Zabuza gently removed the mask from Haku's face. Haku coughed blood onto Zabuza's face. Haku giggled deliriously. "I'm sorry I got your face wrap all dirty."

"It'll all come out in the wash kid, it'll be fine."

Haku smiled. "But I won't be."

"Don't talk like that you'll be fine, it's just a gun wound I've taken dozens of them."

"I'm not as strong as you. You don't become quicker than a speeding bullet, if you can just shrug them off." Haku bit his lip and grunted in pain. He grew serious suddenly. "What was I to you?"

"What?"

"Me, Haku, what was I to you, in your life."

Zabuza thought about it, for a good long time, maybe longer and harder than he'd thought about anything before. "You're a weapon. You're a powerful weapon."

"And you're a demon." Haku hissed, more out of pain than anger. "You're so cold and serious, emotions bounce right off of you. I think that's why we trust you; you're not distracted by emotions. You'll make a great Mizukage, you're strong and fearless, but…"

"Save your strength."

"I don't need it. I give all my strength to you, just like I always have, but now I give you the strength you really need, the one thing that Naruto is stronger than you in. The only thing that matters for the Mizukage."

"What?" Zabuza was hanging on his words.

"Could you just be human, could you do that for me? If not for me, for the People of the Hidden Mist, they need a human to guide them, not another demon." Haku fell silent. He looked up at the sky, blinked twice, let out a sigh, and passed away.

Zabuza wrapped his hand around his sword. "You." He growled. Looking over at the short little man and his army of thugs. "You killed Haku!"

Naruto flinched at the gore that ensued. "Shouldn't we help them? It's a blood bath!" His stomach churned as he saw a head rolling his way.

Kakashi shook his head. "Our mission is to protect the bridge builder, and right now Gato is the main threat. Since Zabuza is no longer in his employ, he is no longer our enemy."

Saskue staggered to his feet, and tore a few needles out of his arm. "Just like that?" Kakashi nodded. "After he hunted us down like animals, Naruto couldn't eat solid food for a week!"

Kakashi shook his head. "You need to realize that nothing he did was out of spite or malice, this was simply a job to him."

Naruto squeezed his fist shut. "I don't get how you can say that. That our lives are just jobs; you hold human life in such little regard."

Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder. "Naruto, you have to think that way to be a ninja. If you care for everyone you fight and hold them in the same way you hold your friends, then, you'll go crazy!"

Naruto looked over at Haku. He'd seen how accurate he could be. Taking out Zabuza in a single shot. Naruto looked over his wounds. They hurt and they bleed, but they could have been worse. Haku could have killed him in one shot if he wanted to, but he didn't. "Maybe not." He whispered.

"Naruto, the ninja who cares." Saskue coughed. "Look sharp."

Zabuza approached them. His swords still in hand, he looked a little high off of the blood he'd just spilt. Sakura gasped, behind him lay a graveyard. "Kakashi." He announced picking up Haku's Corpse. "It's been an honor." The mist engulfed the two of them leaving Naruto and his friends alone on the bridge.

Kakashi collapsed on the ground exhausted. "Team Kakashi's first S-rank mission, successful."

XxxAuthors Notes xxX

Hey guys, sorry for ANOTHER short one, and on such an important battle to. Honestly I'm disappointed with myself, but I wrote and rewrote so may drafts of this and they where all just terrible, so I figured I needed something to get me out of the slump, so I kind of just plowed through this part, I'm sorry.

I also blame the fact that I've had Mono for the last two weeks. I've lost 16 pounds in eight days, and I've been so tired I couldn't even sit up at a computer, let alone type, but I'm better now.

I've got the next chapter planed out, it'll be nice and long, it's have plot twists and a fight and character development and relationships, it should be all that and a bag of chips.

Thanks to everyone for supporting me, and I hope that you stick with me over this little rough patch I'm going through, I love you all and see you in a few weeks!