Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

WAITING

The guests were all seated, waiting patiently for the bride's arrival. The groom stood calmly before the audience. The youth obsessed boy, who had been Neji's best friend since their genin days, anxiously awaited his sensei and former teammate's entrance into the great hall where the wedding was taking place.

The room was decorated elegantly simple, as was the Hyuga way. There were not many in attendance. The guest list was primarily made up of a small number of the bride and groom's friends, consisting mainly of the rookie nine and their sensei's, and the Hyuga clan.

"Neji-san" Lee whispered over at his ever cool and composed former teammate, who stood next to him. (1)

"Hn?" was the stoic Hyuga's reply, as he continued to watch the twin doors that would open at any moment to revel his future bride.

"Why is Gai-sensei walking Tenten down the aisle?" asked a rather confused Lee.

That got the genius' attention, resulting in Neji turning his gaze away from the door to face his old friend while raising an eyebrow in a questioning look.

"It's just…" Lee began, "I thought it was supposed to be a family member who gave away the bride."

"Tenten is an orphan." Neji replied without blinking an eye, and then returned to watching the doors.

"Oh." replied Lee, though he was still uncertain as to why that meant that Gai-sensei had to give Tenten away.

Sensing his dense teammate's confusion, Neji explained "Tenten does not have a family; therefore she does not have a father to give her away. Gai-sensei is the closet thing to a father that she does have, which is why HE is the one who is walking her down the aisle."

Neji looked over at his friend, watching him digest that information.

"Do you understand now?" Neji asked.

"Hai!" Lee cheerfully replied.

Neji returned his attention to the wooden doors, decorated in lavender ribbons and flowers.

"Neji-san." Lee began again.

"Hn?"

"Why doesn't Tenten have a family?" Lee asked, feeling great sadness at the thought. (2).

"I don't know Lee." replied Neji, growing increasingly impatient and irritated with his former teammate.

"It's just…" Lee thought, "It's so sad. Tenten has no mother, no father, no brothers, no sisters, no uncles, no aunts, no cousins, no grand…"

"Lee!" Neji interrupted.

"What Neji-san?" Lee asked, as he wiped away a tear.

"You've known this for a long time." Neji responded.

"I-I know." Lee said, trying to hold back the tears, "B-but, I never thought about how sad and lonely our precious flower must have felt."

"…" Neji thought about this. He too had never considered how lonely it must have been to be in Tenten's place. Neji had always felt rather lonesome himself, having lost the only family he ever cared about when he was young. But even then, he had the other members of his extended family, and he knew where he came from. Tenten had not had that luxury. She did not know who her family was; or where they came from. She didn't even know her family name.

"Oh, Neji-san. How her youth must have suffered." Lee cried, "to have no one. To be completely alone in the world." Lee began to bawl like a baby at the thought.

"It doesn't matter." Neji replied.

"H-h-how can you say that, Neji-san?" Lee asked in between tears and hiccups.

"Because." Neji stated. "Now she has me."

Just then the two intricately carved wooden doors at the other end of the hall, which Neji had memorized to the very last grain of wood, slowly opened. The music began to play softly as the blushing bride and her former sensei walked arm in arm.

Rivers of tears ran down both Gai and Lee's face. The guest stood; all in awe at how beautiful and radiant Tenten looked.

All the while, Neji watched as the love of his life came closer and closer towards him; closer and closer to becoming his wife, his family. As the two approached, Neji thought about what Lee had said.

'And now I have her too.'

TBC...

(1) two things. 1. Lee is Neji's best man, so he's standing right up there with him, and 2. this is a wedding so even the loud and 'youthful' Lee knows he has to tone it down… lol

(2) see, I told you all he was dense… lol… how long have they been friends and he just realized that being an orphan means you have no family?