Wow, approximately halfway through in about a week. I feel accomplished, though I haven't spell checked yet. Sigh.

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Chapter 4: A Second Chance- I Remember

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Hinata smiled to herself at the crisp night air, the warmth of the waning summer day still lingering in the air. She walked on the dirt path, the sound of her sandals muffled as she moved on the dry earth. She eyed the Hokage monument in the distance, watching the warm glow of the lanterns that illuminated the dedication. She watched two glows wander in front of her face, flitting in the night air before moving away to join the stars.

'Fireflies…' she mused to herself. She found herself still smiling at the insects and the path of subdued green glows that lead to the large monument. 'Maybe I should go up there, the view will be nice.' And with that thought, she set off towards the Hokages.

The smell of the night, crisp and slightly sweet greeted her as she stood atop the head of the third Hokage, the village lights twinkling in the distance. She smiled to herself, drinking in the beautiful view. It made her proud of her profession; this was what she was protecting, her home. Her senses piqued as her musings were cut short.

Byakugan activated, she surveyed the area, a kunai in hand. "Who's there?"

"Hinata?"

Hinata blinked, startled at the familiar voice. She sheathed her kunai and deactivated her kekkei genkai, allowing her guard to relax. She walked towards the voice hidden in the small field atop the monument, surprised at who she found. "Neji-kun?"

Neji offered his cousin a small polite smile, his eyes bearing the weight of sadness. "Hello Hinata-chan."

Hinata walked closer to her cousin, linking her two pointer fingers behind her back. "What are you doing here, Neji?"

"Just thinking."

Hinata nodded quietly. "May I sit?" she inquired. Neji simply patted the grass beside him.

Hinata sat down, relishing the cool grass against her skin before wrapping her arms around her legs, bringing her knees to her chest with her eyes staring out at the village. "May I ask what you are thinking about?"

Neji remained silent, his body radiating tension and anxiety. He sighed heavily and joined her in viewing the landscape. "I am still a caged bird, but for a new reason now."

Hinata nodded, silently urging him to continue.

"I am the head of the clan, bound by no master, bound by nothing but my duties for the welfare of the clan. I remember when my hatred for our clan and blind belief in fate caged me, condemning me to a life without the freedom I sought, but it is the clan that cages me now. Hinata, do you know what your father did to me?"

Hinata nodded, her lip between her teeth.

"What happened?"

Hinata hugged her legs closer to her body. "After my father wiped your memory, he asked for Tsunade to send you on a mission while Tenten went through her pregnancy. Do you remember?"

Neji nodded solemnly. "The A-rank mission. I remember it well. I was gone for so long."

"Eleven months, enough time for her to bring the child to term and recover. You never suspected a thing when you came back. You had forgotten and that broke Tenten's heart."

"So, how was the baby—?"

"—kept a secret? Not many people knew. Only me, Sakura-chan, Naruto-kun, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, Shizune, Tsunade, Tenten, and my father knew. After she recovered and you came back, she wanted to train again. I've been watching the child in her absence ever since."

"Why?"

Hinata smiled sadly to herself, a bittersweet beauty. "She wanted to be by you again, even if you didn't remember a thing, she wanted to be by your side again."

Neji sighed, threading his hand through his hair. "I feel like such a fool."

Hinata chuckled. "Neji, no matter how much you feel like giving up, you have to remember to pick yourself up and keep at it."

Neji chuckled. "You've been hanging around Naruto too much."

She smiled cheekily. "Well, he is my husband." They both laughed and after it subsided, Hinata felt arms wrap around her. "Thank you."

She smiled in return. "You're welcome."

She felt the arms leave her and heard the wind blow, when she opened her eyes again, she saw the small green leaf floating down in the sky and smiled to herself before settling down in the grass again, enjoying the starry sky above.

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Rhythmic breathing was the only sound in the room as moonlight bathed the occupants in its splendor. Tenten smiled in her sleep, shifting slightly and burrowing deeper into the bed when she felt a foreign chakra enter the room. She leapt from her covers, a kunai raised to face the enemy as two more were thrown before clattering onto the floor, easily deflected. "You've improved."

Tenten blinked her eyes, recognizing the velvety voice and the pearl-colored orbs that accompanied it. "Neji?" She looked over to the clock on her nightstand. "It's two in the morning," she yawned before her eyes shot open in horror. "Oh god, don't tell me someone died."

Neji shook his head and walked closer to her. She stood frozen as he closed the distance between them, felt her face flush when he wrapped his arms around her, and felt the hitch in her breathing as she felt his hot breath on the shell of her ear. "I know."

She drew back from him. "What do you know, Neji?" Neji smiled bitterly. "I know what happened, Tenten. About my uncle, about the baby, about us…why didn't you tell me?"

Tenten walked over to the bassinet, watching the baby that slept soundly inside. Her hand brought the small blue blanket closer over its body. "Would you have believed me?"

Neji flinched, the pain in her tone making his heart clench. She continued. "Of course not, you didn't remember. Your uncle erased your memories of our relationship and they were too painful for me to bring up again. Sometimes things are better left unsaid."

Tenten felt arms wrap around her waist, the sound of the steady rhythm of his breathing in the crook of her neck rang in her ears. "But I'm here now. I want to remember again. Even if I don't, I want to be with you, Tenten. I lost both of you once; I don't want you to slip away from me again."

She felt tears prick her eyes. "Are you sure? It's not too late to change your mind." She felt his lips press against her pulse, gasping at the fire that coursed through her, branding her. "I'm sure."

Neji unwound his arms from Tenten's waist and moved beside her to the bassinet, bracing his hands on its edge. "Can I…can I hold him?" Tenten simply smiled back at him and he felt his nervousness melt away. "Of course."

Neji looked into the bassinet warily as she reached in, scooping the babe into her arms without him waking, sleeping soundly and safely in her embrace. Neji braced his arms to shape like hers and she gently deposited him into his arms.

Neji looked down at the child, unaware of everything but the warmth in which he slept. Neji watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest and the eyes that lay closed to the world. He smiled warmly. "He's beautiful."

Tenten rested her head on his shoulder, a hand resting on his arm. "Yeah."

Neji looked down at the woman and found her eyes staring back at him. He stood captivated by the umber pools and absentmindedly noticed her hair was down, cascading down her neck to stop below her shoulders. He dragged his gaze upwards, taking in her elegant neck, moving further upwards to stop at her full lips. He felt his lids become weighted as he stood spellbound. "Tenten."

"Neji," she whispered back, leaning up to meld her lips with his.

Neji felt Tenten press her lips against his and leaned into the embrace, thankful that she didn't draw away. He felt…happiness, something he hadn't truly experienced in so long, when he felt it. The searing pain that made his jaw clench and his muscles tense. He felt Tenten withdraw and knew she was looking at him. He struggled to open his eyes and silently pleaded for her to take the child.

She quickly received the child; she wished she could do more than cry as she watched Neji grip his head as his face contorted in pain and a sweat broke out across his body, but she could only watch on.

Neji gripped his head, fisting his hands in his hair as he bit back a scream. It was torturous, the sheer agony that throbbed through his brain that made him drop to his knees and double over in pain. He felt his face and arms become hot as the rest of his body felt like ice. Choked sobs and groans escaped his mouth as he felt his back and arms spasm, his nerves feeling like molten lead as images assailed his mind in a blinding flurry.

Neji felt his head touch the carpeted ground as he watched the blurs of color rush past his mind's eye. He could make out some of them.

A picnic with Team Gai. A walk through the village, hands clasped. The two of them sitting atop the Hokage monument gazing at the starry sky above. He saw one come into sharp focus. What was more was that he could hear it.

"Come on, Neji-kun."

Neji scowled, his arms crossed over his chest defiantly. "No."

"Please Neji-kun, come on! Smiling won't kill you!"

Neji opened an eye to gaze at the flustered, pleading Tenten standing in the green field. "Says who?"

She pouted, her lower lip jutting out. "I did, so please?"

"No."

He felt arms lock around his neck as she pressed her forehead against his. "Please? For me?"

Neji felt his eyes soften as he gave her one of the rare smiles saved just for her. "Alright."

"Yay!" she smiled as she dragged them over to the photographer who smiled, thankful he could finish and go home. Tenten watched her feet move as she moved them near Neji's. Moving her arm to hang around his neck, she pulled him to her and pressed her cheek against his.

"Alright…3. 2. 1."

A flash was seen and the photographer packed up, shouting over his shoulder the photo would be sent to them next week. She felt Neji detach from her grumbling about it being embarrassing and a waste of time with his cheeks lightly flushed to which Tenten smiled. She knew he enjoyed it as much as she did. Though she couldn't know for sure yet, she was pretty sure he had a smile on his face when they took the picture and that was enough for her.

Neji smiled beside himself at the memory, letting out a hiss of pain as his head throbbed painfully once more. He shut his eyes and gritted against the pain as another image came to his mind.

Neji watched the drops of water fling off his black umbrella before dropping it in the stand beside the door. He shook his face, hearing the wet slap of his hair connecting with his arm and grimaced at the thought of him being out in the storm unprotected. He looked towards the woman smiling in the hallway, a hand draped over her flat stomach. "So what did you call me here for?"

She smiled, joy glittering in her eyes. "I'm pregnant."

He ran to her, enveloping her in his arms as he spun her in his ecstasy, showering her with kisses. "That's wonderful!"

She smiled at him, glowing with happiness. "I know. We need to tell people, especially your uncle. We—"

But it was too late; Neji had run out the door, his umbrella forgotten.

It was a new scene, something he couldn't exactly remember, but this was strange. This memory was like a silent movie, no sound and in black in white.

He stared up at the gates, shouldering his pack. He turned, feeling his hair whip around in the wind as his eyes bore into the eyes of another.

The familiar eyes seemed pained and somber, but her face bore none of the pain in her eyes. Neji didn't know why, but he shrugged it off. He would need concentration for this mission. She offered him a small smile and he felt the ghost of a smile pass over his lips. For what reason, he did not know.

His eyes bore confusion at his own actions as he nodded before turning to the opening gates. He did not look back as he rushed out of the village, only slowing slightly when he heard her drop to her knees and sob bitterly in the mud.

He felt the pain stop abruptly and snapped open his eyes. He lifted his head to stare at the teary-eyed woman looking back at him. He slowly got to his feet, his eyes never leaving hers.

Her hands gripped his firmly, the baby back in its bassinet. "Neji?"

Tenten gasped as she felt arms wrap around her, pressing her body against his tightly as if she were his only chance of salvation. She felt his arms wrap around her body tighter, his face burrowing deeper into her warmth.

"I remember."

She wept.