The Next Chapter is here! Review as always if you're still with me! Sorry it's taking me forever. I'm actually working on a couple of other fanfics for Inception, Supernatural, L: Change the World, and possibly True Blood. To pile on I also have work and school coming and I'm still doing the Star Trek 2009 fic Alternate Illusions. So please, don't harm me. :D
NOTE: ONE MORE CHAPTER AFTER THIS AND THEN THE STORY COMES TO AN END! I HOPE YOU LOVE IT!
Five Months Later…
Saya wobbled out of the Kazekage tower with Temari by her side. Temari carried her fan latched onto her back and the twins came bounding out with Ryuzaki after the two women. Temari was sweating and her hand hurt like a bitch.
"Sai-chan…just breathe, keep breathing…and loosen the death grip on my hand please!" she cried out feeling her hand go numb.
Saya took in a shaky breath and loosened the grip on her sister-in-law's hand.
"S-Sorry Tem-c-chan…it j-just h-hurts a little more t-than with R-Ryuzaki…" she choked out shaking a bit.
Temari half walked half dragged her to the hospital. She hadn't even contacted her brothers yet. They were in Konoha with the Hokage trying to renew the treaty with their villages. Saya wasn't due until a few weeks later and they would have been back by then. Temari guessed she went into labor early. She grabbed Saya's hand and led her into the hospital with the kids. Shikamaru was on his way. He would surely contact the Kazekage and his brother. Saya was taken away on a gurney when Shikamaru came running through the doors.
"Hey how is she?" he asked a little out of breath.
Temari cradled her throbbing hand.
"She's freaking strong! I think she's alright for now…did you contact my brothers?" she asked not expecting his answer.
"What?" he asked confused.
Temari wanted to kill him.
"You didn't contact Gaara or Kankuro?" she yelled turning a couple of heads her way.
Shikamaru flinched slightly.
"Oh…well you see…about that…" he didn't finish as Temari hit him over the head with her fan.
"You're the stupidest genius I've ever met!" she roared and he grinned sheepishly.
"I'll go contact them right now…" he called and dashed out the door.
Temari groaned. It was just her and Saya now.
In Konoha…
Gaara sat in the Hokage building looking around. Not much had changed since he had last been there…except the Hokage of course. Tsunade did not sit before him and the council but a male Hokage stood instead.
Naruto stared around the office all smiles and nodded to Gaara and Kankuro. Tsunade was in the office sitting with the council that she now practically ran. A messenger bird flew in through the opened window and Naruto walked over to it grabbing the scroll from it carefully.
Gaara and Kankuro immediately recognized it as a letter from Suna. Tsunade caught the brothers' intense gaze as the letter was opened by Naruto. Naruto read the letter thoroughly and his eyes widened. Gaara stood quickly trying to keep his composure. Kankuro stood up with him and they headed for the door. Naruto looked to Tsunade and she stood up.
"Gaara-sama—" she tried but he turned back.
"—we have to get to Suna now," he said and Naruto nodded.
"I have a faster way to get there…" he said grinning.
Gaara had never road on the back of the giant Boss Toad before. He knew the toad was Naruto's companion but he didn't think he was this fast. They would all be in Suna very soon.
Meanwhile, back in Suna, Saya was thinking of ways to put herself out of her misery quicker. The pain was excruciating and she thought about overdosing on the morphine injections they were giving her. She was a doctor; she would know her limit. She laid back down closing her eyes and trying to think of happy times. It only ended in her crying out. Temari came in with a hospital gown on. She grabbed her sister-in-law's hand tightly. Saya looked at Temari.
"T-This is it T-Temari! No more kids after this! I'm done after this o-one! Y-You tell him that when h-he gets here okay? I-If you want to throw in a c-couple of punches here and there…feel f-free!" she stuttered and Temari smiled warmly.
"It's going to be okay Sai-chan…just keep breathing…I'll give him your message," she said holding Saya's hand tightly.
Saya nodded.
"Tell Ryuzaki and the twins I'm fine too. I think I scared them back there…" she mumbled and Temari nodded.
Sakura came in already prepped and ready to go. She smiled at Saya who tried to smile back in return.
"We're all ready Saya…let's deliver this baby…" she said smiling.
Saya wanted to hug her and then cry. She was so happy to hear that.
"W-Wait…S-Sakura-chan…w-where's Gaara?" she asked quietly.
Sakura's smile faltered.
"He's not here just yet but he will be here soon, okay?" she asked and Saya nodded.
Temari got to stay in the room with her and Anbu were guarding the doors. Meanwhile, at the gates of Suna the group had just made it and Gaara and Kankuro jumped off heading towards the hospital. Following them were Naruto, Kakashi, and Tsunade. As Gaara opened the doors to the hospital and everyone rushed in seeing Shikamaru and the kids in the waiting room they heard an ear piercing scream. Gaara felt his heart stop and stopped walking causing Kankuro to bump into him. He stood still as silence overcame the hospital.
Then the sound of crying emitted throughout the hospital. A medical ninja came out with a small bundle and walked into another room. Ten minutes later Temari came out and pulled off her mask. She wiped some tears from her eyes and walked up to the group that now included Shikamaru and the kids. She walked right up to Gaara and hugged him tightly. She felt her brother trembling slightly under her embrace and figured she should tell him. She pulled away and he stared at her waiting for her to speak.
"I-It's a girl…and Saya says to tell you she's not giving birth anymore so unless you start reproducing, two is the limit…" she said grinning.
Gaara smirked at his sister and at his wife's comment. They were both okay. He let out a breath he was holding and looked to the nurse walking down the corridors with a pink bundle. Ryuzaki tugged on his father's robes causing Gaara to look down at his son.
"That's my little sister right dad?" he asked and Gaara nodded slowly.
The nurse handed the baby girl to Gaara carefully and he stared down at his daughter. Temari giggled happily.
"Meet Sera, your daughter…" she said and Gaara smiled.
Sera looked up at him and opened her toothless mouth to almost grin at her father. Gaara knew she was going to be trouble when she got older. He let the others get a good look at her and then proceeded to walk into Saya's room where Sakura was getting her comfortable. Sakura noticed he was there and smiled wide. She walked up to him and rested her hand on his shoulder.
"Make sure she gets her rest…she's going to be out of commission for a while but she's fine and healing," she said and headed out to the waiting room.
Gaara sat down by Saya's bedside and rubbed her head softly. She smiled still having her eyes shut and slowly opened them. When she saw her husband and what he was holding her eyes lit up and she grinned.
"She's beautiful…" she murmured and Gaara nodded.
"Do…do you want to hold her?" he asked and Saya nodded quickly.
He handed her the baby carefully and watched her reaction to the small person in her arms. She grinned happily as there was a knock at the door. Ryuzaki poked his head in the room and smiled faintly.
"Can I see the baby?" he asked and walked over to his parents.
Gaara scooped him up and sat him on the bed with them. Saya leaned in towards him and he stared at his sister.
"Hello Sera. I'm your big brother Ryuzaki," he said and Sera seemed to grin again.
Ryuzaki held out his finger and Sera grabbed it. He smiled and kissed her hand carefully.
"When can we take her home?" he asked quickly and the couple chuckled.
"Give it a few more days and then we can take her home Ryuzaki…" Saya said softly and Ryuzaki nodded.
Soon there was more knocking on the door and Naruto poked his head in. Saya grinned from ear to ear seeing him dressed as Hokage.
"Hokage-sama!" she cheered and he grinned hugging her carefully.
Everyone came in and sat around the couple. They all talked about the old times and finally enjoyed themselves for a while. A knock at the door caused everyone to turn around to see the Mizukage standing in front of them. She greeted them all kindly and asked to speak with Kankuro outside for a moment. Outside, Kankuro didn't wait for her to speak.
"Kat…what's this about? You know how long it's been since I've seen you? Not one word from you…what the hell is going on? Is it me? Do you not—" she cut him off.
"—I'm pregnant," she said quickly and the hardcore puppet master fainted right there on the floor.
Kat chuckled to herself.
"He's going to make a great dad…" she mumbled to herself.
A while later, everyone was sleeping in the hospital's extra beds and Saya thought she was the only one still awake. She wanted to go see Sera but she left it for now. She would see her tomorrow. She stared out the window watching the sands of Suna slowly blow in the wind. Gaara was resting in a chair by her bed when he heard her move. He cracked an eye open and stared at her looking out the window. Saya was so caught up in the sands that she didn't feel the bed move. She looked back when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.
"Are you alright?" he asked softly.
She nodded.
"Do you ever wonder what it will be like years from now Gaara? Will our children grow up to be like us?" she asked more to herself.
Gaara smiled faintly.
"Our children will follow their own path…and we will live on through them…" he said and Saya smiled.
She lay back so she was now in his arms.
"I think their future will be bright. They will follow their own path and we will help them get there…" she said and just before she fell asleep she saw an extremely large bird fly past the moon.
"Thank you Ren," she whispered before sleep consumed her.
Loved it? Hated it? Let me know? I love your feedback! One more chapter kind of like an epilogue to go! Takes place NINE YEARS later! ^_~