Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Author's Note: Ah! I feel like it's finally coming to an ending! Nooooooo!!!!! And sorry for not having you beta, Cyberwolf, I've been sitting on this one and just wanted to get it up.

Chapter 15: Omuko-san

"Hiashi-sama, why is he consulting with that girl?" an elder asked.

"I don't know," Hiashi said simply. The elders were all calm and collected, while the younger clan members held a variety of emotions.

Hinata was in a state of worry. Her father had basically just asked Sasuke to marry her. What if Ino or Sakura found out? What would they do? Hinata felt her face pinked just at the thought of their taunts. But, what if he said yes? She would then have to marry him. She could not imagine "continuing the clan" with someone as cold as Sasuke.

Hanabi hated seeing her older sister like this. She had just started to get over the stuttering problem as well, and was improving in her skills. Now this had to happen. There were times when Hinata's shyness was overactive, but this time it was acceptable. It made no sense how their father had been so heartless. He had been so distant since their mother died, and now he only thought of clan business. It was hard on Hanabi who barely remembered their mother, but worse on Hinata who remembered it all.

Meanwhile, Neji was torn. He wanted someone to take Hinata away from this mess of a household, but not Sasuke. Sasuke was kind to Neko; he was good to family. But how would he treat a shy girl like Hinata? Neko could at least defend herself to a point. At the same time, Neji wanted to see someone defy Hiashi and say no. But then a branch house union would be suggested, that was obvious. Neji knew there was no way he could let that happen. It was not that he did not like Neko; rather it was that he liked her too much to let her become a part of the family he detested so much. It was not good enough for her.

They were all broken off from their thoughts when the Uchiha cousins walked back into the room and took their seats. Neji could not help but notice the disappointment on Neko's face and he wondered what had been discussed.

"I'm afraid I must decline your offer," Sasuke said simply.

This was it. They had to know Hiashi would suggest that the branch families unite, and Neji assumed that was why Neko was so disappointed. Neji's heart sank. Just the idea of marrying him made her feel that way? It had not been so long ago since he saw her crying face over him when the world started to go black. She had only been crying over a friend, despite what he had tried to tell her. He was suddenly glad that the words had not slipped out.

Neji barely even noticed when Hiashi suggested the second offer until he heard Sasuke's refusal.

"No," was all that Sasuke said. Flat, plain, and clear. Neji looked at him in amazement. They were rejecting both offers?

"What?" Hiashi said in a rather undiplomatic tone.

"While an alliance would be beneficial, I cannot allow my cousin to marry into a house that brands their own siblings and cousins," Sasuke explained and allowed the clan heads to gasp and a murmur to start. "However, I would allow their marriage under one condition."

Neko's head suddenly perked and she stared at her cousin in disbelief. He had a plan the whole time? She noted the look on Neji's face as well: hope. It was hard for her to hide a smile at that moment when they shared the same emotion.

"You tread on dangerous ground, Uchiha-san," Hiashi glared. "What is it?"

"We will accept Hyuuga Neji as Uchiha Neko's Omuko-san," Sasuke said and many pairs of eyes went wide.

Of course; an Omuko-san. Neko mentally slapped herself for not knowing that Sasuke would think of that. An Omuko-san was an adopted bridegroom that would take the family's surname and assume the obligations to his in-laws as though he were the first born son. Neko glanced up at Neji and noticed that he was smirking slightly. Only one who knew him well would be able to see it, and it was clear that the idea held merit for him.

"You must be joking," if possible, Hiashi had grown paler. The plan had backfired, and now he stood to either gain nothing or to lose the Hyuuga Prodigy.

"I am completely serious, Hyuuga-san," Sasuke spoke calmly.

"I need to discuss this for a moment…" Hiashi trailed off. "Elders only."

The large group filed out into the corridor slowly, led by the Uchiha cousins. Sasuke smirked gleefully as he went and Neko stopped him abruptly. She made him turn to face her and his smirk faltered slightly as he saw the look on her face.

"How long have you been planning that little stunt?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ever since you gave me that embarrassed look in the hallway, I was trying to do you a favor," Sasuke retorted. She flushed slightly and tried not to notice the way some of the Hyuugas were glaring at them.

"Well… Thank you, but I don't think getting the Hyuuga clan on our bad side is the best way to start things," Neko admitted.

"Neko-chan?" someone interrupted and they turned to see Neji there, with Hinata behind him.

"Neji," she smiled at him politely.

"We need to talk," he gently took hold of her wrist and pulled her aside. Sasuke calmly watched them go and gently took in the glares of the various Hyuugas near him.

"Uh, S-Sasuke-k-kun?" Hinata said and he looked over at her embarrassed face.

"Yes?"

"T-thank you," she gave him an honest smile and he blinked in surprise.

Meanwhile, Neji had pulled Neko to the side and she could not help but feel confused. Too many things were happening at once, and was she really as close to becoming engaged to him as it seemed?

Deep down, she had always dreamed of this. Neji was always the one she had wanted to spend her life with, and it seemed like she could be a part of his life as long as they were friends. She knew they always would be, after he forgave her for what had happened. Now they were about a step away from going there. But did he feel the same way?

Neko also found herself doubting it. Marriage…What a loaded word! It meant so much commitment. A life together, and possibly dying together. Just like her parents had. Would she and Neji die like that? In a final embrace of affection? She already held his voice in her head and Itachi said that would never end… would their connection grow beyond that?

What good was being psychic if she could not know these things?

"Neko… about Hiashi's request…" Neji began and she tilted her head as she watched him talk. "Are you against it?"

Before replying, she saw how serious he looked. This was not like him, usually he would be telling her about what fate expected now. Then she could meditate and give him the answer to what fate was really saying. Somehow, it seemed like it would not be so easy this time.

"If it were anyone but you, I would be," she blushed and looked away. For some reason, the time on their way to rescue Chihhiro when he had shared his blanket with her flashed in her mind. They had been so close, and he had been so warm.

"Neko," he sighed. "Tenten. Do you remember what I tried to tell you after… the accident?"

She blinked in surprise at him. Had he just called her Tenten? Why?

"…that was the last time you used that name…" she said, more to herself than to him.

"Yes, I was trying to say I l—" he began but was cut off when Hanabi appeared.

"Neji-nee-san! They're going back in!" she said and ignored the glare he sent her.

"Uh, right," he grunted and went to go back into the meeting room. Neko let out the breath she had been holding in and trudged along behind.

"Hey, you're Uchiha Neko, right?" Hanabi caught her before they went back in.

"Yes," Neko replied and saw the girl smile mischievously.

"Thanks for helping us the other night," she grinned and began to walk away. "Oh, and for making Neji-nee-san smile."

Neko felt her face heat up as the younger girl dashed away to find her seat and Neko took hers near Sasuke. The people slowly found their places and then Hiashi cleared his throat to silence those present.

"With one more addition, we will accept your offer," Hiashi began and Sasuke nodded his understanding. "Uchiha Neko must defeat both of my daughters individually to prove that she is worthy."

Neko's eyes widened in surprise and Sasuke paused only for a moment. He cast a glance over his shoulder at her, and she nodded to him. For Neji, she could fight. Even if it was Hanabi and Hinata.

Sasuke sighed slightly, finding that this situation was becoming more of an issue than he had initially hoped for.

"Hyuuga-san, we accept your offer."

-x-X-x-

The next day….

Neko arrived early for training and sat down under a tree. She would spend the morning training with her team as usual, then the afternoon with Kakashi. It had become routine in this short time, but today did not feel at all like the usual routine. Because today it was not just Lee, Gai-sensei and Neji. Today it was Lee, Gai-sensei, and her fiancé to be.

This just seemed so... different.

It was not long before she sensed the familiar chakra of her teammate coming towards her. It had only been the night before that he had been sitting in that same room as their future was planned out by his uncle and her cousin. Neji wore a calm expression as he stopped in front of her and she smiled up at him. It had never occurred to Neko that she would be fighting for Neji one day, most of the girls in Konoha seemed too busy keeping their eyes on other boys.

"So... Do you want to beat Hinata and Hanabi?" Neji finally asked her.

"You mean, do I want to marry you?" she corrected him.

"Yes..."

Neko got up from her place under the tree and went over to him slowly, his white eyes watching her the whole way. She brushed one of the rare, stray hairs from his face and just stared deeply into his eyes for a moment.

"Do you remember what I said... before you blacked out?" she asked him.

"I remember most of it," he said and scrunched up his face as he thought. "You were saying 'stay with me, I...'"

"Do you know that last part?" Neko asked, feeling slightly nervous.

"...'I love you'...?"

She nodded up at him, her cheeks slightly pink as she smiled. He reached up and touched her cheek tenderly. Her sharingan flicked on and Neji blinked in surprise.

"It was the same thing I had tried to say to you... But I was never able to spit it out," Neji explained, his face as stoic as ever. How could he be so calm? Her stomach was doing cartwheels just standing there, looking at him, feeling his eyes on her, smelling the scent that always seemed to hang in the air when he was near her.

"I meant that then, and I meant it now," she said, letting her tough side take over. "Now show me a kaiten... I'm going to need every technique I can learn before that match."

He smiled at her and they parted before walking over to the clearing where he began to show her a few new things.

-x-X-x-

"So Sasuke tells me you're up against a couple of Hyuuga girls?" Kakashi teased her when she walked into the usual area. Neko nodded tiredly as Kakashi looked her over.

"Hinata and Hanabi, separately."

"And you've already done a few very tiring things with your team I see..."

"Yes, sensei..."

"And now a good part of your chakra is gone, you probably would be out after one practice run with your sharingan," he pointed out.

"You could say that..." she said sheepishly.

"And that fiancé-to-be just wore you out so much before you even got to training..."

"What?!"

"Oh, so he is a gentleman like I thought," Kakashi smiled at her and she blushed at the tease. "It's a good thing I planned something different for today, since you're worn out."

"Oh...?"

"Yes, and here she is," Kakashi pointed to his left and Tsunade walked through the trees and into the clearing. She smiled at Neko, who blinked in surprise at seeing her old idol.

"Tsunade-sama?!?!" Neko blurted in surprise.

"Yes, I will be helping you with your training today. We are going to be working on balancing the Neko and Uchiha blood in you."

"You mean… I can learn more of my Neko side?" the girl looked confused. "I thought I was the only one left."

Tsunade stared deeply into Neko's eyes, never blinking. "There is something I have to tell you now, before another word is spoken…"