Chapter One:
The Sickness That Started It All

Summary: Temari has been sick as hell lately. A trip to Konoha reveals that she is carrying a baby boy. Can she deal with this reminder of her time spent with Itachi?

Disclaimer: I don't have time to inform you that I don't own Naruto!

You took my heart. . .
Decieved me right from the start.
–Within Temptation, "Angel"

Things were supposed to be right, now. They were supposed to be perfect, and nothing was supposed to ruin it. Gaara had been captured by the Akatsuki right after Temari had found her own way back home. They were so lucky he was back alive thanks to Naruto and their grandmother, Chiyo, who had given her own life to bring the Kazekage back from the dead.

But now, once they were home, Temari found herself extremely prone to sickness. Especially in the mornings. She didn't feel like eating, or if she did it was something out of the ordinary. Curry flavored rice balls were probably the prime example of it all. The dessert happened to be ice cream flavored rice balls.

Despite all this, Temari did her best to do even the simplest missions. She was now a jounin and had to do her part for the village. Even if she was sick half the time. Most of her symptoms involved throwing up, headaches, vomiting, fatigue, barfing uncontrollably, cramps, puking, becoming irritable or agitated, followed by some more throwing up.

Now, she was lying in the grass because Gaara was concerned about her health and refused to let her go on another mission until she healed. He asked her if she knew what could cause these symptoms, but Temari didn't have a clue. It would've been easier to jump off a high bride and plunge to her death than answer this question. Temari knew simple healing jutsus, but she was a fighter; not a healer or doctor. Therefore, she really didn't bother knowing too much about sicknesses.

Yeah. Leave that to people like Tsunade.

Temari was feeling a bit better now that she wasn't standing or moving. In fact, she was doing what Shikamaru was usually found accomplishing: gazing at the clouds wishing she could be one. Floating away in the breeze doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. She sure hoped the sickness wouldn't make his laziness rub off on her.

Soon, Temari got very bored. That was the problem with her being sick and Gaara not letting her venture anywhere. She needed to go places and see to people. Not just sit here wishing she could be a cloud. Rolling over, Temari felt her sickness kick in again. So that was why she wasn't moving at all.

"I can't stand this. . ." Temari groaned, her hands on her stomach. "Why won't it go away!"

Carefully, she stood up. Her mouth started to get warm and salivate, the first signs that she was about to throw up. Temari doubled over and the pain temporarily went away. If only she could survive for a couple more minutes. She could go to Gaara and at least try to convince him she wasn't as sick as he made it out to be.

Can you believe her? Most people would give anything to have a sick day!

Slowly, she made her way into the Kazekage's office. Kankuro was standing at Gaara's desk and they both looked up at her. "Hey, Gaara." she said sheepishly as she walked to his desk. "Whatcha guys doing?"

Gaara sighed, but answered her question reluctantly. "I was just asking Kankuro here to deliver a scroll to Konoha. Alone." he put emphasis on the last word.

"Alone? Well, I should go with him!" she said happily. "I've been feeling so cooped up lately. I just can't stand it! C'mon, Kankuro!" she locked arms with her brother who looked pretty confused at the moment.

"You're not going, Temari." Gaara declared. "You're ill." he said as if that statement decided everything in the world.

"But it's just a quick trip to Konoha! I'll be fine."

"It's a long walk there and you need bed rest. You're not going, Temari." he said again simply, folding his hands in his lap. But his older sister wasn't going to give up without a fight.

"I'll take a horse! Please, Gaara! Anything to get out of here for just a while!" Temari decided not to look so desperate by getting down on her hands and knees. But she had thought about it for a moment. "Not to mention, Tsunade and Sakura are excellent with medical jutsus! Maybe they could find the problem. Or maybe even cure me!" Temari wasn't normally so optimistic, but this was the only way to convince Gaara.

"Actually, Gaara. That's not a bad idea." Kankuro piped up nervously.

Temari thought. With Kankuro taking her side, chances of Gaara agreeing had just gone up even more.

Gaara glared at the both of them for a while. Finally, he sighed, nodded his head and said: "You guys are right. Temari, go to Tsunade once you get there. Tell her all about your sickness and make sure you leave Konoha knowing exactly why this has been happening to you."

Temari resisted jumping three feet in the air and hugging the crap out of her brother. Mostly because she was still feeling queasy and would probably throw up all over him if she tried.

Kankuro finally retrieved the scroll and the two were on their way.

"Thanks for taking my side back there. If you didn't I thought Gaara would never let me out of Suna again." Temari laughed.

"What are little brothers for?" Kankuro stated, rubbing her blonde hair slightly. "I know how you always need to go places."

Temari found herself a large, auburn colored horse and the two were finally headed to Konoha.

Right before they showed up at the gates, Temari was beginning to realize why Gaara was keeping her in Suna. During the trip she had to take a rest stop and throw up. . . three times. Her headache kept her from concentrating and she could've sworn that Kankuro had gotten more annoying in the past few hours. This could quite possibly compare to being cooped up in Suna.

"I just wanna get to Tsunade and find out what the hell's wrong with me." Temari felt even worse now that she no longer had a ride on the horse. The Hokage allowed pigs in her office, but God forbid she let another farm animal in that place. The ride was slightly bumpy, but her legs were achy and she didn't feel like walking. "If she cures me I'm gonna try and find Shikamaru and bug him." even when she felt terrible, Temari couldn't help but bring the comic relief by putting images in her head of her torturing the Chuunin.

When they arrived at the office, Tsunade felt a wave of relief wash over her. She was finally about to know the source of her sickness. One could only imagine to joy she felt. Temari had been sick for weeks!

Kankuro handed the scroll to the Hokage, who merely thanked him and put it away in a drawer. He then whispered something to her. Tsunade shot Temari a look and raised a blonde eyebrow. Perhaps this was common in Konoha and she knew exactly what was wrong.

Honey, you don't know how common the cause of your sickness truly is. Yet.

"Come with me, Temari. You too, Kankuro." Tsunade said to the both of them as she stood up and walked out of the office. Kankuro and Temari were right at her heels. But Temari sensed that she wasn't going to like this. . .

"What are you going to do?" Temari asked curiously when they arrived at the hospital.

"Stay there, please." she ordered Kankuro as she and Temari went further into the hospital. This only made Temari even more nervous.

"Oh, I'm just going to run a test." Tsunade stated. "To see if I'm right." Tsunade looked through a shelf of liquids, but her arm was blocking the labels.

Temari gulped. She hoped Tsunade would give her an answer to this question that wouldn't make her scream in horror. Or stop breathing. One of those two. "What kind of test?" she asked nervously.

The Hokage looked over at her, and scanned her body. She seemed surprised that Temari was asking her this question. "Isn't it obvious Temari? A pregnancy test."

The poor kunoichi thought she was going to have a heart attack. "I can't be pregnant!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "I haven't even done it with anybody! So I couldn't possibly. . ."

A picture of Itachi flashed in her mind, a bold smirk on his face.

The next time Temari saw him, she would definitely get her revenge. The Uchiha bastard was not going to get away with this if she turned out to be. . .

'Pregnant'. The word sounded so vile that Temari couldn't bring herself to say it. The worst part was. . . he was haunting her again. If she was carrying a child, he was the only possible father. But the child. . . what would she possibly do with a child? More importantly, was she even going to be able to look at it?

Temari snapped out of her trance when Tsunade waved a pale hand in front of her face. "I'm guessing you are now aware of who the father is?"

Oh, she's aware, all right.

Temari fell to her knees. She felt sick again. To the point where she thought she wouldn't be able to muster up enough energy to return home.

During the test, Tsunade stuck a tiny needle into Temari's arm. She then put a few drops into the little vial of liquid. "This liquid will tell you if you're pregnant. If it turns blue, you're safe. But if it comes out yellow. . ." Tsunade shook her head. "I'm sorry Temari. I'll have to run another test to see how far you are if it turns yellow. It'll. . . take a couple minutes. I'll be right back."

Temari's eyes squeezed shut. She didn't want to deal with this. She wished she could just go back in time and slap the Uchiha the minute he even suggested sex.

You tried that, Temari. You tried that.

When Tsunade came back in the room, Temari still had her eyes closed. "Don't you want to see it?" Tsunade told her.

"Nope." Temari stated. "I sure don't."

"Alright, then." she could hear the container being picked up and Tsunade walking out of the room.

"Wait! Don't go!" Temari yelled after Tsunade.

The Hokage turned around, the tiny vial clutched in her hand. Temari stared in horror at the color inside of it. . .

Yellow. That damn liquid just had to turn yellow.

Sorry, Temari! I don't like torturing you! ;) Too much. Enjoy the next chapter. Kiss, Kiss!

Previews:

"I believe Temari should stay here so that I may keep an eye on her." Tsunade told Kankuro. "She isn't very mentally stable at the moment."

Temari didn't want to go back to sleep. She knew she would have another nightmare about the Uchiha.

Out of nowhere, Shikamaru felt himself being bear hugged by Temari. "You're so dense." she giggled.