The next morning, Shikamaru, Temari, Kankuro, and Matsuri were impatiently waiting at the gates. There were five minutes left before Ino would either show up or they would leave without her.

Would she at least come to just to say goodbye?

Shikamaru stared into the distance, taking a final drag of his fourth cigarette in a row. He groaned when it was finished and he tossed the butt onto the dirt and smushed it with his shoe. He reached into his pocket and fished for another in his box but it was all empty. With a sigh, Temari extended her arm with a full box of cigarettes in her hand, "Maybe if you smoke enough, she can be your nurse instead of Gaara's." Shikamaru didn't laugh at her joke, but he did accept a cancer stick, lit it up, and stuck it in his mouth. Temari shook her head and got one, too, and then Kankuro joined. Matsuri tried to reach up and grab one, too, but Temari slapped her hand away. "Don't get started, kid. You're young. There's plenty of fish in the sea."

"We live in the desert." Matsuri retorted and snatched a cigarette, anyways. She mumbled to herself something about Temari not being able to catch even the laziest fish as Shikamaru offered her a lighter. As soon as she lit it and tried to take a breath, she choked and got into a coughing fit. Temari and Kankuro didn't hold back their laughter.

"Well, goodmorning." Ino's voice chimed, amused by the scene. They all stopped and stared at her and Gaara. Ino looked terrible, like she hadn't slept a wink, and she was wearing Gaara's shirt. Matsuri quickly hid the cigarette behind her back when Gaara looked at her.

"So, what's it gonna be? You're joining the family or coming back where you came from?" Kankuro asked bluntly, without any attempt at small talk. Shikamaru stared quietly at Ino. Temari put a hand on her hip. Matsuri stared at Gaara.

"Neither." Gaara answered, stepping forward and looking at the group, stopping at Shikamaru, "You're welcome to stay with her…for the next six months…" Shikamaru's face tightened. What was that supposed to mean?

"I'm going to stay and help Gaara but…Matsuri," Ino called the girls attention, earning her eyes to her, "I'm going to teach you medical ninjustu…if you're willing of course…and in six months…I'll see whether I leave him to you or stay here for good."

Everyone was silent–stunned.

"W-What?" Shikamaru gulped, dropping his cigarette.

"Oh, brother!" Kankuro chuckled a bit and facepalmed, shaking his head.

"I'm not sure yet…how things will turn out… I'm a city girl of course…" Ino sighed, smiling to herself, "But I guess I could also be… Gaara's girl," That last part made just about everyone turn red, "We'll just have to wait and see." She looked down and then at Gaara and then back at everyone, and then specifically to Shikamaru, "I really don't know what I will decide, yet. This is all new, after all. But, I hope you'll wait for me until I have an answer."

Shikmaru closed his eyes and shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets, "I hate it here. But I guess I might as well wait here. It would be a drag if you called me in a couple of days when I just got back to Konoha begging me to come pick you up because you changed your mind."

"Oh," Gaara grinned, a pulse of anger appearing on his neck but keeping his facial expression neutral, "You seem so certain she won't last all six months. I guess we'll wait and see."

Shikamaru shrugged again, and the two looked away from each other into opposite directions, both pouting. "Guess we will."

Temari shoved Shikamaru a bit, tipping his balance, and walked by him while bumping shoulders, "We'll need the extra hands around here when terrorists show up and kidnap the googly eyed Kazekage…"

"Aw man, I got up for this?!" Kankuro whined, and then grinned at Ino, "Does that mean you're gonna make us breakfast?" Shikamaru frowned at him and growled audibly. The three walked off back to their quarters. Gaara smiled to Ino and then to Matsuri and nodded his head and turned to walk, too. When it was just Ino and Matsuri, Matsuri raised her hand in the air and shook her fist at Ino.

"Well- I guess…that makes us… rivals!" She declared before running off behind Gaara. Ino giggled to herself and looked up into the sky.

There are never any clouds here. She noted, and then looked far into the distance and thought of her village. Would her new love last and replace her old home? Would Gaara become her home? Then, she looked to Shikamaru's back fading into the sandy city. Suddenly, six months felt far too short to come up with an answer.

A/N: So just a heads up, next chapter is the LAST –dundundun – but I will be adding an alternate ending afterwards... Btw, I try to stray from being cheesy or fluffy in my stories or whatever, but even though this story is all corny and gooey and sappy, I had a lot of fun writing it and reading all your wonderful comments. I love you guys! :)