~*****~

I got up after crying myself dry, and limped over to Kakashi. He gazed at a horde of people at the end of the bridge. I clasped onto his shoulder as I neared him, feeling his muscle relax.

"Look at you," Gato sneered to Zabuza, a smug smirk on his mouth. "You look about as demonic as a wet kitten." The crowd behind him began laughing.

"Well, well, Kakashi..." Zabuza started, staring into the mob. "It would seem our fight is at an end. Since I am no longer in Gato's employ, Tazuna's safe. We have no quarrel..."

"Yeah..." Kakashi agreed. "I suppose you're right."

Gato stepped forward. "That reminds me...." He started, looking creepy as hell. "You grabbed me and nearly broke my arm! I've been meaning to repay you for that!" Gato hums, nudging Haku with his foot. He reared back his leg and kicked him. Naruto and I gasped in horror. "I only wish he were alive to feel it."

My anger swelled. "Hey! Don't touch him!" I snarl, trying to attack him. Kakashi wrapped an arm around my midsection, holding me back.

"Get away!" Naruto screamed. "Get away from him, you scum!" Kakashi grabbed at Naruto.

"Stop, the both of you!" Kakashi reprimanded us, holding on tightly. "Use your head!"

"Well, what about you Zabuza!" I growled at the tall man.

"You gonna let him do that?!" Naruto adds.

"Be quiet, you fools." Zabuza growled, not even looking at us. "Haku's dead, that doesn't matter."

"What?!" Naruto and I screamed. "You mean you can just stand there and watch him get treated like a dog?! You and Haku worked together for years, doesn't that mean anything?!" Naruto screamed.

"You don't understand the way of the Shinobi." Zabuza started. "I merely used him just as Gato used me. Now. It's over. His usefulness is at an end. The loss of his strength and skill, yes, that means something to me. But the boy... nothing."

Naruto exhaled. "If you mean that... you're an even bigger rat than I thought."

"Okay, that's enough." Kakashi said, putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Calm down, Naruto, He's not the enemy. Not right now."

Naruto smacked him off. "Shut up! As far as I'm concerned, he's enemy number one!" He shouted, pointing up at the demon. Zabuza started right back at him. "Why you... you ungrateful.... after everything he did for you! Haku lived for you!" Naruto screamed. Kakashi tightened his hold around my waist. "You were the most important thing in the world to him!" Naruto shouted again, pointing at Haku's body. "And he meant nothing to you?! Nothing at all?! Well, he was sacrificing everything for you! And you never felt anything at all for him?!" His voice cracked. "And if I become stronger, does that mean...." He spoke softer. "I'll become as cold hearted as you are?! He threw his life away! And for what! For you and your dream?!"

Tears started pouring out of his eyes, mirroring my own anguish. "You never let him have a dream of his own..." I whimpered, gazing down at Haku's pale face. "But he didn't care... And you just toss him aside like he was nothing! A broken tool.... man, that's so wrong.... So wrong!"

"You talk too much...." Zabuza commented, hiding his face. We gazed up at him. Tears dripped down and onto the pavement below him. "Your words cut deep... deeper than any blade. While he fought you... His heart was breaking in two... You see, Haku was always too soft and too kind... He felt pain and sorrow... And curse him, I feel them too! And something else..... I feel content that this is the way it ends...." Zabuza says softly. He bites into his faces bandages and tears them away, revealing his face to us. "Well? Cat got your tongue?" He asked. His teeth were like daggers.... "Are you so surprised to discover that I'm human? Even Shinobi are human... No matter how hard we try to escape that simple fact... We always fail... Well, at least... I have failed." He admitted, going silent for a moment. "Boy! Give me your kunai!"

Naruto tossed his Kunai, and Zabuza caught it easily between his teeth. He ran forward, straight into the mob to take out Gato. He took down mercs that got in his way. He was relentless. "He really is a demon, isn't he?" I ask, backing up into Kakashi. He hums as Zabuza gets stabbed through the back, but that doesn't stop him. He fights through the mob and plunges the kunai deep into Gato, sending him into the water below. Zabuza just stands there with swords sticking out of his back. He turns around and slowly makes his way back. The mercs split, moving out of the way as he makes his way to Haku. He collapses to his knees, not being strong enough to make it. 

"Naruto! Ren! Over here!" I flinch as I hear Sakura shout. I turn and feel relief wash over me like a wave. "It's Sasuke! He's alright!"

Sasuke looks away from us, raising his hand in a wave. I turn back around as the tears come back full force. Haku really was hurting during that fight. He couldn't kill us, not because of ability, but because he really was kind hearted. "Well, well. Will wonders ever cease?" Kakashi asked, smirking at my face. I pressed my hand against his face and pushed him away, wiping at my tears in embarrassment.

"Hey! Yoohoo!" One merc shouts, slamming his staff on the ground. "Don't go gettin' too comfortable!"

"This party ain't over yet!" Another merc shouts. "Who's gonna pay us now that Gato's gone!"

"No way were gonna leave here empty handed! So, we'll just have to hit that village and see what they've got for us!" Another said.

I rolled my eyes and glared at them.

"Not good." Kakashi hummed.

"Come on, Kakashi-Sensei! You must have a jutsu to take care of these losers!" Naruto shouted.

"Not right now, I used up to much of my chakra." Kakashi replied.

"Get 'em boys!" One merc shouted, sending them all forward.

An arrow fell from the sky, piercing the ground before them and stopping them in their tracks. We all turned around, gazing at the mob of villagers, with Inari leading the pack. "There's one little thing you're forgetting about!" One man shouted. "Before you set one foot in our village, you'll have to go through all of us!" They all cheered in agreement.

"Inari!" Naruto shouted happily.

"Heroes usually show up late!" Inari jeered happily.

I giggled and turned to Naruto. "I think we can help out, yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" We both shout, creating five clones from the both of us. We started to laugh and get into an offensive position.

Kakashi held up his hand. "Shadow Clone Jutsu." Kakashi recites calmly, at least a hundred of him appearing. "Kakashi Style." This send the mob of mercs into a panic. "Okay... Still wanna fight?" They all ask, making me laugh again. They all ran to their boat, jumping on as quickly as possible.

"Victory!" Inari screamed, making us all cheer.

Kakashi helped Zabuza make it to Haku's body, laying him down besides the him. I stood besides Naruto as Zabuza spoke to Haku one last time before he drew his last breath, and miraculously, snow started to fall on the duo.

We buried them on the hill, along side each other in hopes they find each other in the next life. We used Zabuza's sword to mark the grave. "Is that really is, Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura asked. We both looked over at her. "Is that the ninja way? To use an be used by people like tools?"

"Shinobi are all merely tools in the hands of destiny. No point in wondering whether its right or wrong. It just is." Kakashi stated gently. "It's the same in the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

"Well, if you ask me, if that's what being a ninja's all about, then somethings out of whack!" Naruto said, looking back at us. "Is that why we go through all this training? Just to end up like them?"

"What is the reason for that?" Sasuke asked, turning to gaze at me.

"Well.... It's a question without an answer, guys.... And that is something we ninja have to deal with everyday of our lives. Like Zabuza... and the kid." I say sorrowfully. We were all silent for a moment.

"Okay!" Naruto started confidently. We all looked at him in wonder. "I've just come to a decision! From now on, I'm finding my own ninja way! A way that's straight and true without any regrets! From now on, I'm following the way of Naruto!" He said triumphantly.

I started to chuckle with Kakashi, happy that Naruto could find the light in such a gray area.

~*****~

And just like that, the bridge was finished within a few days, bringing life back to the land. "We could've never finished the bridge without you!" Tazuna eulogized happily, the whole town gazing at us. "I can't tell you how much we're going to miss you."

"You be careful." Tsunami chimed,her cheeks holding new color.

"Thank you for everything." I say, bowing my head and smiling when Kakashi started ruffling my hair.

"Now, no! Don't get all choked up! We'll be back soon to visit!" Naruto said happily.

Inari looked ready to cry. "You swear you will?" He asked, his voice shaking. I smiled over at Naruto, loving that this would so make him cry.

"Of course!" Naruto's tone started to shake. "You know, Inari, it's alright to cry if you want! There's nothing wrong with that! Go for it!"

"Who says I wanna cry!" He retorts. "Anyway, if there's nothing wrong with it, why don't you cry?!"

"No! You first!" Naruto strained. It was an intense 'no cry' stare down, ending with Naruto turning away quickly. "Forget it!" We started trekking down the bridge, waving good bye to the good folk of the Land of Waves. And then, Naruto started to become chatty. "As soon as we get back, I'm gonna get Iruka-Sensei to fix me up a whole set of ramen to celebrate a mission accomplished!" Naruto jeered. "Oh! And just wait till I tell Konoamaru about all my adventures! The kids gonna worship me!"

"Hey!" Sakura started.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, but Sakura brushed him off.

"Not you, Naruto. Sasuke, when we get back, do you wanna go do something together?" She asks hopefully, making my stomach twist up a little.

"No... I don't think so.... Thanks." Sasuke flat out denied her. I giggled as Sakura turned back to me with a disappointed look on her face.

"Oh, hey! Sasuke! Have you seen pictures of Ren's father?" She asked, piquing his interest, along with Naruto and Kakashi. My face started to pale as they all looked back at me. "He's such a dream boat! I swear! He's the grandson of the First Hokage!" She sneakily snatched the photo out of my pouch and showed the squad.

"Damn, Ren, you're gonna be hot when you get older!" Naruto comments, taking the picture. "Just image this as a woman!"

Sasuke slammed his fist down atop Naruto's head as I started to feel light headed from the comment. "Shut up, Naruto. That's not polite to Ren." They both started arguing as Sakura just kept staring at the photo. Kakashi slowed down his pace to walk besides me.

"I didn't know you had that." He comments.

"Well, It didn't come up in conversation." I retort as Squad Seven ventures further on. "By the way, Kakashi. I have a question." I start, looking up at him. He hums in acknowledgement. "What's a Jinchuriki and who's Ameonna?" He stops walking, frozen as I halt.

"Where did you hear that from?" He questions, his tone deadly serious.

I rub at the back of my head. "When we were trapped in Haku's jutsu. I passed out, and I dreamt of a memory. The memory of my last day with my mother. The day the village had been torn apart. Assassins said, 'Ren Yukimura, Jinchuriki of Ameonna'." Kakashi just stares before we start walking again, keeping a good distance away from the rest of the squad. "Is that was Naruto is? A Jinjuriki? Like me?"

"You really are the smartest kunoichi." Kakashi sighs. "A Jinchuriki means, power of human sacrifice. It means, someone died, to seal something within. But in your case... In Naruto's case.... It was sealed within you." My stomach dropped as I gazed up at him. "But, with you, the Hokage placed a seal on top of your seal, so that you may never have to deal with Ameonna." I looked down towards the ground. "Ameonna is a tailed beast, like the one that attacked the village. She used to be known as The Rain Maker, but years of hatred and distrust, she formed into what she is now. That's why you don't require a lot of chakra for your families Kekkei Genkai. Her will is infused within you, so the water around you plays to your bidding."

"Are you sure.... She'll never come out?" I ask, looking up at him.

He smiles underneath his mask. "Positive. You won't see her or hear her. When you die, she dies with you." I let out an even breath, not giving away my real feeling of fear. I heard her earlier. But I couldn't let him know that. I just have to control her. "Now, let's hurry back. I'll buy you some ramen for the house."

"Okay!" I chime, following after him excitedly.