Please see first chapter for disclaimer, etc.

Prompt: Choices

Special Thanks: goes out to DarkAnonymous324, kenzinator, SeiraXD, naash, and Franoncrack for all your wonderful reviews for the last chapter! Thank you all so, so much!

Author's Note: This is the longest of all the oneshots I've written so far - almost 10 pages long. This one also has a more complicated plot than any of the others. I really enjoyed writing it, despite the difficulties I ran into now and then (thus why I'm so late posting it, heading more toward 3 days between updates instead of my usual 2). So I really hope you like this one, and thank you so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and alerting my story!

*~Choices~*

All things said and done, Neji was allowed to make very few choices in his own in life. Most things were decided for him, often without him being consulted until after the fact. This wore on his nerves more often than not; but, as of recent, he'd fallen into a sense of complacency that left him at the mercy of the main family's machinations.

Until now.

Neji refused to cradle his throbbing head in one hand, as he so desired to do to help ease the pain, as he stiffly made his way through the corridors between the meeting room and his bedroom. He refused to show any outwards signs of being defeated, because he wasn't. Not if he had anything to say about it, and this time, he did.

The subject of his still being single into his twenty-second year of life had come up occasionally, but it had never seemed to be a pressing issue. But now the elders were becoming quite aggressive in their prompting for him to find a wife, even offering him an ultimatum: You find one, or we'll find one for you.

It had taken him fewer than three seconds to answer the question. "Tenten," he'd said quietly, decisively.

While his teammate had come to Hyuuga House more than once, often to visit him or his younger cousin, Hinata, the elders had never encountered her, thus did not know her personally. They only knew of her. "She is a skilled kunoichi, granted," the elders had admitted. "But she has no clan, thus no family honor. She is an unacceptable and unsuitable choice."

His blood had started to boil right then, if for no other reason than because the elders didn't even have the courtesy of calling Tenten by her name. To them, Tenten was just she, as if to further prove her unsuitability. Neji was not typically in the habit of arguing with the elders - the few times in his life he had tried, he had paid dearly for it - but this time, he couldn't not come to he defense of the woman he'd been secretly seeing romantically for almost two years.

As he had then, he paid for it now. Not only had his arguments brought him pain, it had cost him what little leeway he might have had one way or the other. The elders were more determined than ever to find him a "suitable" wife, and had even gone so far as to forbid him from seeing Tenten in any way other than on missions, over which they had no control. They had made it quite clear that disobeying would have harsh consequences.

It took a great amount of control to keep himself from slamming open his bedroom door, then slamming it closed again. Just because he was miserable didn't mean his cousins deserved to be, and since their rooms were in the same hall, they would be disturbed if he gave in to his childish urge.

The moment the door closed behind him, a familiar figure stepped out of the clinging shadows in the far corner of his room. Her brief stint in ANBU had honed her skills of moving silently, evading detection, and blending into the shadows, though even Neji wasn't entirely sure how Tenten managed to make it into the Hyuuga compound without being detected by the guards.

He accepted her into his arms when she stepped forward, burying his face in her hair as she rested her head against his chest. "How did it go?" she asked softly. They both knew better than to raise their voices during the few times they'd dared spend time together in Hyuuga House at night, because the walls were thin and the eyes and ears of the other Hyuuga family members were sharp.

Neji tightened his arms around her. He didn't want to tell her what the elders had said, but for her to hear it from someone else would be far worse. Even if he told her that he wasn't ready to accept the elders' decision, the thought of telling her made his stomach churn. "The elders offered me an ultimatum tonight," he replied, just as softly.

Tenten lifted her head from his chest so she could gaze up at him with puzzled eyes. "What kind of ultimatum?"

"I find a bride, or they find one for me." Neji tightened his jaw and glanced away from her hopeful face, unable to look at her when he told her the rest. "My immediate answer was you. They said … no. I argued, vehemently, but…"

The hopeful expression on Tenten's face disappeared, and she lifted her hand to gently touch his curse mark. "Did they…?"

His silence spoke for itself.

Tearing herself from his arms, Tenten headed toward his door, fists clenched in anger. "I'm going to-"

"Do nothing," Neji said calmly, capturing her arm in one firm but gentle hand. "I've lost this battle, Tenten. I have no intention of losing the war. Not with you at stake."

"They can't do anything to me," she replied. "It's you I'm worried about." Reaching up, she gently squeezed his hand to let him know she wasn't going to do anything rash. When he let her go, she started pacing, fingers pressed to her lips in deep thought. "There must be something…"

Neji's heart warmed. He knew Tenten would be more than willing to help him think of something, anything, they could do. He had no intentions of marrying anyone other than her, and if anyone could help him figure out a way to make it work, it was the weapons mistress. "There is. We just have to find it."

He stood silently, lost in his own thoughts, as he watched Tenten pace. Her eyes narrow, lips compressed into a narrow line, jaw tight with the determination he was so familiar with and admired so much, she was putting everything she had into her considerations, her planning.

A few minutes passed before Tenten stopped and turned to him. "Do you trust me?" she asked at last.

"Of course," Neji replied without hesitation. "With my life."

Smiling, she approached him long enough to stand on her tiptoes and press a kiss to his lips before heading to the window. "Then get ready to leave on a mission first thing in the morning," she said. "I'll tell you all about it later, when I've got the details worked out." Tenten paused halfway out the window, a gentle smile on her lips. "I love you," she said meaningfully.

Neji, feeling more at ease, had no trouble returning the sentiment. "I love you, too. Be careful."

This time she grinned. "I always am." And then she was gone, melting into the night with the ease of a shadow.

He was already awake by the time Hinata knocked on his door the next morning. "Neji?"

"Come in."

The door slid open, and his shy cousin peered around the edge of it. "One of Lady Hokage's retainers is here to see you. She needs you on an important mission, immediately. He will take you to the front gates to meet your partner."

As soon as the door closed behind Hinata, Neji allowed a smile to form on his lips. Thank you, Tenten.

Neji was almost to the front door, pack over one shoulder, when his uncle stepped into the hall. He froze, gazing at the elder Hyuuga, trying not to let his animosity show. While Hiashi hadn't seemed to be as eager as the elders in deciding his fate the night before, he hadn't spoken up to voice his opinion or support his nephew, either. "Uncle."

"Where are you off to, so early in the morning?" Hiashi inquired mildly.

"A mission. Hinata told me one of Lady Hokage's retainers came to get me so I could leave immediately." Neji executed a stiff bow. "If you will excuse me…" He edged past his uncle, hoping to escape without further questioning.

Of course, he wasn't that lucky. "Neji."

Sighing, he considered ignoring his uncle and continuing on. Knowing what consequences could result from that action, however, made him turn back. "Yes, Uncle?"

Hiashi's face showed no hints of emotion, but his eyes softened ever-so-slightly. "This mission could be one of the most important of your life. You have my support."

Neji blinked, shocked into silence. Did his uncle suspect that Neji planned to find a way past the elders, to marry Tenten anyway?

Turning away, Hiashi tucked his hands into the loose sleeves of his kimono as he moved deeper into the house. "Travel safely, nephew."

"Thank you, honored uncle." Still surprised, he greeted his escort and was able to exert only half an effort to listening to the retainer explain that his partner would fill him in on the details of their mission, since they were to be dispatched immediately.

When Neji arrived at the gates leading to and from the village, he found Tenten waiting for him. She was grinning triumphantly, pack of her own on her shoulders, large scroll strapped to her waist, arms crossed and head tilted playfully. If someone had told him the night before that she'd be looking that happy less than ten hours after he'd told her the elders had refused to allow their marriage, he would not have believed it.

Tenten thanked the Hokage's retainer, Neji echoing a moment later, and then the two of them walked out of the village and into relative freedom. Once he was certain they were out of earshot of anyone in (or out) of the village, Neji asked the question that had been burning in his mind since the night before. "How did you do this?"

His companion laughed. "It was fairly simple. It's time for another update to be sent to and received from the Sand Village, so I volunteered to take it this time, saying that it had been a while since I'd been there and wanted to see some friends. I also told the Lady Hokage that I wanted someone to come with me, and she suggested you, since we work together so often. In the end, I made it seem like her idea." She smiled smugly at her logic.

While the idea sounded good, in theory, it sounded like a temporary fix to him. "How - exactly does this help?"

Instead of looking insulted at his question, Tenten blushed and lowered her eyes. "What is the only way, that you can think of, to make sure the elders don't make you get married to someone else?"

Several ideas went through his head immediately, but he discarded most of them (such as going missing in action, running away, etc.) as being either ridiculous or out-of-the-question because it would entail his death, one way or the other. The only other thing was… "Well, the only thing is if I were already married, with a child on the way…" Part of the whole point of marrying him off, the elders had said, was to make sure he had a child. He was one of the most powerful Hyuuga to be born in many generations, and they felt it was a pity to waste that power. Neji had heard it so many times he was beyond caring, though it did irk him slightly to know that they thought his only value was the power he could offer the clan.

Since they had entered a relationship and dedicated themselves to make it work, there had always been a silent understanding between them that one day in the future they would marry. There was no question in either of their minds, and there still wasn't. The only problem was finding a way to make it work, and not bring down the elders' wrath.

A small sound shivered out of Tenten, sounding like a cross between a squeak and a giggle. Neji glanced at her sharply, halting when he realized she had stopped in the middle of the path and covered her face with her hands. "I-I was just thinking of the marriage part," she whispered softly. Dropping her eyes to reveal her wide eyes and red face, she quickly sputtered, "N-Not that I don't w-want children, don't g-get me wrong! I think maybe someday I might want children, especially if they're your children, and… Oh, I'm making such a mess out of this." She groaned loudly, covering her face again.

For a moment, all Neji could do was stare at Tenten in amazement. She had always been so confident and comfortable around him, especially in the duration of their relationship, so seeing her so embarrassed and uncomfortable was a little startling. Stepping forward, he secured her wrists so he could pull her hands away from her face. "Tenten … are you proposing to me?"

Leaning forward, she buried her face against his chest since he refused to relinquish his grip on her wrists. "…Maybe?" her muffled voice replied.

Neji had been brought up in a world full of class and honor. His uncle had taught him a few things about courtship over the years, stressing certain parts about how to offer the perfect proposal. It had not occurred to Hiashi, or until Neji at that very moment, that the woman could, and would, do the proposing. It was strange, but not unwelcome, idea. In fact, had it come from any other woman, he would have turned her down immediately (but not harshly). Coming from Tenten, it seemed right. "It figures that you would ask me first," he replied lightly.

Tenten looked up, her face still red, but a light of hope in her eyes. "You're not offended? You don't think it's a stupid idea?"

"Different, perhaps, but not stupid. But I still don't see how going to the Sand Village helps us out…" He trailed off, raising his eyebrows.

Reassured, Tenten stepped back and smiled. "We're allied with Sand. Lady Hokage has the authority to marry us here, and since we're allies with Sand, Lord Gaara has the same authority. All we have to do is convince him to do it. We can return to Konoha a married couple, and then the elders can't do anything to us … right?"

It was a good plan, Neji had to concede. There was just one (fairly large) problem with it. He hated to tell her, but, "The elders could have it annulled."

A scowl colored Tenten's face. "Ugh." She looked a little disappointed, but mostly angry.

Neji drew in a deep breath, straightening his shoulders. "There is one other thing we could do, if you agree to it." It would be complicated, and matters might get sticky if they weren't careful. He would also be spending a lot of time trying to distract the elders, or throw up smoke screens if necessary. But if Tenten was willing to go with his plan, it would work. The elders would have no choice but to allow them to remain married.

When Neji finished outlining his plan, Tenten was quiet for a long time. Then she thoughtfully said, "How long do you think you can delay the elders?"

"However long it takes." For her, for them, he would do whatever it took, for however long it took.

At last Tenten drew in a deep breath, nodded, and said, "All right. Let's do this."

*~Seven Months Later~*

Her name was Hoshi. She was a sweet girl, open and caring, and under different circumstances, Neji might have come to love her. But he'd spent almost six months getting to know her, acting every inch the perfect gentleman so the elders would believe him to be preparing for his marriage to her, while the whole time he had no intentions of doing anything of the sort with her.

On the day that Neji had been waiting seven long months for, he took Hoshi aside and begged her forgiveness. He admitted everything to her, at the end apologizing to her for everything.

Hoshi gazed at him with her wise dark eyes for a long time after he'd finished, her face unreadable. At last she smiled, leaned over to press a chaste kiss to his cheek, and said, "I always knew that, when you looked at me, you saw her. You are forgiven, and I sincerely wish you all the luck in the world." She stood and left then, as serene as she'd been when they were first introduced. Neji breathed a soft prayer that someday, hopefully soon, she would find a love with someone that was as strong as that he had for Tenten.

Neji sat in silence for a while, gazing absently in the direction Hoshi had vanished even as he thought about Tenten. Tonight was the night. He had already called for a meeting - the elders, undoubtedly, were expecting him to announce that he'd set the wedding date with Hoshi. However, he was going to tell them about his marriage to Tenten. It was finally time.

Once more, Tenten had found her way into the Hyuuga compound without being detected, this time in fading daylight, dressed in an elegant kimono instead of her usual clothing. One second he was alone; the next, Tenten stood next to him, holding her hand out to catch the falling petal floating down from the branch of the cherry blossom tree he stood beneath. "It's finally time," she said softly.

Reaching out, he curled his hand around hers and squeezed gently. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Her head briefly came to rest on his arm, loose hair blowing across her face in a stray breeze. "Yes." There was nothing but determination in her voice.

Neji led her into the house, which was settling into the stillness the family fell into when twilight approached. They encountered no one on the way to the meeting room, where they were awaited.

The room was lit by nothing but dim candlelight, which helped conceal Tenten's identity until they were standing before the elders. He saw several expressions darken as he and his wife both went to their knees in deference. Tenten's hand clenched around his almost painfully, and he squeezed hers reassuringly. They'd had seven months to prepare for this moment.

"Who is this?" The voice cracked like a whip through the room, the first to break the silence.

"Hyuuga Tenten, honored elders." Her voice was soft but still audible. She was still half-bowing, her eyes focused firmly on the floor.

He didn't know for sure who did it, but a moment later his head felt like it exploded, fiery pain rushing through his body, originating in his forehead. He let out an unintentional hiss, falling forward. Neji took the brunt of the impact on his elbow, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he curled into a ball, shaking, trying as futilely as ever to get rid of the pain.

"You disobeyed us!" This was a different voice from the first, but the same anger was still very much present.

"Stop it!" The venomous anger in Tenten's voice surprised him as he felt her hands come to rest on his shoulders as she half-folded herself over him. "Don't punish him, this was entirely my idea!" It was a half-truth, but not one that would ever convince the elders, and they both knew it.

"Regardless," a different voice stated coolly, "Neji knows the consequences for going against our wishes."

"Wishes? Wishes are fleeting and harmless!" Tenten was all but shouting now; her body vibrated against his in what he finally realized was anger. "What you do is make commands that are hurtful and unreasonable, and wait to use your power gleefully against those who actually have the courage to think and act for themselves!"

"And who are you, a pitiful slip of a girl who has no family, no honor, and no future, to tell us, elders of the oldest and most powerful family in Konoha, what to do?" the first voice immediately replied. "What little honor you may have possessed is now lost. You will be destroyed - no longer a respected kunoichi, disgraced. This is the fate you have chosen for yourself."

Curling his hand into a fist, Neji slammed it against the floor, startling the elders, Tenten, and, to a certain extent, even himself. Bracing his hands against the floor, he pushed himself up, shrugging off Tenten's hands when she tried to help him. He had to do this by himself, to defeat his pain, to finally free himself from twenty-two years of imprisonment and torture. "Tenten and I knew this would happen," he growled. Reaching into his pocket, where he had been carrying two folded papers - one old, one new - he withdrew them and held them out. "As you can see, we have readied ourselves."

The elders exchanged glances; without looking at them, Hiashi leaned forward, took the papers from his nephew's hand, then unfolded them and glanced over them both, quickly and professionally. "Stop."

Perhaps it was the sheer force of the one word, or maybe it was the shock that Hiashi was giving them orders, that made the elder using Neji's curse mark release him. He slumped in relief, finally allowing Tenten to grasp his shoulder and turn his face toward her. The crushing agony in her eyes made him take her chin with his fingers and guide her forward for a quick, reassuring kiss to her forehead.

"What is the meaning of this, Hiashi? And what are those papers?" The questions made Neji and Tenten turn back, both watching the former's uncle apprehensively.

Hiashi tapped the first, worn, page with his hand. "This is a marriage license: signed by Lord Gaara of the Sand himself, who apparently officiated the event. It is witness by three other people, all high-ranking officials in the Sand Village."

"And the second?" The question was edgy, but lacking the stinging tone the others held.

A hint of a smile appeared on Hiashi's usually stern lips. "It is a document, signed by the Lady Hokage herself, verifying Hyuuga Neji and Tenten's impending parenthood."

Total silence enveloped the meeting room for several long seconds. Then, one by one, the elders stood and filed out of the room, quite obviously defeated.

Hiashi stood, carefully folding the papers along their creases before handing them back to Neji. "Congratulations," he said, a hint of warmth in his voice. "Somehow, I always knew you two would make the right decision."

"How…?" Tenten seemed unable to articulate the rest of her sentence.

"If I had intervened when all this first started, perhaps eventually the elders would have conceded," he replied. "But by sitting on the sidelines and allowing you both to work this out yourselves, you, Neji, have earned the freedom you would not have gotten otherwise." He smiled, sketched a bow, then followed the elders out, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Neji closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Tenten. "It's over," he breathed. "We're safe now."

Tenten curled her hands into fists around part of his tunic. "You're free," she whispered.

"Free," he murmured in agreement. They stayed like that, embracing each other in silence, relishing the strength and realness of each other.

"Free, except for one thing," Tenten suddenly said into his chest.

Confused, Neji lifted his head to look down at his wife. "Hmm?"

She grinned cheekily. "We're only free until Gai-sensei and Lee find out about us and our baby. After that, we'll never have a moment of peace again."

*~The End~*

Author's Ending Notes: Okay, long note coming up here. Firstly, I have no idea where this idea came from. I think it was born courtesy of another, unworkable, idea I had, but I'm not entirely sure. I just decided to go with it, because I thought it would fit the theme of this prompt word. Secondly, I might do a sequel and/or prequel to this, I'm not sure yet. I have several ideas in mind, so we'll see. Thirdly, I feel sorry for Hoshi. Originally I was just going to mention her briefly, and that would be it, but then she had to go and get all noble, and now I really like her. She'll probably show up somewhere else someday, unexpectedly… And lastly, I wanted to end it on a somewhat humorous note to make up for the heaviness of the mood of the rest of the last scene. I hope it worked out okay. Thank you so much for reading this, and I really, really hope you liked it!