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Simba helped Nala lay down within their cave in Pride Rock. With her swollen belly, it was hard to do the things she used to anymore without effort, and she could tell the pains of labor were not far off.

"Are you okay?" Asked Simba gently. She knew he was looking forward to their cub as much as him - if a boy, Kion, if a girl, Kiara - she loved how he was concerned for her. She remembered the look in his eyes the night they decided to have their cub, the emotions running through her, forget the betrothal, there was no one Nala would rather have been with than Simba.

"You don't think I can't take a little pain, do you?" Nala asked teasingly.

"No, not a little pain," Simba replied, "It's a lot of pain that I'm worried about."

Nala thought about pouching him, but she figured that would be counterintuitive given that he'd just helped her down. Besides, she was a little low on energy right now.

"Do you think I'll be a good father?" Simba asked, looking at her.

"Why wouldn't you be?" Nala asked back.

"It's just that my father, he always knew the right thing to do, I'm just afraid I won't be able to live up to that."

Nala looked at Simba, "Your father knew you'd make a great King, and he was right. You've repaired the damage done to the Pride Lands during Scar's reign, you'll do fine with our child."

Nala guessed the conversation would have continued, but then a serious cramp hit her. Nala gasped.

"Are you okay?" asked Simba, rushing back to her side.

"Yeah," replied Nala as the pain began to subside, "It was just a-"

And then the contractions hit her. Nala collapsed to her side, crying out in pain.

"Nala!" Simba cried.

"It's coming," Nala announced during the pause in contractions, "The cub is coming."

Then the pain gripped her again. She roared into the sky. This was like nothing she had felt before. She instantly regretted thinking she could take this.

The pain didn't stop, it just came wave after wave, with only the briefest pauses of relief. She couldn't take it, but she couldn't stop. As she writhed there in agony, she couldn't help but reflect on what brought her to this moment in the first place.

She remembered the day she had discovered Simba was alive again, the night they had spent together, the love they felt for each other that night. She remembered laying in the grass looking up at him, the love shining in his eyes, their hearts beating in time with eachother, it was at that moment she realized her and Simba truly were Soul Mates, whether they stated it then or not, that the life they were meant to lead would be together from then on. It had felt so wonderful just to be with him.

But as Nala stood their, hunched over on the floor inside Pride Rock back legs raised, she couldn't help but wonder if that love was worth the inescapable agony she was now feeling.

"Nala!" Simba was saying, "Speak to me! What are you feeling?"

Nala realized she'd been in so much pain, she had spaced out that Simba was trying to get through to her, Sarabi was now standing beside him, ready to help.

"Pain!" cried Nala, "Unbearable pain! Don't tell me this is what it's like!"

Sarabi looked at Simba, then back to Nala. She said nothing, but the implication was all there.

Nala roared out in pain again.

"Here," said Sarabi, "You have to breathe like this." She began to demonstrate, and Nala tried to follow, but then she was washed away in another wave of pain.

If Nala had never fallen in love with Simba, maybe this would have never happened.

This time, Nala was taken back to when her and Simba were both cubs. Zazu had explained how her and Simba were to be married, and she remembered how they had both recoiled in shock. Her and Simba were friends, the thought of them being married seemed so weird, but back then, she didn't understand, being married would only make their friendship stronger, even back then, as she teasingly pinned Simba to the ground, she could remember the feelings of romance sparking inside her that she just hadn't noticed yet. Looking forward on it, at all the feelings and moments her and Simba had shared together since, she realized that their love was worth it, that if her younger self had known where it would all lead, maybe she would understand too.

But back in the present, as Nala suffered through her labor, she wondered if it really was all worth it if it all led to the pain she was feeling right now. How would younger Nala have felt if she'd known that her crush on Simba back then would ultimately lead to the excruciating agony she was going through right now? Agony so intense, she wondered if she'd rather be dead.

She was on her side again, her roars of agony must be ringing through the entire Pride Lands.

She reflected on all the moments she had spent with Simba again. It had all led here, to this pain, but it had also been beautiful. She didn't know if she would take it all back if she could stop the pain, but there was no way back, and this was what she had to face right now. So as she writhed and roared out her pain, she reflected on these moments, these beautiful moments with Simba, and that gave her some relief, if only a little. It still hurt so much, Nala all about wished she could die.

But then it was over, and Rafiki had come to perform the ceremony to present their cub. As Rafiki took the cub from Nala, and held her before the Pride Lands, Nala couldn't help but feel pride, her daughter Kiara, born out of her and Simba's love.