Hell of a hectic month to pass. XD Completed fics and almost done with another, plus this is double duty with "Mummy Lover".

Composition by Adrian von Ziegler.

Chapter Three

Eternal Ice

Her work was really that good it was Choji's idea to head to the barbeque joint after work when the evening was falling. "Good time to celebrate early!" he said when they finished recording of the new song that that would be among to perform on the night of the release of the Man in Red.

This song told of the Celtic goddess of fertility, rebirth, time and fate, whose name meant silver spinning wheel, which represented the ever turning year. The dead waited for her in deciding their fate before reincarnation. The feeling of bringing the words to life sent chills up your spine as well as a sense of the divine.

Just like when the night fell and the temperature picked up.

At this time, they had to be out and enjoy the ultra-rich cuisines that they were given options of. Everyone was going to play their parts in the bill. As usual. She was so tired, but they all were. She thought about refusing and asking Temari if they could go straight home, because her friend definitely used that excuse on more than one occasion. Putting her notepad into her bag, she joined her friends on the walk down the block for Akimichi's, which was ran by Choji's family. He'd worked here after-school hours when they were all in high school. His dad was understanding of his decision to start a record label with friends, and if things went downhill, Choji could come back here which was home.

Hanaru could not see anything wrong going with Higeki-tekina ai; if it could last as long as it had to, so be it. Or if long-term wouldn't be the answer for them, then someone else could make it better but keep the tradition.

Kushiyaki skewers - filled with beef, pork and vegetables - were laid out on the little grill in the middle of the table along with strips of steak that made Choji's mouth water. "All right! Everyone can dig on in!" he declared, sitting down first followed by Hanaru on his right, then Temari was in first and Shikamaru followed.

"Your dad already have this ready before we got here?" Temari grumbled, though her mouth clearly watered. "It's like him since we're his favorite customers, and he knows what we love even if we don't tell him."

"Yeah, Pop knew it, but he's also got a brand new recipe that's in the makings, although not ready tonight. If any of us were interested," Choji answered as he began to dive into the skewers, but Hanaru had to do the honors of stopping him before he took too much.

"Be sure to save some for us, too," she told him lightly, picking up a skewer and then her chopsticks to grab a few strips of meat from the burning metal.

Shikamaru snorted. "You took the words out of my mouth. But after today, who cares? We're all just here to celebrate." He looked over when Temari scoffed.

"Celebrate? Hardly feels like that kind of atmosphere."

The pot was going to bubble if it began stirring like this. "Temari, can we just enjoy tonight without dwelling about -" She was interrupted by her best friend, obviously.

"About what?" the other blonde spat. "You act like nothing is wrong when there IS. Your brother has been gone for a month, and it could be luck for you for all we know." Something inside her snapped which caused Shikamaru to step in.

"Girls, seriously, not in a public place like this."

"Oh, you're going to take sides, are you, Shika?" Temari sneered, narrowing her eyes at him. What the hell is wrong with you? All day you were fine, but now you're back to boiling. "Both our brothers are missing, but here she is pretending to be fine when she's far from it."

Oh, she really was telling Hanaru, her own best friend and roommate, that she was jealous in a subtle way, after everything they went through together?! And here of all places, in front of their boys? "How could you say such a thing?" she said angrily, wishing she could stand up, but that would only bring more attention on them than her friend was. "You know that I love my brother as much as you do, but you really think it's easy for me to live like this? You think he'd want me to spend my time moping and mourning over him? You think he'd want me angry and taking it out on everyone around me?"

Choji swallowed something and watched nervously, clearly afraid that if he stepped in to help her, he'd end up being the butt of Temari's wrath. Hanaru did not want him to go through that.

Temari's teal eyes flashed furiously, but she said nothing. She'd been hit where it hurt most and couldn't think of a comeback. Hanaru was the only one who could do that to her, and Shikamaru knew how to deal with her as well but sometimes not. The friend was the best link.

Although, she wished she could have taken her words back. Temari did not deserve the cruelty of them. She knew exactly what it was like to sleep on prescribed medication and tea, wake on time and pretend everything was fine when it wasn't. But that wasn't an excuse to take her anger out on her closest friends who were still in her life. Her sanity was suffering more than Hanaru's was, because the latter had healthy ways to cope.

But how did that explain the dream about the man in red?

Her train of thought was broken by the sound of rising off of leather. Temari had stood up. "Get out of the way, Shikamaru," she snapped at her boyfriend, who groaned and stood up against his will, having gotten comfortable in his seat.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" he demanded.

"The bar, where else?" she replied coldly, picking her coat up and putting it on herself. "Don't bother following me until you guys are done with yourselves. I can take care of myself just fine."

It wasn't the first time Temari acted like this, heading to the bar to drink away her sorrows, but this didn't happen a lot. It happened since Kankuro died and Gaara vanished. She was told that she had to accept he might be dead, even though the force tried to find him for her. Even the police in every country could do so much with missing persons.

Naruto was gone for two months without a trace, no blood or signs of struggle. Even Detective Uchiha who was currently on the case said that if nothing turned up by the coming month, which would mark the third, the case would be called off.

She had to keep her fingers crossed and even put her hand over the winged necklace from her brother and pray he would turn up. And if Gaara was still around, for her best friend's sake, he'd better owe her an explanation.

"What a drag," Shikamaru grumbled, slouching back down in his chair. "Gonna let her go just like that - again." He reached into his jacket pocket to pull out a small, pale blue box. "And I'd been wondering when I could give THIS to her."

Inside was a single, sparkling round diamond on a tapered platinum setting. It was simple and classically stunning. He was planning to propose to her, and tonight had ended as it usually did whenever they would get together. Hanaru was happy with how this could go for them, but with her anger issues these days, she was a little worried.

The waitress arrived in time to ask them if they were ready to order, but Choji assured her they were still looking; they would accept their drinks, however. The girl agreed, but then she noticed the fourth person was missing, and Hanaru had to tell the truth that she'd bailed.

~o~

Winter had not yet begun officially until the solstice in one more week, but the weather began to chill. Many animals already began eating in preparation for hibernation, or had already done the job and were resting up in places they made for themselves in the wilderness.

Deer were one of the few to be out, even at this time of night. He spotted a lone male with antlers and licked his teeth which slowly grew out as they sensed his delight at the prey. Animals were living and breathing as humans, but they were not the same species. However, they thought and had feelings like humans. He had once been like them to know, but for a vampire, survival was the fittest.

He crouched in the trees above, exhaling slowly but no breath coming out. Once, the icy ozone would have given him frostbite as it had done to many people of his time. Or it would have rendered him unable to feel a thing and live to keep all his digits. He surveyed his prey's every movement, bowing its head to pick up some grass at the base of a tree trunk. Good. At its most vulnerable and guard lowered. Not even sensing me...

His long coat rippled in the wind as he stood up, kicking off with the heels of his boots, spreading his arms on either side and his legs out, landing atop the stricken animal as it kicked and fought to get away from him.

Sharp, pearly teeth extended and latched onto the thick but lightly furred and utterly tender neck, tearing through flesh and muscles, the canals of his fangs sucking in the juicy, tangy life from this animal. His dead heart sang with roaring fire among the raw arctic night.

"Be sure to leave some for me, will you? Got to bring some back for the hubby."

He had been in the middle of fasting when the giggling voice cut through the silence. It was a voice he was familiar with; he sensed her coming from the start but didn't acknowledge. He let go of the dying animal, halfway drained of its life source. It fell limply to the ground. "I'm surprised to see you at this time of night. I thought you were at the hospital," he told the pale-haired woman who found her way in his direction. She, too, was bundled up for winter, despite the fact they both could handle the cold as their bodies were not humanistic anymore. We only look like we are.

"It's slow tonight, for some reason, but it's not like people will miss me much," she answered, gracefully appearing before him in a flash, on both knees. "I got time until they call for me in an emergency. But your brother is gonna stay late hours again."

He snorted with laughter. It was just like his younger brother, the workaholic he was, who had become a creature of the night some years right after he had. It had NOT been a fate he wanted on the brother he swore to protect from the moment he was born, though it was like the stubborn fledgling that he was. No matter how old he was, there was still the spoiled little child who never saw the horrors he had while they were both still human.

"How is he?" he asked his sister-in-law, watching as she pulled out a couple empty bags that she owned personally, then took out her personal medical kit.

"What he does best. And still not causing trouble with his colleagues," Sakura answered. Then her face fell. "But the sisters of the two boys who are missing..."

He knew exactly who she was talking about. One was the girl his mistress ordered him to watch, and the other was her friend with simmering anger. Both lost their brothers, though one's was truly dead. However she didn't know the other was still alive as was her friend's. But neither of them would know, because even if they did, then they would be in grave danger when thrust into this world.

"Is Sasuke at least making sure they don't ask too many questions?" he questioned. "Or should he at least give some form of consolation?" But it's also like him to be blunt and to the point. I doubt the Sabaku girl will take his words very well. The Uzumaki, however...

He was tasked only with watching over the girl, unless he was called away by her relative she knew nothing about, but Tsunade said nothing about making some form of contact.

He found himself intrigued by the last descendent of the Senju line. He wanted to somehow speak to her, to know a little more about her with his own eyes, and being in the shadows could only do so much.

Sakura scoffed. "You know how Sasuke is. He's not like me when it comes to reassurance." By this time, the tubes inserted into the recently deceased ungulate's side had taken enough of the remaining life fluids it needed for the woman and her husband waiting for her - both of whom would feed on it.

Itachi Uchiha had to agree.

~o~

As promised, Temari never came back from the bar which was across the street. But meanwhile, dinner was to die for. And it was nice to see Choza Akimichi again, who was super excited for the holidays coming up. Not only would it be swarms of families, but father and son time.

Though after the appetizers and because of Temari's outburst, she felt like she had a limited appetite, so she chose the motoyaki, which was baked oyster within a shell, and two of them in counting, along with a bowl of miso. Shikamaru seemed to have the same thing when he asked for the skewered chicken along with a rice bowl sprinkled with soy. Choji, however, was the wolf of the trio over his beef teriyaki with mushrooms and greens.

It was washed down with some nice sake, but the atmosphere was nothing short of tense despite Shikamaru explaining he spent months since Gaara's disappearance saving up on the ring in his pocket. He had put up with Temari's anger issues long enough and really wanted to be there for her in every step of the way, but she was making this harder than it should be. It was like picking at a block of ice and getting only small pieces at a time, tiring him to the bone.

Hanaru couldn't agree more.

"You're not surprised," Shikamaru told her when he saw her lack thereof. He shook his head. "You know something? I hate to even think of such a thing, but maybe she should start seeing a counselor? We've done all we could with her. I see you doing better than her, but it's not meant to sound cold-blooded."

She snorted as she was reaching into her bag to pull out her portion of the bill from her wallet. "Cold-blooded? Not at all. You say it as it is, Shika," she said, laying the total amount on the surface of the table. She asked for dessert to go, which was tri-colored dango, and got the soy-dipped white balls for Temari later, as well as the dish she knew her friend liked. Just a bunch of gyoza dumplings filled with pork, onions and garlic. Although with whatever amount of alcohol she was consuming tonight, she wondered if Temari was gonna be hungry when she woke up with a hell of a hangover and had to go into the studio like that. Asuma would shake his head and poor Choji wouldn't know what to do.

Now at Shikamaru's suggestion, maybe he was right. It wasn't meant to be cold, tiresome, but reasonable. Temari took this all much worse than she did, and Hanaru was sure her limits would be pushed if something else happened. But there was also another thing: the holidays were coming up, and Temari couldn't miss them. Except she made it clear she hated to deal with them since both their brothers were gone.

Maybe after them and the new year coming, we should all talk to her.

Shikamaru nodded when she said this. Choji swallowed down an entire stick of chicken from his plate as his concur.

"Why don't you let us drive you girls home?" the lazy genius of their group suggested as they were exiting through the front of the grill, after saying good-bye to Choza. "I mean it's late enough for a bus, and you know creeps can come out."

Hanaru laughed. She knew that, and while she and Temari took care of themselves just fine, somehow she could see that happening tonight if they took the chance. Or even if one of them went alone. "Yeah. Get the car started while I go and get her myself."

The boys were gone in moments, but as soon as she turned her attention ahead to the street which had the sports bar, there was a commotion that made her reel. Temari was there, but there was also a guy coming on her. She couldn't even look at his face, but she whistled when her friend threw a punch to his face and then kicked him in the groin, which sent him onto the ground. That's my girl! the Uzumaki thought proudly, keeping her bag of carryout - both hers and the other's - and the other with her notebook close.

Temari then staggered backwards, her hands grabbing backwards onto a railing outside the bar, before turning around and throwing up the contents. She clearly had one too many. Scoffing, Hanaru checked the street to see if any cars were coming, then crossed, huffing as she placed down a kick of her own to the offender's crotch, giving him additional pain.

Throwing down her handbag, she pulled out at the same time the hidden device that still worked despite the new SafeSound that alerted the authorities. This baby her grandfather taught her to use as a teenager. "Come near my friend again and you get this to the same place," she snarled at the offender, who appeared to be the same age as her, had dirty blond hair and stubble as well as olive green eyes.

He spat up at her. "Bitch, you don't have to step in, you know. I just offered her a ride home, and she went on to attack me for no reason." Okay, she hadn't seen the entire story, but Temari never just fought a guy without a good reason. Gritting her teeth, Hanaru was putting her finger to the switch that made the fuses crackle when a deep voice made her freeze if the night air didn't.

"You don't have to do anything else. Leave him to me."

She whirled around halfway, seeing another man standing there, this time in a heavy black trench coat that appeared to have red inner lining. His hair was dark, bangs framing the sides of his face, but the bottom half of it was covered by the big coat collar. His eyes were dark, so mysterious and emotionless.

"Who the -?" she uttered, disgusted that he rendered her without words. "Who the hell are you to come into business which isn't yours?"

"Because your friend needs you more than this scum does, clearly," the stranger replied without a beat. "I saw it all from where I was standing. She handled it pretty well until you came along. I make business mine when I see fit, and I say you focus on her while I deal with this fool for you."

Hanaru couldn't remember someone she didn't know who didn't rile her up the way this one did. But for some reason, he thought to come and help her when he didn't know who she was either. Am I really supposed to be grateful he did?

Something told her that she ought to be, because while Temari took care of herself as he said, now she was sick from too many drinks and decking down an attempted rapist, so yeah, she needed help. All at the suggestion of a newcomer in the dark.

Could this frigid night get any weirder?

Arianhrod is the Welsh goddess mentioned in the song. Yet another piece really by Trobar de Morte.

SafeSound - I THINK that is the name of the new protection alarm system that is given to elderly people as well as others who need the right to arm themselves if not with guns. You press the button of the little device, and it alerts the authorities that you need help from a thug or rapist.

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