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Over the course of the week, Zabuza focused on chakra strength with the sword, the mist jutsu, water walking, and Silent Killing Technique. He also reviewed her other jutsus through sparring and took a rest day to review anatomy and physiology. Zabuza actually wanted to go another day or two of training, but Ann's body decided otherwise. She collapsed after using a substitution to avoid his swing.
Zabuza~Ann? What's wrong?
He slowly approached in case she was making another feint.
Zabuza~Brat?
He brushed her hair back. She was shivering, her breath was shallow, and he barely felt her chakra. It had been fine that morning, normal levels without fluctuations. Did she overexert herself?
Zabuza~Hey, can you get up?
He didn't get a reply or reaction from her. He sighed and decided to head home. She'd recover faster in a proper bed and a hot meal than here in the woods. He scooped her up and brought her to their things. She was starting to burn up with a fever, and he didn't have anything warm to wrap her with either. He needed to hurry.
He cleared the area and packed up their things. Carrying the bag, sword, and Ann will be tricky, but manageable. The difficult part would be getting back home in broad daylight. He couldn't wait for nightfall with how she was progressing. It'd risk her health, and going home at this time risked her safety, especially with Yagura's people skulking around.
He sighed, and hoped that his sector was clear, and that Yagura wasn't looking for him. Ann would need at least three days to recover her chakra, and at least a week for full recovery.

Thankfully he got home without an issue. No one was staking out his apartment, nothing funny was set up for him, and no Maws came to get him.
He went to draw Ann a bath. Her fever was getting worse, and he needed to get her tucked in soon. Then he could cook her a hot meal.
He cleaned her up quickly, and took his time to make sure her hair was as dry as possible. As he was placing her under the sheets, she woke briefly.
Ann~Zabi? Did I beat you?
Zabuza~You got away from me. I'll count it as a win.
She weakly giggled before passing out again. Zabuza shook his head and brushed her hair back. He hesitated for a moment then sighed. He really did get soft.
Zabuza~Ann, you stupid ******** brat…Stop scaring me.
He pressed his forehead to hers, and then gave her head a kiss. He lingered another moment.
Zabuza~I know you need to hear it. But there's too much at stake for me to say it to you, kid. This is the best I can do for now though.
He sighed again and headed for the bathroom. With Ann out cold, he could spend a few minutes to wash up before having to cook something for dinner

Ann dreamt of her last fighting sequence with Zabuza, and when she looked up from using the substitution, Zabuza looked like a woman.
Ann~Zabi? You look like a girl again.
Ane~You are dreaming. Dreams are weird. I wish I could tell you the truth, honey. But that'd defeat the purpose of not telling you until you’re ready
Ann~You're not gonna smother me again, right?
Ane~No, no. Are you doing okay? You called for me.
Ann~I'm really tired. And my whole body hurts.
Ane~How long has that been going on? What were you doing?
Ann~I dunno. Maybe a few days? It went away before we continued training, Zabi. I didn't think it was important.
Ane~No, that's very important. You used almost all of your chakra without resting enough to let it come back.
Ann~Oh…I guess I should go back to sleep?
Ane~Ideally.
Ann~Will that other guy come too? The one with the red coat.
Ane~No. He's busy. He'll come when he does though.
Ann~Oh…
Ane~You’re probably gonna wake up first. So when you see Za– see me, call me a ‘stupid ******** dumbass,’ okay?
Ann~I'm gonna get hit though…
Ane~No you won't. That's enough to not get hit.
Ann~Promise?
Ane~I promise. Come give me a hug.
Ann came over and gave her a hug. Ane held her as tight as she could. Who knows when the next time she could see her again.

When Ann woke, the first thing she noticed was the sharp tingle in both her arms and legs. She felt it all over the rest of her body too, but it wasn’t as bad comparatively. Her whole body felt hot on top of the tingles, and it hurt. She sniffled, trying not to cry. Ann still quietly called for Zabuza, and he came in shortly.
Zabuza~Hey, I didn't expect you to be awake already. How do you feel?
He crouched by her side and gently brushed her hair back again. Ann flinched back
Ann~Everything hurts, stupid ******** dumbass.
He raised a hand to smack her for swearing, then what she said registered.
Zabuza~What'd you call me?
He had to confirm he heard her right.
Ann~Stupid ******** dumbass. I dreamed of you as a girl again. You said to call you that. And promised you wouldn't hit me.
Ann pouted. Zabuza sighed and lowered his arm. Only his sister could insult him from beyond the grave and tell him to take better care of her brat with only three words. He also wondered if Ann was using her kekkei genkai or if it was Auron. It sounded like Auron can still do things based on those letters.
Zabuza~Alright. I guess I can't argue with myself.
Ann~Why does everything hurt?
Zabuza~You have chakra exhaustion, and a fever. I didn't see the signs. It'll be a day or two for the prickling feeling to go away, if you're lucky.
She groaned and tried to curl up, but the movement hurt more and made her cry a little.
Zabuza~You’re gonna have to endure it for a while. Let's go eat and then you can get back to sleep, okay?
Ann did her best to nod through the pain. Zabuza quietly sighed, knowing exactly what she was feeling. He wished he paid better attention to her masking the initial signs. The best he could do for her now was to keep her comfortable until her chakra was back to normal and stable.

The next three days Zabuza had to fight against Ann’s symptoms. The fever and the nerve strain from the chakra depletion were equally difficult to balance proper care. Thankfully, the pain started to subside and her chakra was finally leveling out. Her fever, on the other hand, was still holding strong. She was still hot, but Zabuza couldn’t do anything to cool her off. Mist children dealt with fevers weird, and he had to keep her bundled. Otherwise her internal temperature would drop.
He was able to compromise with Ann, though. He’d let her get out from under the covers in exchange for eating some soup.
Ann~It’s still too hot, Zabi.
Zabuza~I know. I already told you though, it can’t be helped. You’d get worse if you tried to cool down instead.
She pouted as she ate the soup. The warmth was comforting, and it was better than the tea he made her drink again, but it just didn’t feel like it was doing anything to actually help her. Sleeping only made it feel better because she didn’t have to feel overheated. She remembered her weird dream of Zabuza being a girl again, and it made her wonder if that's how her mother looked. Then she wondered about why she wasn't with her instead.
Ann~Zabuza?
He hummed while making himself a cup of coffee.
Ann~I…nevermind…He’d probably avoid answering anyway…
He sat with her back at the table.
Zabuza~Tell me.
Ann~Well…You said my mom is your sister. Do you know why I’m not with her?
Zabuza took a deep steady breath. It was too early to address something that heavy.
Zabuza~I do. She asked me to take care of you.
Ann~Did…Did she say she wanted me in the Leaf?
Zabuza~She did. She wanted you to be safe.
Ann~Is it safe there?
Zabuza~At the moment, yes. I’m doing everything I can do to make sure you’re safe here until you can go there.
Ann~What happened to her that she can’t do it? What’s going on here that it has to be like that?
Zabuza~Finish your soup first. I’ll answer that later
He got up to finish brewing his coffee
Ann~You never do though…
She sniffled and wiped her eyes. Zabuza sighed. He stared at his mug for a few moments
Zabuza~I will. This time I will. Let me have some coffee first…
He’d rather get drunk, really. He's been vigilant for almost five years now, and whenever things slowed down he just felt tired and older than he was. But Zabuza couldn't give in to the vice. He couldn't allow himself even a few hours to turn himself off. He couldn’t risk having his senses dulled for any reason until she was in the Leaf.

After Ann finished her soup and Zabuza got through two mugs of coffee, he carried her back to the bedroom and laid down with her. She held onto him and pressed her face into his side. Zabuza quietly sighed. With her hold on him, she can say he wasn't going to avoid her again.
Ann~You promise you'll answer?
Zabuza~Lay it on me.
Ann~Why can't my mom do it? What's going on here that I can’t stay?
He swallowed hard. If he kept it vague, she'd ask how she died. Hopefully blunt will keep her from asking details.
Zabuza~She…she was KIA'd. You can't stay here because the Mist is changing. I'm starting to think it isn't for the better.
Ann~H-how long have you known? About her being gone?
Zabuza~A couple years now.
Ann~What about my dad? C-couldn't he do it?
Zabuza~I tried to get definitive information. No one can give me proof of what happened to him. I assume it's the same.
He heard her sniffle and pulled at him more.
Ann~So it's just us?
Zabuza~Yeah…
Ann~But then I'll be alone…
Zabuza~Me too…
She hiccupped and started to cry. She didn't know them, but it was because she didn’t know them she felt that loss. There was no way now unless Zabuza told her more, but he always avoided anything related to it.
Zabuza really wished he was stabbed instead. He couldn’t do much to comfort her. It was something that she was going to HAVE to figure out and sort through her feelings herself. All he could do was be there. He wanted to do more though.
Ann~Zabuza. Please.
She cried harder against him. Zabuza didn’t know what to do. He didn't know what she wanted him to do. She hasn't cried this hard since she was in diapers.
Zabuza~Tell me.
Ann~I can't…I-I don't know…
Zabuza~Tactile reset?
She nodded. Zabuza gently pushed her arms off, making her scream at him.
Zabuza~It's just for a moment. I'll still be here.
He moved the pillows behind him and sat up. Then he pulled her onto his lap and held her tight as she continued crying. He gently ran his hand through her hair and didn't even notice that he rocked side to side as well, a motion he used to do when she was a baby.