A/N: The last chapter. This story was an experiment from the beginning to the end. Many people felt that, and while some chose to stop reading others continued. To all of you, I am deeply indebted. Thank you for your support, your thoughts and criticism. Thank you for returning. This story might not have turned out the way you expected it to but maybe you were able to find something you enjoyed either way. For those of you who would like to know what happened in Leaf during the time of the last two chapters of this story, read chapter 6 of "Never Change". I dislike making such cross-references, but in this case it is a nice addition (and Ino's point of view entirely).

I apologize for the disappointments this story brought to you and would be very happy if it still made you find something for yourselves. Next will be the Founders and Sannin.

Hoping to see you again,

fiesa (March 2014)

Chapter Twelve

Every time Temari walked into Hidden Leaf nothing seemed to have changed.

Even today, three years after she had left the village after breaking up with Shikamaru and at a ripe age of thirty-three, she couldn't detect major changes. Small ones were there, of course: green buds were lining the trees' branches, waiting for spring. There was a framework climbing up a house, apparently the inhabitants were planning an early spring clean, and it seemed as if here and there winter damage had been repaired hastily, securing the house for the next snow but waiting for spring to replace the missing shingles and broken struts. An old woman was on her knees in front of a small patch of earth, carefully clearing out the last black leaves that had laid there covered by snow until now. On the other side of the street a flower pot dangled from the roof, the first of what Temari supposed were spring flowers slowly raising their colorful heads against the sun.

"Shikamaru!"

A tall figure stood at the front stairs of the main house, dark hair, dark uniform, a bright-green scarf around his neck she hadn't seen before. He twitched a smile at her and her companions as they came into view. Temari checked twice: it was a real smile, a heart-felt one. Not an almost-smile, like the first time she had returned after their break-up, not like those short, sad ones after Ino's injury.

"I apologize for not welcoming you at the gate, Esteemed Kazekage."

Gaara nodded. "We understand. You have a lot of work, Ambassador."

For a second Shikamaru seemed uncomfortable, glancing from Gaara to Temari, Hatori, Kankurou and their entourage, and back again. Then he caught himself, greeting everyone and welcoming them to Hidden Leaf. Gaara was expected to meet with the Hokage in the main office now while many of the jounin and other members of their delegation were granted some time to do a tour of the village with the help of a few shy chuunin lurking at the periphery of her vision. Also, sleeping arrangements had to be made, and everyone received a schedule for the event. Finally, after everything had been taken care of and most of her fellow Sand nin were drifting away, Temari caught a look at Gaara.

"You go," he told her. "Show Hatori around. Kankurou will accompany me to the Hokage. We'll meet at the dinner reception."

Smiling slightly, he turned away and indicated for Shikamaru to lead the way which, as Temari knew very well, he knew as well as she did. Frowning, she watched her brothers depart and then turned to Hatori.

"So that was the famous Nara Shikamaru," her husband said, amused. "He seemed just like you always described him."

"Oh yeah?" Temari asked, instantly on guard. What had she told him about Shikamaru, despite the fact that they had been in a relationship?

Hatori shrugged. "He looks like a man who would pretend to care for nothing when he actually cares quite deeply." Once again, his observation skills floored her. "He's always that composed, isn't he?"

"Actually he was a bit shaken today," Temari said, thankful Hatori didn't comment or displayed jealousy. "But usually he's cool as ice, yes."

"Was he?" Hatori frowned at her. "Didn't seem like that to me. He was in control the whole time, wasn't he?"

Not even Hatori had noticed Shikamaru's short moment of discomfort. So that was how well she knew him, Temari thought. How utterly familiar.

How final.

…

"Welcome to Hidden Leaf," the designated Hokage said an hour later and grinned at Temari so brightly she couldn't help but return the smile broadly. "How's it going?"

"Fine. How about you?" Temari stepped into his embrace and laughed as he threw his arms around her and squeezed her like an enthusiastic boy.

"Granny Tsunade is still breathing down my neck but I'll send her on an extended mission these days so I can get used to taking care of Leaf by myself. The guests seem to be entertaining themselves well, too. Only since Kiri and Kumo currently aren't talking to each other there's little to do on that front except for dispatching diplomats in each direction to calm down the situation. Ask Shikamaru, he fought tooth and claw not to be among the ones who were assigned to keep an eye on each party."

Shikamaru muttered something under his breath.

"What did he say?" Matsuri's whisper fell into a sudden silence. Realizing everyone had heard what she had asked, the shinobi woman blushed scarlet.

Naruto grinned wickedly. "He said 'This is…'"

"'Troublesome'", Temari, Kankurou, Gaara and two other voices finished in unison. At the sound of the familiar voices, she turned around: Sakura had just entered the room, Ino following her suit. In the chaos that ensued as everyone tried to greet everyone and everyone who wasn't known had to be introduced, Temari caught Ino's glance and smiled.

"Hey."

"Hey." Ino's smile was real. She looked like her old self: fragile, delicate and distant. She was beautiful. "Welcome back."

"Thanks."

There was a knock at the door which almost went unnoticed. Hinata, a toddler on her hips, Tenten and Neji carefully pushed through it and were immediately swallowed up by the general confusion. "Are they always like this?" Hatori shouted into Temari's right ear, grinning broadly. "Yeah," she shouted back. "Just wait till-"

"I AM BACK!"

"HE IS BACK!"

Two new voices boomed through the room and the door flew open one last time, and Kiba and Lee stormed through, followed by Shino, Sasuke and Chouji who applied a more leisurely pace.

"JUST IN TIME, AS I PROMISED!"

It was an image Temari wouldn't forget so easily: the big office was full of people, both from Suna and from Konoha. All of them watched and most of them laughed as Fire Country's most powerful man was confined to his chair by a huge dog that couldn't seem to decide whether he wanted to cuddle or simply just restrict Naruto's complete movement. Akamaru's wagging tail laid waste to the desk's pens and papers.

"Akamaru! Down!"

The huge dog turned around itself once, whined happily and sat down, his tail still thumping on the ground heavily. A sudden silence spread as everyone turned his head to the source of the voice. Hinata Hyuuga, realizing the general attention had shifted to her, blushed but stood tall while the dark-haired boy in her arms gurgled and played with a strand of her hair.

"We have time for this after the ceremony," she said, glaring down both Lee and Kiba who tried to protest and gave up immediately. "Clear the room, Naruto has to get ready now!"

The Suna delegation took the hint, together with the Leaf shinobi. One by one, the people filtered from the room until only Temari, Gaara, Ino, Sakura, Naruto, Hinata and Shikamaru remained. Hatori had smiled at her lightly before he had disappeared with Kankurou. She knew he'd keep a seat for her for the ceremony.

"Well done, Hinata," Naruto said and grinned at her mischievously. It was the very same smile Temari had seen him grin when they had been fifteen years younger. "Next time Kiri tries to do something stupid I'll call you."

"You-" Sakura pointed at him. "Get ready. You have ten minutes."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Naruto stood at attention laughing and disappeared in the adjoining room, Sakura on his heels and rolling her eyes into the general direction of the others. Temari heard him still laughing as he went to change.

"Is everything ready for the ceremony?" Gaara asked. Shikamaru nodded. "I'll show you your seats."

Uzumaki Naruto was named the Sixth Fire Shadow of Hidden Leaf on a beautiful spring day, nine years after the last Great War. All four Kages were present when Senju Tsunade passed on her title and duty. She did so smiling, and Naruto accepted the wide Kage's hat smiling, as well. And it stuck Temari that there had been peace in her world for almost ten years now, despite frontier disagreements and trade contracts that went by ignored, despite quarrels over responsibility and accountability and all the myriad of things that passed between countries and villages.

"What's the matter, love?" Hatori asked.

"Nothing," she replied, passed a hand over her eyes and felt stupid. She was getting old if she was tearing up over such trivialities already, wasn't she? "Just remembering."

And it wasn't a lie.

Temari was by no means a child of two villages. She had been born in the desert, always would belong there. But this one village had won her heart and so had its inhabitants. Strange how close a place could get one only saw trice a year, how those people could become so dear even when one wanted to strangle them if one spent too much time with them. A warm breeze sprang up, rustling the yet-to-be-born leaves of the trees, softly ruffling Naruto's white-and-red coat and his blond shock of hair as he held up the headdress that went with his title. In the streets, the people cheered. Matsuri was smiling at Gaara. Hinata, dwarfed by her husband, one child on her hip and one clinging to her leg, stood so close she seemed to almost flow into Neji. Sakura smiled brightly, her eyes full of pride, a child in her arms, as well. Shino, Kiba, Lee and Chouji stood ready to flank the new Hokage. Tenten bounced a child on her lap, too, it was almost as if the world was trying to tell Temari that it was time. And there were Shikamaru and Ino, at the edge of the crowd and yet completely part of it. The way Shikamaru glanced down at the fragile woman spoke of worlds, and Temari knew.

Senju Tsunade stepped back and everything else faded into the background.

Gaara had other obligations, so they didn't stay long. The next morning found Sand's diplomatic corps ready to depart; despite growing hangovers that some of them nursed if she read the white faces and clutched heads correctly. Temari, very tired, very sober and acutely conscious of everything around her, stood at the side and waited when she sensed a presence come up behind her noiselessly.

"Good morning," she said without turning around. Hatori, who had left even earlier than her due to Gaara's request he might accompany him to the new Hokage, returned her greeting by wrapping an arm around her and placing a short kiss on her temple. Temari smiled. "What do you think of Hidden Leaf?"

"It's a pretty village," her husband said. As usual, his large hands could encompass hers completely. "Those trees remind me of Ishi, and yet it is completely different. So many colors. You know what?" He pulled her close to whisper in her ear. "I've come to like the desert. Because you see the world in the colors of the desert, don't you?"

"Oh, beautifully said, my husband," Temari joked and felt the words warm her to her core. "You know how to sweet-talk a woman." Sighing, she leaned into his embrace, savoring the fact that they stood in the shadow of a tall house, apart from the group of Suna nin, and nobody cared what she did. "How did it happen that I came to love this village almost as much as Sand?"

"Would you like to live here?" Hatori inquired, frowning, and she saw a flash of worry cross his features.

"You know my home is in Sand, and with you," she reminded him, still smiling. "But I have many memories of this place."

"Good ones or bad?"

She thought about this. "Both. But… Mostly good ones, I think." Temari looked at the tall houses, the plants that weren't green right now but already showed all the promise of a color so seldom seen in the desert. And yet, she would always prefer the golden and yellow hues to the lush green of Hidden Leaf.

I am happy, she told the still-asleep cherry trees, amazed at the realization. I really am.

On the other side of the street Shikamaru and Ino came into view, slowly, Ino wheeling her chair along with measured movements. Shikamaru was looking down at her, checking for obstacles, making sure she was safe. It was a nice picture: the tall, strong man so carefully watching out for the fragile woman in her wheel chair.

"We came to see you off," Ino said when they had reached them. "Naruto's in a last meeting with Gaara, he will be here any minute now. Regrettably, won't be able to say goodbye to you personally, I hope you don't mind. Thank you for coming to watch the inauguration ceremony, we hope you had a good time staying in Hidden Leaf. You know you are welcome to pass by whenever you are in our vicinity." Her words had been directed towards the entire Suna party but her eyes fell on Temari's at her last words. "Will you visit sometime this summer?"

"Perhaps," Temari said and glanced at Hatori. He looked back at her, his eyes soft. "It's difficult to say. We're expecting… well, an addition to our family, sometime late August."

"Congratulations!" There was no trace of dishonesty in Ino's voice. "These are wonderful news!"

"Congratulations," Shikamaru said, as well, and threw her a small smile. "Girl or boy?"

"Girl."

"Oh dear," he sighed. Temari elbowed him in the ribs. "If you say one more word…"

Shikamaru held up his hands in mock surrender. "Wouldn't dream of it." He exchanged glances with Hatori. "You watch out for her."

"Will do." Hatori tightened his arm around Temari and she couldn't help but think there was a weird, male macho game going on right before her eyes. She glared at both.

"Stop it."

They grinned at each other. Ino chuckled. Temari rolled her eyes. "Men."

"Take care until then," Hatori told Shikamaru. "We'll see each other."

"Definitely." The men clasped hands while Temari leaned down to hug Ino. "See you next time." When she straightened again, Ino caught her hand. "Promise you'll visit me." There was something pleading in her eyes.

"I will," Temari said, strangely touched. Then Gaara arrived and the Sand delegation started to file towards the gates. In the chaos she lost track of Ino and Shikamaru. But they had already said their goodbyes. She would be back, either way.

Halfway out of sight of Hidden Leaf, Temari turned around one last time.

The gate was already so small she could barely see it. The next time, she thought while a smile spread across her face. She would always be happy to return, as happy as she was at the prospect of returning to her own village now. Right now something strange was building up inside of her, a question that hadn't been ready to be asked today but surely would be. There had been something in the way Shikamaru had looked at Ino that had made Temari, strange as it was, unbelievably happy.

"Back home," she sighed and turned towards her husband. "Shall we?"

His smile was warm and familiar. "Yes, love."

I am happy, Temari told the sky. It was something she should have told Ino, should have asked the blond woman in her wheelchair, but hadn't. Next time, then, perhaps. I am happy. Are you, too?

From the way Shikamaru had looked at Ino, Temari thought, the answer would be clear soon. People could grow. Hearts could heal, too. Stepping from the shadowy woods of Hidden Leaf, Temari passed on into the hot desert of Hidden Sand.