Nightingale sat in her classroom grading papers. She had finished grading the prose papers and was now working on the poetry papers. She had the class analyze and interpret Emily Dickinson's poem "Hope." She smiled as she read Tohru's interpretation.

"She's always so hesitant to answer in class, but here she shows how much she truely knows. She's a very bright young girl." Nightingale said to herself. "I wonder if any of them went to Shigure for help."

Nightingale remembered the late nights she and Shigure used to spend in her dorm. She always helped him. He always said that he didn't understand the poetry, but he did quote well in the class. She also remembered setting in her dorm, bouncing ideas back and forth with him. They would work on stories and poems and always had so much fun together.

Flashback...

It was a late night. Nightingale was standing in her dorm room, she had just gotten out of the shower. Her wet hair hung losely down her back and over her shoulders. A knock sounded on her door, "Decent or not, here I come." Shigure said, his usual greeting before coming in the room. "Am I ever gonna catch you naked?" He asked.

Nightingale laughed. "In your dreams." She replied.

Shigure pouted playfully. "Just once?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Do you have your notebook?"

"I always do." Shigure replied with a smile. "Do you have that big beautiful brain of yours filled with ideas?"

"I have ideas, but I'm not sure how big or beautiful my brain is." She replied.

Shigure laughed. "Well, we had better get to work."

Nightingale's hand was suddenly on Shigure's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?" She asked teasingly.

"I feel fine...as long as you're here I'll be fine." He replied dramatically.

Nightingale laughed and playfully smacked his cheek.

"Ow." Shigure said playing of course.

"Oh here." NIghtingale said and kissed his cheek. "I'll make it all better." She spoke using a patronizing tone and then pinched his cheek. "I'll take care of you."

Shigure took her hand and then pinched her cheek. "Now, let's get to work."

They then spent the night talking and sharing ideas. They were able to write their stories and get them finished. After a few hours, they fell asleep. They were snuggled up together and Shigure, unfortunately, turned into a dog.

Nightingale woke up in the morning to Shigure licking her face. "That's just gross." She said pushing him away and getting up.

"But I'm a dog." Shigure replied.

Nightingale couldn't help but laugh. "You are impossible to be mad at you know?"

"I try." Shigure replied. Then a poof and a puff of smoke and Shigure stood proudly in his birthday suit.

Nightingale blushed and turned around to let Shigure get dressed.

"I'll see you in class." He said and then walked out the door.

"Why can't I ever tell him?" Nightingale sighed to herself. "Why can't I ever tell him how I feel? I'm so stupid."

Present day...

A knock sounded on her door, breaking Nightingale from her reverie. "Decent or not, here I come." sang the familiar voice.

Nightingale turned around and smiled as Shigure entered the room. She let out a laugh.

"Why are you laughing my love?" He asked as he walked over to her desk.

"I was just remembering our late nights in college and how you used to say that before you'd come in my dorm." She replied, grinning.

Shigure smiled. "You know, I was remembering sopme of our late nights myself. I remember coming to you for help in poetry."

"You know something, Shigure?"

"Yes, my love."

"I was just thinking back to that and you did well in the class. And you did just fine when we went over the poems." Nightingale said, a sly look on her face.

"Is there a point to this?" Shigure asked, a smile lighting his face.

"Yes, I think you pretended you didn't know what you were doing to spend all that time alone with me." She said.

"No." Shigure said. "I was just trying to see you naked."

Nightingale laughed. "And you just happened to fall in love with me when trying to see me naked?"

"That's exactly it." He replied, grinning like a madman.

Nightingale finished grading Tohru's paper and put the papers in her drawer. "So where are we going today?"

"I thought we could have a picnic?" Shigure suggested.

"That sounds lovely to me." Nightingale said standing up and taking Shigure's hand.

They headed to the park and Shigure spread a blanket out. They sat down and enjoyed a wonderful meal. They talked and laughed and kissed...a lot.

"So, spring break is coming up soon." Shigure said.

"Yes, do you have something in mind?" Nightingale asked.

"I was thinking that maybe, we could take a trip together. Just the two of us?" Shigure asked.

"But what about Mimi?" NIghtingale asked, wanting to make sure her sister was taken care of.

"She could stay with Tohru, Kyou, and Yuki. They're very well behaved kids. Or of you'd like I could see sbout her staying at the Sohma estate." Shigure answered. "Maybe with Hatori and Jin?"

Nightingale smiled. "I'll have to see what Mimi thinks of it."

"Or she could stay with Aya and Mine. Your father does want her to have a feminine influence, you can't get any more feminine than those two and staying in a dress shop." Shigure said with a laugh.

"You have a point, but I'm not sure that I like the idea of her being there." Nightingale said with a laugh. "Anyway, where would you and I be going?"

"We could take a trip to the hot springs?" Shigure asked.

Nightingale's face lit up. "I would love to go. I've always wanted to go to a hot spring."

"Okay then. Once you talk things over with Mimi, let me know and I'll make the arrangements." Shigure told her.

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

"You just want to see me naked again."

Shigure grinned devilishly. "Of course. And I just want to spend some time alone with you. Be sides like you don't enjoy seeing me naked."

Nightingale blushed.

Shigure laughed and pulled her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She said and kissed his cheek.