A/N: This fic is dedicated to Kei Luna Shoryu, as a 'Welcome-back-T-and-don't-ever-leave-again-or-we-will-die-of-T-withdrawl' fic. This one's actually a bit depressing (not the best welcome-wagon) but I'm not writing anything else, damnit!

-------------------------------------------------------------

Swept Away

-DM Twins-

A cold wind swept past, scattering leaves as it went and ruffling a young ginger-haired woman's dress. She shivered but continued walking, heels clicking loudly against the pavement. Nami was a petit woman, dwarfed even more than usual by the full moon and cloudless, blackened sky above her. The empty streets around her gave off an ominous and, somehow, a lonely feeling.

When she reached the bridge, the ominous feeling grew stronger, but rather than fleeing, she continued forward. After a moment's hesitation, she approached the edge but couldn't bring herself to look down.

I'm sorry Bellemere. I just can't keep doing this. You told me to keep on going, and I went for as long as I could manage… She frowned and quickly swiped the tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand. As far as she was concerned, she'd had a better run than Bellemere could have hoped for, and although Nami was sure Bellemere didn't want to see it end this way, Nami just couldn't find another option that she was willing to take.

Taking a deep breath, she squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed a hold of the guard rail with both hands. She paused, and after a few more seconds of standing with her eyes tightly shut, she finally worked up the courage to look into the heart of her soon-to-be killer.

She looked over the guardrail to see the icy water rushing beneath the bridge, heading to an unknown destination. It was a long way down. The water was dark, but it glittered with the light of the streetlamps, as though it was imitating the stars. Hopefully it would be deep, and the current would be swift. After all, she wasn't stupid. If she was going to jump, she wanted to be sure it would kill her.

If the fall didn't, the current would take her away, and that would be that.

She glanced from the river to her hands. They were clenched so tightly that her knuckles were turning white, yet she didn't feel a thing. She lifted her hands from the rail and slowly opened and closed them, thinking about the decision she'd made, and the people she was letting down.

She would feel no pain after she jumped, and wouldn't be around to see the disappointment—and sorrow—in her sister's eyes. Still, if there was an afterlife, she was confident that the guilt she was feeling now, for only thinking of betraying her loved ones, would follow her for all of eternity. She took another deep breath, through her nose this time rather than her mouth. The smell of leaves and river water reached her, and seemed to serve as an anesthetic. After another couple breaths she managed to suppress the feeling of guilt. She crossed the last step between herself and the edge.

Sitting down on the rail, Nami slowly lifted her legs over to the other side. With the heels of her shoes still on the edge of the bridge she paused to consider taking them off. They were expensive. She scrapped the idea, figuring it wouldn't matter anyway.

"What're you doing?" Nami nearly jumped out of her skin—and straight off the edge—at the voice behind her. On the other side of the rail, a few feet away, stood a boy with a straw hat. She's been so engrossed in her own thoughts that she hadn't heard him coming.

"You look lonely. Are you waiting for someone?" he asked. A shocked expression crossed her face.

"Uh…Y-yeah. I am." Nami replied. She'd have to wait for him to leave. If she tried to jump now he might try to stop her, try to help, and she didn't want to have to explain to a total stranger her reasoning. She was afraid of trying to convince him, because she'd only barely convinced herself.

"Me too," He said, a smile spreading across his face. "My boyfriend. We're meeting here and going out to eat. He's late though…"

"Maybe he's not coming." Nami offered. She kicked a pebble off the edge and watched it disappear into darkness, imagining herself in its place. It disappeared, and wouldn't be missed by anyone. The only difference was that she would make a bigger splash.

"He's coming." He replied with certainty. "He always does."

"How can you be sure?" Nami asked.

"I just…trust him." The boy paused, "…Sometimes it takes him a while to come. In fact, he usually doesn't show up for a long time. But when he does get here, it's always worth it."

A pang of guilt settled in Nami's stomach. How long would Nojiko wait for her to get home? Much too long. If I do jump, will it be worth it? She wasn't so sure. Besides, who was she to decide that her own problems were cause enough to make life so much worse for all her loved ones?

"Oh, there he is!" The boy ran forward to meet with a green-haired man. He smiled at the older man, "You're early." The older man grinned and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm late."

"Well…You're earlier than usual."

Nami took a deep breath and stood, staring down into the water. After a moment, she hopped back over the guard rail. The boy turned to her and she smiled.

"Aren't you waiting for someone?" He asked.

"Actually, my mother is waiting for me…" Nami paused to look over the edge one last time, "but she's going to have to wait a little longer."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Finished! Huzzah! I have to say, this one was hard to write. I was having trouble making it flow, but my sister and I worked it out and now we're both really satisfied with it. T, I hope you had a great time in Florida, but it was so boring without you! I hope you like this little depressing-then-happy welcome-wagon!