A/N: Thank you for reading so far.

Chapter 7: A Welcome Break

It was the morning after the incident at the school. Lee woke at his usual early time, hearing Kiba and Akamaru wake up in the bedroom across from his own. Kiba checked on Lee before leaving to do his morning run. Lee allowed himself to drift back to sleep. The cool October air had grown cooler from a northern cold front, resulting in the temperature of the house dropping to 66 degrees. Each of them agreed to not touch the thermostat unless it was agreed upon, wearing thick and layered clothing in their home instead of increasing their electric bill. Lee noticed earlier in the week that Shino had collected some dry wood to burn for their old brick fireplace downstairs. This weather made it harder for one to leave the warmth and comfort of their bed.

An hour after sunrise, Guy arrived at the house. He brought two grocery bags of food for Lee, full of some of Lee's favorite snacks, deli meat, bread, and fresh fruits. The throbbing pain Lee felt in his head had left him, but the area around his freshly shaven scalp and staples felt tingling and itchy. Guy examined the staples and relief shown on his face that everything was healing well, despite the redness and swelling present.

"That is going to leave a scar, but most of the hair should grow back." Guy assured Lee, who still looked tired. Lee had his eyes focused downward. "Now, Lee, we need to discuss some important things. Tell me what happened yesterday." He said while sitting down in Lee's office chair, which he wheeled to the bedside.

"Sakura is the one I was telling you about. She is my classmate and my project partner." Lee explained. "She was upset in class over Sasuke Uchiha, he is the quarterback on the football team." Lee let out a sigh. "I was walking with her, and he attacked me." Guy nodded.

"Lee, we all know he was in the wrong. If you want to file a report against him, I can take you to the police station and I will give them my statement." Guy offered. Lee was already fighting tears.

"No, Guy Sensei." Lee said. "I deserved it."

"Now what do you mean by that, Lee?" Guy asked, scrutinizing Lee who was crying now.

"I was stupid to think that I could do this." Lee said, referring to his pursuit of Sakura. "It is hopeless." He cried. "I was a fool to think I could get her to love me when I couldn't even get my own parents to love me." He sobbed. "Nobody loves me."

Guy watched as Lee crumbled. Lee continued to sob as Guy thought about what to say next. His suspicion about Lee was confirmed; Lee had lost his way. Guy had taken exceptional care and time when raising Lee to keep his mind focused on the things that mattered in life. It was easy for a young mind to get lost in the madness of the world. It was simple for a pure soul to be corrupted by the evils and sufferings of life. Guy himself had experienced these feelings of hopelessness in his younger days. He recalled his father being the one to always rescue him from drowning in his sorrows.

"Life is unfair, Lee. You started the game with a bad hand of cards." Guy started, acknowledging Lee's pain. "I felt the same way at times, feeling like my life was pointless." Lee's sobbing paused and he listened to Guy as he wiped his watery eyes with his forearm. "I always just worked. I knew my life was missing something, but even I wasn't sure what it was." Guy said, as he passed tissues to Lee, who accepted them. "When your family could no longer care for you and they were giving you up, something inside me awakened. I knew I could not let that happen to you, and I fought to keep you." Guy explained. Lee knew this story already, but it had been many years since the last time they spoke of it. "It was a miracle you were handed over to me. I had no idea how to raise a child, and many times I was afraid I was failing you." Guy said, hanging his head down. "But no matter how tough things got, I knew I couldn't just give up, because I love you, Lee."

"I love you too, Guy Sensei." Lee said, still crying. The two embraced as Lee continued crying. Guy felt his eyes were filling with tears. Soothed by the hug, Lee's crying ceased, and he sniffled, trying to clear the congestion brought on by the crying.

"I did not doubt you that when you moved out, you were ready to take on the world, despite your circumstances. I feared that at some point, you would forget the things I have told you and lose your way." Guy said, still holding Lee close. "I was afraid you would go down a dark path and I wouldn't be able to stop you in time." Guy said, his voice cracking at the end of his sentence. Lee squeezed him harder and looked up to see his Sensei with tears in his eyes.

Guilt enveloped Lee. He feared he had let down his father and teacher. He regretted what he had said before about being unloved, as Guy had just proven him wrong.

"I am sorry." Lee said. "Please forgive me, Guy Sensei." Lee sniffled. Guy released Lee from his embrace. He smiled and looked at Lee, wiping his eyes.

"It's all okay, Lee. Just promise me that you will come to me whenever you're struggling." Guy said to him, messing up Lee's hair on the unwounded side of his head while smiling. Lee smiled, feeling forgiven and comforted. Lee took a sip of his water and looked across the room, deep in thought.

"I do not want to press charges against Sasuke though." Lee said. Guy listened carefully. "Sasuke was my teammate years ago and he was always dependable. I do not know what has happened to him to be so cruel to Sakura, but for all we know, something is going on with him that made him this way." Lee said. "I will defend myself if he tries anything again, but right now, I am willing to forgive him and move forward. I do not want him to have a record over something like this."

"Well said, Lee." Guy smiled. "If that's your wish, then I won't press you further."

Guy left for work at the school and Lee checked his phone. He responded to his concerned friends. He had wished that he had responded to them all last night, but his exhaustion and his concussion did not allow him to think far enough. He noticed Sakura had texted him.

Good morning, Lee. Can I come by around 2 today? I won't be able to stay for long, but I want to check on you. Lee smiled. He confirmed the time with her and received more texts from his friends. Lee was touched by their efforts, as Neji and Tenten were risking having their phones confiscated during class. Throughout the day, he had received more texts from his other friends. Word had spread around school, Lee assumed. However, upon opening social media, he discovered that a fellow student had posted the part of the brawl when Lee had turned his head and was knocked out. It had been shared around and it had thousands of views at that point. Lee was disheartened but remembered what Guy said and he closed the app.

Lee double-checked his doctor's orders and decided to shower, carefully avoiding getting the wound wet in the shower. He figured if he was going to have visitors, he should tidy up his room and keep up with his hygiene. Although he had only been up for half an hour, fatigue seized him, and he returned to his bed. His eyes were still sensitive to the light, so he closed the curtains over his window. He fell into a deep sleep until he awoke sometime later, awakening from his own loud snore.

He checked the time and saw that it was 2:15 pm. He checked his phone and saw that Sakura was running late, as she was apologizing in her text message. He brushed his teeth, changed his clothing, and opened his curtains, trying to look decent despite his current state. She arrived briefly and Shino answered the door, guiding her upstairs to Lee's room. He knocked on Lee's door and Lee allowed them to enter.

"Hi, Lee." Sakura said as she stepped into his room. She was carrying a small bouquet and a card. She handed them to Lee. He was so touched by her kindness that he felt his eyes water.

"For me?" Lee asked, pointing to himself. Sakura smiled, amused.

"Of course, they're for you." She said as Lee accepted them.

"I'll be leaving for class soon, Lee." Shino said, referring to one of his college classes. "Let me know if you need anything before I go." He said before heading back downstairs.

"Please sit down." Lee said, gesturing to his office chair still by the bedside. Sakura sat down and watched as he opened the envelope for her card. It was a pink card with flowers, instructing the recipient to get well soon with her signature and a smiley face next to it. "Thank you, Sakura." Lee said, smiling at her.

"It's really nothing." Sakura said. Her attention turned to Lee's injury. Lee felt self-conscious.

"It looks bad, I know." Lee said, turning his head to conceal the wound and wishing he could cover the wound. His doctor instructed him to let the wound stay uncovered. Sakura looked guilty and looked away.

"I'm so sorry, Lee." Sakura said. "I'm really sorry he hurt you." Lee could see the frustration in Sakura's eyes.

"You do not need to apologize for him." Lee assured her. "You have done nothing wrong, and there was nothing you could do to prevent what happened." He went on. "He does not owe me an apology either," Lee said. Sakura looked surprised. "I am not innocent here. I crossed some boundaries. He had every right to get defensive." Lee explained. "I will not press charges and I am sorry if I have ever made you uncomfortable, Sakura."

Sakura looked relieved. She was not sure about the fate of the Uchiha in a legal sense if Lee pressed the matter further. She was still angry with Sasuke, but the thought of him being handcuffed and taken away made her feel sick. She imagined the disappointment of his family as Sasuke had jeopardized his future and brought shame to his family. Her own family came to mind, who had made up their minds on Sasuke and Sakura was now left with an arduous task.

"I'm glad you are so forgiving, Lee." Sakura said warmly. "I wish there were more people like you."

"Thank you, Sakura." Lee smiled. There was the sound of a horn blaring outside and Akamaru began barking.

"That's my mom. I need to go now." Sakura said, excusing herself. "I missed school today so I don't know if we have any homework, but I can email our teacher and let her know what's happening."

"That sounds like a plan. Thanks again, Sakura." Lee smiled.

Sakura left and got back into her mom's car. They returned to their home and Sakura went to her room. She began working on her school assignments and received a call from Sasuke. She answered the phone on the third ring.

"Hello." She answered, not sure what else to say. She listened intently to what Sasuke had to say. They had not spoken since the incident.

"Sakura. Can we talk?" Sasuke said. Sakura let out a sigh involuntarily. She had been wanting to talk to Sasuke for weeks now and finally, he was coming to her to talk for once. She could no longer conceal her frustration.

"Can we? Or are you just going to keep ignoring me?" Sakura said angrily.

"Can I see you?" Sasuke asked. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what exactly, Sasuke?" Sakura asked, tears filling her eyes. "For yesterday for what you did to my friend? Or for the past two months you've been too busy to even walk me to any of my classes?" She spoke, feeling her anger increasing. Her anger felt satisfying. It felt good for her to finally let out what she had been holding in.

"Sakura." Sasuke repeated. "Can I see you? Let us talk then." He spoke. Sakura's anger grew as her feelings were left acknowledged.

"I don't think I would want to even if I could. I'm grounded, Sasuke." Sakura said curtly. "And my father forbids me from seeing you anymore." She said, her tears flowing against her hot face. She was so upset, her face was flushed.

"Sakura, I'm sorry." Sasuke said. "Please, let's talk this out. I only thought Lee was making moves on you." He said, justifying his costly mistake. "I was only protecting you."

"Lee is my friend, Sasuke." Sakura cried. "He's going to have a huge scar on his head because of you."

"I did it to protect you." Sasuke repeated. Sakura shook her head, trying to think of what to say as she cried. Sasuke seemed more remorseful that he upset Sakura over assaulting Lee. Though Sasuke was not wrong about Lee's intentions, Sakura was angry that she was not considered a factor in Sasuke's decision. There were better ways he could have managed the situation, according to her.

"I can do that myself." Sakura said coldly. "You've left me feeling so alone and Lee has been a good friend who actually cares about how my day is and wants to hear about my interests. And now I don't know when I'll see him in my class again."

"I'm sorry." Sasuke repeated. "I made a mistake."

"I don't know what's happened to you Sasuke. I loved you and now I don't know what to feel." Sakura said. She was surprised by her own words, but it came from her heart. "I don't think you love me anymore."

"That's not true." Sasuke said, frustrated. "I do love you, that's why I did what I did."

Sakura was stunned by how Sasuke still demonstrated no true remorse for what he did. Not once did she ever consider Lee a threat to her relationship. To her, he was some lovesick boy who genuinely did care about her, and he was not afraid of showing his affection for her, even at the risk of angering Sasuke. Unexpectedly, she was treasuring the friendship they shared. Lee always seemed happy, and he inspired her to stay strong. Though he did catch her eye at the mall months ago, she never thought about him beyond being a friend.

"I think we should take a break." Sakura said. Sasuke froze.

"Sakura, I'm sorry." He repeated once again. Sakura grew tired of his repetitions.

"I need to go. Bye." She said before hanging up. She dabbed her eyes with a tissue, thankful she did not bother to wear makeup today. She reclined in her chair, exhausted from the exchange over the phone. Her heart ached. She had a framed photo on her desk of her and Sasuke, posing at the beach from spring break. She took the picture frame and placed it in one of her desk's drawers. More tears ran down her face.

She noticed a text from Ino, asking Sakura about why she was not at school. She texted Ino back, explaining the situation. She figured Ino already knew about the fight, as she had seen the video posted online. The third time she watched the video, Sakura focused on herself in the video, appearing helpless. She cursed herself for stepping in between the two. Those two guys likely weighed double her weight and now she realized how foolish it was for her to think she could stop Sasuke's vicious onslaught. It disturbed her how Sasuke did not seem to slow down even when she stepped close to the fray.

She gave up on her homework and returned to her bed. She heard her father had returned home and she braced herself for him to come talk to her some more. Mercifully, he remained downstairs for the night. She stared at the ceiling of her room, tears still threatening to run down her face.

The whole situation felt so unfair. She was not grounded because of the situation, but for talking back at her father. He demanded she break up with Sasuke and she lashed out at him. Her father never grounded her before, understanding that he was taking this situation very seriously. She was angry at being treated like a child. She regretted not saying something to Sasuke sooner, but there were so many times she tried to speak to him, but he either did not listen or avoided her concerns. It just did not make sense why he would change so suddenly. It was an ugly transformation, like Jekyll and Hyde.

The homecoming dance was coming up soon and Sakura felt sick at the thought of going now. She had gone to the dance last year with Sasuke. It was a night she remembered fondly. Though she had not been intimate with Sasuke yet, she had anticipated that by the next dance, she and Sasuke could take things to the next step. As nervous as she was to go into unknown territory, she felt safe enough with Sasuke to allow him to explore her bare flesh. She had fantasized about what it would be like with him. Her father would not allow her to be out late, except for sleepovers at Ino's house. Now, she felt unsure about Sasuke. She told Sasuke they were taking a break, which left the future of the relationship up in the air at the moment. Feeling conflicted with her feelings, she tried to focus her thoughts on something else. Something positive.

Lee came to mind. Although he looked pitiful today, Sakura could not help but admire him. He was honest with her, and he did not demonstrate any hard feelings towards Sasuke. She realized she did not acknowledge that he admitted to his true intentions. She did not feel that Lee was being forceful on the issue regarding his feelings for her but pressed just enough for her to notice that he still had affection for her. She recognized that years ago Lee was good-natured and that remained constant in him. She was beginning to appreciate consistency in people. Lee was always loyal, kindhearted, forgiving, and strong. He always looked so happy with his friends, and it was hard for her to ignore that he had changed in some ways since the time she rejected him.

When it came to aesthetics, Lee could not hold a candle to Sasuke, but Lee had made definite improvements since their sophomore year. Sakura wouldn't admit it outright, but she did like the physically strong, athletic type when it came to boys. She loved how effortlessly Sasuke could pick her up and she felt so safe walking with him out in public. She did not feel like she had to be on guard and survey her surroundings with him at her side. Knowing Lee knew how to fight made her feel like she could rely on him to keep her safe. His imposing size would make anyone think twice about targeting them.

The thought of her being with Lee made her feel guilty. Though Sasuke had seemed emotionally unavailable for some time now, she still felt like she was betraying him for daring to think of being with some other guy. Lee was just a friend, she reassured herself. And she and Sasuke were only on a break from their relationship. She just needed to find a way to smooth things over with her father if Sasuke and she got back together. Although, the idea wasn't feasible. She knew it was not good to be keeping secrets from her parents, as she feared what other punishments they could wreak on her. They promised her a car for her 18th birthday, which was only just months away in March. She feared she might lose such an opportunity if she didn't stay out of trouble. It was like her father to threaten to take things away from her whenever she disobeyed. She was grateful he allowed her to keep her phone though she was grounded, or else contact with her friends and Lee would be difficult, if not impossible.

Tomorrow was Friday, and Sakura was unsure if she was going to school or not. This was her longest absence since having a bad cold last year, and she did not want to fall behind. She knew she was letting down her thespian friends, who had to practice without her during their rehearsal nights. Her role was integral to the story. Despite her setbacks, she was pleased with the enthusiasm of her friends. Many of the more artistic students had begun painting large cardboard sets and designing the props. Sai, Sasori, and Gaara's sister Temari had been hard at work behind the set. Tenten had volunteered her sewing, knitting, and crocheting talents, helping create the costumes for the characters.

She was leaning towards staying home from school. She worried that Sasuke would try to talk to her or that she would be badgered by the other students about the fight. The last thing she wanted was the extra attention when all she needed right now was some space from him and time to heal her hurting heart. She felt cowardly for not wanting to face everyone, but her weariness of the situation left her too tired to linger on the thought.

She looked at her phone, which was constantly lighting up from receiving notifications. It was primarily her friends who were asking for context behind the video; Who is that other guy? Why did Sasuke beat him up? She sighed. Tired of explaining herself, she vowed to tell them some other time, as she was going to bed for the night, despite it being only dusk.

She tossed and turned for the next hour, feeling agitated still about her day and her break from Sasuke. Restless, she looked back at her phone and watched some videos. She saw an ad that featured a man who vaguely resembled Lee and she thought about him. Tempted, she decided to send him a text message.

Hi, Lee. Sorry I couldn't stay for long today. I'm grounded. I just wanted to check on you and see how you are doing. She typed and sent the text to Lee, no longer wary of the tone of her message. Liberated from having to show Sasuke that her texts to Lee were only for project purposes, she typed what came to her mind. You can call me if that's easier for you. Shino told me you have a concussion. She added. After a moment, her phone began to vibrate, signaling an incoming call.

"Hi." She answered.

"Hello, Sakura." Lee said tiredly. "I am doing okay. Thank you for checking on me and thank you again for the beautiful flowers." He said. "And the card too." he added.

"It was no trouble." Sakura replied. "I'm glad you like them."

"I did not think daffodils could bloom this time of year." Lee said, looking at the flowers at his bedside. He did not own a proper vase, so he used a glass water pitcher to hold the flowers. It was a variety bouquet, with three large white daffodils standing out over the other smaller flowers.

"Oh, florists have their ways of getting flowers." Sakura said, impressed that Lee correctly identified the flower. "It's a strong flower that persists through even the harshest of winters." She explained. Lee smiled. He had looked up the meaning behind the flower after Sakura had left. Though the meaning varied across cultures, it seemed incredibly thoughtful of her to have picked those.

"It was very thoughtful of you." Lee said, smiling at the card she left for him as well, which was propped upright on his nightstand next to the flowers. "I am sorry to hear that you are grounded."

"Oh, it's nothing." She lied. "My dad is steamed about the whole ordeal." She said trying to minimize things, afraid of making Lee feel guilty. "It's only for this weekend. He was trying to ground me for the month, but my mom talked him out of it." She explained.

"I understand." Lee said. "Still, I am sorry. I know I have played a role in this."

"Don't blame yourself, Lee. He was out of line. He could have just talked to you if he had a problem." Sakura said, reaching for an extra blanket while she settled into her warm bed. "He really should have just talked to me first."

"I am sorry, Sakura." Lee said. "I was worried about you and didn't want you to walk by yourself." Sakura thought about yesterday, how she cried about her failing relationship with someone who was secretly hoping that it was going to fail. "Are you okay?" he asked. Sakura wasn't too sure how to respond to his question.

"My dad won't let me see him anymore." She said, the hurt in her voice.

"I am so sorry, Sakura." Lee said, feeling guilty that she was still suffering.

"I told him that we're taking a break." Sakura said. Lee remained silent, unsure of what to say. Sakura felt the need to elaborate. "I don't even know what that means, honestly."

"A lot has happened. It is best for now that you get some rest." Lee said. "I noticed you have not been your usual self lately. Although it is a substantial change, I hope that this is the change you need."

Sakura considered what Lee said. She had been waiting for a change for weeks and now that it arrived, she was not so accepting of it, as it was not the change for which she was hoping. She hoped that Sasuke would have texted her by now, but it had been silent since she hung up the phone.

"You're right." Sakura admitted. "It wasn't what I anticipated, but something had to give." She said before yawning. "Thank you for understanding, Lee."

"Let us get some rest, Sakura. It has been another long day." Lee said, detecting her weariness. "Goodnight and pleasant dreams." He said sweetly.

"Pleasant dreams, Lee." Sakura said as she smiled. They both hung up the phone and settled into some needed rest.