All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.

~Sophocles; Antigone

Tsubame was akin to a mother hen while Neji was in the hospital. She mended him herself, brought his meals, did everything for him. No other nurses were even allowed in the room. Only she could treat him.

"I'm fine Nee-san." Neji said for what seemed like the hundredth time that day as Tsubame checked his wound. It was healed. A scar would be left, but it was miniscule compared to what it would have been if anyone else had treated it.

If the patient in front of her were anyone else she would have discharged them after they regained consciousness. However, Neji was already on his second day.

"You could have been killed." Tsubame said with a sigh, taking a seat in the chair next to the hospital bed. "I know that's what it means to be a shinobi, I've been active duty for over a decade, I've almost lost my own life more times than I can count. I thought I was ready for you to join this lifestyle but I don't think I'll ever be ready."

"This is the life fate has lead me to. There is no other path for me to take." Neji replied after a minute and Tsubame nodded. She knew that. It was the same reason she became a ninja. The lifestyle chose them, they didn't choose it.

"I know Neji, I know. That doesn't mean I'll stop worrying."

"I wouldn't expect you to. Luckily my older sister is the best medical ninja in the village." Tsubame grinned, Neji so rarely made anything akin to a joke anymore. She knew he was doing it for her sake.

"Well, let us get you out of here then."

…

Tsubame was at an impasse. She knew what needed to be done, it was the doing part that was causing her trouble.

Once they were home, Tsubame asked for the details of the mission from Neji. He made it known to her that Gai was actually injured, more so than himself. Apparently her little brother might not have made it home if it weren't for Gai taking a hit for him.

Looking back, she should have noticed the man was injured. However, she was too preoccupied with her brother to notice, to care.

She needed to apologize. Her emotions controlled her actions and she was unnecessarily cruel to the man. Her pride would take a dire hit.

It's the right thing to do. Yuki reminded her, perched on her shoulder as she stood at the entrance to the hospital. She could sense Gai's chakra coming from inside.

"I'm aware, Yuki." Tsubame sighed before steeling herself and walking through the doors.

"T-Tsubame-sama!" The blonde receptionist stuttered. Great, she had succeeded in making her comrades afraid of her.

"Good afternoon." Tsubame greeted cordially, mustering a small smile before breezing past the girl to Gai's room.

There were two med nin in there already, no doubt going through a round of treatment with him. Without faltering, she strode into the room and dismissed the two medics.

"Tsu-"

"Let me speak." Tsubame interrupted, placing her hands above the very obvious wound on Gai's torso and beginning to knit together the wounded flesh. "I was harsh with you and you did not deserve it."

"I failed to protect-"

"You didn't though. Because of you, my little brother made it home with minimal injury. If it were a lesser ninja, I have no doubt that he would not have made it back at all."

Tsubame took a deep breath, feeling the chakra flowing through her hands and into Gai. The wound was bad, had no doubt been a lot worse before her ninja worked on him. It was a hair away from being life-threatening. Guilt twisted in her gut.

"You must understand, Neji is all I have, his safety and well being are my top priority. I have been the one to take care of him his whole life. It is difficult on me to not be able the one to take care of him anymore. I do not particularly like having to trust and rely on other people, but I am now in a position where I must put my trust in you to keep my brother safe. As you know, the Byakugan is highly sought after, this incident is only one of dozens that he will face, I know from experience. I was more frustrated at myself, at not being able to protect him than anything. Regardless, I should not have taken out my own frustrations on you, and for that, I apologize."

With a final sweep over Gai's torso, the green chakra faded from Tsubame's hands and she flexed her fingers.

"What a Moving Speech! Everyone should strive to be as Honest as you Tsubame-san! You do not need to fret My Magnificent Magnolia, all was forgiven from the start! Your concern for your brother is Admirable! I shall hop around the village three hundred times on one foot to make up for allowing your brother to be injured!" Tsubame fought the urge to shy away from Gai, despite the fact that his volume was once again giving her a headache.

Magnolias. They represented nobility. It was probably the best he'd done by far.

"That is not necessary Gai-san. Besides, though I healed your wound, you should stay away from strenuous activity for at least two days as the muscles heal and settle." She advised seriously, stepping to her role as the head of the hospital.

"Two days-"

"No protests Gai-san." Tsubame interjected before he could complete his protest. "If I am putting my brothers life in your hands, I am going to ensure that you are in peak condition. No strenuous activity for two days, light activity is permitted, and I mean light by normal standards, not light by your standards. Yuki will be keeping an eye on you as to make sure you adhere to my instructions." Tsubame knew all too well that Maito Gai was not one to listen to the advice given to him by medics. Rest wasn't in his vocabulary, and she was the only one who ever had even the slightest but of success in getting him to actually listen.

"Your Dedication to your patient's recovery is Extraordinary as always my Magnificent Magnolia! I will adhere your instructions if only because of your Tenacity! If I should fail I will do three hundred push-ups with Ningame on my back!" He shouted.

So loud. Yuki commented, ruffling his feathers. Must I keep an eye on him? I don't think my ears can take it.

Tsubame shot her feathered friend a piercing look in lieu of a response.

"Your discharge papers are already signed so you are free to leave whenever you wish." Tsubame said and turned to leave, but stopped in the doorway.

Turning her head, the corner of her lips lifted, if only the slightest. "Thank you Gai-san."

If Yuki noticed red spread across Gai's cheeks, well, it wasn't any of his business.

…

The following months were met with an increased workload on all parts. Tsubame stayed busier than ever at the hospital, and Neji and his team were on missions more often than not.

Konoha was in a time of peace, but that didn't mean they could fall prey to complacency. It was a deadly thing. When one gets too comfortable with peace, they are unprepared when it gives way to war. It had not been long since they were at war.

The hospital in particular was still reeling from the loss of Tsunade. She had been gone for over a decade, but the hole she left was a big one to fill. Tsubame was doing the best she could, but she was hard to live up too.

The hospital had without a doubt improved, but it was nowhere near what it had been when Tsunade was in charge.

Tsubame's recent project had been expanding Tsunade's research on a full proof contraceptive. Unexpected pregnancy was a common problem among kunoichi, especially with how often men and women were on missions together. The tension and adrenaline of missions made it easy to turn into something intimate.

Not to mention missions when seduction played a factor. Kunoichi didn't want to have to worry about getting pregnant when trying to obtain important intel.

Tsunade made leaps and bounds on the subject, but left before it could be completed. Tsubame picked up the research, and was tentatively working on a seal that could be applied and would create a barrier around the eggs, stopping the sperm from being able to complete the fertilization process.

The hardest part was Tsubame really didn't have much of a way to test the seal. It was an awkward conversation to breach with anyone, plus there was the off chance that the seal didn't work and someone ended up pregnant because of her.

"Tsubame-sama, the Hokage has summoned you." The blonde receptionist, Aiko, she had to stop thinking of her as just 'the blonde receptionist' said and she nodded once in acknowledgement before closing the book on her desk and standing. She knew what the meeting would be about, or rather who.

"Tsubame-san." Hiruzen greeted when she walked through the door.

"Hokage-sama." She bowed before folding her hands in front of her. "I am assuming you wish you a report on Naruto."

"You are correct."

"He has been improving at a steady rate and I believe his people skills have also marginally improved. His pranks have all but ceased now that he has an adult figure in his life giving him adequate attention. Though many a people now give me looks and talk about me behind my back, there are a few who have begun to treat Naruto with at least basic human decency, mostly those who I have personally saved and respect me."

The Hokage nodded thoughtfully, a pleased look on his face.

"And how have you been coping with the chakra?"

Tsubame paused for a moment before answering. "It is…difficult to explain. The Fox's chakra is there, I feel it every moment that Naruto is in my presence and it is never a pleasant feeling. However, Naruto's own chakra is also there, buried beneath the fox. That is what I hold on to, what I force myself to concentrate on. And…he grows on you."

Tsubame couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face. Naruto certainly had grown on her. He was so good. It was baffling how a child that had gone through so much, endured so much hate, came out like Naruto, to have so much love for life, for everyone. She had never seen anything like it before and in the span of a few months, Tsubame knew Naruto had made her life brighter. She knew she would fight and defend him tooth and nail.

"I see. These results have exceeded my expectations. You continue to be of great service to not only me personally, but the village as a whole Tsubame-san. I offer you my sincerest thanks for all you do."

"It is an honor to be able to serve you Hokage-sama."

A/N: Hello wonderful people! More Gai and Tsubame interaction for you. I'm pretty excited because we're going to be getting to the Chuunin exams in the next few chapters and that's when stuff really starts to kick off. I can't bring myself to proofread this so I'm sorry but I'm just getting home from work and I wanted to get this chapter to you guys so sorry for any mistakes. I love all of you who continue to read this fic and comment/fav/follow (especially comment, my heart does a little flip when I get the email). Hope you enjoyed!