A/N Here we are! I know most of you guessed a long time ago, but I had a hard time not bringing this out too early.

I hope that everyone enjoys my little moment down there (seriously, I need opinions) and also the rest of the chapter, for that matter.

Thanks to KariGilmore, SunRise19, and Pichooi for reviewing!

As always, I'm greatly indebted to all of you. I would probably never get around to finishing these things if I didn't know someone was actually enjoying them. Happy reading!

x x x

Meanwhile, our favorite duo had finally reached the end of the tracks. Timon hopped from his friend's snout and bent to his knees, sticking his head down into the hole they had come to. As soon as he had caught a glimpse of Flinchy he grabbed hold of him and dragged him out by the arm.

"Timon? What are you two doing here?" he asked, rather surprised, but at the same time relieved to see a potentially friendly face.

"What did you do with her?" Timon growled into his face. Flinchy looked confused, but then a brief realization came over him.

"Oh, you think I took Hadiya?"

"I don't think, I know." He still had a hold of him. "Now where is she?"

"Well," Flinchy answered hesitantly, "In a way I guess you're right...I did take her, but there's really no need for you to be so worried. She's perfectly fine." Timon glared steadily at him, his suspicion evident. Flinchy rolled his eyes. "Alright, then, don't believe me. Why not look for yourself?" he said, gesturing to the hole that lead to their hiding place.

"You haven't done anything, have you?" Timon traded the glare for concern. He really was worried about her. He frowned at Pumbaa, who merely shrugged. "If you have..."

"For crying out loud, why don't you just trust me? You'd be a lot better off if you just opened up a little." Giving him an uncertain glance, Timon turned and disappeared below ground.

"Has he always jumped to conclusions like that?" Flinchy asked Pumbaa irritably. The warthog chuckled from where he had nestled himself into a little pile of dirt.

"I've gotten used to it."

x x x

Hadiya pulledhimalong behind her, stopping every few seconds to listen to the low cadence beating all around them. Distant shouts could be heard blending with the other sounds.

"There's an awful lot of noise up there..." her friend made a barefaced observation and she nodded absently. "What do you think is going on?"

"I don't know."

"Oh." She stopped, abruptly moving back a few paces, cupping her hand around her ear.

"It's getting louder." A deep rumble erupted through the tunnel, escalating into a roar that shook bits of dirt from the ceiling above them. The sound died away seconds later. The two stood staring back the way they had come. Puffs of dust came drifting toward them.

"What the heck was that?" he wondered aloud, shaking his head worriedly. Hadiya shrugged mutely and neither moved.

"I think-"

"Hadiya!" they both jumped and latched onto one another. Another cloud of dust enveloped them, bringing with it a figure larger than either of them. "There you are."

"Mom?" Hadiya asked tentatively. Kesi looked relieved, but she stiffened when she saw that her daughter was not alone. Hadiya ran to her. "Mom, what happened?"

"We're leaving, Hadiya." She said sternly. Hadiya began to protest, but the voices from before were growing louder. They were very angry voices.

She furrowed her brow, trying her best to recall every detail. It had been so long ago that it was getting to be difficult...she tried to focus on her friend's face, hoping to sort out the familiarity of it. The images came to her somewhat hazily.

Still, she knew it was urgent but she struggled as her mother took her hand and pulled her away, not willing to leave her friend behind. But Kesi was much stronger than she was. Without a word she pulled her daughter away. Hadiya looked back at her friend as they fled.

"Hadiya!" he cried, looking stricken.

She hadn't remembered that before, the memory always faded when they began to run. Now though, she could see it clearly. He had called out to her, and she had answered

"Timon!"

A hand on her shoulder brought Hadiya back to the present and she glance sleepily at him as he bent over her.

"Timon?"

"Hey, we've been looking for you." he pulled her to her feet where she stood blinking at him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I...wait! What are you doing here?" he couldn't help but look a little hurt as she pushed him away.

"Just what I said! We've been looking for you since last night!"

"We? Who's we?"

"Me and Pumbaa!" she relaxed visibly, smiling weakly at him.

"Good, then it's not so bad."

"What are you talking about?" Hadiya hesitated, glancing around uncertainly.

"Where's Flinchy?" Timon jabbed an impatient finger upward. "Good. We need to talk and I don't want an audience..."

"Hadiya, what-"

"You remember what I told you last night, right?" she interrupted him. Rather than being sour about it, he nodded.

"About your friend?"

"Yes. That last memory I have of him, it never lasts long. Anyway, I've been thinking about it and...and I think I finally know who it is."

"Oh." That was really all that Timon could think to say. She was forgiving, much more so than he could have been. He attempted a smile, but it died on his lips. "I'm happy for you." He didn't see the confused look cross her face.

"You are?"

"Of course I am, as long as you're happy. That is why you two ran off, isn't it?" She furrowed her brow, giving him an odd look. It wasn't one that he didn't much care for. What had she been expecting? Did she want him to be angry? Hadiya giggled.

"Oh, not Flinchy. Good Heavens no!" she laughed, leaving Timon to be confused once again. "I was talking about you."

He didn't say anything. He couldn't. How was he supposed to respond to this? He felt wonderful, but it was just so unlikely. Him, of all people...

He stuttered incoherently at her, trying to sort it all out in his head. Finally he managed to speak. "Y...you're sure about that?"

"Of course I'm sure." Hadiya put her arms around his neck, leaning close enough to touch noses with him. "Please don't think I've made a mistake. I know how you are." Hesitantly, he returned her embrace. "I know you're wondering how this could happen to someone like you."

"Wow, you do know me."

"Finding you always seemed so impossible, but now..."

"...It all seems so easy." he finished, closing the distance between them. The movement startled both of them at first, but as their lips brushed it seemed as if they had never not known what was between them. The events of the day before faded from mind as they stood, each enveloped in the other. There was nothing to distract them, nothing else that seemed to matter. They parted briefly, and Hadiya rested her cheek against Timon's chest.

"I've waited a long time for something like that." he whispered, nuzzling his nose into her hair. "I'm so glad you found me." They fell into silence, neither willing to move away.

"Now what are they doing?" both of their heads snapped up to see Flinchy hanging through the entrance to the burrow. He frantically tried to pull himself back through it. "Up Pumbaa, UP!" He disappeared and Hadiya broke away from Timon to scramble up after him.

"DOES THE WORD PRIVACY MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?" Timon couldn't help but laugh when, after following her, he found her chasing Flinchy in circles around Pumbaa's legs.

"It was just so cute!"

"I'LL SHOW YOU CUTE!" It was good to see that they were getting along again (if that's what you would call it). He stepped into their path and caught her as she passed him. Hadiya began to kick at him, but settled to glowering at her cousin.

"So, uh...I take it everything's been straightened out?" Pumbaa asked, bending low so the meerkats could climb onto him.

Flinchy gave Hadiya a meaningful look. "Not yet, it's not. We've still got a few things to clear up."

"Right." she said, still looking a little miffed that she had been watched. Flinchy scooted away so that Timon was between them as Pumbaa began to trot towards the distant greenery of the oasis. "I have a feeling it may not be easy..."