I'm Not Alone {--Kakashi Hatake--}

{Chapter 10}

For once, in a long time, I actually slept one night peacefully, without any nightmares or flashbacks. Nightmares, I could handle. Flashbacks, having to relive my past, that was another story entirely. Those consisted either of my parents' deaths, or my teammates, and would always leave me waking with a start, shaking and almost to the point of emotionally breaking down.

I joined the others, and once we were all ready, we were about to take off for the bridge. Well, all of us except Naruto. He was still in his sleeping bag, snoozing.

"Well! Please take care of Naruto." Kakashi told Tsunami, "He's worn himself out. I doubt he'll be able to move for the rest of the day."

"We're off, Tsunami." Tazuna informed her before we started walking, Tazuna leading with Sakura and Sasuke in the middle, and Kakashi and myself in the rear. "Bye." Tsunami simply replied.

Eventually, we did make it to the bridge, but when we arrived, we found five construction workers laying on the ground, blood spattered around them.

"What happened?!" Tazuna cried before going over to one of the men and cradling his head, "What happened?! What...could have...?!"

The man choked out, "M-Monsters."

Suddenly, the area was starting to become surrounded by a mist.

Zabuza... I thought with dread, So he is alive...and probably back for a rematch with Kakashi...

We all assumed a formation, and Sakura asked with alarm, "Kakashi-sensei, is this...? That man we met...his 'hiding in the mist' technique, isn't it?"

Sasuke began to shudder, the kunai in his right hand shaking as well as a voice in the mist spoke, "Been a while, Kakashi...and I see you've got those brats tagging along, just like last time. And the little boy is trembling again, poor thing..."

Then, in an instant, we were surrounded by Zabuza clones who formed a circle around us.

Sasuke smirked, challenging him with, "I'm shaking with eagerness for a rematch!"

Kakashi gave a closed-eyed smile, "Go ahead...Sasuke."

Sasuke took off, slashing every clone until they collectively splattered into water. He returned into the position he was in, but with one kunai in each hand, raised slightly behind him. Then he looked up at the enemy. Zabuza...and the masked boy from before. We all turned towards them.

"Well! My water doppelgangers were obviously no match for you! It seems the brats have matured quite a bit...into worthy rivals...eh, Haku?" Zabuza asked his companion who replied, "Indeed!"

"Looks like I was right." Kakashi stated, his hands in his pants pockets, "Our mysterious friend...is playing on Zabuza's team."

"He has nerve, showing up like this!" Sakura shouted.

"This one's mine." Sasuke announced, his words catching Sakura's attention, "That was quite a show you put on before," He said to Haku, "But we're on to you now...and I hate ham actors!"

"Sasuke's so cool!!" Sakura exclaimed with admiration.

So, Sakura argues with what Naruto says or does, but yet she just agrees with Sasuke every single time. I thought to myself, and glanced at Kakashi. For some reason, I believed he thought the same.

"Impressive kid, isn't he? Even if your water doppelgangers have only a tenth of the strength of the originals..." Haku remarked, "...it's amazing he was able to do so well."