Here it is. The next chapter. This will be the last one that follows this closely to the show. Sakura's finally going to get a handle on her powers in the next chapter so she'll be a lot more sucessful about changing things. So don't worry.
Disclaimer: We all know I don't own Naruto so you really don't need me to say it, do you?
Ch. 4: A Team at Last
They'd made it to the top. Naruto and Sasuke had finished their training. It had nearly killed them to do it, but that hadn't stopped them. The two of them came stumbling in, late for dinner, looking beat up but proud. Sakura smiled at them, and they laughed when Naruto cheered, knocking him and Sasuke to the ground. Dinner was served and they ate with good spirits, until Inari started shouting at Naruto. Something about the blond seemed to get under the kid's skin.
Naruto didn't really seemed bothered until Inari told him he didn't understand what it felt like to be treated like dirt. The blond looked up with a glare and practically growled when he said, "Listen to yourself whining and complaining like some sorry little victim. You can whimper all day for all I care. You're nothing but a coward."
"Naruto, that's too far," Sakura snapped out.
His anger didn't seem to cool any. He stood and stalked off. Inari stood and ran outside. Kakashi followed the kid out. Sakura stood by the door and was surprised when Sasuke joined her. They both listened as Kakashi told Inari about Naruto. Sakura felt something squeeze her heart. She looked up at Sasuke. "Why do we treat him like that, Sasuke? Naruto never did anything to deserve it but we act like he's beneath us. We always have. Why?"
Sasuke shrugged. He wasn't sure he knew why either. It just was. He looked down and finally sighed. "Maybe, we are a little hard on him."
"We're a team now," she said as she looked back outside. "In some ways, that makes us family. Can't we try to at least be friends. I mean, our lives depend on each other." She looked up at him with a half smile. "At least my life depends on you."
He looked at her. Sasuke knew she was right. It wouldn't be easy. He'd kept himself apart for so long he didn't remember how to be a friend anymore. Still he nodded. "I'll try."
"Let's start by making sure Naruto's okay. He seemed pretty upset," Sakura said as she made her way towards the stairs. She let out a sigh of relief when she heard Sasuke's steps behind her. He was going to try.
Naruto sat in the room they were sleeping in, staring out the window. Sakura knelt next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. When he looked at her, she smiled and said, "Are you okay?"
His eyes widened in surprised as he nodded slowly.
"Good." She sat back and looked out the window. "Me and Sasuke agree that we haven't made a good team yet. I mean, we've scratched the surface but haven't made the jump to team yet."
Naruto frowned. He thought they'd made a pretty good team so far. "What have we been missing?"
"Friendship. Friends should be able to help each other without bruising each others' egos." Sakura looked at Naruto rather pointedly. He took Sasuke being better than him just a little too personally. "Naruto, we need to be able to lean on each other. To make fun of each other. Even get mad at each other, and everything still be okay. We can't right now."
He looked up at Sasuke who was looking at him. Sasuke released an annoyed sigh. "She's right, Naruto. We've been avoiding actually becoming a team because that would mean we're friends on some level. You and I have issues with that."
The blond had to admit that Sasuke was right. He looked at Sakura. "So, how do we fix it?"
"Let's take it in small steps," Sakura replied with a warm smile. "First, we agree that we're not competing against each other. Use each other to get stronger, sure. But let's not make it personal."
"I can do that," Naruto said with his goofy grin. "We'll get stronger together."
"Let's seal the deal then," the kunoichi said. Sakura nodded and put her hand out palm down. With that big grin still on his face, Naruto place his hand on top of hers. They looked up at Sasuke, who hesitated for a second before placing his hand on top. Sakura looked between the boys. "Consider this a three person handshake."
The boys nodded and they dropped their hands. Outside the door, Kakashi smiled. Looks like Sakura is becoming the glue for this team, he thought cheerfully. She'll hold them together because she had to stop her last vision at all costs. If that meant making Sasuke and Naruto give up their prides then so be it. Kakashi chuckled a little. Naruto and Sasuke may be stronger than her, but she was more stubborn. If those two boys didn't cooperate with her, they'd have to face her wrath, and Kakashi was willing to bet even Sasuke didn't want that.
The next morning, Naruto slept in. He's used up too much chakra and needed rest. Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke made their way to the bridge with Tazuna. When they got there, the area was shrouded in fog and the other bridge workers were lying on the ground unconscious. The fog thickened as Zabuza's voice greeted them.
"I see you still have those brats with you." They could hear the sneer in Zabuza's voice. "That one's still trembling."
Out of nowhere several Zabuza's surrounded them. Sasuke smirked ans said, "I'm trembling with excitement."
With Kakashi's permission, Sasuke easily destroyed the demon's water clones. Sakura stayed near Tazuna. The boy in the mask, Haku, made the first move. Sasuke prepared to block. Sakura moved in front of Tazuna and stood ready to defend. The sound of metal on metal seemed to echo as Sasuke blocked Haku's attack. Sakura listened as Haku explained his advantages. Haku performed the jutsu with one hand and thousands of needles filled the air. All of them were aimed at Sasuke. Sakura held her breath for a moment as the needles moved towards Sasuke. The Uchiha jumped up out of the air and landed behind Haku. With a well aimed blow he kicked Haku back several feet.
Since Kakashi felt like bragging about his students, he did. Zabuza ordered Haku to get on with the fight. Haku stood and his chakra began to freeze the air abount them. Mirrors of ice rose from the puddles that used to be Zabuza's water clones, creating a dome of mirrors around Sasuke. He was trapped. Kakashi frowned and ran to help the Uchiha but Zabuza got in the way. Sakura heard Sasuke cry out in pain. Now would be a good time for a vision that this will all turn out okay, she thought desperately.
Wait a minute, she thought with narrowed eyes. The visions should be fueled by my chakra just like everything else. So I should be able to control them. Sakura took a deep breath and calmed herself. Just like climbing the trees. Focus the chakra. Control it. What is it I want to see? How this battle ends. She kept that up in her mind, focusing all her mind and body into it. She felt something in her shift. It was almost as if she'd flipped some switch in her mind. The vision filled her mind and she saw what she asked for.
Naruto and Sasuke were trapped in the dome. The fog was so thick she couldn't see anything. Somewhere, Kakashi fought Zabuza. She stood next to Tazuna., listening as the sounds of battle echoed around her. She wanted to help her teammates but what could she do? Someone had to protect Tazuna and since everyone else was busy, that left her. If only Naruto hadn't gone into the dome with Sasuke. Then they'd have a fighter on the outside and another inside. They'd have a better chance of winning. Time seemed to speed forward and she saw Sasuke's body lying motionless on the ground. Needles sticking out of him like he was a pincushion. Her heart squeezed in her chest. NO!
She lost her focus when Sasuke let out a cry of pain. Her eyes snapped open. Damn it. What could she do? There had to be a way to stop Sasuke from dying. She looked down at the kunai that fell at her feet. Sasuke's kunai. Sakura picked it up and ran for the mirrors. With a careful jump and well placed aim, she threw the kunai into the dome. Haku caught it with ease. She stared in shock and hopelessness. No. Don't let this be something else I can't change, she begged. Out of nowhere, somethig hit Haku and knocked him out of the mirrors. She looked over and there was Naruto.
Kakashi shouted advice at them. One of them was to attack from the outside and the other from within the dome. Sakura knew Naruto would do the stupid and go inside with Sasuke. She racked forward and shouted, "Naruto, whatever you do, don't go inside the dome. Stay outside. Let Sasuke fight in, you fight out."
Naruto looked at her in confusion.
"Trust me. I saw it go bad when you went in. Stay outside the dome," she emphasized her previous order to the blond.
He nodded and turned back to the dome. Sasuke was standing and ready to begin. The two nodded at each other. Sasuke rushed towards the mirror ready to attack inside. Naruto braced himself and made a dash for the outside of the same mirror Sasuke went after. Sakura smiled, they could do it. Her hope switched to horror when Haku countered. In the blink of an eye, the masked boy threw needles at Sasuke to force him to stop and dodge. Seconds later just as Naruto was about to slam into the mirror, Haku grabbed Naruto's wrist and threw him into the dome.
"No," Sakura whispered. This couldn't be happening. Why? Why could she see what was coming and not change it. She shook her head. No. It wasn't too late. Sasuke and Naruto could still win. The future wasn't set in stone. It didn't matter what she saw. Sakura had to believe that. It was all that was keeping her going right then.
Zabuza and Kakashi began fighting at last. The copy ninja couldn't afford to let this keep going. He had to help Sasuke and Naruto. The fog thickened. Sakura couldn't see anything anymore. She could only hear as the battles raged on around her. Sakura took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm. The future wasn't hear yet. And maybe he'd only been unconscious in the vision. He didn't have to be dead. She had to trust her team and do her own job.
"Tazuna, stay close to me," she ordered and pulled out a kunai. Sakura prayed that Naruto and Sasuke would be okay because that was all she could do. Even knowing what was coming, she couldn't stop it. Not without sacrificing Tazuna, and that wasn't really an option. If Sasuke gave his life to protect Tazuna, she wouldn't let it be in vain.
She closed her eyes and listened. Something moved behind her. Sakura moved fast and shoved Tazuna out of the way. Zabuza's sword moved right for her now. Sakura watched it come with surprising calm and acceptance. Then Kakashi was there and kept the sword from hitting her. Zabuza began to laugh and told them all that Sasuke and Naruto were already dead. The demon disappeared into the fog with a laugh.
Sakura felt rage burn in her. "No. Sasuke will be just fine. He'd beat that masked kid. No one is taking him from me." She glared into the fog. "Hear that, Zabuza? You're not taking Sasuke! Or Naruto!"
"Exactly," Kakashi agreed. She looked up at him with a smile. Kakashi braced himself and ran into the fog after Zabuza.
Sakura looked back towards the dome. Please, just this once, let my vision be wrong, she prayed silently. Out of nowhere, a new chakra surged to life. She'd never felt anything like it before. It was somehow menacing and bloodthirsty at the same time. What was going on? She stared into the fog as if it held all the answers. And in a way it did. Somewhere in this thick fog was Sasuke and Naruto. Were they okay? They had to be. She wouldn't...couldn't believe anything else. They had to be alright.
Somewhere, glass shattered. Shortly after that, the menacing chakra vanished without a trace. Somewhere she heard dogs howling and growling. Sakura noticed the mist was clearing. Figures began to form. She could tell that they were Zabuza and Kakahsi by the size but she didn't know which was which. One f them began to form an electric attack in his hand. Maybe that one was Kakashi. The hair style looked right from here. It was hard to be sure. One of them moved and charged at the other. She hoped the moving one was Kakashi. Just as he was about to strike, one of those mirrors jumped out of the ground and stabbed Haku took the hit for Zabuza.
Everyone could only stare in shock. Haku grabbed Kakashi's arm to hold him in place. Zabuza grabbed his sword and aimed for Kakashi. The copy ninja jumped out of the way and, when he looked back up, he seemed furious.
Sakura saw Naruto on the other side of Kakashi. She called to him and asked the question who's answer she feared the most. "You and Sasuke are alright?"
The look on Naruto's face said it all. Her heart squeezed in her chest. Her mind screamed in denial. Tazuna told her that he'd go with her to Sasuke. She could only manage a thank you and ran with the bridge builder right behind her. Despite the vision and Naruto's face, some part of her refused to believe that Sasuke could be dead...until she saw him. Sakura knelt at his side and touched his face. The vision filled her before she even knew it was coming.
Sasuke opened his eyes slowly. She met his gaze and cried. He was alright. He was alive. Her heart soared. Sasuke was alive.
Sakura jerked out of the vision and stared at him with new hope. She moved her hand down to his neck and felt for his pulse. The steady thump against her fingers. A pulse. He was alive. She took his face in her hands as tears fell down her face. "Wake up. Please, Sasuke, open your eyes."
Slowly, his eyes cracked open and looked into her eyes. Sakura, he thought. She's crying for me? He met her eyes. Naruto's shout had Sakura jerking her head up. Naruto was shouting at Zabuza for letting Gato – and when did he get here with all those men? – kick Haku's body. Sakura listened to them and could understand Naruto's anger. Naruto didn't stop shoutting. He seemed determined to make Zabuza understand. It worked. Zabuza began to shed tears for the boy who's served him selflessly.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" Zabuza asked when Naruto said nothing. "Surprised to find I'm human? Even Shinobi are human. No mater how much we try to deny that fact, was always fail."
Zabuza ordered Naruto to give him a kunai. Naruto did knowing Zabuza would die. Sakura watched The Demon of the Mist jump into the fight and go straight for Gato. There was some satisfaction in watching him send Gato over the edge and into the ocean below. Sakura looked back at Sasuke with a smile.
"Fight over," she told him. "Everyone's okay, except for Haku and Zabuza." She looked a little sad. "I'm almost sorry for that. How painful it must be to realize what you had only after you lost it."
Sasuke sat up with a wince. Sakura helped him to his feet and shouted, "Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke's alright."
Naruto looked thrilled. Kakashi let out a relieved breath. The group of men that Gato brought with him weren't going to leave empty handed. Just when they were about to attack, Inari and the villagers showed up to defend their town themselves. Both Kakashi and Naruto performed a shadow clone jutsu to add to the mercenaries fear. Gato's men ran and cheers ran through the villagers. The shinobi weren't cheering. Sakura watched as Kakashi helped Zabuza to Haku. All fell silent as Zabuza said his last words to Haku. Snow began to fall as if Haku was crying for Zabuza.
They buried Haku and Zabuza. Sakura said a pray for them. It seemed right. She stood and walked over to Sasuke. The boys were questioning the shinobi way. Neither of them wanted to be someone else's tools. IT was Naruto who said exactly what they were all thinking. "From now on, I'm finding my own way. I'm following the way of Naruto."
Sakura smiled. She took Naruto's hand and reached over and grabbed Sasuke's with her other. They both looked at her. Sakura said, "We'll all follow our way. Team 7's way."
"Right," Naruto agreed.
Sasuke nodded with a grin.
Kakashi smiled with pride. His team was coming together nicely.
All finished. Hoped you enjoyed.