A tough life

Chapter 2

Death and Life

In the furthest part of the house, a five year old girl with four blonde pigtails is playing with her younger brother. Her teal eyes shine in happiness as the three year old chases her.

"C'mon Kankuro, almost there!" she laughs as the brunette haired boy finally manages to grab her arm.

"Got you Temari!" Kankuro laughed as he began running from his big sister around the large room.

Yashamru smiled watching his niece and nephew play. His sister had gone into labor earlier the previous day and Yashamaru was eagerly awaiting the news about the newest addition to the family. As he was no help in the delivery room the kids' uncle helped out by watching the two children. His eyes strayed from the happy kids before him as he gazed down the hall. It was not often that they had time to act like children. Being the son and daughter of the Kazekage they were put into training at a much younger age, with expectations of prodigious proportions.

Temari at five years old was expected to be able to completely detatch and shut down her emotions, along with completing a daily training routine that would make most chunin shudder. And Kankuro, at three was being put through genin's training and was showing promise.

The form of the Kazekage was coming down the hall. Yashamaru tapped the door three times with his foot, the signal did not go unnoticed by the children, who quickly took battle stances and began sparring. Yashamaru immediately noticed the small bundle in the man's arms as a small hand could be seen moving just above the blanket. Quickly he bowed to the Kazekage, showing his respect to his brother-in-law.

"Rise." The Kazekage said his voice cold as ice.

Yashamaru did as he was told and immediately the infant was thrust into his arms.

"Kurara's passed, inform the children and make your final goodbyes, she's being buried tomorrow." Yashamaru stood stock still in shock.

"W-what?" His eyes were wide as he barely registered the new squirming bundle in his arms. "Lord Kazekage!"

"You will raise Gaara in Kurara's stead until he's old enough to train." With that the Kazekage walked away as silently as he'd come. Yashamaru looked at his nephew for the first time: He had a mop of red hair and round chubby cheeks. Yashamaru smiled as the baby in his arms yawned a toothless yawn. Opening his eyes Gaara revealed his sea foam colored eyes.

"Just like your mothers." Yashamaru said softly looking at the helpless creature. He sighed "Let's go see your brother and sister."

Turning Yashamaru walked into the room, looking at the older children, who had by then stopped their mock spar.

"Is mommy really gone?" The small blonde girl said, her eyes watery. Oddly her hands were covering Kankuro's ears, as if to protect him from the answer.

Yashamaru sighed looking down at the infant in his arms. "I'm sorry Temari, but it's true."

A strangled wimper came from the girl as she looked down. Right now her brother was deaf to the world, and she wanted to keep it that way. Taking her brother's hand she pulled him away from the door.

"Kankuro..."

"Nee-chan, why are your eyes watery?" The boy asked, tilting his head at his sister's words.

Temari swallowed looking at the untarnished innocence in her brother's eyes. "Momma's sick, and she's going to sleep for a really long time." She said softly.

Kankuro's face was one of confusion. "Will she wake up Nee-chan?"

Temari held back her tears. "I-I don't know Otouto. (little brother) I don't know.."

"So Mamma's going to sleep for a really long time?"

"Y-Yes, and they're going to put her in a pretty b-bed with a door and put her in the ground." Temari sniffled.

"But why? Why are they putting Mamma in the ground if she's sleeping?" Kankuro asked tugging on his sister's hand. Temari didn't know what to tell him, death is hard to explain to a child so she looked to Yashamaru, a pleading look in her eyes. Yashamaru sighed looking at the boy, crouching to be eye level with the child.

"When your mamma wakes up you'll be together, and that's all that matters right?" Yashamaru said hoping Kankuro wouldn't question it. Standing he held out his hand for them to take.

"Come, we must go say goodnight to your mamma, for the last time."

Temari swallowed the lump in her throat as she took her uncle's hand in one of hers, and Kankuro's in her other. Together they walked down the hall.

Kurara's body had been cleaned and moved to a clean room for the final viewing for the family. As Yashamaru entered with her children, the infant in his arms began to cry.

"Shush, Gaara it's alright." His uncle said softly, rocking the child gently. Temari walked over and put her hand on her mothers.

"I love you Momma, goodbye." She said softly kissing her mother's still warm forehead.

"Good night Mamma! See you soon, love you." Kankuro said also giving his mom a kiss. Temari led her brother out into the hallway, leaving her uncle and mother alone.

"Nee-chan, I'm sorry you passed the way you did. I promise to care for this child. He's an extension of you. Good bye Kurara." Yashamaru's hand clenched over his heart, it was as if it were being crushed.

The funeral was a small afair with few people. And eventually a sense of normalcy returned to the home. Temari's and Kankuro's training went on double paced as ordered by their father. Neither had seen much of their baby brother since his birth almost 10 months ago.

Yashamaru stared at the now crawling boy. He was a happy baby, always smiling and quick to latch on to who ever was nearest him. Yashamaru had Gaara on his lap for one of his feedings when Temari walked into the room out of passing chance. Temari stared at the little boy.

"Is that Gaara?" she asked pointing to the now much larger infant on her uncle's lap. Yashamaru smiled.

"Yes Temari-sama, would you like to feed him? I was just about to get his bottle ready." Temari stared at her brother's pale green eyes as the baby looked up at her smiling.

"Can I?' she asked, still looking at Gaara in his blue onesie. He reached up for her with his chubby little arms. Obliging the baby at her uncle's encouraging smile, Temari lifted the child into her arms as she sat down on the chair beside her. She bounced him watching as he laughed happily. Temari smiled as well.

"Well, you are cute." she said softly so only Gaara could hear. Suddenly an idea came to her. Standing and walking to the couch she placed her baby brother on the seat, putting both hands on each side of her brother she pushed the couch cushion down fast, so it popped back up. Gaara bounced in the air a few inches, landing back on the soft couch. The giggles stopped as Gaara stared at Temari with huge startled eyes. She regretted her idea immediatey thinking that she scared him, that was until he squealed in delighted laughter. She smiled at her discovery, and continued playing with Gaara for the next ten minutes until Yashamaru returned with the bottle.

"I need to go now Yashamaru, I only get a thirty minute break for lunch." Temari said sadly, looking longingly at the playful infant her uncle was now feeding.

"Well remember Temari-sama you are always welcome to come visit Gaara-chan. Kankuro-sama is as well." Yashamaru said as Gaara sloppily nursed from the bottle, clutching it in his hands. Temari smiled as she walked out of the room. Hopefully someday soon she'll be able to visit her brother with out fear of her father, unknown to Yashamaru they were forbidden to see Gaara.

Yay, Chapter 2 is up! I have like 40,000 words or so on this story in one long chapter. now it's all about sectioning it off into chapters, so I have more to give