This is dedicated to Lily_Uchiha because she has supported my writing and one comment of hers in particular gave me the warm fuzzies :3 an author's ideal fan! Aside from the death threat... ahahaha... but I updated! So you don't need to kill me ^v^ xD

PS- this chapter starts a bit depressing and dramatic but the ending makes up for it. Read to find out peoples!

PPS- I FUGGING LOVE LINKIN PARK!!

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I gently blew on the mirror, steaming it up, then drew a love heart shape with an arrow through it in the steam. I smiled absently, sitting cross-legged in front of the full-length mirror in the bathroom. This was my first day back at home, but I still couldn't shake this feeling... this horrible feeling of emptiness. At first, I had thought I was just homesick; after all, from what I could remember, I hadn't been there in months. But I was home now, in the top floors of the Kazekage building, and the feeling was still there.

It comforted me slightly to know that Gaara was only a few feet away, in his office on the floor below, doing paperwork. As usual. He had wanted to stay with me on my first day home, but his paperwork had been stacking up since he had been putting it off for a while because of me.

That made me feel a little bad. He wouldn't have nearly as much paperwork if I hadn't been such a pain in the ass and gotten myself hurt.

The scenes from the fight still plagued my mind, not seeming to let me go. I wondered how Sasuke was.. he had used the mangekyo. Tsunade must have punished him... and yet, when I woke up from the op, Kankuro told me that he was here. I would have to ask Naruto in my next letter.

I froze as a certain scene played in my mind, letting out a horrified gasp as my hand flew to my stomach, realisation striking me. My heart started to pump erratically.

I quickly leapt to my feet, running down the hall, my feet slapping on the lino. But when I got to the stairway, I stopped.

Deep breaths... hyperventilation won't help anyone.

I couldn't exactly say to Gaara though, could I?! He didn't know about the baby!

I ran a hand through my hair, groaning quietly to myself as I ran into mine and Gaara's room, and dove out of the -luckily- open window. I rocketed to the hospital, throwing the door open, catching the attention of all of the nurses etc in the front room. I ignored them, hearing whispers of "Who's she?" and "That's the Kazekage's fiancée." in reply. But I wasn't bothered by that at that moment. I had more important matters on my hands. I scanned the room, spotting one of my old friends from when I helped out at the hospital.

"Yuuri-chan!" I called, rushing over to her. She stayed frozen in shock. "I think there's something wrong with my baby!"

She stayed shocked for a few more seconds, before her blue eyes turned soft and sad. She gently took my elbow. "Kaien-chan.. I think we better go somewhere private."

She led me along, and I wasn't entirely oblivious to the sympathetic glances being sent my way.

Eventually we reached an empty side room, and Yuuri sat me down on the bed. She sat in a chair opposite me, and I frowned anxiously.

"Kaien-chan..." she said, cutting me off before I could speak, "I didn't know that no one had told you.."

"What?!" I demanded, "Told me what?!"

-General POV-

Gaara sighed as the door was flung open, as per usual, it was Temari. This time, though, he didn't say anything, seeing the expression and knowing exactly what was going on.

"What has Kaien done this time?" he asked, resuming his paperwork. He was used to Kaien's antics, and could near enough predict what she'd done. Doodle on the walls, draw squiggly moustaches on the portraits of the councilmen and women in the hall... both of which she had done before.

"She's gone." Gaara frowned.

"I would have sensed her come past."

"The window was open." Temari suggested, and Gaara sighed, running his hand back through his hair. While she shouldn't be leaping around like that just yet, it couldn't have been anything serious since if it was Kaien would have came to him about it.

"Go find her... she shouldn't leave the house in case something happens." Gaara said, and Temari nodded, and left quickly. The redhead continued to sign endless contracts and papers until the door opened again.

"I found her." Temari stated worriedly, and her tone made Gaara look up. "She's at the hospital, in hysterics."

Gaara stood up abruptly, almost knocking his chair over but not in a position of caring.

"What room?" he demanded quickly, and Temari started to walk briskly as he followed.

"106. She won't let anyone in, not even the nurses." Gaara nodded, picking up his pace. The hospital wasn't far, but he wanted to reach her as quickly as possible.

It was quite easy to tell where she was; there was a clump of gathered people outside the doorway of one particular room, and loud bangs as somebody attempted to force the door open. But what caught Gaara's attention more were the broken, mournful sobs coming from the room.

The crowd parted automatically as they saw him, and he ignored the few things they spoke, focused on one thing.

He knocked on the door gently. "Kaien.. it's me, open up."

She didn't reply, but the shuddering gasps continued from inside the room.

"Kaien, let me in." Gaara clasped his hand around the door handle, prepared to force it open.

"They... they're trying to... to take him from me!" the quiet, gasping voice just reached the Kazekage, making him frown in confusion. What did she mean?

"Kaien, you have to let me in. I just want to talk." Gaara tried to reason with her.

"N-no! You can't! You aren't going to take him from me, I won't let you!"

Gaara leaned his forehead against the door a moment, shaken by her panicked, rasping cry.

"Kaien..."

"GO AWAY!!"

Gaara froze at the shrieking sob. She had never shouted at him like that before... and it hurt.

He shook it off. Kaien was in there, and she needed him. He braced his shoulder against the door and shoved, not thinking to use his sand in his worry; and even si, his gourd was at the Kazekage building still.

With one last shove, the door lock broke, and the door flew open with a distinct crash. Kaien was huddled up on the bed in the corner, and pain shot through Gaara as her mournful blue eyes looked up at him for a second. She had never looked so small, so helpless.

"Kaien?"

She looked broken, like a china doll that had been trodden on one too many times. Gaara moved cautiously over to her, barely aware as the door was pulled shut behind him. "Why?!"

She demanded an answer from him, tears pouring relentlessly, "Why did he have to-?!"

"Why, why, why?!" Barely aware of what she was doing, Kaien's fists began to thump on Gaara's chest angrily. Gaara just watched, allowing it, for it didn't hurt and it seemed the best thing to do. He didn't know what to say, so just wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him. "Why..?"

Her small body shuddered, convulsing with the sobs as she hid her face in the chest of her lover, crying out the pain of too many losses.

---

"Gaara-sama?"

Gaara looked up tiredly to see a brunette kunoichi standing in the doorway.

"What is it, Matsuri?" Matsuri blushed, walking to stand in front of Gaara's desk and twiddling her fingers nervously.

"Um, I-I was wondering, if you maybe wanted to go do something together after your work is finished?" Gaara tuned out, his eyes sliding over to where his fiancée sat on a couch in the corner of the room. She always insisted she was fine, but her eyes had lost some of the light they had before. And something was definitely wrong; she didn't even look the slightest bit irked that this girl was so shamelessly flirting with him.

"My apologies, Matsuri," Gaara said, cutting Matsuri off as he stood, "But in case you haven't noticed, I'm engaged, and I love my soon to be wife very much."

He paced quickly over to the dazed woman in the corner, took her hand, pulled her to her feet, and wrapped his arm around her waist. Kaien just blinked, confused.

"Gaara?" she frowned, eyes adjusting. "What's up?"

Then she saw Matsuri's glare, and was out of it again. Gaara sighed, then looked back to Matsuri.

"Find someone else. Chasing a man who isn't single is very... unbecoming." Gaara frowned slightly at her. Matsuri flushed, and quickly stuttered an apology, then left.

Gaara sighed and rubbed his temple, pulling Kaien along with him as he went and sat back at his desk. He pulled her down on his lap and arranged her so that her head was on his chest.

"Kaien... you're worrying me." it was starting to stress him. She was always so out of it lately, he wondered if she didn't have something seriously wrong with her.

"I'm sorry..." was the whispered reply, so quiet Gaara only just heard it. His non-existant eyebrows pulled down, and he pulled his fingers through her soft hair.

"It's okay... just don't keep bottling it up. It's not good for you." Kaien rested her head against Gaara's neck, closing her eyes. She nodded slightly, before falling into a light, dreamless sleep.

---

Kaien wandered the street, eyes on the floor. She could lie, and kid herself that her journey was aimless, just as she did to Gaara. But she knew exactly where she was going. The hospital.

She knew it would hurt to be there, reminding her of the loss of the life that she hadn't even gotten to know, but she couldn't seem to turn back and walk away. Her feet kept her moving forward, no matter how much her mind screamed to turn away.

Once inside the large, sandstone building, she found her way to that room with ease. She looked at the door, feeling vague guilt as she remembered how out-of-control she had been. She then kept walking, following the corridoors, this time unaware of where her feet were taking her. But then she heard the wailing, and knew instantly.

No, no, no! She yelled at herself in her head, but was unable to stop until she was at the windows of the newborn ward.

Her eyes fell on the rows of babies, and her eyes welled. A few tears rolled down her cheeks, and she just gazed sadly. But after a while, instead of pain, an inexplicable warmth filled her body. It was difficult for her to understand, but she was no longer sad. No, now, she just wanted to be with her loved ones.

She raced out of the hospital and straight to the Kazekage tower, charging up the stairs and almost knocking over several paople on her way. None said anything; they were happy to see her back to normal again.

Gaara's head snapped up just in time for him to be knocked onto the floor. Kaien had been gone for a long while, and he was beginning to get worried, so was about to go and check on her. Apparently that worry had been unnecessary, for she now sat on his stomach, one hand on the floor on either side of his head, beaming at him. Her eyes were a little red-rimmed, but Gaara said nothing, for the shine was back. That little, mischeivous twinkle that was in her blue eyes, that Gaara loved so much.

"Gaaaraa..." she purred, resting her forehead against his. Gaara frowned slightly, she was up to something.

"What, Kaien?" he asked slowly, not missing the fact that her hands were slowly creeping one at a time to pin his at his sides.

"Can we get a puppy?" Gaara deadpanned; he hadn't been expecting that.

"Why do you want a puppy?" Kaien smiled a perky smile.

"'Cause they're cute!" Kaien said, touching her nose to his.

"A puppy would never survive in our climate." Gaara stated, and Kaien pouted.

"What if-"

"No, Kaien."

"Fine." Kaien scowled half-heartedly, then the smile was back. "What about a fox?"

"A fox?" Gaara repeated, confused.

"Yeah! You can get desert foxes, right?" Kaien sat up, putting her hands above her head like ears. "Do you think I'd make a cute fox, Gaara?"

Okay, now Gaara was started to get uncomfortable.

He shifted a little, but was unable to get up because she was still seated on his stomach.

"Can't we discuss this without you sitting on top of me?" Gaara said, failing to hide the slight blush that had crept to his cheeks. He was only too aware of the fact that he and Kaien were sat in what could be percieved as a very... inappropriate position, right in the doorway of his office, in plain sight of any passers by.

"Nope." Kaien said leaning back close to him again. "Why..?" the kunoichi slid down a tiny amount so that her hips were propped snugly against his. Her voice lowered into a seductive purr. "Does it make you uncomfortable, Gaara?"

Kaien was delighted to feel Gaara's uncomfortably tense form beneath her, and to see her lover rather red in the face. She kissed his jaw lightly, and felt a soft shudder ripple through him. She giggled.

"Naughty naughty, Gaara-kun, you are supposed to be working." she teased, and he glared at her half-heartedly. It just made her laugh more.

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So, the chapter was supposed to be serious, but... meh. I thought it was a bit boring, so I put the little scene at the end in. I wuv it! x3 I think it's cute, I love writing stuff like this!

Well, anyway, hope you liked it! Sorry for not updating in a while.

Fan, vote, and comment!