Kakashi was on his way to Uzu's apartment to make sure that she was resting, he was several buildings down form her place when he heard a loud ear splitting scream of agony that was like a lightening bolt to his brain. Everything became hyper sensitive and electrically charged, panic surged through his blood and he started to run. He jumped up to the second floor of the apartment building and paused for a second as he saw Gai sitting on his ass in front of the door shaking.

"Gai!" Kakashi grabbed the man's shoulder and started to ask him what was wrong when the smell of blood hit him. His breath left his lungs in a hiss as he turned his head and stared at the small figure of Uzu laying on the floor in a pool of blood, with a kunai sticking out of her chest. Oh no. Kakashi thought as he pushed Gai out of the way and almost tripped over his own feet trying to get to the girl before dropping down beside her and feeling for a pulse.

His heart sank into the pit of his stomach as he stared at her face, she was so pale, her eyes closed as if she had just fallen asleep, there was no pained expression on her face that he had become accustomed to seeing from fallen comrades. No horror or betrayal in her features. No suprise. She was a blank slate.

He picked her up in his arms without thinking, noticing that her body was still warm and loose, her lips had'nt even turned color yet. There was a chance. It was slim, but as long as the chance that she could be healed existed, that was all he would think of.

He threw himself through her window, using his back to shatter the glass and took off running across the roof tops towards the hospital. He'd come back for Gai later, once he was sure she would make it.

Then he'd ask his old friend what the hell he had been doing at her apartment. And how she had gotten hurt in such a suspicous way.

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Two in a half hours later-

Hurizen Sarutobi was not a man given to violent fits of temper, usually, anyways. Nor was he the type of person that you would want to have as your enemy. And yet as he walked down the hall of the hospital, towards the operating room where several carefully selected doctors and nurses were working, one could'nt help but almost feel his anger crackling in the air around him.

His usually warm dark eyes were cold and flat, reminding the Anbu around him of dark chips of ice. They were having trouble keeping up with the seventy six year old man as he walked, well no he was'nt really walking, he was stalking down the halls like he was secretly wanting the person responsible to jump out at him so that he could slit their throats. He had his all buisness, do not fuck with me, expression firmly in place as he stopped outside of the room where the village biijuu currently was.

As expected Kakashi was dutifully waiting for the Kage's arrival.

The silver haired jounin was leaning lazily against the wall, pretending to be calm when the Hokage knew damn well that the man must be going out of his mind. Next to him, sitting on one of the leather cushioned benches was Gai. "What happened?" The elder bit out as he glared at the two men.

Kakashi gave him a cold look, and took his hands out of his pants pockets and crossed his arms over his chest. Apparently not feeling the need to explain himself to the Kage. Gai on the other hand started babbling such intresting things, his face pale, his eyes had a grief sticken wild look to them that niether the Kage or Kakashi had never seen before.

"I was approached by a council man-I didn't get his name. H-He told me that Lee was dying and that if I wanted to save him..." Tears slipped down the man's face as he rubbed at the dried blood on his hands anxiously. "He said that I would have to kill Uzu to save Lee." Gai sobbed as he hung his head in shame.

The Kage looked at Kakashi and noted that the man looked pale behind his mask. His dark blue eye staring at the top of Gai's head in shock and dread. Already fearing the worst, but quickly hiding his reaction and pushing away from the wall and waited patiently for the elder to hear the rest of Gai's explination, silently hoping that Gai had'nt hurt Uzu.

He understood how much he cared about Lee as his student among other things, but if his feeling were starting to interfere with his ability to think rationally then the Hokage would either seperate Gai from Lee, or if he was responsible for what had happened to Uzu, Lee would be killed.

"Gai, did you put the kunai through Uzu's chest?" The Hokage asked, steeling his heart against the decision that he would have to make.

Gai shook his head and jumped up from his seat. "No! I would'nt do that!"

"But you were there. Why?" The Kage pointed out in a cold tone. Gai started pacing and muttering something under his breath, he ran his fingers through his dark hair.

"I don't know! I think I just wanted to see her-"

"Did you go there to hurt her? Did you start too and change your mind? Did you warn her?"

"Yes! Dammit, yes, yes, and yes. She was sleeping when I got there, just passed out on the floor. I thought that maybe if I was going to kill her that I could do it then, but I could'nt stop my hand from shaking, I threw the kunai and sat back and tried to think of a way to save Lee without hurting her. She woke up...and asked about Lee. I panicked and choked her a little bit then let her go and moved away from her. I told her that I was sorry, over and over and over again and she just smiled-"

"Wait. Wait. Wait-" The elder said as he held up his hand, Gai's words didn't add up to him. If Gai had gone there to kill her then she should have been scared, terrified even. So why had she smiled at him? "She smiled?"

Gai looked confused for a second then nodded his head. "She didn't cry, didn't try to run, didn't act frightened?"

"No sir. She just smiled and moved in close and put her hand on mine and squeezed it." Gai said softly as he stopped pacing and looked down at his left hand, even with her blood on it, he could still feel the warmth from her touch.

"What happened then, Gai?"

"She gave me instructions to tell you everything and told me to give her a kunai and step outside..."

Sarutobi cocked his head, Kakashi said nothing as Gai's words sank in. He had'nt hurt her. Not in a mortal or perment way. Meaning that Uzu had wounded herself to make it look as though he had done it in an effort to trick the one who had manipulated Gai. Sarutobi sighed tiredly, some of the anger and rage draining away a bit.

But Gai would still have to be punished for his part in this mess.

"Alright, listen up Gai-" The green wearing nin looked at him, bleak despair. "I get that you didn't hurt her. I also understand why she did what she did, but you still need to be punished for your part in this. I'm demoting you to chunin, you will not be allowed to see Lee for the next six months since I will be transfuring him to another team, and the rest of your punishment will be up to Uzu if she survives."

"Hai, Lord Hokage." Gai said as he sat back down. The Kage sighed again and looked at Kakashi who had returned to leaning against the wall again.

"Come and find me when the doctor comes out."

"Hai."

"Gai, now would be a good time to go and say bye to Lee. You won't be seeing him for a while." The elder said as he turned and started back down the hall, he wanted to find the caffiteria and get something to eat and maybe some coffee to drink since the next few days were going to be hell on his nerves.

Kakashi waited until the man was completely gone before pushing away form the wall again, the action catching Gai's attention. Good, he had a point to make and it was best if he made it while he had the man's attention. "Gai...a word please."

Gai nodded his head and stood up and followed Kakashi down the hall, feeling more than a little scared to be led down the hall by the copy nin. "Where are we going Kakashi?"

"Shut up scum." The silver haired nin said gently, but coldly. He was livid about this. He could'nt believe that Gai would attack and attempt to kill Uzu. The only family that he had left in the world. Such a betrayal was'nt something that could easily be forgiven. Kakashi stopped in front of Lee's hospital room and a lead wieght settled in Gai's stomach.

"What are you going to do?" Gai asked in fear as he looked at his friend as he twisted the knob and pushed the door open.

Kakashi ignored Gai and walked over to the curtain and pulled it back to see Lee laying in the bed sound asleep due to the pain killers being pumped into his veins. Gai stood across the room watching Kakashi like a hawk, afraid that if he didn't the man would really kill Lee for his mistake. True to his nature Kakashi reached out and put on hand over Lee's nose and mouth, cutting off the sleeping boy's air and smiled at Gai.

"Kakashi no!"

"Shut up Gai or I'll rip out his heart and hand it to you-" Kakashi said darkly as Lee twitched in his sleep. "I want you to understand just how badly you've pissed me off, and what will happen the next time you try anything funny with Uzu..." He looked down at Lee as he scrunched up his face and reached up in his sleep to try and push the copy nin's hand off of his face with his good hand. A distressed sound escaping the boy as he pushed weakly at Kakashi's hand.

Gai looked horrified as he stared at his childhood friend.

He had to stop Kakashi, but he was'nt so stupid as to not know how a fight between them would end. Kakashi was'nt the new White Fang of the village for just any reason. "Kakashi, stop."

"Not until I make my point you fool. The next time you try to do anything to Uzu, you had better end yourself or I'll murder not just Lee, but your other students-and make you watch while I kill them. Do I make myself clear?" Kakashi asked as he looked at Gai, giving the other man the full force of his furious gaze.

"Yes! Just let him breath!" Gai cried as he took a step closer to the bed and reached out to grab Kakashi's hand so that he could jerk it away from Lee. Kakashi smiled at him and removed his hand, sure that Gai understood him enough without having to prove his threat true.

"Good-" Kakashi said as he clapped Gai on the shoulder and whispered. "Watch your back, friend." As he brushed past Gai and walked out the door and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked back down the hall to the operating room just in time to catch the doctor coming out to tell him that Uzu was seriously weakened, but she was okay and should make a total recovery.

Kakashi took the news in stride and waited until he was alone before slipping into the operating room to check on her himself.

Silently vowing to himself that he would run her into the ground the next time she showed up for training, for making him worry so much. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead and and brushed her shoulder length strawberry blond hair back from her face and went to go tell the Hokage the good news.