"Came to you with a broken faith. Gave me more than a hand to hold. Caught before I hit the ground. Tell me I'm safe, you've got me now. Would you take the wheel If I lose control? If I'm lying here
Will you take me home?" - Take me home Jess Glynne __________________________________
"Hey troublesome woman." Shikamaru smiled as he walked into the hospital room.
"Hey lazy ass." Temari smirked back from her hospital bed.
"What happened to smart ass?" Shikamaru smirked as he walked to her bed.
"Come on Shikamaru don't kid yourself, you're the laziest person I've ever met." Temari scoffed rolling her eyes.
"Then I was probably to lazy to bring you some Kenchin soup." Shikamaru shrugged as he pulled out two bowls of soup from the bag he had with him.
Shikamaru slouched in his chair as he rested his feet on Temari's hospital bed and began eating the soup that rested on his stomach. Temari's eyes widened, she didn't even notice the plastic bag he had with him until now.
"Stop being so childish you selfish ass!" Temari sad glaring at him.
"You know, being nice won't kill you." Shikamaru smiled as he continued eating the soup.
"I actually get this deathly nauseating feeling in the pit of my stomach when I'm being nice to you, now give me the damn soup Shikamaru." Temari said glaringly as she stretched her arm out waiting for Shikamaru to hand her the soup.
"Didn't your father ever teach you to say please or thank you." Shikamaru asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I have no memory of it." Temari smirked confidently.
"Troublesome woman and here I am risking my life to bring you some soup." Shikamaru sighed in defeat handing her the other bowl of soup.
"How noble of you." Temari laughed taking the soup from Shikamaru.
"Is that a thanks I hear?" Shikamaru asked smirking.
"No, I think that's Sakura you hear marching to the room to kill you." Temari smirked back.
"You may be right." Shikamaru said in mock fear.
"I hate the stupid hospital diet she gave me, but damn I love this soup." Temari sighed eating the soup.
Shikamaru knew the soup was her favourite.
"Yeah, but you do have a punctured stomach." Shikamaru pointed out.
"Yet here you are feeding me soup that's not on my diet." Temari smirked.
"I could always stop." Shikamaru shrugged amused.
"Not even you can be that heartless." Temari glared at a chuckling Shikamaru.
"How long has the Anbu been outside?" Shikamaru asked curiously as he placed his empty bowl on Temari's bedside table.
"I don't know, he was there since I woke up." Temari said.
"I'll talk to Naruto about him." Shikamaru said.
"No, leave him, the Hokage has reason not to trust me." Temari replied placing her soup bowl on the bedside table as she glanced out the window.
"Fine, whatever you say." Shikamaru sighed crossing his arms, he knew she was right, but he knew she wasn't going to hurt anyone. He trusted her.
"I've gotta go, I'll be back." Shikamaru said as he stood up.
"The Hokage's right Shikamaru, remember that." Tamari said narrowing her eyes ever so slightly at Shikamaru.
"Yeah, yeah. I better make these bowls dissappear before Sakura sees them." Shikamaru said taking the bowls from the bedside table and putting them in the bag then began walking to the door.
"Watch out for Sakura on your way out." Tamari chuckled.
"Glad to see you still care." Shikamaru replied with one hand in his pocket as he walked away.
Shikamaru walked casually to the hospital exit. Ino told him he'll take a look at Temari today and he didn't want to leave her alone with Ino and her jutsus, but he has a team of troublesome kids he has to train and tend to. He also knew Temari was getting released today, but Sakura didn't tell him when exactly. Shikamaru sighed and soon after heard a haunting sound that could've given him nightmares for days to come.
"Shikamaru!" Sakura roared behind Shikamaru making him cringe.
"What the hell is in your hand?" Sakura exclaimed behind him.
"Dammit." Shikamaru whispered to himself as he stopped dead in his tracks and his face fell.
"Nothing." Shikamaru replied not looking back as he walked away as fast as he could, away from Sakura.
"Get back here Shikamaru!" Sakura yelled behind him as she followed him.
"I actually have somewhere I need to be, I'll talk to you next time" Shikamaru said as he started running away.
"As if! Get back here dammit!" Sakura yelled as she ran after him.
Shikamaru ran around the hospital towards the exit as he turned every corner in the maze of the hospital to try and shake Sakura, but she was resilient and hot on his trail. If he could just make it outside the hospital. He only needed to get outside the hospital. Shikamaru could finally see the light at the end of the hospital tunnel's gray abyss as he made a brake for the exit.
"Lady Sakura!" A nurse gasped as she saw Sakura chasing Shikamaru, she probably had a new patient for Sakura.
Shikamaru felt relieve flood through him as he finally made it through the hospital exit and roamed in the freedom of the daylight. Sakura stopped right in front of the exit, almost like a vampire stopping from entering the sunlight.
"You won't be that lucky next time Shikamaru." Sakura called in a irritated voice to Shikamaru making him shiver slightly in fear.
"Troublesome." Shikamaru scoffed as he threw the bag in his hands away and walked calmly to Naruto's office with his hands in his pockets.
Shikamaru walked to Naruto's office door and knocked on the door before he entered. He opened the door and raised a eyebrow as he closed it behind him. Naruto had a suspiciously goofy smile on his face while Hinata was turning as red as a tomato, even though she wasn't as shy around Naruto as she always was. But behind every smile from Hinata there was still a hint of shyness in her smiles when Naruto was around.
"Should I ask what you two where doing before I entered?" Shikamaru smirked standing in front of Naruto's desk making Hinata blush even more if that was even possible.
"Hinata could see you coming a mile away." Naruto laughed proudly.
"What's up Shikamaru?" Naruto asked cheerfully.
"Have the Huyga's seen anything yet?" Shikamaru asked looking at Hinata.
Naruto placed most of the Huyga's on the border of Konoha so they can detect an army as soon as they stepped in the lines of their excellent vision.
"No, you'll be the first one to know if we do see something." Hinata said facing Shikamaru.
"That's not all you wanted to know, is it?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No." Shikamaru said solemnly.
"Let's hear it then." Naruto said leaning back into his chair.
"Why is there Anbu watching Temari?" Shikamaru asked already knowing the answer, but it didn't mean he liked it.
"Shikamaru, we both know the answer to that." Naruto sighed in defeat.
"I know, but she's not going to do anything to threaten the village." Shikamaru said stuffing his hands deeper in his pockets.
"Is that what you know or what you want to believe? She killed Neji, Shikamaru." Naruto said as his head hanged slightly lower as his eye line sifted to the ground.
Hinata flinched at the statement while Shikamaru's eyes met Hinata's sad white eyes. He wanted to protest, but Hinata shooked her head ever so slightly.
"Shikamaru I know you have absolute faith in her, but I still have to take precautions to protect the village." Naruto said raising his head again.
"She's not the threat." Shikamaru said.
"But she could be a dangerous one." Naruto said resting his head on his intertwined hands.
Shikamaru opened his mouth to protest, but Naruto interrupted him rudely.
"I'm not going to retract the Anbu Shikamaru, so you'll just have to deal with it whether you like it or not and nothing is going to change my mind." Naruto said with a tone of finality in his voice.
"If Temari gets her memory back would you retract the Anbu?" Shikamaru asked not displaying any emotions on his face.
"Guess so." Naruto said highly doubting that she'll regain her memory.
"See you soon then, I guess." Shikamaru said with a slight smirk on his face as he turned and walked out the door.
"What was that about?" Naruto asked Hinata curiously.
"I'm not completely sure." Hinata said with a confused frown.
"Hey Temari, good news!" Sakura said cheerfully as she entered the room.
"You're getting released today!" Sakura grinned as Temari looked from the window to Sakura.
"That's good." Temari smiled faintly.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Sakura asked concerned as she walked to Temari who stood up from the bed.
"Nothing." Temari said turning her back on Sakura.
"Are you sure? Is anything bothering you?" Sakura asked handing Temari her clothes.
"No, I just have some things on my mind." Temari said taking the clothes from Sakura.
"Well you know you can always talk to me." Sakura smiled reassuringly at Temari.
"Thanks Sakura." Temari smiled back.
"And don't worry about where you're going to stay, Shikamaru will find you. You'll probably stay with him until you're brothers get here." Sakura giggled.
"When are they arriving?" Temari asked looking away.
"Tomorrow." Sakura smiled.
"Why are you guys doing so much trouble for an enemy?" Temari asked solemnly looking at the clothes Sakura gave her.
"You where never our enemy." Sakura replied softly.
"I almost killed you, how can you be so calm?" Temari asked confused.
"You never really meant to kill us you only did what Orochimaru told you, he is our enemy." Sakura said disgust in her voice when she had to say the snakes name.
Orochimaru did to Shikamaru what he did to Sakura and he did to Temari what he did to Sasuke. Orochimaru had no end to his cruelty.
"But I killed the people from your village anyway." Temari scoffed with guilt as she headed for the bathroom to change.
"Oh Temari." Sakura sighed sadly as she waited for Temari to change.
After Temari changed she went back outside to the hospital room she grew familiar with. She looked down at the black kimono she wore. It fitted perfectly. She stroked the kimono fondly.
"That's what you always wore before you went missing." Sakura said sadly sitting on Temari's hospital bed.
"Orochimaru always told me I had no family and the friends I had all betrayed me. He said they stabbed me through my back, that's why I have a scar on my lower right back and stomach... Sakura, what really happened the day I went missing?" Temari asked without emotion looking out the window at the shadows that formed from the midday sun.
"Well we went on a joined mission. The mission was supposed to be me, Ino, Sai and Sasuke. You probably can't remember them" Sakura laughed bitterly then continued.
"But then Sasuke never came back to the village so Naruto sent me, Sai, Shikamaru and you. We were to attend a ball at Iwakagura and catch the person who where abducting the people of the village, but it was all a trap. Orochimaru wanted to abduct Sasuke, but took you instead since he never went. It was actually a really lovely ball and you and Shikamaru where so cute together, but then we all lost sight of you and we couldn't find you. Luckily Shikamaru could track you and he found you in the woods with Orochimaru. Sai and I weren't even in the picture we only found Shikamaru's unconscious body after Orochimaru gave you the curse mark and stabbed you on accident when you blocked him from stabbing Shikamaru. By the time Sai and I got there and Shikamaru woke up, you where long gone." Sakura told the story of that fateful night also looking out the window now.
"Shikamaru searched for you day and night never giving up on you, even when we all told him you where dead." Sakura said feeling guilty as Temari scowled.
"He even punched Naruto and Sasuke when you went missing, but I'm not completely sure why. It seems so out of character for Shikamaru, but Naruto knew something." Sakura said with a frown she wanted to continue, but Temari left the room with a simple thanks.
She's heard enough of Sakura's story.
Temari walked to the roof of the hospital and stood at the railing overlooking the village. The village and the people in the village never stopped growing and changing even when she was gone. Nothing waited for her when she was gone. She was left behind. Temari had an uneasy feeling flowing through her. Everyone had so much memories of her when she looked in their eyes, but she had none. A dull pain started growing in the back of her neck, but she brushed it off because the pain was so small she hardly felt it.
"There you are!" A exaggerated voice said behind her.
Temari snapped her head towards the woman behind her. She had beautiful long blonde hair and big turquoise eyes that had so much care in them plus a purple outfit that revealed her stomach. Ino, was her name, if Temari remembered correctly.
"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Ino exclaimed rolling her eyes.
"And why is that?" Temari asked confused, why would Ino be looking for her?
"I, Ino Yamanaka, am going to get your memories back." Ino grinned confidently.
"Is that so?" Temari chuckled at her ridiculous statement.
"Of course! Your buddy Minoru isn't the only one who is good with messing with people's minds." Ino laughed as Temari snorted when she called Minoru her buddy.
"How are you planning to get my memories back?" Temari asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well there's this charming contraption made for channeling Yamanaka's jutsus that can allow me to dominate anyone's mind for quite some time." Ino informed.
"Where's this charming contraption?" Temari asked curiously.
"The interrogation building." Ino grinned with a slight mock evilness to it.
"Sounds charming indeed, shall we go then?" Temari laughed.
"Yeah, I have nothing better to do now. Except shopping, running a flower shop or cuddling with my hot boyfriend..." Ino mused playfully.
"I get the point." Temari laughed interrupting Ino.
Temari walked with peaceful content with Ino to Konoha's interrogation quarters. Ino talked non-stop, but Temari wasn't listening. She instead admired the village in bliss as they walked. This was the first time in a long time that Temari didn't have to be on guard or felt unsafe. It was a long time since she felt this safe. It was also her first time in Konoha.
But this daydream was dangerous, because it left her wanting more and peace never lasted long. The dull pain in her neck returned, but only for a second.
"Where here!" Ino sung as she interrupted Temari's thoughts.
"Welcome to what's going to be your new personal hell." Ino said playfully.
"What?" Temari exclaimed shocked as she snapped her head towards the blonde.
"Kidding, sort of." Ino laughed entering the building with a reluctant Temari following.
"So how exactly are you going to get my memories back?" Temari asked narrowing her eyes at Ino slightly as Ino maneuvered through the dark hallways like she was there a million times before.
"Your amnesia isn't because of any medical reasons, that's why Sakura couldn't do anything to help you. Your amnesia is caused because of that curse mark of yours. There are no recordings of a way to remove the curse mark, but one person was indeed successful in removing one. His name is Sasuke Uchia." Ino said seriously.
"So what's the problem?" Temari asked confused.
"His brother, Itachi Uchia, removed it with his perfect Susanoo. He was the last remaining Uchia who possessed a Susanoo who carried the Sword of Totsuka. A sword used to seal away anything it touches. He used the Sword of Totsuka to remove Sasuke's curse mark and seal it away in that sword, but he's long since dead." Ino said as a small glimmer of hope died in Temari.
"I'll be trying to break the curse mark through your mind, since it attached itself to the side of your brain where you keep your memories in order to keep your body alive. But it's risky because if I make a mistake you'll be brain dead." Ino said opening a double door to a medium size hall.
In the middle of this medium sized hall was something Temari has never seen before in her life. It looked like a steel dome that could fit a fully grown man in it with a hole at the top of the dome. The dome had four cables coming from it to four big headsets that rested on cushions on the floor.
"This must be your charming contraption." Temari said curiously taking slow steps in the room as Ino strolled to the biggest headset.
"This is it. My dad built it." Ino said sadly as she stroked the headset fondly.
"What happened to your dad?" Temari asked curiously, she couldn't help herself.
"You'll find out, the same happened to Shikamaru's dad." Ino replied making Temari frown.
"So are you still game?" Ino grinned holding the headset under her arm.
"Of course." Temari smirked approaching Ino and the contraption.
"Your just like I remember you." Ino smiled sentimental.
"Let's get started." Temari said seriously.
"Firstly I'll examine your curse mark and after that if I'm successful, we'll shift through your memories,but I need to find some shinobi to help me then I'll strap you in." Ino said before she walked away through the door leaving Temari alone in the hall.
Temari slowly walked over to the Yamanaka's contraption and stroked it with a finger. Was Ino really joking or was this really going to be her new personal hell. Temari contemplated everything she remembered from the last two years after she lost everything. All her memories. But something Shikamaru said caught her attention.
"And that necklace you wear, I was the one who gave it to you the night you lost your memories and Orochimaru took you. You are the most troublesome woman I have ever known, but that is why I love you." Shikamaru sighed as he hugged her slightly tighter.
"Who are you?" Temari whispered.
"You know who I am." Shikamaru said.
"You're a smart ass, aren't you? But like I said you had two years to find me so I'm leaving now." Temari said regaining herself.
"And in those two years all I did was search for you and now I have finally found you, I'll drag you back kicking and screaming if I have to." Shikamaru said bluntly.
Did Shikamaru really mean what he said or was this just like the nasty tricks Orochimaru liked to play, can she really trust him. Or is this whole village like the hell hole Orohimaru ruled. The underworld.
"I'm back." Ino sung as she interrupted Temari's thoughts.
She entered the room with four shinobi following her in. There was three guys and a girl that followed her in. The girl had a browner blonde shade than Ino and both the girl and the two guys had a slightly darker shade of green in their eyes than Ino, but the last guy had pitch black eyes and raven black hair to match his eye. He was a stark contras to the group.
"I thought you only needed three shinobi." Temari asked confused.
"I do, but a girl can have a boyfriend, can't she?" Ino giggled wrapping her arms around the black haired man's waist.
"Temari this is Sai. He was with you on the mission when you went missing." Ino said the cheerfulness in her voice disappearing slightly at the second part of her sentence as Sai wrapped his arms around her shoulders protectingly.
"It's nice to finally see you again Temari. Everybody was worried about you." Sai smiled and she nodded, but she couldn't tell if his smile was sincere or fake.
How could they have been worried if they thought she was dead?
Temari stood next to Sai with crossed arms not saying a word as she watched Ino help the Shinobi from her clan put on the headsets of the contraption and focus their chackra in the contraption.
"Let's get you settled in Temari." Ino called Temari over.
Ino opened the front of the contraption expertly making Temari slightly nervous. How many times did she use this machine and for what? Torture or helping people like her. Ino opened and waited for Temari to get in.
"Hey, it's going to be alright." Ino smiled reassuringly.
"I know." Temari said more to herself than Ino as she eyed the contraption.
She wished Shikamaru was here. He somehow always made her feel better. Temari eyed the hollow inside of the contraption and slowly, but reluctantly climbed inside the machine. Temari sat down so she would fit inside the contraption, but she started feeling slightly claustrophobic when Ino closed the contraption. It completely covered her body only leaving her head exposed.
"Are you ready?" Ino asked fitting the headset on her head.
"More than I'll ever be, but I just have one question." Temari said.
"Will you see all my memories?" Temari asked pulling up her nose.
"Unfortunately for you and fortunately for me, yes." Ino grinned.
"But what if I don't want you to know some of them." Temari asked frowning.
"Then it's my secret to know, honey. Why, do you have something to hide?" Ino laughed.
"I don't know... Besides the things I experienced with Orochimaru will leave you wishing you never helped me. Last question." Temari sighed, Ino looked slightly worried after Temari's statement.
After all, pretty girls didn't know the things that she knew.
"That's your third question." Ino laughed.
"Do you know where's Shikamaru?" Temari asked looking away embarrassed.
"Not at the moment, but he'll be here soon. I promise..." Ino said reassuringly as her face softened.
"Sai dear, come here for a second." Ino called to Sai.
"Please call Shikamaru for me." Ino whispered in Sai's ear as he bended down to Ino's level.
"I don't want to leave you, this is the first time you're trying something like this." Sai argued softly with Ino.
"It's okay I'm not alone, just go." Ino whispered back.
Sai sighed reluctantly as he kissed Ino on the forehead then left leaving Ino to her own devices.
"Are you lovebirds done?" Temari asked uncomfortably because of her claustrophobia.
"Get ready. Mind possession jutsu." Ino exclaimed as she quickly formed hand seals and before Temari knew it her world went black.
After Ino's jutsu came the blackness. Temari didn't fight against the consistent presence of Ino's chackra or her jutsu. Temari had no idea what Ino was doing or how long she was left in total darkness, but as time passed pictures suddenly appeared that blended into a video of what seemed to be her memories.
Temari stared at a little girl with dirty blonde hair in four ponytails and teal eyes. She was watching the life drain out of a light brown haired woman with a little child screaming in the woman's arms as angry and confused sand danced around the little new born. The light brown haired woman bared a close resemblance to herself and the little blonde haired girl.
Was that her as a child?
"Ino where are you? What is this?" Temari asked confused and slightly panicked, but she received no answer.
Did Temari really want to know her past?
Because so far she wasn't liking it.
The little girl had tears in her eyes like all little girls had when there mother was about to die. The little girl's head suddenly snapped behind her making Temari also look back to see what the little girl saw. It was a dark red haired man with a permanent scowl on his face. That must be her father.
Temari looked around the room. So the dying woman must be her mother, the scowling man must be her father, the whimpering brown haired kid must be her younger brother and finally the crying baby must be her youngest brother. Her father entered the room fully revealing an old white haired woman behind him.
"Lady Chiyo." The kid version of Temari whispered.
"Temari, Kankurou, please leave the room." Her father said coldly.
"Why?" The child Temari asked defensively with slight fear in her voice.
"Do as I say." Her father growled at her as little Kankurou walked to little Temari's side.
"Listen to your father Temari and remember, Temari, Kankurou, Gaara, I'll always love you and watch over you three." Her mother smiled weakly, but with so much love in her eyes.
Gaara... what a nice name.
Her mother had the warmest and most loving smile Temari has ever seen. A beautiful smile, even when she was dying. Her smile could've calmed roaring storms...
Little Temari gulped and fighted against her tears as she walked reluctantly out the room, tugging little Kankurou with her. It all came back to her.
She was Temari no Sabaku of the village hidden in the sand, eldest daughter of Karura and Rasa. She had two younger brothers Kankurou and Gaara. Her father was the fourth Kazekage and her mother died giving birth to Gaara while Lady Chiyo, one of their village elders, infused Gaara with the one tailed demon upon birth.
The world around Temari faded to black as her memory of Gaara's birth dissipated.
It wasn't long before the blackness disappeared and was painted with the disastrous colours of her memories. Temari was leaning against a large tombstone watching the scene before her with crossed arms. Suna was humid and warm blowing it's unforgiving sand through the black clothes of the gathered people.
It was a funeral, but Temari couldn't tell for who it was, yet. She walked closer to the funeral to see the picture on the coffin. Temari gasped, the man bore a striking resemblance to her own mother. His face held love and caring towards others just like her mother's did. Temari turned to the crowd to see who she could recognise.
She was surprised to see little Temari in the front row, but it was expected otherwise why whould she be here? Next to little Temari was little Kankurou and to her right was her father with his uncaring expression, but she could see slight sadness in his eyes and next to him was Lady Chiyo and a man resembling her age. One thing was bothering Temari though, were was little Gaara?
Temari's eyes furrowed, if they all where here who was looking after little Gaara? He's still a baby he can't take care of himself.
"Today we are gathered here to mourn the loss of a devoting Shinobi, medical-nin, trusted brother and beloved uncle." The priest began struggling to keep himself together because of Suna's treacherous winds.
"We are gathered here to say our last goodbyes to Yashamaru..." The priest continued.
Yashamaru... Temari repeated the name as she turned back to look at the photo of the man. Temari guessed the man to be her mother's brothers, since they looked so similar to each other making him her uncle. What happened to her uncle?
She watched the funeral service play out for her uncle and it didn't surprise her in the least that her father was the first one to leave dragging little Temari and little Kankurou with him, even thought Yashamaru was family.
All the memories of before the funeral came rushing back to her. She was Temari no Sabaku of the village hidden in the sand, eldest daughter of Karura and Rasa. She had two younger brothers Kankurou and Gaara. Her uncles name was Yashamaru, the younger brother of her mother Karura.
The old man next to lady Chiyo was in fact her brother, Ebizou, and the other elder of the village hidden in the sand. Yashamaru loved his elder sister dearly as well as her children and took it upon himself to take care of them after Karura died. He was Temari's fathers right hand man and a Anbu. Her father however gave him a suicide mission...
Kill Gaara. The little child who was barely four however he failed because their mothers love protected him, but it did cause Gaara to become the sociopath he was today and unleash his monstrous one tail state on their village. How can a father be so cruel to his own child and turn him into a weapon only to try and assassinate him.
The world around Temari faded to black again as her memory of her uncle's, Yashamaru, funeral dissipated to the black abyss as usual. Temari waited patiently for the next memory to grace her with her fantastic past. Temari groaned from the headache that was starting to form and the dull pain in her neck was intensifying, but it was still not painful enough to bother her so she wrote it off.
The picture of her next memory formed and what she saw was absolutely horrible. There were bodies everywhere and even more blood. She has massacred a village before, but there was never this much blood and the bodies were never this mutated. Temari's feet where getting soaked from the pool of blood that covered every inch of the ground. Her eyes scanned over one of the mutated bodies, it was sickening and was causing Temari to get nauseous.
"That's enough Gaara, the missions completed." Temari's calm voice said making Temari snap to the source of the voice.
It came from inside the house to Temari's right. Temari hurried to the house to see what's going on. Temari hurried to the room and stopped at the doors entrance.
"I'll decide when it's enough." Gaara replied threateningly shooting a deadly glare at a kid like Temari, a glare with intent to kill.
The little Gaara Temari saw in her memories was now a child and a killer. He was standing with one hand raised towards a ball of floating sand. Inside the floating ball of sand was a woman. Crying for Gaara to spare her. Calling for Kankurou to save her. Calling for Temari to do something. But not one of them moved a muscle. They stood and complied to everything Gaara said so their little brother wouldn't kill them.
Temari watched her younger self trying not to turn her head, but in the end she did look away as Gaara crushed the poor innocent woman in satisfaction sending her blood curling scream ripping through the dead of night. The woman's blood sprayed everywhere making the younger Temari flinch as it stained her face.
She slowly lifted her arm and rubbed the blood off her cheek, like it has happened a hundred times before. She turned her head reluctantly watching the unrecognisable mutated woman's crushed body fall to the ground in a pool of her own blood as well as a body she couldn't identify.
"Let's go, no one's left." Gaara said coldly without remorse as he walked out the room followed by Kankurou and her younger self.
And so Temari grew to fear her little brother Gaara.
All the memories of before the massacre came flowing in lightning fast flashes back to her. She was Temari no Sabaku of the village hidden in the sand, eldest daughter of Karura and Rasa. She had two younger brothers Kankurou and Gaara and was known throughout Suna and most other villages as the sand siblings.
And her little brother was now a monster.
He is a killing sociopath who is even willing to kill his own siblings. His siblings who did everything they could to protect their little brother even if he threatened to kill them. Her fathers selfish assassination act created a monster. Gaara killed because he liked it and he felt it gave meaning to his existence. She has seen him kill so many innocent people, even little children.
The future did not look bright with a monster by her side. Gaara revelled in everything he killed, will this killing ever end...
Temari gasped as her eyes shot open, panick dancing across her eyes as her head pounded in pain. She panted as sweat dripped from her eyebrows. She pounded on the metal dome around her, trying to escape. She looked frantically around. Her eyes caught Ino's bent over figure and stopped pounding on the dome to look at Ino. Ino was doubled over resting her arms on the ground with her head hanging towards the ground.
The headset clattered to the ground while the other shinobi removed their headset and watched Ino and Temari curiously. Sai was by Ino's side before Temari even woke up. Temari began to trash around again, never forgetting about the unbearable pain in her skull. She was blinded by her panic to get out, but she did notice a figure rushing towards her.
The dome suddenly opened and Temari shot to her feet backing away from the dome. Spots danced across her vision as she unsteadily walked away from the contraption. She didn't even notice when her legs gave in from beneath her, but she never touched the ground. She was caught by the silhouette's strong arms, the arms that made her feel safe.
"Shikamaru, you're here..." Temari said detached as her eyes couldn't focus on her surroundings.
"Of course I am." He replied worry evident in his voice as Temari slouched in his arms.
Shikamaru picked her up bridal style as her arm resting on her stomach and her other arm dangled by her side with her head tilted back. She's unconscious.
"Is Ino alright?" Shikamaru asked Sai who was bent next to her with his arms around her.
"I'm fine." Ino said in a shaky voice.
"Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked.
"Yes." Ino said sitting straight again leaning again Sai for support.
Ino caught Shikamaru's eyes. They where filled with tears and he could see the fear and distress in her horrified eyes.
"What the hell did you see?" Shikamaru asked with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows.
"Just get Temari home." Ino said looking away as she started trembling.
"We'll talk about this later." Shikamaru scowled as he turned and walked away.
The ice cold night bit at Shikamaru's exposed skin as he entered the night air. The dark areas of the village was well lit thanks to the eerie full moon. The clouds Shikamaru looked at so often, the bright clouds he always saw but could never touch, was now dark and conflicted shrouding the village in darkness every time it covered the only source of light in such a dark night.
He made it halfway to his house when the moon appeared again and illuminated Temari's golden hair and tanned skin. Her eyes opened halfway then closed again before she opened them again sleepily. Shikamaru however noticed it right away.
"Where am I?" She asked softly and confused.
"It's alright Temari you're safe, I've got you now." Shikamaru said concerned as she rested her head on his chest, exhausted.
Right before Ino and Temari woke up, Ino began trembling and grunting as if she was afraid of something or someone... Temari didn't react, but he noticed her jaw muscle tighten in fear.
"What's the last thing you remember Temari?" Shikamaru asked looking down at her.
She went slightly rigid at Shikamaru's question as it looked like sleep was going to embrace her at any time.
"Gaara..." She whispered exhausted, her voice cracking ever so slightly before she went back to sleep.
Gaara? What did he do to get Ino so rattled up? The dark clouds embraced the moon yet again, shrouding the earth in darkness. Luckily the street lights provided some light for Shikamaru as he walked trough the dark streets of Konoha with Temari in his arms.
"Shika-sensei!" A cheerful voice called behind him.
Shikamaru spun around to the source of the voice. It was Mirai. This was the first time since Temari came back to the village that Mirai saw her. He didn't even think she knew Temari was back.
"Is that Temari?" Mirai gasped rushing towards Shikamaru.
"Yes." Shikamaru answered as he turned around and walked again with Mirai following him.
"Is she why you left training earlier with Sai-sensei?" Mirai gasped in realisation.
"Yeah." Shikamaru replied smiling ever so slightly.
"What happened to her?" Mirai asked concerned.
"Ino is trying to get her memories back. I think it was getting to much for Temari to handle and she passed out." Shikamaru explained.
"Is it working?" Mirai asked amazed.
"Yes, but we'll see if she remembers anything when she wakes up." Shikamaru sighed.
"When did she come back?" Mirai questioned Shikamaru.
"About a week ago." Shikamaru answered nonchalantly.
"What! How come I haven't seen her once?" Mirai exclaimed shocked.
"Because she was in the hospital, she was only released today." Shikamaru replied
"How did she come back?" Mirai asked solemnly putting two and two together.
"She fought against Orochimaru and when the fighting was over we brought her back before she could die and she survived." Shikamaru sighed.
"Is he dead then?" Mirai asked sadly looking up at Shikamaru.
"I can't answer that yet." Shikamaru said narrowing his eyes ever so slightly.
"Why? He's either dead or not." Mirai said confused.
"Not exactly. Go home Mirai." Shikamaru groaned.
"No. When is you're girlfriend gonna wake up?" Mirai asked with a smirk.
"When she feels like it and she's not my girlfriend." Shikamaru dead panned.
"Not yet ." Mirai teased.
"Go away Mirai." Shikamaru said glaring at a laughing Mirai.
"But I know you want her to be your girlfriend." Mirai grinned slyly.
"Who said she isn't already." Shikamaru smirked catching Marai off guard.
Besides everyone knows she can make up the wildest stories, if she tells anyone how can they know she didn't make it up.
"What?" Mirai asked blankly standing in the middle of the road as Shikamaru opened the door awkwardly since Temari was still in his arms.
"Go home Mirai." Shikamaru said before closing the door and leaving Mirai in the street... outside... alone.
"I've gotta tell mom!" Mirai said determined to herself as she turned and ran to her house.
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A/N: Hello, it's me
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet? I'm sooooooo sorry I haven't been posting chapters my lovelies. I have been super busy and I ran out ideas, but I'm finally back and hoping you can forgive me. I really do try to update as soon as I can. I'm sorry if there's any miss spelled words I'm not at home so I don't have my laptop and my phone's auto correct is as useless as I am at spelling. Hope you enjoyed the chapter ✌ remember to comment and please vote, I put a lot of effort in every chapter. But NEVER DOUBT ME, your fantastic author signing off :P