A/N: Okay so here's the new chapter that took forever!!!!

Disclaimer: Nope no owning

Chapter 7: Blackbird

Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these broken wings and learn to fly

All your life

You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Daisuki sat in his bed gently petting his teddy bears head. It was nearly 4:00 in the morning but Daisuki couldn't sleep, just like his father he had smelled rain on the wind.

"Mommy," he said addressing his stuffed animal. "If you were still alive I think you would smell like rain."

There was a soft click and Daisuki fell back on his bed immediately and closed his eyes. He heard his father's familiar heavy footsteps and was puzzled when the blankets were pulled off of him and something warm and breathing was placed next to him, before the blanket was pulled up once again. He waited impatiently for his father to leave and when he heard the door close he rolled over and gasped feeling heat rise to his cheeks. Staring back at him were two bleary blue eyes.

"Ai-chan, what're you doing here?" Daisuki asked sitting up.

"I dunno." She mumbled closing her eyes. "But I want to sleep Daisuki-kun."

"Where's your mommy?" Daisuki asked slightly panicked.

"With your daddy." Ai answered through a yawn. "And now I have to sleep Daisuki."

With that the small blonde girl rolled over and fell asleep. Slowly Daisuki laid down and smelt rain on the other child's clothes before smiling and placing his teddy bear between them.

---Page Break---

Gaara gently closed the door and glanced down the hall, making sure there was no one else lurking in the halls before turning again.

"What are you doing?" he asked the pale woman in a whisper.

She let her head roll back and stared at him through her dark sunglasses as she sat on the floor her legs tucked under her. Blood stained her pale lips. Gaara stared long and hard at her. That's when he noticed the dark bags under her eyes and he could practically count her ribs, He picked her up again and began walking towards the kitchen.

"W-what are you doing?" Hinata stuttered grabbing onto his shirt weakly.

Gaara didn't answer her but instead kicked open the door to the kitchen and placed her gently in a chair. Her body was tired and she slumped down as the red head put a pot on the stove, another cough wracked her frail body and the Kazekage turned around with a napkin and handed it to her expecting her to clean the blood that flecked her lips and chin. Hinata's head felt heavy and she slowly nodded off into a dreamless sleep.

---Page Break---

Rikku awoke in the early morning due to the protesting kick of her third child. She grunted as she tried to sit up, and she almost gave a cry of triumph when she was finally able to slide off the bed. But she stopped herself as she took a glance at her other two children. The child kicked again and she sighed heading out the door and to the kitchen where she would eat her early morning snack.

---Page break---

The clang of a spoon hitting the bottom of a bowl roused Hinata from her sleep. She jerked a bit before glancing down at the soup in front of her. Gaara took the chair across from her and sat.

"What are you d-doing?" she asked softly.

"I'm going to sit here until you eat every drop of soup." Gaara answered.

Hinata looked at it mistrusting and Gaara sighed knowing that she had every right to be cautious of him but it still damaged his pride. After all there only connection was their children.

"Like I said before I'm not leaving until you eat every last bite so you might as well start." he suggested, nudging the bowl closer to her.

She tried to lift a spoonful of the steaming liquid but the spoon fell out of her shaky hand. Gaara sighed, thanking God that after the many hard years with Daisuki he was blessed with the patience of a saint. He placed the spoon back into the soup and the Hyuuga tried again. But another cough made her limbs jerk and the spoon fell once again. The red head grabbed the spoon and this time he made sure the soup made it to her mouth. She accepted it wearily and they slowly began a rhythm he would slowly feed her the soup and she would blow on it and eat it.

---Page Break---

Rikku walked slowly to the kitchen and noticed the small sliver of light that was coming from the small crack between the door and the wall. Using all her ninja stealth she walked slowly over and peaked inside. She stifled a gasp and watched silently as Gaara accidentally hit the pale woman's nose when he retrieved the spoon from her mouth. He looked like he was about to apologize when the woman began to laugh and the Kazekage smiled as well letting lose a soft chuckle. Rikku forgot all about her hunger and rushed down the hall. She knocked soft but fast on Kankurou's door. He opened sleepily.

"What the hell is so important, that couldn't wait until at least eleven?" Kankurou asked grumpily until he saw who was in front of him. "Are you craving something? Are you having any pains? Is the baby coming?" he asked quickly his face turning pale.

"No you idiot!" Rikku hissed.

"Oh." Kankurou paused for a moment and then grinned. "I know you want some of this hot stuff but we might get caught or worse hurt the baby."

"I don't want that you pervert!" She said offended and smacking him in the back of the head.

"Ow!" he whined. "Then what do you want?"

"Well I just saw…" Rikku began. "I just saw…oh you have to see it for yourself." She said ushering him out the door.

"I don't see what the big deal is." He muttered

"Be quiet!" she snapped and led him to the kitchen.

He slowly peaked into the kitchen and stifled a smile as he saw his brother holding the pale hand of a young woman trying to get her to feed herself. He turned back to his lover.

"So this is what you wanted me to see?" he asked.

She nodded and he smiled before wrapping her in his arms and kissing the top of her head, getting a strong case of the warm fuzzies. Rikku tilted her head up and they both smiled at each other contentedly.

"So when do you think he's going to introduce us?" she asked.

"To who?" Kankurou asked confused.

"His girlfriend!" Rikku said astounded that he didn't know.

"Honey I don't know if you want to go that far." The older male said.

"What do you mean?" Rikku pouted.

"What I mean is, maybe they're just friends…" Kankurou suggested.

"They're boyfriend and girlfriend I know it," Rikku insisted.

"What ever you say honey." Kankurou sighed wrapping an arm around her waist and walking her back to her room.

---Page Break---

Gaara let go of her hand and she was finally able to eat by herself. He sighed happily before standing and beginning to clean the pot he used to make the soup. Since Gaara had been feeding her there wasn't much left and Hinata was able to finish soon. The Kazekage took the bowl from her and began to wash it. There was an awkward and thick silence in the air.

"You're a good cook." Hinata said softly.

Gaara only nodded, not really hearing the compliment and instead thinking of how he should state his next question. When the silence became unbearable he decided just to be as blunt as possible.

"What happened?" he asked.

She tensed and waited hoping that if she didn't answer it he would drop the subject. However he didn't.

"Did you hear me?" Gaara asked. "I asked what happened to you."

She turned her head away and the red head felt his eye twitch. He sat across from her once again making her look back at him.

"Listen to me." He said sternly.

The dark haired woman inclined her head slightly, notifying him that she was listening but not willing to look at him in the eye.

"There are elders here that are very strict, they will not allow someone to stay in the tower without a reason. I don't want to force you out so you have to tell me what happened so we can use an acceptable excuse for you to stay here."

Still she said nothing, Gaara sighed and helped her out of the chair before leading her to a spare room, after she got comfortable and was about to nod off to sleep Gaara turned back and looked at her.

"You'll be able to stay here for three days, at most before the elders force you out. Unless you tell me what happened. Remember that." He said before closing the door.

Hinata fell asleep.

---Page Break---

"Aww damn it's raining." Suigetsu whined to himself as he continued to walk through the forest while heading towards the Suna border.

He was really bored; Sasuke had sent him to deliver the message his precious best friend Hokage was so anxious about.

Flash Back

"Sasuke I seriously need help with this!" Naruto called from his office.

The dark haired Uchiha nodded to Karin who rushed back into the hospital room to continue to help Sakura heal Temari and Shikamaru. Jugo and Suigetsu were slouching in their chairs while Yuki, Sora, and Kasumi were busily searching through the papers.

"What is it baka?" Sasuke called.

"I don't know if I should sign this treaty or not!" Naruto cried.

"Alright I'm coming," he sighed aggravated. "Jugo I want you to go and find Tsunade and bring her here."

The young Uchiha disappeared into the office before Yuki rushed in and there was whispering, and mumbles coming from inside. Jugo stretched and stood waving at Suigetsu and calling out to Sora. The other two disappeared down the hall. Kasumi seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Will you please take this to the sand village." Kasumi requested, while holding out a scroll.

"Do I HAVE to?" Suigetsu asked.

"Well…no I guess I could go." Kasumi said rubbing her bulging belly.

"Lean on down and I'll give you a good bye kiss." He winked.

"Suigetsu…" Sasuke warned from inside the office.

"What?" Suigetsu groaned like a teenager.

"Kasumi is pregnant!" Sasuke said peeking around the doorframe.

"So?" Suigetsu said innocently.

"So you're going, end of story." Sasuke said disappearing back into the office.

"UGH……!" Suigetsu whined, but stood nonetheless.

"I mean it." Sasuke warned.

"Can Yuki come with me?" he asked slightly hopeful.

"No!" three voices cried out in unison.

He pouted before he felt a pair of warm, soft lips on his cheek. Turning he saw Kasumi pull away and smile before handing the scroll to the ex-water ninja.

"Thank you."

Suigetsu sighed and turned away, while smiling softly to himself.

End Flash Back

"I wish I didn't agree to go alone." Suigetsu pouted.

He was about to make it through the trees when he heard whistling behind him.

"Who's there?" he called out, seemingly relaxed but really on the alert.

There was no answer, Suigetsu continued walking however his hand slid into his weapons pouch. A rustle to his left and he hurled the kunai into the foliage around him. He walked to the bush and looked behind it, trying to make sure that he didn't hit anything.

"Hi!" a chipper voice called from behind him.

Suigetsu tensed but slowly turned around. A tall and thin young man stood behind him wearing an orange swirl mask.

"Hi I'm Tobi, what's your name?" Tobi asked innocently.

"Why were you following me?" Suigetsu countered.

He shrugged and cocked his head to the side. Suigetsu stuffed his hand back into his weapon pouch, preparing for any sneak attacks.

"Where are you going?" Tobi asked.

"No where, just the sand village." Suigetsu shrugged.

"Why?" the older boy asked.

"Just to visit some friends." Suigetsu answered trying to walk past him.

But Tobi blocked his way. "What's your name?"

"Uh S-sasuke." Suigetsu lied.

"It's not nice to lie Suigetsu-san." Tobi answered removing his mask.

"You're an…y-you're an…" Suigetsu stuttered.

Thick vines wrapped around his ankles not allowing him to back up anymore. Suigetsu stared wide-eyed and afraid as Tobi grabbed his face and forced him to stare into his red eyes.

"Uchiha." Suigetsu breathed before falling unconscious.

---Page Break---

"Ai where are you going?" Daisuki asked his playmate as she stood from her spot on the floor.

"I'm just going to check on mommy." Ai said worriedly.

Daisuki nodded and watched silently as she walked out the door. The maids nodded to her as she passed looking for the pale yellow door she knew her mother was behind. Finally she found it and knocked softly.

"Mommy, it's me, Ai. Can I come in?" she asked quietly, afraid of what her mother would say.

"Come in." came the soft reply.

Ai opened the door and looked in, her mother sat on the bed knees to her chest. Her white eyes were swollen and puffy from her constant tears. She had lost even more weight and was on medicine to help her respiration. At first the small girl wanted to visit her mother but after seeing the state she was in she couldn't stand to look at her for another minute.

"Mommy today is the third day." Ai stated.

Hinata said nothing and the small girl twisted the doorknob idly, trying to think of something to fill the silence.

"Are we going to stay?" Ai asked, but still her mother didn't answer. "I want to stay."

"The Kazekage wont let us." Hinata said softly.

"He would if you told him the truth!" Ai replied, suddenly angry. "Why don't you just tell him about the fight you had with daddy? Why can't we stay here? If you loved me you'd let me stay here!" Ai cried.

Hinata looked at her daughter long and hard, tears welled in her eyes and her body shook slightly from her suppressed sobs. Ai noticed her mom's tears and rushed into the room allowing the door to close softly behind her. She climbed onto the bed and nestled herself next to her mom and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"I didn't mean it mommy." Ai whispered. "I'm sorry. Please don't cry, we can leave if you want but please don't cry. Don't hate me."

Hinata pulled Ai into her lap and allowed herself to sob into her hair. After a good ten minutes Ai climbed out of the bed and left the room, but not before whispering an 'I love you' to her.

"I want her to be happy, we can both be happy here, but I can't bring myself to tell him the truth." Hinata whispered to herself.

'Then lie.' A sly voice suggested.

"I couldn't do that, I owe him to much." Hinata answered surprised.

'Then find another way to stay,' the voice continued. 'Get a job here.'

"But what about Deidara…" she began softly.

'Don't concern yourself with him.' The voice said grumpily. 'Haven't you cried enough over him?'

"Your right I have," she started standing from the bed. "And I deserve to be happy and so does Ai!" she stumbled a bit before disappearing out the door.

---Page Break---

Gaara sat at the head of the breakfast table in silence; as usual he was the first one there. The door opened quietly and Daisuki appeared and sat next to his father.

"I couldn't find Ai this morning." Daisuki commented. "Where did she go?"

"She had to leave." Gaara said. "I gave her mother a choice and she didn't take it."

"Oh." Daisuki said softly.

The door opened again, and Kankurou and Rikku entered bickering lightly before taking a seat at the table.

"Good morning uncle Kankurou, aunt Rikku." Daisuki said politely.

"Good morning Daisuki-kun." Rikku said smiling, while Kankurou grunted in response.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the table, Rikku noticed the discomfort and began to speak.

"Gaara-sama, yesterday I hired a few new staff members." Rikku began but was cut off as the door opened.

Four maids entered the room silently, one of the maids was extremely short and Gaara wondered briefly is she was one of the people Rikku had hired yesterday.

"The reason why I tell you this is because I also hired a new nanny for Daisuki." Rikku continued slightly nervous.

"Of course," Gaara answered, knowing that his son went through nanny's like water.

"Breakfast, Rikku-sama." One maid answered in her soft voice before placing the plate on the table.

"Breakfast Elder." Another maid said before placing the plate in front of Kankurou who just groaned.

"Breakfast Daisuki-kun!" a high-pitched cheerful voice cried.

"Ai!" a motherly voice chastised from Gaara's right.

He turned abruptly in his chair and stared at the dark haired young woman next to him before glancing at the small blonde girl who was tickling Daisuki.

"Gaara-sama, meet Daisuki's new nanny." Rikku said.

A/N: Okay this is the last chapter to vote before I put up my idea for my next story okay.