Staying Alive

A Neji x Tenten Story

Summary- AU fic. Doesn't really have a set time. NxT When Neji is hired to capture a criminal he doesn't expect what he finds. Can the thief reach her life long goals of killing the one man she utterly loathes or will her Uncle get in the way of things? More twisted than it sounds.

Disclaimer- I've tried to get Kishimoto to give me Naruto but so far nothing seems to be working.

"sup"- talking

sup- thinking

'sup'- Flashback

'sup'- Thoughts in a flashback

A.N.- I'm done with my Business Tech. work for now so I figured I'd update. Enjoy!

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What happened last time- 'Everything was falling into place. That would explain Tenten's mixed emotions at returning to the castle, she probably wants revenge for the death of her family, but that's only if it really is her. The cold feeling in the pit of his stomach slowly began to dissolve. It has to be her nothing else makes sense. A whisper of a smile played across Neji's thin lips. I can't believe I didn't see it before.'

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Staying Alive

Chapter 6- Who Are You?

Tenten had been watching Neji since they left. He seemed lost in his own thoughts just barley conscious of where they were going. A thought as light as a feather drifted through Tenten's mind but she couldn't grasp it. Shrugging away the feeling Tenten turned to look at the road ahead of her. Meh, he's probably just ignoring us. But the feeling didn't go away and Tenten began to wonder.

A thick shroud of silence had fallen around the group as they traveled and Tenten took comfort in the peaceful quiet. All too soon the comfort of the silence was shattered. A foreboding feeling overcame Tenten like a cold finger racing along her back and her head snapped up. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and her scalp prickled. Tenten looked around trying to find the source of her discomfort. The castle looming in the distance was closer than before but it wasn't what had Tenten so unnerved. Turning her head to the right Tenten's face fell. They were right alongside one of the valley walls and dead ahead of them was a row of trees. Tenten swore in her mind as her whole body went rigid. She would wait and see what would happen; there was little else she could do. According to the pace they were traveling and the distance from the group to the tree line they would enter beneath the canopy of trees in five minutes. As they group neared the trees Tenten could feel the cold fist of anxiety beginning to cramp around her stomach as memories of her last visit to this valley wall swam through her mind.

Flashback

Tenten snuck along the base of the valley wall in the dead of night blending in with the blackness as she crept stealthily along. She was glad for once that Kitatani had some sloped walls in its protective valley for once in her life. She slowly began her ascent up the wall until a dry twig snapped beneath her foot. Tenten abruptly stopped moving and held her breath as all went silent. She waited patiently for the dull sound of boots on dirt to reach her ears again from the pathway high above her. If she were caught it would more than likely cost Tenten her life unless she was incredibly lucky.

Tenten once again began to climb and she soon reached the peak of the wall. A sudden whizzing sound made Tenten swear in her mind. An arrow struck the ground next to one of her outstretched hands. She quietly began to climb back down a forlorn look in her hazel eyes. I'm sorry Neji, I can't get to you. More arrows began to strike the ground around Tenten. 'Oh whatever'. Tenten unsheathed a long knife plunging it into the soft ground. She let her feet slip away beneath her as she fell down the slope using the knife to direct her fall. Tenten had drawn more attention to herself from the sound but she didn't care. As she neared the bottom of the wall Tenten's knife became lodged between two rocks viciously ripping the weapon from her grasp. Tenten lost her balance and fell to the pathway just a little further away and she was sent sprawling into the dirt still a few feet below her. Quickly regaining her senses Tenten rose to her feet. Looking back she saw the faint glow of the weapon in the moonlight. "Whizzz!" Before Tenten had time to run an arrow flew through the dark night and plunged through her right shoulder. Tenten bit back a scream as she bolted back towards the forest she new so well. Damb it!

End Flashback

Tenten had been trying to escape from her home to try and find Neji so that he could help her but her plan had gone terribly wrong and she had paid the price for it. The scar in her right shoulder was enough proof of that. Tenten just hoped that she wouldn't have to endure a re-run of her last encounter with the archers atop the valley wall. Tenten's thoughts were shattered as she looked up; they had finally stopped in front of the line of trees. Glancing to the side Tenten saw the path she had taken to the top of the wall almost a year and a half ago. Tora took a step towards the tree line oblivious to the negative aura that loomed around them. Tenten turned sharply to look at the ebony haired girl.

"Tora wait." Tenten's voice was sharp and a little strained and she swallowed to get it back under control. "Don't go in there," she warned. Tora looked at the thief and scoffed.

"You're just scared." Tenten's hazel eyes narrowed and hardened into razor points of amber and she glared at the girl before her.

"Something isn't right here, can't you feel it?" she whispered harshly.

"Yeah whatever." Tora rolled her golden eyes and turned taking another step towards the forest. Neji's hand shot out and grabbed Tora by the arm preventing her from going any further.

"She's right. Something has been wrong for the past five minutes." Tora looked from Neji to Tenten and back again skeptically.

"You two are both just paranoid" she said irritably.

"They're watching." Tora quickly looked at Tenten who had dropped her gaze to the dirt path but still watched the valley wall from the corner of her eye warily.

"You see that! She's crazy!" Tora pointed a finger accusingly at Tenten. Neji just glared at the young woman angrily.

"Would you shut up!" he hissed to her. "She isn't crazy; there are archers all along the valley wall watching us." Neji turned to Tenten for an answer.

"They want me dead," she offered bluntly.

"Why?" Neji still hadn't released his grip on Tora's arm.

"Old what's his face probably wants me dead, no questions asked. As soon as I set foot into those trees the archers will open fire." Tenten's voice was seeping with hidden anger. Tora struggled against Neji's iron grip trying to get free but failing miserably. Finally giving up she turned her gaze on Tenten.

"What's your point?" she asked irritably. Tenten gazed at Tora disbelievingly; she would have smacked her in the head if her hands hadn't been tied securely behind her back.

"What bodes poorly for her means trouble for us all," Neji answered. Tora turned and looked at Neji with a confused expression.

"What?" Tenten's temper got the better of her and she cut in before Neji could answer.

"He means that if you two escort me through there…" she gestured at the trees with her head. "…then all three of us are going to be shot at." Tora opened her mouth to say something else but Neji cut her off.

"What do you suggest we do?" Tenten looked at the two horses and then back at Neji.

"You two take the horses and leave me here; I can take care of myself. I'll find a way through." Tora jumped into the conversation.

"You're just trying to escape. How can we trust you to come back to the people who captured you if you survive?" Tentens eyes flashed dangerously and hazel locked with gold. Tora flinched under Tenten's frosty glare.

"Just because I'm a thief, does not mean that I am without honor," she spat. "Do you really expect me to be able to escape anyway with these ropes binding my hands and ankles? I've been tied to a post for two days and nights, I can barley walk!" she shouted, angry that Tora had just insulted her. You're such and idiot! her mind screamed. The same message was transmitted through her expression.

"You're just afraid." Tora couldn't think of anything else to say. Tenten snorted and her rigid posture slowly began to sag as if she had been trying to carry a heavy burden for to long and it had finally gotten the best of her. Tenten's eyes clouded oven and her gaze slowly rose to the sky.

"Afraid of what, death?" Her voice was a deadly whisper no louder than the rustling of the leaves ahead of her. Tenten closed her eyes as the soft hand of the wind caressed her cheek.

"A part of me would gladly welcome death," she whispered a forlorn and almost look of longing on her soft face. Her gaze snapped back down to Tora the hard look returning to her eyes.

"But the other part of me would gladly do anything it takes to stay alive until my job is done. Then and only then will I allow myself to give in and die." Tenten's voice rose to a loud hiss and her face darkened.

"Life of death, either way I get what I want." Tenten continued to glare at the Tora a moment longer before the unbridled emotion in her eyes faded and she turned to look at Neji. When she spoke her voice was calm.

"So…what's your suggestion?" Neji looked at her and then up to the wall.

"First we figure out how many archers are along the wall."

"You mean you right? All my charka points are blocked," Tenten said dully. Neji quickly formed a hand seal and released his chakra. It spread out in an invisible wave around him washing over Tenten. She breathed deeply as the familiar feel of his chakra enveloped and washed over her. A small smile tugged at the corner of her rosy lips but she pushed it away. Tora seemed a little taken aback by the sudden feeling and she flinched slightly shifting her weight uncomfortably. A few quiet seconds ticked by before Neji opened his eyes.

"There are about twenty archers up along that ridge." Neji gestured to the valley wall with his head. Tenten frowned. Just as I thought. He's got more of them than normal.

"I don't really see any other option do you?" Tenten looked at Neji with her eyebrows raised in a questioning manner. Tora just looked from one to the other in a confused way.

"Get on the horse Tora," Neji ordered as he pulled a kunai from the pouch on his thigh. Tenten spread her legs apart so that the rope between her ankles was taut. Neji bent down and quickly sliced the rope.

"Come on." Neji stood and walked to the black horse. She somehow managed to get up into the saddle, Neji quickly following.

"What are we doing again?" Tora's worried voice drifted to Tenten.

"Taking our chances," she answered squeezing the horse's sides tightly with her legs. With her hands bound tightly behind her it was going to be difficult for Tenten to maintain her balance, especially on a running horse.

"We're going to ride through the trees as fast as we can and hope we don't get shot at," she continued a slight wave of sarcasm lacing her words. Neji squeezed the horse's sides with his heels and the animal bolted foreword. After a few seconds of delay Tora followed her face going slightly pale. The moment the horses set foot in the forest a wave of arrows rained down upon them. Several flew by Tenten's head and embedded themselves around the riders. Tenten's breathing quickened and her throat tightened. The air around the riders was split by the sound of flying projectiles and the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Tenten tried hard to maintain her balance on the back of the horse but it was very difficulty. Neji's arms around her helped a little but the proximity of their bodies made her blush and her heart rate quickened. Now is not the time Tenten, she berated herself. She focused her mind on keeping her balance in the onslaught of arrows. A loud whizzing sound erupted very close to Tenten and Neji grunted behind her. He jumped slightly his grip on the reins tightening. Tenten looked back at him and saw the pain in his eyes as well as the tightness in his mouth. Looking down she saw the shaft of an arrow protruding from his right side. Damb it! Tenten swore to herself anger and worry blazing in her hazel eyes. Little beads of sweat were beginning to form across Neji's forehead and the pain was getting worse from the jarring movement of the horse. If he fell from the horse so would Tenten and that meant that they would both be killed, either trampled under foot or wounded from the constant wave of arrows. I'm not real fond of becoming a pincushion! Neji's grip on the reins began to slacken and thinking quickly Tenten wrapped her bound hands into the front of Neji's shirt.

"Come on Hyuga stick with me, we're almost outta here!" she shouted over the roar of the wind. Neji's grip on the reins tightened once again and he pushed the horse at an even faster pace. Soon the group burst forth from the line of trees in a whirlwind of dust and leaves. After a few more minutes of running the horses skidded to a halt. Neji's grip on the reins went slack and he slumped forward his body resting against Tentens. She could feel his ragged breath on her back.

"Tora get over here!" Tenten shouted. The girl quickly dismounted and ran over to the black horse. The two managed to pull Neji from the back of the horse and down on the ground. Tenten slid down next to him. Tora stared owlishly down at the arrow shaft protruding from Neji's blood soaked side.

"O-oh God…what do I do?" Tora asked in a state of shock her gaze never leaving the arrow. She looked like she would pass out any moment.

"You cut me loose so that I can help," Tenten snapped. Tora seemed to snap out of her shock and she glared at Tenten.

"No way," she said defiantly.

"Do it." Both girls looked down at Neji. "Tora you don't know anything about healing, let her help," he said through gritted teeth.

"But I-"

"Just do it!" Tenten snapped angrily. Tora quickly got up and slashed the ropes that bound Tenten with a kunai. Tenten flinched as her sore muscles were forced to move. She quickly walked to the other side of Neji's black horse and grabbed her leather bag.

"I need some clean cloths." Tora nodded and stood up. Tenten sat down next to Neji to examine the wound. Flashes of her own arrow wound danced through Tenten's mind and she desperately willed them away not wanting to think about how much pain Neji was in and how much worse it was about to get. Tora returned with the cloths and Tenten spread some out beneath the arrow. She pulled a kunai from Neji's weapons pouch and gingerly cut away the blood soaked fabric around the wound. Tenten would need as much access to the wound as possible, when she pulled the arrow out she had to make sure that the head wouldn't catch on any of Neji's clothes and make the damage to his side and internal organs worse. She frowned as she realized how deep the arrow actually was in his side and she began to worry, maybe this wasn't the time to use herbal remedies.

"Go get me a stick." Tora looked at the thief with a confused expression unable to comprehend why she would need a stick but she did as she was told. Tenten quickly dug through her bag to find the herbs she would need to cleanse the wound and help to deaden the pain. She pulled out some garlic cloves and Cayenne extract; hopefully both herbs would help to heal the wound. Tora finally returned and Tenten quickly took the stick from her hands.

"I need some water." Tenten's voice was stern but she was only trying to hide her worry so that neither one of them would become suspicious. Though it may not matter if I have to resort to a different form of healing, she thought. Tora angrily walked over the both horses and yanked the canteen from each saddle. She handed them to Tenten who had moved up to Neji's head.

"I want you to swallow these ok?" Tenten's voice was gentle but her worry shone through. She used her knees to prop up Neji's upper back so that it would be easier for him to drink the water. Tenten put the cloves in his mouth and he quickly swallowed them with a gulp of water.

"Tora could you get me a blanket please?" The more time that passed by the more worried Tenten became. Her arrow wound hadn't been as severe as Neji's but the pain had been excruciating, she had nearly passed out. Tenten wanted desperately to comfort him and gently caress his face with a hand but she knew that she couldn't. Instead she took the rolled up blanket from Tora and used it in place of her knees to keep Neji's head propped up. Tenten moved back to the arrow protruding from Neji's side.

"Put the stick in his mouth," Tenten ordered. Tora did as she was told gently placing the stick between Neji's teeth. He's really going to need it, Tenten thought sadly. She reached out with shaky hands and quickly broke the shaft of the arrow. Neji bit down hard on the stick and his whole body went rigid. Tenten's stomach churned and she looked away swallowing before she continued. With a sharp tug she pulled the arrow clean from Neji's side, blood splattering her legs. He gasped in pain and his hands shook a little. He's lucky that the arrow head didn't break off in his side. Acting quickly so as to stop the bleeding Tenten grabbed the small bottle of extract and poured some of it onto a clean cloth. With baited breath Tenten pressed the cloth up against his side using it to wipe away the blood and dirt that covered his pale skin. The extract would help the wound to heal as well as to cauterize the blood. Tenten bit her lip in fear. Now all I have to worry about is the internal bleeding. Tenten desperately wanted to find a different answer but she knew that there was no other way to stop the damage his internals had taken from the arrow. Herbal remedies where not the answer to everything. She would have to heal the majority of the wound using her chakra and pray that she still remembered enough of her medical teachings so as not to make the damage worse. She turned her head to look at Neji.

"Neji? Listen to me." Neji opened his pale eyes and looked at her grimacing slightly. "I need you to open my chakra points. I can't do much without chakra alright?" He grimaced. Was that a yes or a no? she thought worriedly. Neji slowly sat up his back supported by Tora and preformed hand seals. Soon enough of Tenten's chakra points where open so that she could get her chakra moving again and heal the damage to his internal organs. Neji was once again lying back down, perspiration beaded across his forehead and Tenten immediately went back to work.

Tenten removed the cloth from his side and closed her eyes focusing on moving her chakra to her hands. She felt a tingling in her arms make it's way down to her palms and envelope both of her hands. She opened her eyes and placed her glowing hands against Neji's side gently pressing her fingers to the wound and the area above it using her chakra to assess the wound. Beads of sweat began collecting on Tenten's forehead as the organs began to repair themselves. Tenten was satisfied when all that was left was a deep laceration instead of internal bleeding and she quickly broke her concentration. She picked up another clean cloth and poured more extract onto it. She placed the piece of white fabric against his side allowing the liquid to seep into the wound. Neji flinched ever so slightly and Tenten bit her lip. I'm sorry Neji…it's going to get worse before it gets better. Tenten covered the first cloth with another one and gently held it in place. She shuffled around in her bag with one hand and pulled out a small roll of cloth.

"Tora come here," she snapped. Tora's eyes twitched but she got up from her place at Neji's head and came over to Tenten.

"I need you to hold this in place for me." Tora nodded but watched her suspiciously.

"Neji? I'm going to need you to lift your lower back for me to bandage this ok?" Neji didn't respond and a cold fist grabbed at Tenten's heart. Oh God, is he even conscious? Tenten thought worriedly. Neji slowly rose his lower back flinching at the sudden onslaught of pain that shot across his abdomen. Tenten lifted up the bottom of what was left of Neji's shirt as she turned to Tora.

"Hold this," Tenten instructed quickly handing Tora the end of the roll of bandages. She pressed the fabric up against the cloths as Tenten quickly wrapped Neji's waist.

"Ok you can relax now," Tenten breathed as she tied off the bandage. Neji flinched.

"Sorry," she whispered. Tenten looked up at Tora.

"The bandage is going to need to be changed twice a day at least." Tora nodded.

"Now…you can tie me back up again and set up camp because he is not going anywhere." Tenten spoke mostly to Neji knowing that he would be defiant and want to keep moving ignoring the severity of the wound. Tora stood and went to fish the rope out of one of the saddle bags on the horses. Tenten picked up another one of the cloths and used it to wipe away the sweat that had collected on Neji's forehead. Tenten reached up and removed the stick from his teeth grimacing slightly at the deep indentions in the wood. She threw the stick over her shoulder.

"You have a strange mix of healing methods," he whispered hoarsely. Tenten just shrugged trying to act like she didn't care and keep the exhaustion and relief out of her eyes. Both the emotional strain and physical strain where getting to her as well as the strain on her chakra. She hadn't practiced healing techniques with her chakra for years.

"Yeah well, I know from experience that they work. The garlic should kick in sometime soon to help deaden the pain." Tenten poured some of the Cayenne onto a cloth and pressed it up against the kunai wound on her right arm flinching at the searing pain that erupted from her arm. She could hear her breath catch in her throat as she disinfected the wound. Tenten pressed her arm up against her side to hold the cloth in place as she unraveled what was left of her bandages. She tied off the end of the gauze with her teeth.

"You mean to tell me that you've been shot in the side with an arrow?" he asked a little disbelievingly. Tenten looked up at Neji as she picked up another cloth and soaked it in the extract.

"Shoulder actually but it still hurt like no other." Tenten used the cloth to quickly clean away the dried blood and dirt on her arms wrinkling her nose a little as the white cloth turned a dark reddish brown. Tenten looked up sharply as she heard Tora stop searching through the saddle bags. She quickly put some of the Cayenne on her infected wrists clenching her jaw as her arms became a blazing inferno of pain.

"Hey…you did better than me on my first arrow wound…I nearly passed out," she gasped trying to hide the pain she felt as she gritted her teeth. Tora came walking over and Tenten put the bottle down tightly securing the lid and rising to her feet. Tora removed what was left of the rope on Tenten's wrists and ankles and then rebound them. Tenten couldn't help but notice that the ropes were considerably tighter this time. A rope was tied to Tenten's wrists and then to her ankles. She had to bend over backwards to relieve the tension in her body. A third rope was put around her waist and through her hands ensuring that she wouldn't be able to wriggle her arms around in front of her. Upon finishing her job Tora roughly hit Tenten in the back and she fell down to her knees. Unable to regain her balance and to exhausted to care Tenten fell to her side so that she now lay along the ground facing Neji. Tenten bent her knees backwards so that she could relieve the tension in her back.

"Well, I do believe that I've been hog tied." Tora simply rolled her eyes at the comment.

"That's the way you should have been tied up from the very beginning," Tora spat before she whirled around and went to work tending to the horses.

"Oh Tora, you may want to get him an extra blanket, it's going to be cold tonight," Tenten said a teasing look on her face even though Tora's back was to her. Tora didn't acknowledge what Tenten said but she knew that Tora had heard her.

"You do realize that you just keep making things worse for yourself right?" Tenten stopped watching Tora and turned her innocent gaze to Neji who had turned his head to the side to look at her.

"You do realize that you should be sleeping instead of talking right?" she mocked.

"What are you his mother?" Tora snapped spinning around to look at Tenten who just blinked innocently. Tora's golden eyes were burning with irritation and Tenten enjoyed annoying the girl, it had become a high point for her.

"No, I'm too irresponsible to be his mother," Tenten answered playfully. Tora just rolled her eyes and turned back to unsaddling the horses.

"You and your stupid jokes." Tenten turned back to look at the injured Hyuga.

"Don't make me give you a stronger sedative," she threatened from her bound position on the ground.

"You couldn't if you tried," he retorted. Tenten raised a delicate auburn eyebrow.

"I have ways young one, now shut up and get to sleep." Neji just sighed and turned his head to look up at the blue sky. The sun would set soon, and the sky was ever so slowly beginning to darken.

"Tora you should probably build a fire sometime soon the temperature is beginning to fall." Having lived in the forest for so long Tenten's body had become sensitive to the temperature changes, even the slightest change in degrees wouldn't escape her while no one else would notice. Tora had finished unsaddling the horses and she tied both the reins to a stake next to her sleeping mat. Tenten rolled her eyes. Boy is she paranoid, Tenten thought sarcastically. She snorted. Yeah like I have room to talk. A deep voice penetrated the silence as well as her thoughts.

"Where did you learn to heal?" Tenten looked up at Neji and sighed knowing that the question was bound to come around sooner or later.

"I got tired of having to wait two weeks or more for my wounds to heal." Tenten rolled over so that her back was now to Neji in her own way refusing to elaborate further. Neji knew that she wasn't going to say anything more so he let the subject drop. Tenten closed her eyes and with the sun warming her lightly tanned skin she soon fell into a dreamless sleep. Tomorrow she would finally meet the man who had caused her so much pain face to face.

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A.N- I hope you enjoyed reading the latest update of Staying Alive. Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon.