Hey readers. I'm sorry it's been so long, and sorry isn't good enough I know that. But I promise you that no matter how long it takes I will finish this story! I thank you all for your support! Some assumed that this story was done but it is not ;) obviously.

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

Chapter 18~* no regrets

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Tenten stood paralyzed staring at Neji with wide honey eyes. Her heart seemed to have stopped in her chest and she could hardly breathe as she gazed upon him. Although she could not see his face, she knew without a doubt who it was. He turned away from her, almost ashamed. Finally Tenten regained the ability to move. She marched up to him, grabbed the edge of his mask underneath his chin and flung his mask off. She gasped, as if surprised, at the sight of his face. Sure enough, it was the Hyuga she once loved. He seemed just as surprised as she.

"I..it is you." She whispered through trembling lips. "H..how?" It was bitter sweet.

Neji knelt down and picked up his mask, then placed it back over his face. The last thing he wanted to do was express to her emotion, especially now as an Anbu. But he felt he owed it to her to explain. "It's a long story but, yes, it is I."

Tenten's mind was swirling with violent clouds of confusion and fear. She was unsure of what to do at this moment. Now she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The man who she loved and lost was standing before her in the flesh, yet her mind still remained firmly locked onto Sasuke and his safety. "I...I don't have time.." She mumbled before turning on her heel and heading in the direction Sasuke and Kabuto rushed off too. As she took a few steps, she lost her footing, twisting her ankle and began to fall face first.

Neji rushed to her quickly and grabbed her waist from behind steadying her. He closed his eyes a moment and savored the embrace, but Tenten pulled away.

"Thank you." She said, blushing a little as she turned to him.

"You're just as clumsy as ever." Neji teased lightly.

Tenten pouted. He hasn't changed, even after death, if he really had in fact died. Before either of them could speak another word, a loud explosion was heard in the distance.

"Sasuke!" She exclaimed. "I have to go to him. I can't lose him too!" She cried before rushing of again.

"Tenten!" Neji yelle as he ran after her. He knew she was running on a twisted ankle, which could cause breakage or permanent damage. The second thing he noticed was that her speed an agility had improved dramatically since he had last seen her. Most likely due to the training with the Uchiha. He kept up with her, just barely and she had the twisted ankle. Neji deducted that adrenalin was the cause as she slowly slipped from his sights.

Tenten followed the smoke she saw as it increasingly grew higher in the sky. She knew the outcome of that explosion would not be pretty, she just prayed it wouldn't be Sasuke on the receiving end. She was in pain, but that was the last thing on her mind as she rushed forward.

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Tenten knew she had arrived at the battle grounds when the smoke became so thick she could no longer see. "Damn." She mumbled. She frantically searched for Sasuke, hoping with all of her being that he was unharmed. Slowly she moved further into the smokiness and continued to look for Sasuke while managing not to let her guard down. She knew that Kabuto could be lingering somewhere. Her main priority was to find Sasuke. Not that she had any doubts in his ability, but simply because she could not bear to lose him.

Finally, after searching for a few minutes, Tenten saw Sasuke leaning against a tree stump breathing rather heavily. She slowly approached him, making sure she recognized his chakra. It was indeed him, she was sure of it, but he seemed rather weak and gave off very little chakra. Quickly she rushed to his side and knelt down.

"Sasuke!" She exclaimed.

Sasuke looked at her, smiled weakly then moaned. His left side had a rather large gash in it, and bruises and scratches lined his entire body.

"Oh no." Tenten whispered as she brought a hand over her mouth.

"I'll..be...fine." Sasuke said between breaths.

"We have to get you home." Tenten said frantically as she turned around and hoisted Sasuke onto her back.

"Aww, how sweet." came a sinister voice from the distance. "Put him down slowly, and he will live."

The last thing Tenten wanted to do was put him down. She knew he wasn't doing good at all, but she also knew that this wasn't an empty threat. Slowly Tenten set Sasuke gently on the ground and he let out another moan.

"Tenten, Run!" Sauke managed to say, followed by a wet n cough.

Tenten had no time to think, she was suddenly being yanked to the ground by her hair. She fell on her back painfully, causing the air in her lungs to escape violently. Kabuto then walked around her and stood over her. Grabbing the material of her Yakuta, he pulled her up to her feet and smiled. "You sure are a tasty one." He said as he licked his lips.

Quickly, Tenten reached to his utility strap on his thigh and snatched a Kunai, she then made a slash in his cheek and sprung back taking a stance. The two were soon in a heated taijutsu battle, both wielding Kunai. Tenten sustained an injury to her ipper thigh, and right arm, but managed to guard her Vitals. She knew that Sasuke was running out of time and that she needed to end the battle quickly. She was running out of strength and fast. Kabuto slammed her against a tree and slapped her across te face firmly. Tenten let out an angry growl and spit in his face.

"Why you little..." He said angrily with a nasty scowl before making a contorted face and slumping into Tenten like a rag doll. Tenten squealed as his face squished between her breasts and she shoved him away. He stumbled a bit, turned around and fell onto his face. Tenten's eyes widened when she saw several Kunai protruding from his back. Each one perfectly and accurately puncturing a vital area. She looked up in the direction from which they came and gasped when she saw Neji. He had Sasuke on his back, holding onto him securely. Sasuke looked pale, and his side was growing increasingly dark black and red.

"Let's go!" Neji yelled. Tenten did not protest whatsoever and headed abruptly toward Konoha.

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Tenten stood next to Sasuke's bed and looked down upon him. His face was pale and weary, his eyes were closed tightly and his breathing was weighty and slow. He'd been viciously poisoned and the wound on his side was critical. Tsunade had placed him in intensive care and he was improving by the hour. But she could't move. Her body wa frozen as she stared down at him and listen to te sound of the rain as it beat against he window. Tenten felt it fitting that the day went from sunny to stormy as the e vents took place.

"Ita a good thing Neji arrived when he did, or you both woulda been goners." Tsunade said, approaching Tenten from behind after entering through the double doors.

Tenten turned her head and looked at her mentor. The words rang through her mind. Neji. She was right, Neji saved both of them. She knew she needed to talk to him, and she wasn't sure when Sasuke would awaken, but she didn't want to leave his side.

"Sasuke appears to be improving." Tsunade spoke again, as if she had read Tenten's mind.

"Will he be okay?" Tenten asked with large and watery eyes.

"Yes. He's strong, he'll pull through." Tsunade replied reassuringly.

Before Tenten could speak in response, the two heard a small clank outside near the window. Tenten's legs were finally able to move and she found herself surprised as she propelled toward the window. She unlocked the latches and lifted the window despite the pouring rain that soon fell on her face.

"You should be inside, Tenten." Said Neji as he sat on the ledge of the building. The ledge was only about a foot and a half wide, with red pleated metal. He sat there delicately as the rain pounded upon his maskless face.

"What about you, Neji. You're gonna get sick out here." She said as she began to climb out next to him.

"Get inside!" Neji ordered, afraid she would plummet to the ground ten feet down.

"No. I do what I want." she said, sitting beside him and dangling her feet. "Besides, I need answers."

"Okay, what about?" Neji asked, although he knew what exactly she was talking about.

"I thought you were dead." She paused." How are you alive?"

Neji sighed and looked at her with sorrowful eyes. "I can't tell you that, it's classified. I swore not to speak it. We are keeping my identity a secret in the village." He admitted as he scratched the top of his head. As he did this, Tenten noticed that his forehead was still free of the curse mark that had haunted him his entire life. Upon seeing this she smiled a little.

"I understand. Can you at least tell me how long you've been alive?" Tenten asked curiously.

"About a week." he answered shortly. With this, Tenten concluded a forbidden Jutsu was used on him, and in order to keep anyone from finding out, they kept his identity a secret by giving him a position as a black ops.

"I see." Tenten started.

Neji desperately wanted to be off of the subject, so he began blurting. "You two are happy." He stated.

Tenten was a bit caught off guard by the statement he made and stared at him for a moment with wide eyes. As she stared, she became increasingly flooded with guilt, here the man who proposed to her not too long ago, who died in battle was back in the flesh. Did she owe him something? In her heart she felt that now that he was alive, she was obligated to keep that engagement, although she no longer wanted that. She knew what she had with Neji before his death was special and distinct, but it was a far cry from what she had with Sasuke now.

"Oh Nej." She whispered. "Although I am with Sasuke, I am obligated to keep our engagement." she said as she bowed her head a little. Painfully, she said what needed to be said. She knew that it wasn't right to either of them, but Neji had proposed and she did say yes, and even though she moved on, now he was back.

Neji chuckled. "No, Tenten." He said as he lifted her chin. "I want you to remain happy. Sasuke has been able to give you everything I could not. Please stay with him."

Tenten looked up at Neji with quivering lips. This was a new, tender side of Neji she was unaware ever existed. Suddenly tears streamed down her face. She realized Neji had changed so dramatically after death. She also realized she didn't regret his death at all, which made her feel guilty. Shouldn't she regret it? Why was she so selfish?

Although it was raining, Neji knew she was crying. "Tenten You know I hate it when you cry. "

"I don't... I don't regret it." She whispered.

"Regret what?" He asked, though he already knew the answer in his heart.

"Your death." she whispered. She knew how cold hearted she sounded, but it was true especially now since he was back, and curse free.

Neji put a hand on her shoulder and smiled softly. "Me neither, Tenten." He then placed a delicate kiss on her forehead. "Go inside before you catch cold." He warneby.

Tenten felt a weight lifted off her chest, she smiled and nodded. "Thank you, " she sai before crawling back through the window and closing it. She stood there soaking wet and watched Neji disappear. She then flipped around upon hearing a moan come from Sasuke's bed. Tenten rushed to his side, slipping a little and stabalizig herself on the railing of his bed. Sasuke's eyes snapped open.

"Tenten." He said wearily.

"Hey." She smiled down at him.

Sasuke began to sit up, but found himself restricted by the oxygen tubes in his nose and the IV in his hand. "It was.." He mumbled as he yanked the oxygen tubes out.

"Sasuke! You need to rest!" She said frantically as she pushed him down.

"I'm..." He winced as he pulled the IV out of his hand. "I'm fine." he said trying to get out of bed.

"Stop that!" Tenten plead.

Sasuke pushed the raining down and stood to his feet, his hospital gown straightening as he stood. He was a bit unsteady and he seemed a bit unsteady. "It was Neji:" Sasuke said as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Yes I know, Sasuke please lay back down. I'm worried about you." She begged.

"Go." Sasuke said sternly, his face a but cold and determined.

"What? No. What are you talking about?" Tenten asked, confused.

"He was your love, and now he is back. Go to him." Sasuke urged.

"That may be, Sasuke. But I love you now Sasuke. So much more than you could ever imagine." She said, tears threatening to fall. "And you know what?" She whispered as she pulled him into a gental hug. "I told him I didn't regret his death."

Sasuke winced, as the hug although gentle, reminded him of his pain. Buhappyc pulls care less, the words that came from her mouth had him overjoyed.

"I love you, Uchiha." Tenten whispered.

"I love you too." Sasuke said with a smile.