Legally pointless disclaimer: I don't own SP! or the characters. (I don't really want to either; they crazy!)

Summary: A few years after the events of the anime, old classmates from the Strawberry Dorms find themselves together in Los Angeles. Old feelings resurface, relationships are reexamined and drama ensues. Shizuma/Miyuki, Shizuma/Nagisa, and others (for those keeping score).

Notes: This will hopefully continue for a fair number of chapters (15 are planned at the moment); please review as you see fit! Also: I'll try to write the honorifics properly, as it really helps the flavor - but, I don't actually know Japanese so if I screw something up - sorry!

Chapter 1: Restless Shizuma

"Come to bed already, Shizuma-chan," Nagisa pouted, "Please? I wanna cuddle!"

"Be patient Nagisa-chan. I've almost finished. Besides, you wouldn't want me to have a bad hair day tomorrow, would you?" Across the room, Shizuma was brushing her enormous silver mane, occasionally stopping to carefully check the smallish mirror on their dresser-top. Nagisa threw herself back onto the bed with a loud sigh and rolled her eyes.

In all the fantasies she'd indulged in while waiting to escape the suffocation of Astraea Hill and be with Shizuma, this particular annoyance never quite figured into any of them. In all fairness, she could hardly have expected otherwise. Shizuma's hair didn't wash, dry, style, and brush itself, of course. But two or more hours per night, three nights a week - more if there was something special - Nagisa was just a bit sick of it. Once, she'd even suggested that Shizuma cut it - just to her waist, even? The response was... frightening, to say the least.

Nagisa never suggested that again.

Shizuma finally finished processing the last few strands and nuzzled up behind Nagisa. "Sorry about that, Nagisa-chan, but you know I have that graduate school interview tomorrow."

"I know, I know, but you were just taking so long."

"Sorry. And, by the way, hmm, you should know - Miyuki-san is coming to town in a day or so."

"What? Really? How exciting!"

"Yes. With her, her husband-to-be - it seems he has a business obligation here. Miyuki says they're supposed to be getting to know each other better, or some such silliness." Shizuma rolled her eyes.

Nagisa rolled halfway over and looked at Shizuma. "What do you mean 'silliness' - it's wonderful that they have the chance, don't you think? And it'll be so great to see her again; like a little mini class reunion. Don't you want to hang out and show her the city and everything, Shizuma-chan? We'll have so much fun!"

Shizuma mumbled something unintelligible into Nagisa's back.

Nagisa was oblivious. "And, oooh, I wonder what her fiancé looks like, and do they really love each other - my second cousin had his marriage arranged and they say he's really really happy, but I also think... mmmph!" Shizuma pushed her face-first into the pillow.

Nagisa started giggling uncontrollably.

Shizuma sighed, smiled slightly to herself and released Nagisa, then rolled onto her back. Despite Nagisa's excitement, she knew better. Miyuki's visit wasn't going to be 'fun', or even pleasant.

She closed her eyes.

* * *

Shizuma looked up. Miyuki was standing there, looking back at her fiercely. Their eyes met. Shizuma paused, then walked over to her, pulled her close, kissed her on the mouth.

It lasted only a moment before Miyuki pushed her away. Shizuma stumbled backwards as Miyuki raised her hand to strike. Behind her, Shizuma heard a scream, "Shizuma! Why?" She whirled to see Nagisa in tears, stumbling away, "No, no, no, no...." The refrain echoed in her head.

Shizuma felt a blow to the side of her head. Then another, and another, this time on her face and mouth as she turned toward her attacker. Her nose bled. She fell. Miyuki stood over her, glaring.

"Miyuki, wait!" she screamed.

* * *

Shizuma woke and sat straight up in bed, hyperventilating.

She blinked and looked around. Nagisa was asleep, her mouth half open. Shizuma collapsed forward, her head in her hands. Just a dream, she told herself. It didn't really happen.

Except - it had. Not quite like the dream, perhaps. Nagisa hadn't been there, for one. Miyuki did all the crying, for another. Shizuma was the one prone to violent fits. But still - why? Why now? Shizuma hadn't been happy about visit to Los Angeles, but that was because she knew Miyuki wouldn't love... whoever he was. She was only marrying out of responsibility to her family, and...

And it was all Shizuma's fault.

She crawled out of bed and stumbled toward the door, not caring whether Nagisa woke up or not. She reached the front room of the apartment and looked around, now fully awake. There were boxes piled up all along the far wall - they hadn't ever really unpacked after moving in together. The combination of Nagisa's hyper inattentiveness and Shizuma's laziness made for quite a mess. Shizuma started rifling through the boxes at one end, looking...

Over an hour and one paper cut later she found it - a small maple box, the finish scratched from years of neglect. Shizuma sat down on the floor and opened it. She found herself looking at Kaori.

"Oh, no, no, no, not that, not now." She hastily turned the picture over. Underneath it was the picture she wanted - her and Miyuki, sitting on a bed in their old dorm room. Shizuma's arm was around Miyuki's shoulder. They were so happy, then.

Actually, Miyuki looked a little annoyed. Shizuma smiled.

Miyuki hadn't liked pictures, except to send to one's parents (responsibility, of course). Still, it was a teasing, Shizuma-you-silly-girl sort of annoyance. Not her I'm-submitting-to-my-duty expression - the expression Shizuma remembered best. She honestly couldn't remember the last time Miyuki had been like that picture. Not since it was taken, probably. After that, Kaori; then, well, Nagisa and graduation and.... Shizuma slammed her fist into the carpet.

Her bowed head forward with the blow, loose hair falling about her and the box. The wave of anger passed. Shizuma licked her dry lips and sighed. She leaned back.

She looked at the picture again, stared at it. "Miyuki."

The clock read 3:30 AM.

Shizuma shook herself, carefully replaced the picture and the box, and went back to bed. Nagisa hadn't budged.