With this now finished, the sequel "Shin Genin Monogatari" (formerly the New Genin) can be re-written with the new timeline and it'll be very different. Thank you for being patient with me but I really wanted all of this to be a great fanfiction series. School has been keeping me from updating very well.

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Chapter 12 (Finale): A New Legacy

Gaara opened his eyes. At first his vision was very blurry. Everything blended into everything else. His eyes felt crusted over but when he tried to raise his hand to rub his them he found his hand and arm felt heavy though, he lethargically managed to clear his eyes. Once again he opened his eyes and the objects around him became sharper. It was a hospital room; white and sterile. The sun shone through between pale green curtains and a hot breeze let him know he was in still Sunagakure. He could see the tops of the roofs outside and hear voices of people in the streets below.

He flashed back to standing before Kirae. Running through his mind were the memories of his life; Yashamaru's love and then betrayal, his father's unkindness, endless killing, the fight with Naruto, saving Rock Lee, Temari leaving Sand, Kankurou becoming Kazekage, then Aiki, all of the memories he cherished as important and the people worth saving. He had spent so much time in the libraries studying jutsu that when he came across the forbidden sealing on he couldn't help but to learn it. At first out of curiousity but he revisited the scroll after meeting Kirae and his son.

"Aiki…" he murmured breathlessly. As the life was being pulled away from him and darkness covered him, he could hear his small voice calling out to him. Kirae's body turning to dust was not the last thing he wanted to see. So he returned to life, for just a second, he begged for just one more second, so that he could see… his son.

Gaara closed his eyes again, a tear leaking from the corner of his eye. He remembered the expression on his face. In trying to secure a better future for the timid child, he ended up causing him a great deal of pain. It was a father's ultimate sacrifice, he reasoned. It would be okay in the future, he was sure of it. But for now…

"Where am I?" he spoke aloud in a hoarse voice. He tried to sit up, his body weighted down by inactivity. Indeed it was a hospital room not the belly of a death god. "Hospital…" He groaned and held his head. The grogginess he felt was giving him a headache. He opened his pained eyes and notice one of the reasons his body felt so heavy. Lying on top of him was Aiki, sucking his thumb, tears and snot dried on his face from many nights of crying.

Unbelieving, Gaara put his hand on the boy's head and felt his warmth. His hair was soft, but still wild and matted. His skin was soft and hot. He was alive, not a mirage or a memory made real. Gaara touched his own face. It felt the same, hot and smooth. "I'm alive…But…I should be dead…"

Aiki stirred in his lap, attempting to crawl up his chest without actually waking up. Gaara gently eased him into his arms and held him tightly, looking into his sad face. Aiki opened his dark-rimmed eyes and yawned, cuddling tighter into the grip. "Daddy…"

"Hm?"

He looked up with utter disbelief. Gaara was looking down at him curiously awaiting his response. Aiki's face went through a gamut of emotions: shock, joy, doubt, joy, and finally unfettered glee. He hugged his father tightly and lost control of his form in the process. The small puppy his in arms licked his face eagerly and whined. Gaara laughed and enjoyed the wet kisses washing his face.

The door opened and Temari entered looking solemn at first. She was carrying a bouquet of flowers to replace the wilting bunch next to her brother's bedside. When she looked up to see what had gotten Aiki excited she abandoned the flowers to the floor and launched her self to the bedside.

"OH MY GOD! GAARA!" She sobbed and hugged him. She looked him over to see if it was really him, or had she walked in the wrong room. The red kanji was there, the green eyes with black circles were there, the red hair was there. Gaara in all his Gaara-ness was there, alive and well. So she hugged him again and again, saying his name over and over so that nothing would change.

Eventually, the commotion the two raised caused the others to enter. Rock Lee's jaw hit the ground and practically went through the floor. "YOU-! I KNEW YOU WOULDN'T DIE!" He jumped in the air and performed a dance around the room, celebrating as though he had just been made Hokage.

Gaara opened his mouth to speak, before he could protest the other kids came in. Fumi screamed at the top of her lungs and jumped on the bed and squeezed her way between her mother and cousin to share in the hugg. "UNCLE GAARA!" She screamed again, almost deafening him. Mokumaru was paralyzed at the door until he realized he wasn't on the bed hugging his uncle for all he was worth and soon his body was added to the dog pile of affection. Gaara tried to hug them all in turn and assure him that he was fine but they were ignorant of his protests and need for fresh air.

"HEY! Look everyone! Gaara's awake!" called Naruto from the door. He went over to the bedside and tried to get a good look at his friend but he was eventually frustrated by how everyone managed to get in his way. Finally, when he thought he had and opening Hinata arrived at the door and was in morbid shock.

"EVERYONE OFF THE SICK MAN!" she barked in a voice most besides her husband and children did not know she was capable of. All bodies stopped and moved aside. Aiki remained in Gaara's lap, sure that at the very lease he should be able to stay as close to his father as humanly possibly.

Hinata went to Gaara's side and poked and prodded him. She checked his eyes, throat, ears, pulse, respiration, and everything else that could be checked in short order. She stepped back and seemed deeply contemplative. She leaned close to him and gave the hero of Sunagakure a kiss on the cheek, causing him to blush.

"Welcome back, Sabakuno Gaara," she said with tears in her eyes.

Naruto went to her side, happy that his wife had so much pull in the hospital room. "She worked all day and all night for three days straight to stabilize you. You really have to thank Hinata here for saving your life."

"But…How? I performed the Forbidden Jutsu to-" His shirt was suddenly gripped by the Hokage. Naruto pulled him in nice and close, an intense glare on his face. Gaara swallowed unconsciously.

"If…you ever…do that again…I'm going to wipe Hell with your face! Got it, you bastard?" Gaara nodded and found himself pulled into a warm embrace. "I don't want to lose someone else I love to that jutsu. I made a counter to it just in case. I almost didn't make it and neither did you. I love you so don't die so carelessly."

Gaara raised his arms and hugged his friend back. "Hey… I'm sorry. I guess I was acting as blockheaded as you do sometimes." The pulled back and Naruto grinned broadly.

Kankurou poked his head in the room. He was dressed in his black jumpsuit of old, holding scrolls in one hand. "What the hell is going…on…," he looked at his brother sitting up in bed, "here?"

"Hey, bro!" Gaara waved with a hand. The older brother walked over, his face hard to read. He sat at the edge of the bed and poked Gaara in the forehead. He then pinched both of his cheeks and pulled slightly. "Ow."

"Did that hurt?"

"Yeah, kind of," Gaara rubbed his cheeks. Kankurou smiled at him warmly and put and arm around his brother.

He rested his forehead against his younger brother's so that their green eyes met. "Gaara… God, I missed you." Gaara thought he saw the beginnings of tears forming but didn't have to time to be sure before he was placed in a headlock, with Kankurou's knuckles digging into his skull. "AND IF YOU EVER PULL ANOTHER HAIRBRAINED STUNT LIKE THAT AGAIN, I AM GOING TO PERSONALLY SEE TO IT THAT YOU REGRET IT!" He let go. "Got it?"

"I got it! I got it! I just got up and that's how you greet me. Some brother you are." He rubbed his head and glared at Kankurou. The tears were real. One escaped and slid down his cheek.

Kankurou smiled at Gaara. "Dying for a greater cause is the Kazekage's job, little brother."

"I know…"

"So, after talking to the Council of Elders, it was unanimously decided that you should be Kazekage!" He dropped the large hat on Gaara's head and slid of the bed, dusting his hands together. "Man! I feel a million pounds lighter. Good job, little brother."

"Wait. What!" He tilted the front of the hat up to get a better view of his brother.

"Yep. You're Kazekage, and I'm a jounin. For the next, however many years, you get to order me around. Just like old times!"

Gaara blinked. "But…the Shukaku…"

"Is gone." Naruto added. "The Shinigami needs a sacrifice right? The counter I performed used part of his power to give to the Shinigami and the rest is sealed with Kirae in the pot. You've been peacefully asleep for a month, recovering."

"It's…gone?"

Shikamaru picked up a needle, from the bedside and held it out to him. "Here, try to cut yourself." Gaara took the needle and held out his finger. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, fear and anticipation staying his hand. Gingerly, he plunged the tip into his finger. No sand rushed up to protect him, only crimson red blood. He put his finger in his mouth to suck the wound.

"It's mostly gone but for some reason, the sand reflex is still there sometimes," Naruto continued. "On the way to the hospital something curious happened. A piece of building fell and almost hit you and the aides but the sand flew up and blocked it. I was surprised and I don't understand why it happened."

Gaara took his finger out of his mouth and looked at it. "I don't know either." Aiki took the over large hat off of his father's head and tried to put it on his own. The hat was nearly as big as he was. Gaara tilted it up to look at him. "I'm Kazekage now."

"This hat is dumb looking, Daddy," Aiki complained with sheer dissatisfaction.

Gaara glared accusingly at Kankurou. "See! I told you. I'm not wearing this stupid thing."

Kankurou grinned. Mokumaru on his shoulder put his father's traditional hood on. They both pulled down their bottom eyelids and raspberried Gaara. "Now Uncle Gaara gets to look stupid!"

"That's right, my boy. Let's see how all those years of staying awake help him on those late night reports. HA!"

Gaara growled and took the hat off of Aiki, putting it to the side. "Sic 'em."

Aiki grinned and returned to his four-legged form. Kankurou took the boy off of his shoulders and put him down so that he could be chased. Aiki barked and much to Hinata's dismay turned the hospital room into a field for tag. Fumi, not wanting to be left out of the festivities tried to jump in but found her self dangling by her ponytail.

"OW! Letmego! Let. Me. Go!" She yelled as she struggled.

Shikmaru let go and put his hands on his hips. "No way. You have caused me enough trouble to last you a lifetime. You had better be on your best behavior for the rest of your life, little princess."

"But-"

"But is worth zero. Sit it down and shut up."

"Tyrant!"

"Headache!"

Gaara watched them fight and watched the kids play and smiled. He grabbed the hat of the Kazekage and brushed it off idly with the back of his hand. Aiki gave a yell as Kankurou tipped him upside down. For the first time, Gaara saw that the bracelets on his arms and legs had nearly doubled.

"Those bracelets…"

Silence reigned. Naruto scratched his arm. "When Kirae died, she tried to pass the power of the Dairou on to Aiki. I sealed up as much as I could but it was too much, he still got some of it. While you've been out, we've been trying to help him control what little he has loose but it's been tough."

"I accidentally destroyed part of your new house, Daddy. Uncle Kankurou was mad but I think he's over it now," Aiki explained from his upside-down status.

Kankurou grinned. "Damn right I'm over it. You just inherited an assload of work. Congratulations."

Gaara sighed. "Lazy as ever." In spite of the situation, he was now in he couldn't help but to smile. "I'm so glad to be back."

Several weeks after his recovery, Gaara was seated behind his new desk staring at a tower of paperwork that needed his review and approval. He plucked a page from the top of a file and looked it over. He signed it and set it aside. He would not enjoy sleep for a long time.

He was already through a third of it when the door burst open. Aiki ran over to him, panting, naked, and wet from his bath. He climbed up into Gaara's lap, getting him and some of his paperwork wet.

"Dad, save me!"

"What? From who?"

Temari was standing at the door in an apron holding a comb and scissors. "Sabakuno Aiki, get over here right his instant."

"No way!"

Gaara looked at the door. "What's going on?"

She sighed and sat down in front of his desk. "You inauguration is tonight, so I thought I'd give him a haircut. Look at how long it is and it's all in tangles. It's broken three combs already so I'm cutting it short." Aiki's hair was to his shoulders and spiked all over. Clearly it needed to be groomed but the little demon half was not ready for that kind of trauma.

"No! WAY!" Aiki yelled. Gaara put his hand on the boy's head to silence him.

"Let her cut it. It's a mess and it does need a trim. Don't worry it'll grow back."

Aiki looked slightly betrayed and gave a dirty look to the glimmering scissors. He pouted thoroughly and slid off his father's lap and sulked over to Temari. Like a cat, she snatched him up in one arm and the tools for his haircut in the other hand. "Thank you, Kazekage."

Gaara nodded and went back to his work but not long after the door opened again and Kiba entered. He was in a good mood and sank into a chair. He took a deep breath and handed a scroll to Gaara.

"What's this supposed to be?"

"The new treaty with the Dairou and my clan. We need your signature?" The Kazekage opened the scroll and read it slowly. "It took a while to agree on some things but I think you'll agree that it's a pretty good treaty. Since Aiki, holds all their power, they're at his mercy and since he's half-human, any attacks and humans or human nations is punishable by death. Pretty good, huh?"

"Is there anyway to get rid of the demon power in Aiki?"

Kiba frowned. "No… there's absolutely nothing we can do about it."

"He'll be hunted."

"Unavoidable."

Gaara sighed. "I want him to have a good life."

"He is and he will. We all will make sure of it but the life of a ninja is a perilous one. In time, he'll understand that just like you and Naruto have done." The two mean looked at each other for a moment. Gaara signed the scroll and handed it back to Kiba. "Congratulations, Kazekage. Don't be a stranger and come to Konoha sometime when you're not busy." Gaara nodded.

He finished his paperwork and stood up from his char. His robes fell around his feet as he left his office. Immediately, Temari ambushed him with a comb and brush. "Your inauguration is in thirty minutes and you're not even ready!"

Aiki was behind her, pacified with a rice ball. His hair was still a mass of spikes but it was untangled. He had a small ponytail behind his neck. He cheeks were pink indicating that he had won a portion of his battle with strategic wailing. His outfit had changed to accommodate his new jewelry. He wore a sleeveless red shirt with a wide and tall collar and baggy black shorts. He kept the white and red sash but changed the shoulder it hung from. Gaara smiled but Temari pulled him towards the outside.

"Do you remember your speech?"

"Speech?"

"Gaara!"

He smirked. "Joking. I remember." She gave him an annoyed look and adjusted his clothes one more time. With a proud smile, she sighed then kissed him on the check. "Thank you."

"Do you best, Kazekage." He nodded and opened the doors. There was immediate applause and cheering.

Kankurou nudged him in the ribs before he stepped forward. "Seems like I'm always in your shadow."

"Because you're always pushing me onward. I might need your support in the future."

"Little brothers are such brats. You're village is waiting."

"Dadddy?" Aiki was holding the hat in his hands. "Don't you want to wear this?"

Gaara looked visibly disgusted. "I thought I threw that in the tr-" He paused, Kankurou giving him a suspicious look. "…Uh…sure." He took the hat and put it on, stepping to the middle of the stage to address the Village of Sand as their leader.

Hinata shook a bottle of pills and placed it in the hands of the small boy. She gave him a kind smile and helped him off of the hospital bed. "Take one of these every night before bed. Don't forget or you might be consumed by the demon blood inside of you."

The boy shook the bottle and held it up to the light. The small white pills seemed to sleep snugly in the blue glass container. He gave them a shake as if to wake them but they settled quickly to the tilted down side. "Will these really help me?" He asked, slightly unsure that such lethargic pills would contain the will of a demon wolf. Hinata nodded, pushing some stray black hair back behind her ear. Aiki put the pills in his pocket and looked up at her. "Um…Hinata. You're leaving today aren't you?"

"Yes, we've already been here for a long time. We have to go back to Konoha." Aiki looked down slightly sad but her hand on his head reassured him. "Don't worry, you'll come and visit us, won't you?" The boy nodded several times to reassure her that had every intention of seeing her and the rest of the Konoha ninja's again. She smiled at his innocent face, still chubby like an infant's. Though his eyes had seen much horror and pain, but still maintained an optimistic outlook. Somehow, just like Naruto had learned to do.

Gaara was panting heavily, sweating more than he had in years. Lee was standing before him in the excellent shape of a man who's entire life centered around the abilities of his body. "Okay, Gaara. One more time! From the top! Then we'll run 5 miles to cool down!" They were going through drills to increase Gaara's reflexes with the sand and increase his stamina. The Kazekage was a superb student, catching on quickly to the routine, limited only by the novelty of the situation, but Lee was too easily excited.

"Lee," Gaara began, swallowing hard before resuming his labored breathing, "Lee, I can't do this much longer or I'll pass out."

"But-but we just started…"

"Just started?" Gaara yelled in disbelief. "Lee, that was five hours ago!"

"You're just out of shape from being in bed so long," Lee reassured, waving his hand dismissively. "Once you warm-up things will be easy." Gaara sank to the ground. It was obvious his friend was not listening. Neji shook his head as he stood next to Shikamaru.

"No matter what he says, Lee trains harder than any normal person." He put his hands in his pockets. "Gaara had better chances fighting demons than he does training with Lee.

The ponytailed ninja nodded. He cupped his hands around his mouth in a make-shift megaphone. "HEY! Lee, cut it out! Not everyone's a 'genius of hard work', you know," Shikamaru called out as he scowled.

Lee turned from Gaara and crossed his arms. "Don't you understand? Gaara is Kazekage. It's up to him to protect Sand so he has to be in tip-top shape."

Shikamaru sucked his teeth. "Just because he lost the Shukaku, doesn't mean he's helpless. Gaara, if you overdo it, Temari's going to kill you."

The prospects of his sister giving him an earful did not appeal to Gaara. He stood up and took his gourd off his back. "He's right. Let's finish here, Lee. I'll train later." Lee nodded relunctantly, shooting Shikamaru a disproving look. The lazy ninja did not seem to notice. Aiki approached them sucking on a child's sports bottle with a duck mascot on the front. Gaara was thankful to see his face and knelt to one knee to greet him. "Hello, son."

Sweet was pouring down Gaara's face and pooled under his eyes and around his lips. Aiki held his bottle out to his father. "Are you done training, Daddy?" Gaara nodded as he took the bottle. In one turn of the bottle, he gulped down the rest of the water. Still, his body felt parched. "Can I train with Uncle Lee, too?" They adults looked at each other and shrugged.

Lee knelt down, placing his bandaged hand on the boy's head. "What do you want to do?"

"Oh, I want to play Fetch, Uncle Akamaru says that it'll make me stronger."

Shikamaru let out an exasperated breath. "I wish that kid wouldn't look up to a dog for advice," he muttered to no one in particular though Neji heard him.

"Well, at least he hasn't taught him the 'Advanced Marking Technique."

With a flourish, Lee took a kunai from his pouch at his thigh. "Right. Well, let's see how long it takes you to retrieve this kunai that I throw. Do you think you can do that?" Aiki punched his open palm with a nod. Lee pulled his arm back and with all of his strength he threw the kunai into the distance, over several houses in fact. Neji facepalmed as Aiki took off, kicking up dust in his wake.

"Lee…you…you overdid it again," Gaara sighed. Surprisingly, Aiki returned with the kunai in his mouth a few minutes later. He took it out and held it up to Lee, who looked down with a little surprise.

"Again!" Aiki had his tails wagging behind him and his ears pricked high above his head. When we excited, his two natures seemed to merge and he would reveal some of his wolfen features. Lee again threw the kunai only to have Aiki jump in the air in front of them and catch it. The young boy dropped the weapon at in his 'uncle's' hand. "Again!"

Lee scratched his head. How could he get the better of this kid? He looked at Aiki. The boy was swinging his arms looking up expectantly. "Heh. You're pretty fast, little Gaara, but let's see you catch two at once." Lee took out another kunai and threw them in two opposite directions. Aiki caught the one in front in his hand and immediately dropped it. He turned quickly in air and stumbled as he landed but jumped once he gained his footing and using Lee as a launching pad aimed for the second one, changing into full wolf form. He descended on the kunai, catching it in his mouth. He trotted next to Lee and dropped the kunai. Aiki barked expectantly. Lee's competitive spirit was becoming aroused. Neji, seeing this decide he had seen more than enough and walked away.

"Leaving?" Shikamaru asked. His answer was a simple nod. "Ah, take care then. Tell Ten-ten I'll be seeing her in a few days as well." Neji nodded and left. Gaara took the time of watching his son play with Lee to relax. He noted Shikamaru and approached him.

"Thanks."

"Hm? For what?"

"Everything. I owe you my life and the life of my son." Gaara explained.

"Ah, forget it. We're family now, right? I'm glad my in-laws are so nice, y'know?" Shikamaru smiled and smacked Gaara on the shoulder. The Kazekage smiled back then looked back at his friend and son, engage in a game of tag. Lee was the 'oni' and Aiki was at his heels, barking.

"I might need your help again…Soon."

"Eh?"

Gaara's red-hair was pushed into his eyes by the wind and he brushed his face to clear it of hair. "Well, I was talking to Naruto…and we decided that maybe it would be good if Aiki would study in Konoha and-"

Shikamaru raised his hand to cut his brother-in-law off. "He needs a place to stay? He's got one. You forget, we were taking care of him before you even knew he existed."

"Ah…Yeah. I guess so…" Gaara laughed in spite of himself, just when he felt something latch onto his leg. He looked down. Aiki pulled his wrist.

"You're it!"

"What? No, I'm really tired, son. I-"

Aiki didn't seem aware of the extensive training that Gaara had jut underwent. "You're it! You're it! Just for a little while."

"I'm sorry but no." Gaara pulled his arm away. Aiki looked back slightly admonished. He put his finger up to his lip and toed a hole in the ground. The guilt trip was super effective. "…Well… For a little while but I have work to do so-!" Gaara couldn't finish as he was dragged away into battle."

Months later…

The adjustment to life was not all easy for the Sabakuno Family but somehow the managed well enough. Aiki didn't so much mind the stares that he received from the villagers or the rumors. However, recently, he couldn't ignore his headaches. Once he awoke to find his room completely destroyed after he blacked out. Hinata suggested that they increase the dosage of his medication and that seemed to do just fine. Things slowly returned to normal.

Aiki was walking down the hallways to find Gaara. There was a meeting of the elders that had been going on for nearly three hours. He hoped that it would end soon so that they could play as Gaara promised. A maid slipped out of the meeting room carrying and empty pitcher and rushed down the hallway passed him. Aiki looked to the door, which was now slightly open, thanks to the hurried maid. He approached it and crouched down in hopes of catching a bit of the conversation within.

"Kazekage-sama, we understand your hesitation but even you must recognize the boy is dangerous," came a voice Aiki didn't not recognize. He didn't know most of the elders on the council. He avoided them because they always looked at him with cold eyes.

"It's not that we don't like him," an older voice responded. "He's a charming child, but recent events cannot be ignored… if his condition worsens…"

"We can take care of it," Gaara answered strongly. "Hinata-sama has agreed to continue treating him." Aiki's heart jumped. His suspicion was confirmed; they were talking about him. He tried to remain calm so that he could hear what was said over his churning stomach and rapidly thumping heart. What did they want Gaara to do with him?

"Kazekage-sama! Be reasonable! We had to up his dosage by nearly three times the strength. No parent wants him to be in the academy with their children. The complaints we've received have been adamant."

"I'm not abandoning my child. If I could deal with it, then so can he."

"Kazekage-sama…"

A shadow fell over Aiki. "What are you doing?" Kankurou asked curiously. The little boy stood up and walked passed him muttering something quietly. Kankurou watched him walk away feeling perplexed.

Not many people braved the noon day sun of the desert, especially not sitting on a roof watching what little was going on. So that was what Aiki was doing in the face of his racing thoughts. Events were again trying to tear apart his world. What if he was forced to leave Sunagakure and his family? Or worse?

He stood up and walked to the edge of the roof. The road was a far way below him. A hot wind whipped around him. He slipped off his sandals and watched his toes dangle over the edge. Aiki took a deep breath and took a step forward. He felt weightless, as if he was floating. He looked down. The road was the exact same distance from him as it had been before. The wind was not rushing around him, he was suspended.

"It's never good to eavesdrop," Gaara said calmly. Aiki turned his head to see two wings made of sand flapping lazily on him back, keeping him aloft.

"They want me to leave, Papa," Aiki said sorrowfully. His nose stung and he immediately began to cry. "I won't be able to stand it if I have to go! This is my home! You are my family!"

Gaara smiled lightly and 'flew' his son back to the safety of the roof. "If you go, I won't be able to stand it either. Not like this, at least." He put the boy down. Aiki fell to the ground.

"What will we do?"

"I'm sending you to Konoha," he answered. Aiki looked up shocked and terrified but Gaara held up his hand to quiet him. "You will attend the academy there for a year then return here for a year. You'll alternate attendance. Hinata has agreed that she needs to monitor you in order to create a good medicine to control your chakra. Naruto has also agreed to help."

There was silence between them as the gravity of the situation sunk in. "A whole year?"

"It will go by quickly. Fumi will help you make new friends and before you know it you'll be missing them too."

Aiki stopped to consider things. "Papa, will I become stronger if I go?"

"Maybe?"

"Strong enough to protect what I love?"

"Definitely."

He finally stood on his own two legs and looked towards the horizon of the city. He held his hand up to the sun to block it rays. He closed his fist and smiled. "I'll do it."