Jumping quickly from branch to branch shika landed finally stopping. He looked out at the vast emptyness before him. Pulling a water container from his pouch he began to drink. A few droplets escaped his mouth and ran cooly down his chin. He whiped the drops with his sleeve.

He sat on the branch feet dangling below him. " The clouds are nice out here" He nodded to his own statement. The clouds where thin and not as cottonball shaped as kohona's seemed to be these where strntched out and rain deprived. But still worth while to watch.

He sat thinking of the few events that had happened the last few months.(flash)

"yay!" we get a new brother. Taranie held her mom's stomach. " brother."

"what does it do?" Chomaru poked Ino's belly. Ino giggled.

"it's someone just like you in there." She rubbed her swelling tummy.

"like me?" Chomaru stared at her for a while. After awhile he placed his ear to it. Then giggled.

"what is it " ino asked puzzled.

"he sounds hungry." Then Chomaru luaghed harder. He really was just like chouji.

"it might be a girl you know." Ino smiled.

"I don't want another sister they are mean." He glared at Taranie.

"I want a brother too." She chimmed in.

"its not up to me you know." Ino smiled rubbing a hand over her stomach. " it kicked."

"me feel!" Chomaru ran over placing his hand in the air. " me feel!" ino took his hand in her's placing it on her belly she moved it around till she found the spot.

"I think he wants out." Chomaru looked up.

"not yet he doesn't we have 5 more months before we see him." She smiled to chouji who had just come in the door. With him being over a lot she had become happyer and healther than she had been previous. He took great care of her and the kids. More than shika ever thought he could do.

( flash end )

shika decideing he better get started again. Jumped down to the ground and proceeded to walk the last short bit to the sand village.

It had been nearly eight months seince the last vist. He hoped she was in good heath. The request had seemed so sudden for him to come.

He hoped he would get to spend more time with her before he left than he had previous times , he had felt so loney recently with the new baby and all he just felt unoticed among the crowds of people.

(flash)

" mam- your daughter." The doctor handed ino a blanket covered girl. Ino kissed the baby's forehead. "hello my angel.what shall we name you?"

The baby coo'ed reaching it tiny hands in the air grabbing at ino's hair.

"would you like to see your family now?"

"yes send them in." she looked down kissing the child's forehead again.

"how did it go?" the group walked in surrounding ino and the child.

"well."

"mommy can I see him." Chomaru desperately trying to pull hiself up on the bed with her. chouji lifted the boy to the bed. Crawling over his mom Chomaru finally reached the small bundle.

"it's a girl."

"a girl." Chouji said softly smiliing.

"whats her name?" taranie said she was tall enough now she didn't need a boost up to see.

"I don't know yet."

"can I pick?" Chomaru said looking at her beady eyes.

"I guess."

He watched her intently. She had a light peach colored fuzz on top of her head. Mmm… peaches Chomaru thought to himself.

"what are you going to name him?" Taranie protested at her brother's silence.

"her." ino corrected.

"Anzu." Chomaru said smiling.

"then Anzu it is." (anzu means apricot.) panning out you see shika standing in the corner of the room looking to the group surrounding the bed.

"ill tell the nurse the name so she can write it down." ino nodded not looking up to him.

Shika walked out of the room. Seeing the nurse at her desk he waited for her lookup before speaking.

"so have you guys decided?"

"Anzu." He said emotionlessly.

"that's lovely." Shika began to walk away headed for the door outside.

"where are you going?" the nurse asked watching him confused.

"I need a drink." With that he disapeared out the door.

(end flash)

the city was packed with people buying, selling , coming, and going. He could have walked blind folded throught them to her house.

When he reached the door he knocked rather loudly.

Kankouro answered the door. " she's in the kichen with Iku."

"thanks." Shika was surprised he was here the family did all still live togater beside gaara who was now village leader. But rarely where they home at he same times.

Iku was kankouro's girl friend she was around a lot. Her and temari got along nicely so she was able to come over a lot.

"temari." Shikamaru called when he reached the kitchen door.

"come in." it was iku. The girls where baking something. I didn't know temari could cook.

"smells nice." He smiled. Temari was standing at the counter mixing something. Iku was on her way out the door to go back with kankouro she had two cups brownish liquid in her hands.

"have a nice time." She said sweetly shuting the door behind herself.

"its just chocolate brownies." Temari giggled a little. She seemd extremly happy for some reason and seince when did she giggle.

"when did you start to cook." He sat down at the table. She looks like she's gained a little weight around her thighs… ( temari was one of those girls who doesn't look pregnant when they are.)

"about a few months ago." She came over kissing his cheek she set a warm brownie and something to drink in front of him. " I figured I'd need to know how to sometime."

"why, I can cook." Shika said taking a sip of the drink. Then realizing he wasn't there enough to even really cook for her hit bit his lip as little. Think more before you speak… his mind badgered him.

"its alright I actually like it." She pulled up a chair and sat next to him with her own plate of brownies and something to drink. " try the brownie."

"alright." He brought it to his mouth. "wait why do I have to try it first?" he looked to her shifting his eyes.

"because I asked…" she smiled. Why was she being so sweet to him what was wrong with her?

"ok I guess that's a good reason." He popped it in his mouth. " mmm…" he closed his eyes savoring the taste of warm melting chocolate. He felt like eating a lot more of these.

"like?" she looked to him slightly worried.

"you should cook more often." He mummbled mouth full with another brownie. He swallowed. " so what was so urgent for me to be here, not that this isnt fun but I should be doing business not just pleasure." He kissed her lips. Gentle and calm.

"seince when do you care about busness?" she eyed him. Then clearing her plate and placing it in the sink, she sat back down, " so how is ino and the kids."

"her kids and they are good."he looked away, he felt somewhat ashamed of himself pushing the kids away with the label of not his her's

"o-." she sensed his sadness and tried to change topic. " any easy missions lately?"

"they have another one." He said quietly. Temari just watched him in silence, letting him vent a little. " chouji and her" he sighed " a girl."

"do you not want a girl?" she looked down to her stomach. should I tell him she thought to herself.

"I want one." He watched temari now. " just not his."

"o" she felt somewhat relieved to hear this but still nervous she stayed quiet.

"whats wrong?" he placed a hand on her knee.

"nothing." She said now standing walking to the sink. " so any easy missions lately?"

"all of them nothing really hard to do just a lot of troublesome things." He walked over placing his hands around her waist, " what about you?" he kissed her cheek.

"no missions."

"what do you mean?" he was now facing her she was up against the counterwith him blocking all exit.

"I quit." She smiled faintly before looking away from his gaze.

"you quit." His voice had raised slightly.

"yes."

"why?"

"just because." Now she saw no way to avoid telling him.

"why? Temari don't play games with me." She looked at her eyes, they seemed sadened by his loud bursts.

Pulling away from her slowly he walked back to the table. " im sorry." He said softly, he felt as though he would cry.

"its not entirely you fault." She walked toward him.

"entirely."

"I quit on my own, but because of you and her." she was now in front of him hold his hand she brought it to her belly.

"her?" he questioned.

"shh…" silently he stood waiting then kick. He looked up smiling. "yours."

He kissed her belly. "mine." He breathed out softly. (flash)

"what does it do?" Chomaru poked Ino's belly. Ino giggled.

"it's someone just like you in there." She rubbed her swelling tummy. (end flash)

"someone just like me." He looked up engulfing temari in a hug and kisses.

"it worked he loves the baby." Iku said from behind the door peeping in. " come look come look." She waved kankouro to her.

"if they wanted us in there we would be invited." He shook his head to her. " get over here."

"but sweetie look at them so happy." She smiled.

"get over here before they catch you and ill make you so happy." He lifted then dropped his eyebrows.

She blushed intensely. " yay!" she bounced onto his lap. " master." She layed still acting like a puppet. " I am at your will." She giggled.

Just then the kitchen door burst open. It was shikamaru and temari. Temari was being lead by the hand. " look look." He pointed to her belly. " do you know whats in there? Do you know?" he sounded much like an excited child.

"yah." Iku and kankouro nodded.

"my baby! " he shouted. " my little girl." He kissed her stomach. " and the most wonderfull woman ever!" he then kissed Temari's lips.

After which she mouthed the words help to her friends. Who laughed at her hyper boyfriend.

"so you agreed to it?" iku asked when shika had finally calmed down.

"to what?"

"so you didn't?" she looked to her friend.

"I wasn't there yet."

"what?" shika asked.

"well without a father they can take my child away from me once its born." She looked down.

"we talked with gaara he cant even get the law changed In time for the birth." Kankouro added.

"that's why we called on you."iku said.

"but she has a father, me." He looked to temari confused

"I cant keep her without a steady father acourding to law."

"so what do we do?" shikamaru asked.

"im due in two weeks. If no father is there when I go into labor than I have no child." Temari looked down sadly.

"if she is desperate enough one of the elders has said he will marry her."

"but I don't want to be with an old guy, I want you." A tear fell form her face. " I know ive never asked anything of you in our relationship but for this im asking you to stay."

"but what about my family back in kohona?"

"are they really your family?" kankouro asked.

Before he could answer temari jumped in. " you have till the child's birth to decide but on eway or another im keeping the child, and no matter what you decide ill always love you and you can always see her whenever you want." Temari smiled.

After many heart felt words and such it was time for shikamaru to leave. When he reached kohona ino told him of a gathering of the original rookie nine a runion so to speak that was to take place in to weeks.

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Ok ill stop here. I know I said one more chapter , im dragging it out just a little more. Next chapter will have shika choose and show the rookie nine runion. With things like Taranie meeting sasuke, hinata with 5 kids! And naruto's quiet son? Ok any other idea are welcomed. Next chapter will be the final add. Don't forget to review.