The end of the series didn't give me quite the emotional closure I thought Tenten deserved, so I took to writing! This story is inspired by a similar NejiTen tumblr post about the 5 Stages of Grief over Neji's death. This time we see it from Tenten's perspective.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Chapter I

Denial and Isolation

"The first reaction is to deny the reality and magnitude of the situation. We block out the words and hide from the facts."

"NEJI!"

Tenten shrieked as she bolted upright, breathing unevenly and clutching her sheets in a rigor mortis-like grip. The cold sweat on her skin glistened in the moonlight that shone through the slats of her apartment window.

Her mind was racing. She couldn't breathe. Thoughts flooded her mind from every direction with frightening speed. "Neji!" Another cry escaped her trembling lips as the inner turmoil overwhelmed her.

Something wet hit her arm. She brought her hand to her face - a line of tears trickled down her cheek. It was just a dream, she told herself, trying to calm the storm. The torrent of emotions began to subside, slowly. Consciousness returned to her. Everything is fine. Her chest rose and fell in a more regular pattern. Just a dream… just a nightmare.

I have to see him.

Tenten donned her pants and signature white blouse as she raced out the door.

Ambling back to her house, Hinata let out a tired sigh. The meeting with her father had lasted well into the middle of the night. As heiress to the clan, she had a significant part to play in the recent negotiations between the Main and Branch family. The events of the war spawned a reconciliation between the two families… and his sacrifice laid the groundwork for the two factions to reassess their traditions. With newfound clout in the village, Naruto was helping as well—a thought that made her flush deeply. Big changes were in store for the Hyuuga clan.

As she passed the entrance to the compound, by chance she was intercepted by Tenten. Though previously outsiders were not permitted to enter the estate, the war marked a new era of openness for the Hyuuga. She simply wasn't used to experiencing it yet. "Oh Tenten!" Hinata began, mildly shocked. "It's so late. What are you-" But her voice trailed off once she got a better view of her fellow kunoichi.

Tenten had clearly been crying; the chestnut eyes that usually sported the curve of a gentle smile were now beset by a puffy redness. Her trademark buns were lost to a frenzied array of disheveled brown hair. If nothing else, her scattered sniffling betrayed her. Hinata knew this was about to be a very difficult conversation.

"Good evening, Hinata-san," Tenten managed weakly. "Where is Neji? I would like to speak to him."

The words pierced like a blade through Hinata's heart. For a moment, she was unable to move or think. The day it happened, the sickening emotions as she witnessed it… the memory petrified her again. But only for a moment. She almost immediate regained composure and was instead filled with remorse for her friend. Tenten was usually such an admirably steadfast ninja—it pained Hinata to see her this way. Oh, Tenten...

The heiress placed a hand tenderly on Tenten's shoulder. "Tenten... Neji-niisan is dead." She said these words as softly and compassionately as her voice would allow. She had her season of mourning for her cousin, but some, she knew, would not heal as quickly. Neji had been her dear cousin, a personal martyr; still, she imagined it was nothing compared to what Tenten was currently feeling. As the only other female presence in his life, Hinata could tell Neji and his partner shared a bond that transcended even familial ties.

"Hinata, where is he?" Tenten replied, casting her comment aside. "This is important. I need to talk to him."

"Tenten… the war..." Hinata gripped her friend even tighter.

"Why would you say that…"

"He's not-"

"STOP!" Tenten howled, whipping her arm fiercely out of Hinata's grasp. By this time several other Hyuuga members were peering out their doors to see the commotion, Hyuuga Hanabi among them. The young girl threw her sister a worried glance.

Hinata knew Tenten had begun to keep to herself after the war, especially following the funeral. Guy and Lee attempted to console her but were met with more resistance than success. In the past week, the once bubbly and tenacious ninja was now rarely seen outside her apartment. As such, Guy had cautioned her friends that if her unhealthy behavior continued, there might be an outburst on the horizon.

"He can't be dead—I have so much to tell him," Neji's former teammate said resolutely, meeting Hinata's pale orbs with her own steely gaze. The heiress didn't need the Byakugan to see the genuine conviction in Tenten's eyes. Hinata began to worry if reason would reach her at all.

Hanabi, who had approached from Tenten's side, added another loving touch along her arm. "Tenten-san, you mustn't. Neji wouldn't want this. You're hurting him."

Then as if something snapped, all at once the confidence crumbled away, and the weapons mistress collapsed to the ground in a fit of hysterical sobs; sorrow racked through her body as she cried into her trembling hands. Why, Neji? Why is this happening? Why would you leave me! The Hyuuga sisters knelt down and embraced her without a moment's hesitation. You can't be gone forever! You can't.

Neji… her teammate, her friend, he was the human being she was closest to in her entire life, and she was quite sure she was the same to him. Days, months, years of being together had brought them so close. She found an inexplicable kind of comfort in his presence. Their peers thought their unparalleled teamwork was a result of their endless training, but it was more than that—they understood each other. However, to Tenten's ultimate regret… they understood each other silently.

She and Neji had been the closest of friends, but neither had explicitly discussed their relationship or where it was headed. Neji's impassive demeanor made the topic seem inappropriate most days. Of course, that's not to say she hadn't entertained the thoughts of furthering their platonic relationship once or twice. She assumed the nature of their friendship would eventually sort itself out over the course of time and was content to wait. But time, she would soon learn, was not a luxury afforded to all shinobi.

When she heard the news on the war front, she immediately did what years of being with Neji had already trained her to do: she compartmentalized. She put her emotions in reserve and let her battle instincts take over again. The rest, fighting with Naruto, was a blur. She fought blindly with the conviction he would be waiting for her when it was over. Now it all seemed like a bad dream.

Her one true companion over the years was dead? How could she possibly accept that? Most of her waking moments were spent with him. How could she even begin to continue her life in a world without him? Where did she start? She just couldn't admit the finality of it all.

I never got to say goodbye. There was so much left to say, so much left unsaid.

"Tenten, why don't stay with us tonight?" Hinata offered and Hanabi nodded approvingly. "We could all use the company."

For a while Tenten remained silent in her quivering stupor until she managed a small nod. "I wish…" she started, "…I wish I had one more chance to say how I felt."

Hinata understood and hugged her close. "I'm sure nii-san is looking down and thinking the exact same thing."

Author's note: I needed to get out those post-Naruto feels, especially as a NejiTen fan. (You know what I mean.) Please review, comment, or criticize!

Thanks you so much for reading! I welcome suggestions and corrections for the story.