Death on the bridge (extended)
A/N: More from a death on the bridge by popular demand
Zabuza began chuckling darkly. "This is an amusing coincidence, Kakashi. In your student's berserk rage, he failed to notice you as he struck Haku, resulting in him accidentally saving my student while dying himself. A sad thing, but fortuitous for me." With a burst of chakra, He dispelled Kakashi's dogs and swung his giant blade, aiming to cut both Kakashi and Naruto in half.
Kakashi lept back, Naruto still stuck on his arm. He glanced down at Naruto. 'The #1 most surprising Maverick ninja, indeed. You even surprised me at the end, Naruto.'
~-~-~-
Deep within the belly of Naruto's soul, the Kyuubi was working overtime just to keep Naruto above that line between life and death.
The ancient and powerful nogitsune glared at the prone figure lying in front of its cage, unconscious. "Don't you dare give up, brat. I've been alive far too long for this shit." The kyuubi's eyes glowed a burning red as he poured even more of his considerable power into the boy's life functions.
"What I wouldn't give for my hoshitama..." He blinked and very nearly lost hold of his tenuous hold on Naruto's life. He then grinned viciously. "Well, I suppose if you've got to go, you might as well do it with style.
~-~-~-
"Well, what have we here? I had hoped you would kill each other off, but even I can't be that lucky."
Zabuza and Kakashi looked towards the sound of the voice in surprise. "Gato." Zabuza hissed. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing...just giving you the pay you so rightly deserve." Gato smiled cruelly. "After all, the only reason I hire missing ninja is that the established villages give me so much grief when I don't pay. That, and the money from the bounties on your heads nets me a tidy sum."
"So you planned to kill us all along." Haku stated in disgust. "You are an evil man. I should have killed you when we first met."
"Ahh, the waif. I owe for this broken hand." Gato turned and walked back into the protection of his mercenaries. "Mayhaps I should leave you to some of my men for a bit of fun." He laughed at the thought and addressed his minions. "Kill them all."
Shouldering his weapon, Zabuza faced the more immediate threat. "We have no quarrel with you now, Kakashi. Take your team and go."
"I apologize," Kakashi stated evenly, pulling out a kunai. "But we still have a mission."
It was at that moment a thin line of red chakra rose from Naruto's still warm body. It shot off into the sky, taking a southern route.