I don't own Naruto, now enjoy.

Chapter 16:

Shikamaru was worried. He had got to return to Leaf instead of going on that crazy campaign, but the news of war in the Sand worried him. Did Temari survive? They had received word only two days ago that the Sand had fallen, and there was no word on any of the Sand Siblings fate.

He walked to the gate of the Leaf and stared in the direction of the Sand. His thoughts were interrupted by a cough and crash. He looked around to see Temari carrying Gaara on her back. She looked pretty bad off, and not because she had just fallen out of a tree. She looked much worse than Gaara, who was unconscious. She had many cuts and bruises all down her arms and legs. Shikamaru ran over and hoisted the Kazekage onto one shoulder and Temari on the other. He ran for the hospital.

When he arrived, Sakura and Ino took the two from him and immediately went to work. Tsunade arrived a few minutes later and began to help. It was soon obvious that Gaara was fine. He had just been paralyzed by a shock to the nervous system. Tsunade quickly took care of that and joined Sakura and Ino with Temari. After a couple of hours, all three emerged from the room. Shikamaru could tell that it wasn't good. They told him that she had been attacked on the way here. Gaara had known that much. Tsunade told him that it was her determination that had allowed her to make it this far. There had been too much internal bleeding. Temari was dead.

Shikamaru left the hospital after that. He didn't know what to do. He and Temari had once been a couple, but that ended nearly a year ago. He wished there was something he could do. He walked to the training grounds and sat down under a large oak tree. He began to cry.

"What's up, Shadow Boy?"

Shikamaru looked up to see Kayla.

"Why are you crying?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Lady Tsunade spoke with me and let me go. As long as I agreed to have one of these." She held up her left arm. Shikamaru noticed one of Naruto's seals. It was one used to prevent any kind of chakra movement. Naruto had spent a few months perfecting it.

"But why are you here?"

"I thought I'd see if I could find you. No one's ever used a jutsu like yours before. What was it?"

"It's a special jutsu that allows me to summon the Seven Shadow Beasts. They were terrible creatures sealed by my family over a hundred years ago."

"Wow. So why were you crying? Are you some kind of baby?"

"No… I just lost a friend."

"Who was she?"

"How do you know it was a she?"

"You're crying. It's kind of obvious."

"Fine. She used to be my girlfriend."

"I see…"

"It's been a while though."

"I have a question, crybaby."

Shikamaru cringed at the nickname. "What?"

"Why did you just stare at me like that when you walked in to interrogate me?"

"Uhh… Well, uhh… you see… yeah!"

"I see. Meet me at that ramen bar near the gate at seven tonight. We can talk then, 'kay babe?"

"Huh?"

Kayla just rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek. After that, she walked away.

'What just happened?' thought Shikamaru.

"What a DRAG!" he yelled. Outside the fence that surrounded the training grounds, Kayla smiled. She had finally gotten her man.

Flashback…

"You wanted to see me?" asked Lady Tsunade as she entered the room with two ANBU.

"I want to join your village," replied Kayla.

"Why?" asked Tsunade.

"I, uhh, kind of had a change of heart."

"We'll see. You like Shikamaru don't you?"

"So that's his name. How'd you know?"

"Inoichi saw it when he entered your memory."

"Ohh."

"You'll be out by the end of the week, but you'll be given special seals on your wrists, and I'll have Ibiki and Inoichi check out this crush of yours."

End Flashback

Kayla had passed the test, and now she had been released. She couldn't wait for tonight.

Okay I know that it's kinda odd, but I had to work this in for later. Sorry it was so lame. I'll make up for it soon!