Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto's and Tenten's past when mentioned is based on a good friend of mines.

A/N: Hey all! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and thank you so much for reading and enjoying the story. It really means a lot to me! Not really much to say other than I'm sorry that it took so long for me to get the next part up, but I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought. Here we go!

X

'Your sensei is nothing but a liar. He only teaches you because he feels pity for you.' Ryudoin smirked as he looked at Lee, his arms folded across his chest.

'That is not true! Guy-sensei teaches me because he believes I can do it and so do I!' Lee snapped back his fists clenching at his side. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten here but somehow he'd wound up back at the wooden castle, trying to save his sensei. He couldn't find him though. No matter how many doors he opened or how many times he called out, he couldn't find him. Instead, he'd found Ryudoin in Yagura's form, staring at him from the top of a wooden dummy and laughing.

'You're a fool if you believe anything that man teaches you. Deep down, you know hard work can't match up to real talent. And no matter how you try to lie to yourself, you can't change it.'

Lee snarled and lunged forward.

'Enough! Where is my sensei?' he screamed as he attacked, leaping up high and spinning around, he swept up his leg to catch Ryudoin under the chin. He'd already moved though and not even a second later, Lee felt a sharp pain in his back, sending him forward and smashing into the dummy. He felt like he had so many years ago when he'd tripped on the rope and gone headfirst into the tree stump. Now though, there was no Guy-sensei to come and help.

Forcing himself up, Lee whirled around, bringing his fists up. Instead of Ryudoin though stood Tsunade.

'La...'

'It's best if you give up being a shinobi.' she said coldly. 'Whatever your dream's are, you can't achieve them now.'

'B...but the surgery...' Lee started.

'Was a failure. You might be alive, but even your sensei knows. That's why he wants you to rest. He knows you can't do it.' she folded her arms, staring at him through cold blue eyes.

Lee jerked back as if he'd been struck.

'T...that's a lie! That's a lie and you know it!' he shot off towards the woman, not caring that she was Hokage. No one lied about his sensei like that! Not even her! No one made things up about him and got away with it!

She moved away from him like water, shifting and turning, avoiding even his most powerful attacks.

'Gate of life, open!' he shouted, feeling energy surge through his body and renewing his attacks.

'That won't help you, Lee.' Tsunade's voice grew colder.

'Ahhhhhhhh!' his scream tore through the room, shaking the wooden beams as he pushed himself off of them, attacking again and again. A sharp pain in his gut sent him flying backwards and skidding across the floor.

'You're nothing but a failure, Lee. Just learn to accept it.' Neji's voice caught him by surprise and he looked up to see the boy glaring down at him. 'It's not something you can change.'

Lee felt his chest tighten and his eyes narrow as he stared at the genius. Why would...but...Neji said he could surpass them all! That he believed it! Neji had said that at the Ramen shop with Naruto and Tenten! Lee remembered!

'I only said that because I knew you were listening. Do you actually I think I meant it?"

'If you did not, then you will!' Lee was up again, charging as fast as he could. He could feel blood trickling from his arms and legs from the intense pressure put on them and every breath was painful, but he wasn't going to stop. The smell just pushed him on. He'd show Neji. He'd show everyone. Guy-sensei hadn't lied! Hard work could overcome genius!

'Just like it overcame me?' a cold voice caught him from behind and he turned just in time to see a mountain of sand shoot towards him and wrap around his right arm and leg. No! Not again! No! 'You were not cut out for this life. You're sensei is just finally beginning to see it.'

Gaara was staring at him with a deranged smile on his face as he threw him around like a rag doll. Slamming him into a wall and then crushing him into the ground.

Lee let out a scream of pain and horror as he was struck again and again by the wave of sand. This time though, instead of being driven into the stone floors of the castle, he was being driven into mud.

'Hot blooded dropout!' children's voices taunted from the air. 'Loser! You'll never be a ninja.'

'I...will...to! I will be a splendid ninja! Just watch...' Lee growled as he tried and failed to push himself up on his elbows despite the pain that wracked his body. His head spun and he felt bile creeping up his throat. Just as suddenly as the pain came though, it left. Leaving him lying near a stump, his face soaked with tears and pressed to the ground. He could feel the weight of his headband against his forehead and his loose black hair dangled in front of his eyes.

Forcing himself to look around, he turned over on his back and stared up into the sky. The sun was fading fast and his breathing was coming in slow gasps. Where...was he? He...this wasn't the castle! So...

The training ground! He looked behind to see the worn stump, then felt himself brighten as he heard a voice behind him.

'Lee, taking a break already?'

He forced himself up and spun around to see Guy-sensei staring at him with his arms folded and a small grin on his face. There was something different about the grin, but Lee didn't pay attention to it.

'Sensei! I...'

'It's probably for the best.' Guy said cutting Lee off.

'W...what is?' Lee stared at his hero, not sure what he was talking about.

'That you're taking a break. You're obviously not cut out to be a shinobi. No matter how much work you put into it...' he sighed and shook his head.

'Sensei no! No! I...that's not true! You told me...'

'I was just being nice. You know how it is...but it's a waste of time. Anyone can see that.' Guy-sensei looked over at him, and though the voice remained his, as he opened his mouth, his entire face changed. 'You're not worth anything, Lee.'

'N...no! No wait! Sensei! Wait...' Lee ran after the man as he began disappearing. But it wasn't his sensei he was seeing. It was someone else. 'Wait! Please...'

"Father!" Lee screamed as he sat straight up in bed, his chest heaving as he stared at a blank wall. His mind spun and his body felt as if it were made of lead. His dark eyes darted around the room frantically, trying to remember where he was and what he was doing here. This wasn't his home! This wasn't the training ground! This... "ahhhh!" he let out a cry of pain as he doubled over, holding his side.

As intense as it was, the pain was just what he needed to bring him back to reality.

He was in the hospital again. After he'd fought to free his sensei, he'd been hurt and had to come back. They were leaving today for a smaller village...they were all leaving together. No one was leaving him behind. His sensei wasn't leaving him behind! His...

Cursing in a way no one would believe, he slammed his fist against the bed and brought his knees to his chest, burying his face in them. Why did he keep having these dreams? Why did he keep seeing that man? That...he hated him! Lee hated him more than he hated anyone in the world, but ever since he'd seen Ryudoin leave with Guy-sensei, even if it was all a trick, he couldn't stop thinking about him.

His father...why did he...

"You're not a failure." he whispered. "You're not! Guy-sensei believes in you! He does! It was just a bad dream...just a dream." he repeated to himself over and over as he wiped his eyes so hard it hurt. He was only so grateful no one on staff had heard him scream like that. Looking over at the clock on his bedside table, Lee noticed it was six in the morning. Way past when he should be up. The walk with his team yesterday must have tired him out more than he realized, but that was no excuse. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Lee untangled himself from his sheets and climbed out of bed. Guy-sensei would already be at the training hall by now.

Pulling on his suit, legwarmers and finally adjusting his headband Lee picked up his crutch and hobbled to the door. He would make his sensei proud of him! He would try harder than ever to make up for his current injury. Everyone told him to rest, but they didn't understand! He couldn't stop...he had to prove he was worth what his teacher taught him. He had to prove it so they wouldn't leave him behind.

X

By the time his team plus Sakura headed out, Guy couldn't have felt more stressed out. He put on a smile for everyone else, but he was shaking inside. Lee had been training this morning. Instead of going to the training hall like he usually did in the morning, Guy had headed out to the training spot he and Lee shared and began working on several new techniques. Once Lee was better, he planned on teaching him.

When he stopped by the hospital an hour later, he'd found out that Lee had left already and he nearly had a panic attack as he tore through Konoha looking for him. Half an hour later at the training hall, he found Lee gasping for breath and using the wooden practice dummy to keep himself standing. His crutch abandoned at his side.

If Lee hadn't been so injured already, Guy would have slammed his fist into the boy's face. He hated doing it, but it was the best way to get Lee's attention and keep it! He didn't tough. For a minute he couldn't even move as he stared horrified at the boy and felt as if Tsunade was watching over his shoulder that very second. Breathing down his neck and planning what team to move Lee to.

He'd been broken out of his stupor when Lee's legs gave out on him and he'd nearly collapsed on the floor. If Guy hadn't been there to catch him, he could have cracked his head against the training dummy.

'Idiot! What are you doing?' he'd demanded.

'G-guy-sensei?' Lee had blinked, looking up as if he were lost, then smiled as he pushed himself up. 'I'm alright. Training is all...I'm fine!'

He wasn't fine! Guy didn't think he'd ever wanted to strangle that kid more than he had then! Another part though wanted to praise him. Wanted to cheer him on and continue to challenge him. The village didn't consider Lee a genius but that's because they didn't know him. He was though, and at the chuunin exams even Kakashi had recognized it. That kind of hard earned talent deserved to be challenged so it could be refined and recognized!

Only Tsunade's warning kept him from doing so. Now though, he felt torn again as he walked with the genin.

"I'm not fighting you when we get back, Lee. We both know how it's going to end."

"No! You just think you know." Lee baited Neji.

"Lee, give it a rest. We haven't even been gone half an hour." Tenten sighed, rubbing her temples.

"There is nothing wrong with planning ahead. And when we get back..."

"You're going to rest until Tsunade or I say so and that's final!" Sakura broke in, and Guy let out a small sigh of relief. If there was one person that was possibly better at getting through Lee's thick skull than him, it was Sakura.

"I will be better by the time we get back though. There's no need to worry." Lee grinned.

Then again, maybe not.

"Look, Lee." Sakura started off sweetly, a clear indication something was going to happen. "You're injured enough as it is. So don't make me knock you unconscious and drag you to the village!" Sakura snarled and Guy whipped around in case he had to stop the girl from beating Lee to a pulp. Lee only stared at Sakura as if she had just proclaimed her love for him.

"Sakura, back off." Tenten said from behind and the pink haired girl looked over at her.

Before any kind of relief could take over Guy, Tenten continued.

"He's my teammate. If anyone's knocking him unconscious it's me."

"If I get a choice, I would rather Sakura." Lee said.

Neji groaned. "Idiot..."

"What? What was that?" Lee demanded, forcing himself to go faster to catch up with Neji.

"I called you an idiot!"

"I am not an idiot!"

"I think you're both idiots." Tenten interrupted before it could get out of hand and forced herself between the two, pushing Neji away so there was enough room for Sakura to walk by Lee. "Now, both of you cool it!"

If they were smart, they'd stay quiet. Guy knew from experience how explosive Tenten's temper could be when it concerned people she cared about and the last thing he needed was her beating up both Neji and Lee! He loved his team, but sometimes he wondered if they weren't the reason he found a few gray hairs every now and then. That wasn't supposed to happen for another thirty years!

Fortunately, it seemed Tenten's snarl worked, and the two boys backed off, now turning their attention to the walk.

They couldn't have picked a more perfect day for one either. The sky was bright blue and shinning through the trees giving off a slight green glow, the flowers were in bloom, birds were flitting around building nests or hatching eggs and there was a cool breeze as well. The only thing that could make it better would be if Lee were better. Then maybe they could have some kind of race to the village! Guy knew he'd win, but Lee would definitely come in second! If it had just been the four of them, he might have suggested a race where he carried Lee on his back and Neji carried Tenten. It could be a double team race!

Of course, even without a race he was considering asking if Lee needed some help. It might embarrass him in front of Sakura but it was hard not to think about it. Lee was limping for everything he was worth, holding onto the crutch so tight his knuckles were white and trying to keep up with everyone.

'I won't slow you down, sensei! You won't have to wait for me.' he'd promised right before they'd met the others.

"Do you think we'll have to camp overnight?" Sakura finally broke the silence.

"I don't know." Tenten shrugged. " Probably not. I think it's close enough we can..." she trailed off as she shot a look at Lee. "But it's probably farther than I'm thinking, so if we need to stop it's..."

Guy watched as Lee shot Tenten a glare from the corner of his eye.

"It is only thirty miles away." he said. "We've covered more distance than that in an hour before."

Tenten shrugged.

"It depends on the route. We might be taking a different..."

"All the routes are short enough we can make it in a day. Right sensei?" Lee looked straight at him and Guy felt caught between agreeing, and saying they'd have to stop. The one condition Tsunade gave so that Lee didn't have to be carried or ride in a chair was that he take it easy. And with Sakura here...well it'd be good to have her, but once he invited her, he realized it could backfire as well. Sakura might take Lee's mind off of training, but she could also report back to Tsunade about anything she saw that concerned her.

"Well it depends..." he settled on. "We might have to stop, but a night under the stars never hurt anyone! It'd be good to spend a night outdoors." he silently pleaded with Lee to just nod and go on talking to Sakura, but Lee shook his head.

"We can sleep outside the inn then! But we can make it one day. I know we can. In fact..." he turned towards Neji who by now seemed on the verge of running back to Konoha. "Neji! I challenge you to a race. If I cannot beat you to the village, then I will run around it five hundred times with extra weights!"

"Forget it! You'd fall flat on your face within the first five minutes."

"Then you accept my challenge? Fine then..."

"Lee!"

"Neji!"

"Go!"

"Hold it!" Guy put his hands up hurriedly in front of the two boys, causing them to come to a complete halt with a sudden jerk. "There's not going to be any racing right now, alright? Lee, with your leg as bad as it is, you know better. Don't do anything to make it worse."

His voice was harsher than he meant it to be, but he forced his face to match. Even as Lee's own turned bright red and he looked like he'd been slapped.

"Yes sir." he said softly.

"Hai sensei." Neji answered politely, but his eyes were on Lee and once Lee looked up again, Guy saw something he never thought he would. "When you're leg is better Lee, we will have our race. Of course I doubt you'll win, but we'll see."

"That might be awhile though, Lee. So don't push it." Guy cut in, feeling sick as he crushed the smile that appeared on his student's face, and inwardly cursed Tsunade, and himself. Lee wasn't used to him telling him not to push it, and Guy wasn't used to it either. It felt wrong. Like someone else had taken control of his body and was saying exactly what would push Lee further from achieving his dream and fill his head with doubts. Guy couldn't help it though. He needed to talk to Lee about what Tsunade said, he knew, but...

How could he assure Lee that those were empty words, when he was beginning to doubt himself?

He'd promised to train the boy. He'd promised to dedicate his life to that and he always kept his promises! But...what if this was a promise that if kept, would hurt Lee more than help him?

Shaking his head, Guy forced a smile to his face as if nothing was wrong, and began pointing out the various plant life he saw to the genin and asking what they knew about tracking and other essential skills. All the while though, he kept watching Lee.

His eyes were trained on the ground now, and even with Sakura by his side, he looked as if someone had just twisted a knife into his back.

X

It was almost night by the time they reached the village and everyone let out a long sigh of relief. They hadn't run into any danger on the journey, but it hadn't exactly been an easy one. Lee had started having trouble halfway through and like a brave fool kept his mouth shut. He didn't say anything even as his leg throbbed and he hobbled along, going steadily slower until everyone noticed and slowed down their pace as well. This infuriated him. What made it worse though was that Sakura wanted to stop and examine his leg. He said he was fine, and thought he'd prove it by picking up his speed. It was when he began to slow down again that he did possibly the most foolish thing he'd done that day.

He started to run. As fast as he could, Lee broke out into a run, trying desperately to prove he was still as capable as ever.

Not even a minute late, his crutch had gotten stuck in a small hole and he'd pitched forward; skidding across the rocky ground and winding up with holes in his suit, a bloodied face, and Guy's patience on it's last leg.

He was alright though. Lee had even been smiling and tried to refuse help when it was offered. Despite his protests though, he wound up being carried on Guy's back for the remainder of the trip and was only now being let off.

"Any chance you can carry your own pack now?" Neji asked Guy once Lee was down. He was currently doubled over under the weight of everyone's pack and looked five seconds away from killing someone. Once Guy had started to carry Lee, Tenten suggested that Neji help by carrying their things. He tried to refuse but one thing led to another and soon Neji was holding everyone's packs. Including Tenten's which was stuffed with weapons along with everything else. But it was good for the boy!

"Ah you can make it to the inn! You don't ever use weights, this'll be good for you." Guy gave Neji a thumbs up, and then felt like kicking himself as he saw Lee.

"I can help." Lee came up next to Neji.

"Can he?" Neji shot Guy a look as they trudged into the small village. Even if Lee was injured, Neji knew he could carry some kind of weight. Just taking Tenten's bag would make things three times lighter.

Guy shook his head, trying to ignore the way Lee's shoulder's slumped.

"Er...not now. Maybe on the way back."

"He's trying to kill me." Neji muttered under his breath and for a split second Guy almost reconsidered. If Lee helped Neji it wouldn't be that bad. It wasn't really training after all. It was just him helping out with something. Tsunade couldn't hold that against him...right?

The thought she could at all forced him to bite his tongue and he stayed with his original decision as they headed further into town. They knew it was going to be small, but it was still a surprise at how small it was. There was a market place with only a few shops and houses were right across from them, leading back into the forest rather into a cultivated area. A small almost shabby school stood next to a public fountain near the middle of the village, and the only thing that didn't look fifty years old was the inn they were headed to and the hot springs next to it. Still, even they didn't look quite like they'd imagined, and the entire village just seemed to be a hodgepodge of buildings, trees and stone walkways all thrown together without a care.

For some reason as well, the shadow's made Guy nervous in this place. Not fearful, but...cautious. Especially as they came closer and he saw a rundown bar only a few hundred yards from the inn. This seemed like a perfect place for someone to either disappear, or cause others to. He'd have to make sure they stayed together. Especially the girls. Even if they could handle themselves, he didn't want them in a situation where they'd have to.

Tsunade must have had some mixed information about this place, that was sure.

"Alright, lets head on in and everyone be on your best behavior! Give them all a smile worthy of Konoha itself!" Guy instructed brightly as they headed into the inn. He swore he saw Sakura shoot his student's a sympathetic look.

"Yes sir!" Lee said brightly, while the other two just nodded. Desperation tinted his eyes though and his smile seemed forced even as they headed in.

Things would work out though, Guy was sure. Lee would get the rest he needed and then they'd head back to Konoha and everything would be perfect! Lee would stay on the team and Tsunade would get off his back, and in a year or so maybe he could enter his students in the chuunin exams again! It would all work out. It had to.

X

"This is...awesome..." Tenten smiled as she slipped further into the warm water. The next day, while Lee and Guy were at his physical therapy session, the girls and Neji had taken to the springs without so much as a question.

"I know...I'm just glad Naruto isn't here." Sakura said. "You have no idea what that little pervert can be like."

"I have a pretty good idea." she groaned. "But you know he'll probably get worse with Jiraiya-sama as his teacher."

Sakura palmed her face. Wonderful.

"Speaking of teachers though...is your sensei alright? He seemed...umm...stranger than usual." Sakura settled on.

Tenten sighed as she leaned her head back against the warm rocks. That was the question wasn't it? She had known Guy-sensei for almost ten years now, and never had she seen him act like this. Like he was scared of Lee actually trying anything at all. It didn't make sense. Especially since he was always the one that pushed him so hard and tried to get the others to follow. Now he seemed to be pulling Lee back. She wasn't sure if it was because Lee was injured or something else. He had been injured before and their sensei let him spar with that Yagura imposter right after his doctor appointment!

"I don't know." she finally sighed. "I think the whole thing with Yagura really threw him for a loop. From what Lee told me, it could have been a battle to the death."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"They were forced to fight each other?"

"Not exactly. Lee said something about how they had to fight wooden dummies, but the wooden dummies were really them somehow. Probably a connecting jutsu was at the center of it."

"So if they didn't know, they really could have..."

"Yeah. And as strong as Lee is, compared to Guy-sensei, who do you think would have won?" she let her brown hair fall in front of her face. Her entire team was precious to her sensei, Tenten knew. But if something happened to Lee, it would kill him. Especially if he was the reason for it.

"Maybe that's why Lady Tsunade..." Sakura started then cut herself off.

"What? What did Lady Tsunade do?" Tenten knew her sensei had gone to see her when they got back. Had she told him something? Was something really wrong with Lee?

"It's nothing. Just something I overheard her muttering about. She was probably just asleep..."

"Sakura, Lee is my teammate. Guy is my sensei. If something's going on, I need to know." Tenten folded her arms and stared at the pink haired girl. She'd beat it out of her if she had to.

Sakura just shook her head.

"I don't know what's going on. Not really anyways. I just heard her muttering about something before we left." she looked down at the water, biting her lip before she looked up and back into Tenten's eyes. "I think I heard her saying something about...looking for a new team for Lee."

"WHAT?" Tenten's shriek sent heads on the other side whipping around, a flock of birds flying for a nearby tree and for a split second Sakura wasn't sure if she'd signed her own death warrant. "You cannot be serious! Lady Tsunade wouldn't think about that! She knows how..."

"Keep it down." Sakura hushed. "I don't even know for sure. It was just something I heard her talkin about. For all I know she could have been talking about having all of you team up with someone else for a mission."

"That doesn't make sense. If it was for a mission then we would have already been informed about it. And Lee's not even up for commission right now."

Had Lady Tsunade threatened Guy? Tenten didn't doubt she'd be angry when she found out he had to open the inner gates, but would she really go that far? She couldn't do that. Lee was to important to their team and as much as Tenten admired Tsunade, Lee would leave their team over her dead body! Maybe their team wasn't exactly the best, and she knew that Neji and him got into it more than they should, and Lee had been hurt badly, but...they were his team! They were his family. You didn't separate family like that!

"Look, I don't know for sure. I just heard her muttering about it when I walked by her office." until the hole in her wall was repaired it was hard not to hear everything she said. "So don't say anything alright? You'll just freak those two out if you do."

"Something is going on though. I..." Tenten started only to be cut off.

"I am fine sensei. You don't need to stop me from..."

"You just got back from physical therapy, Lee. You don't need to hurt yourself again."

The two girls shot a look at each other as they heard voices coming from over the wooden fence. Grabbing their towels, they jumped out and watched in shock through a small hole. It...no. It was crazy! This was crazy. That would never happen. But...it looked like it was. It looked like Guy-sensei and Lee were actually...fighting?

"We're here so you can get better, Lee. Not so you can reinjure yourself." Guy folded his arms, looking down at the boy.

"I'm not going to reinjure myself, Sensei. I just said I wanted to see if I could beat my record."

"And I told you no! Not today. Your leg wasn't the only thing that was hurt. Your right arm is still swollen..."

"Then I can use my left one." Lee stood up straighter, locking gazes with his sensei. "I can do it!"

"Not right now. Right now, I want you to just rest."

"Why?"

The girls hid a gasp. They had never seen Lee challenge Guy before. They had seen him be frustrated at times and Tenten had seen one time where he sulked a bit after a severe lecture. But they had never seen him talk back to Guy like this.

"What?" Guy was just as surprised as they were.

"Why? You've always told me to push and go further than I thought I could. You always told me to make a limit and then break through it. Now you're telling me to accept them and I don't understand why." anger and confusion choked Lee's voice, and his eyes narrowed.

"There are some things you don't need to understand, Lee. You just need to do them because I'm telling you to. And right now, I'm telling you no more training!"

"But..."

"ENOUGH!" Guy roared and before anyone could blink, they saw Guy's fist connect with Lee's face, sending him back several feet and skidding on the ground, his crutch nearly snapping from the pressure. From the look on Guy's face, it was as much a shock to him as it was to anyone. Lee didn't look shocked at all though. In fact, he looked a little relieved, despite the dark mark that was slowly growing under his left eye.

Tenten then waited for their sensei to go over and help the boy up and hug him. Tell him it was over now or something like that and just explain things to him. She expected something like that to happen. Instead, Guy covered his face with his hand as he shook his head and without another word, turned on his heel and left Lee sitting in the dirt.

The fourteen year old boy looked like his entire world had been crushed and his face had turned blood red from humiliation.

After a few minutes, Lee managed to grab his crutch, and force himself to stand. He headed in the opposite direction of Guy, down towards the forest.

"I'll go after Guy-sensei. You go make sure Lee doesn't get hurt." Tenten said as she hurried towards the girls changing room with Sakura only seconds behind.

To Be Continued...

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the story. Please let me know what you thought.

Have a great day

Be blessed

your friend

innocent-rebel