A/N: I don't own anyone or anything from the Narutoverse. Go figure.

Warning(s): Unbeta'd, alcohol reference/usage, some language

Chapter 5: The Demon's Return

Over the next couple of days, Naruto gave Haku the grand tour of Konoha, including stops at the Hokage Mountain, the Ninja Academy, the hot springs, and rounded off the afternoon with a visit to Ichiraku Ramen.

The proprietor and his daughter greeted Naruto warmly, as the boys sat down. Naruto dug into his pocket hoping to find a free coupon or at least enough money for a bowl or two.

"Ah, this one's on us," Ayame told him brightly. "We've missed our favorite customer."

"And we'll let your girlfriend here eat for free too," Teuchi added, before leaning over the counter to whisper the next part in Naruto's ear. "But I thought you liked Sakura. Heh, never thought you'd have found some Mist kunoichi."

"Hey, old man," Naruto whispered back loudly. "Haku's not my girlfriend. For one, he's a boy, for second, he's a friend that's staying in the village temporarily."

Teuchi and Ayame looked over at Haku in surprise.

"I really am a boy," he told them, smiling in amusement.

"Ehehehe, he can still eat on us tonight," he replied, grinning sheepishly.

"Thank you, sir."

Both boys were working on a second bowl when another shinobi walked in.

"So the rumors are true," he announced. "Uzumaki Naruto has finally returned.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, setting down his bowl. "It's great to see you again."

"Make his next bowl on me," Iruka called. "And it make it the house special, with one for me too."

Haku sat and ate while listening to the two catch up and swap stories. By the time he was eating a third bowl, Naruto had polished off a fourth and finished talking about the hard training Jiraiya had subjected him too.

"Oh, Iruka-sensei, this is Haku," he said, having finished talking about his training. "Remember that mission to the Wave Country I told you about three years ago? I met him while we were there. Back then he was with..."

He stopped for a moment as he caught a glance of the Mist-nin out of the corner of his eye. His expression had gone from a pained sadness to stony to completely unreadable in a matter of seconds.

"Oh shit, I didn't think you'd get upset if I mentioned–"

"No, it's alright," Haku lied, staring blankly into his now empty bowl. "I... I think I'm finally getting used to not being around him all the time. Being here with you and your teammates... I may have even found a new purpose in life."

The two Leaf-nin stared at him with matching expressions of confusion.

"Haku, I–"

"Thank you for the ramen, sir," he interrupted, not looking at his blond companion. "I'm going for a walk."

He ducked out of the shop and leaped up and landed in a graceful arc on a nearby rooftop. Looking down at the little ramen shop, he saw Naruto poke his head out to look for his friend. Throwing out an arm, he vanished in a flurry of leaves. Moments later he appeared inside the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked up from the letter she was rereading and jumped in her seat.

"Damn it, brat!" she exclaimed. "I had Shizune lock the doors on her way out for a reason!"

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I guess I needed someone to talk to."

"Do I look like a psychologist?" she snapped irritably. "Why can't you talk to Naruto or someone?"

"Because talking to Naruto usually brings him up," the young shinobi admitted. "Though I don't want to admit it, I miss being at his side. I only left because he ordered me to, and I'd do anything for him, even if it killed me."

Tsunade's eyes widened a little. In terms of being the devoted tool she had read about in Kakashi's report to the Sandaime, this was a little more than she expected. This kid… he talked about Zabuza the way she had felt about Dan, how she did feel about Jiraiya.

Sighing, she pushed the hastily written message across her desk and beckoned Haku forward. Curious, he picked it up and read it. When he finished, his eyes grew wide in surprise. His mouth opened, but no noise came out. When he replaced it, he opened a window and straddled the sill.

"Forgive me, I need some time to think," Haku said quietly.

A few seconds later he was outside, had closed the window, and jumped away. Tsunade shook her head and pulled a bottle of sake from her secret stash.

How much longer is this going to last? She wondered in exasperation.

Three days later, Haku hid in the assembled crowd by the gate to watch the arrival of the Mizukage. He had bought a few new clothes in an attempt to blend in and hoped that Naruto wasn't as likely to catch Zabuza's sharp eyes as he thought.

After a few minutes, the crowd parted and Tsunade emerged in her official robes, tailed by Shizune, Sakura, and a small squad of masked ANBU guards, the latter all ready for any attempt against the Hokage.

Not much later, five figures could be seen through the open gate walking down the road toward Konoha. The one at the center was clearly dressed in long white robes with a broad, dome of a hat resting on his head. He had a few inches on the four similarly dressed ninja surrounding him.

As Haku watched them get nearer, he felt a pang of desire. To be walking in that group, at Zabuza's side once more... he wanted nothing more.

But you've already served your purpose to him, haven't you? A taunting voice echoed in his head. He only wanted you to fulfill his dream of taking over the Water Country, and now that he's Mizukage he has no need for you anymore.

Haku clenched a fist, willing himself to silence the voice. It was finished though, having successfully infiltrated the poor boy's mind.

Before he knew it, the five shinobi had entered the village. Haku had a sudden urge to run off to some other part of Konoha as he noticed Zabuza's eyes sweep over the crowd. He didn't though, knowing full well that would only draw attention to himself. So he contented himself by attempting to avoid his former master's gaze and bending his knees a little, hoping to conceal himself behind a group of genin and their jounin sensei. When he did chance straightening up a little, he found that Zabuza was already standing in front of Tsunade. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he watched the Hokage motion for him and his ANBU guards to follow her.

"Haku," Sakura's voice whispered in his ear. "Come with me, Shishou—I mean Tsunade-sama told me to bring you to her office."

Haku had been surprised, but hid it as best he could. He nodded and followed her. As they jumped from building to building, he mentally scolded himself for being startled so easily.

I must be losing my edge... In the past, I would've known if someone snuck up on me, he thought.

When they finally entered Tsunade's office, she was already at her desk, her formal attire gone, and Shizune at her side once again. Two groups of ANBU were clustered in a corner, and the one man he had hoped and dreaded desperately to see again was sitting with his back to the door.

A/N: Please don't forget to review. Reviews (especially concrit) make for a happy writer.