Chapter 9: Happiness

One whole month has passed, and Shikamaru didn't get a single reply from Temari. But despite of that, he still kept trying. He wrote her every day. He wanted to go and visit her to Suna. To clear everything up. But he was crowded with work.

Shikamaru's POV

Temari…Why are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong? I though you loved me…How could you leave me like this? Every morning I wake up, hoping it was a bad dream and that you will be next to me. Every day when I wake up I'm in such a pain. Why did you hurt me like this? If I could only turn back time, I would stop you from going away. I can't believe this is happening. I miss you so much. Troublesome bitch… Why did you let me love you…if you planned to leave me? Why did I fall in love with you. I should've never done that. I should've never kissed you on New Year's eve. God I am a mess now, because of you. If you wanted me to, I'd cry for you, lie for you, die for you… I would do anything for you. And you left me like this, to suffer. I never knew I could love you. And when I accepted it, I never knew it would hurt me this much if you left me. I should've taken care of you better. I know it. I shouldn't have let you run away. If I could, I would do everything better now. Just…Come back to me Temari. I can't live without you. I can't breathe without you. I don't want to. All I want is you. Why do you have to hurt me like this? I guess you were right… I am a crybaby. God I never knew I could be so weak. And it's all your fault. You made me weak. You made me helpless. You made me crave for you. You made me love you. You made me need you like I need the air that I breathe. And now you are making me die because you took away my air.

You are my everything. Don't tell me that you were pretending. Even for you that is cruel.

I'm so lost without you. I miss you. I miss your smile. I miss seeing her smiling for me.

Now, without you, I'm not half the man I used to be. Why did you have to go? Why don't you tell me already! Please. I need to know. I need to fix it!

Temari's POV

Shikamaru… You persistent idiot! I hate you! How could you do this to me! I should've never let myself fell for you. I wasn't supposed to love you! Stop sending me stupid letters! I want to get over you, I want to forget… But I can't because you are so God dammit persistent! You hurt me so bad. I find myself crying almost every day. What the fuck is up with that? And in spite of all that, I still miss you so fuckin' much! I miss you so badly, I need you so badly. You make me want to raise above it all and forgive you. But I can't do that. I can't. You will just hurt me again. Why do I even love you. You are a lazy ass. Why would I want to be with you? But still the hardest thing I ever had to do, is to walk away from you. It makes me sick when I think of what he did. It makes me hate him and the whole world. Did you just pretend to love me? Was it all fake? I don't understand anything anymore. You said… you loved me. I thought you did. I know you did. But what happened to our love Shikamaru? What did you do? What did I do? Did I make you cheat on me? Was I a bad girlfriend? What did I do to deserve it? You idiot. I hate you for what you did to me! And I hate you because I still love you even in spite of everything! I'm so stupid! I still need you to breathe. I can't live without you. But you were an ass… What am I supposed to do with you now?

Another week passed just like that. So quickly and yet so slowly. Temari just got back from a mission. She had a cold so Gaara told her to stay at home next couple of days.

Back in Konoha, Shikamaru was summoned by Naruto to his office.

"Hey man, you asked for me?" – Shikamaru entered the room slowly, approaching Naruto's desk

"Yes, I have a mission for you. I need you as a leader of the squad. Kiba, Neji and Sasuke are going with you." – Naruto said as he was looking through the paperwork. – "Neji will fill you in. They are already waiting for you."

"Okay." – Shikamaru started turning around, but Naruto stopped him.

"Shikamaru." – He started, and Shika stopped, and faced Naruto again. – "Suna is on your way there. Go and talk to Temari. It's an order."

"Thank you." – Shika's face brightened and happiness was noticeable. He smiled and ran out of the office.

An hour later, Shikamaru joined his comrades and they all headed out. Only three days away, until he meets with her again. All of them were supposed to stay the night at Suna before heading any further. Gaara couldn't stop Shikamaru from being there. Suna and Konoha were allias. And he couldn't screw it up. Especially since he owed his life to Naruto. And it's not like he wanted to stop shikamaru. He knew how happy he made his sister feel. And he wanted that back. She was a lot more happier and fulfilled person when she was with him. Gaara figured it was all just a missunderstanding. But he couldn't tell anything to Temari, because she would strangle him.

On the night they were supposed to stay in Suna, Temari went out to buy some groceries. She came back home at 7pm. She put the shopping bags on the table and then headed to the bathroom. She didn't bother turning the lights on. And when she was one step away from the bathroom door, she suddenly couldn't move. That second when she felt numb, she knew that techique very well. Kagemane No Jutsu. It was Shikamaru's. He approached her from the back and stood behind her.

"Go away. You don't want to mess with me Shikamaru!" – Temari said, trying to refrain from yelling or being emotional.

"Not until you tell me why did you leave me. I'm not going anywhere." – He stood beyond her, smelling her golden hair. It felt so good to sense that fresh scent again. The one that makes his nose bleed.

"You deserved it. And don't act like you don't know anything!" – Her voice was shaking. She still couldn't move because of his shadow possession jutsu.

"I'm sorry, but I actually don't know! And I demand you to tell me why! I love you, you crazy woman! And you said you loved me! Now why did you leave me then! You know how much pain you caused me?" – He lowered her head, and it was right next to her ear. She could feel his warm breath tickling her ear which gave her goose bumps.

"You are one big hypocrite! Like you didn't cause me any pain when you cheated on me with Ino? Agh, I could kill you now if I could move!" – Temari started yelling. She was sweating and desperately trying to move. She felt the rage of adrenalin russhing through every songle part of her body.

"What? Ino? What the hell are you talking about?" – Shikamaru was terrified, and he let off his jutsu. In that moment Temari turned towards him and punched him. He reeled back a little bit, shook his head and then stood still. He had a bruice on his left cheek.

"You know damn good what I mean! I saw you two in her shop! You gave her a gift and then she was all over you!" – Temari started screaming and waving her hands in the air. – "And I know God damn well that you NEVER buy gifts on random! You are too lazy for that! Unless of course you actually had a motive for it! Like the fact that you've been screwing with both her an me!"

"Oh my God! Temari! If you stayed a little longer, you would see Kiba getting out of bathroom and kissing Ino! Are you insane? I love you! I would never cheat on you! Crazy bitch!" – Shikamaru was slowly cutting the distance between them.

"Oh really, then what was that all about? The box and hugging and everything?" – She was so nervous walking around the room.

"You mean this box?" – Shika took out of his pocket the exact same case Temari saw him giving to Ino. – "That was a gift for you! You stupid bitch!"

"What?"

"Yes!" – He opened the little case and took out a shiny little key – "I was going to ask you to move in with me! And I went to Ino's store to buy you flowers, and so I showed it to her! And she was happy for us!"

"Oh God…Shikamaru" – Temari's face stopped showing anger and now her expression was mourning. – "I'm… I … I thought…"

"I would never ever cheat on you! And you are stupid to even think of that!" – he stated – "I live for you, because of you. You have no idea how much you have hurt me when you left me…"

"I'm sorry Shikamaru! God I'm so sorry!" – She put hand on her mouth

"Don't ever leave me again." – Shikamaru finally managed to get close enough to her to hug her. Without the danger of her hitting him again. She hugged him back.

"Never."

"Will you move in with me, Temari?" – He looked deep in her big green eyes.

"I will! I don't ever want to be away from you!" – Temari started kissing him. – "I missed you so much! I don't ever want to feel that way again! I don't want to loose you."

"You can't loose me. I'm yours. Please, don't jump into conclusions. Talk to me. Don't make me feel like I felt since you left me." – Shikamaru was holding her neck and waist. Her hands were on his cheeks.

"Sometimes I love you so bad that it makes me hate you! I don't like to need someone. But I do need you."

"I love you too. I can't breathe without you, so don't leave me again…" – Shikamaru said that and Temari kissed him. She pulled him into her room. She realized how much she missed their intimacy. He threw her on the bed and climbed over her, kissing her all over her body. Temari once again felt the thrills of sensing his breath on her skin. They both missed each other a lot. And there were things that needed to be done. After a long time, they spent a night together.

Tomorrow morning, both of them woke up very early

"I have to proceed with my mission now. And you talk to your brothers about moving in." – Shikamaru said as he dressed his T-shirt.

"Okay." – she smiled. She was still lying in bed. – "I will see you in 2 weeks then."

"Two weeks." – Shikamaru smiled, buttoned his trousers and kissed her forehead. Then he straightened to walk away, but Temari got up of the bed, grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"Promise me, you will come back to me." – Temari's face looked sad. Shikamaru hugged her strongly, and then they locked lips and shared a passionate kiss.

"I promise. I will come back. And you wait for me this time." – Shikamaru was stil holding her in hug.

"I will. It's you and me now. I love you." – She grinned at him and then fixed his ponytail.

"You and me against the world."– Shikamaru stroked her hair and then on purpose broke one of her golden braids by taking her rubber band. When did that, Shikamaru left her alone in apartment and went to meet up with guys. They immediately headed out. Temari was left there alone. In the afternoon, she talked to her brothers about moving in with Shikamaru. She also explained what happened that day. After a little bit of fighting and negotiations, she convinced them to agree with her and support her.

Proud of her work, she went back to her place and started packing things. Temari felt so happy, like never before in her life. She finally put her life in order. She solved things with Shikamaru, and that's all she needed.

During that period of packing things and stuff, Temari started feeling a little bit sick. She was throwing up after almost every meal. She was nocuous all the time. So she decided to go to the doctor's.

"Doc, you are back with my results?" – Temari said as she stood up of the chair she was sitting in, in the doctor's office.

"Yes" – The doctor said with a tiny curve on his lips.

"So, what's wrong with me?" – She asked.

"I'm afraid that you are perfectly fine. But you will have to go on one big vacation. Congratulations, Temari-sama! You are pregnant." - Kind woman congratulated Temari, but all the lucky girl did was dropping her cup of tea on the floor.

"I'm…pregnant?" – Temari's eyes were wide open. She couldn't believe it.

"Yes."

Temari just slightly smiled. She went home after that. She sat on the chair, and rubbed her belly. She knew nothing about motherhood and parenting. And she was sure that she isn't going to be a very good mom. But she was so happy. She was carrying Shikamaru's child, and she was going to move in with him soon. She kept smiling all day. Gaara and Kankuro couldn't figure out what's up with that. They asked her tons of times, but she didn't say anything. She wanted Shikamaru to know first.

She and Shikamaru agreed that she will come in 2 weeks. But she wanted to surprise him and go there earlier. She hired few helpers to help her pack her things and move them to Konoha. She couldn't wait to tell Shikamaru. From one strict, troublesome and bossy bitch, Temari turned into a delicate flower. She didn't even want to lift heavy stuff. She was scared something might happen to her child.

Temari set out from Suna. She knew that it was early, and she was supposed to wait one more week, but she couldn't. She wanted to surprise him. And so, one week earlier than supposed, she arrived to her soon to be home town.

She instantly went to Shika's apartment and put her stuff in order. Temari figured that he is still on the mission he went to, when he left her in Suna. She knew she had enough time to organize her stuff and put it in order. The day she arrived, all she did was finding place for her clothes and stuff. When she did that, she needed to lay down and relax. She decided she will go to the Hokage to report her arrival tomorrow morning.