Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter XXVII

I could feel the warmth of the sun on my hands. Stirring a little because I don't want to open my eyes just yet. I feel a light weight resting softly on my shoulders. A blanket. I smile at a faint memory passing my mind.
I hold on to the hand resting in mine a little longer, hoping today would be different.

I then flinch at the cruel memories flooding my mind.

'Haku!' I screamed.
I tried talking to him, keep him awake but his eyes had stayed sealed after thanking me.
Though I was certain it had only taken Haku a minute to be at my side, it had felt as too long. I could see the life drain out of him and the blood loss become too severe.

I remember thinking it had all happened so… stupidly. So unexpectedly.

'Sakura…'

I squeeze my eyes shut hoping the vision of Haku's pained expression would leave me.

Feeling a hot tear welling up, I try to withhold it. When failing to do so, I just let it drop on the sheet underneath me. My back ached from the hunched sitting position I had tortured myself with for the last two days.

I don't want to let go.

So I hold on to the limp hand a little long. I enjoy the ray of suns peeking through the curtain and lighten up the grim room. It was probably going to be a beautiful day today.

I let out a deep sigh. My shoulder tighten when realizing another night has passed.

Startled when I feel the hand move in mine. I look up to only to see his passive expression, eyes shut.
It was probably just a spasm. But even that was good sign to me. I wrap my hands around his, holding it more closely to my face.

It was strange how only a mere twenty-four hours could change your entire mindset. All these years I had been so convinced of not meaning much to the man. All this time I had told myself I was capable of using another human being like so many had used me.

But it had all been in vain. Those thoughts were nothing but my mere imagination.

Though keen on keeping it for himself, I know saw every move he had made. Every time he tried to waver my steady mind, push me of the pedestal I had placed myself on. Telling me there was no good or evil. That we were all capable of the same things.

Looking back I now see how much he just wanted me to look beyond everything he was. How he just wished for a chance… For someone to care for him.

Or am I romanticizing you again, Zabuza?

Suddenly his hand lightly squeezes mine. My eyes widen and before I know it, it slips out of my grip and places itself on my head. Giving me a short caress on my hair before it falls out of energy.

'Zabuza?' I softly whisper.

He doesn't respond at first but his eyes tiredly open. Sitting up straight, I'm not able to suppress a smile when looking at him.
'Take it easy,' I tell him when I see him wanting to speak. I offer him some water but he lightly shakes his head.
'You almost lost your life,' I tell him. 'You've been out for a few days. A little longer and…' I swallow the angry thoughts and reminded myself none of it mattered now. What-if scenarios never did.

He stays quiet but gives me a small, slightly forced, smirk. His hand signals me to come closer to him.
I get up and while I feel the blanket fall off my shoulders, I smile when thinking of Haku this time around being the one to place it on me. Yet it is Zabuza who receives the grateful look, as it was he who had done so the first time.

Another signal missed.

I briefly ponder if I had ever truly thanked him for his kind gesture.

'It hurts,' he whispers in my ear when I get closer to him. Nodding my head I wordlessly turn around and inject some morphine in his infusion, knowing it would help ease his pain quickly.

'If Haku hadn't been around to help me… You wouldn't even have made it to the hospital,' I tell him using a far too strict tone. I guess I was mad that I had almost lost a man I didn't know I had in the first place. I take hold of his hand again.

'He hit a vital spot…' I mutter. There had been so much chaos surrounding me. For the first time, I hadn't quite felt like a doctor. I had felt the desperateness of losing someone dear. Something I had always feared but it was that same neediness that made me push through the operation and ended up being somewhat successful. The rest had been up to him.

'Il weed grows apace.'

His voice sounded hoarse. Weak. Tired.

'Ha!' I snicker while thinking of how many times I had said that exact saying myself.
But I dismiss the lightheartedness and shake my head while explaining him that it hadn't been all that simple. He hadn't been responding to anything, not even some radical medication to wake him up from his coma.

'I begged for one more day,' I mutter while holding back a sob. 'If you didn't wake up just now…'
'Don't be all… emotional,' he interrupts using an annoyed tone. 'I'm not dead.'
'Obviously,' I answer with a smirk while being glad he was being his usual self.

Yet his hand pulls me closer to him and without talking, I place myself next to him. Softly placing my head on his shoulder while feeling his arm come around my shoulders.

I had waited for him open his eyes. To feel his breath tickle my skin again. To have his warmth around me.

I had reflected on so many things only to realize how deep we had dug ourselves in.

Walking away was easy but not what either of us longed for. I think that was perhaps the hardest thing we had to admit to ourselves.

It is silent for the longest time. I just let him be.

Surprisingly Zabuza isn't pulling up his usual harsh stoic mask. When I look up to him, I see his brown eyes staring down at me. For the first time I see my own emotions reflect in his eyes.

'You said there was no plan,' I softly start.
Another long silence follows while he plays purposelessly with my hair. Trying to stall the moment of truth or perhaps simply find the right words to say.

'I changed my mind,' he eventually admits.

'…how come?'

'The longer I stayed here…' Kirigakure. 'the more I realized I belonged here. That I perhaps care more about this place than I was first willing to admit. After all, I didn't commit those crimes out of spite towards any civilians…'
'And so you didn't want to betray them again?' I whisper.

He shrugged but immediately winced in pain, the abrupt movement being too much for him.

'There was no reason this time around. Mei—the Lady Mizukage, actually listens.'

I can hear him having a bit of hard time accepting his own correction but respected Mei enough to overcome that.
'She has good ideas and I can tell she genuinely cares for the people…' I hear him wince in pain again and eventually accept the offer to drink a bit of water.
A good sign because this meant the morphine was working, I also assume he simply didn't have the strength to drink before.

'So you wanted to abandon the plan,' I start after placing the glass back on the tray next to his bed.
I practically crawl like a cat next to him, not wanting to leave the comfortable place I had found.

'He… he doesn't mean bad. I understand his frustration and hate,' Zabuza quietly continues. 'I grew up in poverty and so did Haku… Every generation seemed to suffer the same fate and nobody cared. As long as we won, as long as we were victorious, the sacrifices didn't matter. The hate just rooted itself deeper with every generation that came after me and I made it my mission to make those responsible suffer and punish them for what they did to us…'

'But now you have someone tackling the problem with a different approach.'
He stayed quiet for a second, reluctantly and almost hesitantly nodding in agreement.
'She didn't have to pardoned my crimes but… she saw "potential" in me.'

I realize that must've been a hard thing for him to accept, to be recognized by a woman supposedly foreign to him. She didn't come off as someone who knew what type of man he was.
But I assume Mei had seen things too and perhaps that was why she was so compassionate. Maybe she knew there was more than met the eye to Shinobi scratching their headbands and turning against the very village that raised them.

'He was angry for good reasons… I have been behaving like a fool,' Zabuza harshly stated. I could tell his behavior was something he truly disapproved of. I assume for him there was no worse crime then to show your emotions.

'You're not a fool.'

His silence told me he thought otherwise.

Not wanting to let it go so easily, I sit up. Placing my hand on his cheek, he stays unresponsive for the most part but I can feel his body relaxing underneath me.

'So… do I really have to marry you to stay here?' I ask on light tone. 'Or can I just stay?'

His eyes widen and I could tell his was utterly confused for a moment. Unsure of how to respond to this confession of mine. But in all honesty, I think I had unknowingly made this decision a while back…

After all, this man had saved me from myself.

I get pulled back to the memory of that afternoon, having one of the darkest moment of my life.

It had become a bittersweet memory in my mind. And I still felt uneasy at times when thinking back to it. But it turned out I wasn't as alone in that moment as I had thought. Though I felt he haunted me, it had been him to come and saved me. He had pulled trough were so many had left off.

'Don't stay… you'll only weaken my mind.'

His crude talking left me unfazed. So I smile in response and silence his wicked mouth with mine. Just a taste and we seemed to find ourselves in the same place again. I could see his eyes soften once more.

'Tell me about your plans, Zabuza.'

He takes a deep breath, pushing me closer to him so my head was back on his shoulder. I figured looking me straight in the eye and talking about the future was a bit much for him.
'I think…' he takes a sharp breath, disapproving of how he was almost going to put it. 'Haku will become a great Mizukage one day.'

It was a statement. A solid fact.

I smile at the reveal of his plan. I have to fight off the feeling to give him my look of approval so I instead place my mouth against his neck and inhale his scent. 'Sounds like a good plan.'

'I'll guide him but he needs to work harder, though…'

I snicker in response. Of course he does.

'I'll help you.'

The answer seems to shock him much like the earlier statement of me staying here but he remained unresponsive and quiet. Yet I could read his body language easily. I could feel it in his caresses, his fingertips touching my skin. He'd like that.

I wonder why it had taken me so long to figure out what he had given to me without any reluctance, without thought of me being able to do so. Reading his body.

'Why did you thank me?' I then ask. 'What for?'

'Everything…. Mostly your warmth.'

Not being able to help myself I sit up again, making eye-contact. His brown eyes still have soft look in them and for some reason it makes his lips look inviting. When I softly kiss him again, his lips confess a piece of his puzzling mind.

'You're really mine…'

I just nod while nuzzling my nose against his. He halts my movement by placing a hand on my cheek and lifting my chin up.

'You looked so… alone,' he suddenly started. 'When I was in your house and we were by ourselves, I could see it in your eyes. You seemed to be so alone… like I was. And I… I couldn't stop thinking of touching you.' The last part made his eyes roam over my body, as if relieving one of those moments.

I place a finger on his lips, trying to silence him. But he would have none of it, seemingly not minding he was behaving foolish once again.

'You turned me into your tool,' he added.

I frown at the words. It was a little harsh to hear but his honesty made me stop dead in my tracks.
Maybe sometimes I did try to manipulate him. After all, I was just as human as him.

Right now I guess I was kind of trying to make him hold back, make it easier on the both of us.
And perhaps because of what had been said earlier, I had been keen on making him as comfortable as he could around me… I didn't want to be another person restricting him.
But I suppose in order to do that, I would have to let him be. He too was trying to adept to a complete new life.

I realize the road ahead was long and tricky.

Biting my lip at the thought, I remind myself to take it one step at a time.

'You're not my tool,' I say while shaking my head at the idea.

'Haku is mine and you are his,' he continued while ignoring my words. He didn't sound as himself and I briefly wondered if the drugs were doing something weird to his mind.

'I figured the more I used him, the more you'd stay around… me.'

I stay silent and in my head all the little things added up now. Slowly piling up, making me look at him differently then before. I had pondered plenty about what everything had meant during any encounter we had have and now it all felt as if nothing had been truly accidental.

It almost felt as if fate had brought us here.

I gasp for air when realizing I was finally hearing the things I had longed to hear.

Someone who wanted me.

'We're no one's tools, Zabuza.'

'Of course we are,' he bitterly answers. I can tell all the talking is exhausting him.

I shake my head again, telling him he's wrong. Yet I don't leave no room to talk anymore. And with a few kisses I manage to calm his mind and body. It's complicated and delicate, whatever it is we have.

I know the word love would be a taboo and that the chance of him ever saying it, in any context, was non-existing. But I think I always knew that words meant nothing compared to actions and feelings. We shared a bond that no one but us could understand.
Perhaps that was what I had always missed in all my previous relationship, proof of its existence.

Words were simply not enough.

I let out a relaxed sigh, feeling very comfortable with the idea of being here. Zabuza's hand stays on my back, affirming he's glad to have me here.

A light knock on the door wakes us up from wherever we are. Revealing his usual pale face, I smile at the boy who got us here.

'You are awake!' he happily exclaims while walking towards us. 'How are you feeling, Zabuza?'
'Shut up.'
'Better I see,' he quickly responds with his usual smile.

His witty response makes me laugh out loud and I can sense Zabuza's annoyance. 'Hmph.'

'Should I inform the others?' he asks already turning around to do so. I halt him, telling him to shut the door and wait a little longer. He nods but not without telling me that Tsunade and Mei were waiting for me in the hall. I answer I don't want to leave just yet.

Withholding the information of him being awake for a few more minutes wasn't going to ruin anyone's life.

I reach out for Haku's hand when he comes to stand next to Zabuza's other side. When his holds mine, he gives it a light reassuring squeeze like he always does.
Zabuza grabs our hands, wanting to end the far too emotional gesture. I feel the pressure in his hand soften before abruptly ending our connection. Grabbing my wrist to lay down my hand on his chest.

'How do you always survive, Zabuza?' Haku snickers, ignoring the rather angry reaction from his teacher.
Zabuza responds with a cruel remark of him having some actual use to him at times or so he had been told. Not letting his softer side show any longer he then asks Haku if hadn't been slacking or using him as an excuse to postpone any of their goals.

'Of course not, Zabuza,' he smiles, unfazed by his outburst.
He then turns his attention to me, giving me his usual charming smile. 'Just take an angel by the wings,' he says answering his own question. 'Right, Zabuza?'

I respond with a blush, still flattered by the way he saw me. I mutter a faint thank you while hearing a growl come from Zabuza's throat. 'Stop acting like that!'

'Or are you still angry with me for that?' he asks Zabuza, who turns his head the other way.

Haku simply keeps smiling at me while I try to catch Zabuza's expression. I suppose my presence had strained their relationship at one point. And knowing him, he had tried to fight it off at first.

'Zabuza finds it a very stupid name but I supposed the same could be said of Demon of the Mist,' he grinned. I ignore the glare Zabuza sends him and try to hold my laughter back.

'He'd never called you that,' Haku then clarified for the sake of his precious reputation. I simply laugh while feeling Zabuza's grip harden on my hand, disapproving of my reaction.

I untangle my hand out of his grip and slide underneath his hand, letting it hold mine more gently then before. Letting it be, his thumb softly starts to caress my wrist.

Looking up from the sight, I now see Zabuza looking at me. His brown eyes are practically locked on mine and I forget Haku's presence for a few seconds. His silence is most welcoming as I'm done talking or questioning his motives.

I suddenly find the peace I had been longing for so long and it overwhelms me a little.

I snap out of my daze when feeling Haku's hand on my shoulder. When I look at him he gives me a peculiar smile I have never received before.

I smile back while realizing the child inside was merely hiding behind the adult mask it had been wearing since the very beginning. Overly excited by what was happening, he gives me a grateful look. Audible thanking me for all I have done for the both of them. Zabuza remains quiet, pretending to not hear. Haku merely keeps smiling.

He then tells me he has to inform the Mizukage of Zabuza's awakening.

'Why does she care?' Zabuza snapped.

'Because she values your abilities as a leader.' Ah, the quick answer caught him off guard and for a split second I see a surprised look on his tired face. His expression softens when Haku says she told him so herself and that he didn't have to worry about his position as it was not endangered. Getting all of this recognition and special treatment was foreign to him but he tried his best to simply accept it.

'I heard you suggested to the Mizukage that perhaps we should create a plan to provide guidance to fallen shinobi. Therapy sessions or other treatment to make them adjust to their new lives. Lovely idea, Sakura,' Haku said to me.

'Thank you, Haku.'

'I'll be right back,' Haku announced while walking out the room.

'If someone enters…' Zabuza quietly started while glancing at the door.
'I'll jump off the bed!' I jokingly answer.

Surprisingly, he gives me a smirk in response.

I swallow when still feeling my body tremble at the idea of what I was doing. I was still puzzling the pieces together and slowly accepted that the man of my dreams was not exactly who I'd imagined.

But that was the point of dreams; they were simply representation of what could be, presented by what we already knew in our minds.

It had taken some strange encounters and hard emotions but I felt ready now. I was ready for this life.
Whatever was ahead of me, wasn't going to be easy. I'd still be finding myself searching for answers at times. And since emotion didn't come naturally for Zabuza, I'd have to invest a lot of myself into helping him find them.

My hand caresses his arm and I sit up again, looking him daringly in the eye. He had put up his usual cold mask, pretending to be uninterested in whatever I was going to say. I think Haku's cheerfulness had perhaps asked a bit too much of him and so he now reacted in his usual way, cold and uncaring.

But I was out of words. So instead I kissed him again.

Feeling his hands roam over my body before hissing in pain, he pulls back. Cursing his own body he mutters when exactly he was going to be fully healed.
'Not anytime soon but…' I slyly tell him I could arrange something. He gives me a devilish smirk in return.

'Her lady Mizukage will be here shortly, she—'Haku halted when catching how we were entangled with one another. I could see faint blush on his cheeks before he regained himself.

'I don't believe that is an appropriate way of treating a patient, Sakura.'

Zabuza lets out a groan. 'When did he get so annoying!?'
'I don't know!' I start laughing at Haku's cunning expression while making an incredible accurate point.

'Or will there be some sort of union soon, hmm?' He then asks while his smirk widens.

'Great! Now he has a new plan for us,' Zabuza sardonically states. I frown for a moment before realizing he was talking about Haku wanting us to get together… officially.

'My plans always succeed, Zabuza. I've never failed you, have I?'

'Shut up!'

Smiling at their banter I suddenly feeling calm at seeing this very recognizable scene. I had been here before when I was younger. Suddenly their bond didn't seem as unlikely as it had always appeared to me. I was in a different position now, I suppose. Smarter. Braver. More capable.

'Get off of me,' Zabuza bluntly states, snapping me out of my thoughts. My smile falters and when I look up to see his eyes, I see conflict. I could see that demon flicking lividly inside of him.
Headstrong, I vow to never ever let him falter me again.
Ignoring his harshness and the coldness lingering on his face, I brush off the hard words and reach out to touch him.

Zabuza lets my hand travel from his cheek to his neck, to finally rest on his heart.

'You don't have to put on that mask.'

The end.

I've always wanted to write a happy ending for the three!
I am genuinely sad that this story is over… I loved writing this, it was actually kind of therapeutic for me.
I know this pairing doesn't make much sense but the truth is… I simply always loved the complexity of Zabuza's and Haku's relationship. I also don't want to pick popular characters for the sake of getting a ton of reviews. So thanks for giving this story a chance!

THANK YOU for simply reading, I truly hope you enjoyed the ending.
And THANKS to everyone who took the time to review, I appreciated each and every single one I received. Special thanks to AngelIre for the lengthy review from last chapter (it made me so happy!) and Cruisegirl86, LovelessDarkness and "Guest" for being so consistent too! Thank you guys so much, you made it fun and inspired me to keep going!

Until next time and once again, thank you for reading!

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