The Clan of Currents by Mr. Lee (Originally Wanderers by 412816)

This fanfiction will be a NarutoxTemari and a GaaraxTayuya story

Rated M for language and suggestive themes

Disclaimer: This fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only. The author of this fanfiction does not own Naruto or its characters. Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. The story Wanderers is owned by 412816. Any other similarities in this story are purely coincidental.

Authors note: This story I'm making is my first fanfiction and is derived from the story Wanderers by 412816 with a few extra twists and turns on my part. I hope that you will enjoy this as much as I do. This story is dedicated to all Naruto fans that pair him up with any girl. I think we can all agree that boy needs some loving (Sorry yaoi fans, nothing personal :).). I also dedicate this fic to all NarutoxTemari fans and authors especially Temari of the Desert, 412816, Naruto x Temari and the other authors I missed. All right then let's get started. Enjoy :)!

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us." -Oliver Wendall Holmes

Ch. 1-Convergence

Four souls, all of them shunned for different reasons come together to find a place where they can belong. Their journey to find that place is a story that will become the stuff of legends. Our tale takes place one year after Naruto's battle with Sasuke and Orochimaru.

16 year old Uzumaki Naruto held a bloody kunai in his hand while standing under the rain. It was drenched with the blood of 50 civilians of Konoha. It happened after he left Ichiraku for the night, as his thoughts of that battle a year ago tormented his mind. Even though he was a chunin now and had learned many techniques from Jiraiya, Yamato, Kakashi, and Tsunade, he still felt powerless to save his former teammate from the darkness that is the Snake Sannin Orochimaru and his quest for vengeance and power.

Unfortunately, Kami was about to throw him another curveball. As he headed to his home, he was surrounded by a large mob of villagers that wanted one thing and one thing only. And that was his death. Naruto looked around the rooftops, but he sensed none of the ANBU that guarded the village. He sighed anticipating this. With the exception of his precious people, most of Konoha considered him the demon and not its container.

'Great, just what I don't need.' Naruto said to himself somberly. He really was not in the mood for this as the crowd started to approach him and began to yell their usual taunts at the young man.

"Hey demon, leave this village, no one wants you here!"

"Die you freak! Demons aren't welcome in Konoha!"

"I can't believe you have friends. Who would want to be friends with a monster like you?"

The insults and slurs just kept coming and coming as they started to toss rocks, kunai and other objects at him. The blonde haired ninja's anger was rising and he knew that he had to escape since the seal that held the Kyubi no Kitsune (Nine tailed fox) was very unstable as of late that the people who could help him with it were away at the time. He took a few steps back and was about to jump up to the rooftops when he suddenly felt a piercing pain in his back. Naruto screamed in pain and turned around to see a man plunging a kunai deep into his right kidney. Even though the man was dressed normally, Naruto automatically knew that it was a ninja. A villager would never have gotten the drop on him so easily. As he was about to attempt to remove it, the 'villager' plunged the kunai even deeper until only the tip was showing. The pain the blonde ninja was so great that he was bending down on one knee. The 'villager' had the advantage and convinced the mob to attack.

"Come on everyone! I've injured the demon. Now's our chance to destroy him!" The 'villager' cried.

In a moments notice, the mob surrounded the young ninja and attacked him with anything they could put their hands on. Naruto covered his face with his hands and tried to block the punches, kicks and sharp objects they were using against him. But the kunai was still stuck in his kidney and he was slowly losing consciousness with all the blood he lost. The 'villager' pulled out another kunai and was about to plunge it into his heart. But his previous actions was about to be his last, because at that moment a loud roar was heard. A roar that was not human.

"You foolish humans, do you really think you can destroy me!! I'll destroy all of you instead!!" The evil voice growled with malice as red chakra swirled around Naruto and five chakra tails swung behind him. Normally the tails would not appear at such a fast rate, but the weakening seal combined with Naruto's pent up rage and his natural will to survive contributed to Kyubi's 'easy' release. The mob started to panic and the 'villager' gasped in horror as the kunai in Naruto's kidney fell out while the remainder of his wounds started to heal at a rapid rate. They started to run away, but it was all in vain as the Kyubified Naruto pulled out a platinum kunai and started slashing and stabbing the mob.

"Hey don't run off, I want to play with you!" Kyubi bellowed with an evil chuckle as he ran after every member of the mob, killing them with ease and enjoying their screams. He made sure to save the 'villager' for last and cornered him next to the pile of bodies he created. The man tried begging and pleading for mercy, but the demon fox simply roared with laughter.

"I should thank you human for letting me out for some fun. Here is your reward!" Kyubi said with a smirk. And with a chakra enhanced downward slash, he cut the 'villager' in half. The demon fox let out a final laugh at his handiwork and finally returned Naruto's body back to him. Taking a moment to collect himself, he looked around and saw the dead bodies around him.

"Wh-, what happened?" Naruto said drowsily as he looked at the bloody kunai in his hand. As soon as he saw it and the corpses that surrounded him, he dropped it immediately and started to tremble while tears started to fall from his eyes.

"Oh Kami, what have I done?" Naruto sobbed as he looked at his bloody hands. Even though he had passed out from the lost of blood, he already knew what had happened when he saw the carnage. And as if the village wasn't cursing him enough, who should conveniently appear but an ANBU guard who was a friend of the 'villager' who started it all.

'I can't believe that Shingo failed.' The ANBU guard thought to himself as he looked at the deformed body of his comrade. For the pass couple of weeks, the two ANBU guards had noticed that Tsunade had given Naruto time off to train and that when he headed home, the blonde ninja was extremely exhausted and had little chakra. So they decided that they would strike with the help of the villagers who hated the demon container as much as they did. Unfortunate for them, Naruto did not train this day and decided to use the day to relax and reflect on various things, which is something he has been doing a lot lately.

'Shingo, I will not let your sacrifice be in vain!' The ANBU guard thought as he looked at the one he called 'demon brat'. He decided to act as if Naruto killed them on purpose and take him out in a 'justified' killing.

"You! What the hell happened here?" The guard asked in a stone cold voice.

The blonde ninja snapped out of his sorrowful state and wiped his tears, lifting his head to look at the ANBU. 'No, the ANBU guard is here. Not now!' Naruto shouted in his mind. He already knew that no matter what he said, the ninja wouldn't believe him. Even so, he figure that he had to at least try to explain.

"I-I didn't mean to do it. It just happened." He said with panic in his voice.

"You demon brat! You attacked these innocent villagers and killed them all!!" The guard spat in a mock angry tone, trying to play his part.

"N-no…It's not like that! They attacked me first! I didn't mean for this to happen!" Naruto said trying to defend himself as best he could.

"Don't make excuses murderer! I always knew you'd end up killing again you demon brat! Now you'll pay for your crimes!" The ANBU guard said angrily as he drew his ninjato (A katana made for ninjas) and prepared himself to strike down the blonde haired ninja.

'Maybe he's right. That bastard fox may have done this, but I did nothing to stop it. I'm just as guilty as he is.' Naruto thought depressingly. After being tormented for so long by the villagers of Konoha, he hoped he would gain their respect by becoming Hokage. But after seeing the blood of the villagers he swore to protect on his hands, he knew that the dream that he fought so hard for almost all his life was over, and nothing he said or did was going to change that.

Just as the ninja was about to strike Naruto, the soothing sound of a flute was heard and the ANBU instantly fell asleep on his knees. A beautiful young kunoichi with flowing red hair reaching down to her lower back appeared behind the guard with a kunai in her hand. With one swift motion, she slit his throat and the ANBU soldier slumped to the ground.

'That was the Ototon: Anmin no Jutsu (Sound Release: Quiet Sleep Technique).' Naruto thought. He knew exactly who it was that used it.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing Naruto-kun?! That ANBU bastard almost had you!" The red-haired girl said with a scowl on her face.

"Tayuya-chan." The blonde ninja said softly with a small smile on his face as he looked at the kunoichi that was once his enemy.

Tayuya, the once foul mouthed member of the Sound Four never thought she would never have a chance to lead a life with people who could be considered friends after being given the curse seal by Orochimaru. But after meeting Naruto, her life was never the same. After being defeated by his future girlfriend Temari and her Kuchiyose: Kirikiri Mai (Summoning: Quick Beheading Dance), Tayuya's lower body was trapped under a large tree. However, she miraculously survived the wind mistress's assault and was found a few days later by the blonde ninja, who went into the forest for some time to himself after failing to retrieve Sasuke. After freeing her from beneath the large tree, he carried her back to Konoha and the conversation they had would change the red-haired kunoichi's outlook on her life.

Flashback

"Hey you damn leaf…" Tayuya said weakly.

"Hey, I have a name and it's Naruto." The blonde haired ninja said loudly.

"Whatever. Hey Naruto, why the fuck are you helping me?" She asked.

"Huh? Why do you ask?" He asked back with a confused look on his face.

"What do you fucking think? I'm a sound ninja. I helped kill that old Hokage of yours. I helped that stupid ass Uchiha go to Orochimaru. I'm your enemy!" She yelled with a hoarse voice. A sharp pain hit Naruto's heart at the mention of the Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi. He was one of his precious people and didn't know that the girl was there during that battle against Orochimaru. He frowned for a few minutes, not answering the girl, but smiled shortly after.

"Those who break the rules are scum, this is true. But those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum." He said softly to the red-haired girl.

"Huh? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" She spat. This time it was Tayuya who was confused.

"It's something that my sensei Hatake Kakashi said once. You may be my enemy. And you may not or will ever be my comrade. But I'm not the type of ninja who abandons someone in need. Besides, I couldn't just stand there and let you die." Naruto replied with a serious tone in his voice. Tayuya gasped and lowered her head at his response. She had never heard anyone say such a thing. For a ninja, showing mercy and compassion to your enemy is a quick way to lead to your death. But for some reason, his words had started to heal her wounded heart.

"You're a goddamn baka (idiot), you know that?" She said in a surprisingly warm voice.

He smiled at her response. "Heh, so I've been told." He chuckled. "But at least I'm a baka carrying a pretty girl." He added in a blaring voice.

"Flattery will get you nowhere shithead." Tayuya said with a smirk.

"Who said I was flattering you Tayuya-chan?" Naruto retorted in a playful voice while adding the suffix in her name to tease her.

"When I recover from my wounds, I'm gonna kick your ass Naruto-kun!" The red-haired girl snapped with a small blush on her cheeks, not realizing that she added the suffix to his name.

The blonde haired shinobi's smile widened and he started to laugh. "Wow! I must be making a good impression for you to call me that Tayuya-chan." he said in regards to the added suffix in his name. This caused Tayuya's blush to grow a few shades darker.

"Fuck you Naruto-kun." She said quietly, knowing that the genin beat her in their little verbal battle. The sound ninja once again added the suffix to his name, but she didn't care. For some reason, Tayuya felt safe around him, and she knew he could be trusted. She yawned and lowered her head on his shoulder, falling fast asleep while breathing shallowly on the boy's neck.

"Sleep well Tayuya-chan." Naruto whispered with a warm smile on his face. As he said those words, a small smile crept on the girl's face and she snuggled into his shoulder. It was the best rest she had in her young life.

End Flashback

When they returned to Konoha, Naruto did everything possible to make sure his newfound friend would not be executed. With a little help and a few threats from the Godaime Hokage Tsunade, as well as some assistance from Kakashi and Anko, who knew all to well about being used by the snake sannin, Tayuya was pardoned reluctantly by the council for her crimes against Konoha on the condition that she would reveal all that she knew about Otogakure no Sato (The village hidden in Sound) and Orochimaru's plans. With the blonde genin by her side, she accepted the conditions. It was then that she silently vowed allegiance not to Konoha, but to Naruto for saving her life and for starting the process of healing her heart.

Before Naruto left for his two and a half year training trip with the toad sannin Jiraiya, he let the ex-sound kunoichi stay at his place until his return and left her in Tsunade's care. Although it was difficult for Tayuya to part with her new best friend, she accepted it and vowed to him to always stand by his side till the end when he returned. After he left, she started to train under Anko and quickly learned all of her jutsus, much to the surprise of the snake mistress. The two became good friends and Tsunade made the red-haired girl an official ninja of Konoha a year later. Afterwards, she worked on her genjutsu and expanded her knowledge of taijutsu, ninjutsu, and chakra control to increase her strength and skills.

When Naruto returned, he and Tayuya were almost inseparable. She also made her peace with Temari at the blonde ninja's behest, mainly because she was his girlfriend. It proved to be in her best interest as she started to date the Godaime Kazekage Gaara after he was saved by Naruto's team from the Akatsuki. Her time with him helped the former holder of the Ichibi no Shukaku (One tailed Shukaku) regain some of the emotions in his heart he thought was lost and Tayuya became one of Gaara's few precious people, next to Naruto and his siblings. This strengthened her loyalty to Naruto because she knew that unlike Orochimaru, he would not use her as a pawn and throw her away. Tayuya wouldn't enjoy the happiness she has now if it wasn't for him, and it was a debt she could never repay.

Tayuya looked around and saw the bodies that lay strewn on the ground next to her best friend and comrade. She knew about the demon inside of him and it didn't take a genius to figure out what happened.

"It was that goddamn fox wasn't it?" She asked him with a sad tone.

"Yeah." Naruto replied dismally. She placed a hand on his shoulder to console him and he looked at her with a sad smile.

"Don't be so fucking hard on yourself Naruto-kun. With the way these stupid ass villagers treat you, I'm not surprised this shit happened." Tayuya said, trying to comfort him as best she could.

"I know Tayuya-chan, but still…" He agreed hesitantly. The flutist frowned knowing how important it was for him to become Hokage and earn the people's respect and that this incident dashed his hopes for that.

"It's too damn bad that Yamato-shishou is on a long ass mission and that Ero-sennin (Perverted Hermit) Jiraiya is away right now." She said with a scowl.

"Yeah, I know. But never mind that, we've got to run right now!" The blonde ninja said with urgency as he suddenly realized the situation they were in.

"Shit! You're right! If we're caught we'll be fucking executed!" The red-haired kunoichi quickly concurred. The duo immediately jumped on the rooftops and sprinted to the apartment they were sharing to grab some things before they escaped. They both figured they had at least ten minutes before the whole village would be swarming with ANBU guards. Using the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique), Naruto ordered his clones to gather as many things that were necessary and to leave the useless stuff behind. They clones quickly grabbed the clothing, food and weapons while Naruto and Tayuya grabbed the money they got from missions as well as their ninja technique scrolls. They were packed in five minutes, leaving the apartment nearly barren.

They quickly ran west to the side gate. They both knew that the ANBU was doing a shift change around this time since they assisted them once when they became chunin. They also knew that at that time personnel was light and it was their best chance to escape.

"Tayuya-chan, can you take care of them without too much noise?" Naruto whispered to Tayuya while hiding behind the roof near the gate. He probably could have handled them on his own, but Naruto knew that Tayuya was better in the stealth department than he was, and he had no problem admitting that.

"Hell yeah! Leave these fuckers to me!" She replied with a confident smirk. She pulled out her flute and with a few hand seals she called out "Ototon: Hachou Konmei (Sound Release: Wavelength Confusion)."As soon as the jutsu reached the guards ears, they started attacking each other without mercy, completely oblivious to everything around them.

"I'm glad you're on my side Tayuya-chan." Naruto said with a look of amazement on his face. Tayuya just laughed lightly at the comment.

"Shit. It was a piece of cake. Now let's get the fuck out of here!" She said. She did a few more hand seals and called out "Ototon: Musei Hara (Sound Release: Silent Field)." enveloping the two ninjas in an invisible field, making their movements completely soundless. They quickly jumped over the gate and started to run through the forest, not stopping until they were a safe distance from Konoha. Once they were a safe distance away, the two ninjas took a quick break and tried to figure out their next move.

"So Naruto-kun, do you have any idea what we should do now?" Tayuya inquired. The blonde ninja thought about it for a few minutes and came up with the only solution available.

"Hmm…I guess the only thing we can do right now is head to Suna and ask Gaara and Tema-chan for sanctuary." Naruto answered. He really didn't want to burden his girlfriend and close friend with their problems, but it was the only way he knew to survive the hunter-nin he knew that would be coming for them soon. Not to mention he loved Temari very much and couldn't forgive himself if he left without at least saying goodbye.

"Sounds good to me. If anybody can hold off those Konoha ANBU assholes it's my little tanuki (Raccoon-dog)!" The flutist said with a lot of affection at the end. Naruto started to laugh out loud at the kunoichi.

"Hey, what's so fucking funny?!" Tayuya yelled at her friend.

"You called Gaara 'little tanuki'!" He replied as he giggled at her nonstop. A huge blush crept upon her face in realization, remembering that she only called the Kazekage that cute nickname on their dates.

"Do me a favor and kiss my ass Naruto-kun!" She growled.

"Whatever you say Tayuya-chan." Naruto countered playfully while blowing a kiss and laughing at her.

"Fuck you Naruto-kun. I'll beat you one day." Tayuya grumbled in a defeated tone, knowing she lost another verbal battle with the blonde ninja.

"I'll be looking forward to it." He said with a smile to the kunoichi. Tayuya gladly returned it, amazed that he could keep his sense of humor even in a situation like this. And without another word, they started to head to Suna, not knowing that a similar fate was happening to the precious people on their minds.

In the village of Suna, an explosion can heard in the heart of the land. Sabaku no Gaara (Gaara of the Desert) stood in the middle of the street with his siblings Kankuro and Temari by his side. They were surrounded by Suna jonins, chunins, and ANBU. And in the middle of the ninjas stood the Wind Country Lord with a smug look on his face.

"Just what is the meaning of this?!" growled the Godaime Kazekage.

"You know exactly what this is about Gaara-sama." The lord replied sarcastically.

"Cut the crap, you bastard! Why are you trying to kill us?!" Temari yelled angrily.

"Come now, you really didn't think we would allow a murderer and a failure like you to be Kazekage did you?" The lord said laughing at the three while ignoring the wind mistress's question.

"So that's what this is about. You only made Gaara the Kazekage because of Shukaku! And now that he doesn't have that demon in him anymore, he's no longer a threat to you!" The sand kunoichi deduced.

"Sharp as always Temari-san." The lord said in a blasé fashion. "You and your brothers failed to destroy Konoha, causing us great casualties. Then you cause us even more shame and embarrassment by being captured by Akatsuki!" He added with a glower on his face.

"Don't blame us for what you idiots and that snake bastard did!" Temari countered. The Wind Lord simply snorted at her response.

"Hmph, no matter. In any case, your usefulness to Suna has come to an end. By the order of the council and the village, you are no longer the Kazekage Gaara-sama." The lord decreed in a superior voice. "In addition, you and your siblings are sentenced to death!" He added with an evil smile.

"Just you try it. It'll be the last thing you ever do." Gaara said with an almost maniacal grin as his sand started to come out of his gourd.

"You can't intimidate us anymore demon! Kill them!!" The wind lord ordered. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, the ninjas threw a slew of kunai and shurikens at the three of them. Temari immediately stepped out in front with her fan fully open to three stars and called out "Kamaitachi no Jutsu (Cutting Whirlwind Technique)!" sending the projectiles right back to their owners.

"Don't underestimate us! We don't quit and we don't run!" Temari yelled taking a statement from her koishii (Beloved). Suddenly, Kankuro who was unusually quiet stepped in front of his elder sister and younger brother, taking his puppet Karasu from his back and putting it on the ground.

"Get out of here you two. I'll keep these guys busy." The puppet master said.

"Don't be stupid Kankuro! You'll get killed!" Temari shouted with a fumed expression on her face.

"Just shut up and get Gaara out of here!!" He retorted, not looking back at her.

"But brother…" The wind mistress tried to talk, but Kankuro just silently raised a hand cutting her off.

"I made a promise to mom, and I'm going to keep it. Now go!" The puppet master said with pain evident in his voice as he got into a battle stance, ready to take on the impossible odds.

"Kankuro…" The sand kunoichi whispered, remembering the promise the two made to their mother Karura to protect Gaara. She tried to stop the tears that started falling from her eyes, but she couldn't. Temari and Gaara both knew this would be the last time they would see their brother.

"Goodbye Kankuro. Thank you." Gaara said joylessly. Without looking back, Kankuro smiled as tears started falling silently from his face. Despite the fear he once held against the now ex-Kazekage, he still loved his little brother like any big brother would.

"Yeah, whatever. Now get going." He choked as he tossed a few smoke grenades into the air to buy some time. Gaara and Temari dashed out of the smoke and began to run as fast as they could, while Kankuro tried his best to hold the Suna ninjas off and buy as much time as he could. He succeeded, but at the cost of his life as the two siblings heard their brother's ear splitting scream a mile away from the village.

"Shall we pursue them my lord?" A sand ANBU asked.

"Let them go for now, but inform all Suna shinobi the Gaara and Temari are now S-ranked criminals." The wind lord replied. "Take care of the wounded ninjas, find Baki-san and bring him to me!" He commanded.

"Yes my lord!" The ANBU said obediently as he vanished. Meanwhile, in the sand siblings' house, Baki was making plans of his own.

'Hmm… That should be all of it.' The jonin thought as he looked at the large sack in front of him. A minute later, Three ANBU ninjas that was a part of his unit appeared in front of him with another large sack.

"Status report." He said in a serious tone at his team.

"Kazekage-sama and Temari-sama managed to escape due to Kankuro-sama's sacrifice." One of the ANBU reported.

"I see…" Baki sighed while lowering his head. "Did you get all the secret scrolls and the money from the secret vault?" He asked after composing himself.

"Yes Baki-sama!" Another ninja replied. "But is it wise to also give them the Sandaime's hijutsu (Secret technique)?" He inquired from his leader.

"The Sandaime's hijutsu was originated from the former holder of Shukaku before Gaara. As the Kazekage and my former student, I believe he is worthy to possess it." Baki answered with pride.

"But Baki-sama, if the council finds out what you've done, you'll be executed!" The third ninja said with worry.

"If that is my fate, then so be it. My loyalty lies with the Kazekage, not the council." He said fearlessly.

"We understand Baki-sama! We are with you until the end!" The three ANBU responded in unison.

A small smile crept up Baki's face as he handed them a letter scroll which the three ANBU placed in the sack. "Thank you, my men. Now go." He said quietly and the ANBU took the other sack and disappeared. After his men vanished, another ANBU team followed by the wind lord arrived a short time later.

"You disappoint me Baki-san. Not very wise." The lord said in a menacing tone after finding out what the jonin did.

"Silence! What the hell do you know of being a shinobi, you council worm!" Baki blasted in an even more menacing tone.

"Enough of this! Prepare to be executed for treason!" He said ordering the ANBU team to attack the Suna Jonin. Baki simply smirked at the government worm.

"A true shinobi is not afraid of death my lord. I am ready to pay for my sins." He told him with conviction as he formed a Kaze no Yaiba (Blade of Wind) in his hand. "But if I'm going to hell, I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU WITH ME!!" He roared as he jumped into the fray, accepting his undeniable fate.

Konoha

The Godaime Hokage Tsunade and several ANBU stood over the many bodies of the villagers that were killed by Naruto.

'This is horrible. Who could have done this?' She thought to herself with a hand over her mouth in disbelief. Even though she overcame her fear of blood with Naruto's help, it still made her a little queasy.

"Hokage-sama, I've found something over here." One of the ANBU guards yelled.

"Show me." She ordered. The guard walked over and handed the platinum kunai to the female sannin. As soon as she held it, the blood drained from her face and she frowned.

'Naruto...' She thought somberly. She knew that the seal holding the Kyubi was unstable and that's why she gave the blonde ninja some time off. But she never thought that this of all things would happen.

"Hokage-sama, what's wrong?" The ANBU guard asked noticing the melancholic look on her face.

"Uzumaki Naruto did this." Tsunade answered in a low tone of voice.

"How do you know?" Another guard asked.

Tsunade lifted the kunai to show to the guard. "This is the platinum kunai I gave him when he won the chunin exams several months ago." She replied.

"What are your orders Hokage-sama?" The ANBU who gave the kunai to her asked.

The legendary sucker turned her back away from the ANBU guards and let out a heavy sigh. "Send two ANBU teams to search for him. I want him brought back to Konoha alive!" The female sannin ordered with emphasis on the word 'alive'.

"And if he resists?" An ANBU asked.

Tsunade lowered her head and shut her eyes tightly trying her hardest not to cry. "Then do what you must." She responded quietly, but with enough volume for the ninjas to hear.

"Yes Hokage-sama." They all said, knowing their Hokage wanted to be left alone at the moment. As soon as they disappeared to carry out their orders, the ANBU captain Ibiki walked up to her.

"Come with me Hokage-sama. There is something you need to see." He said. Tsunade nodded without saying a word and followed him to the 'villager' that was sliced in half. He knelt down and flipped one part of the body to the front side so that they can see his face. When she saw it, her eyes widened in shock.

"This is Shingo from ANBU group two! Why is he in regular clothes?" Tsunade yelled.

"That's what I was wondering. He was supposed to be on duty today." Ibiki replied as he rubbed his chin. "That's not all. Take a look at this." He said as he removed the mask of the ANBU whose throat was slit. This caused her brow to furrow.

"Tenkai. Also from group two." She said with anger rising in her voice. Tsunade and Ibiki both knew that the ANBU guarding the village always traveled in pairs, and that Shingo and Tenkai always worked together. Seeing only one dressed for duty in this situation was unnerving to the two to say the least. Even though she was known as the legendary sucker due to her poor skills at gambling, there were times when Tsunade would win. And when she did, she knew that trouble was on the horizon.

"Ibiki, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Tsunade asked with a hard voice.

"Yes." He simply replied. They both knew that villagers weren't the only ones that hated Naruto. It wouldn't be the first time a Konoha ninja tried to take the young man's life, and ANBU guards were no exception to the fact.

'Naruto was set up. I can feel it in my bones.' The beautiful blonde thought angrily. "Ibiki, call all members of ANBU group two as well as Shingo and Tenkai's family and friends and interrogate them. Use whatever means necessary!" Tsunade ordered.

"Yes Hokage-sama!" Ibiki replied with a sadistic smile on his face. "But Hokage-sama, no matter what I find in my interrogation, the council is still going to consider the kid an S-ranked criminal." He added, remembering fondly when he met the hyperactive ninja in the past.

"I know." She said sadly. Ibiki frowned and left to carry out his mission. Tsunade lifted her head to look at the cloudy sky as the rain continued to fall. Tears started to cover her face as they joined together with the rain. She knew no matter what happened Naruto would be forever damned by Konoha even if the truth was revealed. This made her cry even harder, for she felt in her soul that she would never be able to tell him the secret she kept hidden in her heart.

"Koishii, in the end, I'm still a coward." She sobbed looking up at the sky covering her heart with her hands.

Fire/Wind Country Border

Gaara and Temari had been running for hours until they reached the border of Fire Country. They didn't sense any Suna ninjas following them, so they decided to stop and rest for a while. As soon as they did, Temari curled into a ball with her arms hugging her knees and cried over the lost of their brother.

"Kankuro…I can't believe he's gone." She bawled between her knees. Gaara frowned dismally as he watched his elder sister drown in her sorrow. All he could do was walk to her and place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We won't forget his sacrifice." He said in as comforting a voice as he could. "Don't worry Temari. Naruto, Tayuya-chan and the others at Konoha will help us." He added trying to give her hope.

'Naruto-kun…' As soon she heard his name, the pain in the wind mistress heart lessened a bit. It made her chuckle inwardly at how the fellow blonde had become so important in her life.

When Temari first met Uzumaki Naruto, she thought that he was just a stupid genin trying to pick a fight with Kankuro. Even though her brother was the one who initially started the fight by picking up Konohamaru by the scruff of his neck. And like most girls in Konoha, she became slightly infatuated with the raven haired Uchiha Sasuke when he caught the puppet master off guard. However, throughout the course of the chunin exams, she would learn that what you see with your eyes alone isn't always the truth. And the hyperactive ninja was no exception.

The first time was when they took the written exam. Although she would never admit it, the test along with Ibiki's tactics were starting to create doubt in her. But when Naruto stood up to him during the 'tenth question', he inadvertently gave the other genins left courage and inspiration, Temari included. It was then that he earned her respect.

The second was during the preliminary battles. When Temari decimated Tenten during their match, Naruto thought that she was scary, but at the same time he admired and respected her strength. Later on during Naruto's match with Kiba, she didn't think that he would win along with the others. Even though he earned her respect, she still thought he was weak. She was proven wrong. No matter how times he got knocked down, or how many times he got assaulted by Kiba's Gatsuga (Double Piercing Fang) and Shikyaku no Jutsu (Four Legs Technique), Naruto persevered. And with his ingenuity of his jutsus, along with his unpredictability, he succeeded in defeating Kiba. Though Temari can't help but laugh when she thinks about his 'gaseous' episode which caused the dog boy's demise. It was then that a small spark was lighted in the kunoichi's heart.

The next was during the finals when the blonde shinobi faced the genin most considered a genius, Hyuga Neji. Temari had heard about the strength and skill of the branch member of the Hyuga clan. And once again, she doubted that the young man she underestimated once before would be able to beat Konoha's last year's number one rookie. She was once again proven wrong. In the beginning of the match, the battle took its toll on Naruto, especially with Neji's skill in the Juken (Gentle Fist) style and his Hakkesho Kaiten (Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin) defense. When the Hyuga prodigy used his Hakke Rokujuyon Sho (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms) which effectively closed off all of Naruto's tenketsu (Chakra Points), everyone thought that the match was done. But the blonde haired shinobi just wouldn't quit, despite the debilitating attack. Through sheer force of will, and a little assistance from Kyubi's chakra, Naruto came back from the edge of defeat. And with a vicious left handed uppercut, he beat Neji, proving to him and to everyone that day he was not bound by the hands of fate.

It was then that the spark in Temari's heart became a flame. She respected, admired, and envied the ninja who almost always had a smile on his face. But she couldn't think about that now because she was a kunoichi of the sand first and a young woman second. And she had a mission to accomplish. Little did the wind mistress know how much that mission would change her and Gaara forever.

During the Sand/Sound invasion, Naruto clashed with the one person Temari feared the most in her fifteen years of life, her little brother. The demon container who struck fear in the hearts of all the people of Suna. The red haired boy who was constantly being targeted by assassins sent by his own father, the Yondaime Kazekage. One of those assassins being the one Gaara trusted the most, his uncle Yashamaru. His words and betrayal along with Shukaku helped Gaara become the merciless killer he was at that time. In essence, he and Naruto were two sides of the same coin, something which even the spiky blonde himself admitted to.

Despite the fears Naruto had when he found out the truth about him, he stood and faced the master of sand and the demon inside him to save the lives of his teammates, even though he knew it could very well cost him his life. As Temari watched helplessly as the two fought, a part of her that was deep inside her heart, the part of her that was a young woman, wished that the blonde ninja who she came to admire, respect and envy would protect her like he protected his crush. A girl who showed no interest in him, but that he still cared for, Haruno Sakura. Despite those feelings, when Shukaku was fully awakened, the kunoichi did the only thing she could do, she ran. Sabaku no Temari, the strong, confident and proud kunoichi of the sand. The wind mistress who once considered Uzumaki Naruto a stupid, weak genin who at that moment, was fighting the person that she thought at the time was invincible, ended up running like a coward. It was a reality check that left a bittersweet taste in her mouth.

After the battle was finally over and Gaara was finally defeated, Temari and Kankuro came to get their brother and escape. But the sexy sand kunoichi did something she never thought she would do in her life. She let her mask of confidence fall. And for a few minutes Temari wasn't a kunoichi, she was a young woman who wanted to show her appreciation to someone who gave so much to her in so many ways, even if it was indirectly.

Flashback

"Let's get going Temari." Kankuro said exhaustedly while holding his younger brother.

"Hold on a minute Kankuro." Temari requested. She started to walk over to Naruto's unconscious body, but was blocked by Sasuke.

"What are you doing?! Get away from Naruto!" Sasuke growled at the kunoichi with a kunai drawn in his hand. She took out her fan and the raven haired boy got into a battle stance. But instead of opening it, she placed it down on the ground which shocked the Uchiha and her brothers.

"What the hell are you doing?" The puppet master shouted to his elder sister.

"Stay out of this Kankuro!!" She shouted back which caused her younger brother to shut up as the wind mistress continued walking towards Naruto.

"Don't worry Uchiha. I mean you and your friends no harm." The wind mistress said calmly, once again shocking everyone. Sasuke let her pass, but kept his guard up, making sure he was ready to strike her down at any moment. What she did next would shock even her.

Temari kneeled down towards the blonde young man and flipped him over so that she was face to face with him. She stared at his face for a moment and gave the unconscious genin a small smile. Then without hesitation, she pressed her lips against his for half a minute before pulling away, causing the young men who witness the event jaws to drop. Nobody was expecting her to do that. Even Gaara was surprised, though he didn't show it emotionally. The guys stared at the kunoichi with dumbfounded looks on their faces, but Temari just ignored them as she picked up her fan and started to walk back to her brothers.

"Uchiha, tell Uzumaki Naruto that Sabaku no Temari gave him her first kiss, and that we'll meet again someday." The wind mistress told Sasuke. And with that message delivered, they headed back to Suna. As they walked back after Gaara apologized for his actions, Kankuro couldn't help but question his sister.

"Temari, why did you kiss that little brat?" He asked boldly. Temari glared at him angrily as if to tell him 'It's none of your business.'. The puppet master visibly gulped and quickly turned his head away, not saying another word.

'Uzumaki Naruto, I hope we meet again someday.' Temari thought happily as a small smile and blush crossed her face.

End Flashback

Truth be told, Temari didn't understand herself why she gave a boy she barely knew her first kiss. But then she remembered something her mother taught her as a child. Karura was a strong kunoichi, which was one of the reasons the Kazekage fell in love with her. But despite her duties as the wife of the ninja leader of Suna, she always had time for her children until those tragic times with Gaara.

"No matter how strong you become as a kunoichi, you will always be Temari. The life of a ninja is a dangerous one that can easily lead to your death. But as long as you survive and stay true to yourself and what you feel in your heart, your place in heaven will be assured. At least, that's what I believe." Her mother once said.

Temari didn't understand what she meant at the time. But when she kissed Naruto, it was as clear as his cerulean blue eyes. Even though he was a ninja who everybody thought was an idiot, he always stayed true to himself and what was in his heart, and it always lead him to victory as well as kept a smile on him. That was the most important lesson he taught to her and she would always be grateful to him for that. It was then that the flame became a strong fire. She had no regrets giving the young man her first kiss. And the fact that he helped Gaara into the light and removed the fear she had against him made her feelings for Naruto even stronger.

After their recovery and Sarutobi's funeral, Sasuke relayed the sand kunoichi's message to Naruto. Once he recovered from the shock that a girl actually kissed him, a fact which even his teammates couldn't believe, he thought about her often. Like Temari, he wanted to meet her again and ask her why she kissed him. Unfortunately, their next meeting would be one surrounded by tragedy.

Sasuke betrayed Konoha and went to the snake sannin Orochimaru in his quest for power and revenge against his elder brother, turning his back on the village and his friends. Naruto gave his word to Sakura that he would bring him back, but he failed to do so. It was the first time in his life that he broke his promise to his precious people. The fact that he couldn't save someone he considered a brother devastated him and his nindo. But strangely enough, the day when he woke up and told Sakura of his failure, it would become a day of both sorrow and joy to the blonde ninja. And it began when Temari came to see him.

Flashback

As Naruto looked out of the window of his hospital room with a depressed look on his face, Temari looked at him with a mix of sadness, compassion and pity. She quietly walked over and sat next to him at the edge of his bed.

"How are you feeling Naruto?" She asked quietly.

"I've been better Temari." He replied, his voice a little hoarse. The wind mistress frowned as she looked at the dry tears on his face. She knew he had been crying, and it truly pained her to see him like this. She cupped his face with her hands and moved his head so he could look at her in the eyes.

"The Uchiha made his choice. What happened isn't your fault, so don't be so hard on yourself." Temari said comfortingly. Naruto lowered his head slightly. Even though he knew what she said was true, his failure still hurt. However, her words did make him feel a little better.

"You're right Temari, but I made a promise to Sakura that I would save him. I never go back on my word and yet…" He drifted off lowering his head further. Temari took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze which caused the spiky blond to gasp and look at her.

"The world is not as simple as we want it to be." She said softly.

"Huh? What do you mean?" He asked looking confused.

"Well take me for example. When I first came here to this village, the only thing I cared about was the mission and defeating Konoha as a Suna kunoichi, not caring who got in my way." She chuckled a little while smirking at him. "Now look at me. I gave my first kiss and I'm now holding the hand of a twelve year old loudmouth ninja who was once my enemy, but who I now would like to get to know better." She said trying hard not to blush.

"Temari…" Naruto said, completely stunned at her words as his face became as red as a beet. Temari smiled warmly at him and gave his hand another squeeze. She decided to lower her mask once again for him and be true to herself.

"Naruto, when I first met you, I thought you were just an annoying loudmouth baka who was nothing but talk." She said truthfully. He rubbed the back of his head and grinned at her.

"You have no idea how many people tell me that." He laughed loudly.

"I'm sure I can guess baka." She said teasingly.

"Hey!" He said in mock anger. They both started to laugh and Temari continued.

"Anyway, I was wrong about you. You're not only strong, but you got heart. And it was that heart of yours that helped save Gaara, your village and my family. And that's how I know you'll save your teammate someday." Temari said giving her fellow blonde another squeeze of his hand.

"Temari…" Naruto said trying to choke back a sob as tears started to sting his eyes. The wind mistress let go of his hand and pulled him into a gentle hug which Naruto quickly returned as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Thank you…" He mumbled into her chest.

"No Naruto-kun, thank you. I'll always be grateful to you for what you did for me and my family." Temari said softly stroking his spiky hair. The added suffix to his name combined with her stroking his hair caused his face to heat up. They stayed holding each other for a few more minutes until they released their embrace and looked into each others eyes. Temari drowned in his cerulean blues, while Naruto was entranced by her soft teal eyes. She got up off the bed and turned to look at him.

"Get some rest Naruto-kun. You're going to need it for the battles to come." The wind mistress said as she started to leave the room. It was at that point that Naruto decided to drop his mask and do something that would probably get him clobbered by the Suna kunoichi. He didn't think a moment like this would come again and he had to take a risk. With surprising speed, he grabbed Temari's wrist and pulled her to the bed with such force that she was sprawled on it with her face looking up at him.

"Naruto-kun! What are you doing?!" Temari yelled, still shocked by his actions. He lowered his head so that their faces were a few inches apart. This caused the kunoichi to blush a deep crimson.

"Forgive me Tema-chan, but since you gave me your first kiss, can I give you one?" He asked with almost a whisper. The way he said it with such gentleness, as well as the nickname he just made for her made Temari melt.

"Yes, Naruto-kun." She replied breathlessly. That was all he needed as he lowered his head until their lips brushed together. It wasn't anything extreme. There were no clashing of tongues or banging of teeth. It was just a gentle, soft and chaste kiss. But it had so much meaning to the both of them. The blonde duo felt that they weren't kissing each other's lips, they were kissing each other's souls. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist, slowly deepening the kiss in the process. It was then they both knew that they didn't need their masks when they were together. They also knew that this wonderful kiss would not be their last.

End Flashback

After he decided to leave Konoha for two and a half years with Jiraiya to train, Naruto and Temari decided that they would start dating when he returned. When he came back, the sand kunoichi was anxiously waiting for him and she was pleased with the way he looked. Not only was Naruto slightly taller than her, but he was more muscular and mature, changing him from cute to sexy in the wind mistress's eyes. He was also pleased with the way Temari looked with her curves and sexy black battle kimono, though he missed her cutoff top and skirt that she used to wear. The best thing to him though was that she was much more open to him. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it was very evident with the blonde duo when they reunited.

They immediately went on their first date after Kakashi's test. They had a nice dinner at Ichiraku and told stories about what they've been doing for the past couple years. They finished with a romantic walk through the park while the stars shined like diamonds in the clear night sky. At the end of their date, Naruto surprised Temari with a sasayuri, her favorite flower. She gladly rewarded him with a kiss containing all the passion she could muster. A kiss which he happily returned, causing the kunoichi's knees to buckle slightly. They weren't ninjas at that moment, they were just a young man and a young woman who loved one another and who could be true to themselves in their presence.

After Gaara and Naruto became best friends after the incident with Akatsuki, the blonde duo's love for each other grew even more. Temari and Tayuya buried the hatchet with each other thanks to Naruto's help and became friends, though the two proud kunoichis do argue every now and then. Afterwards, Tayuya and Gaara hooked up and the young Kazekage gave Temari and Naruto his blessing with their relationship. But not without a "If you hurt my sister, I'll kill you…" speech. Whenever they had free time from missions and Temari was in Konoha after her liaison duties with Shikamaru, they spent time together and their intimacy alternated from passionate kissing to heated make out sessions. And they truly loved every minute of it.

Temari cried for a little longer until she finally stood up and looked away from Gaara, feeling slightly ashamed and embarrassed for breaking down like that. The ex-Kazekage turned his head to the right sensing something familiar.

"I sense a familiar chakra. I'm going to investigate. Wait here." He said.

"Be careful Gaara." Temari said with a sore voice from all the crying.

"Don't worry." Gaara said softly putting his hand on her shoulder again to confirm he was going to be just fine. He left a minute later.

Gaara ran towards the source of the chakra. He heard the clash of metal and a scream. When he finally reached the sound, he saw a blonde ninja and a ruby haired kunoichi with their backs to each other surrounded by six ANBU soldiers as one ANBU fell to the ground, the victim of a Rasengan (Spiraling Sphere) in the chest.

'That's Tayuya-chan and Naruto. Why are they fighting the Konoha ANBU?' Gaara thought to himself curiously. Gaara knew how much the villagers hated and feared Naruto, just like he was hated and feared in Suna when the blonde haired ninja told him and Temari about the Kyubi. Whatever the reason was for the ANBU to attack his two precious people, he knew it wasn't good and he knew he had to help them. He started making hand seals to prepare himself to attack.

"Surrender or die demon brat and sound bitch! You can't beat the six of us!!" A smug ANBU yelled.

"You think you can take us you ANBU assholes? Just try it motherfuckers!!" Tayuya spat venomously.

"You're making things worse Tayuya-chan." Naruto whispered trying to figure out a way to escape.

"Well if you've got a goddamn idea on how to get us out of this mess, I'm listening!" She whispered back to him as the ANBU soldiers stalked closer to the two. It was then that Naruto sensed a familiar chakra that was getting stronger with each passing second.

"Ryusa Bakuryu (Quicksand in the Style of a Waterfall)!" A voice shouted.

'That was Gaara's voice!!' Naruto and Tayuya thought simultaneously. Rock Lee had told Naruto about this powerful jutsu, and he knew what was coming. Picking up Tayuya and quickly adding chakra to his feet to increase his speed, he jumped as fast as he could to the tallest tree as the wave of sand completely enveloped the ANBU. Gaara quickly jumped down from the area where he hid and slammed both of his hands palm down into the sand.

"Sabaku Taiso (Desert Imperial Funeral)!" He yelled as he created a powerful shockwave that compressed the sand, crushing all six ANBU soldiers. Gaara called back the sand to his gourd while Naruto and Tayuya jumped down from the tree to greet him.

"Thanks for the save Gaara." Naruto said loudly with a smile as he put Tayuya down.

"That's what friends are for." Gaara said nonchalantly, returning his best friend's smile.

"Tanuki-kun!!" Tayuya squealed as she ran to the red haired boy and embraced him in a hug, joyfully nuzzling his chest. Gaara gladly returned it while sporting a light blush on his cheeks.

"I've missed you too my Hidama-chan (Hidama/fireball)." He said softly while lifting Tayuya's head so he could look into her brown eyes. They stared at each other for a moment until the master of sand captured the flutist's lips in a deep and fiery kiss causing her to moan softly in his mouth.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself as he watched the two kiss. If anybody who knew them nearly four years ago wrote a list of impossible things that would happen to these two, falling in love with each other would be on top of the list. Sabaku no Gaara was a merciless and nearly insane killer, while Tayuya was the flute wielding psycho of the Sound Four, who along with Orochimaru nearly destroyed Konoha. But because of Naruto's influence, they were no longer who they were. It was this blonde haired, unpredictable loudmouth of a ninja that brought these two wounded souls together. And they would always appreciate him for that. After the two redheads broke the kiss for air, Tayuya was the first to speak.

"What are you doing here Tanuki-kun? Naruto-kun and I was just on our way to visit you." She asked.

"Same here Tayuya-chan." He replied quietly.

"Gaara, did something happen in Suna? Where's Tema-chan and Kankuro?" Naruto questioned.

"Yeah, where is that clown-ass looking brother of yours? It's been a while since I made fun of him and his dollies." Tayuya added chuckling. Gaara lowered his head and looked away from the two. Naruto immediately frowned, sensing that something was wrong.

"What's wrong Tanuki-kun?" Tayuya asked worriedly as she gently touched his cheek. Gaara looked back at his ruby haired girlfriend and gave her a sad smile.

"I'll explain along the way." He replied calmly as he jumped into the trees. Naruto and Tayuya looked at each other with a frown as they caught up with Gaara. He filled them in on what happened at Suna and Kankuro's fate, while Naruto explained what happened at Konoha and why the ANBU attacked them. Needless to say, they now knew that the four of them were all in the same boat. A few minutes later, they arrived to where Temari was waiting.

"Tema-chan!!" Naruto called to the wind mistress as he landed.

"Naruto-kun!! You're here!" Temari yelled back as she ran to him with tears in her eyes and embraced him tightly, quickly burying her head into his chest. He held her gently while stroking her hair and back.

"Gaara told me what happened to Kankuro. I'm so sorry Tema-chan." He said in a gentle voice.

"Thank you Naruto-kun…" Temari said quietly in his chest. Pulling back slightly so he could look at her, Naruto cupped Temari's face looking into her tear filled eyes. He gave Temari a soft and compassionate smile before closing in and kissing her gently as he used his calloused thumbs to wipe her tears away. She moaned softly in his mouth as the kiss combined with his gentle touch worked as a salve to heal the pain in her heart. Naruto pulled away and looked into her teal eyes once more. Temari gave him a small smile and leaned her head on his chest, taking in his warmth.

"Come on. Let's find somewhere safe where we can rest for the night." Naruto said in a serious tone as he lifted his koishii in his arms, carrying her bridal style. Tayuya and Gaara nodded in agreement. Temari nodded as well as she wrapped her arms around Naruto and snuggled into his chest, allowing her boyfriend to carry her. The rain stopped shortly afterwards as they headed deep into the woods.

A few hours later when they were far away from either Konoha or Suna, the group of ninja stopped when Naruto spotted a dry open area.

"This looks like a good spot to rest." Naruto said as he put Temari down gently. He took a few steps forward cracking his knuckles as if getting ready to do something.

"What are you going to do?" Gaara asked curiously.

"You'll see." Naruto replied with a grin. "Everybody stand back!" The blonde ninja bellowed. The three moved back several steps while he performed a number of hand seals, slamming his hands on the ground when he was done.

"Mokuton: Shichuka no Jutsu (Wood Release: Four Pillars House Technique)!" He yelled as a fully formed wooden house started to grow out of the ground. But instead of the Konoha emblem on the house, Naruto's Uzumaki spiral appeared instead.

"Welcome to Hotel Uzumaki! Make yourself at home!" He said in his boisterous tone. Gaara groaned at him while the kunoichis just rolled their eyes and laughed. Naruto laughed with them before setting up the perimeter with the Fubaku Hojin (Sealed Bombs Square Release) that Iruka had taught him so that they would have some defense. Before they walked inside however, three ANBU guards from Suna appeared.

"Sand ANBU!" Temari hollered as she pulled out her fan while the others got ready for battle.

"Don't move! Take one step, and I'll blow you bastards up!" Naruto roared while preparing to activate the explosive tags.

"Kazekage-sama, Temari-sama, please wait a moment! We mean you no harm!" One of the ANBU cried out, making sure not to move.

"And why should we fucking believe you ANBU shitheads?" Tayuya shouted back as she brought her flute to her mouth.

"Wait Tayuya-chan." Gaara ordered raising a hand. The flutist put her instrument down and Gaara took a few steps toward the ninjas with his sand swirling around them.

"What do you want with us?" Gaara asked with a slightly raised tone in his voice.

"We are here to give these packages to you Kazekage-sama, by order of Baki-sama." The head ANBU replied.

"Baki-sensei?!" Temari asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes Temari-sama. There is a letter scroll inside explaining everything." The third ANBU answered. Gaara used his sand to take the packages from the ANBU and laid it down behind him. Naruto used his keen sense of smell courtesy of Kyubi, while Tayuya used her sharp hearing to sense for traps or explosive tags that were activated. They both gave Gaara the thumbs up, signaling that they were none while he nodded in response.

"Tayuya-chan, find the letter scroll and read it." Naruto requested of his best friend. Tayuya nodded in compliance and found the scroll on top of the packages. She started to read it out loud.

To Gaara and Temari,

If you are reading this letter, then my men have gotten the packages to you, which means that you escaped safely. This is my final act as your former sensei. Inside the packages you'll find all your personal belongings and the money that you saved from your missions, as well as the usual ninja weaponry just in case. I heard about what happened to Kankuro from my team. I offer my sympathies as an unofficial member of your family.

Temari, your mother Karura was a wind element user just like you are. You have learned many techniques from the fan she gave you. However there are special techniques that your mother possessed that you have not yet learned. At Karura's request, she told me to give you the hiden (Secret) scrolls when I felt that you were ready. They are inside the package. When you find a place to belong, learn the techniques that your mother possessed. They will be difficult to master. But once you do, you will truly become the wind that can blow away those who stand in your way of happiness.

Gaara, as you may have heard, the Sandaime Kazekage created a jutsu that was based on technique used by a former container of Shukaku known as Satetsu (Iron Sand). Chiyo and that Konoha med-nin who saved Kankuro, Haruno Sakura were almost killed with this technique by Sasori of the Red Sand. Although the Sandaime was converted to a puppet by the madman, he created a hiden scroll of this technique and sealed it in the vaults of past Kazekages. As a former container of the one-tailed demon, and as the Godaime Kazekage, I am giving this scroll to you with my blessings. I know you'll use it well and may even learn new techniques from it. In addition, I have also given you hiden scrolls of jutsus that was used by your father, the Yondaime Kazekage. I know you and your sister can never forgive him for what he did to you and your mother, but that shouldn't stop you from protecting what's dear to you.

Finally, I would like to apologize to the both of you since I will be unable to do so in person. I found out about the coup the Wind country lord and the council was planning only recently. By the time I found out about it, there was nothing I could do to stop it. It seems that after our defeat by Konoha and Orochimaru's treachery, the council no longer deemed me trustworthy enough to keep me in their inner circle. Once the lord finds out about my assistance to you, I know that I will be executed.

As a proud shinobi of the sand, I have no regrets to the decisions I've made in my life. However as a human being and as a man, I do have a few. My first is that deep down, I always had doubts of the trustworthiness of Orochimaru and his sound ninja. I wanted to bring Suna back to greatness so badly, that my loyalty and ambitions blinded me to the truth. I told a Konoha ninja named Genma that I didn't care who was behind this invasion when I faced him. But deep in my heart, I knew that was a lie and it cost us many comrades and caused your family and our country to suffer for it. I became a pawn in Orochimaru's game of chess without even knowing it, and I selfishly told both of you to harden your hearts, not caring about your feelings or the consequences of telling you such a thing. And for that, I am truly sorry.

My next regret was when I killed that proctor from the chunin exams, Gekko Hayate as a gesture of goodwill to Kabuto and Orochimaru. Death is always a part of the shinobi way, and I have taken the lives of many ninjas. But after our defeat, his death plagued on mind and my heart. It once again showed that I was just a pawn in that snake bastard's game, and it left a sour taste in my mouth. When you get to Konoha, tell Tsunade-sama to inform Hayate's family and loved ones that Baki of Suna begs their forgiveness in the shinobi's needless death. I'm sure that they will not forgive me, but if they do, give them my thanks and tell them that I've been punished for it.

My last and worst regret was a promise I made to Karura a long time ago. She was a good friend to me, and I promised her before she died that I would look after her children, especially you Gaara. But I broke that promise and did the same thing your father and the council of Suna did. I used you as a weapon. I am ashamed to admit that like your uncle Yashamaru, I hated you for a time and was tempted to take your life. But I'm glad I didn't because you two and Kankuro became as important to me as if you were my own children after Gaara became Kazekage. I wish I had gotten the chance to tell you that in peaceful times, but that will never happen now.

I have two last requests to make of you two, as a ninja and as a man. The first is that I ask of you is to let my men go free. They were only following my orders and were not part of the wind lord's coup. Tell Nokizaru, Kanbe, and Komura that I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their loyalty, even though they will never see their homeland again. I wish them well on whatever path they choose to go with their life.

Last but not least, I would like you to tell Uzumaki Naruto that I give him my thanks for doing the one thing I could not do for you both, and that's make you happy. They say that defeat makes you humble and that it helps you reflect back on the mistakes you made. Needless to say, that boy has not only changed you two but me as well, even though I've never met him directly. I wouldn't have done what I did for you two if it wasn't for him. Even if he doesn't become Hokage, Naruto is truly destined for great things.

Do not be sad or shed tears for me. I've lived in Suna all my life, and I will die there with honor. The best way you can honor me is to live and survive, no matter how painful the world may be. I know that you two will not be alone on your journey. May Kami and Kazejin, the god of wind, protect you on your path to find the place where you belong.

Baki of Suna

After Tayuya put away the letter, the whole camp was silent. Nobody knew what to say or feel after Baki's soul bearing letter. Not only as a shinobi of the sand, but as a human being. As if Kami was responding to the letter, they all felt a warm breeze pass over them on this somewhat cold night. A few minutes later, the three sand ANBU removed their masks and crushed them under their feet. They held no ill will towards their leader and friend.

"What will you do now?" Temari asked the three ex-sand shinobis. They started talking amongst themselves and turned to face the four of them.

"We've decided to travel and find our place in this world just like you." Nokizaru replied.

"Hey, why don't you come with us? The more the merrier." Naruto said to the three of them.

"We appreciate the offer, but we'll travel on our own." Kanbe said with a smile.

"Sorry for the trouble." Gaara apologized to them with a frown on his face.

"It's no trouble at all Kazekage-sama. It was an honor to serve you." Nokizaru said waving his hand.

"Thank you. And please call me Gaara." He said with a smile. The three ninjas nodded, happy that they were parting as friends and equals.

"May Kami and Kazejin, god of wind, protect you on your journey." The three said simultaneously while bowing.

"Thanks guys. Take care and watch your asses out there. Maybe we'll meet again someday." Tayuya told them while giving them a smile.

"I'm sure we will." Komura said quietly and they disappeared in a wave of sand, heading to parts unknown.

After they left, the four went inside the wooden house. They sifted through the packages to see what they had. After taking a swift inventory, they deduced that they had enough money to last them for a long time due to Naruto's savings, and what Gaara and Temari kept locked away from not only their missions, but the master of sand's role as Kazekage. The two also looked at the hiden scrolls briefly, but decided to honor Baki's request and wait until they found a safe place to call home.

After putting everything back in place, they left out the map and four of Naruto's big ramen bowls so they could eat. Naruto and Temari went to get wood and water for drinking and the ramen bowls, while Tayuya and Gaara set up the sleeping bags and the pot to boil the water.

Naruto & Temari

As Naruto went to find dry wood, Temari filled up the water bottles at a nearby lake.

'So much has happened today. Kankuro and Baki-sensei are dead. The four of us have no home to go back to. And now we've become nukenin.' Temari thought depressingly while filling up the water bottles. She suddenly put them down and pulled her fan all the way out so that three stars were showing. With an enraged roar, she started swinging it back and forth in frustration, breaking trees and branches and causing ripples in the water. After a few minutes, she stopped and panted hard and finally put it away. In her mind, she never felt so weak in her life.

"Dammit!! I was one of the most powerful kunoichis in Suna! So why do I feel so useless?!" She yelled out into the night sky.

"Hey, at least you don't have a biju (tailed demon) inside of you Tema-chan." A voice from behind her said. Temari gasped and turned around to see Naruto looking at her with a warm smile and a bundle of dry wood in his hands.

"Naruto-kun! H-how long have you been there?" The blonde woman asked nervously.

"Since you used your fan to change the view of the forest." Her fellow blonde replied with his trademark grin. Temari face became flushed in embarrassment. Naruto laughed at her for a moment before looking at her with a sad smile.

"This bastard fox inside of me is the most powerful of the bijus. As much as I hate him, he has saved my butt countless times from death. He's even let me go toe to toe with that snake bastard." He let out a heavy sigh before continuing. "But even with everything I've accomplished. Even after saving the village that has hated me since my birth because of something I had no control over, I still couldn't earn their respect. And now I never will. My dreams, like yours, are shattered and can never be repaired, no matter what we do." Naruto finished with another sigh.

"Naruto-kun, I…" Temari didn't know what to say as she lowered her head in shame. Here she was complaining about her own situation, while not considering the pain of the others. It made her feel selfish and low. She began to shiver as a chill wind blew through the forest. Naruto saw this and put the dry wood down on a rock. He took off his jacket and placed it on his girlfriend's shoulders, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her on the forehead. She looked at her boyfriend and gave him a warm smile for the chivalrous act.

"It's okay Tema-chan. You don't have to say anything. I know exactly how you feel. But despite everything that's happened to us, at least we're alive and together." Naruto said softly while returning her warm smile. Temari eyes started to water once again and she cried silently, burying her head into his chest once more. They stayed like that for several minutes before the spiky blonde lifted her head giving her a gentle kiss and wiping her tears away like before.

"Don't cry my kirei yuri (Pretty lily)." Naruto said in that gentle voice that made her melt years ago after he broke the kiss.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun." She sniffled as a warm blush formed on her face. He kissed her on the forehead once more and smiled.

"No need to apologize. Even the strongest person cries when they need to. Especially after the crappy day we've had today." The spiky blonde joked. Temari couldn't help but laugh. Naruto always knew how to cheer her up.

"Thanks Naruto-kun. I really needed that." She said as she happily gave him a quick kiss as a reward.

"Anytime Tema-chan! Come on, let's head back." He said in his usual boisterous voice.

"Okay!" Temari said with a smile. She picked up the water bottles and filled the rest of them before heading back to camp with him.

Gaara & Tayuya

While the blonde duo was doing their tasks, Tayuya and Gaara were setting up 'Hotel Uzumaki' for the night. The flutist was setting up the sleeping bags while Gaara bore his sand through a small part of the wooden floor, so he could create a dirt patch. That way they could build a fire inside the camp without the wooden structure burning down. When they were finished, they sat down next to each other and waited for the others to return.

"Tanuki-kun?" Tayuya called to Gaara in a soft voice.

"What is it Hidama-chan?" Gaara asked as he turned to look at her. She lowered her head for a moment before embracing him and looking into his eyes. Gaara wondered what was wrong and placed his arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry for making fun of your brother earlier." She said while sadly lowering her head onto his chest. Tayuya felt guilty when she found out about Kankuro's death, and she felt the need to apologize to her boyfriend. Gaara stroked her soft hair gently and gave her a light smile.

"Don't worry about it Hidama-chan. I wasn't bothered by it." He said softly. The ruby haired girl looked at her 'little tanuki' and smiled. She was glad that Gaara wasn't angry with her.

"It's been one fucked up day hasn't it?" Tayuya sighed.

"Yes." Gaara replied while he continued to stroke her hair.

"I wonder what kind of shit we're going to expect on our journey together." The flutist thought out loud. The red haired man pulled away slightly and looked into her eyes.

"I don't know." Gaara replied honestly. "But if anyone tries to hurt you, I'll kill them." He added with a serious look on his face.

"Thanks Tanuki-kun. That was so fucking romantic." Tayuya laughed with a playful smirk.

"Very funny Hidama-chan." Gaara said with a smile before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him down to the floor as she moaned into his mouth, while the master of sand's tongue was searching hers. They made out for a little while longer, stopping just before Naruto and Temari arrived a few minutes later. After they ate the ramen bowls, they sat around the campfire to plan the start of their journey.

"So Naruto-kun, what do you think we should do?" Temari asked her blonde companion while the others looked at him, wondering the same thing.

"Why don't we explore the world like those sand ninjas are doing." Naruto suggested. "We'll just travel country to country until we can find a place where we belong." He added.

"And what place would that be?" Gaara questioned.

"I guess we'll find out when we get there." The spiky blond replied sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Besides, this will give me a chance to try out new brands of ramen!" He said loudly while pumping a fist into the air. Gaara, Temari and Tayuya looked at Naruto as if he grew a new head.

"Are you fucking serious?" Tayuya snapped.

"Yeah, it's the only dream I have left." Naruto replied somberly. The others sadly lowered their heads, sympathizing with the one that brought them together.

"Sorry Naruto-kun." The flutist said softly.

"Ah, don't worry about it." He said smiling warmly at his friends as he tried to break the melancholy. The others lifted their heads and smiled back at him. Even if he was much more mature than when he was four years ago, Naruto was still Naruto they all thought to themselves. "So what do you say guys?" He asked while looking at the others.

"Well, we have no other plan, so let's do that." Gaara replied with a small smile.

"Wherever you go Naruto-kun, I'll stand by your side." Temari said cheerfully taking her fellow blonde's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Same here partner! I'll kick anybody's ass who tries to hurt you or Gaara-kun!" Tayuya shouted.

"Hey! What about me Tayuya?" Temari yelled glaring at her fellow kunoichi.

"Shit. Don't look at me Temari. That's what you got your boyfriend for." The ruby haired girl replied with a smirk.

"Potty mouth!" Temari growled.

"Sand bitch!" Tayuya growled back. They started to argue and glare at each other in a way that would make Sakura and Ino proud.

'This is going to be a long journey.' The boys thought simultaneously as they groaned at their significant others. After several minutes, the girls turned their heads away from each other with their noses in the air, finishing the heated argument with a resounding "Humph!". Naruto stood up and removed his Konoha hitai-ate (forehead protector) and held it over the crackling fire.

"Let this be the bond that keeps us together forever. We will find a place where we belong!" Naruto said with a strong voice. Gaara, Temari, and Tayuya looked at him and nodded in agreement. Temari got up next. She took off her Suna hitai-ate and placed it on top of her koishii's, giving him a warm smile.

"A place where we belong." Temari said while beaming at him. Gaara got up next and removed his, placing it on top of his sister's and his best friend.

"A place where we belong." Gaara said with a light smile to them. Finally, Tayuya sat up and took off her hitai-ate and slammed it on top of her koishii, best friend and somewhat close friend.

"A place where we fucking belong goddamnit!!" Tayuya shouted to them with fire in her eyes. The ninjas started to glare at her as if she was stupid.

"What?!" The flutist asked while looking at the others with a confused look on her face. Naruto, Temari and Gaara just shook their heads and sighed.

"We're going to need to work on your swearing habit Tayuya-chan." Naruto replied tiredly.

"Fuck you Naruto-kun." Tayuya said looking down with her face red with embarrassment. They busted out laughing at the ruby haired girl a few seconds later. Afterwards, the four tossed their hitai-ate's into the fire. From that moment on, they were no longer ninjas of leaf and sand. Just four souls searching for the thing we all look for at least once in our lives. A place to call their own.

Custom Jutsu List

Name: Ototon: Anmin no Jutsu-Sound Release: Quiet Sleep Technique

Type: B-rank, Supplementary, Short to mid-range (0-10m)

Users: Tayuya

A ninjutsu created by Tayuya. Playing certain notes on her flute, she uses sound waves to stimulate the nerves in the target(s) brain causing them to fall into an extremely deep sleep. Although it doesn't have as much range as Kabuto's Nehan Shoja no jutsu (Temple of Nirvana Technique), its effect is immediate and due to the fact that it's a ninjutsu instead of a genjutsu it cannot be dispelled.

Name: Ototon: Hachou Konmei no Jutsu-Sound Release: Wavelength Confusion Technique

Type: A-rank, Supplementary, Short to mid-range (0-10m)

Users: Tayuya

A ninjutsu created by Tayuya based off the Yamanaka clan's Shinranshin no jutsu (Mind Body Disturbance Technique. Using her flute she can use sound waves to attack the part of the target(s) brain that controls rational thought causing temporary confusion and forcing the target(s) to attack their allies. Since it is a ninjutsu it cannot be dispelled though it does wear off after a limited time. Due to the fact that Tayuya does not need to play her flute to maintain the technique after its taken effect and that it can affect more than one target, it has a higher rank than the Yamanaka jutsu.

Name: Ototon: Musei Hara no jutsu-Sound Release: Silent Field Technique

Type: No Rank, Defensive, Short range (0-5m)

Users: Tayuya

Playing a few notes on her flute, Tayuya can create an invisible field around herself and her allies that are in range making their movements completely silent to the human ear for a limited time. Although somewhat useless by itself due to its short range, if it's combined with a supplementary jutsu like Zabuza's Kirigakure no jutsu (Hiding Mist Technique), it can give Tayuya an advantage over opponents in a battle or it can be used as a means to escape like it's used between her and Naruto.

Author's note 2: Phew! I can't believe I turned 412816 first chapter of Wanderers into a 20 plus page monster :b! I'm really tired and it's going to take time for me to come out with the next one. As you can see, this is an AU fic and that Naruto and the others may be a bit OOC. If that offends anyone, I humbly apologize. I merely wanted to show a little more of the human side of the characters. A lot of fics I see depict Naruto as an idiot and Gaara with little emotion after he is defeated and after losing Shukaku. I wanted to change that while keeping our naruverse friends in character as much as possible.

In any case I ask you fare readers anonymous or otherwise (Hey I was once in the anonymous shadows too.) to review and let me hear your thoughts and feelings. Who knows? Maybe I'll toss out a one-shot or two while you wait. I also want to give a shout out to 412816 for creating this story. I promise that I will complete this story no matter how long it takes. Like Naruto and Hinata, I never go back on my word. That too is my nindo! Later :)!