Tenten looked back at the Hyuga Compound. It had been her home for the past five years. Five years of agony as she watched him love another woman. Lifting a hand to her still flat belly she grasped her bag tightly. Five years Tenten had faked a smiled every time someone asked her if she was alright. She had always responded with a cheerful nod. But now Tenten had finally given up all hope. She had finally accepted that her happy ending was never going to come.
Five years she had silently cried in the darkness, she wouldn't let her child go through the same pain. She wouldn't let her unborn child get hurt. Without another backward glance Tenten dashed off in the darkness of the night.
5 years earlier.
"Yes, we the council will approve of your marriage to Tenten, however you must take another wife to be your first wife."
Neji stared in shock, he couldn't take another wife he couldn't betray Tenten in this way.
"Why?" He asked simply.
"Tenten is a commoner. She might be a powerful kunoichi, however she does not come from any clan. She also does not posses any bloodline trait. Your heirs, Neji will be powerful. But you'll need a first wife who is from a good clan."
Neji shook his head, there was no other option.
. . . . .
Neji had watched his Tenten slowly wilt away. He could tell the pain he caused her, he could feel her pain as she tried to mask her emotions. He wished that he could shield her from the pain that he had caused.
Etsu his first wife was a beautiful woman from a wealthy clan. Yet Neji felt no love for her. Day by day it was Etsu that stood by his side and not his Tenten. During those long years he watched as Tenten turned from the happy girl he knew into a woman worn from life.
It hurt him to see her give him an encouraging smile, she tried so hard to be strong for him. She tried so hard to be understanding. But Neji knew that even Tenten's love had a breaking point.
. . . . .
Tenten stared at the pregnancy test in shock. No, she couldn't be pregnant. She had tried so hard not to bring a child in the harsh world that she was living in. Tenten just didn't want to show another human being the pain she felt. Tenten knew that her child will be looked down upon treated as though he was trash, only because of her common heritage. Not only that, Tenten knew her child wasn't safe.
During the years that Etsu and Neji had been married she had fallen for the Hyuga prodigy. Despite the demure nature that Etsu wore Tenten knew that the woman was ruthless. Etsu would do anything to rid Neji of Tenten. Countless times Tenten felt the glare of that woman, she knew that Etsu would stop at nothing to make Neji hers. Tenten was never worried about her own safety, but Tenten was not about to put her unborn child in harms way.
. . . . .
Rapidly Tenten dashed through the forest tears flew down her cheeks as she abandoned the man she loved. But Tenten knew her child's safety was more important than her own happiness. With that Tenten let go of every shred of hope for her happily ever after. There was only one person who knew of her plan.
A day later Neji returned from his mission to find that Tenten was gone. The only thing she left behind was a small note telling him goodbye. In anger he trust a fist into the wall. It had been his fault that she was gone, his fault she had suffered to the point when she had given up of them. Immediately Neji searched out Rock Lee his former team mate.
"WHERE DID SHE GO?"
Neji glared at his former team mate with fierce anger. He knew that the only person Tenten trusted completely other than himself was Lee.
"She told me never to tell you Neji." Lee stated calmly.
For those five years Lee had watched Tenten in silence. He watched Team Gai's "Youthful Blossom" wither and fade.
"Dammit Lee! I have to find her!" Neji growled.
Then Lee cracked.
"Don't you think she's better off Hyuga?" He shouted.
"Five years she had stuck with you, watching you woo your other wife! Do you even realize how many times she had stumbled to my apartment in tears?"
"She is better off Hyuga. You don't deserve her love." Lee finished coldly.
Neji watched his mouth agape. He collapsed onto the chair next to him. Neji buried his head in his hands. It all came crashing down. Lee was right he never deserved her. He never realized how much each day hurt her. Stumbling, Neji retreated to the compound.
Tenten might be better off without him, but Neji would not rest until he had made sure she was safe. And perhaps he might get a second chance, one thing was for sure he would toss his life away just for a second chance.
. . . . .
Slowly Tenten trod through the forest. The trees rose far above her to create a canopy with their many branches thus flooding the forest in darkness. Tenten leaned on the large trunk closing her eyes in pain. Her vision was slightly blurred, every other second she could feel a throbbing pain in her brain. Tenten smiled in mirth it was almost as if her own brain was telling her to turn back. Slowly she edged on. First she would travel to Wind country find Temari and gather supplies for the trip into Rock country. After that she would find a small village were her son could grow up. Tenten couldn't help, but smile at the image of a child Neji running around a small home.
Tenten's silent musing were cut short as her head snapped toward the sound, one arm reaching for a scroll. Out of the bushes stepped a bandit. Behind him she could make out the outlines of thirty more.