A/N: Thanks to watching the third and latest Mission Impossible movie, I got so inspired. I want to write this fic so badly because of the ideas that are flowing in my head. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

O-O-O

It was still dark. The sun had barely come up. In around 4 AM in the morning, a 15-year-old blonde shinobi grabbed his backpack and jumped out his window, holding his backpack which was over his shoulder. He thought the fifth Hokage would know he left early. Uzumaki Naruto would be passing through deserts, running on all the sand. He wanted to leave early and to avoid getting a heat stroke.

Running through the forests outside of Konoha, Naruto didn't stop to waste time. He had to see the Kazekage. He did not bother to ask what this was about. He wouldn't want to. He just wanted to end things and get some horrible and disastrous thoughts out of his mind.

It took a while... It took hours of running nonstop to reach the other end of the forest but it was another thing Naruto wouldn't care about. Reaching the end of the forests and the start of deserts, though, Naruto stopped and quickly got a bottle of water from his bag and held it, placing his backpack back on his shoulders. He continued to run. It was only around 10 AM in the morning, Naruto thought, and the burning sun was already up high. Naruto always hated the desert. He preferred places with just the right temperature: not too hot and not too cold. Not wanting any more distractions, Naruto only ran nonstop yet again.

Nobody could stand the heat. Naruto already ran out of two bottles of water and he was barely half way across running above all the sand. And every few minutes later, the wind blowing against Naruto would get stronger, little by little. Naruto still didn't stop at this. He needed to go to Sunagakure as promised. Nothing would stop him from keeping his word. Even if it wasn't at all so important to him, the mission, keeping his word was always his way of doing things. No, nothing should change his mind. Nothing should go wrong.

Maybe that was just as Naruto thought it ought to be.

The blonde covered his face with his arms for the wind had still grown stronger, blowing more and more sand. Naruto looked up a bit to see a huge whirl of sand not so far away.

"Fuck that!"

Naruto turned and ran for the whirl of sand moved toward his direction, like all the other particles of desert sand. Cursing out loud, Naruto did his best to run but was soon caught by the whirl of sand that we call a tornado.

"Shit!"

It was strange to be carried by a tornado. To make things worse, Naruto was in the desert! Too much sand covered his whole body. It was like the blonde couldn't breathe. He just kept on cursing out loud but not loud enough to be heard. The wind was just too strong and too loud like thunder. It was like being in a washing machine. Naruto felt like he was being thrown from one side to the other in a circular motion. Uneven with the speed of the tornado, Naruto couldn't get out. He stayed high up in the air, trying to hold on and stay conscious. But being just a simple human, Naruto lost his conscious anyway...

It was only a matter of time when a boy opened his eyes a little. He was still in the desert. The tornado had stopped. The only thing is that Naruto didn't know how long he had been unconscious. But when he opened his eyes, he saw a shadow blocking the sunlight. He figured it was someone from the Hidden Village of Sand. Being too tired, Naruto dropped his head back on the ground and lay unconscious one last time.

O-O-O

"Mm. Ugh. Hm."
"He's waking up."
"Hmph."

Leaf ninja Uzumaki Naruto jerked his eyes open to find himself on a bed. He looked around to see that the place was neat. The room had stone walls and carved wooden furniture yet very detailed. However it was, Naruto was unfamiliar with it. He sat up on the bed that he laid on and looked down to see his backpack. Someone had obviously found him in the middle of the desert and brought him to his or her home. Naruto looked at the front of the bed and saw three people who turned out to be the three well known Sand siblings.

Naruto quickly got off the bed and bowed. "Gaara, or rather... Kazekage-sama, I'm sorry to have caused you trouble. I was foolish and careless."
"Save your sorries. It was a good thing we arrived in time to stop the tornado. Be thankful. And... think about yourself for once, Uzumaki." Gaara, as the Kazekage, said and left with no other word said.
Naruto looked up in time to see Gaara leave the room. He looked at the other two Sand siblings, Kankurou and Temari.

Kankurou had put aside the bat man look yet he had more facial paintings than from almost three years ago. Temari sported a new outfit as well, yet she still had the same hairstyle. It seemed that many have changed, Naruto thought.

Kankurou, with nothing to say nor do, left the room. Temari did the same. Though before leaving the room, Temari informed Naruto that Gaara wanted to see him later. Naruto should want to get another good rest first, Temari added. With that, the green-eyed blonde closed the door after exiting the room. Naruto hesitated, thinking he should tell Temari about Shikamaru at first, and thought about how Temari might react. Naruto shook his head. "I'll tell Temari some other time. If I tell her now, it would be too sudden..." With the thought, Naruto lay on the bed and rested once again.

After an hour of taking a nap, Naruto walked down a hallway of the building where he was currently in. Reaching outside his destination, Naruto looked at the pictures that were on the wall, just outside the room where he would enter in a few minutes. Naruto observed everything about the four pictures, the pictures of the previous Kazekages. He looked to the far right to see the fifth picture and the picture of the current Kazekage, the youngest Kazekage, with the name of the man imprinted on the bottom of the photo.

"Sabaku no Gaara"

It surprised Naruto that Gaara, one of his comrades, had become Kazekage, leader of his own village. Naruto had wanted to be Hokage. Gaara had the title of a Kazekage long before Naruto would ever be Hokage. This made Naruto frown.

"Uzumaki."

Naruto closed his eyes and walked into the now open door of the Kazekage's office. Naruto reopened his eyes as Gaara closed the door. The room was as neat as the room Naruto found himself in. The place also had hard stone walls. The pictures of the Kazekages, either previous or current, were also in the room. Two huge plants in pots stood, one on each corner in the room's side of where the door was. Whatever it looked like, it was fit for a Kazekage. Naruto walked to a desk which was placed in the center of the room. On one side of the desk sat Gaara. Naruto sat on the other.

"Tsunade-baachan said you wanted to see me, personally."

Gaara closed his eyes and began to speak. "Last week, two unknown people broke in here to take one of Suna's secret scrolls. Before any of the two could find it, I had entered the room when I heard noises. They were caught, eventually. And when we asked questions, they did not answer. They had the forehead protectors of Hidden Rock Village. I contacted the Tsuchikage. He told me that he did not know about these two, but he told me two villagers were murdered a few days ago, before I contacted him.

"The two that we caught probably killed the two villagers and took their forehead protectors. We still have no idea where these two are from. I called you to help protect the scrolls. Do not ask why I have asked only you to come. I will explain. I know that the Uchiha has left your village. I also seem to have figured out, like anyone else, that you care for the welfare of the Sakura girl. And besides, you are the one that has most of my trust.

"Remember the time during the chuunin exams? You have thought me something great. I thank you, Uzumaki... Our guards will look out for more foreign ninjas. You only have to deal with those that manage to get into the room of our scrolls. In the mean time, feel free to roam around the village. Don't ask any more."

Naruto looked up and nodded, following what he was told. The red head waved his hand in a dismissing way. Naruto understood. He got off the chair he sat on and walked to the door. He opened the door, left the room and closed the door after.

Naruto walked around, observing everything in Suna that surrounded him. The village was peaceful. Gaara seemed to be doing well as a Kazekage. Naruto sighed. He wondered what the others were doing. He had no friends here. Then again, he didn't even feel like talking to anyone who was back at Konoha. But what can he do while there was nothing to do? Naruto went through the problem thinking of what to do, when there was absolutely nothing to do, again.

"He- Hey! Give me back my books!"

Naruto looked to the direction to where he heard the shout. It was right behind him. He saw a brown-haired girl who was about his age. She wore a simple, white shirt and black shorts. Her hair was messy but it was tied in a bun anyway. Around her were three other guys holding around one or two books each.

Naruto approached the group and got one book from one of the guys. "What are you doing?"
The guys stayed silent but one then spoke. "What are you doing? This isn't any of you're business!"
"I can make it my business."
The boy who spoke shook his head. "Let's get out of here." With that, the two other teens dropped the books there were holding and ran.

Naruto picked up the four books and handed them over to the girl. "You're a book worm."
"Well, I get interested easily..."
"I see. So, uhm, what's your name? And why were those guys bugging you? You seem too pretty to be bullied."
The girl chuckled. "They're just mad. Do you know that guy who got up against you? I rejected him a few years back. I'm taken. Oh. I'm Shakiru. What's your name?"
"the name's Uzumaki Naruto. I'm fifteen years old and single."
Shakiru giggled a little bit more and waved good bye. "I'll see you around, Naruto."
Naruto nodded.

"Damn. She's taken. Well, it's no wonder. Those brown eyes are beautiful." Naruto murmured once Shakiru was out of sight. Naruto walked to one building and sat on a bench outside it. He watched as people passed by, all having their own lives to go on with.

"You won't get girls just sitting around, kid."

Naruto looked to his side to see no other than a blonde like himself, yet a few years older.

"Well, it's not like I want to get a girl. I don't know if I'll even get one."
Temari sighed. "Aww. What happened between you and the pinky?" she asked, teasingly.
Naruto stayed silent as his lips curved downwards. "It's nothing, really. It's... I can't explain it."
"And why not? Are you still the drop out that we knew?"
Naruto smirked and so did Temari.
"Look, I have two brothers, and I think I can help you out... So, what's bothering you?"
Naruto smiled and began to speak. It was nice to have someone to talk to, at least.

O-O-O

A/N: It was only slight NaruTema. I'm so sorry! I did say I have to bring their relationship to higher levels... Anyway, also remember Shakiru... She has an important role in this story...