AN: Hola guys! October is the season for this spooky tale! I will be focusing wholeheartedly on this all month. So, for October, expect at least 3 chapters with a very special chapter that I will be posting Halloween night! What that chapter be about? I have no idea, but I will work something out!

Please Believe Me
Chapter 25

Previously:

"So – what does all of that have to do with you?" Ino asked.

"Oh, yeah." Rubbing his eyes, Naruto sat back in his seat. "You uh… well, it seems like you think I may have depression or something." He said, stating a question. She didn't respond, but he understood. "Well, to clear things up, I do not. I am… well…"

After a moment of thought, he continued on. "I think it's best if I finish my story from earlier as it sort of ties in a bit." He said, surprising/exciting her all at once.

With an intense look on her face, she pulled her feet up on the bed, sitting crisscrossed with her elbows resting on her knees. "Oh, please do. I've been dying to hear the rest of it. I didn't-.. really want to force you to tell me or anything." She said bashfully.

Naruto watched her settle in with an amused look. "Heh, don't worry about it. It's no problem at all... So uh… just to sort of recap…"

Taking the ball, he tossed it back down that way, waiting for it to inevitably come back. Through the window by Jiraiya's door, a small enough light was casted to show the top of someone's head. It was far too dark to make out anything else, but a mess of spikey hair could be seen. The color, not really, but the spikey hair was something. When the ball came back, he was fully smiling now. "Who are you?" he asked just as he threw it back. This time, it didn't seem to come back immediately like he thought it would. There was a hellish silence that still didn't rattle his innocent mind as he waited patiently. He could still see that spiky hair, so he knew they were still there.

Then, suddenly, the ball came bouncing back. He caught it with a smile, happy they were still playing. Just as he held it up, about to throw it back, he stopped, noticing something written on it. It was again written in that orange sharpie, so it was kind of hard to make out on the bright red, ball, but he could sort of see it. Reading the name, his smile slowly rose. "I'm Naruto." He said, tossing it back. "I'll be your friend."

'I didn't think anything of it. It was just like meeting any other friend. At the time, I didn't know about – fear... there was no trepidation in anything I did, because I was never exposed to things most kids would consider scary. I was in that orphanage long before I had the mental capacity to learn things or remember. In there, you had no choice but to sleep in the dark. You had no choice but to put your trust in what was taught. Even the little things that aren't taught directly. Things picked up along the way, such as an unwavering trust in those who seem to be your age or younger. Maybe that's why I never felt fear when faced with this presence.

It presented itself to me as a child of my age. A little boy just like me. Its first impression on me was one of acceptance. He played with me… noticed me. My innocence said friendly, but… I can distinctly remember there being a sliver of doubt every time we interacted. A little… tug within my gut that would make me squirm, only for a moment… Of course, being a clairvoyant yourself, you know exactly what I mean. It's that feeling when an unfriendly spirit is near. Like… a resting unease filling my stomach that was always ignored during our various games. An early warning sign that I did not pick up on because I did not know.

Everything that should have said danger to me was completely ignored, and the longer I played with this boy, the less that feeling came. I had always found it odd the games we would play… The ball game was one thing, but – we started doing very strange things… things I knew would get me in trouble should Jiraiya find out. It was all because of this little whispering voice… jus-.. tickling the back of my neck. Telling me to hide knives around the house so we could play 'ninja' whenever… or making me write these phrases on the walls… Telling me not to tell Jiraiya about him or else we couldn't play anymore… I know, all clear red flags… but, again, I didn't really understand at the time.

Of all the strange things this boy told me, there was one thing that stood out the most… He would always ask me to go swing on the playset in the back yard…

That old, rusty, and ratty playset that looked like it were made for a prison daycare… It had always been the eyesore of our backyard. It was far behind the pool and the least interesting part about the house.. in the mind of a kid at least. But, for some reason, this boy always wanted to go there. It wouldn't have been a problem. The playset was within the secured gates of our privacy fences and it went without saying Jiraiya would let me go whenever I asked, but… the real kicker is that… the boy only wanted me to go at night… late at – absurd hours of the night. For a while I refused, not wanting to break my trust with Jiraiya, but… every time I refused, the boy seemed to… disappear for a while. But, he always came back.

I didn't know exactly how attached I was to this little secret friendship until I began to worry every time he left. Every time I refused, he was gone for longer and longer periods. A few days turned to a few more days… and then to a week… after that point, I feared me refusing would mean he'd be gone forever, so when he returned and asked again-.. in my mind, I had no choice.'

Lying in his bed, Naruto's worried gaze remained fixed on the ceiling fan swinging rapidly above him. The house was silent as it always was at this hour. Peeking over to his clock, it was 1:13 a.m. Well passed his bed time. By now, Jiraiya was probably hard at work, typing away like a mad man, working on his new novel.

That's mainly what he did nowadays. When he was hit with inspiration, everything he usually does takes a far backseat. He wasn't going out on dates with women, he wasn't avidly trying to find women, he wasn't depressed about not scoring with those women… a lot of his usual activities seem to involve women. But, most importantly, he wasn't playing with Naruto as much. Not to say he wasn't at all, but not as much. On the weekends, he dedicates a full 3 hours a day where they either swim, play games, or watch movies. But, on the weekdays, the schedule is pretty bland. They still eat every breakfast and dinner together. He always drops him off at school and picks him up. But, when they get home, they work on his homework until it's complete and then Jiraiya cooks dinner. They eat while they watch a little TV, but after that, they go their separate ways, Jiraiya to work, and Naruto to play by himself until bed time.

Usually, that time is filled with him playing with the boy, but, for the past week he's been gone. Maybe he was mad for Naruto not going with him last time. This is the first time he's been away longer than 3 days, so it was very alarming for him. What if he never comes back? Then who would he play with while Jiraiya is working? He'd be alone again.

Just like he was when he was in the orphanage.

As that thought came, something hit him. Not physically, but for some reason, his stomach dropped unexpectedly. Just like it always does when… without hesitating, he threw his blanket off of him and headed for his bedroom door, his only source of light being the pale blue shine of the moonlight. Before he opened it, he slowly grabbed the knob, twisting it very gently as to not be heard. He didn't want Jiraiya to notice he was out of bed. Peeking down the hall, he saw it in a glimpse just before it passed, the back foot of someone stepping down the stairs. A foot much too small to be Jiraiya.

Looking further down the hall, he could see Jiraiya's office, the light within shining through the bottom of the closed door. Gently, he slipped out and turned towards his own door, intent on closing it as gently as possible. Successful in his task, he turned back towards the hall and tiptoed towards the stairway. The first task was just getting downstairs which wasn't too hard, but it was a rather old house. He didn't want to make the wood creak.

Eventually, he made it downstairs. Looking around the kitchen and living room, it was empty, silent, and just as dark. Nothing out of the ordinary. A gust of wind brought his attention to the opened sliding door leading to the back door. That entire side was made of a thick glass, leaving the backyard visible from where he stood. That's when he saw him. The boy, walking out towards the back of the yard. With a hesitant step, he began following, knowing that's what he wanted.

When he made it outside, he continued looking out towards the swing set, but he couldn't see the boy anymore. It was as if he disappeared within the darkness, but… he could see one of the swings moving. Strange, there was no wind he could feel. Regardless, he continued on, walking fearlessly towards the play set. Of course, he held a bit of guilt at doing something he knew Jiraiya wouldn't like, but he didn't want to lose this friend of his.

The closer he got, the more he looked back to the house, wondering if he should turn back, but regardless, he continued on. He had already come this far. The sand beneath his bare feet didn't bother him as he finally came upon the sad little swing set. It was old, rusty, had two swings with a connecting structure for the slide. The swings themselves were hung with chain, the seats mere wooden planks. Hesitantly, he found his way to the closest one, taking a seat, facing the fence, away from the house.

There was nothing to it. No weird game to play. He couldn't see or feel the boy anywhere. It was just… him sitting there alone. Boy, did that feeling hit him hard. He sat there alone, feeling more isolated than he ever has. For how long? He had no idea.

'… That first day… I don't know… sitting in that swing felt - sad almost…

Lonely…

But, at the same time, it felt like absolutely nothing… I know that doesn't – particularly make much sense, but… it was like I had been there forever. As if I had never come and sat down. Like… I was jus-.. always there and I would always be there… no matter what…

It did bring about this throbbing pain within my heart. At the time, I didn't know what it was, but, as my life has rolled along, and I began to understand emotions… looking back on that feeling - it was sorrow. But, a unique kind of sorrow. Not a sorrow of loss or.. pain. It was just there… unprovoked. Much how I'd imagine someone with actual depression would feel… It pained me, but I didn't have the will or-.. the want - to stop that pain. No thoughts resided within my mind. No worries, no dreams, no… free flowing questions.

It was just nothing…

That was the first time… Regardless of how awful that seat made me feel, it – called me… Not the boy, but the spot itself. It was almost like, the more time I spent at that swing, the less I saw the boy, but… strangely enough, the less I cared. Every time it called, I went – without fail.

I was careful with sneaking out of the house. But, the strange thing was, I never remembered walking back to my room, but I always ended up there… always. It was almost like a dream… but I knew it wasn't. There was no harm in anything I did, so for a while, it wasn't a problem… But, you've gotta remember, I was still in school around this time.'

"Okay class." Mrs. Omai called out in her usual sweet tone, quieting the chattering students down with little effort. "I am very happy to say that this little pop quiz of mine was a success. I am very pleased with all of these scores, especially since no one failed."

Immediately, her words brought sighs of relief to the group of children, making her chuckle herself.

"M-hmhm. But, that does not mean next weeks test is going to be a piece of cake, okay? I want you all to come prepared and ready to give it your all."

"Yes ma'am." Their voices called out simultaneously.

"Hmm.. I don't know." She said, playfully confused. "That didn't seem too promising. How about this… if you guys are the top class out of all of the third-grade classes in this school… I may just have a little leeway in throwing you guys a pizza party! How's that sound!?"

Before she could even finish, they were already shouting their much more excited bouts of approval and determination, throwing them into an uproar of chatter once more. She chuckled at their antics, her eyes scanning around the room before landing on the one stationary figure among the group. It was their late arrival with his blonde head laid flat on the table, lost in a deep sleep. It dropped her smile only a bit before the bell rang, signifying the end of the school day.

"Uh, okay!" She called out as they began packing their things, preparing to leave. "I want you all to go home tonight and study! Study-study-study! I can't say it enough. You've got all weekend to rest, so use the rest of this day to polish your minds! Okay?"

"Okaay!" They again shouted in unison as they funneled towards the door.

"Alrighty then! I'll see you little angels on Monday!" As she said this, her eyes looked back over to Naruto who seemed to have stirred awake sometime while she was talking.

He stretched his arms out tiredly as he looked around, almost confused. Blinking a few times, he stood from his seat and made to pick his things. As he was doing this, his name was called.

"u-um, Naruto?"

Looking towards the source, it was the brown haired girl with the big brown eyes who sits in front of him, Mai. Her signature pigtails still in place. "Hm?" he asked, giving her his partial attention as he continued to pack up.

She stood there awkwardly for a moment, her backpack already on her back as she watched him, a look of sincere worry on her face. "Are… are you okay?" She asked.

He seemed confused for a moment, before nodding. "M-hm. I'm okay." He said, putting his final supplies into his bag.

"Oh-.. okay… You don't talk a lot anymore. I thought you were sick." She explained.

He put his backpack on and shook his head. "No. I'm not sick. I am just tired."

That, she understood. "Oh, okay. Well… I hope you get some sleep at home." She said with a smile as she began walking down the aisle, waving to him. "Bye Naruto!"

Her parting words were useless to return as he was heading out now to, so he didn't respond. He simply began following her towards the door that still had a few kids ahead of them funneling out.

"Hey, Naruto?" The much more mature voice of his teacher called out, drawing his attention. "Could you hang back a moment?" She asked.

Not like he could refuse. "Yes ma'am." He walked over and stood in front of her desk as she began tapping a stack of papers against the bottom edge to straighten them.

"Hang on. We'll wait till everyone leaves." She muttered as she continued putting her own stuff away. When the last kid left, she set her stuff down and turned her attention towards him with a sigh. "So?... what's up?" She asked, confusing him.

"… um-…" he muttered. "… did I do bad on the quiz?"

"No sweetie, I believe you were one of the three who got a perfect score." She said, leaning over and checking to make sure. The stack of papers were resting on her laptop bag with the three highest grades on top so it was really quick. "Yeah." She said, nodding her head in confirmation.

Okay? So, it wasn't about the test? What did she mean by 'what's up' then?

She seemed to pick up on the fact he didn't understand, so she continued on, explaining in full. "Naruto, this is the fifth time I've caught you sleeping in class." She said, bringing realization to his face.

"o-Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Omai." He said, his gaze dropping down in disappointment, believing he was in trouble. "I – thought we had free time…" He muttered out.

"No-no. You did." She said, easing his mind. "I'm not mad at you for sleeping this time, but-.. Naruto, you sleep a lot… are you not sleeping at home?" She asked.

"n-.." He began to speak, the truth resting on the tip of his tonge. But, then he thought about the repercussions of doing that. She'd tell Jiraiya he's not sleeping, then Jiraiya would make him tell him why, and the boy would stop coming. "Yes ma'am." He quickly righted himself.

Mrs. Omai didn't miss the slip up, but there was something he didn't want to tell her, so she respected that, smiling gently down at him. "… Well, this time it wasn't a problem sweetie. You had free time, so I'll let it slide, but the other four times were during class time. You've gotta stay awake while I'm teaching, okay?"

"Okay." He quickly said, nodding his head.

Figuring the tension was too heavy, she cracked a little joke. "I know my lessons can be a bit boring. I mean, sometimes even I fall asleep while I'm talking." She said, playfully imitating her words as she shut her eyes and lifted her arms like a zombie. It got the desired effect of making him giggle, so she smiled down at him. "But – I need you to stay awake, okay? If you fall asleep again, I may just have to talk with Jiraiya about your sleeping pattern." She warned, getting serious once again.

"Oh… okay." He said. It was clear by his sudden drop of joy that was something he did not want.

Again, she gave him an attempt at a reassuring smile before ushering him off. "You go get some rest, okay?"

"Okay." He said on his way out.

'Her warning was – from what I can remember – very alarming to me. Like I said, there were possibilities of my secret friendship ending if Jiraiya found out, so… like any kid would do, I refrained from telling her the truth. That was a problem all on its own, but… it ultimately wasn't what threw a wrench into everything. What did that was… well, at the time, I believed it to be the boy himself.'

Frustrated was the mind of the brilliant writer Jiraiya. Hit with an unexpected wall of writer's block. The computer screen in front of him was mocking him. The white of the page completely blank was dangerously close to overheating him. It was a new level of frustration he's never felt before. Peeking over to the clock, it was 2:30 a.m. With a sigh, he used both of his hands to rub his face of the exhaustion he was feeling.

The story itself couldn't be more stuck in his head than it was at that moment, but the words themselves wouldn't jump onto the page. Usually, they just flow out like water when he's in his zone. It's almost like a trance sometimes. Before he knows it, it's sunrise and he's gotta get breakfast ready for him and the kid. But, at this very moment, he couldn't hack it. But, he does have a deadline to meet, so there was no time to rest now. Cracking his knuckles for what felt like the thousandth time that night, he stretched his body out and got back to work… for a moment.

(Thud)

The sound of something dropping caught his ears. It sounded like it was downstairs. The house was old, so creaks and moans were no big deal, but that didn't sound like it was due to the wind. Checking the clock again to ensure the time, he sighed and stood to his feet. Maybe Naruto got thirsty and went for something to drink? If so, he should make sure he put him to bed. Stepping out of his room, he looked down the hall to see his door was still closed and no lights were on… strange. Surely the kid wouldn't walk through the house in the dark.

Strolling down the hall and passing the stairs, he flicked the hallway light on and continued to Naruto's room. Gently twisting the knob, he cracked it just enough to get a look at the bed. There he was, sound asleep. So, what the hell was that noise? Shutting the door quietly, he turned around and headed back towards the staircase.

There were no lights on and no other sounds. That, to him, ruled out the possibilities of intruders and wild animals. It was too quiet. Heading down the stairs, it only confirmed his suspicions. It was as still as it could possibly be. But, there was still a sound he heard that needed to be discovered, so he continued down.

Cutting the light on in the living room, he looked around for a moment. There was nothing out of the ordinary. So, he continued on, heading to the kitchen in which he turned the light on again. "Ah." He muttered as he looked down at the problem. It was the container of sugar, though he didn't know how or why it would be there. He was far too tired to investigate, so he just picked it up and put it back on the counter. Luckily, it was plastic, so it didn't break. With the problem solved, he was a second away from heading back to work when he noticed the back sliding-door was open. With a curious look, he made his way towards it, looking outside for a moment. He checked all around the pool and the surrounding bushes, but there was nothing. Just as he was about to turn back inside, he saw it… or rather, him.

The bright blonde hair, even from this distance, was unmistakable in the darkness. "n… Kid?" He called out a bit loud, yet still trying to keep his voice at a whisper for some reason. That's when he thought back… didn't he just see him in his room? But… here he is, clear as day… Maybe it was just the way the blanket was positioned… yeah. "… What – the hell are you-.." stepping outside, he threw on a pair of slippers that were laying next to the door.

As he encroached, Naruto didn't seem to notice him. His gaze focused intently on the wooden fence before him. With his back to him, Jiraiya couldn't see the boy's eyes, which were a far cry from their usual bright blue. They were… milky almost. Hazy. As if he were blind. Unblinkingly, he remained gazing at that wood, caught deep within a trance.

"Hey." Jiraiya said sharply as he came within range. Immediately, Naruto spun around in worry, his visage turning to one of remorse for being caught. "What the hell are you doing out here, kid? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"I'm- I'm sorry!" Naruto called out, immediately trying to apologize. "I was jus-..!"

"Y-heah, just nothing. What are you thinking? It's almost 3 in the morning. Plus, it's 50 degrees out here. You could catch a cold, you idiot!" As he said this, he was already removing the cardigan he was wearing over his plain white t-shirt.

As Jiraiya draped the piece of cloth around him, Naruto continued to look away from his irritated gaze, his gaping mouth desperately trying to utter out more apologies or maybe an excuse. "I-.. I'm sorry."

"And where the heck are your shoes!? God, kid! You are just too much sometimes. Geez. I didn't think I'd have to worry about sneak outs until you were at LEAST 15. But – you know, by that time, I'd probably just let it slide anyways e-he-he…"

He looked down into his remorseful face as the young blonde tried his hardest not to cry. His efforts were ultimately in vein however as those tears were slipping anyways.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder, ushering him back towards the house. "Urgh, look kid." He said, grabbing his attention. "I'm not mad at you, since this is the first time I've caught you doing something like this, but.. I mean, you should know better. I've told you before that I don't want you outside unless you ask me first. Especially not at 3 o'clock in the morning with no – freakin' shoes on." By now, they were near the pool. "Come on, stick your feet in the water really quick to get the sand off."

Getting near the water, Naruto gently began sticking one foot in, but it was the deep side, so he was being extra careful not to fall in. He didn't seem to have the leg strength to squat low enough on one leg to do that, so he had to think up a way to do it.

"Argh come on kid, it's late enough as is." Jiraiya said, playfully mad as he scooped him up from underneath his armpits, enciting a small squeal of surprise as the rest of his body went limp. Jiraiya held him over the water and lowered him enough to wet both his feet before yanking him back up and shifting his lithe body beneath his armpit as one would hold a pillow when their hands were full. "Come along now ya little crackhead, can't have your wet feet messin' up the carpets." He said over the insistent giggling of Naruto.

They made their way back inside to which Jiraiya shut and locked the back door before continuing up towards the boy's room, still carrying him while slipping his free hand in on the boys sides, enciting more giggles.

"Yeah, laugh it up you little punk." He playfully muttered through clenched teeth. "I'll tickle you so bad you'll never do anything like that again! Ha-ha-haaargh!" By now, Naruto's laughs were so furious that they sort of melded into one long period of silence before he inhaled deeply and continued laughing.

Eventually, he was able to calm his fit of laughter as they reached the top of the stairs. Instead of heading straight to his room, they went to the bathroom in which Jiraiya finally let him down. After Naruto wiped his feet dry on a towel, they made their way to his room.

As he laid back down in his bed, Naruto again found himself examining Jiraiya's face. Looking to see if he were still mad at him. It didn't seem like it, but… how could he not be?

Jiraiya seemed to pick up on this as well and smiled reassuringly at him. "Hey, like I said kid. I'll let it slide this time, but I don't want it happening anymore, okay?"

"Okay." Naruto replied immediately, glad he wasn't in trouble.

Jiraiya smiled down at him before heading towards the door. "Alright, get some sleep kid. I know it sucks, but you've gotta be up in a few hours for school." He stepped out of the door, seconds away from turning the light off.

"Goodnight Jiriaya…"

"… Night kid." He said, shutting the light off and stepping out.

Naruto shut his eyes, intent on following the advice to get some rest. But, it seemed he wasn't yet tired enough to cross that threshold. Opening his eyes again, he stared around the pitch-black room, his vision slowly, but surely, adjusting to the darkness. When they did, his gaze was drawn towards the one spot that didn't. The corner adjacent to the one his bed rested in. It was a peculiar darkness with the only thing seeable being two odd glimmers. Like moist eyes reflecting a light in the far distance.

'That was the first time I was caught, and honestly, a part of me wanted it to be the last… I wanted it to be the last, because I had decided that I cared about Jiraiya a lot more than I cared about the boy. After a full week of avoiding the swings… I stopped seeing the boy… for a little while.

But, like a curse, he returned before too long. But, there was something different about him when he did. That feeling I held within my gut was… much more vigorous. Before, when the boy was near, I only got that little tingle… that warning of something bad, which again, I ignored, but… now, it was… more like a squeamish feeling… for the first time ever, I was afraid of him… It was like – his reappearance this time around was void of any semblance of innocence… he let off this vibe of pure evil so intense that even a child could tell it was something to stay away from...

It was the first time in my life which I was truly afraid… and I mean, truly… deeply afraid…

So much so that my lack of sleep came from simply not wanting to shut my eyes. Every single night I could feel his eyes on me. Watching me like a predator, waiting for me to turn my back. Not the eyes of the boy I had met all those weeks ago. No, whatever it was, it wasn't him. This was… a malevolent presence… a demon.

And, the thing to truly take into account when dealing with demons is that… they only ever crave one thing… and that's life. They will do anything to get it, and with their gateway being fear – time is definitely of the essence… Looking back, it's unclear how long I had before it made it's move, but - we never reached that point… Something drastic happened not long after this presence made itself known to me.

If you'd remember, my teacher was not at all pleased with my sleeping in class and she said if she had to, she would get in contact with Jiraiya… well, with my lack of sleep, she did just that… At the time, I was a lot less worried about it than I was when she first threatened me with it, so… we had that conversation… I remember being questioned by both of them within her classroom, but… I jus- wouldn't speak about it…

It's strange. I was no longer trying to hide the boy from Jiraiya anymore. It was more like… I don't know… I guess, even at a young age, I had that mentality that - the more a person knows, the more danger their in… which, in a way, is true. As hard as they tried, they couldn't get me to break there, but when we got home, there was no avoiding it.'

Sitting on the couch, Naruto held his tired eyes down towards his lap, avoiding the gaze of Jiraiya sitting next to him, looking at him intensely… Or maybe he was just far too tired to lift his gaze. They just came inside and Jiraiya instructed him to have a seat. The silence they were currently stuck in hadn't lasted for more than a few seconds so far, but for both of them, it felt like an eternity.

With a sigh bordering disappointment, yet maintaining that true sense of frustration, Jiraiya got right to the point. "Naruto… kid, you've gotta tell me what's going on." He said, his tone sounding a lot more sincere than it did when they were questioning him in the classroom.

Naruto remained quiet, his expression, although tired, conveyed a look of guilt.

Jiraiya could see it and it did little to calm his building worries. "… Look, when… when I adopted you – you became my responsibility… do you know what that means?" He asked. Still he was met with silence. "… It means that – whatever happens to you is.. my responsibility… I adopted you because that day you - smuggled your way into my life.. and every day after I grew closer to you… and you became my best friend."

His words were brutally touching already, and it was clearly reaching the young blonde who was trying his hardest not to cry.

"Do you know what having a best friend means?" He questioned rather oddly. Naruto looked his way with teary eyes, but still remained quiet. "It-.. means that when… when you don't feel good, it makes me not feel good… but… now, we're a lot more than that… because we're family." He explained. "I want to help you kid… but, I need you to tell me what's going on…"

Slowly, he broke his gaze. Returning to the subject at hand turned him away. Jiraiya got the hint he wasn't speaking on it, so he opted to be much more clear about their predicament.

"… Kid, look… if we can't figure this out ourselves – someone else will… but you won't be with me - anymore." He explained, his voice drawling off, raising the tension immediately.

Naruto's worried gaze found its way back to him. "Wh-.. what?" he asked urgently. "… no." he muttered.

"If you won't tell me what's going on, someone will come and take you back."

"No." He said again. "No, I-.."

"They'll say I'm not good enough to take care of you, and they'll come and get yo-.."

"No! I-.. but I want to stay with you!" he shouted out desperately.

Jiraiya's heart dropped at his desperate tone and he put an arm around him, pulling him into a hug. "I know." He said. "… I know, kid. and I want you to stay, but…" His words left in the air, Naruto seemed to understand. "… I need to know what's going on…"

Silence ensued once more, only broken by the light sniffling from the young blonde. It was a different type of silence. One in which Jiraiya knew he wasn't going to not speak… he was just trying to find the words.

Eventually, he found them and it brought upon the moment of truth. "… He won't let me sleep." He said ominously, confusing the older man.

His words left Jiraiya in a momentary stupor of confusion. "… he won't let y-.. who?" he asked, muttering his statement back to himself.

"… The boy…" Naruto replied. Jiraiya's silence at hearing this prompted him forward, thinking he was waiting for more. "… he said he wanted to be my friend, but… he's different now…"

"… Was it this boy who told you to go outside that night?" He asked. Slowly, Naruto nodded. He had so many questions, and so many concerns. "… Is it a real friend? Or..." That was a stupid one. Shaking his head, he threw the rest of that away and continued on. "Why won't he let you sleep?"

Naruto sniffled and wiped his tears away before shrugging. "… he just won't… every time I try, he… he stares at me…" he said. "He wants to play…"

The first thing that was coming to Jiraiya's mind was an imaginary friend. Well, that wasn't technically the first. Of course, being a horror-rooted author, he held some belief in the supernatural, but not enough to full on believe it was something happening here. If the boy was seeing a ghost roaming the house, then surely, he himself would have seen SOMETHING by now. Especially considering he spends more time alone here while the kid's at school. Add to the fact the circumstances, orphaned children creating imaginary friends is nothing new. With him working on his new novel, Naruto could just be manifesting that time lost into a friend only he can see to fill the lonely gaps. But-.. for it to be something that keeps him awake at night… that's what's most troubling.

"… Alright kid, look… No matter what you may be seeing, you… you have to understand that whatever it is can't hurt you… it's all in your head… This uh… this boy is imaginary… okay? He's not real." He explained, ripping the band-aid off in one quick motion.

"He is real." Naruto said immediately in a matter of fact tone. It wasn't an anger filled refute to Jiraiya's denial, it was just as if he were stating something he knew to be true without a doubt. "I see him… -nd… and he talks to me…"

Jiraiya nodded slowly, but still held strong in his words. "Yes, but.. only you can see and hear him… you understand? That's what it means when someone say's 'all in your head'." He explained. "… The brain is a very tricky thing… it can make you see and hear things that aren't really there. It happens to me sometimes too. But, you have to know that no matter what you see, it cannot hurt you… okay?"

"But… but, he talks to me…" he muttered, still holding true to his beliefs.

"… Does he talk to you like I'm talking to you now?" Jiraiya asked, trying to get him to understand.

Slowly, Naruto began shaking his head. "… No, he… he sometimes whispers to me… I think…"

"What does he sound like?" Jiraiya asked, continuing on with his questioning.

Thinking on the question for a moment, Naruto's face began scrunching up in apparent confusion, as if he didn't really know how to word it. "… he… he sounded like me… for a little while, but… but now he sounds like…" he stopped there for a moment, looking as if he were going to start crying again. "… he sounds like… a monster… a big scary monster…"

Now, Jiraiya understood he was treading in waters he did not fully understand or know how to deal with. When he adopted Naruto, they suggested he start seeing a therapist for the first few weeks or so to ensure he adjusts well into his new life, but Jiraiya turned it down, believing Naruto was completely fine without it. Now, it may be something he truly needs.

Either that, or the kid was really seeing something he wasn't. He wasn't exactly a skeptic to the paranormal, but he was still a far cry from a true believer. If, by the small chance, this was not just all a case of a mental breakdown, he would still have no clue what the hell to do. This was beyond himself, so he opted to leave it there for the time being and do what he can to at least get him back on track school wise.

"Uh… alright kid, here's what we'll do… you'll sleep with me tonight so that I can make sure you get some rest and do good in school tomorrow. We'll figure out what to do with your friend this weekend, okay?" he asked.

Naruto didn't fully understand, but Jiraiya saying he could sleep with him was very reassuring. Maybe the boy wouldn't dare mess with him then. He nodded his approval.

Jiraiya nodded back. "Okay, well look. I have to make a few phone calls right now, but I don't want you wandering off anywhere for the time being… Here, watch a little TV before I get dinner started." Naruto nodded and took the remote that was handed to him. As Jiraiya stood up, he pulled his phone out before turning back, realizing he had one more question he hadn't yet asked. "Uh, hey kid… what's your friend's name?"

Naruto turned back to him, curiously, but he answered nonetheless. "Gaara."

'That confession to Jiraiya was possibly the hardest thing I had to do. Despite my fear of Gaara up to that point, I still felt a sort of odd kinship to him… Almost like a delusional feeling of Stockholm syndrome, I felt for the boy who terrorized me within my own home… I was breaking his trust and… per his warning, we could no longer be friends. At the time, I took that as a way of him saying he would no longer appear… but… that was far from what he meant.'

(later that night)

Sitting at the desk in his room, Jiraiya typed away at his laptop, completely engrossed in his work. Today, with everything Naruto told him, he found himself a second wind and new material for his book. It was odd how similar his story was to the situation at hand. It wasn't similar in plot, but the boy within his story was struggling with telling a secret of his own. Naruto's reluctance to speak of his troubles to even himself painted a vivid picture of what it would be like for a boy that age. It brought fourth a sense of realism and inspired him to dish out a quick 23 pages with ease.

It was 3:03 a.m. and he was definitely feeling it. He'd have to find a pretty good stopping point sometime soon. Even though he was engrossed within his work, his mind was still heavily pondering the situation. In a way, he felt a little bad that he hadn't noticed anything wrong sooner. There were a few days when he'd pick Naruto up and he'd be completely knocked out by the time they made it home, but he figured it was just the 'stress' of his busy school life getting to him. It was cute in a way, so it never alarmed him. Plus, the kid was always bright and awake while they did things together… or it seemed that way to him at least.

His teacher said he had been sleeping in class sporadically for about a month and a half. He was, of course, a little irritated that he wasn't alerted sooner. But, having met Mrs. Omai before, he knew she likely wanted to avoid getting the kid in any type of trouble. When his grades started to slip, she notified him immediately though which was a good call. It was a shock to be called down there though. He went thinking Naruto was being awarded something as his academics were always top notch. A rude awakening is what he received however.

Finishing the page he was on, he figured there was as good a spot as any. Leaning away from his desk, he stretched out his body, yawning in the process. Rubbing his tired eyes, he peeked over to his bed to see Naruto, facing him with a pool of drool spilling out on his pillow. Smiling at him, it again hurt his heart that the kid would just suffer in silence the way he did. He really wanted to do whatever he could to help him.

Turning back to his laptop, he stared at the screen for a moment before saving his recent progressing and finding his way to a search engine. Acting on a mere hunch, he stared at the keyboard for a moment before glancing back to Naruto's sleeping form. With a sigh, he turned back and began typing.

[Gaara… 150,000,000 results]

Shaking his head, he deleted the name he was given. With no last name, what good was a first. He could be looking at absolutely anyone named Gaara, as rare a name as it is. Staring at the screen again, he ran a hand through his hair in thought… After a while, he got a better idea.

[7979 Desertflower rd… searching… searching… searching…]

"Argh, come on." He muttered in frustration, hitting the refresh bar a few times before a white hue covered the screen.

[Webpage is unresponsive…]

Much to his frustration, a blue screen popped up, followed by white words.

[We're sorry, your device has run into a problem. :( we'll restart after collecting some data]

"Tch.." Jiraiya muttered, rubbing his face as he yawned again. Maybe that's a sign he should call it a night.

(With his eyes shut, the computer screen went black, showing Jiraiya's reflection. Just over his left shoulder, standing in the hallway was a redheaded child, his eyes glowing an ominous gold, pronouncing his presence.)

Sitting back straight with a sigh, Jiraiya looked down at the keyboard, his hand going up to shut it for the night when he finally saw it. Without hesitation, he spun around and stared into the darkness of the hallway. But, there was no one there… Blinking a few times, he shook his head. "Too deep in the story Jiraiya.." he muttered beneath his breath. "Too deep…"

Shutting the laptop, he stood from his feet and made sure everything important was put away. When he was satisfied he reached for the lamp of his desk, but… he stopped. Something made him stop… a feeling… a very – very threatening feeling he had never felt before. It was like someone was holding a gun to the back of his head. A truly paralyzing sense of danger that he couldn't, for the life of him, explain properly.

The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on high alert… He was petrified with fear, but his slight skepticism at the situation made him turn around regardless. Again, he was caught staring into that unnatural darkness. Devoid of all light, it was like staring into a blackhole. But… it wasn't the darkness alone that caught his attention. Farther into it… there were two dots of light… like something glossy reflecting the light of his lamp. Golden in color, it was like a pair of eyes staring directly at him. Unsettling of course, but it couldn't be.

With only a single fault in his step, he made his way to the door. Stopping at the threshold, he reached out a hand in search of the light switch which he knew was nearby. His eyes never leaving those two dots as they seemed to follow his gaze as well. He fumbled with his hand through the darkness, searching endlessly for the switch, admittedly with a heart that was racing in utter fear. When he finally found it and cut it on, the glow he saw was gone completely. There was nothing there. Releasing the breath he had no idea he was holding, Jiraiya shook his head with amusement.

Before he turned to head back in the room, he prepared to shut the light off when his eyes caught sight of something strange… At the foot of the stairs, it was… sand? He and Naruto hadn't stepped foot outside since they came home. There was no way that was there earlier. Walking towards it, he found himself uncomfortably scared. It was daunting with the silence sounding through the empty hall like a hollow scream.

When he made it to the patch of sand, he stared down at it curiously. On sight alone, it looked like real sand, not just flakes from the ceiling above. Squatting down, he began to reach for it. Before he touched it, there was a loud screeching noise that caught his ears from straight ahead. It was something in Naruto's room. It was very loud, easily loud enough to wake the kid even from that distance. Standing up quickly, he headed over and opened the cracked door completely. Even with the lights out, he could see what it was. The red and blue lights flashing on top, illuminating the color of the source. It was definitely a toy firetruck. Cutting the light on, he quickly went for it without hesitation. Flipping it around a few times, he finally found the switch to turn it off and on.

When he got it to stop he examined it further. It was something he was sure he had never gotten for the kid. Where it came from, he had no idea. Naruto wasn't really one for toys like that. He was more into remote controlled vehicles and video games. This little piece of plastic was… outdated in a way. Tossing it onto the bed, he headed for the door. Things were getting far too strange. Maybe… maybe the kid was serious about this ghost business.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he was again stopped in his tracks, this time by a figure… a figure standing at the threshold of his doorway. A white sheet draped over its short form, it was a child without a doubt. Considering where he was coming from, Jiraiya had an idea as to who it was… it had to be… "Naruto?" He called out timidly. "… Kid, what are you doing? I thought I told you to get to sleep."

He remained silent. Simply standing there, slight movements shifting the creases of his sheet.

"… k-… Kid… kid are you…" His attention was grabbed by the light fixture closest to his room that began to flicker. As it did, the sheeted figure took a step, his foot pulling the sheet a bit. He took a few more until he was almost passed the light which shut off completely. "w-What the f-.." Jiraiya's shaking voice called out in fear. The sheeted figure continued walking towards him, every step he took pulling more of the sheet down and every light fixture he passed cut off, momentarily drenching him in darkness before he reemerged. It went on and on like that for a while with Jiraiya stepping further and further back until his butt hit the edge of Naruto's desk.

The thought to run forward and shut the door never occurred to him. He was too afraid. Every light that shut off kicked his heartbeat up a notch until it was beating far faster than it ever had. When the sheeted figure reached the last light fixture, its last step is what pulled the sheet from its head, displaying… nothing as the light cutoff… With bated breaths, Jiraiya stared wide-eyed into that endless darkness, his heart running a thousand miles a minute… And then… the light of Naruto's room cut off.

(CLIFFY!)

AN: Mmmm… so it was Gaara… I think someone may have guessed it correctly in one of the reviews, but I'm not sure. I heard Kurama, but nah. It's Gaara… Even so! What do all of his confusing paranormal actions mean? What's gonna happen!? What does this have to do with Naruto's ability!? Guess away! Some of you may get it, some may not. But, all will be explained. Next chapter is the chapter for full revelations! Get ready for spooky!