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Chapter One - A Shinobi Lost, Another One Found

"I'm sorry TenTen but there's still no word on Neji. I'd have informed you right away if I had."

"Hai Tsunade-sama, I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

Reluctantly the bun-haired kunoichi turned to depart, the weight of her heart weighing heavily against her chest.

She had arrived in the early hours of the morning, driven by the vivid dream that she had only just moments ago dreamt. Neji had come to her in her sleep, his breathing had been irregular and his clothes slightly torn. But it was the large wound that had her frantically rushing to the Hokage's office in the hopes that her dream had only just been that.

Stepping out into the open with a vary approach, TenTen took her time to appreciate the view that greeted her. Today marked the end of the Winter Season and the beginning of Spring but for the bun-haired kunoichi it marked the end of the Eight months since Neji had been deployed for an A-rank mission in the Land of Snow. Eight agonizing months without the white-eyed prodigy had driven TenTen to the brink of despair and the lack of informative on his whereabouts was beginning to take its toll on the kunoichi. She knew if Neji were here to see her in such a pitiful state, he'd immediately reprimand her for jeopardizing not only her own well-being but also the well-being of their unborn child. TenTen recalled Neji's reaction when he had first discovered she was carrying his child.

"It's simple enough, infiltrate and retrieve. That's all I require at this stage."

"But Tsunade-sama why such a high rank if it's just a retrieval?"

The 5th Hokage settled her gaze upon the bun-haired kunoichi, unsure if what she was about to say next would have a negative impact on either the kunoichi or the white-eyed prodigy standing next to her in an almost (the Hokage noted) protective manner.

"Because as you both are aware, we haven't been on the stablest terms with the Land of Snow."

"Oh..." TenTen could feel the sharp intake of breath, it was probably the most response Neji had ever shown during a briefing of a mission.

Being a man devoid of any emotional attachment, TenTen knew that any reaction from her stoic team-mate, no matter how subtle, was a sure sign that the mission wasn't to be taken lightly.

"On a much lighter note, I believe congratulations are in order."

Only the sharp intake of breath was heard following the Hokage's announcement, only this time the response was from the bun-haired kunoichi alone.

--

"What does she mean TenTen?"

It came as no surprise to the kunoichi that Neji had waited until they were in the privacy of their apartment to begin questioning her. He was afterall renowned for his covert nature.

TenTen didn't respond immediately, broaching a topic that the prodigy was clearly unfamiliar with wasn't an easy feat.

"TenTe-"

"I'm pregnant Neji."

It hadn't meant to come out so blunt but in her haste TenTen had blurted the news out without first thinking over the repercussions of her actions. As expected Neji had reacted in exactly how the kunoichi imagined he would. Which was to say, no reaction at all. And despite already predicting the prodigy's inital reaction to such news, his response (or lack of it) did little to calm the anxious feeling growing inside the bun-haired kunoichi.

"For how long?"

It was perhaps the best response the kunoichi could hope for.

"I only recently found out myself."

"When were you planning on telling me?"

"I was waiting for the right moment."

TenTen faltered slightly at the hardened expression Neji was giving her.

"Your mad."

TenTen could feel her heart sink at every passing second. Neji's silence was killing her. Softening at the sight of the troubled kunoichi, Neji reached for TenTen's hands, pulling her gently into his embrace.

"No, not mad. Just a little disappointed that you would wait to tell me something so important." Relief immediately swarmed TenTen's mind as she nestled her head into Neji's chest, his grip tightening around her.

"So your not upset about the baby?"

TenTen inhaled slowly as Neji pulled away slightly to look at her. His face held a look of indifference but his eyes, those pale lavender eyes that she had come to love so dearly, told a different story.

"Upset? TenTen, this is more than I could ever ask for, perhaps even more that I'd even dare to hope for."

That night had perhaps been the happiest and most difficult moment in the kunoichi's life. She had been blessed with the ultimate gift - motherhood. Something she thought she was undeserving of and best of all, the father of her child was the one man she had ever and would only ever truly love.

But the joyous evening was marred by the realisation that it would be TenTen and Neji's last night together. Despite her feeble attempts to convince him otherwise, the white-eyed prodigy had been adamant that TenTen remain behind in the safety of the village while he undertook the mission alone.

The following morning TenTen tried unsuccessfully to deter Neji's decision of going the mission alone. But was intervened by the Hokage herself who advised that perhaps it was for the best and by allowing her to join Neji on the mission would be risky, lest she started to show.

Even now TenTen was unsure as to whether it had been a good idea that she had remained behind. Contact with the white-eyed shinobi had started to lessen about five months into her pregnancy stage and by the time TenTen was seven months along with a noticeable bump, all contact with Neji had been lost.

"TenTen?"

The bun-haired kunoichi turned startled at the interruption of her thoughts.

"Naruto?"

Before the kunoichi, stood a ruffled but no less grinning blond-hair shinobi. But it wasn't the overly loud-mouth shinobi that had caught TenTen's focus. It was the raven-haired prodigy that stood only a few feet behind Naruto that had the bun-haired kunoichi disregarding all previous thought of the white-eyed shinobi.

"Sasuke."

"You have no hope, it'd be wise to surrender."

With a quick glance to the left and right, the white-eyed shinobi lunged forward, arms poised to attack. Counting a total of six shinobi, two each to his left and right, one behind and the last facing the full brunt of his attack. Forming a quick hand seal the white-eyed shinobi utters silent words under his breath.

His attack serves only to distract and confuse his opponents. With his chakra dangerously low, the white-eyed shinobi knows he has neither the strength nor stamina to carry out a successful attack to escape. For now he takes comfort with the few precious moments he has managed to snare from his attack. Ignoring the searing pain from his most recent wound, the white-eyed shinobi continues leaping through the treetops. Increasing the distance between his would be attackers and himself.

He continues for some distance before coming to a complete halt. Content with the distance he has gained, the white-eyed shinobi leaps onto the clearing below. With his byakugan activated, the white-eyed shinobi scans the dense surrounding. Satisfied that he is alone, if only for a brief moment, he extends his arm to the moon in a saluting gesture.

A falcon, its feathers identical to the shade of the glistening moon, soars to the outstretched arm. As it descends, its talons grip the arm with a firm hold, but not firm enough to pierce the skin.

The white-eyed shinobi spares a moment to admire the graceful beast of the sky, before raising a hand to the crown of his head. His fingers brushing the skin of his forehead lightly as they clasp onto the forehead protector that is tied securely around his head.

The falcon watches on impassively as the white-eyed shinobi unfastens the headband from his head. With its beady-eyes never wavering, the falcon watches on without protest as the silent shinobi ties the fore-head protector around its sleek neck. With one last admiring stroke of its feathers, the white-eyed shinobi thrusts his arm up towards the moonlit sky. He stares silently, watching as the bird with wings outstretched takes to the sky.

"TenTen..."

Against his better conscious, Neji utters the name of his beloved with an unspoken promise, to one-day return to stand by her side once more.