Here's the last and final chapter. It's long. Much longer than the others. Enjoy and review this last one. I hope to see you all again for my next story which is about Kakashi and Team Seven. It's called A Very Unexpected Change.
"It's all my fault. If I had been just a little bit faster, that Nin wouldn't have been able to knock me out," Temari groaned, her head in her hands as she waited outside the room while Sakura administrated the medication.
"Stop blaming yourself and moping around. You've had psychological training and everything," Kankuro teased, trying to lighten the mood while he held his arm around his own sweetheart Ino, "You need to be thankful that he's alive."
"You're so annoying even when you're right," Temari responded with a slight smile as she lifted her head to acknowledge his presence, " But that's not going to change the fact that my mind keeps replaying the event over and over."
Kankuro watched his sister hold her emotions in, but he could still see most of them reflected on her face. He sighed and tucked Ino closer to his side and hugged her while she gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Ino wasn't sure what to say to her future sister-in-law at a time like this. Usually she had plenty to say, but not this time.
The sound of a sliding door opening, registered in Temari's mind. She glanced up and froze as she spotted Shikamaru walking slowly toward her with a temporary crutch at his side. Tears blurred her vision but that didn't stop her from rushing to his side and throwing herself into his arms. He dropped the crutch with a jerk and just held Temari as she lay her head on his shoulder and wept.
"And you call me the crybaby," Shikamaru gently prodded trying not to wince as she hugged him tighter. Temari rubbed her wet face on his shoulder, pain etched in every motion she made. Her shoulders shook with emotion and she didn't want to let go. Temari fluttered her eyelashes open and stared up at him with such longing and hurt. Her eyes glimmered with even more unshed tears, and gently Shikamaru tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her face a bit more level with his own.
"I almost lost you and it would have been because of me," Temari sniffled perilously close to tears again, her face full of grief from almost losing him. Her eyes filled with more tears as she relieved the moment that had almost taken him away from her. Impatiently she lifted one hand and swiped at her cheeks, her eyes red-rimmed and half-swollen from all the crying.
Shikamaru cupped her face in his hands and leaned forward and kissed her softly on her forehead before swiftly brushing his lips against her eyelids. He switched from one position to another, and closed his lips onto hers, gently touching her lips with the heat of his tongue.
"Don't you dare blame yourself," Shikamaru scolded against her lips with calm heavy breaths. Temari smiled and then slowly pulled back when she felt him flinch when she tightened her hold. Cautiously she eased up on her grip, and grinned sheepishly.
"Ahem-" coughed a interrupting voice, " Are you done yet?"
The couple glanced in Kankuro's direction and then blushed bright red. Shikamaru tried to let his face turn to its normal color and let a normal lazy look appear on his face.
"Hey! Shikamaru!" a loud obnoxious voice called out, waving his hand wildly to catch the lazy slacker's attention. It was the blond-haired and blue-eyed Naruto rushing toward the group's direction with two or more following behind him.
"Injuries usually require bed rest, don't they? That means no nagging about chores from my mother," Shikamaru pondered to himself, and saw Naruto shake his head as he came closer.
"Still the same old lazy guy," Naruto responded with a grin before fading away. He threw his arms around Kiba and Hinata who were the closest to him, "We were worried about the two of you. We all were. Even the clueless Sai who couldn't make it. "
"O-Of course. . . N-Naruto is r-right. Everyone was so upset with the news when t-they heard about it," Hinata nervously stuttered, Naruto's warm closeness causing her face to turn a bright deep red. Shino was watching carefully, and nodded his own affirmation, with Kiba butting in as usual afterwards.
"Glad to see you're still alive and kicking. Me and Akamaru were worried about you for when you left like that," the rowdy and wild Kiba added, while the others added their own individual voices.
"We are deeply sorry we couldn't arrive any sooner!" the encouraging Rock Lee added in smiling a bright widening smile, "But it is a great thing that you fought back with all your youth."
Tenten shook her head and leaned closer to Neji, who was rolling his eyes before he spoke, "You did well. But we were concerned when you didn't come back as soon as we hoped."
"You're my best friend, Shikamaru and I don't know what I would have done if-" Choji broke off, tears clogging his eyes at the thought that Shikamaru would have passed away just like Asuma-Sensei. He grabbed at some Barbecue chips and chewed a few. He smiled and responded with a sincere and heartfelt words, "I'm just glad you're okay."
"Thanks," Shikamaru smiled trying not to cry as well while pulling away from Temari but not completely. He gazed into her eyes for a moment and grinned, "I probably would have died if it hadn't been for Temari."
Temari smiled in reply, her guilt still intact but slowly fading away with Shikamaru's help. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it carefully. Her heart pounded in her chest as a rush of feelings brushed away any remaining doubt that he couldn't forgive her for not waking up in time.
" Don't forget about my medical help," Sakura added jokingly as she stepped into the doorway with her hands on her hips, " And make sure to keep those bandages on for a few weeks with plenty of bed rest. Oh and remember to report to Lady Tsunade and the Kazekage about what happened."
"What a drag. . . I still have to do work despite having almost died. Why does trouble always follow me around," muttered Shikamaru under his breath while everyone else laughed at his way of putting things.
"Why not just tell it to the both of us when you're feeling a bit better," Suggested a strong firm female voice from somewhere in the long hallway. The group turned their eyes toward the authoritative voice and saw the Hokage and Gaara walking toward them. Gaara stared straight at Temari, trying to figure out if she was emotionally scarred or not.
"But be advised, not too late," Gaara added, his pale green eyes gleaming before turning toward Tsunade-Sama and speaking quietly towards her with his usual gruff voice, "I'd like my own Interrogation of the kidnapper. After all, he focused his attention to one of my own siblings."
"Granted," Tsunade answered in a confident voice before turning back to the large group, "Isn't there some place most of you need to be? I can't allow this hospital to be so overcrowded."
"What for?" loudly grumbled Naruto, while Sakura pushed him further towards the door as Sasuke followed quietly behind. Everyone else except for Kankuro and Ino, followed the orders.
Tsunade shook her head at their defiance, shrugged and started walking off, muttering irritably, " Jiraiya's stupid bet. He probably cheated."
Gaara narrowed his eyes at Temari and turned toward Shikamaru with a serious stern look on his face , "Treat her well and never make her cry again."
Sand lingered in the hallway for a moment or two but soon followed its master outside with the rest. Kankuro understood what Gaara meant and added his best wishes in his own individual but very straight to the point way.
"I guess we'll be seeing you later," Kankuro winked, as he nudged Ino's side carefully. She grinned with mischief dancing in her eyes and added her own voice to the conversation, "Don't take too long at proposing, Shikamaru!"
Shikamaru and Temari blushed with embarrassment and watched at the engaged couple walked off, hands in hand.
"What are they going on about now?" exclaimed Temari trying to hide her embarrassment through denial. She chuckled weakly and avoided Shikamaru's eyes as they focused on her.
"They are just try to provoke us," Shikamaru responded dryly as he closed his eyes lazily as he tightened his grip on her hand, "After all they can't expect me to propose right away with this injury of mine. I can't even bend down on one knee, yet."
Temari's eyes widened with realization with what he was talking about and in shock she just stared at him. Joy filled her eyes and she just couldn't hold it in. She squealed in delight and started to press kisses all over his face.
"I can't believe you said in such a nonchalant way!" Temari shouted despite the humor and happiness in her eyes. He smiled brilliantly and gently lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.
"You'll just have to wait for a few weeks before I can properly propose ," Shikamaru murmured softly with a sweet tenderness in his eyes as he lowered her hand and let her snuggle against him. He loved her so much, and couldn't bear being without her. Shikamaru was pleased with her reaction and joy filled him, "And maybe we'll even have a double wedding."
Temari leaned her head on his shoulder and just rolled her eyes even if humor twinkled in them and replied huskily, " Maybe we will but I expect an elaborate proposal."
"I'll have it all lavishly prepared," Shikamaru replied his dark brown eyes meeting hers with pure love reflected in them as he carefully lifted the crutch that had lain on the floor this whole time, " Believe it."
Temari laughed at that familiar little catchphrase that Naruto was always using and mentioned absently, "And once our engagement is announced, any remaining lovesick fan girls will just have to give up all hope."
" And you will have me all to yourself,"
"And I'll enjoy ever minute of it," Temari purred happily as she entwined her fingertips around one arm as they walked out of the hospital and into the sunlight. Shikamaru smiled to himself and decided quickly that cloud watching would have to wait . He didn't know he could love someone this much. But it was quite obvious that he would do everything he could to make her happy.
"I never suspected this in my life. I never even dreamed it could happen to me," Shikamaru expressed as he walked along Konoha's street, saying hello to Team Seven's Sensei Kakashi who blinked at them, or was that a wink? He greeted the insulting but sometimes polite Sai who suddenly passed them with a bright smile pasted on his face. Shikamaru continued with his words, " And yet I have you. The other part of me. The missing half of my soul. Please don't ever stop loving me."
"How could I?" Temari replied, her gaze softening from their earlier seductive haziness. She could be sweet and she expressed it by kissing him softly on the cheeks, "I love you way too much. . . You big Crybaby."
" How troublesome," muttered Shikamaru as he discovered that she had seen the sheen of tears when everyone else was expressing their concern over them, "Nothing going to get past you is it?
"You can try. . . But you'll fail every time," She cooed in his ears as her eyes lit with mischief as Shikamaru sighed and shook his head at how troublesome his life was going to get even if it would be what he wanted most in the world. He smiled back at her teasing look and just laughed happily. . .