This has a lot of pieces because I knew they had to be in it but I couldn't figure out how to lengthen them and I didn't think I should put them in a separate chapter. Besides there is a sequence of events.

Chapter 4 - Officially? Yes

"How good are you with dogs?"

"I don't know. I'm ok with Akamaru... There aren't many dogs in Suna." she answered slightly miffed at the sudden question. They had been walking for awhile is a comfortable silence and she had just been taking in the scenery of yet another section of Konoha that she had not been to before. He smiled broadly.

"One way to find out." he said and stopped before a tall gate. He pushed it open to the sound of dogs barking and a few squealing children. "Welcome to the Inuzuka compound."

Temari looked around in wonder at the many houses with the huge yard. A few children ran past with their little puppies following behind or in their arms.

"Come on. Hana isn't here right now but Mom should be around somewhere." he said grabbing her hand to pull her along behind him. He led her through the house nearest them. It was simple and comfortably furnished. This is my house in case you're wondering. It's easier to just walk through it than to walk around."

Temari nodded barely paying attention. This was his house and she was in it. Was she even supposed to be here? Would she have been welcome if other people were here? Who's Hana?

He led her out through the back door and she stopped to take in the view before her. Houses were scattered across a large plot of land and in the centre was a huge space that was mostly dirt from the generations of children that had played there and were currently playing there.

"It's big." she finally commented.

"You wouldn't believe that it's not even half the size of the Hyuga compound then." he said folding his arms.

"Seriously?" she asked shocked. He gave her a look that said 'does it seem like I'm lying?'

She was struck by the simplicity of the houses and how fun loving and happy everyone seemed. She didn't have much more time to watch before Kiba began pulling her along in the opposite direction. He pulled her towards a building off to the side.

"Where are we going?" she asked and he smiled at her. He jogged up to the door, still pulling her behind him. He pushed the door open.

"This, my dear, is the vet." he said and they stepped in to a clean waiting room like place. Akamaru was lying at the counter. He looked up when they entered and stood. He went over to a small section off the room that was boxed off and Kiba met him there. Temari followed him over. She looked down into the small box to see a small golden bundle. Kiba reached in and took up the bundle that uncurled itself into a puppy.

"We found him yesterday." he told her. She marvelled at his small size and fur that was almost the same colour of her hair. "He's still a little young so he's not that big and he needs a bottle to feed. Want to hold him?"

Temari snapped herself away from the big almost dark blue eyes of the very sleepy puppy. "Do what?"

"Hold him." he answered already handing the puppy to her. "Just hold him like you'd hold a baby."

"Ok." she mumbled taking the puppy. He instantly licked her. Kiba smiled and Temari giggled as the puppy continued to lick her.

"You win Akamaru, he does like her, you'll get your jerky." Kiba said to the huge dog. Temari gaped at them.

"You bet on him liking me?"

"What? He doesn't generally like anyone and Akamaru was saying he'd like you so yea, we made a bet."

"What were you going to get if you won?"

"Some of my cousins have been begging to ride him for some time now. He'd have to be their ride for the day."

"Cruel." Temari commented then turned her attention to the puppy. "Isn't he just cruel?"

"He's hungry; I'm going around the back to find his food." Kiba told her with a laugh. He walked away and through a door not far away.

"You're probably the cutest little puppy I've seen." Akamaru whined disagreeing. She smiled at him. "You were cute too. It's just he's cuter and you're not a puppy anymore."

Akamaru huffed and went to follow Kiba. Temari shook her head and followed him in to the other room. It was lined with shelves loaded with supplies and there was a table and a sink to the side but space in the middle. Kiba was busy over the sink attending to a bottle.

"Just sit anywhere on the floor. He likes it better down there." he told her and she did as he said with Akamaru also lying down beside her. Kiba soon came and sat beside her. He handed the bottle to her. "Just like a baby."

'Mommy and Daddy.' Akamaru commented with a dogfish smirk and Kiba glared at him.

"Yea right." he said then suddenly his face went slack. "I've got it!"

"What?" Temari asked shocked by the sudden exclamation.

"Your solution." he said brightly. "It should have come to me yesterday when that waitress said 'date'. We could go out; we pretty much already are but that not what I'm talking about. You need to date someone, preferably me because some other guy would be too hard to find and might hurt you just as bad, plus I've already made a promise to help you, so it makes sense. It doesn't have to be real dating, we don't know if you're ready for that yet."

"You'd be my boyfriend?" she asked trying to take in all that he was saying.

"Yea, I guess." he said and she stared at him.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You said 'yes' not yea."

"Yea?"

"You're being serious."

"I know I am." he said and she just stared at him. He ignored the look and continued. "We can make it a game."

"A game?"

"Yea. We would be dating but nobody has to know we are. Sure they can know you're dating someone but imagine how confused they'd be if they didn't know who. We could try to see how long it would take them to figure it out. Then since I won't be doing my 'extra activities' there-"

"You won't be doing that?" Temari interrupted surprised.

"I like to honour my commitments you know." he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'This is it woman! Take it!' a voice suspiciously like Boozy's exclaimed in Temari's head.

Kiba continued. "There will be the confusion of that too and then we can try to see how long it will take for them to figure that out and that the two mysteries are related. What do you think?"

"Sounds interesting." a voice said from the door. They both spun to look.

"Mom?"

Shikamaru watched as Kiba and Temari headed towards the gates with Akamaru and a little puppy that Temari carried. More and more his thoughts were confirmed. His one logical reason was right, it had to be. If it wasn't, this would be the most illogical thing he could be faced with.

Had he been stupid or just not careful enough? Neither. He had been lazy. Too lazy to break up. Too lazy to argue, to push away. He had just given in to Ino. Sure everything went easier that some break ups where the girls really came at you with claws. Now that would have been troublesome. This one hadn't even seemed to have much if any attachment. Had she been with Kiba all along? That would be logical but also illogical. Logical because that would explain her lack of prolonged reaction at the end of their relationship. Illogical because well they had spent every waking moment together that they could. Where could Kiba have been? So obviously the only obviously logical answer was that this was revenge and Kiba probably didn't even know it. Unfortunately for Shikamaru the revenge was doing its job. But everything would be better when Kiba got sacked and Temari was free. He wouldn't have to see them anywhere near each other!

"Shikamaru!" Ino screamed slapping him on the arm. He winced and turned irritated eyes on her. She was glaring and pouting. "The bags?"

He hissed and muttered "Troublesome." but picked them up any way. Where the heck had those too been coming from anyway?

"I guess this is the beginning..." Temari commented when they finally got to the gates. The small guard that was supposed to be waiting wasn't there.

"Yea of your trip home and the tons of fun we're going to have." he said with a smile.

"I just realised something. I haven't seen any of the girls."

"Well Hinata went with Sakura and her team on a mission, team Gai's been gone for little over a week now, and well Ino's here but I doubt you want to see her." he said ticking off each one. Temari frowned at the mention of Ino.

"You're right I don't."

"Remember you can tell your brother since my mom knows."

"Not going to. It will be more fun. I can just imagine their little overprotective faces." she said and they laughed.

"Temari-sama." a sand ninja said as the rest of her guard appeared. There were three of them in all. "Where were you?"

"Around." she answered vaguely looking over her shoulder at them. "Are you finally ready now?"

"Whenever you are."

"Good." Temari said then turned back to Kiba as she shifted the puppy, now named Sanji, in her arms. "About Sanji. What am I supposed to do again?"

"Since it's a three day trip I put enough food in the bag. Instructions are there on the preparation of his food. He should be able to eat on his own by next week so you can start feeding him normal but with softer food." Kiba told her handing the bag to her. "He's had all his shot except one but that's not due for the next two weeks. You should be back by then right?"

"Yea the weeks will be like that for awhile with the chunin exam coming up." she nodded.

"Then he should be good." Kiba said smiling. "He is to everywhere you go and sleep with you in your room. He has nightmares so make sure."

The guards looked at him with scepticism that was covered by professionalism. Dogs having nightmares? They were shocked that Temari took it all in without batting an eye

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.

Kiba walked the usually way to the training ground that he and Akamaru usually used for private training. He had already sensed the intruder but kept walking as if he hadn't. Beside him Akamaru looked at him wondering at his lack of acknowledgement, wondering if his master didn't know about their visitor.

"Kiba." the person finally said bringing Kiba to a stop.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were too lazy to open your mouth and let words out." Kiba said smirking. Shikamaru gave him a lazy look and stood from his sitting place by a tree.

"I know what's happening." he began. It would take too much time and energy to beat around the bush. Kiba eyed him wearily. He couldn't have figured it out already, could he? "I'm just here to warn you."

"Warn me?" Kiba asked genuinely shocked and confused and definitely curious.

"I know about your relationship. There are bound to be some loose ends especially now. I don't want you to hurt her -"

Kiba's eyes flashed. "Like you did?" Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly as he was interrupted. "Yes I'm aware of 'that' as pretty much everyone should by now. You did the damage and I'm picking up the pieces, so don't tell me 'I don't want you to hurt her'. You did that already. Tell that to yourself."

He took stepped towards Shikamaru until he was right before him, tempted to grab him by the front of his clothes. "Let ME warn YOU Nara, if you so much as whisper about this to anyone, especially to your little flower girl, you'll find you head sticking out of the ground."

Shikamaru didn't contest but merely nodded. Kiba had said 'flower girl' with such vehemence it stung. Not to mention that he was very sure Kiba would carry out his threat. Just because his head would be sticking out of the ground did not mean the rest of his body would be connected.

After the long travel from Konoha to Suna, Temari finally made it up to the Kazekage's office. She was let in instantly. She stepped in to see Gaara sitting behind his desk and Kankuro leaning against the wall. They seemed to have been in deep conversation when she entered. She smiled at them.

"Hello! Here's my report." she said walking up to the desk and handing the scroll to Gaara. As he opened it she turned her attention to Kankuro. "How have things been since I was gone?"

"He's still over working himself. Won't listen to me much. Thank goodness you've come to start mothering him." he answered smiling. He pushed himself off the wall to hug her.

"You should try harder to get him to rest and stop depending on me." she said poking him hard in his shoulder.

"I try he doesn't listen." Kankuro defended. Gaara was trying his best to ignore them talking about him as if he wasn't there.

"Take him up, throw him in his room and lock him in there if you have to." Temari argued and Gaara cleared his throat without looking up from his report, to remind her that yes, he was still here and didn't need to be hearing this. Kankuro and Temari both smirked.

"How was your little mission?"

"Well I caught Shikamaru cheating on me with his teammate." she began. Gaara looked up sharply and Kankuro was suddenly serious.

"He did what?" Kankuro asked anger leaking into his voice.

"Don't worry. I got over it and now I have a new boyfriend. He's just the best. We had so much fun." Temari told them happily. Kankuro raised a brow at her while Gaara's frown only got deeper. "Well if that's all I'm gonna head home 'cause I'm really tired now. You just read that report Gaara. If you have any questions or whatever just ask me when you get home."

The brothers watched as she walked happily to the door. She was half way out when she looked back at them before going through the door.

"Oh and we have a new member to the family. He's just the cutest." she watched as the paled. Man, did she just love messing with them.

"Hey Baki." they heard her call as she left down the hall. Baki walked into the room a second later.

"What's up with her?"

"We have several matters to discuss." Gaara began, steeping his fingers before him. "One, revenge on one Nara we all know. Two, a plan to find out who this new 'boyfriend' of hers is and how to destroy him. Finally, three, what does she mean by 'new addition'?"