Hey SparkyCasper Here,

It's here, the end! Enjoy

Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto! Just the story plot!

Summery- Tenten had a normal, boring life, till she met Neji and was thrown into the world of the gangs. It was a shock how quickly her life could change.

Pairings- Main- Neji X Tenten Minor- Naruto X Hinata, Ino X Sai, Temari X Itachi and Sakura X Sasuke.

How Quickly Life Can Change

Chapter 30

The next couple of hours seemed a blur to everyone. After the police had arrived they'd all been rushed to hospital. Hinata, being the only one who hadn't suffered any injuries, was wandering around the hospital checking on all of her friends. Thanks to her dad everyone had their own room and were all being looked after by private nurses.

"Dad, do you know if anyone's parents have arrived yet?" Hinata asked as she came to the waiting area where her dad was waiting to greet everyone's parents.

"Only the Uchiha's, they are down with Itachi's body now," He replied mournfully. Hinata nodded, gulping slightly. She couldn't even being to understand how they must be feeling right now. Their eldest son was dead. She couldn't see anything hurting worse than losing a child.

She didn't really understand how she was dealing with everything, but being the only one uninjured she felt a certain sense of responsibility.

"I'm going to check on everyone," Hinata replied to her dad, who nodded as she moved back down the corridor to check on her friends. She reached Ino's room fist and knocked before her friend welcomed her inside. Her friend had bandages in many places and bruises everywhere but looked okay for the most part.

"How you doing?" Hinata asked as she stood next to the bed, taking Ino's hand in her own.

"Fine, for the most part, just shocked. The nurse said I will be fine to go home when my dad gets here, I just need to see Sai." Hinata nodded, looking down at their hands. In truth she knew Ino would be fine and maybe that was the reason she chose to come to her first. How could she check on Sai, or Temari or any of the boys? Itachi was their friend.

"Go and see him before you leave. I think he'll need to see you tonight also," Hinata replied honestly, knowing she should also see Naruto as soon as possible. Ino nodded and moved to get off the bed.

"I'll go now, Dad should be here soon."

"My Dad is in the waiting area, ask him where Sai's room is and also make sure he lets your Dad know where you are, so he doesn't panic." Ino nodded at her friend, hugging her tightly.

"Good job saving Sakura Hin, I'm so proud of you." Hinata hugged her friend tightly back, blinking back tears. "I went to see her already but she was sleeping so I will check on her before I leave" Ino continued as she pulled away from Hinata.

"Yeah that's probably best. I will go and see Naruto now." Ino nodded at her and they left the room together before departing opposite ways.

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Ino wasn't sure why she was nervous when she stood outside Sai's room. It was probably because she didn't know what state he would be in and depending on how he was she didn't know how she could comfort him. Her own thoughts on the Itachi situation were unclear. On one hand she was devastated that their friend was gone, however she hadn't actually cried and she put this down to Sakura. What happened to Sakura was because of Itachi and that wasn't something she could ever forgive him for, even in death.

Before Ino even had the chance to knock, the door swung open and she came face to face with her boyfriend. He jumped, slightly shocked to see her there and Ino noted that he was very white and looked very sickly.

"What you doing?" He asked, sounding almost normal. Almost.

"I came to check on you," Ino replied, looking down at her hands, again feeling nervous. Sai grabbed her hands, which made her raise her head to look at him.

"I'm more concerned about you, I didn't get a single injury remember?" He smiled at her and Ino could see how forced it was. "None of your wounds are too deep are they?"

"No, they said I can go when my dad gets here." Sai smiled again, leaning down and kissing her head.

"Good, that great news." He was smiling again, which only made Ino feel even sadder.

"Sai, stop it." She muttered trying her best to hold back her tears. Sai's smile faded instantly.

"Ino, I have to. I don't know what to do but smile." This time Ino did let tears fall from her eyes and she leant forward and pressed her body against Sai's, comforting him.

"Just be honest, and cry if you want to or scream or anything and I'll be here to comfort you." Sai gulped, moving his arms to wrap around Ino.

"I don't know what to do," Sai repeated, nuzzling his face into Ino's hair. "What if I'd lost you today, or Tenten? What would happen to me then? I can't do this anymore."

"You don't have to; it's all over so there is no more fighting." Ino replied, freely crying now. She couldn't stop replaying the moment of the gun shot in her head, when she was sure it was Sai who had been hit. She would never be able to get over the panic.

Sai pulled back from the hug, placing his hands on Ino's arms and holding her away from him. "This will never be over." He said, making Ino frown slightly. "He's still out there. He got away before the police arrived. This won't be over until he kills me, or I kill him."

"What do you mean, you can't continue fighting him. Not after what's happened to Itachi!" Sai quickly shock his head, biting his lip as he did.

"I'm not involving anyone anymore. I can't afford to. No, it has to be just me and him now."

"What does that mean?" Ino asked, suddenly feeling scared again. Sai gulped nervously.

"It means after this mess is cleaned up, I'm going after him until I kill him." Sai stared at Ino, who was completely lost for words. Sai was leaving?

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"Come in," Naruto's called as a knock sounded on his door, his voice coming out sounding horse and tired

He was lying slightly propped up on the hospital bed with no shirt on and one of his shouldered was completely bandaged. When he saw Hinata open the door, he tried to prop himself up more, but wince from the pain in his shoulder.

"Careful," Hinata ordered as she quickly closed the door and went to his side, taking his hand. "How are you feeling?" Naruto smiled slightly, squeezing her hand.

"Not great, my shoulder's in bloody agony." Hinata sat on the side of his bed, tilting her head to look at his wound.

"What happened?" She asked worriedly.

"Bastard shot me, didn't he?" Naruto replied gruffly and Hinata gasped slightly, looking at her boyfriend with a shocked expression. Naruto's heart lurched as he looked at her face, seeing the worry in her eyes. He let go of her hand and moved his own to cup her face, bringing it close to his so she was leaning her forehead on his. "Thank god you weren't there; I don't know what he would have done to you." Hinata nodded, her eyes tearing up. She couldn't help but blame herself for this. Surely it was Orochimaru's weird obsession with her that had caused this, caused Naruto to be hurt so badly. Naruto himself found his eye tearing up also.

"I was so scared when I got to the house and you weren't there," Hinata muttered honestly. Naruto nodded against her head, closing his eyes.

"I won't get involved in this stuff again, not ever. I can't lose you like we lost Itachi. I can't ever lose someone again." Tears began to fall down Naruto's cheeks and Hinata moved her hands to wipe them away carefully.

"I love you," She muttered making him look at her. "I can't lose you." Naruto nodded, leaning forward to kiss her gently on the lips. With what had happened Hinata had realized what was important. They shouldn't be fighting about the past, but looking forward to the future and she could not not have Naruto in her future, the way Temari now didn't have Itachi in hers.

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Sasuke felt nothing. No pain in his foot, or his heart. He was numb. Nothing would sink in.

He was lying in a hospital bed with his foot elevated and bandaged up. His father had popped in to see him briefly but he didn't say much. What could he say when he had just learnt he had to bury his eldest son. He had given Sasuke an awkward hug, possibly glad that he was still alive, but Sasuke was unsure. He'd left now and had gone to Sasuke's mother who was down with Itachi's body.

The hospital was quiet, which only allowed Sasuke to think. He thought of his friends, wondering how injured they were, if they were okay. How were they taking his brother's death? He died to save Sai, yet could that make up for the pain he'd caused them all.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and he sat up slightly, calling to the person as he did. The door tentatively opened and in walked the frail form of Sakura. Sasuke's heart leaped at the sight of his girlfriend who he hadn't seen in days. He'd known she'd been saved but hadn't been allowed to see her yet.

"Sakura," he muttered as she nervously walked to the edge of his bed. She put her hand onto the bed and Sasuke leant his across to take it.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, looking down at his bandaged foot.

"How am I felling? Forget me, how are you? I…I am so sorry I.." Sasuke didn't know what to say and trailed off. Sakura smiled sadly at him, shaking her head.

"You had nothing to do with it. I'm not fine and I won't be for a long time, but I'm out of there now." She squeezed Sasuke's hand.

"What they did to you, I just, I can't believe I got you involved in that. I shouldn't have!"

"I knew what I was getting into," Sakura cut him off. "You warned me so it's not your fault. I didn't think what happened would ever have happen, but it did. I don't want to bring anything up anymore, it's in the past. I just came here to say goodbye." Sasuke blinked, confused by Sakura's words. She was looking away from him and wouldn't make eye contact.

"Where are you going?" He asked, confused and sad. Sakura was leaving him, just like Itachi had. He understood why she couldn't stay and possible why she couldn't be with him but he couldn't bear it. He would be alone.

"My dad is taking me away. I can't stay here. I'm going to go live with him and I don't think I'm coming back," Sakura gulped and Sasuke squeezed her hand tighter. "I can't be around this place anymore and I..I can't be around you." Sakura was crying now, but what she was doing was right.

"I understand," Sasuke replied, gentle letting go of her hand and pulling his back onto his stomach. He didn't want to understand but he did.

"I love you, so much Sasuke," She looked back at him and Sasuke started to feel himself well up. "But I can't." Sasuke nodded at her again, blinking back his tears.

"I love you two. I always will. I'll wait for you forever, if you ever feel you can be with me again." Sakura shook her hand at Sasuke's words, looking down at her hands.

"You don't have to," She said, but Sasuke cut her off by leaning across to her and grabbing her arm, pulling her towards him and kissing her. Sakura raised her hands and grabbed his face, kissing him back. She knew it would be their last so she wanted to cherish it.

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Temari was lying on her hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. She kept drifting in and out of sleep and every time she woke she prayed it would all be a dream, but it wasn't.

Itachi was gone. He was dead and he wouldn't be coming back. He was also the reason Baki, the man who had raised her and taken her and her brothers in for absolutely no reason, was dead. She hated Itachi, hated him to the core for taking Baki away from her. Yet she kept praying his death would be a dream. A horribly bad dream.

"Tem," she looked up at the sound of her name and saw her two brothers standing in her doorway. They had both been hanging about outside her room for a while now, waiting to see her.

"Hey," she muttered as they came and sat beside her bed.

"You look like shit," Kankuro joked and Temari smiled slightly at him. She couldn't blame him for trying.

"How are you feeling?" Gaara asked, smacking Kankuro across the back of the head, causing him to moan in pain.

"Like shit," Temari replied, leaning back on her bed. "Do you think the nurse can get me some strong sleeping tablets or something? I'm really tired." Gaara nodded, standing.

"I will ask for you, come on Kankuro," He ushered his brother out leaving Temari alone, again, with her thoughts. She wished she could fall into a deep sleep and never wake up. Waking up meant everything was real and right now it was all too painful. She sighed again. It will hurt forever…will it? She sure hoped not.

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Tenten was lying in one of the hospital beds next to Neji, his arm wrapped around her. Both had been checked by the Nurses and Tenten was okay to go home but Neji needed to stay. His shin bone was completely shattered so he would need to have surgery.

"I'm still processing everything that's happened," he muttered, causing Tenten to move her head to stare at him. "I mean, Itachi was working against us the whole time? Which means that the fire in Naruto's house and Temari's guardian and Sakura, all of it was his fault?"

"I know, it won't sink in." Tenten admitted, running her hand over Neji's stomach. "But at the same time I can't stop thinking about the fact that he never told them about me. Orochimaru was clueless that Sai had a sister because you know he would have gone after me if he had known." Neji nodded, sighing deeply.

"I'm in a major state of shock really." He continued. "I can't believe Hinata went to Orochimaru's lair. Was she crazy, imagine what could of happened to her?"

"I know," Tenten muttered in response, not mentioning that she had actually known as that probably wouldn't help the situation.

"God what a crazy night," he sighed, squeezing Tenten tightly. "I'm so thankful that you're okay though, and Hinata, I'd be going insane if anything happened to you two." Tenten smiled sadly at him. She two was glad nothing had happed to him and couldn't believe how lucky they actually were that no one else was majorly hurt.

"I think we need to start clean, no more gang business. No more fighting."

"Agreed," Neji said, moving his hand to run through Tenten's hair. "New start for all of us." Tenten smiled looking at her boyfriend, wondering what future they would have. She knew he wouldn't want to continue with the gangs, but she wasn't too sure about her brother and she couldn't help worrying about him. Knowing his personality, it wouldn't be over yet, not by a long shot.

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Two weeks after Itachi died, the Uchiha family held a funeral. They had had to wait for his body to be released by the police before they could have the funeral which was why there was such a long wait. It was a rather large affair which held many of their family and friends. Sai, Sasuke and Naruto all attended and bid their friend farewell. Neji was still in hospital after undergoing more than one surgery on his leg. The girls all stayed at Tenten's house, which was currently on the market to be sold. Even though the house meant so much to Tenten and Sai they both agreed they couldn't stay there any longer. After everything that happened in the house, it just didn't feel safe anymore. Tenten used to believe the house was the only connection she had to her parents, but she knew differently now. They wouldn't have wanted them to stay if it was unsafe.

Sakura had left already. Her dad had taken her away as soon as she was dismissed from hospital. She wasn't able to say a proper goodbye to any of the girls, but she had promised they could visit once she was settled in. They knew that she couldn't stay around here anymore, but they would still miss their friend dearly.

After much consideration the girls had decided they wouldn't go to the funeral. Tenten had thought Temari would want to but she argued against it. She didn't want to go there when she still wasn't sure on how she felt over everything. It would definitely take her a long time to recover from this mess.

"When do you think we have to go back to school?" Ino asked, breaking the silence. The other three girls all frowned, looking at her in disbelief. "What, I was just wondering." The girls continued to stare and then, out of nowhere, Temari laughed.

"Ino, I swear you live on another planet!" She joked, smiling for the first time in two weeks. Hinata and Tenten stared at her then both laughed too.

Tenten knew that all was hard at the moment, and terrible things had happened. They couldn't bring back the people they'd lost and they couldn't undo the pain that they'd been through. All they could do was to continue to live and grow. Tenten knew they would continue to change as they grew but since meeting Neji several months ago she'd come to realize, maybe change was actually a good thing. She looked between the girls that were sitting in her living room. Everything was over. Everything would be fine now. Everything had to be fine.

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The funeral was horrific. It was something Sai wished he'd never have to witness, but he knew he had to say goodbye to his friend. He was mad at Itachi and would never forgive him for what he'd done but he knew that if he hadn't jumped in front of him it would be his own funeral right now, not Itachi's.

"Are you heading straight home?" Naruto asked Sai in a muffled tone. Sai sighed to himself. He wasn't heading home and needed to talk to Naruto and Sasuke before he left. He had a plan; one which he knew was for the best.

"No, I wanted to have a quick word with you and Sasuke before," the older boy replied and Naruto nodded in response.

The two boys waited outside the church for Sasuke, who came out moments after them. His face was tears stricken but he looked like he was trying to hide his sadness.

"Hey," he muttered as he approached the other two, who gave him a sad smile.

"I need to tell you both something," Sai started, talking a deep breath. Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a look, confused, before Sai continued. "I'm leaving town. I've got a bag of stuff in my car and I'm going now."

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked, shocked by his friends sudden decision.

"I'm going after him Sasuke. I'm going to kill him once and for all and avenge Itachi. Otherwise this will never be over!"

"But you can't," Naruto said, looking at Sasuke for help. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"Maybe," Sai muttered, looking down at his hands. "But as long as you all stay safe then that's the price I have to pay. Do you think he won't come back to finish us all off?"

"What did Tenten say about this?" Sasuke asked. Sai guessed he was thinking from a younger sibling's point of view.

"I haven't told her," he admitted shamefully. "I haven't told anyone. They will try and stop me but I have too. I need you to understand. And here," he pulled out five letters from his pocket he had written before he'd left home. "Please give these out and read them after I've gone. I'm not telling you were I'm going and I won't call."

"We can't change your mind can we?" Sasuke muttered and Sai shock his head, smiling sadly.

"You two are like my little brothers, I hope you know that." He placed a hand on both their shoulders and saw that Naruto was once again tearing up while Sasuke looked confused. "I need you to watch after everyone until I get back. I'm leaving them to you." The younger boys both nodded. "Thank you."

Sai took his hands off their shoulders, taking a deep breath. "Best be going," he muttered before turning and walking towards his car. He hated saying goodbye, which is why he hadn't told Tenten or Ino, but here he was saying goodbye. Goodbye to his almost brothers Naruto and Sasuke. And goodbye to his best friend. He hoped they wouldn't be meeting again anytime soon, but couldn't count on it. All he knew was that this wasn't over, not by a long shot.

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Author Note: AHHHHHHHHH, after what seems like a life time I've finished! This is the last chapter of my first ever Naruto story. I'm so happy that it's finished and can't believe how far it's come. I'd like to say a massive thank you to anyone who stuck with me the whole time, with the awful updating and many grammar/spelling mistakes! However, as I'm sure you can tell there will be a sequel which I've been working on. It's going to change slightly and be written in Tenten's p.o.v, just because I find it easier to write that way now, but there will be more drama and romance than ever before! When the first chapter is up I will alert this story so everyone is aware! And while you're waiting here's a little summary of what exactly is to come! Thanks again

2 months have passed. Itachi is dead and Sai gone. Tenten is struggling to handle life without her brother, but has to stay strong for Temari who is grieving the death of her boyfriend, Ino who's going through some changes, Hinata who isn't allowed out and Sakura who has left and has yet to return. All of this and she and Neji are starting to have problems plus a love-triangle on the horizon. In such short time, so much has changed, but can Tenten pull herself and the group together as Orochimaru is once again heading their way and this time stronger than ever!