I do not own Naruto…..

Chap 11

Nightfall….

Rhys lay on the roof and looked up at the full moon. Her thoughts turned to Kai. What was he doing now? Was he all right? Was he warm? Did he have shelter? Did he go down the wrong path? She closed her eyes.

"Hi there!" Came a familiar voice. Rhys smiled as Shin sat down beside her.

"Hi yourself." She grinned.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Shin pressed.

"Thinking." Was her abstract reply.

Shin hid his smile. There was no way he was going to let her win, "About what?" he persevered.

"Something."

Shin stood above her and looked down at her, attempting to use his height to intimidate her.

"Come on, I know you better than that Rhys!" he nearly whined, "You can't fool me." He grinned.

She smiled up at him, "Don't you tower above me enough?" she blinked her eyes cutely at him.

Shin was glad the night hid his blush, "Cute, but, you're changing the subject." He covered it up with a chuckle.

Rhys sighed and stretched out on the rooftop, "You win. I'll tell you." she closed her eyes again, and said quietly "I'm more worried than anything."

"About Kai?" Shin asked in an equally quiet voice.

"Hai." She softly replied.

Figured as much. Shin thought, sighing inwardly.

"Do you think he's all right?" she said, sitting up, chin in hand, staring a thousand of miles away. Shin remained standing for a little longer, studying his old teammate. The wind gently tousled her hair around her bare shoulders. That distant look in her eyes that she always had when she was thinking about troubling things, stirred him yet again.

If only she knew how I felt. How Kai felt. He thought and sat down once again next to her, "I'm sure he's fine. He's Kai after all. You remember how that guy was." He forced a weak smile.

"Cute, dark, mysterious…." She began, "smart, brave…."

"HEY!" Shin cried out.

Rhys laughed, "I'm just kidding Shin."

He smiled. Hearing her carefree laugh had always warmed him.

Her eyes were distant again, "You always knew how to make me laugh." She let out a small giggle.

"I aim to please." He grinned, but thought, I just don't like seeing those pretty eyes so sad. It hurts me as much as it does you.

Rhys looked at him; the silver sparkled in her eyes, "You do a good job pleasing everyone, Shin." She ruffled his head, "I'm so glad we were put on the same team."

Shin shoved her hand away and flattened his hair causing Rhys to let out another giggle. He leaned back on his elbows, "Yeah, we had some good times."

"Mm-hmm." Rhys' tone was dreamy, "My favorite memory was of that one difficult escort mission. You and Kai-kun had fought each other yet again as we were coming back at nightfall. Lotus-sensei sighed and threw you over her right shoulder and Kai-kun over her left like sacks of potatoes." She smiled, "She lead the way to a huge hill and dropped you two down and ordered me to lay down in between you two to make sure you wouldn't kill each other."

Shin's eyes lit up, "Yeah! I remember that one! Lotus-sensei then pointed out all of the constellations to us until we fell asleep."

Rhys' eyes glinted at him, "Do you know what happened after that?"

Shin's eyes narrowed, "Do I want to know?" he raised an eyebrow.

The girl's tone was sing-songy, "I dunno….maybe I won't tell you after all." She dusted herself off and took off across the rooftops.

"Come back here!" Shin called and went after her.

Rhys let out a delighted laugh and picked up her speed.

Shin gave chase.

Laughter startled him out of his sleep. Brown eyes blinked as voices came to his ears. He scowled. He did NOT like getting woken up.

"I got you now!" a boy's voice cried.

"Nuh-uh!" and girl's voice taunted.

The disturbed sleeper's scowl deepened. Two lovers on a night chase. Wonderful. He thought grumpily but followed them. In a clearing not too far outside of town, there stood two people. One had nowhere else to run the other looked victorious.

"I told you! Now for your punishment!"

To the onlooker's annoyance, he watched as the boy tackled a girl to the ground by her waist.

"SHIN! LEMME GO!" she cried out.

What? Shin? The second man, Shin wouldn't…..

"Tell me what happened after that! Otherwise I won't let you go!"

"Fine! This looks bad enough as it is! You're lucky no one is watching!"

The man smirked.

"Well? Tell me so we can get out of this awkward situation."

The girl laughed, "Fine! When you two fell asleep, Lotus-sensei turned to me and winked and said, 'Ah! Beauty tamed the Beasts! I love it!' then she started chuckling as I was blushing. Now get off of me!" she demanded.

The second man was silent. I was wondering why Rhys looked so red the next morning. He thought amusedly.

Shin was stunned, "That's it?"

"Yes! What did you think happened?" she arched an elegant black eyebrow at him.

"Something more interesting than that."

Rhys rolled her eyes and smiled, "You and your wild fantasies. Go to sleep."

Kai chuckled as he leaned against a tree, They still haven't changed much.

Shin bowed and mocked, "Hai Oka-sama." And disappeared.

Rhys giggled and leapt up into at tree and lay down looking up at the sky.