Three years old.
"Dada" my daughter whispered from the side of the bed, pulling on my pyjamas.
"Yes baby?" I groaned, praying my clock was broke and I wasn't awake at half 6 in the morning.
"Can we go to Granny and Grandpas house today?"
"Later OK?"
"OK" she smiled. I don't know why but she loves my parents.
"Wanna get in my bed?" I knew that's what she really wanted. She knows that I would offer so I don't have to get up. Like me, my child is a genius. She didn't even answer just crawled under the covers and put her cold feet between my thighs. Her back was pressed into my chest and I had her head under my chin. We were asleep in seconds.
Unfortunately it didn't last long. At half 8 I was awoken by someone at my window. It was an ANBU.
"Hokage-sama requests your presence immediately" he informed me.
"Ten minutes" I replied. If this was for something stupid I will kill Naruto I thought to myself. He nodded and disappeared.
"Dada?" Shika mumbled quietly.
"Hey baby you are going to granny and Grandpas house earlier than expected, OK?" I asked while putting on some clothes.
"Mm-mm" she hummed going back to sleep. I packed some clothes in a bag wrapped her in a blanket and picked her up. Her face was warm against my neck and I wished I could just get back into bed with her. But I couldn't so I made my way to my parents house. My mother was up as I expected. I handed Shika to her and turned to leave.
"This child weighs nothing Shikamaru. What do you feed her or do you feed her at all?" I just sighed in reply. I wasn't in the mood.
"Leave him alone" my father piped up. He always defended me when my mother was involved. I think its because he knows how hard I work for Shika.
"I was only asking a question" my mother snapped. She hated it when my father argued with her. I left. I couldn't deal with arguments I just want to go back to bed with my daughter.
When I got to the Hokage tower the place was in panic. I marched straight into Naruto's office. There was ten people in their talking at once.
"What is going on?" I shouted. Everyone shut up. Then they all tried to talk at the same time. Naruto was oddly quiet.
"One at a time" I said waving my arms at them. "Naruto what is going on?" everyone turned to look at him.
"There has been an attack on the fire dynamo and every village in the fire nation has to send ten of their best ninja to help and to guard him and his family for a week"
"What has this to do with me?" I asked but I already knew the answer.
"Well you are going to be one of them and I need help to choose the others" I could tell he was sorry.
"Neji with his byakugan, Kiba for his tracking skills, Tenten because every team needs a good weapons expert, Lee for hand to hand combat, Kurenai because she is the best genjutsu user in the fire nation, Kakashi with the Sharingan, Sakura for medicine, Ino for her mind jutsu and sasuke for power."
"Everyone but Shikamaru leave" Naruto ordered.
"I'm sorry. They insisted that you go and if you need me to babysit I will" he promised looking ashamed. I wasn't angry, right now he was my Hokage not my friend.
"Its OK Naruto. I'm sure my parents will have her. When do I leave?"
"Three hours"
"Well then mi going to my daughter" I said while jumping out the window.
"I'm sorry Shikamaru" I was to far away to reply.
"Three hours! He could have told you sooner," my mother muttered angrily putting washing on the line. Me and my father were playing shogi outside in the sun while my daughter was petting the dear. I rolled my eyes at my father and he smirked. I watched my daughter giggle when a dear nuzzled her with its nose and I smiled.
"He told me as soon as he knew and I'm not the only one leaving behind a child. Kurenai has to go too and Tenten and Neji are leaving their son" My mother just glared at me and went inside.
"She is just worried. She wants you to be there when Shika grows up."
"I will be" I answered automatically.
"That's what Temari said" I sighed as I looked at my father. He was only looking out for me.
"If I do die will you look after Shika?"
"No we will let her grow up on the streets" He glared at me.
"Eww daddy it licked me" Shika screeched. I laughed.
When it was time for me to leave I gave Shika a hug and a kiss. Then my mother hugged me. I could tell she wanted to say something but she would burst into tears if she tried. My father just smirked at me.
When I got to the gates everyone was waiting for me.
"Come on team lets move out" I told them they all nodded their agreement and took off. Hopefully it wouldn't be a long week
One week later
We all moved a little bit faster when we saw Kohona in the distance. Not having Shika around felt like I was missing a leg or something and I know the other parents on my team felt the same. Tenten had been the worst although to be fair her and Neji's son was only a month old. When I got through the gate the first thing I saw was Shika. She was sat on a step eating an ice cream but when she saw me she dropped it and ran into my arms. I held her close. I missed her smell and soft skin. I looked over her shoulders at the other members of my team. Tenten had Torrio in her arms and Neji had his arms around both of them, Lee had a twin in each arm and was kissing his wife on the forehead, Kiba was making out with his girlfriend, Kurenai was holding Asuma in her arms and whispering in his ear making him giggle, Sakura and Sasuke were walking away hand in hand, Anko was dragging Kakashi to the nearest bar and Ino was hugging Choji burying her face in his chest.
"Daddy?"
"Yes baby?"
"Will you buy me another ice cream?" I sighed. I wonder did she miss me at all.
"Sure sweetie"
"And daddy?"
"Yes darling?"
"I'm glad you're back. Granny was driving me crazy"I laughed all the way to the ice cream shop.
Just FYI Torrio means bird tale. I thought it was cute.