"See Shikamaru, that wasn't so bad." said Temari.
"I'm surprised Kankuro didn't kill me." Shikamaru sighed. They had been walking for hours and they barely reached where the desert met the forest. Shikamaru was lagging behind, being the lazy bum he was. Temari and Shikamaru had just left Suna on very important business. They had to tell Temari's brothers that she was pregnant. Now they were on their way back to Konoha.
"Lets take a break. We've been walking for hours." Temari stopped walking, and when Shikamaru reached her he remarked, "And I'm the lazy one." He sat down next to her and laid on his back.
"Be on your guard Shika. We could get attacked sitting out in the open like this." Shikamaru sighed.
"Stop being so worry full Temari. We're at a time of peace. No one will attack us."
"How do you know? Tenten got attacked out of no where." Temari was sitting, looking around her being very cautious. Shikamaru placed a hand on Temari's leg to calm her down.
"Everything's okay Temari." She looked at him and smiled. Shikamaru closed his eyes and took a little nap.
Temari sighed. "He is such a lazy ass." She lied down next to him and placed her head on his chest and cuddled him. "But I love him for it." With that she closed her eyes and fell asleep right next to him.
"Shikamaru wake up!" Shikamaru stirred and groaned. 'Why is she waking me up? And why does her voice sound weird? She sounds like she's in pain.' Shikamaru opened his eyes and squinted when the sun shined in his eyes. He sat up and looked around.
"Temari why are you waking me up?" He rubbed his head and yawned. "I was having a good nap." He looked around and couldn't find her. "Temari?"
"Shikamaru!" Her voice was coming from behind him. He turned around and saw her. She was standing there and crying.
"Temari what's wrong? What's going on?" Shikamaru was scared stiff. Why was she acting so weird?
"Shikamaru I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have fallen asleep or made us take a break. I'm so weak." She began to cry some more. Shikamaru got up and began to walk towards her.
"No you're not Temari. What's going on? Why are you crying?" He was almost to her when a voice stopped him in his tracks.
"I wouldn't take another step towards her if I were you!"
Temari screamed in pain as a cut appeared on her arm. The blood streaked down her arm as the tears streamed down her face. Shikamaru turned to where the mysterious voice was.
"What the hell are you doing here Hidan? I thought I killed you!" Hidan laughed at Shikamaru.
"I'm immortal you ass. Jashin will smite you for what you have done." Hidan was holding a sharp stick to his arm the same place Temari's cut appeared. He was standing in his weird ritual symbol thing. "I have your precious Temari under my curse. This is what you get for blowing me up you jackass." He took the stick and made another cut on his arm. Temari's scream made Shikamaru's ear ring. He turned back to her and saw the pain in her eyes. More blood appeared on her arm. Shikamaru turned back to Hidan.
"Let her go. She's not involved in this." Shikamaru was on the verge of crying. He looked over at Temari. "Temari. What have I gotten you into? This is all my fault." He placed his head in his hands. He looked up once he heard Temari's painful scream. Hidan had made another cut on her arm. "Hidan leave her alone."
"Why should I?" He made another cut, this time much deeper. Temari whimpered, trying not to scream for Shikamaru's sake. She new her pain was causing Shikamaru so much pain.
"Let her go. Kill me instead." Temari's eyes got wide as she stared at Shikamaru.
"Shikamaru no! Don't you dare!" Temari was running towards Shikamaru. She almost reached him, but fell to the ground grabbing her thigh.
"I warned you not to move." Hidan said holding the stick in his left thigh. Temari's blood began to stain her clothes. Shikamaru fell to his knees.
"Hidan stop! Please don't hurt her. I beg you kill me instead." Hidan laughed at him.
"Humans are so stupid and weak. They care for others and do anything to save them."
"Shikamaru just leave me here. Save your self." Temari wasn't looking at Shikamaru because she couldn't deal with the sight of the pain on his face.
Shikamaru reached for Temari, "Temari-"
"I wouldn't do that!" Hidan was holding the stick a few centimeters from his stomach. "If you do I will kill her and her baby." Shikamaru pulled his hand back. All he could do was sit there and stare, hopelessly. His tears hit the ground. Temari's whole right arm was soaked in her blood. It ran down her arm dripping to the ground. She still clutched her left leg. The blood had ran down her leg and covered her hands. She still wasn't looking at him, unable to be able to see his face.
"Temari please look at me. I love you so much." Temari turned to face him. Her face was soaked with tears and she was about to scream her head off, but bit her lip. She didn't want to cause him more pain. Shikamaru turned his head to Hidan. "Hidan please kill me instead. Don't hurt Temari, please!"
"NO Shikamaru! Don't you dare." Even in pain she was still able to yell at him. "Just go. Don't stay here and save yourself." She turned away from him again.
"Yeah Shikamaru. Leave your precious Temari here. Let her suffer." Hidan laughed maniacally. He was enjoying every second of their pain and suffering. Shikamaru didn't move at all. He just sat there staring at Temari, not able to do anything. Temari began to sway getting dizzy from too much blood loss.
"Shika, I love you."
"I love you too Mari. I'm so sorry I put you through this." The tears began to blur his vision. He tried to look at Temari, but he couldn't see anything through the tears. All he could see was the outline of Temari fall to the ground from dizziness. "Temari!"
"She's not dead…Yet." Hidan smiled. "Should I end it now and ease her pain?" he pulled the stick out, ready to strike his stomach.
"Hidan kill me! Kill me instead of Temari! You seek revenge against me not her. Don't put her through something she doesn't deserve." Hidan struck Shikamaru on the side of his head with his Triple-Bladed Scythe. A giant gash appeared on Shikamaru's head. Temari sat up and looked at Shikamaru with much more tears in her eyes.
"Just shut up and watch her suffer." Shikamaru tried to look at Temari to make sure she was okay, but his vision was blurred and he was beginning to black out. 'Temari I'm so sorry.' He took another look at his beloved Temari and then turned to Hidan once more.
"Why are you doing this? You should be hurting me not her!" Shikamaru gestured wildly out of anger. Hidan just laughed maniacally.
"Because you made me suffer in that damn hole. So now I'll make you suffer as you watch her die!" Hidan pulled the stick farther away from him, this time aiming for his heart. "Say goodbye to Temari."
"NO!" Shikamaru ran towards Hidan and kicked the stick out of his hands. Hidan just smirked and hit Shikamaru once again with his scythe. Shikamaru flew back and rolled when he hit the ground. Another gash appeared on his head and was bleeding heavily. He turned his head towards Temari who was farther away from him, lying still on the cold forest ground. She was in shock at the sight of him hitting the ground. The tears that ran from her eyes were never ending. "T-Temari," He stuttered. Once again his tears began to blur his vision and he couldn't see much, but an outline. "Hidan you bastard! Kill me please! Just leave Temari alone please!" Hidan just laughed in reply. Shikamaru turned to his back and stared at the sky. "This is all my fault," Shikamaru muttered to himself.
"Now say goodbye to Temari." While Shikamaru had been yelling at Hidan, he hadn't noticed that Hidan had picked up the stick once again. Shikamaru turned his head to see Hidan holding the stick out, pointing it at his heart.
"No," Shikamaru said quietly. He couldn't cry anymore. The tears ran out. He just stared at Hidan with a shocked expression. "No!" Hidan just smiled. He was getting ready to strike. Shikamaru stood up slowly. He tried to run at Hidan, but couldn't because his head was spinning like crazy. He just slowly stumbled over to him.
"Too late!" Hidan smirked and struck the stick through himself. Shikamaru stopped walking and turned his attention to Temari. She sitting there with her eyes squeezed tight awaiting the pain. She opened them to stare at Shikamaru then at Hidan. He looked confused. He looked down and noticed he wasn't standing in his ritual symbol. He just shrugged. "I guess I wasn't paying attention. Oh well it's not like you can stop me anyways." He pulled the stick out and started to walk back to the symbol. Shikamaru took his chance and started running towards Hidan and punched him in the face sending him flying through the trees and landing far away from them. Shikamaru ran over to Temari and kneeled next to her.
"Are you alright Mari?" She nodded and didn't try to move. "I'm going to finish him. Can you hold out for a little while longer?" She reached her hand up and brushed away his tears.
"Of course. I'm not a little crybaby like you." She gave him a weak smirk. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"I'm going to finish this." He stood up and turned to Hidan who had got up and made his way back to them. "Ready to die ass hole?" Hidan smirked at Shikamaru's comment.
"You can't kill me. Now I'll have to kill Temari and then finish you off." Hidan began to walk back to the symbol, but Shikamaru wasn't going to let that happen. And with that the fight was on. Shikamaru ran over and tried to punch Hidan, but he dodged sending his scythe towards Shikamaru. He barely got out of the way. It was hard to fight Hidan because he had to dodge his scythe, make sure he didn't hit Temari, and make sure he didn't step foot in that symbol. 'What a drag. I can't fight him and it's impossible to kill him. What do I do?' He dodged another of Hidan's attacks while trying to think up a plan. While Shikamaru tried to kick Hidan, Hidan dodged and was right next to Temari. He turned to her and picked her up by her neck. She was clawing at his hands, trying to get him to let her go. She couldn't breathe. Shikamaru ran at Hidan and was about to punch him, when Hidan turned around to use Temari as a sheild. Then all of a sudden Hidan placed Temari down gently and looked at Shikamaru who smirked at him. Shikamaru had him in his Shadow Possession Jutsu. Temari's was gasping for air, while the color returned to her face.
"What are you going to do? You can't kill me. I'm immortal dumb ass!" Shikamaru smirked and started walking towards Hidan, who began walking towards Shikamaru. Shikamaru and Hidan both held up their right arm. Shikamaru was holding a kunai and Hidan wasn't holding anything. Then Shikamaru chopped off Hidan's head. "I'm immortal. Just cause you chopped off my head doesn't mean I'm dead." Hidan laughed at Shikamaru. In return Shikamaru just smirked at him.
"Burn in hell!" Shikamaru lit a lighter and threw it on Hidan's head and body. He began to burn. Shikamaru ran over to Temari who was barely breathing. Her right arm and left leg were covered in blood and so were her hands. "Temari you've lost so much blood. I need to get you back to the hospital in Suna." Shikamaru reached down and picked her up bridal style.
"Are you okay Shika? You're head is bleeding heavily." She touched one of the gashes and he winced. He shook his head.
"I'll be fine. I need to get you to the hospital immediately." He began to run to the desert. He was running at full speed. Once he reached the desert he quickened his pace so he could get their faster.
"Shika I feel dizzy." He looked at her, but didn't stop running. She looked at him and then she passed out cold. Shikamaru quickened his pace even more.
"I'll get you to the hospital soon Mari. I promise." He was still running when his knees began to buckle under him. His vision was getting blurry and he was getting dizzy. He continued to run, but he soon couldn't take it and fell over with Temari still in his arms. He looked towards the direction of Suna and saw what looked like a black speck getting bigger. He couldn't tell what it was because his vision was still blurry. It looked like someone was running towards them. He saw the speck get even bigger, but as it was almost to them he blacked out.