I am overwhelmed! 40+ reviews for a chapter?! That may have been the one with the most number of comments! Thank you so much! I constantly have this fear of going out of my house because of what I did. However, I shall not reveal anything. I hate giving spoilers. XD Just know that some of you guys have pretty accurate predictions, even though most of it was only meant to express their frustration. NaruHina still remains as my favorite pairing. Who's going to complain now? XD

Thank you once again to BuriedInBooks for being able to instantly look over this chapter and editing it on her tablet! Without her, this chapter would have been delayed. I'm on a roll right now, so expect a Kiba x Ino update soon! About Tuesday next week, methinks. I shall try my best! :)

Thank you to Hendrixson for inspiring me to write the Tenten-parents-argument-scene. (Ugh. Does that make sense?) I don't really know how to write stuff like this, especially since it hits close to home. That's weird right? It's close to home, yet I can't write it. Another ugh. :/

Chapter 36

The Thirty-fifth Complication

The Break Out

No more lies, Tenten.

The reaction was slow. It started with the loss of feeling from her fingertips. It crept to the back of her hands and to her arms. By the time the numbness reached her shoulders, her ears started ringing and her lips were shaking. No voice rose from her throat because all her pathways inside her body were frozen dry. Unlike the thunderous heartbeat that she would have expected in nervousness, she couldn't feel anything. Anything at all.

Are you pregnant?!

The question rang in her ears. It was as though someone had torn her heart out of her chest and placed it in an ice cold container. It felt detached yet she was idly aware of how it felt. Her legs that were wrapped under the sheets were becoming cramped.

The question echoed in her empty mind.

Her head was buzzing.

"I…" Her voice sounded so foreign to her ears. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her. Maybe she wasn't really the one who was pregnant. Maybe it was the pitiful girl who was lying on the bed who just passed out from exhaustion and sickness. Maybe she wasn't really in this nightmare – maybe she was a totally different person who just got switched in another body. It was a body of a teenager who made things more complicated than it would have been. She was a far wiser person than the stupid little girl who delighted in playing tricks and manipulating other people. She wasn't this pathetic young woman. This was just an otherworldly experience.

Hoshimaru's eyes literally flashed when she spoke. His voice sounded very much like the death sentences passed down by overlords in the historical dramas that Temari was obsessed with. "Well?!"

"I… I…" Tenten couldn't form a sentence. Her speechlessness should have been the indicator. She was pregnant. She was pretty sure that her parents already knew the truth. What was the point of hearing it from her? What sort of petty torture was this? People loved backing other people into a corner. It seemed that your own family who swore to love you from the moment you were born was no exception.

So she answered the only way she knew how. She just mumbled a feeble, "I am."

She heard her father inhale so sharply that she feared for his lungs. Her mother started crying harder, undoubtedly expecting her answer but was still stunned nevertheless. Tenten didn't want to hear their reactions. She didn't even want to hear them speak. She wanted the ground to open and swallow her whole. She wanted to disappear forever.

"Who's the father?" Hoshimaru growled. "Don't tell me that it's some random stranger whose name and family we don't even know about."

Tenten's brown eyes flew to her father's in shock. She was hurt by the way he was accusing her. It was as though she would sleep with just about anyone and that she had been doing it for a while now. But all her pain was extinguished when she saw the far greater pain that was reflected in his eyes. All the disappointments and all the anger were there. This was what she feared the most in her life – failing her father. He was the man who loved and favored her the most when the whole world only saw her as an insignificant part of a supposedly great family. Now, she was not only plain. She was also a failure.

She was nothing but a loser who got knocked up at sixteen and lied about it so many times that she wasn't even sure what the truth was anymore.

"It's Neji."

She had to answer. There was no use lying. He was the only one. He would always be the only one.

At her response, Sabaku Karura audibly gasped while her husband went from red to a deeper shade of magenta. In any other situation, Tenten would have laughed at how badly the color of Hoshimaru's face clashed with his hair. But this was hardly a situation that calls for any type of humor. Right now, her life hung in the balance. And it was not funny.

"Dad…" she whispered, feeling the first onslaught of tears consume her. She didn't want to cry, but there was nothing more that she could do. She felt the shame and regret of her actions catch up to her. "I-I'm sorry… I'm so sorry."

"Do you realize what you have done?" Hoshimaru spat, his voice growing more and more silent as the seconds ticked by. "The shame that you have brought on the family! I can't believe it! At your age! You're sixteen!"

Her father's statement was growing more and more disjointed and Tenten could only attribute it to the fact that his anger was making him unintelligible. The same thing happened to her whenever she was experiencing the same rage. His eyes were becoming wilder and she felt herself become scared for the first time. At this rate, she could be thrown out of the house with nowhere to go and her father wouldn't even bat an eyelash.

"How did this even happen?!"

Tenten recalled the way she answered Gaara's same question. She joked about it, asking her older brother if he knew all about the birds and the bees. She couldn't jest about it now. Her father would have a heart attack if that happened.

The lame answer happened next. "It was an accident. We were both very drunk…"

Telling your parents that you got so drunk and had sex with someone wasn't exactly the way to soothe the situation. Especially when the start of your explanation was 'it was an accident'. She was glad that she didn't have parents who made crude remarks like 'what, you stumbled and fell on your boyfriend's penis?'. Why the hell was her mind making so much noise anyway?!

"And so you just did it?!" Hoshimaru was trembling.

Tenten looked down. "It was my fault, Dad. I… I was the one who grabbed the bottle. I don't really remember what happened. It just did."

"I'm going to have a talk with Hyuuga!"

"NO!"

Her outburst made Hoshimaru stop in his tracks. Karura was almost standing up to follow her husband, looking very much torn.

"What did you say?"

"No, Dad. Don't."

"And why?!" Hoshimaru growled. "Don't tell me that you haven't told that little bastard yet!"

"I-I haven't." Her admission made her mother cry a little bit more.

"Pray, tell us. Why?"

A dam suddenly broke within Tenten. In all her years of existence, and even with all her imperfections, she never raised her voice in front of her parents. But this time was different. There was so much at stake that she couldn't help but defend herself from it all. "Because I can't face the truth, alright?! I'm so afraid of failing everyone all around me that I can't even admit to myself that I made a mistake!"

"W-What are you trying to say, Tenten?" Karura whispered, moving towards Tenten to reach out for her daughter's hand.

"I'm a nobody!" Tenten suddenly wailed. "I'm a Sabaku, yet I'm a nobody! I'm just there. No one even knows me and they don't even instantly make a connection whenever I introduce myself. I'm always at the background and I struggle so hard to be recognized – "

"So you thought that the best way to be recognized is to play mind games and get pregnant at sixteen?!" Hoshimaru yelled.

Tenten almost glared, if she weren't feeling so weak. "As I recall, you didn't exactly stop me!"

"That's because I trusted you!" Hoshimaru barked. "I've known you since you were a little kid, Tenten! And I never thought you'd be capable of doing this!"

"Doing what exactly?" she countered. "That I failed you by accident? It wasn't my intention for this to happen! I only – "

"Whatever the reason you have, it still doesn't change the fact that you're now with child!" her father harshly pointed out. "Do you even understand what you did wrong? You know that you're not a nobody. You're a princess of Sunagakure who's bound by law to retain a certain standard of propriety!"

Tenten didn't say anything and merely stared.

"If you only stopped to consider reality you'd see that no one ever made you feel like that but yourself!" he burst out. "I thought I taught you that everything and everyone matters. Our actions have an effect to the people and the things around us! Just because you felt insignificant doesn't mean that you should show off in all the wrong ways!"

When she still didn't say anything, Hoshimaru said, "I thought you knew that we love you. Apparently, that's not enough for you."

"Hoshimaru," Karura said, trying to stop her husband from leaving.

"I have to take care of some things," Hoshimaru deadpanned. "We have to make sure that the doctor who looked over her doesn't breathe a word of this to the press. We have to do some damage control."

"This hasn't even been made public yet," Karura reminded him, "and we will make sure that it never will."

"Pray, tell. How can we hide her growing belly from other people?!"

Karura wiped her eyes with a handkerchief as she shakily met Tenten's stunned gaze. "Women from the earliest of centuries were able to conceal their baby bumps if they have to. From the influence we have and with the help of – "

"Why are we even talking about this?!" Hoshimaru almost bellowed. "I have no time for this right now! I'll force her to have an abortion if I have to, Karura! No daughter of mine is going to bring shame to the family – not now, not ever!"

Tenten felt her entire body's temperature drop to an indescribable chill. She had considered abortion before but to hear her own father actually say it. She didn't know what to think. Where was the man who looked at her affectionately – who often said that out of all his children, she was the one who took after him the most. If she did indeed take after him the most, then she would have had a different opinion on this matter. She wouldn't even dare suggest what her own daughter would do in this situation. She wouldn't force anyone to do anything, much less something as life altering as that.

She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

Before Karura could say anything, Hoshimaru stormed out of the room, the door almost falling out of its hinges as he opened and closed it with a deafening bang. If he didn't want the whole world to know there was a problem, he shouldn't be throwing a tantrum like that, in Tenten's humble yet completely misplaced opinion.

She couldn't help it. She broke down.

Tenten didn't feel her mother's arms wrap around her in a comforting embrace. Her sobs wracked her entire body and for a while, she thought that she was going to literally snap into two. The air was rushing in more quickly than she expected, overwhelming and burning her lungs in a way that she had never experienced before. The water just kept on flowing out of her eyes, gushing forth with no hint of stopping any time soon. Her shoulders heaved up and down too rapidly and she could barely feel her entire body. Her skin felt like it was being pierced by a thousand tiny daggers.

She just cried. She cried because there was nothing left for her now but the look of absolute frustration in her father's eyes before he left. She knew that once Temari would find out, she would remind her how much she warned her against what she planned on doing and that she was now reaping the consequences. She knew that when Kankuro found out, he would do everything in his power to find Hyuuga Neji and cut off his balls.

And Neji… she knew that there was nothing she could expect from Neji, who would only feel betrayed after the countless lies she had told him. Maybe his honor would let him stand by her, but surprisingly, she didn't want any of that. It would kill her to find out that the only reason the man she fell in love with would stay by her side was that he felt obligated to do so. She was sick of people who only acknowledged her just because she was a Sabaku. She was sick of people who treated her as an afterthought. For Hyuuga Neji to treat her that way… she knew that it would break her.

"Tenten," Karura said soothingly when her daughter was finally reduced to a softly sobbing mess, "tell me why you did this? I never… I – "

"I-I know," Tenten sniffled, attempting to glare and failing miserably. "I know that you understand me the least among your children."

Karura was flabbergasted. "That's not true!"

"It is. You never understood why I was always playing tricks on people or why I seem not to care. You never understood why I felt the need to always, always prove myself. You never understood the way I think and the way I react," Tenten droned on, looking like a lost child as she hugged her knees. "Let's face it, mother. I heard you tell Dad once why I was like this."

"You heard…?"

Tenten nodded. "Temari was always the beautiful, decisive, and competitive one. She's easy to understand and she never really likes to hide stuff from us. Kankuro is… Kankuro. He's the more horrifying version of Temari who tries to hide it all under a guise of toughness," the statement was punctuated with a laugh, "and of course, that almost always fails because he's too transparent. And Gaara…"

Karura listened, her eyes wide and her arms falling away from Tenten's shivering form. Her daughter paid her no mind as she plowed on with an almost fond smile on her face.

"Gaara's that son that every parent would want to have. He's a genius, he's a born leader, he's kind and compassionate. He's everything and what's not to love about him? Even I find it difficult to be angry at him even though I sometimes think he's a know-it-all snob."

Tenten exhaled, "But me? I'm no one. I'm not that smart or good-looking compared to Temari and Kankuro. I don't have Kankuro's humor and strength. I'm only a girl who resorts to pranks to get noticed. I'm only a girl who tries to contribute to the family in the only way she knows best. But still, I'm the only Sabaku who failed."

She expected her mother to stay silent. Why would she talk when Karura knew that her daughter was right? Tenten started to realize that the only reason why her father would claim that she was his favorite was because he pitied her. Like everyone else in this damned world, they all felt like she was a charity case. She was the forgotten Sabaku. She was the pregnant Sabaku. Her only claim to fame would be the scandal that would be the topic of her circle and gossip newspapers everywhere in the world.

"Tenten," Karura finally spoke, "don't do this to yourself. We love you and your father… your father is only upset, as is natural. We never thought – "

"That's exactly it!" Tenten exclaimed. "We never thought it would happen! I never thought it would happen! Hell, if it were up to me, I would never even consider going out with a guy! But I met Neji and he… he made me feel like I was somebody. Like I was a force to be reckoned with. Like I was a worthy opponent. Like I was my own person."

Seconds ticked by as more tears flowed down her face. When she finally managed to speak again, her words were spoken with finality, "Just leave me alone."

"Tenten…"

"Leave me alone," Tenten said with a bitter laugh. "I'll spare you the awkwardness of trying to comfort your strange daughter, mom. Just leave me alone."

She didn't expect her mother to fight. Karura gave her one last pained look before she walked out of the door, leaving Tenten in an anguished mess.

Hyuuga Neji was losing his mind.

A week had passed after the trip. Seven days had passed since he last talked to Tenten. He was busy with a lot of things but he still found time to shoot her a call or a text. Unfortunately, she wasn't answering. He wanted to go to her house but Hiashi wouldn't allow him, stating that they had all the time in the world when classes resumed. The Hyuuga empire just had too much work to be done.

And because of that, he thought that he was on the brink of insanity. He was worried about Tenten, although he would rather die than admit that. However, he was given no luxury to think about anything else.

Right now, he thought that he was going to lose his mind yet again.

There he was, minding his own business and trying to finish the latest figures that his father wanted him to look over for the Kirigakure branch of the Hyuuga empire when he unluckily decided to go to Hanabi's room to borrow her many supplies for school. He swore that he couldn't understand why the girl needed her own educational supply store in her room. Next to her walk-in closet was another room filled with piles of neatly stacked pads of paper, notebooks, pencils, pens, sharpeners, folders, and all those things that anyone could possibly need.

But for the first time ever, Neji was thankful that Hanabi had that weird fascination because he badly needed some folders. Apparently, it was a mistake to open her door without knocking.

Neji was always someone who followed good manners and proper decorum to a T. He just had a momentary lapse of judgment when he decided to walk in Hanabi's room without even hinting his presence.

He just wanted a few folders, so why in heaven's name would he want to see Hanabi and a young man with brown hair kissing passionately on her bed with an abandoned guitar acting as their 'pillow'?

His reaction was priceless. He didn't shout. Not a sound escaped from his lips. The only thing that he did was to stare and stare until Hanabi finally took notice of her petrified older brother and pushed the startled boy off of her.

When she screamed, that was the only time that Neji was shocked out of his stupor, "NEJI-NII, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

At the shout, Neji's eyes narrowed, wishing that there was no hint of red staining his pale face. "I should ask you that question! What are you two doing?!"

"Should you really be asking me that?" Hanabi hissed, straightening her blouse as the boy stared wildly from her to Neji. At this movement, the older Hyuuga's sharp gaze fell on Hanabi's 'kissing partner', only to instantly recognize who the boy was.

"Sarutobi Konohamaru?" The way he said the name sounded so much like lethal poison that the younger man cringed. "What are you doing here? In Konoha?"

Yes. What was the prince of another country doing here? Neji was pretty well updated with the news and he hadn't heard, seen, or read any articles about visits by any members of any of the Imperial families. Which could only mean one thing…

Sarutobi Konohamaru wasn't on any official business here in Konoha. He snuck into the country just to have a kissing session with his sister.

His fourteen-year-old sister.

"U-Uhm…" the answer was getting more and more obvious as the boy fumbled for answers. He didn't look like royalty right now – dressed in very casual clothing with a blue scarf hanging in disarray around his neck. To Neji's complete horror, there was a red mark showing under the offending article of clothing.

There could only be one person responsible for that, and it was the unapologetically glaring spitfire who was standing up to stalk up to her brother.

"Don't you know how to knock?!" she said as she finally stood a few paces away from Neji, meeting his angry glare with one of her own.

Konohamaru thought of how freakishly similar Neji and Hanabi looked when they were angry and thought it wisely to just let them beef it out with each other rather than join. He'd just watch and wait until they return their focus to him, which would hopefully never happen. It was wishful thinking, but he still wished for it fervently. He had heard a lot of stories about Hyuuga Neji. He hadn't met any of the Hyuugas on a more personal level and he didn't want to start off with the wrong foot.

Too late. And of all the people he could possibly offend, it was Neji.

He would rather take on Hyuuga Hiashi. According to rumors, he had gone soft after his older daughter's marriage to his dear Naruto-nii-chan.

"I didn't knock because I didn't think that I had to!" Neji defended with a deadly stare to Konohamaru. "And right now, I'm glad that I didn't!"

"What happened to you and your manners?" Hanabi mockingly asked. "Forgot about them?"

"That's highly irrelevant if you're doing what I think you're doing," Neji said with a pink tinge on his cheeks.

When Hanabi caught that, her angry expression turned teasing, "Ohhh… Neji-nii is shy! Do I really need to remind the great Hyuuga Neji who, between the two of us, is no longer a virgin?

"Hanabi!" Neji barked, now completely red in the face. Without meaning to, Konohamaru started guffawing, only to be silenced by a pencil that flew past his face. The poor boy ducked and scrambled away to the very end of the room, pulling a sheet with him that served as his last form of defense against Neji's wrath.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Hanabi returned, crossing her arms on her chest.

"I just wanted to ask for a few folders from your store," Neji retorted. "And here I find you otherwise preoccupied."

"Well, Konohamaru is a damn good kisser," she sassily countered, smirking.

Neji went brick red. "Have some decency, Hanabi! You're a Hyuuga! Even though that… that thing happened between me and Tenten, I know better than to actually flaunt it around and – "

"You can't flaunt it around because you can't remember it," Hanabi reminded him. "And you can't remember it because you weren't decent enough to think about the repercussions of alcohol. Need I remind you that I don't drink and I'm sober enough to know what's right from wrong!"

"You're fourteen!"

"Hardly an argument! What is wrong with you?!"

Neji frowned deeper. "Keep talking, Hanabi, and I'll call Father and tell him of your little – "

"Oh that's the way to handle the situation! Call Dad!"

"Don't you dare make fun of me!"

"I'm not! You're making fun of yourself!" Hanabi scathingly replied. "For once, can you please get that stick out of your ass and live a little?!"

"I'm only concerned because I'm your brother!" Neji retorted. "Is it wrong for me to remind you once in a while to be careful?!"

"You're my brother, not my father! And I'm being careful! You're not exactly someone to preach, Neji-nii!"

"Can you stop bringing that up?!"

Konohamaru couldn't stand it anymore. He cleared his throat.

The two fighting Hyuugas both turned their heads to his direction and shouted, "What?!"

The prince sheepishly chuckled and scratched the back of his neck, "Anou, I'm sorry for interrupting your fight. But don't you two think that it's time for you to stop?"

"Who gave you the right to speak?" Neji deadpanned. "You're not exactly in the position to make us stop since you're the cause of all of this. You shouldn't be here in the first place."

"I know that – "

"I should contact your family," Neji added.

"Oh no you don't!" Hanabi interjected, pulling Neji before he could leave. In her haste, Neji fell over, landing on his behind and yelping in pain.

"Hanabi!"

"Oops," she said, giggling slightly. Her serious expression returned. "One wrong move, Neji, and you won't ever be able to touch Tenten-nee again."

Neji's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

"I mean, not in that way." Her eyebrows were wriggling suggestively.

"Hanabi!" He couldn't count the number of times that he yelled his younger sister's name today. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't inform Konohamaru's parents of his whereabouts."

"First off, it's because they're already dead," Hanabi frankly stated. It took all of Neji's willpower not to lunge at his sister and stifle her big mouth with his hands. He hazarded a look towards Konohamaru, careful not to show concern. However, the boy didn't even flinch. He just continued to grin, looking thoroughly amused by the scene that was unfolding before him. "And secondly, his Uncle Asuma permitted him to come here."

"A-Asuma?" Neji stammered. He knew who Asuma was. After the Emperor Hiruzen, Asuma was next in line to the throne. According to rumors, he was a bit laid back and a rebel, so Neji could understand why he would allow his nephew – the young man who would inherit the throne after him – to go gallivanting to other countries with no official purpose.

"Yes. Asuma." Hanabi's smirk was getting wider. "And you know what that means. That means that Konohamaru is on official business here."

"I doubt that his grandfather knows about this," Neji said, his eyes narrowing. However, he was surprised when Konohamaru wasn't even sweating.

"I think he knows too," the boy said. "He didn't, but he would know. That's just how the old man is."

Neji sighed and threw his hands in the air in a comical fashion that would be surprising to all who saw him. "Just give me the damned folders."

Hanabi giggled triumphantly and waltzed to one of her closets. After a few seconds, she came out, producing a stack of the folders Neji requested. Without warning, she kissed her older brother on the cheek.

Neji looked absolutely horrified. "Don't kiss me with what you've - !"

"What's wrong with you today?" Hanabi said with a laugh. "You and Tenten-nee had a fight?"

"Of course not," he replied. A little too quickly. "No. Of course not."

"Uh-huh. Hence the repetition," Hanabi commented.

"Just get out of your room and do something decent," Neji told her sister and her boyfriend. "You can have a date at the grounds if you're not allowed to go outside."

The last statement was addressed to Konohamaru, who fervently nodded. Hanabi scowled. "Regardless of where we are, I'd still kiss my boyfriend whenever I want to."

"Hanabi!"

"God, Neji-nii! Just because Hinata-nee and I are getting more action than you doesn't mean that you have to be a sourpuss!"

"H-Hinata?!" Neji gasped. "What the hell do you mean that Hinata is getting some action - ?"

"Oh? Didn't Naruto-nii-chan tell you?" Konohamaru finally spoke teasingly, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"What didn't he tell me?" Neji growled.

"I think Hinata-nee is pregnant," Konohamaru added. "I just found out last week. They're already married so I don't understand what's – "

That must have been the first time that Hyuuga Neji blacked out Hinata style. It could have been amusing, if only Hiashi didn't arrive and pass by Hanabi's room just in time. Apparently, Hiashi himself didn't know that Konohamaru was coming and seeing the boy standing near his youngest child's bed nearly sent him into a frenzy.

But before Hiashi could open his mouth, a loud bang was heard. The noise reverberated across the spacious Hyuuga mansion, stopping them in their tracks. In an instant, Konohamaru leapt to Hanabi's side as he stared around. A nerve visibly ticked in Hiashi's forehead at the action. He didn't like the way Konohamaru was holding his daughter. Not one bit.

"What was that?" Hanabi whispered, confused and wary.

"I don't know," Konohamaru answered. "Are you expecting anyone today?"

"The answer should be obvious," she sarcastically stated. She stared at her father, "Are you expecting anyone?"

"Stay here," Hiashi commanded, the answer clear to them. "I will go look at what has happened."

"Where are the guards?" Hanabi bit out furiously. "I swear, they keep on slacking on the job."

"If he was able to enter undetected, then I would really have to have a word with them," Hiashi said with a pointed glare at Konohamaru.

"Please, you can't go inside!" The voice belonged to Ko, Hinata's former caretaker. It came all the way from the receiving room of the mansion.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Hiashi immediately left while Neji began stirring. He groaned as he slowly opened his eyes, blinking the final vestiges of unconsciousness away. He gingerly sat up as he massaged his head. Hanabi immediately knelt down and grabbed his shoulder.

"What happened?" he asked. "Who was that?"

"Now's not the time," she replied urgently. "Something's going on."

"Who was that?" Konohamaru asked, walking towards the door and looking at the vast corridor that led to the main stairwell.

"Get away from there!" Hanabi hissed, displeased at Konohamaru's nonchalance.

"Alright, alright! I was just checking if – "

"HYUUGA NEJI!"

At the sound of his name, Neji bolted upright. He ignored the sudden nauseating buzz that radiated in his head. It could have knocked him down once more but he ignored the discomfort. He moved to confront whoever it was that was screaming his name and causing a disturbance in their house. However, he was stopped by Hanabi, whose hand was cold and clammy against his skin.

Her eyes were wide with fear and anxiety. "Don't go down there, Neji-nii-san."

Neji would have followed her just to ease her mind. But when he heard his name being shouted for the second time, he knew that he needed to go down. The rage in the stranger's voice was unmistakable. There was something definitely wrong.

He nodded towards Konohamaru who did the same in silent understanding.

"Neji-nii…" Hanabi implored as she was held back by Konohamaru.

Neji ignored his sister's plea and left the room. As a Hyuuga, he was trained never to fear. He was taught that he was born with all the riches and privileges of the world, so there was no need to feel intimidation. He was the one who did the intimidating. He did nothing wrong and would therefore fear nobody. If he ever did something that displeased other people, he would not apologize because he knew that his every action was justified.

So when he finally reached the top of the staircase and saw the furious face of Sabaku Kankuro, he suddenly knew that this was a situation wherein he needed to abandon the Hyuuga pride. He needed to face this just like any ordinary man.

Because by the look of his face, Neji knew exactly what he came for. He wasn't called a genius for nothing. He had the uncanny ability to tell what the person was thinking just by looking at them.

"WHO THE HELL GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SLEEP WITH MY SISTER?!"

And he was right.

Unfortunately for Hyuuga Neji, he was almost always right. And this was one of those times.

"The elders have finally reached a decision."

She didn't know if she could even meet her father's gaze. She just looked down at the sheets that covered her weak body. Somehow, after what had happened to her, she could barely move anymore. It was as though all the strength in her had left, leaving her in a sick mess. She had been bedridden for about three days now, awaiting judgment by the Sunagakure elders. Hoshimaru returned to Suna to convene them of the situation, as was protocol. They had no time to talk as a family. The decision was not theirs to make.

It had to be made by a sea of faceless old men whom she hadn't even met yet. Strangers would make the decision for her – a princess they didn't know. They would show no mercy. She just knew it.

"What have they decided?" Karura asked. Tenten was surprised that her mother had stayed with her for the past days even when she was told by her husband to accompany him back to Suna.

"They have given you two options," Hoshimaru said, addressing Tenten. "One is to live with the baby with the condition that you will never be introduced to the public as a princess of Sunagakure. You shall renounce your title, your inheritance, and your birth right. You shall also live your life in exile here in Konoha."

"What?!" Temari gasped angrily. After finding out about the truth, the oldest Sabaku child quickly confronted Tenten, who didn't even breathe a single word. It had been a bloody confrontation and the younger girl didn't want to relive it ever again. She hated it whenever she hurt Temari. Her silence was her only comfort… the only consolation she could give her sister.

Tenten heard that Kankuro and Gaara were also informed in Suna. Gaara already knew the truth, of course. She feared for Kankuro's reaction. He always had the tendency to blow his lid.

"What's the second option?" Tenten's hoarse query surprised the other Sabaku females. It sounded cold… detached. It was as though they were talking to an empty shell.

An odd look passed in Hoshimaru's eyes. Karura caught it before it was lost. She knew that his feelings towards their youngest daughter were true – Tenten was Hoshimaru's favorite. But he easily masked this with an indifferent, almost angry, façade.

"The second is that you have an abortion," he stated, "in an undisclosed location with the Imperial doctor that has been made to sign an iron-clad confidentiality agreement. No one will ever know of this pregnancy, including Hyuuga Neji. You shall move on with your life as though nothing happened."

Tenten didn't react for a while. She just stared at nothing.

"You don't have to choose now," Karura consoled her. "She has time, hasn't she?"

Hoshimaru's lips thinned. "She doesn't have the luxury of taking up too much time. The decision has to be made within the week. The thing wouldn't stop growing."

Tenten nearly laughed aloud in bitter resentment. The thing? The thing wouldn't stop growing? Of course it wouldn't! It was a stubborn little bugger. It was a Sabaku and a Hyuuga – probably the two most stubborn clans in the entire world. It was made by her and Neji. It was a part of her and Neji…

Her mind was made up.

"There's no need to wait."

"What?" Temari and Karura let out in unison.

"Don't be so hasty!" Karura said. "Think, Tenten!"

Tenten just looked at her mother blankly. Her gaze swept from her to her sister, who was looking back at her in astonishment, clearly shaken at the emptiness within her eyes. The brown orbs ended up meeting with her father's, who suddenly looked hesitant, almost pitying.

But she didn't feel their pity. She didn't feel their sympathy. She felt cold, yet there was something burning in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't lying when she said that she had made up her mind.

The choice was easy. It came as easily as breathing yet it felt like drowning.

When she spoke, she thought that the whole world had stopped.

"I will have an abortion."

Tenten's decision reached Sunagakure in no time.

It should come as no surprise that Kankuro suddenly had a feeling of indescribable rage that was impossible to contain. He knew that he had to go to Konoha as soon as possible and give that arrogant Hyuuga a piece of his mind.

He hadn't been there yet and he hadn't seen Tenten since the revelation. From the little information their father told him and Gaara, she hadn't told Neji yet. And ever since the confrontation, their youngest sibling hadn't come out of her room and talked to anyone at all, even their mother. Temari tried to speak to her, but according to the blonde Sabaku, Tenten would only stare at her.

He hated the feeling of not being able to do about anything. He was her older brother, yet he was miles away, confined with work and all of the things that a Crown Prince should be doing. If it were all up to him, he would have given the position to Gaara ages ago. The elders made it apparent to Kankuro that they favored his younger brother and he was made for the job anyway. He didn't want to Emperor anyway. He was sure that it would take the fun out of life.

When he decided to leave Suna for Konoha, he had a difficult time warding off the elders, which made him even more annoyed by his position. They were all shocked that he suddenly wanted to go to the neighboring nation during a very turbulent time. They kept stressing to Kankuro that they were still in a turbulent time where the whole structure of the country hung in the balance. They were also in the process of fixing and establishing the Imperial family and settling all disputes with the people.

They also made it clear that they didn't care what happened to a virtually unknown princess who was having issues. It was apparent that Tenten was the least of their concerns and they had no hesitations in pointing that out to Kankuro. Even with the coronation of the Emperor, the Empress and the princes, Temari and Tenten were still not officially recognized. The only upside to being Temari was that everyone already knew that she was their sibling – she was the beautiful and cool princess that everyone in Suna had been excited about. She had created a sensation without even meaning to.

And then there was Tenten – a princess that no one knew about. When she was on a visit, no one saw her. That was why the elders were only too glad to say that they were lucky that it was her who was having some problems. Had it been Temari, they would have a difficult time controlling the situation. If word got out that their princess caused a fiasco by getting pregnant at the age of sixteen, they could lose everything that they worked so hard to achieve. Luckily, as they said again and again, it was Tenten who got pregnant, not Temari.

That only made Kankuro more furious. Who did they think Tenten was? She was as important as her siblings! She was a Sabaku by birth and by blood. She was capable and she did well in everything she set her mind to. She was a great asset to Suna. It took all of his inner strength not to make a grave for each and every one of those ancient bastards. They were disrespectful and unhelpful. All they cared about was their image and if Kankuro were Emperor, they would have banished all of them.

But he wasn't. And he couldn't.

Right now, he felt so powerless and he resented it.

He couldn't do anything to help Tenten, who seemed so unwilling to be helped. He couldn't do anything on the Suna side of the fence since the elders and their father have already made a decision. He tried resisting them as best as he could in a futile attempt to bide his sister some time, but to no avail. They were making her choose between two very impossible options. It was like she was being given an ultimatum. Either decision could spell the end of something for her.

And she already chose.

She chose to abort the pregnancy.

That was why he felt the need to storm into Konoha and give Neji a piece of his mind. The elders have said that whatever Tenten chooses, the pregnancy should still remain a secret, even from the father. They feared that the Hyuugas would use their influence to tarnish the Sabaku name by stirring up rumors in retaliation. They dryly commended Tenten for her wise decision to keep the pregnancy to herself, saying that she must be royalty 'after all'.

Why should Tenten be the only one to suffer the consequences? Even though Kankuro was prevented from breathing a word to Neji, he wanted to beat the bastard up. No one told him that he shouldn't be angry just for the fact that the little shit slept with his sister. He could vent his anger out with that reason. He didn't need to tell him. He didn't deserve to know anyway. Tenten was so much better off without him.

That was why he found himself in the receiving area of the Hyuuga manor, facing Hiashi's massive staff, ready to defend the master of the house from the enraged royal. The moment Kankuro stepped on Konoha soil, he didn't heed the advice of his parents to immediately go to their house. He needed to have a word with Neji – the stuck up bastard had to have an idea how everything would change for Tenten.

And he needed to pass on a message that he, as the Crown Prince, could do. He was going to exercise one of his powers and Suna be damned.

He was not surprised that Gaara decided to follow him – stalking like a shadow ready to pounce if ever his older brother overstepped his boundaries. Or to stop him from killing somebody.

One of the Hyuuga attendants tried to stop him. "Please, you can't go inside!"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

His bellow was fierce, resembling a frightening war cry. He pushed the man away. He could feel Gaara's deadpan stare at the back of his head – a stare that would have frozen him at any other time. Any other time except now.

"HYUUGA NEJI!" It was a challenge. He knew that the brat was somewhere inside, probably combing each and every strand of his girly hair. Kankuro almost grinned at the thought. He would take great pleasure in running scissors through them.

To his twisted delight, Hyuuga Hiashi appeared. The old man looked disgruntled and upon seeing who the intruder was, his face twisted into one of confusion.

"Kankuro," he said in his authoritative voice that irked the prince. "I'm sure that the matter you've come for is urgent, if you cannot spare a single drop of manners. What is that you want?"

Kankuro ignored the subtle jab and shouted Neji's name once again. He had no time to play tricks with the older Hyuuga. He wanted his son. Preferably just his head.

"What business do you have with my son?" Hiashi said in a monotone. "I would prefer that you try to be more decent in my house and tell me what is going on here."

Kankuro's face went from incensed to absolutely lethal when Neji finally appeared at the top of the grand staircase, looking paler than usual. He was delighted by the fact that he had semblance of worry evident on his blank features, not knowing that the cause of the lack of color was because of an encounter with Neji's sister earlier that day.

When their eyes met, Kankuro was shocked at the resignation in Neji's lavender orbs. It was as though the man knew why Kankuro was there. That instantly made his blood boil.

"WHO THE HELL GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SLEEP WITH MY SISTER?!"

He almost missed Hiashi closing his eyes in annoyance. So, the old man knew?

"No one," Neji replied almost coolly. "And have you even talked to Tenten about this? You should, before you go – "

Before Neji could finish his sentence, Kankuro was right in front of him, punching him across the face. He felt his cheek explode in an unbearable pain that reached his eyes, immediately making him tear up. His neck snapped to the right because of the force. He felt his lip explode and in a worse twist of fate, he managed to bite his tongue. It took him a few seconds to recover before he stood back up straight, wiping the blood that flowed from his mouth.

"Don't be a smart ass, Hyuuga," Kankuro hissed. "I'll kill you right now if you don't stop."

"What's stopping you then?" Neji's words were garbled, but he didn't mind. He faced the Sabaku without any fear or reservation.

"Fuck you," Kankuro spat.

"Kankuro, you are in my home," Hiashi said warningly.

"Stop teaching me manners, Hiashi," Kankuro retorted, "when your son goes around sleeping with women even though it's not appropriate to do so in his age. You don't know how to keep your word and don't expect us to keep ours. I won't stay here for long, because I have to go back to my sisters."

Neji frowned. He could understand Kankuro's anger, but he couldn't comprehend his rage. There was something deadly in it, almost as though the Hyuuga did some permanent damage. He didn't understand because even though Tenten was no longer a virgin, they were still going to be engaged to one another. There was no point in throwing a fit over it especially since Tenten wasn't going to be married to anyone else. And besides, they lived in a modern world.

So, why?

What alarmed him the most was that Gaara was there and he wasn't doing anything to stop Kankuro. Neji knew that Gaara was level-headed. He would have stopped Kankuro from storming to the Hyuuga estate just to pick a fight. This time, Gaara let his older brother do what he wanted. Which must mean something…

"What's going on?" Neji said in a hushed tone. He looked at Gaara, "Why aren't you saying anything? Did something happen to Tenten?"

Gaara's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. He didn't mistake the genuine concern in Neji's voice. So, the Hyuuga finally grew a heart? But it was too late. The damage had been done. Tenten was broken and no one could fix her.

"Finish what you've started, Kankuro," the younger Sabaku said in his cold voice. "We should get going."

"Shut up, Gaara," Kankuro growled. He eyed Neji with all the venom he could muster, "I'm here to pass on a message. A decree from the Crown Prince of Sunagakure."

Neji's eyebrows rose as he eyed Kankuro who continued, "I hereby order that your engagement from my sister, Tenten of Sunagakure, be dissolved immediately. And you are not allowed to see her until such time I decree otherwise."

"Neji-nii-san, I heard what happened from Hanabi."

He knew that he shouldn't expect the incident to be kept from Hinata. She was looking at him with utmost concern – in a way that only Hinata could do. There was something about his twin sister that prevented him from hiding whatever it was he was thinking about or feeling. He was an open book to her and she wanted to help out as much as she could. And to help out, he would have to tell her everything.

"I don't know what happened myself." And it was the truth. He was confused as to what and why Sabaku Kankuro and Gaara went to his house, only to be punched in the face and yelled at. He didn't know why they were so angry, almost to the point of murdering him if they had a chance. He observed that Kankuro might have been the one who was vocal and violent but it didn't mean that Gaara didn't exude that more frightening, crazed aura that he was known for having occasionally.

Everyone knew that there was something dangerous about the younger Sabaku brother – something that others steered clear of. Neji had experienced it first hand. He was rarely afraid but at that moment, he admitted that he was.

The start of the classes was met with much enthusiasm, but Neji could only welcome it with half a mind. Even with the intense workload that was suddenly dropped on them, all his thoughts were on Tenten, who still hadn't arrived that morning. She must be avoiding him and she must have been told of what her older brother had decreed. But knowing her, she would fight against it. No one told Tenten what to do, even if it's her family. She would surely find a way.

Because he really couldn't picture himself moving on without her.

Yes. He was a prideful fool to think that he could go on with his life without her. She had become an indispensable part of his daily routine. She was the fun part of his day. She was the challenging part of his day. She was the one who brought all sorts of stuff to his life – the good and the bad. She was the one who was fearless enough to tell him that he was hers and no one else's. She was the one who continuously puzzled and intrigued him with her games and tricks. She was the one who thought that she was plain yet for him she was so amazing and beautiful that he just knew that he couldn't find anyone quite like her.

And she was his. Sabaku be damned. Sunagakure be damned. She was his.

And he knew that he was always right.

So when Tenten suddenly waltzed in with a smile on her face, he suddenly felt ridiculously happy. His worries were unsubstantiated. His worries were useless. Because here she was, looking like a vision as though nothing happened.

"Tenten," he said, immediately walking up to her.

She gave him a brilliant smile and a warm hug, much to his surprise. "Hey."

"We have to talk." His worries might have been for nothing, but they still need to talk about what had happened. Hiashi had pestered him endlessly to find out and to try to repair the damage. It seemed that his father had grown to like Tenten and preferred her as his future daughter-in-law above all others.

"I know," she said. "I'm really late today."

Neji gave her a small smile. "What happened to you? Overslept?"

"Yeah," she replied. "I'm sorry if you haven't heard from me the past week. I was sick."

"Sick?"

"Yeah," she repeated with a slight laugh, patting him on the shoulder. "I'm not friends with winter."

It really seemed like nothing happened. This worried Neji slightly. "Can we talk about it over lunch?"

"Sure. Wait a minute. I just have to give my notes to Sakura. What's going on with her and Sasuke anyway?"

"I don't think I want to know."

"Those two are confusing," Tenten commented wryly, walking over to Sakura to give her notes. The pinkette just nodded and took it without saying a word. When Tenten got back to Neji, she was shaking her head, "Poor girl."

"Should you really be saying that now?" Neji asked. "Anyway, let's go?"

"In a hurry?" The statement was punctuated with another breezy laugh. "Missed me?"

"Terribly."

That drew a different reaction from Tenten. Neji watched as her eyes widened and her mouth trembled slightly. It was as though she was suddenly on the verge of crying. However, before anything could happen, she quickly blinked and looked away.

"Stop fibbing," she said, slapping him hard on the back, causing him to cough.

"What's up with your family and physical violence?" Neji rolled his shoulder experimentally.

Tenten narrowed her eyes as they went out of the classroom. "Don't bring that up ever again. I've given that little shit a piece of my mind."

"Watch your mouth."

"How's yours?" Tenten returned, her hand suddenly flying to the fading bruise near Neji's lip. The Hyuuga fought the urge to blush and shudder when her fingers delicately touched it. Her eyes were warm and almost drowning as they assessed the damage.

"Fine," he managed to choke out. "Where do you wanna go?"

"I don't want to attend the afternoon period," Tenten stated. "Let's play hooky."

Neji's eyes almost popped out of its sockets. "No way."

"Come on! Live a little!"

"If my father finds out – "

Tenten slapped her hand against her forehead. "Still afraid of your daddy? What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Neji exclaimed. "There's something wrong with you if you think that cutting classes is okay!"

"Just this once, Neji," she pleaded. "Just this once. I'm really not in the mood to listen to Anko."

"What if she tells our parents that we've been missing?"

"I don't care," Tenten firmly said. "Do you really think I'm okay with them right now? Adding one offense after another doesn't concern me anymore. Let's just go."

"We can't do that, Tenten."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because it's wrong."

"Well," Tenten sassily said, "I say it's right. So let's go or else I'd have to leave you and go on my own."

Neji's eyes narrowed at that. "No way am I letting you go alone."

"Exactly. Now, if you don't want to worry, you can just stop being a pussy and come with me." The word Tenten used to describe him made him wince. His discomfort only fueled her laughter.

"Where are they, Tenten?" Neji asked, stopping the Sabaku in her tracks. "Where are your parents? Kankuro? Gaara? Temari?"

Tenten hesitated before she answered, "They're in Suna. Gaara's the only one with me."

"You're not allowed to be with me anymore," Neji told her. "Kankuro made a decree. We're not engaged anymore."

Her reply came as a shock. "So? You seriously think that we're taking Kankuro's word?"

"Wasn't it official?"

"Of course not!" Tenten staunchly denied. She started running towards Neji's limousine as she dragged him along. She ignored the surprised stare that his chauffeur gave her, disregarding the fact that the man was there when Kankuro declared that the two not see each other ever again. "You really believe that brother of mine? He's a hot head! He doesn't think."

Neji almost groaned. "Are you sure about this, Tenten?"

"Of course I am!" Tenten adamantly said. She pulled Neji into the car and faced him, surprising him at the sudden proximity between them. Her amused eyes suddenly turned serious – filled with emotion that Neji couldn't quite place. "Promise me something, Neji."

He was taken aback. "What? What are you - ?"

"Just promise me!"

One look at her and he knew that if she asked for the world, he would give it to her without question. "Fine."

"Promise me that you'll always remember me this way," she said as she held his face. "Promise me that you'll remember this day. And promise me that even though I'm a liar, you'll believe what I will say to you right now."

Neji could feel his heart hammer against his chest as Tenten stared into his eyes – into his soul. "What're you going to say?"

"Promise me first!"

"I promise."

Tenten laughed. "Alright then. Promise me you'll believe me when I tell you that I love you."

His mind was reeling. All the questions that he was about to ask her – why she suddenly decided to follow a whim and play hooky, why she suddenly looked like she was on cloud nine, why her brothers were so angry at him – all died on his lips. All he could perceive was her and how beautiful she was. And how he would keep his promise to her.

"I love you, Hyuuga Neji," she whispered.

He didn't answer. He just did what he felt like doing.

And that was to lean in and kiss her.

"You're sure about this?"

"I'm absolutely sure."

A day before the start of classes, Tenten called in Gaara, who was tasked to look after his sister. Temari and Kankuro were called to Sunagakure to convene the elders. Their mother and father were off to Iwagakure for fortify the peace treaty that was signed between the two countries. They trusted Gaara to keep Tenten in line for he was the only one she would ever listen to after weeks of not talking to anyone else.

Gaara watched her sister, feeling his heart clench at the sight. Gone was the vibrant and lively twinkle in her eyes. Gone was the mischievous streak that was often present in that now non-existent smile. Gone was Tenten – the sister he knew and loved.

"And you require my help?" Gaara asked.

"Yes," she replied. "I lied to them."

"I know."

Tenten let out a humorless laugh. "I'm a great actress."

"You've been taking classes from Yamanaka?" Gaara's question warranted another bout of laughter from his sister, who probably never thought that he would make a joke.

"Ino's far better than me."

"You're right. You're worse than her." The statement could be taken in a lot of ways.

Tenten interpreted it correctly. "Yes. I'm so much worse than her."

"Are you sure about this?" The question had lost its meaning after being repeated one too many times.

"I am." She smiled. "Where do you think is the best place to hide?"

"I know a place," Gaara replied. "I have established a house there that father and mother don't know about. I also have a small business venture there."

Tenten's eyebrows rose. "How did you even manage that? And why did you hide it from us?"

Gaara frowned. "It's not illegal, Tenten."

"I wasn't saying anything!"

He sighed. "I wanted to start an empire of my own so I used the funds I've saved up over the years to invest in a few areas. I've been doing that before we found out about Suna."

"Obviously," Tenten said. "And you want me to - ?"

"I want you to manage that in the meantime," Gaara said. "I don't have the time I had before. Especially right now that the elders are breathing down our necks."

"Oh."

"That will provide you with the money you need," he continued. "I can't send money to you because the elders are monitoring all my other accounts, even the ones that don't belong to Suna."

"What?" she spat, looking annoyed. "Why would they do that?"

"They have to. That's not our concern right now, anyway," Gaara said. "You'll live there and manage my business on my behalf. I'll call in favors for people to tend to you. They will not breathe a word of this to anyone, if that is what you wish."

"That's exactly what I wish for," Tenten said. "You're my only ally, Gaara."

Gaara said nothing and just looked away. "Just so long as you're sure about this. Is there anything else?"

"I'm sure," she replied with conviction. "I'll be dropping out of Konoha Gakuen the day after tomorrow."

"Why not now?"

"I still have to spend a day with Neji."

The statement was not surprising to Gaara. "You love him?"

Tenten smiled – a genuine smile. "Yes."

"What will you say to him? He'd surely ask you about what's going on."

"I'll lie," she said. "As I always do. I'll let him remember me at my best."

Gaara closed his eyes in frustration. "Don't regret this decision."

"I never regret my decisions," Tenten said while absentmindedly stroking her belly. "Including this one."

"Good."

This was it. This was Tenten's final decision. Her decision to leave and disappear without a trace was something that Gaara didn't approve of. But it was the only way for her to live peacefully with her child – a child that she ultimately decided to give birth to. Since the options were to either live in exile or to abort the baby, Gaara thought it crafty of his sister to think of a way that wouldn't give pleasure to the Suna elders. She was not giving them the delight of seeing her defeated.

She found a way. A way wherein she would not be disgraced. She would leave Konohagakure on her own and live in a place where she will have every bit of protection that Gaara could provide her. This would be a secret that only the two of them shared.

And of course, no one will know. Not even Hoshimaru. Not even Karura. Not even Temari or Kankuro.

Not even Hyuuga Neji.

Tenten would live on her own.

"Gaara."

He turned. "Yes?"

"Where am I going to live? Where's this place you're talking about?"

"Otogakure."

Before you guys get your hopes up, Hinata was still alive during the school scene. Her interaction happened before the lunch break wherein Naruto and Sasuke went on an all-out brawl. The scene with Tenten and Neji happened before the fight. They didn't really get to play hooky because they were called in by Ino, who informed them of the trouble that was going on with Sakura. They immediately rushed over to find Naruto and Sasuke about to fight. So there, I'm just clearing stuff up. Clearing the timeline so that there won't be any confusions.