Chapter X: Risky
~Until then, I'm lost with my solitude...
Happiness was always a brief visitor in his life. It had eluded him since the day of his father's death.
As a boy he was trapped with the steel cage called family and entangled in metal chains called tradition. He resented the life he was forced to live and the only reasonable escape he could foresee was death. And until that death beckoned him, he would make daily life a living misery for all those who surrounded him, especially those whom were blessed enough to be born into the superior family.
It was the motivating factor behind his impressive growth. His father had not been wrong when he had claimed that his son was a prodigious talent, one whose potential exceeded that of any other Hyuga born before him. Yet, he was relegated into the background while his less talented cousin took centre stage, showcasing her mediocrity. At least, she exhibited what he had mistakenly believed to be a weakness.
She had empathy.
She had empathy for him, for her family and for the broken state of the Hyuga household. It was that trait which singled her out, distinguished her from the rest of the squabbling clan. She wished for no titles nor did she exert any power. Unfortunately, acceptance wasn't a popular Hyuga trait.
For her nature, she was ridiculed.
For her kindness, she was taunted.
For her peaceful disposition, her younger sister was handed the throne.
And she took all of this with stride. Never once did she complain or raise a word of dissent. She didn't even try to assert her power by staging a coup. She graciously accepted the decision, and opted to become a sacrificial lamb. All this effort was for the same wretched family who couldn't care any less about her.
Neji gritted his teeth as he landed a particularly hard punch, which would caused severe damage had it hit its intended target.
"Chill dude," loudly reminded Kiba, hopping of Akamaru to grab a water bottle. "Don't over exert yourself...this is only practice."
Neji simply nodded in agreement, catching the water bottle thrown at him. He popped open the cap and took several deep gulps.
"Thanks," politely responded Neji, wiping the sweat off of his face and forearms using his sleeves.
"No problem," instantly replied Kiba, now showering his big dog with water as well. Akamaru then proceeded to shake everything off, getting both Neji and Kiba wet in the process.
Neji merely stared at the now hyper dog, while Kiba went down in a fit of rambunctious laughter. Shaking his head at the antics of his friend, Neji resumed practicing alone until Kiba could regain himself.
"Sorry," apologized Kiba before settling into his sparring form, though try as he might, he couldn't get rid of the grin which had formed on his face. "I can't help it."
Only seconds into their fight however, another known presence made an abrupt entrance.
"Kiba, go prep," ordered Sai, being deliberately vague. He jumped carefully onto the severely wrecked training ground. "We have a mission at 19:00. Remind Chouji about it too. Pack lots, the mission's going to take a while."
"Again?" asked Kiba, groaning at the thought of having to do another extended mission. "This isn't even fair anymore..."
"Security is tight because of the Kazekage visit, and we were the only ones available," repeated Sai for the umpteenth time to his unruly companion. "So pick up the slack and quit complaining. At least the pay is triple the normal rate..."
"I guess that makes it worth it," thoughtfully replied Kiba, still not amused at the thought of having such a long mission. "I guess I have to go then. Sorry Neji, but duty calls."
"I was about to head home anyway," managed Neji, collecting all of his scattered belongings. "Have a safe trip."
"Will do," replied Kiba before taking off on Akamaru. Sai, meanwhile, trailed right behind him.
Neji, however, chose to make his way home. Seeing as he had time to kill between his briefings and mission assignment, he decided to surprise his wife by taking her out. Smiling slightly, Neji headed towards the imposing Hyuga mansion. Entering the building, he quickly hit the shower chambers and changed into more appropriate attire. Then he bounded down the main stairs, searching around for his pregnant spouse.
"Tenten," called out Neji, anxiously trying to locate his easily noticeable life companion. "Tenten?"
"She's gone out," yelled out Hanabi, hastily racing down the massive staircase in order to join her squad. "Don't' know where or when she'll be back. My guess, she'll probably be with Ino or Sakura."
"Right," confirmed Neji, holding open the main door for his cousin. He then walked out behind her, before disappearing in the opposite direction.
"You are perfectly normal Tenten," declared Ino, rising from her seat to remove the ultrasound machine. "But are you sure you don't want to know the gender yet?"
"I'm sure," firmly resisted Tenten, amused by Ino's eagerness.
The blond-nin playfully whipped her hair in mock arrogance. Her startling ocean blue eyes, however, held absolutely no spite. She had gone through a considerable change throughout the years, astonishing many a ninja in the process.
Ino was a slick combination of beauty and brawn. Sure she occasionally gossiped or flirted around, but out on the battlefield, there was no one else most trustworthy than the Yamanaka clanswoman. Not only had she mastered the famed mind transfer technique, she had become increasing proficient in medical jutsus as well. It was a remarkable transformation, culminating with the Ino-Shika-Cho squadron earning the honour of being the team with the highest success rate in all of Konoha.
"You're no fun," glumly noted Ino. "Can I at least tell you...?"
"No," repeated Tenten, while resting her arm around her expanded torso. "But you can treat me to lunch if you want."
"Ha ha, very funny," sarcastically replied Ino, quickly finishing up the remaining medical notes. "But I think I'm going to have to pass."
Tenten shot her friend a confused stare. It wasn't like Ino to turn down a request.
Amused, Ino looked back up at Tenten and pointed her index finger at something that was behind her back. Reluctantly, Tenten tried to turn around in order to get a glance at what Ino was referring to. Much to her surprise, there stood her husband, who wore an expression that was a strange combination of joy and worry.
"Well, you're early," lamely stated Tenten, earning her a suppressed giggle from Ino.
"I have some free time. Thought I'd spend some time with you today..." quietly answered Neji, trying hard not to sound monotone or insincere. He need not have worried.
Tenten beamed when she heard the words that flowed from her normally stoic husband. "Let's go!" excitedly responded Tenten, linking her arms around her rather embarrassed husband.
"Yeah, goodbye to you guys too," mordantly bid Ino, somewhat entertained that the couple had finally expressed some sort of romance before her. "Oh, and Neji? Stop by for a physical today, alright? I'll book you in after the briefing."
"I'll be there on time," confirmed Neji, though gears of doubt were shifting in his brain. He had already undergone a routine test, yet Ino was requesting another one. Something was wrong. Nonetheless, Neji lifted his hand to mark his leave, following his rather enthusiastic spouse out the door.
Ino noted the last glance that Neji had spared her. Sighing, she flipped through the pages in her file. She didn't know exactly how she could tell him. What she had discovered was not for the faint hearted, thus her reluctance to confide in Tenten. Neji, however, had the right to know the truth. He deserved to know the truth.
Closing her eyes, Ino pinched the bridge of her nose. It was an addicting habit which she had picked up from her lazy team member. Breathing deeply through her nose, the medical ninja only had a single thought running through her mind.
"Gods, why does life have to be so difficult?"
"This was so romantic," verbally gushed Tenten, resting her head upon her smirking husband's broad shoulder. "I didn't know you had it in you!"
They were sitting across a majestic waterfall, conveniently located on Hyuga territories. Though it was restricted to ordinary civilians, the Hyuga clan had extensive permission to use the land as it saw fit. It was part of the compensation package the Hyugas earned in the aftermath of the first great Ninja War. It was a reward for their commitment and loyalty to the village.
"Hn," managed to respond Neji, expecting his soul mate to get all worked up concerning his limited vocabulary. To his surprise, she simply closed her eyes and leaned in against his arm.
"Don't you wish," mumbled Tenten, letting the cool breeze play with her loose fitting shirt. "Wish, that we could stay here forever? Like back when we were dating?"
"Of course," instantly whispered back Neji, interlocking his rough left hand around Tenten's considerably softer right one. Acting on impulse, he turned his head and planted a soft kiss upon Tenten's head. "I love you."
Tenten smiled. A warm, content expression spread throughout her face. She exuded a radiance seldom found after their marriage. Pulling into a tighter hug, she placed a small kiss on Neji's left cheek. That caught Neji of guard. He still wasn't accustomed to public displays of affection. He tried to open his mouth to voice his objection yet, chose not too once he caught sight of his wife's reaction.
Shifting gently, he chose to stoke Tenten's arm instead. They sat together arm in arm, with their legs immersed in the pool of water amassed at the bottom of the small waterfall. The sound of the trickling water acted as a barrier against the usual noise which drifted from the bustling village.
Unfortunately, the alarm blared aloud on Neji's watch, reminding him to set off towards the briefing room. Watching the pout on his companion's face, Neji resisted the urge to laugh. Rather smartly, he chose to comfort her. Neji, as any father to be, was trying his best to avoid displeasing his significant other in order to avoid dramatic mood swings. He was well aware of the effects that pregnancy could have on even the kindest woman.
"You know I have to go," quietly murmured Neji, laying his head on top of that of his napping spouse.
"I know," sleepily answered back Tenten, unwilling to release her content husband from her embrace.
"Tenten," repeated Neji, watching her refuse to let him go. It deeply hurt him to think about the anguish she must go through every day in the intimidating Hyuga manor. "Please?"
"Go," softly commanded Tenten, holding no grudges against Neji's busy schedule. "I'll be fine."
They reluctantly freed themselves and stood up. Tenten let out a small yawn, while she stretched her arms. Neji watched entranced, as he could not stop staring at his wife's face. It was as though the mere thought of returning home, had drained her of her normally contagious bounciness. She seemed sad. It was an expression he saw quite frequently on the faces of his fellow cadet branch clansmen.
It was disheartening.
"Tenten," unsurely called out Neji, while he watched his wife's retreating form,
"Yes?" responded Tenten, perplexity written all over her face.
"Are you...are you really happy?" forlornly questioned Neji, his stomach anxiously churning in anticipation of Tenten's answer. "Are you happy living in the manor?"
Tenten's eyes widened with bewilderment. Self consciously, tucked a piece of stray hair behind her left ear. She honestly did not know what to say. Divided fractions in her heart fought for supremacy. One part told her to stay for Neji's sake, while the other reminded her of the toll it was taking on her emotional health.
"I am...mostly," uncharacteristically stammered Tenten, pulling her arms behind her back. "I do like it there."
"I see," curtly responded Neji, his eyes downcast.
"You worry too much Neji, relax a little," comforted Tenten giving him a warm hug to ease his mood. "You are going to miss your briefing. God knows what Lady Tsunade will do to you then."
Neji offered a small grin to ease his wife's worry. Yet, inside him, a huge storm was brewing. Tenten's unwillingness to voice her opinion about his fellow Hyuga relatives concerned him. It frustrated him that he couldn't be there all the time to protect her. She was the most important person in his life and he couldn't even keep her happy. It ruthlessly tugged at his heart, this feeling of immense guilt.
"Bye," sadly said Neji, though only when his companion was sufficiently out of sight. "And I'm so sorry."
The actual briefing was shorter then he had expected. It was a rather bland and dry affair. It all fairness, the briefing was just a notification.
He, Hyuga Neji was one of three select candidates who were being evaluated to become the new Hokage's advisor. He would be tested with regards to sound judgement, squad efficiency, independent thinking and compatibility with the council. The names of his competitors were not released to him in fear of sabotage and un-shinobi-like conduct. He received a scroll with a set of limitations during the process of the selection.
Personally, Neji wasn't at all thrilled or particularly interested in landing the coveted position. The thought alone of having to constantly work with and beside Naruto was strangely disconcerting. In Neji's opinion, Naruto in small doses was healthy, therapeutic even. Naruto in high doses, on the other hand, was a never ending migraine.
Naruto was simply too unpredictable. His friendly disposition and inspiring nature had won him many followers over the years. Yet his stubbornness and tendency to stray from plans were truly exasperating. Naruto needed an advisor who could shrewdly limit Naruto's outlandish actions while simultaneously incorporating many of his modern ideals into the ways of the council. And Neji knew that person wasn't him.
To him, Naruto was just too much of a hassle to handle.
Repressing those thoughts, Neji sought out Ino in the hectic Konoha emergency room. The bustling area was filled to the brim. The sounds of moans, coughs and tears all intermingled with one another. Neji was having a tough time simply avoiding the sick and the injured.
"Hey, Neji! Over here," loudly addressed Ino, shouting over the noise which resonated from the crowded room. "Go to room 2-C, take the left door. I'll be with you in a moment."
Neji merely nodded and hastily departed from the room. Once he entered the main hallway, he slowed his pace and made his way up towards room 2-C in a leisurely manner. Once there he sat waiting, for a good fifteen minutes until Ino rushed in as well.
"Sorry about the delay," stated Ino clutching an armful of files, while her white medic coat ruffling against the air. "It was a very busy day today and all those kids just coming down with the flu...the emergency room is a mess of concerned parents and crying kids! You will not believe how much harder it is to deal with this then completing missions."
Neji, unsure of how to properly respond to Ino's rant, just settled on nodding his head in approval. Ino, however, took no notice at all. She seemed preoccupied even as she took a seat behind her desk and gestured for Neji to take a seat in front of her.
"If this about the gender of my baby, Tenten will kill me," dryly stated Neji, attempting to humour the medic-nin sitting across from him. His heart sank, however, when she responded by only giving him a rueful half smile.
"Neji, I have some bad news to tell you," began Ino, the ever existing playful tendency in her voice vanishing.
"What's wrong with me?" immediately asked Neji, blood flowing faster through his veins. He steeled himself for the inevitable answer. "Does it have to do with my Byakugan? Or the injuries I suffered after our first Chunin exams?"
"Neji, calm down," instructed Ino, now more hesitant than ever to inform Neji of her discoveries. "You are perfectly normal! The injuries, your Byakugan, your body, everything is normal. You aced your physical, remember?"
"Then it has to be Tenten," gravely concluded Neji, his heart now beating louder against his chest. A feeling of impending doom was washing over him in waves.
"It does have something to do with Tenten," uneasily verified Ino, now uneasily flipping through the files before her. "More specifically, it has to with her pregnancy. You see there is a...complication...a problem if you will."
"Go on," hoarsely ordered Neji, visibly blanching at Ino's last statement.
"During the last ultrasound, I took a closer look," slowly informed Ino, referring back to her notes to provide Neji with the correct information. "And it seems like Tenten has Monochorionic-Monoamniotic Twins."
Neji sat shell shocked at this new revelation. He was a father to not one, but two children whose lives were now in danger.
Ino continued on, "This means that your babies are sharing not only the same placenta, but the same amniotic sac as well. When rechecked earlier tests, I couldn't see a dividing membrane on those either. So, I took another test today to confirm my suspicions and I think...I think I'm right Neji."
Neji momentarily lost his ability to communicate. He tried to talk to the ninja in front of him, but could find no words to do so. He just stared at her blankly, trying to process the new information she had just given him. Sensing his discomfort, Ino gave him some time to absorb this new information. She gave him a sympathetic glance, before resuming her explanation.
"What will happen to Tenten...to the twins?" hastily questioned Neji; unable to even make eye contact with Ino. Distress was coating his normally cold uncaring eyes and was threatening to shatter his steely resolve.
"With proper care and regular checkups, nothing," reassuringly stated Ino, presenting Neji a rare comforting smile in an effort to sooth his worries. "The risks just significantly increase, that's all. Be extra careful with what she eats and what she does. Tell her to conserve her energy, in order to store more nutrients. Regular ultrasound tests also need to be done. And Tenten will most likely have to give birth in around 5 months time."
"She'll only be carrying for nine months. If she give birth earlier, isn't it bad for both her and the babies?" objected Neji, his hands now clenching on top of his knees.
"Usually that's the case, but this is a special circumstance," clarified Ino, pulling out a pen from her pocket. "The longer we wait the more danger the twins are in. We don't usually deliver pre-mature babies but in Tenten's case, time will run out quickly. The babies will grow and then it will quickly get cramped in there. This increases the risk of cord entanglement and cord compression; in both cases, one twin will end up killing the other one."
"And Tenten?" warily questioned Neji, uncertain about what would happen to his precious wife.
"I can't say for sure Neji, but with the proper care," tentatively answered Ino, turning her pen in her hand. "She should be alright."
"What do you mean alright?" angrily responded Neji, impulsively banging his fist on the desk before him. He startled Ino in the process. Realizing that his anger was seeping out, he resumed control by taking deep breaths to clear his mind.
"Neji, only 1% of all pregnancies happen like this," calmly replied Ino, making no motion to pick up the pen she had dropped. "Even in Konoha, there have only been a handful of cases. We are trying our best to help Tenten, you should know that."
"I..." started Neji before stopping suddenly, struggling to find words to express himself.
"It's all right," forgave Ino, empathizing with the plight of the stunned man sitting before her. This was a lot of information to absorb in just one meeting. "Just do not, under any circumstances, let Tenten know about this. She is already weak as it is and this news will most likely have a negative impact on her health."
"You are telling me to hide the fact that she might die or that our children might die from this pregnancy?" bewilderedly asked Neji, anger and dread dictating his speech.
"I'm telling you to save her life," kindly responded Ino, writing supplement pills for Tenten. Neji simply stood dumbstruck as he received the list from Ino.
"How can I save her life, when it is my fault that she is in this situation?" rhetorically asked Neji, heading off towards the local pharmacy.
"It isn't your fault," swiftly reminded Ino, giving her fellow comrade a reassuring pat on the arm. "These things just happen once in a while."
Neji merely shrugged his shoulders, while resignedly taking his leave.
...Lost in this window, with no view~