Please see first chapter for disclaimer, etc.
Prompt: Sanctuary
Sequel to: Nothing, Anything, and Everything
Pairings: NejiTen, hint of Gaara/Hinata if you tilt your head and squint
Special Thanks: goes out to Chocolate and caramel, DarkAnonymous324, KNO, naash, kimbi07, Crestfallenfeline, kenzinator, and rao hyuga 18 for all your reviews! I'm forever grateful for all your kind and encouraging words.
Author's Note: Many apologies for taking so long to get this posted, but it's 20 pages and almost 10,000 words long! It took me some time to get the storyline mapped out and, once that was done, actually get it written. This is a previously unplanned addition to the Nothing/Anything/Everything trilogy, which I felt was unfinished. I really hope it was worth the wait, and that you enjoy it! Thanks for reading!
*~Sanctuary~*
"Quickly! Here."
Tenten tried to still her shaking hands as she took the fabric Neji thrust into her grasp. Clenching and unclenching her fingers around its soft folds, she stuffed it into the pack lying open on the bed. "Neji-"
"Shh." Her husband shot another dark look over his shoulder, toward the door. "There's not much time."
She snatched his sleeve before he could move away again. "Come with us, please," she begged.
He gazed at her hand on his arm for a long moment, face twisted in pain. "I can't. You know I can't." As she started to withdraw her hand and turn away, he caught it, pulling her back to him. "But you know I'll come get you as soon as it's safe."
I'm beginning to wonder if that day will ever come. Nodding once, Tenten let out her breath and turned back to her packing. She knew it was the best answer she would get for now - that it was the best answer Neji could give her, really. After tonight, neither of them knew what would happen, or how long it would take for things to get better. If things ever did get better.
Neji steered her aside and pushed a few more things into the pack, topping it all off with a picture before he zipped it shut. He gently but quickly helped her put it on, then led her across the suite to the other bedroom in their suite.
Little Hizashi gazed at them from his bed with half-open pale lavender eyes, clutching the stuffed panda bear that was almost as big as he was with one arm. "Wha's goin' on?" he asked in the sleepy slur of a four-year-old.
Lifting his son from the bed, Neji hugged him close briefly before handing him to Tenten. She clutched Hizashi close to her as she tried hard not to see the pain etched on her husband's face as he replied. "You and your mama have to go on a trip, okay?" She wasn't sure exactly how he did it, but somehow Neji managed to keep the anxiety he was feeling out of his voice.
She cleared her throat and tried to follow his example. "I don't think it'll be for too long, baby," she said reassuringly.
Hizashi tucked his face into the crook of her neck, his little arms tightening around her shoulders. She felt his stuffed panda hit her back, and was relieved that he had brought it with him when Neji picked him up. They were already moving, quietly rushing through the corridors, trying not to make a sound that would alert anyone to their plans. "I'm scared," Hizashi whimpered.
"Shh, baby, it's okay." Tenten tightened her grip on him, wishing this whole thing was nothing more than a dream she could wake up from. But it was a waking nightmare, one they were all sharing. "It'll all be okay, Hizashi, I promise." She breathed the words into his ear, not daring to speak any louder for fear of someone else hearing her.
It felt like it took next to forever, but finally they were free from the walls of the Hyuuga compound. They couldn't stop there, though. The trio kept running through the darkened, sleeping village, to the gate farthest away from their home that threatened to become a prison.
The darkness kept them hidden until they reached the glow of the two fires kept stoked by the gate to light the way for travelers. Tenten felt anxious as they stepped out of the shadows, but she swallowed back her fear. She had to be strong, now more than ever.
Another figure detached itself from the shadows as they approached. One hand lifted to its mask, pulling it away to reveal Nara Shikamaru's familiar face. The ANBU, their old friend, approached them quickly, dark eyes alert for any problems. "I'm glad you got here safely," he greeted.
Neji nodded once. "Any problems on this end?"
The shadow-nin shook his head once. "As long as we move quickly, the road is clear. But we have to go now." His eyes briefly rested on Tenten, then he pulled his mask back down to conceal his features as he moved back toward the gate.
Tenten leaned into Neji's embrace as he hugged her fiercely, their son protected between them. "Please be careful," she whispered. "Please, Neji."
His lips pressed against her temple. "It's you I'm worried about," he replied. "But I will be." Giving her one final squeeze, he kissed her lips, then his son's unmarked forehead. "I love you. Both of you. I'll see you soon, all right?" His expression appeared confident, but Tenten knew him too well. She could see the worry lurking in his eyes.
"We love you, too, so much," Tenten replied, and Hizashi nodded solemnly in agreement.
Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Neji guided her toward the gate. "Now you should go, before-" He let out a hiss of pain, his hand rising to grasp his forehead. She felt him stumble, and her free arm shot out to wrap around his waist. But he pushed her away, jaw taut, eyes squeezed shut against the pain. "Go, Tenten! Now!" He went to one knee in the dusty street, but lifted his head to look at Shikamaru. "Keep them safe."
The Nara nodded once, then gently took Hizashi from Tenten and settled the boy on his back. "I will. I promise." He placed one urgent hand on Tenten's shoulder to guide her forward. "Come on, Tenten. Hurry."
She stumbled a few times, but her feet finally started cooperating, moving her in sync with Shikamaru's half-run as they moved farther away from Konoha - farther away from Neji. She forced herself to tear her eyes away from her husband's pain-slumped form, mingled hatred, fear, and sadness pumping through her veins.
Not far down the road, Shikamaru guided her into the forest, where they quickly took to the trees. Hizashi clung to his honorary uncle, tears silently streaking his face as they grew farther and farther away from the only home he'd ever known. Tenten felt her heart start to break. He was far too young for all of this, to understand why they had to flee in the middle of the night and leave his father behind. But he was also far, far too young for what would have happened had they stayed.
The three of them traveled rapidly, remaining silent for a long time until they were sure they'd reached a safe distance from the village. "What happened back there?" Shikamaru finally asked.
Once again, Tenten was thankful for friends who were willing to help when asked - without asking questions until later. "I can't talk about it right now," she said. A quick glance at her son made Shikamaru nod curtly in understanding.
For a while, the only sounds were that of their feet rebounding off tree branches, the wind, and night animals and birds. Suddenly she registered the appearance of another person, and she whipped out a kunai to defend them.
"Don't!" the person and Shikamaru shouted at the same time.
The newcomer pulled off his mask, and Tenten recognized her old teammate, Lee. "What are you doing here?" she asked. She knew Neji was going to bring Shikamaru in to help, but she didn't know he'd alerted Lee, too.
"Shikamaru got me," Lee told her. "He said there was a problem with you, Neji, and Hizashi." The taijutsu expert's large eyes quickly scanned the area. "Where is Neji?"
"Still in the village," Tenten said grimly. "He ... had to stay behind."
Lee stared at her in unbridled horror, understanding the meaning behind those words. "Tenten, I-"
Shikamaru interrupted. "Is the area ahead clear?" he asked brusquely.
"Yes." Lee took the cue that nothing more should be said in Hizashi's presence, settling into an easy rhythm that matched Tenten's and Shikamaru's. Once more all three of them traveled in silence, trying to outdistance any pursuers who might be sent after them.
As the sun began to brighten the horizon, Hizashi finally fell into an exhausted sleep. The three adults pressed on, unwilling to let fatigue or hunger rob them of precious time they needed to put distance between them and their inevitable pursuers. The only advantage they had was that the one person left in the village who knew their destination was Neji, and he would not reveal it to any other soul.
Lee dropped back next to Tenten as Shikamaru kept up his pace ahead of them. "What did happen?" he asked softly.
Tenten bit her lower lip, a rapid series of images spinning dizzyingly through her mind. "Hinata had her baby," she revealed at last. Everyone had been all but holding their breaths to see what would happen for the past seven months, since Hinata had lost her husband early in her pregnancy, and her grief had been so severe that even Lady Tsunade, their greatest healer, had feared she would have a miscarriage. It had been nothing short of a miracle that she'd managed to carry the baby to term, and that the child had survived.
"I heard about that," Lee said with a quick nod. "But what does that have to do with - oh." His mouth set in a grim line of understanding.
"That's right. Her future as Hyuuga clan head is cemented now, but Hiashi is still in that position now, and the Elders still have a chokehold over everything. Now that Hinata's had her baby, that means..." She couldn't finish the thought as her eyes drifted to the exhausted but sweet face of her sleeping son.
"They were going to put the caged bird seal on Hizashi," Lee whispered, finishing her sentence.
Tenten nodded once. "Yes. As soon as Neji found out, he came to me and we packed up everything we could. He contacted Shikamaru, and he met us at the gate. Obviously he let you know that there was trouble."
Lee nodded once. "He didn't say what, exactly. He just said that you, Hizashi, and Neji were in danger and needed to get away from the village for a while."
She smothered the urge to shiver. "Since Neji has the seal himself, the Elders can use it no matter how far away he gets. If he'd come with us, they would have tracked us down eventually. So that's why he's staying behind in Konoha." She swallowed hard. "They'd discovered our absence by the time we got to the gate. They - Neji..." Furiously, Tenten shook her head to dispel her tears.
Shikamaru dropped back next to them. He shot her a sympathetic look that let her know he'd heard the conversation, then said, "At this rate, we should be there by tomorrow evening, around sunset. Lee and I can only stay long enough to make sure you and Hizashi are safe. Then we have to get back to the village."
Tenten nodded once. "Thank you both." She knew both Shikamaru and Lee were taking great risks doing what they were. Though the Hyuuga clan couldn't touch either of them, if they were supposed to report for a mission or any other duty and did not show up or could not be found, trouble could ensue. At the least, they could lose their respected positions in ANBU; at worst, they would be reported as missing-nin, rogues, and hunted to extinction.
She had no idea how her absence was going to be explained. Perhaps Neji would go to the Hokage and explain the situation in confidence. Naruto, bless him, knew about the Hyuuga clan's curse and would do what he could to help. Unfortunately, they couldn't afford to go to him first. Tenten could only hope that that same grace would be extended to Shikamaru and Lee for helping them.
They stopped twice to rest and eat, and then once more traveled through the night and into the next day. All of them were starting to feel fatigued, and Hizashi was getting fussy. Before now, he hadn't even left the village's gates. Shikamaru and Lee were taking turns carrying him, insisting that it would be more expedient that way. As much as she hated to admit it, they were right. She was strong, but carrying her little boy on her back would slow her down.
Hizashi fell asleep curled up against Tenten the moment they stopped for their last rest stop before reaaching their destination. She stroked his long dark hair, humming soothingly to him as Lee split up the last of their rations. "Only another five hours, right?" she asked, weaving the words into the tune of her song so she wouldn't wake her son.
Shikamaru nodded. "We might even beat the sunset. We've been making remarkable time." He didn't mention the fact that their desperate circumstances was a great driving force for them all.
Tenten murmured a thank you when Lee handed her some water. She jostled Hizashi awake enough to drink some, then let him fall back to sleep as she took a few mouthfuls herself. She felt tired, grimy, and hungry, but they couldn't stop now. They were so close to safety, and failing the mission would cost greatly: the freedom of her only son.
She nearly cried in relief when the familiar towering rock walls of Suna came into view almost five-and-a-half hours later. She had to force herself to slow her pace as they approached, unmasked Shikamaru and Lee flanking her. Now that they were so close, Tenten was carrying Hizashi herself. Lee didn't seem to mind taking over possession of the stuffed panda temporarily.
Since the three had been fairly frequent visitors to the village, they were recognized the moment they reached the gates. When Tenten formally requested sanctuary in the village, one of the guards was dispatched to speak personally to the Kazekage.
Only a few minutes later, the guard came back, Gaara's older sister Temari in tow. She nodded briefly to Shikamaru and Lee, who made their excuses as soon as they were assured of Tenten and Hizashi's safety. Then she led Tenten into the village, keeping to roads less traveled to conceal their presence.
"Gaara isn't ignoring you," Temari said reassuringly. "It's just that he perfers not to lie, if at all possible - bad politics and dissention in the ranks, or something like that - and he'd like to truthfully say he hasn't seen you." Her eyes drifted to Hizashi, who was still tiredly sacked out in his mother's arms. "What happened?"
Tenten explained the situation in as few words as possible. Just as she finished, they reached a small house that looked like all the others around it. Temari pulled a key out of her pocket, swiftly unlocked the door, and motioned for the Konoha kunoichi to precede her. "My home is your home."
She froze in the process of taking off her shoes. "This is your house?"
Temari shrugged uncaringly as she closed the door behind her and slipped off her own sandals. "No safer place in the village, except the Kazekage's tower. And no offense, but you need to avoid that place for now." Motioning for Tenten to follow, she padded her way down a short, cool hall and opened a door. "You and Hizashi can use the guest room for the duration of your stay." She tilted her blonde head back the way she'd come. "I'll let you get settled in. The kitchen is the last door on your right coming from this way. I'll be in there making tea when you're ready to join me." She offered a somewhat awkward smile, then slipped away down the hall.
The guest room was small but comfortable and, to Tenten's relief, a cool refuge from the oppressive desert heat outside. She settled Hizashi on the bed with his stuffed panda before setting her pack in the corner and freshening up as best she could without a long shower with lots of soap and shampoo.
Tenten was just wondering whether to let Hizashi sleep or wake him when he sat up on his own, rubbed his eyes, and yawned widely. "Where are we?" he mumbled.
"We're visiting your Aunt Temari."
Her son's face lit up. "Aunt Mari, Aunt Mari!" he squealed. Suddenly wide awake, he slid off the bed, yanked open the bedroom door, and took off down the hall.
Somehow, Hizashi had managed to find his way quickly through the house and find his honorary aunt in the kitchen. Temari had picked up the little boy and was spinning him around in her arms, laughing right along with him in a rare moment of humor. When she saw Tenten, she cleared her throat and set Hizashi down. "Good to see you too, runt." Ruffling the little boy's hair, she turned to the stove and removed the kettle from the heat. "You want tea, too, little man?"
"Lotsa milk and sugar, please," Hizashi requested as he settled down in a chair at the table.
Tenten sighed as she went to help her friend. "I'm afraid everyone spoils him terribly," she said. "Everyone else drinks their tea straight, but he refuses to touch it without his beloved milk and sugar."
Temari shrugged as she doctored her nephew's tea. "Gaara was the same way," she said. "Kankuro and I got used to taking care of him since no one else wanted to. Even though we were terrified of him, he was our little brother. Now he drinks it straight, though." As if she hadn't just revealed that rather personal fact, she plunked down Hizashi's cup and ruffled his hair again. "You've gotten so much bigger since the last time I saw you, Hizashi. You must be what now - eight?"
Hizashi's chest puffed out proudly as he shook his head. "No, Aunt Mari. I'm four."
Cradling her own cup, Tenten sighed as she watched her son. Not only was he subjected to the rigid upbringing of a Hyuuga (though Neji did cheat sometimes and spoil his son, he really was an affectionate father, and Tenten made no qualms about spoiling her little boy), but he'd also inherited his father's remarkable intelligence. Though he was such a tender age, he spoke and conducted himself like a child at least twice his age.
"Sit, Tenten." Temari waited until her guest had done so before doing the same with her own cup of tea. "So how long are you - ah - visiting?"
Tenten had known the question was coming, but she had no idea how to answer. She had promised Neji to stay away until he came to get them when it was safe, but how long would that take? And it wan't like she could say that with Hizashi sitting, awake and alert, only a few inches away. "We don't want to intrude..." she said carefully.
Catching on to her tone, Temari laughed lightly and waved one hand. "What intrusion? You guys are welcome to stay as long as you like."
Hizashi bounced in his chair. "Is Uncle Kuro around?" Ever since he had learned to speak, he had come up with nicknames for the people whose real names he couldn't pronounce. Even though he was older now, the affectionate nicknames had stuck.
"Sorry, Hizashi. He's out on a mission with his team right now." At the little boy's pout, Temari winked at him. "He'll be back soon, don't worry."
Brightening, Hizashi satisfied himself with the fact that he'd get to visit with Kankuro and his puppets soon, then returned the bulk of his attention to his tea. It was obvious that he was enjoying the casual atmosphere, since tea at the Hyuuga compound was usually very rigid and strict. Tenten smiled as she relished the chance to see her son be able to be a regular kid for a while.
When Hizashi finally got bored and was excused, allowed to wander off as long as he remained in the house, Tenten lowered her voice and leaned toward Temari. "Honestly, I don't mean to intrude. This was all just so - sudden."
The easy smile that had remained on Temari's face as long as Hizashi was around melted away. "Gaara sent a dispatch back with Shikamaru and Lee," she said. "Neji will know you're safe."
A long, relieved breath shivered out of her. "I need to thank him," she said.
Temari nodded. "Soon. As soon as the team who will be sent to see if you're here leaves, Gaara will want to talk to you, too."
Nodding silently, Tenten stared down at the dredges of her tea. It had been a while since the last time she saw the Kazekage, and she wondered what he would have to say about this whole situation. He had been kind enough to allow her and her son sanctuary in his village, but how did he really feel about all this?
Gaara was sitting with his chair turned toward the window as Tenten nervously entered his office. She'd left Hizashi in Temari's enthusiastic care, knowing he would be safe for the duration of her meeting with the Kazekage.
Finally, the leader of the Sand village turned to look at her. "Tenten!" Getting to his feet, he came around the desk to press a kiss to her cheek and guide her to the chair across from his. "Temari explained everything to me. Now that some of the Hyuuga have come and gone looking for you - I was able to say, quite honestly, that I have not seen you or your son - we can discuss more long-term arrangements."
Tenten nervously clenched and unclenched her hands in her lap. She was at home with a weapon in her hand, and she much preferred doing her talking with weapons instead of her mouth. "I'm sorry if this is an intrusion," she began.
Leaning back in his chair, Gaara narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "I promised you a long time ago that I would always do anything I could to help your or Neji," he replied. He held her gaze for a moment longer before looking down at the paperwork piled on his desk. "You and Hizashi will have refuge in Suna for as long as you require it."
The knot in her stomach eased slightly. "Thank you, Lord Kazekage."
Perhaps it was her imagination, but it seemed like he had flinched ever-so-slightly when she addressed him by his title instead of his name. "Would you like to remain with my sister, Lady Hyuuga, or would you prefer to accept quarters in the Kazekage tower? Of course, we could also arrange for you to get a place of your own here, but I would like to suggest that you keep your public appearances to a minimum."
She heard the words he didn't speak. When she had become engaged to him a few years ago, she had made several appearances with him in Suna so the people could grow accustomed to her as one of their own. Tenten was a very recognizable person, and should some Hyuuga return to the village to search for her on the sly, she did not need anyone speaking of her presence. "If it is all right with Temari, I would like to stay with her, at least for a little while." She swallowed hard. "I've already had to uproot Hizashi once, and I don't really want to do it again, especially not this soon."
Gaara nodded. "Understandable." They fell into an uneasy silence for a few momens before he broke it. "I sent a brief message back with your escorts. Neji will know you and Hizashi are safe here."
"Temari mentioned that. Thank you." Things had never been really easy and comfortable with Gaara, not in the same way they were with Neji, but now the tension in the air between them was making the hair on the back of her neck prickle. It had been a long time since she'd last seen Gaara - close to two years - and now she longed to get away from him, away from the awkwardness that suddenly existed between them.
As if sensing her wishes, Gaara spun his chair back toward the window and noded once. "You are undoubtedly anxious to return to your son. Thank you for coming to see me, Lady Hyuuga. If I hear anything more from Konoha, I will let you know."
Knowing she was being dismissed, and feeling relieved rather than insulted, she stood, bowed, and moved toward the door. "Thank you, Lord Kazekage. Good day." As she quietly closed the door behind her, she was almost sure she heard him say softly, "It was good to see you again, Tenten."
Even as awkward as things were, it was good to see you, too, Gaara.
Almost three weeks passed before she heard from Neji. Lee had been sent with the monthly report from Konoha, and he stopped by Temari's house on the way back home. It had taken every last bit of willpower she had to spend some time with Lee, chatting idly about the mundane happenings in Konoha for Hizashi's benefit, even as the slip of paper in her pocket seemed to burn her skin, even through her clothing. As soon as her friend left, Tenten excused herself and escaped to the solitude of the guest room.
Her hands shook as she broke the seal and unfolded the heavy piece of stationary. The note inside was short, but it was enough.
Tenten,
I miss you and Hizashi so much, but I know this is for the best. Several teams comprised of Hyuuga branch members have been dispatched to find you and our son, but I can't help but breathe a little sigh of relief every time they return empty-handed. I know the Kazekage will protect you both; however, I know that every day is yet another danger to your and Hizashi's safety.
Hinata's baby girl remains healthy and well-protected. Hiashi has spouted some nonesense about assassins or kidnappers from other villages, but I know his words are covering up what the Council is really saying, really thinking. My uncle is slowly starting to shift more and more responsibilities onto my cousin's shoulders, and it's only a matter of time before she becomes the next clan head. She's trying to do all she can to change things, but the Council is so set in their ways. I don't know how long it will be before you can come home again safely. I hope it's not too long.
Lee is waiting to take this letter to you, so I'll stop writing here. I wish I had better news to send to you. I miss you and Hizashi, and I love you both so much.
Neji
Tenten carefully refolded the letter and tucked it into her pocket. She knew Hinata was going to do all she could to help - her kind heart had always led her to try to make things as easy on the cadet branches of the Hyuuga clan as she could. But she knew as well as Neji that the real power lay in the Council's hands, and as long as they held that power, there was little she or Hiashi could do.
Neji's letter had helped to ease the gnawing ache in her chest a bit, though. At least she knew he was all right, that the Council hadn't taken too drastic steps to punish him for protecting his son. She only wished that he could have come himself, instead of sending a secret letter with Lee.
Hizashi's fifth birthday arrived a week later, with no signs in sight that he would be able to celebrate it at home. Tenten, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara tried to make it as happy a birthday as they could, but each of them knew that Hizashi was disappointed that his father hadn't been there. At bedtime, when he'd asked her why in a hurt tone, she told him that Neji had been sent on a mission by the Hyuuga clan head, Hizashi's great-uncle, and she promised him they would celebrate his birthday as a family soon. Her heart hurt even as she made the promise, because she didn't know if she'd be able to keep it.
Another three weeks passed, and Tenten grew restless as she waited for more news from Neji. It was almost time for another report and, she hoped, another letter from her husband.
She was in the kitchen eating breakfast with Hizashi and Temari when a knock sounded on the door. Tenten hushed her son as Temari went to answer it, but leaped to her feet when the Suna kunoichi called, "Tenten, Hizashi, there's someone here from Konoha to see you."
Hizashi beat her to the doorway, and his excited shout of, "Father!" sent her scurrying after him even quicker than before. For a moment she could only stand in the doorway in shock, wondering if the man standing in Temari's entranceway holding Hizashi close in his arms was really her husband, or if she had a fever and was hallucinating. "Neji?"
His eyes met hers, then drank in her features as if he were trying to rememorize them. Shifting Hizashi to one arm, he held out the other toward her, smiling as she ran to wrap her arms around him and give him a kiss that was more than a little flavored with tears.
Squirming, their son made noises of disgust and demanded to be put down. The moment of levity was much needed, and Neji used the ensuing laughter to cover his whisper in her ear. "Naruto sent me along with Lee to deliver the report."
Tenten felt her heart drop, just a little. She was more than happy that Neji had come, naturally, but she'd been hoping when she saw him that his presence meant it was time to go home. Leaning her head against her husband's chest, she determined that she would enjoy whatever time they had together and try not to be too disheartened.
Keeping one arm wrapped tightly around her, Neji motioned for Hizashi to come closer with his other. "I believe you've had a birthday recently, hmm?"
The little boy practically vibrated with excitement. "Yes! Mama and Aunt Mari and Uncle Kuro and Uncle Gaara threw me a party. But Aunt Mari's cake tasted a little funny."
Temari's laughter floated to their ears from the kitchen even as Tenten blushed and scolded her son.
Neji's lips twitched with his effort to hide a smile. Tenten hadn't seen him so happy in a while (and not just because she hadn't seen him for weeks, either), and it warmed her heart to see him in such good humor. "Now I'm wondering if you deserve this," he said, pulling an impeccably wrapped package out of his pocket.
Hizashi's hands clamped over his mouth, but his eyes were round with excitement over them as he stared, enraptured, at the present his father had brought. "Please?" he mumbled from behind his hands.
The elder Hyuuga regarded his son with narrow eyes for another long moment, pretending to consider how honest Hizashi was being. Finally, his stern mask cracked and he smiled as he extended the gift. "Here you go, Hizashi. Happy birthday, though I cannot tell you how sorry I am that this, and I, am late."
Reverently, Hizashi reached out and took his birthday gift from his father's hand. "Thank you," he breathed.
Tenten tucked herself into Neji's side again as they watched their son happily tear into his present. The look of joy on his face when he saw the ANBU dragon mask, done in miniature to fit his face, almost made up for the sadness that had been there before. "You remembered," she said softly. Hizashi had seen that mask at a street fair they'd attended not too long before he and Tenten had had to flee. He had mentioned it since a few times, and his mother had been disappointed when she hadn't found anything like it in Suna to get for him.
Neji smiled again, though the arm around her was still a little tense. "I was hoping he still wanted it. You'd mentioned in your last letter that you couldn't find anything like it here in Suna, so Lee bought it for me and slipped it to me on the way here."
Sadness invaded her heart again. Neji couldn't even buy his son's birthday present himself, because if he'd been seen by the Hyuuga, they'd have known that he knew Tenten and Hizashi's hiding place. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against Neji's shoulder as Hizashi shouted "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" and ran to show the mask to his aunt.
"How long can you stay?" she whispered. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.
"Lee and I have to leave tomorrow, as soon as Gaara gives us his report," Neji replied. "We're already pushing it to stay overnight."
Tenten sucked in a deep breath, determined not to let her sorrow show. "Then we should make the best of what time we have together, yes?"
"Gaara-!"
"Not now, Temari." The Kazekage didn't turn from his window as he gazed out over the familiar vista of Suna. How often had he observed his home like this - separated from everyone, watching from a distance, wanting to be a part of things yet always feeling just out of place?
In the reflection of the window, he saw his older sister cross her arms and scowl. "'Not now, Temari,'" she mocked. "How many times have you said that to me? You keep putting me off, and I'm sick of it."
Perhaps he had been delaying the conversation Temari had been wanting to have for too long. Though he felt more comfortable around his sister than he used to, and vice-versa, her personality did tend to irritate him sometimes. Not to mention her persistance. "How are the arrangements working out?" Gaara's only hope was to distract his sister.
"Fine." She clipped out the word so precisely Gaara was sure she could have cut steel with nothing but her voice.
"Rock Lee told me that Hyuuga Neji came along to deliver the report, though I did not see him. Is it true?" He tried not to sound too - well, anything.
Temari sighed. "He came. I left him with Tenten and Hizashi. Figured they all deserved some time alone."
True enough, but Gaara wished Temari hadn't chosen to spend the time out of her house in his personal apartments in the Kazekage tower. "Did the Hyuuga have any idea how much longer it will be before things will settle down in Konoha?"
"No. The way I understand it, Hinata's being groomed to take over leadership of the clan really soon, but even then the elders of their clan hold the most power. She'll have to talk them down before Tenten and Hizashi can go back home."
Interesting. Lee had told Gaara that Hinata had been co-heading the clan with her father for a while now, and was close to being eased all the way into full leadership. Perhaps Hyuuga didn't want to elevate his wife and son's hopes too high only to have to crush them again later. "Hmm."
Temari flopped down onto a cushion by the low table in the middle of the room. She picked up one of the two cups sitting on the tray, which had remained untouched until then. Though Gaara hadn't wanted his sister to stay, he couldn't deny her the polite formalities he'd denied her for so many years. "I heard him say that he has to leave again tomorrow. He sounded like he wasn't sure he'd be back again any time soon."
Again, Lee had said something along those lines to Gaara. Even though the Hokage could send anyone he wanted on missions, the Hyuuga clan would get suspicious if Neji were to be sent to the same place too many times. "Tenten and Hizashi are safe here. He knows that."
Spinning her cup of lukewarm tea between her hands, Temari sighed. Loudly. "You're being a jerk, Gaara."
That brought the Kazekage spinning around, arms crossed, scowl fixed firmly in place. "Excuse me?"
His sister's cold blue eyes glared right back. "Oh, don't act so clueless!" she huffed. "You've talked to Tenten twice since she and Hizashi got here. I think she's starting to wonder if you don't really want her to be here. She's been talking about trying to find somewhere else safe for her and her son to hide."
"I had to speak to her that once, and it would have been rude to ignore her on her son's birthday. But the more I avoid her, the safer she'll be. The entire point of this exercise is to keep her hidden. Should another Hyuuga search party come, I would prefer to stay as close to the truth as I can. Seeing her multiple times would only complicate this objective."
Temari snorted rudely. "Aren't you noble?" Standing up, she strode across the room to get directly in Gaara's face. And even though she was about a head shorter than him, her anger more than made up that extra height. "I think you're just being selfish."
Gaara felt a muscle in his jaw twitch. "Leave." He hadn't meant to growl the word at her, but his ire was already up, and Temari had just snapped his last, already frayed, nerve.
Something akin to triumph flashed in her eyes. "I hope you and your angst have fun together tonight." Turning on her heel, she stalked out of the room. A few seconds later, he heard the front door slide firmly shut.
Flexing his hand into a fist, Gaara glared at his sister's abandoned cup for a long moment. Letting out another growl, he left the tea things on the table and stalked out of his office and into the living room. He paused in the doorway, suddenly overwhelmed by the memories assulting him.
Tenten sitting curled up on one of the cushions, idly spinning a kunai around her finger as she read a book with the other.
Tenten standing next to him as he introduced her to his people as his future wife, a shy but genuine smile on her lips.
Tenten curled up against him, head on his shoulder, asleep as he sorted through the work he'd brought home with him.
Tenten sitting next to the window, head leaning against the glass, honey eyes distant as the setting sun shone on her loose hair.
Granted, she hadn't visited him often in Suna. Even once they'd become betrothed, she'd wanted to remain a kunoichi in Konoha for as long as she could. But the few times she'd made quick trips out to see him had given him memories that, at the time, he thought he'd treasure. But now the lingering ghosts of those memories appeared everywhere he went, and he was sure they were going to drive him mad.
He'd been lying to Temari, to Tenten, and yes, even to himself, for too long. Even though he was honestly happy that Tenten was happy, he still missed her terribly. She was the only person he felt like he could really trust, allow himself to let down his guard around and be Gaara with, not the Kazekage. Even with his brother and sister, he still felt the need to be wary and watchful. Tenten had seemed to understand him without effort - she could make him smile, make him happy, without even trying.
Yes, he'd loved her. He still loved her. And seeing her when she'd come to Suna for protection had been a stab in the gut all over again, reminding him that he'd only pushed his feelings for her to the back of his mind, not erased them entirely. She'd looked just like he remembered her: in a word, beautiful.
Tearing his hand through his already disheveled hair, he closed his eyes and turned away. Tenten...
Maybe Temari was right, and he was being selfish by not going to see her. She was still his friend, after all. But every time he saw her, or even thought of her, the pain in his chest grew a little hotter and sharper. At the same time, though, he didn't want to make her feel like she was intruding in Suna.
Tomorrow, he told himself. I'll talk to her tomorrow. And this time, even though he'd promised himself that same thing a hundred times since she'd come, he would really do it.
Tenten woke to a soft kiss on her lips, something she'd been missing for weeks. Quickly wrapping her arms around Neji's shoulders, she held him in place for a long time, just clinging to him even after they'd broken their kiss. "Don't go." The words slipped out without her permission, but she didn't try to take them back. She meant it.
Neji's arms briefly tightened around her, but just as quickly pulled away. "I have to." He pressed a kiss to the side of her head, lingering for a long moment before breaking even that final connection. "But I'll be back. Soon." His voice rang with promise.
She accepted another kiss, and then he was gone. Curling onto her side under her blankets, she stared at the door he'd closed behind him, wishing he could have stayed another day. Or, even better, that she and Hizashi could have gone with him.
It took a long time for her to drag herself out of bed and get dressed. When she finally padded her way into the kitchen, she found Temari and Hizashi already there, quietly sharing breakfast. Two pairs of eyes - one blue and knowing, the other pale lavender and curious - stared at her.
"Morning," she murmured, pouring herself a cup of tea. She felt so depressed that she didn't want to eat, so she cradled her cup as she watched the other two eat.
"Good morning, Mama," Hizashi replied.
"Uhn," Temari grumbled. She sat with her shoulders hunched over her tea mug, brows drawn down low over her eyes.
"Are you all right?" Tenten asked, startled.
"My stupid brother," Temari growled, as if that explained everything. Gruffly excusing herself, she pushed away from the table, poured out the last of her tea, and stalked from the room.
Hizashi stared after his aunt, his own tea mug halfway to his mouth. "Uncle Gaara or Uncle Kuro?" he whispered.
Tenten shrugged. To be honest, it could have been either of them. She knew Temari loved her brothers, but she had a quick temper and short fuse, making it easy for one or both to tick her off. "Whatever it was, I'm sure she'll get over it soon."
Satisfied, Hizashi took a drink of his tea, then set his mug down at the same moment as someone knocked on the door. Tenten tilted her head to the side, listening intently. She heard the water running in the other room, meaning Temari probably hadn't heard the knock. Hoping it was Neji coming back, she hurried to open it and see who it was.
Her happy greeting died on her lips when she saw Gaara standing there, looking at her with an almost shy expression on his face. "G-Gaara?" She was so startled she forgot to address him formally.
Ducking his head of tousled chestnut hair, he stared at her from beneath his bangs. "Will you ... would you..." Scowling, he stopped and drew in a deep breath. "I need to talk to you. In private."
Temari suddenly appeared next to Tenten, pushing the brunette out the door with an encouraging hand. "I'll take care of Hizashi," she said. "Go, go." With a quick smile, she closed the door.
So much for the blonde kunoichi not knowing someone was at the door.
Gaara led her through a dizzying maze of back streets, traversing them so easily it made her think he'd been taking this route between his tower and Temari's house for many years. It wasn't until they were settled in his formal sitting room with cups of steaming tea that he finally seemed to relax a little. "I'm sorry if it seems like I've been ignoring you during the duration of your stay," he said at last. "It was unforgivably rude of me."
Tenten had to wonder if Temari had been behind all this. It would explain her sullen attitude this morning, anyway. "You are a busy man." She waved his apology away.
"That is no excuse." His lips curled up at the corners slightly in a somewhat bemused smile. "As my sister reminded me last night, I might add."
She carefully set down her cup, wondering where the Kazekage was going with this.
"I've been telling her, and myself, that it was best I keep my distance from you should Hyuuga search parties return to Suna. But in truth, I was the one hiding." He lifted his gaze, those intense sage-green eyes staring into her with the same startling intensity she remembered from their brief courtship. "From you."
She wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or ashamed. "Why?"
Gaara looked away, toward the tea sitting untouched before him. "I think you know why," he said quietly. "It's time to be truthful for once and admit that I've done a lot of lying. What I said was true, in a way. I do want you to be happy. I had just - hoped you'd choose to be happy with me." He sighed. "Don't misunderstand me. I am ... glad you are happy with Neji, and I see how much you both love each other and your son. And yet ... I'm selfish enough to wish that it was you and me, and our son." The words he wasn't saying hung heavily between them: Had you married me, you and your son would have no need to hide.
This time she was the one looking away. "I didn't make my decision lightly. At the time, part of me easily saw myself here with you, building a future and a family in Suna. Even after Neji came back, there were so many times that I would close my eyes and see myself here, the two of us standing by the windows with our children tucked in bed, just watching the sunset together. We were happy in these visions, content with each other, our lives, our love." Tenten was surprised when a tear dropped from her cheek and landed in her cup. "But, in the end, I knew that it would be unfair to marry you," she whispered. "Even unintentionally, I would be making you unhappy, because deep inside me, even though I loved you so much ... I would always love another more."
Two hands, warm and rough like the sand he controlled, wrapped around hers. She looked up in surprise, meeting Gaara's shining eyes with her own. Tenten had, more than any other, seen the softer, more emotional side of him. But the strength and number of the emotions in his eyes at that moment nearly took her breath away. "I would never do anything to hurt you, or compromise your honor," he said. "I had hoped to heal you, but ... in the end, it was you who healed me."
Tenten blinked, but it didn't stop the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes from trailing down her cheeks. "I never meant to hurt you," she said. Had she even suspected that Gaara had felt the pain of separation so deeply when she chose to marry Neji...
What would she have done? What could she have done?
Slowly, he let go of her hands. One fell back to the table as the other lifted to brush away her tears. "You and Naruto have each taught me important lessons," Gaara said introspectively. "But, in the end, I think perhaps the most important one you both showed me is that you must follow your heart, do what you know is right even if it causes yourself pain." Then he smiled, one of his rare, genuine smiles that had never failed to make her do the same. "I'm sorry I've been avoiding you, Tenten. For as long as you stay in Suna, I promise it will not happen again."
The rest of their time together was spent in a more relaxed atmosphere, now that the tenseness of their lingering, undiscussed feelings had been released. When it was finally time for Tenten to leave, Gaara walked her back to Temari's apartment, following the same path they'd taken before.
At the door, she raised up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Gaara's forehead, right over his love tattoo. "I believe there's someone out there for you, Gaara," she said with a smile. "And I know she will make you so happy, you will wonder what you ever saw in me."
A hint of his former smile flashed across his lips briefly before he returned her kiss on her forehead. "Perhaps. Good afternoon, Tenten."
She smiled in return. "Good day, Gaara."
The sound of his laughter, deep and tinged with just a touch of shyness, echoed in her ears as he vanished in a whirlwind of sand. Tenten turned and entered Temari's apartment with a much lighter heart than she had when she'd left.
Now if only everything in the Hyuuga family could be resolved ... life would be perfect.
Gaara was startled at the sound of a heavy fist banging at his door. Even once the sand demon was removed from him, he still often suffered from insomnia, and spent most nights buried in paperwork instead of dreams. Leaving the papers strewn across his desk, he went to see who had come to see him in the dead of night.
He was surprised to see that it was Kankuro. His brother often went to bed just before sunrise and wasn't seen until mid-afternoon at the earliest. But now he stood at Gaara's door, hair mussed, missing his face-paint and Scarecrow, who more often than not was a passenger on his back. "Th-They're here," he stuttered.
The Kazekage had to fight back the urge to scowl. He didn't like vague statements like those - he perferred straightforward but clearer descriptions.
Kankuro caught his younger brother's expression and hurried to clarify. "An envoy from the Hyuuga clan is here."
In the dead of night? They are getting desperate. This time Gaara didn't bother to smother his scowl. "Tell them that they must wait until a more respectful hour of the day to be seen."
Already, Kankuro was shaking his head. "No," he said. "You don't understand."
Why did he have to get such an irritating, unhelpful person as a brother? "Clarify."
"The envoy is led by Hyuuga Hinata, and Hyuuga Neji is with her."
Gaara felt his eyes widen a little. Well, that was unexpected, especially considering it had only been a little over two weeks since Lee and Neji had left the village. "Take me to them immediately, and send someone to retrieve Tenten and Hizashi."
Since Gaara kept his apartments in the Kazekage tower, it didn't take long for him and Kankuro to reach his office. As soon as the door opened, he saw the two figures waiting inside turn to face him and bow.
The one on the right straightened. It took Gaara moment before he recognized her, because the only other time he had seen Hinata dressed in such finery had been at Tenten's wedding. (Well - weddings. But, in his defense, he had been more focused on Tenten than her attendants on both occasions.)
"Lord Kazekage," she said respectfully. "Thank you for seeing us at such a late hour."
He had not seen the heiress many times, but the few times that he had and heard her speak, he clearly remembered that she had stuttered so badly he could barely understand her. It was a great surprise, then, to hear her speak without even a hint of such an impediment. "I presume you bring important news, Lady Hyuuga?" He motioned for the midnight-haired woman and her cousin to sit. Kankuro had vanished, hopefully to carry out Gaara's order to retrieve Tenten and Hizashi.
Hinata nodded as she sat, carefully settling the folds of her kimono around her. "After many exhausting hours of negotiations-" Here she paused, a rueful smile tilting up the corner of her mouth, "-some of which were a little more hostile than others ... we finally came to an agreement." She turned to Neji, motioning for him to continue.
"We've come to get Tenten and Hizashi," he said. "They can finally come home."
As if waiting for that cue, the door to the office opened. Gaara caught a brief glance of Temari, who was dressed in her pajamas and robe and looking angry to be pulled out of bed at such an "unreasonable" hour, right before two other figures flew past her into the room.
Neji leaped out of his chair, catching his wife with one arm and his son with the other. The three of them sank to the floor, a jumble of arms and fabric as they all clung to each other tightly. Gaara thought he saw a hint of tears in the elder Hyuuga male's eyes, and looked away respectfully.
Hinata was watching her cousin and his family, tears coursing down her own cheeks. She looked up and caught his eye, a blush like the one he remembered from long ago brushing her otherwise pale skin.
Gaara quietly got out of his chair, offered Hinata a hand to help her up, and escorted her out of the room. As soon as he closed the door behind him, letting Neji, Tenten, and Hizashi have the privacy of his office for their reunion, Hinata touched his arm to draw his attention and bowed. "Thank you, Lord Kazekage, for protecting them until Neji and I could reach an agreement that would protect them," she whispered.
For a moment Gaara was caught by those strange pale eyes, wondering what they saw when they looked at him. At last he glanced away, managing a polite smile as he replied. "Tenten is a good friend. She, and any she considers friend or family, are always welcome here."
Temari yawned loudly, drawing their attention to her. "Well, not that this all isn't nice and all," she said. "But some of us aren't crazy insomniacs. I'll see you all at a reasonable time of the day." Pivoting sharply on her heel, she walked away, waving over her shoulder as she vanished around the corner. Kankuro was nowhere in sight, undoubtedly having already returned to his own home and sleep after his assignment was complete.
"Those considered friends or family of Tenten are welcome in Konoha, and particularly Hyuuga House," Hinata replied. She was still blushing, but there was a light in her eyes and a strength in how she carried herself that he had not seen in her before.
Gaara smiled and nodded once, thankfully. Perhaps Tenten was right, and true happiness could, in fact, be waiting for him somewhere, someday.
Only time would tell, but Gaara had learned to be patient. For his own version of the happiness he saw in Tenten's eyes, he could wait.
*~The End~*
Author's Ending Notes: Even though I was happy at the end of the Nothing/Anything/Everything trilogy, I still felt like something was missing. I later realized that, really, I hadn't given Gaara a satisfactory ending, let alone explored how he felt about all this. I had also wanted to explore the other half of this storyline - how Tenten and Neji would react should their son be faced with the curse seal, something I had touched upon very briefly in Birth - and I thought the two storylines would compliment each other nicely. I really do like Gaara, and I also like the thought that Hinata has an inner strength we've only briefly glimpsed before, and I believe becoming leader of the Hyuuga clan would permanently bring this to the forefront. Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this piece (and I'm sorry it took me so long to get it posted, but it was just so long and complicated, it took me time to get it all pieced together and written!), and thank you so much for reading!