DISCLAIMER: No matter how much I want it, I do not own Naruto. I am still only borrowing the characters and only maybe hurting a few… but it's only temporary... I promise to return them in good condition – well, maybe slightly battered!

AN: This chapter has not been beta'd, so hopefully it's not too full of mistakes... but it's October 10th; my little Naruto-chibi's birthday, so I had to release it! Please let me know if I screwed up too badly... I can take it (hides face behind pillow!) and I promise not to cry! lol

Chapter Twenty:

True Strength

I'm not afraid to take a stand
Everybody, come take my hand
We'll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Then you know that, you're not alone

~Eminem~

"Sand Funeral!"

A massive wave of sand rose up. Its speed was too fast for Naruto to dodge. It engulfed him and began to squeeze. More insane laughter echoed in his ears. His chakra reserves were dwindling.

He created more clones. One pulled him free of the sand while three more attacked the Shukaku, giving him the time needed to free himself.

The Gaara-Shukaku beast swiped the clones with his tail, but these were not regular shadow clones. These were something else. These were a result of a drunken Jiraiya foolishly making a bet with Naruto and losing. The Clone Great Explosion jutsu was something he had no intention of teaching an immature boy known for having such a propensity for practical jokes.

Ka-boom!

Pain…so this is what pain felt like…

Blinded and deafened by the explosion, Gaara howled. The unfamiliar and strange feeling of uncertainty and doubt filled him. He couldn't see anything; he couldn't hear anything… All he could do was feel.

Slowly his sight came back. He looked down at his body and realized that part of it had been destroyed by the unexpected explosion. Sand swirled around him, filling in the gaps; rebuilding his arm. "How can he be so strong?!"

"I WILL KILL YOU!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you keep saying that and yet here I am… still alive." Okay, probably not the best thing to say at a time like this baka!

The earth around him began to move as if an earthquake had struck. Naruto looked with wide, shocked eyes as the Shukaku formed, bigger than the tallest building in Konoha, its body formed by vast rivers of sand.

~~O~~

Faced with the gigantic form of the One-Tail Shukaku, Naruto had no choice but to attempt to summon the chief toad. He had only been able to do it once before when Jiraiya put his life on the line by throwing him off a cliff. Well, his life was certainly in jeopardy this time too.

He bit his thumb and made the hand signs, praying it would work. Slamming his hand down, he thought of the huge toad and summoned… Gamakichi?!

The tiny toad hopped over to the boy. "Hey Naruto, have you got snacks for me?"

"SNACKS?! WE DON'T HAVE ANY TIME FOR SNACKS!" he howled in disappointment. He was about to say more when the massive arm came down again. He scooped up Gamakichi and flipped backwards, narrowly avoiding being squashed like a bug. "You need to get out of here before you get hurt."

Gamakichi's eyes grew wide when he saw the Shukaku. "What about you Naruto? This guy looks pretty dangerous. You should get out of here too."

During the time since Waterfall, he had learned more about himself than he had his entire lifetime so far. For one thing, his love of life, his sheer joy in being alive, was greater than he had ever understood until all the lives of all the people he had come to care about in the months he had spent with them had been destroyed in one bloody, brutal day. In the face of so much death, he now savored both the warmth of every sun-filled day and the chill wind of every raging storm. He had never been a fraction as aware of his love of freedom – his need of freedom – as when he had been forced to fight for it.

And in that time, he had been amazed to discover that he just wasn't capable of losing hope. "I can't," said Naruto grimly, "I have to stop him."

Completely drained of all his natural chakra, Naruto set the toad down and desperately tried one last time as Gaara's sand flowed towards him again. This time when he tapped into the Kyuubi's chakra, it flowed through his body like a rushing river, filling his pores with its deadly strength.

When the smoke cleared, he was high in the air…higher than the tallest trees that inhabited the land of fire. Gamabunta, the great Toad King had been summoned.

~~O~~

"You again?! What do you want?" demanded the toad.

"I need your help chief."

"Why should I help you?"

Naruto's mouth gaped open. "Are you kidding me?! Look!" he pointed at the raging Shukaku. Its belly suddenly grew huge and round and then his mouth opened. A ball of raging wind headed towards them in a lethal collision course. Gamabunta leapt high into the air, avoiding the attack and shot a water canon ball in return.

Back and forth, they exchanged air and water jutsu. But as Naruto and Gamabunta gained the upper hand in their battle, Gaara formed the ram seal. "You are going to see the true might from the incarnation of the sand… Feigning Sleep Technique!"

The Shukaku was in complete control now.

"Where are you, puny human!" the beast shouted, his bloodcurdling voice high-pitched but all the more terrifying. "I will crush you!"

"Not good Naruto, not good at all. We've got to wake the little brat up somehow."

~~O~~

"Look…" Jiraiya pointed off into the distance above the trees.

"Can it be? Is that…?"

"Kyuubi…," they said in unison.

Although the fight between Gaara and Naruto was far enough away from Konoha that their massive chakra wouldn't be sensed, Kakashi worried about it. When the Kyuubi materialized, he couldn't repress the shiver that ran down his spine. Even Jiraiya looked shaken for a brief moment. That form was enough to inspire terror in the hearts of every citizen of their village. If anyone saw it, there would be trouble.

The Toad Sanin instantly read the copy-nin's face and clutched his arm before he could move. "It's just a combo transformation; it's not the real thing. Do not interfere."

Kakashi glared down at the hand holding his arm. A dark, dangerous look glinted in his eye. His hand grasped his arm and his fist clenched. The deafening sound of a thousand birds filled the air. "Let go," he growled low in warning, "Before I forget that you are my son's godfather and my friend."

Reluctantly, Jiraiya released him as three figures raced past them. "This is very bad timing…" he muttered, "One of those people was the Kazekage." The two shinobi shunshined after the trio in a desperate race against time. They had to stop them.

~~O~~

As an exhausted Naruto delivered a head butt to Gaara, Gamabunta returned home with Gamakichi. Though both are depleted of all strength and chakra they faced each other for one last attack, leaping at each other from the treetops, but it was Naruto's punch which landed hardest, finally defeating Gaara.

"How?" he gasped out from the ground where he lay. "How are you so strong?"

"I told you," panted Naruto, "I told you that true strength comes from protecting others. It's the Will of Fire." Piercing blue eyes stared into his and a hand was outstretched. "Do you have it in you Gaara? Do you have the Will of Fire in you?"

Gaara closed his eyes while the others boy's words echoed in his head. All the pain in his body was forgotten as he desperately tried to make sense of all that happened. He had been defeated, but not killed. He yearned to have what Naruto had. Could people ever accept him? Was he more than a weapon for Sunagakure?

Both unable to move, Naruto stared transfixed in horror as the sandy hand pinning Sakura high up in a tree began to crumble away.

"No…Sakura…," he whispered. Every muscle in his body screamed in agony as he attempted to stand. She slipped out of the hand and fell headfirst towards the ground. Gaara's fingers reached out. He tried to send his sand to catch her but he didn't have enough chakra left in him.

"Sakura!" screamed Naruto.

The brilliant glitter of gold flashed in front of them and engulfed the girl inches from the ground. It laid her down and then flew towards them. He had nothing left to defend himself with. Naruto closed his eyes and waited for death.

Seconds ticked by and he opened his eyes in confusion. Gaara was covered in gold dust. He had a look of weary resignation on his face. "Farewell, Naruto Uzumaki. I only wish I could have had the chance to redeem myself and have what you have." A small tear fell from the corner of his eye before the golden shroud covered him completely.

He shook his head in disbelief and yelled, "Gaara!" The Kazekage stood before him flanked by Temari and Kankuro. The look in his eyes promised misery and death to any that got in his way. Gritting his teeth in agony, Naruto pulled himself upright, took a step forward and then another. "Please no," he held his arms out to the sand genin and begged for his life. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to save him whatever the cost. He began to sway on his feet and blackness blurred the edge of his vision.

Strong arms captured him and held him up and then a gentle voice whispered, "I won't let you fall."

"Dad!" he groaned in relief. "Dad, don't let him kill him, please. He's been hurt enough. No one should ever have to live like that. It's not his fault."

Kakashi shifted Naruto onto his back as the last of his energy ebbed away. Kankurō stiffened as Naruto's accusation rang in the air. Hotheadedly, he shouted, "The Kazekage wouldn't kill on of its own shinobi."

Temari frowned as she admitted, "A Kage will do whatever's necessary to protect his village from any and all threats."

Naruto had his eyes squeezed shut and his head resting on Kakashi's shoulder. So many bad memories of other's hatred and scorn flashed through his mind. A tear ran from the corner of his eye. "Is that all he is to you?" he mumbled in a hoarse whisper. "…a threat? He's had no one… he's your brother." In an even softer voice that only Jiraiya and Kakashi heard, he added, "That could have been me."

Kankurō glanced at the golden covered body of his younger brother in a mixture of shame, fear and uncertainty. Who the hell was that blonde kid and what right did he have to lecture him? He knew nothing of what it was like to live with a monster.

"Enough," said the Kazekage. Although he said it quietly, everyone could feel the anger rolling off him in waves. He casually flicked his fingers, removing the gold off of Gaara's face, but did not release him from his imprisonment.

Jiraiya stepped between the Suna shinobi and Gaara. He gathered Sakura in his arms and then held one hand out in a conciliatory manner. He said evenly, "Everyone needs to calm down."

Sakura slowly blinked her eyes and looked up at the sanin in confusion. As her memories became clear, she gasped and shook. "I'm alive?"

"Yes, yes, you're fine. However," he addressed everyone, "We need to take these three to the hospital and then we can sort everything out."

"Kankurō… Temari…" snapped the Kazekage agitatedly, "Collect Gaara. We are going home now."

"Stop," ordered Jiraiya authoritatively, "You brought an unstable Jinchuriki into Konohagakure. That is an act of aggression that cannot be overlooked…"

The rest of the heated conversation between the Kazekage and Jiraiya became unintelligible as Naruto strived to maintain awareness. He struggled in vain to keep his heavy eyes open, but in the end, he knew it was an impossible task. There was only one thing he was compelled to say.

"Gaara… his name is Gaara… not Jinchuriki," mumbled Naruto. In seconds everything grew quiet and his world turned black. Kakashi felt him slump over and knew he finally passed out from chakra exhaustion.

"Everyone needs to shut up!" shouted Kakashi. He sweat dropped as soon as he realized that he had just raised his voice to a Kage and a Sanin, but continued anyways, "This is not the time or place to discuss this. We need to go back to Konoha now and let the Kages' deal with this matter. Anbu will be here any second now."

Kankurō and Temari picked up the unconscious body of Gaara and followed their leader back to the village followed closely by Kakashi. When the first cold, wet drop of drool hit his neck and slid down his back, he thought with a wry grin, "Ah memories…"

~~O~~

When Naruto awoke, his eyes felt gummy and his mouth was dry as a desert. He blinked several times and in the dim light, saw Kakashi sleeping in the chair next to him. The poor man looked so uncomfortable. Naruto smiled and slowly got out of bed, covered him with his blanket, and then yawned wide. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a gritty voice spoke.

"There has been a very fat female here the past few days as well. She seemed to be upset to leave you, but that man made her leave."

Naruto jumped. He spun around and saw Gaara sitting on the bed next to his. A slew of questions ran through his mind as he blurted out, "Fat female…? Do you mean my mom? Does she have pretty brown hair and eyes and walks like a duck?"

"Well, that man did appear to be quite attached to her, so I can assume she was indeed your mother; also she did have brown hair and eyes, but… a duck?"

"Yeah, she kinda waddles around. She's not fat; she's pregnant. Just so you know, women really don't like it when you say they're fat." Naruto moved to the side of his bed and sat facing the Jinchuriki. "So are you all right? How long have we been here?"

"I am better now and it's been three days."

"Three days?!"

"Yes. There have been a lot of people who have come to see you. They really seem to care." He looked at Naruto with admiration and speculation. "I think I now understand what you meant by true strength. I want to be needed by someone like you are. You've made me see that I can change my path too. I can be needed too. I want to be more than just a weapon."

Wordlessly, Naruto nodded. His whole reason for wanting to become the Hokage was more than to show the villagers that he was not worthless. It was to be needed and to be loved by everyone.

"I am sorry Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto honestly didn't know how to respond to that. A few days ago they had tried to kill each other and now…

…now he didn't know what they were. Were they still enemies? Friends? Bothers? He rubbed the back of his head somewhat bashfully and said, "So'kay. No one was hurt. Besides, we're Jinchuriki… we need to stick together right?"

Gaara stared at the opposite wall deep in thought. Almost to himself, he softly replied, "I want what you have here."

"What?"

"Friends… acceptance… a real life."

"You deserve it Gaara. Go get it."

"I'm not sure how."

"I'm not sure either. I'm not the smartest guy around; I mean, it takes me a long time to learn new things and I make a lot of mistakes. When I was little and my dad was trying to teach me something new, I would get mad and frustrated because I felt stupid for not getting it quickly enough. I say the wrong thing a lot, but I do know what it means to be a friend." Naruto slowly got out of the bed and shuffled over to Gaara. He held out his hand and added, "My dad told me that it didn't matter if a journey was one mile or a thousand. He said that it all started with a single step. Let me be your first step."

Gaara flinched a bit as the hand moved closer to him. He hesitantly took it in his and gripped it tightly, marveling at the feel. It was the first time anyone had touched him in eight years. The ghost of a smile touched his lips.

"It's warm," he commented.

"Yeah, my dad says I run hotter than most people."

"No, it's not that, it's…"

Gaara fell silent as he heard the door open. The Kazekage entered the hospital room and managed to hide his shock at seeing his son willingly touching another.

"Are you well enough to travel yet?"

"My strength has returned."

"Good. Be ready to leave in ten minutes." Without another word, the Kazekage turned on his heel and left the room.

Gaara dropped Naruto's hand and got out of bed. He changed his clothes and then walked towards the door. Before he opened it, he said, "The next time you see me, things will be different. I will find a way to change… to become a better person. Thank you again Naruto Uzumaki."

"Bye Gaara. I know you can do it, believe it."

As soon as the door shut, a melancholy look crossed Naruto's face. He was actually a bit sad to see the other Jinchuriki leave. "Good luck," he whispered. He sighed to himself and said, "Thanks dad, you know… for letting us talk."

Kakashi opened one blurry, bloodshot eye and smiled tiredly. "You knew I was awake?" he asked as he stood up and stretched.

"Tch, please... You're an elite shinobi of Konohagakure; you probably knew I was awake before I even did."

Kakashi walked over to the bed which Naruto was leaning on. He put his hands on the boys shoulder and led him back to his own bed. "Get in," he ordered kindly, "If the medics check on you and find you out of your bed, they'll probably try to kick me out again."

"You got kicked out?"

"Tch, please..." he said with a smile, echoing Naruto's words. "I said try…"

Naruto laid his head on the pillow and took a good long look at his father. He was surprised at how terrible the jonin looked. His clothes were wrinkled and he looked exhausted. "You really look like crap dad," he said bluntly. "Have you been here the whole time?" He pushed back the covers that Kakashi had just pulled over him and added, "Join me, there's plenty of room."

"Where else would I be pup?" The copy-nin lay down next to him and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess." He was silent for a minute as he thought of Gaara. After a few minutes, Kakashi thought he had fallen asleep, but he proved otherwise when he softly asked, "Do you think he will make it? Do you think he will ever find acceptance?"

Kakashi knew he wasn't only speaking about the sand genin. He carefully replied, "You know, Guy once told me that we all have emptiness inside and questions that don't have any answers. If his will is anywhere as near as strong as yours, then I believe he will be alright."

"I hope so."

AN:

Thanks to everyone that followed/favorited/commented on the last chapter!

Thanks to my guests as well, nobody, Gamma89, and unnamed ones.