Saviour

by Takako

A/N: Pointless Nejiten drabble. Sorry if this particular scene has been done, but so far I haven't come across any fic dealing with this scene.

Spoilers anime episode 115 – 117: Neji vs Sound nin. Neji shines :

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Or else, Neji and Tenten would be doing some serious making out during their "training" sessions

His lavender tinted eyes took a while to register the sunlight emitting through the white paned window. His whole body felt sore – he had been to hell and back. He was glad to see the sunlight, the pale walls of the hospital room, a blue vase with arranged white flowers, his teammate holding one of his bandaged hand half lying at the side of his bed fast asleep. She was clutching his hitae-ate in her other free hand.

"Tenten…" His voice was hoarse and her name barely came out as a whisper, but she heard him.

"Neji! You're awake!" She looked overjoyed. Her dark rimmed eyes shinned with happiness. She immediately reached over to the bedside table for the bottle of water with a straw. "Don't sit up. You might open your wounds."

He took several long sips of the aqua before uttering, "How long?"

"4 days."

"Others?"

Tenten smiled faintly. "They're alright. Chouji woke up yesterday. Kiba's out of hospital already. Naruto managed to catch up with Sasuke and they fought each other, but Kakashi-sensei came back with Naruto only…"

Tenten knew Neji would not be happy with the news. But nevertheless, she was glad. She was relieved that everyone came back safe and sound, even though their mission was a complete failure. She had been worried sick. Waiting and waiting and hoping. Finding solid ground in uncertainty. 4 days of torture. 4 days of hell.

Her grip on his hand did not relax. Her voice quivered. "I'm glad… everyone's safe… and you… shattered. Destroyed. I thought you couldn't make it…" Reluctant tears clouded her vision as she wrapped her arms around his heavily bandaged chest. "I don't know what to do without you! I couldn't do anything to save you! I sat here and waited and waited and there wasn't a single thing I could do to help you!"

Tears that were 4 days late ran down her cheeks. Using all the energy he could muster, he wrapped his right arm around her waist and settled his palm at the small of her back, pressing her against him. He had never seen her shed a tear. She had stayed strong for him.

"You did. You saved me." He whispered in her ear.

Images of her, of his other comrades, of Naruto who had given him a new meaning of life, and of her and her and her and her…her. She had kept him going. She had fuelled his fight against death. She had bought him back to life.

Maybe one day, he would tell her.

You're my saviour.

A/N: Weird. I apologize for the weird style and grammatical mistakes. Trying out something new. Feel free to post this on the nejiten LJ community. I want to participate but I don't have an LJ account.