Hey guys. I've decided to try and write a fic that includes NejiTen for the first time ever (with more than a sentence)! It has to be because I was inspired by Marachan's Trilogy that really effected me in some way.. Well, since I haven't got a plot, I think it's time to let my mind wander and just type whatever pops into it.

An AU because I can't help myself XD

Oh and I'd like to thank those of you who reviewed "You're still the one".. I was nervous about coming back from a hiatus on that story and I'm glad you liked the ending.. It means alot to me...

This story is set in the old west.. Suna, a barren desert... Back in cowboy times XD
Pairings: ShikaTema, NejiTen
Rating: T for safety... And I DON'T OWN NARUTO... OR THE OLD WEST FOR THAT MATTER XD

Summary: She wanted out.. The barren old west just wasn't her thing anymore.. She had enough on her plate.. but when a stranger decides to show up in her town, she might just change her mind.

She never understood what it meant to be free. She was tied down, with a lowly job that barely paid the bills, two brothers who needed her, one of which was a loner while the other was a womaniser; but that's the way life turns out for people who try.

As the saying goes; "You can pick your friends but you can't pick your family". She had learned that at an extremely young age when her mother died and her father walked out leaving her as the oldest to take care of business. She wanted out.. She wanted to move to the city.

"Oi YOU!" came a loud, booming voice from below the counter.

That was enough to slap her out of her inner ramblings... She put on her best smile and placed the glass she had been cleaning back down on the counter. The old saloon was dirty beyond belief, the spit bucket set up neatly in the corner with random drunken fools lying all over the place. The smell of horse dung was imininent.. That's the way things were here in the old west. Good old Suna...

"What can I do for ya darlin'?" she smiled, strutting over to the nearby man with a cigarette in his mouth, passing the calendar with the year 1862 in big bold letters hanging on a nearby stool.

"I think you know what you can do for me" he smirked, eyebrows raised suggestively. She kept the smile on her face as she picked up his nearly empty bottle and throttled him with it in one powerful swing. He fell to the floor with a dull thud, and she sighed at the nostalgia.

That was the fifth one today.

"Cowboys passin', day in, day out, thinkin' they own the damn place!" she said to no one in particular. Just then, the old saloon doors swung open with a creaky noise and in stepped a tall man with brown leather booths, shiny new spurs to match the many badges that littered his leather vest and jeans that were made for the miners. His dark brown hair was tied in a low ponytail at the back of his head and his brown hat covered his eyes. Temari stopped to look at him. He was definitly not from around here. Everyone knew everyone when it came to the lowly town.. He must be another traveller.

She groaned.

"Excuse me ma'am.. Could you tell me where I can find ol' Sarutobi ranch?" he asked in a deep, southern accent. That was new. He stepped over the drunken, unconsious body lying at his feet and approached her, taking off his hat in the process. His eyes were the same colour as his hair, maybe a shade darker.. A prominent jaw with a light cut from the side of his chin was what she took in. Overall, not bad.

But not great.

"Ol' Sarutobi??" she asked, drawing up a chair for herself. "As in Asuma Sarutobi ranch?"

He nodded, relieved that someone would talk to him. It was hard getting people to stop there daily routine to help a lost traveller.

"Why?" she questioned rather rudely, pulling out a cigarette from her dress. He was a little taken aback. He didn't know such brash demeanours were common in this place.

"Well.. I've got a job that needs to be done..Plan on cattle ranglin' for the time bein' and then makin' my way to Kansas to visit relatives." He said unentusiastically.

She merely rolled her eyes.

"I asked why you wanted to know where the ranch was.. Not your damn life story!" she glared. Stupid Cowboys... wasting her time.

"It's just down the road from here... Y'know!? The big sign that says "Sarutobi cattle ranch" should have given you a hint." she said smugly at his foolishness. He sighed, not in the mood for a troublesome woman.

"Fine, fine... I'll be gettin' out o' your hair now." He stepped back over the unconsious body and opened the saloon doors once more, allowing the light from the scorching sun to seep into the dead shadows.

"Thanks." and he was gone.

As she turned around to resume cleaning the glass, she placed the cigarette on the table and saw the dumb guys' hat, lying unperturbed on one of the tables.

Stupid cowboys would lose their heads if it weren't already attached!

Allowing herself to be a good person... for today, she decided to return the hat to the man after her shift was over. After all, Sarutobi ranch was in the direction of her own home. It wasn't really going out of her way to return it. When the little clock on the wooden wall chimed 10, she took off her dirty, torn apron and hing it up on the rack with the rest of the jackets. All the drunken men had either left or were currently outside, throwing up everything they had eaten in the past four days. She shut the ricketty doors behind her and pulled on her cream, knee length coat.

The sun was no where to be seen and the cold desert nights were kicking in. The Sarutobi Ranch was famous. Not only did they have the largest cattle rangling space in this godforsaken place but Asuma's wife, Kurenai, also made the most delicious homemade produce like bread and cream. She was a genius. Temari sighed to herself as her stomach rumbled.

Another day without proper food.

It was optimism beyond foolishness to think that maybe her brothers had saved her some of the dinner she had pre-made for them before work. Kankurou had finished his shift at the local wood shop two hours ago.

She'd be lucky if there was even a bone left.

Finally reaching the gate, she pushed it open rather roughly and stepped inside, allowing it to swing shut behind her. As soon as she reached the door, it opened quickly and a man came out, holding a rifle in her face.

"DO YOU MIND?!" she screeched, not at all afraid of the weapon. She had had enough of them in her face to last her a life time. He chuckled lightly at her glare.

"Well aren't you a feighsty one?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Damn straight!"

He merely chuckled some more. Seeing that she was getting no where with him, she decided to take the initiative and explain why she was here.

"A man came by the bar today and said that he was lookin' for the ranch.. Is he here by any chance?" He raised an eyebrow at the question.

"You mean Shikamaru?" he asked. She began to grow frustrated. She just wanted to get home! Out of the bitter cold.

"Well I dunno, do I? He left his hat on the table and I thought I'd return it." she said haughtily. His eyebrow travelled even further up his forehead.

"Well that was awfully nice of you, miss Temari" he stated smugly, seeing her temper flare..

"CAN YOU JUST GIVE IT TO HIM FOR ME?" she screamed. He cringed at the pitch her lungs could reach but accepted the hat without another word. With her mission complete, she resumed her walking home, hoping tomorrow, maybe, just maybe, her knight in shining armour would come to bring her to the city. Although... maybe asking for a knight was too much...

A cowboy would do.

Please review?? *puppy eyes*