A/N: Well, this chapter is a bit "filler"-ish. I didn't want to start the heavy stuff until next week, so you get a bit of team-dynamic building for Shikamaru instead. I hope you all don't mind, and I hope you enjoy the interaction between the characters and perhaps even gain some insight. You're always welcome to let me know what you think, either via review or email.

Also, I'm trying out this whole C2 thing. I'm collecting stories about Shikamaru. So far most of them are romantic, because people that write him seem to like to mess with his love life (and I'm no exception). If anyone has a good story they'd like to recommend, email me with details, and if you'd even like to subscribe, that would be awesome. I can't get the danged C2 thing to show up in the Naruto C2 list, though, so you'll have to find it here: www dot fanfiction dot net slash c2 slash 7319 slash 0 slash 1. There's also a link on my profile page.

Shikamaru looked down at the mission scroll in his hand, his fingers tightening around the hard leather case. The Hokage wasn't messing around. What he didn't understand was why she picked him. Hunting down Akatsuki members was something for those more powerful than he, such as Naruto or Neji . Still, it was him that held the scroll, and his team that had to complete the mission.

"Listen up," he said to his team, all three pairs of eyes on him. "Our objective is to capture a member of the Akatsuki . From what I understand, this guy is a junior in the organization, but all that means is he's an S-class criminal, just like the rest of them. It's rumored that he works solo, which is why he's the target. Get him, get back. Got it?"

His team nodded, and he wished that he knew more details. He didn't, though, and there wasn't anyone else to turn to. Naruto's team was out on a mission, as were Shino's and Neji's. "Shikamaru?" he heard someone ask, and he looked up from the scroll.

"Yeah?"

"Are we going to need anything in particular for this mission?" Lee asked.

"A small army might be nice," Shikamaru drawled.

"Seriously," TenTen said with a frown.

He shook his head. "No. If we can't capture the target, we'll flee. No reason to die on this one. It's just information we're after."

"So this isn't a paid mission?" she asked.

"Not really. This is a special dispatch. We'll get paid something, though." Silence fell upon the group as TenTen pulled on her flak jacket, the fabric clanking as she jostled it. She had a small frown on her face, and he knew she didn't like it. TenTen and Neji had been squirreling away money to buy their own place. It was only a matter of time before Hinata was ready to fight her father for the right to act as the head of the clan, and she had promised the couple a place to live and high status in the clan, but Shikamaru knew that Neji had sworn never to live under the same roof as Naruto for the simple reason that Neji couldn't stand Naruto's constant chatter.

"Shikamaru?" a soft voice asked, and he met Hinata's pale gaze. "Are they after Naruto again?"

He sighed, scratching his temple. "Probably. Isn't someone always after him? Outsiders can hardly stand it that they don't have his power under their control."

"I suppose," she murmured.

"It's okay," Lee said, adjusting his kunai holder. "It doesn't matter that it's night, and we must be dashing through the dark instead of at home with our loved ones, because we are ninja and must serve our country and protect our friends!"

"Lee," TenTen groaned, shaking her head and covering her eyes with her hand.

Shikamaru's eye twitched as he looked at the second Proud Green Beast of Konoha. "Troublesome," he muttered.

A few moments later they had picked up their rations and were on their way through the trees. His companions traveled silently behind him, the only sound accompanying them being the wind through the leaves. He saw each of his teammates glancing behind them at one point in time or another. It wasn't difficult for him to imagine what they were thinking. They all had people they loved dearly in Konoha, and the assignment they had just accepted was extremely dangerous. For once he understood how they felt. He wasn't sure where things stood with Ino, but he knew that he wanted her to kiss him again. He wanted to know if there was a chance.

Morning came, and they came to a stop for a while to eat a light breakfast. They talked quietly amongst themselves, even Lee a bit reserved in his behavior. "Neji told me that Tsunade's talking about retiring in a few years," TenTen said.

Hinata nodded. "She told Naruto that if he can demonstrate a thousand techniques to the elders by the end of next year, she'll start training him. Of course, he still sees Jiraiya."

"I always knew he could do it," Lee murmured. "He has a heart of fire."

"He does," Hinata agreed, a blush staining her cheeks. "So when are you and Sakura going to get married?"

Lee grinned, his cheeks turning an even deeper color than hers. "Well, I haven't asked yet. There just never seems to be a good time."

"You dumbass," TenTen sighed. "You have to make the time. Sakura's the best medical-nin in Konoha and you expect her to just magically have oodles of time?"

"You'll have to have everything planned out in advance," Hinata agreed.

"Not like Neji," TenTen groaned.

"I haven't heard this story," Lee said, and Shikamaru shook his head as he packed up their gear. They really should be moving on, but he didn't have it in him to deny them their conversation. After all, they had to cement their memories of their loved ones in their hearts, for there might never be another time to remember the sweet moments of their lives.

"Poor Neji-nii-san," Hinata chuckled softly. "He told me later that he really hadn't meant for it to happen that way. He was going to ask you someday anyway, really he was. I think he wanted to ask you near the river at sunset."

"You always did like the water," Lee commented.

TenTen moaned and shook her head. "Well, we ended up in the water anyway."

"What happened?" Lee asked, and Shikamaru sighed. He had heard the story already from Hinata, although from Neji's point of view.

"So we were training, shortly after he was promoted to ANBU," TenTen began. "It was in the evening, and I was working on a new jutsu with some kunai. We were just practicing like we always have, with me throwing things at him and him doing Kaiten like crazy. However, I had started to infuse my weapons with chakra through my new technique, and I wanted to see how it worked."

"I love this part," Hinata giggled, hands clasped.

TenTen sighed. "Anyhow, I was really getting tired of my techniques not working against him, so I channeled everything I had into my jutsu and let it fly."

"And it hit him!" Hinata squealed.

"I'm telling the story!" TenTen said sharply, cheeks flushed. "Yeah, the kunai hit him right on the forehead protector, so hard that it knocked him into the stream we were training by."

"You knocked down Neji?" Lee gasped, eyes wide. Shikamaru hadn't thought his strangely-shaped eyes could get any wider, but there they were, the size of saucers.

"Yeah," TenTen murmured, smiling. "I ran over to see if he was okay, and he was just lying in the water, grinning like crazy. I asked him if he was hurt, but he just shook his head. I extended my hand, and he took it, and I was helping him out when he started to laugh. He laughed so hard that he slipped on a rock, but he didn't let go of my hand."

"And they both fell into the stream!" Hinata said.

"Anyway," TenTen continued, sending Hinata an exasperated glare, "We both fell into the stream. I wasn't happy about being wet, and so I scrambled out and stood on the bank while he followed me. Before I knew what was going on, he was grabbing me and looking me in the eye, begging me to marry him."

"He told me that he had loved TenTen for a very long time, but he knew at that moment that he couldn't wait one more second to have such a talented ninja as his wife," Hinata added.

TenTen blushed. "He was all scary and intense, and I think I might have pulled a knife on him. Eventually I calmed down and accepted."

Lee's eyes were sparkling, and Shikamaru couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, that's a wonderful story!" Lee burbled. "How romantic!"

"How is almost getting stabbed romantic?" Shikamaru asked.

"I'm so sorry you had to be married in secret. It was a wonderful ceremony, though," Lee sighed.

"It's not so secret now that they've moved out of the compound and into their apartment," Shikamaru grumbled.

"Oh, I think it's nice," Hinata said.

TenTen's gaze was fixed at a point far in the distance, her voice soft as she spoke. "That was the first time he ever kissed me," she murmured, "right after I accepted his proposal. He'd never done more than put his arm around me before, and that happened only when he thought I was cold. He said that I had become a ninja he could respect, and that means as much to me as when he told me he loved me."

Silence fell over the group, and Shikamaru vowed to bring his teammates back to Konoha alive, come hell or high water. They all sat quietly in front of him, gazes turned inward as they thought about their precious people. Shikamaru wondered if he'd ever have moments like that to treasure. "All right," he growled, breaking the peace that had settled among them. "We've dallied long enough. Move out."

It took them only moments, being the seasoned ninjas that they were, and before long they disappeared into the branches once again.