If: Well, this is the end people. Depending on what you all think it will either end here, or there will be an epilogue, so be sure to tell me if you want it to end here or not! Thank you to all the people who have read this story, and special thanks to those of you who were nice enough to review! It means a lot to me that you liked my story.

Warnings: Angst!

Review replies: HanChan- Yes, everything has been explained! I tried not to leave any plot holes in this story, so all was explained! And you'll just have to read and find out what Naruto is going to do! Thank you for the review!

Naruto aimlessly wandered the streets of Paris. All around him happy people chatted and laughed while he himself walked with an oppressive black cloud hanging over his head. Of all the places that this had to happen, Paris was definitely not the place he wanted it to happen in. Paris was happy, people came to Paris for love and the beauty, and here he was wallowing in misery as if he had been in Detroit. God forbid he have some no strings attached happiness in his life. Oh no, God played some perfectly wonderful on the poor blond. His husband was the Sandman. Gaara, his sometimes too perfectly hopeless Gaara was the fucking Sandman. AND he had dated his ex. Though it seemed more like they had talked and fucked more than been involved… but really, what was the difference? And to top it all off Gaara was hired by Itachi to kill Sasuke after Sasuke killed him. What the hell? It was all so completely baffling and poor Naruto was getting a headache from it all.

In the end, it all came down to him. Naruto didn't like the pressure. On one hand, he could say he was going to take them both in, which is what he should be doing and not mulling the whole thing over, but Naruto didn't like that idea. If… since Gaara was the Sandman, and Sasuke was pretty cunning, they'd probably team up, escape him, and he'd never find them again. It seemed like a good idea for all of ten seconds. Naruto came to the realization that if he did that, they would escape and Naruto would never see Gaara again. And to top it all, Gaara would probably pick up Sasuke again, just like a bad habit. The red head would be smart enough to change his name, his appearance, his fingerprints, and even his teeth. There would be no way that anyone would be able to find Sabakuno Gaara if Naruto said he was going to turn them both in to the authorities. The only thing that Naruto had on Gaara was a confession, and really, he would prefer some hard evidence. He could be perceived as biased, or not-credible, and it would all go out the window, if they even found Gaara.

On the other hand, he could say that he didn't care that Gaara was the Sandman, and that he wouldn't turn him in. The only problem with that was that it went against everything Naruto had ever stood for, that he really wasn't ok with it, and Gaara would probably kill Sasuke. None of that was really appealing to the blond FBI agent. He loved Gaara, there was no way he could deny that, but he couldn't say that he was ok with the red head being the Sandman, because he wasn't. Naruto was a straight-laced man. He went by the book, and he didn't stray from his path. He had morals and principles and they were the most important things in his life… other than Gaara. Therein lay the problem. Naruto was torn the two things he valued the most: his principles and his husband.

Sighing in frustration, Naruto didn't notice that he had wandered into a rough neighborhood and was heading straight for an occupant of said neighborhood. With an 'oof' of surprise Naruto fell to the ground after bumping into the solid wall that was the man he had run into. Looking up and opening his mouth to apologize, Naruto could only point and work his mouth without any sound coming out. The man, who narrowed his one eye, the other being covered by a black headband, advanced on the blond menacingly. Naruto scooted backwards but found that a man had come up behind him, cornering him. Looking up and behind himself, his eyes went wide as he took in the bandaged face of the other man. The man in front of him grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him up off the ground.

"You must be an American," the man said with a heavy French accent. "Only an American would disturb the peace and not apologize for it."

"What should we do with him?" the other man asked his English void of any accent. Naruto nervously looked between the two dangerous men that he had recognized from some files at the FBI. These two were both killers, dangerous and on the lam. The first one, with one eye, was none other than "Sharingan" Kakashi. Infamous for forgery, robbery and murder, it was said he could copy anything and disappear into any crowd thanks to his amazing abilities. He had been on the lam for years, with no leads having been found, and even the lead investigator from INTERPOL having gone missing. The other man was unmistakably Momichi Zabuza. He was known as the "Devil" of the British Isles. He had murdered many people for money, a powerful mercenary who had disappeared a few years ago after a village that he had been hiding in had revolted against the man who had hired him.

"Maybe we should teach him to look where he's going," Zabuza told Kakashi, the other nodding lazily. Naruto knew that the shit had hit the fan and idly wondered if Gaara would search for him when he didn't show up for their meeting in a few hours.

"I think you might just be on to something Zabuza," Kakashi replied after a moment of silence. He closed his eye and smiled from beneath his mask. Naruto closed his eyes and tensed for the oncoming beating.

"Kakashi!" someone shouted loudly and extremely boisterously. Naruto cracked an eye open and caught Kakashi's flinch as his name was called.

"… How does he know?" Zabuza asked the sighing Kakashi.

"I don't know, but maybe if we ignore him he'll go away…" Kakashi remarked and prepared to hit Naruto with his fist. Zabuza opened his mouth to retort but was cut off.

"Kakashi! What have I told you about beating up random strangers?!" the yell came from much closer than Naruto was expecting and he flinched at the loudness, bringing a hand up to cover his ear. Kakashi, for his part, acted as if he had only just noticed the other man holding his arm.

"Ah, Gai, I didn't hear you…" he said coolly. Naruto just looked between the two of them. One with gray hair sticking out in all directions, the other with a pristine bowl cut of shining black hair. Naruto could only blink before he recognized the man's now scowling face.

"Argh! That's so typically cool of you with that 'hip' attitude!" Gai shouted at Kakashi who promptly dropped Naruto and brought a finger up to his ear. "That modern attitude always keeps you from noticing anything that your wonderfully youthful rival does! One of these days I will beat you and that hip and modern attitude of yours! For I am Maito Gai, the beautiful green beast and I shall not rest until I complete my mission!..."

As Gai continued his impassioned speech Kakashi's eye rolled skyward and his posture slumped as if this were a daily occurrence. Zabuza, for his part had started to slowly slink away as Gai's gesticulations became more fervent as he became more passionate. Naruto could only watch in slight horror as the former INTERPOL official just rambled on about 'youth' and 'rivals' to his former prey, Sharingan Kakashi.

After what seemed like forever later, even though it was only a minute or two, Kakashi finally turned to look at the "beautiful green beast," what was indeed dressed all in green. Putting a finger to his mask covered lips, Kakashi gestured for the other man to calm down and be quiet. Gradually Gai calmed down. Kakashi patted him on the shoulder and walked across the street and into a building. Gai only watched as Kakashi left and Naruto could only watch Gai.

"You're Maito Gai," Naruto said, standing up and brushing himself off. He looked behind himself and noted that Zabuza was long gone. Gai looked at him before smiling broadly at the blond.

"Indeed I am! Who are you, to know who I am?" Gai asked and Naruto blinked at the strange phrasing of the question.

"My name is Sabakuno Naruto, FBI," Naruto said. Gai stiffened at the FBI and Naruto was sure that the bowl hair cut man wished that Kakashi was still around to kick the crap out of the blond. "I'm not here looking for you or Sharingan Kakashi. I'm here with my own serial killer…"

Gai tilted his head and seemed to really look at Naruto as the blond once again let his mind run to Gaara before shaking his head. Gai smiled brightly at him again and gave him a thumbs up, Naruto blinked as Gai's teeth nearly blinded him with their magnificent shine.

"Why don't you come inside our apartment for a while Naruto, you look like you could use some time to think," Gai said almost calmly. Naruto nodded and together the two of them crossed the street and entered the same building that Kakashi entered. Gai cheerfully talked about what was going on in France and Paris specifically and Naruto listened in rapt silence. As Gai put his key in his apartment door and opened the door, a cloud of black smoke blew out of the apartment. Choking and coughing on the smoke Gai ducked into the room and pulled out a blackened Kakashi.

"…" Kakashi seemed to be speechless as Gai frowned and ducked back into the apartment. Naruto and Kakashi eyed each other suspiciously.

"Sorry for running into you earlier," Naruto apologized, not looking at the taller and older man. Kakashi didn't acknowledge his apology.

"What serial killer are you tracking?" Kakashi asked, seeming uninterested. Naruto scratched the back of his neck.

"The Sandman and Uchiha Sasuke," Naruto replied. Kakashi just shrugged but looked to the door as Gai dashed out of the smoke filled apartment.

"Rival!" Gai shouted as the soot covered man stomped up to the blackened Kakashi. "What have I told you about trying to cook?!"

"… Don't?" Kakashi asked, looking off into the distance. Naruto couldn't help but stare at two as Gai went off on another rant filled with flowery language, vivid imagery and wildly unbelievable circumstances. Kakashi seemed to not be paying the slightest bit of attention, but the slightest quirk of his lips proved otherwise. Naruto found it all quite strange and he was certainly surprised when Kakashi reached out and covered a flailing Gai's mouth with his hand.

"I get the point," Kakashi said. Gai frowned and looked like he wanted to rip Kakashi's hand off his mouth and launch into another speech, but one look from the grey haired man and he just shook his head. Gently prying the hand from his mouth, Gai turned to Naruto and smiled widely.

"Since our apartment seems to be incapacitated at the moment, would you care to join us for lunch?" Gai asked. Kakashi rolled his eye.

"I'm going for a walk," he said and started off down the hallway. Gai seemed sad for a moment, but then smiled at Naruto again.

"Or, just me," Gai amended. Naruto smiled back at the eccentric man.

"Sure," he replied. Together the two of them wandered back into the main part of Paris. Finding a small café at which to sit, the two settled into comfortable small talk before Naruto couldn't hold his questions back any more.

"Gai… why did you leave INTERPOL? And why are you living with Sharingan Kakashi?" Naruto asked after a sip of coffee. Gai's smiled faded and his face took on a serious tone.

"It's a long story… but really, I just couldn't keep hunting him down," Gai said, staring into his cup of coffee. "I loved my job it was terribly addictive and kept me feeling young and alive! Unfortunately, I found out that Kakashi was the Sharingan, and I just couldn't keep doing my job if it meant turning him in."

"Why? I mean… he's a felon and he probably deserves to be locked up," Naruto pushed. Gai looked up at the sky forlornly.

"It's true, he probably does deserve to be locked up for a very long time, but he's my eternal rival, I've always been trying to beat him, and the fact that I could scares me," Gai replied.

Naruto frowned at the suddenly melancholic man across from him. "It could always be worse. I married the man I've been sworn to turn in."

Gai looked at the boy across from him. Sighing, he reached out and patted Naruto on the shoulder.

"Why do you think I left? I couldn't leave Kakashi, not even if I tried. He may be a killer, and he may drive me up a wall and occasionally he tries to kill me with his cooking, but I love him just the same," Gai confessed. Naruto just looked at the bowl hair cut man for a moment, absorbing the information just imparted to him.

"How did you choose?" Naruto asked. Gai put a hand to his chin and his face contorted into an overly thoughtful pose.

"I just asked myself which I couldn't live without: my job, or Kakashi!" Gai said with a grin on his face. Naruto couldn't help but smile back at the other man a smile certainly fit him better than his previous seriousness.

"Thanks Gai, for everything," Naruto said, standing and leaving some money on the table.

"Good luck Naruto," Gai replied, shaking Naruto's hand. "Feel free to visit if you're ever in Paris and willing to not turn my boyfriend in."

Naruto chuckled and waved as he turned and started towards the meeting place he had told Gaara to meet him at.

Gaara was pacing the sidewalk on the bank of the river waiting for Naruto to come back. Sasuke was sitting on the guardrail swinging his legs idly. He had a good feeling about this. Naruto would never be able to just let Gaara go. He had strong principles and Sasuke was damn sure that he'd finally get what he wanted.

Gaara was nervous. He desperately wanted to believe that Naruto would choose him over his job, but even he was skeptical that the blond could leave all that behind for him. Gaara was fully prepared to just run away from it all. He wasn't quite sure what he'd do about Sasuke, but he was sure he'd think of something. Sasuke would have to die if Naruto shoes Gaara, but if he didn't maybe Gaara really would take Sasuke with him. The Uchiha may annoy him to no end, but that was just because he was a possessive bastard and Gaara was with someone else. But if Gaara were free…

Gaara tried to imagine it. The Uchiha and he would be safe in some little village in Russia, or Japan or even in Romania. They would have hidden their identities, and no one would know. Naruto wouldn't be able to track them down, and neither would Itachi's subordinates. They would have a little home, a little money, every day jobs and some hot sex. But as Gaara imagined, he knew there would be no love. Sasuke and he weren't built for a long relationship. Sure they had chemistry, they always would, but after Sasuke tossed him carelessly to the side for a chance at finding his brother, Gaara could never love him. He would always care about the Uchiha, but he could never love him.

With this in mind he watched as Sasuke got off the guardrail and started to walk towards him. With a heavy heart, Gaara took his handgun out of the back of his jeans and pointed it at the Uchiha.

"Sorry Sasuke, but I'm afraid I can't let you live," Gaara said and coolly pulled the trigger. He would never be able to love Sasuke, and Naruto would never be able to stay with him, especially not after this. It hurt him to know this, and it hurt even more to know that even if Naruto would have wanted to stay with him he would have sent him to jail for his crimes. There would be no happy ending for him, and that was what hurt the most. He could hear footsteps approaching and turned to see Naruto running towards him, tears falling from his blue eyes. Gaara could only look at him with all the love in his heart and all the sorrow his knowledge gave him. He raised his gun and placed it by his heart. Maybe if he killed himself the pain would stop and Naruto would be able to live it peace…

Naruto could only watch in horror as Gaara lifted a handgun and aimed straight at Sasuke. Glancing at the Uchiha out of the corner of his eyes he shot Sasuke right between the eyes. The Uchiha fell backwards in a flurry of blood and limbs and crumpled to the ground in a sickening thud. Naruto couldn't scream his eyes wide in shock and horror.

It should have been raining, he idly thought as he gazed at the scene before him. It was too much to take in; he couldn't begin to process the feelings running through him. It had happened so quickly. One moment he was floating on cloud nine, in Paris with his new husband of one day, the next he was staring down at the lifeless body of his ex-best friend as his husband stood over the cooling corpse, gun in hand. It was surreal. He couldn't remember how he had gotten here, what had led to this disastrous consequence. All he had been doing was his job. He had been doing his job, and had inadvertently fallen in love with the man he had been watching, the man who had murdered his old friend.

His hands were shaking, he could barely breathe, and his stomach was rolling. All he could see were the two men covered in blood before him. One was unspeakably cold and the other was dead.

His husband turned to look at him, his beautiful green eyes brimming with tears. He could see every emotion that passed through those eyes: the guilt, the sorrow, the intense love. It left him speechless. Yet he couldn't do anything as the man he loved more than life lifted the gun and pressed it to his chest and pulled the trigger.