This is the final chapter of the story... It might be a little short, but I simply didn't have as much ground to cover. Especially since there wasn't any real emotional turmoil with the characters, their relationship ended up developing in a much more straight forward manor than the others.

This also took much longer than it should have because of issues in my personal life that were making it hard for me to get much writing done. I had a particularly hard time when it came to writing an ending for this- it was hard coming up with an ending that I liked. Still, I'm sorry that you guys ended up having to wait so long for this chapter.

Thank you for reading this, and for taking the time to leave reviews and feedback for me. I'd especially like to say thanks to Naf-Nav, gaaralover1989, Cardlover95, and Wittyying. Thanks so much guys!

BETWEEN THE LINES

Part V:
"The Last Words"

...o.o.o...

Evening was encroaching as Shikamaru and Shiho walked along casually. "You know, life has a funny way of working things out." He remarked as they walked. "I mean, just when you think you're starting to get an idea about people, they turn around and surprise you."

Shiho turned to regard him for a moment as they walked. "Should I take it than that you're referring to me when you say that?" She asked with a smile.

"I'm just saying that people have a lot more facets to them than we tend to give them credit for." Shikamaru replied coolly, crossing his arms behind his head. "Take me for example, there really isn't all that much to a slacker like me..." He began. "While there is quite a bit about you that I'm only just starting to learn about." He continued with a devious smile.

Shiho blushed and quickly reached up to adjust her glassed. "Honestly Shikamaru, you can be such a tease sometimes, do you know that?" She asked him with a smile.

He shook his head. "No, no, it's not teasing, I'm merely speaking the truth..." Shikamaru casually replied to her. "Now why don't we go have some dinner at the nearby cafe... We can talk and get to know each other better." He offered.

...o.o.o...

Shikamaru and Shiho were seated across from each other, inside the same cafe they'd gone to after their initial encounter in the bookstore. Cups of tea were situated before both of the teens, from which they would periodically sip from as the talked.

"You know, I recall hearing somewhere that you and the other two members of your Shinobi Cell isn't the group's first incarnation..." She began. "And that there was another group like yours in the past." The glasses-wearing girl remarked, before taking a drink and setting her cup back down.

Shikamaru nodded quietly. "Yeah, our dads worked together- Inoichi Yamanaka, Choza Akimichi, and my dad, Shikaku Nara... Together, they were the original InoShikaCho trio." He explained to her with a faint smile. "It was such a successful pairing that they wanted their kids to carry on the tradition."

The dark-haired teen paused. "Ideally, it would have been three sons... Except that Yamanak-san ended up having a daughter. So, it's note quite exactly the same thing." He offered her with a small smile and a faint chuckle as he reminisced.

Shiho nodded in response. "Yes, I know about the Yamanaka clan and their mental projection skills... Well, by reputation at least." The sandy-haired young woman replied. "And I know about the daughter who's in your group, Ino Yamanaka- she's a very pretty girl."

Shikamaru looked at her for a moment and smiled. "Perhaps, but to be honest, I've never really thought about her like that... Ino's just not really my type." He explained to her. "I'll tell you a secret, something that most people don't know..." He began, leaning in closer.

"When it comes to guys, looks aren't everything- andit takes more than just a pretty face." H continued in a hushed tone. "Ino is my teammate and a dear friend, but she possesses all the warmth and charm of a wild boar." The shadow-user explained with a smile as he leaned back. "When it comes to females, I much prefer a different sort of girl."

His remark prompted Shiho to lean in closer. "Oh really, and just what exactly is your type?" She asked him with a sly smile. "I mean, I'd really love to know?"

Shikamaru smiled at the question. "What sort, well let me see..." He began. "Kind, thoughtful, introspective girls with nice eyes." He replied, making her blush darkly. "Now that I've indulged you, how about you tell me something... Like how exactly a nice girl like you ended up working the field of cryptography of all things?"

Shiho cleared her throat and managed to compose herself enough to answer. "Well, let's just say that I wasn't like other girls when I was little." She replied. "My dad is the head of the Kohoha Archives and my mom was a young housewife... and a pretty 'girly' one too." She explained to him. "I look a lot like her, but my personality it pretty much identical to my dad's in a lot of ways... We're, uh, both more adept with working with lines of text than with people..."

She paused for a moment, before she continued. "Even as a little girl, I remember looking for hidden meanings and messages in things. I wanted to understand what was 'hidden' beneath the surface." The young codebreaker explained to him. "So I applied to the Kohoha Cypher Corps once I was old enough, and I was accepted... as the youngest and as the first woman."

Shiho then leaned back. "What about you? You keep going on about what a slacker you are, but from what I've heard... You've been involved in your fair share or adventures." She remarked while casually picking up her cup to take a drink from it.

Shikamaru nodded knowingly. "I can assure you that none of them were by choice." He replied, giving the girl a small smile. "But you are right, despite my efforts to stay out of the spotlight, as well as my 'Nara Nature', I've still gotten mixed up in a few ordeals over the years."

He leaned back in his chair and relaxed as he continued. "You see, the men the of the Nara Clan are most well known for possessing two distinct but equal characteristics... Being both incredibly intelligent and notoriously lazy." Shikamaru explained with a smile. "Aside from those, I'd like to think that it's also our rugged good looks..."

Shiho laughed faintly at the quip, but still smiled and nodded. "Well, of course, and the last one you mentioned makes perfect sense..." She replied in a mock-gushing tone. "Though, you mustn't forget about your charm and wit... You know, if you're any indication, then you're mother must have found your father to be very charming."

"That's... an interesting theory." Shikamaru replied with a smile. "And, I've seen enough to know that stranger things could happen, so I suppose that it could be possible that she actually likes him."

Shiho shook her head. "It's like you said to me earlier, people are always much more complicated than they first appear..." She replied. "I'll give you an example, my mother... A lot of people would probably assume that she had some ulterior motive in marrying my father, who's several years older than her and not the most exciting man in the world... And yet I know she's happy with him."

Shiho continued. "Because, for her, being with him offered my mother something that only my father could give her- security and stability." She explained to the teen across from her. "In the long rung, it's often those sort of qualities that end up making all the difference." The bespectacled girl added confidently. "People's reasons for getting together could hardly be called 'typical'... And often, their reason for getting together, is just as complex as they are."

Shikamaru smiled slyly, leaning to side to rest on his elbow. "Oh, you mean like the two of us?"

The sandy-haired girl suddenly blushed a dark red. "I, uh... Well, possibly... That is to say... I mean, it's certainly a possibility." Shiho managed to say as she stumbled over her words.

Shikamaru reached out to grip her hand in his. He smiled at her and leaned in close and looked the female cartographer in the eyes. "Personally, I'd like to think that it's more then a possibility." He suggested, squeezing her hand gently.

...o.o.o...

It was getting late and the sun was setting in Konoha as Shikamaru and Shiho sat atop a hill and watched the unfolding sunset before them. The two were sitting in the soft grass- Shiho's hands folded across her lap while Shikamaru reclined back slightly on his hands.

The sky had started out as a fiery orange, with dark blue seeping into it as the sun sunk lower into the horizon. With the light rapidly fading, blue began to slowly darken into black. After several secants passed between the two teens, Shiho turned to look at Shikamaru. "I've had a really great time tonight, but what happens now?"

The dark-haired teen smiled to himself with a mild shrug and a shake of his head. He then turned to look at the girl beside him. "Don't ask me, I'm not really sort of guy to plan things out... As least not when I can help it." Shikamaru replied, still smiling. "Besides, I like to think that it's best to let relationships develop naturally. I mean, it's more exciting that way."

Shiho shook her head, but still smiled. "A 'relationship', eh?" The sandy-haired girl asked, her brow arching slightly as she spoke. "Yes... Yes I definitely think I like the sound of that." She added, giving Shikamaru a pretty smile as she relaxed

The shadow-user chuckled and nodded. "To be honest, I like the sound of it too..." He paused for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But then... it could just be that I find everything involving you to be extremely fascinating." Shikamaru finished with a smile.

Shiho once again found herself blushing in response to his remark. "You know, I'm starting to think that you enjoy teasing me." She replied, composing herself. "But in spite of all that, knowing that I have you attention really does make me happy." The girl replied with a smile. "And having the chance to spend time with and get to know you is more than I could have ever hoped for." She added in a soft voice, her face attractively flushing a pale pink color.

Shikamaru scooted closer and leaned in towards her. "I assure you, the time that I've spent with you, getting to know you, has been my pleasure." He replied, moving in closer, to the point where their noses almost touched. Shiho smiled to herself and closed her eyes. She soon feeling his lips brush against hers as he kissed her, and quickly reciprocated.

After a few moments, they parted and Shiho smiled at him. Her expression then changed to an impulsive smirk. Shikamaru was caught off-guard when the girl suddenly leaned towards him, kissing him on the lips. The sandy-haired teen pulled back and smiled as she observed the blush amidst his startled Shadow-User's expression.

Shiho smiled and reached over to touch his cheek. "Well now, I have to say that seeing you like that is certainly a change of pace." She remarked with a smile as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

(- The End -)

While writing this final chapter, I wracked my brain over how to end this... I'm still not totally happy with the final scene, but I have enjoyed the overall experience. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if some of you found the ending to be a bit abrupt. I hope that you guys enjoyed reading this, and will let me know what you thought about it. You can expect to see these two again in my future works... And you can expect an update for "The Undiscovered Country" to be up shortly. See you later!

-Bojack727