Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Hmm I wonder if I have to do this for every chapter? I should I might get someone mad if I don't.

On with the story.

Chapter 4.

Shikamaru turns around to face the chuckling from behind him. He looks intently at the other standing before him. Shikamaru finally says "get out of the way or you too will die."

The man who now stand before Shikamaru says "oh ya you and what army are going to stop us?"

About another 40 ninja jump down from the trees to back up the one who is standing before Shikamaru.

Shikamaru slowly backs away from the large group of sound ninja. Not sure what to do. Its possible he could out run them. I mean he learned how to use the slipstream while holding another. But would that be fast enough to get away from them? Would he have enough chakra to get far enough from them? These where all thoughts running through Shikamaru's head. As he finally decided to run the earth once again started shaking. He looked back at the now collapsed fortress as something big and black broke free from the ground. The thing lifted its self high into the air with what seemed to be powerful wings. Once the thing stopped it let out a powerful roar that seemed to shake the very trees around them. It was then that Shikamaru saw the creature fully in the moon light. It looked exactly like the tattoo that Hanzo had on his body. Only much larger now.

The mighty beast came flying down at an alarming rate. With a great crash the dragon landed on its legs in between Shikamaru and the sound ninja. From there after landing the dragon let its fiery breath out on the ninja who stood before it. All being consumed in a matter of seconds.

Shikamaru watched this all while thinking to himself. "he truly is one of the most powerful ninja I have ever seen."

Once done with its attack the dragon lifted its head to the heavens and let out a fears roar.

Then it turned its head to look at Shikamaru.

A man jumped from the back of the dragon. Whispering the words "dissipate." the dragon seemed to become two dimensional as it shrunk and folded back on to the mans body.

The man stood before Shikamaru and said "miss me long?"

Shaking his head Shikamaru said "I almost liked it better when you where gone."

Hanzo let out a deep laugh at this then said "lets get out of hear before Orochimaru and his little group down below wake up."

Shikamaru looked at Hanzo then said "wait you mean you didn't kill them?"

Hanzo shook his head and said "no to kill them would take a lot more then that. And I'm already feeling weak. I have been using my chakra to pump adrenalin through both of use to keep us awake this whole time. We need to find a place to rest and sleep. But we have to get away from here first."

Shikamaru nods and then starts to run toward where they came from. As he hit's the forest line he shimmers into the top of the trees. Hanzo stairs in disbelief at what he just witnessed.

Shikamaru sensing that something was wrong stops on a large branch and looks back at Hanzo. Yelling Shikamaru says "hay what's wrong lets get going."

Hanzo shimmers from his spot and next to Shikamaru and says "ok lets go."

The two begin running as they shimmer every few branches.

After two hours of running like this the two stop at a small lake that is fed by a water fall. behind the water fall Shikamaru notices a small dry cave. Quietly Shikamaru takes the girl into the cave and puts her down he then steps out and sees Hanzo looking into the water.

Speaking quietly Shikamaru says "it should be sun rise in a about another hour or so."

Hanzo nods and smiles while saying "you know you really surprised me."

Shikamaru gives Hanzo a questioning look. In response to this Hanzo says "in all my years of trying I have never been able to achieve slip stream with another in my hands. But somehow you where able to do it. I knew you would be an amazing student if I could get you to not be lazy but I never thought you would be this amazing. And so far as long as we have been traveling together you haven't showed an ounce of your usual lazy self."

Shikamaru nodded and said "that's probably because I have been treating it all as if it was a mission. I may be lazy but when I have to get to business I get the job done well. Its something in me that has been slowly changing since I lost My best friends, Choji and Asuma."

"they must have meant a lot to you if they where able to affect you so much."

Shikamaru gets a sad look in his eyes and says "those two meant the world to me. Asuma was the dad I never had and Choji was always there to cover my back through the thick and thin. If I could I would do what ever it takes to get them back."

Hanzo nodded and said "I had friends like that once. Before I became a legend. I had a wife who I loved more then the world. I had a friend who was at my back no matter what the odds where. Me, him and my wife took on the world with out fear. As long as we had each other nothing mattered. Then it happened. The war with Koga. The only other clan that could match our power. My wife was pregnant with twins. I never got to see them. My friend died saving me. I came against a man named Kotaro Fuma. He was the leader of the Koga during our war. We fought hard but I was not quite a mach for him yet. He was about to give me the final blow when my friend put his body between me and Fuma. He took the hit for me then using his last bit of chakra he took Kotaro down with him in a suicide mission so that I may live. My world was shattered my best friend died right before my eyes."

Shikamaru looked at Hanzo and asked "what about your wife. You said that you never got to see the twines. What happened?"

Hanzo smiled at him. " she went to live with a friend while she was pregnant and I was off at war. She died giving birth to the two of them. Her last words to her friend was to separate the kids and find them good homes so that they would never know the hardships of war. Unfortunately it didn't work out quite like that."

Shikamaru contemplated weather or not he should push for more but just as he decided he shouldn't Hanzo spoke again saying "I found out later that the twins one was a boy the other was a beautiful girl. The girl was given to a supposed happy couple while the boy was taken in by the friends younger brother. But that's when things went wrong. The girl's life became a living hell later. The family she was given, well the husband was very abusive to his wife and the little girl. It was said that she learned about her ninja abilities when she killed him protecting herself. And my son well the younger brother trained him to be a wandering ninja. The life my wife didn't want for them was exactly what they got. Its taken me years of searching but I finally found out where they both where. One happens to be laying down in the cave over there while the other is rotting away in a prison cell."

Shikamaru sat down next to Hanzo and asked "so what happened with the war?"

Hanzo smiled and said "the Iga where destroyed by the koga when I left. My team was a great source of encouragement. We never lost any battle but when my friend was reported dead and I was reported MIA the others lost hope and where quickly destroyed."

Hanzo looked at Shikamaru seeing the next question before it came he continued to talk saying "that's how my legend began. I left to find my wife when I heard about her passing away I got angry and trained for two years pushing myself beyond human limits. From there I waged war myself. It took me a year but I was able to finish every last koga alive. My revenge was complete but I still felt empty on the inside. that's when I got news about my children and ever since then I have been searching them out. When I found out where they where I quickly found someone to help me. That just happened to be you, and in exchange for helping me I am going to teach you everything I know. From there I will give you title of (black Kage) over seer of Iga. With that I ask that you help my children revive the Iga clan."

"what about you Hanzo?"

" when I finish teaching you all I know then the time for me to pass on and be with my loved ones will be at hand. Shikamaru I have lived through the hardships of war and this life. Just a few more years and I will finally be able to see there faces again."

Shikamaru shakes his head and says "you know you surprise me Hanzo."

"oh what do you mean."

Shikamaru pauses for affect then begins slowly saying "first you get me to follow you by saying you just want to pass on your abilities and that I am the only one who can learn them all. Then you tell me that I need to help you find the last two Iga ninja's and rescue them. After we rescue the first one I find out she's your daughter and the other one is your son. From there you tell me that you want me to take over and resurrect a clan that is not my own. Now tell me why should I do this?"

Hanzo nods his head and speaks slowly but firmly saying "that's just it. In truth there really is not much for you in this. Its an old mans hopes and dreams that he is asking you to take on for him because he's getting to old to do it himself. The only think I can truly say to you is this. Why not?"

Shikamaru bursts out laughing at what he has just heard.

" you got me there. I left my home for an unsure future not knowing where it would take me. I guess I need a purpose with this power I am going to gain. It would only make science. Fine I agree to what you ask of me but I want to know is there anything more that you are hiding from me?"

Hanzo gives a soft and warming laugh and says "ya my son I hear is a total jerk and my daughter is a fireball that most people try to avoid. I'm also hiding there names from you."

Shikamaru shakes his head and says "ok so what's the name of your kids?"

Hanzo looks at him and says "you can ask them when the time comes. Because that is something I am going to take to my grave with me."

They stair at each other for a moment before both of the men brake out into laughter.

After there fit is over Shikamaru starts wiping away tears while saying "you know I never once thought that I would be able to give a genuine laugh and smile again after Choji died."

Hanzo smiles and says "you would be surprised what the world has to offer you. Even through bad times there is always something there that can help. It just depends on how hard you want to look for it. To put it simply when one door closes another door will open. You just have to find it."

The two sit a moment together neither saying a word, yet the silence is comfortable. Finally Hanzo says "Shikamaru look over you shoulder to the water fall."

Shikamaru looks over his shoulder to see how the top of the water fall seems to be blazing with a glorious fire. His breath is simply taken away by how the colors of orange and blue battle over the top of the water fall. the sun slowly climbing.

The two watch as Shikamaru whispers to himself saying "and a new dawn on my life begins."

He then listens as he hears Hanzo's deep voice say "you know its said that its darkest right before dawn. I agree with this saying. Its even applicable to our lives. Our darkest times we go through will always be right before that of our happiest times when the sun lifts the heavy burdens we carry. Let us begin this new joyous life."

Shikamaru smiles as he turns around to look at the older man. The two reach out and clasp each others wrists in a show of brotherly bonding.

Smiling Hanzo says "ill get some food you go rest with the girl in the cave. Its clear that your low on chakra."

Shikamaru raises an eyebrow while asking "oh and what makes you say that?"

Hanzo let go of Shikamaru's hand and watched the man fall to the floor under buckled knees then he said "cuz your knees where starting to buckle from being tired and warn out. that's what."

Shikamaru nods as he struggles to get back up on his feet. Hanzo feeling sorry bends over and gives Shikamaru a hand. The two make there way to the cave that the girl is sleeping in. Hanzo leans Shikamaru against a wall and says "ill be back with something to eat soon enough. Hold tight. Oh and don't let anything happen to my baby girl." he smiles and walks away from the cave.

Shikamaru slowly lowers himself against the wall next to the sleeping girl. Her face still covered by her bright red hair.

Looking at the still body next to him he reaches over and puts his hand on the top of her head. Hearing her moan a bit he smiles and quietly says "you know your not so bad when your not talking."

Looking at her once more Shikamaru notices how tiny and skinny she is. Her hands seeming to be almost nothing but bones. He then noticed how pail her skin was the veins seemed to be almost popping out clear as day. He noticed that her legs where almost as skinny as her arms where. He then thought to himself "those dam assholes treating a girl like this. Its cruel. I'm sure that not even Konoha's prisoners are treated this badly."

He then brushed her hair from her face. He noticed how cracked her lips where with dried blood trickled down her chin. Her cheeks looked as if they where going to collapse in on themselves. She looked so fragile like this, a single touch the wrong way he was sure she would brake. Though she looked so bad he couldn't help himself from thinking she was rather cute. "some meat on your bones and you could be drop dead beautiful. However as he looked at her a feeling of dread and familiarity kept coming over him. He couldn't help but wonder where he had seen her before, that is if he had ever seen her before. No it couldn't be he was sure that if he had meet her before he would remember.

She stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up into his eyes. Shikamaru couldn't keep himself from looking into her dark brown eyes they where mystifying. "how much she must have gone through yet there is a clear fire still in her eyes. They may have broken her body but its clear they didn't brake her spirit. She must be incredibly be strong. Wait a moment hear why am I thinking about her like this?" he thought to himself.

She couldn't look away from him narrowing her eyes she quickly spoke in her raspy voice "so you're the fucker who save me?"

Not saying anything Shikamaru nodded his head.

She then closed her eyes again while saying "you look familiar." she was off again sleeping hard.

Chuckling to himself he lifted her head from the hard rocks and put her in his lap and said "get here soon Hanzo I'm hungry." slowly he drifts off to sleep to join the girl in the dream world.

"you know Ino sitting around doing nothing wont help any. You need to get up and do something." says A stroked and angry voice.

"listen Sakura you don't understand what I am going through. Just leave me alone." replied the depressed Ino.

"oh listen hear its only been a day or so since he was reported missing. Kiba and his team sent in a message hawk saying that there trail is still hot though it seems to jump a bit from place to place. They think they will find him anytime soon. So don't worry ok, beside's its not like you loved him or anything. You your self said he was nothing more then a teammate."

Ino shot up rather quickly and started yelling "well maybe that's what I thought at the time but things are different with out him. When ever I had problems or needed someone to talk to he was always there for me. When I needed help he was the one who helped me first. I need him like ,like flowers need sun. ok so shut the hell up Sakura. Ill admit it I love him. I just hate myself for taking this long to realize it."

Sakura stairs at her friend as she brakes down into more tears. Finally managing to say "Ino I'm sorry that I sounded like that. You know I had forgotten how much it hurt me when Sasuke and Naruto left. Kakashi was like never around and I loved Sasuke. I can say I kind of understand what your going though."

Ino looked up to the pink haired girl before saying in-between sobs. "no yours was different. They just left. They weren't taken from you. Asuma died right in front of Shikamaru. I remember his last words like it happened yesterday. I was on the retrieval and support team for Choji in the mission that he died. We got there as he took his last breaths and closed his eyes for the final time. We came close and depended on one another more and more we where all we had left of our team. Almost inseparable now even he is taken from me. No Sakura your situation had hope because there was a chance for them to come back to you. I don't have that hope."

Sakura remained quite to this comment. It was true she had a small flame of hope that kept her going and hear Ino was trying to still deal with the lose of Asuma and Choji when the only one who could understand her was taken away from her. Not to mention she had finally realized how much he truly meant to her. What could she say to help her friend. No there was nothing she could say.

The only thing she could do was sit on the bed next to her friend and hold her while she cried her heart out.

-

A small sigh was what woke him from his slumber.

Slowly Shikamaru opened his eyes and looked around. He asked to himself "where am I?"

A deep voice came answering back "well personally I would say home but that would be a lie."

Shikamaru looked toward the entrance to see Hanzo staring down at him. Shaking his head Shikamaru said "oh ya now I remember, so how long have I been asleep?"

Hanzo smiled and replied "if you had asked that one first I would have told you 4 years. But truthfully I don't know. If you fell asleep right after I left then you have been asleep for the last oh 6 hours."

Hanzo turned his head to the side and asked "you know I said I would make you the leader of the New Iga and all but that doesn't mean get it on with my daughter while I am gone."

Shikamaru gave a puzzled stair to Hanzo before he felt something shift in his lap. Looking down he noticed the girl had somehow fully moved from the hard floor and had positioned herself on Shikamaru. her head and most of her body held tightly against his chest. While the rest of her was sprawled out in his lap.

Looking at Hanzo Shikamaru sighed while saying "its not what you think. Her head was on the hard rock so I put her head in my lap and fell asleep. I guess we both moved around to get comfy and wound up like this."

Hanzo laughed and said "well its not like I have a say wither or not you two do anything together. I gave up that along time ago."

Shikamaru nodded and asked "so did you get anything to eat?"

Hanzo nodded and while saying "ya I did I have some edible berries and shrubs. Then I also managed to kill a deer but we have to wait for the rain to stop before we can cook it."

Shikamaru laid his head back and asked "how long has it been raining out there?"

Hanzo looked toward the entrance of the cave and quietly said "since about the same time I left."

Shikamaru closed his eyes with a soft whisper saying "how troublesome."

Hanzo barely caught this and replied "no not really the rain is a good thing it will wash away the sent and our tracks. This means no one will be able to follow us anymore. We are Scot free for a while anyway."

Shikamaru nodded to this. Just as he was about asleep again he was woken by Hanzo's voice saying "hay help me feed her."

Shikamaru shakes the sleepiness off and says "come again?"

Hanzo rolls his eyes then says "I said help me feed the girl. She needs to get something in her before she starves to death."

Shikamaru nods as he looks down at the girl.

"ok how are we going to do this?"

Hanzo looks at Shikamaru and says "you're the smart one. You tell me."

Shikamaru slips her thumb along her jaw line and says "she's to weak to be able to chew on her own anymore. I guess we will have to help her work back up to that again. Give me some of the berries"

Hanzo hands some blue berries to Shikamaru. Taking the girl he leans her head back and gently opens her mouth a bit. From there Shikamaru takes the berry's in his right hand. He then lifts his right hand so that his thumb is pointing down toward her mouth and begins to crush the berry's. he lets the juice trickle down his thumb and lets it drip into her mouth. Her eyes slowly open as she tastes the exotic flavor. She then sees that Shikamaru is feeding her.

When the juice stops to trickle she tries to say something but Shikamaru stops her saying "it needs to be done this way if your going to make a full recovery. So calm down."

Then he takes the smashed berry's in his hand and brings a little bit of it out. He puts the smashed berry against her lips and tells her "ok try and chew this a bit then swallow." doing as he says she takes the berry and chews it with great difficulty. She then manages to swallow.

For the next hour Shikamaru repeats this process of feeding her the small and different assortments of berry's."

Hanzo watches with a smile on his face as Shikamaru feeds the poor distraught girl.

Oh no the rain came poor Ino. all well anyway thanks all for reading tell me what you think and if I should change anything or if you have any questions.

Thanks laters.