A/N: Okay, so it didn't take as long as I thought it would to write this chapter, but the next one will.

Disclaimer: "Naruto" is property of Masashi Kishimoto, Studio Pierrot, Viz Media, etc.

For the past couple of days Sakura was spending most of her time at the hospital. Going there gave her practical experience for what medic-nins had to face. These days though, Sakura was making excursions to the hospital for a different reason.

She had decided she would simply study the books at her own pace, as though the reading competition was nonexistent. That was her plan, until Tenten noticed Sakura's lagging progress. She warned her that if she didn't pick up the pace, she would make it a point to challenge Sakura on a daily basis once she was released from the hospital.

Her constant disappearances did not go unnoticed by Yamanaka Ino. Before she could run off, Ino caught Sakura after one of their sessions with Tsunade, determined to find out why. "Sakura, what have you been up to lately?"

"What do you mean?"

Exasperated, Ino said, "You keep rushing out of here after lessons."

"Aww, Ino…" Sakura's behavior turned catty. "You miss talking with your precious childhood friend that much?"

The insinuation and manner in which she said it caused an incensed Ino's cheeks to colour, regardless of her will to keep composure. "Dummy! As if!"

"'Kay~ then!" Sakura slipped behind the doorframe and waved. "Bye-bye, Ino dear!"

"Hey! Sakura!" Ino went after her, but when she reached the hallway Sakura was already gone.

It wasn't as though Sakura didn't want to tell Ino the truth of what she'd been doing as of late. It was just more fun to get a rise from Ino. Although the two had come to an understanding of sorts following their Chuunin Exam match, their habit of taunting each other hadn't subsided. They did have a rivalry after all… but different from the one recently established with Tenten.

The older kunoichi was intent on beating Sakura, fair and square, with Sakura giving it her all as well. Most of their time together was spent diligently leafing through the texts in silence; but interspersing these moments were casual exchanges. Usually it would be about what happened to each of them that day or the goings on in the village. It wasn't terribly special, but it made Sakura think of Tenten as markedly dissimilar to Ino.

Naturally, there were reasons for the contrast. Sakura had known Ino since childhood, when the blond offered a branch of friendship to her timid self. She admired Ino, and she wanted to be like her. Eventually that admiration warped when she found out they had a crush on the same boy. They became rivals. Sakura wanted to surpass Ino. Ever since then the friction between them became part of their relationship.

Not until the Chuunin Exam did Sakura know about Tenten. They had never even spoken to one another until this week. Yet regardless of this short acquaintance, Sakura felt comfortable being around Tenten. There was no underlying hostility, and although during her lifetime Sakura had associated with other girls, she barely spent much time with them. Now she was being somewhat forced into passing the time with Tenten, but Sakura didn't really mind.

She made her way to the hospital, imaging Tenten waiting patiently for her with a closed book in her lap. It was a sight Sakura was growing accustomed to these days. Tenten wouldn't start until Sakura was there, and stopped when she left. This happened day after day, but on this occasion when Sakura entered her room, Tenten was peeling an apple.

Sakura walked further inside and caught sight of a basketful of apples resting at Tenten's bedside. "That's a lot of apples."

"Yeah…" Tenten replied without looking up. "Lee brought me some of Guy-sensei's herbal medicine balls but I told him I would've preferred an apple." She sighed, adding, "He took it too far, as usual."

Sakura giggled and took her place upon the stool, reaching an arm toward her. "Let me. Patients shouldn't have to do that."

Tenten's initial instinct was to decline. Just because she was in the hospital it didn't make her an invalid. Then again, she didn't see anything wrong with allowing Sakura to perform a kind gesture for her; so she obligingly handed her the apple and blade.

She watched as Sakura dragged the knife across the fruit's flesh, the exposed juices wetting her fingers. Her technique was a bit rough, but she was managing to keep the skin as one peel.

The Chuunin Exam was the first time she had met her – the kunoichi of Kakashi's squad. Lee had already known about her and was smitten, boldly introducing himself and asking her out. Of course, she refused him outright. She couldn't blame her for being turned off by his intensity, but not by his appearance. Alright, Tenten admitted that was a slightly hypocritical thought, since she preferred pretty boys herself; but even though Lee had an eccentric streak, she knew he was a good person. Sakura must know this by now.

"Here you are." Sakura held out the plate of sliced apple and saw a slight grimace on Tenten's face. It sent a queer chill through her body, and she feared the other girl would smack the dish from her hands.

"Thank you." Tenten accepted the plate from Sakura, resting it on her lap to eat.

Even after she had taken it, Sakura's heart was beating wildly in her chest. That moment nearly ran parallel to that time, when he had thrashed her thoughtfulness with anger and force.

Tenten glanced at her, finding Sakura's expression wilted with sadness. "What's the matter?"

Sakura gasped, not realizing that Tenten had been watching her. She looked up and saw the genuine concern creasing her features. Sakura lowered her gaze, gripped her knees, and replied softly. "This room used to be Sasuke's when he when he was here."

The sweetness of the fruit in Tenten's mouth dissipated. "… Oh…"

The following day Sakura went to the hospital, a sign taped to Tenten's closed door greeted her. It instructed her to meet Tenten in the courtyard behind the building. The message seemed out of the blue, but Sakura went ahead to find her. Upon arrival, Tenten was waiting for her on a blanket with the books from the library. When she asked Tenten why they were going to read outside, she said she was tired of being cooped indoors.

- - -

Lee's subsequent hospital visit arose during the girls' study period. He came out to look for them in the back and was delighted to see his beloved Sakura on this occasion. When he asked why she was here she informed him of the challenge Tenten proposed, to which Tenten added they were in the midst of. He found this highly intriguing, so decided to pay witness while keeping himself busy by jump-roping.

When Lee jumped rope, it was at a constant rapid pace. Each tap of the rope against the dirt sounded like a woodpecker on caffeine, chipping away at Tenten's concentration until it snapped. "Lee, can you please –!"

"Finished!" Sakura announced with soft thud of the book covers.

Tenten spun to face her, wide-eyed. "What?"

"I said I'm finished."

Abandoning his exercise, Lee raced forward, exclaiming, "Ohh! Amazing, Sakura! You beat Tenten!"

His teammate cast as sidelong glimpse his way. 'And how do you think that happened??'

"Tenten, what is your self-rule?"

"Huh? She didn't make any –"

Tenten suddenly shot up on her feet and dramatically pointed toward the hospital. "One-hundred laps around the building!"

Sakura's jaw dropped. "Wait, you're supposed to be taking it easy!"

"I have a mental problem, not a physical one."

"Can you hear yourself!?"

"I'll be fine." Tenten smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. Then she froze, mortified at the pose her body intuitively arranged itself in.

"Alright, Tenten! Whoo-hoo!" Lee punched the air and cheered.

Tenten was all for his support, but not for something like this. She swung her outstretched arm behind her back and said, "Um, maybe Sakura's right. A hundred laps is a lot after all."

Her change of heart had Lee up in arms. "You cannot back out of a self-rule! Plus, you did the Nice-Guy pose, so –"

"Okay! Okay!" Tenten distressingly waved her hands. "I'll do it already, just stop talking!"

Weighed against the numbers Lee and Guy usually set for themselves, one-hundred wasn't very much. In Tenten's case however, it was a fairly tall order. Her full-speed sprints began slowing at the thirty-five mark, lungs sore and limbs waning.

"She doesn't look too well," Sakura apprehensively mused. From where she and Lee were standing Sakura could tell Tenten was taking burdened breaths.

"Do not worry, Sakura. Tenten will be able to do it."

Sakura smiled at him, but he didn't see it. He was preoccupied with keeping an eye on Tenten's progress. It was admirable how much Lee believed in his companions. "Well, I think we should at least get her some water."

"On it!" Lee zipped into the backdoors of the hospital, emerging a moment later with the water – a bucketful of it.

Sakura barely had any time to speculate on what he was doing with a bucket rather than a glass. When Tenten rounded the corner, Lee heaved the pail so the water surged out and drenched her.

"Lee!" Tenten spluttered, wiping dripping water from her eyes. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Cooling you down; although Tenten, you did not need to stop running."

A weary, and slightly amused, Sakura walked up to them. "Lee… when I said we should get her water I meant for her to drink it."

"Oh… that makes sense as well."

"It makes more sense," muttered Tenten. Her clothes were soaked down the front and clung uncomfortably to her body. Lee's intention didn't prove false, as she felt cold from the evaporating water taking away her body heat. The world before her blurred at edges and the lightheadedness gained while running worsened.

"Tenten!" Lee caught her before she fell over.

"Ugh…" Her voice was faint and she struggled to stand on her own. "Sorry, I'm okay…"

Sakura frowned and tempered her own voice. "You are not okay, you're dehydrated! Lee, take her back to her room. I'll be up as soon as I've gathered the books."

Lee nodded and picked Tenten up into his arms to carry her inside. She might have protested if her consciousness wasn't swimming. He took her up to her room, oblivious of the people in the hallway glancing at them as they passed, and carefully laid her on the bed. Against the white of her pillow, Lee could see how unnaturally pale her complexion was.

You are not okay, you're dehydrated!

He quickly fetched some water, in a glass this time, and helped sit her up to bring it to her mouth. The surface of the water rippled with each slow, shallow gulp; until she pulled back to indicate she'd had enough. Lee placed the glass on the nightstand and looked back at Tenten, resting atop the bed sheets with her clothing still damp.

Remorseful, his bushy eyebrows pinched upward and he said, "I am sorry I splashed water on you, Tenten."

She exhaled a puff of air. "I know…" Lee nearly always did something that would rub Tenten the wrong way, but there was never any ill will behind it.

A moment later Sakura stumbled into the room with the books teetering in her arms. She haphazardly dropped them on a chair before going to Tenten's side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Lee gave me water to drink."

Her reply provided Sakura with some relief. "That's good…"

Tenten turned her gaze to the ceiling. "It's lame that I didn't complete my run because of dehydration."

Lee made a fist in front of his chest. "Do not worry, Tenten. You can finish those laps later."

"What?" Sakura gawked. "After what just happened?"

She was spent from her episode. She didn't even want to think about it. "It's okay, I can do it." Tenten glanced toward Sakura. "You'll watch me, right?"

Sakura blinked, not just because she didn't know whether it was to see to her completion or health, but because of the odd gleam in Tenten's half-lidded eyes when she spoke. "O-Okay. I will."

Lee soon left them so Tenten could rest, with parting words of good luck for Tenten and the hope that he would see Sakura again in the near future. Sakura intended to go as well, but only after getting Tenten to shed her damp clothing. It would have been undesirable for her to catch a cold on top of everything else she'd been through.

While Sakura went to get a hospital robe for her to wear in the meantime, Tenten started to undress. She tossed her pants onto the stool and slipped her legs underneath the bedcovers. Afterward she undid the clasps on her shirt, but chose to wait for Sakura to bring the gown before removing it.

Sakura returned with a plain, navy blue robe highlighted by a lighter shade at the edges. Tenten promptly slipped off her shirt and passed it to the other girl. As Sakura took it, her eyes glimpsed the dark tube top wrapped around her chest. '… I wonder if I should tell her she's won a match as well…'

- - -

Neji was in the middle of honing his Byakugan, a process which he did solo. It was a welcome escape from having to train with his team. Currently this consisted of only Guy, Lee, and himself, so having time alone was even more desirable. Without Tenten there was no one to reflect the aggravation he felt when sensei and pupil got overexcited.

"How are you?" she had asked him one day when he came to call on her.

"I should be asking you that."

Tenten half-heartedly shrugged. "I feel the same, but my check-up with Lady Tsunade isn't until later so I don't really know."

"Ah…" There was a lapse in the conversation when they waited for the other to say something. "There have been a few missions."

"Aww…! I knew there would be but it's still annoying that I'm being left out."

"Recovery takes precedence over low-rank missions."

"I know Neji."

Once she was released from the hospital, Tenten would probably want to get back to practicing. The last time he was here, Lee had mentioned something about this to her. "Are you going to train with Lee?"

"Huh?"

"He said you could train together." Neji made sure not to say the word 'youth' in his statement.

Her brow wrinkled. "I don't know. I haven't given it much thought. If it's alright with you though, I think we should stop our sessions together, or at least put them on hold."

"I see… yes, they're not doing much for me either as of late."

Although his tone was tactful, Tenten thought he could have used a better choice of words. "Great… glad you agree."

Clearing his mind of the memory, Neji activated his Byakugan once more and saw the tree Tenten had leaned against when she arrived to tell him of Tsunade's return to the village. It only occurred to him after leaving the hospital that he would still be seeing less of Tenten.

- - -

It was time for Tenten's check-up with the Hokage. By now it had been a week since the accident, and Tenten's mind was in a tug of war on whether to be optimistic or pragmatic over Tsunade's anticipated verdict. The disconcerting look on her face was enough to tell Tenten what type of news to expect.

"Hmm… there's no change."

Tenten pleadingly gaped at her. "Does that mean I'm stuck like this?"

"No, your chakra should have restored itself by now…" She placed a considering hand under her chin. "I could try forcing it, but it'd be best if it happened naturally."

"I don't want to be here for another week," Tenten groaned.

"Oh, I can discharge you. Your flow hasn't worsened, and you say you haven't experienced any peculiar feelings, correct?"

"Yeah, nothing major…" The self-rule incident crossed her mind, but Tenten chalked it up to her distorted personality getting caught up in the moment.

"Then you can go as soon as the paperwork is filled out."

"So, will you also teach me medical ninjutsu?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible, at least not for now. Chakra manipulation is a delicate procedure in particular when it comes to medical practices." Tsunade glanced about the room, noting the scattered library books. Knowing Tenten had been working on theory made it harder for Tsunade to say what was needed. "Since your chakra flow isn't what it ought to be, you should put off the idea of medical ninjutsu."

Her idol was telling her she couldn't do one of the things the Sannin was famous for. Tenten felt a sliver of what it must have been like for Lee when he was told to give up on being a shinobi. 'Well, it's not as horrible as that.' She smirked dryly, in view of her position. 'I shouldn't compare myself to Lee.'