The pain medication was a nice relief from the aching and throbbing of Shikamaru's battered body, but an even more welcomed respite from his churning thoughts. It dulled his brain and allowed a pleasant fog to take over and finally some sleep to come, something he probably didn't deserve but would allow himself for the total of one day. One day to rest before submerging himself back in the case that had become all consuming. It felt like a heavy weight dragging him into the dark depths of Konoha. A weight that he could not, would not, shed.

After his allotted vacation from stark reality was gone, his mind raced with the newly given information Kakashi had provided and worked it to fit with all the other pieces of the puzzle he'd gathered so far.

Kakashi had shared how Asuma was looking into corruption within the police force of Konoha, but once he started looking he found it bled into the DA's office too. There were rumors of an outside criminal organization, the Akatsuki, somehow playing a part. So much dirt, and wherever you looked the city was covered in it. Asuma, with his love of the city and the people in it, was trying to gather enough evidence to attempt to wash Konoha clean, but he never got that far.

Shikamaru spent the night tossing and turning as he chased a restless sleep. His body hurting in each position with each attempt at comfort, and nightmares filling the moments of sleep he was able to steal. The usual dreams of Asuma, death, and blood, but now Temari had joined. Blood seeped from her chest and coated his hands. A dead Asuma looking on and only shaking his head sadly as he watched Shikamaru fail again. He couldn't save either of them. He woke in a cold sweat.

Needless to say, it was a surprise when he rolled over to see his clock now somehow said noon. He groaned both with pain and annoyance as he pulled himself from his bed. He needed to get into the office. He needed to talk to Temari, and she'd be meeting him in his office sometime that day to discuss unanswered questions. He needed to look through Asuma's desk for the chance of notes or files that could help. He needed to get to work and needed to solve this case. He needed to put Asuma's ghost to rest. He needed to atone for his failure. He needed to be able to move on.

He needed.


Shikamaru pushed himself up the stairs to his office, taking them one at a time. It was something he had taken for granted but now they were daunting and seemingly endless to climb. How had he had never noticed the sheer number before? His brain mused that maybe there was a metaphor for life to be found there, but again, maybe there wasn't. He focused on not grunting in agony at every step until he finally made it to the top.

About halfway down his hallway shuffle he felt the prickle. Something was off. Enough years at this job had taught him to never ignore his intuition, and it was one of the first lessons that Asuma worked to instill in him. "Listening to your gut" or he had even jokingly called it "healthy paranoia". Shikamaru had laughed at the time, but he hadn't laughed since. And he felt it now as he approached his office door.

His steps slowed and his senses became acute. Through the frosted glass of his office door, he could make a dark figure seated in front of his desk and hear the murmur of voices inside.

Immediately, instincts and adrenaline took over. All thoughts of discomfort vanished as Shikamaru pulled his gun from his holster and quietly approached the door. He left the door locked and there shouldn't be anyone inside. He didn't want a visit from anymore friends of Orochimaru. Sticking to the wall and keeping low, he noticed through the glass another blurry, laying form on the small couch that sat pushed against the wall.

"... can't spend all day waiting around here on your boyfriend. Does he not have set hours?"

"Shut up, and don't call him that. Just give him a little longer."

Two people. A man and a woman. It took only a second for his brain to process the pitch and canter and recognize the voices of Kankuro and Temari. Shikamaru relaxed slightly but hovered outside the door and continued to eavesdrop.

"We're fine on our own. I don't know why you want to bring someone else in. I don't trust Sasuke, and I don't trust Shikamaru, either. What good is he going to do us?" Shikamaru noted Kankuro's apparent distrust of Sasuke, and held no grudge for not being trusted himself. Hell, at times he didn't trust himself, and even more importantly, he didn't trust them fully either.

"Kankuro, we made a promise." Temari's words sounded heavy and pointed. "You know what we've heard about him. He's smart, genius level smart, and has some connections that might help us. If this is what it takes, then I'll do it. I'm seeing this through. I'm willing to take the risk. Go ahead walk if you want."

"That's not what I'm saying, and you know it, Mari," he snapped. "I'm not going anywhere."

A silence fell between the two. The mention of a promise, stuck in Shikamaru's mind. He made a note to himself to find out what that entailed. It seemed to hold a weight between the two.

Shikamaru straightened himself and tried to appear more put together and stronger than he felt. He wouldn't appear to be the weak link Kankuro obviously felt he could be. If they had information that could help him, he wasn't going anywhere either. Whatever they were after, whatever this promise, he couldn't afford to care unless it got in his way. He took a deep breath and turned the handle to face the siblings.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." Kankuro drawled with a smile as Shikamaru entered the office. Kankuro appeared completely unconcerned with the gun still in Shikamaru's hand and the stare he fixed on him. Instead, Kankuro continued to relax on the small sofa with his legs propped up and overhanging the arm. He merely pushed back the fedora that had been tipped forward to partially cover his eyes from the light above, as he inspected Shikamaru. "Wow, you really look like shit... Well, I should say, more like shit than usual."

"I like you better when you've got a drink in your hand for me." Shikamaru quipped, unfazed. He had seen himself in the mirror, and it would have been more surprising if Kankuro hadn't commented. However, Shikamaru's reply earned a smirk from Kankuro as Temari watched them. A love of repartee appeared to be a family trait.

Shikamaru continued as he holstered his gun, "Can't help but notice you made it into my office without a key."

"So observant," Kankuro chuckled. "What can I say? Just ask the ladies, I'm good with my hands... and fingers. Just takes a little finesse. So, a lock isn't about to stop me. I'm a man of tallent."

"Apparently," Shikamaru replied, his voice giving away just how little he cared or believed.

Kankuro turned his head to look at Temari, "You sure he's worth bringing into the fold, Temari? Sure, he can state the obvious, but can he bring much else to the table?"

If Shikamaru was judging right, Temari remained amused, as she sat from the chair in front of Shikamaru's desk. The very chair that Sakura had sat in when she had unknowingly started him down this path, he noted wryly. The observation only served to highlight the differences between the two women and just how much things had changed in such a short time.

"Just cool it, Kankuro. We've got some business to discuss." Temari finally chimed in.

Kankuro looked down at his wristwatch, "I think you two do. Did you see the time? I've got to go and follow up on a lead before my shift. I've spent far too long waiting around for this guy." He glared before a snide smile spread across his face and he continued, "I would say that I don't like leaving you here alone with him, but from the looks of it, he's one stiff breeze from being taken down. I think you can handle him."

Temari laughed, but Shikamaru ignored the comment. He wasn't going to be goaded, and he would bet money that it was just a way for Kankuro to test him and size up his temperament. Things were easier when Kankuro was serving him drinks, but none of this was about things getting any easier.

Kankuro approached Shikamaru and held out his hand. "Seems like we're all gonna be working together." Shikamaru reached out and shook his hand, but then Kankuro pulled him closer and growled, "If you do anything to screw us over, I'll make sure you regret it." His smile reappeared as he dropped Shikmaru's hand, "Later, Shikamaru. I'll see you later tonight, Temari."

With Kankuro's departure, Shikamaru headed around to sit behind his desk. His full attention now on the blonde sitting with her legs crossed in the chair across from him. Her hands resting on her knees and back straight.

She was dressed so similar to what Sakura wore when she sat in the very same chair, but it was somehow so very different. A white blouse, a black pencil skirt that was pulling up just above her knees, green heels, and stockings which he assumed would have seams running up the back. Realization dawned on him that no matter what Temari wore, she would always look like a wolf in sheep's clothing to him. Sex. Danger. Trouble. It was in the way she carried herself. Her curves. The way she smiled. Her words. The way her eyes watched him closely, judging and calculating. She was terrifying. He had watched her kill people without regret, saw her sprayed with their blood, and if anything he found her more attractive. Just add that to my long list of all the ways I'm fucked up.

He shifted in his chair and pulled a cigarette out, then lit it and pulled a drag into his throbbing chest. He still shouldn't be smoking it, but he needed something to occupy his fingers and help him focus. His manners kicked in, so he held his pack up in a silent offer.

"Thanks, but I don't smoke anymore."

This was a surprise as he distinctly remembered sharing a cigarette with her only a few days ago, when they passed one from her lips to his. "What was the warehouse then?"

"Let's call that a special occasion," she smirked.

Shikamaru gave a small chuckle, that still fucking hurt. That was one hell of a way to put it.

"So, how about I start. What's your interest in Orochimaru?" Shikamaru felt satisfaction at watching the surprise in her eyes at his question, even if it was just a flicker. "I know Sasuke is your source and I know the files he's been looking into and sharing with you."

"I don't think that's the actual question you should be asking. I think the more important one is, what do you want, Detective?" Shikamaru watched her in stoney silence. Something in her voice just one step away from seductive. Temari leaned forward as she continued, "I know what you want. You want vengeance for your partner, Asuma. You want justice. And that is something I can help give you."

Shikamaru swallowed and leaned forward to snub out his cigarette. His passive gaze now a sharp stare. She had his full attention. "Is that so?"

Temari leaned back, pleased with his response. "The man who killed him is named Hidan. He is a member of the Akatsuki, a crime organization that me and my brother, Kankuro, are targetting. I don't know what Asuma knew or what he was looking into, but I do know they were hired to take him out. We can help each other."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Shikamaru wasn't surprised, as he had already started to put the pieces together. "So you're interested in Orochimaru because he ties into the Akatsuki and you think you might be able to use him to get to them?"

"I knew you were more than just a pretty face," Temari teased. "Orochimaru is a former member, and he still uses the Akatsuki to take care of the occasional bit of business. I can't say if he was the one who ordered the hit on Asuma or not. But, yes, we are watching him to see if he can lead us to any other members or if there are clues in his past that can point us to them."

"And exactly how does Sasuke figure into all this? He's not much of a team player, so I don't know why he'd help you. What's in it for him?"

"You have a lot of interest in Sasuke. Who hired you to watch him?"

"I have a lot of interests." As far as he was concerned, client information was private. There was no need to share.

Temari frowned a little at his response, but didn't push further. "Sasuke is looking for a specific Akatsuki member himself. A number of years ago, his older brother, Itatchi killed both their parents after joining the group. I offered him pretty much the same deal I'm offering you. Vengeance. You help us, and I promise that I'll do whatever it takes to get the Akatsuki. We will hunt down Asuma's killer."

"Why are you so set on taking down the Akatsuki? What are you after?"

"Does it really matter?" she challenged.

Shikamaru had a theory and now seemed the time. "Were they the ones responsible for your father's murder?"

Temari crossed her arms. She was now icy cold and all business. She gave a curt nod, "Yes. My father worked with them until… until he didn't anymore." It explained her inside knowledge of the group.

"I needed to know that you're as committed as I am."

Temari gave another stiff nod. "And what have you decided?"

Still he felt there was more she was hiding, but it was enough for him for now. "I'm in."

"Good." She scooted forward and grabbed a piece of paper and pen. "This is my number. I'm usually there or at the club, in case there is anything urgent. Otherwise, I can stop in every couple days and we can share what we learn."

"I don't exactly keep regular office hours."

"You could start. Or I'm happy to let myself in. Kankuro isn't the only one who's good with his hands." Temari smirked.

"Troublesome."

"I think you're going to find that you're lucky to have met me. We're going to take them down, Shikamaru." Her eyes held a ruthless gleam as she said the words. He had no doubt she meant them. Her promise to him.

Temari stood and turned to leave, Shikamaru's eyes couldn't help but confirm the straight seams of her stockings as they ran up the back of her legs and under her skirt where he knew a garter belt would be holding them in place.

As soon as he realized the thought, he forced himself back to her statement. "I suppose only time will tell." If he learned much it was he was rarely lucky, and what often seemed to be strokes of luck had a way of turning.

Temari's hand was on the knob of the door now, but before she could pass through it Shikamaru had one more question, "Tell me, how did you know what was going on with me at the warehouse? You know, after you killed Tayuya. Why weren't you thrown when I was..." Shikamaru's voice trailed off. Uncertain if he could explain what it was and even more uncertain if he should be even asking. Suddenly he regretted asking the question his mind had been stuck on for days now.

Temari stopped and turned to look over her shoulder, "I've seen it before." As with all their conversations, they were always weighing how much to say and how much to keep. Her voice and eyes were surprisingly soft and sad when she finally decided to continue, "My brother Gaara. You're not the only one who's past refuses to let go… one that's opened you up and left you scarred inside."

And with that she left through the office door and a nonplussed Shikamaru in her wake.