I'm back home, I decided to spend my 18th birthday en le campo, where my great grandpa lived. I spent the day shooting and riding horses, and later went to the cemetery to visit my great grandpa. It was on of the best birthdays ever and there was no internet there so I couldn't update last week.

Anyways here's chapter 17, please review.

Disclaimer: Did Kishimoto just turn 18, No, I don't own Naruto.

How could I not have sensed her, I'm a freaking ninja and I could even sense her walk over, I understand Choji was in deep concentration cooking his meat but still. "Kiyomi, w-what are you doing here." Shikamaru said, hitting the back of a now choking Choji.

"Don't change the subject and answer," she said with a straight face.

This is it, telling the truth may cause her to break up with me. If she breaks up then maybe I stop feeling bad for kissing Temari and maybe when Temari comes back- "Shikamaru?" Kiyomi said breaking his thought.

"I don't know… I think have feelings and-"

"Ohh Shika, Its ok" she gave him an unexpected hug, "If you don't love me yet its fine, I'll help you figure out your feelings towards me. I'm sure its love."

"What!" both Choji and Shikamaru said. She didn't know we were talking about Temari.

"For a second I thought you were talking about someone else, but that's crazy anyways Shika sweetie don't worry about it, I have to go now and tell Ino everything, and we're still on for our date soon I'll plan everything" she gave him another hug and left the restaurant. She hated Temari even more now, she was pretty sure if they were talking about someone else it was her.

He really couldn't believe she was that slow.

3 Days Later in Suna

Temari could see the outside off Suna in the distance, she always loved when got to the point she could see her village. She had missed the desert, though most of the time she complained of the sand getting everywhere when the wind picked up it was still her home.

She had thought a lot about Shikamaru in the past 2 days and she hated to admit that she was going to miss him. She thought it would be best to leave before he woke up she didn't want to talk about what had happened, she found it harder than she ever thought it would be to leave. She hated herself for doing something with someone who was in a relationship, even though she was bad at relationships she could still understand how Kiyomi might feel if they found out, but what she hated more was she had loved every second off that night after their shogi game.

When she finally got to the gates she showed her pass to the guards, there was really no need they knew who she was, everyone in Suna knew who she was. She greeted them and said it was good to be back. She went straight to the Kazekage's office to report to Gaara.

Temari walked down the hall to the Kazekage's office. "Lord Kazekage," she said as she stood in front of her brother's desk as he read over one of the scrolls out of the dozens of scrolls and books on his desk.

"Temari, how was Konoha." Gaara said looking up from his pile of papers, to acknowledge her.

"Good thank you, I have my paperwork and the early draft of the chunin exams, all the other great nations will be attended and giving our previous alliance with Konoha before the war I agreed. They also decided the exam after next will be held here in Suna." She said handed him the scrolls.

"Thank you, you did well. Is there anything else?" He said opening one of the scrolls.

"Yes, I have this letter for you from a certain Konoha idiot," she said with a smile holding up a letter that he quickly grabbed it. "Naruto" he said happy to get mail from his friend that he only sees twice a year for the chunin exam whenever he is able to attend to the ones out of Konoha or if he stops by in Suna during a mission.

"He says there's a party next month for the Hokage and he sent the invitation for you, me and Kankuro." He said with his small-barely smile that he only does around Temari, Kankuro, and Naruto and lately Matsuri. "I'll talk to the elders today to try to attend but only for a day or two. You will have to go back to Konoha about month before the chunin exams to make the final plans, till then you'll be put back on the mission rosters."

"Lord Kazekage, I was hoping to talk to you about one of my duties." He could detect sadness in his sisters' voice. "I'm listening."

Later that Day

"TEMARI!" Kankuro said as he walked into the home the sand siblings shared for as long as they could remember. "Hey Kankuro" she said to her brother.

"Please tell me you're going to start making dinner, every time you leave me and Gaara have to live on take-out or ask Matsuri to cook for us." Kankuro said causing Temari to laugh. "Yea I'll start soon, you two really need to learn to cook," she said "and remember little brother now that I'm back no sluts in the house just to remind you again" she said picking up a bra from under the couch.

"I am offended, not all of them are sluts. I have had nice relationships with some of them before something happens." Kankuro said take the bra from her, making Temari laugh. "Yea about a week long relationship if not shorter, you need to fine a nice girl and be in a really relationship with them." she said. "Well, you are the oldest and I haven't seen you in any long relationships. You always say that you'll be available in case you have to marry for the good of Suna though we both know Gaara wouldn't allow it unless the destruction of Suna was close. In any case I'm going to do the same." He said taking the puppet of his back and sitting down on the couch. She didn't say anything else. Temari cleaned her fan while Kankuro worked on his puppets. When Gaara got home Temari started on dinner.

Kankuro and Gaara thanked Temari for the meal and said they were happy to have her back. "I talked to the elders and they thought it was a good idea, they said it would help strengthen our bonds with Konoha." Gaara said as Temari sat down. "That good I'm sure you're looking forward to seeing everyone in Konoha again." Temari stated with a smile.

"Konoha? Huh? What about it? What going on?" Kankuro said clueless to what they were talking about.

"Ohh I thought Temari told you about it Kankuro. Well you, me, Temari and Matsuri are going to Konoha in a month for a party in honor of the Hokages birthday." Gaara responded to Kankuros questions.

"That's great! The girls in Konoha are really pretty and hospitable if you know what I mean. OW" Temari hit the back of her brother's head. "Wait Matsuri is going too, since when it always you and me and Temari as your guard. Is something going on between you two finally." Kankuro said earning another hit from Temari and an evil glare form Gaara.

"Oh come on you have to admit that Matsuri has always liked Gaara, she was the only one who picked him as a teacher after all. Although just about every girl in Suna likes Gaara now we know her feelings are true plus she a great cook if you two start going out than maybe she'll cook more often for us when Temari's away in Konoha," Kankuro said earning another smack in the back of the head from Temari, "OW will you stop that." he said holding the back of his head. "Will you stop being an idiot" she said.

The truth was Temari also thought Matsuri would be good for her youngest brother. Her brother had a special bond with her ever since she became his student but she also knew Gaara wasn't the best with his feelings. Runs in the family I guess, none of us are good with our feelings.

"Whatever so why is Matsuri going if she and Gaara aren't getting it on." Kankuro ducked knowing Temari was going to try to hit him again. Gaara just glared at him evilly the whole time.

"Matsuri is going to be Temari's new replacement as ambassador for Konoha." Gaara said in an emotionless tone, he had been against the idea of her leaving but she had convinced him yet he still wondered what the real reason was.

"What! But you love going to Konoha that's why you still go even though you're an ANBU captain." Kankuro said looking at Temari.

"I decide to focus as Gaara's bodyguards and ANBU," Temari said flatly eating a piece of here dinner.

"Ok I'm not buying this, what happened, you love over working and taking many jobs, so spill." Kankuro said questioning his sister.

"Gaara already questioned me ok. Nothing happened. From now on the only time I'll be going to Konoha is to help Matsuri with her new duty next month and to guard Gaara on his 2-3 days trips there and that's final. Now both of you finish your dinner and no more talking!" She said raising her voice.

Kankuro and Gaara looked at each other, they both knew something was off and they were going to get to the bottom of it.

Next Chapter:

Neither Shikamaru nor Temari had spotted each other in till Shikamaru bumped into each other.