And the final chapter! I might take some time to write an epilogue, eventually, but I hope you've enjoyed this and didn't find it too boring or anticlimactic, lol.

This is the first lengthy sort of fic I've written and I attempted to hold it together and tie things up as best as I could! I've really appreciated the comments and faves and follows!

Thank you so much for reading!

Over the course of a few days, the Sand Village had returned to going about their daily lives.

Two days after, Gaara addressed the council and the leader of the border ninjas they'd captured. The dissident groups' village had, some years before, been the victim of an unprovoked attack on the part of the Leaf. (And clearly wanted nothing to do with them, nor did they want an alliance.)

As Kazekage, Gaara acknowledged that the group were right in their anger at the injustice against them, and that what happened to them was unforgivable, but that he was willing to negotiate with the Leaf to bring those old attackers to justice.

The leader stood, awkwardly staring at his feet, and agreed to the compromise. (Though how the Leaf might handle it was still up for debate. In the past, they had not always managed their internal affairs very well, nor meted out penalties as they probably should. (Though the Sand hadn't been much better in that regard, either, probably.) But it was a solution nonetheless. And if they did not follow the fair judgment on the part of the Sand, there would be consequences.)

Several of the Leaf ninja also attended the meeting, Shikamaru included, said they would do what they could.

Afterward, Gaara did not hesitate to applaud the work of both the Sand and Leaf in protecting the village - Temari, Shikamaru, Maki, Ino, Kankuro… all had contributed an incredible effort. He went on to say that he hoped further exchange and aid would be as successful and that the Sand would continue to hold true to their alliance.

Shortly following, the Leaf departed, returning to their own village. As they left along the main road, Ino and Chouji paused, looking back to Shikamaru, who was talking with Temari. "You coming with or not, Shikamaru?" Ino called.

He turned, scowling a bit bashfully. "Uh… Well." He placed a hand on Temari's shoulder. "I think I might remain in the Sand a little longer. That is - if I'm not needed in the Leaf, currently."

When it finally hit them, Chouji's eyebrows shot up and Ino almost couldn't suppress her excitement. "No way. Seriously?!"

"Although." She said as an aside to Temari, after she'd hugged them both in congratulations, "Not sure what you'd see in a lazy goof like him."

Temari laughed, "Don't worry, I give him plenty of work to do."

Ino nodded in approval. "That's good, then."

Chouji also swept them all up into a tight hug, sniffling slightly, before they hurried off to catch up with the others.

Two weeks later, Temari found herself reluctantly following him once more along the main road to the canyon gate one early morning.

"Sort of a weird role-reversal, isn't it?" Shikamaru noted. "I'm usually the one saying goodbye to you."

Temari laughed at that, although she felt a strange loneliness.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, a bit grumpily and awkwardly trying to delay their farewell.

"So, the next time we'll meet up is for the Exams this year in the Leaf." He said.

"Maybe… Maybe we can manage something sooner, though." Temari suggested.

"I'll see what I can do." Shikamaru agreed.

"Should we get married?" She asked suddenly, head feeling light. She almost immediately regretted asking it, but forced herself to stand where she was.

"I don't know." His eyes widened. "Should we?"

"We might end up killing each other." Temari said.

"I haven't ruled out the possibilities." He said. "But I'm pretty sure there are only a small percentage of them."

"You might want to re-count those possibilities." Temari smirked. "But I'm surprised you've considered it, too."

Closing in, she leaned forward to kiss him, embracing as the sun began to rise across the walls.

"We'll work something out." He told her, stalling a bit longer to kiss her again.

As she watched him disappear among the dunes, she no longer felt quite so small and solitary. She had her village and her work. And she couldn't have been happier about that.

And she knew he would be coming back.