Disclaimer: I would say, 'Lowly mortals, I do, indeed, own Naruto!' but it's not April Fools.

Title: Heaven Forbid (You End Up Alone)

Rated: T

By: Wynter Spite

You know what they say. Follows are a spark, favorites warm that spark to a flame, but reviews light a fire in my soul. Dang, where have I heard those words before? In a song, I know, but I just can't think of it . . . ah, yes. "Start a fire in my soul, fan the flames and let them grow."

Anyway, read on, my lovelies!

(General perspective)

From too much love of living,

From hope and fear set free,

We thank with brief thanksgiving

Whatever gods may be

That no life lives for ever;

That dead men rise up never;

That even the weariest river

Winds somewhere safe to sea.

- "The Garden of Proserpine"

Algernon Charles Swinburne

"You'll catch your death of cold, sleeping on the ground like this," came a soft, feminine voice.

"Mn . . ." I opened my eyes, looking up groggily. A woman was leaning over me with a friendly smile. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. "Who're you?"

I didn't get her name, but somehow I ended up collecting herbs for her.

"I'm sorry to have imposed on you," she apologized.

I waved a dismissive hand. "It's no problem. But this is some job you took, lady, picking all this so early in the morning."

"Look at who's talking," she retorted. "What were you doing here, at the crack of dawn?"

I gave her a wide grin. "Training!"

"Really?" She peered at me. "That headband you're wearing . . . are you some kind of ninja?"

"Don't you remember me?" I asked, puzzled. "We met earlier, when you took that Bean Dumpling guy."

She looked confused. "Bean dumpling?"

"Zabuza," I clarified.

She stilled. "You know?"

I nodded amiably. "Yeah."

"How?" she asked warily.

I wondered if I should mention the ghost Zabuza who was following her around, currently leaning against a nearby tree with his arms crossed. "Uh . . . I just recognized you. Though I didn't know that you were a girl when we first met."

She relaxed enough to give me a small smile. "I'm not."

I gaped. Seriously? He looked more feminine than Sakura! "Really?"

"Yes."

". . . wow. Huh." After a pause I added, "I'm Naruto."

He looked surprised. "You're introducing yourself to your enemy?"

"My enemy? But I'm collecting herbs with you," I protested. "Do we have to be enemies right now?"

He hesitated before offering, "I'm Haku."

I grinned widely. "Well, we've got a pretty big pile here. Is there anything else you need? Oh, are these for Bea-er, Zabuza?" I realized.

He lowered his head in a nod. "Yes. Some of those, perhaps." He pointed, then asked curiously, "Why do you call him that?"

"Bean Dumpling? His name just reminds me of it," I explained. "And now I can't really think of him as anything else."

"I . . . see." He didn't look like he did.

"Can I ask you something?" I didn't look up as I picked some more herbs.

"Of course. I may not answer, but go ahead."

"Why are you working for Gato? I mean, from what I've heard of him, he doesn't seem like he'll hold up his end of the deal."

"He knows better than to mess with Master Zabuza."

"Really?" I said doubtfully. "He sounds really conceited, but if you think so . . ."

Madara's expression was amused. "You devious brat."

Haku looked at me evenly. "Enough. I believe these herbs are fine."

I may have pouted a little.

The sky was dark. Sasuke stood, balanced casually on the top of his tree, cool guy that he is, while I clung to mine like a spider monkey to peanut butter. "Want to head back?"

"'Kay."

He smiled. I swear, it was an honest-to-Kami smile. Kind of smirkish, but you know . . . Baby steps!

Later, at the dinner table (after Sasuke had half-carried me back) I dunno why, but Inari just blew up. He shouted at me, about how we'll never beat Gato, about how I don't know anything and this wasn't my town, and that I didn't know a thing about him, I was always clowning around, having fun, not knowing a thing of loneliness or suffering . . .

I admit. I didn't take it well.

I know. I was lucky I had my ghosts. I didn't want to think of what life would be like without them. But even with them, I was ostracized and hated by most of the village, barring a very few. But how I loved those few . . .

So, yes. I snapped. Pent up frustration was so fun to let loose, especially on a little kid. Whee . . .

"I feel like such a jerk."

"Suck it up. He was a brat, you were a brat . . . you're both still brats," Madara said offhandedly.

"Wow. Madara, you excel at this comforting thing. Do you take lessons?"

"Oh, no, believe me," Izuna said airily, "this is natural."

"A veritable inborn mother," I spoke with awe.

"Indeed. The way he fusses over you just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, doesn't it?" Hashirama mused.

"Like an overheated bunny," I added.

They turned to stare at me. Finally, Izuna said, "Okay, we were ganging up on him, and it was fun, but then you just made it weird."

"What? You should be used to this by know," I defended.

"You and your little quirks," Hashirama said fondly.

"Yes. My psychosis is adorable, isn't it?"

"Bed time," Madara decided.

"Aww, but I'm not even at my weirdest yet," I protested. "Gimme a minute or two . . ."

"Go to bed, brat."

"M'kay."

They ditched me! I overslept . . . but they ditched me! I hurried as fast as I could to get to the bridge, but then of course I found a stuck pig in the forest slashed to ribbons (which, by the way, what the heck?) and had to go back. I beat up the two guys sent there by Gato to take Inari's mom hostage and then I apologized to the kid, who I admitted was actually rather brave. A big, strong boy, I said . . . he cried again, but this time not because he was sad. I think I've got a new little brother now. But anyway, when I finally got to the bridge, the fight was in full-swing.

I . . . may have made a bit of a show at my entrance. Um . . . does it mean anything that when I got there, Haku said aloud, "The maverick show-stopper comedy ninja?"

I groaned. "Kakashi-sensei! What have you been telling these folks?"

"The truth," he said bluntly.

"Aww," I whined.

"Naruto," Sasuke called in irritation. "Stop with your comedy sketch and come on."

I pouted. "Even you, Sasuke? I thought you were on my side!"

"I don't side with the circus, thanks."

"Such dry humor! You kill me!"

"I will if you don't get over here, and not with my humor."

"Right, boss." I scurried over.

"Not in the the middle of the mirrors, you idiot!"

"Sheesh, can't get anything right . . ." I muttered.

What can I say? We fought. Haku was seriously far above us at our current strengths. Uh . . . we got a couple of senbon stuck in us, nothing fatal, which was nice. Still hurt, though. Hashirama was cringing and both he and Madara would shout suggestions/commands at me on what to do. Madara's were mostly insulting, but then, when weren't they? Never! Never, I say!

I didn't bother yelling comebacks . . . mostly. What? I can't keep this brilliance inside! No matter if I seem cray-cray to my opponent, my wit cannot be held back!

What wit?

Shut up, Inner Madara.

Then don't talk nonsense, brat.

Aargh! Why couldn't I have had Hashirama as a voice in my head?

He's not mean enough.

. . . I see why you got the job, then.

Watch the fight, you little idiot!

Ouch!

I lay on the ground, groaning, back pierced with needles . . . but then I heard him, Sasuke, say, "Jeez . . . no matter how many times I warn you . . . you just keep getting in my way, don't you, Naruto . . .?"

I looked up quickly. "Sasuke-"

He was . . . standing in front of me. Covered in needles, red blood splattering the ground to match his eyes.

"Get that expression off your face . . . you dobe . . ."

I couldn't . . . I . . . "Damn," I managed.

"Hmph." A tired smirk crossed his face. "I used to . . . hate you, you know . . . but you just wouldn't leave me alone . . ." His smirk fell. "You get under peoples' skin, you know . . ."

"You . . . why?" I asked, anguished. Itachi was standing at his brother's side, but I think he was frozen in place.

"How should I know . . .? I just moved . . . didn't think . . . fool . . ."

I didn't know who he was calling a fool, me or him. But then he fell, and it didn't matter, and I caught him.

"I swore I wouldn't die . . ." He coughed. It was bloody. ". . . until I killed him . . . my brother . . . thought the oath would save me, for some reason . . . but . . . you . . . don't you dare die . . ."

"Me?" I choked out a laugh. "Don't you dare die, you . . . you . . . I don't even . . . Sasuke . . .?"

He'd closed his eyes when he'd been speaking. He probably wasn't going to open them again. His body was lax in my arms. I noticed, somewhat irrelevantly, that he was far too thin. I should have taken him out to eat more . . .

Haku was speaking. He sacrificed himself for me? Yes, I know he did that. Kinda hard to miss. A shinobi worthy of the utmost respect? Yes, he is-was that. Is this the first time a comrade of mine has died? Mm, let me think about that . . .

"Such is the ninja's path."

"Stop talking." Gods, just . . . stop.

"Naruto . . ." One of my ghosts. Which one? Hashirama? I didn't notice.

I exhaled.

So this was what people meant when they talked about their vision going red . . .

I gently set down my young friend, softly pushing his black hair back with one clawed hand before standing up.

Red chakra swirled around me, thick and inhuman-yet so familiar.

The person-Haku, it's Haku, remember-quickly threw several needles at me. I deflected them as he leapt to another ice mirror. Then he drove forward again, a senbon in his hand. I threw myself out of the way. He threw himself, presumably to get to another mirror, but I caught him. Everything was so fast-the next thing I knew, I was driving my fist into his face. He was thrown through his own mirror, and it shattered, ice shards falling to the ground like so much glass. The rest quickly followed.

I leapt at him and almost punched him again . . . but his mask had cracked and fallen to pieces, and he didn't move to stop me. So I halted myself.

". . . why did you stop?"

Stop talking.

"I murdered your comrade . . . your beloved friend . . . and you still spare me?!" he asked incredulously.

Don't look back, don't look back, don'tlookback-

I looked back.

"Craaap-" I punched him. Again.

On the ground, Haku coughed and pushed himself back up. And he talked. He talked so much, and I asked questions (why?) and he answered (once, I was precious) and he was so much like me that it hurt. He talked of Zabuza and he smiled, and that hurt, too. I think...his heart was more than a little broken ("And then it came to me...I knew what I was...And I was forced to accept it. That was the most painful thing...accepting that I was alone in the world...superfluous. Unwanted. Shunned...").

And then he told me to take his life.

Beside him, the ghost Zabuza tensed. "No! Kid, don't you dare," he snapped.

"Please, Naruto. Kill me. What are you waiting for?"

"What is with you?" I snapped. "You want me to kill you, just because you lost? There's more to life than just fighting. There's more to you! You can't be nothing but a tool to Zabuza!"

He looked sad. "That day we met, in the forest . . . I remember thinking that we were two of a kind . . . surely you can understand . . ."

Understand? Understand what?

"You'll have to bloody your hands. Forgive me for that." He sounded truly regretful.

"No," ghost-Zabuza ground out.

My brow furrowed. "This is it? There's no other way? There's no other outcome?"

"Yes." Haku looked so accepting.

Zabuza-yūrei stepped in front of the young shinobi. "You go through me to get to him."

Madara let out a short laugh. "Well, well. He does care."

I stared at him thoughtfully for a moment before stepping back. "No."

Haku looked startled. "No?"

"I won't kill you. Trust me, your boss wouldn't like it. You wouldn't want to make him cry, would you?"

"But . . ." He looked completely befuddled before demanding, "Why? I killed your comrade!"

"Damnit, Haku," Zabuza-yūrei ground out before turning to me. "He's not dead. He's just in a comatose state."

Ah! Like what Haku'd done to Zabuza when pretending to be a hunter-nin! Oh, good-O!

I felt like beaming, but managed to keep it down. "He's not dead. So I won't kill you. I won't take away someone else's precious person."

"How-? I'm not-"

"You are. I can tell. Zabuza really cares for you."

It was clear Haku was doubtful about that. "I am simply his tool."

I shook my head. "Believe me. You're a lot more than that."

Perhaps he didn't believe me completely, but from the look of wonder on his face, he was starting to.

Suddenly, Zabuza cursed. "Shit!"

As if he'd heard him, Haku's attention snapped elsewhere. "Sorry, Naruto, I've got to-"

"Go."

He went.

Behind me, I could hear Madara's voice, full of amusement. "You are soft, child."

"That's not always a bad thing, 'Dara," I responded.

"Don't call me that."

Izuna sighed. "Just give up, brother. You know he delights in enraging us."

"Please." I flipped a hand. "Just you?"

"Not at all. By 'us' I meant 'everybody'."

I grinned and winked. "You know it."

Hashirama coughed. "Ahem. Shouldn't you be checking on young Sasuke?"

"Oh, right."

"Brilliant mind, that one," remarked the lingering Zabuza ghost.

"A real genius," Izuna agreed.

"Shuddup."

"So eloquent, too," Hashirama added.

Madara chuckled.

Grumbling, I went to check on the only person who wouldn't insult me. Considering that was only because he was in a comatose state, that was pretty sad.

Haku arrived on the scene to find Kakashi-sensei going at Zabuza with some kinda lightning attack. Zabuza wasn't able to move because he was being held in place by Kakashi-sensei's dog summons, so Haku tackled Kakashi-sensei, causing the attack to be misdirected into the concrete of the bridge. Not long after that, Gato had shown up, along with a bunch of hired nukenin in predictable betrayal. Predictable to me and my ghosts, at least. Anyway, that hadn't gone over well with either Haku (totally alive! Yay!) or Zabuza, and as he was no longer in Gato's employ, he went ahead and completely slaughtered them all. Well, most of them. The rest ran when they saw him coming.

Sasuke awoke soon after that. I may or may not have cried manly tears of joy at his revival. Also may or may not have squished him to me like an enthusiastic mother in the midst of a sudden bout of strong affection for her adorable child. Maybe. I think Itachi wished he could do the same. He settled for hovering over his brother almost anxiously. I made a mental note to hug him the next time the opportunity came up (i.e. when there weren't any alive people around).

And then Inari came, along with the villagers, armed with various weapons that probably hadn't actually been weapons before they decided to use them as such.

Later, it was really awkward having Zabuza and Haku over for dinner, but I insisted, and Haku was okay with it. Awkward for other people, I mean. I actually kinda liked them. Before they left, I told Haku that I would write to him, and to see Tazuna-san about the letters whenever they passed through the area. He promised to reply when he could. And they departed.

Then it was time for us to leave.

"Thanks to you, our bridge has finally been completed, but it's going to be awfully dull around here without you around," Mr. Tazuna said.

"It's okay! We'll come back to visit sometime!" I beamed.

"You better." Inari snuffled. "Aw . . ."

"Darnit, Inari, if you cry, then I'm gonna cry . . ." I sniffed.

"I'm not gonna cry!" he immediately denied. "B-but you can go ahead and cry . . . big brother . . ."

"Aww!" I swooped in and wrapped him in a big hug. We were soon sobbing into each other's arms.

Later, I announced to my ghosts, "I regret nothing."

Hashirama stared at me. "That's good. But it's two in the morning."

Ah, the love. I can feel it from here.

"Go to sleep already, child," Madara grumbled.

Fine, fine. Jeez . . .

(. . . and all was well.)

A/N

Yūrei - ghost

What can I say? I just couldn't kill that pair off. Plus, I like writing them. I wanna write another meeting between them and Naruto. Hmm, I wonder where I could fit that in . . .

Anyway, thus endeth the culmination of the Wave Arc. Next, the Chunin Exams, and a certain unstable, panda-eyed, bloodthirsty redhead.

EDIT: So, I've been told by my good friend RisingDaemon that I needed to add more to the mirror scene. I wholeheartedly agreed, and I have to say, I am very pleased with how it turned out. Yay, constructive critique! Seriously, thanks, Rising. I'm not sure I would have done anything about that if you hadn't said anything.

(Last edit: 7/25/2015)