A/N: The beginning may be a bit confusing, but don't worry; everything will be tied together later in the story. :) R&R appreciated!

WARNING: Original characters. Don't like, don't read. This story contains (or will contain) both BAKIxOC and GAARAxOC!

ALSO: This is only chapter ONE of MANY to come. I don't have a specific update schedule for this story; therefore, I have no promises as to WHEN new chapters will be added. I am currently in the works of Chapter Two, though!

Monster

Chapter One; Part One

She slid her cold feet beneath his warm ones, as she always did, burrowing herself into his beckoning embrace. His skin was so much warmer than hers- sunkissed… and she took a moment to admire it; pressing the side of her porcelain face to his naked chest, gripping cold fingers around his heated, tan forearms…

She was extremely proud of him and his work, however it never slipped her mind that whilst he was out, constantly working beneath the desert's heat and elements… she was inside, in the cool air. Not doing a thing. Whether he admitted it or not, he was practically working his life away, while she would simply lay about day in and day out.

Knowing this, she couldn't help but feel like a burden. Like the child she carried was a burden. Biting her lip, she pressed a weak hand to her pregnant stomach- where she was not surprised to feel her flesh meet his. She smiled.

"Your skin is so warm," she commented admiringly as his fingers interlocked with hers. Her blue eyes softened as she squeezed his hand.

"Your skin is freezing cold," was his joking response, delivered almost immediately.

Her soft giggles and his raspy laughter filled the evening air for just a moment; and then she was carefully rolling onto her side. Her light eyes met his brown ones, and the corners of his mouth instantly turned up into a smile… hers hesitantly did the same, and the two stayed that way for a bit; loving every simple moment of each other's company.

She lay on her back once more, and his strong arm formed a pillow beneath her tired head; his fingers intertwining themselves with her long, golden-peach locks. Again, they lay in silence.

…But, of course, it wasn't long before they were facing each other once more, their very different eyes meeting and holding the other's attention. Their expressions told similar stories; spoke similar words… Exhaustion, love, contentment, fright…

He reached out for her flushed cheek, gently stroking his thumb against it, "Are you feeling well, Yui?" Once his thumb reached her pale, unmoving lips, he held it there- their eyes locked. His gaze did not leave hers, but hers tried to leave his.

She hastily broke away- her back soon facing him. "I'm fine," she replied quickly, willing herself to be strong. Not to cry.

But he knew she was anything but fine; and he also knew that moments like this one hardly ever seemed to end with dry eyes… at least, not on her part.

"Baby, what's wrong?" He knew his voice slightly shook; faltering a bit… and so, he did his best to control its movement- biting back any emotion resembling pain or fright. He hated seeing her upset… but he was too strong for tears and fits- she wasn't. "Are you feeling ill?" His hand joined hers, and they both rested at the peak of her stomach. "Are you nauseous?"

He received no spoken answer at first; only the wobbly, unstable breathing which always seemed to show up before the actual sobs did. But she did turn toward him once again, burying her face into his protective chest. His arms immediately, sympathetically wrapped around her; pulling her in as tightly as he could manage without disturbing her swollen tummy.

She probably just feels bad tonight… He thought, I'll just let her sleep.

They lay in silence, him holding onto her and her clutching onto him.

"Baki… I'm scared." Her weak voice finally broke the silence, just when he had assumed she'd drifted off.

"Scared?" Baki asked instantly, as though working on pure instinct. "Why are you scared?"

He immediately regretted his choice of words, and he bit his bottom lip- his breathing stifled for a moment. He knew, even better than she did, that she had every right in the world to be scared. How could he blame her?

She tried to hold back for a moment, but she simply couldn't- and quickly failed. "Baki!" Yui cried, lunging forward as she sat up.

He gently laid his hands against her shoulders in a hasty attempt to calm her down- and to prevent her from falling forward.

"We're poor, Baki!" She was already continuing before he could even get a word in, "And you work so much… And this pregnancy is so difficult… And…"

He didn't see the tears, didn't have to; but he heard them. They tapped against their poor excuse for bed sheets, and every now and then he heard her sob… He hated it. But he understood… Everything she said was true.

"We'll be fine," Baki cooed reassuringly, patting her shoulder. "I'm working hard, I know… but because of that, we have a place to live together, and we'll be able to get a hold of everything we'll need for the baby- so, don't worry about the money."

He was answered in silence.

"I know you hate me being away all the time,"

"A lot," Yui interjected, raw tears still fresh in her voice.

"A lot…" Baki continued, unable to suppress a smile, "But it's something I have to do. You can't work, and I have to continue serving the Kazekage; not only because I'm his best ninja, but because I have to make a living for us. He needs me, and if it weren't for him, we wouldn't have anything."

He fought back a cringe when he said this; as he always did when reassuring her of such things. Even when he told the truth, he felt like a dirty, disgusting liar.

"I'm just so scared!" Yui exclaimed, throwing her face into her open palms. "I'm confined to bed rest, I'm worried about the baby-"

"Don't worry." Baki responded, rubbing her belly. "Last time you saw him, Yashamaru said that as long as you take things easy, everything will be okay."

"But I don't feel like everything will be okay. And even if it is, I'm still scared. And you're working so hard, I barely see you anymore… You come home at three in the morning, and leave at six to start another day- and that's if you make it home at all! I'm due soon, Baki- even Yashamaru bets I'll give birth within a week. What if you're not there? I don't want to go through all of this alone…" She secretly worried that even once the child was born, he still wouldn't be around often enough to father his own daughter… But she tried to tuck this worry away, at least for the moment.

"Don't be silly, Yui- I'll be there! I'll even request specifically that I can make it. As soon as you even feel like you're going into labor, no more work for me." He wanted to be there for her; he needed to… But in truth, at the same time, part of him didn't want to be there when the time came…

"Okay?"

… After all, he knew what was going to happen… to their child.

"Okay…" Yui smiled weakly, resting her head against his neck as he began laying back.

"Everything will be just fine. You'll see." He put on a smile.

No…, a voice in the back of his head seemed to disagree, everything won't be fine. You'll see.

"B-baki…" She whimpered, her voice unsteady. "B-baki… something's wrong- gah!" Gasping, she clenched her paining abdomen- squeezing his arm with her free hand; jolting him from his sleep. "Go get Yashamaru!"