A/N: Thank you sososo much for the reviews/favs/alerts! Your support means a lot to me! I hope you all enjoy this chapter – though I do feel that it could've been better! ^^"

Warnings: Lemon, language, alcohol abuse … consider yourselves warned

Disclaimer: Yeah, right.

Chapter 25

Storm clouds had gathered, wild winds beat over defenceless tree-tops, lightning flashed periodically and deafening bouts of thunder seemed to rock the foundations of the earth. It seemed that even the weather was conspiring to keep them apart. And though Neji knew that it was probably for the best, he couldn't help but ignore all the signs that told him to keep his distance.

Even if he knew that Tenten would be better off forgetting about his existence entirely he couldn't simply leave – selfishly he couldn't help but want to leave some part of himself with her. Something that would ensure she would never forget … even if she only remembered in the deepest, loneliest hours of the night. Because he would carry her with him forever and though his head told him to let go of selfish hopes his heart wouldn't let him. Whether she'd meant to or not, Tenten had claimed a piece of his soul and the part of him that had so recently learned to hope wanted nothing more than to believe he'd been able to claim a part of her too.

The last week had been the worst, and yet the best, of his life. For the first time in many years Neji could hope for the future, could look beyond the here and now … the mess that was his life. He had a goal, something to look forward to. No matter how hopeless it was, no matter that he knew that he had to let go … he could hope.

For her he would change. Become better. And in his wildest dreams – in the darkest parts of the night, when the call of addiction was at its strongest – he allowed himself to believe that Tenten would wait for him, that she would be there once he was worthy of her. Of course, he knew that his hopes were illogical, he understood that no matter how he wished for it … it would never be and, in his more philosophical moments, he could rationalize that having had her in his life, in his arms, for however short a period of time … it was enough. And far more than he deserved.

The weather steadily worsened but the rain refused to fall. Much like the lump in his chest, it seemed as if the clouds couldn't bring themselves to open up and empty it all out.

Neji almost wished it would rain.

Far too soon he was in front of Tenten's door, hiding in the shadows of the porch as he had done so many times. But tonight he would not avail himself of the spare key under the mat. Darkness lay over the house, her parents' cars were absent but, this time … it had to be her choice to let him in. Slowly, Neji pulled his cellphone from his pocket, his fingers automatically dialling the familiar digits that made up Tenten's number. He let it ring twice, never bringing the device to his ear, and pressed the button to end the call with a certain finality and heavy dread dragging at his soul.

Everything had to end. It was a fact of life. No matter how you hid from it, tried to avoid it … there was no escaping it.

The door creaked open, a crack of light spilling out onto the darkened doorstep and Neji stepped forward, the symbolism of the small action – for once he was stepping towards Tenten shrouded in light – not lost on him. His mouth twisted into a wry grimace that he quickly smoothed out as he stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him.

"I thought you weren't going to come," Tenten whispered, uncertainty painting her voice.

For a moment, Neji was silent as he took in the sight of her; dishevelled brown hair piled on her head in a loose bun with strands dripping down to caress her shoulders bared by a tight-fitting tank top. She twisted one bare leg behind the other, her foot rubbing up and down her calf in an unconsciously sensuous movement.

His heartbeat sped up, jagged shards pushing through his chest with each thump, and Neji couldn't have stopped himself from answering honestly if he wanted to.

"I almost didn't."

Wordlessly Tenten stepped closer, wound her arms around his neck and, standing on tip-toe, she buried her face in the hollow of his throat.

"I'm glad you did."

Her lips brushed against his skin, her breath following and, almost involuntarily, Neji's arms lifted to wrap around her slender frame; pulling her closer, tighter against him. But it was never close enough and he closed his eyes, rested his cheek on top of her sweet-smelling hair, and wished that he could melt into her.

Long moments passed as they stood in the entry way, wrapped up in each other but each hidden in their own thoughts. At last, Tenten stepped away, trailed a hand down his arm until their fingers tangled and she gave him a tremulous smile as she pulled him along in her wake, towards the stairs.

Every step brought them closer to the end, and Neji closed his eyes in silent pain, begging whatever higher power existed for the strength to make it through the night. His eyes opened again because he couldn't pass up any small moment spent drinking in her movements and he allowed his gaze to trace a path from the crown of her shining hair down to her toes; memorizing every inch, every dip, and every hollow of her body as she walked lightly up the stairs.

The silence should have been oppressive but somehow it was soothing; it seemed as if they existed, in this moment, outside of time and away from the world.

Her bedroom was lit with lamps only, the glow turning her chocolate eyes to unfathomable pools of liquid darkness as she turned to look at him expectantly when Neji drew to an abrupt halt just inside the bedroom door.

Don't – don't hate me.

But the words stuck in his throat, the shards pressed a little deeper into his already bloody chest, and Neji reacted in the only way he knew how. He had to show her what she meant, everything he was feeling … but words wouldn't suffice, couldn't express the depth of what he wanted to convey, so he used the only tools available to him.

One hand lifted to cup her cheek, sliding softly along her blushing skin to bury in the fall of her hair as he caressed the nape of her neck. Tenten's eyes drifted closed, her lips opening slightly and Neji found himself unable to draw his gaze away from her glistening lips.

Slowly, carefully, he leaned forward until their lips met in a soft, chaste kiss. His head spun and the world seemed to grow a little darker; how was it possible that he'd forgotten what she felt like in only a week?

Tenten sighed, a trembling puff of air that fell almost silently onto his lips. Instinctively Neji's head angled, his mouth slanted over hers, and he drew a line over the seam of her lips with his tongue, asking for entrance, for permission to deepen the kiss. Her slight moan accompanied the parting of her lips, and Neji was barely aware of Tenten stepping closer, her fingers fisting in the fabric of his shirt, as her tongue danced delicately against his.

She was so soft, so warm … and his other hand settled unconsciously on her hip, drawing her tighter into his body. Her hands slid up, over his collarbone, and Neji suppressed the shudder that wanted to chase down his spine when her fingers drew light lines over his skin as her arms wound around his neck, and her hands threaded through his hair. She stood on tip-toe, pressing even closer, molding her body to his.

Bright lights danced behind his eyelids and Neji slowly slid his hand up from her hip, under the hem of her tank-top pushing the fabric higher so he could trace lingering patterns on the bared skin of her back.

Soft … so soft … so breakable …

The need to breathe overcame the urge to connect to her in some meaningful way, and Neji drew back reluctantly. Tenten's breathing was shallow, her eyes remained closed, and her uneven breaths heaved in her chest …

Slowly, her eyes opened, want burning with a clear flame in their melting depths …

"Please," she whispered, drawing his head down once more.

Neji gave in. Gave up. Admitted to himself that he'd never had a hope in hell of resisting her, resisting this. For all his noble intentions, his heart was clamouring in his chest, his breath hitching in his throat and, at that moment, he could focus on nothing but Tenten, her soft lips, her warm body, and the aching need in his own.

And, having admitted his own weakness, Neji allowed Tenten to draw him slowly back towards the bed. She sank back in a graceful movement and he followed. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt and he let her until she lost patience with the whole thing and simply dragged the offending article of clothing over his head.

His head fell back against the pillows and he fought against the sounds of pleasure that wanted to escape his throat as her teeth scraped over his jugular, her lips and tongue tracing a teasing path down his chest. But it wasn't enough – pleasurable as her touch was he had to know she was real; not part of another fevered dream.

He forced his eyes open, pushed past the expectant tensing of his muscles, and took back control. Flipped her over onto her back and attacked the scant pieces of clothing that hid her body from his gaze and his touch because suddenly any barrier between them was just too much to bear.

His hands swept up and down her bared skin, making her arch her back; cry out into the semi-darkness, her voice lost in the pleasure that masked his senses. Neji pressed his mouth against hers again, biting, sucking at her lips, as his hands wandered slowly over her body; searching for every piece of flesh that would heighten the sensations.

The smooth skin that stretched over her rib-cage gave way to the soft swelling of her breasts and Tenten threw her head back against the pillow as Neji caressed softly before cupping and kneading lightly. Her mouth opened in a silent moan and her back arched and Neji couldn't resist the invitation to touch further. He pressed soft, open-mouthed kisses along her skin and suddenly the haze that had enveloped him receded and he focused on the sounds of pleasure Tenten was making as he explored his way down her body. So familiar, the taste and texture of her skin, and yet so alien…

Don't forget me. Please, Tenten.

Tenten quivered under him, her body shaking and shuddering as breathless pleas fell from kiss-swollen lips and when his fingers dipped into the wetness of her body only to withdraw again in a teasing caress, she opened her eyes.

"Please…"

Her whisper brushed over his lips as she reached up and pulled his mouth down to hers in a desperate kiss of teeth and tongue. Tenten reached between them, began to fumble with the button on his jeans and Neji couldn't keep the tension from manifesting in his limbs. Time seemed to alternately speed up and slow down with no rhyme or rhythm as they struggled to remove the last pieces of clothing.

Finally, Tenten wrapped her legs around his bared hips and ground against him in a wordless appeal; Neji pulled back slightly and stared into her passion-glazed eyes. She stared questioningly up at him but he merely leant down and brushed another slow-burning kiss over her mouth as he pushed slowly into her body.

Don't forget me, Tenten.

She cried out, his name a breathless moan, as Neji slowly began to move, pushing deeper with every thrust. He reached for her hands, tangled their fingers together in the vain hope that the contact would anchor him but the pleasure was too much, too overwhelming, and Neji forgot about everything except the softness, the warmth, the feel of their bodies moving together in perfect synch. Despite his intentions, despite his plans, Neji couldn't control his body – couldn't keep from speeding up. Harder, faster, deeper…

But always soft, always gentle. Every fiber of his being ached to meld with hers, every movement was meant to show her … let her know …

The end was near, Neji could feel it creeping up on him like black death hovering at his shoulder. Tenten's body shuddered around him, her scream muffled by his mouth on hers and, as Neji followed her over the edge; spilled himself deep into her with erratic thrusts, the clouds opened and it began to rain.

I love you. Forever … wait for me …

He made sure that Tenten was asleep, the blankets pulled up carefully around her before he stole silently from her room hours later. It had taken every bit of willpower he possessed to slide from between the warm sheets, to pull his cold clothes back into place, to press a last kiss to her hair, her forehead, her eyelids, her nose and finally her lips.

Tenten had stirred sluggishly, buried her face in the pillow, a slight smile on her lips as she mumbled his name and Neji had hoped, with every particle of his being, that the Neji of her dreams was doing his utmost to make her happy, unlike his counterpart in reality.

Finally, he'd been able to delay the moment of his leaving no longer and he'd quickly turned and left before the sight of her destroyed everything he'd struggled to build in the last week. No matter the pain to himself, it would be better for her. He would be better for her. And he would forever be thankful that Hiashi had allowed him this reprieve, had given in to his demand of making sure Tenten was safe before he left …

Neji smiled bitterly as he threw the car into reverse and backed carefully out of Tenten's driveway, for the last time. How long it would be before he could return – if he could return at all – he didn't know but he studiously ignored the sharp shards in his chest as he drove carefully towards the cemetery.

His uncle had given him this week – had arranged everything so that he could say his goodbyes – because the one thing that Neji was absolutely sure of was that this would be the last time that he would leave Konoha in this state. This time he would try, this time he would succeed …

The phone lying on the passenger seat buzzed to alert him to an incoming call but a side-ways glance at the screen told Neji that it was only his uncle and he decided that his uncle could wait a while longer. He would be in time, he'd given his word, this time he had something to fight for and come morning he would be in his assigned place; Hiashi was worrying needlessly.

The cemetery was deserted but instead of feeling unease at being surrounded by the dark graves Neji welcomed the peace of the place. After all he was walking dead already, wasn't he? But still he needed the liquid courage that alcohol could bring so he reached beneath the seat to the bottle of vodka he'd stashed there earlier and, a few swigs later, Neji finally felt able to step out of the car and face his last goodbye.

His phone buzzed in his pocket but he ignored it as he made his way, still clutching the bottle like a life-line, through the lines towards his mother's grave.

He stood there for a long time in silence, unsure of what to say, of where to begin…

"I-I'm … sorry," he whispered at last, gaze fixed firmly on the cold headstone, aware of the inadequacy of his apology but feeling, somehow, that his mother understood.

Slowly, Neji sank to the damp grass, his elbows resting on his bent knees and, as the level of liquid in the bottle slowly fell, he simply sat; enjoyed the presence of peace that came with laying your demons to rest.

It was hours later when he registered the presence behind him.

Am I that drunk? He wondered hazily but in the end he didn't really care who had come to disturb his peace and Neji merely waited in silence for them to make the first move.

"You're a fucking idiot, Hyuuga. And your uncle has been looking for you for the last four hours."

Sasuke's tone was dry as he lowered himself to sit next to Neji on the damp grass and reached for the bottle resting against Neji's knee. Sasuke took a reflective sip from the nearly empty bottle and let it dangle from his fingers as he crossed his arms over his knees.

"What are you doing out here at this time of night? Do you want to be killed?"

Again, Sasuke's tone was conversational almost but Neji could feel the faint stirrings of resentment below the alcohol induced haze.

"What's it to you if I get killed or not?"

The Uchiha sighed, dark bangs falling forward to hide his eyes, "I never wanted you dead. You're the only one who seems to want that."

Resentment flared into rage and Neji fought to still the trembling of his hands as he stared at the ground in front of him; his voice low.

"Fuck you. What gives you the right to preach? Don't you think I know I'm self-destructive?"

"I think you won't rest until everything around you is in flames."

Silence descended after Sasuke's simple pronouncement and Neji could feel the rage flowing away as if it had never been. For a long moment they sat in increasingly companionable silence before Neji cleared his throat.

"I'm going. And I need to know that Tenten will be safe."

He kept his tone purposefully even, at the moment Sasuke held all of the advantage.

Slowly Sasuke raised his head, tilted it back and stared at the stars.

"Rehab, huh? Yeah. She'll be fine."

Neji allowed the relief to flow through him at the Uchiha's words, and knew that, finally, everything was settled and there was nothing left for him to do here.

"Sasuke. Why are you here?" he asked slowly, suddenly aware of how slurred his words sounded.

"Because whatever we became, we used to be better than this."

Sasuke stood and held a hand out to Neji.

"Let's go. I got Itachi to drop me off – no one else seemed to think that you might be here … I'll drive you back."

Carefully Neji reached out and clasped Sasuke's wrist, allowing the other to pull him to his feet.

No further words were spoken that night – not as Sasuke drove slowly toward the Hyuuga manor, not as he handed a half-passed out Neji over to his uncle, not as he waited for dawn to break and Itachi to fetch him on his way to class.

No words were needed. It might only shatter the thin sheet of glass that encased and protected their wary truce.

As Neji drifted off into sleep – he could feel his uncle's anger but that was alright – he couldn't help but smirk slightly to himself. They might never be friends; not the way they used to be when they were younger but, ironically enough, he felt satisfied with the knowledge that Sasuke would keep an eye on Tenten while he was gone.

A/N: This chapter makes my heart hurt. Sooooo … what did you think? Worth a review? ^^