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Zabuza went downstairs where he noticed that Sumiyo had made some more food. He asked "Got any more barbeque?"
Sumiyo silently wondered why they had come down seperately, now she sensed some tension between them, but not the dangerous kind. Embarassment, perhaps? She kept her thoughts to herself and said "Hai, just a minute."
Zabuza looked at Nekomi. She glanced at him. He coughed. She looked away, both still embarassed about earlier.
Gaara asked "Aren't we supposed to go home soon, kassan?"
Nekomi was snapped out of her thoughts by that "Yes, we are. After we finish eating, let's get packed and go home." She decided she'd just try to forget about what had happened. She was grateful to Sumiyo for taking everyone out of the room. She would have hated it if the kids had seen her cry, had seen her broken. Them seeing her frozen was bad enough. She picked at the food Sumiyo had set in front of her.
She berated herself 'If I'm this weak, how will I build a village? A simple snake paralyzed me...' She frowned 'I feel so weak now. I didn't use to be like this...' Her encounter with Zabuza earlier had reminded her of one of her early meetings with Dai. Thinking of Dai brought up a tumult of feelings. Intense sorrow, reget, and ...longing...She missed him so and the thought that she could have saved at least him and her sons continued to haunt her. Nekomi did her best to hold herself together. She could sort herself out when they got back to Zabuza's. They needed to get Sumiyo and her son away before something bad happened to them. She said, in a monotone voice, "Good, everyone's done. Finish bringing your possessions here and I will seal them." They went upstairs. Nekomi took out a bigger scroll and her brush and ink. She prepared the scroll.
Gaara frowned at his kassan. What was wrong with her? She didn't show it one her face, but he could feel that something was wrong. He didn't know how, but he could. She was busy, though. She didn't like it when they interrupted her when she was busy. He stopped Naruto from going over.
Naruto said "Hey! Something's wrong with mom, move."
Gaara responded "I know, but she doesn't want us to bother her right now."
"I don't care!" Naruto tried to break free from Gaara.
Naruto was blocked from Nekomi again when Zabuza came back down. He had helped the two move their things down along with Haku. Nekomi silently sealed the items, one by one and gave the scroll around a half hour later to Sumiyo. She looked at them with a tired face "Hold on." They did. Nekomi teleported.
They were back at Zabuza's house. Nekomi took out a kunai and slashed her thumb, causing the party to cry out. She swiped it along the seal for the things they would need and then sheathed the kunai. She said "Make yourself at home." She said hollowly, and teleported again.
Zabuza panicked "She jumped again? Where did she go?" He looked around. Naruto was also missing.
Gaara said "Ototo must have gone after kassan, we've got to follow them!"
Zabuza was torn. Nekomi probably wanted to be alone, but Naruto could get hurt trying to follow her, if he even knew where she was. He said "I'll go. Haku, Gaara, you stay here. I'm also counting on you two to stay put." he looked at Sumiyo and Ishigo. They nodded. "I'll be back soon."
Gaara asked "How do you know where they are?"
Zabuza said "Hey, I'm a ninja, kid. I can track anything." He left.
Gaara remained behind, worried. He wished there was some way he could see what was going on.
Naruto had run out of the house as soon as Nekomi had vanished, completely focused on finding her. She had tried to teach them how to feel out energy, but he couldn't do that yet. He was just going in the direction that felt right. He ran, not just in urgency now, he was starting to get scared. It was growing dark and he kept hearing weird noises coming from the trees. He cried "Kassan! Where are you?!"
Nekomi had gone out to think and sort herself out about a half mile away from the house at a waterfall that she had found when she was out training by herself in the morning. She sat, trying to meditate and feeling generally sorry for herself until she picked up on a sound. It sounded like Naruto. "Naruto?" She called. She got up, panic rising. She used a jutsu to search her surroundings for chakra signatures within a mile. She found one, moving away. It was large, and red. 'Naruto!' She ran, not using Inabikari because it wasn't good for such short distances.
Naruto had nearly forgotten about finding his mother and was just running now, scared. He felt like something was following him. He skidded to a stop when he heard a howl and saw several big animals running towards him. They looked mean. "Kaasan!" He screamed as he ran faster than he had before.
Nekomi heard his scream. 'I'll be there in a second, hang on till then, naru!' When she got there, she saw a wolf about to pounce on an exhausted Naruto. She intercepted it and threw it off.
Naruto cried "Kassan!" He started to wail.
Nekomi said "Momma's here now. I'll protect you, Naru-chan."
He hugged her leg and Nekomi fought off the wolves with chakra blasts, not being able to get in close range attacks because she couldn't leave Naruto alone. She soon realized that this was a bad idea though, as she felt her chakra levels ebb dangerously low. It had taken more out of her to transport that many people than she thought and she was using too much chakra in the attacks. Her chakra control must have slipped because of how shaken up she was earlier. She didn't even have enough for a jump home. 'Damn it! What's the matter with me? Have I lost the ability to function completely? Now I've put us both in danger. I've been trying to drive them off and not kill them, which would be easier, because I don't want to kill in front of Naruto...Now, my energy's run out too much to use any more chakra based attacks and I can't do my kenjutsu moves with a seven year old on my leg.' She thoght 'I have just enough chakra to send him home. I'll do that, maybe then I can use Dai's sword to take care of them.' She said "I'm going to send you home, then I'll follow afterward, ok?"
"Don't leave me!" Naruto cried.
"I'm going to send you back home, don't be scared. Now shush, You need to be still." Nekomi took the second Naruto paused from crying and used the last of her chakra to send him home. When he vanished, Nekomi collapsed, then struggled to her feet with Dai's sword.
Meanwhile, Zabuza had been looking as hard as he could for Nekomi, following the sounds of crying, alarmed when he recognized it as Naruto. When the crying stopped, he grew more worried than before. He made it onto the scene to see a battered and bleeding Nekomi on her back, kicking a wolf off her blade. She killed three already, but it seemed the pack now wanted revenge on their fallen. They attacked.
Zabuza made ten copies of himself, hoping to scare the animals away. He said "You'll have to get by me first!" He and his bushins struck them at once with his zanbato. Finally, half dead, the wolves that were able to slunk off.
Zabuza went over to Nekomi. She had passed out. Zabuza checked her out. She had all the symtoms of chakra exhaustion and that looked to be her major problem, besides a few deep scratches that needed seeing to. He picked her up bridal style and carried her back to the house.
Sumiyo looked up in relief when the door opened. They had all been worried since Naruto appeared by himself. In walked a battered Zabuza and a bleeding, unconscious Nekomi in his arms.
Naruto and Gaara cried out. Zabuza said, gruffly "She's fine, just a few cuts and she ran out of chakra. She'll be back to normal in a day or two." He put her on his bed and took off her outer shirt, a sad look crossing his face for a moment, then said "Sumiyo, could you clean out her wounds?"
"Hai. You should let me look at yours too, Zabuza-dono."
Zabuza said "I'm fine."
"Still, it is best to prevent an infection. I may not be a medic nin, but I do know the basics. Ishigo, find the medical kit."
"Hai, kassan." He dug around for the kit amongst the things that Nekomi had unsealed. He came up with a strange rectangular looking case a few minutes later and handed it to Sumiyo. "I'll see to Nekomi-hime first, if you don't mind?"
Zabuza said "I told you I'm fine." Sumiyo ignored him and went off to check Nekomi's wounds. When the pot boiled, Ishigo brought her the water and a cloth. Zabuza thought 'Why did she go off by herself if she was that low on chakra? Was she that upset? Did I make it worse?' He felt guilty. Nekomi had just lost her husband. She probably wouldn't want that kind of attention at all for a long time. What if he had made it worse? What if he hadn't come along when he had? He decided to treat her strictly as a friend, even if he did feel something for her.
He sighed, usually when he was this frustrated, he'd go out and train, but it didn't feel like the right thing to do right now with Nekomi out of it. He looked at Naruto, who was laying in the kitchen on a mat. Sumiyo had already cleaned and bandaged him up and he was sleeping.
Ishigo asked "What happened out there? We got worried when he came back by himself."
Zabuza said "Nekomi must have sent him back. They had been attacked by wolves."
Ishigo said "Surely Nekomi-hime could have handled a few wolves."
Zabuza had thought about that too. He said "I didn't get there until she was by herself. I think she was trying to scare them off without killing them, because of Naruto. She must have run out of energy."
Ishigo said "I don't get it. If she had taken care of them at once, it shouldn't have been a problem."
Zabuza said "I guess Nekomi didn't want to kill in front of a six year old."
"Oh." Ishigo now looked embarassed. He hadn't thought about that.
Sumiyo came back. Everyone looked at her. She said "She'll be fine. I cleaned her wounds and wrapped them, but if I know a Wara, she'll be recovered by the morning."
Zabuza asked "That soon?"
"If Hanryo was any example, yes. I've wondered if accelerated healing was a bloodline abiliity of theirs."
"Good."
"Now, let me see to you."
"I'm..." Sumiyo interrupted "You might get infected if I don't see to those scratches. It won't take long. Now take off your shirt"
"I.." Sumiyo interrupted again "Unless you want me to take it off for you." Zabuza had a faint blush, embarassed as he took his shirt off. Sumiyo appraised his wounds. Not bad. She cleaned them out and then put medicine on them. He hissed. She said "It will keep them from getting infected." She then wrapped them up, not failing to notice through all this that he had a very good build and several scars already. Definately a fighter. As soon as she had finished, Zabuza looked to put his shirt back on, but it was gone.
Sumiyo had it. She said "You should change your pants too, they're dirty." She had the shirt, washing it.
Zabuza grunted and got another shirt from the bedroom. He found one and put it on, then turned around to look at Nekomi. She was looking at him. She said, just loud enough for him to hear "I did something foolish, didn't I?"
Zabuza went over and sat down. He said quietly, "You're not supposed to be awake yet."
She said "I lost control of my emotions, Zabuza. The incident earlier, if that had been it, I...could have handled that, but..."
Zabuza said "I'm sorry if I made it worse..."
Nekomi shook her head "No, what you did, it was something that reminded me of Dai, that's it. Nothing big, it's just, the thoughts are still there. Did you see the part, at the end..." She trailed off.
Zabuza realized she must mean the part when she was going to...he grew alarmed "You're not..."
Nekomi said, tiredly, "No, I have to take care of the boys, but what kind of mother am I? Look what almost happened to Naruto." A desolate hope appeared in her eyes for a moment "You seem like a capable father, maybe if I..."
Zabuza cried out "No!" He caught himself and made it a whisper just in time. He said "I am not a capable father and I can't take care of those brats by myself. They need you! Damn it, Nekomi, don't tell me you're still thinking about that!"
Nekomi cried, louder "You don't know how it feels! I walk in to find my family dead! All of them dead! If I had refused orders and stayed home instead of going to guard the compound I could have saved them, damn it! I could have saved them!" She screamed.
The scream woke up Naruto and he and Gaara ran in the room, despite Ishigo trying to hold them back.
Zabuza said "No, Nekomi, you..."
Nekomi glared at him and cried "Like I saved so many more lives by standing guard? If I had been home I could have saved them!"
"You don't know that!"
"I could have taken them out! I took out six summoned snakes on my own larger than my home!"
"You think someone else could have taken them? They'd just end up inside the village. You did what you thought was right..."
Nekomi cried "No! I followed orders! And look where it got me!"
"Everyone would have still died! Even if you could have done better at home, only those around you would have survived. If that! You were almost killed yourself!"
Nekomi cried "That would have been enough!"
Zabuza cried "There was nothing you can do! You can't change the past!"
Nekomi broke down at that and cried, not caring anymore if they all heard "I make such big plans, but how can I fulfill them? How can I be a kage when I can't even save my own family? Who would follow me?" She closed her eyes and hung her head on her knees as she wept hot tears. She soon felt two pairs of small arms around her. She opened her eyes, though her vision was blurry because of the tears.
Naruto was crying too "You saved me!"
Gaara cried "You saved me too!"
Naruto said "I'll follow you, kassan!"
Gaara said "Me too! Don't leave!"
Naruto said "You said you'd never leave us again! You promised!"
Nekomi smiled sadly at them, remembering when she had first met them. She had told them that. She asked "Do you really want me for a mother? I couldn't...what if I..."
Gaara said "You're the strongest! You beat my demon! I can sleep now!"
Naruto said "I thought I was dead, you saved me! You can beat anything!"
Gaara said "You were the first person I met who wasn't scared of me."
Naruto said "You were the first person who was nice to me. I wouldn't leave you even if you told me to!" He stated and crossed his arms.
Gaara said "Me neither! You're the only kassan I want!"
Nekomi was touched by this. Her eyes watered again as she felt a warm feeling begin to replace the dark one. 'These two would have died if I hadn't saved them and she didn't doubt Naruto's words. Maybe...I'm not a failure...maybe they're right...maybe..."
Haku cried "You're the best thing that's happened to me since Zabuza-san found me!" Then she stepped back with a slight blush, embarassed at her outburst.
Then Zabuza stepped up. He didn't look Nekomi in the eyes, not wanting to embarass her. He said "Look, Nekomi. I'm sorry I yelled at you, but, the kids are right. You're the strongest kunoichi, no, the strongest ninja I know. If you were still out there, you'd be at the top of the bingo books. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has things they wish didn't happen in their pasts, but we live on and do the best we can. You want to make a new life in the village. Make it there. I'd be glad to be a ninja under you, as long as we still get to spar."
He smiled as he met her eyes for a moment at the sparring comment. This, combined with his speech, helped raise Nekomi's spirits almost as much as the kids.
Sumiyo said "I speak for the both of us, Hime-sama. We would follow you gladly and speak of your identidy to no one."
Nekomi sniffed, although her heart felt less burdened. 'I'm not over Dai, or the boys, or the loss of my people. I may never be, but...I have a new family now and...A new job. I'll start a new life, and I won't make the same mistakes...' She smiled. "Thanks. I needed to hear that." She fell back on the bed "I'll start tomorrow." Before she did, she gave them all a smile that lit up the room. They all smiled in reflex.
The next day, early, Nekomi woke up to find a boy lying on either side of her. She smiled, glad to be out of the dark depths that she was in yesterday. She began creating clones as soon as she had moved the boys to the side.
Zabuza woke up just as he felt a large burst of chakra. "Wha...Nekomi?"
Nekomi was laying down. "Nekomi, wake up. Something's going on!" He hissed.
Nekomi said, tiredly, "I just started off our new life, Zabuza-kun."
It took Zabuza a couple of minutes to understand what she was talking about, having just woke up "Oh, you sent out your clones?"
"Yeah, and now I'm gonna go back to sleep. I just used up all the chakra that I had stored since yesterday."
"Nekomi?"
"Yeah?"
"When are we..."
Nekomi interpreted his question and said "We'll leave in a couple of days when I have enough energy back to take us and begin work. You can send out your own clones out tomorrow." She trailed off at the end and soon Zabuza heard her breathing deepen. He had opened his mouth to ask her another question, but now he closed it, and smiled slightly, glad that she was back to normal.
The next day...
Nekomi woke up. She had slept for the whole day and night before. She woke up to find only Sumiyo in the house. She soon caught her gaze.
"Ah, Nekomi-hime, the boys are out training. I'll let them know you're awake."
Nekomi smiled "No, let me surprise them." She rose and went outside quietly, to watch the training. She saw Zabuza with a bamboo pole sparring with Ishigo who had the same. She smiled as she saw Zabuza sweep him off his feet several times, then as Ishigo got him once. She chuckled and looked for the children.
To her surprise, Gaara and Naruto were showing Haku the training excercise that she had shown them to practice chakra control. She could see that Haku was getting it quickly and it frustrated Naruto. She chuckled. Chakra control would be hardest for him, as he had the most, but once he learned how to control it properly, he would be one heck of a ninja. She watched some more without making herself known. As the wind blew her hair back gently. She smiled. It was...peaceful.
Naruto was the first to spot her. He cried out "Kassan!" and ran over, grabbing onto her leg. She was pushed back a little by his speed.
"Ohayo, Naruto-kun."
"You're awake! Yay!" She ruffled his hair.
"Yes, I am."
Soon Gaara came over too and hugged her. She hugged him back "Ohayo, Gaara-kun."
Zabuza and Ishigo also came over. Ishigo said "Ohayo, Nekomi-hime."
Zabuza said "About time you got up." With a smile "Now I can spar with someone."
"You were sparing with me."
Zabuza said "Someone who is a challenge."
Ishigo said, offended, "Well, excuse me!"
Nekomi smiled "Don't take offense, Ishigo, Zabuza likes to antagonize people. It's part of his tough guy act."
"It's not an act."
Nekomi said "Sorry." She rolled her eyes, but saw that Ishigo was back to smiling. She said "Besides, I'm sure you'd catch on fast enough with steady training." She then turned to Zabuza "While I'd love a spar, we're moving tomorrow, so you need to send out your clones."
Zabuza asked "Moving?"
Nekomi answered "Moving to the cliffs. Work has to begin. They will return in two weeks."
Zabuza asked "Two weeks? Will that be long enough?"
Nekomi answered "That will be long enough for a start, but we should rest up today. You need to send out your clones and I need to save up some more energy for tomorrow."
Zabuza said "Hey, I don't know how to make those kind of clones."
Nekomi answered "Just make kage bushin, since they're in mist, it shouldn't be that hard to make more and send them out if they dispel. Make sure you disguise them though. Do it after lunch, though. I think Sumiyo's almost finished."
After lunch, Zabuza made the clones with Nekomi's instruction and sent them off. The next day they moved to the cliffs.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO This was probably my longest chapter ever, so please forgive any spelling mistakes. I expect a time skip in around three chapters, but depending on how the story goes, it may be more or less than that. Don't forget to RandR. Jiao.