I decided to dedicate this chapter to a friend of mine. While I wrote this chapter down, I thought of him. 

We had gone through a lot, and around this time we had both met each other online. And since then, for three years, he's been there for me and I for him in more ways than one. He's trusted me and let me in, and after a long while, I convinced him that no matter what, I'm there for him and that I'd never turn my back. 

In a way, he actually got me into SasuTen.

 I can only hope that life gets a little easier for him. He really deserves it. 

So this is to you, Furry-Chan. You're one of the best brothers I've ever had, blood related or not. 

Enjoy the chapter.

~~~

Tenten rubbed her forehead in irritation, trying to decide what she should do as she studied with Sasuke once more. 

No changes were made in the past week. Tenten wouldn't have been surprised if no changes would ever be made. 

Sasuke seemed to be a large metal wall, unbending, no cracks, and didn't care enough to at least try to let up just a little. Tenten's hopes quickly fled as each day passed. And by the time they had one week left, she was beyond fed up. 

With no one to talk to or reach out for comfort from her thoughts, Tenten had decided that if it came down to it, she'd leave the village to find peace, wherever it could possibly be. 

Her first thought was the Sunagakure, but Konoha was still having a few issues with them.
She almost smiled to herself.
She knew Gaara and Naruto shared the same pasts, and it would be that very fact that may make the Sunagakure and Konohagakure more than just allies. 

Of course, the thought of being consumed in the never ending heat made her think twice about it. 

Tenten then thought of her old home, and how it was in the middle of the woods. Yes, that's what she would do; find an enclosed place far away from the village and hopefully find inner peace. The idea itself was crazy. 

Bandits, rogue ninja, even desperate crooks, could possibly attack her at any time. 

The more Tenten thought about it, the more she felt that there was no escape. 

A sudden tap on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts. She tilted her head upwards, looking warily at the Uchiha sitting before her. He seemed ticked, not that she really cared. 

"Pay attention," he snapped, sighing and looking back down at his work. He didn't see what the point was all to this anyway. He had always been a Genin since he could remember, and it really felt no different. 

Why was he even trying with Tenten anyway, knowing that she didn't care to be near him? 

He saw it in her eyes every time she looked at him. She suppressed her anger towards him, but it really didn't matter if she snapped at him or not. But even he knew that today was especially tense. He was feeling angry at her for something she didn't do, and confused as to why she even bothered to spend her time with him and him alone. 

The visits to the Hyuga Household stopped since last week, and he hardly saw that annoying shinobi Naruto or anyone else for that matter. 

Was this the price he had to pay for leaving almost four years ago?
Complete and total isolation with the one female who hated him more than anything else? 

He sighed, but it sounded like a hiss, and it caught Tenten's attention. She almost smirked. It seemed as if Sasuke Uchiha was about to crack under pressure, and he didn't even know where the pressure was coming from. '

I guess he isn't quite the genius like Neji was.' Tenten thought.

"Tenten," Sasuke spoke suddenly, glancing at her only slightly. She looked at him in slight surprise and asked hesitantly, "... Yes?" 

"Have you ever abandoned a comrade?" 

She blinked before saying, "Of course not. Is that a question in one of the scrolls?" 

He shrugged. "In a way. If a comrade is in danger in the middle of a mission, do you abort the mission to save him?" 

Tenten sighed softly and said, "I won't abandon a comrade for anything. Never have, never will. Even if it threatens the mission." 

Sasuke almost chuckled. She really was starting to sound like Naruto. "And what if it meant sacrificing someone else's life?" 

Tenten frowned a bit before saying, "Then I'd find a way to save both of them." 

Sasuke sighed and said, "You're not serious are you? What if a war broke out because you tried to 'save both of them' or just 'save your comrade'? Could you handle a burden like that?" 

She scoffed and said, "If it meant war, then I'll do what I have to. I am a kunoichi, Sasuke." 

"It seems to me that you almost don't have what it takes to go on an actual difficult mission," Sasuke continued, ignoring her retort. "It's not a surprise that your team hasn't gone on any missions, or why you're here babysitting a man you don't even want to be around." 

Tenten gripped the scroll she was lightly holding moments before, forcing herself to give a thin smile. She had to remember that she was in HIS home, and that Itachi and Kisame were in the other room. 

Sasuke rolled his scroll up and said, "It's a wonder why you continue to invite me or come over here when we both know you have undying hatred against me." 

Tenten forced a laugh and sneered, "Well, you'd know all about undying hatred, don't you, Uchiha?" Sasuke glared at her, his body noticeably twitching. Tenten, on the other hand, had no more cares to give. 

"You preach to me about not being a good kunoichi, but at least I'm trying. At least I didn't abandon my comrades, even when one of them had a bloodlust mother." She stared up at him with a blank look. "Don't preach to me, when you can't seem to forgive your brother, the last actual family member you have, when you won't give your former friends another chance to be in your life." 

She rolled her scrolls up and sighed. "Whatever, I'm talking to a damn wall. I'll come back tomorrow and we'll continue where we left off." 

"Don't bother, Tenten." 

Tenten heard how tight his voice was and stood up, facing him in the process. "Excuse me?" she asked, unable to keep the disbelief from her voice. He smirked and said, "You heard me. We both know this isn't going to work. Tsunade made a mistake placing me in your team; in such a weak team." 

Tenten gritted her teeth, able to sputter out, "So what? You give up?" 

He shrugged and said, "It seems like it." 

She couldn't breathe. It seemed that everything stopped, and for a moment, only for a moment, Tenten didn't know what to think or how to blink.

 Sasuke took a step closer and said, "I think it's time for you to go, Tenten. It was nice playing comrades, but we're done here."

He reached towards her arm to turn her the other way, but she knocked his hand out of the way, the brown bangs concealing her eyes. He looked at her in slight shock, only for it to be replaced by anger. 

She looked up at him, unable to control her emotions as she swung at him with the intent of slapping. Sasuke easily stopped her, shoving her back in a warning manner. 

Tenten hit the wall, grunting slightly before practically yelling, "I'm not going anywhere you red-eyed, heartless asshole!!" 

He gripped her shirt and snapped, "If you don't get out of here, then I'll make you leave, Tenten!" She smacked his hand aside, trying to grab his shoulders and knee him in the gut, but he stopped her knee with his palms, pushing her leg down and hitting her in the face with his elbow. 

She slammed up against the wall again, jumping and landing on the other side of his room. Sasuke sighed, but his sigh was heavy, burning with anger as it hissed in the air. 

He pulled out a kunai and drawled, "You... You will wish you had left this room, Tenten." She scoffed and pulled out her kunai, stopping him from swinging his kunai down on her just in time. 

He swung his right leg, sending her flying and slamming up against the wall again, not even stopping as he lifted her and tossed her to the other side of the room. Her head hit the wall, causing her vision to blur out as books fell in front of her. 

Sasuke stalked over to her and grabbed her left leg, and she hollered, kicking Sasuke square in the face with her right foot. He staggered back, and she leapt, swinging her kunai at his midsection. 

She missed by an inch, as Sasuke had brought his elbows down on her back, forcing her to painfully land on the floor. He rubbed his mouth, his breath picking up just a little as he said, "What an idiot. Do you really think you can take me, Tenten? Look at you, already on the floor and quaking." 

Tenten gritted her teeth and pushed herself up, almost catching Sasuke off guard. She punched him in the face only to be greeted by his fist in her face. She staggered back, falling on her rear as Sasuke crouched and spun his leg. He then pounced on her, kunai in hand. He pointed it at her throat, causing her to freeze. 

He grinned almost cruelly as he whispered, "Caught like a wild animal. Move an inch and you won't be talking for a while." 

She froze, her eyes wide as she watched him. Slowly, he lifted his kunai. He figured she would stop that this point. 

He should've known better. 

The moment he lifted it away far enough, she swung a kunai at him, cutting his cheek in the process. The momentum cause him to flick his kunai the wrong way, not only gashing her cheek, but her shoulder as well. 

The moment they locked eyes, something snapped.

 Their kunai clashed with one another as they blocked and made moves against one another. Tenten would narrowly dodge his kicks but not his kunai, and her arms were scratched in several places. Sasuke on the other hand, wasn't receiving much damage, but that didn't mean he wasn't getting hurt. His mouth was bleeding from the few punches and kicks Tenten had given him. 

In a dangerous move, Sasuke had aimed for her head, but she managed to get out of the way, gasping as her hair was cut loose. 

The flowing hair blocked her sight, giving Sasuke the upper hand to fling her up against the wall.

She cried out, falling to her knees as the air was knocked out of her. Her legs trembled as she struggled to stand up; her chest hurting as she tried to breathe. She wielded the kunai tightly, forcing herself to breathe as she looked through her hair. 

There he was, standing tall and breathing fairly easy despite the cuts and blood that temporarily marked his skin. He was glaring down at her cruelly, almost smiling as if he won. She grunted and stood up, preparing to lash out again, but a chuckle caught her off guard. 

Before she realized who had just laughed, Sasuke was suddenly impaled in the chest. She opened her mouth to scream out, but no sound came. She grabbed her throat as it suddenly burned, feeling blood slowly trickle down her neck. 

'No! NO!!!' 

The blood continued to flow, and she felt herself get dizzy. She looked at Sasuke with wide eyes, watching him choke on his own blood. 

The sword was suddenly pulled out, causing him to collapse to the ground. She opened her mouth to call out to him, but only blood poured out. She choked, gripping her throat tighter as the blood flow quickened. 

She felt her life flow out of her body, and looked up. 

She thought she saw a figure of her mother approach her, as the light behind the figure was blinding Tenten. 

'Mom,' she thought weakly, reaching out for her. 

However, before their fingertips touched, the figure grabbed her wrist painfully. Tenten tried to pull back, but to no avail. 

The light faded, revealing to her that it was Yoru all along. Tenten choked on her blood, desperately trying to pull away, but Yoru kept a tight hold. 

"There there, child," she cooed, smiling wickedly, "Don't waste a drop of blood. Neji does need to feed, you know." Tenten felt confused until she looked down. To her utter disbelief and horror, Neji was spread on the floor, pale and choking on her own blood. 

The life had left his eyes, only to be replaced by red orbs. Tears spilled from Tenten's cheeks as she removed her hand from her throat, caressing Neji's curse mark on his forehead and smearing blood. Without warning, Neji grabbed her hand and impaled her skin with his teeth, drinking straight from the vein. 

Tenten choked on her own blood again, unable to pull back as all the strength she had left was flowing inside of Neji's mouth. 

"Good girl," Yoru hissed, "Give him all of it. Give him your blood, your soul. Give him your life!!!" 

Her eyes involuntarily closed as she felt her whole body go numb. She felt nothing, nothing but the stinging in her eyes as she shed tears. 

'Neji... I'm so sorry... Please forgive me..' 

~~~

Light forcefully caused her to awaken. 

She could feel again. 

The blood running hastily through her veins, the pulsing in her head, the scars and cuts that marred her skin; even the tears that left streaks on her cheeks and ears. 

The next thing she noticed was that her throat was perfectly fine. Her wrist was mark-free, and the young shinobi kneeling before her was not impaled. 

He was perfectly fine. 

Despite being angry at him, she didn't want him to die, and felt very relieved to find him breathing. He watched her carefully, almost smiling at the fact that Tenten didn't notice his fingers gently pressed against the scars wrapped around her wrists. 

Scars that he didn't even know existed. 

He shouldn't care, he knew this. But when he saw them, he almost felt ashamed of himself. 

It didn't matter how heartless he was, he should've known better than to harm a victim to such methods not uncommon in the shinobi world. He was implied to ask her why, why she would harm herself in that way, but he knew why. 

He was sure he knew. 

She looked up at Sasuke, breathing unevenly as she whispered, "S-Sasuke... You're okay..." Sasuke nodded, partially in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?" he asked. 

She shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "It doesn't matter," she croaked, sitting up and looking around for her scrolls. It was hard to tell where they were with the room in its current state. 

Furniture had been tossed, and there were dents in the wall, and papers and scrolls were scattered everywhere. 

She sighed and leaned up against the wall, breathing slowly. She felt awkward due to how close Sasuke actually was. His body was a foot from her. When he shifted, she looked at him. 

She almost glared at him but stopped when his curious black eyes were focused on her. She shifted and winced, gripping her arm as it lightly bleed. 

Sasuke noticed and carefully reached over, removing her hand from her arm. She looked up at him but didn't say anything. After a moment or two of contemplating, and another glance at her wrist, he asked, "...What led you to gash yourself?" 

Tenten stared at him with wide eyes. Her lips moved but no words were formed. 

She wasn't ready to talk about that, especially at a time like this. 

Sasuke sighed and asked, "Why are you so desperate to keep me in your team?" She bit her lower lip, sighing softly and waiting a few moments before saying, "Ah... I guess someone needs to tell you... Lady Tsunade threatened to have my title stripped."

Sasuke frowned. "What? Why?" 

She smiled softly. "Out of the many teams we have in this village, my team is a part of the top four teams, you know? But we haven't been doing any missions lately. Guy Sensei and Lee are ready to move on and do better things... That's why they left a week ago."

 Sasuke listened intently, noticing that her posture slumped a little. 

She continued, "Lady Tsunade gave me a week to try and get along with you, to fight properly and get you to act like an actual teammate. And of course, I figured that I wouldn't be able to get you to change. But..." Tenten sat up straight, rubbing her forehead and forcing herself not to cry. 

She wasn't a little girl anymore. 

She took a deep breath and said quietly, "I had at least hoped maybe you would've opened up a little.. I'm tired of fighting you. And if that means giving up on you and giving up on my team... Then maybe that's the best path.. You and Lee get along well anyway, it's not like you need someone as weak as me on your team." 

A tear escaped her eye and she didn't bother to hide it. There was no use in hiding anything anymore. 

She smiled faintly at Sasuke and said, "She said that you'd never rise from being a Genin. I didn't want that to happen either. I know the thrill of being in a mission, the passion of fighting with your foes and coming out victorious. And a guy like you... Well, I figured you would've liked that." 

Sasuke closed his eyes and tilted his head upward. It was true, he did love a good fight.
He loved the pride that came with it, knowing that he succeeded in taking down his foe and doing the right thing at the same time. 

It was a feeling he had yearned to experience again deep down. 

Tenten watched his body relax and almost smiled. Yes, he had wanted to get back into missions as much as her, she saw that now. But what difference would it make? 

Tenten carefully stood up, pressing her hand up against the wall as she tried to steady herself. Sasuke stood up as well, noticing that her posture had further slumped. It seemed that she was defeated. 

She almost laughed. "It's over for me as a kunoichi.. The best chance I'll have at a happy life is to leave here. Leave here and hopefully find a better place. Find peace. But... I thank you for at least making it seem like you were trying." 

Her head lowered, her brown locks hiding the tears sliding down her cheeks. As if by impulse, Sasuke walked towards her. As he reached out for her, he recalled his brother's words to him not too long ago. 

"You don't have to if you don't want to. She certainly might not want to see you either. But when a comrade is in need, it's always best to at least try." 

Well he wanted to try. He realized it when he saw her defeated; because of him.

He gently gripped her left arm, gently holding it up and watching the blood from one of her gashes trickle down and drip onto the wood. Tenten looked up at him, caught between wanting to be angry and feeling sad. 

Sasuke opened his mouth, but was at a loss of words. 

She kept her look on him, watching as he quietly uttered a single word. 

"....Stay." 

She blinked in confusion, causing more tears to roll down her cheeks. Feeling like she wanted to throw up, Tenten asked, "Why? Why should I stay? Nothing is going to change. I know you, Uchiha. You won't change." 

He didn't reply to that. 

Sasuke leaned down and picked up bandages off of the floor, unwrapping them and beginning to wrap it around her arm. She watched him, feeling unsure and tired more than anything. 

"Stay," he murmured again, feeling almost dead inside. 

He had done this to her. 

He was no better than the cause of her scars. 

He hurt her. 

He hurt her. 

Tenten looked away, feeling mute. She didn't know how to reply to that. She couldn't understand him at all. Once finished, Sasuke got ointment and pushed out the white substance, gently wiping it over her cut cheek. 

This action caused her to freeze. Her mouth dropped partially, not quite understand why Sasuke was being gentle with her. Before she could open her mouth and say anything, he removed his hand from her cheek. 

She grabbed his hand and asked, "Sasuke, I don't understand. You just spat at me that you wanted me to leave! I can't keep going back and forth like this! Either you hate me or you don't!!" 

The longer he stayed quiet, the more irritated she got. A small breath escaped her lips as Sasuke's fingers slowly wrapped around her hand. Were she not so sure he was feeling guilty, she would've felt his actions as damn near intimate. 

Even Sasuke didn't understand why he was holding onto her hand. Maybe... Maybe it was because she was truly the only person who could help through the pain he had pressed down for so long. He swallowed thickly, forcing himself not to tremble, even though Tenten had already noticed it. 

He opened his mouth as his hand gripped hers tighter. 

"...Stay."

 Tears swelled in tenten's eyes once more. 

This shinobi, this Uchiha, was going to slowly and carefully tear her apart. 

And the worst part was that he probably wasn't even trying to. 

~~~

UPDAAAAAAAATE!!!! After so many weeks, I finally update, and MAN does it feel good! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I damn near cried writing this. 

Until The Next Update!!

~ Nimo #IFanonNotCanon