Here's chapter thirty nine and please review. Sorry about the huge delay in updating but I have a hard time writing this story. So please, forgive me that the updates are so late.

Also thanks to Doclover, AMBER, Guest and ThatTexasKid for reviewing.

A few days later, Kovu was arguing with his mother.

''Mom,'' Kovu said. ''It'll be fine. Nothing's going to happen.''

''No,'' Kula said firmly. ''I'm not going to let you run off with them into the swamp. They're much older than you and I don't trust Chaka whether he's your father's cousin or not. I just thank the spirits above that I overheard you four talking about it!''

"Nothing is going to happen.'' Kovu said, trying not to grit his teeth.

''You are not going.'' Kula said.

''Where isn't he going?'' Chumvi asked walking up to them.

"He wants to go the swamp with your cousin and his friends." Kula explained.

Chumvi sighed. Chaka, his cousin was a couple years older than Kovu but some of the thing Chaka did made Chumvi wonder if his brain had developed properly or not.

''No,'' Chumvi said. ''There is no way I am letting you go with them. Especially not the swamp.''

Kovu growled silently, knowing that if his father said no it meant that was the final answer.

''This isn't fair!" Kovu growled and stormed off leaving Kula and Chumvi looking after him in exasperation.

Meanwhile, Nala and Kiara were heading back to Priderock.

''Mom, can't I just go. I won't go that far." Kiara said.

"No," Nala replied.

"Why not?" Kiara asked.

Nala turned around and gave her a look. "You know why." Kiara had gotten in trouble from both of her parents in the morning when they had realized that Kiara had snuck out of the den last night with Zawadi and Danyssa. Both of them had refused to let Kiara go out for the next few days.

"We didn't even go that far." Kiara complained.

"You knew better than that Kiara." Nala said. "Your father and I don't know what to do with you these days. First it was the incident in the Outlands and now this!"

Kiara sighed as they entered the den and settled down next to Simba.

"I'm going to go the other den." Kiara muttered and left.

Simba watched her go. "She's getting more rebellious."

Nala chuckled. "Weren't we all those days?" She remembered her past with Simba and her friends. How much trouble Simba had gotten in from his parents. He had done so many things that Sarabi and Mufasa had given up on trying to punish him, knowing that it didn't help. Her daughter clearly took after Simba.

''So she takes after me,'' Simba grinned, resting his head in his paws. ''Big deal.''

TLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLK

A week passed and Kiara was allowed out of Priderock again. Nala watched her daughter head off, chuckling at Kiara's energy and laughter. She truly was Simba's daughter.

Nala turned back and headed into the royal den to be with Simba. She saw him resting, his eyes closed and eyebrows narrowed with a crease on his forehead.

''Simba?'' Nala asked. ''What's wrong?'' But she had a good idea where this was going to lead to.

''I'm fine.'' Simba muttered.

''No you aren't.'' Nala said. "Are they those headaches from…"

"Yeah." Simba sighed, "They are.''

Nala sighed silently, remembering their exile. Although they had recovered, there were still times that Simba got headaches as he remembered them. He would get a headache for a while and would often become quite hostile. They had become quite rare now; the last time he had had one was nearly eight months ago, but she still hated seeing him this way. During the headaches, Nala would make sure Kiara was quite away from Simba. She didn't want to let her daughter see Simba in that state and neither Kovu nor Kiara knew about the exile.

Kula had told her that sometimes she would see Chumvi staring into space and she and Kula both knew it was because he was thinking of the exile. Kula had told her that she would think about it too, but it had become quite rare like Simba's had.

As for Nala, she had a different situation. She would see nightmares about her exile. At first, before Kiara had been born and before she was Queen, they occurred often. But now she only got them every few months.

"It'll be fine," Nala whispered giving him a nuzzle. "Don't worry."

Simba sighed. "I just keep seeing Scar pouncing on me. And those males attacking you. It's…"

"Shhhh Simba." Nala said. "Just go to sleep."

"Sleep's not going to help!" Simba snapped looking at her and Nala flinched. He often got hostile during the headaches and Nala knew that he would never snap at her on purpose.

Nala rubbed her head underneath his chin, hoping to slowly coax him into resting. She settled her head down in his paws and pulled Simba's head down to rest on hers. He obliged but Nala knew that he hadn't closed his eyes. He was still thinking.

After a few hours, Simba fell asleep and Nala gently slipped out of his grasp. Knowing that he would most likely be fine after he woke up, she trotted down Priderock to see her Pride mates and check up on her daughter.

She saw Kula at the base of Priderock and greeted her with a friendly bump.

"Where's Simba?" Kula asked.

"In the den, sleeping." Nala said. "He has another one of those headaches from you know what."

Kula nodded understandingly. "Is it bad?"

"No, and I'm thankful. I hate when he gets the really bad ones. It only happened a few time but it scared me. Especially when Kiara was younger.''

(Flashback)

Nala was in the den, enjoying time with her one and a half year old daughter. She tickled Kiara with her nose and smiled when she heard the cub's high pitched giggles.

"You like this, don't you?" Nala chuckled, nuzzling Kiara with her nose. Kiara mewed at her, wrapping her tiny paws around Nala's nose and giving it a lick.

Suddenly, Simba stormed into the den, shaking the water from the heavy rain out of his mane. He was growling under his breath.

"Simba," Nala asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Simba said, in between gritted teeth. Kiara mewed and squeaked at her father, knowing it usually got his attention. But Simba didn't notice.

"Simba…" Nala said. "Is it one of those…"

"Yes." Simba hissed. "Now stop questioning me! It's giving me more of a headache!"

Nala looked between her cub and mate. She knew that she had to deal with Simba but she didn't want to leave Kiara. She knew that she already sensed something wrong. Perhaps she would just take her into the other den if it got really bad.

Simba settled his head down in his paws, muttering under his breath and growling. Kiara wiggled out of Nala's paws, and began crawling towards Simba. She tried walking but fell after every two steps and went back to crawling. Nala watcher her carefully. Maybe Kiara could comfort her father but if things got violent Nala braced herself to grab her cub.

Kiara finally reached Simba who hadn't noticed her. Mewing softly, Kiara licked Simba's paw to try and get his attention. It didn't work. She nudged him with her nose but still didn't work. She crawled into his paws and batted the top of his head with her own paws.

Simba lifted his head suddenly and snarled loudly and Kiara squeaked in surprise as she bounced out of his paws but Nala caught her. Simba growled at Kiara, warning her to keep her distance. The look in eyes was angry and distant. He didn't seem to realize that he was getting angry at his own cub.

Kiara had tears in her eyes as she began to cry softly obviously scared and Nala felt a tug in her heart as she looked at her terrified cub.

"Shhhh my darling." Nala whispered, cradling her daughter in her paws. "It's alright."

Kiara looked at Simba, and Nala gently shifted her body, hiding Simba from her view.

"It's alright my little Princess." Nala soothed. "Daddy's just not feeling well." She began humming a tune into her ears, calming Kiara down. Once Kiara was okay, Nala turned back to look at Simba. He had fallen asleep.

A few hours later, Simba woke up. Just by the look on his face, Nala knew that his headache and hostility was gone.

''Hey,'' Simba said, raising his head sleepily and looking at her.

Nala smiled. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine now." Simba said, nuzzling her as he settled down close to her, letting Nala lean against him. "Sorry about that but during those times…I just can't get a hold on myself.''

"It's alright,'' Nala assured, giving his nose a lick.

Simba's gaze went to Kiara, and he sighed silently. This was the first time Kiara had to be a victim of his anger and hopefully the last. He wanted to hit himself for snapping at Kiara.

Nala bent down and nudged Kiara who was in light nap. Kiara opened her eyes, her tiny yawn mixing in with her soft mews.

Kiara looked up sleepily and looked surprised to see her father leaning over her. She squeaked in surprise, wondering if he was going to growl at her again.

Simba bent down and rubbed his muzzle against his cheek and Kiara mewed happy that she had gotten his attention again. Kiara gave his nose a lick and Simba returned her affection before picking her up and placing her in his paws.

(End of Flashback)

"Do you think it's about time we told them?" Kula asked. "Or if Kiara and Kovu should even know about it?"

"Know about what Mom?" Came a voice. Nala and Kula whirled around to see Kiara and Kovu standing behind them.

"What should Kovu and I know?" Kiara asked.

"Nothing," Nala said and tried to change the conversation. "Where have you two been?"

"By the grasslands," Kovu replied. "But what were you two talking about?"

"It's nothing," Kula said. "Really it's nothing."

"Now come on!" Nala said, nudging both of them ahead. "It's time for hunting practice."

"Alright Mom." Kiara said and she and Kovu followed their mother's to join the rest of the hunting party.

TLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLK

The hunt and the rest of the day went peacefully for Nala. Simba was fine when they had returned from hunting and now they were settling down for some sleep.

Kiara was sleeping in between Simba and Nala. Simba stayed up a bit thinking about how he would deal with his duties for tomorrow before settling down. He closed his eyes and before he knew it he was asleep but after a while he opened his eyes feeling someone move.

Simba looked to see Nala twitching and turning in her sleep. Her eyebrows were knitted together and Simba saw her shoulders going up and down as she cried in her sleep.

"Nala," Simba moved beside her. "Nala get up." He gently shook her but Nala continued sobbing quietly in her sleep. Simba shook her harder and Nala shot her head up crying and thrashing about.

Simba grabbed her and held her tight against him. "Shhh, it's okay. You're awake." He continued gently rocking her until she calmed down.

"I thought you were dead. Both you and Kiara. Gurile…we were in the middle of the fire and she ripped both of your throats out in front of me!" Nala whispered.

"It's okay." Simba soothed. "It was just a nightmare. " A couple minutes passed before Nala spoke again.

"I'm just glad Kiara didn't wake up." Nala said, running her paw over Kiara's head. She wasn't sure if she would ever tell her about their exile. "Do you think they'll ever find out?"

"Find out what?" Kiara asked, suddenly raising her head.

"Kiara?" Simba asked. "Were you awake this whole time?"

Kiara shrugged, "I woke up to hear you saying that it was just a nightmare. So what am I supposed to find out?"

"Nothing," Nala said. "Let's just go back to sleep."

"Is it the same thing you and Kula were talking about earlier?" Kiara asked. "Come on Mom! Tell me!"

"Sleep." Nala said, pulling Kiara against her as they settled down. Kiara just sighed and closed her eyes and soon Simba and Nala were asleep as well.

The next afternoon Kiara was passing one of the smaller dens of Priderock when she heard her father arguing with Mufasa and Runju. She stood at the entrance of the cave, hidden from their view.

"Oh well you were pretty quick to blame it on me Father!" Simba said.

"Simba," Mufasa said. "We saw it this afternoon and just thought it was you."

"But you told Zazu and he had to go through the royal protocol, inform the flying guards and everything else! Now I'm the one who has to go fix everything!" Simba exclaimed.

"Simba listen." Runju said. "I get that you're mad but it was a mistake."

"We didn't know." Mufasa added.
Simba growled. "Oh just like those murders! You didn't know that it was us!"

"Simba do not bring up the past." Mufasa said. "We've been through this! We're sorry for exiling you, Nala, Chumvi and Kula but we didn't know. It was the biggest mistake of my life."

"Whatever!" Simba growled. "But I'm not going to fix it. You do it!"

"I know," Mufasa said. "And I will."

Simba nodded and turned out of the den grumbling and growling. Kiara jumped back and hid in the shadows so he wouldn't see her. Carefully she trotted a few feet behind him and suddenly halfway down Priderock, Simba stopped but didn't turn around.

"How long have you been following me?" Simba asked.

"How'd you know it was me?" Kiara exclaimed, coming up to his side and Simba chuckled.

"Kiara I watched you being born and raised up. I think I can tell how your paw steps sound like." Simba chuckled and continued walking. Kiara followed him.

"What was Grandpa talking about? The murders and the exile?" Kiara asked.

"Nothing important." Simba said.

"Then how come it was the biggest mistake of Grandpa's life?" Kiara asked.

"Kiara," Simba said. "It's not important."

"Is that what Mom was talking about to you and Kula?" Kiara asked.

"You're too young to know." Simba said.

"So it is important." Kiara insisted. "Dad, come on! I'm not that young."

Simba turned to tell her otherwise then suddenly stopped. He realized that Kiara was right. She wasn't a tiny cub anymore. Although she was still in her adolescence, she was beginning to look like more of a lioness than a cub.

"Daaaaad?" Kiara asked.

Simba sighed. "I'll talk to your mother, Kula and Chumvi about it. Now run along! You have hunting practice soon." He bent down and licked her forehead and Kiara nodded before she headed off.

That night, Kiara and Kovu were told to go the meadow by Zazu. When they got there, their parents were waiting for them.

"Mom, Dad why do we have to talk?" Kovu asked.

"It's…it's the longest story of our life." Kula said.

"What?" Kiara asked, looking at her parents who exchanged a worried look.

"Kiara, Kovu," Nala said gently. "This is the story of our exile."

Thought this was good place to stop. Hope you enjoyed and please review.