The fight is over, Gato is dead, and the thugs chased off by the villagers.
Kakashi carries Zabuza to Haku and an unconscious Aru. He is set down and Kakashi backs away a few paces.
"Z-Zabuza-sama--!" Haku exclaims. His eyes fill with tears at the sight of his dying master.
Zabuza stares at his daughter for a moment and strokes her cheek then looks to Haku, "protect her... with.. your life.." He says slowly. Haku nods solemnly and blinks back his tears.
Zabuza then turns to Kakashi, "Care for them... they are still young yet.. don't let them follow me too... soon..." He says, and trails off at the end, releasing his last wish and final breath.
Team seven waits in the small village as Aru recovers. She had awoken a couple of days after the battle and hasn't left her father's grave since. She would speak to no one and only barely touch her food when Haku pleaded with her. She was never alone in her mourning, Haku always at her side, grieving quietly.
Though the day she was well enough to leave, she refused.
"Please, we need to leave." The jonin presses. She gives no reply and continues to stare with dead eyes. Haku looks on sadly.
Kakashi sighs, "it was his dying wish that I look after you, but I still need to go back to my own village." He says. Days previous, he had sent a shadow clone with the rest of his team to report the mission, and return his students to their homes.
She flinches when the word 'dying' escapes his masked lips.
"Oh? A reaction?" He observes.
Her gaze hardens.
"Look, I know what you're going through. I, too, lost my father at a young age." He sighs, sitting beside her. She looks at him then back at the grave.
"My clone has spoken with the hokage of my village, and he agrees to let you stay. I'm sure he is preparing apartments for you as we speak."
More silence. This goes on for a time until Kakashi decides it is time to go again.
"This is getting nowhere." He says under his breath. He stands and scoops Aru into his arms.
At first, she stiffened, then started struggling to get out if his grip.
Haku is careful to watch his every move as he walks away from the grave with the flailing Aru.
"No!! No!!! Dad! D-daddy--!!" She cries, reaching frantically toward the grave, tears flowing from her dark eyes.
Kakashi sighs, realizing that if they were going to get to the village any time soon, she had to stop struggling.
Making his decision, he hits the pressure point in her neck, effectively knocking her unconscious. She slumps down, and he starts walking again, taking a glance behind him to make sure Haku was following.
As the sky darkens, they set up camp and rest after a small meal. In the morning, Haku volunteers to carry Aru the rest of the way. Kakashi agrees and they head off at a fast pace, Aru resting on Haku's back.
She comes to half a day later but does nothing except tighten her hold on Haku and cry quietly. He glances over his shoulder at his best friend, and, if he was honest, his crush.
When they arrived at the gates of Konoha, Aru had already fallen asleep again from exhaustion.
====
*cries*
Well, I hope you liked this chapter.
I cried (internally) while writing this, but did you notice anything..? Say, a certain someone's feelings toward another certain someone..?
Hehe.
Till next time~!
*Edit: why dis no publish?? I thought I did.. Guess not.. Sorry it took so long! Problems popped up everywhere...*
-AR334
