TenTen pulled at the collar of her shirt and sighed. Summer was dying. Finally, she thought to herself with a small smile of exhausted relief.

For the better part of over a year, she and her companions had been traipsing the valleys and mountains of the entire country. They had had prosperous times, along with their share of more than a few setbacks.

TenTen frowned as these memories flashed behind her eyes, causing Matsuri, who was riding beside her, to call on her.

"Sensei? What's wrong?"

TenTen shook her head, waving her hand in a dismissal. Karin, who was leading the front, turned in her saddle to raise her eyebrows. After studying her teacher's expression for a moment, Karin smirked and said in her naturally sarcastic tone, "She's dreading facing General Hyuga again. Clearly."

TenTen rolled her eyes. "You used to respect me," she replied, sniffing. "Now I'm just the punchline to your jokes."

"Well," Karin said lightly, looking back to the road ahead, "maybe you could try not to be so easy to pick on."

Matsuri laughed shortly, earning her a playful cuff on the shoulder from her mentor.

"Go check on the stragglers, Matsuri," TenTen ordered, jerking her head to the gaggle of girls and horses trailing several meters behind them. "We're almost to Queen's City."

Matsuri fell behind and kneed her horse to trot back to the group behind them. A second later, TenTen and Karin heard a loud cry of sighs and excited laughter.

Smiling, TenTen drew up beside Karin.

A moment of silence passed between them before Karin said softly, "Are you nervous?"

TenTen grimaced, and the knots in her stomach that had begun to grow the night she decided to come back got tighter. "Why would I be nervous?"

Karin shot her teacher a look. "Don't play stupid. You know what I'm talking about. You did kind of leave things undone when you left."

TenTen shook her head. "I didn't leave things . . . undone. Just . . . open-ended."

"They're the same thing," Karin said flatly. "I thought you were finished running away?"

"I'm not running," TenTen sighed. "I just . . . had stuff to do."

Karin rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "Whatever. He proposed to you, and you ran away."

TenTen chose not to honor that with a response, for they had just crested the hill that gave them their first glimpse at Queen's City. From this distance, the people were just shapes moving. The Queen's castle loomed above the city, cutting a fierce picture against the blue summer sky.

TenTen felt her heart jump, making her feel both giddy and like she needed to vomit.

"Come on," Karin encouraged. "I'll race you."

-o-

The Fire Country swelled in the lull between the high end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The flowers were perishing in their prime, coughing out their fragrance with every gust of wind brought from the eastern shore. Neji could not remember a season where it had been so green. Even the heat wasn't enough to be completely discouraging.

Neji slowly turned Kenta aside to take the path into the stables, his thoughts wandering, as they often did, to his lieutenant.

Since she'd left, Neji had only seen her once out of the three times they'd originally planned for. The two missed opportunities were results of poor weather and unexpected delay.

It had been ten months since he had last seen her face. Forty-four weeks of feeling the absence of her presence, the allusion of her voice. Three hundred and four days of lacking the person who supported him and provided his happiness.

Neji frowned and dismounted from Kenta, grooming his horse distantly before returning to his office.

When he arrived, Neji went straight to his desk and opened a drawer where a stack of opened letters sat. With a grimace, Neji withdrew the one on top.

Neji perused the last letter he had received from TenTen, dated three weeks prior. This was not the first time he'd read it. In fact, over the some sixteen months since TenTen and her charges had left, Neji had developed a habit of rereading the letters she sent until the paper was worn and the ink had begun to fade.

Neji lingered on her signature before stuffing the letter back into its envelope, dissatisfied. She had failed to give any indication of when she would be coming back. Again.

When he had ridden to meet her last September, it had been the closest she would be coming to Queen's City for the foreseeable future, though their visit had been laughably brief. She had been pursuing a large nomadic family who made their income by performing various acrobatics and weapon-handling. TenTen, Karin, and Matsuri had seen them in a town they'd been occupying, and their recruitment interest had been piqued.

Neji sighed, remembering his and TenTen's . . . discussion.

"When are you coming back?"

TenTen shifted her footing, her hand straying to Kokoro's saddle distractedly. "I don't know."

Neji frowned, trying to manage his disappointment. After a moment, he said quietly, "I feel like you're never going to return. That if I keep asking, you'll eventually just disappear."

TenTen turned to him, raising her eyebrows. Hurt lingered in her brown eyes. "Is that really what you think of me? I love you."

"Do you?" he retorted. "We haven't been in the same place for more than two days since Shimogakure. You're running from me."

TenTen's lips parted in surprise at the accusation, the offense deepening on her face. She stared at him, wounded. "I told you that this is something I have to do. That I want to do. If you can't understand that, then—"

"Then what?"

"Then maybe you shouldn't wait for me," TenTen finished firmly, a familiar stubbornness appearing in her expression.

Neji winced, remembering how he had stormed out after that, too upset with her to see reason. He had returned to Queen's City in a blind frustration, which had subsided a day or so later. In apology, he had sent TenTen a letter stating how much of an idiot he had been, how of course he understood her reasoning—it was just the distance, the distance was wearing on him.

He missed her so much. One letter every two or three weeks was hardly enough for satisfaction's sake.

Neji glanced at her most recent letter again before putting it back in his desk drawer. His eyes fell on another envelope, larger in size. He withdrew it from the drawer, smiling a little to himself.

He had sent inquiry to TenTen's hometown nearly eight months ago, seeking information on her father's home. He had not been disappointed.

Neji glanced outside, and rose from his desk with a sigh. The queen had requested a meeting with him, Guy, and Jiraiya to discuss the possibility of new trade agreements in the north near Shimogakure. King A was still fuming from the events of the last battle and the loss of Kakashi as his prized prisoner, but he was not so angry as to completely crush all discussions of trade with the Fire Country. Jiraiya had been able to develop a fragile peace agreement following Darui's surrender, which included continued open trading between Fire and Lightning, though more controlled than before. King A had grudgingly agreed.

The meeting itself with the queen, her advisor, and Guy was concise. Tsunade simply informed them of future plans, while Jiraiya gave diplomatic advice. Guy and Neji were there only as a measure of inclusiveness, not for advice.

As Neji left the queen and began walking back to his office, he passed the great wooden doors to the ceremony hall. His eyes lingered on a section of carved soldiers, marching their way southward. A pang hit his heart—he missed the days where he and TenTen traveled together, off to bring order to some chaos.

Neji turned away and strode into the foyer of the castle. Upon entering, he stopped short, his breath halting.

Karin Kurosaki was leading a cluster of girls, gesturing with her arm as she spoke. Her eyes shifted to alight on the general and her eyes widened. She called over her shoulder to the group, reassuring them that she would be right back, before crossing the space to meet Neji.

Karin hugged him briefly before pulling back, a slow grin spreading on her face.

Neji shook his head, incredulous. "What are you doing here?" he managed to ask.

"It's the beginning of the rainy season. We didn't want to spend it out traveling," Karin explained.

Neji felt his heart skip. She was here, somewhere, in the castle.

Neji glanced at the assembly of girls, a range of ages, standing behind her. Matsuri's heavy hair had gotten longer, and it seemed she had taken to taming the thick braids. Neji looked back to Karin. The girl had gotten so much taller since he had last seen her; her face had sharpened into the maturing features of a young woman. He shared a small smile with her.

"Your new recruits?" he asked, gesturing to the group.

Karin nodded. "Do you want to meet them? I was just going to take them to the soldier's barracks."

Neji hesitated and Karin let a mischievous grin pull at her mouth. "Right. She went looking for you. I think she wanted to surprise you in your office."

"Thank you," Neji said, edging away.

Karin snickered and walked back to the girls, leading them down the hallway.

Neji took the stairs up to his office two at a time, wondering if she was there, truly, in the flesh. He reached his office and gently pushed the door open.

Her back was to him as she stared out of his office window, looking down onto the grounds that housed the armory and the practice field. It was a view he was readily acquainted with, and a height from which he had watched her train many times.

"You're here," Neji said, breaking the silence.

TenTen turned to look at him over her shoulder, her expression clearing as she laid eyes on him. Neji closed the door behind him as TenTen strode towards him, locking her arms around his neck.

They kissed, feet shifting as they moved away from the door, closer to each other.

"Karin said you're here for the entire rainy season," Neji whispered, the question lingering in the words he held back. TenTen breathlessly answered, lips not moving from his, "Yes, a few months." (1)

This news renewed the fervor of their kiss, Neji tightening his grip on her waist. He dropped his head to rest against her neck, inhaling slowly. TenTen hugged him to her, one hand stroking the hair that fell past his shoulders.

Neji exhaled, placing a kiss on her neck before straightening. "I'm glad you're back."

TenTen smiled up at him, letting her eyes trace his features. She touched worry lines on his face, ones that had not been there a year ago. Her mouth tightened, as the knots in her stomach loosed. She had missed so much. . .

"I have something for you," Neji said, pulling away from her to moving to his desk. He opened a drawer and withdrew an envelope, handing it to TenTen.

She eyed the broken wax seal suspiciously before extracting the letter inside. She read the contents in silence. When she finished, TenTen looked up at Neji, her brow quizzical. "What is this?"

Neji leaned against the desk, smiling smugly as he crossed his arms. "The letter states it clearly."

TenTen glanced back at the paper, her knuckles tightening as she gripped it harder.

"This is the deed to my father's estate," she said, holding the paper up. TenTen shook her head. "How did you get this?"

"I bought it," Neji said simply, though he could not hide his creeping smile.

"You bought my father's estate," TenTen murmured, disbelieving. She looked at the script more closely. "This says that the property belongs to me."

She set the letter down on the desk and gazed at Neji with concentration. She tapped a finger on the paper, right where her name was written.

Neji bent towards her slightly, unable to keep the smile from his mouth anymore. "That's because it does."

TenTen had begun shaking her head, eyes wide. "And how did you manage that? Women aren't allowed to own land or home in that region of the country."

Neji shrugged carelessly. "I persuaded them."

TenTen gaped at him, and Neji doubted that he had ever felt more satisfied with himself. He brushed his fingers down her arm to her hand.

"It's yours to do with as you wish. I thought you should at least have a home of your own, where you could go when you wanted." He paused, and said, "We didn't leave each other on good terms last time. I want to show you that you have my full support . . . even though I wish you would let me be with you."

He saw her swallow, attempting to control the tears that were budding in her eyes. She shared a smile with him. "I suppose I owe you a favor."

Neji let her kiss him, and then lead him out of his office, through the halls of the queen's castle, out into the sunlight.

-o-

He knocked on Guy's door, uncertain if the general was home. TenTen waited, almost impatiently, by his side.

Neji raised his hand to knock again, but before he could, Lee answered the door.

"General! TenTen! What brings you here?"

TenTen exchanged a grin with Lee and said, "Is the general here, Lee? Neji and I have a question for him."

"Come in," Lee said, ushering them in.

Guy was settled in his armchair. He smiled broadly when he saw who had arrived.

"TenTen! You've returned!"

"Rainy season," she explained.

Guy nodded, looking back and forth between her and Neji. His eyes twinkled, as if in possession of a secret.

"You have a request?" the older man asked, his bushy eyebrows rising. TenTen noticed that his dark hair had taken on some gray in the time that she'd been gone, and a sad feeling tugged at her heart.

"We were wondering if you would mind being a witness for our marriage," Neji said.

Guy laughed loudly as he stood to his feet. "Of course I wouldn't mind! It would be my great honor! When is my assistance required?"

Neji and TenTen exchanged a look.

"Well, now, if you're not busy, General," TenTen said nimbly.

Guy laughed again, with Lee joining in. Imperceptibly, TenTen grasped for Neji's hand and squeezed his fingers. Neji felt his lips stretch into a greater smile as he brought her fingers to his mouth. He was certain that he had never felt joy like this before.

Together, the four of them trekked through the city until they arrived at the small courthouse. After explaining themselves, the judge readily agreed, and in no less than a half hour, TenTen and Neji were walking back to the castle in possession of a certificate that bore the evidence of their union.

"Let's go," TenTen said as soon as they reached the castle grounds.

Neji looked down at her with raised eyebrows. "Go where?"

TenTen glanced up at him, an expression of absolute certainty on her face. "You'll see."

-o-

When they had originally set out, Neji had only been planning to be gone for a few hours. TenTen, however, had another idea entirely.

The first part of their honeymoon was spent in the saddle, soaked to the bone from relentless rain. At Neji's first suggestion that they stop and get dry at an inn close to the road, TenTen had only laughed loudly and urged her horse to go faster, splattering mud on Neji's legs. He had rolled his eyes, but had followed her willingly, chuckling under his breath.

Their arrival two days later was marked by an overcast sky and muddy streets, but the rain had dried up for the moment, and the heat of summer made the air misty.

TenTen tethered their horses to the falling fence at the front of the house and went to stand by Neji, looking at the home she'd grown up in. He took her hand, and she watched him as his eyes fell on the overgrown front garden, the workshop with the sunken roof, the rickety posts holding the main house together.

"Well," TenTen said, her voice soft. "Was it a good investment, General Hyuga?"

Neji glanced at her and kissed her slowly. "Yes, Captain Hyuga. It was."

THE END.

(1) So, some time frames for you: In the previous chapter, TenTen left Queen's City the first week of March. She returns the second week of July, the following year. Also, the "rainy season" in Japan is ~May to July. Monsoon season in China is ~April to October. So, I kind of combined the two so there would be a good range. In case all of that didn't make sense to you: TenTen's original plan was to stay in the capital until the rainy season passed—I imagine sometime in September.

And with that, it is finished!

Thank you so much to all of you who have shown this fic so much love. It makes my heart so, so happy. Thanks for pushing me so hard to finish. I hope that it was all you hoped it to be. :) You guys have my unending thanks and appreciation. Questions? Feels? Message me anytime. All the love, KNO.