Let's Go Home

Part of Gato's house was on fire. Sakura and Kiba had sneaked through the building without being seen. They had found Gato's office and hid behind the door until he finished yelling at his henchmen. He was furious that Tazuna was still alive. Kakashi had remained nearby, mercilessly killing the thugs sent for Tazuna's head. This forced Gato to rely more on Zabuza for his protection. The copy ninja was more vicious than he thought, and he forced Gato to depend on the Kiri Nukenin much more than he had expected.

Sakura believed Zabuza took advantage of the chaos caused by Kakashi to make himself indispensable in his employer's eyes. He wasn't very motivated to kill Tazuna, given the ease with which he had changed his objective during their initial confrontation. It was Sakura's opinion.

Sakura and Kiba waited. They waited for the guards to leave the office, and for Gato to turn around to look for his safe. Then, they snuck into the room in silence. Kiba closed the door without a sound. Sakura moved to the desk on her tiptoes, picked up a letter opener with a silver handle, and shoved it into Gato's neck. Her movement was fluid and swift. Gato didn't even know who assaulted him as he died. 

Kiba didn't know if he would have wanted to be the one who killed him to avenge Akamaru with his own hands. Akamaru… Nothing could bring him back. Kiba felt as if he had been amputated with an arm or leg, as he missed his dog. It was like a stabbing wound, piercing him with every breath. Rage, despair, and grief seized him.

Akamaru had been a part of him. Kiba had his companion since he was little. They grew up together. They were inseparable. But now Kiba was alone. He found it unfair. Even with Gato's death, his sadness remained. 

He wasn't the first Inuzuka to lose his companion. It happened. That was part of their lives as shinobis. Some just choose another companion. But Kiba didn't think he would choose another dog to replace Akamaru. No other companion could replace Akamaru in his eyes. They would make him miss him even more. There were a few Inuzukas who chose to remain without a Ninken. But when it was the other way around, when it was the dog who outlived the Inuzuka, the animal rarely survived for long. If it happened during a battle, most dogs would die in that battle trying to avenge their companion.

The animals that survived were killed. The clan leader explained to Kiba it was out of mercy. The pain of losing their companion would turn them crazy. Kiba also wondered if he would turn crazy. How would he cope with living without Akamaru? What will happen to him when they return to Konoha?

Return to Konoha? The thought was far from his mind. There was only the present moment with his emotions. Following Sakura's lead, they set the office on fire and fled. They planned to find Kakashi and Sasuke. 

"Where should we go?" Sakura asked, lost.

Kiba tried to think. They had all been unconscious when Zabuza and Haku had brought them to Gato, so they didn't know exactly where they were or where Sasuke went. Maybe if Akamaru was here… Akamaru would know the way… Kiba's thoughts instinctively drifted to his companion, and the pain in his chest intensified.

An explosion caused by a Katon Jutsu in the distance brought him back to reality. A thick cloud of smoke lifted in the air. The next moment, they saw two Suiton Jutsus collide. It was much closer to their position. Kiba and Sakura looked at each other. They were probably thinking the same thing. There weren't so many ninjas in this place.

"Kakashi-sensei first." Sakura decided.

Kiba blinked, surprised. He would have thought she would want to go to her precious Sasuke first. He looked at Sakura. He realized she wasn't the same. Something had changed in her. The naive air around her was no longer there. Her green eyes had become harder, like jade. Running after Sasuke wouldn't have been the wisest choice since their sensei was closer and could protect them. Sakura was smart and mature enough to get her priority right. Kakashi-sensei first was the right decision. Kiba also agreed. He was a Jonin. He was strong. They would be safe.

Sakura and Kiba rushed in his direction without looking back, leaving Gato's burning house behind. Kiba and Sakura sneaked through the civilians, who began to panic and form a chain to extinguish the fire. Though they hated Gato and probably rejoiced his residence was on fire, they were worried the fire might spread to their humble houses. 

The two genins moved at the same pace. Kiba was used to walking alongside a partner, but Akamaru's absence was like a gaping wound. Sakura's presence subconsciously eased his anxiety, like a blanket reassures a terrified child, or manages to comfort him from his nightmare… Sakura wasn't aware of it, but she had spent so much time listening to Kiba's breathing, watching over him on the other side of the wall that separated their cells. A part of her brain kept watching him, listening to him, to be aware of his presence and adapt to it.

Their steps were sharp and contained no hesitation. Their hands grazed with each step taken. Their shoulders were so close that they felt the heat emitted by the other's body. Feeling the presence of the other soothed and encouraged them. They were no longer afraid. They had killed Gato. They were free. And now they were going to find the rest of their team.

The journey seemed to take them a long time. The docks weren't that far away, but they were forced to advance through the streets like civilians, trying to blend in with the masses. They weren't sure if Gato's men were still around. They didn't want to get caught again. There was a lingering fear about returning to the cage, a terror that neither Sakura nor Kiba had experienced before that day. It made them cautious. They didn't want to lose their freedom again. 

When they arrived at the docks, they saw Kakashi's kunai and Zabuza's sword collide.

Kakashi still had his blood-stained shoulder uniform. The stain was dried, and the tear in the cloth revealed bandages around the wound. They also noticed that Zabuza was injured. The swordsman wielded his gigantic sword with one hand. His left arm hung aimlessly, out of commission and dripping blood. 

A huge cut was visible at his shoulder, and half a dozen shurikens were planted in his back. The nukenin looked tired. He was breathing hard and glancing at all sides like a cornered animal. This time, Kakashi had the upper hand, and Zabuza was on the defensive. 

"Kakashi-sensei!"

The two Jonins stopped, both taken by surprise. Kakashi's murderous aura fell so suddenly that it was as if he had become a different person. He stared at his two students with wide eyes.

The next moment, he appeared in front of them, his hands raised, as if he was about to grab them to check that they were real. But he held back at the last moment. He seemed to have completely forgotten Zabuza. His two students being alive was suddenly the most important thing in the world. Without being able to help herself, Sakura had a big smile, invaded by an emotion so powerful that she had tears in her eyes. They had found their sensei! He hadn't abandoned them, he had stayed and continued to fight!

"Kakashi-sensei," she repeated more weakly.

"You are fine. You two are all right." The Jonin said in his usual voice. But they could hear a hint of happiness in his tone.

He was worried about them. Kakashi was relieved to see them alive. He had prepared himself for the worst, but he was happy the situation had turned for the best.

During these three days, Kakashi kept blaming himself and imagining the worst. He had been reckless, too confident. He was wounded and his team was captured. During the days following his defeat, he had turned in circles like a caged lion, multiplying the attacks on Gato's bases. But Zabuza and his accomplice kept pushing him away. He didn't understand why Zabuza was being so passive. It was as if he was dragging it on voluntarily. 

He didn't try to assassinate Tazuna during that time. Kakashi didn't understand, but he didn't care. His main focus was on his team. He needed to free his students. He doubted himself. He believed the Hokage shouldn't have given him a team. He believed he wasn't ready for it. He regretted his passivity towards his students. He didn't train them seriously. He had failed them.

But now seeing his students, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. He could breathe better. They had escaped on their own and came back to him. Kakashi touched Sakura's shoulder with his left hand, and Kiba's shoulder with his right hand. A brief contact, too light to be an embrace, but enough to reassure everyone. 

"Sasuke and Akamaru?"

Kiba's expression changed. Sakura bit her lip before answering. 

"Sasuke was taken elsewhere. We don't know where. Akamaru is... He has been…"

Kakashi felt a rush of guilt piercing his heart again. He knew how much the Inuzukas cared about their companion.

Then Zabuza cleared his throat, and the moment was broken. Sakura shuddered. Kakashi turned around. Kiba bristled, rumbling with rage, emitting such a deadly intent that Kakashi immediately guessed Zabuza had something to do with the death of Akamaru. Zabuza didn't seem to care. Leaning on his sword, he took advantage of their reunion to put himself at a good distance and catch his breath as he looked at them with contempt.

"Your genins aren't useless after all. I knew that Gato was incapable, but still… I didn't imagine they would be able to escape. 

Kiba grunted, but Sakura smiled. It was an icy smile that made her green eyes blaze with a wild glow.

"Gato is dead."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. 

"Dead?" Zabuza repeated, frowning with annoyance.

"His corpse has probably burned to a crisp by now. We set fire to his office after I killed him. If you leave now, you may be able to get his safe." Sakura said in a calm voice.

Zabuza raised his head towards the city. He was too focused on his fight with Kakashi. But now he could see the smoke in the distance and hear the alarm cries of the villagers. Something was burning; there was no doubt about it. Zabuza let out a curse word and put his sword behind his back. Then he glared at Konoha shinobis before disappearing.

Left alone on the dock, Team 7 relaxed slightly. Kakashi released the tension from his shoulders. Sakura wobbled on her legs. Even Kiba, who was staring at the spot where Zabuza previously stood, seemed to breathe better.

"I wanted to kill him," the young Inuzuka said in a trembling voice.

His statement confirmed Kakashi's guess about Akamaru's death. But letting Kiba have a go at Zabuza now would be suicide.

"You will have your revenge later," Kakashi gently said. "Right now, we need to find Sasuke."

The mention of their missing teammate pulled Kiba away from his anger. He took a deep breath and looked at Sakura. He was looking for some comfort in her eyes. Without a word, Sakura took his hand in a gesture of silent support.

There was a moment of silence. Then, Kakashi suddenly turned around, a move so abrupt that Sakura and Kiba both jumped out, instinctively readying themselves up to leap back or jump to the attack. But the person who appeared before them covered with wounds, was not a threat.

"Sasuke!" Sakura was the first to call him.

"Sasuke, are you all right?" Kakashi asked in a worried tone.

Sasuke was a mess. His clothes were soaked with blood and torn. His skin was covered with multiple cuts. He dragged his body toward them.

"I'm fine," he muttered when the rest of his team surrounded him with concern. "I'm just out of chakra."

Sakura and Kiba let out a sigh of relief. Kakashi also relaxed. The tension he had accumulated over the past few days was released. He had found his team. 

"Well, since you are all here and Gato is dead, our mission is technically over. Neither Zabuza nor his accomplice have any reason to attack Tazuna now that their employer is dead."

"Haku," Sasuke corrected in an absent tone.

"What?"

Sasuke hesitated, his gaze fixed elsewhere.

"Haku. The one following him was called Haku."

Kakashi nodded. Sasuke's tone, the fact that he knows his name, the fact that he used the past. His fatigue. The blood on his body. Kakashi was able to infer what happened to Sasuke. He sighed. He really was a lousy sensei, wasn't he? His students had gone through a lot. He had failed them. 

"Come on, let's go home," Kakashi said.