Disclaimer:I don't own Strawberry Panic. If I did though, well, no one would want to know what would happen if I did. I'd go crazy. Nuts even.

Author's Note: Well, hey. NsShadowSerpent here as usual.

All right, so college homework has been killer, but I finally got some time to work on a Strawberry Panic story featuring my favorite characters; Shadow Empress Chikaru-chan, Yaya-chan, Tsubomi-chan, and my most favorite of all, Tamao-chan.

Yes, I'm a pretty big fan of blue-headed, obsessive, creepy, stalker-rific Tamao-chan. But I'm not butt hurt about the ending of Strawberry Panic. I had been expecting it from the beginning. It would have been nice to have seen some love for Tamao and Yaya at the end though, am I right?

Anyway, this takes place after the ending of the anime, and here, we get a little peak at what's going on with Tamao. Enjoy.

Title: Strawberry Panic: Afterword

Written by: NsShadowSerpent

Genre: Drama, Romance, Yuri

Rating: T

Warning: Well, there's yuri. I'm pretty sure any reader who clicks on this story in the Strawberry Panic category would be aware of that.

Story Summary: As the Etoile competition draws to a close with Spica declared the victor, Suzumi Tamao and Nanto Yaya struggle to accept the undesirable changes in their relationships with Nagisa and Hikari. However, shattered hearts cannot always mend with only time alone…

STRAWBERRY PANIC: AFTERWORD

A PLACE IN THE HEART: CHAPTER I

True love burns the brightest,

but the brightest flames…

always leave the deepest scars…

…

…

Suzumi Tamao lay alone in the room she knew to be hers since moving into the Strawberry dorms so long ago. The Etolie competition had concluded, and all of Astrea Hill were ecstatic for the new couple of Otori Amane, the ever popular prince of Spica, and Konohana Hikari; her timid, yet beautiful princess. Together, the two would become one of the most celebrated Etolie in all of the three schools. It was quite a memorable moment to everyone in some way, but the event was more memorable in so many different ways to others.

Tamao turned over on her silk bed so she lay on her back. She laced her fingers together and rested her hands on her abdomen, hearing only the faint sounds of crackling fireworks from outside. A small, distant smile though a pair of glazed, sapphire colored eyes betrayed her own innermost feelings, but she was happy for them, and especially for Hikari. The shy blonde headed girl was one of her closest friends, and to see her so happy with the person she loved…

She felt a sudden warm moisture stream down her cheeks. Her lips parted from the sensation, she gave a corner of her eye a light touch of the fingers surprise, and sat up on the bed with some effort.

"Hah… that's odd…" the young girl said, chuckling a little. "I don't remember… when… did I start to cry?"

With downcast eyes, Tamao glanced at her ruffled Miator student uniform. She hadn't bothered to change out of it after the ceremony. She'd changed once already before the fireworks commencement began, and to change again just seemed to be far too much effort than she was willing to exert now.

Lulim's President Chikaru managed to catch a hold of Tamao at the festival grounds after the end of the Etolie ceremony. The elegant, raven-haired beauty approached Tamao without a sound, an odd expression painted on her face. It was indiscernible to Tamao, not a look of pity, nor a look of comfort, but Chikaru wouldn't have bothered to approach her if something wasn't on her mind, would she?

Tamao had noticed her own facial expression was odd all the same, and she put on a casual smile for the council president. Not too sudden or unusual; Tamao didn't want it to seem like she was forcing herself. Chikaru didn't appear as if she bought it, but she returned the gesture with a small smile of her own.

"Chikaru-san, is something wrong?"

Chikaru brought one of her hands over to grab her free arm, almost as if she were somewhat hesitant. She glanced off to the side for a moment, before facing Tamao once more, a determined expression on her face.

"I believe I should be the person to ask you the same, Tamao-san."

"What… do you mean… by that?"

"Are you enjoying the fireworks?"

"I…"

Tamao shook her head in an attempt to dispel the memory. She stood from her bed and headed toward the dorm's door, taking a firm hold of the knob. A moment's passing thought crossed her mind, before she resigned to rest her back and arms to the door instead. She placed most of her weight onto one of her legs, propping the other up on the wooden door.

It was a simple question Chikaru had asked her, really.

And yet, she couldn't answer.

She just felt so… vulnerable. Something in Chikaru's words made her break down. She hadn't been on the verge of crying. And yet, Tamao found herself bursting into tears in an instant, and her head buried in the crook of the raven-haired girl's shoulder the next. Tamao trembled in her arms, and the tears just wouldn't disappear, no matter how much she wished them to. She felt so pathetic in front of Chikaru; she always kept herself poised with an air of that unshakable Tamao confidence. But then, everything she was, broke.

Chikaru only held her, pulling her closer to her chest and placing delicate hands over her back, embracing her.

"It's okay, Tamao-chan," Chikaru whispered into the girl's ear. "If you're sad…"

"…just cry."

She hadn't wanted to cause a scene, so Tamao had decided to retire early for the night. A few concerned looks from her fellow classmates prompted Chikaru to make excuses on her part, and Tamao told them she hadn't been feeling well. Amane, as chivalrous as ever, offered her a ride back to the infirmary on Star Bride, but Tamao declined the offer as Chikaru had already volunteered to take her back herself.

"If you need someone to talk to… about anything, Tamao-chan, you can come to me. I'm always here."

Tamao rubbed an eye. It was late well into the night, but sleep had yet to come to her. She couldn't have been expecting anything more, could she? The choice had already been made, and it was she who pushed her to make it… so what reason was there to force herself? For her sake?

Her whole world, her own, strawberry-headed world, had already been taken away from her… for everyone in the school to see.

Once again, she was alone in the room, and it just seemed so big to her, like all those long years before. But someday, she knew she'd find someone to share precious memories with. She only hadn't expected those memories to be painful ones.

But that choice was hers alone.

She loved those memories, even if they hurt. Even if all they ever would do would be to eat and tear away at her heart, they would always be her precious memories. She would treasure them there, forever.

And no one would ever take them from her.

She felt a presence from the barrier that separated her from the world outside, familiar to her. Tamao held still, long lashed eyes closed, as if she were making a resolute decision.

There were no longer any heartaches, only a sense of pure, simple understanding.

"Welcome back, Nagisa-chan…"

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Note: Thoughts? Comments, complaints, requests… um… take-out or delivery?

Review if you've read. They really do make me a little warmer and fuzzier inside. I loves me the review fuzzies. Mmm…