Author's Note: Minna, o-genki desuka? It's been quite a while, eh? I AM a Cliffhanger Demon. Hahahaha... Ok. This one will be filled with... various emotions. ENJOY!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing! So what do I own actually?

Chapter 12

"Jyuuken!"

THWACK! Hanabi fell to the ground. Neji stopped his move and stood in front of her. He folded his arms.

"You are rushing, Hanabi-sama," said the prodigy politely. He and Hanabi are having their usual practice. Hyuuga Hiashi ordered Neji to train Hanabi regularly, since he himself very busy with the clan's problems. Neji didn't say he enjoy it, especially when he realized that one of the reasons Hiashi asked him was to shorten his own practice session with Tenten. "Your defense is full of opening. Stand up, we'll start again."

"Wait!" Hanabi slowly get up, touching her bruise. Neji arched his eyebrow. "Wait… I still need some rest, Neji-niisan…"

Neji nodded quietly. He then watched the sky as Hanabi controlled her breath.

"Father finally approved your relationship with Tenten-san, right?"

Neji glanced towards his cousin and curtly said, "You're too young to talk about this."

"Hey, that's not the right way to treat a lady!" Hanabi placed her hands on her hip. "I'm old enough to understand love life!"

"If you're strong enough to talk about it, let's proceed," Neji made his jyuuken stance. Hanabi furrowed her eyebrow disapprovingly.

"Neji-nii-san! You're always so cruel to me!" she scowled. "But you're good to Hinata-nee-san! That's so unfair! UNFAIR!"

Neji watched her for a moment and then patted her head. Hanabi quickly backed away and shouted, "HEY! No Jyuuken on the head! It's dangerous!!!"

"I'm not doing jyuuken on your head," Neji folded his arms. He smirked. "I patted you."

"Patted me?!" Hanabi made her stance. "I'm not a pet! Now you pissed me off!! I'm going all out on you!!"

"Go ahead, it's good," Neji made his stance too, but with openings. "Attack me."

And they continued their training. Somehow, this time Neji enjoyed it. His closeness with his cousin is something that rarely appeared in his heart.

Will you give my boy a little chance just like what you have given me?

We have. He just didn't take it, that's all. But we don't mind giving him another chance.

A smile appeared on his face while he dodged Hanabi's palm.

This time… I take it, Tenten. So go home soon. I have something for you…

X

Kiba panted heavily but didn't slow down his pace. His hands ached terribly because running while in Shikyaku no Jutsu is similar to a dog's fast run. His muscle sent pain to his nerves, pleading him to stop. He was about to give up when a drop of Tenten's blood fell on his cheek. His ears caught her shallow breath and he could feel her blood soaked on his black shirt…

"DAAAAAMMMMMIIITTTT!!!!" Kiba summoned the last bit of his chakra and ran faster, his eyes burning from tears. His hands bleed from the harsh contact against the ground but it didn't matter. His muscles screaming in pain but it didn't matter. Nothing is the matter except her… "DAMN IT!! I'll get you to Konoha… I'LL GET YOU TO KONOHA!!!! ALIVE!! DON'T YOU DIE ON ME, NEE-CHAN!!! DON'T. YOU. FUCKIN'. DIE. ON. MEEEEE!!!"

X

Hagane Koutetsu yawned, sitting lazily on the guard post.

"Another boring day…" he said more to himself rather than his friend, Kamizuki Izumo. Izumo chuckled and said, "But don't let your guard down. There's always something in Konoha, right?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Koutetsu cupped his chin. "Like a cat stuck on a tree, a fish swimming in the pool…"

"Oh come on," Izumo laughed. "Stop groaning! We're on our… what? Hey, what is that?!"

Something really fast heading towards the gate. It was Kiba, running at full speed.

"Open the gate!!! OPEN THE GATE!!"

"Kiba!" Koutetsu quickly pulled the rope to open the gate. "Hey, why are you in such a hurry? Enemies?! We…"

Blast! Kiba ricocheted past them, not a single concern in his mind. Koutetsu blinked. He dumbly said, "Wow. That's fast."

X

Sakura! His mind shouting the same name over and over again. His nose sniffed the air as he ran towards the familiar building of Konoha Hospital. Sakura! SAKURA!!! Where's SAKURA?! Where is she?! SAKURAAA!!!

And he found her, walking with Hinata in the hospital hall.

"SAKURAAAA!!!"

Sakura quickly turned on her heel, stunned when Kiba suddenly appeared in front her. He was exhausted and his palms were bleeding. But what made her shocked was what on his back…

"Sa… Sakura…" Kiba panted, his vision blurred. Power evaporated from his body when he realized he succeeded to brought her back to Konoha, to the village's best medic… to Sakura… "Save… her…"

Thud! He fainted from exhaustion.

"Ki… Kiba-kun!!" Hinata quickly ran for his aid and Sakura reached out for Tenten's. "Hang in there! Kiba-kun!"

"You handle Kiba, I'll handle her!" Sakura quickly untied Tenten from Kiba's body. Sakura's emerald orbs glimmered with fear when she saw all of her wounds. What happened?! These wounds… "Prepared the emergency room! She's in critical condition! Call Shizune-san! I need assistance right away! And… call Hyuuga Neji! NOW!"

X

Thud!! Hanabi kissed the ground once again. Neji folded his arms again and said, "Still. Your left is weak and you're not focusing. You're not going to learn anything if you get distracted like that."

Hanabi panted, groaning.

"It's near lunch time!" she scowled. "Can't we stop?"

"The lunch bell is still three minutes away," Neji's emotionless voice replied. "We have three minutes."

"Three minutes!" groaned Hanabi. "There's nothing we can do in three minutes!"

"There is if you stop groaning," said Neji curtly. Hanabi scowled again. Her cousin was really… REALLY a pain in the ass. "Now let's proceed before the bell…"

"NEJI-SAMA!!!" The shouting made Neji halted his movement. "NEJI-SAMA!!!"

Neji turned to face his servant and asked, "Yes? Anything wrong, Chiro?"

"Tenten-san!!!" Chiro screeched like mad. Neji's eyes immediately gain full attention at the call of her name. "Tenten-san was… She was… She was seriously wounded! She…"

There's no need to finish the last sentence. Neji was already on his way to the hospital, thinking of nothing but her.

X

Naruto fell to the hospital bench in front of the emergency room, utterly weary. Shikamaru sat beside him and Akamaru lied down on his feet. They were all worn-out but they won't take any rest before they know the progress of their comrade's condition.

"Yo, Guys…"

The two of them lifted their head when they heard Kiba's voice. He was leaning to Hinata for support and his hands were all bandaged. He looked exhausted yet he was there to know the latest news on Tenten. Hinata looked at Naruto and saw his pale face.

"Naruto-kun… you're poisoned," she said slowly, her face blushed. She gently let Kiba sat on the bench beside Shikamaru. "Let me cured you."

"I want to know Nee-chan's condition!" Naruto looked at the emergency room's door. "I can't leave!"

"Sakura-san is treating her now," said Hinata slowly. "Her wounds are grave but… but Sakura-san is a great medic… Let's trust her, Ok? And it won't help Tenten-san if you die because of poison… Not that I want you to die, Naruto-kun! But… I… mean… You need… need to be treated too… soo…"

Naruto finally nodded his head and grinned.

"Yep! Sakura-chan is a great medic!" he said. "No need to worry! Erm… Please, Hinata! Thank you!"

Hinata smiled and took Naruto's hand, leading him to another room for treatment. Naruto took a glance at the emergency room.

Sakura-chan… we leave her to you… Save her…

X

Damn! DAMN!!!

Sakura applied more chakra on her palm, tried her best to cure the wound but to no avail. Shizune watched helplessly beside her, concerned shone from her eyes.

"Sakura…"

"WHY?!" Sakura cried out of frustration. "Why?! We've extracted the poison, we've give her the antidote… But WHY?! Why can't we cure her?! Why won't her wounds closed?! DAMN IT!!! HEAL!!"

Her chakra spread on Tenten's body, desperately trying to heal the wounds. Whenever the wound closed, it will open again. It was the poison, she knew. But… she has extracted it, right? Then why… why the hell it won't closed?! Why…

"Sakura, give up already," Shizune touched Sakura's shoulder. "The poison already spread in her cells. We can't reach it… And the antidote is only temporary. We can't…"

"Shut the fuck up!!" snapped Sakura out of frustration. Her eyes were filled with tears. "We can't give up now! She's still alive, damn it! She's still alive!! And I won't let her die!! I won't!!"

Sakura tried to close the wounds once again, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She closed her eyes, clenched her jaw to hold her sob. Her hands trembled as it applied chakra on every wound, desperately trying to heal it. Tenten was her best friend… Ah, no, she was more like her older sister. She was there to help her and always ready with her smile. And now she… She…

"Don't die!!!" Sakura cried furiously, applying more chakra until she felt her body weakened. "Don't die, Tenten! I'll cure you! I'll cure you for sure!! I won't let you die! I…"

She stopped suddenly. Her eyes flew open when a warm but frail hand gently touched hers. Those soft brown eyes looked deep into hers, warm and peaceful.

"Ten… ten…" whispered Sakura, tears still flowed down her cheeks. Tenten smiled gently and said softly, "It's alright now, Sakura… Stop it…"

"What… What the hell are you talking about?!" shouted Sakura quickly. "I'll cure you! Now don't talk! I… I…"

"You'll hurt yourself," Tenten gently lifted Sakura's hand from her left chest. "It's alright… I know my condition... Don't hurt yourself further…"

"Hurt myself your hell!" Sakura held Tenten's hand tenderly, her eyes were full of grief. "I'll cure you… I'll… cure… you… Tenten… So don't say things like that… I'll cure you…"

She couldn't hold it anymore. She cried, burying her face on Tenten's shoulder and released all of her emotions. Tenten gently stroke her pink hair and whispered, "Thank you… Sakura… It's alright… It's okay… Everything is fine…"

"It's not fine!" Sakura sobbed on her shoulder. Her brain knew it's the end but her heart refused. Painfully. "It's not… fine, Tenten! It won't!! No… Don't gone… I… I'll do anything it takes to cure you… Just… stay with us here… stay…"

"You know it's over, Sakura… It's over for me… but not for you…" Tenten smiled gently when Sakura lifted her head from her shoulder. "It's alright, now… Everything will be fine… Now… will you… fulfill my request? I… I know I don't have much time left… You know it yourself…"

Sakura brushed the tears off her eyes and slowly nodded, tried her best not to sob. It was hard. She refused to let her go, refused to accept her failure of saving her. It was so sudden. So unexpected… So… But when she looked at her friend's eyes, looked at serene brown orbs… somehow deep in her heart she found tranquility, slowly fade the storm of emotion in her head. She looked at Tenten and said, "Just… tell me what to do."

X

"You… damn… leader!!"

SMACK! Shikamaru coughed a little when Neji send him crashing to the hospital wall. Neji pushed him hard against the wall, his lavender eyes shone with grief and anger. He lifted his clenched fist to the air, ready for a strike. Shikamaru did nothing to prevent him. He simply looked at the emergency room's door, his eyes impassive. The others could only watch helplessly, not even Lee or Sasuke dared to get near Neji. No one dared to stop a furious Hyuuga Neji.

"I thought I've told you to protect her!!" shouted Neji infuriatingly. "I thought I've told you to be careful, you lazy ass! I should've know it will end up this way… I should've known! She's wounded, damn it! Where the hell is your responsibility go?! WHERE?!"

Smack!! He hit him hard on the face. No ninjutsu, nothing. It's sheer power alone and it was filled with anger. Shikamaru winced at the sensation but make no move to dodge. He looked at Neji and said slowly, "I'm sorry… Neji…"

"SORRY?!" Neji pushed him harder. "It's that all that you can say?! How the hell should I…"

"It's my fault, Neji! Let him go!"

Neji turned to look at Naruto, slowly walked towards him with the help of Hinata.

"Your… fault?"

"Yes," said Naruto solemnly. His cerulean eyes glared back at Neji's pale lavender eyes. "My fault. I was paralyzed by the robber's poison and… and when they were about to stab me, She… She appeared before me and received all of the stabs to save me. It's my fault… so leave Shikamaru alone… It's not his fault. Nee-chan is wounded because of me."

Nee-chan? Neji's pale eyes flickered by the saying. He closed his eyes; repress the fury in his heart. Tenten… so you save him…

Neji looked at Shikamaru again, his grip loosen slowly.

"I…"

Click…

The sound of emergency door flung open made everyone turned all of their attention completely. Sakura stood there, her eyes were emotionless. Nobody wants to know what was the meaning of that look. Neji frowned at her, his eyes searching for any hope… that was none.

"Tenten is awake," said Sakura impassively. No one shouted in joy. Her cold figure was not a good omen. "She… She wished to talk to all of you… Come in. She… doesn't have much time left."

And that settled everything. The last sentence was a confirmation of the worst thing in everyone's head.

X

Next: Heaven's Wishes. Tenten's Last Word and Neji's Promise

Author's note: Sooo... I'm a very evil girl. Flame me if you want to, any review will do. But wait for the next chapter, OK? Jya... MATA NE!