-Hello to all !! After a lot of thought I finally decided to put this fic up. I don't know how it will go...but we'll soon see. For those who are reading my other fic, Can't Heal This Pain, it may still be some time before a new chapter is up. The good news is it hasn't died and is still going strong . Bad news is I don't have much time lately so updates on that fic (and probably this one) may be slow. But I'll stop putting you guys to sleep with my boring blah blah now. Read on!

Prologue:-

Lee waited patiently for his sensei arrival on the academy balcony overlooking Konoha, where team nine had made there meeting point. The young ninja glanced to the right of him, observing his team-mates actions. Tenten, the weapon specialist kunoichi of the team, was absent-mindedly twirling a kunai in her hands, a bored expression on her face. Beside her was Neji, the genius Hyuuga. As usual, he was staring over the railing behind the seat the three of them were sitting on. Both of them looked as if they hadn't a care in the world. But Lee didn't feel the same. He turned away from them and twisted his hands around in the rim of his shirt. It wasn't like Gai to be late. Kakashi maybe, but not Gai.

Just as Lee was beginning to think something had happened to his sensei, a puff of smoke suddenly burst in front of them. Lee looked up after the smoke had cleared to find his sensei leaning against the pillar in front of them.

"Sorry I'm late. I was speaking to the Hokage about an important issue." He apologized. Neji glanced at him at the mention of the 'Hokage' and this 'important issue' but soon turned his attention back to gazing over the railing, deciding not to dwell on the subject.

"So why have we been called here?" Tenten was the first to voice the question on all their minds.

"Ah, yes. I was hoping one of my youthful students would ask that question. Such inquisitive minds you have!" Gai boasted, causing Tenten to simply roll her eyes. All she wanted was a simple answer.

"The reason I called you all here was to tell you I, along with most other jounins, will be leaving the village for a few days." He explained. Neji's attention had been grasped by Gai's words now.

"Leaving? Where are you going, Gai-sensei?" Lee asked curiously, wondering if the said 'important issue' had anything to do with it. Gai hesitated for a moment, filling Neji with suspicion. He stared at Gai long and hard, trying to figure out what he was up to.

"Just a recon mission." Gai finally answered, "…andalsoyouthreewillbegoingbacktotheacademy…" He added quickly and in a low voice. Despite his attempts to deliver the news without much notice, Lee, Neji and Tenten heard it. The three of them faltered.

"But…Gai-sensei," Tenten stammered, "Why are you putting us back there when we-"

"It wasn't up to me to decide." Gai interrupted, "This was the Hokage's decision."

Tenten opened her mouth to as is to further her objection, but closed it again, deciding it was better not to argue against the Hokage's word.

Gai pushed himself off the pillar and stood straight, looking over each one of his students carefully before saying, "Well, I'd better get ready to leave. You three take care and remember…you are in the prime of your youth!" And with that he was gone in another puff of smoke.

The three genin sat still, completely speechless. They stared at the spot where their sensei once stood in silence. The wind picked up around them, sending shivers down their spines.

After another minute or so, motion finally began occurring again. Lee stood up, drawing the attention of Neji and Tenten, and hurried down the hall, heading towards Konoha's gates.

-----

"So…how'd it go?" Kakashi queried as Gai approached the group of jounin waiting to leave.

Gai shrugged, "They were shocked at first, but they'll be fine. How about your lot?"

"Naruto wasn't to pleased with going back to the academy," Kakashi chuckled, "He's going to give Iruka hell."

Gai smiled and turned his gaze towards the sky, staring lazily at the clouds, "In the time we're gone, I'll miss this place."

"Take a good look at it now. Chances are we might not be coming back." Kakashi warned, taking a quick glance back through the gates of Konoha. Gai returned his gaze back to his eternal rival and close friend.

"Don't doubt us, Kakashi. We will come back!"

"Here it comes…" Kakashi thought, rolling his eyes.

"It's a promise!!" Gai finished with his trademark nice-guy pose, his smile glistening in the sunlight, "Now let's head off towards the sunset!! The quicker we go the quicker we come back!"

"Doesn't he realise it's still morning…?" Kakashi thought. Another look at the energetic jounin told him otherwise. He sighed.

"Don't take this mission lightly, Gai. It'll be far from easy." Kakashi sternly reminded him. Gai nodded in agreement but still kept his positive attitude. No more was said as the group took to the trees, bounding through the branches towards the faraway target of their mission. Unknown to the two, their conversation was heard be a certain genin, keeping himself hidden in the shadow of a tree just outside the gate. Lee watched them leave, uncertainty written across his face.

-----

Several days passed, and no word of the jounins had come to Konoha. Lee sat by the gate, his rounded eyes fixed on the forest that outstretched from the village. Sitting and waiting there had been made a common routine for him since his sensei left. Sometimes he would just stop by for a few minutes, other times he would wait for hours. Today he had lost track of how long he had been there, having lost himself to his thoughts. From afar, using the Hyuuga kekkei genkai, Neji observed him. The young Hyuuga frowned. Lee's recent behaviour had been getting on his nerves. Not only had he skipped classes at the academy, but he'd also been late for group training sessions. Either that or he didn't show up at all. It was time to set this kid straight, he thought as he approached Lee.

"You missed another training session, Lee." Neji stated in a cold tone of voice. Lee turned to meet the stern expression of his team-mate.

"Sorry, Neji, I must have-"

"Stop wasting your time here! By missing our training sessions you are slowing the whole team down!" Neji cut in harshly, not in the mood for any lame excuses.

"I just came to see if Gai-sensei and the other jounin would come back today." Lee defended.

"Honestly, what makes you think they're coming back?"

Lee faltered, "Well…why wouldn't they?" he asked, "It's just a recon mission! And Gai-sensei made a promise!" he stated, remembering the promise Gai made to Kakashi.

Neji sighed, his patience was growing thin, "Words mean nothing on the battlefield, Think about it, Lee. If it was just a 'recon mission' why would the Hokage send so many jounin to do the task a chuunin or even a genin could do?"

Lee didn't answer, he hadn't thought about that. But he didn't want to admit that to Neji.

"Gai-sensei would never break a promise…" Lee thought to himself. Neji stared at him one last time before turning around and striding off.

"Miss the next training exercise and I'll see to it you'll regret it." He threatened. Lee didn't move, instead he watched Neji leave until he was out of sight. Only then did he turn back to the forest and slam his fist on the ground. He hated the way Neji always acted so cold towards him.

-----

The following day Lee had remained at his post all day, despite Neji's warning. And so Neji was stomping towards Lee, a look of annoyance stamped on his face, determined to beat some sense into the stubborn taijutsu user. Tenten followed cautiously behind, keeping a fair amount of distance between her and the peeved Hyuuga. A wise decision in any case.

"LEE!" Neji growled as he stepped up behind him, "You missed training AGAIN!!"

Lee was unfazed by Neji's anger. He continued to stare out into the forest from his cross-legged position, arms folded over his chest and being as stubborn as ever. Neji couldn't take much more of this. He was a ticking time bomb about to explode. He walked around Lee so that he was in front of him and grasped the collar of his shirt, lifting him up so they were eye-to-eye.

"Listen," Neji scolded, "I don't know what stupid idea has been planted into your thick head of them returning any time soon, if not at all, but this needs to stop right here and now!"

Lee's eyes narrowed, "And how do you plan to achieve that?" he queried, raising a thick eyebrow. Neji gritted his teeth and tightened the grip on Lee's shirt. Any remnants of patience and reasoning were now long gone. Focusing chakra into his hand, he thrusted his palm into Lee's stomach. Lee's eyes widened as blood rushed up his throat and spilled out of his mouth. Tenten gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth.

"Neji!? What are you doing!?" She shrieked. Neji didn't answer her, instead watched Lee splutter and cough. After a moment of catching his breath, Lee slowly lifted his head, glaring back at Neji's pale eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when moving figures in the distance caught his eye. Noticing Lee's attention had moved behind him, Neji turned, releasing the grip on Lee's shirt.

"Who do you think they are?" Tenten asked, focusing her own attention towards the figures.

Neji stood still for a moment, pondering Tenten's question, "…Byakugan!" the veins around his eye bulged, enhancing his vision. He observed the figures, discovering who they were.

"Hmm…looks like I was wrong…they're back."

Lee's eyes lit up "See! I told you they would be back! Gai-sensei never breaks a promise!!" he claimed excitedly, dashing towards the group of jounins.

"Lee, wait!" Neji called. But Lee had already run off. Tenten moved up beside Neji, seeing as his anger had worn off.

"Is something wrong, Neji?" She asked.

Neji paused for a moment, watching Lee disappear into the forest, "You could say that."

Lee was too excited to heed Neji's call. He just kept running, drawing closer to the jounins. But as he neared he stopped dead in his tracks, the smile fading from his face. The jounins were in tatters…broken limbs, open wounds, torn clothing…the works. They looked as if they'd been to hell and back. Lee scanned the group, searching for his sensei. He found Kakashi, cuts and bruises marking his body from head to toe and a broken arm supported by a makeshift sling. A trail of blood seeped from the top of his head and his normally grey hair was matted with dried blood. With his one good arm he supported another jounin. This one's chuunin vest was in shreds, as was part of his other clothing, and a deep wound crossed his chest, staining his clothes crimson as blood gushed out with nothing to stop it. He looked half dead, clinging to life by a mere thread. He was also a jounin Lee recognised, one he didn't want to recognise…at least not in this state.

"Gai-sensei!!?"

-----

Lee's eyes snapped open, waking with a start. Beads of cold sweat dripped down off his face and onto the blanket draped loosely over his lower body. His eyes darted around, taking quick glances to his surroundings.

"Something wrong, Lee?"

Lee whipped his head around to meet the source of the voice, "…uh…no, Gai-sensei. Everything's fine." he answered. Gai nodded and returned to staring absent-mindedly into the campfire's flickering flames. Lee leaned back on the tree where he had been sleeping in a sitting position, his short breaths slowing to a regular pace as he remembered where he was. He, along with Neji, Tenten and, of course, their sensei, Gai, were on their way returning to Konoha after a mission. They had been asked to help rebuild a small village that had been attacked by a rebel clan.

But that dream just now…it bothered him.

"Gai-sensei?"

"Hmm?" Gai looked away from the fire and towards his pupil with a quizzical look.

"Do you remember that day when you and several others jounins left the village?"

Gai shut his eyes for a minute, a thoughtful expression seeping across his face. His memory wasn't the most reliable thing in the world. After a minute he snapped his fingers and re-opened his eyes.

"Ah, now I remember. You three were sent back to the academy along with the rest of that year's graduate genins."

Lee nodded, "But there's just one thing I need to ask. What was that mission really about?"