It's Not Forever *Shikamaru/OC/Gaara* (Book 1) COMPLETE

Chapter 14

    When we walk into the exam site, we find it to be a large arena like the one in the tower, only there are seats circling it all for spectators to see. I can see the Kages of the villages seated to one side with a large amount of people seated in the remaining areas. Shikamaru and I join Temari and Gaara on the sidelines while Kankuro avoids us. When I turn to Temari, her face drains of color. She then starts to freak out over my scars, but I briefly explain that I'd been hiding my appearance behind a jutsu and it's just what I truly look like. She then starts to threaten to kill whoever did it to me until I shush her and change the subject.
"We're going to kick butt today! I'm excited!"
"Yes we are!" She stops swinging me around like a ragdoll finally and puts me down.
I walk over to Gaara and hug him, causing him to halfway smile at me. I can tell by his eyes that he's proud I'm not hiding any longer. The rest of the competitors, minus Sasuke and Dosu, come in and the announcer states the rules. Shikamaru gives Gaara a strange look, and I wonder what it's about but shrug and turn back to listening.
Neji and Naruto are called down to fight. I can hear Neji lecturing Naruto about failures, much like what he did to poor Hinata. Naruto doesn't buy into it as they fight, and I can feel it when the powers of the fox start to merge with his own chakra levels. This fight is going to be intense. In the end, Naruto wins, no surprise there, and they move on to the next round. Gaara is supposed to fight Sasuke, but Sasuke isn't here. Instead of being disqualified, they move his match to the last to give Sasuke time to show up. The names are called for Shino and Kankuro, but Shino forfeits immediately (I know this didn't happen, but it helps my story). We wait for them to decide what to do and a name is finally announced to go against Kankuro...Mine.
"Oh heck yes! Sweet Kami Yes! You're going down you little creep!" I shout before jumping off the railing and down into the ring and stand across from Kankuro. I can feel the caffeine from the coffee working its way through me to give me extra energy and I love it.
He glares at me as he removes the puppet from his back. I smirk and push my hands out to shoot a wave at him, causing him to drop the puppet in his haste to dodge.
"If you're a real man, you won't have to use a puppet to beat me. Besides, I'm a nobody, remember?"
I taunt, causing him to leave the puppet and smirk. He runs at me with kunai drawn and tries to attack. I sidestep each attack and launch counters after every blow. He dodges most of them but I can tell he's not good with close combat, while I'm simply toying with him.
"Come on Puppet Boy, try harder. You're boring me." I giggle, tossing knives at him while he runs away. I drop back into a series of flips as he sends chakra strings toward me. I watch him stare at his puppet on the ground but he doesn't bring the puppet into the fight. I send out large waves in his direction, knocking Kankuro back each time until he hits the wall. I sign for needle melody, but he dispels it.
"Nishikihebi no Jutsu!" I call out and a large python formed with my chakra launches itself at Kankuro, circling around his neck and choking him. He collapses and I make the snake disappear. I hear my name called as the winner and I cheer.
"So much for being a nobody! You got beat by a girl!" I sing then head up to the rails.
"Good job! You kicked my brother's butt! I'm so proud!" Temari cheers, wrapping me in a hug.
"It was so much fun! I have so much energy, and look! I'm not even sweating!" I hug Gaara who congratulates me, then Shikamaru who does the same. I feel as if someone's staring at me and I look around the arena but can't pinpoint it. I sigh and shake my head to clear it and listen as Temari and Shikamaru are called down together. I'm torn on who to cheer for, so I play both sides. After a few minutes, Shikamaru traps Temari using the tunnel Naruto had made earlier. Before defeating her, he forfeits, claiming he's running out of chakra. I can tell he's lying. When he comes back to the rails I hug him and whisper that I know he lied.
"How do you know?"
"I check your chakra levels, you're fine. You're just lazy and didn't want to hurt a girl."
"Perhaps."
"Whatever Shika-kun, good job anyway."
Temari comes up and I congratulate her as well for winning. Gaara and Sasuke's match comes up again and Sasuke finally arrives. I wish Gaara luck as he goes down to fight. Sasuke seems different but I can't put my finger on it.
"Something isn't right. I just can't put my finger on it. I note Sasuke's speed is greatly increased and his attacks are faster than Gaara's sand can react. Sasuke's hands light up with a chidori and it hurts Gaara. I move to jump the railing but Shikamaru and Temari pull me back. Suddenly I feel a genjutsu being cast and I dispel it while a majority of the spectators fall asleep.
Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro disappear into the crowd as sand and sound ninja pour in. ANBU arrive and everything is tossed into chaos. I wake Shikamaru, who turns out to not have been sleeping, just wanted to avoid conflict, and watch Sakura wake Naruto. Sakura and Naruto take off after Sasuke who left with the siblings. Shikamaru and I go to follow all of them when a man jumps down in front of us to fight. I push Shikamaru onward to go after the others and begin to fight the man. I bring him down just as another ninja attacks me. The fighting goes on for a while until all that's left is our own forces. I stare out across the arena at the bodies scattered, then see Kabuto and Baki talking before disappearing. I realize then that they'd betrayed me, Gaara and Temari. Their village attacked mine and they knew about it... I trusted them... I clench my fists until my fingernails cut into my palms to keep my emotions under control. I see the jonin return with heartbreaking news, the Hokage is dead. I run out of the room and through the streets, not stopping until I reach the pond. I hit my knees once I get to my rock and the tears start to fall. The people I trusted betrayed me and our village leader was murdered, what else could happen? To top it all off, Shikamaru and Sasuke are gone and I don't know if or when they'll return. Everything is falling apart.
I stay on the rock, staring down at the fish and crying off and on for the next two days. I feel fully numb, my mind running a mile a minute, then nothing at all. Ino has tried to contact me mentally a few times to track me down, but I've pushed her out before she could establish a connection. I want to be alone, that way I won't be hurt anymore. If I have no one, no one can hurt me. I hear movement behind me, just a rustling through the leaves really, but I ignore it. It's probably just another rabbit.
"Kaida!" I hear. It sounds like Shikamaru, but he's not really here. I hear the rustling again getting closer before the disembodied voice speaks again. "Everyone thought you were dead! Where were you? I was so worried."
I ignore the voice, knowing it's just in my head. My mind just isn't used to being alone for so long, so it's making me hallucinate. I stare blankly ahead at the water instead.
"Kaida?" I feel something touching my shoulder, but I don't react to it. It's just my imagination.
"Kaida, talk to me. What's going on?"
"Go away. You're not really here. I'm alone." I mutter.
"It's really me Kaida, I promise. I told you I was never leaving and I didn't."
"They lied to me... I trusted them, and they lied... How do I know you're really here? What if you're just a lie too? What if you leave me too...? I'm just a burden and a monster that drives people away..." My voice cracks and I can feel tears trailing down my cheeks.
"I know they did, but they were just pawns in the whole thing. They had no idea what was really going on. The Kazekage was killed and Orochimaru pretended to be him. Suna surrendered to Konoha. Let's get you home..."
I try to let his words sink in as he picks me up and carries me out of the woods.
"You don't smell like grass." I mutter.
I lean my head onto his chest, feeling too weak to do anything else. I glance over to see my apartment door. He turns the knob and finds it locked.
"Where's your key?" He asks quietly.
I feel for the chain around my neck and numbly undo the clasp with one hand. He takes the key and unlocks the door, kicking it shut behind us and carries me into my room. He lays me down on the bed and I feel dirty laying on it.
"I want to take a shower..." I mumble.
"Can you move?"
I nod and force myself to sit up, causing the room to spin around me. I pull open a dresser drawer and pull out a pair of loose pants and a tank top and underwear before hobbling into the bathroom. I click the door shut behind me and strip down before stepping into the hot water.
I dress and leave my mask and protector on the counter. I brush my teeth and hair before coming back out. My headphones are dead so I plug them up to charge. Shikamaru isn't in my room anymore, I must've been hallucinating after all... I stare at the bed blankly until I hear someone walking down the hallway. It's him but is he real? He looks concerned, so he must be. If he wasn't real, he'd be overly happy I suppose. He grabs my hand lightly and leads me into the kitchen. On the table is a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a soda. He makes me sit down and sits next to me before gently prodding me to eat something. I nod and pick a chip out of the bag. I eat it and he faintly smiles. I eat a few more and drink the soda before picking up the sandwich and looking it over. I tentatively take a bite and deem it good enough to eat. When I finish he smiles.
"Thank you for eating. I'm worried about you."
I don't want him to feel bad because of me. He should be happy.
"Be happy. You need to be happy." I mutter.
"I'm not concerned with my happiness right now. I'm more concerned about you. What do you want to do now?"
I think it over and push the more dangerous thoughts from my mind before deciding.
"I want to sleep..." He puts my plate into the sink then leads me back to my bedroom.
I lay down and he tucks me under the blankets before turning to leave. I latch onto his hand to stop him.
"Stay with me, please?"
He nods and lays down next to me above the blankets.
"I trust you... If you want to, you can get under the blankets." I say with a yawn.
I feel him shift again and I roll over to lay my head on his chest. I feel his lips on my forehead before I drift off into a much needed sleep.
I wake up and roll over to find the bed empty. I yawn and make my way through the house, unable to find Shikamaru. On the kitchen table is a breakfast setup, still warm. Next to it is a note from him, telling me he had to help his 'troublesome mother' and would return soon. I lay it back on the table and sit down to eat. He made eggs, bacon, and toast. How sweet. He also poured some orange juice for me, I guess he thought caffeine would be bad for me at this point. I eat all of it and carry the orange juice into the bedroom with me so I can find something to wear. I dress in a pair of black shorts, and a red tank top with the back cut open into horizontal slits. When I look into the mirror, I sigh at the black circles around my eyes that sadly remind me of Gaara. I brush my hair out and pull it into a low pony tail. I pull on a pair of red thigh highs along with my typical accessories. I fill my weapon pouch and small backpack before putting them on. In the living room, I slip on a pair of shoes and go outside. I've been hiding long enough. I quietly make my way to the KIA stone. I can't visit the Hokage's grave, but I can honor him here. I kneel down and talk to him, apologizing that it happened to him and that I missed his funeral. I also thank the others that are on the stone for protecting the village with their lives. I stand finally and bow to the stone before walking away.
As I walk through the village, I find Asuma-sensei, Kakashi, and Kurenai standing across from two men in red and black cloaks. I pause my music and pull the headphones down around my neck to listen. I hear Kakashi say Naruto's name and realize the men must be after him. Kakashi seems to be struggling to stand suddenly and I figure he must be under a genjutsu. Kakashi mentions the nine-tails and one of the other men gets mad and oders the other to kill Asuma and Kurenai but take Kakashi. Before the other man can do anything, Guy shows up and the men leave, heading straight toward me. I back up under the shadows of the tree but they noticed my movement. I recognize them instantly, I couldn't see them fully before so I wasn't sure. The two stop and turn to me. The taller one I'd only previously seen from across the clearing at night, but up close he's got blue skin and gills. Odd. I turn to the other man and scowl, pulling out my drumsticks and getting into a defensive stance. The shark man laughs and I glare at him.
"She's so cute, thinking she could take us on with sticks. What's the problem? Not skilled enough to hold real weapons little one? Still spunky though."
"I wouldn't taunt her if I were you. She's a lot stronger than she looks and those 'sticks' are her specialty." Itachi tells him before turning to me. "You look like crap, Little Sister."
"Shut up Itachi. You should also control your pet if you want him to live. Leave my village, you're not needed here."
"I see you've finally removed the concealment jutsu." Itachi says, eyeing my scars and ignoring my statement.
"I have no reason to hide them. Now, leave before I kill you both."
"Our target isn't here, so we're leaving anyway. Take care of yourself Little Sister. We'll see you again." They turn and leave, his last statement echoing in my mind.
I lean against the tree and tuck the sticks back into my socks and release the breath I didn't realize I was holding. I hear footsteps coming toward me and turn to see Shikamaru. He looks worried.
"Where'd you go?"
"I went to the KIA stone to pay my respects." I answer.
"Two members of the Akatsuki were in the village, you don't need to be out here alone."
"They're not here anymore. They left to find Naruto. It was my brother and his partner..."
"Did they hurt you?" He asks, looking me over.
I shake my head and relay the conversation. His frown deepens as I mention what Itachi had said before they left. He leads me back to the apartment where Ino is anxiously waiting. She dives at me when we reach the door and I lightly hug her back. She gives me a strange look then looks up at Shikamaru. He shrugs his shoulders as I unlock the door. I let them in and we take our usual seats on the couches. I sit down next to Shikamaru and lay my head on his shoulder.
"Where were you the past few days? I couldn't find you and couldn't mentally connect. I was- what happened to you?! You're covered in scars." I pause from taking off my backpack and remember that she wasn't there when I'd dropped the concealment.
"This is what I truly look like, I just hid it behind a jutsu. This is the real me."
"Who did this to you?" She asks, her shock still evident despite her trying to hold it back.
"My parents. That's why I don't see them." I answer simply. She looks to Shikamaru to confirm and he nods. I feel the sadness pouring off of her.
"Kaida, I heard from Naruto. Gaara apologized for everything. Temari too. They want to see you."
"They lied to me." I mutter.
"They're sorry Kaida, they had no idea-"
"I trusted them, and they hurt me. Just like everyone else."
"They were tricked by Orochimaru. They were following orders." Ino says, trying to reason.
"It doesn't matter now, they're gone." My gaze flickers over to the new wall to the photo in the center. Everyone is gone...
"Who are they?" Ino asks once she tracks my gaze.
"My second family. They saved me from death. They were criminals but not heartless. Kakashi's team brought them down before the exams."
"Oh. I'm sorry." I look over at her and realize that I'd moved to stand in front of the picture. She hugs me before leaning close. "So, are you dating Shikamaru yet?" she whispers.
"Ino, come closer." I whisper back. She leans in really close and I thump her on the head.
"Ow! What was that for?" I feel a faint smile on my face.
"You asked a question you know the answer to already." I reply simply.
"What'd she ask?" Shikamaru asks from his spot on the couch.
"If we were dating yet."
"Oh." I hear him chuckle lightly.
"But it seems like you are! I mean he stayed the night with you and everything! He talks sweet to you too. You're meant to be!" She yells while flailing her arms.
"No yelling. And he stayed because he found me traumatized in the woods. And how did you know about that?"
"I have my ways. Besides, you think he's dreamy. 'Oh Shika-kun! I want you to kiss me!'" She fails horribly at imitating me.
"You hear that Shika-kun? She wants you to kiss her. Might want to take her up on that." I say over my shoulder.
"No thanks."
I laugh and hear Ino gagging next to me. "Ew. Sasuke-kun is the only one for me."
I roll my eyes and walk away to make coffee.

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