The next morning after the early surgery, Aceso was walking around the village, carrying a basket, and to go collect herbs in the fields and forest.

" Good morning Little sister!" Naruto yelled running up to her.

" Good morning brother," Aceso smiled. " How is your training going so far?"

" I can walk on water!" Naruto explained. " I am a step closer to being Hokage!"

" You learn fast," Aceso said. " Ebisu must really be a fantastic teacher." Naruto started laughing. " What?"

" Ebisu isn't teaching me," Naruto laughed.

" No?" Aceso asked as she tilted her head.

" I'm being taught by a pervy guy named Jiarya," Naruto said as he pumped a fist in the air.

" Jiraya?" Aceso gasped. " Isn't he one of the legendary Sannin?"

" I don't know about that," Naruto shrugged as he scratched the top of his head. " But he said he will teach me a new Jutsu today. I better get going!"

" If it doesn't go all night wanna get ramen later?" Aceso asked.

" You know it!" Naruto laughed before he ran off. She then continued on her path.

" Doctor Matsuba," A voice said, she stopped turned, and saw Lord Hokage.

" Lord Hokage," Aceso nodded.

" Off to gather some herbs?" Lord Hokage asked.

" Yes, sir," Aceso answered.

"Let's take a walk," Lord Hokage said, the two started back on the path. " How is everyone after the exams?"

" Recovering just fine," Aceso answered. " Though Sasuke is going in for a couple of more days and much longer for Rock Lee."

" The other medics say you plan on healing him, " Lord Hokage recalled. " His spine is psychologically damaged."

" I know," Aceso said. " I can't just aside and watch his dreams be taken away from him. " Lord Hokage smirked. " Huh?"

" You always have never been one to back away from a challenge," Lord Hokage smiled. " This is going to be extremely risky."

" I just need to get stronger," Aceso informed.

" Then I shall have no trouble giving you this book," Lord Hokage said as they stopped.

" Book?" Aceso asked. He held out a book.

" Take it, it's from my office," Lord Hokage informed.

" I can't take it from you," Aceso denied.

" Take it Doctor Matsuba," Lord Hokage said. " Tsunade hasn't been to the village in years, you are the next person I would have faith in healing Rock Lee."

" Lord Hokage," Aceso breathed as she took the bok. " Thank you, sir!"

" Train and study hard," Lord Hokage advised. " I expect the surgery to go excellent." He then turned and walked away. " Oh and come with me, I have matters to discuss with you and the others about Hayate."

" Hayate?" Aceso asked as she followed him. Soon she stood in a room with a ton of Jonin, he had news more for them.

" Some of you may not yet have heard the news," Lord Hokage began. " The body of Hayate Gekko was found near Kikyo Castle." Aceso's eyes went wide.

" What?" Asuma asked. " Hayate?"

" He's--he's dead?" Aceso asked.

" Unbelievable," Ibicki said in disbelief.

" This has to be Orochimaru's doing," Anko concluded.

" As likely as that may seem, let's not jump to conclusions yet," Kakashi advised. " We think Hayate was on the trail of a Sound Village spy named Kabuto. No doubt Orochimaru is up to something. But we don't know for sure."

" Well, I say cancel the Chunin Exams and go after Orochimaru," a Jonin spoke up.

" No, I think not," Lord Hokage declined. " He revealed himself to Anko and sent a warning not to cancel the exams. You see, these exams have brought together ninja from every allied nation."

" What do you think it means?" Homoaru asked.

" There are two things we know about him," Lord Hokage revealed. " That he bears an abiding grudge against our Hidden Leaf Village. And that his power is great. Perhaps great enough to crush a village on his own. Certainly great enough that any village would prefer to have him on their side rather than against them."

" Impossible," the Jonin protested. " No village in the alliance would betray another and join forces with that fiend."

" Well, the alliance treaty is only as binding as any verbal agreement," Kakashi said. " As we found out during the last great ninja war."

" In any case, until we're able to find out more, this is all just idle speculation," Lord Hokage said.

" We've dispatched Anbu blacks ops to every village to collect information," Koharu informed. " We would be fools to act too hastily. That might just be what our enemy is aiming for."

" And besides, I have complete trust in every one of you," Lord Hokage believed. Everyone acknowledged what he said. " When and if the time comes, we will gather the strength of the Hidden Leaf Village and fight if we must." They were dismissed, and Aceso went and gathered herbs.

" How did the surgery go?" Gaara asked Aceso looked to see he was standing behind her.

" Wonderful," Aceso answered.

" Shouldn't you be resting?" Gaara asked as he walked over.

" I was sent out to gather herbs," Aceso informed.

" All alone?" Gaara asked as he stopped.

" Yeah," Aceso answered. " I'm almost done. Just a few more." A few moments of silence passed and a bunch of items were put in the basket, she looked up to see Gaara, then looked back at the basket. " Why did you give me a bunch of grass?"

" What?" Gaara asked as he took the basket and looked at it. " I am from the sand village."

" It's alright," Aceso asked as she picked a herb and then a piece of grass. " Look closely at these two. " He peered his eyes from the basket and look at the two pieces. She then explained the difference between the two.

"So this is a herb?" Gaara asked he pulled one out of the basket.

" Yes," Aceso confirmed. " You catch on fast." She then stood up.

" Where are you going?" Gaara asked.

" Back to the hospital," Aceso answered as she grabbed the basket from him.

" Shouldn't you sort out the grass?" Gaara asked.

" We will," Aceso nodded as she headed back. " See you later, Gaara." She looked down at the basket and stopped. " A flower?"

" As I told you, I am from the Sand Village," Gaara grumbled, she looked back to see his arms folded.

" No worries," Aceso smiled. " It's a pretty flower." She pulled out, it was a red rose. " I will put it in a vase in my room, thank you." She got back to the hospital and crushed up the herbs and put them in a jar. She then looked over in her room and saw the red rose sitting beautifully on the windowsill. The longer she stared at it, the more she remembered a certain someone calling her a red rose. She then grabbed the vase and headed down to the front desk. When she got there she saw Ino with a rose and Sakura with two daffodils.

"Will it be alright if we saw Sasuke and Lee?" Sakura asked.

" Yes," Aceso answered. " But please keep in mind that he's still very weak." She and another nurse led them to his room. Aceso handed her rose to Ino to hold. " He needs his rest. You'll have to keep your visit short. Five minutes, that's all I can give you."

" All right," Ino and Sakura agreed.

" Sasuke?" Aceso asked as the nurse knocked on the door. " May I come in?" She opened the door. " You have a couple of pretty visitors here." Aceso gasped as they walked in, the clipboard fell out of the nurse's arms. " Sasuke's bed was completely empty. " Sasuke?" She glanced around the room.

" Sasuke?" the nurse asked as she opened an empty wardrobe. " All of his clothes are gone."

" This is terrible," Aceso declared as she walked over to look out the window, no sign of him anywhere. " He's in no condition to be walking around on his own." The two left the room to look for Sasuke. She was going to kill Sasuke for leaving his bed. They then came back to find the two girls patiently waiting.

" Well, we'll keep searching for him here in the hospital," the nurse said. " But in the meantime, if you see him, please contact us immediately. Will you?"

" Yes, of course," Ino and Sakura nodded.

" Now, you wanted to see Rock Lee as well, right?" Aceso asked.

" Yes," the two confirmed.

" He's in no better condition than Sasuke so don't expect to have a very long visit," Aceso informed. She led them to Lee's room and knocked on the door. " Lee, can we come in?" The nurse opened the door. " You have a couple of pretty visitors here." His bed was empty as well.

" Oh no!" the nurse gasped. " Not Lee, too."

" Lee?" Aceso asked as she walked over to the window, she looked out to see him doing one-arm pushups, he was struggling. " Oh, no" They all gathered around the window to take a look. " Lee." They began to leave the room to go down to Lee.

" Come on, Sakura," Ino urged.

" Right," Sakura breathed as she followed them out.

" Lee, you shouldn't be out of bed," Aceso urged as they ran up to him. Sakura and Ino stayed back as Aceso and the nurse got closer.

" Stop it!" the nurse urged.

" What do you think you're doing?" Aceso asked.

" 191," Lee counted as he lowered himself and did another pushup.

" Lee," the nurse breathed as Aceso went over to put a hand on him.

" Keep away from me," Lee ordered as he looked at them, one eye opened. " Please, I've got to finish my training." He continued on. " 195...196...197...198...Do not count me out. I am not through yet." It was quite heartbreaking to watch him put himself through this. " 199." There was a puddle of sweat and tears right below his face. " Just one more. One more. Just one more." He let out a cry before collapsing unconscious.

" Lee!" Aceso exclaimed as she went to his side. She gently turned him over onto his back. " Go get some orderlies out here with a stretcher." She gently placed his head down.

" Yes, ma'am," the nurse nodded before running back inside. Ino and Sakura appeared on both sides of Aceso.

" Why?" Sakura asked sadly. " Why, Ino? Why, Aceso?"

" Huh?" both girls asked.

" What is it that makes boys like that?" Sakura asked. " They're always pushing things too far."

" Why ask me?" Ino asked. " I'm not a boy."

" Right," Sakura breathed. " Sorry."

" He's going to be alright," Aceso assured the two. " But he's going to make things worse for himself if he keeps this up."

" You're lucky," Sakura said.

" Huh?" Aceso asked.

"You're lucky you can see patients whenever you want," Sakura said.

" I wouldn't call it lucky," Aceso said as he looked at the pink hair girl. " It can be highly nerve-wracking."

" Yeah, Sakura," Ino agreed. Soon the girls left and Lee was back in his bed. Aceso entered his room with a cup of tea and supplies. The sun was setting, and Lee was awake, staring at the flowers.

" Aceso?" Lee asked not even looking at her.

" Sorry, Lee," Aceso apologized. " I didn't expect you to be awake."

" Who visited me?" Lee asked.

" Sakura and Ino," Aceso answered as she walked over. " The daffodil is from Sakura and Ino, I gave you the rose."

" You did?" Lee asked as he looked over at him.

" Yeah, accidentally got picked while gathering herbs today," Aceso answered. " So I put it in your room." She put the tea down and looked at him. " You need to take it easy Lee. If you go back to training in this condition, you'll just make it worse."

" People are going to count me out," Lee stated sadly.

" Not necessarily," Aceso denied. " Every great shinobi experiences bad injuries, they know they have to rest and let their body get better before they resume. "

" How can you be so sure?" Lee asked as he struggled to sit up.

" I have a good feeling," Aceso answered. " Would you like tea?"

" Yes, please ma'am," Lee nodded. She carefully put the cup of tea right next to his bedside. With his good arm, he picked it up and drank some. She sat in the chair beside his bed, which was beside the desk and window.

" But how can you be so sure?" Lee asked as he put it down.

" It's like the sun," Aceso answered. " It goes away for the night, but always comes back. So with these injuries, you may be down for now, but you will be able to rebound and continue to chase your dreams and be a fantastic shinobi." She looked out the window. " The world always has curveballs, we shouldn't let those curve balls keep us on the sidelines." Lee looked at the doctor with wonder, he observed how the sun complimented her. Her hair was a warmer red, her eyes shined more.

" How much longer?" Lee asked.

" Be patient about it," Aceso answered. " All good things come to those who wait." He reached out and grabbed her braid. She slowly looked at him, she saw he was concentrated, and ran his fingers along the curves of the braid. " I shouldn't keep you up much longer. " She stood up.

" But?" Lee protested.

" I will be back later," Aceso assured. " If you can't sleep at night, I'm on the top floor, you'll know which room is mine by my name being on the outside."

" Where are you going now?" Lee asked as she walked over to the door.

" A surgery and probably getting ramen with my brother," Aceso answered. " Get some rest, Lee." She then left the room and closed the door. She then leaned against it and let out a quiet sigh. This was going to be much harder than she first thought it would be.