The man did not turn around, with a leap he lunged, with deadly precision, he pressed his fingers against the assailant's chest.

He fell to the ground before he could utter another word.

Tenten stood up, the last rogue had fallen - her teammates rushed from the other side of the battlefield.

Neji stood his ground as Lee and Kiba approached.

"We are taking you in," Lee stated, his hand held straight towards him. Aomaru growled as Tenten stood behind him.

"I don't understand," Neji said plainly, as he raised his hand and pointed his finger towards the two men.

"You're Lee, you're Kiba," he said, and paused. "But you two are not them."

"What do you mean?" Kiba snapped, Aomaru barked as his master shouted towards the man.

"You look different," said Neji. "You look … old."

Rock Lee and Kiba looked at each other for a moment. Kiba shook his head violently.

"No, stop screwing us over, you imposter!" Aomaru barked as it lowered itself ready to pounce.

"Wait!" Tenten snapped and wedged herself between the men. "Can't you see?"

"Tenten-" Rock Lee was stopped by Tenten as she raised her hand. She turned around and stared into the man's pale, placid eyes.

She felt her lips trembling, her gaze wavering.

His face was just like the way she remembered - his nose tall and straight, his eyes set deeply; his irises the colour of snow, of clouds; his lips pursed together as his brows furrowed, out of confusion. The only thing missing was his curse mark - the bounding cage that faded as he departed from this world.

"You." She said, pausing as she faced him, her gaze began to muddle as tears well up.

She pointed to herself, her hand shaking as her long slender finger pointed to her oval shaped face.

"Do you remember me?"

He blinked and stared at her intently, his pursed lips slowly turned into a curve, its corners turned upwards.

"Of course," he smiled. "Don't be silly, Tenten."

The sound of her name coming out of his lips sent a shudder down her spine - it felt like a thousand needles piercing her back at the same time, she took a step forward and stared into his eyes.

"But are you, you?"

"What kind of question is that?" Neji said, in a tone that was both surprised and offended. "Of course I'm me."

Tenten pressed her hand against her arm, encircling herself as she looked down on her feet.

She blinked hard, shooting her head upwards as she let out a soft, prolonged sigh.

She lowered her head, facing him with her eyes closed.

"But you're dead, Neji, you can't be you."

He shrugged, blinking.

"I agree, but here I am." Neji said bluntly. "This is not genjutsu, I am here, back alive, in the flesh."

"Enough with all this bullshit!" Kiba snapped. "We're taking you with us, Neji or not, we'll find out back in Konoha."

Neji glared at him for a brief moment. "You still have the scent of a wet, rabid dog, Inuzuka," he said.

"You!" Rock Lee raised his hand, Kiba bit down on his tongue and turned away.

"Neji-kun, you must come with us back to the village." He said sternly.

"I'd glad to," Neji stared around. "This place looked so different, I couldn't find my way - I was planning to go home all along."

"Alright, then let's go." Lee looked Kiba with a reassuring look on his face.

Tenten waited for the men to start walking, as she trailed behind at a distance.

It almost seemed too surreal - she was not sure what to feel about this.

There he was, walking, breathing - as if nothing ever happened, it was as if he had forgotten the fact that he was dead for eighteen years.

"Tenten," she snapped out of her trance as she heard Lee calling her name.

Realising that there was a large distance between them, she raced to catch up.

For now, this physical distance between them was the only thing she could catch up with.

Shikamaru stared as they appeared from the edge of the horizon - it did not take his IQ 200 brain to process the situation - they got him.

As the four of them approached, Shikamaru arched an eyebrow - he looked genuinely surprised.

"Neji?" He asked, his tone still nonchalant.

"Shikamaru," Neji called his name. The dark-haired man stared at him, his almond-shaped eyes scanning him from head to toe.

"We'll escort you back to the Hyuga Mansion - they are expecting you." Shikamaru said, leading the way. "Let's go."

Shikamaru turned towards the team of three. "Don't worry, I will escort him back, you guys take a rest."

He walked side by side with him, as he looked over his shoulder, he saw Tenten, staring as they walked further and further away.

"So, how's life?" Neji's voice seemed so strangely familiar to him - it was something that he had not hear in eighteen years.

"Good, troublesome, but good."

"You look much older, in fact," Neji paused for a moment. "You look like your father."

Shikamaru shrugged and smiled. "I guess that happens."

"You're Naruto's adviser now, aren't you?" Neji was smiling as he walked.

"Naruto?" Shikamaru was dumbfounded for a brief moment, he smiled as he realised the painful truth.

Of course he cared, Neji died for Naruto.

"Yeah," he said. "It's a drag, the man works too hard."

"I guess that's how you keep going after your dream comes true."

Shikamaru nodded, stroking his goatee as he walked.

"Is there no need to quarantine me, for the safety of the village?" Neji stopped, Shikamaru turned around and looked at him. The man smiled at him, sighing softly.

"From that, I know I don't need to." Shikamaru smiled at him. "Come on now."

They kept going, as Neji marveled at how the village had changed - everything was electronic, novel to his eyes. Shikamaru observed him quietly as the man seemed awkwardly out of place in the village he knew so well, yet found so unfamiliar.

"So," Neji continued - the man was strangely talkative. "You've got your own family now?"

Shikamaru smiled as he brought it up. "Yeah."

"You married Temari, didn't you?"

"I did. We have a son."

Neji smiled. "Everyone has a family now, that's great."

Shikamaru paused for a moment, his smile faded as he let out a soft sigh.

"Well, not exactly everyone."
They stopped at the entrance of the Hyuga Mansion, as Neji stared at Shikamaru, befuddled.

He looked straight into his pale eyes with his dark brown orbs.

"Tenten is alone, this whole time."

Neji remained silent as he stared back into Shikamaru's eyes.

"Everyone else has someone - even Shino has his students." Shikamaru sighed again. "She is alone."

"Why?" The question blurted out of Neji's lips almost instinctively.

Shikamaru stared at him, it nearly escaped his mind that Neji died when he was seventeen - of course he didn't understand.

"Your death," he said. "She never got over what happened."

Shikamaru sighed softly, as Neji stared at him, confused.

"I'll see you tomorrow," said Shikamaru, walking away as he waved. "I'll arrange for you to meet everyone - you've got some catching up to do."

Neji blinked as his friend walked away, something churned inside of him.

Her face flashed in his mind - her oval face, brown, round eyes brimming with tears.

Something inside him felt uneasy.

Author's note:

Another chapter! The story is mainly NejiTen, but I will enrich it with Neji's other friendships as side stories. I hope you enjoy!

Feel free to reivew or PM me xoxo

V.S.V