Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Cause if I did... I think it'd ruin it. So really, it works out for the best.

Author's Note: Oh man, not feeling very confident about this one everyone. I've been sitting on this release for about over a week now. If anyone out there can help me by being a Beta Reader or wants to help elaborate the feminine side (thoughts and feelings) of Tenten I'd be forever in their debt. Well here it goes, for your approval, Chapter 3 (I don't count the prologue) Please read and review and critique, I'll gladly take any constructive criticism.

If a person's eyes are windows to their soul, then the dead man in front of Hyuuga Neji had a very wicked soul. The sickly unnatural hue of his yellowish-orange eyes was a testimony to his most deserved death.

"Hn. Just a scout." Tenten said with disappointment laced in her tone.

"Hyuuga-san, I'm sorry." whispered Hiro.

Neji, however, was so fixed on the eyes of the corpse before him that he didn't even notice his teammate's apology. Also, thinking about the obsidian eyes of his nightmare man made him all but numb to his surroundings. What he could hear instead was the echo of his last dream pounding in his ears.

"So, we finally meet."

Neji closed his eyes and calmed his thoughts. It wasn't realistic for him to think that he'd meet and fight some made up person from his dreams. But no matter how many times he told himself that, there were always some reservations... some doubts. Taking a deep breath, the Byakugan user slowly climbed out of his thoughts in time to hear his teammate repeat his name. Neji looked up towards Hiro curiously. "What did you say?"

"I said I was sorry Hyuuga-san. I didn't expect him to move that fast, and especially right at me, I mean, I was well hidden. I don't know how he found me. Also, thank you..." Hiro's words trailed off into silence as the young man slightly dropped his head.

It didn't take Tenten much to understand Hiro's feelings. He was disappointed; in himself, in his need to be saved, and mostly in letting down his perfectionist team lead. Tenten recognized his posture, and the lack of energy from his youthful eyes most of all. She too stood in the exact same stance whenever she felt like she let Neji down. In those rare times, there was always something that hurt when she would look Neji in the eyes. Something about him that always affected her.

Neji barely grunted in acknowledgment of Hiro's actions before giving out tasks. "Akiko, there's something about this body that doesn't sit well with me. I want a quick autopsy done; tell me the interesting things you find."

"Roger."

"Hiro get ready; as soon as Akiko is done I want you to make an illusion to carry the body far away from here. If someone comes looking for him, I want them following 'his' tracks in the opposite direction of us. Got it?"

"Yes sir!"

Tenten pulled in close to Neji and started to whisper. "Are you alright? You seem a little out of it right now."

"I'm fine."

"Hyuuga-san, it was a soldier pill. One like I've never seen before. It gave him great strength and stamina, but pretty much poisoned his body. It actually made him blind. Apparently he wasn't using his eyes while he fought us."

Neji stared on as he processed the information.

"One last thing," Akiko added, "he was a Waterfall-nin; which means he was fighting his own people."

"A deserter?" queried Tenten.

"It's possible."

After a moment of silence, Neji gave a small nod to the teams' illusionist, giving the signal to start his task. Grabbing the trance induced young man, Neji lifted him onto his back to carry the boy, the Hyuuga turned to the two female ninjas. "Ready?"

Answering with a smirk, Tenten was off in a flash. Being the closest person to Neji over the years, she would know what he was thinking without being told.

"Wait, Hyuuga-san! Where are we going?"

"The rest of the dead bodies around here come from somewhere." Neji paused. "We're going there."

The sun had just lifted its head over the horizon when they arrived at the small village. Tenten arrived first to the village which was set in a clearing in a lightly wooded area, and had already gone through with informing the tiny community of the events that took place last night; that the people who left to defend them last night were dead, and that their village wasn't out of danger yet.

Neji turned his head to the right, speaking to the man he was carrying on his back, "Hiro, it's okay now, I think you've taken the corpse far enough."

There was no response.

"Hiro?"

Tenten walked up to the other three and saw the situation. "I think he's sleeping..."

Neji immediately dropped the extra weight from his shoulders before walking away towards some of the prominent villagers.

Falling on his butt, Hiro snapped awake. Turning his head from side to side, the young man took in his surroundings. It didn't take long for him to realize that he was sitting in the shadow of a furious Tenten. Scratching the back of his head, Hiro shrugged and offered up an apologetic smile.

"Lucky." Tenten said under her breath.

Tenten apparently wasn't quiet enough as Akiko shot a quick reply, "Who's lucky?" as she walked into the encounter.

"No one!" stated Tenten with a nervous smile and laugh.

"Well, anyway, we have some orders. I have to tend to some of the wounded men. It seems there were a few people who escaped the attacker last night. Hiro, Hyuuga-san says since you already had a nap on the way here that..."

"Hey, I did my job!" Hiro cut in protesting, "I just fell asleep because Hyuuga-san moves very gracefully through the trees!"

Both female ninjas gave him an odd look which make the lazy illusionist quickly stop talking.

"And so Hiro," Akiko continued from earlier, "you'll be sending out an illusion to scout. Hyuuga-san wants to know where the enemy is and how big of a force they have."

"Yeah, yeah." Hiro agreed in a complaining tone.

By the scowl that the medic had on her face, Tenten knew that Hiro was about to get a lecture, and knowing that Neji wouldn't assign a chuunin to give a jounin a task; Tenten went straight to the source.

"Neji, what are we doing while the kids have their tasks lined up for themselves?"

"We're going to help out around the village. They've lost a lot of men yesterday; they could use the extra hands." Neji said before continued walking off somewhere.

On missions it seemed that Neji was a different person. He was kind and sympathetic towards the people he was sent to protect or help. Tenten remembered what Naruto told her, of the speech that Neji gave while they went to retrieve Sasuke. How it was full of the ideals and the ways of Konoha. She guessed it was always this side of Neji that came out while on missions. A side of Neji that was fairly unknown, and a stark contrast to the distant, sometimes cold man she was usually around. It was a nice thought though as she worked; that there was a side of Neji that could warm her heart. If only she could ever find a way to get there...

After a long day of labor, Hyuuga Neji awoke in the middle of the night with a start. A cold sweat covered his body and the visions of his latest nightmare repeatedly played over and over in his mind. The obsidian eyed man from his dreams was back, this time showing Neji all the unfortunate things to come in the near future. Neji walked through the house he was staying at and checked on his trance induced and sleeping teammates. Finally, he made his way to the porch and sat down, legs crossed at the edge. It wasn't long before he heard feet shuffling behind him.

"Sorry if I woke you." Neji said without turning.

"What are you doing up so late?" replied Tenten with squinted, tired eyes as she plopped down beside him.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Is there anything wrong?"

After a couple seconds passed, he finally admitted, "Bad dream."

"What happened in it?" ask Tenten while trying to mask her amazement that Neji, thee Hyuuga Neji was opening up to her.

"I died."

"Anything else?"

After the slightest hesitation he spoke. "No."

The smallest of pauses that he took is what gave it away. He lied, and she knew it. But maybe that was to be expected; Tenten knew that it wasn't likely for him to completely change and pour out his soul to her in night. She wasn't going to force it either, she would just take it as it came.

Once a few more moments of silence passed, Tenten, who was still tired, got up to go back to bed. "Well if you need me..." Her voice trailed off as she started to turn. A quick hand caught her fingers and when she turned her head to see him, she found he was already looking at her.

Hyuuga Neji never had to turn his head to see anyone. He never had to rotate his body to recognize anyone's presence. And yet, now he was looking her eye to eye. If indeed eyes were the windows to the soul, then Neji's windows were white-washed; no one could see his soul directly. And even while that was true Tenten saw something now. Sadness.

The eyes that had been forever emotionless where trying their hardest not to show it, but they were failing now. The smallest amount of uncontrollable sadness was visible in the cracks of armor that guarded his heart. That sadness stole Tenten's next breath right from her chest.

"Can you stay for a little bit?" Neji quietly implored.

Whatever haunted Neji while he slept, Tenten wanted to know, wanted to help. However, she knew that someone as strong as Neji wasn't ready to be so weak, and so for now, she was content to stay by his side.

"Okay," she said in her most reassuring tone.

She sat down beside him again and watched as he looked back up at the stars. He took a deep breathe, and seemed to purge his emotions against as he exhaled. Whatever inner turmoil Neji fought now, Tenten was sure it was probably one of the toughest fights of his life.

Neji and Tenten. They sat on that porch, near shoulder to shoulder until they lost track of time. Their silent stasis would have carried right on till morning had not the illusionist disturbed them.

"Hyuuga-san, Tenten-san!" Hiro cried out, "They're coming!"

Wanted: Female Beta Reader, I anxiously await your assistance!

Thank you TeamGaiFan, lexkixass, and chibi-sasuke309. And yes, chibi, this is a NejiTen fic. People, if you haven't already, go and read these people's work, it's excellent.

And now for the latest set of plugs. (These are in no way solicited, just my way of appreciating the authors for doing an awesome job.) For all youNaruto fanficlovers out there, you must read the following:

The Hyuuga Persuasion by Silverlight a great comedy from Tenten's perspective.

Seeking Comfort by neonatewhich I swear has some of the greatest, clever lines ever by A.S. :)

In Your Shadows by pretty cherrybe warned it's a NejiHinata fic, but it's so good that you can't help but enjoy it even if you aren't into Hyuuga-cest.

Now, go forth and read!