Author's Notes: This is the sequel to "A Mistake Gone Right".

It breaks off the form of the prequel, considering it's no longer angst, and later chapters will have more appearances of Naruto's and Gaara's children. It should also be much smaller, I doubt it will reach 10 chapters.

This is still the same story, but I've broken it in three because I'm well aware that, just like "Building On a Lie", some people might dislike it despite liking the middle fanfic.

For those of you who like, enjoy the read! For those of you who don't, I might make one shots later to try and synthesize the plot, so you can have a more satisfactory end to the middle part without reading the end.

I'm still writing this story, so I'll take longer to update. I intend to get at least one chapter per month out, but I might write faster depending on my work load.

Chapter 1: Returning Home

After she had given birth, life had settled so easily it surprised her.

Naruto's smiles and laugher were no longer a mask. He wouldn't let go of their sons for a single minute – if he wasn't there, a clone of his was there. Between that, and her returning night habits as she recovered from pregnancy, both of them watched their babies like hawks.

Their babies seldom cried. They didn't have the opportunity – as soon as they looked uncomfortable, either Naruto or Gaara was there, holding them. Yukio got closest with his two-second wails sometimes, but they had only really ever seen Yuraku whimper.

She had closed herself in, isolated herself for the last weeks of her pregnancy. Only after her chances of survival were greatly improved, after the second week, she started calling her friends in Suna and talking with them over the phone. Matsuri was ecstatic to know her children were healthy, and she told her the people of Suna had made a week long festival to celebrate their healthy birth after Temari's announcement. That really made her feel happy.

Yukio had stopped trying to bury himself alive while naked when he was two weeks old. He still wouldn't let anyone but Naruto and her touch him, but she could easily force the issue when she took him for the medical check ups. Yuraku could touch him, too. But the sand didn't truly protect him, because he still managed to scratch his face raw if she allowed his nails to grow long, and once Naruto had accidentally cut his arm while attempting to clip his nails.

When they were a month old, Naruto officially declared his marriage to her, and the birth of his children. People of Konoha were ecstatic, and they did throw a party the following night, so the spirits would bless their children. Temari made the same announcement in Suna, and it sounded like her people had taken it well. Naruto was known and loved far and wide, and not only in Konoha.

They were two months old when the doctors gave her a clean bill of health and allowed her to once again use her chakra and train. She was in equal measures happy and anxious to receive these news. They walked home from the hospital, so their children could enjoy a little stroll and see people on the streets.

She greeted back everyone who greeted them in an absent-minded way. Once they reached their home, the twins were asleep, and Naruto was staring her down. "Something is wrong. Aren't you happy that you're all better now?"

"Of course." she said quietly, looking away from him. Naruto placed a finger under her chin, and she looked up into his eyes.

"You're not happy. What's bothering you? Are you feeling pain, or something odd?" he looked concerned.

"I... no." she licked her lips. "I was just wondering..." she trailed off. There was no diplomatic way to word this. "Do you still want me? Would you rather raise them on your own?" she asked quietly.

Naruto stared in incredulous silence for a very long minute. "What's gotten into your head?" he wondered.

"...I'm not dying anymore. You no longer need to pretend you want me." Naruto looked even more incredulous.

He got a clone to take their children into their rooms, then took Gaara into a breathtaking kiss as his response. Once they parted, he scoffed. "Don't be silly. You weren't dying when we made them, were you?" he poked her stomach, which was even smaller than it had been after birth.

"We were drunk." she pointed out. "You barely even remembered it."

"I remember it vividly. I just thought I was delusional back then. That's not the point. I wasn't pretending to like you just to make you happy, Gaara. I do like you, and that's exactly why I wanted you to be happy."

"I know." she said quietly. "I know you like me, I'm asking you if you still want me."

Naruto took a deep breath.

Before she knew it, she was inside his arms, and he was showing her just how much he wanted her in his bed. Naruto spent the whole night letting her know just how happy he was that she wasn't going to die, and repeating again and again that he wanted no one else as his wife.

She was sitting in their garden on the early morning sunlight, letting the twins get a little sun and fresh air as she read the several pages of reports that both Kankurou and Temari wrote for her so she could catch up on her work and resume it.

"Gaara." she looked up with surprise at the serious tone on Naruto's voice. He had been cooking them breakfast, she hadn't even realized he was in the garden in his silence. A clone, judging by the sound of pans she could still hear from the kitchen. "There's something I really want to talk to you about."

She hesitantly closed the ledger on her lap and set it aside, giving him her full attention. Naruto looked unusually grim and serious. She wondered if he wanted to talk to her about last night.

"This has been a crazy ride, and I love being a father. But..." she tensed. "I don't want you to be pregnant ever again." she felt herself relax a little.

"...I can agree with that sentiment." she sighed. A grim little smile curved his lips.

"Good! I know you can't have surgery to keep yourself from getting pregnant. So, I'm going to do it myself. I wanted to be sure you're okay with it." Gaara started, then studied Naruto cautiously.

"A surgery is permanent, isn't it? You're never going to be able to be a father again..." she studied him as he grinned.

"That's the intention, isn't it?" he pointed out.

"If for some reason you marry someone else..." Naruto paled.

"I'm not doing that! I thought I made myself clear last night!" she watched him with a serious expression. He sighed and looked away. "Listen, Gaara, before we... I really didn't want to be in another relationship again. I missed having a girlfriend, but... I'm... not good with relationships." she raised an eyebrow as she studied him.

She realized he would finally tell her why he broke up with Hinata. "You're still in love with Hinata?" she asked quietly.

"No." he looked sincere. "I'm just a really bad boyfriend." she watched him in disbelief until he elaborated. "My girlfriends always say I'm too clingy and they feel smothered by me. The only one who never complained was Hinata, but I could see I was harmful to her. I've been accused of being controlling several times."

She watched his downhearted expression for a long time as they sat in silence. She could understand the reason of the accusations – ever since her secret had come out, Naruto was nearly always there. Nearly all of her waking hours, there was a clone of him by her side, whether he was talking to her or just watching her in silence from the shadows. She had gotten so used to his presence there that it was almost like she was alone when he was silent, and he had developed the ability to startle her sometimes.

She understood how that could be seen as clingy. She had thought he was acting like that because she had been ill, but apparently that wasn't the case. But Naruto had never tried to force her into doing anything she didn't want to do, so she didn't see how he could classify as controlling. That was probably a false accusation.

Still, even if she could tell that was not exactly a good thing, she felt comforted by Naruto's ubiquitous presence in her life.

"If you don't want me anymore, I'm really not getting into another serious relationship ever again. I wasn't going to, but I wanted to give it a last try, because of our children and all." he scratched his cheek. "I'll try not to be clingy with you."

"You're already failing." he looked horrified at her words. She offered him a small smile. "I don't mind it, Naruto." Maybe normal people felt uncomfortable with that, but she was broken like him. She had always felt lonely with herself after she lost Shukaku, no matter how terrible her relationship with the demon was in her childhood, and Naruto's presence made her feel settled as she hadn't felt in years. "As long as you understand you can't follow me around while I'm working. You should know I'm capable of protecting myself on my own."

"I-It's not..." he trailed off at her pointed look. He looked down, mortified. "I know you're an awesome kunoichi. I'll try to stop it."

"We will try together. We can help each other get better." she told him quietly. He looked up, confused. When the silence stretched and he still didn't understand her words, she glanced at their sons, prompting him to look too. "You don't really think it's normal for two parents to stare their children down twenty-four hours a day, do you?"

Naruto blanched at her words. Then, he nervously laughed. "O-Of course it must be! I mean, newborns are helpless, and all."

"You've noticed our babies almost never cry, yet people keep getting surprised that their crying isn't keeping us up at night. Normal people leave their babies to sleep on their own, and only mind them once they're summoned by their cries. Otherwise, the amount of infants that die suffocated by their bedding wouldn't be statistically relevant." Naruto choked.

"What? There are babies that die like that?" she nodded silently. "That's... terrible..." Naruto's words became a whisper. "Can we work on 'getting better' once they're older and not helpless?" his voice was almost begging.

"Yes, definitely." she agreed. Even though they probably should start now... she had gone through too much to lose her sons to a careless decision now. Naruto let out a breath of relief, then he said nothing else as he stared at the sleeping babies. She watched them, too.

She broke the silence seconds later. "I appreciate your offer to do the surgery, Naruto. Thank you." he offered her a strained smile.

"You don't need to thank me. I'm being selfish, too. I never want to see you so weak and in pain ever again. It was terrifying."

She chuckled. "It was definitely a new experience. I haven't ever gotten that sick before. This past year has been the year for new experiences."

"That's not funny." Naruto pouted. He smiled when she just chuckled at his exaggerated pout.

Both Naruto and Rock Lee helped her recover her taijutsu and body shape. By the time the twins were four months old, she was already as slim as she had been before, and with an acceptable taijutsu. She decided to return to Suna.

Naruto took them with his transportation jutsu, so the babies wouldn't suffer the travel. Gaara looked around, feeling somewhat wistful after seeing her own bedroom for the first time in months.

"Here you go. Safely delivered." Naruto leaned in and kissed her lips.

"You're really going away?" she studied him. Naruto had proposed to her to leave her alone in Suna for the time it took for him to arrive properly by the front gates, with his escort. After all, Naruto hadn't exactly been subtle before, but it was best if they kept somewhat hidden the fact he could transport them from a village to another in the blink of an eye. From foreign ninjas, at least.

"Yup. I'll see you soon." and he was gone in a poof of smoke.

Sudden loneliness hit her so hard that she stood motionless, trying to fight it off. She could sense with clarity that Naruto was gone, and his absence made her uncomfortable. Part of her was anxious about his safety – she curbed it as she rubbed her face with a sigh.

"This isn't going to work." she mumbled to herself. Yuraku took her words as directed to him, because he cooed against her chest and squirmed. He looked half asleep in his sling – Yukio was fully asleep. She doubted that would remain for long when they started meeting new people. Both of them were fascinated by strangers. "Yes, mom and dad are in trouble, Yuraku." she sighed, patting his back.

She strode purposefully out of her room and looked around. She couldn't feel anyone in the living quarters – Temari and Kankurou were already working. Her brother had left Konoha during the chuunin exams, and she hadn't seen anyone from Suna but her ANBU guard ever since.

They hadn't told anyone she was coming today, though everyone was well aware Naruto was arriving in four days time.

She relaxed as she took in her home – the home she hadn't believed she would ever see again. She had two homes, after all, and before long she would no doubt miss the small house in the woods she had grown to love.

She would have to move from the Kazekage compound, though. Her council wouldn't be happy with her if Naruto lived there. Kankurou would probably live there alone once Temari was married – her sister was still preparing herself a marriage ceremony.

The living quarters were empty, but once she left them, she could feel a lot of people milling around over the grains of sand with her chakra that still clung to the floors of the building.

She walked with purpose, as if she was fully expected to be there, going through the corridors she felt were most empty. The few people that walked past her didn't notice her – sloppy of them, even if most of them felt like civilians and she was wearing a dress with two babies on a sling.

Her breath was stuck in her throat when she walked into the front hall of the compound. She had seen it in a photo, but it was not the same as seeing in person all of the glass wind chimes hanging from the ceiling. The proof of her people's love for her.

Sari was one of the first people to notice her. As soon as she did, she shrieked, and the sound echoed off the high walls. Everyone there was on guard – including Yukio, who jerked when he was treated to an unpleasant awakening. Yuraku also started, then clung to her.

"Gaara!" Matsuri cried out once she turned around to see the reason for her friend's scream. Matsuri's face lit up and she ran towards her.

"Matsuri." she nodded to her friend, for a moment worried she might be tackled. Thankfully, Matsuri held herself in place as soon as she came within touching distance.

"Gaara! You look so much better! I'm glad!" she cried happily.

People began to surround her, and they were talking all at once.

She felt cornered. The twins were used to Naruto being loud and obnoxious, sometimes even numerous, so despite being rudely awoken by all the voices, they looked much calmer than she felt. Yuraku was attempting to turn around on the sling so he could look at people – she had told Naruto it would be better to leave them facing forward instead of towards her, but he had told her they would probably feel more comforted if they could nurse whenever they wanted while she sat hours in the council meetings she would no doubt get dragged into.

"You're better!" "Aw, they're so cute!" "He looks just like you, Kazekage-sama!" she stood stonily as people surrounded her. She barely paid attention to what they were saying, at least until she heard, "Are you really going to retire?"

"No. I'm not retiring." she said firmly, loud enough to be heard over all of the voices, and several people looked startled at her.

She was surprised to see her fangirls of old had gathered into a small group, and looked like they were fawning over her again. It had been years since that had last happened, considering most of them were married by now. Now that they were aware she was a woman, their actions were even more baffling.

"Our Kazekage is the strongest kunoichi of all of the Elemental Countries!" "She isn't going to retire, with twins!" "I want to be just like her!" her eyes softened as she heard the whispers coming from the group. Being seen as a role model was definitely better than being seen as a conquest.

She saw Kankurou approach her not long after, staring at her as if asking 'What are you doing here?'. She patted Yuraku on the back when he started to whimper, frustrated with his failed attempts at turning around. Yukio didn't even bother to try, he couldn't even roll over while lying free of the sling's straps. He was just peering at people over his shoulder. "I thank you all for your support. But I must go now, I have a lot of work to catch up to." she said loudly, calling people's attention to her once again.

The ninjas and civilians on the hall dutifully parted the way so she could walk towards her brother. "You didn't say you were coming today." he said in lieu of a greeting.

Yuraku's crying was his response. She sighed, then used her sand to take him out of the sling so she could hold him facing forward with her arm. He immediately stopped crying and reached out to grab Kankurou's clothes, nearly throwing himself out of her grip, but her sand was still wrapped around his waist, and some of it supported his forehead for a moment. Her brother stared at him.

"Hey there, brat. You sprouted right up since I last saw you." he patted his soft red strands as Yuraku babbled at him. "Temari's dying to meet them." Temari had been unable to leave Suna after their birth, as the council had been strong on her case while Gaara's life was still at risk.

Gaara hadn't know why they were still giving Temari trouble even after she had been cleared of all health problems two months ago, but if there were rumors running that Gaara was going to retire, she understood why her sister was having so much trouble. No doubt it was her council spreading the rumors, and badgering Temari into fully taking Gaara's post.

If they were sure they could force Gaara to retire, they were in for a very nasty surprise.

"Let's go introduce them to her. She's in the Kazekage's office, and that's where I need to go." she guessed. Her brother nodded firmly.

Yuraku didn't seem eager to let go of him. "Do you want to hold him?" the look of pure horror on Kankurou's face prompted a soft laugh out of her. "Come on, Yuraku, your uncle doesn't like babies. They remind him of the consequences of being careless with women."

Kankurou started, and she grinned at him as she gently ran her thumb over Yuraku's hand, helping him to open it and giving a stuffed toy for him to hold instead – at least until he got tired and dropped it.

"Tch. Figures that the first time I hear you laugh, you would be laughing at my face." Kankurou scoffed.

"The look on your face was rather hilarious." She pointed out, striding forward with Yuraku on her arm and Yukio in his sling. They were both looking around, but Yuraku had just discovered a few days ago that he could reach out and grab things, and he wanted to grab all the new things he saw. Yukio hadn't learned that trick yet, he would just hold whatever Naruto would push into his hands.

"That kid has a lot of trust on you, the way he throws himself around." Kankurou muttered as they walked side by side. Rumors of her arrival had already spread – they were probably the reason Kankurou was even there – and many people were staring at her. She must make quite a sight, in a dress, with a baby on a sling against her chest and another happily cooing on her right arm.

"Naruto likes to throw him in the air. He probably enjoys the sensation of falling, considering the way he laughs." At least her sand shield protected her children, in a way. She felt it ready to grab the baby in case he fell, while she was aware of him. The shield wouldn't protect him if she was completely unaware, in another room.

"The poor kid got his brain matter off his father." Kankurou remarked, staring at Yuraku. Gaara smiled again.

She only knocked once, before opening the door to the Kazekage's office and peering inside. There was an Elder standing there, and her sister looked angry.

At least until she saw her. "Gaara!" Temari exclaimed in surprise. "I didn't know you were coming today. Come in." she opened the door further and walked in. Temari's eyes widened as she got sight of her children.

"Elder Yamano. Good morning." she greeted politely. The elder eyed her children with distaste.

"Kazekage-sama. It's good to see you in good health. But this isn't an adequate place for infants." the man looked up again, his eyes stern.

"I thank you for your concern, but you don't need to worry. I know how to make it adequate." with a hand sign, she created a shadow clone that removed from her waist the seal Naruto had created for her.

In a few seconds, there was a soft playpen on the floor, with a few toys inside. She moved towards it and laid Yuraku on the mattress, then carefully removed Yukio from the sling and placed him by his brother, far enough away that he wouldn't get hit if his brother attempted to roll over. Her shadow clone seemed to disappear then, but she actually became a teddy bear inside the play pen. One of the other teddy bears was full of her sand, and there was also some sand covering Yukio's back of his own will. A place with so many ninjas was not the place to exercise her restraint from watching closely over her sons.

"You're right, it's very adequate now." Temari remarked with a wide smirk. "As I was saying, I doubt my sister will have issues writing paperwork, even with two children."

"The Kazekage's duties go beyond bureaucratic work." the man told them slowly, tense.

"Gaara could kick the asses of half the men in this place with her children strapped to her body, if they attacked her at once. I don't see any issue there." Kankurou told him with a grin of his own. Gaara just stared the man down when he looked between all three of them and her children.

"If you have returned to take over your duties, the council should be assembled for a meeting." the man said stiffly.

"Of course. You'll receive a notice soon, along with the other councilors." Gaara agreed in a smooth tone. "If that's all, I have issues to discuss with Temari."

The man bowed and left with a murmured. "I'll be waiting, Kazekage-sama."

"You arrived just in time to prevent a slaughter." Temari told her with a growl as soon as the door closed. Gaara sighed.

"That bad?" she murmured. Temari ignored her, standing up and walking towards the play pen.

"...They're so cute. Is this Yukio? He really does look just like you, Gaara." she said softly as she leaned over Yukio. He was looking around the new room, and his eyes locked on Temari as she smiled at him. Gaara felt a smile curve her own lips when he smiled back at his aunt and cooed at her. "But he's easier to..." she trailed off as she looked up, then raised an eyebrow, "...smile."

Gaara chuckled. "Yes, well, there are several expressions that come easier to him. Naruto's annoyingly fond of making him look frightened." she hated it when Naruto scared him on purpose. But Yukio still loved his father – apparently. She was getting on the limit of her patience, and every time Naruto scared him to see the expression on his face, she felt tempted to try and scare Naruto half to death herself.

"Can we make him laugh?" Kankurou wondered, leaning in and tickling the baby's stomach. His sand didn't jump to shield him – it had stopped doing as much about two weeks ago. Yukio cooed and squirmed under his fingers, until she batted her brother's hand away.

"He doesn't laugh yet. Yuraku laughed for the first time four days ago, and he aways achieves everything long before Yukio." she lifted up her youngest, then carefully threw him in the air. Yuraku started, then he burst out laughing. She smiled at her baby, then offered him to Temari. His sister didn't look as afraid of holding him.

"He's so precious. He kind of looks like you, too..." she sighed. "I wish I could have visited you before."

"I understand." she shook her head, taking her baby back and placing him on his stomach in the playpen. "I'll take over again from now on."

Temari frowned. "I don't mind remaining as the acting Kazekage for as long as you need, Gaara..."

"I don't need more time. I'm fully recovered from birth now, physically and emotionally. I also have read all the reports you have written for me, thank you for the help, Temari." she lowered her head in gratitude to her sister.

"Are you going to raise them while you're working, Gaara?" she turned a cold look on her brother, silently daring him to tell her she should retire. He quickly raised his hands, defensive. "I don't mean it like that! I mean, you could get a nurse!" he said quickly when Temari also glared at him.

"No. Neither I nor Naruto trust anyone else with them." she murmured darkly. "They will stay with Naruto while they're in Suna, and they will stay with me while they're in Konoha. But while they're still so young, they need my milk, so they will stay with me always."

"Shouldn't you stay in Konoha, then? I have to admit, carrying them around the office isn't the greatest of ideas, considering all the ninjas about..." Kankurou worded carefully.

"The council's been putting pressure on us to bring them here." Temari told him darkly. After a few seconds, she smirked. "Having two babies crying all the time during meetings will probably change their minds pretty quickly."

"They don't really cry that much. Whenever they feel uncomfortable, nursing is usually enough to soothe them." Gaara explained. Her siblings stared at her.

"...You're going to flash the elder council?" Kankurou asked with raised eyebrows.

"Nursing in public is an official exception of the law of indecent exposure, and it's encouraged. We can't have our children dying of dehydration." Gaara told them seriously.

Kankurou burst out laughing. "I swear! You made that law just to make those assholes sweat. Even if it was ten years ago!"

When Naruto arrived, as soon as they were alone in her room, he jumped her. That was fine, because she jumped him at the same time. He threw her against the wall and kissed her as if that was their last kiss before the end of the world. She wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to his shoulders.

"I missed you. I missed you so much." Naruto whimpered by her ear once they parted for air.

"I missed you too." she rasped breathlessly. "Taking a four days break was a bit much for the first try." she had been feeling unbearably lonely. Coupled with the fact there weren't Naruto's clones watching their sons, she hadn't slept a single second since arriving in Suna four days ago. She just couldn't bear to leave the babies alone.

Naruto froze on her arms, then pulled back until they were eye to eye. He frowned. "You... missed me?" he studied her. "You look terrible."

"I couldn't sleep." Naruto's eyes widened. He looked terrible, too. He was pale, and there were dark bags under his eyes. She reached up and gently ran her thumb over the darkened skin.

"...You missed me?" he asked again, his eyes piercing.

"Of course I did." she admonished him. "I enjoy your presence, Naruto."

"You don't think I'm clingy? Annoying? Overbear..." she interrupted him by kissing his lips.

"I like having you always with me. I felt lonely without you." she elaborated.

Naruto frowned. "Why the hell are we doing this then? If you don't mind, if you like it..." she blinked at him.

"It may start to bother us both later." Naruto scoffed, then he leaned in and kissed her deeply. She closed her eyes and buried her fingers into his hair.

"When it starts bothering you..." he began breathlessly against her lips once he pulled back. "You tell me. I'll stop then. Not now."

That was just fine with her. She didn't get the opportunity to tell that to him, because he stole away her ability to talk once again.