A Second Chance at Winter...

(Pilot Chapter)

I've been writing pairings and romance stories forever and have never put one up before... so Here's my first Romance Fic. A NaruXFemHaku. Also I want reviews People! Please... I really feel good when I get feedback... and it helps make me finish my stories.... Like ' War of Ages', Necro-Naruto, and other such fics that I have written. So please review!

~ Mugan Von Hellscream

Dark clouds loomed over the Hidden Village of Konoha, winter had descended over the village and snow covered tree and building alike. As children in the snow and adults enjoyed the peacefulness of winter a lone pair of blue eyes watched with sadness. Naruto Uzumaki sat on the edge of his window gazing out at the veil of white that had swept over his village. How long has it been now... five... six years? His eyes trailed down to his hand and the Item clutched in it, half of a porcelain mask.

With a sad sigh he stood up and walked over to kitchen table. Sitting down he looked at the Ramen he had cooked himself a moment earlier. He slid it away and set the mask fragment in front of him. I wonder how you would be now... how much you would have changed... Would you still remember me...Haku...

He slowly began to trace the slightly faded markings on the mask with his fingers and he gave another sad sigh. "I see you when it snows in crystals dancing down... from a sultry sky, when silence is pure and unbreakable. I can see you smiling in every frozen tear... I can hear you whisper. "You and I?"

Memories of the secret time they had spent together flashed through his mind and his eyes started to shimmer with un-shed tears. "Little did we know that they were life itself... the days passing by... We both had our share in the sacrifice... Once upon a time we had something beautiful... Once upon a time I thought "You and I..."

"...Take me wherever the answer lingers in the sand... show me the way as the story unfolds... love is remote in this wailing winter wonderland... show me the way to the Temp-" A sudden knock on the door caused Naruto to snap out of his thought and he stood up. Walking over towards the door he set the piece of Haku's mask on the counter as he passed.

Opening the door he smiled see Sakura and Lee both in winter clothing and festive hats on their heads. "Hello, Naruto-kun!" Lee said cheerfully. "How are you doing on this youthful day?"

"I'm doing fine Lee." Naruto said with a grimace, turning to Sakura he then said "I thought you got him to stop doing that."

She shrugged "It slips every once in awhile... and besides its kinda cute. Anyway, Lee and I where wondering if we could come in for a moment." Naruto nodded and stood aside as the pair walked into his home. After closing the door behind them he walked past Lee and Sakura who were taking off their heavy jackets and boots.

"So, what's up?" Naruto asked as he sat in his chair. "I take it both off you are still hitting it off rather nicely." Sakura blushed and Lee gave a wide grin. Sakura had decided to give up on Sasuke after their last encounter with the lost Uchiha and after a few months Lee had finally got her to go out with him. The two have been happily dating for a year and a half now. They were a nice couple and she was able to keep Lee's antic down to a minimal.

"I'll take that as a yes." Naruto said as he reached for his Ramen. "So..." He said as he pulled apart his chopsticks. "What is it?"

Sakura blush deepened and Lee gave her an encouraging nod. Sakura raised her left hand and Naruto began to choke on his noodles. "Akk-urk! Your engaged!?" He asked wide eyed as he stared at the ring on her finger. "When the hell did this happen?"

Sakura smiled "Last night, after a great dinner. I haven't even told Ino yet." She glanced at the ring and squealed in delight as if she had just seen it for the first time again.

Naruto stood up and put a congratulatory hand on Lee's shoulder. "Good job Lee... you tamed the Banshee." Naruto had to dodge a quick punch from Sakura and he laughed before smiling at her. "I'm really happy for you."

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you... but that's not the only reason we came... My father died along time ago... and I asked Kakashi-Sensei to give me away."

Lee wrapped an arm around Naruto's shoulder and grinned "And I want you to be my best man."

Naruto stared at Lee with wide eyes. "M-me? B-but what about Gai? Neji? Uh... Shikamaru?" Naruto asked nervously.

Lee chuckled and smiled "You are my trusted friend Naruto-kun... and I already have plans for Gai-Sensei and Neji. I want you to be my best man, I would be honored and it will make Sakura-chan very happy."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Please Naruto, your the closest thing I have to a big brother... and I will hunt you down if you don't." She said the last part in a sickly sweet voice.

Naruto after a moment chuckled in defeat and nodded. "Fine... I'll be more than happy too."

Sakura smiled and nodded "Great, I'm going to go tell Ino and the rest of our friends." She had her jacket on and was putting on her boots in a blink of an eye. "Lee-kun, I want you to stay with Naruto, I'll be back to pick you both up once I got everyone together."

She was out the door and Naruto chuckled. "Your going to be very tired in the coming months... and that's saying something considering what you do everyday." Naruto turned to Lee and said "You want something to drink?"

Lee nodded with a smile. "Yes, I would thank you." Naruto nodded and walked away towards his fridge. "Let's see what I got in here.

Lee looked around Naruto's apartment a was surprised to see how clean it was. As he was looking his eyes glanced over an object on the counter. Walking over to it he picked it up and examined it. Is... is this an ANBU mask!? Could Naruto-kun be in...

"...All I have is orange juice, I'd offer you saki but knowing you I-" Naruto froze seeing Lee holding one of his most treasured possessions.

Lee looked over to see Naruto gazing intently at the fragment and Lee stiffened. "I swear I won't say a word Naruto-kun, I didn't mean to discover your secret Identity."

Naruto blinked at Lee and after a moment realized what he was hearing. "R-relax Lee... I'm not in ANBU..."

Lee visibly relaxed and smiled. "Oh... for a moment their... I thought I had learned an A-Class Secret." Lee looked at the fragment and then asked "May I ask... what is this?"

Naruto walked over to Lee and carefully took the fragment from him while passing the glass of orange juice. "...It belonged to someone very important to me... she... understood how I felt... and we spent a lot of time with eachother..."

Lee smiled "Oh, were you two in love?"

Naruto flinched at the word and looked up at Lee. "... I... I really don't know... I really didn't know what love was back then..."

With a grin Lee put a hand on his shoulders. "So this happened a long time ago... keeping that for this long definitely shows you two had strong affections for eachother."

Naruto's eyes saddened. "Lee... did... has Sakura ever told you about our first C-ranked mission?"

Lee nodded with a raised eyebrow."Yes... why do you ask?" Lee's other eyebrow then shot up. "Oh, Did you meet her their?"

Naruto nodded. "She was the adopted daughter of a famous swordsmen..."

Lee grinned "Really? That is very amazing... So what happened between you? How did you meet?"

Naruto grinned sadly. "Like usual I was training to try and beat the teme... I guess I must have passed out from exhaustion... and when I woke up... she was their picking herbs."

"She was very sweet and very flattering..." He said with a chuckle. "I asked her if I could help and she taught me somethings about herbs while I was picking them with her... you know... she tried to trick me into thinking she was a boy."

Lee laughed at that and Naruto laughed along with him. "I almost believed her too... but their is no way a boy can look that feminine or look that good in a pink Kimono."

"We met the next day... and the next, for about a week..." His smile faded. "but then the Battle of the Bridge happened... the fight with Momochi Zabuza ... and the Masked Hunter-nin."

Lee nodded knowing how the battle went. "What happened next?"

Naruto shrugged. "Nothing...

Lee raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?"

"We finished the bridge soon after that and went home." Naruto said leaning back in his chair.

Lee after a moment smiled brightly "Why don't you go see her? If you have kept that for so long both of your feelings for eachother must have survived just as long."

Naruto's face fell. "I can't..."

"Why not?" Lee asked with a look of shock.

"She... she died." Naruto replied sadly.

Lee's eyes widened, then saddened. "I'm... I'm sorry..." He said looking away.

Naruto was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "... she died protecting her father you know..." Naruto said looking at the mask. "...and he died soon after protecting her honor... I wish everyday I could have done something... Something to stop their deaths... but... I couldn't..."

Lee put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault Naruto-kun..." Naruto didn't respond. After a moment he continued.

"I buried her... her and her father... they were both good people... they just got the short end of the stick..." Naruto ran his thumb over the fragment and sighed.

"I'm really sorry... Naruto-kun... I didn't know..." Lee said apologetically.

Naruto shook his head. "Don't feel bad about it Lee... Like you said... you didn't know..."

Lee after a moment asked "Do... do you know who did it?"

Naruto nodded "Of course I know... I saw Kakashi do it."

Lee's stood their staring at him in shock. "Wh-What!?"

Naruto shook his head. "Lee... her name was Haku..." He whispered. "She was the Masked Hunter-nin."

Lee was gaping at him in shock. "She... but..." It was a long moment before Lee could speak. "Naruto-kun... I'm truly sorry I brought this up."

Naruto shook his head "Don't be... I'm... I'm actually glad you did... because... I haven't told a soul about this... thank you Lee..."

"What for?" Lee asked his mind trying to comprehend what he had just been told.

"For listening to me... and I'm going to do what you suggested." He said.

Lee was now more confused that he was originally. "What suggestion was that?"

Naruto smiled "I'm going to back to Nami no Kuni... I'm going to see Haku-chan..."

Well? What did you think? I think its My best yet... Prove me wrong by reading my other stories and I might do something extra special... Like a Double update... cause I've done it before.... and I can do it again.