Okay a few of you thought that I was going to change Sasuke or Rai's appearance, and while thats tempting they are going to stay mostly the same as

the original Sasuke and Naruto were. A few minor things in their looks will change but you would have to look twice to notice. I want them to be able

to be recognize for my own reasons but they will both inherit traits from the opposite gene pool ;)

Chapter 7: Three Year olds

It had been three years since Naruto Uzumaki went MIA and Sasuke Uchiha wasn't reported seen afterward either. What was left of the rookie nine plus Kakashi, Tsunade, Kurenai, Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, and Iruka had made a pack to keep an eye out for Naruto, and share any information they found with each other… they hadn't found a trace.

Naruto was now nineteen years old, living in a small civilian village with his three year old twin sons. It was a bit too close to the sand village but he'd managed to not attract too much attention… though they'd only lived there about a month. The blond sage master had left Mount Myoboku about six months after his and Sasuke's 'mysterious disappearance'. He'd been moving every 6 months to a year ever since, honestly he was surprised they hadn't been recognized, or he hadn't been recognized yet.

After all who would connect a toddler to 'Uchiha Sasuke, powerful, missing Konoha nin.' Until Sasuke and Rai-chan were older he just had to worry about not standing out himself. In this village he was keeping up a small Henge around his face and hair, so that his hair while still spiky looked black and the whisker marks on his face couldn't be seen. Both made him stand out too much and having black hair would at least make it look like Sasuke was related to him.

"Tou-chan!" Sasuke and Rai-chan called in harmony rushing into the kitchen where Naruto was looking in the fridge. Honestly for not being completely natural twins, they had that weird talking at the same time thing down perfectly… they probably practiced just to freak people out.

"Um?" Naruto hummed acknowledging their presents while still looking over what there was to eat.

"Can we go to the park, Tou-chan?" Rai asked with hope shining in his eyes. Sasuke wanted to go badly too and they both waited with rapt attention for their answer. They hadn't seen the park in the new village they were living in so they were even more excited than normal. Naruto looked at them but knew as soon as he did he wouldn't be able to say no.

"Are all your toys picked up?" Naruto asked hoping to at least get something out of the deal. Rai and Sasuke looked at each other nervously thinking they wouldn't get to go if they told the truth, but knowing perfectly well that their father would check. They hung their heads.

"No…" The boys said at the same time again, and even in the same tone. Naruto smirked, in a few years they'd use that just to annoy people… if they weren't already.

"Alright then guys, go pick up your toys and we'll go to the park as soon as you're done!" Naruto clapped, as if a signal both boys rushed to their choir.

"'Kay!" they shouted back together. Naruto just smiled and shook his head thinking at least they weren't as… mischievous as he'd been as a kid, yet anyway. They were only three. Within ten minutes they were back, done with the task he'd been telling them to do all week, though most the stuff on the floor was Rai-chan's. The two toddlers practically pulled the 19 year old ninja out the door.

Once they were about half way to the park Naruto grabbed both Sasuke and Rai-chan and put one boy on each of his shoulders. They laughed and each grabbed a tiny handful of his hair to hang on. Naruto put them on his shoulders almost every chance he got; he may not have ever been lifted high on anyone's shoulders but he was happy and proud to hold up his sons and show them off.

Some of the young women he walked by looked at him and the boys blushing and giggling. He smirked knowing that they thought he was 'cute.' More than one girl had come up before, in other towns when he was playing with one of his sons just to tell him so. Sometimes he hung out with them, went on a date or two. He even spent a few 'late nights' with some of them, but he never really took a real relationship with any of them.

To do so would mean he'd have to tell which ever girl the truth about himself, Sasuke, and Rai-chan. Even if he found a girl that wouldn't run away screaming after that though, he had to find one he actually liked and could trust with not only his life but his sons. Naruto just hadn't found that girl.

As Naruto felt Rai-chan's hand grip is hair tighter he glanced up at him, the boy looked nervous. Glance toward Sasuke-chan Naruto saw that he was looking at everything with pure curiosity. The teen could really figure it out Rai-chan was a lot like he'd been like as a kid at home but when around other people he didn't know he tended to shy away.

Naruto had tried to not compare Rai to himself but at time like this he couldn't help but wonder if the villagers hadn't ignored him and he never felt the need to make people see him, would he have been shy too? Then as he took in Sasuke's obviously curious nature he wondered if Sasuke hadn't been born into an elite clan where he was supposed to always control his emotions, would he have shown his inquisitiveness so openly?

The spiky haired teen pulled out of his thoughts as he saw the park. Putting Sasuke-chan and Rai-chan down slowly as his eyes scanned the grounds for any trouble. He was technically a missing ninja, hunter nin could be after him at this very moment for all he knew, like Akatsuki wasn't enough. As soon as Sasuke-chan and Rai-chan's feet hit the ground though they were off, innocently oblivious of any danger.

Despite Rai's nervousness he was right behind Sasuke racing to the slide, as Naruto watched them and the area. It was a small village so the park wasn't much, just a few swings and a slide, but neither boy seemed to notice as they played. It had been half an hour since they got there and Naruto was just about to call the boys back to get lunch when he scanned the tree line again and saw a blur. He froze, it was a ninja.

There was no doubt about it, but did they recognize him? Did he need to get them out of there? Should he act like he didn't see anything? All good questions but without knowing if they had seen him, he couldn't give any good answers, but it was definitely time to go.

"Rai-chan, Sasuke!" Naruto called sharply. His tone far more harsh than usual caught the 3 year olds' attention instantly and they ran back to him quickly. Naruto grabbed one of each of their hands and walked swiftly toward their apartment, hushing their questions. He wanted to pick them up to assure himself they were okay and nothing had happened, but refrained knowing if it came to a fight he'd need his hands to protect them.

Sensing the urgency Sasuke and Rai were both unusually quiet on the quick trip back home. Once inside their little two bedroom apartment the three year olds looked to their father in question. Naruto ignored their confusion for the moment and summoned a clone who went straight to work.

"Come guys, we gotta get your stuff packed. We're leaving." Naruto said quickly ushering the toddlers to their room and pulling out their backpacks.

"What? But why, we just got here Tou-chan?" Rai asked with a whine even as he grabbed his favorite teddy bear to make sure it didn't get left behind.

"Yea, Tou-chan what's wrong?" Sasuke asked grabbing a teddy bear almost identical to his brother's but had a blue bow tie while Rai's bear had a red one.

Naruto didn't slow in grabbing the boy's stuff piling it up on scrolls and throwing the scrolls in the boy's backpacks, somehow getting all the right toys and clothes in the right packs. Still he answered carefully but without lying to his sons, he just might omit certain things so they didn't get too scared.

"Boys… there are some people that are looking for me, us, and one of them might of just spotted us. Which means we got to leave, and fast." Naruto spoke quickly as he finished throwing the last of the three year olds thing in a scroll and stuffed it in Sasuke's backpack. The clone he'd made earlier came in and dropped Naruto's own pack on the floor before dispelling itself.

"What, but why are they after us? What do they want?" Sasuke asked with Rai listening intently. Naruto almost groaned as he grabbed his bag, Sasuke was only three but he was already smart. They didn't used to ask so many questions… they didn't used to talk.

"They're ninja Sasuke. And they want… " Naruto trailed off not wanting to say it. They wanted to either bring him back to Konoha or if it came to it possibly kill him… and if they recognized Sasuke, he didn't even want to think about it. "They want me, Sasuke." Naruto finished not wanting Sasuke to think the boy himself was in any danger.

Naruto then created three clones and had two of them transform into the three year old twins but made their features a little different so that hopefully if they were caught no one would recognize Sasuke, they hadn't been seen up close after all. The clones nodded knowing their task and headed out the door.

"Why?" Sasuke and Rai asked at the same time. Naruto bit the inside of his cheek and frowned, how could he say it, how could he explain it right to his sons? His still very young sons.

"Boys… you know how I was a ninja?" at their nod Naruto went on. "Well a long time ago a friend, my best friend he needed help and I tried for a long time to find a way to help him, and finally after 3 years I thought I had it. A way that could actually save him, but to do it… I had to leave my village…" Naruto pulled both boys onto his back, one on each side.

The clones had enough time anyone watching should have followed them. Naruto went out the window and ran on ground level to not been seen as easy and headed straight out of small town. "Ninja villages don't let one of their ninja just leave." Naruto continued his story once they cleared the village gates. "Ninja know many secrets about their homes and if they go to another village and tell them those secrets… well it wouldn't be good."

Rai and Sasuke were listening with their full attention to the story as they held on tightly to their father. Naruto ran at high speeds through what was spares grass into golden sand. Knowing full well they were too close to the sand village. Well since Gaara was Kazekage he might not be killed on sight at least, if they see him at all that is.

"So when a ninja leaves their village without permission the village sends out what are called 'hunter nin' to bring them back, or…" Naruto stopped before he said something that would give his sons nightmares. It was too late though.

"Or what, Tou-chan?" Rai asked quietly as if he already knew but needed to be sure. Naruto tried to come up with a way to answer without saying the words 'dead' or 'kill' but didn't come up with anything too much better to say.

"Or they make sure no secrets are able to be found." The teen said gravely. Naruto felt Sasuke's arm tighten around his neck just before the boy whispered.

"They kill them." Sasuke whispered scared and Rai must have heard because his grip on the blond teen tightened to.

"They want to kill you Daddy?" Rai asked sounding so small even as all his little muscles seemed to try and hold on tighter to his father, as though if he just held on tight enough no one could take his daddy away. Naruto on the other hand smiled softly, it was time to pull their thoughts away from all this depressing stuff.

"Don't sound so scared Rai-chan, it won't come to that. After all who would be able to get you in the bath but me!" Naruto said and Rai giggled forgetting what he'd been thinking about. Sasuke was still thinking though.

"Did you save him?" Sasuke suddenly asked pulling Naruto's attention from teasing Rai.

"Huh, who?" Naruto asked but immediately knew who his son was talking about. Sasuke answered though, quiet used to his father seemingly forgetting what they were just talking about… sometime he thought his father did it on purpose.

"Your bestest friend, did you save him Tou-chan?" Sasuke asked again, Rai of course was instantly interested too. Naruto wasn't sure how to answer, looking into the very eyes of the person he'd wanted to save he felt extremely guilty.

"I… No, not really." He'd realized it months too late but that day, at the valley he'd killed his best friend. "I did what I had left to do, but it didn't save my friend." After a few months with the baby Sasuke, Naruto realized just what he'd done. It wasn't just Sasuke's 'Uchiha' name he'd killed off or even the bad memories, it was his best friend too.

The little baby Naruto had been looking after for three months at the time wasn't the boy he went to the academy with; wasn't the one he'd glare at over their desks. The baby wasn't the dark haired boy that would brood where ever he was and ignore every girl in class, he wasn't the one he'd fought with. That baby wasn't ever Naruto's teammate, and had never train with him night and day till they could barely move.

The dark haired baby wasn't the one that had jumped in front of a possibly lethal attack to save him. The little baby that cried and pooped in a diaper every day wasn't the boy he'd fought with at the Valley of the End, twice. He… wasn't the best friend Naruto tried so hard, for so long to get back, he wasn't Sasuke Uchiha. That was when Naruto realized he'd killed his best friend the dark haired baby was just the only thing left… and Naruto would protect him with his life.

"Who was he Tou-chan?" Sasuke asked pulling Naruto from his more depressing thoughts. Naruto smiled almost sadly and slowed down to looked at the three year old.

"He was Sasuke Uchiha."

Elsewhere

Temari couldn't believe her luck. She was just heading back from a B-rank mission to escort some noble when she took a short cut through a little village and spotted a guy she was pretty sure was Naruto Uzumaki. The kunoichi almost didn't recognize him at first. His hair was black and the tell tale whisker marks were nowhere to be seen, but the way he moved, he moved like a ninja, that caught her attention enough to slow down and take a second look. Then she heard it.

"Sasuke, wait up!" a little boy cried out and Temari's head snapped to him. The boy had bright spiky blond hair, sky blue eyes and two whisker marks on each side of his face. The kunoichi's eyes widened the little boy couldn't have been more than three, four tops but he looked exactly like she knew Naruto did, except for missing one more whisker mark on each cheek.

"Come on!" the boy that the blond boy had been shouting at called back and Temari's eyes went to him. Her jaw dropped when she saw him. The boy had short dark black hair with two bangs on his forehead, dark eyes and a slightly pale completion. She didn't know what to make of it when the boys ran around laughing and shouting, the boy with black hair looked like he could be a younger version of the traitorous Sasuke Uchiha.

It just didn't make since though, he was running around having fun like any little kid, and she really didn't think the stoic Uchiha she remembered could pull off acting like that so well. The man that moved like a ninja scanned where she was with his eyes and she quickly jumped away as quietly as she could. She was sure he saw her though because he tensed ever so slightly and a moment later he called the boys that had caught her attention, back to him.

"Rai-chan, Sasuke!" the ninja with black spiky hair and sky blue eyes that matched the little blond boy called. Sure enough both boys whipped their heads to him and quickly went to him. So that was their names, Sasuke and Rai. It couldn't be just some coincidence that a boy that looked so much like the Uchiha had his name, unless it was the others boy's but she highly doubted that.

The ninja with black spiky hair grabbed both boy's hands quickly and left the area. Temari followed, her younger brother Gaara had been really upset when Naruto disappeared, so she knew he'd want any information that could lead to him. When Temari looked closer at the teenage ninja she smirked there was definitely some kind of jutsu around his hair and face. If that guy wasn't Naruto she'd eat sand… if she told Gaara and he wasn't she really would eat sand.

Sure enough the teenager and both boys came out a few minutes later with packs on heading out of the village. She followed them; really there was little choice if she just went home to report it they'd be long gone by the time anyone got here. She didn't even have time to send a message, or she'd lose them trying to write.

Unknown to her after a few minutes of her following the, what she'd later realize were clones, the real Naruto slipped out with Sasuke and Rai.

Naruto, Rai & Sasuke

"Sasuke U-chi-ha." Rai mouthed quietly pronouncing the last name slowly. Little Sasuke looked more surprised though and was staring at Naruto. After rolling the name over his tongue Rai turned to Naruto too.

"But Sasuke's my name!" The three year old stated. "Was I named after him Tou-chan?" Sasuke asked immediately after. Rai the whole time was paying attention, even though he usually had a short attention span. Naruto was grateful for the easy answer; he was kind of named for Sasuke anyway.

"Yea." Naruto said shortly with a small smile and nodded. Sasuke bit his lip thinking whether he liked who he was named after or not, but the only thing he really knew was that the guy was his Tou-chan's best friend. So he decided he needed more information.

"What was he like?" Sasuke asked. Naruto blinked surprised feeling like something shifted in his brain; he didn't expect a question like that. After a second though there was a smile on his face, it barely reached his eyes but it was genuine.

"He was my teammate; he looked a lot like you." Naruto nudged the dark haired boy making him smirk happily. "Sasuke wasn't very friendly with most people though, he liked to stay to himself; probably because his family all died when he was very young. We didn't even get along in the academy; it was only after we were stuck together on a team for about a month that we stopped fighting all the time.

Not that we didn't still fight, we did. We just didn't do it as often. I think we became friends when we went on our first mission out of the village. It was supposed to be easy, just take the bridge builder back to his village and come back home. Of course it just couldn't be that easy the client had lied there were high ranking ninja after him. Sasuke almost died taking an attack meant for me on that mission…" Naruto trailed off wondering how everything had changed so much since then.

Sasuke and Rai's eyes were wide they loved hearing their father's stories about ninja but this one was even more interesting because their dad was in it. He had been there, fought and survived. Little did they know most of the stories Naruto told them were real and he had seen with his own eyes. Sasuke of course instantly decided he liked 'Sasuke Uchiha' the guy was a cool ninja and had protected his Tou-chan!

Rai's thoughts were similar but not quite as enthusiastic; thinking about how his Tou-chan said Sasuke Uchiha wasn't friendly but mostly liked the guy his Tou-chan was describing anyway, he might not be too friendly himself if his family died. Besides his Tou-chan said the guy had protected him with his life! That was worth big bonus points to Rai.

"Wow." Sasuke and Rai both whispered awed at the same time. Pulling Naruto's attention to them, the teen grinned seeing their expressions. Suddenly Rai snapped out of his awe at his Tou-chan's friend.

"What about me!" Rai beamed. "Who was I named after?" The little blond asked excited. Naruto laughed and Sasuke pouted as his brother pulled the attention from his namesake. He'd like to know more, but he guessed there would be time for that later, and he kind of wanted to know where his brother's name came from too. So he stayed quiet.

"Well actually not everyone is named after someone else." Naruto chuckle as his son pouted thinking there was no cool story to go with his name. "But your name came from my shishou and godfather." Naruto finished after teasing his son by pausing a few seconds. Rai's pout instantly changed into happy anticipation not even realizing his father had been playing with him. Sasuke watched also in anticipation but now wondering if his brother could have gotten the better name.

Naruto stopped tree jumping in the next landing as he told his sons about 'The Great Toad Sage Jiraiya.' Really the teenager would never have told his mentor how awesome he'd thought he was. The guy's head seemed too big anyway; but Naruto had no problem telling a couple of three year olds. After their camp was set up Naruto had finally finished tell the boys about some of his… more 'eventful' times with Jiraiya.

By the end Sasuke was still proud of his name, because while Jiraiya the toad sage seemed cool he wasn't named after a self proclaimed 'super pervert.' He didn't really know what a pervert was but the way his father said it sounded like it was something stupid. Rai was completely happy with his name too, also not knowing what a 'super pervert' was he didn't care. He just knew that the man his name came from was a really cool, strong ninja that taught his father.

They all ate before Naruto made a clone to keep watch and they all settled down to sleep for the night. The nineteen year old ninja always had them all sleep in the same tent to keep his sons safe, but as he saw the boys sleeping that night he knew in a few more years they'd either need their own or he'd need a bigger one. It was just before dawn when Naruto's clone dispelled waking him up and alerting him to someone coming.

Naruto's eyes snapped open, his clones memories of the ninja heading toward him came fast but it was who that ninja was that surprised him. The blond sat up and quickly grabbed his weapons quietly before making a clone to stay with the boys. Naruto went out into the cold morning air to meet someone he hadn't seen in over three years… he just hoped they wouldn't have to fight.

Not only was the ninja coming after him a friend, but was one of the very few of his friends that was probably strong enough to keep him there until back up to arrive. Naruto knew he was close to the Sand village but damn, he didn't think Gaara would come himself! He was the Kazekage, wasn't he not supposed to leave the village, like ever? The blond sighed, it just wasn't his day.

Within minutes Naruto spotted Gaara's red hair. The trees had thinned out now that he was closer to the desert and sand was starting to show between the patches of grass. The blond immediately mentally cursed himself for coming back so far and giving Gaara an advantage with the sand. Well at least it was further from the boys…

Gaara stopped maybe 20 feet from the runaway Jinchuuriki all the elemental nations had been looking for. He could hardly believe it when Temari told him what she'd seen earlier and had left quickly after telling Kankurou he was in charge. There were a few of his ninja that Temari ordered to follow him just in case, he'd already told them to stay back, but they were probably only two miles away.

"Naruto." Gaara spoke while noting the two young boys Temari mentioned seeing weren't around. Naruto put a hand behind his head and smiled sheepishly.

"Hey Gaara, I guess you want to know what's going on…" Naruto said still watching closely just in case this was a trap and he'd have to react quickly.

"That would be appreciated." Gaara replied in his usual monotone. Naruto frowned, he knew he brought it up but what was he really supposed to tell Gaara? 'I left to keep the Akatsuki from destroy Konoha and oh yeah, I turned Sasuke into a baby and made myself a clone… Yea that sounds believable.'

"Uhm, well how long I got before the cavalry arrives?" Naruto asked thinking Gaara probably had back up coming. Gaara showed the emotion he usually kept hidden by rolling his eyes.

"No one is coming, and if they were you could sense it. Now where have you been? Why did you leave?" Gaara asked the slightest amount of anger showing through, that Naruto caught. The blond blinked surprised he never knew his redheaded friend to show much emotion. If it was coming through Gaara had either changed or was really mad.

"I left because I needed to Gaara. I was putting my village in danger every moment I stayed; you weren't there to see what happened when Pain came. He destroyed half the village yea, but that wasn't the worst part, when I got back to Konoha there were bodies everywhere Gaara… People I knew, friends, comrades, and they were all dead. They died refusing to give me up…"

Gaara sighed, his anger all but gone. He had been furious because Naruto was the one that showed him to fight for the people he cared for and his village. To think the person that changed his life just gave up… was a horrible feeling. He should have known better though Naruto didn't give up, he never had. Naruto was just trying to protect his precious people another away.

"I heard… it was bad; but everyone is looking for you Naruto. They want you back." Gaara paused to take a breath. "You can't run forever, if you just come back with me I will make sure you will be accepted back. You haven't hurt anyone yet, and the Godaime was fond of you, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard." Gaara would have groaned if he had less self control, the blond idiot didn't look like he was even considering coming back.

"I… I can't." Naruto almost whispered with his head down and his blond spiky bangs covering his eyes. He felt almost like déjà vu, the words were different, calmer, and they weren't fighting, yet. However he couldn't help but remember trying to talk Sasuke into coming back to the village, just as Gaara was asking him to do.

Gaara frowned and looked straight into his friend's eyes as Naruto locked eyes with him. In those blue depths though Gaara didn't see the dark loneliness he was looking for or hatred, matter of fact he saw less pain in those blue eyes than he'd seen the last time he really looked, when they had fought so long ago. It was like a burden had been lifted from the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and more than that something had helped him heal. Naruto was stronger than ever before, and as Gaara looked into those eyes he knew it. There were only a few things he could think of though, that had that much influence on Naruto Uzumaki.

"What happened to Sasuke, Naruto?" Gaara asked putting the question of 'why he wouldn't return to the village' on hold. If he was right this would answer that question anyway. Naruto stiffened, and his eyes dimmed thinking of what he'd done. Even if it had given him the most precious gifts he'd ever had he couldn't help but to feel guilty about what he'd done that night.

"Uchiha Sasuke is dead." Naruto stated simply, with about as much emotion as Gaara normally showed to everyone else. Gaara frowned remembering what his sister had run into his office earlier saying.

"Really? Temari thought she saw a boy who looked a lot like him with you." Gaara questioned carefully he didn't really think Naruto was one to lie but he didn't know how far Naruto would go for the Uchiha. Gaara watched for a reaction but Naruto didn't look surprised or like he'd been caught in a lie, just… sad.

"That…isn't Uchiha Sasuke. Not really." Naruto sighed sadly. Thinking about the old Sasuke always depressed him. "It's… complicated." Naruto shifted his feet trying to think how he could say it, or if he should say anything more. Gaara's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, the way Naruto was referring to the Uchiha was weird. Like he was… qualifying who he was talking about?

"Naruto," Gaara sighed finally giving up trying to guess. "just tell me what's going on." Really with Naruto the redhead knew it could be anything. Naruto grimaced then sighed too, putting aside his internal debate. He half turn back toward the way he came.

"Follow me." Naruto said simply. Gaara knowing Naruto was never one for luring a friend into a trap followed. They walk side by side as Naruto went into explaining everything.

Konoha

Shikamaru read the letter he'd just received, again. Then folded up the letter and put on his sandals before going out the door. Not far from his home he spotted his best friend Chouji. The happily chubby ninja seemed to notice something was up.

"Hey Shikamaru, something wrong?" Chouji asked concerned. Shikamaru's eyes went to his friend briefly but he didn't stop in his steps as he answered.

"There's new information on Naruto. Can you get the others and meet me at the Hokage tower?" Shikamaru said ignoring Chouji's shocked stumble. Chouji quickly brought in his surprise though and nodded before leaping off to get the other rookie nine and their sensei.

It was five minutes later when Shikamaru went into the Hokage's office with Sakura, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Kurenai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Ino, Sai and Chouji right behind him. Chouji said Team Gai was out on a mission, but Shikamaru was sure they'd know soon after they got back.

Tsunade watched as they all came in her worry growing with every new person. Shikamaru seemed to be the one everyone was looking to so she focused on him.

"What's going on?" She asked the Nara bluntly. Shikamaru didn't bother explaining he just handed his letter to the Godaime. Tsunade looked at the paper with a raised eyebrow before taking it. After every line she read her eyes got a little wider. She didn't say anything after she finished, and less than a minute went by before the silence was too much for Kiba.

"Well? What's it say?" Kiba asked impatiently, momentarily forgetting who he was talking to. If Tsunade noticed she didn't say anything she just offered the letter out for everyone else to see. Sakura quickly took it and started reading with just about everyone reading over her shoulder.

"It's from Temari." Sakura stated so everyone knew before going quiet as she got to what Temari had written.

"Kakashi," Tsunade broke everyone from their thoughts after they'd clearly all read the letter. "you are to lead everyone here to the Sand Village, look for Uzumaki Naruto and bring him back."

Kakashi nodded to the Hokage before turning to the group of nine ninja. "Get your things; we meet at the west gate in an hour." He spoke simply and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. All of the large group filed out quickly to prepare.

Naruto and Gaara

"I couldn't give up on Sasuke, Gaara but I knew he wasn't just going to magically come back. So I thought about it for a long time and I realized even if I got Sasuke to come back that nothing would ever be okay for him. Most the Kage's wanted him dead, or at least imprisoned. And even if I somehow got him his freedom back no one would ever look at him the same…" Naruto trailed off for a moment but Gaara didn't interrupt as they continued walking.

"After I realized that I knew that if I was going to help Sasuke I would have to give him a whole new life… And that's exactly what I did." The blond had been looking down but raised his head with those last words. When Gaara heard the way the boy beside him said he gave Sasuke 'whole new life' he almost shivered. Naruto craned his head to the side to look at the redhead as he continued.

"I searched for months to find what I needed, though with my clones it felt like years. Eventually I took pieces of other jutsu and worked through them, twisting them and adding a few of my own ideas to make what I wanted. It still wasn't quite right though, I needed to anchor it better and I didn't want to risk using my crappy control to make it work. That's when I came up with the idea to use a seal…" Naruto turned back to look where he was walking and slowed they were almost to the clearing.

"The seal worked, but a little too well. I had succeeded in giving Sasuke a new life, mostly. His memories were erased and he was turned back into a baby, but the jutsu kind of… imploded. So he still looks exactly as he did when he was little." Naruto pause before continuing in a less somber tone.

"Turns out I put way too much into the seal jutsu and got a… weird result." Naruto chuckled lightly rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Gaara relaxed slightly at the gesture and took an educated guess of what the conclusion was.

"The other boy Temari saw? She said he looked like you." Gaara turned his head slightly to see the teenage sage. Naruto nodded a small smirk on his face. He always felt proud when someone said his son looked like him.

"The seal I used was a blood seal. I used my own blood for it, and the boy Temari saw is almost a clone of me." Naruto said thinking about each word he was never good at the technical stuff but he'd learned this front and back because it was important information about his sons.

"Almost?" Gaara questioned and Naruto nodded.

"Yea, he actually has a small amount of Sasuke's genetics in him, and Sasuke has a small amount of my genetics in him…" Naruto trailed off. "But Gaara, they are my sons. Both of them." Gaara felt a shiver go up his spine at the blond's possessive tone. He knew then that not only was Naruto serious, but he would kill for those boys. They entered the clearing in silence where Naruto's tent was set up and his sons were still sound asleep inside. Half way to the tent Naruto stopped and turned back to Gaara.

"They're innocent Gaara. They don't remember anything about Sasuke or my life."

AND CUT!

narutofan : thanks! but Naruto won't notice any differences for a few more chapters ;)

I'm in classes but I will update asala thanks you for the reviews though XD

hedwigfan: your welcome! :)

suzanne : thanks! Its always good to hear that my stories are appreciated :D

(Shishou: master/teacher)