Then There Were Two
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki...Katsumi Uzumaki...are the twin children of the Honorable, Late Fourth Hokage...both outcasted by Konoha, the two find strength in one another that is incomparable and irreplaceable. The Teams...are quite different now, and the future...is looking more than a little bit brighter…or is that but the calm, before the storm?
Anime/Manga: Naruto
Genre: Romance/Humor/Adventure
Pairing: I... know who with who will be. I'll let you guys fidget and wonder.
Rated: M for Mature
-x-x-x-
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here I'm suffocating.
I want to feel love, run through my blood,
tell me is this where I give it all up?
For you, I have to risk it all,
cause the writing's on the wall.
- Writing's on the Wall (Jackie Evancho)
-x-x-x-
(ONE WEEK LATER)
Kakashi looked back at the villagers as they prepared to clean up the mess that Gato and his men made. "This bridge is almost done, how is he holding up?"
Katsumi glanced back at Kakashi; Inari was standing next to him as he was still unsure of Haku. Turning her attention to Haku who was helping Tsunami and a few of the villagers fix up her house after Gato's men tore through it. "I think...Inari understands his loss best of all. Don't you, Inari?"
Inari glanced down at his hands before walking over to Katsumi and looking past her towards Haku. The boy held a sad look on his face, and often, he would glance up towards the hilltop where Zabuza's Kubikiribocho. As if he were asking Zabuza if this was okay. "Yeah..."
Flashback
Katsumi was knocked backwards by one of the many henchmen. Catching herself on her hand, she pushed off the ground and flipped backwards before bringing her hands together, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
POOF!
"I won't let you touch him!" She yelled, her clones knocking the men away from Haku as they tried to get close enough to him that they could get rid of him. As Gato had ordered, there was no longer a need for Zabuza or Haku. With Kakashi and Zabuza's fight stealing the use of the swordsman's' arms, he was pushing past the men and cutting their numbers down next to Sasuke, Kakashi and Shikamaru. The Kunai that Kakashi had given him was tightly gripped in his mouth as he lunged into the men in front of him. Blood was splatter precariously around as he protected Haku from those who would try to do the innocent boy harm. Those who got past them, Katsumi dealt with. Their bodies were proof of her willingness to fight to protect. However, as she watched a spear catch Zabuza in the back, she thought of Haku. "No..." she made to move forward.
"Don't you dare!" Zabuza's voice cut through the air like a Kunai, "you wanted to protect him, then you protect him!" He found his target, Gato cowering at the furthest reaches of the crowd. "I will make sure to take down every single one of you! We can all go to hell!"
'Zabuza...' she stepped back and spun with a Kunai in hand, catching another slippery hired hand. Her kunai caught this one in the side before she sent him flying with a kick into the water below. A long battle was coming to an end. As Gato's gutted cries echoed and Kakashi, Sasuke and Shikamaru finished off the remaining henchmen. Silence fell around them.
A hand found her ankle. In surprise, she glanced back, and her eyes widened at the deep brown eyes of Haku.
"K-Katsumi...please...take me to him. I still can't move..."
She sighed, but when she moved to pick him up, a pair of arms beat her to it. Watching, stunned as Sasuke lifted Haku with ease before carrying him over to Zabuza. She could only follow silently as he laid the boy down next to Zabuza who was lying on his back and staring breathlessly up at the sky.
"Damn...Haku. When did I start...to feel like this?"
"Zabuza?"
"I was content being a Demon of the Mist. Things like pain and sorrow, I never knew such things...until you."
Haku struggled with his body, pushing to move his hand, to sit up, to stare down at the man who'd taken him in and cared for him since he was young. He was shaking as his body fought him tooth and nail. "Zabuza, I'm sorry."
"No...no Haku. I'm sorry. I've never once...never once thanked you for always being there by my side. Tch...this is fine, isn't it? I feel," Zabuza chuckled, turning a bit so that his eyes met Haku's. He lifted a hand and brought it up to Haku's cheek, his muscles tensing as he forced his arm in the air. "I feel satisfied with this outcome. Take your time, Haku. Besides, where I'm going, you can't follow."
"Zabuza!"
Katsumi knelt beside Haku as he brought his head down to Zabuza's chest and cried. She wondered if she had done the right thing, intervening like she did. A knuckle knocked against her knee and she looked up, meeting the hazy eyes of Zabuza.
"...you too...thank you for protecting...my precious...person~"
Her heart clenched in the most painful way as she let her head fall with her own tears. A hand on her shoulder, she didn't know who's, pulled her into a warm hug. She recognized the familiar fragrance and curled into Ino's embrace. Holding her tightly as she cried. Why did this hurt so much? Why was her heart racing, hammering against her chest, merciless in its punishment on her body?! Somehow, Ino ended up holding both Katsumi and Haku as they let their tears fall endlessly. Shinobi? They were kids... for how long must they hold back their tears? For how long should they be expected to hide their feelings?
End Flashback
"Sensei, I'm going to stay awhile and help Haku settle in."
Kakashi's eyes widened at that, "stay? Katsumi, that's not an option that you―" he paused as he took in the shaking of her shoulders. Sighing, he dropped down next to her and sighed, "you're going to be that person on my team, aren't you?"
"That person?" She looked up; tears hidden away as she fought them off.
"Yeah, that person I can't say "no" to."
She smiled and laughed a bit. "If you don't mind, yes. I will follow after you four, but I...I need to make sure he's okay. For Zabuza..."
"Right, I guess I'll deal with the Hokage and Naruto when I get home. Oh, and let's not forget Genma."
She blushed and cleared her throat, "I'm sure a capable Jounin like yourself will be fine, Sensei."
He wasn't so sure. Naruto was a handful, everyone knew how protective he was of his sister, and that he was leaving her behind alone? Yeah, no. Then the Hokage would give him an earful when he showed up without one of the Uzumaki twins. Kyuubi vessels aside, they were the Fourth Hokage's children, even if no one acknowledged the fact. As for Genma... 'well...what can he do?'
-x-x-x-
(Three Days Later)
"Seriously, Sensei, how can you think this is a good idea?!"
"I'm not leaving her alone, Ino."
"IS A PUPPY SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HER!?" Ino frowned and looked at the small pug that was scratching behind his ear and completely ignoring her in all her frustration. "Sasuke-Kun, tell him!"
"It doesn't matter to me. The mission is over, and Katsumi can protect herself. Probably better than the dog can to be perfectly honest." He glared across the way at Katsumi who rolled her eyes and turned away from him.
"Shikamaru, surely you agree with me!"
"I just want to go home and go to bed. This mission has been way too much drama. Although, I already know once we get back, Naruto is probably going to hound me for not bringing you back."
Smiling at that, she walked up to Kakashi and held her hand out. "Give this to Genma when you see him and tell him I'll collect it when I return home. This should get you out of trouble with him...at least."
"What about your brother,"
"Sasuke, you still have that book I lent you?"
Sasuke raised a brow but nodded, "what about it?"
"If you're finished with it, give it to Naruto and tell him that I'll be home by the time he finishes it."
"You know, he's gonna read that book nonstop." Shikamaru nudged a rock with his foot before glancing up and looking at Haku who was standing and staring at them silently. Catching Katsumi's eyes, the look they shared was one of understanding. He wasn't going to convince her to stay, and neither would anyone else on their team.
"We'll be leaving then," Kakashi sighed, "don't linger here too long, Katsumi."
"I won't, be safe until I see you guys again!" She waved, watching as Sasuke took Ino by the shoulder before pushing her forward.
Ino glanced one last time at Katsumi before she shook her worry off and smiled back at the grinning blonde. She guessed, while she was waiting for Katsumi, it would give her a chance to find herself! Training and working hard at becoming a better Kunoichi! Heh, naturally it wouldn't be hard for her. She was a Yamanaka, after all. She could do whatever she put her mind to.
-x-x-x-
Me: Here is chapter 23! I struggled with how I was going to kill Zabuza, and how I would keep Haku alive. I needed Haku for a later chapter, so this was a bit frustrating to write. However, I'm happy with how it finally pulled together. Review, and let me know what you think!