-Kiba-

I turned at the sound of my name to see Gaara coming my way.

"What can I do for you Kazekage-sa-"

I started to ask, but he cut me off as he reached me.

"I need your help."

He said and I looked at him confused, but could hear the urgency in his voice and nodded my consent.

"Okay, what with?"

I asked and noticed he seemed to hesitate for a second before replying.

"Finding Zendaya."

He said and I froze.


-Gaara-

I noticed Kiba froze when I told him why I needed his help.

"What do you mean?"

He asked and I saw Akamaru walk up beside him.

"It's complicated. Look, will you help me or not!?"

I snapped, starting to get angry with his stalling.

"Not unless you tell me what happened."

He said and I growled slightly before taking a deep breath to calm myself. It wouldn't help for me to lose it.

"We had an disagreement and she left. I only just found out and want to find her."

I said and saw Kiba's eyes widen before he smirked at me.

"To apologize?"

He asked and I simply glared at him which only seemed to make his smirk widen. I'd already told him all he needed to know.

"If you upset her enough to make her leave the village you'll probably have to do a lot of apologizing."

He said and I growled at him. My patience with him was just about spent.

Apparently he realized how close to losing it I was or something because he dropped his smirk and looked down at Akamaru who barked before taking off.

"Let's follow him, he'll find the place where her scent was last and track it from there."

Kiba explained before we took off after Akamaru. I briefly thought about getting my siblings' help, but after the talk we'd had in my office I had a feeling I'd be better off not involving them in this. I really didn't freel like getting slapped again.

I was a little surprised Akamaru didn't lead us back to the manor, but to the gate surrounding the village. He sniffed the ground before turning his head up towards Kiba and barking.

"What's that boy? Shikamaru's scent is there too?"

Kiba asked and Akamaru barked again before turning around and jumping over the gate and taking off across the desert in the direction of the Land of Fire.

Just how far did she go?

I wondered as Kiba and I kept following Akamaru.


-Temari-

I searched the entire village, but I couldn't find her. I knew she'd already left the village, but I still hoped I'd be able to find her in one of the shops or at her training spot.

"You've been all over today. What's up, got sand in your pants or something?"

I heard a familiar voice ask from behind me and turned around to see Shikamaru standing there with his hands in his pockets and a lazy expression on his face. Normally my heart would have started beating faster or I'd make a smart comment back, but all I could think about was Zendaya out there on her own because of my youngest brother's idiocy.

"Shikamaru..."

I said and felt tears, that I'd been holding back as I tried searching for my friend, well up in my eyes.

I threw myself at him and buried my head in his chest and cried. I felt him awkwardly wrap his arms around my waist and shoulders. I'd kept it together infront of my brothers and while searching, but I couldn't hold it in any longer. Zendaya and I had gotten closer and I thought of her as my friend. When she was around, the manor was a better place. More lively, it felt like a home and even my brothers acted differently. I didn't want it to go back to the way it was. Just a building we lived in together and barely talked to each other unless it was about missions, but that couldn't happen if Zendaya wasn't here.

"They'll find her."

He said adn I knew who he was talking about. I'd seen Kiba and Akamaru jump over the gate earlier, but I doubted they'd be able to bring her back once they found her. Not with what Gaara had said to her.

"So troublesome."

I heard Shikamaru say with a sigh as he tightened his hold on me and just let me cry.


A/N: Yes, I know that in this chapter Temari is a little OOC, but this is after all a FANFIC and I wanted to show her being upset about losing her friend. That, and to include a little ShikaxTem moment XD I updated twice in less than five minutes. Review!