Raine in the Desert

by Hack Interrupted

Gaara finds the love of his life

16. Chapter 16

16

"Come on Raine," Sasuke pestered. "It's not going to hurt him any."

Sasuke had been on her case about training Gabe since the day Kankuro left for Sand. "I don't want him throwing weapons around. It's dangerous."

"Who said anything about shuriken practice ne? I mean taijutsu, maybe a little ninjutsu to see what he can do." The Uchiha thought he was starting to wear her down. That was good because the longer Gaara was out of it the more urgent the need to train Gabe became. "He'll like it. I'll make it fun."

She thought about the bloody road that led to Konoha, Gabe had killed many. "I don't want him hurting anyone."

"He should know how to defend himself though Raine. It will be good exercise and it will be educational." Sasuke kept the pressure on. "Training is structure; it's just what Gabe needs right now. He'll be too busy to con his brothers into trouble."

Raine looked at Sasuke, he was all smiles. "I don't like the idea of Gabe learning violent things. He's still too little."

Sasuke's beloved was full of maternal excuses. "It's not all violent stuff, there's exercise, concentration and meditation. A few hours a day, it will be good for him."

Nag nag nag! She was tired of him bothering her about it. His pestering brought back the memory of what Gabe had done on the road to Konoha. "If I let you do this you will be able to tell me what Gabe is capable of?"

The Uchiha nodded. "It wont take me long to get him figured out. Why don't you let him start spending his afternoons with me?"

Gabe… Mommy frowned a little. "I don't want him to be a killer ninja. He's only a little boy, a good boy."

"Yes he's very good and he's very smart. I bet he'll take to the training like that," Sasuke snapped his fingers. He had every confidence in Gabe's abilities. "It will do him good Raine; Gabe is ready to learn a lot."

As long as it's learning. "Alright Sasuke, we'll try it and see how it goes."

They heard the front door open and a moment later Temari and Shikamaru came in. Temari held Kankuro's message in her hand. "Mouse, Sasuke there's a problem."

They all sat at the kitchen table together while the boys played in Gabe's room. The boys had a Lego fortress on uncle Kankuro's bed. Raine was shocked into silence and Sasuke frowned at Kankuro's letter of terrible news. "I better get my lawyer," the Uchiha grumbled. He turned to Raine. "You need to go speak to Tsunade now."

Temari had set the wheels in motion before coming to get her little sister. "Tsunade will have the paperwork ready for you and the boys."

"What about Sasuke?" Damn the counsel. Those miserable old bastards.

"She's busting out the red tape to keep Sasuke with you and out of jail as it is. Tsunade won't turn you over to a counsel that will execute you."

The thought of it made Raine's head swim. They want to kill me and Sasuke and let Gaara fade away. They think they have used him all up. "Fuck Sand; fuck them all!"

"Oi," Sasuke took Raine's arm and gave it a shake. "I know you're pretty pissed, you've got a right to be but let's go see Tsunade."

Raine focused on Temari. "Why are they doing this?"

Shikamaru suspected he knew. "The people of Suna, the old timers are impatient suspicious, stuck in the old ways. It's important to them for Sand to be a strong shinobi nation, no weakness allowed. They'll replace Gaara quickly and blame his condition on you two because your outsiders. Sasori of the red sands murdered the third and turned him into a puppet. That is enough to make them hate you Raine. They'll use Sasuke as their excuse to silence you because you did have his baby; Yusuke."

He had a captive audience and Shikamaru went on. "They've likely gone back into Sasuke's medical records. His earliest ravings implied that the two of you were having an affair before the battle at Sound, right when you got pregnant for the twins. They're also suspicious because Sasuke was helping with Saichi; access to Raine Gaara and the children every day."

"We didn't plot to murder Gaara!" Raine tried not to scream but she was frustrated.

"They just want Gaara out," Sasuke grumbled. Guilt sat heavy in his stomach. Raine's troubles were mostly his own damn fault. "That means they're getting ready to put a real hard ass in Gaara's place. Who?" he looked at Shikamaru, the ninja had to suspect someone.

The ninja frowned; he did think he knew who they intended to name as the next kazekage. He took Temari's hand. "As much as I hate to say it I think its Baki."

"Keh," Temari hissed through her teeth. "That jerk never did like mouse. He probably jumped for joy when he found out she was Sasori's daughter."

"Will Kankuro know to watch out for him?" Sasuke asked Temari.

She nodded. "Kankuro is alright and Sakura is with him. He'll listen to her."

Sasuke turned back to Raine. "Come on, let's go talk to Tsunade."

On the way to hokage's place Sasuke asked one of his guards to inform his attorney. He then explained the situation to Judda and Hiei. Both of the ANBU seemed shocked and Hiei got angry. He told his commerads, "I will not leave the princess."

Tsunade had a variety of documents ready when Gaara's wife and her guardians came in. Raine signed her name to papers that gave her and the boys asylum in Konoha. Sasuke filled out a different set of forms to begin a prisoner transfer from Gaara to Tsunade. The loophole was that Tsunade was in charge of what happened with Gaara now, she had his power to choose and as his doctor she was glad to shoulder the responsibility of taking on the Uchiha as the hokage's prisoner.

"This is crazy," Raine handed a stack of papers to Tsunade.

The hokage felt terrible for Raine. As if having her husband taken from her wasn't enough, now their home had turned against them. "This is politics."

"It sucks."

"I'm sorry mouse."

Sasuke's new found attorney friend came in and the two huddled together in the corner to talk. Sasuke explained the situation and gave him Kankuro's note. The Hyuuga was smooth, he could find a way to assist the soon to be fugitives. Sasuke signed some release forms so the Hyuuga could prepare a case. A defense against the charges Sand was about to file against them.

When it was over Sasuke and her ANBU walked her home. Raine tried to put it out of her mind as she set to making dinner for the boys. She didn't want them to worry. Shikamaru and Temari stayed for dinner and helped out with the boys after. The married couple stayed until the boys were tucked in for the night and then they departed to spend some time alone. Sasuke was helping Raine unload the dishwasher when she finally snapped. Raine burst into tears and Sasuke stepped to her. "It's okay Raine," Sasuke hugged her to him and she bawled even harder.

"It's not fair! How can they do this to Gaara, to all of us?"

Easy they're bastards. "It's alright. Tsunade isn't going to let them take anyone anywhere." He rubbed her back as her tears soaked his shirt. "You're safe, the boys are safe. Everyone is fine."

"They're going to make Baki kazekage? He was Gaara's sensei. He was a prick to those guys!" Raine sobbed.

"Not all kage are like Gaara or Tsunade. I suspect that Sand just wants power right now. They can't persecute Gaara for being weak so they're coming after us instead. They've never had a problem treating Gaara like shit before. They wouldn't care if he woke up to find you had been killed."

"It's all a lie!"

Most of it was, not all. "You are Sasori's daughter; Yusuke and Saichi are our children."

Raine shook her head and lifted her tear streaked face to his. "I was never with you Sasuke. I didn't plan Gaara's murder with you either!"

Never with me. That was a depressing truth. "I know that. So do a lot of other people. This is just Sand's way of clearing out an old regime. Don't let it get to you."

She tried to stop crying. Hysterics weren't going to help. "They're so cruel."

So am I. "This is my fault. Because I wanted to have children with you. Because you're special. I wanted…"

"Stop it Sasuke," Raine dropped her eyes. "You just added fuel to the fire. They condemned me the moment they found out Sasori was my father."

That was likely the truth, but it didn't ease his guilt much. "I put you through hell and they want to throw it in your face." Sasuke swallowed hard.

"They're twisting what happened in the past."

Sasuke put his hands on Raine's shoulders and held her in front of him so he could see her eyes. "I've seen what happened through your eyes, remember. We know the truth; Gaara knows the truth."

Gaara… being without him was taking its toll on her. "When is he going to be better?"

The desperation in her tone tugged at his heart. Maybe never. "Tsunade is working on it. She'll take good care of Gaara."

"I really need him back. Now." the tears started to fall again.

He hugged her to him again and let her cry. His heart ached with hers, Sasuke felt responsible for putting her in such a wretched position. "It's okay Raine. Everything is going to be okay."

The next day Cho Hyuuga dropped by the house for a few words with his client. He sat with the Uchiha and the princess on the back porch watching the cute little boys play in the yard. He covered Sasuke's criminal status first. "You have yet to be arraigned in either Suna or Konoha for your crimes so technically you aren't entirely criminal. You surrendered to Gaara and your arraignment was waved there; you were a private prisoner of the kazekage. Now that Tsunade hokage is the overseer of Gaara's case she can take you into her custody until a time when Gaara orders otherwise."

"So until I've been arraigned," Sasuke felt relief sneaking up on him.

Cho nodded. "The thing will be what charges Suna files against the two of you. They'll have a warrant for both of you soon enough I'm sure, but they cannot take either one of you from Konoha. You're protected by the hokage."

Raine was watching them, sitting back listening quietly. "What about my ANBU guard?" she was worried about the boys.

"A new kage would likely call them back to Sand." Cho sighed a little. "It's really a shame you're not from Konoha princess or I could do more to help you."

Sasuke frowned. "Like what?"

"Konoha goes out of its way to help its citizens. The princess is a special case because Orochimaru the sannin has an interest in her and the children. Hokage has Konoha ANBU watching her now because she's the kage's wife. If Gaara is deposed the princess will lose her political standing."

"What can we do about it?" Sasuke wanted all the answers.

"Tsunade sama will likely keep a guard on the princess whether she looses her ANBU or not. She'll be your biggest ally."

Sasuke sipped his lemonade. He didn't like having to rely on the hokage for anything. "Can you do something to make Raine and the boys citizens of Konoha?" Raine frowned at him but Sasuke ignored her for the time being.

The Hyuuga had been over many files pertaining to this unique family. "You are Yusuke's biological father and native to Konoha. It will be an easy thing to make his residency legal."

"What about Raine, Gabe and Renji?"

That was trickier. "I'd tell her to marry a native of Konoha but she's already married; to a very public figure of Suna. Even if Gaara is removed from his position he is still a shinobi of Sand."

"What if she gets divorced?"

"Sasuke," Raine snapped. "I'm not going to divorce Gaara you idiot!"

The Uchiha cringed a little. "I'm just covering all of the bases."

Cho winced some himself at her response but he answered Sasuke anyway. "If the princess tragically becomes widowed or divorced her ties to Suna will be severed should she marry elsewhere."

"Gaara is not going to die and I'm not divorcing my husband." Raine got up and stepped down into the yard with the boys. She knew them men were just trying to help her and the boys but their proposals were outrageous. Raine would never abandon Gaara.

Sasuke watched her go. He hated to upset her like this but the Uchiha was in survival mode. The barbarians in the desert wanted to hang him and the woman he loved. "Is there any other way to protect her and the children here in Konoha?"

"If she's willing to make you a legal guardian of the children you can enroll Gabriel in the academy a bit early. I hear he's a talented ninja already."

"Gabe's a genius." He sighed and watched Raine push Renji on the swing. Having a child in the ninja academy was one step closer to the family from Sand going native. I'll talk to her about the boys and if things get worse, Gaara."

"Not that is any consolation to the princess, but I know how much she and the kazekage meant to each other. Everyone did. I just want to advise her in the best manner to protect herself and your sons from Suna. I suspect they'll want to erase all traces of Gaara sooner or later especially if he never wakes up."

"Erase their mistakes from the history books ne? Bastards. I won't let them have Raine, ever. The boys either."

"Tsunade and I will do all we can to help." The Hyuuga got up. He had given his client enough to think about for now. "I'll need to see both of you if and when Suna files formal charges against you." The Uchiha nodded watching the pretty young mother with her sons. "Take good care of them Sasuke. I'll show myself out."

They were still over a day away from Konoha when Kankuro and Sakura stopped to have a decent dinner. Kankuro ordered sake with their meal. They could get a room at the local inn and get some rest tonight. The ninja had avoided drinking himself into a stupor until they had put Sand behind them, now he wanted to drink. Sakura had a few drinks with him and the big guy bought a bottle of Southern Comfort before they headed over to the inn to crash for the evening.

To Kankuro's distress they had only one room available. He offered it to Sakura and she assured him that she didn't mind sharing it with him. Red faced and carrying his booze Kankuro followed Sakura to the room. His panic increased when he saw not two twin beds, but one massive king size bed in the middle of the room. Oh shit. Kankuro looked around for something to pour a drink in.

Sakura hopped up into the middle of the bed and flicked on the TV. Kankuro was standing at the desk beside it pouring himself a drink. "I'll take one of those too." Sakura started to flip through the channels. The remote was screwy, the buttons stuck. "Stupid thing." She shook it a little and it fixed on a channel.

He heard moaning and gasping and looked over at the screen. Holy shit! Sakura had turned on porn. Kankuro's jaw dropped. After a long and awkwardly mesmerizing moment the channel changed and a news anchor replaced the fucking people. "Uhh…"

"Sorry the remote is screwing up." Sakura chuckled a little and Kankuro turned to her holding a plastic red cup full of booze for each of them. His face was red; she laughed and held out her hand for her drink. "Maybe we should just forget TV ne?"

Kankuro started to sweat as stepped alongside the bed and passed her a cup. What the hell does that mean? "Aint nothin on? A lacrosse game maybe?"

"Looks like it only gets a couple of channels," Sakura sipped her drink. "And porn. Did you wanna watch some more of that Kankuro? I'll put it back on if you want," she couldn't help but tease him. He looked thoroughly embarrassed. It was a cute look for the big Sand ninja. Sakura giggled at him.

"No that's okay. No TV is fine with me." She's teasing me! Kankuro took a big glug of his drink. It was smooth going down but it made him sweat even more. "Is it hot in here or what?" he pulled at his collar.

Sakura kicked off her sandals. "Go ahead and get comfortable Kankuro. I won't tease ya about your shorts."

He blinked at her and turned toward the bathroom. Kankuro had no intention to stripping to his skivvies like it isn't bad enough we're alone in some damn porno hotel drinking whisky out of disposable cups! But washing his face sounded good. He went into the bathroom to do just that.

She was watching the Tyra when Kankuro came out. He took off his hood and his puppets and he had a clean face. Sakura smiled at him and pat the bed beside her. Cautiously he sat down next to her. "You know you're a good looking guy Kankuro. You shouldn't hide your light under a bush."

"Bush?" Porn hotel! "What?"

With the paint off his face his blush was obvious. Sakura laughed at him. "I'm saying that you hide your good looks." She pinched his blushing cheek. "You're a cutie."

Kankuro froze. She thinks I'm cute! "Uhh… Sakura I…"

The poor guy was ready to fall over. "It's alright Kankuro I'm not going to bite you." She smiled and sipped her drink. "I'm just making conversation."

He took another gulp of booze thinking things over. Biting ne, I never thought Sakura was that kind of a girl. Kankuro nodded and looked down at her hips. She's way too little for me. I'd hurt her and she could never bare my children. He peeked back up at the TV. "Temari watches this chick. What's it about today?"

Sakura grinned. She had the feeling she was going to embarrass him again. "Oral sex."

He didn't get embarrassed; instead he turned the tables a little. "Chicks like getting head even more then a guys do especially if their multi orgasmic. Chicks can just keep on going and going until they're all whimpering and shaking and," from the look on her face, he had said too much. Kankuro sipped his booze and tried to look innocent.

"Oh?" Sakura sipped her drink too. "And you know this from… personal experience?"

Kankuro cleared his throat. "Yeah well ya know…"

"I see," his cheeks were a little pink. "I had no idea you were such a man whore."

He chuckled nervously. "I wouldn't call myself a whore, that's a little extreme."

"You just know how to please a woman ne?"

"Well…yeah." Kankuro downed what was left in his cup. "You want another drink Sakura?" he hoped to change the topic of conversation.

Sakura smiled deviously and finished her drink. "Sure why not."

The boys were finally asleep. Sasuke and Raine sagged into the plush couch watching a documentary on artic animals. Raine was a sucker for baby seals; she thought they were really cute. She tried to think about seals and polar bears instead of the bitter situation brewing back home in Sand. A polar bear caught a seal and Raine started to cry again.

"Oi Raine, take it easy. That's nature. The bears gotta eat right?"

Sasuke was looking at her funny and that just added to her hysteria. "The counsel is the bear and we're the seals. The minute we poke our heads out of Konoha, we're dinner."

"Its not so bad being stuck here," Sasuke tried to calm her. He turned a little and leaned closer to her. "I was thinking I'd like to get Gabe ready to enroll in the ninja academy. If you're willing to make me a guardian I can enroll him here in Konoha."

"That's a whole year ahead of schedule." Gabe had enjoyed the past few afternoons with Sasuke sensei but he wasn't five yet.

"I know, but I think Gabe would really like it. He would be considered a resident if he was attending school here," Sasuke reminded her.

Make Sasuke Gabe's guardian. Raine sniffed back her tears. "I don't know. What would Gaara say? What would he do?"

"He would protect his family. That's what I'm trying to do Raine. I need you to help me do that." He sighed hating to have to burden her like this. "Konoha might want to arrest me but at least they consider me one of their own. Tsunade and Cho Hyuuga will do everything they can to help. It will be easier to help if I have some sort of guardianship over the boys. Cho can prepare the paperwork for us. All you have to do is sign."

Raine frowned. Every time she signed something it just got her in even thicker then thieves with the Uchiha and this village. "What is Gaara going to say about all of this?"

Sasuke knew what to say to get her to cave in; he just didn't want to say it. He pushed aside his guilt and sorrow and spoke from her memories. "Raine, do you remember what Gaara said to you when you told him you surrendered yourself to me to protect Renji?"

She straightened and stared at him surprised Sasuke would bring up such a thing. He looked sort of miserable, frowning and not quite looking her in the eye. "Sasuke?"

He remembered it very well. It was one of her memories that made him want to cry. "He told you that what you did wasn't as important as why you did it."

Her heart sped up in her chest. She remembered that conversation with Gaara. She remembered the shame she felt when she told her husband the Uchiha had been at her. "Why are you bringing that shit up? Do you even remember any of it?" Raine looked away. Sasuke was scary back then.

"I'm bringing it up because you're in that position now Raine. You're going to have to do some difficult things to protect the boys; and as for your other question," Sasuke shrugged. "I have my own screwed up memories and whatnot."

Raine looked at him sidelong. "What do you mean?"

"I know you're not crazy about putting Gabe in the academy or giving me guardianship." He left out divorcing Gaara. There was no way that was going to fly yet.

"No, I mean your memories of then. I thought you didn't remember that much."

A small sad smile appeared on his face. "Your memories kind of burst my bubble. Mine don't exactly match yours."

"What do you think happened Sasuke?" it was weird having this conversation but she was curious. She had been paling around with him for months and he had always been perfectly behaved. They had become friends, Raine relied on him and he didn't take advantage of that. He didn't write her love sonnets or attack her in the laundry room.

"I know what happened." He stared down at his knees.

"That's not what I asked."

Sasuke looked up into her eyes. I think I fell in love with you. "You don't really want to know."

Not really, but the curiosity was nagging. "You've seen my memories, why don't you want to share yours with me?"

"Do you really want me to?" Sasuke leaned closer to her and turned on his Sharingan. She raised a suspicious eyebrow and he smiled at her. "It goes both ways Raine. I can show you what is in my mind just like I looked into yours." He thought it would be enough to scare her off, to his chagrin it wasn't.

Maybe if she saw inside of his head she'd understand what made him tick. "Okay Sasuke, do it. Show me."

The Uchiha frowned. This could get embarrassing. "Uh… I'm not so sure I should. I promised Gaara I wouldn't use my Sharingan on you ever again."

"Gaara's not your boss I am and I said do it." Raine played the authority card.

"Come on Raine, you don't want to see what's in my head. Most of it is broken up, confused, hard to understand."

"You're hiding something from me?"

Yeah a lot. "No of course not."

"Then show me Sasuke, that's an order."

Shit. There was no way out of it now that he had opened his big mouth. Way to go idiot. He pushed Orochimaru far from his mind; he had no intention of showing Raine anything about that bastard. "You asked for it." Sasuke trapped her with his eyes and established a link. Don't hate me Raine…

It wasn't like last time. When Sasuke had looked in her mind it had been like watching a movie, Sasuke's memories were not so intact. His earliest memory of Raine was when he saw her at a party in Konoha that he himself hadn't been invited too. Raine felt Sasuke's isolation and loneliness. The next clip was him coming upon Raine and Naruto in the woods. It was like watching a skipping disk with no sound and then they were in the hotel room in Cardiff.

Sasuke was very interested in the woman feeding him dinner. He thought Raine was smart and sexy. The sound came and went here too and then Sasuke woke up in bed next to her. He was under the impression the two of them had fooled around after dinner. It skipped ahead some to Raine asking him to take her where they could be alone. It jumped again to Sasuke on top of Raine kissing her neck on his bunk in the tunnels under the desert. Sasuke wanted her, but he wasn't ready to commit to a serious relationship just yet.

There were dozens of shaky images of Raine going about her daily life from the days when Sasuke stalked her. He stood in Gabe's room with Raine in his arms. He was kissing her, touching her and loving every moment of it. She was with Gaara now but still she wanted Sasuke as much as he wanted her. They got pretty worked up and she even said I love you. The Uchiha felt the same way and time skipped ahead again. They lay together in a grassy field; Sasuke confessed his love for her and the two of them ran off to Hidden Sound. Newborn Saichi was there.

Raine was a good mother, she loved their baby and she loved Sasuke. He was head over heels for her but the pressure of being a family was enough to make him yell sometimes. Sasuke tried to make it up to her with kisses; he loved her lips almost as much as he loved her nipples. Her kisses excited him and he wanted her something fierce but that kind of time was hard to come by with a baby around. Sasuke made plans for them to take a holiday to the beach. They could make love under the stars all she wanted; and then Gaara came.

These memories were in bad shape; clips of agony. Raine wanted this part to be over and then it was. Two years had passed and Sasuke was seeing Raine and their child Yusuke for the first time. The love pride and joy he felt was overwhelming. Raine…I love you. I miss you.

Sasuke broke the jutsu. He had shown her more then enough. His cheeks felt warm and he was frowning at his knees. "Is that enough?"

Raine blinked out of her trance and looked at Sasuke. He looked agitated, embarrassed. Sasuke thinks he… "You really did think you loved me when you woke up didn't you?"

"I didn't think it I knew it. You were the only good thing that I could remember. Your smile, your laugh, your lips." Sasuke looked up at Raine. Her cheeks were a little pink too. "You're so beautiful," he couldn't help it; it slipped out and Sasuke bit his tongue to keep from saying anymore.

It was defiantly weird to hear him say such things with his feelings still fresh in her mind. She tried to get her mind around it. "You…love me?"

Yes yes a thousand times yes! "I think you know the answer to that one. I woke up loving you; that hasn't changed."

"We're friends…" she was trying to push Sasuke's visions from her mind.

"I'm glad that we are. I'm happy to share my life with you any way that I can. I want to make it up to you for all of the bad shit I did. I want to do everything in my power to protect you and the boys. I love them too. You guys are my whole world."

His words made her sad as she felt Sasuke's lingering feelings. Raine had to look away. He loves me the way I love Gaara… "Sasuke I…"

Dragging this out was a bad idea. Raine was too close and she smelled too good. She had stirred up some arousing memories. The poor princess was a confused mess right now, an easy target. "Make me their guardian. Let me get Gabe on the schedule for next semester. It will be for their benefit. Cho can bring over the papers you need to sign."

She nodded at the change of subject, grateful for it. Her emotions were all messed up inside. "Let me sleep on it Sasuke." Sleep sounded like a good way to clear her mind and Raine shifted in her seat.

Sasuke took the hint and got to his feet. He offered her a hand up and she took it. Sasuke pulled her up and for just a moment he was staring down into her big blue doe eyes. Their faces were close, Sasuke still held her hand. His heart skipped a beat or two. So beautiful.

Raine saw Sasuke's eyes drop to her lips. Kiss me Sasuke's memory voice echoed in her head. In the memory she did. Raine stepped back reclaiming her hand. "Goodnight Sasuke." She turned and hurried down the hall to her bedroom without ever looking back.

He stood where he was for a moment and then he picked up the remote and flicked off the TV. Sasuke shut the light in the living room and headed down the hall. He resisted the urge to stop at Raine's door like he resisted it every other night. He wanted to bust into her room and profess his undying love for her. Sasuke wanted Raine to fall into his arms and into his bed. Stop it idiot. He went into his room and tried to get some rest.

Kankuro woke with a slight hangover. He had got a little tipsy last night with Sakura. He had taken his shirt off to sleep comfortably but he didn't man whore it up with Sakura in the porno hotel. He certainly couldn't do something like that with such a nice girl in such a seedy place. Sakura was cuddled up against him and snoring softly. He looked again at the curve of her hip beneath the blanket. Maybe I should talk to millionaire mouse about hooking a brother up with his own place. A little privacy might be nice.

The boys played in the backyard after breakfast. Sasuke tackled them for a while and then went to the porch to sit with Raine. "They're full of piss and vinegar this morning."

"It's the red dye in the fruit loops." Raine hadn't been reading the book in her hand; she had been watching Sasuke with her sons. "Sasuke tell Cho to bring over those papers."

He looked from the boys to her. It was good news. Maybe seeing how much he cared last night had changed her mind. He hoped so. "I'll have him come by this afternoon if it's alright with you."

Raine took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'll trust you to protect the boys."

"I'll protect all of you Raine. You have my word."

Cho Hyuuga came over late that afternoon and Raine signed more of her life over to Sasuke's lawyer and Konoha. It was distressing to think about giving the Uchiha such power over her family; not because she thought that Sasuke would do something wrong, but because he had just as much control over the sons as Gaara, maybe even more. Sasuke was awake, Gaara was not.

Raine stood on the back porch with Temari that night after they got the boys into bed. Shikamaru and Sasuke were occupied in the living room watching Kankuro's big screen TV. Rain could talk to Temari about everything and she did. Frowning Raine told her, "It feels like Gaara is being erased."

Mouse sounded desperate. "He'll come back to us mouse."

"The boys are starting to ask about him and Saichi."

"Tsunade is doing a lot of reading. She'll find a way to help Gaara."

Hokage had asked for two months at the least; that time was almost up. "Why is it taking so long?"

Temari watched the boys every day so mouse could slip over to the hospital to check on Gaara. Raine liked to talk to her sleeping husband, keep him up on the kids and family. "She has to be right about this mouse. Gaara's condition is serious."

"He's not getting worse, he's not getting better; he just sleeps."

Gaara's ordeal was hardest on mouse. Temari couldn't imagine what she would do if something happened to Shikamaru. "At least he's comfortable."

"He wouldn't be if he knew what was going on in Sand."

Big sister agreed. "Gaara will deal with them later. Don't worry about it."

Raine wondered what those bastards in Sand were cooking up now. "I hope he kicks all of their asses."

He will. "Gaara will take care of everything when he wakes up."

She looked up at the moon. And when will that be? Raine took a deep breath of night air and tried to stay strong. She had no other choice.

Kankuro would have taken his time getting back to Konoha; he and Sakura were really warming up to each other, but the ninja had no time for love. He needed to be with his family; mouse and the Uchiha were about to land in some very hot water. Sakura went home with him and they made it before Temari and Shikamaru left for the evening. The boys were asleep and the adults conveyed in the living room. Kankuro and Sakura retold what had happened in Sand and what they had heard before they left.

Sasuke and Shikamaru brought Kankuro up to speed. Cho Hyuuga was looking out for Raine and the boys. Tsunade had granted everyone in the household political asylum. Shikamaru was going to return to his old team, if Gaara was deposed as kage he and Temari would both defect and become shinobi of Konoha. Shikamaru suggested to Kankuro he consider doing the same.

The Uchiha had offered to have another house on the block renovated for the young married couple and Kankuro wanted in on that action. "How about me Uchiha? Gonna set me up with a bachelor pad?"

Raine blinked at Kankuro. "You want to move out?"

His cheeks darkened. Sakura was smiling a little beside him. "Well, I just thought that if we're going to be here for a while…"

Sasuke understood. Kankuro's flush said it all. The big guy wanted some privacy. "Kankuro needs his own space Raine. Sharing a room with Gabe is hectic."

Shikamaru figured it out too. "We'll all be neighbors Raine, it will be fun."

The next day crews arrived to refinish a house down the street for Kankuro and one up the street for Shikamaru and Temari. Raine went to visit her husband and told him about the excitement in their new neighborhood. She admitted to Gaara she was sad to see Kankuro go. It was a bit like the family was breaking up without Gaara there to keep them all together. Things were changing so quickly it was hard to keep up.

Sasuke walked her home assuring her everything was going to be fine. Kankuro and Temari would still be close, just two houses up the block. It didn't seem to brighten her mood any, but Sasuke had an idea what would. He talked her into dropping in on the bike shop and Sasuke ordered up a couple of big wheels for the twins and Gabe's first big boy bike with two wheels. The kids could ride right down the street to visit their aunt or uncles anytime they wanted.

Bikes were a great idea. The boys absolutely loved them. The day the family moved into the neighborhood the guys all took turns running behind Gabe on his new bicycle. He wouldn't need training wheels for very long. Shikamaru barbequed for everyone in his new back yard; his dad had taught him well.

The Uchiha loved seeing the old neighborhood come to life again. Raine seemed to relax watching the boys barrel up and down the street on their bikes. They weren't all in the same house anymore, but her family was always just a stones throw away. Moving in day turned out to be more fun then anyone thought it would be.

Her boys had peddled themselves into exhaustion and they were out the minute their little heads hit their pillows. Raine joined Sasuke on the couch for another documentary, this one was about wolves. It seemed unusually quiet around here at night without Kankuro around and she sighed quietly.

"It's alright Raine, a little change is good. Kankuro needs his privacy, he's a grown man. You should like having Temari right down the street ne? Closer then the hotel."

"Yeah I know," it still wasn't like it was at home in Sand. "I guess it's good that everyone has their own place now."

Sasuke smiled a little. "Temari's place has three bedrooms, plenty of room for them to start a family."

Temari had given Raine the guided tour of the new Naara household. There was indeed room for the family to grow. She lifted a brow. "I see."

"Maybe Kankuro can even get himself a girlfriend," Sasuke kept it positive.

Raine thought she had noticed something different over the past few days. "Sakura?"

"Ayup," now he was grinning. "I think they like each other."

It was gossipy talk, the stuff out of soap operas but Raine loved it. "Kankuro and Sakura ne? He always has been kind of shy around her."

"Didn't you notice how close they sat next to each other?"

"I saw them giggling alone in the kitchen," Raine dished. "I heard Temari call him a slob today too."

Sasuke knew Raine liked to be in the know. She wasn't nosey, more like curiously concerned. "You watch, they'll hook up. She'll always be dropping by his place to let him know how Gaara's doing; bringing him messages from Tsunade."

"I see." This was some pretty juicy stuff. She couldn't wait to tell Temari.

He laughed remembering what Kankuro had said about women. "Kankuro wants a chick with a little junk in the trunk."

"He's defiantly an ass man," Raine agreed.

The three beers he had at the barbeque were still with him. He laughed again wondering which one of them would hurt the other more. Kankuro insisted he could play hockey without a stick and Sakura had monstrous strength and chakra control. What a pair they'll make. They'll be hanging from the rafters! Sasuke laughed harder.

Her eyebrow went up again. "What's so funny ne? You aren't thinking slob things are you Sasuke?"

"Nope," he tried to get his haha's under control. "I think they'll make a cute couple."

"I see." The Uchiha looked at her and busted up laughing again. Raine shook her head and looked back at the TV.

Sasuke sagged back against the couch and composed himself. He was watching her from the corner of his eye when it hit him all at once. I'm living with Raine and the boys, just us. We're raising the kids together we're…He had almost everything he ever wanted; almost. If only you loved me the way I love you. Raine was smiling at the pups on the screen. If you loved me back we'd be a real family.

Tsunade's allotted two months flew by as the first family of Sand settled into the old Uchiha district. Sasuke trained Gabe in the afternoons, Kankuro often got in on it at least until Sakura showed up. After about two weeks of pussy footing around the two of them got together in a more personal relationship. Shikamaru liked to tease Kankuro's got a girlfriend when the guys were hanging out in the yard having a beer. The women of the family sucked Sakura right into their fold. The ladies were all great friends.

Sasuke got the boys an inflatable pool for the back yard. He and Kankuro took turns with the bicycle pump blowing it up while the excited children ran around the yard in their swimming shorts. Raine and Sakura supervised from up on the porch. Sakura wasn't too shy to stand around in her bathing suit, a black one piece with a fishnet middle. Raine hid behind her sarong and beach t shirt.

Kankuro dragged out the hose and the boys occasionally took turns filling the pool. It got boring for Renji so he turned the hose on his brothers. When Sasuke and mommy came to intercede he soaked them too giggling the entire time. With the pool filling on its own the boys went to play on the swing. Sasuke took off his wet shirt and hung it over the rail. He extended a hand to Raine. "Give me your wet stuff, I'll hang it up."

Raine was still feeling a bit modest but she didn't want to sit in cold wet clothes. She handed Sasuke her sarong first, her shirt still covered her girly bikini. The Uchiha hung up her sarong and Raine pulled her shirt off over her head. She held it in front of her for a minute and then offered it to Sasuke. "Here."

For a minute he just stared. Holy crap. Raine wore a cute frilly pink bikini spotted with yellow polka dots. Sure it was cutesy, but the string tie top showed off a lot of boob. Sasuke reached for her shirt trying not to ogle but unsure if he was succeeding. Man I'd like to have a handful of…

"Yo Uchiha," Kankuro called from the deck. "Naruto's here."

Sasuke blinked out of his trance and threw Raine's shirt over the rail. Naruto was headed his way and the dumbass was gawking at Raine. "Oi Naruto."

Naruto was chuckling. "You and Kankuro are some lucky bastards ya know that? Keh!" he smiled at Raine. "The bikini genie. Hot stuff!"

Raine blushed a little and Sasuke smacked his friend in the head. "Don't be such a slob."

He laughed again. "So what's with the pool?"

"We're going to get the boys used to the water so they can take swimming lessons," Raine informed the big flirt.

"Cool," Naruto was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of genie's curves.

"Did you want something Naruto?" Sasuke frowned at the ninja.

He had come here for a reason. "Tsunade said she wanted to see you guys tomorrow. Something about Gaara."

"What about Gaara?" Raine straightened mindless of her jiggle.

Bouncy boobies! "An update on his case I think."

Sasuke had noticed the jiggle too; he was just more discrete about it. He stepped between Raine and Naruto facing her and hiding her from the slob at the same time. "It's been two months; that was all the time Sand was willing to give her."

"A formality for the benefit of Sand right?"

"She has to submit some kind of report, Gaara is the kazekage."

"For how much longer?" the counsel was just looking for a reason to oust Gaara.

The Uchiha sighed. Probably tomorrow. "Don't worry Raine, we're ready for anything."

Raine watched her boys running her way. Their fate was now in the hands of the lawyers. "Damnit."

The next morning Sakura and Shizune took the boys for a walk while the family met with hokage. The good news was that Gaara's condition was still stable and unchanged. The bad news was changing his condition. After months of research the sannin was still no closer to finding a way to help Gaara without killing him.

Tsunade wasn't totally without answers, she had learned much about Kusangagi and the serpent's curses. Apparently if you wanted to remove the curse, the original summoner; that being Orochimaru, had to be killed severing Kasanigi's connection to their world. The problem was that the serpent never went down alone; everyone associated with the creature would die. In order to remove the curse Orochimaru would have to die, unfortunately that also likely meant death for Gaara and Saichi. "You too ne Sasuke?"

Sasuke nodded. This wasn't the news he wanted to hear. "Yeah."

"I don't want you to lose hope," the kage went on. "Jiraiya is doing some investigating in the north and I am still researching Gaara's case. If there is a way to free Gaara from this, I'll find it. It's just going to take time."

More time and the counsel wasn't going to wait. "Thank you Tsunade." Raine didn't want to listen to anymore.

"I'm doing everything I can," Tsunade reassured the family. "I'll continue to do all I can to help all of you."

"Thank you hokage," Shikamaru knew what the counsel would do with this update on Gaara; they would name a new kazekage. He was worried about his wife and her family.

"I might not have any control over what happened in Suna, but I am in charge of things here in Konoha. Think of this place as your refuge, a second home to you all."

Kankuro stood. "I'm going to Sand."

"I'm going with you." Temari got to her feet.

Shikamaru took his wife's hand. "What do you hope to accomplish by going there ne? If they're going to name a new kage there is nothing you can do to stop it. Neither of you are Gaara and unless they see him come walking in there dragging a few corpses behind him he isn't going to stay kazekage."

Her clever brother in law was quite right. That's it, Suna's done with Gaara. They used him all up and threw him away… Raine got up and walked out without saying another word. She couldn't speak there was a bitter lump in her throat.

Sasuke chased after her as the hokage and Shikamaru tried to calm Gaara's siblings. "Raine, wait up." He hurried out of the kage's building right behind her and caught her arm. "Would you wait a minute?"

She spun around and faced Sasuke with tears standing in her eyes. "They don't care about Gaara at all do they? They just want to get rid of him, they always have!"

"It's all politics Raine," Sasuke started to explaine.

The strain of it all was too much. "No it's not." Frustrated tears fell. "The kids and I don't give a damn if he's the kage. He's their dad, he's my husband."

His love was on the verge of a breakdown. The Uchiha had expected something like this would happen sooner or later. Everyday Raine went to her husband's bedside. She smiled sadly down at him as she told him about the boys brushing the hair away from his eyes. She tried not to cry when she saw Gaara but sometimes she did. Holding that sorrow back was getting harder to do. He pulled Raine into his arms and she burst into hysterical sobs. "Easy Raine. It's alright."

"No it's not!" She weakly punched Sasuke in the shoulder. "I want him back. I want Gaara back right now! I can't take it anymore! I can't do this without him!" She collapsed against Sasuke crying her eyes out. What Raine felt was beyond misery, it was more like slow torture. She could picture Gaara asleep in his hospital bed when she closed her eyes.

"You're doing just fine Raine. I know it's hard but you aren't alone. You have all of us and the boys to keep you strong until Gaara wakes up." There was something about her wretched crying that made Sasuke wish just for a moment that Gaara would die. It would end her trips to the hospital, her constant worry and uncertainty. If Gaara was dead it would just end. She'd suffer all at once instead of dragging it out like this.

"Gaara…" she was crying too hard to say much more. It felt like a hole had opened up in her heart. Oh Gaara please. I need you.

Sasuke could barely hear Kankuro's yelling upstairs over Raine's crying. After a few minutes they both quieted down. He rubbed at her back soothingly while slowly brought herself back under control. "Raine," Sasuke had given it some thought over the past few weeks as her mood progressively became worse. "I think you should see someone, a counselor at the hospital. Someone you can talk to that can help you deal with everything that has been going on lately."

Raine laughed a little still somewhat hysterical. "You think I need professional help ne? I'm cracking up?"

"I think you need to talk to someone impartial. I think you need some coping skills. Things could get a lot worse before they get any better."

The Uchiha had no idea how right he was. Baki and a squad of ANBU had arrived to pick up Tsunade hokage's report for the counsel just in time to see the princess and the prisoner in an intimate embrace on the public streets of Konoha. "Uchiha Sasuke," Baki got their attention. "Princess," he nearly sneered.

Shit. Sasuke let go of Raine and stood between her and Baki. Raine was frowning at the ninja. "What are you doing here Baki?"

"Catching you in the act," Baki smiled a little. The Uchiha glared at him. "We've come for Tsunade hokage's report on the kazekage." He cut his taunting eyes over to the princess he couldn't wait to eliminate. "How is Gaara these days princess Raine of the red Sands?"

Her tears stalled quickly with the shock of his blatant innuendo and disrespect. "The kazekage is just fine thank you," she snapped.

Baki was in a position of power now and he liked it. He couldn't stand the bitch that married the monster Gaara and bore him even more monstrous children. "And how are you dear princess?" he laughed a little, obviously she was a wreck. He looked at the Uchiha again. "Are you taking very good care of her Uchiha? Reliving old times?"

A couple on shinobi behind Baki chuckled. Clearly they were loyal to the jerk and Raine stepped forward meaning to slap that smug look right off of Baki's face. "Why you lousy son of a-!"

Sasuke grabbed her before she could attack a Sand shinobi. It was one more charge she didn't need filed against her. "Stop it Raine. He's just trying to provoke you."

The next kazekage grinned at the display. "Does she fight you that much in bed ne Uchiha? Is it still rape or does she willingly spread her legs for you?"

More chuckles and Sasuke was squeezing the arm he held hard enough to make it hurt. "Filthy pig," she hissed at Baki.

All of his instincts were screaming at him to slaughter the Sand ninja right here and now. Tearing his head off sounded particularly appealing. Calm down. Don't make it worse. "I never fucking raped her scumbag," Sasuke growled.

"Then she's a fucking whore that went to you willingly."

It happened so fast if Raine had blinked she would have missed it. Sasuke let go of her and grabbed Baki by the throat. He kicked away two ninja that tried to interceded and then Raine was roughly grabbed by one of Baki's men. She cried out startled as three more surrounded her, "Sasuke?"

Pulling at the Uchiha Baki snarled, "Your little slut is calling you Sasuke. You don't want her to have an accident now do you? ANBU swords are sharp dangerous things."

Sasuke heard a sword come unsheathed behind him. "Coward." He let go of Baki and turned on the ANBU surrounding Raine. "Get away from her!" They cleared him a path and Sasuke snatched up Raine's hand. He pulled her away from the Sand ninja favoring Baki with a hateful stare when they passed by.

Raine held it together for as long as she could and then she started to cry. They were away from the mean Sand ninja now but Sasuke was still pulling her along fast. "He's going to be the next kage? That hateful awful man?"

Suna was in for some big changes and Baki's dauntless attitude warned the Uchiha what was coming for Raine wasn't good at all. "Don't worry about it."

"He called me your…" she still couldn't believe the things that had come out of the ninja's mouth. Whore, slut. He thinks Sasuke and I are…

"His stupid fantasies aren't the truth. He was just trying to pick a fight. Forget about it." Sasuke didn't have words to describe the anger he felt right now.

Her guardian was still pulling her along by her hand. She thought about the sadistic gleam of pleasure in Baki's eyes. "He wants to kill me."

"I don't give a fuck what he wants I aint gonna let it happen."

Raine wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. Her sudden and unpleasant encounter with the Sand ninja had taken her mind off of missing Gaara for the time being. "He's going to come after us isn't he?"

"It doesn't matter. We're safe in Konoha. To hell with Suna and whatever the hell they're doing there."

"Sasuke stop dragging me!" she couldn't handle anymore and pulled her hand free. He stopped in his tracks but didn't look at her so Raine came around for a look at him. He had brought out his Sharingan, his eyebrows were knit tightly together and there was color high up in his cheeks. He was furious, the angriest she had ever seen him. "Sasuke?"

He looked down at his love. "I should have killed him, all of them. Accidents happen right? Maybe Baki won't make it back to Suna."

Raine frowned a little. A big part of her wanted to tell the Uchiha to go for it. She didn't like Baki either and she dread him becoming kage. "Don't do anything stupid Sasuke. Don't make Tsunade and the people trying to help us come under that kind of suspicion."

"Fine, then I'll follow them out of fire country and kill them then. Kankuro can sit with you for a few days."

"You're not going anywhere and you're not killing anyone." Maybe we all need to see a shrink. He could use some anger management.

"It will be nothing but bad news for us if that guy becomes kazekage."

"And killing him is what? Going to make us look even more innocent right? Damnit Sasuke use your head."

"I'd be doing Sand a favor." And he called you a fucking whore. I'll kill him!

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "As much as I agree with you Sasuke, it's like you said. To hell with Suna and whatever the hell they're doing there. If they want to make that dirt bag kage…" Raine took a few steps back. Gaara, I need you so much right now. "Just wait until Gaara wakes up. He's gonna be really pissed."

Sasuke was certain Gaara would have a fit over this. Gaara would have killed Baki without hesitation had the ninja called Raine a slut in his presence. Raine looked like she wanted no she needs to cry some more. "Come on. Let's go home. The boys will be getting back soon."

They started off down the street for home. Sasuke offered her his arm and Raine took it. She tried not to lean against him too much but she felt very drained. She just wanted to go to her room and have herself a good cry. Tomorrow she'd find out about that shrink.

Sasuke let Raine have some time alone in her room when they got home. He did pushups in the dojo trying not to listen to her cry. The boys came home and mommy pulled herself together. Sakura hung out while Kankuro and Sasuke talked and then the couple headed back to the bachelor pad for some private time. Naruto stayed for dinner; Shikamaru and Temari stayed until after the boys were tucked in. Raine turned in early and that night Sasuke listened to her cry herself to sleep.

Raine started seeing Yuna, a grief and crisis counselor up at the hospital the next day. Sasuke waited outside the door until their hour was up and then he escorted her to see Gaara. Yuna prescribed Raine some mothers little helper to take in the evenings and if she felt exceedingly stressed during the day. It was a low dose but enough to take the edge off. Yuna also wanted to see Raine for an hour twice a week. The young mother had a lot to work through. They met on Tuesdays and Fridays, Temari and Kankuro watched the boys.

After seeing the counselor for a few weeks Kankuro thought mouse seemed more relaxed. He asked Sakura what she thought of mouse's condition late one night when they were in bed. Sakura had a short list, mostly anxiety over her present situation and depression over Gaara's. She assured her sweetie that Yuna was a good therapist and she would be able to help mouse whatever happened to Gaara.

Kankuro didn't want to give up on his brother, he loved him. It got a little harder each day to stay hopeful. He could only imagine what poor mouse was thinking. He lost his brother but she lost her husband and the kid's father. Sasuke was a big help and he kept the boys happy, but he wasn't Gaara and he never would be. Kankuro had to give the Uchiha props for taking such good care of Raine and the boys and for throttling Baki sensei. The jerk had it coming to him.

Sand sent the formal announcement naming Baki the new kazekage three weeks after Tsunade filed her report with Suna about Gaara. She personally took the letter to Kankuro. He was the head of the family and it would be his big brothers duty to break the bad news to his kin. Kankuro got aggravated, but he had been expecting it. Temari immediately started talking about defecting to Konoha; she was getting quite comfortable in her home with Shikamaru and had no desire to serve under Baki. Raine popped a little yellow pill and went to bed early.

Three days after hokage received word of Baki's ascent to kage a troop of Sand shinobi arrived in Konoha. Two took their warrants to the hokage; two others proceeded directly to the old Uchiha part of town. Sasuke and Raine were out in front of their place and Temari was out in front of hers. The boys rode bikes between them delivering silly messages for mommy and auntie Temari.

Hiei and Judda intercepted the shinobi heading for their wards. The Sand ninja informed them they had new orders; all shinobi of Suna were to report back to the kazekage at once. The messenger ninja made the mistake of calling the princess a traitorous whore that deserved to hang in front of Hiei. It took four ninja to stop the fight and Raine ushered the children back inside.

Raine made the boys sit for jello cups, Sasuke and then Temari came in with Hiei and Judda. The adults moved into the living room to talk. Hiei was so frustrated he took off his mask. Judda followed suit, he wanted to be able to look his once wards in the eye. "We've all been ordered back to Suna," Hiei informed. "But we aint going anywhere. Gaara is counting on us to protect you and the kids and that's just what we'll do."

"There are a few that will go home because they have families," Judda sighed. "There will be enough of us left from the two teams to form a compliment though."

"Suna has brought the warrants for your arrest, both of you," Hiei took a turn. "Baki has leveled serious charges against you. Tsunade will send them home empty handed but you might want to get that lawyer of yours to look at what they leave behind."

Sasuke nodded and looked at Raine. She was sort of pale and there was a distant look in her eyes. "Let's get Cho on it right away."

Judda put his mask down and headed out at once. "I'll let him know what's going on."

Raine looked at Hiei. They're staying for Gaara. Thank you. "Could you find Kankuro and tell him what is happening for me Hiei?"

Her guardian would walk through fire for her. "Sure." He settled his mask on his face and went to find the former kage's brother.

Temari was anxious but she had been trained to stay calm. "You let the lawyers and hokage deal with this mouse. You just keep on taking care of these boys. Everything will be okay." Raine nodded and went to check on her sons. Temari looked at Sasuke. "She gonna be alright? She looks kind of shocked."

"She sees Yuna tomorrow. They'll work it out."

"I think seeing that counselor has helped. I hope she can handle this too. I'm sure the list of charges Sand has filed against you two is unsavory to say the least."

The Uchiha suspected what was on that list. "It's all lies. She never…" Sasuke shook his head. What Raine did or didn't do was irrelevant. Baki just wanted her dead.

"I'm going to go find Shikamaru, maybe drop by on Tsunade. You guys stay inside and out of sight for now. I'll be right back." Temari hurried out to gather information.

Sasuke went into the kitchen. Raine was fixing a plate of cheese and crackers for the boys. It was busy work, something to do to keep herself occupied. He stepped up next to her and spoke quietly in her ear. "It's going to be alright Raine. Nothing has changed but the paperwork. Nothing is going to happen to you so don't worry."

She peeked up at Sasuke, he was calm and that put her more at ease. "You'll protect us," she said just as quietly.

He nodded. "Always."

Temari found Shikamaru having Korean Barbeque with Choji in their favorite restaurant. She told him what was going on and the couple hurried off to speak to Tsunade. The hokage had already sent the Sand ninja packing and Cho Hyuuga was in her office looking over the warrants when the couple arrived. "How bad is it?" Shikamaru asked.

Cho shook his head. "Terrible; felonious offenses. Conspiracy against Suna, conspiracy to murder the kazekage and of course Raine has been charged with adultery and treason." He handed Raine's paperwork to the intelligent Naara. "I must advise against her leaving the village, ever."

Shikamaru's eyes moved down the first of many pages. "They're trying to say she was a traitor from the start."

Tsunade frowned. "They make it sound as if she and Sasuke were working together all along."

"Keh," Shikamaru was still reading. "They go too far."

Temari leaned against her husband. "What?"

"Hotohori stated he gave Raine to Gaara as property, a whore for his harem."

That pissed big sister off. "Gaara doesn't have a harem, he never did! He's not some sleazy feudal lord and mouse is no whore!"

The attorney looked at the family members. "I'm going to need to see Raine and Sasuke both. I'll need a counter statement from each of them."

She was reading the lies over her husband's shoulder. "I was going back to their place when I was done here. I'll let them know."

"I can come by tomorrow morning," Cho wanted to begin the defensive process right away. Sasuke was in a lot of trouble, but the young lady was in it even deeper.

Tsunade and Cho exchanged a troublesome look, Shikamaru caught it. "What do you make of this?" he asked the authoritive pair.

Hokage sighed. She didn't like not having absolute power in this situation. "Baki will try to find a way to have her extradited to Suna. I don't know why, but he really hates her. He wants to make an example out of her, show the rest of the world what happens to you when you try to mess with Sand."

"Raine didn't do anything," Shikamaru frowned.

"Technically she did." Cho felt bad for the young family in the old Uchiha house. "Yusuke is their loophole. Giving birth to him legally made her an adulteress and thus a traitor to Suna."

Temari shook her head thinking of her cute little nephew. "That's not how it was at all!"

"Damn lawyers and their technicalities," Tsunade grumbled. Cho raised a brow and the kage shrugged. "Not you Cho."

"Technicalities are a huge problem," Cho agreed. "You shinobi can defect to Konoha with relative ease, Baki will probably be glad to be rid of you. Its Raine that is in a sticky situation. Hotohori gave her to the kazekage as property and Gaara is no longer kage."

"Gaara gave mouse her freedom," Temari defended. "She was never his slave."

Cho nodded. "That's part of the problem. Where is the documentation granting Raine her freedom?"

"She married Gaara! What about that documentation!"

"Unfortunately being married to Gaara isn't helping her any now; it just adds to the case that she is the property of Suna."

Shikamaru flipped to the next page. "So what can you do about it ne? I don't think Raine is going to be excited about being owned by Baki."

"I'm working on that now," Cho assured the ninja. "I'll do everything I can to make sure Raine stays safely in Konoha."

The couple finished reading over the charges against mouse and Sasuke before they headed back to talk to the new fugitives of Sand. It did indeed appear Gaara's wife was in some serious shit. Without Gaara to defend her, little mouse was more like a sitting duck. Slaves and traitors had no rights in Suna. The new kazekage was making sure of that.

Kankuro and Sakura were with mouse when Temari and Shikamaru arrived. The boys played in Gabe's room while the grown ups conversed in the kitchen. Shikamaru brought up Hotohori and Raine went for one of her little yellow pills. Baki was going to use more then just Sasuke against her, he was going right back to the day she was born the child of a traitor and murderer of the third kazekage.

Sasuke kept his temper in check. It was infuriating to think Baki wanted to claim his beloved as property. If Gaara were himself right now Baki would die. The Uchiha sat back listening to Shikamaru contemplating ways to kill the new kage of Sand. "I should have ripped his head off when I had the chance."

Raine took Sasuke's wrist and squeezed it a little. "It's my fault. I stopped you."

Shikamaru sighed. "Baki sure is a troublesome guy. He is going to do everything he can to get to you Raine."

Sakura said what no one else wanted to. "With you and Gaara out of the picture he could come after Gabe and Renji, maybe even Yusuke too."

Her heart dropped and seemed to stop beating. "Baki wants the boys!"

"They'll all be great shinobi someday, he wants them to serve Sand," Shikamaru deduced. He was worried about his nephews almost as much as their mommy.

"I'll never let that fucker get his hands on the children," Sasuke fought to keep his fury inside. "I'll kill anyone that comes for them."

Kankuro agreed. "I'll help you."

Mouse started to shake. "The boys…"

Sasuke slipped her trembling hand into his and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry Raine, the boys aren't going anywhere. We won' allow it."

"He wants to kill me and take my babies, turn them into killers that serve him!"

"It aint happening mouse." Kankuro was pretty lit up over the charges filed against his little sis. Baki was doing everything in his power to villainies the poor woman. He wants Gabe. He wants to use him like they did Gaara!

"Cho Hyuuga is good. He'll figure this out." Shikamaru had talked extensively with the attorney in hokage's office. "He'll be by tomorrow morning for your statements."

Sasuke nodded but Raine just frowned. "Lord Hotohori," Raine still remembered the miserable old man very well.

"Baki is using him as a pawn," Temari grumbled.

"But it's true; he did give me to Gaara to-"

"Shut up!" Sasuke didn't mean to yell at her, he just couldn't help it. "Gaara never thought of you as his slave or his whore. He loved you, he didn't own you." The Uchiha had many long talks with Gaara about all sorts of things, especially Raine. If Gaara was awake he'd kill them all! I'd help damnit!

His mouse cringed and Kankuro straightened. "Chill Uchiha. Don't be yelling at mouse." Sasuke and mouse sagged in their seats. Hansel and Gretel popped into the big guys mind. The pair across the table from him had the look about them of children about to be eaten by the wicked witch. "You just let that Hyuuga do whatever he's gotta do. Give him your full cooperation. Understand?"

"Yeah," Sasuke sighed frustrated.

"Mouse?"

She looked up at big brother. "I won't abandon Gaara no matter what that guy says."

Temari and Shikamaru exchanged a nervous glance. Temari reached over and took her sister's free hand. "No one said anything about abandoning Gaara so just relax. You have to do what you have to do to stay here and raise these boys. Gaara is counting on you to do that very thing and nothing else."

Tears stung her eyes. "I'm waiting for him."

"I know you are."

Raine sniffled trying not to cry in front of everyone. Gaara… "If only he could tell me what to do. Gaara always knows how to fix everything."

Sasuke let go of her hand and put an arm around her shoulders. If Gaara could tell her what to do ne? The Uchiha wondered if the terrible power of his Sharingan could reach Gaara in his near lifeless state. "It's going to be alright Raine." Sasuke thought it was worth a try. I'll have to be careful; I can't afford to end up like Gaara.

It was late and Kankuro and Sakura went back to his place. Sasuke pulled Shikamaru outside to speak to the smart ninja alone. "Raine doesn't talk to Gaara about what has been going on in Sand, but she believes he can hear her. Has anyone kept him apprised of the situation brewing in the desert?"

"Temari has. She's expressed her worry a few times when we've visited Gaara."

"Listen, I want to try something but I'm not sure it will work. I don't want to get anyone's hopes up; especially not Raine. She's in bad enough shape as it is."

Shikamaru looked at the Uchiha curiously. "What are you talking about Sasuke?"

"I want to try to make contact with Gaara. I want to use the full power of my Sharingan on him. Maybe I can reach him in whatever prison that curse has put him in."

His jaw dropped. Use the Sharingan on Gaara? "I don't know about that Sasuke."

"I'm not even sure it will work and if I'm not careful I could end up just as fucked up as Gaara, but damnit I have to try and do something. Raine is ready to break. If I could just get a message from Gaara to her, something real something to give her hope or guidance; I have to try." Sasuke couldn't stand seeing the pained look in her eyes anymore.

"Would it be dangerous to either of you?"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe. I've never tried to enter someone in Gaara's condition before. Getting into his mind will be easy; it's getting out and past Kusanagi that might be a problem. The serpent likes to eat souls."

"It doesn't exactly sound safe."

"We'll get Tsunade to supervise. I can try it tomorrow while Raine's in her session with Yuna. That way if it doesn't work, she'll never know." His mind was already made up, he had to try and do something to help his beloved before she lost her mind.

Shikamaru stared at Sasuke weighing the pros and cons. "If something happens to you too Sasuke Raine is going to be pretty screwed."

"I'll be careful. I have no intention of slipping back into a coma. It's no fun."

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

The Uchiha rolled his eyes some. "Kankuro is a little occupied so I figured I'd get you to get Temari in on this little endeavor. I'm going to need permission from his family to touch him."

Kankuro had been spending a lot of time with Sakura lately; maybe his mind was on starting his own family. Shikamaru sighed at Sasuke's troublesome request. "Alright, I'll talk to her tonight and get back to you in the morning if you're really sure you want to do this. It sounds kind of crazy to me."

It sounded like he has Shikamaru's backing even if the ninja was skeptical. "Good. Let's make this happen. I'll try my best."

Temari and Shikamaru headed home, the boys were asleep in their beds. Sasuke and Raine sat on the couch in the quiet house and eventually the pill she took got to her. She was falling asleep in her seat and Sasuke got up. He flicked off the TV. "Come on, you need to get to bed."

Raine let Sasuke get her to her feet and she leaned on him a little as he walked her to her room. "I'm in some big trouble ne Sasuke?" she asked half asleep.

Understatement of the year. "It's going to be fine Raine. Cho is coming in the morning. He'll advise us how to deal with this crap. No worries."

"No worries," Raine yawned and stepped away from her protector and into her room. "You say that a lot."

Sasuke stood in her doorway watching his tired love with an anxious and heavy heart. "I don't want you to worry Raine. I'll do everything I can."

She smiled at him a little. "I know. You've been a big help Sasuke thank you." Raine leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The Uchiha raised his eyebrows and she laughed at him a little. "Goodnight Sasuke."

It was just a peck on the cheek, but it was enough to speed his heart up. She kissed me! Sasuke smiled back at her. "See you in the morning." He got out of there before he opened his big mouth and said something stupid. His feet barely touched the floor all the way to his room. She kissed me! Raine kissed me! That night Sasuke dreamed of her.

Cho Hyuuga arrived after breakfast; Shikamaru and Temari were five minutes behind him. The aunt and uncle took their nephews out back to play in the kiddie pool; swimming lessons started in less then two weeks. Cho sat with Sasuke and Raine taking their statements and then going over their case. The former princess read the bulk of the charges against her with a frown on her face. Baki had her investigated thoroughly.

"This is crap," Raine said when she finally set the papers down.

"I don't suppose you have your declaration of freedom on you?" Cho directed at her.

"Gaara never approved of slavery, he said it was illegal. Since I was never a slave to him there was no documentation. I was to be the kage's muse not his slave."

The Hyuuga sighed. Gaara's heart was in the right place; unfortunately he had never foreseen the need to prove the woman he married was free. "Well, at least we have your marriage license. That at least makes you Gaara's. The problem is in his present condition he can't help you. He's made no move to defect from Sand and thus is still considered a shinobi of Suna by the people there; including Baki. It might be better for him to be like this right now, at least if he's not doing anything to help you so they can't label him a traitor to Sand."

Sasuke frowned. "If Raine belongs to Gaara how can Baki just take her?"

"Everything defers back to the kage. Baki wants to hang Raine for her crimes against Gaara as well. Baki is protecting his shinobi's interests. Because his shinobi cannot speak for himself it is the kage's right and privilege to speak for him. He could order Gaara dead right now, a mercy killing if he wanted to. I suspect he doesn't do so because of Tsunade the sannin's involvement with Gaara's case."

"He wants me dead so he can steal my sons."

"Probably."

The Uchiha leaned forward. "What else can we do to protect Raine and the boys?"

"Yusuke should be alright and Gabe starts up at the academy this fall, but if Suna wants to get ugly they can petition Tsunade for the immediate release of Gaara and his sons."

"Baki can take Gaara?" Raine gasped.

"Technically yes, he's a shinobi of Suna and he's made no move to protect himself against his homeland."

Raine got to her feet. "Then I will. Can't I do something? I'm his wife!"

He hated to be the bad guy, but it came with the profession. "You're a woman and a criminal. Suna will not give you any authority over your husband. I'm sorry."

"What about Kankuro?" Sasuke immediately asked. He knew if Gaara was taken back to Sand he was as good as dead. Mercy killing, son of a bitch!

Cho focused of the frazzled princess. "Did Gaara have any kind of a living will? Something to give his siblings the power to choose for him?"

"I…" A will. That's for dead people. "I'll go ask Temari." Raine stepped out of the kitchen. She could use some fresh air.

Sasuke looked at Cho. "What can I do?"

"Look Uchiha," Cho had been around a long time and he was a wise old fart. "They couldn't publicly execute the bastard that betrayed their village and murdered Sandaime kazekage. Raine will take Sasori's place as the attempted murderess of Godaime kazekage. They'll do to her what they couldn't do to him if they get the chance. They want the blood of someone from red sands. She's it."

"Using her to make up for their past mistakes. It's sick."

He nodded. "Making her pay for the crimes of a father she never knew is indeed cruel but Suna has always been that way. The sins of the father taint his children."

"We can't change her lineage so what do we do?"

More bad news. "With her husband in his current condition and no one to speak for him besides the new kazekage, things could get worse. Tsunade and I will do everything we can, we'll shower them with as much red tape as we can find. We can probably keep Gaara here as a medical patient but unless Gabriel and Renji belong to someone from Konoha, Sand will eventually take them. If Raine tries to go with her children she'll be killed. She should consider allowing someone from Konoha to legally adopt the boys even if it's only on paper."

His heart started beating faster at the thought of Gabe and Renji being taken away. "I'm their guardian. Isn't that enough?"

"Guardian is a friendly term Sasuke. It means you can put Gabriel in school and sign the kids up for recreational activities here in Konoha, but it really doesn't give you a lot of power. You'll be able to keep them here in Konoha until Baki claims full custody, but that's as much as you can do."

Baki…custody… "No, there has to be something else. He can't just take her children away from her! She's a good mother, the boys are her life!"

Cho ticked off the reasons on his fingers. "Woman, slave, criminal. Suna will not recognize her rights to Gaara's children. Gaara has protected her all of this time and now he can't. She's not the kazekage's wife anymore; she's a traitor in deep shit."

Sasuke took a deep shaky breath and let it out slowly. "This is a godamn witch hunt."

"It is; such is the way of the elders of Suna. They excel at holding a grudge. They'll kill you her and Gaara and try to start over with the children. Gaara has always been little more then a sacrifice to those people."

The Uchiha leaned back in his chair. "They're still using Gaara."

"Yes, and they will try to use him against her."

It was quiet in the room for a moment and then Raine came back in. "Temari said no. Gaara didn't have anything like that."

Shit. Sasuke couldn't look at her and he stared at the table. "It's okay Raine. No big deal. It doesn't change much."

Raine thought it did. "It means Baki is in charge of Gaara now doesn't it?"

"He's still Tsunade's patient," the Hyuuga tried to sound hopeful. He gathered up their statements and other documents scattered around the table. "I'm going to be sending our counterstatement to the counsel of Suna tomorrow. I want it to be perfect. If you need anything between now and then please feel free to drop in on me anytime."

Sasuke saw Cho out and went back to the kitchen to check on Raine. She was unloading the dishwasher and putting plates away. The Uchiha noticed the way her hand shook a little. "Need a hand with anything?"

"I got it."

"I'll go check the boys." Sasuke hurried down the hall. He wanted to speak to Temari and Shikamaru. He needed to know if he had a green light or not. Gaara, tell me what the fuck to do!

Sasuke and Raine headed out shortly before eleven; by eleven fifteen Sakura and Naruto were babysitting the boys at the playground. They were both nervous about Sasuke's plan, but Naruto was hopeful. "If Gaara can tell Sasuke what to do he'll do it."

Temari and Shikamaru met Sasuke in the hall up at the hospital. Raine was in with Yuna oblivious to the Uchiha's plan. It took all he had to walk away from Raine; deep down he was terrified to leave her side. The trio went to Gaara's room and Sasuke went to the sleeping former kage. "Gaara, its Sasuke."

She watched the Uchiha pull Gaara's eyelids open. Her brother was staring off into space. Temari leaned into her husband and Shikamaru took her hand. "Just do it if you can," she directed at Sasuke.

"Right." Sasuke brought out his Sharingan and started to feed his chakra into his eyes. Let's do this." The Mangekyo Sharingan appeared and Sasuke dived deep into Gaara's very soul.

At first there was darkness, some pain and an incredible overwhelming sorrow. Gaara, you know what's happening don't you? When Sasuke opened his eyes he was laying in a grassy field beneath a sea of stars. Gaara sat beside him, looking at him curiously. "Gaara!"

"What are you doing here Sasuke? Surely you must know it was dangerous for you to come," Gaara wanted the scolding out of the way first.

Sasuke sat up. "Sand has filed charges against Raine, bad shit. Treason conspiracy; Baki wants to crucify her! He's the kazekage now. We're afraid he may come after the children and with you like this…"

Gaara lifted a hand. "Is Raine alright? Her voice sounds so sad."

"She misses you. She's under a lot of stress right now and it just keeps getting worse. I've got her seeing a counselor, Yuna, and she's on valume." Sasuke sighed frustrated. "Baki is after her. He hates her."

Gaara thought his wife sounded strange. Now he knew why. "You're too frustrated to talk Uchiha. Give me your hands."

Sasuke obeyed and he took Gaara's hands. In a flash there were voices and images suspended in the air around him. First it was Tsunade and his attorney Cho. Gaara drew more out of Sasuke and the Uchiha saw Kankuro and Sakura snuggled up on the couch, Temari and Shikamaru playing with the boys in the back yard and Raine crying in the kitchen in Sasuke's arms.

Raine… Gaara missed her terribly. His heart longed for her. He let go of the Uchiha's hands. He had seen all that he needed to see. "She's suffering and I'm afraid that there is more ahead."

"I don't know what else to do for her. I'm at my wits end; obviously or I wouldn't be here. It's your family Gaara; tell me what to do to help them."

First and foremost, protect the boys from Baki. "I want you to tell Raine to let Tsunade hokage legally adopt the boys, all three of them. Tsunade won't take them from their mother and she will be their ultimate protection from Suna."

Sasuke's jaw dropped. "Tsunade? Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you're nearly as hysterical as Raine is you idiot. You're all freaking out." Gaara sighed a little. He didn't want to be mean, Sasuke was helping but there was still more to do. "You're going to have to convince her Sasuke. Tell her…honey bear said so and she'll do it."

"Honey bear ne?" Sasuke lifted a brow.

Gaara shrugged. It was a pet name she only used in the privacy of their bedroom. "It will prove to her I said so."

He had never heard Raine call Gaara honey bear, it was probably something sexual. Sasuke cleared his throat. "Alright, Tsunade adopts the boys. What about you and Raine? That guy could try to take you back to Suna and he's trying to find a way to take Raine."

"I'm protected under Konoha's patient's bill of rights. Tell Cho he'll find the answers he needs to keep me in Konoha there."

A relieved sigh escaped. One more problem down, one more still to go. "What do you want me to do about Raine?"

Gaara answered a question with a question. "Can I trust you with my life Sasuke?"

Sasuke blinked at Gaara. "Yeah. I kinda want you alive you know. Konoha is searching for Saichi, I could really use some help getting him back."

"A person must be dead for several minutes before they can be legally declared dead. Can you remove me from my body so I can be dead for a while and then put me back in?" he watched the Uchiha's eyes grow wide with surprise.

"Are you nuts? They won't give me another body for you! Raine even hit me for suggesting it. If I had it my way you would have been on your feet months ago."

Time had very little meaning in this place. It was always night. "How long have I been out of it?"

"Three months Gaara."

It was longer then he had expected and Gaara frowned. "That's terrible."

"No shit." He was thinking over what Gaara had asked of him. "Why do you want to be declared dead? It won't remove the curse from your body."

Because limbo is hell. "Raine won't divorce me, not even to save her own ass so I have to sever the tie between us myself. I have to make her a widow. It's the only thing I can do to help her being like this."

"That's foolish talk. Raine doesn't want you to die Gaara; she wants you to come back to her. Tsunade is still looking for answers."

"Raine needs to be protected now. Can you do it Sasuke? Can you take me out of my body long enough to have me declared dead?"

"I could…take you out and then put you back in before your soul completely disassociates itself from your body… I gotta put you somewhere in the meantime though. I suppose… I could put you in me, you'd be safe but we couldn't stay like that long. A couple of hours at the most."

"Long enough to convince a medical team from Sand that I am dead?"

Sasuke swallowed hard. "Yeah, but…"

"But?"

"Putting you back into your body, hell into any body is going to take a toll on that container. If I do that to you Gaara, your body even consuming very little chakra will last maybe five years if you're lucky. You're just too godamn powerful. Putting you inside of me for a short time would shave a few years off of both of our lives, but your body is already weakened from the curse."

"We'll deal with one crisis at a time Sasuke. Can you do it?"

He hated to admit it. "Yes."

Gaara nodded. "Then you must convince them, my family and Tsunade to let you do it."

"I don't think hokage is going to let me do what I want just because honey bear says so," Sasuke scowled at Gaara. "They won't let me."

"Convince them, make them. You need Tsunade in on this. She needs to have Sand come here and see my corpse."

"What good will it do Gaara? How is that going to help Raine any?"

He hated this situation, truly. "If she's widowed she can remarry someone from Konoha and achieve citizenship. She needs a husband to protect her right now."

The Uchiha stared at his frowning friend. "She won't go for it."

"You tell her she has to. Its nothing more then a paper marriage. She just needs your name and citizenship."

My name? "What! You have gone mad Gaara if you think Raine will marry me! If you think Kankuro would allow it!"

Gaara stayed calm and kept his eyes fixed on the Uchiha. "It has to be you Sasuke."

"The elders will think of it as proof of our affair!"

Damn you for making this harder then it has to be! "If Raine were to marry another the elders would see her as a slut that decided two men wasn't enough she needed a third!"

The Uchiha recoiled as if slapped. "Baki called her my 'little slut'. He called her a fucking whore! I should have killed him."

Nodding Gaara grit his teeth. "Do you understand why it must be you then Sasuke?"

"Yeah I do, but Raine wont. She'll claw my frigin eyes out. I've seen her get mad. It's fucking scary!"

Then I guess I don't have to worry about you trying to tap my wife. "We can remarry as soon as Tsunade fixes me."

Aside from Raine protesting Gaara's body jumping marrying Sasuke plan; the Uchiha had his own feelings about all of this too. "What the fuck Gaara, you want me to keep your place warm for ya? You're just going to use me to-"

Gaara didn't give Sasuke a chance to finish. He snatched him up by the front of his shirt. "I want you to protect my wife godamn you."

"What the hell do you think I've been doing!" Marry her and then divorce her when Gaara wakes up? What the fuck?

He stared the Uchiha down. Making contact with him Gaara could detect things. "You've been training Gabe."

"I've been doing everything I can for Raine and the boys."

He took in what he could from the Uchiha, seeing his wife and children in Sasuke's memories and feelings. "You've kept the boys very busy. You've really done a lot."

Gaara released his shirt and Sasuke sagged back into the grass. "I love them, they're good boys. They mean everything to Raine, to me too."

"Then use that Sasuke. Use her love for the boys to make her do the right thing to protect them all. You convince her, you protect her."

"She aint gonna wanna marry me no matter how many honey bears I throw at her. Raine and I get along and all Gaara but she'll think it's too much."

"Is there some way for me to communicate with her while I'm in your body?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't really know what it will be like. I've never done it before. Seen it and copied it, but never invited someone else into my body."

"You can do it without screwing us up can't you?"

"Yes," he answered indignantly. "I just don't know what to expect is all. I'm sure I'll be able to hear you in my head but you communicating through me? I don't know."

Gaara knew Sasuke couldn't stay much longer; the serpent would be on the hunt again. "Listen to me Sasuke. There is an old woman named Kikyo that travels with a band of mystics. I don't know where they are right now, but Tsunade should speak to her about my curse. She knows a great deal about the supernatural."

"She aint some psychic nut case is she?"

Clearly Sasuke was a skeptic. "Find her. She may know as much about this curse as Orochimaru. She's been around a long time and has seen a lot. She may be able to help."

The Uchiha took a deep breath. "I'll do what you ask Gaara, as much of it as I can."

"Do it; convince them and find Kikyo."

He felt bad leaving Gaara here alone, but Sasuke had work to do or at least try to do. "Anything else?"

Three months. "Tell Raine I love her, that I want her and the boys to be safe. Tell her I'll come back to her just as soon as I can and I'm sorry I can't be there for her now."

Sasuke stood preparing to break the connection with Gaara. "I will."

He looked up at the Uchiha he had to rely on. "Sasuke, I'm counting on you. Look after her and the boys for me. Stay strong."

"I'll do everything I can."

Sasuke cut off the flow of chakra to his Sharingan. The Uchiha wavered and fell on his ass. He bit his tongue and snapped to his senses. Shikamaru and Temari were hurrying to him. "I did it! I reached Gaara! I talked to him and he told me what he wants us to do!"

Shikamaru hauled the raving lunatic to his feet. "You okay there Sasuke?"

He was a bit worn out, but unharmed. "I've got to talk to Tsunade and to Raine."

Temari helped Shikamaru get Sasuke into a chair. "You saw Gaara? Is alright? What did he say?" She had hoped for success but not counted on it.

"Gaara's alright," Sasuke smiled tiredly. "And he's got a plan."

Shikamaru called in the medics to check Gaara and Sasuke. Temari sent for Tsunade and went to meet mouse after her session. Big sister gave her the exciting news, Sasuke had made contact with Raine's husband and Gaara had told the Uchiha what to do to help him and his family. Raine rushed to Gaara's room with Temari. Gaara was sleeping peacefully, Sasuke sat near him as the medical ninja finished with him.

"What's going on?" Raine saw a bright smile on Sasuke's face and for the first time in a long time she felt hope in her heart. "Sasuke?"

He was so happy to see the spark of life in her eyes again. Sasuke got up and went to Raine. He took her hands smiling at her. "I talked to Gaara. He says he loves you and wants you and the boys to be safe. He told me what he wants us to do."

Raine looked up into Sasuke's happy face. "You… you really talked to Gaara?"

Sasuke bowed his head and whispered in Raine's ear. "Honey bear told me what to do."

Her mouth fell open and Raine's eyes got wide. Honey bear! Her face was turning red but she didn't notice. "Gaara? You really talked to Gaara!"

Yep, it's something sexual. Sasuke laughed a little. "Yes Raine. I met him in the world between worlds. He says an old woman named Kikyo may be able to advise Tsunade about his case, the curse."

"Someone can help Gaara!" She felt her heart take flight.

"She might know something, but it will take a little legwork to find her. She's a wanderer and her location is unknown, but at least we know who we're looking for."

Happy tears welled up in her eyes and she felt a real smile on her face. Gaara can be helped! "Gaara."

"He told me more then just find this Kikyo Obasan; he told me what to do to protect you and the boys from Baki and Sand."

Raine squeezed his hands. "Tell me what Gaara said."

Orochimaru looked down at the recent reports from Suna and Konoha on his desk. His darling little Saichi sat at the table with Kabuto putting a puzzle together. The sannin liked puzzles; life was like a puzzle too. Remove Gaara and put in that asshole Baki. Orochimaru wasn't happy that Sabaku no Gaara still lived but at least he was no longer a threat. Baki on the other hand wanted to do great damage to the sannin's special containers laying low in Konoha. Arrogant windbag. He doesn't know how valuable those two really are.

Saichi's parents were living together. Sasuke had taken over as daddy and sensei; the Uchiha had even sent Konoha shinobi to look for his missing boy. There had been a few close calls, but Orochimaru had slipped Saichi out of rice country undetected. Are you enjoying being her hero ne Sasuke? Do you have the wife and family you wanted or does Raine sleep alone? Orochimaru smiled. Well I did promise you some time with her before, consider this it.

Soon the sannin would head for wind country. He'd deal with the kazekage personally. And then I'll get everything I want.