Hello! Today I have pretty much of a work to do...So I won't say much, but take care of the RATING in this chapter. I didn't rate it M for nothing...

Nya, it's not a lemon, alright? I will not write, I promised myself.

Sa, I do not own Naruto, but I got a Sasuke lolipop one day...(needless to say that it was delicious)

'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'

Travelling alone, it took him three days to reach Suna. And when he did, he noticed that something must have happened, because everyone was talking about how cruel their King had become and how their Lady Temari wasn't seen out in public only once a week. And the most weird, while he was walking towards the palace, the Kazekage mansion, he heard people talking about...

"Yes, yes, Harukawa-sama said he saw her buying clothes from those that are for little kids, and if you don't believe this, because he's kinda old and he can't see well anymore, then you should know that Araya-sama saw her at the toy-shop! And she was acting pretty strangely, if you must know!"

"Oh, really?"

"Like she didn't know what to get...And she was confused by how to use the toys she looked at!"

"She couldn't even hold a plush toy right?"

"Aa"

"That's true! I saw her as well!"

"What?"

"Yeh, yeh, I was there to buy a new plushie for my daughter and she was there, looking at the teddy-bears!"

"Oh my...Do you think that...?"

"She may have a child?"

"Oh-woo!"

"And...And WHEN did she give birth to it? When did she find some time for herself, now that I think of it?"

"She may just be pregnant now"

"But she rarely goes out, and even when she does, she's either with her brothers, elder Chiyo-sama or that Matsuri girl!"

"Yeh, she never hangs out with men, now..."

"Do you think she may adopted one?"

"Nya, Temari-san is not the type who would do that..."

"Then it's hers!...?"

"Boy, oh boy...And lord Kankurou and the King don't seem to know anything."

"Oh...Then...Is there any possibility that she...might not know the father?"

"Do you really think so?"

"Hey, the clothes she was buying were those for a child 3 or 4 years old! And 3 years ago Temari-san's attitude towards men..."

"Yeah, she was a completely different person."

"Besides, 3 years ago Temari-san was sent to that Leaf kingdom as an ambassador, ne?"

"Yeah, and there were arguments between her and the King before she left..."

"But when she cameback she was completely changed!"

"Yeah, she was hurt and..."

Shikamaru wouldn't sit theere and hear more. Either jumping to wrong conclusions or reaching for the gold, they were close to what have happened...Only they DIDN'T know what have happened between him and Temari, in fact, in fact they didn't even know that Temari and he were together. But what no one knew and if it wasn't Sakura Shikamaru wouldn't know either as the violation of their Lady by Uchiha Itachi.

But no matter the way, the road, the path he would follow, the corner he would turn, the same conversations took place everywhere.

"Temari-san hasn't been seen out much lately..."

"Yah, I heard that she's sick."

"Nya, she would have told lord Kankurou or Gaara-sama..."

"Do you really think so? Temari-jou-chan's attitude is not that of a woman dependent to her brothers..."

"Well, she might just have a cold"

That was by far the worst and out of the picture sentence Shikamaru has heard being deiscussed. And Shikamaru walked on, ready to now hear anything, anything at all.

"...yes, yes, they saw her, she went in Temari-san's place and didn't leave only late after midnight!"

"What could she possibly be doing?"

"Who knows? She was carrying a huge bag though, and she didn't have it with her when she left."

"And she was flushed!"

"And dirty!"

"Matsuri was always flushed and dirty, ever since her parents were killed she has been roaming all over the place and sleeping out on the road!"

"D'ya think T'mari-san could've t'ken 'er in?"

"Baah...Temari-san has become too unreiendly lately, to let someone like Matsuri stay at her place, even if it was just sleepover..."

Another stupid explanation in their attempts to find out why their Lady hadn't come out of her house so much lately. An even more incredible one. What would he hear next?

"Aa. I agree. She has come to be such an arrogant person!"

"And what about Elder Chiyo-sama? And that Matsuri girl? Everytime she's on a mission, she charges them with taking care of her house, and they act EXACTLY like her when she's here!"

"Yeah..."

"Did you know that the Kazekage has no idea?"

"She may be hiding something, who knows?"

"Aa. And she returns from her missions even more quickly now!"

So they were critisising her every move. It surprised Shikamaru that they hadn't begun to watch and observe her house like it was who knows what. "So Elder Chiyo-san and that Matsuri know about Eiji..." he thought to himself, trying to pull the pieces f the puzzle together.

"How dare you! She certainly has her own reasons!"

"Yeah, right, but what reasons would be those to make her hide in her house like she's some kind of wanted criminal or something?"

"I dont know. But if you're so curious, just go ask her!"

"The next time I'll see her, I certainly will!"

"Ah, why do you guys have to butt in in people's lives? If Temari-san has a secret then it's her right to keep it away!"

"Why do YOU butt in now?"

"Aw, come on, he's been in love with her for so much time! He would defend his precious Kaze no Ookami even if the whole world was against her!"

"Haha, really? Ah, how love shows when it's deep!"

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

"You are, you are, and deeply fallen!"

"I'm not!"

What else would he hear, indeed, what else? They had a huge storage for their imagination, Shikamaru could admit that. But as he was walking like that, with his thoughts whirling in his head and not watching where he was going, he accidantally got lost.

"Excuse me, where exactly is the Kazekage mansion?" he asked a stranger.

"See that huge line of windows? That's it, the building. Walk over there."

"Thanks" And so he walked towards the palace, with his eyes fixed on the ground and his head full of thoughts.

"So Gaara and Kankurou don't know either...No wonder. That's Temari we're talking about, she would never tell them...What are you trying to hide, troublesome woman?" he muttered and entered the Kazekage mansion, heading to Gaara's office.

He knocked the door and, strangely enough, he got an immediate reply. Gaara hadn't changed at all, he found him all the same, sitting behind his desk, tones of paperwork in front of him, his white and blue clothes on, the same "watch what you're saying" expression on his face, everything was the same.

"Well well, if it isn't a surprise. The Nara. Message from your kingdom, I suppose?" he spoke in his ever-so-calm voice.

"What else could it be?" Shikamaru answered.

"I don't know, maybe a visit at my sister's? To convince her to start showing her face at the sun once again?" Gaara stated more of questioned.

"Well, it wasn't on my plans, but if I have your permission, why not?"

"Fine then. Now, to the mesage you were sent to deliver..."

"Aa. A week a go, we were attacked by pirates. We're still fixing the damages and our men are all unable to fight...So we had to request a short period of time, about two or three weeks for them to recover completely. In this time, we require no attacks or battles, and we won't attack either. With what would we, after all? That's my Lady's Dutchess' will; the message I was sent to deliver." Pretty good at his manners and used to talk to people of high society, Shikamaru had a variety of poetic and noble words stored in his mind, and being the genious that he was, he knew EXACTLY where, when and how to put them.

"I see...Pirates, huh? Did you have any great loss?"

"Only a girl, kidnapped. The prince was injured, as well as Hyuuga Neji, but most of the soldiers are alive. The pirates were only after Hyuuga Neji's little cousin, Hyuuga Hanabi. It seemed that their captain didn't want them to cause us much trouble...but well, they did." Shikamaru answered.

"Well, you DO have a loss after all...It seems that they were after the Silver Fog..."

"They mentioned that name as well..And you know it too? What does it mean? Is it some of the hidden secrets of the Hyuuga clan?"

"It's kind of weird, indeed...It's a heritance passed down from mother to daughter, in their bloodline limit, but has nothing to do with that Byakugan of theirs...I do not know more myself, I only heard those from my father. Alright, three weeks, you've got them. Now, since it's a bit late, I suggest you should go pay that visit to my sister, and ask her to put you somewhere for the night...If you don't mind sleeping on the floor, she still uses futon." Oh, Gaara, if you knew what you've just started!

"No, it's alright. What do you want me to tell her?"

"That there are some strange rumors about her not appearing much lately...And change her mind if possible. Temari is really stubborn."Gaara, said, folding some papers he had just signed.

"Aa, I know that well..." the Nara genious nodded.

"Then you leave. Good luck, you'll need it. Though, I've got a feeling she'll listen to you, but I don't know why..."

"Thank you for your hospitality, Gaara." Shikamaru tilted his head.

"..." Gaara raised his invisible brows. "Just leave..."

"Eiji! Come on, it's pretty late! You should already be in bed!" A blonde kunoichi yelled.

"Aw mom! A little bit longer, please?" An even more blond kid with sheer green-blue eyes replied.

"It's getting chilly, we've got to get inside, or you'll catch a cold!"

"Hmmmphh..." The boy formed a disapointed expression but complied with his mother's orders. "Will you tell me a story?" he asked, his sea green-blue eyes gliding. "Please?"

"Aah...Alright, you win! Come here." Temari said and caught her son, lifting him in her arms. They got in the small house and walked upstairs, I mean, Temari was walking with the boy in her arms. "Today, I'll not read you one from the books, I will tell you one my mother was telling me as well."

"Yay! Grandma's fairytale! Yippeeee!"

"Yeah, yeah, calm down now, or you'll fell off of my hands."

She walked upstairs and in their room, where Temari placed Eiji on the pretty big futon they together slept on. Temari unburried his pijamas from under the pillows and threw them to him, then put on her nightgown, and waited for him to get them on.

"Nee mom...Why didn't Matsuri-neechan come today? She said we were going to plant flowers!"

"Again? Oh, no my little brat, you and Matsuri will plant flowers again over my dead body!"

"Over your grave mom? Do you plan on commiting suicide or something?" Eiji asked, his head trapped in the hole at his pijamas' shirt's top. "Ugh.."

"Come here you..." Temari hugged him from the head and helped him wear it properly. "Anyway, today Matsuri was busy."

"Oh...Aaa, my fairytale! My fairytale! A-chou!" Eiji sneezed.

"Temari raised an eyebrow. "Achou!" her son sneezed once more.

"Go to bed. Immediately" she said and lied on the futon beside him, and then pulled him down in her embrace. "Sneezing foretells cold. Here." she said and covered both their bodies with the blanket. "Now, on with the story."

"Yay! Grandma's fairytale! Achou!"

"Eiji..." Temari pulled out a tissue from the box near them and put it over his nose."Blow it" And so he did. When he was done, Temari wrapped the tissue in a ball and threw it aside. "Would you sit still for a moment? Stop wrestling with the covers!"

"Aw mom..."

"Eiji! Do you want to listen to the story or not?"

"Yey, yey, I do, ok, ok, I'll stop." Eiji burried himself in his mother's embrace and sat still.

"Once upon a time, there was a man named Sora(sky) That man had to women, Hi(day) and Yoru(night). After some time, each of his women gave birth to a son..."

"Like me!"

"Yeah, yeah, like you. Hi named hers Tanyou(sun) and Yoru hers Tsuki(moon). The two boys grew up together and loved each other so much, that no one could harm or seperate them. But there came a time, when Hi and Yoru became old, greedy and complained about everything, that the two boys fell in love with the same girl, a young woman named Hoshi(star), who had sheer eyes in the color of the sea-"

"Like mine and yours, ne mom?"

"Aa. She had also ebony black hair and pale skin, her lips were like rose petals left on the snow. She was so beautiful; she looked kind, innocent and sweet. But deep inside her heart was dark, darker than her hair. What neither Tsuki nor Tanyou knew was that the girl they both had fallen for was a powerful witch, who was jealous of their love they had for each other and the strong bound they shared and she wanted to destroy it."

"And so she started going out with both boys secretly, sometimes with Tanyou, and others with Tsuki. But one day, when she was walking on the road with Tanyou, they came across Tsuki. The boy wasn't stupid, he immediately understood that the girl was deceiving him all along, but unfortunately, he didn't think that his brother had been deceived as well. He, for the first time, shouted at Tanyou, they both shouted at each other inappropriate words, words sharp that hurt both of them deeper than any blade would. And such was the blindfold of their anger that they picked up broken brances and stones and attacked each other."

"Aaaw...Baaad giiiirl! Achou!"

Sneezing again? Temari thought to herself. "Ah, yes. Tsuki lifted a stone and threw it right on Tanyou's forehead, exactly at the second that Tanyou was stabbing him with a branch. They both fell on the ground, on their knees and then face down, laying, blood pouring and pouring, and the witch was standing upon them, laughing like mad and casting her spell of seperation over them. She enclosed each of Tsuki's and Tanyou's souls in spheres and threw them in the air, sent them flying in seperate directions, cursing them to be apart forever, Tsuki to be travelling when it was darkness and Tanyou when it was light. And they say that that's how Sun and Moon were created. Owari da ne. Time to sleep now."

"Hmph...Bitch." Eiji murmured as he burried himself somewhere between his mother and the pillows.

"WHAT? What was that?" Temari said, surprised.

"The witch mom!" Eiji explained.

"Wh...where did you...Where did you hear that word?" she gasped, eyes wide open.

"Oh, um...The other day...when you had left...I was out at the back garden with Matsuri-neechan and we..heard someone yelling...And he said that word..." her son explained, his big eyes ready to fill with tears.

"Didn't Matsuri tell you that's a bad word?"

"She wouldn't tell me! I asked her what it meant -ACHOU!- and she just said that I should never use it, because it's really bad..."

"It is...It hurts people; girls if you call them so. Don't use it again, Eiji!"

"Ano...I'm confused mom... If it's a bad word, then why did they say it for you?"

"What?..What did they say, Eiji?"

" 'that bitch of our Head...Leaving her house to others to take care of, she certainly knows what she's doing!'...Is that bad mum?"

"..." Temari was left in awe. In a bad way, she was surprised. What rumor had twisted around her? Had Eiji heard such words referred to her before, more than that time? Her son sneezed again and she averted her gaze from the ceiling, turning it to him. He looked a bit flushed. Her eyes watered.

"Nee mum...It's alright if you can't answer. I won't ask you more. If you said that it's a bad word that hurts people, then they didn't use it well, saying it for you. You're the most wonderful mother of the world!" Eiji said and hugged her, not noticing the unshed tears in his mother's eyes. "I love you so much mum! Oyasuminasai!"

"..." Temari was at a loss for words. She held back the tears, swallowed hard and embraced her son, kissing him on the top of his head. "I love you much too, Eiji. Oyasumi." Was he a bit hot, or it was just her fingers that felt frozen? Her son was fast asleep, but Temari couldn't. She stared at the ceiling, listening to her son's heartbeat and his breathing, thinking of what she had heard. And why didn't Matsuri mention anything? she wondered.

And then the doorbell rang.

One, hesitent time.

Temari's brows furrowed. "That late? Who could be?" she muttered. Careful not to wake him, she placed her son on the futon and covered him with the blanket, then put a hand over his forehead. "He does feel warmer...oh please, let him not be ill..." She placed a kiss on his forehead and went to answer the door.

Outside the house stood Shikamaru, shivering and rubbing his shoulders with his hands.

"Dammit...Troublesome trip...Suna sure is colder than Konoha at night..." he murmured, and then the door opened.

In front of him stood Temari, in the most wonderful appearance he had ever seen her in. Her hair was down, her eyes were gliding, she was wearing a light blue-white nightgown and it so much suited her, better than her usual outfits. He noticed she wasn't wearing slippers, could it be that he had woken her? Her eyes didn't say so, though.

"Uh...Good evening?" he tried to open a conversation.

The look on her face turned immediately from surprised to a sharp death glare.

"What are you doing here?"

"Gaara sent me!" Shikamaru answered, he was afraid of her when she had that look on. He would never forget what she did to Tayuya.

The speed in which her face changed expressions was amazing. In just a few seconds, the death glare had turned into a confused look. "What would Gaara send you to tell me-Wait, wait, what are you doing here in Suna, first of all?"

"I came to deliver a message form Tsunade! And your brother sent me to talk to you about something. Can I come in?"

"Gaara you're dead..." Temari muttered behind her gritted teeth and stepped aside, to make room for him to go inside. "What did he send you to tell me?"

"Well, he says that there are some rumors about you...And I guess that he must have heard only the noble ones."

"Why so?"

"Because if he had heard what I did on my way there, he would have come to check on you himself."

"Huh?" Eiji's words slipped in her mind once again. Could it...? "What do they say?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Well...Some just wonder why you're not appearing much lately, some others assume that you're sick...Some others say you're irresponsible and arrogant and that you're hiding something...But there are also those who saw you when you went out, at the toy store and they have started to wonder whether you've got a child or not..." Shikamaru stopped a bit, shot a glance at her and continued. "...and if you do, when did you bring it in the world and why you're hiding it. Some got pretty close, they assume that you don't know the father. Which is true, from what you've told me."

So it was true. All those different rumors, twisted thoughts of each that came into words and once got out, everyone added what they thought was really happening...Temari brought her hands to her head, unable to put her thoughts into words. She sank deep in the armchair she was sitting, she embraced her knees and hid her head behind them. If Eiji had heard more than what he said he did...

"Am I that worthless?..." Shikamaru heard her whispering. "..What kind of mother am I to you, my son...?"

"Ah...I've got a favor to ask, if you don't mind.."

"What do you want?"

"It's...If you don't want, it's alright...Can I stay here for the night?"

"What? Why?"

"Well, Gaara asked me to. Are all your inns filled?"

"Dunno...We ain't got much, anyway. I guess...As long as you don't mind sleeping on the floor...I guess I still have my old futon somewhere." Temari murmured. "Wait there, I'll go look upstairs."

"Okay." He watched her as she walked, her feet almost barely touching the wooden floor, as she silently made her way to her room. Her hair, even though just reaching her shoulders seemed so...just so right to be there, around her face, matching her eyes. "Everything on her is perfect..." Shikamaru thought to himself as she disappeared in one of the rooms upstairs.

"And I forgot to bring my yukata...Hmmph. Tough luck. Fishnets again, Nara boy.." Shikamaru muttered to himself.

"Oi!" Temari's voice pulled him out in reality. "Hey, , are you listening?"

When had she come down again? And when had she walked up to him again?

"Eh, of course I do! What's it?"

"I'm sure you haven't brought your pijamas or yukata, or whatever you have on when you're sleeping, so I brought you one of those that used to be my dad's. Here. The futon and the pillow are a bit worn out, I was pretty much of a good sleeper back then, but the covers are alright." Temari placed everything next to him and walked towards the armchairs in her living room. She pushed the two to the wall and removed the low table from the center of the room. She lifted the four big pillows and stuffed them in a corner next to the table. "Here. Now there's enough space for you to sleep" She unfolded the futon and stretched it over the floor, then put the pillow on it. She carried the blankets and let them on the lower half of the futon, then put next to the pillow her father's folded yukata. "If you get cold at night, there are two more blankets. You'll probably need them." she said, and walked up to him again, the passed him. "Good night"

As she was walking next to him, Shikamaru caught her hand

"What?" Temari turned to face him.

"There are some things that you have to tell me..." He looked pretty serious, and Temari was surprised.

"It's late, Shikamaru. Eiji might be ill, and I'm dead tired. Can't it wait until tomorow?" Temari asked, her hand still prisoned in his fingers.

"No, it can't. I heard some things, back in Konoha...And they were NOT rumors. Did you know that Itachi raped Sakura? And she has a son. The child looks up to his father, and wants to avenge him."

"..A-And how exactly am I related?" Itachi. His name burned her memory, it hurt her like a knife stabbing her on the back.

"Well, the kid doesn't know his mother is Sakura...Cause he somehow knows Itachi raped two women, a girl from Konoha...And a girl from Suna." Shikamaru stopped and looked at her, then continued. "He doesn't know his age, his mother, the time that passed between the two violations...But he knows that, whoever his mother is, she killed his father. And that's why he attacks people from only Konoha and Suna."

The next time he looked at her, she was terrified. She had brought her free hand to her shoulder, and her eyes were fixed on the floor. Her lips were trembling and he could tell that she was on the edge, ready to fall and cry, but he had to learn. He had to know, so to be able to help her rid of whatever it was that thing in her memories that hurt her.

"Sakura has been lectured by Tsunade for something, and I just happened-"

"Happened"

"-happened to be there. And Sakura re-admitted to Tsunade that her son comes from her violation by Itachi, and when they started to talk about why did the kid attack people from both our Kingdoms, Sakura...kinda 'revealed', that Itachi has raped you as well...Is that true, Temari?" Shikamaru asked, now catching her other hand as well. "Look at me."

But she couldn't. She was pretty sure that he had already found out the truth himself, why was he tormenting her more now? She couldn't do what he was asking her to, she couldn't speak, she couldn't move.

"Answer me, Temari. Is it true? Because if it is, then I can pretty well think of Eiji's age, his birthday, and when he was born, and I can tell you why you don't know who his father is. And I can now understand why you left like that back then. Is it true? Is it true, what Sakura said?" He lifted her chin and looked at her, deep in the eyes. "Please, please, answer me."

"Yes"

Shikamaru sighed. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell anyone? Someone, someone could have helped you, I could have helped you!"

"Really? How exactly could I have told ANYONE about it? And who to tell it first? You, Gaara, Kankurou, who? If I told Gaara, hw would have killed me, saying it was my fault because of my attitude towards men...And Kankurou, reasoning it the same, even though he always supports me, he wouldn't this time. Serves me right, they would say. They wouldn't even believe me, probably!"

"And what about me? What was I for you? Just a love-toy?"

"Don't speak like that!"

"Why? Is it the truth that you can't face?"

"No!"

"Then what?"

"I knew that you were going to act like that...And you'd want to chase him down, to punish him, no?"

"It would be troublesome, but I would have done it, for you!"

"That's what I was trying to avoid!"

"Me avenging you?"

"The troublesome part. Where he would have killed you. And it would be all because of me. And I would have to bear with this pain as well. I didn't want that to happen, I didn't want to have to mourn for a loss greater than any other in my life! I didn't want it to happen, so I left. I wanted to protect you." Temari had lowered her head again, looking at the floor. Deep inside her, she knew that the way she had tried to express her reasons and felings...Turned out to be like she did everything for herself. It seemed selfish. But he didn't seem to notice.

"..." Shikamaru scratched his head, troubled. He didn't know Temari felt that way. "...And what about Eiji?"

"What about him?"

"Do you think it's right for the kid to live without a father? Especially now that those rumors about you stretch even more."

"But I DON'T KNOW the father! And besides, I didn't know I was pregnant only after I left Konoha!" That was a lie, but Shikamaru didn't have to know the whole thing. Indeed, she had no clue who Eiji's father was, but Shikamaru didn't have to know Temari left Konoha just after she understood she was pregnant. He didn't have to know the urevealed details of the past events. It hurt her to een think of them, she would't talk about them!

"You're really troublesome, do you know?"

"If I am that troublesome, then why are you still here? Come on, go back to your fiancee, she must be waiting for you!"

"Ew! Don't scare me like that!"

"Hmph."

"And I don't go back because I love you, and I wanted to settle the things between us. To know what's going on. We never really broke apart, am I wrong?"

"It was over the moment I stepped out of those gates."

"No, it was not. It's not over. There's still something. And don't tell me no." He had stepped closer to her now, she couls see his feet.

"Don't even think of it. Just go to sleep. And be grateful that I let you sleep in my house after everything we've said tonight." Temari murmured and stood, ready to go upstairs to check on her son and sleep. But she felt his hands covering her shoulders and he dragged her, turned her to face him. He looked her in the eyes, as if he was trying to figure out everything that she didn't tell him in their sea-colored depths. When had his gaze become so strong? He was detecting all her feelings so clearly, that Temari was afraid. She averted her gaze of his, she couldn't stand it more. She tried to free her arms, but he grabbed her right wrist as well and pulled her in his embrace.

"Nothing is over. Nothing we can't save even now. And I don't mind being Eiji's step father, if he really is Itachi's."

The words she couldn't find to say, the thoughts, the feelings, everything flooded in her eyes and he could see it. He looked down at her and kissed her, like he did back then, like nothing had happened, like those three years of uncertainity and pain had never passed. And this time, Temari didn't hold back. But she didn't respond either. The both knew that he was well aware of how much she wanted them to go back together, but she couldn't set aside her pride. And Temari had hurt herself as well when she had left, and she wanted things to go back like they were three years ago no matter what, more than anything else. But she was still afraid to take that tiny step forward. He seemed to know and she was scared of that.

He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the futon (A/N: Referrence? Rurouni Kenshin, episode 66 she had prepared for him, never breaking the kiss. The next second they were laying, she below, he on top, ridding both of the clothes. And she didn't keep her eyes open, she just felt him sliding her nightgown down her shoulders. The last thing she knew, he was there, above her, like all those times, like nothing had happened, just for her, with her, once again, completely uncaring of what would happen if his family or her brothers found out. She gave him a tight hug, she wanted to hold on to the moment, and he kissed her, once again, he was parting her legs, everything was so like the past she wanted to erase, and he was in her, and Temari cried, because she knew, she had thought of what would happen if anyone found out. And it wasn't his fault, it was all hers, and she didn't want him to suffer from her own foolisness.

But even though, Shikamaru knew. And he felt her tears. But he didn't hold back. He kissed her eyes, wiping them all away with his lips as he fondled her hair. "Nothing will ever again be the same, but don't worry. I'll be there, I won't leave you alone." And the embrace was tight, bone-breaking, but she didn;t want to let go. "I love you.." he whispered. "I love you, I don't want Ino, I love you", and she knew it was true.

"Please...Please make it all go away" (A/N: Olivia inspi' Reira, Winter Sleep From NANA:-) Her voice sounded like she hadn't used it for years. Her hands moved on his back, following the line of his spine and his embrace was more than comforting.

"Please come back..." he whispered, his lips next to her ear, his breath warming up the back of her neck.

What was he asking for? How could she leave Suna, her kingdom, her people, her brothers...How could she folow him off to Konoha, the kingdom her people were at war with?

"I can't..."

And the rest was lost in the wind, drown by his kiss that sealed her lips, and their thoughts flied away as the room was filled with the feelings they both hid and the words that were left unspoken.

They slept together, embraced, but even though, as always, Shikamaru had a silent and peaceful sleep, Temari didn't. How much did they sleep? Three hours? She had five nightmares and couldn't find any peace at all, any sleep after them. Her mind ran off to Eiji, and if Shikamaru wasn't still over her, with the least noise from upstairs she would have run to her son.

Sometime after her last nightmare, he woke up, and after comforting her for her worries, he tried to pull her in the game for the second time.

"It was..They were just nightmares. Bad dreams. Not happening, ne?"

"Yeah..But..the last one was so real.." She whispered and crawled even closer to him.

"I told you I'm here. I won't let it happen, no matter how real it looks. It's a dream after all."

"And if it happens?"

"It won't. It won't. And even if it did, I would protect you."

"Yeah..Protect me from the Boogie-man, you would definitely scare him with that yawn of yours..."

"That's one of my killing lazy-tools."

"One of.."

"The many"

"And why do I know them as only..Lazy ones?" she asked playfully as he twisted some strands of her hair around his fingers.

"I don't know...Why indeed?" he answered and kissed her, lowering to the line of her chin, then her neck, and after a small moment, he reached for her collarbone. Temari sighed and closed her eyes.

"..M-mom.."

What was that? Could it be Eiji? Temari thought, but she wasn;t sure if it really was her son, or just her imagination. Shika,aru went on and he was driving her off again, she couldn't concentrate.

"N..not my mom...Let go.."

And that? It.. And again, she tried to shake him off. "Oi...stop it" She was trying to listen, but again, it was not so like her son's voice, what could that be?

"Eh? Why?" He raised his head and looked at her, his loosened hair falling in his eyes.

"I thought I heard..." She muttered, but she couldn't continue. He dived and pulled her head in his hands, his lips covering hers. And Temari lost control again. But...

"Mum!"

But at that time, when she was about to give in again, Temari felt a cold chill inside, and she knew it wasn't because she was naked.

"MUM!"

Someone was coughing upstairs.

"NO! MUM!"

Someone was crying and calling her, and that someone could be no other than...

"Eiji!" Temari said, suddenly so worried that, in her attempt to get up quickly, she threw Shikamaru aside. She got dressed in less than a second and ran upstairs.

"Temari!" Shikamaru called, but she didn't turn to him.

She ran up and the stariway never again had seemd such a burdain to climb up for her, Eiji was coughing and crying and calling her, and what has she been doing?

"What kind of mother am I?" she whispered to herself as she entered her room. "Eiji...", and she walked up to him, to see him lay face down, burried in his pillow so to drown the sound of his coughing, his tiny fists grabbing hard on the futon, the pillow had some wide stains of sweat and tears and... "Oh no...Eiji.." Temari lifted her son from the futon and turned him in her embrace to look at him.

"Mum..." the boy muttered silently. "Don't touch my mum..."

He was shivering and coughing, he wa all sweaty and the pillow, as well as his pijamas were stained by not only tears and sweat, but also, the liquid form of what he had had for dinner that night. Temari stood and lifted him, and got out of her room. She rushed to the bathroom and even though she passed from where she had left Shikamaru, she didn't even throw a glance at him.

"Eiji.." Her son was still asleep, and wrestling with his invisible enemy. "Eiji, wake up...Wake up, aisuru." It felt strange to use these words for him, that tone, she shook him slightly. "Eiji please wake up..."

After a few tries, he finally opened his eyes. Slowly, and he seemed to be in pain. He had red spots under his eyes and he was shivering even more. "M..mom?"

Cough cough.

"I'm here Eiji, I'm here...How do you feel?" Temari softly placed him on the wooden floor and helped him take off his pijamas slowly, and then his underwear.

Cough cough.

Cough cough.

"My..head spins...And I...I'm cold. Is it winter already, mum?" Eiji asked, his eyes blurry.

"No, not even summer yet, sweetheart..." Temari thought that she should keep herself up right, Eiji...it wouldn't do him much good to see his mother losing her composure. But she couldn't help it, seeing her little boy like that hurt her. He tripped as he walked towards the tub.

"Nee mum...If it's not summer, why is everything so hot? And I feel cold..." he coughed again and Temari dived one finger in the water. Luckily, it was still warm enough. Eiji climbed clumsily and let himself in, under the warm water.

"Is it better now?" Temari asked as she put his dirty clothes in one basing, among with some others. She saw him diving his head in until heas mouth was under the surface and nod to her, as he blew his breath underwater and created bubbles.

"I'm ill, ne mum?" He murmured as he touched each bubble with the tip of his forefinger, watching them as others floated and sme others were blown away. "I caught that cold you were telling me, eh?"

"Seems like it...Temari answered and came closer, touched his forehead with her lips. "You've got a fever..."

"A high one, eh mum? I can feel it..." Eiji eyes watered, and it was not because of him taking a bath. He coughed again and embraced his knees, touching them with his forehead. "I'm sorry mum...I'm so sorry..." he sniffed, a silent tear hitting the suface of the water.

"W...Why?" Temari's eyes were wide open as she carefully put a cool wet towel over his forehead.

"I'm a bad boy...I didn't listen to you...I'm sorry that I trouble you mum..."

For the millionth time that day, Temari was speechless.

"No Eiji, no...It's not your fault..I...I should have warned you earlier, don't worry though. I won't let you like this for long. We'll fight it together, ne? I'll go get you a change now, ne? Don't get out of it.

"She left the bathroom and headed for her bedroom again. As she walked, she threw a glance at Shikamaru. He had put almost all his clothes on and had his back at her.

"H..How is he?" She heard him asking but didn't answer. What she had in mind as a reaply was not what she wanted to saym and it would hurt both of them if she let it out. She entered her room and got another pair of Eiji's pijamas, a big towel and clear underwear, and walked back to her son again.

'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'o'

Okay now, please read that as well. PLease. That chapter is 19 A4 pages long. It took me a week not to handwrite it, to TYPE it.

I need a break, and I will take it. I have to finish the corrections of my book, cause I will have it published any week now, within September or in the first days of October. So please be patient with me. I have some deadlines ahead, and whoever is a member of LiveJournal's fanfiction communities gets me. I have claimed the Gaara X Matsuri pairing on the 30kisses community, and my deadline for the first themed chapter is on the 1rst of September, so I have to take a break from this fanfic.

Don't worry though. I will not leave it. I just need to do some other things first. It truly IS hard to be an official author, and not only a FANfiction one. Please bear with me? ;

I would HIGHLY appreciate it if you left reviews on that one, it took me HELL to write it and bring it out properly to you. Sorry if I had delayed it.

I've got my manga to draw as well...And the doujin based on this story, I started it. When I will post it on my account on deviantart, I will let you all know.

That's all for now. Thanks for supporting me so far, and I hope you'll contninue.

I will reply ALL of the reviews. I swear it. So please be kind and send some...ne?