BTW: Sorry it's taking me longer and longer to upload but I can feel this story coming to an end and I'm kind of in denial so again sorry oh oh oh forgot something have any of you seen that game studio ghibli and level 5 made its called "ni no kuni: shikkoku no madoshi" and it looks awwwweeeeessssoooommeeee! unfortunately its only in japanese (something i dont speak) its english for the ps3 (something i dont like to play, i have it but only for blueray, im a nintendo person) its supposed to be for the psp but thats not true anyway im suuuppperr excited to get it, of course i need to learn japanese first but i dont care i mean how hard can it be. Sorry for rambling and for taking so long to upload.

RECAP: Temari and Kankuro and Matsuri are there and Temari and Shika meet up again.

Sasuke and Sakura had found Naruto, Gaara and Matsuri and had dinner with them. Naruto was careful to constantly position himself so Matsuri couldn't get a look at Sakura's stomach. He really didn't want to have to explain this to her too. Kankuro had fallen asleep on the couch, at home he was never so lazy but here he was superior to all of Naruto's friends not to mention the fact that he was generally socially awkward. Needless to say he didn't care for Naruto's friends so visiting them was the only time he got to be the laziest person alive. This also let him know exactly what was going on all the time, no one got in or out without him knowing. That's why he got curious when Temari wasn't back from lunch by 7.

Temari and Shikamaru had fallen asleep watching the sun set. They didn't wake up until about 12:30. Temari was the first up, she noticed they still had their hands locked, just like the first time. She woke Shikamaru up. They both tried to sit up and were incredibly sore.

"Will you take me home now?"

"Will you forgive me?"

Temari smiled and Shikamaru smiled back.

"Let's get going then."

They got up and started back to Naruto's house.

"What time is it?"

Shikamaru checked.

"It's about the time that someone's worried about you. We should hurry it up."

"No, lets not. Let's walk a little."

Shikamaru slowed down and Temari hugged his arm and they continued walking.

"Shika, is it too much to ask for you to move away?"

"...It's not too little..."

"I knew it, you're too good of a ninja."

"Well, maybe not. Seeing as Gaara's here it could like even everyone out right?"

"Somehow I don't see that happening. It doesn't really matter, the Sand is the worst weather and scenery wise. It's a hell hole compared to here."

"I don't care where I have to go, but I want to stay with you."

"I do too."

Shikamaru stopped walking, put his had on her face and kissed her, something she'd been waiting for ever since she left. The kiss last pretty long. When it was over they just kept walking toward Naruto's. They got there.

"I guess I'll uh see you...around?"

"Around? Yeah, maybe I'll see you at the training grounds around 5:30."

"Ha, see you around Temari."

"Goodnight."

"Night."

Temari made sure to kiss him goodnight before he left. She waited until she couldn't see him anymore before she opened the door to the apartment. Everyone was sleeping, accept Kankuro of course.

"Where've you been?"

"Don't worry about it."

"So you guys together...apart...undecided...?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"Looking good or bad?"

"Good..."

"Alright, you going to bed?"

"Aren't you?"

"I woke up like three hours ago, no I'm not going to sleep."

Temari laughed and went to bed. Kankuro stayed up for about 5 more hours watching TV, when everyone else woke up he was just going to bed. Matsuri was the first one up as usual. Naruto and Gaara woke up about an hour later and Temari woke up a few hours after that. When she woke up Naruto and Gaara were eating and Matsuri was taking a shower. Naruto and Gaara looked like they were going somewhere, needless to say she asked Gaara.

"We're gonna go eat lunch with Sakura."

"Why don't you take Matsuri?"

"...Because...Sakura doesn't know her well..."

"So?"

"Well it could be awkward."

"Didn't you guys eat with them last night?."

"Well Naruto had to make an extreme effort to cover the baby-"

Naruto elbowed him and he shut up. Temari got a little curious.

"Baby?"

Gaara didn't know what to say so Naruto started making something up.

"Yea...baby...Sakura's babysitting...for her cousin's newborn..."

"Why would you cover that up?"

"...newborns don't like...sandy people..."

"We're not all sandy-eh whatever."

"We better get going..."

"OK..."

Naruto and Gaara got up and left before Matsuri got out of the shower. Temari was slightly interested in this baby Naruto was talking about. Obviously the story they'd fed her was a lie, but she was starting to think about meeting Shikamaru and soon enough that was all she could think about. It was about 2 by now, somehow everyone had woken up a few hours later than usual, but Temari still had time before meeting Shikamaru.

MEANWHILE

Naruto and Gaara were on their way to pick up Sakura and were about halfway there. Sasuke couldn't go, he'd been taking extra missions lately for the extra money which left Sakura alone a lot. That was another reason they were seeing Sakura more and more often.

"You didn't have to elbow me so hard."

"I didn't mean to but they almost found out. I mean how would we explain that to Sakura?"

"Well, they have to find out some time."

"But that doesn't mean we should tell 'em."

"Who's gonna tell 'em if it's not us?"

"...We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"You need to start planning ahead."

"No I don't, I already have you. I don't have anything to plan ahead for."

They had gotten to Sakura and Sasuke's apartment. Sakura greeted them and tried to hug them which was getting increasing harder as the months went by. They left for Ichiraku's.

MEANWHILE

Matsuri was generally quiet so she didn't ask where Naruto and Gaara had gone. Temari got in the shower right after she did. Matsuri was looking at a day watching TV and eating ramen with Kankuro. She didn't mind, they didn't really need to bring her along this time. Although if they hadn't she would've had to go half the distance back home alone. Her getting captured wasn't something they wanted to deal with. Temari got out of the shower and got dressed. By now it was about 5. Temari was rushing out the door without giving anyone any hint as to where she was going. She'd decided on the training grounds because it was the only place she could get to by herself. She started walking and as the time past she increased her speed hoping that she wouldn't be late. When she finally got there Shikamaru was laying down on the hill looking at the clouds, half asleep. She wasn't late, she wasn't early but she wasn't late. She walked up to him. His eyes were closed but her knew it was her when she walked up.

"You're late."

"You're early."

"Lay down. This is much more comfortable than that table."

Temari laid down beside him.

"Why do our dates always involve sleeping?"

"This isn't sleep this is that middle ground between sleep and consciousness."

"Close enough."

"So why're we meeting here?"

"I can't go anywhere else without getting lost."

"Ha, you must have no sense of direction."

"I guess not."

Shikamaru started falling asleep.

"Hey don't fall asleep we've been out here like ten minutes."

"Sorry, this grass is so much softer than I thought'd it be. I mean feel it, run your fingers through it. I think I'm gonna come here instead of that roof."

"It's just grass."

"It's not just grass."

"You like grass?"

"It's hard not to, feel it."

"How much do you like grass?"

"Normal amount I guess."

"So what would you do if there wasn't any grass?"

"Find some I guess...why are you being weird?"

"I'm not being weird..."

"Then why are you asking me about my love of grass?"

"Sand is like grass..."

"Is that what this is about?"

"Don't you think, sand is as soft as grass and it...well it doesn't look the same and it can get in your eye but you can make stuff out of it."

"Temari, stop. I like sand, now calm down."

"...Sorry..."

"It's OK. Hungry?"

"A little."

They got up and Shikamaru gave Temari a very tight hug as an attempt to stop her from over thinking everything. They walked to Ichiraku's. They stepped in and saw that all but one seat was filled. They were going to leave but they recognized Naruto, Gaara and Sakura. Shikamaru said hi and Sakura got up to hug him, she hadn't seen him in a while since he didn't goto the ultrasound. Needless to say her stomach had grown considerably since she'd last seen him but he didn't say anything. Naruto however was more worried as to how Temari would react. He knew she wouldn't assume she was fat, Sakura didn't look fat she looked pregnant. As far as he could tell she'd seen but she wasn't saying anything. Sakura sat back down and continued eating her ramen. Temari and Shikamaru walked around the block to a sushi bar.

"So...um...Sakura is-"

"Yeah she is. She wants to be so don't start feeling weird about it."

"She wants to be? It wasn't an accident?"

"It's weird but it's what they want."

"So who's the dad?"

"Who do you think?"

"I don't know anybody here."

"Oh right. It's Sasuke."

"Sasuke! I though he hated her."

"So did everybody else. As it turns out it's the opposite."

"Wow. Wait they're like 3 years younger than me. Damn they're crazy!"

"Ha, they're not crazy just a little eager."

"Does everyone know?"

"Anyone who sees her and the people she's told know."

"So why didn't anyone tell me?"

"It's not our news to tell and you never saw her so you never found out."

"How long has she been pregnant?"

"By the looks she's in the second trimester."

"I feel very unobservant right now."

"I wouldn't have known if someone didn't tell me and I live here."

Temari and Shikamaru talked for a few more hours before Shikamaru walked her home.

BOTTOM NOTE: Hey it's been a while sorry about that but as I said at the top i feel it ending so i avoid writing the next chapter subcconciously and yeah so ive been beating zelda twilight princess on gamecube, im actually pretty far I think im in the zora dungeon so thats fun and yeah sorry BOTTOM NOTE OVER AND OUT.