AN: Ya'll really need to review. I was dealing with bad writer's block for a week (again, because we had an almost break-in/casing incident while I was writing the last chapter, and as soon as I started thinking about the story, I'd get that unsettled, anxious feeling. It was worsened, because I also couldn't sleep, which is hormonally problematic, especially when pregnant). And when I am off my game like that, I usually bank on a review or two to boost my inspiration. And, ya'll, I had nothing. I didn't get one review last chapter on either site. And it wasn't like nothing happened in that chapter. We saw Emika go full mama bear on Gaara when she found out he was testing their son. We finally got the answer to the vote. And we saw all the Kage. The delay for this chapter was because I couldn't emotionally open this story for a week, and a review could've changed that. So, please remember to review. If the chapter touches you at all, please say something. You have no idea how much it helps me.

Chapter 22

"Lord Gaara. The floor is yours," the speaker of the House of Daimyos called out, banging his gavel on his desk. Gaara looked around, seeing Emika sitting next to him holding his speech cards to him.

"You'll do great," she said, her brown eyes shining hopefully up at him.

He nodded vaguely, realizing he was there for the vote on whether he was becoming Daimyo. He stepped up to the podium. He looked out into a sea of empty, expectant faces, and pulled up his speech cards. As he looked down, he saw his notes were blank. He flicked through the first couple cards, and there was nothing written on them. He flipped them to check the back, and still nothing. "Uhm," he breathed, trying to find his words. "I have come before you today to –"

He was promptly cut off with the large explosion of the building. People screaming in terror as they were crushed under the falling balcony and debris. Outside was a thundering footstep, and through the dusty opening left by the rubble Gaara saw it. The unmistakable dark blue foot of Madara's Susanoo. Suddenly a dark blue hand gripped the top of the hole, and the roof was ripped clean off. There was more screaming, but this time more tortured, like it wasn't just the single explosion, but a full-blown battle ground.

Instinctually, Gaara turned to look at Emika. She looked up at Madara's full Susanoo with horror, then looked back at Gaara. Before he could even react, a Susanoo sword was thrust into her, slicing her body almost completely in half. "EMIKA!" Gaara screamed, transporting himself over to her as the blade pulled away, her blood spirting everywhere as Gaara caught her body in his arms. "Emika! No. Emika. Why?"

She coughed some blood as she lifted a bloody hand to his face, trying to speak through the blood. "P – pro…" she tried to say, fighting through the blood in her throat and lungs. Her face had begun to pale quickly as she was bleeding out.

"No. Emika, save your strength," he pleaded, grabbing her hand. "Stay with me."

"Protect … Hira," she struggled out, loosing her fight to stay conscious or even alive. Her blood felt thick and slick on Gaara's hands and clothes. His heart was breaking as he saw her dying in his arms, unable to do anything but mourn her.

"Emika," he wept. "Emika, don't go." But she was gone already. His head bowed to hers as he wailed, unable to comprehend the pain his heart felt. He couldn't breathe, it was so excruciating. Then he felt the familiar stab through the back of one of Madara's lightning infused rods. Through the back, just under his right shoulder blade, through his lung into his liver and kidneys.

Gaara gasped awake in a cold sweat, feeling tears staining his cheeks as Emika clutched desperately at his shoulders, shaking him as she said, "Gaara, wake up!" It took his mind a moment to adjust to where he was and what was happening. He saw his sand restraining Emika a bit, but she was still fighting it to get at him. To wake him.

He pulled his sand away, and she immediately pulled him up by his shoulders and clutched him to her, pressing his head against her chest as she held him so tenderly. Her fingers combed through his hair calmly as she whispered, "You were screaming, and crying. I'm right here."

He tried to pull away, dry his tears, instead of following his instinct to sob from happiness that she was fine. It had felt so real. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare…"

"It's alright," she said quickly, not moving her hands from his shoulders. She licked her lips, her gaze full of concern rather than pity as she said, "I get them too."

Just that comment, that moment of understanding rather than pitying judgement allowed him to feel the torture his mind had put him through. Another tear rolled down his cheek as he said, "It was so real. Madara attacked and I couldn't protect you. I couldn't …"

She pulled him close against her chest again, and he didn't fight to pull himself away this time. Instead, he let himself listen to her heart pound, and feel her hands in his hair as she whispered, "I'm alright. Madara is dead." He wrapped his arms around her, needing to feel her there to calm down rather than just bury the hurt. To let himself feel the trauma in hopes it finally heals instead of just hiding behind his stoic mask, appearing strong to the world. He didn't need to be strong to her. Not here. "Think of your happiest moment. Your happiest memory," she directed, "And just breathe."

He did as she said, thinking of his sister's wedding day. The day he saw the kind of family his sister was marrying into, the friends he'd made in his life, and saw finally there was hope for the future. So much of being a ninja was living day to day, and before Naruto he didn't have any hope. After Naruto, and even after Emika, he made goals he knew he could achieve, and he had a vacant hope that maybe one day Peace could happen. But Temari's wedding day, Peace looked actually achievable.

He took a deep breath, then a long exhale, and he felt his mind drift to a peaceful state. He pulled away, drying his tears and mumbled, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," she breathed.

He looked her over, then asked, "Is that what you do? Think of your happiest memory?"

"I try to," she answered. "Although all of my happy memories are bittersweet." She moved her mouth wordlessly, her tongue poking her cheek in thought. "The only time I was truly happy was in the Tsukuyomi." She sniffled as she continued, "I dreamed we'd married at Ao Nami. We had Hira, who was a year and a half at the time, and I was pregnant with our second. My dad was still alive, and you were studying under him to become the new Daimyo, while Temari had been named Kazekage. We lived in a little townhouse on Sunafuki, away from everything, and we could just be a family."

Gaara's brow furrowed as he saw the tears forming in her eyes, and his heart ached. It sounded wonderful. "Is that what you wish could happen?"

She sniffled, dabbing her eyes with her fingers to stop the tears before they flowed. "You have no idea how tempted I was on our honeymoon," she admitted softly. "To let fate take its course. To leave our lovemaking up to chance." She gulped, and her pain was evident on her face. "There's a part of me that wants what every normal girl wants. That yearns to settle down with you, the love of my life, and have a whole brood of children. As many as you wanted. To have a happy family with the man I love." Her expression grew stony as she added, "But then, there's reality. The royal duty that dictates that I can't just stay with anybody. That I have to consider what staying married to you means for our nation in this moment, and I know it's not ready for that much of a change. That if we stayed married, the peace you've fostered between the five great nations could be in jeopardy if we picked a new Kazekage. I've heard enough from other nations Daimyos, and they'd pressure their kages to backout. And if we didn't instate a new Kazekage. If you kept your position, the Daimyos of the Wind would reject us and have our heads."

A tear escaped down her cheek, and Gaara reached up, wiping it away. She leaned into his hand, pressing her cheek against his warm palm, then gave it a small kiss. "As much as I want the same things you do," she added. "The family. The children. The simple life away from war and politics. Even though I want it, I know—"

He cut her off by swooping in with a kiss. She loved him, and that was all that mattered to him. She let his tongue invade her, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she kissed him back. It was electric and passionate. He fisted her nightgown until he could feel skin, and she gasped.

She pulled away for a second, pressing her forehead to his as she muttered, "We have to be better about this."

"I don't want to be," he said before kissing her again. He was done putting the nation above his own happiness, his own desires. The Wind would always need something from him, and he always gave it unconditionally. Why couldn't he have what he wanted? Why couldn't the world just give him and his love the peace to be together?

And he could tell in the way she kissed him back, she was asking herself the same things too.

She let him pull off her nightgown, leaving her in nothing but those beige panties that made him smile, and he promptly pulled off his own black t-shirt before nestling his hips down between her thighs as he lavished her mouth, cheek and jaw with loving kisses. His hips rolled against hers, making his growing arousal known, earning a gasp from the princess. She reached down to her panties, pushing them off, and Gaara paused to help her, and gasped when Emika reached into his boxers to stroke his member. Eagerly, he pushed his boxers off and laid his naked body over hers, kissing every inch of skin as she rubbed the head of his penis along her slightly parted slit, already feeling the juices pooling, dripping with anticipation.

He jerked her around, throwing her into a better angle on the bed so her head was on the pillows rather than at the corner of the nightstand. It was more so he could leverage himself better against the headboard than anything else. He lifted her legs so they wrapped around his waist before bending over her, his left hand on the mattress next to her head, and his right on the headboard. He ground his hips against her, not entering her yet, but just letting her feel how much he wanted her. She reached down, spreading her lips for him before pushing the head of his penis down, down, until he was positioned right at her entrance, and he pushed in, both of them gasping at the relieving sensation.

He started with deep, powerful thrusts, his eyes looking deep into hers as she gasped and moaned. The look in her eyes reminded him of the red tent, back when they first had sex and they were so deeply in love, and nothing mattered outside of that tent. She clutched at him, her nails digging a little in his back adding heat to the fire between them. The headboard started to tap a little against the wall, and the bed shook under them with every thrust. His bed creaked and squeaked against the sandstone tile floor as she gasped with each deeper thrust. When he finally brushed against her g-spot, she threw her head back and moaned. "There," she cried out. "Gaara, right there!"

He grunted from his exertions, his hand moving from beside her head to hold her hips, drilling into her harder and harder until she howled, her body clenching tightly around his as she came. He bit his lip, slowing a little bit as she calmed down, then he leaned down, brushing his lips against hers as his dick worked her insides back into a sexual frenzy. They breathed each other in, and his hands explored her body, caressing her breasts and squeezing them tightly. His thrusts picked back up as he felt himself getting closer and closer. Feeling warmer and more connected than ever. "I love you, Emika," he panted against her lips.

"I know," she gasped.

Then he was there, at his threshold and pounding through until he finished in her. He kissed her again as the last of his seed spurted, his hands reaching up to caress her face.

"It doesn't change anything," she breathed between kisses.

He pulled away, looking at her with post-coital, hazy love in his eyes as his thumb stroked her cheek. "It changes everything," he corrected. She looked up at him sadly, clearly disagreeing, but he just leaned down and kissed her. Because it did. After everything, all the lies that destroyed each of them, they still needed each other, more so than either of them would know fully. She had saved his ass more than he'd realized, and he would always have her back. And they would both rather die than be like this with anyone else.

It started with a thud that woke up Kankuro. "Unagi?" he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. Because of course his first thought was the cat was getting into some mischief. As he shifted in his bed, he felt his cat at his feet who promptly got up, stretched, and plodded up to his arms to resnuggle. "Sh," he said sleepily, snuggling into his pet.

Then the thud happened again, and he was wide awake. Intruder. It was the only explanation.

He opened his nightstand and grabbed a kunai, stepping out of his bedroom with Unagi in one arm, and a kunai out with his other hand. As he stepped out the sound became clearer. Rhythmic thumping. Added with the squeaks of wooden bedframe against sandstone, the source was clear. One of his siblings was mid-fuck.

He sighed, rolling his eyes as he tongued his cheek. He turned towards the bathroom, only to see Temari's door open, and he raised his kunai in surprise. Shikamaru and Temari peeked out. Shikamaru put his hands up seeing Kankuro's knife. Kankuro scowled, pocketing his knife and putting Unagi on the ground.

"What the Hell is that noise?" Temari hissed.

They heard a woman cry out, "There! Gaara! Right there!" Kankuro swung his hand out towards Gaara's bedroom and huffed, "That is the sound of a liar lying!"

Shikamaru and Temari looked down the hallway a little more horrified as the princess gasped and howled, their younger brother's groans mixing with hers. Kankuro rolled his eyes as he grumbled, "I'm getting earplugs." He frowned disgustedly, grumbling, "'It was only a one-time thing,' my ass! Bullshit. This is such bullshit!" He came out of the bathroom still grumbling under his breath, "Called it, by the way. She is a screamer. And now, I have to get married because Gaara can't keep his dick from the wrong girl! I hope you're happy!" he finished his tirade to the empty hallway.

Shikamaru shrugged, muttering, "He sounds pretty happy to me," earning a glower from Kankuro as he finished putting in his cotton balls and a facepalm from Temari. "What?" Shikamaru chuckled. Temari rolled her eyes, going into the bathroom to grab her own cotton balls. "It sounds like they're almost done," Shikamaru added, as Temari put her cotton balls in.

Kankuro wiggled his fingers, saying, "Pspspsps" for Unagi's attention. The cat followed him dutifully to his room, and he shut his door. Shikamaru chuckled as he followed his wife back to bed. As he suspected, the royal couple had finished as Shikamaru snuggled up to his wife and drifted back to sleep. Although, he now understood his wife's skepticism of her brother's marriage being strictly business. It was hardly a business relationship.

That morning, Kankuro was so pissed, he didn't stick around for breakfast. When Gaara asked why he was upset, Shikamaru couldn't help but comment cheekily, "He heard something he didn't want to last night." Gaara's brow furrowed, while Temari blushed, sipping her orange juice. Gaara wasn't sure what Shikamaru was referring to, but decided not to press it as Emika walked out, announcing she had a busy day making a new game plan with Kyuurou and making calls to Daimyos, grabbing toast and pouring herself a coffee. She paused by Gaara to briefly kiss his cheek, making him blush as she said, "Good luck with the other Kage today." Then she was out the door, with likely Shijima who was on guard detail last night.

Shikamaru was next to go, stating Kakashi would be expecting him shortly to prepare for the meeting later. He cleaned up his plate before leaving. Then as Gaara finished, he mentioned he too had some work to finish before the meeting, which Temari immediately said, "Set some time aside for me in an hour. I have to make sure breakfast settles, but there are some things I want to talk with you about." Gaara frowned curiously, but agreed to her one-hour term.

One hour later, her heartburn had passed, and she was feeling better. So she made her way down to Gaara's office, knocking on the geometrically designed mahogany door. "Enter," Gaara called from within.

She walked in, closing the door behind her and grabbing a seat on his couch. He finished signing the report he was on, setting it aside before he turned to her directly. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked.

Temari licked her lips, then said, "I had an interesting conversation with Emika the first day here. I was hoping you'd provide me some insight on some things between you two."

Gaara blinked at her, then frowned looking away in thought.

"Gaara," Temari pressed.

"Is that the question?" he asked, sounding confused.

"Yes."

"It didn't sound like a question."

"The question is implied."

"Where?"

"Gaara. Is there something I should know? Something you're not telling us?"

Gaara straightened, inhaling sharply through his nose, then answered, "I guess that would depend on what your conversation with Emika was about."

"My pregnancy," Temari answered.

Gaara opened and closed his mouth a few times, frowning, clearly in thought or organizing his words. Temari stood, leaning over his desk and poking his forehead like the loving older sister she was. "Don't frown so hard. You'll give your forehead wrinkles."

He rubbed his forehead where she poked, then said, "Well, I don't know what would be weird about that conversation. You are pregnant."

Temari licked her lips, then sucked on her teeth. "It was the inexplicable knowledge she had about pregnancy in general," Temari stated. Her gaze shifted to her brother's, looking him dead in the eye as she added, "The kind of knowledge you get from experience."

Gaara looked away, moving his mouth wordlessly, again trying to find his words. Finally he sighed uncomfortably, and she felt he was on verge of answering when another knock sounded on his door. "Come in," Gaara said quickly.

Kankuro opened the door and stepped through, eyeing Temari curiously as he shut the door. "What? Are we having a family reunion?"

Temari shook her head, going back to her position on the couch. Gaara looked at the envelope in Kankuro's hand, and asked, "What's that?"

Kankuro held it up, answering, "The results of that unofficial test you wanted me to run, freshly printed." Gaara held up his hand, and Kankuro placed it there. Gaara's demanding expression on his brother's made Kankuro add, "I didn't look at it. I swear. Neither did anybody else. And I destroyed the samples as requested."

Gaara nodded, then opened the envelope with his letter opener, and pulled out papers. One the results halfway down it read, "Comparison: 47.5% match. Indicative of Father to Son biological relationship." Gaara felt an immediate pit in his stomach and a lump in his throat. He covered his opened mouth with his hand, trying to control his breathing. There it was, in plain black and white. No doubt about it. Hira was his son.

He dropped the report on his desk, and turned his chair away, his eyes focusing on a distant speck as his mind reran all the information in his head. Hira was the heir to the throne, and his son. Not only that, the only descendent of Shukaku's host. Gaara knew from talking with Naruto, who found out his mother had been Kurama's previous host, that it meant something. Hira probably had some latent abilities from Shukaku, like Rasa had gotten from his father, the previous jinchuriki for Shukaku before Gaara. All of that plus the confirmation Gaara was in fact a father to an almost six-year-old boy who would one day run the Wind.

Kankuro eyed his brother curiously, then leaned over his desk quietly, and read a little bit before Gaara caught him, and flipped the report, glaring at him. Kankuro raised his hands in surrender as Gaara rubbed his forehead. "Bad news?" Kankuro asked.

Gaara closed his eyes annoyedly, then settled his dark gaze on Kankuro.

Kankuro frowned, as if unfazed, and asked, "What? Did you rob Dad's grave?" Gaara bowed his head in silence, as Kankuro added, "I know one of those samples was your own hair. It said 'Indicative of a Father/Son relationship.'"

Temari inhaled deeply, eyeing her youngest brother with concern and a bit of pity. She seemed to catch on first, but didn't say anything. Gaara closed his eyes shamefully, then said, "Remember the glen," before setting his jaw.

Kankuro frowned, still not cluing in.

"How far did things go between you two six years ago?" Temari finally asked.

Gaara's look at her spoke volumes, but even more when he looked down to where her womb carried their nephew.

She nodded, pityingly as Gaara licked his lips, knowing all of it was about to come out. Kankuro frowned, clearly still not following. Temari scowled at Kankuro for not filling in the gaps, then said aloud, "You got her pregnant, didn't you?"

Gaara tapped the report, pursing his lips a little before answering, "Apparently, yes."

Temari tongued her cheek, then said, "It's been, what six, almost seven years? So, he's how old?"

"He'll be six in a month," Gaara answered. "Apparently March 15."

Kankuro's eyes flew open as wide as dinner plates. "What?!" he chirped. "I thought it was only a blow job!"

Gaara blushed, his brow raising oddly as he muttered, "Well, that too. But …"

Kankuro stared at his brother open-mouthed, utterly gobsmacked. He'd never told him anything. Gaara knew his brother probably saw it as a betrayal on some level, but at the same time, he couldn't be bothered to feel guilty about it then when he already felt guilty about what he apparently put Emika through, impregnating her and abandoning her and their son.

Gaara licked his lips, then said, "I have a son. She found out she was pregnant when she started her betrothal meetings again. She rushed into a betrothal with Prince Hamaru to cover it up."

Temari closed her eyes, her expression clearly disappointed. She inhaled sharply through her nose, then accused, "You lied to us."

Gaara frowned. "No. I just simply never told you."

Her gaze was now livid and disappointed he was playing the semantics game. "We asked you if you'd slept with Emika at the Inn. And you told us you hadn't," she pressed.

Gaara's gaze crossed the room oddly, as if recalling the turn of events all those years ago, then he said, "At that point, I hadn't slept with her. It happened the next morning."

Temari balked. "You mean to tell me that you fucked the princess right after we'd just had that long discussion about how much of bad thing sleeping with the princess would be!?" Temari scolded, clearly questioning the amount of braincells running her brother's head.

"It wouldn't have happened if your plan didn't force me to keep acting like I was in love!" he hissed back.

Temari scoffed at the weak excused. "You could have said no at any time. But no, you just did it."

He balled his fist frustratedly and snapped, "Well, when it came down to it, a part of me knew I wouldn't experience it again, and so I didn't want to say no." He gulped back the pain sitting in his throat, not looking at his siblings' judgmental expressions. He'd gotten enough of them when he was a kid. Finally, he looked at Temari, and said, "You three asked me to keep acting like I was in love. So, I let myself fall in love, and as it turns out I'm rather selfish when I'm in love." The admission hurt, but deep down, he knew it was true.

The silence hung between them as Gaara lifted his finger to his lip, rubbing it softly as he thought of everything. Temari was the first to speak up, as Kankuro was still stupefied by the realization. "So, where is your son now?"

Gaara let out a bitter laugh. "He's here in Suna." Tears had started to form in his eyes, so he took a steadying breath. "After Hamaru died, Emika sequestered herself on her grandfather's estated on Sunafuki for three years. When her mother told the everyone she was traveling the world, she was actually alone on a remote island giving birth. Shortly after she turned eighteen, her mother begged her to return to the castle, because Ginmaru was already tanking the royal coffers. So, she had Chie and Rinri bring him here to Suna."

Kankuro gasped in realization. "Hira. He's your son?" Gaara nodded sadly, a bitter smile pulling a little at his lips. Kankuro shook his head, grumbling, "I knew he looked familiar. Geez, my own goddamned nephew."

A tear slipped down Gaara's cheek as he said, "I've seen him around the village so many times in the past two years, and I didn't even notice. He calls me Mr. Kage and has no clue who I am to him. That I'm his father." He choked on the word father, and as he said it, he felt sucker-punched. As if saying everything aloud made the pain real. He placed his fists on his knees to hold himself up and let out a sob as the tears began to fall fast. "She wasn't even going to tell me. Not until I pushed and prodded at her reason to start a war. We have a son, and she didn't even want me to know."

"She's doing all this to legitimize him," Temari filled in. Gaara's fists tightened as he sobbed. She stood and wrapped her arms around his shoulders comfortingly. "It'll be alright. We'll figure this all out," Temari promised. The office was quiet except for Gaara's soft crying.

Kankuro frowned frustratedly at him, then said, "Why are you with her?"

"Kankuro," Temari hissed as Gaara looked up at him confused, as if the question were obvious.

"No, he gave me those samples a week ago, meaning he's known about this at least for a week," Kankuro huffed. "And yet you've fucked her twice since then, knowing she's a snake. Knowing she's kept your own child from you. And knowing if you impregnate her again, you have to stay married. Why would you do that to yourself!?"

Gaara sniffled, and shrugged as he admitted painfully, "Because I've only ever been able to love her. What else am I supposed to do? She's … it for me. Like Mom was it for Dad." He wiped at his eyes, shaking his head. "There's no one else. Never has been anyone else. I've tried."

Kankuro sighed frustratedly, shaking his head. Gaara understood. Kankuro had never really been in love before. Lust yes, but never love. So, he didn't understand. "Well, are you it for her?" Kankuro asked.

Gaara nodded, drying his tears. "She's said as much many times. Even on the honeymoon, when I started pressing her about the crown's succession, she assured me she'd never remarry. She's been very clear that it's always only ever been me for her as well."

"She's been engaged three times," Kankuro countered. "Told us she's slept with four men, one of which we now know is you. You're telling me all of those other relationships were fake?"

He took a deep calming breath, grabbing some tissues he hid in a drawer. "Hamaru was a convenient cover. She slept with him so he'd think the baby was his. She did tell me about a failed one-night stand at Chie and Rinri's wedding."

Kankuro scoffed. "She did say Hira's mom was a mess that night. Didn't realize she was talking about herself."

Gaara ignored him, continuing, "Touma was a business deal, and her first attempt to legitimize him after his birth. So, when he threatened to tell Ginmaru about Hira, she let him rape her to keep him quiet about it. And then Ryuki, who she never slept but drunkenly told everything to, agreed to help her as a friend." He licked his lips, ignoring Temari's pitying expression, adding, "I think Ryuki was the only one who knew Hira was also mine. Other than the queen, and Emika's grandfather Lord Soseki of Sunafuki, and Chie and Rinri, who have been raising him."

Kankuro seemed to accept that answer, although he was clearly still annoyed about something. The heavy silence was back as Gaara calmed down. "You destroyed the samples," he asked Kankuro.

"I said I did," Kankuro replied.

Gaara sighed. "Good. No one else can know. Again, if Ginmaru finds out, he'll kill him. Or have him killed." He pinched the bridge of his nose, then said, "I have to get back to work before the meeting."

"Yeah," Temari sighed, rubbing his shoulders one-handedly adding, "I have to pack our bags, since we head after the meeting." She paused her hand, then said, "Thank you … for telling us about Hira."

"Yeah," Gaara grunted tiredly.

His sibling filed out of the room, and for a long moment, Gaara just sat in silence. Then he flipped the report back over, and reread it, every detail down to the fine print.

As soon as Gaara walked into the conference room slotted for this perfunctory 5 Kage Summit, he recognized it immediately as the election room. He hadn't had a meeting here since then. All video conference summits were held in his private conference room, where he held video conferences with Ginmaru when occasion called for it. In person summits were usually held in Konoha, given its central location.

He guessed this room was offered because of its size and the ease to secure the room. It sat at the end of a hallway on the third floor of the building. There was a door to the balcony, being the only other entrance to the conference room, which did connect to one of the other larger conference rooms, which was where the reception to his election was held. He didn't remember that reception well, given the torrent swirling in his mind as he saw Emika mingling with Daimyos and Councilmembers who attended before making her quick exit, insisting to Ginmaru it was time to head home. That was the last he'd seen her in person before she appeared in his office a month ago and proposed. It was after that reception, his sister dragged him and Kankuro outside for a photo to commemorate the moment.

He walked over, curiously inspecting the wall where she'd thrown the glass. He ran his fingers over it, feeling it had been repaired. He'd noticed when it happened the wall was scratched and stained a little, however now it appeared as if it had never been marred by shattered glass.

Kankuro frowned at him, and asked, "What are you doing?"

"They fixed the wall," Gaara said blandly.

Kankuro shot Chie an odd look, but the bodyguard only shrugged. Chie, who wouldn't usually be in meetings like this, was there because he could provide more insight on the politics from the crown's side of things, which wasn't something Kage usually dealt with. Gaara, like the other four Kage, followed the orders of his Daimyo within his capabilities. Usually. When the question of who should be Daimyo arose and threatened civil war … It helped to have a clearer picture of the goings on in the palace to assure his allies that he was still committed to Peace with them, even if the ground he stood on was shaking.

Suddenly the door opened, and they were greeted by the Mizukage, her attendant Chojiro, and Ohnoki and his granddaughter Kurotsuchi. The hotel worker and the ninjas guiding them around Suna all bowed, and left. "So, I guess we're the first ones," Ohnoki commented as he shuffled in. He grumbled, "Probably because Suna's only an hour behind us, so our clocks haven't been affected."

Chojiro frowned at him before stating, "Well, Kiri is seven hours ahead, and yet, we're here."

Kurotsuchi cocked her hip as she scoffed, "Congratulations for being on time. What do you want? A medal?"

"Now now," Mei stepped in when she saw Chojiro clench his fists at Kurotsuchi's sarcasm. "Let's not start something we'll regret."

"Yes," Gaara breathed, gesturing to the long oval table. "Please, everyone, feel free to take your seats. And there's tea and water on the side board. I'm sure Lord A and Lord Kakashi will be here soon."

Ohnoki took his seat, bidding his granddaughter to grab him a cup of tea. Chojiro did the same for Mei, while Chie grabbed him, Kankuro, and Gaara waters. Gaara took his seat in the same spot he sat in during the election, with Kankuro sitting between him and Chie to his left. Chie placed the water bottles on the table in front of him as Gaara went over his notes. He knew each of the Kages had questions, spurned on not just by their own standings, but also their Daimyo's concerns. And Gaara wanted to make sure he could answer those questions enough to not incite further conflict. He hadn't been this nervous about a Kage Summit since the first one.

"Kankuro," he said quietly, leaning towards his brother. Kankuro leaned towards him with a questioning glance. "Did you bring the preliminary report?"

"The notes," Kankuro clarified.

Gaara nodded, then resettled, mentally reminding himself he could handle this. As far as Summits tended to go, since the war, none of the other Kage looked down on him for his age, treating his remarks and suggestions as insightful as Ohnoki's. That could also be because he didn't tend to speak up unless something had to be said. Something being painfully overlooked had to be brought up or addressed. However, he was also not one afraid to speak his mind, open and honestly. While most everyone still worried about formalities and offending others, that was never something he'd feared. Abhorred it even since he realized status was the reason his father attacked the Leaf, as well as prohibited cooperation between nations until it was almost too late. At this point in his experience, generally, if someone took offense to what he said, he was of the opinion that was their problem, not his.

Kakashi arrived next with Shikamaru and Shizune. Shizune was quick to grab her and Kakashi's tea while Shikamaru sat down next to his brother-in-law. He leaned towards Gaara, and whispered, "Given the vote yesterday, Kakashi has officially asked me to stay on as a visitor. We can discuss details after the meeting."

Gaara frowned, pressing his lips into a line, but not yet wanting to tip his hand to the other Kage just yet. Thankfully, he was saved from responding as A, Darui, and Killer B entered the summit hall. Darui saw the tea, and immediately went to grab some as A and B sat down, looking around the room.

Gaara straightened and said, "Welcome, everyone. Since we are all presently accounted for, I will call this summit into session. Since my marriage and the status of the Wind with it is what is being discussed, I figured it only right I start the proceedings with explanation of the problem the Wind is facing, and where I believe it is headed, and what that means for each of you and your villages.

"A few days before my appointment as Kazekage, the last true Shogun Daimyo of the Wind, Lord Hiroto passed unexpectedly of a heart attack. His only child was Princess Emika, who is now my wife. Because our laws bar noblewomen from inheriting titles except through marriage, Lord Hiroto's half-brother, Ginmaru, was asked to stand as regent with Queen Ichika remaining as an advisor. This is all relatively straight-forward, historically speaking.

"Where we start to see things turn problematic is with Emika's first engagement." At this, he gestured to Chie to pass out copies of the articles printed around the time. Each of the Kage took a look, seeing the title read "Delta Royal Family Massacred in Palace. No survivors." Gaara cleared his throat, then said, "Emika was engaged to marry Prince Hamaru, the second son of the Delta Royal family. One of the four royal families of the Wind. The same the Akatsuki attacked Suna to take Shukaku from me, the Akatsuki also sieged the Delta Palace, and massacred everyone in it, from the Prince Hamaru, his parents, one of which was a presiding Daimyo, and even the Prince's eight-year old sister, down to every servant and guard on duty."

"The Akatsuki was known for sowing discord and destabilizing nations," Ohnoki grumbled. "This is hardly news."

"If it was a national leader, that would make sense," Gaara stated. "However, they were not."

"You said he was a prince of a Royal family," Mei stated.

"Again, the Wind has four royal families," Gaara started to explain. "The Shogun Daimyo's family in Futen is the National head. The other royal families of Loren, Delta, and Kogen determine the regional laws of their kingdoms, which make up the Wind. From them down, you have the Regional Daimyos and Elected Daimyos which make of the House of Daimyos. All killing the Delta Daimyo would accomplish is changing the vote in the House, of which he is only granted 5 votes of 590. That is hardly a swaying voice." Gaara moved the article with his finger, then said, "However, Prince Hamaru, who was weeks away from marrying Princess Emika, would have become the Shogun Daimyo almost completely outright with little debate on the matter. Meaning Ginmaru, a royal bastard who had just started knowing what power felt like, was about to lose that power. It is hard to ignore that he stood to gain the most from this massacre."

"We then move onto Princess Emika's return, now as legal adult. As sole heir to the Shogun Daimyo, she was to come into her rights. While the law wouldn't let her near the national coffers, she would be responsible for any final say on national matters like should we go to war or not. She would also be responsible for the Royal Family's vote on the House of Daimyos. However, when she returned, Ginmaru put forward a vote of no confidence, stating the reason was she hadn't yet married. It passed in the House, but barely, allowing Ginmaru to retain his full regency powers."

"Next we move onto Princess Emika's second fiancé, Lord Touma, a sitting Regional Daimyo. A month before his marriage to Emika, he went to Tsumi Shi for a bachelor party. He disappeared under questionable circumstances, and is assumed dead."

"And this ties to Ginmaru how?" Kakashi asked.

"It's a well-known rumor among the noble staff and several Daimyos that prior to Ginmaru becoming regent, he was severely indebted to several Yakuza families of Tsumi Shi," Chie stated. "Many of the staff and security guards were fired to make room for Yakuza employees. Even most of his advisors have ties to the Yakuza."

"Thank you, Chie," Gaara said. "With such close ties to the Yakuza, it is not a leap to think Ginmaru reached out the Yakuza to deal with Touma. It is also logical to assume a similar call was made in regards to Ryuki, the last fiancé, who also died near Tsumi Shi."

"Which leads to my marriage. I know many of your Daimyos are worried this is a bid for power by a ninja leader, which couldn't be further from the truth. As Kazekage, I swore to uphold and protect the sovereign of the Wind. However, in my time as Kazekage, we haven't had a sovereign, but an unruly regent who has been kill prospective sovereigns to hold onto power, and barring the only heir from her rights to rule in at least partiality. He's broken several laws to do it, and most recently has been working to destabilize Suna, likely with ideas to institute his own Kazekage."

"One that would be more than happy to break this shinobi alliance," Chie inputted, "Given his and the Yakuza's goals of expanding their territories for money."

"You know this, or is this speculation?" Ohnoki pressed.

Chie gave a small nod. "Princess Emika was informed of Ginmaru's goals by Queen Ichika when her mother retrieved her to resume her role as heir. Lord Hiroto's navigation of the fall of Loren, and its annexation, has long been praised as one of his largest diplomatic achievements. Ginmaru would have no such achievement without a war, which would undoubtedly lead to a war with one of you, which is not something Lord Gaara would agree to. Queen Ichika and Princess Emika have been working to thwart his plans as best they could these past three years."

Gaara had picked up on some of that, especially the more he'd looked into what had been going on around Ginmaru's side of things, and Emika's side of things. Emika's memories and feelings he'd started to connect with only confirmed all of it. However, it was odd to hear it so plainly stated. "Emika's and my marriage was essentially inevitable with a man like Ginmaru as Regent," Gaara finished. "To save Suna, our alliance, and protect the Wind's sovereign family, it was the only option available to us. It was kept secret, given Ginmaru's habit of murdering her fiances, and the potential backlash from the Daimyos. But it is not a power grab. And to be quite frank, it is a problem that has been brewing since well before our alliance was struck. And simply must be resolved before the Wind's sovereign line is destroyed."

"Yes, but you can see where that still leaves us in a bind," Ohnoki stated. "You will have to step down as Kazekage once all of this is resolved, correct? If things go badly, your Daimyo will be picking a Kazekage who will want out of the alliance as a given, and you and your wife could be put to death. If things go swimmingly, you still have to step down as Kazekage to become Wind Daimyo. Do you have an idea for your replacement? Are they willing to uphold their end of the alliance?"

Gaara exhaled, his shoulders stiffening. He couldn't tell them about the contract, because as is, he was going to try and push back on it. He'd signed it before he knew exactly what he was giving up. "Currently, we are proceeding as if I will remain Kazekage. The princess and I are more focused on gaining the crown and correcting the laws that put us in this predicament. Once that is done and the Wind is back on stable footing, we will be deciding how to handle the title Kazekage."

This earned grumbles and disapproving head shakes from each of the other Kages.

"If that's the case, then what exactly are we to tell our Daimyos?" A asked. "We have no idea if the Wind, or even Suna, will be our ally in a year. And if you are unwilling to step down, how can our Daimyos trust your foreign relations? You've upset the balance between Daimyo and Shinobi."

"You can tell your Daimyo that if he wishes to prevent an issue like this happening in his country, he should make sure his laws of inheritance are air-tight," Gaara remarked, sounding a little glib. "Regardless of how this ends, the Wind will have a Daimyo and a Kazekage still. Rest assured that balance will not be upset. As the way things stand in the Wind, I cannot lie to you and say surely things will resolve peacefully. Especially after the vote last night, the probability of Civil War is steady growing. But in regards to your nations, you now know if Emika and I win, peace between our nations will be insured. If Ginmaru wins, he will be preparing to go to war again, likely against one of you. And we've seen his resolve." He cleared his throat, feeling it drying from all this talking. "All I ask from you and your villages is either support should civil war break out, or to abstain from the conflict altogether." As he finished, he grabbed his water and sipped, looking at each of the other Kage.

A and Ohnoki shared a look as if the answer displeased them. A turned to Kakashi, and said, "Surely, you have an opinion here Lord Kakashi. Please say something."

Kakashi frowned affably, then said, "Lord Gaara's summation of things was as I expected, and has made my decision more resound." Kakashi turned to Gaara, and stated, "The Leaf will be providing full support for yours and Emika's claim. And given my discussions with my Daimyo leading up to this, he will not object to this reasoning. We are both of the opinion Lord Gaara's peaceful cooperation with our village since his appointment is an indicator that if he were in power, even as the Wind Daimyo, peace between our nations would flourish, which has been beneficial for both economies. However, we are both wary of what this means for the Water, the Lightning, and the Earth. If this would be cause for you to break the alliance." As he said this, he looked at both A and Ohnoki.

Ohnoki looked away as if he thought it might be a possibility, but A stood, his expression as dark as a thunderhead. "Are you saying I will break this alliance? This isn't even my war!"

Kakashi frowned, raising his hands in surrender, saying, "I'm not saying you necessarily. However, your Daimyo might push you to break it, because if one of the five nations isn't in compliance, why should you be?"

"That's balderdash!" A huffed. "As if my Daimyo would break a treaty when he spent the most out of the five Daimyos solidifying its standing. Not to mention how much it cost him to feed and house your armies in the Fourth War."

"My Daimyo has agreed not to break the alliance just yet either. But he has asked me to decide on our actions as Suna's ally currently," Mei interrupted, hoping her interjection would cause A to calm down. She sighed, clasping her hands together and turning fully toward Gaara as she finished, "While I sympathize with you and your wife, and the decisions you have made and why, the Mist will not be offering its support. We are still rebuilding, and given the sentiments left from when Yagura was under Akatsuki control, assisting in a civil war, especially one where a shinobi could end up on the throne, would be disastrous for us, and could possibly incite a civil war in our own nation."

Gaara gave a small understanding nod, his gaze connecting with hers sincerely as he said, "Thank you."

"I will also talk with my Daimyo about sending full support should things turn to war," A declared, clearly not wanting to be shown up by the Leaf. "Kumo can afford a preliminary thousand ninja to your forces. Consider it a wedding gift."

"Thank you," Gaara breathed, surprised to even get promised that much. Full support from Konoha, and further support from Kumo.

Kakashi looked directly at Ohnoki. The geezer frowned. "What?" he barked.

"You are the only one who hasn't answered. Everyone else has agreed to not break the alliance. So, will you be breaking the alliance, abstaining from conflict, or supporting Lord Gaara and Emika's claim should war break out?" Kakashi clarified.

"You're giving Lord Ohnoki a position of fence sitting as an option," Kurotsuchi chuckled, as if the answer were obvious.

Ohnoki frowned at his granddaughter, then declared, "Well, if that's what you think, granddaughter, Kurotsuchi will be leading a battalion of 800 Iwa shinobi to support Lord Gaara, should war break out."

"Wha-?" she chirped, clearly surprised by the turn.

Ohnoki ignored her as he smirked at Kakashi, "As for the alliance, we will just have to wait and see how things settle. I cannot guarantee my Daimyo will outright agree with me on this decision, but our stance on this alliance is still my decision. And as of right now, there is still a possibility for peace, and I will wait until that is either assured or destroyed."

Gaara was truly taken aback by Ohnoki's answer. He'd been almost certain Ohnoki, a man who legendarily sat on the sidelines during war, would jump at the chance to abstain from a fight. He'd been thinking the same thing as Kurotsuchi. And yet here he was promising Gaara 800 shinobi should war start. Gaara had a feeling it had something to do with how close they grew fighting alongside each other during the war. Even Ohnoki had told him that Gaara had changed his outlook somewhat. Gaara just wasn't aware of how much until now.

"Thank you," Gaara breathed, blinking back proud tears. Just from this meeting, he could see how much he'd accomplished as Kazekage of the Sand. Such promises of support would have never been given to any of his predecessors, and proved he'd achieved international peace, one of his major goals since becoming Kazekage.

And now with his forces officially doubled, if war did break out, there was no way whatever army Ginmaru could put together would stand up to the allied shinobi. For the first time since this whole thing started, Emika getting her throne felt possible.

PLEASE REVIEW! And fave, follow, kudos, bookmark, whatever.