Within a short time, Sasuke was stepping back out onto the balcony. Tenten had moved away from the railing and was now sitting in one of the chairs that Sasuke and Naruto had moved out their earlier. Sasuke took the seat next her and handed her the drink. Her fingers grazed over his as she took it from it.

"So, tell me about him?" Sasuke asked. Tenten, in the middle of sipping her beer, threw Sasuke a puzzled look. She pulled the bottle away from her lips and finished swallowing the cool liquid.

"He was your captain. I think you knew him pretty well." Tenten remarked sarcastically. She took another swig of her drink. Sasuke just stared out at the city.

"Yeah but I only knew the soldier. I didn't know the man that came home to you." Sasuke took a long sip of his beer.

"...Neji was intense." Tenten hesitated, her free hand reaching up to grasp at something near her neck. The action drew Sasuke's gaze to her and for the first time he noticed the simple chain around her neck that carried two silver bands. "Neji and I meet through a martial arts tournament. My family had recently moved to the states because of my father's job and martial arts was all I had of home." Tenten smirked to herself. "He kicked my ass. The smirk on his face. I had never wanted to hit someone so badly. But after our match he approached me and asked where I trained. We must have spent the rest of the day just talking about technique." This time the pause was different. It was if the world went quiet for a second, waiting for the words to leave her lips. "Fifteen years. Fifteen years just gone…I miss him soo much. I keep praying that he will just walk through the door and that everything would have been some big misunderstanding or something. But that is never going to happen." Maybe it was because Sasuke was a stranger or that he reminded Tenten a little bit of Neji, but she couldn't stop the single tear that carved a path down her cheek. It was as if a dam broke and the tears came like a rain storm. "Sorry." Tenten tried to reach up to erase the tears but Sasuke's grasp stopped her. She looked to the man sitting next to her in confusion.

"Don't be." He murmured. His hand still firmly wrapped around hers, he shifted out of the chair to kneel in front of her. Then with his other hand, he reached up brushing his cool fingertips across her cheek interrupting the flow of tears. Cautiously, he cupped his hand to the side of her face and slowly pulled her to his shoulder. She didn't resist. Instead the world just fell away. Everything that was inside of her. The pain. The sadness. The longing. It all just came out.

Time was lost too them. Even when the tears stopped, they just remained like that in silence. When they finally pulled away, it was because another guest had come out to let them know that the others where beginning to head out. They pair stood up and Sasuke guided her to the glass doors but right before she reached them she stopped.

"Sorry about that." Tenten once again apologizing to Sasuke.

"You should stop apologizing." Sasuke stated bluntly.

"Then what should I do?" Tenten replied quickly, turning around to face him. Sasuke didn't even hesitate. "You should smile more. A smile looks good on you." Tenten gaped at him.

"Are you hitting on me?" Tenten was stunned and Sasuke only shrugged. "Isn't there some code about hitting on widows or do they become free game after a certain amount of time?" Her voice was almost joking. Sasuke gave her a look that seemed to question her sanity.

"I am only speaking the truth." Was the only answer he gave her. Tenten couldn't decide if she wanted to believe him.

"Why?" The question had burned in her since he left to get the beers. Sasuke, unsure of what she meant, raised an eyebrow. "Why talk to me? Why even ask? Most people would just glide by me but you stayed and listened."

"Because no one should have to be that strong alone." Sasuke paused, trying to find the right words. "The path that it takes you down isn't the easiest one. My brother and I went down that very same path and the only thing it did was make him a workaholic and made me a bastard growing up. At the funeral, everyone seemed to lean on you but who did you lean on? Who was there to catch you?" Tenten watched as he spoke, taking in every word.

"Well then, I guess I should thank you instead." Tenten held out her hand. Sasuke dropped his gaze to it and slowly reached up to grasp it. "You know, we have been talking this entire time and I don't even know your name. Funny how that worked out."

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Tenten Hyuga."

Their hands fell away from each other as the door slide open.

"Hey teme! Shikamaru is heading out now with Temari. I figured you would want might to say goodby before he heads out." Naruto spoke enthusiastically, oblivious to his interruption. Sasuke just shook his head at his best friend.

"Yeah, give me a sec." Sasuke replied. Naruto just grinned like an idiot at him before closing the door. Sasuke looked back to Tenten. "I should go"

"Yeah. See you around." Tenten side stepped to let him go first. However, Sasuke wasn't going to let her words go to waste.

"Would that be okay?" He asked. Her head jolted up to meet his eyes. "To… see you again?" Tenten could only a short nod but it was enough for Sasuke. For just a second, his face soften and Tenten could help but notice the tiny up curve of his lips that now rest on his face. "I have to go to see Shikamaru but after I will see if I can find something write with and some paper."

Tenten nodded once and again, and Sasuke returned it before heading in. It wasn't long before Sasuke returned and the two exchanged information, and with that their said their goodbyes and departed from each other.

8 months later

The newest project had Sasuke working overtime for the past straight week. Naruto and him barely left the office and it was usually only for food or to sleep at home. He couldn't remember the last time he stepped away from his desk this morning but if he wanted to make it he would have to try to accomplish what he could now.

Naruto stepped into the office. " Hey, do you have that file?" He asked. Sasuke paused, thinking through Naruto's question for a second.

"Dobe, do you want to be more specific?" Sasuke just glared at the man in the doorway.

"The Atashi file." Naruto thought it would have been oblivious considering it was the file they had been working on all morning. Sasuke paused realizing his mistake. He scanned over his desk and just under some other paperwork to the left of him was the file. He pulled it out and held it out for him to take. Naruto stepped over to grabbed it, watching his best friend return back to his work. Naruto had notice the intensity of Sasuke's behavior since this morning but didn't feel the need to really ask until now.

"Hey, Sasuke?" He asked carefully. Sasuke only response that he heard him was a hm. "Everything okay? You seem tense." Sasuke stopped to look at his friend.

"Naruto."

"Yea."

"Get out." Naruto didn't need to be told twice. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke went back to work and it wasn't until the clock said 12:40 pm, that Sasuke officially stopped working. Closing out of all the programs, he shut down his computer and grabbed his jacket. Leaving his office, Sasuke passed by Naruto's open door.

"Hey teme, where are you going?" Naruto asked from his desk. Sasuke had hoped he could walk out before being notice by his friend but today wasn't his unlucky day it seemed. He stepped back into the Naruto's doorway and turned to look at him.

"Out, for lunch." Sasuke replied. Naruto glanced at his watch. Realizing what time it was, Naruto lips broke out into a huge grin.

"This lunch wouldn't happen to be with a second person. Someone who's name begins with, oh I don't know, maybe a T?" Naruto teased. Sasuke knew it was coming but it still annoyed the hell out of him.

"Shut it dobe." He snapped before leaving.

"See you in an hour." Naruto called out, laughing at his friends departure.

The place wasn't to far off, just a few minutes down the road from the office. It was a small café that Sasuke and Naruto often order lunch from when they couldn't really leave the office to eat. As Sasuke entered the establishment, the woman behind the counter greeted him. He nodded back and then turned to the corner table by the window. The table was already occupied by a woman who seemed entirely engrossed in the book that was in her hand. The sight of her brought a smile to his face. He stepped over to the table; his footsteps alerting her to his presence. She looked up from the book and when their eyes meet a smile graced her face. Tenten grabbed the bookmark that was resting on the table and placed it back in the book. As Sasuke reached the table, she had placed the book into her bag.

"Hey." Sasuke mumbled as he leaned down, pressing his lips against her forehead.

"Hey." Her voice was soft. Sasuke took the seat the across from her as the woman from behind the counter approached their table.

"Do I even need to ask?" She asked, looking coyly at the pair. Tenten chuckled softly and shook her head at the woman. The woman gave them one last smile before heading to the kitchen to place their order. Sasuke, on the other hand, kept his gaze on Tenten, admiring how the light the illuminated her brown eyes. For just a second, his gaze shifted to the necklace that was adorned on her neck. When Tenten turned back to Sasuke, she realized his intensity of his gaze. Playfully she kicked from under the table.

"What are you doing?" Tenten asked in a hushed tone. Sasuke brought his gaze back up to hers and smirked in response.

"Admiring the view." The statement brought a light blush to her face. Placing his hand on the table, he turned his palm upwards inviting her to take his hand. Without any hesitation she took it. The two sat in silence for moment, enjoying the presence of each other. Sasuke's gaze roamed over with it finally landing back on the necklace with the two silver bands. Tenten noticed his gaze and looked down, realizing what he was looking at.

"I should stop wearing it. It's silly really." Tenten chided herself. Sasuke grasp tightened softly around her hand.

"No, it isn't." Sasuke whispered. Tenten gave him a questioning look. "He was your first real love." His words reignited the smile on her lips. Before Sasuke could even react, Tenten and stood up out of her chair and leaned across the small table. Her lips pressed firmly against his.

Pulling away slightly, Tenten looked him in the eye. "And who knows, you might be my second one." Sasuke couldn't resist after her words and pulled her back to his lips. Her soft lips on his, slowly molding together. Time seemed all but still to them. Sasuke pulled away this time, studying the look of pure bliss on her face. A single crossed through is mind in that moment.

I could never replace you Neji, but hell if she lets me, I will do everything I can to make her happy.

"Not to interrupt to two lovebirds but I have some food for you." The woman had returned to the table with a tray that contained two plates and two mugs for them. Tenten returned to her seat as the woman began to place everything down in front of them. Tenten thanked the woman before she left. Then looking to Sasuke she nodded to the food.

"Shall we?"

"A woman who opens her heart to love you, when it is already broken, is braver than any person you will meet." - Steven Benson

Thank you to all of you who read through the entire story. I hope you enjoyed and that it met any expectations or hopes you could have possible created while reading this. Please feel free to review and let me know what you think about it or what you thought about the writing. I really enjoyed/struggled to write this because tackling a situation like this can really involve some deep emotions and I hope I could convey that even just a little bit. Thanks again!