Ren Note: So... here we are. I must admit that I was feeling kind of burned out the past few days. I mean... I stayed up all night two nights ago to finish... and RaRa and I have been working our butts off on it. I also will openly admit that I'm not sure what Chapter 9 will hold... it's in brainstorm mode right now. Also I'd like to say a special thank you to Sweet Petit and Miko Hayashi for reviewing and being so supportive and helpful. You two are the apples of my eyes! Anyways, I've talked enough. Here you go though, enjoy!

Previously-

The door opened and closed. Gaara heard Ren's voice saying, "Gaara I need to talk to-" her voice halted. His eye shot open to see white eyes staring at white eyes. All four sets were wide and it suddenly became harder to breathe.

"What is the meaning of this," Hiashi demanded, as he was the first to recover.

Gaara had no idea how to answer. He had sent Temari to go warn her yet here she was standing in his office. He was trying to figure out how to handle the situation. He began to sweat and could practically hear the crickets chirping while no one said anything.

The door opened and Kankuro stepped inside. He closed the door then shock sank into him. Gaara watched as Kankuro moved in front of Ren to block her from their view. Gaara's heart clenched when he realized that he should have been the one guarding her like that. "The meaning of what, Hyuga-sama," Gaara asked blankly. Inside he was a nervous wreck but externally he was cool as a cucumber.

"Who is she," Hinata asked so quietly everyone almost missed it.

"Kuso," cursed Kankuro internally.

"Shimatta," thought Gaara.

"Kami help me," Ren prayed silently.

Everyone stared at Gaara expectantly while they waited on an answer to Hinata's question.

Chapter Eight:

Gaara cleared the lump in his throat and Ren shot him a look of helplessness. He raised his hand to beckon her over. Ren placed her hand on Kankuro's shoulder and whispered, "Arigato, Kankuro-kun, for everything." She made her way over to Gaara's side and sat on the arm of his chair with her hands resting on her lap. All eyes were on her. Kankuro followed and stood beside her.

"This," Gaara said flatly as he looked at Ren, "Is Hyogo Ren. She is my girlfriend and a Sunagakure Jonin." Gaara turned his head and his eyes met Hiashi's. They locked in a staring match. Hiashi seemed to be trying to probe Gaara for more information.

Ren kept her eyes on the two Hyuga females while they stared at her. The rest of the group kept looking from person to person. Uchiha Sasuke was the only one who seemed disinterested and stared off at nothingness. Ren considered simply looking at him instead of even thinking about the tense aura within the room. She figured that would not be a good idea though since he was now married to Hinata and she very much loved Gaara. People could easily get the wrong idea.

When Hiashi grew tired of trying to get information from the young Kazekage's eyes he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Ren. She felt a shiver travel down her spine and noticeably flinched. Her pale white eyes locked with the Hyuga head's. Gaara reached over and linked their fingers together without looking at her. "Who are your parents," Hiashi asked Ren in an indifferent tone despite his obvious frustrations.

"Her mother is Hyogo Naoma, a citizen and retired kunoichi of Sunagakure," Kankuro stated without hesitation.

"And her father," Hiashi asked as he turned his gaze to Kankuro. He stared at the young man like he was supposed to have all the answers. His gaze was hard and his eyes slightly narrowed.

"We don't know. No one's ever asked," Kankuro replied with a hint of sarcasm. He was frustrated. For ten years he had known Ren and kept her secret. Fate, if he believed in it, was cruel. They had gone through so much trouble to keep Ren's heritage a secret. He wished he'd of had Ren put her sunglasses on before they even left the hospital. That would have solved this whole problem. He was mentally kicking himself when Ren's voice cut through his thoughts.

"M-my father," Ren looked down and took a deep breath. She needed to just get it over with. Gaara gave her hand a light squeeze to remind her that he was here for her and would protect her. Ren smiled slightly. She was very lucky to be with him. She looked up at the group and suddenly felt a little angry. These people could take everything from her. She focused her chakra to her eyes. "H-his name i-is H-Hyuga H-Hizashi," Ren said as the veins around her eyes swelled with chakra.

She quickly had to deactivate her kekkei genkai as a sharp pain shot through her head from behind her eyes. She placed her hand up to her eyes and covered them, adding pressure and praying for relief. The pain was so excruciating, Ren assumed this was because she didn't have adrenaline flowing like last time. She couldn't see the shocked expressions that fell onto all eight of the Konohans. Ren's face twisted unknowingly with the pain and she could feel tears soaking her hand. She knew she shouldn't cry for many reasons. The main two being that a kunoichi shouldn't show weakness and that crying wouldn't help her headache at all.

Gaara hadn't be expecting Ren to flash her byakugan. He also wasn't expecting the amount of strain just a few seconds seemed to cause on her. She said that she had used it on her last mission during battle. How had she withstood it? He turned to Kankuro and muttered, "Go get a medic." Gaara stood from his seat and moved in front of Ren, blocking her from the view of prying eyes. He rubbed his fingers against her temples, just as she had done for him.

"What happened," Hanabi asked as she looked up to her father. The 13 year old heiress had saw the strange woman use her family's kekkei genkai. She had heard the woman claim that she was her uncle's daughter. She didn't understand why she suddenly seemed to be in a great deal of pain.

"Orochimaru was planning on using her for an unknown purpose. Ren was in a coma several years ago and The Fourth sought assistance from the snake. He produced a serum that was to keep her muscles healthy and bring her out of her comatose state. I found documentation that it was more than that. It contained something that would cause Ren to seek him out. Now using the byakugan causes her a great deal of pain. The pain usually goes away on its own but sometimes she needs a little help from a medic," Gaara answered flatly. He knew the question wasn't directed at him but he was the best to answer it. He was the one who had read his father's diaries and documents.

"He gave her something to mess with her chakra flow to her eyes," Sasuke announced indifferently. Everyone turned to stare at him except Ren who was still trying to wish away the stabbing pain behind her eyes. "He probably wanted her to seek him out to make the pain stop. He couldn't bribe her with power like he did me. She wasn't his student and didn't admire him like Anko. He wanted her to need to go to him."

Gaara was a little annoyed. He had just said that. He sighed internally and turned back to his girlfriend. Kankuro was still standing there. He looked like he had seen a ghost. "Kankuro," Gaara growled.

Kankuro jumped backwards. "Right, I'm on it," Kankuro exclaimed as he started towards the door.

"I could help," Sakura said as she stood up and cautiously walked towards Gaara and Ren. Kankuro stopped in his tracks and approached beside Sakura. Sakura was a gifted medical nin. He wouldn't need to get a medic if she treated Ren and if he wasn't going to get a medic, he would stay to protect his friend.

Gaara was hesitant. He'd known the pinkette for a long time but this was his Ren she would be treating. Kankuro gave a nod to Sakura and Gaara sighed to step away and make room for Sakura. He found himself standing next to the Hyuga head. Hiashi was strangely quiet. Gaara looked at him and their eyes met. "Who is Hizashi," Gaara asked.

Hiashi looked away and stared at the ground. "He was Neji's father, my twin brother," Hiashi said quietly. His voice was lightly laced with grief, guilt, and confusion. "Why would she say he is her father? She's clearly a Hyuga but it doesn't seem possible."

Gaara rubbed the right side of his face and internally groaned. "Ren knows nothing of your clan, save a few techniques she learned from scrolls. She has no reason to lie. I do not believe she would use your brother's name in a lie. She's more cunning than that and it is unwise."

Ino stood and walked over to Sakura, Ren, and Kankuro. She didn't want Sakura to get all the credit for helping her new friend. "I can't do anything to remove whatever he did," Sakura said with a sigh, "but I've been able to relieve some of the pressure. The trip has left me pretty tired though so I can't get rid of all of it."

Ren opened her eyes slowly and nearly jumped back when she saw jade green and sky blue eyes on her. "I'll take over from here, Sakura," Ino muttered as she placed her hands over Ren's temples. She used some of her chakra to further relieve Ren's headache.

Ren sighed with relief. She was beginning to really like Ino's chakra. Sakura's was strong and gentle, but Ino's was very soothing, like a cool, light rain after a long drought. "I guess this came out sooner than I meant for it to," Ren whispered to Ino. Kankuro and Sakura were the only ones close enough to hear the conversation. "I thought that since you'd keep my secret everything would be okay. Thanks Ino-chan, for everything."

Ino nodded and told her a gentle, "You're welcome. It'll all be okay. Just you wait and see." Ino wasn't really sure how it could be but she was bound and determined to make sure her friend wasn't going to worry about it. She'd smile and act confident, just like always, and everything would work out in the end.

"You need to tell her," Gaara told Hiashi during another staring match.

"You'll need to give her to me," Hiashi retorted.

"That's not happening. She is a citizen of Sunagakure and you have no authority here."

"She's a Hyuga and our secrets need to be protected," Hiashi stated with disgust. He wasn't very fond of the idea either but the elder council would be unhappy to know that a child of Hizashi's was out there unbranded.

"No, Otou-sama," Hanabi interrupted him, "There will be no more main and lesser branches, remember? She can be the start of that." Hanabi offered a small smile to her father. She had been named heir when Sasuke and Hinata announced their engagement. She wasn't the leader yet but it didn't matter. Hiashi was so desperate to keep this daughter close that he merely nodded in agreement. He had already set things in motion to be rid of the branches to make his daughter's life a little easier when the time came for her to take over. His eyes met his daughters and there was a moment of mutual understanding between them.

Gaara watched the display with a slight smirk on his face. It was barely noticeable but he still felt the need to school his features. He cleared his throat. "Will you tell her that her father and brother are both dead or not," Gaara asked coldly. He didn't want Ren to have to go through that but she had a right to know and Hiashi needed to tell her.

The two were locked in a staring match once again. Gaara was imagining the many ways he could kill the Hyuga head. Hinata stood and quietly sputtered out, "I-I'll t-tell h-her." Naruto, Lee, Sasuke, Hanabi, Hiashi, and Gaara all stared at her. Gaara and Sasuke looked at her with admiration. It wasn't her place to tell Ren but she was willing to give such horrible news simply because her father was too stubborn. The others looked at Hinata in shock. They could scarcely believe the shy girl they once knew would be brave enough to do something like this.

Gaara nodded to Hinata when she looked at him for permission. It felt strange that she looked to him for the okay. He wasn't involved in her clans business and he didn't own Ren, he merely loved her with his whole being. He walked back to his desk with Hinata beside him. All eyes and ears were on them. "Ren," Gaara said interrupting Ino's story about shopping, "This is your cousin, Hinata." He sat back in his chair and grabbed Ren's hand to intertwine his fingers with hers for support.

Ren's eyes met nearly identical ones. The only difference was the tint. Light lavender on pale silver. Neither said anything until Kankuro cleared his throat. "Konichiwa, Hinata-sama," Ren greeted her quietly and bowed slightly.

"H-hello, Ren-san," Hinata returned her greeting. Both girls took a deep breath. "I h-have some news for y-you that might be hard to cope w-with right now," Hinata stuttered slightly.

Ren's heart dropped. They were going to brand her. She could feel it. She looked to Gaara who offered her a small smile he only revealed to her. She felt a little ray of hope shine through the darkness she started to feel. She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked back at Hinata. "A-alright," Ren muttered.

Kankuro nearly laughed at how similar the two of them were. It was like they were twins separated at birth, except for the ages. They looked a lot alike, they were both shy, and they both stuttered under pressure. He forgot all about why he and Ren had rushed to see Gaara in the first place. That felt like years ago rather than 10 minutes.

"Ano," Hinata started as she scratched her cheek nervously. She was clearly trying to figure out how to word what she was about to say. "Th-this isn't e-easy t-to say."

"Just blurt it out," Gaara thought while he softly rubbed the top of Ren's hand with his thumb.

Sasuke appeared behind Hinata and placed his arm around her waist. "Do you want me to do it," he asked quietly. Hinata shook her head. "Then just breathe and get it out. You can do this," He instructed her in the kindest way Sasuke possibly could. Sometimes his wife needed a gentle push and a calm reminder that she could do anything she set her mind to.

Hinata took a deep breath and then informed Ren, "Hyuga Hizashi was my father's twin brother. He got married and had a son, Neji. His wife died after Neji's birth. When I was very young a ninja from Kumogakure tried to kidnap me for my eyes. My father killed the ninja to save me but Kumo demanded compensation in the form of my father's body. My father was ready to give his life but Hizashi decided to give his life instead, for the clan and the village, to keep peace. Neji-nii-san had a very hard time understanding and accepting it. We were at odds for a while but he and I became friends. Neji-nii-san died protecting Naruto and I." Hinata's eyes filled with tears and she buried her face into Sasuke's chest as he held her close. The blond male on the couch looked down and clinched his fists. Ren assumed he was Naruto.

Ren had stared at Hinata blankly as she spoke. She felt a pain in her chest she didn't understand. She hadn't known either of them. She could handle the death of the man that created her better than the knowledge she had a brother she would never know. She kept her face stoic and remained unmoving. She had long ago accepted that she would never know her father. Now she had to accept that she would never know her brother. She swallowed lightly to keep her emotions in check. What would she tell her mother?

"It's true," Hiashi muttered from across the room. He looked as indifferent as Ren did. Gaara knew she was internally devastated but keeping her emotions under control, at least for now. He was suddenly thankful Ren didn't grow up anywhere near these people. She would have been as stoic as Hiashi if she had. She had lovely smiles and he liked her better when she showed her emotions. One of them had to express themselves. He was too set in his ways to change that. He wouldn't even begin to know how to extrapolate his feelings.

Ren turned her gaze to Hiashi then Hanabi then back to Hinata. Gaara watched as she started to breathe a little faster. The door opened and closed and everyone except Gaara and Ren turned to see who it was. Ren's eyes darted to his. She looked so miserable. "Ren," Temari gasped then schooled her features. She cleared her throat and said, "The rooms are ready for our guests now. May I escort everyone to the house?" "More like, can I get you all away from my best friend," Temari thought as she felt perturbed on the inside. She'd have to find out what happened from Kankuro or Gaara, and soon. She prayed things went better than she felt they did. Ren looked emotionless, Gaara and Kankuro looked concerned, and everyone else was seemingly uncomfortable.

Hiashi looked at Gaara. "We will discuss things later, man to man," Hiashi said stoically. He stood and left the room. Everyone except Hanabi, Hinata, Ino, and Sasuke followed right after him.

Hanabi walked up to Ren and threw her arms around Ren's abdomen. Ren cringed at the unexpected touching but the girl didn't let go. Ren reluctantly placed her hands on Hanabi's back and listened as she whispered in her ear, "I'm glad there's still a piece of Neji-nii-san left. I won't let Otou-sama put the seal on you. It'll be okay." Ren smiled and rubbed her back before she pulled away. "I look forward to getting to know you, Ren-nee-san." With that she left the room skipping slightly.

Ren wiped her eyes before any tears could fall. Hanabi had called her 'big sister'. She'd always wanted siblings. Suddenly her heart ached. She had had a sibling. His name was Neji and he was dead before she could know him. "Hinata has pictures of Neji and Hizashi at the Hyuga compound. I'm sure she'd be happy to make copies for you when we return," Sasuke said as gently as he could.

Hinata nodded and whispered, "I'd be very happy to do that for you." She was so glad she had Sasuke there. It was a great idea and would surely bring her cousin comfort.

"I-I'd like that," Ren replied quietly.

Hinata boldly hugged Ren, much like Hanabi had. Ren returned the hug. "I'm sure we'll see each other again soon," Hinata said quietly, "Farwell for now."

"See ya," Sasuke said with a wave.

Ren watched the two of them disappear from the room. She took a deep breath and turned to find Ino staring at her. "I'm sorry all of this happened," Ino said kindly, "I'm sure this didn't go how you planned when you came in here. Maybe this was meant to happen. You meeting them I mean. I need to catch up but you still owe me our shopping trip!" Ino flashed a dazzling smile that Ren couldn't help but return with a small smile of her own.

"Maybe tomorrow," Ren asked eagerly. She was actually becoming quite fond of the blonde kunoichi. Her attitude and confidence reminded Ren of Momoko. She decided she really needed to write to her.

"Sounds great. How about around noon? I'll try to drag Hinata, Sakura, and Hanabi along since the cats out of the bag."

"Sure. Meet me at the academy at noon?"

"Can't wait! See you," Ino said as she ran out the door to catch up with the rest of the group.

Gaara and Kankuro had both been staring at the interaction. Neither knew what to think. Ren had looked like she was about to cry, had even wiped her eyes, then Ino came around all happy-go-lucky and Ren's mood lifted instantly. "I'm going to go too. I have some baking to do," Kankuro said with a wink. Ren's face turned green and he started laughing until she was off the chair and had her head in the trash bin. "Okay then, have fun Gaara," he said as he ran from the room.

Gaara grimaced when he saw Ren fall to her knees and hide her face in the bin. He really disliked witnessing people vomiting. With an internal sigh he moved her chair up beside her and rubbed her back. "I'm not going to allow them to take you," Gaara told her. He was pretty sure this was her way of reacting to stressful situations. "It'll be alright," He muttered.

Ren nodded when she was through heaving and Gaara handed her a tissue. She wiped her face, blew her nose, and then sat on the floor at his feet. "I'm sorry," She whispered. She was still breathing hard.

"Would you like me to take you home," he asked her while tucking some hair behind her ear.

"I don't want to go home," She said with a sigh as she leaned her head against his hand, "But I need to tell Kaasan what's happened. I also need to write to Momoko-san. I haven't done that in a month."

Gaara nodded and helped her to her feet. The two of them passed Baki in the lobby. "I need the trash taken out in my office. I'll be back soon," Gaara told him flatly. Baki nodded and Gaara continued out the door with Ren on his arm.

XXXXXXXX

Ren sipped some ginger tea to calm her stomach while she waited on her mother to come home. She should have been writing to Momoko but she forgot. Naoma had started working at the hospital again. Ren wondered if doctor-patient confidentiality would be kept even though her mother was a nurse. She really hoped so. Ren didn't need Naoma worrying over her. She stared into the cup at her reflection in the green-ish yellow liquid. She still hadn't cried but knew it was only a matter of time.

Naoma slipped inside the door and took off her shoes silently. There were only two lights on, the living room and kitchen, so she assumed Ren was taking a nap. Naoma padded into the living room to see that there was nothing out of place and turned out the light. She went to the kitchen and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Ren sitting there staring into her cup. "Ren," Naoma said quietly, "What're you doing sweetheart?"

Ren turned to look at her mother. Naoma's breath caught in her chest and she took a step back. The whites of Ren's eyes were bloodshot and they seemed void of all emotion. "I have some things to tell you, Kaasan," Ren said flatly. Naoma walked over to the table and sat down. "I went to see Gaara today but the Hyuga's arrived early. They know about me. The heir, Hanabi, is against having my byakugan sealed. I trust that Gaara will protect me too." Ren took a deep, shaky breath then said the hardest part, "Tousan had a son. His name was Neji. They're both dead."

Naoma felt like she ran into a brick wall at full speed. She stared at her daughter whose eyes started to tear up. Naoma went through three emotions within less than 2 minutes: worried, relieved, and now depressed. "I should have known he was dead," Naoma whispered as tears formed in her own eyes.

"Gomenasai, kaasan, gomenasai" Ren choked out as she began sobbing.

Neither moved to comfort the other. This was mourning they had to do separately. Ren explained how their deaths occurred and they both cried from where they were. No words were exchanged after that. Ren cried until she fell asleep at the table and Naoma fell asleep crying in her bed.

XXXXXXXX

"You are aware that I cannot let this go unnoticed," Hiashi stated as he sat across the table from Gaara. It was only 5:30 in the morning and Gaara hadn't slept well the night before. He had been too worried about Ren. Not having Shukaku had spoiled him. Sleep was now something he didn't think he could live without. "I'll have to tell the council. I'll have to try to convince them against coming after her. I can't just say 'because my daughter doesn't want that'. They haven't accepted my proposal to remove the branches from our clan yet. They'd think I've lost my mind."

Gaara stared down into his miso soup. He didn't want to be having this conversation so damn early. He had a lot to do since they had all arrived early. Gaara knew that Hiashi had chosen now to have this conversation for a good reason. No one else would interrupt it. "I am well aware of how your council does things. They want to keep the 'lessers' in line while the main branch prospers. Losing Neji has opened your eyes I assume, since you're taking greater care with your daughters. Ren is far from being a lesser anything. She knows very little about your clan's fighting style but has developed one of her own. She's a skilled kunoichi, without your clan's help. If you must tell your council about her, then remind them she is under my protection. I do not believe Tsunade-sama would appreciate one of her clans attempting to start a war with another village. I don't care how you prevent it but Ren will not be branded as a lesser. She's a human being worthy of respect and admiration."

Hiashi was silent while he stirred his soup. He was letting Gaara's words soak in. "You care a great deal for my niece," he stated, as if it wasn't obvious. "I will do everything I can to prevent them from considering taking her. A war is not something our clan can afford nor handle. Our numbers and bank accounts are still suffering after that everything that Uchiha has done," Hiashi muttered. The way he said Uchiha made it seem like Hiashi had tasted something bitter and repulsive.

"Do you not like your son-in-law," Gaara asked flatly. He didn't really care. He didn't like Sasuke either. He just really wanted to shift the focus off of his Ren.

"He's nothing but trouble," Hiashi said with a sigh, "Hinata loves him for Kami knows what reason. I am doing my best to support her and her choices but he is not who I would have picked for her."

"Would Neji have been a better choice," Gaara asked passively.

"Between us? Yes. That was my plan. The world doesn't always give you what you plan though. Instead you lose the boy you treated like your son, gain a son-in-law who has some screws loose, and find out you have a niece you didn't know existed. How old is she?"

Gaara was taken aback by the question. It wasn't one he had been expecting. "She will be 21 on June 15th," Gaara stated.

"18 days before Neji's. He would be 20 this year. Hanabi seems to be thinking Ren will be a replacement for him. I've explained to her that that will not be the case. Hinata is excited to get to know Ren as well but she is more level headed about Ren not being Neji. I myself am slightly pleased to know that a part of my brother is still within this world. Do you believe that her mother, Hyogo Naoma, would be willing to meet with me?"

Gaara thought about it while he ate a bite of soup. He wasn't sure how the elder Hyogo would feel about it. "I will ask her later today. I have a meeting with her this afternoon. I will question her before she leaves my office and let you know her answer."

"I appreciate that, Kazekage-sama. Please explain to her that I do not wish to cause her any distress," Hiashi said as he bowed his head.

"I hope that you will not. She is recovering from stomach cancer. The doctors believe that she is fine for now but she is not to be stressed."

"I will keep that in mind, Kazekage-sama.

XXXXXXXX

Ren sat on the sand in front of the academy. It had gotten bigger since she taught there. She missed those days more than she thought she would. She considered maybe going back to teaching. She felt like her days as a kunoichi were over now. That wouldn't be so bad though, sometimes the way she felt during fights frightened her. It was like she had blood lust for no real reason other than to stay alive. She couldn't always control herself. She had been meaning to talk to Gaara about it, he was always her rock and would understand better than anyone, but there hadn't been an appropriate moment.

Ren gasped when she felt two strong arms pick her up like she weighed nothing and squeeze her into an embrace of green. "My youthful student! At last we meet face to face! I have waited for this day for too long," The green being shouted.

Ren couldn't move her arms and she couldn't breathe. Fortunately someone behind her shouted, "Lee you baka! She can't breathe like that! Let her go. Do you want people to think you're leaving me for the Kazekage's girlfriend," The woman shrieked. Ren was released and she looked over the green jumpsuit's shoulder to see a pink haired female waving her fist around.

"Forgive me my sweet Sakura. Blossom of youth, I will take better care not to cause such attention," The jumpsuit said as he turned and pulled the pinkette into an embrace that looked much more comfortable than the one Ren had just been in. He planted a kiss on her forehead and Ren watched as Sakura's anger evaporated.

"Get a room, you two," Ino's voice called from behind Ren.

Ren turned to see Ino standing with Naruto, their fingers were laced together. The blond couple was just so cute Ren had to smile. Next to NaruIno stood SasuHina. Sauske had his arm draped over Hinata's shoulder and she had her arm around his waist. They looked so good together. Hanabi was standing off to the side looking pretty lonely amongst all the couples.

"Good afternoon everyone," Ren said with a small smile. She had mostly been looking at Hanabi when she said it so the girl smiled slightly. Ren was determined not to ever let Hanabi feel like a third wheel.

Everyone returned the greeting then Sakura elbowed Lee in the gut lightly and nodded her head towards Ren. "My youthful student," Lee called to Ren, like she wasn't 10 steps away, "I will not be able to join you on your beautiful day of shopping. It is with great regret that Sakura-chan and I must return to Hyuga-sama. I will meet with you at a later time and we will spar to see how much of Guy-Sensei's teachings you have mastered!"

Ren suddenly wondered how someone who seemed so easily angered and effortlessly annoyed like Sakura could be with a guy like Lee. She would possibly go insane in Sakura's shoes. Just by what little she'd saw of him, he wasn't an easy guy to tolerate. That being said, she would forever be grateful to her long-distance sensei. "We'll see Lee-sensei," Ren said with a small smile. In truth she was feeling like if she never fought again it would be too soon. She was still so uneasy about the person she became during battles. "Also, thank you so much for helping me. I wouldn't be at the skill level I am if it weren't for all your help, Lee-sensei."

Lee flashed her a grin that reflected the sun and was almost blinding. "Do not mention it, Ren-chan. It has been an honor to help you improve your taijutsu skills!"

"Okay, okay, let's get going," Sakura said with a laugh. She hooked her arm through Lee's and waved to the group. "Have fun! We'll see you guys later," She said as she practically dragged away Lee who was ranting about youthful goodbyes.

"He's a bit much at times," Ino said.

"Yep," Hanabi agreed.

"He has a lot of enthusiasm that's for sure," Ren said with a laugh.

"So you're with Gaara huh," Naruto asked. Ino glared at his bluntness.

"Hai. I am," Ren said with a small smile and a faint blush on her cheeks.

"I'm really glad he's finally got someone. He's always been more of a loner type even after I changed his attitude with a good beating," Naruto said with a fox-like grin. Ino punched his shoulder lightly and glared at him. "He's one of my best friends now though. Anyways I'm just glad he's found love. You seem like a pretty nice person, I guess you'd have to be to snag him. He's the most unemotional guy I know. How did you do it?"

Ren blushed and kicked the sand beneath her feet while trying to figure out the best way to answer him. To everyone else she looked like a little girl who was too shy to ask for a hug or something. "W-well," Ren bit her lip then continued, "It just kind of happened. One day we were training, the next I was being sent on a 4 year long mission. I came back and confronted him about the mission and its length and," Ren's blush grew much deeper, "Well, the rest is history. Neither of us was searching for love with the other b-but that's what we found." Ren smiled and stared at the ground.

"That's great," Naruto said as he draped his free arm over Ren's shoulder, "You just make sure you keep him, alright? No one wants to see him hurt, or you hurt for that matter."

"We all see the way you look at each other," Ino said softly, "you're perfect together."

"Ren-san," Hinata said quietly. Everyone turned to look at her since she had just interrupted the touching moment. "S-Sasuke and I were talking and I may be able t-to fix the chakra network behind your eyes."

Ren blinked a few times. She truthfully never even thought about it being fixed. She figured it was something she would have to live with. "If you're s-sure y-you could," Ren said before biting her lip. Hinata gave a confident nod. "A-alright," Ren replied with a nod of her own.

Hinata smiled and stepped away from Sasuke. He crossed his arms and watched his wife carefully. He was a mystery to Ren. She couldn't picture her sweet cousin with a guy like him if she hadn't saw it herself. "I'll need you to lay down," Hinata said meekly. Ren was pleased that her stutter was seemingly gone. Ren felt like her own stuttering got worse if Hinata's did. Naruto released Ren who laid down on the sand and watched Hinata activate her byakugan. Hinata paused for a moment then knelt down beside Ren's face. "I'm going to s-send my chakra in through y-your eyes. I-it may hurt a lot but there's a blockage that needs released."

Ren nodded and stared into her cousin's eyes while everyone else formed a semi-circle around them. Hinata took a deep breath and held her finger above Ren's eyes. Ren felt a jolt of chakra enter her eye and try to flow into her system. She had to fight not to blink. Hinata continued doing it a few times until Ren felt the chakra flow into her own. She repeated the process on the other eyes. When it was all said and done Ren closed her eyes until her vision cleared. "Should I try to activate it now," Ren asked as she opened her eyes to look at Hinata.

"Hai. I b-believe so."

Ren took a deep breath and sat up. She placed two fingers up to her chin and whispered, "Byakugan." Her chakra filled the veins around her eyes and her vision changed. There was no pain. Ren smiled. "Th-thank you, H-Hinata-sama," Ren said quietly.

"No problem," Hinata said with a giggle. Both byakugan users deactivated their bloodline limit and stood. "M-may I talk t-to you i-in private f-for a second," Hinata asked. Ren's stomach dropped. She nodded. She and Hinata stepped away from the group. Both girl's wore a worried expression on their faces. "Ano," Hinata said when they were for enough away, "Are y-you aware that," She paused for a second to breathe, "Did you know you're pregnant?"

Ren's stomach clinched and she started to sweat. "Y-yeah. I f-found out y-yesterday. I," now it was Ren's turn to take a deep breath, "I was going to t-tell Gaara y-yesterday b-but th-then you w-were all in there. P-please don't s-say anything. I d-don't want a-anyone t-to know y-yet. N-not until I tell Gaara."

"I won't say anything. Sasuke and I have to go though. I'm s-sorry. Hanabi and Ino will spend t-today with you," Hinata said quietly.

Ren nodded. Hinata glanced at Sasuke. He started walking over then looked over his shoulder to say, "C'mon, dobe. Time to go."

"I'm coming, teme. Just give me a second," Naruto called back. Ren watched Naruto kiss Ino sweetly and then run after Sasuke.

When it was just Ino and Hanabi left with Ren the three girls linked arms with Ren in the middle. "So let's get some shopping done," Ino said with a grin. If she was curious about what Hinata said, she didn't show it.

"Alright! I want to find something cute to wear for Konohamaru," Hanabi said with a giggle.

"Oh and we've got to find something for Ren to wow the socks off Gaara," Ino chimed.

"As long as it's not too tight," Ren muttered under her breath. She had to see Gaara. Good thing they had a date later.

XXXXXXXX

Ren felt very sick. She was green and the gray dress she wore didn't help her coloration at all. She still hadn't told her mother. The only people who knew were Kankuro and Hinata. She crossed her legs and closed her eyes while she waited for Gaara to come in the door. He was still at his office but the maid let her in to sit in the living room to wait for him.

"Hey Ren," Kankuro said from behind her. She turned and gave him the best smile she could. "Wow you don't feel well do you," He asked. She shook her head. She felt like she would throw up. "I've got something that will help," Kankuro said, "Don't move."

She sighed where would she go? Sure the house was huge and she could wander off but why would she? She rubbed her forehead. Sometimes Kankuro was so weird. She closed her eyes for a few minutes and then opened them when she heard footsteps behind her again. She turned to see Kankuro with a cup and a plate of gingerbread cookies. "Ginger's good for nausea," He said as he held the plate out to her.

"Arigato, Kankuro,"she thanked him. She took a cookie and bit into it. She wasn't sure about this. Her body was screaming 'no' but she forced herself to chew slowly then swallow. It wasn't easy at first but after two more bites like that she felt a little better. He handed her the cup. She smiled when the aroma of peppermint tea hit her. "I really appreciate this, Kankuro. I don't think I could get through dinner with Gaara as nauseous as I was feeling."

"Hey don't mention it. It's still my job to take care of you, even if you are dating my brother," He said with a smirk. Ren shook her head and sighed. Kankuro was just a goofball. "Plus I kinda hated seeing you throw up… twice."

"I didn't exactly enjoy it either," Ren said with a small laugh.

"Right, well, Gaara should be here any minute. Enjoy the cookies but don't fill up on them. I'll see you later," Kankuro said with a wave as he walked off in the direction of his room.

Ren nibbled on another cookie. They were really good. She'd have to ask Kankuro who made them later. If Kankuro baked them then hell was freezing over, then again he did say he had some baking to do. Ren figured that was his way of teasing her for having a 'bun in the oven', now she just wasn't sure. Ren hadn't even realized she had been spacing out until two cool hands covered her eyes. Their touch was soft and gentle. "Hello Gaara," Ren said with a smile.

"How did you know it was me," he asked flatly as he pulled his hands away.

Ren blushed faintly and bit her lip while he walked around to stand in front of her. "A-ano, w-well," Ren looked at the floor, "I c-can remember what your hands feel like b-better th-than anyone's."

Gaara chuckled low in his throat and extended his hand to hers. She sat the plate and cup on the table before she took his hand to stand up. She'd take the dishes to the kitchen later, if a maid didn't beat her to it that is. She let Gaara spin her so that her back was to him. "Wear this," he said as he placed a dark cloth over her eyes, "Don't peak and I'll tell you when you can take it off. I'll guide you, if you trust me to."

"I trust you," Ren replied as he tied the blindfold. Gaara led her through the house and out the back door. "Where are we going," Ren asked quietly

"You'll see in a minute," Gaara responded flatly. They continued walking for a while then they stopped. Ren bumped into Gaara. "Sorry," He muttered, "I should have warned you I was stopping."

"It's okay," She murmured.

Gaara released her hand and gently lifted the blindfold. "Oh Gaara," Ren whispered as she placed her left hand up to her mouth. They were standing in front of the manmade pond the academy used for teaching chakra control. Candles littered the whole area, burning brightly and reflecting on the water. A picnic was set up right next to the water. Ren turned to stare at the man she loved. He had always went out of his way to try to be romantic for her but this was by far the most beautiful date he'd ever arranged. The only thing that was missing were fireflies and cheesy music. She didn't need either. It was perfect. He was perfect.

"Come on, Temari prepared a nice dinner for us. We should eat it before it gets cold," Gaara said as he placed his hand on the small of her back. They sat on the blanket and Ren was just on cloud 9. Who knew Gaara could be this romantic? Where had he been hiding that? She was really a lucky girl. Someday she'd marry him and they were going to be a family. Sure she hadn't told him yet but she would. She would tell him tonight after dessert.

"How was your day," Ren asked as Gaara pulled the food out of the basket. He hesitated for a second before pulling out the last container.

"Stressful," He replied before taking a bite of food. In between bites he continued talking, "Hyuga-sama will not be branding you. He's made that clear. It will be difficult for him when he returns. A man of his stature should be able to deal with it though. Your mother and I met to discuss some of her concerns. Kankuro helped around the office today so I could get more done. You may be right about me needing an assistant. Baki and Kankuro both have other obligations but help when they can. How was your shopping trip with Yamanaka-san?"

"It was fun. Hanabi kept trying on the weirdest outfits but Ino talked her out of those. We convinced her to get some cute dresses. She's wanting to impress a boy named Sarutobi Konohamaru. I bought some clothes that aren't really 'ninja appropriate' but they're comfortable. I had so much fun with them, Gaara. Hanabi wasn't as bad as I first thought she'd be. She's very arrogant and bossy but she's also nice and cares about everyone. She really looks up to Hinata-san. Oh," Ren gasped and moved to sit closer to Gaara, "I almost forgot! Hinata fixed my eyes. I guess there was something limiting the charka flow. She got rid of it and now there's no pain when I use my kekkei genkai. I know I never really used it much but being limited was terrible."

"It sounds like you had an eventful day as well," Gaara told her as he brushed her hair behind her ear. He adored her long dark hair. She wore it just like Neji and didn't even realize it. The thought amused him slightly.

Their food was gone in no time. Gaara looked at Ren and actually started to sweat a little. "I would like to ask you something," Gaara asked passively. On the inside he was a nervous wreck but on the outside he was calm, minus his sweating that is.

"What is it," Ren asked quietly. She'd never seen Gaara break a sweat before. Now he'd done so twice in as many days.

Gaara reached into his pocket and kept it there. "I would like to spend every day with you. I would like to go to bed with you in my arms and wake up with you still there every day. I want to make you happy every day that I breathe. I wish to grow old with you and love you every day that we live. Ren," He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, "Will you become my wife? I know it's not an easy decision." He pulled a white-gold ring from his pocket. It had a pear shaped sapphire in the center and two small diamonds on either side of it. When he saw her face pale he immediately knew he should have stuck to what he and Temari had rehearsed. He'd messed up.

Ren couldn't breathe. She wanted to marry him, to be with him always. She looked into his eyes to figure out why he chose to ask her now. She couldn't find anything but worry. Did Kankuro or Hinata tell Gaara that she's pregnant? Is that why he was asking her? "Gaara," Ren whispered, "B-before I a-answer I have s-something t-to tell you." She bit her lip. She didn't mean to leave him in suspense but she had to get a grip on herself. "I-I'm pregnant," She blurted out and quickly looked down. She couldn't face him right now.

Gaara's mouth fell open and he was silent. He even forgot to breathe. "Of course she's pregnant you dobe. You've not used a single condom during your whole relationship, what did you think would happen," Gaara thought to himself. He took a slow breath and placed his hand on Ren's. She looked up at him. He didn't hate kids, at least not as much as Kankuro. Sure Gaara was scared, not that he'd admit that or show it, but he would do his best.

It was a lot to take in but he knew he couldn't dwell on it too long. Things were already in motion. He still loved Ren. He would love their child. "I will do my best for our child," He told her quietly. The hand that was on hers moved to rest on her lower abdomen. He was going to be a father. There was a little him growing there. He smiled slightly. He wasn't sure how he should feel about it. He'd stand by her and give it his all. "Will you marry me," He asked. He was practically begging her. He didn't like it, but he couldn't keep the desperation out of his voice.

Ren had tears forming in her eyes. She had half expected him to tell her he already knew. She didn't want to marry him if he was asking her just because she was pregnant. She nodded and it didn't even register when he slipped the ring on her left ring finger. She started to cry. They were tears of joy but also of relief. Gaara pulled her closer and she buried her face against his neck, soaking his black turtleneck with her tears. "I love you," She told him between sobs. They had never said it aloud and Ren wasn't expecting a response. She sniffled and tried to calm herself. It was a lot harder than it should've been.

Gaara rubbed her abdomen while he kept the other arm around her shoulders. He didn't want her to cry. He didn't enjoy seeing her tears and he had no idea why she was crying. He'd barely even heard her say she loved him. He loved her, the words should come out easily. He took a deep breath and calmly told her, "I love you as well." He heard Ren gasp and pulled back enough to look at her. She had tears streaming down her face and possibly some mucus leaking from her reddening nose but she was smiling. He felt like his breath was pulled out of his chest. She was beautiful and she was his.

XXXXXXXX

Ren was lost in thought as she washed the dishes from breakfast. Maids would do it but she wanted to do this herself. She had went home the night before excited to show Naoma Gaara's ring and announce their engagement as well as reveal that she's having his baby. What she hadn't been prepared for was what she walked in on.

Ren's mind was up in the clouds as she opened the door to her house. It was 11:30 in the evening and Ren was surprised to see that the living room like was on. She heard her mother giggle. "Must be watching a comedy," Ren thought as she took off her shoes. She walked towards the entryway to the living room and froze as soon as it came into view.

Naoma was giggling against her tea cup while sitting on the couch facing someone. That someone had long dark hair that was healthy but it wasn't shiny. "Hizashi and I never had the best relationship. He was robbed of his fate and I was the blame of it. Destiny is a cruel thing. I know that all too well. Hizashi and I should have tried to be better brothers. I should have tried harder. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. This has been a very pleasant evening and I hope to spend more time getting to know you and Ren," Hiashi told Naoma.

Ren watched Naoma smile and nod. "I would like that very much. I'm sorry for considering hitting you with the vase by the door when I saw you standing on my front step. Also, thank you for deciding not to seal my daughter. She's my world."

"She's also the Kazekage's," Hiashi said with a chuckle. "He has taken every opportunity to make sure that I am planning to keep my word. What I had heard of him seems to be false. He is very passionate about your daughter and her safety, more so than just because she's a kunoichi of his. It's a beautiful thing. She brings out the best in him and he gives her the confidence and strength to flash the byakugan at me despite the fact it causes her pain," Hiashi chuckled again.

Ren really didn't want to be eavesdropping she slipped back to the door and put her shoes back on. She would just have to hope that Gaara hadn't went to bed yet.

She hadn't planned to stay over originally because Temari was out of town and wouldn't be back until early morning. Ren didn't really know where else to go so she had headed to the Kazekage Mansion. Gaara had actually been sitting out on the steps. He didn't ask questions but she told him what she had heard anyway.

"Hey Short Stuff," Temari said as she spanked Ren's left buttock. Ren yelped and turned to look at her friend. "Show me the ring," Temari demanded with a smile. Ren dried her hands then extended her left hand. "He got the one I told him too," She said with a smile, "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Ren said and hugged Temari gently. The two did a silly hopping hug and laughed. "Have you talked to him yet," Ren asked as she bit her lip.

"Yeah. He told me I'm going to be an aunt. I can't wait. He's confused but happy about it, so don't worry about that." Temari started laughing, "Be glad you didn't get with Kankuro. He hates kids so much."

Ren paled slightly and without thinking placed her hands over her belly as soon as Kankuro walked into the room. He looked at her like she had grown another head. The sight made Temari laugh louder. "What'd you do to her? Some strange genjutsu," Kankuro asked as he stared at Ren.

Ren shook her head and sighed. "I can't do genjutsu. You know that."

"Then she's finally lost her mind," Kankuro said as he grabbed a piece of bread to put in the toaster. He had to duck to avoid being hit by a butcher's knife. "Hey I was just kidding!"

"Whatever," Temari said as she put her hands on her hips.

"P-please don't fight," Ren requested with a frown.

"Sorry," They both muttered.

"Oh! Ino, Sakura, Hinata, and Hanabi are wanting me to go shopping with them again today. Would you like to come, Temari?"

"I'd like that. It'll give us time to catch up and enjoy some girl time. Maybe we'll convince them to get pedicures. My feet are killing me," Temari said with a smile. She seemed to be daydreaming and Ren could only giggle.

"Hey what am I supposed to do today," Kankuro asked with a pout.

"Your job maybe," Temari muttered.

"Gaara does need an assistant," Ren said with a giggle.

"Tch, why can't I get an off day," Kankuro muttered.

XXXXXXXX

"I'm so glad you suggested this," Ino gushed.

All 6 girls felt like they were in heaven. They were sitting in the spa with their feet soaking in warm water that was being vibrated. Temari had her head back and was practically moaning as she said, "I know. I'm full of so many great ideas."

Ren, Hinata, and Hanabi giggled. "I'll admit it, you are," Sakura said with a content sigh, "This is amazing. We need a spa like this in Konoha."

Hinata blushed faintly and said, "S-sometimes Sasuke gives me foot massages. This kind of reminds me o-of when he does. He's great with h-his hands."

"Oh I bet he is," Temari said with a chuckle.

Hinata ignored Temari's comment and suggested, "Maybe Lee-san would massage you, Sakura-chan."

"Wonder if I could convince Naruto to," Ino said dreamily.

"Father would kill me if I asked Konohamaru to do that," Hanabi said with a giggle. "He wouldn't do it anyway," Hanabi pouted a little. She liked the boy so much but he barely noticed her.

Ren didn't want in on this conversation. She was perfectly happy listening to the girls go on and on about their loves. She didn't need to tell them about Gaara, she was perfectly happy keeping him all to herself. Well, for now. She'd soon be sharing him with their baby. She smiled and closed her eyes to just listen to the conversation.

"How did you land Uchiha anyway Hinata? Sakura and Ino weren't much help in making me understand," Temari chuckled.

"Ano, well," Hinata bit her lip and looked at her knees, "I was visiting Naruto in the hospital a few months a-after Sasuke returned. He was there too and we started talking. He got on my nerves, kind of. He said some mean things and I kind of told him off b-because he was very rude. After that he wouldn't leave me alone. I don't think he meant to fall for me. I really didn't mean to fall for him. One m-minute I couldn't wait to get away from him, the next I couldn't w-wait to be with h-him always."

"That's really, uh, interesting," Temari stated. Every single girl was smiling. Ren didn't know anything about Sasuke really but that fit in perfectly with what she did know. "You keep him in line, Hinata," Temari said with a chuckle.

"Onee-chan brings out the best in him," Hanabi said with a proud smile, "And she's not as much of a push over with him around. Otou-sama has even told her he's proud of her since she started hanging out with Uchiha."

"It's true. They really do complete each other. There was a time where I'd of killed to be in Hinata's shoes but I see now that she's who he's meant for. Lee's meant for me, as crazy as that sounds," Sakura giggled, "He's so sweet. He does everything he can to make me happy. For the first time I'm more focused on making someone else happy though. My happiness comes from his. Sometimes that means watching silly old karate movies or pushing myself harder so that he's not working out alone. I don't know how TenTen was able to keep up. Sometimes I wish Kiba wouldn't have started courting her. She spends her time training with him now," Sakura paused to look at Ren, "TenTen was Lee and Neji's teammate. We've all decided that when we get back to Konoha we'll be gathering all pictures of Neji the village has and making copies for you. We're also going to have people write out things about him."

"Just because he's gone doesn't mean you can't know him," Ino said softly.

The air was now heavy. Everyone was quiet as Ren nodded. "I appreciate that so much. I still don't really know how I should feel about it. I'm very depressed to know I had a brother and now I don't but you all make it impossible to stay sad about it. You're all so kind. You're going to go through all that trouble for a silly girl you barely know," Ren said with a soft smile.

Hanabi reached out and put her hand on Ren's. "You're Ren-nee-san. You love reading, writing, strawberries, and rice. You hate mushrooms, peas, yakon, and those little bows people put on presents. You're really nice except in battle, according to Ino, and you are in love with the Kazekage, according to the ring on your finger," Hanabi said with a giggle.

Ren blushed a little and sighed. "Okay, you're starting to know me fairly well already. Those bows really are pointless though. A waste of material that takes forever to get unknotted if it's not tied just right."

"None of us will ever give you presents with a bow on it, promise," Ino said with a laugh.

Ren was eager to get them back on track, away from herself. "When will you be getting married," Ren asked Ino.

"Oh, I don't know yet. He just asked me a month ago and we haven't really had time to plan. It'll be a simple white wedding," She said with a smile, "Naruto's got his inheritance from his parents but I'd rather we save that as much as possible. Plus my parents want to keep things simple. I don't want anything fancy anyway. It'll be an intimate event where I walk down the aisle to the man I love and promise to be together always. That to me feels perfect."

"That sounds wonderful," Ren said with a smile.

"Too bad your wedding is going to have to be huge," Temari said to bring Ren out of her own wedding daydreams. "You'll be standing on the balcony of the academy with all of Suna below you."

"I don't care how our wedding is," Ren's smile grew, "I'd marry him in my birthday suit if I had to." She blushed at the thought but quickly recovered, "I'll have a beautiful wedding with the people Gaara cares about most watching. I don't like being the center of attention but I'd do anything for Gaara. He's the Kazekage so a big wedding is expected. I'm prepared for that."

"When will it be," Ino asked.

"I hope it'll be before we have to go," Sakura said.

"Can I be a part of it," Hanabi questioned with a grin.

"I'd like to be able to see it," Hinata said with a gentle smile.

"I'm sure you will all get to see it. They're getting married in a hurry," Temari said quieter than usual.

"How come," asked Sakura.

"B-because," Ren stuttered and looked around to make sure no one else would hear, "I-I'm p-pregnant."

"What," Ino yelled. The few people in the spa turned to look at the group. Ino blushed a little and laughed as she waved it off. "Nothing to worry about. I just couldn't believe the price of this. It's really a steal!"

The people all laughed and went back to what they were doing. All six girls let out a sigh of relief at the same time. "That's not why he asked you to marry him is it," Hanabi asked with a frown.

It was very clear to Ren that she needed to clarify things or Gaara may end up with an exploding tag under his pillow. She absolutely adored her youngest cousin. She wasn't afraid to prank anyone. Gaara had found that out when he took a shower. Hanabi had claimed she thought she had put pudding in Kankuro's bathroom. "No, he didn't know when he asked," Ren said with a small smile.

"How did he propose," Hinata asked quietly.

Ren's smile became a grin. She knew it wasn't the most romantic proposal on the planet, but it was hers and it was perfect.

XXXXXXXX

The table in the Kazekage's mansion's kitchen was feeling a little crowded. Gaara, Ren, Naruto, Ino, Sasuke, and Hinata were all sitting at it. If anyone else were going to be eating they would have to do so in the dining room.

Gaara disliked the dining room, he preferred the less formal environment of the kitchen. He was pleased when he learned Ren felt the same way. She had been leaning over the counter eating an apple with her back to him when he made that discovery. She was humming a song Gaara couldn't recognize but it sounded like some sort of lullaby. She was wearing one of his smaller shirts and the way she bent over gave him a great view. They had defiled the kitchen counter that morning.

Gaara had to blink to clear the thought from his mind before his pants got too much tighter. He glanced over at Ren who was watching Hinata as she talked about something with Ino. He wasn't paying attention. "Hey Gaara," Naruto said from his place at Gaara's right, "What's up with your face?"

Gaara blinked only once and tilted his head to the side. He was confused. He had no idea what Naruto was talking about. Ren turned to look at Gaara and gasped. She was standing from her seat with a napkin in hand in less than a second. "Gaara what happened," She asked as she wiped his nose.

He had a nose bleed. He pinched the soft spot under the bone of his nose and held it there while Ren held the napkin. "I'm uncertain. It's never happened before," He muttered.

"What were you doing? Digging for gold too rough," Naruto asked with a bellowing laugh.

"Quite down, dobe," Sasuke called to him from the other end of the table.

"Naruto don't be so gross at the table. We've come too far with your table manners for you to fail at them now," Ino teased.

Hinata covered her mouth to hide a laugh. Ren's eyes met Gaara's and she knew that look. She instantly felt a small fire ignite in her lower abdomen. She was suddenly very aware of why Gaara had gotten a nosebleed. Well, she was aware that it had to do with becoming aroused very quickly but she had no idea what provoked it. Was he attracted to Ino or Hinata? She certainly wasn't looking sexy right now. She was in his tee shirt and jeans. Nothing sexy about that. She almost questioned him about it but the look in his eyes told her that it was her that he was thinking about. He looked at her like he would pounce her the second they were alone. She couldn't wait.

A small smile formed on Ren's lips and Ino giggled. Naruto sniffed the air once which resulted in him being hit over the head by his lovely fiancé. "What'd I do," he groaned. He just had thought he smelled something different and wanted to make sure he wasn't imagining whatever it was.

"Don't sniff like that, it's rude," Ino scolded him, "We have to be prepared for formal dinners when you become Hokage, remember? It's not all sunshine and rainbows."

Ren was thoroughly embarrassed. In her panicked state she decided she had to take the focus off of Gaara's nosebleed and so she looked at Naruto with a smile and asked, "How is it that you and Gaara became such good friends?"

"He was my first friend," Gaara told her clearly catching onto where she was going with this and hoping it worked. His future wife was bright, even under pressure. "We met for the chunin exams, while you were in your coma," He said looking at her. He wonder if it had been ten minutes yet because he was really wanting to let go of his nose.

"Yeah. When we first met I automatically hated him. He was an arrogant bastard that thought he was so great. He was also pretty scary," Naruto admitted.

"When I first saw Gaara, I watched him kill three genin just because he said they looked at him funny," Hinata said reluctantly, "I'm really glad you aren't like that now, Kazekage-sama."

Ren pulled the blood soaked napkin from Gaara's nose and a maid came to collect it from her hands without a word. The bleeding had stopped. Ren swallowed hard and found her hand within Gaara's under the table. He looked troubled by Hinata's words. She knew he didn't like the person he was before. "Gaara had a rough childhood," Ren said quietly without taking her eyes off his, "I didn't know him very well until after he had met Naruto and decided to change his ways but even I was fearful of him." She turned her gaze to Naruto and told him, "Arigato, Naruto. Had it not been for you, my life would be a lot less happy."

Naruto blushed slightly and shrugged. "It's no big deal. It was years ago. I just did what I thought was best. I saw a lot of myself in Gaara," Naruto told her.

"Because you were both jinchuuriki, vessels for tailed beasts," Sasuke stated bluntly.

"It was more than that, teme," Naruto snarled. "I saw the darkness he was suffering in and knew that pain all too well. Gaara and I were the same. I just allowed others to save me a lot sooner."

"Y-you contain a t-tailed b-beast," Ren asked as she suddenly paled.

Naruto stared at Ren and everyone in the room stiffened. Ino was as pale as Sai, Hinata looked like she had swallowed something fowl, Sasuke's eyes were wide, Gaara was passive but internally cursing himself for not reminding her, and Naruto was blank. "What, are you afraid of me or something," Naruto scoffed.

Ren drew in a deep breath. It wasn't that she was afraid, she was just curious to know some things and wished that hadn't been Naruto's fate. His words were ones she hadn't heard in a while, just said a little differently. "Do you fear me," He would ask. "I just don't know you yet," she would respond. She couldn't respond to Naruto like that. It felt too different and warranted a different response. "Not at all, Naruto. I was just a little shocked to actually meet someone who has one. Is it as bad for you as it was Gaara? He never slept, was always irritable, and angry."

Gaara looked at her and she was pretty sure she could read his mind. "I'm sitting right here," he was probably thinking. She smiled weakly to him and he returned her smile. She was forgiven without a word.

"There are similarities and differences. Every jinchuuriki is different because every beast is different. Me, I was an orphan. Both of my parents died but my father was able to seal Kurama the Kyubi inside me to save the village. I didn't know I had it in me until I was 12. People always treated me different, ne? The only people I had in my life were Old Man Sarutobi and Iruka-sensei," Naruto responded.

Ino cut in with a smile, "He means The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

Ren nodded and looked at Naruto to continue. "Well," He sighed out, "I sleep, laugh, and have fun. Gamabunta," Naruto was cut off again this time by Sasuke.

"His giant toad summon," Sasuke stated to clear that up.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, Gamabunta once told me that the rings around Gaara's eyes were from insomnia. He couldn't sleep soundly so his dreams became nightmares. Every time Gaara would fall asleep Shukaku would eat away at his psyche. He was very clear that if that happened the person Gaara once was would cease to exist. The lack of sleep is what made him unstable. For Gaara it was a heavy burden. If he fell asleep he'd eventually lose his mind and Shukaku would take over. If Gaara stayed awake there wasn't as much danger. For me I didn't have anything like that. Kurama used to be vicious and destructive but now it's all worked out and he's an ally rather than something I have to keep contained."

Ren nodded in understanding. Gaara was still thinking, "I'm only right here, please continue speaking as if I'm not sitting Right. Next. To. You."

"How is it that you were able to open Gaara's eyes exactly? It's been a really long time since Gaara explained it to me and I'd like to hear the other side of the story," Ren requested. She reached under the table and placed her hand on Gaara's knee. She wanted him to know she realized he was there and that she was sorry if she was making him angry. She hoped she wasn't making him angry. Shukaku or no Shukaku he was the Kazekage for a reason and she did not want to see that fight.

"When our fight was finished he had beaten me. I couldn't move and yet he still continued, using his chin to pull his whole body closer. For a change I felt fear. He could have finished me. I'll never forget his words as he inched closer," Gaara said flatly. His hand made it's way onto Ren's and gave it a light squeeze to know he was fine.

"It's almost unbearable isn't it," Naruto said as he too recalled his own words, "The feeling of being all alone. I know that feeling. I've been there in that dark and lonely place but now there are others. Other people who mean a lot to me. I care more about them than I do myself and I won't let anyone hurt them. That's why I won't ever give up. I will stop you even if I have to kill you."

Ren stared at Gaara who squeezed her hand reassuringly. She had heard this all before but it was still a scary thought, losing Gaara. She'd come close to losing him when Shukaku was extracted. Had Chiyo not given her life for his…? Ren swallowed hard. She hadn't even been here and it weighed heavily on her mind. "I asked him 'But why? Why would you do this for anyone but yourself?' I was very confused by his actions. I should have been able to defeat him but he just kept coming," Gaara said softly.

"I replied to him by speaking the truth. I spilled my heart. I told him 'Because they saved me from myself. They rescued me from my loneliness. They were the first to accept me for who I am. They're my friends.' Then Sasuke showed up and told me that Sakura was okay. I passed out."

"Kankuro and Temari got me out of there quickly and I felt regret for the first time. Naruto's words sat heavily in my mind. I started questioning why you, Ren, meant so much to Kankuro. I asked myself why anyone fights for anyone else. I was sorry for my actions, not just in attacking The Leaf but for every moment of hate I have ever felt. We, Suna, were wrong in our actions that day. It is just good fortune that Konohagakure was so understanding," Gaara muttered.

"You're lucky I didn't go after you after I got stronger," Sasuke muttered. Hinata placed her hand on his to try and get him to behave himself.

Ren looked at Sasuke with the intent to kill. She wanted to rip his stupid eyes from their sockets. She didn't even notice that her byakugan was active. She felt Gaara's hand tighten around hers and she had to bite down on her tongue to keep from growling. "Hey, teme," Naruto glared, "You would have stepped one foot within Suna and been taken back home a hell of a lot sooner. Don't go around acting like you're better than everyone else. You're just pissed because you couldn't beat Gaara. I thought we were past that," Naruto scoffed.

Ino's eyes were narrowed as she stared at the Uchiha. "Naruto's right. You can't talk like that Sasuke. There's always someone stronger, faster, smarter. You don't know who that will be."

"Sasuke please," Hinata plead.

"Fine," Sasuke scowled, "I apologize for my behavior." He looked at Ren and their eyes met. She was looking right through them to the nerves behind those eyes. She could probably have them out with the soup spoon if she were fast enough. Of course she could be if she really tried. "You can relax now," Sasuke mocked her, "I'm not interested in hurting your boyfriend anymore."

Ren's eyes narrowed and she nearly stood but Gaara kept her hand held tight. She turned to look at him and he flashed her one of his smiles. Ren's anger faded immediately. The veins around her eyes returned to normal and she had to blink to adjust to the change in vision.

Hinata, Ino, and Naruto all three let out breaths of relief. Gaara pulled Ren closer and pressed his lips gently against her temple. "He's just trying to get a rouse out of you," Gaara whispered to Ren before planting a second soft kiss on her temple. Ren relaxed considerably. She still didn't like that teme but would put up with him, for Gaara and Hinata.

"Kazekage-sama," Ino said from next to Naruto, "I'm glad you've grown out of your blood-lust days too. I know I've never really said anything but you've helped us all out in some way. You're a good friend to have."

"Ino's right," Hinata nodded in agreement, "If it hadn't been for you and your siblings I would have lost my brother. Well," Hinata rubbed the back of her head, "He's not really my brother but Kiba-kun is as close as it gets without being blood."

"You're welcome," Gaara said flatly.

"Well then, what's for desert," Naruto asked with a sly grin.

"Hopefully nothing too sweet," Sasuke muttered. All hostility had left him. Ren couldn't figure the guy out.

"We'll be having chocolate covered strawberries and ice cream. There is a less sweet vanilla for you, Sasuke," Gaara told them. Everyone seemed fine with this. Ren was more than fine with it. She loved strawberries so much. All of her anger was forgotten as Gaara offered her a strawberry.

XXXXXXXX

Dear Momoko,

It's been a while since I wrote to you, I apologize for that. How's the baby? I know you were due to have him or her last month but I never received word. I hope you're doing well. I miss you. I met a girl named Ino who reminds me of you a lot. She adores shopping, is always happy, can be bossy, and has a big heart. She's engaged to a guy named Uzumaki Naruto. He's a really nice guy. He's energetic with a big heart. He was Gaara's first friend so I'm determined to be his friend too.

A lot has happened to me. In my last letter I told you that Gaara and I had taken our relationship to a 'more than friends' level. Well, I'm pregnant with his baby and soon to be Mrs. Sabaku Gaara. That's big news right? Kaasan took the news about my pregnancy much better than I expected. I assume that's because Gaara asked me to be his wife. He's been great to me. I expected him to be angry or distressed when I told him. He stayed quiet and I could practically hear his brain working through it. He seemed happy about it, well as happy as Kazekage-sama gets.

I met my father's family. Turns out I had a brother, Neji, who died at the age of 18 protecting our cousin. From what Ino has told me, she grew a lot after his death. I'm not sure how to handle it. I feel like I've been robbed of something I always wanted and didn't even know I had. I wish I could know him. Lee, his teammate and my long-distance-sensei, said he wasn't always the easiest person to get along with. He claims Neji was naturally talented and Lee always had to work hard to try to be as good as him. Lee's biggest regret regarding my brother is that they will never get to battle.

I feel like my heart is broken because of it. I knew I would never know my father but his death is still hard to accept. I lost two people who could have been very important people in my life. I don't want that for my child. He or she will have siblings and know them. I don't expect them to always get along but they will know that they are family and that that is the most important thing in life.

I don't want this letter to be all sadness though. I'm becoming friends with my cousins and my mother is getting along with my uncle. It's weird how often they have tea. I keep finding him over until late in the evening. I believe they spend most of the time speaking of my father, my cousins, and I. It's nice though. Kaasan is actually laughing and seems much happier. Hiashi is also acting different. He's usually so stuck up and stoic. I've actually seen him laugh and show kindness towards her. He says nice things about Hinata, Hanabi, and I when he doesn't think I can hear them. It's nice.

Hanabi is a little firecracker! I love her though. She calls me Ren-nee-san. I cannot express how much that fills my heart with joy. I've been spending a lot of time with Hanabi. She's a little prankster. She's put pudding in Gaara's shampoo bottle, a cactus in Kankuro's bed, and blue dye in Temari's facial cleanser. She looked like a blueberry for three days! I'm waiting on her to do something to me. Maybe she's waiting for me to move into the house first. I'm afraid of how she'll prank me.

Hinata is very shy so it's harder to connect with her but I love her as well. She's here for her honeymoon so I don't expect to see much of her. There's been a few days where I've been around her without her husband but usually he's right there with her. They're a cute couple. He doesn't say much and when he does his voice is usually arrogant unless it's to her. He's a teme without her. She's quiet but never really has anything mean to say, except to Sasuke, her husband. They're so good together it's downright silly.

I have also met a girl named Sakura. She has pink hair and a big forehead. Ino calls her 'Billboard Brow' or 'Forehead' but it's not spiteful. Hinata told me that it used to be but now that they're friends it's more like pet names. Ino is 'Ino-pig' to Sakura. She's dating Lee and they're polar opposites. She's short tempered and has a tendency to hit I've noticed. Lee's energetic and optimistic. He can be a lot to take at times though. He's always pulling me into bear hugs that make it hard to breathe. Sakura's really gentle with him though. It's like she's a different person when she's dealing with Lee instead of Naruto, Ino's fiancé.

I've met so many new people since I came home. I miss you dearly but I am so glad to be in Sunagakure and living my life. How are Tamotsu and Yoshihiro? I should really write to Yoshihiro. He's still my friend and I haven't been a very good one. Distance is no excuse. I'll write to him after this. I'd life for you to come to my wedding but I know that's not possible. You've had a baby and are in no condition to travel. I promise to send you pictures. I'm so glad I got to see your wedding. It was truly beautiful and it was an honor. You're like my big sister, so Momoko-nee-san, I love you. If you ever need someone to talk to feel free to write. I'll not be the quickest response because it takes time for mail but I'll always be here for you. Be safe and write back soon.

Sincerely,

Hyogo Ren

XXXXXXXX

"Hey what movie do you guys want to watch," Naruto called over his shoulder to his friends. He was sitting on the couch while Gaara and Lee were getting popcorn, drinks, and candy. It was a guy's day. The only thing that was kind of ruining it was Sasuke. He was in one of his moods. He hadn't wanted to come but Hinata had wanted to go spend time with Ren. Naruto, if he didn't know better, would have thought that Sasuke was jealous of Ren.

Kankuro came into the living room with a horror movie in tow. "We'll watch this one," he said with a sly grin. No one argued as the five of them sat down and watched the movie.

The film started out fairly simple. It was a couple moving into a new house with nice neighbors. 10 minutes in and it all went to hell. The woman ended up pregnant with a demon baby that eventually tore her apart from the inside out. The neighbors, who worshiped the devil, were there to take the baby. The movie ended with the parents dead and the baby to be raised by the Satanists. At the very end there was a flash of the child, grown up, stabbing something and blood splattering up around him before the end credits rolled.

All five of them sat there in silence as the credits rolled on. Gaara wasn't sure what to think. He was suddenly having many insecurities about his future child. Kankuro couldn't believe how messed up that movie was. This is why he didn't like kids. They were too easily shaped into monsters. That and they cried and thought everyone owed them something.

Lee was weeping into a pillow. He hadn't been able to watch a majority of the movie because it was 'too much' for him. Naruto and Sasuke both had their jaws dropped. "If I didn't want to restore my clan, I'd say that movie has put me off having children," Sasuke muttered.

"There will be no little Lee's running around now. My youthful desire for reproduction with my blossom of love is ruined," Lee said from behind the pillow.

"I'm still gonna have kids with Ino," Naruto said with a shrug. Everyone looked at him dumbfounded. Even Gaara would have sworn off children if he wasn't already expecting one. He prayed it wouldn't be a demon. He'd spent his childhood as one. He prayed that wouldn't be mirrored back. "What? She's smoking hot and would be a great mother. If our kids start getting outta line. Bam!" Naruto punched his fist into his palm, "She can do some mind jutsu and make 'em behave."

"That's not how it works, dobe," Sasuke chuckled.

"Yeah plus I don't think that'd teach your kids anything," Kankuro stated.

"Well, either way. We'll be making lots of little Uzumaki's," Naruto said as he wiggled his eyebrows around.

Kankuro chuckles, Sasuke rolled his eyes, Lee stared at Naruto like he was his hero, and Gaara stared at them all blankly.

"Hey Gaara," Naruto waved his hand in front of Gaara's face, "You alright? You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

"I'm going to be a father," Gaara stated in a daze.

"Damn," Sasuke grunted.

"Already," Lee asked innocently.

"You sure are a fast worker. Ren-chan is pretty hot though. If I didn't have Ino and you weren't in the picture I'd chase her like a fox chases mice," Naruto stated.

"She does have a nice ass," Kankuro muttered and Sasuke smirked.

"How dare you all talk about Ren-chan like she is a piece of meat waiting to be devoured," Lee shouted.

"Oh please," Kankuro shrugged, "Like you haven't looked at Sakura like that. What does it for you? Her barely their chest or her perfectly round ass?"

"Maybe it's her forehead," Sasuke said with a smirk.

"Sakura is a beautiful person even if she can be very abusive at times," Naruto rushed to her defense.

"Yeah! Sakura is a beautiful person with a big heart. She is kind and gentle and smart. She gives the best handjobs in the world," Lee blurted out. Then he blushed and covered his mouth when he realized what he had just said.

"Hand jobs? That's what you like about her," Kankuro asked with a brow raised.

Everyone except Gaara and Lee erupted into fits of laughter. "What is said in this room remains between us," Gaara informed them with glares that promised death if they did not comply. All men nodded. "Good," Gaara said with a nod.

"Hey Gaara," Sasuke smirked, "I've been meaning to ask if she's as firey in the bed as she is when she's defending you."

Gaara suddenly had the urge to punch Sasuke for three reasons. The first being that it was none of Sasuke's business how Ren behaved in private. Two: Gaara wasn't sure how he could even begin to answer that question. And Three: he didn't need Ren to protect him and hated that Sasuke had even implied that he did.

Gaara was about to launch himself at Sasuke when Kankuro spoke, "You should hear it. He makes her scream practically and it lasts for hours. I swear some nights I don't get any sleep. It's like now that they're engaged and she's already pregnant they're going at it like rabbits."

All eyes were on Gaara. Sasuke looked indifferent, Naruto looked envious, Kankuro was waiting for his brother's reaction, and Lee looked at Gaara as if he were a god. Gaara didn't know the best way to handle the situation. He sat there and slowly heat traveled up his neck to his face, all the way into his hairline. He was blushing as bad as Hinata and Ren sometimes did. This conversation really needed to stay within that room.

XXXXXXXX

Ren and Hanabi sat at the table in Gaara's kitchen picking at their breakfast. "Everyone's left us here," Hanabi pouted.

"Yep," Ren said with a sigh as she took a bite of her toast. She didn't want toast but she was feeling nauseous so this was the best option. She really wanted lizard tongue. It was a weird craving for her but that's what she wanted. She blamed Gaara. The baby would love his favorite foods, she was sure of it.

"They didn't even leave a note," Hanabi exclaimed.

"Yeah I know," Ren sighed again.

"Just because we know what they're all out doing doesn't mean they shouldn't have left a note! We could've forgotten for all they know!"

Ren rubbed the back of her neck and stared at Hanabi. She loved her darling cousin but this wasn't as big of a deal as she was making it out to be. Gaara had kissed her and told her goodbye before leaving to his office. Kankuro had stopped in to check on her before he headed out to the boarder for patrols. Ren knew for a fact that Hinata and Hiashi had tried to wake Hanabi before setting out to do their own things. Baki and Sakura would be over any minute to escort the two of them to the shop where Ren was getting her wedding dress from. Naoma would get there when she could and Temari would meet them there around 11.

"It's not that bad, Imouto," Ren said with a small smile, "Do you not like alone time with me? Sure they left us here but we have important things to do today too, ne? We have to pick out my gown, your dress, and Temari's dress. I'm kind of relieved not to have Lee and Naruto around right now. I don't want boys standing there watching me as I come and go from the changing room trying on gowns."

"What about Baki, he's a guy," Hanabi said with a sly smile.

"He's a man who's 16 years my senior and guarding me. You can't go anywhere without a guard and Gaara has decided to have someone guarding me all the time too. I'm glad it's Baki and not Matsuri or Isago. Don't get me wrong, Matsuri's not so bad other than her hating me for being with Gaara. Isago's a great jonin and very capable. I just don't really know him. He was supposed to be my sensei but when the Fourth died that plan flew out the window so he's a complete mystery to me."

"Isago is a remarkable jonin and he was indeed supposed to be your sensei," Baki said from behind the girls. Both tensed up and Ren dropped her toast onto the floor. "Didn't mean to sneak up on you, I assumed one or both of you would notice my approach."

"I'm still half asleep," Hanabi whined.

Ren picked up her toast with a sigh. It was better not to provoke him. He'd just turn it into a training exercise of some sort. It didn't matter if you were genin, chunin, or even jonin. Baki would go out of his way to make sure you improved. That was great but Ren was tired, pregnant, nauseous, and suddenly feeling very moody. She got up and threw the bread in the trash before gathering the dishes and taking them to the sink. "Where's Sakura-san," Ren muttered.

"She's running a little late but will be here shortly. Perhaps you two should get dressed while we wait," Baki suggested.

Ren and Hanabi both looked down at their bodies. Ren was wearing one of Gaara's shirts that barely hid her underwear and Hanabi was wearing a frilly pink nightgown. Both girls blushed and rushed out of the kitchen to change.

XXXXXXXXX

"Whoa you look like a brunette Temari," were the first words out of Sakura's mouth when she saw Ren. Ren had forgotten that she didn't have any clean clothes so she had sneaked into Temari's room to borrow some, mostly because Temari had already lent her clothes in the past. Ren was wearing Temari's dark blue, elbow length sleeved dress with a slit up the right side to her knee. A red sash was tied around her waist and thin red straps were wrapped around her shoulders. Hanabi had found it funny to put her hair into four pigtails even though it was much too long to stick up like Temari's did.

"I didn't have any clean clothes. I was so excited to come over here that I spaced them," Ren said with a sigh.

"Doesn't she look so cute? She's not got a giant fan to carry around but look," Hanabi said as she turned Ren around and pointed to the twin fans tied behind Ren's back on the left side. "She's got fans of her own," she said as she giggled.

"You two really went all out when it comes to dressing like Temari," Sakura commented.

"The fans are her normal weapons. She's a Wind Release user like Temari and myself," Baki informed the girls from the doorway. "Shall we go and get this over with?"

The walk to the shop was filled with whispers and giggles between the three females while Baki walked behind them fighting the urge to roll his eyes. Once Sakura had looked back at him and then started laughing again as soon as she looked away. Did the pink haired girl forget she was on guard duty too? It was going to be a long day for him. He hoped that Gaara knew exactly what he had asked of him.

As soon as the group entered the shop the owner turned the sign in the window to say closed. Marrying the Kazekage had its perks, they had the whole store to themselves. Ren, Sakura, and Hanabi browsed the hundreds of gowns hanging around the store. Baki followed them around and was soon loaded down with four wedding gowns, three bridesmaid dresses, and three veils. He helped Hanabi and Ren get the dresses into the changing rooms then took a seat across from the doors.

Hanabi came out of the changing room first. She came out and Sakura zipped up the back of the dress. It was a sky blue floor length dress. It had long sleeves that hung loosely around Hanabi's arms, a baby doll bodice with a navy blue belt, and flowed out slightly under the belt. Hanabi stared into the mirror grinning. She didn't really like the dress but she was so thrilled that she had convinced Ren to make her a bridesmaid that it didn't matter to her what she wore. "What do you think of this one," Sakura called to the closed dressing room door.

"Just a second," Ren called from within the room. She opened the door after about a minute and stepped out. She allowed Sakura to tie her dress while she stared at Hanabi. "Well," Ren said with a forced smile, "I hate it."

"Me too," Sakura said with a nod.

"Agreed," Hanabi laughed.

Hanabi stepped away from the mirrors to let Ren move to them. Ren wore an ivory princess-like gown. It had long sleeves that flowed out at her elbows and a corset top that had barely any beading or lace. "I don't like it," Hanabi blurted out, "It doesn't suit you at all. It's not elegant enough."

"Mmhmm," Sakura agreed.

Ren ran her hand down the front of the dress and then twisted to get a look at the back. "Are you sure it's that bad," Ren asked quietly.

"It's bad," Baki said from his seat.

Ren sighed, feeling defeated. Hanabi retreated into the dressing room while Ren continued to stare at the dress. She liked it. The front door opened and Sakura, Baki, and Ren turned to look at who came in. Naoma waved and approached slowly. She had her mouth covered as she stared at the dress. "No, baby, just," Naoma paused, "Just no."

Ren sighed again and hung her head. Hanabi came out of the dressing room so Ren stepped back. Hanabi stepped up to the mirror and twirled slowly. The dress was the same color as the first but had navy lace over the sweetheart bodice that made up long sleeves. The dress flowed out just below Hanabi's naval and was silky.

"It's beautiful," Sakura muttered.

"Wow," Naoma said, "Now that's a dress."

"I really like that one," Ren said with a smile. Hanabi did look very lovely in it. The light color wasn't very flattering on Hanabi on its own but the lace over the top made it suit her well. "I'm going to go try on the next dress," Ren informed them. Sakura untied the dress and she disappeared into the changing room.

Ren came back out a little bit later wearing a dress similar to the first. Naoma spun her around immediately and sent her back to change. Hanabi tried on the other dress but it wasn't nearly as beautiful on her. The second dress was the one for her. Ren came out and returned to the changing room for a third time and was feeling like she would never find a dress.

Ren stepped out of the changing room and allowed Naoma to zip up the back. She closed her eyes tight as she stepped up to the mirror. She was afraid to look. She had liked every dress but everyone else outvoted her. She was getting tired and annoyed.

"That's the one," Temari said as she entered the store.

Ren opened her eyes and stared at the gown. It was the one. It was perfect. "I love it," Ren whispered.

"That's definitely the one," Naoma said.

"It's so beautiful," Hanabi exclaimed.

"You are going to knock Gaara's socks off," Sakura smirked.

"I agree," Baki said from his seat.

Naoma retrieved the veils from Baki and Ren tried them on. By the time they had found Temari's dress, accessorized, and bought all the items Ren was feeling excited, hopeful, and beautiful. She couldn't wait for her wedding day.

Ren Note #2: And there you have it. Are you guys excited to see (really i mean 'read a description of') Ren's dress?! The wedding is coming up! Sasuke's... well... Sasuke... and Lee's well... Lee! I really hope everyone's enjoying it. It's kind of hard to portray some of these characters. I was also having a hard time juggling having so many in one place! I hope I'm not butchering too much of what happened in the Manga/Anime because, quite frankly, I haven't seen Shippuden. Reviews are always appreciated! They make me smile and push me to get things done! Thank you for reading :)

Nee-san- Big sister

Nii-san- Big brother

Imouto- Little Sister

Otouto- Little Brother (just because I've listed big brother and sister I'll list little too)