Here's the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews and the readers.

Shikamaru was feeling a bit better. Sure, it wasn't his normal attitude yet, but he had heard that time heals all wounds. He was slowly returning to his gentle and calm state of mind. Even though, most just called it pure laziness. Earlier in the week, he had attempted to be busy all the time, so he would have no time to think but it didn't help all that much since it pushed all those thoughts into his dreams at night. And the day he had cried while talking with Choji, had just happened to be the day after a particular sad memory of Temari. He just couldn't help it; that day it had just came out unexpectedly.

"Who am I fooling? I'm still in denial," He sighed leaning back against the trees, staring up at the skies at an attempt at normalcy, "Trying to argue with myself is way too troublesome. It doesn't even make much sense."

Quietly Shikamaru gazed up at the sky, smiling a bit, hoping with all his heart that Temari was happy whatever happens in the future. As long as she was happy he would be okay with things; actually it would be the only way he would let go. If there was some hint that she was sad and missed him, Shikamaru would do whatever it took to get her back. He loved her so much and he hoped things were going all right for her. Shikamaru closed his eyes and decided to rest for a bit. But his relaxation didn't last as long as he would have liked.

"Shikamaru! Have you heard? Ino is engaged to Kankuro! They're getting married! I mean truly and really married! Are you even listening to even a word I'm saying? Ugh. . . You better show up for the engagement party or Ino will bug me," demanded a loud and obviously very female voice that belonged to Naruto's emerald green eyed teammate Sakura. But Shikamaru heard every word and smiled as he heard her footstep disappear. He knew those two belonged with one another; after all who else would be able to handle Ino's very volatile temper?

Shikamaru's lazy eyes widened and he came to the sudden understanding of what could be done. If Kankuro was getting married, that would mean that Temari would have to come to his engagement party since she was his sister. She would feel obliged to show up and that could easily work in his favor. Standing up and straightening his shoulders and lifting his chin into a determined position, Shikamaru grinned knowing that if things went well, it could change his whole life for the better. It would make it that much more troublesome but trouble did make life more interesting. And eventually satisfying knowing how well one worked before coming to the spectacular end result.

Shikamaru wasn't quite sue exactly when he had changed his mind, but he had, and he was willing to do anything to get her to stay with him. There had to be some sort of reason for Temari to be willing to stay. Even if at first he hadn't believed that there was one. But love had to be a strong enough reason; it just had to be. But first things first; Shikamaru had to figure out exactly when the engagement party would start and where. After all he wouldn't want to miss it for the world.

"WHAT?!!"

Gaara slightly winced at the sound, which clearly reminded him about how loud Uzumaki Naruto usually was. But Kankuro had warned him that a females voice rising as loud as the local Konoha idiot, whoever that was, would mean danger far more serious than simply busting one's ear drums. He pretended not to be alarmed by his sister's voice and repeated what he had learned in a recent message sent from Konoha.

"Kankuro is to be married," Gaara repeated before he continued with the message that she had interrupted, " His engagement party will be held in Konoha and as his sibling we must attend. I will get someone to cover for me here while I go. The advisors can take care of things but I'll need someone to watch over them. Baki can do that quite easily and will have to make daily reports back to me."

"Wait I have to go back there where he is?!" Temari half-shouted trying to make herself heard over Gaara's cold and icy words. It wasn't that he voice them loudly, but his voice demanded obedience and respect which was harder than it seemed to overcome the ancient fear she had carried for him over the years. It had faded but sometimes it would pop up every now and again.

"Of course you do. It's common courtesy to visit a one's sibling's reception. And you don't want to make that mistake," Gaara stated coldly, not intending his words to be considered a question. They were an order, pure and simple.

"I didn't mean it like that! I mean- Shikamaru's going to be there and he's gonna get on my nerves," Temari answered hesitatingly wondering if that was a good excuse or not. But obviously Gaara saw through her lie; not only because she had told him what she felt for Shikamaru, but because he knew how to tell when a person was lying to him.

"I know you didn't, but either way we still have to go. I'm not going to ask you to go," Gaara said quite calmly, which rose Temari's hopes, "Because I'm ordering you to go."

Temari sighed and thought that she should have known that he would have dashed her hopes like that. He was a younger brother, but also a stubborn one. She rolled her eyes and headed to her room, knowing that his words were a dismissal to get ready. Oh, she was going to hate wearing a kimono but at a event like this, it was needed. Temari was at least thankful, that as a ninja she would be allowed to carry her usual large and shiny fan along with her.