It's Worth The Troubles Chapter 3: The Start Of All Troubles, a naruto fanfic

IT'S WORTH THE TROUBLES

By ardenilia

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto-sensei owns Uzumaki Naruto & Company. I'm just a newbie, have much to learn and owns an average life.

Author's Note: This is the not the first fic I've written, but yet the first one I've posted on So, minna-san, please be kind and I'm looking forward to receive constructive criticisms and ideas, and no flames please!! I'm emotionally incapable of receiving any heartless remarks. - Hope you'd give this multiple chapters story a shot….alrite?

Summary: Both of them did not expect this. More over Shikamaru. What's Temari gotta do? This one, not even Dai Kamaitachi No Jutsu could handle…

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Part 3 : The Start Of All Troubles

The next morning, Shikamaru's deep slumber was disturbed by the sounds of clanking, battering and chopping from the kitchen. He pry open his bleary eyes, grunting in the process.

"Jeez, what is that troublesome woman up to now?" He shot a glance at the cuckoo clock perched high up the wall on his left. "4 O'clock?! Oh man, I only got two hours sleep for today." He stood up, shaking his head a few times, just to get himself over the drowsiness.

He was on his way towards the stairs, when he passed by the kitchen. He decided to take a look of what his wife was doing and leant against the doorjamb, his hand folded against his chest.

Temari was battering a buttery and creamy substance in a big plastic container, when she dashed across the kitchen to open the oven door, after taking a few seconds of observation; she went back to the battering. The smell of freshly baked blueberry muffins graced his sense for a few moments.

Looking back, it was like a whirlwind inside the place. It was quite an odd picture at the Nara household, for the Lady of The House was always a neat-freak. Everything from the wall to the floors to the counter-tops, heck even the doorknobs should be spotless. Everything's changing for this past few days and Shikamaru doesn't like it one bit.

"What are you doing, woman?" He asked in a monotonous tone, his onyx eyes fixed on the female in front of him.

"Gah!" Temari gasped in surprise, as she turned around, with one hand on her chest. "Just what do you think you're doing?! Sneaking up on me like that? How many times do I have to tell you, stop doing that. I swear I could've died of a heart attack." She hold on her quickened breath before it turned into a slow and steady motion.

"Jeez…" Shikamaru poked a finger inside one ear. "You don't have to be so damn noisy in the morning. I thought that I was the one who should be touchy since I only got 2 hours sleep. Thanks to you, I've got a headache and a back ache this morning. And, not to mention the loud wake-up call."

"Who told you to get wasted last night?"

"Hey, hey…are we getting into that again, woman?"

"You're the one who told me that we should discuss this in the morning. I've cleared my mind. Now, let's talk."

"Why are you being so jumpy all of a sudden? What is wrong with you?"

"Me? You're asking me what's wrong? You've been away from us in the last few weeks, and still you don't find staying at home is what you've missed the most."

"What? Don't talk in puzzles Temari." He sighed.

"Hah…and I thought you're the most intelligent person here." She stared back at him; exasperation visible in her eyes.

There was a deep silence for a few moments.

"This is about the missions, huh?" Shikamaru broke the silence. Temari just glowered at him in response. "You're upset that the missions took me away from you and the kids, right?" He advanced towards his wife in a few slow steps. "Temari, I'm not going away for a vacation or a joy-ride. Heh, it wasn't a very enjoyable thing for me to be someplace else, while in the same time, my family is a hundred miles away. I've got a million things in my mind when I'm on a mission. Are you and the kids okay? Is everyone safe? But most importantly, do you miss me?" He lifted her chin with his right hand and their eyes clashed. He could see she was biting the insides of her lips, a habit that has always been there since they were young.

"We promised that I'll be the one who'd take most of the missions so that you could stay at home and be with the kids, especially when they need us the most."

"…."

"You missed me so much, don't you? Why don't you say so earlier? We don't have to argue over nothing."

"…"

"Now, since the morning's still early, we still have time to make up for the last few weeks. Besides, Hikaru and Kusanagi aren't here…" His hands had made their way around her waist. As he lean forward to catch her slightly trembling lips, Temari pushed him away with great force.

"You useless bastard! You're still thinking to screw up your wife, even when she's extremely disappointed with you." She exclaimed incredulously at him.

"What?! You never use that tone to me, let alone use THAT word on me." Shikamaru scowled.

"Maybe…maybe I've had enough with your crap. Maybe I'm tired of being with someone who wasn't even there for me."

He shook his head in disbelief. "You've changed Temari. I don't like changes."

Realizing that her words had come out the wrong way, her voice softened. "Shika…I…" Her trembling hands reached forward to touch her husband, but he stepped back.

"You know what Temari? I've had enough of this troublesome conversation. Everything is so wrong with you." With the last of his sentence, he walked away from the kitchen, leaving a very miserable Temari behind.

She slammed her hands on the kitchen counter, as an act to vent out her frustration. "You good for nothing mouth"

'Itei…I hope I didn't ruin the muffins'

(A/N: Sorry, I had to put it in to reduce the tension !)

Three hours later, Temari walked down the stairs clad in a lavender kimono made from silk, with drawings of red roses at the hem of the material, completed with a matching magenta obi and sash. While a silver butterfly hair pin on her hair which she put up in a bun did nothing to hide her flawless beauty.

Shikamaru was leaning against the long couch's hand rest while reading a book when he saw Temari walking towards the front door, a basket hanging on her hands. He swore he was still mad about their argument hours before, but the breathtakingly sight of his stunning wife had never failed to capture his heart. His grip on the book tightened, as he held on a breath.

"Where are you going?"

"Oh, you're still here? I thought that you'll be out already."

His grip on the book tightened even more. 'Damn, this woman'

"It seems I've made a lot of muffins this morning, I can't finish it on my own. So, I'll head over to see our friends and bring them my homemade muffins."

"Jeez, what's with the muffins?"

"Don't forget to pick up the kids from wherever you dropped them. Your breakfast is on the table."

"Hn…don't bother" He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Temari gave him a slightly hurt expression before she closed the front door behind her.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan"

The pink-haired medic nin's head shot up from her office table upon hearing the greeting. Her mouth formed a big smile showing how delighted of her receiving the visitor.

"Good morning. Temari-san! Oh my goodness! What a surprise. Come on in."

"Am I interrupting something?" Temari asked as she stepped into the office.

"Oh no no…" Sakura dismissed her statement with a shook of her head. "It was a very slow morning, thank god you came here, if not I'm going to be bored to death" Sakura narrowed her eyes as she leant forward to speak in a hushed tone. "You know, the hospital is extremely quiet this morning, I thought that I was in a creepy TV show today"

Temari let out a small laugh for a few seconds before her lips formed a thin line. "You're always in a good humor, Sakura-chan"

Sakura giggled. "Let's just say that I've learnt that trait from that dear husband of mine. Oh yeah, and the dogs too."

Temari nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's good that Kiba-kun knows how to treat his wife right and to know that you're doing great."

"He better, if not I'm so gonna beat him senseless, until he begs for mercy." Both of them laughed at Sakura's joke. "Anyway, what brings you here?" Green emerald eyes met with turquoise-colored ones.

"I…just came by to give you some blueberry muffins. I baked a lot this morning. So, I dropped by at Hinata's house and Tenten's this morning, and then here I am. I went to Ino's before but she wasn't in." Temari pushed the basket towards Sakura.

"Oh, that was very nice of you Temari-san. It's a lovely surprise. I'm sure my kids would love them. It must've taken a lot of your time to make these cute and deliciously looking muffins. Are there any occasions?"

"Nah…I just felt like indulging my senses with homemade blueberry muffins this morning." Temari said, with a bitter smile on her face. Suddenly, her vision blurred for a few moments as the throbbing inside her head from the past few days came back again.

Sakura, realizing that Temari is uncomfortable, on impulse, touched her friend at her shoulder. Concern was vivid in her eyes. "Temari-san…are you okay?"

Temari just nodded her head weakly in response. "I'm just having a slight headache for the past few days. I guess, it must be something I ate."

"Have you thrown up before this?"

"Aa…once…no, twice."

"I see. Let me check your pulse for a moment Temari-san."

Temari put her hand forward for Sakura to hold. She placed two fingers on Temari's wrist, and silently counting her friend's heartbeat. "It seems that your heartbeats quite faster than normal"

Suddenly, she put the same hand on Temari's belly. Chakra could be seen flowing from her hands. Temari just looked at Sakura with a questioning expression on her face.

A few moments later, Sakura looked up to Temari, and laughed.

"Huh?"

End Of Chapter 3

To Be Continued….

A/N: Thanks for reading. Tell me what you think?

Ja!

Love,

ardenilia