My December

(I do not own Naruto, but I do own this story. I hope you enjoy it and review. Even if you don't like it, please let me know. Thank you. Enjoy^.^)

Chapter One: Remembrance

It was a cold winter night, sometime in December five years ago when he went on a mission with Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba and Sakura to bring back the traitorous Uchiha Sasuke. He left his teammates with a promise of his return in one piece.

Tenten remembered that day like it was yesterday.

"I promise I will return." He said to her, standing on the front steps and gazed into the snowing wasteland of Konoha.

Tenten watched him with sad brown eyes. She didn't want him to go, but she knew he had to. He was the strongest rookie of their year and he was a genius. Though Naruto beat him in the second round of the Chuunin exam, he still managed to become a Jounin. Tenten was proud of him, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to worry about her former teammate.

"Guy-sensei says you've got a mission of your own." His masculine voice made her jump, and her heart race in her chest.

Her head fell, "Yes. Lee-san and I are going to Waves to talk to some of the locals. Something about some of their residents disappearing."

"Orochimaru." He muttered under his breath.

Tenten nodded, though he couldn't see it because he had his back on her. She watched his long brown hair shift from side to side, as he swayed against the torrent of wind. She wanted desperately to ask him in.

"Well, are you going to let me in?" He asked, finally turning so he could see her over his shoulder, "It's cold as hell out here."

Tenten blushed at her impoliteness, "Of course. Come in Neji-san."

She stepped back and allowed him to enter. His long white rob made a soft swishing sound, as he passed her. She held the door open for a few heartbeats out of fear. She'd often dreamed of the Hyuuga paying her a visit, but she never once expected him to. The Jounin was a master of the ninja arts, so she didn't think he'd care enough to see her outside of training.

Now Tenten might be one of the best kunoichi's, but underneath it all, she was a woman. She had a woman's heart and emotions, though she'd been trying to repress he affections for her fellow teammate since she first laid eyes on him. But that was a story for another time.

She finally shout the door and made her way to her little kitchen. She needed a distraction and what better way to distract yourself, then by busying oneself with chores. Thanks to Lee, she had a fresh stack of dirty dishes filling her double sink. He may be a decent cook, but she hated cleaning up after her roommate.

"Would you like a cup of hot chocolate?" She asked, "Or some coffee?"

He didn't answer her immediately and she thought maybe he'd left, "Coco is fine."

Sighing solely to herself, she quickly filled her tea kettle with water and placed in on her stove. She then opened her cabinet and reached for two mugs, only to realize they were too high up. She muttered a curse directed to her teammate and tried again. Pale hands closed around the mug, before her fingers could touch the cool ceramic.

She turned to meet the Hyuuga's snow colored eyes. A familiar chill raced down her spine, as Neji handed her the mug and grabbed the other for her. She turned on her heel and made her way to the counter, afraid he might see her tomato red cheeks.

"Would you like some milk with your coco?" She asked, internally sighing with relief when her voice didn't quiver.

"Yes." He replied, his eyes not straying away from her.

Tenten tried desperately to ignore the Hyuuga's burning eyes on her, as she poured the chocolate powder into the mugs. A soft whistling filled her ears and she clicked the stove off and poured the water into the mugs.

"Can you get me a couple spoons?" She asked, allowing her brown eyes to look at her friend over her shoulder.

Soundlessly, he moved across the floor and withdrew two spoons from a drawer and handed them to her. He was indeed a remarkable shinobi. The way he moved with a silence that not even a bird would hear him coming. Tenten remembered all the training it took her to become even close to his mastery.

Neji was a genius. He was born with a natural talent that made Tenten a tad bit jealous, though she never showed it. She was happy for him. Becoming a Jounin had molded his life and rounded him out. He'd forgiven his uncle and was welcomed back into the family with open arms. Also as a bonus, Hinata and him were far closer then she'd believed they could ever be.

"Why are you so quiet? Came his cold voice from beside her, "It's quite annoying."

"I'm sorry Neji-kun." She whispered, lowering her head, "I have a lot on my mind."

He cave her a blank look, "You shouldn't. "

Tenten sighed and stirred the mixtures together in the mug and ignored the Hyuuga. What did he know about her life? Nothing. He was so wrapped up in his own life, did he even see that she was having her own struggles? Her mother recently passed away and she couldn't stand her father. That way why she was happy when Lee asked her to move in.

Yet, the one thing she wanted more than anything was oblivious to her secret desires. Did he even see her as a woman/ Or did he still see her as the little 13 year-old Genin? At sixteen, she was no longer a child, but a woman. Did he see that? No, of course not!

She handed him his mug and with hers in hand, she walked back to her living room and made herself comfortable in the chair. She watched him sink into the couch, before she took a hefty sip from her mug.

"So, how long is the mission?" She asked, with mild interest.

He looked up over the rim of his cup, "A month or so."

Tenten nodded and downed her entire cup of coco. The burning liquid rushed down her throat and seared ever patch of skin it touched. She noticed Neji glaring out the window beside him. Amused, she got up and crossed the room.

There, clad in a pink and white snow cover coat and thick black pants was Hinata. Tenten wanted to laugh when she saw what clearly bugged the Hyuuga. A familiar head of blond hair bobbed into view and scooped the giggling kunoichi into his arms and spun in a complete circle, before kissing her.

"I really wish he never found out that she loved him." Neji muttered under his breath, finishing his coco and setting the mug on a nearby coffee table.

Tenten watch with a bitter smile on her face, as the two lovers walked hand-in-hand down the snow covered street. She was happy for the two, but where was her love? She'd been patient. She'd let minor hints here and there, yet the person she cared most for, didn't see what she was trying to show.

"You are so judgmental, Neji-kun." She whispered, watching Naruto and Hinata disappear into the flurries of fresh snow falling.

A heavy hand touched her shoulder, " I am not."

"Yes you are." Her voice suddenly broke, when she realized how close they were.

A smirk that Tenten realized to be of sheer cockiness spread it's way across Neji's lips. Then, before she could breathe…he kissed her. It was just an innocent peck on the lips, but that didn't stop the fire that started to burn in the very center of her chest. Her body reacted in the common way we all do when someone we admire does something unexpected.

"I will return to you." He whispered, "I swear it on my soul."

Tenten opened her eyes and smiled at the Hyuuga, "I'll be waiting. I'll wait forever if I have too."

Promises, promises. He never made it home. She waited two months for him to return, and he never did. Two weeks later, Naruto and the others returned with the Hyuuga absent. Tenten expected he was held up, but when Naruto visited her house shortly after their welcome home party, she knew something was up.

"Neji-san won't be coming home." He told her with tears in his eyes, "He disappeared while in battle. We lost sight of him."

"Wh-what do…what do you m-mean?" Tenten stammered, clutching the headband Naruto handed to her.

"His body was ripped to pieces by one of Orochimaru's henchmen. We found his body sometime later."

"Nooo!" Tenten screamed, collapsing onto the floor.

A whole year later and the wound still hadn't healed completely. Even years later, it would still be fresh. Tenten clutched her fallen comrades headband to her chest and crossed the room to the window. The very window they kissed in front of.

"I'll be waiting." She whispered to the snow falling from fluffy grey clouds, "Forever if I have too."