Ch. 38 Rescue the Queen

Don patiently sat in his office filling out paperwork, he had only held the position of Hokage for a month and he was already beginning to regret his decision. However, the picture sitting on his desk of Sachiko holding Natsuki in her arms was there to remind him why he would have to temporarily endure this hardship.

Shikamaru walked into Don's office. "I'm here like you requested Don." he said with a grim tone.

"Thank you for coming all the way out here on such short notice. Those old bastards have me busy with Hokage duties, I haven't been able to get down to business lately." Don replied.

"Why is it exactly that you called me out here for?" Shikamaru asked.

"Don't you find it a bit strange that a person like me would become Hokage?" Don asked looking directly into Shikamaru's eyes with a smirk on his face.

"You called me all the way from Suna to ask me this question? Do you realize how troublesome this is, Temari didn't want me to leave, it was nearly impossible to convince her to let me leave the hou..." he began to say only to be cut off.

"Just answer the question. I didn't ask for your petty excuses." Don snapped.

"Honestly yes. I find it peculiar that all of a sudden you chose to be Hokage, especially after you swore you'd work your way back into Suna. Temari was pissed when she got the news. I'm surprised Gaara wasn't as angry." he replied.

"To make a long story short, I'm playing a chess game and right now, I'm short one queen and have no other pieces on the board to play with and I'm up against a full chess army." Don said.

"What are you talking about?" Shikamaru asked confused.

Don smiled, "Let's take a walk shall we?" he said rising from his seat.

Shikamaru rose from his seat as well and the two walked out his office and took a stroll around the village. Meanwhile, the clouds overhead became dark and trickles of rain began to fall upon them. Eventually Don led Shikamaru to his favorite spot in the village; the tree which he would always lay under during the day and sometimes at night. Once there, the rain began to truly fall on them.

Rain trickled down Dons face to hide some of the tears that trickled down the side of his face as well. "Those old bastards threatened to take Sachiko away from me if I didn't comply. I called them out thinking it was a bluff, I told them if they laid a finger on her, I'd kill them. I... It wasn't a bluff. They took Sachiko, I don't know where she is. She's been missing for a month." he paused and took a deep breath, "But I know you are aware of this. However that's not why I called you here, to tell you of my troubles. I have something more important to ask you..."

"Don, you can't possibly be asking me to take part in this? I'll be branded as a criminal!" Shikamaru said.

"I wouldn't dare ask you to kill those bastards for me. I want you as a source of intel. I'm already reaching out to my old squad mates from my ANBU days. I'm asking that you join my team. Help me find Sachiko and help me construct a plan to kill those guys who took Sachiko away. I don't care what happens next. I will fulfill my promise and kill them." Don said getting down on his knees begging him.

Shikamaru was silent for a few moments and then sighed, "It's all too troublesome, but, I'd be asking you the same thing if something happened to Temari, so you can count on me."

Don looked up at Shikamaru and smiled. "Thank you so much!" he exclaimed. Don got on his feet and smirked, "I have one more piece for my side of the chessboard. I'm confident by week's end, I will have everyone I need to accomplish my goal."

"I'll do what I can." Shikamaru said.

"One more thing." Don said.

"Yeah, what is it?" Shikamaru asked.

"We never had this conversation." Don said in a serious tone walking away.

Shikamaru nodded and walked away.

Don returned to his house and laid on his bed. In the darkness, in the silence, he watched the rain fall outside and listened to it as it beat down on his roof. "I'm going to find you Sachiko. I promise. I pray you are still alive. I will see to it personally that you are brought home safely." he said to himself.

From her cell, Sachiko picked up her head as she heard a loud explosion and the screams of terror. A loud roar echoed throughout the hideout she was in. She recognized that roar, when she heard it, tears fell down from her eyes. She had been held captive for months, she had been tortured and was hanging on for dear life.

The roar of the wild animal was getting closer, she jumped when the door was flung open and a familiar silhouette ran up to her and a warm pair of lips connected with hers.

Her chains were broken and she found herself picked up and carried in Don's arms.

She was too weak to say any words, all she could do was smile and cry tears of joy. She lifted her hand and stroked his cheek before passing out. When she awoke, she was in a hospital bed wrapped in bandages.

"Good morning, or should I say, good evening." Rain said smiling at Sachiko.

"Where's Don?" Sachiko asked sitting up.

"What do you mean? Don hasn't been seen since the chunin exams." she replied.

Sachiko though back to her rescue, "But, I was pretty sure... that was him." she said raising her fingers to her lips, "He kissed me, that feeling I got when his lips connected with mine. I'm sure it was him."

"The ninja who rescued you said they found you passed out in your cell. Maybe you were just dreaming." Rain said.

"Maybe..." Sachiko said.

Sachiko looked up as her daughter came running in the room and hugged her. She smiled and hugged her daughter back.