Hi, There! I'm here with more of that troublesome love stuff, ninja style! Anyway, just to catchup any of you who skipped over the last chapter. Sasuke's dead (finally), but Shika sees that Sakura still loves him deep down. Papa bear, Gaara, shows up to put Neji and his sister into the sandy grave they deserve. I think that's about it. Oh, yeah, and Riki's lossing her little mind to an evil sand demon. Yeah that's all, now on with the next chappie.

Disclaimer: My awesome ninja skills compensate for me not owning Naruto.

Shikamaru led the way. His mind was cleared of all thoughts and feelings. They wouldn't help him now, not to save Riki or anyone. He followed the sound of rushing water, until they finally came to a waterfall that was hidden deep inside the heart of the forest. They pushed their way through the rushing torrent of water, only to come face to face with a rock wall. The entrance had been blocked off. Shikamaru tested it and pushing all of his weight into it. It held firm.

"Dammit! That bastard lied to us!"

Shikamaru was about to tell the others that they should double back and search the woods again, when he was pushed out of the way by Gaara. He watched as the red head closed his eyes and lifted up one hand to the stone barrier. After a moment of silence, his eyes slowly opened.

"She's here. I feel her."

Sakura and Shikamaru watched as sand came from nowhere. More and more of it came, swirling around Gaara. He made a quick hand movement, and the giant golden cloud pushed through the rock, leaving behind only large shattered fragments. Shikamaru watched wide eyed. Over time he had forgotten how truly scary Gaara could be when he showed emotion. The red haired sand nin walked past the demolished rubble and into the open cavern that waited.

'Man, if Neji doesn't kill us, Gaara just might.'

He gave Sakura a nervous look, which she returned full force. Then slowly they followed.

Sakura brought up the rear, as she and Shikamaru followed Gaara. She had pulled out her kunai before they had entered. She took in her surrounding the best she could. Everything was hidden in shadows, it would be a miracle if they weren't ambushed. She looked back the way they had came, then let her gaze land on Shikamaru's back. She wanted to move closer and stand next to him, but something told her that she shouldn't.

'Of course you shouldn't. You wanted to stay with him, you would have stayed with Sasuke after everything that he's done. What's wrong with you?'

She sighed, there was no time for this. She calmed herself and focused on what was going on at the moment. They had come to a stop while she had been lost in her thoughts. She moved closer, and looked on breathlessly. The tunnel they had walked down, opened onto a larger cavern, that was half hidden in the darkness. If they had kept going forward carelessly they would have ended up splatter on the rocks at least a hundred miles below. She unconciously held onto Shikamaru's shoulder. When he didn't move away, she couldn't help but tighten her grip a little.

"So, how do we get down from here?"

She waited for an answer, but it seemed like neither one of them had an idea. There was probably another entrance somewhere, but that didn't do them any good. It would take them too long to find it. She picked up a rock and tossed it over the edge. It fell for a long time before it finally hit the ground. If they tried the walking on trees technique they'd run out of chakra almost half way down.

'And that would still mean instant death.'

She saw Shikamaru and Gaara were thinking the same thing. She looked from one to the other, until finally her eyes found the gourd that was on Gaara's back. The sand buzzed around it like angry bees. A plan began to form itself inside of her head. At last she had it.

"Gaara, how well can you form a sand sheild around other people?"

'Papa's here.'

Riki had felt him reach out to her. She could almost hear him telling her it would be okay, but his voice was muffled by the thing in her head. She put her hands over her ears, as the mean thing told her of what she could do, told her she could get free by using the sand like she had before. She didn't like it, and slowly she was begining to think it was right. She involuntarily looked up when she saw Temari enter the room with a bowl of food. Riki was almost relieved to have another human being in the room. Temari pushed the bowl of what looked like porridge through the bars. Then bent down so that she was face to face with Riki. Riki's lavender eyes met her Aunt's teal eyes. Temari gave her a nervous smile, which she refused to return.

"You're just like your father, in more ways than one."

Riki's eyes widened. What did Temari already know about what was happening to her. Temari reached through the bars and petted her like a puppy.

"Don't worry, I know what's in that little head of yours. I had to deal with your father remember. It's not as strong in you though. Maybe with a little training you will learn to control it better."

"Neji won't let me live that long, and neither will you."

Temari's eyes narrowed at that. Riki could tell that she wasn't upset about not being trusted. She was just made that she had been seen through so easily. Temari stood and walked away, leaving Riki alone again. She sighed, the voice had not returned yet, but it was only a matter of time. She took one fleeting glance at the 'food' that Temari had left and pushed it back through the bars. She smiled as she heard the soft thud it made against the floor. Silently she sent a plea to her father.

'Hurry papa. Please hurry.'

Shikamaru held Sakura closer to him, as the last bit of light they had was blocked out by the thick layers of sand. He felt her clutch to him, and ran a hand up her back soothingly. It was a good plan, even if there was only a 12 chance that they would survive.

'No problem. If we life through the fall and the lack of oxygen, all we have to do is go after Neji and Temari.'

It was a sick kind of humor, but it helped Shikamaru to relax a little. He looked down at Sakura, only to meet her eyes. She smiled at him, he blushed a little and looked away. She forced him to meet her gaze. She looked long and hard into his eyes searching for something. He looked back at her, not quite sure what to do.

"Shikamaru, I...I..."

Before she could speak they felt their little protective bubble being lifted into the air. They both had to fight not to scream, and waste what little air there was inside of the sand shield. They fell for an eternity. Shikamaru's life flashed before his eyes, and as it did he felt a need to let his instinct take over. He pulled her to him, and kissed her. She returned the kiss full force. He ran his tounge over hers, enjoying her taste for what may have been the last time. They hit the ground with a loud explosion. The sand around them started to cave in, when they were firmly on the ground. A hand reached in through the crumbling shield and pulled Sakura, and then Shikamaru out of the golden coffin. As soon as Shikamaru was out, Gaara lead them to where he knew Riki was being held.

Neji watched the small creature that had taken his place with contempt. She looked and acted like her mother. He wanted to slit her throat right then and there, but where would that get him? If he waited for her to become a little older, he could have the marriage that he was denied with Hinata. Then it would be all to easy to kill her and take his rightful place. All it would take was time, and a bit of patience. He went and rattled the bars she was forced to stay in. She didn't even bother looking up to him. He scowled at her response.

"You shouldn't be so high and mighty princess, you no longer have anything left."

Riki spat at him, and he grabbed hold of her snarling threats through his teeth. Riki close her eyes and prepared for a strike that would never come. Neji was sent flying across the room, pushed by a wall of sand. He hit the wall with an impact that caused his ribs to break. He was lifted up the wall, until he was high above the ground. He could feel tiny little sand particles moving over his body like insects. He was quickly bound by shackles of sand. He tried to pull outof them, but they tightened threatening to amputate his hands and feet. He stopped struggling, and watched in fear as Gaara came from the darkness like the death bringer he was. Sakura quickly ran over and broke through the cage that held Riki. She helped the little girl out. Shikamaru stood beside her protecting while Gaara handled Neji. Neji squirmed as he looked into Gaara's blue eyes, he knew he was going to die.

"I shall drain you of every ounce of life you have. You dare to try and take away my happiness? You'll die soon."

Neji tried to speak, but a sand collar wrapped itself around his neck, cutting off his air supply. Tiny grains entered his mouth flowing through his body until he was filled with it. Neji paniced, and yelled out to the heavens, only to see a demon's grin as Gaara waved his hand, and bloody sand exploded from his body. Neji fell from the wall in a bloody rain of steaming chunks. Sakura watched in horror as the parts stopped their descent and floated in the air. At first she looked at Gaara, thinking it was his doing, but he looked just as confused as she was. Suddenly Riki started to tremble in her arms. She looked down, expecting her to be crying in fear, but she wasn't. She was...laughing. Riki pulled out of Sakura's arms and stood away from them. The blood and sand flew around her. The sand from Gaara's gourde moved away from him, and surrounded his daughter against his will. All the while Riki's laughter began to change and become something that they all knew far too well. Shikamaru looked at the sand demon that was slowly forming and feeding off of Riki's chakra and Neji's blood. Then he looked at Gaara, who let his fear show plainly. There was only one rational thought left for Shikamaru now.

'We are so fucked.'

Sorry that's all your getting for now! But you have to love the fluff and gore. Yay, fluff and gore! Anyway you should be prepared for the worse, and of course the big sentimental scene. I'll be updating soon, if you want me to. Just review and tell me what you think!