CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

Two Weeks Later

Misaki and Gaara sat across from his two siblings as they began to eat supper. She had prepared a beef, veggie, and rice stir-fry. Which was one of the siblings favorites. "Well I have some news." Misaki announced.

"What? You know the genders?" Kankuro asked.

She laughed at her partner. "Yes. I went to the medic nin today and she told me that I am having twins and that they are going to be a girl and boy."

"Aww! This is going to be perfect. We'll have to go out and get baby stuff Misaki." Temari announced.

Misaki smiled at her sister-in-law, "We definitely will."

Gaara interrupted, "The council will be happy. A boy and girl. Not only that, but so am I."

Misaki leaned against his shoulder and smiled to herself, "I'm glad."

Kankuro ate some then added, "This is going to be great!" Misaki giggled at her mission partner. "What? What did I say?"

"I'm not laughing at you Kankuro. It's just that you and Temari seem more excited for the babies than Gaara and I."

"And I can't be? I'm going to be an uncle!"

"And i'm going to be an aunt!" Temari input as she grabbed her brother by the arm and shook him.

Gaara and Misaki now laughed at the two. "Well, Misaki and I know that you two will help with the babies a lot." Gaara said to his two siblings.

"You know it! I'm going to be the best uncle ever!"

The married couple laughed again. Misaki now said, "I have no doubt that you and Temari will be great."

"Well let's finish dinner so we can leave the couple alone." Temari told the family then began to delve back into her dinner.

After they finished their supper, Gaara saw his siblings out then locked the door to the suite and came back to the kitchen and found his wife packing his lunch for tomorrow, as she usually did. "I'm very happy." He interrupted her thoughts.

She turned around after shutting his lunch box. "I thought you would be. If we had a single child, I didn't know if you would want to have a girl or a boy. At least we will have both with the twins."

"I don't care about the genders. The council would have had to settle with either if we were to have a single child."

"I'm glad we're not though. It will be a little difficult, but thankfully we have your siblings."

Gaara laughed suddenly then added, "They are definitely excited."

Misaki smiled then turned back around and put his lunch box in the fridge. She then finished putting up the leftovers. "They are going to be a great uncle and aunt." After finishing with putting everything in the fridge and cleaning up, she led Gaara to the master bedroom. She let him strip while changing into a white nightgown.

After doing so, Misaki pulled the sheets up and climbed into bed, feeling more tired than usual. Gaara climbed beside her and pulled her against his naked body as he pulled the sheets over them. "I love you Misaki."

"I love you too Gaara." She replied then yawned. "Goodnight."

xxxx

Gaara found his wife in the kitchen the next morning. She had set his lunch box on the table as he walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Are you ready for work?" Misaki asked him.

"Yes. Have you had breakfast yet?" He asked her.

"No. Your siblings are coming over for breakfast. So I am waiting till they get here." She responded then put her right hand to her forehead.

Gaara noticed this and asked, "Are you alright?"

"I feel a headache coming. I'm sure it will go away though."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes sweetheart. Go on and take your lunch and get to your office. Kankuro and Temari will be here. They will help me if I need it."

He kissed her again then grabbed his lunch box and went to the wall to go through the tunnel to his office. Misaki rubbed her stomach slowly then a few seconds later heard a knock at the door. 'Well, they're on time.' She thought to herself, before walking to the door and opening it.

"Hey Misaki. How are you doing?" Kankuro asked as the two siblings walked in.

"Okay." She then put her hand to her head again.

Kankuro and Temari looked at her in worry. "Are you sure?" He questioned her.

"I'm having a headache this morning. Don't worry."

"How about we make breakfast? You always make dinner for us." Temari suggested.

"Thanks Temari. I'll sit down. You can find everything in the fridge." Misaki replied as she followed the two and sat at the kitchen table. Temari got out some eggs from the fridge as Kankuro sat next to Misaki.

"I'm guessing Gaara is already in his office."

"Yeah. I sent him with his lunch."

Temari laughed, "He must of been excited."

"I'm sure." Kankuro added.

"I didn't want to worry him. I'm sure my headache will go away." Misaki told the two. Temari began making some eggs in a pan and the smell of eggs entered Misaki's nose, suddenly making her stomach feel like a whirlpool. "Oh Kami!" She shouted then stood up and ran towards the nearest bathroom.

Kankuro looked up to his sister and said, "Oh Kami. Is she?"

"Vomiting? I think so." Temari replied.

"Do you think it was the eggs?"

"She's had eggs before today, but her body might be changing. I'll finish them so not to waste them then put them on the back burner."

Kankuro nodded then added, "I'll go see if she is okay." He stood up from his chair then walked toward the bathroom that Misaki was in. He peeked in the doorway and saw that she was leaned over the toilet seat still spitting up some. Turning away, he asked, "Misaki, are you okay?"

It took her about a minute to reply, "No...my stomach hurts."

He heard the toilet flushing as she moaned painfully. "Do you want to take a shower?" Kankuro then turned his head back towards the bathroom and saw her sitting against the shower door.

"I don't think I can."

"You wan't me to help?"

"I...guess. I feel so terrible Kankuro."

"I know baby. Let me get you a new nightgown and I will be back." Kankuro told her then left the bathroom to find his sister waiting for him.

"How is she feeling?" Temari questioned.

"Terrible. I'm going to have to help her take a shower."

"Kami. I didn't think it was that bad." Temari told her brother.

"Let me go and get her a nightgown then we will figure out what to do." He responded then left her to get Misaki her clothing. As he returned to the bathroom, he found her trying to get up from the floor. "Here baby, let me get you up." He put her nightgown on the towel bar then walked over to Misaki and the toilet, putting the seat down and picked her up. He then put her on the toilet seat.

"Kankuro...it hurts."

"I'm sorry baby. Stay there and let me undress and I will start the shower."

"Okay." Misaki replied. She heard him quickly undress and put his clothes on the towel rack then bend over and pull out some towels from underneath the sink.

Kankuro walked forward and helped pull off her clothes slowly. After depositing them in the floor, he opened the shower door and started the shower. He gently took her hand and helped her in the shower and told her, "Grab the bar honey." He then closed the door behind them and began to help her shower.

Temari was outside thinking about going to Gaara's office after helping Misaki. She had heard about sickness during pregnancy, but didn't think that Misaki would feel so terrible. She listen to the shower and suddenly the water turned off, indicating that the shower was done. Temari heard the shower door open then Kankuro was talking to Misaki, telling her that he would dry off and dress before doing the same for her.

A few minutes passed before she heard Kankuro shout, "Temari!"

She walked into the bathroom and thankfully, found her brother dressed, but Misaki's back was facing her and she was sitting on the toilet with a towel around her. "What is it?"

He sighed softly, "She wants us to cut her hair."

"What?!" Temari shouted. Misaki put her hand to her head, indicating that her head still hurt. "Oh i'm sorry Misaki. Why do you want to cut your hair?"

"I think it might help with my headache. I've heard people say that if you have headaches that long hair can make it worse." Misaki replied.

"Okay. Well. How can we help?"

"I can cut her hair, but I need you to hold the trash can underneath her hair." Kankuro intervened. "I just hope I don't cut it too uneven."

Misaki laughed despite her pain. "Don't worry. I don't care."

Temari helped Kankuro lift Misaki's hair into a waste basket. He then asked, "How long do you want it?"

"A little beneath the shoulder. Gaara still needs something to hold onto."

Kankuro smiled as he grasped her hair gently and brought out a kunai from his pocket then with one swipe, cut off the hair beneath his hand. The rest of her hair fell into the waste basket below and Temari put it down. "Does that feel any better?"

"A little bit, but my head still hurts."

"I'm sorry sweetheart." Kankuro then turned to his sister, "Let me finish getting her dressed then I will talk to you."

"Okay." Temari said with a nod, then left the bathroom. She waited about five more minutes before Kankuro exited with their sister-in-law in his arms and led Temari to the master bedroom. As he put Misaki on the bed, he heard her moan softly.

"What is it?" Kankuro questioned Misaki.

"The light is too much." Misaki told him then added, "Shut the blinds...please."

He did as she told him, but even with the blinds shut, she still moaned in pain. "It hurts still?"

She nodded, "It's too bright."

"Okay sweetheart, let Temari and I talk. I will be back." He walked out of the bedroom and turned to his sister and said, "She's having some pain and won't be able to rest here."

"Well...what do you suggest we do?" Temari asked her brother.

"My room has curtains and fans. It is dark during the day so it should help her rest a bit."

"Thank goodness Gaara had the tunnel extended to our rooms. I don't think Misaki would be able to make it through the halls in her condition."

"Me neither. Let's take her to my room then we can figure out what to do next."

Kankuro went back into the bedroom and found Misaki curled up with her right hand over her eyes. "We're going to take you to my room."

"Why?" She questioned him tiredly.

"It's darker. So it will help you with your headache." He explained.

"Okay."

Kankuro then picked her back up and walked into the living room and watched his sister open up the doorway to the tunnel. She led the way to his bedroom and opened the door to his bedroom which was dark, as he had said. It took her a minute for her eyes to adjust. He walked in easily, hearing the door shut behind him, and laid Misaki on the top of the bed. "Is that better?" He asked.

Misaki curled her legs up and murmured, "Yes. My head still hurts, but at least there is no light."

"Good." He then turned to Temari and asked, "Should we get the medic nin?"

"I think so." Temari paused then said, "I will go. You stay with Misaki. It shouldn't take me more than ten minutes."

"Okay."

xxxx

When Temari returned with the medic nin, she found Kankuro sitting next to Misaki, stroking her hair as she moaned softly. She turned on the light which made the black-haired woman moan again. "My lady, I hear you are having a terrible headache and that you cannot eat." The medic said as she approached the bed.

"Yes..."

"I can give you some medicine that won't hurt the babies. Would you want that?"

"Please."

The medic nin set her bag down and withdrew three needles and the medicine to put in them. "Woah!" Kankuro shouted. "What are you giving her?"

"Medicine for pain, nausea, and sleeping." The nin replied matter-of-factly.

"And they won't hurt the babies?"

"No Lord Kankuro." The medic nin then pulled Misaki's gown up to her hip and wiped a swab along a spot and suddenly stuck one in. Misaki moaned in pain as she felt all three go into her body and the medicine start to circulate in her veins. She felt Kankuro stroke her hair gently. The medic nin reached in her bag and pulled out two bottles of pills and gave them to Temari. "These are for her nausea and pain. She can't take more than two a day for each."

Temari nodded and asked, "When will she fall asleep?"

"It's a quick medicine. It should take no longer than ten to fifteen minutes. If you need me, let me know." The medic then left the room, shutting the door behind her after picking up her bag.

Temari turned off the overhead light. Her eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness of the room as she watched Kankuro look at her. "I think I need to get curtains for their suite."

"Why?"

"If she can't stand the light with the blinds closed and she is going to have headaches, then we are going to have to have to put curtains in the rooms to block out most of the light."

"Sounds good to me. While you're out, get some ice packs for her head. It will help." Temari advised him.

"I will. I have to count the windows in their suite first then I will go out. I will be very quick. Stay here with Misaki."

"Don't worry. I plan to. I won't leave her alone."

"Okay. I'll see you in a while."

xxxx

It was later that night after Gaara got off work when he walked into the shared suite with his wife and found Kankuro standing on a ladder, putting up a pair of curtains over a set of windows. "Kankuro?"

Kankuro almost jumped off the ladder when he heard Gaara's voice. "Gaara. I didn't realize it was so late."

"Where is Misaki?"

"She got sick this morning and we took her to my bedroom because her head hurt really bad."

"And you didn't get me?"

"You don't trust us?"

"No. It's not that. I'm just worried about her. I knew something was wrong this morning." Gaara replied.

"It's okay. We had a medic nin see her." He told his little brother.

"What did the medic do?"

"She gave her three shots. One for pain, another for nausea, and the last for sleep. She's been sleeping since about 9:00 this morning. It's knocked her out."

"Wow."

"I don't think we should move her tonight. Why don't you sleep with her in my bedroom?" Kankuro suggested.

"I think I will. I appreciate everything you and Temari have done today."

"It's no problem...uh there is one thing."

"Yeah?" Gaara questioned.

"I helped her take a bath this morning and after she got out she asked me to cut off her hair."

"She what?!"

"Her hair is a little past her shoulder now. She said that it would help her with her headaches."

Gaara was surprised, but not angry at either his siblings or wife, "If it helps her then I will be happy. After all, I didn't marry Misaki for her hair."

Kankuro laughed, "I know."

"After you finish, you can sleep in the guest bedroom. I'm sure you and Temari are extremely tired."

"Well it was no problem. Have a good night."

"You too Kankuro."

xxxx

Gaara came through the tunnel door into his brother's bedroom and saw a light on in the bedroom. Temari was in a chair, reading while his wife lay in the bed, under the covers. He shut the door behind him, drawing Temari's attention, "Gaara, it's good to see you. I assume Kankuro told you everything."

"Yes. You can go ahead and leave. I will take care of her now." He said to his sister.

She stood up and put the book down then said, "Alright, sleep well. I will see both of you in the morning."

"Thanks. Bye Temari."

Temari nodded, then opened the door and shut it silently behind her. Gaara looked down at his wife, who was sleeping soundly. Her body was curled underneath the covers as she let out a soft moan. Gaara felt terrible for her. He didn't think that she would be in so much pain. Quickly, he took off his overclothes, tunic, and sandals; then climbed underneath the covers and pulled her against his body. Gaara nuzzled his face into her neck and thought, 'Oh my love. I hope this isn't the norm.' He kissed her forehead then slowly fell asleep with his left hand protecting her stomach.

Author's Notes: This was a very difficult chapter to write. I didn't want to write a lot about pain, but I thought it would make a good chapter. Don't hate me. I hope you like. Please review. I know there are people out there who are reading.