Kankuro walked into his brother's office, Matsuri trailing close behind him. Once she found out Temari's team was ambushed she grew worried for Shikadai. She had no doubt Temari would be alright, but Dai was so young. She insisted to see the boy, Kankuro agreed.

As they made their way in they found Shikadai slowly eating his breakfast next to Gaara.
He didn't miss how Shikadai's eyes immediately found him. They were quiet, fearful. Kankuro felt his heart clenched, the fact Shikadai had his mother's eyes didn't help the pooling of dread in his stomach.

"Kamatari?" Dai said in a very soft voice. He could hear Matsuri gasp quietly behind. Kankuro couldn't blame her. Shikadai bit his lip in a valiant act to keep himself from crying. Tears were threatening to spill.

"Recovering, he's fine Shikadai. He should be released soon." Matsuri rushed past him towards the boy who already began to cry. She carefully wrapped her arms around him as she comforted him.
Kankuro walked until he stood in front of his younger brother, it was hard to tell what mood the younger man was in. Gaara did not react to the newcomers in his office. He continued to sign and file his paperwork despite the puppet master standing before him.

"Any news."

Gaara stopped and put down his pen. Slowly he stood up and turned towards the window in his office. Surprisingly the sun was nowhere to be found as dark clouds loomed over Suna. An odd sight for the desert village. "I have received word that Shikamaru and Naruto are taking Sister and her team to Konoha, Sakura is expecting them. Our sister was lucky, it seems she mostly has chakra exhaustion."

The other three looked up towards Gaara. Kankuro spoke up, "Why Konoha? Why not here?"

Gaara didn't budge, "It was closer. Our duty is to keep her son here, safe."

Matsuri let out a sigh of relief. 'If Shikamaru-san is taking Temari-hime to Lady Sakura, then she'll be okay. Did you hear that Dai, your mother is okay.' She thought to herself as she held Shikadai closer.

Between Gaara Kankuro and Matsuri, the paper work was done before the rain came down. Due to the severe weather, Gaara invited Matsuri to stay the night. Shikadai and his family were greeted by Baki back in the Kazekage mansion. Dai was told Baki stayed home to look after the recovering weasel-nin. It was interesting to watch the adults play board games. Shikadai sat in an nearby armchair reading one of the books Hisoki checked out for him. His teal eyes focused on a picture that showed his uncle's house before the Fourth War. It was much smaller, and his bedroom was nowhere to be seen, but he could see the window that belonged to the Master bedroom. His grandfather's bedroom. The boy's eyes flickered to the hallway that lead to the living quarters. Maybe he could find another way to that big door after all.

"Whatcha reading kit." Shikadai looked up from his book to see a bandaged Kamatari making his way towards him. The Nara boy put his book and placed a pillow on his lap, the weasel immediately curled in the boy's lap.

"Just reading, Kamatari. How are you?" Shikadai said as he began to softly pet Kamatari's fur. He didn't want to admit it but it was relaxing.

"I'm fine, I've been through worse. So has my Mistress, it'll take more than a few rogue ninja to take us down." He flicked his tail in a cocky manner. Shikadai giggled as the white tail brushed against his nose. "Still snooping around information on the Yondaime?" He whispered to the boy. Shikadai nodded, "Kit, take it from me, nothing good comes from revisiting the past. You are the future, you are Suna's hopes and dreams. Keep moving forward kit."

Shikadai huffed as Kamatari dozed off in his lap. He looked up as his Uncle Kankuro attempted to tackle his Uncle Gaara, who slipped used his sand to slip out of the way.

"CHEARTER! THERE'S NO WAY YOU ROLLED EVEN!"

Baki buried his face in his hands and repeated, "Why me? Why me?"

Matsuri looked like she was about to admit herself into a crazy house. Shikadai had no idea what game they were playing, nor how it escalated to the point it did. But maybe Kamatari was right, his uncles and jiji were from a different time, they fought in a war. Baki-jiji in two! But him, he was some kid from the era of peace. Shikadai remembered Konoha, his home. He remembered his friends, Boruto, Inojin and Sarada. He remembered his surrogate older sister Mirai. They were here, they were now. He was now, and he will continue to be.

•••

Later that night Shikadai got off from his bed, he quietly walked down the hall towards the old part of the mansion. His footsteps made no sound as he walked towards a pair of golden oak doors. He reached towards the door knob illuminated by the moon's gentle light. It turned and Shikadai walked into the room.

From down the hall Kamatari watched as the boy disappeared into the room. He was both amazed and frightened. One moment he was asleep next to the boy, the next the was tossed off the bed as the boy walked in a trance like-state. Kamatari hesitated, he had to get help, his young master was clearly under a genjutsu. Then a wave of panic shot through him. It'll take him too long to return to the living quarters, Shikadai would be alone for too long. Gritting his teeth Kamatari summoned his sickle and marked on the walled as he ran towards the boy.

The moon watched from above as the weasel ran after the Nara child. It said nothing. The moon simply watched from a far as the pair of strong golden oak doors closed behind the weasel.

Rasa brushed his fingers against his daughter's sandy blonde hair. Temari was sleeping peacefully next to her mother. They looked so much alike. Karura stared at him with her beautiful violet eyes, she reach for his hand and pulled it down to her swollen stomach. He smiled as he felt something kick his hand. Karura was pregnant with their second child. His small family was about to get slightly bigger. He watched as Temari curled closer to her mother. His family all together in one room. Nothing could beat this.

•••••

Rasa woke up to the sound of tapping at his window. It was a tiny messenger bird, Rasa groaned as he maneuvered out of bed, careful not to wake up his toddler. He opened the window slightly, the small bird hopped onto his hand. He frowned at the message he received, he was need back in Kazekage Tower for an emergency meeting. With a small nudge he sent the bird off and closed the window. He looked one more look at his family, and for a second he began to have doubts.
The baby wasn't even born yet and here he was about to dragged to some meeting in the middle of the night. How was he suppose to help Karura if he wasn't even home. Sure Suna needed him but so did his kids, his wife.

"Another meeting?"

Rasa blinked at his wife who struggling to sit up on their bed. "My love, sleep. It's still night." Even in the dark he could tell she was frowning.

"Go Rasa, if the elders believe it is important you must go, but at least give your wife a kiss before you go."

Rasa chuckled, what did he do to deserve such an amazing woman. Heading back to bed he placed a kiss on his daughter's forehead and his wife's stomach. He stared into his wife's eyes. "I will be back before you know it."

"And I will be waiting." Karura said lovingly. They kissed one more time. Rasa placed the Kage hat over his auburn hair. He walked to the bookshelf and pulled out a book. Karura watched as the bookshelf gave way to a passage behind the wall. She waved at her husband goodbye as the bookshelf returned itself to it's rightful place, as if it never moved in the first place.

Rasa cursed and muttered as he walked through the tunnel that lead to Kazekage Tower.
"I hope those elders croak, taking me away from my family, I'll show them."

A/N: Oops my bad fam. Forgive me for the late update. Jeeze I really do hope I update more.