Disclaimer: Yeah. Nothing's mine.

Note: I KNOW, AND I'M SORRY, OKAY?!! I just missed them. I had to…do something. And they turned from drabbles…into a lot of pages. Of many mishmashes of stories. And other such. Sorry again. XD

This Is My Destiny

Epilogue: Drabbles and Other Stuff

Part One

Gaara sighed. He knew it was bound to happen. It just happened to be Maria, his secretary, who brought the paper to him to show him the article.

"Look, Sir! Your name is in it! I'm so excited for you, both of you!" she gushed, a strand of hair falling from behind her ear. Mortified that she might not maintain her meticulously perfect appearance, she tucked it away quickly and resumed her smiling.

"Thank you, Maria," Gaara muttered, pulling the paper closer and adjusting his glasses.

Sure enough, there was a small article on the third page.

"Gaara Sabaku, CEO of Kazekage Industries, has announced his engagement to his long-time girlfriend, a dance instructor in downtown New York city."

They didn't mention her name. Good. He'd made sure they wouldn't.

He wouldn't have people bothering her on account of him. He bothered her enough already.

With a faint smile, he sighed softly. They were planning the wedding for Fall next year. It would be a small outdoor wedding at dusk, with hopefully, if they timed it right, a light mist over the ground. Sure, they'd be cold, but …they could wear sweaters.

..

Naruto rinsed the shampoo out of his hair and rubbed his eyes where some of the bubbles had run into them. Turning off the shower and drying himself quickly, he pulled on some clean boxers and a t-shirt, rolled on some deodorant and opened the door to see his husband had come home and was sitting on their bed, his reading glasses on, the laptop on his lap.

"Hey! I didn't know you were home," Naruto exclaimed, crossing the room to greet Sasuke.

Sasuke turned his head for a kiss, but his eyes remained on the laptop. Naruto stopped and put his hands on his hips, waiting for Sasuke's attention. When Naruto didn't lean forward for said kiss, Sasuke glanced up at him. "What?"

"I want your attention, dummy," Naruto explained, leaning in for a 'welcome-home' kiss. "Why didn't you let me know you were home? You could have showered with me."

"I had to get in a few minutes of quiet time before you got out," Sasuke said with a half-smirk. Naruto snorted.

"Gee, thanks so much."

"It's the truth."

Naruto flopped down onto his back beside Sasuke. "Are you hungry? I haven't had any dinner yet."

"Nah, I had a sandwich on the way home from school."

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke, his eyebrows raised. Sasuke smirked.

"And the other half of it is in the fridge if you want it."

"Yesss!" Naruto exclaimed, bounding off the bed to the kitchen. "Thank you!"

Sasuke just grinned to himself without a word.

…

Gaara caught Tenten looking at wedding dresses online when he got home one evening. She blushed furiously and smiled.

"I'm allowed to look, right?"

"How big are we planning this?" he asked her, peering over her shoulder. She had a few nice selections opened in several tabs, but none of them spoke to him. Perhaps if he saw her in it that would be different.

However, and he'd only ever tell her, he preferred her in her honeymoon outfit.

…

Babies were troublesome.

In fact, Shikamaru didn't want to admit that he would rather be at home staring at the TV, or even the wall, than sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office waiting to go with his wife for her check-up.

"Why do you even need me here?" he whined. "This is easy stuff. You don't need me until later."

Temari frowned, glancing sideways at him. "Don't be stupid. I want you here. Aren't you excited?"

"Thrilled. I can't wait to change diapers and clean up crap and puke and all sorts of other disgustingly messy bodily functions," he drawled, his eyes blank. Temari pinched his thigh and he yelped, rubbing the spot tenderly.

"Crazy woman."

In the office, the doctor examined Temari and told her she was doing well.

"Keep eating properly, and exercise. You can remain on your normal regimen, if you have one. If you want to change anything regarding that, I advise you to speak with me first."

"When's my ultrasound?" Temari asked. The doctor smiled and looked at her notes. "In four weeks at the lab just down the street. We'll call to remind you the night before, alright?"

"Thanks," Temari replied with a smile. Shikamaru continued to sit in the waiting room chair, sighing every now and again.

"I'm so bored," he muttered to himself, looking at the water stains on the ceiling.

Inside, though…he was ecstatic for the ultrasound. But he might not tell his wife that.

..

Naruto decided that he was disappointed the moment that Tenten told him there'd be no alcohol at the wedding.

"After all," she'd reasoned, "You'd just get drunk anyway, and I don't want drunken speeches or antics at my wedding."

Sheesh. What did she know, anyway?

..

Shizune wondered what he was drawing. The young man on the street corner had an elaborate set up, and most of his drawings, done on rice paper with black ink, were quite beautifully painted.

"Excuse me, what are you painting now?" she asked him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Sai glanced up at her and glanced back down at his work, painting silently.

Shizune frowned. Well, maybe he hadn't heard her, but…he must have from this proximity. He was probably being rude. Or maybe he was mute! A starving artist!

"Can I buy the painting you're working on right now?"

"I'm not finished it," he replied simply, not looking at her. He shook his head slightly to move his bangs from his eyes and sighed, dipping his brush into the inkwell on the table next to him.

The scroll was close to him, in his lap so she couldn't see.

"What are you painting?" she repeated clearly, slightly louder.

He stopped the smooth motions of his brush and looked up at her with blank, dead eyes. "I'm painting what I'd imagine you to look like naked."

Shizune paused, her mouth slightly open in shock.

He raised an eyebrow. "Still want it?"

…

Temari was growing. Not up, but out. She didn't like it. Shikamaru did. And maybe, perhaps maybe, he was okay with this.

The morning Temari woke with her husband's hand resting on her slowly ballooning stomach had been a monumental day. But he hadn't even known he'd done it. And she'd cried in the bathroom from happiness.

…

Tenten woke up a few Sundays later, swung her legs over the side of the bed, and groaned. Dizziness overtook her and she fell back onto her pillow with a loud whoosh of breath.

Gaara opened his eyes. "You okay?"

"Mmph," she moaned through closed lips.

"What's wrong?" he asked, reaching a hand to move her hair from her face.

"I feel…like death."

"Sick?"

"Dizzy," she said, covering her face with her hands. "It's so bright in here…"

"Maybe you caught the flu that Naruto just got over."

Tenten chuckled despite herself. "I'll kill him when I'm feeling up to it."

Gaara shuffled closer to her and draped an arm across her waist. As soon as she'd settled, and he'd closed his eyes to doze off some more, his arm was wrenched from her and he opened his eyes to see her rush off to the bathroom.

"Yeah. If you don't kill him, I will. I don't want to get this flu," Gaara muttered. He reaffirmed his statement with a firm nod when he heard her retching in the bathroom. "Great."

…

Three hours later and Tenten was still in the bathroom, hugging the toilet. She wouldn't let him in to see her, to help her.

Naruto phoned. "Hey. What are we doing today? Lunch?"

Gaara sighed. "Tenten's throwing up. I don't think she's up for anything. I guess I'll stay here and look after her."

Naruto 'hmm'ed. "I'm coming over."

"Why?"

"I'll talk to her."

"She thinks she got this from you, and I'll bet she did."

"I'll bet she's not sick," Naruto replied bluntly. A wash of fear swept down Gaara's back like ice water.

"Oh…"

"Has she thought of that?" the blond asked. Gaara sighed.

"That's probably why she hasn't let me in to see her."

"I'm coming over." Naruto hung up before Gaara had time to argue.

…

Naruto pulled his shoes on and leaned over the back of the couch to kiss Sasuke on the side of the neck. "Bye."

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked with a frown, looking up from his book.

"Going to bug Gaara and Tenten for awhile. I'll be back. Keep reading," he said with a fond smile, running his fingers through Sasuke's hair gently.

"Okay. See you, dobe."

"Love you," Naruto said softly, leaning down to place a quick kiss on Sasuke's lips. Sasuke couldn't help his smile, no matter how soft.

"Bye."

…

Naruto knocked on the bathroom door. "Tenten?"

She groaned from the other side of the door. "What are you doing here, Naruto?"

"I'm coming in."

"It's not a pretty sight," she warned him as he opened the door. Indeed she was correct. She was sitting on the ground, still in her pajamas, a little green around the gills. The toilet bowl sat unused; she must have flushed recently. The scent of stale vomit hung in the air and Naruto decided to close the door behind him before sitting on the floor, leaning against the cabinets.

"So tell me," Naruto said, pulling his knees up to his chest. "What thoughts are going through your head?"

"I'm terrified," she whispered, leaning her head on her knees.

"From the flu?" he asked nonchalantly. She looked up at him and sniffed.

"It's not the flu. I've felt this way before."

Naruto nodded. "So it's true, then?"

"I'm so scared, Naruto, I don't…"

"Don't finish that sentence," he said with a frown. "Even if it's only a tiny little thing, it can still feel rejection the moment it's conceived. Please, please don't say you don't want it." His eyes begged her with so much conviction it brought tears to her eyes.

"But Naruto, I'm not ready…"

"You're no more ready than you were last time this happened."

He shuffled over so he was sitting next to her. He pulled her against him and wrapped an arm around her.

"But…"

"Tenten, have you ever thought that maybe you guys are meant to have a child together?" Naruto asked softly. Tenten shook her head.

"I have so much to do," she whispered. "I'm not ready…"

"Think about all those couples who wish they could have kids but can't. You've got something special here, you know."

His sincerity broke her heart. "You mean…you?"

His soft smile broke her heart further. "Yeah, me."

She was quiet for a moment before her eyes lit up with an idea. "What if-"

"Don't finish that thought either. Don't you tell me your child wouldn't be smart enough to figure it out later on in life. Assuming we're all still friends, won't she find it weird that she looks exactly like her godparents? Especially with Gaara's red hair. Expect her then to go to her two dads and ask them why her godparents didn't want her and why we had to take her instead. What if you have kids by then? How come they were special and she wasn't?"

Tears poured down Tenten's face, matching the tears reflected in Naruto's own.

"I…didn't know you felt that way…"

"I can't have children, Tenten."

"But you want them," she replied. He smiled faintly.

"Desperately."

"I never thought of it that way. I…can see it, though. You're so good with Takeru…"

Naruto fought to let a smile through and a tear escaped. "Sorry. I…never really had an opportunity to talk about this."

"Would Sasuke be okay with it?" she asked, wiping his tears with a piece of toilet paper. Naruto shrugged.

"I don't know. He's busy with school and then he'll be a lawyer and it's the rookie lawyers who get owned the most; I'm scared for him, Tenten. He's not ready to be a dad."

"You guys could adopt a cute one from China or something," she suggested, ignoring Naruto's worries.

"You're not listening to me," he argued. Tenten smiled faintly.

"A girl. A little Chinese girl. Wouldn't she be cute? You could dress her up and have toddler tea parties later on. You could all wear crowns. She'd have Sasuke wrapped around her finger."

"Don't give me ideas," Naruto said with a sniff. "But really. He'd laugh at me if I suggested it. It's not time yet."

"Weren't you just telling me off for 'not being ready' the last time this happened? When will we be ready?"

"Why don't we find out if you're actually pregnant before we talk about this any further," Naruto suggested, standing and offering his hands to her. "Let's get you dressed and I'll take you to the store."

"What about Gaara?"

"Let him angst. I'll take care of you for a little while. He can hit me later."

…

Pink. The box was pink, the stick was pink, and so was the little plus sign. Positive. And pink.

Tenten decided cursing wasn't her best option, nor was cheering for joy. She didn't know how to feel. Naruto looked at her with expectant eyes. "Well?"

She showed him the plus sign and he beamed. "All right!" he shouted. In the living room on the couch, Gaara angrily flipped channels.

"Let's go tell him," Naruto said, taking her hand. Tenten froze.

"What…about last time?" she asked, referring to her miscarriage.

"One in four, gorgeous. You might be one of the three. Now come on and tell him before I do," he urged, pulling her out of the bathroom.

Once downstairs, Tenten sighed and chewed her lip. Gaara looked up.

"What is it? Are you feeling better?"

Tenten sat on the coffee table in front of him and stared at her hands. Naruto hung back at the edge of the room, watching silently.

"Gaara, if I tell you something will you promise not to get mad?"

Gaara narrowed his eyes. "I can't make any promises, Tenten. What's going on?"

"Um, well…"

"Just say it," Naruto said, bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly.

"Are you?" Gaara asked softly. Tenten's eyes misted.

"Am I what?" she choked out.

"Pregnant?" he finished. A tear fell and he wiped it with his thumb as she nodded slowly.

"Yes. I'm pregnant."

Gaara smiled faintly. "Alright."

"What?" Her eyes were wide.

"I said alright. I'm not mad," he added.

Naruto smiled from the doorway. "I'm going to go."

Tenten turned to him with a frown. "Do you have to?"

Naruto's face softened and he crossed the room to take her hands in his. "Don't worry, Ten. I'll be around a lot. Trust me. You guys need to talk about this, though."

He kissed her forehead and winked at Gaara. "See you guys."

Gaara sighed heavily and gestured for Tenten to come sit next to him. "He's right. We do need to talk about this."

"Do we have to talk about it now?" she asked, folding her hands across her stomach. "I mean, we don't know if this time…"

"Stop."

Tenten looked at her fiancé and tears spilled from the corners of her eyes. "I'm so overwhelmed. I mean, I can't dance if I'm pregnant because it's too dangerous for the baby…"

"Well let's do first things first. You need to get healthy. You get plenty of exercise so you're definitely in shape," Gaara said, poking her flat stomach. "But you can't have any more alcohol. No second hand smoke either. I'll quit for the time being," he said with a smirk. "I can't really remember the last cigarette I had, though."

Tenten wasn't sure what to say to him, so she let him think out loud. Her mind was running with questions. A baby. Again. This time, could she get used to it? Would she be able to keep this one? What if- No. No what ifs.

"Should we make you an appointment for the doctor?" Gaara wondered aloud.

Tenten nodded. "I'll go to the clinic tomorrow," she said.

"Vitamins, healthy food…"

"Not like I don't already take care of myself," she chided him softly. He nodded.

"I know, but we need to make sure."

"Why are you so concerned? Do you…want to have a baby?"

"I don't know yet, honestly. But if we decided to give it away, wouldn't we want it to be as healthy as possible for the other parents?"

She sighed. He was right. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Um. I suppose we should start doing some research online."

"I know the first few weeks' worth of stuff to know," Tenten said softly, folding her hands across her stomach, the pain of her miscarriage sending a shaft of pain through her chest.

"Maybe it'll be different this time," he said with a gentle smile, putting an arm around her. "But let's think about something else. Want to go for a walk?"

She shook her head and curled herself into his side. "I don't want to do anything right now. Just…keep flipping channels," she murmured, sighing before dropping off into sleep.

…

Over coffee, Shikamaru and Gaara stared at each other across the table. They had matters to discuss regarding the pregnant women in their lives. Currently, Shikamaru's eyes were closed, his face downcast as his folded arms rested across his chest. His voice was monotone in boredom.

"Why would she be freaking out, unless it's not yours…" He paused. "Is it yours?"

Gaara scoffed loudly. "Who else's could it be? As far as I know she's only been with me since she and Neji broke it off. Unless Naruto…but we know he'd sooner cheat on Sasuke than the world would end, so let me pose you this question: If it's not mine, then it must be yours. Is it?"

Shikamaru frowned at his brother in law. "I'm shocked at your audacity."

"You started it," Gaara replied, crossing his arms. The men glared at each other for awhile longer as their coffees grew cold.

"So. Why are we sitting here staring angrily?" Shikamaru asked after a few minutes of silence. Gaara shrugged.

"I don't know. This whole thing is really stressful."

"Are you ready to be a father?" Shikamaru asked.

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

Shikamaru smiled faintly, pink dusting his cheeks as he dug for his wallet. Digging out a photo, he handed it to Gaara. It was an ultrasound photo. "That's my baby."

Gaara held it to the light and was astounded at the detail. "Do you know what it is?"

"It's a girl," Shikamaru said, the same blush on his cheeks, his voice beaming with pride. "We're naming her Lorraine."

Gaara's smile was soft as he handed back the picture. "You're more excited than you say, you know that?"

"Yeah. It's kind of hard knowing what she is, painting her room and having all her stuff ready when she's not even coming for three more months."

"Tenten's only a few weeks along. Her ultrasound isn't for awhile yet, but…we want to be surprised."

"Do you hope for one or the other?"

"Well, every man wants a boy," Gaara said, taking a sip of lukewarm coffee. "But she wants a girl, to raise a little ballerina."

"You don't care at all, do you?" Shikamaru asked with a smirk. Gaara shook his head.

"Not at all."

"So you're ready, then?"

"Not at all," the redhead replied quietly. Shikamaru just smiled.

…

Note: So I had no intention of ever posting this. Ever. Buttttttttttttttttttttttttt their stories just won't leave me alone. Hah. Please enjoy, even if only a few of you.