Shikamaru had sent Shikadai to buy some subing filled with chocolate for the guests before he went to work. Sadly for him, he forgot to tell the boy how many subings to buy, so the boy bought one box with 4 subing. When he arrived home, he placed the box on the table and took 2 subing without any second thoughts. One of them was in his hand and the other on his thigh, well guarded by his other hand. Temari was there in seconds to pull him by the ear.

"How could you take 2 in the first place? I am ashamed to take one because there are so many of us left and only 1 subing and you had the guts to take 2?"

"Mom, I will share." Shikadai stood up, took the box with him and asked each person if they want one.

Sakura said no. So did Gaara. Shinki said yes, so Shikadai gave him the half subing that he didn't already eat, while he started eating from the whole subing. Temari lightly hit him in the head with her fist, enough to draw his attention, not to actually hurt him. She gave him a dead stare with a hand on her hip, slightly bent over. Shikadai suddenly remembered:

"Do you want some, mom?"

"Yes."

Shikadai gave her the half that was in his hand. Temari took it and placed it on the table, to mock him. Shikadai had a puzzled look on his face.

"Aren't you going to eat it?"

"I'll eat it later."

Shikadai looked at the subing with yearning. Temari started to laugh.

"Can't you resist a subing?"

"I can." He said before he swallowed air.

Temari sat down on the couch and tugged on Shikadai's sleeve to have him sit next to her. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and smiled while she made small talk with Sakura and Gaara. Shinki ate in silence, with his hand on his knee, waiting patiently. He was calm because he had already hidden a lot of food under his pillow and blanket. About 10 minutes later, Temari's heart softened and she let her son eat the rest of the subing on the table.

Later that day, Temari took Shikadai to school, leaving Gaara, Sakura and Shinki alone in the house until she returned. Sakura had the idea to play cards. She shuffled the deck and gave Gaara the first card, then Shinki the second, leaving herself last. She didn't even get to finish handing them the cards, when protests began.

"Why did you give dad the first card? I should have been first because I am the youngest."

"Fine. I will shuffle them again."

When Gaara saw the cards in his hand, he protested, too.

"It's not fair. Why does he get to be first?"

"Gaara, he's a child. Let him be first."

Shinki grinned, showing all his teeth.

"I am the head of this family, I should be first. I demand that you hand out the cards like you did in the beginning."

Sakura sighed in exasperation. She couldn't believe her ears, but she came up with an idea before the boys started fighting again.

"Ok. Let's draw lots. Whoever receives lot number 1 gets to be the first, ok?"

The boys nodded. Sakura wrote numbers 1, 2 and 3 on 3 pieces of paper before folding and placing them in a glass bowl to have the boys extract one each. Gaara chose first, then Shinki and Sakura got the last lot in the bowl. When Shinki saw number 3 on his paper, he got frustrated.

"It's not fair. Of course dad got number one if you let him extract first. I want to pick the lot first."

"Fine, fine. We'll do it again." Sakura said after she rolled her eyes.

She folded back all notes, put them back in the bowl and let the boy pick first. This time, Sakura got number 1, Gaara number 3, while Shinki got the second lot.

"It's not fair. You saw the number through the paper. It's too thin." Gaara complained.

"You're making me crazy!" Sakura said.

"I think it's only fair if you overturn the bowl on the floor and each of us should take the lot closest to him." Gaara proposed.

"Yes." Shinki approved, so Sakura had no choice.

She sighed and did exactly that. Shinki grabbed the note in front of him very quick in fear that somebody else might take it. They all opened the lots and read their numbers. Gaara held number 1, Shinki held number 2 and Sakura held number 3. She started laughing because it was the exact order she handed out the cards from the beginning, only this time nobody commented on the order. Gaara was the most pleased. Sakura laughed inwardly. They played happily until they got bored.

That night, they all went to have dinner with Sakura's parents as it was the last time they would see each other before their trip back to Suna. After the discussion that was going to take place on that night, Sakura couldn't be happier to go back to Suna.

Sakura let the boy sit next to her and they both sat across her mother. Gaara and Kizashi sat on each end of the table. The discussion throughout the dinner was pretty normal and pleasant, but it took an unexpected turn right at the end when Gaara made the mistake to ask Sakura if she remembered to take her medication. Her parents looked at her suspiciously and Sakura stilled.

"What pills?" Mebuki asked.

"Mother is sick." Shinki replied in a casual manner.

"What? How do you know?" Sakura turned to the side to look at him.

"I saw you taking small round orange medicine back home, after eating."

"Sakura, what pills? I hope you didn't start with that again..."

"Mother!"

"Sakura, you aren't sick! Stop pretending. I raised you and I would have known if there was anything wrong with you." Mebuki scolded her daughter in front of everyone.

"My daughter always exaggerates, Gaara. You don't have to take her too seriously."

"Dad! You're embarrassing me."

"Why would she lie?" Gaara asked with a serious face.

"You know how women are. They always think they have some illness, but it's never something that's worth looking into. My girl is healthy. She just wants to get you to be emotional. She is melodramatic, like her mother." Kizashi replied with a smile.

That answer didn't please Mebuki either, but she was ashamed to make a scene in front of the guest, so she just put on a fake laugh that was very loud to distract everyone's attention. Sakura felt stress rubbing on her stomach and this stress unfortunately transmitted to the little boy sitting next to her. Shinki moved the food from one side of the plate to the other, without having any intention to eat anymore. Gaara felt his stomach fill with reproach, anger and hate for these people who could have been close to Sakura and then, maybe she wouldn't have suffered so much. Poor thing. She had to go through this alone. I bet they only fueled her sickness. Gaara thought. His stomach had some room for mercy and compassion for his future wife, though. He couldn't bear to see anyone mock her. A few minutes before Gaara asked Sakura if she remembered to take her medication, Mebuki had another outburst.

"Aren't you ashamed to talk to a man who is smarter than you?"

Gaara couldn't tell whether Mebuki was joking or she was being serious. It was sure that Mebuki liked making fun of her daughter any chance she got, in order to make herself look smarter and kinder in the eyes of others. Sakura saved the situation smoothly, saying she enjoys talking to Gaara even if he is smarter than her because she has the chance to learn from him, which isn't a reason to feel bad, but proud that she made a good choice for her husband. Gaara smiled as he felt tickled by her wise words, but after her mother's final outburst, he felt like he couldn't wait one more second to get out of that house and there was no way he was going to let Sakura sleep there another night. Who knows what Mebuki would tell her once they were alone? Mebuki would stress Sakura and mock her some more or worse. Even his son felt uncomfortable in that atmosphere. Gaara put down the cutlery, closed his eyes and talked with calm:

"Sakura is going to sleep at my sister's tonight."

Sakura looked at him in surprise. Shinki was suddenly very happy, his whole little face lit up.

"What? Why? It's your last night here, in Konoha. Stay with your parents on your last day here." Mebuki used her honey like voice.

Sakura didn't have the heart to refuse. Thankfully, Gaara saved her.

"My sister wants to talk to her about the wedding traditions in Suna and things Sakura must know as the future Kazehime, her responsibilities to the people, to her family. I am sorry, but I have to steal her from you one day early."

Her parents relaxed and smiled as if they had just eaten a whole lemon coated in sugar.

"My dear, go get your things. We're leaving." Gaara told Sakura.

She smiled and happily got up without forgetting to thank her mother for the meal. The child slipped his hand into hers and followed Sakura to her room. Sakura sent him to bring things from various places and he ran there with his little feet to bring them and dump them on the bed, from where Sakura took them and placed them neatly in her luggage. When they were finished, Sakura kissed the boy's forehead and they both went down the stairs with him running in front of her.

"Careful not to fall!" Mebuki screamed with her arms stretched to catch him in case he stumbled, but Shinki dodged her hands scrunching his nose, escaping a hug and ran straight to his father who was waiting patiently at the door.

Gaara took the luggage from Sakura's hands, all three of them said their respectful goodbyes and went on their way. The kid was running ahead of them, happy that he knew the way to his aunt's house. Sakura and Gaara walked next to each other in peace.

"Thank you for getting me out of there. I really don't know how I would have born with it for another night."

Gaara wrapped his right arm around her waist, protectively.

"I am sorry you aren't feeling well, my dear. I should have said from the beginning to sleep with me at Temari's."

Sakura placed her left hand on top of his warm one that was on her waist. His fingers parted to make room for hers and he squeezed her a little in a loving manner.

"I can't believe your parents care so little about you."

Sakura lowered her head.

"How is it possible to see that you are suffering and at the same time refuse to believe you are sick?"

"I don't know." She gave a mechanical answer as she didn't know whether he was expecting an answer or not.

Gaara sighed. He was very angry, but he made efforts to calm down.

"I don't want us to go there again."

Sakura stopped abruptly, making him also stop walking.

"You can't be serious."

"I am. The only thing they do is laugh at you and embarrass you. They don't care about you, but I do. I can't just sit and watch them mock you. We will greet them politely, but you won't sleep at their house again and I don't want to have any meals there either because apparently that's when your mom has her moments."

Sakura started laughing shyly, but she felt a sting in her stomach and stopped laughing abruptly with a grimace on her face. Gaara sighed in defeat. He wanted to hit a wall with his fist.

Shinki noticed how his parents were way behind and turned to them to shout:

"Mom, dad, come on faster! I can see aunt Temari's house."

"We're coming!" Sakura said with forced cheerfulness.

"Can you walk?" Gaara asked.

"If you give me a minute to recover."

"Ok." He used the hand on her waist to lean forward and press on that spot on her stomach that he knew all too well by now.

"Mom, are you feeling alright?"

"When did you appear next to me?"

"I am a ninja. You don't feel me when I get close to you." Shinki replied with a smug grin.

Sakura wanted to laugh but she couldn't because anything that shook her stomach hurt, so she just smiled. Gaara took his son's words as a challenge, so he used his sand to create a thin string that wrapped around the boy's ankle and lifted him in the air face down before he even realized it.

"What kind of ninja lets himself get caught so easily?" Gaara laughed while Shinki pretended to struggle.

"Dad, put me down!"

"Why? Let me pay you for scaring me earlier." Sakura raised her hands to tickle the boy until he was out of breath.

Shinki laughed and screamed nonstop. When the iron sand tried to protect him from Sakura's hands, Gaara's sand counteracted Shinki's so Sakura wouldn't get hurt. When Shinki's face finally turned red from laughter, Sakura held him by the armpits, Gaara let his ankle loose and she put the boy back on his feet.

"Let's go!" Sakura gave the boys the signal to leave and they happily listened to her.

Sakura was sitting on the edge of the bed with her feet touching the floor, hands in her lap. She was looking at Gaara, who was dressing up while pacing the room.

"Where are you going?"

"To see Naruto and Shikamaru."

"Why?"

"To hang out. I never see them."

"Do you really have to do it now?"

"Well, if not now, then when?"

"Why didn't you go out with them until now? We've been here for a week."

"My dear, why are you against me?"

"You're leaving me here alone."

"Come with us."

"And look at you talking to your friends?"

Gaara was putting on perfume.

"Stay with me." She whispered.

Gaara closed his eyes, took a deep breath to calm down before he turned around to look at her and when he did, he couldn't find it in himself to refuse her request.

He put down the bottle of perfume and sat down next to her on the bed. Sakura draped both her legs over his right thigh and wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss his cheek. He didn't seem very happy, but Sakura kept caressing the back of his head, his arms and back. She placed open-mouthed kissed on his neck, cheek, his temple and lips, making him forget that he was upset. When the boys arrived to take him, Gaara told them he had changed his mind, and that he will stay in the house on that night. Naruto insisted, but when he felt Sakura's chakra in the house, he understood what was happening and elbowed Shikamaru, telling him they should leave. Gaara closed the door and came back to Sakura who resumed her ministrations.

"Did you give up on contraceptives?"

He asked with a hand squeezing her thigh possessively.

"Yes."

Gaara bit his lip. His breathing was louder than usual and his pupils dilated.

"Not now. Shinki is in the house."

Gaara's eyes moved to look at the floor with disappointment. Sakura smirked. She used one hand on his cheek to bring his ear closer to her lips so she could whisper:

"Wait for him to go to sleep and I will take care of you. You won't regret staying home with me."

She saw a spark in his turquoise orbs and felt him undressing her with his eyes.

They all woke up with a good mood in the morning. Sakura kept her word and Gaara indeed didn't regret staying home with his family.

As they were walking through the forest, a strange noise caught Shinki's attention.

"Mom, dad, that bird is broken! Look! It's hitting its head on that tree."

"It's not broken, little one. That's a woodpecker." Sakura answered with a good laugh.

"Why is it doing that? Doesn't it hurt?"

"She wants to catch some worms and ants to eat. Plus, her beak is itching. She's just scratching her beak."

Shinki scrunched his nose in disbelief, but decided the matter wasn't worth more attention on his behalf, so he continued to walk carefree.

Sakura was happier when she arrived in Suna than she was when she entered her birth village. A few days after they reinstalled in their house, Sakura had another idea. In fact, it was an idea that Ino put into Sakura's head that Sakura just couldn't get rid of.

"Tell me again what you want from me." Gaara said with a tired voice from working hard all day.

"I want you to get drunk."

"Why? If this is a test, you should know I don't drink alcohol."

"Please. Just this time."

"I don't even like it. I have tried it once. It's bitter. It's horrible."

"Please. I want to see if you are violent."

Gaara raised his invisible eyebrows.

"Sakura, I would never lay a hand on you. I thought you knew this by now."

"I just want to make sure you aren't violent before we get married. I read somewhere that men show their true side when they are drunk."

"You read it?"

"Does it matter?" She answered avoiding his eyes while she poured him a glass of beer.

"Fine. If this will convince you..."

Sakura giggled and caressed his head as he struggled to drink the whole glass in one go to get this over with sooner. Sakura poured him another glass, but he already felt sick.

"I can't."

"Please, one more."

Gaara grunted and drank 2 fingers of the beer before his whole face turned red and the tips of his ears as well. He stood up on his feet without warning, startling Sakura. Then, he went outside in the middle of the street without even putting his shoes on. Sakura tried to stop him, but she couldn't. He started waving to random people on the street and Sakura slapped her forehead in shame.

"Mom, dad has gone crazy!" Shinki said with concern as he pulled at her skirt.

The people thought the Kazekage wanted to tell them something, so they rushed to stand before him, waiting for his orders while Gaara told them meaningless things, making everyone confused.

"He is going to kill me tomorrow." Sakura said very quietly while hiding her face in her palms.

She couldn't convince him to go back inside no matter how much she tried. She tried pulling him by the arm, but he didn't let himself be moved. He started walking along the street, whistling in the night, waking everybody up. Sakura was so ashamed; she couldn't even raise her eyes because she knew it was all her fault. Shinki looked at them, but didn't understand anything. After many tries and with much difficulty, Sakura finally talked Gaara into getting back into the house.

On the next day, she stood like a guilty child in front of Gaara, with her hands behind her back and head lowered, whispering apologies without looking into his eyes. She didn't dare.

"I hope it was worth shaming me in front of my village. Everyone is talking about this."

"I am sorry."

"Do you have any idea how ashamed I was today when the elders summoned me?"

"I am truly sorry."

"That's what I get for listening to a woman! I am so stupid! I am never doing it again, do you hear me?"

"Yes."

He stood with his back to her, hands crossed over his chest in anger.

"I am sorry, my love." She said with her honey like voice while carefully getting closer to him. "What can I do for my lion to forgive me?"

Her fingers feather touched the back of his arms and she placed a kiss between his shoulder blades. Shortly after her fingers and lips started apologizing through touches and kisses, Gaara relaxed into her arms and let his anger go away. His flower knew how to give the sweetest apologies. She made him feel like a king and anything he asked for, she gave him and he forgave her.

Note: Thank you very much for all your support:D

This was a longer chapter than most of my chapters. I hope you enjoyed it. What do you think about what happened?

I took into consideration all of your ideas and I decided to let them have a girl named Karura and 2 boys named Hikaru and Raijin for now. I intend to give them a big happy family, but one of the kids will be born with her disease while the others will be healthy. The next chapter will be all about their wedding. If you have any ideas about an interesting wedding, feel free to let me know. I can't promise to use all of them, but I will take your words into consideration. Thank you very much for everything!:D