how almost ten years ago he would look up to her and speak and now her face was only to his chest. She held him even though he didn't hold her back, not because he didn't want to, but because he was shocked.

"T...Temari...?"

"Stop it...please..." she whispered as his eyes widened and pulled her from his chest. He didn't know what she was exactly talking about, but something told him he wouldn't like the answer.

"...What exactly are you talking about?" he questioned as their eyes connected.

"Don't...don't hold back for the sake of your pride," she strained out as he let go of her completely. That comment meant that she knew everything. That he was hurt over the loss of his sensei. If Temari knew, that had to mean that everyone knew.

"There's nothing to hold back," he muttered shortly, his voice suddenly cold as Temari gripped the sleeves of his shirt. If anyone were to look out their window this early they would suspect they were secret lovers embracing one last time.

"Don't try and feed me that bullshit, Shikamaru. I saw you yesterday morning," she admitted as his eyes showed sudden fear before he got defensive.

"What exactly do you mean, 'I saw you'? What, that I was dressed in black? So what," he stated in a lazy, apathetic tone that he was known for. Unfortunately, the mood for the sound he had put on his speech wasn't what Temari was looking for.

"You don't get it, do you Shikamaru? We've...we have this connection. When I saw you, when I looked into your eyes...you almost made me cry," she said avoiding his eyes while her cheeks lit up. There was silence between them until Temari peeked at him and he burst out laughing. Her heart shattered but was replaced with rage.

"What the fuck is so funny?" she yelled before she pushed him, his footing a bit off causing him to stumble.

"You? Temari Sabaku? Almost cried? Because you, 'looked into my eyes'?" he asked as he clutched his stomach. "Don't bullshit, Temari-"

"You think I'm fuckin' kidding!?" she yelled, forgetting to be nice because of the pain he was dealing with. "I know it doesn't sound like me! I was trying to be honest! That look on your face was worse than if you take a five year old's lollipop! It looked like you were brain dead! And the fact that I felt even if just a portion of your pain should make you know that I care!" Shikamaru's laugh faded into a scowl.

"You don't know how I feel right now, much less when it actually happened."

"You don't think I know how it feels? To lose someone important to you?" she yelled, refusing to quiet down. "I lost my mother, and that bastard I call a father would never fill that gap! Tenten, she almost fuckin' killed herself! Neji, lost his father and everyone else didn't give a shit! You're acting so selfish right now!"

"I'm human, I can be selfish! Let me mourn how I want to!"

"What exactly is that suppose to mean? Let you stay locked in your room like a little emo kid, saying 'it's all my fault', 'if only I tried harder'? That's not healthy! And goddamn it, I love you, I care about you more than enough to be holding this stupid argument!"

There was a deep silence between them, and Temari wasn't even consious of her own words. Shikamaru however was thinkin gthem over long and hard. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it before pondering a little bit longer.

"Did you just say...?" Temari's eyebrow quirked in confusion.

"What?" Shikamaru chuckled before scratching the back of his head.

"Nothing. Just thinking to myself," he stated as he leaned closer to her, his hand gripping her forearm. She froze as his lips stopped not even an inch from her ear, his warm breath tickling the end of her earlobe.

"Sh...Shikamaru-?"

"I'll be back. When I come back, I'll come straight to your house. We need to talk about a few things," he whispered as her body shivered as she closed her eyes and breathed out as calmly as she could. He let go of her arm and turned around, waving slightly to say he was off. She blinked and realized he was leaving before she ran after him, confused about everything that had just gone on.

"Shikamaru! Where are you-" he turned and their eyes met again, his piercing into hers. She swallowed the lump in her throat and closed her eyes, trying to calm down her heart rate. What was going on? "Where are you going?"

He didn't say at first, he lifted his hand to her face, causing her cheeks to burn once again, his thumb stroking her right one that was a bright pink. Her eyes followed his hand until it cupped around her neck and pulled her close. Closing her eyes, her mind started to wander.

What the hell is wrong with him? Is he emotionally retarded? What is going on, please someone tell me!

When she expected his lips to meet hers, instead she felt something warm centered around her forehead. She opened her eyes and looked up, realizing he had merely given her a peck on the forehead. He pulled away, his hand staying where it was. She enjoyed feeling the warmth of his hand against her skin.

"I've got some business to take care of. Don't worry about it, okay?" Temari's eyes widened as she grabbed his hand, refusing to let him go.

"...You're...you're really going after Hidan, aren't you?" he looked away, knowing that his eyes would reveal the truth of why he was out so early. "Why are you doing this? Wait for Tsunade-sama to plan out a team, don't-"

"It's my ghost I have to exorcise, Mari. Please understand. I promise you, I won't die. No one will," he swore as he wrapped his arms around hers closing his eyes and he felt her arms hesistantly wrap around his back, returning the hug.

"You better come back," she stated calmly, her chest aching from the pressure she wanted to release. That crying memory came back as she closed her eyes, blinking back the tears threatening to fall. She couldn't lose Shikamaru. He had to have been sure to be actually considering taking on the Akatsuki.

"I will," he promised, sealing it with a smile. "I'll see you later, okay?" She nodded briefly as his hand left the warmth of hers before she closed her eyes, opening them, expecting to see her room, expecting what she had just gone through to be a mere dream.

But it wasn't.

It was real. He turned the corner, his chakra source fading away. Temari turned around, walking back towards her apartment, reminiscing on all the events she had just gone through in the past twenty minutes. She collapsed onto her bed, her emerald eyes still shocked. He kissed her on the forehead, he caressed her neck. He held her hand... It was...the best thing she had ever imagined in her life.

Temari honestly was not new to anything like all the others. She had had boyfriends and male friends galore. This emotion, this feeling had never came over here before. It wasn't something she was used to. She thought long and hard before her weariness came over her. She fell asleep praying for Shikamaru's life. She questioned her own feelings.

Why her emotions were out of whack.


	4. Chapter 3: Guilt

**Perfectly reasonable excuse why I didn't update this time. It turns out when we got cable and phone from suddenlink, they cancelled out our free wireless connection that we didn't have to pay for in order to trick us into buying their internet. After we got rid of them...well, they decided not to do anything about the internet. So I was internet deprived for two months. Now we're with embarq and its going pretty decently right now just so you know. :) **

**Now, onto the story. This story is called guilt for many reasons. When you get to the end, you might be reallyyyyy pissed off at me. And I was pissed off at myself actually too for actually CONSIDERING this. But don't worry. It's still Shikamaru and Temari. Don't bash me, I'm going to clear this up, there's a reason behind this madness. Nonetheless, Temari's having emotional issues because she can't stop thinking about Shikamaru. Let's see how it all goes in the end. And the person who sent the review about me skipping over too much stuff, I think you are absolutely right. I'm going to do something about that in the near future, just you wait! :D For right now, read, review, and I'm working on the next chapter ASAP. =D**

**I don't own Naruto, but I do own the plot to this story, soooo Continue on!

* * *

**

Guilt

Chapter 3

_So she's got some kind of feelings for me. But she really doesn't know about it... _he decided. He knew how everything would go, how everything had to go. He had no doubt about that. But meeting Temari in the middle of the road at that time of night was a surprise.

He could remember her words echoing through his eardrums. He felt rage, sadness, and loneliness at her words. How could she have known that he was holding all that pain back? At least before the night before he was.

_My dad needs to learn how to shut his mouth, that's all that is... I have to admit though...he knows what to say at the right moments. Without him doing that, I wouldn't have been able to have the willpower to go on this mission, _he admitted to himself.

_"Don't...don't hold back for the sake of your pride." _

Temari's words burned through his soul as he gritted his teeth. _For the sake of my pride... Is that reason why I couldn't bring myself to cry? Or was it because I felt like it was my fault that Asuma-Sensei didn't even survive to begin with...?_

_That woman is one of the few handful to be able to figure out me before I get a chance to do it myself_, he thought with a laugh.

"Shikamaru? What's so funny?" Ino asked as he jerked out of his thoughts, the dirt road path, the three people walking before him, even the radiant blazing sun suddenly appeared, breaking through the darkness his mind has isolated him to.

The blonde had a deep scowl on her face, her icy blue eyes piercing into his. Choji's slanted eyes seemed to have been focusing on the road before them, his gaze briefly traveling towards the two of them, seeing Ino's face before sighing under his breath.

_Here we go..._

"Nothing, nothing, T..." Opening his eyes, he realized that he had almost called the woman Temari. She would have beat him to a mindless pulp if he hadn't watched himself. His eyebrow twitching at the visual idea of Ino's response to the wrong name, he shook his head. "Nothing, Ino."

Kakashi's eye peeked over the copy of Icha Icha and saw the look on Shikamaru's face, realizing that the young man had caught himself before he got chewed out and eaten alive. His attention no longer held, he went back to rereading the copy of the book, Ino noticing the slight pause from before.

"What...? Did you...?" Shikamaru blinked, managing to pretend like he hadn't almost made the worst mistake you could do to a woman.

"What are you talking about, woman? I swear, you girls don't make any sense to me," he decided before looking apathetic as he usually did. Ino's teeth grinded together and steam seemed to fume from her nose.

"Shikamaru! Stop acting like such a jackass! You know what I meant! You were giggling like a little school girl five seconds ago! What was going through your head?" Ino pried in a venomous tone. Shikamaru sighed and shrugged.

"Just stuff, I guess."

"More like a woman," Choji put in with a tone that Ino was barely able to hear, a slight chuckle ringing from Kakashi's mouth now. Ino's eyes seemed to catch on fire and burn with a passion. Well, I know where Sakura gets everything from.

"Shikamaruuu. I thought I was the only one you'd ever be with," Ino asked in a childishly sweet tone. He rolled his eyes when she clung onto his arm, pushing her chest into it to make her seem more seductive.

"We never went out," he reminded her as she frowned and looked away.

"We've slept together before," she pointed out in a seethingly loud tone. Choji tripped over his own feet and Kakashi dropped Icha Icha right out of his hands. The two startled ninja exchanged glances before looking as Shikamaru, their expressions as if they were praising him for his efforts.

"Cut the crap, you two! It wasn't supposed to have happened. It's what happens when you give me and Ino alcohol and no one's watching us," he muttered stubbornly.

"You shouldn't need to be watched, you're legal!" Choji insisted. He had to admit he was taking this kind of hard, merely from the fact of the matter in which he was in love with the platinum blonde. Shikamaru had always pep-talked him, told him not to listen to her and he had been sleeping with her.

"Look, it wasn't like we did it constantly. It was one time and it was an accident, I'm going to leave it at that and only that," Shikamaru decided, his mood officially ruined.

"When did you do-"

"I told you, leave it alone!" Shikamaru snapped before Ino scoffed and shrugged her shoulders.

"It was last year at the Christmas Party we had over at Naruto's," she simply stated as if it didn't matter. She sighed and fanned herself. "I thought for sure after that me and Shikamaru were bound to each other but he kept refusing, hell, he still does."

"I don't like you like that, Ino," he snarled through his teeth, starting to get annoyed. He didn't like remembering that thought, actually giving up his virginity to Ino, who actually in the end hadn't been a virgin at all. He didn't want to go over the line he had drawn but in the end the alcohol made him do otherwise and always scolded himself for that mistake. Drunk sex wasn't the best kind of sex.

"Come onnn, you know my father is begging for you to ask my hand any day now! You're not getting any younger and neither am I! Bond the Naras and the Yamanakas forever-"

"Just shut your trap, okay?" Shikamaru snapped, Ino stopping in mid sentence, her eyes not responding to his tone of voice of sudden volume change. "Can we change the frickin' subject? I don't like you like that Ino, and I'm not binding myself to a nagging, self-centered, narcissist obsessed woman like you!"

Ino and Choji's jaws dropped at his words, amazed that he had even dared to say something like to the Yamanaka with such a tone. By the way he stomped away only made the matter worse. When Ino came to, her temper was way off line and she felt utterly embarassed at his words to describe her.

"Why you little-!!"

"It's another woman, if you can't tell. It's kind of obvious if you pay attention to him closely enough," Kakashi stepped in, continuing on after the Shadow Possessor. Ino's hands clenched and unclenched themselves from their fists and she suddenly felt lost at Kakashi's words.

_.....Another woman...?

* * *

_

Temari's eyes blinked, trying to focus the view of her nightstand. The ringing noise of her alarm from her cell phone had awakened her and she wasn't completely awake. Reaching for it on her nightstand, she paused, trying to remember what exactly happened just as she checked the time.

Eleven forty-five.

She groaned as she attempted to move her limbs, her brain not processing what she saw through her eyes. She opened her phone and saw two missed calls from Tenten, one from Kankuro. Pushing her body up with her slightly weakened arms, Temari scratched the back of her head and let out a yawn, making a brief face from the taste of her returned morning breath.

Stupid germs... she muttered to herself as she sat, staring at the wall for a brief moment. Something is telling me that something is different... Something's not right... Temari continued to blink, trying to remember what had happened in the last twenty-four hours.

She remembered walking throught the gates, the ANBU officer escorting her home, seeing Shikamaru, almost hyperventilating...her mind went through everything that had happened the past twenty-four hours and her cheeks flushed almost instantly at his words, his touch, the felt of his breath on her ear. She shuddered instantly and felt her heart almost hang from her chest at the realization of the idea that he was really going after Hidan...

"He's...he's going after Hidan!?" she realized as she yelled, attempted to scramble off the bed. Her foot caught in a knot from the sheets, she fell forward, her face hitting the floor. Kicking her foot loose, she looked at herself, realizing she was fully dressed. Heading to the bathroom, she quickly brushed her hair and her teeth, hoping to rid herself of the basic results of sleep.

Her mind didn't realize what was really going on when he said he was going after Hidan. She was lost for words just by how he had said it, she was more interested in how he held her hand then where he was going when they parted.

_Gaara had me look over the Akatsuki files when he came back. Hidan has the ability to make himself immortal. How do you defeat someone who cannot die...?_ she asked herself, her body starting to shake ferociously. She was afraid for his life, she knew that much was sure. Shikamaru was a genius, but a part of her didn't want to think of the idea of him dying.

_I can't lose Shikamaru... I can't believe I actually let him walk out of my grasp like that... knowing exactly where he was heading... _she scolded herself as she closed her eyes, trying to calm her breathing down. She couldn't bear coming to Konoha, everyone dressed in black yet again, this time for the loss of the Shadow Possessor-

"NO!" she screamed at herself, trying to rid her mind of painful images. "I refuse to lose him!" She slipped her shoes on, snatching up her phone and sliding her fan onto her back. Turning all the lights off at her house and locking the door, she walked with determination in the direction of leaving Konoha.

_I will not let him walk out of my grasp so easily. Not when the mission he's going on is obviously a suicidal one,_ she thought darkly as she heard her phone ring. She paused and pulled it out of her bosom, flipping it open, seeing Tenten's name flashing on the screen. Contemplating for a moment whether or not to answer, she pressed the green talk button and put the phone to her ear.

"Hello...?"

"Hey, Mari! How are you today? You feeling a little better?" she asked in a concerned tone. Temari swallowed the lump that had just formed in her throat and cleared it.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine, Ten, thanks for checking. Um, can I get back to you a little later? I'm sorta busy..."

"Oh! Sure thing! I understand, sorry to interrupt whatever you were doing," she apologized as Temari let out a weakhearted laugh. She honestly didn't know what to do. She was sure Shikamaru wouldn't tell Tenten that he left. If she found out that he did and that she went after him she'd do nothing but worry.

"Don't worry about. I'll call you back as soon as I can, okay?"

"Alright! Bye, Mari!" she heard Tenten end the call, the phone still to her ear as she felt the silence envelope her. If she really did follow Shikamaru, she would only be risking her own life. What if she didn't come back? _Don't say that... _Her eyes burned at the sudden feeling of tears possibly watering up in her eyes. In her mind she invisioned her mother holding her tiny hand, whispering goodbye to her... _Don't say goodbye..._

Shaking herself, Temari scolded her mind to stop making her feel so morose. Those feelings should have been dead and gone by now, but they just wanted to let themselves loose since they got a chance before that morning in the shower._ Get ahold of yourself, Temari..._

"Temari-san! Temari-san!" She swallowed hard, blinking several times before she was sure that the tears in her eyes were no longer visible. She turned around and saw the very same ANBU whom had escorted her to her house that morning the day before. She smiled and waved as he stopped approaching her and bowed in respect.

"What is it? I've got something important to do," She stated in a slightly cold tone, her eyes removing all the emotions from within them.

"Tsunade-sama has summoned you on account of some serious business that she wants you to take back to your brother. She is aware that you arrived in town yesterday morning, but she said that you never visited her with the Kazekage's information," he explained as Temari felt a sweat drop on the back of her head. _I knew I forgot to do something yesterday.  
_  
"Sure thing, I'll go see her right now," Temari reassured as the man nodded and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Heading back hoome to pick up her files, she grabbed the scroll in which she stored all documents that were meant for her brother's and Tsunade's eyes only before she went for the Hokage Mountains.

_That was my whole reason for even coming to Konoha and now I can't even fullfill my duties as a Kunoichi because of my emotions or even my lust for this- _Temari stopped in midthought and her cheeks heated up as she reached the top of the stairs towards Tsunade's office.

_Did I just say...lust?_

"Temari!" broken out of her thoughts, the redness in her cheeks disappearing, she saw Shizune approach her and gesture her to follow. Quickly doing so, Shizune slowed down for Temari to catch up before she looked at her, a confused and questioning gaze directed towards her.

"Where have you been? We had been informed that you arrived yesterday morning, but you never came to see us and report with Gaara-sama's response on the information we last sent him!" Shizune asked a scolding tone. Temari's hand flew up to her head as she tried to think of an excuse. Failing, she decided to fess up and tell the truth.

"I was really having some issues yesterday. I forgot about the reports and didn't think about it until you sent that nin after me a few minutes ago," Temari admitted as Shizune's face turned to a concerned one. No one heard about Temari having any kind of issues that would throw her off of her priorities.

"Are you oka-"

"Yeah, I'm perfectly..." she trailed off and thought for a moment. Shikamaru couldn't have left. He would need permission from Tsunade-sama. That means, he's safe. He's gotta be at his house by now.

Shizune knocked on the door and awaited for Tsunade to say come in. After taking a brief moment, she did such and the two kunoichi entered, seeing her at her desk, Jiraiya sitting on it, looking as if he was in an apathetic sort of mood. He smiled and saluted jokingly to Temari. She smiled back.

Tsunade on the other hand looked stressed out and slightly worried, like her conscious was eating at her, like she had made a bad decision, or wondering if what she decided was a good idea. Temari's eyes widened and put two and two together. Running into the room, Temari slammed her palms on the table, grabbing the Hokage's attention.

"Milady!" Shizune exclaimed, running after Temari to pull her back. "What is wrong with you, Temari! Taking out unneccesary anger on-"

"You let Shikamaru go after Hidan, didn't you!?" Tsunade and Jiraiya's eyes widened, surprised at Temari's knowledge in such little time. Realizing that this had clearly upset the Sand Princess, Tsunade didn't say anything. "Answer me, damn it! Why would you let him go after an immortal being!?"

"Because he said that he knew Hidan's weakness and how to take him out," Jiraiya responded for her, obviously knowing Tsunade's incapability to speak was due to the guilt Temari was piling on her back. "He said he was the only one able to defeat him, so she thought it was best for him to go ahead."

"He's angry! Asuma-sama died because of Hidan, not to mention he feels like its his fault! He's going out of revenge and to avenge his sensei's death! For all you know he could know what he's doing on or he's risking his life for the sake of his pride!" Temari screamed. Her body was shaking again, just as she backed away the hot tears forming in her eyes, burning them as she realized what her mind was doing to her again.

"Temari-chan, calm down, please. Shikamaru's mind has stretched far beyond you think, you should have faith in him," Shizune soothed as Temari yanked herself away, feeling a tear threatening to fall out of the corner of her eye. Swiping it away, she threw the scroll she had for Tsunade at the floor and turned around, storming out.

"Where are you going?" Shizune called, Temari refusing to answer as she continued, acting like she hadn't heard a word. She wasn't going to believe Shikamaru really went after Hidan, that Tsunade really let him go, if not alone, but with three other people to make a squad. Everything seemed like it was going downhill. All she could do was hope and pray. Before she had been planning to go after him but now, she didn't want to go. It felt like if she did she'd only be a burden and possibly ruin whatever plan he had.

_If he has one... _she reminded herself pessimistically. _Kami, please be with him. I can't lose that man...

* * *

_

"Shikamaru...?" he sighed as he looked at Ino. They had camped that night, and the two of them were keeping the first shift of guarding everyone else while Choji and Kakashi got their sleep. He was gazing at the night clouds and half listening to her as she kindled the fire.

"What is it?" he asked in a slightly annoyed tone of voice. She seemed troubled, the way she kept messing with the fire like she was trying to preoccupy herself from thinking about something. He closed his eyes again when he saw she wasn't going to answer. _Women, for Kami sake..._

"Do you...have a girlfriend by chance...?" she asked in a soft, curious tone. Shikamaru didn't speak at first, but actually wondered where the sudden question came from. He opened his eyes looking back up up at the clouds for a brief moment.

"No. I don't really have time for that right now," he admitted, slightly lying. He had his eyes set on Temari, but he knew that Ino wanted him which gave him an advantage over her. I'm not girl magnet but I've got more oppurtunities than many could ask for...

"...Oh...I guess that's a good thing..." she said quietly, still messing with the fire. "...Do you like a certain girl?"

"What's with the third degree about women, Ino? I don't want one right now, they're too much trouble. And being trapped in a relationship isn't really good for me right now when all I want is space," he snapped, catching her off guard.

"I was just asking!" she yelled, throwing the wood she had been messing with the fire with down stood up, approaching him. Grabbing the front of his shirt, he was instantly surprised by her bright blue eyes glaring into his.

"What the-!?"

"You men are so stupid, aren't you? Can't even tell when a girl wants you! And then you're afraid of being tied down and being in a committed relationship like marriage!" she yelled as Kakashi and Choji peeked out from their tents, watching the argument from their distance.

Shikamaru sighed and shook his head once again.

"Ino, Ino, Ino," he said as if he was telling her right from wrong. "You girls don't see how us guys think. There are some times when we don't a female likes us, but when we do, if we don't say anything, we don't want to hurt them. We're not neccesarily afraid of anything you just said. We just do that because we don't want ot ruin something like a friendship or we're just not ready to be tied down."

Ino's grip on his collar loosened as she sat down, her legs pushed back as Shikamaru noticed the tears in his eyes. His softened their glare as he looked away. For Kami's sake, when I try to help her out all she does it cry.

"Is that why you won't go out with me...? You're not ready to be tied down or you just don't want me?" she asked, the tears springing from her face. Shikamaru sighed, suddenly wanting to comfort the girl. She could have all these men chasing after her that she wouldn't give a second look and she can't have the one that she wants. Pulling her into an embrace, hoping to make her feel a little better, she shuddered and sniffed every other moment.

"I don't have feelings like that for you, Ino. Not love. I don't think I love anyone that way," he admitted.

"You never tried to either," She pointed out as he sighed, realizing that this argument could go on for days. "I'm sorry...its probably because I'm conceited and everything isn't it?" _That's what this is about._

"It's a hell of a turn off when a girl thinks a lot of herself and it seems like she gives herself two hundred percent more than she deserves. It can get really annoying and that's what's bad about it, really," he explained as Ino hiccuped and looked up at him with her big blue eyes. His cheeks flared slightly, causing him to look away in embarassment just as he felt her hand his cheek, pushing force to get him to look back at her again.

"Ino, what-?" When he did face her he felt her lips against his own, catching him off guard almost immediately, especially when she deepened the kiss. He felt her arms slide around his neck as she pushed him back just as he started to kiss her back. _What the hell am I doing...?_

Just when she stopped the kiss, she pulled away and smiled as she licked her lips. _I'm getting myself into the worst right now I can see it... _The back of his mind was telling him just as she swept him way in another kiss...

_What about Temari?_


	5. Chapter 4: Insecurities

**Hai Hai! I'm proud to say that I updated most quickly than I normally ever have! At least for this story. :p I'm proud of this chapter, it took a lot of hard work and determination considering the past twenty four hours I've been dealing with stress, the womanly curse, and my crappy computer. The one that I oh so loved? Yeah, I checked out the reviews for it. "So that's why it randomly shuts off..." :**

**Okay, I was checking my stats, right? I've had 228 visitors in total. This is technically more popular than my 206 reviews Neji And Tenten, Losing Everything, which only had 141. For some reason, the reviews are sorta a put off, ya know. I like them, they tell me what they feel about the story and what they think as of good suggestions and even improvements. I say please review once more, and leave it at that. Please and thank you?  
**

**So, this chapter. Is called. Insecurities, right? I wonder why...When you read about Temari and Tenten's moments (maybe I should write a friendship story on those two...that would be fun... :3) You guys may consider Temari a little OOC. But to be honest, she's not sure of how to deal with her emotions for Shika-kun, or any of her suddenly emerging emotions until now. It'll seem a little awkward, yeah, I know, and it seems impossible how i write her this way, but trust me, it'll all come together.**

**I do not own Naruto, but I do own the plot to this story! Ja ne!

* * *

**

Insecurities

Chapter 4

"Temari...you can't keep doubting him. I'm sure Shika-kun is perfectly fine. It takes time to deal with his plans. And he's thinks through everything. You're just acting a little paranoid."

"It's been three days, Ten. I can't just sit here waiting for a word or two. I just wish he didn't go at all. I mean, its Hidan, Tenten. The only one out of all the Akatsuki member who can become immortal. You know you'd be yanking your hair out if Neji would have left after him," Temari pointed out.

It had been three days since that morning when Shikamaru had left. Everyone apparently had been left out in the dark about this certain mission. There were a complete number of four missing nin that caused everyone to panic.

It was the original InoShikaCho squad's children and Kakashi who had left. Apparently Tsunade wouldn't let them leave without the Sharingan beholder. He was supposed to be sending updates on how everyone was doing, but everyone knew Kakashi. That only made Temari worry even more.

Another part of Temari felt a tinge of jealousy. It was probably the fact that Ino was with him. Not to mention something didn't feel exactly right the past few days since he left. She felt distant from him, almost as if something had changed their relationship. And she had to admit she hated the feeling.

She also hated the idea of the fact that they weren't allowed to take their cellphones on missions. It was forbidden in Suna and Konoha, but she felt the urge to call him knowing that his cell was probably on his nightstand or on his bed, powered down. But for some unknown reason, she was sure Kakashi had his.

_That one eyed idiot probably breaks all the rules just because of the fact he's an ex-ANBU_, she sneered. Sakura had told her that a long time ago, saying that Kakashi didn't like to reveal much of the past life, but one thing was for sure. He was a trained murderer.

Then she couldn't help think about what kind of plan Shikamaru had in store for the Akatsuki. Choji's inflation technique would be of use and Kakashi's Chidori had to strike at some point in time. Then Ino's Mind Transfer and his Shadow Possession and who knows what the genius could have possibly come up with.

Tenten scratched the back of her head and blushed a little at her best friend's words. She had to admit, the situation wouldn't be taken as lightly as Temari was if it had been her Neji in Shikamaru's place.

"O-okay, that may be true, but..." Temari couldn't help but scoff as she folded her arms together and sat back, agitated that Tenten couldn't come up with some nonsense excuse to get her through the next few days.

Tenten sighed and continued to try and explain even though it seemed as if the Sand Princess had given up on listening to the conversation. "Shikamaru and Neji are two different men! If Neji dared to go after Hidan, he still wouldn't have had a well thought out plan like Shika would! Not to mention Shikamaru fought with him once before, giving him an advantage."

Temari's thumbs twiddled with one another, only annoying Tenten with the idea that her friend wasn't listening to her.

"....I see your point..." Temari admitted as Tenten's scowl suddenly morphed into a wide-mouthed grin. It disappeared when Temari spoke again. "I have this ominous feeling though..."

"What exactly do you mean...ominous?"

"Not like, someone's hurt, or dead, or anything. Just like something isn't right. Like someone just made everything go onto a different course of action than it was originally planned," Temari tried to explain in an unsure tone. "I know it doesn't sound right but-"

"No, no. I understand perfectly. I know what you mean, but I've had this feelin a lot longer than yours. It was before Shikamaru left," Tenten pointed out as Temari's emerald eyes grew curious. "Yeah, it seemed like...do you remember the first time I got pregnant? And Neji and I lost it...? The baby...?"

Temari felt the aura surrounding them seemed to have darkened like no other. The issue with Tenten's father was like no other. He had killed her mother and came back to kill her, only taking their unborn child before his own demise. The child hadn't been planned, but the two were ready to take full responsibility for their actions. They seemed to have gotten too attached to the idea of being parents and the loss of the child left the couple in shackles. Tenten was unsure of how to handle the situation still at some times.

"It's like...after he took it, I felt like he took everything. And it still feels that way. Neji and I have been married for two years, and we dated for three. We're taking that step to have children now and for some reason I feel like...its not going to work," she admitted, avoiding Temari's face, her voice filled with hurt and fear.

Temari sighed and felt it her opportunity to be strong for the Weapon Mistress when she was at her weakest. She pulled her into an embrace, Tenten's face in her chest right before Temari felt hot tears seep through her shirt against her chest.

"Have you talked to Neji about the feeling?" she whispered in a consoling tone, Tenten sniffling before shaking her head.

"I...I can't put it into words for him. He told me he was ready for children, but I can just tell he's not, you know? He's scared of all the precautions, like the Curse Seal. He doesn't want it to be on our children, but...you know. If I put this on his back in additions to the elders pressuring him-"

"Why would they pressure him?" Temari interrupted without stopping herself.

"Because Naruto and Hinata are long past their first child, Harukan. The old traditions suit that the two side bloodlines, Neji and Hinata's, have the Main Branch and Side Branch relationship. They want Neji and I to hurry up and have babies so they can protect Hinata's," Tenten had to explain. "And I know something's wrong, I just know it is. Neji and I have been making love for five years without protection and no children? Something's wrong with me..."

"Shhh, don't say that, Tenten. Nothing is wrong with you," Temari contradicted as she leaned her best friend's head up. "Now look at me. You can get through this. And whether you have a baby for you and Neji or just to shut the Elders up, you're gonna do it, you hear me?" Temari pep talked.

Tenten smiled a watery smile and nodded in agreement. Temari sat back against her couch and let out a long sigh as if Tenten hadn't just been crying on her shoulder and let out all this grief she had been holding back.

"You should talk to your husband about this too. He needs to know," Temari pushed as Tenten scoffed and rolled her eyes trying to dry her face off. "Yeah, we're best friends, but this isn't just some gossip, Ten, this could affect your relationship. You're not married to me, you're married to him."

"I already know all of this, Temari. It just...makes me worry sometimes whenever I talk about things like this with Neji. I mean, sometimes he reacts differently than I expect and it catches me off guard..." she tried to explain.

"Tenten. It's just talking to your husband. Yeah, it might not be as easy as having sex with him on a daily basis-"

"Temari!" Tenten yelled with a laugh springing from her throat.

"But its just as important!" she finished as Tenten's hands flew up to her mouth to try and surpress the giggle that was slowly breaking its way through the barrier. Temari seized her hands and yanked them away, Tenten's laugh echoing through the entire house.

"Remember when we all had to deal with each other together?" Tenten asked with a grin on her lips. Temari blinked and sat back and a smile came on her face at the remembrance.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Shikamaru and I were always on the same Squad, and he was the captain. You and I barely liked each other before that mission," Tenten reminded her best friend. "My exact thoughts were, 'why did Tsunade-sama have to pick her? She thinks she's better than everyone else.'"

"I thought you were the weakest excuse for a Chunin then. Until I actually saw what you could do. I mean, at the time, all these ninjas had so many of their own techniques and all you really had was your weapons," she admitted as Tenten nodded, twiddling her thumbs.

"Yeah, but now those things can really come in handy, those weapons of mine," Tenten mumbled, almost as if she was talking to herself. Temari watched her briefly before shoving her to break her out of her trance. "Huh?"

"Don't think that your a crappy ninja because you master in weapons. Do you have any idea how many times you've saved my ass?" Temari scolded as Tenten shook her head furiously.

"No, I wasn't thinking that! I was just wondering where we would all be at if we hadn't gone on that mission. You and Shikamaru wouldn't be as close. It just makes you think," she tried to explain. Temari paused and slumped back into the couch at her words. That mission was the first time they actually spent any 'real' time together before, discluding all the other random moments.

"Yeah, I guess...we would have eventually became friends," she decided when Tenten looked at her curiously.

"Why do you say that? You guys barely spoke to each other then, and when you did it was always scornful," Tenten pointed out. "It sorta kinda still was until recently, but you know what I mean!"

Temari had to admit, once she and the Shadow Possessor kissed that first time at the Chunin Exams, they always had this strange connection that drew them to one another. No matter what, they always wanted be around each other even though neither of them planned anything to happen between them.

Why else would she save his ass when they were trying to save the Emo Uchiha? Why would she volunteer to be the messenger for the two neighboring countries? Kankuro offered, but she forever denied that she pretty much begged for the job. There wasn't anything in Konoha that would interest her...

Except him.

"No reason, its just...something told me, something like fate seems to tell me that it doesn't really matter, we're gonna end up being friends and being around each other," Temari sorta feigned as she avoided Tenten's chocolate brown eyes. Tenten stood up and headed into her friend's kitchen, only causing Temari to jump up as well and follow her. "What are you doing-?"

"I'm hungry, so I'm about to try and cook in this thing you call a kitchen," Tenten calmly stated as she started searching for pots and pans. Temari's hands balled up into fists and met her hips.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It meansss... your kitchen only has the basics, so I'll have to make due. You never took a cooking class, did you? No one ever taught you how to cook?" Tenten questioned as she filled a large pot with hot water. The Sand Kunoichi frowned and headed towards the refridgerator to grab a bottle of water. "Um...Temari? Did you hea-"

"Sorry, but at the time, cooking wasn't exactly a requirement in the kunoichi's when we were younger. I just know the basics," Temari responded realizing she hadn't answered the question. Tenten blinked and shrugged before going back to pot, dropping in a few spices to flavor the liquid.

Temari's nose wafted in the delicious scents from the few ingredients Tenten put into the pot and felt a nostalgic emotion overcome her along with a pained fear that seemed to worry her and speed up her heart rate.

Her mind placed her into the kitchen of Kazekage's Mansion, her mother's cooking scents floating through the air while she and Kankuro helped her by searching the area for whatever items she requested at any moment. It brought brief tears to her eyes before she realized where her mind had diminished.

_Where did that come from?_ Temari asked herself before unbottling the beverage and taking a few sips. Closing her eyes, she was pulled back to the remembrance of Shikamaru's birthday from the year before. She had been over his house, they were hanging out on his back porch for a little while. Ino stopped by with a homemade apple pie.

_A woman that cooks... _Temari thought as she covered her mouth, realizing her sudden insecurity and queasiness.

"Ten?" The mistress looked up from watching the water start to boil.

"Hm?"

"Do you cook for Neji?" Temari asked in a slightly exasperated tone. Tenten couldn't help but feel confused. Her best friend was completely fine a few moments ago and now she looked unstable, like she was frantic for something.

"I used to, when he stayed at my house. Not anymore though. When I moved into the Hyuga Household, the cooking duty was taken out of my hands," she said slowly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm...I'll be fine, trust me," she refused as she headed back towards her bathroom. "I'll be right back, I'm going to the bathroom!!" she called before Tenten could open her mouth and ask where she was going or why her friend was acting so strange.

* * *

The squad slowly shuffled back to Konoha, and it seemed like there was a silence covering them. Ino seemed to have been walking noticably close to Shikamaru and Choji seemed to have been pissed off like no other. Kakashi, noticing all the tension, walked ahead of the famous trio in hope to escape the troubling aura.

"Um...Ino? Can you get me some elbow room here?" Shikamaru asked in a quiet tone, hoping Choji didn't hear him. He knew his friend had feelings for the blonde, and he had to admit he fell for her trap like a siren luring a sailor, but there was no going back now.

Ino, taking the request to the heart, thinking that Shikamaru was accusing her of being too clingy, back off almost immediately and moved almost a foot away from him, only putting more attention on tension between them.

Shikamaru sighed in defeated and moved even further away from Ino to her disappointment, and moved in on Choji. At first he was caught off guard by his best friend's movements, but his guard was still up and his body facing away from him.

"Choji...I think we need to talk to each other," Shikamaru whispered low enough for Ino to be unable to hear it. Choji scoffed and folded his arms across his chest and acted as though he didn't hear the Shadow Possessor. "Come on, Cho. We can talk about this, can't we?"

"There's nothing to talk about, Shikamaru," he seethed through his teeth, avoiding eye contact to his best extent. Shikamaru sighed and scratched the back of his head before looking up to the sky. Why me? What do you have against me of all people? he questioned the sky before looking back to his best friend.

Placing his hand on his shoulder, he jumped back when Choji yanked away, this time their eyes connecting, tension between them at the heated glare the Akimichi sent the Nara.

"Don't touch me."

"Choji, I'm really-"

"Don't you dare say it, Shikamaru! Say it and I swear you'll regret it!" Choji exploded as he backed away from his friend, holding his hands up in a defensive position.

"I was just trying to get this issue out of the way-"

"You're the one who needs to get out of my way! You've ruined everything, you know that? Always pushing me forward just to push me back!" Choji screamed, his anger boiling over. Kakashi had already put his newest Icha Icha book away and focused more at the Love Triangle Issue at hand.

"I've always supported you as a friend, Choji, and you know that!" Shikamaru yelled back at the accusation of him not being there for his friend.

"Then why'd you do it, huh? Why couldn't you for once just leave it alone? Let me do it when I wanted to?" the Akimichi questioned as Shikamaru drew back, unsure of how to answer the question. "Whenever I'm not ready for something, you always end up taking it for yourself instead of letting take things at my own pace!" he screamed before the man stomped away, heading away from the rest of the group.

Ino, looking terrified, approached Shikamaru and gently touched his arm for comfort of her own and concern for the two best friends. The moment her hand touched his forearm, he yanked away and started in the opposite direction, swearing a number of words until he disappeared in the trees.

The only two people left standing, Ino looked to Kakashi, who seemed to have been off in distant thought, had figured out the whole situation in a matter of moments while the platinum blonde haired woman was confused like no other.

"Kakashi-san...what just happened?" she asked softly, breaking the silence and the Ex-ANBU's thought process. He turned to her and stared at her briefly before putting his hand on her head and patted it several times.

"I don't think you should know. All the attention would go to your pretty little head," he stated before turning and looking in Shikamaru's direction and then Choji's. "Go after Nara. I've got Akimichi. Meet here at as soon as possible, whether they want to come back or not, okay?"

Swallowing hard at the sudden orders, Ino nodded and started after the man she loved, catching his chakra and disappearing into the bushes, groaning slightly at the itchy feeling of the leaves as they brushed against her pale skin. Kakashi shook his head and started after the less confident of the two Shinobi. He had a job to do, one that needed to be done.

* * *

Temari splashed the icy water upon her face, coughing slightly from accidently inhaling the liquid through her nostrils. The burning sensation only irritated her the more. She couldn't believe her thought process actually took that route. Not to mention she let it get to her!

_Am I really that insecure about Shikamaru being around Ino? Compared to her in the feminine department, she's got be beaten, _Temari reminded herself. _The looks, the loyalty, and the idea that she has no problem marrying a man. She'll be her husband's servant anyday._

Her hand knocked all of her personal cleanliness items to the floor as she took gasps of air, her body starting to shake as she felt heated tears burn her chilled cheeks.

_And what do I have? Two brothers who I should more likely call my sons. I'm ill-tempered, I can't cook, and I'm the jealous type. What could he want from me that he can't get from her? _

Temari's knees slowly gave way, her fingers gripping the porcelain sink above her, her teeth gritted as she swore to herself.

_Why am I doing this to myself? I hate that bitch. And now I'm making myself seem like less of a woman than she is. Just because he's with her. Just because she could probably have him if she wanted to bad enough. _

Swallowing hard, she yanked herself up and started the water again, wiping the salty tears from her eyes. If she stayed gone too long, Tenten would come back and check on her, and that was the last thing she needed.

While she washed her face, Temari did do some thinking. She had to admit it was the first time she had ever cried over the thought of a friend of hers being with someone else instead of her.

Her cheeks instantly flushed at the realization. _Wait, was I just crying because Ino has a better chance at Maru? _Temari scolded and swore to herself for at least forty percent of the time while she was washing her face. After she got tired of that, she sighed and looked at herself in the mirror, her emerald eyes staring back at her.

_I guess its obvious then. I like Shikamaru. And the fact that Ino has just as much of a chance with him as me only makes me like him even more. I even degraded myself by comparing me and the barbie doll. When I lose it, man do I lose it..._

Temari wrung out the washcloth and put it back on the towel rack and sighed. _I guess the more mature thing to do is be happy for him if he doesn't want me or have any feelings for me. But it's kinda odd. I didn't see her as a threat before he left... I guess its that bad feeling I was getting earlier. I'm not going to be happy when he gets back, I know it...

* * *

_

"Yo."

Choji's brown eyes bolted in the direction where the sudden word had been spoken. He scoffed and looked away, back at the river bed he was sitting by.

"And what exactly do you want?"

Kakashi didn't seem to move from the tree branch he was perched upon and his body language was saying that he honestly didn't care about Choji's current state. The fact that he was reading Icha Icha again only aggravated the pissed off Shinobi even more.

"Leaving the group wasn't very safe. We may be closer to our own lands, but that doesn't mean to be reckless just because you got your little girlfriend stolen," Kakashi stated coldly, snapping Icha Icha closed, placing it in his back pocket.

Choji's brown eyes flashed and he jumped up, his fists balled up into knots, his breathing suddenly shallow. Kakashi didn't seem to care about the fact he had hit a nerve.

"She's not my girlfriend, obviously! Shikamaru's the better man! He's the better ninja too! He gets stuff he doesn't even want without trying or bothering to make an effort! He's just a selfish little brat, he always has been!" Choji exploded on Kakashi.

Silence devoured them other than the angered Akimichi's shallow, heavy breathing from the large gulps of air it took for him to calm down from the yelling at the superior Jonin. Jumping down from the branch, he approached Choji, intimidating him as he did so and crossed his arms across his chest.

"You're really letting this get to you, aren't you?" Kakashi spoke in a tone as if he was asking himself. Shaking his head, Kakashi turned around and his aloof eyed curved upwards in to a line.

"Seeing how upset you are, I think you should know something," Kakashi started as he squatted down to the grass and looked off at a black crow flying over head. Choji, caught off guard by the sudden change in the mood. His mind told him just to sit down and his embarassment overwhelmed him when he realized he had let out his anger on the man.

"You think that Shikamaru stole Ino from you," Kakashi stated. He turned and looked at Choji, noticing the darkening of his cheeks. The boy is still a child at heart, I'm sure. "But the reality of the fact is that she wasn't yours to begin with."

Choji grimaced at the thought and stared straight ahead, hoping to calm himself down. He was having another inner temper tantrum and he didn't wish to unleash it unto his superior officer again, this time intentionally.

"...What makes you so sure its about Ino? I couldn't care less about whether those two are together," Choji snapped, the lie failing miserably as Kakashi shook his head, sighing at his failure to hide the truth.

"Tch, tch, tch. You are in denial. You've always liked Ino. You never tried to seize the opportunity. It's always like that in a Squad of Three, two males and one female. Have you not noticed that? First come, first serve. You can't get mad at their relationship, if you want to call it that," Kakashi said with a slight bit of amusement in his voice on the last sentence.

"What do you mean if you ca-"

"The point I'm trying to make is that you can't be mad at Shikamaru. Ino made the move, and he merely fell for it like a ton of bricks like most of the younger adults do," Kakashi simply stated. "You'll learn as you get older, women are stealthy creatures and they can talk you into anything. As of right now, man up and respect what they have while it lasts."

Choji looked away, he never liked being talked to as if he was a child, and about such matters as well. He felt a tinge of relief in his heart when Kakashi said 'while it lasts' almost as if that was a reassurance that they wouldn't last very long together.

"Let's meet them back at the area we left now," Kakashi ordered. Choji looked up and saw the nin standing and suddenly disappear, telling him to catch up. Stumbling to get on his feet, he speeded after the superior officer in hope not to look like a complete mess in his eyes.

"Shikamaru!" He stopped in his tracks at the voice calling him until he recognized who it was. He swore under his breath and kept walking, hoping that she wouldn't catch up to him. _Oh God, why did she have to come after me? Kakashi would have been better to this issue._

"Shikamaru, wait up! Where are you? I can't-aihh!!" Shikamaru stopped at her frightened yell and spun around, heading directly for her chakra. Pushing the branches and trees out of the way, he came to a clearing. Ino was covered in a little bit of dirt and she seemed to have been scratched up a little, but all in all she was fine.

"Ino! Are you-?" he caught it off as his eyebrow twitched and he folded his arms across his chest. She was sprawled out on the dirt floor before she pulled herself up wiping the dirt from her face, having a mini panic attack from the dirt all over her.

She looked up and made eye contact with him, her clear blue eyes brightening as she stood and dusted herself off, springing onto him, her arms locked around his shoulders.

"Shikamaru! Why'd you keep running? You make people worry when you stomp off like that you know!" Ino scolded as he covered his ears, feeling his head throb at her nagging tone of voice. It was always a higher octave and the frequency always gvae him a splitting headache.

"I just needed to get away," he half lied. _The other half was because it was _you _who was coming after me to check on me._ "Why exactly were you on the ground?" She looked back down where she had seemingly collapsed before her cheeks turned red and she looked away from her embarassment.

"Oh... I tripped is all," she admitted as Shikamaru rolled his eyes and looked away from her. He suddenly didn't want to hurt her feelings when normally he wouldn't care. Those blue eyes are a certified death trap, I know it. "What's going on with you and Choji? I have never seen him that angry about anything, and so serious too!"

Shikamaru's eyes softened and realized that he had really broken Choji's heart and ruined his chance to be with the woman in front of him. He pulled her off of him and her eyes looked suddenly fearful of what he was going to tell him.

"Ino...I-"

"Shikamaru, don't worry about it, whatever it is," Ino interrupted. He looked at her with a bewildered expression before she smiled weakly. "Don't let whatever's getting to you get to you. I can already tell. It must be something between you, Choji, and Asuma-sensei." She has no idea what's going on...

"No, you don't understa-"

"I don't need to. I don't want to know anything that has to involve you and Choji arguing or having a disagreement. My big mouth will only fuel the fire and I believe we should leave everything the way it is, unsaid," she in a tone that said she wasn't going to hear or say other wise.

"But In-"

"No, Shikamaru! I don't want to hear it!" she snapped, finally shutting him up. His eyes rolled once more as she gestured to head back to camp. "Come on, let's get back. We should be able to make it to Konoha by noon tomorrow if we hurry." They started back together, Shikamaru walking behind her for his slower, more leisurely pace.

_Maybe its better that she doesn't know that she's the reason for all the stress in me and Choji's friendship. She'll either take the attention to her head in a good way and milk it for all its worth, or make herself feel like shit... _He watched her as she turned and flashed a wide, bright smile. _To be honest, I really don't know which of the two she would do._


	6. Chapter 5: Realization

**Hey everyone. I'm not proud of my absence, really I'm not. I didn't forget about this story, I doubt I ever will. Anddd, I'm very surprised at my ability to write this due to the large amount of stress, low amount of mental sanity, and the need of a psychiatrist. (Yes, I'm crazy). But Um... I didn't let it hold me back from writing. I'm still not really that okay, but hell, I'm still going to try and write as much as i can. Before today, I hadn't typed a word since the last update. I hadn't even started this chapter. But I managed to write it in about three to four hours. i really didn't like leaving you guys hanging so, here!**

**Um... Follow me on twitter. I'll be telling you guys random stuff and how frequent I'm actually on the computer. You can Twitter Direct Message me if you have any kind of questions or wonderings about my updates and so on and so forth. I'm going to push this foward. It will be terribly long so it will take me a while to finish this regardless.**

**Once again. This is a very off timeline. Once again, this is edited and formatted to my liking to make the story fit my vision. If you don't like it, don't read it. if you want to confront me about how i write, go ahead. I'll respond to the best of my ability. Thanks.**

**I don't own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto owns it. Last time I checked. Um... Yeah. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please review, I would like to know what you thought of it.

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Realization

Chapter 5

That night after Temari realized her feelings for her friend, the Shadow Possessor, she knew instantly that she needed to sort out what exactly those 'feelings' were.

She could name so many things she felt for Shikamaru. She cared, that counted as a feeling. She was attached to him, and that was yet another feeling. She was protective over him, she worried about his safety and wellbeing, about his emotional states...

But could there be more?

_More..._ Temari thought to herself. She recalled the moment when she admitted to herself unknowingly that she lusted for him as well. Her cheeks flared up at the thought of Shikamaru and her actually...

"Temari? Are you okay? Why is your face so red? Are you even breathing!?" Tenten asked breaking the young woman out of her trance. She grabbed her head and laughed awkwardly, her breathing shallowed for some odd reason.

"I'm fine, don't worry, Ten. I was just thinking way too hard about something," Temari told her best friend as Tenten looked at her with an odd, yet curious expression. Anyone would wonder what was going through Temari's mind at that moment.

Tenten was spending the night to try and keep Temari's nerves calm. It seemed like the longer she awaited Shikamaru's return the more anxious she got. She called her husband and told her she'd be home when she could be.

Temari didn't have a say in whether or not she wanted any guests, especially since it was Tenten, the woman who seemed to be able to talk her way in and/or out of anything who was demanding a sleep over. So she decided she would enjoy the company while it would last.

"Oh really...?" Tenten pried, not letting the subject go. Temari's face only darkened at the realization athat she enjoyed the thought of her and Shikamaru having sexual relations with one another.

"Shouldn't you be doing something to ease your loss for Neji?" Temari quickly countered, Tenten shot aback at the sudden, random statement. She folded her arms as her eyebrow quirked up.

"Oh really? Something like what?" Temari grinned at the dirty statement that popped up in her head.

"Something that involves your fingers maybe?" Tenten's jaw dropped as she swung at her friend, Temari dodging the blow before it could land, her laugh shattering that bit of silence that had spread when she spoke that sentence.

"Where the hell do you think your going, Sabaku! You're not going to bed until a pummel you to pieces!" Tenten shrieked, her anger diminishing, replacing itself with a childish nature that Tenten hadn't felt for many years.

"Pummel me? Come on, Tenten! I'm sitting on one hundred and fifty pounds and your still at one-ten! I'd crush you to bits if I wanted to!" Temari joked as she hopped over the entire kitchen counter, separating her from Tenten.

Tenten laughed and jumped in the direction she thought Temari was going in attempt to get her to run the other way, but it failed when Temari bursted out laughing and faked the way she had the least chance of grabbing her.

They both couldn't stop laughing at the childish acts they had just done. Sliding onto the tiled floor, Temari held out an arm around the corner of the counter floor. Tenten peered at it just as Temari stated,

"Truce?" Wiping the tears from her eyes, she nodded and shook her best friend's hand just as they pulled each other up. Utter silence covered them as they just thought about the previous five to ten minutes.

"Did we really just act like a pair of five year olds?" Temari questioned with yet another chuckle. Tenten scoffed in a playful manner and rolled her eyes.

"You're the one who started it." Temari snickered and shook her head.

"No, no! I made a statement. You're the one who decided to jump on me," Temari calmly countered. Tenten shook her head as she went into the closet and grabbed a towel.

"Yeah, yeah, excuses, excuses," she joked as she folded the towel over her arm. "I'm about to hop in the shower and then i'll cook something up for us when I get out, okay?" Temari nodded her friend went into the guest bathroom and started the water for the shower, leaving Temari to gather her thoughts once more.

Thinking about the childish moment between her and Tenten only reminded her of the fact that she lusted for Shikamaru, causing a repeat of her skin brightening to a reddish color.

_What could I want from him, I mean really? _she scolded to herself. _He's scrawny and lanky, he's got the knottiest hair i've ever seen! I can't even imagine him with a big package, and his eyes are... _She thought about his hawk like eyes again and she seemed to have melted right into the sofa.

_Those eyes... It's something about those eyes that make me swoon... I can't even say something bad about them... _She shook her head trying to rid herself of the thoughts she was having. _Pull yourself together woman!_

She knew she had these intense, unexplainable feelings weren't going to disappear overnight like she wished they would. _No..._ she thought. _This feeling in a lot of ways feels great... it'll only backfire on me if he doesn't..._ she flinched at the only negative thing that could possibly come from this. _If he doesn't...want me that way..._

Temari once again scolded herself for putting herself down consciously. She liked the boy, of course she did. There was no denying that. Only an idiot would indicate that the feelings being felt were nothing.

So why should she deny it?

She remembered his words that he had spoken into her ear that was shortly followed with a kiss on the forehead. _**"I'll be back. When I come back, I'll come straight to your house. We need to talk about a few things." **_

_Talk about a few things? _she thought. She didn't think about those words until that very moment. Her heart swelled with an odd feeling that she didn't recognize. No... she had felt this before. When Gaara had been taken... when she had almost lost Kankuro thanks to Sasori's unknown poison. It was...

Hope.

_ What could I possibly be hoping for?_ She asked herself, feeling a headache come on with all the thinking she was doing. It aggravated her that she didn't understand herself. She thought if anyone knew her it'd be her own self, her own being.

Apparently not.

Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. She gasped aloud and she clasped her hands over her mouth. It was so obvious what she wanted. Something that wasn't guaranteed, much less to be likely. Her heart hoped for it while her mind told her to not even bother.

_I can't believe I'm really hoping for him to like me back,_ Temari thought in awe. _This whole time I've been spazzing over how I feel about the whole thing. About how I've felt and how I've been reacting. Now that I'm actually thinking about how he would take the news..._

Even Temari knew Shikamaru wasn't the most romantic person around, much less someone who could comprehend love and other deep emotions. So how would he react to Temari's seemingly sudden outburst of attraction to him.

_Maybe its not as obvious as everyone sees it. If I show up with this crap out of nowhere, he'll be caught off guard no doubt and he won't know how to react. He'll have trouble turning me down because of our friendship... _

"Ugh!" Temari yelled out of aboslute frustration.

Tenten's head peeked from behind the shower curtain and her eyebrows lifted from the sudden outburst. She sounded like she was in pain but at the same time just angry.

"Um...Tem? You okay in there?" Tenten called cautiously as Temari froze in place. She temporarily forgot she had company and Tenten would take the sudden noise as random and a little concerning.

"I'm f-fine!" she stammered before scolding herself silently in her head. This friendship thing is what's standing in the way. Its not like I regret it. Its just gonna complicate things. If I really tell him how I feel, it might ruin it... Is that really worth the risk of these feelings I may have?

Even Temari knew this wasn't like most relationships. Tenten and Neji's was based off of the some how ironically ideal "Prince Charming" or "Come Save Me" Fairy tale. Naruto and Hinata's seems to have been pure admiration as it seemed. Sasuke and Sakura's was just a crush until Sakura realized that reality was something that existed. But friendship? Straight, honest, friendship? Even Neji and Tenten didn't seem to have a straight forward friendship at first. Lee and Tenten were more likely seen as friends before Neji and Ten were.

Tenten's voice seemed to carry throughout the house as she song an old song that she had once told Temari her mother sung to her when she was a small child. Temari had to admit it calmed her a little so the silence wouldn't drive her out of her sanity line. She stared at her bare hands, flexing them for no apparent reason other than to keep her mind off of the subject at hand. Unfortunately, she failed miserably.

"Why is it that all of my issues have to be so complicated?" Temari asked herself aloud before closing her eyes, sighing out of stress. She needed to make a decision, and she needed to make it now. It was better that way. If she waited until the last minute it would come back to bite her and him in the ass.

"Ten! I'm going out! I'll be back in about an hour! I'm locking the door and everything, alright?" Temari called as she pulled herself up rolling her shoulders back to loosen her tense muscles and bones. Tenten's voice ceased for a brief moment to yell back,

"Okay, sure thing!"

Before she continued her song. Temari snatched up her gloves and pulled them tightly onto her hands before standing up and heading towards the front door. Making sure her keys were in her pocket she turned the lock and stepped down the steps into the street way. It was still a little early, so she knew she didn't have to rush back home.

She swallowed and steadily walked along, her mind slightly absent. _I have no idea where I'm going or looking for... _she reminded herself. _But the answer is out here somewhere. And I have to find it before he comes home.

* * *

_

"Shikamaru? Are you _sure_ you're okay?" Ino asked for the umpteenth time as he balled his hands up into fists out of aggravation of her constant nagging about his slight attitude. Grinding his teeth together, he felt the pressure starting to take a toll on his jaw.

"Ino. For the last time. I'm perfectly fine," Shikamaru seethed as Ino scoffed and stuck her nose into the air before folding her arms across her chest.

"Geez, stop getting such a snobby attitude all the time. I'm just worrying about you. I care ya know!" She snapped before shutting up completely. Shikamaru rolled his eyes out of pure sarcasm._ Oh, so _now _you give a crap about me? Because you consider us in a relationship? It doesn't even seem like it to me._

His gaze drifted over towards Choji and his friend had a blank, apathetic, yet exhausted look on his face. He hadn't spoken once since Kakashi had recovered him after his all out explosion. He didn't seem to be interested in talking either. Shikamaru saw this as a warning to leave him alone. If Choji wanted to discuss anything he would come to him.

They had at least a half a day left before they made it back to the village. And everyone saw it as a slight relief since they had managed to defeat Hidan due to Shikamaru's well planned instructions and that they were almost home. There had been alot of stress about the Love Triangle at hand, but Shikamaru was the only one who knew about the more serious "Triangle" that awaited him at the village.

_Temari...._ just her name passing through his mind brought so many unexplained thoughts and somewhat... emotions. He didn't even feel these emotions when he thought of Ino. He barely acknowledged her over the years and she pulled this like it was so out of the blue to him.

_Honestly, I really have been waiting on Choji to admit his feelings for her. They're so obviously there. But at the same time she hasn't paid it any mind due to Sasuke... Or maybe even me... What a drag..._

Now he felt like he was somehow involved with the whole situation. If he knew she liked him before when they were younger he would have nipped that in the bud before it could bloom. But now it was a full grown.

_No. That's not even logical. There's a chance she didn't like me when we were younger. I'm not even gonna put all that blame on my head like that. She was obsessed with Sasuke just like Sakura, at least until he left. And then after that... _

Nothing?

No, he couldn't say nothing. Ino had been with a number of guys. She was the picky type of girl, the one who didn't know what she wanted. She had plenty of guys who fell victim to those blue eyes. But she always went for the guys who ignored her for some reason.

"Women," he accidently muttered aloud, forgetting he was with the other members of his squad. Kakashi knew everything that was going on in his head, not because he could somehow read his mind, but because he had watched a lot of people he grew up with and other people in the generation under him experience.

Choji cracked a faint smile and knew that Shikamaru was conflicting within hiimself about the situation. He stole a look at his face, seeing it was stressed and undetermined. He knew it had to do with Ino, but he had no idea about the Shadow Possessor's feelings for the Sand Princess.

Ino heard it as well and automatically knew that he was talking about her. She gasped and said a faint "hmph" and tried to act like she was angry, but at the same time she was joyous that she was on his mind. She felt like he was warming up to her. She deserved to at least be thought about when it came to his wandering mind.

Temari, his mind drifted over her again. Those deep green eyes and sandy blonde hair. If those thoughts and feelings he had for her were somewhat serious and real, what should, no... what would he do?

_No way Temari would be interested in me. We're friends I know that much. But she's older and isn't usually interested in younger men. She's grown up as a serious woman, dealing with serious men, including Gaara and at times, Kankuro. She didn't want someone who would always act like a child. If she did, she would go and have a baby._

He had to admit he was the most serious one at his age, other than Neji and Sasuke of course. Kiba, Naruto, Lee... they could be when they needed to be, but at the same time you could tell they needed a lot of growing up to do before they nailed it down.

She said she loved you, his mind reminded him. When he did remember those words she had basically yelled at him he stopped in midwalk. The rest of the squad took a few more steps and the paused as well, worried about their companion.

Ino's hand instantly found its way to her ninja tools pouch and Choji held his arm out, ready for expansion. Kakashi merely looked up from Icha Icha and was waiting for the rest of them to respond.

"What's wrong?" Ino practically barked in a whisper. "Is there someone around?" Kakashi chuckled and shook his head before turning his heel and continuing forward. Choji and Ino both exchanged glances before Kakashi gestured for them to follow.

"Nothing's wrong with him, and no one's nearby. He's just in a very deep thought right now," Kakashi explained before continuing on. Choji's arm slumped down to his side and he ran to catch up with the Ex-ANBU and Ino hesitantly followed.

Shikamaru standing in the woodlands by himself let everything click together. She did love him. She wanted him in a lot of ways and maybe even sexually. But at the same time he felt like he just demolished her heart and he hadn't even returned to the village yet.

He remembered telling her he'd be back and that he'd visit her and they needed to discuss some things. He felt his feelings stronger than anything at that particular moment because even he had a slight bit of doubt on whether or not he would return. Those feelings weren't dulling or even competing with those of Ino (if there were any of those), but he was scared of what she'd think of him.

_I've never even seen Temari's emotional side. I feel as though she'd be brutal that way too, _he thought to himself before shuddering. _I want the woman who I claimed to be scarier than my mother. I should have expected consequences way before now. _

He could imagine ducking from a kunai she had flung, trying not to get gutted like a fish. "You come to tell me that you have feelings for me after starting a relationship with her!? What kind of shit are you trying to pull, Shikamaru?" If Temari did really love him, he'd imagined tears in her eyes, and that would rip up his heart right then.

_Temari crying...? _He had never even thought about it before that very moment. It seemed almost impossible in a lot of ways. More like impossible for anyone to see it. She'd been through a lot of struggles and pain. She had almost lost both of her brothers at some point and she struggled to maintain the household right after Gaara was born. There was blood, sweat, and definitely tears involved with her life, especially since she was younger.

He continued walking at a leisurely pace, not even trying to catch up with the rest of the group. He was more concerned about how to take Temari head on. He didn't like beating around the bush and neither did she. She would definitely be the first one to get angry at something like that. But he had to tell her...

Was it love?

That was the question of the entire year. Did he love her? What is the definition love? How do you know if the symptoms you have and/or feel for a person was love?

I'm too much of a logical person for this shit. I mean hell... He thought to himself, frustrated and angry. He remembered Tenten's constant badgering about the subject of him and Mari.

"Do you think about her a lot or more like all the time?" Tenten's voice rang out in his head. _Well... Before... Asuma, she was on my mind frequently... And even now after we lost Sensei she still finds her way in my head..._

"Do you feel 'different' when you're with her and nobody else?" _Different...? We've gone cloud watching. And that eases me but... when it was with her, it did seem a lot less stressful. _

"Have you ever longed for her touch?" _...What the hell am I doing!?_

"Ugh! Break out of this Shikamaru! This is not going to fix anything!" He yelled at himself before kicking a rock. He sighed heavily, grasping his head briefly before inhaling sharply. "Okay. Get yourself together, Nara. You can handle this."

He swallowed hard, hoping it would help him vocally.

"Okay. I do have very strong feelings for Temari. Possibly, love. Ino's feelings will not cloud those feelings. Point blank. I don't have feelings for Ino, at least I don't think. They would have shown up by now if I did. But all in all, I want Temari Sabaku. I... just can't have her because I'm with Ino...?"

He stared into space briefly before letting out another agitated yell.

"Why is it always me who gets into this kind of dramatic shit?"

* * *

"Temari? Temari-chan? Wake up," Tenten whispered, gently shaking the woman. Temari felt a pain strike through her head, causing her to seeth and turn over, tensing her muscles from the unexpected feeling.

"Temari, come on..." Tenten whispered as she shook the woman once more, only this time more gently. "I've got some aspirin and water here for you. It'll ease the pain." Temari struggled to open her eyes, lights seeping into the lid, causing her to groan in pain.

"I hate the sun..." she moaned her hands finding their way up to her head in hope to cover her face. Tenten sucked her teeth and attempted to help her sit up.

"I know you do, Love, but you need to take this to help that headache you have," Tenten whispered as Temari's upper body made it off the bed. She opened her eyes, only seeing a mess of colors surrounding her, only agitating her eyes the more.

"Ughh," she moaned as Tenten covered her eyes.

"You don't have to look at anything, Tem, just take the medicine," she cooed as she handed the two pills to her friend before reaching over to the nightstand and grabbing the glass of water she had poured for her. Taking her friend's hand in hers she wrapped her fingers around the glass and lifted it to her mouth.

Temari gulped down the water and the pills until Tenten took the glass from her hands again and placed it back on the side table. Temari's body let gravity take affect and drop her back down to the bed. Groaning and moaning a little bit more she tried to open her eyes again. She was still dressed in her black yukata from the day before. Then she looked up, seeing Tenten's rounded face and brown eyes doused with with worry and concern.

"...Why are you looking at me like that?" Temari hiccupped before briefly coughing. Tenten looked away, scratching the back of her head.

"Temari...? Do you have a...drinking problem?" Tenten asked quietly before Temari's eyes widened at the sudden question.

"What did you just say to me?" She seethed in a disapproving tone, her voice saturated in venom. When Tenten didn't respond or repeat herself Temari took the question seriously and pulled herself up, her arms still weak. "No. I do not have a drinking problem, Mrs. Hyuga."

Tenten looked slightly hurt with the response.

"You were out of it, Tem. I'd never been so scared for you. I thought you had alcohol poisioning... Imagine what would have happened if you hadn't made it home? ...Someone could have-"

Temari's hand gripped the wooden headboard of her bed and it crushed between her fingers. Tenten took it as a warning to stop talking and got up, rushing to go get the First Aid Kit to handle the splinters problem at hand.

Temari felt the searing pain in her hand, but she had felt worse. She hadn't planned on drinking and getting drunk on purpose, but she knew why it worried Tenten. She knew why it bothered her. Tenten was a worrywart, the kind that would turn out to be a mother who would smother her child with all the love she could give, but somehow, not kill it.

"Ten?" She whispered, her voice slightly raspy. She cleared her throat and called for her again. Tenten appeared, this time with a medical case and tweezers in hope to pick out all the splinters. She had on a mini blue camisole and plain white underwear considering Temari liked to keep her heat up due to her being used to intense heat.

"Hm?"

"I'm...sorry I snapped at you like that," she apologized as Tenten's eyes softened. She took her friend's hands and began pulling out the tiny splinters one by one. Temari didn't even seem to be bothered by the constant pain.

"It's fine."

"...I don't have a drinking problem. I just needed to clear my mind and just forget...I didn't-"

"Shh," Tenten eased as Temari's bloodshot eyes started to water. She looked away and closed them, hoping that the tears would evaporate before they left her eyes.

"I don't know how much you drink when you're home. That's the only reason why I asked. Alcohol isn't the answer, and you know that. It was just the easiest way out, I presume," Tenten stated with a slight smile on her lips.

"I know," Temari admitted, knowing that her wrongdoing was very dangerous.

They sat quietly as Tenten continued to tweeze all the splinters out of her hand. Tenten sighed and looked at Temari, who's eyes were looking at her hand as well.

"You were crying when you came in the house..." Tenten admitted to her, sighing as Temari's eyes widened.

"Cr...Crying?"

"Yeah. You were crying about Shika... You said you wanted him, but you knew you couldn't have him," She whispered as Temari felt her heart break from pure embarassment. She should have known she would let out all her insecurities to Tenten when she came home if she had been drunk. You can't keep a secret worth anything when you're drunk.

"I couldn't...have him?" Temari squeaked.

"Yes... You said Ino had already won..." Tenten admitted as Temari felt all her pride drain out of her body. She couldn't help but laugh at little, only puzzling her best friend. "What's so funny?"

"Even I know deep down inside that its over. I'm pathetic," she chuckled as Tenten's gaze hardened at her statement.

"No you're not. Stop telling yourself that you're pathetic. Ino doesn't have a chance. I wouldn't even call it that. All you have to do is admit that you love him like you did to me last night," Tenten pressed as Temari shook her head. "Stop denying it! You can have him if you want him bad enough-"

"Everyone's love story doesn't end like yours, Tenten! Okay?" Temari finally shouted, Tenten drawing back. "Just because you love someone... doesn't guarantee they're going to love you back..." Tenten's eyes saddened and realized that Temari was right. she was blowing this thing up like a big fairy tale, like everything was going to work in her favor.

Taking Temari's hand in hers, she rubbed it down in alcohol, Temari flinching slightly at the burning sensation before Tenten wrapped it up with bandages and took the paper towel full of splinters into the kitchen to throw away.

Temari swore to herself and balled herself up into a fetal position. _Why can't I keep my mouth shut? This is why people see me as an insensitive jerk..._

Suddenly, Temari heard the front door fling open and Tenten's voice shrilled out a scream. She scrambled up out of her bed and ran into the conjoined kitchen and living room, seeing a Kankuro dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a baggy black tee-shirt. He had a pair of sunglasses over his eyes and he flung them back to take a full view of Tenten's slightly exposed body.

"Well hello there Ms. Tenten-"

"You perverted puppet master!" Tenten shrilled flinging a nine-inch Chef's Knife at him. Barely dodging the large weapon he backed away, holding his hands up for protest.

"Now, now, Tenten, its not like I expected to see you practically naked, this is my sister's house-"

He ducked again, this time dodging Temari's Iron Fan, creating a large whole in her wall. Backing away slightly, he analyzed the hole, shaking his head.

"See, now you've ruined the wall-"

"Tenten. Go in my room and get dressed while I handle this _hentai_-"

"Hey, hey, that's harsh, Tem!" Kankuro objected. As Tenten rushed into the bedroom and closed the door quickly just as Temari backed him into a corner. "Come on, Temari, I'm your little brother! You wouldn't really have my blood on your hands would you?"

"It's one thing when you burst into my house. But at least have the decency to respect her privacy and not look at her like she's a frickin' hamburger steak!" Temari snarled as she swung again.

Somehow dodging out the way, she created a large sinkhole in her floor just as he held his hands up.

"Okay, okay! I was wrong! I'm sorry!" he pleaded as she threw the fan aside and grabbed his shirt collar, yanking him to her face, snarling at him with her anger boiling over. Looking into his sister's eyes, he shook his head.

"No wondered you're acting like that, you've got a hangover," He pointed out obviously. He stiffened to keep a cry from leaving his lips before she let go of him. Dropping to the floor, clutching his stomach, Temari stepped over him and closed the front door, locking it.

Tenten appeared just then as she peered around the corner to see how it went.

"Everything okay in here?" she asked as Temari headed back into the kitchen, somewhat ignoring her brother writhing in pain from the punch she had thrown in his gut.

"Yeah, everything's fine," she stated, shooting a quick glare to Kankuro. Tenten then entered freely, now dressed in a pair of sweat pants and an oversized tee-shirt. Kankuro managed and struggled to stand up, stretching in hope reduce the pain and stepped forward.

A cell phone went off. Temari didn't even bother checking hers because hers was in the room, Kankuro shuffled for his before he realized it was Tenten's. She looked at the caller I.D and instantly lit up when she opened it.

"Hello? Hey!" She exclaimed as she held up a finger and went out of the room. Kankuro's face changed from somewhat pained to intensely aggravated. Temari sucked her teeth and shook her head at him. He saw her action and glared.

"What?"

"She's married. Get over it. She loves the Hyuga. Her name is Tenten Hyuga. You lost, Kuro," Temari stated point blank. She turned around and turned the sink on, biting her lip at the realization of what she had said to her brother.

"It's not just the fact that she's married that bothers me, ya know. It's the fact that its him. I don't like him, and she knows it. I'm just waiting on him to fuck up what he has so I can prove to her what she really needs," Kankuro admitted as Temari whipped around.

"You are so wrong in so many ways for that. Wanting her marriage to fail so you can go save her? If she loses Neji, she'll kill herself," Temari pointed out turning back around, feeling angry towards her brother. "I hate it when people do that. You need to stop."

"Stop doing what exactly? Wanting her to be with me? What's the crime in that?" Kankuro snapped back as her eyes shot through him.

"The fact that you have to base your happiness on his pain, and even hers. Pathetic," she muttered before starting to put the clean dishes back into the cupboard. He felt ashamed after that and stopped talking as he sat on the barstool near the counter.

Tenten entered the room once again, grinning from ear to ear, but it faded when she felt the vibe of the two siblings.

"Um... Did something happen?"

"No, everything's fine," Temari stated before closing the cupboard, turning around folding her arms over. Kankuro scoffed and rolled his eyes, refusing to look at his sister or Tenten temporarily. Tenten scratched the back of her head nervously.

"Um... So... Kuro... What brings you here?" Tenten pryed as he seemed like he was ignoring her. Tenten cleared her throat, awaiting an answer, but she didn't get one until Kankuro received a smack on the back of the head from his sister. Swearing slightly, he decided to answer.

"Gaara decided to have me come down and check on Temari because she's been gone for a while now. She said she was supposed to be back three days ago but it seems that she's cozy and snug instead of rushing back," Kankuro pointed out as Temari felt a vein pop out of her head. "He had a mission for you, but he couldn't wait on you forever. And he won't count you as AWOL because he knows your just lazy about coming back when you get to Konoha."

Tenten giggled and Temari rolled her eyes before putting her hands on her hips.

"Do you guys need me back as soon as possible or what?" Temari snapped as Kankuro shrugged.

"Gaara just told me to make sure you were here." Temari scoffed and threw her hands up in defeat.

"Pointless, I tell you!" She yelled out of aggravation, turning around and bagging up the trash.

Everyone froze as people started to make a lot of rukus and noise outside in town. Everyone looked up and exchanged glances about what was making all the commotion. All three of them stood up and went out the front door. When they realized it wasn't directly from that area, they seemed even more curious.

Kankuro really didn't care and started to head back into Temari's house, but Tenten grabbed his hand and forced him to follow. Hopping ontop of houses and buildings, they followed their ears in hope to find the source of all the fuss.

They all stopped when they saw a large group of people celebrating and partying over the return of the youngest generation of the "Ino-Shika-Cho" Trio. There were people there who were close relatives of the Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji.

There was a large sign saying "Welcome Home" and apparently it was right in front of the Nara Clan's home estate. Shikamaru's father was standing on the far left, his arms folded, overfilled with pride for his son, his wife on his arm. Ino and Choji's parents were present too, glad that their kids were home. All the people were circled around the squad, proud and in awe at their remarkable skills that killed an immortal Akatsuki member.

"Oh, look Temari! See? I told you that he'd be back!" Tenten said with joy. Temari tried to smile, but she couldn't. He was surrounded by his family and friends and he seemed somewhat happy but only she saw what she saw.

His hand was enveloped in Ino's.

Temari's heart seemed to ache and choke at the sigh and she inhaled sharply, flexing her fingers. Tenten saw the action and looked in the same direction and saw what Temari had seen. She gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief as Kankuro looked at them like they were off their rocker.

"What? What happened?" He questioned as Shikamaru looked up and made eye contact with Temari. His eyes widened at her appearance along with Tenten and Kankuro's. The way she looked at him made it seem like she was expecting it, but she couldn't hide her pain.

_ Expecting what?_

Then it hit him as soon as he felt Ino grip his hand tightly in hers. He hoped she'd gotten the unspoken plea for her not to leave. If she did, she didn't bother to even acknowledge it. She turned around and disappeared, Tenten and Kankuro following behind her.

"What the hell just happened?" Kankuro asked, completely in the dark. Tenten felt bad about her friend's now wounded heart. She kept pressing on and on about how she could win the fight if she wanted to and all the other stuff.

"Tem, I'm-"

"Don't even say it, Tenten," Temari whispered, her voice slightly cold. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes. "I don't wanna hear it, I know what you're going to say. I'm not even gonna bother saying 'I told you so'. Because the proof is right there."

"But-"

"No buts, Ten. I'm not like that to him. Plain in sight."


	7. Chapter 6: Adamant

**Hi everyone! I'm not back yet, I'm just updating what I can. I'm without internet right now, so I can't update what i've written as much as as I'd like. So i can update whenever I'm at my grandmothers. Maybe later on i can have internet access again and post a new chapter whenever I finish it. :)**

**I know its been almost five months without posting anything new, and i'm way behind, especially with this story since it's no where near done. And i'm constantly leaving these cliffhangers. But whenever i write something and can put it up, I will.**

**Disclaimer; I do not own Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.

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**

Adamant

Chapter 6

"Shikamaru! Can you hold my hand when they hold the celebration!" Ino pleaded as Shikamaru and Choji both looked at the blonde with confused suspicion.

"Celebration? What celebration?" Shikamaru asked, knowing he wouldn't like where this was going. Apparently he had no idea there was any kind of celebration that was going to be taking place, neither did Choji by the way he responded to her question.

"Oh I forgot to tell you guys..." Ino said with a slight hesitation in her voice. She knew they wouldn't like whatever she was about to say. Shikamaru gave her a "Hurry Up and Spit It Out" Glare just before she swallowed hard.

"My mom was texting me earlier, and-"

"We just got in the border thirty minutes ago, Ino. Not to mention, we're not supposed to even have our phones with us! For Kami's sake, can you please-"

"As if I'm leaving my phone at home. Now let me finish!" She screeched as Shikamaru's hands flew up to cover his ears before they could bleed. He swore to himself and felt his nerves on edge more than usual. She was pissing him off again.

"It was about twenty minutes ago when my mother texted me and asked if everything was okay. I told her how far away we were and then she said to me that we're having a celebration party for our return!" Ino exclaimed happily.

"Well, you can go. I'm going home and playing with Tama," Shikamaru stated calmly, speaking solely of his pet cat. _I plan on visiting Temari before that._

"But everyone's gonna be there!" She whined as Choji shook his head at her childish reactions to his refusal to be there. Even that got annoying to him every now and then. Her voice frequency was starting to mess with his own head.

"Everyone like who?" Shikamaru sneered. "You know for a fact your mother loathes me. She probably doesn't want me to even be there. Why does you family always have to go out of their way for little stuff like this?"

Ino stomped her foot.

"It's not little! We just made it back from a last minute, death defying mission! And your just gonna blow it off like it's any other mission!" Ino yelled in what seemed to be rage. Shikamaru's eyes hardened as a glare shot through Ino's soul.

"I'm not saying the mission is little. I'm saying they're overly celebrating. I can plan things accordingly. Not to mention this isn't the first time we've been on a life threatening mission. Why do they have to decide to get all excited now? That just shows the lack of faith that the Yamanaka Clan has in me," Shikamaru said in a dangerously low tone.

Ino drew back almost instantly and contemplated on his words. She had to admit her family seemed to have disdained Shikamaru despite the clashing difference of his school grades and his actual I.Q. Level. They saw him as an underdog compared to the generations above him who had the amazing thought power, yet refused to give him half the credit he deserved.

Stomping her foot like a child, she let out an agitated yell, only annoying her fellow team mates, including Kakashi. _I no longer shall talk about Sakura when it comes down to her whining or her bossy attitude..._

"It's not just my family! It's all of our families! Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi!" she objected as Shikamaru and Choji both paused and even exchanged glances, despite their current conflict at hand.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're mother called _both_ clans for this crap?" Shikamaru said in a low, aggravated tone. Groaning before he continued forward. If his mother was going to be there, he knew he had to go now. That Banshee was would never let him avoid that get together.

"Maybe it won't be all that bad...Or long," Choji finally spoke. Kakashi and Shikamaru both looked at him, glad to see that he was warming up to what had been bothering him this whole time. "I think... We should go. That we should all go, even you, Kakashi."

"No,no, I have to go fill out this paperwork for the mission to make sure its filed correctly. I don't need Tsunade gutting me like a fish because she doesn't want to do it herself," he refused.

"Awww, come on! It'll be lots of fun!" Ino insisted as he denied once more.

"Nope. You guys aren't going to save my behind for me not doing my duties. I have to watch out for my own ass. Not to mention, I don't like being around a lot of people. It's not my thing really," he explained before going back to his Icha Icha book.

"Man..." Ino said in a distasteful tone.

Shikamaru's mind was wandering again, this time on the subject of what he was going to do after the annoyance called a 'ceremony'. He didn't want to go, he wasn't in the mood. What kind of celebration is he having? _So what, I killed Hidan. I didn't do it soon enough. If only I had done this shit a week ago, everything would be different, _he scolded himself.

Ino's annoying laughter broke his train of thought, only ruining his mood the more. The thought of the woman only made him remember what was waiting for him when he got home.

Temari.

_Waiting? I wish..._ he admitted to himself. _No way Temari would wait on me to return. Not to mention, I've got way too much shit going on right now. Ino's latched onto me like Akamaru is to Kiba and she'll never take me talking to her about something more serious between us realistically if Ino doesn't back off..._

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed at the thought of Temari denying him just because of his dumb mistake he made that night at camp. He couldn't really completely blame Ino for what happened because he didn't stop it when he had the chance. Now she felt like she had him to herself when he didn't even want her.

_ How do I break it to her that I don't want her...? _

"Shikamaru!"

"For Kami's sake, what!"

"Stop screaming at me! You're the one daydreaming, looking at those Kami-forsaken clouds!"

"I wasn't even looking at the sky, you moron!"

"Ugh! I was just going to point out that we were home, you asshole!"

"No shit! There's a huge sign that says '_KONOHA_'."

* * *

Temari's heart was aching like it never had before. She had dated before, or tried it. The men had always seemed like pigs and she never actually developed feelings for any of them. She didn't know what was going on right at that moment, but it wasn't a feeling she had ever recognized.

Is this... Heartbreak?

Temari shook her head, trying to shake the thought out of her mind, more like the tears out of her eyes. Tenten started to look worried towards her friend. She had never had to handle being emotionally hurt by someone she had feelings for. She didn't know what was going on inside her head, or her heart.

Kankuro however, just now arriving in Konoha, had no idea what was going on at all. Gaara had sent him to bring his sister back and that was the end of his mission, no sweat. But he had never seen Temari hurt like this, and it was only urking his nerves like nothing else he had ever seen.

"Is anyone going to tell me what the hell is going on here?" he demanded as Temari's fists only tightened. The next rooftop they stepped on, she stepped as hard as she could, shoving herself feet away from the other two following her.

"Temari, wait up!" Tenten called as she attempted to catch up to her best friend. Before she could get anywhere near her, Temari disappeared in a cloud of smoke, retreating for isolation. Kankuro swore under his breath, stopping beside Tenten when she landed.

"Tenten, are you going to tell me why Temari's so upset, please?" he almost begged with a sneer in his tone. "It's worse than her just pms-ing, this is unbelievable-"

"This isn't some kind of joke, Kankuro!" Tenten snapped, her nerve being plucked at the menstrual cycle related comment. "I don't know what your problem is, but you need to get serious for once in your life. I mean really. You're sister is obviously very upset about something. She won't tell you because of who you are. You wouldn't understand."

Attempting to hop down from the roof, Kankuro grabbed Tenten's wrist, stopping her before she could.

"T...Ten, look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm not used to Temari being seriously sad, I don't know how to take it. Please, really. I want her to be okay..." He pleaded as Tenten sighed, looking away from her ex, her best friend's brother.

"It's not my business to tell, Kuro. You don't understand," Tenten tried to explain before turning away. He wouldn't let her give up so easily. His grip on her wrist only tightened before he pulled her sharply, causing her to look at him in an appalling manner.

"No, its not your business. It's mine. Having to do with my sister," he corrected. Tenten's eyes softened at his statement, realizing that Kankuro was really concerned at this point. "We Sabakus learned that family, universally, is all we have... So whatever is wrong with Tem has everything to do with me."

Tenten closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. All of this is too much and she just so happened to be in the middle of it. Temari had admitted plenty of times that she kept her love and sex life private from her brothers because she knew how they would react. She had no right to violate her privacy...

"I'm sorry," she whispered before yanking away completely. Swearing at her getting free, he reached for her again, failing when she too disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Slapping his face, Kankuro sat on the ledge, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Man, damn it!"

* * *

Temari walked towards the open fields, the sound of the city cluttering her brain. The sound seemed to have numbed her feelings. The sting in her heart had been temporarily relieved; she wasn't thinking about anything with all the noises pounding against her ears.

As soon as she left the city walls and entered the meadows on the edge of the forest, her pain returned, only resulting in her clutching her chest.

Why was she feeling this way? She had told herself numerous times that she was nothing compared to Ino. She had told herself that she wasn't going to win that battle. She had even told herself that she was going to support the relationship and be happy for them. And as soon as she sees proof of the relationship, she caves.

_I'm pathetic... Completely pathetic,_ she told herself_. I should have known, I did know, and yet I still let myself be hurt by him... I was too busy letting Tenten fill my head with those ridiculous hopes for love that someone like me can't find. I can only blame myself... I can't be mad at him for being with her. He made no promises to me..._

Yet it felt like he had done that very thing. Made promises to her when he didn't. Maybe that's what hurt so much. The fact that he didn't promise her anything.

_ I really don't know anymore..._

Collapsing into the soft, bright green grass, she closed her eyes and took a deep inhalation of the natural air. She felt tears come into her eyes a few times, but she dismissed them by blinking constantly and coughing repeatedly.

_Is this what Tenten felt all those years for Neji when he always refused and denied any possibility of her feelings? Is this how Lee felt when Sakura tore him down without a chance? This feeling that so many people have already experienced, yet I'm just now feeling for the first time? _

_I just need time alone, to rethink all of this, _she told herself adamantly. _If I can break through this, I will manage to be okay. I will look Shikamaru in the face and feel no kind of emotion. I will not spite Ino for her dating him before I could. I will control my feelings. I will-_

"Temari?"

Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes opening with surprise at that low, drawling tone she recognized. When she looked up, she saw his body language. He was hunched over; gasping for breath, sweat covering his brow, almost as if he ran the whole way.

She sat up, putting her weight on her hands as she leaned backwards, watching him, scrutinizing him. She wasn't expecting to see him there, in front of her, in that condition. As soon as she realized it was him, she masked her emotion incredibly fast and withheld a blank expression on her face to hide her real hurt.

She tilted her head sideways, still looking at him, curiously wondering about why he was there before her. Why did he come looking for her when he could've stayed with his beloved Ino?

Her mouth twitched at the thought, threatening to drop into an agonizing scowl, but she held back the urge to. The blank stare she gave him was hurting him enough. That look that said, "Nothing you say will fix anything. Why even bother?"

"Yes, Shikamaru?" she said in a slightly formal tone as she managed to break eye contact with him and look down at the mellow green grass. She rubbed a single blade between her fingers, trying to find some kind of distraction from him.

"Temari, about what you saw-"

"How did you know I was here?" she interrupted, lifting her eyes to his, her green eyes cutting through him like one of Tenten's kunai knives. "Better yet… Why did you come after me?"

He finally collapsed on the ground from exhaustion, trying to regain his breath. He knew he wasn't the most athletic person in the world. He tried to move closer to her, but she backed away. _Okay… that stung just a little bit,_ he thought to himself_. I can do this though… I can do this…_

"This is your favorite spot in Konoha just to, chill, ya know? Relax, think, and all those other things you like to do when you get away. If you ran anywhere, it would be here. And only the two of us know about it. You didn't even tell Tenten," he pointed out with a slight smile curling onto his lips. "You trusted me with it because-"

"Because I never thought I would want to be away from you like I do now," she replied coldly, his smile disappearing almost instantly. Another jab to the heart that he didn't expect to feel. Biting his lip, he continued on to pry at her in hopes to get her to communication in a non-spiteful way.

"Okay, look Tem, if you just let me talk to you-"

"Oh yeah, that's right. You did say you wanted to talk to me about something. When you came back. Well, I've got news for you, you don't have to explain anything to me," she seethed, her eyes getting denser and denser. She felt her tear glands start to threaten her eyes, so she look back down at the grass, waiting for them to disperse.

"Yes, Temari, I do!" he said with an exasperated sigh. "What you saw wasn't what I was talking about! Honestly!"

"Oh, really? Well what was it? You I don't know what else it could have possibly been. You even had the nerve to act like you were interested in me of all people. When you knew for a fact that you wanted that dolled up, pitiful excuse for a-"

"Watch your mouth, Temari," Shikamaru interrupted, his eyes now glaring deeply into hers. She looked at him blankly for a moment, almost surprised at his defense for her before she blinked and chuckled, standing up.

"I rest my case, Nara-san," She said, taking the formality between them to the extreme. He gazed up at her with a curious eye, slightly alarming one too. "When I get back to Suna, I'm transferring my paperwork to Kankuro or some other nin, revoking my status to travel between these two countries."

Shikamaru's jaw dropped, his heart going with it. He never thought that this woman, this female would cause him so much grief in such little time. It was remarkable and somewhat peeving to him. He had only defended Ino because she was his friend. It was the least he could do for her, if not the only thing.

She attempted to walk away, but he grabbed her arm, yanking her back so she wouldn't leave him standing there, in his dark thoughts.

"Let go of me-"

"You listen here, and you listen good," he stated in a harsh tone. "You won't let me get two words out to explain everything and you come to this rash decision to stop coming to Konoha altogether; grow up, Sabaku!"

"You want to tell me to grow up? You really think that I'm being childish and immature? I'm doing what's best for me!" Temari yelled at him. "I'm tired of being toyed around with and treated like I'm not worth anything!"

"I never said you weren't worth anything, Temari! I do have some feelings for you! You mean more to me than anyone I can think of right now!" he screamed at her, causing her to become silent. His grip on her arm only tightened as he looked away, embarrassed at his words, spoken, and thought of. "I like you, Temari. A lot."

Temari's free hand went up to cover her mouth, shocked at his words as the tears became visible in her eyes, even to Shikamaru.

"Temari, don't cry…" he whispered, gently reaching over to her cheek, brushing a tear away. She looked down at his hand and saw the glistening liquid, only realizing that what she had been trying to prevent for the past week had prevailed. Even worse, it had been in front of him_. Oh Kami no…_

Shikamaru took her cheek, gently bringing it towards his face, his own eyes closing. Temari's heart stopped; so many feelings were running through her mind and her body, she had no idea what to do. His lips were closing in on hers and all she could do was look back? _No, I know what I must do…_

Temari pulled away completely, breaking Shikamaru out of his trance, before the kiss on her lips could be placed. His world came crashing down completely this time. Nothing could be said or done about being denied her lips.

"Temari…"

"Shikamaru… No… You're with her. If you really had these amazing feelings for me… You wouldn't have even considered dating Ino in the first place."

"Temari, we aren't dating, I swear it on everything!" Shikamaru pleaded.

"The holding hands, and the affection… that's not something that you can say means nothing," Temari stated adamantly. "I'm sorry Shikamaru. But, no. I'm not going to let you make advances on me when something else is clearly going on. It's probably best if I just go…"

Shikamaru's face went into shock as Temari walked away from him, not daring to look back despite how much she wanted to. The advance he had made to kiss her was so sudden and so surprising. What surprised her even more was how she was able to deny him despite her wanting to kiss him just as bad.

He fell to his knees and saw that she continued to walk away, not turning around to give him a second glance. Covering his face in aggravation, he let out a long breath. _She wouldn't even let me get everything out. And what I did say she completely ignored it. I just lost my chance with Temari… All because she can't get Ino out of her head. What am I supposed to do now...?  
_


	8. Chapter 7: Time

**Hi everyone! I'm... Not dead! The thing about it was that I was without a computer. My mother didn't want to let me go to the library and stuff like that and then while I finally did get my computer back, I felt like I wasn't the same writer I was before. I felt like I was out of practice. I wanted to lay it off until I felt comfortable. I hope this is good enough to get your tastes going again for the time being. I'm gonna try and continue as strong as ever! :D If you would like to add me on facebook, my name is Angelica Knight, search me, add me, BUT tell me that you are a fan. Or follow me on Twitter or Tumblr as Ganimechick. Search that. It's up to you :3 **

**New chapter coming OH SO SOON. I promise you wont ever have to wait that long ever again. Get ready for the story to be going as strong as ever. :D**

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Time

Chapter 7

_ "You're scary, just like my mother."_

_ Temari looked up and over the boy who seemed to have been a few feet away feet away from her, hands shoved in his pockets. She cocked her head to the side, examining his body language. He seemed to lack a caring spirit, much less a thankful or grateful one even though she had just saved his life from a Sound Nin. She wanted to scoff, but she couldn't muster up the strength to since she burst out laughing when she registered what he had said in her mind._

_ "Your mother is scary? She must be an amazing kunoichi," Temari chuckled before he shook his head. _

_ "My mother isn't a Kunoichi. She's a housewife," he said in a drawling tone. Temari's smile only widened before she crossed her arms across her chest._

_ "A housewife can tear down a forest like I just did?" she said in a sarcastic voice. Shikamaru still hadn't made eye contact with the Sand Princess. He could feel her eyes creeping on him and the feeling was... Some kind of strange._

_ "I meant how forceful you are," he explained as she nodded, still grinning at the Shadow Possessor. _

_ "I have to be. I'm surprised that you couldn't handle that girl all by yourself after how you did me dirty," Temari joked. Shikamaru merely shrugged. Temari blinked at his response to her statement before she pushed him lightly, breaking him out of the indifferent nature he had for a brief moment._

_ Stumbling slightly, he looked over at her, seeing her with a wide grin on her face. She was waiting for him to say something to him about being shoved._

_ "Why did you do that?" _

_ "Because you won't stop acting like that," she argued. He shrugged once again, only resulting in another push._

_ "Will you stop? Have you heard of anything called personality? This just so happens to be a part of mine," he said in an exasperated tone. He was somewhat tired. He had used all his chakra in that fight and he hadn't even had time to regain his strength yet._

_ "It's called having no personality! Do you even have one?" Temari teased. The corner of his mouth twitched, causing a chain reaction in the kunoichi. "I almost saw a smile there! Would he dare to do it again?" The twitch pulled back into a smirk before he looked away to hide it from her. He heard laughter ring from her and he shook his head, regretting ever letting the corners of his mouth turn up. _

_ When he regained his composure, he turned around, jumping slightly as how close she had gotten to him with him noticing. He looked at her and looked down, seeing her hand held out to him._

_ "I'm Temari." _

_ After he registered her introduction, he took her hand in his and gave it a firm shake._

_ "My name's Shikamaru." _

_ There was a silence between them for a brief moment. They squeezed the others hand, feeling the warmth between each other. Temari looked at him, seeing that he was staring at their hands, waiting for them to separate. Temari released her grip, still feeling his around her hand. When he finally let go, they started walking again, a slight awkwardness between them due to Shikamaru's hesitation to let go of her hand._

_ "Soo..." Temari began, stealing a quick glance at him once again. He was staring straight ahead, a slight pink tint to his cheeks. She couldn't help but wonder what was making him blush. He didn't respond to her brief statement, so she cleared her throat._

_ "What?" he asked in a slightly impatient tone. Temari scoffed and ignored the way the statement left his mouth._

_ "What's got you all embarassed like that? You're face is pretty red," Temari questioned. Shikamaru's face only darkened. "Aww, it's gotten worse. Really, though, what is it? You can tell me."_

_ "I've only been having a conversation with you for ten minutes, I've never been around you by myself this long," he drawled in a sarcastic tone. "Do you really think I can tell you anything? I barely know you."_

_ "But if it's something irrelevant it won't matter because it has nothing to do with me. I mean, who am I going to tell?" She argued with a valid point._

_ "But it does have something to do with you," Shikamaru revealed as Temari paused and turned, giving him a slightly confused look. She didn't know how whatever he had to be thinking about had to do with herself. If it was the holding her hand thing, it wouldn't have been that serious, would it?_

_ "What...?"_

_ Shikamaru sighed and scratched the back of his head, the redness in his cheeks only darkening. He could feel them burning on his face. All he could do was swear to himself, hoping that the pigment would die down in a matter of seconds, long enough to get the statement out._

_ "Remember at the Chunin Exams?" he started, slightly mumbling, hoping she wouldn't try to hear him. She nodded, her ears open, listening to every sound that exited his mouth. She thought back, to all the drama between the Leaf Village and the mission they had been assigned. _

_ "Yeah. What about it?"_

_ "Remember... When we first... Encountered each other?" He asked in an anxious tone. His cheeks only turned a brighter red as he tried to hide it from her view. Temari was thinking back about her first encounter with Shikamaru, only to cause her whole face to light up a bright color just like his._

_ He's talking about the kiss..._

_ "Yeah... What about it?" She repeated again, swallowing hard as she tried to hide her own embarrassment from the realization of the kiss they had shared. It hadn't been that long ago. It had sat in the back of her mind for what seemed like days, weeks, and even possibly months. Constantly conflicted with herself about even dwelling on the event. So many factors came into her mind. Age, personality, distance, maturity. _

_ "I was wondering-"_

"Shikamaru!"

Broken out of his trance, he jumped at the sudden yell of his name. He groaned at the realization of his who had done the deed.

Ino was sitting across from him in a booth, a concerned expression on her face, a pout on her lips. They were in a restaurant, eating dinner alone even though his mind was elsewhere. Ino could see that he was thinking about something else but she couldn't tell what.

"Hn?" he barely muttered as she scoffed and reached across the table for his hands. He felt the urge to pull away, but he didn't have any energy to resist her.

"What's wrong? You seem like you're just out of it. Are you tired?" she asked in a motherly tone. "It must be from the mission, you still must be exhausted and-"

"No, Ino. I'm just thinking," he interrupted, his voice reeking of exasperation. She looked unsatisfied with his answer.

"Well, what are you thinking about?" she pried in a slightly playful tone, a smirk befalling her lips. He withheld the urge to roll his eyes at her and decided not to answer her and act like he didn't hear her question. She blinked and cleared her throat, his eyes wandering out the window, looking at the aimless clouds floating by.

"Shikamaru!"

"What woman?" he snapped, his hawk-like eyes piercing through her, obvious agitation overflowing at this point. She drew back at the volume of his voice, caught off guard before she retaliated with her own bellowing voice.

"Excuse me for asking what was on your mind! You act like it's a crime or something to be curious!" she nagged before his hands flew up to his head and covered his ears, hoping to block out the sound of her voice. The instant she realized she was bothering him she stopped and sighed, looking away as if she was ashamed at yelling at him.

Shikamaru wasn't paying her any mind though. His thoughts were filled with nothing but the Sand Princess's face and smile. Her deep emerald eyes and that laugh of hers that seemed to light up his day. Even with the happiest thoughts that surrounded her he couldn't help but feel upset over the fact that she wanted nothing to do with him now.

_I should have known better than to get into this stupid shit with Ino,_ he said to himself, getting a little angry about it all. I always act without thinking when it comes to relationships and females. Now I'm stuck and it's my fault...

Temari had every right to feel the way she did, to not want to be around him at all. He left her with a promise. She probably felt like he left her on a whim full of hopes and then just decided to go with what was in front of him.

I just wish I could get her to talk to me... To hear me out, to listen to me...

"Shikamaru?"

Her tone this time was more gentle, it was a quieter tone and it got his attention a lot better than her yelling his name when she was sitting right in front of him. He looked from the window into her icy blue eyes and saw that they were gazing into his in a seductive fashion, her teeth nibbling at her lip.

"Yes Ino?" The least he could do was be polite back when he was treated like a human being by her. She looked away briefly and shifted in her seat.

"Maybe we should head back to my place. You seem to have a lot on your mind right now, and I would just really be happy to help you relax," she whispered before trailing off. She had been twiddling her thumbs, but now her hands reached out and started to stroke his on the table.

He looked down, suddenly in a conflict with himself. Should he take the obvious offer of sex that Ino is putting out there? If Temari isn't going to bother to hear him out, what's the point of it? Maybe he should just stay with Ino. But what if he just needs to give Temari space until she calms down and can think rationally if she was speaking and acting out on her raw emotion?

* * *

"Another."

The bartender passed her another alcoholic beverage after she slapped her money down on the counter.

"Shouldn't you slow it down, Young Lady, its only mid-afternoon-"

"Do you want the money or not?" she snapped her eyes starting to look hazy. She looked to her right and saw six empty glasses she had already guzzled down. The bartender shrugged and picked up her money as she started to sip down the next one.

How does one begin to feel about her situation? The man she finally musters up feelings for plays her like a flute and she's the one who gets left out to dry. She was already upset that she had actually shed a tear in front of him and there was no way she'd shed a tear now, even though she was drinking like a fish.

_Its one thing if he didn't want me, didn't like me, or just wanted to stay friends. But he actually had the nerve to give me the idea that we had something and that if we didn't, we could make something together. Leading me on like some kind of naive child..._

She slammed her hand down on the counter top, everyone around her looking at her.

"I hate liars," she muttered to herself.

"Temari?" she looked up at the sound of her name being spoken by a male. She gripped the glass in her hand, cracking it slightly since the only man that came to mind instantaneously was Shikamaru. But no, it was...

"Naruto?" she barely whispered. He walked up to her, taking his earbuds out of his ears, making sure it was her that he had recognized at the bar.

"What are you doing here? I mean... Well, what are you doing here? At a bar? In the middle of the day?" he asked in a confused, yet joking manner. She looked at him in an uninterested way, not amused by his petty humor.

"Drinking."

Naruto gave a slight chuckle due to the awkward moment between them before he looked a little harder at her. He could see that something was eating at her, bothering her, making her feel terrible about herself to the point of depression.

"Um... Temari? I know we don't know each other like that, but I don't think you should be here," he said in a low tone. She scoffed before rolling her eyes and turning back around, completely cutting him off from her senses. "No, really! This isn't the way to handle your pain."

"Pain? What do you know about pain, Naruto? Not physical pain, I mean heartbreak? Feeling like your mediocre? So unwanted? So-"

"Worthless?" he finished for her. Her mouth hung open briefly as she felt the tears swell in her eyes that she swore not to release while she was in her drunken state. He held out his hand to her, seeing that she needed a shoulder, a friend to help her through this tough time in her life without knowing her situation, but being able to relate to the emotions she felt.

Leading her to his house through the back alley, she remained quiet, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes before they could even leave her eyes. He took her the back way to avoid her feeling paranoid and the center of attention due to her present appearance, but regardless she felt no better about anything.

Unlocking his door, he waved to his neighbor before letting her in, closing the door behind him. Her fan had been on her back the whole time. It had been proven ineffective when she almost collapsed with it still attached to her.

"Whoa, whoa, wait. Let me help you there," he eased as he caught her before she could hit the couch. Once she was balanced he helped remove it and place it against the wall by the front door.

"Thank you," she hiccupped. He grinned his infamous grin, trying to get a smile out of her, but it was no look.

"No problem. Let's go into my room. You can lay on my bed," he offered as Temari shot him a suspicious glare. He helped up his hands in protest almost instantly. "N-no, Temari, you should know I would never do that! I just want you to be comfortable and that couch sucks and-"

"Which way?" she drawled as she started down the hallway without him, dragging her feet at a terribly slow pace. He caught up to her, leading the way and pushing open the door to his bedroom on the left. The moment she saw his bed she knew it was a goal and literally 'flopped' onto it.

There was utter silence a period of time as Naruto pulled his chair out from under his desk and sat down in it, attentive as ever. Her face seemed mashed into the pillow, concerning him whether she could even breath or not.

Her head finally turned, her eyes leaking an innumerable amount of silent tears. Naruto's eyes softened as he got on his knees and leaned over the bed, rubbing her back to comfort her.

She's wasted; he couldn't help but think to himself, feeling himself start to pity the Sand Nin. Whatever she was going through wasn't worth what she was putting herself through to deal with.

"It's going to be okay, Temari," he whispered as encouragement as her sobs started to become louder and louder. He couldn't help but wonder what was it that had her so torn up on the inside. That was none of his business and he had no reason to pry into her business.

"I was fine, you know, being just friends... But then he gave me false hope and I actually believed it... Now..." she barely choked out as Naruto's brow knitted up, trying to piece her words together since they weren't the most coherent. Then he figured it out.

"No guy is worth you crying over, Temari," he whispered in her ear, her sobs starting to calm down, her breathing more stable. "You're a great girl. They're stupid to actually let you go if you have so much passion for them already. They missed out on something great."

Her eyes finally opened, the emerald green surrounded by the redness that came with the salty tears she had cried. She sniffled and hiccupped a few times, giving a weak smile to show that she felt a little better thanks to his helpful words. He reached his hand out to hers and held it as she closed her eyes.

"Thank you, Naruto," she mouthed, not even knowing that no sound came out. He gave her another smile before saying,

"That's what friends are for."

She dozed off almost immediately, a light snore produced from her as she rested, exhausted from the crying and alcohol. Patting her hand before standing up, her phone started to go off in her pocket. She shifted slightly, but didn't wake from her slumber. Naruto took the liberty to get the phone out of her pocket and see that it was Tenten calling.

"It'd probably be best if I went ahead and called her to let her know..."

* * *

The phone started to vibrate on the night stand for the umpteenth time. Groaning and turning back over in bed, Shikamaru decided to ignore it once again. Scratching his head, he muttered something about putting the phone on silent completely.

Ino scooted up to him, pulling the blanket with her to cover her breasts, her fingers gliding up and down his chest.

"Well why don't you put it on silent then? We don't need any interruptions, now do we?" she said witha a slight grin on her face, throwing her long hair over her shoulder to move it out of the way. Shikamaru didn't look at her, he kept his eyes closed. She frowned at the lack of attention.

"It's not bothering anyone," he stated simply, about to doze off into his peaceful slumber. Not happy with his answer, she started to reach over him after his device, only stopped by him grabbing her wrist in midair.

"Wha-?"

"Leave it alone, Ino," he muttered, not even bothering to open his eyes. She glared at him, now angry at the idea that he had put his hands on her even though it wasn't in any form of violent nature. She tried to snatch her hand away, but his grip was too tight.

"Shikamaru, let go of me!" She reached her other arm out, only to be grabbed by his other hand.

"Is it that serious?" he asked in a tone that stated that the whole situation was bothersome and pointless. He finally opened her eyes and saw that she wanted to be alone with him in the dark without any form of interruptions later on that night. Sighing, he let go of her and reached for his phone himself and turned it down to silent in a matter of seconds.

"Happy?" she nodded as laid down on his chest, playing in his hair before starting to leave brief kisses on her neck. He wasn't paying anything of her actions any mind. His phone started to light up, simply saying that there was an incoming call from Tenten. The moment Ino realized that his attention was on his phone she stopped, trying to put it down.

"No, Ino, stop. I have to take this," he muttered as her jaw dropped when he pressed the talk button and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Shikamaru, you need to meet me at my house as soon as possible. We need to talk," Tenten said in a very urgent voice. Sighing at the bothersome scolding he was bound to get from Tenten was already giving him a headache.

"What for-?"

"Don't act like you don't know what for. I expect you hear in fifteen minutes. What is your problem? She told me what you said, about you had something you had been meaning to tell her as soon as you got back and then she sees that?" Tenten said in a disappointed tone.

"Hey, I tried to tell her. She didn't want to listen," he countered, running his fingers through his loose hair.

"Would you want to hear it after you saw her hugged up with someone else? Someone else who you saw as competition?" Tenten retaliated. Shikamaru blinked, suddenly confused about the Weapons Mistress's words.

"Competition? What-?"

"Don't what me. We'll continue this later. Temari won't be here, she's at Naruto's. She drank herself into unconsciousness," Tenten trailed off, her own voice filled with concern. Shikamaru sat up straight in bed, knocking Ino off his shoulder.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me. I expect to see you here. In fifteen minutes." The phone simply hung up. No good bye, no see you later. Shikamaru didn't even bother to try and say it back. He was too busy thinking about Tenten saying about Temari's drinking.

"Shika, come back to bed, I want some more," she said in a childish, playful tone.

"Not now, Ino," he muttered, throwing the blanket back and getting up starting to search for his clothes to put back on. Ino sat up in the bed this time, her face started to turn red from anger.

"Didn't I just say that I wanted to spend the whole evening with you without interruptions? Now you're leaving and-"

"Look, just shut it, okay? This has nothing to do with you. Get over it, better yet get over yourself," he stated coldly before pulling his vest on. "See you later." Walking out of her bedroom, he showed himself out of her home, heading to Tenten's, leaving Ino alone to cry.


	9. Chapter 8: Confessions

**Hola everyone! Didn't I say i was trying to get back on the roll? I have to, so much lost time I have to catch myself back up. I feel a lot better at writing now that I've got back in the habit and my brain/writing juices are working hard to keep this going. This is my goal, this will be my masterpiece I believe. Bigger than Losing Everything, my prized NejiXTenten. I feel so confident in myself its about to spring from my body!**

**... Ah. Ahem. Excuse me. I'm trying to write more and I'm doing better as I continue to progress. I wrote a lot longer than I expected for this chapter and I'm proud. I hope you guys enjoy it, and drop a review in! I feel like this is going to be a 50 chapter story, I just can tell by how its progressing right now. So get ready and be prepared you guys. :3 Enjoy it! Tell me what you think as well!**

* * *

Confessions

Chapter 8

Temari felt herself slowly regain consciousness, shifting and using her basic motor skills that felt rusted and out of place. When she tried to open her eyes, she felt immense pain as light shot into it. Her head began to throb and her attempted to squeeze her eyes as tight as she could.

This pain was a pain she recognized almost immediately.

She was laying down, on something quite soft, maybe it was her bed. Her hands heavily reached up to her head, searching for a pillow, one she found indefinitely. Feeling a tad relieved, she covered her head with it, shielding the light away.

She sighed, glad the ache from her headache had actually subsided due to the lack of light attacking her eyelids. She moaning, upset that she had such a rude awakening. Maybe if she went back to sleep she'd alright.

"You're awake!"

Temari's eyes shot open, despite the signal it sent to her brain. She cringed, hoping to ease it, but she hadn't been thinking about that. She was confused about that voice. It was familiar, but it wasn't.

The first sign that caught her off guard was the it was a man speaking, so it couldn't have been her own house she was at. She suddenly felt apprehensive and confused, unsure of her current location. A man? Could it be Shikamaru's house?

No, because it wasn't his apathetic drawl that had sounded so excited, so relieved, and comforting all in one. It was someone else. But she felt so stupid because it was a voice she couldn't ever forget but she couldn't put a face to it.

What could she have possibly done when she was drunk? Did she sleep with a comrade? Worse case scenario was that someone took advantage of her in her time of dread.

No, no. She knew this voice. She had already told herself that. And no one she knew would do such a thing like that to her. If she felt any kind of discomfort or lack of trust with someone, Temari usually didn't associate with them much longer because they had no meaning.

Just when she thought she couldn't be more stumped, she heard the man's footsteps on the wooden floorboards approaching her. Unsure of what to do or how to react, she yanked the pillow off her head, jumping up as soon as he got too close for her unknowing comfort.

Temari had jumped up so quick, a kunai in her sleeve was now in her right hand, aiming at the throat of the person housing her and an orange and black jacket in her left. Temari blinked unexpectedly, her eyes still blurred from the intoxicated state she had been in before, trying to reassure who she was threatening was who she thought it was.

"N...Naruto!"

Naruto had not responded to her attack on him in any form. He figured she was unaware of his surroundings and scared and uncertain about what had gone on and how she had arrived there, but at the same time he figured they had heard each other's voice, and even he knew his was unforgettable.

Frozen in midwalk, he had a glass of cold water in one hand and a bottle of aspirin in the other. He had come to relieve her pain when he knew it was about time for her to wake up. She had been sleep for a few hours and it was getting dark. She had to wake up at some point. But he never expected her to attack him with the intent to kill if it needed to be done.

The Sand Princess lowered her weapon and stepped back, officially confused and a little disoriented by the way she lost her balance so easily and fell back on his bed. Naruto relaxed and sat down the items he had brought for her on the counter as Temari let out an exhausted sigh, grabbing her head.

"Do you want to go ahead and take some of this now? It'll help in the long run," he offered as he reached over to open the bottle of medicine for her. She looked at him, her eyes slightly red, her face blank and expressionless at the moment.

"Always take two aspirin as soon as you wake up from a hangover. If you let your body get over it by itself, it'll take forever, especially if you drank hard liquor," he continued to rant as he held out his hand and poured two pills out into it.

Her eyes only continued to follow his hands and his motions, still confused about what the hell was occuring. Why was she at Naruto's, in his bed, with a hangover, unable to remember anything?

"Here!" he held out the medicine to her and she reached her arm out robotically and took them. Passing her the glass of water, she chugged down as much as she could before she had to breath again.

"... Thank you," she said in a hoarse tone from lack of talking. He nodded and sat back in the chair, putting his hands behind his head. Naruto laughed nervously from the situation of his throat almost being slit.

"I know we don't know each other all that well, but I didn't know that you'd actually try and attack me, especially since I spoke," he said in a joking manner. Temari's expression didn't change from uninterestedly blank. "I'm told I have an unforgettable voice."

Temari snorted when she placed the glass down on the nightstand.

"Yeah, only when you yell."

He laughed, this time he laughed an honest laugh. He even knew that his voice, when risen, could be extremely obnoxious at times. He was glad he had somewhat grew out of it. At least he was aware and not as ignorant as when he was a child.

The silence began to thicken in the room and Naruto didn't seem to mind it, so Temari felt obligated to break the ice before it got any worse.

"... How did I get here?" she whispered, her voice still hollow until she cleared her throat. Naruto looked at her, a little confused but at the same time he remembered her situation.

"Ah, you don't remember. You were drinking at a bar downtown and I saw you while I was walking past. I could tell you were upset and you were drinking to try and avoid dealing with the problem, so i took you home to here so you could rest and sleep it off. It was only the middle of the afternoon," he explained as Temari slapped her forehead.

The first place she retreats is there? A bar? What kind of self control did she have? It wasn't the first time she had dabbled in alcohol, but it had been her outlet since she had been exposed to it when she was younger. She had never drank too much before when she was upset. She was hardly ever upset.

_The only reason I'm upset is because of_ him, she reminded herself, her thoughts wandering to Shikamaru. Her teeth gritted together and her fists clenched. She was angry right now, yes, but before she felt sad. And the sadness and the anger only seemed to switch in and out when it came to her emotions.

This emotional roller coaster that she had been riding had pushed her to a new level of unhappiness and stress. She had to find a way to deal with it in a healthy manner because the alcohol isn't working and its only making people around her concerned.

_Maybe I should go back to Suna... _she asked herself in her mind. _It's not like I'll never come back. I have to go back. I think I might just have to go home early and come back later on when I feel better. _

Would running away really solve anything at this point in time? Avoiding Shikamaru and her feelings of disdain towards him? Disdain and yet passion. Unavoidable love. Even though he hurt her so bad, he just wanted to see him, to be in his prescence and talk to him.

No, no, she reminded herself. That's the attitude that won't help this issue be dealt with. I need to make a decision.

Naruto, who had been watching her the entire time, saw her inner conflict going on in her head. The way her eyes flickered back and forth, the way her eyebrows knitted together, the way she bit her lip. Sighing, Naruto gave her a sideways, 'I'm still right here' look and it gained Temari's attention almost instantly.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I just-"

"He's not worth this, Temari," he stated nonchalantly. Temari's heart almost skipped a beat when she heard the nin's words.

"Wh... What did you say?"

"I said he's not worth this. Whatever this guy you're upset over is doing to you. I mean, he's a guy. A lot of guys just don't know how to handle a female or her feelings. Maybe he hasn't matured enough just yet. But at the same time, if he's putting you through this, you can do so much better," Naruto said as encouragement.

Temari felt a lot better, but at the same time, part of her wasn't convinced. All friends and family tell you that when you're upset and crying over a guy or girl whom you have feelings for and they've hurt you. Bottom line is that they're going to hurt you regardless. You can't refrain from hurting someone your in a relationship because there are good and bad things. Even if you hurt them unintentionally, you still technically hurt them. No matter how much you apologize or make up for it, you still did it.

The only thing that confused Temari about what he had said was how did he know she was upset over a guy? What exactly did she say to him earlier? The fact that she wasn't able to remember anything wasn't making her feel any better.

"What did I say earlier?" she questioned with urgency thick in her voice. Naruto, a little taken aback, thought back trying to remember exactly what she had said. There had been a lot of crying and only a few words...

"Oh, you said something about how you hated how this guy led you on and you would have been fine if you guys had just stayed friends," he stated as if it was nothing interesting. She blinked.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

She sighed, relieved that no names had been mentioned and how she didn't go into depth about it. She really didn't like the idea of her telling Naruto any of that. Telling anyone that at least. Not unless it was Tenten.

Tenten.

Temari realized her friend had to have been worried sick. Reaching around in her yukata, searching for her cell phone, Naruto reached over from on his dresser and handed it to her. Temari, puzzled for whatever reason handed it to her. Opening her phones and checking her calls, she wondered if anyone had been worried.

"I called Tenten from my phone when I saw that she kept calling you," Naruto chirped in just as Temari had started to dial her best friend's number. Finally realizing that Naruto had actually taken pretty good care of her, she snapped her phone shut and releashed air she had been holding without knowing.

"Glad to know you can babysit someone when they need to be," Temari said with a smile as she stood up. "I think I'd better get going before I wear out my welcome. I've already slept in your bed and I haven't even seen your whole house."

"It's fine, really," he said almost as soon as she was done talking. She looked at him quickly, seeing he was grinning. She gave him a geniun smile and held out her hand for him to shake it as a thank you from him watching out for her. He looked down at it and blinked, confused.

"It's... a than-oomf!"

He didn't take handshakes, Naruto took hugs. It was kinda funny how she'd remember being taller than him and now she was face-planted into his chest. Her face bright red from embarassment, she had never hugged much of anyone. Temari didn't like unnecessary physical contact.

But she had to say it felt good.

* * *

"You're lying."

Shikamaru scoffed and rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath how this discussion was such a bother.

"Why are you even asking me if you aren't going to believe me?" he said in a hazy tone like he didn't even want her to answer. And he didn't. He wanted Tenten to just shut up talking and let him go home, and go to bed. He had had it with her and this altercation.

_Why was she even getting involved? The whole situation has nothing to do with her. She should be minding her own business,_ he thought to himself. He was wrong for thinking that, he knew. Tenten was only watching out for her friends, both of them. Himself and Temari. That's what she did best.

But oh how much pain she was probably going through right now. Instead of going straight to the source and comforting her, he went to him and attacked like a harpy for blood. The only thing he really hate was how she made it seem like it was all his fault.

All his fault what? Okay, so he had made a promise to Temari that he'd talk to her when he got back. He didn't say what. He had just reminded himself that she said that she loved him and that she didn't even realize it.

Or had she realized it now?

No, no. Too soon. She couldn't possibly love him. Not now, if she ever did. There hadn't been enough time. But she did have feelings for him, he'd give her that. If Ino hadn't stepped into it all, it wouldn't have been such a big issue.

"Hey... Shika... Shikamaru... Shikamaru!"

He blinked out of his thoughts and looked at her in such a bewildered manner, she could only scoff and fold her arms across her chest.

"I won't ask you again. Where were you earlier? I expect nothing but the truth," she demanded.

"I told you, I was at the market," he lied and she whacked him on the side of his head. The sound it made would have made people think that it was hollow inside. Grabbing it, swearing under his breath, Tenten tapped her foot, refusing to repeat like she had said before. Deciding to give it up, he groaned.

"I was with Ino," he stated in a cold tone. He didn't even like saying her name. It bothered him, it really did. Tenten threw her hands up in defeat and paced for a few seconds. He felt himself get so angry with her for that. "What? You asked me where I was, and I told you. You can't get upset with me for that."

Tenten's eyes narrowed, her nostrils flared.

"What the hell do you mean, I can't get upset? You were saying how upset you were, trying to win Temari back and when she rejects you, you run into the arms of the person who you said got you into this mess?"

Shikamaru didn't answer for a moment before simply replying in a questioning tone,

"Yeah?"

Tenten grunted due to her brief lack of sanity when it came to talking to the "so-called" smartest Shinobi of their generation. How could he be so stupid.

"What were you doing with Ino?"

"Excuse me?" Shikamaru couldn't believe that Tenten had dared to go so far and ask him that. Especially if she wanted the truth. Tenten didn't believe in repeating herself and he was pushing her buttons.

"Why must you test me? Answering the freakin' question!" she snapped. Shikamaru knew he might as well tell her. Tenten always could tell when he was lying, he didn't know how she could. He had some kind of bluff that she could figure out, but no one else could.

"... Fucking."

Tenten's gaped at the man who she considered her best friend. He had blurted it out. And then what he had blurted out made her even more upset. How could he just...? Why woud that...?

He felt her fingers grip the inside of his vest and the fishnet he was wearing she yanked him by his collar, his head lagging behind. He could have sworn she would hit him the way she was boring holes into his face with the glare she was giving him. Suddenly she released him, catching him off guard.

"What?"

"Don't you 'what' me. I can't even fathom where to begin, Shikamaru. What the hell is your problem?" Tenten asked, her voice amazingly shrill. "You're fucking Ino. You just told me that. And yet I was going to sit here and try and help you fix things with Temari to make something work?"

Shikamarus' ears quirked when he heard Tenten mention she was going to help him get Temari to speak to him and fix what had gone wrong. He had never been so attentive before.

"Really?"

Tenten's eyes cut at him like daggers, actually causing Shikamaru to stiffen before sitting back into the couch, a disappointed and annoyed look etching its way back onto his face.

"I'll take that as a no..."

"Why should I help you? Give me one good reason. And don't say it's because we're friends, because that's not a good enough one," she said before he could object and say what she had denied before it left his lips. He sighed, defeated.

"Because I really want to be with her..." he said in a low tone, trailing off.

"You want to be with her? But you have no problem fucking Ino while she's feeling like shit right now, huh?" Tenten said in a cold tone she must have picked up from Neji. Shikamaru cringed, starting to realize what Tenten meant when she said it was wrong.

"You need to decide. Now," she said in a demanding tone. There was no other choice.

"I can't decide right now, there's too much going on!" He said in a disapproving tone. "Temari's still upset and Ino's still loopy from..." He stopped talking when he realized he was about to reveal what had happened with Ino on the mission. Tenten picked up on it before he had a chance to deny.

"What? What is it?"

"No-"

"Don't you 'no' me, I want answers, and I want them now Shika!" She seethed as he covered his hands with his face and mumbled something that wasn't coherent due to the mouth being covered. "What'd you say?"

"I said... I slept with her on the mission too," he admitted as Tenten's face revealed nothing but shock. She couldn't even speak. "But you don't understand, Tenten, I-"

"I don't understand what? That you seem like a dog right now? Someone who doesn't have any emotion of self control when it comes to his manhood?" she said it a slick tone. "I can't help you, Shikamaru, this isn't something I can just put aside and help you when Temari is feeling like this-"

"I didn't do it because I wanted to! Ino came onto me! Today, that was different, I needed an outlet and that was the only one available. But on the mission, she came onto me! Since then, she's had it in her head that we're together. That's where the hand holding and all this lovey-dovey shit came from. It was all her!" he said in a large breath.

Tenten blinked at him, her lips pursed together, her eyes holding a disappointed gaze, a distrusting gaze. She felt bad because she tried to push her best friends together, only to fail because the other wasn't mature enough to handle the situation.

She leaned back against the wall, folding her arms across her chest.

"So you sat there, and let her do everything to you that night?" Tenten said in a tone that was barely higher than a growl. "All I've heard was it was her fault, Ino this and Ino that. Well what was Shikamaru doing the whole time? If that's the case, you ought to charge her for rape. And you act like you can't fight her off. You may be scrawny, but that doesn't mean anything nowadays. You probably didn't even tell her to stop."

The Shadow Possessor started to feel the guilt seep in, and he felt so confused about why he didn't act. Why didn't he stop her? Did he really want to be with Ino? And Temari? He couldn't have both.

But no, he was sick of Ino in a numerous ways. He really could only tolerate her when he was on top of her. He had to end this faux relationship, but wasn't sure how to and keep the friendship that they once had.

Was that even possible?

"I don't want to be with Ino, Ten," he revealed finally, the Weapons Mistress looking up, intrigued by his statement. "Everything about her bugs me right about now. The way she talks, the way she walks, the way she moves, the way she tries to touch me. I can't stand it. And I haven't said anything because I was trying to be a gentleman about it. I was trying not to be mean. That and I don't want to lose the friendship that we have."

Tenten sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes in a sympathetic way before pushing herself off the wall and sitting down on the couch beside him. She took his hands in hers and rubbed them in a consoling way.

"You're being too nice right now. And with that being said, you're paying for your own happiness out the ass right now. You're just now seeing it. You're sacrificing yourself for what? Meaningless sex?" she asked in a maternal manner. Shikamaru shrugged.

"The sex is pretty good. Except that thing she does with her finger-"

"Enough," Tenten cut it off quick, not wanting to hear the rest of his sentence. He shrugged sheepishly. "Do you remember what I told you on the phone? About Temari seeing Ino as competition?" He thought for a brief moment and nodded.

"I don't quite understand that. How-?"

"Look at the situation. Before you came back, Temari was worrying herself over her feelings, her personality, things about her that weren't womanly enough, stupid stuff like that. She wants traits that Ino has because she felt that's the kind of woman you wanted. She believed strongly for some reason that Ino was after you. Now that we have proof, well, we can't fault her," Tenten said in an annoyed manner.

"So... It was a love triangle?" he concluded. Tenten shook her head at his innocence, at his lack of knowledge when it came to romance and love.

"You're in one right now. I can't explain Temari's feelings for you. I may be her best friend, but I don't think she has an outlet for her inner most feelings. There are plenty of things she doesn't tell me and I can see it in her eyes. The one thing I have been told that I have never heard before was how her mother died and how she saw it happened. And even then she struggled to cry," Tenten pointed out. Shikamaru swore under his breath.

"Do you think she'll calm down?" he asked in a hopeful voice. She shrugged her shoulders.

"We'll have to ask her when she regains consciousness."

Shikamaru sat up straight once again when he remembered that Temari was knocked out at Naruto's house.

"When did she get drunk? Why was she drinking?" he asked in a frantic tone. Tenten shook her head once again at her friend's cluelessness.

"You."


	10. Chapter 9: Contemplation

**Hi you guys! This is a really long chapter, I think it may be my longest chapter yet, but I honestly took a while on this part of the story. I wasn't sure how to go about it but at the same time I knew it had to be done. I loved writing this and I loved reading it even more. I wanna write even more now and I'll jump on that! But I must say... This did take a while to write out. It's not as easy as it used to be. I'm gonna go home tonight, dreaming about Shikamaru and Temari fluff. :3 **

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter a lot because the next one leading up to this will be just as good. I would also like to say REVIEW. Please. Honestly, when I don't get feedback and reviews or PMs, I wonder about my writing and if its being read. And even though I love to read my own writing, sometimes its nice to hear other people's opinions. It's something that can help me improve for the better. This story is really important to me and I would if you guys notified me what you thought for all of those who are reading. I'd appreciate it. :) **

**Also, my InuYasha and Sango... I was wondering should I wait to publish that or should I just upload it and update it with this one and do a duel writing situation. Lemme know, I can wait. :) There is some Neji and Tenten fluff in here. i had to. They're my favorite couple, even though i'm slowly drifting over to the ShikaXTem side when it comes to that. But anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this! Update and enjoy!**

* * *

Contemplation

Chapter 9

"Come on, let's go get you out of the house today!" Tenten exclaimed in an enthusiastic tone. Temari didn't move, flinch, or react to her perky voice. Finally she shrugged as if to say she didn't care. Tenten's joyful demeanor dropped almost instantly. Temari's gaze redirected itself to her best friend.

"What?"

"Temari, you look pitiful. Terrible almost. You shouldn't be putting yourself down like this," Tenten's voice reeked of concern. Temari rolled her eyes.

"I'm not, Tenten," she denied, saying it in a tone that she wasn't in the mood for arguing with her. Tenten shook her head.

"When's the last time you've been outside?" Tenten pryed, folding her arms across her chest. Temari hated when she started to bring up matters such as these.

"Last week."

"Last week," Tenten repeated in a disbelieving tone. "That's not healthy, Tem, we have to get you in the sunlight, get some fresh air, ya know? It'll do you some good, it would make you feel better!" Temari didn't seem to move an inch, she hadn't been motivated to do much of anything.

The entire last week, she hid away in her home, away from Shikamaru, away from the outside world. Because of Shikamaru. It wasn't healthy, but it wasn't like she wasn't functioning. She managed to bath and eat and sleep, but her lack of social contact had been taking a toll on her mentally.

"I don't want to," she stated tartly, shifting her weight on the couch.

"But you need to," Tenten said in a motherly tone of voice. Temari refused to respond and her best friend sighed. "Would it make you feel any better if we went out at night?" Temari's ears twitched.

_ Always looking a compromise, huh Tenten?_

"... I'll think about it," she finished, Tenten clapping her hands with joy. It wasn't a down right no, and it was something she could manage to work with.

"I could take you to a club, a restaurant, anywhere you want," she enthused. "Or maybe you want to go to the carnival! It's in town this week! Or we could go see a movie! Or even-"

"Tenten, breathe!" Temari exclaimed, covering her face and ear with the couch pillow beside her. She loved the girl to death, but she really couldn't take how much she was talking right now. It was only irritating her.

"Sorry," she whispered, realizing she had indeed gotten out of hand. "I'm just trying to think of what would be most comfortable for you."

_ Anywhere that Shikamaru is..._

She wanted to slap herself for actually thinking that. She didn't want to see him, but she did. She had this longing to be beside him, the wanting to be able to talk to him. But at the same time, she knew that wouldn't happen. He'd only want to talk about how he wanted to be with her and etc, that the thing with Ino wasn't true, and she couldn't handle that mentally right now.

Maybe it's just because I'm so used to being around him and talking to him. I'm having withdrawal issues. It's hard to think that he was my closest friend, even closer than Tenten. And now I haven't spoken to him in a week...

"Just pick somewhere," Temari said dismissively. Tenten grinned, realizing that Temari was really going to leave the house with her.

"I know what is going to be perfect for you. Let's go to the club! You know how much you love to dance! That'll be perfect!" she said with a grin. Temari couldn't help but smirk. She had a hidden love for dancing that not many people knew about. It was just something that came naturally to her.

"Alright," she said, her smirk spreading to a full grin. It had been a while since she had smiled at her best friend. Too much was going on in her mind for her to feel the urge to smile. She was dealing with so much conflict when it came to her and Shikamaru and what happened before.

_No, no. No more thinking about Shikamaru. No more of anything that has to do with Shikamaru_, she told herself, shaking her head._ I'm really going to try and enjoy myself with Tenten tonight. No more worrying myself over that._

Almost instantly, her thoughts were broken when she and Tenten looked up. Someone had been knocking on the door. Temari's breath caught in her throat. Her mind instantly dashed to the idea of Shikamaru being there, awaiting to speak to her. Tenten jumped up and skipped to the door.

"Coming!"

Temari's heart rate sped up, she felt her palms and forehead start to sweat. She bit her lip, her apprehension building up in her chest. Who else would bother coming to Tenten's house this time of night?

"Neji!" Tenten exclaimed as she jumped in her husband's arms. She hugged his neck, nuzzling her nose into it, giggling when he kissed her head affectionately. Temari's tension released and she exhale, relieved that it was her best friend's husband and not who she had been anticipating.

Neji's face seemed to have appeared the same blank, expressionless face that he had always had, but there was more of a caring warmth to his eyes and his smile since he had taken his wife to be his.

Temari looked away, feeling a tinge of jealousy in her when she saw them together, the love and affection they have when they were in each other's eyes.

"Are you ready to head home?" he asked in a patient tone. Tenten bit her lip, realizing she had forgotten that her husband was going to pick her up.

"Uhm..." his facial expression didn't change, but his eyes questioned her pause.

"Temari and I..." Tenten trailed off and looked in the direction of her friend who seemed to have been in a world that was all of her own due to her silence and lack of eye contact. Neji's gaze met hers and Temari waved sheepishly before he looked back at his wife.

"I didn't even notice she was here. My apologies, Temari," he said shortly. "That was rather rude of me not to greet you the moment I came in the door. I assumed that Tenten had been alone."

"I understand," she said in an oddly high pitch voice. The awkward feeling between Temari and Neji never seemed to cease no matter how many times they came in contact with each other. It was comedic in a number of ways, but it wasn't the most comfortable situation for either of them.

Tenten closed the front door and they both moved into the living room. Neji sat in a single armchair and Tenten perched herself on the armrest.

"Well, Temari and I are going out to a club tonight and-"

"A club?" he said, his voice expressioning its concern and its own questioning.

"Mmhmm! Temari hasn't left the house in a week almost-" Temari gaze an obvious cough, out of embarassment. Her cheeks tinted red, only to grow darker when Neji looked over at her. She didn't want Neji of all people to know about her love life issues. "And I need to take her out, so I was going to take her to a club tonight."

"Which club?" Neji asked, his voice starting to show a lack of support to this idea.

"Underground."

His eyebrow twitched in disapproval.

"Tenten, I must be honest with you. I don't want you going to some nightclub," he said in a low tone. Tenten's face drooped, folding her arms across her chest.

"Why?"

"You're my wife, that's why. You're married to me," he stated placidly. "That is somewhere you aren't meant to be." Tenten huffed and gave him a look of shock. She held up her left hand, her rather large diamond ring glittering in the light.

"I doubt anyone would not see this," she replied flatly, Neji's eyebrow twitching.

"That's not the point."

"What do you mean that's not the-"

"Ahem."

Both of them stopped talking when Temari cleared her throat. Their marital argument was none of her business even though it did concern her to some degree, however she didn't want them to do this in front of her.

Neji cleared his own throat as well, closing his eyes to regain composure.

"Excuse us, Temari, we didn't mean for it to get out of hand with you being present and all," he apologized as Temari smiled and dismissed the situation.

"It's fine," she said in a falsely sweet voice. Tenten gave her a look that said 'Quit it!' before she turned to Neji kissing him on his cheek. He didn't move or give her a look saying he approved of her going to a club anymore than he had before.

"I'm going to get up and get you some water out of the kitchen," Tenten decided before getting up and walking out of the room, creating another awkward moment between the Prodigy and the Suna Kunoichi.

The silence prevailed until Temari crossed her legs and put her hands on her kneecap.

"You know she's only going because she's trying to help me, right?" Temari reminded Neji as he turned to her, his gaze almost like ice. He didn't respond immediately, but he did turn away to look at the photos lined up on Tenten's walls.

"I know, but I don't want her there at all," he stated plainly. Temari rolled her eyes._ He's so dull, what about him makes her go so crazy? So what, he's pretty. But that's about it..._

"The chances of convincing her not to go are about as good as you getting her to get rid of this house that she still comes and stays at some nights and basically lives in during the day," Temari compared as Neji's face frowned slightly.

"That's different."

"How so?" Temari asked, intrigued about how Neji could possibly overcome Tenten's stubbornness.

"This is her mother's house, and she can't let it go. Ai-san meant the world to Ten, and even now, we are married. She still has yet to sell it. She lives in the Hyuga Compound with me, yes, but still she feels like this is her one sanctuary," Neji said as if it was simple enough to understand. "This idea to go to a club just because you're feeling so down isn't a valid reason." Temari felt a bit of anger light in her but she didn't react on it.

"She can handle herself."

"I didn't say she couldn't," he countered. "I just think she's better than that, than what they have to offer there. It's no place for a married woman. She should be elsewhere, and if she isn't here, she should be with me."

"Sheesh," Temari sighed.

"Here ya go!" Tenten exclaimed, coming back out with a glass of water, handing it to Neji. He took a mild sip before placing it down on the coffee table in front of him.

"... Tenten, I-"

"I'll meet you home tonight dear. I promise I won't be in any later than midnight," she promised. His eyes gave her a look of shock before transforming to annoyance. "Hiashi wouldn't accept returning home late as acceptable."

"You going at all is unacceptable," he stated sourly. Tenten took Neji by the hand and led him into the other room, leaving Temari alone. _Hook, line, and sinker. She always gets what she wants because Neji spoils her. He can't say no,_ Temari thought with a smirk.

"Neji, I need to be there for Temari in her time of need. No one else knows about this and I feel like I need to support her when she needs support," Tenten whispered. Neji rolled his eyes.

"Where is Shikamaru? Isn't he one of the people that she could trust? Why can't he take care of her?" Neji said in a cold tone. Temari felt as if a piece of her heart had been smashed the way Neji sounded. Like he just wanted to hand her off to someone else as another person's problem. Then he had mentioned _his_ name.

Tenten sighed and shook her head, pressing her finger to his lips.

"That's what this is about," she muttered lowly. Neji's eyebrow quirked up in curiosity, now suddenly interested in Temari's affairs. It would make for a lovely story, he was sure. "I just need to get her mind off of it. You of all people should know how when someone you care about needs support, you need to be there."

Neji stiffened, realizing Tenten was talking about the way he had been there for her when her mother died. It was a great deal of importance to know that you had friends to watch out for you and care for you in your time of need. He had done that for Tenten.

Without saying anything else, he lifted his index finger to her chin and gently pulled her face to his so their lips could meet. Her hand reached and touched the side of his face just as she stood on her tiptoes, pulling him closer to her to deepen the kiss. The silence let Temari know that something was occuring.

They broke the kiss and Tenten smiled into it when he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'll be waiting for you when you get home. I expect no later than twelve. I don't want to have to punish you," he stated simply. She grinned and hugged him, thanking him for letting her go to help her best friend. He hugged her back, kissing the top of her head once again.

Neji left without another word and waved a goodbye to Temari before exiting. Temari acted as if she didn't hear anything they had spoken between them before Tenten came back out, starry eyed. She looked as if she just wanted to follow him right out of the door.

"Tenten!"

She broke out of her romantic trance and looked at Temari, confused about why she had yelled her name.

"Huh?"

Temari shook her head.

"Let's go get ready."

* * *

Tenten covered her ears, trying to prevent her eardrums from blowing out of her head. Temari seemed perfectly fine and put her hands on her hips when they made it through the entrance of the club.

Tenten was wearing a pair of jean capris and a dress pink shirt with frills around the collar and down the seam of her arms and the bosom of her chest to hide her bosom. Her hair was out, long and flowing with some sneakers on. She argued that no one would be looking at her feet anyway.

Temari had on a elegant dark blue dress with the back out. It was sleeveless and revealed some of her cleavage. The tail stopped mid thigh and seemed to rise up occasionally with some wedged shoes. She actually had the nerve to put on some make up and earrings.

"Is it too loud in here for you?" Temari asked in Tenten's ear, the neon flashing light blinking on and off constantly. It could cause anyone to have a seizure at any moment.

"No, it'll just take some time to get used to," she yelled back over. Temari nodded, understanding as the headed to find a booth to sit in. Temari pulled Tenten's hand to a separate area that didn't seem as loud since it was farther away from the speakers.

"Whew," Tenten said in an exasperated tone. She was the one who had been talking about going to the club, but she had never been to one, especially not Temari. Her best friend looked amused as her exhaustion.

"Tired already, Wifey?" she teased as Tenten frowned and rested her face in her hands before nodding.

"I can't believe you're even dressed like that. That you can even walk in heels," Tenten said in awe. Temari laughed and shrugged it off.

"Requirements of being my father's oldest child and only daughter," she stated as if it was nothing. Tenten seemed to admire her best friend for her unknown skills.

"I just don't want you to go wild," she said in a concerned tone. Temari laughed wholeheartedly, practically clutching her stomach for fear of a cramp.

"I'm here to try and forget right? So that's what I'm going to do. Forget," she said point blank just as a man approached the table they were sitting at.

He was slim, very skinny with blonde long hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in a white button down shirt and some fitted black pants. He had a pearly white smile and lustful eyes.

"Hello ladies, how are you doing this evening?" he asked in a suave tone. Tenten smiled and waved with her left hand, the man noticing her ring almost instantly. He focused his attention on Temari out of respect.

"We're doing well, how about you? It's a great night to be out," Temari said in an alluring tone. Tenten rolled her eyes and looked away, grabbing the menu on the far side of the table to look at what she may have possibly wanted to eat.

"Would you mind dancing with me? You look like you dance," he complimented as she grinned.

"Without asking my name?" she pointed out, her smile starting to creep farther across her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Takumi. What's your name?" he asked as he reached his hand out for hers. She held it out as he helped her up from her seat to take her to the dancefloor.

"Temari," she stated calmly. He smiled and kissed her hand, only resulting in her smiling back.

"Pleasure to make your aquaintance," he whispered in her ear as he lead her to the floor. Temari looked back at Tenten and waved, getting a laughable wave back.

Temari started to dance with the guy, feeling the music guide her and sway her with the rhythm. Almost instantly, she forgot the guy she was with and was lost in her melodic movements. _That's it, Mari, clear your mind, _she told herself. The bass pumping through her eardrums, she closed her eyes, feeling the exhiliration shoot through her body until...

Released from her nirvanic bliss, the man known as Takumi had allowed his hands to find their way to her hips and attempted to guide them against his lower body. Temari peered out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't a fan of dirty dancing, but she didn't wanna break the guy's hand either. She couldn't afford to be fined by Tsunade now of all times.

She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw Tenten being attacked by wild men, them all attempting to get her to dance. She tried to dismiss them, explaining the wedding ring situation and how she was fine but they seemed dazzled but her big innocent brown eyes.

_Tenten can't dance anyway_, Temari snickered to herself. Takumi's eyes met hers when he heard her laugh. He gave her a playful look.

"And what's so funny? I would love to have a laugh too," he said as she realized she had gained his attention. She turned around and hooked her wrists around his neck and started to slow dance with him when the song started to change to something with less of a tempo speed.

"I was thinking about how I just abandoned my best friend over there to be ambushed by every other guy in the club," she half lied, shrugging. She had no reason to lie, but she had no reason to be honest either.

"She looks as if she can handle herself, just as much as you can," he said, his voice hinting at something. Temari's eyebrow quirked. She hoped he wasn't hinting at what she thought he was. I came here to clear my mind, not open my legs.

Trying not to be rude, Temari attempted to ignore the statement.

"What will it take for a guy like me to get to know a sexy, elegant, girl like yourself?" he asked, gazing into her eyes. That longing, wanting look that he had in his eyes was something she found rather annoying. When men got to that point in their mind, part of their thought processor turns off as well. She knew he was officially after her panty hose.

"Uh, haha, a lot," she said in a teasing, yet very serious tone. She started to avoid eye contact and remain composed. In her current attire, she had to act appropriately, especially in a public place and a country that wasn't her home.

"You mind telling me what?" he whispered in her ear. It made her shudder, but not in a good way. She smelt a hint of alcohol on his breath this time when he spoke. She knew this one was offically a no-go and her fun was over.

"Kind of. You know, I'm getting kinda hot with all these people around, can we go get something to drink?" she asked, fanning herself even though she wasn't even sweating. He lead her to a little booth hidden from numerous eyes.

She slid in and he scooted in from the opposite side. She gasped when he lifted her legs up and put them in his lap, his hands gliding over her legs. Temari has never been more uncomfortable.

"I asked for a drink," she replied sweetly, pulling her legs away. He gave her a look that was to say 'I'll get you when I get back' before getting up and going to get them some beverages.

Temari sighed and was glad when the sensual music sped back up into something distracting. So far she had done a really good job at avoiding her thoughts about Shikamaru. She covered her face to sigh and by the time she removed them, her jaw dropped when she looked across the room at the bar and saw...

Shikamaru.

* * *

She was there.

_She was there._

Temari Sabaku was there, at the night club that Ino had dragged him to that night. She had nagged him about wanting to go to this Underground club and for some reason it was a requirement for him to go even though he hated being in places like these.

He had put on some casual clothes, nothing special, but it was 'Better than what he usually wears', or at least that was what Ino said. He had seen her the moment she walked in the door and he couldn't even breathe for a split second.

He couldn't find words to describe her. Amazing? Gorgeous? Beautiful? None of them seemed to fit, but he knew sexy had to be one of them.

The way that blue dress clung to her body like spandex like fabric, her feminine, yet muscular, curves showed. She was well endowed in the chest area for her height and slender body type. She usually kept it bound down due to her job to be a ninja, but no one could deny that they existed when she revealed them as such.

Her waste, it was ridiculous how skinny it was, yet almost amazing how wide her hips expanded. It seemed unrealistic almost. Her thighs were the most muscular thing on her body. She couldn't say that she had rather large legs, but they were gorgeous.

_ That dress is too short_, he couldn't help but think to himself. He was getting an eye full of her slender feature, hell, that was her best feature. He was a sucker for amazing legs like hers. There was too much skin out in general. Her back was out as well and then her cleavage sat upright.

Never in his life had Shikamaru felt so tortured.

He saw Tenten was there and he felt a little better, realizing it wasn't her out by herself, but it had been a girl's thing. He had to admit, he was surprised she even got out considering how Neji would feel about his wife being in a place like this.

His eyes the two kunoichi to the table and his eyes traced the ground, seeing her wedged heels. She walked with such grace it was almost difficult not to look at her. He couldn't even look at her feet, he couldn't help but grope her body with his eyes.

"Shikamaru!" Ino whined, distracting him. He had never felt so frustrated in his life.

"What in the hell could you possibly want now?" he seethed as she drew back. She seemed to ignore the tone of voice as she danced in one spot.

"You won't dance with me! Maybe you should get a drink and loosen up, ya know? You seem grumpy, it'll do you some good!" she said before leaning towards him, nuzzling his nose. He back away the moment their skin touched and she laughed at him, not realizing how much he didn't like her affection. "I'll be back!" she said, skipping off the the dancefloor again, several eyes watching the platinum blonde's trail.

"Hey, man," the guy beside him at the bar whispered, tapping his shoulder. Shikamaru blinked and looked when he realized the guy had been talking to him.

"Yeah?"

"Is that your girl?" he asked, his voice scruffy from the amount of alcohol consumed. Shikamaru scoffed.

"No way."

His eyes searched for Temari and Tenten, but he had lost them so quickly, he couldn't seem to find them amongst the large mass of people who had decided to show up at the club tonight. _Damn it._

When he finally caught sight of them again, there seemed to be a tall, lean guy holding out his hand to Temari. He felt himself get heated from the center of his being, permeating outward. He started feel his heartrate quicken, feeling raw hate for this man whom he didn't even know. Then he saw Temari smile.

She smiled at him.

He felt something inside him sink and his stomach start to ache. What were all these things happening to his body? Never had he once ever felt this way about anyone and it had such an effect on his body.

The guy guided Temari to the dance floor where she started to dance. He had to admit, she seemed to glide like an angel, as if she was barefoot on the clouds. She was in her own little world. Shikamaru got up and almost sprinted to Tenten when he saw that she had stopped waving at Temari.

Tenten jumped and swore under her breath before clutching her chest.

"Really, Shika? Really? Can you not warn me? I know it's pretty loud in here but-"

"She looks amazing," his voice saturated in awe. It seemed as though he was out of breath. Tenten looked at her best friend and smiled.

"Yes, she does. She's always looked amazing," she reminded Shikamaru as he nodded mindlessly.

"I'd give up Ino right now if she'd just talk to me," he muttered, not realizing he had spoken out loud. Tenten scoffed laughing at his facial expressions while he oogled her best friend. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," she dismissed, a grin plastered upon her face.

"Does she know I'm here?" he asked, his attention turning to Tenten almost instantly. Tenten blinked and shook her head.

"I don't think so, why-?"

"I don't her to be trying to manipulate me. Trying to gain my attention and taunt me for her own enjoyment. I hate that. She came out of the house like that because..." he trailed off, gazing at the way her hips glided.

"Because she wanted to," Tenten finished for him. Shikamaru's fists balled up when the male's hands started to touch her body's love handles. He had started to see red and feel his blood boil when he did that.

"Why is the guy pissing me off?" Shikamaru blatantly asked, glaring at the guy with his intense, hawk-like eyes. Tenten looked at Shikamaru and back to the couple, and then back to him.

"Because you're jealous. You don't want him touching her. You want to touch her," she stated back just as blatant as his question. His cheeks lit up.

"Ten!"

"What? You ask," she stated simply. "If you don't want her to see you, I suggest you go somewhere else. Being here with me isn't gonna help you with hiding." He nodded and stood up, walking back over to the bar he had originated.

He sighed, feeling these newfound emotions kick in, not only making him angry, but making him feel as low as dirt itself. He didn't like it at all, especially when he saw this guy touching Temari in places that shouldn't be touched by anyone.

_ But me..._

"Damn it, maybe I do need a drink," he muttered to himself, trying to hide his emotions. He looked up and saw those green eyes connected with his. That connection that they had made him realize that she did see him and he couldn't avoid her now if he wanted to. He also found it rather amusing how she was gaping at the sight of him.

_He's coming this way, what do I do? What do I do?_ she asked herself. She sat up, crossing her legs, propping her hands up on her knees. She remembered all the lessons that she had to take on proper etiquette.

He slid into the booth with her, looking at her as if she had to speak first. Neither of them knew what to say. Temari felt her pulse speed up when he prescence got close enough to her. She never thought she'd feel his aura so close to hers again. She missed it more than he knew.

He coud have said the same thing. His breath was caught in his throat. He felt as if he was suffocating, as if he was choking, but he knew he wouldn't change the feeling for any other. He wanted to get so much closer to her, but he would deny and have some kind of self control over his body.

Temari finally spoke after the silence between them had gone on long enough.

"What?" she asked in an impatient tone that could have been considered rude on a number of accounts. He blinked out of his zoned out moments and looked at her.

"Huh?"

"You approached me at my table like you have something to say," she asked, hiding all of her feelings under her facade. She was good at shielding her emotions while Shikamaru had no idea how to.

"Ah, um... Well, I didn't expect to see you here," he started as she gazed at him, watching his every move. She controlled this situation because she knew how to control herself and how she felt. Shikamaru was like a fish out of water in their situation. It was still too awkward.

"I could say the same about you, Shadow Boy," she teased him with a ridiculously old nickname she used occasionally when they had been younger. His cheeks reddened almost instantly.

"I mean, I haven't seen you in a week. I got dragged here," he traileed off before drawing his attention back to her. "When are you heading back to Suna?" Temari shrugged, her eyes avoiding his at this point. Her mind had jumped back to when she had thought she'd be better off leaving early.

"Excuse me, sir. This is my date, the dazzling Ms. Temari," Takumi interrupted, his face holding a friendly expression, though his eyes were showing utter annoyance on how Shikamaru had intercepted on his date.

"Oh, Takumi. I'm sorry. This is my-"

"Close friend, Shikamaru. Very close friend," he emphasized, offending Takumi. Temari's jaw dropped as she looked back at Shikamaru, utterly embarassed at what he had said. Takumi backed off almost instantly and left Temari a Tropical Storm.

"I see. I shall be on my way. I wish we could have spent more time together, Temari," he said in a kind tone. He reached for her hand and gently kissed it, causing the smile from before to break across her face. "Goodnight, miss."

Temari waved before returning his gaze. Before she could burst on him about his behavior, he started talking.

"What was up with that guy, eh? He seems so bothersome," he stated as Temari stared at him briefly before processing what he had said. She finally bursted out laugh, clutching her stomach, making Shikamaru feel less than good about himself. "What?" Her laughter ceased as she wiped at her eyes to make sure there were no tears.

"And here I thought you'd try to talk to me about what had happened last week," she stated, a natural smile now sitting on her face. He smiled at her as well, just as natural as hers, nothing forced.

"I figured you didn't want to be bothered with that after you made your point," he stated calmly before avoiding her eyes. Temari's eyes softened and she suddenly felt upset with herself for denying Shikamaru a chance to explain.

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"Hey, do you wanna ditch this joint? It's too much of a drag for me to handle right now. Let's go somewhere else," he stated calmly as he held out his hand to hers. She looked at it, wondering if she should really trust him enough to go somewhere with just the two of them. What's the worst that could happen?

She placed his hand in hers before he stood up and helped her up as a gentleman would. He lead her out of the club, heading to a favorite destination of his own, Temari's own mind unknowing of their soon-to-be location.

**A/N: I know this seems like a terrible place to end, but I had to. Not only to build up the suspense, but I wrote a lot at once and this stopping point seemed most appropriate. Lemme know what you guys think! :)**


	11. Chapter 10: Responsibility

**Hiii, this will be the most recent update you guys will see for a while. Haven't gotten much feedback and if I keep updating so fast I may get carpal tunnel. I'd like to say I'm proud of myself for getting back on track. :3 I hope you guys enjoy this little taste. I know most of you will get upset with me after you finish it because I cut it off and teased at it a little bit, but I hope you guys get your fill for the time being :D Enjoy!**

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Responsibility

Chapter 10

Shikamaru could feel her confusion and curiosity of where he was taking her. He couldn't help but grin to himself. She had agreed to come with him somewhere that was not only one of his favorite places, but where they could be alone.

_Should we really be somewhere where it's just going to be the two of us? _he questioned himself cautiously. What was the worst case scenario? They could be open and honest with one another, they could talk about anything they wanted. It was something he missed more than he had imagined.

_I never knew that she was my best friend until I lost her_, he admitted, gripping her hand in his. He refused to look back at her as he led the way. She's the only one I can talk to, be completely open and honest with and not feel uncomfortable doing so.

That's what made her so special. She was his one sanctuary. He could find peace of mind when he was in her prescence. He couldn't deny how much comfort she brought to him. Without her around the past week he had felt empty. He had been seeking refuge between Ino's legs, but that was a short term fix that died out almost instantly after it was over.

He was only holding her hand and felt like the weight of the world had removed itself from his shoulders. This was what he had been searching for from Ino, but couldn't find. He knew it was official now.

Ino needed to be removed from the picture.

But how? How and keep their friendship that he actually did hold dear? She would be upset, maddened but the "Breakup". He had slept with her, and he had no idea if she was faking or if she really was that crazy about the sex. But he had to somehow get it through to her that that was all it was.

Sex.

What he needed was right there. It was behind him. He now realized that. Even just being her friend, he didn't have to have all of her, at least not right now. He could wait, he knew he could. He didn't deserve her right now, not after what he had put her through.

He despised himself. The pain he put himself through was bad enough, but Tenten had told him the day before that she hadn't left the house since that fatal day, hiding herself away from the world out of shame. He had to forgive himself first.

That would be the most difficult thing for him to do right now.

But at the same time, he didn't want her to be with anyone else if it couldn't be him. He wanted her to wait for him, sit out on the sidelines until he had come to terms with everything he had done and accepted it, putting in the past. Would she wait? What if it took longer than he expected? Would she get tired and move on?

_That's probably why I intercepted that guy at the club, _he reminded himself, remembering the look not only on his face, but Temari's. She had never held such a shocked expression before, not that he had seen.

He didn't like the way he put his hands on her, he didn't like the way he made her smile. Only he wanted her to smile at him like that. He especially didn't like the way he looked at her. He knew arousal in a guy when he saw it. That's all he wanted from her. Whether Temari knew or not wasn't the point.

_She's worth more than that, _he told himself. He looked around, realizing they were almost to their destination. They had been walking along a cobblestone path for the past ten to fifteen minutes. He started to direct her off the path into the grass. She didn't say a word or object.

* * *

Temari felt at ease. His hand was so warm. With the feel of his skin against hers, she knew she wasn't dreaming. She smiled to herself, feeling his soft, feminine-like hands against her rough, calloused ones. She felt the situation in itself was backwards. She had trained using her fan endless hours of the day when she was younger, her hands telling the story of the diligence in it. She finally started to wear gloves when she became self conscious when she was about sixteen. Shikamaru's one Jutsu that he seemed to work into any situation. No physical evidence of his practice with ninja tools showed him to have hands of a girl, at least that's what Temari tended to tease him about.

She wanted to ask where they were going, but she knew that Shikamaru hated to be questioned when the answer would show itself in due time. She bit her lip, wondering what would happen when they arrived.

With Temari being someone who could easily love the night life and fall victim to its ways, she found it odd when she was relieved to leave the nightclub with him before she got another dance in. That was her hidden secret joy that not many few knew of. She felt estranged that she had given it up to take a midnight stroll with the Shadow Possessor.

She was surprised the conversation at the table lasted that long. Temari kept thinking in the back of her mind that he would approach her and ask her questions and try and convince him to listen to her. She was surprised when he didn't, but at the same time relieved.

They were better off when things were left unsaid, they both knew that. Temari just wanted him to talk about it and bring it up so she could give him a second chance, a second thought. A reconsideration. Instead, she had brought it up and he simply said he didn't want to bother her with it.

Her disappointment didn't show through, at least she hoped he couldn't see it. She feared that she had lost her chance to take him back. He didn't do anything to piss her off (yet), but the evening was still young.

He had been silent the whole walk. He had squeezed her hands a few times, only causing curiosity to spark in her mind as she gazed at the back of his head, but he didn't look back. He didn't want their eyes to connect.

Temari couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. He had always been a blank thinker, someone who's face never revealed their thoughts or even how they felt about what they were thinking. She admitted she wished she could read that part of him.

They came across a stonecobble path that they walked on. She wobbled slightly due to her wedged shoes, but she showed no problems or difficulty for him to notice. She wanted to just look at his face, and hopefully get a taste of his thoughts.

She saw him step off the path and head into the grass. Turned to look at her helping her down before Temari let go of his hand. They both felt slight disappointment, but refused to reveal it to the other. Temari snapped and took off her heels since they would be in the grass. With the chance of uneven ground, she didn't want to risk twisting her ankle.

Putting her shoes in one hand, she reached for his again, receiving a grin. She smiled back, sighing at the feel of the grass between her toes. She loved it and wouldn't trade it for anything. The one thing she did despise was sand. She had seen enough of it and was sick of it.

He lead her out to an open field that seemed to be far out on the edge of Konoha. Temari thought she had known all of his hidden spots but this one was different. It seemed more secluded than most and it had a gentle breeze passing through. There was a single oak tree that was rather large and leaning forward against the direction of the hill, consuming the area in front of it with its shadows.

"So? What do you think?" Shikamaru finally spoke, making Temari jump from her thoughts. She smiled and looked at him a way he had never been looked at before.

"It's beautiful."

_You're beautiful,_ he couldn't help but think. Something about the way she was looking at him was making him feel light-headed. She looked genuinely happy, at least at that moment in time. He grinned and sat down, laying his body back before releasing a sigh from his body.

She crouched down first and got on her knees, before laying back, trying not to rip her skirt or accidently flash Shikamaru. He closed his eyes when he felt her body relax next to his.

"This is nice," Temari stated simply. He chuckled before opening his eyes.

"Yeah. Not a cloud in the sky," he said calmly, sounding content. Temari looked over to him, slightly confused.

"Isn't that a bad thing to you?" she teased. He shook his head, not even detecting the joke in her voice.

"Nah, that's during the day. At night I prefer clear skys. I love looking at the stars. Clouds are best during the day when nothing else up there can be seen," he explained before looking back at her. Her emerald eyes shone in the moonlight.

"You're something else, you know that?" she teased once again, this time him hearing it in her tone.

"Oh really? And why is that?" he asked, turning over and gazing at her, his full attention given to her. Her cheeks started to tint a light pink color, showing her embarassment as her eyes tried to look anywhere but into his own.

"Um... Uh..." finally frustrated with her lack of ability to form words at the moment, she pounded her fist onto the ground.

"Ugh! Really? Can you stop looking at me like that?" she snapped, causing him to draw back some. He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Sheesh, woman, calm down," he muttered before looking back up into the starry sky. He knew she was just unsure of how to handle the situation yet. It was just the two of them, alone. Not a single person, house, road in sight. No one could possibly see or know where they were.

"It's a full moon," he pointed out, his hand rising to point out the milky white orb. She was drawn away from her anger and embarassment, looking at the sky.

"Yeah it's really out there tonight. Bright too," she added. Swallowing hard, she decided to ask him what she had been wanting to ask him for a while. "Shikamaru?"

"Hn?"

"Why'd you bring me out here?" she asked point blank. He blinked and looked over at her, seeing the seriousness in her eyes, sketched out upon her face. He shrugged and looked back up to the sky before closing his eyes again.

"I got tired of that club. It was noisy. Bothersome. Nothing but annoying," he stated bluntly. Her eyebrow quirked up in surprise.

"Oh really? Then why were you there?" Shikamaru's eyes couldn't help but shoot open when she asked that question. He bit his lip and swore to himself mentally. This was a terrible situation to be in.

Should he lie? Or should he be honest? If he lies, there was a fairly good chance he could get away with it if the lie seemed to work well enough. But if he was honest, he'd have to explain the whole situation to her and that might end badly. But knowing Temari, she'd hate him even more if he lied to her.

What to do? What to do?

"Shikamaru? I'm waiting for an answer," she sang, propping her head up in her hand. Apparently she didn't see the seriousness in the answer that he was about to reveal to her. He just prayed to God she didn't get up and leave him in the dust again.

He couldn't take her rejection twice..

"Ino dragged me there," he said plainly, as if it wasn't that big of a deal. He saw out the corner of his eye how quickly and drastically her face changed from joyful to painstricken. Not to mention the way she cringed when he mentioned the platinum blonde's name.

"Oh," was all she seemed able to saw when she finally managed to speak. Shikamaru shrugged and looked back at her, seeing her avoiding his eyes. He had to admit he was a little hurt because of how her mood was ruined, but he was even happier that she didn't get up and leave.

"Notice how you didn't see her though. She was out dancing and partying with all these other guys," he added, hoping it would lighten her mood a little. It didn't seem to work.

"We'll, I guess that means she'll be looking for you in no time then, huh?" Temari said with a sigh. Shikamaru scoffed and muttered under his breath. Temari's head jerked, her whole mood seemed to have changed to a little upset. "What?"

"I want to know why you're so jealous of her. Of Ino, of all people. Tenten told me that you saw her as a threat," Shikamaru said as Temari's whole face lit up from utter shame. Not only did she soudn so selfish and shallow, but also desperate the way Shikamaru had pointed it out. Tenten needed to learn how to not run her mouth to the man she wanted to be with.

"Oh God," was all she could breath before covering her face in despair. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and sat up, hugging her shoulders and shaking them gently.

"Come on, now. Don't act embarassed in front of me, Shikamaru. Just tell me why you feel that way. It's Ino. Why be jealous of her?" he asked as she shook her head.

"She's... womanly. Feminine. Gorgeous. She knows so much more about being a girl than I do. I just feel like that's attractive to you and I lack that," she mumbled through her hands. He strained to hear her and shook hish ead.

"Temari, look at me," he whispered. She shook her head frantically, her face still buried behind her hands. "Come on, Temari, look!" she shook her head once again, causing Shikamaru to reach his hands towards her torso and tickle her sides. Temari couldn't hold it any longer when he did that.

Bursting out laughing, dropped her hands, her eyes squinted together, trying to push the Shadow Possessor's hands away from her body. He ended up pulling her closer to him, hugging her close to him, her back facing him. When she stopped laughing, she realized the position they were in.

His arms were wrapped around her waist, pulled tightly against his chest. His head rested on her back, his breath hitting her skin every time he exhale. Temari was unsure how to react. She felt him pull her closer, only causing her cheeks to redden.

Shikamaru didn't want to remove himself from her side. She was like an endorphin, an endless drug. He couldn't release her if he tried, she just made him feel so good. The feel of her skin against him made him want to melt. He prayed she wouldn't say anything to interrupt the moment.

The silence between them was perfect. No one moved besides the breathing and the racing of their hearts together. She could feel his heart beating into her back. Temari thought they would both explode.

"You're perfect the way you are, Temari," he whispered softly. Her eyes widened. She had never heard something so sweet, so geniune, dare she say 'romantic' from Shikamaru. He wasn't one to express himself and he actually spoke those words to her. Her face lit up almost instantly.

"You mean that?" she barely squeaked. He nodded his head against her back. Temari didn't know how to react to the nuzzling gesture.

"Of course I do. Ino isn't the kind of female a guy like me would want to keep. She's... I'm not sure how to describe her. I've known her forever and the only word to describe Ino is Ino," he muttered before Temari laughed again. She dared to turn her head and try to look back at him.

"And what kind of female do you like, Mister Nara," she whispered softer than she expected. His face was so close to hers, he wasn't sure if it was on purpose or by accident. His eyes traced the lines of her face. His eyes were hypnotizing hers. He was unsure of what to do next. He knew what he wanted to do. But should he dare act on it?

He did.

His face inched closer and closer to hers. He felt her heartbeat start to race faster than his as if she was in a panic. When his lips captured hers, he felt almost a surge in his body he had never felt before.

His hand reached up to caress her cheek, bringing it closer to his as he deepened the kiss between them. Temari had never expected this to happen to her. Shikamaru was kissing her and he made the first move?

She questioned her sanity, her consciousness. She swore she felt herself about to liquify into a puddle from the mere feeling of his lips on her. She didn't want this to end. He pulled away and looked at her, smirking at the dazed look in her eyes.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked her as she turned herself completely around to face him, attempting to catch her breath. She failed to give an answer as she laid completely on her back, closing her eyes. This cannot be happening...

"Do you?" he asked again, this time, Shikamaru leaned over her kissing her neck in small pecks before starting suckle on her skin. Temari shivered against his touch, biting her lip. Oh how he loved the taste of her skin. It was intoxicating. What was wrong with him and his lack of self-control?

"No, please don't," she accidently moaned. The smirk that dashed across his face was unlike any over as he continued to play around with her neck, pressing his body against hers. Temari's body seemed unable to keep still when he climbed over her.

Making a trail down her neck to where her bosom was, his hands seemed to have been obsessed with her legs and thighs, groping and grabbing on them as much as he could. Temari didn't seem to object either. Her hands seemed to grab for his arms and his torso, pulling it closer to hers while her hands played in his hair.

_This is really happening to me,_ Temari decided to finally admit. She could feel his skin against hers, the muscle that she had no idea he had was nothing what she expected. She was practically clawing at his hair, pulling at it from the scalp and it only seemed to make him more aggressive. _Please don't let it end, please, please, please... _She had never known herself to pray for such physical attention.

Shikamaru's unknown fetish was a woman pulling his hair. And she was doing a damn good job at it too. He couldn't help but go crazy over the woman he's wanted for so long now. He started to slide his hand up her dress, Temari shaking under his touch. She spread her legs, hiking her dress up when he had gestured for her to pull her leg up so he could fit between them comfortably.

He didn't know how much longer he could last.

Temari started to feel him grind his lower body against her and she felt like she was going to be driven insane. She started bite and suck at Shikamaru's neck. He started to shudder under her touch this time around and he knew he couldn't hold back.

He sat up, pulling himself from her clutches. Her chest was heaving up and down, trying to get some kind of oxygen into her lungs. She whimpered when he left her grasp, looking up at him to await his next move. Shikamaru started to reach for his belt to unbuckle his pants.

Temari's heart was pounding, realizing that what was about to happen. Should she object? Was it best to act in the heat of the moment? They didn't have a condom, at least she didn't have one. Should she bother to ask?

Shikamaru managed to get his zipper down only to look at Temari laying before him, her skirt pulled up to her waste, her black underwear outline the only thing he could see in the moonlight. His mind was trying to process his thoughts in an orderly fashion. This was what he wanted.

_This is what i want, but not what I deserve_, his conscious reminded him. He was brought back to his memories of him being in the exact same position as above Ino, her icy blue eyes filled with just as much lust as Temari's was at that moment.

Temari's eyes were different though. They held lust, yes, but wanting, affection, love. He was unsure if Ino had the same feelings in her eyes, or whether he just chose to ignore them. Temari's emotions was something he couldn't look past.

He started to shake, realizing he was really about to take Temari as his own. If he did that, what would that signify? He was sure that she wouldn't react the same way Ino did, but he still hadn't handled the Ino issue.

That's all that ran through his mind, Ino, Ino, Ino. He couldn't do what he wanted to Temari, touch her the way he wanted, taste her like he just did without feeling the guilt of his past weighing on himself. He hadn't broken off everything with the other blonde who was probably waiting for him back at the club.

He had been thinking before he had arrived. If he did it now because he couldn't be patient, he would never forgive himself. He had to handle needed to be handled first.

Temari's head tilted sideways as she saw Shikamaru bite his lip. She recognized the inner turmoil occuring. Her lustful emotions died down and was replaced with concern. She leaned up, gently stroking the side of his face.

"Shikamaru? What's wrong?" she whispered as he avoided her eyes, his teeth gritted. She was laying there, before him, ready to be taken, and he couldn't. It wouldn't be right. He wasn't ready for her yet, not yet.

"I can't..." he whispered, as Temari's eyes softened. She saw his conflict within himself as a battle of whether to do what they both wanted to do. She pulled his head into her bosom and tried to comfort him, saying that she understood what he was saying.

"It's fine, Shikamaru, it's fine," she consoled. Shikamaru was surprised at how gentle she was being, at how light her touch was, at how loving she was. He had never seen this side of Temari before and at the current moment, it actually helped him calm down. He breathed in her scent and felt like he was at ease. Until...

Shikamaru's phone suddenly started to go off, playing an annoying default tone. They both groaned as Shikamaru refused to move. She poked him to make sure he was still conscious.

"Shouldn't you answer that?" she asked slowly.

"No," he replied flatly.

"Shikamaru, answer the damn phone," she commanded almost. He smiled at the Temari that he had known to grow and love. He sighed and shrugged, reaching into his pants pocket, pressing the talk button.

"Hello?"

"Shikamaruu! Where the hell are you! I've been looking for you for almost an hour and you are nowhere in sight! I don't even hear music in the background of your phone!" Ino Yamanaka yelled the instant he answered. Temari's heart sank into her stomach and seemed to have sizzled out like a flame that had felt into a bucket of ice cold water.

Shikamaru sighed, realizing that the mood was officially ruined. He didn't even say bye before he hung up the phone on her. Temari looked at him, appalled at his behavior before he pushed her back. She yelped at the unexpected feeling of falling, Shikamaru nuzzling up against her her neck and chest once again.

The silence and position they were in was comforting. Shikamaru looked like a child who refused and didn't want to break free from his mother's comforting arms. Temari smiled and stroked his hair, his eyes closing as he began to lull off into sleep.

"Shikamaru, go see her," Temari whispered. Shikamaru's eyes opened instantly as he sat up, giving her a look of confusion.

"Wha-?"

"Go, Shikamaru. Really. She's looking for you, I told you she would be," she said with a painful smile. He looked hesistant to leave the comfort of her arms. He sat up and stretched before groaning about how much of a drag it was. She giggled before he leaned back over her, catching her off guard before he captured his lips with hers again. She pulled his head down to hers, wishing she never had to let go. After a brief moment, he broke the kiss that brought them together. They both looked rather hurt for them to have to go separate ways.

"I needed one for the road," he whispered, nuzzling her neck once again. Temari gave a warm smile before he sat up and rebuckled his pants. Sighing as he stood up, he waved his hand at her in a nonchalant way before holding up a handsign, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Temari smiled to herself, enjoying the sound of the crickets and the breeze, thinking about what had happened tonight. She started to laugh like the situation had been comical, to keep herself from getting upset, but it didn't last long. Her laugh slowly, but surely changed into a sob.

Her dream had easily turned into a nightmare.

**A/N: I have to say that was mean of me, but it'll keep you guys going for a while. Enjoy and please Review! :)**


	12. Chapter 11: Embrace

**Well, the break I had put you on hadn't been one I had done on purpose. Internet went down, but its back up for the month. I've kept writing even though I havent been able to update, I'm already on chapter 15. But dont worry, I won't rush this despite the large amount of chapters I already have. This story, I repeat, this story, is no where near done. I hope you continue to read and stick by me. Things will only get bad. **

**Yes, bad. Be prepared my faithful readers. My soonest update will probably be as early as monday or tuesday. Review and tell me what you guys think, it means the world to me! Thank you Sayori Hollyhood and Shikazu Nara for the reviews. They made me smile, and I appreciate your opinion on the most chapter Sayori. :) **

**Join me next time and gimme feedback! 3**

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Embrace

Chapter 11

Shikamaru had never felt so detached from his body before. The heavy feeling in his heart weighed more than he anticipated the moment he left the comfort of her embrace. He wanted to return to her side for the rest of the evening.

Never once in his life had he felt so safe, so content in the arms of another person. Last time he checked, Shikamaru was a person who hated physical contact and preferred to keep his hands to himself no matter the situation, not including sex. After he was done, he usually left or avoided touching the girl who was across from him. Shikamaru knew this was something different.

What they had together was something special.

But how does he get that far? How does he let go of his "friends with benefits" situation with Ino and move forward towards the Suna Kunoichi? He invisioned it to be something that he couldn't just let slip away. At the same time, he had never thought he would find what he assumed to be irrevocable affection either.

_No, no,_ he told himself. _This is moving way too fast. Think logically, Shikamaru._ One make out session and suddenly all he felt for Temari came through. Why is that? What was making him so hard to understand, even for himself?

He needed to find Tenten. He needed to talk to her, he had to. She was the only one who seemed to make sense of his emotions without making him feel socially and emotionally inept. She actually tended to make some sense of what he did and why he did it. Why he said the things he said.

First he had to go find Ino at the damn bar. He was dreading the walk. He hadn't teleported there to go ahead and meet her, he was a few blocks away. He didn't want to be anywhere near her, not with his disappointed and distracted mood. She would only piss him off.

If Temari hadn't made him go to see Ino, he wouldn't have ever went. If he ever had to make a choice between the two, he would always pick Temari. The fact that she made that suggested to go back to her left him more puzzled than he had ever been.

He couldn't believe that she told him to actually return to her side. What was possibly going through her mind? She couldn't feel good about it if what Tenten had told him about her insecurities when it came to her. Was she trying to be the bigger person? To show support for his friendship with her?

There was no telling. Not unless he asked.

_If Temari is jealous of Ino, she must be feeling terrible right now, _Shikamaru told himself, feeling peeved that Temari sacrificed her feelings for something neither of them wanted to do. Her mind was probably wandering, only making her feel worse about herself. Temari had plenty of self-confidence in a lot of things, but she was only self-consious about being feminine at times, especially compared to other kunoichi who seemed capable of combining their sex appeal with their jobs as ninja.

After tonight, he couldn't look at any other female the same. Temari seemed to be the most gorgeous thing in all of Konohagakure tonight. He didn't understand how she could be so concerned about her looks at times. One look at her took his breath away. In that entire evening, she took his soul away from in a matter of moments.

That moment he felt her lips on his, their skin pressing against each other, the taste of her body, he had felt himself go mad. It had happened so fast, he only dreamed of it lasting longer. He felt drained, weak. He had to return to her as soon as possible. After he took Ino home, he'd have to hope and pray that she was still there and return, hoping to be held again.

He saw the neon lights and realized that it was time to give a brief moment to Ino and get her home. The sooner, the better. Even though he had told himself he wouldn't sleep with Temari, he still wanted to be around her, near her. He had to pray that they both had self control this time around.

"Shikamaru!" Ino squealed in a playful manner, running up to him in her six inch stiletto heels her hands thrown in the air. She pulled him into a rather large and open hug, one he couldn't avoid. Shikamaru felt his body stiffen, hoping to give her the idea that he didn't want to be touched to her.

She didn't pick up on it.

Ino's hands felt cold, clammy, like she had been sweating beforehand. He didn't want any physical contact with her, not after being with Temari. It didn't feel right, it felt uncomfortable. Clearing his throat, Ino finally let go and stood on her tiptoes and leaned in for a kiss.

Shikamaru completely dodged her lips, Ino's eyes widening in shock and confusion. Her gaze avoided his, pain filling her eyes. He didn't seem to care at the moment. He was still upset that he had traded the two blondes out, the one he wanted to be with sitting by herself somewhere.

"Shikamaru... I'm sorry, if this is because I yelled at you-"

"Whatever, Ino. Let's go," he stated flatly. He turned his heel and headed down the the sidewalk, her rushing to catch up to him. She was eyeing his hand like she usually did, waiting for him to reach for hers, but he seemed to ignore it.

The silence between them seemed to be hurting Ino a lot. She wanted some kind of conversation, she wanted him to stop being upset with her. She was still assuming it was because she had dragged him to the club in the first place, or even because the the fact she had yelled at him for her being unable to find him. She finally decided to try and talk to him.

"... So... Did you have fun?" she asked slowly, hoping to get a pleasant answer. He shrugged, his apathetic nature starting to kick in. Ino was trying not to get too upset; maybe she couldn't get him to talk more if she didn't ask yes or no questions.

"What'd you order to drink?" she pried, remembering that she had told him to get something to help him feel more comfortable in the atmosphere.

"I never got anything," he stated plainly, a tone saying that the conversation was going to end there. Ino's simple 'no' was soaked in disappointment.

"I saw Tenten there!" she said, remembering seeing Neji's wife in the club. Shikamaru nodded, Ino taking that as a signal she could keep talking. "Yeah, it was rather odd. I thought she had been there alone, but I doubt Neji would approve of that. Then I realized that she was there with Temari..."

Shikamaru's ears perked up almost immediately. _Had they come in contact with each other? No, no, Temari had been with that guy the whole time, she didn't spot Ino. She wouldn't have spotted me if I hadn't been looking her dead in the face._

"You don't say," he said in a distracted tone.

"Yeah, she had on this dark blue dress, it was really revealing in some ways. Her back was out and it was way too short for her body type. You know, because of all her muscle, especially her thighs. They're pretty big," she said as if to try and get a laugh out of Shikamaru. He didn't react to the pinch at his nerve.

"So? What's wrong with that?" he asked in a defensive tone. That was the best part about her, her legs. He didn't know how many times he would repeat that over and over in his head. He just hated the way Ino's tone was sounding like there was something wrong with how Temari looked. Ino looked taken aback at his reaction.

"Uh... She just... Um... I don't know... I just feel like females who know that their profession is gonna effect their body, they should be aware of what they're going to wear when they aren't working," Ino said in a soft tone. Shikamaru knew what she was getting at, but he didn't let his anger get to the best of him this time around.

"It's called athletism and dedication. That can be attractive in a woman," he countered, Ino biting her lip, realizing she had upset him.

"I'm sorry, I know she's you're friend and all-"

"Whatever," he repeated again as they approached her apartment. Pushing open the front gate and walking up the front steps, Ino twiddled her thumbs, avoiding Shikamaru's eyes.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," he dismissed as he turned around and walked away.

"Wait, Shikamaru!" Ino stopped him, grabbing his wrist. He paused, feeling the sense of uneasiness overcome him when her hand touched his skin. He didn't show his discomfort when he turned and looked at her.

"What do you want now, woman?" he drawled, his other hand reaching up to scratch his head. She looked upset at his urgency to leave her.

"Why don't you come inside and-?"

"No thanks," he said shortly, cutting her off before she could finish the rest of her question. Her crystal blue eyes never look so scared, so terrified a day in her life. Shikamaru had openly turned her down. She was confused, offended, and she felt unwanted.

"B-but..." he held up his hand before she could stammer out a question.

"No, Ino," he repeated, this time more firmly, hoping she'd undesrstand what he had said. He felt a sense of self satisfaction flow through him. It hadn't been that hard to deny her. Why hadn't he done it before? Was he still buzzed off of Temari's touch?

If only he had felt it before.

He felt so naive, guilty, and stupid. He continued to keep sleeping with Ino and then when he had the greatest make out session he ever imagined, without going all the way, it was that much better and so much more. He had only prolonged his own happiness due to his childish manners.

What he had for Ino was mere physical attraction. He didn't know what Temari had, but it was more, it was greater than he ever thought. She had the potential to be his everything and that joy was filled him with more excitement than he could fathom. If only he had turned it down, Choji wouldn't avoid him like he did, Ino wouldn't be so obsessed with him, and Temari would be at his house every evening since he returned.

_God I'm such a fucking idiot,_ he told himself.

Ino's eyes now upset and distraught, suddenly started to spill tears on her cheeks. He knew he had upset her, but he didn't mean it. He sighed and walked over to her, pulling Ino into a friendly embrace, hugging her in hopes to make her stop sobbing.

"There, there. Come on, Ino. Crying won't make me change my mind. Stop that," he said in a soft tone. Ino blinked, leaning on his shirt, realizing her mascara had smeared onto it. It wasn't too noticeable, but she tried to smudge out what she could.

Her eyes were drawn to his neck. She squinted through her tears and sniffled, looking a little harder. It seemed rather darker than the rest of his skin. Shikamaru, surprised at her sudden silence, took a moment to enjoy the peace.

Suddenly Ino's front porch light came on. He opened his eyes, blinkly as his eyes adjusted to the light flashing over him. Ino's eyes widened as she saw a red bruise like mark and smeared make up over it.

"Shikamaru... What is this?" she questioned her hand now rubbing the bruise. Shikamaru twitched, his mind instantly flashing back to Temari's tongue and mouth on that very spot that Ino was now messing with.

"What's what?" he asked in a rather calm voice. He knew he was caught, but he could only hope to get away with it.

"This mark on your neck?" she asked slowly. Her grip on his arm started to tighten and he knew she was starting to get rather angry.

"You did that," he countered almost instantly.

"No I did not. This make up over it is red lipstick. I don't wear red lipstick, Shikamaru," she said in a dangerously low tone. She finally looked him in the eyes, his avoiding hers. He had no lie as to cover up the obvious truth that Ino had figured out.

"Who is she?" Ino seethed. Shikamaru looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"What gives you that right to that information?" he questioned before folding his arms across his chest. Ino's blood started to boil, her face instantly became flushed when he didn't give her the answer she wanted.

"What gives me the right? I want to know who's mouth has been on my boyfriend!" Ino practically screeched. Shikamaru started to get upset when she referred to him as her boyfriend. He was sick of it all, he was done trying to be polite, to be a gentleman like his father taught him to be. Shikamaru felt no need to kind and considerate of her feelings any longer.

"I am _not _your boyfriend, Ino. This whole 'thing' we've been doing, we haven't been dating. We've been sleeping with each other. That's it," he replied coldly. Ino seemed frozen in the previous position she had been in before. Her flushed face suddenly became pale.

"Shi-Shikamaru, you can't be serious-"

"Yes, I am. You can't tell me you haven't noticed that you're very prescence bothers the shit out of me. I'm sick of this. You aren't doing anything for me," he stated calmly. His voice had a condescending sound to it without meaning to. He only was angry taht she couldn't notice without him explaining it to her. Ino's tears that seemed to have stopped before started to flood all over again.

"Wh-what are you talking about? Why would you sleep with me if you weren't interested in me?" she asked softly, talking more to herself than Shikamaru. "You make me happy. We can work on why you're not happy."

_ I know why I'm not happy... I don't have her._

"No, it's not that simple. You were giving it up, so I took it," he said in a rather blatant manner. Ino cringed at the way he said it, her face showing she felt lower than ever before. "Look, Ino, I'm not saying you're easy. I know you have high standards, but I did because I thought I'd be happy at the end of the day. It's just not enough. I was wrong for taking advantage of you like that."

"Well, I'm glad you see that," she snapped, frantically wiping at her eyes. Shikamaru sighed and looked away from her, the guilt of breaking the girl's heart starting to seep in.

"I hope you'll forgive-"

"You expect me to forgive you, when you didn't even apologize," she sneered, Ino putting her hands on her hips. "You're just like every other man. I thought you were different. That's the only reason why I was so willing to be with you. I had something deeper in my heart for you. I thought you were still upset over Asuma, that's why I didn't let your constant attitude piss me off. But now I know."

"Ino, I-"

"No, no. Don't even bother. I'm perfectly fine, I'm a strong woman who can take a little heartbreak. I'll forgive you when I'm good and ready. Have fun with this other tramp you're sleeping with," she muttered. She turned around without another word and walked up the steps, turning the light off. She sighed and pushed her door open.

"Goodnight Shikamaru."

He didn't even response when she slammed the door behind her, turning on the lights in her own home. He sighed and turned around, walking out of the gate.

He had done what he had been trying to do ever since the first time he had slept with Ino, but it didn't feel as much of a relief as he had imagined. Shikamaru knew he wouldn't feel good for a while. He had hurt both of the females, two people who wouldn't ever have him endure what he had done to them.

He hadn't deserved either of them, their love or their friendship. Would it be wrong of him to go looking for Temari? He had to at least make sure she made it home. He made sure he was out of Ino's neighborhood before he teleported back to his secluded place where he had left her.

He looked around, shocked when he discovered that Temari was no longer there. Where could she have gone? Home? She knew how to handle herself at night and when she was left alone, but he was still worried about her safety and her condition.

Worst case scenario that Shikamaru imagined was Temari with an alcoholic beverage in her hand. Ever since Tenten told him that she looked to drinking as a stress reliever, his greatest concern was how much she would consume and where she was going to be when she consumed it.

He disdained the use of alcohol, he had seen how it affected his father when he got upset. It was a depressant that took a toll on the person using it and the family and friends around them. He didn't want Temari to endure that alone or put other people around her into a worried position.

Shikamaru couldn't believe that the feelings he had for Temari, all the concern, worry, and affection he had for her, would cover up his guilt about what he had said to Ino no more than ten minutes ago. It was almost like a makeshift bandaid. He would forget as long as he didn't need to remember and he liked the feeling more than he should have.

He instantly teleported to Temari's front door, knocking on it frantically. He hoped she was home, he knew she wasn't at Tenten's. She had probably already returned to the Hyuga Compound already at this time of night. He hoped he had stopped her before she had went to grab a drink.

It took her a while to get to the door, assuming she was already in bed. The front living room light turned on, seeping outside the house as she opened the front door. She seemed shocked that Shikamaru was standing there in front of her and embarassed at how she looked.

He hair was out, all over her head in a frantic kind of way that Shikamaru thought was rather attractive. She was in a white tee-shirt and some tight boxer brief underwear that was rather short. Her eyes were rather red from crying and she looked upset before she realized it was Shikamaru answering.

"Maru?" she asked, blinking, still unsure of whether or not it was him. He swore as he approached her on the doorstep, his hand over her forehead, trying to make sure she wasn't warmer than usual due to intoxication.

"You aren't drunk already are you?" he asked as Temari's brow knitted together at his rather open assumption. She slapped his hand away and put her hands on her hips.

"No, I'm not drunk at all. I don't plan on drinking anything tonight, thank you. I'm sure Tenten told you that too, huh?" she asked tartly as Shikamaru shrugged sheepishly. Temari rolled her eyes. "What is it now, Shikamaru?"

"You weren't still at the spot when I went back," He said in a tone that spoke for itself. She rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't going to sit there by myself, alone, all night, hoping that you'd just show back up," she said in a know-it-all voice. He stepped forward towards her.

"Well... Can I spend the night?" Temari's face lost all its color and reflushed it all back when she realized what he had asked.

"What... What did you just ask me?" she stammered for a moment, her voice sounding rather breathless. He chuckled and reached forward, for her hand.

"I want to spend the night with you. I just wanna with you and talk," he stated calmly, lifting her hand to his lips, kissing it lightly. Temari laughed and pulled her hand away, smirking at him.

"No man wants to just 'talk' at this time of night, Shikamaru. Not even your scrawny butt," she teased. Her face suddenly turned serious. "All of the 'talking' and cuddling, and the sweet things you've been saying are only your night time thoughts because of what happened earlier. Come see me when you have other thoughts on your mind too."

She started to close the door, but his hand shot out and stopped it before it could shut. Her eyes shot at his, her face slightly irritated.

"What the hell? Shik-"

"Temari, please. If this is about earlier... I shouldn't have done all that. I initiated it. And... Yeah, you're right about the night time thoughts," he admitted, her eyebrow quirking up at the fact he admitted to his naughty mind. "But you're greater than that. I just don't want our night to end so soon."

Temari bit her lip, wondering what was the best option to make. Could she really trust the idea of him not sleeping with her? Shikamaru wasn't one to break promises, but he had done it before. She wasn't going to sit there and say he wouldn't, but she knew as well as he did that if something did occur in her bed, there was less likely of either of them being able to stop each other.

_ What should I do...?_

* * *

Temari frantically wiped her tears out of her eyes.

"Get it together! You sent him away! No point in crying over it or getting upset!" she yelled at herself outwardly. She knew it would hurt to see him go, but she didn't know it would feel like this. She felt like a darkhole had replaced her heart and sucked all the life out of her, all of her motivation and happiness.

She couldn't get mad at anyone but herself. She sent Shikamaru off to leave her. She found herself being a wimp. She hated this feeling of sadness and loneliness, the feeling of no one understanding how she felt when she wanted to be with him. She felt too much like a female if that was a way to describe it.

_I'm supposed to be Temari Sabaku. I'm the last person who's supposed to be seen crying, the last person to fall victim to their own emotions. I had so much strength and it all just crumbled to the ground because of him..._

She suddenly imagined Shikamaru leaning over her like he had been before, panting. Angry with herself for being taken back to that joyous place in her mind, she stomped her foot.

_This is stupid,_ she told herself. Her wailing and crying about how bad she felt wasn't going to fix it. No one would hear it or bother to care anyway. It wasn't making her feel better as some would say crying does. It made her feel inferior, like less of the person she had assumed to have been.

She looked at the blades of grass that had her teardrops on them, a beautiful impression of the first dew in the morning. She smiled, realizing that she hadn't been able to move from that very spot he had left her about thirty minutes ago. She had to get up and go home. She needed to just sleep it off.

_ Yeah, that's what I'll do, sleep it off, _she told herself as she stood up, wobbling slightly from her uneven ground. Temari had to admit, she thought about calling Tenten, but she was rather upset with her best friend, and her trust was a little demolished at this point.

She slowly started to wonder how much Tenten had actually told Shikamaru. Did he know more than he let on? Confrontation was definitely on the list of things to do tomorrow.

Slipping her shoes back onto her feet, she sniffled before wiping at her face, hoping to remove any tear streaks that may have left an obvious trail. She held up her handsign teleported back to her home, pulling her key out of her bosom before entering the door.

The lethargic feeling seemed to have little resistance to gravity. Her entire body slinked across the floor as she kicked her shoes off, dragging her feet to her bedroom. Even as she undressed in an unconscious-like daze, she put on some pajamas to sleep in before she crawled into her bed.

She could imagine the ecstatic joy on Ino's face when she was rejoined with Shikamaru. She found herself wondering if he would even smile at her, be happy to meet back up with her. Temari questioned if he had already forgotten about her as if she had only been a common thought out of every day.

She felt worse than ever before. Her body felt chilly, like it didn't comprehend the idea of warmth. Her mind was hammering down on her self-esteem like a crooked nail. She kept replaying that evening, that event in her mind over and over again.

_Was it even real?_ She didn't even believe it had happened anymore. It seemed like her own fantasy she had created. Maybe she could go as far to say that it was some form of Genjutsu that someone was trying to use on her to scramble her brain.

Nothing felt right anymore after he left her there. His lips on hers was the only thing that felt natural. Their skin molding together in a moment of passionate fury seemed perfectly normal. Anything that didn't involve him seemed bleak, dead, boring, unnatural.

The sudden need for him to be at her side was unexplainable. She had managed to go without seeing him for a week, and now she felt as sick as a dog and they had been apart for an hour now. If only Temari could force herself into sleep.

Sadly, it seemed as though Tenten was the only one who seemed to understand and comprehend her emotions. Why was she so good at that? She didn't feel so willing to go see her friend and ask her. She'd have to spill what happened and then try to understand what was wrong with her.

Temari felt the urge to get something to drink, but she ignored it. It wasn't going to numb her pain, fill the void that the Shadow Possessor had created and left as a gaping hole. She knew he hadn't inflicted pain on her purposely. She had to keep reminding herself she sent him off.

But the hole in her heart had to be filled by him and only him. Temari only wished that she knew how to go about it. She officially knew that she wanted Shikamaru to be the one to love in her life. She could feel it from the inside out, it was almost like a tingling sensation in her bones.

_How would that work though? Suna and Konoha_, she reminded herself. She swore aloud, starting to find herself get upset. What the hell were they going to do about that? The distance? Temari saw how Kankuro and Tenten crashed and burned from having a long distance relationship. She didn't want the same to befall her and the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

_It didn't matter, _she decided. _Regardless of whether or not we get together, it won't be able to work out. It's too large of a distance, it's too big of a gap. It'd never be able to be something greater like marriage. _Temari felt herself start to cry all over again. It was inevitable.

Just before she could get a good wail in, she heard a rather loud knock on the door and someone clicking at her doorbell. Temari didn't move right away, but as the person continue, her patience started to grow thinner. She got out of her bed, without even grabbing her robe and stomped over to the front door.

Shikamaru was there.

She found it rather amazing how he seemed to show up and appear whenever she wanted him to. She also thought it was odd for him to be standing on her doorstep, looking as concerned as he had been.

He reached up for her forehead and then asked a question about alcohol. Temari's nose scrunched up, realizing that Tenten wasn't a keeper of secrets, at least not to Shikamaru. She had told Tenten a number of things and she hadn't heard them from anywhere else. But she must have released a lot of information in hope of pinning them together.

_ That's not a valid excuse._

Slapping his hand away as she questioned his presence, his hazel hawk eyes burning into hers. Those eyes made her feel hypnotized almost at times, but she wouldn't trade getting lost in them for anything else.

She gasped at his request to enter her home and stay the night. At first, Temari had to admit, she thought he was joking, but when she realized he wasn't, she felt herself in a slight fleet of panic. She couldn't show her obvious want to have him close to her once again.

Temari inhaled and smiled at him, noting that his night time thoughts about her weren't good enough for him to lay with her. Just as she was about to dismiss him, he stopped the door with his hand, catching her off guard.

_Why would he do that? Was he really not going to take no for an answer? _

He explained himself and Temari felt a smile creep onto her lips as he spoke. He had such a way with words and she was such a sucker for that smirk of his. He looked so wanting, but the wanting she saw in his eyes wasn't lust anymore, not like it had been earlier in the field.

_At least he's calmed down, _she told herself, not trying to keep herself from revealed that she was slightly disappointed that he had. She bit her lip, wondering whether or not his answer was a good enough one for him to sleep over. What could she say? That she didn't trust him? Just because she didn't didn't mean she had to tell him.

She knew what she wanted, and she knew what he wanted. It wasn't even sexually based. She wanted to feel good again, to feel whole, to feel like she wasn't being ripped apart inside because he wasn't near her. She hated how she openly reacted to her feelings sometimes. Temari couldn't help but wonder how he felt.

She sighed, opening the door a little wider, Shikamaru smirking at her flushed face. He had gained entrance into her home at such a late hour. She avoided his eyes as she closed her door, locking it, hoping none of her neighbors were awake at this hour to witness what could have been considered scandalous.

He stood in the middle of the hallway, waiting for Temari's silhouette to appear from the doorway after she cut the lights back off. His eyes slowly adjusted to the change in lighting, he had never realized how dark it could get in Temari's home when the sun went down. He usually left at a reasonable hour.

"Which way is to the bedroom?" he joked in his unique drawl. Temari shook her head and attempted to hide her smile. He thought he was so funny sometimes with his dry sense of humor. And yet, Temari always managed to laugh at it, even if it was her by herself.

"You haven't earned the right to my bedroom, Mister Nara," she said with a grin, wagging her finger him. He frowned slightly, showing his obvious disappointment on his face. "We're sleeping on the couch."

"How are we both going to fit up there? It can't hold the two of us, especially not you if I'm gonna be up here," he implied a weight joke. Temari shoved him rather hard, harder than she intended, but was surprised at the fact that he barely moved.

"Just because I was always bigger than your scrawny butt didn't mean I was overweight or something. You looked like you were a malnutritioned stick," she countered back. Even though most would take offense to her statement, He let out a chuckle or two before she smiled.

"Yeah, yeah."

"It's a pullout sofa. It has a mattress inside of it," Temari explained before she started to pull the cushions out. Shikamaru helped her when they stacked them up alongside the wall. He gripped the handle as Temari went into her room and got her pillows off bed and some blankets out of the closet. He panted, surprised at how much force it took to pull a bed out of a chair.

"Tired?" she laughed before throwing her pillows on top, making it into a makeshift cot-like bed. He didn't respond as Temari climbed in and got herself comfortable, only to turn around to a Shikamaru in nothing but boxers. Her whole face brightened a reddish color as she covered her face with a pillow.

_Yes, there is definitely not going to be anything going on tonight, _she told herself sarcastically. Shikamaru smiled and climbed into with her, pulling the blanket down so he could see her face.

"What? Why are you so embarrassed?" he asked in a complete nonchalant tone. She scoffed and shook her head as he grabbed her hands. "No, really!"

"It's nothing, Shikamaru," she sang before his eyes stared into hers, trying to decipher what she was thinking. Temari closed her eyes, hoping to prevent him from seeing them. She couldn't afford to to fall victim to his eyes now.

She opened her eyes when she felt his skin against hers, only to see Shikamaru smirking. His hand brushed a bit of hair out of her face. She smiled at him when his hand gently caressed her cheek. The gaze between the two of them seemed to grow intense, Shikamaru caressing hand pulling her lips to his own once again.

Temari's mind seemed to flash back to what had happened only hours ago. Temari knew what she wanted to happen, he knew what he wanted to happen. It all seemed like it was occuring so fast. She had to react, and react quickly at that.

"Ah!" she stopped his puckered lips with her finger. He opened his eyes to see she had halted his mouth. He was rather upset by the deflected kiss.

"What now?"

"You said no funny business," Temari reminded him. He rolled his eyes, slightly caught off guard by the woman's actions. Shikamaru thought she wanted their lips to be conjoined once again as much as his did.

"I said no sex, I promise," he said in a saccharine tone. He dove in for another attempt, but she halted yet another one just as quick as he had reacted. His lip poked out like a small child who didn't seem to be able to get his way.

"Come on, Shikamaru, don't be naive. You know kissing can be the one thing that'll get people started. Haven't you ever heard the saying 'kissing will get you pregnant'?" she asked with a smile. He couldn't help but smile back before he gave into defeat.

"Fine..." he said flatly before Temari scooted over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him close to her body. She dug her nose into his chest, taking a deep breath and sighing almost in content. His own cheeks flushed this time at her simple gestures.

He felt happy having her cling to him the way he had done to her earlier. He felt like he was meant to be the only one she could hold like this, the only guy who she could ever count on to treat her like the queen she was. She was already technically a princess.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked her, looking down at the top of her sandy blonde hair. She nodded before she tried to move herself closer to him. It was like no matter how close they were to each other, it wouldn't be enough.

He started to stroke her head, her body starting to relax at his touch. He felt another smile creep onto his lips; he felt as though he had never smiled so much a day in his life. They were supposed to be talking, but he assumed Temari had had a long night.

He looked up on the wall and saw the clock read 2:00 AM. She had to be exhausted. Shikamaru started to feel a little tired himself when he started to hear her snore against his chest, almost like a small child. He felt himself start to relax when she started resting.

Shikamaru wasn't a close contact person. He wasn't one to be physical about anything with anyone. But right then, at that very moment, he felt so complete, it was almost like a magical euphoria that he hoped would never leave him. The feeling of her in his arms was the greatest thing he'd ever experienced. And he wouldn't trade it for anything.


	13. Chapter 12: Friendship

***Sighs*, I'm back once again. I've been working so hard on this story, it's ridiculous. I'm so obsessed with it, it's nonsense. Last time I checked, I was a Neji fangirl and now I feel like I'm slowly, but surely, drifting over to Shikamaru's side. Not intentional, I assure you, but I'm having a bit of Nara fever.**

**Ahem. Anyway, I have to say I'm slightly disappointed in the lack of reviews (as usual), not like any of you guys care, you just wanna read the story, right? Right? Yeap, thought so. I guess I'll get over it, but I'm gonna say I'll let you guys soak in this chapter realllll good. So I hope you live it up, read, and enjoy. Express your awe on your twitter of whatever you kids seems to do nowadays. I must say though, you guys are blowing me up hits wise. I'm impressed. 5,000 hits in July alone. it's the first day of August and you guys are already up to 700 hits? It'll jump again when I update this. I'll be watching you guys. I'm never gone. I've already written out to chapter 18, i'm just constantly editing them and revising them to my comfort zone. So don't worry, I'll update when i feel like I'm good and ready.**

**Yeah, you guys may hate me for it, but it's okay, you'll have to love me too. This is a serious one :3 Let me know what you think (if you want). Reviews are allowed for anonymous readers as well. :)**

* * *

Friendship

Chapter 12

"You told him _what_?" Tenten breathed, stopping in mid stride. Temari's eyes looked soulless, without any depth, vacuous to all who tried to look in. There were no tears, at least not anymore. It still hadn't set in yet. She still couldn't believe what she had done.

Tenten had received several phone calls in the late afternoon when she had been home with Neji. They all had been ignored. If Temari hadn't left a voicemail with her voice sounding so desperate, Tenten wouldn't have left her husband.

By the time she responded and got to her mother's house, Tenten found her best friend sitting on the front step, looking utterly terrible. She obviously had old tear streak marks on her face, but she had sucked them up at that point.

She could have sworn everything had been fine last night when she saw the two of them at the club together, chatting, smiling, as if the questioning of a relationship between Ino and Shikamaru hadn't occured the previous week. Then they left together not soon after. Tenten, knowing her curfew and her promise to her husband went home, suspecting that everything was going great.

She had never felt so wrong before.

After the confrontation with Shikamaru, Temari didn't cry, she didn't _seem_ depressed. She just sulked around and refused to leave the house and when she did, she showed up at Tenten's and remained there. But now she looked like she had cried her eyes out.

Her eyes had been swollen, red, she looked like it hurt her to blink. She had some sunglasses in her hand, explaining how she managed to get to her house without anyone questioning her what was wrong. Tenten had asked her how long she had been sitting there. She merely responded a couple of hours and the guilt set into her heart.

She asked her why she didn't just wait for her to return her call at home. Temari said she couldn't stand the idea of her own home for the moment. Without asking questions, Tenten opened her front door and let her best friend in and let her explain.

Tenten had felt so happy, so joyous when she heard how everything went at first. But the ending was indeed as sad as Temari's face was telling her. But it could have been handled differently and by the way it had sounded Temari had opened her mouth again and everything went wrong. Terribly wrong.

"Why would you say that, Tem? You know that's not what you want. You know it's not what he wants. You guys could have worked through it-"

"No, Tenten. There was no working through that. That ruined it all. I felt as though I couldn't breathe for the longest time," she managed to finally speak. Her voice sounded rusty, like it hadn't been prepared to be used.

"He was wrong... Yes. But he did the right thing. He gave you a good reason for why he wasn't ready. And then you just shut it all down like this because-"

"You have no right to speak to me like you understand how it feels!" Temari screamed, finally managing to raise her voice. "I thought the hardest thing in my life I would ever have to deal with was Mom's death. Taking care of my brothers while I was so young. Trying to become a family before Gaara was sane."

Tenten bit her lip and realized she had stepped out of her boundaries. She only wanted to help, but Temari was someone who was so much stronger than her and she had become emotionally unstable in a matter of hours. It scared her a little bit.

She wanted to help ease the pain, but Tenten felt as though nothing could do anything for her. Shikamaru wouldn't be much help, he was the cause of it all. Kankuro and Gaara... They were family, but they weren't females dealing with matters of the heart. Gaara could manage to console her to some extent, Kankuro may be able to relate due to his past relationship with Ten, but that wasn't guaranteed. He'd be more pissed off that Shikamaru was the cause of it all and actually managed to harm his sister.

Temari laughed a little, Tenten starting to question her sanity. She may need therapy, but Temari wouldn't opt to getting any help. She was one who wouldn't settle for such. Tenten had to find something to do, the feeling of being helpless when someone close to you in need is one that is hard to handle.

"Who would have thought that bastard would be the one to show me how painful heartbreak is. I can't believe that he literally snatched it out of my chest like this. Showed me how great it felt, but then how cruel to just crush it between his fingers," she whispered more to herself than to Tenten.

The Weapon's Mistress was unsure of how to respond. Should she respond? What could she say?

"He's hurting too, Temari," seemed all she could think of saying. Temari's eyes finally showed some emotion and it was what could be interpreted as pure hatred.

"He brought it on himself."

* * *

Temari shifted slightly, slowly coming out of her sleep. She scooted closer to Shikamaru; they couldn't have been closer unless they were molded together. She smiled in his chest, realizing he hadn't gotten up in the middle of the night and left her.

She had honestly been anticipating such a thing occuring. Not that had was a bad guy or anything like that, but she always took the worse case scenario into consideration, hoping it would keep her from getting her feelings hurt.

And right then she felt like she was on top of the world.

His arm had draped over her waist, their legs seemed entangled with one anothers. His breathing had been light, he wasn't much of a snorer, or so it seemed. Thankfully he hadn't been one to sleep with his mouth open either.

Temari smiled at his sweet demeanor. His face looked so calm and peaceful. He seemed like the kind of person that looked adorable in their sleep due to the relaxation in their face. The innocence was slightly sickening to Temari, but it made her laugh if it had an effect on her in anyway.

She sat there and gazed up at him, enjoying the feeling of being complete. This must have been how Ying and Yang felt when they merged. The warmth in her chest and the fluttering of the butterflies in her stomach was the reality check for her. This was real.

She poked his chest to see a reaction. He twitched, but didn't move after that. She poked him once more. His brow knitted together this time. Her nose cringed up at the face he made. Not cute. But she was getting rather bored and needed him to awaken.

An idea came to mind and she wondered how it would play out. Temari pushed her body upwards, closer to his face, feeling her body slowly start to react to how close they were to one another. Should she really?

But she did. She pressed her lips against his, bring her hand up to his face. She felt him move slightly at the sudden kiss, his eyes fluttering open like a small child who had just awaken from a nap. His still had a hazey look in his eyes like he was unaware of what was going on. His own mind started to come into realization of what was happening.

Shikamaru had had the joy of waking up to a kiss from the one woman who seemed to be his addiction. At first he hadn't realized it, he was always someone who took a while to wake up in the morning. However, when he came into the realization of the situation, he seemed to become engrossed with the situation.

Temari yelped as he pulled her leg up before he flipped her over, her body under his, their mouths still conjoined by the kiss. Shikamaru's tongue seemed to prowl for more as Temari giggled before shortening the kiss into nothing but small pecks on his lips.

"I guess that woke you up, huh?" she teased as he relaxed in her arms, both of them ignoring the fact that he was between her legs. She reached up and pulled his head down to hers, hoping to grace it with yet another kiss. He resisted and pulled away, a look of shock on her face.

"You told me last night we couldn't kiss because we didn't want anyone to get pregnant," he reminded her as scoffed and playfully smacked his face.

"Because we both knew where you're head was thinking those 'Nighttime Thoughts'," she reminded him as he gave her that know it all smirk.

"Would you like to know my 'daytime thoughts'?" he asked in playful manner, only making her laugh. She found that statement corny as he dove down and started to place light kisses on her neck, only making her laugh even harder. Shikamaru looked up at her, amused by her laughter. "What'd I do now?"

"You make it sound like we had sex last night or something," she said when she managed to calm down. He smiled before laying his head on her chest, muttering,

"I wish."

"What was that?" she asked before her hand found it's way to his hair. His whole body relaxed on her as she started to scratch his scalp gently. If he had been a dog his leg would be jumping. He forgot she had even asked a question.

Temari looked at the clock. It read "10:17". It wasn't that late, but it wasn't that early either. All she really wanted to do was lay in the pull out sofa with Shikamaru all day. That seemed to work.

"Can I tell you something without you getting upset?" Shikamaru purred as she continued to stroke his hair. She smirked at the way he had spoken, realizing how much he enjoyed her playing with his thick wooly hair.

"I can't make promises like that," she reminded him, something she had once told him when they had been younger.

"Well, okay. You've got some bad morning breath for someone to try and kiss someone out of their sleep," he said with a slight grin on his face. She gasped and smacked him across the forehead, smile on her own lips, harder than she had intended. "Ow!"

"You deserved it! How dare you! The one time I try to do something nice and you throw it back in my face," the joke in her voice still reigning over what was make-believe anger.

"Next time, brush your teeth before if you really wanna be nice," he teased before she glared at him and pushed him off of her and from between her legs. That seemed a little too personal to him.

"Hey!"

"Don't 'hey' me, that wasn't very nice to say to me!" She retorted folding her arms across her chest. "Last time I try anything like that with you." Shikamaru rolled his eyes and shoved her. Temari rolled a little until she was on her stomach. She turned around to see him looking at her as if to say, 'Do something about that'.

"Oh I'll do something alright," she muttered as she reached over and shoved him back. He barely moved before he pushed her rather hard, Temari nearly toppling over the edge. Shikamaru saw her in midfall and caught her wrist.

Temari took advantage of the moment and shoved him this time, downward against the mattress. Shikamaru didn't seem to object the position they were in. Temari pinned his wrists down and she had been straddling his waist.

"You know, no matter how strong you get, you'll still always be my Scrawny Butt," she teased, picking on his small demeanor when they had been younger. Shikamaru had always been skinny compared to most others and lacked muscle. The years seemed to had been good to him because he had more muscle now, but it was lean and cut in all the right places.

"You'll always be my Manly Woman," he replied back. Temari had more muscle training due to her intense desire to me a great Kunoichi, one who could surely take down any man. The training still showed in the right places but now since everyone else was just as old as she had once been, she looked like every other female shinobi out there.

Temari grinned as she gazed into Shikamaru's eyes once more, the lust that had been seen in them the night before only bound to return. She smiled at it, starting to feel the intensity between them grow at a rather large scale.

"What?" she asked in a rather innocent manner.

"You know what," he muttered back in a slightly lustful tone, his hands caressing her thighs. Her bare legs were only arousing him even more.

"What? You prefer your women on top? I had no idea," she teased before he looked away to try and surpress a laugh. He looked back at her when her hands caressed his face. His eyes widened when she leaned over and pressed her lips against his.

Shikamaru hands started to grip her thighs rather tightly as her tongue found its way into his mouth. Temari couldn't help but moan, not caring how bad the bruises would appear later. She actually enjoyed the feeling, it didn't hurt in any kind of way, at least not right then.

His hands groped for her behind before sliding their way up her large tee-shirt. The feeling of her skin felt so good, he felt the sensation he had endured the night before. Shikamaru didn't want it to stop and neither did Temari.

The moaning that dared to leave her lips felt no need to be silent in the comfort of her own home. She felt Shikamaru's hands finding their way to all the right places. Things were moving so fast, much faster than before.

It had to be because they hadn't finished what had been starting last time. Only resulting in a relentless want, a need, that needed to be fulfilled for for the both of them. The way the skin was pressing against one another this time, with less clothing was making it worst, giving them both less patience.

Temari felt a fire building in her like she had never felt before. She had had sex before, but never had she been so... Aroused. It felt unusual, inhuman to want this man so much. Normally, she was the kind of person to surpress her sexual desires, but this time they were running wild.

Shikamaru could relate. He had sexual needs, being a man, and handling them weren't that big of a deal. It's just he had never been so ravenous about wanting someone, and he wanted her bad. What would happen if he couldn't have her? He was already hard, he knew Temari could feel it between her legs, but would she dare? Would he dare?

Would they dare?

Temari moved her lips from his to trace his jawline, leaving small kisses before she moved down to his neck, suckling on the skin. Shikamaru let out an unsuspected moan. He had never felt such ecstasy for him to make noise during sex, much less foreplay. He knew after that, she had him wrapped around her finger.

Shikamaru's back arched when Temari sunk her teeth into his skin. She jumped and stopped, pulling away from him to make sure he was alright. His chest was heaving, his breathing labored, his entire face flushed.

"Are you alright?" She asked in a concerned tone. He realized she was looking at him and he felt the embarassment seep in. He reached for a pillow and covered his face, his mind spinning. "Shikamaru! What-?"

"I'm fine!" he mumbled through the pillow, sounding as though he was struggling to slow his breathing down. "Everyone has that one spot that... You know."

Temari's ears quirked. _That's where his spot is..._

She reached to remove the pillow, but he wouldn't let it budge. She frowned when he resisted, moving her body downward so she could start to kiss on his stomach. He had abdominal muscles, not too much, but enough for Temari to draw an outline of them with her tongue.

Biting his lip, Shikamaru felt her toying with him now. He wanted to just jump on her and give it to her like he never had given it to anyone before. But no, he had sworn to himself that he wouldn't let it get that far. He hadn't forgiven himself yet. There hadn't been enough time.

When her mouth left his chest, there seemed to be an odd silence. Shikamaru peeked from behind the pillow before Temari snatched it away and threw it aside.

She had removed her tee-shirt.

Amazingly enough, that night, she had decided to wear a rather revealing bra that cupped each breast gingerly, the cleavage present even though she was sitting straight up.

Temari grinned at how wide Shikamaru's eyes grew at the sight of her chest sitting upright in front of him. Her boxer short underwear wouldn't last too long if this continued. She knew what she wanted and she knew how to get it. Shikamaru, being the genius he was, had to have known he was playing right into her hand, he was just ignoring it. It was best that way.

Temari pulled Shikamaru to sit up. His mouth was still open, gaping at the nearly naked Temari before him. Her emerald eyes flashed, her smirk on her lips before she laid backwards, gesturing him to climb on top of her.

"I'm waiting," she sang, smiling up at him. Shikamaru bit his lip, once again, fighting internally with himself. He wanted to, nothing could describe how much he wanted to, no one else could possibly know how much he wanted to.

And yet, he couldn't.

He had to be the bigger person and say no, again. Temari wouldn't like that answer, but he knew it was for the best. He could tell she had gotten so worked up to the point where she wanted to just do it then and there. She had led the expedition this time around, not him. And yet he had to deny her... Again.

Temari hated denial, there was no telling how she would react this time. What was his excuse before? There wasn't one. He just said he couldn't. And she had accepted it that time, but would she do it again? Temari could only accept so much.

She saw that look in his eyes, the same look she saw the night before. That hesitation wasn't a good sign, and the inner conflict was showing itself quite plainly. Temari started to feel herself get upset. She had been wrong for trying to pressure Shikamaru into what he said he wasn't ready for. She had to give him his own time.

But why hadn't he wanted her? What was so wrong with her that he couldn't touch her the way they wanted him to? Was she not good enough? Not pretty enough? Had she made it too easy for him? Temari's self esteem started to drop again in a matter of moments.

"... Temari-"

"I know," she cut him off, starting to sulk. She avoided his eyes when he looked up to read her expression. It was full of disappointment, rejection, and most of all confusion. Of course she didn't understand. She didn't know what had been going on in his mind. What he was going through.

He felt bad for letting it get so far once again and then cutting her off. It was like being a bad tease, and no one likes a tease. He sighed and rolled his eyes, starting to feel worse. Temari already had enough inner conflicts and demons, he didn't need to add to them.

He still managed to.

He slid over to her while she was in the middle of pulling her large tee-shirt back on. She popped her head through the hole, Shikamaru's displeasure in her covering herself back up returning. Temari looked at him and saw it almost instantly. She felt herself get angry.

"So you can look at me, kiss on me, touch me, but you can't sleep with me?" she sneered. "Making out and not getting off must be the new sex, huh?" Shikamaru's eyes cut at her crude remark.

"Hey. I'm doing this for you," he responded back. Temari still hadn't bet his eyes. She rolled her own and looked in the opposite direction of him.

"Huh. I would have never guessed," she muttered under her breath. She started to get off the couch-like bed, but Shikamaru grabbed her wrist, more firmly than she had ever felt. She turned to him, caught off guard by the grip she felt, more so by the look on Shikamaru's face.

"Don't try and walk away from me, muttering shit under your breath," Shikamaru stated firmly. Temari tugged for her arm back, but he didn't let go. She started to feel her anger start to boil inside of herself.

"Let go of me, Shikamaru," she merely answered, trying to pull once again. "Let go!" He finally let her go, the pulling she had been doing caused her to fall back into a small armchair nearby. Temari sat back up, obviously furious. "What the hell is your problem-!"

"What the hell is your problem? Because I won't sleep with you?" He retorted back. Temari scoffed and folded her arms across her chest.

"Yes. Yes, that is my problem. What's the point of making me feel so wonderful and then just stopping like that? It's really frustrating and bothersome!" she yelled back. She covered her face with her hands and let out a groan.

"Temari, I don't have any condoms," he answered as an excuse. That was a lie though. He had a few in his wallet. His father always taught him how to always make sure you had a couple on you where ever you go if you aren't married and he had abided to that rule.

The look on her face was almost heartwrenching when he saw it. He regretted lying to her at that moment.

"I trust you. Don't you trust me? I mean, I haven't had sex in over a year, and even then I had gotten checked at my doctor's appointment," Temari explained. She looked away, realizing she had said more than she had anticipated. Shikamaru didn't know that she hadn't been a virgin and now she felt like someone just trying to open their legs for some.

"It's not getting infected I'm worried about, it's a kid," he explained. That was a true fear of his own. Having a child. He hated the idea of being a parent, it was a nightmare from what he could tell from his friends who actually had children. Naruto already had a three year old who was going to turn four soon. Sasuke had a four year old as well. The way Naruto was so neurotic about his son Hemaru was nerve wrecking and Shikamaru wanted nothing to do with it.

Naruto had a lot of issues with his personal life and his family he didn't let on about. Hiashi's disapproval of his first grandson and utter disgust towards him because he didn't have Hyuga Clan's eyes was terrible. The gene just hadn't been strong enough to carry in Hinata during the pregnancy. Her being a member of the Head Branch while having a child out of the Clan was what bothered most of the family. Naruto had to beg to see his girlfriend and son. They usually gathered together outside of the compound.

Stuff like that he couldn't stand the idea of. The stress of having a kid. The stress of family matters coming into the relationship with the kid and the parents. He couldn't stand the idea of the look on Gaara's face when Temari told him she was pregnant. He actually shuddered a little bit.

He wanted children, he knew he did. But not being married first, being stable first, and having everything the way he wanted bothered him. He liked having order, having things planned out. And unexpected pregnancies was something he never wanted to be a part of. He wanted to explain all of these feelings and reason with Temari, but he doubted she would even listen to him, not with how upset she was at that particular moment.

"It doesn't matter! I'm on birth control! I had to get a shot that would stop my period for a mission a few months ago," she explained. She covered her face and sighed. "You didn't ask me either. We didn't talk about any of this. I just thought you didn't want to touch me because something was wrong with me."

Shikamaru got off the bed and kneeled down to her, her hands still hiding her face. He pulled them away, looking deeply into her large green eyes.

"Don't ever let that thought run through your mind again," he whispered in her ear. "You're perfect."

"Then why won't you make love to me?" she asked, her voice shaking. "You keep saying you can't. Can you at least tell me why? The baby thing is understandable, but I feel like there's more."

Temari hated the feeling of being vulnerable and she was out and open as she'd ever been with anyone. She felt like she was talking too much, she felt as if she was giving out too much information and Shikamaru would hear something he didn't like. She had never felt so neurotic before.

Shikamaru sighed and rested his forehead on her knees. He didn't want to have to be honest with her, but he had to admit it. It would make him feel better. Starting out with the truth would lead him to his road to recovery and being able to be with Temari.

But what if it wasn't that easy?

What if Temari heard it and absolutely shunned him? That was his greatest fear. He couldn't afford to lose such a treasure of a woman like her. She was worth more than she knew, she deserved better than him. And yet she loved him despite all of his flaws and indecencies. He could only pray that they could work through such.

"If I tell you this, you have to hear me out. No walking out on me, no kicking me out, you have to listen. This is gonna hurt you a lot. And I know it is. But I want you to know that I didn't want to hurt you intentionally when I did this. I was just acting without thinking about consequences, or the future, or even you," Shikamaru explained, grasping her hands in his.

Temari's face looked utterly scared about what he was about to spring on her. She didn't know what to expect when it came down to what was going to hurt her.

"Okay..."

By the time the button clicked in her head, he had already begun speaking.

"I slept with Ino," he managed to breath. Temari's face didn't show any expression. She shook her head and looked at him as if she thought she heard wrong. The silence was the most terrifying sound he could ever hear at that moment.

"Wh... What'd you say?" she whispered, her voice starting to break. That proved to him that Temari was bound to cry at some point. He had known he was in for it then. She was going to cry. Temari hated crying and she probably felt she had done enough, especially since Tenten told him that most of it had been done over him, something he wasn't proud of.

"I... slept wit-"

"That's... what I thought you said," she cut off slowly, looking away from him, a little disoriented. The feeling of his skin on her suddenly went from pleasurable to disgusting. She pulled her hands away from his and sat on them. She felt sick to her stomach. She bit her lip so hard, she punctured it.

"I know... And I'm sorry. Like I said, I didn't think about my actions or the consequences they would lead to. It wasn't even that great-"

"Stop," she seethed, silencing him. Temari's sanity was on edge. She wanted to beat Shikamaru to a pulp. Then she wanted to go find Ino and rip all of her hair out. But even all of the rage she was holding inside of her couldn't outweigh the betrayal and overwhelming sadness that was still building the longer the words he had spoken to her seeped into her body.

He should have known he said too much when he bothered to mention how it had been. He wanted her to realize that their makeout sessions were better than whatever he had done with Ino, but Temari probably wasn't very eager to visualize such.

"Okay," he whispered, waiting for her to signal him to begin talking again.

Temari exhaled rather loudly, trying to clear her throat. The idea of Shikamaru leaning over Ino was tearing at her psyche and it wasn't feeling very great. The tears swelled in her eyes, but every time she feared a tear about to fall, she blinked it away vigorously. She needed to get all the facts.

"When did it happen?" she whispered, still trying to remain calm. She actually saw his face and he looked utterly distraught. He must have realized how much of a toll the information was taking on her, yet Temari wasn't going to give him the joy of having some kind of sympathy. He did it to himself. He put himself in the position. The only way he could redeem himself was if he didn't do in the span of time that he said that he wasn't dating Ino.

"On the way to handle Hidan. And then a few days after me and you had that fight," he admitted. He started to feel rather shitty at that point. Temari gave him a look of disgrace when he finished that statement.

"Twice?" she stated in disbelief. It wasn't like some kind of drunken stupor that would never happen again. He did it two times, both of the times in which he was conscious. One time after he knew she had confronted him about their relationship. The one right after he had told her they'd discuss things when he got back.

"It was just-"

Temari slapped Shikamaru as hard as she possibly could. He flew backwards against the couch's head rest. The smack rang throughout the entire room. When Shikamaru looked back at her, his entire face on one side was red and a trickle of blood started to leak out of one of his nostrils. The moment he felt it his hand reached up to wipe it away and verify.

She had never felt such pain in her heart before. She thought hitting him would make her feel a little better, but it didn't do anything for her. She still felt worthless, terrible. The sight of him made her feel like she wasn't worth anything.

He had slept with Ino knowing how she felt about him, then denying anything going on with her. Shikamaru knew that Temari was hurt, but he realized more than anything their trust was no longer there. She didn't want to hear anything else out of his mouth, she feared he'd only begin lying to her again.

Shikamaru could tell that Temari wasn't going to be okay because of her reactions. She had already almost broken his jaw with her hand. Her emotions must have been spiralling downward. Was there any chance of him becoming hers?

"Temari, I understand... You probably hate me right now... But you have to understand my feelings for you are genuine," he began to explain. Temari scoffed as the tears started to roll down her cheeks now that he was trying to win her back. How dare he.

"Really? So genuine you took the liberty to go and fuck Ino twice? What did you catch something from the slut or something? Is that why you wouldn't touch me? I could have sworn you would have just slept with me like you did her. What makes me so special?" she replied crudely.

Shikamaru knew he had done her wrong, but he couldn't help but feel offended at her accusation.

"I used a condom, Temari. What'd I tell you about talking about Ino?"

"Oh so you can defend your little fuck buddy, huh?" Temari snapped back, her tears still running down her face. "I can't believe you. To think I thought you were the one person who I could actually..."

Temari couldn't even finish the sentence. She let out another sob and covered her mouth so he wouldn't see her in such a way. Her dreams that Tenten embedded in her mind of Shikamaru being the one for her officially shattered.

"I defend you whenever she makes remarks about you, Mari. And I wouldn't touch you because I still haven't forgiven myself for what I did. If I slept with you without admitting that to you, without dealing with it, that just would have meant that you weren't worth as much as I thought you were. But I did. I held off. Because..." Shikamaru sighed.

His father had always told him that the phrase he was about to say was something was only true when it had meaning behind it. Was only true when the person who says it felt like that phrase wasn't meant for anyone else but the person they were saying it to.

"Temari, I love you."

Shikamaru reached for her hand only to have it yanked away. He looked at her stone cold eyes. She looked as if she didn't even believe him. Tears were still flowing out of her eyes, her voice remained steady for someone with a lump in her throat.

"Saying you love me when you're in a bind doesn't mean shit to me. I've seen this a number of times. You finally come clean or you get caught and then you use it for a way out. We'll guess what, that doesn't work on me," she retorted.

"I don't expect you to take me back-"

"Good. Because I'm not and I don't plan on it," she replied coldly. Temari's new strategy was to numb herself from the inside out. She was sick of this. This new found hope being ripped away from her when things start to get good. The new found feeling of wanting to vomit whenever she remembered how those words flowed out of his mouth.

"I just want your forgiveness. And I hope I can at least have that someday. Someday, maybe you'll even consider me a friend again," he responded. Shikamaru had already accepted his fate. Temari wasn't a forgiving person at all. She may have forgiven his cheating once, but not his cheating twice. He felt like he had lost his chance to love her the way he wanted to.

Temari didn't move right away. Finally she stood up without a word and gathered his clothes before shoving them into his arms.

"I think I'm good without the friendship, thank you," she whispered before pointing her finger at the door. "You know your way out." Temari walked away from him, heading into her room before slamming the door, a rather large crack on one of the outer edges forming. Temari collapsed on her bed and sobbed silently, awaiting the sound of her front door closing so she could bawl like the helpless child she felt like.

Shikamaru sighed before grabbing his chest. He crouched down and had to cover his own face as he felt his own throat close up. The tears had come as suddenly as they had come in the past. He had never expected any kind of tears to come out of his eyes over Temari's rejection of forgiveness and friendship. She didn't want anything to do with him anymore.

And that was the hardest thing to come to terms with.

**A/N: Suck on that. HA! Enjoy this chapter as long as you can... Ta ta!**


	14. Chapter 13: Retreat

**Hm, I guess I decided to update. :P This chapter has been done for a while and I might as well update. *sighs* i'm not as enthusiastic about this story anymore, I don't know why... But I hope i can keep the drive to keep writing. :s**

**This chapter is more focused around Tenten's marital issues and Shikamaru's feelings about the whole break up. There is Temari's POV also, but I like writing from Shikamaru's point of view more because it's a challenge. This is another cliff hanger, yes, but I'll update when I see fit once again. I hope you guys enjoy and possibly review. :) **

* * *

Retreat

Chapter 13

Temari's lack of mobility was speaking out. Her lack of ability to eat seemed to be screaming for help. Tenten had never experienced true heartbreak, at least not one that lasted as long. She and Neji had never really had much of a bind, and when they did it never ended like this.

She had to admit, it scared her.

The vacuous look in Temari's eyes was as present as ever. She couldn't eat. She attempted to get herself to get up and take a walk, yet her body was so fatigued from the lack of nutrients, she couldn't remain on her feet but so long.

Tenten worried about her best friend's health, her best friend's sanity. They say the first love is the hardest to deal with, but this was utterly terrible. She tried to get her to drink water, that rarely helped. The only thing Temari would eat was take out from Ichiraku's and that was every couple of days when the gnawing hungry became too painful to her.

She was bedridden. She slept in Tenten's home and in Tenten's bed for a week and a half. She rarely got up and moved about. She used the bathroom when needed and would only take baths due to her lack of being able to stand in a shower.

Neji found the display disgraceful. He thought Temari had more self-respect, more dignity than she was letting on. The most common thing he would object to was the fact that the woman was stealing away his wife most of the time.

Though his opinion didn't matter much to Tenten, Temari felt selfish by being cared for by the Weapons Mistress. She was acting like a child, but the more she laid in bed and slept all day, the less pain she would feel. She hated the nights she would dream of herself taking Shikamaru back into her arms and then they live happily ever after. The long, dark, deep sleeps was what she wanted. She felt as though she was being taunted.

But the more she just sat there, the more she couldn't help but wonder why Shikamaru would do such a thing. Tenten told her that he didn't see anything wrong with doing it, which didn't sound like the "Genius Nara". She had to explain to the Suna Princess that while Shikamaru had a lot of logical intelligence, he was rather naive and lacked emotional common sense.

Even though that was too much irony for Temari at once, she felt mistreated and abused. Shikamaru didn't even sleep with her, but the way he touched her and kissed her felt like it was all a lie. She wouldn't let just anyone do those things to her. She felt a little taken advantage of, and that was the hardest thing to cope with.

No.

The hardest thing for her cope with was the fact that she wanted to take him back, but she wasn't sure she should. She knew she wanted to be with him, he wanted to be with her. Temari knew she should have been at least thankful that he came out and told her. She would have never suspected such if he hadn't come clean.

Temari wasn't forgiving, but she was willing to forgive him from hurting her. She was just concerned about him hurting her once more. That'd only make her feel stupid for giving him another chance.

_ I wish it wasn't so complicated_, she admitted to herself, groaning outwardly. _How can I barely stand to look at him, but want him back? Knowing that he slept with Ino isn't going to do much of anything for my self confidence. What if he continues to sleep with her or-?_

She had to stop her negative thoughts, they were making her emotional again. The Suna Princess knew that she this was not her nature, to be so down and depressed or emotional. She wouldn't look down on herself about it though. She just needed the time to recooperate and then she'd be back on track.

Or so she hoped.

How long will it take for her feelings to blow over? The feeling of her heart being stepped on wasn't subsiding yet. It needed to disperse. Temari knew she couldn't live the rest of her life that way. Tenten had a husband to tend to.

Temari heard the front door open. For the first time, she had awakened;, she looked at the clock. It was an early morning, time on the digital alarm clock read, "5:46". Unsure of why Tenten would be here so early, she pulled the blanket back and climbed out of bed.

She had on a large baggy teeshirt and some loose fitting dark pants. She felt the room spin a little bit and struggled to maintain standing up straight. Grabbing the wall, Temari tried not to let her fatigue prevent her from seeing what was going on.

Opening the door, she heard a faint noise of someone crying; Temari could only suspect it was Tenten. Continuing to hug the wall, she moved further down the hallway until she came into the opening that was the kitchen and the living room. The light above the stove was on, but it wasn't bright enough to see Tenten's entire body.

Her silhouette was of her sitting on a barstool with her head down, her back jerking from the sudden sobs when she would take large breaths. Temari let go of the wall and walked towards her best friend, trying to keep her body steady. Without having a guide like the wall, Temari felt her body slowly lean to the right, unaware of the natural unbalance.

Barely catching herself on the barstool, Tenten heard the clatter and instantly turned around, her eyes red from the tears. She quickly got up to help Temari sit down before she fell over once again.

"Temari? Why are you up? Did I wake you? I'm sorry," she started to blab on as she helped her sit down on the barstool before frantically wiping at the tears from her eyes. "You know you haven't been eating enough to be moving around. I wish you would eat more-"

"What's wrong, Tenten?" Temari asked gently. Now was not the time for her to be getting all the attention. Tenten had been a great friend in aiding and taking care of her in her time of desperation and needs. She wasn't going to be selfish and ignore hers.

Tenten quickly denied her question and continued to ask her if she wanted anything.

"I can get you some water or milk? Or are you hungry? I can fix you up something-"

"You can't always help everyone else and not let someone care about you," Temari stated as Tenten froze in midsentence. The tears in her eyes hadn't stopped, they continued to flow silently and shook her head.

"I just don't want to be a bother to you," she whispered before looking away and covering her eyes, hoping that she'd stop crying at some point. Temari scoffed.

"I've been more of a bother to you over the past few weeks than you could ever be to me. Now talk to me," Temari whispered, putting her own feelings aside for her friend's. She took her hands in hers. "What's going on?"

"Hiashi and the Elders are... Getting impatient. With Neji and I. We haven't had a baby yet and the Hyuga Laws abide that the Main Branch children must have a guardian, the Side Branch children. Like Neji and Hinata," Tenten began through her tears.

"I thought that didn't claim Hemaru-"

"They don't, that's the thing. But Hinata's become pregnant again, and of course it's Naruto's. They said there's a chance of it actually holding the bloodline. With that possibility, they're getting anxious about me having a child. Sure, I'm not their first choice. I didn't even have a surname before I married him. But they need a child as soon as possible," Tenten tried to explain. Temari's brow knitted together.

"I don't get this whole Elders bull," she stated in a very opinionated manner. Tenten rolled her eyes.

"Neji and I were able to marry because he's of the Side Branch. Of course, because the Hyuga bloodline runs in him the strongest they wanted him to marry inside the family, but there were no laws abiding to that rule. Hinata on the other hand..."

"Just flat out disobeyed her father," Temari finished with barely a whisper.

"They aren't even allowed to marry. The out of wedlock children is already considered a disgrace. They're threatening to disown her if this next one isn't a bloodline carrier," Tenten revealed. Temari's eyes widened. Hinata may not love her family, but it was all she knew growing up. To cast her aside for attempting to be with the one she loved wasn't fair.

"Life isn't fair," Tenten finished, almost as if she read her best friend's mind. Temari saw the fear in Tenten's eyes, knowing that wasn't the half of the story.

"So... What happens if you and Neji don't have the baby?" Temari pried, seeing Tenten cringe before her eyes started to well with water. "I'm sorry! Don't tell me they'll disown him too! Or worse, divorce him from you!" Tenten shook her head as Temari reached across the table and fetched her a tissue. "Then what is it?"

"They'll give Neij a mistress and make him have children with her," she whispered as she started to cry all over again. Temari felt anger boil inside of her. No wonder Tenten was so upset. The idea of children was something she wanted to share with Neji and Neji only. The Elders of the Council saw them as a way to keep the name living on, nothing more.

"What did Neji say?" Temari whispered in a consoling tone.

"He said if it's what he must do, it's what he must do," she barely whispered, covering her face in despair. Temari's hand slammed on the counter, causing Tenten to jump and look up.

"_What?" _

"He's not agreeing to it-"

"Then what do you call it? He's being given permission to have a bastard child and he took them up on the offer-"

"Temari, it's not what you think okay? He has to do it for the Clan-"

"Oh, so family doesn't matter? Just popping out kids on the Side Branch to protect the Main Branch is the important part?" Temari spat in a rather cold tone. Tenten flinched at how crude her voice had been. "So let's say they 'make' Neji sleep with this broad and they do have this kid. That woman's gonna be spiteful as shit to you and you know it. Even worse is if you get pregnant and then what's your baby gonna feel like being the second born?"

"Maybe... It'd be better. Maybe then my baby won't have to have the Curse Seal-"

"_Tenten!" _Temari couldn't believe she had dared to think that thought, much less speak it out loud. Tenten covered her head and started to cry all over again.

"I'm sorry! I'm so terrible! I just try to keep thinking of a positive way to look at the situation and that's the best thing I could come up with! I'm a bad person!" she cried as Temari rolled her eyes, not at her crying, but at the entire situation. Tenten living with the Hyugas was changing her, and not in a good way.

"Look at me," Temari stated, lifting her friends head up. "Pull yourself together. There is no guarantee on any of this. Think about it. You and Neji might pop a baby out if you just give it time. Patience is the key."

"But-"

"But nothing. You're a twenty-three year old woman. There is nothing wrong with you. You can carry any Hyuga child, especially if it's Neji's. Okay?" Temari pep-talked as Tenten sniffled and nodded, wiping at her eyes.

"Temari?"

"Hm?"

"You're twenty-five," Tenten pointed out obviously. Temari's eyebrow quirked in suspicion.

"Yeah? So?"

"You might wanna just go ahead and get started too," Tenten teased, trying to make a joke to lighten up the mood. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh hush! Why are you here anyway? Why aren't you at home with your husband?" Temari asked calmly. "You can't keep doing this, Ten. You may want a child, but treating me like one isn't gonna help you out. You know Neji's possessive when it comes to you. He doesn't want to have to fight when it comes to me."

"No one's fighting," Tenten objected as Temari folded her arms across her chest.

"I heard that 'discussion' three days ago. He wants you home, not nursing me like an elderly woman," Temari stated in a quite annoyed voice. "I feel a little insulted that he compared me to an old person."

"We had a fight this morning, that's when all of this went down. He came back and told me everything and we argued about the mistress situation and stuff like that. I don't know how else to feel about it. My husband sleeping with another woman is just-"

"Hey hey, don't even think about it," Temari interrupted before Tenten's voice started to break under the pressure of her tears. "It'll get better." Tenten nodded before she looked at her best friend, prepared to change the subject.

"How are you feeling?" she asked slowly. Temari's body started to ache all over again, her throat closing up, her legs feeling weak. All of it had disappeared when her friend had needed her and now it had returned. She needed to be distracted with something else before it set back in.

Too late.

"Come on, let's get you back to bed," Tenten said in a maternal manner. Temari shook her head before looking at her best friend. She looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I'm going back to Suna when the sun rises. I've decided."

* * *

"Oi! Shikamaru! Get up!" Shikaku drawled through his door before knocking on it rather hard. Swearing under his breath, the man continued down the hallway to head into the bathroom. Shikamaru barely moved with his father demand for him to wake up.

The Shadow Possessor was never much of a motivated person, but now he absolutely nothing going for him now ever since Temari shut down a chance at fixing things, much less a chance at being friends. He had been sulking around the house, sitting in his room and staying locked in it all day, sometimes sleeping more than he needed. It was worse than when Asuma had died.

Yoshino, who was more concerned than anything was trying to find a way to cheer her only son, her 'baby' up. She cooked his favorite meals, didn't nag him about cleaning up or picking up after himself, but nothing seemed to suffice. Shikaku found his son's depression more of a bother than anything and didn't cut him any slack.

It was almost as if his parents' identities had made a complete 180. His usually scary and demanding mother was now more comforting and maternal, less nagging and more lienent while his usually apathetic father seemed to have been a little less understanding and seemed to be pushing his son to get over whatever internal issues he was having.

Shikamaru was hoping that time would help things ease up a bit, he could only wait it out and try to make things better after enough time goes by. Maybe, like before, she was just so heated that she couldn't help but react irrationally.

But was it irrational?

No, she had every reason to be upset with him, yell at him, deny his apologies, refuse the friendship, and not guarantee her forgiveness. He had done her wrong. It could be looked at like cheated, but they weren't together. Regardless, he knew how she felt about him being with Ino, much less him sleeping with her. Especially after they had that argument.

_And yet I still had to have Tenten explain all the shit to me_, he muttered. _I'm not as smart as people really make me out to be. I'm just an inconsiderate asshole_.

Shikamaru had also taken up a new hobby recently. With Asuma's lighter in hand, he had decided to try smoking again despite his last attempt being an utter failure. He had went through a whole pack the first day, half a pack the second day. Now he felt as if he had to have one whenever his mind wandered too much about the woman that could have been his.

He hadn't done it yet today. He had barely woken up due to the banging on the door his father had done. He heard a brief argument between his parents concerning him.

"Shikaku, you must have patience with him. We don't even know what's bothering him, he'll come around," Yoshino said in a calm manner. Shikamaru's father scoffed and rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest.

"There is no excuse for the way he's been acting. He's twenty two years old. He needs to stop walking around like a man with no back bone," he muttered before brushing past his wife. Yoshino sighed before continuing down the hallway to Shikamaru's door.

He sighed into his pillow. He was glad that he kept his door locked whenever he wanted to be alone. His parents didn't seem to believe in any kind of privacy. And he knew his mother was about to attempt to barge into the room.

The fact that his mother was trying to be comforting was nice, but it wasn't doing anything for him. But the relationship between Shikamaru and his father wasn't the greatest. He didn't expect his father to be so understanding about his situation, hell, neither of them knew. He didn't know how to tell them. Did he even want to?

His mother would be so happy that he had actually found love and try and comfort him about the loss. She would scold him about his behavior, that is if he even got far enough to tell her about his sex life. His father, whom he knew he could tell that to, would definitely be rather disappointed and annoyed with his son's choices and would say that every action has a consequence and he had his.

They were probably better off knowing. But he needed some kind of outlet.

Shikamaru would have already attempted to find Tenten, but there had been no chance of that. Temari probably had already taken her up for grabs.

He wondered how she was doing. How she was feeling. How she was holding up. Probably not very well. He hated how much pain he had inflicted on her. He didn't want her to feel bad. He felt he deserved the punishment he was getting and that was what he was going to serve until otherwise. But Temari didn't deserve any of the hurt she was feeling.

He was barely functioning, was she? He hoped she was eating, she was up and about. He hoped she was moving around. He hoped she wasn't drinking if anything, alcohol wasn't meant to be her friend in a time like this.

_Smoking isn't meant to be my friend at a time like this etiher,_ he reminded himself. Temari would have probably pummeled him for even continuing his Sensei's habit like it was perfectly fine. It was life threatening, like alcohol, but Temari seemed to have managed to stop just before anything serious happened. Technically, he had already inhaled a barrel full of tar.

_ Yeah. She will kill me if she finds out._

He remember the look on his mother's face when he walked in the house red-eyed, one side of his face bruised, and his nose bleeding. But at the same time, he was wondering if his father had figured it out already. The look on his face when he walked in the house was somewhat amused.

That pissed him off more than anything. That smirk on his father's face at that moment. He stalked into his room despite his mother's attempt to bag up some ice and tend to his aid. He denied it. The pain would subside, at least the physical pain would.

Yoshino knocked on Shikamaru's door.

"Shikamaru? Time to get up dear. It's almost nine! Come eat breakfast before your father leaves, he won't be home for a few weeks," she explained. She didn't move even though she had a basket of clothes in her hands. She sighed and knocked again. "Shikamar-"

"I'm up, Mom," he replied in a monotonous tone before she smiled, glad he had heard her.

"Alright. I'm going to be going to the market right after. Do you want to come with me?" she asked, hoping to get him out of the house for a little bit. He denied, shutting her down as she sighed before she continued down the hallway to put the clothes away in her bedroom.

Finally deciding to get up when his mother's footsteps could no longer be heard, he sat up and rubbed his eyes and his face before sighing. His hair was all over his head before he found himself longing for her to run her fingers through it again.

He knew this wouldn't last. It was worse than the first time he had left her side to pick up Ino. It was if his soul was detached from his body. It was almost like he felt like life wasn't worth living. The addiction he had gotten from touching her skin those two times was eating at his mind.

Shikamaru knew how much he wanted and needed her, and yet he wouldn't go after her. Trying to pressure her or bother her when she wasn't ready would only backfire on himself. She needed time and space even if that's what she didn't wanted, even if it was something he didn't wanted.

He pulled himself up and felt himself sway a bit. He wasn't even hungry. His mother refused to let him skip meals. Shikamaru knew he probably would be starving by now if his mother wasn't so persistent in that area. At the same time he felt like he was being force fed at every meal and gave him stomach aches.

Shikamaru thought about his loss of appetite and wondered if Temari was suffering the same feeling. He could only hope that Tenten was taking good care of her, making sure she was eating. It was ruining him, wondering how she was doing.

His mother called him once more, him groaning out of pure frustration at her constant calling. _That woman just won't leave me the hell alone for a moment... _

Walking out of his room and heading down the hallway, his father left their front room and headed towards the kitchen as well. Shikamaru was dragging his feet along and didn't want his father to see him. By the time he made it to the front of the house, his plate was already made and in place.

Shikaku had already seated himself and said a brief prayer before starting to dig into his own breakfast. Shikamaru withheld a sigh he wanted to exhale before seating himself. His mother, ecstatic that he was present took her end of the table and sat down.

The breakfast was utterly silent, only making Yoshino a more anxious as the quiet pressed on. Neither of her favorite men seemed to care about the lack of conversation, but despite their uninterest, she tried to start one.

"So, Shikaku dear, who's in your squad for this mission?" she asked calmly, her eyes darting to Shikamaru to see if he was even paying attention. He wasn't.

"Inoichi and Choza. We'll be fine, it's a simple infiltration mission," he stated nonchalantly. His tone hinted that he wasn't interested in having a conversation, but she ignored it.

"Oh, so how are Choji and Ino doing, Shikamaru?" she asked, bringing the conversation to her son. He twitched at the mentioning of Ino's name. He had to admit, he had wondered about Choji. He hadn't heard from them since the mission and their argument about the Yamanaka girl.

He'd rather not thinking about or discuss Ino, not after how much has gone on and how his bad luck with his love life had somewhat a lot to do with her. His parents, even his father noticed the twitch. They didn't exchange glances, but Yoshino thought she caught on.

She put her utensils down and gave Shikaku a look. He was obviously ignoring her. Shikamaru wasn't paying them any mind either. He was too busy stuffing food down his throat that he didn't want. He had to admit it surprised him that he didn't gag whenever he did so.

"I'll... go ahead and go to the market since it's getting later. I didn't expect it to get so late so fast," she said in a feign tone. She smiled. That caught Shikaku's attention. He looked up at his wife who was obviously trying to leave the two of them alone.

"It's 8:24."

Yoshino's eyes shot daggers at her husband before he looked away and swore. She continued to signal to him that he needed to talk to their son alone.

"The early bird catches the worm!" she said in an oddly chirpy voice. Snatching her purse up and checking it to make sure her wallet is inside, she waved her hand before walked out the door.

Shikamaru, even though he had been acting as if he wasn't paying attention, knew what the situation had come to. His mother wanted him to finally vent about what was going on with his father. Even Shikaku didn't want to be bothered with it. The agitated sigh when the woman left said it all.

Assuming that it meant that he was dismissed, Shikamaru stood up, half of his food still on his plate.

"Sit down."

Shikamaru looked at his father, a bit shocked at the command that had come from his voice.

"What?"

"You heard me. Sit down," he stated again, the demanding tone still ringing in the room. Never once had Shikamaru been commanded by his father to do much of anything. It was always his mother doing things like that. It caught him off guard.

Shikamaru found his father's inability to show his dominance in the household as a sign of weakness most of his life. His mother was in control of everything. He felt like his father cowered when it came to his mother's demands, even he did most of the time. But the tone he had just been spoken to in was one he had never heard before.

Deciding not to disaobey, he sat back down in his chair and gave his father his full attention, making eye contact. He figured the sooner he looked interested the sooner the discussion would end.

His father didn't speak right away. He was staring at Shikamaru, the way Shikamaru would stare at his friends or peers to figure out what they were thinking about. His father was trying to read into him. He was glad he didn't have Inoichi as his father, he would have read his mind and seen what he had done. He held in a shudder.

"... Does this have to do with your relationship with Ino?"  
he asked in a tone that Shikamaru considered apathetic. He felt a spark of anger light within himself.

"We don't have a relationship. We never did, we never will," he seethed. Shikamaru wanted the conversation to end right then and there, but he felt his father's eyes watching him, analyzing him, trying to find the root of his anger.

"So when Inoichi was telling me that Ino was ecstatic about being with you, that wasn't true?" he asked calmly. Shikamaru hand gripped the armrest on the chair he was sitting in. He stood up, feeling the anger inside him start to rise.

"I don't have to deal with this-"

"Sit down, Shikamaru," Shikaku commanded once more. The tone of his voice was a lot colder than the first time and the Shadow Possessor had no idea what to do or how to respond to his father's sudden aggression. Sitting down once again, he no longer tried to fake an attentive attiude.

"Talk."

Shikamaru didn't know where to begin, but he knew he had to tell the truth. He wouldn't be able to cover up a lie. He just worried that his father would go back to Ino's and tell him what he said and what had happened. That was the worse case scenario. But the truth was the only way to go. Maybe his father could help him.

"I wasn't dating Ino. I was just sleeping with her," he said slowly, avoiding his father's eyes due to shame. When he finally looked at Shikaku, his face showed no change in expression.

"Continue," was all he said. Shikamaru took a large inhalation of air before he began.

"When we went to go after Hidan, Ino initiated it and it's been an ongoing thing until last week. I broke it off. I don't want to be in a relationship with her," he released. He felt a little better, getting it off his chest, but the lack of his father speaking was bothering him quite a bit.

"Is this what's gotten you so broken up? The lack of sex?" he asked, his voice hinting concern. Worse thought crossing his mind was that his son was a sex addict. If he had no emotional ties to the girl he was sleeping with, what was making him so sick?

Shikamaru exhaled and covered his face. He didn't know if he was embarassed to admit to his father he had fallen in love with a woman as troublesome as his mother.

He remembered how he used to look down on his father and tease him about his mother's control over him. Saying that him marrying such a woman was foolish. He could see his father getting a laugh on the whole situation of him falling into the same trap his father did. It must have been a family trait.

"No. I don't need sex. I just want..." he stopped. He didn't want to sound so corny, so un-masculine to his father. "See, there's this girl..." Shikamaru saw his father's eyebrow quirk up almost instantly at the mention of a new female that wasn't Ino.

His entire face flushed.

"She's different. She's older. She's... She's kind of like mom," he accidently admitted, thinking of Temari's crude and demanding nature. He had to admit he hadn't seen it recently, probably due to the romance in the air. She hadn't returned to herself since her out of body experience of love.

Shikaku was now utterly engrossed his son's words of this new woman. She was older, she was different. Something about this girl was making his only child a tad unstable, a little emotional. He wanted to know more about her the more Shikamaru talked. The fact that he compared the woman to his mother only verified that the person was bound to be the one.

No other female, especially not Ino, had ever had such an impact on Shikamaru like this one. Shikamaru compared the woman to his mother, with the assumed nagging, demanding, and slightly scary nature. Ino had those traits, but it didn't seem to do anything for Shikamaru but bother him. This new girl has the same traits, but drew him in.

"Continue," he repeated.

"She's always been a friend, a troublesome one at that. But recently, ever since Asuma died, something's happened. I'm not sure what, but she seemed concerned about me while I expected her to tell me to suck it up," he admitted, sounding as if he was trying to explain it all to himself.

Shikaku merely nodded, giving him the signal that he was listening. Shikamaru's face started to darken as he slowly started to admit these things to his father.

"It's just... I saw her only for a moment before I left for Hidan. Then when I came back, she saw me holding hands with Ino at the ceremony. She wouldn't bother to look at me, much less talk to me," he continued, Shikaku starting to piece the whole story together.

_The girl had feelings for him and he hurt them by being seen with another woman, _he thought to himself. He never expected his son to be a womanizer, but it seemed like an obvious love triangle was present.

"When she finally did speak to me, she didn't bring it up or ask me about it. I was glad that I could just be with her. Then we went somewhere alone and..." Shikaku gave his son a look of curiosity and he quickly had to answer. "No, we didn't sleep together, we just made out. We almost slept together, but I felt guilty.

"Guilty about the whole thing about me sleeping with Ino. And she didn't even know. I wanted to be with her and that wasn't going to happen until I ended the sex thing with Ino. So I did. Everything felt great until we almost slept together again, but I told her no. I had to come clean that time and..."

Shikamaru felt his heart drop in his chest. His mind was replaying everything in his head. It was making him depressed all over again. He held his head in his hands before he ran them through his thick hair. He felt disgusting. He knew his father probably was just as disgusted.

Finally looking at Shikaku, he looked, once again, expressionless. He was sitting on the edge of his chair, his chin in his hand, listening to his son's story. Now it all fit together. She dumped him and he was dealing with the terrible result of paying the price for his stupidities.

Sitting back and folding his arms across his chest, Shikaku sighed and looked at the clock. It was 8:38. He had time before he had to meet up with Inoichi and Choza.

Surprised at how dramatic his apathetic son's life was, it was ironic on how he had been put in most situations that he wouldn't have been in if he thought about the consequences.

"Now you miss her," Shikaku stated calmly, Shikamaru's eyes widening at his father's statement. It was rather obvious, but he still never expected his dad to pick up on it so fast.

"Yeah, but-"

"I should put some of the blame for your actions on myself, I see a little bit of what I used to be in you. But the reason you have such a lack for understanding relationships and women's emotions is because I didn't teach you enough. I apologize for that," he said, leaving Shikamaru in awe.

An apology was rare from his old man. He wanted to milk it for all it was worth, but now was not the time.

"This female, whoever she is, must have been the one who busted your face up the other night. She must have also been the reason why you walking around to like Toma died," Shikaku stated in reference to Shikamaru's childhood cat. Shikamaru sighed and merely nodded.

"I must admit, I am disappointed in you for the way you have treated these women, but in the end you got what was going for you," Shikaku stated in a tone that was rather harsh. Shikamaru started to get upset again.

"As if I don't know that! Everything that's occured is my fault and my fault alone! I may have lost the one woman who would have..." Shikamaru bit his lip and stopped his sentence. Shikaku knew what he was about to say.

"Shikamaru, do you remember what I told you? When you were younger? About women?" Shikaku asked calmly, looking as if he was gazing off. Shikamaru blinked, trying to think back far enough, it had been so long ago.

"No?" he responded slowly. Shikaku chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

"You'll remember it in due time," he stated before his face turning serious. "I want you to listen to me right now though. This woman is someone you care about, possibly even love-"

"I told her," Shikamaru mumbled lowly, Shikaku's eyes widening. He was rather proud of his son for admitting his feelings for this girl, but he never expected it to happen so soon. He couldn't help but smile before continuing to talk.

"This woman is someone you love. But you sitting here, at home isn't going to get her back," Shikaku started.

"But if I pressure her, I'm going to push her away," he explained. "I wouldn't have ever left if she hadn't made me leave. If only-"

"You left. But you didn't come back the day after. Or the day after that. Or the day after that. Or the day after that. She's probably sitting at home, waiting for you, her faith in you diminishing as we speak," Shikaku replied, Shikamaru's eyes widening. He started to understand.

"What you need to do is go and claim your woman. And when you do that, you'll feel better, she'll feel better. When you go after her, you have to tell her how sorry you are and how you swear it'll never happen again. When you do it, you must be sincere. Otherwise she won't bite to it," Shikaku explained. Shikamaru gritted his teeth together.

"But you don't understand. She told me she didn't want to see me again, she didn't want to be my friend either-"

"She was angry and upset. She's going to say things she didn't mean. You have to act on it. You being my child, you're too passive. You need to act on what you want to do," Shikaku said, his tone saying 'that was that'. "You want your girl, you go get her."

* * *

Tenten sighed, collapsing on the couch. She rested her eyes for a brief moment, thinking over what Temari had just told her moments ago. She exploded her feelings out and it seemed unreal.

She knew now, it was official. Temari was in love with Shikamaru. It was so quick, so sudden. It struck and pulled at both of their heartstrings so fast, they both crumbled under the pressure of the heart break..

She wondered how it would have all played out if Shikamaru hadn't been sleeping with Ino over that period of time. It ruined what they had going for them, they were genuinely happy. It wasn't like they couldn't get back together, but it was too broken at that point in time to do anything.

Neither of her friends had endured such a feeling. They grew up most of their lives after they met, denying a possibility of them being together. And when it finally happened the worst thing possible seemed to have happened.

Tenten knew it was out of her hands at that point. She wouldn't bother to interfere with either of them any longer. She felt like it was partially her fault because she pushed them together trying to play matchmaker. They wouldn't be in so deep if she had stayed out of it.

_ Would it had even happened if I hadn't pressed Temari at it? _she wondered to herself. The Suna Princess wasn't so willing to pursue Shikamaru in the first place. Remembering how Temari told her that all women didn't get a fairy tale happy ending only made Tenten feel even worse.

Her phone begun to ring.

Instantly picking it up, she looked at it. It said "Neji Hyuga" was calling. He had been tired of waiting for her at home. She sighed, putting it away, not even bothering to answer. Now was not the time.

She groaned outwardly when the phone stopped ringing, but begun to ring again. She sighed and hoped that Neji would give up calling at some point.

The she heard her doorbell ring several times followed by someone banging on her door. A tad upset at how Neji was calling while he was outside her door, Tenten stood up and stomped to the door.

She found herself getting upset. She was married, yes, but at the same time she still wanted space and time to herself to think and gather her thoughts. Neji was just being possessive right then because she wasn't answer the phone.

Unbolting the door and unlocking it, Tenten pulled the door open, realizing that the person banging on her door wasn't Neji, but it was Shikamaru.

"Shika-?"

"Where is she? She's not home, and I couldn't think of anywhere else for her to be," he asked, sounding quite out of breath. He seemed to have ran from his house, to Temari's, to hers. Tenten bit her lip, sighing outwardly.

"Shikamaru, she-"

"I don't care if she says she doesn't want to see me, she knows she wants to, just like I want to see her," he interrupted, breathing heavily.

"Shikamar-"

"I just want to talk to her, no funny business, no-"

_ "Shikamaru!" _

He finally stopped when Tenten rose her voice, a little caught off guard. Tenten, now feeling the silence, realized how ragged Shikamaru looked. Bags and dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. He looked as though he had thrown his clothes on the way they were wrinkled and hanging off his body.

"What is it, Tenten?" he asked, exasperated. Tenten sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Temari left for Suna this morning. She's gone."


	15. Chapter 14: Space

**Hi everyone, I'm back again. I'm here to update the next chapter, however, I must inform you that an update will not be something that you must treasure. It may be a matter of months before you hear from me again. I'm an official Senior in High School and this year is the most important one I've ever had to handle. I must admit, I'm rather terrified. I'm applying for college and scholarship on top of two AP classes, so this story cannot be my top priority at the moment. Just give me some time, okay? :) I'm way ahead, don't worry, but still, I need me time, especially since I'm trying to go University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. This is gonna be my ultimate goal. So enjoy this update, there won't be one for some time.**

**I was actually considering abandoning this story, I don't feel as though many people are interested and like I said, I'm not very motivated. However, I'll find that fire buried within me and use it. This story is no where near done, it'll be at least 40 chapters long, maybe more. Let's see if i can find it within me to keep going. I would appreciate a REVIEW. Some of you are just being assholes, I'll say it point blank. Some of you read from your phone and can't, i understand that, but others are just being lazy. But, hey, that's fine. It's your decision to make.**

**Enjoy this chapter. It's a bit of a filler. I'm trying to take my time, you know? Not rush it too fast, but I'm not trying to drag you on forever. This is actually a bit of interference with a number of people. Read along and find out, be surprised, and enjoy each moment. See you guys soon! **

* * *

Space

Chapter 14

Knowing she had a long, three day journey ahead of her, Temari adjusted the straps on her pack so her shoulders wouldn't feel too strained. She had packed enough food to last her till she got back to Suna, even though it was rather heavy.

She had originally told Tenten she was leaving when the sun rose, but Tenten made her agree to leave at about 8-ish. Tenten didn't want her to leave so soon and so suddenly, so the two girls enjoyed one another's company for some time until Temari felt it was time for her to go.

The Princess admitted she felt a little bad about leaving her best friend in her time of need like she was, with the whole Hyuga situation and all. But nonetheless, she had to handle herself first and foremost. She was tired of being immobile, being weak-minded. The first step to her returning to normal was heading home.

Temari kicked a small pebble as she walked down the street. The city hadn't fully awakened yet, it was still pretty early. Temari smiled at the low sun slowly climbing up into the sky. It was a fairly cloudy, misty, morning due to mild humidity. It felt refreshing against her face.

_I wonder how Kuro and Gaara are doing, _she wondered to herself. She felt a newfound guilt inside of her. Her brothers, yes, knew she could care for herself, but still, she had left them high and dry for some time. No word back home or anything. Not so much as a call or a message.

It had been almost three weeks since she had last seen either of them, more than a month since she had seen Gaara. Normally Kankuro would have been sent to drag her back home. That's what his job had been when he had appeared the first time at her home. However, he left without any acknowledgement.

Temari had to admit, she missed Gaara quite a bit. He didn't speak much and he had a very calm demeanor, but when he spoke, it seemed like living poetry and it came naturally to him. Gaara was the most protective of his sister than anyone else could imagine. He would be highly upset if he knew what was going on and how she had been feeling the past few weeks.

But was that possible?

_Kankuro doesn't know,_ she reminded herself, dismissing the idea before the thought of an angered Gaara could pry itself into her thoughts. But what if he did know? What if that was another person Tenten told all of her personal business to?

She didn't scold her friend for her blabbermouth, she didn't have the energy. She was too upset about what had happened and the condition it had all happened in. Tenten didn't mean to run her mouth, she was actually pretty good at keeping secrets. She knew the Weapons Mistress only told everything she said to Shikamaru to encourage their relationship.

She couldn't help but scoff.

What relationship?

Whatever it had been before, it was gone now, no doubt about it. No, she didn't believe that. She knew she didn't. She sat there, hoping and waiting for him to come to her, but at the same time she didn't even want to see him. She chuckled at how much sense it actually made.

Maybe someday, when she forgave him, if he forgave them, they could have something. _That maybe would more than likely be a definitely, _she reminded herself. She knew she hadn't forgotten how she felt about the Nara boy. The feeling that burned within her soul only seemed to hurt her more than it gave her happiness and joy like before.

She had wanted to see him, but now wasn't the time. She needed space. She needed to think. This time in her life was time she would use to focus on herself and feeling better. Yes, and that's what she would do. Her brothers would help her through it all.

"I should have known."

Temari froze in midwalk. She was heading towards the gate at that point, but not close enough to the morning patrol nin who watched who came in and out of the village. The voice she heard was one she recognized, one she couldn't ever forget.

There was no one outside the trail leading to the outside of the country besides herself and the person who spoke. The patrol men were farther down the road and they probably couldn't even see her at that moment. She couldn see much but the outlines of a few people. Temari felt her entire body stiffen when she realized who it was. Her heart started to pound out of her chest.

Scared? No, just a little surprised and unprepared on how to handle the situation. Was it even a situation to be handled? What could she possibly want with her at that particular moment? How did she know where she was? Tenten was the only one who knew she was leaving that day and that early, it had to be by chance.

She was in no mood for a confrontation or an argument, or even a fight. She was still feeling quite drained from the lack of food from the previous few days. Tenten made her eat before she left and packed her some food for her journey, but the dizziness had yet to subside.

Temari started to almost ignore the silhouette, but how could she? They both knew that one another were both there; if she dared to ignore, she'd just get called out again. Which would be better? To ignore or to respond?

Then they had said, "I should have known". What should they have known? About what? What could they be possibly talking about?

She knew she had no energy for this whole thing, she wanted to just walk away, but she knew she couldn't. She sighed and faced her, waiting for her to come from her "Hiding Spot" so whatever was going to be said could be said.

Temari's lack of movement after she turned towards the side of the road seemed to signal the person to come out of the shadow of the tree they had been under. Her long blonde hair was out and flowing down her back. She was dressed in a blue sundress.

It was Ino Yamanaka.

Temari sighed once more as she folded her arms across her chest as if she wasn't in the mood for such. Ino chose to ignore it. The girl approached her, silently, not saying a single word about anything.

She seemed to have been surveying her, analyzing her, as if she was looking for something. As she was doing so, she seemed to have been invading Temari's personal space. It was an odd situation for both girls. Ino normally wasn't so calm and collected when she did such things and Temari usually acted when she felt uncomfortable, but both girls' knew that they were something about the other they wanted to know about.

The Suna Kunoichi seemed to have been holding her breath for quite some time. She couldn't help but ponder on what the Mind Controlling girl had been doing. Hopefully not some kind of Genjutsu, she wouldn't want to have to start a fight.

"There," Ino stated simply, placing her finger gently on a small bruise under her chin. It was almost gone, showing that it wasn't a recent hickey, but it had was fading one from what could have been considered some time ago.

Temari didn't know what she was pointing at or why she was touching her face. She didn't like being touched, period. Jerking her head away, signalling Ino to back off, she glowered, her green eyes demanding an explanation before she snapped. The blue eyed girl seemed to not want to speak, but that wasn't going to happen. Sighing, Ino looked at her, her eyes obviously a little disappointed, yet not surprised.

"You were the one Shikamaru was sleeping with on the side, weren't you?" Ino asked in a tone that said she had hoped for the worst. Temari knew at that moment what Ino was trying to do. She was trying to figure out who Shikamaru's new female was, while at the same time making him look so terrible so she'd leave him alone. Temari's lips seemed to purse themselves together.

"I've never slept with Shikamaru. Ever," she stated flatly. Ino's eyes widened.

"You mean you've-"

"I've kissed him, and made out with him. But we never got to actually having sex. Because... He was guilty about what he was doing with you. He said he couldn't sleep with me until he forgave himself," Temari admitted in a rather stiff tone. Ino's eyes widened almost as if that had been unexpected to her.

Temari knew that the girl was thinking that Shikamaru was a lot less caring than what she had described. Before that day, she had never seen Shikamaru so guilty, so upset. Ino must not have ever seen it either. The Wind Mistress could only imagine what Ino was thinking.

Neither girls expected to be in the situation, talking to one another about their love interests, the one thing that would only admit to have in common. Both blonde haired, both fairly forceful and, as Shikamaru would say, "Troublesome". They were more alike in a number of ways, not that either would admit it.

There must have been something to separate the two, a very thin line. Something that made Temari who she was, and something that made Ino what she was. Something that pushed Ino away and drew Temari close. But what was it?

"You mean he didn't...? What...?" Ino babbled on, a bit baffled at the situation at hand. And here she thought that they had been sleeping together the whole time. Shikamaru was one who didn't put emotions forth in much of anything, but he felt guilty about sleeping with Temari? Therefore he didn't act on it?

Something wasn't fitting together in Ino's head. Shikamaru hadn't been sleeping with Temari, yet he had been so quick to let her go to be with her. There was something more serious than sex in the equation, and she was on the edge of finding it out.

"Ino..." Temari's hand rested on the girl's shoulder. "You must understand this. Maru-"

At that moment, it clicked in her mind. He was all emotional whenever it came to her. Explaining his concern when he left her house so quick that evening. The guilt that Temari had been talking about. It made perfect sense.

"So that's why he did it," Ino interrupted with a slight chuckle, a pained one, or so it had sounded. Temari looked a bit puzzled when Ino turned to her, giving her a smile. What was going on in the girl's mind now? Temari wished she would just say what she had to say.

"Did what?" Temari pried. Ino sighed and looked down at the sidewalk. Temari was just as clueless as Shika at times, something that she wondered if either of them would admit.

"We went to a nightclub one night. I dragged him there. Then he disappeared. When he came back, he looked so upset, more angry than sad. I think it was with me because I wanted him to spend the night. Anyway, he ended what he called our sex buddy relationship right then and there," she explained. It was now Temari's turn to be surprised. Ino didn't mean to reveal anything that was meant to be kept secret.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you didn't know!" she apologized, actually looking as though she was feeling a little bad for the thing she had said.

Ino may have not liked Temari all that much, but she had to admit she had lost the battle for Shikamaru's heart. She would never say it out loud, but at the same time it was as plain as day.

She was surprised that they had even managed to have the civilized conversation. Temari looked a tad bit drained, that could have been part of it. Then at the same time, neither of them had prepared or expected either of the situations. If they had come prepared on a different day, it wouldn't have been so smooth. That was something that they both knew they would agree on.

"No, no," Temari responded, waving her hand. "I knew. He told me. And me being so upset with, I left him. You were the last person I wanted him to be with because I was jealous of you."

Ino had always been told that other girls were jealous of her, but she never expected it to come from Temari. This woman who had beauty, looks, and skills of a nin that she had never dreamed of. Her being jealous of her was a rather flattering statement and she had to admit she never imagined it from her. It felt genuine, that's what caught her off guard.

"Why?"

Temari waved her hand to dismiss the thought. She regretted saying it in the first place. She wasn't about to express all of her insecurities to this girl that she doesn't even like. Ino wasn't that bad right now because they were having a serious discussion, but if it had been anything else, Temari most likely would have walked away or punched her in the jaw.

"I don't want to talk about it," she stated simply, ending that discussion then and there. Ino looked to the side, avoiding her eyes.

"I came here to see my father off on his mission. And then I saw you walking. I thought you would want to know about how much of a pig Shikamaru was. I knew it had to be you he was with, he only has a thing for blondes," Ino said in a joking manner, making Temari smirk. "But... Now I see it. He loves you. That's why he felt guilty. That's why he wouldn't do to you what he did to me. You're important to him."

Temari tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it wouldn't go down. She surpressed the tears that were hiding in her eyes; she refused to cry in front of Ino, of all people. Tenten had told her this, Ino told her this, and Shikamaru told her this. What would it take for her to accept his apology and put what he had done in the past?

She was starting to wonder if what they were saying was true. None of them had any reason to lie to her, did they? Then what was it that was making it so hard?

She just wasn't ready.

* * *

"Shikamaru, you can't go after her! You know leaving the village without notifying Tsunade could be a result in an arrest warrant for you!" Tenten reminded him.

She had just grabbed his arm when he had turned to go run and catch Temari. He had hoped that he might be able to catch her by then, but the chances were slim. The words Tenten had spoken were attacking his mind.

_If only you had went to get her sooner. If you had just came after her. Then you wouldn't be at risk of losing her forever,_ his own thoughts continued to attack. He felt angry with himself, now more than ever.

Tenten holding him back wasn't helping either. The attempt to restrain him was only making matters worse. He had to catch her. He had to go after her.

Nothing the Hyuga Bride could say to him would make him feel any better about it, it wouldn't change his mind either. He knew what he had to do and what he wanted to do. And he was going to do it.

Shikamaru released his grip of his wrist from Tenten before he sped away, only to hear Tenten calling after him. She could attempt to chase him if she wanted to, but that wouldn't do her any good. He had his mind set to a goal.

He was going to go to Tsunade and request a visit to Sunagakure. He had to get to her, he had to talk to her, he was going to beg for his forgiveness. He had to, he felt the swelling in his chest saying that if he didn't do it now, he would never have another opportunity.

Running down the streets of Konoha, he sped through, dodging people, children, and carts of people selling different items. He was trying to take a shortcut to Tsunade's office, but as a result he was putting himself at risk of hitting someone or something. That didn't matter at that moment though.

Dodging a cart an elderly woman had been pushing, he exhaled, glad he had avoided injuring her. The woman looked as though she was about to have a heart attack and froze in mid walk when she saw him running at the speed he was going.

His lack of colliding with something wasn't lasting though. There was a horse pulling a carriage full of children that was going at a moderate pace. The speed Shikamaru was going wasn't going to end very well. He dove downward and tried to slide under and between the horse's legs to avoid injury, but it wasn't a fool proof plan.

Startling the horse, one of the back hooves slammed into Shikamaru's side when he had tried to slide under. Citizens yelled and screamed at the event, more concerned about the children then his injury. Several women walked by him scolding him, only making him feel worse.

He pulled up his shirt to check out the status of his side and saw a rather large purplish bruise starting to form. Swearing to himself, he pulled his shirt down and brushed it off. He twisted his body both ways and felt a stinging pain. He couldn't help but be angry.

_ What am I gonna do now...?_

"Shikamaru?" he turned at the sound of his name, his eyes widening at what he saw. It was Kurenai, squinting at him, as if she wasn't sure if it had been her lover's student or not.

He felt his heart swell to see the woman, but at the same time he felt slight guilt and disappointment within him for a separate situation. He made a promise to Asuma to watch over her and the child. This whole past month, he hadn't even gone to visit her to check on her.

Avoiding the woman's eyes, he greeted her back. She approached him at a leisurely pace. Shikamaru clenched his fists, mentally yelling at himself for his lack of upholding what he had promised. His sensei expected more from him, that was why he was the only one who was suited for the job.

He couldn't let him down now.

Making a mental promise to take care of Kurenai, who's health and concern was more important at the moment, he would find a way to get to Temari afterwards. He had to tend to what was pivotal at the time.

She was dressed in a rather long sun dress. It was a dull gray color, but he could see a small baby bump, one that wasn't too noticable. He was only drawn to it because he knew the undeniable truth of what was growing inside of her.

Her eyes were warm and she had a smile upon her lips, one that looked a bit painful. It had only been a mere month since Asuma's death. He remembered when he had told Kurenai he was going to protect and train the child himself. That day he spoke those words seemed to comfort her, especially when he revealed that Asuma had told him to do so.

He wanted to make her pregnancy an easy one, but she had been depressed for a while. She wasn't facing any struggle or stress due to her constant sadness, but he could tell just as well as she could that this was going to be a long thirty six weeks for them both.

"What are you running around here like a madman for?" she asked, her voice filled with worry. He felt shameful for actually trying to run through Konoha at that speed and not expect to come to an abrupt stop, nonetheless get hurt.

"I'm sorry, Kurenai-Sensei," he replied, bowing his head. Her eyes ventured downward to where his hand was covering his side where he had been injured. She had seen the horse's hoof make contact with the boy and she was concerned about whether he was internally bleeding or not.

"Come with me," she sighed as she gestured for him to follow her back to his apartment. Shikamaru was upset with himself once again for stressing and worrying this woman. She had enough issues, he didn't need to add onto it all.

Not living too far away from the commotion Shikamaru had created, they went down a different street and came to a neighborhood on the in the direction of the Konoha Entrance Gate. He couldn't help but look, hoping he'd be able to see Temari there, standing, waiting for him.

Sadly, there was no one there. Just the usual patrol nin who watched who came in and out of the village. Kurenai saw his distraction and asked what he had been looking for. He merely dismissed her assumption and followed her into the gate of the series of homes.

He remembered the day he left with the InoShikaCho squad in addition to Izumo and Kotetsu. The apartment he was going to was the same one he visited to break the news to the woman. It was the same apartment that Asuma turned to look back to one more time.

Shikamaru breathed in and exhaled. He didn't need to stress himself out and get upset. Looking back and those previous feelings from when he first lost Asuma would not help him feel any better and it didn't need to be brought up to Kurenai.

After they walked up the steps and walked to her door, she reached into her pocket to get her house keys. He looked on the railing and saw several dead potted flowers. He remembered they had once been a vibrant red color.

Suddenly the Shadow Possessor was brought back to a day when he had been with Asuma and Choji and his Sensei insisted on stopping by Ino's family flower shop to get those same flowers that had been lively a few weeks before.

He felt stupid. He had been a genius, yes, but this was beyond what he had ever expected. Why hadn't he been one of the few to figure out what had been going on between the two adults? Not that it was any of his business, but it was something he had never expected.

Then the child...

Kurenai invited him in before closing and locking the door behind her. She encouraged him to take a seat while she would return briefly.

Sitting alone in the quiet, Shikamaru couldn't help but notice that her house was rather small and crowded, even for a woman who lived alone. It didn't make much sense to him, he knew Kurenai got paid more than enough due to her profession. Why did she bother to settle for something as small as this?

Would there be room for the little one?

"Here I am," she exclaimed as she re-entered the living room, carrying a first aid kit. Shikamaru turned back to her as she gestured him to move closer to her on the couch so she could tend to his wounds. Shikamaru tried to deny her.

"N-no, it's fine, really, Kurenai-Sensei. It was my fault, I shouldn't have tried to do that," he admitted before she cut her eyes at him. He sighed as he gave in and sat a tad closer to the woman. There was silence besides an occasional grunt from her to tell him what to do.

Removing his shirt, he looked back down to the bruise. It seemed to have grown worse in a matter of the ten minutes that had passed since the incident occured. Kurenai refused to be gentle with it as she reached into her bag and pulled out a jar filled with a thick, jelly like substance inside. Adding a large amount to her hand, she began to press rather hard and massage it into the painful area.

"Ow! Hey!" Shikamaru couldn't help but yell. He gritted his teeth together as he looked away, hoping not to show too much pain in an expression. The woman didn't seem to pay him any mind.

"You may have deserved it for your idiocy, but that doesn't mean it should go left untreated," she responded, answering his previous statement. He flinched when she applied pressure to the bruise once again before he looked away.

_ This is so bothersome..._

He started to feel warmth against his side, the pain starting to slowly ease up and subside. He looked down and saw Kurenai's hand glowing that bright green color that was usually related to medical ninjas or healing.

Shikamaru grabbed her hand and pushed it away, a little upset that Kurenai had dared to do such.

Every ninja knew that using any form of chakra when a woman was pregnant could have an effect on her or the child. It was a health risk that was often emphasized a lot to female ninjas when they got the age when marriage was going to be an option.

He felt angry that she would even dare to put her child at risk while he was suffering from a minor bruise that would go away in a matter of days. Kurenai saw the look in his eyes and then understood the misunderstanding.

"I know what you're thinking, but it's fine," she responded before placing her hand back over the side of his abdomen. Her hand began to glow again. Before Shikamaru could object, she held up her hand. "It's an old trick that Tsunade taught me. It doesn't use that much chakra, so it's not putting anyone at risk."

"Are you sure-?"

"Postive," she cut off, smiling at his concern. He looked away until she stopped nursing his wound before she went to find some bandaging in the bag to cover it up with until it healed. "You don't have to change it since it's not an open wound, but binding it up with lessen the circulation and-"

"Is your home going to be big enough? You know... For you and the King?" he asked, referring to the small fetus as the 'king'. Kurenai paused, surprised that Shikamaru changed the subject so quickly, and to the child, no less. She smiled at the reference of 'king', realizing it must have been an inside statement between her lover and his student.

"I refuse to call it a 'King', it may be a girl," Kurenai teased with a smirk on her lips. Shikamaru rolled his eyes as she pulled the tape out and started to wrap it around his body. _God forbid it be a girl. Last thing I need is training a female student..._

"But, we will manage. I'll share a room with the baby until I can find a place better suited for-"

"But you know you can afford to be at least in a two bedroom home," Shikamaru countered. Kurenai smiled meekly. Everyone knew that being a Shinobi paid well when you got enough good missions. And Kurenai wasn't a big spend, so she had plenty in her savings. She even got all of Asuma's money left to her. Nonetheless, she wasn't ready to leave her home.

"Yes, I can. But right now, a move would be rather inconvienent. I'm going to stay here, where I'm comfortable until I'm ready. I know I'm not that far along but I still have to admit that it's fairly easy for something to go wrong with me in my mind, emotionally," Kurenai explained.

Cutting the tape and tying it in a knot, she patted his side and sat back, rather happy about her medical skills considering that she had hardly any knowledge in the area. She sighe before turning to the man.

She smiled to herself the way she had thought 'man'. Most of the original Rookie Nine had grown into beautiful adults. The men had become exceptionally handsome and all the woman had grown into their beauty. She could remember as far back as when they were twelve, just learning how to perform their handsigns.

"So, what were you chasing after to get yourself nearly trampled by a horse?" Kurenai pryed with a smile upon her lips. Shikamaru's face seemed to have the exact opposite reaction when she asked in that question.

He started to wonder how many people should he tell his romantic issues about? How much in depth should he go? If he told Kurenai, would she express the disappointment his own father had shown? Or worse...

Would she dare use the phrase, "What would Asuma think?"

Asuma would be far more disappointed than his father had been or even Tenten had been. Asuma had tried to teach him lessons about how to treat a woman. He hadn't ignored his sensei, he just didn't taken it into consideration. He had disrespected Ino and Temari in a number of ways and Asuma probably wouldn't have even bothered to lecture him. He would have let him just think about what he had done.

That would have been enough.

He leaned back, giving Kurenai a pained smirk.

"The woman I want."

* * *

"How is Ino feeling, Yamanaka?" Shikaku dared to ask his best friend. He shrugged, looking like he was slightly distracted. They had been waiting on Choza for quite some time now at the village gates, but the third member had yet to be seen.

Shikaku wasn't usually the one to initiate small talk, Inoichi was the chatterbox. It seemed as though they had switched roles today. The head of Nara clan couldn't help but continue to think about what his son had told him only a half hour ago. His concern for the man's daughter was only because he knew the girl had to be hurting.

"Didn't she move out?" Shikaku pryed on about the young woman. Inoichi slowly, but surely started to catch onto the subject about his only child.

"Yes, she did, quite a while ago. What's with the sudden interest in her? What's that son of yours said now?" Inoichi said with a grin, hoping to hear some kind of good news between their two children. Shikaku sweat dropped at the sudden enthusiasm.

"No, no. He didn't say anything. I was just asking if you had talked to her recently," he stated, leaving the subject at that. He had then decided he would try to get something out of him later on.

"Choza's son seemed to have been pretty interested in Ino, too," he explained with a grin. "It's a shame that your son beat him to it. If only she had been a boy, there wouldn't be such a risk of the Clans intertwining."

Shikaku had no choice but to agree with that, he had a strong belief in such as well. The InoShikaCho was one of the best Trios in all of Konoha. Most of the time when they had children they either got all girls or all boys. Of course it was a shocker to most when they found out the next generation was going to be two boys and one girl.

Most people questioned whether not they should have let Inoichi try again for another child and have the next one, if a son, continue on with Shikamaru and Choji. However, that was a questionable statement. Ino's mother fought and defended her daughter's right to be a kunoichi.

Inoichi was proud of his daughter's accomplishments and all, but there was always the famous love triangle that came with every 3 man squad with one girl and two boys. Intertwining the clans would narrow down the trio of the squad to a duet, something that they had always hoped to avoid.

The whole situtation was a touchy subject. It was never a guarantee that romance would interfere, but the three needed to be kept separate. With Inoichi thinking that Shikamaru and Ino were dating, he was already wondering how serious their relationship was. Shikaku must've been the only one who knew about the current separation.

"Man, what is taking Choza so long? We have to leave at the minimum time of nine, not right on it," Inoichi complained, folding his arms across his chest. Shikaku chuckled.

"He must've stopped for some takeout barbeque for the trip there," he teased, a grin on his face. Inoichi didn't laugh, he found Choza's love for food rather bothersome at times.

"He needs to hurry. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can do our jobs and get back home," he said sourly. Shikaku waved off Inoichi's whining manner. It was a common thing, almost routine whenever they were paired together. It brought back memories of when they were younger.

"Oi! Daddy!" Both men turned and looked in surprise and saw Ino running towards them with a large back in her hand. Shikaku saw the radiance in the girl's smile and face at the sight of her father. He found it rather hard to believe that she was heartbroken.

Then again, Shikamaru never said she had been.

Inoichi stretched his arms out wide and captured him in an embrace, picking her up and swinging her around. Shikaku shook his head with a smile upon his lips. _And the fool dares to say he wished for a boy..._

"Ino, what are you doing here?" he asked with a grin on his face. She swung the bag up in her hand.

"Mom told me you forgot your lunch for the trip there! I stopped in to visit her this morning and she sent me off to get this to you as soon as I could!" she explained before tossing Inoichi the bag. He caught it and smiled warmly. "I didn't even know you had a mission! Way to warn me!"

"I didn't think I'd see you any time soon, so I didn't bother telling you," he countered before taking his pack off and opening the back to place his food in. Shikaku could tell by their body language and conversation they hadn't seen each other for a while and they didn't see each other that often. Ino's smile and laugh reminded him of her mother. She was a full grown woman.

Shikaku shuddered. Whenever he saw his son, he never had the reality check he was getting when he saw Ino. He saw the same son he had been around since he was small. That was the only difference he could naturally see. Shikamaru didn't come up to his knee anymore.

He saw his age in the mirror, the occasional gray strand or streak in his hair. Shikaku didn't mind it, but he was disappointed in the idea that his only son lacked a change that deemed him a man. He needed to kick him out or something.

Ino waved goodbye to Shikaku and gave her father another hug and this time kissed him on the cheek before she skipped off. Shikaku folded his arms across his chest and gave Inoichi a look of amusement. He didn't seem to understand what was so funny.

"What?"

"You always complained about having a daughter..." he trailed off before Inoichi rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"You work with what you got," he said in a nonchalant manner as if what he had done with his daughter was an everyday thing. For all Shikaku knew, it could have been.

"She's beautiful, you know that right?" Shikaku complimented. Inoichi saw the seriousness in his friend's eyes and sighed before nodding.

"She is. Looks just like her mother, she does," he muttered before zipping up his bag. "She grew up faster than I thought she would. And then when she moved out, I saw her less and less. The longer she stayed gone and the less she came by, the more I saw her change. It's scary."

"I bet. I can't even get rid of Shikamaru," Shikaku reminded his teammate before Inoichi bursted out laughing.

"He's got that passive spirit like you do, you can't complain. You lived with your father until you were twenty five," Inoichi reminded. Shikaku rolled his eyes. Shikamaru was only twenty two. How much more could he take? He regretted staying home so long, it was coming back on him now.

"Yeah, I'll have to get rid of him soon enough though. Yoshino can't stand the idea of him leaving, considering he was an only child and how we weren't willing to try again at the time," Shikaku explained. Inoichi rolled his eyes.

"You just didn't want to have another kid to raise," he mumbled under his breath before pulling the pack onto his back. There was still no sight of Choza and Inoichi's patience only seemed to grow thinner and thinner. Shikaku had plenty and wasn't willing to rant and get upset over something so bothersome.

After a while, Shikaku looked down the road and saw Ino talking to someone. He was squinting, they were pretty far away. He couldn't see much of anything from where he was. Nudging Inoichi, he gestured down the trail where the saw the two people part, Ino going in one direction, the other person coming in the opposite.

"Who's that?" Shikaku asked as his companion shrugged. The silhouette started to form the closer it got to them. Shikaku recognized her, at least he had seen her before.

It was the Suna Kunoichi who traveled in between the two Villages to be a messager for business between the Kages. Inoichi made her out and saw that Shikaku had as well before he shrugged. Shikaku wasn't going to admit there was something about this girl that made him wonder.

The two girls went their separate ways, Ino going back towards the town and the Suna Kunoichi heading towards the gate to leave Konohagakure. The closer she approached the two men, the more of her features they started to make out.

The woman looked a little worn down, her eyes looked rather tired. She had bags under her eyes as if she hadn't slept in days along with a sickly, pale look her skin had as if she hadn't been eating like she was supposed to.

She took out her phone before she had crossed their paths and seemed have been powering it down. There weren't any land lines between the two estates so there wasn't much point to keeping a cellular device on the whole trip. Just as she started to walk by the two Shinobi, she attempted to put the phone in her pocket, only to miss it completely and fall to the ground.

The back piece came apart and the battery fell out from the main console of the device. Temari swore under her breath, hoping the two men standing on the sideline hadn't heard her. Oh, but they had. She turned and attempted to get the pieces of her phone.

Shikaku beat her to it. Being the gentleman he was, he hurried to her aid to get her cell phone up and dusted off the dirt that was on it. Temari hadn't even made an attempt to look the man who had helped her in the face. He saw her mind was preoccupied on other things.

Looking for the back to hold the battery to her phone, Shikaku held it up, a grin upon his face. Temari took it with a smile, but the moment she saw his face, she looked as if she had seen a ghost. Her entire face looked as if the little amount of blood that had been in it drained.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She seemed to have a delayed reaction before she took the part of her phone and stuffed it into her pocket, securely this time. She nodded, suddenly avoiding his eyes. Inoichi laughed before he slapped his knee.

"You can really wow them, eh Shikaku? Even the young ones. That gentleman's charm of yours," he teased with a wink. Temari seemed to have stiffened when Shikaku's name left the Mental Manipulator's mouth. He noticed.

"Stop, Inoichi," he muttered before Temari then turned and looked up at Ino's father, almost like she had been inquiring something. Putting something together. "Are you alright, young lady?"

She nodded at his repeated question before Choza appeared behind them all, exclaiming about his successful barbeque hunt. Temari suddenly caught onto the older InoShikaCho Trio. That's how they all had been connected...

She smiled at Shikamaru's father. She knew who he was the moment she saw that thick woolly ponytail and those narrow hawklike eyes. The only thing that she found different was the goatee that framed his chin. It was a different look than she expected. Temari tried to imagine Shikamaru the same way.

She giggled and covered her mouth to hide her amusement. Oh, but Shikaku saw.

"What's so funny?" he pryed as she shook her head, covering her mouth in a rather childish manner. Before he could open his mouth and speak, Choza pointed the girl out and screamed her named at the top of his lungs.

Everyone drew back at the high amount of volume. Temari blinked, not understanding how that man knew her name or who he was.

"Y-yes?" she asked slowly. Shikaku and Inoichi both turned and looked at Choza, confused at how he recognized the sandy blonde and yelled at her, treating her like she was someone he knew personally.

"How do you know this young lady?" Inoichi pryed. He smirked, assuming that the female had something to do with Choji and a romantic interest.

"She came by Choji's birthday barbeque with Shikamaru!" he recited as Temari slowly started to realize what the man was talking about. She felt stupid that she hadn't recognized him before, but he had been dressed in more casual attire last time she had seen him.

Shikaku's eyes darted to the girl when the smile spread across her lips. She met Choza? She arrived at the birthday barbeque with Shikamaru? Slowly the gears began to turn in his head and his eyes widened.

It had to be her.

"Oh, Mr. Akimichi Choza!" she exclaimed before the large man grabbed the young female and pulled her into a bone crushing hug, lifting her off the ground and shaking her frantically. She couldn't inhale due to the amount of pressure surrounding her body, but she knew she would laugh when she was released.

The man was so hearty, warm, and full of wisdom. He spoke as in a sense he had lived in a previous life. Add humor to that and she found herself naturally drawn to the man. She had to admit, she envied Choji to have such an amazing man for a father, someone who had such love for their child.

He had hugged her like she had been his long lost daughter.

"You were there..." Shikaku started slowly as the girl's feet finally met the ground. She coughed a little bit, covering her mouth with one hand on her chest. She turned when the Head of the Nara Clan began to speak. Her eyes started to widen. "With Shikam-"

"Well, where are you heading?" Inoichi interrupted, not paying the team leader any mind. Temari, glad to be distracted from Shikaku's incomplete statement, turned and smiled.

"Oh, I'm heading back home to my village, Sunagakure. I haven't been home in months and I need to continue my duties there," she explained as Choza gasped as if he was extremely excited.

"We're heading that way! We're going to Tanigakure. Why don't you just travel with us? We're all heading the same direction. We'll leave go our separate ways when we reach our stop," Choza said enthusiastically. Temari bit her lip, uncertain of whether or not to take up their offer.

"I don't know..."

Shikamaru's father was making her uncomfortable. She kept getting this feeling that he knew what happened and that he knew it was her that everything had gone on with. The idea of Shikaku questioning her terrified her more than she could have ever imagined.

Yes, she had heard the boy say his mother compared him to be the reincarnation of his father. But at the same time, this man gave her a fearful feeling. She couldn't smack him around and say crude things to him like she could his son. They looked too much alike and it wasn't something Temari could handle at the moment.

Inoichi pressed onto the idea that Choza had offered forward.

"Ne, you may be a strong Kunoichi, but it wouldn't hurt you to have a bit of protection at least part of your journey," he offered up as Temari completely denied after considering the possibility of herself being alone with Shikaku.

"It's fine, I appreciate it, but no thank you," she denied with a smile. "I'm a big girl. Thanks for the concern though." The men looked a bit disappointed at her refusal of their offer, but she waved at them all, especially Choza.

"Goodbye, Mr. Choza!" she said before she turned around and headed towards the exit.

"She's a sweet girl," Inoichi stated shortly before folding his arms across hist chest. Choza let out a rather loud laugh, confusing the two.

"Shikamaru describes her as 'one of the most troublesome women he's ever encountered'. The way they bicker reminds me a bit of Shikaku and Yoshino," Choza said with a grin, peering back at his friend's face to see the expression. He looked a bit content.

So she was the one that was heartbroken over his son, the one who he was heartbroken over as well. She looked like she hadn't had much sleep due to the bags under her eyes, but the way she lit up when she was talking to Choza, he could see a light shine within her. It was probably the light that made his son melt.

She was independent, strong, and opinionated, he could tell by the way she carried herself. The way she spoke showed how much she knew how to respect her elders and upper level nin. The "Troublesome Woman" that Shikamaru described her as may have been her natural personality, but he knew at some point, it the way he felt about her would change.

"You men ready?" Shikaku asked, preparing to leave. Inoichi nodded, as ready as ever before Choza shook her head in disagreement. Inoichi let out a loud groan.

"What is it now?"

"I need to go to the bathroom! That barbeque I ate for breakfast on the way he has already gone straight through me!" he explained dropping his bags of all kinds off at the two men's feet. He quickly ran to the nearest bathroom. Inoichi slapped his forehead before Shikaku sighed.

"Well, we won't be leaving on time, now, will we?"


	16. Chapter 15: Crisis

**Hi everyone! I'm surprised I could get to this point and update so sooon :D I have to admit, looking back, this chapter is not as long as Space. I wasn't aware, and this chapter is a cliff hanger and rather blunt... I'm sorry :( But I must say, I hope you guys enjoy this because now I have a job and my free time is even less than it was before... Tragic.**

**Just when I was getting my school work under control, I get a job. Figures right? I can't complain though. My computer isn't even being treated as fairly as it should be. Other people using it, eating up memory, i think I may have a few viruses because they're ignorant to HOW to use the damn thing... Anyway...**

**I hope you guys will read and review ( you know how I feel about reviews). This is chapter 15. Wow. Look at where we are in this story. We haven't even reached the climax! It's no where near done. I hope you guys are ready to stick around. This may take a while. This whole story. How long has it been out? I hope you guys are willing to stick around. **

**Anyway, read, enjoy, review. Sorry for the shortness, but tell me what you think. I'll update as soon as I can. Love you guys! PM me or message me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can! 3**

* * *

Crisis

Chapter 15

"I'm sorry," Tenten whispered softly, pulling her husband closer to her chest. She had assumed he was asleep, but Neji hadn't yet dozed. He peered up over her bosom and gave her a rather questioning look before she realized he was awake.

"I thought you had gone to bed," she muttered to herself, embarrassed that he had heard her apology. Her hand rose to gently stroke and comb through his hair before outlining his cheek with her finger.

It stopped at the Curse Seal imprinted on his forehead. She slowly outlined it, every individual mark before he grabbed her hand, removing it. She sighed and planted a kiss on it. She always considered the terrible thing to be somewhat beautiful. She had admitted that to him, but she knew how he felt about it.

"I didn't mean to bother you-"

"What are you apologizing for?" he asked her before pulling himself closer to her. He looked over her shoulder to see the clock. It was late evening, eleven pm. They had made love only an hour earlier, but they usually went to bed afterwards. This night was different.

Temari had left two days ago. Tenten came home and made love to her husband like she never had before. She hardly left his side since that morning unless it was required. He enjoyed the attention, but he knew that the behavior in itself was strange, even for her.

At first, Neji had assumed she was pregnant or just overemotional because of her friend leaving her. Or maybe even just the simple fact that she was lonely, or had been thinking too hard about the romance between Shikamaru and Temari that she refused to tell him about. But she denied it all.

The apology had re-introduced the idea that something was bothering her or making her the way she was. And Neji wasn't going to drop the discussion until she told him the truth this time.

She sighed and avoided his eyes, giving the obvious signal that she didn't want to talk about it; but that answer wasn't on the list of the ones she could chose.

"Ten," he pressed, her eyes finally connecting with his. His were speaking to hers, saying that she knew she could tell him anything. Finally deciding she should tell him, she looked at him before taking another deep breath.

"I'm sorry for... The way I had been neglecting you before. With Temari being all moody and even before that with trying to help her and Shikamaru," she said slowly. His eyebrow arched upward at her statement.

"... Why-?"

"I know how your family is, and they believe I'm dishonoring you. Hinata told me so, and all of them just seem to bashing us because of my devotion to my friends. I just don't want you to think that I'm choosing them over you, because... I'm not," she explained before kissing the top of his head.

Neji closed his eyes and released himself from her hold, Tenten's response being a confused one. The Hyuga loved being in her embrace like a child, it was a rather calming one. He rarely decided to remove himself from that position.

He sat up, the blanket falling from his bare chest before he gestured for her to sit up too. She pinned the blanket under her arms to hold it gingerly over her own bare body. He took her left hand in his and kissed it.

"I want you to understand something," he began. "This ring," he directed his gaze to the one on her finger, "Means that you are mine. This ring," he gestured to the one on his own hand, "Means that I am yours. No one comes above you, Tenten, just like I know that no one comes above me. My family is a prestigious, ancient, artifact that still believes that when a woman marries, she should only devote her time to the clan, her family, from whence she came."

"But-"

Neji held up a hand to stop her before she could object. She pouted and bit her lip, withholding what she was going to say.

"You aren't a Hyuga, and that bothers a lot of people. We barely got approval of our marriage. They want to find things that appear wrong with us. You don't have any living relatives anymore, so they feel that your duty is to me, and only to me. However, Shikamaru and Temari are your family. Your duty is to them as well. They may not be blood, but the bond that you have with them is a completely different bond you have with me. And it's not only Shikamaru and Temari. There's also Lee, Hinata, Naruto, Sakura, and all of your other friends. You have plenty more, and sometimes, they behave as a family a lot better than mine," he said calmly.

Tenten felt a smile creep onto her lips, feeling as though she was at ease once more now that she had heard her husband's response to her apology. She appreciated that he understood what the rest of his family didn't.

"So you haven't been feeling neglected?" she asked with her excitement level rather high. His expressionless, emotionless face didn't twitch or move.

"I didn't say that," he replied flatly, Tenten's face draining of all its color.

"Neji, be honest! Did it feel as though I was ignoring you?" she demanded. He closed his eyes and sighed before laying back down, as if ignoring her question altogether. She groaned and lay back down with him, poking at him, trying to get the answer out of him somehow, someway.

The moment she laid down, he raised his head and lay on her chest, back to his rightful place where he slept the best, where he felt the most comfortable. She rolled her eyes and smiled before starting to stroke his head, waiting for her icy prince to fall asleep.

She questioned whether or not she should bring it up or not to her husband, or wait until the next morning. Biting her lip, Neji felt her body tense even though he was resting his eyes.

"What is it now, Tenten?" he asked in a slightly exasperated tone, muffled by his face being in a downward position. She shot him a brief glare for figuring out that she was thinking again. His deductive skills were always impeccable.

"I was just wondering... If you would like to go with me to the doctor tomorrow?" she asked slowly. Neji, his eyes still resting, didn't move or make any reaction to her request. He was slowly processing his plans for tomorrow, trying to see if there was anything that he needed to get done or would get in the way.

"What time is your appointment?" he asked, before a small light went off in his head. Neji's eyes snapped open and he looked up at Tenten, the look he was giving her way asking if what she was implying was true.

Her eyes were giving off a bright shine, her smile almost glowing. She was biting her lip, but her entire expression gave off a ray of hope. She nodded briefly before Neji's face finally broke from it's lack of emotion and a smile formed slowly, but surely.

"Are you-?"

"There's a strong possibility, yes. And if I am, then it'll be the only one we can have, but... It'll be more than enough, I just know it!" she exclaimed excitedly before Neji let out a chuckle and leaned towards his wife and placing a kiss on her forehead. Her hands framed around his face before she pulled him into a kiss.

When they broke apart, they could only smile and laugh at each other, Tenten's eyes watering at the thought of finally being a mother.

"Now you understand what this means, right? No missions, at all. No stress. I want you to be active, but not too strenuous. The less problems, the less likely it'll affect you and your body, and possibly the baby," Neji began before Tenten let out a laugh that was unexpected. He gave her a look, questioning what made what he was saying so funny.

"What?"

"You're already getting excited yourself, I can hear it in your voice even though you're lecturing me," she said, a smirk at the corner of her lips. He sighed before he leaned back over his wife, nuzzling her neck and leaving small kisses.

Her body relaxed as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his lips on her skin. When he stopped, she opened her eyes and looked at him, wondering why he had paused.

"Is something wrong?" Tenten asked slowly, the look on Neji's face somewhat embarrassed and confused, almost as if he had been thinking. He was avoiding her eyes, and his cheeks were slightly flushed, so the Weapons Mistress had to know what was on his mind.

"... Sex is okay, right? For the baby?" he asked slowly, in a low tone. Tenten's first instinct was to laugh, but Neji wouldn't have taken that lightly. She bit her lip to suppress it and even attempted to cover her mouth.

"We had sex plenty of times when I had been pregnant before," she stated obviously, withholding a smirk. He rolled his eyes.

"I know, but, I just want to make sure it's safe. You know, we don't do things like we used to," he implied as she grinned.

"I am well aware, but-" He placed his finger to her lips to silence her.

"I'm just being extra cautious. The last thing you need is a miscarriage," he whispered, his tone being serious. Her eyes softened as she smiled and gingerly ran her hand through his hair.

"I know. And I appreciate. So, just to be safe, we can, you know, be gentle with one another," she said with a kiss. Neji's lips pulled back into a smirk before he started to make a trail of kisses down her chest. She sighed, her fingers enveloping themselves into strands of his hair.

Everything right then and there was perfect. Everything was...

Tenten and Neji both froze when the phone rang. The both tensed and then relaxed, a little frustrated that the device had dared to vibrate against the wooden nightstand. Neji's phone wasn't the one ringing, it was Tenten's. He reached over for her since his arms were free and checked the screen.

At first thought, it was so late, who would be calling Tenten besides Temari? But to make sure, he had glanced at the caller ID. It was actually a call from the Hokage Mansion. His face suddenly grimaced and handed the phone to his wife. She looked as well, only to be slightly concerned.

Answering the phone, she greeted whoever was on the other end. With a nod or two, Tenten entire face drastically changed and all the color left it. She slapped her hand over her mouth to hold in a gasp, her eyes watering.

Neji moved so she could sit up, pulling herself up, she replied a simple, "Okay" that cracked due to the tears in her throat and said she'd be there as soon as possible.

"Ten, are you alrig-"

"We have to go to the Hokage Mansion now, I have a mission," Tenten stated in a robotic tone. She moved to get up and hurried to her dresser, Neji watching her stringent movements.

"Tenten, what did we just talk about?" he stated calmly before getting up from bed, following her to where she was. The woman didn't respond. She proceeded to put her underwear on, Neji's hands falling upon her shoulders. "Tenten."

"That is not important right now, Neji," she simply replied before Neji giving her a look of disbelief. Not important right now? That their unborn child, the only one that they may be able to have, was not important right then?

"What did you just say?" he whispered as she searched in her drawer and started to bind her chest down. She didn't respond to that either. Neji's blood started to boil before he grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. "What is wrong with..."

He had begun to yell at her, but stopped when he saw the pain, the rage, the fear in her very eyes. Her tears were overflowing down her cheeks and she began shudder and grabbed Neji to hug him tightly as she sobbed into his chest.

Was it hormonal? No, it had to be more than that. He stroked her back, hoping it would ease her a little. She didn't mean what she had said when she said that their child didn't matter. She was just speaking to be speaking.

"Tenten, what is wrong?" he whispered in her ear. She shook once again and jerked when another sob released itself.

"Temari... Temari's been..."

* * *

What was Shikamaru to do? He had been without seeing Temari for two days, but the feeling was torture, more so than it had been before when he had gone longer. It was probably because he couldn't just go to her house down the street and talk to her. She was already on the road, probably towards the edge of the Forest of Wind.

She probably didn't even consider turning around. Why would she? After all he did to her...

With her being gone, Shikamaru spent most of his spare time with Kurenai, but he couldn't help but think about what he had done to the Sand Princess in the past. He was surprised he had gotten out of that with so little physical damage.

He deserved more.

At least that was what he believed. Temari was too good for him, he knew it now, and it was official. But he wanted her, and only her. He had to redeem himself somehow, so he could be with her, so he could make her happy.

Those joyous moments they spent together, the good ones at least, were the brightest he had had ever seen her. Her smile was always infectious, her radiance, her beauty, everything about her was amazing and she only got that way around Shikamaru.

He could only conclude it was fate for them to be together. He wasn't one who had really believed in such growing up, but at some point, he did learn to accept and believe that some things were just meant to be.

And that was him and Temari.

He could sit down and take the passive way out, and wait for her to return or for him to have a mission in that direction, which wasn't likely anyway. Or he could go ask Tsunade to go for personal reasons or send him on the next mission out.

His father had already told him his passive ways were the quickest way to lose a battle, and in this case, that was true. Temari wouldn't wait forever, no woman would wait forever. She left, according to Tenten, because she needed to get back on track, she couldn't let it hold her down.

Would he be holding her down to go after her?

No, and yes. They'd establish a long distance relationship unless someone decided to sign over to another village. That wasn't the greatest choice at the moment though. Not with the Akatsuki's plans and whatnot. And how would that go? They go a few months without seeing each other, what if it becomes extensive, like years?

Could either of them handle the commitment?

All these questions were floating around in Shikamaru's head. He didn't know how to feel. He was at home, in his own bed. The house was pretty quiet with his father gone; only because he was the main victim of his mother's nagging.

Yoshino had gone to bed, and she was often relatively quiet whenever her husband wasn't home. It was probably only due to the worrying and concern for his safety. Shikamaru was sure that she did the same whenever he wasn't home.

But the silence was eating at him, making him think more and more about what he had done. How much he hated himself wasn't dispersing. He had slowly started to forgive himself, but that didn't do much good because of his own disdain for toward his being.

Shikamaru sighed; he tried to imagine being with Temari, after all the stuff blew over. He imagined them being completely themselves with one another. He smirked at the idea of her threatening to break his neck on a daily basis in front of their two children.

Two? Maybe three? Or even four? The number going up seemed tempting. The idea of starting a family with Temari in itself was tempting. Most ninja wait until their in their late twenties or early thirties to start their families, but he felt anxious for some reason.

Now wasn't the time though. The countries were in a time of crisis, it would only get worse with time. A child in this day and time would be risky. Temari being the woman he wanted to have children with, her being a valuable Jonin to Sunagakure and Gaara's younger sister put her at risk. Her being pregnant and vulnerable would be the perfect way to influence Konoha and Suna. The child was one from either village.

Which of the two countries would they reside? Which would be safer?

Shikamaru started to groan at the thought. This was way too much to be thinking about at that moment. Children wasn't something that was an option right now for them no matter how much he wanted to begin right then.

He jumped when his phone began to vibrate. He looked over at his electronic clock and let out yet another groan. It was only about 10 pm. Who would be calling him at this time? He checked the phone and it said "Dad."

That was puzzling. His dad wasn't supposed to be able to make phone calls, not unless he was already in the landlines. That and why would his father call him? He normally called his mother whenever he was at his destination. Maybe her phone was off or she didn't answer it.

Answering the phone, he sighed.

"Yes dad?"

The phone seemed to have been full of static, he could barely make out what sounded like his father's voice. It was muffled and breaking up his words and sentences. Shikamaru was getting annoyed just by trying to have to figure out what had been going on or what he was trying to hear.

"... Nade... Mansion... Ally... Suna..."

He could barely make out words and finally the line went dead. Shikamaru shrugged and proceeded to daydream about Temari. The phone rang again, this time, Shikamaru very agitated from the constant interruption.

"Hello?" he answered gruffly.

"Shikamaru Nara, report to Hokage Mansion. You have an important mission," Shizune said in a commanding tone. Shikamaru blinked and looked at his phone to verify it was the Hokage's office that had called her.

"This late? What could possibly-?"

"Shikamaru you need to get here as soon as possible. You would find this very important and serious, and we need you to leave Konoha as soon as possible," Shizune said in a ragged tone, implying that she wasn't in the mood to discuss such on the phone.

"But-"

"Shikamaru! Trust me, okay? Get here as soon as you can," Shizune barked before hanging the phone up. He looked at it again a little confused.

"What the hell...?"

Deciding that now was not the time to question the urgency or authority of Lady Tsunade or Shizune, he sat up and stretched as much as he could out of his tight muscles. Rubbing the back of his head, Shikamaru's very feet shivered when they touched the wooden floor.

He hadn't undressed from earlier; all he had to do was put on his Chunin Vest and get going. The sooner, the better. Though Shikamaru was one who lacked motivation, the mission that he was being called for was one of great importance and he couldn't afford to delay anymore than he should.

He scribbled a brief note down onto a sheet of paper and stuck it into his mother's door so she'd be aware of where he would be when she woke the next morning. With that being said, he began to leave the house and run to the Hokage mansion. He couldn't help but wonder what was so serious to have Shizune in a panic...

* * *

"How much longer until we get to Tanigakure? We are a little behind," Inoichi asked before shooting a glare at Choza. He held up his hands in a sheepish protest before opting to put up a defensive argument.

"If I hadn't gone to the bathroom beforehand, we all would be paying for it right now, and you know it, Inoichi!" the Akimichi leader countered before folding his arms across his chest, his expression hinting he was a bit offended.

Shikaku rolled his eyes at his comrades, choosing not to get involved in the conversation. The two nin often fought like cats and dogs, he was used to it at this point in their squad. He was the best middle man to keep the two balanced, but at times it could be rather bothersome, like right then.

"We still have a few hours; we haven't even reached the end of the Forest of Wind. When we get there, there will be a better way to tell how much time we have," he explained calmly.

They had just collected all of their camp and started moving again. With them being older, they didn't stop as often, or whenever they did, it was never for too long. InoShikaCho was one of the older generations and knew how they did it and how it needed to be done.

The darkness of night was starting to creep over the trees. It was getting close to the later part of the night, almost two hours before the moon would hit the center of the sky. Moving at night proved to be one of the quicker ways to get to their destination. It often cut the day down to two and a half compared to the usual three.

Inoichi leaped off a branch that gave way due to the pressure of his weight. Almost stumbling, Chouza found it as another opportunity to laugh at his companion. Just as he was Shikaku silenced them both before signaling them to stop where they were.

Everything was silent. The urgency in the signal could have been considered as a warning of a possible threat. All three exchanged glances with one another before Chouza spoke, his voice barely a whisper.

"What is it, Shikaku?"

Inoichi caught on almost instantly, feeling the same sense of chakra that his comrade had just felt. Finally Chouza recognized it as well. There was someone nearby, but it felt strange.

The chakra was weak, almost as if it all had been drained from the person's body. But at the same time, it had a familiar glow to it, like it was something they all had felt and encountered before. The trio all sensed the dying down of the chakra. At that instant, Chouza dove down, heading to where the aura was coming from.

"Chouza, no!" Shikaku warned. He automatically remained cautious, considering that what they were dealing with could have easily been a mere trap. The Akimichi knew better though. He of all people was aware of what could have been at risk.

But he didn't care.

The chakra he was sensing was pulsing, getting weaker and weaker, almost as if it was dying. That familiar feeling wasn't just anything he could ignore. The moment he recognized it, he dove down towards it, frantic about its survival.

Inoichi, obviously frustrated with the irrational behavior that Chouza was displaying, quickly went after him, closely followed by Shikaku, who had suddenly taken bait or a trap out of the possible equation of what was going on.

The closer the squad grew closer, the more they understood. Inoichi recognized it soon enough and his entire expression and body language spelled out concern. Shikaku didn't become aware until they had finally made it down to the forest floor to see Chouza Akimichi running at an individual sprawled out on the ground.

Inoichi swung his bag off and quickly started to look inside for medical supplies when he laid eyes on the person who seemed to have been a woman. She was shaking frantically, her eyes dull and distant; a lack of control over her body was apparent for anyone who laid eyes on her.

Chouza knelt down and pulled her into his arms, caressing her, trying to console her and promise her that she was now safe and she'd be fine. She was incoherent, unable to speak from the cloth that had been shoved into her mouth and tied around the back of her head. Chouza's comforting words were shaken with his own fear of the loss of her life.

Shikaku approached closer, his eyes growing wide. Her body was covered in blood, especially her hands and her hair, which was matted down. Her body looked as if it had been covered in filth, like she hadn't bathed in addition to what seemed to have been dirt from the very soil.

A kunai was lodged in her side, her right hand clutching it as if to have a sense of security of the fact that she wasn't sure if she would live through what she was enduring right then. Her face was bruised in several places; her eyes were red from her tears that raced down her cheeks. Her clothes were completely ripped and shredded; she was over half naked with her breasts exposed.

Inoichi quickly try to calm her down; her breathing and heart rate was rapid. The blood that she had left in her body was only leaving her that much quicker because of it.

"Alright, I need you to be strong for me, alright? This is going to hurt very much, but it'll all be over soon okay?" Inoichi warned, his hand removing hers from the kunai that was stuck in her. She forced her eyes shut and seemed to cry harder than she ever had been when he snatched the weapon from her body. She wailed as hard as she could; the scream barely making it past her lips.

The medical nin started to heal the wound and bind it as easily as possible for him to ensure her survival for them to receive proper medical attention. Shikaku finally approached her closer after witnessing what seemed to be that woman fighting for her life.

Her eyes looked hazy and out of focus. She slowly started to sway in and out of consciousness. Shikaku kneeled down to her and reached behind her head, untying the knot from her and taking it out of her mouth. She coughed slightly, her chest heaving to breathe briefly in and out of her mouth. Her entire body relaxed, as Shikaku wiped the tear from under her eye.

"Chouza."

He looked up at his squad leader, his eyes teary over what had just occurred.

"Yes, Shikaku?"

"We are delaying our mission. Now it's our job to escort this young woman home," he said in a robotic manner. He looked over to Inoichi who seemed to look up just in time to get the message. All three agreed and nodded. Chouza looked down at the girl once more as Shikaku attempted to talk to her.

"Temari? Do you know who I am?" he whispered as she gazed at him barely for a moment before giving him an aloof smile.

"...Shikamaru."

**A/N: What do you think? Lemme know! R&R 3 -Ghetto Anime Princess**


	17. Chapter 16: Coping

**Sorry for the wait (Lil Wayne LOL), um yeah... School has been a pain in my ass... I'm still in high school, and AP classes are something that I recommend you start doing early so you can go ahead and get used to them. Do not wait until your senior year. Liiike, seriously? Then you'd be struggling like me, because I really don't care...**

**Anyway, I finally wrote it. I know it's kinda short, but that's because there's more to come soon (hopefully) and that was a terrible cliff hanger for me to leave yall. I haven't watched any anime or anything, barely have time to listen to music or even sleep. But don't worry, i'm trying, for you guys and my sanity! I dream about this stuff, i know how i want it to go! All i want to do is get it out! :( It's not that easy considering how much I have left. But don't worry, i haven't given up if you haven't. :) **

**In other news, I've started, Love Compromise, my InuYasha and Sango. That one's been bugging me too... If you guys want to go read that, I'll leave the link, but it's brand new! Don't forget that! So it's gonna take me a little bit of time to get in the groove of things again. :) Love you guys! Take out the spaces. **

**http : / / www . fanfiction . net / s / 7724229 / 1 / Love_Compromise**

* * *

Coping

Chapter 16

Neji clasped his wife's hand, hoping that in same form or fashion, it would keep her calm to some extent, but it wasn't working. Tenten was struggling to keep herself from hyperventilating. Shizune brief summary of the situation had done more than scared her.

The feeling of nostalgia from when she had received a phone call of her mother's hospitalization and critical condition. She wanted to feel some kind of assurance of her best friend's health, but deep down she couldn't put that in the forefront of her mind.

To lose Temari would be like losing a sister. She had already been an only child who had lost her mother. It took her far too long to get over the loss of Ai-san, who knew how long it would take for her to get over the loss of her best friend. Neji could foresee a dark hole that Tenten would fall into just as she had before.

Neji led the way; Tenten's eyes looked distant as she walked aimlessly behind her husband. They climbed the tall staircase that led to the Hokage's Mansion only to anticipate what would be waiting there.

Neji constantly looked back at his wife to see how she was doing, but her facial expression remained unchanging. Her mind had to be swirling with prayers and case scenarios that would only had to do with the wellbeing of her best friend.

He knew the stress wouldn't be helping her if she was really carrying their heir. He knew that her body wasn't going to be handling this the proper way just by her reactions. He didn't want to seem heartless and uncaring just because of his main concern being the child he always wanted, the child they always wanted, but this opportunity may never occur again.

It would be best not to express his feelings, not while Tenten was so fragile and concerned about Temari. He had to keep that to himself until her condition could be determined.

He could only hope that a mission wouldn't be the option. He couldn't afford Tenten being involved in anything strenuous as that. He didn't want to start a conflict with her if he felt the need to deny such.

They approached Tsunade's door, only to hear voices arguing and yelling. Tenten seemed to have broken out of her trance and became attentive to what was occurring. Almost like a light going off in her head, she stepped in front of Neji and burst into the room without even knocking. Neji sighed at his wife's impatience, only to realize what had been going on.

Shikamaru was there; he was the one doing all the yelling and arguing with Shizune. Tsunade remained silent, sitting back and meditating the situation. He had seemed to have just discovered Temari's situation and somehow a conflict had occurred about it.

He turned and saw Tenten, her breath catching in her throat at the look on his face. He looked a bit deranged, distraught, and even more delirious. He rushed over to her and grabbed her hand, clutching it as hard as he could. She knew how he was feeling, how lost he must have been felt.

"Ten... You've heard," he whispered barely as she nodded. Neji turned to go and close the door they had just entered. She nodded briefly and looked away. That look in his eyes was depressing her even more.

"Tell Tsunade and Shizune we have to go after who dared to do this to her-"

"You're being irrational, Shikamaru. We don't know anything about what happened. Team InoShikaCho found her in that state. There is nothing we can really use to track down who actually did those things to her," Shizune cut off, trying to be realistic.

"Isn't that what the freaking ANBU are for? Situations like these?" Shikamaru spat back in an agitated tone.

"That's what the Suna's ANBU must do. We can't get involved unless they request us to. She's from their village and if we dabble without permission, we can look fairly suspicious. Do you want to actually destroy that treaty over a misunderstanding?" she pointed out.

"What kind of bullshit is that? Temari is as important to Konoha as she is to Suna, why do we-"

"Shikamaru," Tsunade calmly breathed, cutting him off. He sighed and clenched his fists before turning to face her, bowing his head in respect at her turn to speak.

"Yes ma'am."

"I summoned you and the Hyugas here because I have a mission that has to do with this," she explained. Neji's entire body tensed, realizing that his worst case scenario was actually happening. "Your father is already in Suna and requested you and two others to travel there. There may be some investigative purposes, but there has been some question of Temari's condition and what happened. She is stable, last I've heard. Inoichi handled the situation the best he could, but still... They requested back up, and of course your father requested you."

He nodded before Neji held up his hand in protest. Tsunade's gaze redirected to him as she urged him to speak.

"I'm sorry to say this, but Tenten and I must decline this mission," he stated calmly. Tenten's head jolted up and instantly turned to her husband, her face showing that she hadn't expected him to say what he had said.

"What? Neji, why-?"

"Remember what we had a discussion about before the phone call, Ten?" he asked lowly, implying that he didn't want to argue with his wife then and there in front of the others. Tenten looked at him in disbelief.

"Neji, I am aware... But I need to be there for Temari, now more than ever," she stated in a tone that meant it wouldn't be argued. Neji's nostrils flared slightly before he looked away in hope not to expose his anger.

"Tenten, this isn't something that can be ignored and the chances of this happening again-"

"I know. If I lose Temari because I decline, how do you expect me to live with myself?" she asked. He rolled his eyes, something Tenten took as an insensitive way of handling the argument or her feelings.

"Her life doesn't depend on you being at her bedside," he stated coldly. Tenten's eyes started to water, slowly but surely as she bit her lip. Looking away from him and looking to Tsunade, she briefly nodded.

"I will be accompanying Shikamaru on this trip to Sunagakure," she stated, clearly defying her husband. Neji's pet peeve of being opposed was showing on his face, but it was something he quickly concealed.

"And you Neji?" Tsunade asked slowly. She knew this was a terrible conflicting situation. Whenever two nin were married, their acceptance and declining of a mission that they both were involved in was a joint decision. The fact that Tenten had ignored that blatant rule showed that this mission was more personal than anything.

"I will be accompanying both of them on this mission, Milady," he stated coldly before Tsunade wrote down their names on the mission's main file.

"Alright. I'm only sending this team of three, just to prevent drawing too much attention. Shikamaru, I'm making you-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he cut her off before waving his hand. Instead of getting upset, Tsunade nodded with a smile on her lips, knowing how Shikamaru couldn't help his nature.

"Alright. With all matters being discussed, I want everyone to be prepared to head out as soon as possible. The trip to Suna usually takes about three days, but if you guys are willing to move fast enough, you'll make it there sooner. You are dismissed," she ended as she closed the file.

Neji walked briskly passed Tenten out of the room, avoiding her completely. Her heart sank at his cold shoulder. Rushing past Shikamaru after her husband, she grabbed his arm and tried to stop him.

"Neji, I-"

"You defied me in front of Lady Tsunade when all I had in mind was your well being. You want to go on this mission, we're going. But since you degraded me as your husband, don't treat me as such," he seethed before yanking his arm away from her.

She bit her lip, tears springing from her eyes like a river. Neji was was always one to be extreme when it came down to punishments, but Tenten would have never guessed he would have done this to her. Shikamaru approached them both, grabbing Neji's shoulder.

"Neji, wait I-"

"Don't touch me, Shikamaru," he stated coldly as he removed his arm slowly. "You aren't aware of our current situation and this is far too personal for you to involve yourself."

"Are you talking about Tenten possibly being pregnant?" he began as Neji stopped in mid-walk. "She didn't tell me, it's just kind of obvious; at least to me it is. I just feel as though since she accepted to do this mission regardless, instead of this being a three day trip, we should make it four or five, just to be safe and careful."

"She doesn't care enough about her own wellbeing. Always worrying about other people and won't even take care of her damn self," he muttered before walking away. "I'll meet you all at the gate in an hour."

Neji walked away again, leaving Tenten to think about what he had said. She started to cry even harder as Shikamaru hugged her close to himself, hoping to comfort her. Her words were muffled by his vest. Shikamaru sighed before pulling his best friend away from him.

"You have to admit, Tenten. He's right. You spend all your time putting others before yourself. And being as selfless as you are can have consequences too," he pointed out. The Weapon's Mistress looked at the Shadow Manipulator in awe and disbelief before she let go of his shirt completely.

"There you go, taking Neji's side. As always," she seethed before stomping away. Shikamaru sighed before leaning against the wall, sliding down it until he was huddled against it.

"This is why I don't get involved in her affairs."

* * *

"How's she doing?" Kankuro breathed after the long silence between hiim and the Kazekage, his younger brother. There was a maid with long silky black hair and fiery red eyes sitting on the edge of Gaara's desk. She looked just as torn as they were, mildly frustrated as well.

Gaara's chair was facing away from them. He hadn't looked back or answered his brother nor made contact with the servant who was supposed to be assisting him. What he was feeling wasn't something he had experienced before...

He had encountered Kankuro's near death experiences, but this wasn't anything like it. This was Temari, his oldest sibling, his only sister. The idea that she was found in such a condition was more painful then he ever imagined.

Maybe it was because of the simple fact that he believed Temari was too strong to be taken down. And even if she was, it wouldn't be easy. Never had he heard about his sister being attacked and tortured like the Konoha Squad had found her.

Maybe it was because she was by herself. He had never really felt the need to worry about his sister travelling alone. Maybe that was was his mistake as a Leader of a Nation. Often times, Temari chose it to be that way so she could come and go as she pleased. That in itself was saying that even she felt no reason to worry about anyone bothering her.

She was a female. Men and women were created equal, but men usually are just killed. Temari was tortured and stripped and possibly other things...

Gaara's mind dared to wonder to the forbidden idea. He gripped the armrest that his hands rested on. The maid looked as concerned as ever. She bit her lip and stepped down from the desk before fixing her skirt.

"Gaara-sama... I shall go and get your bed ready for your slumber," she murmured lowly before bowing and turning around. She bowed in respect to Kankuro before she approached him. "Take care of him, Kuro. Make sure he's alright, for me."

"Don't worry about it, Yusa. You know I've got him," he whispered back briefly before she smiled a bright smile before exiting the room, dismissing herself. Kankuro turned back at the burgandy chair in which his brother was sitting in, refusing to face him. "Gaara, it's just you and me now. Let's talk about what happened."

"There is nothing to talk about," he said almost instantly in a raspy voice. Kankuro sighed before taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of his brother's desk.

"Of course there is-"

"She won't even talk. It's almost like she's a mute. All I know is that she won't let the leader of the squad who saved her leave her sight. Like he's some kind of comfort to her," he interrupted. Kankuro's curiosity only sparked then.

"You mean the Nara guy? Shikamaru's father?" he asked slowly. No response from Gaara before he sighed once again and sat back. "I wanted to know more about how she is physically..."

"She's stable now. She had been stabbed and tortured in a number of ways. Even though her clothes were torn from her body, there is no physical evidence of any sexual abuse unless she tells us about it," he said, his voice almost monotonous now.

The silence crept over them both once again, only leaving Kankuro to his thoughts. Part of him was relieved to know his sister hadn't been raped or violated; such as thing wasn't unheard of when kunoichis were captured. But he knew Gaara was taking this just as hard if not harder then he was. Family was something of great importance to them and with Temari being the oldest and the only girl, it was a shock that she of all people to be the one in such a situation.

He worried that his younger brother would try to blame himself for all that had gone on. That was the worst thing to do. It wasn't his fault. Temari had been travelling alone since she was sixteen and there had never been an issue before. Why would it suddenly be a problem now?

"The Konoha Squad is sending another set of ninja. They should be here in a few days if all goes as planned," Gaara whispered before Kankuro shot his head up.

"What? Why-?"

"Shikaku Nara said that his son may be able to help with the investigation if not to help with Temari's recovery. Apparently the squad that was requested will consist of Shikamaru Nara, Neji Hyuga, and Tenten Hyuga," he briefly explained.

Kankuro cringed at the married couple's mention. He started to feel turmoil in the pit of his stomach, but he quickly pushed it out of his mind to prevent mixing business with his personal feelings.

"Kankuro..."

His ears twitched at the mention of his name. His younger brother had never sounded so desperate.

"I've had brief moments in my life where I felt as if I could cry again. But this time, I feel as if my heart has been broken," he said in a low, sullen tone.

"It's okay, Gaara-"

"No... I swore that I would never feel these feelings of hate again after I let go of all that had occurred before we attacked Konoha. Now I feel as though I hate now more than I ever have before," he breathed.

"Don't let that side take over you like it once did," he eased, hoping to calm his brother down.

"No, it's not that simple. You haven't seen her yet. The fear in her eyes, the pain. I'm not sure how to react to seeing her hooked up to all the machines and all those nurses surrounding her," he said in an almost panicking tone. "The pain in my chest was something that hurt even more because it was her."

Kankuro was unsure of how to approach his brother. This was a very serious, a very sentimental moment, but Gaara was not one to take on and accept physical contact. As sad as it may be, For once, instead of Temari being the protector and the oldest, it was their jobs to protect her.

"She wouldn't even look at me," he breathed. Kankuro wanted to pull his brother into an embrace, but that was not going to fix how he felt. Pure rage was starting to overtake his agony just to numb how his heart felt.

"If anything, she feels ashamed and is worried about your disapproval for what happened-"

"That doesn't matter to me right now! All that matters is her health and wellbeing!" Gaara interrupted, his voice actually rising to the sound of a yell. Everything in the room was dead silent; Kankuro knew that there was no real way to talk to Gaara about their sister's condition. He had to handle his own emotions by himself.

"... I'll leave you to yourself, Gaara. You know where I am when you need me," he said lowly before bowing to dismiss himself. He walked out the room, the silence permanently taking over as he left the Kazekage main office, only to let Gaara sit and think.

Outside the door, the black hair, red eyed maid was standing there, a look of concern still painted all over her face. Kankuro blinked, not expecting to see her waiting for him.

"Is he alright?" she asked eagerly. His hand reached up and scratched the back of his head as he avoided her eyes. How could he put it to her without worrying her anymore than he should?

"... Well..."

She knew what that meant. She reached for the doorknob, about to enter the room before Kankuro grabbed her wrist.

"Yusa, no-"

"I have to be with him, now more than ever," she whispered. Kankuro's eyes widened; the look in her eyes were unreal, a look he himself always longed for. He let go of her as she entered the room, pulling the door behind her silently.

Standing alone in the hallway, the gears in his head started to turn as everything started to piece itself together. Looking briefly at the door one more time, he smiled for a moment before turning and walking away.

* * *

"How's she doing?" Chouza asked quietly.

Shikaku looked up at the sound of another voice in the room. It was already bleak and colorless; the florescent lights seemed to over-brighten the room. There wasn't even a window, making it hard for the Shadow Possessor to tell day from night for long periods of time.

Laying in the hospital bed was the Wind Mistress, sleeping restlessly. All of her monitors and IVs hooked up to her seemed like threads and strands attaching all over her body. She had just came out of surgery only a few hours earlier and she needed all the rest she could get.

Shikaku stayed by her side, holding her hand, never letting go. He could see that the look in her eyes was begging for him to never leave. Why his presence was so important, he just couldn't understand.

Every other moment, she would squeeze and grip his hand, just to make sure it was still there, that it wasn't a dream. That it wasn't someone playing with her mind. She had yet to calm down completely. Her heart rate still hadn't lowered to anything less than one hundred and ten bpm.

Shikaku hadn't slept. He didn't have it in him. He had to wait for Shikamaru to get here before he left this woman alone. The last thing her mind or her sanity needed was isolation. He had tried to leave her with Inoichi and it wasn't the same. She seemed on edge, panicky until he returned, and that was to go to the bathroom.

"She's sleeping, but she won't relax," he said hoarsely before clearing his throat.

The scars on her face were far from fading. She looked weak and exhausted compared to the day he had seen her at Konoha's gate. She looked pale and drained of life; sickly as if she was dying from an insufferable disease.

He could tell she had never encountered such a feeling as that. Fearing for her life when it was at risk; she had been trained and so strong that she had probably never felt threatened like that before. She was liable to need psychiatric help as well.

"Inoichi said that your son and his squad are half way here. It's taking them a longer time than it should to get here," Chouza added, trailing off.

"One of the kunoichi he is travelling with is potentially pregnant. They don't want to push her any harder than the must," he explained briefly, rubbing Temari's hand. Chouza's eyes widened.

"What? Then why did she even-?"

"Because of her..." he stated, before letting go of her hand and rubbing her forehead gently. The large man's eyes softened and realized that this young lady was of great importance to many people of Konoha. "Her husband isn't very happy either."

The Expanding Man could only chuckle.

"Can you blame him? What if our wives were actual Kunoichi? What would we do?" Shikaku smiled and looked at his friend, realizing what he had said was true. That must have been difficult for the woman's husband to take.

Shikaku looked at the sandy blonde woman again when she twitched in her sleep and let out a soft groan. He stroked her head again, smiling when she became still again.

He felt himself growing attached to the girl and he hadn't even known her days before. Something about her made wracked his brain.

"I haven't figured it out," he said to himself. Chouza scoffed before rolling his eyes. Shikaku looked at his friend before he burst out laughing completely. "What?"

"How often do I get to hear that?" Shikaku sighed and rolled his eyes before looking back at the woman in the bed.

"She's just... I don't know. Enigmatic," he said in a baffled tone. Chouza looked back at her and then back at him.

"No she's not. It's simple, really. She's the one," Chouza simply said before Shikaku looked back at the Shinobi at the door. His face was as serious and plain as day.

"The one?" All he did was nod.

"For Shikamaru."


	18. Chapter 17: Forgiveness

**Heyy everyone! i hope you enjoy this chapter sooooo much because I don't know when I'll see you all again. You thought not seeing me last semester was bad, whooo, that's because I had english 4 and AP Biology. This semester is AP Biology and AP Comparative Government. Soooo we'll see :) I want you guys to enjoy this chapter, i made it as long as possible because you guys deserve the best. It's a little bit of a cliffy, but not too bad**

**There's a lemon in here, between Neji and Tenten, sorry if you don't like that sorta thing. Skip it if it bothers you, but it is rated M. Hmm, what else? I am going to college in the fall, I'm so excited, and I will get the next chapter of Love Compromise up to par! For those of you who actually read it lol. Wish me luck peoples**

**I'll update as soon as i can, and I know you guys are anxious about what's going to happen next. So keep in touch! Don't forget to follow me on Twitter or add me on facebook! :) Love you guys and DONT forget to review. You know how I feel about that. :P **

* * *

Forgiveness

Chapter 17

The silence of the journey was becoming unbearable for Shikamaru. He had no idea that Neji would be this stubborn about his declaration to his wife. Shikamaru had assumed it was just a fuse blown and it would all die down, but little did he know the wrath of Neji Hyuga.

He didn't seem to care how much he was hurting his wife and making her suffer. Common sense would have said that emotional stress would only make her body more hostile, counterproductive to what he had been trying to preach to her days before.

Most would expect that he would have slept on the same sleeping bag with his wife, but he didn't. They shared a tent. Shikamaru couldn't help but wonder how Tenten could stand and put up with that.

A grown man having temper tantrums like that was not mature in his opinion. But he had vowed to stay out of their business ever since Tenten said he had sided with her husband.

He couldn't not say that each day it got a little bit better and better. He calmed down the farther the travelled from Konoha. And they did move slower because of the knowing of the unknown possibility of her being with child.

They were in the middle of the Forest of Wind. More than halfway there by now. Tenten's melancholy attitude was influenced by Neji's ignoring of her unless it was absolutely necessary.

Leaping from tree to tree wasn't that difficult. It was concentrating and being aware of all surroundings that made it hard.

Shikamaru's mind was racing. The moment he realized what had happened to Temari, he felt like his life was over. News like that had never been brought to him. Whenever tragedy were to strike, he'd be right there to see when it happened and take initiative to do whatever he could to make sure it was alright.

This was different.

Temari wasn't just some squad member or a someone to look after on a mission. The harder aspect to understand was why anyone would attack her? She had been known for travelling back and forth between the countries. She had always done so without fail or problems.

Why...?

Then he hadn't been there to react. What if he had? Would she have not gotten attacked at all? Would they have stood a chance together against their enemies?

It was frustrating him. The last time he had saw her wasn't a good meeting. He had revealed him and Ino's sexual history and she didn't take it lightly. He himself had been seeking her out after his discussion with his father and he didn't get to her.

Now she was in a hospital bed, possibly dying.

The way Tsuande described her condition, she had been tortured and possibly raped. The thought of anyone putting their hands on Temari made his skin crawl and his blood boil. Her perfect body, he soft skin, the smell of her hair. Anyone who took advantage of those things deserved...

He leaped off a tree, his step so hard, the branch cracked from underneath his feet. Neji looked at him, noticing his body language and realized that the inner turmoil that the man had was going to rip him apart.

Tenten didn't need to look, she already knew. Shikamaru wasn't an emotional person unless things got very personal. He was unstable because of the unknown that was waiting for them. He hadn't really known what was bound to occur, none of them knew.

She looked over at her husband, his cold eyes still somewhat agitated and disapproving, but she couldn't help but gaze at them. They were beautiful to her; flawless. Even when he looked the way he had, she still got the butterflies in her stomach.

What she had done was no doubt, disrespectful. The punishment she was getting was Neji being nice considering how considerably his feelings had been hurt. _Shikamaru probably thinks he's going overboard..._

If the Hyuga Household were to find out what she had did, oh, how they would talk about her and her husband. Gossip was already something that was always done in the prestigious family. Many of them didn't like her because she was still considered to be an outsider, one who had yet to prove herself useful to bear an heir to watch over Hinata's children.

_ I set myself up for this... Badly..._

But she didn't regret it. Temari's health isn't something she can wait for by message. Neji didn't see her above a possibly baby though. They had discussed the results of no child. And even though neither of them want to have a mistress involved in their relationship, Hiashi was not afraid to put the notion in action.

She exhaled slowly, wishing how all of this could have been avoided. From her marital problems, to Shikamaru and Temari's relationship, to Temari's ambush, to her destroyed ovaries. Everything all seemed to flow in a domino affect.

She looked back at Neji again. She was praying in her mind for him to at least look at her. When he finally did, there was with shock and fear in his eyes; he screamed her name in an agonizing tone to which even Shikamaru turned and stop. It all began with a sharp pain penetrating her shoulder blade.

Falling from the branch she had landed on, she looked down to see three senbon in her left shoulder. Reaching over and yanking them out, she flinched and bit her lip. They had gone deeper than she had known. That only made her angrier.

She started to perform handsigns, but Shikamaru bolted and dashed down, catching her in his arms before she could use any chakra. Tenten gave him a look before he started to perform his own handsigns.

"No, Tenten. Don't forget. You've got a King too. No jutsu," he muttered. "I need you to stay put down here."

"They attacked me first because I'm female... And they did with the intent to kill. You can't tell me I can't fight back-"

"Damn it, Ten! Listen to me! Now is not the time to be arguing about this. Taijutsu only from you, those are my orders!" he snapped before bolting back up to the top where Neji was.

He had already activated his Byuakugan and had been scanning the forest. Everything was dead silent now. They had given themselves away and their aim for Tenten had been off. Back to back, the two Jonin prepared themselves.

"How many?"

"Four. Three in the trees, one on the forest floor," Neji whispered. "... Is she alright?"

"She'll live."

"...How much blood?"

"Now's not the time, Neji," Shikamaru reminded him. In the heat of battle, conversation could be distraction and that's exactly what it was doing to him. Shikamaru had to devise a plan to make sure they could handle this as swiftly as possible.

Tenten reached into her pouch and pulled out a scroll that held her katana. Backing into a defensive stance, she prepared herself to get ready for a possible attack.

"One is behind that tree. Forty-seven degrees north, approximately sixty-two meters away," Neji whispered. Shikamaru figured it would be best to use the strangle hold to take care of the pest.

"Move, Shikamaru!" Jumping forward and landing on a separate tree branch from Neji, a ninja had sprung himself to make a direct move on him, only to be countered by Rotation. The nin had been thrown backwards and fell onto the forest floor, more than likely death by a broken neck.

Shikamaru continued his plan to capture the hidden nin as Neji scanned the trees. His eyes widened only to release the only other person had joined the person on the floor and...

"Tenten-!"

Both nin sprung from the bushes in attempt to double-team her. Where ever they dared to try and attack, Tenten countered everytime with her katana, taking on both at once. Her hand to hand combat skills were up to par with theirs.

The Weapon's Mistress was not one to take lives as easily or as quickly as others, so the fight continued until one nin backed away to start to perform handsigns.

Neji took it into his own personal hands to take care of the situation since Shikamaru was handling the one still immersed in the trees.

The nin didn't even speak what jutsu it was, but all that happened was Tenten suddenly froze in midswing. Her attacker could only grin as he punched her twice in the face before uppercutting her into the stomach.

Neji's eyes widened when she doubled over, unmoving.

"You bastard!" he yelled before jumping down and kicking the creator of the jutsu in the back of his neck, separating the bone that connected his head to his body. The one who had the nerve to hit Tenten was only next.

Neji approached him at a remarkable speed before falling into the Hyuga Stance only to pummel the man's pressure points with seven precise hits.

Being thrown back against a tree, the ninja attempted to stand but couldn't feel his arms or legs. Slowly, he started to bleed from his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. He attempted to speak, but nothing coherent left his mouth. After a while he started to seize and go into shock, only to result in his body becoming limp.

Shikamaru appeared now, his face twisted up in utter disgust, a look of disapproval on his face from what had occurred.

"That really wasn't necessary-"

"He put his hands on Tenten, on my _child_," he seethed before turning away and approaching his seemingly unconscious wife. He attempted to shake her and wake her up before Shikamaru approached him as well. He saw the Hyuga's irrational behavior as insecurities and fear.

"Neji, come on, calm down-"

"You will not tell me to calm down," he countered. Shikamaru grabbed Neji's wrists and removed them from Tenten's body before holding up a handsign, muttering,

"Release."

Her unmoving body tensed up and suddenly relaxed as she inhaled a large amount of air. She coughed all of a sudden, her arms shaking slightly before she blinked her eyes open.

Sitting up, the first thing she felt was a warm embrace around her shoulders, squeezing her as tight as possible. The feeling she got from being held was unimaginable and she knew exactly who it was just by how she melted.

"Neji...?"

Last she remembered was her wishing he would look at her; he was supposed to still be upset with her for taking on the mission when their personal/family affairs were supposed to come first. Now he was holding her like she had been dreaming up the past few nights.

She felt a sharp pain in her stomach and her jaw, but she ignored it. Wasn't anything too serious.

"I'm sorry, Tenten. I'm so sorry," was all Neji seemed able to say to her. Shikamaru sighed and shook his head before going to survey the bodies. Something was really strange about them, something didn't seem right.

They had no faces. No eyes, noses, eyebrows, lips, or even facial features like moles or freckles. Almost blank. And their headbands were the same way. Nothing to signify where they were from or how they had come about.

Shikamaru's stomach turned. This didn't feel right.

* * *

_ "A pretty young thing like yourself shouldn't have been travelling all alone. That's where big bad guys like us come into play."_

_ All she knew was that she was sitting in a wooden chair, gagged and bound, her eyes blindfolded. The chuckles around the room came from several voices. In her mind she calculated it. There was at least four men in the room with her. She couldn't tell what time of the day it was. She had just barely regained consciousness._

_ "So you're not gonna speak? We would love to hear what your voice sounds like. Or would you like us to make you scream?" another voice said, his voice rather gruffy. Trying to ignore the sexual remarks, she refused to move or respond in anyway to even egg them on._

_ "She's a kunoichi, she knows better than to reveal information to us," a new voice said in a saccharine tone. "All we know is that she's from Suna. She doesn't even have any documentation on her for us to sell to some neighboring country or even hold her up for ransom." _

_ "So basically she's useless."_

_ "No, no, not completely," the first voice said in a soft tone. "We've gone through all this trouble... the least she can do pay us back for all the trouble we've gone through to get her."_

* * *

"Where are they?" Shikaku sighed impatiently. Inoichi shrugged, still leaning against the wall. "I understand the girl is pregnant, but damn... Is she even showing yet to the point where it should be a serious issue?"

"Shikaku... Chill," Inoichi muttered, looking back at Temari. She had broken out into a cold sweat again. Every time she tried to sleep she would try wake herself up. Her lack of sleep would only aid her insanity. At the same time, Shikaku knew that she was at the point where nightmares were occurring.

It bothered him to watch her go through it, with nothing to be done. He couldn't take his son's place to the point where she needed to be healed. He was merely a sit in until his son could arrive. It was taking way too long.

"You don't understand, Inoichi. There is something tormenting her and I can't ease her pain," he whispered in a worried tone.

"She's going to have to see a shrink at some point to help her get over it. All you can do is sit in and wait for the second squad to get here," Inoichi drawled, looking at the clock on the wall. "You know, this room could use a window and some light. It says it's one already and I feel like there's no way in hell it can be that late."

"What's day is it, Inoichi?" an exasperated Shikaku groaned. His best friend looked at him with a rather sympathetic look. He was exhausted standing by that girl, and yet he couldn't leave her side. Who was going to sit with her all day like he would?

Shikamaru?

"Day four."

Another tired sigh left the Shadow Possessor's lips. Inoichi looked at how Shikaku was reacting to the girl's condition. He treated her like she was his own daughter at this point and he had never been very paternal, even to Shikamaru.

"Shikaku?" he looked up at his friend calling his name. "Can I ask you something? It's a little personal." He shrugged and continued to rub Temari's hand softly, hoping it would ease her mind and her dreams.

"Did you and Yoshino want a girl?" he asked slowly, hoping it wasn't too in depth in his personal life. The question itself had struck him weird. It was rather random to him. Shikaku shook his head before giving him the look for him to explain why he had asked. "I mean..."

"What?"

"The way you reacted to the sight of Ino and I. And now this girl you barely know... You seemed to have become attached to her, drawn to her, and there is no connection between the two of you. It's just a little strange to me," he explained. Shikaku's face had a blank stare on it before he started laughing and shrugged it away.

_ Time to break the news..._

"There is a bond between me and this girl. It's my son," he briefly explained before Inoichi's eyebrows quirked upward in suspicion.

"... Wait... No, that's-"

"No, Inoichi, Ino and Shikamaru aren't together like you assumed. They never were. I talked to Shikamaru about it the morning before we left for the mission. His eyes and heart are genuinely set on this desert flower," he stated with a smirk on his lips.

Inoichi's mind clicked before he understood. He could only wonder what his wife had been talking about when she said Ino was ecstatic about being with Shikamaru, but it was probably a female misunderstanding. The fact that his team leader had said that his son's heart was on the woman in the bed meant a lot more than what they knew.

Nara's aren't known to love easily, especially not the men. It's the emotion of the whole thing that generally doesn't appeal to them. But when they do, it's one of the strongest burning passions one could ever find in a man.

Inoichi recollected on Shikaku's reactions and complete change when he first discovered Yoshino. He couldn't help but chuckle and smile before he nodded, saying he understood.

"It's sad though... That such a thing happened to her," Shikaku pointed out, stroking her hand with her thumb. "The nightmares she's been having," he pointed out just as she started to shift and move around in her bed, "Are not a good sign of anything. I hope my son will be able to get through to her..."

"I know what you mean... From what I've heard she's a great kunoichi. There was a gathering prayer circle around the hospital the first night she arrived just because the people of Suna love her and respect her," Inoichi pointed out.

He turned around briefly to look at a painting on the wall, the same one he observed everytime he came into the room. It was a picture of a teakettle held by a raccoon dog. He just couldn't figure it out.

All of a sudden, Temari let out a bloodcurdling scream before all of her monitors around her bed started to sound an alert. Inoichi turned and saw her entire mouth drenched in blood, tears streaming down her face as she wailed.

"Shikaku, what-?"

"Temari, calm down," he tried to ease as she continued to flail around. His whispers didn't seem to help her pain and agony. She lunged for him and grasped his hands just as a swarm of nurses rushed into the room. "It's gonna be okay, I promise." All he seemed able to say. The nurses quickly sedated her to ease her pain and calm her nerves and heart rate down.

"I'm sorry, Shikamaru. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I still love you, I still do..." Inoichi's eyes were just as wide as his Team Captain's when she passed out, only to have the entire bed wheeled out of the room, leaving the two men to think about what just happened.

* * *

Kankuro knocked on Gaara's door before entering. He awaited his brother's response to say he was allowed in. Opening the door, there Gaara was with his back away from the desk, facing outside of the large window. The moon was starting to fall back against the skies. Desert nights like these were often times lighter than this, but they were ominous in what has been said to occur.

On his desk sat the petite little maid who seemed to always keep Gaara company when no one was around. She turned at the sight of Kankuro and gave him a wave before muttering a brief note to her master.

He merely grunted as she got up and bowed, removing herself from his presence.

"What is it now, Kankuro," he droned, his voice heavy with grief. Kankuro could tell that only good news could brighten his brother's spirit with what he's had to deal with today.

"Temari's surgery has been taken care of. And Konoha's squad has arrived," he briefed as he gestured for Shikamaru and the Hyugas to come in. Gaara's chair eased itself around when they had been announced.

Tenten looked at Kankuro, who gave her the most professional look one could give another after once being in an intimate relationship before closing the door.

"So, you have arrived," he stated softly.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama. Temari is a dear friend of ours, so we took it as an essential mission. We are here to aid you in whatever you need us to do," Tenten said with a bow. Gaara's eyes drew back to Shikamaru's, the brains of the operation.

"You. What needs to be done?"

Shikamaru's chest swelled up. He wasn't ready for the business and work related part of the mission yet. He wanted to go ahead and see Temari while he could, if he could. That would be if no one minded too much.

"How... Is she doing? Can she speak?" he asked slowly before Gaara nodded.

"Yes, she can, but refuses to. She finds sanity in your father staying by her side, but won't even talk to him," he stated, his voice hinting a little suspicion in the idea. Shikamaru caught on and avoided Gaara's icy blue eyes. "Well, she could. She just had surgery on her tongue, she bit it in her sleep to wake herself from a nightmare. But they have just finished stitching it back up."

Shikamaru winced at the idea of her being tormented to that extent in her sleep.

"... What does her medical report say?"

"Massive lacerations and bruising. She had some brain hemorrhaging and several cuts and stabs all over her body," he asid in a cold tone. He could have been accused of practicing how to discuss the matter whenever they did arrive.

"Sexual abuse?" Shikamaru asked quickly. Tenten and Neji looked at him, a little concerned about his thought process right then and their.

"There were no signs of any, but it has yet to have been determined without her word of mouth since she is conscious and aware of everything," he state calmly. Shikamaru's fists balled up.

"She won't tell anyone?"

"No, not anyone here at least," Kankuro stepped in. "We've tried some psychiatric help already, but she's completely rebelling against it. When me and Gaara try to personally talk to her, she won't say anything. And just because there's no physical evidence doesn't mean it didn't occur. There are a number of ways to sexually abuse someone and leave no trace. This is why we need her to talk."

"Let me talk to her," Shikamaru boldly stated. Kankuro's eyes cut at the Shadow Possessor and Gaara's eyes looked somewhat questionable to why he felt he could accomplish what he and his brother could not.

Tenten grabbed his wrist, pulling it gently.

"Shikamaru, no. It's too soon-"

"No it's not, the longer the clock ticks, the less time we have to get anything done," He argued. He looked back to Gaara, giving him a pleading look.

"You just want to see her," Tenten muttered under her breath.

"And so what? Is that too much to ask?" he snapped back at her. Gaara and Kankuro's eyes were now suspicious of Shikamaru's intentions to see their sister.

"I want to see her too, but it's two in the morning. She needs rest," she explained as he scoffed and rolled his eyes. Continued to pursue visitation as soon as possible.

"Gaara-sama. Kazekage-sama. I would like to have permission to visit your sister," he asked as politely as he could. Kankuro scoffed and rolled his eyes before looking at Gaara, awaiting his answer to say no.

"... You may," he whispered before nodding his head. Kankuro's jaw dropped as Shikamaru's smile spread across his face. "You may as well, Tenten and Neji." She smiled and nodded as Neji merely bowed and thanked him for his blessing.

"You are all dismissed."

The three of them all bowed together before leaving the room. Kankuro gave his brother a look of disbelief before following after them.

"Before you go visit Temari, I need to show you your rooms that you'll be staying in," he said in an aggravated tone. Shikamaru smirked, knowing that it was just because he didn't want outsiders seeing his sister like they were special.

He and Tenten were special to Temari; Kankuro just didn't want to ever have to admit it.

Leading them down the hallway, he showed them to the elevator, where they travelled down to the second floor. There were two bedrooms adjacent to each other while one was across from the other two.

"This bedroom is Shikamaru's bedroom," he pointed out, the door closest to the elevator. The door adjacent to it was deemed Neji's bedroom. "And this bedroom, is Tenten's." The one farther away from the other two.

That pricked one of Neji's nerves.

"Why are we all in separate bedrooms? Last I heard was that when you are married to one of the squad members, they are allowed to share a room," Neji pointed out, folding his arms across his chest.

"Last I heard, you two were separated on this mission. So I had Yusa prepare three rooms instead of two," Kankuro sneered in a tone that implied a condescending conversation.

Neji's hands became fists before he released them, taking Tenten's hand in his own.

"Give my regards to Ms. Yusa, and that we appreciate all her hardwork and effort to welcome us, but Tenten will staying in my room with me, for she is my wife," he sneered in one of the coldest tones Neji could pull out.

Kankuro's blood started to boil as Tenten slapped her own forehead at the tension that started to create itself. She pulled Neji's hand and led him into the bedroom that they were going to reside.

"Thank you, we appreciate it-"

"Would you mind getting us a hot water bottle? We need to make sure that the baby is alright," Neji threw out. Tenten's jaw dropped as did Kankuro. All the blood in his face drained just as fast as he could clench his own fists. Neji's lips pulled back into a conniving smirk.

Shikamaru groaned and shook his head at Neji's game of hardball to antagonize the man. He was an asshole at times and a situation just as this was one when he played the role well.

Opening the door to his room, Shikamaru put down all his things before heading into the bathroom to take a shower. He had to do that before he went to see her. It was guaranteed that he would have to get her to talk and he had to make sure he was wide awake.

Kankuro, still in awe, merely nodded before turning away from the couple, heading down the hallway. Neji closed the door in his face with a smug expression plastered all over it. Tenten shoved him as hard as she could against the door.

He gave her a look of mild confusion.

"Why would you do that? That's just terrible! How you can just sit here and throw something like that in a person's face, knowing how they would feel about it! How coldhearted can you be, Neji Hyuga?" she yelled, her finger pointed in his face.

He didn't say anything back to her. All he did was lift her up off her feet and throw her over his shoulder, only making her yell and complain even more about his insolent behavior.

"What the-? Neji, stop it-!"

But it didn't stop. He threw her onto the large bed before climbing on top of her, attacking her mouth with his own. Tenten's attempt to scold her husband was silenced his hands caressing her legs, his mouth now attacking her neck.

His hands dove for her pants, unbuckling them for her before slipping them off her lower body. Taken aback, she wasn't sure how to response verbally to his actions; her entire face started to turn red from embarassment and how her body temperature began to rise. Completely exposed down below, one of his fingers slipped in and out of her for a brief moment, only making her shudder all over.

Her breathing was heavy, her body was shaking all over from his touch. She hadn't made love to her husband for a while due to the tension between them and it had all built up.

Neij asserting his dominance was probably a reaction to the same situation.

He quickly took off his pants and underwear as well, already hard and ready to take his wife. He finally looked her in the eyes, smiling down at her with a look of amusement. Her reactions to whenever he sprung on her were always the same.

He loved it.

Neji guided himself into her gently, feeling her body resist him. It didn't stop either of them though. Tenten started to claw at his back, pulling him closer to her as he made his way into his lover. She moaned with every thrust he made, the next one always harder than the last.

She moaned louder and louder each time he pumped himself into her, more hard and rigid, her body growing tighter and tighter around him each time. She shook under his touch just as he dove down to her neck and started to kiss and peck at it again. A smile crept onto his face when he started to feel a warm thickness cover him after she relaxed.

She had cum that fast?

She must have been wanting him for a while, that's all he could seem to point to as the answer to such a question. He continued again, stroking her long and hard, just as he had the first time. The Weapons Mistress couldn't seem to get enough.

"You're mine," Neji whispered in her ear, his voice only seeming to make her want him even more. Her back arched as he stroked her once more.

"Yes.." was all that seemed able to escape from her lips. He chuckled before thrusting again, even harder. She yelped in pleasure, her nails digging into his back.

"I want to hear you say it," he whispered as he continued, pushing himself as far in as he could. Tenten seemed as if she couldn't take it anymore, but she didn't want him to stop.

"I'm... I'm yours!" she moaned, louder than she had expected to leave her lips.

"Say it again," he whispered, the pace only quickening. Hearing her say it was only making the sensation that much better for him. Tenten reached and grabbed his hand, which had been grasping her thigh with each stroke.

"I'm yours!" she yelled, only to increase Neji's aggressive nature and rate of his strokes. Repeating herself every time Neji slammed himself against her body, Tenten could feel herself about to reach another orgasm just as fast, if not quicker than the first.

Neji was in the same position. Hearing Tenten's moans when she was hot and bothered like this only resulted in him about to have an orgasm with her. She was tightening around him again. She was so wet too.

Just as she came, he came with her. He looked down at her, her body like a limp rag doll; she was panting to regain her breath. He leaned over and kissed her forehead before making his way down to her lips.

"You better not ever forget it either," he said softly in playful tone. She punched him, even though it had no affect on him. She closed her eyes and breathed, feeling sleepiness overwhelm her. When Tenten looked back up at him, his face was so serious.

"Neji? What's wrong?" she asked gently, reaching her hand up to caress his face. He looked away for a moment before looking back down to her.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you the whole way here. You mean the world to me. When we got attacked, I realized I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you," he apologized. "I only hope that you'll forgive me..." She smiled for a moment before closing her eyes.

"Of course I do."


	19. Chapter 18: First Sight

**Okay, i'm gonna go ahead and apologize for a number of things. One, how short this chapter is... :( and second that the fact that a lot of my reviews are filled with fear that i've abandoned this story. **

**I HAVE NOT.**

**I don't mean to scare you guys, I promise i'm not giving up... I'm just struggling with school and etc... And plus there's no real internet at my house so even when I do write chapters, i can't really upload them. And FF.N is blocked on my school's internet (wtf) but I'm going to work with what i can. I'm sure life will be easier when i get to college. I promise, I'm not going anywhere. **

**Enjoy this chapter, more will be coming. Sorry about the cliffy, but I feel like I dragged on the re-uniting for long enough. :)**

**Love you guys.**

* * *

First Sight

Chapter 18

Shikamaru quickly patted his hair dry before throwing the towel onto his bed. Ironically enough, he felt a little nervous to go see Temari after all the fuss of trying to see her and get to her as fast as he could. Would she even be awake? Would she even want to see him?

He was stuck in an indecisive position right before she left. Could she be upset that he didn't come after her? She was home for a matter of days before she decided to leave. He could only pray that she didn't think he had given up on her and she decided to give up on him…

No…

That couldn't have been an option.

He opened his bag and pulled out a tee-shirt; it was balled up and looked fairly tacky due to all the wrinkles. He didn't seem to care much about how it looked as he pulled it over his face and tugged it down. He heard a slight moan from the room next to him.

Rolling his eyes, he continued to dress himself, attempting to block out the sounds. It was no surprise to him that Neji and Tenten decided to have sex on the arrival. The tension was unbearable enough and after the incident that scared Neji, he probably felt the need to be as close to her as possible.

Why couldn't they seem to just kiss and make up like any other couple? Neji wasn't normal, that was partially to blame, but Tenten wasn't normal either. Their whole relationship was rather odd, but that's probably what made it so special to them.

Pulling on some pants over some boxers, he quickly tried to rush out of the room as Tenten's screams became more frequent and louder. He could only take so much before he began to feel awkward. He may even get angry if he was trying to sleep and they were still at it.

Pulling his door behind him and shoving the key in his pocket, he spotted Kankuro with a hot water bottle. He felt a bit of sympathy for the guy simply because of the low blow that Neji had brought to the field.

The look on his face was pretty distraught. The water bottle in his hand was to help ease a possible child. Then Shikamaru's mind clicked when he saw Kankuro walk past him, heading toward the couple's room. He wouldn't wish him hearing the girl he loved sleeping with someone on anybody.

Shikamaru quickly grabbed his shoulder before he could get close enough. Kankuro stopped alright, but quickly attempted to throw his hand off his shoulder.

"And what do you want?" he sneered before looking away from his friend. Shikamaru frowned and almost turned around. He wanted to be such an ass about it, why would he spare his feelings? _I'm already someone who doesn't care about anyone else's feelings…_

His conscious told him otherwise, to do this guy a favor. So what else could he say? Karma would repay him at some point.

"They don't really need that," he stated calmly. Kankuro scoffed and tried to continue forward towards the guest room, but Shikamaru's grip on his shoulder only tensed a bit more to freeze him in mid step. "Kankuro, Neji was just being an ass. Tenten isn't having a baby. At least, it hasn't been proven yet."

The man's eyes softened with relief that it may not be true. His whole mood had already worsened from the simple thought. His sister was already an emotional wreck and then the girl he loved was about to start a family with another man? He needed some weight removed from his shoulders.

His eyes steered away, realizing the content in his whole facial expression had shown through.

"But there's a possibility…" he countered, his voice a low mumble.

"Yeah, but… It's Tenten. She's got a condition that makes it highly unlikely. It doesn't matter who the guy is," Shikamaru pointed out. Kankuro must not have known from the shock on his face. "Regardless, if she has a baby, whoever the father is, we should all be happy for her. It'll probably be the only one she will ever be able to have."

Kankuro smiled briefly and nodded only to turn around and toss the water bottle into the trash. Shikamaru returned it, glad he had actually made the guy feel a little better.

"You're going to go see Temari right? I'll show you the way," Kankuro offered, actually having a little more life in his voice. They both turned around and travelled in the opposite direction, going to go see how the Sand Princess was doing.

* * *

"Shikaku!" Inoichi whispered fiercely, trying to wake the man out of his sleep. He jumped after a snort, not even aware he had dozed off at the girl's bed. Frantically wiping his eyes, he hoped he wouldn't appear as tired as he was.

"What is it?"

"Your son is at the door," he gestured to the door. Suddenly, Shikaku was wide awake and alert as ever. He stood up and eased his hand from Temari's, who seemed to flinch when he left her side. Inoichi reassured him that he would watch over him while he went to talk to his son.

Walking out of the door, Shikaku was faced almost like a mirroring image of his son. It was a wakeup call to how old he was, how much he had grown and matured into a man. He never thought he would see the day his son would appear to him like he was.

He was dressed, yes, but it looked as if he had rushed to get there. His eyes looked a bit scared and anxious, his mouth was a thin line. Kankuro patted him on the back before leaving the two men alone. Ironically enough, the silence didn't dispel. He struggled to maintain eye-contact with his father.

"…How is she?" he asked for the umpteenth time.

"She's stable," he stated shortly. "She'll live." He looked at his son and realized that he wasn't dirty and grimey. "You made time to bathe."

Shikamaru took a moment to look at himself before nodding.

"I had figured it'd be unsanitary to just burst into her room, smelling the way I was, touching her the way I would," he explained before scratching his head. His father's eyebrow rose.

"Touching?"

His whole face lit up before avoiding his father's eyes to hide the embarassment.

"I meant if I touch her hand or her face. I can't just-" Shikaku chuckled only for a moment, causing Shikamaru to trail off. All he had to do was nod before he exhaled in relief.

"She's all yours, son. I think she'll be happy to see you. She's asleep, but I think you should wake her up. She's been under pain medication since she bit her tongue. She might not even think you're real," he said in a joking manner. The Shadow Possessor smiled at his dad, glad he had been trying to lighten up his mood a bit. It helped.

Shikaku stretched before turning around, about to head down to the cafeteria and eat before he went to his guestroom of his own he needed some rest.

"Hey dad!" He called. The old man turned and faced his son, a look of question on his face. "Thanks for taking care of her." He smiled back at his son, seeing how much it meant to him for him to sit by and watch someone who he cared so much about. He waved his arm lazily in a nonchalant way as if it meant nothing before he continued to his destination. It was what he did.

Shikamaru faced the door and gripped the doorknob, praying that it wouldn't be as bad as he was anticipating. That she would be already and sleeping so peacefully. That she would even be happy to see him after she had left.

Never once had Shikamaru prayed; he didn't even have a specific religion. He just wanted someone to hear his aches and pains for this woman who meant so much to him and end her suffering that much sooner.

Pushing the door open, the room he entered was dimmer than he expected. There was an off-white pasty color as the wallpaper choice. There were flowers by her bedside that were a vibrant red. He smiled to himself, remembering how she said her favorite ones were blue orchids.

There was an awkward painting with a raccoon dog on the wall and there were no windows. The lack of their being any made him feel a bit claustrophobic. Then his eyes fell onto her. His eyes widened immensely.

She had a small bandage of her cheek, but that was the only think that was on her face. She was sleeping peacefully, her brow knitting together every so often; her hand would occasionally twitch as well. Temari was just as beautiful that night she had slept in his arms.

But at the same time, he could tell that she looked sickly. Her skin was pale, her hair looked matted and it didn't have that gentle luster to it like it usually did. She looked pretty lifeless the way she was.

It was a bittersweet moment. He had been waiting to see her for so long and he wanted to be with her, yet her pain and sufferings shown through and he was forced to be constantly reminded why he was in Suna right then.

He approached the chair that was right beside her bed and sat down. He felt as if he wasn't close enough to her before pulling it up a bit closer. His hand graced the top of her forehead and pushed a strand of hair out the way. Her skin felt so cold and clammy.

The moment his hand left her face, her eyes squinted before slowly opening, not expected who was sitting before her.

_"She's got a nice little body on her, eh boys?" she heard from her left. Temari refrained from biting her lip. That would only show a sign of weakness, and she refused to give them the satisfaction of knowing she wasn't sure what she was going to do._

_ She felt a hand brush her shoulder. Her self control was impeccable. Not allowing herself to tense up was fairly difficult as well. _

_ "She doesn't seem intimidated to me. I think she wants it," she heard from her right. Laughs and chuckles came from all around the room. Temari started to feel her heart rate increase. She was running out of time._

_ "Who do you think she wants it from? Do you think she could handle all of us?"_

_ "I guess we'll have to see."_

Temari felt something on her face; no it was her forehead. It hurt to move from the neck up. The stitches were still sore from the surgery. They would dissolve when it was time for the wound to completely heal.

But who was that touching her face? Was it Shikaku-san? He was the one who saved her and had been watching out for her? Maybe there was something on his mind?

Temari had never thought it would be so hard for her to open her eyes. She wasn't tired or sleepy, just drowsy from her medication. All she seemed capable of doing was sleeping. That's all she did. She hated the idea of waiting for all of this to go away with time. And time still hadn't made the pain stop.

It had only been four days since the attack. She felt like it had been decades. What would it take for the situation to go away, to change and fix itself?

She often times would find herself crying in her sleep when she would awake in the middle of the night. Then she'd get even more angry that she had such a lack of will power and had the audacity to cry about it.

What was she going to do with herself?

She felt lifeless, dead. Her heart beat without a real purpose. She wanted Shikaku close because he was the closest thing to Shikamaru she could see. The resemblance was uncanny, that was undeniable. However, there was a bit of pain with every glance she looked his way.

Shikamaru.

Would he want her after what happened? After her failure? Her weakness? A sorry excuse for a kunoichi? Not to mention she had left him in Konoha. He was probably upset about that too, now that she thought about it.

Did he even know what had happened to her?

She felt herself get that much more upset. All this could have been avoided. If she had just took Ino-Shika-Cho's offer to travel with them, she would have been fine. No, she had travelled alone plenty of times. What would have made this one any different?

If she had never left Konoha, she wouldn't be in a hospital bed in Suna, hoping that she wouldn't wake up the next moring.

Such a turn of events...

The hand removed itself from her face. Her eyes squinted before they lifted from her eyes. The room was a tad blurry before she focused in on what was beside her. Her mind hadn't registered the imagine until a few moments later.

Temari's eyes widened.

It wasn't Shikaku or Inoichi or even Chouza. It was Shikamaru. Her heart felt like it was swelling and she couldn't breathe. No words came from her mouth, only emotions sprang from her body. She was joyous yes, but at the same time all of the shame and sadness came first.

The IV attached to her right hand had resistance as she reached her hand up to touch his face, to make sure it was real, that he wasn't a dream or a figment of her imagination.

He didn't show his disdain when he saw the scars on her arms; he didn't stare long enough for her to notice. It was at that point when he realized that all her scars and bruises must have been those that were hidden by clothing.

Shikamaru refused to let that keep him from smiling at her. He cupped his hand against hers before taking it down from his face to kiss it. The feeling of his skin on hers was almost like a notification that he was sitting there before her, smiling at her, gazing at her with his piercing, hawk-like eyes.

"Hey. Did you miss me?" was all he seemed capable of saying. Tears sprang from her eyes before she stretch out both of her arms hoping for an embrace.

Not skipping a single moment, he stood up and pulled her into his arms, holding her head against his chest before she slowly started to sob. After awhile, her sobs only got louder and louder, finally feeling able to let her feelings out.

It wasn't until she wiped her eyes and looked up at Shikamaru to see his own tears streaming down his face. He never had any intention to let his own feelings come out, but at such a vulnerable time and place, he knew if he didn't express his own feelings at that point in time, they would never get out.

"Temari...You have to talk to me about it. About everything," he whispered gently in her ear, gently caressing her hair in an attempt to console her. The entire room went quiet, the silence penetrating the moment and what it had stood for.

Her entire body had gone still and yet time felt like it was moving in a fast forward motion. Finally responding, she shook her head against his chest, denying her voice to be heard. Shikamaru's heart sunk, disappointment overwhelming him. Even he couldn't get it out of her...

_** The feeling of helplessness is nothing that can be compared to any other emotion. The feeling of not being able to save yourself in a situation when you're the only person liable to be the hero. All of the training I've gone through, the situations and people I've killed and others that I have saved. And I can't even save myself.**_


	20. Chapter 19: Progress

**I am NOT dead. Just without internet.. :'( I'm still writing, don't worry! These breaks won't occur much longer! College is right around the corner and that's free internet out the wazzo! I dont like making you guys wait forever for an update and I sincerely apologize. I'm still a working progress and updates will be much more frequent, I promise. Just trust a midget, okay? :)**

**Um, this is rather interesting chapter, Idk how I was feeling when i wrote it; whenever I write for this story I always feel a certain mood or vibe to get it where I want it to go. It may seem like a filler (I know, progress shows it's going rather slow), but damn it, that's what makes the story great. No one wants to rush an awesome thing. That takes all the fun and excitement out. :) **

**I love you guys! Like seriously! I appreciate the love that you guys give when you honestly give it and I am glad i still have you all as supporters. MWAH! Tell me what you think! :P**

* * *

Progress

Chapter 19

Tenten straightened her blouse and sighed, hoping she was at least mentally prepared for seeing her best friend. She looked at her wrist watch to reassure herself that it was indeed nine in the morning. She hadn't been told that Shikamaru had went to see her, but she knew deep in her heart that he had.

That man made her a priority despite their previous hiccups and complications. He wouldn't let anything keep him from seeing her in her time of need even though she would never openly admit it.

What he had was real love. A immature, raw kind of love that hadn't been pulled under his control yet, but it would get there at some point if he continued on the track he was. Temari's love was the same way, except now she was more hesitant and vulnerable.

This whole situation drew them back to one another and it was more of a negative influence than a positive one. They would work through it, Shikamaru would work her through it. That was almost a guaranteed outcome. He wouldn't let her give up so easily while she was at her lowest point.

That's all she needed. For him to carry her until she could carry herself again.

The nurses had told Tenten that she was allowed to visit now since it was daylight. The one thing that weighed heavy on her mind besdies the Sand Princess was her brother. She had been avoiding contact with Kankuro ever since the incident the night before. The last thing she wanted to feel was awkward about that when there was a more serious issue at hand.

Would it even be possible to stay away from Kankuro considering his sister was the catalyst for everything?

Tenten still had a bit of irritation towards her husband for the little comment he had made to the Sand Jonin. The fact that Neji would do that Kankuro still angered her a little, but overall she couldn't stay mad at her husband for a number of reasons. He only did it because he was territorial and had too much pride. Then the way he whispered those sweet things to her before they dozed off before bed only made her love him anymore.

It frustrated her sometimes how she let her feelings justify her husband's immature and disrespectful behavior, but Tenten knew she couldn't help it at this point in their relationship. It was just one of those things.

He had already showed a bit of jealousy in his eyes when she left his side in bed that morning to go visit Temari. She felt bad, but she had given him all the time and attention she could possible before she felt she had to check on her friend.

If only he would understand.

Temari needed her, she needed Shikamaru. She needed as much support as anyone could give her. If only Neji would make an effort, maybe he could be uplifting to her as well.

She gripped the door knob firmly before sighing again. She was officially ready. One would have thought she have prepared enough on the trip to the hospital room, but little did they know that she still was apprehensive.

Her intentions were going to be to simply sit by her side until she woke up and then just keep her a bit of company. Her mind continued to wonder and wonder. Was her face scarred up? Would she smile? Cry? Be ashamed?

Opening the door, she swung it open, her previous mental state to be thrown off by the sight she saw. She would have thought Shikamaru would have gone back to his room after his visit, but apparently not.

His shoes were beside the door on her left, and the seat beside Temari's bed was empty. He had climbed into her hospital bed with her and was holding her in his arms, his fingers clutching her hand close to his chest. They were both sleeping comfortably in each other's arms.

To be presented with such an unexpected visual of her two friends, Tenten felt the need to remove herself from the room so she wouldn't interrupt their moment, quickly trying to remove the flush of red from her face.

Backing out slowly from the room, she closed the door silently to prevent them from waking. Smiling at the idea of her friend's making up, Tenten decided to herself that she would come back and visit later at an appropriate time.

"What are you so happy about?"

She felt a sense of surprise increase her heartrate until she turned around, seeing Kankuro at the door with his arms folded across his chest. His eyes looked rather indifferent and his body language showed a bit of coldness towards her.

Her worst nightmare of being in contact with Kankuro had come true. The only positive way to look at the situation was for her to remind herself that Neji wasn't there. That would have only made the situation that much worse.

First thing she noticed was that he wasn't wearing his Kabuki Paint. _He must have begun to stop wearing it_, she thought to herself. The thought brought her back to him explaining why he wore it. The thought took the wrong turn when she remembered how he smiled and promised not to wear when she was around.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked away, at first shocked and unsure of how to react to the sight him at that moment. Tenten could feel the moment becoming more and more difficult to handle. She had to act fast.

"Um... Nothing! I just realized that... My best friend is alive, and I couldn't ask for anything better right now," she started slowly. A thought rang from her mind when she remembered how her two friends were in the room right behind her.

Did Kankuro know about the relationship between Shikamaru and Temari? Was it a good idea to let him know if he didn't? The position they were in at that particular moment wouldn't be a good thing to present to the Wind Mistress's younger brother.

Kankuro chuckled slightly and a smile slid across his lips. His behavior loosened up at bit at the thought of his sister being alright as well.

"I was just going to go in and say good morning to her before I go see Gaara about the missions for today," he stated before looking behind Tenten at the door.

Her heart skipped a beat. She could not let him in that room, not now.

Kankuro went to reach around her before Tenten placed herself in front of him to block the way in. His eyebrow quirked from suspicion at the sudden action.

"What are you-?"

"I just came from in her room and she actually has a headache right now. She went back to sleep after the nurse gave her some medicine. If you want, I can get you a coffee before you go see Gaara," Tenten intervened, her voice unusually high. Kankuro's entire facial expression changed to a rather sadistic one.

"Won't your husband disapprove?"

She winced at the way 'husband' rolled off his tongue out of his mouth. Such disdain and annoyance saturated it to the point where she couldn't deny that he wanted her to know how much it pained him to say it.

She honestly hadn't thought about what Neji thought of the situation. That and he was assuming she was with Temari when she was out treating Kankuro to a coffee. He would be most upset, but all she felt she needed to do was get it over and done with long enough to remove Kankuro from being around Temari and Shikamaru.

"It's harmless! I'm just treating you to a coffee. I just wanted to be nice," She feigned a little disappointment in hope to make him feel bad. It worked on him like a charm.

Kankuro rolled his eyes and scratched the back of his head while avoiding Tenten's. She knew she had a soft spot in his heart, that's what she was using against him.

"Sure, fine, whatever. Just one coffee. I don't need your husband trying to kill me over something that you offered to do," he finally stated before shoving his hands in his pockets. She smiled and clapped her hands in excitement, glad that she had drew him away from his original intentions. Now all she had to do was buy the guy some coffee. What was the worst that could happen?

* * *

"Temari?"

Her eyes drew away from his chest for once and looked up at Shikamaru, feeling comfort from his gaze. She remembered how she had felt when he had revealed that he had been involved with Ino, that disgusting feeling of his skin touching hers.

That feeling was nowhere around.

All she wanted was for him to be there for her to hold onto, to clutch onto. She felt so weak, so defenseless and vulnerable. She felt disgusted with herself.

That night when she realized that he wasn't an illusion, she didn't want to let go. He held her as long as she wanted to. He couldn't sit in the chair and hold her, so she invited him into the hospital bed to hold her so they both could rest.

She knew he had travelled a long way to get to Suna, just to reach her. What are the chances? What are the possibilities? He was exhausted, she could tell by the look in his eyes.

It was strange to her though. She didn't like for anyone to touch her since what had happened. She still didn't like to close her eyes in fear of the darkness.

With Shikamaru, she felt safe. Weak, helpless, and ashamed as well, but overall she felt safe.

At the same time, she felt so much better compared to how she felt before he was there. He was like a breath of fresh air, a weight removed from her shoulders. She didn't feel like she couldn't go on. Just from him being beside her gave her motivation, even though it was mild.

He had managed to get her to make brief conversation throughout the night. About little things, just to keep her mind working. It was a muscle like other parts of the body and it required exercise.

"Hm?" was all she murmured back. He smiled.

Gaara and Kankuro couldn't get her to talk, and here he was, having random conversations with her. They had dozed off at one point, but when they both awoke, they continued their brief, simple discussions.

He could feel her pain. It was hurting him too. That was the hardest part to deal with, to accept. He couldn't just show up and make her feel beter. This whole thing would take time and all they needed was baby steps.

She wasn't willing to talk about what had happened yet. He wouldn't pressure her about it, either. It was just one of those things that would come with time.

The nurse said that she would be completely healed physically within the next few days after her tongue healed. Thankfully, shinobi technology had brought the physical healing a long way. However, her psychological healing process had be abysmal at best.

That was what he took into his own hands to take care of.

"Does your mouth hurt? If it hurts, you don't have to keep talking," he whispered before brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. She shook her head briefly, before looking away again.

_ How can you still want me...?_

"Are you sure? I don't want you in pain," he muttered softly, his thumb stroking her hand.

"I'm fine," she spoke hoarsely, before clearing her throat. "Really."

Shikamaru only wanted her to be comfortable, he wanted to help her and make her feel better in every way possible.

"What's your favorite color?" he whispered softly, looking down at her. She was avoiding his eyes again, a sign of guilt and shame. He didn't like it at all.

"Lime green. A fresh green, like the first breath of spring in Konohagakure," she breathed, her mind going back to her home away from home. The grass was always a beautiful green color and lasted throughout the summer. That's what she wanted. "What's yours?"

"Oh, me? You're gonna say I'm boring," he said softly. With that, she looked at him, now curious. He looked down at her, their eyes connecting. He held back a wince at the look in her eyes. "I guess you want me to tell you."

Temari only continued to stare into his eyes, hers not unchanging just as her expression was. _I wish you wouldn't look at me like that..._

"Well, I like black," her eyes actually changed slightly, only to hold confusion at this point. "I like it because it's enigmatic. It's so dark, it can have so much substance hidden in it. I know, it's stupid-"

"That's... really insightful," she interrupted with a slight smile on her lips. That smile seemed to light up Shikamaru's world. His lips spread across his face into a grin. Temari looked away, feeling some kind of throbbing from her chest. Her heart tended to do that when she saw him smile.

_ You still know how to swoon me..._

"Thanks. Hey Temari?" she looked at him again, his face more content than ever. "Do I help? You know, do I make you feel better?" She felt butterflies in her stomach, only resulting in her looking away again. He could feel her arms wrapping around his.

"Just don't leave me."

* * *

"How do you like your coffee? You look like the kind of person who needs as much sugar and cream in it as possible," Tenten exclaimed with a big smile.

When she and Kankuro dated, they never drank coffee, they were too young to need the stuff to get their day going. They're getting older now and there was only so much they could do, so coffee was actually becoming more and more popular in their lives.

He gave her a look of complete surprise before shaking his head, a smirk on his lips.

"You've got it all wrong. I drink it black," he responded. They were taking a stroll down the market. There weren't many shops open, but thankfully a coffee one was open.

Tenten's nose shriveled up in disgust.

"Black? That's gross. There's not even any flavor in it-"

"But it's one hundred percent pure coffee. I don't need sugar or cream or anything like that. That takes away from the caffeine, which is all I really need," he explained briefly as they stepped into the shop.

"That's a lie, it doesn't take anything away," she objected. He laughed at the way she was trying to oppose his opinion. He looked at the way her big brown eyes shined in the heat of the sun. How her long brown hair flowed from her shoulders. How her smile lit up his life. How...

Kankuro had to remind himself that this was a married woman he was going out for coffee with. A woman who hadn't been available for some time and he had just missed his opportunity. A woman who was possibly carrying a Hyuga heir...

He didn't show his discouragement on his face. The gentleman behind the counter appeared from the back door to take their order. He seemed eager to say hello to Kankuro.

"Sabaku-san? Good morning to you! What can I get you this morning?" He asked with a cheerful bellow. Kankuro bowed his head in respect and smiled. Tenten's eyebrow quirked. People know the Sabaku siblings all throughout the city. Then again, who wouldn't?

"I want a large coffee, no cream or sugar," he stated before looking back at Tenten. "I assume she wants a coffee as well-"

"No, no!" she interrupted. Kankuro gave her a look of confusion before she smiled and stepped forward to place her order. "I want a small chai tea and an orange juice." Kankuro's eyes widened as she reached for her wallet to get her money out.

The man taking the order scribbled it all down on a piece of paper and punched numbers into the cash register.

"That'll be 460 ryo, please!" he exclaimed before clipping the slip with their order to a clothes line. Someone miraculously appeared and began to prepare their orders. Tenten handed over the cash before snapping her wallet closed and stuffing it into her pocket.

She finally turned and made eye-contact with Kankuro, his expression shocked and surprised.

"What? Is it because I don't carry a purse? Those things are inconvienent for kunoichi and frankly, troublesome," Tenten trailed off with a smile. Kankuro scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"You sound like that Nara guy," he muttered. Tenten's ears perked up.

"What's wrong with Shikamaru? I love him to death," she said in a defensive tone. Kankuro rolled his eyes again.

"He's just... I don't know. There's nothing wrong with him, he's just someone who I don't bother with," he stated simply. Tenten smiled as the man handed them their beverages. They say down at a table close by the door.

"Well, maybe you should learn to bother with him. He's the kinda person who you never know when they'll be important at some point in your life," Tenten said before trailing off. _Possible brother-in-law is a very important title..._

"Nah. If it gets to that point, I'll be sure to get in contact with him. Otherwise, I'll leave him where he stands," Kankuro said before taking a rather large swig of his coffee. Tenten's face made disdaining expression, only resulting in him smiling. "What?"

"Don't you, 'what' me, you know that's gross."

Kankuro smiled before his eyes reverting to the chai tea that she began to sip. His smile slowly dissipated until it started to make sense why she wouldn't drink caffeine. His mind slowly re-lived the event from the night before, Neji's comment.

He felt a slight pain in his chest.

"Tenten, can I... Ask you a question?" He started slowly. When she put her tea down, she nodded, intrigued at what he could possibly ask her. "Are... Are you really pregnant?"

Her entire facial expression changed to a rather defensive one, a painful one. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before she cleared her throat. Kankuro wasn't sure if that was the answer to his question of if it was the shock that he had asked her.

The silence between them was a terrible one, a nerve-wracking one and Kankuro was on the verge of exploding.

"Look, you don't have to answer-"

"No, no. I'm going to be honest with you," she stated calmly, regaining her composure. "I'm... not sure yet. There's a possibility, but it's highly unlikely. I can't help but hope."

"Why do you say it's highly unlikely?" he pried, suddenly feeling like he was intruding. "I'm sorry, I just-"

"When my father came after me, out of spite, he killed my baby and burned my insides, especially my ovaries. It made the travel of an egg down the uterus nearly impossible. At least that's the diagnosis that Tsunade gave me," she said in a monotonous tone. She refused to make eye contact with him.

Kankuro could tell that it was hurting her to talk about it. He briefly remembered hearing a small rumor that Tenten was pregnant and suddenly it vanished. There was a story for everything. His hand graced the top of hers, only making her look up at him, a comforting smile on his face.

"It's alright. You don't have to talk about it anymore," he said in a soft tone. "I had just been wondering if Neji was being a dick like usual-"

"Hey!"

"Or... He was being serious," he finished. He laughed at how Tenten tried to defend her husband. She shrugged as she folded her arms across her chest.

"He's just protective. If there is a child on the way, then he's just trying to be..."

"A dick."

"Not the word I would use, but..."

"He's your husband, you wouldn't ever call him a dick, you're just supposed to take his," he stated nonchalantly. Tenten's entire face turned red, this time resulting in Kankuro bursting out laughing this time.

Tenten covered her face in embarassment.

"I'm sorry, that was inappropriate," he said, bringing his laughter down to a snicker. He then gave her a genuine smile before gesturing outside the shop. "Let's get out of here. Gaara can't be kept waiting too long."

Kankuro and Tenten both stood up, Tenten throwing away her chai tea after taking the last swig, only to carry the orange juice in her hand. Right before they walked out, the man at the counter called to the two of them.

"Sabaku-san!" Kankuro paused and turned only to see the man with a brillant smile upon his lips. "We, the many villagers of Suna, pray for your sister's recovery to be quick and painless. She is loved by us all."

Kankuro's eyes were a little hurt, but found comfort in the man's words. He smiled and waved back nonchalantly as if it was nothing before he led Tenten out of the cafe.

Tenten was a little shocked at the man's open comment and Kankuro's lack of response, but she refused to say anything about it. Like she had to remind herself before, it wasn't a surprise that there were many people who knew of Kankuro and his siblings and their stories.

* * *

"Temari?"

The sandy blonde looked up at the sound of her name, especially the feminine voice that called it. She had been standing, wobbly knees and all in a hospital gown, struggling to take a few steps into Shikamaru's open arms.

Distracted, they gave way under the weight of her torso, only to be caught in the arms of Shikamaru.

The sun was slowly easing it's way down. It didn't last as long as night did and Temari still wasn't aware of time due to the lack of windows in her room. Tenten hadn't decided to return to the room until she was sure that her two friends would be awake and in an intimate position.

Neji wasn't with his wife, not much to Shikamaru and Temari's surprise. He didn't like hospitals, much less have enough care in his heart about Temari to visit her in the time of need. It didn't bother the woman though. She knew that if it didn't come to his wife, the Hyuga was socially inept.

Shikamaru lifted the Sand Princess back to her feet only for her to attempt to run into Tenten's arms, collapsing in hers instead. Rolling his eyes at the reunited friends, Tenten kissed her best friend on the cheek, squeezing her as tight as she could.

"How are you feeling?" Tenten whispered as Temari squeezing her eyes shut, praying that tears wouldn't leak out.

"It's a working progress," she whispered back, before pulling away, biting her lip. The fact that the kunoichi responded to the Hyuga's wife was more than enough progress for her. Tenten had been told she wouldn't speak, and there she was.

Shikamaru must have been helping her more than anyone expected.

Tenten led Temari to take a seat on the bed before Shikamaru slumped down lazily into the chair beside it.

"Has this asshole been taking care of you?" Tenten asked as sweetly as she could, trying to yank a smile out of her friend. Shikamaru glared at Tenten, but didn't say much in response. He had been feeling like an asshole for some time and didn't feel like he had a right to deny the title.

Temari simply nodded before passing a glance at him.

"He makes it a little easier the more he's around..." she said slowly, as if she was unsure on how to word it.

Tenten felt more than relieved with her current state, at least mentally. She had seen Neji and Lee mutilated all kinds of ways, so her physical scars weren't what bothered her. It was the the empty look in her eyes. At the same time, it wasn't as bad as she had anticipated, but there was still much to be done to help her get back to normal.

"That's all that matters right now."


	21. Chapter 20: Understand

**Hii everyone. What's up? I'm not gone, (I know I always say that) I'm just struggling without a connection, but don't worry. August will be here in no time and I'll be updating much more.**

**The Neji and Tenten drama is just a side story that I won't get into (i mean it IS a Shikamaru and Temari story), so I won't emphasis on them as much as before because we're coming to the climax point (i think...?). I'm not done, no where near done, and I know it. So I'm not sure where this is heading.. BUT! ANYWAY!  
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**This story is taking me on an emotional roller coaster, something I've never had to deal with before. I feel really uncomfortable writing this sometimes, but hopefully that's just something that I'll adjust to. I'm getting more and more into what's going to lead on to something else. I hope you guys will stick with me! 3 *crosses fingers*  
**

**Read and review! Please! And don't forget my Sango and InuYasha... :)**

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Understand

Chapter 20

_ Temari felt an agonizing pain that was more volatile than she had anticipated. Wrenching in agony, her movements were limited to a small amount of space._

_ The laughed rang out of his chest, one that made her shudder. They had been challenging her will; her ability to fear no one, not even a man that could overpower her. But this fear was different. It was nothing she could have ever prepared for._

_ She couldn't see anything. He had blindfolded her. There was only one in the room now, but one was all it took. Her line of vision was something that she was desperate for just so she could know what to expect._

_ Another pain shot through her body. Her body quaked as she bit her lip, her wall of will slowly starting to crumble. Sweat poured down her face, her breathing loud and heavy._

_ Part of her thought she was in a dream just because her mentality said that she would never fall into such a predicament. She was no damsel. No weakling. No vulnerable woman._

_ A greater ache flew through her again, much stronger than the last two, this one didn't go away. It seemed to drag on forever. Temari's breaking point had been reached._

_ "... Please... Don't do this..."_

_ There was utter silence this time, and all she knew was that he was grinning. His fingers intwined in her hair before yanking on it; Something told her that would only make it worse, but she felt helpless at that point._

_ Tears sprung from her eyes. If he didn't stop then, he would never stop. Her heart dropped when she realized that there was no one to come and rescue her. No one knew about the situation she was even in._

_ "Why not just accept it? It'll make it that much better..."_

"Temari? Temari! It's okay, babe. It's me," Shikamaru whispered.

It was over? Reliving it was almost as terrifying as when it had happened. The only blessing about the dream factor was that she could wake herself up at some point if she put herself through pain.

Shikamaru's eyes were staring into hers, trying to make sure that she was aware and conscious of her surroundings. She hadn't a clue of where she was at that particular moment in time.

Her legs were cold, freezing almost. His hands were clutching her face, trying to focus her on him. The feeling of skin on her, on her body felt disgusting.

"Get off of me!" she screamed before shoving him away. Realizing he had invaded her personal space, he backed away, recognizing her hostility.

Her heart was racing, her breathing was faster than usual. She clutched her chest, gasping for air almost in a manner that would have seemed as though she was drowning.

She was still in the hospital room, just not in the bed. Now in the corner of the room, on the floor, Temari sat still, trying to remember everything that had just occurred.

She looked down, her gown was covered in blood. Her eyes widened, not sure where the source had come from. Looking down at her hand, she saw teeth marks, and yet there was no pain. She was sure it would sink in later.

"Temari, you have to get back in bed," Shikamaru coherced slowly. It was almost as if the statement didn't register in her mind.

"What happened?" was all she asked, confused.

"You were screaming in your sleep. I guess to wake up, you bit yourself. Right now, I need you to get back to your bed," he explained at a low tone.

Suddenly, it all sunk into her brain like a sponge and Temari's body started to shake again before covering her face in shame.

"I'm so sorry..."

* * *

The phone vibrated on the wooden bedside stand. Neji's head rose to look, only to see that it was his wife's phone ringing. His brow knit together before nudging the weapon's mistress. She groaned, signaling her husband she didn't want to be bothered.

He rolled his eyes only to reach over his wife and check the caller's name. It was none other than Shikamaru. Neji felt no need to let the call be missed. Flipping her phone open, his voice was colder than ice only in hope to prevent Shikamaru from calling at an hour as such again.

"Hello?"

"Neji? Is Tenten knocked out?" he asked in an exasperated tone.

"Yes. She's resting. What do you want?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at Neji's insolent behavior. He couldn't blame him for being upset about the hour he was calling, but he had to tell Tenten about what happened.

"Just tell her Temari had another bad dream; the kind that makes her inflict pain on herself. She's all patched up now, but Tenten told me to keep her updated on that sorta thing," he briefly stated. Neji merely grunted in the phone before hanging up the phone in the Shadow Possessor's ear.

Neji put her phone back on the nightstand before trying to get comfortable to go back to bed.

"What'd he say?" Tenten barely whispered, still half conscious. Neji didn't want her to wake up, he still felt as though she needed rest. He was still anticipating the possibility of a baby. He wanted her to focus on herself.

"Temari had another nightmare," he stated nonchalantly, almost as if it wasn't important. Tenten was more attentive now than before, only to be acknowledged by a disapproving glare from her husband.

"She hurt herself?"

"Yes, but she's fine," he pressed, hoping to end the conversation. Tenten's eyebrows rose in disgust at her husband's tone. It was getting a little too far.

"Neji, you know you need to stop acting like that," Tenten pressed. "I thought we had an understanding. You know, Temari is my family and-"

"I know what we talked about. It's just a little annoying at this point," he said coarsely. Tenten, now wide awake and aware of the conversation and everything being said, started to get defensive.

"I'm sorry, Neji. What was that?" she asked. He looked at her, a little annoyed that she was ask him to repeat himself. She knew that he didn't do such a thing.

"You heard me, Ten. I just-"

"No, I heard you. You're really trying to show me how much of ass you really are, aren't you?" she snapped. Neji's eyes widened at her outburst. She had never had an outburst like that to him.

"Just because I think the attention she is receiving is excessive, doesn't make me an ass," Neji replied curtly.

"No, that doesn't make you an ass. It makes you look like a jealous man who is possessive over his wife for no reason. I'm sorry that I've put so much of my heart into Temari, but she needs me now, more than ever!"

Neji stared at his wife, amazed at her strong feelings and her initiation of a verbal conflict. He could demolish her; he always did. Tenten knew he would, that he could and that's how their arguments always went. But this time, he didn't have the energy. It was way too late, or even early. It was three in the morning.

"What is Shikamaru here for, Tenten? Does she really need both of you?"

Tenten stared at her husband in awe at what he had dared to speak. She scoffed and shook her head at his, disappointed in his selfish nature before throwing the blankets of the bed back. Stepping out she reached on the chair and grabbed her robe.

"And where are you going?"

"To the room across the hall that was originally mine." Neji's eyes widened at her disrespectful gesture as she grabbed her bag and her phone before exiting the room. It took him a few moments to have it register in his mind before he himself got out of bed and followed after her.

She had already started to open the door before Neji grabbed her wrist and yanked it away. There was a loud thud as he held her against the door. She gasped, not expecting her body to be pinned between her husband and the door.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he whispered fiercely. She looked away, ashamed almost, unsure of why she had done something so bold. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the argument, or maybe her hormones.

"I..."

No words left her mouth. She was upset, that was a given. She was more embarassed than anything.

"You know how I feel about you walking away from me," he stated coldly. His hold on her was released before he backed away. "I apologize, Tenten. You don't have to stay in the room with me if you don't want to."

Turning around and walking back to the other room, Tenten's heart urged her to follow him. By the time her body reacted to what she desired, he had already shut the door. The tears started to flow faster than she had anticipated. She hated these fights...

"Neji, I'm sorry..."

* * *

It was day seven since Shikamaru and his squad arrived at Sunagakure. Today was an important day for Shikamaru, an even more important day for Temari. Tenten wasn't there, for whatever reason. All that Shikamaru knew was that there were marital problems for the umpteenth time.

Whenever they had issues, it would make him anticipate marriage. They loved each other, but when they butted heads, everyone around them would suffer. They were both being idiots about the whole thing.

Temari barely smiled while she signed off on the paper at the front desk. The receptionist was trying to be as smiley and bubbly as possible, but it didn't affect her mood. She was still a bit abysmal, but It had been almost two weeks since it all happened.

She still couldn't sleep, she barely ate at times. Shikamaru had to coax her into it most of time. He hadn't left her side unless he had two. He had slept in his room on three occasions; otherwise he was by her side.

Kankuro's prescence would appear occasionally and Shikamaru could tell that he was confused about him being around his sister so much. He didn't press on it; he didn't want to bother her or make her feel any kind of way about the one person who seemed to help expedite her progress. At the same time, he wanted to find out...

"Shikamaru?"

He looked up at Temari, pulled away from his thoughts. She gestured towards the exit before he reached for her, taking her bag out of her hand. He gave her a genuine smile before following behind her as she led him down the hall to leave the hospital.

She had officially signed out.

He took the sheet of paper out of her hand that had her information and her requirements now that she was officially out of Suna Medical Center's care. At the bottom, he saw that it said she needed to visit a psychiatrist twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

"You see this at the bottom right?" he questioned briefly. Once again in a strange daze, she looked at him as if she hadn't heard him. He pointed it out to her on the sheet of paper. "It says here that you have to go to the psych ward and talk to-"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. Shikamaru knew that Temari didn't like that part of her assignment since she wasn't the most talkative about her situation.

"Temari..."

She didn't answer. That was one of the things he missed the most. Their bickering or her opinionated nature. The silent nature wasn't something that appealed to him even though he always thought he would be happy when Temari learned how to shut up.

"You have to talk to someone. If you don't want to talk to a shrink, then talk to me. That is what I'm here for, right? A support system for you?" he continued, feeling as though she was ignoring him at this point.

Who would have known her silence would be so painful?

"You know that you have to talk about it at some point, right? You can't hide this in your heart like you do everything else," he said in a sharper tone this time.

Still no reaction...

She stopped walking before she came to the exit door, letting out an anxious sigh. He gave her a look of confusion. She refused to respond before and now...

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head and cleared her throat. He could still tell she was anxious if anything else. Another thing he had never seen from her.

"I just haven't... Been outside for two weeks," she breathed. She hadn't even felt the sun on her face. Her room didn't even have a window. How would she respond to the thick, dry, humidity? The blazing sun that beat down on her back? Or the pain that she felt whenever sand hit her in the cheeks?

She looked down when she felt his hand take hers. It was a strange feeling, almost comforting yet awkward. Temari knew her personality would usually reject such behavior, but she felt better with his hand in hers.

Squeezing it tightly, he pushed the door leading her to the outside world open. Inhaling a large amount of air, she anticipated him leading her out onto the sand by shutting her eyes as tight as she could.

There wasn't a rush of heat or light that singed her skin or hair. The was actually an inviting breeze that tickled her cheeks. Finally exhaling, she felt relief all over as she looked out into the street.

People were carrying on with life, buying goods, running errands; children played amongst each other in, excitement gleaming from their eyes. Even after Temari stepped into the sunlight, it wasn't overbearing.

Shikamaru smiled at her relaxation. Today had been a rather lucky day. It wasn't hot and dehydrating and there were clouds hovering over, blocking the rays. He began to walk, tugging her along behind her.

"How does the park sound? So you can get used to this again?" he asked with a slight grin on his face. Temari couldn't surpress a smile before she looked away. It still gave her that feeling that her heart still beat. If felt dormant a lot of the time now.

The Suna park was one of Temari's favorite places too. It was an Oasis that Suna kept up to par by taking care of the grass and water resevoir. Ironically, not a lot of people visited it even though it was one of the most special areas that Suna had to offer.

"You know how much I love that place," she trailed offered, refusing to make eye-contact. He pulled her along by the hand, hoping that he was still offering her some kind of comfort even in the predicament they were in.

As they walked down the street, many citizens greeted her, rejoiced and ecstatic to see her out of the hospital and that she was well enough to return to the streets. Temari waved and smiled weakly at all those who addressed her; even hugged the small children who clutched her at the ankles. At the same time, she was starting to feel overwhelmed.

Shikamaru's hand in hers didn't feel the same. It felt more awkward than comforting. The way eyes drew to it after they spoke to her was making her feel restless and targeted. Drawing unnecessary attention made her feel like eyes were stabbing into her back.

The Shadow Possessor took notice to it. He stopped walking on the dirt road before pulling her inside a small market place. There weren't many people

"You okay?" he asked before pulling her aside to a place where there was shade. "Are you hot? Tired?"

She shrugged, unsure of how to describe the feeling herself. She felt as if everyone was staring at her. Everyone was conspiring about her. Her heart took her to the worst case scenario. What if they all figured it out? What if they knew?

"Shikamaru... I can't... Can you just take me home?" she asked almost in a pleading tone. Shikamaru's eyes widened at her sudden emotional turn around. He merely nodded, unsure of how to take the course of action.

She had seemed satisfied about visiting the park. It was the closest thing that resembled Konoha to her, he knew how much she loved grass and trees. And now...

He started to blame himself. Maybe he was trying to do too much at once. She hadn't been out the hospital that long and he was the reason she wasn't feeling well again.

"I'm sorry, Temari. We can go home," he whispered before taking her hand. He drew it to his mouth and gave her a brief kiss. He felt some resistance from her as if she didn't want him to do it as she instantly looked away. She was feeling more uncomfortable than before.

Even though Shikamaru's feelings were hurt, he started to lead her to her house. Temari bit her lip, resisting the desire to shed tears. She had survived it all, made it back home and had physically recovered from what had happened. Now she was gonna tear down all the emotional barriers.

* * *

"You cannot get involved, Kankuro. It is not your place," Gaara drawled, sounding rather monotonous. In the Kazekage office, Kankuro was talking to his brother on something that was unrelated to their country.

On the edge of the desk sat Ms. Yusa, twiddling her thumbs. Upon her lips was a distressed smile in regards to the Kankuro's specific predicament. This wasn't something simple in the least.

"But you should see the way they have been the past few days over Temari's recovery. It's absurd how he's reacting. We should at least be able to go and get someone to replace him," Kankuro argued.

"I feel as though your intense desire to remove Neji is due to your feelings for his wife, which is not a plausible reason," Gaara calmly stated, hoping that his brother wouldn't take too much offense to it.

But he did.

"How I feel about Tenten has nothing to do with the disrespectful manner he has dared to uphold in Sunagakure. It is uncalled for," he argued, his cheeks starting to flush.

Yusa sighed and shook her head, seeing how emotionally attached the Puppet Master was to the Weapon's Mistress. It was undeniable.

"Water."

Yusa jumped at the command and quickly hurried out of the room to fetch her master some. She would not reveal her heated feelings about how Gaara used water as an excuse to dismiss her. He always did that whenever he felt she was listening too much or if she had nothing to do.

"Their marital issues-"

"What's going on between the Konoha Shinobi and Temari?" Gaara interrupted, jumping to a new subject. He himself had been even a little intrigued at why the Shinobi had been so interested in his sister, even then in her dire time of need.

Kankuro, almost unsure of what to say shrugged. He hadn't given it much thought due to his own mind occupied on the Hyuga family fued.

"I'm... Not sure actually," he started slowly, rather confused about the situation. He started to give it more thought slowly and surely.

"Shikamaru hasn't presented himself with any information to help aid the capture in Temari's attackers. The official investigation starts tomorrow and Shikaku already said he would fill his son's position because he doubted he would be capable of doing so," Gaara said in suspicious tone.

"Shikaku is smarter though," Kankuro added.

"Yes, but something isn't right."

"You got that right. We need to get this started first thing in the morning. I'm not even sure where Shikamaru is right now. I'm going to go visit Temari in a little bit though," he stated calmly before Gaara shook his head. "What?"

"Temari checked out this morning."

Kankuro's eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

"Why? Who's with her? How's she getting home? She doesn't need to be home alone by herself," Kankuro cried in a panicking tone.

"The Leaf Village Nin is escorting her."

* * *

Shikamaru shut the door behind him as Temari walked through the living room into the kitchen. The house didn't resemble her home at all in Konoha, it was actually rather large in comparison.

It was built like a penthouse; they were already three stories up and the walk had seemed a lot longer than Shikamaru anticipated. The inside of the house had sandy white walls, the kind of sand at the beach just before the tide.

Everything was beautiful, elegant. Surprising enough, there were more pictures at this house than her home in Konoha. A lot of them were more recent too. There were pictures of him and Temari all over the house, even Lee and Naruto. He had never expected her to be some family-oriented.

When he turned back around, Temari was lounging on the couch, sipping a bottle of water. He eased over to join her, seeing her troubled expression.

The silence between them was thick again, and it was awkward like it always was. He didn't ask any questions, he just sat beside her and refrained from making any bodily contact.

The way she had reacted to his kiss on her hand stung his heart a little bit. The only thing she had really felt comfortable doing was being held, and even then sometimes it didn't work. He felt more helpless than ever.

He listened to her breathing. The sound was slightly labored, as if she was trying to calm herself down. He examined her facial expression. The way she pursed her lips together showed the tension that outlined her face. She wasn't relaxed at all. Her eyes were gaping holes that were mildly confused.

_ All I want to do is help..._

Nervous about how to approach her, Shikamaru ran through case scenarios in his head. He never was an emotional person, never someone who was willing to do all that he was doing. He wasn't sure what to even do; all he knew was that he wanted to help her so much it pained him.

"Temari..."

She looked up, pulled from her gaze. She had been staring through the water bottle, almost as if it was a looking glass. She could see everything through it as if it was in a haze.

Was that what Shikamaru saw when he looked at her? Something that was obviously there, but couldn't be figured out? She wanted to tell him, she wanted to tell someone, but she couldn't let it out...

She still wasn't able to speak. Helpless and vulnerable was all that she felt with every beat in her chest.

"I'm sorry," was all she seemed capable of choking out. His eyes widened when he saw the tears in her eyes. She forcibly blinked them back, she had promised herself she wouldn't ever cry again.

"Mari, don't do that. Why are you apologizing?" he asked soothingly. She bit her lip, smiling weakly at the nickname he used to always call her.

He reached over and pulled her close to him before laying back on the couch. He stroked her hair between his fingers and cradled her as if she was a small child.

"I thought I was doing better... But I'm not. It still feels the same," she whispered, digging her face into his chest. He didn't make a noise, only continuing to embrace her. She was still as tense as ever, not easing up in any form.

"Well, talk it out to me," he offered as an alternative for the situation. She shook her head as he rolled his eyes in disappointment. He should have known that would be the answer to that offer.

"I can't, Shikamaru. I'm embarassed, ashamed... Do you know what that feels like?" she asked before sitting up, staring into his eyes. He looked away, feeling a little bad. He couldn't relate or understand how she felt.

"No, I don't... But help me understand so I can help you. You don't have to tell your life story, unless you want to. It takes small steps. You can't rush this," he whispered before leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead.

She flinched again, just as she had done in the market. All too well she did she miss that feeling, but it was almost as if it was unknown to her. Such an innocent, gentle touch that was meant to help relinquish her feelings.

Shikamaru sighed at her reaction and sat back, closing his eyes, still stroking her hair. She started to feel guilty all over again.

"I don't want to hurt your feelings, Shikamaru. It's not that your touch feels bad, it's just foreign to me sometimes. Almost as if I forgot how to feel..."

He didn't answer her or give her any kind of signal to her understanding. It was depressing to him that this traumatic event could have done such a thing to her. It only made his boil from within and fear what she could have faced.

"Well, that's... What your psychologist will help you work through," he reminded her only resulting in Temari sitting up and staring at him in disbelief.

"No."

"Temari-"

"I said no, Shikamaru! I'm not going to talk to some whack job who thinks he understands how I feel and why I feel the way I feel," Temari said in a stubborn tone. Rolling his eyes, his passive nature attempted to take over, but he couldn't in the case scenario.

"Temari, if you don't do what the doctor says, they'll make you go back-"

"They won't make me do anything," she spit as if it was acid.

"If Gaara or Kankuro feel as though you aren't well because of your state of mind, they have the authority to make you go back. Why would you make your brothers go through that? I feel like they've been through enough as it is. They're out there trying to find your attackers as we speak, and they're going off nothing. The least you can do is try and recover and show some growth in going back to yourself," Shikamaru argued.

Temari went to open her mouth and speak, but no words came out. She was stumped. She actually felt rather bad about her thoughts and negative mind set.

"But why does it have to be a shrink?" she whispered so low he could barely hear her.

"You don't have to talk to a doctor. I told you, Mari, you can talk to me-"

"No, I can't! You would never look at me the same way ever again! You just don't understand, Shikamaru... You can't possibly-"

"How will I ever learn how to if you don't let me try?" he asked softly before pulling her back down into her arms. "You don't have to start until your ready. But you can't avoid the inevitable. Bottling this up is the worst thing you can do for yourself."

Temari swallowed the large lump in her throat, feeling her body start to shake all over. She wasn't going to cry, she promised herself. She didn't feel any tears starting to leave her eyes, so she was at least in control of that much.

The silence wasn't as painful or awkward as before, it had more understanding in it this time. Sometimes, nothing needed to be said, even for them. He could feel the warmth of her body on his, the shudder of her shoulders in his arms. She was still tense, almost as if she was still scared.

_She'll get better with time, _was all he seemed to be able to tell himself._ If she opens up to me some, maybe then I'll understand. And even if I don't, I can help her get through this._


	22. Chapter 21: Collapse

**I'm not dead. Do i always say that? Anyway, this is a dire moment, and I'm already on the next chapter. Don't worry, its gonna get started again VERY SOON. Review and tell me your thoughts. I'll update again soon, Loves! Mwah! **

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Collapsed

Chapter 21

"Gaara-sama."

His eyes drew up to the maiden in front of him, yanked from his previous thoughts. Her eyes were avoiding his; her fingers nervously fiddled with the loops of her white apron as if she was uneasy. He showed no emotional interest, but she knew as well as he did that he wanted to know.

"I... I was just informed that you are going to have to attend a meeting tomorrow with the Leaf Village Nin and others involved with Temari's abduction and kidnapping. Also, I changed the sheets in your room, finished your laundry, updated your calendar-"

"What is on your mind, Yusa?" Gaara interrupted briefly. Shocked of his interruption, she looked up, still avoiding his eyes. She knew that his icy blue ones would burn holes through her own.

"I'm just... A little uneasy, Gaara-sama. I'm sorry that I'm not-"

"Tell me."

Gaara was blunt and straight to the point. He wanted to know what happened and there was no getting around that. She was his head maid, and she kept everything in order for him. When she wasn't alright, he wasn't alright.

"We can discuss it later, Gaara-sama. Kankuro-san is still requesting the dismissal of Neji Hyuga-"

Gaara's eyes rolled, his temper and patience starting to thin. This Kankuro and Tenten situation is so annoying and unneccessary to him.

"Tell Kankuro that his request is denied, for the umpteenth time, " he drawled, still pressing on Yusa's own personal interest. "And your current issue, Yusa?"

"I'm so confused about it all, honestly," she started, Gaara's attention now undivided. "I mean, Kankuro obviously loves the girl, why didn't he marry her?"

Rather disappointed at the subject still being on his brother and his own situation wasn't helping his stress level at the time. It had been another week and Temari hadn't been to any psychiatric appointments. There was hardly any evidence that was gathered about who took her, how they did it, why they did it on top of other missions and things that had to be done.

"Because, when two nin from two separate countries are loyal to their country, things don't necessarily work out that well. If they were to married, one would have to revoke their status at another country. Unless they would live separately," Gaara briefly stated. "It's not that simple. Kankuro is essential here, as Tenten is in Konoha."

Yusa briefly nodded, still puzzled.

"I guess his love won't die, huh?"

"His love is idiotic," he said shortly, before reaching for a file on his desk. He flipped it open and grabbed a pen, starting to do a minor amount of work. If Yusa wasn't going to break the news of what was bothering her, the least he could do was occupy his brain.

Yusa looked a little frustrated with his statement.

"Idiotic? I'd say romantic. Unrequited. Even-"

"Idiotic." Gaara repeated this time, not even looking up. Yusa humphed and folded her arms together. Gaara's eyes looked up at her just in time to see her disapproval of his comment.

"I only say this because I know my brother and how he is. His relationship with Tenten ended over five years ago and he's still clinging on despite the fact that she is married," Gaara explained, his tone as dull as ever. "He's putting this woman and her marriage over our sister."

Finally his emotions revealed themselves. That's how he really felt. Gaara felt ashamed that he had said that out loud and dared to accuse his brother of putting another woman over their sister, but he did.

Now the maiden understood as well. Gaara felt angry and disappointed in his older brother. Tenten had been the main topic of discussion for the past week and a half and his sister was the one who was trying to recover from something as traumatic as being attacked and kidnapped.

Yusa's mind travelled back to the thought she had been having before she strayed from Gaara's original intention; trying to convince her to tell him what was on her mind, but she hadn't be sure, she hadn't been ready just yet.

Unsure of how to feel, how to react, how he would react was the biggest thing. No one could anticipate such, not even him. What would they do about it? What could be done?

She knew for a fact she couldn't answer all the questions herself. Finally building up the strength to say what she had to say, she was capable of telling him what she was thinking abou before, apprehensive about what he would have to say.

"...Gaara-"

"No Yusa, it's fine," he cut off before returning to his work. He thought she was still talking about what he had slipped up about his candid opinion of Kankuro's behavior. The dysfuntion in the family was inevitable at this point and their both accepted that. But she had to convince him that that wasn't what she wanted to talk about anymore.

"Gaara-sama-"

"Not now, Yusa, we can discuss it later tonight," he said, intervening again. This time her obvious angry was showing at his dismissal of her. She knew she was the help, but it had been so long since she had been treated like hired aid. It wasn't something that was normal behavior anymore...

She had to tell him though. She couldn't hold it in any longer. He had to know, as soon as possible. It had been eating her inside and out. How would he react? She wasn't even gonna tell him.

"I'm pregnant, Gaara-sama."

It didn't register in his head right away, it was almost as if it flew over his head. But when he picked up on it, he stopped writing and froze, almost as if time stopped.

He looked up at her, seeing her glowing eyes filled with tears, her red, flushed cheeks. She bit her pouted lips and tucked her silky black hair behind her ear. He didn't feel any particular way either. He wasn't scared, anxious, but at the same time he wasn't excited or happy.

That wasn't right. That couldn't be right? How could someone be indifferent to receiving such news that he just did? Gaara's mind looked back to the previous encounters with Yusa.

Gaara, one who had never really been one to encounter females never took into consideration the idea of reproduction. He never even thought he was capable of such. There weren't even that many encounters. Both weren't planned and didn't anticipate the next.

The tears streaming down her face only proved to him that she was as scared as he would expect her to be. Gaara was known not to be emotional, physical, or in any way comforting. Yusa knew that and accepted that part of him. She didn't want that to change. It was one of the reasons why she felt the way she had about him. But at this current scenario...

"Well, we'll have to see to it that your family is informed, the council is informed-"

"The council?" she squeaked, almost as if she was more afraid of their point of view on the incident than his or her own family. He looked at her with such an inquiry, she knew he was trying to dissect her like he always did.

"Yes. They must be informed so that it can be handled accordingly. There will be disapproval, as expected, but it will dealt with. We will set up doctor's appointments, terminate your job-"

"My job?" she interrupted once again, not sure about how to feel about not being his aid anymore.

"It is to my previous learning that pregnant women need to be off their feet as much as possible to prevent discomfort and pain to themselves during their term. You taking care of everything, being the Head Maid will be something lost in the process or the transition," he stated as if there was no argument. He returned to his paper work, still unfazed by Yusa's confused figure.

Yusa felt out of control, as if he was pulling all the strings now and he was. Unsure of how to feel about it all, Yusa fiddled away at her thumbs, staring at her fingernail beds. She wasn't opinionated, demanding, or in anyway forceful. She felt it would be better that he take charge of everything like he just had.

Gaara was very organizational and on top of many things that needed to be done. She wouldn't expect less from him. It was just strange. No particular reaction, no surprised expressions or nervous flusters. Just...

Indifference.

"Are you upset?" she asked slowly. The silence creeped over the room as he looked up again.

"You know better than to think that."

* * *

Temari turned over in her bed, reaching to pull more blankets over her body. Her house was kept rather chilly due to her disdain to the weather outside. The sun crept into her window, bathing her in the light and warmth.

That was one thing she loved about her bedroom. When dawn broke and the sun rose, it didn't attack her face and eyes like more people, it covered her from the chest down.

She rubbed her eyes, feeling more tired than when she had gone to bed. She was a restless sleeper now that she was home. She expected to feel more comfortable now that she wasn't hospitalized. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.

No dreams. And if she did dream, she didn't remember it. Whatever Shikamaru gave her the night before must have done wonders. He had made her something to drink before bed and he had said it would ease her mind before she went to sleep.

Finally opening her eyes, she looked around her room as if it was something she had never seen before. Looking beside her on her king sized bed, there was nothing but empty space for her to turn over and sleep in.

No Shikamaru.

Her mind didn't even wander to the ideal disappointment that a woman experience when she looked to her side and saw no man awaiting her there. She actually felt relieved, still a little distant even to the man whom had devoted more than enough of his time to taking care of her.

He understood, that was something that she was most thankful for. Time would be needed; she was going to recover, but he was in no way trying to expedite the process any faster.

Pulling the blanket back, her feet met the carpeted floor before she paused. She still had no idea what time it was. She looked at the clock, seeing that it was only eight thirty. A decent hour in her opinion, not too earlier. She had gone to bed at nine the night before, so she got all the sleep she needed.

Temari pushed through the door of her bedroom and headed to the living room and kitchen area. There on the loveseat was Shikamaru sprawled out, barely covered by a blanket. Shirtless, in nothing but some sweatpants, he looked like a ragdoll who had been tossed onto the bed by a careless child.

She rolled her eyes before she continued to the kitchen, reaching into the refridgerator to grab a bottle of water. She hadn't been very hungry, and she wouldn't eat until Shikamaru force fed her like he always did.

This had been going on now for almost a whole week. He would take her to breakfast and dinner, occasionally lunch. Her refusal to eat wasn't accepted lightly. She was always hydrated though, he never had to complain about that.

Shikamaru started to cough, his body flexing and shaking before he turned back over, his sleep uninterrupted. She shook her head before sitting on the couch, gazing at him like she did every morning.

He didn't look the same when he slept, he looked somewhat at peace with himself, relaxed. This only proved her point that often times he forced his indifference on himself out of fear of caring. That was a long discussion that he wasn't willing to put up a fight about.

The Sand Princess had to admit to herself though, he wasn't being so indifferent and apathetic lately though. Maybe it was because he was too busy worrying and taking care of her? Maybe it was because she hated how that came out sometimes. Maybe he didn't care if she saw how he really was and how he really felt at times.

Her eyes drew to his hair, and how long it was. It wasn't like when was younger, and it was undeniably thick, she could tell. All of her assumptions before about his hair had been proven just by how untidy it was at that particular moment.

The feeling of wanting to run her fingers through it wasn't there anymore. It scared her a little; she remembered how excited she got when they first shared that kiss and she finally touched it. Why wasn't that feeling still there?

Temari put her bottle of water down and looked at how long and stringy his legs were. They were hanging over the arm rest and almost touched the floor. Why hadn't he laid on the couch instead? It was longer. It wasn't like she hadn't offered him the guest bedroom either. He refused.

Such a strange man, was as she could think. Her eyes were now staring at his chest, recognizing minut scars on him. He was pale in comaparison to her even though that was no surprise. He was muscular and toned in all the right areas.

Once again, there was no spark. The heat that burned with in her whenever she came across things that she knew attracted her was dead. She swore under her breath, feeling a burning within, though this one was hatred.

They had stolen so much from, even her desire for the one man she dared to care for. She had no idea how to get it back, either.

She approached him before crouching before him. She pulled the blanket back up over his bare chest, only for him to twitch slightly. She leaned over him, her mind provoking her, telling her to do what she was least uncomfortable with. Make a move. It shows progress.

She inhaled and held her breath before she pressed her lips against in forehead. His brow felt warm and smooth. It didn't feel as nasty she anticipated.

Shikamaru's eyes fluttered open, only due to pressure on his forehead area. It wasn't something that normally happened, he was still in a daze and rather confused. When his vision cleared, he saw a woman's bosom in his line of sight.

Unsure of how to react, he closed his eyes again. He knew it was Temari's, he knew he was wrong for even feeling some kind of a arousal at this point in time.

He pretended to be sleep, hoping that he could feign his sleep without having to say anything. The gesture was a sweet one, even though he was a little confused. Temari didn't like physical contact at that particular moment and since he had been staying with her and watching out for her, he hadn't touched her in any way. No holding hands, no hugs, nothing unless she initiated it due to her discomfort with it.

_Last time I held her was when she first came home, and even after that she told me she had to get up because she didn't feel well, _he reminded himself. _So why the kiss on the forehead? _

She removed herself, smiling as if she had felt some kind of inner accomplishment before reaching for her bottle of water and heading back to her bedroom. Shikamaru sat up at the sound of her door clicking before rubbing when she had placed his lips. He smiled to himself, finally catching on.

"Do you love me?" Tenten breathed, fiddling her thumbs. Neji stared at her, his eyes as icy as ever. He knew how to be heartfelt and genuine, but he still will holding a bit of a grudge towards his wife.

"You know I do, Tenten," he responded, his voice rather robotic compared to what she was hoping for.

"Well, I think it's time that I tell you," Tenten whispered. They had been in a restaurant, Neji had invited her out. Both of them seemed surprised that she had accepted it and agreed to come. After dinner, they were walking back to their rooms in the Kazekage mansion.

The walk had been a quiet, nerve-wracking one, but overall, Tenten was used to the silence because Neji didn't talk a lot. It was something that she had adapted to with time. But now that they finally gotten together, she needed to talk.

After that night when she had decided to stay in the room originally designated for her, she had continued to sleep there despite Neji's obvious hints in hope of her return. All that had led up to that very moment.

"And it's time to tell me what? You're leaving me for Kankuro?" he asked in a placid tone. Tenten shoved him, shocked that he could ever say such a thing before she saw the slight smirk on his lips. It only made her feel better knowing that he was joking; it helped lighten the mood a little bit.

"No. About the baby situation," she said on a serious note. He looked more attentive than ever, feeling rather nervous considering how her facial expression was now more drained than ever.

"Alright. I'm listening," he said shortly. Tenten sighed, unsure of how to let the statement roll off her lips or how to explain it. All she knew was at the end, she was bound to break down in tears at some point.

"I got my period three days ago," she started. Neji's heart dropped instantly, even though he dared not to show it outwardly. That was unacceptable. "I remember I had taken the pregnancy test that came back positive, and I was confused. I thought I had miscarriage through all the drama and stress and what not..." That only made Neji feel worse. He was the only one adding onto it all at the end of the story.

"Tenten.."

"Let me finish," she cut off, her voice starting to crack. She refused to make eye contact at this point. "I went to the doctor yesterday and she tells me there never was a child. My body was producing more hormones, resulting in a false positive pregnancy test. So there never was a baby."

Neji didn't know if he was supposed to feel better or not. The fact that there never was a child was the hardest part to swallow. He could only imagine how his wife felt. Barren and broken, unable to conceive a child.

He pulled his wife into an embrace, only resulting in a burst of tears and her to claw at his back. He clutched her head and kissed her head. All the guilt from how he had been treating her now began to bear down on his heart.

"She'll be here, don't worry," he whispered, surprising Tenten.

"She?"

"Yes, she," he chuckled. All the times they had talked about it, he insisted on it being a boy due to his belief in carrying on the Hyuga name. Now he felt like that was all a dream.

"What's her name?"

"Ai," he consoled, rubbing her head before she looked up at him, her eyes still red, tears springing from them. She only cried harder at the name he picked before he wiped the tears from her face.

"After my mother?" He merely nodded before smiling at her. He kissed her nose, hoping that he was easing her pain just a little bit.

"She'll have your beautiful brown hair, all down her back," he continued, "And your smile."

"But she'll be a Hyuga," Tenten added in, her voice still slightly shaky. The Hyuga eyes were inevitable, ironically, despite Naruto's situation. Neji nodded and smiled.

"She'll be a great kunoichi. She'll be disciplined and strong, like you," Tenten continued, starting to feel a little better. "Conservative, yet strong."

"But she'll be forgetful like you. Helpful, caring, and selfless, like you," Neji said, resulting in Tenten giving him a watery smile. "But you know what the best part about her will be?"

"What?"

"There will be no one like her, and no one will be able to replace her."

* * *

"It was the dead of summer. The heat was unbearable. You would think that it wouldn't be as hot because we have no humidity, but you're wrong. It was blazing. Livestock died from heat stroke. The elderly and children were forced to stay inside due to health concerns. Regardless, Kankuro and I were excited. That was the day my mother told us we were gonna be older siblings.

"I was more concerned about it being a girl. I wanted a little sister because I wanted to be a kunoichi, and traditions usually only allow the first born daughter to be a nin if there is a younger daughter. Kankuro just didn't want to be the baby anymore.

"I could see the anxiety in my mother's face, but I was too young to pay it any mind. All I knew was that we were going to be a trilogy, an infamous one at that. The 4th Kazekage's children. That's what we were known as."

Shikamaru saw the light in her eyes talking about her siblings. He knew before, they hadn't been close at all until Gaara made his transition. After that, family came first no matter what. They all had that influence on one another, even Gaara. Temari always said that his love for herself and Kankuro was greater than anything she had ever seen.

Shikamaru could see it now.

Temari's phone started ringing on the counter, some kind of generic ringtone. It surprised both of them because her phone hadn't rung all week. She picked it up and looked at the caller ID just as Shikamaru and Temari both looked at the front door due to the sudden chakra pressure change.

"Hello?" she spoke into the phone just as the door swung open. Shikamaru jumped in front of Temari, handsigns already forming in hope to protect the woman from whomever dared to burst through the door.

"What the hell is this?"

Shikamaru relaxed when he realized it was only Kankuro. Temari shook her head at her 'protector's' attempt to keep her safe. It was courageous yes, but she knew her brother's chakra like the back of her hand.

Kankuro closed the door behind him before kicking his shoes off. Temari grabbed Shikamaru's fishnet shirt and yanked him back onto the couch. Letting out a yell before he landed, Kankuro looked at him with some sort of irritation.

"Temari!" She looked up when he raised his voice.

"What the hell? You aren't gonna answer me?" he said again, a little frantic in his voice. Temari's brow knitted together, an obvious reaction to her brother raising his voice at her.

"Any reason why you're yelling at me?" she asked with a tone that was warning him to change his tone. "There is nothing to answer. You came barging into my home."

Shikamaru looked back and forth between the two siblings, still rather confused at the sudden tension. Kankuro made eye contact with him, only making the Puppet Master more upset than before.

"And you? Where the hell have you been the last week? I could have sworn you were supposed to be helping with the investigation. You're here with her, not doing shit-"

"Kankuro!"

Shikamaru's eyes widened at the accusation. It had been a while since he had been in Suna. Two weeks, and Temari had been attacked three weeks ago. He came to help with the investigation to determine who had taken Temari hostage and now...

The guilt started to melt in, feeling like he was worthless, not doing the mission he had been assigned. Temari took notice to his change in mood and gestured for her brother to follow her to the guest room. Not only had she raised her voice, something that didn't happen too often now, but she was actually more angry than she had anticipated.

Shikamaru could hear the argument through the door and the wall. It hadn't been built to isolate or cancel out sound very well. Temari's voice was rather calm and Kankuro's was the one that seemed frustrated.

"What the hell is he here for?" Kankuro asked, as if he hadn't been clear the first two times he had asked what was going on. Temari rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

"Kankuro, calm down. He's watching out for me," she stated simply, as if there was nothing else to say.

"Doesn't look like it to me. Is this what he's been doing the whole time? Sitting here, trying to get in on you-?"

"And what the hell does that mean, huh? Just because he's here, trying to make sure I'm fine, he's trying to sleep with me? And you haven't even been here to visit me since I've been out of the hospital. You've got some nerve," she sneered.

Kankuro's entire face flushed from embarrassment. He hadn't meant to go so long without coming to see his sister, it was just... Did he even have an excuse? Or a good one?

"Look, I'm just trying to make sure he's not trying to take advantage of you while you're down," Kankuro pressed. Shikamaru felt a pinch at a nerve from that statement. That was just something that he was throwing out there without any proof. The Shadow Possessor decided it was in his best interest to just let it go.

There was a loud bang against the wall before there was nothing but silence. Shikamaru knew that Temari had Kankuro pinned against the wall. She was known for doing that to her younger brother. But what he heard was something he never anticipated to hear.

"No one will ever take advantage of me again, Kankuro. You remember that," she seethed in his face. Kankuro's eyes widened, Temari's eyes lit on fire before she realized what she had said.

The silence was unbearable. Her jaw dropped when she realized she had said too much. Temari let go of her grip on his collar and hung her head as if she was ashamed. Her temper always got in her way. Now she had said what she had promised never to speak.

"Get out."

"T-Temari, wait. Let's just-"

"GET OUT!" she screamed at him, her finger pointing at the door. She didn't want an explanation, she didn't want to talk about what had sprung from her lips. She just wanted to be alone and gather her thoughts right then.

Kankuro quickly headed for the door and closed it behind him, leaving Temari to herself. Walking through the living room, he turned and saw Shikamaru, leaning back on the couch. Before scoffing and giving him another glare of disdain, he grabbed his shoes and walked out the door, slamming the door behind him.

There was complete silence until Temari let out another scream of frustration and banged on the wall. Jumping from his seat, he dashed for the room and pushed the door open just in time to see Temari's fist go through the wall.

She let out another scream, this one of pain. He rushed to her, bringing her back to reality. Shikamaru helped pull her hand from the hole, dusting any rubble from her hand. Lucky for him, she had had on her black leather gloves.

Shikamaru caressed her hand, seeing her flinch and wince at his touch from the bruising. Leading her into the bathroom, he sat her down on the toilet seat and turned on the cold water. Searching through her medicine cabinet for the First Aid Kit, he pulled it out before putting a washcloth in the sink.

Running to the kitchen, he grabbed a glass and opened the freezer, filling it up with as much ice as he could. Heading back to the bathroom, he turned off the water and wrung out the cloth before filling with ice.

He looked over at her, only to see her eyes following his hands in a trance. He reached for her hand, Temari rather hesitant and cautious now. She looked into his eyes as she placed her wrist in his grasp. He pulled her glove off and placed the makeshift compress on her bruised knuckles.

She flinched and bit her lip as he adjusted it to make sure the ice was on all of her fingers. She look from her hand to him, looking away as fast as she could when he tried to make eye contact. It was a purple-red color. Thankfully, there were no broken bones.

"And where did you learn to do this?" she asked softly, trying to end the dreaded quiet. He chuckled before adjusting it once more, a mild smirk on his lips.

"Something I made up a long time ago," he responded with a smile on his lips. She felt a smile come on but it didn't show through. She felt ashamed, she had said more than she had wanted to.

Did Shikamaru hear it?

That thought hadn't crossed her mind until right then. She felt like she was numb all over from the simple idea of him knowing what she had said.

But she had to know...

"Shikamaru." He looked up at her, seeing that she was still avoiding his eyes. He grunted to let her know he was paying attention. "Did you hear what I said?" He paused, seeing what had been plaguing her thoughts.

"Not unless you wanted me to," he said back nonchalantly. Temari's fury had died down; it was almost as if like it was a daze. But at the same time, she felt as if she was aching. Revealing what she had said had made her feel so embarrassed, but it felt...

There was some kind of relief. The tension that had built up in her heart, all the pressure that she felt weighing down on her, some of it had been released just by admitting what she had admitted.

She was anxious about actually revealing anything else, but she couldn't hold it in anymore. She had said enough to the point where she knew that she wouldn't be able to hold it in anymore. It was that time.

The wall she had tried so hard to put up about the whole incident had finally crumbled. It disappointed her, she disappointed herself. Her plan to take her tragedy to the grave was now a failure. And the man she loved knew.

Honesty was her best policy. It was a code she had lived by and Shikamaru knew just as well as she did that she stuck to that. She wished rather not to speak about it at all than bring it up. And now the skeleton was out of the closet.

"They were looking for some kind of documentation from Konoha. But Tsunade hadn't given me anything. After they ambushed me, they blindfolded me. I never saw their faces until the end," Temari blurted out. Shikamaru's entire world froze; he looked at Temari and her eyes were avoiding his.

All she could think was she had to tell him, otherwise it would eat her alive. Her greatest fear was that he wouldn't want her anymore; a broken, weak vessel of a woman. This was a risk she had to take.

She couldn't tell her brothers. They had to be the last to know. They had enough to handle. Kankuro already had an idea of it all and that was all she cared to give to him. It would only hurt their hearts more if she told them what she was telling the Shadow Possessor.

"When they realized that I didn't have what they were looking for, they decided... They..."

"Temari-"

He tried to warn her that she didn't have to tell him everything at once, but she ignored him. She had already begun, she couldn't stop now. It was almost like her feelings and thoughts were a waterfall that wouldn't stop flowing.

Even he wasn't mentally prepared for her confessions of the situations. He didn't want her to do all of this because she felt like she had to. That would only prolong her getting better. And yet, she continued.

"They thought I was entertaining. I wouldn't cry, scream, or show any emotion or have any of my will broken. That's why they started to torture me. When they realized that wasn't getting the reaction they wanted, the person in charge decided to take it into his own hands."

Shikamaru's eyes were filled with horror. She looked as if it was so painful to let out, so hard for her to say. He could slowly feel a kunai digging into his heart.

It was breaking.

"Like I said, I was blindfolded, so I didn't know what to expect. There was like five or six of them at the most. All of a sudden I was moved somewhere else and there was only one person. I didn't know what to expect," she repeated again, her voice slowly starting to shake.

Shikamaru tightened his grip on her wrist, but Temari's facial expression didn't change. She was still reviewing all that had happened in her mind as if it was replaying like a movie in her head. He gritted his teeth together, swearing under his breath.

"He threw me on the ground. Ripped my yukata open. Started touching me. I still didn't beg him to stop like he wanted me to. I tried to fight back, but he kept hitting me, throwing me around. It was when he ripped my underwear off..."

Her voice broke. She clutched her mouth with her uninjured hand to keep herself from crying out. The ice scattered over the floor when he dropped it to grab Temari and pull her into an embrace. She wasn't sure if she could say anything else.

Shikamaru held her head close to his chest squeezed as tight as he could without harming her. Temari started to cry, once again breaking the promise to herself for the umpteenth time. She felt disgusting, sick. How could Shikamaru want to touch her?

A woman who had been taken by another man?

"After a while, I caved. I had to ask him to stop. But that only satisfied him even more. When I did that, he told me I should just accept it, and at least enjoy it. I couldn't bring myself to, but I still gave up.." she sobbed.

They both knew what she was going to say next, but Shikamaru silenced her. He wouldn't make her say it, she didn't have to; neither of them wanted her to.

Shikamaru's stomach turned. He felt like this whole situation was his fault. If everything that happened with Ino could have been erased, nothing would have happened at all. Temari was abducted, tortured, and taken advantage of because of him.

Shikamaru bit his lip as he felt the tears start to form in his eyes. He could only clutch her tighter before they started to stream down his own face. The woman whom he wanted to claim as his own, the one who had his heart was scarred in one way that would scar the both of them for a long time.

Now he knew he had to take care of her.

"I swear, Temari," he whispered. "I will never let anything else happen to you. I'm gonna take good care of you, I swear I will."

Temari's hands made their way around his back and clutched onto him. Someone who had been so headstrong, so independent was now vulnerable and helpless in the arms of the one man she always deemed incapable of protecting her, moreless anyone else. And now she had such faith and trust in him, she actually felt better. She just wanted one thing from him. To...

"Never break that promise."


	23. Chapter 22: Improvement

**I've got to say, I'm a little disappointed in this chapter. It wasn't to my liking, and I feel like I could have done better. I didn't want to scrap the whole document and start over, so I made improvements where I saw fit. Regardless, i still think it sucks.**

**I hope you guys enjoy. And if you don't i apologize and PROMISE to bring you the awesomeness that I have been giving you before. I hate disappointing my readers. :( Love you guys! Don't forget to drop a review in!**

* * *

Improvement

Chapter 22

"We aren't getting anywhere with this!" Kankuro yelled, slamming the files on the table. The InoShikaCho Team that was present ignored his outburst. They were used to such boisterous behavior from the Hokage in situations like this. At the same time, she knew that things took time, especially in a situation like this.

"There isn't much to go off of, Kankuro," Inoichi stated calmly. "Temari hadn't seen her attackers and was barely able to remember anything. She lost a lot of blood and that does affect memory."

"Not to mention we don't even have descriptions or anything like that. No village origin, no original intent, no-"

"And who's fault is that?" Kankuro snapped.

"There is no one to blame here," Chouza pointed out. "The fact that we have the general idea is a blessing."

"It was luck," Shikaku corrected, refusing to believe in anything but the statistics he worked with. "Regardless, I have to say the trail has gone cold."

"No!"

"Kankuro," Gaara stated in his monotonous tone. His brother's temper was getting to him today, more than any other reason. He had suddenly changed his priorities overnight. He hadn't even heard Tenten's name for almost four days. And now he was present trying to make the most of Temari's case.

Something wasn't right.

"Just go over what you've unfolded so far," Gaara stated, sitting back in his chair, ready to hear the scenario for the umpteenth time.

"Okay. So we all understand that Temari's leave was premature. Tsunade even verified that she is still in possession of the files that were supposed to return to Suna. The goal of these people who attacked her was to get their hands on the information. Discovering that she had none, the proceeded to do what ever they wanted with Temari for however long they kept her," Inoichi begun.

"But she was approximately three hours ahead of our squad. And we found her before Tanigakure. It was the Forest of Wind. We found her injured, wounded, so we patched her up the best we could and sedated her until we could make it back to Sunagakure," Chouza continued.

"We don't have anything else after that. We don't have any statements from Temari to help this either," Shikaku reminded them. "All we have to do is wait until she's well and willing enough to discuss the events and-"

"We can't afford to wait!" Kankuro pressed again.

There was a knock at the door, everyone's eyes darting towards it in curiosity of who it was. Gaara's voice grunted to allow whomever to enter. The door pushed open and it was none other than the Hyugas. Kankuro's eyes widened before he looked away, now more volatile than ever.

"Sorry we're late," Tenten said with a cough. She held up a file folder. "Got some important information for the case. It turns out that this might be bigger than what we think."

"Bigger?" Inoichi asked before taking the file out of her hand. His eyes darted across the page before his eyes started to widen in surprise. Chouza took the file from his teammate before looking at it himself.

Kankuro's eyes wandered to Neji, wishing his glare could burn holes in the back of his neck. Once their eyes connected, Neji's icy stared was more threatening than his. Gritting his teeth, he looked away once again.

"Where's your son? We may need him for this," Inoichi pointed out before looking to Shikaku, passing the same file onto him. This information was more than helpful. Kankuro's eyes burned with a fire at the sound of the Shadow Possessor's name.

"I'll handle it. He's got his own separate mission to take care of," Shikaku said with a slight smile. Kankuro's patience was wearing thin. So the dad was in on the whole thing as well? He didn't know how to feel about that.

Gaara's eyes darted to his brother, seeing how heated he was becoming for no reason. Maybe he needed to be dismissed from the whole case in general. It was possible it was becoming too much for him.

"Has Temari been going to her therapy sessions like she's supposed to?" Tenten asked briefly while everyone began to review the notes. Gaara shook his head. "She's skipped every single one. Although, I have talked to her. She said she's recovering."

Tenten's face showed utter relief. She already hadn't seen her best friend since she had left the hospital. Her phone calls went unanswered, never returned. She didn't want to stop by unannounced and bother her either.

"She'll be back to normal in no time," Inoichi reassured her with a smile. "She's in good hands." Kankuro's sneer was ignored by almost everyone. He would believe it when he saw it.

* * *

Temari shuddered in the cold before curling up into a tight little ball. She didn't awaken from her slumber; she clutched at her arms, hoping she would warm herself up without waking herself up.

Shikamaru got up when he saw her body reaction to the cool air in the living room. She had dozed off on the couch. They had been watching a movie and she had fallen asleep. He was sitting on the loveseat and she sat alone on the couch.

He went to the closet by the door and got her a fleece blanket large enough to consume her shivering body. Gently laying it on her, the Sand Princess reacted almost instantly and gathered the blanket to cover herself.

He smiled before brushing her hair out of her face, leaving a light kiss on her forehead. She became still before he slumped back onto the couch. The television was still on playing some show he wasn't interested in, but it was muted so it wouldn't wake her.

A vibration was heard before Shikamaru looked at the side table. It was his cell phone. Picking it up, he looked at the Caller ID before rolling his eyes and silencing it. Whenever he hit the ignore button, she somehow always knew.

Ino.

She had called him almost twice everyday for the past two days. How he had managed to keep this hidden from Temari, he still was amazed, but she wasn't the priority right now.

He hadn't answered any of the phone calls she had made. The voicemails she had left, he erased them without listening, same with her text messages. He wasn't about to pay her any attention when Temari needed it more.

Ever since she admitted what had happened, it was almost as if she had felt a load remove itself from her shoulders. At the same cost, she showed obvious confusion about her emotional state and what she was comfortable with.

Some moments she would cling to the Shadow Possessor like a frightened child and another she would feel uncomfortable being close to him.

One night he slept in her bed with her and she seemed unsure if she had wanted him there despite the fact she had made the request. At the same cost, that next morning when he awoke she was almost attached to him.

She put more trust in him, she was more comfortable around him. Temari was slowly but surely turning back into herself. One example was her priceless smiles and laughs. He had caught her smiling and smirking when she thought he hadn't noticed.

The most recent thing was that the movie they were watching was an action comedy. She didn't laugh like she used to but those smiles spread all the way across her face like grinning clown.

He could tell that romance and love was still something that was quite awkward to her. He saw how she squirmed whenever kissing or sex scenes appeared, even if they were done in a laughing context.

How long with that take to recover?

That was the main thing that had been damaged through the attack. There was no idea when she would recover from that. Shikamaru wasn't a flirter and he was fairly patient. That was the best thing about him.

This was killing him on the inside.

His phone started to ring again. He looked at it, shaking his head. Why did he assume it was anyone other than her? She was the only one persistent enough to keep contact him despite the obvious display of not being interested in conversation.

"You should probably answer that."

Shikamaru's eyes shut up at the sound of Temari's voice. So she knew that he was being called. Temari's phone was off just so she wouldn't be bothered, so he couldn't argue that it might have been hers.

"Nah. It's too late at night anyway," he muttered. It was already two in the morning. He hadn't gone to bed yet. He just spent his time gazing at the woman he loved more than he ever could have imagined.

His greatest fear was never being able to show her at this point.

Temari's eyes had been closed, but she had been conscious. Shikamaru hoped that she didn't wake up due to his dreaded phone. He had put so much effort into trying to let her rest and it all would have been for nothing.

Why didn't he just put it on silent?

"You've been getting the constant phone calls for a while now, and it's at any time of the day," she pointed out in a tone that had no emotion. He bit his lip for a moment but concealed all of his other reactions. She still had her deductive reasoning skills, that much was true.

"Temari, don't-"

"It's Ino isn't it?" she asked, her tone colder than he could have ever imagined it. He finally looked over to her and there she was, swallowed by the large fleece blanket, sitting straight up, the exhaustion no longer in her eyes.

And yet...

She looked so pained, almost as if she had given up. So hopeless,so pitiful. The Sand Princess's eyes bore into his, such a demanding nature that he used to love but in such a passive manner he wasn't sure of how to react at first.

He didn't know what to say.

It had been Ino, but he didn't want to lie to her. That would have been worse, and he had sworn he would never do it again. But he didn't want her to think that he was still involved with her.

"I haven't talked to her since that day I broke everything off with her," he stated, clearly avoiding the question.

Temari felt the disappointment seep into her chest. It was her calling him. She had some kind of relief that he hadn't spoken to the woman, but regardless her thoughts wandered.

"That's... Not what I asked."

He knew that she would say that. Her mind was too sharp for that, nothing could lead her astray from her original idea once she had it planted in her mind. At the same price, he had no answer to her.

He knew she would jump to conclusions and begin to assume, but they both knew that she knew that the platinum blonde was blowing up his phone. The silence that always created the awkward and painful atmosphere appeared. Someone had to break it again.

"If you want her, you can be with her."

Temari felt better when she said it. Shikamaru would never understand how she felt like nothing compared to the Mind Manipulator. With everything that had occured, she would understand if he didn't want her.

A broken, lifeless, worthless excuse for a women, much less, a Shinobi.

The Shadow Possessor felt anger boil within him at such a statement. He felt as though he was being accused of something that he hadn't done, and yet he let all the tension release at the reminder that she didn't have much confidence in herself anymore.

He arose from the love seat and approached the couch. Temari looked taken aback by his sudden movement just as he sat down beside her and pulled her into an embrace. She had anticipated, unsure of how she would react this time around.

It wasn't even the physical contact that bothered her; she didn't want to be buttered up. Temari knew she was too vulnerable for a lot of that and she didn't need to lose her grip on her mentality, or what she had left of it.

"Shikamaru, no-"

She tried to get away, expecting him to release. He usually did, just because he knew how unorthodox her moods and emotions could be, but this time he didn't respond to her demand. Despite her struggle, Temari finally gave in, feeling the warmth of his body melt into hers.

The quiet that took over this time was actually comforting to both of them. Shikamaru leaned back and leaned his head on the armrest, pulling Temari up to lay on his chest. His hold on her still as tight as before.

Temari had never imagined that she could have the desire to lay in his arms like she was doing right then. The way his hand stroked her back was more comforting than she could have dreamed. His chest was better than any pillow she could ever aquire.

She found the sleepy feeling returning. Despite her attempt to fight it off, it was inevitable to avoid.

"Temari."

He knocked her out of her daze, waking her up enough to keep her conscious. She grunted in response.

"I love you."

She was so still it was almost as if time had frozen. Her breathing almost stopped. Temari's heartrate only sped up; it wasn't like the first time he had said it.

That only reminded her that he had said it before in the past. The irony was the timing of his "confession of love"; he had just told her about his physical relationship with Ino. This time was different. She wasn't angry and resentful, nor disbelieving.

Temari blinked, unsure of why her vision suddenly blurred until she felt the tear slide down her cheek. She had never felt the feeling that he was expressing to him and it was genuine, heartfelt.

She felt weak. She looked back and wondered if she would react the same way if she was herself again without the emotional inclination. Temari always had a soft spot for Shikamaru so she knew that regardless, he would have gotten her to show her more vulnerable side.

But at this point in time...

"I just want you to know that I don't want her. I want you. I don't care how you are, now, later, or before. I'm here just so you'll be okay, and I know you will be," he whispered as a reassurance.

Her hand rose up to his chest before Temari lifted her head. The only light in the room still blared from the silent television set. Her eyes connected with his, almost in a mezmorizing manner.

Shikamaru brushed her a strand of her hair out of he face before caressing her cheek. He wiped the tear off before giving her a gentle smile.

"Come on now, don't tell me that got you on an emotional rant," he teased. Her entire face went cold before she looked away, her cheeks flushed. Her embarrassment showed on her face no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

"You're a little punk ass for-"

Frozen in mid-insult, his hand was still on her cheek before he pulled her face towards his own, capturing her lips in a kiss. Temari hadn't been expecting it, only to be frozen in a trance-like state once again.

Was it a dream?

No, it was real, she could feel his lips on hers, his gasp for another breath before he pulled away. She hadn't even closed her eyes when he had engaged in the moment.

Shikamaru, ashamed, looked away only to feel bad about what he felt was a reaction that was impulse to him, yet an unknown emotion to Temari. What if he had made her uncomfortable or only added more to the emotional toll she had been dealt?

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I hadn't planned on doing it," he apologized, avoiding her eyes. It wasn't until Temari's lips closed in on his, an unexpected reaction that he hadn't thought of occurring.

Temari knew she had to do it again, just to be sure that it was real. And it was. There was a small spark there, barely a flicker of the remnants of before. She didn't feel anything negative produced in the encounter.

Everything that had happened to her that had traumatize her over the past few weeks wasn't even a thought when she connected with the Shadow Possessor.

All she could feel when she kissed Shikamaru was the one thing she missed, the one thing she desired. The only thing that she ever longed for and that he claimed was hers and hers alone.

His love.


	24. Chapter 23: Revenge

**Wow. Like, wow. I've read through all my old reviews and I have to say you guys make me feel very special, like I'm actually doing something with my life sitting behind this computer, writing about these love stories. Lately, I've been overemotional and unmotivated about anything in my life. Writing seems painful, school is a waste of my time, relationship is going good, but it strained due to long distance, and I've just felt lonely and friendless all together. I've just been an emotional wreck. And I feel as though I SUCK at everything I try to do. Nothing seems to make anything better. I went through and read all about you guys saying how much it meant to you and it made me feel a little better. I appreciate you guys, I hope you appreciate me. Seriously.**

**This chapter is an explanation behind everything that has gone on. I was originally gonna try and follow the Naruto timeline, but with what I already had in mind, I don't think that's going to work. Masashi's timeline is already so different from my own and I'm going to be very vague and aloof on some things. It's already getting really difficult in my head to make this work the way I want it to. But I will prevail. I hope you guys will stick with me and love me like I love you guys. :) **

**SN: I actually got criticized about writing fanfiction the other day by someone. They questioned my integrity, maturity, and creativity. Then they said, "No one reads anymore anyway, so there's no point to it." I felt a little bad, but I dropped it. It's something that I love to do. I find my style of rhetoric to be rather interesting. I'm in College Writing 101 right now, so expect improvements! :)**

**I'll try to update in the next two weeks. Love you guys, and don't forget to tell me what you think!**

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Revenge

Chapter 23

Tenten say back, rather pleased with the progress they had made, yet still had inevitable disappointment and anger towards what they had revealed. It was a bittersweet feeling and once again, the trail was slowly coming to a stop.

Neji could see the pain beneath his wife's emotionless face. Yet, he knew why she was so troubled. For once, he couldn't say he didn't understand why she felt the way she felt.

Kankuro? He had left the room without anyone telling him to. How could anyone handle the puzzle the way Shikaku had and find out what they had discovered.

He had complained about the trail going dead, about the lack of progress and effort (in his opinion). They finally got to where they were able to come across some very valuable information, and he couldn't handle it. So he dismissed himself.

Shikaku didn't know how he would tell his son this, about the information he had come across despite the cryptic, hidden messages he had found. What was worse would have to be what he had asked of him. What he had to ask of Temari.

Gaara was the one who seemed more numb than anyone else. No one would have ever imagined or thought that something like this could have happened.

It was all a set up.

Temari's attack had been pre-meditated.

* * *

Shikamaru's phone had been placed on silent. Whether it rung or not, he still paid it no attention, even when his father called him several times. He hadn't considered that there may be any possible emergency greater than Temari.

It was almost as if they were rebuilding everything all over together and nothing outside of that mattered to him.

Temari was starting to recover on an emotional level to her surprise. When she kissed Shikamaru, she felt like an innocent child who had had its first kiss but still had no idea what it stood for.

After that kiss, she felt at ease, she felt whole. She felt complete. She felt like the step she had taken was huge despite how small it really was in reality. She had been making progress in general since she had openly admitted everything to Shikamaru.

She still didn't quite understand why he still wanted her, why he still loved her. Why wasn't he ashamed or why didn't he feel sorry for her like she felt for her herself?

Shikamaru could see her growth himself. The way she was reverting back, slowly but surely was encouraging to him. He had never anticipated that she would be recovering so fast. Her smile, her laugh, everything was a working progress.

Never had he felt so strongly about one person either. It was something about her from day one that made her different and since then, he had been drawn to her. He had never been so passionate about anything besides Shogi and his teammates. Now she was the center of his world.

Shikamaru couldn't look at her and just let go of her because of what had happened. He was putting the blame on himself for it and had to promise himself that he would help her get better and make it up to her somehow.

She was anticipating him to leave at first, but now she realized that he had meant what he had said and wasn't going anywhere.

Her sexuality was still in ashes; the kisses that they exchanged that night was more than what she could have ever dreamed of, more than what he could have dreamed of. All she did was adorn him with kisses that he had missed and been wanting for longer than he thought.

Temari wasn't even sure if she could still be sexy. Did Shikamaru look at her and see her as 'sexy'? Was she even ready for that side of her to come back?

The attack was slowly drifting away from her memory. She no longer had the nightmares that made her relive everything. The dissociation in her body was gone. She no longer cried and bawled like a child…

She was at the point where she didn't know where she was at. She was confused. Never had she felt so dominated by a man before. Temari was so used to dominating and destroying them, whether it be in the battle field or in any way, she had never expected the tables to turn on her and to feel so vulnerable.

Never had she cried in the arms of anyone besides her mother before this whole incident. Now she confided in Shikamaru for some reason like she was helpless.

She just wanted to be back to normal again.

She wanted to be opinionated, ass-kicking, blunt Temari. Being alone with Shikamaru made her wish she could have her sexual side back as well. Not being able to make love to the man who loved her and she loved back was something that was eating her alive.

Temari wondered what would happen if she tried.

The thought sent this uncomfortable feeling up her spine. Whenever she bathed, she scrubbed her violated areas more than anything else. The idea of going that far with Shikamaru scared her. What if she started to relapse and have flashbacks?

She knew he wouldn't ask that of her. Shikamaru had already said they were moving at her time and however fast she wanted to take it and go. Sex wasn't the thing she was ready for.

"What are you doing?" Shikamaru asked, breaking her out of her trance. Temari jumped and turned around, only to see the Shadow Possessor looking at her with a curious expression on his face. She didn't realize where her mind had been at and her cheeks flushed the brightest red color from embarrassment.

She had been laying down on her bed, her lost in her thoughts. It was already midday and she hadn't even realized it. Still in a flowery nightgown, there she was. Shikamaru thought she was just as beautiful as ever.

"Nothing, just thinking," she stated vaguely, only resulting in his eyebrow quirking up in disapproval. That couldn't be a good thing when the majority of her thoughts weren't always positive. He sat down on the edge of the bed, gazing down at her, smiling.

"Thinking about what?" he pried, interested in what crossed her mind.

The setting that they were in wasn't helping with the thoughts that she had been thinking about before. She closed her eyes and hoped that the burning in her face would stop but it wouldn't. His expression turned into one that was concerned.

"Are you okay? You look flustered. Do you have a fever?" he asked before touching her forehead to check her temperature. She swatted him away and shook her head, still flushed.

"I'm fine. It's just I've been thinking a lot," she stated before quickly changing the subject. His concern or curiosity didn't diminish. "I wonder how Tenten is doing."

Shikamaru smiled and shrugged.

"I mean, I'm sure she's fine. She's working on your case right now as we speak so we can get as much information as we can," he said in a reassuring tone. Temari's eyebrow quirked.

"How are you helping her if you're here with me? Are you supposed to be helping them?" she asked in a uncertain tone. "If you have to help with a mission, don't waste your time on me-"

"Shut that up," he interrupted before folding his arms. "My mission is to take care of you and make sure you're okay. If they need me they'll call me. Otherwise I'm here for you and only you."

She rolled her eyes before laying back down, fluffing her pillow. Laying back down, she could feel Shikamaru's eyes watching her. He felt back onto the bed with her, laying right beside her, his hands behind his head on her pillow. He sighed, still a little frustrated with Temari's pessimistic attitude.

"Temari.. Do you realize you're the reason for everything?" he whispered before she turned back and looked at his face. Shining in the light of the sun coming through the curtains and blinds, his cheeks were of a darker shade than usual.

"...What?"

"I mean... I came all this way for you, to see you, to make sure that you're okay. Of course I'm gonna try and put all my time and effort into you and your wellbeing. Simply because I want to," he reminded her. "That's my mission."

A part of her wanted to smile and accept the compliment and the attention, but deep in the back of her mind, that wasn't what she had wanted to hear. All she could think to herself was what had happened to her and how she had to deal with it every day for possibly the rest of her life.

She appreciated the Shadow Possessor,she couldn't deny that. But that wasn't enough deep down in her heart. That wasn't the one thing she wanted to ensure her getting better or feeling better.

"Can you make revenge your mission?" she blurted out without any intention. Shikamaru's eyes saddened before looking away. So that's what was on her mind. Even if she hadn't been thinking about it, she didn't have to. He could feel it dwelling in her heart. He knew that feeling because he had felt it himself.

"... Revenge isn't the answer for this situation," he stated simply. The Sand Princess didn't know how to react to that answer. At first she was going to just brush it off, but the pain in her chest wouldn't let it. She actually had some disappointment in his answer.

"But... Why not?"

"Revenge results in more and more revenge. It isn't the best thing to do because someone's always going to go back after someone else. And it'll continuous and endless until there's no one left to get revenge on," Shikamaru prompted. "In this time and age, killing someone is the only way to handle a situation. I don't think I should kill anyone unless it's to protect another life."

Temari's blood boiled and she got upset.. Her mind went back to a certain time and a certain place.

"You're such a.." Shikamaru turned and looked at Temari staring at him with a look of disgust. He blinked, confused at why she was glaring at him in such a rude manner. "You went and got revenge for Asuma. Why not me? Am I not good enough?"

He did feel a bit of shame in his chest when she brought up the fact he did pursue Hidan after the murder of Asuma. Despite his telling of people he did it because he had to, deep down in his soul he did what he did because he wanted to make himself feel better and avenge his Sensei.

Now he sat there, with the woman he loved, the same woman who wanted to even the score with the people who dared to come near her, harm her, touch her, and he was telling her no. If only she could understand why he couldn't do that for her.

Temari on the other hand couldn't see past the hypocritical nature of her lover. She never had a vengeful spirit, but at the same time, no one had ever hurt her like this before. The unexpected rage and anger made her blood boil and her skin burn. Shikamaru's eyes or facial expression didn't change.

"That's not true. It's just a different scenario. You wouldn't understand," he said, blowing her off almost. That only made her even more upset than before. That was the one thing he always said to her whenever they got into heated discussions. _'You wouldn't understand.'_

"How? Why is it not the same? Someone you loved got hurt by someone else. Last time it happened, you went after the bastard and cut off his head. What's different now-?"

"Because you're still here!"

The whole room became silent. Temari's eyes grew wide at the sound of Shikamaru's raised voice. That hardly ever happened and it had never really been done to her. Her mind was racing at this point.

How did the whole conversation change? So quickly, so suddenly? Did she no longer have any control over what she felt or how she thought? Before she had been thinking about sexual activity and if she would ever be comfortable in her sexuality again. Now her body was boiling from angst and revenge that she desired and that she felt that she was entitled to.

Temari felt bad at the same time.

Never had she ever really came to Shikamaru and asked of him such a thing. Usually if he denied her of anything, even on their friendship level, they usually squabbled it out and let it be. The Sand Princess had never pressured or taunted him about doing something for her.

"Shikamaru, I-"

"No, Temari, I'm sorry," he whispered at a low tone, interrupting her. He sat up and faced away from her, a little upset with himself as well. This wasn't something that happened often. He was supposed to be the calm, cool, and collected ones in the situation and he _yelled_ at her. Deep down he knew that was the last thing she needed.

"No, Shikamaru-"

"I say you don't understand, but maybe deep down you do. Even when I went after Hidan, I did seek revenge. Even after I got it, I didn't feel any better. Even I knew that I would have felt better if I had only been able to protect Asuma better and preventing him from dying in the first place," he admitted quietly. She reached out and touched his arm, feeling even worse than before about what she had said to him.

"It's the same thing with you. I can't go back and stop what happened to you. And harming the people who did it won't make it better. All I can do now is protect you better than I ever have before because technically, you weren't supposed to leave there alive," he said before turning around and smiling at her.

"I guess I'm just more focused on you and making sure I don't come so close to losing you again, that's all," he said with a chuckle. Temari's arms slid up his arms and reached for his neck, pulling him down to her.

"Just shut up and hold me..."

* * *

"Let's go through this one more time," Tenten prompted before looking around the room. She had somehow made a miracle out of the mission and found out more information than they could have dreamed of.

"The initial decoy mission was to obtain the scroll from Temari that she was supposed to be returned to the Kazekage," Inoichi began. "It was said that there was important information about the Akatsuki in the scroll that had been obtained from several combative missions that had to do with Leaf Nin coming in contact with them. The most important information was the information on a newly recruited member by the name of Tobi."

"Yes. Temari had no idea what the information she had supposedly been passing on would be about, but all they cared about was getting to it and disposing of it," Tenten continued. "They made the attack of random travelling women around the area weeks before her attack to make it look coincidental and just a common issue. They even used just a hired group of thugs with no attachments besides payments."

"It turned out they paid them to wreak havoc on any female who was travelling and they could do anything they wanted as long as it didn't make it to it's destination here in Sunagakure," Shikaku said with a frown. "Apparently, they were known for raping and mutilating these women that they captured only for them to be dumped somewhere near a village to be found later. The only information on these people whenever they were spotted was that they had no faces."

"Which is where I took down three of them," Neji spoke. "There is said to be a larger amount of people, but since the three that I disposed of were never retrieved, they cancelled their operations due to fear of being tracked down and caught."

"The concealing of their faces must have been a technique being controlled by someone else. When Neji killed them, their faces didn't appear, so it wasn't any kind of Genjutsu," Chouza pointed out. "It must have been just for this particular assignment for them. They had no reason to continue, the payment had been made in advance and the only real target they needed to attack had been taken care of despite her lack of information on her."

"Is Tsunade still going to send the information?" Gaara droned almost, his heart beating rapidly inside his chest. Never had he ever imagined that someone would pit something against his sister. She was of vital importance for communication between the Leaf and Sand, but never would he have anticipated her being attacked because of it.

Temari had always said she'd rather go alone, that she could handled herself. She always had in the end. Never had there been much trouble with her going back and forth between the two countries and she had been doing it for longer than anyone else.

Gaara hated it.

He should have at least had someone else who would travel, some kind of alternative so they wouldn't have plotted against Temari and only her. She was the only one who was most willing to go and travel that distance for a long period of time and back almost every month, or even at times, more than that.

The Kazekage felt like it was all of his fault at this point. He would take the blame for his sister's attack and injury; He did feel responsible for her safety. She was a member of his village.

"More than likely, she will. Next time she sends a squad in this direction she'll have it sent instead of using just Temari. She probably should have given it to us, but it didn't even cross her mind," Tenten pointed out.

"So is that it? We can't do anything else?" Kankuro said in almost a frantic tone. "We have to find something. Temari deserves that. Temari-"

"The trail goes dead, Kankuro," Tenten said in a consoling tone. "I'm not surprised. That's what most gangs do when forces start to catch onto them. We should be thankful. All the other females that had been captured were killed. We got her back alive..."

Kankuro couldn't argue that. It had crossed his mind more than enough times when they first recovered her. She had lived because at the end of the day, Temari was a surperb Ninja. At the same time, death was something that could sneak up and capture anyone.

"What now?" Chouza asked in a saddened tone.

"We wait for Temari to get better. Hopefully, things will go back to normal."


	25. Chapter 24: Premature

**Hi everyone. I've come to you again with a chapter! I can't remember what I've written about this one. I've been studying for Midterms, starving myself, dealing with people toying with my emotions, but in the end, I used my endeavors to write! As awesome as that may sound, let me hope that it got as far as I hope it would have in this chapter. :)**

**Oh now I remember! It's time for everyone to come back to reality basically. I wanna know what you guys really think about it, okay?  
**

**Please drop a review. It would be valued and appreciated as you all know. I think it's about time for what everyone wants to see. Enjoy and throw me some ideas, if i decide to use them, I'll let you know. I like mixing stuff in sometimes, my mind isn't so creative by itself.**

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Premature?

Chapter 24

Shikamaru checked his phone for the first time in a matter of days. It didn't bother him like it would bother most people. He felt like his phone wasn't a need when he wasn't on duty. He rolled his eyes at the notifications on the screen.

Forty-eight missed calls.

Twenty one text messages.

The Shadow Possessor hadn't even gotten that many calls or messages in a month's period. He was more pissed off than anything. Did he even want to see who had been making these desperate attempts to reach him? Was it even a question?

He dared to check his call logs and messagese. Almost ninety percent of everything he had received was from her. He didn't even care or even want to be bothered with her. Why was she continuously bugging him, contacting him? What could she possibly want with him after all that they had dealt with the past few days?

He heard Temari moan and turn over in her sleep. Shikamaru froze in mid movement at her unconscious movement. The last thing she needed to see or hear about was Ino. _Hell, that's the last thing I want to see or hear about..._

He put his phone back down on the counter silently before turning over in the bed. The sun rose and sunk early in Sunagakure, but burned brighter than any sun in Konoha. Temari was still asleep and enjoying it.

He turned back around and looked at her, smiling briefly at her aloof and peaceful expression. He had only been awakened by the light on his phone shining in the darkness of the room. It was frustrating that even though his phone was silenced and not allowed to make noise, it could still light up and show that someone was trying to contact him.

The Shadow Possessor leaned over and kissed her forehead lightly. He chuckled to himself at his gesture. Shikamaru considered himself to be the least sentimental person he knew. He was chauvinistic, a gentleman, but emotional relationships with women was something that he lacked. Now he was kissing this girl while she slept.

He could somewhat understand now how Neji made the changed. He was the only person besides Sasuke that Shikamaru saw incapable of loving another person outside of his family. His family bonds were stronger than ever and then he took Tenten and excelled more than anyone could have ever anticipated.

_ The love for woman really can change a man..._

It was at that moment it clicked in his head. His father was the one who told him that. That moment he had asked him if he remembered what he had told him, he couldn't recall. Now it was clearer than anything else.

Why else would his father put up with his mother? She was such a nagger, loud mouth, and over-opinionated woman who dominated him in almost every possible way. And yet, Temari was the same way and Shikamaru loved her regardless. He actually found himself missing that side of her. Her unavoidable bickering and yelling. How short tempered she was about his mannerisms.

What he would do for that side of her to come back...

It would happen.

"What are you smiling at?"

He blinked out of his trance, looking down at her to find her in a daze, fresh out of her sleep. He wanted his smile to spread even farther across his face but he somehow hide it beneath a scowl.

"I can't look at you?" he said in a rather insolent tone. "Women."

Temari actually smiled and almost laughed. Shikamaru only gave her a confused look due to her response. He awaited her to answer him on his inquiry of her laughter.

"You're scrawny butt is in love," she said as if she was finally realizing it. As if she finally believed it. Shikamaru couldn't hide his smile this time. He looked away, feeling heat radiate off his face. It was unavoidable, undeniable this time.

"Yeah, so what?"

"Shikamaru?" he looked down at her, to see that she was now avoiding his eyes. "I wanted to ask you something. I've been thinking about it for a while." His attention was now given to her undivided.

It had been over a month since her attack. It was becoming questionable about some things. Temari's mind was a wandering thing and had no real reasoning behind where it traveled.

"Will you be upset if I can't... Have sex with you?" she asked, her face actually showing obvious apprehension. His eyes softened at the question. It was ironic to him. When he started to find himself being sexually attracted to Temari, that was something that he knew he wanted. When he first came to Suna to take care of her, it had crossed his mind a few times, but it hadn't crossed his mind at all since then.

"No, Temari. Of course not," he said with a reassuring tone. "That's not as important to me as you might think it would be. I haven't even thought about it."

She looked a little relieved, but something was still weighing on her mind.

"How will I know when I'm ready again?" she feared that she would be in that moment and suddenly flash back to that dreadful day. She wouldn't know how to react to it. Maybe it was something she knew she only wanted with Shikamaru. The last thing she wanted was for that moment with him to finally happen and be ruined by her because she can't handle it.

"Only you will know that. Whenever you're ready, you let me know," he said with a smile. Sex must have been on her mind for a while, Shikamaru reminded himself. She probably wondered because she knows I only had a sexual based relationship with Ino and was concerned...

That was another thing he could weigh down on his guilt for why she worried about something so irrelevant. The last thing he wanted with Temari was a sexually based relationship when he felt so strongly about her.

"What if... I want to do it now?"

That was unexpected statement.

"Temari... W-what-?"

"No, I just..." she seemed embarrassed now. "I was thinking... You can't stay in Suna forever, Shikamaru. You belong in Konoha. I'm not sure when I'll be able to see you again. Especially now, I'm sure Gaara won't let me go very far without anyone with me," she said with a sad expression on her face.

He frowned and realized how her thought process was going. Shikamaru didn't want her to think this way, despite how realistic it sounded. He hadn't even thought about what would happen when he had to leave her. Who would watch her and take care of her like he was?

She was no child, but Temari didn't need to be left alone the way she was until she fully recovered. Sex wasn't the answer, especially if she wasn't ready.

"Temari, I don't want you to force yourself into doing something like that because you are concerned about time, especially if you aren't ready," he said with a stern look on his face. She probably had no idea why he was thinking the way he was, all she was thinking about how long she had with him before she left.

Who could blame her?

Temari had been trying to mentally prepare herself for that day ever since the thought crossed her mind. Shikamaru had to go home at some point. It was undeniable. Tsunade needed him, Shikamaru was valuable to Konoha. Gaara and Kankuro would not be pleased if she tried to follow him back.

At the same time, Temari hoped that she would be removed from her hole that she had fallen down since that day. Maybe that was all she could imagined.

Was she really forcing herself to sleep with the Shadow Possessor? He said he waiting for her, that should have been enough for her. Was she rushing herself? And if she seriously pursued the idea, would he deny her?

That was more fearful than anything that she had thought about. Shikamaru denying her. Her thoughts were telling her to quit while she was ahead before she seriously got her feelings hurt, but her heart wanted this. Was her mind even going to let her get that far?

She looked back on how often she told herself Shikamaru didn't want her, how he just pitied for what happened to her. When she realized that he did love her, she didn't understand why he did. Did he even want a physical relationship with her? Another man had had her, violated her. Most people wouldn't have wanted that...

She couldn't deny that Shikamaru was different, but she already had her mind up on the situation. The Sand Princess knew what she wanted to do and there was no changing her mind. If he denied her, so be it. If he wouldn't take her, he would wait until he wanted to.

"Maru, I really want to do this," she decided. He still gave her a look of caution. He didn't feel comfortable doing this even if she did. Never had he ever thought about or considered that he wouldn't be ready to have sex with Temari.

Was he dreaming? Was she dreaming? She was barely awake. Maybe she thought she was still asleep... Just having sex with Temari without any sexual charge and when he felt she wasn't ready was nagging at him. Denying her would be worse...

"How about this..." she gave him a look of curiosity. "When I find out when I'm supposed to leave, we'll talk more in depth about this. Deal?"

Temari frowned; she knew that wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. But how she could turn it down? For all she knew was that she was going to have him for another month. Shikamaru would let her know, he wouldn't lie to her about something like that.

"Deal."

* * *

"Departure?"

"Yes, Tenten, we can't stay here forever. We do have our own village to return to," Neji said in a rather sarcastic tone. The woman shot her husband a glare that he could see from his peripheral vision.

"That's not what I meant, I meant, what about Temari? Shikamaru has been taking care of her, hasn't he? Who will watch her after he leaves?" she asked in a concerned tone. Kankuro scoffed and rolled his eyes at Tenten's comment.

"She'll be fine, she's got her brothers. He's only 'taking care of her' because we had business to handle for her," Kankuro said with a sneer. He still felt agitated whenever Shikamaru's name came up.

The man was staying at his sister's house and no one else thought anything of it but him. He had no one to talk about his concerns to. Gaara didn't even oppose considering Shikaku spoke on his son's behalf on the situation about her recovery. After they found out that Temari wasn't going to her psychiatric appointments, Shikaku assured that his son would take responsibility of recovery.

Tenten, obviously displeased with Kankuro's statement didn't bother to reply. She could hear the disgust in his voice when mentioning Shikamaru. She could only shake her head in disappointment and lack of faith.

"When will we leave?" Inoichi asked, changing the direction of the conversation. "We will still need to notify Shikamaru about when we will be leaving."

"I say three days," Neji stated. Tenten gave her husband a look of shock at the comment.

"So soon?" she questioned.

"Yes, Tenten, we have other things to tend to, especially since the Akatsuki is posing a threat to our neighboring nations. We need to get home and see what else we can do," he explained, more involved with the professional aspect than his wife was aware. She looked slightly saddened by the fact, but even she couldn't deny it.

Tenten still had a feeling in the pit of her stomach, a feeling of dissatisfaction ever since they came to that dead end in the case. They needed more information that was unattainable at that particular time.

"Does anyone else disagree with Neji's notion to leave in three days?" Inoichi asked in a concluding tone. No one spoke up or disagreed with the Hyuga's request. That ended the discussion before they were dismissed.

The InoShikaCho Trio got up and filed out, the Hyugas following shortly behind. Tenten saw Gaara's maid standing outside of the door as if she was waiting patiently for the meeting concluded. She wasn't in her uniform, which surprised Tenten. She was in civilian clothes and look slightly pale and sickened.

Tenten felt it in her conscious to ask and make sure the woman was well and alright.

"Ms Yusa?" she jumped at the sound of her name, she seemed to have been in deep thought. Her fiery red eyes shined before a smile appeared on her face. "Are you alright? You look rather sick."

"Of course not, I'm perfectly fine. I've just been feeling a little under the weather today, not enough sun," she said rather quickly before she waved her hand as if dismissing the idea. Tenten gave her a suspicious look.

"I only asked because you seem kind of pale and you looked as if you've lost some weight," she said in a concerned tone. "Are you sure-?"

"Absolutely! I'm fine. If you'll excuse me," she urged before she quickly bowed in respect and dismissed herself to go into Gaara's office. Tenten wasn't taking what she said very lightly and refused to take that as an answer.

"That was rather... Odd," Neji pointed out before Tenten's eyes pulled away from the door.

"It was. Her behavior seemed like she was hiding something," Tenten said, still curious about the maid's secret. "She wasn't even wearing her uniform. She's always in uniform, it's still daylight hours. Not to mention she was trying to get to Gaara really fast for whatever reason."

Neji shrugged before gesturing for his wife to follow him, but she didn't budge right away. She finally walked away from the door with her husband, her eyes now set on him.

"Back to you, Neji," she said, a new conversation starting. He looked at her as if he was waiting for her to explain whatever she was talking about because he wouldn't ask. "I don't think that three days is enough time for Shikamaru to tell Temari that he's leave. She's going to be shell shocked."

Neji's expression didn't react right away, all he did was close his eyes before looking to his wife.

"Tenten, you have to understand. It's more than likely to the point where she's never going to adjust to knowing when he leaves. She's going to have to adapt. And Temari is strong. She'll be fine and work through her endeavors," Neji said with a faint smile. Tenten couldn't help but smile back with nothing else to say.

"Yeah, you're right..."

* * *

"Gaara-sama, I-"

"Yusa, please. You don't have to call him Gaara-sama. Gaara is fine," Kankuro corrected with a smile. He was surprised when his brother broke him the news about him going to be an uncle. He was a little excited, he couldn't deny. A new addition to the family was just what he needed to lift his spirits.

She was still addressing him as her Master like she did when she worked under him, but now she was going to be taken care of and treated as an equal in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Kankuro-san, I mean Kankuro," she said with a stutter. She still wasn't used to not using formalities with the Sabaku siblings. She wasn't even used to the idea of becoming a part of their family just yet.

"I was just coming by to let you know that everything went fine at the Doctor. I wasn't aware that you were in the middle of at meeting," she apologized quickly.

"You're fine. It was the dismissing of Temari's case and discussing the departure date for the Konoha nin. That's all," he briefly stated before he closed the file folder and put it away into his desk.

"When will Temari-san, I mean, Temari be able to go back on duty?" Yusa questioned. Kankuro looked at Gaara; they hadn't even discussed that. Gaara looked as if he was in deep thought but then he suddenly answered.

"When we see how her mental state is, we'll decide then."

* * *

Tenten knocked on Temari's front door after she rang the doorbell. She was hoping that they would answer. Where else would they be? What could they possibly be doing? She couldn't even imagine anything other than them simply ignoring her constant phone calls.

Temari's phone was completely off, which was understandable, but Shikamaru's would just ring and ring over and over until it went to voicemail. What was his problem? This had been over a course of a matter of hours. Even Shikaku called Tenten and asked her to go give his son the news about leaving.

And here she was in the late afternoon, at her best friend's door, anticipating an answer and yet no one moved. There was no movement inside the house at all. Tenten suddenly became frustrated at them ignoring her. She understood solitude and the want or even the need to be alone, but she hated being blown off.

She called Shikamaru's phone again and listened closely. The Weapons Mistress was trying to see if she could hear it ringing from outside of the home, but it was a pointless attempt. She didn't hear anything.

Tenten only proceeded t bang on the door and rapidly tap the doorbell. Maybe if she was lucky, they would get tired of the harassment and answer the door. That only seemed logical, right? Then all she had to say was when they were leaving and at what time and then she'd get out of their hair.

Still no response.

Temari pulled out a scroll from her ninja tools pack and searched for a pencil or pen in the bottom of it, anything that she could write and leave a note. She struggled not to stab herself with a kunai or senbon, but it wasn't until she heard laughing at she froze.

Tenten turned around and saw them coming up the stairs, heading to her apartment. Temari's arm linked to Shikamaru's, a smile on her face brighter than Tenten had ever seen. Temari was in casual wear despite Shikamaru still in his Shinobi attire, sporting his forehead protector on his arm as always. Shikamaru's face even had a smile on it as well. They both seemed surprised to see Tenten.

"Oh, Tenten," Temari said in a surprised tone. "I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?" Tenten was still in awe and shock at how Temari's behavior was. It was almost as if she was back to her old self, but it couldn't be, not so soon.

Shikamaru was a miracle worker.

"I'm fine, I just wanted to stop in," she said briefly, looking at Shikamaru in amazement. "I haven't seen either of you in a while, but sadly, I assumed you would be home."

"Shikamaru convinced me to go out," Temari explained before pulling her house key out of her pocket. "I hadn't been outside for a while, so he talked me into it." She quickly unlocked the door and gestured both of them to come inside.

Shikamaru sunk down onto the couch and got into his comfortable lounging position while Temari headed into the kitchen to get something to drink. Briefly asking Tenten if she wanted any, she denied before the Wind Mistress continued to prepare herself some water.

"Shikamaru!" Tenten seethed through a whisper. He gave her a lazy look of annoyance, interrupting his silent relaxation time. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" he asked in a clueless tone. Tenten sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes.

"Temari! She's back to herself again. She's functioning like she used to! She was smiling and laughing with you," she said, still in an awe-ish tone. "How did you do it?" Shikamaru's expression returned to disappointment.

"Nah, she's not back to being herself just yet. She's still a little timid and cautious due to what happened, but for the most part of what you saw was because I actually took her out somewhere and got her to open up. That just happened in the last few hours," he explained.

Tenten's eyes softened at Shikamaru's tone of disappointment; she was sure that he was disappointed in himself more than anything else even though he had no reason to be.

Temari appeared in the room and sat down with her glass of water only to sip on it a little bit. Shikamaru gave her a look of disapproval. She only glared back at him with her own scowl on her face.

"What?"

"You didn't bring me any water," he said in his personalized drawl. Temari scoffed and continued to drink her own beverage before putting the glass down to respond.

"You didn't ask. But I've already sat down. Go get your own, you know where it is," she said in a nonchalant answer. Shikamaru sneered before muttering, "Women" under his breath. She shrugged with a smile before dismissing him. "You must not be as thirsty as you thought you were."

Tenten blinked at their mild bickering. She could have sworn that this was the Temari that she remembered, the Temari that was herself before anything happened over the last couple of months. And yet, it wasn't. At least that's what Shikamaru said.

"Tenten!" she jumped out of her trance-like state once again. She knew that her best friend had it in her to recover and be strong like Neji said. But at the same time, she didn't want to break the news about Shikamaru's departure to her out in the open.

"Where is Neji? He can't be too far away from you," Temari said with a slight sarcastic smile. Tenten smiled back before waving it off. "He's down the street, trying to get a reservation at some place for dinner tonight. It looks really cool."

"You must be talking about Aozora. It's a very classy restaurant, but it is kind of expensive," She said with a smile. "I do recommend it." Tenten smiled and nodded before Temari finished off the last of her water. She got up to go put the glass in the sink, just as Shikamaru yelled.

"Oi! Get me a glass of water!"

Temari's scoff and annoyance reached from the kitchen to the living room. He couldn't help but smirk and smile at the woman he loved and their constant nagging and annoying of one another.

"Shikamaru," Tenten pressed. He looked at her, out of his previous state of mind. "We've concluded the case and closed it. It's a cold one. But at the same time, Gaara will be keeping it on file." He looked rather angry about that but he didn't express it outwardly.

"You can't find the guys who did it?" he said in a disapproving tone.

"No. It was a dead end. We got what we could out of the information though. Now that the case is closed, it's time to go home to Konoha," she said in a rather saddened tone. Hearing her say that only reminded Shikamaru of the discussion he had this morning with Temari. It weighed heavy on his heart.

"Well? When do we leave?"

"Three days," she stated shortly.

Shikamaru's heart dropped and sank into his stomach. So soon, much sooner than he could have possibly anticipated. He promised Temari he would bring up what they had talked about when he found out when he would leave. And here he was, technically back to square one..

Shikamaru covered his face and groaned at how much amount of time he had. It wasn't enough, he wasn't mentally prepared to leave Temari by herself just yet. She almost needed him, at least that's how he felt. But the way Tenten looked at her, maybe she was closer to her old self than he saw himself.

"Tenten... I-"

"If you want more time, you have to talk to Neji or your father. If they decline it, you'll have to send a personal extension letter to Tsunade, and you know that'll take more than three days. Technically, no matter what you do about, your still leaving with us that morning," Tenten said with a saddened expression.

Shikamaru had no words to say. What else could he say? He couldn't ask for more time. He didn't have more time, he didn't have time to ask for time. He had to accept what he was given and go with it. There was no denying it, he was heading home in three days.

How was he going to break the news to Temari?

Temari returned and handed Shikamaru his glass of water. He put it down on the coffee table. She rolled her eyes at his gesture just as she saw Tenten rise from the couch. She smiled and saluted, only confusing Temari.

"What's going on? You're leaving already?" Temari said almost as if she was pouting. "You just got here." Tenten could only smile at her friend's makeshift attempt to be upset.

"Yeah, Neji just called me and said that he's got the reservation set up. I'm going to go ahead and meet him down there," Tenten lied before stretching her arms out to her friend. Temari smiled back in an understanding manner before pulling her into an embrace.

Tenten gave her a kiss on the cheek before dismissing herself, heading out the door. Temari sat down on the couch beside Shikamaru and leaned on his shoulder as he finally picked up his glass and took a drink of the water she had supplied him.

Was that the only reason Tenten came up here? To let him know they had to go? No one else would do it. For some reason Shikamaru got the feeling that Kankuro wouldn't dare come back after what happened that day Temari shoved him against the wall before kicking him out.

He wanted to swear under his breath.

Temari looked up at him to see his facial expression beyond undeniable. She sat up and gave him her own look of concern.

"What's wrong?"

Pulled out of his thoughts, Shikamaru tried to put on a facade as if he hadn't been looking the way he had earlier that she had caught a mere glimpse of.

"Huh?"

"Don't you 'huh' me, I saw your face. What's wrong? What's on your mind?" she asked. He didn't respond right away, only to take another drink of water from the glass. Temari's brow knitted together before he put the glass down. "Don't ignore me." He finally looked to her after he let out an agonizing groan.

"I leave for Konoha in three days." Temari's entire face turned almost white. Her expression went from glowing to dim in a matter of moments. Shikamaru's own eyes saddened at her response to his case of bad news.

"Hey hey," he whispered, caressing her chin with his finger. "Don't get all sad." The Wind Mistress pulled her face away, avoiding his eyes. How could he tell her not to get upset. He would be leaving her in a matter of days. Why so soon? Why couldn't they get an earlier warning so that they could at least plan something? "Temari."

"What?" she snapped in a rather angry tone. "Tenten comes all the way here to tell you that huh? Figures." Temari's anger was starting to boil; her short tempered nature wasn't always kept under wraps like it should have been.

"I just don't want this to ruin your day. We had a good time together tonight out on the town, didn't we?" he said with a smile. Temari still avoided his eyes and glared a hole in the wall. Shikamaru was genuinely trying to cheer her up. "For the love of Kami, Temari..."

"Do you really expect me not to be upset? Three days, Shikamaru. That is seventy two hours! Probably less than that because it's already almost nightfall!" Temari yelled in an irritated tone.

"You don't think I'm upset either?" he said in an objective tone. Temari breathed, biting her lip. Counting to ten didn't work for her, breathing only helped when she had a mild tantrum. Right now she could go for something to calm her nerves.

"... I didn't mean to go off on you like that," she said in a softer tone this time. "I just... I knew deep down this was going to happen. I couldn't deny it. That why I've been mentally preparing myself for this the whole time. You probably thought I was crazy when I told you that."

"Well, not crazy, but I had to admit I hadn't even thought about it," he said in a pathetic tone. "I should have been aware. It was almost as if I didn't think I would ever have to leave and that's my fault for not paying attention."

The whole room went silent. Shikamaru's arm slid over Temari's shoulder and pulled her into a warm embrace. It didn't help her feel any better. Regardless, at the end of the day, he would be leaving her all alone fairly soon and there was nothing they could do about it.


	26. Chapter 25: Together

**Hi everyone! I'm sorry to say that this chapter is actually something I've been anticipating to write. But at the same time, I felt like I've been dragging a little bit. Slacking so to speak. The last chapter, I got a bit of feedback (from a few people) about how it seemed too ehh. Well, I honestly was a little concerned about how to finish such a strong chapter at the beginning. I had actually forgotten that I had written it. I thought I had uploaded this chapter. Someone stated that Temari and Shikamaru were too common or lovey dovey at one point. They seem out of character. Well I have good news. Things are about to get back to the way they were (for the most part).**

**This chapter, much to many people's disappointment, will have a lemon. Not kind that I think most people are expecting (naughty and steamy), but it does involve sex. Many people may not want to read this chapter for that reason, and I understand. I hope you all enjoy and tell me what you think. This is not the end of this story, we've still got a little bit of work. So sit tight! We're about to put it all in gear. :)**

Don't forget to review! :) That criticism on the last chapter was more helpful than you know! I gotta start reading over my chapters more so i can catch on things like that. You guys make me the better writer. :3

* * *

Together

Chapter 25

Shikamaru found it funny how often that he realized that he watched Temari sleep. More ironic than anything else considering how much he took pride in his own rest. For some reason, gazing upon her while she was in her most vulnerable moments seemed to be something that was now a pleasant hobby to him.

He realized that it wouldn't be something he would see very often; he would seen Temari very often at all.

What else could he do but take advantage of what little, precious time he had left with her? Trying to memorize every feature, every detail on her face, on her body? It wouldn't be very long before they found themselves only in contact with one another through letters.

There would be no telling how long they would be apart. He wouldn't dare consider the idea of either one of them dying any time soon even though it was a greater possibility than either of them would let on. Someone who had been so cynical and logical as he was now hoping and finding himself clutching to the things his heart desired most.

Temari.

"Go to sleep," she mumbled at this point. Shikamaru scowled before it drew back up into a smirk. The Wind Mistress could always tell whenever he was awake despite the lack of movement and silence in the room.

"Why should I?"

Temari's hand reached up and grabbed Shikamaru's arm, pulling herself up to lay upon his naked chest, using it at her own personal pillow. He could only smile at the gesture before he pulled the sheets and blankets up to cover her back.

"You're leaving first thing when the sun comes up," she reminded him in a soft tone. "You need your rest for that travel back. I'm sure they plan to do it in three days now since they know for a fact that Tenten isn't with child."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. As if that mattered to him. He would get back to Konoha in no time, with or without sleep, in whatever amount of time he did. He was in a rather apathetic mood about the idea of returning to Konoha at all.

The Shadow Possessor looked at the time on the clock. It was only one in the morning. It wasn't too late, but it wasn't early either. He was going to be heading out at around six in the morning. Most would go to bed and get as much rest while he could, but he didn't care.

"Temari? Are you sure you're okay?" She smiled a sleepy smile, never having opened her eyes the whole conversation.

"Never better."

* * *

"Oh... You're..."

Temari blinked, a little surprised at who had came knocking on her door that morning. Never had she anticipated him to come see her; the idea of visitors was rather vague in the back of her mind still. At the same time, even she knew that he couldn't have been there for her.

He bowed his head in respect and asked her if she minded if he came in. She shook her head and opened the door a little wider. The Sand Princess smiled as she gestured for the guest to take a seat wherever he liked before she offered him a beverage. He declined generously before Temari yelled the name of the Shadow Possessor napping in her room.

It was late afternoon at that point. They had just ate dinner and the moment he finished he drawled something about going to take a nap. Temari retorted about him not cleaning up after himself before making him get up and clean his mess. After that, he felt no reason why he couldn't go to sleep and stay asleep as long as he wanted to.

He didn't respond the calling of his name. It didn't take long before she was yelling, a vein bulging from her head. Briefly excusing herself, she went into the room and all that could be heard was a rather loud, hollow sound of something hard hitting a cranium.

A yelp of pain was followed shortly after from Shikamaru.

He came out, rubbing the back of his head with a rather agitated facial expression with a scolding look from Temari as if to say, "If you had got up when I called you, this could have been avoided."

Shikamaru's facial expression changed when he realized who he was faced with.

"D-dad?" he responded in a confused tone. He more than likely thought he was still asleep or Temari knocked something loose in his skull. Either way, he didn't understand why his father would be here at this particular moment at Temari's home.

"The one and only," he said with a brief smile. Shikamaru moved forward and sat in the chair across from his father. Temari sat beside him, farthest away from Shikaku.

"Temari-san, I hope that my son isn't being too troublesome in a manner that would bother you," he said with a slight smile. Temari waved her hand, dismissing his comment with a laugh in her voice.

"He's fine, nothing I can't handle, of course!"

Shikaku could see the light in her eyes the way she spoke of his son. Even though he looked at the Nara Clan's heir and saw what most people would considered apathy in his eyes, his light in his heart was burning brighter as well. The man could see his son loved the woman despite his lack of physical appearance and body language.

"Is there something wrong, Dad?" he asked in a concerned tone. Shikaku briefly looked as if he was distracted and something else was on his mind. His son knew that signal before turning to Temari. "Can... You give us a moment?"

Temari, a little uncomfortable about being asked to leave, nodded cautiously and stood up. Her apartment was rather small and she was sure she would be able to hear some of the conversation. She would rather avoid that and respect their privacy.

"I'll be outside," she said shortly before exiting the room. She couldn't fathom what they could possibly be talking about. Temari never thought that anything could bother Shikamaru now that Asuma was gone. That was his one soft spot. If it was something serious, she would be patient and wait for him to come to her about it.

At the sound of the door closing, Shikamaru looked at his father with a tinge of curiosity. He never was one to jump into the start of a discussion, but at the same time, it was rather odd that he was silent.

"She reminds me a lot, you know?" he started with a chuckle. "Of that troublesome woman waiting for both of us back home." Shikamaru blinked, rather confused.

"Who?"

"Your mother," he stated as if it was obvious before looking to his son. "You know, she was worried about you when I called back home. Apparently you left home in no time at all. You left a note in your mother's door in the middle of the night."

"Oh..." was all he seemed to be able to say. He hadn't even thought about his mother. He hadn't even thought about his father, much less the village of Konoha. His broad and constantly calculating mind had suddenly narrowed and only had one thing on it.

Temari.

"Nothing seems to have gotten through to you since you've been here, have it?" he asked with a slight smile upon his lips. "We've all been calling you and getting no answers of any kind... I remember your mother worried about not being a grandmother. I'm glad to see that she has nothing to worry about."

His entire face turned red at this point. Shikaku was more of an old man than Shikamaru could own up to being. He spoke in lectures and philosophy that was hard to be interpreted. He often rambled on about nothing, for instance, in that particular moment.

"Have you talked to Ino?"

Almost as if that name sent an entire electrical shock through the Shadow Possessor's body, he jumped and was suddenly more alert and awake then before. Even his father noticed an overall change in his body language.

"No, I haven't," he said quickly, as if he didn't want to talk about it. His whole mind set changed when he thought of his father's reasonings behind it. "Why...?"

Shikaku shook his head and sighed, rubbing the back of it. He still didn't get it. Inoichi expressed concern and a bit of anger about the whole situation and that one track minded son of his didn't even know. He had two days before he had to leave for Konoha, he would find out at some point.

"Dad, what's the reason behind all of this?" Shikamaru finally asked in a rather exasperated tone. "I never would have expected you to come here, to Temari's. Tenten came by yesterday and told me about what had happened and how we're leaving soon, so I know that's not why you came."

Shikaku looked at his son once more, thinking back to how he watched him grow up. It had happened so fast right before his eyes and there he was, a man, a Shinobi, someone who he felt he raised to the best of his abilities.

"I just wanted to make sure everything was going alright with Temari. You know, when we found her, Inoichi was so sure that she wouldn't make it," Shikaku noted lightly as if it wasn't anything that would be noticable in the conversation. He also took note of how fast Shikamaru's face became pale.

He remained silent.

"That girl is incredible. She reminds me of Yoshino in a lot of ways. Strong minded, strong willed. Opinionated, loyal-"

"Scary," Shikamaru interrupted, only producing a hearty laugh out of the old man. The Shadow Possessor found himself chuckling as well too. He had never been on a mission with his father. They had never had a conversation like the one they were having now. His father was in a way just like he was whether he wanted to admit it or not. They were drawn to the same type of woman.

"You call it scary, son, but someday you will call it fiesty," he said with a grin. "But at the same time, I feel as if we need that kind of woman. Someone to keep us in line, make sure we aren't too complacent with outselves. And at the same time, we mellow them out."

"We mellow them out?" he repeated as if he didn't believe what his father had just said. Never had Shikamaru seen his mother _not _nagging or _not _yelling at his father if she wasn't yelling at him. Temari was returning to her loud mouth and troublesome ways so it was only a matter of time.

"To an extent, yes," Shikaku said despite seeing his father's content facial expression. He was smiling and he looked at peace. He could tell that he was thinking about his mother. He remembered that look whenever she was brought up in conversation. He started to wonder if he looked any particular way when he thought about Temari.

"Son, I honestly came to talk to you and ask you how serious you were about her," Shikaku finally revealed. Shikamaru's eyebrow shot up in confusion. "You two stay in different villages and there's obviously a lot of stress going on between countries. If you feel like you can stick it out, that works. But at the end of the day, someone is going to have to sacrifice their loyalty to their country."

His eyes widened at the idea. His father was right. Push comes to shove, Temari would give up her citizenship in Suna or Shikamaru would give up his in Konoha. At first, he had thought briefly about it in a selfish way that she would come to him because he was the man and needed to do what he had to to protect his family, but Temari was very valuable to not only Suna, but to her family. Kankuro and Gaara wouldn't let her go so easily.

"I just want you to think about that. And if you feel as though it may be too much for the both of you, it may be best to cut ties now," Shikaku prompted. "I feel like the girl's been through enough already. Don't make life any more difficult for her than it needs to be."

Shikamaru grew silent, unsure of how to answer what his father had said. He was right. The Shadow Possessor now realized how selfish he had really been about the whole situation. The situation that she was in due to his selfish behavior from the beginning. His heart started to become heavy.

He now realized he didn't deserve her.

When he first ahd those thoughts, it was only because of what had gone on with Ino and because he had hurt her feelings, but Shikamaru could officially clump everything together. He pulled to on a limb that couldn't support her weight. From the moment he whispered in her ear that first time and told her he would come back for her, it sparked everything that happened.

What if he hadn't done that? What if they were still friends, and just friends? Would Temari have been attacked and raped? Would she have been heartbroken by the idea of another woman sleeping with Shikamaru? He knew for a fact that she would be a lot happier if she hadn't even come across half of the things that happened.

Temari deserved better.

Shikaku stood up, drawing his son out of his trance-like state. Shikamaru's mood had officially crashed and burned like something falling out of the sky. It was time for him to go.

* * *

Temari found the desert air soothing when most people considered it to be suffocating and annoying. It must have been just because she was used to it. The blazing sun was sinking below the horizon and the colors meshed together so beautiful. Yellow, orange, red all mixing to make the most beautiful sunset.

She was saddened at the thought that another day had gone by. Shikamaru hadn't done anything the night before but hold her; he could tell that the only thing that was crossing her mind was that the man she loved would be gone in less than twelve hours.

Time was disappearing.

The Wind Mistress didn't want to admit how frustrated she was about Shikaku coming by and taking up the time they had together. When they got home, she couldn't help but think that they wouldn't talk to each other at all while she was limited.

Shikamaru's constant napping was something else too. All he did was complain about howthe Desert lacked nice clouds and he didn't have anything to stare up at like he did in Konoha. He could see her frustration and tried to stay awake more. At the same time, Temari didn't seem to get better, she only got more anxious.

There was nothing she could do about him leaving her.

The Sand Princess turned around when she heard her front door open. Temari bowed in respect to Shikaku before he thanked her for inviting him into her home. Bidding farewell, he headed down the stairwell before she turned around and saw Shikamaru.

A smile spread across her face at first before she saw his body language. It was replaced with a look of concern. She touched his arm gently, hoping that would draw something out of him. Shikamaru only turned and went back in the house.

Temari's mind was going over one hundred miles an hour at the sudden change in his mood, his whole attitude. What could his father possibly have said to make him change so drastically?

* * *

"You said that to him?" Tenten asked in awe. She wasn't sure if she was upset, angry, or surprised about what Shikaku had dared to admit. He didn't seem ashamed or affected by what he had told Tenten. He simply told her nonchalantly about his visit to Temari's household and the conversation he had with his son.

"Why wouldn't I? Better now than later," he said with a shrug. "It's better to think about this and handle it now than waiting for later. This Akatsuki business is only pressing on how serious they'll get. They only get more and more relevant."

"But still," Tenten said with a slight bit of disappointment in her voice.

"Tenten," Neji said softly, his arm on her shoulder. He smiled weakly at his wife's concern about the fragile relationship between Temari and Shikamaru. She always wanted to be the person to fix everything for anyone because she felt as if she could do it better than anyone else. She didn't understand how to stay out of situations that didn't concern her even though she did have the heart to help.

Even the Weapons Mistress knew what her husband was trying to tell her without saying anything but her name. She only wanted to look out for her friends.

"Shikaku, what if this decision breaks him?" she asked slowly. He didn't seem to have an answer for the woman. He knew his son was hardheaded and hardly ever put his heart into anything, especially another human being. This woman was the only person who seemed to reveal that side of him.

Shikamaru would have to make a choice.

In the long run, he can prolong this. Put it off until things settle down and peace takes over all the villages. Then he can make the move. But that wouldn't be Shikamaru's choice. He may have been a procrastinator in a number of ways, but when it came to his feelings, he was the opposite.

"This is going to be difficult for the both of them, Tenten," Neji reminded her, taking her hand in his. Shikaku's face didn't change its expression at all. "They're from different countries, different villages. Temari is so close to her brothers, she won't be so easy to move to Konoha. Shikamaru will take his father's place in charge of the Nara Clan, and that's a responsibility he can't easily just drop in the air. He is an only child."

It was harder than she thought. What would come first for them? Their duty to themselves and their own love for one another, or their duty to their countries? Tenten thought to herself the decision she would make. Being selfish would be the easier way out, but it would more than likely be seen as disgraceful.

All she could do was hope that things would go right for their sake.

* * *

"Shikamaru."

Temari was sitting on the living room couch in her night clothes. The entire room was shrouded in dark. Shikamaru had just gotten out of the shower and usually changed clothes in the living room since the bedroom was Temari's domain. He hadn't expected to see her there; he thought she was asleep and he was only covered by a towel. He felt a little embarrassed but he didn't show it.

His mood hadn't changed since his father had left; it was starting to worry the Sand Princess. He gave her an empty look before grabbing his bag from the floor. Shikamaru turned and went to head to the guest bedroom to change into his pajamas. If she wanted to be in here, he would go change in the other room.

He froze in mid-walk when he felt Temari's arms wrap around his body from behind, hugging him close. He could feel her breath on his back, her heart pounding against his body. He wasn't sure how to respond at first before a smile sprawled across his face as a chuckle left his lips. Even she was confused.

"What's got you so sentimental? Even this is a little much for you, Temari," he whispered. The feel of her skin on his was something he missed since that one night that seemed so far away now. He felt crazy almost, as if it was a distant dream. He tried to rid the idea from his mind, concerned about where his thoughts were heading. It wasn't appropriate.

Temari's teeth gritted together before her grip loosened. He was disappointed, but he understood he had upset her like he usually did. He was more troublesome to her than she was to him at times.

"I just wanted to know what the hell your father said to you, that's all," she admitted, avoiding his eyes. "Ever since he left, you've been walking around here like a mindless zombie. I can't get more than three words out of you. You know I can't stand being in the dark."

Shikamaru knew he had to tell her now. It was worrying her more than he had anticipated. It had been weighing more on his mind than he thought it would too. His father's words were sticking to him harder now than ever. Any other time it would roll off his back like water.

He sighed before nodding his head towards the bedroom. Her emerald eyes glowed even in the darkness as she nodded back, understanding that they would talk in there.

After Shikamaru put on his pants that he slept in, he found Temari laying in the bed, awaiting patiently for him. He felt a sweat drop appear on the back of his head, pondering if the setting they were in was appropriate for what he was going to say.

"Temari... My dad reminded me of something today that I hadn't really thought about for a long time," he started, unsure of how to word this correctly. She gave him a look of confusion before he rubbed the back of his head, his eyes avoiding hers. "It's about us. It's about our situation. Ya know, me and you." The Wind Mistress was still attentive to everything he had to say.

"Temari... He reminded me that... You and I can't really be together," he said slowly.

Her eyes widened; her face went pale. Was what she was hearing was true? She drew back the emotions her face had shown, embarrassed that she had even let them come out so easily. She bit her lip, still attentively paying attention.

"Of course not.. Who would have thought that we would have? Just because two people love each other doesn't mean they can be together," she said in a tone that was almost like she was trying to convince herself. Shikamaru felt bad about the way he had just sprung that on her. "That is if this is even love..."

"Temari, it's not about you and I or what we want. It's about what we have to do for our country. It isn't going to work out in the long run because we won't be able to be together," he said in a rather sad tone himself. "Even if we were to be together and survive, hell, if we got serious, someone's going to have to sacrifice-"

"So what?" she said under her breath.

Shikamaru's eyes saddened at her apathetic response.

"Are you telling me that you'd leave your brothers for me?" he asked in a blatant tone. Temari's eyes widened. She hadn't thought about it. She never considered. Her heart was aching again and it wasn't going to stop. The more she thought about it, the more her chest hurt.

"I would."

Shikamaru's eyes softened.

"You don't mean that."

She shoved his body away from hers before he gave her a look of bewilderment at her sudden physical attack.

"Why do you ask me a question if you aren't going to believe my answer?" she almost yelled. She was starting to get upset at this point. Her voice was starting to get louder, it was starting to rise an octave. He couldn't stand for that.

"You're ties to your family are stronger than your ties to me," Shikamaru explained. "Gaara and Kankuro are bigger influences than me in your life."

"Who has been here for me that past month?" she whispered almost. "Who was the one who helped me get up in the morning when I wanted to just lay there? Who made me laugh again? Who let me take out my anger on him? Gaara and Kankuro weren't here. You were."

The silence in the room was uneasy. Shikamaru felt guilty; he didn't want her to think he was abandoning her. That wasn't the case. He thought that he was protecting her, protecting the both of them for the future. The more as time set in, the more he started to doubt his original intentions.

"I guess this is it, huh?" she asked to herself again.

"Temari." She looked at him, a saddened, hopeless look in her eye. There weren't any tears. For once, she wasn't going to cry. She hadn't cried since that day in the bathroom when they had cried together. She swore that she wouldn't shed a tear again and she hadn't broken that promise yet.

The sound her voice sounded disappointed more than anything else. His heart was questioning his decision. Did he really want to do this? Would it really be as bad as his mind was telling him? He seemed at war with himself again. His indecisive nature would be the death of himself.

The real question was could he really do that to Temari despite what it would put her through? She deserved what ever she wanted after the things she's gone through. He couldn't even tell himself that it wasn't something that both of them wanted anyway.

His father's words were still running through his mind, vexing him like it had been doing since he had visited him. It seemed as though his heart was overpowering all the brainstorming he had been doing before.

The Shadow Possessor looked at Temari. She looked as if she had given up; accepted the choice he had made for the both of them. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he wasn't being fair to her at all. The least he could do was consult with her.

"Do you really want to do this with me?" he asked slowly. Her hands balled up into fists, seething. He didn't seem capable of making up his mind. What was he going to do? She felt like he was toying with her heart, with her feelings.

"Stop fucking with me, Shikama-"

"I'm not kidding! I'm serious!" She looked up at the sound of him raisng his voice. Gazing into his eyes, the Wind Mistress saw the sincerity in them. She smiled and almost laughed to herself. How she managed to laugh when she felt her heart was on a string right at the moment was unimaginable.

"Do what exactly?"

"Take on this battle against whatever comes against us. I know it sounds cheesy, but that fairy tale story that you might dream of won't be an option for a long time. If you don't mind waiting awhile," he said with a slight smirk on his face. "Hell, I'm no prince charming..."

Temari blinked at what he had said before it registered in her mind. He wasn't a prince charming, but that wasn't what she had dreamed up. She grew up without those kind of childhood stories being stuffed into her head, so at the end of the day, Shikamaru was still perfect for her.

"I'm here until my last breath," she said with a smile back. Shikamaru sighed before running his fingers through his hair. He had thought long and hard about what his father had said to him and he had made the conscious decision for him and Temari to end everything here. But then it wouldn't have been what they both wanted...

He wanted her. She wanted him. They were happy together, they had always been happy together. Even though they both would have to wait for anything serious for a fairly long time, it wouldn't matter. They both could be patient.

"Now..." Shikamaru looked at Temari who was now actually content with the direction their conversation had gone. She was now fiddling with her fingers, avoiding her newly claimed boyfriend's eyes. He blinked now at her sudden shy nature.

"What?"

"We have something else to talk about," she said in a slightly hinting tone. He gave her a look of confusion as if he had no idea what she was talking about. She gave him an icy glare. "Shikamaru, you leave tomorrow. What did we say we would talk about?"

It wasn't long before the lightbulb went off in his head and his entire face went red. She was talking about having sex.

He wasn't sure, even now. It hadn't been that long since they last talked about it and he still didn't want to pressure Temari into it or do something that would make her uncomfortable. And yet, every time she was the one bringing it up every time.

"Temari..."

"If you don't want to, it's okay," she said in headstrong tone as if she was guarding herself to be denied. "I just wanted to see if I could. I want to want you the way I did before..."

Shikamaru slowly looked at her, astonished at her blantant honesty. Temari had always been blatant about her opinions, but never really her emotions and how she geniunely felt. Shikamaru smiled to himself before sighing.

"It's not that I don't want to. I just don't want to put you in a position that you don't' want to be in," he explained again. He could have sworn he went over this before at one point. For some reason, it wasn't registering in her mind, just like before.

"Shikamaru, you won't hurt me," she argued. "And if I feel uncomfortable, I'll let you know and have you stop. I promise," she offered as an idea to make him feel more obligated to at least pursue it. He sighed once more before shrugging as if he didn't care. Deep down, they both knew that he was still worried about it.

Temari smiled that she had managed to get Shikamaru to agree to some extent to try this. But in her mind, where did they go from here? An awkward silence overcame them as Temari started to fiddle with her thumbs again. Did she have to make the first move or would he do it?

Before Temari could open her mouth to ask or make any kind of comment, Shikamaru's lips caught hers in a kiss that she hadn't anticipated. A gentle kiss that seemed to ignite a fire in both of their guts.

Temari's hands found Shikamaru's hair like it had once before. He resisted the urge to act as aggressively as he wanted to, but nonetheless, he controlled his desire to attack her the way he wanted to. The way his tongue gently wrestled with hers was a feeling he had missed for so long. He eased her to lay down on the bed before he found himself nestled between her legs.

Temari's breathing was controlled at first but it slowy started to rise. It had suddenly became hot in the room and she ws struggling to breathe. Was it supposed to be this way? The walls weren't closing in on her; she wasn't too anxious. But she did have a mild case of anxiety that she couldn't shake.

"Are you okay?" he asked once he broke the kiss. Temari looked as if she wasn't sure with herself how she really felt despite her hesistant answer to continue. He gave her a look that wanted her to tell the truth, but she refused to deny that she wasn't enjoying it.

The idea of getting heated was foreign to her and it was confusing. She felt almost like someone who had never known a man before and she didn't know what to do about her reactions to them. All of her previous sexual experiences she was usually more than comfortable with it.. This she wasn't so sure of.

Shikamaru's own personal anxiety still hadn't cleared up yet. He wasn't sure what he was even going to do. He had no idea where the boundaries were and if he would be able to step over it if he could. The look in her eyes as she laid under him was an unknown one he had never come in contact with.

"Hey," he said softly. Her eyes connected with his, her emerald eye mezmorized by his hawk eyes. They were actually gentle and consoling at that particular moment. She felt comfortable and safe as it was. "I'm... Not going to touch and grope your body. I don't know how you'll feel about that. I feel like that would bother you a lot. I was going to go ahead and... You know. Is that okay with you? Or do you want me to-"

"You're fine, Shikamaru," she said back with a smile of her own. He hadn't seen her naked before. She hadn't seen him naked before. He smiled back before he leaned into a kiss, his hands slowly but surely reaching for her pajama shorts. She seemed to have been just fine with it, even after they had been removed.

Shikamaru gave her a look once again, unsure of whether or not she was ready just yet. He reached over to the counter and grabbed his wallet, searching for a condom. Grabbing one, he hurried to put it on quickly and efficiently.

Temari's eyes slowly wandered down Shikamaru's body, unsure of how she would feel at seeing his lower half naked. It wasn't until he caught her attention and their eyes met that she was distracted.

"Don't look down there. Keep your eyes on me," he said in a comforting tone. She nodded, slightly taken aback at how Shikamaru was handling the situation. He smiled at her before he leaned his body close to hers, supporting his weight with his forearms. The moment Temari's eyes lingered anywhere other than his eyes, he stopped and was reassured that she was okay.

Her mind was racing. What would it be like? It was almost as if she had forgotten. Would it scare her? Her mind momentarily flashed back to her last encounter. It was painful, unbearable. Her heart was telling her that Shikamaru wouldn't dare to harm her the way that man had, but it wasn't long before her body started to tremble.

She felt the pressure between her legs. She closed her eyes as if she was fearful of what was going to happen next. Shikamaru stopped once again caressed her face.

"Temari, I'll st-"

"No, I'm fine," she objected. "I'm just fine. Keep going."

Shikamaru sighed at her refusal to admit that she wasn't ready. He wasn't sure of how to go about it. He had merely poked her, and she was practically shaking underneath him.

"Keep going," she demanded almost. A sweat drop appeared behind his head at her forceful tone. _That's the Temari I know._

The more pressure he applied, the more tense she got. It was hard to penetrate her. He paused and asked her if she was alright. She merely nodded before he started to think long and hard. The latex wasn't helping the situation either.

"Would you mind if I..." he seemed hesitant to ask her. Temari gave him a confused loo. "Took off the condom?" She shook her head. As long as she's fine, we'll both be fine. Shikamaru's mind went back to the talk he had with her previously when they had endulged in the idea of sex. Didn't she say she was on birth control or something?

They would be fine. He was sure he was clean and Temari was protecting herself from pregnancy.

Removing the condom, this time when he leaned into her body, it was much easier for him to slide into her. Shikamaru shuddered for a brief moment as if a chill went up his own spine. He had never had sex without protection, this was something that couldn't compare to what he had ever done in the past.

It was so warm, tight and liquidy. He mentally swore; he hadn't even considered a difference and now he felt his body going weak. He looked at Temari who had been clutching his back, biting her lip.

"Mari, are you alright?"

She nodded, still slightly surprised about how the feeling had hit her. It wasn't painful, it was just an unexpected rush. What else could she describe it as? The sensation she was feeling at that moment wasn't anything negative.

Shikamaru could see an aloof look in her eye and how easily she had suddenly became flushed. He bit back a smile on his lips. He slowly started to push himself deeper into her, Temari's only response was a moan of ecstasy.

"Do I need to stop?" he whispered seductively in her ear. Temari shook her head frantically no as the goosebumps arose on her back despite all of her clothes on her upper body still being on and intact.

Each movement that Shikamaru did, Temari felt it. He could feel every part of her soaking him. Even he was struggling to contain himself. She just felt so good he found himself letting out his own groans of enjoyment.

Every time she started to climax, he could feel her walls caving in on him, her body temperature continuing to rise until finally she exploded, spraying him with her own juices.

Temari found herself in a heavenly bliss. She had been concerned, worried about how she would react and now, she didn't think she would ever want it to end. Everything before that moment seemed like a dream.

Even when she looked up as Shikamaru, his facial expression, his eyes, the lust and love that shined from them was making her crazy all over; making her body melt from inside out. He couldn't possibly have known what had he did to her.

Shikamaru's attempt to hold off on climaxing was at the end a failure. He came right after he pulled her out of her, breathing harder than either one had ever seen him breathing before. His chest and arms were drenched with sweat. Temari's eyes gazing up at him, still wondering if she was asleep or not.

She pulled Shikamaru down to the bed with her and cradled his head against her chest, hugging him as tight as she could without hurting him. Part of her feared that she imagined it all or that it wasn't real but actually pulling him close seemed to verify she wasn't hallucinating.

He sighed and relaxed into her body, falling asleep before her for once. Temari smiled, feeling at peace with herself. Her eyes gazed over to her clock. It wasn't that late. She felt a pain in her chest at the realization that this man that she was cradling like a baby wasn't going to be with her when the sun rose. She couldn't help but smile despite the realization that the moment was only too brief. All she kept thinking of was how they would find some way to pave out a path to future that they would cherish together.

They would make it through. Together.


	27. Chapter 26: Departure

**Hi everyone! This chapter is rather short, a lot of people would consider it a filler, but it does have its purpose. I'm kinda sorta starting to hit a roadblock that I had to come across. I know what I was to happen, but it's way too soon for anything to go down yet. Not to mention I kinda haven't thought through Temari and Shikamaru's relationship and how they'll be dealing with it while being apart. I've got a lot of work to do. SMH, it will get done though.**

**I've also decided I will re-edit Losing Everything for the third time. A lot of people are wondering, wtf, why!? I liked it! It was amazing! I want answers, damn it! The truth of the matter is, I think I've basically read it over and saw a lot of errors, mistakes, loop holes, etc. It won't be re-edited soon, but it will happen. Speaking of, I've been neglecting my InuYasha and Sango, something that cannot continue. I hope you guys read and review this story, please and thanks!  
**

**The end of this chapter will be a shocker, but answers will be revealed later on, so stay tuned!**

* * *

Departure

Chapter 26

"What do you mean a mistake?" Temari asked in a slightly cautious tone. She was hoping and praying that Shikamaru wasn't going to take everything he had said the night before back like it had never happened.

It was four AM. There was not a ray of sunlight on Sunagakure. Shikamaru was hurrying to pack his bag as quickly as he could. Despite his tired and sluggish mannerisms, he wasn't going to be late like Temari had actually anticipated. Suddenly, that word sprung from his mouth robotically.

"Mistake."

It had caught the girl off guard. She was confused, even a little concerned, dare she say worried. She hoped that they wouldn't move backwards from everything. He shook his head before he paused and sank onto Temari's bed, his shoulders slumped forward. The Shadow Possessor was vexed by something, it was undeniable.

"I just realized.. I haven't forgiven myself yet. And I had promised myself I wouldn't do what I did last night until I forgave myself," he said almost as if a light bulb had went off in his mind.

He swore an oath to himself that day he and Temari fled from that nightclub on a whim like children playing the summertime. He hadn't remembered that oath until the night before when he finally dozed off.

The blood inside his veins boiled with this kind of inner hatred that he had never felt before, something he couldn't comprehend so easily with words. What would he say? What would he do? It was because of those incidents with Ino that Temari was so insecure for so long. It wasn't fair to her; he shouldn't have done what he had the night before.

Making love to Temari the way he did, in such a manner seemed like a dream almost to him. The self-loathing had only begun before he started to realize he didn't even deserve to enjoy Temari the way he had.

Temari knew almost instantly what his internal conflict was about. He could only be thinking about his previous relationship with Ino.

It was ironic that the thought and sound of her name still sent a shock through her entire body almost as if it was painful. The idea of another woman having her man the way she had struggled to get to still gave her a deep self conscious outlook on things.

Regardless, the Sand Princess knew that Shikamaru still had a lot of personal issues with himself about his past decisions about Ino. She sat down beside him and laid her head on his shoulder; the silence that engulfed the both of the was something that they had grown used to. It wasn't until Temari opened her mouth that everything had come to a momentary stop.

"I forgave you a long time ago."

Shikamaru's eyes widened, surprised at her words. She had said it, as clear as day. The statement alone was some that was blatant almost; her tone of voice offered the idea that it was an obvious known fact that she had forgiven the man. Shikamaru was still speechless.

"If I hadn't forgiven you, I wouldn't be able to look at you the way I do and think, 'this guy is someone I may want to be with for the rest of my life'. You can't hold grudges over people, especially not yourself if the person who should be bearing the grudge is over it," she said as if it was something that he should have already known.

She lifted her head and stood up, catching Shikamaru's attention. They made eye contact before Temari rolled her eyes as the surprised look in his eyes. "You need to stop being a pussy and get your shit together so you can head home. Melodrama isn't going to make time move any slower despite what you may think."

Temari turned her heel and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Shikamaru blinked at Temari's words before rubbing the back of his neck. She was such a nagger, it was going to make his ears bleed. Ironically enough, it was just the music his ears loved.

* * *

"Do you have your-"

"Yes."

"Do you have-?"

"Yes."

"What about-?"

"Yes, Temari, I have it," Shikamaru droned in a exasperated tone. She rolled her eyes before she reached into her pocket and pulled out his hygiene pouch that consisted of his toothbrush and toothpaste. A sweat drop appeared on the back of his head before he snatched the object away from the Wind Mistress.

"God, you can't do anything for yourself," she muttered under her breath.

The sun had slowly started to peek over the horizon at that point. Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, and the infamous InoShikaCho were all ready to head back to Konoha. Temari and Kankuro had escorted the group back to the exit gate to see them off.

Kankuro rolled his eyes at his sister and the Shadow Posessor's constant bickering. They acted like they didn't even like each other anymore, like they really couldn't stand each other. That was what he took out of it at least. Nothing positive had come out of either of their mouths.

Tenten felt her heart melt at the seemingly normal relationship between the two individuals. They had always been that way, even when they had been younger; it seemed as though they had been redeemed to their old selves. Neji found their constant arguing a nuisance and deduced that they couldn't have possibly been in a relationship with one another the way they had talked to one another.

"Shut up, woman. It's normal to always leave something behind when one travels," he mumbled. Shikaku found their bickering amusing. It was no surprise, the way him and Yoshino used to go at it was considered legendary at one point. That was when he had fight in him, that is. _He'll learn to give up at some point, _he thought with a chuckle.

Kankuro's eyebrow twitched at the disrespectful tone that had been directed to his sister, but he didn't respond. His sister could handle herself and this annoying runt. Ironically enough, Temari didn't respond in any way to the rude comment. She shrugged and folded her arms across her chest.

"Everyone ready?" Inoichi asked, tired of seeing this childish display of affection. Everyone nodded before Tenten approached her best friend and gave her a large hug. Even Temari couldn't keep her facade of no emotions to the Weapons Mistress.

"Be safe, please! And text me, call me. Write letters, whatever. I love you Temari," Tenten whispered with a smile. Temari smiled back at her friend comment. The eye contact she made with Neji was brief; even though he was emotionless (or so it seemed), he gestured and nodded his head in respect towards the Sand Kunoichi. She let go before Inoichi offered his hand for a handshake. She took it and shook it with a warmhearted smile.

"Thank you for everything, Yamanaka-san. You're the reason I made it out of that situation. I appreciate you and all of your effort in making sure I survived," Temari said with a geniune smile. This man was the one who single handedly made sure that she made it to Suna while she was still breathing and she was indebted to him for that.

Chouza was the next one to approach the Sand Princess as soon as her grasp on the Mind Controller's hand was released. He didn't even formally offer a handshake; the large man scooped up the small sandy blonde haired woman and pulled her into his chest. Even though she lost a lot of wind in the process, the hug made her feel better.

"Next time you come to Konoha, stop by and visit the Akimichi Clan! My wife would be glad to make you something delicious to eat!" Chouza offered humbly. Temari smiled at the thought. Shikamaru had told her in the past how amazing the woman's cooking was based of visiting Choji's. She couldn't help but feel welcomed.

Shikaku approached her next, bowing his head in respect to her.

"Thank you, Nara-san," she said formally, bowing her head towards him as well. "You watched over me like I was your own comrade. I am appreciative to your efforts as well for my recovery." The head of the Nara Clan waved his hand dismissively before saluting lazily to the woman.

It came down to Shikamaru who was the only one who hadn't said goodbye to Temari. They seemed to have been staring each other down; neither one of them wanted to say it. It could have been due to the fear of saying goodbye, or it could have been the idea of not knowing when they would see each other again.

Would it be too flamboyant for Temari to even do anything intimate? How many people knew about the relationship between them? Kankuro didn't know, that was for sure, but at the same time, she knew Tenten and Neji knew. Shikaku had to have known. Everyone else wasn't so aware.

Shikamaru wasn't big on public display of affection, but at the same time, he could tell that Temari wasn't either. She had exceptions to certain people when it came down to that personal rule, but that was still a boundary she wasn't sure if she was ready to cross with him.

Temari outstretched her hand to the Shadow Possessor. He seemed just as caught off guard as everyone else was at the sudden gesture to shake her hand. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he scoffed before looking away from her, obviously disapproving of what she had done. Her teeth grinded together, her hands balled up into fists.

"You're going to shake my hand? That's all I get? I'd rather not get anything at all," he mumbled, refusing to make eye-contact with the woman. Her hands made their way to her hips before she bit back a swear. If it was just the two of them, she knew what she would have had let slip off her tongue.

"Then I guess you won't be getting anything, will you?" she said in a venomous tone with an equally venomous smile. Tenten's jaw dropped at their sudden animosity towards each other. Neji's face didn't show any outward emotion towards the situation, but he too was a little shocked at how the treated each other. The InoShikaCho Team saw the interaction amusing.

"It's just how you would say bye to Yoshino when you had to go on a mission, aye Shikaku?" Inoichi reminisced with a chuckle. Chouza laughed as well, all of them enjoying the more entertaining of departures.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered under his breath. Chouza slapped his back, almost knocking the wind out of Shikamaru.

"It must be a family trait, huh? It's something else!" he said with a cackle. Temari smiled to herself before Shikamaru smiled back. They had both said their goodbyes long before they had arrived at the departure point. This was merely a formality.

"Well, we will be on our way, Mr. and Ms. Sabaku. Take care, we hope to see you soon in Konoha," Inoichi said in a rather formal tone, gesturing towards Kankuro and Temari. Even though Kankuro was there, he hardly interacted unless it needed to be necessary. He had manners as well, nodding respectfully towards their company.

Temari and Shikamaru shared eye contact one last time before Shikamaru turned away and followed after his father and the other members of the squad. Even though it pained and worried him more than he would have liked, he was still concerned about leaving the woman on her own. Tenten could even sense his apprehension even though it wasn't physically noticeable.

Even long after the squad of Konoha Nin disappeared, Temari still found herself staring to where they had disappeared into the desert. Part of her thought she was still dreaming. The fear and pain of loneliness didn't kick in yet; was it delayed for some reason? Maybe it was something that would hit her later.

"What the hell is going on between you and that Nara kid?" Kankuro finally asked when they were gone. "I knew something weird was going on before, but now it's like it's written all over your face."

Temari was broken free from her trance that had her mind wandering. Was this something she wanted to bring up to her brothers? Would it be a good idea?

Then she thought about how concerned they were about her mental state. If they knew that there was some kind of bond or relationship between her and Shikamaru, they'd disapprove. They felt as if she had no kind of stability in her at that particular moment.

Kankuro's distaste the whole idea was oozing out of his person now. She knew if she told him now, there would be no way for her to get them off her back about it. She was better off keeping it a secret, even from them.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she feigned fairly well. Kankuro looked puzzled now at the idea of his previous assumption being far off or inaccurate. "We've always been that way."

Turning her heel, the Wind Princess dismiss herself, walking away from her brother, living him to himself to un-jumble his thoughts and accusations alone.

* * *

"Shikamaru? Are you sure you're okay?" Tenten pried again.

"Leave a man to his thoughts, Tenten," Neji said tiredly. Tenten turned and glared at her husband. He hadn't said anything to her constantly asking Shikamaru questions before. Shikaku found the Hyuga wife's prying to be equal to Ino's in this situation of being nosy and questioning.

Shikamaru refused to thank the Hyuga outwardly, but at least he knew and understood that he had enough to worry about without having to voice it. Not to mention, there were a lot of things that he wanted to keep to himself about what had gone on between him and Temari intimately.

It was a bittersweet moment in a number of ways. He had finally gotten the one thing that even now that he deduced that he hadn't deserved. That was the moment he had always wondered about ever since he had realized his feelings for her, and yet he felt she wasn't able to enjoy it to the fullest because of her previous traumatic occurences. Not to mention he wouldn't be able to lay by her side like he had done many nights before and watch her as she slept.

Who would watch over her?

He had no doubt in her brothers, but at the same time he wasn't sure if they could tend to her needs like she needed. He felt that same detached feeling in his chest when he had left her that night to return to Ino when she left the club.

It wasn't fair.

Shikaku knew that he had no true understanding to his son's current situation. Yoshino was always home waiting for him when he returned to Konoha from a mission. She was a housewife; his son had chosen a Shinobi who lived in another country, a woman who was something vital to her village. There wasn't much he could offer as advice.

Tenten knew she had a nasty habit of prying, but she only did it due to concern. She had been involved in Shikamaru and Temari's relationship, whether it was a friendship or love interested one, from the beginning. She bit her lip at the fact that she was somehow involved in all of the things that had come in contact with.

Whether it was her helping Temari overcome her less feminine insecurities or her innate reaction to compete with Ino, or even if it was trying to explain to Shikamaru how he was going about certain things wrong. She had always been the middle man.

_I think it's time for me to retire that role, _she told herself adamantly._ Sometimes, even I care too much and get too into things that have nothing to do with me. A relationship is between two people, and I'm the odd person out..._

"I'm glad you've realized it," Neji said low enough just for his wife to hear it. She shot another glare at him, realizing that he knew her well enough to be able to tell what was on her mind. Neji had always felt that his wife was a little too intertwined with her friends, but he always had to remind himself that she considered them family and found it necessary.

Tenten sighed at the declaration she had made to herself. It was final. She could tell that Shikamaru and Temari had some kind of relationship going on now, but she wasn't sure how stable it was. That was the only reason why she was worried. Regardless, she left it out of her hands completely this time.

* * *

Temari's eyes were as wide as dinner plates; her jaw hung like it was off the hinge. All she could manage to do was gape at the news she had just received. Never had she ever anticipated such a thing, especially from Gaara.

Yusa looked completely innocent and embarrassed. She looked so precious it was adorable; the glow from her pregnancy was the brightest thing shining in the room. But still, Temari never anticipated Gaara to have sex with anyone, much less impregnate a woman.

Kankuro showed obvious excitement at the breaking of the news to his sister, but her response wasn't something he had anticipated. Her shock was slowly turning into anger and possible disappointment.

"This isn't a joke?"

The whole mood of the room changed when they realized that Temari wasn't so excited and congratulatory as everyone had anticipated. When Kankuro first found out, he smiled and was rather excited at the idea of change.

It seemed to have established a new fear amongst the eldest sibling of the Sabakus. Even Gaara was a little disoriented by her unexpected reaction. It only made Yusa feel uncomfortable and have mixed emotions about how she was already feeling.

All she had worried about before was what people thought of it and how she would handle having a baby. Now she felt shunned from not getting Temari's blessing. Her hands caressed her belly and she bit her lip. Suddenly her hormones took her mind to somewhere that she didn't want to go.

"Excuse me," Yusa squeaked before quickly removing herself from the room. Gaara's face didn't show any kind of distinct change in expression, but his eyes looked pained at the obvious discomfort that the woman bearing his child was having. Even Kankuro disapproved of his sister's reaction.

"Temari, what's your problem?"

"What's my problem?" Temari responded in disbelief. She hadn't found herself to be in the wrong in anyway for feeling the negative effect of the news. The way they had sprung it on her, they seemed to have anticipated some kind of celebration; it was frankly the opposite.

Scoffing, Temari turned away from her brothers, feeling segregated almost immediately. All it took was Kankuro's condescending tone to make her feel like she had been the one who was in the wrong. She dismissed herself from their presence before removing herself. A lonely feeling overtook her after she exited the office.

She saw Yusa to her right, approaching the office to return, only to be horror struck at the sight of Temari. The tears flowing down her cheeks didn't help with the Sand Kunoichi's bad feeling in her stomach. Turning away in the opposite direction, Temari couldn't help but feel that things weren't going to get better any time soon.


	28. Chapter 27: Change

**Hey everyone! I've managed to update even though I found myself mentally blocked. Everything is going to go crazy. In this story and in my personal life and relationship. I feel unmotivated to do anything and nothing seems to be helping. I hope that my touch hasn't been demolished by my mild depression. Please tell me what you think. I hope you do, at least. You know, reviews are still appreciated and welcomed! **

**I hope you all have had an excellent new year so far, and keep me in your prayers. Schools about to start back up, so i may go ghost, but trust me you, aren't forgotten. I also updated my InuYasha story a few days ago as well, so if you're interested in that, go for it :3  
**

**This chapter is kind of unexpected and it may piss you off, especially after all that's gone on. But I know where i want to go from here. So don't worry too much! I promise, things are going to get better, I swear.**

* * *

Change

Chapter 27

The Kunoichi swore under her breath as she sipped away at her bitter coffee. She wasn't someone who was the best at brewing it at home, but she wasn't feeling very sociable or interested in leaving her domain.

Ever since the altercation at the Kazekage Mansion, she couldn't bring herself to go out and about. She wasn't feeling it. She wasn't even interested in talking to her siblings, especially since the encounter that resulted in a pregnant woman crying.

That hadn't been her intention and she felt awful about it. She hadn't reacted the way she should have or the way she had wanted to. She wasn't even sure why she had responded the way she had.

She looked outside the window; it was a bright and gorgeous day despite how she was feeling. Maybe sun was what she needed to relieve her stress. At the same time, something in the back of mind told her no due to the gnawing in her stomach from the situation.

Temari's frustration could inexplicable to herself. The Sand Princess wasn't exactly sure why she was as angry as she was about becoming an auntie. She was disappointed, but why the rage was making her blood boil wasn't exactly something she could put her finger on.

It had been a week since the Konoha ninja had left; a week since she had discovered that her brother was going to be fathering a child. She hadn't had contact with either of her siblings nor Shikamaru or Tenten. They both had tried to contact her, but she wasn't in a talking mood.

Her stomach ached at the thought of a child.

But why?

They were out of wedlock? Was that it? No, it wouldn't have mattered to her either way. The excitement in Kankuro's eyes, the slight joy that his brother displayed. Yusa had already started to show that glow that women with child would have.

It slowly was becoming clear to why there was more of a positive impact than a negative. Gaara always envisioned himself to be alone, without any family. Even though he had connected with his siblings, he never would have dreamed of finding love and having a family of his own.

_ He must feel like he's in a dream..._

Temari swore to herself at her inconsiderate and insensitive behavior; even though she was known for being that way, she wasn't exactly proud of it. She could at least try to be supportive of the new addition to the family.

She wanted to call and talk to Shikamaru about it. She wouldn't dare bring it to Tenten, especially not in her current situation. It would bring the Weapons Mistress to tears from pure jealousy. Women were popping up pregnant and she still hadn't been blessed with that opportunity. Temari wouldn't dare be that inconsiderate to bring that to her.

Even though she wanted to talk to Shikamaru, what would he say? Probably nothing helpful. She knew her boyfriend's approach on emotional perspectives, hell, hers wasn't that much better. Deep down though, she felt he could comfort her. Looking back on her recovery, he had done a fairly good job in supporting her and taking care of her.

_ The situation has nothing to do with_ you _though.. It has to do with Gaara and his relationship.. Shikamaru wouldn't give two shits about that.. _she reminded herself plainly.

It would only frustrate her more, hearing his drawling tone sound so uninterested. At the same time, it'd be refreshing to hear his voice. She wanted to hear it, she missed him a lot already. She was struggling with so many transitions. Shikamaru was gone. Everything suddenly was expected to go back to normal. Then this baby thing...

Too much was going on.

Temari heard a knock at her door. Her eyes darted up, confused as to who would come to see her. More than likely it'd be Kankuro, less likely Gaara. They'd argue and stuff, before Temari physically assaults him and he dismiss himself. Her and Gaara would often times have calm discussions, but her and Kankuro couldn't do it that simply for some reason.

Sighing, she stood up and headed towards the door. She didn't want to argue with Kankuro today, it was the last thing she needed to upset her even more. It wasn't until she opened the door and saw those big ruby red eyes looking up at her, fearful almost.

"Y-Yusa?"

"Temari-san, I..." she seemed nervous, anxious, apprehensive. She was indeed afraid of the kunoichi as if she was going to harm her in some way. The woman obviously didn't know what kind of protection or position she was in now that she was Gaara's wife-to-be.

It was strange seeing her out of her maid uniform. She was dressed in a pink and white sundress with white sandals. Her oddly pale skin didn't show any kind sun exposure, but it was no surprise due to the umbrella she used to cascade her from the harsh UV rays. Her long black hair was pinned to stay out of her face. She looked embarrassed and even dare she say shy.

"Please, come in," Temari gestured kindly. Yusa nodded quickly and entered the living area as Temari closed the door behind her. Yusa looked around, unsure of what to do or whether to sit down. "You can take a seat, you know. I know you probably walked quite a way to get here. Rest up while you can."

The girl cautiously sat down, Temari sitting down on the chair right by her. Twiddilng her thumbs, the Sand Kunoichi was concerned.

"Yusa, I'm sure you came by for a reason. Is there anything you would like to talk to me about?" she asked in a kind tone. Temari could be nice whenever she felt she needed to. This girl was as fragile as a porcelain doll and she wasn't going to hurt her, she'd feel the wrath of her conscious and her brother.

"Temari-san, I just... I wanted to apologize," she said softly, almost as if she didn't want to say it. Temari's eyebrow quirked in confusion.

"What? What are you apologizing for?"

"For the... Baby that Gaara-sama and I have conceived. It wasn't intentional or planned. Your disapproval is understandable and I hope you would give me your blessing," she said before bowing her head. Temari's mind took a moment to register those words as they bounced off her eardrums. It only took a moment for Temari to touch the girl and pulled her head up.

"Don't bow to me. I'm not some kind of noble figure," she said plainly.

"But, you technically were a Princess. The a former Kazekage's daughter, the sister of the current. You are held to a higher standard-"

"I don't care for all that bullshit, Yusa. I am a person who just so happens to be a Shinobi, who just so happens to have been related to people who lead and have led Suna. So don't do that," she warned. "Also, I don't accept your apology. There is no need for an apology. Why should I even matter in the affairs of you and my brother?"

"Because you are the oldest sibling. You're disappointment in the situation was made obvious in the discussion last week. I just wanted to let you know that I'm sincerely sorry-"

"Stop. Just... Stop," Temari paused for the umpteenth time. "That child is not a mistake. It may not have been planned, but it is in no way a mistake. As for me approving, it doesn't matter. Asking for my blessing doesn't mean anything. If anything, I will have to see Gaara in regards to approval of my relationship."

Yusa's eyebrow turned up at the mention of someone else being involved with Temari, but she knew deep down who that person was. It had to be the Shinobi who had been watching over her recovery. It was funny because Kankuro and Gaara didn't suspect a thing.

"Look, my feelings weren't directly because of you or the child, but there's just... So much change occurring. So much has happened over the last month, let alone week and it's so much to grasp. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things and every time I turn around, it seems to me that something new is always happening," Temari explained lightly as if it was nothing.

Yusa looked relieved at her soon to be sister in law's words. She seemed to be glad that Temari didn't have an animosity towards herself or her unborn child. Her hand rubbed her belly; no longer was her stomach turning. Temari's eyes were watching the woman's hand and she bit her lip.

There it was again, that uneasy feeling.

"When are you guys going to get married? Have you thought of any names yet for the baby?" Temari asked, trying to keep her mind off of her gut feeling.

"Gaara is still arranging that. As for names, I want her name to be Sanani," she said with a smile.

"And if it's a boy?"

"No, I'm sure of it. It's a girl. And her name is Sanani. I can see it now, she'll look just like Gaara-sama. His bright red hair and blue eyes. You're family's genes are fairly strong," she said with a brief smile. Temari waved her hand as if it was nothing, but she couldn't exactly say that it wasn't true. Their father's traits were obvious in her brothers and she was the one who looked like their mother. She wouldn't be surprised if that man carried on his genes once again in the third generation.

"Thank you, Temari-san," she added with a smile upon her lips. The Sand Kunoichi blinked, confused at the appreciative notion.

"What I-"

"For talking to me. You and I never really spoke much and I know that you were considered abrasive by the other staff whom were working at the mansion," Yusa noted, a vein appearing in Temari's head. "But you've just been swept off your feet by so much stuff lately. I can understand. I appreciate your honesty."

Temari smiled back at the woman. It was no surprise how Gaara loved her. She was obviously a genuinely sweet person who didn't overdue it. She was honestly a lovely individual and Temari felt that she was just what her brother needed.

* * *

Tenten seemed to have been ignoring Neji's attempts to comfort her. He knew the pain she felt was real, he could understand why shew as so upset. He found himself jealous as well, especially at the reaction she had told him about. But she couldn't keep sulking.

"Tenten, you can't bear this against him," Neji reminded her. The woman was ignoring her husband despite what he was had said.

"How can I not? How dare he approach me with this nonsense! And then tell me what he wants her to do about the situation. I never knew Shikamaru to be so heartless, so... So..."

"He's a man," Neji noted. Tenten pulled away from the Hyuga and gave him a disgusted look.

"And that excuses the decision he's going to make? What he wants to do? You're telling me that you would do that in his situation?" she said almost breathlessly. Neji knew he was on thin ice now and didn't want to say the wrong thing, especially with his wife so upset.

"I don't know his situation entirely, so I can't say. But I know plenty of men would want the same thing if they were in a similar situation. I am not one of those gentlemen," Neji responded carefully.

Tenten's body was shaking from pure anger, she was more upset than she ever had been. It wasn't even her own situation, but the idea of Shikamaru's decision was eating her from the inside out. She hadn't talked to him since he approached her with that. How insensitive could he be?

"Tenten..."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Neji. Please. Don't make me think about it, it's already tormenting me enough," she seethed. There were no tears in her eyes. There was sadness plaguing her heart, but there was more envy, disappointment, and anger that was dwelling deep within it.

The Hyuga knew that he would do best to leave the situation where it was, as it was. There would only be a negative result if he pushed her about it. Even he had expected more of Shikamaru, but who was he to judge a man? Honestly, there was no way Neji would be sure if he wouldn't do the same if he was in the same situation as the Shadow Possessor.

* * *

Shikamaru was beyond pissed off, but he had no one to blame but himself. He was angry, but more than anything else he was scared. He was terrified. He had never been one to be afraid or admit fear, but this was unavoidable at this point.

He regretted ever coming home to Konoha at this point.

The way his father egged and implied, he knew that he knew. And if he knew, then that meant that the whole Trio knew. If the whole Trio knew, there was no telling who else knew. Not to mention how big her mouth was, it was undoubted that it wasn't unheard of on the streets.

Talking to both of his parents didn't seem to help the situation in anyway. He went to Kurenai and she was trying hard no to be unbiased, but her stomach was enough to sway him without her speaking a word.

The Nara man swore under his breath. He was walking around the streets late at night. There was silence and he could walk aimlessly without being questioned. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the whole thing.

He felt sick to his stomach every time he was reminded of the reality. He hadn't spoken to the woman who was the root of all of his agony, but he felt it'd be better if he went ahead and handled this now. Suddenly his aimless walking had a destination.

Despite all of the stress he was enduring, Temari was still on his mind. That only worsened the stress. What would she think? She didn't need this right now, she was still fragile despite her obvious objection to that as a possibility. They had actually been on a good note despite the fact that she wasn't answering his phone calls. He had gotten word of Gaara getting married and that was obviously unsettling to his girlfriend. He would give her space. At the same time, this was something he didn't want to break to her.

She'd leave him for good this time and never look back.

He had arrived at that woman's house. He knew she was awake, the light was on. Maybe if he was lucky, she wouldn't answer the door. Unfortunately for him, he saw her peek outside the shade before he could even walk up the damned walkway; before he could even knock on the door or ring the door bell.

The door swung up, and there she stood. She had on a red lingerie lace set, almost as if she was expecting a man, but he knew that that was her usual bedtime attire. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back and her large blue eyes were not aided by makeup this late at night. Upon her lips was a scowl that was not going anywhere.

"Ino."

"Shikamaru."

He hadn't seen her since he had been back and he hadn't planned on it. It was rather disappointing that he had to see her at all, especially under these circumstances.

"May I come in?" he drawled, obviously not interested in anything that she could have been offering besides information. She saw it in his eyes that her appearance didn't effect him in anyway, bothering her a little bit. She nodded and led him into the house before closing the door behind him.

The Shadow Possessor slumped down onto the couch, looking around. Nothing had changed in her house at all. It was still overly decorated and rather annoying, but the same. She sat down on the opposite side of him, knowing that this was a business and not a pleasurable meeting.

The silence was bearable, but it was also annoying and filled with obvious disdain. Ino was the one bearing all the anger and dislike in this scenario.

"Soo.." Shikamaru started before leaning his head over, resting it onto his fist. "Is there something you need to tell me? I want to know if it's true."

"Why didn't you answer your phone when I tried to call you when you away? I know for a fact there is a signal in Sunagakure," she seethed, obviously upset that he didn't answer anything she had sent him or when she called. Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"I had no reason to. And I had other business to attend to," he stated calmly.

"You mean _her_," she said, venom in the last word. Shikamaru sighed, realizing instantly where this conversation was going. That was not the point of his visit.

"First off, that's none of your business. Secondly, I came here to discover if what I've been hearing is true," he said, unswayed by her emotions. She still didn't understand that her opinion on certain matters in his personal life didn't matter.

Ino folded her legs and sat back, taking enjoyment out of Shikamaru's lack of knowledge and information.

"What have you been hearing?"

"Don't fuck around with me, Ino," Shikamaru warned. Even she was taken aback by his use of language. "Everyone has been on my ass about it. Especially your father and my own. So I'm here to clear this up. Like adults. Tell me."

Ino sighed, looking away.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered softly, her shame showing in her body language. Shikamaru's eyes weren't swayed or anything by her mere words or how she reacted to the very words that were coming from her mouth.

"Where's the test you took?" he asked in the most emotionless tone. She looked up, surprised at how heartless his response was.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I want to see proof, that's what I mean," Shikamaru stated calmly. "I'm not gonna get pulled into this nonsense and let you fuck with my feelings to get back at me, especially not for staying with you or not answering your phone calls."

"You expect that little of me!?" she screeched.

"I don't trust women, Ino. Especially not women I've slept with," he explained calmly. Not only was Ino the only woman he had slept with besides Temari, there sexual encounters were never romantically charged, especially not on his end. Ino was a spiteful woman when she wanted to be and he wouldn't dare let his guard down for her. Temari was held at a higher, a different standard and didn't even apply to the statement he had made.

She slumped back down into her chair, folding her arms across her chest.

"I don't have the test."

"Good for you," he stated before reaching into one of his vest pockets. "I got one for you, just for the occasion." Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Ino got up and went to go slap the man, but she paused. She was only making herself look guilty and dishonest by the way he was getting to her. She snatched the test from his fingers, heading towards the bathroom.

_ I'll just have to show him._

The door slammed, leaving Shikamaru to himself and his thoughts. Even though he had put on his best poker face, he was sweating bullets and couldn't keep up the idea that he wasn't worried or concerned.

What kind of man wouldn't be fearful like he was right now? Children, right now of all times? Not to mention who it would be with compared to where his heart was lying at that particular moment? He felt the urge to smoke a cigarette, but if the girl was pregnant, that wouldn't be a positive influence on the unborn child.

Shikamaru bit his lip. How would he break it to Temari? To everyone? His father finally confronted him about it, egging him on, hinting at him to go see the girl before finally he dropped the ball. How awkward the conversation between Inoichi and Shikaku must have been...

His mother hadn't said a word to him about it yet, but he knew she knew. She was avoiding him, and he knew that was a bad sign. When a woman goes silent on you opposed to yelling or nagging, it's a sign of disappointment; that was the worse feeling he could get from Yoshino.

She had given up her dream to be kunoichi to become a housewife and a mother; she could only see why she was disappointed in the same thing happening to Ino. At the same time, he could feel the pressure and blame of the whole situation being dropped on his head entirely.

If he was lucky, maybe it was all a hoax like he was dreaming and assuming. Ino could be conniving and make some things work to get her point across or get her way. He prayed that this was that same situation.

Would he have to marry her?

"Fuck that."

He hadn't meant to speak that aloud, but he couldn't hold it. Most people married for the sake of the child, yes, but he was not going to bind himself to a woman he didn't love. Marriage was something that he saw as a want, a desire, not a requirement for anything.

He looked back at the bathroom door, waiting for Ino to come right out and say, "gotcha bitch!" or something of that nature. There was absolute silence behind the door. This was wrecking his nerves and now it was slowly but surely not even a doubt in his mind.

Was she sleeping with anyone else? Could he be sure that it was his? He used a condom, he was positive. His father always drilled that in his head; more than likely, that was what bothered Shikaku more than anything. He always felt like Shikamaru didn't listen to what he had to say. In this case, it wasn't so. Shikamaru's only time not using in Suna just the week before.

It wasn't long before she opened the door and stalked out, her head high and chest out. She shoved the device in his face to dare him to even glance at it and take its information instead of what she had to offer.

It was indefinite. It was positive.

Shikamaru sighed before he folded his arms across his chest. His heart was sinking into a deep pool of water that he considered to be depression. He didn't want this. Not now, not with her. What was he to do? It wasn't something he could run away from.

"What do you have to say about that?" she snapped, awaiting his response. He ignored her statement completely; if he reacted, her might have put his hands on her. He was feeling so many emotions he didn't know where to begin. She realized that now wasn't the time, so she gave up.

"So what do we do now?"

Shikamaru scoffed, amazed at how Ino somehow still didn't know how to handle certain situations. It was simple enough. How to make a problem such as this go away.

"I know of an abortion clinic that's downtown. I'm sure if I look up more info, I can-"

The slap echoed across the walls of the room, bouncing around; Shikamaru couldn't hear anything past the ringing in his skull. It was almost as if his brain had been knocked against the inside of his cranium. He was taken aback by the woman's reaction, even more so when he looked at her, seeing the terror in her eyes.

"... Ino, I-"

"That's the first thing you have to offer as a way out? To kill an innocent child who didn't ask to be conceived?" she yelled her hands balling up into fists. He was one of those people who took life for granted.

"It's not a baby; it's a fetus. It's no bigger than a poppy seed right now, it's hardly a living thing," he stated calmly. Ino's eyes widened at his words, amazed at how his logic could go so far to the aspects of how he perceived pregnancy and unborn children.

"It's meant to be a baby if nothing interferes!"

"Come on, Ino. This is something that we both know doesn't need to happen-"

"Why are you trying to take the easy way out for yourself!?" she screamed. "I knew you were lazy, but damn it... Can't even attempt to take care of your child because of... of... God knows what! For all I know, you're just ashamed of it..."

"This has nothing to do with me. I just feel like if there is a higher being, they'd be better at caring for this kid than you and I ever could. We can barely take care of ourselves. Not to mention there's no telling where we'll be in the next few weeks when it comes to being a ninja-"

"Stop making fucking excuses!"

Shikamaru avoided the woman's eyes, realizing that's exactly what it sounded like. Maybe part of him really just wasn't invested in the idea of having a child. Maybe it was just because of who was going to have to produce the first Nara heir of the next generation. His heart wasn't in it, but that had nothing to do with the well-being of the child.

It did seem like an easy way out. Just one doctor's appointment and the whole situation would go away so fast, almost as if it would never happen. He had no attachment to the fetus, but Ino was the woman, who had a direct connection to it. It wouldn't be a surprise that she was clinging to it.

The guilt wouldn't attack him, but her. He couldn't abandon her just because she didn't agree with what he felt would be the best. It wouldn't be easy being a deadbeat. He would see the child all around the village, he was positive that the Yamanakas would destroy his name and his clans; other people would look down on him. But that wasn't even the thing he feared.

It was the betrayal and animosity that the kid would possess.

"... If you really don't want to terminate the pregnancy, I have no choice but to stick by you regardless of your decision," he said calmly. "I'm sorry to have to put you through this, Ino. I never intended this to happen."

Ino's eyes softened as she looked away. She still showed obvious frustration and anger at his suggestion, but it relieved her to know that he wouldn't ditch her for not making the choice to end the pregnancy. The thought of it made her stomach hurt.

She could see he was obviously having inner turmoil with the whole situation. It wasn't long before she started to feel the guilt melt over her. Between that and the pain, her mood had taken an even steeper nose dive.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" she whispered. His hawk eyes didn't even look surprised or even interested with what she had to say. "Wondering if she'll accept you, and this whole thing. Or even if she'll accept the baby-"

"Shut your trap, Ino," he warned.

The Yamanaka girl scooted closer to Shikamaru laying her head on his shoulder. His entire body tensed, suddenly unsure of where this conversation was going to go. The woman was in a sexual attire; she was hormonally charged, he was emotionally crippled from the news of becoming a father.

The Shadow Possessor moved away from her, standing up. He suddenly felt awkward and uncomfortable. The look in the woman's eyes showed that she wanted him to stay.

"Ino, I... Better go."

She stood as well, her rejection written all over her face. It wasn't long before it turned into anger.

"Fine. Leave then," she said in a sadistic tone. Shikamaru felt a sweat drop appear on the back of his head; that was how the woman handled being denied when she felt she was undeniable. He sighed before he turned around and headed out the door.

Even on the doorstep, she stood in her lingerie as if posing for the world to see. He stopped; the way she was leaning on the door frame was in an inviting manner, a desirable manner. It was no way affecting him as it would have before.

"Have a good night, Ino. If you need anything that I can do in regards to the pregnancy, just call me. I won't ignore your calls anymore," he stated calmly. She was hurt by his words despite the kindness he had said it with. Even the Yamanaka knew that he wanted nothing to do with her if it had nothing to do with the child.

"Yeah, same to you," she said with a painful smile. They told one another good night and Shikamaru headed down the walk way. Closing the gate behind him, he started to feel droplets of rain hit his shoulders and his hair. It wasn't long before the rain started to pour and he wasn't even half way home.

Shikamaru leaned against the wall of a weapons building that was closed. The side of town that he was on was shut down due to how late it was. He was already to his thoughts enough, but now he found himself more weary than before.

The Shadow Possessor slid down the wall and sat down in a crouching like position. The rhythmic sound of the rain was becoming a distant hum. His hands found his way to his face, rubbing it fiercely. He exhaled hard, loudly, realizing that this wasn't a bad dream. Swearing to himself, Shikamaru's heart began to ache.

His mind was something that never failed when it came to problems. When it came down to it, he would somehow always find a solution or at least a method to find the solution. For the first time in a long time, Shikamaru asked a question that he himself couldn't find the answer to.

_ What am I going to do?_


	29. Chapter 28: Uncertainty

**I'm not DEAD! I promise! Honestly, this semester has had it's ups and downs; relationship status and love life has improved, unfortunately school work and the hellish roommate has made it unbearable and I can't wait for it to be over. School has kinda put a damper on my writing, but I took the time to write a chapter for you guys. Yesterday was my 19th birthday and ironically one of my readers PMed me and said "hey, it's my birthday, update for me please!" So I figured, what the hell, why not? It's my birthday too!**

**This can be considered a filler chapter; I know a lot of people hate fillers, but hell, I feel like it makes the story so much more flowing; I hope it's not going too slow for you, hell it's not going too fast I know that much. **

**Don't forget, REVIEW AFTER YOU READ. I don't want this story to die. I'm gonna do a session of summer school, so a month, and then I'll be on a writing spree until the fall. I'm hoping you guys enjoy it and remember, I LOVE your criticism, it helps. In a lot of ways, you guys are guiding the story along with me. **

**Thank you. I love you guys!**

* * *

Uncertainty

Chapter 28

"Gaara! Are you serious?"

Kankuro didn't say a word, seeing the obvious fury in his sister's eyes. She was pissed, of course she was. It was moments like these that the two younger brothers were overprotective of their sister.

The Kazekage didn't speak either. He knew just as well as Kankuro that nothing he would say would make the situation any better; it wouldn't make Temari feel any better.

Her knuckles were almost white from the anger. Her face was flushed, her teeth were gritted. Neither brother seemed to want to side with her on this situation, this idea.

"Kankuro! Are you fucking shitting me?" she seethed, her voice lower than before. Kankuro bit his lip and avoided his sister's eyes. It was only bound to get worse. She'd throw a tantrum and then stomp away. She'd get over it, but this would take a lot longer.

It had been a matter of a mere month and a half since Shikamaru left her. Her recovery was gradual; she felt a lot better than what she could remember. She felt normal, like Temari. Her brothers wouldn't agree.

"You know, you can't just shelter me from doing assignments forever. We don't have that many nin at our disposal, even still. It'd be simple if you just let me go with Kankuro to Konoha-"

"I said, 'no'," Gaara repeated, his voice still cold.

"Why the hell not? Kankuro will be with me the whole fucking time. It's not like I'm travelling alone like i was before-"

"No, Temari," Kankuro spoke this time. Her eyes widened. "I'm not nearly as strong as you're making me out to be; in a lot of ways, I'm not capable of protecting you."

"I'm stronger than you! Together, we should be fine!" Kankuro pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing that Temari's persistency wouldn't end. She was always the one who travelled to other countries to handle Gaara's affairs so he wouldn't be at risk. She was getting cabin fever at that point.

As soon as she heard that Kankuro was going to Konoha, she had to find a way there with him. It would be refreshing, another thing that she could consider normal in her life. He already needed someone to travel with him; since the whole incident with her occurred, Gaara banned single nin travel.

"It won't kill me! It'd be like me travelling to Konoha with documents, like before-"

"If you want a vacation that bad, we can set it up," Gaara prompted, realizing that Temari was set on leaving Sunagakure. "Wherever you want for as long as-"

Temari's hands slammed onto her brother's desk.

"I want to go on a mission," she seethed, her eyes like daggers. No matter how hard she glared, she and the youngest Sabaku knew that she couldn't win at a glaring contest with him.

She hadn't been assigned anything since the incident. She was restless. She didn't want to be off duty, on leave, take a vacation, or anything. She wanted some kind of normalcy again.

"I'll assign you one-"

"I want the one that my little brother is going on to Konoha," she whispered. "Come on, Gaara. Are you really going to do this to me?" He didn't answer her. There was silence in the whole room. She bit her lip, before turning her heel and stomping out the room, slamming the door behind her.

The tension in the room was released, but there was no denying that both of the younger siblings were feeling guilt weigh on their shoulders for denying their sister her desire. Kankuro rubbed the back of his head before slumping into a chair.

"You did the right thing," Kankuro assured him with a smile. "You're protecting her the best way we can. We can find someone else to go with me. If there are people who can take down Temari, it's better that she doesn't-"

"We can't protect her forever, Kankuro," Gaara interrupted. The Puppet Master's eyes widened at his younger brother's words. He could see that he was feeling down about telling Temari no, but he was taking it harder than he should have.

"Yeah, we can, we just-"

"No, Kankuro. She's a grown woman. We may think we're helping her, but we're only putting her in a box now because of what happened. We wouldn't be so cautious about her going anywhere if what happened never happened," he said restlessly. His hand resting on his armrest moved to hold his chin up.

Kankuro looked away, realizing the man's words were true. Temari had spent her whole life protecting them from everything that ever came their way, even down to before the day she was attacked. It was their guilt that they never really tried to protect her as much as she did them.

"We can't keep this up. We'll cripple her."

* * *

"Shikamaru!"

Tenten jolted the stressed nin out of his trance. He was surprised, and yet so thankful that the Weapons Mistress was even talking to him. She was still pissed off, and she didn't deny it or refuse to let it show.

It had been only a couple of weeks since that day. The dreaded day he found out he'd be a father. The day he found out that he would father a child before he was ready. The day he discovered he would be having an illegitimate child with the last woman he ever wanted to bear a child with.

Tenten hadn't been ranting about anything like "I told you so" or "you should have known better". Her silence on the entire situation was worst than anything. The disappointment was overbearing, not only from her, but from everyone who discovered the news.

Ironically, Ino didn't go around blabbing the news and telling everyone about her out of wedlock child. It was more around the older generation and Ino's mother's friends who got the word travelling like wild fire.

Choji made an exit appearance once again. He wasn't in any way emotionally capable of dealing with this right now. The parents of the previous generation's scorn weighed on the Nara Heir's shoulders. He was the one to blame for everything unfortunately. In the perspective of Ino, either she was the whore who finally got caught of the innocent girl who fell prey to the Nara's smarts.

The village was large, but it still didn't take long. No one even thought of them as being an item, being in a relationship of any kind besides the long term friendship they had had. It was all just a matter of no one seeing it coming.

Those were the stories that always got manipulated the most.

Shikamaru looked over to his best friend in a manner that was unreadable. He masked his disorientation and negative energy fairly well to what she could see. All his eyes gave away was the pleading desire that she didn't scold him or make any loud movements.

"You sulking around and being depressed like this is gonna kill you. You can't keep doing this," Tenten warned. Her own eyes now read concern. She had been overbearing the rather obvious display or disappointment and anger. It was probably time to wind it down.

"I don't know what else to do," he replied simply. Tenten sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. It was questionable and she was in no way capable of giving advice in his current situation. It was a serious dilemma that had no positive outcome for him.

Tenten's immense anger when he came to her about the rumors was already extremely high. He claimed that he used condoms. He claimed that there was no way and that it couldn't be true. It only made her more upset due to her current situation when he mentioned an abortion.

But could she blame him?

Her struggle was real. She found a pit of jealous deep in her chest when the word 'pregnant' slip from his lips. A man who didn't even want a child, who would even kill it for his own needs or desires conceived so easily and she couldn't produce anything from her barren womb only infuriated her to the greater extent. Would she really feel this strongly if she could have children? If she was man?

"Have you told Temari yet?"

The flinch was something that shocked him to his senses; her name did that to him. It was more of a fear of the loss that would occur if she were to find out. Temari wouldn't stand for it. He had never experienced such a fear in his body. The fear of dying was something else. The fear of failure was another category. But the fear of losing someone who meant the most to you was never anything he had truly experienced up until this point.

"I'll take that as a no…"

"There is no way to tell her… So I probably won't," he decided after a moment of hesitation. Tenten's jaw dropped in awe at his words.

"You cannot do that."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because! That's not something you keep from her! If you smother it down now, it'll come back to haunt you later. What if you get married and have other children with her? She'll never forgive you, she'll never trust you again," Tenten argued. "Be a man about your mistakes."

Shikamaru's voice caught in his throat at what she had said. "Be a man about your mistakes." His father had told him the same thing when they sat down and discussed it. He was almost brought to tears at the thought of how this would go down. Temari wasn't even fully done recovering even though she thought she was. There is no way to fully recover from anything as traumatic as she's experienced. The last thing she needs is this on her plate.

Tenten was inevitably right. He had to tell her, but how? When? Where?

"This isn't something that I just bring up in a phone conversation or a text message, Tenten. There's no real way to approach or handle this," he exasperated. "I still feel as though Ino planned this somehow, that she connived this."

"What do you mean?"

"Something doesn't add up! I said I used a condom, so-"

"Shikamaru, that's not one hundred percent safe. You know there's a risk of some kind when you use it!" Tenten answered logically. "You're getting upset too easily and too fast. You're not even thinking right now-"

"I don't have time to think! It doesn't even matter anymore! I fucked up okay? I royally fucked up. I've never really done anything wrong in my life and here it is. Doesn't matter how smart I am or people think I am, I ended up in a situation that could have been avoided if I hadn't been so stupid," he ranted. His voice had risen; Tenten was a little taken aback at how suddenly it had happened. But his body language, his facial expressions all showed that he was suffering and reaping the consequences of his actions from day one.

Tenten pulled him into a friendly embrace and hugged him close. Everyone makes mistakes; everyone makes their own problems and have their own choices to make. Shikamaru had never really been faced with much of anything up until this point. She had to let him know that he had to take on the most challenging situation he will be faced with.

"Shikamaru… Temari is coming here in a few days."

* * *

"Ino, are you sure-?"

"Yes, damn it I am! Why is it that no one believes me?" she shrilled, her temper starting to rage in unison with her hormones. Sakura sighed at her best friend's outburst. She was even more on edge now than she has ever seen her. Pacing around the room, ranting as Sakura sat patiently on the edge of the loveseat in the living room, Ino was in no way a force to reckoned with.

"There was that one time you lied on Hikaru and said that you were because he kept ignoring you on the weekends," Sakura reminded her. Ino scoffed and folded her arms across her chest.

"That was only because it was the only way I could get him to answer me! And that was like three years ago!" Ino barked backed. "That was one time and it was an act of desperation! This is serious, Sakura! I don't know what I'm going to do!"

"We'll obviously, you'll be out of commission and won't be able to go on missions for a matter of almost a year or so," Sakura began. Ino shrugged that off.

"That's the least of my concerns. Shikamaru hates me now and thinks that I did this on purpose," she whispered to herself almost. Sakura sighed and put her hands on her hips. She was more concerned about a man and how he felt about her than her main source of income and living standards. Her hormones were definitely manipulating her right about now.

"Ino, you can't let yourself be bothered by that. He's a guy who isn't ready to be a father. Plus, you guys aren't even together, so of course he's a little distance and detached right about now-"

"It's all her fault!" she screeched. Sakura shook her head to herself. Ino had been whining and ranting about Temari the whole time since Shikamaru broke off her fling with her. Unfortunately, her working right under Tsunade resulted in her having a lot of confidential information in regards the Shikamaru's last visit to the Suna. Ino had no idea what happened or how bad it could have been. The question at the end of the day was would she have really cared?

Ino could manage to be a pretty selfish person sometimes.

"I don't think that she was the wall blocking what you wanted. I honestly don't think that Shikamaru was interested in you-"

"But he could have become interested! We didn't even really get a chance to try anything. She intercepted it all and-"

"Maybe you intercepted something," Sakura counteracted. Ino paused in shock and awe. Could it really be true? What they had was before what she could have had. She was frozen in mid-walk, in mid-sentence even.

"N-no… I mean, but why? When? There's no way-"

"Ino, this whole time you've been the other woman. But it's only because you placed yourself in the midst of it all. After Asuma died, we all know that Shikamaru was unresponsive to anyone. But somehow she-"

"She reached him?" she breathed in defeat. She slumped down the couch and clutched her stomach. She felt the tears start to reveal themselves behind her eyelids. She managed to suck them back up before they even managed to fall.

"How do you even know all this?" Ino pressed, her voice suddenly gone. Sakura sighed, realizing that she had dropped the bomb of inevitable truth on her best friend. It was better that she did it now instead of later.

"Sasuke told me. He said he had been talking with Neji about some things, Tenten expressed Temari's discomfort and uncertainty about trying to be with him because she was intimidated by you and where you stood," Sakura admitted.

She hated how intertwined everyone from the original Rookie 10 was. It wasn't unbelievable, but that's how word travels. Unfortunately, men are better at not spreading information that women are. As long as the men involved in the conversation don't find out that their wives spilt the beans, the ladies were good.

Ino's silence was nerve-wrecking, it was unsettling and by far one of the most concerning things that Sakura had come across in a while due to the simple fact that she is hardly ever silent.

"Ino?"

"I thought that this baby would be something that I could actually treasure and see as something that could have been," she admitted. "I knew me and Shikamaru weren't going to get together because of the baby, but I had something in the back of my mind telling me that we would be if she hadn't come into the picture."

Sakura stroked her friends back and pulled her into a hug, attempting to make her feel better, but Ino was not moved. This wasn't something that could be fixed with hugs and kisses and friendship. It was more of a personal aspect that she'd have to learn to get over.

"Deep down I knew, I just didn't want to accept it. I don't even know if I really wanted Shikamaru or if it was just because of the fact that he never really showed me what every other man offered me. Or maybe that's what's made me want him and love him even more," she spoke softly to herself. "The mystery of being in love and never really loved before with someone who has the mutual inexperience.

"I mean it wasn't difficult to be desirable. To be wanted. But to be loved, I targeted someone who would be as new to it as I was. I mean, yes, I can say I loved Sasuke, but who didn't at such a shallow age when mediocre crushes were based on being ignored and how attractive he was. But as I got older, I learned from that. It was just only recently that I thought, 'hey… Shikamaru is in the same boat that I am…He's never really been in love before. Maybe we could try and be in love with each other together…' I guess I just waited too long."

* * *

"Soo… Is it true?"

The silence of the men at the bar was unbearable when Shikamaru appeared. It wasn't often when the male counterparts of Rookie ten were able to join together for a drink or two. It was a casual occasion that took place when everyone saw fit. It was often every few months and it was a stress reliever, especially for the guys who just so happened to get home.

Rock Lee, Kiba, Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Shino, Choji, and Shikamaru all came together on this wonderful. Sometimes, Sai would even drop by and say hello and have a drink with them.

As soon as Shikamaru walked into the room, all the men at the bar looked over at him. Lee, overexcited and all, waved with extreme joy to gesture the Shadow Possessor to where they were. Choji felt obligated to dismiss himself.

Before Shikamaru could even get to the bar and take a seat, Choji paid the bill and left as quickly as he could. The silence that erupted after that was the silence of hell.

"I've never seen Choji move that quick unless he was heading to a barbeque," Shikamaru joked lightly, hoping to lighten up the mood. The only one who really responded was Lee with a guffaw that expressed his natural inclination to be over-animated about everything and Naruto's hidden snicker.

Sasuke took a sip of his drink while Neji offered the man a seat beside him, greeting him with a hello. Kiba asked the bartender for another drink before Shino gave him a concerning look from behind his shades.

"Slow down, Kiba. I'm not going to make it my duty as a comrade to drag you back home," he warned. Kiba shrugged it off.

"Whatever, man. Leave me here, I don't give a shit. This whole marriage deal is going way too far. She's talking about babies, a house, and all kinds of bullshit," he whined.

Shikamaru's eyebrow rose in confusion.

"He's getting married in a couple of months," Sasuke explained shortly.

"Oh, congratu-"

"Man, fuck all of that! I don't really want to be doing this! It's kind of forced on me!" he yelped in anger. "My Clan is making me do this shit. I really can't get out of it either. My mom and my sisters are hounding me more than ever about 'make it work' and 'at least try'."

Naruto snickered a little to himself at Kiba's complaining.

"Kiba, come on, man. She's gorgeous. She's got the curves of a love goddess. Hit the jackpot!" Naruto retaliated. "I mean, yeah, it sucks to be thrown into an arranged marriage, but you've really got the cream of the crop. Unless there's another reason-"

"I just don't want to be tied down!" he groaned before the bartender finally got him his drink. He threw it back, guzzling over half of it.

"Tied down as in?" Sasuke retorted.

"I want to be able to party when I want to, be alone when I want to! Marriage is pointless the only person I need in my life is Akamaru! It's already a major pain in the ass that he can't even come in here and enjoy this drink with me!" he snapped, throwing the hostess at the front a glare.

"Awkward," Shikamaru muttered over to Naruto, who bursted into a fit of snickers again.

"But Kiba! Can you not do that with your wife? All you really cannot do is have sexual relationship with multiple female counterparts!" Lee interjected. He needed to be kept stimulated since he wasn't allowed to have any alcohol. There was even a no Rock Lee Drinking Policy in Konoha.

"Well yeah, but I want to be able to have the freedom to do that too!" he snapped.

"Look, maybe this is what you need; To have a leash so that your ass will calm down. Every dog has it's day, and yours is up. Plus you can't run wild forever," Neji opposed finally.

"Is it just me or are we all getting married and things of this nature pretty fast?" Naruto asked slowly.

"Well, most Clans are having their arranged marriages and things like that now so they won't have to worry about them later. Even children are being born faster. It's almost like peer pressure," Shikamaru chirped in lowly before taking a sip of his beer.

The silence took over the room again at the mention of children out of his mouth. He slowly lowered the bottle, suddenly not interested in the alcohol in front of him now that the attention was focused on him. No one really had the guts to ask him about what all of them were thinking about. So the one to finally speak up was Naruto.

"Soo… Is it true?"

"About Ino?" he stated shortly as every guy nodded in unison, awaiting his answer. Tenten refused to speak about it anymore in general, so even Neji was in the dark. Sasuke hadn't talked to his wife in a few days due to his sudden return from a mission the night before. He hadn't gone home yet to her to check on her or their son.

"Yeah, it's true."

All the sounds of disappointment, annoyance, and disapproval rang at the table. Shikamaru face-palmed himself, requesting a drink that was a little stronger.

"Of all people, man, Ino?" Naruto said in a rather grossed out tone. "No wonder Akimichi left and is pissed off at you, everyone knows that he's in love with her ass."

"I know, I know-"

"I mean, don't get me wrong, Ino is gorgeous," Kiba stated clearly. "But she isn't the most sane person I would want to mother my children. Not to mention her attitude is balls, bro!"

"That's because all you have to offer her is sexual commentary," Sasuke reminded him before rolling his own eyes. "Did you not wrap it up?"

"Yeah, I did!" he said quickly. It seemed to Shikamaru that in most situations if someone comes up pregnant, there probably wasn't a condom involved. Obviously, in his situation that wasn't so.

"Are you ready to be the father of an illegitimate son?" Naruto asked in a sarcastic manner. "Join the club." Neji gave Naruto an empathetic look. He knew that his current situation with Hinata and Hemaru wasn't going how it should and that Hiashi wasn't approving of his first born son being born without the Hyuga eyes.

"This wasn't planned it wasn't intentional, I swear! I'm not even involved with Ino with anything; all there was was causal sex that I needed to deal with my own personal issues," he explained. "I know I've fucked up royally."

"Especially with Temari," Neji inputted calmly before taking a drink. Everyone's eyes widened except for Neji's about the news of the Sand Princess.

"You're fucking her too!?" Kiba exclaimed in awe. "How do you obtain all these women? I can barely get one to come home with me after the club!"

"Well, your language may be one reason," Shino said in a disgusting tone. Kiba's potty mouth was one that wasn't easily avoided.

"It's not just sex, we're in a relationship," Shikamaru clarified.

"So you cheated on her?" Naruto asked, remembering finding Temari in a drunken slump one late afternoon. He was starting to feel defensive about the Sand Princess's feelings.

"No, I slept with Ino before we got together. All of this is blowing up way late after I ended everything and I got with Temari!"

"Gaara's gonna kill you," Lee said blatantly before slumping over with a smile. "He's very protective and centered around his family now, so be careful with this whole thing."

"You think I don't know that?" Shikamaru yelled, starting to get irritated.

"Everyone, calm down, calm down, stop ganging up on him. He's gotten himself in a bit of trouble that he can't get out of. I'm sure he's feeling pretty bad about it already," Naruto said calmly. "He's got enough to deal with. He's got two blondes with big mouths. One is gonna break his face, so we have to be supportive."

_Oh yeah, Naruto, that makes me feel so much better._

"What are you going to do?" Sasuke asked calmly.

"I still don't know. I just don't want to lose her because of my past mistakes. But this isn't something I'd expect for her to brush under the table," he added. "She's not going to want to work anything out with me when she hears about it."

Kankuro was glad to see his sister happy; she was travelling with him to Konoha and they both had some information to return to the Hokage. Unfortunately enough, Kankuro still couldn't relax with his sister being out of the country lines. He would have preferred for her to stay home with Gaara and Yusa.

Gaara was the one who inevitably caved. He couldn't remain unmoved to the notion of her travelling with Kankuro. They both were Jonin. Hell, he considered both of them qualified to be his protectors. Why couldn't they travel alone together?

Kankuro couldn't help but shake this uneasy feeling that Temari is going for something besides fresh air or the return to the norm.

"Temari!"

She looked over beside her brother, giving the him the signal that she's openly listening.

"It's just you and me right? Gaara's not here," he stated calmly. She gave him an inquisitive look before nodding slowly.

"Well, tell me what's really going on with you and that scrawny punk from the Leaf Village," he asked blatantly. "I'm not stupid like you think I am. And you know how I feel about long distance relationship shit and how that went for Tenten and I-"

"Kankuro, stop," she paused, realizing she couldn't hide it much longer. "Shikamaru and I are together. We haven't really defined what together is, but it'll work out for us as long as we try."

"Temari, you know-"

"Shut up, Kankuro, it's not the same thing."

"But it is and you know it is! Not to mention this whole shit with you being attacked, I just don't feel like this is something that you need right about now-"

"It's exactly what I need, Kankuro. How are you going to tell me what I need and don't need in my life? Seriously?"

"You told me you wanted everything to be back to normal right? How is this normal?"

"He makes me feel like nothing ever happened! Like nothing bad ever happened to me that span of time that they had me bound, gagged, and abused. So he makes everything feel normal, yes," she stated firmly. "I've come to terms with what's happened. I've been weak. I've been fragile. Not anymore. And he gives me some of that strength back just by being here for me like he is. If you can't accept that, then you'll just have to deal with it."

Kankuro bit his lip, unsure of how to respond to his sister right away. She was so adamant about what she said it was almost as if she was her old self again. She had been showing signs of recovery; maybe the brat from Konoha was worth something.

"I'm just worried about you-"

"There's nothing wrong with being worried. Just be aware that you cannot dictate my life and my choices. And the mistakes I make. And the things that happen to me. You guys can't blame yourselves for what happened. I've been travelling alone for years without any problems. There's no one to blame for it," she explained softly.

"I guess you're right," he said slowly with a bit of uncertainty. "It's just something doesn't feel right about him."

"Be honest, Kankuro. Would it really matter who the guy was? It's just the fact that it's a guy," she countered with a smile. Kankuro paused for a moment. His sister had had brief dating moments and relationships around Suna, but nothing that lasted too long or nothing that was too serious. She was more interested in her career as a kunoichi than settling down with a guy. For the first time she was actually looking at a romantic aspect of her life.

He couldn't help but smile in return to hers.

"You know what? That's probably true."


End file.

Naruto, Drama, Romance