Then
San-Li sighed as she the night got later and later. She dangled her feet as she sat on the porch and pretended to look at fire flies. The warm, summer breeze gently caressed her face while her hairband held her hair out of her eyes.
"Young lady, it's time for your piano and your violin lessons." Her mom said coming up behind her.
"I know, I know. Just.. five more minutes please?" She said looking up at her pleadingly.
Her mother sighed and sat down next to her. She ran her fingers through San-Li's short hair, tucking it behind her ears.
"I hope you aren't out here waiting out here because you're planning on sneaking out with that boy again, are you?"
"Mom!" San-Li blushed. "We're just friends."
"San-Li you know how your father feels about you and Nathaniel." Her mom sighed and patted her hand. "Especially when it interferes with your practice sessions."
"Come on, mom. I've already mastered piano, violin, guitar, and shamisen. Even uncle Fumo thinks I'm amazing."
"Oh really?" Her mom folded her arms and looked at her. "Give me the first two measures of Mozart's Sontana No. 11"
San-Li tried not to look smug as she easily beat the tune out on the porch.
"Good. Variation two."
San-Li beat that out too. "Easy."
Her mom smiled."Menuetto."
San-Li's smile faltered and she hesitated. She beat the measure out uncertainly and her mother shook her head with a small triumphant smile.
"Okay, okay," San-Li mumbled. "I'll be right in."
"Good girl." Her mom kissed her temple and stood up. "Don't be too long now."
"I won't." San-Li sighed.
She looked out into backyard again and saw the bush rustle ever so slightly. She smiled as a boy her age cautiously poked his head out. He had smooth olive skin and curly dark blond hair that hung over his eyes.
"Hey," he whispered, "is she gone?"
"Uh-huh." San-Li jumped up and went over to him. "But you took so long to get here that I have to go in for my music lessons now."
"Sorry." Nathan shrugged sheepishly. "My lessons with The Book ran late."
"I still can't believe you got it already." San-Li said shaking her head in disbelief. "I thought the tradition was that you get The Book when you turn ten. You got it a whole two years early!"
"I know, isn't it cool!?" Nathan grinned. "I can't wait until we start warping through time together. Nathan the Warp Wizard and San-Li the Time Keeper! Master and mistress of all time!"
San-Li blushed bright red and looked away. "I-I wouldn't be your mistress!"
"I-I know!" Nathan gave her a small smile and blushed. "It's just an expression, Sony."
"If you say so Natty." San-Li smiled back. "I can't wait to travel through time with you."
Now
San-Li sat at her usual booth at Mabel's Diner and waited impatiently for her "friend" to arrive. She sipped on a glass of water and eyed the small salad in front of her. The metal taste that had been persistent her mouth for so long was finally beginning to fade, but the nausea still showed up at the most random times.
"Hey cutie, waiting for me?" A voice crooned.
A man in his early thirties with blue and white hair grinned at her and slid into the booth across from her. He was wearing his usual messy black and green suit and carried a folder of papers with him.
"You're late Max." San-Li mumbled.
"Ooh, somebody's grumpy." Max chuckled. "What's the matter? Did you have a fight with your sweetie?"
"No," San-Li yawned and rubbed her forehead. "I just haven't had a lot of sleep lately. That's all."
"We'll make this as brief as possible then so that you can get your beauty rest. But first-" Max smiled and flagged down the proprietor of the diner. "I am absolutely starving!"
Mabel saw Max's waving and came over to them with a wary look on her face. "I see you two are back. Are you actually going to pay your tabs this time or are going to try to stiff me again?"
"Mabel, that was forever ago and I've paid you back." San-Li sighed and gave her a small smile. "And as a gesture of good will, I'll pay for his food too."
"Alright then." Mabel nodded and turned to Max. "So what would you like, sweetie?"
"Well if my friend is paying, then I'll take a double cheese burger, basket of fries, and a shake. Strawberry." Max smiled.
Mabel took down his order and they waited for her to leave before they continued their conversation. San-Li was suddenly starving and she took a large bite of her salad.
"So," she said with her mouth full. "Are those the papers?"
"They sure are." Max grinned and handed her the folder. "You'll find that everything is correct and in order of course."
"I'll be the judge of that." San-Li smirked.
Mabel brought out Max's food while she read over the contract. He would get her clients, her favorite time periods, and her associates, and in return she would receive fifteen percent of his net profits. Max was meticulous, loyal, and somewhat of a decent person so she felt relatively comfortable leaving her entire business to him.
"So, San-Li the great time thief is retiring." Max chuckled taking another bite of his burger. "May I ask why? You've been so closed mouthed about it."
San-Li finished reading the papers and signed it decisively. "Let's just say I've found something more important to focus on right now."
It was late, almost twelve midnight, but Sam hadn't gone to bed yet. He was at his desk working on some blue prints for the ultimate luggage carrying system. It was going to be both light weight, easy to manage, and yet be capable of carrying as many items that someone needed when they traveled. He had been meaning to ask San-Li about her red crystal that could teleport items, but he had only seen her sporadically over the past few months and hadn't had a chance to ask.
Suddenly, his heat beat quickened and his arm felt just a few degrees warmer. When he felt a breeze lightly brush his neck, he turned around with a large grin. Sure enough San-Li was coming in through the open window, wearing jogging pants and his old science camp sweat shirt.
"San-Li you're back!" He cried happily running over to her.
"Shh, keep it down, Sammy." San-Li laughed with her signature smirk. "You don't want your mom to come up here and kill me do you?"
"Sorry," Sam laughed and drew her into his arms. "I've just been really, really missing you."
"I've missed you too, dana-sama." She sighed happily, nuzzling into his shoulder.
Sam smiled and kissed her hair. "You haven't called me that in a while."
Instead of answering San-Li drew back to kiss him full on the mouth. He made a slight noise of surprise but responded wholeheartedly. He deepened the kiss and felt that oh so familiar desire well up inside him. Before anything could go anything further though, San-Li broke the kiss and went over to his desk to look at his blue prints.
"New idea?" She asked looking through them. "They look pretty good."
"Thanks." Sam smiled proudly. "I was thinking that it might help you when you go on your trips. You know, when you need to bring supplies and stuff."
He came up behind her and placed a hand on the small of her back. She jumped at his touch and moved away from him towards the bed.
"So," she said flopping on it. "Wanna watch a movie or something? They just released some new episodes of House of Cards and The Good Wife on Netflix. Or we could watch The Last Emperor. It's about the last years of China's Ching Dynasty."
"That sounds good." Sam grabbed his laptop and climbed in the bed next to her. "Did you want something more comfortable to put on? I think I have an old t shirt you can wear."
San-Li snuggled into his side. "No thanks. I'm good."
Sam turned out the lights and pressed play. The movie was pretty good, but Sam was more focused on San-Li. Usually when they had to be apart, even for a day, she was practically all over him when they reunited. But now she seemed almost subdued. He hoped that he hadn't said anything wrong or made her upset with him.
"Hey," he whispered. "You okay?"
She didn't answer for a minute but then glanced up at him. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"You aren't mad at me are you?"
San-Li smiled and touched his face. "No."
"Okay."
He settled back again and they watched the rest of the movie in silence. Once or twice San-Li dozed off to sleep and Sam listened to her soft snores. She would then start awake and go back to watching the movie with him.
It was weird. Usually after a job San-Li would be super excited to tell Sam all the details of her trip, brag about any new wounds she survived, talk with him about the time period or just be... amorous. She would save sleeping until the morning.
Sam shook away his worries. Her latest job had probably just a little more taxing than the others. She always did tell him that he worried too much.
The movie ended and Sam put away the laptop leaving them in almost complete darkness. He started to move closer to her, but she slipped out of bed and out of his reach. He turned on the lamp and looked at her.
"Is something wrong?" He asked watching her carefully.
"No, nothing's wrong." She said slipping on her shoes. "Why?"
"Well we haven't really seen each other for almost three months and now that you're back, I thought that, well..." Sam shrugged and felt himself blush. "I thought that you might want to spend the night here... with me."
San-Li chuckled and looked at him with warm eyes. "Can't. I have to get up early tomorrow. There's... something that I have to take care of and then... I'm done."
Sam gave her a small smile. "Wow, this must be a big job if it's taking this long to complete."
San-Li bit her lip and shook her head in excitement. "I'm not talking about a job."
"Oh?" Sam blinked, not understanding. "Then...what are you talking about?"
"I'm done." San-Li laughed and her smile grew. "After I take care of one more thing tomorrow, I'm completely done."
Sam frowned and then realization slowly dawned on him. He got out of the bed completely and stared at her, his own smile growing.
"You mean it?" Sam said breathlessly. "You're actually retiring?"
"Yeah," San-Li nodded. "Soon, you won't be able to get rid of me."
"This is great!" Sam grinned like an idiot. "You can enroll in school! It's not too late to apply to MIT or New York State next year."
San-Li scoffed and headed towards the window. "I don't think so dana-sama, but I'll find something to occupy my time."
She climbed out onto the fire escape and Sam leaned out the window. They shared a long lingering kiss and San-Li reached up to caress his face.
"What will you find to do?" He whispered against her lips.
San-Li drew back to look at him and Sam thought he saw some uneasiness in her eyes. She then smiled and kissed him again.
"When I get back..." She said quietly. "There's um... something I have to tell you."
"You can tell me anything." Sam whispered.
"Even if it makes you hate me?"
Sam shook his head adamantly. "I could never hate you."
She gave him her signature smirk and laughed. "We'll see about that, dana-sama."
A/N- Hey guys, big things are about to happen in my series so please please tell me what you think about the story plot and elements and character developments. Thank you!