Um, not much to say, cuz I don't have much time. Thanks for all the lovely reviews!

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Neji frowned as he stirred the thick stew. It was his fault Hinata and Ten Ten were now wanted kunoichis. Why couldn't they have just let him die? He wasn't much use without his eyes, and at least they could have kept living in the village.

"Neji-chan?" Hinata asked softly, looking up from the sword she was sharpening. "You've been so sad for days now. What's wrong?"

Neji forced a smile and slowly shook his head. "Nothing, Hinata-sama."

Hinata pouted at the formal address Neji still insisted on using. Yes, she and her cousin had always been close, but even now he still referred to her as his superior, no matter how many times she'd told him not to. "Neji-"

"The stew needs more ginger." Neji said, laying the ladle aside and standing up; he went over to a lopsided, woven basket where they kept their spice jars. It was a basket Neji had made out of river reeds, which explained why it was so uneven. But it was serviceable.

Hinata continued to scrape her blade with her whet stone. She and Ten Ten were new to Akatsuki, and as newbies often got stuck doing the dirty grunt work that no one wanted to do. Which often was simple, routine assassinations of lesser lords and political figures that were in Akatsuki's way, or the way of their clients. Since the rogue ninja organization charged less than official ninja villages, many of the darker deeds of the criminal underworld were carried out through them.

It was almost the same as being in Konohoa, really. Except they had more freedom. There weren't as many rules, regulations, and protocols to follow. And they worked on a two man team, not four. It didn't matter how they did it, as long as the job got done. It actually was…nicer. Yes, Hinata couldn't say she wasn't unhappy. Ten Ten felt the same.

There was more freedom, and they were too low on the totem pole of rank to worry about big decisions and secret goals. They lived in Akatsuki territory, not ranking high enough for a place in headquarters. Still, just being in the territory meant they were protected. If any shinobi were skilled enough to make it this far alive, they'd have bigger fish to fry, such as Uchiha Itachi. How could any fisherman sent out to catch a bass resist going after a nearby shark instead? The glamour, the glory, of being the one to capture a top Akatsuki missing-nin was just too much to resist.

So, they were safe. Indeed, the only reason Akatsuki had taken them on was because of Hinata's Byakugan. A Hyuga in their midst. Who could have imagined? Hinata and Ten Ten did their jobs well, never failing a mission. They talked to no one besides themselves and kept to themselves. They asked no questions and answered none in turn; such was the way of life for rogue ninjas.

Neji, for his part, lived in the tree house with them, healing their cuts after missions, cooking, mending clothing. There was much to do; it was a rough existence. Ten Ten, who spent most of her life in the field, didn't mind. But it was an adjustment for the two Hyugas, who were used to having servants do all the hard work. Which Neji did now. In fact, the Hyuga heiress still wasn't used to it. But then she never had to do it, because Neji did it.

Checking over her blade, Hinata examined it carefully before sheathing it. She looked at Neji, who was frowning into the bubbling broth. She sighed heavily. He'd been so down for days. She rose, making her way to the wooden door and opening it. She activated her Byakugan, standing on the porch and gazed around her, checking their surroundings. It was a force of habit more than anything else.

Ten Ten sat on a nearby branch, twirling a stick and knocking snow off the other cold branches. She looked up at her companion.

Hinata continued to gaze at the tree tops, the wind ruffling her long, blue-black hair. She'd let it grow out, down past her shoulders so she could be like her Neji-chan. "He won't talk to me. Y-You…m-maybe you should try."

Tbc…