This is Rated T. Just wanted to remind you…

Part IIII

With hands held high into a sky so blue
The ocean opens up to swallow you
(Hands Held High – Linkin Park)

I felt for my chakra, the alien part. It filled my eyes easily; my vision spreading so that I could see the whole area. Almost naturally my gaze focused on the flow of my opponent's chakra. He brought it into his hands as he began a jutsu. I reached out with my chakra strings to lock around his wrists.

Neji was watching behind me, unworried, I could see the chakra flowing in veins to his eyes. I supposed I must look like that. It shocked me enough that I let go of my strings. The moment the strings were gone the missing-nin formed his jutsu.

A blast of water threw me back into a tree. The numb coarseness of hitting the wood spreading sharply throughout my back, such was the impact of the water. In the time he hit me Neji and Temari began throwing a round of hand-to-hand combat at him.

His eyes flickered over with steel as he pushed Temari back. She stopped several seconds after she was forced back. The missing-nin stopped too. He didn't dodge or try to hit.

I walked forward and I saw the forehead protector of the criminal; the mists. My vision seemed to return to normal as I let myself relax. If this was the byakugan; it was as frightening as useful. Both Temari and the criminal took a smooth step forward. I instantly looked for Shikamaru, drawing my scrolls from the pouch they were in. Shikamaru mirrored the two, His face was expressionless; no mercy in his fixation for the criminal. Both Temari and the Mist's ninja were in his possession, the sun was in a bad possistion, he had used Temari's shadow to immobilize our opponent. …shadows within shadows; sneaky little bastard!

He voiced the arrest warrant, a warrant for death. I drew three kunai from my scroll. I let Shikamaru finish the details before I threw them.

I've never missed such an easy target. He fell as the jutsu was released.

Temari and Shikamaru stood close together, their heads inclined. I vaguely wondered if they were together, they seemed so attuned to each other.

Shikamaru seemed to be contemplative of something. "Tenten?" Neji addressed. There was a tone in his voice that made me worry. Before I rationalized anything, my chakra reacted. The clarity and intensity made me revolt internally, still unused to the feeling of the byakugan. It was scary, being able to see the two ninja's in front of me, but also the one behind me too. It was foreign, but I didn't seem to be able to help using it.

I would have to learn better control; there was no way this could be used against me. Or at least I was determined that not happen.

"There's a story here." Shikamaru observed. He leaned his back against a tree as Temari huffed and sat down near his feet.

I looked at Neji and back to them. "But you're not asking for it, or about it." I pointed out belligerently.

"Its Hyuuga business," Neji said calmly, dismissing the subject.

Shikamaru shrugged. "Tenten's not Hyuuga."

Way to point out the obvious, I rolled my eyes. My hand reached up to comb through my long half-down mass of hair; a habit of thoughtfulness.

Neji just glared at him; he shrugged and let it drop. "It's late, so we might as well camp here." Temari said in resolution.

"Who is he?" I pointed to the body.

Temari spoke. "He was a sand ninja who cammited treason over us to the mists. He indirectly sold secrets of the Village hidden in the Sand to the Village hidden in the Mist."

"I'll help you take care of the body." Shikamaru stated, the two of them dragged him out of the regular line of sight.

Neji came over to me. I leaned against the same tree Shikamaru had been up against. "How do you control the bayakugan?" I asked.

"Total emotional control." Neji stated. "Don't bother, you can try as hard as you like, but you'll never achieve it."

Sure it was true and as brutal as the truth often is; but the anger fueled my next few moves. I swept out and pinned Neji against the tree. "Are you sure?" I whispered, my lips only inches from his own. My voice was rougher and harsher than normal. I was a little bit irritated and overwhelmed by the byakugan experience. I suppressed the rush of blood to my head to prove a point. I kept my face blank and observatory. It failed shortly when he decided he was going to break what little control I had. The intensity of a challenge was brought out in his eyes, whether to me or to himself I cannot say.

"Positive," he growled out. He was evidently physically stronger as he pushed me flush against the tree, pinning me. He kissed me hard before I could argue.

My own incentive for arguing was taken in me trying to control this kiss. I fought back his tongue with my own, but the mood changed. It was pleasurable, maybe even filled with the slow tag of lazy desire. I could feel Neji's hands slide down my sides to rest at my waist. My own hands ended up at his shoulders as I withstood his control.

My shirt rode up as his pushed me harder against the tree. The pressure made me wrap my legs around his waist; finally just giving in and being submissive.

The heat and the passion that evolved from this act was mind-blowing. Our bodies were pressed as far together as they could be, our mouths melding. I was starved for air as I bit Neji's lip lightly, gasping as the kiss was broke. Neji's hands played across my stomach and to the edges of the tape that bound my breasts. The sensation of his mouth over my skin made me ache.

He dropped his head to trail his tongue down my neck. I moaned, my head scraping against the bark. "They're coming back." Neji whispered his voice was aggressive.

"I wish I didn't care," I replied. We untangled ourselves and tried to clean up as quickly as possible. Our appearances had suffered, both of our clothes were rumpled and our hair tangled. Neji's hair was even loose, falling around his face in dark strands.

I grabbed a kunai and tackled Neji to the ground. "What are you doing?" He asked; suspicion evident in his tone.

"Giving our appearance an excuse," I said plausibly.

He kissed me chastely.

"They kinda look like us…" Shikamaru observed. Neji's timing sucked. He probably did that on purpose.

Temari nodded curtly; I took in the fact they were together as I climbed off of Neji.

"I think I need an explanation," I said dizzily.

"Me too." Temari agreed. She found her packs and started setting up a tent. I went over to help her. The night was nice; I preferred to sleep out under the stars. And at this time of the season I wouldn't even suffer from the irritating insects that usually plagued the forest.

"You and Shikamaru? How?" I asked. I was weary, blunt; all my discretion and grace worn down by days of stress.

She looked over at the subject as he nodded his approval of her speaking on this subject. "Well, it started slow, a long time ago. Eventually he was assigned as my escort as I was the ambassador from the sands. Then it escalated and we just ended up together.–-

It's not very dramatic." She concluded, shaking her head slightly for effect.

"Long story short," I started. "I was threatened with an arranged marriage, escaped by marrying Neji and then this whole Hyuuga thing got complicated and I now have the byakugan. …and no idea how to use it."

"Your Hyuuga now?" Shikamaru spoke up.

I glared at him, he blinked. "Can you keep it quiet, we're not exactly flaunting this."

"And Shikamaru said I had personal issues about our relationship…" Temari said in wonderment.

Shikamaru looked her up and down. "You do."

She just rolled her eyes and leaned on the fan she always carried, I remembered that fan vividly from the first chunin exams. I had been torn in a single fight; it took all I had to get past it. Past Neji and all the others see me, a hard-trained kuniochi see me become so weak in one fight. See me lose to a girl who later lost to a boy a full year younger than me.

"This is such a mess," I observed.

Shikamaru agreed. "Troublesome."

Neji just offered a look somewhere between amusement and contempt.

I opened our pack and offered him some of the food we had left. As a foursome we would return to konoha in the day but the sun was already drowned out by the dark indigo of the sky. It was as if a child spilled a jar of paint and the light simply disappeared.

Temari had broken into her stocks and was eating something while Shikamaru meditated. His attitude was lazy and unconcerned but his mind was complex and brilliant. Of everybody I had ever met, he was the one who most fitted the word 'paradox.'

I laid back on the grass of the clearing, mentally exhausted. One of my arms was used to cushion my head, the other fell across my stomach carelessly.

Neji joined me as the others closed the door to their tent, shutting us out.

"I can't sleep."

My declaration was unusual, I had been through a hell of a day, and it was minutes to midnight.

Neji sat up, propping himself over his arms. I stared up at him through the haze of moonlight. "You can't control the byakugan properly, Tenten. You need to learn." Now?! I almost blurted out. But I realized it was a better activity than trying and failing spectacularly to sleep.

I nodded and gathered myself to my feet. I followed Neji as we walked far enough away from camp that we would wake up Shikamaru and Temari. But we also stayed close enough to assist if there was an attack. Though it was highly unlikely, you become accustomed to unlikely and surprising things happening if you remain too long in the ninja mindset. Naruto and the attitude towards him was living proof that very few ninja's had and would ever achieve this mindset. Never underestimate; it was the rule, the nindo I had created to ensure my survival in this harsh, rarely forgiving world.

"The byakugan is a gift of sight." Neji started, I had the feeling that I would know a part of this lecture from simple exposure to his talent.

He continued as I stood intent on what had become a part of me. "The first element is simple; seeing with it. As your chakra flows more rapidly in your body it heats up your blood and becomes adrenaline. It's naturally brought on by this, which is why you must have total emotional control in all situations to completely control it."

That, I swear, must be obvious; otherwise Neji probably wouldn't have attained that indifferent attitude all the time. It was a learned response; not a natural one.

"To use it on command you concentrate chakra into your eyes. Try this now."

I closed my eyes as I felt the chakra automatically race to my palms, just waiting for me to draw my usual stings; it was strange to redirect it. It flowed to my eyes with a bit of a stinging, foreign sensation.

My sensation of sight changed abruptly. I was suddenly hyperaware of the surroundings I knew were everything was in a great radius. I stared at Neji, focused.

There seemed to be layers to this gift, the first was the material 'layer.' All the things that I could usually see were amplified only by detail.

Then there was a more in depth sight; one of internals. I could sense the presence of every muscle Neji moved as he looked straight at me. He activated his byakugan and I felt the third layer. I could see Neji's chakra flow through his eyes and coat his eyes. His veins were raised to withstand the pressure; I knew mine would be too. I moved into a defensive stance.

The sight adjusted automatically to my every move, it was intensely sensitive; automatic.

I reached to strike a chakra point in Neji's shoulder; he dodged. We began to circle each other. We evaded and blocked, each movement given away by the chakra flow we could both see and the tensing movement of muscle before the strike.

The intensity heightened and Neji began to drive me back, innately focused. I held my ground but we both had begun to land the barest of blows.

I could see the chakra race through his palm to his finger tips. He hit my shoulder hard; stopping chakra. I had grabbed his other hand with the hand he had stopped the chakra flowing too, ignoring the numbness. With all of my strength I struck his shoulder opposite to mine; a mimicry of his own attack.

We both stopped as I fell from the force, the byakugan faded as my concentration wavered. I dragged Neji straight down on top of me.

He was slightly in shock as his head lifted from my chest.

"Draw?" He asked.

I nodded and hit my head back against the ground with a whimper. Neji's hand caressed my face, fingers trailing over the surface and settling over my scalp. It was soothing.

"I suppose." I whispered, trembling as I said it.

The intensity hadn't faded from his eyes; it excited me as much as it frightened me. He claimed my mouth without any gentleness. It was rough and unforgiving. Teeth clashed and he tore away with a trail of bloody saliva. My hands steadied me as I dug my nails into his flesh, making half moon circles on his shoulder blades. Of their own accord my hands entangled themselves in the silk of his hair, my arms entwined around his neck.

He kissed my neck, almost painfully; I could feel the edge of his teeth over tender skin. "What are we doing?" I asked. This whole situation was just over my head, I was dizzy from the intensity.

The next kiss was raw, his lips pressed against mine resolutely. Catlike; his tongue ran over my bottom lip, I could feel his teeth as he lightly bit down. My body responded automatically, used to his touch.

My mind reeled, I shouldn't be this comfortable. This was Neji, I trusted him with everything I ever had, my friendship, things more important than my life. Like my love.

I kissed him back, my own teeth catching skin. The world seemed to close down to just this, him kissing me and me kissing back. My spine arched and bowed to fit his movement over me.

I needed to know. "What are we doing?" It felt too good to argue against.

Neji whispered short gasps between kisses; it distracted me, I was slowly turning all control of my body over to the primal instincts. He leaned down to bite lightly on an earlobe. "What do you want?" he asked in a hoarse whisper. It made me shake and shudder, pressing me harder to him than I had been before.

I couldn't get any closer to him than I already was; I was up against gravity, flush against him. But he pushed my face away for a moment, I hated that action. He trailed a hand I hadn't noticed down over my chest to clutch the first tie of my shirt.

Say it! My mind demanded. Tell him what you want is this. I couldn't do that, I couldn't really vocalize it; he knew that too. I knew he just wanted to be sure; he always had to be sure. But I wasn't sure what I was doing and I didn't want him to have that privilege.

He started to back out, doubt in his eyes, a disbelief in his eyes at the unexpected. "Don't leave!" I cried out, silent tears beginning to make there way down my cheeks. My voice was broken and scared, but not very loud.

I kissed his collar bone, his neck. I moved up to his face, trailing sad kisses over his temple to his jaw. "I want this."

I was adamant; I couldn't withstand his leaving. It felt like I would break. He lowered his face to mine; a soft kiss was placed on my lips.

"Hn," was all he whispered, but it was a positive syllable. I was hypersensitive with anxiety, aware of every place our bodies touched. Aware of his hand over my shirt ties; aware when the tie was removed.

#&#

It wasn't yet dawn when I woke. My inspection was as ruthless as any I might conduct. My baggy black pants were covered in dirt with my bindings around my waist. My shirt was completely open, so I secured the bindings before searching for my shirt ties. Even though my hair was tangled I just left it as is. It was to be expected from sleeping on the ground anyways. I ignored the aches and emotions that loomed, a reminder of the night before.

Neji sat up and straightened himself out. He managed to find our forehead protectors that had been discarded. His hands were as soft as silk as he gently covered the mark that branded me. I had actually grown fond of it; it made me his. I had been so afraid of being a dog on a leash, being caged and tied to one man for the rest of whatever forsaken life I had. But I didn't mind now that I was tied to Neji. I didn't feel caged in; I felt like I had choices. Like the night before, he had given me time to back out. I just never seemed to abide. But that was Neji, he had to be sure, even if he was always confident; to take initiative he had to be positive. His hands untangled my hair.

"Co-zy," Temari commented, coming out of the tent she and Shikamaru had shared. I could feel the byakugan rising but she just rolled her eyes.

"What; and you're innocent?" I asked; my voice was dripping in sarcasm.

"I should hope not, —are we leaving today or not?" Shikamaru wined as he began taking down the tent. Temari blushed at his suggestion.

I almost laughed out loud when I felt Neji's slight shock at our casual conversation.

Temari kissed her shadow-user cutely. It was all rather boring after that. We packed up and abolished all traces of our camp.

The walk back to konoha was rather uneventful. Temari shoved Shikamaru in a puddle for teasing her before going back to make sure he got up, he really wasn't that motivated to move. But she did seem to take satisfaction in shoving him in. He didn't take offence.

Upon the gate we came to part; curt bows offered to Temari and her muddy shadow user. I tried to keep my disposition calm as I walked with cadence.

"Neji," I addressed, his eyes hardly flickered but I saw his look of attention. "What do you think will happen to us?"

His ivory skin couldn't pale anymore; but he looked faint, if only barely. My insides began to crumble like ash in the wind. "We live."

He said simply; as if the single command was a goal and an obligation and not just one of the hardest things to do. It was easy to exist, but to actually live and feel alive. …It was hard.

The very moment we set foot in the foyer of the main Hyuuga complex we knew that something was wrong. Haishi stared back at us with cold eyes that were just as ruthless as any. I recognized Hanabi standing beside him; the same piercing gaze, but more focused, snakelike. It disturbed me as I felt the slow ice-cold feeling start in my fingertips. My blood beginning to chill.

Hinata was lounged casually in a chair to the side. No other being stood within sight range. Something was terribly wrong.

"Neji-san," Haishi addressed. It focused both mine and Neji's attention immediately to him. "I request that as a branch member you will take your place in the clan and become Hanabi's protector. This will require you to discontinue missions."

For the 'good of the clan' Haishi would take away Neji's newfound freedom; he would restrict this life and repress my final promises of freedom. At this point he just might break.

"Father, I really don't think…" Hinata started, surprise etched on her face, contrast to the cold faces of her relatives. Neji himself was starting to struggle to control his rage that brimmed under the surface.

Neji's voice rang out as clear and cold as steel. "No."

Haishi bowed his head, the byakugan rising with the anger at being denied. Neji's own bykugan activated and I held his arm to keep him back. Neji's forehead protector was torn as I had to hold him back, failing slightly as I gripped his clothes. I almost let go when I saw the vibrant green light of his curse. It wasn't even effective; Hinata having helped us eliminate that possibility.

I held him back but my own inner turmoil betrayed me, the byakugan etching over my face, taking over my senses and hyper-activating them. Neji stopped moving and submitted to standing still with his glare piercing Haishi.

"Some would consider your offer an honor!" I spat. "What has reached so hard for freedom should not be denied!" Neji was deserving of his freedom, of his own choices. I was testament to this.

Haishi stepped closer, too close. I trembled with anger but stood still as his eyes scrutinized me. He reached out and I prepared myself for the blow, knowing I had no option of hitting back. Unfamiliar fingers harshly ripped my forehead protector and the bandages from their place. They fell to the ground as Haishi dropped his hand and coolly stepped back.

"Like your father you too found freedom. But not with death." He stated.

He made to the room as Hanabi followed; her face emotionless. Hinata moved over to us.

"It was wrong for him to ask you. But he won't ask again." She stated.

Haishi's voice spoke out one last time. "Extracting the byakugan should have killed her. Who told you to spill your blood?"

His voice was harsh and demanding, he needed to know who leaked powerful secrets into the branch house.

"It doesn't matter! I survived anyway; do you wish me dead rather than with Neji!" I shrieked. The question was not for me but I felt the tang of the insult.

Neji just looked up at him with ghostly eyes; the soft depths of charcoal and lavender echoing sadness and pain; the pain of a memory.

"You told my father that." He stated calmly. Neji may have overheard but the words were spoken from a brother to a brother, an uncle to a father. I bit my lip, his father was not around to see him; see how he grew up. Instead, Haishi stood, proud and inhuman enough to believe in slavery.

I felt as if my soul was slowing being ripped apart; there was something so personal I wanted to turn away or close my eyes.

Haishi surprised me by hanging his head an almost unnoticeable amount lower. But for a Hyuuga it was the burial of pride, if only for a moment.

"I'm sorry," The faint echo filled the room before he swept from it; Hinata and her sister too left the hall.

Sullenly I led Neji out the doors and into the fresh air. I knew he didn't want to be around the Hyuuga compound so I started leading him to a familiar place.

The training grounds we sparred on when we were genins was my ideal spot. He seemed to know where I had chosen to go but made no objection, nor encouragement. The Hyuuga Neji was silent, but not his moody silence or stoic silence. It was a tragic silence. Like the soft patter of the rain after a lightning show; the calm after the storm… the waiting to know if you'll be okay.

My legs folded under me as I sat and then leaned back into the grass. My hair fanned out in her dirt but I took no notice. I kept Neji's hand in mine as he laid back to lay aside me.

For a long time we made no movement, no words were uttered. Lost in our thoughts the sun began to fall from the sky. The rich battlefield was spectacular; bloody hues accented with golden yellows and blushing pinks. My eyes were blank as I stared up at the painted sky with nothing in the way of emotion.

As the last indigo streaks began to fade, I absently searched for the moon. The stars glittered comfortingly but the moon was not to be seen.

I took a small initiative and brought Neji's hand —intertwined with mine— up to my lips. I pressed the pale skin and held it there for a moment. "I never meant to be so much trouble." I whispered.

He didn't smile but when I glanced over to him, his eyes appeared softer, more vulnerable. "You're not," was the response. A sigh was issued from his lips and I recognized the toll our choices took on us. I didn't know whether it was all worth it in the end or not. Sometimes it seemed like it was the only thing I had; our bond. Sometimes, though not recently, I had wanted to brutally shatter it so I would never have to feel internal pain. At the moment I cherished it with a nurturing manner instead of my usually varied ferocity and acceptance.

"I used to hate Haishi," He began, his voice barely more that a whisper, as if he were partially unconvinced himself. I used to believe he was so sure, pure genius. Now I understood how he struggled to get by. He didn't need me to hold him down; I used to think. But now I did know, he needed me to keep him grounded; in reality. Keep him here with me so he wouldn't just fade away into nirvana. "Then I realized I hated myself." I bit my lip slightly as the dark tone slipped into his words. But for now I didn't say anything; I let him choose his words.

"The more I hated the Hyuuga Main Family…" He said before correcting himself. "The more I hated everybody else; the less time I had to hate myself."

"I didn't understand when I found it hard to hate you. At first I thought it was your innocence. Then your constant smile; as if nothing ever went wrong for you."

I closed my eyes and listened to the angelic melody of his voice, the harsher tones diluted now. The words spoken antagonizing slow …slow enough that I might beat them out of anybody else. Neji had always been my exception. I was content just to hear the melodic tone within is usually cold voice. His voice now seemed emotionally charged, words both his heart and head could stand behind.

He spoke one last sentence before he too closed his eyes. "Now I know it's because you never even thought you could hate me. I saw in your eyes that never even considered it."

"I wanted you to believe that, even when I wanted you to hate me so I could hate you. Deep inside I always hoped you'd never loose that ability to see what I hid inside myself."

I smiled and kissed his hand once more before holding it in mine over my stomach. "I could never hate you." I love you.

He untangled his hand to reach up and trail a finger along my face. My eyes fluttered open as I glanced over to him; the same free byakugan eyes meeting mine. Even if mine were as dark as earth and his were as pale as snow; it seemed that we gained the same eyes. His message was genuine. I know. So do I.

We turned back to the open sky that had taken our words and simply swallowed them, they meant something, but they were words and confessions that would simply drift. The real message, the words unspoken… they were ours. They were not for the claim of the sky or the scatter of the wind. They were for the pain in our hearts and the remedy to heal the broken parts.

They were the change for the toll that life took.

Neji stood up and pulled me up with him. Both of the marks on our foreheads showed; but even if there was nobody around to see it; it wasn't a secret anymore.

We both know this is who I am now. And this was who Neji is too; my husband; Hyuuga Tenten his wife. But who I am now is stronger by being more vulnerable. She's content with the circumstances of a relationship. The person I have become is okay; or she'll be okay. And if she looks around… the world doesn't seem so bad.

Because somewhere in the whole arrangement; I ended up seeing with a pair of harmonizing eyes.

E N D

#&# Note:

This has been an adventure; from the moment I started this I had so many ideas, but one took root and I began to develop it. I eventually learned that in writing this piece, I may not have become a better person. But I have become a stronger and wiser person.

I have discovered that I really can achieve my goals if I want to bad enough. I've learned that surprises are not all bad; and the things that scare you the most can become the things that make you okay in the end.

But I also learned not to hate myself so much; and that in and of it self has kept my fingers flying over the keyboard. Slowly but surely the confidence I lacked has began to originate in my heart.

I appreciate your reviews.