Simba grumbled as he tossed and turned. His eyebrows furrowed and his nose scrunched up. He was having a nightmare – well not yet. But he knew it was coming.

There he was, walking with Nala.

A faint smile formed on his face. He missed her, though he wouldn't admit it to himself.

They had just lost Zazu and they were running through the elephant graveyard. Everything seemed to be going fine … until the hyenas. They sent shivers down his spine but he had to act brave for Nala. He had to be brave for both of them.

They kept running until they got cornered. He gave his shot at a roar. Even if it was hopeless, he had to try for his best friend. If he was going down at least he was going down with Nala. Then came Mufasa, his father.

Simba stiffened. Nevertheless he felt warmth inside of him. A warmth only the memory of his father could bring … except maybe for that one memory he kept locked up, deep inside of him.

They were on their way back. Zazu had already brought Nala home and now he and Mufasa were talking. "because no one messes with your dad." His father had said. The two played and rolled around and had fun. It was the last happy memory he had of his father.

He sat under that tree, practicing his roar. Scar had said there was a surprise for his father and to stay there. Then he heard it. The stomping of hooves as the wildebeests started the stampede.

He woke up, his heart pounding hard against his chest. He was well aware it was just a dream although he felt as if he had just gone through all of it again. Timon and Pumbaa snored happily away.

"No need to interrupt their rest. Right?" He reassured himself before taking a walk to clear his head. "Put the past behind you. No worries" He reminded himself, shaking his mane as if it would shake out the memories of his past.

The longer Simba ran away from it the more it came back to haunt him. It wasn't necessarily his father's death that haunted him, it was Nala. To Timon and Pumbaa he acted his regular self. He acted as if nothing was wrong and he had no worries. When he was to himself it was a whole other story.

He thought about her and how she must have felt when she found out her best friend ran away; how she would look by now. It had been years since they had seen each other but he had never forgotten her. It was only now he realized that. She was part of his past and his past was a part of him.

"What if I returned to Pride Rock? Then I could see her again. I could bring her here and we could start a life together." Simba consulted his reflection in the water. He raised an eyebrow. "Ridiculous. I don't even know what I'm thinking anymore. I can't return there." He walked on. For all he knew she could have forgotten all about him. He had thought he had gone delusional. Hakuna Matata, remember?

The thought of her nagged at him, he missed his best friend. A memory came rushing back to him. It made him smile. He remembered Zazu trying to explain to them what he meant when he said they were to be betrothed. "I can't marry her. She's my friend." He had said. "Yeah. It would be too weird." She added in.

"She's going to kill me!" He heard Pumbaa scream. Simba barreled towards him. Timon yell and he picked up the pace. He pounced and went in for the attack. Timon screamed suggestions from where Pumbaa had been stuck under a root but he was too concentrated to listen to them. This lioness was good.

It was only when she pinned him did he realize who it was "Nala? Is it really you?"

She backed off. "Who are you?" she asked. His heart sank. Maybe she did forget. But he had to try.

"It's me. Simba."

"Simba?"

Both their eyes widened. Excitement poured through his veins. It was Nala! He was at a loss for words, luckily so was she. They jumped around. They had found each other.

They spent the rest of the day with each other. Having fun and going around the jungle. The two nuzzled each other. It felt so good to be with her again. "I missed you. I never stopped hoping." She whispered in his ear. Her voice was on the verge of cracking out of pure emotion.

"I-I never forgot about you either." He whispered back.