Notes: So! Here we are. Finally. Over the filler and into the last leg of the story. Thank god. I hate filler. -- Actually, this story has been more about the twins than Sasuke and Naruto...oops! Not my intention! So I'm going to try to yank the thing back on track in the next couple of chapters. I'm really sorry, guys, this thing isn't coming out at all like I had planned. But I still hope you're enjoying it!

4

"There haven't been any disturbances since the first day of the exams," Gaara looked to his left, at Naruto.

"The two nins from Lightning were disqualified for fighting outside of their assigned time," he shook his head. "Not the charge I intended."

"My apologies," the representative from the Lightning nation bowed his head.

"I trust the Sound nins haven't done anything similar to upset the Hokage or ay of the other leaders present," Yakushi Kabuto spoke from Naruto's far right, from his seat at the opposite end of the small meeting table.

"No, there's been no trouble from your shinobi, Yakushi-san," the Tsuchikage shook his bald head, his pointed kage hat perched atop it almost jauntily. "That's a very good thing, considering the history between Sound and Fire."

"Kabuto is proving to be a fine leader for the misguided Sound ninja," Naruto spoke quickly to defend the older man. "They seem to bear no grudge to our country, and we can only return that gesture openly."

"Well spoken," one of the reps spoke in admiration of Naruto's words. The lines carved on his metal headguard identified him as the representative from Grass.

"Yes, I agree," Gaara nodded. "We all appreciate your efforts to override the previous leader's poisonous rule."

"I am trying my hardest," Kabuto lowered his head repsectfuly. White wrappings covered the left side of his face, concealing (only Naruto knew this) the remnants of Orochimaru's curse burned into his flesh. The backwash of power he had received from Sasuke and Orochimaru's final battle had given him the advantage in controlling the aimless Sound and suppressing the ones who still supported their old leader's ways. He had appeared to Naruto twice since that time: once to point him in the direction of Akatsuki and Sasuke, and again a year after he'd become the hokage to offer terms of a truce and peace. With the Chuunin exams finally being held in Konoha again, it was both Kabuto's and Naruto's duty to show that Sound and Fire were adhering to that peace. So far, so good. But the only person who was still dead against letting Sound into their country was standing inside the meeting room as well, glaring daggers at the back of Kabuto's head from behind his mask. Naruto tried not to grin at his comrade's pain.

A knock on the door interrupted their meeting. The hokage nodded to his Anbu guard and the masked ninja reached over and pulled the door open with one hand, the other moving swiftly to the katana handle tied to his belt. Konohamaru entered the room, looking nervous.

"Ah, pardon the intrusion," he bowed at the waist. "I have a summons for the Kazekage."

"For Gaara?" Naruto blinked and turned to the redhead.

"Yes," he rose. "I was told to tell him that his brother and sister were waiting for him downstairs."

"Well, I'm not downstairs anymore!" a voice broke in from behind him and Konohamaru was shoved roughly aside. He almost went sprawling if Sasuke hadn't caught him and moved aside. Temari flew into the room, her green eyes narrowed, daring anyone present to defy her intrusion. No one did.

Gaara blinked and got to his feet. "Temari? Where's—"

"I'm here too," Kankuro spoke and entered as well, clothed in his usual garments, minus the hood and makeup. He looked…exactly like his younger brother, right down to the shortly cropped copper hair and dark-rimmed green eyes. Naruto was taken aback. Gaara came around the table and opened his arms in a non-believing gesture.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked them. "I thought I told you to stay back in—"

"I, for one, couldn't wait anymore," Temari frowned at her little brother, hands locked on her hips. "Do you know how long it's been since you've written us?"

"Erm, ladies and gentlemen, I think it's time to adjourn today's meeting about the exams," Naruto hastily got to his feet, cutting off the blond woman. "We'll meet again after a successful completion of the second examination. Thank you." Murmurs erupted as the nation's leaders rose from their chairs and went to the door, giving the glaring Temari a wide berth. When it was only Naruto, Sasuke, and the three Sand siblings left in the room Sasuke went over and shut the door. Temari was already scolding her brother.

"Do you know how worried I've been?" she cried. Sasuke did a couple of hand seals and pressed a palm to the door. Naruto felt his skin tingle as chakra flooded the room and coated each of the walls, locking them in a sound-proof barrier. He nodded his thanks to the other man. "A month! Not even a quick note to tell us how you are, to tell us if we should show up here or not! You run off and do your own thing and don't care about how the rest of us worry!"

"She was worried that you hadn't written in a while, so she decided that we should head over to see what was up," Kankuro summarized her thought process to Gaara.

"How's everything in Sand?" he asked his brother as Temari threw up her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Fine! Ignore my pain! Keep not listening to me!" she crossed her arms and huffed in agitation.

"Fine," he nodded, "settled. We caught the last renegades three weeks ago and sent the first few to trial. Man, Gaara, I don't know how you can do that job. It's tiring!"

The youngest sibling grinned: "I'm used to not sleeping much."

"Worried about Kabuto listening in?" Naruto spoke to the man that had ended up standing beside him.

"Not him," Sasuke shook his head, keeping his voice low so the other three could talk uninterrupted. "The Lightning dignitary. We're already on his bad side because we kicked out two of his genin; I don't need him hearing anything that he could use against us or the Sand."

"Well, I couldn't just tell the Lightning that they couldn't participate for no good reason," the blond answered him a little crossly. "That would have been an invitation for Cloud to invade in search of the Raikage. And she's not even here!"

"They're hunting for her all over the place," Sasuke nodded. "They know she's still in their country, but she's only one person, and she is a kage."

"I'm worried that we're not doing enough," Naruto frowned. "We told Gaara to let her know we support her, and the Tsuchikage told her that he would grant her amnesty in the Rock Country, but no one's helping her get to those places that want to help." He looked a little confused. "Does me worrying about it make any sense?"

"Yeah," Sasuke ruffled Naruto's feathered blond hair, knocking his kage hat askew. "I get what you're saying. You sure you don't want to send anyone in there?"

"Mm…" he twisted his lips into a thoughtful pout. "I…"

"He-lloooo?" Temari cupped her hands over her mouth and called to the two men in the corner. They both blinked and shook themselves out of their private conversation. "Are you guys even paying attention? We're going to get something to eat!"

"Ah, sorry," Naruto said. "Let's go. Are you coming too, Sasuke?"

"Can't," he shook his head. "I'm training Hana today."

"Then, is it okay if I swing by later?"the blond asked.

"Sure. I'll tell Hinata you'll be by after dinner."

"Thanks."

Temari leaned over to whisper behind her hand at her younger brother: "Aren't they the happy little couple?"

"I say it's about damn time," Kankuro muttered, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

"It took a while for them to get there," Gaara nodded. "I just hope everything can continue to go as smoothly as it is now."

"Are we going?" Naruto came up beside the siblings.

"See you later, Kazekage. Temari. Kankuro," Sasuke nodded to each one respectively. "Oh, and Temari—you might want to drop in and pay a visit to Nara."

"Hmph!" she turned her nose up at him as her cheeks betrayed her and flamed pink. Naruto stifled a giggle behind one robed arm so as not to incur her wrath. Sasuke smirked and left that as his parting shot.