Because I got such a good response I got this out, thank you so much for the reviews and the attention! I hope you like this chapter, i must say I put more thought into this one then any so far, besides Sasuke's and Sakura's little passionate moment :). Lol, anyway, Enjoy

Hope this makes you somewhat happy for a moment Lanie-chan!

Chapter 17-Foolish Games

Well in case you failed to notice,
In case you failed to see,
This is my heart bleeding before you,
This is me down on my knees, and...
These foolish games are tearing me apart,
And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart.
You're breaking my heart.

It was late TenTen knew. Early morning was more like it from the way the sky was lighting at the horizon, but her body refused to rest. Her thoughts too wild and have been for the past few days. She went rigid when she heard the door open and upon the silent shut, she knew who it was that entered. Her eyes stayed connected to the open balcony doors and the sky, making no move to alert him that she was awake. She begged silently that he would leave without saying anything more that would tear her heart open but when she heard his sandals being removed and she knew he planned on staying.

Anger filled her instantly. Now he plans to speak with her, she thought bitterly. Five days of ignoring her, staying away from the apartment, and leaving whenever she showed up. It was funny how they had switched roles since the news leaked that she was pregnant.

The over protectiveness Lee had suddenly bestowed on her instantly became obvious and she could do nothing but love him more for being so caring. But that didn't mean she allowed him to continue to fret over her. In fact she had rightly beaten him for hiding the information from her and told him she wouldn't forgive him unless he stopped acting like a fool. So as not to 'stress her' he stopped his fussing. And finally they were able to speak together again. It had been a relief to have her best friend back. But when she told him her plans on getting rid of the child, he burst into tears and begged her not to. She had been so surprised, she ended up consoling him until she came to her senses and slapped him out of his grief.

When he had asked her who the father was, she told him a one night stand with a man she didn't remember. He had chided her like a brother would but dropped the subject when he realized how much it hurt her. Then he questioned why Neji was being so distant from them. She gave a bitter reply, 'He thinks I'm a whore.' Which Lee promptly scolded her for saying.

When she felt him lay down beside her, TenTen chided herself for thinking that Neji thought her to be asleep. One check with his byakagun and he could instantly tell, but by not moving she was stating she didn't want to talk. For her there was nothing else to speak about. She was getting rid of the child and he was going to marry someone else. What else needed to be said?

Aggravated she thought, this is what happens when two emotional stunted people get together. Neither one folds when their wrong which results in no communication. Neither one brings up the topic that is so brutally shining them in the face so they can't talk about their problems and work on them. And neither one expresses any short of feeling except anger. Anger was acceptable. Annoyance was another accepted emotion. Caring had to be done discreetly, and love wasn't even an option. All of this equaled a constantly miserable couple. A.k.a. Neji and TenTen.

She momentarily hated herself for ever getting involved with him, for ever kissing him, (which for the record, she had been the one to kiss HIM), and for ever continuing a relationship she knew would go no where.

Don't get her wrong. When there wasn't something trying to come between them, it was nice. Real nice. A smile played on her lips, staring at the sky before her, her mind filled with memories. It may not be story book romance and it may not be a type of romance everyone in the world knows of, or would even want; but it was perfect for her. None of that lovey-dovey bullshit, no tears of happiness, no sweet words of devotion; that was all crap to TenTen, she didn't want it and had no use for it. It was the actions that kept her by his side; the half-hearted glances, the snide comments, the brisk and rough touches during training. It was the subtle care that showed itself when no one was looking. All of his actions that anyone else would say what a bastard he was, she knew and felt the difference and she would stay with him forever just for it.

And though, somewhere within all that, there may be a bit of caring and a bit of love, it was definitely not a type of a relationship to bring a baby into. The very thought scared her and her heart now thumped wildly in her chest. Kami, a baby. What was she to do with a baby? She had no desire to be a mother, no wish to have a child depend solely on her. It scared her more then any mission thus far.

But in the back of her mind, the optimist portion that Lee strengthened within her over the years, thought maybe if Neji was there, it might actually be nice.

She scoffed at herself. Neji wasn't going to be there. He decided too late that she was not a priority. She wouldn't allow herself go back to a man that didn't feel anything for her. She couldn't have this baby. Not alone and not with him if she meant so little.

She felt him move to lay on his back. A weird position for him. He never slept on his back. It left him open to attacks he had once told her. "I ignored you…." He started in a whisper, "Because I thought it would be easier,"

Easier? In his eyes, was she really so openly pathetic to believe he cared? Her heart squeezed painfully and she swallowed to try and ease the agony.

"On me."

Her thoughts went mute, her breath heavy and there was no ability to respond to such a devastating statement.

It was an admittance that he cared. That when he released his passion when alone it had been real and true. And it was also a subtle apology. Allowing her to know such private information told her silently that he was sorry for the torture he put her through and that though it hadn't shown, he had been in agony as well.

TenTen rolled onto her back, not looking at him and he not looking at her. They stared straight ahead, both searching for answers on the high hotel room ceiling.

It was ten minutes until he turned his gaze to her finally and in response she brought her eyes over to his. He spoke, "Can you wait till we get back to Konoha to make your decision?"

She turned her gaze away just so he wouldn't see her emotions that were probably so evident. Her fingers spread out on her stomach unconsciously as she thought about the creature growing inside her. "I can't wait that long. It.."

Oh, Kami why was it so hard to talk about? This shouldn't be so hard. She's been on countless missions, killing at least a hundred people, and watched people she knew die. So why was this so damn hard? TenTen wet her lips as she tried again, hoping her voice was giving nothing away.

"It's nearly three months."

He narrowed his eyes, "How do you know?"

"I'm guessing. Since it probably happened the last…time…" She trailed off.

Neji stared up at the ceiling again and he concentrated as he recalled their last time. He couldn't believe that much time had past but he had remembered it well enough. Neji had planned to slowly slide out of her grip after that. He hadn't made much progress apparently.

"Neji." Her voice stole him from his thoughts and he looked over to her but her face was tilted the opposite way. Whatever was on her mind was causing quiet a problem. He waited patiently even as minutes past by. "Would you kiss me. Please." Her voice was barely above a whisper and it sounded hoarse, almost as if her voice spoke out against herself.

Instantly, Neji lifted himself over her, a leg in between hers. He waited again patiently for her to turn her head toward him and he watched her eyes that were constantly moving as not to meet his own. The moonlight however killed his curiosity when he noticed the water in her orbs. He leaned down and captured her lips, softly and for only a moment before pulling away again, "Promise me you'll wait until we return to Konoha."

"That might not be for weeks or months. I don't have that time." Her face tilted again as she tried to hide the tear that ran down her temple.

"Would it be so bad?" He whispered softly with knitted brows and her eyes snapped wide to him. But as she gazed ahead of her all she could do was smile, a sad smile, and shake her head. And when he took her lips again she wrapped her arms around his neck holding him down to her, afraid that tomorrow when they woke, it would all be the same as it had been when she went to bed.

Sasuke leaned against the far back wall, watching Sakura pace with amusement. This was something new. She comes down here in the middle of the night without anyone by her side and begins stomping her way back and forth in front of his bars. It's been nearly fourteen days since she last visited him so this was a surprise considering.

She wore civilian clothes, jeans and a man's overly large t-shirt that hung off one shoulder, exposing her white skin. He was made brutally aware of how much she had changed physically. She was braless and her large breasts rocked with each movement. He moved his eyes, lest be caught where his gaze shouldn't be. Her bare feet slapped against the cold pavement, it was slightly annoying but this was entertainment so he said nothing to stall her.

He momentarily glanced up to the small air hole in the ceiling. The sky was dark but it was obvious that it was morning. The stars were beginning to fade. He wondered briefly what had caused her to wake so early and come down here to this cold cellar.

It was then, Sakura finally turned to face him, her cheeks red with anger and eyes shined wide in the fire light. "Why didn't you kill me?"

Sakura watched him, her heart thumping wildly in her chest and she breathed heavily through her nose, trying to control her anxious rage. He dropped his eyes, and her breath stalled, body rigid, knowing that each movement he made had some meaning to it. Disconnecting eyes meant he was thinking of the reason. Maybe even he himself did not know. And that also meant something.

Inner Sakura scolded her. She shouldn't be caring of his reasons. She should hate him, he tried to kill her, he tried to kill Naruto and he is such a bastard it's sickening. And here she was, silently hoping for an honest answer that will explain the question she had asked herself every hour of the day since their battle over two weeks ago.

Sakura unconsciously took a step forward, her breath still caught in her throat.

"I simply," He began, and then stalled for another minute.

Oh, that meant SOMETHING! It had to. Sasuke was still there, the man she loved and given everything to and pathetically begged was still there.

But her world crashed with just a tiny uplift of his lips into his conniving smirk. He caught her gaze rebelliously, "Ran out of time." He knit his brows when she instantly disappeared.

Sasuke shook his head, dropping it back against the stone wall, a bit hard but it was deserved. She really was too damn easy to figure out. Why did she do that to herself? It was obvious that, that had bothered her for so long now. Had she actually thought that there was another reason?

No matter what she, or anyone else claimed, she was still the same, bothersome little girl that he had left. It was a bit disappointing.

His eyes snapped opened when the bars began to separate. The alarm sounded but glass shattered and the sharp sound died instantly. Sasuke stood, with the help of the wall to his dismay, and narrowed his gaze when she stomped her way in, holding a kunai out before her and tossed it at him, coming to a short stop not two feet away. "Then do it now." She bit with enraged eyes.

His facial features scrunched up in confusion as he held the knife awkwardly, "What?"

"Kill me." Sakura spread her arms wide, leaving her front exposed and defenseless. He made no move and his expression did not change. "You better hurry, that alarm won't be ignored for long. Kill me. Then you'll be free."

Sasuke's gaze widened at her audacity but then it darkened considerably. His grip tightened on the kunai, his teeth clenched with rage, "You think I won't?"

Sakura honestly did not know. But she wanted proof that his hurtful words were true. And if it was, then she'll die, and that will be fine with her because he'd be the one finishing the job. He had already broken her heart, nothing that he does now will have any affect on her. Except if he didn't. If he didn't then there might be hope still. "I think you won't." She challenged.

With speed she could see but not react to, Sasuke grabbed her by the neck, swinging their bodies around till her back hit the wall so abrasively her breath was stolen. Against his thumb, the knife laid, the tip punctuating her skin but not enough to cause blood, just to let her know it was there.

"Will this then prove, I am not who you remember?"

Sakura smirked. "It won't matter, I'll be dead." He pushed the knife further, a centimeter more and a small trickle of warm blood rolled onto his thumb. Footsteps and shouts were coming closer but neither of them noticed any of it. His black pupil-less orbs darted from one green eye to the next, as if searching for her reasons for doing this.

Sakura clenched her cheek muscles, glaring back at him, hiding nothing from his imposing gaze. If she was going to die, then she was going to die with him knowing her hatred for him. And though a part of her knew he didn't care, she preyed it would hurt him nonetheless. "Do it." She begged viciously through knit teeth, "Show Naruto the monster you really are. I haven't got the heart too..." She swallowed harshly and he felt it beneath his palm. Yells echoed in the cell and Sakura's gaze left his, "Don't come in!" She barked and there was silence, no one daring to go against her. Her gaze fell back to him. "Show them." She dared.

Sasuke's hand tightened around her throat, her lips parted to grasp for the air that was becoming harder and the knife pressed more, blood dripped over his thumb and down her chest.

He smirked however and her brows knit in confusion. He pulled the knife away, the world around her slowing as each finger slowly detached, releasing the kunai from his grasp. One centimeter a minute it fell, and she stared at his black gaze unable to respond or think. The impact was silent with the sand but it echoed in Sakura's head. For a moment his lips were still and he stared down into her gaze, and everything around them froze and became airless and colorless.

He backed away, one step then two and then another, never taking his gaze off her. In slow motion she was aware of the guards that ran ahead, their footsteps were wide but they couldn't reach Sasuke. Time had shattered between them, nothing in this world was right, nothing made sense. Her breath, despite the commotion, was the only thing she heard, and the small backward steps Sasuke made still. His arms and hands were grasped, even that had taken forever, as if the guards had been in an entirely other dimension, and yet were five feet away. Sakura felt hands grasp her but it was foreign and barely noticeable. Her eyes never once leaving his…

And then with a blink of an eye, time rushed right back and was even faster. Sasuke was shoved against the side wall and Sakura was lifted by two soldiers, they rushed her toward the exit past the criminal, orders and shouts clouded her thoughts and bothered her with the loud and overbearing noise. She wanted to scream at them to shut up, it was too much, she felt the pressure bare down on her ears, making her dizzy and thoughts went unheard in the piercing clamor.

"Sakura." His voice sounded through without any trouble however and once again all other noise was cut off. She could breathe again, she could hear only her breath, and she was so thankful for it. She turned in her holder's arms, trying to pull away, to keep herself in the cell, but her feet only dragged in the sand. When she caught his gaze, time slowed once again. "I will not allow, even you, to take away my path."

Noise bombarded her and she lost sight of his gaze as she was pushed out of the room.

Naruto's feet pounded in the empty hallway. His pajamas bothering him but he had to ignore it, turning the next corner. He was a bit panicked but who can blame him? It's not everyday he gets woken up at five in the morning and told that Sakura had been arrested. He shoved open the door with his shoulder, nearly breaking it off its hinges. His eyes were wide when he caught Gaara standing before his desk, and their orbs touched just barely.

Gaara pushed himself off, "I will leave you then." He told Naruto but the blond's gaze had swiftly moved to Sakura who sat isolated with her head down. The door had shut and again the noise was ignored.

He calmed his panting breath and took a few steps forward, "What happened, Sakura-chan? Why did you open Sasuke's cell?" Her bowed head did not lift, her pink bangs hid her features well enough. Naruto kneeled in front of her, pushing his gaze to reach her face. But she stared at the ground, emotionless and seemingly blind. Blood ran down her neck from a small puncture wound. "What happened to your neck? Why did you give him a knife, Sakura? Why would you do that? We went through so much to get him back, why would you let him escape? He's our teammate. We can't let him go back to Oto. We have to show him that we're still here. He's been corrupted by Orochimaru, it's not him yet. It will take time-"

The door swung open to reveal Kiba and Akamaru by his side. The dog instantly went to her, nudging her hand. "Sakura." Kiba whispered, coming to her. Naruto's eyes widened when Sakura lifted her gaze to him, completely ignoring himself. "Did he hurt you?"

Naruto's brows narrowed, "Of course not! Sasuke would never hurt her!"

Kiba only slightly glared at him till he leaned over and lifted her up in his strong arms. Her own arms immediately wrapped around him, and she buried her face in his neck. Akamaru whined as he followed his two masters from the room.

Naruto sat there, gazing at the exit they had taken. His brows were knit in so much confusion. Did Sakura not trust him? Did she not like him? None of it made any sense. She always told him everything, there were no secrets anymore.

Back when they were younger, she had kept everything that had to deal with Sasuke quiet, never allow him to know what was really going on. Was she doing that now? Was there something about Sasuke that he was not seeing? Was that why she only went to Kiba now?

Naruto rested back on his butt, leaning against the chair that Sakura had previously occupied. His thoughts left him isolated and desperate for answers.

Loud shouts awoke TenTen with a start. She eyes were wide, adrenaline pumping her awake but the moment she met Neji's large lavender eyes, her heart calmed instantly. But her brows knit, "Something happened." Upon which Ino's voice was muffled through the door, screaming.

"Sasuke attacked Sakura."

She sat up instantly but a hand on her arm kept her in bed. "Leave it be."

"I should see if she's alright."

"She's fine."

She did not argue, she never did and instead complied and laid back down, facing him as he was facing her. It was silent between them but then again conversation was never their hobby. "What's wrong?" She asked after a few minutes, and though none of his features indicated anything, she knew just out of habit.

A hand moved under the covers and she flinched when his cold palm rested on her naked belly. Her cheeks reddened instantly and her eyes darted away, holding the blanket self-consciously tighter. "I can't see it."

Her brows knit. "What do you mean?"

"With my Byakugan. I cannot see it."

She smiled softly, "Maybe you don't know what to look for."

A soft knock on the door stilled their lips. "TenTen, my kasan-to-be, will you do me the honor of eating breakfast with me?"

"In a minute Lee." She aggravatingly replied and waited patiently until Neji nodded once telling her he had gone away. "Guess we better get up." But the hand that was upon her stomach now held her arm again and she gazed at him questionably.

He was quiet staring at her with his unreadable eyes. It only concerned her more realizing how bothered he was suddenly. "Allow him to care."

Her eyes widened, her heart stopped and she stared at him with shock in her gaze. It was a hidden message saying 'Let him care in place of me.' And though that filled her with so many emotions she didn't want to feel, she had to say what was on her mind. "I'm scared. To have this baby."

It was something she never once said on all the dangerous adventures they had ever been on. Scared. A word not so easily admitted, especially to someone she always wanted to prove herself to.

His hand went back upon her stomach, his finger's draping across the fading muscle there and she closed her eyes momentarily to enjoy the sensations they caused. When she opened her orbs again, his face was right before her own, his lips dashing over hers quickly. "I'm not." She smiled and touched his hand that rested on her belly.

"Akamaru I will tell you one more time." Ino lowered her face to be right in the dog's view. "Move!" Choji was quick however to grab her in time before the beast bit her. Ino screamed and hollered, struggling in Choji's grasp but he was unbothered by the wiggling weight, holding her with patient care.

Shikamaru hid his face in his hands and Temari patted him on the back. "I never knew what you had to deal with. No wonder you're such a dick." She smiled sarcastically when he glared in her direction.

"Ino calm down, huh. She'll come out when she wants."

The blonde turned to her teammate sharply, Choji's arms refusing to fall even though she now stood calm and passive. He was prepared for the storm that was surely brewing. "Calm down? She nearly got herself fucking killed, and you want me to calm down?"

Shikamaru yawned and shrugged, "Yea."

Temari's gigantic fan spread out to block the multiple kunais, katanas, daggers, and shuriken that got thrown their way. She gaped at Shikamaru who was even surprised on how many weapons she had on her person. "She's a dangerous bitch, isn't she." She mumbled and received a smirk from her boyfriend.

The door opened at the end of the hall and TenTen startled awkwardly upon finding everyone piled at the guarded entrance of Sakura's door. All eyes were on her, none speaking like usual. She felt exasperated considering ever since she became knowledgeable of the baby inside her everyone's been treating her like a delicate artifact.

Lee, who upon seeing she shut her eyes to avoid witnessing the pathetic display he was about to carry on, came to her and dropped to his knees, "Please, don't let this precious life slip away. I will take it upon myself to marry you and care for you and this innocent unborn child and I will love it as my own." The same lines he recited nearly every morning hoping that through the night she had changed her mind.

Pride ate away at her forming the words, 'No' on her lips before the door to the original Team Gai's bedroom. Neji, who had climbed out of her window and jumped to the other balcony, now stepped in the doorway and caught sight of Lee upon the ground, proposing. And though she looked to him for help, he obviously wasn't going to give her any but she also found herself incapable of lying to her teammate. Reluctantly, begrudgingly, and with resignation in her tone she mumbled, "I'm keeping it."

Lee whooped and hollered, swinging her around in his arms caring less how her body transformed into a weightless doll.

"But I'm not marrying you." She added quickly and he rested her on her feet with disappointment.

It however only lasted a moment and he beamed down the hallway as he led her shouting, "Make way, Lady with a baby!" TenTen caught Neji's gaze pleadingly but when she noticed the humor on his lips, her hand reached for a ready kunai. Lee took it from her instinctively, thinking no less of it. "I have the whole day planned. First we are going to eat a healthy meal, I made a vitamin shake filled with protein. Then a bit of exercise but no more then a non ninja. We don't want to hurt the little one." At which point he rubbed her stomach as if it were a dog's tummy. Her eyes darkened considerably. "After we're going to the store to be the necessary vitamins and herbs." As they past by the group that gazed on laughing, TenTen reached behind her for another knife but again Lee grasped carelessly and stuck in his pocket as he continued on into the living room. He grabbed the books on the table and with tears in his eyes and pride in his chest turned to her and squealed with feminine excitement, "Then we can pick out baby names!"

While Lee was fantasying of all the possibilities TenTen felt Neji step up beside her barely noticeably as he passed and she whispered with clenched teeth, "Just you wait, Hyuuga." A small chuckle past his lips but vanished instantly while he continued his way into the kitchen.

A knock on the door interrupted the pleasant morning and TenTen rushed to it to try and escape Lee's wrath but she was grabbed by the arm and made to look at the baby books Ino laughed with a malicious tone, opening the door freely, glaring at the weapon's mistress who promptly threw a dagger at her head to have it hit the wall next to it. "I didn't miss." TenTen reassured and smiled triumphantly when Ino bit her lip and turned her gaze to the newcomer.

"Baki." Temari stepped forward, eyeing her once team captain.

"The Kazekage has requested Konoha's presence."

Naruto sat on the dirty, desolate bench that sat outside the underground prison. Sasuke was somewhere beneath and yet he never felt further away from the Uchiha in all the years they had been apart.

The sun had risen and was just now hitting him with the harsh heat, forcing out the numb chillness the night had brought. Only a few hours ago had he gone to sleep with a smile on his lips that Sasuke was becoming more and more like his old self only to wake up to pounding destruction against his secure walls.

Within an hour, the foundation that had been so strong and so positive had crumbled beneath his feet and left him helpless, alone, and confused.

He pounded his fist into the bench. The image of Sakura nearly blinding him. The way she had ignored him when he questioned her, the way she had clung to Kiba as if he would protect her…But what did she need protection from?

What did Kiba know that made him so special, Naruto questioned bitterly. Why would Sakura choose Kiba over him?

And yet as he thought about it, ever since Sasuke had come into Konoha's possession she had sought refuge in the beast master. She had become distant from him like never before.

His mind switched to Sasuke.

The questions bombarded him but the one that stuck out more was, why had he attacked Sakura? Why?

Naruto shook his head. Sasuke could escape that prison if he had wanted to. He knew somewhat how powerful Sasuke was and a simple holding cell wasn't likely to hold him back. The fact was Sasuke was staying. Sasuke was enduring his overbearing, hyperactive personality just like he had always done before. Didn't that mean something? Didn't that mean Sasuke was wanting to be rescued despite his constant denial?

And then a question popped in his head he had never wanted to listen to before.

What was Sasuke after?

Naruto snapped to his feet. The thought hit him like a sword through the heart and left him filled with unsuppressed rage.

"Naruto!" A call stopped his footsteps a bit reluctantly. He glared up to the rooftop but upon the worry reflection in Kankuro's orbs, his anger fled and he jumped up to meet him. "We received word from Konoha." Naruto's heart pulsed and without another thought followed after him forgetting for a moment about the formidable opponent right beneath his feet.