A/N: So, one two month absence later I have returned. Why did it take so long? Well let's just say since the first day of school my best friend (also the girl I like) started avoiding me like I'm the black plague and to this day still hasn't spoken to me. I have absolutely no idea what I did. Try writing a happy romance with that on your chest. So finally I sucked it up and got to work writing to improve my mood. Two weeks of work and 17 pages of my notebook later I have the story done, and it made me far happier than I've been in awhile. That's enough about my life, now about the story.

This is part 2 of my 3 part series. If you haven't read part one yet, I highly suggest you go to my page and read "A Friend Among Enemies". I'll wait here till you get back.

So, this is part 2. Nanoha and Fate are both 14. This story takes place in that very brief time lapse during the ending theme of the final episode of MGLN A's. With how little that actually covered I felt there was plenty of room to invent a few events that happened in their early teenage years. Here we have a little something about their high school romance. Oh yes, I said I would explain the title. This phrase also comes from MGLN A's, it's the very last line from the opening theme Eternal Blaze. It translates to: We'll confidently stride towards the endless future. I felt this was very accurate given that this opens up into their future together.

Whew that was a long one. Now let me share my happiness with you.

Disclaimer: I don't own MGLN otherwise it would definitely be a yuri anime.

Tsuyoku hatenai mirai he

It was Friday, and all of the warm feelings that it brings: freedom from school, hanging out with friends, laughter, and joy, were all absent. In truth, no one was happy today. A group of inseparable friends was now broken into pieces because two of them were not speaking. If you asked anyone in the school what happened, they would simply say they had a fight. Quite honestly, even there three closest friends didn't know what had really transpired. No, no one knew except Nanoha and Fate.

Now, Fate was in class, listening to the teacher's lecture and not hearing a single word. She hadn't been having the greatest week and today's events hadn't helped in the slightest. How could she possibly think of her studies at a time like this? All she can think of is Nanoha and what happened earlier today.

00000

"Good morning Fate-chan!" A cheerful voice sang in her ear snapping Fate out of her thoughts.

"Oh! G-good morning Nanoha. I guess I didn't see you come up."

"Of course you didn't silly!' Nanoha replied giving Fate a friendly poke in the cheek. "It's because you were spacing out. What's wrong? Is something on your mind?"

"Not really." Fate answered as they began walking again, "I'm just tired is all. I haven't slept well in awhile.

Nanoha looked at Fate with concern, but she didn't press her on the matter; Fate would talk about it when she wanted to.

They continued their walk to school in companionable silence which was quickly shattered as soon as they met up with Hayate at the entrance.

"Nanoha! Fate! Did you hear the rumor?" she squealed excitedly once they approached.

Nanoha rolled her eyes. "Hayate if there is a rumor going around I'm sure you started it in the first place."

"Who me?" Hayate said, giving them her best innocent look and voice. "I would never do something like that!"

Now it was Fate's turn to roll her eyes. "Never mind that," she said, ending Hayate's performance, "what is it that's so important?"

"Oh right. Nanoha!" Hayate proclaimed, turning to face the longer haired brunette. "I heard that Yuuno is going to ask you out today!" And to her surprise, nothing happened.

Both Nanoha and Fate simply stood there and took the news without batting an eye. They didn't react at all the way Hayate had imagined, then again she couldn't see what was going on in Fate's head.

Inside Fate was a cyclone of emotions; anger, hatred, and jealousy all swelled up inside her. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to grab Nanoha tightly and proclaim that no one else could have her. What she didn't understand was why. Why was she so upset by the thought of Nanoha with Yuuno, or anyone else for that matter? Most importantly, what was this feeling she got every time they were together?

For the second time today Fate was brought from her thoughts by the sound of Nanoha's voice.

"Whatever Yuuno does is his own business Hayate, I don't want to hear you spreading anymore rumors. Now come on, let's get to class." And that was all she had to say on the matter.

Despite what Hayate had said, the day went on as usual. It wasn't until lunch that things started to go wrong.

Lunch time finally came around and the group of friends met up as usual. Nanoha, Fate, Hayate, Suzuka, and Arisa got together and went to have lunch on the roof as they always did. Today however, they were surprised to find no one else there. The friends sat down to eat, they talked, laughed, and messed with each other the same way they would every day. The familiarity was comforting, but it wouldn't last forever.

Half way through lunch Arisa and Suzuka got up and excused themselves.

"Sorry everyone, but we have some business to attend to." Suzuka said.

"We'll see you later though, okay?" Arisa cheerfully added.

"Ok." Everyone replied, and the two of them left.

"Speaking of which," Hayate started after they had gone, "weren't we supposed to see Yuuno here?"

Fate stiffened, remembering Hayate's words from earlier.

"He's probably just running late." Nanoha answered calmly, "He's always in the library after all."

"Right, well, I've gotta run to the bathroom. I'll be back in a bit." Hayate said, now standing up herself and walking off down the stairs.

Fate and Nanoha were left alone on the roof. Having finished eating they sat together in silence. It wasn't the same kind of silence they had shared on the way to school though. This was uncomfortable, like they didn't know what to say.

Finally Nanoha managed to find her voice. "You're awfully quiet today Fate-chan. Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"I just, have a lot on my mind…" Fate replied distantly.

"Would any of it have to do with Yuuno?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I know I've been giving it a lot of thought, and I don't know what I'll do."

"Nanoha?"

"What will I do if he really does ask me out?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do I avoid hurting his feelings, and still say no?"

"You don't want to go out with him?"

"It's not that I don't like Yuuno. I do, but just as a friend, because I have feelings for someone else."

"Really…who?"

"Fate-chan."

Fate acted like it had simply been said to get her attention. She stared at Nanoha, still expecting a response, and when she didn't get one she repeated:

"Who?"

Nanoha began to giggle softly.

"What's so funny?" Fate asked, confused.

"You, Fate-chan!"

"I'm funny?"

"I. Like. You." Nanoha said slowly, emphasizing every word by poking Fate softly in the nose.

"…What?"

Even when it was laid out before her, Fate wouldn't allow herself to get her hopes up.

"You're the one I like Fate-chan. You. Not Yuuno."

"Nanoha, you don't mean that…" Fate said quietly.

"Of course I do Fate-chan. Ever since we first met I felt it. Our friendship isn't enough. I want more of you, I want all of you and I don't wanna share with anyone else. Fate, I love you."

Fate was at a loss for words. As long as she had known her Nanoha had never asked for anything for herself. Now Nanoha had finally asked for something and what she wanted was…her. It took her a minute to find her voice, but it didn't help much.

"Nanoha I… We can't… I don't…" Fate stammered, hopelessly lost for words to describe how she felt.

"Nyahahaha! Fate-chan's so cute, she can't even talk! But, you don't need to say anything." Nanoha whispered the last part softly and leaned in more towards Fate.

Their lips were inches apart and getting closer by the second. Half of Fate proclaimed her victory and wanted nothing more than to reach out and claim her prize. The other half was nervous. Everything was happening so fast, almost like a dream. In fact, maybe it was a dream. She needed time to sort out her feelings and make sure it was all real.

"Wait." She said before their lips met, and Nanoha stopped and pulled back with a look of disappointment on her face.

The logical part of Fate was now being violently strangled by the part of her that only wanted to make out with Nanoha.

"You don't want me, do you?" Nanoha asked sadly.

"Yes… No… I don't know. It's all so much. I just…need some time to think about it."

"I understand." Nanoha said sincerely. In truth, she did understand, but she felt that in the end Fate wouldn't accept her.

"Just…tell me once you've figured it out." Nanoha said, and then she got up and left.

On her way out she passed by Hayate who had just returned, but she kept on walking without saying a word.

"Where's Nanoha going?" She asked.

Silence.

"Is something wrong?"

Still no response.

Unable to get a word out of Fate, Hayate ran after Nanoha to get some answers.

Fate sat alone until a moment later when Yuuno showed up in the doorway.

"Hello everyone!" He exclaimed cheerfully until he noticed that Fate was the only one sitting there.

"Oh, I guess I'm late again aren't I?" He said with a laugh as he walked over to join Fate where she sat against the wall.

"Hi Yuuno." Fate said dryly.

"You don't seem so happy to see me."

Fate didn't say anything.

"I see you've already eaten. Well I'm starving!" With that he took out his sandwich and set to work.

"Is it true?" Fate asked suddenly.

Yuuno kept on chewing expecting her to say more. When she was silent he finished and asked: "Is what true?"

"The rumor that you were gonna ask Nanoha out today."

"Me, ask out…Nanoha? Hahahahahaha!"

Fate was furious; she leapt up scowling at Yuuno.

"Yuuno how could you! Nanoha is sweet, and selfless, and beautiful, and…!"

"Hey, calm down Fate! I'm sorry; I didn't mean it like that."

"I…! Wait…what? Then what did you mean?"

Yuuno tugged lightly on Fate's skirt as a gesture for her to sit down.

"How do I say this?" Yuuno began carefully. "I would never think of asking Nanoha out because I know it would be hopeless. She has her heart set on someone else."

"And who's that?" Fate asked, feigning ignorance.

"It's the same person who nearly chewed my head off for insulting her." Yuuno answered with a smile.

Fate's cheeks turned a color to match her eyes and she quickly looked away.

"I'm really sorry about that." She blushed.

"Forget it. I don't blame you for defending your lover."

"We're…we're not lovers! She insisted, whipping her head back around.

"Maybe not," He answered calmly, "but you're in love with her."

She didn't deny it this time.

"And Nanoha loves you too."

"How'd you know that?" Fate asked, tilting her head to one side.

"It's obvious. You two are always happiest when you're together, although it's more than just because you're friends."

Fate sat there thinking about it.

"Not to be rude," He started again, getting her attention, "but I didn't expect you to figure it out."

"Honestly, I didn't. Not until today…"

"I'm listening." He assured her.

"Well…"

Fate went on to recount her day so far, starting with Hayate telling them the rumor and ending with the events that occurred shortly before his arrival. She also told him how she felt this morning and the way she couldn't bear to think of Nanoha with anyone else.

"And you didn't kiss her?" Yuuno asked in disbelief.

"I was nervous okay!"

"How come?"

"I thought it was all just a dream."

"What made you think that?"

"The way I've been kept up at night, it wouldn't have surprised me if I had fallen asleep."

"Why haven't you been sleeping?"

She looked down. "That's something I wanted to talk to Nanoha about."

"Well then, you'll just have to do that."

"But what if she doesn't want to talk to me?"

"Fate, she loves you."

"So I should tell her I feel the same way?"

"No."

Fate looked at Yuuno, confused.

"You should show her." He said with a grin.

"Thank you, Yuuno."

"Good luck!" He responded and headed off.

Then, the bell rang for class.

00000

Every time Fate passed Nanoha in the hall she had refused to make eye contact. Fate was sure that even one look would cause her to lose control of her emotions. She had to keep control at least until school ended. She didn't know, however, that every time she looked away Nanoha's fear of rejection grew stronger.

Finally they were at the end of their last class, and the tension ran high. Fate's heart was bursting with joy, whereas Nanoha's was about to break from sadness. When the bell rang the students rushed out, eager to leave, and Nanoha left without saying a word. Fate quickly chased after her, finally catching up outside the school as Nanoha was turning to leave.

"Nanoha!" Fate exclaimed. She grabbed her by the shoulder to stop her, but she quickly withdrew her hand and looked down as if she shouldn't have done it.

Nanoha turned around to look at Fate who was staring firmly at the ground as if it would help control her pounding heart.

"Nanoha I…I thought about it."

Nanoha nodded and took hold of Fate's hand as they began to walk towards Nanoha's house.

Little did they know that two figures were watching their progress from one of the school's second floor windows.

"See? It's just like a planned!" The first figured said.

"Planned? That was all luck." The second figure replied.

"It wasn't luck at all! It was all according to plan. Now they'll go home together and live happily ever after!" The first one said.

"It's kind of early to be assuming that…"The other responded with a sweat drop.

"Why do you have to be so pessimistic Yuuno?" The first figure fumed.

"I'm not being pessimistic I'm being realistic! Just because they're going home together doesn't mean it's over. They still have to talk it over and that might not go as well as you'd like Hayate. I'm sure you know that."

Hayate puffed out her cheeks indignantly. "Of course I know that Yuuno, but I just couldn't stand to see another day go by of them denying their feelings for each other."

"I know. That's why you came up with this whole scheme of leaving them alone together." He reminded her.

"It's not like you didn't do your part." She replied. "You helped reassure Fate, and you got Suzuka and Arisa to leave during lunch."

"What? I thought you got them to leave?" Yuuno asked confusedly.

"But if neither of us asked them to leave, then where did they go off to together?" She paused. "You don't think that…"

"I don't care." Yuuno said, cutting her sharply. "We've messed with enough relationships; let them do what they want."

"You said WE that time." Hayate pointed out.

Yuuno groaned. "Just remind me never to get sucked into one of your crazy ideas again."

"But it was worth it for them wasn't it?"

A smile crossed Yuuno's face. "Yeah. It was worth it for them."

While their conversation went on Fate and Nanoha walked, hand in hand, towards Nanoha home.

Neither one of them said a word, but the tension between them was evident.

Both girls went along with their hearts about to burst from pent up emotions. All they wanted was to get to Nanoha's room and be alone together so they could resolve everything. But, their torment wasn't over yet.

Upon arrival, they were quickly swept up in the goings on of the Takamachi household. Nanoha's mother was short-handed and asked the girls to help out at the shop. There was no way they could refuse, and so this occupied most of the afternoon. Afterward the family gathered for dinner, to which they invited Fate. The conversations went on for quite some time, yet through it all Nanoha and Fate had barely spoken. When everything was said and done it was well into the evening and, due to the late hour, arrangements were made for Fate to spend the night, rather than walk home in the dark.

Alone at last, the two friends sat on Nanoha's bed. Nanoha sat there, clutching the sleeping bag that was meant for her to sleep on the floor, and Fate sat next to her, both of them staring downwards. They were unable to make eye contact with each other, unable to find the words that needed to be said.

After what seemed like ages Fate managed to find her voice, "Nanoha…I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry Fate-chan. I never should have put you on the spot like that. I was stupid to think that you felt that way towards me." Nanoha looked like she was about to cry. "Now, I'm sure that you hate m… mmmm!"

Fate was desperate. She couldn't stand to see Nanoha this way. Her best friend felt completely rejected, and knowing that it was all her fault made it a million times worse. She didn't even want to hear her say it, so Fate had quickly used the only thing she could to silence Nanoha: her lips.

It was only a few seconds long, but time seemed to stop. Fate slowly brought her head away and her cheeks instantly flushed a deep crimson. Nanoha brought her hand up to softly touch her lips. She could still feel the tingly sensation that Fate had left, and she too began to blush as her sapphire eyes met Fate's deep, burgundy ones.

"F…Fate-chan?" She stammered.

"I'm sorry Nanoha." Fate began. "Not for kissing you, I'll never regret that." Nanoha's blush only deepened. "I'm sorry I made you feel lonely and rejected, I never wanted that. I'm sorry that I didn't realize this earlier. I like you…no…I love you, Nanoha.

Now Nanoha found herself at a loss. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Fate place her finger over Nanoha's lips and whispered softly. "Shhhhh. You don't need to say anything."

Nanoha's entire body was swept with relief, and now she began to cry from the sheer joy she felt.

Fate took this moment to lay another kiss upon her lover. There was a spark when their lips met again and the contact seemed to bring both their bodies to life. Fate reached over to run her hand through Nanoha's hair and her heart skipped a beat when Nanoha began to nibble on her bottom lip. They broke apart for air, and Nanoha threw the sleeping bag in the corner and grabbed Fate to pull her closer. Fate stood up so she could straddle Nanoha's lap. She wrapped her legs around Nanoha's back and her arms around her neck; Nanoha curled her own arms around Fate's waist and they met for another kiss.

Their make out session went on for a half hour, each kiss getting more heated than the last. One kiss went on for five minutes. The two lovers' tongues danced frantically together back and forth between their mouths. Nanoha would run her tongue over Fate's teeth, Fate would run hers over Nanoha's lips and bite them gently, and then their tongues swirled together until their kiss became wet and sloppy.

Finally they broke apart, leaving a strand of saliva across their tongues, gasping for air, chests heaving, and completely satisfied from their work. Nanoha kissed Fate once more to get rid of the evidence they left behind.

"Fate, you'll be my girlfriend now, wont you?"

"Of course I will Nanoha."

Fate kissed Nanoha chastely in assurance. They might have started making out again if Fate hadn't let out a yawn.

"Oh, did I wear my girlfriend out already?" Nanoha asked with a laugh.

Fate smiled lovingly. "Sorry Nanoha, I haven't slept well in awhile."

"Are you still having nightmares about Precia?"

"Sort of… I dreamt of her loving me and treating me like her real daughter."

"Fate-chan, it's okay to wish for that, she is your mother after all."

"No it's not okay." Fate said firmly. "Precia is my past, and Nanoha is my future." She said, looking deeply into her girlfriend's eyes.

"Fate-chan, that means a lot to me." Nanoha said, teary-eyed. "I may not know what my future will hold, but I always want you to be part of it."

"Nanoha, you'll always be part of my life, I promise you that."

They kissed one last time before Nanoha reluctantly untangled Fate from her body, lay her down, and pulled up the covers.

Nanoha stood and went to turn off the light. She crawled into bed behind Fate, grabbed her around the waist, and pulled their bodies flush against each other.

Fate folded her hands over Nanoha's while Nanoha snuggled her head into the back of Fate's neck and let out a content sigh. "Good night Fate. I love you."

"Good night Nanoha. I love you too."

Hmmm, why does it always end with them in bed? Ah well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So it is finally (I use that word a lot) finished after, like, forever. How was it? In a self evaluation, I would say that it didn't flow as well as I would like, probably because I wrote it over two weeks. Also, I'm not sure I got Yuuno's character quite right, but I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Whether you read the first one or not, I hope you enjoyed the story. I tried to keep it as tame as possible this time, because the more detailed I started to get the more it tipped over to M and that's for the third story. If you happened to be someone who has been waiting for this since part one, I thank you so much for bearing with me through that 2 month lapse. I can't say I'll be writing a story every week, but I would like to promise that I'll never be absent for that long again. That's about all I have to say. If you'd like a little more info, including my story agenda for right now, you can check out my page. Thanks for reading. Till next time.