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*smiles* I like to think Karura thanked Naruto somehow.

I always had the image of Karura's ghost/spirit thanking Naruto somehow then I watched "The Painted Lady" (you know the episode of Avatar when Katara dresses up like a spirit to help a town) and I was thinking of the end when the Painted Lady appears and thanks Katara for what she did. So I thought of Karura thanking Naruto for saving Gaara in a similar way. :) I found the image cute and I refuse to rethink it.

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Disclaimer: I own nothing. *pouts* Dang.

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Listening to: You Found Me by Kelly Clarkson

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Chapter Three: Thank You

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After Gaara had been revived the group decided to stop on the way back to Suna, mainly because Gaara was half asleep. He had protested venomously against this but he had barely been able to keep his eyes open and kept yawning as did half the group.

"Right" said Temari eventually, "That's it we're stopping here for tonight, no arguing Gaara!"

Gaara scowled at her but complied. He fell asleep within seconds.

Naruto on the other hand wasn't able to sleep. No matter how much he tossed and turned he couldn't fall asleep. Every few seconds he kept glancing at the Sand Siblings trying to remind himself that the danger had passed, Gaara was safe but it still didn't help.

Naruto glanced at the siblings again; Temari was lying on the ground, an arm wrapped around both of her brothers. Kankuro had a hand resting on Gaara's shoulder as though he was trying to reassure himself even in sleep, that Gaara was safe. Gaara was curled up in a ball, his face buried in Temari's shoulder. Most of him was blocked from Naruto's view; the only clearly visible thing was his mop of thick red hair.

As Naruto watched the faint outline of a figure appeared a few feet away from the siblings. Naruto rubbed his eyes with his fists, certain he was seeing things. But no, there it was plain as day- the figure of a woman getting clearer and clearer as she approached Temari, Kankuro and Gaara.

She looked a lot like Temari and she also looked a great deal like Gaara. She had the same face shape, the same eye shape and similar hair colour as Temari, though the small nose, thin chin and her kind, gentle smile were exact copies of Gaara's. Naruto stayed lying on his side, unable to do nothing more than gape in shock as the woman knelt down at Temari's head and smiled down at the sleeping teenagers. She reached towards Gaara almost cautiously as though she was afraid of waking him and brushed his hair out of his eyes. The woman looked up and her deep green eyes (scarily like Temari's) met Naruto's blue ones and her smile widened.

"Thank you" she said and in the blink of an eye she was gone.

Naruto finally fell asleep seconds after that and when he woke up in the morning he was certain it was a dream.

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One Year Later

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The war was over. Everything was finally over. Surprisingly Sasuke had come back. After he and Itachi defeated Kabuto some sense had been knocked into him. He was currently awaiting punishment for his crimes but since he helped end the war his sentence wasn't going to be as heavy as it would have been otherwise. Most likely he would just be banned from being a ninja or from using the Sharingan.

Naruto was looking for Gaara. He had been told by Kankuro that Gaara had to fight his father and Naruto wanted to know how friend was coping with it. He knew what the Fourth Kazekage had been like after all. He had been an absolute bastard to put into words especially to his youngest child. Kankuro then told Naruto that their father admitted that their mother and uncle actually loved Gaara; neither of them hated him as all three siblings had been led to believe.

Naruto wasn't sure if he should be happy or want to kick the jerk's ass more than ever for lying to his friend for years on end, either way he wanted Gaara's account of things.

He found Gaara sitting on top of the Hokage monument. Naruto kicked himself for not checking there earlier, after all Gaara seemed fond of going to high places when he wanted to be alone and what was higher than the monument?

"Hey Gaara" said Naruto walking up behind the red head. Currently Gaara was sitting facing Konoha, his knees tucked under his chin and his arms wrapped around his legs. "Are you okay?"

"Fine why do ask?" Gaara replied dully without turning around.

Naruto sat next to Gaara, legs crossed. "Well considering you just found out that something you've believed for about ten years of your life is a lie I'd say you're not fine. So I repeat- are you okay? And be honest."

"…I feel like shit."

"Thought so" said Naruto. Then he smiled. "You want to talk about it? Talking helps, sometimes."

Gaara paused then sighed. "Sure" he muttered and he told Naruto everything his father told him. By the end of the explanation Gaara had tears falling rapidly from his eyes. Making a small noise of frustration Gaara buried his face in his hands. "I'm sick of crying" he said, "I cried like a damn baby in the middle of a war! I'm done with crying."

"How typical of you" said Naruto grinning and he flung an arm around Gaara's shoulders. "Crying is just as good as talking." Gaara didn't turn to face him or reply he just wiped his eyes and returned his gaze to the village below them.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Just let it out baka you know you're dying to."

Surprisingly Gaara's gourd opened and some sand flew quite slowly over to Gaara, forming a small, very human looking hand which came to rest on Gaara's hand. Gaara stared at it and blinked. He looked as though he was either going to laugh or cry. After a moment he smiled quite shakily, shook his head and burst into tears, his free hand covered his mouth trying to block, or at least muffle his sobs.

Somehow Naruto wasn't surprised. Reacting on instinct he pulled Gaara into a hug, hoping it would help as he was out of things to say.

A hand rested on Naruto's shoulder and Naruto turned his head slightly, half expecting to see one of his team mates or perhaps Hinata there but much to his surprise a slightly transparent woman was standing behind him, smiling down at him, her smile an exact copy of Gaara's. Naruto didn't need to ask who she was. He recognised her instantly and after hearing Gaara's story knew why she was there and why she had been there a year ago after Gaara's resurrection.

"Thank you" Karura mouthed.

Naruto smiled. "You're welcome" he mouthed back.

Karura smiled at him again, smiled down at Gaara with obvious love in her eyes and vanished.

Naruto continued smiling long after Karura left and long after Gaara's sobs died down. They had both been through a lot of crap throughout their lives not to mention recently.

Still, Karura's smile and thanks made it all worth it.

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A/M: Sweet enough to give you cavities? Cheesy enough to feed a mouse? Good that's what I was going for XD