"Stand up," a cold voice rang throughout the room. Tenten, who was lying on the floor, got up, watching blood trickle down her arm, and feeling an immense pain in her shoulder. She stood, panting, and withdrew another kunai. With a flash, the Akatsuki ninja attacked again, sending Tenten flying to the floor, blood dripping from a gash in her side. While she was still down, the ninja flew at her, katana in hand. In an instant, Tenten jumped, and flung a kunai in his direction, only to have it pelted back at her. She gasped in pain as her kunai met the flesh of her right leg. She looked and saw the Akatsuki ninja was standing in front of her.
"You say that you love him," he said with malice. "But yet he does not love you."
"That's what I keep telling you!" Tenten yelled at her captor. "What's wrong with"- but she was cut off by the ninja swingning his bloodied katana at her, hitting her already injured shoulder. Tenten fell forward; the pain in her shoulder was unbearable.
"How can you love him if he's emotionless? He is nothing but an iceberg, wanting nothing from you, not needing you at all,"
"It's none of your buisness who I love, and for what reason," Tenten gasped, on her knees.
"No!" the ninja shouted, and threw a punch toward her stomach. Tenten doubled over in pain, as she coughed up blood, spattering the floor.
"What is your reason for loving him?" the ninja questioned her.
"Why do you want to know so badly?" Tenten asked him. He eyed her incredulously; it was almost like she knew…
"Because I was the same way," he spoke softly, his eyes narrowing. "I once loved a woman with all my heart, yet she didn't even aknowledge me for who I was. It broke my heart to see her with other men. Yet, she would never know the pain she caused me. I found myself thinking that I had no reason for loving her, and I killed her." Tenten's eyes widened.
"Why? If you love someone that much, the last thing you should do is try to hurt them." Tenten said. "You ask what reason I have for loving someone who will probably never love me in return, but what I've found out is that sometimes, you don't need a reason to love, you just do."
At Konoha-
Neji opened his eyes to hear birds chirping, and the sky growing lighter. He sat up in bed, and rubbed his eyes. Try as he might, he just couldn't get a good night's rest that night, and it troubled him. He got out of bed, and put his clothes on that Hinata brought him when she had visited him the previous evening. He went out of his room, to find that the hospital was mercifully quiet. He got out, and made his way to Tenten's house.
With the Akatsuki ninja-
"You will die here, weapons mistress," the ninja said as he swung his katana at her. Tenten gasped as she felt the blade scrape her arms, and fell forward, eyes closing, and thought: Neji… where are you? Before getting up to fight again.
At Konoha-
Neji's pace quickened. He had felt a curious sensation in his heart that was trying to tell him something. He reached Tenten's house and knocked, but no one answered. She's always up this early, Neji thought as he opened the door. He stepped inside, and called Tenten's name. He reached a small table that had a piece of paper attached to it. Tenten, no Neji thought as he sped out of the house and in the direction Tenten's chakra led to. Trees rushed past him as he traveled through the forest. Please let her be okay, Neji found himself thinking, his heart pounding. About ten minutes into the forest, he found a small shack, and using his Byakugan, peered inside. What he saw made his heart stand still. Tenten on her knees, coughing up blood as the ninja came forward with a sword. Stealthily, he opened the window, and put himself in front of Tenten, his chakra flowing through his veins.
Tenten's eyes widened as she saw Neji place himself in front of her, so she would not get hurt,and closed as she felt herself falling. Suddenly, she felt a rush of warmth, as Neji's arms enveloped her. The two looked into each other's eyes for the briefest of moments before Tenten passed out. Neji set her down gently, and turned to face the ninja who had been the cause of all her injuries.
A/N: sorry, but I had to stop here. Pretty crappy ending to a chappie, but right now I feel pretty tired. Oh, before I forget, I just wanna give a big thank you to all of my gr8 reviewers. You guys make me so happy. Thnx 4 reviewing! Your opinions on my stories really matter to me, and I thank you for being honest.