I mostly took the dialogue from the movie, but since this is an AU, I modified it. Also, Simba is OOC in this chapter, since Nala is the heroine for this story.

Three days stretched into a week. I wanted to say I didn't notice it, but it would be a lie. Every night I wanted the paradise to last just one day longer. It wasn't the right time yet. I wasn't ready yet. But I knew I would never be ready, or at least I would never want to be ready. Every day I spent with Simba made me crave more. He was everything Scar wasn't: sweet, gentle, happy, lighthearted, and noble. I thought after what had happened, I wouldn't want to be close to a male lion, but it was different with Simba. I could stay with him forever. I could bear cubs for him. If he wanted me, I could be his queen.

It didn't happen overnight, no matter how fast it seemed. Friendship blossomed into something more as we explored his wonderful home. It made me laugh when I remembered what Zazu had said so long ago, and how horrified we'd been. He was right after all.

There was something in the air that day. Simba and I ran down a hill cut in half by a slender, willowy waterfall, and I bounded onto a natural rock bridge. Mist billowed around me as I waited for him to follow. He seemed as light as a feather, even with all his muscles. He stopped, looking at me like I was so beautiful he'd forgotten how to walk. No had ever looked at me like that before, and I felt worthy of it just because he did it. I looked sultrily over my shoulder and jumped forward, teasing him on. He leaped in front of me and barred my way, making me dodge around him to continue the chase. He spun around in a half-circle to follow me and our mouths were inches apart. I padded up onto a higher rock so I could look down on him, and he looked up at me with exhilerating adoration.

I stopped by the edge of the pool at the waterfall's base and lapped up some water, pretending I didn't feel the charge. I looked at the surface and knew Simba was looking at me. I looked up at him and caught him in the act. He looked so adorably surprised when I did. As soon as I was done, he smiled and ran past me, switching our roles. I was about to rin after him when he grabbed a vine and swung into the water. That was the one other strange thing about him. I'd never seen a lion who actually liked to swim. He hit the water so hard I stretched my neck over the edge to make sure he was all right. He exploded from underwater and grabbed me around my neck, pulling me in with him. Cold, horrible water matted my fur, and I scrabbled wildly at the rocks until I was out. He hauled himself after me and smirked, so I pushed him back in and ran.

The warm sun dried my fur in minutes as we romped through tall, golden grass. A flock of white birds burst into the air in front of us as we disturbed them. We kept running until the grass turned to green jungle. When he was just one step behind me, I whirled around and reared up, batting him playfully with my paws. Instead of batting back, he wrapped his arms around me and tipped forward. We both fell backward and tumbled down a steep hill. I would have been crushed if he hadn't been careful, but as it was, it was more like a thrilling free-fall.

He landed sideways draped over me at the bottom of the hill. The grass was thick and soft underneath us. I felt his sturdy warmth against me and wished he was even closer. The moment was perfect, and I licked his cheek tenderly. His eyes popped open and he looked at me with hope and disbelief. You didn't think I knew how cubs were made, Simba? I rested my head on the grass and stretched out my neck, my eyes telling him I knew exactly what we both wanted. His little-boy smile was so eager it seemed almost inappropriate for what was about to happen.

"Show me why you're the king," I whispered.

"Oh, that was so long ago. Let's just have fun," he said. I hadn't expected that. He'd said something similar earlier, about not being the king, but I'd thought he was just being modest. At the moment, the last thing I wanted to do was think, but I had to say something.

"We can't raise cubs alone," I said. He sighed with frustration and I felt the desire in his body.

"Timon can Pumbaa can help. You're so responsible," he said. He licked me across the muzzle and I shuddered at his touch. The desire and frustration boiled over and I snapped my next words.

"Are you ever going to go back?" I asked. Simba scooted back a little and I sat up halfway.

"Why do we have to go back? It's perfect here," he said. Suddenly, I didn't feel like "starting a pride" anymore. I sat up all the way and faced Simba.

"You've been alive all this time. You never came back," I said. I hadn't thought about what that really meant. If I could find my way to him, he could have found his way back home.

"Well, I just needed to... get out on my own," Simba said. "Live my own life. And I did. And it's great!"

"We really needed you at home," I said. I was starting to wonder if Simba had ever grown up at all, or if he'd left me to the growing for both of us.

"Simba, if you don't do something, everyone will starve!" I said. A minute ago, everything had been so perfect. Could I have misjudged him that much? He didn't even look sorry. He just looked mad he had to wait.

"You keep saying things like that. Why do we always have to worry about everyone else? You deserve this! Come on, stop worrying and let's do something better. Look, hakuna matata," he said, and he nuzzled my neck. I let him do it but didn't nuzzle back.

"What?" I asked.

"Hakuna matata. It means no worries," he said.

"It's your responsibility," I said. "Don't you understand? You're our only hope."

"If I'm really the king, I can do whatever I want. And I want to stay here," Simba said.

"Is that what you want?" I asked. He couldn't mean couldn't really be leaving us all. Simba was my friend. He always talked about being king and ruling the pridelands. I always knew that once we were done being young and silly, he would be a great king. I looked forward to it. Simba jumped up and turned a circle playfully. He looked excited when he was done. I was pleading with him to save all of our lives- his mother's life, among others- and he looked like he wanted to play.

"I'm happy here! Forget them and come with me!" he said. He rubbed all along my side. I gathered my thoughts, hoping I'd understood him wrong. But there was nothing to misunderstand.

"If that's what you want, you're not my king," I said. My voice was hard and I felt the yearning warmth leave my body. "And you're not my mate, either."

"What? What's wrong with you?" Simba said. He looked hurt- almost as hurt as I was when I learned he'd never cared about us. I turned around and starting walking away. Simba followed after me, nuzzling at my neck and trying to block my path. Whenever he did, I just walked around him.

"Hey, where are you going? Wise up, Nala. Quit worrying and let life make you happy. Let me make you happy," I said. I glared past him and kept walking.

"I'm going back to the Pridelands," I said. It surprised me how I wasn't even afraid. There were things that had to be done. Unlike Simba, I wasn't taking the easy way out. With all the betrayal and rage clawing at my insides, even Scar couldn't mess with me. If anything, I looked forward to fighting someone.

"Why would you want to do that?" Simba asked. He still had that idiotic smile. Was that all he cared about? Getting fat and chasing tail?

"Your pride needs a king. I didn't find him here, so I'll keep looking," I said. That finally got him to stop running in front of me. He sat and watched me walk away, and I didn't look back at him.

"Nala! Come on! Nala? Come back!" he called after me until I was out of earshot. He could beg all he wanted. I wasn't going to stay. There was nothing keeping me there.