Author's Note: Thank you all for supporting me so far. I really appreciate the comments! :D 3 Thank you for being patient with my slow updating as well. ^-^

Chapter Three

The Announcement

Sitting down on the floor in interpretation, Shikadai eyed his father who was sitting casually; arm resting on his propped leg as he stroked his goatee thinking. His father had said he would stay a bit longer than usual to listen to what Shikadai's mother needed to say. Shikadai could not sleep at all that evening. His mother's words daunted him after Boruto left. Was she going to get after him for skipping class with Boruto to go eat hamburgers, which only ended up being spicy? Did Boruto's pale skinned friend, Mitsuki, rat them out again?

Temari walked out of the kitchen calling them in the room to sit down and eat. She set down breakfast. He peered at his food noticing his mother put water eggplants in. Glancing at his father's plate, it was filled with a perfectly baked mackerel. Feeling suspicious of his mothers' overly kindness Shikadai scowled up at her.

"What are you up to mom?" he asked.

His father snapping out of his thinking chuckled at Shikadai's unease with his mother's extra kindness. Noticing his father's chuckle, Shikadai studied his father. His face indeed looked extremely tired yet his eyes held a glimmer. It held something close to pride and happiness, but Shikadai wasn't too sure. He wore his usual tan overcoat over his black shirt. His black pants were slightly wrinkled from his long hours working in a chair last night. His mother on the other hand, had her hair down from her normal four ponytail style and she wore her longer purple kimono instead of her shorter one. He noticed something odd about her walk. She held in a way a small bounce to her walk and that puzzled Shikadai. For being the next prodigy from his father, he could not think a million different reasons why his mother was jumping around all giddy.

What is she, five? Shikadai grimaced inside. Having both his parents acting strange, made his skin crawl with definite unease.

"Shush little fawn," his mother snorted, setting herself down next to Shikamaru, making Shikadai scowl to himself at the old nickname his parents gave him. "I didn't poison your food. If I did, I'm sure the Nara elders would severe my head for killing the next clan heir."

That didn't make Shikadai feel any better. She pointed at his food, indicating that he should eat his food before it got cold. Not arguing with his mother, he dug in his food. Well he didn't want to see her tempered attitude so early in the morning, thinking it too troublesome to deal with. As he ate, he noticed his father had not touched his food. Temari had noticed as well, but his father beat her from the silence at the table.

"You still haven't told the kid, Temari?" his father asked. "It's painful to see him squirm from the anxiety you gave him last night. Telling him 'we need to discuss an important detail tomorrow,' hasn't given him a wink of sleep."

Temari set her chopsticks down shooting her husband a glare before shaking her head. Whipping her head sharply looking hard into Shikadai's eyes; the hairs on his skin stood up quickly. His mother's fierce teal eyes gave a look of hesitation yet a spark of excitement.

"Hey kid, you're going to have another pair of small feet in the house in nine months," came the blunt response of mother. Well it was more like a half yell, half serious, burst. Shikadai took some time to process this fully in his mind, before choking on his food. He quickly stood up pointing his finger at his mother.

"Wait, what? I'm having a sibling? You're pregnant?!" he blurted out, sounding too much like his mother. He had wanted to take everything as calmly like his old man, but his mother's characteristics slipped out.

"Don't point at me accusingly," his mother hissed. "You're so unmanly. Now sit back down."

Sulking from embarrassment, Shikadai sat back down in his chair. He stared hard at his food, when his mother chuckled.

"But yes fawn, you're going to either have a sister or brother," she smiled cheekily. Seeing her toothy grin made Shikadai grin along with her. His smile was just as big as hers, almost as if he was a small child himself. His mother's smile was everything to him. He was going to be an older brother and that meant Boruto wasn't going to be the only one to brag about being the only one to have a second sibling.

Seeing the two loves of his life smile, Shikamaru smirked a grin. Shikadai in so many ways was indeed Temari's son. He was more like her than him even though Temari disagreed. Heh, I suppose he takes in both of our personalities, he thought. What a drag. I miss where the kid used to always look up to us and think we were somewhat cool. I suppose it doesn't last long, but it was nice. His chest tightened as he thought of his father. Remembering one day when he was about five years old, his father had come to pick him up from his play date as Ino would call it, with Ino and Choji. He could clearly remember seeing his father walking a head of him. Shikamaru would look back to see Ino and Choji holding their parent's hands, but his father never did. Shikaku had always believed that Shikamaru would someday learn to walk on his own without his father babying him. Some could say Shikaku was a bit harsh on his son, but to Shikamaru, they were wise teachings his father could give him. He always watched him as he grew up and sometimes he regretted never telling his father so sooner. Shikaku's words still rang fresh in his mind.

Never forget. We are always inside you.

His father had confidence in Shikamaru and left him the position of Commander of the Fourth Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces and here he was, still the commander. Shikamaru never thought he would live up to his promise of being the Hokage's Advisor, have a family, or be the head of the Nara clan, and yet here he was. Here he was sitting at the table with his family. He had a wife who was beautiful and crossed his 'not too pretty and not too ugly' theory and he had a pretty much perfect son and now they were expecting yet another troublesome family member. He helped Kakashi during his years of being the sixth Hokage and now he was Naruto's official Advisor. He couldn't ask for anything else.

Shikamaru hadn't realized he was staring at the ceiling until he heard a knock at the door, making all three Nara's turn their heads to the door. Getting up, Temari opened it to have an Ambu black ops at their door way. The Ambu turned his head towards Shikamaru, making his skin crawl with unease. Naruto sending an Ambu didn't sound good.

"Shikamaru," Temari called him over.

He moved out of his seat, with his son right behind. Pausing next to his wife, the Ambu kneeled down to his knees.

"You are needed at Konaha gates," the Ambu said, his voice muffled from his mask. "You are to leave effectively and immediately. The Hokage will explain everything once you get there, but Sasuke Uchiha will not wait much longer."

Nodding his head once, Shikamaru sent the Ambu off to tell Naruto that he would be there as quickly as possible. He turned to see his wife give him a worried look. Only she would show her soft side to her family and Shikamaru knew she had every right to be worried. He caressed her head and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry about me," he whispered. "I promise I'll be back." Turning over to his son and ruffled Shikadai's head. "I'll see you later kid."

He walked over to the door where he had already prepared his pack last night, slipping in his shoes he opened his door. Looking back one last time at his family before closing it and running off to meet up with Naruto and Sasuke.