Raine in the Desert

by Hack Interrupted

Gaara finds the love of his life

6. Chapter 6

6

They kept Raine and Gabriel over one night in the hospital and sent them on home. Kankuro thought it was much too soon. Raine needed rest she wasn't going to get with Gaara slobbering all over her. She did get her rest though; both Temari and Gaara were eager to help with Gabriel. Kankuro mostly just observed. He thought Gabe was too small to hold. He couldn't see how the others could do it.

Raine was napping and Kankuro was hovering. Gaara rolled his eyes at the nervous uncle and went ahead with changing Gabe's diaper.

Kankuro had never been this close to a diaper change before, he was afraid he'd get squirted. "What…what the hell is that?"

"It's where they cut the umbilical cord. It will dry up and all off."

His stomach rolled. "Yo Gaara, what's wrong with Gabe's dick? How come he gotta band aid on his wang?"

Gaara swallowed a laugh. "He was circumcised after birth Kankuro. So was I, so were you. No big deal." He cut his eyes over to his brother. Kankuro looked pale. "Oi, you okay?"

No not at all. "I think I'll… I just remembered I have to…" Kankuro turned and hurried out. He didn't slow down until he was out of the house and into the fresh air.

Gaara chuckled to Gabe as he redressed his baby boy. "Uncle Kankuro sure is squeamish aint he buddy?" Gabriel cooed and tried to eat his hand. "You getting hungry son?" Gaara smiled. Having a baby had done wonders for his wife's bra size. Gaara scooped Gabe up. "Let's go get your mommy!"

Gabe was two weeks old when the first wave of their Konoha friends came to meet him. Naruto, Sakura, Lee, Shikamaru and Kiba all came together. They gathered in the sitting room and Raine brought Gabe in. Gaara proudly introduced his son to his friends.

"Oh he's beautiful!" Sakura beamed.

"He looks just like you Gaara!" Naruto laughed.

Lee raised his eyebrows at the tiny Gaara Raine held. "He really does!"

Shikamaru smiled. "He's way cuter then Gaara. Looks like Gabriel's got some of his mom in him too."

"Thank you Shikamaru," Raine nodded.

Kiba grinned at the baby. "Yep, too cute to be all Gaara." He looked up at the new mama, but not that far up. Wow she's got really big boobs!

Raine rolled her eyes at Kiba. "Who wants to hold him?"

"Me! Oh me first!" Sakura rushed forward. Raine passed her the baby and Sakura laughed. "Look at how cute!"

Gaara stepped over to Lee and Naruto so the women could all close in on his poor son. "I think we better let them fuss for a minute."

Lee smiled at Gaara. His friend looked happy. "Congratulations Gaara. Your son looks just like you."

Naruto saw Gaara's grin get bigger. "You lucky slob," he teased. "Just look at what you got. You must be the luckiest guy alive."

"Raine looks good," Kiba wiggled his eyebrows at Gaara. "Perky."

Gaara smiled slobbishly. "Indeed."

"Keh Gaara," Naruto sighed jealously.

"How is Rain san feeling," Lee was more decent about it.

"She's doing well. We all take turns with Gabe, well for except Kankuro."

Kiba put his hand on his friends shoulder. "Not pulling yer weight?"
Kankuro frowned. "Gabe is too small! We can hang out when I aint gotta worry about breaking him. Jeez."

"Don't you hold him?" Shikamaru saw the chance to look great in front of Temari.

"I did a couple of times."

"Babies aren't as fragile as you think." He stepped over to Sakura. "Can I steal him for a minute? I'll give him right back."

Sakura reluctantly gave the baby to Shikamaru. Temari was watching him. He took Gabe without the slightest hesitation and settled the baby so they were both comfortable. Gaara sat back watching Shikamaru impress his sister. They say babies and puppies are a great way to pick up chicks. Temari stepped closer to the chunin and Gaara thought they'll be next.

Naruto stepped forward wiping his hands on his pants to make sure they were clean. Sakura had read him the riot act all the way to Sand. "Me next Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru helped guide Gabe into Naruto's arms impressing Temari even further with his awesome pass. "Just keep his head up. Babies prefer an elevated position."

"Okay." Naruto looked down at chibi Gaara. "Wow, he really is a tiny thing."

Lee nudged Gaara. "So how is it? What's it like being a father?"

Naruto was making funny faces for Gabe and Gaara laughed. "It's awesome."

Raine put her sleepy son to bed and stood over him watching him drift off to sleep. Gaara came up behind her. It was easier to get close to him now that she had deflated. Raine turned and hugged him. Gaara kissed her and she smiled. "I think Gabe liked Shikamaru and Lee best."

Gaara laughed. "Do you?"

She giggled. "He was very comfortable with both of them."

"Backup babysitters," he teased pulling Raine closer. It felt like it had been forever since Gaara had been with his woman. Her mean doctor had cut them off well over a month before Gabriel was born. "I miss you." He kissed her the way he couldn't with others in the room. It was exciting having such big boobs so close and Gaara couldn't resist coping a feel. Hell yeah they got big! Way to go Gabe!

"Gaara," she sighed. "We can't. Megumi said six weeks. It's only been two."

Shit. That's forever. Gaara hugged Raine and forced himself to behave. "I know." Damn Megumi. I think she likes to see me suffer.

Raine smiled at Gaara with pink cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"I know," he returned her smile. "You're just really sexy." Gaara kissed her again. Damn it I really wanna…His hands roamed over her curves.

Kankuro loudly cleared his throat from the door. "Knock that shit off ya slob."

Gaara sighed some and turned to big brother. "You need something Kankuro?"

"I think you need a cold shower Mr. Grabby Hands." Raine giggled a little and Kankuro came in for a good night peek at little Gabe. "How's my little buddy?"

"Sleepy," Raine smiled down at her son. "So much excitement."

Kankuro leaned over the crib beside Raine. He rubbed Gabe's tiny nose. "You were the star of the show today little man."

Gaara stood with his arm around his wife and joined them staring at his sleeping boy. "Everyone loved him," Gaara was proud.

"Of course everyone loves Gabe. He's the cutest lil shit in the world," Kankuro boasted.

Raine giggled again and Gaara hugged at her. He kissed her forehead. "We should let him sleep." Gaara flicked on the baby monitor on the crib and palmed the portable end.

"Okay," Raine took the receiver from Gaara and they headed back down the hall to spend some time with their guests.

Shikamaru and Temari had gone for a walk. The rest of the guys moved to the dining room having some sake, except for Lee; he drank Coke. "You're a lucky man Gaara," Naruto brooded into his sake.

"Keh." Kankuro was still disturbed. "You shoulda heard poor little mouse scream. It made me chuck. Man, if I ever wanna have kids I'm finding me a woman with some child bearing hips."

"You barfed?" Naruto wrinkled his nose.

Kankuro frowned at him. "Worse then glass under yer fingernails."

Lee smiled. "I think that you are just empathetic to Raine san."

Kiba shrugged. "Well she is tiny, most of her anyway." He winked at Gaara and they both laughed.

Big brother sipped his sake. "Don't look at her boobs. That's Gabe's lunch."

Kiba busted up laughing again and Naruto's mouth fell open. "Did ya… see em?"

Kankuro's face started to turn red. "Kinda by accident this one time." He had tried to purge the incident from his mind. "I didn't know she was feeding him, I was just bringin up the wet wipes she wanted."

"Poor Kankuro nearly broke his neck running from the nursery," Gaara teased.

"Shut up," Kankuro sipped his sake again. "A mother's boobs are sacred orbs that shouldn't be ogled!" The guys laughed at him and he sagged in his seat.

Lee tried to take up for Kankuro. "It was thoughtful of you to give Raine san her privacy." The Sand ninja nodded at him appreciatively. "It must be quite an adjustment having a new baby in the house."

"A little," Gaara conceded. He had adjusted to fatherhood almost immediately and Raine was an attentive mother, his siblings were almost used to Gabe crying in the night. "I think we're doing okay though."

"Gaara is great with Gabe," Kankuro bragged. "He made him smile."

He chuckled at his brother. "Not exactly, it was gas."

"Babies fart?" Naruto was amazed. "Cool!"

"It's more of a burping kind of thing," Gaara explained. "He doesn't spit up much though."

"You mean barf?"

Kankuro lifted a hand. Just the mention of it hurt his stomach. "Guys please."

"Sorry Kankuro," Gaara knew Kankuro was having a difficult time with spit up and poo. "You're getting much better with it all though really."

He sipped his sake and stared down into it. A far off look appeared in Kankuro's eyes. "As long as I don't have to get near another shitty diaper… It was horrible. I thought maybe someone poisoned Gabe cuz his shit was so bad. My eyes were burning and I almost puked." His friends sat listening in rapt silence. "Mouse said it was okay, that diapers is bad sometimes, but this shit man…." Kankuro shuddered. He downed the rest of his sake in a gulp. "Mouse she, she just changed that thing one two three with a smile on her face. I thought I was gonna die and she was…"

Kiba refreshed his friends drink. "Did sweet little sister save you from the big bad poop diaper Kankuro?" he teased.

"Someday," Kankuro lifted a brow, "you'll understand." He sipped his sake knowingly.

Naruto wasn't sure how dangerous a diaper was, but he did notice something. "Raine is great with him Gaara. I think she likes being a mom."

"She loves it," Gaara was smiling again. He had never seen her happier. "She's already started reading to him and the clothes!" He shook his head. "I came home yesterday and she had him dressed like a pumpkin."

"That was cute," Kankuro snorted. "The hat's got the little stem and everything."

He could almost picture it and Naruto laughed. "Oi, orange is a great color."

Gaara sipped his sake and thought of poor little Gabe looking more like a vegetable then a baby. He did look really cute though. He smiled. "Poor Gabe, Raine must have a hundred such ridiculous outfits for him."

"I like the little jungle explorer jumpsuit thing."

"Yeah that's cute."

Kiba chuckled. "Grown men talking about jumpsuits. And we call ourselves ninja."

While the Sand ninja were seeing to their guests, Kabuto finally arrived back in Hidden Sound. He made his way down to Orochimaru's room. Sasuke was sitting with the sannin. The Uchiha glared at Kabuto as Orochimaru greeted, "How did it go Kabuto?"

"Smoothly." He handed over the folders to Orochimaru. "Copies of Raine and Gabriel's medical charts."

Sasuke's eye twitched annoyed. He looked at the file Orochimaru opened and saw an inking of the baby's footprint. "Gaara's child," he growled. He doesn't deserve to be a father. He doesn't deserve to be happy!

Kabuto produced two vials of blood from his pouch. "I was able to obtain a blood sample from each of them."

"You should have just killed them."

"Easy Sasuke," Orochimaru read through the baby's file. "You have some work to do ne Kabuto?"

Kabuto nodded. "I'll begin a full screen analysis right away." He took the blood and headed off to the lab.

Orochimaru closed Gabriel's file and opened Raine's. Her file photo was paper clipped to the top. The sannin was trying to read when Sasuke reached over and snatched the picture away. He rolled his eyes over to the young man glaring at the photo of the kazekage's wife. "You can't kill her yet Sasuke."

Sasuke ignored his master. Are you enjoying being a mommy Raine? Would you do anything to protect your precious baby? He smiled. Sasuke was counting on it.

Raine was in the kitchen cooking up something that smelled good when Kankuro came in. The baby monitor was on the counter next to the washed celery sticks. "Oi mouse."

"Oi yourself Kankuro," she tossed chopped onion into a heated pan.

"Something smells good." He smiled at her. Raine had been cooking a lot lately. Her healthy food had given her back her tiny little figure, except for her boobs. Gabe wasn't quite three months yet and he was still on the tit. "You makin' salsa?"

She laughed. "Oh yeah."

Kankuro rubbed his belly. "Excellent. I need to clean the pipes." They were chuckling when Gabe's cry came through the monitor. Mouse wiped her hands and started up the stairs. Kankuro shadowed her. His nephew was almost big enough to hold. Maybe Kankuro would take care of Gabe while Raine finished the salsa. "I'll help."

The closer they got to the nursery the more Raine thought something sounded urgent about her son's cry. "He's pitching a fit." She stepped into the nursery with Kankuro at her heels and froze. "Oh my god Gabe!"

He watched slack jawed as mouse ran to the crib. Gabriel was above it, floating on a pillow of sand screaming his little lungs out. "What the… Gaara?" Kankuro turned a circle looking for his brother. "Oi Gaara!"

Raine hugged her baby to her trying to calm down. Gabe was worked up enough without her being nervous too. "Shhhh baby, it's okay."

"Gaara!" Kankuro shouted again. He didn't think floating babies were the least bit funny. "What the hell?" he stomped into the hall and opened the kage's bedroom door. No Gaara. "Where the fuck is he? Oi Gaara!"

Temari arrived home hearing Kankuro bellowing upstairs for Gaara. "Idiot," she shouted up the stairs. "Gaara's still at his office. It's me."

Gaara didn't do it! Kankuro bolted back to the nursery. Mouse was rocking Gabe, trying to quiet him. "Temari! Get your ass up here now!" He ran for the window hearing her fly up the stairs. No one was out in the courtyard when Kankuro looked.

Her nephew was having a fit and Temari thought mouse looked pale. "What's going on?"

"Someone was using sand to elevate Gabe above his crib," Kankuro whistled for a hidden ANBU to get his ass over here.

"What?" Temari gasped. She went to Raine. "Is he alright?"

"He's agitated but," Raine was starting to calm down. "Gabe is okay."

Temari rubbed the crying baby's head. "I'll go get Gaara."

Kankuro was still laying ANBU out when Gaara arrived home. Raine had Gabe in his swing in the kitchen. He was calm and she was calm. Gaara peeked at his baby and went to his wife. "Are you alright Raine."

She nodded. "We're alright Gaara."

He kissed her. "Let me go see what all that shouting is about." Gaara hurried up to the nursery and his brother turned to him.

"Gaara!" Kankuro huffed. "These guys insist that no one came near the house. They saw nothing!" he was furious.

Gaara lifted a hand. "Calm down Kankuro." Gaara looked at the ANBU he knew was Hiei. "What happened?"

"Kazekage sama I swear, no one got near Raine san or the young master!"

"Then who did it? Who attacked my nephew?"

"What did you see Kankuro?" Temari had already told him, but Gaara wanted to hear it from big brother himself, the eyewitness.

Kankuro stomped over to the crib and held his hand above it. "Gabe was this high." He grabbed some sand out of the crib. "Floating on this."

The sand slipped through his brother's fingers and Gaara's stomach tightened up. "The sand user again," he mumbled.

Kankuro turned back to Hiei. "Hear that? Sand user. Probably the same weirdo from before. How the hell can you not know mouse has got a stalker?"

Gabe saved me from Sasuke

Gaara swallowed hard. No, it couldn't be.

"I can assure you that she does not have anyone spying on her master Kankuro," Hiei insisted. "We are watching her all of the time. No one came near the house."

"Hiei, sweep the area again. Get a second unit up here to help you."

Hiei bowed and hurried out the window away from Kankuro. Big brother frowned at little brother. "At first I thought it was you playing around. The sand…"

"Tell me Kankuro, what happened after Raine grabbed Gabe?"

"The sand just fell apart."

Like it did when I found her after Sasuke…

Kankuro thought Gaara looked pretty deep in thought. "What is it? You know something? Do you know who did this?"

He wasn't ready to open his mouth and sound crazy just yet. "I'm going to go talk to Raine." He stepped out and ventured back down to the kitchen still thinking things over. Temari was shaking a bunny that rattled for Gabe, Raine was stirring up salsa. Gaara went to his wife and interrupted her mixing.

Raine smiled a little as Gaara took her into his arms. He kissed her and hugged her and she asked, "Did they find anything?"

"ANBU is looking. Everything is going to be alright."

Kankuro came in sniffing the spices in the air. "Answer me Gaara; do you know something about this?"

Gaara sighed and rolled his eyes over to his brother. "Do you?"

His eye squint shut. Shit. "What's that supposed to mean ne?"

"How about you Temari?" Gaara looked at his sister.

She didn't have to look at Gaara to understand what he was asking. "You never did anything like this until you were almost a year old."

No! "You had that thing inside of you Gaara! It's not the same. Gabe isn't like you!" Kankuro couldn't accept it. There was no way such a tiny thing could have such power, not without something wrong with the kid.

"Kankuro!" Temari turned on her big brother.

"No, fuck you Temari!" Gabe is not… "Gabe is normal!"

Raine looked up at Gaara's sad eyes. He was frowning at Kankuro. "You think Gabe did it himself don't you?"

"That's insane!" Kankuro railed. "Where is an infant going to get sand in a second story bedroom ne? You telling me he brought the sand in himself? Just levitated that shit up to his crib?"

It felt like she had a kunai in her heart. "Stop it Kankuro," Temari frowned at him.

He couldn't stop. Kankuro was beside himself with anger and grief. "Fuck you bitch you remember what it was like!" He pointed at Gaara while he screamed at Temari. "He was a fucking monster! He killed three nurses while he was cutting his teeth! He broke my arm and your fucking ankle over a toy!"

It hurt to hear his brother speak the truth. Gaara hugged Raine closer and he felt her tighten her arms around him. "Kankuro."

Kankuro turned to Gaara with guilty tears standing in his eyes. "I'm sorry Gaara, I love you. I really do, but you were one seriously fucked up kid."

Gaara nodded. "Yes, you're right. I was dangerous I understand that. But I had a monster inside of me Kankuro, Gabriel does not."

He jabbed the heel of his hand into his eye to keep from crying. "Oh yeah? Why is Gabe so strong then Gaara? What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know, but I'll find out." He looked down at his wife. She was watching Kankuro with a sad look on her face. She knew. Raine knew it was Gabe…and she's not afraid.

Fascinating. Kabuto was reading over the results of Gabriel's blood analysis again. He just couldn't believe such a thing could be true. It must have been the liver cells in the serum Orochimaru administered to the mother. Kabuto ran his finger down a list of numbers and letters. Amazing. He'll make an excellent vessel for Orochimaru.

Sasuke pushed the door to the lab open and stepped in with Orochimaru behind him. Kabuto straightened to face his master. "Orochimaru sama, I have incredible news."

The sannin grinned. "Do you?"

He stepped forward offering a stack of papers to Orochimaru. "Gabriel has two complete sets of additional chromosomes."

"Oh?" Orochimaru's eyes went to the print out and he started to read.

Sasuke frowned. "So what? What does that mean?"

Kabuto peeled off his glasses. "May I?"

"Knock yourself out," Orochimaru took the papers to the desk still eating up the page with his eyes. Success.

"A normal cell has twenty three chromosomes in pairs. Twenty two of them are the same, man or woman, and the twenty third is what determines gender."

"I don't give a shit about that," Sasuke grumbled. "I don't want your lecture Kabuto; just tell me what it means that Gaara's kid is different."

Simpleton. "The long standing theory has been that a twenty fourth set of chromosomes, human's next step in evolution, will make us stronger, faster and smarter. Now imagine a ninja with not only a twenty fourth set, but twenty fifth."

Sasuke's lip curled into a snarl. "What are you saying? That Gaara had some kind of super baby?"

Orochimaru chuckled pleased as he moved on to the next page. "Precisely."

He looked from the medical specialist to the sannin. "How?"

"The treatments Orochimaru sama gave to Raine as a child. They didn't affect her directly, but she's passed the mutation on to her offspring."

"Humph. Then the kid's power has got nothing to do with Gaara. It's all about Raine."

"Not necessarily," Kabuto cleaned his glasses on his shirt. "Gabriel's natural abilities will come from his shinobi father."

The sannin laughed. He was quite excited. "Sabaku no Gabriel. Interesting."

"Are you saying Gaara just made another one of himself?" Sasuke was pissed.

"Gabriel will be stronger then Gaara in time," Orochimaru smiled evilly. "I think I may have a future with this boy."

Kabuto slipped his glasses on. "I was thinking the same thing myself Orochimaru sama." The Uchiha hissed through his teeth in disgust and went out. Jealous Sasuke? You should be. Gaara's son will be a much better body for Orochimaru then even you.

Megumi sat down with the kage and his family explaining the test results she had run on Raine and Gabriel. Gabe wasn't like Gaara, but he wasn't normal either. She tried to put a positive spin on it all assuring the family that the boy would likely be incredibly smart and strong. "And he's perfectly healthy so don't even worry about that."

Kankuro didn't go right home after the meeting with Raine's lady doc. He wandered until sunset. Eventually Gaara found him standing alone staring out at the training yard. He came up next to his brother and stood quietly with him watching the orange sun sink into the desert.

"I'm sorry Gaara," Kankuro said after a long silence. "I just want Gabe to be okay."

"He'll be alright."

Kankuro swallowed the lump in his throat. "Orochimaru screwed mouse up after all."

Sort of. "She'll be alright too."

"Yeah, but what about all the kids you wanted to have?"

Gaara hadn't given it much thought. Gabe had filled up his whole world for so long he nearly forgot about wanting nine more. "There's no guarantee that all of our children will be born like Gabe."

He looked at Gaara with sad eyes. "Gaara… how can you do that to her?"

"Raine accepts childbirth as part of her role as mother."

"That's not what I mean." He straightened staring baby brother down. "Stand here and tell me your son is not going to be a ninja. You can't. He'll probably be kazekage. You can retire early right?"

"Gabriel can decide what he wants to do."

"Don't kid yourself. Gabe and any other kids you have will be marching off to the ninja academy in no time. How is mouse gonna feel being the mother of some trope of super ninja's ne? She hates the fighting Gaara."

Gaara sighed. "Not all of our children have to be ninja."

"But they will be. You know they will." Kankuro took a step back from Gaara. "Look, I know you want a big family and all Gaara but before you go knocking mouse up again wont you at least think about how she feels. How hard it's going to be for her with just Gabe. Imagine three or four kids hovering around the house; now imagine what it will be like when those siblings fight."

He swallowed hard and looked Kankuro in the eye. "It must have been miserable for you when I was small."

"It was. Don't put mouse through that shit. Just wait Gaara. Keep your godamn dick in your pants and wait to see how things go with Gabe."

"I wasn't gonna…" he stammered.

"Bullshit. I know you. The two of you mate at the drop of a hat. I mean wait as in prevent pregnancy Gaara. Not just pullin out either. She better get on the pill."

He blinked at Kankuro. His brother was quite serious. Gaara let it sink in a little and realized Kankuro was right. "You're probably right."

Kankuro remembered Gaara's 'terrible two's'. Seventeen people died that year. "Mouse is a good mom. She'll take care of Gabe. She'll raise him up good; she just needs some time to do that."

Gaara nodded. "Alright Kankuro. Gabe can stay a spoiled only child for a while ne?"

He tried to smile. "You bet he'll be spoiled. You see that sailor suit?"

Laughing Gaara nodded. "Yeah, it's cute."

Kankuro sniffed in a deep breath and watched the sun go to bed. "Alright pa, let's go home."

Two of him. Sasuke lay in bed staring up at the ceiling. He made another one of himself. Sasuke hated the idea. He wanted all traces of Sabaku no Gaara erased from this world. Why does someone like him get to go on when all of my clan was slaughtered? Why should his family grow as mine dies? It isn't fair!

Sasuke sat up grinding his teeth. Itachi…When Sasuke next saw his brother one of them would become the last of the Uchiha clan. Sasuke was fairly certain that he could kill his brother but if I can't… he who brought death to the Uchiha will be the last of us. He clenched a fist. I cannot allow that to happen! He got out of bed and moved to the door. Itachi, Gaara; I'll surpass you both!

It wasn't that late yet and Sasuke found Orochimaru in the study. "Where are the rest of the women you made like Raine?" he demanded storming in.

Orochimaru lifted his eyes from the book he was reading to his moody subordinate. "What are you talking about Sasuke?"

"The other women like Raine, with her great genes. Where are they?"

I see. "I'm sorry Sasuke, but Raine is unique. Her reaction to the serum was an individual one I'm afraid."

"So it's just her is it? Raine is special and that fucking Gaara is hogging her all to himself! Is that how it is?"

He could see how frustrated the young man was. He's insanely jealous of Gaara. "That is the current situation, yes." He smiled a little. "What is it Sasuke? Do you want something?" As if I don't already know.

Sasuke glared at Orochimaru as his eyes turned red. "The last Uchiha. I want it to be mine!" he dug into his back pocket for Raine's wrinkled picture and threw it Orochimaru. "And I want her to give it to me!"

Excellent. Orochimaru nodded calmly. "Of course you want the last of your clan to be the strongest Sasuke. I understand." He closed his book and stood with the woman's picture in his hand. "I'm sure the two of you would create an impressive heir."

"I want a son! Stronger then Gaara's! Do you hear me? I want a son too!" Sasuke raved.

Just got to one up Gaara ne? Orochimaru rested a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Very well then, I'll see what I can do."

Sasuke knocked Orochimaru's hand off. "I don't need you. I can get Raine myself."

"Easy Sasuke, don't let your anger get the better of you."

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"You need a plan if you intend to steal Raine from her family. You will not be able to abduct her from Sand with Gaara around."

Gaara… you get everything! He snatched Raine's picture back from the sannin. "Then you better think of something; you're not taking this body until I've laid eyes on my own child. Understand?" Sasuke turned and stomped out slamming the door behind him.

"Patience Sasuke." Orochimaru smiled a little. He'd love to have another Uchiha around. He could start fresh with someone stronger then Sasuke anytime he wanted to.

Orochimaru heard Sasuke slam another door further down the hall. He'd be dangerous to have around an expectant mother though I think. He'd probably kill her. The sannin set his book on the coffee table. "Let's see what I can arrange."

Raine and Gabe were napping in their bed when Gaara came upstairs. Gaara went to the bed and sat down smiling at his family. Things had been quiet lately; nothing since the incident a few weeks back. Gabe gummed his pacifier busily in his sleep and Gaara laughed quietly. There was nothing dangerous about his precious son.

Gaara reached over and stroked Raine's cheek. She stirred and opened her eyes. "I'm home mommy." He leaned over and kissed her.

She smiled and stretched. "How was your day Gaara?"

"Not bad. How was yours?" He couldn't resist smoothing down Gabe's hair.

"He's been an angel all day." Raine sat up and put her feet on the floor. "He did get grape jelly all over his red jumper though. I have it soaking." She got up and started around the bed and Gaara grabbed her hand.

He stood and hugged Raine into his arms. "You work yourself to hard."

She smiled at him. "I won't die of rust."

"Why don't we," he kissed her neck, "see if Temari wants to watch Gabe for a little while tonight? We can have a little time alone?"

She could tell by his slobbish grin what Gaara wanted. "Time alone ne? Clothing optional time?" she teased.

"Optional, but defiantly not necessary." Gaara pulled Raine to him and kissed her.

For the most part, Gabriel was a good and normal baby boy. He didn't use the sand again until he was a full six months old and had started cutting his first tooth. One of the ANBU guards saw something unusual happening in the nursery and ordered his partner to go and fetch the kazekage at once. Gaara hurried home when he heard about the tempest going on in Gabe's room.

When he got upstairs Gaara found Raine standing in the middle of the disaster. If it wasn't over twenty pounds or nailed down, it was carried on the sand up into the air. Gabe's toys and clothes were everywhere. Raine was rocking the screaming child swatting away the stuffed animals that flew at her head. "Gaara!"

"Raine!" He hurried toward Raine commanding the sand to lay still. The toys and clothes fell where they were. "Are you alright?" He stepped over a teddy bear and hugged his wife and crying son to him.

Raine was a little winded. "I'm okay. Gabe he just, he threw a fit!"

"It's alright now."

"You made it stop. How did you…?"

Gaara rubbed Gabe's head to sooth his crying boy. "I control the sand, even if Gabriel is using it." When Gabe wailed Gaara saw the tooth trying to poke through his lower gum. "Its that tooth." Gaara stuck his pinky in Gabe's mouth and felt his gum. "It's almost through. Poor little guy."

Raine was watching her fussy baby. Gaara rubbed his gum and Gabe quieted some. "My poor baby," Raine kissed Gabe's warm brow. "Oh Gaara he's warm!"

Gaara smiled a little. "Well, he did work himself up pretty good this time."

Raine adjusted Gabe. "I'm going to get him in a bath. Could you," she looked around at the mess. "There are clean clothes in his dresser."

He reached up and took Raine's cheek in his hand. "I'll grab Gabe's stuff and I'll come give you a hand okay? I'll even get all the sand out of here."

She frowned a little. "All the sand? Gaara that will take hours. Look at this mess."

"Its fine Raine see?" Gaara waved his hand and the sand on the floor started to shift and make its way out the window.

She watched Gaara taking care of Gabe's mess with a wave of his hand. Raine looked at Gaara and smiled. "You really are amazing."

Gaara kissed his wife. "I'll be home with Gabe more while he's going through this alright? I can bring the busy work home. I don't need to live in that office you know."

Raine thought it was a wonderful idea. "Really?"

"Of course wife," he could tell he had turned her mood and it made him smile. "I'm here for you and our son. Always."

Oh Gaara… "I love you." Raine kissed her husband.

I love you too Raine; I'm going to help you with Gabe. I promise.

Neither Raine nor Gaara was all that worried about Gabe's fit with the sand. They had started to get used to it; their child being different. There were other sandstorms in the nursery, three more teeth; one of them accompanied by the diaper rash from hell. Then Gabriel started to do other things with the sand.

By the time he was six months old Gabe was using sand to grab everything he wanted out of his reach. It kept everyone on their toes. The bigger little Gabe got the more he figured out what he could and couldn't do. Mommy and Daddy weren't afraid to tell their precious no.

Gabe got bigger and Kankuro got more comfortable holding him. He played video games with Gabe on his lap all the time. He didn't even mind when the little guy ate cheerios all over him.

Temari came home late one afternoon to find Kankuro and Gabe sitting together in a ring of cereal. Kankuro was in mid boss fight and Gabe was eating the cheerios he had spilled all over both of them. "Oh god!" she huffed disapprovingly. "Look at you!"

"Can't. Must kill Lavos. Haven't seen this ending yet."

Gabe turned toward the familiar voice. "Ta!" he waved a hand at her.

Temari stepped forward and reached for Gabe. "Come to auntie Temari," She picked him up. Gabe was dressed in only the top half of his cute little outfit. "Where are his pants Kankuro?"

"Uh, over there," he jerked his head. "We spilled soda on us."

"We did huh?" Temari rolled her eyes.

"Ta!" Gabe put a sticky hand on her cheek.

She wrinkled her nose. "Yuck. Those were honey nut cheerios weren't they sticky boy."

"Ta!" the baby smiled showing four tiny teeth.

"Come on Gabe; let's get you cleaned up before mommy sees what a mess you are."

Gabe fell asleep in Gaara's arms as the family sat around watching The Return of the Sith. He got up to take his boy to his crib as soon as the credits started to roll. "That kinda sucked," Gaara was disappointed. "The original trilogy was way better."

"Han Solo was the man," Kankuro agreed immediately.

Raine started to follow Gaara out laughing a little. She didn't exactly consider Star Wars high culture, but the ninja liked it. "Let's get him to bed. Goodnight Temari, Kankuro."

He tucked his boy into his crib and watched Raine lean in to kiss him goodnight. She straightened staring at Gabe and Gaara wrapped his arms around her from behind. Raine leaned against him and he kissed her neck. "I can't believe how big he's getting."

"He outgrew so many cute little things."

Gaara rolled his eyes. "He's not a sailor or a pumpkin."

Raine giggled. "You don't complain about the little ninja outfits."

"Maybe because I'm a ninja not a vegetable," he teased back.

She turned and wrapped her arms around her husband smiling up at him. "Oh is that how it is?" she reached up and tickled at his ear and Gaara kissed her. He pulled her close and Raine felt his hands sliding over her curves. "Gaara," she sighed.

Kissing his voluptuous wife was enough to kick star Gaara's heart. "Come to bed with me Raine." She was tickling at his ears driving him crazy with lust. "I want you." Gaara kissed his way down to the cleavage he was feeling.

I want you too…Raine reached back and grabbed the portable end of the baby monitor.She turned the big end on over their sleeping son. "Take me to bed Gaara." He swept her into his arms and carried her into their room.

Kabuto returned to Sound with new information on Raine and Gabriel. The boy was already displaying unusual abilities. He recognized many faces and tried to say the person's name. Of course he couldn't speak yet, but he often got the first syllable of the name correct. He could use sand to move objects and even levitate himself.

Orochimaru seemed impressed. It just deepened Sasuke's fury. "Enough about Gaara's little genius," Sasuke snapped. "What about Raine?"

He sighed as quietly as he could and looked at Orochimaru. "She's been taking an oral contraceptive for," Kabuto checked the file, "nearly four months; since the first disturbance Gabriel caused in the house."

The sannin chuckled. "I wonder how the happy couple reacted to Gabriel's display."

Sasuke grit his teeth. Did you hug your little woman Gaara while you calmed your monster down? "What about Raine?" he repeated impatiently.

"Getting close to her in Sand is all but impossible," Kabuto informed. "ANBU watches her around the clock."

"I can kill them easy."

"Trying to acquire Raine in Sand is foolish," Orochimaru calmly folded his hands together. "We'll wait until she leaves the village. Perhaps kazekage will attend the upcoming chunin exam tournament in Konoha ne?"

The Uchiha frowned. "That's still months away." He cut his eyes over to Kabuto. "What about that birth control shit? How long does it take for that to wear off?" Sasuke was somewhat appeased to know that at least Gaara wasn't going to knock Raine up before he could. The next child she carries will be mine!

"Once she discontinues using the contraceptive her body should return to a receptive state almost immediately." Kabuto adjusted his glasses keeping an eye on Sasuke.

Sasuke turned back to Orochimaru. "I want her, now."

I'll bet you do. "We're working on it Sasuke, have some patience." The sannin leaned toward his next body. "I've always given you everything you want, this is just going to take some planning." Orochimaru smiled. "Children should be planned don't you think?"

Did you plan your son Gaara? Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Or did you just get lucky poking your bitch ne? Just thinking about the kazekage put Sasuke in a foul mood. You have everything I want; everything that should be mine! I should be the kage with strong heirs. I deserve it not you! He stood and headed for the door.

Orochimaru watched Sasuke leave. Kabuto peeled off his glasses sighing. "I know Kabuto, Sasuke is getting impatient."

"It will be difficult to abduct her Orochimaru sama, but I may have an alternative to kidnapping Raine."

"Sasuke insists that Raine mother his child, not that I can blame him. She'll make a strong Uchiha for him, for us."

Kabuto nodded. "I know she will. I still intend for Raine to be the mother, but her entire body is not necessary to create a child."

Such a smart kid. The sannin grinned. "What are you thinking Kabuto?"

"It's difficult to get close to Raine, but not impossible. I may be able to get near her long enough to extract the genetic material I need from her to make Sasuke his child."

"Rob her unborn? How devious you are Kabuto." Orochimaru laughed. "Sasuke may not like the idea. I think he has his heart set on fucking Gaara's wife."

I'm sure he does. "The fuck isn't what's important," Kabuto said matter of factly. "It's the baby. Developing the child in the lab would insure that Sasuke's heir would inherit the chromosomal mutation from the mother."

Orochimaru laughed. Very smart indeed. "You're sure you could control this little experiment ne?"

"Of course. It will be some work, but its better then fighting Gaara."

For now, the sannin agreed.

The proud mother often strolled her son through Sand. She took Gabe shopping with her and to the park to see the big kids play on the swing and the slide. The old folks in the village thought little Gabriel was an angel. They fussed over the kage's son whenever Raine strolled him about. Gabe was always excited to see a new face and he loved being the center of attention.

Sasuke had been in Sand for three days now watching who came in and out of the kage's place and when. Disguised as an elderly peasant he was able to move through the streets undetected by the ANBU that guarded Gaara's family. He often positioned himself to be where he could watch Raine when she came out to do her shopping pushing little Gabriel in his stroller. The baby looked a lot like Gaara; it just made Sasuke even more spitefully jealous.

Raine and Gabe were shopping when two old ladies rushed her to get a peek at kazekage's son. Sasuke watched from ten feet away as the old hens clucked excitedly about how much the baby took after his father. He was sick of hearing it. When the crones finally backed off Sasuke moved to speak with Raine himself. He put himself in her line of sight and dropped the bag of apples he was carrying. They rolled everywhere, several ending up at Raine's feet.

She saw the old man lose his apples. Aww poor old guy. Raine picked up the two at her feet. "Let me help you." She pushed Gabe over to the elderly man and started to help him collect his produce. "Did the bag rip?"

Sasuke watched her from behind fake blue eyes. "No miss." Her hair spilled over her shoulder as Raine leaned forward to pick up more apples. It was the closest Sasuke had been to her since she was bloated carrying Gaara's child. She had regained her small figure but her boobs were defiantly bigger. She looks… "Thank you my lady."

The poor old man looked like he needed the fruit. He was thin and frail looking. She re bagged his apples for him and smiled. "It's no trouble at all. Can I help you with anything else?" Catering to the elderly was a habit she just couldn't break.

The geezer smiled showing the pretty young woman his missing teeth. Sasuke had a great idea. "Would you and your tot join me for a scoop of ice cream missy? My treat."

She smiled at the toothless old fart. I guess ice cream is all you can eat with no teeth. Raine giggled a little. The people of Sand were always trying to give Gabe something to make a mess with. "That would be lovely. Thank you." She helped the old man up letting him lean on her a bit.

Sasuke slipped an arm around Raine's shoulder. I'm touching her. "Bless you missy, it's this hip. It troubles me some."

"You can lean on me if you'd like. I'll get us to the ice cream shop so you can sit and rest in no time." She smiled trying not to let her pity show.

"You're very kind." And so very beautiful. "Thank you missy." Sasuke hobbled a little as he walked beside Raine leaning on her. This close he could smell the perfume she was wearing; something sweet smelling. Sweet like her.

She took them to Polar Parlor and the old man ordered up ice cream for all. He and the baby got theirs in a dish Raine got her scoop on a cone. She sat across from the old man in a booth trying to spoon feed Gabe. The baby didn't want a spoonful, he wanted the whole dish. Raine gave him a mouthful and Gabe reached for the dish. It was out of reach so he called on the sand. Mommy grabbed the bowl of ice cream before the sand could drag it off the table. "No Gabe," she was firm.

He didn't particularly care for the runt, but the trick was impressive. So small, so young and yet so powerful. "He must be quite a handful."

Raine smiled reassuringly at the old man. "Not really. He's a good baby."

Sasuke nodded and watched her lick at her ice cream cone. He suppressed a lecherous smile. "Glad to hear it missy."

She fed Gabe another bite of ice cream. He slapped his hands on the bar in front of him demanding more right away. Raine laughed. "Okay Gabe I get it."

It was the first time he had ever heard her genuinely laugh. He liked it, it was almost musical. Maybe we should have a daughter too. A baby like her. "You're quite happy being a mother."

Gabe was still amusing her. "Yes, it's wonderful. Do you have children ojisan?"

Not yet, but I will. "Five," Sasuke lied. "And nine grandchildren."

"They must keep you very busy."

Sasuke ate some ice cream. It was good. Watching Raine lick away at hers was even better though. I'd like to smear this stuff all over her and… "Children keep you young."

Raine sucked in a glob of ice cream nodding. She swallowed the cool treat. "They do keep you on your toes." She giggled again and gave Gabe another spoonful.

He smiled a little. A very pretty and talented mouth… "That they do."

After ice cream Raine went home. She gave Gabe a bath and cleaned him up. He cruised around the kitchen in his tot wheels chewing on his teething ring while Raine started dinner. Kankuro was home first, he always was on nights Raine was cooking. He came into the kitchen and Gabe rolled himself Kankuro's way. "Ka! Ka!"

"Oi buddy." Kankuro bent and plucked Gabe out of his walker. "How was your day?"

Raine laughed as Gabe pulled on Kankuro's nose. "Somebody had ice cream today and boy did he like it."

"Did ya pal? You like ice cream ne?"

"Ka!" Gabe patted his uncle's cheek.

Raine started peeling potatoes. "This sweet old man, he took us for ice cream. Poor guy looked like he needed to eat something."

Kankuro knew Raine had a soft spot for orphans and old farts. A little side effect of her days of servitude in the Hotohori estate. "He probably just wanted to see you lick a cone toots," Kankuro teased. "I'll bet he ran out for some Viagra right after that."

"Kankuro!" Raine laughed. "He was old! Ancient really and very nice. He said he had nine grandchildren."

"Being a dad don't make ya less perverted. Just look at Gaara," he snorted a laugh.

"Kankuro!" she laughed with him.

Temari came in behind her brother. "What are you two giggling about?"

"Ta! Ta!"

"Hello Gabie poo!" She reached for her nephew. "Come see auntie Temari!"

Kankuro shielded Gabe. "I was here first."

She frowned at her brother. "Gimmie my nephew. You'll just get him sticky."

"I don't always get Gabe sticky."

Raine giggled and started another potato. "Just half the time right?"

"I bet he got sticky having ice cream," Kankuro defended. "Some old Viagra bastard was tryin to pick up mouse."

"Kankuro!" she skinned the potato without even having to look at it. Old habits… "This nice old man with three teeth bought us ice cream," she directed at Temari.

Temari smiled and stepped to the counter. She'd let big brother have Gabe for a few more minutes. "Man, the old fogies just can't get enough Gabe can they?"

"Of course not!" Kankuro puffed up. "The old farts love Gabe!" He bounced Gabe and the little one laughed.

"He did reach for his dish of ice cream with the sand though," Raine winced some. "I don't think anyone else caught it, but the old geezer did."

"Did he freak?" Temari asked raising a brow.

"No," Raine moved on to another potato. "He did ask if Gabe was a handful though. I told him Gabe was a good baby."

Kankuro shrugged it off. "Probably one of the old timers that remember when Gaara was a baby. At least you put his fears to rest. You've got Gabe in check." He winked at his sister in law.

"Mouse is a good mom," Temari agreed.

"Thanks guys," Raine flushed at their flattery.

"Ma ma ma!" Gabe added his two cents and everyone laughed.

It was getting late as Sasuke shuffled through Sand toward the kage's house in his old man disguise. He sat on a bench not far from the place and tugged up his hood. It was about as close as he could get without drawing the attention of Raine's ANBU guards. It's close enough. Sasuke bit his thumb and tucked his bleeding hand into his wrap with his other. He was through the seals quickly and Zantho appeared.

Sasuke carefully guided the tiny moth out his sleeve. I need your eyes. Go to Gaara's place and watch Raine.

The moth fluttered his wings and paused on the back of the bench behind Sasuke. He flew up and toward the kage's house looking for the ANBU secret guard. He found two before he reached the lighted nursery window.

Sasuke kept one hand in his cloak maintaining the jutsu as he watched through Zantho's eyes. Gaara was laying his tired child in his crib. Raine handed the baby his teething ring. The couple stood watching their child fall asleep. Gaara slipped his arm around Raine's waist and kissed her neck. She turned to him and

"Oi, like the bartender said; I don't care where ya sleep buddy but it aint gonna be here," the ninja frowned down at the old man. "You got someplace to go pops?"

Shit. He broke contact with Zantho for the moment and got up. "Prick," he growled under his breath as he hobbled away from the sand ninja. Sasuke made his way to the room he rented from some old hag. He couldn't stand her. Every morning it was oatmeal and the old bitch talked with her mouth full. She was asleep in her rocker when Sasuke passed through and went to his room.

He threw off his cloak and sat down on his bed. Sasuke stilled himself and reached out for his spy. Zantho.

Where ya been Sasuke you're missing the show the moth leant Sasuke his eyes.

It wasn't the nursery; it was Gaara and Raine's bedroom. He's…fucking her. Raine and Gaara were writhing around like a couple of animals in heat. His lips and hands were all over her. Sasuke grit his teeth. Gaara you bastard.

Zantho leant Sasuke his ears too.

Raine arched her back and sighed. Sasuke forgot about his nemesis for the moment and focused on the woman. The pair rolled and Raine took the top. Sasuke approved of the better view. Yeah that's nice.

How's the reception ne Sasuke?

It's good Zantho, thank you.

The moth loved to be appreciated.

Tsume was the oldest in the orphanage at thirteen. He was good at helping with the other children and when the princess Raine asked him to come help her around her place on Tuesday and Thursday mornings the boy couldn't say no. Like many in Sand he was in love with the first lady. He helped her hang laundry and carried heavy things for her. She always rewarded him with something good to eat. Sometimes he even got to see the kazekage. Tsume loved his job.

It was Thursday morning and Tsume set off for kage's place. He took the short cut through the alleys. Tsume was almost in the clear when he heard a voice behind him. "Hey boy." Tsume turned and looked into a pair of red eyes. He died painlessly and quietly not even knowing he was a goner.

Sasuke threw the boy's body into a grain basket and secured the lid. "Catch ya later Tsume," Sasuke used the boy's phrase as he took the boys form. Looking like Raine's favorite orphan Sasuke set off to Gaara's house.

The ANBU near the main entrance to the house nodded Tsume in. Sasuke stepped into Gaara's house and closed the door behind him. Raine and Gabriel were here alone. He could hear them upstairs. She and the baby were laughing. "That's my good boy," Raine giggled at her child delighted.

Sasuke rolled his eyes up toward the sound of her voice. Yes…my good boy. He started toward the stairs altering his appearance again. By the time he got to the second floor Sasuke had turned into Gaara. He went to the nursery and looked in. Raine and Gaara's child were sitting on the floor playing with toys. "Raine," he said with Gaara's voice.

Raine looked up at her husband and smiled. "Gaara, what are you doing home?"

He held a hand out to her. "I just dropped by to let you know Tsume wasn't coming. He has the flue. Didn't want to get Gabe sick."

Gabe was occupied so she got up and went to Gaara. He wrapped her into his arms and she hugged him. "Is he alright?"

"Sure." Sasuke was memorizing what it felt like to hold her in his arms. The feel of her body against him. Raine tickled at one of his ears and he shuddered.

"You didn't have to come all the way home for that Gaara," Raine flirted pushing her bosom into him. "Did you want something?"

Holy shit…"Yes." Sasuke closed his mouth over Raine's and kissed her. One of his hands slid down her back side and grabbed cheek. He pushed their intimate parts together and she opened her mouth to his kiss. Yes, I want this.

Gaara kissed her passionately as his hands roamed over her curves. He broke their kiss to catch his breath and Gaara hugged her tight panting against her neck. "Don't you have to meet with Baki this morning?" Raine was still sure the jonin didn't like her.

Sasuke took her face in his hand and stared into her sparkling blue eyes. It was exciting to be with her like this. He liked being close to Raine much better when she wasn't afraid of him. Their kiss left him wanting more. The mother of my child. "You're so beautiful."

She blushed up at Gaara and giggled. "Flattery will get you nowhere when I have laundry to do."

"No time for a quickie ne?" Sasuke teased.

Raine laughed. "Gabe's not quite ready for a nap. Sorry love, you'll just have to go hang out with Baki."

"I have a little time." He had walked in here as Tsume; he still had a few minutes to play Gaara. He just couldn't linger long; Gaara's siblings were in and out of here all day. He hugged Raine closer with one hand felt her breast with the other. "Kiss me." Sasuke kissed her again deep and slow. This is what I want. He pinched her nipple and Raine moaned against his lips. She wants me to fuck her.

Even if Gaara did have time to fool around now, Raine didn't. There were sheets to be hung on the line and it was almost time for Gabe's snack. She gave her husband a kiss that screamed do ya later and stepped back blushing at him. "You should get going Gaara. Baki will be expecting you."

He watched breathless as the most enticing woman he had ever known slipped out of his arms. "Raine…"

"I'm glad you stopped by. I hope Tsume feels better soon."

Tsume wont feel anything anymore he's dead. "Me too." A million thoughts raced through his mind. He could knock Gabriel out or kill him right now. He could take Raine to the floor right here or he could take her to Gaara's bed and fuck her brains out.

She rested a hand on Gaara's cheek and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you."

How many years had it been since someone had spoken those words to him? She's the one for me. Sasuke took Raine's hand and kissed it. "I love you too."

Raine smiled. "See you for lunch?"

If he didn't want to ruin their moment Sasuke had to leave now. "You bet." He kissed her once more and even pat the baby on top of the head. Smiling Sasuke went back downstairs. He changed into Tsume again and left the house headed for the market. Once there he morphed back into the old man.

Sasuke didn't want to leave Sand, not after getting so close to Raine, but in a few hours all hell was going to break lose at kage's place. When Gaara found out someone groped his wife there would be a manhunt. Tsume's body would be discovered soon enough too. The basket would stink by this afternoon.

The ninja at the gate paid the old man that shuffled out into the desert little attention. When Sasuke was out of their sight he returned to his own form and ran like hell. If Gaara so much as suspected it was the Sound ninja that was at his sexy little wife he'd turn the whole desert upside down to find Sasuke.

I hate to get you all hot and then leave ya hanging honey. Sasuke smiled thinking about the steamy kiss Raine had given him. Yes, I defiantly want that. He didn't want to just make a baby with her. I'm going to take your wife and make her mine Gaara. She said she loves me. I can make her believe she does.

They were half way through lunch when Raine mentioned making soup for Tsume. "Kid sick?" Kankuro assumed.

"The flue, right Gaara?"

Gaara blinked at Raine. "Huh?"

Raine rolled her eyes. "You said Tsume wasn't coming because he had the flue."

What? "No I didn't," Gaara looked at Raine curiously.

"Gaara, it's why you came home this morning. Well, one of the reasons," she smiled flirtily at him.

Came home? Gaara felt his heart dive into his stomach. "What are you talking about Raine?"

Temari was busy with Gabe but she was listening. Kankuro had stopped eating and was looking at Gaara frowning. Raine also frowned at Gaara. "You came home this morning and said Tsume wasn't coming because he had the flue."

Shit. Oh shit! Gaara swallowed hard. "And then what Raine? I told you Tsume wasn't coming and then what?"

"What's wrong with you?" Gaara was making her nervous. "You said Tsume wasn't coming, got your hug and kiss and went back to work."

Shit. "Kankuro."

Big brother was already standing. "I'll get ANBU."

Raine looked from Gaara to Kankuro hurrying out and back again. "What's wrong with you two? Why are you calling ANBU?"

Gaara took Raine's hand and stared into her eyes. "I didn't come home this morning Raine. Whoever was in the house with you, it wasn't me."

"No," it was almost laughable. "It was you Gaara. I saw you, I kissed you."

His stomach rolled at the thought of another kissing his wife. "What did he do to you?"

He's…serious. The reality of it all was sinking in. That wasn't Gaara! "Gaara…"

"Did he hurt you?"

Raine shook her head a little. "I thought it was you. I…I kissed him. He touched me!"

Gaara pulled her into his arms and she squeezed him. "It's alright Raine."

"Gaara!" Kankuro called from the front door. "You better come out here!"

Gaara nodded at Temari. "Stay with Raine wont you." He hurried out.

Raine looked at her sister in law Temari was frowning a little. "How? How can someone look and sound just like Gaara!" she asked the ninja.

"Genjutsu. It's an illusion they put around themselves, the shinobi that can do such a thing." Her heart was in her throat. A strange ninja had been in here alone with mouse and Gabe. They could have been killed.

"It doesn't make sense. Why would someone pretend to be Gaara so they could tell me Tsume was sick?"

Her guess was Tsume was dead. "It could have been an assassin."

Assassin? "He touched the top of Gabe's head!" Raine panicked.

Temari stood and immediately took Gabe out of his high chair. "Let's get you two looked at by a medical specialist. Make sure the weirdo didn't have something on his hands or in his mouth."

ANBU reported that little Tsume had arrived at 9:45 and stayed in the house about ten minutes before he headed off to the market. The director of the Orphanage said Tsume left at quarter past and running late. The boy's body was discovered not far from the kage's house at 1:19 by ANBU combing the area.

At 6:30 that evening an elderly woman was found dead in her rocking chair by her granddaughter. The old woman had her throat slit and her mouth was full of oatmeal. The granddaughter reported to ANBU that the old woman had been renting a room out to a toothless old geezer. The geezer turned out to be the sweet old man that had given Gaara's son his first taste of vanilla ice cream.

Raine and Gabriel both checked out alright and Gaara took his family home. Raine passed Gabe off to Gaara and ran up to their bedroom. He heard the door slam and then Raine was crying. Gabe was fussy, hungry so Gaara hurried to the kitchen to get him something to chew.

Gaara put Gabe in his high chair and went into the cupboard for the cheerios. He was shaking some into a bowl when Kankuro came in. "Kankuro," Gaara greeted.

He could hear mouse bawling upstairs. "Is she okay?"

"Tsume's death has upset her greatly." Gaara set the bowl on the tray in front of Gabe. The baby dug in with both hands.

"He was a good kid," Kankuro felt the boy's loss too. Tsume had loved coming here to help Raine around the house. It had made the orphan boy feel important, he bragged about the kage's family all over town.

"Two murders, it is likely that the same ninja that approached Raine that did the killings."

Kankuro watched his little buddy stuffing cheerios into his mouth. "He didn't hurt Raine or Gabe though."

He looked up at his brother's frown. "It was quite the opposite," Gaara grumbled.

"Mouse got a stalker?"

"It would seem so."

Temari came in behind Kankuro. "ANBU is still searching the area around the old woman's place. Whoever he was, he's probably long gone now. The penalty for impersonating the kage is death."

"He could still be hiding in Sand using a different face," Kankuro grunted.

"Hiei has a team going through the bingo book for possible suspects. It's pretty obvious we're dealing with a genjutsu user."

Gaara looked at Temari. "I don't think anyone from Sand did this."

Kankuro rolled his eyes over to baby brother. Gaara looked pissed. "I hope not."

"I think it was Uchiha Sasuke."

"Sasuke?" Temari gasped.

Gaara raised a hand to quiet his sister. "I don't want Raine to hear us."

His stomach tightened up. "Oi Gaara if it was Uchiha wouldn't he have…"

"Perhaps he thought ANBU would be too quick to stop him from killing them."

"They think nothing of you slobbering all over mouse all the time. The attacker made things look totally normal," Temari deduced.

"I don't get it," Kankuro shook his head. "Why? Why kill Tsume? Why come here at all? He didn't hurt them; he didn't try to abduct them."

Gaara felt a migraine coming on. "He used Tsume's appearance to get past the guard. He came here to see Raine."

"Did he do something to her?"

He shook his head at his brother. "No, he didn't use any jutsus on her." He didn't have to wearing my face.

Kankuro was frustrated. "Then what the hell was his mission?"

It dawned on Temari that there was no mission. "Kankuro, how would you feel if some guy got all hot and grabby with your woman ne?"

"I'd kill the fucker."

Gaara's hand tightened into a fist. "Exactly."

He got it now. "Sasuke wants to fight ne?"

"He copped a feel and slipped my wife the tongue," Gaara hissed. "I'll fucking kill him."

"Sasuke did this to spite Gaara but finding out it was him that attacked her," Temari shook her head. "Maybe it's better not to say anything to mouse."

"It is better and no one is going to tell her it could have been him. I will not have Raine any more terrorized by that bastard then she already has been!"

"Da da da da!" Gabe was loud like daddy. He whacked the edge of the bowl and cereal went everywhere.

Temari went to Gabe. "I'll take care of Gabe Gaara. Why don't you see if you can get mouse calmed down."

Gaara took a deep breath and tried to exhale his frustration. Godamn you Sasuke; how dare you touch my wife! He could still hear her crying into her pillow somewhere above him. "Alright," Gaara sighed. He moved past his siblings and went to comfort his wife.

Sasuke was in a fine mood by the time he arrived in Cardiff. He stopped off for some take out and went to his room to pig out and replenish his strength. He spread his three dinners out on the floor in front of him and dug in. He would eat, sleep for a while and then get out of town. Gaara would send ANBU to Cardiff looking for enemy ninja. Sasuke chuckled. "And we are bitter enemies ne Gaara?"

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out Raine's picture. He stared at her shy smile as Sasuke chewed up some beef and broccoli. "You're not as sweet and innocent as you look are you Raine?" he was almost willing to bet that if Gaara's damn kid had been asleep when he came in I could have fucked her right in Gaara's bed. He laughed and set her picture down to shovel some rice in his mouth.

Don't worry sweetie. Next time I won't leave you hanging. Next time I'll take care of you real good. Next time Sasuke twisted the cap off his soda and downed a generous gulp. The sweet stuff hit the spot and Sasuke guzzled some more. He caught his breath after such a long drink and went right back to feeding his face.

One kid is not enough. I want two, maybe three. A boy to take after me and a girl to take after Raine. Sasuke remembered Raine's happy melodious laugh and smiled. A boy and a girl. Defiantly! He tried the orange chicken and found it delicious. He shoved two huge pieces in his mouth and chewed ravenously.

He was sure taking Raine away from Gaara would be difficult, but it would give Sasuke the opportunity to kill the kazekage. I'll kill Gaara and his shitty family, give Gabriel to Orochimaru and then Sasuke speared some more chicken I'll comfort your grieving widow Gaara, don't sweat it.

Sasuke finished his dinner planning out his life with Raine.

Gaara went into the bedroom and his eyes found Raine on the bed. She was lying on her tummy with her face in a pillow. Raine was crying. He went to the side of the bed. "Raine?" she didn't answer him. Gaara slipped out of his harness and let his gourd hit the floor. He crawled up in bed next to his wife. "Raine..."

She turned on her side and faced him. "He was…just a…kid," she sniffled.

He pulled Raine to him and held her. She clung to him as she cried for her friend. Damn you Sasuke. "We'll find who did this and they will be punished."

"He should rot in jail for life!" she wailed against Gaara's shoulder.

Gaara rubbed Raine's back. He didn't like keeping secrets from her, but there were just too many things he didn't have the heart to tell her. Presently her young friend's body was on a table in the medical examiners office. Aneurism in the brain had been determined as the boy's cause of death. Sasuke blew apart the kids brain from the inside. Sick bastard. He didn't have to kill Tsume! "Don't worry Raine. Whoever did this will pay."

"The other kids Gaara," Raine's heart was breaking for the orphans. "They all looked up to Tsume. They loved him. Chiyo and Sasami…" she broke into another round of hysterical sobs. The little girls called him Tsume oaniki.

"We'll go and check in on them tomorrow Raine. I'll handle all of the arrangements for Tsume." Gaara would make sure the orphan had a decent burial. He held his wife and let her cry some grief out of her system. After a while she tired herself out and lay against him sniffling.

Raine knew she had more then just Tsume to worry about. "Did that terrible man come here to hurt Gabe?"

Gaara had a lie prepared to answer her question. "No, I think he was looking for a forbidden scroll."

She knew things like that were kept locked away here. It was a logical explanation but, "Why did he… bother me?"

Gaara took Raine's chin in his hand and tipped her face up so that he was looking her in the eye. "Because you're beautiful and men fall in love with you the moment they lay eyes on you." He smiled a little at her. "I know I did."

"He was a real dangerous pervert?"

My love. Gaara stroked her cheek and nodded at her. "Don't worry anymore about it. ANBU will catch him. Hiei will kick his ass good for touching you. He and Kurama both adore their princess you know."

The idea of her kindly ANBU guards beating the crap out of Tsume's killer was scary and awesome at the same time. Raine detested violence, but she wanted the bastard that killed her friend to hurt. She frowned. "Does it make me a bad person to want them to beat him up Gaara?"

"Not at all." Sadly enough his wife was coming to understand that sometimes a ninja had to fight, had to kill.

Raine felt a little better. She snuggled against Gaara. "Is Gabe okay?"

Gaara kissed the top of her head. "Temari's got him. I gave him some cheerios."

Her baby boy had a long afternoon at the hospital. "He probably wants something good. I should make him something."

"Temari can handle it."

"What about you? You haven't had any dinner. Aren't you starving?"

He smiled at her concern. Always worrying about me. "I'll send Kankuro out for pizza, how's that?"

She looked up at her husband. "You sure that's alright?"

"Pizza sounds good to me. Kankuro will be up for some too I'm sure. Temari likes that vegetable medley salad thing from that place."

She was almost ready to drag her miserable ass out of bed. Gaara always makes me feel better. Raine tried to smile for her husband. "Gino and Joes it is."

As Tsume's body was committed to the dust of the earth Sasuke arrived back at Hidden Sound. He was still on a high; it was a rush to torment Gaara in such a way. He could hardly wait to kill the bastard. Pleased with himself he went to his quarters to clean up after his long journey.

Sasuke was fresh out of the shower and half dressed when the door to his room banged open. He turned and saw Orochimaru. The sannin looked furious. "If you come to welcome me home, don't bother." He picked up his shirt and pulled it on.

You stupid bastard! Orochimaru was beyond furious. He already received a full report on Sasuke's shenanigans from his spies in Wind. "What were you doing in Sand?"

"Minding my own business now why don't you mind yours."

Orochimaru stepped into Sasuke's room trying to remain calm. Don't kill him you need his living body he reminded himself. "You went after Raine."

He figured Orochimaru probably knew everything. "I went to see her yes."

"Fool! Security around the kazekage's family will be tightened. It's going to be even more difficult to get close to Raine!" You're fucking up my plans!

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Orochimaru. "I can get to her whenever I want."

Arrogant little shit. "Getting to her and getting her out of Gaara's desert are two different things. All you've done make Gaara more protective of his wife. Stay away from her and Sand!"

Fuck you old man. "Don't tell me what to do!"

That's it! Orochimaru couldn't kill Sasuke, he needed him. He could put the fear of god into him though so he did. Orochimaru waved his hand and Sasuke went flying into the wall. He held the Uchiha there immobilized as he went to his servant. "I know what you did Sasuke."

Sasuke struggled against the invisible force holding him to the wall. "Release me!"

"You killed her orphan boy just to see Raine. You walked right into the kazekage's house but even that wasn't bold enough for you. You just had to molest the kage's wife!"

"Keh," Sasuke hissed through his teeth. He tried to bring out his Sharingan, but something about the force holding him to the wall was preventing him from doing so. Godamn you Orochimaru! "She enjoyed it," he snarled back.

Orochimaru put his face close to Sasuke's and glared into his eyes. "Because she thought you were Gaara. She's a total slut for him."

"Shut up." Orochimaru wasn't telling Sasuke something he didn't already know. He had seen Raine and Gaara together through Zantho's eyes just a few nights ago.

He focused on Sasuke's eyes feeling out the kids railed up emotions. Twisted fuck. "You've got some kind of a sick little crush on her is that it?"

Sasuke's lip curled into a snarl. "Raine will be the mother of my children."

Children? Now he wants more then one? What the fuck. "I agreed to give you a child with Raine. I never said you could have her."

What? It was completely unacceptable. Sasuke didn't just want a baby; he wanted Raine the happy wonderful mother to raise it. He narrowed his eyes at the sannin. "I will have Raine or I'll kill your precious Gabriel before he can walk!"

Furious Orochimaru grabbed Sasuke by the face. He changed the flow of chakra holding Sasuke and squeezed the Uchiha. "You won't touch a hair on his head."

No, I'll leave him alive so you can have his body you bastard. Then my family will be safe. "I already have," Sasuke laughed defiant.

Orochimaru had to consider the possibility that Sasuke would kill Gabriel before Orochimaru could use him. "Alright Sasuke, then here is the deal. You stay away from them, you stay away from Sand. When the opportunity presents itself to acquire Raine, it will be done."

He didn't want to stay away from her but sneaking back into Sand would be too difficult for a while. "How long are you going to make me wait?"

It appeared his subordinate was willing to comply. He let go of Sasuke's face but didn't loosen the chakra hold just yet. "It's your own damn fault if it takes time. You just had to go and get Gaara's back hair up didn't you?"

Sasuke cut his eyes away from the sannin's accusing glare. "Fuck Gaara."

"I'm sure she is. Maybe he's nailing her right this moment. Does that piss you off Sasuke?" If the Uchiha had feelings for Raine, even demented ones Orochimaru could use her against him.

His eye twitched and Sasuke grit his teeth. "I don't care. I'll kill Gaara and make Raine a widow." You have her now Gaara, but I won't let you keep her!

Orochimaru thought Sasuke did care. Good, it will fuel his hatred for Gaara. "Do you love her Sasuke," Orochimaru teased. Sasuke glared at him and the sannin smiled. "I loved Rhiannon."

"You've never loved anyone in your life," Sasuke hissed.

You're wrong Sasuke. "Raine looks just like her."

There was something chilly, almost eerie in Orochimaru's voice. "I don't care."

"Of course you don't." He smiled a little. "Behave yourself Sasuke and I'll get you your little woman. I'll even let you play happy family for a while." And when I take your body, I'll have my Rhiannon back. We'll have Gabriel and all the baby Uchiha's I need to make an army. Orochimaru laughed and released Sasuke. The boy landed on his feet.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Orochimaru could take Sasuke's body at any time. Is he offering me time to raise my child with Raine?

"It means be good and I'll let you enjoy yourself a little. Maybe one child with Raine wont be enough for you ne?"

He is. Sasuke straightened. "I think it would be a good idea to have one of both genders."

Orochimaru chuckled and headed for the door. "We think alike you and I. Come Sasuke. I have a mission for you." Sasuke obediently followed him out.

In the weeks following Tsume's funeral Raine and Gabe visited the orphans often to try and cheer them up. Raine Chiyo and Sasami planted an olive tree in Tsume's memory. Gabe was usually tired when they came home late in the afternoon. This afternoon he was so Raine put him down for a nap and went to start dinner.

Kankuro came in sifting through the mail. "Oi mouse. Gabe napping?"

"Yep." She pulled vegetables from the crisper.

In the mix was a letter addressed to Lady Raine with a postmark from tea country. "Looks like you got some more fan mail." Kankuro tossed the letter on the counter for her. At least once a month some noble wrote the kage's wife. "Tea country this time."

Raine rolled her eyes and set the vegetables on the counter. "I heard everyone down there is on opium."

"It's legal in the bars," Kankuro grinned.

"You better not be on drugs Kankuro," Raine teased taking up the letter. "I'll stage an intervention."

That got him laughing. "I bet you would. You'd hold me so Temari could hit me."

Raine tore the envelop open grinning at big brother. "Something like that."

Kankuro went and tucked the mail into its proper place. He heard the door and a second later he heard Gaara's familiar footsteps in the hall. He turned to watch for his brother. "Oi Gaara what's up?"

Gaara saw Kankuro at the end of the hall. "Done for today, you?"

Kankuro took a step back further into the kitchen to give Gaara some room. "Soto's still not sure if his genin are ready for the chunin exams. He might wait a year."

"It's alright, there's no rush." Gaara came in and looked from his brother to his wife. "Raine?" Her eyes were glued to the page she held in her hand and she was frowning.

She couldn't breath. Uchiha Sasuke…Raine lifted her eyes to Gaara crinkling the letter in her hand. "Sasuke killed Tsume."

Gaara blinked surprised and beside him Kankuro straightened. "Why would you think so Raine?" Gaara started to sweat.

"Because he fucking told me!" she slammed the letter down hard on the counter numbing the heel of her hand.

"Raine," Gaara moved his ass and hurried over to the counter.

"You knew!" she screamed at Gaara. Raine put her hand up warning him to stay back. "You knew it was Sasuke didn't you? Didn't you?"

Shit. Gaara's eyes went to the letter on the counter. He reached for it and she slapped her hand down on top of it. Gaara looked into her furious eyes. "Let me see it Raine."

"Answer me first." She couldn't decide which was worse; that it had been Sasuke or that Gaara had kept it from her. "Don't lie to me Gaara."

He took a deep breath. Fuck she knows. "I suspected it was Sasuke." She took a big step back. "Raine, I didn't want to frighten you."

"So you lied to me instead."

Kankuro was compelled to intercede. "Gaara was just trying to protect you mouse."

She shifted her guilty stare to Kankuro. "You knew too."

He sagged. "Mouse…"

Raine shook her head. "Fuck you guys. Fuck both of you!" She threw open the sliding glass door and stormed out to the garden.

"Gaara do something!" Kankuro demanded.

Gaara snatched the letter up off the counter. "Give me a godamn second would you? It would be nice to know what the fuck I'm dealing with!" His eyes went to the wrinkled letter and Gaara started to read.

My dearest Raine,

It feels like it's been forever since I last laid eyes on your smile or heard you laugh. I miss you more then words can say. I want to hold you in my arms again. I want to kiss you. I want to hear you say you love me like you did before.

You're probably still angry with me for killing Tsume. Perhaps time apart right now is a good thing. You'll come to understand that he did not die in vain. Tsume gave his life to bring us closer together. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could be united if only for a moment. I think it was worth it.

"What does it say?"

Gaara's stomach tightened into a sick little ball. "Just wait!" He snapped furious. The letter went on.

I'm involved in a complicated mission right now. Orochimaru wasn't happy about me seeing you. I'm sure he gave me this mission to keep us apart but don't worry. It will be over soon. Everything will be over soon. I'll take you away from miserable shit hole in the desert and treat you like the princess you are. Wait for me Raine. I'll save you.

Yours Always

Uchiha Sasuke

Gaara shoved the letter at Kankuro. "Listen for Gabe." He ran out after his wife. Godamn you Uchiha Sasuke!

Kankuro looked from his brother to the paper in his hand. It was signed Uchiha Sasuke. "Aww shit."

Gaara chased his wife down. "Raine wait!" he reached her and after a bit of a struggle Gaara got his arms around her. "Raine please!"

Raine turned her head away from Gaara. "It was Sasuke!"

"I know, I'm sorry. I should have told you but I didn't want to upset you." Gaara knew he was in deep shit with his woman for concealing the truth.

"Godamnit Gaara how could you lie to me about this?" She glared at her husband. "That freak touched Gabe!"

"Gabe is alright," Gaara hugged her tighter. "You're alright."

Her stomach rolled over. "I got hot with a guy that almost raped me Gaara. I told him I loved him because I thought he was you! Tsume is dead because Sasuke wanted to see me! It's not alright!"

Gaara focused on Raine's eyes. "He's sick Raine. The guy is fucked up in the head."

"I know that. He tried to bite my fucking face off!"

He hugged her tight against him. Make it stop… It wouldn't though, not until the Uchiha was dead. The letter was proof enough that the sicko wasn't going to be satisfied until he recaptured Gaara's wife. Twisted fuck Gaara didn't even want to think about it. He thinks he's in love with her. He thinks he's her fucking hero.

The arms around her were shaking and Raine looked up at her husband. There was a single furious tear in his eye. Gaara…She realized that he was hurting too and Raine hugged him. Even if she was angry she couldn't stand by and watch him suffer. "Gaara," she snuggled against him.

"I'm so sorry Raine. I'll never let him get near you again." He kissed the top of her head. "Please, forgive me."

A million thoughts raced through her mind. "You won't just put Sasuke in jail will you? You'll kill him."

You're godamn right I'm going to kill him. "Sasuke will resist arrest. It may be challenging to take him alive."

She wasn't sure she cared if Sasuke died, she almost wanted him to. She thought of the twisted love letter the monster sent her. "Did you read it?"

"Yes." Gaara rubbed her back. "I don't want you to worry about Raine. Sasuke isn't taking you anywhere. I won't let him." She looked up at him and Gaara took her soft cheek in his hand. "You're my wife Raine and I love you with all of my heart. I wont let anyone take you from me; ever." He sealed his promise with a kiss. I'll never let Sasuke have Raine. If he comes near her again I will kill him.

The letter was taken to Konoha and compared to Uchiha Sasuke's handwriting. It matched up perfectly; definitive proof that the mad man was indeed after Gaara's wife. Every piece of mail that came to the kage's house was examined carefully. If something came from an unknown source it was considered dangerous and taken to the kazekage immediately. Security was tightened at the gates of Sand. No one without identification was allowed in the city. The ANBU guarding Gaara's family was upped from a four man squad to six guards on duty at all times.

Shikamaru came to deliver the final arrangements for the exams to Gaara, Sakura came with him. She went to visit with Raine and Gabriel while Shikamaru talked to Gaara and Temari. They sat in the cool shade of the kitchen having iced tea while the little one zipped around the kitchen in his walker babbling to himself.

The women made some pleasant small talk and when Sakura was ready she began, "He wasn't always like this, Sasuke I mean."

For a moment she just stared at Sakura. Raine didn't care much to talk about the fiend, but Sakura looked like there was something she needed to say. "You knew him well when you were teamed up together?"

"Yes…and no." She stared down into her glass. "I always admired him. He was a genius, so smart and talented when we were all going to the academy together. I had a huge crush on him back when I was thirteen."

I don't care what he was. Sasuke is a monster. "How unfortunate for you."

Sakura looked up at Raine. She could see the contempt for the Uchiha in the young mother's eyes. "Sasuke had an older brother, Itachi. He was a genius too, even more so then Sasuke. Sasuke lived in Itachi's shadow always trying to be as good as the brother he adored. That didn't happen though, at least not in Konoha anyway."

Raine sipped her tea. "Why are you telling me about Uchiha Sasuke Sakura?"

"Sasuke is sick. I want you to understand that."

"Oh I understand that perfectly well I just don't give a shit."

"He wasn't always like this. Sasuke was pressured to become stronger and sought the quickest way to power."

"And I should care why?"

She hated to come off sounding like a bitch, but the truth was the truth. "If Gaara hadn't tormented Sasuke all those years ago when we first took the chunin exams together Sasuke wouldn't be bothering you now."

Her hand holding her glass wavered. Gaara… Her love had revealed to her what had happened so long ago. Sand and Sound allied against Konoha. When Konoha was attacked Gaara nearly killed Sasuke and Sakura and he fought Naruto monster to monster. "Gaara isn't like that anymore."

"Neither is Sasuke," Sakura sagged some in her seat. "He wanted to protect me from Gaara and he couldn't. Sasuke saw how powerful Gaara and Naruto were. It…did something to him. Crushed his pride…made him crazy with jealousy."

"He still holds a grudge against Gaara."

She nodded. "He holds an even bigger grudge against Itachi. Itachi murdered Sasuke's entire clan when Sasuke was eight years old. Right over the bodies of their mother and father the bastard used the Sharingan on him and showed him the horrible murders. Itachi fled Konoha and Sasuke was left alone."

Even if it was Sasuke, "He showed murder to a child?" Raine was disgusted.

Sakura swirled the melting ice in her tea. "Sasuke trained hard so that one day he could face and defeat his brother. It was during the exam in the forest of death that Orochimaru put his seal on Sasuke. When Konoha was attacked he found himself to be no match for Gaara or Naruto. I think… I think it set his heart on fire." She sipped her tea to swallow the lump in her throat. "Sasuke encountered Itachi a short time after the attack. Itachi beat him with ease and used the Sharingan on him again. Sasuke was beside himself. So much so that he went to Orochimaru to obtain the power to kill Itachi."

Raine had heard plenty about the evil sannin too. "Orochimaru turned him evil?"

Evil… "Orochimaru finished the job of screwing Sasuke up." Sakura finished her tea.

There was a distant look in her friend's eyes. "I'm sorry Sakura, but whatever Sasuke was now he's a monster."

"I know that. I just wanted you to know… he wasn't always like this." She had honored the memory of her fallen commerade. It was enough.

Raine could understand Sakura had cared for her fallen team mate a lot in the past. "I'm sorry it turned out like this for him. It sounds like he really went through something. I can't feel pity for him though Sakura. He killed Tsume, a thirteen year old boy, for no reason at all."

Sakura had seen the letter while it was in Konoha. "He killed him to spite Gaara. He didn't have to kill Tsume to take his appearance."

Her heart still mourned her friend. Raine looked at her son high tailing it across the kitchen. "Sasuke was near Gabe twice but he never made a move to hurt him."

I miss you more then words can say. It made her sick to think about it. "He didn't want to ruin the moment." I want to hear you say you love me like you did before. "Sasuke… I think he…"

She took Sakura's hand and squeezed it. "Don't say it Sakura. Neither one of us wanna hear it. Sasuke's sick, I understand. I'll be careful."

Gabe speed back toward the table. "Ma ma ma ma!"

Shikamaru waited until he and Gaara were alone. "How's Raine holding up?"

"She's forgiven me for keeping secrets I think though she didn't make it easy on me."

"Cut you off did she?"

"For four days." It had been miserable. Raine had been cool and detached; she didn't let Gaara get close at all.

The chunin shuffled his feet. "I read that little love letter Sasuke sent her."

Gaara wondered what the strategist picked up from Sasuke's twisted writings. "And?"

Where do I begin? "Man he really hates you. He sent her that letter to fuck with you, both of you. Sasuke wants Raine to grieve, to be afraid. He wants her to think that you can't protect her and Gabe."

"Tormenting me through her."

"Probably hoping to create some conflict between you. If Raine distances herself from you not only will you be miserable but it would make it easier for the bad guys to get close to her."

"There are six ANBU around Raine and Gabe at all times whether I'm there or not." Gaara was taking no chances when it came to his family again.

Shikamaru nodded and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Sasuke's letter was troublesome in many ways. "He's got some pretty fucked up feelings for her. Sasuke has nothing, he's a monster and no one cares about him. He liked her affection too much."

Gaara frowned. "Sasuke has no idea what it really is to love Raine."

"Your life is what he wants Gaara. You're the kage you've got a hot wife and a gifted child. Your family loves you and each other. Your people love the first family of Sand. It's everything Sasuke doesn't have and it's everything guys like him and Orochimaru just love to destroy."

Gaara finally put his fear into words. "Orochimaru wants Gabe."

"I don't think a guy like him has much patience for children, but yeah. In time Gabriel will become a strong ninja. When Orochimaru's done with Sasuke's body he'll transfer himself to the strongest shinobi he can find."

Gabe was going to have to become a strong ninja to protect himself from guys like the evil sannin. Shit godamnit fuck. Gaara wanted Gabe to follow in his footsteps, but Raine was still sensitive about the subject. "I won't let him near my son. If Orochimaru comes after Gabe I'll kill him."

Shikamaru swallowed hard wondering if Gaara could do it. He certainly had one hell of an advantage out here in the desert. "Somebody needs to kill that guy."

"Sasuke too." Gaara turned and looked out the window up at the bright blue sky.

"It would be better to kill Sasuke then to let Orochimaru take his body. Easier on all of us and kinder to him. I can't imagine having your body stolen and your consciousness destroyed would be all that much fun. I doubt it's painless either. Orochimaru is the master of sick jutsus."

That's why he'll never get near my child. "If either of them step foot in my desert again, I'll kill them."

Shikamaru knew from experience; if you needed some killing done Gaara was the guy to call. He had one more bit of news to pass on to Gaara. "Sasuke's obsession with you has taken his focus off Naruto for now. He and Jiraiya are investigating the whereabouts of Hidden Sound. Presently they're in tea country looking for clues."

Gaara nodded. "If Naruto and Jiraiya find Sound first, there may be nothing left for the rest of us."

In his own way Shikamaru was hoping for exactly that. "You never know what's going to happen when it's those two."

Shikamaru and Sakura stayed for dinner with the kazekage and his family. Afterward Shikamaru and Temari went for a walk. Kankuro teasingly invited Sakura out to the bar for a few drinks. Surprisingly enough she agreed. She could really use a drink after the day she had. The look of shock on Kankuro's face was priceless and she teased, "Our first date ne?"

Gaara held his breath to keep from laughing but Raine giggled as Kankuro's face turned dark red. The ninja swallowed hard and slunk out the door with Sakura behind him. When he was sure they were gone Gaara busted up laughing. Gabe clapped his hands and looked up at daddy from his place on the floor. "Da da da da!"

Raine scooped Gabe up. "Don't laugh at him Gaara," she teased. "Deep down Kankuro's a shy guy."

"Yeah right," Gaara thought otherwise.

Raine rolled her eyes at him and headed out with Gabe. "Its bed time daddy are you coming?"

It was time to put Gabe down and they had the house to themselves. We can even be loud about it if we wanna. Gaara grinned slobbishly. "You bet I am. Let's get the little guy in bed." Gaara followed his wife out.

Little Gabe had a busy day. Raine let him on the floor much more often now. He crawled a little and rolled around a lot. The baby dropped off to sleep quickly and Gaara took Raine to their room. Raine shook the braid in her hair loose as she went to her dresser for a nightgown. She hadn't even gotten the drawer open when she felt Gaara wrap his arms around her from behind.

She still had her hair off to one side and Gaara kissed her exposed neck. She leaned back against him and he felt her reach back and bring her arms up around his neck. Raine… Gaara slid his hands up from her waist to her breasts. "Gabe's asleep. We have the place all to ourselves." He squeezed a handful and nipped at her neck. Raine buried her hands in his hair. "Come to bed wife."

Gaara… Raine turned and kissed her husband. You're the only man I need to love me. Gaara swept Raine into his arms and carried her to bed.