Temari's POV:

"AHHHHH!!!!!!!"

Crash!

I put up my arms, shielding myself from the splinters of the now broken chair Shikamaru had thrown at the wall beside me. He had gone into a full blown rampage as soon as Ino had left the compound, after telling us the news about Chōji. Throwing things, screaming, yelling, cursing.

"Shikamaru! Stop!" I yelled at him, which he ignored.

"Kaa-san?!" I turned to Shikadai and rested my hands on his shoulders. He looked up to me with frightened eyes. I stared back with a look of reassurance. "Go to your room, Shikadai. I'll take care of this."

"Bu-"

"Now!" I yelled, stepping away from him and turning back to the older Nara. I looked back to my son and gave him a grin. "Your kaa-san is the best wind user in existence. Don't worry." He nodded and ran out of the room.

I turned my attention back to the rampaging ravenette. My eyes widened in shock when I saw the tears rolling down his face. His posture was tense. His aura screamed "DANGER", but I ignored that and stepped towards him.

The Shadow User let out a bone chilling scream. His shadow shot out all over the room and a wave of heated chakra washed over me. I managed to dodge any that came my way, but the objects in the room would need to be replaced.

"Shikamaru," I called. He looked at me and his eyes that screamed for revenge glazed over with something else that I couldn't read. His shoulders shook as if he was trying to keep his rage caged up. His shaky breathing filled the silence of the dark room. The atmosphere was tense.

"Calm down. Please," I stepped towards him again but he stepped away from me. "It's my fault.." He murmured. I furrowed my eyebrows in annoyance.

"Don't say that stupid shit, Shikamaru!" I yelled, barely able to control my own anger. His head wiped around to stare at me with shocked eyes. I balled up my hands into fists as they started to shake. "I thought you were supposed to be the smartest shinobi living!"

"So much for an IQ of 200! So much for the strategist of Konoha! So much for any of that!" Tears stung my eyes. I closed in attempts to keep them from falling. "If you keep making bullshit statements like that.." My head flew up to meet his gaze with my own furious own. "Your throwing all of that away!"

Silence settled between us. It stayed like that for a while before I took a deep breath and continued. "Nobody could have stopped this. There's nothing we could have done. Nothing anybody could have done. Nothing you could have done."

A subtle thump caused me to open my eyes. Shikamaru sat with his legs folded underneath him, his brown hues staring at me with shock. Taking a deep breath, I made my way towards him. I allowed myself to fall to my knees in front him.

His gaze downcast as I did so. Moving slowly, as to not throw him into another rampage. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him into me. He placed his head on my should and I did the same. His tears soaked my clothes, and his shoulders shook with sobs. Moving my hand in circular motions on his back, I did my best to calm him. It seemed to be working.

His breathing became more controlled. And I could no longer feel his rapid heart beat against my chest. His shoulders no longer held much movement. But the wet feeling of his tears soaking my shinobi attire hadn't stopped.

"Gomen," He murmured in my ear. "I overreacted." I let out a quiet scoff, "Ya think?" He sighed in response and wrapped his arms around my waist. The action surprised me. And for some reason, I found myself enjoying the warmth his body radiated. I tried my best to soak it up before it was gone.

We sat there in a comfortable silence, for what seemed only to be a few minutes when Shikadai entered the heavily damaged room. Shikamaru and I pulled away from each other a little bit to see him. His face looked anylitical. His teal orbs scanning the room before finally landing on us.

He cautiously made his way over to us, making sure to avoid debris. When he did, he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Man. You guys really made a me- Uf!"

I let out a silent gasp when Shikamaru surely pulled Shikadai to us. The older Nara wrapped his arms around us both. Closing his eyes, he let out a quiet sigh. "Your safe." He muttered, before adding, "How troublesome."

I couldn't help the short burst of relieved laughter that erupted from my lips. Closing my eyes, I shook my head and let my head fall. I could feel the eyes of the Nara's on me. "Troublesome?" I muttered, "That should be my line. Forced to take care of you two."

A strange feeling settled in my chest. It felt like relief. Or the feeling of being safe. Maybe, relief that they were safe. Shikadai. Shikamaru. My son. My future husband. Wait.

"Your safe..."

My eyes shot open as I realized what Shikamaru meant. The feeling in my chest. It's what he's feeling. I gripped my shirt, right in front of where my heart was. Tears pooled at the bottom of my eyes as my gaze moved to meet the ones of the older and younger Nara.

They both seemed taken back to see the tears in my eyes. And their expressions turned to ones of even more shock when they saw the single tears that escaped. "I'm glad..." I murmured, barely loud enough for them to hear.

"Kaa-San...?"

I gave a small smile, "I'm glad it wasn't one of you."

Another tear slipped when I noticed how Shikamaru's gaze had softened. I felt his grip on Shikadai and I tighten and felt the feeling in my chest grow hotter. I was surprised when Shikadai returned the hug.

"Geez, your both so troublesome." He said, shaking his head, making his pineapple shaped hair sway.

I tightened my grip and scoffed. "Your too much like your father..."

And I spent the rest of the night sitting there.

With my "troublesome" family.

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Guys! I can't believe I actually updated! I know this update is like, five days late. And that the chapter isn't very long. I'm super sorry!

I got really busy with my piano practice and roller hockey practice!

Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. And if you did, don't forget to...

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