Finding Heaven

Chapter Two: I'm Still Here

Naruto had gotten back a week or two ago, and Sakura was ecstatic – beyond that, and rightly so, because one of her best friends (she'd admit it, because she really missed him – not that she'd admit that) was back from a three year trip. She couldn't help but think that the other was still gone, but shoved the thought to the back of her mind and thought of it no more.

Completely happy to have her own team (almost) back, she had almost completely forgotten the summer; a week before (sometime after fighting Sasori, funnily enough, when her mind should be focusing on much more important things) she realized with a slight jolt that she had almost forgotten the date, so she pulled out a pen and wrote a quick reminder along the base of her thumb (the strangest habit to have acquired from both Tsunade and Shizune). Then she went on with the mission to save the Kazekage.

And they did, and it was good – Sakura felt something warm in her upon departure, and though she couldn't quite place it, she knew it had something to do with Naruto and Gaara's newly strengthened friendship and the smile on his face and his siblings visages.

It was squashed quickly by horror and slight embarrassment when Gai insisted Kakashi-sensei be carried piggy-back and Lee then youthfully exclaimed that he and Neji do the same (Sakura was relieved beyond relief when Neji declined point-blank). She and Tenten shared rather exasperated looks, and life was good.

-

"Every time I come to Ichiraku, I can't help but be super happy I'm back!" Naruto exclaimed with a 'dattebayo' following it as he rushed into the stall, jumping onto a stool, and asking the old man loudly for a miso ramen.

Sakura followed; the day after the long mission, and she was grinning like crazy because the pay was good, everyone was alright, and her team – including Kakashi – were eating at Ichiraku ramen stand, an acquired taste of three years of hers, and she wasn't paying.

"No, no, no, see, I'm not like Jiraiya –"

"Don't be stupid, you're exactly like him!"

"Aa, now children-"

"Shut up, Kakashi-sensei," the playful retort came from both of his former students while Kakashi hung his undignified head in slight shame before turning away to eat his ramen, his two students laughing at his back.

It was only upon finishing her ramen (Naruto, at the time, being on his seventh – Sakura considered asking how he even stayed healthy on the one-food diet, but thought better of it, deciding she didn't really want to know) that Sakura glanced at her hands, and then focused on her thumb. The pen, still not washed off, stated the date clearly and Sakura made an exclaimed sound. Her two teammates turned towards her.

Waving her hand at Kakashi, Sakura smiled a little.

"Two days, sensei! Naruto, you get to come, too! It'll be nice to get some snow for a while."

Naruto sent a furtive look of questioning at Kakashi which Sakura saw out of her peripheral vision, but she didn't comment, because Kakashi shook his head and didn't, either.

The first day passed quickly enough; on the morning of the second day, Sakura was ready by early morning to set off, having cleared the yearly trip with Tsunade beforehand, who had dryly remarked she had a feeling Sakura would want to see her to clear missions for a day for the team. Smiling brightly, Sakura waved to her mother (blearily waving back, having not had her mandatory morning cup of coffee to be remotely human) and slipped out the door…

Only to find, as she suspected, Kakashi was still in bed (after checking his apartment) and Naruto was dressed (after checking his), except that his shirt was on backwards and he was trying to put his sock on his knee from staying up late and messing around with Konohamaru.

Therefore, after scolding her sensei, sending him off to get ready, packing for him and getting Naruto's socks on the correct place, she hurriedly grabbed them and through the gate they went, off to the Land of Waves, the hot climate of the Fire Country cooling as they grew closer to their destination.

-

Another year.

He didn't even know how he could bear it anymore, and if he was really able to feel his real body, Haku's limbs would've been too cramped up to fix from his constant sitting position.

But today was different.

Today it was snowing.

Haku didn't expect much of his existence – it was almost like a sick person, floating in and out of consciousness, but on a select few days of the year it was a bit easier to stay awake, and today was the easiest, because it was snowing in the middle of summer.

He told himself she and her sensei wouldn't come, because the fall of disappointment would be near unbearable. Worse, even.

Yawning slightly, Haku leaned back against the cross and closed his eyes.

-

"N-Naruto-kun?!"

The shriek of surprise was followed by something hammering into Naruto. Laughing, Sakura and Kakashi followed an ecstatic Inari and slightly shell-shocked but grinning Naruto into town, off into the same white house that Sakura had grown fond of.

Tsunami's little boy was grinning, and she was smiling as well, and the old man was laughing a deep laugh from his big pot belly (derived from alcohol and altogether a bit too much food consumption). An excited Tsunami showed Naruto around their refurbished home, and she beamed as her practically adopted son remarked how great it looked. They all then settled down for some tea on the pretty little cushions in the nice home to talk; Naruto began to recount tales of adventure while traveling with 'Ero-sannin,' and his listeners were captivated.

…Excluding Sakura and Kakashi, who had heard each story several dozen times, but nonetheless remained quiet for the sake of the blonde.

"-And then Ero-sannin, he ran out of the place, and I was just sitting there all tired, and he passed right by me and yelled 'run,' because the idiot had gone and forgotten to pay-"

Sakura couldn't help but grin at the telling of the Great Pervert Ninja and the Tale-of-the-Forgotten-Payment-to-the-Inn-People-and-Brothel-Owner-So-They-Ran-and-Were-Chased-All-the-Way-to-Iwa.

Hmm, should probably shorten the title.

Naruto finished off the tale, and his three captivated listeners broke out into laughter and Naruto joined along. Kakashi smiled a bit; Sakura found the perfect opportunity to excuse herself and did not miss it.

"I'll be back," she called out, and Inari and Tazuna and Tsunami already expected this, so they smiled readily and their attention turned back to Naruto.

"Where's Sakura-chan going?" She heard him ask, but she spent no time waiting to hear the reply and shut the door behind her with a satisfied 'click.'

Off to the store, which was doing well with a new cash register and complimentary paper bags to carry things in like a real grocery store; then Sakura headed down that familiar road, that led her out of town into a quieter area with barely any houses and lots of wild plants and trees.

Her feet made small scuffing sounds against the dirt, which suddenly gave way to grass, wild grass that was up to her ankle.

No one took care of this place anymore, because there was so much unkempt green that was everywhere over the old dirt road. Sakura frowned; it was late afternoon, and it was snowing. They'd have to go soon.

"Next year I'll clean this place up," she murmured, because she had every right to believe she'd be back again.

Kneeling, the girl silently bowed until her forehead almost touched the ground. She straightened, quietly set the small box of onigiri down, and began to talk.

-

Haku tentatively touched the box of onigiri, a nice little plastic store bought brand, and his hand passed right through it. His lips pursed a little, but he ignored the tempting box and looked away to his source of somewhat-sanity.

"Konnichiwa, Haku-san, Momochi-san. Me, Sakura, again. How annoying, neh? Too bad, you're stuck with me," she smiled, and she was older. Her hair was still so short, but her same shirt was lighter red, with a big white jacket over it – dressed for the occasion for once, and she was wearing a white skirt.

How funny. She was once a child, and now was as old as he was.

"Konnichiwa, Sakura-san," Haku replied, and his voice was raspy but he experimentally cleared his throat and it worked again, metaphorical rust clearing away.

"…Well, I apologize for coming again. And for speaking out loud. I feel I have to, because… praying just doesn't help, I'm sorry how rude that sounds!"

"Please speak out loud," the request was unheard, but… maybe, just maybe, not unfelt.

Sakura chatted for a while. She was getting stronger. She was a chuunin, she passed almost a year ago, which was better than a few people in 'the rookie nine,' the three passing teams from her genin years, because a lot of them only passed the last test, and she passed the one before. Then she talked about how her own team, and how Naruto came back, and she was genuinely happy, and like always, she talked to him for hours, and he paid rapt attention, genuinely interested and almost happy himself like always that someone was paying attention to him.

Then she sneezed, something Haku was not surprised at, even if she was properly dressed for once with a jacket, though the white skirt probably didn't help.

"I love sitting out here when it snows-" she sniffed a little and tried not to sneeze – "But I wish I didn't sneeze so easily, haha…"

Then the copy ninja came up behind her and touched her shoulder lightly; she looked up and smiled at her sensei, who's one visible eye closed with a smile as well and he told her to go back because she was going to catch a cold. She didn't object, but bowed deeply and Haku smiled gently at her retreating back before refocusing his attention on the man in front of him.

This man didn't say much, but stood there for the longest time. Lapsing in his own thoughts; but it was company, and Haku didn't complain. Before he left, Kakashi the copy ninja murmured something that struck Haku like ice – then Naruto quietly padded up to the grave behind Kakashi to stand with him for a while. The silver haired man turned around and began to walk away, but Naruto stayed.

Haku watched the man's receding back for a time.

"Hey, Haku. Zabuza." He grinned slightly. "…Been a while. I… Sakura comes here every year. I'll come with her, because it feels like… like you can hear me."

And this blonde, who had grown up so much, so much, his friend who had grown up from a little troublemaker boy to a powerful young man, stood there with the most thoughtful look on his face as he said nothing more, merely kept Haku company even if he didn't know he was sitting there, all along.

And then Sakura's figure came towards them, and she tapped Naruto's shoulder and smiled gently, and said it was time to go. Naruto nodded, and they both bowed before the graves and turned.

As they began to walk, the silver haired man's words floated through his head.

"Every grave needs someone to visit, even if for a little while. …It must be lonely."

And as they walked away, Haku found his legs and stumbled up for the first time in years to follow them home.

NOW we're getting somewhere. The last two chapters have been building up.

Anyway, like always, I review faster when I find a lot of reviews. Physcological, yes, tell me what you think. FEED ME. :D

-Mandy