Hey! This is my first story in a LOOONNNNGGGG time. Ever since my computer crashed with all my stories and haven't had the drive to rewrite them all again. Plus my writing style has improved since and i dont enjoy my old style. But hopefully I will start up all my old stories that i haven't finished soon. But anyway! ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own naurto, sadly. this is purely for entertainment purposes! ^_^

I'm not sure you know
That the reason I love you is you
Being you
Just you
Yeah the reason I love you is all that we've been through
And that's why I love you

"I ask your permission, Gaara"

Those five words sent Gaara's head into a frenzy. Sure people asked him for tons of things because he is the Kazekage and everyone wants something out of him. But never something like this, never something to be taken away from him. Never something so, so personal. Normally he could answer what people ask of him with no emotion what so ever, but this Leaf Ninja, on one knee, head lowered, begging him for his approval made him feel all sorts of emotions, emotions he kept buried and wish to keep that way. He looked at the top of the bowed ninja's head and bits of fear and anger arose inside of him. Gaara grabbed his own head in attempt to clam himself down, then slowly muttered.

"No"

The ninja in question raised his head to look at Gaara. Confusion written all over his features and a bit of disappointment. He slowly rose to his feet. "May I ask why?" The ninja asked softly, something he normally wouldn't have bothered with but this was important to him.

"Because, Shikamaru, You're not allowed to take her from me" Gaara said simply emotion gone from his eyes and voice.

With nothing else to say because complete begging is beneath him and that wouldn't change Gaara's mind anyway, Shikamaru walked out of the room and slowly closed the door. Gaara stared at the closed door feeling like a helpless child. He knew he was unfair but he was not going to let Shikamaru take Temari away from her village and him just to be the bride of some shinobi. Gaara backed up a couple steps until he backed against his desk then slowly slid down it as he reheard everything of what Shikamaru asked him in his head. "I'm in love with your sister. I would like to make her my bride but I want to do this right and ask her brother's permission. So, I ask your permission, Gaara" As those words echoed in his head, Gaara once again grabbed his head and just held it.

On the other side of the door, Shikamaru closed it slowly, head hung low. This was such a drag. How was he going to face Temari with Gaara's answer as no. But he didn't have to go too far. A couple paces down the hallway stood the blond beauty back against the wall, with one foot on the ground and the other against the wall as well. As soon as she caught sight of movement she smiled and moved from her place against the wall and started towards him. Her pace was quick at first because she assumed good news but then she quickly slowed when she saw the distraught look on her boyfriend's face. She moved to right in front of him causing him to stop walking, he put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes, slowly he shook his head. For the first time since she can remember, tears started to form in her eyes. "why?" She asked desperately

"He told me I'm not allowed to take you from him, obviously he still needs you" Shikamaru said sadly "What a drag"

Her features snapped from helpless to angry in the matter of seconds. She got out of Shikamaru's grasped and stormed down the hallway to Gaara's office. Leaving Shikamaru confused starring at her as she made it to the door. Normally Temari would knock on the door she decided against now and threw the door open. First sight she was greeted with was Gaara on the ground against his desk, hands to his forehead and his head moving side to side. She quickly ran to his side.

"Gaara! Are you ok?" She asked anger gone from her voice, worry clearly evident

Gaara didn't say anything. Temari took that as good news rather than bad and helped her little brother stand up. He got up shaky and didn't take his hands off his head as Temari helped him sit in his chair. After she had him settled she backed away a bit and watched him. Gaara finally having things under control looked up at Temari and saw her worried expression and he eyes glanced at the door to see Shikamaru looking curiously inwards.

"I'm fine, Temari. And I'm sorry" Gaara said in his gruff voice taking his hands slowly away from his head.

"I'm glad you're fine, Gaara, but you're an ass!" Temari yelled the last part as she turned on her heels and stormed out the door, past Shikamaru and down the hall. Shikamaru just looked at Gaara for a second longer before shoving his hands in his pockets and fallowing Temari down the hall. Gaara looked down at his desk, feeling full of guilt.

"Tema! You're not allowed in there!" a young 4 year-old Kankuro said to a young 5 year-old Temari.

"He's our brother! I wanna see him!" a defiant little girl said to her younger brother with her hands on her hips

"I'm not going! If you get in trouble, its just you!" Kankuro said before turning on his feet and running down the hall to his room.

"Stupid Kanky" Temari mumbled before going closer towards the forbidden wing of their house. Ever since her brother was born and her mother died this wing has been off limits. Only to be used for her new brother and whoever attends to him. Her dad told her it was because Gaara was born very sick and can't have human contact or else it might kill him. It must've been serious for there to be guards at the doors.

Temari being the smart and talented Konoichi she is for her age, she grabbed her mini fan mad a small mess via wind. The papers blew around and some down the all in all directions. She watched around the corner she was at and watched them stumble around before sneaking her way down the hall. Luckily there wasn't a guard at Gaara's door but she knew for a fact there was one outside the window. Also luckily for her the curtain is always drawn, so all she had to do was be quiet when she walked in.

Slowly she opened the door and slid in without a sound, she closed the door equally as quietly. She looked around the room it looked pretty plan. Not many pictures or baby toys. There should be! Gaara is only two! He should have toys! After shaking her head to clear those thoughts, she set her sights on the crib. She walked to it quietly to not wake him if he was sleeping. I mean after all she just wanted to see him. She looked over the side and automatically Gaara started to cry. Temari shushed him.

"Gaara, it's ok! I'm your older sister Temari" Temari said in a quiet tone to try to get him to stop crying. She didn't want to get caught and she didn't want her brother to cry. Finally she though up a quick thought. She started to sing, her mom always did to her when she was sad.

"Now let's all gather, enjoying the company we share. Out tears will dissolve into thin air as we drink up this wonderful life…" She started to sing softly. It was the song her mother always sang her, so she knew all the words by now. Gaara quieted down at the sound of her singing. And started to giggle and smile.

"That's better" Temari commented smiling at her baby brother. She looked at him softly and introduced herself to him again. "Hi Gaara, I'm your sister Temari and I love you very much. I promise to always be by your side and protect you, forever"

From then on three times a week Temari would sneak into her brother's room just to sing to him and talk to him even when he couldn't speak back. Now a couple years went and it's Gaara's 5th birthday. Temari being 7 years old she sneaks into his room again. Temari was greeted with a hug from her eager brother. By this time she heard that Gaara was a monster but she also heard he's the savoir of the village. To her he was just her baby brother. As Gaara pulled away from the hug he noticed Temari hiding something.

"What you got?" Gaara asked Temari with a confused look on his face

"Happy birthday Gaara!" Temari said pulling the gift out from behind her back

In front of Gaara was a big brown teddy bear. Gaara smiled he never gotten a gift before. Even his other birthdays Temari didn't give him a gift.

"Im sorry I didn't get you a gift on your other birthdays, but I thought you should have one now, so here!" she explained handing him the bear "This is my bear from when I was little, Mommy gave it to me. He always makes me feel better when I'm down so I'm hoping he'll help you through trouble times!"

"Thanks Temari" Gaara said hugging the bear to his chest

"No problem, you're my brother and I love you!" Temari said with a huge smile

But soon all that happiness would disappear. And Gaara would be changed forever. Two months after Gaara's birthday Temari was sneaking into Gaara's room like usual but this time she didn't notice the other presence in the room until she got there. When she entered she looked up at the figure of her father in the room. And got scared and worried.

"Temari! What did I say about coming in here! This room is off limits!" The Kazekage yelled as he approached Temari "How many times do I have to remind you!" He pulled his hand back slapped Temari so hard she went flying into the wall.

Gaara was sitting in a corner terrified at what he just witness. He looked over at Temari and saw she was bleeding. Something inside of him started to stir. What was this feeling? He wanted to run over to Temari to help her but he wanted to kill his father as well for doing this. But he couldn't move. Even as the Kazekage was advancing on Temari.

"I never want to find out you were here! If I find out you'll be in trouble" He yelled

Temari just nodded her head. "Do you hear me Temari!" "Yes, Sir!" Temari shouted back. "good now go" he demanded. Temari slowly got to her feet and turned toward the door. She saw Gaara in corner holding his head, and smiled sadly, almost apologetically. When passing him she said her goodbyes "Goodbye baby brother, even if I don't see you remember I love you very much" She softly uttered it but Gaara heard before she ran out the room to see someone about her injuries.

And after that day everything changed, the demon inside Gaara was awakening and he was tried to be put to death by his own uncle and father.

"After I got hurt I couldn't go see him and that's when everything that changed him happened and if it wasn't for Naruto I don't think he would've turned into the Gaara we know now!" Temari said finishing off her story to Shikamaru.

"Well that makes sense why he doesn't want you to leave" Shikamaru said as he looked up at the stars. They were star gazing on the roof of the Kazekage estate.

"It does, but it's not like I'll be gone forever. I guess we'll just have to keep trying" Temari said and sighed "I'm going to bed, toady's been a long day. You coming?"

"Nah, not now. I still got a lot on my mind. You go on, I'll join you soon" Shikamaru said taking his eyes of the stars to look at her. She shrugged her shoulders as in a 'suit yourself' sort a way then smiled. She walked over to him and gave him a soft kiss. "Good night lazy"

"Good night Hime" Shikamaru said cheeky knowing she'd like that better than an insult back,

She secretly did. She smiled her soft smile again before disappearing into the house and towards her room. It wasn't too long after that Shikamaru felt another presence. It was Gaara's. Gaara sat few feet away looking up at the stars as well.

"You really love her" Gaara stated not averting his eyes

"Yes, I do" Shikamaru knew it wasn't a question but felt the need to answer it anyway. After that exchange everything went to silence again as the two of them looked at the stars.

"You've never lied to me Shikamaru" Gaara once again stated

And once again Shikamari answered "No I haven't" he took his eyes away from the sky and looked a Gaara, he was wondering where Gaara was going with this.

"I've lied to you before though" Gaara finally took his eyes off the sky and looked at Shikamaru "when we were younger, it was during the first Chuunin exams we met at. The day was going to Lee's room to kill him, to remind myself I'm alive. You and Naruto stopped me from killing him. I lied to you guys then. I said I didn't care about anyone but myself, that I love only myself. That was the lie. There's only one person I loved more than myself when I was fucked up and that was my sister. She was the only one to ever show me true kindness in the world and love without reserves. And even when I became the monster I was she told me she was afraid to me, but told me she still loved me even though I told her I wanted to kill her, those words meant more to me than anything in the world. She's always been there, don't know what I'd do with her. That's why I can't let you take her, you can't make my family smaller."

After listening to Gaara's speech Shikamaru stayed silent absorbing everything. They sat in silence again both men looking back up at the sky. Finally Shikamaru broke the silence.

"You wouldn't be making your family smaller though. You would actually be expanding your family. I wouldn't be taking her away forever. We would half live in Konoha and half live here with you. We would have duel citizenship. Plus this marriage would also prove a worthy peace treaty for our villages but anyway not the point I was going for. Like I said your family wouldn't shirk it would expand. Because now you wouldn't just have you, Temari and Kankuro. You would also add me as well as my parents to your family, who would welcome you with open arms. My mother loves Temari and I know she'll love you and Kankuro too. Same with my father. I don't have any siblings to expand your family more but then you will also have my friends who I consider family, your family as well. And everyone I hold dear. And if that's too many people you can choose who makes you comfortable and what not. Temari isn't leaving you completely, just for some time and even then she's not leaving she's just changing her address. She'll always be there for you. Plus when we have kids you'll have even more family! But if you don't let her go you're family was always stay this small and she'll never have her own little family." Shikamaru took a deep breath. That was troublesome and a lot but he hope Gaara now understood. He looked towards Gaara to see him staring at the stars, he looked like he was chewing over what Shikamaru said.

For the next twenty mintues the men sat in silence. Gaara was the one to break it.

"Did you ask Kankuro?"

"Yeah. He put me in a headlock… but he said of course" Shikamaru said rubbing his neck remembering that headlock. "but then said 'hurt her and I'll kill you' to which I told him that I would never do something like that"

"Then why did you ask me?"

"Because you are also her family. It was only right." Shikamaru said with a shrug

Gaara stayed silent for a while weigh his options before finally saying "I agree with Kankuro, if you hurt her we'll kill you"

Shikamaru nodded his head before he realized what Gaara just said. He snapped up and looked Gaara right in the eye. "Does that mean?"

Gaara nodded his head "Yes, Shikamaru Nara of Leaf I grant you my permission to marry Temari"

Most people would think after hearing that news Shikamaru would jump up and started hugging Gaara and thanking him. But that's not Shikamaru's style and for that Gaara was thankful. Gaara knew that Shikamaru was ecstatic he didn't need the over display. The "Thanks" Shikamaru said with happiness and love in his voice was all Gaara needed to be assured that Shikamaru was happy.

Temari was laying in bed when a shadow loomed over her sleeping figure. Slowly the figured leaned down and kiss her. She woke up rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Where have you been?" she grumbled

"Talking on the roof with Gaara" Shikamaru said getting into bed with Temari "He arrived a few minutes after you left"

"What did you talk about?" She asked confused

"You, mostly" He said pulling Temari into his arms, holding her close.

"What about me?" She said confusion written on her face as she turned in his arms to look at him

"Temari no Subaku, would you do the honor of being my wife?" Shikamaru asked showing her the ring he bought her

A smile was ignited. "He said yes?" she asked excitedly

Shikamaru sighed "Yes, now what's your answer you troublesome woman?"

"Yes! Of course yes! You troublesome man!"

Temari pulled him to a kiss. During the kiss Shikamaru placed the ring on her finger. When they pulled away Shikamaru pulled her close as then drifted off to sleep happily.

Over in the hallway looking into the room at the display two faces watched both with smiles on their faces one on bigger on one face than the other.

"Our family is expanding" Gaara said

"Yes, yes it is" Kankuro agreed "Next we'll have nephews and nieces!"

Gaara smiled at the thought of having nephews and nieces, and how they would know so much love just from Temari and Shikamaru alone, now he can love them as well. Yes his family was growing.

The End

A/N: Yeah... I'm not sure how out of character the characters were but i tried my best. This story kind of came to me in a dream so i just had to do it! Tell me what you guys think! REVIEW!

Song: I Love You By Avril Lavigne