Without Lee, Part 1

Kakashi's Suspicions

"There you have it. You have twenty minutes to leave the village," Tsunade said after she got done briefing the team on their mission. A small, ninja-less, village requested help from the Leaf. The village was being under constant attack from some rogue ninjas. This village was pretty far off and it would take them a week to complete this mission. Neji and Tenten immediately left after the briefing, but Lee and Guy stayed behind. Lee just stood there with a slightly worried look on his face as Guy stood off to the side being unusually quiet. "Lee? Is there a problem?"

"No, Lady Tsunade. It is just that…," Lee hesitated to say what was on his mind.

"Don't worry about Riku. She'll be fine."

"Was I that obvious?"

"Afraid so," Tsunade stood up and walked over to her young ninja. "Lee, I understand that you haven't been away from Riku for this amount of time since you two met and that you are worried about her."

"Indeed. I cannot help but worry. I mean, we never did figure out who was inside her house that one day," Lee said looking up at the older lady before him.

"Lee, I really need you to concentrate on this mission. Your taijustu will really be needed for this, so I've assigned Naruto, Sakura and Sai to guard Riku while you're gone. How's that?" Tsunade smiled as her ninja's eyes lit up.

"Yes! That would be wonderful! Thank you, Lady Tsunade!"

"You better get going now," Tsunade patted his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll want to see her before you leave."

"Yes, ma'am!" Lee bowed the dashed out of the office.

Shizune chuckled. "That boy is so in love. I wonder if he's told her yet? Knowing him, he probably blurted it out already. Right, Lady Tsunade?"

Shizune looked at her mistress to see she and Guy were in some kind of stare down. Guy nodded his head at his leader then left the building. "What's going on?"

"Shizune, there's something you need to know about Riku," Tsunade turned to the younger woman. Shizune just stood there, blinking in confusion.

…..

After Lee gathered all stuff he needed for his mission he shoved it in his bag and headed for Riku's. He took short cuts over the roof tops and stopped on one very close to Riku's. Where he was he could see her sitting on her window bench. She had her hair laying over her right should and was brushing it out. Her eyes were closed and as he watched her a smile appeared on her lips. Lee wondered for a few seconds on what she was possibly thinking about before leaping over to her window.

It was raining earlier that day so Lee lightly tapped on her window to get her attention. Her eyes lit up when she saw the young man. She pushed the window open. "Lee, we have a door, ya know?"

"I know," Lee laughed. "But I was on the roof tops anyway."

"Why were you on the roofs?" Riku asked then noticed the straps to his bag. She then looked back to his eyes. His eyebrows were turned up in an 'I'm sorry' fashion. "You're going on a mission?"

"Yes. We will be gone for a week."

"I see," Riku sighed and laid her brush down on the bench.

"If you are feeling up to it, I would like you to accompany me to the front gate," Lee said. Riku nodded and slipped on her sandals. She went to take a step towards the door, but Lee swooped her up into his arms. She blinked at the mischievous look in his eyes. Before she could say anything he leaped out the window and ran along the roof tops.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and wondered if she would ever get use to how easily he moved. With in no time at all, Lee landed them at the front gate, actually he took them outside the village so they were out of view of anyone around. Lee sat her back on the ground but keep his arm around her waist as she clung to his flak to make sure she was stable on her feet. "I don't think I'll ever get use to how fast you can move."

"Then we will just have to spend more time together," His eyes were soft as he reached up and tucked a strain of her hair behind her ear. She blushed as he did this. "Would…you like that?"

Riku was only able to nod as she stared at him. She did want to be with him more, she just wasn't sure why. She really cared about him, but she thought it was just as friends. But do friends make your heart race when they touch you or get close to you?

"You…You're gonna be alright, right? Uh, I mean, on your mission," Riku said, trying to get certain love thoughts out of her head. She knew people with her type of condition always had a harder time with relationships. She couldn't even keep a friend until now. "This is the first time you're gonna have to be away for a while. Since I don't really know what exactly happens on these kind of missions…Sorry. I think I'm babbling now."

"I have a little something for you," Lee said as he reached into one of his flak pockets. Riku watched as he pulled out a strip of the white bandage he wore around his hands and arms. He then lifted up her right hand and wrapped the bandage around her wrist. Riku watched him with slight curiosity. This wrap was one he defiantly have worn before, though it was way shorter than the ones he wore so it was just a piece of one. He lightly smacked her wrist when he was finished and smiled. "There! Now I will be with you even when I am gone."

"Thanks, Lee," Riku went to pull her hand away from his, but he tightened his grip.

"I feel bad for having to leave you like this," Lee said then kissed her fingers.

"It's ok, Lee. I understand why you have to go," Riku said as Lee lowered their hands back down, as he lowered them he laced their fingers together. He stepped closer to her and took her other hand in his. "But it's only a week, right? I'm sure it will go quick. And I'll be waiting for you to return."

"R-Riku? I do not wish to over step my boundaries and put you in a stressful situation, but I would like to…May I…," Riku waited patently as Lee tried to get his question out. She had a guess to what he was going to ask her. She took slow deep breaths to keep herself calm and hoped she didn't pass out. "May I k…"

"Bushy Brow! Riku!" Both gave out a frustrated sigh when Naruto appeared. Lee released Riku's left hand and shifted his position to where he was able to still hold her other hand and keep it hidden from Naruto, as to not put pressure on Riku. "I've been looking for you. I stopped by Riku's house and she wasn't there. I should have know she'd be here with you."

"Yes, Naruto. I wanted to say goodbye before leaving," Lee replied. "Lady Tsunade told me that you, Sakura and Sai will be keeping an eye on Riku while I'm gone. Thank you."

"Not a problem," Naruto put his hands behind his head and gave them a bright grin. Shortly after that they heard the rest of Lee's team walking up to the gate.

"Well, I will see you when I get back," Lee said to Riku. Riku was going to reply to him but he quickly kissed her cheek and took of before she could say anything to him. Riku, in a daze, raised her hand to her cheek and touched it. Her head started to to spin and she dropped to her knees.

"Whoa. Hey, are you alright?" Naruto kneeled down beside her and place his hand on her back. "Do you need to lie down or something?"

"No. I'm fine. Just a little dizzy is all," Riku looked up into his worried face and gave him a light smile. "Will you take me home?"

"Of course," Naruto nodded and helped her stand up. He put his arm around her, allowing her to use him for support, and walked her home. While on the way there, Naruto felt like they were being followed, but when he looked behind him he saw no one suspicious there.

"Something wrong, Naruto?" Riku asked.

"No. It's nothing," Naruto smiled but he looked out of the corner of his eye, when Riku wasn't looking at him, and wondered who was following them.

…..

Meanwhile, standing up on one of the taller buildings of the village, Kakashi was watching the two teenagers move through the village. He too sensed that someone was following the two teenagers. "So that's her, huh?"

Kakashi nodded to the little pug laying on his shoulder. "I don't smell anything. Who ever is following her has masked their scent and is masking it very well."

"I thought so."

"She doesn't remember everything, does she?" Pakkun waited for Kakashi to answer, but he never did. He just kept his eyes on the two teens below them.