Hi everyone!

As promised I have a new chapter ready for action! I might be able to start updating a bit faster now that my life isn't as busy for the moment but we'll see.

I should probably tell you now that there is a bit of Matsuri bashing in this chapter.

Personally I'm okay with her, don't really care much about her. (She's a filler character after all!)

So now onwards my dear readers onwards!

(If you notice any spelling errors, I deeply apologize for my sloppy work!)


Temari was beyond pissed when she learned that damn fangirl of an apprentice had tried to seduce her younger brother. It was completely unacceptable! The blonde had a million ideas of torture going through her head and she was more than willing to put them to use.

That little bitch! Temari had never liked Matsuri from the start. She was way to clingy and demanding. The blonde had learned over the years that Matsuri was not one to give up so easily; this was most certainly not the first time she had attempted to win over Gaara and Temari had no patience for the wretch whatsoever. So one could imagine how furious she was when Kankuro informed her of Matsuri's performance of trying to seduce Gaara for the hell of it.

She had wanted to act right away. But Gaara hadn't allowed it. In her mind he was being way too soft. Putting her in solitary confinement was not nearly enough to punish her. Temari couldn't help but give a long sigh as she brushed her bangs out of her eyes. She cared for Hinata, she really did. Ever since marrying her younger brother Temari had seen changes in him that she never thought she see in a lifetime. With Hinata life seemed to be so much better. It was hard to imagine what it was life before Hinata.

Temari couldn't lose her new sister. She wouldn't allow it, not when Gaara was starting to become vulnerable to his emotions. With all these new feelings, he wasn't himself and that left him exposed to so many things that he wasn't ready for yet. As his older sister Temari loved Gaara very much and she wanted only what was best for him and his wife.

"You seem to be scheming about something troublesome woman, I just hope that it doesn't involve me".

Hearing Shikamaru's voice helped put her at ease. She could always count on him to help her with her problems. It was funny how Temari was a completely different person around Shikamaru then with everyone else. Sure, she looked tough, intimidating and overall independent. But she was actually very sensitive and more often misunderstood when it came her emotional desires. Shikamaru being the genius he was saw past all that. And he knew when Temari needed a shoulder to lean on. Funny, how he had gotten so well at reading her. She was so easy to read.

"What do you want crybaby".

The Nara made his way and stood next to her as he took a moment to look at the village from the balcony. "It's pretty here, though it lacks the clouds needed to stare at, pity though but otherwise alright". Temari raised an eyebrow "Did you really just come here to admire the view!"

Shikamaru laughed a bit "Hmm you could say that". Temari was now confused "Well then what do you want?!"

"I should be the one asking you that".

At first she didn't understand what he meant but as she opened her mouth to speak he cut her off. "Temari don't try and pretend I know that you're angry and your worried for your brother". She stood there in total shock "What?! Who told you?!" Shikamaru shrugged "No one I figured it out".

She scoffed "Yeah, well if you're so smart how come you haven't said anything!"

"To put it bluntly it's too troublesome. Got better things to do then worry". Temari knew for a fact that it was Shikamaru's way of saying how Gaara needed to handle the situation on his own. But she couldn't help it. "That's a brilliant idea, let my baby brother handle a bitch. Now why didn't I think of that!".

Shikamaru looked serious now. "Temari I know that you care but you have to stay out of this. Gaara needs to learn that sometimes it's not easy to accept the truth no matter how much we want to deny it. How's he ever gonna be a man if you keep mothering him".

"I am not mothering him!".

Shikamaru chuckled "No? Then why is it that you hover over him like a hen and her chicks. Are you afraid of something?"

Temari found herself unable to respond. How did Shikamaru manage to hit her in a tender spot? She had been completely caught off guard by that. Dammit! Why was he so good at reading her?!

Temari hadn't been aware that she was crying until she heard tear drops hit the floor. It made her even more pissed, she hated to look weak in front of everyone especially the man that she loved.

"I...I suppose it's because I lost my own mother". At this point Temari no longer cared that the floodgates had been opened, she just wanted to spill what she had been hiding for so long. It was killing her, and it anyone could understand it was the Nara that now held her hand in a comforting embrace.

"I remember being so sad when I learned that my mother had died after giving birth to Gaara. But I didn't hate him for that it was never his fault. And...and I guess that I wanted to be there for my brothers; as their older sister it was my job to always look after them. I had made a promise to myself that I would become their mother...I thought that if I replaced our mother then perhaps...perhaps then Gaara wouldn't feel so lost. He could look up to me as his sense of support and I would love him like our mother never could".

The tears had started to come down harder much to Temari's dismay. Oh, how she despised looking so miserable in other's presence it made her feel so worthless.

Shikamaru wasn't one to be all touchy like. But for some reason the urge to hold the woman he loved was too good to pass. So he nervously took her in a hug wrapping his strong arms around her.

"Don't get used to this, it's a onetime only thing". He mentally slapped himself for saying that, but it just came out to quickly. He waited for Temari to lash out at him, but it never came instead she just sobbed into his arms. Shikamaru held her for a long while. She really needed someone to lean on. And it was high time he be her sense of support for a change.

"Thank you Shikamaru".

At long last she had calmed down enough to speak clearly. And she found herself smiling. This was such a wonderful feeling to know that she could actually lean on someone for once. It never failed to surprise her how much Shikamaru cared.

The Nara blushed a bit. "Um...Your welcome". He didn't really know what to say but for Temari he was willing to try. They were alone at the moment and he had been dying to say this for ages now. It was time to man up!

"Temari? There's something I have to tell you". "What is it crybaby?"

Shikamaru was at a loss for words. How was one supposed to tell someone that they loved them? Shikamaru had never told any woman that he loved them and it frustrated him that he couldn't think of anything to say. He was supposed to be a simple man; yet this was no simple task at all.

Finally he gave up, there was no use in wasting time trying to come up with mushy words. Perhaps a more direct approach to do this. "What the hell!" Shikamaru leaned down and smashed his lips onto Temari's stunning her greatly.

Ten seconds later, he pulled back from the mind-blowing kiss. On this inside he was jumping with joy. But he was Shikamaru and he always maintained his composure no matter what.

"Wha?" Temari was now very confused. A minute ago she was confessing a personal secret and now the man she loved had just kissed her. Today couldn't get any stranger for her. The Nara looked down at her and smiled "Consider that my way of saying I love you".

The blonde took a moment to savor that sentence. A warm feeling spread inside of her, as the notion that Shikamaru did indeed love her buzzed inside her mind.

She then started to laugh, and after getting a hold of her giggles Temari lightly punched his arm "Aww I knew it all along! And for the record I love you too".

Shikamaru grinned "Doesn't that make us a couple?" Temari nodded "Yes I think it does". Shikamaru wrapped an arm around her "Don't expect me to act like a boyfriend around you, my reputation would be ruined". She smiled "No we wouldn't want that".

Gaara had been standing in the cold desert night for nearly three hours now. His mind was just so confused and jumbled up at the moment. Why didn't anything seem to make sense to him?! Since declaring his love for Hinata all he could think about was her protection. It had gotten to a point where he would send some of his guards to secretly follow her just to make sure that she was alright. Gaara knew that he was being a bit overprotective. Hinata was a strong woman of jounin level. She could easily handle herself, but as her husband he still worried for her.

It was a new feeling to always have his wife in the back of his head. She really had taken a hold on him since he married her.

Seeing how he wasn't doing much to clear his head, he decided to head back to his office. Perhaps getting a head start on tomorrow's work would do him some good. At least it would give him something to do.

When he opened his office door, a smell hit him. It was one that he didn't recognize and it was very strong. Where was that smell coming from? Something simply didn't seem right to him and he slowly opened the door some more. His eyes widened greatly when he saw Matsuri sprawled out on his desk with no clothing of any kind.

A deep serge of anger rippled through him. How dare her! He slammed the door opened violently. "Gaara-sama so glad you could make it". Her sweet voice made him want to hurl. God how he hated this woman.

"Now that where alone, let's finish what we started".

Gaara growled in anger as his sand swirled around him. "What the hell are you doing?! Get dressed at once!".

Matsuri seemingly unfazed by the sand stood up and made her way over to him with a bit of a smirk on her face. "Come now Gaara-sama don't you like what you see?" She purred as she got even closer to him "Why don't we have a little fun, you know I can make you happy. I can be everything you've ever wanted". She touched his shoulders "I can do so much more then that little slut of a wife can. What do you say Gaara? Are you in?"

Hearing his wife be insulted in that manner Gaara lashed out at Matsuri with his sand. The particles cut her skin as he threw her and her clothes out his office. Before slamming his fists down on his desk nearly breaking it. He was so unbelievably pissed at the moment.

How did she even escape, there were supposed to be several guards stationed to watch her at all times. Gaara's best guess was that she tricked them into letting her escape. Matsuri was really good at manipulating people and this angered him even more. Summoning some guards from further down the hall, Gaara had them practically drag an enraged Matsuri away. The whole time babbling nonsense on how she wished he would love her and that how she should have the right to be his wife. When she was finally gone, Gaara leaned against the wall and slide down. He was still angry but now he felt hurt.

In all the years he had known her, Gaara never once thought that his apprentice would go so low. Matsuri had taught him to be more wary of everyone. You can never fully trust others, no matter how much you think you know them. He felt betrayed, hurt and above all angry at everything, it was like a repeat from the past.

"Damn!" he muttered, why was this happening?! Matsuri would never again have his trust. She had sealed her fate when she decided to seduce the Kazekage.

Gaara knew that he probably shouldn't but he hated her. He hated Matsuri for betraying the trust he had in her. While he never consider her as a friend, she defiantly used to be a person that he thought he could protect.

He then heard his door open and Kankuro walked in. "Gaara I wanted too-" Kankuro suddenly stopped when he smelled the air. "What the hell? Gaara what happened in here?!"

The red head then explained with a bitter tone and his older brother stood in complete shock. Kankuro never thought much about Matsuri, sure he knew of her feelings for Gaara but he never thought she was the right one for him. But to hear what she had done just made him lose all trust he ever had in her.

"Gaara I-" "Never mind" the red head stood up slowly. "Where's Hinata?" "She's in your room but-" Gaara didn't wait for Kankuro to finish he practically ran to his bedroom and slammed the door open startling her. "Gaara-dana what-" Hinata was unable to finish because her husband had her in a death grip in the blink of an eye. It took her a moment to register that he was crying.

The shy Hyuga didn't know what to say or do. Her husband was holding her for dear life with his face buried in her chest sobbing like crazy, what had happened to make a powerful man such as her husband suddenly bawl like a baby?

"Gaara what is wrong?" He didn't respond he simply held her tighter. Hinata not knowing what to do gently ran her hands through his hair. She was worried about him, what could've possibly happened to him?

"Gaara? I want to help you, please tell me". Her voice was so gentle and soft and that made him cry harder. How could he love this woman so much. She was the best thing that ever happened to him.

"She did it again".

"Hmm? Who did? What did they do?"

"She tried to have me again. She hurt me and I feel angry, I hate her now and I don't want too but I can't help it. I hate her, I hate her".

It took Hinata a moment to realize who Gaara was talking about and suddenly everything made sense. "Matsuri did this didn't see". Gaara nodded as his grip on her tightened and Hinata felt a twinge of hate make its way through her. She could feel her anger rising greatly. No one made her husband cry like this. Her anger was rising even more. She loved Gaara and Hinata made a promise to herself that she would deal with this matter once and for all. Gaara deserved someone who could help him and she'd be the one to fix it.

Sensing that her husband needed to calm down, Hinata lovingly wrapped her arms around him and whispered soothing words as he continued to cry.

After a bit of comforting, his shaking began to die down and his tears reduced. Soon he was just limp but he still continued to hold onto her, he felt as though it he let go of his wife he'd crumble.

"Gaara-dana please do not cry".

"I hate her...but I can't understand why. I should've have to feel this but for some reason I do and I can't understand". Hinata gave him a sad smile "Oh Gaara, what you're feeling is perfectly normal. It's ok to hate if you feel it's necessary". She wiped some of his remaining tears with the back of her hand "You are a human and we all experience these kinds of things. What Matsuri did was wrong, she had betrayed you and your bond with her. But you have to understand that even when all seems like it's over, it's not really the end".

The bluenette gave him a gentle kiss "You may not understand these emotions now, but I assure you it's perfectly alright to hate it's all a part of human nature".

Hinata then gave him a hug and her embrace seemed to do the trick. Her husband seemed much more at ease with himself. After a little bit of cuddling Hinata had managed to put Gaara into a dreamless sleep. But she found herself unable to sleep that night.

She knew that if she wanted to solve this problem for good then she'd have to confront Matsuri herself. And while she wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea. She loved Gaara and this was probably the only way she could know once and for all how to potentially eliminate the threat once and for all. All she could do was hope that she hadn't made the wrong decision.


I know, I know! I'm a horrible person!

Once again, it's all part of the aspect for the story.

There's going to be a series of events coming up in the next few chapters. But I may have to go back and do some editing. I want them to be good chapies!

Reviews are always welcomed!

Please no flames!

Until next time everyone!