WARNING: THE FIC YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ IS PURE UNADULTERATED FLUFF. If 100% pure fluff stories make you sick, you may wish to turn back now. That is all.

Getting to Know You

AN: Here's a Nef/Ami one-shot based on the live-action series, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Don't confuse it with the anime or manga, because the events and characters' personalities are completely different.

Also, this fic is currently AU (but hopefully in a few episodes, it won't be anymore crosses fingers), and it takes place after Act 37, so there are spoilers for people who haven't gotten that far yet.

Please keep in mind that this is my first PGSM fanfic, so if the characters seem to be out of character, just know that I tried my sincere best. (Plus, hey, it's alternate universe anyway, right? )

The only background information you should need is what's been in the show thus far, with special emphasis on the events of Acts 23 and 24. Also remember that Nephy has been turned into a human now! glomps Matsumoto This story follows the assumption that, in an attempt to gain his revenge on Queen Beryl, Nephrite has enlisted the aid of the Sailor Senshi.

Lastly, the disclaimer: All characters and situations related to Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon are property of Naoko Takeuchi, Toei, and all those other people. I own nothing.

That said, please enjoy the fic!

It was just before noon on a warm summer weekend, and Ami Mizuno was silently walking alongside her unlikely companion: Nephrite, of all people. She could hardly believe it; but what she could believe even less was that the tall, thin young man beside her had been, just weeks before, a member of the Shitennou, and a loyal servant of Queen Beryl, the Senshi's most hated enemy.

As Ami pondered this, she saw Nephrite stare down at his hands and sigh heavily. Ami frowned. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

Nephrite looked at her in surprise, as if he had forgotten she were there, and then cast his eyes down at his feet. "Nothing," he answered quickly. "I'm just...still trying to get used to myself like this," he added in a quieter voice.

Ami quirked her head, but said nothing. In all honesty, she was still trying to get used to him like this herself. His hair was shorter, and no longer red as flame; his eyes no longer glistened icy blue, but shone deep black. In his short-sleeved black T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, he looked like an ordinary Japanese teenager. But he wasn't, and that was what bothered Ami. She kept having to remind herself that he was Nephrite, not just a regular guy. And she also kept having to remind herself of Rei and Luna's warnings: although it seemed that Nephrite was being honest in his desire to help the Senshi destroy Beryl, they must always stay on their guards when with him.

Nephrite was staring at his reflection in the front window of a store they had been passing. he drew in a ragged breath and clenched his fist, turning on his heel and continuing down the sidewalk at a quickened pace. Furrowing her brow, Ami hurried to keep up with him.

"That she should do this to me," he muttered to know one in particular.

"It's not that bad, you know," Ami reassured him. For the second time in the last minute, Nephrite turned and stared at her in surprise. Ami bit her own tongue at the openness of her words.

"What do you mean?" Nephrite asked, his tone a good deal softer than Ami had expected it to be.

She forced a reassuring smile. "What I meant was...You're not such a bad-looking guy, Nephrite..." She could feel herself digging herself deeper and deeper in the hole. "It's just different, is all..."

Nephrite nodded, apparently accepting this answer. "There's nothing I can do about it right now, anyway," he said, turning and continuing down the sidewalk. They walked a few moments more in silence. "There's not much point to my existence, anyway," Nephrite said at last.

Ami stopped in her tracks. "What?!" she gasped.

Nephrite drew in his breath sharply. What am I saying?! he thought. How do I know I can trust her?

As if in answer, a voice from his memories echoed through his mind. "All alone..." Dark Mercury said, tossing him a new cloak to replace his old, tattered one. "I don't like it."

Nephrite pursed his lips. I can trust her. "All my life, I've only been concerned with one thing." He frowned deeply, and spat, "Queen Beryl. And now, I'm thrust into this world, with no clue as to what to do with myself, and no purpose at all--except to make her pay for all this." He looked up at Ami, whose face was grave. "But then what?! If I do succeed, and live to tell... what then? My life will still be meaningless."

"Don't say that!" Ami interrupted. "I know things look bad now...Usagi-chan is..." She frowned at the memory of Usagi, possessed by Princess Serenity, and her revelation about the destruction of the planet 10,000 years ago. "And Chiba-kun..." She looked back up at Nephrite. "But it will get better, I just know it! We'll succeed, everything will be fine. And then..."

"And then?" Nephrite broke in.

"Everything will go back to normal," Ami finished.

"Normal?" Nephrite questioned. "What's 'normal'? I've lived in the Dark Kingdom all my life. Surely that's not normal. There's nothing here on Earth for me."

"Well then make something!" Ami chided, surprised at her own ferocity. "You'll find your place here. You can't just give up!"

Nephrite stared at her. There she goes again, he thought. She sees me at my lowest, but somehow...

"All alone...I don't like it," Dark Mercury's voice echoed in his head. He silenced it. Stop thinking about that! he ordered himself. This isn't the same girl. She doesn't remember any of that.

"Nephrite," Ami's gentle voice cut through his thoughts. 'I think that..." she paused, as if reconsidering, but then continued. "I think it would be good if we took a day off."

"A day off?" Nephrite repeated. "What do you mean?"

"You know...just do something relaxing. Forget about all that for today."

"Forget about it?" Nephrite was confused. "But...how could we do that? What if something happens?"

Ami held up her cell phone. "If something comes up, the others will call me." She smiled at his expression of disbelief. "The other Senshi and I have realized that if we were serious all the time, we'd overload ourselves." Nephrite still looked unconvinced. Ami let out a small laugh. "It is okay to have fun once in awhile."

"Fun?"

Ami rolled her eyes. "Yes, fun." Impetuously, she grabbed his wrist. "Come on. We'll go somewhere fun." She started to pull him down the street in the opposite direction. What's come over me? she thought, flustered. I've never been this bold before. Ami smiled, remembering the first time she'd met Usagi; how Usagi had bowled her over with her outgoing personality. Usagi-chan has that effect on all of us. The thought of Usagi sombered her, but she tried to push it out of her mind. No sadness today. I have to cheer him up. Usagi-chan would want it that way.

"What is this place?" Nephrite asked, staring about in bewilderment.

"It's an amusement park," Ami responded with a pleased smile. "It's where we go to forget about our troubles."

"Humans have strange ideas about fun," Nephrite remarked.

Ami furrowed her brow. "You talk as if we were a foreign species." Nephrite didn't answer. "Can you think of something better?" Nephrite shook his head. Ami smiled to herself. Goodness, he's stubborn. He'll never admit that he's wrong, even if he know it. "What do you want to go on first?" she asked him.

"Go on?" Nephrite asked, confused.

"The rides," Ami explained with a laugh, gesturing around.

"Oh. Nephrite still felt confused.

"Let's go on the roller coaster first," Ami suggested. "It's over there." She pointed.

"That big tall thing?" Nephrite asked. Ami nodded. He arched an eyebrow as he watched a train filled with people reach the top of a tall hill and drop down the other side, as the inhabitants screamed all the way.

"It's fun," Ami reassured him. "You'll like it. Come on."

"Fun?" Nephrite was unconvinced, but followed her nonetheless. Then again…what do I know about it? His life had been spent in dark, damp caverns. The only pleasure he'd ever felt had come from the rare occurrence of winning Beryl's praise. That's not true, his mind corrected him. There was one other time… Nephrite's stomach twisted unpleasantly, and he tried to push the thought from his head.

Why did I love Beryl so? he thought grimly. I had no reason to desire her praise so. It's just all I'd ever known. There was nothing else for me. He clenched his fist.

By that time, he and Ami had reached the line at the base of the roller coaster. Ami turned and smiled warmly at him. Her open expression made Nephrite uneasy. No one had ever looked at him like that before: no ulterior motives or hidden secrets; just completely trusting, and genuinely happy to be with him.

"Come on, Nephrite," Ami said. "Don't look like that. It's not that bad. You act as though I'm bringing you to the executioner."

Nephrite forced a smile. Seeming satisfied, Ami turned back to face the front of the line. I don't know what's coming over me, she thought in distress. If Rei-chan and the others knew…

"We have to be careful around him," Rei's warning voice echoed in her head.

"He says he wants to help use, but we have to remember that he's one of the Shitennou, and one of Endymion's vassals," Luna had added. "We should consider them our enemies. It could lead to the destruction of the planet, just as it did in the past."

Ami shook her head. They're wrong. I know they are. I remember something that they obviously don't… She could see it clearly in her mind as if it had happened yesterday: Kunzite's sword, poised to strike at her, and she defenseless…but Kunzite's blow had never fallen. Someone had saved her. Her stomach clenched, remembering the look on Nephrite's face as he gazed on her before disappearing. Why? she thought for the thousandth time since it had happened. Why did he save me that day?

She glanced at him again, remembering the icy blue eyes that had once stared piercingly into hers. They were nowhere to be seen. "He may look different now, but he's still the same person," Makoto had warned.

Yes, he is, Ami agreed internally. But that's what makes me trust him. The line started to move, and she and Nephrite stepped forward. He's so lonely, she thought I know exactly how he feels. That makes me feel close to him, somehow.

At last, they reached the front of the line. Ami smiled reassuringly at Nephrite. "This will be fun," she told him, taking her seat in the front car of the train. "You'll like it."

"If you say so," Nephrite responded. The car began to move forward and climb the first tall hill. Nephrite glanced down and saw the earth shrinking away from him. The people on the ground began to resemble tiny insects. He drew in his breath sharply, and Ami glanced at him in concern. "People do this for fun, you say?" Nephrite asked, sucking his breath in through clenched teeth and gripping the supports so hard that his knuckles started turning white.

"It's all right," Ami assured him. "Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," Nephrite snarled, resolving not to look down as the car climbed higher. Ami smiled and shook her head, placing her hand over his. Instinctively, his hand relaxed at her touch, The car reached the top of the giant hill, paused for a nerve-wracking moment, and then hurtled over the other side.

A mere minute later, the rocky ride was over. Nephrite felt as though his stomach were in his throat when the train slowed to a stop. Beside him, Ami was laughing happily. "There! It's over. Was that so bad?" she asked him.

Nephrite thought for a moment. Once his nerves settled, he felt a sort of rush, as though he had defied death. In fact, it had been kind if fun. He smiled slightly at her. "It was okay, I guess," he admitted.

Ami smiled. Meaning that he liked it, she thought. He's too stubborn to say it, but his face tells it all.

On their way out, Ami noticed the photo station. "Look, they took out picture on the ride," she pointed out. They peered up at the multiple screens until they had found themselves. Ami looked like she was laughing out of pure bliss; Nephrite, on the other hand…

"You look so scared!" Ami teased good-naturedly.

"I wasn't scared," Nephrite replied crossly. Ami giggled, but Nephrite continued to stare at the photograph. The young man in the picture looked like a total stranger. But even more disturbing was the realization that, during the entire ride, he had never once let go of her hand—and he had never even noticed. What's coming over me? he thought in distress.

"What do you want to do now?" Nephrite vaguely heard Ami ask him.

"Whatever you want," he responded absently. He didn't know what was going on in his head, but he suspected it was dangerous.

"What now?" Ami asked Nephrite several rides later.

"Please," Nephrite said, panting. "You're wearing me out. Can we take a small break?"

Ami nodded, and pointed to a grassy area next to a small lake that as dotted with rowboats and paddleboats. "We can rest there." She smiled inwardly. As the minutes passed, she could feel Nephrite relaxing in her presence more and more. That's good, she thought. That's why I brought him here. What he's been through…it's too much for one person. Why she was doing this for him, she still didn't know, but she decided not to think about that.

Exhaling deeply, Nephrite stretched out onto the grass, relaxing his aching muscles. Today…he thought, staring up at the bright blue sky. A warm breeze ruffled his hair. Such a stark contrast from his life in the Dark Kingdom. The thought sombered him. He turned his head and looked at Ami, who was sprawled out on her stomach, fingering a dandelion. Nephrite sighed softly. Being with her…makes me forget my troubles…and, moreover, makes me feel as though I could face them. His stomach clenched once more, and his heart beat loudly in his chest. He closed his eyes and tried to silence it. That's not how it's supposed to be, he thought grimly. I've never felt happiness before…not like this. I'm not intended for this feeling. I… The sound of her laughter rang in his ears. I…she..

Nephrite opened his eyes. "Mercury," he began.

"Ami," she corrected.

"Huh?"

"Call me Ami," she repeated. "We are friends, aren't we?" She smiled warmly, remembering the time she'd had getting used to referring to Usagi as "Usagi-chan" as opposed to "Tsukino-san."

"Yes, I guess so," Nephrite agreed.

She nodded. "Well, what is it?"

"It's just…thank you for today," Nephrite said, feeling his cheeks grow warm against his will.

"It's nothing," Ami said, looking embarrassed. "I'm glad I was able to cheer you up." She looked down at the bright yellow dandelion she was fingering. Nephrite…has he changed as much inside as he has outside? she wondered. "I'm glad you like it here," Ami said, still looking down at her hands. "This park has been special to me since I was little. Whenever I was sad or scared, or when life seemed too overwhelming, I'd come here, and I'd feel better."

Nephrite smiled wistfully. "I had a feeling that this place was important to you. You came here a lot when you were…" He trailed off, realizing too late that he shouldn't have said that.

Ami could feel an odd sort of hollowness growing inside of her. "When I was evil, you mean," she finished. That was something that scared her more than anything. She had been completely controlled; she had attacked her dearest friends; and the worst part was, she couldn't remember a thing about it. And there was something else about it that had been bothering her…

Nephrite rolled over onto his side. Why did I bring that up? he thought in disgust. Can I truly not do anything right?

"Nephrite…" Ami began softly.

"I'm sorry," he said, but she cut him off.

"Nephrite, there's something I must ask you," she said. "Something I've wanted to ask you for quite awhile." She took a deep breath. "Nephrite…why did you save me that day?" There. She'd done it. It was off her chest.

"That…" Nephrite said quietly. That was it; the only time in his life that he'd felt pleasure from not doing the will of Beryl--saving Ami, the only person who'd ever shown him true kindness, from death at the hands of Kunzite. "Don't you remember at all?" he asked.

Ami frowned. I knew it. It was because of something I did when I was evil. "I don't remember anything," she honestly replied.

I was reaching for something that wasn't there, Nephrite thought glumly. I kept thinking of her as the same person as the girl who had… He swallowed hard. But still…she's doing this now…Does it really matter if she remembers everything?

"I was horrible, wasn't I?" Ami asked sullenly. Nephrite looked up.

"No, not exactly…" he said thoughtfully. "You were kind to me when Beryl cast me out. That's why." But that's not entirely it, his mind corrected him. It went deeper than jus that…

Ami stared at Nephrite in shock. "I was kind to you?" she asked disbelievingly.

Nephrite nodded awkwardly, and searched for a new subject; this one was making him feel quite uncomfortable. He pointed to the rowboats out on the lake. "You want to go on one of those?" he asked her. Ami nodded, and Nephrite, feeling relieved, stood, and helped her to her feet.

For a long while, they crossed the lake in silence, Nephrite trying to get a feel for the oars, and Ami trailing her hand in the cool water. Her thoughts were still reeling. Despite the knowledge that she had caused her friends so much pain, she suddenly had a desire to remember what had happened when she was evil. It's like part of my life is missing, Ami thought, looking up at nephrite, who appeared to be concentrating very hard on rowing. What happened in the DarkKingdom between Nephrite and myself? She was a bit afraid of finding out. What if…? She looked back into the water, blushing. Of course not. Nephrite and me? That's ridiculous!

Nephrite frowned as he rowed. Why did she ask me that? he thought in distress. And that she doesn't remember any of it… His mind replayed everything that they'd been through: the initial squabbles; the time he'd tried to kill her (his chest constricted at the thought); and at last, her kindness to him after being shunned by Beryl.

"Why did you save me that day?" she had asked. That…I don't know why. It bothered him a lot. Why should he have risked his life for her? At the time, it had simply seemed the right thing to do. But up to that point, he had never done anything for anyone besides Queen Beryl. Queen Beryl. Nephrite scowled at the thought. Why did I love her so?!

"If you keep looking like that, your face will freeze that way," Ami chastised him, with a light smile on her face. "If the rowing is too hard, I'll help you."

"Huh?" Nephrite asked, staring at her in surprise. "Oh. No, the rowing is fine. I was just thinking, that's all." Ami smiled and nodded understandingly.

Love, Nephrite thought. What is love, exactly? Did I truly love beryl, or was I just under a spell? The thought made him uncomfortable. It was all I ever knew. But now I know the truth.

Ami splashed at the water and hummed to herself in a barely audible voice. In her pink gingham dress, bathed in sunlight, she looked the picture of pure angelic innocence. Nephrite gripped the oars harder. Curse her! What is she doing to me?!

"Nephrite," Ami said, sounding strained. "Could you…tell me what I was like…back then?"

Nephrite blinked. "You're sure?"

She nodded, moving closer to him and giving him her full attention.

"Well…we didn't get along very well at first. But we…kind of…" He struggled to find the right words. "It got better, I guess. That's all."

Her face fell slightly, but she forced a smile and nodded. I can't tell her, Nephrite thought. I can't tell her how close I came to killing her…

Ami pulled her knees into her chest. What's wrong with me?! Why should I have thought it was more than that? Even…hoped that it was more…

"We have to be careful around him!" Rei's warning voice echoed in her head.

"We should consider him our enemy!" Luna's voice chimed in.

I wish Usagi-chan was here, Ami thought glumly. Even so…she knew what Usagi would say, and it cheered her a bit. She sighed. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

In honestly, he was famished. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten, but it felt a lot harder on his human body than it had been before. He nodded.

"Let's go in and get something, then," Ami suggested. "Like a hot dog or hamburger."

"A what?" Nephrite asked.

Ami giggled. "You'll see," she said, and, trying to push the thoughts from her head, she leaned back to enjoy the rest of the ride.

Nephrite's reaction to the hot dog had been interesting, but he ate without complaint, and seemed to like it. He eats better than I do, Ami thought with a grin. But he's so thin…he probably didn't get much to eat before…

They were making their way slowly back to the front entrance when Ami spotted her favorite ride—the carousel. She paused in front of it, watching the happy children go round and round to the sound of a cheery tune.

"What is that thing?" Nephrite asked.

"My favorite, the merry-go-round," Ani replied. "Want to go on it?"

Nephrite shook his head. "It's okay, you go ahead," he said.

She smiled and nodded, rushing through the throng of people. Nephrite moved forward and leaned against the railing. Before long, the carousel was moving again, and Ami came around the corner on a brightly painted horse. Grinning broadly, she waved exuberantly at him.

Nephrite smiled, embarrassed, and waved back. The picture was absolutely ridiculous—a fully grown teenage girl riding the carousel alongside all those young children, and waving at him the way the children were waving at their parents. Yet, Ami's face shone in pure bliss, and when she came around and waved at nephrite, he actually grinned back and laughed—laughed! Not out of spite or cruelty, but out of actual happiness.

I've never been happy like this before—I never even thought it was possible, Nephrite thought in wonder. Yet she makes it seem so easy, so natural. Still smiling, he folded his arms and looked down. I don't want this to end, he decided. The more time I spend with her the more I want it to be this way forever. He made up his mind, then and there—he wasn't going to fight it anymore. All I've ever wanted out of life was to be cared for, respected. I thought the only way to get that was to please Beryl. He looked up as Ami came around once more, still giggling. But she…she does gives me all that without thinking twice, or even asking for anything in return.

"Are you ready to go now?" he asked her when the ride was over.

Ami nodded. "The sun is starting to go down. We'd better start for home."

I wish this day could last forever, Nephrite thought. I want to thank her…for doing this for me. For making me feel this way. Impulsively, he reached over and took her hand in his. Smiling back at him, Ami intertwined her fingers with his and breathed in, trying to calm her racing nerves.

Rei-chan and the others will be mad, she thought. But I don't care. She sighed. Now I know how Usagi-chan feels.

The sun was starting to set into the sea, and the sky went vibrant pink. Ami and Nephrite were leaning against a railing above the docks, watching the day slip away over the bustling port. Ami turned her head to face Nephrite. "Did you have fun today?" she asked him.

Nephrite nodded. "I'm grateful that you did this for me," he said softly.

"It was nothing," Ami shrugged it off. "I was glad to do it for you if it made you fel better."

"Ami," Nephrite began, his voice ragged. "You were the first person who's ever shown me kindness. I've thought about it and thought about it, but I still can't figure out why. Why me? After everything that had happened between us…why don't you hate me?"

Ami looked down, the back of her eyes prickling. "That,,," she began, but her voice wavered, and she sniffled, fighting to hold it back.

Nephrite turned and cupped her chin in his hand, turning her face up to him. "Ami, why are you crying?" he asked in distress.

"I'm not," she sniffled. "It's just…you've never called me by my name before…and…" She smiled through her tears. "I don't know why I'm crying. I'm just happy, I suppose."

Nephrite smiled, and brushed a tear from her cheek. "You're beautiful," he told her, not really knowing why, but meaning it nonetheless.

Ami giggled, still fighting back tears. "Thank you," she said. Before either of them knew what they were doing, Ami leaned her face into his shoulder and Nephrite wrapped his arms tightly around her small frame. Losing control, Ami sobbed into his chest.

For a long while, all was silent except for the cries of gulls, and waves lapping against the docks below, mingled with Ami's occasional sniffling. Breathing in deeply, Nephrite rested his cheek against Ami's soft black hair. He feared that if he held her any more tightly, he would crush her; but she was clinging to him just as fiercely. Nephrite's heart was pounding so loudly in his chest that he could hear it, but he didn't care. His emotions were so powerful and out of control that he couldn't even think straight. He closed his eyes, trying to drown it all out, and one coherent thought surfaced: I almost killed her. I love this girl, and I almost killed her.

The realization that he loved Ami hit Nephrite like a ton of bricks; but even stronger was the realization that he did not deserve to have her in his arms. I tried to kill her.

"Ami," he said sharply, pushing her out of his arms. She stared up at him in shock, the tear-trails still glistening on her cheeks. "I can't let this happen. I don't deserve it."

"What?" Ami gasped, looking utterly confused. "I don't understand."

"There's something I didn't tell you…about when you were in the Dark Kingdom." He took a deep breath. "I tried to kill you."

Ami frowned, looking down. It's over, Nephrite thought. My one day of happiness is over. But…I'd rather it be this way. I'd rather not lie to her. She doesn't deserve it.

Ami looked back up at him. "But then you saved me," she pointed out.

"Yes, but—"

She interrupted him. "You had tried to kill me before."

"But that time, I almost succeeded." He sighed. "I'm horrible."

"Nephrite," Ami said. "You and I are more alike than you realize. When you did this, you weren't thinking straight. You, too, were under the control of a spell. You were under Beryl's thumb until that day that she…" She gestured at his human form. "When I was under control of the Dark Power, I tried to kill my friends. I thought that I had killed Usagi-chan. Usagi-chan tried to explain that it wasn't my fault, that circumstances made things different. I couldn't understand why she was so forgiving at first, why they all were…" She smiled up at him, and lightly placed her hands on his shoulders. "But I do now. We can't change the past, but we can change ourselves. I don't blame you for anything that happened when you were under Beryl's control…and I trust you with my life now. Just as Usagi-chan and the others trust me despite what I did to them in the past."

Nephrite didn't know what to say in response to her honest address. Ami simply smiled, and raised her hand to his cheek. "I see now…you looked so different, I could hardly believe that you were the same person. But you are."

He smiled back. "Thank you," he whispered, bending over and brushing his lips against hers. Ami closed her eyes and snaked her arm around his neck, kissing him back. So this is love, he thought, finally understanding what had eluded him all his life. Friendship… acceptance… forgiveness. And none of it matters, what Beryl did to me…any of it. I can start over now.

The others will be mad, Ami thought distantly. But I'm not afraid anymore.

The end! Hope you all enjoyed it, and that the characters weren't too O/C. I really struggled with this one. It's very hard to write a fluffy fic about two characters that, in the normal universe, it's hard to imagine being fluffy at all. I tried my sincere best, so please be gentle with me. I hope I lived up to everyone's expectations. Thank you for reading!