Hiyas! This is my first Naruto Gaara story, and only my seccond story to this site! Review would be nice, and for those who know my other story, im canceling it for so I can fix it, it was much too rushed! So please, please, please, review! And now...I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!! Now there's that. Rated M for future Lemons, that is if i get enough reviews...anyway, I have to copies of this, the one my editor went through, and the on she didn't, and lazy me forgot to label them so I hope this is the right one, if not notify me and Ill post the correct one! Thanks...and now enjoy!

Dark thunder clouds, slowly moving across the sky, blocking out the sun as they went, cast an eerie mood around the people below. The village of Konoha had for the last few days been under a massive storm, and had suffered much rain and damaging winds. One day ago the storms let up and the sun shone brightly through out the village and there was much rejoicing. However, Jiraiya and his student returned late that day, and as Naruto stepped foot into the village the clouds returned, and the village hated him more, believing that he brought back the storms to torment them.

Naruto looked down at the village with clouded eyes. Deep within his thoughts tumbled about, questions ricocheting around. He sat upon The Thirds head, and watched the villagers scurry around as the first of the large rain drops fell from the darkened skies. It was a full week after he had returned, and the villagers still were worse then they ever were in his memory. He frowned, pulling his legs to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, resting his chin on his legs.

Why do they still hate me? I did nothing wrong; and how would I even know they had suffered this storm before I got here?! It's just not fair! There was tugging within him, He was trying to make contact. Naruto resisted, but the tugging continued, the ceased as the fox knew that its vessel did not wish to talk at the moment.

Large droplets of rain fell from the sky, and in minutes Naruto was soaked, but little did he move. Sitting and watching was all he did, and from afar he looked like a part of the Head he sat on. He looked down to the right and stared at his reflecting in the small puddle of water that had collected there.

He wore black, so he would not be noticed up where he was. His hair was down, not held up by his forehead protector with he now had around his neck, almost like a choker. He smiled faintly when he remembered explaining that to Sakura, and her shocked expression.

"Naruto, why are you wearing your headband around your neck like that? It's called a headband for a reason!" Sakura said, pointing an accusing finger in the blonde's direction. They were standing in the area that they had to take the bells from Kakashi. Naruto sighed, looking up at her, "Because on my training with Jiraiya, a woman tried to slit my throat, so I feel more comfortable with my throat protected by the metal band." Sakura's face dropped, and her eye twitched at the casual way he said it.

He stood, further examining his reflection. He was taller then before he had left, and he was happy about that. Walking to the edge of The Third's Head, he looked down and pondered if he should jump or use the stairs. He turned, facing away from the edge, and with a sigh stepped backwards right of the Head.

As he fell, he gathered his chakra to the point of exploding, and as he neared the ground released it all in order to cushion the fall. Landing on his feet, he looked around and his chakra had not damaged the ground where he landed. He smiled, remembering Jiraiya's telling him not to release so much or he'd destroy his landing spot.

Hands in pockets, he walked back to his apartment, soaked. Pulling out his key, he unlocked his door. He looked around, wrinkling his nose at the smell of wet clothes. Turning he noticed that he had left a window open and the great pile of clothes was soaked. He closed the door and leaned against the back of it, closed his eyes and reflected on all that had happened to him.

After what had seemed like hours, Naruto pushed himself off the door, and flopped down on his bed. Pulling off his soaked clothes he threw them on the pile of his other soaked clothes. He left his headband on around his neck, and pulling up the covers fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Naruto woke up to a light grey morning. Maybe it won't rain today. He thought sullenly. He swung his legs over the side of his bed, and yawning mightily, stretched out all the kinks he acquired during the night. The blonde walked to the bathroom, and after using it stared into the mirror.

He looked so lifeless, so very un-Naruto in his opinion. Oh, well. They tell me to stop pretending, so ill show them the true me. Tired, alone and sick of this shit. He grimly, he pulled on black pants, and a shirt. He steeled himself, then walked out the door, locked it. He walked through the dirt streets, receiving all kinds of glares and comments.

He walked to the training fields and waited for Kakashi-sensei and Sakura. After a half hour, Sakura walked up and sat next to him without saying anything, and then after another hour, Kakashi showed up.

"Yo!"

"You're late again! What's your excuse this time?!" Sakura yelled jabbing an accusing finger at her sensei.

"Well, as I was walking here, a little old woman-"

"Enough." Naruto interrupted. "What does Tsunade want us to do Kakashi?" he asked.

Kakashi scratched his cheek, and looked at Naruto with his visible eye. "Gaara, has resigned his post in Suna, and wishes to join Konoha's ranks in order to start over where people do not know him as much." He cleared his throat and held out a hand to silence Sakura's interruption. "We are to meet up with him and bring him straight to the Hokage for a meeting."

"We leave in an hour, pack your stuff we might be gone for over a week." He pulled out his little orange book and sat upon the ground reading. "I'll be waiting for you here." He said, waving them off. Sakura "huffed" and stormed off, while Naruto shrugged then headed back to his apartment to gather his few positions he thought he would need.

Gaara stood in the center of a clearing, near the border of Konoha. He looked up to the night sky, and felt oddly at peace watching the stars. There was a sudden surge within, and clutching his head, he was able to beat down the demon within him and regain complete control. He lay on his back looking at the winking stars.

At least now he'll let me sleep a little…he thought. I've gotten strong enough to keep him under my control even when sleeping, so now ill be able to start anew. And ill have that blonde nuisance to guide me. He smiled at the memory of the only Ninja who was able to equal him in battle, and beat him for that matter.

His eyes slowly began to close, and he fell into a light sleep, listening to the leaved above rustle in the slight breeze. He woke up three times that night, in three night intervals. In other words, Gaara got a great night sleep. He slung his gourd over his shoulder and leapt into the trees and took off to the place he was to meet his escort.

Kakashi was leading the team as they sped through the leafy trees of Konoha's forests as they headed to the place they would meet the ex-Kazekage. They would meet him in a clearing not to far from the border. For once in a considerable time, was happy. He would finally see Gaara again, and he had become his village's leader. And on top of all that he would now become a fellow ninja of Konoha. Albeit, he was a little jealous that Gaara had beaten him to his goal, but he was happy nonetheless.

Naruto sensed him first, and add a bit of speed to his movements, and crashed through the trees and landed in the clearing where Gaara stood, arms crossed over his chest. A slight twinge at the corner of his mouth gave away his emotion of seeing Naruto again. A mixture of anger, agitation, and satisfaction; and all of this Naruto picked up in a ninstant.

"Naru-" Sakura began to berate the blonde, but was quieted by Kakashi's hand.

"Wait." He whispered, "Let's see what they do." And then he released the pink Kunoichi. Her eyes widened as Naruto smiled, and unleashed and huge amount of chakra into the air. One of Gaara's non-existent eyebrows rose, and then he to smirked and poured out even more chakra then Naruto did.

Naruto laughed out right, and let forth an explosive amount of chakra, which Gaara countered with and even greater display of power. The change off continued for some time, Naruto laughing and Gaara's smirk got closer and closer to a genuine smile.

"ENOUGH!" hollered and bewildered Kakashi. God I knew Naruto had a lot of chakra, and Gaara was the Kazekage, but that was ridiculous! And now any hostile ninja will be aware of our presence now. He thought franticly. "Gaara, Naruto, you should both know better then that!" then he smiled. "But I'm glad that you're happy to see each other."

Naruto smiled and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "Sorry Kakashi, I haven't been this happy in a long time. I guess we got a little carried away there."

"Kakashi-san, I apologize for that, I too was caught by the moment." Gaara said in his typical quite tone. Both boys looked over and saw Sakura collapse to her knees, as pale as a sheet.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, generally concerned.

"Whaa?" she whispered. How did he get so strong? All that training with Tsunade and all I got was Medical Jutsu and excellent chakra control! Where did he get all that chakra?! She looked around saw that everyone was looking at her. "I'm fine, we should get going." She stood and dusted herself off.

"Sakura it's getting a little late, I think it would be best if we stayed here." Naruto began.

"Although it is getting late, that display of power from you two will alert any assassins to this position, although they would be nuts to go after that amount of power, so we will travel a little farther today." Kakashi commanded.

They traveled for a few more hours, and then it began to get very dark. They set up camp, which consisted of a small cooking fire, and three bedrolls lay out. Kakashi would be in a tree near by. Sakura and Kakashi slept first leaving the first watch to the two Jinchūriki.

"Gaara, would you like to take the first watch, or would you like me to take the first on and I'll let you sleep?" Naruto inquired.

"Its fine ill just take the first watch, besides, I need to prepare to resist Shukaku while I sleep, and that takes some time." The red head answered, facing away from the fire, his gourd lying next to him. Naruto just shrugged, moving towards his blankets, and as he lay down, the last image before his drooping eyes, was the back of the red head.

Rays of light pierced the thick foliage, to warm a peaceful looking face. As sleep was beaten back, an aqua eye, permanently ringed in black from lack of sleep, lazily opened to view the strange surroundings. Another eye opened to join its twin, taking in more sunlight.

Gaara turned his head to the left, and past the smoldering ruins of last night's cooking fire, the blonde Jinchūriki was sprawled where he fell asleep. He felt a slight twinge at the corner of his mouth, the sign of almost becoming a smile on his normally stoic expression. Sun light played across the blondes golden locks, and warmed his tanned skin.

He looks so at peace with the world when he sleeps, and yet I can feel his sorrow. Although I am glad he has stopped his false appearance of happiness all the time, he should strive for true happiness now. He chuckled softly to himself, which sounded more like a hair raising soft partially demonic sound. And how am I to tell someone how they should live their life to attain happiness and purpose. But at least he has taught me to try…

He heaved himself up and looked around, finally noticing Kakashi standing there. The Copy Nin smiled and waved at Gaara, then pointed to Naruto. Gaara tilted his head in curiosity. From behind he heard a rushing noise, and Sakura proceeded to holler.

"NARUTO, IT'S TIME TO GET UP YOU LAZY BASTARD!!!"

"NANI!?!" he jumped straight up clutching his chest. "Why did you do that Sakura? I feel like my heart might just…" and he collapsed, but before he hit the ground, both Kakashi and Gaara saw the slight smile on his face. This would be his first prank in years.

"Oh no! Naruto, what's wrong?!" she rushed to him concern in her voice as she went to examine him. Kakashi, playing along said, "I think you gave him a heart attack Sakura!" and also rushed over. Gaara was laughing and rolling around in his head.

"AHA!" shouted Naruto as he reanimated on the spot. "Gotcha Sakura!" he yelled to the now tearing girl. Her expressing darkened, and gathering chakra in her fist she prepared to give him a punch that would kill a normal man.

"Naruto, blocking this hit will maim you, dodge it." Calmly stated Gaara as rose and began rolling up his bedroll and canceling it's summon back into the scroll that he had summoned it from.

And Naruto did; rushing to the side Sakura's death blow missed but shattered the base of a huge tree, making it fly twenty meters, and then crash to the ground. It's good to see Naruto actually happy for a change. thought Kakashi, who was now packing up his gear as well. "Come on, let's get going, and if we really push it well make it back to Konoha in two and a half days rather then three."

"Kakashi, we never went all the way to Suna, shouldn't we make it back sooner then that?" asked Sakura.

"Yes, put when I say push it, I mean well go faster then a walk." He smiled as he pulled out his orange book and began reading wile walking towards Konoha.

Gaara shrugged and followed him, while the other two packed and ran to catch up. Naruto walked next to Gaara in the read of the group. Sakura was at point, while Kakashi was absorbed by his book. The two Jinchūriki walked in silence; neither really bothered by their lack of words. Gaara had been alone most of his life, and his siblings didn't talk too much to him. Naruto was alone training a lot while Jiraiya was doing "research."

Both were lost in their own thoughts, when an agitated pink haired kunoichi was right in front of them screaming.

"What?"

"Hmm?"

"Have either of you been listening to what I've been telling you?!"

They both had an interesting look of confusion on their faces, and Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle. Sakura stomped her foot, which created a crater about three feet in diameter and in depth.

"We are going to pick up the pace and take to the trees!" and with that the group jumped from tree branch to tree branch, again with little to nothing said. Kakashi caught up to Sakura, and tried to placate her anger.

"They both have been alone, and don't really like talking, but to them they are communicating in a way we could never understand. When they're both comfortable with the village, or again in Naruto's situation, then they both talk more." She only nodded, but did seem a lot more relaxed then before.

The oblivion of silence, although welcomed by some, was peaceful, for others, it was crushing; ears straining for the hint of sound, paranoid after silence for so long. Why had the birds stopped chirping? Silence was their companion as they traveled, as well as their own thoughts. But for Sakura it was too much for her to handle, and as she was about to say something just to end the torture of silence, there was a rustle from below and a kunai rushed past her and exploded when it hit the tree, sending her crashing to the ground off balance.

The others landed, ready for combat around her, as she struggled to stop the ringing in her ears. Okay I wanted some noise but that was ridiculous! A bunch of ninja stepped from the bushes, all missing Nin, and were scarred veterans by their looks and stealth.

"Give us Gaara, and we'll kill you quickly." The now apparent leader commanded.

"Never!" Naruto replied stepping forward, and preparing to defend the red head, knowing he probably didn't need defending. A grating, evil sound meet their ears. Laughter, insane laughter and coming from Gaara. His old self seemed to have emerged and wished to kill.

"You choose a wonderful time to die!" He laughed, eyes bulging and sand swirling around with an angry hiss. "Naruto, lets show them what true suffering is!" and he rushed forward; and to everyone's surprise, so did Naruto joining in with Gaara's insane laughter, his eyes blood red.

This can't be good…and Kakashi then prepared to spare at least one enemy for questioning. What a day…