Chapter Three
A/N: Once again I apologize for the brevity of this chapter, it really felt like it was flowing, but it turned out to be shorter than I thought. Oh well, I'll make it up to you guys soon, don't worry.
Before she'd even opened her eyes she knew she had overslept. On top of that there was the tell-tale crick in her neck that resulted from a night spent on their hard couch. Groggily she sat up and wondered briefly how she'd managed to fall asleep here. She remembered talking to Kiba for a while and then after that everything went blank. Well, no matter, she should go get ready for work.
She stumbled into the bedroom she and her husband shared with their daughter. For now the second bedroom was only for guests, but once Haruka was old enough, they'd move her in there. She walked over to the crib and peered in. "Morning swee…" Her voice trailed off.
The crib was empty. Almost instantly her body was shaken with chills. Her daughter was missing. She sank down into a heap on the floor. They'd hardly been left alone for a day and already she'd lost their only child. She was a complete and utter failure as a mother. This news would kill Neji. He adored Haruka so much, and from him to come home from such a taxing mission to find out that their daughter was kidnapped or murdered or worse…
She couldn't stand it. How could something like this happen? She had to think. Calling her father was probably best, he would know what to do. Before she could stand though, she felt a weight pressing itself into her lap and looked down to find herself looking into a pair of eager white eyes.
Relief flooded her body. "Don't scare me like that." She murmured, taking the child into her arms. "I love you so much."
Haruka made a content noise in the back of her throat.
"Did you come looking for me?" TenTen smiled at her daughter. She'd never slept in the room alone before. The poor girl was probably scared. "C'mon." She stood up. "We need to go take a bath."
TenTen emerged from the house thirty minutes later, fresh and ready to take on the world. Her mother-in-law had arrived fifteen minutes prior and had taken Haruka to her house for the rest of the morning.
Dressed in her Chuunin uniform, she began the trek to the Ninja Academy, forming her excuses in her head. Simply saying she'd overslept wasn't good enough, even though Iruka-sensei was a kind person, he wouldn't accept that. She wasn't the only person here with worries.
She entered the schoolyard and Iruka was there waiting for her as his class jogged. "Good Morning TenTen."
"Good Morning."
"You're late."
"I know." She hung her head. "I'm sorry."
He turned and smiled at her. "It's okay. Kiba stopped by and said that you were up very late the other night worrying about Neji and you might be late."
"Thank you."
"A substitute is covering your first class, but if you hurry, you will be able to finish it up."
"I will." TenTen sprinted across the yard and entered the actual building.
Iruka smiled at her retreating figure. It was almost hard for him to believe that it had already been over six years since she and her husband had graduated from his class. Quite a few of his former students were doing well, but the number that came back to aid the younger generation was small, so he had been pleased when she agreed to join the staff. She was an excellent teacher, enthusiastic and patient, and her skill had commanded the attention of her students instantly. They all adored her, even the older girls who were jealous of the attention the boys gave her. Of course, it had taken Neji's occasional presence for the girls to get over their initial jealousy, but TenTen had handled it well, perhaps because she was so young and remembered how it had felt to have the boys she liked more interested in someone or something else.
Of course there were times when she, like they all had once, regretted her decision to become a teacher. To their peers it seemed like a job that was taken on when they realized that they had no hope of ever advancing. But being a teacher, despite it being low profit, was probably one of the most rewarding jobs in the village. He couldn't deny the swell of pride he got whenever he heard of Naruto or Sasuke or Shikamaru or one of the others completing an especially dangerous mission, and in a few years TenTen would know the same feeling.
He smiled to himself and turned his attention back to the students that were starting to finish their laps. TenTen was such a kind person that it was hard not to wish her the best. He had been told by her brother several years ago that for the most part it was a front, designed to protect herself, and that she had a deep darker side buried within her, but after spending the past year working with her, he refused to believe in anything but the genuine goodness he saw.
~~~
Senrou, the leader of Neji's five man unit, stopped their progress with a wave of his hand. He knelt and studied the ground ahead of them. "They passed by this way."
"How many of them?"
"No more than seven. And they haven't become very talented at covering up their tracks."
"Is it possible that this is a trap?"
"Of course, that's why I want the rest of you to stay back here in case of an ambush. Hyuuga and I will go on ahead."
Nodding to acknowledge his orders, Neji took off after his boss. They traveled slowly, the older man stopping occasionally to sniff the air. Five minutes later he held a hand up to stop his companion. "You might as well come out."
The bushes rustled behind them and one of the members of their squad emerged from them, sweat and blood staining his jacket.
He stepped forward. "I came to warn you. They ambushed us and then came this way. I'm just glad I got here in time."
Even though the mask was covering his face, Senrou appeared troubled. "Thanks a lot, you've done your job." He stroked his chin in deep thought. "It appears they were a bit more trouble than we estimated."
"Correction. We are a lot more trouble than you estimated." The ANBU leapt towards Senrou, slashing his throat in one clean motion.
Neji watched, stunned, as the elder man's limp body fell to the ground, blood gushing from his neck wound.
Sighing in satisfaction, the traitor removed his mask to reveal a familiar face. In five years he had acquired deep scars that marred his appearance, but Neji recognized him none the less.
"Shiratori Bastard!" Neji felt the veins stretch across his face in anger as he focused his power to his eyes.
Before he could take a step forward he felt a kunai press against the skin of his own neck. "Watch your step Neji-chan, my hand may just slip and cut you."
The one in front of him smirked. "And that would be saddening, because we have such a wonderful revenge planned out for you."
The young Hyuuga didn't even bother restraining his anger. "You killed my comrades just to get to me?"
"Why Neji-chan, I thought you'd be pleased to know everything was all about you?" He sucker punched Neji in the stomach and smiled at the sound of the man's blood hitting the wooden mask he was wearing.
The twin behind him spoke. "Ryoji, we should get him back to the camp so we can start our revenge."