Never Let You Go [Zabuza Momochi]

Chapter 38

Beep. Beep. Beep.

It was so loud. And everything hurt. Eyelids felt heavy feeling as if drowning from the fatigue that washed over the body. Even the twitch a finger was difficult and painful. A horrible throbbing sensation jolted up the arm. She groaned, wishing it would all go away. "Calm down," a voice spoke. "Do not force yourself to wake up too quickly. Let it come to you." The individual was coaxing her the whole time, eyes struggling to open against the harsh lighting in the room. Lacey couldn't recall the last time she was in this much pain. "What do you remember?"

"A... jutsu..." she croaked. "Death..."

"You used a Chakra Transfer. I ripped you away just in time. It's a miracle you're even alive. Jounin-level ninja can't survive something like that. How someone at the level of a Chuunin managed this...? I still don't know how you survived?"

No, Lacey couldn't understand it either. She knew of the repercussions that followed from what she read. The dancer understood the risks. Finally, Lacey's vision began to clear and the room came into focus. A silver haired man stood beside the bed watching her carefully. The Leaf Ninja Jounin who had protected the bridge builder, Tazuna. The one who fought Zabuza.

"He... didn't... make it... did he?" the young woman questioned.

His head shook. "I'm sorry, Lacey."

The dancer took a shaky breath, staring up at the ceiling and trying to blink away the tears. "But... the wounds–"

"He was already gone."

"Damn it..." she sobbed.

"We're you close to him?"

She gave a halfhearted laugh. "As close as a rogue will allow themselves to be. He wasn't the... easiest person to read."

The Jounin could understand that. "My name is Kakashi Hatake from the Leaf. I lead Team 7, whom Zabuza and Haku went up against on the bridge." Thankfully, Sasuke had survived the face off against Haku, though it took him a few days to recover from the needles that lodged in his skin.

"Where are they?"

"With Tazuna. We're all trying to recover our strength and be sure that Gato's thugs do not cause more issues for the Wave Country. You've been in a coma for nearly a month."

"Oh..."

"I have to tell you... your friend, Haku, threw himself in front of Zabuza in order to save his life from my attack."

She gave him a sad smile. "For some reason... that doesn't surprise me. They had a special bond." He could hear her voice cracking at the memories.

Dragging over a chair the Jounin straddled the back. "I'm finding it difficult to believe that you managed to get yourself mixed with a bunch of rogues. Why don't you tell me everything by starting from the beginning? It could possibly save you jail time and facing the higher courts for any involvement you had with Zabuza and Haku."

The beginning. It felt so long ago when the rogues found her in the ally running away from the man who did not have any intention of letting her go. The dancer explained her history. Before they met. Then Lacey focused on the missions that were important, or at least would be for the Jounin. Not the fact that Zabuza would trick her into traps in order to teach lessons or punish the dancer by chasing the young woman with the intent to kill. The lessons alongside Haku were important too. Lord Kuro. Riko. Shoji. Akine. And she mentioned the rogues who worked for Yupa, but gave them alias names. She could never sell out the rogue or allow the Jounin to know that he was still in the area or held control over the town. And Kakashi was surprised. As well as impressed. This young woman had survived it all somehow. Someone of her skills would usually not last long.