"Ow!" Tenten exclaimed one evening at dinner. She grasped her throat as she dropped her fork.
"Tenten what's wrong?" Neji asked, afraid that she might be choking.
"Nothing, I'm fine." Tenten said taking a drink of cool water. Her throat felt like it was on fire, and it really hurt to swallow anything. After one sip of water she set the glass down and started to rub her throat.
"I don't think you're fine." Neji said standing up. He walked over to Tenten's side and pressed lightly on her throat.
"OW! Neji that hurts!" she said her eyes beginning to well up.
"I'm sorry." Neji said kissing away the tears. "But I think you might have strep throat. Tomorrow I'm taking you to the doctor's office." He said.
The next morning Tenten was sitting beside Neji, squeezing his hand, unable to believe what the doctor had said. "S-surgery?" she asked in shock.
"Yes, it looks like you have tonsillitis, which means we'll need to operate and remove them, so the condition doesn't become any worse."
Tenten turned to Neji. "It's okay, I promise." Neji said trying to make her feel better. Tenten was normally a strong girl, but he knew she hated doctors and the fact that she was going to need surgery would in no way calm those nerves. "When are you planning on having the surgery?" Neji asked holding Tenten against his chest.
"We can operate today." He said calling in a nurse from the hallway. "Can you take this young woman and prepare her for tonsillitis surgery?" he asked the burse. She looked down at the cowering Tenten in Neji's arms and smiled sympathetically.
"Yes, I can do that." She said. Needing nothing more than that the doctor left. "Tenten?" she asked. Tenten looked up. "Are you scared?" she asked. Tenten nodded. "I know I was too."
"You had surgery?" Tenten asked.
"Yeah, I had to have heart surgery when I was you're age." The nurse said with a smile.
"Wow." Tenten mumbled.
"And it won't be so bad. They'll put you to sleep before the start, and when you wake up, your boyfriend will be there, and you can have all the ice cream you can eat."
"Okay." Tenten said, as she and Neji followed her down into the prep. Room. They got Tenten ready for surgery, checked her into the hospital and notified the school. The surgery didn't last long, and Neji never left her side.
Neji was half asleep when he felt his pillow move like it was alive, and then he realized it was, because he was lying on Tenten's legs. He lifted his head up immediately and saw Tenten tossing in her sleep. He quickly and quietly moved Tenten over a bit and slid into the bed beside her. Slipping his arms around Tenten's waste, he pulled her close and she stopped her fidgeting.
"You're a terrible actress." He whispered.
"It got you to get up here didn't it?" Tenten asked. Neji could hear the smile in her voice.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, kissing her hair.
"Better, but my throat is still a little soar." Tenten answered rolling over so she could face Neji. She kissed him quickly and then laid her head down on his chest. "Thank you for not leaving me." she whispered.
"The only thing that will ever make me leave you is you not wanting me anymore." Neji whispered.
"Then you're stuck with me for life." Tenten whispered.
"Good."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Hey how are you feeling?" Sakura asked when Neji and Tenten walked in the door. Everyone had been waiting for Tenten to come home from the hospital.
"Better." Tenten mouthed.
"Oh no! She lost her voice!" Ino cried.
"Chill Ino, I'm just messing with you, I feel fine." Tenten said with a smile. "I just won't be singing any opera for a while." She laughed at her own joke, and walked into the kitchen to find some decent food to eat.