As Long As There Is a Chance

Rating: Everyone approved!

Pairing: Pure Sakura and Lee goodness in this chappy

Disclaimer: No own! No own!!!

Timeline: During the time skip. (Yet…after some conversations in this one…I wonder if I'm sticking with that…)

AN: Dedicated to InvaderWeb this time. This person writes pure genius works. You go read. You go review. NOW!

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As Long As There Is a Chance

Chapter Three: There is always a chance

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Gai-Sensei was one man who knew how to make people feel appreciated. There was no doubt, even in the blackest pits of Kakashi-Sensei's heart, that people were glad that there was always one man that could be counted on in Konoha to watch your back and tell you the god honest truth behind whatever it was he was thinking.

Gai-Sensei made Rock Lee feel strong; like he could take on the world and have no cares at all in doing so. With a thumb raised in jovial greeting, teeth so white they could blind if caught by the sunlight, and a twinkle in those hazel eyes, Gai-Sensei would always bring new strength to an early morning tired student.

Gai-Sensei made Lee truly happy, even when he felt like crying. There was nothing wrong in the gentle embraces that the two males often shared when either Lee or Gai were upset, and although people thought it to be wrong, there was certainly nothing wrong with the two being able to cheer each other up in this manner. When he thought of Gai-Sensei's kind words…Lee smiled.

Lee would often smile in that manner when he was truly happy. He would smile like that when he caught a glimpse of a squirrel darting in the corner of his eyes. His lips parted, teeth gleaming, and his eyes shining.

Right now…Lee was happy.

Even as he entered the hospital, his eyes glancing from left to right in search of Sakura-chan, he was still happy. Ready again to give it one last chance. Gai-Sensei believed in him. Gai-Sensei truly, honest-to-Godly believed in him, and it gave Lee new confidence in finally seeing Sakura-chan once again.

The bleeding was still quite bad, even for Lee's extremely fast healing, and Lee's hand wraps were covered in blood. As he entered the hospital, a nurse took one glance at him and rushed to his side – despite his still bloodied lips grinning with confidence.

"Rock Lee…what have you been doing again?" Lee recognised her as soon as he laid eyes on her. She was usually the one to greet him every time he injured himself during training. Time and time again he had been warned about training. Every sprained ankle, every bloodied nose, every broken bone…it had been seen by her.

She hated him for his persistence…

"How many times have I told you – "

Lee had learned to tune her out the more times he visited here. It was pointless explaining what had actually happened. To her, all she could see was a bloodied Lee. That was proof enough of his negligence…

"Is there a problem here?"

Le froze. He recognised that voice. Instinctively, his hand rushed upwards to try and hide his bleeding lip and cheek, even though he knew that the blood had already stained his hand wraps.

Turning, with an awkward and hidden smile, Lee bowed when his eyes lay upon the figure.

"Ah! Sakura-chan! I did not see you there! Forgive me! I was just – "

"Bleeding all over the place?" Sakura removed his hand and inspected the open wound; shaking her head and sighing as Lee turned a shade of red she'd never seen before on him – and it wasn't just the blood stains, "You were fighting again?"

"Ano…I got careless. I was punched."

Sakura did not really need to hear any of this, for she had seen the accident, had seen Gai Sensei rush to his students side, and had heard every word that the two 'green beasts' had exchanged, but something inside made her want to listen to Lee's half-baked excuse. Inside, she was happy that he was even talking to her. From what she had heard, in Lee and Gai's exchange, it took a lot of will and force for Lee to even talk to her without trembling.

It was a shame Lee had never mentioned it before – not that he would – because now, as he rambled on about a "glorious battle of wits and cunning" between him and his beloved sensei, she had more respect for him than she had ever had. Yes, he was rambling, but also he was the bravest man she knew. He was talking to her…as a friend would, not letting his feelings for her slow his rapid speech.

Lee was blushing too, and that made her giggle inwardly. She hadn't seen it before, but he was quite cute when he got all flustered and caught up in his rants. He slowed and then grinned in embarrassment, realising that his talking had caused more blood to pour.

Sakura laughed and took one of his hands – the not-so-blood stained one – and tugged him gently towards her part of Konoha's hospital, nodding at the nurse that Lee had been getting chastised by.

"I'll look after him. Come on, Rock Lee. Whatever shall we do with you, eh?" Although only his fingertips were visible behind his wraps, Sakura was surprised how soft Lee's hands actually were. She, perhaps, had expected them to be calloused and rough at least, what with all his 'youthful' training…

As for Lee…

The moment Sakura's fingertips had wrapped around what was exposed of his hand, his heart had nearly leapt out of his chest. Sakura-chan was smiling…beautifully…as always. She seemed so carefree when she was working in the hospital. It was like the hospital was home to an angel!

He found himself muted. He could feel her soft fingers curled around his fingertips, and although he didn't want to assume anything, he could have sworn she was brushing her thumbs against the visible part of his hand! It must have been his imagination, but did she seem happier perhaps?

Right now, Lee's mind and heart were working in overdrive.

Speak! Speak to her, you fool!

"Ano…Sakura-chan…if I may be so bold, and forgive me if I offend you in any way, in fact I do apologise in advance…" The infamous Lee ramble had taken over, and despite his bleeding lip, he couldn't stop it.

Sakura slowed and stopped, turning and looking at him with the most beaming and heavenly smile he had ever seen plastered onto her face. She seemed to gaze happily into his eyes, even giggling lightly as she faced him.

"Yes, Lee? What is it?"

Oh lord! If I should offend her now, I will do a thousand laps around the village, and if I can not do that, I will do three thousand kicks on the training log, and if I can not do that I will…

Even Lee's mind was rambling, it seemed.

He gulped and licked his lips, regretting it instantly and wincing as he tasted blood. His heart thudded making blood rush around his ears, making it impossible to think, "Well…it is not so much an offensive statement as it is an observation really, demo…would I be right in suggesting, or maybe perhaps pointing out, that you seem to be so full of the energy of youth today, Sakura-chan! I did not notice it before, demo you are beaming with the light of an angel! Perhaps our talk on the bridge in that long while back did you well?"

That night at the bridge had been on his mind all the time he had been with her today. Maybe it was her dramatic happiness shift? Maybe it was the way she was giggling and smiling at him. He did not know. Either way…he felt a little happier in seeing her like this…

She seemed to be thinking his words over, her eyes flickering a little as she did so, and then much to Lee's surprise, she laughed. It was a soft and gentle laugh, but it was a genuine one, and Lee felt it in his heart.

"Oh Lee…" She was still laughing, and her hand seemed to grip tighter around his fingertips. Lee could not take his eyes off her. Every minute seemed like an hour for him now. Her happiness filled him with his own kind of content happiness. He adored her even more so when she smiled.

"I…I'm so happy right now. Rock Lee…I guess I've been thinking about what you said to me that day. I don't know what I was thinking, leading you on like that. It must have been hard for you." Lee felt his heart wrench. She had read his mind. There could be no other explanation as to how she knew this. His lips were drying and the blood seemed to cease flowing, as if her words were the things healing him, "Lee. I was troubled. I couldn't talk to anyone. Not Naruto. Not Kakashi Sensei. Not even Tsunade-sama. All these years…with the Akatsuki threat…and with all my training…Lee…I felt I wasn't strong enough. I felt like I was always letting everyone down.

"I…I don't know if I ever told you this…but that night…when Sasuke left to go with Orochimaru…I tried to stop him. Oh gods Lee…I tried to stop him going, but I was weak…I let him slip through my fingers." Her eyes were teary and she let go of his hand to sob into her own hands gently.

Wound forgotten, and yet as expected, Lee was there immediately. He took hold of her shoulders and brought her close to his chest – regardless of how much blood had flowed all over it. His arms felt so comforting around her…for a few moments; Sakura wondered briefly how she had never felt this with Lee before – given his eagerness over the past few years. She closed her eyes, wiped her tears away on her hands and looked up at him, continuing.

"Lee…I trained hard. I trained under Tsunade-sama to become strong. It was all thanks to you that I did it, did you know? You showed me that through hard work and determination…that even those with the weakest of body and weakest of soul could become mighty and strong…like you and Gai Sensei…"

It was warm praise, and instantly, the emotional green beast stared to tear up, "Oh…Sakura-chan…"

Sakura laughed softly, and because he was starting to cry, felt her own tears start to try and force their way out. Maybe they were both just a pair of emotional fools? It didn't help when his grip on her tightened a little and she found herself closer to Lee than she had ever been.

"I feel…I feel stronger Lee. I thought I was depressed. I thought I was still angry and hurt over Sasuke…but…I realised that I'm not. Not at all, and I never had reason to ever be. I ignored the people who could be there for me. I ignored you, Lee. There isn't a moment when I don't regret doing that to you.

"After that night on the bridge…I didn't feel anything. I felt like you were just saying what you were expected to say as a friend…but then…I…heard something…saw something that made me change my opinion about you. I think…that what I do and say matters more to you than I think it does."

Lee was nodding, his large brown eyes watering as he fought to stop himself from crying. He was making that soft whimpering noise as she spoke. It was kind of cute now that Sakura could understand the emotion behind it. At that point, he seemed unable to speak, so she continued.

"Lee…I've seen you…seen you looking so down…and you know what I think…I think that this wound was you being distracted wasn't it? No way would you allow Gai Sensei to land a punch during training."

"Oh…Sakura-chan!" Lee was crying freely now, and Sakura giggled a little at this. She couldn't help it. He was just so adorable! Her giggling seemed to give him courage though, "Boku wa…boku wa…can not help being this way! Sakura-chan…I think about you more than anything! More so now than ever! That day on the bridge…Sakura…I thought you were playing games with my heart! On that day…I was ready to quit being so addicted to you! Like you were…an addiction of some sort! I did not realise that like an addiction I could not quit so easily. I can not quit you! Not when I need you so much! My mind has been distracted! My training has been sloppy! What must Gai Sensei think of me?"

Sakura smiled and brushed her fingers over Lee's mouth gently. Shivering visibly from the contact, Lee felt her chakra flow into him and begin to sew his wound shut. She then leaned forwards and stared evenly at him, a smile playing on her lips.

"I have to forget Sasuke, Lee…because…I'm in love with someone else."

Lee felt like he'd been delivered a second blow to the face. She was in love with someone else? Who could it be? How long would he have to compete for her love for?? Why did he not see this coming??? How could he have even had the audacity to think that she would pine over Sasuke forever???? IT WAS NARUTO WASN'T IT? It had to be!!!

Sakura watched his dreamy smile fade and he seemed unresponsive for a few minutes. She giggled when she realised why. Was this boy born to be so humble? Lee was a master at misunderstanding…

"Lee."

He snapped out of his daze at the sound of her voice and nodded eagerly, as if trying to hide his feelings again.

"Hai, Sakura-chan?"

It could be said that Rock Lee did not expect what happened next, and despite his constant addiction to Sakura he was most definitely not prepared for it – and never would be.

It was like the scenario at the bridge was repeating itself, and her fingers seemed to linger over his lips; gentle and soothing. Her eyes closed, Lee's heart sped up, and then he felt it.

This time she did not pass by his cheek and whisper in his ear.

Lee felt his soul leave him.

The kiss was soft, unprepared, and brief, yet it felt like heaven to the young male Chuunin. Her lips were so soft and as delicate as cherry blossom petals, and she smelt of flowers and of a beautiful summer breeze. If she was what heaven felt like, then Lee would have gladly died in that instant.

Their lips parted and Lee returned to earth from his cloud. He was disappointed and sorry it had to end, but she was blushing and smiling in such a manner, that it really didn't matter.

Sakura looked up at him and caught his gaze and Lee was pulled in close to her, her beautiful long fingers wrapped around his hands.

"Rock Lee…I love you."

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Ashford2ashford: It can be said that I am no good at writing romance. I agree whole heartedly with this statement and yet feel that this is the best I can do. I like this. I like how I spend most of my time trapped in Lee's thoughts. He's so emotional and fun to write.