Snowy Heart. (Naruto FF)

'So, please, wait for me...'

   Previously:

   They both stared in complete shock as Saruko, adorned with healing wounds, blond hair, and some of the most terrifying red-gold eyes known, stepped out of the mist and dust. Her face, no longer scrunched in anger, was a mixture of alert and anxious as she looked to Zabuza. In her voice, so clearly intertwined with that of Yukiharu's, held a sense of knowing. Like the question she asked didn't need an answer, just a confirmation.

   "Papa...where's Onii-chan?"

   ******

   "Saruko..." Zabuza muttered in shock, Kakashi hearing the familiar name and having his eyes go wide.

   'So the Saruko we met, that was Zabuza's daughter!?' Saruko's eyes wandered over to Kakashi, who was still holding the barely warm corpse in his arms, easily putting two and two together.

   "Kakashi...why did you kill him? Why did you kill my Onii-chan?" As Saruko continued to speak, she slowly leeched into her original form, the blonde of her hair seeping back into the bright red and the coppery gold of her eyes fading into the now teary admiral blue.

  "Haku...Haku didn't deserve to die. He was kind, and gentle. He never had the nerve to kill anyone, not even on missions. He always read me to sleep, and would be there when I had nightmares in the middle of the night. He taught me to read, and to cook, and helped me with my kimono when I couldn't tie the back of my obi. We would go bird watching, and star gazing, and he...he would always make it snow on my birthday so I would forget. So why...why did he have to die?"

   As she talked of all the things they did together, Saruko walked towards the silver haired Jonin, tears running in thin lines down her cheeks as her face remained still up until she stood right in front of him. It was then that, in sight of the surprisingly peaceful look on Haku's almost waxy face, she collapsed on her knees and begun to bawl. "Why did you have to take away one of the best people I've ever met!? Tell me!!"

   Zabuza, though not very familiar with comfort, kneeled down beside his daughter and allowed her to cry softly in his side as his arms hung uselessly. This went on for maybe a minute or so before a few sharp taps made their way to everyone's ears. Turning their heads, the three saw a large crowd of rogue ninja and hired thugs, all led by the one who way paying them.

    "Gatoh." Zabuza hissed under his breath, standing and walking a few paces ahead of Saruko. As he spoke again, Kakashi removed the boy from his arm and laid him down on the bridge. "What do you need, Gatoh? I'm in the middle of a job, specifically the one you gave me."

   "You call this doing your job? Mourning over a brat with the one who killed him in the middle of your fight?" The short man smirked, pushing up the glasses on his face. "Either way, you're becoming too expensive, so I'm dropping you from my services and letting this band of brutes have their way with ya. However, even they're costing me something, so if you could take a few down with you, that would be swell."

   Saruko got angry at the man once again, watching as Zabuza continually walked farther from her as Gatoh kept talking smack. "Speaking of which, where's that girlish brat you had with you the other day? Did he kick the can or something? It's disappointing, really. I wanted to get him back for damn near breaking my arm. Good riddance to him, I say." His eyes connected with Saruko's glossy blue ones.

   "Woah, who's the babe? Your bitch? She's on the younger side, but I know a few people who're into that. How much do you want for her, huh? Two, three thousand maybe?" This was Zabuza's last straw with Gatoh.

   "That's enough out of you, Gatoh." Using his teeth, Zabuza ripped the bandaging from around his mouth and, without facing either of them, began to speak to Kakashi and Saruko.