Author's Note: hey everyone! I'd like to thank everyone who has been reading my story so far. I do have some unfortunate news though. Don't worry, I won't stop writing. But I won't be able to keep posting at the rate I am. I will try to post twice a week but in some cases I might only be able to post once a week. I have a tough class starting this saturday and I have a lot of work to do next week before I go back to school (completely...shudder). Please continue to read because I have a lot of interesting things coming in later chapters that you won't want to miss! Now on with the story...Oh, and for anyone who likes Kankuro, this chapter at least gives him some time in the spot light. And yes, the sand siblings swear like sailors, but that's what we love about them!

The past two weeks since Gaara's return had been hell on everyone. He'd been sick, moody, and kept on insisting on walking around and doing physical activities, even though the wound was still sensitive to movement. Of the three, Kankuro always managed to get the short end of the stick. Temari was now ordering him around like a pack mule. In fact, sometimes when Kankuro looked at Temari's expression, he felt she was looking at him as if he were one. Of course Temari enjoyed every second of his suffering. Especially the first couple days…

Thirteen days ago (day after Gaara's return)…

"Kankuro, I need you to go get me something from the doctors."

Kankuro looked up at his sister and raised an eyebrow. "What do you need now? We have everything that we possibly could need here. And why do I need to run your fucking errands?"

Temari glared at him with ferocity. "It isn't for me baka! It's for your brother. And you are going to do it because I have other things I have to do and you are just sitting on your fat lazy ass! Now get up you dumb-fuck! I need you to get something that works on cuts and torn muscle. You got that or do I need to beat it into you?"

Kankuro stood up. "Alright, alright I'll go! Just don't except me to cook tonight!"

She gave him an irritated stare. "But you never cook."

"Whatever." Kankuro walked out of the house and started down the street. He put his hands in his pockets and dropped his head down against the wind. He eventually made it to the hospital and headed towards the far entrance; the one where non-bleeding patients went to get checked out. He walked in and automatically got a strong whiff of the stale, sanitized smell all hospitals had. Walking up to the front counter he was almost seething as he looked at the receptionist. She looked up and smiled at him.

"May I help you sir?"

"I need to see a med-nin about getting some medicine." His voice came out in a displeased mutter.

"Alright sir, I'll see if one is available at this time." She picked up a headset from the counter and pushed a small button on its side. "Hashi-sama, are you available to take any visitors at this time? Good, I'll send him down." She set down the headset and looked up at Kankuro. "Hashi-sama will see you in room 112. He's down the hall on your left." Kankuro nodded and headed off. "Have a great day!"

Kankuro walked to the room and stepped inside without knocking. The med-ninja was sitting at a counter, comparing notes between a document and a book he was reading. He looked up when Kankuro entered. "What may I help you with?" Kankuro shut the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. His left eye twitching, Kankuro looked at him.

"I need something that helps heal cuts and torn muscle simultaneously."

"Is it a large injury? Where is the injury?"

Kankuro's fingers started clenching and unclenching while his eye continued to twitch away. "It must be a big injury from the amount of blood that had to be cleaned up. Don't ask me where."

Hashi chuckled. "Anything you say here is confidential. Even if it's embarrassing it's better for me to prescribe the right medicine the first time, no?"

Kankuro scowled at him. That damn doctor knew where it was, he just wanted to hear Kankuro say it. He just wanted to get some sick fun out of this didn't he? "Fine, you want to know the truth? My little friend has the biggest fucking anal tear alright? You satisfied now?"

"Son, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You could have just told me you were having this problem from the get-go."

Kankuro's teeth clenched and he gave the doctor a death glare. "I'm not fucking gay. You got the wrong kid. The one who did get raped however, needs some medicine, so are you going to give it to me or not?"

Hashi's eyes opened in shock. "Raped? You need to bring him here at once! He should get checked out by a professional!"

"Sorry doc, I just don't see that one happening anytime soon. So can I just get what I need?"

The med-ninja sighed. "Alright, fine, but I'm giving you the strongest one we have. Rape cases are very serious now-a-days. This should heal up the wound real nice!"

He opened up a cupboard and pulled out a small tube. Facing Kankuro, he handed him the medicine. "Your friend will need to apply this twice a day for the next couple days. That should disinfect it and seal up the wound really quick. It's also a powerful pain killer so don't expect him to be doing a lot of moving for the next few days. In fact, I'm telling you he shouldn't move for the next couple days. At least not until his wound is closed up. If there are any side effects or any problems, just come on back. And make sure to bring him with you."

One Week Later…

"GAARA! I told you not to move around so much! Go sit down!" Temari's exasperated voice filled the small confines of the house. Gaara ignored her and kept walking towards the door. "Are you ignoring me?"

"It seems like it doesn't it?" Temari backhanded Kankuro who had made the mistake of standing within her personal space bubble.

Gaara turned and looked at them. "I'm fine. I just need to be alone right now." He slammed the door behind him, shutting out Temari's earsplitting rant.

He quickly ran to the side of the house. He'd been feeling queasy for the past fifteen minutes and he didn't relish the thought of puking in front of his siblings. He grabbed hold of a trash can and hurled his guts out. By the time he was done he felt weak-kneed and was forced to sit down. 'What the hell is happening to me? I've been using that damn medicine. The wound should be healed. I shouldn't still be sick!' Shukaku chuckled, making Gaara's eyes automatically close to slits. 'What did you do Shukaku? What the fuck is going on?'

Gaara could feel the demon smiling before he replied, 'Guess.'

'What? Fuck no! Tell me!'

'I'll give you a hint and a friendly piece of advice.' Shukaku thought mockingly. 'Go ask your sister what happens when someone is fat, round, and craves the most ridiculous things.'

'What?'

'She might just give you the answer you are looking for.'

Present time (a.k.a. one month after Gaara's little side trip with Lee)…

Gaara finally found the courage to ask his sister what Shukaku had said. He didn't want to talk about it. He really wasn't in the best of moods. He was sore all over and for some odd reason when she'd said he might have to see the doctor, he'd almost cried. Him, Gaara, killer of a thousand people had almost cried. He was sick of not knowing and Shukaku was not being helpful. Gaara found Temari in the kitchen, making what he assumed to be beef. He could only assume because the food smelled so rancid he wanted to run to his favorite hangout; the trashcan. "Umm Temari?"

"Yes Gaara?"

"Is that spoiled?"

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "No, I just bought it yesterday."

"Well, you must be doing something wrong because it smells like shit."

Her eye twitched before she turned back to the stove. "Was there something you wanted Gaara?"

"Actually, yes, I wanted to ask you something."

She looked at him with surprise out of the corner of her eye. "Continue."

"Well, I know that something is wrong with me because I'm still sick."

"And moody, don't forget moody!"

Gaara glared at her. "Yes, moody too. Shukaku knows what's wrong but he won't tell me. He's actually spent most of the last month laughing at me." Temari turned completely around to face him at this statement. She did not like where this was going. "He said if I asked you this question I'd be able to figure it out."

Temari gave Gaara a suspicious look; well actually, she gave Shukaku a suspicious look. "Go on."

Gaara sighed. "He told me to ask you, 'What happens when someone is fat, round, and craves the most ridiculous things?'"

Temari looked at him for a moment contemplating the question. The only thing that came to mind however was, "It means the chick is pregnant." Then the implications of what she just said sunk in. "No way, it's not possible. You can't be. You're a guy. Males can't… Oh boy."

"What the hell are you talking about Temari?"

With shaking hands she brushed a hair out of her face. "Gaara, have you been throwing up or been getting back pains or even been craving some weird shit?"

"Yes, yes, and is peaches mixed with tofu considered weird? I didn't think it was while I was eating it."

Temari's jaw literally dropped open. "Gaara, I think I know what Shukaku wants you to know."

"Just fucking tell me already!"

"You're pregnant."

Gaara actually laughed; the usually calm, quiet, emotionless boy was literally laughing. "Temari, need I remind you that only females can produce children? You should know this."

Temari gave him a pointed look. "Of course I know that you dumb-ass. But from what you've told me it's the only logical explanation. So don't ask me, ask Shukaku. He's the one that must have fucked with your system."

Gaara's laugh died in his throat. His eyes widened as he turned inward. 'Shukaku?'

'Yes Gaara my pet?'

'Is what Temari said true? What did you do to me? I can't be pregnant. It's not possible.'

Shukaku burst out laughing. 'Don't worry; I'm just fucking around with you!'

Gaara sighed. 'So I'm not pregnant and I'm not really sick.'

Shukaku laughed harder. 'That's not what I said. What I meant was that I am fucking around with you, I did morph your innards into that of a woman, and you are indeed as pregnant as the sky is blue.' Shukaku smirked. 'And you have several months to get used to the idea.'

For the first time in his life, Sabaku no Gaara fainted dead away, the sound of Shukaku's laughter echoing in his head …