Author: ...O-o

Zi walks up to Dusk: "Let me guess, you did search on Naruto Comics again."

Author nods head.

Zi sighs: "Of course you did. Sorry folks, my stupid creator here saw some either hilarious or possibly disturbing Naruto comics, I'm going with disturbing, online and she seems to be stuck in the current state you see here… she is more trouble than she's worth. I guess this means that I have to do the shout outs again… grr… Hey Zabuza! You want to do me a favor?"

Zabuza off stage: "No."

Zi: "Ass, I'll get you back later… Anyway, I suppose I should get this over with. We have two returning reviewers; many thanks go out to fennecfox03 and Wait.What (thanks for the plushie… squeezes Zabuza plushie). Thanks for sticking with this knuckle head author… she thanks you too. Zi shifts her eyes back and forth: "It's later. Heeeyyyy Fangirls! Zabuza is right here (pulls Zabuza onto stage)! Come and Get him!"

Zabuza: "Oh Crap." Runs.

Author Note: if you guys like Zabuza check out Youtube for Zabuza vs Kakashi Headstrong, it is freaking awesome… and really sad T-T. Also, I've posted another Zabuza fic. Siblings in the Mist.


Chapter Eleven

That day has scared me permanently, both physically and mentally. Mentally because I lost some of the confidence that you gave. Physically because…

"Because my heart will never be the same," I sighed, "it's strange that my mental pain from your and Haku's loss is greater than my physical pain right now. Strange how the mind works… isn't?"

I could feel that I was being held up as someone was wrapping my chest. I don't know how long I was out or even where I was. It had to be somewhere indoors, because I could feel the gentle breeze of a vent coming from overhead. I could also here the humming of overhead lights.

Just knowing I'm inside doesn't give me enough clues to figure out where I am, I thought to myself. If I want to know, I'm just going to have to find the energy to open my eyes.

My eyes started to flutter open, but I soon closed them because of the bright artificial light. Slowing opening them, I allowed them to adjust to the light. With blurry vision, I was able to make out a form of a person; they were the one that was wrapping my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I could make out another form; they were the one that was holding me upright.

"… to think that she had to endure the pain of having all the signs of justu tattooed on her body," it was Haku's sweet voice.

"Not just tattooed, but it looks like they were burned in as well," Zabuza's voice hummed in my ear.

I think Haku is the one wrapping my body and that means that Zabuza is… EWW! GROSS!, I started to scream in my head.

"No, I don't think so Lord Zabuza," Haku corrected, "I think that the burns are actually from her chakra. If she has to concentrate the chakra into the signs in order to use them, it's possible that holding the chakra there could cause the scorch marks."

"You're probably right Haku… huh," Zabuza's eyes made contact with mine, "well look who decided to wake up."

Haku leaned over to see, "oh Zi, I'm so glad that you're alright. You had me worried."

I tried to speak, but in my current position I couldn't get anything out. My chin was resting on Zabuza's shoulder, my chest against his. He was making sure that my limp arms didn't get in the way of Haku's bandage job. I was a little bit uncomfortable having Zabuza so close to me; I could just feel my cheeks turning red.

"Getting embarrassed," he whispered into my ears.

If my legs weren't so useless at the moment, he would be bent over in pain from a swift kick to the…

"There, all done," Haku chimed cheerfully. "Umm… Lord Zabuza, you can lay her back in bed now," he giggled.

Zabuza gently laid me back down on the bed and Haku pulled the covers up to my shoulders.

Great, are they going to read me a bedtime story now, I sarcastically pondered.

"Zi, you were hurt pretty badly. At least three or four of your ribs are broken," Haku frowned, "and…"

"Master Zabuza," the Demon Brothers enter the room.

"What do you want," Zabuza answered nonchalantly.

"Gato wants that other Extra mission done," Goza glare down at me.

What? What did I do, I mentally asked.

"Haku, watch over Zi and make sure that Gato doesn't do anything to her while I'm gone. Got it?" Zabuza looked over his shoulder.

Haku shyly smiled and nodded his head, "no worries Zabuza. I'll take good care of her."

Zabuza turned his attention back to the waiting Demon Brothers and exited without another word.

"Haku," I managed to whisper out.

"Zi, don't try to talk. You need to conserve your strength," he took hold of my hand, "I was afraid that you weren't going to make it."

Why? I questioned.

"I so surprised that your heart was able to take as much as it did," tears started to form in his eyes.

What is it Haku, I screamed, what's wrong with me?!

He must have seen the concern in my eyes, "Zabuza told me what you did… what you did for him. He questions why you would risk your life for someone that you don't even like."

Okay… but what are you crying about, I impatiently asked inside my mind.

"Zabuza didn't want me to tell you this but," Haku bent down to whisper into my ear, "he made a deal with Gato for your medical attention."

he did… he made a deal… to help me, my eyes went wide, why?

"If he hadn't you would be dead," Haku continued, "he's repaying Gato right now by doing an extra job for free… well I guess it's not free if he paying for you medical needs. Gato originally want Zabuza to give you to him, but Zabuza… let's just say he got ugly."

Got ugly… that's hard to imagine…, I felt a little guilt for thinking like that, I shouldn't have thought that… bad Zi.

"It's just a minor job," Haku smiled through his tears, "nothing to worry about. If Gato knew the true extend of your injuries, he might have asked for Zabuza to do the Tazuna job in exchange for helping you."

Extend of my injuries… was it that bad of a hit, I questioned myself.

"Again, do not mention to Lord Zabuza that I said this, but the reason you're lucky is because you survived an attack that is suppose to crush an opponent's heart from the outside. Most Tracker Ninjas know that attack to instantly kill a target without much fuss."

How the hell did I survive… wait…, I came to a realization and Haku seem to come to the same conclusion.

"From what I can figure, your chakra must have cushioned the blow enough to only break your ribs," Haku explained, "you must have done it subconsciously. However…"

And so here comes the really bad news, I prepared myself.

"However, it did damage your heart," Haku squeezed my hand to assure me, "I don't know how much though, I never got to fully learn the ways of a Medical Ninja. But from what I can tell, a small portion of your heart is not pumping correctly and ….," he went silent.

At the door came a knock, then it opened to have Gato and his two personal bodyguards enter. I quickly closed my eyes to pretend that I was still unconscious.

"I see Zabuza left you behind," Gato sounded disappointed.

"Yes, Lord Zabuza more than capable of handling the job you gave him," Haku sounded cheerful, "he'll probably be back before tomorrow, just wait and see."

"He better be, considering how much her treatment was," Gato sneered. "How is the young lady doing?"

"You have to remember that Zi is a kunoichi, she is trained to not let such minor scrapes and bruises affect her abilities," Haku assure him, "she's just been sedated to keep her from moving to much, otherwise she would have wanted to go with Zabuza on the mission."

"So she's that loyal to him," Gato again sounded disappointed, "please keep me informed on how she is doing."

I heard the groups' footsteps as they left the room, then the distinct sound of a door closing.

I thought he would never leave, I released a heavy sigh, and you laid it on a little thick, I turned and stared at Haku.

He understood my glare, "would you prefer for him to know how you truly about Zabuza?"

I rolled my eyes.

"I didn't think so," Haku smiled.

I felt my eyes getting heavy and my mind started to drift.

I hope this means that I'm just tired and that I'm not dying… only one to find out.

I surrender to my slowly closing eyes and allowed my mind to drift to wherever it desired.

A few hours and dreams later…

I slowly sat up in bed, though it was extremely painful. I guess I just wanted to prove to myself that I could handle, but I wish I hadn't. Grabbing my chest in pain, I started to wheeze, just trying to catch my breath. But with every inhale, it felt like my chest couldn't expand any further and any more would have caused it to burst.

"You probably shouldn't have done that," a voice came from the shadows.

I looked around, the room was completely dark and it looked like it was night outside. Allowing my eyes to adjust, I scanned the room to see who was talking to me. My eyes eventually found an outline of someone sitting in a chair next to my bed.

Close, I pulled the blankets up, "is that you Zabuza?"

"Who else would it be," Zabuza laughed.

"Do I really need to explain my surprise," I sighed, "ouch."

"I suppose not," he leaned closer, "but you really should lay back down before you undue everything that I and Haku did for you. I really rather not have to do another pointless job just to pay Gato back for his 'kindness'."

I took his advice and tried to lie down without causing more pain. I didn't succeed.

"Why are you here," I asked as soon as I was comfortable, "you don't seem like the type to watch over one of your 'minions'."

He brought his hands up and formed a triangle with them, like he was thinking, "I guess it's because I've 'invested' so much into you. Also, I was waiting for you to wake up," his eyes were serious, "did Haku tell you anything after I left?"

"No… I fell asleep," I lied.

"I'll go with that for a moment," he snorted, "I have to know, why did you save me, at the risk of losing your own life? You made it quite clear last time that you hate me."

I had been prepared for that question, but my answer had slipped away as did my words.

"Well," Zabuza asked.

"To tell you the truth," I started, "I'm not completely sure… I knew it earlier, but it's… opps."

"Don't worry about it, Haku couldn't keep it a secret that he disobeyed my orders," Zabuza smile.

I kind of figured that Haku couldn't keep it to himself, I looked back to the ceiling, "if I had to give you an answer right now, I would have to say that I was doing it for Haku… not you."

"For Haku," Zabuza sounded interested, "why?"

"Isn't it obvious," I turned back to him, "that kid means a lot to me? Not only does he look like my dead brother, but I believe that his innocence is the only that keeps me going now a days. He told some time ago that you gave a purpose… a reason to live. I didn't have one for the longest time, but then I met him… my purpose… he asked me what my purpose was in life. I couldn't answer him then and I can't answer it now. But for a few moments in the forest, I felt like it was my purpose to keep that kid alive, even if it meant saving someone that doesn't like me. I guess what I'm trying to say," I felt my cheeks turning red, "I save you because I knew that Haku and I are a lot a like. He's lost many people in his life and no one wanted him, except you… though you just wanted his abilities, you still wanted him. He looks up to you in every way imaginable… like I did with my brother. I just have this horrible feeling," I began to quiver, "that if he loses one more important person in his life it would drive him over the edge and he might…"

I could finish my sentence. I knew all to well the dark path that lies before someone that loses everything, their families, friends, dreams, purpose… everything.

"You saved me because you wanted to save Haku… how interesting," Zabuza leaned back in his chair, "so I mean nothing to you."

I couldn't have sworn that he sounded hurt by my explanation, but his covered face didn't give any hints to what he was truly thinking.

"Well… I guess," I stammered, "I suppose that is one why of saying… but…"

"But what," Zabuza started to sound irritated.

"But it's not how I would say it." I sat up with much pain, "I do hate you. You're horrible to me, you treat me like a tool that you can just use any which way and you don't…" I felt too embarrassed to say the rest.

"Don't care about you," he finished my thoughts.

I nodded my head, "yes… traveling with you're team reminds me of when I was a genin and traveled with my brother and team… but they looked out for me… they like me… two even loved me…"

I felt two arms wrap around me.

"Maybe things aren't so different then you think," Zabuza whispered into my ear.

He slowly released me and started towards the door, leaving dazed and confused to what just happen.

"Hey Zabuza," I called out.

"Yeah," he looked over his shoulder.

"Don't think that hugging me is going to make up for the fact you were holding me in an indecent manner early," I narrowed my eyebrows.

He snorted, "indecent huh? Well it's probably a good thing that you didn't wake up when we first started wrapping you up."

My eye started to twitch as I realized that earlier when I saw him, he didn't have a shirt on. My entire face turned red with embarrassment as I fell back into bed.

"Ouch…" damn him… DAMN THAT DEMON!