A/N: Thanks for the reviews and all of your awesome reading of the story guys. As it stands now, this is the fourteenth chapter. It is currently August 18, 2007. I've been busy lately, so I couldn't start on it til today. I doubt it'll get posted today, but I'm starting it.

Disclaimer: I own…a wide variety of cds and have an eclectic music collection. That aside, I DO NOT own Naruto or any affiliated characters, schemes or ideas of the original creator. I do, however; own my own lil scheme and plot ideas.

Warnings: Angry lovers are abundant. Pain, confused bad guys, runaway captives, and shinobi undermining authority will also be side effects of my writing this chapter, so beware. Since I suck at battle scenes, there are none here… sorry guys.

Because I would not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me; the carriage held but just ourselves and immortality—Emily Dickenson.

The dawn brought a misty hue to the dense forests that somehow seemed thickest around the two imprisoned men in the seals. To the surprise of their captors, the mist only got thicker and seemed to push them away so much that even Kisame couldn't get through it. No one could explain it so they all stayed alert as it was obviously some kind of trick.

Meanwhile, with the captives, the seal under Naruto had been broken in the night. The Kyuubi was now merged with Naruto completely so that, in effect, the two were really one person. The merger had broken a seal that was intended for two different souls. Naruto had freed Arashi and both worked long into the night as their captors slept under the genjutsu that their captives were still bound in their seals. Arashi helped his son learn to control the abundance of chakra now in his body by teaching him methods of strengthening his chakra pathways. After that, the two worked on a few jutsu and a plan of escape just in case the others didn't make it by dawn. So, as the Akatsuki were getting ready to fight an unseen enemy, their 'captives' were stealthily running away under the cover of Naruto's newly acquired demonic mist jutsu. They decided to use Arashi's body flicker technique seeing as the two jutsu share a common chakra pattern. They were out of there within two minutes and on an intercept course to the rescue party.

To kill or not to kill… it's not a question if the answer is already known… it's a tease…

Blinding anger, how dare they steal Naruto! How dare they touch a hair on his golden head! Oh, when he gets his hands on the Akatsuki, they're going to be begging for death! Sensing both Sasuke's powerful killing intent and the coming chakra signatures of a certain pair of blondes, Gaara gives Sasuke a dark look and calmly says, "If you don't calm down you idiot, we'll lose the element of surprise and be six feet under before we've batted a lash. Besides, Naruto and the Yondaime are headed straight for us."

Already lazily leaning against nearby tree trunks, Kakashi and Shikamaru both nod in agreement. Shika with his hands stuck in his pockets, Kakashi with his usual Icha Icha book out, this time a special addition in a glossy purple. The others wait in bated anticipation. Moments later, Naruto and Arashi burst from the thick canopy of tree branches and land lightly before the group. Naruto smiles at them. "Ohayo!"

Arashi smiles a little and pokes Naruto. "You still failed to mention why the seal that I made failed to hold you."

Naruto raises a brow at him and the curious looks of the others, ignoring the young Uchiha checking him over to see how many bruises he may have. "Simple, the seal was made so that I could build up my chakra, but not use it, and it was designed for two separate beings. My sixteenth birthday, when Kyuu and I were supposed to merge into one, I made another seal around the existing one so that it would happen eight to ten years down the road. If we'd merged back then, he could've easily taken control of my body and pushed my soul into a dormant non-existence. So I wanted to wait until we were both closer and understood each other better, or I was strong enough to suppress him. The seal was not made to activate automatically though, so I built up the chakra within myself and activated it that way. When we merged our two souls into one, the seal shattered and allowed me to escape. Kyuubi is still a part of me, but he's just a voice in my mind now. We are one, but he is still that annoying little voice in my head that I can't get rid of."

Arashi smiles distractedly. "So you did inherit my affinity for seals. We'll need to train together for the next week so that I may teach you seals. You'll need to make your own of course, but I can help you master them."

Sasuke glowers at the man. "You'll not be teaching him anything because you'll be in a cell soon as we get back!"

Hearing this, Naruto straightens and his expression turns hard and cold, unyieldingly intimidating. His usually warm, cheerful voice is now cold and hard as steel. "Last time I checked Uchiha, you are not the Hokage of Konoha. That job is mine and seeing as it is and seeing as I'm the only one other than my father who knows why we took the detour that got us both captured, I think it would be wise for you to step down for now."

"But Naruto he-"

"Mind your tongue Chuunin! Remember your rank because right now, I am speaking not as your lover, but your Hokage who so kindly gave you a chance to redeem yourself at a time when no one else would."

Everyone watches them as Sasuke opens his mouth as if to contradict him, but stands down and keeps his mouth shut at Naruto's warning look. Pleased that Sasuke didn't feel the need to thoughtlessly undermine Naruto's authority again, Kakashi decides that it's time for him to speak up.

"Hokage-sama, could you tell us what happened from the time you two started your walk to the time you found us? I'm sure everyone would like to know what went on so we won't start condemning anyone based on our own assumptions or uncontrolled emotions."

Naruto ignores Sasuke's almost visible flinch as that last sentence was directed at him. His demeanor once again changes to its usual warmth and happiness as he relates his story. At the end of it, he adds, "Although my father's actions at the beginning may be viewed as treacherous, he still had holes in his memory and couldn't be sure that he was doing the right thing. This only happened because he thought he was helping me and any good parent would want to help their child. I do not place the blame on him and it has come to my attention that he has regained his full memory." Arashi looks at him curiously and Naruto smiles. "You didn't remember that you were a seal master before this happened, and yet now you've mentioned training me on seal mastery because you think I have the same affinity for it that you do. IF you didn't remember, then you wouldn't know that."

Arashi's face lights up, "I think you're right Naruto…" Looking at his son's face, he reaches up and touches the whisker scars on one tanned cheek, smiling when the younger blonde seems to take comfort in the touch. "I remember sealing Kyuubi in you... and everything before that too like Jiraiya-sensei, and my genin team, Kakashi, Obito, Rin, and all of our adventures… I suppose that with all the excitement, I didn't really notice."

Jiraiya reaches over and ruffles the elder blonde's hair fondly. "And you call yourself a genius. It's good to have you back kid."

With a foxy smile, Naruto clears his throat and raises a brow for goofball effect. "Anyone ready to bring down the Akatsuki? Me and the old man here will lead you straight to 'em…"

Matching smirks and grins and one impassive look go around as a few let out war cries and leave, following the blondes to their enemy to wipe them out.

Experience life the best way you can and find your own answers because in the textbook of life, the answers aren't in the back because the ending has already been ripped out…

Sparks from weapons meeting, light from chakra attacks, and agonized cries of pain later, Every member of the Akatsuki have been slain and Sakura and Hinata are healing the wounds that a few of the guys managed to get during the fight. Once done, they gather the rings of the dead men and take those back with them along with their forehead protectors. Sasuke, the last one to leave, used his fireball jutsu to burn the bodies before following everyone else. The villagers rejoiced upon seeing their heroes back alive and the proof of a threat defeated once more by the leaf village. After a few words with Tsunade, Naruto dismissed everyone after getting their promises to rest and take the day off while the villagers got ready to party.

Home now, Naruto lets himself stumble and fall, only to be caught in Sasuke's arms. What he hears before sleep overtakes him makes him smile. In a low voice, Sasuke does one thing he always refrained from doing unless he was desperate, he apologized. "Naruto… I'm sorry for earlier. I shouldn't have questioned you because you were right, you are the Hokage and you knew much more about what happened than I did." That said, the Uchiha picks his lover up and carries him to bed.

Sometimes writing takes too long because my train of thought derails and soon is gone…

A/N: Sorry for the delay guys, thanks for any patience you've had with me, the next one will be the last and I will get it started as soon as I possibly can and get it out to you. No promises because I dun know when it'll come out. I love you all to death, and if you've got the time, review, I'm a sucker for those.