Stepping through the sliding door, Shikamaru sat down softly and took off his shoes. The Rokudaime had noticed his leading advisor being a little more pensive and restless than normal, which was abnormal for the blonde blockhead to be so perceptive, and sent him home for the afternoon.

"You've got more important things to worry about than this bureaucratic nonsense, ya know?" Naruto looked up and smiled knowingly from behind the mountains of paperwork that surrounded him. "I'll send for you, if I need you."

"Tch-" Shikamaru scoffed under his breath. Although he knew he would follow Naruto's lead into near hell, he still had some trouble taking orders from him. This was something that remained a part of their relationship since academy days; although, as Naruto had quickly ascended to the head of the village, it was something that had been slowly dissipating.

"That's an order, Shikamaru." Naruto looked up sternly, over his reading glasses.

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders and turned to the door, waving the Orange Hokage off.

As simple as Naruto could be at times, Shikamaru knew that he was right. Shikamaru knew this was the time to be home, but to what end? He felt mostly useless when he was there, his aptitude for planning and his tactical prowess failed him at these moments. As he sat on the ledge of the genkan, he found his hands in that familiar cupping formation. Shaking his head, he rubbed his palms on his pants, and quietly stood up.

"Shika?" A hushed voice emanated from the bedroom at the end of the house.

Shikamaru's body tensed at the sound of that voice. "Yeah, it's me." He softly padded down the wooden floors to the bedroom's entrance. The bedroom door creaked as he slowly opened it. "I didn't want to wake you, in case you were sleeping." He crossed his arms and leaned into the door frame.

Lying on her side, his wife, surrounded by pillows and comforters in their shared bed, shifted over to her back to look towards her husband. The window behind their bed let through in shady sunlight that bathed her form in a soft glow.

"You should know by now that staying asleep is not something that comes easy." Temari sighed, rubbing her forehead. Her teal blue eyes were tired looking and a slight scowl had unconsciously formed on her face. She reached forward to rub her swollen belly. Shikamaru crossed the room and tenderly lay down on the bed next to her. Temari sat up slightly and placed her head on his shoulder, and he in turn, placed his head on his fist. Resting quietly together, listening to each other breathe in and out, they watched Temari's pregnant abdomen that was blossoming out just beneath her sternum.

"Are you feeling okay?" Shikamaru knew this could be a loaded question. His wife had been placed on bed rest by Sakura following early contractions at the beginning of her third trimester. Sakura was able to stabilize Temari and the baby quickly, but Temari was diagnosed with cervical insufficiency. After an overnight stay in the hospital and a sleepless night for both the sand princess and her lazy groom, Sakura put the kunoichi, on strict bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. Although the forced relaxation would have been a dream for Shikamaru, being placed in such a helpless position had been hard on Temari. She had been active throughout her pregnancy, even completing minor missions and continuing to act as her brother's liaison in diplomatic endeavors, despite her husband's protesting. This pregnancy had been so long tried for; they had begun to fear that they would never be able to have their own children. But after the morning sickness had reared its ugly head that spring morning, and Ino confirmed that they would indeed be welcoming a new Nara to the world, Temari vowed that she would continue to work, business as usual.

'This child is not going to inherit their father's work ethic,' Temari beamed that beautiful smile that she only showed to Shikamaru. 'I'm going to keep working until it arrives'.

But now on her third week of bed rest, Shikamaru could see the exhaustion setting in to his wife. Isolation had not been good for Temari. His brave, vibrant wife that had lead troops against Madara in the last ninja war, had been reduced to a quiet, preoccupied vessel for the sake their child. She had visitors daily to ease her loneliness. Everyone came to check in on her, so regularly that the Nara's suspected that there was a daily schedule posted somewhere. Even Kiba would routinely visit, although his visits were always short lived, because how he would infuriate Temari. Hinata had been so helpful, coming with prepared meals and helping to tidy the house, even though she had more than enough on her plate between caring for her two children and husband and upholding her duties as wife of the Rokudaime. Temari questioned her husband if sainthood would be the best place for the Hyūga heiress. Gaara had even made a special trip from Sunagakure, to check on his eldest sibling. Temari half heartedly scolded him for leaving his position, for no other reason than to visit her. But Shikamaru saw that familiar flash in his wife's eyes as she spoke to her brother about their home in the sand, and, once alone, asked Gaara to continue to come back in spite of Temari's protesting.

Gaara had returned once already and was in the process of planning another trip.

Of course, this time had not been easy for Shikamaru either. The guilt he felt for not putting his foot down to slow his fearless bride, the fear he felt at every tightness or pain that Temari experienced. He knew for certain that Ino and Sakura had a schedule who would tend to Temari when Shikamaru would worriedly send for the medical nin in the night. And there was the feeling of complete uselessness, at work, at home; he just couldn't seem to slow the fear and trepidation.

"I'm fine," Temari sighed, breaking her husband's quiet reflection. "I've just been thinking of how I will take to motherhood. What if I'm no good and don't have the patience for it? What if I'm not gentle enough…" Her voice trailed off. She had begun to think of her trademark robustness as a disadvantage. She started to rub her belly instinctively, looking up worriedly at her husband. Tracing her chin softly, Shikamaru gazed deeply into her beautiful eyes.

"I know you're worried, you didn't have the chance to grow up with a lot of kindness. I know you didn't get to know your own mother well." Hitting the nail on the head, Temari relaxed her head into her husband's hand, looking down from his gaze.

"But think of all the children you've mentored here and in Sunagakure. Konohamaru holds you in almost as high regard as Naruto. A whole generation of shinobi has you to thank, for sharing your wisdom, your strength, and your heart." Shikamaru brought his wife's chin back up. "You are the proudest, toughest, and most beautiful woman I have ever known, and you are going to be a wonderful mother." He softly, and almost expectedly, placed a gentle kiss on his wife's troubled brow.

"And all I hoped for was to marry a regular girl who wasn't too ugly or too pretty." He whispered into her forehead. Temari let a slight laugh escape her lips, recalling his well known life goals from the academy. Shikamaru shifted up and reached down to caress the soft skin of her belly. The baby reacted to his touch and pushed back against the pressure.

"I think this one wants to go for a walk around the garden." He looked back at his wife.

Temari had let a soft smile spread across her face. That smile that was just for him, and one day, also for their child.

"I think that sounds lovely." She reached up and grasped behind his head, pulling him into a deep kiss, and Shikamaru lost himself in the moment. She was still completely intoxicating to him; just the right mix of roughness and softness, of sand and shadow. His hand moved to the bend of her neck, carefully catching the strap of her tank top as it rounded over her shoulder.

"Or we could just spend the rest of the afternoon here." A devious smile tugged at his mouth, and he looked dangerously at his wife, as if he could swallow her whole.

She lowered her lids and returned the dangerous glance, but only a flat smile graced her lips. "Walk first." She turned and dropped her legs off the side of the bed. Running a brush through her hair, she glanced back over her shoulder at him through her mirror. "We'll talk about the rest, later." A playful smile quietly brightened her face.

Shikamaru rolled onto his back and sighed.

"Mendokuse…"