Chapter 59

"What are you doing?" a stunned voice asks; his steps coming to an abrupt halt upon seeing Temari on her hands and knees as she mops the floor.

Temari, taken by surprise, remains on her knees, immobilized as she stares up, dumfounded. When she finally finds her voice, she lets it rip, roaring at the top of her voice, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOU STUPID ASS?!"

Subsequently, she immediately stands up, fighting the faintness the sudden movement brought and allowing her anger to shine through as she scowls at Shikamaru. The urge to just grab the stupid ass who suddenly appeared in front of her is strong but she—she's mad at him and that action will show how relieved she is and arg she'll be damned if she just does it like that.

Shikamaru shrugs. "We found Lady Tsunade," he announces.

"Tsunade?" Temari frowns.

"Yes."

Noticing Shikamaru's slightly eager tone at his own news, Temari snaps, "You wanted to find her that bad that you risked being labelled a missing nin. If not for Kankuro you would already be dead even before you reach this place."

Shikamaru is taken aback. He has expected Temari to show some enthusiasm at least. Lady Tsunade can now answer any of the lingering questions and doubts that she obviously has.

Temari detects Shikamaru's disquiet. The man isn't stupid. He knows the risk better than anyone but he still went after Lady Tsunade. For Shikamaru, that old medic is more important than his life. Finally, what Shikamaru really feels about the birth switch is revealed. No matter how much he denies before, him going after Tsunade shows that compared to her, Shikamaru has longed more for the truth. Temari caresses her still flat tummy. It has become a habit now whenever she feels agitated or threatened.

Shikamaru follows Temari's hand. "Gaara told me you're pregnant."

What?...Shit!

"He had no right to tell you!" Temari shouts, too furious. Things just aren't going the way she imagined it. Her own brother has no right to meddle with her news.

"He had no intention to. He only did it to—" motivate me. That I have to live…Shikamaru hesitates with the fact. It won't appease the woman in front of him. "I'm going to protect you," he mutters instead.

Temari doesn't need to hear any explanations as she draws her own conclusion. Gaara only informed Shikamaru about her being pregnant so he could get his brother responsible for her safety. Ha! She's just another duty for Kamaru, the dependable, the responsible first son of the Kazekage. The only times he deflected from that path is when he discovered his real parents and about Lady Tsunade, only then did he travel to Konoha in search of his parents and then to God knows where in search of Lady Tsunade.

"I don't need protection from you," Temari snarls.

"Tch, you'll still get it. My child—" Shikamaru is abruptly interrupted.

"Your child?" So he feels responsible already, Temari sarcastically muses to herself. Lips pulling back from her teeth, she growls, "Who said anything about it being your child?!"

Shikamaru is able to school his expression, not revealing the excruciating punch in the gut he just receives at the confirmation. That part of him that already expected Temari to admit something like that has saved him from shaming himself. It isn't really a surprise and Shikamaru is able to reiterate calmly, "It isn't my child."

Temari becomes aware that the man before her wasn't even asking, he was simply stating what he believes is a fact. What the hell! "What?" Temari asks confused at Shikamaru's reaction. She has expected, anticipated even, for him to force her to acknowledge that it is his child.

"It's Sasuke's, right?" Shikamaru evenly suggests.

An hour ago when Gaara told him that Temari is pregnant, Shikamaru's first thought was she's going to tell him about it that's why she's here in Suna. His mind then had seemed to cease to function, feeling lightheaded as his heart pummelled his chest. He even saw Gaara returning the smile he couldn't help but bestow on his youngest brother at the most amazing news. After all, in Konoha, he had already suspected that Temari was the one pregnant and was the one about to marry Sasuke. At the thought of Sasuke, however, Shikamaru had frowned. Temari loves Sasuke and that prick had married someone else. It was then at that exact moment that Shikamaru comprehended that Temari wasn't in Suna to tell him it's his child. Why should she? She hates him. If she is pregnant with his child, she would have remained in Konoha.

The truth is, it's Sasuke's child and Temari didn't want to force her child on that prick knowing that he already chose Sakura over her. Temari came here to Suna to flee Konoha and possibly she's here now to put the blame on him for her losing out to Sakura.

And now, right at this moment, the troublesome woman admits it, the baby is not his. In a way, Shikamaru's glad he has already arrived at the truth long before this; otherwise, he doubts he would be able to hide his rage.

"Sasuke? You believe the baby is Sasuke's?" Temari's brows knit into a frown.

How could he…This is all so fucking unbelievable! So the ass thinks she sleeps around after what happened between them? It wasn't even two months yet and he already had decided on his own that she had accepted another man in her life. And not just any man, her friend Sasuke, the shinobi she admired most of her life because of his confidence and fighting ability and the one that is now probably married to Sakura. What? Is she supposed to had sex with Sasuke during that last mission they had together in Demon country while suspecting that he had already impregnated another girl?

Damn it to hell. Temari grinds her teeth. She's not an idiot, unlike Naruto! When the Hokage told them that she was replacing Sakura for that mission to protect the priestess Shion, the reason that the old pervert gave was because the pink haired kunoichi was feeling ill and nauseous, adding that it was probably from something that the kunoichi ate. It was then that Temari recognized that it was just an excuse. Sakura's a medic; feeling ill and nauseous was downright easy to cure but not pregnancy.

But then Sakura's pregnancy is not the point. The point is Shikamaru obviously thinks so lowly of her if he thinks that she could sleep with a man while knowing that that man has already responsibilities elsewhere.

Temari's so fuming mad that she has to draw a deep, steadying breath to stop herself from launching at Shikamaru and hitting the living daylights out of him.

Shikamaru watches Temari as she tries to control her anger from being found out. "It doesn't matter. We'll get married. I'll give your child my name."

Temari's temper loses its bite, as several other emotions vie for attention. Doubt starts to set as well as something that feels like hope. Temari's heart thumps in her chest as adrenaline from anger is replaced with adrenaline from excitement.

Why would he ask me to marry him if he thinks the child isn't his? Temari's heart skips a beat. Maybe...maybe he doesn't think of her as his responsibility, another duty he must accomplish.Maybe Shikamaru really wants to marry her despite the baby. Temari swallows.

She's really gonna ask him that question. Maybe her suspicion is right.

"If I'm not pregnant, would you still ask me to marry you?" Temari asks calmly, too calmly.

Shikamaru has not foreseen such a question. And now, to answer it isn't that simple. Women never are...If he admits he wants to marry her, wouldn't that be tantamount to admitting he loves her? Temari is intelligent; she's bound to discover that fact soon enough. But confessing about that now would only make her more disgusted with him. If he alludes to his feelings, she would know for certain that he had taken more advantage of her offer to sleep with him that night. While if he says no to her query, Temari would be convinced he had just taken what she offered and nothing more.

"No. I wouldn't offer marriage if you're not pregnant," Shikamaru answers. He will do anything—even lie to get her to marry him. Maybe there will come a time he'll feel secure enough on his hold on her that he doesn't need to tell something so false.

"I see," Temari mutters as flashbacks; vivid images of before comes to mind.

That night they had made love, she couldn't forget how Shikamaru looked at her. He had gazed at her as if she is special. She touched his face then, in awe of what she saw reflected in his eyes. He didn't try to mask it, he allowed her to witness the emotion he was feeling right then—happiness. And she knew she was the one that gave it to him. It felt like she could do anything then. It felt like whatever wrong her father did to Shikamaru, she could make it right.

But the ass just disappeared, wanting nothing more from her after that.

However, when she suspected she is pregnant, she still chose to come to Suna. Subconsciously, she had this stupid picture in her head that once Shikamaru heard her news, he would be ecstatic enough that he couldn't help but express his elation at the news.

Just like that night, she was deluded into thinking that she has the power to give him something worthwhile...

Temari's frown deepens, as realizing too late that with her here in Suna, Shikamaru would only see it that she's here to oblige him…

This moment shows clearly how rash her decision is for coming to Suna.

"You don't owe me anything. As you said, it isn't your kid anyway." It isn't exactly a lie. She never said the child isn't his. "I'm not marrying you," Temari states unequivocally.

Suddenly, Shikamaru gives a bark of laughter, the abrupt mirthless sound reverberating inside the kitchen. Just as he has predicted, Temari refused him. What else would he expect from someone who hates his mere existence? Why would she grab his offer of marriage? Why indeed.

Shikamaru could only then cold-bloodedly proceeds with his plan, as he evenly challenges, "I will ask father to throw you out of Suna."

"You are a missing nin. You are lucky if the Kazekage will let you live, let alone listen to you!" defies Temari.

"On the contrary, the Kazekage is grateful to me. I helped locate Lady Tsunade. With the threat of blackmail to Konaha's new Hokage, father thought he could easily control her." Shikamaru smirks.

"Hokage?"

"Yes. Lady Tsunade, that medic is also one of the legendary sannins of Konoha. She's now posted as your village's sixth Hokage…I was able to convince father that she would not want the truth exposed the same as him. Furthermore, father also recognized that if he kills me or you, Lady Tsunade would think she's the next target and would probably wage a war against Suna to protect herself. Suna shinobis are strong but against Konoha and its numerous shinobis the result would be unknown," Shikamaru recounts parts of his and his father's talk. Keeping the rest his secret; Temari doesn't need to know the threat hovering over her child. Worrying won't be good for the baby.

To keep it hushed, Shikamaru must then go ahead with his plan. "I could easily convince father that it would suit him if you leave."

"I will leave immediately then," Temari scowls… Shikamaru has implied that he has manipulated the Kazekage, maybe he's manipulating her too—to leave on her own steam.

"Good," Shikamaru shrugs. "Just remember when you get back to Konoha once everyone learns of your pregnancy, you will shame your family. You're not a real Nara but still you have the guts to besmirch your adopted family's name."

Temari glowers at Shikamaru, her eyes full of intense loathing.

Shikamaru merely smiles in return. Time to close in the trap. "But if you arrive in Konoha pregnant and married to me, you won't be exposing Yoshino, your mom, to other's ridicule."

"Ass! I will never marry you!" Temari shouts. "And even if kaasan disowns me and asks me to leave, I could still take care of myself! But know what, I doubt she would do that! Guess why? Because she loves me, unlike you, she hates you!" Temari suddenly realizes what she has just said, aghast, she looks at Shikamaru, trying to backtrack as she mutters, "She just doesn't know you yet that's why she feels that way."

"Maybe this marriage would provide the chance for your kaasan to get to know me." Shikamaru isn't proud of what he's doing but he has to protect her and her kid. If Sasuke is still free, he would back down but Sasuke is already married and out of her reach.

Temari opens her mouth only to close it again, stopping herself from blurting the word, bastard. Shikamaru has just revealed his real objective…and she's not a part of it at all. She is just a means. She wants to tell him that the answer is still no but she realizes that would be her being selfish.

Shikamaru reads Temari wavering, he then goes in for the kill as he reassures her that he expects nothing from her. "Actually, it's good that the baby is Sasuke's. At least you have something that would remind you of him."

Temari's breathe hitches at her throat at Shikamaru's senseless insistence. She badly wants to snarl that the baby is his! But she bites her tongue to stop herself from spilling what should have been an obvious thing. She'll have her revenge! She can't wait to see Shikamaru's face when he sees his kid having the same ability to manipulate shadows as him. She'll have her revenge then for him thinking so lowly of her...It is so easy for him to accept that she would jump from his bed then to the next person's as if she does it all the time. Damn it she gave her virginity to him! The jerk! He deserves this. He deserves to be punished by marrying her. Temari tightens her hands to fists at her sides as she finally agrees resolutely, " Yes, we'll get married."

Shikamaru simply nods his head, acting calm. Even though he wants to grab her and hold her tight, he instead clenches his own hands at his sides, stopping himself from doing what his instinct strongly dictates. His heart is beating frantically, his blood rushing and the feeling of happiness thrums in his veins. He wins this round and not being able to show his feelings is a little price to pay.

Temari scrutinizes Shikamaru's reaction, noticing that he has his hands like hers fisted on his sides.

Stupid. She's stupidfor coming here. She's so stupid for waiting for him to look at her with his eyes reflecting his happiness. She's so stupid for still thinking 'bout that night…But to the crown her stupidity, she has now made him feel trapped. Great. That's just great.

TBC

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A/N: Yup here is it. Was going to update this on Dec 11 for Intertwining Fate's two year anniv and my ~woot~ bday but with so many reviews asking for chapie 59, those additional days seem too much, me thinks.

So yeah, reviews and concrit are appreciated.