Author's Note: I do not own Naruto. Now that that is out of the way I want to apologize for not updating sooner. I had a serious case of writer's block. On that note I am not to sure how happy I am with this chapter. I am having a love hate relationship with it. I like some parts and other parts I am unsure of. Needless to say I feel like this chapter the writing style sort of changes midway through. It is the point where I hit my major snag so I am curious if it is that noticeable or if it ruins the chapter or something along those lines. I apologize if it does. Also I wanted to say I am sorry for not getting around to replying to reviews for the last chapter. I moved and didn't have internet for like a week after that and then I went away and didn't have internet again. So needless to say I never really got around to it. Random other notes I am pretty sure this is the longest chapter I have done for this story so I hope that makes up for the wait. Also there are two chapters left though they will probably be considerably shorter though sometimes I end up writing more then I expect to. I still have no decided on the ending for this story so bear with me on updating. Other than that I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you very much for reading and all the wonderful reviews.


It was one of those times when his body reacted before his mind. For Shikamaru this didn't happen to often as he was always one to think through his actions. In this case though, when there was no time to waste, his body was in motion before his mind caught up to it. His seatbelt snapped back across his body as he unclicked it. With one hand on the wheel he threw his door open and then threw himself out of the car. Somewhere in that brief moment where he was suspended in air, his brain caught up with him and he had the sense to tuck his body.

The impact itself was jarring and he felt his shoulder go numb as he hit the slick pavement and rolled. He continued to roll, the car that was in pursuit barely missing him as it raced by, the water from its wheels spraying him as he rolled to a stop on his stomach. He turned his head to side just in time to see Hinata's car go up in a ball of inferno. The car seemed to explode into flames and lift off the ground, lighting up the sky in an eerie orange glow. He could feel the heat from the explosion against his face and the ground seemed to shudder slightly as the car came crashing back down to the pavement still burning.

His left shoulder still felt numb and the way that his arm seemed to hang limply at his side made Shikamaru realize that it must be dislocated. He hadn't felt the tell-tale sign of a snap so he doubted the bone was broken. He pushed himself up off the ground and to his knees. He reached his right hand over, clenched his teeth and popped his shoulder back into place. A hiss of breath escaped through his clenched teeth as a sharp pain shot through his shoulder. It was brief and was quickly replaced by a dull throb that he was perfectly capable of handling.

He got up from his knees, his clothes soaked from rolling around on the pavement. His eyes moved from the burning car that he had been in moments ago and to the car that had nearly hit him as it raced by. The car turned in a wide arc reversing its directions and coming straight back for him. For a moment Shikamaru stood rooted to the ground, his eyes widening slightly as he saw the car coming back for him. Then he cursed, something he rarely did, and took off in a dead sprint.

For someone as lazy as he was he was actually in relatively decent shape. Granted no matter how good of shape he was in, he was no match for a car. His sneakers fell hard on the pavement as he ran towards the end of the parking lot where there was a barrier that blocked the parking lot he was in off from another one. He could hear the engine of the car behind him, accelerating and closing the distance between them. His gaze was locked on the barrier, his eyes mentally calculating the distance he had to go, how fast he was running and how quickly the car was gaining on him. He realized how close it was going to be.

He pushed himself harder, his body numb with feeling, sheer will power alone pushing him forward. The car was nearly breathing down his neck, the barrier was right in front of him. He hurtled it, tumbling to the ground on the other side. He felt the hard surface rip at his skin as he skidded across it due to his ungraceful landing. He heard the squeal of tires behind him as the driver of the car braked and make a sharp turn in order to avoid colliding with the barrier. It tore off in the direction of the entrance to the parking lot he was in.

Once again Shikamaru had to force himself to his feet. His body screamed in protest but he ignored it as his survival was considerably more important. His gaze locked on the closest obstacle for the car. It was a building and it was his only chance. Just then he heard the high-pitched whine of an engine, not a car's engine, but that of a motorcycle. His gaze left the building and shot to the right only to catch sight of a black motorcycle flying towards him at a reckless speed in the rain. The rider was dressed in black as well, black pants, a black jacket, and a black helmet with a symbol on the side that he couldn't make out.

He didn't know what to think of the rapidly approaching person but at this point he realized that if it was one of Orochimaru's followers he was done for. He could not outrun the person on the bike. He realized though as the bike came closer, the rider's hand was outstretched in his direction. It was a chance but he realized that he was out of options. At this point he had nothing to hope for unless someone intervened.

His hand met with the rider's hand and they grasped his wrist as he used his momentum to swing himself up onto the back of the bike. Once again it wasn't exactly done gracefully and he landed hard on the back of the bike as well as smacked his head against the rider's helmet but the fact that he hadn't killed himself in the process was a considerable relief. Several shots rang out from behind them and instinctively Shikamaru ducked his head ever so slightly as the biker hit the throttle and the bike shot forward. The sudden burst of speed had him clutching at the biker's shoulders to prevent himself from falling off. His eyes trailed to the biker's helmet and then to the symbol on the side of it. It was a fan with three lavender dots on it. It was amazing how familiar the shoulders beneath his hands felt in that moment.

"Temari," he whispered even before he heard her feminine voice call out over the whine of the engine.

"Why is it that I am always the one who has to save your sorry ass."

Shikamaru wasn't sure whether he should be shocked that his savior happened to be his girlfriend or relieved. Surprisingly the image of Temari in black leather racing around on a bike at reckless speeds fit. Granted it worried him a bit but Temari could take care of herself and would probably dump him off her bike for the Orochimaru's thugs if he voiced that opinion. So instead of saying anything he moved his hands from her shoulders and wrapped them around her waist so that he could hold on tighter as she raced to the exit of the parking lot and peeled off into the street.

More shots rang out behind them and he saw a spark on the ground beside the bike. They were quite exposed on the bike which meant they were going to have to lose the car fast. Plus Shikamaru wasn't overly found about the idea of someone shooting at his girlfriend. Having them shoot at him was one thing but firing a gun in her general direction was completely different. He tapped Temari on the side of her helmet and jerked his thumb in the direction of a construction site. It was probably the closet place where they stood a good chance of losing the car that was tailing them. He saw Temari nod, her helmet making the slightest of movements before she turned the bike and sped off towards the site.


Naruto could feel something like a growl rising in the back of his throat. He knew that it was coming from his anger towards the man who was still advancing on the mangled mess of car that he and Sakura were trapped in, but the growl sounded almost feral as it built up from deep within his chest and escaped his lips. This was not how it was supposed to play out yet at the moment there was nothing in his power to do. Feeling weak was something he had always hated. At this moment that was exactly how he felt and he hated himself for it.

He heard a female bystander scream, probably at the sight of the gun, which caused the gunman to chuckle as he advanced on the car. Naruto could hear people running and shouting. There was complete chaos surrounding the accident. Then he heard a low whine followed by more shouts. The whine grew louder as did the shots and even the gunman stopped in place to look in the direction of the sound. Naruto followed the gunman's gaze upwards in time to see a sleek looking black bike fly off the top ramp of the truck. In mid air the rider of the bike seemed to push off the bike. Naruto watched in shock as the bike flew threw the air straight at the gunman. The big guy tried to move out of the way but he wasn't quick enough. Sakura ducked her head and Naruto winced at the sickening sound of the bike meeting flesh and bone. There was a strangled scream from the gunman.

A moment later the rider of the bike landed with a crash on the roof of the mangled Camaro. Naruto and Sakura both jumped at the impact. The rider rolled straight off the roof and down onto the hood, coming to a stop with his back against the hood of the car. He pumped both of his fists into the air and let out a triumphant yell before pushing himself off the car, wincing slightly as he did. The rider, clad in black clothes, and a purple helmet spared a quick look in the direction of the crumpled figure of the gunman and then turned his attention back to the Camaro. He grabbed the handle of the passenger's side door and jerked it open letting out an appreciative whistle when he saw Sakura.

"Hey baby ditch the zero and get with the hero," he said though his voice was slightly muffled by the helmet.

Sakura turned a slight shade of pink and Naruto proceeded to launch himself over her and onto the guy who had just rescued them. The rider stumbled backwards and Naruto fell out of the car rather ungracefully. He was quickly on his feet however and was perfectly prepared to throw himself at the rider again. However just as he was about to launch himself at the rider, the purple helmet came off and Naruto was staring a familiar face.

"Kankuro. What the hell," Naruto said shaking his head. Kankuro was the older brother of Gaara, who happened to be a good friend of Naruto's. He was also the brother of Shikamaru's girlfriend.

"You know him," Sakura asked as she climbed out of the car and stood beside Naruto.

"You think a thanks would be in order," Kankuro mused out loud before turning to look at the crowd beginning to gather around.

"I am friends with his younger brother," Naruto explained to Sakura while Kankuro walked over to the gunman's car.

"That's all fine and dandy but we have to get out of here. Get in the car," he ordered sliding behind the wheel.

"Are you okay to drive," Naruto asked as he tugged Sakura in the direction of the car.

"Even if I wasn't I sure wouldn't let you drive after what you did to that Camaro," Kankuro said with a smirk.

"That was not my fault," Naruto yelled as he climbed into the passenger's seat, pouting slightly. Kankuro shook his head and laughed as he put the car in gear, burning rubber as he peeled away from the scene leaving onlookers gaping after the car.


At the moment Lee probably should have been more concerned for his own life than whether or not he had let Guy and his friends down but he had always been selfless. Very rarely did Lee think of himself. It was an admirable quality as was his drive to be the best but at times it did seem a bit extreme to others. Still it was apparent to even them that there was no finding more loyalty in another individual.

So for a moment Lee sat there with his hands gripping the wheel of Guy's car, his knuckles turning white as the feeling of defeat washed over him. Still despite the dire situation he would not go out without a fight. He would make Guy and his friends proud yet! He wasn't sure what he could do but he quickly racked his mind for any possibility. His thick eye brows pinched together as he sat there in deep concentration. Another burst of bullets hit the car and like the rear windshield, his concentration was shattered.

Another group of shots was fired almost immediately but he realized that none of them hit the car. In fact it was as he wasn't even being shot at. His gaze went to the window and he saw a motorcycle approaching fast, the bike itself was black and the rider was in black as well aside from a dark red helmet. The bike was up in a wheelie and the shots that actually hit the bike were ricocheting off its underside. The rider was using the bike for a shield and still keeping the bike in a straight line as well as at a rather high speed.

Lee watched bike accelerate towards the other car, his mouth hanging open in awe. He didn't know it was even possible to accelerate when one had the bike at that angle. The rider was standing on the back pegs of the bike, their hands still on the handle bars and their weight back in order to keep the bike up at that angle. Lee squinted at the driver wondering what in the world he was doing. He had to be crazy or a fool. Either option would fit the driver of the motorcycle.

The sound of gunfire ended and Lee looked into his side mirror in time to see the clip fall from car and bounce off the pavement as it hit the ground. The person on the motorcycle dropped the bike back down to two wheels and came to a screeching stop between the two cars. Lee watched as the rider pushed the spinning the rear wheel of the bike as he stayed in place. The smell of burning rubber filled the air, the spinning tires screeching as the smoke rolled off the rear wheel. It took a moment for Lee to realize that the rider was taunting the driver of the car. He gaped in disbelief at the rider's back. He heard the engine of the car roar to life as the driver gunned it in reply to the whine of the motorcycle. Then as if they had both been shot out of a gun, the motorcycle and car were in motion. The motorcycle wheeled around in place, the rider using his own leg as a pivot point and then shot forward past him. Obviously the driver of the car had accepted the challenge as the car shot forward as well, going right past Lee's immobilized vehicle.

Lee knew that now was the moment that he should run. This was his chance to get the heck away but he found himself frozen in his seat as he watched the game of cat and mouse that took place between the car and the bike. The area that Lee had ended up in was a run down part of town. There were countless of abandoned buildings from businesses that had gone under or closed down. Large expanses of pavement dotted by decrepit buildings made for a dreary backdrop to the events unfolding. The rain made the night seem more gray than black and the rain outlined the shapes in a halo of mist making the scene almost surreal. The way the car and bike moved made it seem as though they were dancing across the wide stretch of pavement. Yet there was a hostile undertone to the dance that was nearly palpable. It wasn't any dance, this was a dance of death. One wrong move and no doubt the bike and car would collide. While the driver of the car might walk away from the collision no doubt the person on the bike would not.

Suddenly his own vehicle felt suffocating. The tension in the air was becoming oppressive. Sitting there watching the scene unfold from the confines of the car was unbearable. How was a person supposed to sit there and do nothing? Still what could he do? It didn't matter either way. He pushed the door of the car open, the cool air sweeping into the car. He stepped out, the rain hitting him as he did and surrounding him in a misty halo as well. The cool air was refreshing, no longer did he feel as if a weight was on his chest but that feeling of helplessness was still there. He saw it then, the moment when fate seemed to have made its decision. The path that both vehicles were on now would cause them to meet. There was no way out for the rider of the bike. The driver had gained the underhand and cut off the biker's only way of making it out of the corner.

Lee watched as the bike lifted back up into a wheelie, the rider showing no signs of stopping. Apparently there was no option to throw in the towel at the end of this duel. No doubt the rider would be simply gunned down if he stopped in the corner. Lee swallowed hard his feet carrying him towards the inevitable collision before his mind registered any of it. He didn't think of how he could be moving towards his own doom, only that the biker had helped him and now it seemed that the biker would be the one to pay.

Just when Lee was about to duck his head, not wanting to see the actual collision, the rider on the bike jumped. Lee watched in awe at the surprisingly graceful move. The rider let go of the handlebars and jumped straight up, pushing his weight off of the rear foot pegs. The rider seemed to hover in the air for a moment, up high off the ground as the bike surged forward. The driver of the car hit the gas in order to avoid the bike smashing into the car. The rider landed in a crouch, their head dipped towards the ground as the bike slammed into the frame of the car. The driver of the car had managed to maneuver the car enough so that the bike slammed into the back of the car rather than the front. The driver of the car was slightly jarred from the impact but unhurt nonetheless. He laughed as he grabbed his gun and went to leveled it at the fool who had wrecked his bike.

"You lose."

Lee heard the words despite the fact that he was still considerably far away. The sound of metal grinding together had faded leaving the night seem quieter than it actually was. His gaze immediately shifted to the motorcycle rider who was still crouched with one knee on the ground. Lee's mouth still was hanging open in awe. The rider didn't seem the least concern in being shot and his audacity even seemed to stun the driver into a moment of staring. The rider rose to his feet and it was only then that Lee noticed the flames licking at the rear end of the car and the mangled motorcycle. The flames jumped higher and at that moment the gunman seemed to realize his own predicament. He scrambled for the door just as the flames leapt up into the gas tank of the motorcycle, and an explosion rocked the ground.

The biker whirled on his feet, leaving his back to face the explosion as he crouched down to make himself a smaller target. A lone scream then tore through the night as the explosion faded to a hollow echo. Lee felt a shiver run down his spine as the chilling feeling of death swept out over the area.

"An awesome display of the power of youth," Lee said, his tone more serious than usual as death still hung in the air. "You are truly amazing." The rider shook his head slowly and reached up to unsnap the chin strap. Lee stepped back as the rider removed his helmet, his eyes widening slightly.

"Gaara," Lee said is disbelief. "I am forever in your debt."

"You owe me nothing," Gaara said calmly, his pale bluish green eyes staring into the burning remains of the car.


The bike kicked up gravel as it tore into the construction site. The car was still in pursuit and shots continued to ring out through the night air. Shikamaru decided then that this whole thing was getting old really fast. His eyes scanned the construction site, his mind quickly going through motions of coming up with some sort of escape route for themselves. It wasn't the easiest thing to do. There was a lot to take in as his surroundings flashed by in a blur of speed. The whine of the motorcycles engine and the pop of gunfire threatened to shatter his concentration but he forced it out, instead focusing on the familiar feel of the waist his arms were wrapped around. He used Temari to ground himself, to focus on the task at hand. He wasn't the only person he wanted to keep alive after all. Like a beacon of light to a ship tossing out on the storming ocean, it became clear to him the best way for them to get out. Again he tapped Temari's helmet.

"Double back and turn right when I tell you," he shouted above the engine's whine. Temari's nod was her acknowledgment and he glanced over his shoulder to see the car behind them. Temari swung the bike around a corner as if she was turning, only to swing the bike back around. The bike threatened to skid out from under them because of the slick ground but Temari counter-steered and kept the bike balanced. They raced past the car and Shikamaru turned to get a look at the driver. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of a woman and he shook his head.

"How troublesome," he muttered under his breath as the sound of squealing tires reached his ears. Without looking back he knew that the car was being whipped around to follow them. Instead his attention was in front of him. He had to focus and pick the right point for Temari to turn down. From what he had seen the car would only be able to follow them so far before they more equipment. Only the bike would be able to navigate through the openings. The driver would have to double back while they made their way out.

"Now," Shikamaru yelled and Temari turned the bike. Her trust in him was obvious in that moment as she didn't hesitate to turn into what looked like a dead end. Temari accelerated out of the turn and seconds later the bike followed them in. Several more shots rang out and the tire of the bike exploded under them.

The rear end of the bike literally came off the ground before it came down on nothing but a rim. Temari had no way to hold onto her control over it as it lurched to the side. Shikamaru felt himself airborne, and for the second time in such a short span waited for the inevitable impact of the ground. Once again it came in a bone-jarring manner that left his mind feeling scrambled. His whole body protested at the pain as he skidded along the damp ground, the pavement tearing at his skin in an uncomfortable manner. The shoulder he had dislocated earlier felt like it was on fire as he rolled to a stop, his mind vaguely processing the roar of a car engine. He knew he needed to get up but he couldn't force his body to move, everything hurt. Instead he turned his head only to see the car hurtling towards him. He knew that the driver had to stop otherwise she would smash into the equipment behind him.

Just as he expected the driver hit her breaks. The tires squealed in protest and Shikamaru watched from the ground as the rear end of the car began to slip. His eyes widened as the driver lost control of the car, the sudden application of her breaks on such a slick surface, causing the car to fishtail out of control. The car wasn't going stop. Just then a sudden weight hit his body and he was rolling, his limbs entangled with who he instantly recognized as Temari. Another wave of pain washed over his sore body as they rolled to the side, the car swerving past them. As Shikamaru and Temari rolled to a stop the car smashed into the front end of a bulldozer. The sound of metal twisting and grinding against itself filled the air as glass from the shattered windows rained down around them. He felt Temari bury her head in the space between his neck and shoulder and he tucked his face into her hair.

The sounds echoed around them and then faded so that the only thing either one of them could here was the sounds of their breathing and the rain as he bounced off the mangled car and the equipment around them. Both of them laid unmoving in the rain, Temari still on top of him, for at least a minute, calming their breathing. Finally Temari stirred, lifting her head to peer down at him with her teal eyes.

"Are you okay," she asked as she carefully moved off of him.

"I'll let you know in a minute. Right now the world is still spinning," he said after a moment, carefully moving his body to see what might be injured. "What about you?"

"My leg is scraped up and I think I may have sprained my ankle but it's nothing serious. You're eyes look dilated. Did you hit your head?"

"I think I might of. It's probably a concussion, and I think I dislocated my shoulder again." Shikamaru let out a sign. "What a drag."

"Oh stop being a cry baby. Nobody likes a cry baby. You should be a little more grateful anyway. I saved your ass twice. Forgive me for letting you get banged up in the process. I'll try…" She wasn't able to finish her sentence as a hand came up and covered her mouth muffling her last words. Shikamaru slowly sat up and only then did he let his hand drop. He leaned forward then and pressed his lips to hers. She immediately melted into his kiss, her lips softening under his own. Shikamaru pulled away only to rest his forehead against her own.

"Thank you," he said softly his breath warm against her face. Her teal gaze stared back into his dark eyes for a moment, neither of them moving, before Temari finally rolled her eyes and pulled her head back.

"You're welcome," she said grudgingly before they helped one another to their feet. Temari ended up leaning against Shikamaru's uninjured side to support her sprained ankle. At the same time she helped to keep him steady and focused. Both turned to face the now mangled car and he felt Temari even wince as they studied it. The whole top half of the car had been taken off by the front of the bulldozer, which had been left up in the air just enough for the bottom half of the car to fit under it.

"Come on," Shikamaru said finally pulling Temari away from the mangled car and back in the direction they had come from.


For a brief moment Hinata was positive she had died. For a moment she felt as if she was floating through an intense white light, a blissful silence surrounding her. But the moment was quick to pass her by. The jarring of her teeth together as the car hit the ground was enough to rattle her and bring her back to reality. Her head snapped forward and then came back hard on the seat, but the dull throb that it created meant something far more important. They had beat the train across the tracks. The car shot forward as the train raced by behind them.

"Shit," Sasuke breathed out beside her. She looked over at him and his white knuckled grip and laughter bubbled out of her throat. It was slightly hysterical at first but the hysteria passed as she turned off onto a road that ran alongside the same river that cut through the park. She felt a hand on her shoulder then and looked over into the onyx gaze of Sasuke.

"You did it," he said quietly. "That was beyond crazy but you did it," he said a slight smirk crossing his features.

Hinata felt her grip on the steering wheel loosen as a timid smile took its place on her delicate features. She was still driving fast, she needed to put as much distance between themselves and that other car as possible but the immediate threat was no longer breathing down the back of their necks. That realization left her feeling drained, nearly exhausted. She wanted curl up somewhere and sleep and then when she woke up she wanted time to think. She needed to process everything that she had learned. So many things had been thrown at her so suddenly. Sasuke finding out who she was, his working for the police, the fact that he didn't care that she of all people was Violet. That thought alone was enough to make her head spin.

Suddenly she was blinded by another light. All of her thoughts vanished with the roar of another engine. In the back of her mind she registered Sasuke yelling her name as she tried to maneuver the car out of the way of the oncoming vehicle that now hurtled at them. There wasn't enough time, they were going to fast, the roads were slick with rain and without enough traction, all it did was add up to the fact that there was no way to avoid it. It all seemed to happen in slow motion and as the car closed the distance between them she saw the face of the other driver, a man with pale green eyes, light gray hair, and strange red markings on his face. His expression was an unreadable mask as if he had accepted his own death and now his only purpose was to end theirs. She would have shuddered if she had the time. Yet as it was she was short on that already.

She swung the car to the side in order to avoid a head on collision that surely would have killed them both and instead the car smashed into the driver's side. A sharp pain shot through her leg as the metal frame of the car buckled under the force of the impact. The two cars, now twisted together in a heap of metal smashed into and through the guardrail. Again she was falling and as the cars hit the water her head smacked against the steering wheel leaving her dazed. For a moment nothing registered in her mind. It was like a thick blanket had covered her, leaving her only vaguely aware of what was happening around her. She focused on an unfamiliar sound, her mind recognizing it as something to be distraught about despite the fact that she had no idea what it was. Only as the blanket was lifted and the world became clear did she realize that the sound was the water now rushing into the car as it slowly sunk into the river.


It just wouldn't be right for me not to leave you with another cliffhanger now would it. Just when they are in the clear they run into this. I am not sure if I said this before but this whole idea was a play on the Sasuke retrival arc though obviously I changed quite a bit to fit the story. In this chapter I had the hardest time writing about Gaara and Lee. It was my major snag but I worked through it and hope that it came out alright. Once again thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for the final two chapters!