The entire town saw them to the edge of the village. It was one of the hardest things Naruto had done. Almost as hard as leaving the Leaf village. He felt a sense of painfull finality in it. He would never be able to live there again. From here on out it was unknown where they would end up or what would happen. Naruto only had one mission.

"Naruto we need to head south," Said Sakura when she noticed their strange swerve along a northern road.

"We're not going straight to the leaf," said Naruto. "We're going to Suna."

"Suna? But why?"

"I need to talk to Gaara."

"Is this smart?" Sakura asked.

"I think so." He grinned over at her.

Reluctantly she went along with it.

Before it would have taken only three days to reach Suna. But they were traveling slow, enjoying being out of the land of iron for the first time in a year. When they finally stumbled up to the gates the shocked wall guards let him through without even asking the Kazekage for permission.

They were led straight up to his office. Naruto didn't even knock before pushing his way in.

"Hey Gaara! Long time no see!" He grinned.

Gaara spun around from a perch by the window and the notebook he'd been holding fell from his hands. His eyes were wide and his mouth open. "N-Naruto? Sakura?"

"The one and only!"

"Hello Lord Kazekage," Sakura bowed.

Naruto walked up besides his old friend and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Nice weather isn't it?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Well we were just passing through."

"passing through my ass," Sakura mumbled. "We're sorry for stopping by so suddenly Gaara. After we didn't write or…"

"I'm only upset you did not come here to begin. We would have welcomed you."

"We just needed to get away from the ninja world," Naruto shrugged. "But alright I might not just be passing through. I have a favor to ask."

gaara quirked an eyebrow. "It's been a year and a half and you're already asking favors?"

Naruto laughed. "Yeah you know me. Look I want you to stop your attack on Konoha."

Gaara frowned, his invisible eyebrows arching down. "What? Naruto someone needs to take Acton against them. They're practicing morbid rituals that have been outlawed since the Blood Mist. Teams of Konoha Ninja have been found infiltrating beyond the borders we specifically created to keep them out. They are planning a strike against the sand. This came from Choji's father himself before they arrested him. If they make a strike they will loose and those who attack and loose sacrifice their lands and people to the offended nation. It's how wars work. But if we strike first we can reduce casualties and we can decide the grounds of winning. We may decide to make the land of fire a ward of the wind. We may have to take property but turn the rest over. Still it would be better than the complete annihilation of the leaf. Do you understand/.

"I get what your saying Gaara really! And something does need to be done. I just.. kinda have a better idea."

Even Sakura snorted at how silly that sounded.

"I want to put together a team of a few strong ninja. Sakura and Myself too. We'll walk right in through the front door, defeat the Hokage, and put someone better in charge. Like Shikamaru or H- h- oi what was Hinata's dad called again?"

Sakura sighed. "The thing he's trying to say is, if we do it this way it's not another nation interfering it's a coup d'etat inside job. This way the leaf won't have any further consequences the loser in a war would. We're saving the leaf."

Gaara sighed. "I've considered this but there was no one in the leaf who was willing to go up against Kato. Or even speak of it. He is too well protected for an assassination. But if you do this you could save the village Naruto."

"I dont even want to kill an Anbu doing this. Only Kato. So I want a team to get put together. I know it's a little selfish but I was thinking maybe… if you could let me borrow Kankuro and Ibiki?"

"I'll do better than that," Said Gaara with an air of finality. He walked to the door and opened it, motioning to the girl outside it. "Matsuri, call the ambassadors."

Naruto grinned. "Where are the Ambassadors from?"

"The cloud. And the mist and the stone. We also received a defector of the leaf."

He raised his eyebrows. "From the leaf? And you think they'll all come with me."

He didn't answer, only took a seat at his desk and pulled a piece of paper in front of himself. Sakura and naruto bit their tongues and waited, such a thing was never narutos strong suit. About fifteen minutes had passed before the door opened and four people filed in.

"Yo Gaara what's the go?"

Naruto grinned, knowing who that voice belonged to before he even turned around. "B!"

Bee stopped and opened and closed his mouth before giving an incredulous look. "Naruto my brotha, I thought you was a gonna."

He rubbed the back of his head and sakura stepped up besides Naruto with a smile. Her smile wavered a bit when she caught the green robe of the last person to enter. "Oh.. oh Shishou…"

Tsunade made a b-line for Sakura and Naruto. She pushed past B and Chōjūrō, who stuttered a little when she pushed him aside, and Kurotsuchi.

"Fools!" She scolded. "Instead of coming to the sand you decided to do things on your own!"

"S-shishou," Sakura wined. "We just-"

"No excuses!" Tsunade scolded. "Where have you been?"

"Land or Iron," Sakura informed.

"Of course. The one nation we didn't think you'd go."

"So you two getting frisky yet," asked B.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "B," she greeted.

B clapped Naruto on the back and grinned back at Sakura. "Yo. So ya gotta tell us the details. I've been missing ya nine-tails.""

"They'll tell you on the way to your mission." Gaara cleared his throat. "It's a SS rank mission."

The room straightened up and formed a line in front of the Kazekage like they'd done it a million times before.

"Your assignment is to infiltrate the leaf and assassinate the Hokage. Naruto will lead this Mission. Chōjūrō of the mist. Kurotsuchi of the stone. B of the cloud. Tsunade of the Leaf. I entrust this mission to you. Set out immediately."

"Yes Sir," it chorused through the room.

"I'll get the packs," Kurotsuchi offered with a smile. "Do you think I'll have time to send a letter to Gramps?"

"We'd like this to stay under the radar for now," Sakura suggested." I'll help you with the packs though!"

"If you want I can check the tool packs?" Offered Chōjūrō. "I mean if it would help and all."

"Take it easy this will be gran'. No need to stress, you're a big help to us little man." Bi waved him to let him help witht he packs so it would finish up easier, leaving Naruto and Tsunade and Gaara together.

Gaara nodded. "I will be coming with you. We'll set out in two hours. Try to get a bite. I am sure your traveling was hard."

"Just, er, a little." Naruto laughed. "Ah Ba-chan… sorry I didn't write or… anything."

"You should be." She glared. "Do you know how much I worried you fool? Honestly."

He smiled because he knew she cared. "Come on granny. You can't get rid of me that easy."


AN: sorry just noticed a few mistakes! Fixed. Read and Enjoy 3