A/N: I know you'll get tired of my saying this but italics represent Simba's unspoken thoughts. :)
That really, really hurt.
Simba's head was pounding and his leg didn't feel the best either.
Through the darkness, he could hear some lionesses speaking to each other:
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Nala don't worry so."
That's not Mum...Sarafina?
"I know, I know, Mum!"
A pleasant feeling washed over him- that was inevitably Nala. Who else would have that compassionate voice?
"Rafiki did a brilliant jop on that leg- you must admit, sweetheart."
The padded noise of paws on rock reached Simba's ears and he knew that Nala and Sarafini were standing over him.
"Yes, he did, didn't he?" Nala's tone sounded happier. "Though it must still be extremely painful for him...and I'm not just talking about the leg."
Uh-oh.
There was a pause. "What do you mean?" Sarafina questioned.
"He..." Nala stopped, possibly to think. "Before Rafiki treated his leg- he was...talking."
"What about?"
"He was calling; calling for his father."
Simba flushed than heard Sarafina click her tongue in sympathy. "Oh, the poor darling. He really has had a rough time of it, hasn't he?"
Yes. But that was my fault.
He felt strong enough to open his eyes and the first thing he saw was Nala- wonderful Nala.
"Simba!" she shouted. "Yes! You're awake!" She sighed in contentment but then said quietly,"How do you feel?"
"Honestly? Pretty...um...terrible."
Sarafini bit her lip. "I'm sorry your mother isn't here, Simba- she's guarding Pride Rock in case Scar returns."
Cold dread drained the remaining colour from his face. "She shouldn't be doing that alone. I need to make sure she's alright."
Simba made to move but that was when his leg decided to deliver shooting bursts of pain.
Nala said,"No, you can't do that. Rest for a moment, please! Run from the jungle to here, fight Scar- your life never slows down, does it?"
Sarafina laughed. "Simba, I'll go and tell Sarabi you've come to. She's been worried sick."
She left and Simba noticed something as he looked outside: "It's raining," he uttered numbly.
Nala lay down beside him and replied with relief,"Yeah, thank the stars."
Simba inhaled sharply. Just that single word brought everything back. Mufasa, the stampede...everything. He had to fight hard to stop his emotions from showing but his expression must have revealed some of them.
"What's wrong? You seemed really...sad all of a sudden."
He shook his mane.
Stop being stupid.
"It's nothing, Nala."
The couple stopped talking for a couple of minutes. Simba listened to the thundering rain outside that was quenching the angry fires. He was thinking...someone was holding him before he'd fallen unconscious. But...who?
"Did you...er- hold me before I fainted?"
The lioness turned red. "No!" she denied. "I lifted you onto my back and Rafiki came and fixed your leg with that stick of his- don't have a clue how and-"
"I get the point, Nala," he chortled, stopping her from rambling on. "Rafiki fixed my leg?"
"Yeah- you'd broken it but it seems to be in once piece now?"
Simba flexed his leg gingerly. "Mmhm. I owe him so much..."
And there he went again, Mufasa had somehow managed to sneak to the front of his mind.
Mufasa! Of course, the answer was clear now. He had been holding him. How, he wasn't so sure...
"It was my Dad! My Dad was holding me!" Simba said loudly, startling Nala. "I know it was!"
She looked at him, eyes round with concern. "Simba...you're Dad's- well- dead."
I know!
"But...I really feel like it's him. Can't you understand that?"
Nala blinked. "No, I don't understand. I was there Simba and I know for a fact that King Mufasa wasn't."
Simba did not reply, but he knew Mufasa was with him before he lost consciousness- he didn't know how he knew- he just knew. He wanted to change the subject- Nala was surveying him cautiously as if he was deranged...
Oh! There was something else...
That beautiful tune came back to his senses...but who sang it remained unclear.
"Nala-when we were cubs..."
"Yes?"
"Was there a song that we used to sing?"
She giggled. "Me? Singing? No chance."
Simba thought again. "Well, was there a song that our Mums used to sing to us?" he queried hopefully.
Nala shook her head. "As far as I'm aware of, no. You should ask your mother though."
Silence fell again as Simba tried to work out his very confused mind.
Right. Nala thinks I'm an idiot because I think my...okay- he was holding me, Scar's nowhere to be found and I've got an injured leg and a tune stuck in my head.
Brilliant.
Simba was trying to force his thoughts to make fun of the situation but he really couldn't. Even mentioning his Dad was painful enough. What was the point in bringing it all up again by thinking that he was with him a few hours before?
But...Mufasa actually returning again like his past self was what he yearned for more than anything. The "Hakuna Matata" lifestyle that he had adopted from Timon and Pumbaa was good but it did not fill the empty space in his heart.
The space that only Mufasa could fill. And that was why night after night he felt so desperately lonely. All he wanted was to hear his father's voice again, see his face again, feel his reassuring embrace.
"Simba, are you alright?" Nala said, moving closer to him.
"My leg will be fine, Nala, please don't fuss."
I don't deserve it. I don't deserve to be loved by you. I don't deserve my Mum.
I don't deserve Dad...
"No, I mean...after what's happened...do you want to...talk about anything?"
"No!" The word had been spoken without him meaning to but he couldn't help it- panic had seized him.
"Simba, you can't expect to not talk about it forever!" Nala exclaimed, harassed. "We're not going to judge you. The Pride's on your side; I'm on your side."
Already, it was forming in his mind: the memory of dust and wildebeest and the hot sun and Mufasa falling- falling...
"What should I say?" Simba said, pulling himself back into the cave. "It was my fault. End of."
Nala's jaw dropped. "How can you tell yourself that?! Scar confessed to it, Simba, you heard him yourself!"
He shrugged half-heartedly, trying to make it seem like the past was not a big deal to him but nothing could be farther than the truth.
"I can't help how I feel Nala. And it was my fault- no matter if Scar..."
He stopped. What did Scar do to k...
I can't even say it now!
Nala seemed to be in thought then she shyly shifted so that her head nuzzled affectionately underneath Simba's.
"I'm not going to force you to talk about it," she murmered, "But you're going to have to sometime, Simba. Sooner or later."
He tried to block out her words but deep down, Simba knew she was right. He looked down at Nala and wanted to tell her how much she meant to him...but was too reserved to.
Nala rose and said,"I'll go and find my Mum and Sarabi, tell them how you're doing."
Before she went, Simba voiced a question that had came to him: "Where are Timon and Pumbaa?"
"Oh!" Nala laughed. "They were worried about you- in their own way. But they went to hunt of bugs to give to you." She shuddred. "Yuck, each to their own!"
Simba grinned. "Did you try telling them that they are in a barren land? They'll be lucky to find an ant."
Nala grinned back. "That's what I love about you. Even when you're hurt, you still make jokes."
Did she say love?!
She left without another word.
Simba closed his eyes with what he thought was going to be for a mere minute but he was proved wrong...
And then that stunning melody sounded in his head again and, without realizing it, Simba's lips curved into the tiniest of smiles as he slept...
Well...what are your thoughts on this chapter? Please let me know- I am so grateful for the lovely reviews I got on the previous chapters. Review, Review, Review! :)
IMPORTANT:- There will be more information on that "tune" Simba keeps on remembering in later chapters. If you are confused, go to Chapter 2 where the tune was first mentioned. :)