Summary: As Tenten struggles to feel like herself again, Neji remains by her side to be of any assistance. He inquires for some help from their other friends, desperate for the light to return to his girlfriend's eyes.

Frequency II

Sakura came in periodically the next few days to check on Tenten. She'd always find the ANBU either asleep or staring at the ceiling. Beside her, Hyuga Neji would be either reading, or looking out the window, keeping his word that he would watch over her. Everyday, Lee and Gai would bring flowers and talk to her for a bit while Neji ran home to shower or check on his mother. When it came to bathing, Sakura would help her sit up and strip down. Using a sponge, the pinkette helped her reach her back and her legs before examining her. The bleeding had stopped, but the walls of tissue were still damaged. When it came to eating, Tenten barely had an appetite. Sakura tried to encourage her to eat to gain her strength back so she could heal faster, but the weapons mistress just shrugged her off. Neji even tried to get her to eat by bringing her favorite sweets; although not much helpful, he knew Tenten loved sweets...to his disappointment she declined. Neji talked to Sakura outside the room as Tenten fell asleep once more.

"I...don't know what more to do." The Hyuga sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Sakura put a reassuring hand on his arm. "It's all up to her at this point."

"Is there no psychologist she can speak to? No one to talk to her?"

Sakura shrugged, but frowned. Even if they found one, it's not like she'd talk to them anyway since she refuses to talk to her own teammates. The ANBU Captain sucked his teeth. Who was someone she would have no problem talking to?

"Ah," the Hyuga blinked. He knew he forgot something.

"Hm?"

"Was her mother informed yet?"

Sakura's eyes went wide. No, was the answer. They didn't send out that memo yet since they were unsure of how to approach her. Neji nodded and told him to leave it to him.

"What are you going to do?" The Haruno asked quietly.

"Tenten's mother and mine are close friends. I can have my mother pass it on." The Hyuga ANBU announced before walking down the hallway of the hospital.

Dashing from rooftops, Neji made his way to the Hyuga Branch member territory. His mother ( in reality she was his step-mother, who was not Hyuga by blood), was out in the yard with a basket of laundry. He called out to her, not wanting to startle her as he jumped from the top of his building. Shizukana Hyuga looked up at her step-son.

"You're home early, Neji." She commented curiously.

"Mother," Neji took the basket from her as she collected the dry laundry from the line. "I have a favor."

"What is it, dear?" The green eyed woman asked.

"On my last mission...well, you know how Tenten is in the hospital?"

"She's still there? How bad was she injured?" His step mother asked her hney blonde eyebrows furrowed.

"She was…" He pursed his lips together, uncomfortable with saying the word.

Shizukana looked at him curiously. Taking a deep breath, Neji mustered up the word. The honey blonde's mouth hit the floor.

"What?!" His step mother exclaimed rather angrily. "That poor girl!"

"Here is where the favor comes in," Neji tilted his head slightly. "Ms. Hua doesn't know yet. Tenten won't eat...she won't talk to me or Lee...or even Sakura. I don't know if I am the right person to tell her so…" He trailed off looking at her.

Shizukana threw the remaining clothing into the basket without folding them. She was three strides ahead of Neji as she rushed back into the house to grab her purse. The Hyuga woman was practically running down the street toward Tenten's house.

"Mother," Neji lightly jogged next to her. "It will be quicker if I carry you."

Shizukana nodded and her step son scooped her up bridal style before bursting into a full sprint at top speed. They reached the two story sister house within minutes. Neji watched as his step-mother pounded on the red door. Tenten's mother was quick to answer.

"Ah, Shizukana...Neji…" She looked at them in surprise. "What's going on?"

"Xiao-Lin! Your daughter is in the hospital!" The honey blonde woman exclaimed. "Neji just informed me that word didn't get to you yet that she was raped!"

The Hyuga ANBU witnessed the look of sheer horror on Xiao-Lin's face. She wasted no time in grabbing her keys and closing the door behind her. Since he only had two arms, Neji couldn't carry both of the mothers as they ran to the hospital. When they did arrive, Sakura was waiting at the front desk. She led them to Tenten's room, but before allowing them in, the pink haired nurse gave them an update on the kunoichi's status.

Tenten was sitting up and looking out the window. Her mother came bursting through the door, almost close to tears. How dare this happen to her daughter?! Granted, everyone knew the risks that kunoichi's were held with when on active duty, however the thought of it ever happening was not very common. The bun head buried her face in her mother's shoulder as the woman embraced her.

"Neji," Shizukana looked at her step-son. "What happened to the men that captured her?"

"Lee and I killed them. It was a search and destroy mission." The twenty-one year old Hyuga explained. "Only, they recognized Tenten from her father's face and captured her. We had nothing but our radios to try and find her. And when it happened…"

Shizukana put a hand on his shoulder as he shuddered at the memory; they heard everything.

"They recognized her father in her, you say?" Xiao-Lin looked over at him, alarmed.

Neji nodded, but didn't make eye contact.

"I suppose I should've expected this...only her father hid the sword so well, many forgot it even existed…" Tenten's mother mused.

The ANBU in her arms shook her head. The men who took her seemed to be well aware of the fact that the sword existed. They had to be part of some kind of rogue shinobi gang or organization if they were looking for it. To top it off, her own fighting style was so similar to her father's that they made the connection right off the bat.

"Plenty of gangs and organizations have tried to buy it from her father when he was alive," Xiao-Lin started to explain. "I remember even some of the kages tried to hire him to replicate it...but he refused. All of the shinobi heads know how powerful and resourceful it is...so some even tried to look for it."

Tenten attached herself to her mother's torso as she spoke. This was the comfort she needed. Xiao-Lin began to stroke her daughter's head, the sensation was relaxing. Neji watched as his own step-mother pulled up a chair and put a hand on her back. He kept his distance, allowing the two women to try their best to comfort his girlfriend. It seemed to be working, he thought. Tenten definitely looked more relaxed in her mother's arms, and she did not flinch at their touch; he knew he did the right thing. He couldn't have imagined going up to Xiao-Lin by himself.

"Neji," Shizukana looked at him.

"Go into my purse and grab my wallet. Go get some food and tea."

"Yes, mother." Neji replied automatically.

The Hyuga prodigy didn't look back as he shut the door behind him. He knew exactly where to go. There was this little tea shop close to the main branch complex. It was expensive, however the herbal blends were well worth it. They even sold little dango skewers and steamed buns. As he approached the stand, he noticed his younger cousin standing at the counter.

"Ah, Neji." Hinata greeted him warmly.

Neji nodded at her.

"How's Tenten?" The daughter of the main branch asked. "I heard from Sakura what happened."

The ANBU's eyebrows twitched. News traveled disappointedly fast within their group of friends, huh? Shrugging, he ordered some buns and big thermals of tea to go. It's not that he didn't want to talk to Hinata, it was just he didn't want to add to the circulation of news that's traveling. It could get easily jumbled up and that's a mess he didn't want to clean up later. Side glancing, Hinata hummed as she waited for her tea. He wondered...

"Hinata," he said after a while.

"Yes?"

"This...what happened...never happened to you right?" He asked hesitantly.

Hinata blinked but was quick to shake her head.

"Would you tell me if it were to happen?" He pushed.

"I...I don't know," Hinata mused. "I do not think I would have to."

"And why's that? It is my job to protect you too, you know."

His younger cousin shrugged. Her teammates...and even Naruto would've taken care of it. The ANBU looked at her-speechless. She elaborated to say that he wasn't even around that much anyway. He had stopped training with her after he and Tenten began to date...but even then it didn't matter since he was sent on mission after mission.

"Do not worry, Neji," Hinata offered a smile. "I will be fine. You just worry about Tenten."

The storekeeper handed Hinata a thermos of tea. She paid him before leaving the store. Neji ordered and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Not around? He thought. He supposed she was right. But he was still her older cousin and her protector...for the most part. Hinata did have a point though, he had to focus on Tenten. His order came and he paid the man before sprinting back to the hospital. Shoving past Sakura, who tried to stop him from bringing outside food, he knocked on the room door. His stepmother grabbed the bag of buns from him and led him back into the room. Wheeling over one of those tables that hung over the bed, Shizukana poured everyone tea and set out the buns.

Neji watched as Tenten merely glanced at the food but made no move to eat. She merely held her tea cup and occasionally took a sip. Did she not like it? He was to get a blend that was a bit sweet to hopefully catch her appetite. Alas, she just sat there leaning her head on her mother's forearm.

"Tenten," Xiao-Lin looked down at her. "You need to eat."

Her mother grabbed a bun and took a bite. It was hot, but it was good enough. Holding it to her daughter's lips she waited. When she didn't move, the woman frowned. Neji asked her if she wanted something else-he would get her anything she wanted. The weapons mistress merely shook her head. She looked like a little girl with a defiant expression on her face.

"Tenten," her mother said more sharply. "Don't make me feed you like you are a baby. You are an ANBU, you can sure as hell feed yourself."

Knowing her mother wasn't going to get off her back about it, Tenten took a bite. She didn't realize how hungry she really was until after she swallowed. Putting the tea on the table, she grabbed the steam bun and began to devour it. A sigh of relief escaped the ANBU Captain's lips as he watched his girlfriend reach for another. Yes, he thought, she will be better in no time.

Maito Gai browsed along the library shelves. He knew he shouldn't get involved, but his student was in shock from probably an experience that is worse than death itself. He was in the history section, more specifically the weapons history shelf. The sensei was sure there was a book written about Tenten's father somewhere; he just couldn't find it.

"Gai? What are you doing here?"

The Taijustu master whipped his head around. Kurenai stood holding some books herself that seemed to be on motherhood. The pregnant Jonnin lifted an eyebrow when he told her she was looking for a book on weapons.

"Wouldn't it be better to ask your pupil? She is from Konoha's blacksmith family."

Gai pursed his lips together, news hadn't spread to the other Jonnin yet. It gave him displeasure, however the sensei told the genjustu specialist what the situation was with his female student. Kurenai gasped, nearly dropping her books, to which Gai was quick to catch.

"How awful...is she-"

"No idea. Neji is looking after her and Tsunade has informed me she is off duty until she can function on her own again." Gai stated. "So, I am down my long range fighter...unfortunate because our team had the perfect balance of fighters…"

Picking out a random book, the bowl cut sensei looked at the table of contents. Sighing, he snapped it shut and put it back on the shelf. Kurenai asked what he was looking for specifically.

"The crystal sword." He replied.

"That's Tenten's father's work. Did you ask her?"

"She refuses to tell us. She said its whereabouts are between her parents...and buried with the third Hokage."

"So, why are you looking for information?" The red eyed Jonnin asked.

Putting his hands on his hips, he guessed that Kurenai could be of more help than what he was stuck doing now. Perhaps she has some knowledge to offer. He recited the report he gave to Tsunade; the men who attacked Tenten had talked about the sword and needing to find it. It was a real coincidence that his team was sent on that mission and for all this to happen. Gai just wanted to understand what they were dealing with before going to Tsunade for a mission. Kurenai hummed as she thought about any information she could offer.

"Have you looked under minerals, rocks, and crystals?"

The Taijustu master blinked. Well, it was a crystal based sword.

"FeiTen had a book written about it though." He mused.

"Perhaps it's in that section. I'll help you look, Gai." Kurenai started walking toward the science section of the library.

The two searched every shelf, every basket, every cart...but nothing. Gai-sensei sucked his teeth; they weren't making any progress. The bowl cut Jonnin asked if any of the clans in the village worked closely with the blacksmith.

"The Hyuga clan. He supplied them with custom weaponry even before Hinata was born." The pregnant Jonnin replied.

Gai hummed and began to walk toward the door. He thanked Kurenai before exiting the library.

Hinata blinked as the green clad sensei stood before her. He had come to speak to her father. The chunnin asked him to follow her into the estate. The Hyuga relatives watched him as he walked through. He had become familiar with many of them through Neji, but they were still a bit of a guarded clan.

"Father," Hinata opened a door. "Neji's sensei is here. He would like to speak to you."

Lord Hiashi nodded at his daughter. Hinata opened the door wider so that Gai could walk in. Settling on the tiled floor, the men looked at each other.

"To what do I owe this visit?" He picked up his tea cup.

"Do you have the book about Hua FeiTen's crystal sword?"

The Hyuga lord cocked an eyebrow. No, but he asked why he needed it. For the second time today, Gai repeated the situation. The Hyuga lord looked at him wide eyed before frowning.

"If Tenten does not want you to be involved, then I cannot help you, Gai-sensei." Hiashi stated flatly. "She is solely responsible for anything related to her father's work."

Sucking his teeth, the Taijustu master scratched the back of his head.

"How did you end up with it anyway?"

Hiashi began to explain; after FeiTen died, his daughter was still too young to hold responsibility for it since she was still in the ninja academy. Her mother decided to hand off the book to the Hyuga clan, their trusted business partners, and keep it safe until Tenten was willing to step up and take it. When she became a gennin, she was brought to the Hyuga estate to read it and hopefully take it. However, she didn't. She asked the Hyuga lord to hold it. One day she will return for it when she is ready. Obviously, that day has not come since the book was still in Hiashi's possession. And yet, it was still up to the bun head who saw it.

"Again," the Hyuga leader looked at Gai. "If she does not want it, I cannot give it to you. I understand what has happened, but I must honor the favor that has been casted onto me."

The Taijutsu master sighed. There was no way he was getting that book now...thanking him for his time, the sensei stood. As he walked to the door, something bloomed in his mind...a plan of some sort. The taijustu master's lips fell into a grin.