Author Notes: Hello again everyone and enjoy this final chapter :)

Warnings: None. Words in italics are taken directly from the episode.

Rating: 'T'

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

- Chapter Start -

Naruto found Tazuna sitting on the verandah outside his home, fishing rod in hand. He looked the same as always, but the shabby clothes he had worn before were replaced by newer looking ones.

"Hey! Old man Tazuna!" Naruto called, waving both arms.

Tazuna looked up and squinted through his glasses.

"Who are you?"

"It's me, Naruto Uzumaki! Don't you remember me?"

"Why, so it is you. My, you have grown quite a bit, haven't you?"

"Sure have!" Naruto struck a pose and laughed. "It's great to see you again. Where's Inari?"

A head poked out from the door, round eyes lighting up in recognition.

"Naruto-nii-san!"

Inari had grown into a tall twelve year old. He tackle hugged Naruto before pulling him inside the house where a smiling Tsunami greeted him and insisted he stay for lunch. Naruto spent a few happy hours catching up on what had happened in the Land of Waves over the past three years and then enjoying the delicious food Tsunami prepared.

With Gato gone for good, the village was prospering once more. The Great Naruto Bridge saw heavy traffic everyday, business was good and Inari had even taken up apprenticeship under Tazuna.

"Yes, we're all doing well now. It's thanks to you, your teammates and of course, Kakashi Hatake," Tazuna said.

"I'm just glad we could help," Naruto replied. He turned to grin at Inari. "Hey, guess who I met in the woods this morning? He said he's a friend of yours."

"Haku?" Inari guessed, smiling happily.

"That's another good thing that has happened," Tsunami said. "He and Zabuza are running an orphanage in the village."

Naruto stared at her in shock. Not so much for Haku, but...

"Zabuza Momochi?" he repeated. "Taking care of children?"

"And doing a fine job of it," Tsunami praised.

Naruto stared at her while Tazuna snorted.

"Hmph. Must be all Haku's doing," the bridge builder said. "That boy can charm the birds from the trees."

"That's true," Naruto agreed. Coming to a decision, he patted his full stomach and stood up. "You know, I think I'll take a walk around the village to work off all the delicious food I ate."

Inari grinned at him.

"Interested in seeing the orphanage?" he guesed. "I'll give you a guided tour. The orphanage will be our last stop and we can have dinner there."

Naruto blinked. He had to admit he was curious, but...

"That's great, Inari," he said. "But I'm not sure we should er, impose on them. I mean... well, orphanages are run by donations, right?"

Tsunami laughed.

"It's quite alright, Naruto," she said with a smile. "Inari practically lived there during the early days when he and my father were helping to build the place. If it will make you feel better, you can take them my leftover stew. There's plenty left."

- o -

Cleaning the herbs and boiling them took a good two hours.

Once the medicine was cooled and bottled, Haku had a much needed bath and washed his hair before dressing in a clean kimono. He sat before the mirror and picked up his hairbrush, smiling when a tall shadow fell across him. Calloused fingers plucked the brush from his fingers and wielded it with unexpected gentleness, drawing the bristles slowly through his damp tresses.

"I met someone in the woods this morning," Haku remarked after a moment. The hairbrush paused for a tiny moment before continuing its downward stroke.

"Anyone we know?"

"Naruto Uzumaki."

The hairbrush dropped to the floor with a clatter. Haku held back a smile at Zabuza's shocked reflection in the mirror.

"He recognised you."

"Yes, he did." Haku retrieved the hairbrush and held it over his shoulder.

"So he knows. Is that why he's here?"

"No, his only purpose in coming here is to visit Inari and Tazuna."

Zabuza's scowl deepened.

"That brat comes here almost everyday and that drunken old fool will spill everything," he growled, but his brush strokes remained even and gentle.

Zabuza's bark was worse than his bite nowadays. Haku hid his smile, recalling their first conversation three years ago after Kakashi Hatake had left them in that hut.

"I'm still alive then," Haku said, wanting confirmation he hadn't died.

"We both are," Zabuza said simply. "Rest now, Haku. You need to heal."

"You as well, Master Zabuza."

"I'll be fine."

They were lying side by side on a worn pallet, facing each other. A warm and expectant silence fell before Zabuza swallowed, looking vaguely uncomfortable.

"I want to tell you something, Haku. Something I should have said many years ago."

Haku's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything.

Zabuza took a deep breath and began, his voice low.

"All those years we were together, I never once said thank you. I never once told you I appreciated your assistance. I never once credited you for all the times you saved my life."

Haku's eyes smarted. After so many years of being trained not to expect kindness or sympathy from Zabuza, he didn't know how to react to those words.

"So thank you, Haku. Thank you for staying by my side... for taking care of me... for living your life for me."

"You don't have to thank me, Master Zabuza," Haku choked out. "My only purpose in life is to serve you."

Zabuza's expression was unusually pensive.

"Even now?"

Haku nodded fervently, his eyes brimming with tears.

"I was happy when I realised I could serve you with my last breath. I am happier now because I can continue to stay by your side and serve you."

Slowly, Zabuza moved one hand to cover Haku's slender one.

"Then do something for me," he ordered.

"Just name it and I will obey."

"Allow me, Haku. Allow me to do the same for you."

Despite his change of heart, Zabuza hadn't turned into an angel overnight. He was too set in his ways and remained stoic and serious. He never smiled, not once, not even when they were alone.

It didn't matter to Haku. He had seen the sliver of warmth under that cold exterior and was only too happy to nurture it with love and patience. Their relationship grew from master and subordinate to equals and soon after, to lovers.

A final stroke through his almost dry hair and the brush was put down.

"It's time to prepare dinner," Zabuza said. "Go round up the children."

Haku nodded and got up.

On the outside, Zabuza appeared as cold and unyielding as ever, but when four year old Hitomi dropped her bowl of soup, Zabuza merely grumbled at her for being careless. When seven year old Akira hit his thumb instead of the nail with his hammer, Zabuza just scolded him for being clumsy and then praised him when he got it right.

And whenever Haku was at times overwhelmed by the sheer number of children wanting his attention all at the same time, Zabuza would appear and motion with his head for Haku to slip away for a much needed break while he himself waded into the throng of whining querulous children.

Each of those moments and many others were proof that Zabuza cared. Haku kept them all close to his heart like the treasures they were, happier than he had ever been before.

- o -

The orphanage was a medium sized building with a grassy patch of land in front that served as a playground. Half a dozen young children playing there looked up at their visitors and made a beeline for Inari with glad cries of "Inari-nii-san!"

Naruto hung back, pleased to see his young friend treated like the big brother he was. When Inari introduced him as the person The Great Naruto Bridge was named after, he was treated to round eyed stares of awe before being pulled inside the building.

There were twenty children living there, ranging from three year old Sayori to seventeen year old Hideki. They were well mannered and obedient, the older ones helping to prepare dinner and the younger ones setting the table.

Naruto suspected this was all the result of Haku's kind nature especially since Zabuza didn't seem all that pleased to see him. But really, thought Naruto to himself with a grin, who would have ever thought the infamous Demon of the Mist would swap his Executioner's Blade for an apron?

- o -

"Kakashi sensei never said anything about you two. He's good at keeping secrets," Naruto admitted with a wry smile, hands wrapped around a piping hot cup of tea.

"He made us promise to stay in this village for the rest of our lives," Zabuza explained, "and to ensure the safety of everyone here."

Naruto frowned.

"Is that why you started this orphanage?"

"No. That wasn't our plan, not at first," Haku explained. "We had already built a small house here, right at the end of the road. Inari showed up one evening as we were about to eat dinner."

"That brat eats like a horse and he brought two orphans with him the very next day," Zabuza growled. "thinking we had the means to feed extra mouths."

Naruto smiled. He had seen for himself how well cared the children were and even peeked into the comfortable boys and girls' bedrooms.

"So you expanded your home to take the children in?"

"Yes, we did," Haku replied. "Gato's evil ways had created many orphans and it was the least we could do. Once the villagers knew what we were doing, they all came to lend a hand, especially Tazuna."

Naruto nodded, his heart warmed by the story.

"You won't give away our secret, will you?" Haku asked after a moment, worry lurking in his large brown eyes.

"Nah," Naruto said easily. "I grew up an orphan and I... well, I had a tough time getting accepted in my village. Why would I say anything when you two are doing something good?"

Then his smile widened, blue eyes twinkling impishly.

"So... where's the bedroom you two share then?"

Zabuza's right eye twitched, but Haku just laughed and reached up to plant a smacking kiss on his lover's cheek.

Seeing them like this, Naruto couldn't help recalling that fateful day on the bridge three years ago. Haku's apparent death had been his first brush with the harsh reality of a ninja's life and Zabuza's cold and unfeeling reaction had been too cruel for Naruto to bear. The scolding he had given Zabuza was unrehearsed and unplanned, but it came straight from the heart and finally, the hardened Demon of the Mist had shed tears of remorse.

"You talk too much," Zabuza had said. "Your words cut deep... deeper than any blade. While he fought you... his heart was breaking in two. You see, Haku was always too soft and too kind. He felt pain and sorrow and now, curse him, I feel them too!"

But in the end, the story had found a happy ending.

- o -

As soon as Naruto returned to the Leaf Village, he made a beeline, not for Ichiraku Ramen, but the Memorial Stone. As he had hoped, Kakashi Hatake was standing before it.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

The jounin turned around and gave his trademark eye smile.

"It's you, Naruto."

"Yeah, I just got back."

"How was your visit to the Land of Waves?"

"It was great!" Naruto beamed. "Inari is growing up fast and the village is doing really well. The Great Naruto Bridge is always bustling with people."

"I'm glad to hear it."

A minute of comfortable silence passed between them before Naruto cleared his throat.

"There's even an orphanage in the village to take care of the homeless children who used to roam the streets."

Kakashi glanced at him, eyebrow going up when Naruto grinned.

"That orphanage is being run by this really tall muscular guy and and a young man who is still prettier than any girl I've ever seen."

"Really?" Kakashi murmured.

Naruto nodded and turned to look at the memorial stone, hands in his trouser pockets.

"Yeah. I never saw the older man smile, but he looks pretty contented. And the younger one smiles all the time."

He turned back to Kakashi who nodded slowly, his uncovered eye smiling.

"It's amazing what a little kindness can do, isn't it, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi chuckled then and nudged Naruto in the shoulder.

"It is indeed, Naruto. Not to mention a few hard hitting words right to the heart."

- Story End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it, please leave a review?