Chapter 9

The air was quiet. A thin mist hung in the trees as Neji walked through the forest. It was still early, but Neji had just had an uneasy feeling this morning. Soon the shack came into view. As he approached, his edgy feeling returned. An eerie stillness inhabited the clearing.

Neji put up his byakugan up and searched the surrounding area. When his eyes got to shack he noticed Tenten lying on the floor. At first he thought she'd just fell asleep before making it to the bed. But as he examined her chakra, he noticed it was out of a normal resting rhythm, like someone, or thing, had messed with it. Worry started to stiffen his bones.

No one else seemed to be around, so he quickly walked towards the cabin. Soon he was at the door. He opened it and quickly moved towards Tenten's motionless figure. He checked her pulse, which was normal, yet her skin seemed cold. "Tenten," he said hoping she would respond in some way. Her body stayed still.

He looked around the room to see if there were any clues to what might have happened when he came to the doorframe. There was a kunai dug into the wood, about the height of the average person. Instantly he realized it was on the kunai that Tenten only used in battle. She had kunai that were dull that she would throw when she was bored. This was definitely not a dull kunai.

Neji looked back at Tenten. He knew he needed to tell Tsunade, but he couldn't leave her here. Making a quick decision, Neji scooped Tenten up bridal style. Within seconds he was out the door and on his way to Tsunade's office.

Later at the hospital

Neji, Lee and Guy stood around the white hospital room. Neji sat in a chair next to the bed where their unconscious teammate laid.

Seconds ticked away on the clock as Lee looked between his teammates. He and Guy had been out training when a jonin told them about Tenten.

The two had gotten to the hospital while Tsunade was still examining Tenten. Neji filled them in on what he knew until Tsunade finished the examination.

When she came out she explained to them that she'd found no reason for Tenten's condition. Since then the trio had waited there, hoping for Tenten to show signs of recovery. The whole time not many words passed between them.

"So…"

Guy and Neji looked over at Lee.

"…how long do you think until she wakes up?" Lee continued.

There was a small silence before Neji turned back to Tenten.

Lee sighed.

"Tsunade wasn't sure," Guy told him. Lee looked over at his sensei. "Since no one has any idea of what happened to her or when it happened, we have nothing to go off of. For all we know she could wake up any minute, or maybe in a few years."

Neji tensed up as he heard the latter option.

Lee thought quickly, trying to think of way to change the subject.

"So…ummm, Neji, how do you think this happened? Do you think it might have been one of the weapons you two were working with?"

"I don't know," Neji replied, not looking up, "if it was it must have had a delayed effect. We put all the weapons away when I left for the night. Also, there weren't any lying around when I got there this morning."

"Oh."

The room fell back into silence.

Lee looked back and forth between his teammates again. Guy seemed to be deep in thought about something. Lee was about to ask when the door opened.

In walked a woman. She had long lavender hair pulled back into a tight braid. She ran over to the bed when her chocolate brown eyes got sight of Tenten. She stood next to Neji and looked down at the still unconscious Tenten. Behind her a man walked in. He had shaggy brown hair and deep green eyes. Both of them dressed in regular jonin attire.

Lee looked at the two shinobi confused. "Who are you guys!" Lee asked.

Guy looked between the two new arrivals, still as calm as before.

"You here parents, aren't you?" Neji said, looking up at the women.

She smiled and nodded.