Disclaimer: I own nothing but my necklace

"talking" normal talking

"talking" wolf talking/ 'thoughts'

Arriving home in the early a.m., the group sleeps in. Gaara as usual is the first to rise. He walks to the living room to see the three new guys still sleeping. They still can't keep their human forms while sleeping. It wasn't a giant concern as they were in a safe house. They would need to learn soon how to keep their appearance at all times. They never know who is watching them.

Gaara drops his human form and walks to the closest wolf, Neji. He places his front paws on his back and pushes.

Neji wakes up startled, and glares up at Gaara. He was almost going to snap at whoever had the nerve to awaken him. He had to restrain himself when he saw that Gaara woke him up. Gaara repeats this with the other two sleeping wolves.

Shikamaru was none too happy about being woken up from his sleep. Gaara sits across from them and shakes his head.

"You three have a long way to go."

"Can we do this another time, it's too early." Shikamaru places his head on his paws. His eye lids still felt heavy and began to droop.

"No. I believe this would be a good time for you to see this city."

"Let me guess we won't be allowed to go by ourselves."

"Correct Uchiha. Now we just have to wait for the rest to wake up."

It didn't take much longer for the rest of the gang to get up. After having some breakfast, everyone sits in the living room. Back to their human forms, and everyone with their partner, Gaara allows everyone to leave.

With Naruto and Sasuke

"…."

"…."

"I hate you."

"The feeling is mutual, idiot."

Hinata and Sakura

"So what do you want to see Hinata?"

"Uh i-it doesn't m-matter."

"Great! I know just the place!"

Sakura grabs Hinata's good hand and starts dragging her. Hinata didn't have time to ask where they were going as Sakura had them sprinting down the sidewalk.

Tenten and Neji

Tenten never did well in silence, and this silence was killing her. She never liked quiet. It brought back to many unsettling memories. There had to be some type of noise. She had to make some kind of noise.

She glances at Neji. His eyes are just looking straight. She sighs 'that's it I'm making some noise.'

"Ah!"

Neji looks at her "what the hell was that?"

"I don't do well in silence. I had to make some noise."

"Whatever."

"Oh God we're going back to silence aren't we?"

Neji says nothing as they keep walking.

"I just had to be stuck with the one with the stick up his ass." Tenten sulked at her bad luck in her choice of partner.

"As if I'm enjoying your presence any better."

"I hate you."

"Like wise."

Temari and Shikamaru

"So lazy ass what brought you and your friends here?"

"Why do you care?" Shikamaru walked slowly behind his so called partner.

"Fine then forget it. I was trying to be nice." Temari growled

"Are you capable of that?" Shikamaru had a hard time believing that this she wolf was ever nice in her life time.

"…"

"…"

There was a silence between the two. Temari gave a quick tour of the city, which really wasn't helpful. They were on their way back, when Shikamaru breaks the silence.

"I got to use the bathroom."

Temari says nothing.

"Oh come on. I've been holding it for a while now."

"Why should I care?"

"Fine then."

Shikamaru walks off until he finds a suitable place to do his business. He fines a gap between two buildings. He breaths in relief afterwards. He hears something click, turns around and comes face to face with a human.

Shikamaru quickly realizes these were the humans that killed wolves. The human is dressed in all black with a weapon and those goggles on. Shikamaru froze but before he or the human could move a blonde burr was seen. The human was knocked down and Temari appeared.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Shikamaru was still stunned. Temari slaps him, "jump dumbass! Jump!"

With that Temari jumps and flips from the sides of the two buildings before landing on the roof. Shikamaru shakes his head and copies what Temari did, just before the human could get back up.

It took a while for Shikamaru to catch up to Temari. They jump over a few more roofs before jumping down and landing on the ground. Shikamaru and Temari take a minute to catch their breaths.

Temari glares at him "you see what happens when you're left alone?"

He glares back but says nothing.

Temari sighs "look this is why Gaara wants to guys to see the city with one of us. So you don't die on the first day left alone."

He mumbles something under his breath.

"Say something Nara?"

"Thank you, troublesome woman."

"Are you capable of that?" Temari asked with a teasing smile.

"Very funny."

"I try" she smirks at him.

Shikamaru asks, "he would've shot me, right?"

Temari nods "ya."

There was another silence between the two. Temari sighs "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Coming Nara?"

Shikamaru nods and follows her as they start walking yet again. As they're walking they spot Naruto and Sasuke yelling at each other.

"Maybe it wasn't a good idea to put those two together."

"Trust me it's better than having Naruto whining his ass off."

"It looks like they're ready to kill each other."

"Naruto isn't that stupid to fight with someone publicly." Temari defended her pack mate.

"Well I guess the same goes for Sasuke."

The walked a little longer and see Hinata being dragged by Sakura.

"Poor Hinata" Temari shakes her head.

"Sakura looks like she's having fun."

They continue to walk and spot an annoyed Neji and a sulking Tenten.

"It seems the only ones who aren't gonna kill each other are Hinata and Sakura." Temari made a mental note to talk to Gaara about the pairings. Some changes might need to be made.

"You seem right, troublesome woman."

"Well we're here."

Shikamaru looks at the building, "what's with the smiling star?"

"I have no idea; I just come for the food."

"I'll wait here." Shikamaru wasn't sure what the place was but the star was unsettling. Plus he didn't want to say or do anything that would draw attention.

She understanding his dilemma nods and enters the building. Shikamaru sits on the curb and waits. After a few minutes Temari sits next to him and hands him a burger.

The smell very extremely delicious and the meat size was pretty big. Shikamaru didn't take long to dig in. Both finish and continue to sit on the curb.

"That was really good."

"I love coming to eat here."

"So how long have you and your pack been staying here?"

"A little over a year. Though our job is just making sure all the wolves stay alive."

"Why would you want such a troublesome job? It's too much work just for you and your siblings."

"True, but once we help out the newbie's; they have a better chance of living. They also help out their fellow wolf if they're in trouble."

"It's not natural."

"Nothings natural now."

They continued to sit and enjoy the warmth the sun gave off. Temari looks at Shikamaru "your pack must have been one of the last ones to get hit."

Shikamaru nods "we didn't see it coming."

"They tend to do that." Temari says softly.

"Why are they doing this?" Shikamaru asks in confusion and mild anger.

She sighs "we haven't the slightest idea."

Shikamaru yawns and stretches. Temari shakes her head, "you're such a lazy ass."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Temari rolls her eyes "and they say you're supposed to be a genius."

He shrugs "whatever I don't care."

"It's a miracle you're alive with that attitude"

He playfully pushes her, knowing she's just teasing. She pushes back slightly more forceful.

"You're troublesome you know that?"

"Yes you have told me that at least 20 times."

"Very funny."

The sun is on the horizon, not much longer before darkness sets in. They decide to start heading back. Shikamaru notices more humans are coming out and asks Temari why.

"The humans seem to find more fun doing things at night."

"Like what?"

"Not sure, humans are very strange creatures."

Shikamaru nods his head in agreement. They finally reach the home where Temari and her siblings stay. Upon entering, the living room is a mess. Both find Naruto and Sasuke sitting on the floor with bruises. Gaara and Kankuro are nowhere to be seen; it seems the others haven't returned yet.

Temari quickly shuts the door and glares at them, "what the hell happened?"

Naruto points at Sasuke "it was his entire fault! I swear I didn't do anything! He kept messing with me and being mean!"

His finishes his rant by pouting causing Temari to roll her eyes and sit next to him. Shikamaru sits next to Sasuke and raises an eyebrow.

"I don't want to hear it Nara."

"I didn't say anything Uchiha."

Sometime later Hinata and Sakura enter the house smiling and giggling away. Their day out was clearly a good one. Gaara and Kankuro come back as well. More time passes with no sign of Neji or Tenten. The group begins to worry. Gaara was about to send out Naruto and Kankuro to go searching for them, when the door opens reveling Neji and Tenten.

Gaara glares at them "where the hell have you two been? Tenten you know you should have been back by now."

"And we would have Gaara but someone wasn't cooperating."

"Don't you dare blame this on me." Neji hisses at his bun haired "guide".

"You're the one who freaked out while taking the shortcut."

"That was a death sentence. We almost got run over like a common dog."

"Not my fault you don't know how to run across the street." Tenten glares at her prissy partner.

"We almost got hit!"

"You're overreacting!"

"You're so annoying!"

"And you're an ass!"

The two glared at each other before looking away angrily. Gaara sighs "we may need to switch the partners."

Naruto and Tenten yell "Yes!"

Sakura frowns "but me and Hinata we're having a great time." Hinata nods her head.

Temari looks at Shikamaru "well lazy ass looks like this might have been our last trip."

Shikamaru didn't know why, but he frowned slightly at that.

"We'll discuss this tomorrow. I suggest we all get our rest now." Everyone goes their respected ways and sleep, all but a lazy wolf.

Shikamaru drops his human form, too much effort keeping it up. He lays there with his head on the floor between his paws.

'Why the hell should I care if I'm not with the troublesome she wolf? Well she sure is different, loud, but I don't know…she's just different.'

He lay there thinking and soon drifted to sleep, his mind still on Temari.

I didn't realize it's been so long since I updated. Sorry for the long wait! I really don't have an excuse, not a good one. Please leave a review and tell me what you think!