Sorry it took so long to get this out, but I had more than a few ideas bouncing around in my head for this chapter after the death of Zabuza Momochi. Also, I had a request that someone made. Apparently there's never been a story that sported a NejixFemHaku pairing within it. So, that gives me a little more romance to work with.

Now, keep in mind that this story will be a heavy Romance Tag, so yeah, there will be a fair few pairings, and mature content, as demonstrated by Naruto and Temari a few chapters back, but nothing too heavy for some of the younger characters.

20: Farewells and Training

His body felt sore...and heavy...as if he were made of stone. How long had he been here...wherever here was. What was he even doing? Oh, yeah...he was fighting...fighting Zabuza...

Eyes the color of lapis came open slowly, their corners crusted over. He found himself in a small room with a window streaming in a small amount of moon light. Slowly, he tilted his head toward the heaviness that was on his chest, finding a mess of sandy-blonde hair just below his neckline.

Temari, for once, looked awful. Her hair was let down, and now stuck out in odd directions, where some areas were still neat and flat. Her eyes had dark circles under them as if she hadn't slept in a while, almost rivaling coal-lack markings around Gaara's eyes. Her cheeks were even slightly sunken in, and her lips were pale and chapped.

Carefully, and stiffly, he tried to move out from underneath her and let her head rest in his place on the pillow. Temari mumbled in her sleep, reaching for him as he laid her down, missing his warmth. A small smile curved his lips when he saw this, letting his hand trails across her cheek.

Doing so made him realize just how stiff he was, and that he was bandaged up around his chest...and that he was filthy. His skin was grungy, and stunk of sweat so strongly that it made his eyes water. Just how long had he been out?

A rumbling growl rose from the back of his mind, 'You got very lucky, Runt,' the familiar voice of the Nine-Tailed Fox rumbled, 'If it wasn't for those vixens working to save your life, I would have forced my chakra through you to heal your wounds, if only to save myself.'

Naruto sighed, a smirk coming to his face, 'Finally talking to me again, eh, Kurama?' He got a growl with the use of the Beast's name, 'I'm honestly glad to hear from you, ya know?'

The rumbling never stopped, 'And why should I care?' The Fox snarled, 'The only reason that I'm talking to you now is because your stupidity nearly had got both of us killed.' Kurama said, and Naruto could almost see the sneer on his face, 'Had you used the stolen chakra you have stored away, then you would have undoubtedly won against that rogue. Yet here you are, one week after being stabbed through by his blade, with nothing to show for it, save for a scar on your chest.'

Naruto reached up and touched the bandages around his chest, wondering if there really was going to be a scar there when it was healed. 'You know,' the boy spoke at the Fox, causing the Beast to raise his head for a moment, 'The more I think about it, the more I wish I could let you out of your seal without killing myself.' Now he had Kurama's attention. 'As long as I've known about you, people have either treated me like I'm some sort of monster, or like a hidden weapon to frighten off out enemies,' he said, frowning as he thought back to the civil war, and the seal that was used on him to try to unleash the Fox. 'But...I don't even think you wanted to fight with Lord First, let alone alongside someone like Madara Uchiha. He used you without even asking if you would help him,' he said, frowning, 'All he did was control you, and make you do what he wanted, and got you trapped inside someone else like me.'

'Your point?' Kurama growled, 'Remember I lived through all of the nonsense?'

Naruto was quiet for a moment, before he spoke up, 'Why do you hate humans so much?'

Kurama scoffed, 'A foolish question, Runt,' he grunted, 'I hate humans for the very reason Madara used me against your First Hokage.' He said, 'When I was born into this world, it was completely at peace, but after my...father passed on, the world descended into chaos again. Why? Because my father's two sons, Indara, and Asura, could not stop fighting. One was chosen to lead the people, because he was kind and had many followers. But the other brother wished for the same right for he was the elder brother, but ruled through power alone. He too had many followers. The two ended up fighting, and dying by each other's hand, and through the ages, their descendants would give rise to the Senju, Uchiha, and the Uzumaki. Why do I hate humans? It is because your race has destroyed everything my father hoped to ever achieve in this world.

Naruto sighed, conceding the Fox's point. If he were in the same situation, then he would have felt the same way, but to hold onto such hate for so long...

"Is peace even possible?" He asked out loud, looking down at the sleeping girl that had been laying with him.

'As far as I see it, no, there is no such thing as peace,' Kurama grumbled, 'Whether you want to believe it or not, humans will always find reason to hate and fight each other. A short time of peacefulness may come about, yes, but will it last? I highly doubt it.'

Naruto chuckled, "You really are cynical aren't you?"

'Say that when you aren't planning to fight a man for the woman that you wish to claim as your mate,' Kurama grunted, laying his head back down on his paws, 'Face it, Runt, you are no different than any other human, whether you use my power or not, you fight, whether if be for power, status, glory, or even that woman, you fight because you want to.'

"I wanted to find another way," Naruto said, frowning, but the Fox did have a point.

Kurama remained silent, apparently going back to sleep, and leaving the boy alone with his thoughts. Still, Naruto felt that he had no other alternative to his current situation. Whether Temari agreed to marry him, or not, he would fight simply to free her from her engagement. Her happiness was all he wanted for her, and that was that.

The door to the room came open, and Kakashi poked his head in, his one visible eye widening as he saw Naruto awake, "Well, well, decided to rejoin the living, did we?"

Naruto gave a small smirk, "Yeah, I did," he said, giving the man an apologetic look, "Sorry for worrying everyone."

Kakashi entered the room quietly, and sat down across from the young shinobi, "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," he said, looking down at the sleeping girl, "Temari's refused to leave your side this entire time. Hasn't eaten much, either."

"I can tell," the blond nodded, frowning, shaking his head, "What's been going on since I've been out?"

Kakashi shrugged, "What usually goes on when a dictator is killed," he said, smiling under his mask, "The whole village has been celebrating in yours, and Zabuza's name. Oddly enough, they want to give the man a proper burial."

Naruto looked at his sensei, "You're not gonna cash in the bounty?"

Kakashi shook his head, "No, it's not my place to do that," he said, producing a scroll for the boy from his jacket, "Zabuza, in his last moments, showed us all what it meant to be a shinobi, and wanted you to have his Kubikirbocho, the blade that made him famous," he said as Naruto took the scroll, "He claimed that the wound you inflicted on him before passing out was fatal, and said that you were now the rightful owner of the blade, as such the bounty on him is yours to claim if you wish?"

Naruto shook his head, "I can't do that the Haku-san," he said, frowning, "I can accept the sword, but nothing more than that." Naruto looked up at the man, "Shinobi rarely get a proper burial, because whenever one is killed outside of our territories, we're taken as bounty marks, and the bodies destroyed...let him have what I may not ever have."

"Very mature of you," he said approvingly.

Naruto sighed, "Can I ask you something?" He said, gaining his sensei's attention once again, "I...I was speaking with the Kyuubi, and...he said there's no such thing as true peace...what do you think?"

Kakashi, at first, was surprised that the young Jinchuuriki had begun speaking the the Tailed-Beast once again, given their hostile relationship, but the words that spilled out caught his attention even more. Kakashi sat back with heavy sigh, "In all honesty, Naruto-kun, I'm not sure." He said, frowning beneath his mask, "I was born, and raised in war. By the time I was a Genin, I was already steeped so deeply in blood that I can still smell it on my hands at times. To make matters worse, when I was appointed Jonin, I was responsible for the death of someone that I now view as my closest friend, who gave me this Sharingan eye of mine." He said, lifting his left hand over his slanted headband, "And, not so long after that...the woman I loved was captured, by Kiri no less, and forced to become Jinchuuriki of the Three-Tails. As I tried to save her, she lept in front of my Chidori...not long after that, the war was over, and I was utterly alone. We had an unstable peace between the other villages."

"You wish the war was still going, don't you?" Naruto asked.

"In a way, I think I did," Kakashi admitted, "But, going on, seeing how things turned out after the war, I can't say that I'm sorry that it ended."

"But even now all of the villages would be at each other's throats if someone made the wrong move," Naruto pointed out, "Like if I fought with the Daimyo like I plan...I'm going through with it, consequences be damned, but what if I start another war?"

Kakashi just smiled at him in his own way, "Peace is a long, winding path, Naruto, but it's always worth walking that path, no matter how many twists and turns it may take to reach the end."

=x=

The place they had chosen for Zabuza's grave was a hill overlooking the village, and the bridge. Tazuna had constructed a fine coffin for the man while his body was kept in stasis with a few seals put into place. Now, as the shinobi began to say their good-byes, Haku found her tears freezing into tiny pearls. She created a snow flower from ice so cold that she knew it would last for decades.

"Do you want to say a few words for him?" Pakura asked, "We knew very little of him outside of what was floating around from Kiri."

Haku smiled, shaking her head, "He wouldn't want anything said about him," she admitted, "He always told me when death came, that was the end of it all. Nothing else mattered to him except dying a good death. And he did die a good death, to him." She said, looking back at the young blond standing off to the side, "He died at the hands of a better shinobi."

Naruto gripped the shaft of his bo all the tighter, "He was a good man," he said, "That much I know. I can see his influence in you Haku. Even though he called himself a monster, he didn't force those ways on you."

"He begged us to take you away from this life, and give you a better one," Kakashi put in with a nod of his head. "It's the proof of a father's love when he puts the life of his child above his own."

"A father," she knelt, and scooped up a small handful of dirt, and let it fall into the grave, "Yes, he always acted the part of a father to me."

Temari came up to her and gripped her hand tightly, knowing full well how the young woman felt. "What are you gonna do now?"

"I suppose I'll go to the Leaf," Haku said, looking at Team Seven, a small smile on her face, "You did promise him that you'd take me in, right?"

Pakura nodded, smiling at the girl, "I've always wanted a daughter."

Haku gave a small nod, "Is the Leaf Village nice?" She asked.

"Oh, yes," Pakura nodded, placing her arm around her shoulders with a small squeeze, "The weather's very nice, if a little cold during the winter months, and the people are a little ignorant about a few things, but there are good people there, many of whom will welcome you with open arms."

Haku let a small smile drift to her lips, "So, maybe I can finally find a place I can belong."

Tazuna and a few other villagers came forward, shovels in hand, "I know it may be in poor taste," the old bridge builder said, "But my men and I have talked it over, and we'd like to name the bridge after your comrade." He said, smiling, "The Great Momochi Bridge would be a great addition to our land's rise."

Haku sniffled slightly, "I think he would like that." She said, smiling.

Kakashi nodded at Tazuna's kind gesture, "Alright, I believe it's time," he said quietly, reaching out to take Haku by the shoulder lightly, "I'll stay here and help with the burial. The rest of you should be on your way to the bridge. It won't be long until we have to say good-bye to everyone else."

Pakura lead the two teams and young woman back toward the village, leaving him and Tazuna to their task. "Is it really alright to let things end like this?" Tazuna asked, planting his shovel into the mound of dirt, "If things don't go well for that Suna team, I'd feel bad for them, and for Naruto-kun, too. He and that girl are together, aren't they?"

"He has a plan to take her out of Suna's grasp," Kakashi said, looking down at the coffin, "Why don't you go on? I think I'd like to do this on my own."

Tazuna frowned, but sighed, "Have it your own way, but...if you need help, just give a shout."

Kakashi nodded as the man moved off. He started filling in the grave a few moments later, and soon had it filled in properly. Tazuna had promised a tombstone for the grave after it was finished, as such, it would remain an unmarked grave until then. Finishing up, Kakashi knelt in front of the fresh grave. "You and I walked a similar path, Zabuza." He said solemnly, "So many times I could have become who you once were. Perhaps if you had had more people like Haku-chan in your life, you would have done better with your life."

"It wasn't a bad life."

Often in his life, Kakashi had seen things that he couldn't explain. As he looked up to see the form of Zabuza Momochi kneeling before him with a small smile on his face, the young Jonin couldn't help a smile of his own. "What's it like?" He asked of the man, "The Pure Lands?"

Zabuza chuckled, "Peaceful." He said, "It's strange to think that someone like me was even allowed into such a place," he looked at the Leaf Jonin, "There's a few people waiting for you here, you know?"

Kakashi nodded, "I thought a few might be," he said, smiling, "Did they have anything to say?"

The Mist shinobi nodded, "There was a girl named Rin," Kakashi's lone eye widened, "She had a message for you: Live."

Kakashi chuckled, a smile beneath his mask, "Sometimes living feels like a curse...but...coming from her, I don't think it was."

"Everyone here that knows you wishes you well," he said, his form beginning to fade, "And all of them want you to take your time getting here." He sighed, looking down at himself, "Looks like it's time for me to go. Take care of yourself, Kakashi, and look after those brats of yours. And you'd better take care of Haku, or else I'll come back to haunt you."

Kakashi nodded, watching as the man faded from sight, "Let's have a match when we meet next time," he said as the man disappeared, "That way we can settle things between us properly."

"I'll be glad to wait for that day." Zabuza said with a wave of his hand, "Until we meet again, Kakashi."

Kakashi rose, "Walk free my friend." He said, giving a bow to the grave before turning back toward the village.

x|The Great Momochi Bridge|x

The mood at the foot of the bridge was a somber one as Naruto and Temari walked side by side well behind their respective teams. "So," Naruto sighed as they came to the mainland, "This is it, huh?"

"Yeah, it is," Temari said sadly, looking at the boy, "Do you really think you do what you say you will? The Daimyo families are all samurai, and masters of the sword."

"So are some of the shinobi back home," Naruto pointed out, smiling, "Don't worry about me, Temari-chan, I promise you that I'll get you out of that marriage."

Temari looked at him, a small smile on her face, "And what then, Naruto-kun? Are you gonna sweep me off of my feet like one of those fairy tale princes?" She joked, "Are we gonna live happily ever after? Marry in Konoha, and honeymoon in Suna?"

Naruto knew a joke when he heard one, and smiled, "Well, if I consent to marrying you, then - "

"If you consent to marrying me?!" Temari growled, giving the young shinobi a glare.

"If I consent to marrying you," Naruto repeated, ignoring her glare, "We can honeymoon where you want, but I don't think your dad would want us anywhere near Suna after the cluster fuck I'm gonna cause."

Temari snorted, "I think you might be right about that," she relented, "His favorite punishment for people on his bad side is crucifixion."

"Naruto," Pakura waved at them from the end of the bridge, "We're going on ahead a ways, you take your time, but please, don't fall too far behind."

Baki gave a similar gesture, "We'll be waiting for you a little ways down the road, Temari. Don't take too long."

Naruto and Temari smiled at their surrogate parents, and gave a wave in return. "So," Naruto said, smiling, "Does this mean you'd agree to marry me when I beat the crap outta that Daimyo?"

Temari sputtered, "You-you really mean it?" She asked, blushing madly, "Naruto, we're way too young!"

"And yet I hear that the Daimyo's son is twenty five to your fifteen -"

"I'll be sixteen in another four months, thank you very much," Temari huffed, placing her hands on her hips, "And don't remind me of that buffoon! It's bad enough that both my father and our Daimyo want to use me as breeding stock to produce a more suitable heir, but the fact that he's got over a decade on me is just plain ridiculous!"

"Like the idea of marrying someone that's just about three years younger?" Naruto pointed out, smiling at her before reaching for one of her hands and lacing his finger through hers, "I don't mean for us to get married right away, ya know? I want to at least be sixteen before that, and get promoted to Jonin."

Temari nodded, understanding, "Okay, I'll admit, that's a little better." She said, smiling at him as she gave his hand a squeeze, "But seriously, Naruto-kun, what if you find someone better than me? Or if I find someone else?"

Naruto shrugged, smiling at her, "I might fall for someone else, but I don't really think I will." He said, looking back across the bridge, "I've been thinking about you for so long, Temari-chan, and believe me, no other girl I've met holds a candle to you as far as how I feel about you. I can say I love you without any doubts about it." He said, making her blush, "But if you do find someone else, then I won't stand in your way, because I want you to be happy, no matter what."

Temari felt her stomach fluttering as her blush deepened, smiling at the young man beside her. "You know I'd like at least two children," she said, "One boy, and one girl for certain, but if we had more, I'd be just as happy."

"I'm an Uzumaki," Naruto pointed out, "If anything, the council will encourage us to have at least ten kids to take up the name, and what we once represented as shinobi."

Temari felt herself pale, "Well, I'm not about to be coerced into a broodmare, but still, if we have children along the lines, I'll love them all the same."

Naruto nodded as they neared the end of the bridge, "I don't know what it's like to have a dad, so I'm not really sure how to be one, except how not to be from watching Jiraiya-jiji." He said, frowning, but then smiled, "You know, I know there's at least one girl I'm gonna love besides you."

Temari frowned at this, feeling a small spike of jealousy hit her in the chest. "Oh? And who is she?"

Naruto turned to her and gave her a blinding grin, "The one that's gonna call you 'mom'."

=x=

Several days later found Team Seven and Haku back in Konoha, and standing before the Hokage himself, as well Jiraiya of the Sannin. The two aged shinobi then listened to the account of the mission.

"So I see that your first mission outside of our walls was quite an adventure," Hiruzen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, and noting that Naruto still wore the clawed gauntlets he had won in combat, and also sported a scroll attached to his leg holster. "Truly this team seems destined for great things."

"That they do," Pakura said, smiling at her son, "Which is why I would like to nominate these three for the upcoming Chunin exams."

"And I will second that nomination," Kakashi put in, feeling that, even though they were newly minted Genin, they were ready for the trials of the exams.

Jiraiya chuckled, "Well, about that," the aging Sage said, "Since the Daimyo will be in attendance, as well as every major and minor village..."

"The exams have been pushed back by three months," Hiruzen said, taking his pip in hand and stuffing it with his favorite tobacco. "Lord Mifune is a very meticulous man, and would rather have all things ready for the Five Lords, and shinobi that will be arriving. Security will be a great risk seeing as not only the Five Kage are gathering together in one place, but also the Five Daimyo. It would be the perfect opportunity for someone to assassinate one, if not all of them."

"Which will give us plenty of time to train," Sasuke said with a grin, "I like that idea."

Naruto clenched his fists, "So do I," he said, looking at his godfather, "Hey, Ero-jiji!"

"Dammit, brat, don't call me that!" Jiraiya roared as Hiruzen roared with laughter.

But Naruto ignored him, "I want you to train me," he said, catching both elders' attention, "There's something I need to do, and I need to know how to use a sword as well as any samurai, no, even better than a samurai!" He growled louder, "I need to be as strong as you can make me until the Chunin exams!"

Jiraiya was a little more than surprised at the intensity coming from the blond teen, but smiled a broad smile that was shared by the Hokage. "Your father once came to me with a similar request, Naruto." The Sage said, "By the time I was through with him, he was a terror on the battlefield...is this what you want?"

"Yes," Naruto nodded.

"We won't go easy on you," Hiruzen said, smiling as the boy started, surprised that the aging Kage would take part in his training. "I believe it is time that both myself, and my former student took a more liberal hand in your training, as should Pakura-san since you have awakened your Shakuton abilities. And Sasuke, your brother has recently returned with Jiraiya, so you may train at his side until the exams begin...Sakura-chan."

"Yes, Lord Hokage," Sakura squeaked, snapping to attention.

Hiruzen smiled kindly at the girl, "One other student of mine was a fine medical shinobi, as well as one of the greatest kunoichi the world has ever seen," he said as the girl looked up at him, "While she may no longer be within our ranks, I have many of her scrolls, and techniques on file for the training of a future prodigy of her skill and craft. We have many fine medical shinobi here who could help you in mastering these techniques should you choose to do so."

"I would be honored, Lord Hokage," the girl bowed, her cheeks flushed heavily with pride at what she knew was to come, "But sir?"

"Yes, my dear?" The Hokage smiled.

"Would it be alright to have Haku train with me as well?" She asked, gesturing to the former Mist kunoichi beside her, "She's a fantastic medic, and has far more experience than I do, so I would like her to study with me if she would like?"

Haku smiled at her, "I think I would like to use my talents for something other than battle."

Hiruzen smiled broadly at the two kunoichi, "Very well, I will gladly allow the two of you to study the notes of Tsunade Senju."

Let the training begin.

Please review if you liked the chapter, constructive criticism welcomed.