27/10/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Awesome Beta, The Fabulous Zyura Kailaidrianina! Who is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Act. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)

I Do Not Own Naruto

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Chapter 4

Shikamaru made it a week, one week, before he was ready to break. The memorial service for his father and Uncle Inoichi was in three days, and today was the first meeting of the Kage meeting which had been hastily convened by the Raikage. The arrival of the samurai yesterday and their being taken to the Hyūga compound because the Uchiha grounds… well, they had long since been marked off but no one cared to tamper with them, especially now that the Uchiha had returned.

But he just had to make it through today; that was today's goal. He was going to do this the same way he had dealt with Asuma's death; he was just going to take it one day at a time, one step at a time, one moment at a time, and perhaps, just maybe this gaping, bleeding hole in his heart where his father's place had been would slowly begin to close up.

But he had to hold it together, for his mother was a wreck.

Nara Yoshino, the woman he thought to be the most tyrannical woman ever created, the woman who had turned his fierce and feared father into nothing but a puddle of goo and stupid grins, was breaking down. Shikamaru had decided that he had to be strong for his mother, so he couldn't break just yet. Which was why he was escorting the Suna shinobi to the Hokage's makeshift office, to keep himself busy, too busy to break. It was the first day of the Kage summit here in Konohagakure, and Kakashi had already warned him it had started off with a bang.

Apparently Sakura had punched the Raikage out of her hospital a few hours ago; straight through the wall and out onto the street.

Also, the council had named Kakashi the Sixth Hokage, mostly because the Fifth Hokage, who had awoken from her coma, was busy at work in the hospital with her terrifying pink apprentice.

Then there was the matter of Naruto being dubbed as Hokage's right hand man (which he was certain had a joke in there somewhere but he couldn't see it as his mind was already heavy with his grief and nothing seemed funny anymore).

Not that it really mattered, Shikamaru supposed, as he was just going to continue the diplomatic duties as he had been doing since he had been promoted to a chūnin, despite the fact that now he was a jonin.

"Hey, Shikamaru," a sharp voice pulled him from his thoughts as he looked over to Temari, her eyes knowing. They made him think that she knew every thought running through his head. Which wasn't possible; Ino would have been screaming in his head to get the intruder out. After all, Ino was a permanent voice in the back of his mind what with her family's jutsu and being a member of Ino-Shika-Chō.

"Hm? What?" he asked.

"You were acting depressed, we're about to be in a Kage meeting, and even if we are peace right now, you can't be letting it show that you're grieving," she said firmly. He said nothing as his face fell behind his usual lazy mask of boredom and she nodded her approval.

"Let us get this meeting started so it can be finished sooner," Gaara rasped as if he were an exhausted old man rather than a young Kazekage.

Shikamaru said nothing as they all walked into the makeshift hut of the Hokage's office.

Temari took her seat besides Gaara, her eyes tracking Shikamaru as he walked over to his best friend, Chōji, and they exchanged a few words. The bruised face of the Raikage caught her attention first, and he looked livid about it. The Hokage looked like he was trying to stay awake with his head propped up on one hand a book in the other. The Mizukage was trembling, her eyes, though it was hidden with makeup and poise, showed that she had been crying for a while. The Tsuchikage was scowling, but his granddaughter was lounging in her seat, seemingly bored. And the General of the samurai was also here, Mifune, along with Konoha's council of elders. She was not particularly surprised at the turn out for this meeting; post war alliances would either be formed or shattered; it depended on the countries.

However, looking around she was concerned. The atmosphere, despite its calm appearance, was very hostile and had the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as she examined every face.

"I demand you hand over Uchiha Sasuke!" the Raikage suddenly slammed his only fist down on the table, which had her jumping in shock as she was jolted from her thoughts as her eyes snapped to the Raikage. The room was suddenly cold and silent.

"He attacked and kidnapped my brother B, and I want him punished for attacking the Kumogakure immediately. He will return with us where he will be executed!" the Raikage snapped, Temari's green gaze slid over to the Hokage, his council was nodding their heads in agreement which had her frowning slightly.

Now, Temari didn't know a whole lot about Uchiha Sasuke other than he was easy on the eyes, and he had managed to draw out that demon in Gaara with ease. He was also dangerous; but the last she had really seen him had been when she had been a genin when Suna and Oto had attacked Konoha. She hadn't had too many dealings with the Uchiha after that, but she had been attacked by him at the last Kage summit just before the war had started.

However, she also knew Gaara saw a lot of himself in the Uchiha, she had asked him about it when they were finished with the fight with him and the imposter Madara had taken him away. Gaara had simply said that that could have been him if Naruto had not hit him on the head and opened his eyes to all that the world was.

So, a part of her pitied the Uchiha; to her, he was just lost.

However, a larger part of her was analyzing this entire scenario knowing which side her baby brother was on already. Gaara would side with whatever Konoha decided and as she looked Kakashi and Naruto over, she had a feeling this was not going to be a pretty fight.

Chōji had already filled him in on what had happened at the hospital a few hours ago, though while he was under impression that something else had happened that Chōji wasn't telling him about, he would ignore it for now and focus on what he had just been told.

Now, Shikamaru had never cared one way or the other what the Uchiha was going through or what he was up to. Sasuke was a member of Team 7, and more of Naruto's friend (if their relationship could even be called a friendship) than a friend with anyone else. However, after hearing what Chōji said about the hospital incident, he had a very bad feeling about this.

Even a chakra depleted Sakura could kill a Kage with a well-placed punch. And if she was willing to knock the Raikage out of her hospital for just demanding they hand over the Uchiha, he hated to think of what she'd do when they sent ANBU for him. He knew it wouldn't end well; Sakura was a force to be feared.

However, there was also the concern for the blonde knucklehead and the Sixth Hokage, along with Sai and Yamato; you didn't get one member of Team 7, you always received all of them and if they were all pissed and rallied together… well, there was hell.

Which was why Shikamaru spoke up before Naruto could start the Fifth Great Shinobi War with his blatant lack of tact. But Shikamaru was going to be blunt too, he wasn't Mr. Tact, and he wasn't going to try to be, however he had a plan unfolding in his mind as he stood there with his hands in his pockets.

"You cannot just take the Uchiha," Shikamaru spoke firmly.

"Certainly, we will arrange the ANBU to escort the Uchiha to Kumo where he can be executed," an elder of Konoha said eagerly.

"Didn't you just hear me!?" he snapped, silencing the room before Naruto could explode with outrage. All eyes were on him now and he stood up tall then, he would not waver in what he was about to say.

"Uchiha Sasuke is a member of Konoha's shinobi forces, he is a hero of the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and he helped break the Infinite Tsukiyomi. As members of Konohagakure, we cannot just hand him over," Shikamaru stated coolly.

"The Uchiha will not go unpunished for his crimes! That boy needs to be taught a lesson!" the Tsuchikage egged on. Shikamaru glared at the old man then.

"No; if you try to take him, it won't matter who you send or how many. Haruno Sakura's already broken two would-be assassins, how many more do you think she'll break? And Naruto isn't one to leave a teammate behind, which means Kakashi will join the fight, as will Sai and Captain Yamato, and when they join the fights all of us in Konohagakure will stand with them. Are you really prepared to start the Fifth Great Shinobi War, Raikage?" Shikamaru asked coldly as he slid a glare up to the Raikage who was seething.

"Suna will stand with Konoha," Gaara said smoothly which had every eye on her brother. She smirked dangerously which had the Kiri shinobi escort of the Mizukage flinching.

"Well, we will be with Kumogakure on this. The Uchiha is a rogue shinobi and extremely dangerous! He should not be living here!" the Tsuchikage snapped.

"There will be no war," Gaara snapped which stilled everyone. She looked over to Naruto who looked like he was seething, though he managed to just sit there twitching.

"Then what do you propose Kazekage?" it was the Hokage's voice which had everyone startled. But looking at the Sixth Hokage she realized something she hadn't noticed. Konoha may not be handing the Uchiha over, but they were going to be doing everything in their power to keep him and appease the other Kage at the same time. No doubt everyone would want him dead, but she had a feeling her brother had a suggestion which might or might not save the Uchiha.

"Redemption; let him find redemption."

She looked to her brother who looked a little sad at this moment but didn't waver from what he was asking of the Kage. Gaara had sought redemption once, it had brought him to where he was today, and because of this her brother believed in second chances. Whether this made him soft or strong as a Kazekage, only time would tell, but right now, she believed he was being strong.

"The Uchiha does not deserve redemption!" the Raikage spat out.

"Neither did I," Gaara stated flatly which had every Kage who didn't already know her brother's dark history staring at them with wide eyes.

"I believe that he can find peace, and redemption, if given the chance. If I had not been given the chance to find those two things myself, we could be in a very different situation, one which would be stained with more blood and loss of life than even now, but I strove to change. I believe the Uchiha can change as well; he came to our aid in the war, he is not completely lost to us," Gaara said in his indifferent tone but she could hear the pain hidden there.

He was not proud of his past, he never would be, and there were times he was still feared and people would flinch away from him because of their memories, but he strove to prove himself to be worthy of the apposition of Kazekage, and earn back their trust.

"Preposterous, the Uchiha would never and can never redeem himself, not even for some measly help during the war!" the Tsuchikage spat out.

"I believe this is now a private conversation, just the Kage, General Mifune, and Konoha's council; all other shinobi are dismissed," Kakashi said firmly. With great reluctance, Temari found herself following the order,joining Shikamaru and Chōji as they walked out of the Hokage's office.

"Any idea how this is going to turn out?" Shikamaru asked her. Temari shrugged. She had no idea but she had a few scenarios playing out in her head already and none of them were particularly pleasant.

"If you would just hand over the Uchiha then there'd be no need for war!" she turned around to look at a scowling redhead with dark skin and gold eyes.

"We are not handing him over," Shikamaru repeated.

"Just give it up! The Raikage is right! He will never change!" the girl shouted at two dark men with blonde hair came to her side. They glared at her, Chōji and Shikamaru. Temari really didn't like people like this girl, closed minded and anger fueled.

"Karui, this is a decision of the Kage," the taller, larger man stated; she recognized him as a leader of the First Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces.

"I'd listen to him, girl, or you'll be the start of the Fifth Great Shinobi War with that temper of yours," Temari sneered.

"Why you…!" the girl was grabbed by the other blonde beside her as a hand touched her own looked over at Shikamaru, who shook his head. She took that as his sign for 'cool it' as she held her giant fan ready for the fight this redhead was obviously itching for.

That's all for now folks!

Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)