Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Special Thanks: goes out to rao hyuga 18, Sachiko Heiwajima, and Yukiko x Yuli for all your lovely reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this to their favorites and follows lists!

Author's Note: I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Writing the whole family around the table together was of my favorite parts thus far - and this chapter includes the very first image that came to mind which sparked the idea for the entire story! I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading!


*~Chapter IX~*

~Rain~


Despite her general dislike of shopping, Tenten was pleased with the results of her trip with Hinata and Hanabi. The elder of the sisters came away with several cute new outfits to wear in New York, and the younger purchased some shoes and a few skirts.

Tenten had (only semi-reluctantly) allowed herself to be talked into buying a beautiful white and red Chinese style top, which she had definitely fallen in love with. It was long-sleeved, so she'd have to wait until closer to fall and winter to wear it, but she just couldn't resist.

When the trio finally emerged from the local movie theater at the end of their excursion, it was to oppressively high humidity and a growing mass of dark clouds on the horizon. "Looks like a storm's coming," Hanabi commented on their way back to Tenten's car.

Unlocking the door with her remote, Tenten rounded the car and opened her door as the sisters slid into her car. "I know they were talking on the news this morning like there was a chance." She clicked her seatbelt, then hissed as she touched the steering wheel. The sun had been shining enough to make it uncomfortably hot while they'd been in the theater. "There's a possibility of severe, but Anko said the probability for tornadoes is relatively low."

"Good." Hinata tucked her purse alongside her feet, then adjusted the vents on her side so the cool air would hit her across the face and shoulders. Turning her head from side to side with a blissful expression on her face, she added, "I had fun today. Thanks, Tenten, Hanabi."

"You're welcome." Tenten backed out of the parking place, waving to the driver of the car who waited to take her spot. "I was wondering: would you two like to stay for dinner when we get back to the house? Neji'll be home from work, and it'll be fun to eat together again, just the four of us, before you go to New York, Hinata. Unless you already have plans...?"

Hinata shook her head. "Sasuke's trying to get as much of his book written as possible before we leave, so I'm free. Hanabi?"

The teen, having jokingly resigned herself to the back seat, leaned forward slightly. "That's fine. Konohamaru has to work tonight, unfortunately, so we didn't have any plans."

"Great!" Since the theater was only a few minutes away from her house - everything in Konoha was a few minutes away from everywhere else, the benefit of living in a small town - she decided not to call Neji, just to surprise him. She only hoped his first day back to work had been a rousing success. "I've been having so much fun with you guys, I'm just not ready for the day to end yet." Plus, her and Neji's house had a basement. She had a feeling Hinata would feel more comfortable staying there, at least until the worst of the storms were past. To get to the basement in her and Hanabi's building, one had to go outside first - a less than ideal situation.

Neji's sleek black VW was already in the driveway by the time Tenten pulled her little red bug alongside it. She'd always found it funny to see their cars parked side-by-side: two cars, made by the same company, which looked so completely different from each other.

Tenten helped the sisters carry their purchases to Hinata's Old Sensible, which she'd parked at the curb just behind the mailbox. Then she got her own bag, locked her car doors, and led the way into the house. "Neji, we're here!" she called as she set her purse and keys on the credenza in the entry.

There was no answer, so after sliding her shoes off, she popped upstairs. On the way back down, she reported, "He's in the shower. Will you help me start dinner? We'll give him a real surprise when he comes down."

By the time Neji came downstairs, the chicken was ready to go on the grill, Tenten was busy stirring quartered red potatoes in a mix of salt, pepper, and olive oil, and Hanabi and Hinata were working on assembling a salad.

"Looks like I missed some excitement." Neji hugged his cousins before dropping a quick kiss on Tenten's lips as he reached for the chicken. "Not ready for your girls' day to end, hmm?"

Behind him, Hanabi laughed. "Not really, but don't worry, we'll let you stay. 'Cause we're nice like that."

Tenten snickered at the expression on Neji's face. "We won't get too girly on you, promise." Standing on tiptoe, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before nudging him in the direction of the door. "Now if you'll go get that chicken on the grill, I'll bring these potatoes out to you in a bit."

Hinata continued tearing lettuce as Neji left the kitchen. "Those clouds look like they're really moving in fast," she commented, peering through the window over the sink. "Is it okay if we turn on the TV?"

"Sure." Tenten set down her spoon long enough to turn on the small television set in the kitchen, there for just such a situation. It was already tuned to the local news channel, where a crawl across the bottom of the screen warned of a severe thunderstorm watch for the area. "Severe thunderstorm watch till nine," Tenten told her cousins-in-law.

Hanabi glanced at the clock on the microwave. "Only five-thirty now. That's not too bad."

The first rumble of thunder sounded as Tenten stepped onto the deck to give Neji the potatoes to add to the grill. "Hope that holds off till everything cooks, or we'll be finishing up in the microwave." She shaded her eyes, staring at the dark clouds coming ever-closer. Occasionally, a flicker within hinted at lightning, and the smell of rain washed across her on the wind that ruffled her hair.

"Just doesn't taste the same, does it?" Neji took the bowl and tongs, then opened the lid of the grill. Fragrant smoke drifted in Tenten's direction as he settled the potatoes on the grill, one by one, making a sort of frame around the chicken. "I think we'll be fine. It's still a good distance away, and we've just got a little bit longer on the chicken. It won't take any time at all for these potatoes to cook."

"Good. Thanks, Neji." Tenten went back inside, wishing they could eat outside on the deck. But besides the oncoming storm, the wind had really picked up, which would make anchoring things on the table difficult at best.

As she entered the kitchen, she found Hinata watching the crawl on the TV while Hanabi went about getting plates, silverware, and glasses for everyone. "What's going on?" Tenten asked, sending a grateful smile Hanabi's direction while she went to stand next to Hinata.

Pulling her thumb knuckle away from her mouth, where she'd been nibbling on it, Hinata answered without pulling her gaze away from the screen. "Severe thunderstorm warning one county over, headed this way. There's a pretty big hail core in that storm, and the wind is ferocious. Lots of cloud-to-ground lightning, too. How much longer on the food?" At last she looked away from the TV, her eyes flickering anxiously toward the doorway.

Tenten squeezed Hinata's shoulder comfortingly. "Only a few more minutes. The chicken is almost done, and the potatoes don't take any time at all to fix. Neji'll bring the food inside in no time. And, if need be, we'll finish up cooking it in the microwave."

Hanabi called from the dining room, "Should I turn on the TV out here?"

"Yes, please!" Ordinarily she'd think having it on with guests rude, but she knew it would comfort Hinata if she could keep an eye on the weather reports. The poor woman had plenty of reasons to be nervous about storms, even if there was a low threat of tornadic activity. "Thanks, Hanabi."

Leaving Hinata next to the small kitchen television, Tenten put ice into glasses, then passed them across the counter to Hanabi. Then she pulled out carafes of tea and lemonade to add to the table while her younger cousin-in-law passed out the glasses.

Neji came back into the house just as the first few raindrops started hitting the roof. "That was close," he said with a laugh. With one hand he set down the bowl of potatoes; with the other, the plate of chicken. "Got everything cooked to the right temp at the perfect time."

The four of them settled around the table, with Hinata given the best view of the TV and its weather updates, and started passing around dishes. Tenten subtly inhaled the unique fragrance of grilled meat, wishing they could grill every day. Outside, the branches on the tree in the front yard rattled around in the wind, and rain began pouring from the sky as thunder rumbled its way closer.

But cozy and dry inside, Tenten smiled around at her family, glad she'd suggested the women stay for dinner. Growing up as an orphan, she'd always promised herself when she married into a family and started one of her own, she would do her best, and even make extra efforts, to have family dinners as often as possible.

Granted, the whole family wasn't present, but Tenten didn't think the Hyuuga cousins minded Hiashi's absence. To be honest, she didn't either. The few meals she'd eaten in his presence had been awkward, stiff, formal, and left her feeling exhausted at the end. Whereas the informal, friendly atmosphere of the family meal going on at the table now was just what Tenten had always dreamed of having. She settled in to enjoy it.


After they ate, the group retired to the sitting room with homemade ice cream sundaes to watch the storm. With rain lashing the windows, lightning flashing every few seconds, the wind blowing the trees and flowers helter-skelter, and thunder booming overhead, it was quite the show.

Even Hinata eventually relaxed and watched the storm more than the weather updates. Anko cut into programming with new warnings, but repeated that nothing was showing tornadic activity.

Finally, around eight-thirty, the storm began to move on. With their food long-consumed, dishes washed, dried, and put away, and conversation fading into comfortable silence, Hinata and Hanabi finally rose and announced their intentions to go home.

Tenten and Neji walked their guests to the front door. "It was great to have you two over," the former said, hugging both women. "We're going to have to do this again sometime after you get back from New York, Hinata."

"That sounds great." Hinata returned the hug, then switched places with Hanabi so she could hug her cousin. "I'll talk to you all again before I leave - getting close to time now!" She grinned with obvious excitement, and Tenten again thought about how nice it was to see Hinata looking forward to a trip, instead of dreading it like the ones she used to take with her father.

With one last wave and call of, "Goodbye!" the sisters sprinted for Hinata's car and quickly slid into the seats. Neji and Tenten stood under the cover of the front porch, arms around each other's waists, until Old Sensible's taillights disappeared around the corner at the end of the block.

Neji half-turned to go back inside, but Tenten grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the steps. "What-?" he asked, eyebrows arching in surprise.

Unheeding of the fact they were both barefoot, she led the way out onto the front lawn into the lessening downpour and slipped her arms around him. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever done," she told him, "but I just have the craziest urge to dance in the rain with you..." Swaying against him, she began humming, "In the Mood."

Neji initially resisted slightly, with a quick glance around at the neighboring houses. "You aren't going to give up on this, are you?" he murmured, his lips quirking as he started to sway in time with her. His baritone joined her alto as they slipped smoothly into a swing dance, oblivious to the raindrops still falling all around and on them, their feet squishing though the wet grass.

Her insides melted. Neji had never been big on PDAs, but here he was, dancing with her around their front lawn with the rain running through their hair and starting to make their clothing cling to their bodies, in full view of the neighbors' houses. All anyone had to do was look out their window to see them, but it was obvious this once it didn't matter to him. Perhaps losing his patient the other day had driven home the fact life could be so short, and was so infinitely precious. Moments like these were rare, and beautiful, and made to be treasured. So she loved her husband and their dance with all her heart.

Just as she knew he was doing with and for her.

*~To Be Continued~*

Author's Ending Notes: Okay, I cheated. I have two dancing scenes in this story. But the one in this chapter was the very, very first image which came to mind for this fic, Neji and Tenten dancing in the rain with such abandon, it was so clear they were wrapped up in each other and didn't care who saw them. I've been really looking forward to sharing it with all of you! On another note, everyone in my family is sick except for me, so just in case I catch everyone else's cold and can't update next week, I apologize in advance, and I'll update as soon as I can afterwards. But I plan to still be well and able to update next Friday. Thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope to see you all again for (hopefully) next week's update!