Chapter 12

                                    

                                          
Previously
                          
Haku couldn't remember nor describe the sensation of those last moments. His mind floated in a dark place and he could hear his regretful thoughts echoe. Naru, I'm sorry. I didn't get to properly present my apologies for lying in your prescence. I know you despise that gravely. All I can ask is for you to forget me...
                          
Master... thank you for taking care of me. You were a father to me and helped me while I was lost. All I ask is for your well-being.
                          
---
                          
When Haku fluttered his eyes open again, Zabuza was next to him. 'What's going on? Didn't I take the hit for Master?' He looked to his clothes. They were ruined in one section and a humongous blood stain was concentrated in the same area.
                          
"Haku." Startled, he wasn't able to answer right away. "...Y-yes?" 
                          
"Do you remember what happened in that instant?" 
                          
'Instant?' "I don't understand..." The swordsman placed his rough hand on his shoulder and gestured to the blonde lying on the floor before them. "Naru!" Panic grew in his eyes.
                          
"So you knew him..." Haku turned back his companion. Zabuza began staring up to the sky then collapsed in exhaustion. "Master!"
                          
"Leave him be." Kakashi stated from his exhausted state, laying on the ground as his only unscathed student continue to bandage Naruto's wounds despite his nervous hands. "He hasn't rested... from our fight." 
                          
"W-what happened?" 
                          
"Who knows, it was all in... in an instant... and I hate myself for it," the copy Jounin breathily, weakly answered, later falling unconscious. Haku rushed over to Naruto's side once informed that his master didn't necessarily need immediate medical attention. 
                          
"Hey." Sasuke stated, "Do me a favour and bring Sakura here. She's the long haired girl that was with us. She might be better at doing this than I am." Of course, Haku obeyed to make the story continue on and he, with a little shake, woke unconscious Sakura. 
                          
She gasped seeing Naruto's state, sweaty and bloodied with a hole in his torso. "Hands off!" The kunoichi screeched against Sasuke for once. "Let me do it. You're making it worse! You don't want him to die do you?!" 
                          
"( ﾟーﾟ)" Sasuke replied, 'I was just trying to help.'
                          
Haku made no comment on the scene and only moved once Sakura commanded so. "Um, you! Can you help carry the others?" He obeyed without an ounce of hesitation. 'Who was he again?' Seems like Sakura forgot Haku's general appearance and wasn't nervous nor guilty about technically 'bossing' him around.
                          
"Where are we headed?" Sasuke stated as he hoisted his teacher onto his shoulders, vaguely struggling with the task. 
                          
Haku mimicked Sasuke's action with his own master and stayed silent. "Tazuna's house." The girl stated, completing the first aid that she could manage. It didn't do too much but would make do for now. 
                          
As they arrived, Sasuke was up front and called out for help. Everyone wandered outside the building and rushed to their rescue, only periodically stopping when seeing the enemy. "Are they safe?"
                          
"Sorry, but this isn't the time. We need to get everyone inside."
                          
Abiding by Sakura's surprisingly calm statements, everyone hobbled inside. The two unconscious, exhausted males were laid gently, unbothered on the floor while Naruto received immediate attention from Tsunami. ('Cause why not?)
                          
"Well, there's no need to worry about him. He's recovering quickly despite the fatal injury though it'd still be best for a doctor to look at." She stated. The female Genin nodded in understanding and pulled Sasuke aside, speaking in a hushed tone. "Mind explaining? Before they seemed to be our enemies now their, well, here." By then, she seemed to recognize that familiar presence of the brunet.