(A/N: Hey! Nejiten is probably my favorite pairing in Naruto so I wanted to start a fanfic for them. They're around twenty in my story, and it's after the Fourth Shinobi world war. :/ In here, Neji did not die. Anyway, if I'm doing something wrong feel free to tell me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Neji or Tenten or anything from Naruto. I do, however, own Sojin.)

The tree had a wonderful overlook, and it felt great just sitting there with the cool breezes. That's why it was one of Tenten's favorite places. It was soothing, and she could have her privacy. Of course not all of the time, though. Neji and Rock lee sometimes joined her.

It looked about six o' clock now. Tenten knew it was time to get back home.

She jumped off of the tree, looked into the distance, and began walking. Today was the last day of Tenten's relaxing break. Tomorrow she would have to start her missions again. They were getting a little tougher with every month that passed by, but she didn't mind. There were still the easy missions too.

"Tenten."

"Hmm?" Tenten turned around at the abrupt voice. When she saw that the person was Neji, she smiled. "Hey. I was just heading back home. What're you doing out here?"

"Gai found a B-rank mission for the two of us tomorrow," Neji said. "We need to assist someone on his way to the Hidden village of the Sand."

Tenten sighed. She didn't like those easy types of missions, and this one sounded as plain as ever. Not to mention it usually took about three days to get to the Sand village, and Tenten didn't like wasting that much time. "Alright..."

"I know you do not like to escort, but someone has to do it eventually and it so happens to be us." Neji approached Tenten and stood next to her.

"It's just, ever since the Fourth World War the assignments have been quite plain. I guess it doesn't matter, but… I just hope that we can have some more interesting missions soon." Tenten sighed and continued walking towards the village. Her house wasn't far off, she knew.

Neji casually walked beside her. "I understand."

Tenten glanced at him. "Anyway," she started. "Where's Rock Lee? Is he going to come with us tomorrow, or is it just going to be me, you, and the guy we're escorting?"

"He will be going on some sort of C-rank mission, I believe," Neji told. "So, no. He won't be coming with us."

"Okay, I guess. Are you going to walk with me to my home?" Tenten asked.

Neji shook his head. "No. Just to the gate."

She nodded.

When they reached the entrance, Neji stopped. "I'll talk to you more about the mission tomorrow. I will come get you at seven 'o clock, we'll get the client, and then we'll leave for the Hidden village of the Sand."

"Alright, sounds like a plan," Tenten said.

Neji bobbed his head once, and waved goodbye before walking off. He probably had some things to take care of before leaving.

While walking into her home, Tenten dropped her scroll that she always carried onto the floor. Although she was twenty now, she missed living with her parents; even if they weren't always the easiest to deal with. It just felt so empty living by herself.

She drank some water, and then brushed her teeth. It was decided that Tenten would get a good bit of rest tonight, so she wouldn't feel tired for tomorrow's B-rank mission. She undid her buns and put her nightgown on.

Alright, Tenten, your week of relaxation is over, you gotta be a real Shinobi and work tomorrow. Tenten sighed and drifted off into sleep.

Knock, knock.

"Uh…" Tenten moaned.

Knock knock!

She stood up, and pushed her hair out of her way. "Hold on, I got to do something!" Tenten stood up; she grabbed her hair bands and bobby pins and quickly formed her hair into two messy buns, and then changed into her ninja outfit before going to the door to open it.

Neji looked somewhat impatient, standing at her entrance. "It's seven," he told her.

"I know, I know." Tenten stepped outside after quickly grabbing her weapon scroll. "Sorry, I just overslept."

"That's fine," Neji said. "Let's go, the person is waiting by the village exit, I think." He started walking at a slow pace, and didn't wait for Tenten to reply.

She followed closely behind him.

On the way to the village exit Neji explained anything that needed clarification, though there wasn't much that needed to be known. The mission was really simple, and Tenten knew it was just another boring B-rank, so she didn't bother asking more.

The man that wanted escorting wore a mahogany colored robe, and he actually looked quite capable of travelling by himself. Tenten supposed that he just wanted reassurance that he'd be safe, and maybe he even just wanted some company.

"Hello," he greeted. "My name is Sojin. You are my escorts, I presume?"

Neji nodded. "I'm Neji and this is Tenten. You want to go to the Hidden village of the Sand?"

"Yes," Sojin replied. "That's where my home is. I came here to visit someone, and now I am ready to return to my wife."

"You have everything you need, then?" Neji asked.

"Of course. As I've said, I'm ready to go home now."

"Well, let's head off to the Sand village…" Tenten said. She felt extremely disappointed that she'd have to waste three days on this guy, but that was how it was for Shinobi. At least she and Neji would get paid.

They travelled for the whole day, and Tenten felt exhausted. Finally, when it was presumably around eight o' clock, Sojin said that they'd better rest up. Tenten of course agreed and sat down on a nearby tree-stump. Their surroundings were still somewhat forest-like instead of desert-ish—which would be a sign that the Hidden village of the Sand was getting closer.

Neji sat on the ground next to Tenten. He had brought a small folded up tent with that he carried on his back. "Tenten, you can sleep in the tent once I'm done setting it up."

"Oh, that's fine," Tenten replied. She yawned. "You're the one who brought it with; you should be the one sleeping in it."

"If you two won't take it," said Sojin. "I will."

Tenten didn't like that guy in the least. He was obviously selfish, arrogant, and he was hard to put up with at times.

"Tenten," Neji briefly glared at Sojin before looking at her. "You sleep in the tent," he persisted. "Anyway, I brought it more for you than me…" He muttered.

That made Tenten smile slightly. Neji was really thoughtful sometimes, and she enjoyed that. "Thanks Ne—"

Crash!

At once, Tenten stood up and looked around. She didn't see anyone. If somebody was around wouldn't she or Neji have known?

"What was that?" asked Neji, just as alert as Tenten, if not more.

Suddenly something hit Tenten. She tried to block it, but it was fast. Realization came to mind: she was covered in a thick net. Was someone trying to capture her?

Tenten struggled. She felt around for her Kunai, and once she felt it she grabbed it and began slashing her way out of the trap.

This all happened in a matter of seconds. What were Sojin and Neji doing? She assumed that Neji was able to fight back whoever was trying to hurt them, he was strong. A strange burning and tingling sensation came over Tenten. It was as if something was stinging her while she was trying to escape from the net. She managed to get a hole through the tough thread but she was beginning to feel overwhelmed—almost paralyzed. What was happening?

There were shouts and other strange sounds that Tenten couldn't make out. Was that Neji she was hearing? She was trying to see through the net, but her vision was blurring, and she was feeling weak. Did these people poison her or something? Was Neji alright?

Everything was drifting away. Tenten fell helplessly to the ground and her eyes closed.

"They don't seem so bad; I think they're strong…"

"I agree. They'll have to do."

A buzzing feeling made its way through Tenten as she realized what had happened. She didn't open her eyes when she heard the voices. Instead she pretended to still be unconscious.

"You're sure they can't get out of here?" The voice sounded almost like Sojin. What was he doing? What was going on?

Tenten was way too dizzy to think.

"Yeah," another voice replied, pausing before continuing. "Let's just get out of here for now. We'll come back in an hour or so."

Steps were heard and then a banging sound. They left. Tenten waited a good couple of minutes before gaining some strength to sit up and look around.

Everything was gloomy, but from what Tenten could see, she was in some sort of closed in empty room. She was sitting on the cold floor and there was nothing else but her and Neji in this place. Neji was on the opposite side.

She tried to stand up but realized her legs were chained to the ground; and her hands too. Tenten was strong, but she couldn't break metal. "Neji," she whispered.

Neji said nothing. He was unmoving, probably still unconscious.

"Neji," Tenten said again, this time slightly louder.

He moved, groaning while doing so.

Tenten watched him. She scanned around; making sure no one was in the small room with them. "Come on, get up."

"Tenten," Neji mumbled. He seemed to finally have been awakened.

"I'm here," she replied.

Neji gazed around, and sat up. He soon realized that he was chained up as well. "Where are we?"

Tenten shook her head. "I don't know, Neji."

"They poisoned us, didn't they? Sojin, he attacked me along with the other three." Neji frowned and cringed at something. Was he hurt?

"Are you alright?" Tenten asked, keeping her voice down. "Is your arm injured?"

"A little, but I'll be fine," Neji replied.

Tenten explained to him what she had heard, which wasn't very much, but he listened anyway. This mission was going badly. Who was this Sojin guy, and why was he trying to hurt them? Tenten remained silent, and so did Neji.

The two ninjas had waited for something to happen for maybe forty minutes, and finally the door opened a crack, and then completely. Some light shined in through the door from the other room, and someone stepped inside.

"They're awake," the figure said. Tenten recognized the person to be Sojin.

Neji immediately struggled with the chains on his arms and legs. He stopped, and growled at Sojin. "Why are you doing this? What's going on?"

"I needed a couple of people for something," said Sojin. "I decided I'd get someone to 'escort' me to the Sand village, and when you were unsuspecting I'd capture you, with the help of some friends of course." He chuckled. "Anyhow, you'll help me."

Tenten was furious. "No way!" she spat. "You let us go, now."

How could such a seemingly simple B-rank mission go so terribly? Shinobi were trained to expect the unexpected, though. Tenten found herself thinking that this mission would be like any other: They'd escort the person to his destination, come back, and then get paid. But instead, this happened.

"Shut your trap," Sojin replied calmly. "I'm going to keep you in here until its morning. Then I'll take you to the true place I wanted to go to all along." He paused to look at the two ninjas, and then he turned around and began walking.

"Wait!" Neji said.

Sojin, instead of listening, opened the door and walked out; his mahogany colored robe drifting after him. He closed the door and presumably locked it.

Neji scowled and looked back at Tenten. "Dammit."

The two Shinobi waited over five hours. Nothing happened, at all. They had nothing to do but wait. Tenten talked every once in a while, complaining that the first time for a week that she goes on a mission this happens.

Neji mainly just agreed with what she was saying and seemed absent the whole time. He meditated and sometimes tried to break out of the chains, but that was all he really did.

For some odd reason, Tenten believed the chains were stronger than any other regular ones, which wasn't a good thing. She tried everything to break out of them, and even made a clone to try to break them, which proved unsuccessful.

Not to mention they both still felt weak from the poison they were supposedly injected with.

How were they going to get out of this? Tenten assumed this to be a simple mission, but how were they supposed to know that it was not.

Tenten wished she was back at her empty home rather than this hellish room.

(A/N: Alright. First chapter is done. :)

I appreciate any constructive criticism that you might have for me so feel free to PM or review to tell me your thoughts.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Thanks! )