It was always amazing to see clouds from an angle above them, sometimes he wondered if the clouds felt strange, being watched from above by someone who was so used to looking at them from below.

Clouds usually cheered him up on any day, but today was not one of those days.

Ever since he first stepped into this private jet, there was a constant shudder down his spine.

Temari however, seemed to be as equally in a bad mood as he was - despite of the blue skies and white clouds out there, inside this particular private jet, dark clouds hovered above their heads.

"Tell me," Shikamaru frowned. "How bad is it between you and your family?"

"With my brothers, it's okay," she said, her eyes darting away. "As for my dad, we haven't spoken in years, not before he called me that day."

"How?"

"Well, I'm not exactly a daddy's girl," Temari chuckled softly, her frown slightly easing. "You see when I dropped out of university…"

"You dropped out of university?"

"Yes, I went to performing arts school instead, he nearly had a heart attack." Temari shook her head. "He tried to cut me off, but I managed - with some help from my brothers here and there, and my part-time job as a dance instructor, I turned out fine."

"Oh wow, I never knew," Shikamaru arched an eyebrow.

"You never asked," she smirked. "You see, crybaby, I've risen on my own merits."

"If only I needed another reason to love you more than I already do," he smirked and held her hand. "You're just fascinating."

Temari grinned and rested her head against his shoulder. "So yeah, I haven't seen him in years."

"Why did you agree to meeting him, all of a sudden?"

Temari bit down a little on her lips, she snaked her arm under his and clinged herself onto him.

"I just want to show him where I am right now," she blinked, staring at the wall sternly. "To prove that he's wrong."

Shikamaru turned around and pressed a kiss onto her forehead. "I bet you'll make his jaw drop."

Temari smiled and snuggled closer to him, closing her eyes.

The plane landed unsteadily, Shikamaru stared as the iron bird descended from the blue skies slowly into the earthy yellow vortex that seemed to have sucked them to the ground.

As the plane's engine died down, he stood up beside Temari, who seemed to have an uneasy expression on her face.

"How long have you been away from Suna?"

"Quite some time," Temari blinked. "I've just avoided this place for so long."
Shikamaru took her hand. "This is your home, part of who you are," he smiled at her as he took her hand to his lips and pressed them onto it gently. "I'll be here with you."

Temari smiled and gave his hand a light squeeze, they walked along the aisle and towards the door, the captain nodded at her as they left the aircraft.

Awaiting them outside was a light sandy breeze, a section of the airport cordoned off. Temari could see the distant streams of flashlights, she waved at them gently, her other hand still holding on tight to Shikamaru's hand.

She looked at her front, a lone limousine sat there ominously, in front of it stood a man, his head was wrapped mysteriously with a bundle of cloth, it reminded Shikamaru of the mummies that appear on horror movies. Only a quarter of his face was exposed, his eyes stared piercingly at him as they approached.

"Miss," he nodded his head at her and then turned towards him. "Mr. Nara."

"This is Baki," Temari introduced him, the man towered above them. "He's our family's butler and my father's trusted advisor."

"You flatter me, Miss." Baki opened the door for them.

The car ride was expectantly quiet, Temari sat right next to him as Baki sat at their opposite, there was a distance between her and Shikamaru, yet she somehow managed to kept her hand locked with his.

Baki eyed it and said nothing about it. His face was stern, yet Shikamaru could observe the softness in his eyes as he looked at Temari.

"You've grown up from the last time I saw you, Miss."

Temari smiled gently at the older man. "I've missed you Baki."

The man nodded, and looked away at the window.

Temari scooted closer and leaned onto Shikamaru's shoulder.

He understandingly wrapped his arm around her.

The car glided smoothly across the highway and went up a rugged hill. A mansion that looked like a fortress emerged on the top.

The car stopped slowly at the entrance after passing through a large garden.

They stepped out of the car and found themselves surrounded by an entourage of maids and servants, all dipping their heads towards them.

The couple followed Baki as they walked inside, the elaborately decorated corridor, complete with marble flooring and crystal chandelier. It reminded Shikamaru more of a hotel lobby than someone's home.

They were led to a large dining room, with more crystal chandeliers and a large dining table sitting right in the middle of the room.

He saw two young men, around their age, standing up as they walked inside.

One of them was taller, his hair was brown, his rather square face coated with a confident smile as he shook Shikamaru's hand.

"So, you've been sleeping with my sister?"

"Kankuro," Temari snapped and rolled her eyes.

Kankuro grinned and let go of Shikamaru's hand. "Don't worry Temari, I'm not gonna beat up your lover boy."

The shorter of the two men approached, his red hair slightly spiky and his dark circles encircling his eyes. Shikamaru remembered reading about him in one of the business magazines.

"It's a pleasure, Nara Shikamaru." Gaara took his hand firmly and shook it calmly. "From what my brother have said, I hope Temari had not bothered you too much when you two were sleeping together."

"Gaara!" Temari snapped, she turned and smiled at Kankuro. "I will have you murdered, Kankuro."

SUddenly, they heard the commotion from the entrance of the dining room. A rather tall man entered, his back was slightly crooked, dressed in a fitting grey suit, he approached and stopped in front of Shikamaru and Temari.

"Temari," she stared straight into the man's eyes. He looked back at her.

"It's been some time since you've been home, haven't you?"

"You cut me off, father." She glared at him with her green eyes,

"I thought that was the only way that you would realize going your own way wouldn't work." Her father shuddered a little as he looked away from her.

The man cleared his throat and offered his hand to Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru, isn't it?" Shikamaru took the older man's hand and shook it firmly, the grip of his hand was tight and aggressive. "Sabuku Rasa."

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Sabuku."

There was an unreadable smile on the older man's face as he said it.

"Please, take a seat," he guided them to the dining table. Temari sat down in between her father and Shikamaru, opposite her brothers.

The maids brought food to their table and poured wine into their glasses.

"Shikamaru-san," Rasa put down his cutlery and wiped his lips with the cloth. "Pardon me if I am rude…"
Temari held his hand beneath the table, she knew her father's face when he did that.

"What makes you think you're worthy enough to be with my daughter?" Rasa's expression was stoic as the words came out of his lips, Temari quickly glanced over her brother's faces, both of them stared at their father nervously.

Shikamaru looked up, there was an air of calmness surrounding him as he gently held Temari's hand underneath the tablecloth.

"Excuse me?"

"I have done some checks about you, Nara Shikamaru." Her father dropped the cloth on the table. "Nara Pharmaceuticals, quite a decent sized company I'd say," his gaze was sharp like a dagger. "It'd be quite unfortunate if something were to happen to it, I'd say."

Shikamaru shook his head with a smile, Rasa stared at him with slight disbelief. "Are you trying to threaten me to leave your daughter?" His voice was soft yet stern, as he looked straight into Rasa's eyes with his dark brown orbs.

"I am trying to ask nicely," he said coldly.

"Do you have anything against me, sir?" Shikamaru could feel Temari's hand squeezing his; he turned and looked at her - she was barely containing her anger and shock, her tears clinging at the rim of her beautiful eyes out of sheer frustration.

"My daughter deserves to be with someone better than you," said Rasa. "Someone who is…"

Temari stood up, pulling Shikamaru up with her as she did. "Enough, father," she said. Temari turned around and faced her father, who stood up as she did. "I am not going to do what you tell me to do."

Shikamaru was slightly confused, he maintained his composure.

"Mr. Sabuku, please be assured that I love Temari very much..."

"That's not the point," Temari snapped. "He wanted me to marry someone else, for the business."

Rasa's lips were pursed as his sons stared at him, Kankuro's face was that of utter disbelief, while Gaara's remained calm as ever.

"Father, I came back today with nothing but good intentions," Temari stared at him, as her tears began to roll down her face. "I wanted to show you that I've been well, I've been doing fine, and I'm happy… I thought that could change your mind, or rather, you've changed so that you could appreciate others for who they are." Temari bit her lip and continued on. "Hell, if you knew how to do that, mother would still be here."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Temari." Rasa stared at her, his lips slightly parting as the words slipped out of his lips. "How is any of your behaviour fitting of a daughter of the Sabuku…"

"And how are your behaviour fitting of a man of the Sabuku? Honourable, courageous, loyal? You are anything but those adjectives," Temari snapped, she held Shikamaru's hand tightly. "This man may not be the rich, dashing heir of some business empire that you are hoping I'd marry," she said. "But this man, Nara Shikamaru, he sees my worth and I see his, he is better than you'd ever be and he is the man I love."

She wiped away the tears from her eyes with the back of her other hand, she glared at her father as her hand moved away.

"I came back today, hoping that we could reconcile, at least sit down and eat dinner like a normal family, but you wouldn't have it that way, would you father?"

Rasa glared back at her like a lion which had its mane rustled. "No daughter of mine would dare say anything like this," he said in a tone that almost sounded like he was growling at her.

"Haven't you forgotten, father? You've cut me off once already, doesn't matter if we do it completely this time," she said, her voice filled with immense sadness and disdain spewing from her lips.

Shikamaru calmly took off his suit jacket and covered Temari's shoulders, he cleared his throat and stared at Rasa coldly. "Mr. Sabuku, I'm afraid our visit had to be cut short, we'll see ourselves out."

He gently guided Temari to the entrance of the dining hall, Baki, almost as if he acted with foresight, had had their bags ready at the entrance of the mansion.

Baki escorted them to a taxi at the entrance of the garden, and helped them load their bags into the boot.

Shikamaru helped Temari into the car before turning back at Baki.

"Protect her," said Baki as he slammed the boot shut. The older man offered him a hand and he shook it firmly.

Shikamaru entered the car, and held Temari's hand as the car started.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," said Temari. "About the arranged marriage part…"

"You don't have to," said Shikamaru. "The Temari I knew would never agree to do anything like that."
She smiled at him and snuggled closer to him, burying her face onto his shoulder.

He could feel a slight moisture seeping through the fabrics of his shirt, he gently rubbed her hand as comfort.

As they approached the airport, he could see the reporters waiting there, their flashlights blinding as they faced the VIP entranceway of the arrival halls.

One of them recognised them and before he could do anything, the reporters rushed towards them, flashlights blinding their eyes and microphones lunging towards them.

Shikamaru shielded her from the reporters as they headed to the airline counters.

"Temari-san! Temari-san!"

"Shikamaru-kun!"

He kept his cool as he purchased tickets back to Konoha for the both of them, Temari clung onto him like a little girl, holding a corner of his shirt.

Shikamaru held their tickets in his hand and finally turned around.

In face of the limelight, he took a deep breath and sighed.

"What do you want?" He frowned, sucking his teeth. "Stop being a drag and out with it."

His arm was wrapped around Temari's shoulder, shielding her from the limelight.

The reporters seemed stunned at his sudden outburst, normally he was pretty relaxed and couldn't care less about the cameras focused on him, but today was different.

The crowd surrounded them dropped to a complete silence.

"If you have nothing that you want from us, then do me a favour and watch this."

Temari thought she heard something wrong. Is he actually offering the paparazzis something to report?

Before she knew it, Shikamaru fished out a small red velvet box from his pocket and was on one knee.

Temari stared in disbelief.

"You don't have to…"

"But I want to," he said, smiling at her as the limelights surrounding them flickered vigorously, like a thousand stars surrounding them. "I was planning to ask for blessings, y'know, the traditional, troublesome thing ... but that doesn't seem to be working, so that's that."

He opened the small velvet box, and inside nested a small rose gold coloured ring, atop of it was a diamond accompanied by two smaller ones.

"So, despite how troublesome this is," Shikamaru blinked at the immense flashing lights, his eyes glittered as he looked up at her.

Will you marry me?

Author's note:

It's been a while ... I had school work and exams and am finally back! Sorry for the late update, I hope you like the drama and also the story xoxo

Will update again soon (for limelight and other stories as well xoxo)

V.S.V