This is for all my little preciouses who have asked for another Shika Tema fic.

I heard you, my darlings, and I have delivered!

This would be set roughly about a year after Temari came back.

Temari was forced awake by a terrible screeching sound that made her want to force whoever had come up with the idea of alarm clocks in a very small hole filled with nothing but that terrible noise so that they could suffer like she did. Thankfully it stopped when Shikamaru hit it, but by that time they were both awake and wanting to be anything but.

"Go make breakfast." Temari grumbled as she rolled over onto her stomach, burrowing deeper into the blessed warmth and comfort of the bed, wanting to spend a few more minutes nestled in her happy little cocoon.

"You make breakfast." Shikamaru grunted, turning away from her and onto his side closing his eyes against the harsh reality of the daylight.

"I'll burn it." Temari threatened, though she could tell from the snort her husband gave that he didn't really care what she chose to do with it as long as she got up instead of him. The bastard.

"Don't you usually do that anyway?"

Temari turned and drew up her legs so that her knees were at her chest, planting her feet on Shikamaru's back and pushing, trying to force him out of the bed. He grunted and dug into the mattress, holding his ground against her attack.

"Your feet are cold."

"Sucks for you, doesn't it? Of course, you could always just hurry along downstairs and fix me breakfast, that way you wouldn't have to deal with me or my cold feet." Shikamaru smirked, though Temari couldn't see it.

"Nice try."

"I certainly thought so."

"Not going to work though."

"I figured that too."

They both lay there in a few moments of silence before Shikamaru reached behind him and grabbed Temari's ankle, turning onto his back as he pulled her over on top of him. Huffing out a breath Temari wriggled around until she was in a more comfortable position, their bodies flush together as she propped her arms on his chest. Blowing her hair out of her eyes she looked down at the smirking man who lay beneath her, giving him a look that matched his for arrogance point for point.

She loved the mornings when they were able to wake up together.

Reaching out she grabbed a piece of his hair and idly played with it as she thought over the dilemma they were faced with.

She wasn't really in the mood for sex and they didn't have the time for it anyhow, and they were both more than able to hold off on food so it wasn't a matter of who got hungry first. She supposed they could have played some little game like rock-paper-scissors to decide, but even such a simple and childish game like that would become a huge battle of wits that she just didn't really feel like having at the moment.

She knew that if she just asked nicely and said please that he'd do it, but she never really liked the taste that that word left her with and it just wasn't any fun if it was given up without a fight. Money wouldn't work, especially since they shared a bank account, and if she said that she'd owe him one he'd just use that to get her on one of the mornings she really didn't want to get out of bed.

And so they found themselves at a stalemate.

"I'm not gonna get up." She warned him, closing her eyes and laying her head down onto his chest. He grunted in agreement, both of them content to just lay together until they thought of a way to get the other out of bed or were forced out.

The bedroom door was opened and the thin teenager who stood in the doorway took in the sight, sighing at them but happy that they at least had clothes on. That had certainly been a horrible and scarring experience that she never wanted to repeat again. Ever.

"I made breakfast." She told them, turning on here heel so not to tempt fate into giving her an eyeful of something she really didn't want to see. Temari lifted her head up to watch as the girl left.

"I knew there was a reason we had her." Temari said, rolling off of Shikamaru and out of bed.

She slipped her robe on and padded out of the room, going down the steps and into the kitchen where a beautiful heaven existed. "Coffee." Temari sighed appreciatively, pouring a mug and cuddling it as if it were and adored child. The first sip was pure pleasure and every sip after that bliss.

Kyoko shook her head at her mother and continued to drink her orange juice, unable to understand her mother's love of what she found to be a bitter drink.

"Where did you learn to make coffee?" Temari asked her daughter as Shikamaru walked in, yawning as he scratched his bare stomach. "Obviously not from your father since whenever he makes coffee it looks like sludge and tastes like tar."

"You still drink it." Shikamaru defended as he picked up a piece of toast.

"I just didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"You've never worried about them before, so let's not pretend that you've suddenly started." Temari was opening her mouth to toss back a sharp little quip back at him when Asuma stepped into the room.

"Well now, there's the man of the hour." Temari said, lifting her mug up in a little toast that made the boy blush.

"Mom... Geeze." The boy grumbled, secretly making his mother's heart soar. After all the years and all the fears, no matter how many times she heard it she knew she'd never tire of it and would never be able to find a sweeter sound than that of her children calling her mom again and telling her that they loved her.

"What? It isn't every day that you graduate the academy. This is a once in a lifetime thing." And she thanked what ever deity that would listen with every fiber of her being that she was allowed to be a part of it.

"It's just not that big of a deal." He muttered, accepting the slice of toast that his father passed him. He generously slathered apple jam on the slice of toasted bread, something that both of his parent's made faces at since they couldn't understand where the boy got his sweet tooth.

"Yeah, Asuma, it kind of is." Kyoko said, and the blonde boy turned his head to give her a searching look, one that Kyoko was able to understand and detest.

Their mother hadn't been at her graduation and the fact that she was here for Asuma's and was making such a big deal about it hurt like a dull edged blade cutting through her skin. But she was fine. She would not allow herself to act as if she were a sniveling child and ruin this for her brother. She'd smile as if she didn't have a care in the world and would keep that smile on her face even if it killed her.

"Hey, don't you worry about me. This is your day so act a little happier about it, and I'm fine anyway. Got it?" Asuma nodded before beginning to nibble at his toast, though he still wasn't going to get any more excited about this experience than he already was.

As his father would say, it was all just so troublesome.

Asuma sighed, again, as his mother adjusted his new forehead protector. Again.

"Mom, its fine."

"No, because for some reason it won't get un-crooked."

"That's not even a word." He muttered under his breath, hoping that she wouldn't hear him. And of course she did.

"Yes, but grounded is. Now there," She said, nodding as she stepped back, "That wasn't so hard, was it?" Asuma merely rolled his eyes and prayed that they'd be able to get out as soon as possible.

But, of course, it was not to be.

They had to listen to the speech given by the Hokage, and since Naruto had never been one to give formal speeches it was amusing and short, which was something to be thankful for. But after the stupid speech was when all of the parents wanted pictures of everyone and everything, and Asuma thought he was going to be happily exempt from this after a quick little picture that they would all have to suffer through. But as soon as he saw Maria hurrying over to them with her camera in her hands he knew that it wasn't to be.

"Hey! So sorry I'm late! One of the shelves at the library collapsed and… well, I'm here now! Oh, look at you, Asuma! All grown up and… Isn't your forehead protector crooked?"

"That's what I've been saying." Temari sighed. The two women's eyes met and they both nodded to one another, understanding and accepting.

Asuma was watching them, waiting to see how this moment would pass, when an arm suddenly came around and hooked around his throat, tugging him back so that he was pulled against a familiar form. Tilting his head a bit he looked up at his best friend and sighed.

"Ringo, let me go."

"Oh, come on Asu!" The grinning girl said as she tightened her hold, "You're killing the buzz! Just think, yesterday we were children, wandering aimlessly through life without meaning or direction. But today, today we are men!" Asuma sighed again and suffered through the hold.

"Ringo, you're a girl."

"That doesn't matter! Geeze, you'd think you'd be less of a fuddie duddie on a day like this. We're genin, Asuma! Smile!" He just continued to stare at her until she reached with her hands and pulled the corners of his mouth up. Seeing what a priceless moment this was Maria quickly snapped a picture of the two, Asuma groaning and Ringo grinning.

"Ha! Perfect!" Maria cried out, grinning at the pair as Asuma resigned himself to his fate, standing and listening silently as Ringo prattled on, talking about how wonderfully great life was.

"That's a… nice camera." Temari managed, Maria looking back at her with a smile filled with nervousness and surprise.

"Um, thank you. I like taking pictures so I always try to get the best model." There was a beat of silence as the two women floundered for what to say next, everyone else holding their breath as they watched on. "Would you like to try?" Maria offered, holding out her peace offering.

Temari took the camera with hands that were far more steady than she felt. "Um, well..." She said, looking down at the little buttons and knobs, "How do I do this?"

"Well you just..." Maria started as she went over to her, both of them bending over the gadget. Seeing no bloodshed or cause of alarm everyone relaxed, realizing that the two women would go for one another's throats. They were trying hard to get along with each other and keep their oddly shaped family intact, and it was working rather well.

"Okay," Maria said, nodding, "Now you try." Temari nodded and lifted the contraption up to her face, peering through the little eye slot and at Asuma and Ringo. Ringo, seeing that she was going to be in yet another picture settled for wrapping her arm around Asuma's throat like she had done earlier, her other hand lifting up into a peace sign as she grinned widely.

After pressing down on the shutter Temari straightened, staring down at the camera in her hands for a silent and still moment before speaking, though she didn't look up.

"Ringo, come over here and take a picture of us, will you?"

"Oh, that's okay, I'll do it." Maria said but Temari shook her head and handed the camera to the young girl. "If you do that you won't be able to get in the photo." Temari finally looked up and met Maria's shocked look with a fiercely determined and strong look of her own.

"After all," She murmured, "You're family to them too."

Maria wondered how she could feel so numb and yet have so many overwhelming emotions rushing through her. When she had first woken up she hadn't wanted to come and had even lingered at work until that shelve incident had happened, and when those shelves had collapsed she had though it had been a divine sign until she had felt Asuma's graduation present in her purse.

She had been worried that, even though they had been civil to each other these past months, that Temari would try and keep the kids away from her or that the entire thing would end in some big blowout with the scary ninja lady trying to kill her.

But here she was, holding out that olive branch with a bittersweet expression on her face and those shadows threatening to overtake her eyes.

Family.

The two women stepped forward almost perfectly in sync and they all crowded together for the picture. Shikamaru's hand secretly went to the small of Temari's back as he gave her his silent support as they stood behind the children. One of Temari's hands went on each of the kids' shoulder, but when her fingers brushed Maria's -who had kept her hands on Kyoko's shoulders- they both jerked slightly. Maria was about to move her hand when Temari shook her head, silently urging the woman to remain as she was as she did the same.

The shutter closed once again and captured that one still moment where both of the women came to peace with one another.

Maria kind of got away from me there and Ringo popped in for a spell but all in all I figure that it was pretty good. At first I just wanted a nice little Shikamaru+Temari moment and then I wanted their kids in there and than I also wanted to show that Maria and Temari have a decent relationship with one another and that they're able to deal with their situation.

Kyoko is growing up so she's able to get past all of that anger and jealousy, and someone asked if Temari would ever tell the kids what had happened to her.

No.

I don't even think that she'll tell Shikamaru everything, but she most certainly won't weigh her children down with the truth about what was being done to her all of those years she was gone. She knows that they'll probably never look at her the same way again, and she'll be in a fragile place for a really long time so she doesn't really need that.

Peace out, my homies. My home dogs. My brothers from another mother.

God, there's something wrong with me.