Tenten POV

I woke up in a strange place, but I wasn't afraid. Somehow I knew, even if I didn't remember anything like this happening, that I was somewhere safe. I was also very comfortable. I hadn't slept on something this nice since before my mother was diagnosed, when she was working and we could afford things.

It was Saturday...I sat bolt upright, causing my head to swim and waver. I had missed work yesterday!! Shit!!!, I thought to myself. I got up and my foot hit something on the floor of the dark room. I felt around and it was a bag. I unzipped it to reveal some of my own clothes. Why was I here and what was going to happen when I went home to Akira. He'd most likely beat me to death.

But I didn't care anymore. I really just didn't, but the reason behind that, I didn't remember. Until he came through the door.

"Oh, so you're awake?" Neji asked me. "Watch your eyes," he warned me, and flipped a light switch near the door. The light hurt my eyes a bit, but they quickly adjusted, and I looked down to see that I was still in a torn shirt and shorts that were practically invisible under the hem of the long shirt. I held the top of my shirt closed over my chest.

"Um...where am I?" I asked tentatively, unsure if that was a good question or if I should already know.

"My room." He said shortly, which made me stop breathing for a second. Okay, I'm in his bed half-naked and I don't remember what happened before this so what have I done?!?!?! "Don't worry," he interrupted my train of thought. "Nothing like that. Don't you remember what happened yesterday?" I shook my head. He seemed to think a moment before walking to the chair on the other side of the room and sitting.

"Then I'll tell you." He stopped before starting, wondering how to begin, I supposed.

"Well, yesterday, you ran off after I was so inconsiderate of your feelings. For that, I apologize. Today you didn't come to school... and I," he blushed, "well, I was sorta worried. So I came to check on you and I saw some guy beating you. Once he left, I carried you here. You passed out."

"So you didn't...you didn't..." I felt terrible for asking anything like that, so I just stopped, and something came to me.

"Wait, yesterday...so it's still Friday?" He nodded, lookking at me strangely for a moment. I jumped up from where I sat on the bed and stripped down quickly, throwing on my work uniform. Neji looked away as I changed, but I was done before he could leave. I started to walk toward the door. "I have to go to work still..." I said, but my ankle wouldn't support my weight. I fell, and Neji was there to catch me before I could hurt myself anymore than I already had.

"It's nearly two in the morning," he said. "I'm sure you don't have to work anymore." I was mentally kicking myself.

"I'm going to be fired," I fretted. Neji helped me back onto the bed and stood in front of the door as if to prevent me from trying to bolt again.

"I think that's the least of your worries. Your ankle might be broken." He was pointing to the swollen thing that was my leg. It was black and blue and hurt even when I wasn't moving it. I shook my head when he suggested it.

"It's not. Trust me," I instantly knew I'd said the wrong thing. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You know for sure?" I couldn't avoid answering with him staring at me like that. "Have you had a broken limb before?" I nodded, though I didn't want to. His stare was so...intimidating. He seemed to be deep in thought for a few moments before he turned wordlessly and walked from the room, leaving me alone. I tried to think about what I'd done wrong.

I told him too much. I tried not to cry as I foresaw the pain that I would undoubtedly be subjected to once I went home and Akira found out. He would...I didn't want to think about it. I curled up in a ball on my side and wept. When I finally fell asleep again, I had a good dream...it brought hope to my tortured soul.

(in the dream)

I was at my house. Akira was gone. He had been taken by the police. Or been given a chance to rethink his life. Or died. I didn't really care which. The point was, he was no longer a nuisance to me.

I was cooking for some reason, and when I looked down, I was wearing nice clothes. And a frilly pink apron. The apartment I lived in suddenly melted away, and I was in the kitchen of a nice house. A clean, big house. With a huge backyard that I could see from the kitchen window. The door opened, and my husband came home. I called out a greeting to him, not looking away from the vegetables I was chopping. His arms wrapped around from behind, and just as I was turning to look at him, I forced myself to wake up.

I didn't want to see who it was yet. I was too scared it would be someone I hated.

(no longer in the dream)

My eyes snapped open. I was cold sweating, and panting. It wasn't a nightmare, so I shouldn't have been reating the way I was. I heard the gentle sounds of birds chirping outside the window, and finally noticed the ribbons of sunshine streaming into the room. I groaned as I sat up. I was no longer in my work uniform, but pajamas. They were silk, and weren't mine. How had they gotten on me then?

I blushed as I thought of Neji, but then shook that thought from my mind as I remembered how he couldn't even look at me while I changed. It must have been one of his sisters. I got up and washed my face in the washbin in the corner of the room. I redid the buns in my hair and changed, leaving the sanctuary of Neji's bedroom.

I didn't know what time it was, so I went downstairs where I thought there may be a clock. I found one, in the dining room it looked like. It was about seven in the morning. I could hear the sounds of people cooking in the kitchen, and assumed that the day had already started for the Hyuuga family.I decided to explore my surroundings a bit more.

I walked out of the dining room and into the living room. It was a formal room that was seldom visited by the look of things. I didn't walk into it, but just looked at the pristine white walls and carpet. It made me afraid to touch anything, so I moved on to the next room.

I already knew which rooms were bedrooms upstairs, just by the way the doors were placed in the hallway, and I knew where the upstairs bathroom was, and I found a second one downstairs. I knew the door to the kitchen, and didn't go in there, fearful of getting in the way. Instead, I headed the other way, and found the den. There were two couches, one of which was around the corner of the doorframe, so it wasn't immediately visible to me. Once I stepped in, however, I saw more than just the couch.

Neji's sleeping figure was peaceful, his face serene and child-like. I didn't want to wake him. He deserved more sleep after looking after me so early in the morning. I tried to sneak out, but his voice startled me.

"G'morning," he said groggily, making me jump. I looked over at him. He was smiling, his eyes still half-closed.

"I-I'm sorry!" I said. "I didn't expect to find you here! Then again, I did take your bed...I'm sorry!" I was babbling, and I blushed, embarrassed by my own stupidity. Neji sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily, and making me blush even more. He was kinda...cute, I realized as I watched him. He stretched, yawning and looked at me.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

"No, no! I'm fine! Actually, I'm much better, thank you for asking!" My ankle was feeling much better--good enough to walk on in fact, which was why I was up and walking. Neji stood and walked toward me, still smiling sleepily. I wasn't entirely sure he was actually awake though, judging by the look in his eyes.

"N-Neji, are you awake?" I waved a hand in front of his face and he didn't really respond. He must have been up later than I thought. He leaned forward, putting his head on my shoulder. I think he thought it was the wall.

"N-N-N-Nej-j-ji?!?!" I stuttered, surprised. He seemed to wake up at the sound of my loud voice. He jumped back.

"Oh. Sorry!" He said hastily. I just smiled.

"It's fine," I told him. It wasn't that big a deal. I could forgive him after all he'd done for me.