Chapter 1: A thing from the past

Flashback- 3 Years ago…

Neji Hyuuga was grasping tightly onto a weak branch. His other hand was holding firmly on his childhood crush, Tenten. He never admitted it to her, for his cursed arrogance. But now there they were. Beneath the kunoichi was a deadly and dangerous current. Most of them time these two could easily escape such a situation, but Tenten was seriously hurt (from a surprise attack from ninja hidden in the mist). One false move and both ninjas would end up as history. "Hold on Tenten, please." Neji yelled grabbing her tighter. "Neji. We know that this branch won't be able to hold us both. Plus with my serious condition I don't think I'll be able to hold onto you much longer." Tears began to trickle under her eyes. "I know what you're going to say. I am just fifteen and have a full life ahead or me, but so do you! I don't want us to both get killed…so I'll sacrifice myself…-sigh-…now I regret doing this stupid mission." Tenten laughed sadly. The branch suddenly snapped more. Tenten looked in Neji's eyes and asked, "Is there anything you would like to tell me before we depart?" She was hoping that he would actually like her as she did after all those years… "Tenten." Tenten looked up to find Neji staring intently at her. "I wish I had told you sooner, but…I love you…I really do." With his heart controlling him, he leaned down and tried to kiss Tenten. Before he could continue Tenten let go of his hand and shouted, "I love you too." She plunged into the water as sharp rocks seemed to rise above her. "NOOOOO!" Neji kept trying to reach her but she was submerged into the murky depths. As what it seemed like forever, Tenten's body resurfaced to the top of the water. Her body was covered in more blood and her body appeared lifeless. "BYAKUGAN!" Neji scanned her body to see any charka flow. There was none at all. For once in a long time, Neji Hyuuga began crying. Tears spilled out of his pale-violet eyes and stared at Tenten's body till it disappeared from view. Tenten was his emotional support, teammate and lover. Now she was gone. He climbed up the tree and landed on the fine grass. Neji quaky ran back to Konoha without a last glance.

His Byakugan had failed him once again…(Spoiler in Manga)

End Flashback

Neji, now finally 18 was technically a legal adult. He still looked the same, though his face got sharper and he grew a lot taller. Over the years Neji went out with a few of his close friends…First there was Temari Sabaku. That did not go on very well because they had nothing in common. Next was Ino. She was waaay too bubbly and such a chatterbox. Neji almost lost his insanity. Finally there was Sakura. She was a lot like Tenten. A strong kunoichi, nice and caring and pretty much perfect. But she just wasn't Tenten. His heart still yearned for Tenten so there was an empty void inside himself.

"Oi! Neji! C'mon! Granny Tsunade is giving us another mission! I hope it's another ANBU mission!" Naruto yelled at the poor Byakugan boy who was standing right next to him. (Naruto still acted childish even at 17 years old…)

Neji began twitching till, "NARU-TO! I was standing RIGHT HERE! JUST SHUT UP FOR ONCE!" He sighed and walked up the stairs with Naruto to Lady Tsunade's office.

Neji's POV

"Ah Neji Hyuuga! Just the person I needed to see! I'm going to send you on a mission to protect a young lady and her fiancée, who is the heir to the Water Country. They say the lady has some power and also may be a former ninja. Neji, I want you, personally to investigate on the girl. Your teammates will be Naruto and Sakura because Lee is out with Gai and Tenten is…" Tsunade paused, but I interrupted her.

"She's not dead." I growled. I didn't believe. She was still out there, in my heart I knew it.

Lady Tsunade was taken back a bit, "Why…umm…Neji why would you say this?" She was usually the understanding type but this time, Tenten was out of the question.

"She's NOT DEAD!" I roared for the second time. My fists clenched, ready to strike the so called 5th hokage when a slender arm grabbed my fist.

"Neji stop. Please." I knew this voice, she was always caring for me. Why me? I turned to find Sakura's head against my back. Looking at her sad state I un-clenched my hand and relaxed. But who could this former ninja be? My conscience was interrupted by a certain blonde-headed idiot.

"NARUTO UZUMAKI is he-WHOA!" Naruto stepped inside the office only to bump into Sakura. I had quickly moved to the side before the commotion, so I saw the two friends fighting and arguing.

"YOU IDIOT! COMING IN LATE AND RUNNING INTO ME! NARUTO YOU ARE SUCH A PAIN!" Sakura bellowed as Naruto saw with the anime sweat drop appearing on the side of his head.

'Great.' I thought. 'How long is this going to take?'

Normal POV

"So what are we supposed to do again?" Naruto yawned as he peered over Neji's shoulder.

Neji appeared irritated of the annoyance of Uzumaki, Naruto and began glaring at him. Sakura whispered in his ear, "Naruto, I would just let Neji be alone for awhile. This mission is getting to him. Even if it's easy I think something is up." Naruto still confused just cocked his head to the side. Neji sighed once more. He had heard the whole thing, so he decided to brush it off. The trio walked out of the entrance of Konoha and onto the dirt road. All three of them had become ANBU just this year so they all placed their masks on. (A/N: If you don't know what the ANBU uniform looks like then click this link: http://l-s. it's actually a picture of Kakashi but yeah…) Sakura wore a cat mask. Her hair had finally grown back to its full length, but she tied it behind her hair into a messy bun. Naruto had a fox mask on though not his ANBU uniform… (A/N) This is what he wears in the later seasons… http://upload. he wore his orange jumpsuit (not the one he wore when he was 12). instead. Naruto also had orange highlights on his spiky blonde hair to accent his fiery nature.

Neji mentally sighed. 'He probably lost his uniform in the laundry again…' Neji slipped on his wolf mask. His own ANBU uniform had been ripped or hung too loosely in many missions so he had bandaged the arms and legs of his uniform. He kept his hair in that long ponytail hairstyle after all these years. "Naruto if you knew by now we're simply accompanying two engaged people through the Water Country. It says here that we shall find them on the border of…Konoha?" Neji re-read the location twice. Sure enough, Konoha was the place to find them.

Sakura peered at the paper. "Are you sure this is right? Then that means they're right…" Sakura pointed and stared with silence filling the air. Naruto, who usually never shuts up, was staring in the same place and was all dazed. Neji glanced at his two teammates and at the directions. His heart suddenly skipped a beat. He took off his mask to make sure this wasn't a dream. In front of them was a familiar girl. Her hair was long and chocolate brown, a tan face with twinkling brown eyes. She wore a white kimono and a white lotus in her hair. There was no mistake, for this was Tenten. As Neji saw her, his memories flooded back to him. Gazing at no other, he strode toward her. Neji hugged her till she spoke, "E-excuse me…do I know you?"