Whoa, it's been a while hasn't it? Honestly, it's been too long in my opinion, because I really left you guys hanging. Well, without further BS from me, let's get this show on the road, folks!

19: Momochi Zabuza

Sakura yelped in fright as the massive blade of Kubikiribucho came whistling through the mist. She quickly tackled Tazuna to the ground as the blade passed over them. A blast of flames shot over them toward the blade, warding off Zabuza for the moment. Through the mist, Sakura could see nothing at all. She felt utterly useless as well, the only thing she was able to do was to protect the bridge builder.

The ghostly silhouettes of the battling veterans dancing all around them. She couldn't hear anything, nothing at all, not even their footsteps. 'So this is what a shinobi battle is really like?' She wondered quietly.

"Sakura-chan," Tazuna whispered, tapping the girl on the shoulder, "Listen to me. Go ahead and make a run for it."

Sakura looked at him in shock, "I can't do that. Zabuza would kill you in a heartbeat!"

Tazuna shook his head, "Better for me to go than a child like you," he said, watching the shadows dancing around them, "I knew I was inviting trouble when I snuck out to hire shinobi, but this far beyond anything I ever thought possible. I'm old, girl, but you've got your whole life ahead of you, and that boy would be sad if you didn't make it back to your village, wouldn't he?"

Sakura frowned, "There's a lesson," she said, thinking back to her first days on her team, "Those that break the rules are scum, but those that abandon their comrades are worse than scum," she said, looking at the man behind her, "You and your family are my comrades, Tazuna-san, and I'll never abandon you."

"That kind of talk is going to be the death of you."

A cold spike of fear hit the both of them as the voice of Zabuza sounded right behind them. Sakura turned and screamed as she saw the face of the man grinning coldly at them with sharp, jagged teeth, his sword poised to strike.

"The life of a shinobi like you," he said, as the sword began its slow descent, "Is always short-lived!"

"The hell it is!" Sasuke's voice roared, startling the rosette as a massive ball of flames roared to life and barreled toward Zabuza. The rogue took the ball of flames on the flat of his blade, dispersing the jutsu as Sasuke himself appeared behind him, his left hand sparking wildly with electricity, "Raiton: Violet Bolt!" A wave of purple lightning rushed forward, and struck the man from behind, causing Zabuza to roar in pain.

He turned his rage filled eyes upon the young Genin, "You fucking pest!"

His blade came down on Sasuke, or where he had been as a puff of smoke revealed Kakashi in his place, the edge of the blade caught on the metal plating on the back of his glove, "Don't you dare touch my kids, Zabuza!" He growled, his Sharingan flaring to life once more as the Tomoe began to join together.

Zabuza pailed, "Is that -?!"

"Kamui!" A vortex appeared around the blade, and was sucked away into the void, leaving Zabuza defenseless. Kakashi charged his fist with Lightning Chakra, and delivered a powerful strike to the man's gut, knocking him to the ground as Pakura appeared behind him, a kunai pointed at his jugular.

"You're done, Zabuza," the woman said, her eyes hard and cold as ice.

Zabuza wheezed, and looked up at the woman, "The Uchiha brat's here?" He glanced at the boy now standing protectively in front of Sakura, "Then the other one is as good as dead! Haku wouldn't lose to him so easily."

A clatter came to their ears as the mist began to lift from the bridge. What came to rest in their midst was the Kiri Anbu mask that Haku had worn, scorch marks and soot covering it.

Shocked, the shinobi looked to where it had come from, and there was Naruto, walking toward them. He was roughed up, ice and scalding apparent on him, but nothing serious. "She didn't lose easily," the blond said, as the mist cleared fully, revealing the blood on his clawed-gauntlets.

Pakura and Kakashi looked at the young blond for a moment and nodded, "Well done, Naruto." He said, forgoing the honorific, smiling under his mask somewhat sadly. He looked back at Zabuza, who's head now hung low, his shoulders shaking. "The battle's over, Zabuza. If it was just myself, and these three Genin, you may have won, but with Pakura with us, you didn't stand a chance."

Zabuza looked up, his teeth bared, "I'm not alone either." He gave out a shrill whistle, and stood up before Pakura could react. He backhanded her across the face, and dashed right for Naruto. "You little bastard!" He roared, flashing through seals faster than Naruto could follow, "Suiton: Great Water Prison Jutsu!"

"Naruto!" Pakura shrieked as the water under the bridge erupted around the pair, forming a gigantic dome around them. She rushed forward in an attempt to get in before she was cut off from her surrogate son, but she just bounced off the surface as if it were made of rubber, "You bastard, don't you dare lay a hand on my boy!" She screamed, pounding on the dome, her hands roaring with flames.

Zabuza turned his gaze back on her for a moment, a scroll in his hand. He unfurled the scroll, wiping a small amount of blood across the seal inside as a razor-edged katana appeared. "He took my daughter from me," the rogue said, grinning, "Now, I'm going to make you all watch as I peel his skin off piece...by...piece!"

He suddenly rushed the boy, the adamantine Bo staff appearing in his grasp as he hurriedly raised it to defend himself. The clang of metal and sparks flew from the contact, staggering Naruto under the force of the blow. "Sharpen!" He commanded as the brass fitting on each end of his staff obeyed the command and sharpened into dangerous points.

Zabuza let out a small laugh, "You really think that's going to save you after what you've done?" He asked, and lashed out again. Naruto dodged to the side, only to be met with the rogue's left leg, round-housing him into the watery barrier.

Naruto grunted in pain as blood dribbled from his lips, "Wh-What the hell do you care?" He rasped, using his staff to support himself. "Did you ever ask Haku about how she felt about this life?" His words brought a glare from the shinobi, "About you?"

"Naruto, don't provoke him!" Sakura yelled as she and Sasuke tried to get through the barrier.

"Your friend's right, brat," the man said, advancing on him slowly, "getting on my bad side right now...heh, hell, what am I saying? I don't have anything but a bad side!" He rushed forward again.

Naruto lunged as well, his staff raised to impale him, "She loves you!" The blond roared as the blade of the Katana came down. Zabuza nearly froze at his words, but his aim was indeed thrown off. The blade scraped off of Naruto's haitai-ate, drawing blood from the side of his head, but Naruto's aim remained true as the tip of his staff found a home in the rogue's right side.

"Argh!" Zabuza staggered back, his side spilling red. His baleful gaze rose again, however, as he leveled his sword at the boy in front of him, "Heheh, a good ploy, brat." He said, gripping his blade tightly, "But you forget. I knew Haku better than anyone. She was a gentle girl, and always hated having to kill." He said, smiling fondly at a memory that rose up as he spoke, "But me? I live for the kill. I am death. There's no possible way she could have love something like what I've become!"

"Naruto!" The blond's hair rose as the voice of the one person he hadn't wanted to see or hear throughout the entire battle came to his ears. He turned toward the other end of the bridge, and there she was, crouched by the prone figure of Haku. The girl knelt by Haku's side and lifted her into her arms. Her eyes raised back up to Naruto's.

He turned away. He couldn't deal with her right now. He had to -

Squelch

Shock crossed his face as Zabuza was suddenly in front of him. His eyes were now level with Naruto's...No...Naruto was being held up. He looked down, and, to his shock, Zabuza's blade was buried in his chest. He raised his eyes back up to meet the rogue's. "That's for my daughter, you little worm." The man growled, and gave a cruel twist of the sword, making Naruto aware of the pain jolting through his body.

Rather than a scream, however, Naruto just let out a strangled cough as blood blocked his windpipe. His vision began to swim, and blur as he looked at the man one last time, "Yo-You know...I...I don't like...to kill...either..." he rasped, making Zabuza look at him in confusion as he raised up one of his gauntlets, "I...coated these claws of mine...in a special poison...she sleeps..."

As the boy spoke, realization dawned across Zabuza's face.

"I never lie, either," Naruto went on, smiling as he grasped the shaft of his Bo, "her last wish as she passed out, was for me to tell you of her feelings for you, Zabuza!" He yelled and plunged the spear-point down into his right shoulder. Shocked by the sudden pain, Zabuza dropped the blade, and the Genin to the ground and staggered back with the staff still embedded in his shoulder.

His concentration broke, the barrier began to fall.

"Naruto!" The shout of Pakura and Kakashi reached his ears. But he couldn't raise his head up to see them coming. He reached down and tried to remove the blade in his chest, but he his hands had no strength left in them. He felt cold. So very cold.

"Kakashi, he's bleeding out too fast!" He heard his mother shouting, "We need to get the blade out before it's too late!"

"Sakura, get over here and help me!" Kakashi roared.

"Let me help," he heard another voice, one that made him smile, "I know a few healing techniques!"

"Where is Haku?" Zabuza asked quietly, "He said she was still alive."

"You're lucky you're still alive," Gaara's gravely voice growled, the hiss of his sand swirling around them.

A warm feeling spread over him then, and he smiled when he was turned on his back and saw the sight of the blonde-haired girl he'd longed to see for nearly a decade.

'That's right,' he thought tiredly, 'I still have to...' he smiled when he thought about what he had to do. He had to make his claim for Temari's hand...he had to propose...

"You stay with us, you idiot!" Sasuke's voice reached him, "Don't you dare die on us!"

Die? That made him want to smack his friend upside the head. He wasn't going to die. He still had too much to do. Getting Temari out of her marriage was just the first of a long list of things he needed to accomplish. He didn't have time to die.

He just needed a little sleep is all.

So he closed his eyes, against the wishes of his friends, and family, he closed his eyes, letting a warm black abyss wrap its arms around him like a blanket.

=x=

"He's gone cold!" Temari yelled, "Sakura, try and keep his heart going while I seal up the wound!"

"I'm trying, dammit!" Sakura yelled right back, frustrated, and afraid of what was happening right in front of her, "Someone find me some alcohol! It'll keep him awake!"

Tazuna came forth with a bottle in hand, "This'll do the trick," he said, uncorking the bottle, "Home brew." He held it under the boy's nose to rouse him. For a moment, nothing happened, but Naruto's eyes did come open slightly, his eyes askew. "That's it, boy, come on back to us." He said, pouring some of the liquid into the boy's mouth, making him cough and sputter.

"The bleeding won't stop," Sasuke pointed out worriedly, "Sakura, what's -"

"Shut up and let me concentrate!" Sakura snapped, startling him.

Kakashi then placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and drew him away, "Sasuke, I need you to step back. Your Sharingan's already activated," he said, making the boy raise his brow, "If things don't well, you're not ready for the next level."

Sasuke glared at the man and growled, "I'm not going anywhere," he shouted, "He's not dying!"

"He is," the bleeding rogue sighed, looking at the boy, "I was out for blood, kid, and punctured a lung, and an artery...you're only making him suffer."

Sakura was only half listening. 'Punctured lung, severed artery...okay...that means shallow breathing, major blood loss...or flooding of the lungs!' "Raise his feet, and start pumping his chest!" She ordered Temari as her glowing hands searched out the damage. "And make him swallow a protein pill to keep up blood production, or else we won't have a chance!"

"What about coagulation?" Temari asked, "If the wound closes over, then - "

"Not if he drowns in his own blood," Sakura said, "Now get pumping!"

Temari did as she was told, and started pumping Naruto's chest. Blood bubbled up from his mouth and nose as she did so, causing him to cough loudly as he gasped for breath. Sakura smiled as she found what she was looking for, "Alright, I've got the artery, just give me a minute, and where is that pill!"

"I have one."

Zabuza's head shot up, "Haku!"

The young Ice user was holding her stomach, and hobbling forward, "I can help as well."

Zabuza tried to rise from where he sat, but the blood loss caused by his wounds prevented him from doing so. Kakashi appeared at his shoulder, "I wouldn't move it I were you," he said, "You've done quite enough."

Temari looked at her friend in worry as she knelt beside her, "Are you alright?"

Haku smiled at her and nodded, "I'll be fine. It's not a serious injury." She assured as she handed Sakura the pill, "How will you get him to swallow it?"

Sakura pried Naruto's mouth open, "It's either pass it through my mouth, or let him choke it down on his own."

"Give it here," Temari said, "I've had to force feed people before."

Sakura nodded and passed the pill over to her, "Haku, can you help me with his lung?"

As the three Jonin watched the teams work, Baki arrived, "I take it this means our mission is officially over," he muttered, looking at his team while Temari began forcing the pill down Naruto's throat.

Kakashi shook his head, "Not by a long shot," he told the Suna Jonin, "Gato's not going to allow any of us to live if what I've heard about him holds any merit."

"How right you are."

Zabuza, slightly dizzy from blood loss, looked back across the bridge and saw the last person he wanted to see. Gato stood at the foot of the bridge, a sickening smirk on his face as at least one hundred men stood behind him. "Back stabbing little weasel," he muttered, looking at Kakashi, "Any chance you can get your team and Haku out of here?"

"Not without a fight," Baki pointed to the opposite end of the bridge where more men were gathering, "Seems we're really no longer enemies, Kakashi-san, Pakura-san?"

Gaara's sand rose up and spread out widely, "Shukaku is wanting to start, Sensei," he said, looking at his team leader, "May I?"

Zabuza rose shakily to his feet, clutching his katana with hsi good arm, "Hold on there, kid," he ground out, making the Suna Jinchuuriki pause, "I'll take care of one end, where Gato is," he said, jerking his head toward the other end, "You can have the rest."

"You can't fight like that!" Haku shouted out, looking at his bloodied shoulder and arm, "You're bleeding too much!"

Zabuza chuckled slightly, looking at Pakura, "That boy of yours is certainly something," he smiled, "Kid hit an artery, and he probably didn't even know it was there when he stabbed me." He said, looking at the woman seriously then, "Do something for me."

"What?" She asked.

Zabuza turned and looked at the young Ice user, and smiled at her, "Look after Haku for me." He said, turning back to her, "She's a little stubborn, but she's kind, and gentle to a fault," the man stepped forward, dragging the blade behind him, "She doesn't really have a favorite food, but she loves sweet things, and has a thing for rabbits, so maybe get her a pet or something...and Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

He spared the man a small glance, "The sword belongs to that boy, now," he said with a nod of his head, "Yeah, it should go to him...even if he didn't mean to do it, this wound he gave me is fatal...he'll make a good man someday, that kid."

"What's that you're spouting, Zabuza?" Gato asked loudly, "You know, I owe you for all the times you underminded me in front of my men," he said, looking toward Haku with a sickening gaze that made the girl shiver in revulsion, "Maybe I'll let you live a little bit longer, just so you can watch the boys pass her and the other kunoichi around."

Zabuza's grip tightened on his sword, "Keep talking, you miniature bitch," the rogue snarled, "you're only digging your grave deeper."

"And what can you do about it?" He asked, "You're all but dead!"

Zabuza almost laughed, "You know, you're just about right," he said, and smirked, "But, you made one very big mistake...you threatened my precious daughter," his gaze turned cold and hard, "Now you will pay."

"Kill him!" Gato roared.

The thugs rushed the rogue, all of them intent on tearing him to pieces. Zabuza moved as soon as they did. His sword out behind him, he whipped around and brought the blade slicing through the air into the first body that came at him, and slammed into the proverbial wall of flesh. With a roar that was neither man or beast, the rogue tore his blade free and stabbed another whilst biting into the throat of a third, and ripping the man open.

The men all converged on him at once, blades, spears, and other weapons finding a home in the man's body, but Zabuza was already numb from the lack of blood in his body, and powered on through.

Gato felt a spike of fear rushing through him as the rogue tore through his men like wet paper. Blood, gore and bodies flew through the air as he ripped a bloody trail toward the crime lord. Panicked by the onslaught, Gato tried to scramble away from the carnage as Zabuza lept over the throng of bodies, and landed right in front of him, a veritable pin cushion with so many weapons protruding from his body.

In his eyes there was a cold calmness that frightened the man to his very core as the rogue stepped forward, and thrust the blade into Gato's shoulder, and gave a cruel twist. Gato's scream turned to a strangled gargle. "You feel that?" Zabuza asked, "That's your subclavian artery beginning to bleed out," he said as he withdrew the blade, "For someone like you, it takes about thirst seconds to bleed out and die from the blood loss. Me, I closed mine off by focusing my chakra in the muscles near that artery, but I'm already past my limit...you on the other hand," he said as the blood from Gato's shoulder seeped into his clothing and pooled around the little man, "Well, maybe not thirty seconds...more like ten...too bad...would've liked you to suffer a little...more..."

Zabuza hit his knees, and fell face first on the bridge in front of the dying man. 'So, this is what it's like,' Zabuza thought, sighing as he felt his consciousness slipping, a smile coming to his lips. 'This isn't a bad way to go, though. At least...Haku is safe...'

Zabuza Momochi breathed his last upon the bridge he had set out to destroy.

I don't have a damned thing to say about this chapter, except real heroes die smiling.

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