Chapter 9. Hello. Good bye. I'm in deep hell

Once I arrived in Konoha, around 2:30, I drove to Shikamaru's. I grabbed my extra clothes from the backseat. I dashed out as a shadow and into their apartment. Once I was safe in Shikamaru's room, I reformed myself. I collapsed on his bed, burying my face into his nicely put together sheets and blankets.

"Do you ever sleep?" He asked from his desk. His hair was in his usual spiky ponytail. A small, thin line of hair had formed over his lip. Shikamaru had his chunin vest on, his usual green and green attire and his headband was tied to his left fore-arm.

"I had good reason to not to last night. Can I change in your bathroom? Although they are comfortable, I prefer to not remain in Sasori's jeans." I asked, pushing myself up. "You're bed smells like cigarette smoke. Why?"

Silence………………

"Asuma is dead." He said, quietly.

"What?! When?" I asked, sitting up.

"Last night some white haired guy, 18 to 20, and a guy wearing a mask and hoodie came here. They were looking for something……….." He said. Then he looked at me. "Or someone. Asuma-sensei was at the front of the gate, at his post and fended them off put they came back when his guard down and the white-haired one killed him with his 3 prong scythe……………They were after you weren't they?"

"Yeah. Hidan is the one who killed him and the other was Kakuzu. They must have tapped into my phone. They wouldn't have came here if I had never had called you." I replied, feeling incredibly bad. Calling Shikamaru was a mistake. I walked over to the bathroom and changed into black, skin-tight shorts that had blue tassels from my waist and a half tight half loose long sleeve shirt (the sleeves are super loose but the torso part was skintight). I tied my hair back into a bun and walked out. When I came out, Shikamaru was smoking.

"My favorite teacher………my mentor………..dead." He whispered between drags. Asuma was his second father and they spent a lot of time with each other. I liked him a lot too. He and Kakashi were my favorite teachers when I went to Hoshi. I sat down next to Shikamaru and took the cigarette from him. I took a long drag out of it myself and passed it back. We passed 3 cigarettes and tears between the two of us for an hour and a half. That was how we dealt with the pain of it. We copied what Asuma did when he wasn't teaching or with Kurenai.

"When's the memorial service?" I finally asked, taking a large drag and passing it back to him.

"Next week."

"I'll be there. How's Kurenai?"

"Pregnant with a son who will be my apprentice."

"You'll be his teacher and I'll assistant teacher. Call me whenever and I'll come running." I said. He rested his head on my shoulder.

"I will."

"I want to know who asked you out." I asked, remembering last night's conversation.

"You aren't going to believe me." Shikamaru stated. "Guess."

"Sasuke?"

"Not even a chance. He still has a major crush on you."

"Choji."

"No, he's dating Ino."

"I'm out of guesses."

"Give up?"

"Yup."

"Naruto."

"Say what?! Uzamaki asked you on a date!? When did he go down the swirl path?!" I asked. Naruto and Sakura have been dating since 8th grade and they were sophomores.

"They broke up and he's bi. Naruto's mostly straight, for he also likes Hinata, but he said he has had this major crush on me." Shikamaru took several drags and then passed me the cig.

"Interesting." I stated and took the last drag of the smoke and threw it in the cup of water across the room. We didn't care if Shikaku Nara-san came up and saw us. Hell he'd join us but it was Nara-chan came up, we'd be dead. "Wait, Naruto likes Hinata-chan?"

"Yep but he likes me more." Shikamaru gave me kiddy smile. I laughed at my friend. But my laughter stopped when we heard footsteps come towards us. We sprayed Febreeze over everything. Then I pulled out a cucumber melon body spray and sprayed on myself and Shikamaru sprayed some AXE on himself.

Nara-chan came in. "Suzume, a very sweet, red head guy is here. He said he was your boyfriend. I thought Shikamaru was your boyfriend." She said and winked.

"Mom, I'm gay. Enough." Shikamaru snapped at his mother and then turned to me. "Isn't Sasori red-haired?"

"Yep!" I smiled and jumped off Shikamaru's bed. I ran out of his room and down the stairs. "Sasori!" I called as I ran with Shikamaru on my heels. I ran right into Sasori's arms.

"I'm so glad you got out of there. How was your night?" He asked, gently stroking my hair, kissing my cheek. I giggled and said it wonderful then turned back to my best friend and his parents.

"Sasori, this Shikamaru, Shikaku and Nara-chan. A.K.A, my extended family." I said, stepping between Shikamaru and Shikaku, placing my arms around their shoulders. "How long have we known each other, Deer boy?"

"Oh, say, since we were in diapers, lavender." Shikamaru said, saying my old nickname.

"Wow." Sasori said. "Your family meet is in ten minutes and your going to where that?" He asked. Sasori was wearing a suit.

"Sasori, I've told you this before, but my family will break out into fights against each other. Last year, I made a comment one of my uncle's swords and I ended up wih 20 stitches. You may want to change, Hun." I said, laughing. Then an idea came to mind. "We'll take your car, Sasori." I said.

"Sparrow, what's going through that twisted mind of yours?" Sasori asked, kissing my forehead. I heard Nara-chan put her hand over her heart and go "Awwww,"

"It's something possibly disastrous for us both but it'll help with both of our problems." I snickered at my plan.

"How disastrous?" Shikamaru and Sasori asked. Shikamaru yawned but I knew he'd join me. Sasori looked puzzled and had the expression that told me "I love you but if this comes to death, see ya!"

"It's killing 3 birds with one stone, Sasori. I'll explain after you change, sweetheart." I said. I turned to Shikamaru. "Ready for a mission, deer boy?"

a/n: okay my adoring fans. Give me any feedback. REVIEW!