Chapter 16: Good Will Toward Men

At the ice skating rink, dozens of brave souls coasted across the ice. The overhead speakers blared festive Christmas music, providing a warm atmosphere despite the freezing temperatures to preserve the ice. Though most skaters were new and inexperienced, two figure skaters stood out for their skill and style.

"You're doing great, Lee!" Sakura praised.

"Watch this!" Lee shouted.

Lee skated across the rink; his large brows furrowed in intense concentration. He was gliding across the ice quickly, taking gentle but calculated strides. He was determined to do his best and wanted to be praised by Sakura. He created enough space for himself, away from other skaters and bared down on the ice as he prepared to perform a trick. He conducted a Camel Spin, revolving gracefully. He pulled his extended leg inward, still rotating speedily before moving his skates and skating away, slowing down to a stop, and striking his signature nice-guy pose. Sakura cheered. Lee blinked and felt himself becoming dizzier now that he was standing still, causing him to fall onto the ice.

Sakura and Lee laughed. Sakura skated over to him, still laughing, and extended her dominant hand out to help him up. He took it while still giggling.

"That was amazing, Lee!" Sakura said, beaming.

"Someday I'll get used to the dizziness." Lee chuckled.

"Let's go take a break and get lunch." Sakura said, her empty stomach growling.

"Food sounds heavenly!" Lee smiled.

The two exited the skating rink and decided to go get ramen. Spicy, hot soup was the perfect dish for the cold December weather. Three weeks had passed since the night of the play, and the students were now enjoying the highly anticipated winter break.

Sakura and Lee traveled to a popular Japanese restaurant in town, Ramen Ichiraku. It was a popular hang-out spot in their social circles. Both were relieved when they walked in, away from the bitter cold. Christmas music played throughout the dining area and paper snowflake decorations hung from the ceiling. The couple placed their orders and went searching for an empty table. Lee and Sakura noticed Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji at a booth.

"Hey, guys!" Lee said.

"Bushy-Brows! And Sakura!" Naruto beamed. "I wasn't expecting to see you two today." the blonde smiled warmly.

"Hey, everyone." Sakura greeted.

"What's up?" Choji said with his mouth full of noodles. The table had several bowls and empty dirty dishes piled high.

"Yo." Shikamaru said, his hands on his belly as he was recovering from the huge meal he just ingested. He was debating whether he should unbutton his pants after he had already loosened his belt to accommodate his bloated stomach. With a lady now present, he hesitated.

"Please join us!" Naruto pleaded, gesturing at the empty seats next to Naruto in the booth they sat in. Lee and Sakura sat down.

"How have you guys been?" Sakura asked. "Are you enjoying the break so far?"

"We've been fine. The usual." Naruto said. Shikamaru nodded in agreement. Choji continued stuffing his face. "I'm glad to be away from that lame ass school."

"Where's Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"She caught the flu right after school let out a few days ago." Naruto explained. "She's been resting at home. What awful luck."

"That sucks. I hope she gets better soon." Sakura said. "How about you, Choji? How are you doing?" she said, trying to include him in the conversation. Choji was preoccupied with his meal.

"I'm excited for Christmas dinner." Choji said as he feasted on the chicken and pork in his bowl. "How are you two doing? And how is adult life treating you, Lee?"

"We're doing great." Sakura said. Lee nodded in agreement.

"Being a legal adult does not much different than before." Lee said. Sakura and Lee were served their ramen. Lee drooled as he glanced down at his meal.

"Really? You mean you haven't bought a lottery ticket, gone to a casino, or got a tattoo yet?" Naruto asked.

"Guy Sensei always said, 'statistically speaking, gambling is almost always a losing proposition.'" Lee said boldly as he divided his chopsticks and began eating his hot soup, not caring if he burned his mouth. "A tattoo would look so cool, but I have no desire for one."

"You sure about this guy?" Naruto whispered not so subtly to Sakura jokingly.

"Oh quit it, Naruto." Sakura laughed, shoving him playfully. Naruto chuckled.

"I bought fireworks when I turned eighteen." Naruto said. "It was the best purchase yet."

"No wonder your neighbors hate you." Shikamaru groaned as he sipped his drink.

"I thought it was the loud music they didn't like." Choji said with his mouth full.

Sakura chuckled to herself as she was devouring her ramen. She enjoyed her double date with Lee, Neji, and Tenten, but she missed her old friends. She thought about Ino. The two still had not reconciled. They grew even more distant since the last time they spoke. The spirit of the Christmas season made Sakura reconsider her rancor with Ino. She wanted to make peace with her.

"Oh go to hell, Choji. You threw me under the bus." Naruto said. Everyone at the table laughed.

Naruto was happy. This gathering made him nostalgic. He had all his friends sharing his favorite meal with him. He imagined how much more fun it would be if Sasuke and Hinata were here, wishing that reality would match his desires. It was a wild wish considering recent events, but in his heart, Naruto only desired for everyone to gather together and be friends like old times. It was the season for togetherness, after all. He checked his phone, hoping to hear from Hinata. Instead, he was faced with a text message from Sasuke, who was replying to Naruto's previous text.

I'm in the hospital. I got rhabdo. Sasuke wrote. Naruto raised an eyebrow and scratched his head at the unfamiliar term. Naruto performed a word search on his phone and read the search results. Naruto's face went blank as he stared at his phone. His friends continued talking around him and laughing as he continued to space out.

"Naruto?" Sakura asked, noticing his strange silence. All of the color left his face, as if he had just seen a ghost.

"I got to go." Naruto said as he stood up abruptly. He shoved his rear in Sakura's and Lee's faces as he climbed out from the booth, not patient enough to wait for them to move from their seats. He pulled out his wallet and threw down some cash on the table.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Shikamaru asked.

"Sasuke is hurt, badly." Naruto said. "Shit! I didn't come here with my car." he said, realizing his error. "Please, someone give me a ride."

"What happened to him?" Sakura said.

"I don't even know how to pronounce it, but he has rhabdo." Naruto said. Shikamaru's and Sakura's eyes widened as they were both familiar with the term.

"Rhabdomyolysis." Sakura said, fear and shock filling her.

"What is that?" Lee asked, concerned.

"His muscles have broken down and proteins from the damaged tissue go into the bloodstream. It can be deadly." Sakura explained. Lee was not thrilled about Sasuke intruding in his life once again, but due to the serious nature of the situation, his feud with him was now pushed to the back of his mind. He remembered the old Sasuke he once played soccer with and imagined his former teammate as only a step away from becoming dust and ashes.

"Please, can you guys take me there?" Naruto pleaded. Lee looked at Sakura and she looked back at him. They were both filled with worry.

"Can you drive?" Sakura asked Lee.

"Yes. We should go now." Lee said.

The three paid for their meals and left. Choji and Shikamaru elected to stay behind.

"I hope Sasuke will be alright." Choji said, his eyes full of worry. Shikamaru shook his head, unsure of what to say. As much as he wanted Sasuke to be alright, he had little to no respect for the Uchiha after the near-stabbing incident.

Lee drove across the town. The car ride was silent among the three of them. Naruto sat in the backseat, cursing under his breath every time a red light stood in their way, slowing their travel time. Lee pulled into the main hospital's guest parking lot. After parking, Naruto got out of the car and ran inside the building. Lee and Sakura followed behind, feeling the cold wind at their backs as they walked toward the hospital. Despite the cheery Christmas décor, the old hospital appeared ominous. It was the place where Lee visited for his past broken limbs and for his head injury back in October. Lee felt his stomach turn as they walked through the front doors.

"Where did he go?" Sakura pondered, peering in all directions inside the hospital. She noticed Lee had turned white as a sheet.

"Lee? Are you alright?" She asked.

"I feel funny." Lee said, rubbing his eyes after seeing spots.

"Have a seat here in the lobby. I'll go find Naruto." Sakura said, gesturing toward the available seats near the entrance.

Reluctantly, Lee sat down. Sakura left, looking around to find Naruto. Lee wanted to accompany Sakura, but he reasoned it may be best that he remained away from Sasuke. He remembered the times when he was at the hospital, and he desired to be left alone during those times. Part of him worried that that venomous snake would try to manipulate Sakura. Lee vanquished his anger before it took hold, and he placed his faith and trust in Sakura.

He sat, looking down at his feet in the chair, still enduring vertigo. He felt a chill, prompting him to look up again. He squinted as he peered through the window facing the parking lot. He watched as Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki walked through the parking lot, wearing long, black winter cloaks with red clouds embellished on them. He felt his heart begin to pound. He looked around, looking for a place where he could go away from them, but the dangerous pair had already entered through the doors.

Itachi rushed past Lee, narrowing his eyes despite wearing glasses, reading the posted signs in the hospital to find his way to his little brother. He bolted into a hall to access a staircase. Kisame sighed and walked over to an empty seat in the lobby and sat down. He cracked his neck after he reclined in his chair, looking around at his surroundings. He noticed Lee and began scrutinizing him. Lee noticed him and looked away quickly, feeling himself sweating as his heart continued to pound.

"Hey, I know you from someplace." Kisame said, getting out of his chair.

He approached Lee. Lee felt tiny compared to this large man. Kisame was quite tan, despite the cold weather. The Maori man smiled at him once he seemed to remember.

"You're that little guy my pal's brother roughed up." Kisame charged. The large man crossed his arms as he laughed. "Did you send him here? Word is he's been getting into brawls lately."

"We have come to blows before, but I cannot take any credit for this visit." Lee said. Kisame chuckled again and sat across from Lee on a couch.

"I'm sure it's been over some girl." Kisame said. "My colleague paid the price for his last offense. Sasuke heard he put his hands on his girl and sent him here too a couple of weeks ago."

Lee swallowed. He had wondered why Deidara had disappeared from his art class so abruptly. Although, he did not care enough about the young man to investigate the reason for his extended absence.

"She must be extremely beautiful for you kids to be fighting over. Quite the siren." Kisame grinned.

"She sure is." Lee said, shifting restlessly in his seat. "I just hope that Itachi does not kill me for fighting with his brother." he said sheepishly. Kisame chuckled.

"Itachi cares about Sasuke, but Sasuke's battles are his own. He doesn't care about your kindergarten squabbles." Kisame responded.

Lee felt uncomfortable, hoping that Sakura and Naruto would return soon. Thankfully, Kisame acted calm and had elected to chat with Lee about sports and bodybuilding to kill the time. It was a shame he was involved in a gang, Lee thought he seemed like a cool guy aside from the fact he was a dangerous drug dealer.

Across the hospital, in the intensive care unit, Naruto found Sasuke's room. Unfortunately, he was being blocked by a nurse and a care technician. Sakura sighed in relief as she caught up with him, but noticed Naruto was causing a disturbance.

"Please, he's my best friend. You just got to let me see him!" Naruto pleaded.

"We are not allowing visitors for this patient at this time." The nurse argued. A security guard moved in.

"You heard her, you will need to wait." He stated.

"This is bullshit. Sasuke's my best friend. What if I don't see him again?" Naruto said, getting emotional.

"Naruto, we should go. We can come back another time." Sakura said trying her best to maintain her composure.

"I'm not leaving without seeing him!" Naruto said, beginning to cry. "He's my best friend…" he said, his nose becoming runny as he fought back tears.

Itachi rushed down the hall and arrived at Sasuke's room. He was bewildered by the amount of people standing by the room. He squinted his eyes, recognizing Naruto and Sakura. The nurse noticed how much Itachi resembled her patient.

"Naruto Uzumaki? Sakura Haruno?" Itachi said.

"Itachi. It's been a long time." Sakura said. She had seen Itachi at least a handful of times when she and Sasuke were dating.

"Itachi?" a weak voice called out from the room.

Everyone's eyes focused on the room. It was Sasuke. The nurse relented and moved out of the way. The security guard stepped aside, still keeping his eyes on the group. Itachi and Naruto rushed inside. Sakura stood in the doorway and peeked inside. Sasuke was hooked up to a ton of machines. A foley catheter was attached to him and the bedside drainage bag was the color of black tea.

"Sasuke, I am here." Itachi spoke, grabbing Sasuke's limp hand. An IV was inserted into Sasuke's arm.

"I'm here too." Naruto said.

Sasuke opened his heavy lids and peered at the two visitors. He wore a blue hospital gown and was covered with a white sheet to warm him. There were tubes on his face, delivering oxygen to his weak body through his nostrils. He was pale and looked terrible.

"What happened?" Itachi asked.

"Gym." Sasuke said sleepily. "I was there for too long."

"For how long?" Naruto asked.

"Five hours." Sasuke responded sluggishly. Itachi and Naruto became more concerned.

"Five hours!?" Naruto said, outraged. "Why on earth would you do something so stupid?" he scolded. Sasuke frowned and looked away from Naruto, feeling he was being judged.

"Let's not worry about the details right now. You should rest, Sasuke. I will let mother and father know. We will come back to visit you." Itachi said.

Sasuke did not respond, still seemingly distant. Sakura stood by the door, her feet not wanting to tread into the room. A curtain blocked Sasuke's view of her. She rationalized it was best that she doesn't appear, as it may upset him further. The ICU nurse stepped around her and was providing care to Sasuke. Itachi and Naruto decided to take their leave, thankful that they could see Sasuke even if it was just briefly.

"Are you going to see him?" Naruto asked her, his voice hushed and shaky as he was leaving the room.

"I think I should visit him another time." Sakura whispered. She wanted to see him, but she was apprehensive.

"Thank you for concern." Itachi said to them both. "Sasuke will pull through. My little brother is tougher than he looks." he mustered a warm smile.

"I'm going to chill in the lobby up here. Maybe they'll let me visit him again soon." Naruto said. "Tell Lee I said thanks for the ride." he said to Sakura, seemingly in better spirits after seeing Sasuke.

"Will do." Sakura said.

"Lee is here too?" Itachi said.

"Downstairs." Sakura said. "He wasn't feeling too well."

"I see. I hope he is well soon." Itachi smiled. "Take care, Sakura." he said.

"Are you going to take the elevator?" Sakura said as the two began walking.

"I'm going to take the stairs." Itachi said. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Merry Christmas."

"And Merry Christmas to you, Itachi." Sakura smiled.

Itachi left through a door, leading to the stairwell. Sakura walked to the end of the hallway, toward the elevators. She pressed a button and waited patiently as the noisy elevator came down from the floor above her. The heavy doors creaked open. She stepped into the elevator, which was empty, and pressed the first-floor button. Sakura took out her phone, looking at her missed texts. The elevator dropped down to the second floor, opening to allow another passenger inside. The passenger stepped inside, and the doors shut. The passenger sniffled; her nose stuffed up from crying. Sakura looked up and recognized the passenger. It was Ino.

Ino froze as she recognized Sakura. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, her face pink, and her mascara was running. She held a wad of tissues crumpled in her hands and stained from her running makeup.

"Sakura?" Ino said, astonished.

"Ino… what happened? What are you doing here?" Sakura asked.

"I don't want to talk right now." Ino said, pressing the button to open the elevator door.

Bizarrely, the old elevator did not respond to her inputs. The old machine seemed to stall as it shifted slightly down before stopping completely. Sakura guessed that they must be stuck between the first and second floors.

"Damn it. It's stuck." Ino said. She began kicking the door.

"That's not going to help." Sakura said. She hit the emergency call switch.

"Hello?" A voice called in the speaker. "Is everything alright?"

"Please help. We're stuck in the elevator." Sakura said, looking up at the speaker. "It's not moving anymore."

"I'll send a technician right away. Please hang tight." The man spoke through the speaker.

Ino sobbed, dabbing her eyes with her tissue paper. She sat on the floor, defeated. Sakura sat down across from Ino and looked at her, concerned.

"Ino, I know I'm not who you want to be around right now, but I want you to know that I'm sorry." Sakura confessed.

"For what?" Ino spat.

"For everything." Sakura sighed. "I know I haven't been a good friend to you. You were right about the things you said, and I just wasn't ready to hear it." she explained.

Tears flowed from Ino as she considered what Sakura said. She sighed and thought about all her wrongdoings.

"I was jealous of you." Ino said. "I always liked Sasuke. You said you liked him first when we first saw him, so I held back my feelings and let you pursue him. I didn't expect him to like you so much back and I thought maybe I could at least get his brother's attention, but he snubbed me." Ino confessed. "It was always a sore spot for me that I thought I would forget about eventually."

"Did you?" Sakura asked. Ino sighed.

"I did when I got together with Sai, but you know, a heart doesn't forget so easily." Ino said. Sakura understood those feelings all too well. "Sasuke was such a jerk during practice and the games. I had a suspicion it was steroids he was abusing, but I had no proof." Ino said sadly, fighting back her tears. "I knew Lee was into you and I suspected he was the one who got Sasuke into the steroids. He's one of those bodybuilder gym types, isn't he? It all made sense. He could have tricked Sasuke into taking those so he could take you away from him."

"Lee isn't at all like that." Sakura said. "He's been trying to help Sasuke."

Ino felt foolish. Her theory was unraveling before her eyes. As angry as she could be with Sakura, she knew Sakura wasn't an awful judge of character.

"I just don't understand you sometimes." Ino said, feeling lost for words.

"I barely understand myself sometimes." Sakura acknowledged. "I kept blaming myself for why Sasuke had changed. It's nobody's fault but his own. That's the truth."

Ino sighed and considered Sakura's perspective. She had been through a lot in only one semester. Ino witnessed Sasuke's temper firsthand on the sidelines and understood it must have taken a toll on Sakura. Additionally, she considered that Lee really wasn't trying to cause any trouble after all. Sakura was quite popular with the guys, so it was no surprise to her that Lee tried shooting his shot.

"I'm sorry. I don't deserve your forgiveness after how horrible I was to you, but can you forgive me? I miss being friends." Ino said.

"Of course." Sakura said, smiling. Ino managed a smile, but her eyes were still filled with sadness. "Why are you at the hospital?"

"My dad has been cheating. My mom knew but was trying to cope with it. She's been dealing with it for months now and she had a breakdown." Ino said, her eyes watery. "She had to stay here for her own safety for a few days."

"Shit. That's horrible." Sakura said. Ino began crying again. Sakura had no idea Ino was going through so much in her home life. Ino was ashamed that her family was in tatters. "I'm so sorry, Ino."

"I'll be okay." Ino cried. Sakura stood up, moved toward Ino, and sat down alongside her. They hugged.

"I'm glad we can put all the ugly stuff in the past behind us." Sakura said.

"I still owe Lee an apology. He won't be mad, will he?" Ino asked.

"Of course not. Lee doesn't hold grudges." Sakura said.

"Good." Ino breathed in relief. "What are you doing here, though?"

"Sasuke got hurt at the gym, but he's going to be fine." Sakura wasn't sure how accurate her statement was, but she hoped by saying that he would be alright, then it would come true. "Naruto and Lee are here with me."

"Oh wow. I'm glad he'll be alright. What a crazy day." Ino said, reclining against the cold elevator wall. "I hope we can get out of this crappy, old elevator soon." she said, cursing herself for not taking the stairs instead. "Hopefully, before Christmas." she said, and the two girls chuckled as they waited for help.

Itachi reached the first floor, now seeking Kisame. The elder Uchiha just got off the phone with his parents, updating them on Sasuke's condition. As he approached the lobby by the entrance to the hospital, he noticed Kisame was speaking to someone. He looked curiously at the younger man with a bowl cut.

"Oh, hello Itachi." Lee greeted. Itachi squinted his eyes and adjusted his glasses. He then realized who he was speaking to.

"Rock Lee?" Itachi said. "Forgive me, I didn't recognize you. My eyesight isn't what it used to be."

"How is Sasuke?" Lee asked. Itachi mustered a weak smile. Kisame listened closely.

"He has a long fight ahead of him, but I have faith that he will be alright." Itachi responded.

"Do you know what caused it?" Lee asked.

"My little brother has had a lot of life changes recently. He was blowing off some steam in the gym and he had pushed his body way too far this time." Itachi explained. "I heard his girlfriend broke up with him and that he's been having some trouble at school. I'm not aware of the details, but I suspect his behavior is due to stress and perhaps my absence in our home since I moved out." Itachi considered.

Lee was taken aback that the elder Uchiha divulged so much information. Lee felt sick to his stomach. As much as he didn't want to involve himself further by talking to the Akatsuki members, he worried for Sasuke. As much as Lee felt a deep distaste for his previous competitor, he still remembered Sasuke before he had changed. He had faith that deep down, the old Sasuke was clinging to life, trying to resume control over his mind and body which was robbed from him by his addiction. It seemed to Lee that Itachi had no clue what else was going on with his little brother.

"I know you do not know me too well, but I know Sasuke. You should know that I and all of his friends are deeply concerned for his wellbeing. Please take my words seriously." Lee said. Itachi listened intently. "We suspect that he may be using steroids."

Kisame's face went blank. He had tried talking Lee into buying some as they waited in the lobby, but the martial artist refused. Kisame focused on his comrade, eager to see how he would respond to Lee's claim.

"What makes you think that?" Itachi asked, analyzing Lee closely.

"I have no evidence besides his complete character change. My friends think he is using it to increase his athletic performance." Lee explained.

"That's quite an accusation." Itachi said, responding hostilely. "My little brother isn't foolish enough to do something like that." he said defensively.

"I know you may not believe me, but please, I am pleading with you, listen." Lee said.

"Sasuke didn't seem too fond of you." Itachi said, scrutinizing Lee. He was aware of Sasuke's first two altercations with Lee.

"Then speak with his other friends. They will tell you exactly what I have just told you." Lee said.

Itachi didn't seem convinced, but he took Lee's words seriously. Although the elder Uchiha's eyesight was dwindling, he could tell Lee wasn't being deceitful. He glanced at Kisame, who wore a look of concern on his face.

"Looks like we got a mystery on our hands." Kisame said.

Itachi wanted to say something but was reluctant to speak with Lee present. His mind was occupied with many trains of thought, perhaps having a suspicion of where he could get more information on Lee's claims.

"Let's go, Kisame. There's nothing more for us to do here until Sasuke is up for visitation." Itachi said. Kisame groaned as he stood up, his joints stiff from the cold, dry climate.

"See you around, little guy." Kisame said to Lee, his toothy grin devilish as always.

Lee watched as the two men stepped away, leaving the hospital and braving the cold. Lee frowned, worrying that Itachi and Kisame may not believe his words, or worse, not care at all. He was unsure of how effective he was in convincing Itachi, but he felt better knowing that he at least tried to help. Shikamaru was wise when he told Naruto that the situation was out of his hands. Lee felt helpless, and he was sure Naruto felt the same way.

Lee reclined in his chair, breathing a sigh of relief that the Akatsuki members had departed. He realized that quite some time had passed, and he glanced down at his watch. The anxiety in him resurfaced as he began to wonder if Sakura was alright. He noticed a technician with a large tool kit had stepped inside through the entrance and walked speedily past the lobby, headed toward the hallway with the elevators. He waited another ten minutes before he saw the familiar pink-haired girl down the hallway with a blonde at her side. The pair made their way toward Lee.

"Sakura! I am glad you are alright." Lee said.

"Hey, sorry I kept you waiting for so long. We got trapped in the elevator." Sakura said, smiling and trying to hide her mental exhaustion.

"Hey, Lee." Ino said sheepishly.

"Hello Inoshishi." Lee said, managing a small smile, though he was confused that Ino was there. He noticed her eyes were puffy and red from crying.

"Call me Ino, please." Ino said. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk before. Sakura and I made up, but I don't deserve your forgiveness either." she said.

"It is okay." Lee said, giving his signature and corny nice-guy smile and thumbs up. "If Sakura can forgive you, then so can I." he said. Ino smiled. "But what about Sasuke, is he going to be alright?" Lee asked.

"He'll be fine." Sakura said, repeating her wishful thinking like it was her mantra.

"That is a relief." Lee said. "I spoke to his brother earlier. I told him our concerns about his drug use, but I do not know if he believes me. I tried." he said, frowning and looking sad.

"Don't beat yourself up. There's not much any of us can do for him right now." Sakura said. "Sasuke and Itachi are very close. If anyone can get through to him, it's his brother."

"I hope so. It's a real shame he's turned out this way. He got the scholarship he worked so hard for, but he didn't even seem all that happy about it." Ino said. She looked at Sakura, who looked troubled. "I think we should all head out. We've all had enough to worry about for a day." she said while wiping her eyes with tissue again, becoming self-conscious about how she must look after her makeup running.

"What about Naruto?" Lee asked. "Where is he?"

"He decided to stay. He told me to thank you for the ride." Sakura explained. Lee was worried about Naruto. Lee knew how much Naruto loves Sasuke. Their friendship was as close as it was longstanding, but Sasuke's suspected drug use seemed to impact their relationship too, much like how it affected all the others around him. If Sasuke survived his latest diagnosis, he still had a long fight ahead of him battling his addiction.

"I see." Lee said, feeling uncomfortable with the situation still. Sakura and Ino felt no different, wanting to say or do something but unsure if anything was going to have any impact. It made an already grim situation feel more hopeless.

The three left the hospital. Lee noticed Itachi's luxurious car was still in the parking lot as they traveled back to Lee's parked car. Lee thought perhaps the elder Uchiha needed to step away from being around others to deal with his feelings. Lee glanced up and watched as a murder of crows flew across the parking lot and landed in a tall, dead tree by the main hospital building. The sight felt like a bad omen, but Lee tried to not let the thought of death linger in his mind. He focused his mind on the coming of spring, the season of youth and hope. He remembered the daffodils Sakura gave him. For as long as Sasuke's heart longed for Sakura to come back to him, he was still a threat in Lee's mind to the stability of his relationship with Sakura. Especially since their last encounter may have ended badly if it were not for the intervention of his friends. His mixed feelings about the Uchiha left him uneasy.

"Are you alright, Lee? I know this has been a heavy day." Sakura said as she shifted toward Lee in the car seat. The engine was slowly heating up again.

"I am fine." Lee said. "I was thinking… when Sasuke can have visitors, we should bring him flowers."

"I think that's a very sweet idea." Sakura said, feeling a smile creep on her face.

Lee reached his arms out and they embraced. Sakura closed her eyes as she listened to Lee's steady heartbeat. He stroked her hair, gently tucking the strands behind her ear. The physical touch between the two was healing, soothing the tension of the chaotic day.

The thought of the flowers gave Sakura hope that Sasuke would recover. She thought of daffodils and their hardiness through the cold of winter. She felt sad, but Lee's comforting presence and Ino's return to her life encouraged Sakura. She was thankful Lee was so forgiving and willing to help Sasuke despite all that had happened between them. Naruto's dedication to helping their lost friend inspired the youths to not give up on hope. The thoughtful youths were feeling the spirit of the Christmas season to give love and grace.


A/N: I'm in the process of wrapping this story up. It's evolved so much from when I first started writing and I have enjoyed writing this one so much. Huge thanks for reading, and a big thanks for the reviews. You know who you are!