"Tsunade-Sama, wake up!"

"Hmm, five more minutes…"

The blonde Anbu captain rolled her eyes at her 'mother's behavior. It's not like its anything new, in fact the Anbu captain was quite used to it for some time now. So she tried again, only this time she wouldn't stop until she awoke.

"Hmm, fine I'm up! Just stop spinning the room will ya!"

"And that's why you shouldn't drink Sake in the middle of the night."

"You're back from your mission. It was a success I see."

Tsunade wiped her face before she turned serious. The nineteen year old in front of her removed the wolf like Anbu mask and smiled.

"Yes, all though there were some complications during the mission, they were resolved and did not interfere with the overall goal of the mission."

"Alright, I expect a report on my desk by-"

"It's already there Tsunade-Sama."

The Hokage glanced down to her messy desk and low and behold there it was. Tsunade smiled and told her young 'daughter' she had the rest of the week off. Smiling, she bowed and made her way to her home to relax after her stressful mission. Gazing around she noticed the sun climb over the horizon signaling the start of a new day. She sighed in contempt and enjoyed the feel of the early morning spring sun on her.

"Rayne-Channnnnnnnnn!"

Rayne rolled her eyes as she turned around to find her hyper active friend. She smiled and waved at the blond shinobi.

"Morning Naruto-Kun, you're up early."

"I know,"

He pouted before he told Rayne why he woke up so early; Rayne listened as the two made their way to the ramen stand.

"And then I ran into Kakashi-Sensei…"

It went on and on, she had known Naruto since she'd been living in the village. She admired how Naruto was determined to become Hokage, so she decided to help him anyway she could in order for him to become hokage.

The day wore on into a lazy day. She was usually on missions most of the time, seeing as she was an Anbu Captain and all, and recently had no time for any of her friends. With her week off she could spend some time with them and catch up. She walked out her apartment sighing in relief and contempt. The morning dew had given away to an afternoon light breeze; more birds had joined in creating a wonderful song through the air. Rayne looked up and noticed high clouds, she instantly though of Shikamaru Nara, the young ninja that had captured her heart some time ago. She believed it to be silly, to fall in love, especially with her family history.

Rayne smiled when though back to the day she first entered the village and meet the hokage (who at the time was just getting comfortable in the office) she had traveled from the Mist when she was thirteen in order to become stronger. When she had mentioned she wanted to stop her brother the Hokage immediately said yes.

"Kakashi-Senpai you're late."

Rayne looked at her teacher. Kakashi Hatake gave her a smile through his mask as he made some bull about why he was late. Rayne had longed since learned what he was truly doing and decided not to bring up the truth. Rayne stretched out her muscles, seeing as she didn't want to get a cramp during the intense training she received from Kakashi and then Gai shortly after for Taijutsu.

"What are we gonna learn today Senpai?"

"A little something, something,"

Rayne sighed as the training dragged on into mid afternoon. Kakashi was a wonderful Ninjutsu teacher. She remembered he was a little sketchy about training her, but after seeing her determination to become strong in order to stop her brother. A goal Sasuke and Rayne shared, but she wasn't depressed and angry like the Uchiha was. She asked for help and didn't take no for an answer. This reminded him of Naruto. He saw his students in her and finally decided to train her.

"And remember, on a mission this needs to happen automatically. There will be no time to stop and rethink. That's the difference between life and death. See ya tomorrow."

And with that Kakashi was gone, Rayne rolled her eyes and eyed her surroundings, she knew Gai would come out the bushes behind her, trying to catch her off guard. But today there was no noise. Rayne turned to catch sight of Lee. He was running to her shouting her name.

"RAYNE-CHAN!"

"Yes lee-kun?"

"Gai-Sensei told me to tell you he couldn't make it today. He has a nasty cold, and needs a day to recover. He hopes you aren't mad."

"Tell Gai-Senpai to get better, are I'll lose all this youthful youth!"

And with that Lee ran back shouting something crazy, Rayne chuckled and made her way to get something to eat.

"Oh I'm sorry,"

"What a drag, watch where you're going Rayne-hime."

Shikamaru looked down at the girl playfully and helped her up. She blushed when he held her hand a little longer after.

"Where are you heading to?"

"Food,"

"Come join Chouji and me,"

"Are you sure?"

"Come on,"

With that Shikamaru let go of the girls hand and watched with amusement when he spotted a dust of light pink across her sun kissed skin. They arrived with no words said, Rayne spotted Chouji already eating. She smiled and sat across from the man. She admired the change he had gone through when they were younger, though he still hated when people called him 'fat.'

"Rayne-hime! Shika-kun! Come join!"

"Chouji-kun I told you to drop that princess crap."

"But why? You are Konoha's princess after all. And not just because Tsunade-Sama is your mother."

Chouji explained through a full mouth of beef. Rayne rolled her eyes and plucked a piece of meat of the grill and ate it, Shikamaru followed soon after. Shikamaru and Chouji talked mostly while Rayne spaced and relived memories of her life so far in Konoha.

She remembered when she was adopted by Tsunade. Why? She had no reason to ask, but enjoyed having a mother figure, since she never fully had one. This lead her to be stronger to prove to everyone it wasn't Tsunade that automatically gave her any rank she wanted but that she earned her title through hard work and discipline.

"Ne, Rayne-Chan?"

"Yes Chouji-kun?"

"Do you remember when we first meet?"

"Of Course I do! I stumbled upon you guys watching the clouds and well the rest is history."

She remembered the plump Chouji munching on BBQ flavored chips and talking about how Ino said he needed to go on a diet, while Shikamaru was watching the clouds and mumbled what a drag she was. Rayne had just finished training with Gai and need some place to just rest for a little before she trained with Tsunade. They instantly started talking, Rayne enjoyed the talkative nature of Chouji and when she said she liked him the way he was, Shikamaru smiled to himself and decided to join the conversation.

"I still hurt from that hug Chou-Kun!"

"Hehe sorry about that,"

"Well fellas sorry to cut this short, but I have to go train with Hokage-Sama. I'll see you later."

She got up to leave but Shikamaru said something that caught her attention,

"What?"

"Why not have a lazy week for once? All you do is train and missions, do you ever take a week, or even a day off and do nothing?"

Rayne smiled and continued on her way, she walked to the manor and walked in. Tsunade was sitting there going through paperwork.

"Rayne, ya know you have the week off. Why train? Go do something fun! In fact you're ordered to do something fun, I've already told Kakashi and them not to train you today. So go have a week off,"

Rayne laughed as Tsunade finished, the older women gave the young nineteen year old a weird look.

"Shikamaru-kun told me the same thing; it's just a little funny. But if you say so, I don't see what could go wrong."

Rayne slept longer then usual, causing her to eat a morning brunch. She looked at the afternoon sun of spring and walked to a park. School was in session so no one was out. She sat on a swing and enjoyed the feel of the wind blowing through her blonde hair. Her magenta eyes closed in bliss; she had never really had a childhood like others. She never really though about doing childish things since she would have been looked down upon.

"I never thought a 19 year old would enjoy swinging alone."

"Afternoon Shikamaru, come join me! It's so funnnnnn!"

The man beside her chuckled and joined nether less. They swung in silence the only thing between them was the squeaking of the swings as they moved.

"Ne, Shika-kun did you ever do this?"

"No, it's too troublesome to fight over who gets what seat and when. So I never really joined in."

"Shika you're no fun!"

"And you, what's your excuses?"

"We don't have these in the Mist,"

Rayne stopped swinging and thought back to those days in the Mist, being related to who she was, gave her a bad rep, but when she became chunin she left and came to find peace and serenity, but to get trained by the best the Ninja world had to offer. So she was lead to Konoha, and frankly she didn't have a complaint.

"You know you've never told me about living there."

Shikamaru had stopped and looked over at the girl. She felt his stare and blushed lightly; never had she fully captured his full attention. Then again she had never been left alone with him. She didn't know what to do,

"I don't want to bar-"

"HIYA!"

Rayne felt something wet being poured over her, in a large amount. She heard chuckles from behind her. She got up in her soaked state and glared over at the culprits.

"KIBA! NARUTO! GET OVER HERE!"

She yelled and ran after them determined to punch them into their grave. She caught Naruto first and pulled him by the ear. His screams and whines of pain fell upon deaf ears, she dragged him and pulled him in front of her. A look of nerviness overcame him as he scratched the back of his neck.

"He-he, sorry about that Rayne-chan. Kiba told me-"

"Naruto,"

"What?"

He questioned and looked down at her 5'4 frame. He felt pain in his stomach and knew he was about to be pushed some where far.

"Now to find Kiba…"

Rayne had not seen Shikamaru all day now, the evening sky was beginning to set and an assortment of colors began to take form across the sky. She walked up a hill and sat a sleeping figure lying on top. She smiled and knew who it would be.

"Ne, Shika-Kun wake up."

"Hmmm what do you want troublesome women?"

She giggled lightly and plucked some grass from beside her and then threw it in his face causing him to breathe a couple in. The face he made when he realized what she had done was priceless. He jumped up and blew it out and glared over at the laughing girl.

"I'm sorry Shika-kun, you wouldn't wake up."

She was coming down from her laughter and sat beside the still mad man next to her. It was silent, once more, between to the. Shikamaru spoke first, turning his full attention to her.

"Will you tell me?"

"Will you stop asking?"

"I've asked two times,"

"When we were younger, those count too."

"So five times,"

"Ah wrong! That's a total of ten times. For a genius you sure aren't that smart when it comes to numbers."

"Must you be fun?"

"Must you be so un fun?"

He was silent and caused the other to smile. She laid on the ground and gazed at the passing clouds, she now understood why the man could always been found gazing up at the sky. It was relaxing.

"So will you?"

"If you want to know that bad,"

And so she told him about her life, her brother, Kisame Hoshigaki, about why she had decided to travel, her hopes, her dreams and everything in between. By the time she had finished her tale the moon was high in the sky and the air was warm and the stars were out doing their thing.

"Well it's getting late. Good night Shikamaru."

"Rayne, wait…"

Rayne turned to face the man, facing him she noticed how much he had grown from his younger self. He wasn't a boy any more, he was a growing man.

"It's taken you this long to tell me something so simple?"

Her face flushed and she looked away embarrassed, the man chuckled and pulled her into a hug.

"I was scared,"

"Why?"

"My family, they aren't the best."

"It doesn't matter who your family was, that's in the past, only the present matter. There's no reason to be afraid, I don't care."

"Thank you Shikamaru."

And then he did something they both had been craving to do.

He kissed her,

And

She kissed him.