Summery: Five years since the attack on Konoha, two geniuses who don't see eye to eye are captured by the Rain during a routine surveillance mission. Under interrogation and torture, without the use of jitsus will Neji and Shikamaru be able to rely on each other for survival?

A big giant in-your-face THANK YOU goes to my beta for this chapter (underline)kurokumo who is my LJ buddy and writer of many great Shika fics pelts her with candy hearts 'o doom GO READ HER STUFF!

Ch. 9: Our Final Night

The river swallowed Shikamaru into its icy grip. The shock of the cold knocked the breath out of him and for a few precious seconds he found himself unable to move his limbs. In those moments, he was at the mercy of the thrashing current. Panic kicked in and Shikamaru flailed until he able to reach surface.

Choking on the spray of the crashing waters, Shikamaru sought desperately for any sign of Neji, but was unable to see beyond the chaos of the swelling waves.

I can't die here, I won't die here!

The reasonable side of Shikamaru of survival training overrode his natural instinct to fight the currents. It all came back to him and Iruka-sensei's sharp voice rang in his memory: "If you ever fall into a set of white water rapids, remember that there are two currents: the surface current and the undertow below. Don't get caught in the undertow, it has enough force to pull your shoe off. If you do, it will keep you under until you drown."

Already trapped in the surface current, Shikamaru allowed his body to float above the water, safely away from the undertow. He positioned his body feet first so that he could kick away from jutting rocks that threatened to smash his skull. It was difficult to float, breath, and steer himself in the sloshing waters that threw him up and down over waves and water-blanketed boulders.

No sooner had he gained some control over the current, Shikamaru glimpsed the edge of the rapids, and realized with terror that it was a small waterfall.

"Oh shit!" Shikamaru sputtered then flipped on his stomach to desperately swim against the current, away from what would most certainly be instant death. It was to no avail, the water continued to drag him against his will. Realizing that his attempts of escaping the current and the impending rapids were futile, he wracked his brain for a means for survival.

Iruka-sensei's voice floated through his mind again, drudging up more reminders of his training. "In big areas of white water, there are certain types of strong rapids that have both the surface current and the undertow merging. There is only one way to survive these: protect your head and allow the current to pull you underwater. Here, your chances of survival are cut in half: you can either be carried above by the surface current, or continue to be dragged down in the undertow. If that is so, your body will be spat out further downstream long after you have drowned."

Fuck. Shikamaru turned around to face the dip, and bracing himself, he took a deep breath and tucked his body into a ball moments before being carried over. For a split second, he felt a sensation of free falling before Shikamaru's left shoulder blade collided painfully against the smooth edge of a bolder, sending him spinning madly underwater. The two currents seemed to fight over his body, throwing him against the underwater rocks and forcing his body to stretch out from its protective ball. At one point the Nara felt as if he were about to be torn in half by the awesome force of the battling currents. Finally, the opposing force was gone. His lungs fit to burst, Shikamaru stretched out to grasp anything, but all that he could grab was...

Air.

His face broke surface. Kicking furiously, he fought to stay afloat as he gasped life-giving air into his body. He spotted yellow river foam from the rapids swirling and gathering near the banks, where the current flowed close to.

His heart still racing from his brush with death, Shikamaru swam into the heart of the current with the intent of it carrying him close to the bank. As he scanned the shores for something to pull himself out from the water, he spotted among the rocks a pale bandaged hand clutching a thin overhanging branch.

Adrenaline suddenly coursing through his veins, Shikamaru fought to break free of the current. His hands clawed and scrapped against the algae covered surfaces of sharp rocks before he could find a hold. Once he had a firm grip, he pulled himself above water to look for the source of that hand.

He found Neji clinging to a slender branch, his feet tucked under him to keep from getting caught in the undertow. Neji's eyes were tightly shut with concentration and he looked to be fighting to stay conscious.

"Neji!" Shikamaru scrambled over the rocks and onto the bank. Even though his legs wobbled from fatigue, he pressed on until he reached the bank where the Hyuuga dangled in the water. Neji was merely an arm's length away from reaching the shore, but was trapped in an eddy, where the edge of the current swirled in circles like a whirlpool, making it nearly impossible to escape once caught. Neji was too weak to pull himself to shore or fight the current, and was only able to cling to the branch for dear life.

With one arm hooked on a sturdy branch, Shikamaru leaned over to get a firm hold on Neji's arm, then dragged him onto the rocky bank.

The two soaked shinobi collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. After several minutes of lying still, Shikamaru turned to his companion. "You alright Neji?"

The Hyuuga did not respond.

"Neji? Neji!" Shikamaru shook his companion, and found him to be unconscious. He's freezing, I have to get him somewhere warm and dry. Still shuddering from both the cold and his newfound respect for the river, the Nara hoisted his unconscious companion onto his bruised back. That damn base better be here somewhere, or we'll soon die from exposure. He shivered at that thought, and carefully made his way into the forest to follow the river downstream.

An hour passed.

Shikamaru was exhausted. He had not put Neji down for fear that he would not have the strength to pull him back onto his shoulders. Instead, the Nara rested by leaning against a tree to help alleviate the weight of his unconscious friend on his back. Every so often, Neji would mumble incoherently into his neck, but Shikamaru doubted that the Hyuuga realized he was being carried.

Evening was quickly descending, and with it, Shikamaru's last dregs of stamina. All he could concentrate on was putting one foot ahead of the other, watching his breath evaporate into the cold air, and looking fervently for Konoha's secret sign of a base.

The base could be anywhere. Though countless eons, the river had carved its way through the earth to expose wide walls of naked rock to the elements. Shallow pockets and caves dotted the stone walls around the bank, though most were hidden by dirt and vegetation. The chances of finding the right one containing the needed supplies seemed very slim.

Shikamaru was near his limit. With a heavy sigh he rested his head against the rough bark of a pine tree. He felt his grip on Neji slowly slipping as the strength in his fingers began to leave him. After all that, we will die right here alone in the woods. He cursed bitterly and scanned the terrain one last time before moving on.

Then he found it: a rough outline of a leaf left on the stump of an ancient tree, a symbol that would have gone unnoticed to the untrained eye.

Sobbing with relief, Shikamaru dragged both Neji and himself towards the sign, and after a quick sweep, found a hidden entrance to a small cave under a curtain of moss behind the tree stump.

Inside the cave was dry and spacious, with enough room to stand up straight. Shikamaru leaned Neji down against the wall and fumbled around a bit until he located the lanterns and waterproof matches. Once the cave was lit, the Nara spotted in one corner were tightly bound standard emergency supplies: weapons, rations, medical supplies and emergency blankets.

Shikamaru immediately set about pulling out the blankets from their airtight plastic bags and spreading them on the floor. Carefully, he peeled off the wet shawl and toweled out Neji's long matted hair before laying the Hyuuga down onto the blankets. As he laid Neji into a comfortable position, Shikamaru could feel the heat of infected skin under the wet bandages. I'll need to disinfect his cuts right away.

After wrapping Neji in the remaining blankets, Shikamaru turned to pull out the bundle of medical supplies. Not wanting to waste time sifting through all the bottles, he dumped the entire contents unceremoniously to the ground. Plastic bottles, jars, and airtight packages spilled into a heap. Tossing the bag aside, Shikamaru knelt down to find the right container. From the corner of his eye, he saw the bright red wrappings of a flare roll among the scattered supplies.

Shikamaru cried out in surprise and pounced on the explosive before it could roll away any further. Shikamaru carefully held the flare in his hand as if it might shatter, his eyes wide with shock. "I don't believe it!" he whispered hoarsely. Without another thought, he grabbed one of the lanterns and scrambled outside to light it.

The flare shot up into the evening sky, leaving a plume of smoke in its wake. Shikamaru waited long enough to witness the flare burst into blue-white flames far above before retreating back into the cave. The flare was no more than a powerful firework, but was made specifically for emergency situations. The flare's flames would linger in the air for several minutes, long enough for allies to assess their location and the base they were using. Of course, the flare was also a beacon to unfriendly shinobi, but at the moment Shikamaru did not want to think of the consequences of that. The flares were meant to be used as a final resort and Shikamaru felt that it was their last and only attempt to contact for help.

That done, the Nara crawled back inside the base. Grabbing a bottle of disinfectant and a package of gauze, he kneeled down besides Neji to admonish his treatment. As he sliced through the old bandages, Shikamaru hissed upon seeing the degree of inflammation many of Neji's wounds had taken. The bright red cuts swelled with yellow infection, contrasting sharply against the Hyuuga's pale skin. The river water must have made him worse. Shikamaru swallowed back the sour taste building up in the back of his throat, and bent down to start cleaning.

As with any shinobi, Shikamaru was trained in basic field medicine. Using only a flame-heated scalpel and absorbent gauze, he was able to slice through the yellowed skin and drain the white infection underneath. The puss filled wipes were disposed into an airtight bag to help deter animals from detecting the smell of blood. Shikamaru had to stop himself a few times from getting sick, and took breaks drinking from the canteen water supplies.

Neji awoke with a small groan when Shikamaru was finishing up cleaning the last wound. He blinked up at the ceiling with unfocused eyes, then noticed that he was not alone in the room. "Shika...maru?" Weakly, he held up a hand to feel his comrade's arm. "Where are we?"

"A safehouse." Shikamaru shoved a bloody gauze into the trash bag and pulled out a fresh wipe. "Soruyo's dead. I highly doubt that he could swim with both the poison and the shurikan tied to his back."

"I woke up in the water." Neji mumbled, as if he had not heard Shikamaru. "I didn't get caught in the main current. I swam so hard I...I...panicked." Neji shuddered at the memory, then tried to brush loose strands of hair from his face. "I sometimes lose self control in deep water. Its pathetic."

"Hey." Shikamaru poked Neji's bare chest sternly "Don't be so hard on yourself, you should count yourself lucky to be alive."

Neji chuckled dryly. "Heh, I suppose there's no point in making things harder for myself, with this damn headache and everything."

Shikamaru reached out to feel Neji's flushed forehead, his fingers pressed lightly against the birdcage seal. "You're running a fever."

Neji shrugged weakly. "That's the least of my worries. Is there anything to drink?"

Shikamaru pulled out his canister of sterilized water. "It's a little stale, but still drinkable." he carefully lifted Neji's head to help him drink.

Neji sighed after he had drank his fill, and watched Shikamaru with eyes half closed as his comrade took his turn drinking from the canteen. "What are our odds?"

Shikamaru paused to wipe his mouth. "I'm not sure anymore. I've set off a flare, anyone with a clear view could easily see it."

"We're still far from Konoha, those Rain shinobi would most likely be sniffing around for us soon." the Hyuuga looked grim. "They might slit our throats while we're asleep."

"Fuck, Neji!" Shika shuddered. "Don't say things like that!"

"Being as it is," Neji continued, "I'm in no condition to travel, but you have a chance of saving yourself."

Shikamaru shook his head sternly. "I'm not abandoning you."

As weak as he was, Neji's eyes flashed anger. "You fool! There's no point in you dying as well, that's suicide!"

Shikamaru looked away from Neji's angry eyes, he could feel his headache starting again. "I couldn't stand losing you like that, not when there is something I can do. Besides..." his voice dropped, "I wouldn't mind dying by your side."

Neji was moved, but did not betray any emotion in his reply. "As a comrade?"

Shikamaru turned away, mumbling under his breath. "Yeah, but I would like to be a bit more than that." He scratched the back of his head nervously, suddenly ashamed at himself of voicing his desires. "I'm being foolish."

Neji reached out and tugged at Shikamaru's wrist to urge him closer. Shikamaru complied, and leaned down with his elbow propped to hold himself up next to Neji. Shikamaru's mouth held a grim line, but his dark eyes were wide with concern.

Neji smiled wryly and brushed a finger against Shikamaru's arm. "To think that I was so blinded by my ambition to obtain the ANBU rank, I've completely overlooked you as an individual."

Shikamaru chuckled. "At the time I thought you were just an arrogant prick." A sincere smile tugged the corners of his lips. "Thanks Neji."

"Do you still intend to stay?"

Shikamaru shook his head, a ghost of a grin lined his mouth. "There's no way you can kick me out in the state you're in."

Neji sighed, giving into the Nara's stubbornness. "If you're going to stay, at least stay warm with me."

Shikamaru nodded dumbly, weariness had crept suddenly into his battered body. With some effort, he peeled off his damp shirt and climbed under the blankets next to Neji. Shikamaru's teeth chattered against the warm body, he had not realized how cold he had been. The Nara felt suddenly safe being so close to Neji, and realizing so made his headache fade a bit.

"I wonder if we'll wake up in the morning." Shikamaru mused, feeling the Hyuuga's arm snake around his middle to encourage him to scoot closer.

Neji guided Shikamaru's drowsy head to lie in the crook of his neck, Neji made a small movement to indicate a shrug. "Tomorrow we shall see what fate will deal us. "

"Fate, huh?" The Nara muttered grouchily. "Fate seemed to have dealt us a pretty bad hand. Nothing good came from this mission."

"Did it?" Neji slowly turned his head to mummer into Shikamaru's ear. "Tell me, what did you mean by wanting to be more than my comrade?"

Shikamaru stiffened, he had hoped Neji had missed that comment. He felt his cheeks grow hot, embarrassment surfaced through his weariness. "Nothing. Just forget about it."

The Nara's reaction did not escape the perceptive Hyuuga. Shikamaru's unguarded body language confirmed what Neji had already suspected. "Perhaps it was fate that had us meet like this." Neji slid his fingers up Shikamaru's bruised back, his voice turning soft. "I know that before this mission I never would have given you a second glance."

Shikamaru sensed what Neji was implying, and lifted his face to meet eyes with the Hyuuga. Neji's silver eyes were glassy with fever, but held a clarity that revealed his intentions were sincere.

Taking the initiative, Neji leaned over to brush lips across the Nara's mouth. Shikamaru allowed his eyes to close, and returned the tender kiss.

It did not last long. Neji pulled away first, he leaned his flushed forehead against Shikamaru's brow. Exhaustion had began to reclaim his body. "If we do survive this, lets try to get to know each other better."

"I'd like that." Shikamaru brushed loose strands of hair from Neji's fevered face. "Lets get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning."

The Hyuuga nodded sleepily, unable to keep his eyes open. "In the morning..." Neji echoed, his voice faded as he at last succumbed to black folds of sleep.

Shikamaru was not long following the path of sleep. Cradling Neji, he allowed himself to feel deceptively secure the Hyuuga's arms. His last thought before he slipped into unconsciousness completed the sentence that Neji could not finish.

"Maybe."

Shikamaru had a very odd dream. He dreamed that he was staring up into a dark grey sky. Light raindrops fell into his open eyes as he watched the faint outlines of treetops and branches stream by. He was moving, and yet he was still lying on his back. Around his head, Shikamaru could hear hushed voices and the dull sound of running feet.

Shikamaru blinked out the rainwater in his eyes and inconsistencies to turn his head to see who was behind him. A hand appeared, its fingertips alight with blue chakra. Shikamaru could only watch as the fingers descended to tap his temples, he had no strength to offer resistance. Suddenly feeling lightheaded, Shikamaru closed his eyes to fall back into the comfortable blackness of a dreamless sleep.

What a strange dream.

TBC

I tried to convey my experiences with white waters as best as I could in this chappie, such as Keeping your head protected and try to ride the rapids through feet first was drilled in all the rafting kids noggins' for incase of falling overboard. Hopefully this information is useful (who says fanfiction can't be educational?)

Oh man, this took me so long to update, and a long chapter nonetheless! (big bow of apology) So sorry for the wait! And thanks for sticking with my story! (hugs for everyone!)

And yet another thanks to my wonderful beta (underline)kurokumo for all her majestic wonderfulness X3 And thanks to everyone who took the time to review and comment on the story! It fills me with wonderous fanficing joy knowing that people read and like this story, Thank you!

I would like to know what you think about my fic, please R/R!