Chapter Fifteen

A/N: Ehhhh, this chapter took a hell of a long time to write.  Usually I'm able to type them in one sitting.  I don't even know when this is ending anymore, because once I actually started writing I tampered with my intended storyline, but there is a sequel planned, so you have that and future chapters of Possession to look forward to.

Neji was asleep.  It turned out that the boy had been fighting sleep all the way back from the Hokage's office, and had succumbed to it once they'd entered the house.  He had curled up on the hand-knit rug in front of their sofa and had lain there dozing for the past three hours.  The fight with Sasuke had tired him out completely, or perhaps it was the events of the last month or so that had finally taken everything out of him.

A few feet down the hall, TenTen was sleeping fitfully on her bed, tossing and turning every few moments.  Finally, her frantic motions ceased and she appeared to comfortably fall asleep.  Once he was sure the girl wouldn't wake up, her father emerged from the shadows and brushed a strand of long brown hair away from her face.

He regretted leaving the girl behind more than ever now.  Her brother had tried, but he was unable to take care of her.  The last year she had grown up a lot, and she had badly needed her parents in her life.  Even though she was a ninja, even though she was so outwardly mature, she was still a child, barely a teenager.

The elder Hagane bent over and placed a soft kiss from rough lips against his daughter's pale forehead.  She was blazing hot, a result of her symbiosis with the phoenix, and the man nearly singed his lips on her head.  Finally able to acknowledge that she would be fine without his constant hovering presence he exited the room.

As he passed the living room his curiosity got the best of him and he stopped.  He had to see the boy that TenTen cared so much about.  From what the reports had said, he was a member of the Hyuuga clan, and a part of the lower house.  The side of the family he was born into had nothing to do with his strength, and was by far one of the more powerful members of his clan, even at such a young age.  The boy's eyes were closed and his left hand was curled tightly around the sleeve of his jacket.

From what the man could tell, the young Hyuuga boy looked like he would grow up to be a strong man, and despite his personal convictions, he would be capable of taking care of his daughter when the two of them grew up.  Neji had taken on the burden of the Phoenix, selfishly or not, and after TenTen had been raped, he had been the one at her side, comforting her and easing her through it, instead of her brother, and instead of her father.  These actions alone proved to the aging man that the boy was certainly worthy of one day becoming his daughter's husband, if they were lucky enough to survive to marrying age.  For the two of them to be accepted again by the village, they would have to go to extensive lengths to lose what had become a living, breathing part of them.

Sighing, the elder ninja stretched and walked to his room.  He needed sleep if he was going to peruse the historical volumes of the Fire Clan.

~~~

Kotetsu was incensed.  Pissed off.  Infuriated.  He was standing just outside the door of the Shiratori home, about to arrest the twin boys for the rape and assault of his sister, and the murder of their own brother.  Controlling himself for the moment, he lifted his hand and knocked on the door.

He waited, and for five minutes there was no response, so he knocked again.  This time he could hear sandaled feet moving towards the front door and seconds later it was opened.  One of the twins was standing in front of him.  He didn't care which one it was, and in his anger couldn't remember the subtle differences between them.  He just grabbed the offending boy by the neck and growled at him.  "Where's your brother?"

He turned his head to face inside his house.  "Ryoji, some guy's here to see you." He started to walk back into the house.

Kotetsu jerked the genin back towards him.  "I want to see you too."

The twin walked to the doorway and smirked at the Chuunin.  "What the hell do you want with us?"

"I'm here to arrest you."

Ryoji scoffed.  "For what?"

"The rape and assault of Hagane TenTen, and the murder of your brother, Shiratori Honda."

"We didn't do anything." Kenji removed the man's hand from around his neck.  "And I bet you don't have proof."

"We have two witnesses who overheard you discussing what you did to her."

Kenji scowled.  "I know we should've beaten up that Shikamaru kid when we had the chance."

"Shut up Kenji." He smiled at Kotetsu.  "Alright, we'll go with you, but I'll warn you, there's no way you can pin anything on us.  No matter how much so called proof you have."

"We'll see about that."

~~~

"Hey kid, do your parents know you're still out here?" A ninja covered in bandages asked.

TenTen looked up from her targets.  She had not expected anyone else to be out this late.

"You should be getting home.  How about I walk you back?"

She didn't know why, but his offer didn't seem genuine.  "That's okay.  I can get back on my own.  Thanks for offering though."

Laughter filled the clearing.  Two more boys joined the first, one standing directly behind her and the other to her left.  "My brother offered to walk you home, I think it would be in your best interests not to turn him down."

TenTen's brain raced.  Most of her weapons were lying scattered all over the ground.  Her blood pumping furiously in her ears, she reached behind her, strings of chakra extending from her fingers and artfully lifted her weapons towards her.

One of the boys appeared in front of her and kicked her in the stomach.  "I wouldn't if I were you." He gripped her face, digging his fingers into her cheeks.

His teammate grabbed her shoulders and held her in place.  "Keep still.  I hear it's really painful if you struggle."

Her brown eyes widened.  "What are you going to do to me?"

The one in the front pulled the half mask down from his lips.  "What do you think?" He leaned in and met his lips with hers.

Angry at his intrusion of her mouth, TenTen brought her teeth down on his tongue, not stopping until she could taste his blood on her tongue.

The older boy reared back and slapped her.  "You little bitch."

TenTen glared at the third boy, who was still standing a ways off, watching with an unreadable expression in his eyes.  "How could you?"

"Nothing personal." The boy behind her replied.  "You just picked the wrong people to be friends with."

The one in front of her spat in her eyes.  "Take off her clothes."

"No!" She yelled, jumping forward to try to break their grasp on her.  "Let me go!"

"Not until we're finished."

"Please." Tears streamed down her face.  "Let me go.  Don't hurt me."

The first boy's impassive front shattered.  He now seemed concerned for the girl.  "Look guys, we don't have to do this to her.  We can get our point across some other way."

"Shut up.  Don't you have any respect for your family name?"

"Look at her.  She's crying.  She's just a kid.  We don't need to hurt her."

The boy behind her picked up one of her discarded weapons and threw it at the doubtful boy.  Luckily he jumped out of the way to avoid being hit.  "I get it.  I'm sorry." He left his spot and wandered over to her.  "Don't hold this against me."

TenTen woke up screaming.  The door was flung open and in that instant, her father, the huge man that he was, was sitting on her bed, his arms wrapped around her, rocking her slowly.  "What happened?"

"She had a nightmare." Neji's voice came from the doorway.  He was standing there with his arms folded across his chest, his empty white eyes still managing to look intimidating.  "She hasn't had them in a while.  Coming back to Konoha and finding out who did this to her must've brought them back."

"Are you going to be okay?" Her father questioned.

The girl nodded.  "I think so.  It was just a dream."

Neji didn't look convinced.  "Why are you still thinking about it if it was just a dream?"

Her father looked upset.  "How can you talk to her like that?  She's been through a lot."

"And I haven't?" He questioned.  "I lost my sight, and I was banned from this village just like her."

"I understand how you feel, but you have to think about her."

"Have you even thought about her?"

"Neji, if you're going to marry her one day…"

TenTen cut them both off.  "That's enough!  It was just a dream, the two of you don't need to worry about me.  And don't patronize Neji, we're only thirteen."

The man bowed his head.  "I'm sorry TenTen, but after losing your mother and being faced with the possibility of losing you, I guess I can't face the thought that everything is slowly being pulled out of my control."

"They were never in your control to begin with." Neji replied.  "We're all jerked around by the strings of fate."

"So what do you suggest we do?"

"Live within the constraints of fate."

"Your life must've been far from easy for you to have an outlook like that." Her father murmured.

"I don't have the right to complain.  Who would hear my complaints anyway?"

"What's going to happen to us Father?"

"I don't know.  I'm going to try and find a way to seal the Phoenix again, but if that doesn't work out, the rest of your short lives will be very difficult." He rubbed his chin.  "It would be best if the two of you got used to the idea of assassination attempts." He stood up from the bed.  "Good luck in the exam."

Both teens nodded as the man exited.  Once he was gone, Neji climbed into the bed and wrapped his arms around the girl's waist.

"What are you doing?" TenTen's voice shook as she tried to contain her surprise.

"You weren't thinking of the dream as long as your father held you in his arms, and I don't want to be bothered by thoughts of your nightmares."

TenTen smiled.  In his own weird way Neji was showing his affection for her.  "I'm gonna try to go back to sleep, so you don't have to stay."

"I'll go to sleep as well." Without another word, the boy released her and lay down on her bed, closing his eyes the moment his head hit the pillow.

The girl opened her mouth to protest him sharing her bed, but thought better of it and stretched out on the bed herself.  With any luck, tomorrow would be a good day.