Shikamaru leaned back against a tree close to the entrance of the training ground usually frequented by Team Gai, hands in his pockets, he waited. He could have followed Naruto's example and raced through Konoha looking for Tenten, but it would have been too troublesome, especially since the girl would probably be here soon. He figured her anger and sense of loss would drive her to come attack something at a place associated with Neji, and, after a few moments his musings proved to be true.

Tenten flew into the training ground, so intent on her purpose that she totally missed the boy hiding in the shadows. Shikamaru dodged the kunai thrown his way when she realized his presence. "What do you want, Shikamaru?"

"We need to talk," he told her, straightening up from his place among the trees.

"I don't have anything to say to you," Tenten replied, she knew Neji had probably sent him, but she still wasn't ready to talk about it. Tenten turned to leave only to have her movements cease. "Let me go."

"Not until you listen to me." Shikamaru felt bad for having to trap the girl but he didn't have time to placate her anger. There were too many things he needed to take care of, one of which was to find out how Neji was.

"I know you are angry so I'll make this brief. Someone in the Hyuga clan is trying to kill Neji and Hinata. We think it may be Hanabi. We are trying to trap her, but Neji and Hinata need to play dead until we know exactly what is going on. The only ones who know they are alive are Team 8, Team 7, Team 10 and now you, the Hokage doesn't even know, and that is how it has to stay."

Tenten closed her eyes. She knew Neji would have a reason for his deceit but she still wasn't ready to forgive him; he let the others know but not her and Lee. "The sensei? Do they know?"

"No they don't; we are trying to keep as few people from knowing as possible." Shikamaru wanted to feel pity for the girl, but he knew she was not going to give in easily and he truthfully didn't want to be bothered with the drama she was about to deal him.

"So how come all of you know, and Lee and I were kept in the dark?" Tenten tried to pull against the hold of Shikamaru's shadow. She knew it was futile but she had an overwhelming urge to throw a lot of projectiles into whatever immobile object she could find.

"That was Neji's decision. I don't know if it was the right one, but seeing how you have been taking this, I can't say that he was wrong."

Tenten whipped her head up to stare at him. "You don't think I have a right to be angry about this? We are his team, he should have trusted us. Do all of you know about the baby too?"

"Shut up!" Shikamaru hissed. "No, not everyone knows, and not everyone will. Shino is claiming it and I better not hear of you saying anything different." The thin thread of Shikamaru's patience finally snapped. "Is this what you are really upset about? Not that he didn't trust you, but that he finally found someone to get close to…and that someone wasn't you?"

Tenten felt the tears well up from within her eyes as she silently cursed the boy in front of her. "Why her? God for years all I heard about was how spoiled and weak she was, how beneath him, and now this."

"Don't tell me you didn't see what I saw. I know you know him better than that Tenten." Shikamaru knew that this was the sticking point; Tenten had wanted him for herself.

"It isn't right. You know it isn't right."

"She makes him happy. I've never seen him with anyone the way he is with her. He lets down his guard, and I think that speaks more than anything else."

The tears she had been holding back slipped down her cheeks. "I know, I just wish it had been me." Tenten felt Shikamaru release her from his hold, and she looked into his eyes; surprised to see some of the same regret that she was now feeling. Apparently Shikamaru wished it could have been him too.

"Just be happy that he found someone to be free with, he deserves that." Shikamaru placed his hands in his pockets and turned away. "I'll come see you in a few days, let you know what is going on. If you decided to tell Lee, make sure he knows to keep quiet, he can be a little exuberant sometimes."

Tenten nodded her head and watched him depart. When she was sure he had left she allowed herself to slump to the ground and have a good long cry. It was rare for her to cry, but she had never had a broken heart before.

Neji half drowsed, still curled around Hinata. He knew he should sleep; he was tired enough to do it, but he didn't want to loose one moment of the peace he found with Hinata wrapped in his arms. Her scent, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the occasional movement within her stomach, they all gave him a sense of contentment, a sense of home.

He knew he had upset her, with his doubts, questioning their relationship, but yet again she had proven how well she knew him, knowing just what to say to ease his fears. He still remembered the first time he saw her, how cute she was peeking from behind her father. He had wanted to be her friend, hell he probably even loved her at that point, but then his father had died and his anger had festered.

The most amazing thing was, even with all of his hate and anger, she had never turned from him, always making overtures to him, trying to bring him close, no matter how many times he resisted. She was always kinder to him then he ever was to her.

Neji knew he probably didn't deserve her. She even forgave him after he tried to kill her, never holding it over him, letting him work his way back to her in his own time. The love he felt for her now was totally of her own doing. He had never thought he could feel this way with someone, and he doubted anyone but her could ever creep their way into his heart.

She was special, and the weaknesses he had perceived as a child were really her blessings. She possessed a heart so big it could revive even the most broken of creatures. That men did not flock to her was a shock. There were many who could benefit from her kindness, but they had lost their chance.

She was his.

Neji leaned in and breathed the scent of her hair, using his hand to gently rub her stomach; she was his, and he would hold on to her so tightly that no one would ever be able to pry them apart.

Hinata's hand came up to clasp the hand stroking her stomach. "You are supposed to be sleeping, Neji."

Neji smiled into her hair. "I need to hold you more."

A matching smile graced Hinata's lips as she squeezed his hand. "You can do both."

"I could, but I do not want to. I do not want to miss a moment of this."

Neji moved slightly to allow Hinata to roll onto her back. Smiling up at him she told him. "I can leave if this is all that is preventing you from sleeping."

Neji looked deeply into her eyes, "To have you near, I would never sleep again." The soft look that crept onto her face was too much for him, and Neji could not stop himself from leaning down to steal a kiss.

Hinata reached up to wrap her hand in the hair at the back of his head, she knew he needed to sleep, but he had scared her this morning, and she needed to feel the love he so clearly radiated when he touched her.

The feel of her lips against his, the hands pulling his head closer, Neji gave into the need and fell into her kiss. He kissed her with a slow passion, savoring every stroke of her tongue against his. He loved her, he knew this, and he promised himself he would never doubt how right this was again.

Neji reached up to stroke the hair away from her cheek, pulling back so he could look into her eyes he told her, "I love you, I always will; never let anyone make you doubt that, even me."

Hinata let the soft, loving smile grace her lips again as she pulled him back down to her. She knew she had a special place in his heart, knew it from the way he allowed himself to break in front of her, and how he let her put him back together. Still, it was nice to hear the words. She felt his hand slide to push the nemaki from her shoulder, and she released his lips to let them follow the trail left by his hand. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, following that line to the swell of her breast.

Neji continued to bare her skin, slowly removing all covering while kissing everything in its wake. He brought his hand to her side, sliding it up to plump her breast, before leaning in to take the nipple into his mouth. He sucked slow, occasionally pulling, in an effort to make her arch her back and moan her pleasure. Her leg bent to aid in lifting her unwieldy body.

Hinata started to push his shirt from his shoulders. Leaning back, Neji locked his eyes with hers as he stripped himself bare before her, smiling at the look of appreciation that came over her with the removal of his clothes. He had never really considered the appeal of his body before, it was his, he saw it everyday, but the look in her eyes let him know she thought he was beautiful.

Finally free of his clothing, he leaned back in to kiss her, relishing the feel of her hands on his skin. After long moments of kissing her lips he worked his way down her body. He knew he wouldn't last long; he wanted her too much in this moment, but he wanted to make sure she received her pleasure.

Settling himself between her thighs, pleased at how she opened herself to him, none of her habitual shyness present in this act, Neji leaned in to slowly lick her center. A small mewl left Hinata's lips as she lifted her hips. Neji smiled at the soft sound, so typically Hinata, and only for him.

Neji set to work, slowly loving her body with his mouth and hands, slipping his left hand under her leg to wrap around her thigh, using it to hold her tight to his questing tongue. He lapped gently at her, occasionally moving to suck on her nub, causing her to squeeze his head between her thighs as she gasped. He never continued with one motion long, only enough to have her gasping, tugging at him to make him finish what he started, but he wasn't ready to end this yet.

Soon Hinata was panting and writhing, begging him to take her over the edge. "Please Neji, God Please…I don't think….God…can't….God Neji now!!!!"

Taking pity on her, wanting to please her, Neji finally worked towards her release, sucking with mouth, gripping her thigh tight, as his fingers plunged inside her, thrusting in added sensation, until she fell apart around him.

Neji soothed her as she came down from her high, his head resting on the soft skin of her thigh, eventually he followed the gentle tugging of her hands in his hair and moved up her body. Lying on his side facing her, he closed his eyes as she stroked her hand over his face, tracing his features, as if committing them to memory.

Eventually she stilled, her thumb rubbing back and forth at the corner of his eye. Taking the hint he opened them to stare into the opal depths of her eyes. "That was beautiful," she softly whispered, the smile of love gracing her lips, just for him.

Leaning in, he breathed in her ear, "I will always love you that way." He kissed her temple, her nose, then finally her lips, taking advantage of their immediate parting. He hurt in his need to be inside her, but he would take it slow, stretch it out, worship her.

Hinata pushed herself against him, needing to be as close to him as possible. She ran her hands down his back, taking the one over his hip and bringing it up to stroke the hard length of him. Pleased, at both the gasp that fell from his lips, and the shudder that course through his frame.

Soon the embrace turned heated, Neji loosing his will to the call of her hands and lips. He edged her back, bracing himself to keep his weight off her, and let her guide him into her. He entered slowly, trying to memorize every minute sensation of the moment, never wanting to forget the feel of her.

He started a slow rhythm, trying to pace himself, knowing it was probably futile, the strain of his restraint clearly visible on his face. Hinata saw, and pulled him in for a kiss before whispering "I love you," waiting for him to open his eyes to whisper it again, "I love you."

Neji increased his pace, never letting his eyes leave hers. Bracing himself on his left arm, he took her hand into his right, entwining their fingers. As she started arching against him, begging him with her body and eyes to go deeper, he leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Nothing will ever take me from you."

Hinata closed her eyes and clutched him close as he made his vow, and that is what it was; a vow to be hers, the vow they would never make before their friends. One more hard push inside her, and she broke. As she was gasping out her pleasure, he lost the battle with his restraint, pouring himself into her, while trying to keep from collapsing on top of her.

Neji held himself still, head resting on her shoulder; her hands still gripped him tight, neither were willing to let the other go. Finally he started to loose his battle with exhaustion. Pulling out of her he laid at her side, tugging her until she rested her head on his shoulder. He smiled as kissed her forehead, "Now I can sleep." And finally he fell off the edge into oblivion, Hinata smiling as he did.

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A/N: This was actually done awhile ago but Mommydom prevented me from fixing the edits Ceile made. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I am trying to get them replied to today, sorry it has taken so long.