To say that hearing a voice inside your head was unsettling would be an understatement. Naruto had once heard an older villager rambling about hearing voices and seeing things, and the man had been mocked for being mental. Now, the good news was that Naruto had yet to see something that wasn't really there. Probably. But he had definitely heard a voice, and that wasn't normal. Ignoring the desire to freak out immediately, Naruto instead tried to refocus his thoughts.

He sat up, expecting to see a bed beneath him, but instead it was a stone floor. Looking around, Naruto saw no signs of a bed or a room. In fact, he realized that the room was actually a hallway. Glancing around, there was no indication of what was the right way to walk, so he stood and headed toward the right. At least it had the word right in it, Naruto thought. The stone hallway seemed to stretch forever, and then when Naruto thought it was about to end, he would come to a corner and have to walk down another corridor. After a half hour, Naruto didn't know which way he had started from or if he had been walking in hours.

The more he walked, the stranger he felt. It was like an impression was being made upon his head and the further he went into the hall, the harder the impression became. Naruto feared that if he continued going further he might combust from the pressure. He briefly thought about turning around, but the panic he felt at that notion was too much. He didn't know why, but he needed to move forward. Forward was the only way out. The problem was that he didn't know where forward was. With nothing but the pressure to go on, Naruto continued walking straight.

He had lost count of the number of corners he had rounded when the pressure gave way to the first burst of pain. Naruto fell to his knees in agony as his head pounded in an unfamiliar way. His forehead was tight and the pressure on the back of his neck caused Naruto to be nauseous from the pain. He felt himself on the verge of blacking out when a scene flashed before his eyes: his sensei, Kakashi, looking at him with a bored expression. But that wasn't right. Kakashi had probably never looked bored in his life; he was too alert to everything around him to be bored. And what was up with his covered eye?

The pain subsided, but the image stayed with Naruto. He had no idea what it was, an apparition of the future or his mind playing tricks on him, but it had to have some meaning. Not knowing what else to do, he stood up and took another step forward. Nothing happened. He continued walking, and gradually the pain increased again. It was another five minutes when the pain burst again and his mind flashed. This time it was Sakura standing next to him, but instead of Choji being their teammate, they were joined by Sasuke. What was going on? His friends looked younger in that flash than they did now, but he had no recollection of the moment. The flashes came every few minutes, along with the pain. It wasn't until Naruto felt a presence that he knew who was almost at the point of no return.

If he chose to, he could turn back now and never learn the truth behind the images. They could just be his imagination running wild in a dream caused by stress or eating bad ramen. The second he turned that corner they meant something. Part of his mind wanted him to turn back; it told him he would be happier never knowing. But Naruto had never been called a coward before, and nothing would change today. Taking a deep breath, Naruto braved the corner and whatever flash the pain would give him. He wished he had turned back.

Sasuke was lying on the ground: dead. Naruto had no doubt that the person he had been the person to kill Sasuke. I'm going to be responsible for a friend's death! For the first time during his journey, Naruto lost the contents of his stomach. The image of the bloody, broken body of Sasuke was stuck in his head, penetrating every part of his mind. Unlike the previous times, sound started to filter in. A maniacal sound that curled Naruto's toes and made him want to scream. Cold, heartless laughter.

This is who you are. The good, the bad, they have both made you who you are, or should be, today.

Naruto couldn't see anything in the dark corridor, but like a puzzle piece that is finally found after years of searching, the final piece clicks together.

I know, Kurama. I know.

Naruto opened his eyes, this time the sight of a bright light blinding him. Squinting away from the sunlight coming in from the window, Naruto looked around the room and saw that Obito was sitting at a small table in the corner. He had not yet realized Naruto was awake, because he was still looking over reports like he didn't have an unconscious shinobi in his house.

"I never thought I would see the day where Uchiha Obito does paperwork voluntarily."

Obito glanced up at him, surprise written on his face. He quickly recovered from his surprise and retorted, "I never thought I'd see the day where Uzumaki Naruto falls passes out from a note."

Naruto was about to reply that the note had nothing to do with his passing out, but his thoughts were sidetracked. Uzumaki. That's who he was of course, Uzumki Naruto, current Hokage of Konoha. Only he wasn't, was he. Not anymore. His confusion must have been evident because Obito spoke up. "There's a lot for me to explain to you. Why don't you give yourself a minute to get accustomed to your memories, and then join me in the kitchen for some food? I'm making ramen." He disappeared from the room before Naruto had a chance to reply.

While he remembered who he was, he still had memories from this new world that felt just as real. Logically, he knew that he couldn't have lived two lives, but that is exactly how it felt. If this was the new future, then why did he still remember the old one? The memories had been locked away, but the letter from himself had been the key to unlocking them. And what about Obito? He had called him Uzumaki, but that wasn't his name here. How could Obito remember the past and his visit, but no one else?

Shaking his head, Naruto stood and made his way in to the kitchen. He had a sinking feeling this was a problem that not even ramen could fix.

oOoOo

Obito stood waiting for Naruto to come out of the room. When Naruto had first left them, Obito had believed that everything had gone back to the way it was supposed to be. Shortly after Naruto's visit, Kakashi and sensei forgot about him. Obito had casually mentioned him in conversation, and the two of them had just stared and asked who he was talking about. Rin lost her memories of Naruto shortly after. For weeks, Obito had feared he would start to forget as well, but every day his memory seemed to be just as clear as it had been the last day. Part of Obito wondered if it had anything to do with the letter.

The letter. Obito hadn't read the note in years, but he still remembered every word it said. It was hard to forget a word like jinchuuriki. When Obito had first read the word, he had felt a sense of fear that came with growing up hearing how bad the bijuu were. He forced his fear away before he did something stupid like burn it. To this day if anyone asked, he merely had a speck in his eye upon finishing it. It was true that Naruto had been his closest friend at that point, and to hear him say what a great shinobi he thought Obito was, well, it was a happy moment.

As time went on and his sensei and Kushina got married, Obito wasn't surprised when they told him that Kushina was pregnant. He was even less surprised when they named the baby Naruto. Everything was normal, and it looked like Naruto hadn't messed anything up in the timeline. At least until Obito came to the realization that Naruto was not a jinchuuriki. That seemed like kind of a big deal to whoever the nineteen year old Naruto had been. When Naruto reached age five and Minato and Kushina were still alive, Obito knew that something had gone wrong. He didn't know what, but he knew he needed to figure it out. So he joined Anbu so he could go on the more obscure missions. At first nothing seemed connected. It appered that Naruto coming back had changed some details, but that they future was still okay.

It was only when he returned from an Anbu mission three years ago that the full truth hit him.

"Is the ramen ready?" Obito looked up in surprise for the second time that day. Naruto was watching him again, but this time it was more calculating. Looking into his eyes, Obito knew he was looking at a man who had survived a horrible war and that had to make terrible sacrifices for the good of his country. The young boy he was looking at was actually one of the strongest Hokage's in the world.

Obito grabbed bowl and gave a few scoops of ramen to Naruto before settling in on the kitchen counter. Naruto ate quietly at first, clearly still taking everything in. "What's going on?" Naruto finally asked after minutes of silence.

Obito cleared his throat. "It's hard to know where to begin. The easiest part is that I am the only one who can remember your visit when I was a young."

Naruto nodded. "That part I was able to summarize. Why?"

Of course he had to ask why. Because why ask the easy questions? "I have few suspicions, but no answers. Your letter to me is probably one of the biggest reasons why."

Again, Naruto nodded, contemplating this. He looked around the room, probably for anything that could repeat his next words. "And the Kyuubi? I can hear Kurama, but I can't sense him but for moments at a time."

"Anything that has to do with the Kyuubi, I am clueless about. None of my dealings have encountered that problem."

"So what have your dealings entailed?" Naruto challenged.

Obito looked Naruto in the eye. "Just one fact that I am sure of." He used his senses to feel for intruders around him. Naruto was looking at him expectantly. "This world that we are in isn't real."

oOoOo

Naruto's mind was still reeling from Obito's revelation. This world wasn't real. His going to the past hadn't changed the future, but rather had stuck them in some fake alternate future. Even with his memories of the past back, Naruto could still remember waking up sick and having Kushina, his mother, look after him. His father had taught him how to throw kunai. If this wasn't real then why did he have two sets of memories, one more painful than the other? Naruto looked up at Obito, who had moved off of the counter and was currently standing by the single window in the apartment. It seemed like Obito had his fair share of painful memories, yet he claimed they weren't real.

"If this world isn't real, then what is it? In all of my talks with Jiraiya, we never went over alternate timelines." Naruto was afraid to ask the question, because there didn't seem to be any logical explanation.

Obito looked over at him. "I've been researching this from the moment I realized the present was not how you described the future. I keep looking and looking, but there seems to be only one explanation. The seal that Minato made for you had a flaw in it. But that doesn't make much sense, because Minato-sensei is so careful with his seals."

An unsettled feeling came over Naruto. "His chakra measurement was off." His voice was barely above a whisper, so afraid was he that this was the truth.

Obito's eyes widened. After a moment he must have arrived at the same conclusion as Naruto, for he said, "I assumed you had told him. I mean, you told me, so of course you would've told your father."

The words sounded strange coming from Obito. For a small second, Naruto could see the young boy he had first met when he was thrown into the past. While this alternate or fake world had given Naruto everything he never had, it had also taken so much from Obito. With a sharp pain in his chest, Naruto recalled hearing about Rin's death in this world. She had died on a mission protecting both Kakashi and Obito. It seemed like the two had grown even more distant following that event. Naruto and Obito were the only two aware that they were living a lie, and Naruto only for a matter of minutes. How long had Obito suffered knowing that what was happening wasn't real, yet being unable to awaken from his nightmare?

"You are my friend. I trusted you with my secret and I wanted you to know that I fully understood your pain. We were both loners, and I thought that me telling you the full truth about me would give you hope and confidence in yourself." He wasn't sure where the words were coming from, but they felt right. Seeing the look on Obito's face was enough to convince Naruto he had said the right thing. It was true that all of the genin and younger chunin looked up to Obito, but none of them really considered him a friend. He was more of a mentor. With Kakashi and him being on the outs, and what happened to Rin…Well, Obito needed a friend.

Instead of replying to his comment, Obito shifted the focus back to the seal. "So if sensei didn't know about the Kyuubi chakra, the additional chakra could distort the seal and you could end up anywhere." Obito glanced around the room. "Case and point."

So that's it, huh? The chakra in the seal was off? Why hadn't he just been fully honest with Minato in the first place? Groaning, he realized what he needed to do. Obito shot him a sympathetic look and shrugged. "It's your choice when you do it, but you need to tell him and you need him to make another seal."

He had no idea how he was going to tell Minato. It would have been so much easier if he had just done it the first time! At least then Minato believed there was something off about Naruto. Now he knew him as his son, which was the truth, but also not at the same time. Urg, this would be difficult. A new memory came to mind, this one from the fake world. Minato had been putting a lot of effort into being prepared for another war, so seals and tags were prepared in advance. It wouldn't take long for Minato to manipulate one to do what he needed, especially since Naruto could remember most of the sequences needed. Which meant this was goodbye. Glancing up at Obito, Naruto swallowed. "I don't want to say goodbye. You've been a good friend, one of the greatest, and I'm going to miss you."

It was the best that he could do, but it seemed to be enough. Obito gave him a sad smile before taking four long steps and encircling Naruto in his arms. Usually, Naruto would push someone giving him a hug away, but in the case he could make the exception. He held tightly to Obito for several seconds, trying to convey his gratitude in his actions. Pulling back, Obito gave him a sad, yet hopeful, smile. "See you in another life."

Except he wouldn't.

oOoOo

The day hadn't exactly gone as Minato had planned. Between the never ending paperwork (which really wasn't so bad) and the random shinobi getting into bar fights at mid-morning (seriously, who does that?) the day had been filled with unenjoyable times. He still had another hour to go before he had promised Kushina he would be home. Grabbing the next file in the "to-do" stack, Minato was startled when Naruto appeared in front of him. "How'd…?" Minato started, shocked that his young son had been able to sneak up on him. "What are you doing here, son?"

Upon first glance, Naruto appeared fine, but years of learning everything about his boy had attuned Minato into knowing that something was bothering him. The silence felt like forever before Naruto met his eye and exhaled. Minato was startled by the look in his eye. It seemed sad and tired, like a soldier that had been fighting for too long with no rest. But that wasn't an accurate description because Naruto had never seen war. His boy was here for a reason, and if he needed to wait patiently to hear it, then by all means let the paperwork pile up! Minato tried not to let his mind wander into thoughts of what could be wrong. Too many possibilities plagued his mind for him to dwell on them.

It seemed like an eternity when Naruto finally opened his mouth to speak. "IwassenttothepastandthenwassenttothistimebymistakebecauseIdidn'ttellyouthatIwastheKyuubijinchuurikiatthattimeandtheaddedchakramessedupyourseal."

If Naruto took a breath, Minato didn't hear it. What he did hear was "Kyuubi jinchuuriki." Or at least that's what he thought he heard. He slowly stood to his feet and walked around his desk. He stood face to face with Naruto now and he couldn't help the dread that washed over him. Something was about to change. He didn't know why or how, but whatever was causing Naruto to act this way had to be big, especially since it had the words Kyuubi and jinchuuriki in it. "Please repeat yourself." Did he say that? He must have because there was no one else in the room.

Naruto took a shaky breath. "I was sent to the past and then was sent to this time by mistake because I didn't tell you that I was the Kyuubi jinchuuriki at that time and the added chakra messed up your seal."

Okay, so when he had told Naruto to just say it, he had not been expecting that. Not many people expect a heart to heart with their son to turn into a confession on time travel and housing a demon. Minato reached for Naruto to feel that he didn't have a fever, but Naruto flinched away. That didn't stop Minato, who touched Naruto's forehead with the back of his hand. "You're not warm. Maybe it's an infection of some sort. I should call a doctor."

"No!" It was the angriest he had ever heard Naruto, and the abruptness of the outburst startled him. He looked back into Naruto's eyes and couldn't help being drawn into the despair he saw there. "Don't you understand? This world isn't right. There have been events that should've have happened, or things that should have and didn't. People who are here that shouldn't be." Naruto's voice broke at the end.

"Naruto, you're talking crazy. I need to get you to a doctor, hallucinating isn't a good sign." Minato tried to reason with him, but Naruto seemed determined to prove himself right.

"Fine, if you won't listen to my words, then how about my actions." Without any further warning, Naruto stepped back forming a full Rasengan in his palm. Slowly wind began to form around the ball and then a hint of water appeared. Mesmerized, Minato stared until the rasengan burst and Naruto cried out in pain holding his arm. Minato was on the floow holding Naruto's arm in a flash. "Stupid thing, even in a unreal place it still is sensitive." Naruto grumbled.

An image of Rin treating a similar wound popped into Minato's head. The wounded shinobi was blonde and bore a close resemblance…no, this was years ago. There was no way. Except time travel. Minato shivered. Could this be true? Looking at Naruto now, Minato didn't want it to be. He wanted to continue on and live his life the way it was now. He had a beautiful, loving, and temperamental wife, and a son whom he adored and loved with all of his heart. Surely this was what was real? But then why did that faint image continue to grow stronger and why was Naruto leaning against him, still in pain over his arm. Naruto shouldn't even be able to perform the high level of jutsu that he just used. Minato wasn't even capable of combining his natural element and the rasengan. Memories came to mind then. Real memories, not the fake ones that he had been living with for years now. And with it a pain came so deep in his heart that he didn't think it would ever heal. This was his Naruto. Even in a world completely imaginary or made up, this was his real son before him, and if this was really Naruto, then Minato could only fear the pain he saw hidden in his blue eyes.

Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.

His son was a jinchuuriki, which meant that something had to have happened to Kushina. He was also probably gone, meaning Naruto had been alone. His son had grown up, maybe from a young age, alone and probably feared due to his curse. A cruse Minato had a terrifying feeling he had inflicted on his son. Not knowing what to say or how to make amends, he simply wrapped his arms around Naruto and held him. His son may be older than he looked, and he might have suffered through more than any person ever should, but in that moment he was just a son being hugged by his father.

And for the second time that day, Naruto allowed it.

A/N: Thank you all for being patient. I started this chapter a little while ago, but it took me forever to get back to it. This semester of school had been the most stressful one I have had yet, which has made it really difficult to write. Every time I would want to sit down and write, I would remember all of the school assignments that I have due and have to change my focus to them instead. Today marks the end of the semester. A few hours ago I took my last final and have been able to wipe school from my mind and turn my focus back to writing this story.

This story is almost over, which most of you have probably figured out in this chapter. The scenes between Obito and Naruto and then Minato and Naruto have been planned for a long time and I only hope that I was able to convey the scene in my mind well on to paper (or computer screen). Since I am on break now, I plan to finish the last chapter quickly and then possibly do an epilogue. This story had taken a life of its own and is so different from the idea I had when I started writing.

Thank you guys for hanging in there with me. Please take a second to review the chapter and let me know what you think. I'm wrapping it up, so please let me know if there are any loose ends you are wanting to know more about or how you think the story has gone so far.