Standard Disclaimers Apply

Story Summary:
With nothing left in the future Naruto and Gaara travel back to before every thing went wrong. AU Time Travel. Naru/Hina, Gaara?.

Author's Notes:
Alright guys and gals, I know I chould actually be doing my chool work or actually trying to finish one of my other stories but I had this idea and I had to go with it. If I didn't, it would probably keep me up at night. I already have insomniatic tendencies, I don't need them getting worse so here. Enjoy!

Chapter One
More Than Great

He woke with a start, a panicked start. The sheets felt unfamiliar to his usual sleeping bag that he had slept in every night since the fall of Konoha. The air did not smell the same to his demon enhanced senses as the cold mountain air he smelled for the last week or so. There was something covering his eyes blocking his sight. His eyes were sore but he had to see what was going on. His hands reached up to tear them off when…

"I wouldn't do that if I was you, Naruto" stated a calm voice. Naruto could trace a large bout of sadness and regret hidden in his words.

"Who are you? Where am I? W- What happened?"

"It's me Naruto, the Hokage. You know the one that you have been trying to steal the title from since the day you could talk properly. You're in the hospital at the moment and about what happened, that's exactly what I wanted to know?"

That couldn't be right. There hasn't been a Hokage since Tsunade had died. He just couldn't take up the courage to become Hokage after that. What's the point of being Hokage if near enough all of Konoha's people have been murdered? The old man's voice went on to continue.

"When I found you a week ago, you were in a bad shape and there was so much blood in your room. I honestly thought that you could have died before I could get you to the hospital. The doctors here have done the best they could but your eyes were so damaged. They really tried but we will have to wait to see if they heal correctly. I know that this must be traumatic for a six year old to go through but could you tell me what you last remember?"

'Wait, six year old? But the last time I checked I was twenty-four.' thought Naruto. He asked, "Pardon, could you say that again?"

"I said; I know that this must be traumatic for a six year old to go through but could you tell me what you last remember?"

'Six years old…' Then it hit him; everything was coming back to him now. All the memories of how he got to this point were returning to him now.

The wind had picked up now and the moon was high in the sky, its full face shining onto the spot that they were located on the mountain. He turned to Gaara, "It starts now."

Both got into the ready stance and called upon the strength of their respective demons, who gladly complied. Going through intricate hand seals which were perfectly symmetrical to the other, they made the final preparations for their plan.

"Remember, try to keep it as close as possible to the normal timeline, we cannot deviate too far or our knowledge of 'future events' will not be effective when necessary" shouted Gaara over the raging winds that erupted when they started.

Naruto could only grin. "Okay, it'll just make it more of a surprise to people when we show who we really are like in the Chunnin exams, but Gaara… try not to kill too many people like before."

"I'll try"

"That's all I could ask. So, we are going to be dumped into the timeline as six years old right."

"Right. Oh, be warned. That Sharingan you stole from the Uchiha bastard will go with you and they will replace your eyes again. Your body won't be as developed and you will not heal it as smoothly this time."

"Don't worry. I'll survive. I survived everything else didn't I? I survived the Chuunin exams, I survived my fight with you, I survived the showdown with that Uchiha-teme in the valley of the end, I saved you and Shukaku from the Akatsuki, I survived killing that Sasuke-teme, I survived the downfall of my village, and I survived after she was taken from me. I can survive this."

"Just making sure…" They both had lost a lot in the wars that plagued the world now. Orochimaru had started another great Ninja War. They had nothing left. Even if they won, it wouldn't be worth it unless… It was a crazy plan given to them by their demons but what was there to lose through trying. They had nothing left.

"Well, I guess this is it. See you on the other side partner" stated Naruto as he neared to the end of the long list of seals necessary.

"See you on the other side friend" retorted Gaara, bringing back his fist which was surrounded in an intense cloud of chakra, which of course was mirrored by Naruto.

Naruto could only grin at Gaara's statement. As their fists were about to collide, he said, "Yeah, friend…"

A few hours later, a scout from Orochimaru's army would finally reach the location of the large chakra explosion only to find two very charred bodies lying in a massive crater which had been blown from the side of the mountain.

"Naruto!" yelled the third Hokage trying to catch Naruto's attention. Naruto's attention now returned to the present instead of the confusing past/future. "Now that you're paying attention, would you mind answering my question?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary happened. The last thing I remember was finishing off my cup ramen before going to bed. Why do these things always happen to me?"

"Don't worry Naruto. Things will get better eventually. They will all see what a wonderful person you actually are. I'm sorry this had to happen to you. I must go now; I have work that I have to finish but I promise to visit."

He ruffled up Naruto's hair a bit before departing with a farewell. Once Naruto was alone, he could properly let the information sink in. 'It worked. It actually worked. I have a second chance and this time it'll all be better. They won't have to die. I'll make sure all my precious people will survive this time. Iruka, Kakashi, Ero-sennin, Tsunade-baa-chan, Sakura-chan, Hinata-chan… even you old man. This time, it'll all be different, it'll all be better.'

His ranting elation was interrupted by another voice from the side of his room. "Greetings, I bear a message from Gaara-sama and Shukaku-sama. They ask if you had arrived properly and if there were any problems."

'Gaara must have one of those lower racoons.' "Tell him that I had one problem but I am getting through it. Things are great, really great. The plan can go on as scheduled."

The racoon nodded and jumped out of the window it got in from. Naruto went back to his thoughts and for once in so long a time, a real smile (full of the old trademarked Naruto happiness) graced his face.

"No, not great… Things are more than great."

End Chapter One

Author's Notes:
Again I apologise to any of those who are waiting on my other stories. By May I should be able to write a lot more often, but this just needed to get out of my system. From May, my top priorities will be 'Me and My Dark Side' (I had a really good response to this. People who read this may have thought that I abandoned it but that will soon change), 'The World Not As He Knew It' (This more humourous fic is a great challenge and really fun to write about, the drafts for the next few chapters are great) and this story (because Gaara just rocks). On a side note, Gaara will in a couple of chapters start to play a larger part and I will try to develop his personality (Shukaku isn't bothering him anymore). Well, gotta go. Hoping to write another chapter soon.

-deranged without glasses-