Haha! Another chapter! I was originally going to add two more chappies tonight, but I suddenly had a lazy streak and went outside to watch clouds float merrily across the blue and purple sky of twilight…

Oh no! Will Temari Live/ Ice Princess:

"Hey, Leiko-chan, why aren't we going any faster?" complained Sakura.

"Don't worry about Temari, if that's what you mean. I sent Suki-chan ahead."

"Suki-chan?"

"She's my shadow neko. Suki has the ability to pause time for a certain object or person for days at a time."

"But…shouldn't we still be traveling faster?"

"Are you going to carry me?"

"Why would we carry you! You could just run on your own, right?"

"No, I couldn't." responded Leiko dully. "The clouds are nice," she said, looking up at the sky.

'Now she's starting to remind me of Shikamaru.' Thought Kankuro, looking at Leiko.

"I'll carry you," volunteered Gaara. Everyone again looked at him. "What?"

"Okaysies! Thanks, Gaara-chan!" replied Leiko happily, climbing onto his back. "At this rate, it should take us only a few hours to reach Temari."

(&)

Three hours later…

"Okay, we're almost there," Leiko informed the group.

Suddenly, a giant black cat leapt out of the trees and into the air. (Suki looks like a black panther and saber toothed tiger mixed along with Kirara from Inuyasha)

"Yay! Suki-chan!" Leiko cried, jumping off Gaara's back. "Let's go." The group made their way through the bushes, and were greeted by a shield of red chakra around a seemingly dead Temari.

"Oh my…" Leiko muttered. "Her condition is worse than I thought. I'm afraid to take the barrier off. There's a possibility she could die if I do…because the barrier saved her life when she was barely dead, she will be in the same condition as she was before the barrier was put on," Leiko analyzed the situation. "Gaara, it is up to you…do you want me to take off the shield?"

Gaara thought for a moment. Then confidently said, "Temari is strong. She will live."

"Okay, then." Leiko made some foreign seals with her hands, and then nodded to Suki. The red shield dissipated and Temari was left on the ground, ragged breaths heard throughout the clearing.

"We need to stabilize her, people!" yelled Leiko, taking control. "Turn her onto her back carefully; she has broken both arms and one of her legs. There's no doubt of many broken ribs, and that is the cause of both her ragged breathe and internal bleeding."

"Are you some kind of medic?" asked Kiba incredulously.

"You could say that, now move!"

Gaara and Shikamaru carefully turned Temari over, blood seeping everywhere. Everyone else stood back, out of the way.

Temari coughed up some blood violently, and opened her eyes slowly. "H-Hey, Gaara. Shikamaru," she said weakly.

"You shouldn't talk," answered Gaara. "Leiko's going to take care of you."

"L-Leiko-chan?"

"Yeah, it's me. But…I don't know if I can…"

"That's o-okay," Temari said, her words coming in short breathes. "I'm prepared t-to die…"

"NO!" yelled Shikamaru. Everyone turned to him. He didn't respond, but looked Temari in the eyes. "You're going to be fine! R-Right?"

"Sh-Shikamaru…" Temari was surprised, and as Shikamaru bent over her, a drop of water fell onto her face. Shikamaru was crying.

"You'll be okay! Right? For me! For Gaara! For Kankuro! For EVERYONE, dammit!"

"Shikamaru," whispered Leiko tenderly. "You need to move so that I can heal Temari."

Shikamaru said nothing, but moved off to the side. Sakura went to him and put her arm around him, comforting him silently. A red ball of chakra glowed on Leiko's hands, and she carefully began to heal Temari's injuries. About five minutes later, Gaara asked, "Is she okay?"

"S-She should be okay. I'm surprised that she made it. Most wouldn't have; she is strong."

Relief spread through out the ensemble. "We will camp here tonight," announced Shikamaru. The group nodded, and smiled at his now smiling face.

(&)

One day later, Konoha

"Hey, Tsunade-sama. You wanted us?" Kiba and Neji entered Tsunade's office.

"Yes. I have a mission for you," she explained, looking at the papers in front of her.

"Already! We just got back an hour ago!" complained Kiba.

"What is it now?" Neji said blandly.

"Babysitting."

"What! Can't you use some Genin for that?"

"No. You are available and ready to go. Kiba has known her, and Neji has just been sitting around doing nothing lately."

"Why not!" Kiba protested.

"This is a C-rank mission."

"C-rank babysitting!" cried Kiba. Akamaru whined.

"Who are we babysitting? How many?" asked Neji.

"Leiko-hime."

"Huh? You mean that creepy girl with the blood-red eyes?" complained Kiba.

"Hime?"

"Yes. Leiko is know, to those who have met her and lived, as the Ice Princess," explained Tsunade.

"Why?" asked Kiba.

"Two reasons, one more disturbing than the other. The first is because she is from the Hidden Village of Ice. The second is because it is said she can turn her heart into ice at any time, and kill mercilessly."

Kiba and Neji stared at her.

"And how long are we babysitting?"

"From now until tomorrow 9:30 a.m. She is just a kid, so be nice. But she can fend for herself, I can assure you that. Really, I wouldn't do anything mean…"

Kiba gulped. They were about to babysit a cold blooded killer!