Here I am! Returned at long last with the newest installment of this fabulous, exciting, addictive story! (Not really)

It was four in the morning when Tenten rolled over. Awakened from her deep slumber, she wasn't quite sure what had woken her up. A chilled gust of air from her bedroom window sent her bolt upright.

She hadn't gone to bed with the window open.

Tenten let out an ear piercing shriek. Within a matter of seconds Neji was in the bedroom and had her pressed close to his chest.

"What's wrong?" His pale eyes scanned the room for any perceived threat.

"T-the window's open." As the words left her mouth, Tenten felt suddenly stupid. She wasn't one of those simple minded twits that fainted ever time they spied a mouse.

Neji nodded brusquely and got up to check the whole room. "I think you're okay. Looks like the window wasn't shut all the way and the wind blew it open."

Tenten nodded. "Okay. Sorry for waking you up."

"It's no problem. If you ever need me for anything then don't hesitate to call for me." He pegged her with a hard look.

She drew an imaginary X on her chest. "Cross my heart."

Neji smiled, and Tenten noticed the firm set of his eyes and the stress that bracketed his sensual mouth. "That's my girl." He crossed the room and shut the door gently behind him. "Sleep well."

Tenten settled back into her bed, but didn't think she'd be able to sleep. Something deep within her told her that she was not alone. She shivered and pulled her knees up to her chest. She could practically feel someone's eyes on her.

Resting her head on her knees, Tenten accidentally dozed off for a few minutes.

The next thing she knew, a rough, calloused hand was pressed against her mouth. "Please don't scream. Please."

Tenten writhed against him, struggling with all her might to get him off her until she literally didn't have the strength to fight her attacker anymore.

"I'm going to take my hand off your mouth now, understand?"

Tenten nodded vigorously.

"If you scream I'm going to put it right back, okay?"

She nodded again.

The second her attacker's hand broke the seal on her mouth she was drawing breath into her lungs for the most blood curdling scream she had ever voiced.

"Oh no you don't!" The hand was back on her lips before she could release more than a muffled meep

Tenten glared at him furiously, willing herself not to start crying. Goddamn it. She hated being a victim.

"Oh, baby I'm so sorry." To Tenten's surprise her assailant sounded like he was going to cry. "I didn't want it to be like this. When I finally met you again it should have been so different. Your mom was still supposed to be alive… I was going to walk right up to your door and say hi."

Needless to say Tenten was confused, but for some inane reason she didn't feel like this man was going to hurt her. Silently she kicked her sixth sense in the ass. When she got killed because she 'didn't think she was in danger' it was going to be all it's fault.

Great, she mused, arguing with your own brain. That has to be healthy.

"Do you want to try the whole talking thing again?"

Tenten nodded and the hand was removed.

"You're Derek aren't you?"

Slowly the man nodded. "You murdered my father."

"No I didn't. Nabu did."

Funny. Nabu claims the exact opposite. "So then what's your story?"

Derek sighed. "Your father and I were quite close when we were younger. Then he met Tasha. At first I was a little jealous that she had stolen away all his attention, but then I got to know her. There wasn't a mean bone in your mother's body and she always made sure she was nice to me and that I was included. Soon the three of us were doing everything together."

There was a long pause.

"Then we noticed Nabu seemed to have a crush on Tasha too. Your father ignored it, thinking it would fade with time. It didn't. If anything it morphed into an obsession and then one night after your parents had married he and Nabu got into an argument. Nabu was enraged and ended up murdering your father in cold blood. Your mother went into hiding and I've been watching after you ever since."

Tenten didn't know what to say. She didn't know who to believe or what to do. Finally she asked, "What does that have to do with me?"

"I don't know what Nabu wants with you. It's taken him almost 17 years to find you, so I'm sure he has something planned out."

"Why are you here?"

"I don't know." Derek murmured. "I just couldn't stand watching from behind the glass anymore. You needed to know this. And you need to know I'm going to do all in my power to protect you."

There was an infinitely long silence. "Even if it means protecting me from yourself?"

No reply.

Tenten turned around, only to realize that Derek was gone, only rumpled sheets to tell her he'd even been there at all.

Snatching her pillow off her bed Tenten padded out of her room and down that hall. She paused at the doorway of the guest bedroom and considered knocking. Shrugging the impulse aside she cracked to door open wider.

"What are you doing Tenten?" Neji asked from his position at the foot of the bed.

Tenten didn't answer, just crawled in between the sheets and stared at him with big doe eyes.

Neji sighed, "Alright, fine. Scoot over."

She did as he asked, noticing immediately Neji slept shirtless, clad only in a worn pair of grey sweatpants.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Neji asked suspiciously, knowing that under normal circumstances, Tenten probably wouldn't be so willing to crawl into his bed. Even if it did technically belong to her.

"I'm doing okay." She snuggled closer to him

Neji didn't say anything. Just laid his head on the pillow and watched her through half mast eyes.

For a long time they just stared at each other before Neji spoke.

" You know, one of these days you're going to learn not to lie to me."