Niana Kuonji: I re-uploaded them for you. Let me know if you still can't read them and I'll email them to you intsead. :)
The Thief Kuronue: LONG LIVE MINOR CHARACTERS! YEAH! Why should the main charries have all the fun:D

Last chapter! Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to review and everyone who took the time to read it. Thanks to the Hit Counters (which I luuuurve), I know that's a bunch of you shy/busy peoples, and I love you anyway.
Uber-thanks to: Saico, shadowcat241, Happiness's Deceit, Yuki KIKI(the most constant reviewer ever and the first to put this on a faves list. I LOVE YOU! ((glomps)) ), Kawaii Kitsune Cub, bakusensei, utoto, MommyRogers (who is also awesome for putting this on her alerts list), The Thief Kuronue (who stalks me everywhere, I swear. ;) ), Ninie-san, Krylancelo, Musical Misfit, Niana Kuonji, Blue-fire310 (alert-list, awesome), Yarochisai (faves list, I love you!), Tenshi-Tara (who owns the C2 that is a gift from heaven, I swear)and my faithful partner Arashi-chan. I love you guys!

These Memories:
A Series About Friendship and Forgetfulness

: Before all things / I had a name / I think it left me long ago / Why can't I remember / Today I have another chance / to step out / I will not rest / until I know / what it all means / I will not give in / until I have you back / where you belong / I will not stop / because this is who I am / Maybe in time / these memories will fade away :

These Memories Will Fade Away
Memories are the hardest things to let go of.
These Memories; Part XVI

"You're thinner than Ino when she went on her last diet," Chouji teased, poking Shikamaru's all-too-visible ribs good-naturedly. Shikamaru grunted a little and batted his hand away. Undaunted, Chouji waved his bag of chips in front of Shikamaru's face. "We'll just have to fatten you up, then!"

Shikamaru made a face and pushed the chips away. "I think I've had enough food in the past three days to last a lifetime, thank you. You're not the only one who thinks I'm skinny as a twig."

"That's because you are," Chouji replied patiently. Being thin was unnatural. Seeing Shikamaru wince slightly, he asked,"Is your head bothering you again?"

"Yeah." Tsunade'd said it'd be a few weeks before his mind adjusted to all the rapid changes, and the headaches should stop around then. He sighed, absently bringing a hand up to rub behind his ear where the piece of restraining metal had been.

"Don't do that," Chouji said, and pulled his hand away. "You'll start bleeding again."

"Mm." Shikamaru let his hand fall and closed his eyes. It wasn't worth it.

Shikamaru's head was on Chouji's stomach because Akimichis made good pillows, and Chouji absently began massaging his friend's forehead with gentle fingertips, smiling to himself when the slight pain-crease between Shikamaru's eyebrows eased.

"Don't stop," Shikamaru said drowsily.

Chouji chuckled. "Feel good?"

"Mm," said Shikamaru, in his vague noncommital way. Chouji knew from the way his breathing evened out that he'd fallen asleep, and gradually switched from massaging to simply stroking that tired head. He leaned back against the tree trunk and stared up at the light filtering through green leaves.

He still didn't know what Shikamaru'd been through. Not even Tsunade knew yet; she'd judged it better to wait until his returned memories had settled before bringing up the delicate questions of what had happened to him. Personally, Chouji would rather Shikamaru never had to tell, that those memories just sort of faded away and were never brought up again. Somehow, though, he knew that could never be. Nara Shikamaru was still a ninja of the Leaf—and he still had to report like one.

But neither of them had to worry about that right now, Chouji decided, and closed his eyes.

After all, tomorrow was another day.