Did a kunai just fly past my face? Why? Who? I don't understand. Where are they? What are they trying to do? Is it Akatsuki? Is it Orochimaru? What's going on? Wait, who is that? An ANBU. Why is there an ANBU after me? And it's Konoha. I don't understand. What's going on? What's happening?

Another kunai. A fire jutsu. Why is he trying to kill me? Wait. You're what? Here to assassinate the demon? Tsunade-sama's orders? But why? I don't understand!

Fine. I'll just have to kill you before you can kill me! First I'll knock you around a little with my U-zu-ma-ki Naruto Rendan. How about a Rasengan you bastard? And then I'll break your face while you're lying there in pain.

Your mask. But, I know you. You're… You're… IRUKA-SENSEI! WHY? Why Iruka-sensei. You were the only one I truly trusted and respected! I can't believe this. Why?

What do you mean? You wanted to kill me? But… I didn't kill your parents! Kyuubi no Kitsune did! It wasn't me. Yondaime put it in me! I never asked for the demon.

Please. Please. Please. Iruka-sensei. Those eyes. Don't look at me with those eyes. Everyone else looks at me with those eyes. Not you too. Please. Don't call me that name with your eyes.

Bakemono. I'm not. Bakemono. Please! I'm not! Bakemono. I'm not a fucking… Monster! You… I… I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT A MONSTER I CAN BE!

I'll show you all the power of a bakemono. I'll show you what I can do. What this Kyuubi inside of me can do for me. I'll finish what it started here in Konoha all those years ago. I'll destroy this village.

I'll start with Sasuke and Sakura-chan. Kakashi-sensei. Those who put me down. Kiba and Shino. Shikamaru and Chouji and Ino. Neji and Lee. Jiraiya. Tsunade. And even all those poor defenseless villagers with no way of defending themselves from the Kyuubi. There's no Yondaime to stop me now. No one who can seal away what I, the Great Uzumaki Naruto has released upon this hidden village.

Nothing can ever stop me now.

Especially you, Iruka-sensei. Are you dead yet? I'll hop down to where I left you before this rampage. Oh. You're still alive. I'll just have to rip out your heart then, won't I? Look Iruka-sensei, its still beating in my hand.

No. No. This can't be. No. I don't believe it. You're not Iruka-sensei. Damn you! Damn you straight to the fiery pits of Hell where you belong, Kabuto. BASTARD! You tricked me. How could you trick me! I've killed everyone who ever knew me. I've ruined everything. Killed those I wanted to protect. No. No. I refuse to believe this. No. No. No. No. No.

"NO!"

Gaara jumped, startled by the sudden outburst from the unconscious boy. When he looked up, Naruto was sitting straight up in his bed crying. Without thinking, he reached for the blue button to alert the nurses. Tears streamed down his face. Suddenly the blond boy wrapped his arms around himself and screamed as the pain from moving caught up with him. Blue eyes met Gaara's and pleaded with his own.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to kill everyone."

"It was a nightmare," Gaara said in an almost reassuring tone. He was inexperienced in comforting someone and didn't know how to react. He sat very still while he watched Naruto cry from the dream and from the pain he was in. Gaara smelt in the air that some of the wounds Naruto suffered had reopened and were bleeding again. He told the other boy to lie back down.

A nurse entered frantically. She also tried to get Naruto to lie back down. Eventually he did as she slowly guided his head back to the pillow. She told his that everything was going to be alright. Everything was okay now. The Hokage was on her way to see Naruto immediately. Gaara silently wondered if the Hokage had the time to rush to see one little genin. He wondered if this was just a way to comfort someone.

Naruto turned his sad eyes to Gaara. With the last of the strength he had left, the Konoha ninja asked one small favor of the Suna ninja.

"Help me. Please."

Gaara failed to reply before Naruto passed out again. He wondered if Naruto meant to help him with the pain or the nightmare. Perhaps both.

He whispered to the sleeping boy, "You've already helped me so much. I'd do anything for you."

The redhead hesitantly brushed away a lock of golden hair from the other boys face. His hand snapped back as the door opened again and he realized the nurse was still in the room. His face became hard and he stood up. With a determined look in his eyes, he walked from the room. Brushing past the newcomer, who he later realized upon reflection, was the Godaime Hokage.

Gaara walked, simply because he didn't think it would be proper to show up out of breath to the Hokage's office for a meeting. He had things to settle between Suna and Konoha. Many diplomatic things to discuss. And one very, very important thing he wished to tell the kunoichi leader. Something that would be a peace offering to Konoha but still fulfill his personal interests.

He waited there patiently for over an hour for the Hokage to return. When she did, she invited him into her office. She did not look at him, nor did she greet him the way she should a diplomat. Instead, she just waved him in without a word.

They began discussing relations. Gaara apologized many times in the name of his village. He said that he had thought of many ways to restore relations between the two ninja villages. Tsunade agreed to most of them, turn down a few others that she believed were just self-punishment of Sunagakure. Gaara saved the best one he had thought of yet for last. He took a deep breath and prepared himself.

"Hokage-sama," he began with determination, "I have one last proposal for you. However, if you refuse, then I will refuse to complete any of the things we have previously discussed in this room."

Tsunade blinked, mouth wide. "What gives you the right to make that remark? And what is so important that you would risk Suna and Konoha's relationship?"

"I wish to be a test subject of yours. I will agree to whatever tests you need to perform in order to better understand Naruto-kun's situation. You can perform tests on me. On my demon. Anything you need. On two conditions. You figure out how to seal Shukaku like Kyuubi is sealed. And you heal Uzumaki Naruto.

Tsunade stood from behind her desk. She was shocked beyond belief. All the things she had heard about this boy… and then he does something like this. She was befuddled. She was flabbergasted. She was in awe. Never in a million years had she thought Sabaku no Gaara would even think about agreeing to be tested upon, possibly painfully, to save another's life.

When she came to her senses, she immediately agreed with a big "OF COURSE I AGREE TO THAT!"

And so, Gaara stood. Proclaimed that the meeting was over and that he was going back to the hospital. That's where he would be all night and tomorrow. She knew which room to find him in of course. Naruto's. In the midst of it all, Tsunade completely forgot to ask what happened when the said hospitalized boy woke up.