Ryane:I'm excited to say, this story is still going! I wanted a bit more..drama in it, so, tada!

Shikamaru: Would you get on with the story? I've been waiting forever.

Ryane: Well, I'm so sorry Mr. Lazy pants...

Shikamaru: Come on!

Ryane: Okay, okay. I do not own any Naruto characters or anything of the sort.

Shikamaru: I'm going to sleep...

Ryane: Sorry, sorry!

Ryane had excelled in her trainings. She was placed on a quite interesting team, one where absolutely anything could happen.

Ino Yamanaka was the girl who wouldn't shut up. She was like a gossip queen. Ryane even called her that a few times. Ino knew it was true, so only laughed. They weren't exactly best friends, but they were close.

Shikamaru Nara was a different story. He was really smart and a real cool guy to hang out with. Known for his laziness, and that's what everyone called him. He was Ryane's best friend and everyone knew it.

Choji Akimichi not like either of the others. He ate a lot; just like Ryane. They enjoyed eating and hanging together.
As you can see, they weren't the best of teams, being that sometimes they argued, but they were there for each other when it mattered.

So, Ryane had been on all sorts of missions. Some with her team, some with others. It was hard to keep up her training and her promise, but she did her best.
She missed the three so much. Especially Gaara. Sometimes, when she went to visit, he was too busy. Over the year that she's been gone, he had been made the Kazekage. She was so happy, yet upset. Her last visit was about two weeks ago. Didn't get to see him.
Did she tell anyone? No. How could she? Ryane was known to keep things private, and she did just that. No one knew about Gaara, no one knew she was taken, no one knew the troubles she went through.
Gaara was the only one who could push down the wall that blocked her from the world. The green haired girl missed that...

"Ryane?" The boys voice didn't give a hint of emotion.

Her eyes that were glued to the ground moved slowly up to the figure leaning against the tree. Shikamaru stood there, his eyebrow cocked upwards, staring her down. Her arms that kept her legs hugged up against her chest extended outwards for him to pull her up.

He did just that and leaned back against the tree. "What's going on?" She gave him a confused look. Nothing was going on, not that she was aware of. At least that's what she wanted to believe in.

"Nothing. Why?"The boy wasn't buying it. Somehow he could see deep inside her, just like her boy in Suna. Maybe she was getting too close to him. Ryane couldn't help it. He was the one she felt comfortable with over here.

Everytime Ryane excused herself from the village to go back to the Sand village, she didn't tell why. It was none of their business. She was good at hiding things.

Maybe it was time that she told him.
"Well, I find you sitting against the tree, staring at the ground, hugging your knees. Not your basic Ryane, if you ask me."
"Yeah, well, I just got to thinking, is all. I'm completely fine."
"You're one troublesome woman, you know that?"
"No."
"Worse then Ino!"
"Whatever!"she playfully pushed his shoulder and ran deeper into the forest; Shikamaru running in after her. She kept running. It was a good way to let all her emotions out.

The wind in her hair, her hushed laughter, the sun setting. It was so peaceful. The smile on her face was unlike any other.

Soon, Shikamaru caught up to her. It was unlike him to be playing around with her. Shikamaru was the lazy one after all. This time was different. It was obvious that he was trying to make her feel better. It was.
When she was within arms length, he wrapped his hands around her waist and twirled her around.
They were laughing. So hard. Once he stopped spinning her, Ryane felt something tickling her arms. When she looked down, there were tiny pieces of sand grazing her skin.

She knew only one person who would be doing that. To her amazement, there he was. Taller, leaner, more masculine. The beautiful, red haired boy she loved so much was standing right in the sun's rays.
Shikamaru, not knowing who this boy was, grabbed his kunai and stood in front of her.
Ryane, being the love struck fool she was, gently pushed him aside, taking a step in the others direction.

"Gaara.."

Her heart sped up. She couldn't believe that he was right there.
She smiled.
Shikamaru withdrew.
Gaara walked up to her.
"Who's he?..."
Shikamaru and Gaara said simultaneously.

Ryane:Yay! I finally got the first chapter. This has got to be my favorite chapter.

Shikamaru: Definitely...interesting...

Ryane:Awww. I'm sorry. You had to be the other person! I couldn't think of anyone else...

Shikamaru: Whatever.

Ryane: Yeah...ANYWAYS! Chapter six will be up in due time. I'm so excited to write more. Please check out my other story, Laying Next To You, as well. Those are my main two stories I'm focused on.

Shikamaru: Alright, well, we'll be going now. Leave reviews.

Ryane: Please do! Goodbye!