Hello again! I didn't expect to have the second chapter done so quickly, but once I started writing it, I couldn't stop. Thank you to everyone who followed and favorited! And thank you to Dekuton for my first review! I will admit that I am kinda molding Hotaru's personality as I go. I still have so many different ideas for her that I want to test out, so as for the third chapter I don't know how long it will take to get that out. It may be soon it may not, but it shouldn't take too long. Thank you again to everyone who has taken an interest in this story so far, I appreciate all of you! Now here is the second chapter (:

-Updated chapter! Please let me know if you feel I should change it again, and please tell me why. Even if you're a new reader.

Days turned into months, after Lee joined the academy. Everytime he trained (Which was always) he made me train with him. Most of the time it was Taijutsu, but once his class started practicing with shuriken and kunai, he had me practice with him. And he didn't take it easy on me either.

I continued working with my chakra, it was slow going but I was getting better with it. I relied on my chakra more than I did with Taijutsu. Which I think frustrated Lee, because according to him I wasn't showing my full potential.

It was true I could have done better if I tried, but like I said I wasn't exactly focusing much on Taijutsu. To me I needed to excel with my chakra. My chakra was like Lee's taijutsu.

I also started thinking more about the future. I knew with me just being here changed so much. How much more would I dare to change? What could I change? Could I warn people about the Akatsuki, or was it too much of a risk? And how would I even begin to, if given the chance? Thoughts like that invaded my head constantly. Another thing that kept coming to mind was that there was a really big chance that I wouldn't end up on team 7. I didn't want to replace Sakura, but I did want to help Sasuke and Naruto. But then that left me thinking, what would happen to Sakura? She became much stronger as well.

"Hotaru!"

I shook myself out of my thoughts.

"Huh?"

Lee sighed. "Were you not listening?"

I laughed sheepishly. "Sorry no..."

"The year is almost over, so you'll need to sign up for the academy soon. You still want to be a ninja, right?" I saw hopefulness in his eyes. I really didn't want to disappoint him.

"Of course I do." I said with a forced smile.

It's not that I didn't want to be a ninja, but the closer I got to joining the academy, the more real, and not to mention dangerous everything seemed, and it really scared me. It scared me because I may have an adult mind, but I was still a child here, and was expected to fight and act like an adult.

Here, unless you were a civillian, kids didn't really get to be kids. They were expected to become little killing machines.

Lee didn't seem to catch my hesitation. He just looked so proud, which made me feel slightly horrible.

In a few days time I would fill out the papers to attend the academy. I couldn't disappoint Lee. I just couldn't. And I couldn't disappoint everyone else either.

I was no Lee. I wasn't as determined, or as passionate as him. But that didn't mean I wasn't at all.

After 3 very nerve racking days, I finally signed up for the academy. On my way there I couldn't tell you how many times I wanted to turn around, run away, and never come back. But each time that moment from a few days ago with Lee's proud face burned into my mind and refused to leave. Like it kept reminding me, 'Would you really be willing to disappoint him? Could you really?' And the truth was I couldn't. I realized the one person I dreaded to disappoint was in fact Lee. I couldn't disappoint the only family I had left. I couldn't disappoint him, because he had so much faith in me. So I kept pushing forward. Pushing my fear down as far as it would go.

When I returned home I couldn't find Lee inside, which meant he was more than likely outside training. I decided to go out and train with him. But once I made it outside he wasn't there. I looked around but couldn't find him. Where was he?

Instead of going back inside, I decided to train by myself until he got back. About an hour later I could hear him calling for me inside. I got up and went inside.

"Hey." I said, taking my shoes off as I came back in.

"Were you training?"

"Uh yeah. You were gone and I didn't have anything else to do, so.."

He started tearing up. I cut him off before he could say anything.

"So where were you?"

Thankfully that took his mind off of me willingly training. For now.

"I have a surprise for you!" He practically yelled, starting to jump up and down where he stood.

"A surprise? Why?"

"Well it's a gift." He said, pulling a retractable spear out of a bag. "For getting into the academy. I noticed you eyeing it in the store window we walked by last time we were getting grocerys, so I thought you should have it!" He looked so happy.

I wanted to say no. I knew how expensive it was. But the look on Lee's face, how happy he looked. I couldn't do it. I really was happy he got it for me, don't get me wrong but, I just felt like he shouldn't have spent so much money to get me something. I would have been perfectly happy with someting cheap. I didn't dare speak those thoughts though. He handed it to me, and I couldn't help but smile. He was such an amazing brother, and at times I felt that I didn't deserve him. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. Without thinking, I hugged him. I hugged him as hard as I could and cried. Lee started to panic.

"Ahh, Hotaru? What's wrong?"

I wanted to answer him but I couldn't stop crying. I really didn't deserve him.

Finally I was able to get myself under control. Lee still looked panicked, but said nothing. Like he was scared I would start crying again. I felt my face heat up. I was doing so good keeping my emotions in check, and I just broke down over the dumbest thing.

"Ah..sorry." I said sheepishly. "Thank you Lee. I love it."

Lee's face lit up again. "I am so glad! If you are up for it, we can train and you can try it out!"

And for the first time in a very long time, I smiled. An actual heartfelt smile, and at that moment I felt like maybe everything would turn out okay.