And so, it happened.

Time flew by like a restless sprinter.

They stayed together, and watched as their son grew into a fine young man.

Shikadai graduated from his high school and entered university, just like his father did when he was young, he studied business so that he could inherit his company when the time comes.

His long-time girlfriend Yodo attended the same university on scholarship, and it came as little surprise when the older couple attended their graduation ceremony, they found their son standing in front of the blonde girl.

"Look, Yodo," he said, at the girl who was dressed in dark graduation robes. She thinned her burgundy-lined eyes and smiled at him. "You know I love you."

"Shut up," she said, grinning widely.

"I am being serious," he said.

His parents stared at them lovingly, Temari's mouth began to open; her eyes widened when Shikadai took her hand and held it tightly.

His other hand fished out a small ring from his pocket. "I bought this with the money I earned from my part time job - it is nothing fancy, and it won't be the last ring I will give you."

Shikamaru cleared his throat as he held onto his wife's hand. "Do you want to have a moment alone?"

"It's alright, dad," he said. "I want you two to be the witness."

Temari clung onto her husband's arm, shivering with excitement.

Their son stared into Yodo's turquoise eyes, the girl's gaze wavered with unknown excitement and confusion.

"I know you don't trust this marriage thing," he said. "Which is the reason why I haven't asked you this earlier."

He held onto her hand, gently yet firmly.

"I promised myself when I was way younger that I will never be together as troublesome as my mom," he shrugged, smiling as he nodded at Temari. "But I guess it's genetics," he chuckled softly. "So, here is the thing."

He held the ring to her eye level, it was at that moment Yodo realised how tall Shikadai was, towering above her as he stared down.

"Yodo, will you promise to be the one and only troublesome woman in my life?"

She looked down, Shikadai could see a few drops of tears falling atop of her lacquer leather shoes and rolled down onto the grass they were standing on.

She remained still for a moment, Shikadai was too scared to move, too scared to breathe even.

When she looked up, she was pouting, her burgundy eyeliner was surprisingly still holding up.

She grinned, and punched him gently on the chest. "Look at you, you and your stupid crybaby shit."

"Is that a yes?" Shikadai asked, barely able to contain his excitement. Yodo held out her hand, as he carefully slipped the ring onto her finger.

She threw herself into his arms, as Shikadai held her up and twirled around.

Their classmates who were nearby began to cheer for them, as he finally let her down.

He leaned forward and pressed an affectionate kiss upon her lips.

Shikamaru wrapped his arm around Temari, who was dabbing her face with a soft tissue.

"He is all grown up now," she said softly. "Our baby, he is getting married."

"I guess he have to, somehow," Shikamaru pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"This is troublesome," Temari said with a slight pout. "Now that I am stuck with you."

"Hey come on now," he turned and frowned with a smile. "I am not even complaining."

Temari smiled, as her son began to walk towards them, holding Yodo's hand.

"Sorry, I wanted it to be a surprise," he said, the green eyes he got from her slightly teary.

"Look at you," she held the tissue and dabbed his eyes, both of their green orbs shining. "What a crybaby."

The four of them laughed heartily, as the wind blew.

It has been another few years since Shikadai got married. He had been travelling in between Konoha and Suna, assisting the expansion of their company in Suna.

It almost gave Temari a heart attack out of joy when he announced to them that he was expecting a child with Yodo.

Now that she was waiting for him to come back with his wife and newborn child. He insisted upon not telling her the gender until she met it in person.

Shikamaru took the time off work today, as he waited, holding her hand.

The older couple jolted as the doorbell rang, he raced towards the door and greeted his son with a warm hug.

In their daughter-in-law's hand was a small baby, wrapped tightly, he could barely see its face.

"We want to show it to both of you," he was careful with his use of pronouns, not to spoil the surprise.

Temari went up to them and led them to the sofa, as Yodo sat down, she carefully handed the baby to them.

Temari was shivering quite a lot. "Hold me a little, Shika," she said. "I am scared that I will drop it."

"She is a girl," Shikadai said with a wide grin.

Temari gently brushed away the cloth surround her face, the little baby was sound asleep at first, she was disturbed by the movement, and slowly, she opened her eyes.

Temari gasped as she saw the same green eyes, like her own, staring back at her.

"Oh my," she said almost soundlessly. "She has your eyes, Shikadai."

"Your eyes, mom," he grinned. "And she is blonde-haired - finally some lighter colour for the Nara family."

"Blonde hair and green eyes, huh?" Shikamaru stared lovingly at his granddaughter. He turned to his wife, who was holding the infant in her embrace. She was biting on her lip, it was almost too emotionally overwhelming to her. It was as if she saw her unborn daughter in her arms, looking at her with a confused, cloudy gaze with green eyes like her own.

"Mom?" Shikadai called her, and she looked up. Unknowing to herself, tears were streaking down her face. "Are you okay?"

"I am, I am," she smiled and wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. "She is beautiful, Shikadai. That must be really tough, Yodo."

The younger couple laughed. "If you look closely," Yodo smiled. "She does look quite a lot like you, lucky for her to resemble her beautiful grandmother."

Temari patted gently on the baby, as she smiled without answering.

"Have you thought of a name?" Shikamaru smiled, as Temari looked up from the baby.

"We are actually thinking about it," he said. "We wanted you to do the honours."

Temari gently passed the baby to Shikamaru, her gaze lingered as she shivered a little.

"Mom, I know what happened," he said. "And I want you to fulfill that wish you have - whatever you want to name my little sister, we want you to name our daughter after her."

Temari covered her mouth with her hand, barely able to contain herself as Shikadai held her in a hug.

"You don't have to, Shikadai." She said, clinging onto her son as she wrapped her arms around her son.

"We want you to."

Temari smiled at him, she turned and looked at the baby who was staring at Shikamaru, her tiny lips turning upwards into a smile.

"Alright then."

Her hair faded into a dab of blonde and grey, so did his dark hair began to streak itself in white.

He held onto her hand gently, as he had for the past decades as they waited at the arrival hall.

As the passengers began to appear, they stared anxiously.

"Grandma!" She turned around and saw two children running towards her.

The older girl had blonde hair and green eyes, neatly tied into four pigtails as she approached, running into her arms.

"Shikamari," she wrapped her arms gently around her, as she stared at a short distance, a small boy, his dark hair tied neatly into one small pigtail, racing his mother as he approached.

The little boy ran into the arms of his grandfather, who lifted him into mid air and twirled around.

Temari held the little girl up. "Wow, you have grown taller and heavier!" She exclaimed, as the little girl pressed a kiss onto her cheek.

"I want to be tall and beautiful! Just like mommy and grandma!" Temari laughed as she turned around, the little boy wrapped his small arms around his neck and snuggled affectionately.

"How's our baby Kumo?" She stared at her grandson, who looked back at her with turqoise green eyes, and smiled.

"He is mostly daydreaming, like a cloud in the sky." Yodo joked.

Temari shook her head with a smile. "Alright then, let's head back to Grandma's, I have prepared your favourite food!"

The children cheered on as they walked towards the entrance.

Temari thought that her life could never be better.

Despite living her life which once resembled hell with its blazing flames, the trust between her and her loved one broken and mended like a broken glass, everything faded like a smokescreen.

In the end, it was happiness that was the most important.

Her happiness, her family's happiness.

And she could not be happier.

Perhaps, happily ever after is true after all.

Author's note:

THIS IS THE END! Finally I decided to wrap up the emotional journey - although Shikamaru might not be Temari's own child, she would love her grandchildren just as she did her own (i am pretty sure) :)

I hope that you have enjoyed the story, there have been some ups and downs, but I just can't do a sad ending with our favourite couple - not this story at least :)

As always, thanks for the love! Your support is forever my best source of motivation and

V.S.V