Seven Days of Sickness and Scares

By: DemonClowSorceress

Summary: Neji gets sick. Bad. So Tenten is charged with taking care of him because, let's face it, she's the only person that Neji tolerates at any time. What could happen?

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto at all. I just wanted to do this storyline with the characters.

Hyuuga Neji woke up that morning feeling like shit.

Correction - he felt like shit that had been shit the wrong way. His head was pounding, his eyes felt swollen and sore, everything hurt, and for some strange reason, his body was slower to respond to his brain's commands. Rolling out of bed, he had to steady himself so that one, he wouldn't topple over, and two, he wouldn't throw up. That crappy sensation was in the back of his throat, so he swallowed the metallic taste down.

Ugh, stupid mission in Ame screwed me up, Neji realized. A battle with rogue ninja had resulted in Team Gai losing some of their camping gear, so Neji had volunteered to sleep without a sleeping bag. Not only that, but he'd also been on second watch, which meant sitting in the pouring rain from midnight until three a.m. when Tenten relieved him.

Neji coughed once, then twice. His chest felt like it had been stabbed. Another round of coughs tore through him, burning his throat raw and leaving him short of breath.

It's probably a little bug, he thought, shrugging it off. I better get to the training grounds. So, disregarding all the signals his sick body was sending him, Neji began to ready himself for a day of training.

Hours Later, at the Training Grounds of Team Gai......

Tenten watched Lee and Gai proclaiming about the beauties of youth and life, anxiously checking the time. She wanted to start training before her green spandex-wearing teammate and sensei realized she was not part of their youth-fest.

But Neji was late.

Neji's never late, the weapon mistress thought, chewing her lower lip worriedly. If anything, he's always here so damn early that I feel late even when I'm on time.....C'mon Neji, where are you?

As always, Tenten ignored the true reason she looked forward to her training sessions with Neji. Yes, it benefit them both, him with his Kaiten defense, her with her weapon combos. Yes, it allowed them to train with the only non-spandex-persons on Team Gai. And yes, it had become routine after the six years they had been on the same team.

But honestly? Tenten loved these sessions because she could be with Neji. That's all.

Oh yeah, major crush was still on. Despite being eighteen years old and an accomplished kunoichi - people now knew her as the Weapon Mistress of Konoha - Tenten was still harboring the biggest crush on Hyuuga Neji. So were many other girls her age, but Tenten had something they didn't.

She, being the prodigy's best friend, knew almost everything about Neji.

She knew his favorite food (herring soba) and that he wanted another rematch with Uzumaki Naruto ever since the Chunin Exams five years ago. She knew that his demeanor was the result of several years' pain and resentment towards his family, a mask that he had slowly been trying to shed. She knew his secret wish for freedom from the curse of the Branch House, to fly free as a bird and escape the cage of his family. When he gave his monosyllabic answers that made many girls swoon, Tenten could actually understand what he meant to say. And when he looked at her with his pale eyes, she could almost discern the flickers of emotion in them that his face never portrayed.

Despite all that, Tenten knew she was just a friend to him. But she liked it that way. Better to be his friend and keep his friendship then risk it all for her selfish wants.

"Ah Neji, so you have decided to join us on this fine and youthful day!" The voice of Might Gai yoinked Tenten from her ponderings. Glad that Neji was finally here, she turned to face him.

Wait a second.....

"Come on Tenten, let's train." Neji brushed right past her, heading for their traditional spot. She remained rooted to the ground, watching him go with confused eyes. When he realized she wasn't behind him, he turned around. "Tenten?"

"Are you all right?" Tenten blurted out the words, unable to contain herself. She could've been mistaken, but Neji seemed.....paler, which was a feat in and of itself.

He scowled. "What kind of question is that? Come on." And he stalked off, leaving her no choice but to follow.

Tenten unfurlled her scroll as Neji took up his stance. Now that she was looking, the weapon mistress could tell that something about her teammate was off. Neji's breathing seemed labored, and his arms shook a little. To test her theory, she summoned a volley of kunai.

Neji performed Kaiten, effectively neutralizing the attack. When the defensive shield dropped, he tried stopping as well, but stumbled before regaining his balance. His head felt like someone had put a metal pot over it and banged on the pot several times. Shaking it off, Neji resumed his stance. "Another go. Come on."

Tenten shook her head. "Neji, something is wrong, isn't there?"

"It's nothing." For a second his vision fuzzed, black eating at the edges. To compensate, Neji activated his Byakugan. More pain exploded within his skull. "Come at me, Tenten." But she rolled her scroll shut and stuck it in her back harness. Looking back at him, he could see her concern plainly.

"Neji, there's something wrong with you."

Dropping his arms, Neji took a step forward. "You're.....mistaken....." His chest hurt, and something seemed to be restricting his air flow. "Let's......continue - "

The last thing he heard before falling unconscious was Tenten calling his name.

At The Hyuuga House, in Neji's Room.....

Sakura stood up, pulling on her black gloves after the last of the medical chakra dissipated. "Neji's really sick," she informed Tenten, Hinata, Hanabi, and Hinata's father Hiashi. "He has a serious case of pneumonia. It's a miracle he got out of bed this morning; this must've been festering for a while. None of you noticed?"

"What are the symptoms?" asked Hiashi.

The pink-haired medic ticked them off on her fingers. "Most commonly is shortness of breath, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, headaches and mood swings. Anything like that?"

The Hyuugas shook their heads, but Tenten's eyes widened. "He's been snappy lately, ever since our last mission. I noticed that he wasn't eating much for the last four days, but I thought it was nothing....."

"Four days," Sakura said, crossing her arms. "When was your mission?"

"Five days ago."

"The Ame one. That would do it." Sakura nodded. "He must've gotten sick from all that rain. I'm prescribing strict bed rest and plenty of fluids, and I'll send over some antibiotics later for him to take." She looked at them all in turn. "I've seen pneumonia take fully healthy shinobi cold, and I've seen it kill them. This is serious. He. Must. Not. Leave. His. Bed."

"Thank you, Sakura," Hinata said. "We'll take care of him."

"Good. If anything happens or, God forbid, if his condition worsens, get him to the hospital as fast as possible." Sakura began to leave, but put her hand on Tenten's shoulder. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Neji's survived far worse than this."

"How long will it take for him to recover?" Tenten asked.

Sakura shrugged. "If he's kept in bed, doesn't do anything stupid, and is anything like other Hyuugas I've treated, he should be fully recovered in about a week."

Once the medic left, Hiashi and Hanabi left to attend to clan business. Hinata had a mission to go on, so she begged Tenten to stay with Neji. The weapon mistress responded with an affirmative. Once the Hyuuga heiress left, Tenten pulled a chair up beside Neji's bedside and sighed.

"You stupid moron," she grumbled. "Genius my ass! How could you not tell that you were sick? With pneumonia no less! Do you have any idea how scared I was when you collapsed? Lee and Gai thought we were being attacked, the way I was screaming your name." She shook her head. "Stupid twit."

The antibiotics arrived at nightfall. Thanking the medic, Tenten headed back up to Neji's room with the medicine and some broth that she had made for him.

Neji was rummaging through his closet when she entered the room. She snapped, "Hyuuga Neji, what the hell are you doing out of bed!"

He looked over at her. His face was flushed, and his eyes were half-closed and glassy. "Getting dressed," he said. "I have to meditate....."

"Oh no you don't!" Putting the broth and medicine down, Tenten applied her strength and physically hauled Neji back to his bed. "Sakura was very clear. No leaving bed for you!"

"But I have to train still - "

The brunette girl made an X with her arms. "No way! Uh-uh! You're going to take your medicine, drink the broth, and go back to sleep! Get back in there, bastard!" she added when he tried to get out the opposite side of the bed. "Don't make me hurt you!"

Neji rolled his eyes, ignoring how his head pounded from that one motion. "Tenten, it's probably nothing. You're overreacting to a cold, nothing more."

"Pneumonia."

He looked at her - well, as well as he could with the pain hazing his vision. Her face was set, fists clenched at her sides, body barely trembling. He recognized the stance; it was the one she'd used after the failed mission to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke years ago, when he'd been recovering from the surgery that saved his life. She was fighting tears.

Then his mind registered what she'd said. "Pneumonia?" he repeated to be sure.

"Pneumonia," she affirmed. "A bad case. You got it in Ame." Her voice roughened as she pleaded. "Please Neji, get back in bed. Just listen to somebody else, for once. Please."

So he did, partly because she begged him to, but partly because his head was killing him. Relieved, Tenten got the medicine and broth. "Here. Drink this, than take the pills."

Neji tried to take the bowl, but his arms felt like useless lead weights. "Ugh," he groaned, hating how his body was rebelling against him. "Dammit."

His pretty teammate - Wait, did I just think she was pretty? his rational mind shouted - picked up the spoon. "Want me to feed you?"

Neji really, really, REALLY didn't. Not because he didn't want it, but because he didn't want to look so weak in front of her. But his body and his mouth had other plans. The first quit moving on him. The second opened and said, "Yes."

So Tenten spooned broth into Neji's mouth. He let her prop him up on his pillows and put the pills in his mouth, and when she held the water to his lips, he obediently swallowed.

And both shinobi felt happy for the situation even though Neji was sick.

The Next Day.....

Neji awoke that morning feeling like he was being smothered.

He kicked at his covers, trying to free himself from the oppressive heat and weight, but his body was too weak. He couldn't even fight his way free to breathe. Helpless, Neji flailed and thrashed in a vain effort to find some way, any way, out of this hell.

"Neji? Neji!"

Tenten had walked into the room and saw her teammate thrashing in bed like a wounded animal. Reacting, she raced to his side and tried to free him from the blankets that had managed to wrap around his body like bandages. All the while she called his name to calm him down, to let him know he wasn't alone.

Through the heat and panic, Neji could feel her hands trying to free him. A part of his rational mind told him to calm down, to let her help. So Neji stopped struggling. When the covers were pulled away, he couldn't help making a small moan of relief. His lungs began pulling in the cool air just as fast as they could inhale.

Tenten's hand brushed his face, but the brief contact was enough to make him want more. Her skin was cool, a blessing against his hot flesh. Reacting instinctively, his hand shot out and grabbed her hand, pulling the cooler skin to hold against his hot cheek.

She could barely contain her gasp. Neji's face was as hot as a summer day. "Neji, it's time for your medicine," she said, pulling her hand free from his grasp. Quickly she got the antiboitics and some water.

"Cool...." he sighed, eyes still closed as his hand groped for her hand. "Wannit back....."

"You can have it back once you take the medicine." Tenten watched as his bloodshot eyes opened partly. She held out the pills and the glass of water. "See? Just swallow these, and I'll let you have the cool back."

"M'kay."

Oh man, he really is sick, Tenten thought as he took the medicine. He's speaking like a little kid. A small smile touched her face when he lay back down and reached out his hand expectantly. Seems he regresses to childhood when sick.....

Neji heaved a sigh of relief when Tenten's cool hand rested on his forehead again. The cold lessened his headache and cleared his mind. Once the medication kicked in, he reached up to move her hand to rest over his closed eyes. "It feels so good," he breathed, relaxing as his sore eyes calmed.

Then his chest exploded with painful, stabbing coughs. He jackknifed into a sitting position and doubled over, the coughs ripping through his body as mucus blocked his air passages. His lungs burned and his head felt like someone had exploded a kunai grenade in his brain.

Tenten held tissues to his mouth. "Just cough it up," she said gently, rubbing and thumping his back. "Spit it out, Neji."

So he did, and she stayed with him. She stayed until his coughing subsided and he could breathe again, helping him drink more water and fluffing his pillows up again. Neji leaned back and scowled. "Stop.......mothering me........" he yawned, blinking twice before immediately falling asleep.

That's my Neji, Tenten thought. Regular tough guy, but out like a light. Then she blushed. Wait, MY Neji? Where the hell did that come from?

Day 2 of Recovery.....

Tenten woke up hearing her name. "Ten......Ten......"

Disoriented, it took her a moment to realize where she was. She was in a chair beside Neji's bed, where she had fallen asleep during the night. He hadn't stayed asleep, waking up every few hours to cough up more phlegm that choked him in the night.

She looked to her sleeping teammate. He had an expression of pain on his face that she'd never seen before. Like he was being tortured, his eyes scrunched shut and his teeth gritted, his entire body taut as a wire. Whatever nightmare he was having, it was pretty excrutiating.

"Father....."

Oh no, thought Tenten before she could help herself. She knew the pain Neji felt about his father's death. He'd used to blame the Main House before learning the true reasons, but that didn't alleviate the loss still in his soul.

"Don't go.....please......stop....." Glimmering tears leaked from the corners of the Hyuuga boy's tightly shut eyes. "Don't......Father, please......no....." He squirmed, his fists clenching the bedcovers until his knuckles were white.

Unable to think of anything else to do, Tenten reached over and stroked his forehead. She vaguely remembered her caretaker doing the same thing when she had been sick. Brushing his hair off his face, the weapon mistress gently drew her fingertips across Neji's countenance in a hopeful attempt to calm him.

Deep in the darkness of his mind, Neji felt the brush of rough, calloused fingers against his skin. He turned his back on his nightmare and focused on the feeling. Slowly his consciousness lifted, bringing him enough strength to crack open his eyes in the pre-dawn light.

But when he saw Tenten was the one touching him, he instantly shut his eyes again. He didn't want to embarrass her or, even worse, provoke her temper. The last time Lee had called her out on being feminine, she had clocked him into a tree.

"Neji," she whispered softly, still dragging her fingertips over his face, "I wish I could see what you were dreaming. I wish I could help you make it all go away...."

Dammit, she saw me. The panic was almost paralyzing for him. Hyuuga Neji never showed weakness in front of others. But he was willing to be weak if it meant Tenten continued to console him. Why does she make me feel so calm? he wondered as exhaustion claimed him again, and he fell asleep.

Tenten flinched when he shifted in bed, but his eyes remained closed. His face, however, began to smooth out. The pain slowly disappeared. She smiled happily. Thank goodness. I was able to help him, even just a little......

"Tenten?"

The girl jumped when Hinata's soft voice issued from the door of Neji's room. Her hand quickly pulled away from Neji's face.

Hinata blinked, unsure as to why her cousin's teammate looked so fidgety. Then again, Neji was very close to her. She must've slept in that chair all night. It couldn't have been comfortable. "Do you need anything?" she asked hesitantly. "Anything at all?"

"Um, maybe just some medicine for when he wakes up," Tenten said lamely, trying not to stare at Neji's face.

Day 3 of Recovery.....

When Neji woke up, he immediately threw up.

Thankfully there was a trash can positioned by his bedside. Tenten had woken up almost instantly and, with her honed reflexes, had maneuvered the trash can into position before Neji emptied his stomach. When he stopped heaving, Tenten quickly wet a fresh washcloth and dabbed the sweat off his clammy skin.

"I feel lousy," Neji croaked, barely able to remain upright.

"You know what they say - it gets worse before it gets better," Tenten joked, giving him water to rinse out his mouth. "You should have an empty stomach for a while so it settles down, then I'll give you medicine."

He nodded and instantly regretted it. The motion made his brain pound, causing another headache to explode in his skull. An anguished yell tore from his throat as he pitched forward, which happened to be in the direction of Tenten. She quickly shifted her position to catch him before he fell out of bed.

The thing was.......this had the unexpected effect of his head resting on the area over her heart, south of her shoulder but north of her breasts. Her arms had encircled his shoulders to better catch his weight, in fact holding him closer than he had ever intended to be to this sacred area. His cheek pressed against her shirt, stopping his breath cold.

Holy crap, I'm right over...... His brain was churning sluggishly, more from shock than his illness. If I move, I'm dead shit, he realized once he noticed how close he was to Tenten's......erm......chest area. He could feel her heart thumping through the thin silk of her close-fitting top, a steady beat that was oddly soothing.

Tenten was understandably surprised when Neji's face landed almost right on top of her breasts. She was even more surprised when, instead of pulling away like the honorable Hyuuga he was, he stayed right where he was. "Um, Neji? Are you all right?" she asked, trying to see his eyes without moving him too much.

"Uh-huh," he mumbled, too entranced with the sound of her heart to pay much attention.

Oh no, is his sickness getting worse? "Neji, are you too dizzy to sit up? Do you feel sick again? Neji, please answer me."

Her heartbeat sped up, a rabbit trying to race in her ribcage. I'm upsetting her, Neji thought. With all his self-control he pushed away from his teammate, ignoring how the change in posture sent lances of pain through his skull. "I'm fine," he said firmly, lying down with his back to her. "I'm sorry about that."

Tenten blinked at the sudden change in attitude. She knew mood swings were a symptom, but that felt like......rejection. "No problem," she whispered, already knowing he was asleep.

Neji slept until mid-afternoon. When he did drift into half-consciousness, he heard a voice coming from outside his window that he didn't recognize. It was female, a little high, and very, very sweetly singing some sort of tune. He listened to the sound that slowly sent him back to dreamland. Who could that be? he wondered hazily. Lady Hinata? Or maybe.......no, no she doesn't sing....

Day 4 of Recovery.......

When Neji woke up, he was completely alone.

For some reason, this greatly concerned him. Throwing off his covers, Neji stumbled towards the hallway, his long hair falling in curtains around his eyes. "Lady Hinata?" he called, seeing nobody in the darkened hall. His hands gripped the edge of the door to keep him upright. "Hello?"

Nobody answered him. It was starting to make him panic. Fighting his body's rebellious attempts to collapse in a heap, Neji inched down the hallway like a blind man, groping down the wall to keep up standing. "Lord Hiashi? Lady Hanabi?" he called out. "Lady Hinata?" Still there was no response. Hesitantly he tried, "Tenten?"

Silence of the darkness was all he got back.

A cold ball of fear was beginning to form in the pit of his stomach. The compound was never this quiet.....or this dark. Had he woken up in the middle of the night?

"Byakugan." Activating his bloodline limit (and immediately cursing the crippling migraine that came with it) he scanned the entire Hyuuga compound - and gasped. "Where the hell is everyone?"

A scream suddenly drew his attention down the hallway. It sounded like Hinata's. Rather than waste breath calling down again, Neji hurried up and made it to the door at the end of the hall. As he approached, a light flickered on behind the door, illuminating....

Are those......bloodstains?

Another scream. This time, Neji heard the sound of a sword slicing through flesh like a butcher's cleaver. The Hyuuga boy threw open the door, Byakugan activated and ready for fight.

Bodies were strewn across the room's floor, chopped and bleeding and still. Pale white eyes - Byakugan eyes - stared up lifelessly at Neji. He recognized several faces among the dead, including Hinata, Hanabi, and Hiashi.

A figure stood over the bodies, shaking and covered in bloody. At first Neji thought it was a woman, but when the long hair moved away from the face, it revealed a pair of Byakugan eyes and a sinister smile. His smile.

That's.....me?

Kidomaru's laugh - a laugh unheard and forgotten for years - echoed from the Neji in front of him. "How does it look, stupid bastard?" he cackled. "How does it feel to know you've slaughtered the ones who've made your life hell?" The other bloodstained Neji lunged for him, Juuken ready - then six tawny, muscled arms struck Neji from behind, sending him into the killing grounds and towards his death. He fell forwards and saw a pair of chocolate-brown eyes staring up from the dead -

"TENTEEEEEEEN!"

"Neji, Neji, wake up! Neji, it's me! Wake up!"

Tenten panicked when, instead of obeying her, Neji thrashed against her grip. His hands were precise, delivering Juuken hits to her tenketsu chakra points even in his sleep. They hurt, but she continued to hold his feverish face in her hands. "Neji! NEJI!"

Neji howled her name again, a howl that wasn't anything like the Neji she knew and loved. Without another course of action, Tenten threw her head back and slammed her forehead against his, screaming just as loudly, "WAKE UP!"

Those pale white eyes flew open like window shutters, full of fear and horror and disgust. His breath tore from his lips in ragged gasps. Tenten thought for a moment that she was holding a complete stranger in her hands. Never before had she seen such fear in her teammate's eyes.

Then the confusion passed, and her instincts took over. Gently, she pulled Neji's head in to rest against her chest. She remembered how he'd tranced out the day before listening to her heartbeat, so she held his head in a loose embrace and sighed, willing herself to calm. "Neji, it's okay," she whispered, resting her cheek on top of his silky hair. "You're all right. It was just a dream."

But it felt so real, Neji wanted to argue. It felt real, and I thought you - I thought you were - His hands unconsciously reached up to grab her elbows, trying to pull himself closer to her. He had to reassure himself that she was still alive, that he wasn't still dreaming and any second he'd wake up looking at her corpse. He smelled her unique scent, a fruity aroma and the tang of metal from her ever-present weaponry. No.....this is real. Dreams don't smell like heaven.....do they?

Tenten could feel the fever-hot skin of his face against the skin of her arms. His fever's worse. Sakura had warned her of delusions, which happened when his temperature rose even higher. He must've had a really bad one to have sleepwalked halfway down the hallway and into the training hall.

Not knowing what else to do, she continued to whisper soft reassurances to him. "Neji, it's all right now. I'm here. Shhhh." Her hand began stroking his hair like he was a giant cat. "Calm down. It was just a dream. You're safe now." She kept saying that until his hands released her elbows and he sagged against her body, sound asleep.

Just as soon as she got him back to bed, Tenten called Sakura for a check-up. In record time Sakura arrived, towing Lee behind her. "Tenten! How is he?" asked her green-clad teammate, worried and somber for once. "Sakura?"

The pink-haired medic's diagnosis was anything but hopeful. "He's worsening. Delusions are proof of that. We'd better get him to Konoha Hospital ASAP."

"Can he stay here for the rest of the night?" Tenten begged. "I think he's still freaked out."

Sakura checked him again. Mentally she weighed the options, then nodded. "Okay. I'll come back at noon with a stretcher and we'll transport him."

Lee hung back after Sakura left. "Tenten," he said softly, "is Neji........will Neji be all right? Everyone's really concerned."

"He'll be fine." Tenten gave a fake smile she knew didn't quite reach her eyes. "This is Neji, remember? He won't let something like a stupid illness kick his ass this easy."

Although she had her doubts about her lie, Lee apparently believed her. A true smile hit his face faster than her kunai in a target. "Splendid! After all, you are the only one Neji truly trusts in his times of need!" With a wave he exited dynamically via the window, leaving Tenten feeling awkward at his words.

Apparently he was still having the nightmare, because for the rest of the night Neji tossed and turned in his bed. Tenten felt absolutely helpless as she kept cool washcloths on his burning forehead and murmured nonsense words in a soothing tone. He'll be okay, she kept telling herself. I know you, Hyuuga Neji. You'll beat this. Come on, just until noon. You can last that long, I know it.

When the sun finally peeked over the horizon, she yawned and stretched her arms high above her head, feeling her back crack. Her hair hurt from staying in their style all night, so she untied the buns and let her chocolate-colored hair cascade to her shoulderblades. She stood up to stretch the rest of her body, cramped from sitting in the chair all night long, and turned to splash water on her face.

"Tenten......"

He's sleep-talking again, she thought.

But then a hand tugged the hem of her shirt. She turned and saw Neji stretching towards her as far as he could without leaving the bed, sweat beading on his face and panting heavily. "Neji! Stupid, lie down!" she scolded, quickly ushering him back into his bed.

"Your arms....." he huffed, eyes half-open and glazed. She looked down and saw the ugly black-and-blue bruises from when he'd attacked her in his sleep. "Over the chakra points......did I do that?" His voice, already hoarse from coughing and vomiting, twisted in angry resentment. "I did, didn't I?"

Tenten reached over and took his face in her hands. "Neji, you were protecting yourself," she reminded him. "It was a bad dream. And they don't even hurt anymore; I had Hinata reverse it." She gave him a stunning smile. "Now lie back and relax. You think you can stomach some soup today?"

Neji frowned. "How can you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That. Smile at me even though I've hurt you. You do it when we train too." It had been bothering the prodigy for years, but he'd never voiced this query on the grounds that he didn't think it was important. But seeing her in this early morning light, hair unbound, in his room, with those injuries, had turned off the filter between his brain and his mouth. "Despite all the injuries I give you, you're always smiling."

Now it was Tenten's turn to frown. "Do I really?" Another smile slowly drew across her face. "Must be the heat of the moment. I'm such an adrenaline junkie, you know that." No frickin' way am I saying that the pain's worth staying with him. I don't think the symptoms of pneumonia extend to amnesia.

"You could train with Lee, or Gai," Neji argued weakly.

Her eyebrow raised almost as perfectly as his did whenever someone voiced a stupid opinion. "Wow, you are out of it. The only way I'd ever voluntarily train with those two nimrods would be if they were the last living creatures in the universe. And even then, I'd probably kill them myself."

"They wouldn't hurt you as badly as I do."

Tenten squirmed uncomfortably. His pearl-white eyes were fixed right on her face, still fever-clouded, but clearer than they'd been for days. It was like his gaze was scorching through her defenses like the hottest fire jutsu, burning her up until she revealed her secrets. "Neji, it's not like you hurt me on purpose. Bruises come from training and they make us stronger, you know that." She quickly averted her gaze before she blushed. "You're not speaking clearly. It's the fever."

With speed and accuracy unrivaled, Neji's hand shot out like a cobra and latched onto her wrist. "Then why does it hurt so bad?" he demanded. The pneumonia was whittling his usual stoic facade away, baring more of Hyuuga Neji than the world was used to seeing. His curiosity was among the things being voiced at this time. "Why do I have this urge to protect you whenever we fight an enemy? Why does my chest feel like I've been stabbed whenever you get hurt? Why do I have the urge to slaughter any guy that comes near you? Why does my heart break every time I see you cry?"

The weapon mistress almost stopped breathing. Oh my god, is he......no. No, he can't. It's just the fever, he's only dreaming. Please don't let this be real, I don't know what to do if it's not a dream -

Then Neji yanked her closer, caught her before she fell on top of him, and kissed her.

Tenten felt his lips on hers and just let her instincts take over. Letting her eyes flutter shut, she kissed him back, gently since he was sick, but enough to make him realize just how long she'd been waiting for this. He responded in kind, angling his head to capture her mouth better. The hand not on her wrist slid up her back and buried itself in her hair, holding her head closer.

Her lips are so cool, Neji thought. So cool, and so soft.......I would've never expected. Being a weapon mistrees, he'd expected her to be harder, like the weapons she could use with lethal accuracy. The fact that she was so soft surprised him greatly, but it was a surprise that pleased him as well.

Neji rolled over, pulling Tenten down on his bed and underneath him. Staring at her, with her hair lying askew over his pillow, something clicked in his head. This is why. This is why I've felt this way. She just looks so......beautiful, and I - I love her. It was a startling realization - him being in love with his best friend and teammate. But then again, Tenten always managed to surprise him.

The flitting of emotions in his eyes fascinated Tenten. Despite the popular saying of eyes being windows, it was normally impossible to see his soul through those pearly white orbs. Her skin buzzed with the thoughts of what could happen next, so she reached up and buried her own hand in his unbound silken strands. "Stop thinking, Neji," she whispered, pulling him down to her again. "Just relax. It's okay."

Their lips connected again, sending bursts of fire searing through Tenten's body like crashing waves. His lips were hot, so hot, but they felt so right against hers, molding and moving in time with hers in a kind of rhythm that she only thought they had when they trained. When his mouth pulled away from hers again, Tenten couldn't hold back a little moan of want.

But when Neji collapsed on top of her panting, the girl realized something that hadn't penetrated her hormone-clogged brain earlier. His temperature had spiked again, but his entire body shook violently, like he was in the middle of a blizzard, and was drenched in cold sweat.

Panic gripped Tenten's heart as she filled her lungs with air and screamed, "HINATAAAAA!"

Day 5 of Recovery..........

When Tenten entered the hospital room, Neji was still unconscious.

Sakura was checking the IVs next to the bed. "No change," she said. "But that's also a good thing. We caught the virus before he worsened even more. Pumping him full of antibiotics is helping. Now his body has to repair itself on its own." Casting a last look at the machines hooked up to the Hyuuga, Sakura headed out to check on other patients.

Tenten took up her now-familiar seat by Neji's bedside. He hadn't stirred since yesterday morning, and this unnatural stillness was putting her on edge. She swallowed anxiously and tried to keep her hands busy. Since she had been denied her weapons, she fell to fussing with Neji's bedsheets.

"Please Neji," she whispered fiercely. "Don't give up. I'll never, ever, ever force you like that again, I promise. I'll pretend it never happened. Just please, please live through this." Her hand clenched the fabric tightly. "Please, Neji. Don't leave me."

Hours later, Naruto arrived to check on Neji at the concern of Hinata. He found Tenten asleep in her chair, her head resting on the bed while her hand held Neji's. The blond fox boy smirked. "Bout time, dammit," he muttered to himself. "Kiba owes Hinata twenty bucks and Lee owes me a month's worth of ramen at Ichiraku." A thought occured to him, so he tapped into the Kyuubi's power (A.N. - he's already learned to control the Kyuubi completely) and set it to rapidly heal most of the damage to Neji's body.

But unknown to him, the Kyuubi, to be mischievious and troublesome, put a condition on its use.

Tenten awoke hearing the machine alarms go off like sirens and the medical staff shoving her aside. "What's happening?" "He's not breathing!" "This shouldn't be happening, he was stable!"

"Neji!" Tenten screamed. Someone's hands clamped around her shoulders, preventing her from trying to reach his side again. She fought like a wildcat, her anger making her see - orange? "No, let me go! Neji! Neji!"

Sakura shoved her way to the front of the fray, tearing off her gloves. "Put him on the ventilator, now!"

"His heart's stopped!" a medic cried just as the machine flatlined with a long BEEEE.

"Begin CPR, NOW!" Sakura screamed.

Whoever held Tenten spund her toward the bed and shoved her forward. "Help him!" she heard the male voice yell. "Hurry!"

The weapons mistress fought her way through the throng until she was beside Sakura. The pink-haired medic began chest compressions as she tersely ordered Tenten to begin mouth-to-mouth. The older girl had to fight back a blush as she cleared the airways and pinched his nose closed.

Please Neji, she begged, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Oh god please, please save him! I'll never ever EVER fantasize about him again, I swear. But please please please, let him breathe again! With this frantic prayer, Tenten inhaled a huge breath and forced it into Neji's mouth, begging his lungs to work.

The room fell silent. All that could be heard was Sakura's counting off to 15 and Tenten's breaths. Naruto fidgeted, glancing back and forth between Neji and Tenten and wondering why the chakra hadn't started yet. Dammit, what's wrong?

I've decided to have some fun, came the unpleasant reply from the cage in his mind.

WHAT DID YOU DO, STUPID FOX? Naruto cried, aghast.

The Kyuubi chuckled. Nothing dangerous. Just a little nudge in the right direction.......

Meanwhile, Tenten was close to a nervous breakdown. Despite their ministrations, Neji was still unresponsive. Tears made wet track marks down her cheeks, dropping on his face like dots of warm rain. Even when Sakura pulled back in defeat, the weapon mistress continued forcing air into Neji's lungs. I can't lose him, I can't lose him now! she yelled in her mind, desperation igniting her soul. He's saved me so many times.....now I have to save him! Her eyes squeezed shut as she put all her hope and strength into saving her love.

Neji!

Unknown to Tenten, something was beginning to happen. Weak arcs of chakra began to twist around Neji's body, like ghostly snakes leaping from limb to limb. Colored palest orange, they wrapped around and hovered above his skin, floating tattoos that sparked with power. Everyone present gasped in shock save for Naruto, who merely demanded an answer from his inner demon.

Kyuubi sounded extremely smug. Simple. Only if she truly loves him will my chakra work. You really didn't think I'd let you squander it so willy-nilly, did you?

The chakra suddenly sank into Neji, disappearing into his flesh. Nobody dared to move or breathe.

Tenten breathed into him again. Then she felt a twitch. Then a flicker. Then the still Hyuuga shuddered, his own breath entering Tenten's mouth as he breathed again. She pulled back, relief flooding her body like a tsunami and making her knees go weak.

Well whaddya know, it worked, remarked Kyuubi before Naruto left to scold his demon inhabitant in private.

Neji's white eyes, almost closed forever, opened to look at his teammate. "Tenten?" he murmured, groggy still. "But I - I saw my......" He blinked again, clearing the fog in his eyes. "Why are you crying?" he asked, concern lacing his tired voice.

Reflex made her fist snap up and brush the offending wetness away. He's not out of the woods yet. "You're seeing things," she joked, sitting at his bedside and taking his hand in hers. The medics descended like vultures, checking his vitals and adjusting his meds. All through it, Tenten never let go of his hand.

But in her heart, she prepared to let him go.

Day 6 of Recovery............

When Neji woke up, he thought he was still dreaming.

For one, the hospital room was quiet. He remembered being hustled in after making out with Tenten had made his temperature rise (something that made his pale face flush bright red with embarassment) and being hooked up to machines. He remembered a painful feeling in his chest as he fought to breathe. He remembered a white light, blocked by a web of what looked like orange fire.....

And then there was the second thing. Standing at the foot of his bed was his father, Hyuuga Hizashi, looking just the same as he had the last time Neji had seen him as a child. He was surrounded by that same white light Neji had seen. The prodigy shook his head as he struggled to sit up properly, unable to believe his eyes.

Hizashi waved his son still. "Neji, please don't rise on my account. Your health is far more important right now than politeness."

"What happened to me?" Neji muttered, slouching against his pillows again. "I saw a white light....." Realization slowly hit him. "You're here to take me, aren't you? I'm dead."

His father smiled. "You did almost die, Neji. But it's not your time yet. You still have much to do."

"I'm so tired." Neji felt it too. Like his body was heavier than lead, and his head was fuzzy as though he was thinking through gauze. "Can I sleep now?"

"No Neji, you have to stay awake for a while longer." Hizashi's smile grew fond. "Where is that diligent attitude to better yourself that I remember?"

"But I've been working for so long," Neji - he wouldn't say whined. Hyuuga Neji never whined.

"And you've done a wonderful job, Neji. You have far exceeded my expectations, teaching yourself the techniques of the Main house and even recieveing training from Hiashi himself!" Neji's father smiled. "But I think that you're missing a few things from your life."

"Like what?" Neji didn't think he was missing anything. He was a Jonin, the first among the Konoha Twelve to become one. He was close to becoming ANBU. What more could he possibly have?

He began shifting to make himself more comfortable, then he felt something tighten around his hand. Looking, his eyes widened. Beside him was Tenten, who was sleeping in her chair, her upper body slouched on the bed, her hand around his. There were fresh worry lines on her face, and her skin looked pale, as if she hadn't been sleeping well.

Hizashi gestured to her. "She stayed through it all. This girl truly cares about you." Neji blushed when he remembered just how much she cared. "I suggest you don't let her go. True love is a rare thing to come across in this world." With a final smile, he rested his hand on his son's head. "Live your life, Neji."

"I will," the prodigy whispered, falling asleep with a smile on his face.

Tenten thought she heard him speaking, so she roused herself from her cramped position in the chair. However, Neji was still asleep. Must be in my head, she decided.

The weapon mistress quickly freshened up, then gathered her things. Already she was beginning to regret her choice, but knew it was for the best. We can never be the same as before, she rationalized to herself. We crossed a line. And I've got such a crush on him.......It'll never work out. It'd be better if I just quietly transferred to another team. I'll be a Jonin soon, so I'm sure it won't be a problem. Shouldering her pack, Tenten took a fortifying breath.

"Ten.....ten?"

"Neji?" Her resolve wavered as she turned. She hadn't expected him to wake up before she made her escape, but now that he was awake, she had to make sure he was okay. "Is something wrong? Do you need something?"

"Where are you going?" he asked, ignoring her questions. Those piercing lavender-white orbs stared at her, daring her to lie to him. "Why were you leaving?"

"I was....going to tell Lee and Gai-sensei that you're all right," she said hesitantly.

"Liar." Neji's voice was arctic.

Something snapped within Tenten. She glared at Neji past the haze of hot tears falling from her eyes. "You know what? F*ck you, Hyuuga Neji! Stupid genius with your damn all-seeing eyes! Well read my lips - I'M LEAVING NOW AND I'M NOT COMING BACK!" She tried to make a break for it, but Neji's hand shot out and grabbed her shirt again, yanking the weapon mistress backwards onto his bed. Twisting to catch herself, Tenten instead fell on top of the long-haired male and got caught in his gaze. Dammit, no, she thought just before her brain rebelled and shut her body down, turning her into a limp pile of bones atop her teammate.

"Why are you leaving, Tenten?" Neji's whisper was rough, like he was still in pain, but deep and concerned. He used the same tone whenever he came to her side after they had defeated their enemies, checking to make sure she was all right.

The truth bubbled from her lips like an overboiling teakettle. "Because something's changed between us, and it's new and different, and I'm scared. I mean I'm happy that it's changed, gods know I've wanted this for six years........but I'm scared that you'll get scared and leave me. I know how something like this is a big change and you're still not the biggest advocate of change yet - "

"You're worried about that?" His tone, contrary to her thoughts, wasn't angry. Rather, he was surprised. "You're worried that I'll get scared and leave you first? Are you stupid?"

She frowned. "No."

"Then get this through your head, silly girl." He pulled her even closer, his hand cradling the back of her head. "I love you."

Tenten almost fainted right there. Her breath stopped and her eyes widened. "Are you sure?" she whispered. If he pulled out after telling her that - if he led her on like that - she was sure she would die of a broken heart. It was too much to recover from if he wasn't absolutely sure. "Are you sure?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Yes," she responded unhesitatingly.

"Missions don't count."

"You lie like a rug."

"Stop exaggerating."

"Neji, you could say the sun was blue, and people would believe you."

A chuckle escaped him as his lips twisted into that arrogant crooked grin Tenten loved and dreamed about every night. "Tenten, c'mon. I'm not that bad."

"No," she said with a smile of her own, "no, you are that bad."

Neji sighed gently, his breath fanning across her cheeks. "Well, I'm not lying now." His grip tightened around her wrist. "So......do you still want to go?"

Tenten couldn't help it. She gave a breathless laugh as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you kidding?"

And his lips met hers.

The Next Day........

Gai was understandably excited to see that his team was fully assembled for training the next morning. "How wonderful!" he cried, striking his Nice Guy pose. "Welcome back, Neji! It is truly remarkable, how fast your recovery was! It seems as though you have been revitalized by Tenten's youthful ministrations!"

Both the Hyuuga prodigy and the weapons mistress blushed slightly at his words. Lee caught this and smiled. "Gai-sensei, perhaps we should run laps around Konoha to better our chances for defeating our rivals! *cough*Kakashi-sensei*cough*" he added not-so-subtly.

But Gai's eyes grew aflame with desire for victory. "YES! LET US NOW DEPART, LEE!" And off he went, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

But the Green Beast of Konoha grinned at his blushing teammates. "We should be a while, if you two want to take some time to, ahem, get back into your routine." With a grin worthy of Naruto's most devilish pranks, the taijutsu master took off after Gai screaming, "WAIT FOR ME, GAI-SENSEEEEEEEEEEEEI!"

A somewhat awkward silence descended on the two before Tenten decided to break it. "You know Neji, Gai was right," she said. "I've never seen anyone recover this fast from such a serious illness."

"I'm a Hyuuga," Neji said cooly. "We've got superb immune systems."

Tenten laughed. "I suppose so. That is the first time I've ever seen you sick. You acted like such a little kid, too."

A sly smirk danced on Neji's lips. "A little kid, huh? That's not the impression you gave me last night."

"Nothing happened," she reminded him, but her cheeks still burned.

"You know, I can see it."

With a squeal she clapped her hand over her neck. "Bastard! You said - " Then she saw he had his Byakugan activated. "Ooooh, Neji, you - you - "

"Me what, Tenten?" he asked sweetly, backing away as she unhooked a kunai from her arsenal.

She threw the weapon, and he had to jump so as not to be cut. "Hyuuga Neji, I'm gonna get you!" she announced, filling her hands with weaponry designed to maim and hurt. "And I'm gonna make YOU beg for mercy!"

For the rest of the day, the air was filled with the sound of clashing weapons, Kaiten, and laughter.

AWWWWWW! So sweet.......I need to go to the dentist to get my cavities filled.

So, like it? Review please! ^.^ Neji&Tenten is so cute!