Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters from the manga/anime/etc. The rights owner is Masashi Kishimoto.

I was late.

I had finally gotten over my slight egg phobia (I had been scared for a few weeks about a repeat of the whole barfing scene) and had been cooking some breakfast for myself only to drop the (very hot and filled with half-cooked eggs) pan on my bare foot.

And I, being the person I am, cursed and hurried to find some healer or something.

Yeah, not my morning. Sooooo not my morning!

By the time I'd tracked down Sakura, I was limping a good deal and I was pretty sure I had some serious burns.

Sakura healed me and told me to hurry, the wedding was in two hours. I had nodded and decided to go home to clean the kitchen up from my horrible morning disaster, limping all the way ("I healed it to the point where it's just a bruise now," Sakura had said... Some bruise, I remember thinking glumly).

But of course, I got distracted after I'd finished cleaning and had ended up falling asleep on the living room floor, curling up with a sofa cushion.

When I had finally woken up, I was twenty minutes late.

I screamed and ran to my room, grabbing my dress and hurriedly shoving it on over my shoulders. I found a brush and quickly ran it through my loose hair as I searched for some decent shoes.

And then I proceeded to leap (hop? I was mostly using one leg) barefooted over rooftops, one hand holding my heels and the other clinging to a lovely little bag. I mentally patted myself on the shoulder for having prepared this gift in advance.

I didn't even stop to catch my breath when I had reached my destination. Nope, that wouldn't do. So instead I squared my shoulders and ran around until I found a side entrance, which I entered.

Churches always look so amazing. Even in my rush, I couldn't help but look around and admire the beautiful stained glass.

Pretty, shiny stuff gets ya every time.

Oh, yeah. Definitely the most cliche church for a cliche wedding.

I grinned at the thought.

The goofball and his sunshine were getting married today.

Okay, Tenten, I thought to myself, this is their big day. Don't screw up!

Well, any more than I already had, I added.

"Tenten!" hissed a voice. I cringed and quickly sprinted to Ino's side.

"What?" I hissed back, trying to stop panting from my little unexpected workout. I swear, sometimes all the ninja training in the world doesn't do any good when you're involved in big events like those.

"Give me the gift," she whispered. She snatched it from me before I could acknowledge her words, and shushed my protests. "You need to get in there, Tenten," she continued. I shoved my shoes on, wincing from my "bruise." "There's a side d-"

"Yeah, ok, going!" I bounded off towards the closed doors before me. I knew well enough that they probably lead into the chapel. I wasn't sure, though. Rehearsal had been last week, after all, and weeeelllll... I had felt at the time that the game arcade in town needed some new high scores more than I needed another tedious Elder lecture about manners and wedding traditions. Neji had chastised me about it, but I'd waved away his concerns with my hand and a chuckle, believing I could totally figure the place out as I went.

I was kind of regretting it now.

I pushed the doors open just as Ino frantically said, "Wait, don-" before abruptly cutting off.

I couldn't say I blamed her, either.

No one wants their voice to echo through a silent chapel filled to the brim with wedding guests. It would just be weird.

How unfortunate that I had opened the grand doors in the middle of the ceremony.

Naruto and Hinata stood at the altar, holding hands and looking strangely at me. The priests hand wavered above theirs, and he, too, stared at me.

My eyes alighted on Neji's. His seemed to hold amused shock, along with a partial warning that told me I had just ruined the rest of my morning and afternoon.

"Er, uhm..." I managed.

But why was everyone STARING like that? I mean, yes, I was a little late to the wedding, but those scrunched-up faces were just... So...

I covered my mouth and pretended to clear my throat to hide my giggles. I was NOT going to laugh at Naruto and Hinata's wedding guests. No WAY, no HOW, even IF Gai and Lee were wearing their jumpsuits underneath some hideous-looking green suit-tops that resembled trench-coats and-

Oh, God, I thought to myself. The giggles were beginning to escape.

I just screwed up. Rats! I'm so sorry, Naruto, Hinata! I thought.

"Hahahhhahahahah!"

I looked up to see Naruto leaning over and holding his stomach.

"Ahah... Ahahaah..." he continued. "Tenten, y-y'know you just w-walked in at the part where the-the dude asked if anyone objected a-a-and... Bahahahah..."

Hinata began to giggle a bit as I keeled over in hysterical laughter.

Might as well, right? It'd make me feel a LITTLE better about the whole situation, and I never passed up an opportunity to laugh if it was an appropriate time.

Well, at least Naruto's thunderous laugher would cover my own.

I limped over to Neji as more and more of the audience began to join in with Naruto's laughing. I plopped myself down with one last chortle before putting my head in my hands. There was NO way I was going to EVER live this down.

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?

"It's okay," cooed Neji. I looked up to shoot him a glare before leaning back in my chair and sitting as proudly as I could manage. By now most of the church was silencing their giggles, and the priest was clearing his throat. Naruto began to take some deep breaths (probably because Hinata told him to) and when he was calm, the ceremony continued.

I sat awkwardly, fidgeting in my purple dress the whole time.

Neji held my hand as we walked to the party afterwards. Naruto and Hinata were already dancing. The blonde whispered something in her ear and she turned red, letting out a little squeak as he kissed her neck playfully.

As for me, I looked away.

I reeeeeeeally wished I hadn't seen that. Naruto... Was obviously very hyped up. I could still hear his whispers over here (although I couldn't make out any words).

Neji lead me to a table reserved for us and Hiashi (he still had to "chaperone"). Hiashi, on his part, looked ready to start crying (whether out of happiness or sadness I had no clue), and he quickly stood and muttered something about getting some food and hurried away.

I looked down at the table.

Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why?

I then banged my head against the table and decided to stay in that position. Y'know, the whole unmovable rock thing again.

Neji did try, though. He tried consoling me, tried convincing me, even tried to physically lift me, but my head remained firmly in place on the table. Finally he gave up when he realized he wasn't going to get anywhere.

That was when I heard little footsteps bounding over.

"Neji-nii-san!" said a voice.

I looked out of the corner of my eye to see Hanabi standing by the edge of the table.

Er, scratch that. She'd just sat down in her father's chair.

"Daddy said I get to chaperone for you guys," she said excitedly. The ten-year-old bounced up and down in her chair.

I laughed, deciding I could sit up again.

I couldn't help it. Neji's face... Was... Just... So... Priceless! And Hanabi's OBVIOUS jubilee wasn't hard to smile at, either.

Neji scowled at me for a moment before cracking a grin himself, allowing a chuckle to escape. Hanabi, being a kid and not realizing why we were laughing, let out her own peal of giggles. I smiled at her.

"Well, Ms. Chaperone," I said, "do you know where the food is?"

"Yeaaaaaaahhhh!" she cried, jumping up. "Sorry, I forgot to bring some. I will go get you some now!"

I grinned as Neji caught on, too.

The girl had no idea what a chaperone was; or maybe she just thought it was a type of waiter. Either way, she scurried away, leaving me giggling and Neji with an amused expression.

"Hiashi probably... Ah... Misled her," said Neji. I raised my eyebrows.

"Just a little," I said sarcastically. I laughed again and sighed, shaking my head. "I feel horrible."

Neji nodded. "I'm sure you do," he replied. "Sakura vouched for your being late, though. She said she hadn't fully healed you so you were limping around, and it'd take you a while to get here. We actually kinda expected you to only show up for this, as late as you were."

Gee. Thanks for having faith in me, dude.

And note to self: buy Sakura some lovely chocolates for the would-be save.

I sighed.

"Oh, quit it," said Neji in an annoyed tone. I looked up in surprise. "You're ALWAYS happy! Why are you so, ahh, so NOT today?" He looked at me with concern in his eyes.

I laughed half-heartedly. "I guess I just got up on the wrong side of the bed today," I replied.

Just then Hanabi came bounding over, swiveling between the people beginning to join the Goofball and Hinata on the dance floor, and placed two plates piled with food on the table.

"Thanks, little chaperone," I said gratefully. Hanabi beamed up at me.

"Hanabi!" called a voice.

I turned my head (a fork with food poised in front of my mouth) to see Hinata a little ways away with her arms spread wide. Hanabi ran at her and embraced her sister, squealing in happiness.

"Congratulations, nee-chan!" she said. Hinata hugged her little sister.

"Thank you," she said happily.

"And YOU," said Hanabi, turning to Goofball. "YOU promised to take me to the amusement park once your honeymoon is over!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "Oi, who told you it was a honeymoon?"

"Daddy did," explained Hanabi proudly. Just as Naruto began to turn pink, she continued, "And I don't know why I can't go with you! It's just a vacation, right?"

Naruto stared for a moment before bursting out into laughter. I laughed too from where I was sitting, munching on the plate our little waitress had brought us.

Hanabi was not so amused, glaring at Naruto enough to quickly make him stop his laughing.

"Well, me and Hinata-"

"H-Hinata and I," Hinata corrected softly. Naruto rolled his eyes and grinned wider.

"Hinata and I," he continued, "want to spend some time without everyone else. Just the two of us." He winked at Hinata, who blushed.

"B-but I'm sure N-N-Naruto will be happy to take you on-once we return," she said, and Hanabi looked to Naruto, who nodded vigorously.

"Okay," said Hanabi, "but if you forget then I'm gonna kill you."

Judging from the look on Naruto's face at the younger Hyuga's comment, I could tell he didn't recognize it was a (failed) attempt on Hanabi's part at humor. Hinata smiled, and then her eyes met mine.

Uh-oh.

She lead her new husband (who was frantically trying to reason to Hanabi why she SHOULDN'T kill him) to our table. I gulped.

"Tenten," she said.

"Hi," I replied awkwardly. I looked at Neji quickly, but he wasn't about to offer me any support, so I cleared my throat. "Nice food," I said, motioning a my plate. Never mind that I hadn't eaten any yet. It still looked good, and that's half the point, isn't it?

Hanabi squealed loudly. My attention was re-focused to the groom, who had picked Hanabi up and was flinging her about this way and that. The girl was overjoyed; Naruro looked happy, too.

A smile graced the bride's face.

And then, despite how my day had been turning out, I grinned along with Hinata.

"Tenten?" asked Naruto, still holding his younger sister-in-law. "Is your toe okay? Because the way you were walking when you came in was a little weird, and I just thought-"

"Oh, it's fine, it's fine," I said, waving away his concern. "Life, ya know?"

Naruto and Hinata shared a glance at each other.

"Yeah, well, if you say so," replied the goofball.

I looked up from my couch. I had just settled down so I could rest my foot while taking a nap, but noooooooo, someone had decided to knock!

Well, it wasn't like I had been about to go to sleep, anyway. Not any time soon.

I stood and hobbled on over to the door.

"Yeah?" I asked, opening it.

Neji stood there, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" I replied, raising one of mine.

"Wedding plans," he replied.

I waved my hand indifferently.

"Ehh, you go on ahead," I said, moving to close the door. Neji easily avoided it and just slid inside before the door actually closed in place. "I don't really feel like hanging with the in-laws, no offense."

"Tenten," he said somewhat reproachfully. I shrugged and stumbled back to my couch, where I decided to plop myself back down at. I lifted my foot and shoved it in his face.

"Still somewhat-broken here," I said proudly. "Can't walk. So sad."

"You made it to the wedding, you can certainly make a clan meeting."

I shook my head no, grinning.

"Nope," I replied. "Look, see? See my swollen ankle?" I pointed at a particularly blackened (and, yes, swollen) piece of flesh. "That wasn't there until I got back. It got worse. So I'm crashing here." I waved my arms in a teasingly spooky manner. "Tell them I'll be with them in spirit."

Neji grunted something I couldn't decipher before picking my feet up a bit and sitting down on the couch, too.

"If you're skipping, then so am I."

I laughed, sitting up to pat his head.

"Hiashi probably won't be that surprised," I said. Neji nodded.

"Probably not." He then picked my feet up again and stood, clearly intending to do something or other.

"Want some eggs or something?" he asked me. I made a face.

"Naw," I replied. "I'll go for some takeout myself. Sometimes ya gotta take a break and relax from doing everything by hand."

Neji blinked at me.

"Are you telling me to go buy something from a restaurant and bring it here?" he asked. I clapped happily.

"Bingo!"

Neji scowled.

"That's just pawning the work by hand off on me. You owe me."

"I'm gonna be your wife, I don't owe you squat."

Neji smirked a little.

"Yeah, you do."

It was my turn to grimace.

"Uhm, why?"

He smiled that little smile of his, the one he uses when he knows the answer to the question you're dying to know, the one he uses when he has no intent of sharing that answer with you.

That smile frustrates me.

Like crazy.

"Nejiiiiii," I whined. "Tell me!"

He tapped his chin.

"Well, let's see. Oh, yeah." He tapped my injured foot lightly. "You owe me a dance."

I rolled my eyes. That was all? That was the big "answer" he had?

"We can dance all you wanna at our wedding," I said. "I'm hungry, though. We can talk about dancing when you get back, okay?"

Neji nodded.

"Sure."

As he left, I looked outside.

The sun was setting. It never ceases to amaze me, how beautiful it is. During the war, when night fell, I couldn't watch; I would be fighting against the red backdrop of the setting sun, adding a deeper, sadder kind of red to it. I was glad to be back to seeing the pale red of the approaching evening and not the blood on my weapons and hands.

And as I was watching that big orb of light slowly retreating beyond the horizon, I thought of the future, not the past.

I wondered if Neji would be as good with kids as Naruto was.

I wondered if we would be interrupted at our wedding by a late guest.

I wondered who would walk me down the aisle.

But most of all, I wondered whether I should make eggs for breakfast that day.

Ehh, why not, I finally decided, smiling faintly at my bruising foot. Life's full of pain. The little pleasures are what get us through. And eggs for breakfast are definitely a little pleasure.

And I knew I had something way better than eggs to keep me happy in life: I had Neji.

Yup, I decided, finally closing my eyes to rest, Neji and eggs. The meaning of my life, right there, summed up by three words.

It's more than enough for me.

AN: And that's it, folks. Hope you enjoyed the story! This is the last part of Holding On. I'm not gonna write a sequel unless I get seriously pestered to; I only intended for it to be a two-shot, but I added this last chapter for all of you who wanted more.

Don't forget the little things in life that keep you holding on!