Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 4: Love and Lonliness

Temeki sat in the music room of the Kazekage's Mansion and softly played the piano. It was Friday and the school week was finally over. Usually she came here to listen to her sister play. But occasionally, she would sit on the piano bench and play something herself. While Kina had the talent to play everything from energetic marches to tear inducing funeral songs, Temeki's talent seemed to be stuck in the minor chords.

She continued to let her fingers drift over the keys, allowing some of her feelings to pour through the music. Temeki didn't notice when Kankuro came into the room.

"That's awfully depressing considering that it's Valentine's Day," he frowned.

Temeki turned her head, but kept on playing.

Kankuro sighed and sat down on the piano bench next to Temeki, but only facing the other way so that he could look her in her face. "Don't tell me you forgot."

"I didn't forget," she answered, staring straight at the puppet master. She suddenly noticed that Kankuro was missing his usual face of make-up and that his eyes were extremely intense and somewhat red-rimmed. "What happened?"

"Yoshi broke up with me."

The steady sound of the music faltered for a moment before resuming.

"I thought you were with Sanka," she said.

"I couldn't be with both?"

Temeki smiled and shook her head. "I swear, you have such a variety of lovers—from both sexes, I might add—that I'm surprised you can keep them straight."

"Not all of them are straight, Temeki-chan."

"So why did Yoshi break up with you?"

Kankuro leaned in close to the former Uchiha and smirked when the music faltered again.

"Because I refused to take him to the Valentine's Day Dinner," he murmured.

"Why?" Temeki asked nervously. She caught herself looking at the Suna shinobi's mouth and had to force herself to stop.

Kankuro noticed the look and smirked again. He leaned in closer until his lips almost touched hers. The look in the girl's eyes was one of confusion mixed with a bit of lust. Kankuro's smile widened.

"Because I always take you, Temeki-chan," he whispered before covering her mouth with his.

Temeki lost herself in the kiss for a moment before she remembered.

Hold on, a low voice whispered in her head. You are not really a girl! You're a guy! And you're not a gay guy!

She pulled away from the older man and stared into his eyes.

"Well," Kankuro said, licking his lips. "Looks like you're more than comfortable as Temeki, Sasuke."

Temeki jerked away and stood up. "I'll go with you to the Dinner because that's what we've always done and because I don't want to look for someone else so close to the Dinner itself," she said coldly. "But don't for one minute think that it means anything more than tradition. And that kiss wasn't anything but a lapse in judgment."

Kankuro waited until she was almost out of the room before he said, "Then I pray for many more 'lapses' in your judgment, Temeki-chan."

He laughed to himself as he turned to the piano and started playing a jaunty tune. He felt the presence of Kina behind him and winced, but didn't stop playing.

"You're a real bitch, you know that?" she asked.

"I know."

"She's confused enough as it is. It's been almost 6 years and that one's psyche is screwed up enough without your teasing," Kina stared at her husband's brother and sighed. "Temeki's a boy stuck in a female body, she doesn't need you to jerk her strings."

"A little jerking's not a bad thing," Kankuro joked. "Besides, a person can't live without some form of physical intimacy. It's a natural way to relax and she's way too tense for her own good."

Kina placed her hands heavily on her brother-in-law's shoulder and leaned down to place her lips next to his ear.

"And are your intentions for Temeki-chan's 'own good' or for yours?"

"She needs to choose a side and be done with it already," Kankuro grumbled.

Kina tightened her grip on the man's shoulders until she heard him draw in a sharp breath.

"And have you chosen a side yet, brother?" she asked softly.

Kankuro whispered a jutsu and transported across the room. Kina was left by the piano, holding one of his puppets.

"You're a real bitch, you know that Kina?" Kankuro spat.

A cold smile graced Kina's face as she threw the puppet at the boy.

"It must run in the family," she answered.

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Gaara stood in the drawing room that connected his and Kina's room to Lilith's and smiled. In the six years since the purple-eyed woman moved into this suite with him, subtle changes occurred. The couches were used more often and the occupants of the room laughed more.

There was also less sand in between the books on the bookshelf.

His smile widened at the reminder of his old habit of using his sand to take books off of the shelves rather than stand up and getting them himself. He brushed his hands down the now familiar weight of his Kazekage robes and looked up as the woman he married softly closed the door to their daughter's room.

Kina looked even more beautiful than ever. He was glad that she wasn't wearing the backless style that was now popular and acceptable Suna evening wear—thanks to her and Temeki. The white kimono with the blue dragon embroidered on the back suited her perfectly. He held out his hand and smiled again when she immediately took it.

"And what are you smiling about, Gaara-kun?" she asked.

"Just remembering, Kina-chan," he answered. He looked down at the woman in his arms and bent his head to kiss her.

"Don't you guys ever quit?" Temari asked as she and Shikamaru entered the room along with Temeki and Kankuro.

"Seriously," Temeki added, sweeping back the black skirts of her backless kimono and sitting down on a couch. "I don't understand how you don't have at least three more children the way you two carry on."

Temari adjusted her lavender kimono and cream obi before sitting down next to Temeki. "I wholeheartedly agree," she said.

"And when you two get married, I assume that you won't find your mates just as appealing?" Kina asked.

"I assume that I will be just as affectionate as you, Kina-chan," Temari said. "If anyone ever decides to ask me."

Everyone looked over to where Shikamaru was fixing drinks for everyone and smiled slyly. The shadow user just ignored the looks and continued preparing the before dinner drinks that had become a tradition between the Sabaku family and their dates on Valentine's Day.

Kankuro brushed a piece of lint from his black yukata and asked casually, "That's a great looking yukata, Shikamaru. Where did you get it?"

Shikamaru paused and flicked his finger down the lavender piping that trimmed the black yukata. "Temari chose it for me," he said. He turned around and passed everyone his or her drinks. When there were only two drinks on the tray, he picked them up, handed one to Temari, and sat down next to her.

Temari smiled at her boyfriend and looked down to take a sip. But instead of the usual apple green of her favorite alcoholic beverage, she found a clear martini glass full of water. She glanced questioningly at Shikamaru and raised an eyebrow.

"Look again," he said in a bored tone of voice, drinking his own martini.

Temari raised the glass to eye level and blinked as she saw a sapphire ring at the bottom.

A sapphire engagement ring.

She put the glass on the coffee table in front of them and stared at it as if it were poisonous. The others slowly became aware of the blonde kunoichi's stillness and halted their conversations.

"Well?" Shikamaru asked.

Temari remained silent.

"Women are so troublesome," he murmured. Shikamaru reached for the glass and took the ring out of the water. He knelt on one knee in front of Temari and held her left hand.

Kina and Temeki's eyes widened as they figured out what was going on.

"I told you 5 years ago, on the road to Suna, that I wouldn't give you a poetic proposal," he said, staring into Temari's dark blue eyes.

"I'm still not going to give you a poetic proposal. But my mission is going to end soon and I don't want to go through the trouble of a long distance relationship. This way, we can live together without your brothers or my mother coming after me."

Temari grinned at the mention of Shikamaru's domineering mother. She'd grown fond of the woman over the years and loved to hear stories about Shikamaru from her.

Shikamaru looked down at their hands and continued. "You are bossy, annoying, and you have a tendency to yell too much, but there are some days when you smile quietly and beautifully for me. That's why I'm with you. And, as troublesome as life is with you, I can't imagine how it could compare to life without you."

"And he said he wouldn't be poetic," Kina whispered. Temeki looked at the couple next to her and sighed, feeling twin pangs of happiness and envy once more. Gaara and Kankuro looked at each other and smirked. They were going to have fun re-telling the story to the rest of the Konoha guys.

"Well?" Shikamaru asked again, holding the ring in his left hand and her hand in his right.

"Well, what?" Temari demanded, her voice hoarse either with tears or anger. "You haven't even asked me what you wanted yet!"

Shikamaru smiled. "Will you marry me?"

Temari guided her finger onto the ring he held and said, "Yes!"

Kina and Temeki clapped and hugged the couple while Kankuro and Gaara opened a bottle of champagne.

"Now this Dinner really will be a party!" Kankuro announced.

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The Dinner was over and the guests were all gone. Gaara was glad for that fact. Kankuro had gone off somewhere while the newly engaged couple went off to celebrate in a more private venue. Gaara didn't feel the need to be overprotective of his sister for one night. After all, he had six years to get to used to the idea of the shadow user marrying his sister.

Kina was already asleep in the bed they shared. She was getting more and more tired of late and he wondered how long it would be before she finally told him her news.

As the Kazekage, he knew that this development would place pressure on the others involved and that the chances of stopping Akatsuki would be cut almost in half. It was against policy to allow pregnant kunoichis to fight. But it was also against policy for hunter nins to be pregnant in the first place. But Kina was unique—in every way imaginable.

As Kina's husband, he was happy and excited at the prospect of becoming a father once more. Lilith was a gift from the gods to the two demon vessels. Although she had a dark side like her father's, she embodied all of the goodness and light in Gaara's world. Another baby would do nothing but add to the feeling of peace and contentment that had found its way into his soul.

He knew that for the sake of his family that the plan to stop Akatsuki must succeed. Everything depended on five people. Two resided safely in Konoha, where they lived and trained to become stronger. One slept safely in her bed in the building Gaara was standing on. The fourth was himself. And…

Gaara turned his head toward the solitary figure sitting on the rooftop.

And the fifth is right here, he thought.

"Am I in your spot, Gaara?" Temeki asked softly.

He chuckled and sat next to the former Uchiha. "No," he whispered. "I just came here to think."

"About Temari and Shikamaru?" she asked.

"Yes," he admitted. "And other things."

"When Shikamaru returns to Konoha with his psych report on me, will you let Temari go with him?"

"Perhaps," he said. "They need to inform the Nara Clan."

"That's for sure," she answered. "Temari told me that she wants to get married in less than two months."

"That's pretty fast," Gaara said, surprised.

"She said that she waited long enough for Shikamaru to propose," Temeki laughed. "She wants to marry the idiot already."

"Well," he said, looking at the stars. "Temari will have to return and settle her accounts here before she permanently moves to Konoha."

Temeki turned towards the redhead and sighed. "She has to move? And you're okay with that?"

Gaara shrugged and looked at the dark sky. "Of course she has to move. Shikamaru's the heir to the Nara Clan. She will be with her husband and perhaps Tsunade will make her a shinobi of Konoha. Temari's a big girl now. I don't begrudge her happiness."

"No," she whispered, placing her head on her knees. "You wouldn't begrudge anyone their happiness."

"I would if it hurt the people I care about," was the quick answer. "Tough times are ahead, Temeki."

Temeki looked at Gaara again and stiffened. It was the second time this week that the redhead had mentioned something about tough or difficult times. She knew that he was planning something for Akatsuki, but didn't know what. The Kazekage didn't share that information with anyone—even if she was "Zannen: the hunter nin."

"You've become strong here in Suna," Gaara continued. "Stronger and more ruthless than you could have managed in Konoha. But perhaps not as strong as you could have been if you had stayed with your former master."

"I might have become stronger with him," she admitted. "But then again, I might not have. Naruto told me something that a boy named Haku once told him."

"It is when you have someone important to protect that you become truly strong."

The two shinobi whispered the sentence at the same time.

At Temeki's startled look, Gaara half-smiled.

"That's what Naruto told me, too," he said. "After that battle between him and Shukaku. He told me that he was strong because he had to protect his precious people." The redhead stared directly into Temeki's light blue eyes. "He also told me that the pain of being completely alone wasn't of this world."

"I'm not alone," she said. "I have Kina and Lilith. I have you and your siblings. I have my students and Naruto and Kakashi." She held her ankles and leaned her head forward. "I'm not alone."

Gaara noticed that the former Uchiha failed to list Haruno Sakura as one of her precious people. In fact, Temeki didn't name any of the shinobis she'd dated over the years.

"But you are lonely," he corrected softly.

"And if I am a bit lonely?" she asked. "Not everyone needs a mate, Gaara. I still have precious people in my life. I'm still fine."

"Lonliness can be dangerous," Gaara said. "Enemies can use it to put cracks in your strength and in your confidence. Lonliness can make men do extremely stupid and crazy things."

"Like transform into a being that looks like a girl and has baseball mitts for wings?" Temeki joked. (1)

"Or tattoo the word 'love' onto his forehead and kill everyone who annoys him?" Gaara added.

They laughed hollowly at their old foolishness and trailed off into silence.

"You already look like a girl…" Gaara murmured.

"But I'd still have to deal with the baseball mitt wings," she said.

"How's the seal doing?" he asked.

Temeki rubbed her shoulder where Orochimaru's seal would have been if she'd been in her original body.

"It didn't act up the last time you guys let me walk around in my old body," she answered. "Although you only let Sasuke out for two days."

"His chakra is too unique," Gaara answered. "Besides, Sasuke has to be seen every so often. You should know that he'll be making more appearances in the area, though. The plan won't work if everyone believes that he's dead instead of in hiding."

Temeki grabbed onto the tidbit that Sasuke was part of Gaara's plan for Akatsuki.

"So Sasuke will fight Itachi?" she asked.

Gaara pinned the girl with a harsh stare. "The team will fight Akatsuki," he corrected. "If Sasuke decides to choose Itachi as his opponent, there's not much that the others can do about it."

She nodded and tried to keep her bloodlust down.

"If you can't handle the thought of fighting Itachi," Gaara began. "Then someone else might be ordered to fight him instead of you."

"I can handle it," Temeki said. She calmed down and stood up. "It's late and I have things to do tomorrow. Goodnight, Gaara."

Gaara watched as Temeki jumped from roof to roof, stopping a few buildings away and entering her apartment through the window.

"Goodnight, Sasuke," he whispered.

A/N:

I love the Valentine's Day Dinner…traditions should matter more. I find that as years pass, there are less and less of them being celebrated…something about everyone being too "cool" or whatever.

Okay! So the groundwork is laid out and things are starting to unfold…what will happen? We'll find out soon.

Oh yeah…can anyone tell me the full names and powers of all of the Akatsuki members? I know their first names…except for the Venus flytrap guy. I can never remember his name! Ugh…help is appreciated.

Later!

(1) Have you seen pictures of Sasuke in Stage 2? He looks like a freakin' girl with baseball mitts for wings on his back! Or worse…DUCK FEET! I mean, really…who's gonna be scared of something that looks like that? No offense to the creators and artists of Naruto, but everytime he goes on screen like that I have to hold my sides and laugh.

At least Sakon and Ukon looked bad-ass and Tayuya…she looked better in Stage 2!