Okay, this is my first Strawberry Panic fic, so thanks for reading:D

I do not own Strawberry Panic or any of it's characters... enjoy:)

"Nagisa! I love you!"

Tamao's hand fell from her chest to hang limply at her side. She shut her eyes to staunch the flow of tears threatening to overwhelm her, feeling, as she did so, her throat constrict due to the effort of restraining her emotions.

"Nagisa!" Shizuma shouted again, throwing her whole body forward towards the stage.

"But… but…" Nagisa stammered, shaking her head and trying to understand. She too was fighting the overwhelming urge to cry.

Tamao, seeing her friend's obvious distress, wrapped her arm around Nagisa's waist and pulled her closer.

"She really couldn't help it." Tamao whispered in Nagisa's ear.

"Tamao-chan?" It seemed to Nagisa that she was she only one still confused as to what was happening.

Tamao smiled sadly. "Go, Nagisa-chan."

Then, simultaneously, she pulled both ribbons, red and green, from her best friend's hair and pushed her away, towards Shizuma.

"Tamao-chan…" Nagisa hesitated.

All Tamao could do was nod sadly. Her eyes swimming with tears, Nagisa turned away from Tamao and ran towards Shizuma.

"Shizuma-sama!" She cried, leaping into the older girl's arms.

"Let's go." Shizuma whispered, "We're going."

Then they ran. They ran out of the hall and away. Away together.

Tamao blinked slowly, squeezing the long-oppressed tears through her thick eyelashes.

"Congratulations Nagisa-chan… congratulations…"

Tamao

We stood for at least ten minutes on either side of the door: me on one side knowing that she was on the other; Nagisa on the outside aware that I was on the in. Although there was only one sheet of wood between us, I felt a million miles away from Nagisa. The friendship I had so carefully tended over the past year had been splintered by her.

Shizuma had driven a wedge between us- despite my efforts to draw us closer. Was this it for us? Was our friendship beyond repair?

I should say something… but what?

"Welcome back, Nagisa-chan." I whispered…

Nagisa

The corridor in which I was stood blurred into a kaleidoscope of dull browns. I had heard her whisper, and knew she was waiting for a reply, but I could not bring myself to answer her. Even if I knew what to say, my throat felt like it was made of sandpaper, and had closed so both sides were rasping against each other. In the end I merely stood in silence as one solitary tear rolled slowly down my face.

I had to do it. I just had to walk through that door and then…

"Nagisa-chan?" I heard her murmur.

I stepped away from the door, still facing the wall opposite and heard the click as she pulled down the handle.

"Tamao-chan…" I breathed.

Tamao

She was still wearing the red dress she had left me in three hours ago, although now it was considerably dirtier, with a streak of mud running along the back. It made me wonder what she and Shizuma had been doing, but I instantly banished the distasteful thought from my mind.

I heard her murmur my name, and it brought back a waterfall of previously settled tears. I mentally begged her to turn around and come inside, just smile like nothing had happened and laugh together as we used to. But that was before the election. That was before she had come between us.

"Nagisa…"

She flinched. The movement was only slight, but I still caught it. She had flinched at my voice.

"Please, come inside, Nagisa."

All I wanted right now was for her to come into the room. Even if she did not speak, I needed her near me or I knew I wouldn't sleep. After what felt like an hour, she took a deep breath and turned around. Her eyelashes sparkled with the remains of spilled tears, and her cheeks were streaked with moisture. She smiled, but it did not reach her eyes like it usually did. She didn't even look at me.

Then, slowly but surely, she entered our room, and I shut the door behind her. A few seconds more we stood apart, her facing into the room, and I stood facing the door.

Who would speak first?

Nagisa

Why had Tamao-chan acted so strange earlier?

I knew the answer but did not want to admit it to myself. In fact, I think I had known for a while now, ever since she had agreed to enter the Etoile election. The truth was, I did not want this to get in the way of our friendship, but surely there was no glue strong enough to fix this damage? Nevertheless, I had to try. If there was any way to repair our broken bond, it would require both of us to try.

"Tamao-chan, I…"

I hesitated. Really, what could I say? That I was sorry? But I wasn't. That I didn't mean for this to happen? But there was no regret in my heart.

The awful truth was- there was nothing I could say.

"Ssh. I know."

Those two words. They summed up everything beautifully.

"Tamao-chan." I whispered, turning to look at her for the first time.

She turned away from the door and met my eyes. I smiled awkwardly, and she smiled back, although I noticed that her eyes remained dull and broken.

Just like our friendship.

Quick little note:) When I watched Strawberry Panic, the character that immediately stood out to me was, of course, Nagisa, but over time, it was Tamao who I found I could really relate to. By about the time we find out about Shizuma and Kaori, I felt sure that Nagisa and Tamao were destined to be together, probably as Etoile as well.

However, the final episode not only killed my dream of TamaoXNagisa, it also left the two friends in an awkward situation with nothiong but a broken friendship! Fair enough, let Nagisa and Shizuma be happy, but why does Tamao have to suffer so much?! Hence I decided to write this story...

I also pitied Yaya; she is in pretty much the same position as Tamao, although she does have Tsubomi in the end. I think it's fair to say that, since throughout the entire series Tamao has the worst of everybody, she deserves some happiness in the end, and I have decided to give her some through writing this:)