◊ (He Thinks She's Crazy) ◊

Tenten was trying to get to sleep in their bedroom, when she heard a knock on her door.

"Neji, if it's you; you can come in." Neji walked in and decided that it would be best to knock regardless of the fact they were engaged and that he was sharing that particular room with her.

"I can't believe that you're still sitting in that bed, usually doing nothing gets on your nerves more than anything."

"Who said I was doing nothing?" She responded.

"I have eyes, as you've reminded me a few times." Neji responded to her.

"Yeah I know, but I was doing something of extreme importance, mind you." She responded.

"Like What?" He asked.

"I was thinking about stuff."

"Care to involve me in your 'thinking of stuff'?" Neji asked smirking.

"Sorry, I don't feel like it." Tenten responded, crossing her arms.

"You seem distressed; your heart is wavering in whatever the thoughts you're having." Neji said using his Byakugan to read her.

"Neji, what have I told you about that?" She reprimanded him. He smirked.

"I find that relationships have always gone better when the couple talks, so care to share?" Neji replied.

"I guess, but promise you won't laugh."

"I promise, Tenten." Neji said sitting next to her.

"I was thinking about the war, and how, well it could be captured like, Marie." She answered. (Marie was a girl that was captured during the civil war in Kazekage and when she was returned before they had arrived she was smothered to death in sand because she was pregnant with a child.)

"Deep," He said.

"Neji, be considerate." Tenten responded, reprimanding him.

"I am, but you have 0 chance of that happening." She raised and eye brow.

"Neji, please? Can you for a moment, go back to being your old self and tell me the truth." She begged him, about to cry.

"I guess you'd like me to be the same person if was before we were engaged, yes?" She nodded, with a small smile.

"As harsh as some think it may be, I need that truthful reassurance, if that was wrong, then I'd be crush. Every time, I asked you something you told me the harsh but truth. I need that; I've been crushed enough by lies."

"It's a peace of mind you have, correct?" She smiled and nodded.

"I don't want to be crushed, if it happens, and be angry at you. One thing I love about you is you never promise me something that you can't keep."

"I don't understand." He responded.

"Remember when we were at the tournament and I was severely injured and I wanted to give up on my dreams."

"Of course I did, I was worried to death."

"Not that anyone besides you would know." She answered.

Ж (Flashback) Ж

"Tenten isn't looking well, Neji."

"She'll be fine."

"But you aren't there all the time to hear what she's saying."

"What is she saying, Lee?"

"She wants to give up on becoming a kunoichi, and just live her life like others." That was all it was to send Neji off the deep end.

Neji burst into her hospital room. "Neji?" She answered surprised; as if he didn't visit her everyday, while she was asleep most days. He didn't want anyone know he cared that much, this was a secret between himself and Tenten's room and the lone nurse that roamed the hallways late at night.

"Tenten, what's wrong with you?"

"Um, I have a heart problem, and I can barely breath." She answered.

"No, Lee said you were contemplating becoming a ninja or not."

"Oh, that... Yeah, I have."

"Did Tamari happen to rattle your brain when she attacked you."

"Yes, but i don't that's what your talking about." She answered smartly.

"You are extremely talented as a Kunoichi, and don't think if won't fight you to prove my point that you aren't giving up."

"You don't understand?" She begged.

"No, what?"

"I'm afraid to be killed." She said.

"What, you've never been afraid before. We've trained in more dangerous classes then before. You and I have trained many times before."

"But I know that I've trained with you many times before what would have changed since we last trained?" Neji questioned.

Tenten looked at her bed. "Because, I know that you would never hurt me during our training; you'd stop when it got to bad. You've the strongest ninja around, and you'd never hurt anyone who's your friend, it's not like you. You would never hurt me, but they wouldn't."

"You're being ridiculous."

"Am I, I could die!" Tenten yelled back.

"You won't because no one is going to let you get hurt beyond what you can handle. And I promise that."

Ж (Flashback Over) Ж

"So you're saying what?" Neji asked.

"I'm saying that no matter what, you make promises that you can keep. Most would promise in that instant; something like, 'I'll never let anything hurt you'."

"That would be ridiculous to promise."

"Exactly, you know that you couldn't keep a promise, and knowing how you hold promises as things of such important, I knew that I wouldn't have to worry. You promise to keep to your word which meant I trusted you to keep it because it was a reasonable promise and it would still protect me."

"Well that's what I do," Neji replied.

"I know, that's why I want you to tell me the truth, how many times do you think that will happen to me in my life Neji?" She asked.

"Honestly, I'd say maybe another time, two at the most." Tenten hugged him and smiled.

"Thanks, I needed that."

"You're weird, you know that?" She smiled.

"So is someone else I know, with special eyes to see everything, kind, considerate, protective, honest, and sweet. You know him?" Neji rolled his eyes but then nodded.

"Yeah, but why does me telling something that could be potentially hurtful, help you feel better."

"Because I know what to expect; if you said there was no chance at all in the world that it would happen to me again, and it did. I would be lost, scared and I'd go against you, saying that you lied to me. I don't want that to happen to me."

"I understand you don't want to be caught off guard."

"Exactly, I've been lied to so many times in my life, from people telling me lies so they wouldn't hurt; but the lies always hurt more than the truth."

"Like what?"

"Everyone said that my mom and dad went to the war, and they'd be back when they had solved all the problems; when I learned the truth, it hurt."

"What was the truth?" Neji asked.

"You mean after all this time, I've never told you."

"No, I just accepted that you didn't have parents."

"Oh, haven't you ever wondered?"

"Yes, a few times but if you're not willing to share this with me then I am willing to let you keep it to yourself." He responded. "I stopped asking after the first night we met, remember?"

"Yep, but I don't remember exactly what I said."

"To quote you: 'A girl is entitled to her secrets of her family, is she not? It was your choice to reveal you had no parents, and I choose not to share of my family. I mean no disrespect but I just can't.' Then you ran off, the only thing you ever admitted was you had none."

"Then I suppose I should to tell you; my mom was rapped during one of her missions. It was a kunoichi mission, so if she was rapped, she would be protected since she had a husband. But at that point she had chosen not to marry though she was in love with someone, my mom's love. She didn't want to marry; she thought that it would endanger him or her. But then a man tried killing her because of the law and the man who my mom loved saved her and left me here."

"That's horrible, Tenten. I see why it scares you so much." She nodded and snuggled herself into Neji's chest.

'She is so strong, diligent, and talented but when it comes to emotional matters she's as weak and feeble as a child. So innocent and scared; it truly is my job to protect her from being hurt. I have to; I am her fiancé after all. She is a bit crazy; she finds comfort in a horribly honest truth.'

"I just don't want to be hurt or lied to ever again. It hurts so much, Neji. That's why you have to help me."

"I will, don't even think twice that I won't."

"I know you will, I don't doubt you; and I never will."

"That's good, so you feel like leaving this room, because you have a speech to the people today." She sighed and nodded.

"I have to?"

"Yeah, and you have three visitors outside."

"How long have they been there?" She asked.

"A good fifteen... seconds." She sighed and walked to the door.

"Gaara, Tamari, and Kankuro, let's go to the meeting hall." They nodded and left following carefully behind her was Neji, who was being his normal protective self by watching her every movement, and every turn and had surveyed the entire castle for safety purposes.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" She asked.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm accepting your idea to be Kazekage." Gaara announced.

"Okay, then you are; I'll announce it at the speech today." Gaara looked token back by her subtleness. He expected her to say something like, 'well after I set up the government, fill out forms, and talk to the council then we'll see if we can set it up'. No, she had just said okay practically.

"Are you serious, you can just hand over the country to Gaara like that?" Tamari asked surprised.

"The people practically worship me; they just want the civil war to stop, peace, no deaths, a stable government and happiness. Can you give that to them Gaara?" She asked.

"I can do my best, but I think springing this on them isn't the smartest idea." He said.

"Well let's see what I can do to help them better like you." She said smiling.

"I don't like the sound of this."

"You don't have to like it, just agree to it." Gaara sighed and nodded.

¤ (After 2 Hours Later) ¤ ∆ (The Stage in the Sand Village) ∆

"Hello people of Sunagakure, I'm Tenten Hoshi Hyuuga and I'd like to announce who I have found to replace me, in my return to Konohagakure."

"Who is it?" A man asked.

"Gaara Sabaku, son of your previous Kazekage."

"What, you can't be serious, can you?" A man asked.

"But my liege, you have always treated us with the utmost respect and honor and you have always done what's best for us, what has changed you?" A women asked.

"What has changed me isn't the question; how will I change you is a better one?" Tenten replied.

"Then how will you?" The man asked.

"Gaara knows this village better than I do, he grew up here. He's someone who knows everything about this village's history, about how to keep it best going, he knows how to run a country. He is one who is solid minded; he knows and will do what's best. Like you said, I've always done what's best for you, why would I change now?" Tenten replied.

"I don't know; has he possessed you?" The man asked. She sighed, stupid people.

"No, you have to see, I'm only put in here to keep the peace, the honor and to alliance Sunagakure with Konoha. I am doing this for the better protection, and defense of you."

"So you'll be able to defend us when ever we need you to?" The same women asked. She nodded.

"Konoha isn't considerably that far, we have many ninja that would be stationed here that have contact with Konoha as well as Neji and I. You will be with someone who knows your village much better than I and someone who knows how to run it, can't you give him a chance?" She's begging Gaara's enemies to except him, definitely crazy ideas were flowing through her head.

"Will he save us?" The women asked.

"Gaara, why don't you take this over?" I said to him who was sitting behind me in a chair.

He nodded. "I promise to take over and better the country that I represent, I will do this by improving our ninja forces and through our alliance with Konoha. Konoha has accepted that we need help, and though we are weak and feeble do you seem then try to take us down further, now they are trying to rebuild us. Who would be willing to alliance with a broken nation?" Gaara asked. No one replied.

"I think we should accept him." The woman said to the crowd.

"I agree, he makes great points and as Tenten has told us, he is best for us. We have trusted her before, why not now?" The man asked.

"So will you allow me to follow in my father's steps, and rule?" Gaara asked.

"Sure, very well." The man leader said.

"Elders?" Gaara asked.

"We accept, Ms. Hoshi's idea to put you in her place." One of the elders said.

"Then it is settled, Ms. Hoshi's replacement should be Gaara Sabaku." Another elder said.

"Hail Kazekage, Gaara," Gaara bowed to the people and stepped off.

∆ (Afterwards, at acceptance dinner) ∆

"It's weird," Kankuro said.

"What's weird?" Tamari asked.

"Gaara is," Kankuro replied.

"What about me?" Gaara questioned.

"You being Kazekage and all," Kankuro replied.

"What's so strange about that?" Gaara questioned.

"Did you always swear to destroy Sunagakure? That's what you always said." Kankuro reminded him.

"Yeah, you did say that because of the incident with mom." Tamari reminded him.

"I feel it's wrong to take out the mistake of your father and Kazekage on the entire village." Neji added in.

"True, you should only have negative thoughts against your father, not the village." I said.

"Well, the elders decided it as well. Also, I was little then and didn't understand. I sought to understand, now that I do, I accept it." Gaara said. "I wish to protect it that is why I was fused with him, and why my mom died. I don't want to make her die in vain."

"Glad to hear it," Tamari said.

"I'm glad that everything is falling in order," Tenten added, happily.

"When are you leaving?" Gaara asked.

"I don't know, hopefully soon. I just have paperwork to finish." Tenten added.

"So you accepted it after it was talked about, why is that?" Neji questioned.

"I felt that someone had sacrificed enough for someone outside of her people; and I should seek to improve it since I'm one of them."

"that's good, I'm glad." Tenten said.

"I am as well."

The Reason Why… He Thinks She's Crazy

1. She's trying to sleep, during the middle of the day.

2. Usually doing nothing gets on her nerves.

3. Thinking of stuff is classified as something of extreme importance

4. She fears being captured like Marie

5. She wants him to be his old self

6. She needs truthful reassurance

7. She's been crushed by enough lies

8. She has a peace of mind from being told reasonable truth

9. She needs to be told reasonable promises

10. She accepts and makes plans in a moments time

11. Her philosophy is 'you have to like it, just agree to it.'

She begs Gaara's enemies to accept him.