the Blooming Cherry Blossoms, a naruto fanfic

The Blooming Cherry Blossoms

Rock lee and sakura short story – rated M for sexual content and graphic scenes

Basically a story where rock lee and sakura are on a mission and get attacked by bandits which kidnap and try to rape sakura. Lee comes to the rescue and sakura sees him as a caring individual which sparks an interest in him.

**************************************

It all started with a mission from Lady Tsuande.

----------(Flash Back)------------

"Sakura, Lee" said Tsuande, as she sat behind her desk in the Hokage Tower. The two ninjas in question were standing in front of her.

"Yes Lady Tsuande" replied Sakura

"Hai" replied Lee.

"I have a mission for the both of you. There have been reports of bandits attacking villages in Konoha for the past month. These bandits seem to be highly motivated and posses decent to great skills. They ambush caravans and steal anything of value, including people – for ransom or slavery, I do not know." Replied a grim faced Tsuande.

"How awful" says Sakura

"Yosh! With the Power of Youth, we shall overcome." replied a determined face Lee with fire burning in his eyes and an upraised fist. After the fire in his eyes went out he asked, "Do we know how many bandits there are?"

"Unknown but the reports seem to say about three to probably no more than five but I believe that these are no simple bandits. They might be missing nins" said Tsuande.

"Shouldn't we have more people involved with this?" replied Sakura

"Unfortunately everyone else is either on a mission or unable to come with you. Guy, Neji, Kiba, and Ten Ten are on a mission. Naruto, Hinata and Shino are also on a mission though they should be back sometime soon. Kakshi is in the hospital. Asuma is on a training mission with Shikamaru, Ino and Choji. So you two are all that I have to spare though as soon as I get some more people I will send them after you as backup. Now most of the attacks have been centered around an area near the village of Hikaru. My guess is that would be a good place to start looking. I would try to take on the appearances of merchants to see if you can flush any of the bandits out," replies Tsuande.

"Hai" both ninjas cried out at once.

"Well then, dismissed" replied Tsuande.

-----------(End Flash Back)---------------

Snapping out of her thoughts, Sakura looked around at the woods on either side to her to see if there was anyone around. It had only been a day or two out of Konoha with a few days more till they get to the village. She started to wonder what was going to happen when she heard someone say something to her.

"Huh?? What was that again Lee?"

""I said, would you like to stop for the night or keep on going a bit further"

Looking around she saw that the sun was indeed setting.

"Let's stop here for the night Lee. My feet are killing me" she replied with a grimace.

-----------------------------

After setting up camp, Lee and Sakura sat around a small camp fire eating dinner. Sakura was lost in thought, thinking of Naruto and Hinata – I can't believe that Naruto finally figured out that Hinata like him and that propelled him to ask her out on a date. They have been dating for a couple of months now and are probably the cutest couple of Konoha. As she was thinking of this, it started to make her depressed for now that she thinks about it, she is probably the only kunoichi in Konoha that is not with someone. Neji has Ten Ten – who finally opened up and started to date her. Ino-pig has been hanging around Choji more and more, ever since he lost is fat after the sasuke incident so many years ago and nearly died. They're feelings have for each other been an on / off thing between the two of them, though I think that they are starting to get serious for each other. Kiba has been dating one of the nin dog trainers ever since Naruto started dating Hinata. I guess he finally figured out that she was not interested in him. I hear Shino is engaged to be married to some girl from another village who is a bug user like him. So I think that just leaves Lee and me out of the rookie nine, who have not found love.

"Lee, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure Sakura-chan. What is it"

"Have you ever been in love with someone that it hurt so much?

"(Sigh). You are thinking about Sauske again aren't you, Sakura."

"Hai" she replied with her eyes slightly tearing up.

"I would like to think that I will someday be with somebody who will make me the happiest person in the world. If Sauske is that person for you Sakura-chan then I hope that you will find him and that he will return those feelings for you but I don't like seeing you get hurt." He replied while looking at her with concern on his face. "To me, I would not leave such a cherry blossom alone; I would do what I can to see that cherry blossom bloom to its greatest beauty with the power of youth." Lee said with a grin while posing in the nice guy pose.

(Giggle) "Oh Lee, don't ever change" replied a blushing Sakura. "It's getting late and we have a good journey to the village ahead of us."

"Hai, you are right."

"Good night, Lee-kun" replied Sakura as she somewhat hurriedly slipped into her sleeping bag, so Lee would not see her glowing face. Why did I call him Lee-kun? I know he always had feelings for me, for all his attempts but lately he has been more and more on my mind.

Lee flinched when he heard that. Did she call me Lee-kun? "Good night Sakura-chan"

---------------------------

Next day the two ninjas went on to the village disguised as merchants with a cart of goods to "sell"- which happen to be real merchant items. Lee and Sakura had decided to get some things for themselves and for other people while passing off as a beautiful rich merchant with a bodyguard to protect her goods.

Plus these items would pass as the bait for the bandits to attack them.

They arrive at the village with little to no trouble and soon get a room at the inn. With a blushing face both Sakura and Lee decide to share a room so that they could better look after the "items" and to look after each other in case the bandits decide to attack them in the city.

After placing the cart in the stable area of the inn so they can purchase the things the next day, Sakura and Lee go check in and get the room key. Unknown to them, the room that they got had only one bed made for two people. They go find the room to get some rest after the long journey to discover this one thing that they did not think off when booking the room.

"It would be good to take a bath and get some food" commented Sakura in the inn hallway on the way to their room. I can't believe that Lee and I are going to sleep in the same room.

"Yeah, some food would be great" said Lee with a grumbling stomach.

They arrived at their room's door. After fishing out the key, they entered the room. It was a simple room, with a joining bathroom, one king size bed, some dressers and a mirror.

"Wait a minute, there is only one bed." Said Sakura. Does this mean that I have to sleep with Lee-kun? thought Sakura.

"Nani" replied a somewhat red faced Lee. Does this mean that I have to share the bed with Sakura-chan? Thought Lee.

Going back to the inn keeper, they found out that the room that they were in was the honey room suite because it was the only room left untaken. After returning to their room, Lee faced Sakura and said, "you take the bed. I will sleep on the floor."

"Nonsense Lee, there is no need for you to suffer. The bed is big enough for the both of us." replied a slightly blushing Sakura. "Why don't you go get us some dinner while I go take a bath."'

"Hai. I guess that you would like some dango?"

"Hai. How did you know that was my favorite food?"

"I remembered you always having dango when we were eating together those few times when we would all sit together with the rest of the rookie nine" replied a shrugging Lee.

Wow, he remembered what I ate those times we were together.

"Well I will be right back with the food." Lee said snapping Sakura out of her thoughts.

Lee turns and leaves the room to go search for dango stands while Sakura goes and takes a relaxing bath. She is lounging in the bath tub when she hears someone come in the room door. Not knowing if it was Lee or the bandits she grabbed one of her kunai's and waited. "Sakura, are you still in the bath tub?" replied a voice from the other side of the bathroom door.

"H hai" replied a now blushing and feeling foolish Sakura. She quickly dried off and got dressed in some night clothes, which consisted of top and bottom pink pajama's.

She came out of the bathroom to find Lee had gotten out the table and was in the process of putting out the food that he had got. He did not notice her coming out of the bathroom till he turned around and saw her in her pink pj's. Wow, she looks great in those pj's. Wait don't' think of her like that. Thought Lee while he had a blank look on his face as he looked at her.

"Lee?" Said Sakura while waving a hand in front of Lee as he was staring at her with a blank look on his face. I wonder what is up with Lee? She looks down at her self and then notices that her top two buttons on her top PJ was undone showing some cleavage. Growing hot in the face, she quickly turns around to button them back up. I hope that he did not see that. He must have had since he hasn't moved yet. I hope that I did not break him. Thought Sakura though she was silently giggling at the thought of a broken Lee who just stands around and waves back and forth with the wind.

Snapping out of his thoughts when Sakura turned around, Lee thought. Wow, Guy sensei. What would you think of me now that I am sharing a room with a beautiful cherry blossom? The pink pj's go great with her hair and not to mention that her top was a little unbuttoned. (sigh). He quickly got things ready for them to eat dinner. It was silent as they ate dinner both were lost in their thoughts about the pj incident and how they were going to handle the sleeping arrangements. Neither had slept in the same bed with the opposite gender before so this is a first for both of them.

As they finished dinner, Lee went and took a shower and got ready for bed. When he stepped out of the bathroom wearing only some dark green shorts, Sakura was already in the bed trying to go to sleep but could not for she was nervous about sharing the bed with a boy. Peaking out of her half shut eyes, Sakura could see the "toned body" of the Taijutsu Expert. Wow. 'I knew Lee was strong but I did not think he was THAT strong' thought Sakura.

Lee went around to his side of the bed, somewhat thinking that Sakura's eyes were on him though he could not tell. He pulled up the sheets and climbed into the bed. Soon he was asleep though had some of the same thoughts that Sakura was having at that same moment.

Sakura could not go to sleep and to make matters worse she felt like that she was freezing in the bed. Turning her head to look at Lee to see if he was awake, she saw him sleeping soundly and not shivering. Plus she could feel the heat radiating from his side of the bed. Not trusting her senses, she rolled over to him to get warmer when he in his sleep move his arm and pulled her close into his chest. Now blushing with a heat, though she was cold, she was snuggled into Lee's chest, with his arms around her. She thought of trying to get out of his embrace but he was so warm and comfortable. Before she knew it she fell asleep in Lee's arms.

(Next Morning)

Lee was having a good dream when he heard the alarm clock ring, telling him that it was time to get up. He reached over and clicked it off, then froze when he felt something move against his side. Looking over at Sakura's side of bed he saw that she was snuggled up against him with her arms and legs wrapped around him like a big teddy bear. With a severely blushing face he tried to get out of the bed before she woke up and beat him senseless for this, though he was sure that it was not his fault. But as he tried to get out of her embrace she would just tighten her grip on him so he had no choice but to either wake her up or just lie there and pretend to be asleep till she woke up herself. He could not but have interesting thoughts about Sakura while she snuggled deeper into her embrace, rubbing herself against him to find a more comfortable position which was not doing good things for Lee as he was sure that he was getting turned on as for any indication by the "tent" in the sheets made by his erection. He just hoped that if she did wake up that she would not feel or see his "tent pole" in his shorts.

Sakura was feeling really good when she woke up until she saw/remembered where she was, in Lee's arms, with her arms and legs wrapped around him like some teddy bear. She looked up to see if he was awake but he had his eyes closed but was a little red in the face and was breathing somewhat hard like he was having a bad dream or something. As she went to disentangle herself from him, her thigh brushed something hard that poked her. Frowning, Sakura felt around wondering what that was when her hand brush the "said" place again and then realized what it was. She was rubbing Lee's hard on. Quickly looking up to see if he was awake, but again, his eyes were close but he was a bit redder in the face and was breathing a little hard.

Realizing that Lee had probably awaken before her but could not disentangle himself from her and/or did not want to wake her up, just laid there either asleep or pretending to be asleep so that he would not embarrass her when she woke up. But now she was really red in the face knowing that a) she was snuggled up against him, b) he was being a gentleman about this predicament and c) she was practically giving him a hand job with her search for the "pokey thing".

With a "eep" she quickly took her hand away from his crotch area under the sheets and got up debating on either keeping quite what happen, though she was sure that he was a wake and felt EVERYTHING or trying to discuss it with him and hope that he would understand that it was a accident.

"Lee, are you awake?"

"Hai" was heard somewhat slowly as if he did not want to answer

"How long have you been awake?"

(Sigh) "A while before you woke up, I could not get out of your grip on me so I just laid here wondering how to get out of this without embarrassing you but too late for that now, isn't it"

"Why did you pretend to be asleep" demanded a somewhat angry somewhat blushing Sakura.

"I did not know how to handle this situation so I figured it would be best to lay still and wait for you to wake up on your own, though I did not expect you to snuggle that much which lead to …" he trails off there.

"Which lead to what?"

"My …..thing….poking…"

With sudden memory of what she had done with her hand and Lee's erection, she turned away from his face blushing madly. "I am sorry for that and this morning. I was cold last night and tried to get warm by getting closer to you last night when you were asleep but you moved suddenly and I found myself lying next to you in your arms. It was so warm and comfortable that I fell asleep. I did not mean to rub so …. Please let's not talk about it ….ever. Let's just forget about it. This is embarrassing enough."

"Hai, I agree. Let's not mention this again."

Though they said this, they kept thinking about what they felt as they went about their business that day of purchasing items for the bait and for their friends. Sakura kept thinking about how toned Lee's muscles were and how hard he was in his shorts. Lee kept thinking about how well Sakura was shaped and how soft certain areas felt as she snuggled against him that morning.

While they were lost in thought and busy purchasing their goods, they failed to notice the pair of eyes that followed them everywhere they went.

------------------------------------ (outside of village)

"Well Lee that's everything" said Sakura as she finished loading their cart. It was about mid afternoon, so they could get in a few hours journey to see if they could bait the bandits out, for according to the reports, most of the robberies happened at night or away from the village. They had decided to act like they were going to make a slow progress to get the bandits interested in this being an easy grab.

As they were progressing down the road with Sakura leading the pony they had attached to the cart, with Lee walking near by acting like a body guard. They were about a few hours outside the village and the sun was starting to set.

As Sakura was leading the horse and the cart, with Lee guarding the rear, they heard a chuckling from the trees to their right. Getting into a defensive guard, they waited for the laughing mystery person or persons to show themselves.

"So, here we have two wanabe ninja merchants?" came from the laughing voice.

"Maybe we should give them a taste of what it's like to act like a ninja?" came another voice off to their left

Sakura and Lee were waiting for them to attack when they hear a sound of metal being thrown and they each grabbed a kunai to deflect the shrunken that were thrown at them. As they did this the five bandits drop down out of the tress around them.

The bandit in front of them seemed to be the leader for he was giving orders to his men. "Zaki, Kanji, why don't you show this young lady the proper respect to be shown to us"

"Hai. Zenshiro" the two men replied back.

"Haru, Tora, please entertain the fella. We would not want to be rude hosts now?"

"Hai. Zenshiro" said those two men off to the right of Lee.

Zenshiro just crossed his arms and took a few steps back as the four men rushed toward Lee and Sakura.

Lee and Sakura had to abandon guarding the cart but then again that was never the mission. The only things in that cart were the items that they had purchased for their friends and things to make it look like they were merchants. At first glance these five bandits were just that bandits but after a few minutes into the fight, both Lee and Sakura now know they were much more for they were putting up a good fight.

(Sakura)

Sakura was taking on the two men that were called Zaki and Kanji. They seemed easy but were no pushovers. The Zaki character was using a pair of short swords to fight her so she was dodging those blades while taking on Kanji who seem to favor using brute strength against her.

"Hey Zaki, how about we make things fun?" asked Kanji while throwing a punch at Sakura.

"Oh? How so?" replied Zaki while jumping backwards, dodging a thrown boulder from Sakura.

"How about we kill the guard over there and take her home to play with" replied Kanji quietly when he was close to Zaki, out of ear shot from Sakura.

"Hmmm I like that idea" replied Zaki while looking at the girl they were facing, taking in her curves and such.

Sakura got a bad feeling when she saw that they were eyeing her up and down when they were talking. She did not hear what they were saying but she did not like the way it looked.

"Hey you bastards" yelled Sakura as she heaved up a boulder and threw it at them. "Are you going to fight me or just stand around and gossip?"

"Oh, a feisty one. Well I know what to do with feisty women." Replied Kanji with a smirk.

"ARGGG" yelled Sakura as she fought like a demon after that remark. Soon all three were showing marks of the battle but Kanji made a fatal mistake when in the process of fighting her, grabbed her ass as she when by throwing a punch. She turned around with fire in showing in her eyes and proceeded to beat him into a bloody plup. Sakura gets in a punch that makes a loud CRACK as Kanji's rib cage breaks and he falls to his knees as he spews blood from his mouth, eyes wide with shock. He soon falls over face down, dead.

With one down, Sakura turns to face Zaki who was a bit battered but still able to fight. Sakura now thought that since there were now with one bandit dead and now just three remaining as she could still see Lee some distance off fighting the two he was facing but he soon disappeared in the woods as his fight took him farther away, she turn back to the bandit she was facing, but something was nagging on her mind about that. Shaking her head she jumped back into the fight with this bandit Zaki. She was able to get a few good hits in that must have broken a few bones for his left arm was hanging at his side and he limped, when something snapped behind her and she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head, as she fell to the ground and started to black out. She remembered that there were five bandits total and one had not fought. She was still cursing herself when she finally blacked out.

Standing behind her, Zenshiro just looked down at here and wondered how did she kill Kanji and almost killed Zaki for he was in some bad shape. Looking toward the sounds of battle where the other two were facing the male guard that was with her, for they were out of sight now, he only could think that they were now probably real ninja. Even though he lost one good man and had one in bad shape he thought that she would make an interesting slave once she was properly trained and broken, for she was really pretty. She would have to be sealed and chained with chakra absorbing chains but he could picture it, her with a sexy out fit on there to serve his or his men's needs, whether she liked it or not.

"Zaki. Lets go." Zenshiro commanded him as he picked up the girl and put her over his shoulder after tying her up.

" hai" grunted Zaki in pain.

The two bandits disappeared into woods heading back to where their hide out was. Glancing back Zenshiro saw that the male guard had killed Tora and was now fighting Haru but seemed to be at his last end for he was getting slow and a bit sluggish. He figured that Haru would get the goods (if any) and then follow them back to the base, once he was done with that guy. He shifted Sakura on his shoulder and continued on, thinking of the fun he would have with Sakura once she woke up and was in their base.

(Lee)

Lee was trying to quickly defeat the two bandits that he was facing so he could go help Sakura. Every time he would try to get closer to her, they would get in the way and soon the battle was getting farther and farther away from her. Soon they were in an area of the woods near where Sakura and the other bandits were. He could still hear them fighting but could not see them very well. But then again he was having problems with the two bandits he was facing for they were good. Real good.

Lee was having to dodge a bandit that was flinging jutsu's left and right and the other was pretty good at Taijustu. If he faced them one on one he would probably defeat them easily but they were helping each other. The Haru guy would be do a jutsu and when it was over; the Tora guy would come in fists flying only to back off when another jutsu would come flying at them. They keep him on the defensive as they fought. Lee was able to finally get a few punches in to get the Tora guy to back off enough for Lee to get the weights off on his legs. With them off he was suddenly gone in the eyes of the bandits.

"where the fu…." Replied Tora till he was hit all over and landed in a heap.

Getting up, Tora glared at Lee as he got faster to match Lee's sudden burst of speed. Soon the two were trading punches and kicks left and right while Haru just watched, not sure if he should try to fire a jutsu when they were moving at those speeds. Soon he hears that male guard say something like "First Gate: Open" followed by "Second Gate: Open" with a "Third Gate: Open" after that. Then what he sees just blows his mind as that male guard just disappears with a burst of speed and all he sees is Tora going flying everywhere. Soon Tora just lands in a heap on the ground in a bloody mess and Haru thinks it's a good idea to get back to where Zenshiro and the others were for back up. He quickly gets back to the cart but does not see them only a bloody Kanji, dead on the ground. He turns back to see if that guy was behind him, only to get a fist in the face. Haru goes flying into the cart and is knocked out.

Lee looks around to find Sakura but does not see her or the other bandits. He sees a glimpse of a pair of fleeing people jumping in the tree brances going away from here. Not wanting to lose their trail, he quickly follows after them.

Lee is no tracker so he had to keep them in sight but they soon disappear near a cave like place in a side of a mountain. Not sure what to do he goes looks at the cave and notices that it's more than that. This "cave" has been remodeled into an underground lair. He quickly enters and looks around. He hears a couple of voices, one nearby that sounded like it was in pain and two more a bit farther in the structure. Silently going to the nearby voice he glances in a room to see one of the bandits in a bed all bandaged up and not getting up any time soon. Lee decided that he need to find Sakura more than killing that bandit right then and there, so he heads toward the other voices that he heard.

------------------------------------Sakura

Sakura wakes up and notices that her hands are tied together and that a chain was snaking away to an iron rivet in the wall. She tries to stand but she was still sore from the attack by the bandits.

Bandits…….

In a sudden rush, she remembers being attacked by those five bandits, how she and lee fought and was able to kill some of them before she and Lee got separated. It was when she was separated when it happened. As she faced one of the scum bandits she failed to notice the one that remained out of the fighting coming up behind her fast and a sharp blow to the head which knocked her out. Now looking around and see that she was in a cell on a metal cot, she can assume that she was taken hostage. Well that was not going to happen, not to her.

Gathering her chakra into her hands she tries to break the iron bands that surround her hands but as soon as she tries to use her chakra enhanced strength, it was gone. She tries again but to the same affect. 'Chakra absorbing metal. Shit.' thought Sakura.

"So our "merchant" ninja is awake." Came a voice.

Looking up she saw the one bandit that got behind her and knocked her out, walking in through the open cell door.

"You and your friend made a good mess out what we were doing, killing two of us that we know of. Haru was taking care of your friend when Zaki and I took you, though you gave Zaki a run for his money. He is still trying to recover from your battle. So it is down to me to take care of you." He replies with a smile which Sakura did not like.

'shit. Shit. SHIT. I can't do anything while bound like this with these dame chakra chains' thought Sakura.

As Zenshiro advances toward her, Sakura could do nothing except try to edge back away from him but she was against the wall and could not go any further away.

*****SLIGHT LEMON RAPE SCENE*****

"What are you going to do to me?" replied Sakura trying to not let her fear take hold of her.

"Why I am going to torture you and when I am through I will let Zaki have a turn and if Haru ever shows up, he'll get his turn. After that who knows, we might keep you or sell you off," replied the bandit.

"W W W..What do you mean torture" replied a somewhat shaken Sakura.

"I mean this" he replies as he unbuckles his pants and drops them to the floor as Sakura now knows what he and his men would do to her, she tries to desperately get as far away from him as possible.

"Stay away from me" she screams.

"Ahh I love it when they resist. Makes the conquest more exciting," Zenshiro replies as he continues taking off his clothes and slowly advances on to the helpless Sakura.

"If you come near me I will rip that thing off" Sakura replies glaring at her captor.

"I would like to see you try. Not only are those chains chakra absorbing but also drain the strength out of the person in them, but not enough that they don't struggle, only enough for them to not do much else" he replied with a grin.

As much as Sakura would like to disagree, she knew that he spoke the truth for she was getting tired quickly and only had the strength to do small things. She doubted that if he tried to rape her she would not put up much of a resistance. She now could only hope that Lee or someone would save her.

By now Zenshiro was standing over her. He reaches down and grabs the top of her shirt where her neck comes out. Looking into her eyes with a grin, he rips off her shirt with a down ward motion. Tearing the shirt in a vertical rip from her collar down, till it now resembled a very open vest, leaving Sakura there in a torn shirt and her bra on as the only defense against him seeing her chest. She was not as endowed as say Hinata or Temari but she was not totally flat either. Seeing this only encouraged the bandit to grab one of his kunai's from his kunai holster that was on the floor with his clothes and cut off her bra so that her breasts hung free. He then began to work on her pants, cutting them off, practically shredding them off.

She tries to struggle but cannot put up a good effort. She feels disgusted with herself as he gets a feel of her breasts as he rubs them back and forth in his hands. As he yanks her legs apart and gets ready to rape her, she cannot help but to let the tears come pouring out. "LEE. SAUSKE. SOMEBODY HELP ME" she cries while sobbing.

"No one is coming for yo…." replies the rapist when a loud voice was heard "KONOHA SENPUU".

---------------------------Lee

As he gets closer to the voices he can make out Sakura's but it sounded like she was very scared. He could hear her talking to someone.

"What are you going to do to me?" replied Sakura.

"W W W..What do you mean torture" replied a somewhat shaken Sakura.

"I mean this" the same person replies.

"Stay away from me" she screams.

At that Lee goes to find her as fast as he can. As he gets closer he can hear more of what is being said.

"Ahh I love it when they resist. Makes the conquest more exciting,"

"If you come near me I will rip that thing off" Sakura yells.

"LEE. SAUSKE. SOMEBODY HELP ME" she cries while sobbing.

At that moment Lee rounds a corner and sees an open cell door with. Through it he sees the bandit with his back to him naked standing over a almost naked, chained Sakura.

"No one is coming for yo…." replies the rapist. As he says that Lee jumps toward the man yelling "KONOHA SENPUU". While doing a flying round house kick.

******END LEMON RAPE SCENE******

The bandit goes flying into the far wall, courtesy of a kick in the in the side of the head from Lee who arrived battered and beaten, just in time to stop Zenshiro from having his way with Sakura.

"I will not let you ruin this Cherry Blossom" yelled Lee at the now slowly getting up naked bandit. Zenshiro tries to throw a punch at Lee but with amazing speed, Lee throws a barrage of punchs and kicks at the bandit till he resembles a bloody mass of flesh. After the Bandit is confirmed dead, Lee turns to a crying Sakura, "Sakura-chan I will not let anything happen to you". Lee unbinds her from the Chakra chains but she could not stand up from the exposure of the chains, the wounds that she had gotten earlier from the fight and was not in a good emotional state from the attempted rape. Lee takes the blanket off the cot and wraps her in it, then picks her up in his arms bridal style.

"Now Sakura-chan, I will get you out of here. There is still the bandit that came after me and the one still here, judging by what I heard that scum say as I made my way down here. I would like to take care of them but I am almost at my limit and I need to take care of you first" replied Lee. Sakura could not but feel safe in Lee's arms and soon tries to be quiet as they make their way out of the bandit's base.

They quickly make their way out of the base, knowing that the remaining two bandits could be after them at any minute, so speed was need more than being quite. They raced out of the base and into the forest on their way back to Konoha as fast as Lee could go while carrying a battered Sakura. They had been going for a few hours when Lee sensed the presence of someone, so he stops, puts Sakura down on the ground – for she was in no shape to fight, and faced the "enemy" on his last legs of energy. Out of the forest, came Naruto, Hinata and Shino. See them Lee let the exhaustion take him and passes out just as Naruto and the gang get to him and Sakura. Sakura had already passed out sometime along the way from the bandits base. Seeing that Sakura and Lee needed help Naruto, Hinata and Shino carried both of them back to Konoha.

-------------------------------------Konoha a few hours later

It was late at night when, Naruto and the gang arrived at Konoha with Lee and Sakura. Naruto and the gang made all possible time getting back to Konoha to get Lee and Sakura the help that they needed. They did not stop for it usually takes a day to get to that village but the bandits base was somewhat closer to Konoha than the village was. Tsuande was not pleased when she saw the shape of Lee and Sakura, swearing that she would make those bandits pay for this, she quickly got Lee and Sakura into the hospital to take care of their wounds. Though some wounds may not be so easily healed, Sakura would not let anyone touch her. They had to tranquillize her to heal her. Lee was not in a good shape either. He had pushed himself farther than ever and had torn a few muscles during the mission.

When they were finally stabilized and put into their rooms, Tsuande wanted a report on what happen from Naruto and the gang. They told her how they had found them, with Sakura passed out and Lee standing there on his last legs of strength, ready to die, to protect her from the "enemy". He only let go when he saw that it was them he sensed and passed out himself just as they got to him.

"So we will have to find out what happened to Lee and Sakura from them. For now let them sleep. Kami knows they've earned it" said Tsuande when she got Naruto's report.

"Hai" came from three voices.

"Granny Tsuande, will Sakura be alright?" replied Naruto

"I don't know. Judging by the shape of her clothes and how she reacted to us when we tried to touch her, I would say that someone tried to rape her. As soon as she is awake I will ask her but for now let her be."

"BASTARDS"

"Naruto-kun" replied Hinata as she puts her hand onto Narutos shoulder, which causes him to calm down a bit.

"Tsuande-sama, can we go see Sakura before we go home" ask Hinata politely.

"Sure, I was going to go check up on them myself" replied Tsuande.

------------------------------------- Sakura

Sakura wakes up and looks around frantically expecting the bandit to be there. When she does not see him, she notices that she is in a hospital room with two beds, which the other had a curtain shutting off who was behind it except for a small sliver which she could see Lee's battered face.

Lee…..

She then recalls all that happened to her, how Lee stopped the bandit just before he raped her, how he carried her till she passed out in the forest toward konoha.

Feeling the need to feel safe, she got out of her bed and walked over to Lee's. As she looked down at his face, she felt safe there just beside him, knowing that it was he who came to her rescue not Sasuke, who was who knows where doing who knows what. Looking at Lee's injuries she knew that he almost died trying to protect her. Seeing that, she knew that she could always count on Lee to keep her safe. This made her wonder why she never took him up on his advances towards her, even after when Sasuke left.

With a quick look around to see if anyone was there, she lifted his sheet and climbed into the bed. Even though Lee was asleep, he must had known what she was doing for he let her climb into his arms and snuggle against him in his sleep. She was careful not to undo any of the bandages or IV's that he had in him but felt so safe in his arms that she fell asleep again, snuggled next to the one she thought she would not mind getting to know more.

------------------------------------- Naruto, Hinata, and Tsuande

They just stared in shock as they found Sakura in Lee's arms in his bed when they went to check up on them. Seeing them there, they all knew that those two would do anything for each other now. Maybe the wounds that were inflected on Sakura could be healed by Lee's heart.

They quietly backed out of the room not wanting to disturbed the two from their peaceful embrace. They could find out what happened later, for now it was more important that those two have their time together.

An: that's it. I wanted a story where sometime tragic happen to Sakura and it was Lee that would come to the rescue not Sauske and that would make Sakura realize that lee was one that would make her feel safe and want to be with her, where as Sauske left to go search for power.