Shikamaru held his head silently with his eyes closed shut tight. He sat on the hard bed in the darkened room of the hotel. He gritted his teeth and tears quietly fell from his eyes.
He had lost his sensei, and now the one he loved. His heart was drained of emotion, it was cold and dry. His soul felt lost, wandering in a neverending darkness. He shook his head. The disbelief flooded his mind.
'Not both of them.' He repeated constantly in his mind.
-oOo-
He slowly walked through the sand as it turned to green grass. He kicked at the tufts of green and his hands clenched in his pockets. It had been 2 and a half days since he left Suna. Just walking. Slowly. In sorrow.
He closed his eyes and stopped moving. He just stood there, half in Suna, half in Konoha. The exact border. His eyes flashed open and he flipped his head around. Two kunai were flung at him and he quickly moved to the side as he dodged them. A rustling was heard in the trees as the attacker moving places. Light tapping sounds were made as their foot hit the branch of a tree. His sharp eyes caught a small wisp of blonde hair.
He turned around losing the position of the enemy. He calmed himself and searched for a chakra. He found one, it had a strong will, and had great power. He suddenly flashed his eyes open as he recognized the familiar chakra.
'It can't be. But gaara said-' His eyes widened.
'But he couldn't have meant-' His thoughts were cut off by a loud cry.
"KIRI KIRI MAI NO JUTSU!" The loud yell startled him but he reacted quickly and took cover.
'Yep, definitely her.' Shikamaru thought, half ecstatic, and half terrified.
"Mendokuse, you troublesome woman" he called out to the enemy.
He heard a light gasp then a small grunt from a spot in the trees.
"Come out why don't you... Temari."