Inoichi was reading the scroll Tsunade had handed him. A mission, one requiring the delicate touch of the Yamanaka specialty jutsus. He scowled, "This mission is a waste of my time. You'd be better off sending Ino and letting me stay here in case of an attack."

Tsunade nodded to show she'd heard. The Leaf village was on high alert after the attack in Suna just last night. Further correspondence had told her that Kankuro had been found, but poisoned and near death. Suna had begged for medical assistance. Tsunade had sent a reply, knowing that she'd been lucky that she'd sent Sakura to Suna before even knowing her particular skills would be so desperately needed.

The vision of a laughing, mischievous young brunette at Gaara's reception haunted her. And she didn't even know the young man, not really.

"I can't spare Ino right now, not when every medic could be needed." Tsunade explained diplomatically, trying to avoid a truth that wasn't her secret to tell.

"Bullshit." Inoichi said, then sighed. "Sorry. What I mean is this 'mission' isn't very far away and she could be called back almost instantly. It's easy, just time consuming. Send Ino, she'll be great."

"No." Tsunade's voice was harsher than she'd intended, but then she'd not slept since that first alert had flown in with the message bird. She rubbed her face and sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I have reasons, Inoichi. I can't spare Ino right now. Do this mission, I know it's beneath you, but it needs to be done."

Inoichi snapped to attention, though he was left feeling confused and a bit angry.

o.O.o.O.o.O

By some small miracle, the sand puppeteer had survived the night. A night he'd spent wracked in agonizingly painful seizures that the Suna medics were having a difficult time alleviating.

Chiyo did not let her cold mask slip, but inside she was railing at her inability to isolate the poison used. Kankuro would be dead soon, and there was nothing she could do to change that.

A loud clattering outside the medical ward announced the arrival of the newcomers. Chiyo snorted, like anyone from the Leaf village would be of any true help.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Having just returned from his mission, Shikamaru headed for the shower, some food, and his fiancé. The first two were easy to find. The last one wasn't.

He didn't put too much effort into looking, that wasn't really his way. Instead, when he heard the rumors flying about the 'devastation' in Suna, he realized that Temari was probably at the Hokage tower. No doubt she was trying to wrangle the truth from the fiction in these rumors.

Tsuande's office was a bee hive of activity and Shikamaru knew he'd never get close. But he didn't see Temari around anywhere and he wondered if they'd put her to work somewhere to take her mind off of what was happening.

"Oi! Kotetsu!" He hailed someone he knew, "Where have they stashed Temari?"

Kotetsu shrugged and hurried off on his business. He asked several others, but no one seemed to know anything.

"Oh! Shikamaru! I'm glad you're back. I could use a hand with these reports that the Inuzuka's are sending in, going through and finding which are plausible threats and which are not. They're searching the areas around the village to see who's gone in and out, and where." A weary looking Shizune grabbed his elbow and led him into a small side office.

"What's going on? I've been hearing all sorts of nasty rumors in the village." Shikamaru grabbed the messy stack of papers and began sorting through them.

Shizune sighed, leaning heavily on the desk. "Depends. What have you heard?"

"That Suna was leveled to the ground." Shikamaru counted the rumors off on his fingers. "That Orochimaru attacked them for becoming our allies."

Shizune smiled sadly and shook her head 'no'.

"That Gaara had a battle with his council and wiped Suna out with a sandstorm." He continued, "And I've also heard that there was a freak sandstorm that wiped everyone out, including the Kazekage."

Again, another shake of her head. "Rumors." She sighed.

"That Gaara has been kidnapped and Kankuro was killed." He paused, waiting for her to shake her head. But she didn't, instead staring at him with a drawn and weary face.

"No." He whispered with a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Last I heard, Kankuro was still alive. But only barely, poisoned. Gaara saved Suna but at the expense of his own capture. We're waiting to hear from Sakura as soon as she gets there, she might be able to save Kankuro."

Shikamaru sighed heavily. "But only if she gets there in time, right?" Temari must be going out of her skull with worry.

Shizune nodded sadly.

Shikamaru suddenly jerked upright, startling the dark-haired kunoichi, grabbing the paperwork from her. "What? Shikamaru, what are you looking for?"

She stared at the young man as he found tore throught the stack, then stopping. He held the piece of paper he'd been looking for, his face going pale under his tan. "She's gone."

Shizune shook her head in confusion, "Who?"

Shikamura looked up, his dark eyes haunted. "Temari. According to this report, she met up with team Kakashi on the road outside of the village. From there they all headed at great speed. To Suna."

Shizune sucked in her breath. "Damn it."

"I have to go after her." Shikamaru went for the door. Shizune put herself in his way.

"It was her choice to go, she's not a citizen here. Not yet. And if she has her way, she'll only be half a citizen anyway."

Shikamaru growled, leaning forward. "Don't hold that against her, not now!"

"Use your jutsu on me, chuunin, and I'll have you arrested and incarcerated for the entirety of this crisis." She told him archly.

He snarled, but backed down. "She needs me."

Shizune sighed, she wasn't heartless after all. "I know you think that. But she's a capable ninja in her own right. She's with team Kakashi, which isn't shabby to say the very least. And you are needed here."

"You're not the Hokage." He told her, feeling desperate.

"Fine. Go ask her." Shizune stepped aside. "But step one foot out of the Hokage tower without permission, much less this village, and you'll find I don't make idle threats."

"Even for a friend?"

"Especially for a friend." She told him sadly. Shizune knew he was hurting, but going off half-cocked was a sure way to get him killed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Inoichi was home packing a small mission bag, his permits to leave the village in his pocket.

"Fine time for a stupid mission." He grumbled to himself. The village was on high alert and he was sent off on a genin level trip.

"Daddy?" Inoichi looked up to see his daughter staring at him sleepily. Obviously he'd woken her from a nap. He frowned, she looked pale to him.

"Tsunade-sama in her infinite wisdom is sending me on a glorified 'D' ranked mission." He told her gently. "I'll be back soon."

"Why you?" She asked softly, looking a bit forlorn.

"Ah baby, it calls for the Yamanaka 'mind touch' don't you know. The target is laughably easy though." He sighed with a dramatic flare.

"Then why not send me?" She asked, her brows furrowed in question.

Inoichi shrugged, "Seems she can't 'spare' your medical touch."

Ino frowned. "But I'm only a rank beginner, I'm not …." And she stopped, suddenly very aware of why Tsunade wasn't sending her on this mission. "Oh, well, I guess she needs every possible hand."

Inoichi frowned back at her. He knew her. She was his daughter and he'd been there with her, and for her, throughout her entire life. She was lying to him.

He stared hard at his little girl, watching as his gaze made her blush and look away. She looked … odd. Less of herself, actually. As if the 'spark' that was Ino was being hidden away under a basket.

"Are you sick?" Inoichi asked bluntly, sitting down on a futon and patting the seat next to him.

Ino shook her head at him, staying in the doorway. "You need to leave on your mission, don't you?"

"Not until later tonight." He lied. He was a much better liar than Ino. But then, he was older. "Tell me what's wrong. Have you had a spat with Kiba?"

Ino pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"Tsume or Hana giving you trouble?" He asked, although he didn't think this to be the case. He was relieved when she shook her head again.

Silence filled the room as he pondered his daughter, and she hid her face from him.

"Baby..." He started, stopping because he didn't know what to ask next.

"How did you …" She stopped, having looked up at him in shock.

"What do you mean?" He asked, then flushed as the answer hit him in the face. "I'll kill him."

"No!"

"Kiba is fucking dead!" Inoichi headed for the door with blood in his eyes.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Chiyo watched with amazement as the pink-haired kunoichi she'd dismissed as 'fluff' worked tirelessly and with great effect. She took in Temari's fear ravaged face as she helped hold down her brother as Sakura painstakingly pulled the majority of the poison from his body.

The elder was a bit taken aback by Sakura's medical skills and knowledge. She'd done more in the first few minutes she'd been here than all the Suna medics had managed overnight.

It was humbling to see. And it was awesome to watch. Chiyo wasn't sure she'd changed her mind about Leaf villagers, but now doubt pulled at her.

A long time later, Sakura leaned back. "He'll live." The Suna medics took away the final batch of the poison pulled from the puppeteer's organs. "The worst of the poison is out, but he'll be weak for a while. I still need to isolate an antidote for what I wasn't able to pull out of him."

Temari watched her brother, his breathing finally calming as fatigue drew him deep into sleep. A sleep he'd been denied by all the pain and seizures since he'd been wounded. Temari backed away, as she felt her knees weaken under her. Her back hit the wall and she slid down to the ground in a heap.

Kankuro. Visions of her brother flew through her mind at high speed. All the pranks he pulled. All the tears he'd made her shed. All the tears she'd beaten out of him. All the times they'd huddled together in fear of their father. The times they'd protected each other. He annoyed the living crap out of her. And she couldn't have borne it if he'd died.

One brother safe, her thoughts flew to the younger sibling. Gaara. She had no such memories of the red-head. Fear of her brother ruled her childhood. Yet, despite that, she'd cared. It had been a caring tempered with caution and mistrust, but she'd always cared. It wasn't until Gaara had opened up to her and Kankuro, that that caring had turned into love. A love just as fierce as the bond she shared with Kankuro.

Time to get the other brother to safety too.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Inoichi reappeared in the room, eyeing his daughter. "You didn't try and stop me." He pointed out, in case she'd missed it.

Ino stared at him wide eyed. "You wouldn't really kill him."

"You're not a parent, you wouldn't know what I'd do to protect you." He replied, then watched as her face paled and her hands went to her belly. He winced, baaaad choice of words!

Inoichi reached for his daughter and pulled her into his arms. "Tell me. I can't help you if you don't let me in." And mind control wouldn't work on her, he'd taught her too well for that. Not that he'd ever misuse his abilities that way, still he'd often wished he'd had the ability to understand his own child.

Ino just shook her head, and started crying against his shoulder.

He sighed and rubbed her back. "Ino. What did Kiba say that has upset you like this?"

"Nothing." She whispered.

Inoichi frowned. "You told him you're …pre…expecting and he said NOTHING?" Maybe he should reconsider killing the boy and torture him first.

"I haven't told him."

Inoichi pulled back, pulling her chin up with one finger to meet her reddened eyes. "Say that again? You haven't told him? Surely you're not scared of what he'll say are you?"

Ino's lip trembled and more tears fell as she nodded, then shook her head, then nodded again. "He's …heee's ….oh Daddy! He's going to be sooooo happy!"

The last part was wailed against his chest as she grabbed onto her father for dear life. Puzzled, he wrapped his arms around her. "And that's a BAD thing?"

"And you're happy, and mom will be ecstatic and Tsume will be happy and even Kuromaru will be happy!" She was wailing loud and clear enough for the next door neighbors to hear now.

Inoichi drew her over to the futon and sat her down, kneeling down before her so he could look into her face.

"And this doesn't make you happy?" He told her then stopped, replaying her words in his head. "And what makes you think I'm happy about this! I don't even like to think about him kissing you, much less how he got you into this condition!"

"You're always talking about a grandson!" She accused mulishly, her lips pouting. "And mother is serving kazunoko at nearly every meal and it's not even New Years!" She ended on a wail.

Inoichi sighed, feeling lost. Where was his wife when he needed her? Minding the store. Ah well. "And how does your mother usually feel about kazunoko?" He asked gently.

Sniffling, Ino shrugged.

Inoichi touched his finger gently to her nose. "Your mother has an uncommon fondness for salted herring eggs. We've eaten them often over the years, and not just at New Years. Just because traditionally it's symbolic of maternal fertility doesn't mean she's aiming them at you."

Ino nodded, realizing she might have overreacted a tad bit.

"And none of us, no matter how much we'd like grandchildren, wanted you to get pregnant now. Another two months would have been fine."

Ino snorted then laughed through her tears. "Gee, thanks."

Inoichi kissed her on the forehead and sighed.

"I was feeling like no one was seeing ME anymore, just the means to have the next generation. A brood-mare."

"Aw baby." He hugged her tight.

"And you stopped trying to chaperone us 24 hours a day. What was I supposed to think?"

Inoichi sighed and frowned. "That it was useless to chaperone you two. You always slipped away from me and made me feel old and useless. Your mother and Tsume laughed at me and even Choza was indecently amused. Though Nara did offer to let me borrow his wife. She's apparently good at keeping Shikamaru and Temari on the straight and narrow."

Ino laughed at that and Inoichi smiled. This time her laughter sounded like the daughter he knew.

"Now go wash up. You have a young man to break some news to, and I have a mission to go on." He paused. "I promise not to kill him, but can I torture him …just a little?"

She grinned at him. "Only a little, Dad."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shikamaru had never been more angry in his life. No one was backing him up. Not his father, not his Hokage and certainly not his mother. Did they WANT to get rid of Temari?

Shit.

Now. How to go missing without going missing?

o.O.o.O.o.O

They were trying to get rid of her. Temari fumed, never having been more angry and upset in all her young life.

Kakashi and his team were going after Gaara as soon as they found the direction in which to go. Even Chiyo was going with them, and she was an old lady. Whle Temari was …ordered to stay behind and patrol the borders.

Her hands shook with fury.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro had never felt so useless in all his life. Bedridden and weak he had tried to get up to use the restroom, only to have Sakura push him back down on the bed. Easily. With a lecture. Baaah.

He was humiliated. She'd had some old servant come in to hold a bottle for him to pee into. Kankuro had snarled and snatched it out of his hands. Then he'd become appalled as he saw the tremors in his own hands, weakened as he was from the poison that had nearly killed him.

Sakura had grabbed the bottle back and lectured him again, just like a small child. He stuck his tongue out at her and she raised an eyebrow.

"Unless you want me to hold this for you, then let this nice man do it for you." She sneered.

Calling her bluff, he held out the sheet for her. "Be my guest." Knowing she'd back down, he smiled nastily.

She reached for the sheet and he pulled back, startled. "Hey!"

Sakura laughed and put her hands on her hips, a pose he was beginning to hate. "Well, make up your mind. Him or me?"

Kankuro lifted his chin with what little pride had left. "You just want to see me naked."

Sakura huffed and puffed, and threw the bottle down to him. "Fine, wet the bed like an infant, see if I care."

She stalked away and he called after her. "Cruel witch!"

"Ungrateful clod!"

She reached the door. "You …You …" Sakura paused and turned and stared at him.

"Me, me what?" She asked him pointedly.

"Baaah. Thank you." He mumbled, looking cranky as he stared everywhere but at her.

Sakura smiled, knowing his bad temper was a good sign in all actuality. She eyed his broad chest that she'd rewrapped in bandages earlier. At the time she hadn't taken time to look, so caught up in saving his life and all.

"You're welcome. But don't push too far too fast, or you'll make yourself worse. The antidote I gave you will neutralize the rest of the poison. But there was a lot of damage and the healing is still new."

"Yah, yah, yah." He groused, and reluctantly tossed the bottle to the servant. "You can stay and watch if you want."

"Pervert." She huffed, leaving the room and letting the door 'thud' behind her as she left.

"SAKURA!"

She opened the door again, eyes wide. "What????"

"Bring Gaara back. You and Naruto. Bring my brother home."

Sakura blinked, knowing it was killing the proud young man to entrust his brother's life to others. To ask for anything.

"As if I was doing this for you." She sneered.

"Cruel witch." He said, softly.

"Ungrateful clod." She nodded to him, assuring him she'd try her best to bring Gaara back home.

o.O.o.O.o.O

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