A/N: I am sorry terribly sorry for the long delay from the first chapter to this one. I had writer's block... big time. But, as I promised yesterday, I would make another chapter as soon as I can and here it is today. So I present to you chapter 2. I will update again when a get some reviews, so if you want this story to update then you need to review. Also, I know that the characters are getting out of character and I am sorry for that. I am also sorry for any typo that may occur. I am currently working on that, so if you find one, be patient. I proof-read my stories constantly, and I always find a typo. But... I'm probably boring you again. I'll stop talking and move on to the story. Enjoy.

MoonStalker001

Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, not I... although I may have a few original characters later in the story.

Even in the warm hospital, the seat beneath him felt uncomfortably cold. It was always like that, no matter what day of the week it was, no matter what time of the day it was. In fact, the coldness of any seat in the hospital was so relentless, he had become accustomed to it. At least, he thought he had become accustomed, but what did it matter anyway. He would've sat through sub-zero temperatures or even the burning pits of hell, so long as it meant that he could be with his sensei.

Lee's sad eyes blankly stared at his fallen teacher. Maito Gai, the fastest, strongest, most powerful shinobi Lee had ever seen or possibly ever have even imagined lay before him. His eyes were closed to allow him to continue his seemingly eternal rest. A white blanket was pulled up to his shoulders. Yet even the thickness of the blanket wasn't enough to hide every single bandage that cocooned his body, and it definitely couldn't hide the scratches and bruises that decorated his pale skin from head to toe. Most students placed in Lee's position at that very moment would've most likely looked down at their sensei in shame. They would've felt in their heart a strange sense of vulnerability. A vulnerability that clearly shouted, if your sensei was that weak in the first place, then all of your training up to this point was in vain. You are no stronger than that of your pathetic sensei. Lee on the other hand, did not feel such vulnerability. He didn't feel any shame either. Nor did he feel any form of meaninglessness, or unworthiness, or pity, or uselessness.

He felt proud. It was a sad sort of pride maybe, but still it was pride. Lee was proud that his sensei stood up for him. He was proud that Gai had protected a fellow Konoha shinobi. No, not just a shinobi. The mighty Maito Gai had protected Rock Lee as an individual, not just as a comrade. Lee fed off of that pride and gratefulness and let it resonate in his mind. Inwardly, it made him want to smile. But that smile was destroyed as fast as it had appeared when Lee remembered that fateful day. Just the image of Gai looking back at him as he fell was enough to invite tears. It was his fault… Lee shook his head. He was going to have none of that so long as he could possibly control it. Still, that day was engraved into his memories, so he could not easily forget it, even if he tried. The images and words followed him, attacking him repeatedly and constantly. They would plague him every night before he went to bed. They were even assaulting him as he brushed his hand across Gai's cheek while he sat on the cold hospital chair. There was no particular reason why Lee stroked Gai's wounded cheek, it just seemed that he had to do it.

It was about two weeks ago that Gai had taken to the hospital bed. Surprisingly, Lee could remember being in the same exact bed. It was over two years earlier, when his arm and leg were crushed during the Chuunin Exams. He had lost that battle; as good as it may have been, to that red-haired sand manipulator, Gaara. A lot of things have changed since then. Lee passed the exams the second time he was entered, the strong Gaara had become the Kazekage (which of course was only fitting for one with such skill), and then the village hidden in the sand formed an alliance with Konoha. Unfortunate events had taken their toll also. Uchiha Sasuke, a former leaf village ninja, had parted ways with the rest of them some time ago. A team of missing ninja called the Akatsuki had risen up. Team Gai had to face a member of the organization when they went out to rescue the Kazekage from their clutches. The worst of all though, in the mind of Lee, was that his sensei, Gai-sensei, had become victim to an enemy more hostile than any shinobi Lee had ever encountered. He even dared to think of it as an opponent who surpassed Kage-level, if there was such a power. But then, there was. Out of any person that Lee knew, he could name off three that have claimed a rightful place in such devastating power. Those three were the opponent that had faced two weeks ago, the one and only Maito Gai, and the very own Uzumaki Naruto. Ah yes, Naruto. Lee knew without a doubt that when he saw the bland ninja wearing an orange jumpsuit that there was so much latent potential in him. He always had a trick up his sleeve, a new technique, something that set him above the rest. Then there was his enormous charka capacity. He even used the 'good guy pose' a few times. It was almost too good to be true, yet it was.

Lee's gaze changed from Gai's deep breaths to the window. The sun was setting, the many trees on the horizon blotting out about half of it. To him it appeared to look like a reddish-orange cookie that was bitten into and then forgotten. He cleared his mind of unimportant similes and turned. He knew that he would have to leave soon. Hospital visiting hours didn't drag out into the night, although he wished that was possible. If he could've, he would've stayed in his spot of days, weeks if need be, until Gai's eyes would once again flutter open and this whole ordeal could just be shrugged off as training exercises. In relation to exercises, Lee had not done any since he had returned to Konoha carrying Gai-sensei on his back. At that time, Gai was… he was…

It pained him to think so, but yes… Gai had returned on Lee's back… dead. Instantly, a memory popped into his head. It was of the night before his operation. For a third time, Lee shook his head to rid himself of saddening thoughts.

There was a knock on the door. A voice called from behind it, calm and quick. "Permission to enter?" It was most likely a question, but the tone of it made it seem more like an order. Lee's ears acted before his mouth, instantly noticing the identity behind the voice. This led him into a small fit of bewilderment. He couldn't imagine why she would be here, of all people. The woman from behind the door called out again. "Permission to enter?" The voice was louder, but still far from harsh. Lee nodded, then realizing that she couldn't see him through the solid door, he cleared his throat.

"Granted, Hokage-sama," Lee said clumsily. The knob turned and the face of Tsunade appeared from the edge of the door, followed by the rest of her body. She closed the door behind her and walked over to stand by Gai's side, opposite to the side Lee sat at. His eyes remained fixed for a while as she stared at the injured man. Finally, he could not take her silence anymore. "Hokage-sama, what is it that brings you away from your important schedule and into this room? It is unlike you to be here without reason." Over the past two weeks, the word about Gai had indeed spread. Many others had come to visit, including Sakura, Naruto, Tenten, Neji, Hinata, and even Gai's rival Kakashi. Yet seeing the Hokage visit was something Lee was just not used to.

"Nothing is so unlikely anymore," Tsunade replied without a second thought. She was silent for a moment longer and added more to her sentence. "The reason why I'm here is to check up on Gai's current condition." Lee nodded. That made sense… well, not really, but he wasn't about to ask for more information. He did not feel like talking much. If she wanted to speak on the other hand, he didn't mind. "The criteria for becoming a nurse has shrank so low since I was a teenager. The medical ninjas for this generation are so pathetic, they couldn't keep a single-celled organism alive…" She pulled up a chair. Her hands slip under the blanket to monitor the heartbeat. "He is steadier today than he was a few days ago. That is good news." She looked up at Lee to find him looking at Gai in concern and fatigue. "You're lucky that I'm here." He nodded again, as if he was a pre-programmed doll. She sighed and got up.

"Lee, go home and get some rest. You've probably been here all day." That was true. From the time he had gotten up in the morning, no… he had gotten up much earlier than that. The hospital doors didn't open until hours after he had awoken. All in all, yes he had been there all day. He didn't want to leave either. He felt as if Gai would not survive without him. Lee couldn't sty though and he knew that Tsunade was right. He got up and bowed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I will do that." Pushing the chair back to the corner of the room, Lee headed for the door. His hand was grasping the cold, metal doorknob when Tsunade spoke again. Their backs were turned to each other, but he could hear her just fine.

"Lee," she said in a voice that portrayed a sort of caution and warning, "I know that you really care for him, but what you are doing to yourself by closing yourself up in here is unhealthy. Tomorrow, I do not want you to stay long at the hospital." Lee's eyes widened into full circles. He did not want that to happen. That was all he was looking forward to. He wanted to be there the moment Gai woke up again. She must've been joking. Yet she wasn't, for her decision was absolute. "Actually, I do not want you to come to the hospital at all tomorrow. That is an order, understand?" Lee did not want to answer that. But he had to, so he did with another 'yes, Hokage-sama'.

The hall was just as desperately cold as the chair he sat on. Depriving him of warmth, as always, was the way hospitals were. Outside didn't grant him much relief either. Maybe it was just him. Ever since he brought Gai back, Lee had been having these cold surges, he had been feeling a cold sensation that would not leave. He supposed that wasn't normal either, but what did he care. The sky was a variety of colors ranging from red to violet as he made his way through the streets that were still bustling with people. For the most part, he was alone, until he spotted a familiar person. It wasn't the face he spotted first though, for he was looking down. Instead, he saw feet. He saw girl feet. He saw girl feet wearing a pair of formal sandals. They had stopped right in front of him, standing firm. He followed the feet up to legs, then a body, and then a head. Her brown hair was pulled up into two tight buns, on behind each ear. "Hello, Lee!" Tenten said cheerily, a smile on her face. He didn't return the grin, and instead looked back down to her feet. She stopped smiling. "What's wrong?" She instantly jumped to a conclusion, her eyes widening in fear. "Is Gai-sensei alright!?" Lee nodded.

"He is… fine," was his response, his gaze indifferent. He had a feeling, a hopeful feeling that maybe if he stared at her feet hard enough, she would move out of the way so he could continue on his way. Tenten looked at him with a bit of worry.

"Lee, are you okay? You're acting strange, very unlike yourself. You're all depressed, you know? Very out of character." Lee didn't say anything. "Ah, never mind that. So… I noticed that you were at the hospital all day. That made me wonder… have you eaten anything today?" Lee was silent, but a shake of his head was all that needed to be done. He had not thought about ingesting anything up to that point. He wasn't hungry in the slightest. That did not matter. "I thought so. As a matter of fact, I was just on my way to see that you were eating properly." She reached behind her back. When her hands came into view again, she was holding a package. "This is for you! It's curry, I know how much you like this stuff." The smile was back on her lips as she handed it over. He gave a small thank you and held it in his hands. "No problem! Well, I'd better get going. I'll see you tomorrow, all right? Maybe… we could even go see Gai-sensei together tomorrow." Lee thanked her again with a bow, thinking about how he was going to tell her that Hokage-sama told him not to go tomorrow and that he had to stay behind. She left.

He continued for a short while longer until he saw a bench. That was where he sat and ate his curry as the sky above him turned dark. He was not taking his time to taste it, for all of his thoughts, conscious and sub-conscious, were centered on Gai-sensei. The night breeze turned cold. It was as cold as the seat at the hospital if not colder. Still, he was going to miss the icy touch of the chair tomorrow…