It was a rainy day, Aceso was back in the Hokage's office as usual. She was being sent out as a doctor again, Lee would be accompanying her again.

"Lady Hokage...Rock Lee doesn't have to come with me," Aceso said, Lee glanced down at her in question. "I won't get much practice on going alone with I keep having Lee come along."

"You make a fair point," Tsunade agreed. "You are ready to be out on your own as well."

"This will be the last time," Lee insisted as he looked at Aceso. "Just let me tag along, please."

"You are not worried about missing out on more training?" Aceso asked as she looked up at him. "Or a more vigorous mission?"

"I want to tag along," Lee said. "I have honed my skills better since you helped me open that dojo."

"Rock Lee you will go with Doctor Matsuba," Tsunade said. 

"Right!" Lee smiled as he gave a thumbs up.

"Where will we be going ma'am?" Aceso asked.

" A small town in the Land of Fire named Hosu," Lady Tsunade. "Their village just got attacked by a group of bandits, they heard of the work you did in the small town a few missions ago and would like you to come and help tend to the wounded."

"Of course," Aceso agreed. 

"Lee, you will accompany her, just in case the bandits have decided to stick around," Tsunade answered.

"Should we have more people come along?" Lee asked. " I admit I have a strong formidable shinobi, but I don't want to be too overconfident and take on more than I can handle."

"You won't," Shizune answered. "The Sand Siblings should be going there as well."

"They are?" Aceso and Lee asked at the same time. 

"Yeah, we need you two to deliver a scroll to them as well," Tsunade explained. "You two worked well together last time, so I have no big concerns just sending the two of you again." The two glanced at each, a small smile appeared on the two of them. Tsunade handed the scroll to Aceso. "If there are no objections, you two are to depart for your mission, the sand shinobi should be arriving at the same time as you, so don't make them wait." The two left to go pack before meeting up with each other. Aceso entered her room to see Sakura on her bed.

"I gave you a key for emergencies," Aceso informed as she slipped into the room.

"It is an emergency," Sakura said as she sat up holding on to a stuffed bunny. "I need more training, but you are going on another mission."

"Why don't you just tag along?" Aceso asked as she began to quickly pack.

"No, I am going to stay on the sidelines for now," Sakura answered. "What will I do for training while you are gone?"

"Go to your mistress?" Aceso suggested.

"And if she's busy?" Sakura asked.

"Here," Aceso huffed as she walked over to her bookshelf and pulled out a giant workbook. "Work through this."

"What is that?" Sakura asked with horror as she appeared behind the red hair girl.

"Just a ton of medical terms and questions," Aceso answered. "Fill it out and I will check your answers when I get back."

"I won't get one thing wrong!" Sakura declared as she took the book from Aceso.

"Are you ready?" A voice asked. They over at the window to see Lee climbing through.

"She has a door," Sakura brought up. " Don't be scared to use it."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lee smiled. "So are you ready, Red Rose?" Sakura leaned really close to Aceso.

"It's so obvious, he likes you," Sakura stated in a whisper.

"What makes you think that?" Aceso whispered. 

"You really are blind" Sakura teased as she put a hand over her mouth.

" Huh?" Aceso asked as she looked at the pink-haired girl. "Sakura, you know it's rare that people we like actually like us back." 

"Sasuke is never going to like me back," Sakura gloomed as she lowered her head. 

"Come on, let's not be late," Lee said as he walked over. He grabbed her pack and grabbed her by the suspenders before bolting back out the window. "What were you two whispering about? I wish to know?"

"Oh, nothing important," Aceso denied as she Lee they arrived at the entrance. Lee let go of her suspenders.

"If it's nothing important then tell me," Lee insisted as he handed the pack to her. They waved at the station guards before heading out.

"Honestly Lee, you wouldn't be interested," Aceso answered. 

" You don't trust me?" Lee asked.

"That's not the point," Aceso denied as she glanced up at him. " It's a secret between me and Sakura, please respect that."

"But why can't I know?" Lee asked. "We are good friends as well."

"I'm not one to reveal things people entrusted to me, and I trust Sakura to do the same," Aceso answered.

"It's about ninjutsu, isn't it?" Lee asked as he looked ahead.

"What? No," Aceso denied. "I mean we did discuss Sakura's training with medical ninjutsu before you arrived, but doesn't have to deal with what I won't reveal to you."

"Friends shouldn't keep secrets from each other," Lee said as he glanced down at her. "It can make teamwork a bit difficult if we don't truly know the people we are working with."

"This secret won't affect anything that has to deal with teamwork," Aceso said as she squinted her eyes at him. Aceso had no idea why Lee was making this such a big deal, this secret involved something about him. And she wasn't about to say anything, especially since it would mean she would have to confess her feelings, and she was not ready for that. 

"I disagree," Lee argued. "You are keeping a secret, we may be working in a team, but it could be as if we are working alone."

"That's a load of baloney," Aceso denied. 

"I'll prove it," Lee said. He began to run ahead.

"Wait," Aceso said sharply as she grabbed his hand before he can get any further. 

"You are going to be traveling alone, this will give you good practice," Lee said. "You made it clear that you could do this alone. Perhaps, that was what you talking to Sakura about. That you don't need me."

"That's not true," Aceso denied softly. 

 "Then tell me, what were you and Sakura discussing," Lee demanded as he glanced back at her.  Aceso remained silent. "As I thought." He ripped his hand out of hers and took off going forward. Aceso sighed, this mission was supposed to be easy. She walked the rest of the way to Hosu town alone.  Aceso stopped at the top of a hill, staring down at the town below. It was clear to see that the town had indeed received damage. A strange feeling ran down her spine as if she was being watched. She looked back to see the sand siblings, she was delighted to see them, but there was still a strange feeling of being watched. She pulled out the scroll and held it out for them.

"What? Are you not happy to see us?" Kankuro asked as he folded his arms.

"I'm always happy to see you three," Aceso gave them a small smile.

"You don't seem like it," Temari said as they walked up to her. "You shouldn't give off easy body language." Temari took the scroll and tucked it away.

"Huh?" Aceso asked as she tilted her head. 

"You are too readable," Gaara agreed. "Upset and weary."

"Well, the upset part is true," Aceso answered as she looked back at the town. "Also, be on your guard."

"This town just got attacked, why should we be on our guard?" Kankuro asked. 

 "That's the exact reason, you idiot!" Temari snapped as smacked Kankuro on the head. "By the way, Aceso, wasn't somebody else coming with you?"

"Yeah," Aceso said as she grew a little annoyed.

"Where are they?" Gaara asked.

"We got into a bit of an argument on the way here, so they went ahead," Aceso answered. "He should be in the town as of right now." 

"He?" Gaara asked.

"For someone who insisted on tagging along, he made a quick exit to get ahead," Aceso said. "Come on, we need to get to the town people." They all went down, Aceso immediately started to help as many people as she came across while the sand siblings gathered information. Aceso was now in the southeastern part of the town. She was tending to a little boy, whose leg got blown off from the knee down.

"Am I ever going to be able to walk again?" the little boy asked as she treated his wounds.

"Of course," Aceso smiled. "It will take some practice to relearn how to walk, but I am sure you will be able to."

"But now I won't be able to become a ninja," the boy sighed.

"You can still become a ninja, without afoot as well," Aceso told him. "I'll make you a little wooden peg, then with enough dedication and hard work, you will become the greatest ninja out there."

"You think so?" He asked looking up at her.

"If it's what your heart wants then don't back down, no matter how hard it may seem," Aceso said. "What's your name?"

"Kaien," the little boy answered.

"Well, Kaien you are going to become the strongest ninja out there," Aceso said. "I am sure of it."

"Doc," a voice said. They looked over to see Kankuro.

"Who's the cat head?" Kaien asked.

"CAT HEAD!" Kankuro exclaimed. 

"That's elder brother Kankuro," Aceso said with a smile. "I am going to leave you to rest now." Aceso pulled out a little piece of candy. "You are extremely brave."

"Thank you!" The little boy cheered as he took the piece of candy from her. Aceso then stepped out of the room and closed the door.

"What is it Kankuro?" Aceso asked as she started to move down to the next patient.

"We found a few things out about the attack," Kankuro answered. 

"What is it?" Aceso asked.

"These people were just sitting ducks," Kankuro explained as sand swirled in front of them. It disappeared revealing Gaara.

"But it wasn't from a bunch of bandits," Gaara said as a room opened in the hotel. Inside were Temai and Lee. Neither Lee nor Aceso acknowledged each other's presence, and it was obvious to the sand siblings. They stepped inside the room and closed the door to talk more privately. 

"Who attacked them?" Aceso asked.

"A few villagers said they saw people with irreversible purple knots around their waist," Temari answered. Temari looked at Aceso. "How are the injured?"

"Better than before," Aceso answered. "I just patched up a little boy who lost the lower part of his leg."

"That is unforgivable," Lee frowned. "Who did this, I punched them with my own two fists!"

"By yourself?" Aceso asked.

"Oh, so you actually want to work as a team now?" Lee asked. The sand siblings watched as the two began to argue

"You are the who went on ahead," Aceso reminded him.

"You didn't want me to tag along," Lee brought up.

"That's not true," Aceso denied. "I just needed practice doing these kinds of things on my own."

"So you didn't want me to come," Lee stuck with it.

"Lee, you are missing the point," Aceso said.

"Can you two settle this later?" Kankuro asked as he waved trying to cut the tension. "We have other matters to worry about."

"Sorry," the two apologized as they look away from each other. 

"So who do you think these people are? The ones that attacked the town?" Gaara asked 

"The style of clothing described to us reminds me of the opponents we had while trying to rescue Sasuke," Temari brought up.

"Orochimaru," Kankuro spoke, and they all nodded in agreement. "Why do you think he attacked?" 

"He probably found someone remarkable," Aceso answered. "Orochimaru likes to collect people he finds...fascinating. To either harbor their power and take over their body...or he collects people to experiment on them. Either or it seems like the people here  resisted."

"They have probably fled the town by now," Lee pointed out. Aceso then remembered that odd feeling she got of being watched.

"I'm not sure about that," Aceso disagreed. Lee opened his mouth to say something.

"You feel like you are being watched as well, aren't you?" Temari asked. She wanted to prevent further arguing.

"Yes," Aceso agreed.

"We are going to look for clues around the village more, you stay here and continue tending to the wounded," Gaara ordered.

"Right," they nodded. The sand siblings departed as Aceso reached out to Lee. 

"We all have a job to do," Lee said as he looked over at her.

"Can you stay with me?" Aceso asked as she looked at the ground. 

"You highly insisted on doing it yourself," Lee said. "So, I'll leave you to your work. I don't want to be a bother." He then left the room. The red hair girl sighed before going back out in the hallway. Aceso opened the door to the little boy's room, he was fast asleep. She smiled at him before moving on to the next person. She continued to help more people, then found herself in a building over. It was now nightfall. She entered a room to find someone with their back to the door. On the shirt was a symbol, one she knows very well.

"It's about time," Sasuke said as the door behind Aceso closed, she heard it lock.

"Were you behind this attack?" Aceso asked as her hand reached into her pack.

"How else could I get you to come out?" Sasuke answered. "If it wasn't a village or town in the land of fire, the chances of you coming is low."

"You cut off a little boy's leg," Aceso said. "That's despicable."

"Huh?" Sasuke asked in surprise. "Must have been the other person that tagged along."

"Still it's disgusting," Aceso shook her head. "If you need me that bad, then just come back to the village."

"Not till I defeat Itachi," Sasuke said as he turned to look at her. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Can't you do that and still reside with the Leaf?" Aceso asked. "We all miss you, we are worried about you as well."

"If everyone wants to get stronger, they should focus on training rather than chasing after me," Sasuke said. 

"Just come back to the village," Aceso requested. She held out her hand. "We'll go back together."

"I'm not going back to the village," Sasuke denied as he stood up. "And neither are you."

"Huh?" Aceso asked. Sasuke grabbed onto a chain that dangled above the bed, he yanked on it. Then boarding underneath Aceso's feet opened, and she fell through.