A/N: Hello! Smurf2005 here with a brand new story! It has been about three to four weeks since I last posted a story. I'm so sorry! I had writers block like you wouldn't believe. It was horrible, and then I found out that my boyfriend was getting sent to Japan. He's in the Navy, and he chose to go to Japan. He leaves the 18th of June. I'm sad, but, I will get through it. And I will continue to write. No reason why I can't. Anyways, it has been awhile since I wrote a Tokyo Mew Mew story, so I decided to write one. It's Ryou and Ichigo, as always. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew. Mia Ikumi and Reiko Yoshida do. If I did, Ryou and Ichigo would have been together, and Masaya would have cried like a little baby.

A New Beginning

It had been ten years since the aliens had left Earth. I was now twenty three years old and single. It is hard to believe that Masaya had broken up with me five years ago. He decided to move to America, and since I didn't want to go with him, the only choice was to break up. I was still working at Café Mew Mew with the old gang. Everyone was still there and going to schools nearby. Tasuku and Berry were still so much in love and Lettuce was trying to get with Ryou. I felt a little jealous every time I saw that.

Today was no exception, Tasuku and Berry was acting all lovey dovey, you could literally see little hearts flying from them, and Lettuce was all over Ryou. Lettuce had changed so much in ten years that she was completely unrecognizable. She didn't wear her glasses and she didn't wear her hair in those braids anymore. We were all surprised how dramatically she had changed. We knew she had liked Ryou for long time, and I think this was her way of trying to get him. But, Ryou never showed the slightest bit of interest in her. All she was doing was throwing herself at him.

Ryou never seemed to make time for her, but he made time for me. Every time I needed to talk to him, he was there. Like the day Masaya and I broke up, I was over at his place talking to him. I don't know why he treated me differently than all the girls. Maybe it was because he and I had been through so much together. I was the first Mew Mew he found. Maybe it was just wishful thinking that he felt anything for me. He did a long time ago, but ten years was a long time. Maybe those feelings had died away.

But, the more I thought about it, the least likely it seemed. He still looked at me tenderly with those blue eyes of his. I was cleaning a nearby table when I felt like someone was staring at me. I looked around and saw Ryou looking over at me, his blue eyes gleaming. I started to get weak in the knees when my brown eyes met his. Then, out of nowhere, Lettuce stole his gaze from me.

"Hey, Ichigo!" Pudding yelled. "Look at my new trick!"

I turned to watch her, but I kept glancing at Ryou from the corner of my eye. He was joking around with Lettuce and I felt my heart break a little.

At the end of the day, we were in the back changing when I heard Lettuce telling Mint that she was going to ask Ryou out. I watched as she skipped out of the room in her short skirt and tight shirt. I sighed as I pulled on my jeans and t-shirt.

"Hey Ichigo, what's wrong?" Mint asked, looking over at me.

"What? Oh nothing," I said.

I picked up my bag and headed toward the exit. As I reached the kitchen, I stopped as I heard Lettuce and Ryou arguing.

"I'm sorry, Lettuce, but I can't go out with you," Ryou was saying.

"Why not?

"Because I love someone else," he said.

"Ryou, it has been ten years! She has never given you the time of day! Why are you still holding out for Ichigo?" Lettuce asked.

"I told you, Lettuce. I love her. I can't help but love her. She is my first love, and you never forget your first love," I heard Ryou said.

"Well, your mine!" Lettuce cried. "Please! Give me a chance!"

"I'm sorry Lettuce," Ryou said again.

I heard Lettuce leaving the kitchen, and when I looked up, she stopped and looked at me.

"It's all your fault!" she yelled at me.

She slapped me across the face and stomped off. I stood there, holding my face. I was a little stunned at what had just happened. Ryou came out of the kitchen, and saw me standing there holding my face.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Lettuce just slapped me," I answered. "I heard you guys talking and then she came out, saw me, and then slapped me."

"I swear. She is getting hard to deal with. If she keeps this up, I will be forced to fire her. And on top of that, she assaulted a coworker! I should fire her for that!"

"No, don't do that. She's already mad at me enough, I don't want to give her another reason to be mad at me," I said.

Ryou ran his hand through his hair and looked over at me.

"So you heard the conversation?" he asked.

I nodded my head. I had a feeling I knew where this was going to lead. Part of me wanted it to go there, but the other part didn't. That part was still hoping that Masaya would come back, but I knew that would never happen.

"So, I guess you know that I still love you, then?"

"Yeah, but I think I knew all along. There was a part of me that knew you had never stopped loving me. But, despite knowing that, I am still surprised that you still love me after ten years," I said.

"You are hard to get over," Ryou said, smiling slightly. "I don't think I will ever be able to get over you. Come on into the kitchen and I will get you some ice to put on your cheek."

I followed Ryou into the kitchen and he gave me a bag full of ice. I winced when the ice touched my cheek.

"Are you ok? Does it hurt?" he asked anxiously.

"No, it's just cold," I said, smiling slightly.

We were quiet for a long time. My heart was beating like crazy. If it kept beating like this, I was sure it was going to burst out of my chest.

"Ichigo, I want to ask you something, but I don't want you to freak out," Ryou started. "But, I was wondering if you would consider going out with me? I mean, I know you don't love me, but that doesn't matter! Just as long as you are by my side, I will be happy."

"Who said I didn't love you?" I asked.

It took a few minutes what I said to sink into Ryou's mind.

"Wait, what?" he looked over at me confused. "You love me?"

I smiled and I could tell my face was turning red.

"I have been feeling that feeling for awhile now. Every time I saw Lettuce hanging all over you, I got really jealous. I would have pursued it earlier, but I had a feeling that you didn't love me anymore. But, I always knew that one was wrong."

"So, you do love me?" Ryou asked excitedly.

"Yes, I do. And I guess I could go out with you," I said. "It wouldn't hurt to give it a go."

Ryou leaned in and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

"I knew I would get you in the end. I knew that if I was patient and waited, you would come around. I'm glad I waited."

I smiled at him. I was happy and I could tell he was happy. Part of me expected my cat ears to pop out, but it had been years they popped out.

"Ichigo, I really do love you," Ryou said.

"I love you, too, Ryou," I said, smiling.

The End

A/N: Well, what did you think? I don't think it turned out that good. I had to force myself to write. And it was hard. My creative mojo has disappeared. I don't know why I can't write. It makes me sad and feel pathetic. Now, I know I made Lettuce the slut in this story, but I really don't like her. I never liked her very much. But I like her more than Masaya. I hate him, too. Well, it's 2:30 am and I need to get up at 7:30 am, so I will leave the Mew Mew crew here.

Ichigo: Smurf2005 would like us to tell you to read and review.

Lettuce: She would like constructive criticism.

Keiichiro: But, please, no flames.

Pudding: Smurf2005 Onee-sama cries when she gets flames.

Mint: Is she dead? (Nudges Smurf with her foot)

Zakuro: ….

Kish: She is so cute when she sleeps.

Ryou: She's got a death grip on me!

Smurf: Like the Mew Mew crew said above, please read and review! I accept constructive criticism, but please, no flames. I cry when I get them. I love you, Ryou-kun!