A/N: Uhh...hello again? *listens to the silence* I'm sorry ^^; I've been doing a lot of other fanfics and neglected this...but now I'm going to try and finish this before I go on to any other long stories so please keep watching~

Gaara froze outside the door, his hand tightening on the door handle but he still didn't make an attempt to open the door. He didn't know what to do, or what to think for that matter as his brain blanked out, the words Kakashi had just uttered echoing around his head.

Naruto looked from the door to Gaara's expression, noting all the things whirling round his head from his facial expressions. He tried not to smile, realising that Gaara was for once feeling too many emotions to comprehend instead of his usual expressionless and unemotional view of everything. Though in spite of his happiness that Gaara was thinking and feeling for himself there was a pang of jealousy in his heart that Gaara had found his family and he was worried that now Gaara would leave him in favour of his family.

"Can't you two open a door?"

Naruto jumped at the voice behind him and spun, glaring at Sasuke. "Oi, bastard! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Whatever, idiot." Sasuke rolled his eyes before continuing down the corridor, a soft smirk on his face. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, especially not Naruto but he was starting to enjoy their little arguments or snide comments. They had definitely become jokier than the first time they had been said.

The door opened in front of Gaara and Naruto, Kakashi having heard Naruto and Sasuke talking. He smiled down at Gaara. "How long have you two been standing there?" His smile wavered slightly as Gaara ignored him and walked straight past him. "I'm guessing you heard then?"

Gaara nodded before beginning to pace for a second, his thoughts still in a jumble. He turned to Kakashi for a second. "Is it true?"

Kakashi nodded. "Apparently so."

Gaara nodded again before sitting down, a frown on his face, still trying to comprehend everything that was going through his head.

Naruto walked in, grinning at Gaara's facial expression. "Your head innards hurting?"

Gaara looked up at him, his face still perplexed. "Yeah."

Iruka looked between them, an eyebrow raised. "'Head innards'?"

Naruto looked over, shrugging. "Just something Kiba said."

Iruka shook his head, sighing. Maybe letting Kiba show them around had not been the best idea. He stood up and walked over to Gaara, wanting to help him. "Gaara? Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Gaara looked up at him, a million questions running through his head that he could ask before his head hurt again, making him hold his head. "I can't remember them..."

Kakashi sighed. "That's to be expected. A lot's happened since you've last seen them. They'll understand if that's what you're worried about."

Gaara turned to him. "Understand?" He hadn't even been thinking about what they'd think of him, just that he wouldn't know them. "I was more annoyed at myself for not remembering them."

Naruto winced for a second, having seen what everyone went through when they came into the lab. He ruffled Gaara's hair. "Idiot, you know you don't have any control over that."

Kakashi smiled as he watched Gaara begin to relax. "Don't worry, you'll have time to prepare before they get here and I'll hopefully get some more information about them as well so maybe we can jog your memories a bit."

Iruka smiled reassuringly as well. "Everything's going to be fine."

Gaara woke up and looked over at the clock, noticing it was 5 in the morning. He stood up and stretched before looking out of the window, trying not to wake up Naruto. He sighed. It had been a week since they had had the conversation with Kakashi and it was finally the day that Gaara's family would arrive. He was already nervous, Kakashi's information on his family having not helped him at all in remembering them. But at least now he knew that he was waiting for two people to arrive, his apparent older brother and older sister. Though their names still sounded foreign in his own thoughts. He had found out that his parents were dead, not that he cared too much about people he couldn't remember, even though he guessed he should care. He tried to calm down as he stared out at the empty street in front of him. What was he meant to say when he saw them? Would they know what had happened to him? Or would he have to explain? How would they react if he had to explain? Would they be scared of him? His stomach twisted painfully at the thought. What would he do if he finally met his family and instead of making bonds with them, he actually pushed them further away?

"What are you doing, Gaara?"

Gaara jumped at the voice behind him, spinning round, his heart beating faster. He tried to smile at Naruto. "Don't worry, just go back to sleep."

Naruto yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Nahh, I'm awake." He sat up properly, smiling tiredly, though he tried to hide it. "You need to stop worrying, Gaara. Just be yourself."

Gaara stared at him, disbelievingly. "Be myself? Emotionless me?"

Naruto sighed; this might be harder than he thought it would be.

Gaara continued to fidget as they were driven to the police station where he would meet his family. Still not knowing how he should behave around them and wondering what he should ask them first. Time slipped past quickly until suddenly he found himself inside the police station, wondering how he had gotten there so fast.

Kakashi smiled as he brought over two unfamiliar people. "Hey, Gaara. This is Temari and Kankuro." He looked over at Naruto who had come with Gaara. "Maybe we should leave them alone for a bit."

Gaara took Naruto's hand as he went to move away. He didn't want to be left on his own quite yet with two strangers.

Temari walked forward, staring at her brother before hugging him. "I know this is sudden and I'm sorry but I just really need to do this." She hugged him tighter and held him close. "We almost lost hope..."

Gaara froze at the hug, his hand letting go of Naruto's in shock. "Uhh...umm..." Gaara stood stuttering, not knowing how to take the situation and panicking because he still didn't recognise them.

Kankuro laughed and pulled Temari away. "Give him some space, Temari. You know that he doesn't know who we are."

Gaara looked at him guiltily and shuffled his feet. "I'm sorry..."

Temari shook her head. "No, no! It's fine. To be honest it's hard to recognise you." She said it sheepishly, recognising her own brother even if he had grown but hoping that he would be more relaxed if she said this.

Gaara did soften up a bit, relieved that he wasn't the only one in that position and realised they were probably just as nervous as he was. He licked his lips, feeling them go dry as he tried to ask some questions. "How did...umm...what happened?"

Kankuro shook his head. "How about we try and remember each other first, then have the meaningful chat?" He grinned. "Ohh, which reminds me..." He reached into his pocket, pulling out some folded paper. "We thought we should bring some photos with us, just to see if we could help you remember us."

Gaara took the photos wondering what they were. He opened them up, the first one being a scene of a birthday party, with him at the centre. He blinked as he recognised himself as a young boy before wincing and dropping the picture. 'Happy birthday' echoed round his head and he could smell burning candles. He shook his head, wondering what was going on ad picked up the photo again. "Sorry." He frowned afterwards, wondering how he knew that the scene had been a birthday party and what a candle was and what it smelt like.

Naruto grinned. "You remembered something, didn't you?"

Gaara jumped, almost having forgotten Naruto was there. "Huh? How would you know...?"

Naruto tutted. "You did that at school when people said something that sounded familiar; it wasn't hard to figure out." He yawned jokingly.

"Umm..." Both Gaara and Naruto turned around to Temari as she smiled at Naruto. "Who is this, Gaara?"

Gaara smiled, unknowingly. "This is Naruto, he's my friend." He looked over at Naruto, happy to be able to call someone that. "We escaped the lab together."

Temari smiled. "You've been looking after our Gaara then?"

Naruto nodded, grinning widely. "Something like that."

Kankuro coughed softly, grabbing their attention. "I don't want to bring up something painful but have you found your family yet, Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nope."

Gaara pulled him over, feeling protective. "He's family." He looked guiltily at his new found siblings, not wanting them to think he had replaced them but also wanting to help Naruto and show him he wasn't going to disappear, he'd made a promise after all.

Temari laughed. "Well then." She stepped closer again and pulled Naruto this time into a hug. "If your Gaara's family that makes you our family as well." She smiled down at Naruto. "That is if you don't mind having another brother and sister."

Naruto grinned, happy that Gaara's family were this nice and that now he wouldn't feel left out. "No, that's great. Thank you." He felt warm inside, though he didn't really understand why.

Temari let go. "Good. Well, for starters we need to go shopping." She laughed at the confused look on the faces in front of her and the disbelieving one behind her. "What? I heard that you're wearing cast offs at the moment, you need your own clothes." She grinned before grabbing Naruto and Gaara's hand in each of her own and pulling them towards the exit.

A few hours later and all four of them were back inside Naruto and Gaara's flat, the atmosphere a lot warmer than it had been to begin with. Gaara, though, was still apprehensive. So far every time he had tried to get the conversation rolling about what had happened his siblings had changed the subject, not wanting to destroy the happy atmosphere they had got going. He sighed as he stared out of the window again, frowning slightly at the rain hitting it as he thought through how to get them to talk.

Naruto walked up behind him, feeling out of place again as he noticed Gaara getting more and more frustrated about not being told anything. "Do you want me to leave for a bit so you can talk?"

Gaara turned, shock etched on his face before smiling. "You really can tell what I'm thinking, can't you? Would that be Ok? I mean it's tipping it down." He pointed out of the window. "What would you do?"

Naruto laughed, his lies coming easily. "Don't worry about that. Kiba invited me out with everyone else earlier but I said I couldn't go. I don't think they'd mind if I said I was free now." He slipped on his jacket, newly bought by Temari who wouldn't take no for an answer when she saw how good it looked on him, and put his phone in his pocket. "I've got my phone so I'll give you a text if the plans change." He left before Gaara could stop him, not wanting Gaara to see through the lies because he knew then that he wouldn't be able to leave.

Gaara sighed as he looked at the closed door before turning to his now silent siblings who were looking at each other worriedly. "Do you think you could tell me what happened now, please? I know it might be upsetting for you to talk about but it's really frustrating not remembering." He smiled helplessly.

Kankuro sighed. "It's not that, it's just still a shock for us to see you. We'd given up hope, thought you were dead, we don't want to ruin things now."

Gaara shook his head softly, not looking up at them. "I know but...I really want to know. I hate the fact that I don't remember you properly, it's only vague and inconsistent and it hurts to try and remember more."

Kankuro sighed again as he sat down on one of the beds, Temari following suit. "Fine, I'll tell you what I can remember. You went missing on your...9th birthday I think it was." Temari nodded, to show he was right. Kankuro smiled ironically. "You were so happy because for once our parents would be there for your birthday; they normally were too busy with work. Unfortunately they were called away at the last minute for a job and as you never saw them on your birthday and were upset you asked if you could go with them." He shook his head. "We don't know what happened after that, we couldn't go with you."

Even though he knew it had happened years ago, a small sense of relief passed through him at the fact that they couldn't come with them. Then all three of them would have been stuck in the laboratory, a thought which sent a shiver down his spine, though he was slightly happy for it as he realised he felt a connection with his siblings, a feeling of wanting to protect them. His thoughts came out in a mutter. "It's a good thing you couldn't come."

Temari and Kankuro exchanged a glance before Temari carried on the story. "All we know is that that night we received word that our parents had been killed and that they couldn't find your body. We tried so hard to believe you were still alive, but as the years went on..."

Gaara took in the information sluggishly, like his brain was refusing to comprehend it. It took him a minute to realise that the dream he always had was that of his parents dying, but he still felt no emotion towards them or their deaths. Maybe he still couldn't accept it or maybe, he realised belatedly, he had been so responsive in the programs at the laboratory that helped strip them of emotion because he felt guilty for his parents death, he knew that because of his selfish wish to see them he had led them to their deaths. His face twisted in pain momentarily. "If only I hadn't gone..."

Kankuro stood up and placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. It wasn't your fault."

Gaara shook his head. "It was...the laboratory only takes children..."

Temari stood up as well and gave him another hug before pulling back and staring at him. "Now it's your turn, you need to tell us what's happened since we last saw you."

Meanwhile, Naruto traipsed along the streets of the town, shaking his wet hair out of his face as he wondered how long he should give Gaara and his family before he went back. He kicked at a puddle, spraying up water before looking around, not really aware of his surroundings in the fierce torrent of rain. He blinked up at the sky, just standing watching the rain fall, looking depressed to anyone who happened to see him.

"What are you up to now, idiot? Trying to catch a cold?"

Naruto turned to the voice, not really thinking that anyone would notice him in this weather. He smiled. "Hey, bastard."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and stepped closer; sharing the umbrella he had with Naruto. "Moron, you are going to get sick, you know." He shook his head, glad that he had seen him before he spent too long out here and caught pneumonia or something before wondering why the hell he cared, he had only gone out because he realised he had no food in the house. "So, you didn't answer my question, what are you doing out here?"

"The police found Gaara's family." He looked over and saw Sasuke's confused look and realised he wasn't meant to say anything about what had happened to them. "Uhh...we haven't seen our families in years; we don't really talk about it." He looked away, pretending it was painful. "But anyway, they've found Gaara's family, so I thought I should give them some time alone to...get to know each other again I guess."

Sasuke sighed and shook his head, Naruto looked so lonely when he spoke like that, a look he knew well from the mirror. He prodded Naruto to look at him again.

"Hey, do you want to come to mine for a bit? Just until they've finished that is."