Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All rights are reserved to Musashi Kishimoto.


It had taken about a month to move into the new house, given Naruto's condition and Sakura's pregnancy; by the time, they had Tenten and Neji's wedding date had come around.

"Naruto are you ready?" Sakura called from her bedroom.

Naruto stifled a yawn and stood up from his place on the library's couch. He had fallen asleep cleaning up the place so that Neji and Tenten could take pictures after the wedding. Leave it to those two to want to take wedding pictures in a library.

"Can I ask why we have to be there so early?"

Sakura looked at him as she walked out of her room in her bridesmaid dress. She readjusted the top of the strapless silver dress and turned. "Tie this for me please." Naruto idly tied the green bow on the back of her dress.

She sent him off to change into his tuxedo without an answer and Naruto located the ensemble hanging in the bathroom in his room. It was too complicated to be worn more than once; there are times when being the best man was not a good thing. Putting on the overly complicated and over coordinated tuxedo was one of them, 'Poor Neji, he's nervous and he has put this thing on' he thought to himself. He put on his tie, clip on, and looked himself in the mirror. His hair wasn't too bad; it was not going to get any better. He stepped outside so that Sakura could fix what she needed to. "You still haven't told me why…"

Sakura hushed him as she straightened out Naruto's silver tie. "Let's go." Naruto frowned in frustration at the back of Sakura's retreating form, but followed her out of her house to the Hyuuga compound. For seven in the morning, the Hyuuga house was bustling with people. Maids and servants were running around setting things up, some were in the kitchen preparing the dinner for after the wedding…it was pure chaos.

"N-Naruto- Kun! Sakura-San! I am s-so glad you are h-here. Tenten-nee-san n-needs help S-Sakura. She's… well…freaking out." Hinata said in a flurry, poor Hinata. She was the maid of honor and lived with Neji and Tenten; it was just too much for the jumpy little woman. Sakura nodded and hurried to Tenten's room. Naruto looked around and spotted Neji standing outside. Naruto made his way outside and ambled over to Neji's side.

"So…you ready?" Naruto said as he stuck his hands in his pockets, mirroring Neji's stance.

Neji shrugged. "I never thought, in a million years, that I'd be standing here doing what I'm about to do." The older Hyuuga confessed.

"Getting married or marrying Tenten?" Naruto asked. It was odd to see Neji without his usual composure. It erased that image of the all-knowing Neji and reminded Naruto that the dark haired man next to him was only a year older than he was.

"Both, I've known her since she was six." Neji muttered, "I love her, but ask me back then if I thought I would marry her 15 years later and I'd probably gag."

"15 years is a long time to know somebody. You've stuck with her for this long; you can't be telling me you've got cold feet now." Naruto said, cheering up the Hyuuga.

Neji grinned feebly, "Of course not, I can't wait to marry her. Thanks for being there man, I don't know what Tenten would have done if she didn't have somebody else to fuss over. She's been so stressed lately, with the Jounin exams and the wedding and getting ready for the baby and the…"

"Hold up Neji, what baby?" Naruto interrupted his face splitting into a grin.

"Oh, I wasn't supposed to tell you that." Neji said, realizing all too late what he had just let slip.

"Well you just did, now, what is this about a baby?" Naruto asked.

"Tenten's three months pregnant." Neji explained covering his face with his hand. "She's going to kill me for telling you. Nobody is supposed to know."

Naruto's mind flashed back to the Tenten's Jounin exam, it had been a pretty bad fight between Ino and Tenten. "Wait you let Tenten enter the Jounin exam one month pregnant?!"

"We didn't know, Tsunade-Sama told her after she looked at Tenten's injuries." Neji said, "I've never been so scared in my life. First Tenten's hurt and then I find out she's pregnant."

"I still can't believe the epitome of responsibility, Neji Hyuuga, got his fiancé pregnant before the wedding. Irresponsibility does you good man. Well, let's go get you married cause I'm not letting you chicken out now." Naruto said and clapped Neji on the shoulder as he took a final look at his watch.

"Please don't tell anyone. Tenten will be furious that I even told you." Neji asked.

"I won't." Naruto promised and led Neji up to the altar before heading down the aisle to where Tenten and the girls were waiting. Kiba, Shikamaru and Lee were the other three grooms men as Hinata, Sakura, Ino, and Temari lined up as Tenten's bridesmaids. She needed them all for support. If Naruto had thought that Neji was bad, Tenten was ten times worse. He took her away from the others and asked what was wrong.

"It's nothing, I just want everything to be perfect and it's a lot of stress and I don't feel great." Tenten admitted.

"Calm down, I just came from out there and everything is perfect." He pulled one of the tablets Sakura took to settle her stomach from his pocket and handed it to Tenten, "It helps Sakura's morning sickness. Don't be too mad at Neji, it sort of slipped. I won't tell a soul."

Tenten sighed and took the tablet. It seemed to work as she calmed down and her face brightened. "Thank you Naruto."

"No problem, take deep breaths. I've got to go because the ceremony is about to start." Naruto said as he pulled Tenten's veil over her face before he left her to get into line behind Shizaki and the flower girl, who happened to be one of Tenten's younger cousins. The music started and the doors opened signaling for the two little kids to start walking down the aisle. Only problem with working with small children is there lack of an adequate attention span. The two made it half way down the aisle before Shizaki saw his mother and the little girl followed him. The audience laughed at how adorable the two were as Kurenai brought the two little kids back to the aisle and got them to make the rest of the trip down. Next came Naruto and Hinata, judging by the fact that she was no longer shaking, she had calmed down. They split at the altar and Naruto stood by Neji.

"How did she look?" Neji muttered quickly.

"You're not going to believe your eyes." Naruto said as the other three couples walked down the aisle. The music changed to the traditional wedding march and Naruto heard Neji gasp quietly as Tenten came into view with Gai-sensei at her side and wearing a tuxedo… with a green tie to appease him. "How did you manage to keep Gai from going all sunsets and tears?" Naruto muttered.

"Death threats from Tenten." Neji said as he looked down, he was crying. The Hyuuga had been brought to tears at the sight of his bride, and he could not even see her face yet. Thankfully, it was only one tear and it was easily hidden… from the audience.

She made it to the altar and Gai helped her up onto the step in front of the pastor. "Who gives this woman away?" The pastor asked.

"I, as her teacher, do." Gai said, he was getting ready to burst into sobs. Tenten was going to have to kill him after all. He sat in the pew next to Shizune and Tsunade and the dark haired kunoichi handed him a tissue.

"Dearly beloveds we are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony…" The pastor began. Naruto managed to zone off, his part was done for the next hour or so and he didn't need to hear Neji and Tenten take their vows, he knew what they meant to each other. "… finally is there anything Neji that you would like to say to your bride?"

Neji closed his eyes for a moment. He smiled and looked at Tenten, "We've been teammates for years, and friends for even longer, I've told you that I love you more times than I can count I can't think of anything I haven't said." Neji said.

The seriousness of the moment was killing Naruto and the blonde couldn't help muttering, "… or done." The only problem was while only two people heard him, those two people were Neji and Tenten and Naruto was not willing to bet that Tenten was unarmed. He was going to die.

"Then by the power invested in me, I pronounce you man and wife. Neji, you may kiss your bride." The pastor said. Neji lifted Tenten's veil and immediately the camera flashes started as Naruto watched Neji kiss Tenten. "May I present Mr. and Mrs. Neji Hyuuga." The two walked down the aisle and the bridesmaids and grooms men followed behind them.

"Naruto, I'm going to kill you when we get to the reception. You realize that right?" Tenten breathed.

"Yes, enjoy you reception. Then you can kill me. You know where I live." Naruto said, sinking into the crowd as Neji and Tenten slid into the limousine headed straight for his house. The photographer was there waiting for Neji and Tenten to take their wedding pictures.


Naruto leaned against the doorframe that lead outside and watched as guests danced and mingled. He took a sip of his Sake before setting it on the table near by. The ceremony had been beautiful and now that all of the wedding guests had congregated in his back yard, he knew why Sakura had been up decorating the back rooms and why she made him hang up the white and green lanterns outside. He sighed and watched the newlyweds on his patio sway to the gentle music.

"Your h-house is s-so pretty N-Naruto- Kun…" Naruto looked over his shoulder and smiled at Hinata.

"Thanks. I like it too. It's a lot of space for only two people but at least it's getting used now." Hinata nodded and smiled. She watched as people began to dance. She bit her lip and looked up at Naruto. She took a deep breath and, with her face all red, cleared her throat. Naruto looked at her curiously.

"Naruto-Kun… W-Will you dance with me?" Naruto cocked his head and looked at her for a moment before grinning.

"Sure. Why not?" Hinata almost fainted as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the "Dance floor". Things just kept rolling from there. There was the traditional throwing of the bouquet, which happened to land in Hinata's unsuspecting hands, and the removing of the garter, which had everyone laughing. Naruto looked down at the garter on his wrist and laughed.

"It's funny how we both caught them..." Naruto said as he looked down at Hinata. He felt her chuckle softly against him. Naruto felt a tap on his shoulder and looked to his left at Neji and Tenten.

"Hey you two lovebirds." Naruto said with a smile. They both grinned. Tenten looked at Hinata her smile widening.

"It looks like all that dancing you did tired Hinata out." Naruto frowned slightly and looked down at the girl in question, whose eyes were closed. He smiled and gently shook her awake. She stirred and looked around, blushing when she realized where she was. Tenten sighed and leaned against Neji.

"Hmmm… I'm ready to go home." Tenten voiced. Neji looked at her and then at Naruto.

"Well I guess we're going to go home. Thanks for letting us use your house." Naruto shrugged off the thank you.

"Eh…it's the least I could do." He said as he helped them collect their belongings and walked the couple out. Seeing as they were the last of the guests to leave, Naruto loosened his tie and walked into the house where Sakura was. Naruto looked at the table that previously held the food, his eyes landing on Hinata's bouquet. He picked it up and looked at it, glancing up when Sakura walked into the room sipping a cup of tea.

"Hinata left her bouquet…I should tell her I have it…" He said as he walked over to the phone and started to call the Hyuuga compound but changed his mind after a few minutes.

"I bet I could catch up to them…" He said, looking towards the door.

"Just go. You've been itching to go over there anyway." Naruto turned and looked at Sakura, confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you've been staring at her; if I wasn't here you'd have her here in a heart beat."

"Who Hinata? She is just a friend." Sakura scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah… right, you should go and see your friend." She shook her head and took a seat on the couch, adding quietly, "You never gave a damn about what I think anyway." Naruto shook his head, trying to understand where she was coming from.

"Sakura, what are you talking about?"

"You just have me here because you feel guilty that Sasuke is … gone."

"I have you here because I was worried about you. I always worry about you."

"That's a lie…"

"How is that a lie?" Naruto said, his voice taking on a tone of hostility. "Whenever you were upset, whenever you got hurt, I always wanted to make sure you're ok."

"Hm… that's not the way I remember it. I always remember having to save you. We were always worrying about you and caring about you." Naruto chuckled dryly and crossed his arms.

"Caring? Really. I didn't know that when you care about someone you hurt them." He said looking at Sakura, his eyes turning cold and hard. "I tell you I love you and what do you do? You laugh in my face. I laid my heart on the line for you; I gave you all that I had and you just rip my heart straight out of my chest and step on it, thinking that I'll be fine with the broken, mangled remains you so kindly left me."

The angry look on Sakura's face slowly dissipated as she listened to the words that came out of his mouth. Naruto, who had not noticed the change in Sakura's demeanor, shook his head, his humorless laugh echoing in the silence.

"Then you so boldly come to me for help with your relationship with Sasuke…Your indifference was agonizing. Do you have any idea the amount of pain you put me through? Watching you and Sasuke kiss, touch, be with each other…it was torture. Torture I so dutifully endured, through my agony, to be the friend I always was to you. I sat and listened as you told me of the things you and Sasuke had enjoyed, all the while longing to be in his place. For a while, I silently hated him. Knowing he had what I'd wanted for so long made my very blood boil…" He paused, his mind taking him back.

"Naruto… I nev-" He heard Sakura's soft words and sighed, cutting her off as he looked towards the door.

"Sakura, Don't. The last thing I want to hear is you apologize to me. I thought that was what I wanted, what I needed for a long time but I know that what I want is something I can never have…"

Naruto pushed himself up from where he was leaning against the table and walked out of the house. Sakura watched him leave, her voice not reacting fast enough to tell him to wait. She sighed as the weight of Naruto's words fell on her. '…Naruto has lost a lot of people. His parents, Sasuke, you... the poor boy even lost himself for a while…' Kurenai's words repeated themselves in her head. Had she really done that much damage? She bit her lower lip and timidly reached for the phone, quickly dialing Tenten's number.