Felt like doing a lemon for Rock Lee, because he is my favorite. This story stems off of my other Will of Fire story, however this one is based in the later years. I hope you enjoy it, questions, comments and criticisms are always welcomed.

Mature Content Below! If you are not comfortable with Mature Content and Sexual Situations please back away!

The rain was much colder than it had been this summer, each drop felt like a pellet against her vulnerable skin. Hisa was making her way from the hospital to her apartment. They had insisted that she shouldn't leave, and that she still needed time to heal. Hisa was one of the most well known medical ninjas within her generation, she'd given her life for the village and sacrificed her self with her medical ninjutsu to save Lady Tsunade. When she said she was leaving the hospital, she meant it. The staff knew better than to press her.

Hisa had been redressed while she was unconscious and was wearing a bra and pair of underwear under a loose fitted black hoodie and pair of jean shorts. She had decided that whom ever had decided to dress her was an idiot.

The ongoing down pour had been going on for a while, at least Hisa guessed. The normal strong dirt road had been broken down into a muddy mess. It was making walking very difficult, especially with her drained limbs. The rain made her clothing cling to her, and caused some of her wounds to reopen. Why couldn't anything be easy.

Hisa was 100 yards from her apartment complex when she collapsed. The nurses had told her that she had to have two major blood transfusions, but in the process they were able to start working on an antidote to the poison that she was fighting.

One of the night nurses at the hospital had told her that a young man had shown up periodically throughout the day, every day to check up on her. On one occasion she said that he was crying over her sleeping body.

Hisa was upset and angry with Lee. An anger that wouldn't pass right away, it needed some time.

Hisa's joints ached and she winced with every movement she made. Struggling to her feet, the rain began to come down in harder, thicker sheets. She felt as though the world was against her.

A helping arm reached under her and tried to help her up. Hisa welcomed the arm until she realized who it was. Lee's drenched hair almost covered up his eyes, he looked beyond upset. Devastated even. His eyes were filled with sorrow and she couldn't stand to look at him. He looked so pathetic.

" Don't fucking touch me.." Hisa hissed at Lee. Lee didn't say a word. He took her insults and internalized them. Not showing an ounce of resentment.

Hisa was helped to her feet, she immediately pushed him away and continued tracking through the mud. Lee was always a few steps behind her. She began to wonder how long he had been following her.

She struggled up the stairs and to the apartment. The nurse had taken her stitches out the night before, and although she had astounding healing reflexes, her body was still weak and inconsistent. She wondered if she would ever be as strong as she was before all of this.

Hisa opened up her front door and Lee followed her, which annoyed her further. She kicked off her shoes at the front door and nearly tripped on the step up into her kitchen.

Stumbling to turn on the lights Hisa felt Lee come up from behind her and past her. There was some fresh laundry on the kitchen table. He picked off a clean towel and tried to wrap it around her. He was soaked and looked much paler than normal.

Hisa wiggled away from him. Shooting him an angry look, trying to push the wet hair from her face.

" Hisa-san please.." Lee spoke very softly and Hisa rested against her kitchen table and lit into him. How dare he?

" How.. dare you.." Hisa seemed to be holding down her volume, she was very upset and didn't want to waste any more of her energy.

" I've apologized a thousand times, and I'll apologize a thousand more.. Please understand I never-"

" Never what, huh? Wanted to get me killed? Wanted me to lose function of my organs and my ability to walk? Or you never wanted me to what? Lee I almost died because you were being a selfish asshole. Do you know how much I trusted you? "

Hisa was out of breath and wanted him to leave and for her to be alone. To sit in the dark and just be with her own thoughts.

The arm Hisa was putting her weight on was beginning to shake from over use. Hisa started to laugh. She was beginning to get exhausted from just putting weight on one arm. What a joke. She was ready to really kick him out. He had no place in her home.

" You need to leave, now. Lee I don't want to see you for a while." Hisa spoke looking at the wood flood under her chilled toes. She looked up at him and spoke again.

" You need to leave me alone for a while I don't want to look or see you-" Hisa spoke fast as to get him out sooner but Lee didn't listen. He pulled a warm, dry towel over her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body tight against his. Hisa had forgotten how much taller he had gotten than her.

" I'm so sorry, please forgive me .. Hisa I love you, please don't keep me from seeing you.." Lee's words fumbled and sounded strained. His face was warm as he pushed the side of his face down and into the nape of her neck. He began to cry.

Just like that Hisa's body began to melt into how warm Lee's body was. How wonderfully warm his personality and love were. She sighed and he hugged her a little tighter.

She was exhausted and needed to sleep, but she was more awake now than she had been in the week of recovery she had just endured. She wanted to be so angry with him, she was furious, but it would have to wait.

Quietly Hisa shifted her arms and pulled them up and under his. Wrapping them around his back as she rested her head down and onto him. She took another deep breath and whispered.

" I love you too…"

Lee pulled away from Hisa and took off the towel, which was now drenched. He placed it over an open kitchen chair to dry. He went to pick up another one.

" Will you stay the night with me.. I don't want to be alone." Hisa hadn't moved and whispered to herself. Lee nodded and threw another warm towel over her.

Hisa led Lee to her bedroom and flicked on the light. She had gotten a new bed a few months back, mostly because the village had been destroyed and it gave her a new chance to remodel.

The queen sized bed had a white fitted sheet with a bright yellow sheet over that and a white comforter. All adorned with three larger pillows and two smaller ones.

" Yellow.." Lee smiled a little and Hisa glared at him. No one every expected her to like bright, hopeful colors but she did.

" Just take off a few of the pillows I'll be back."

Hisa knew Lee would never sleep in the same bed as her, he was a little strange for a 17 year old boy. She had an extra cot in the kitchen closet.

Slowly working her way through the kitchen and to the closet, she got the cot and dragged it into her bedroom. However Lee was already asleep on top of the comforter at the far corner of the bed. He was sleeping while sitting up, his arms crossed as he began to snore. He must have been tired keeping watch on her all week.

Hisa felt disgusting and was sure she smelled like a wet dog. She rummaged through her dresser to find some cloths and quickly turned off the light to the room. She'd shower and then sleep.

Glancing at the clock it read 11:23pm. She had lost some of her grip on day and night from sleeping through out her recovery.

Hisa closed the bathroom door and turned on the light. She turned on the water for a hot shower and began to undress. She was one of only a few people in the village who had requested a individual tub. She didn't always enjoy getting naked in front of strangers at the bathhouse.

Soon steam filled up the room and Hisa did her best not to look at her arms or legs, there were terribly large bruises and a few open sores on her arms from where the fangs had gone in. She looked like a wreck.

There was a shower attachment to the tub that she had just now decided to use. It felt wonderful. She scrubbed her body with soap and was elated to wash her hair with both shampoo and conditioner.

She let the warm water run over her body and seemed to lose herself and where she was. Hisa scrubbed her face and shaved a few parts of her body before exiting the shower. She immediately dried off and put lotion on her legs and over her arms. The shower had helped bring down the swelling.

Hisa glanced at the wad of clean laundry on the floor and decided to pick though it. She put on a pair of pajama shorts that clung to her thighs and had decided to skip wearing a real bra and just wear a sports bra.

Hisa exited the bathroom and shut off the light, she slowly made her way though her house and to her bedroom. She paused and then realized that Lee was still on her bed. For a while she had forgotten that he was even here.

The bed was large enough so the two wouldn't touch, and Hisa was sure Lee wouldn't try anything lewd. She was in too much pain to really wear any more tight shirts or pants.

She snuck into the bed and glanced at the clock on her nightstand, Lee proudly snoring loudly next to her.

12:34am

She had been in the shower for over an hour. She didn't care, but was elated at the fact that she could now sleep.

Hisa put her head onto her pillow and quickly fell asleep.

She didn't move while she slept. Like a corpse in a grave, she didn't make a sound. However a kick to her side made her jolt awake. She let out a low groan and with a powerful glare looked around the room.

Lee was officially taking up most of the bed. He had kicked her awake and had kicked her again a few seconds later. Hisa had to hold back from punching him in the balls.

She glanced over at her clock again. 2:17am.

'Really..' Hisa sighed and looked over to Lee. He had taken off his shoes but still had on his leg weights and Jonin vest.

He looked uncomfortable and Hisa took a deep breath. Of course she would help him.

Lee's speed was inhuman when he didn't have the weights on his legs, and Hisa didn't know how he did it.

Hisa sat up and reached over each leg and untied each leg weight. She then quietly placed each one on the ground. The weight of them however nearly knocked her off the bed. She was starting to sweat just moving them around.

" What an idiot.." Hisa whispered to herself. She began to smile. Lee looked adorable when he slept. His large, bright eyes seemed much quieter and his handsome olive skin and black hair made her smirk.

Lee's legs were separated and his body was still up against the wall that Hisa's bed sat next to. His arms were no longer crossed and his chin rested on his chest.

Hisa nudged forwards, crawling on the bed on all fours towards Lee. Not taking into consideration how half naked she was or what type of clothing she was wearing. Hisa planted herself directly infront of him, between his legs. She sat on her knees and tried to decide how she was going to do this without waking him.

Her shoulder length jet black hair had half way dried, but some still clung to her face. She pushed her bangs from her eyes and reached forwards.

She hovered over him for a moment and began to take off his vest. Doing so very slowly, Lee slept like a rock but that didn't mean he wouldn't wake up.

The zipper was almost to the bottom of the vest when Lee began to shift, he moved his chin up and let his head lean against his left shoulder instead of his chest. He began to snore again. Hisa couldn't stop smiling.

She finished unzipping the dark green vest and now decided to be a bit more forceful with him. She'd shift the vest over one shoulder and than over the other. That sounded easy enough.

Hisa's knees shifted again and she had to lean up and over Lee, almost hugging him in the process.

Hisa breasts weren't tightly held back in her sports bra, and she was showing some cleavage, however this wasn't what made her suddenly stop and blush.

Hisa had been moving the vest and nearly had it over one arm, she hadn't realized she had been rubbing her beats against Lee's chest and now against his face.

She quickly pulled away, she could feel her body begin to warm up. Embarrassed only for herself she decided to finish what she had started. Resting her body weight back onto her knees she attempted to move the vest again. This time with more success.

She slipped it over one arm and then over the other. While pulling it over Lee's other arm, Lee began to mumble and shift again. Its no wonder she couldn't sleep. He moved way too much.

Hisa finished pulling off the vest when she began to feel a bit more awake. She shifted her right hand along his left arm and to his chest. She shifted nervously moving her knees and feet.

She put her other hand onto Lee's chest and felt him breathing. She could feel her body begin to blush, what was she doing?

Hisa moved one of her hands to her leg and pulled at the bottom of her shorts, why was she feeling this way all of a sudden. Hisa's body began to feel a little hotter than before and she quickly retracted her hand from Lee's body. Pushing her lips together her nervously bit the inside of them.

Hisa shifted both of her hands from her knees and up to where her shorts began on her thigh. She put the tips of her fingers underneath the soft fabric of the shorts and shifted around again. What was wrong with her, now? Really, right now was the time for this?

Hisa tried to calm herself, and through their nearly five year chase they had never had sex or anything too close to it. On one occasion Lee had accidently drank some sake and tried to feel her up, which Hisa was fine with because she was the one drinking the sake in the first place.

She felt like a pervert, Hisa shifted again and could feel her body start to get aroused. She felt ridiculous, and wasn't about to molest a sleeping Lee.

Hisa took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She watched as Lee shifted again and grabbed at the top of his jumpsuit, itching slightly.

She leaned forwards again over Lee and felt the inside of the collar of his jumpsuit. Lee had two kinds of suits. One zipped from the back and the other zipped from the front. This happened to be one of the suits that zipped from the front. Hisa's breasts rested on Lee's chest as she fidgeted with his collar. Why was he so uncomfortable.

Hisa only pulled the zipper down a few inches, allowing for his neck to breath but for her to show some restraint. Hisa pulled her body off of him and realized that he had a pretty sizeable hard on. He was sleeping though, so how? Was he fake sleeping?

Hisa began to get angry, would this little pervert allow her to crawl on top of him all while becoming silently aroused?

She put her hands on her hips and looked at him. Lee replied with a snore and another chin shift. Hisa relaxed her pose.

If he was hard than he was turned on already, but how. Boys were sometimes strange after all, maybe he was having a weird dream.

Again Hisa felt a small pull within her body as she moved one of her hands over her bare stomach and downwards. Grabbing the outside of her shorts she winced. She needed to either get away from him or go to sleep.

Hisa started to pull back the comfiture and managed to put one of Lee's legs under the blanket. She moved up and over to him again putting both of her arms under his, she slowly moved his towards the pillow. Lee's erection pushed against Hisa's inner thighs and she bit her bottom lip. She needed to move him and get this over with.

" Hisa.. Hisa-san.." Lee spoke in a groggy voice. Within seconds however he was jolted awake with having a half naked beautiful girl on him and a full erection pushing against her.

" YEAHAIKE!" The sounds that came from Lee's mouth didn't sound human, and Hisa was startled.

" I was just trying to put you under the blanket, you looked so uncomfortable." Hisa spoke now getting off of Lee and sitting on her knees again.

Lee's chest was racing up and down. He looked around the room and began to relax. He had forgotten where he was.

" You took off my weights and vest for me? " Lee spoke looking at the corner of the room. Hisa looked back at him suspiciously. " Yes."

" I'm very thankful, that was very nice."

" Lee what's wrong with you.." Hisa shot at him. He was staring dead straight at the wall behind Hisa.

" I.. " Lee's face began to turn a bright shade of red.

" I need to make this go away, so I'm trying to refocus.. Gai sensei-" Hisa stopped him.

" Wait, what? What did Gai tell you?"

" This happens sometimes, and when I was still a genin I asked him how to get rid of it."

Lee's words made Hisa blush, 'how to get rid of It.'

" By meditation only, will it go away.. So that's what I'm trying to do.. Remove myself from where I am."

Hisa started to smile.

" You've never gotten rid of it any other way? "

Lee shook his head and Hisa tried not to laugh, imagining never masturbating in her entire life. She didn't do it that often, but she couldn't imagine never doing it in her life time. Still she'd respect what ever he wanted.

" How about we just get under the blankets and sleep –" Hisa began to speak, she could tell how uncomfortable Lee was.

She bent forwards and pulled up the white, fluffed comfiture. Trying to place it over Lee but in the process Lee looked away from the wall and at her.

" Don't feel strange we're just going to go to sleep.." Hisa spoke assuring herself. Lee started to pull away from her and she instinctively grabbed one of his legs. The feeling from earlier had come back, and Hisa decided to at least give it a try.

She shifted forwards on all fours up his legs and past his hard body. Hisa grabbed at the zipper to his jumpsuit and began to pull down.

" Uh, Hisa.. I don't think we…" Lee trailed off as Hisa put her mouth onto his neck and began to lightly kiss and lick his skin. Her breasts pushed against his stomach and chest as she moved. She noticed how wonderful he smelled. Not like cologne but like the outdoors. Lee budged his hips over a little bit. Pushing his erection off of her and pushing her off of him.

" I don't want to.. to take advantage of you.. Hisa-san.." Lee spoke and Hisa didn't verbally reply, she bent forwards again, placing a leg over each of his and sitting on his lap, she pulled up her arms and put the tips of her fingers underneath her sports bra. Pulling up and off the bra Hisa stretched upwards. She enjoyed being naked, if she had to be honest.

Lee's hands slipped down and onto her hips. He gripped her buttocks and massaged his thumbs into her hip bones.

Hisa reached down for his zipper and pulled down. Even in the poor light of her darkened bedroom Hisa could make out the astounding muscle definition of Lee's body. Each muscle on his abdomen was protruding, and his pecks seemed to come up and out from his body. She had forgotten what phenomenal shape he was in.

" I feel uncomfortable." Lee whispered, Hisa also noticed how red his skin was becoming. His whole body was blushing.

" What.." Hisa questioned him, Lee shifted his groin and Hisa wasn't surprised. It had gotten longer and thicker.

Hisa wasn't just excited sexually for herself, but for Lee. If he had really never gotten off before, than this was going to be fun for her.

Lee's hands were rough, and he moved the tips of her fingers along her bare stomach, Hisa could feel the hair on her body begin to stand up. She squeezed and moved her thighs around, she was much more excited than she probably should have been.

Hisa pulled off the top of Lee's jumper and he stretched out his arms completely. Lee's large palms grabbed the sides of Hisa's stomach and inched their way up to her chest.

Hisa ran her hands along Lee's thighs and up to his erection. Using both hands she stroked it once through the bottom of the jumpsuit. Lee immediately grabbed onto the sides of Hisa's stomach and arched his hips upwards.

She could feel how fast and hard his heart was beating through his body from where she was sitting. She stroked his body again and again Lee arched upwards and gasped a little. Lee's eyes were closed shut and he seemed to be really focusing.

If this was going to be Lee's first time Hisa was going to make sure it wasn't half done though an overly tight jumpsuit.

Pushing her body off of him she grabbed onto where the jumpsuit had started again, just above his hips. Hisa pulled off the green suit and managed to get it over her legs and feet somehow.

Lee was completely naked on her bed, his body sprawled out for the moment. The poor lighting of the room allowed her to fill in the missing parts by touching him.

Hisa's hands were much softer and gentler than his. She lightly touched each of his thighs with each of her hands and shifted them upwards until she reached his boned out hips and abdomen. Avoiding his erection on purpose she stretched over him and smiled. The moment Hisa began to touch him Lee was already grabbing for her, wanting some physical contact, he began to rub her wrists and forearms. He sat up to kiss her and Hisa playfully pulled away, she watched him look back at her, confused.

Hisa grabbed the base of his erection and began to tighten her grip, working her way up and down a few times with one hand. Lee immediately sat backwards again, not being able to do much with being overwhelmed.

Hisa introduced her other hand and began to stroke again. The head of Lee's shaft began to get slightly wet and Hisa rubbed one of her thumbs over it a few times. Using it as lubricant for the rest of her hand, she began to stroke again.

Lee's arms were crossed over his head, Hisa had noticed that the muscles in his arms and abdomen were flexed.

Hisa stroked a few more times before lowing her mouth down and onto the head of Lee's shaft. Sucking lightly she felt Lee bend his knees and begin to arch his back. Pushing his member further into her mouth.

Hisa used one hand to stroke Lee while also using her mouth, with her other hand she gripped one of her beasts and moved downwards, the tips of her fingers grazing over her soft stomach and arched hips, reaching into her shorts.

Hisa's whole mouth was over Lee's erection and with its sudden growth in size, Hisa knew he was going to come soon.

Hisa's free hand had found its way down and into her shorts, using three fingers she massaged the top of her pulsing body. Shifting two of the fingers down and putting them into her she let out a muffled moan as Lee began to slowly arch into and out of her mouth. The moment Hisa moaned Lee's body seemed to stiffen up and Hisa quickly withdrew her hand from her shorts. Putting her entire mouth around his shaft and head Hisa moved her tongue up and down, circling it. Lee's body tensed again and as it did he let out a low, loud groan. Arching his hips and slightly shaking as he came into her mouth.

Hisa withdrew herself from being on top of him and felt around the flood next to the bed for the towel she had used earlier. Upon grabbing it she immediately spat into it and tossed it back to the floor. She hadn't really eaten in a week, and the sour taste of Lee's fluids didn't set well with her.

She had expected him to lay there, out of breath and ready to sleep but he quickly got up and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her up and onto the bed.

Hisa began to laugh, Lee had rarely roughhoused with her, and it was something she enjoyed.

Lee's body was drenched in sweat and Hisa moved a free hand over his bare chest. Lee's eyes seemed exhausted, and Hisa loved how rosy his cheeks were. He pulled her close and placed his nose onto her shoulder, rubbing his face onto her soft skin. Hisa got goose bumps and the got worse as Lee moved his hands over her body. He was enjoying the way she smelled. Hisa smiled and pushed him back.

Lee put his lips onto hers and Hisa willingly kissed him back, He pulled her down and on top of him, shifting his lips from her mouth to her cheek and then down to her neck. Hisa closed her eyes and relaxed her head to the side, allowing Lee the space to kiss and lick at her skin.

Without warning he flipped her over so she was on her back, Hisa winced for a second and Lee noticed. Softly rubbing the sides of her arms where she got just gotten stitches removed. He was bent over her nearly naked body, kissing her right shoulder and going down her arm.

Hisa stretched her arms upwards and around him, forcing Lee on top of her bare chest. Hisa could feel Lee's body get warmer as he looked down and at her bare chest.

Sick of his staring she reached up and pulled him down and onto her. Lee's hands fumbled against her skin and began to shake a little as he began to grab one of her breasts. Hisa hadn't realized how nervous he was until now.

She grabbed his hands and put them into her own, pulling him onto her, she pulled up her head and put her lips onto his.

Lee shifted and Hisa felt his growing appendage poke at her shorts, Hisa arched her hips and put her legs around his lower back. Lee took a deep breath and reached down Hisa's body, putting her right nipple into his mouth. Lightly sucking and pulling before beginning to kiss the rest of her breast.

Hisa shifted her hips and thighs nervously, she was surprised how close she was to having an orgasm, although most of that was her own doing.

Lee sighed, glancing down at his growing body.

Hisa looked back up at him, a little annoyed. " Lee its okay, what's wrong? "

" I'm already this big.." Lee seemed depressed at how much his erection had grown, as if it was something to be punished over.

Hisa tried not to laugh, and seeing how relaxed she was, made him a little more at ease.

Hisa moved her arms down to her shorts and slowly began to take them off. Lee held himself up and over her by pushing his body up with his arms. He watched her wiggle and work out of the shorts and at what was under them.

Lee's whole body had begun to slightly shake, Hisa wasn't sure if he was sexually excited or scared.

Hisa sat up a little and grabbed onto his shaft. Lee's body seemed to melt as he fell down to where ever she wanted him to go.

Hisa had, had sex a few times with Kankuro in the past, but that was well over a year and half ago. Almost two actually. Lee, however, was new to all of this and Hisa didn't want to make him uncomfortable, she now began to slowly do everything.

Gripping around his shaft she moved it towards her lower body, and let go with it only being a few inches from her opening. Hisa fidgeted her body as she felt how overly excited her body was.

Lee lowered his hips, still needing some guidance, Hisa arched her hips and the head of Lee's shaft lightly touched the opening of Hisa's.

Hisa slightly moaned as the head of Lee's member slid from the opening to the spot where her clit rested. Lee reached down and grabbed his own shaft and began to rub back and forth from the opening in Hisa's body and up to her clit. Hisa arched her back and began to moan again, this time louder.

Lee let go of himself and bent down and began to kiss her, shifting his lips from her own to her forehead. Kissing it lightly he then refocusing on his growing erection.

" Hisa I don't.. know if I should.."

Hisa paused, looking up at him a little confused, breathing heavy. ' should what? ' Hisa thought to herself.

She reached down and wrapped her legs around his waist, arching her back and thrusting up her hips. Hisa pushed her way up and Lee instinctively pushed down, the inside of Hisa's body wrapped around and held Lee's body.

Lee let out a small groan and Hisa began to continuously thrust upwards until Lee, shakily, began to also thrust downwards. Hisa's and Lee's rhythm began to sync up and she could feel her body begin to tighten to climax. She relaxed her hips and Lee repositioned himself on top of her, and to her surprise used both of his hands to grab onto her breasts, massaging her nipples between his fingers, he occasionally glanced down at her, as if he needed the okay that he was doing things right.

With the momentum of Lee pushing and pumping into her, and the massaging of her breasts, Hisa felt herself begin to climax. She wiggled to get into a more open position and Lee began to slowly pump harder into her. Hisa could feel the sweat pouring off of his shoulders and chest and onto her own body.

Hisa's body began to climax and she let out an involuntary loud moan, arching her back as fluids rushed out of her. She had to tighten her legs to make sure they didn't spasm.

Lee's momentum sped up and within a few seconds he grabbed onto her legs and pulled her up and onto him while he sat up. Hisa breasts slid against Lee's chest and he tightly held onto both of her butt cheeks. Arching his hips upwards as he clenched his eyes.

Hisa's let out low, spaced out moans each time Lee pushed into her, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing her chest into his face.

As Hisa pushed her breasts into Lee's face he immediately pulled his hips up and into Hisa roughly, one last time as he seemed to gasp and groan at the same time, panting.

Hisa could feel Lee's body begin to shake as his muscles seemed to tremble uncontrollably.

Lee rested his face onto Hisa's chest, wrapping his arms around her bust. Hisa pushed up his wet hair and kissed his forehead, causing Lee to grab her more tightly.

" I won't ever let anything else ever happen to you.. you're too precious to me.. if something was to ever happen to you Hisa.. I wouldn't be okay.." Hisa literally shushed him and rested her chin on his head.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smiled and let out a deep breath.

" I love you too."