Title: "Star-Crossed Lovers"

Fandom: GouGou Sentai Boukenger/ Boukenger: The Next Generation

Pairing: Akashi Satoru & Takaoka Kei

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Both Series

Author's Note: This is a sort of AU for the fic (which is already AU).

Summary: Kei realizes the strength of her feelings for Satoru, and that no matter how deeply they fall in love, she can never be with Satoru. Nevertheless, she still falls for him.

"From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-crossed lovers

Take their life…"

-"Romeo & Juliet"

Takaoka Kei had, for as long as she could remember, been in love with the legend of the young Akashi Satoru. She was used to working closely with him, as she had during her training and she'd listened to his stories.

The more she listened, the more she fell in love with this young risk taker. But, Satoru was married and his son was her colleague. And even if that wasn't the case, he was much older than she was. It would never have worked.

So, now, being stuck in the past and working frantically (yet secretly, instructing her team not to reveal anything about themselves) to find her father, she found herself in close contact with the young Satoru. She revealed her mission to him and he agreed to go with her to the mountains where Takaoka Eiji spent much of his youth in hopes of finding him.

She and her secrecy intrigued Satoru and even as she tried to pull away from him to protect herself, he drew ever closer. During their late nights out camping, she would listen to more of his stories and she would tell him some of her own and despite herself, she felt herself falling in love with him.

She especially felt a tie of kinship when they talked about the people they've loved and lost. She learned that Satoru's mother had died when he was young and that his fiancé Kyoko, died in tragic explosion. She told him that her own fiancé, Kai, hadn't really died because he was turned to stone. She told people that because she didn't want them to know that Kai had tried to murder her to take an important position from her. She'd defended herself by activating a trap and getting out, faking her grief.

"What sort of position was it?" Satoru asked.

"I was selected to become the new head of the Boukengers, and Kai was jealous." A tear slipped from Kei's eye. "I thought he'd be happy for me…instead, he tried to kill me." She snorted. "It wasn't that big a deal to me anyway! I was thrilled, but only because I wanted to continue adventuring. And being a Boukenger offered me that chance."

She poked the fire. "I never told anyone about what Kai had tried to do…not even Rin." She looked at Satoru. "I couldn't take it. " She sighed. "I just told you because I felt that I could trust you with it."

He moved closer to her and wiped away her tear with his thumb. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable. "I understand."

Kei was beginning to see what her mother, Nishihori-Takaoka Sakura, had found so attractive about him. He was handsome, intelligent and wonderful. He was opening up to her and she didn't know why, but she was learning. "From everything I learned about you, Satoru-san, I thought you were covered in armor, like your Accell-Suit. And that you never opened up to anyone."

"I've got no armor left." He murmured, leaning in closer to her. "Being with you has stripped it all away. I feel safe around you…happy…secure." His hand stroked her warm cheek and she looked at him, wide eyed.

"Satoru-san, your attention is flattering, but…I…I…we…it's too dangerous!" She had to stand her ground no matter what her heart was screaming at her to do. "I can't love you…there is too much at stake!"

Satoru looked into her eyes. "If we fall in love, it could mess up the time stream and create a paradox in time. " She said. "I can't risk that. I want to have a future to go home to. We're forbidden from each other."

"I don't care." He murmured. "I'll gladly take the risk. There's nothing I won't do for love."

"I care." Kei murmured, but his face moved ever closer. "We can't…"

"We can…" He murmured and leaned in to kiss her with everything he had.

The kiss ignited passion Kei thought had long since been dead in her heart and she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, drowning in him. Her heart fluttered, but her brain fought for tight control. The last time she had given into her heart, she had nearly died. Now, she could lose her future if she gave in to the urge to be in Akashi Satoru's arms.

But no one, not even Tsubasa or Satoshi, both of whom were vying for the right to win her heart, had ever listened to her the way he did. No one ever made her feel as safe as he did and now, being in his arms felt so right…. it just felt so right.

Her heart throbbed with pain and confusion and joy all once and she broke the kiss, pushing Satoru away. Her eyes filled with tears. "Satoru-san, please…" Not wanting to look him in the face, she retreated to the tent, leaving a bewildered Satoru behind.

Kei rocked herself until she fell asleep, whimpering. This was no way she could have given in and felt at ease about it. She rolled over and over, trying to calm her thoughts. She wanted to be in his arms again….

Consequences be damned.

At the thought, she shook her head and tried hard not to sob. She'd gone too far just by kissing him. She could have messed up everything already. What if she'd destroyed the future?

A kiss does not destroy a future. The other part of her thought. It's if you MARRY him and stay with him…that's when you've crossed a line. But, having a love affair, while life altering for both of you, will make him see where his heart lies. He'll understand that you couldn't possibly be his soulmate.

But they were doomed…it would never work, no matter how much they loved each other. Even if she completely gave her heart to him, it wouldn't work. And when her mission was over, she'd be alone and heartbroken…and he'd have Eve.

Kei was beginning to wonder if a cosmic being had it out for her…or was it Kai getting revenge from beyond the grave?

Her thoughts then drifted to Satoshi, who'd been in love with her ever since he was young. Satoshi treated her with utmost respect and caring and he vowed to marry her and make her happy if she never found someone else. His attention was flattering and had provided Kei with a pick me up at her lowest moments.

But not only was he one of her Boukengers, he was also her boss' son. There were dangerous repercussions for a relationship with him, especially if it went sour. Not to mention that his mother was Santa and a bad relationship meant coal in her stocking for the rest of her life.

From the looks of things, it looked like Kei was doomed to be alone and that depressed her. She sighed, rolled over one final time and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pain in her weary heart.

The next morning, Kei opened her eyes and found Satoru lying next to her on a separate sleeping bag and his jacket was covering her body. The act of affection touched her and she allowed herself a tiny smile.

With a sigh and cricks in her bones, she sat up, neatly folded the jacket and went outside.

She was preparing coffee when Satoru came out. "Good morning, Kei." Satoru said.

"Good morning, Satoru-san." She said, not looking at him. She pretended that making the coffee was fascinating and it was, considering that it was different than being in 2031 era Tokyo.

"So, you're not even going to look at me?" He asked. "You're just going to pretend last night never happened?"

"It should never have happened." Kei replied. "Whatever relationship we have is doomed to failure. You have a future here and I have one to go home to. It's better that nothing happens. I'm not risking everything for a fling with you. It's not worth it."

"Still, it's better than not going for it, which is how I lost Sakura." Satoru sighed. "I did care for her and notice, but I was afraid…of the relationship and of the possible repercussions. So, I buried my feelings. And then, while my back was turned…she fell in love with Eiji." He stared at the fire. "And now, she's happy…and I'm alone."

Kei looked at him. She'd always figured that office politics was the reason her mother and Satoru could never be. She'd never known, and neither had her mother, that Satoru did love Sakura back, but waited too long and led her mother to believe that Satoru was cold. It wasn't true. Kei wished she could say that she was relieved.

Instead, she felt a certain amount of kinship with him again. She wanted to throw herself in his arms and cry until there wasn't a tear left in her eyes.

You can't resist him forever. A tiny corner of her brain murmured. Desperate, she replayed back the final moments between her and Kai in the cave before she'd activated the trap and reminded herself of all the pain Kai's betrayal had caused her. But she knew, in her heart, that Satoru was a different person. He would never do that to her. She could trust him.

Her eyes tearing up, she looked up at him. She felt completely vulnerable again and she wanted to retreat to the mountains. She wanted to run away from him, but she knew she would never get far.

Satoru moved closer and wiped away the tears from the corners of her dark eyes. "Don't cry…it's all right." He looked at her. "Please…don't cry."

She wanted to pull away from his hand and retreat into her shell. Instead, she looked at him, and murmured. "We can't…I can't…. but I will." She pressed her lips to him and kissed him with all she had, more tears streaming down her face. Her heart leaped with joy and her pain eased, and she clung to him with all she had, as though she would die if she let go of him.

Satoru-san…

Satoru buried his fingers in her hair and held her tight to him, as though their bodies would melt and become one. He felt whole, complete with her.

Kei had lost the fight with her conscience and given into her emotions once more. The spark between her and Akashi Satoru had ignited and turned into a full-blown blaze.

He broke the kiss and looked at her. "I think I'm falling in love…"

"Please, don't say that." Kei murmured, her eyes still tearing. "Please don't say that…"

Because if you say things like that, it makes them true…

Satoru embraced her to him. "If we fall in love, would it really be so bad?"

She looked at him. "Yes…because it means I won't want to go home."

"It's all right." He murmured, kissing her again. "I'll make you go home."

Kei bit her lip. "Satoru-san, in that case, I have to tell you something important."

"What is it?"

"Who I am."

"What do you mean?"

Kei looked at him and then pulled what looked like a cell phone out of her pocket and opened it up. A small screen blinked and revealed itself to be a SGS identification database. A button push later, Satoru was looking at information for "Takaoka Kei, head of SGS Boukenger division, aged 24"

Suddenly, he put it together. "Takaoka…that means…"

"Takaoka Eiji is my father." Kei said. "I was named after his mother. I 'm here in the past looking for him."

"And the story about Ouga and the Precious your father has?"

"All true." She looked up at him. "I didn't want to say anything before because I knew everyone would ask questions I can't answer. But please, Satoru-san, I didn't mean to lie. I had no other choice. I wasn't sure if anyone would help me." She bit her lip and looked out into the forest.

"I'm here, aren't I?" He asked, wiping away a tear from her eye.

"Only because I mentioned a Precious."

"That's not why I came." He smiled, kissing her cheek. "I came because you fascinate me. I wanted to get to know you better. And besides, I'm Chief. I love the idea of a new adventure."

Kei's entire face turned as red as her SGS jacket and she turned her back to him. His arms slid around her slim waist and pulled her against his strong, solid frame. She'd never felt so vulnerable or so safe, as she did when she was in his arms. Part of her was still screaming to get away from him, but she knew that there was no escaping from his fangs now that he had her.

"You know…I like new adventures, too." She murmured.

"Then maybe…" His kisses trailed down her neck and there was a zipping noise as he unzipped her SGS jacket and then, it slipped off her shoulders to the ground and he pressed kisses on her shoulder. "…we should have an adventure together."

Now he was crossing a line…she didn't have condoms on hand and she couldn't afford to conceive his love child. "Satoru-san…"

"Don't worry…" Another kiss to the back of her neck. "…that wasn't what I was taking about." He extinguished the fire and pulled her back into the tent.

"Then, what did you…" His lips on hers and a quiet sigh silenced her voice.

Just because they were doomed, didn't mean they couldn't enjoy what time they did have.