Okay, I know it's been a long time, but my computer is dead and currently in another country getting fixed.  This chapter does have a bit of romantic interaction between the two main characters and the entrance of a third teammate who may be a tad out of character, never was good at those things.  The good news is, it's only been like a week between updates.  And people, if you didn't know, Calculus sucks.  Hmm, what am I talking about now?  I'll give you a million dollars if you can tell me.  Oh, also, Neji may be a tad bit out of character towards the end, the whole giving a damn thing, but now I think I'm giving out too much information before you actually read it.

Chapter Eleven

Their escort unlocked the front door to a fairly small apartment.  He smiled at the two of them.  "Make yourselves at home.  She'll be here in a few minutes." The door slammed shut behind him.

TenTen felt the need to break the silence that had fallen between them.  "Neji, just because I taught you how to summon the Phoenix to beat Ippei doesn't mean you can do it whenever you want.  It takes a lot of practice to get the Phoenix to summon your wishes and even then…" A fit of sudden nausea twisted the girl's stomach and she ran into the bathroom. 

Neji continued to stand in the middle of the room, listening intently to the sound of her retching in the toilet.  He heard when the door opened and the girl reentered what must've been the living room.  "TenTen." He called her name softly.

Whenever he used that tone of voice it usually meant that he wanted her to come within arm's length.  TenTen obeyed his silent command and positioned herself in front of him.  "I'm here."

He reached out cautiously and cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to stare directly at the black cloth covering his ruined eyes.  "You would've let yourself be killed today if it meant I'd survive.  Why do you care so much?"

She blushed, silently thanking God that he couldn't see her.  "You're my friend Neji and I can't see myself living without you, not anymore."

He nodded, releasing her face.  "This is the fourth morning you've been throwing up.  You told me before you weren't pregnant.  Were you lying then?"

She was enraged that he'd bring the subject up.  She'd never lie to him, and especially not about something as important as a child coming into her life.  "I can't believe you'd ask about something like that!"

"I don't see anything wrong with my question."

"It's rude.  And besides, that's my business, not yours."

"Stop avoiding the issue TenTen."

"Can't you consider my feelings for once?" Tears began falling down her cheeks.  "Stop being so cold with me.  I was fucking raped Neji!" She sniffed back tears.  "I've tried everything the nurses said I should do to forget what happened that night, but I can't…not when you keep reminding me of what happened."

"I didn't mean to." Neji said softly.

"Why do you care if I'm pregnant anyway?" TenTen threw her arms into the air to emphasize her point.  "Wait, I know why this is such a big deal to you.  The Chuunin exam.  Well guess what Neji?  I'm not pregnant, my period is not on and I'm not having mood swings!"

A giant sweatdrop formed on the back of his head.  He couldn't see her, but he was pretty sure she was pulling a scene.  "I'm sorry I asked, but why are you sick?"

She looked away from him.  "It's complicated.  Let's just say that I'd rather not talk about it right now."

Before he could respond, the front door opened and in walked the apartment's permanent resident.  "Why the hell are you two here?"

TenTen stared at the older girl in surprise.   "Te…Temari?"

The older girl reached behind her back for her fan.  "I'll kick your ass just like I did the last time."

TenTen quickly put her hands above her head to show she wasn't a threat.  "We weren't sent to Sand to kill anyone.  In fact, we weren't send here at all.  Please, just let me explain."

Neji interrupted.  "The Kazekage put us on your squad."

"That's impossible.  I'm paired with my brothers, and besides, the Kazekage doesn't tolerate missing-nins."

"He made an exception for us."

"There's no way I'm doing this." She turned back towards the door.

Neji blocked her exit.  "I'm afraid I can't let you do that.  If you complain to the Kazekage he'll have us killed."

"Let me know when I should start caring."

"Because I don't plan on dying."

She glanced briefly at his dirty clothes.  "You're that Hyuuga boy, aren't you?"

"So what if I am?"

"You made a big mistake by coming here.  You'll be dead within a year."

"I'm not here to make friends.  I'm here to avoid the hunter-nin and get a chance at becoming chuunin."

"If I'm teamed with you two losers then who'll watch Gaara?  Kankuro can't keep him in check on his own you know."

"Let me know when I should start caring." Neji repeated the girl's earlier words, an arrogant smirk stretching his lips.

"Fine.  But I won't be held responsible when Gaara kills you both."

"I'm not afraid of him."

"Then you're a fool."

"All men are fools.  That's what makes us such an endearing species."

Temari addressed TenTen.  "Do you need a bed trash, or do you prefer the floor?"

The brunette clenched her fists.  "I'm not trash."

"I call 'em as I see 'em."

"So do I.  Bitch."

Temari's half smile contorted into a frown.  "How dare you address your superior so rudely?"

"I'll talk to you however I want!" TenTen retorted.

"If I were you I'd watch how I spoke to me." Temari glared at her.  "Or have you forgotten how easily I defeated you?"

"I'm not the same weakling you faced then."

"That's right.  You're just a little bit older." She took the fan off her back.  "But you're still as weak."

Neji's eyebrows twitched.  Girls were so annoying.  "Fight as much as you want after the exam.  Until then, we're teammates."

Both girls glared at him, but they stomped off to opposite sides of the apartment.

~~~

A week had passed and TenTen and Temari still weren't being civil to each other.  As a result, Neji often went to bed with killer migraines.    At least there were only two weeks left before the chuunin exam and this madness would soon be over.

For the first time since she'd been raped TenTen was having a good dream.

"Neji, this date has been the best night of my life." She smiled widely and snuggled closer to his chest."

"Don't talk about tonight like its over.  There's still a lot more to come." He pointed up at the sky just as fireworks exploded overhead.

She gasped in surprise.  "Neji, how did you know?"

"I pulled a few strings."

"I love everything about tonight and I love you the most."

Neji smiled.  "I know." He tilted his head downward, closing the last few inches of space between them.  "I love you too." Their lips met in a sweet and gentle kiss just as another batch of fireworks exploded, lighting up the perfect night sky.

The two of them parted a few seconds later, panting to catch their breath.  "Neji?"

He put a finger on her lips to still her question.  "Please don't say anything." He captured her lips in his again, this time being neither sweet nor gentle.  Instead, he shoved his tongue as far into the back of her mouth as was humanly possible.

She felt his tongue scrape her tonsils and nearly gagged.  TenTen fought her own desire and pushed him away.  "Neji, you're hurting me." She rubbed at the red marks his fingers had left on her arms.  "Please don't hurt me."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Then don't be rough with me."

He nodded.  "Take my hand."

She placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her into a gentle embrace.  "You're the only stable thing in my life.  Please don't go away, I want to be with you."

"You will be." He took her lips in his, effortlessly moving his fingers on her buttons and pulling the shirt away from her body.

She shivered involuntarily in the night air, speaking absently into his mouth.  "It's cold."

He tightened his grip on her, radiating his warmth into her body.  He trailed his kisses down her chin to her neck and sank his teeth down into her flesh until he drew blood.

She screamed and shoved the boy away.  "What are you doing?"

The boy hung his head and maniacal laughter escaped his lips.

TenTen took a few steps back.  "Neji, you're scaring me."

He looked up at her and his face was hidden by bandages.  She couldn't see who he was, but she knew his chakra.  He was the leader of the genin team that hurt her, Honda's older brother.  "Please stay away from me.  Don't come any closer." Tears began falling down her cheeks.  "Just go away.  Don't hurt me anymore."

The older genin grunted and Temari's voice came from his lips.  "Wake up TenTen."

Her mouth hung open in surprise.  "What was going on?"

The creepy genin came even closer.

"Go away.  Go away." TenTen protected her body with her arms and repeated the two words over and over like a mantra.

"Shut up." His arm whipped forward and slapped her harshly across the cheek.

TenTen snapped awake, barely avoiding smacking her head into Temari's.

"You were having a nightmare." The older girl explained.

TenTen shook her head.  "I've had them every night, after…" She seemed to remember who she was talking to and ended her thought.  "Could you leave me alone?"

Temari rolled her eyes but left the room anyway.  Neji was sitting in the middle of the living room, apparently meditating.

"Don't even think about pushing me over."

Temari snorted.  "What makes you think I have time to play with little boys?"

Neji had no apparent response.  "Why did you come here?"

"It's my apartment.  I can come and go as I please."

"You have a purpose for being here?"

Temari sighed.  "I thought you'd like to know that your girlfriend is in the bedroom crying."

"She's not my girlfriend."

Temari raised an eyebrow.  "Look kid, I don't care about your relationship, but she's in there crying and she was moaning your name in her sleep and screaming."

"It's not my concern."

"Whatever you did to her in that dream, it made her cry."

"I'm not responsible for the version of me that appears in her dreams."

Temari marched over to the boy, seized him by the collar and jerked him to his feet.  "Her crying is pissing me the hell off, so you have to go talk to her and make her stop.  Now!" She shoved him in the direction of the only bedroom.

"What am I supposed to say to her?" Neji muttered to himself.  He felt around for the doorknob and when he had grasped it, opened the door.

TenTen sniffed back tears as she saw him come in.  "Neji…what are you doing here?"

"Temari told me about your dream."

"So?  Did she make you come?"

"No."

She turned away from him.  "You're lying."

"Tell me what happened?"

"What's the point?  It's not like you care."

Neji climbed onto the bed next to her.  "What makes you think I don't care?"

"You never have."

His fingers roamed across the bed until he found one of her hands.  He lifted it and held it against his cheek.  "You know my thoughts TenTen.  There's no questioning how much I care.  Please tell me your dream."

She sighed.  "It's no big deal."

"It's a huge deal TenTen.  Ever since this happened, you never once told me how you felt."

"You kissed me and then bit me." She traced her fingers over his lips.  "And then you turned into him."

"I'm sorry.  I won't ever let them hurt you again."

TenTen didn't reply.

Neji clenched his fists.  "How could you doubt me?  If they're in Konoha when we return, I swear I'll kill them."

"Neji…I can't let you…I've already messed up your life so much.  Please don't hurt yourself anymore over me."

He ignored her statement and changed the subject.  "You said you'd tell me why you were sick."

TenTen looked at the boy's emotionless face and was moved to tears.  She threw herself into his arms.  "The Phoenix hates me.  That's why it made me choose you.  It doesn't want me to have its heirs because it's afraid they'll be weak.  That's why…it's been trying to kill me."

He couldn't hide his surprise.  "What?"

"I've been puking blood for a week Neji.  If I keep this up I'll probably be dead before the Chuunin exam."

"No." He whispered.  "I don't care who it is, I won't let them hurt you."

"You can't stop the phoenix.  It's already inside me, controlling me, there's nothing you can do." She leaned her forehead against his.  "You have to understand that."

"There's always something." His fingers found her lips and he leaned forward to kiss her, but she turned away at the last second and his lips grazed her cheek.

"I can't."

He didn't know why, but at TenTen's rejection his chest suddenly hurt.

"I'm sorry." The girl looked away from him.  "I want you to kiss me, but every time you come near me I have to fight the urge to scream and push you away."

Neji stood up.  "I understand."

"No you don't." She sighed.  "You know what hurts the most?" She crossed her arms over her knees.  "It hurts knowing that they did this to me just to get to you."

"TenTen…"

"If I'd never been on your team things would be a lot better."

He reached down and pulled her into an awkward embrace.  "Don't ever say anything like that again.  I'd much rather have you as a teammate then any other girl, anywhere.  Screw everything else." He wiped away her tears.  "Screw everyone else.  Let it just  be us in this world for once."