He opened his eyes.
His room was still the way he remembered it - 'empty' would be a perfect word to describe it.
His bed sheet and blanket was a dull combination of grey and white, a few scrolls stacked atop of his study desk.
He sat up, as if nothing ever happened - not the war, not the darkness and void - it was as if he just woke up from a long sleep after a tiring mission.
He turned to the side of the bed, and felt the cold wooden floor as his feet touched the ground.
He walked up to the wardrobe, taking a deep breath before stepping in front of the mirror.
He stared into the mirror, seeing his face almost felt like seeing a long lost friend.
Neji realised, his face was still the same, everything about him was the same except for that large scar on his chest.
Raising his hand he touched his bare forehead, where his curse mark used to be.
There was no trace of it - the scar and his forehead were the only two things that reminded him he had not just woken up from a nightmare.
It was very real - he was in fact, dead.
But now he was alive, very much.
"Neji nii-san!" He quickly threw clothes over himself and opened the door.
Hanabi stood outside his door, she looked at him with a smile.
He was trying very hard to connect the sight in front of him with the young woman in front of him, even a few years older than him.
"Good morning Hanabi-sama."
"Sorry if I woke you up too early," Hanabi blinked at him. "Nee-sama and Hokage-sama are here to see you."
"I'll wash up and then come down," said Neji.
He blinked and stared in the mirror as he put on his old clothes - as if time had stopped.
He was not sure whether he was ready, as he held onto the handrail and walked down the staircase, he felt his steps wobbled.
He heard the faint laughter of adults and children, as he walked closer, he took a deep breath.
The door slid open, he stared, forgetting to smile, what he planned to say to Hinata, to Naruto.
Hanabi sat next to Hinata, in her hands was a little girl, hugging her. The little girl's hair was short and dark, a strand of it poked atop from her head. She stared at Neji with her cheerful blue eyes, slightly confused.
He took a gulp and nodded. "Hinata-sama, Naruto." He shook his head. "Nanadaime."
"Just call me the way you're used to." Naruto smiled at him, Neji frowned as he looked at the blonde man. Neji noticed the fine lines and dark circle around his eyes, how he blinked tiredly.
Hinata stood up, she looked much mature than he remembered, the stuttering, shy girl was no longer there, he stood there as Hinata walked up to him. Without a word, she pulled him into her arms.
Neji raised his arms slowly and wrapped his arms around her, he could feel moisture on his shoulder where her head rested upon.
"Who's that, dad?" He heard a boy's voice. Neji looked up and saw a miniature version of Naruto, staring at him with his father's blue eyes.
Hinata moved away from Neji and smiled at him. "Boruto, this is your uncle Neji."
She smiled and turned towards Neji. "Neji nii-san," he shuddered as she held his hand and led him closer to her family.
"This is Boruto, and this is Himawari." Hinata turned at her children.
"Hey," Boruto arched his eyebrow, skeptically studying his face.
Himawari left Hanabi's embrace and approached slowly, staring up at him.
"Mama," she blinked. "This is the uncle Neji where we visited in the cememetry?"
"Cemetery," Hinata corrected her. "Yes, Hima," she took hold of her daughter's hand. "This is uncle Neji, we named your big brother after him."
Himawari smiled at him; there was an irresistible urge as he crouched down, he was at eye level with the little girl.
Himawari gently wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I gave you flowers every time I visited you, uncle Neji."
Neji returned the hug, gently holding the little girl and picking her up.
"Thank you," he said with a smile.
The sweet chuckle from Himawari warmed his heart, as it beat in his chest.
Indeed, his heart is beating, as he thought about it, it beat feverishly in his chest.
He is alive - as a free man.
He has been reborn. He is here, with his family.
"Tenten-san, Tenten-san!" She snapped out of her trance as she looked up, an unfamiliar face stared at her, both confused and slightly annoyed. In the young man's hand held a few kunais as well as some money.
"Thank you, come again," she packed the weapons hastily, and nodded as the man left.
She looked down at the counter she was sitting at - business at her weapons and supplies store had always been stable, shinobis have to go on mission, and her supplies are one of the best to be found in the village.
She scared herself as someone cleared his throat right in front of her. She looked up and saw the Hokage's adviser, standing at the counter with his arms folded across his chest, looking at her skeptically.
"You weren't at the meeting today for the Chunnin exams." It was a statement that came from Shikamaru's mouth.
"Sorry, I forgot," Tenten pressed against her forehead. "It won't happen next time."
Shikamaru sighed softly, shaking his head. "Well, that's that."
Tenten arched an eyebrow, staring at Shikamaru skeptically as he stroked his goatee.
"Is there anything I can help you with, Shikamaru?"
"In fact," he blinked, staring at her with his dark ebony eyes. "Temari wants to have you over for dinner."
"Temari-san?"
He nodded, sighing softly. "You have other arrangements?"
Tenten shuddered a little.
Obviously he knew she would not have any arrangements.
She is all alone in this world, there is no one waiting for her at home, no one.
"That's very kind of you," Tenten smiled faintly. "Don't mind if I join you, then."
"Great, I've got something to do back at the Tower." Shikamaru turned around, raising his hand as he left the shop. "See you at around seven at my place."
Something deep inside her mind told her that it is not as simple as a dinner at a friend's place.
After all, Shikamaru is not a simple man, neither Temari a simple woman.
She started to tidy up her shop, counting the stock and the money in the cashier.
As she pulled the shutter in front of the shop and locked the doors, she sighed softly.
She turned around, her steps increasingly fast as she kept walking.
There was a strange sense of interpretation as she did, as if she knew.
She knew that Shikamaru was going to tell her something.
More importantly, it would most probably be about Neji.
As the sun descended slowly into the darkness, Tenten kept going.
As she always did.
Author's note:
Thank you for patiently waiting for an update and reading this story! Looking forward to hear from you in PMs and/or reviews!
I hope you enjoy the story as always xoxo
V.S.V