A.N. I could make excuses but really, bottom line is my muse died for a bit and I apologize.

Summary: Her throat aches but she'll keep screaming in the vain hope that someone is listening.

A Thousand Suns

Tenten wakes up warm and comfortable, sunlight spilling through the window and slanting across her bed. She stretches and yawns, rubs at her eyes and finally drags herself into a standing position. The window is open and she takes a deep breath of fresh air and exhales with a smile. She slips her feet into fluffy green slippers and heads downstairs, her nose instantly detecting an absolutely delectable scent. The dining room/kitchen combo is bright and cheery, sunlight shining through the walls, all made of glass. Lee is buzzing around the kitchen dressed in a fluffy green bathrobe that matches the slippers she's stolen. She takes a seat at the kitchen table as he cooks something heavenly. She picks up the coffee mug in front of her and inhales the smell, eyes closing in pleasure. She takes a sip and smiles, peering at the scene playing outside the walls.

Twelve year old versions of herself, Lee and Neji meet for the first time and Gai is quick to establish the importance youth will have in every part of their lives. Nostalgia takes a hold of her and a fond smile pulls at her lips. Breakfast sizzles in a frying pan as the scene changes before her eyes, all three of them aging rapidly. And as they age, she watches Lee and Neji excel. There is nothing they cannot do, no enemy they cannot beat. People watch and cheer as they succeed in mission after mission, each one more difficult than the last. Tenten stands to the side, valiantly trying to catch up but failing, becoming less and less visible with every one of her teammates victories. Both Tentens watch Lee and Neji leave, side by side as the world cheers them on. Their backs grow smaller and smaller and the Tenten outside fades away while the one inside drinks her coffee with a strange feeling in her chest.

Breakfast is placed on the table in front of her, looking and smelling absolutely delicious. She turns her head to face Lee and smiles gratefully at him.

"This smells amazing Lee." His answering smile is as bright as a thousand suns and he rests a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you my flower of everlasting youth!" His thumb moves in slow circles against the fabric of her pajama top and then he gives a squeeze to her shoulder and returns to the kitchen, humming loudly. She shakes her head but grins, taking a moment to savour the scent of Lee's culinary masterpiece. Just as she is about to dig in, there is a puff of green smoke that makes her eyes water and she coughs, fanning the air in front of her face to clear it. Gai stands in the dissipating cloud, pose struck like a pro. When Tenten regains the ability to breathe she sees that Gai has already pulled up the chair across from her and sat down.

"Ohayo, Gai-sensei," she greets, her voice still a little choked from smoke. He flashes her a million watt smile that hurts her eyes and Lee comes hurrying in, a steaming mug of coffee in one hand and a plate of breakfast in the other. He sets them down in front of Gai who turns his blinding smile in Lee's direction.

"Thank you Lee." Lee nods and Tenten's very sure she can see tears forming in Lee's eyes. He rushes back into the kitchen and returns with his own meal. He sits down between the two of them and turns his gaze towards Gai in rapt attention.

"As you know my glorious students, today is the TEAM GAI REUNION! We shall set Konoha ablaze with the FIRES OF OUR YOUTH, and we shall never let our Youth diminish nor our fires be extinguished!"

"Hai Gai-sensei!" Lee shouts, tearing up and Tenten rolls her eyes. Gai continues to rattle off his plans for the day and Lee nods along eagerly with every word. Lee grabs her hand in excitement and she is about to comment when she pauses, noticing something is off about the situation. She looks around the room, feeling like something is missing. Whatever it is is hovering right in the forefront of her mind and she is about to ask Gai and Lee when she peeks out the window and it hits her like a sledge hammer. This is a Team Gai reunion and yet they are missing one of the key figures, Neji!

She tries to signal to Gai-sensei that she would like to say something but he doesn't appear to notice. He continues to talk but Tenten finds herself unable to quite catch the words, even as his volume increases with his mounting enthusiasm. She eventually decides to cut in, manners be damned.

"Where's Neji?" Neither one of them shows any sign of hearing her and she tries again, louder but still receives absolutely no acknowledgement. Her chest feels stranger by the second as she tugs on Lee's hand, bangs her mug on the table, stomps her feet and shouts her question as loud as she can. She finally slumps back in her chair defeated, feeling strangely winded. She places a hand against her chest only to feel it pass through air. Her eyes widen and she looks down in confusion only to shriek in horror. There is a gaping hole in her chest and as much as she wants to look away she can't seem to tear her eyes off it. She stands, her chair clattering to the floor. The noise doesn't seem to register with her team and she turns to them in panic.

"Guys, we need to go to the hospital or something. Guys? Gai-sensei! Lee! Hello! There's something wrong with me! I need your help!" Neither one even spares her a glance and she feels her panic rising.

"LEE!" She screams running towards him. She reaches for his shoulders, to grab and shake but her hands pass right through him. She gasps and stumbles away, pulling her hands back in horror. Her breathing becomes erratic and she spins madly, looking for some way to grab their attention. Her eyes land on her upturned chair and she lunges for it and she can't help the surge of relief when it's solid, when her hands don't just slide through it. She picks it up, arms shaking and weak and throws it at the nearest window-wall but it bounces off and she screams in frustration.

Still no reaction from the men at the table.

She grabs everything she can reach, smashing, throwing, breaking all the while screaming at the top of her lungs but they still don't react. Tears begin to build in her eyes and she finds her legs wobbling. She stumbles into the window and covers her mouth with her hands to stop from sobbing.

"You're nothing." She starts in surprise and pushes away from the wall, head whipping from side to side, trying to find out who spoke.

"You're nothing." The faint barely there whisper is coming from behind her and when she turns around she can see the hazy outline of a nearly invisible person. She leans closer and she realizes that it's her, the one that was outside and faded away while her teammates charged forward.

"You're nothing. That's why Neji left." Tenten backs away and shakes her head.

"No no no no no NO! Shut up!" She slams her hands against the glass but the other Tenten doesn't flinch or waver and her gaze remains as piercing as ever. She screams and rages, kicking, punching and beating the glass but nothing happens. She spins around to face her still unresponsive team and bangs on the table top.

"Gai-sensei! Lee! Help me! Please!" No one moves and she grabs the table and slams it up and down.

"You're nothing." She stumbles back, shaking her head and sinks to the floor.

"No...no...I'm not...no please." She whispers, hugging herself and crying.

"Gai-sensei...Lee...please...please..." But no one hears and no one cares and Tenten keeps screaming, but she's nothing so no one answers.