Kiya flopped back down on the hospital bed which felt amazingly inviting but she had to stay awake to see her son, she knew she needed to feed him before she fell asleep. She cracked open her eyes and looked at her husband who was watching her intently.

"Gaara…" she croaked "I'm fine, really…"

He just smiled weakly and nodded. After a few moments Sakura brought over a little bundle of blankets and smiled.

"6 pounds, 7 ounces. He's beautiful." Then carefully handed the baby over to his mother.

As Kiya held her son for the first time she felt an over whelming sense of peace and contentment rush over her. As she studied his face she noticed for the first time the spattering of bright red hair on the top of his head. She looked up at Gaara to see him look back at her unsure of how to react.

"Well he's definitely your son." Kiya giggled.

Sakura looked up and asked "So, what's his name?"

Kiya smiled down at her and Gaara's son and said "His name is Etsuo."

Sakura had finished stitching Kiya up as she fed her son and now half an hour after he had been born he was done nursing and Kiya wanted to sleep. Sakura took little Etsuo from Kiya and looked over to Gaara.

"Would you like to hold him? He is your son after all." Sakura said walking over to Gaara.

"Uh…I probably shouldn't." he said backing away from her and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh come on! He's your baby too. It's not hard, here, sit down and put your arms like this." She said and with her free hand took Gaara's arms and arranged them into a circle with his palms up after he had sat in a nearby chair.

"Now just mind his head and you'll be fine." Sakura said as she lowered Etsuo into his father's arms. Then left the two in the room for some private time taking Temari with her (but not before she had a chance to take a few pictures first).

Kiya lay in her bed and watched as her husband sat rigidly in the chair holding his son, looking anywhere but down.

"Gaara," her soft voice sliced through the silence that had enveloped the room. Gaara's head shot up and looked at his wife.

"Gaara, look at your son." She said.

He sat frozen for a moment then closed his eyes and tilted his head down. He opened his eyes and really looked at his son for the first time. Slowly he examined the baby's features, the little wisps of red hair belying his parentage, his skin was very pink but Gaara assumed that would even out along with his skull bones. He was so little, so tiny in his arms. Etsuo cooed in his sleep and shifted in the blankets poking out a little, pink, wrinkly hand from the folds of the fluffy blue fabric. Gaara altered his hands slightly so one was liberated from holding the baby. Gaara touched Etsuo's tiny hand and was amazed at how soft the skin was. His finger was almost the size of the baby's whole hand, and then slowly the miniature fingers closed around his one big one and held on. Eye lids fluttered and Gaara looked into bright blue eyes identical to the ones he had fallen in love with over two years ago.

Kiya smiled to herself as Gaara gazed at his new born son. It was an amazing experience, as soon as he looked down at his son Gaara relaxed, Kiya saw the worried look melt off her husband's face as he surveyed his son's then she saw his curiosity peak as the minute hand came into view and grasped his father's finger. Then the most magical sight she had ever seen, she literally watched as his wall came crashing down and any remnants of the ice in his heart thawed instantaneously all because his son had opened his eyes and looked at his daddy for the first time. Kiya smiled again and finally drifted off to sleep with the image of tears dripping from Gaara's eyes.

Gaara couldn't believe it; he was holding his son for the first time. Despite the weight of the baby in his arms he felt lighter than air, he felt something he had never felt before, and he couldn't put his finger on it. He felt a sort of fluttering in his stomach then the flutter tumbled up and out of his mouth in a little laugh and once he started he couldn't stop, he was so happy even with the tears falling steadily, he couldn't contain it. He had a son! A son named Etsuo and a gorgeous wife who loved him!

He felt totally ridiculous! This was no way for Subaku no Gaara, Kazekage of the village hidden in the sand and once feared vessel of the one-tailed, psychotic Shukaku to act and yet here he was and that only made him happier, for once he was allowed to let all that go and become something he had never dreamed of being: A Father, and that's all. To his son he wasn't the Kazekage or a former Jinchuuriki or anything else, he was daddy!

"Gaara, you're giddy." Kiya's voice sounded again. Kiya had woken to the sound of her husband positively giggling with happiness. She had cracked open and eye and seen the grin on his face.

He looked a little confused but then just shrugged his shoulders, for once not caring. He was so very happy.

A/N: so I know this is super short but the epilogue will be so much longer! Please, please, PLEASE review! It really helps me out.