Disclaimer 1): Naruto is not my property, I make no claim to it, my usage of Naruto and its characters fall within fair use provisions.

Disclaimer 2): This is a fan fiction of a fan fiction, go read Betrothal by Lackey H, I thoroughly enjoyed how he set up Temari and Naruto but got tired of waiting for him to update so I wrote this.

by Fitzgerald

Baki looked down at the corpse of the Kazekage and his advisors. By the state of mummification they had been dead between three to six months. This news was going to send further ripples through Suna. After falling to win thanks in part to Gaara losing in a titanic struggle with a surprising Leaf Gennin, Konoha still stood and now had Jiraiya the Frog Sannin to lead its forces. Suna had no one on Jiraiya's level currently, or who at least was willing to come out of retirement.

Peace, Baki was sure, wasn't going to come cheap. There was however one unexpected dividend, Gaara had been knocked out of his madness into sanity. Though still dour, serious and bloodthirsty the boy had begun developing emotionally. Kankurou had gotten his brother to laugh after performing a prank on Baki. The cold water from the bucket had been a shocker when he had opened the door. Temari had actually managed to hug her brother and get one back. At this point Baki still wasn't sure if he wanted to put a kunai into the Uzumaki brat for stopping Gaara or thank him for saving Garaa.

Pulling back from his musings Baki nodded to his fellow Jounin. "Get word to the Council immediately. The rest of you help move the bodies we've got a Hazekage to lay to rest."


Temari tried hard to remain focused as she sat waiting for the Council to call her in. The peace negotiations had proceeded rapidly between Konoha and Suna, as both councils knew that they looked weak. The invading forces had returned home a few days ago, and yesterday had been both her father's memorial along with the memorial for all the other fallen ninja. That had been draining enough, but the realization that her own father had been dead for months was a shocking bit of news, she had been looking forward to seeing things patched up between them all. Although things had been tense for years between them after he became the Kazekage and made her look after Garaa, he was still her father. Now she was the oldest in the family looking after Kankurou and her half brother Garaa. To say she was distracted wouldn't be overstating the case.

So when Baki motioned her into the council room, it took a few minutes for the lecture to kick in. In a cool voice Temari said "So to sum up I'm being sent to Konoha to marry a Leaf Nin as part of the treaty. With this being my final mission as a Shinobi of Suna."

Baki sighed and addressed his soon to be former student. "Yes. However you won't be going as a Gennin." Tossing a parcel to Temari Baki added, "You earned this. Remember to watch your back. You leave tomorrow at nightfall."

Catching the package Temari pulled out a Sand Chunnin vest. It was with a certain irony that she would be a Sand Chunnin for only a little over thirty hours that she slipped it on. Temari gave Baki a nod and walked out, her face a mask of iron.

Baki however frowned as he watched Temari leave, she had been his favourite student out of his Gennin, partially because she favoured wind techniques but also for her quick wit. Not to mention she was the most normal out of the three siblings, teaching her had been a rare pleasure, she was more than capable as a Chunnin and had been for years. Oh well with her gone he could start reading his favourite books again, Baki thought as a light blush crossed his face, Icha Icha was fine if you were straight but Kietsu Kietsu (Joy Joy) had done wonderful things with the male characters.


Slowly packing her things Temari felt the tears roll down her face quietly when the door to her room opened. Her brothers didn't even have a chance to remark on her Chunnin vest and set face when she came home as she had went directly to her room. "Temari. You are ... troubled" Garaa said quietly.

"Yes." Temari could only say sadly. "Yes I am."

As the sand started to whirl around Garaa he said in a harsh dark tone "Who made you troubled." The killing intent was coming off Garaa in waves, yet for once Temari wasn't frightened, to her it felt as if Garaa was acting out to protect her, that she was perfectly safe.

Calming herself a little Temari replied as Kankurou came up the stairs. "The council. I'm being sent to Konoha as part of the treaty. I'm no longer going to be a Sand Nin."

Kankurou caught the implications immediately. "Did they say who?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"No but I'm guessing one of young men of the larger clans. Could be the shadow guy I fought." Temari replied as she thought things over. She could only hope it was someone her age, a much older man wouldn't be pleasant, Even worse it could be one of the bug users, even now Temari still got the shivers at the thought of that clan, she hated bugs.

Garaa still radiating murderous intent eyed his sister "If they hurt you I will hunt them down and kill them." Temari could only nod her thanks to her youngest brother. He wasn't able to express his emotions that well, but she knew that he would miss her.

As the sand slowly died down Garaa managed to say slowly "You are still my sister. Forever."

"I know, even if I become a Leaf Nin, you two are still my brothers." Temari said quietly.

Garaa turned and shot a glance at his brother "Help her pack. I must do something." With that ominous note Garaa left her room.

Author's Notes:

Acknowledgements: I first must openly admit I was inspired directly by lackey H's work of fan-fiction Betrothal, go read and enjoy that work first please as I know I did. This isn't a rewrite of said work however, as I've decided to tweak the scenario and write the characters as I hear the voices in my head.

Relationships: In the case of our young protagonists, Naruto and Temari, their relationship will defiantly be no more than PG. No other pairings will be getting much if any screentime other than the cannon Uchiha fan-girls and the Jiraiya still trying to pickup/cope a feel on Tsuande. By PG I mean Naruto ain't going to get anything more than some liplocking.

Sand Siblings: In this work Garaa is a half-sibling to Temari/Kankurou. Same asshole of a father, different mothers.

Bashing: No real bashing will take place, characters will be flawed but human. No ones perfect or utterly irredeemable in terms of skill. Villains are still Villains however, although there will be those in conflict with .