Title: "Star-Crossed Lovers II: All Time High"

Fandom: GouGou Sentai Boukenger/ Boukenger: The Next Generation

Pairing: Akashi Satoru & Takaoka Kei

Rating: R

AN: Takes place in the same AU as "Star-Crossed Lovers" and "Some Hearts" (and I couldn't resist a love scene between the doomed lovers)

Summary: Giving in never felt so good…but listening to her heart causes Kei to have second thoughts.

One of the things Kei could appreciate about Satoru was how incredibly strong he was and how his red SGS jacket cleverly hid his frame, adding to the surprise and arousal she felt when the garment was peeled away to reveal the black shirt underneath.

And that black shirt really clung to Satoru's frame. She could clearly see the outline of his muscular frame and appreciate the bulges that appeared when he moved closer to her and held her tight for one of his spine melting kisses that set Kei's passion on fire.

Kei never failed to be impressed by Satoru or by his many exploits or even by his young, handsome, solidly built body. He was still strong at 50, but youth added so much more vitality. No wonder her mother had been so hot for him for so long.

And now, she was the one living out her mother's wildest fantasies…as indicated by her current position on Satoru's sleeping bag, pinned underneath his body, his lips pressing kisses along her neck and shoulders, alternating between nips and sucks and even a bite.

She could die happy right about now. Instead her fingers slid under the black fabric of his shirt and raked down his toned back. She gave his back a squeeze and moaned as he sucked on her neck.

His lips moved back up to hers and they grew near desperate in their desire for one another. Satoru's shirt tore easily (being one fourth Ashu made her stronger than normal) under Kei's eager hands and his belt and pants were quickly stripped. His hands pressed into her thighs as they climbed higher and higher, looking for the waistband of her black skirt.

His hands slipped in between her thighs and slipped into her warm place and Kei arched up and moaned into his mouth. His hands seemed to be everywhere all at once…

Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she squirmed. "Satoru-san, wait…" She was about to ask him to stop, when she felt something small and somewhat cold run up her bare thigh. She felt something jagged scrape against her thigh and then, something round in the package.

"Don't ever say that I don't come prepared for everything, Kei-chan…" The words were husky and soft and then, she felt the fabric of her skirt slip down her thighs. That was the last thing she felt before his lips were on hers again and sensation claimed her.

The next thing Kei remembered doing was opening her eyes. Night had fallen and much to her dismay, they'd wasted a day they could have spent looking for her father doing the nasty! She couldn't believe how stupid she'd been! Hurriedly, she put her clothing back on and opened the tent, grabbing a lantern and moving into the woods. She had sensed her father's presence out there and she had to at least see…

Satoru opened one eye and then the other and then he realized that Kei had left…and rather quickly.

"Where'd she go…" He wondered, putting his shirt and underwear on. That was when he noticed a light vanishing into the woods. Satoru's eyes widened and then he threw on his clothing, running after the light. Kei had gone off by herself and it wasn't safe.

"Kei, wait!" Satoru called. "You shouldn't be out here alone!"

"Satoru-san, we wasted a day! My father could be dead!"

He found her in short order and then gripped her arm. "Kei-chan, please…come back to the camp. We shouldn't be out here. We'll look more tomorrow. I promise."

Kei looked panicked. "My father is out here somewhere and I have to look for him and find him before Ouga does." She sighed. "He's my DAD, Satoru-san…I only have one."

"I understand, but I'm worried about you, Kei." Satoru wouldn't let go of her arm, but he didn't grip it too tightly. "I came out here to look after you, to bring you back in one piece. So please, come back to camp. We'll look tomorrow. I'm sure he didn't get too far."

Kei looked at her feet. She was ashamed of herself for forgetting her mission. Her father was important, not just to her, but to her mother as well. How could she have risked everything just for a night of wild sex with Akashi Satoru?

It was exactly what had happened with Kai. She'd seen signs that he was interested in power more than her, especially the lucrative spot as BoukenRed. She'd noticed the way he treated her after he'd seen her talking with Satoru about the spot and how Satoru was hoping Kei would get it. Kai had been horrible to her, especially after that, but she was so happy that she was getting married to him that she ignored it. Until she did get the spot and Kai lured her into a cave, took the head of Medusa and then pulled out a gun. He was going to kill her and claim she died in a cave in.

Kei remembered being infuriated and she shoved Kai backwards before activating a trap and running. He'd died in the cave in. She never told anyone and had wept for being an absolute moron. Since when had it been okay for her heart to override everything else?

She was feeling that way now. How desperate could she possibly be? Giving into everything she could have possibly dreamed of could cost her everything…even her life. Loving Kai had taught her that. She thought he loved her and all he had wanted was her power.

"Kei-chan, are you going to be okay?" Satoru asked.

She looked at him. "My father could be dead and I wasted time screwing you." She snorted. "I've made some dumb mistakes, but this took the cake."

Satoru was surprised. "Kei…there's no need to say such things like that." Especially since you were moaning for me not to stop a few hours ago.

Kei bit her lip. "We're not going to find him." She murmured, finally confessing her deepest fear. "Ouga killed him when he found him and made off with the revival mirror. And now he's going to raise an Army of Ashu and the only one who can stop it is my father. Kando and I never got any kind of Ashu watcher training. Our father figured we would never need it. So, we won't be able to stop Ouga…and the world's going to be overrun…" She looked up with tear-filled eyes. "Satoru-san…I've let this happen! This is all my fault!"

"Is the burden always on you like this?" Satoru asked. He had a feeling that people had developed a really nasty habit of making Kei bear the burden of saving the world. That wasn't what a team was about.

"It doesn't come from my team." She murmured. "It comes from my parents, you and most of the SGS personnel…they remind me of everything that could happen if I don't get to the Precious first and they tell me to tell this to my team and such. I refuse to put my burden on Rin, Hikari, Tsubasa, Satoshi and most of all my little brother. None of them deserve it." She bit her lip. "And just to drive the point home, they remind me of the Homunculus and the vessel used to create it and just what happened. As if I haven't heard this story a million times. I don't want to be reminded! I know the risks!"

Satoru was surprised. "Kei…"

She turned back to the woods and held her lantern up high. "Now, I'm going to look for my father. Are you coming?"

This was madness and so, Satoru simply grabbed Kei, picked her up and carried her back to camp. He understood her concerns, but even going out in the middle of the night to look was ridiculous. Takaoka Eiji could handle himself in a few hours of night. They'd look for him first thing in the morning.

"Satoru-san!"

"Quiet. All this stress has made you crazy!" Satoru replied. "You're not thinking straight. We'll sleep on it and then, we'll look. I promise. But right now, you need to stop and think."

Kei struggled against Satoru's arms, trying to get free. "My mission…"

"What's more important? Your mission or your mental heath?"

"Satoru-san…"

Satoru looked at Kei. "Please Kei, for once…just once, think of yourself."

Kei looked at Satoru, feeling naked and vulnerable under his loving gaze. She'd told him the burden of her private pain, her deepest secrets and the heartbreak she'd felt. "The last time I did, I came close to losing my life in a cave. There's no room for thinking of me anymore."

Satoru sighed. Kei seemed so much older than her 24 years, burdened by stress and expectations that she wouldn't make the mistakes Satoru made. She was weary and tired and so selfless that Satoru just wanted to hold her and let her cry. "Kei…. stop it…you're going to work yourself to death."

Kei sighed. "Satoru-san…"

"Kei-chan, it's not worth it." Satoru touched her hair and then, he embraced her to him and just then…she broke. She slumped into his arms, sobbing and crying into his jacket. She was weary, tired and she just cried. "It's my fault," she murmured. "My father is dead and it's all my fault…"

"He's not dead." Satoru murmured. "Your father is a fighter. He wouldn't go down without a fight. I'm sure of it…" She looked up at him and he kissed her tears away. "He'll be all right when we find him. I'm sure of it."

"Really sure?"

"Yes, Kei-chan." He murmured. "I'm sure." He looked at her. "Why don't we go to bed? You'll feel better once you get some sleep." She sighed and rested her head on his chest and let him carry her into the tent.

She's got the weight of the world on her shoulders… Satoru thought. She shouldn't, but she does…and I should do whatever I can to help her… The next morning, he'd look for Eiji…with or without Kei. She was tired and stressed and understandably freaking out. He wished he could be so close to his own father, but he knew it would never be.

Kei fell asleep the moment her body hit the sleeping bag and she sighed. Satoru held her close for a while before his own eyes closed.

The next morning, Satoru was gone and Kei was alone. That worried her. Could he have gone off by himself? When she left the tent, she saw no sign of him. "Satoru-san?"

Suddenly, a loud yell and a crashing noise got Kei's attention.

"SATORU-SAN!"