AN: THANK YOU TO MY TWO REVIEWERS. Also, I don't own jack.

I've always wondered why it rains after a fight. Nine times out of ten, I've discovered that it rains. Of course this wouldn't be so bad if I was at home or training, but, in all reality, it sucks if you are knee deep in muck with four other smelly guys, who, like you, haven't had a shower in a while. Yes, when Hokage-sama asked me to assemble a team, I thought he meant for me to pick sixteen random nins to scout the outlying parameters. Alas, that was my fault. He wanted me specifically to go. How did he put it again? Oh yes, now I remember.

"Neji-san, I want you to go. You are really the only one who has the absolute defense, plus, things may get a little boring around here with the transport of wounded and the reclaiamation of bodies from the field. Your efforts are needed elsewhere. Pick fourteen others to join you and let me know who, make sure some are Sand. A request from Gaara."

"Yes, sir."

So here I am, knee deep in muck. If I encounter one leech, Naruto-sama will get a good whumping. The others got lucky. They are back at camp stitching up each other or transporting wounded two miles to the main hospital. While I, Sasuske, Konohamaru, and Kiba are split apart looking through a forest for enemies. Fate, I suppose is giving me a sign. What it is, I cannot say, but, in time hopefully things will clear up. I hope the weather clears up soon. I don't want to sound whiny, but I just want to find a nice bed and go to sleep. I can't see a damn thing in front of me. It's an all out soaker and we've been out here for five hours scouting.

A crackle from my headset alerts me from my musings.

"Kappa-1 reporting in sir, there is no sign of threat. Sectors Alpha7 to Delta9 are clear. Over and out." Konohamaru reported.

Boy he's changed. He looks so much like his late grandfather, it is a little scary. He has the same bone structure and profile, and he has the height. For fifteen, he's taller than the rest of us. Not that I mind being 6'1 tall, it's that well, I've always been the tallest. But, Konohamaru has traveled the path we all took. He trained under a sensei as a genin. Ebisu passed him along to Naruto-kun when Naruto became a jounin. He excelled in the chuunin exam, and passed by flying colors. As a joke in the end, he transformed into his female "Sexy No Jutsu" when it was announced he passed. About half the audience had nose bleeds. It was hilarious. Of course, we all got the joke, but those who'd never seen it or never knew Naruto were outraged. His grandfather would've been proud. No Konohamaru teaches at the academy and goes on missions when classes are over. He's Naruto's student alright, and every bit as loud as him. I chose him because I see potential in him. Plus, Naruto-sama thinks it would be good for him to learn the art of stealthily keeping his mouth shut. As Naruto-sama puts hit, he can only be the number one loudmouth in Konoha.

"Hey, why does he get to be Kappa-1 and I get Kappa-2? I'm older."

Kiba complained, his usual antic. He's pretty much the same guy as he was at thirteen. I don't see how Shino and Hinata put up with him when they were genin. Granted, he's a good leader, but, he's still a hothead and very cocky. This makes him a bit of a loose cannon. The one good thing about him though is his ability to sense danger. He and Akamaru have sniffing radii that are very crucial to some of the missions we've been on together as ANBU. He's got us out of a few scrapes over the years with his innate ability. I remember the time when TenTen and I were delivering a message to lord in the north and we had to act like a couple. As we were about to deliver the message, Kiba, who was sent for reconnaissance, signaled that the lord in question was dangerous. He was a clone set up by the Oto-nin who were out to assassinate the lord. His sixth sense saved our hides and we almost fell into their trap. I thank all that is holy for his nose and his clone sniffing ability. He's annoying as hell, but he's a good guy.

"Kiba-kun, I said only report when the area is deemed clear. Unnecessary conversation can give our position away."

"So, then genius Hyuuga. Put a clamp on it. Sigma-7 reporting in, sectors Beta12-Iota-5 are clear." Sasuske chimed in from a different direction.

"Roger, Sigma-7. Oh and shut up. Nu-1 over and out." I responded.

"Kappa-2, what is your position?"

"Sections all clear. Gamma5 to Zeta 3 empty. There was a small band, but all targets have been eradicated."

"Roger. Report back to base and lets finish up and go home."

"Believe it!" cried Konohamaru

"Arf" yelped Akamaru. Well, one can always count on a reply from him.

"Hmm.." Sasuske muttered. Well, guess it's over.

The sand nin on each team were given instructions to report directly to Gaara-sama of any activity, they were told to depart upon completion of the mission. They don't talk much, but their skill is amazing. I signal to them and they nod and disappear.

After we returned back to camp, I wanted to check up on TenTen-chan. I head towards the MNSU and am shocked, to say the least, that she wasn't there. I go around camp asking if anyone has seen her or Lee. Nada. No one knows where my teammates are. I head over to Sakura and she gives me the news.

"We transported all of the critical care cases back to the main hospital. With enemy interference eliminated, we were able to travel on foot the two miles back to the hospital and get them sheltered. Lee, although not critical, went with TenTen-chan."

"Why is she critical? You told me that she would be alright."

"Well, we hadn't counted on the rain. An infection set in, which sometimes happens post-op, and the rain made the infection fester. I am not going to lie to you, she's in bad shape. We've sent Gai-sensei ahead to notify her father, but we don't know the complete damage done to the village. Naruto-kun is having the returned chuunins making a list right now of those missing and it will take time to find her father if he isn't at the house. You should probably head back to town yourself."

"You made a promise of a lifetime to keep her safe, you better hold up your end of the bargain. I entrusted her to your care specifically." A part of me couldn't handle the thought of losing someone else in my life. It wasn't going to happen.

"Don't threaten me, Neji. I am a medical chuunin, I can make any future recoveries a living hell for you."

I just blinked at her. I didn't mean it as a threat. Sasuske said something about her having an Inner Sakura, and I think I may have just met her.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. I am just a little worried."

"It's Ok. Go, report in and get back to town. Your team needs you right now. I have other patients I need to see and their team members to give the grievous news to."

As I left the tent, I ran into Naruto-sama. He just looked at me. Obviously the information I just got, was what he wanted to talk to me about.

"Neji-san, wait up!"

"I just heard the news about my team. I am heading back to what's left of Konoha. Don't try to stop me either."

"I hadn't planned on stopping you. I actually wanted to talk to you about her. When I get back to the village, we will meet up and chat. I have a few questions."

"Yes, sir" I said rather unenthusiastically.

As I turn to leave, I nod to my other teammates and head east for two miles.

I entered the gates of the city to find utter ruin. Off in the distance I could see burned houses and debris littering the street. Sending up a silent prayer to the gods for the souls of the village, I head towards my house. I really needed a shower, but what would I find? I didn't know the answer to that one. For once, I was completely unsure of my surroundings. I passed by the center of town and saw that Ichiraku was no more. Houses were looted and sooty, my own place was in ashes. The Hokage mountain was defaced and there were bodies of civilians lining the streets. Our main water source was pouring into the streets, and even our school was destroyed. The hokage tower was still standing. Surprisingly. It has served as a refugee retreat. This was a waste zone, proof that a fierce battle had torn us apart in one simple year. We fought hard, but was it hard enough? Civilians lost their lives. A part of me held sympathy for the senseless loss of life. The sacrifices these villagers made are the real heroes. Not us, not those who could still wake up and pretend it was a bad dream. Guess this is fates message. If I can change one child's destiny, my life would be worth it. It was my turn to repay Naruto-sama for changing my destiny when we were kids. I finally get it. What goes around comes around.

Dirty children were stranded in the streets wondering where their parents were. A little girl came running up to me. Apparently, I was the first adult she had seen. Her clothes were torn, her hair matted and her little doll she was holding had also felt the affects of the war. Behind her, she had the body of her mother. They were simply coming home from the bank when they were attacked by rouge ninja who had gotten past the main line. She asked me if her mama was going to wake up soon. A simple flower had been placed on her chest. She said it was her mama's favorite and when she woke up she would be happy to have the flower. Was nothing sacred? Children, still sucking their thumbs had been subject to a misplaced childhood and had witnessed the worst of human kind. Big eyes stared up at me and I looked into her little heart shaped face and saw the terror and the tear marks. Something inside of me melted. I cried today. I discovered, by asking one of her friends, that this little girl had a father that was ninja. They asked me if I knew any of their parents. I said no. Their faces fell. The purity of their life was now corrupt. There are so many ninja in Konoha, it is hard to know everybody. We had fought on so many fronts and lines, we couldn't protect it all. We tried and for the first time, I wondered if having children was worth it. They prepare you for battle and train you to protect. You are trained to hide emotion and once feelings get in the way is when ninjas become vulnerable. Nothing prepares you for this. Not your first kill as an ANBU, not beating the snot out of an opponent in the selection exam, nothing compares to seeing the faces of a child who has truly lost everything. Even the Hokage himself would shed a tear. Would I want my son or daughter to live with the fear that I may never come home? Certainly not. These children are living that fear. So I took the children with me to the hospital for checkups. Any hope I could give these children would be better than me abandoning them. Some were bruised, some had cuts, but most were terrified by the fire jutsu that had consumed their homes and their minds. A basic jutsu caused so much harm. It was depressing.

When I entered the hospital, it was rundown and a mess. Fallen bricks and burned out rooms greeted me. I could smell the sulfur in the air and it started raining again. I sent a message with one of the genin helping out to Naruto-sama. It simply said, "come at the earliest convenience to the hospital." The children with me, five in all, were suddenly surrounded by blankets and food and water. I saw a few faces I recognized and as I left the children in the care of a nurse, I got directions to the makeshift ICU. I was lead in by Hinata-sama.

"Neji-kun, she's in here. Be warned, the infection is bad. It will scar. Her body is rejecting the medication. Gai-sensei and Lee are in there. I will need you in scrubs before you enter. Sterilization is critical at this time."

"Thank you. Make sure I see those children before they head for the tower. I want all children who are missing parents to be taken to the tower. I will speak with Naruto-sama when he gets here about having a reunion center for lost families."

"Yes. Of course."

As I scrubbed up and entered, I saw her. Gai and Lee were asleep in chairs next to the bed, tired from physical and mental exhaustion. I walked up to the bed and saw her sleeping form for the first time since the surgery. Her back was raw and her hair had been cut to avoid any possible physical contamination. Her face was pale and her breathing was labored. I grab a hold of her hand and sit down next to her. I hear the beeping of the monitors and see the slow drip of the morphine. She's pain free but she's restless. I calm her by smoothing my hand over her hair. Tucking a loose strand behind her ear, I take notice of my rough hands. They are calloused and bruised from the fighting, yet her skin is so pure, so angelic. I am almost scared at that point to touch her. I don't want to loose a comrade and friend, but, after seeing those children, the possibility is so real to me now. I take a quick glance around and notice no movement from my other sleeping partners. I brush a kiss across her cheek and turn to go find a nurse to ease her suffering some more. I guess this is the scare she went through when I was in the hospital with Lee when we were genin. I straighten up and as I turn, I hear a muffled voice behind me.

"I saw that, Neji-kun. I wondered when you'd get back. How was the mission?"

"Gai-sensei. So you were up the whole time. I had wondered. The mission went fine. I just got back about an hour ago."

"She's healing. Godiame-sama said she's fighting. She said she just may need a reason to recover. You just may be it."

"Don't read anymore into my actions than necessary."

"Don't underestimate your feelings either."

Damn, he had me there. I leave and head towards the first nurse I see. Shizune.

Again, thank you to my reviewers.