"Guns?"

"Y-yes…" Hinata sniffled.

"Calm down, Hinata, I'm sure they won't kill anyone." Shikamaru was keeping a level head about this. If she was telling the truth… She couldn't be. There had to be some mistake.

They reached Kankuro's apartment on East 12th street. Chouji was waiting out front. He climbed into the car, but didn't say anything. They all squished together to accommodate Chouji's… Girth. Naruto gave him a weak smile. Hinata sniffled. Shikamaru gave him a cold glare. Temari shrugged. Gaara stared out the window.

How could he have gotten so distanced from his friends?

Kankuro watched them drive off. He'd caught a glimpse of Temari in the front seat. He sighed. He loved his siblings, yet he knew they hated him. They were annoyed that he kept persisting in telling them to get jobs and for Gaara to go back to school, but he was only trying to get them to not make the same mistakes he did! Why didn't they understand?

His thoughts were cut short by the sound of his phone ringing.

"Hello?"

"SHE'S GONNA KILL HIM"

Click.

Beep beep beep.

"What the hell was that?" He put the phone down. "I'm tired… Gotta go to work in the morning." Twelve minutes later, he checked the caller ID. "Holy shit!" he ran out to his car.

They pulled into the parking lot of the 7/11. Chouji had been thinking the whole ride. "Guys," he said, "We have to stop this."

"Hm?" Shikamaru looked up. They all leaned against the car. Hinata was clinging to Naruto.

"We have to stop this. We have to go back to school, or get jobs, or something. I think… No. I'm sure of it."

Shikamaru looked into his eyes. He saw a reflection of St. Jimmy. It wasn't his best friend talking any more, it was someone else.

"We have to stop the drugs. Gaara. Naruto. Shika… Please. We're all just… Fucking ourselves over. Shikamaru, your parents didn't make you who you are. You did. And you can change. We all can. And me…" He took a breath. "I've made so many mistakes. But I'm trying… Oh, man, am I trying to fix 'em."

Click-click.

"So, that's why-"

Bang!

Blood shot out of his skull. His breathing became ragged. His eyes became dull.

Temari gasped.

Hinata started crying again. "I told you," she whispered.

Naruto gaped

Shikamaru stood there, staring.

Ino cried.

Sakura smiled.

Chouji sank to his knees. "I-Ino… Shika…maru…" He fell.

Shikamaru stood there, staring.

"Now, it's your turn, Ino."

Ino pointed the gun in her hand at Shikamaru's head. She was trembling. She bit her lip.

"What are you waiting for? Do it!" Sakura's eyes had an insane glare to them.

"I…I'm sorry, Shika."

He couldn't will himself to move. He just stood there… Staring.

A car screeched into the driveway.

She pulled the trigger.

"MOVE, KID!" Kankuro roared, tackling Shikamaru to the ground. He clutched his leg, which was gushing blood. "Ohhh, fuuuuck…"He moaned.

"WHY-WOULD-YOU-PROTECT-SOMETHING-LIKE-THAT?!" Sakura screeched, taking a shot with every word. Kankuro's body convulsed every time.

Shikamaru finally moved. He scrambled over to where Chouji lay, and listened for a heartbeat, or breathing or anything that would mean his best friendwas still alive.

There was nothing.

Everything was a blur. Temari rushing at Sakura, Naruto saying something about an ambulance… The world was spinning.

"You… fuckin… moron…" Kankuro muttered. "Why… didn't you… gah… move?"

Shikamaru felt himself being gently led away from Chouji's body. He wanted to stay there. He didn't want to move.

No, let me stay with him. He's my best friend. Please, I have to stay.

He wasn't sure if he said any of it. Nothing seemed real. Nothing except for Chouji, lying on the ground. Nothing else was real.

Did he really know anything?

Ever?

The Jesus of Suburbia… What a joke.

When Kankuro woke up, he was lying in a white bed in a white room. Everything was white.

Except for Temari. Her hair was purple. Since when was Temari's hair purple?

Dye. She dyed it?

When?

Then, he remembered.

"Uhn…. What happened?"

"You… Got hurt," She said.

"I know," he smiled, but it hurt, so he stopped. "It just seems like something the patient always says. I feel like I got hit with a rock in the head twenty or so times."

"No, but you were shot seven times."

"Thanks, thanks for that, Temari. Mind pointing out the wounds for me, cause I can't feel 'em."

"There's one right… Here."

"Ow, fuck, that hurts!"

"Sorry… They, um… Want to know if you want pain killers."

"Hell no."

"Why not?"

"I… Just don't okay?"

"He's feeling guilty about Chouji," for the first time, Kankuro noticed that Gaara was in the room as well, "He saved Shikamaru, but not Chouji. Just like his girlfriend."

"How do you… Did you… Know about that?"

"I figured it out."

"I… I…" He passed out. Temari sighed and went out of the hospital room.

"He's okay," She told Ino, who was sitting outside the room.

"Oh thank God," Ino replied, "I don't think I could have handled losing him, too…"

That's when Shikamaru walked in.