A/N: My, am I rude! Even I can't believe on how long I stopped writing! Anyway, I apologize for my very late updates and my very poor skill. I have my laziness to blame but I'm really sorry!

And thank you for all those that reviewed the last chapter! Love you so much people!

A Reset of the Start

Naruto stole a glance at the new face that he was dragging whilst he tightened his grip on the red head's hand, their destination coming closer. He knew that the other must have been a bit uneasy after a few minutes had gone by from their walk but that wouldn't affect nor deter him. He needed to talk to this kid and he knew the best place to begin it. Which was why he kept tugging.

While Gaara couldn't help but notice the tightened grip on his hand and the pace that kept getting faster, he also saw the sudden flash of great determination on the other's face. On what initiated it? That was a mystery. Oddly he allowed his previous devious thoughts about the death of the blonde slip away and his mind was kept blank and his eyes were focused on the tan kid's orange clad back.

It was after a few more comfortable moments spent by almost' kin in circumstance' before the smaller boy halted in front of a tree leading to an opening of another forest. Gaara was baffled some more. Naruto had this strange aura that emits from him even from the previously uncaring but happy demeanor he had held. But what made raised his curiosity more was the fact that the boy led him out of the forest to lead him to another one? Now what was going on?

"Kid," Gaara began."…you made me go out of the comforts of a forest just to lead me to another one that you preferred? Or do you want me to destroy this one as well?" His eyes was trained on the other, waiting for an excusable reply while scrutinizing the emotions that kept changing or concealed by the azure colored orbs.

"Baka." Naruto more than mumbled.

…

Emerald widened. No one had ever dared to call him stupid. Even after he left his hometown, the villagers from all the places that he took residence in were still too terrified at such a scary and dangerous looking child to call him anything short of a praise or a polite reply. To say the bit least, he was getting more interested at this someone that stood before him, grinning like there was no more sunny days to spend other than now. "Then tell me."

Naruto opened his eyes more from the three-fourths lidded form that it had become from his grin and he turned to seriousness that was forever hidden for those that were too busy at being ignorant to understand. "Hold your questions behind you for now and don't get too excited. It's nothing special but I want you to follow me. It's up to you, though I'd appreciate if you'd come." He went in an about face and resumed his walking together with its pace before they had stopped, heading to the growing mass of trees of the forest.

With little hesitation, if absolutely none, Gaara followed, as quiet as he had ever been with squinted eyes. Naruto hid a smile again. So he had gathered the other's interest then That was new. But he was more than glad. Truly, the only thing he could wish for now is to calm his raging and squirming stomach, unknown to all except for himself. It was rare to know that another would understand, because sometimes, it just seemed impossible. Then from a distant thought, he could almost assume them to be the same…He shook his head mentally, trying to clear his thoughts. /I'm better off alone than wishing other's to feel this pain too. /

The sky had darkened and the trees kept growing impossibly taller and loomed over them ever since they had reached a certain part of the woodland. Gaara who had mastered the art of patience continued to follow without further comments as to not disturb the pregnant silence. The place was like a sanctuary on its own that Gaara didn't need to get reprimanded at to know that this place held knowledge and importance more than he'll or for that matter, anyone would take into account. It was full of natural and authentic nature beauty, untainted by the outside world.

It was something that was so similar the two of them that was changed through time…and yet…

There was no visible forest trail, he noticed, and all that was left to tell that anything had passed were broken branches and twigs that had hindered them earlier from their way to wherever. The sounds of various things found at the forest floor, distracted, were continually heard.

He closed his eyes, being in such a relaxed condition that was deprived from him for so long. That position with his head slightly inclined with the ground stayed for a while before a yelp startled him which immediately brought him on guard. His eyes opened in narrow slits and he swept the surroundings with his emerald gaze…and found Naruto clumsily falling forward. Probably by some stray twig that had gotten in his feet's way. Looking at the situation more clearly, he decided that it was too late to help, but he tried so nonetheless. He had activated the sand and got it to circle the blonde's body in a vise like grip and succeeded to stop the other's fall.

Then he was stunned. Attacked by a sudden surge of haunted memories he would rather forget.

Gaara clutched his head tightly with his left hand and the other went straight onto his chest. "Argh..!" he moaned in a strangled voice. The entire of its master's distraction made the sand go slack and left the unprepared Naruto to fall hard on the forest ground in a stalled thud. But before the blonde made himself busy with his slightly hurting elbows and knees, he kneeled in front of the fallen boy companion.

"Gaara? Gaara, are you okay?! What happened?!" he demanded, getting more panicky over the crumbled state of his new friend. "Gaara!"

"Tell my name once—more and---I'll kill you, ---KID!" and there was the especially painful wave whilst his muscles were rocked by a succession of spasms. Naruto, without thinking twice, enclosed Gaara in a protective childish hug and would've have placed his head above the other's if only he had more damned height. He just then proceeded to lay it on Gaara's shaking shoulders and began whispering, "It'll be alright.", and other similar things continuously in an effort to comfort. It took quite a while before the twitching and trembling stopped.

Neither of them cared of the intimate gesture that was shared.

After a minute or two of staying still, Gaara finally found where his predicament lay…He had just allowed someone, or more so, an untrustworthy human hug him to comfort. The moment it struck him, he placed both his palms on Naruto's chest to push him off, all the while, waiting to see the boy raise his head to stare meaningfully at those blue eyes. "You sure you're feeling fine now?" the sun asked him one last time for assurance. He mutely nodded his answer and briskly stood up. Naruto later copied the action and was again side-by-side with him.

"You know Gaa—" he was cut mid-way through his words with a glare. "Uh…Gaa-chan! Yeah. You know, what just happened was kinda weird."

Innocent and invisible (or perhaps VERY lightly colored) eyebrows twitched, making his facial features scrunch up from it's near to none amount of growth. "Excuse me? I could not recall the time I allowed you to call me that way."

"Then call me Naru-chan. And besides," He had already placed his crossed arms behind his head by this time, looking as dense as ever,"…you told me not to speak your name. That's why I gave you my very own and original nick name. Nice, ne? I think I like it and would very much like to keep it!"

/I emphasize, dense. / Gaara thought half ruefully, half amused.

So, where was the seriousness and concern the child has displayed earlier? This was extremely wei-."So, Gaa-chan, what's the weird thing? I mean the thing that happened just about now?"

"Not your business. Now lead me to wherever it is we're supposed to be going to before I go on away and on my own."

This earned him a half groan from the demon fox's container. "Don't be too snappish. I'm not forcing you into this anyway!" a pout and they had started off where they had just left. All the while the recent events…no, everything was encasing the red-head in a private dilemma that had him thinking until his head hurt of what could possibly he be led into. Is this encounter to be turned into Betrayal? Hurt? Discrimination?...and from the more brighter side of him…Friendship?.

It was back as it was before the unexpected stopover and forever seemed to take a whole new meaning. Not one of them dared to utter anything; duly paying their respect to the justified serenity. And that was until a lake was then viewed past the trunks that looked thinner and thinner the closer they get to the body of water. After clearing the forest, the two boys both laid their eyes on what they could deem as a shelter, however ragged and shunned the impression it gave those that had the chance to pass by it. It stood by the boundary of the forest and the lake side; an orange cloth that was covered in stitches, which was probably due that it had actually been forced to stick together held up by weak and what appears to be very feeble sticks.

/Figures./ He should have known that the boy had absolutely no idea at the things coming his way. It might as well be that he had been just been curious at his—no, Shukaku's powers that he had dragged him all over to what could be the link between what could be barely considered a home and a complete trash.

Scoffing he returned to forcing a real answer from Naruto. "And what is this? This couldn't possibly be your home. Is it?"

Naruto smiled morosely. Something he had not seen the blonde do before now. "Actually it is."

GaaNaru present timeline

"Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu!" bellowed Gaara and his head immediately tilted down in immediate sleep, at the same time, rousing some strange power, or is it a beast right at the core of the monster form he was lulled into.

Without a second too late, Naruto went into a panic, making even the Gamabunta crease his eyebrows in worried exasperation. Really, after the time they spent fighting, why did he have to choose this time to be a real wimp?

"You need to punch him awake, Naruto!" Gamabunta shouted over the loud noise of breaking trees and fleeing animals of the forest. It was the command that will serve to be their very lifeline in this battle. "I know!" replied Naruto, also shouting at the large frog. "But you need to get closer so that I could hit him, Oyabi! And, God! Stop that monster's movements first!"

"Compressed Air Ball!" Shukaku had escaped and attacked them at the first chance.

Gamabunta jumped high in the air, giving off his own water elemental attack in counter. "I don't have any claws to hold him still, Naruto! And I have to admit that I've never been good with the Henge. You'd have to be the one to perform the seals." Naruto nodded mutely in response and quickly browsed his mind for anything close to a decent clawed animal.

"Now!"

"Matte! Matte!...Uh.." His eyes lit up all of a sudden and a seal begun to be performed by his practiced hands. "Henge no Jutsu!"

His voice was lifted all throughout the clearing they have created with rapid upsurge of their powers and attacks and everything next came in with a big, cloudy dust of smoke.

And behold. All the viewers' eyes held nothing short of surprise within their depths as the figure of the legendary demon appeared before them in what seemed to be its glory. Tails swishing, they watched as it launched itself to the enemy and proceeded to cling itself to the unfortunate one.

Naruto jumped as soon as he felt Gamabunta's transformed self touch Shukaku and he landed with a soft thud at the sand's monster. Without thinking any further, a punch was delivered to the sleep deprived red haired boy, and surely but slowly, lids began to flutter open while a screeching scream held the forest still for seconds.

"Y..You…"

The voice of Gaara floated lightly in the air.

Will the fight continue now that Shukaku, Gaara's strongest weapon has disappeared?

GaaNaru past once again

The foreshock dissipated a minute later, which was actually quite a long time and the next thing Gaara saw was the sheepishly grinning face of Naruto.

"How..?"

"'Cause we're the same. He told me so, just about right now since I had doubted it earlier." He placed a hand to the back of his head to ruffle the tangled blonde before tuning around and heading to the rugs he called sanctuary., his home, knowing and sure that his 'friend' would follow.

Baffled, confused. It was all understatements. What did he mean that they were the same? And who is he? Is anyone here other than them and Shukaku that he hadn't notice before? But that is going to be absolutely weird. His chakra could spread like wild fire if he had wanted to and he would've felt any presence within his fifty meters range. If there was indeed any.

"You confuse me."

"Of course I do! I do it to everyone!" Only a hint of pain and it had hit him. Gaara can't believe what this all could mean, and so, he went to the blonde Naruto boy and gripped his collar, slightly shaking him with force of…What?

"I have a demon residing in me." Blunt. Too blunt for this sunny kid but Gaara kept his hold and looked the other in the eyes making emeralds face with sapphires. "Gaara, I know what you're thinking." Naruto said.

His forehead immediately formed knots and a painful twist was added to the corners of his mouth. "Oh, really?" he asked, and spiced it with a sardonic rhythm.

Gaara breathed.

"Yes. I--" Naruto tried to start and expain, but at that instant, he was thrown to the ground by a force he wasn't much surprised of.. "Gaara…?" his soft voice lingered as the other walked a step back.

"Naruto…come."

GAANARU present timeline

"I?" Naruto asked innocently whence they both lay on the ground exhausted. The previous fall of Gaara's technique had left them blasted and lying dirty on the soft mattress of the earth and grass beneath them. Everything was over and even the great giant frog had left them and away with his convoy.

The wind blew stirring their hair slightly though upon the ground. "…Killed him…"

The one addressed just grinned in response beside Gaara, being the only action he could manage for the time being. "Baka" he muttered. Gaara's eyes widened. "And now you're going to whip your head towards me, and..." Naruto continued. "Gaara, he's only asleep."

Gaara nodded, his pale skin softly flowing against his flesh as he did so before blinking. Their teammates are obviously still in search for them and what was to be of their bodies. Alive or not. A hand trailed down his upper left forehead and towards the red tattoo that marred it.

"Come."

A silent demand.

…

And Naruto did.

TBC

A/N: To tell the truth, I don't much like this chapter. It looks rushed and stuff…But I'm going to rest my fate into your hands. Please review and tell me what to do.

P.S: Oh yeah…again, I had this for months but well…my plan on posting only when I've created a chapter after the thing I'm going to post was blocked by latency. I don't have the next chapter right now so…

Reviews would serve as my working force!