"Makes me feel like I can't live without you. Yeah, it takes me all the way. I want you to stay." - Stay Rihanna
_
After Naruto dropped Hinata off he returned to help everyone set up for the war and after they had everything ready they went home while Naruto went back to Sakura to pick Hinata up. He didn't want her to be alone if she was sick.
Temari left with Shikamaru and they went to his house. They agreed that she'll sleep on the bed and he'll sleep on the couch, after some bickering and teasing of course. However Temari couldn't fall asleep, something was bothering her and she didn't know what. Maybe it was the war that was coming that bothered her because where there was war there was death and death always led to pain. She tossed around in bed nervously until she finally managed to calm her nerves somewhat and fall asleep.
The moon was almost full and it lit the sky up brilliantly as the stars danced across the sky, but as the cool breeze came it brought ominous black clouds with it. Yet the night was eerily peaceful, until a scream broke the silence of the night.
"What's wrong?!" Shikamaru asked alerted as he rushed into the room looking around until his eyes fell on Temari.
It was one of those rare moments when her hair hung loose and wasn't tied up in four ponytails. She sat up and panted with wide eyes, as though something was hunting her. She wore short purple pants with one of Shikamaru's shirt which was too big for her.
The shirt was so long you couldn't see the lavender shorts she was wearing. Her golden dirty blond hair hung over her frightened face. Shikamaru noticed it was longer than it usually was, but it was still beautiful. Just like her teal eyes that haunted him when she was gone.
Temari lifted her head and her mesmerizing teal eyes met his warm brown ones making her relax again when she saw Shikamaru entered the room. She groaned and fell back on the bed not answering Shikamaru's question making him chuckle.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Shikamaru asked as he walked over to the bed.
"Yes." Temari sighed closing her eyes.
"About what?" Shikamaru asked as he lay down on his bed next to her.
"The times I was back with Orochimaru... What are you doing?" Temari asked opening her eyes with a raised eyebrow as she turned to her side to look at Shikamaru while he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I got tired of the couch." Shikamaru smirked making her roll her eyes.
"Whatever." Temari replied as she rolled her eyes and turn on her other side while Shikamaru pulled her closer to him.
"You know you got nightmares just before you disappeared as well." Shikamaru said as his fingers crawled under his shirt she was wearing and ran his fingers over her bare skin on her waist.
"Maybe it means something." Temari said sarcastically.
"Don't jinx it." Shikamaru replied.
"There's a war coming bad things are going to happen, like it or not." Temari sighed.
"Fate can't be that cruel. I'm not letting you go again." Shikamaru said starting to draw circles on her skin.
"Don't bet on it yet." Temari said.
"Go to sleep troublesome woman." Shikamaru said still drawing circles on her skin.
"I should be telling that to you lazy ass." Temari laughed, his cool fingers tickling her warm skin.
"I missed you Temari." Shikamaru said as his fingers stilled and he pulled her even closer.
"I know." Temari replied softly as her hand found his and she intertwined her fingers with his while his cool hand still rested on her warm skin.
The silence of the night returned, but a little less ominous than before and it wasn't long before Temari and Shikamaru fell asleep in each other's arms.
The next morning both of them woke up to an evil sound. The sound of an alarm clock. They both groaned while Temari pulled the pillow over her head while Shikamaru took his pillow and smacked the alarm clock with it, but it didn't work it only muffled the sound.
Temari said something, but Shikamaru couldn't hear what due to the pillow that covered her head. Shikamaru took the pillow of Temari's face and placed it under his head as he turned on his back.
"What did you say?" Shikamaru asked still half asleep.
"I said we need to stand up and get ready." Temari answered as she turned to her other side and used Shikamaru's arm as a pillow.
Shikamaru didn't answer he only groaned his disagreement.
"Come on lazy ass, get up." Temari said still laying in his arms as she smacked his bare chest.
"I don't see you attempting to get up." Shikamaru smirked at Temari who scowled at him.
"Because you're not getting up." Temari said glaring at him.
"Okay we'll both get up in five minutes, deal." Temari sighed tilting her head to look at Shikamaru.
"Fine." Shikamaru sighed as they both went back to sleep again.
They slept again until Temari's eyes suddenly shot open and she gasped. She wiggled herself out if Shikamaru's grip and climbed over him to smack the pillow of the alarm clock to see the time. They overslept. They had 5 minutes to get to the headquarters.
"Shit!" Temari scowled.
"Wake up Shikamaru! We have to go now." Temari exclaimed as she climbed of Shikamaru and jumped of the bed while she shook Shikamaru who groaned his protest.
"We have five minutes to get there!" Temari exclaimed making Shikamaru's eyes shot open.
"Dammit." Shikamaru scowled as he jumped out of the bed.
He knew the consequences of them being late. They ran through the house to get ready and passed each other the stuff they needed as they ran through the house. Finally they dashed out the apartment and to the headquarters. They made good time but they were still 20 minutes late.
"What took you two so long?" Naruto asked as they ran through the door making everyone stare at them.
"My alarm clock broke." Temari said collecting herself as Gaara raised an eyebrow.
"Mine as well." Shikamaru said walking to the map of the layout of the war as if nothing happened.
"Temari didn't sleep at the inn yesterday night." Kankurou commented bluntly as he walked past them with a stack papers making Temari's eyes widen.
"Yes! I win the betting pool again!" Naruto exclaimed victoriously making Ino huff and cross her arms in annoyance.
"This is not fair, why does Naruto keep winning?" Ino whined.
"Because I'm awesome." Naruto said grinning.
"Come on Naruto, again. This is getting old." Shikamaru sighed glaring at Naruto.
"What betting pool?" Temari asked glaring at Naruto and Shikamaru.
"Never mind." Shikamaru sighed.
"Yeah I'm with Ino, this isn't fair." Kankurou said annoyed.
"You betted?" Gaara asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't play coy little Bro, you betted as well." Kankurou grinned at Gaara making Shikamaru's eye twitch.
Even Gaara betted, why?
"What's the status of the war?" Shikamaru asked as he sighed exaggerated trying to change the topic.
"They're still stationary. The troops have gotten into position, but they're not doing anything they're just waiting." Ino answered Shikamaru as she looked at the giant water bubble in the room.
"What are they waiting for?" Shikamaru asked with a raised eyebrow.
"We don't know. It's almost like they're waiting for us to make the first move." Ino said looking back at Shikamaru.
Just as Shikamaru wanted to reply Hinata came in making Naruto's face light up.
"Hey Hinata, what are you doing here aren't you supposed to be at your post?" Naruto asked calmly with a warm smile as she walked to his desk.
"About that... Naruto, can I talk to you privately?" Hinata asked softly, nervousness evident in her voice as she avoided eye contact with everyone.
"Sure." Naruto smiled as he stood up and left with Hinata, closing the office door behind him.
"Wonder what that's about?" Shikamaru asked eyeing the door curiously as well as Ino, Gaara, Temari and Kankurou.
"We need to get to our posts soon Temari." Kankurou said as they were busy filing some paperwork for Gaara.
"Yeah, we'll go as soon as we're done." Temari said focused.
"What! You~" Everyone heard Naruto scream, but something muffled his sentence at the end.
Probably Hinata covering his loud mouth. Everyone's head turned to the door curiously.
"Now I'm curious." Temari said as she and Kankurou finished filing and watched the door with narrowed eyes.
Most of the people went back to work except for Temari, Ino, Kankurou, Gaara and Shikamaru who watched the door. It was calm behind the door for a while, until...
"You're PREGNANT!" Naruto exclaimed again making everyone's head turn in shock towards the door.
Ino spit out the water she was drinking. Kankurou fell of the chair he was sitting on. Shikamaru dropped the pen he was holding while Gaara and Temari's eyes widened.
"What?" Temari stuttered out in utter shock as she remembered the shy timid girl from the Chunnin exams.
Everyone would've face palmed, but they were to shocked to even speak. They gaped at the door as it slowly opened and Hinata entered with Naruto in a completely silent room.
"Why is everyone staring at us?" Naruto asked scratching his head pretending nothing happened while Hinata was as red as a tomato.
"Are you really that big of an idiot?" Shikamaru dead panned.
"How did that happen?" Ino asked still in shock staring at Hinata and Naruto.
"Well you see~" Naruto started, but Ino through her glass at him which he caught but left him wet.
"I know how it happens you moron! I don't want to hear how it happened." Ino exclaimed pointing at them.
"This is the worst time to impregnate someone Naruto." Kankurou said with a sigh.
"It's not my fault, it just happened." Naruto exclaimed defensively making Temari, Shikamaru, Ino and Kankurou face palm.
"Let's just change the subject please!" Hinata who was silent up until now said still as red as a tomato.
"Well this changes things." Temari said as everybody slowly came over their shock and carried on working.
"Yes it does, Hinata you'll have to stay here because if this came out the enemy can use this as an opportunity to hurt Naruto. You'll become a target since your carrying the Hokage's child. That's why nobody in this room is going to say anything about it~" Shikamaru said seriously, but Naruto raised his hand.
"Yes Naruto?" Shikamaru said.
"What about Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei, grandma Tsunade, Sai, Chouji, Tenten, Lee, Kiba, Shino and Konohamaru?" Naruto asked naming everyone up.
"Poor Hinata, everyone is going to know about this pregnancy at the end of the day." Ino sighed.
"Sakura already knows she's the one who diagnosed me." Hinata said timidly.
"Fine Naruto you can tell them, but the less people know the better. That way it won't leak out easier." Shikamaru said with a sigh.
"Kankurou go to the south if there is any problems in the east however I'm moving you back. Hinata you can do paperwork or help with something here in the headquarters. Temari stay in the west." Shikamaru said as he adjusted his strategies.
"Right, let's go Kankurou." Temari said as they walked towards the door.
"Congratulations Hinata." Temari said as she and Kankurou smiled at Hinata who smiled back.
Temari and Kankurou split up when they exited the building to go to their designated posts.
"Temari! You're fighting here too?" Chouji exclaimed excitedly as he saw her approach.
"Yeah, you're Chouji right?" Temari asked with a smile as she walked next to him.
"That's me." He grinned munching on his chips.
"Sorry I tried to kill you." Temari said awkwardly as she looked away.
"No hard feelings. I'm sure you wouldn't have tried if we didn't get in your way." Chouji smiled making Temari chuckle.
"I'm glad you're back, Temari." Ino's boyfriend said as he approached them on the wall as well.
"Hey, you're Ino's boyfriend. I never caught your name though and you weren't at the Chunnin exams..." Temari said frowning at him as he smiled, but even though he was smiling he still looked unemotional.
Like Gaara.
"Yes, my name is Sai. I was a member of Root." Sai said smiling.
"Root?" Temari asked confused.
"You don't remember it yet. It was like Anbu or something just under Donzo's command. Shady bunch they were, no offence Sai." Choli said explaining.
"None taken." Sai replied chuckling.
"Who's Donzo?" Temari asked with a raised eyebrow.
"He was some shady guy who planted Sharingan's in his arm, kind of creepy if you ask me, but you could say he was the reason Sasuke's clan got massacred. He also tried to take over the role of Hokage and succeeded until Sasuke killed him and fifth Hokage woke up. However he was in the running to become the fourth Hokage, but lost to Hiruzen Sarutobi, Asuma-sensei's father, so he run an organization in the shadows." Chouji said as Sai nodded.
"At least I know who Sasuke is, is he still so gloomy and depressed?" Temari laughed.
"Nah, but he's still the silent type. You'll see what I mean." Chouji shrugged.
"But who's Asuma, isn't he supposed to be Hokage or something since his father was Hokage?" Temari asked confused.
"The Hokage gig wasn't really his thing. He was our teams Sensei and he's Mirai's father. However Hidan killed him." Chouji said sadly.
Temari gasped that's why she has never seen the poor child's father, he was killed. Temari remembered the members of Chouji's team from the Chunnin exams. Poor Shikamaru.
"Hidan the immortal ninja from Yugakure. S-class missing nin." Temari recited from memory.
"You know him?" Chouji asked surprised.
"Yeah, Orochimaru did teach me a thing or two." Temari smirked.
"I wonder where he's now though, he disappeared right before the fourth great shinobi war." Temari mused.
"Hidan couldn't be killed so Shikamaru tore him to pieces and buried him in a hole. He's still rotting there." Chouji said his munching ceased.
"He's not exaggerating." Sai added.
Temari gaped at them, she never thought Shikamaru was capable of something like that.
"Shikamaru is dangerous when he has a vendetta against someone. Hidan is proof of that." Chouji said munching on his chips again.
Temari was speechless.
"When Asuma-sensei died he passed down his Chakra blades to Shikamaru, but Shikamaru gave them to Mirai when she graduated the academy. Now that I think about it, you were in the village around the time of Asuma-sensei's funeral. I remember you smacking Shikamaru's smoking habit out of him. I pitied the guy so much that time." Chouji laughed as Temari's eyes widened.
"Shikamaru had a smoking habit?" Temari asked surprised, but amused.
"Yes he did, what's the last thing you remember?" Sai asked curiously.
"The Chunnin exams." Temari smiled leaning on her unopened fan.
"Ah I remember. That event triggered a lot of good things." Chouji said fondly.
"Quite an optimist, aren't you?" Temari said with a raised eyebrow.
"That's where your relationship with Shikamaru started." Chouji smiled making Temari blush slightly and look away hoping nobody noticed.
"How long do you think we'll wait until they attack?" Temari asked changing the subject while she looked at the horizon covered trees.
"I don't know, I thought they would've attacked by now." Chouji said seriously.
"Me too." Sai said his smile falling.
"Somehow this doesn't surprise me. They're up to something." Temari said solemnly narrowing her eyes at the horizon earning Sai and Chouji's attention.
"What do you mean?" Chouji asked.
"When I was still at Orochimaru's hideout he often plotted against Shikamaru, he wasn't worried about the rest as much. He was mostly worried about Shikamaru, Naruto and Sasuke." Temari mused.
"Well Shikamaru is a brilliant strategist, Naruto is a Junchiruki and the Hokage and Sasuke was his vessel." Chouji shrugged.
"Was his vessel?" Temari asked with a raised eyebrow, Orochimaru never told her this.
He always said Sasuke was the one that got away.
"Orochimaru tried to possess him, but Sasuke overwhelmed him and kicked him out." Sai said.
"That's really interesting. Come to think of it what he's doing now is familiar." Temari frowned then suddenly gasped as her eyes widened.
"What is it?" Chouji asked.
"Cut of the head of the snake and the body dies... He already made his first move" Temari said as she scowled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Chouji asked confused.
"He's going to kill Shikamaru then Naruto and probably Gaara after that as well." Temari said scowling.
"I need to warm them, stay alert there are probably sound ninja that already infiltrated the leaf village." Temari exclaimed as she jumped of the wall and dash towards the headquarters.
It was already noon. She could already be to late. Temari dashed through the village and suddenly she felt a chakra presence, but only for a split second before it disappeared. Temari grabbed her fan and spun around using it as a shield in front of her as senbons bounced of her fan. If she dodged the senbons the citizens would've been it.
"Run and get to safety!" Temari roared at the citizens who screamed and ran away frantically.
Temari closed her fan and used it as a club to whack the sound ninja's head, but he dodged and made hand signs however Temari stretched out her arm allowing her arm to turn to snakes which bit the guys arms and legs and kept him at bay. She lifted him up and brought him down hard on the floor head first rendering him unconscious.
"Hey you!" Temari yelled pointing at a gennin who watched her his mouth agape.
"Take this guy to your village's prison or something." Temari said as the gennin nodded and she continued her desperate dash.
She sprinted to the Hokage's office and grabbed a kunai from her ninja pouch. She kicked opened the door and looked around frantically as everyone watched her in shocked, except one man who held 3 senbons in his hand and his appearance started changing.
The man hovered in the back of the room drawing no attention to himself. Before the man could react to Temari's sudden presence she threw the kunai in her hand making it wiz past Ino and Shikamaru's face and peg into the sound shinobi's neck cutting of his oxygen supply.
"Temari! What are you doing?" Ino yelled as they watched the dead man on the floor.
"He's a sound ninja and he almost killed you Shikamaru." Temari said panting as she started relaxing again.
Hinata walked over to the dead man and examined him.
"She's right, he's a sound shinobi." Hinata confirmed as she walked back over to Naruto.
"How did you know he'll be here Temari?" Shikamaru asked confused.
"I was talking with Orochimaru about war a year ago and this was a strategy he mentioned." Temari said as she walked into the room.
"How can you still remember it?" Ino asked surprised.
"Because I thought it was smart." Temari sighed.
"What strategy was that?" Shikamaru asked with a frown.
"He called it something like a snake strategy, I can't remember. But he said to win you had to cut off the head of the snake then the body automatically dies. You, Naruto and Gaara is that snakes head." Temari said pointing at them.
"You think of all the strategies and Orochimaru doesn't like that you pose a challenge to him, that's why he wants you gone first. My theory was correct when I got attacked on my way here." Temari said sitting down in a chair near the map of the village and forest.
"Dammit that was too close." Naruto scowled.
"If there was a spy in our midst without us even realizing it we can safely assume Orochimaru knows of your pregnancy Hinata." Gaara said making Naruto wrap an arm around Hinata protectively.
"That means not only are Shikamaru, Naruto and Gaara targets, but you're a target as well Hinata." Temari said scowling.
"How long will this go on?" Naruto asked angrily.
"Until the sun rises tomorrow morning, but after that he'll stop attacking in the night because the shinobi needs to sleep." Temari said darkly.
"We'll have to stay on guard the whole time then." Naruto said tightening his grip on Hinata.
"That means we can do a memory session Temari if he's only going to start attacking tomorrow." Ino grinned making them look at her.
"I don't think that's a good idea Ino." Shikamaru said.
"Me neither." Gaara agreed.
"Come on, what's the worst that can happen." Ino laughed grabbing Temari's arm and pulling her of the chair.
"I'm afraid to answer that." Shikamaru dead panned.
"You're being paranoid." She said pulling Temari along.
"It's a war Ino, of course I'm paranoid." Shikamaru scowled at her, but she left.
"We should get someone to guard them, they're helpless in that thing." Shikamaru scowled turning to Naruto.
"I agree, but we have limited resources so I can only spare a team of Jonin." Naruto sighed rubbing his templates.
"Contact team 5 and tell them to guard Ino and Temari." Naruto said to a Yamanaka who nodded.
Shikamaru had a bad feeling about this. This was going to be a long day and night.
"What are we going to do about tonight?" Naruto asked.
"There's nothing we can do. We can't locate them so we'll have to stay up all night." Shikamaru sighed, he already craved sleep.
"We can take turns sleeping, except Hinata you can sleep since you're not allowed to fight. I can stay the night at Naruto and Hinata's home and Temari is already staying with Shikamaru." Gaara said with crossed arms.
"What about Kankurou?" Shikamaru said.
"I doubt he'll be targeted, but he can go to either one's home and help." Gaara said.
"Let him go to Naruto's house. We have to be careful with Hinata being pregnant." Shikamaru sighed as Hinata looked at the ground, but Naruto whispered something to her that made her smile.
However Shikamaru felt depressed over the sleep he's going to be losing.
"Then it's settled then." Gaara said with a nod.
It's been about two hours since Temari and Ino left and Shikamaru was now sitting at Naruto's desk devising strategies with Naruto and Gaara. Orochimaru hasn't made another move yet since Temari broke down Naruto's doors, but it made him worry even more.
He was certain something bad is going to happen in the next hour or so and Temari was alone with Ino and three Jonin who guarded them. Even though there were three Jonin guarding them he felt uneasy. He trusted his village's shinobi's strength, but he would've felt better if one of the Konoha 12 where there, like Chouji, and wasn't immobilized.
And just like his bad feeling predicted, something bad happened.
"They're attacking on the east side!" A Yamanaka yelled making everyone scowl, especially Shikamaru.
Shikamaru stopped what he was doing and listened to the frantic Yamanaka's who told them what was happening on the battlefield and after a thirty minute struggle the worst possible thing happened.
"They broke through the east border." A Yamanaka reported to Shikamaru which made him turn ice cold in fear.
The interrogation headquarters are located near the east border...
"How did that happen! Where's Lee and Tenten?" Naruto yelled angrily with a frown.
"They're on a lunch break." The Yamanaka answered with a sweat drop.
"Why the he'll are they taking a lunch break together! Get both of them there now!" Naruto hollered slamming his fist on his desk making the Yamanaka jump.
"Yes sir!" He answered quickly.
That one sentence made all Shikamaru's hair rise in fear. His senses numbed as his mind thought about only one thing. Ino was in Temari's head so there is no way they could know about the sudden attack and there is only three Jonin guarding them.
That's not going to be enough. They're hopelessly outnumbered if the sound ninja found the interrogation headquarters. They won't even stand a chance. He trusted Konoha's shinobi and all, but he wouldn't leave Ino and Temari's lives in someone's hands he didn't know.
"Lee and Tenten are on their way and Lee apologizes, he says it was an unyouthful mistake that won't happen again." The Yamanaka answered making Naruto face palm and swear.
"I have to go." Shikamaru said calmly as he stood up and quickly walked to the window of Naruto's office, now serving as the headquarters for the current war.
The war between sound and leaf.
"Wait, Shikamaru!" Naruto yelled standing up as well, but it was too late he was already out the window.
"Dammit." Naruto grunted as he sat back down.
"We need more troops on the east border now! Since they're only attacking in the east." Naruto exclaimed in one of those rare moments where he was dead serious.
"What if they start attacking at the other sides?" A Yamanaka protested.
"They won't, just do as the Hokage says." Gaara said as the Yamanaka nodded.
"Aren't you worried about Temari?" Naruto asked as he calmed down and watched a calm Gaara.
"Not really." Gaara replied with crossed arms as he leaned back in his chair.
"Why not?" Naruto asked confused as well as curious.
"Because Shikamaru's heading there right now, she'll be okay." Gaara said in his usual monotone, but a slight knowing smirk played on his face making Naruto smirk as well.
"However this could be a trap to lure Shikamaru out." Hinata said as she sat in the chair Shikamaru had sat in before he left making Naruto's smirk fall.
"I know, that's what I'm worried about." Gaara said with a slight scowl.
"Send Kankurou to the east border as well." Gaara demanded as a Yamanaka nodded and communicated with Kankurou telepathically.
"I think he's taunting us." Hinata said bitterly as she looked at Naruto.
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Can't you see he wants to get under Shikamaru's skin? That's why he's only attacking the east border. He started attacking the border where Temari is, she also said she was attacked when she was on her way here when the first assassination attempt occurred. She is being targeted as well." Hinata explained worryingly.
"It could've been that he tried to stop her from reaching the headquarters, but I don't think that's it." Hinata said looking at Naruto.
"That's low even for a snake." Naruto growled as he looked away and out the window almost like he's glaring at Orochimaru.
"It's war Naruto. Orochimaru knows that love makes you strong and love makes you weak. Love makes you vulnerable. That's why he wants to take what we love." Gaara commented tensing up slightly.
"She's being attacked because he loves her." Hinata said sadly next to Naruto.
"You too Hinata." Gaara added forcing himself to relax again.
"I hope Temari and Ino are okay." Hinata said worryingly.
She looked over at Naruto as he leaned over and took her hand in his, holding her hand comfortingly.
"They'll be okay." Naruto smile reassuringly.
Shikamaru's face displayed cold determination as he made his way to the interrogation headquarters. He slashed several of Orochimaru's shinobi with his Chakra blades on his way to Temari not checking if he killed them or not. He was in a hurry.
He gave the chakra blades Asuma gave him to Mirai. She was his daughter and it rightfully belonged to her after all. It was her graduation gift from him and her deceased father for becoming a gennin.
Shikamaru made it to the interrogation headquarters without a scratch, but he had some blood that stained his hands and clothes, undoubtedly from the shinobi he killed or wounded. He walked as fast as he could through the open doors with deadly intentions towards the Yamanaka's machine. As he neared the open door of the room which held the Yamanaka's machine he heard voices which deepened his scowl.
"Isn't that Temari?" The first guy asked recognizing Temari instantly.
Shikamaru stayed in the shadows as he surveyed the situation and just like he guessed all three Jonin where dead on the floor, but by the look of several dead sound shinobi around them and the blood that stained the room, they gave it their all
"Yes she was Orochimaru's right hand man." The second guy agreed softly.
"Then she's on our side, right?" The first asked while the second one only shrugged.
"Didn't she betray us in the end though?" The first guy asked confused and the second one only shrugged his answer again.
"What are they doing to her anyway? Should we kill them all?" The first one asked scratching his head indecisively while the second one nodded.
They couldn't, if they killed them they would stop feeding the machine chakra and if that happens Temari will be brain dead. Shikamaru walked softly towards the two Sound Shinobi and stabbed the one who talked the whole time through his throat while roundhouse kicking the other one as he looked at his partner in shock who was gurgling on his blood. Shikamaru however successfully connected his shadow with the second Shinobi by the roundhouse kick he gave him and used his shadow to strangle him.
They never even saw him coming...
Shikamaru took his kunai out of the ninja's throat and stuffed his other hand in his pocket as he turned around and watched the door patiently. As long as he was there no one was going to touch Temari. Shikamaru's face darkened as voices and footsteps echoed through the hallway.
They're coming...
_
A/N: Plot twist! (I think/hope). Hey guys! I'm so proud of myself for updating so fast. I mean two chapters in one day... Unheard off (if I'm the author anyway). I was supposed to be learning math, but I felt inspired and I like this chapter :P. Consider this a I'm sorry gesture for always taking long to update and I hope you like it as much as I do. I also came to realize that Love-dragon-ball is right, this story is not coming to an end. I find it funny how the readers knows this story better than the author :'D But NEVER DOUBT ME your fantastic author signing off :P (Does that make me sound arrogant?)