Lee woke up to a familiar and uncomfortable heat as he climbed out of his blanket. "The weater is aready noticable" He noted mentally as he crawled ot of his tent.

"Are you going to be okay?" Gaara's voice came from above, still upside down in the branches and examining Lee. He wouldn't allow a repeat of last time.

Lee smiled broadly and shot him a thumbs up as he packed his things. "I will be fine. This time I will be more careful."

Gaara nodded solemnly and walked down the base of the tall tree, quite possibly one of the last ones they'd see before finding their target. Soon they were back on their trail, the sun close behind. A few hours rolled by before Gaara notice Lee start falling behind, almost panting from the heat. A moment later there was silence.

"Lee?" Gaara turned, ready if need. Lee was still standing, he had zipped down the back of his tight green spandex down to the middle of his back and was removing his arms from the suit to stop some of the heat. Gaara kept his sights on him for a moment, processing what he was seeing before turning away at the thought of when he had last seen the Leaf nin's torso.

"Much better" Lee smiled, it really killed him to remove part of his suit, but the sun was unbearable. He looked up and noticed his comrade was still. "Is everything alright Gaara?"

Gaara was lost, his thoughts escaping him, he seemed to lose focus for a moment, forgetting about Lee only to visit him in thought, as it had been almost since he had first started on this mission. Lee had been his comrade. Only that and nothing more. He did however intrique Gaara, his upmost determination, no matter the challenge, no matter how badly his injuries are, and no matter who he must face. He'd do it. But there is something more than that. Something about the green clad ninja that made Gaara feel human, not like a monster.

"Gaara?" Lee placed his hand on the distracted's shoulder. Gaara turned quickly, sand escaping his gourd, and sweeping from the grasp of whoever had grabbed him. Lee jumped back, startled by his reaction and smiled nervously. "I am sorry, I did not mean to scare you."

Gaara relaxed and retracted his sand. "It's fine." Though he did think 'scare' was the wrong word.

"Are you alright?" Lee asked again.

Garra nodded. Lee shrugged it off as they continued walking. A few hours pasted, the sun reaching it's highest point and decending though the tempurature never seemed to ease up. It was a little before night fall when Lee strayed from the path and started for a small hill. Gaara noticed and looked to him curiously. The green ninja smiled and dropped his bag, sitting down he motioned Gaara to follow him.

"What are you doing?" The sand nin asked as he walked up beside him.

"Do you not recognise it?"

Gaara took a moment to acess the area, his eyes going wide for a moment and a quick smile passing his features as he sat down. "Yes."

Just past the hill was a tree, the same one they had spent their third night under. That made the hill they were on the same one Gaara had cried and found realization.

"So many things happened here." Lee smiled as turned to him.

Gaara nodded. "For the first time, when I was alone, someone was there for me." He smiled softly as Lee took his hand. "Lee," He whispered softly, so much so Lee would have missed it had he not been listening, and leaned in closer. His aqua eyes met Lee's abyss ones. "Don't leave me."

Lee instantly saw a noticable flash of fear and pain across his irises. "Gaara," He leaned in close to the feared sand nin. "I promise I will never leave you." With his free hand he formed his signature thumbs up and smiled.

Gaara smiled in releif as Lee's lips connect with his own, knowing all to well he would keep his promise. Their kiss lasted until they pulled away only to gasp for breath. Gaara looked to the fading light, the sun had set and stars began to show. He fell on to his back and pulled Lee beside him. Lee looked up too, starting to count the stars. Slowly he became tired, blinking only a few times before he was completely asleep. He unknowingly moved closer to Gaara, not that he minded anymore, and buried his face into his neck. Gaara noticed and chuckled into a smirk.

"No tent tonight." He said softly. He wrapped his arms around Lee and protected him as he slept.

.

As the sun rose so slowly did Lee. He opened his eyes and assessed it was Gaara's neck before him, his chin resting on his head. Lee cuddled up closer, not wanting to get up.

"Just a few more moments..." He told himself mentally. He felt Gaara pull him closer still and smiled, closing his eyes.

"Lee..." Gaara's voice made him look up. "We've got a mission to complete." Lee, although a tad disapointed, stood and picked up his pack. "Are you alright?"

The leaf nin turned to his concerned expression. "Oh yes!" He answered and smiled quickly. "I just did not want to get up yet." He felt heat spread over his face.

Gaara grinned "Neither did I." He said softly. "But we're on a mission now."

Lee's blush faded as he nodded. "Yosh. And I have made a promise to Lady Tsunade to complete it sucessfully."

Gaara nodded as they started again on their path, only a couple hours until they would once again face Riku. They stayed ready and alert until they began to near the gates. Gaara pointed out the tree they had hidden in before and told Lee to climb. Following, They had a good view of the village gates as well as a few of it's buildings.

"How are we going to find Riku here?" Lee questioned.

Gaara didn't respond. He closed his eyes, two fingers over his left one and his other hand in a fist. "Thrid eye." He muttered almost silently. His hand opened to reveal a floating eye ball. Lee watched in amazement as it hovered for a moment, then took off. Moving quickly it began a search of the town, Gaara looking for any sign of Riku. After a few moments, he found him. "Got him." He opened his eyes and turned to Lee. "Let's go." They instantly dropped from the branches and sped for the outside of the western gate. "He's still strong." Gaara warned.

"But his hand is shattered, is it not?" Lee asked. "It will be more difficult for him to fight both of us like that."

"Maybe." Gaara thought. "But perhaps he's like you." Lee turned in confusion to Gaara's small, respectful smile. "He'll keep giving his all, no matter what."

Lee smiled and reforced his sights ahead of him. "Either way, we cannot get trapped in his gaze." He reminded. "He has a very powerful genjutsu. We cannot allow him to have an opening."

Gaara unnoticably shivered at the thought of his last encounter with the jutsu and agreed. They stopped almost instantly against the shadows as their target came into view, sitting faced away from them, but only by about five yards. Silently, Gaara began to snake sand from his gourd, keeping it low to the ground as it neared Riku.

"Why don't you come out and fight me face to face, Gaara?"

Gaara felt a wave of anger. "Stay hidden for now." He whispered to Lee before standing. He walked openly into Riku's sight.

"Good to see you again." The man smiled lowly. "You pulled quiet the number on my hand. It's been hard to do anything lately." He held up his poorly bandaged hand, blood soaked it through and the shape was disformed. Gaara stood with his arms crossed, unmoved. "Have you gone mute?" Riku asked, becoming slightly annoyed. "Where's that other genin brat? Lee, I think. The one that tried to protect you last time. Maybe he could get you to talk." His smile widened as Gaara became more angered.

He advanced towards the sand nin, throwing full hits and kicks with all his stength. Gaara watched as the sand around him easily blocked each of his moves.

"You can't penatrate this sand." He said, not slowing Riku's efforts. "My chakra is at it's fullest. Even if you were fast enough to beat the sand, I would be able to stop your move." He bent part of his sand shield around Riku's kick, slowly grabbing a hold on him with sand fist and lifted him off the ground. Riku smiled and threw his head back, laughing loudly as Gaara filled once again with rage.

"Foolish brat!" He snapped his head down as Gaara studied him, immediately trapping him. The sand beast tried to fight against it, but paralyzing fear took over his body. "You think you're smart don't you? But I don't need to touch you." The sand around him fell lifelessly to the ground, Riku landing on his feet as he continued. "You aren't strong Gaara. In fact, you're weak. Undeserving of your Suna title as the most feared. It was that other brat who took me out. He saved you too, didn't he? He is the stronger of you weaklings. You are nothing but -"

He was stopped by Lee's foot crashing down on his head. He spun effortlessly and pulled a quick leaf hurricane, knocking Riku a few feet away. "Gaara, snap out of it!" He grabbed his sand nin by his shoulders and shook him roughly, for a moment he was so out his sand didn't react.

Gaara blinked once and stiffened, then relaxing. "Lee," He looked past his friend to see Riku coming full force. "Lee!"

He held out his arm and created a quick wall of sand behind him, blocking the attack. The moment it fell Lee returned his blows. Gaara reminded behind him, using his sand to protect him from Riku's attacks. Riku was forced backwards as Lee advanced, he and Gaara stepping forward in perfect sync. He stopped and jumped back from the two ninja, starting to breath heavily.

"You two have become worthy opponants," He admitted with a bitter sigh. "But you still do not have the power to stop me!" He shot his gaze to Lee's, the leaf nin instantly turning away. "Lee," The gen jutsuist's voice rang through his ears. He was farther off, but it sounded like he was right next to him. "You're smart. It helps to capture my victem in my gazel, but it's not required." Lee shuttered. "You may seem strong Lee, but you're no better than the monster behind you. You're pathedic. You don't deserve to be..." In a moment, his voice faded away.

Lee looked up. Riku's lips moved, but there was no sound. Gaara had covered his ears, blocking out his jutsu with sand. Lee stayed focused on Riku for a moment, then felt a shift in his ears.

"Keep fighting." Gaara whispered.

Lee didn't reply, but nodded and advanced towards Riku. Lee was before the confused target in a single moment, landing a swift kick across his face and causing the man to stumble.

"Impossible..." He thought angerly as he picked himself up off the dirt.

Lee threw another quick punch, bringing him off his feet, then another still to force him back. Riku flew forward, head first into the base of a tree and leaving a large indention as he fell to the ground. The two ninja approached him with caustion.

"I believe he is out." Lee said with a smile, turning to Gaara. He saw the sand nin's lips moving and pointed to his ears.

Gaara retracted his sand. "I said you're right." He repeated as he wrapped the unconcious man in his sand and lifted him. "Are you ready to return to the Leaf Village?"

Lee shot him a thumbs up. "Yosh! Lady Tsunade will be proud of our efforts." She smiled brightly as they started their journey for the final time, heading back towards Lee's home.