Authors Notes: First and foremost I do not own any Sailor Moon character in this Fanfic. The only thing I can lay claim to are any/all characters that I have made up (which will be indicated in the chapters to come).

This Fic was written a few years ago (as you will notice with MOST of my fics) and I had just wanted a good Ami x Makoto story that wasn't 'oh hi, I like you we should do it' in three sentences. I wanted a bit more substance. As it stands this story isn't finished, not yet, but it will be because I can't just leave two of my favorite characters hanging like that!

Things to take note about reading this fic: I like their original Japanese names, some Japanese words are used, I have/will be putting my own personal spin on the Senshi Powers they have (as in, just how MUCH they can do), this is a YURI fic so be prepared for what that will entail, I will be having a few of our beloved Senshi breaking out of their safe zones, and finally - I just love Love.


Time.

Time seemed to be taking its OWN sweet time in reaching three thirty, ten minutes till freedom. Ten minutes till she had her own freedom from school, homework, and final exams. Ten more minutes and it would officially be summer time, a time that was always appreciated and nourished. A time that seemed like it would never come. Kino Makoto looked around the classroom to notice that she wasn't the only one counting down the minutes till the bell would ring. Everyone seemed to fidget in their desks, patiently waiting for that sound that would release them from their prison, the sound of…

RING!

Makoto flew from her desk and out of the classroom door. Free! She was free now and there was nothing that could stop her. She wondered idly if her friends would be angry with her if she didn't wait up for them and knew that they would. She was the last one to finish college this semester due to her finals, but she was glad that all of them were home for everyone to see each other. She slowed her pace just as she came to their meeting corner and saw that Rei, Minako, and Ami were already there.

"Mako-chan!" Minako waved to her friend, signaling her to hurry.

"We headed to the Crown?"

"We would be if Odango ever hurried up." Rei rolled her eyes in agitation.

"I'm sure if we just waited another minute…" Ami began.

"No, here's a sure way to get her." Makoto said smiling and winking at the blue haired girl.

Makoto turned her back to her three friends, putting her hands to her mouth. Minako looked over to Ami, the girl was watching Makoto with complete thought and a blush was painted to her face from what Minako knew was the previous wink. A smile crossed the Goddess of Love's face as thoughts began to fill her.

"USAGI-CHAN! REI-CHAN SAID SHE COULD SPEND MY PAYCHECK WITH BETTER CHOCOLATE, ICE CREAM, AND FOOD THAN YOU! WE'RE GOING TO THE CROWN TO SEE…" she started to yell.

"Ohhhh Rei-chan! You can't spend Mako-chan's paycheck better than me! And it's not fair if you use all her money and don't share it with me!" the blond haired Princess suddenly whined.

All the girls' eyes went big at the sudden appearance of their Princess and then turned their eyes to look at Makoto, who just shrugged and started walking to the Crown.

0o0o0

"England?"

"Yeah, I'm going back to see some old friends of mine and Artemis. I still have family over there you know." The longhaired blond stated, wiping her mouth of ice cream.

"Wow, must be nice. I'm being transferred to a sister Shrine so I can learn to run one. Grandfather said it would be a good learning experience." Rei topped off her strawberry malt with a smile.

Everyone but Minako noticed that Rei's smile was a forced one. They knew the thought of Minako being away from Rei was killing Rei and they wondered when the Fire senshi would ever admit her love for the blond girl, would happen.

"Mamo-chan asked me to come and see him this summer, so I'm going to America to see my Mamo-chan." The other long blond haired girl said her eyes filled with stars and hearts.

"Sounds like it should be interesting, ne Rei-chan? Who knows what American things they'll be doing…" Minako started to say.

"I know. Mamoru-chan must know some new American positions from all his American girlfriends…"

"Rei-chan! You're so mean to me! My Mamo-chan would not do those things and neither would I!" Usagi whined in her typical voice with her classic tears.

All the girls laughed at Rei and Usagi's usual antics, even Ami, who poked her head out from her book.

"Ne, Ami-chan, what are you doing this summer?" Minako asked, turning away from the now fighting Rei and Usagi.

"Oh, Mother is going back to Germany and asked if I wanted to go. I think it would be a good learning experience and I would get to study new things." She said.

"Ami-chan, you're the only person I know who studies for fun and during the summer." Usagi said, breaking the fight up between Rei and herself.

"Be nice, Usagi-chan. If Ami-chan wants to do that then let her. She's not a genius for just any reason, you know. But I'll miss you Ami-chan." Makoto said, smiling at the now blushing Ami.

All the girls knew that Ami and Makoto had a special friendship, much like Usagi and Rei, though instead of fighting to show their affection and endearment, Makoto looked out for Ami much like a mother. It was also Jupiter's job to protect Mercury and the other girls knew that Makoto took that job very seriously, just as seriously as it was for all of them to protect their Princess.

"Well, I'm sure you…could come with us…if you weren't doing anything." The blue haired girl stammered out.

"I would love to, but I can't leave work and I'm doing an internship this summer at one of the big restaurants too. Plus, I can't miss a work out!" she said laughing as the other girls groaned.

"Mako-chan, you're the only other girl I know…" Usagi started to say.

"…That is late for work!" Makoto finished, dashing towards the door but not leaving before she could yell bye to Ami and to have fun.

They all went back to finishing their drinks and food, everyone except Ami, who was still looking at where Makoto had left through the door. All of Minako's Goddess of Love senses were tingling and she wondered just what kind of relationship her two friends had.

0o0o0

"What? What do you mean you're not going?"

"I don't want to go, Mother. I want to stay here and do the Bio-Engineering Seminar."

The elder Mizuno was in shock. Her Ami turning down the opportunity to travel and study abroad for a few months and miss out on Mother/Daughter time?

"Why don't you suddenly want to go?" she asked, packing her suitcase as Ami sat on the bed.

Ami knew she had to give her mother a valid reason but she herself wasn't sure why suddenly she had this urge to stay home. It wasn't like all of her friends would be around or that as Sailor Mercury she was needed, though Makoto would be alone…

Mrs. Mizuno saw the far off look in her daughter's eyes and wondered for a split second if it was a boy. That Urawa boy was known to drop by from time to time and now she wondered if there was something more to it.

She knew that Ami was a 'late bloomer' even though the girl would be turning twenty in a few weeks. Thoughts of trying to explain to her daughter about The Talk all those years ago flashed in her mind and she couldn't help but smile as she remembered her little girl going as red as a tomato and scuttling from the room. Days had passed before the girl could even look her mother in the eye and it wasn't until then that she realized just how sensitive her daughter was to sexual things.

Maybe letting her stay and seeing if Urawa was the one, would be a good thing, but not letting it go too far. The older woman was knocked out of her thoughts by a sigh that escaped Ami.

"Mother, I…"

"I don't mind if you stay while I go to Germany. Just promise to call my cell once a week to talk to me and let me know you're okay." She said, zipping up her suitcase.

Ami blinked in surprise at her mother.

"You aren't angry with me?"

"Of course not, you're almost twenty and sadly it's not like staying home alone is something new for you." She said with sadness, knowing her job kept her away.

Ami went and hugged her mother.

"Thank you."

"Just promise me that you'll be careful and if you feel like something is wrong, you'll either call Makoto-san or go over there, okay?"

Ami pulled back from her mother.

"Makoto-chan? Why do you think I'd call her first and not the others?"

"Ami, you spend all of your free time with her and those girls and out of all of them, Makoto-san is the only one who takes care of herself. Plus she looks like someone I would not want to make angry either." She said with a smile, as she talked about the brown haired girl that always took care of her Ami.

"She's normally pretty calm, though she is a passionate person at the things she does. Not only is she holding down a job that sucks all her energy but she is also doing an internship this summer." Ami said smiling proudly.

"Like I said, she can take care of herself, even after what happened with her parents all those years ago. She's a good strong girl and there isn't anyone who I trust you with more than Makoto-san." She said as Ami blushed suddenly.

"Now, help your poor old mother load the cab when it comes."

0o0o0

With her mother sent off a few hours later, Ami flopped down on her bed, her body starting to relax as she lay there.

Rei left today and so did Usagi, Minako leaves later tonight and I was supposed to have left earlier.

She rolled over on her bed, looking up at her ceiling, wondering why she really didn't want to go to Germany with her mother. Before she could get a coherent thought, the shrill ring of her phone cut through the air.

"Moshi moshi, Mizuno Ami des."

"Minako-chan des, silly girl." Said the voice with a giggle.

"Minako-chan? Why are you calling, doesn't your plane leave soon?" asked a very surprised Ami.

"It does, but I needed to talk to you before I left and shouldn't YOU have left already?" She said, her giggle gone and replaced by a very serious tone.

"I decided not to go with Mother but is something wrong?"

"Perhaps."

Now Ami was really confused and starting to get really worried, also noticing the knots in her body as her once relaxed muscles went tense.

"Minako-chan…"

"Listen because I don't have a lot of time right now. Just promise me to live this summer, ne? To just totally be happy for once with something or even someone, please Ami-chan?"

Ami had never heard anything like that from Minako since she had known her.

"What do you…"

"It doesn't matter right now, you'll understand later."

"Me? But who…."

"I can't tell you Ami-chan, so please, just trust me as your fellow senshi and as your friend." She said softly.

"I do, I promise, even though I don't understand it completely."

"Good, one day you will understand and follow your heart. Sometimes I think you being the senshi of ice is all but true but I need to catch my plane now. I'll see you soon and have fun with your summer, ne?" she said, her giggles and smile back.

"Hai, you too."

"Don't I always?"

Ami hung up the phone and just looked at it and then at the clock. She needed to get out of the house and think about what Minako had said.

It's only nine thirty, wonder what Makoto is doing since she is staying home this summer.

I've always gone to her for my problems; maybe she'll be awake…

The small blue haired girl put on her coat and began to walk, not really paying attention to where she was walking, just letting her feet guide her as Minako's words filled her head.

0o0o0

Makoto looked at the clock and sighed, she knew all of her friends were gone now for the summer. It had been hard to not go somewhere like they had, but she had bills to pay and work to do.

I wish that sometimes I could be as carefree, to have a mom or dad take care of me even if I am already twenty.

She sighed again and crawled into bed, on her side, as she looked at the empty space next to her. Reaching out to caress the other pillow where one day her true love's head would be, she pulled it back as if it had bitten her. It was hard to be alone, constantly, day in and day out. Sure she had the other senshi, but they all had someone.

Usagi has Mamoru-chan, Rei will one day admit her love to Minako, just as Minako will do the same, and Ami has Urawa-kun….

Makoto's face turned into a scowl at the mere thought of Ami and that boy together. The way he always looked at her, tried to touch or be near her, how he smiled at her…Makoto couldn't describe the feeling that suddenly seemed to consume her.

Jealousy?

Am I jealous of him?

Everyone knew that Ami admired the male physic but had specifically expressed to him that she was only interested in friendship over the numerous times he had asked her out. She also remembered smiling every time Ami turned him down. Her thoughts drifted to Ami, thinking about her.

Those blue crystal eyes…

So different from Usagi's and Minako's…

The most beautiful iceberg blue…

Beautiful?

Yes, Ami is beautiful, the way her hair hangs in her face when she's studying…. the way her eyes sparkle behind her glasses when she gets her test scores…. the way she blushes whenever I talk to her is so cute…

Makoto jumped out of her reverie just blinking at her thoughts.

Why am I thinking about Ami like this? Didn't thoughts like that get me into trouble at my last high school?

The brown haired girl rolled over to look at the ceiling and shook her head. She knew that for the past few months she and Ami had practically been inseparable. Ami's mother worked all the time and she herself was always alone, so they just naturally drifted to one another. She pulled the covers over her tall body and sighed. She would worry about such things in the morning; right now she was too tired to think. She closed her eyes as sleep took over her body.

0o0o0

Makoto opened her eyes as she bolted up in her bed; her body covered in sweat as her nightmares once again haunted her. Again she saw the plane crash, her parents not moving, and the realization that they were dead and she was alone. She willed herself not to cry as she looked at the clock.

Ten thirty, it's a good thing I have the night shift tonight.

She sat on the edge of her bed, collecting herself, when she heard a noise come from her kitchen. Tensing her body from years of martial arts training and being a senshi, she moved about her room silently as she slipped into the hall. Her hands had managed to grab her favorite bat on her way out of her room as she crept through her apartment to find the intruder. Slinking to her kitchen, she found it empty as she entered it but it showed signs of someone occupying it. Movement caught her senses as she turned around, the bat cocked back…

Ami saw the position that Makoto held the bat and nearly fainted. Memories began to flash through her head to the baseball games Makoto used to play in high school. The line drive back at the pitcher, during the championship game they all attended to support her, nearly killed the poor boy. If it hadn't been for helmet he had requested to wear when Makoto came up to bat…

"Makoto-chan it's me, Ami!" she yelled out.

Makoto stopped her swing, as the bat was inches from the blue girls head, and looked from her to the bat and back again. She dropped the bat and pulled Ami into a fierce hug, not caring what Ami would say about it.

"You baka! I could have killed you!"

Ami just stood there, feeling the warmth of her friends embrace and for once, not pulling away. She knew at times she could be cold to the others by not participating in their affections to one another, but that was just who she was. She wasn't some highly affectionate person nor had she been moved to be either, but Makoto's hug seemed to overpower her, even if it was for only a few moments. Makoto released the girl and looked at her.

"Aren't you suppose to be in Germany now?" she asked, retrieving the bat and slinging it across her shoulders with a confused look on her face.

"I told Mother I didn't want to go, so she let me stay home. Plus, there's a Seminar going on that I really wanted to go to as well." She said, moving to a chair so she didn't fall as her legs were still shaking at how close she had honestly come to death.

"Well, it's good to know that you can let yourself in without asking first." Makoto said, taking a seat next to the girl.

It had been a few months ago when Makoto started to work nights that she had given Ami a key to her apartment. Ami had always come over after cram school to sleep on her couch because what was the point in sleeping in an empty house?

"Well, I didn't come over until very late last night. I thought about calling but…" she started to say.

"It's alright Ami-chan; I told you that you were always welcome in my apartment no matter the day or time. Even if I'm not here, you know that. Though, I'm sorry that you didn't go to Germany." She said, standing and started to fix breakfast.

"What?" Ami asked, shocked, thinking that her friend would be glad for the company.

"I'm sorry you didn't go to Germany. I know you gave up time to study and learn new things, not to mention Mother/Daughter time. Though if I had known you'd come to my apartment, then I wouldn't have been so sad when I thought you left. But I'm glad you're here, so I guess I'm not all THAT sorry." She said laughing as she put a plate down in front of Ami and then went back to the stove.

Ami blushed; glad that her friend was happy she was there.

No one is ever as happy to see me as Makoto-chan…

"Heads up!" she giggled as she tossed the egg from the frying pan, with her back to Ami.

No matter how many times Ami saw it happen; each time took her breath away. In a flurry she saw Makoto grab the toast and butter it and move to the table just as the egg landed on one piece of the toast. Then, before the egg sandwich could hit the plate it was cut and landed perfectly on her plate. Juice magically appeared, as did the pepper that suddenly sprinkled it's self on the egg and Makoto sat down, smiling.

"Just the way you like it, oh and here's this too." She said walking over to the cabinet and pulled out a wrapped gift.

"You know, how you always serve my sandwiches amazes me. I'm sure the others love it just as much." Ami asked, blushing slightly as she saw the beautifully wrapped package.

"The others? No, only you've gotten served that way, Ami-chan." She said casually.

"Nani? Only me?" her blush suddenly got redder.

"Hai, only you." She said with a smile, taking a drink from the juice she had served Ami and smiled wider.

"So, what is the gift?" she asked, pointing to it and starting to eat her sandwich.

"Well, a little something to go with your breakfast. I was going to give it to you when you got back from Germany for your birthday, but since you're here, I thought you might like it now. I may be the tomboy of the group but I'm not a dumb jock. I remember everything you tell me, so I got this. I know you like sandwiches because it makes studying easier, so I figured this would go great with your egg sandwich."

Ami looked at Makoto and then the gift, gently taking it to unwrap it. She nearly dropped the gift when she realized what it was. It was her favorite American novel that was supposed to be translated to Japanese. She remembered how she had first struggled through the book and how many things she didn't understand even though her English was very good, but nothing like a native speaker. She also knew how much this book cost and looked at Makoto with tears in her eyes.

"It's…I can't believe…I mean…"

"Just smile, say Thanks, and spend the day reading while I clean up the apartment before work." Makoto said with a smile.

"But Makoto-chan, this was expensive; I'm not worth that much." She said, holding the book to her chest as she munched on the sandwich.

"Sure you are. Once the bills are paid then I have money to go and spend if I like. When I saw that you fell in love with an American book, I knew I should keep my eye out for the translation because you'd get it. Well, the book you're holding doesn't hit the shelves, officially, for another three weeks."

"Then how?" She couldn't believe she had a copy, let alone an early copy.

Makoto pointed to her chest and winked, making Ami nearly choke on her sandwich.

"The book teller seemed to have liked what he saw when I was looking around for a flower book on cross pollination. Minako-chan isn't the only girl who can use her body in those ways." She said laughing.

"You mean…" Ami's eyes went wide.

"Iie! I'm not like that and you know it!" she said laughing

Ami's face was cherry red. Yes, she knew Makoto just as Makoto knew her. In fact, Ami knew her better than any of the other senshi and if she had to say she who she was the closest too, it would have to be Makoto. She reached over to squeeze her friend's hand.

"Thank you, it's beautiful."

Makoto smiled and squeezed her hand back.

Not as beautiful as you, Ami.

Makoto's eyes went wide at her thoughts and she shook her head to clear them, standing to start on the dishes. Ami put down her book and took her place next to her friend in doing the dishes. There was a comfortable silence between them as they worked when the phone rang. Makoto dried her hands on the back of her pants and went to go answer the phone.

I'll finish off the dishes for her since she got me that book.

If I remember right, that book should have taken her five full paychecks from work. Mako-chan you shouldn't have spent that much money on me when you have to take care of yourself like you do.

She sighed and turned to look to see if Makoto was off the phone and instantly her eyes were drawn to where Makoto dried off her hands. On Makoto's pajama pants, two dark spots in the shape of hands here on her backside, as if someone had reached around her and grabbed her. Ami couldn't move her eyes from the sight that seemed to pull every nerve in her body to look. She heard her friend put down the phone and hurriedly grabbed her book to go sit in her favorite chair.

"Hey, you finished the dishes for me!" Makoto said sticking her head out of the little cut away that looked straight out into the living room.

"Hai, it's the least I can do since you spent so much on me." She said from the huge chair from the living room.

"Ami-chan, it didn't cost that much…" she began to say.

"Five full paychecks." She simply stated in return.

Makoto's mouth dropped open but then a smirk crossed her face as she walked into the living room and flopped on the couch.

"Wrong."

Ami looked up from the book and raised her eyebrow. Her calculations were never wrong.

"It took seven full paychecks because that wasn't the only thing I bought you." Her smirk growing bigger as she looked at the wide eyed girl.

From behind the couch she pulled out three more books, holding them up to Ami.

"We have the commentary to the first book you have in your hands, it's sequel to that book you're also holding, and the sequels commentary." She said giddy with the knowledge that her friend would be happy with new books to add to her already extensive collection at home.

Ami just sat there. She couldn't believe it. No one ever had done something like this for her. No one had ever spent; she did a quick calculation in her head and just for the fun of it converted it to American dollars, five hundred and fifty three dollars on her. She didn't know what to say, what to think.

Makoto watched the smaller girl.

I know Ami pretty well but this is not quite the reaction I was going for.

I wonder if I did something wro…

Suddenly she was smashed into the couch in a hug from Ami. She winced at the strength her friend hugged her at and the fact that Ami had initiated bodily contact, but returned it, nonetheless. She felt her sweatshirt suddenly wet and then her neck as Ami shifted, feeling also the muffled sobs.

"Ami-chan, what's wrong?" sadness and fear took a hold of Makoto as she scooped up her friend to hold her.

She had never seen Ami cry; she had never heard her cry, or even anything remotely resembling crying since she had known her. Makoto realized this must be nearly twenty years worth of bottled cries from the girl and just held her, not really sure what else to do. She sat there, holding her smaller friend for what seemed like hours, rocking her gently while murmuring assurances in her ear softly.

"Mako-chan…"

"Shhh, it's alright Ami-chan. I don't know what I did to make you so sad, but you can cry as long as you need to." Said the brown haired girl as she gently stroked the blue hair of her smaller friend.

Her hair is so soft and she smells so good too, I wonder what the scent is…

"No, I'm alright now, I think. I'm sorry for crying on you." She said, pulling away from Makoto.

Oh Mako-chan, you didn't make me sad…

You made me very happy…

"Don't be sorry, Ami-chan, crying is a good release." She said as she wiped the remaining tears off of the girl's cheeks with her fingers.

Ami blushed as she looked at her friend, whose lap she was still sitting in, and noticed the dark spots on the other girl's shirt and how her neck looked wet. She hadn't meant to cry, she hadn't meant to at all. Ami couldn't remember the last time she had cried, but Makoto was right, she did feel better. She took the sleeve of her white shirt and wiped Makoto's neck, blushing again as she apologizing for getting her soaked.

"Ami-chan, I told you, it's fine and I am very…" she started to say when there was a knock at the door.

Ami moved off of Makoto, still sitting on the couch as she leaned back to see who was behind the door.

"AMI-SAN!" said the voice, pushing into the apartment before the taller girl could finish opening the door and embracing Ami in a tight hug.

Makoto picked herself up off the floor from where the door slammed her back and turned to see who the intruder to her home was. All anger fled from her face as she saw Urawa hugging Ami to him, caressing her face and hair.

Urawa-kun? What is HE doing here and in MY apartment?

"Pardon me, but can I ask why you're in my apartment uninvited?" she asked, trying very hard to control her voice.

Urawa didn't release Ami, who by now was so red Makoto thought she'd explode, and turned his face to look at the speaker.

"I felt that Ami-san was very upset, I am a physic you know, and I came to help her. I saw in a vision she was crying and I know for a fact that Ami-san never cries." He said, smiling and pulling her closer.

Ami was so shocked to see her friend there and also very much surprised to see the look of hurt on Makoto's face as well. In fact, it was Makoto's look that snapped her out of her shock to pull away from Urawa.

"Urawa-kun, I'm fine and you shouldn't be so rude to Makoto-chan." She said, standing.

Urawa stood and bowed to Makoto, apologizing for the rude way he barged through her door, explaining that it was Ami's distress that had caused the outburst.

"It's fine, just don't slam the door into me next time." She said, walking back into the kitchen to start cleaning.

Her guests watched her leave, Urawa assumed so he and Ami could have alone time, Ami could hear her cleaning, and she knew something was wrong.

Makoto never cleans unless there is a mess to tend with or something is on her mind.

I know for certain that the kitchen is clean.

Maybe I should…

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt a hand grab hers and pull her back down to the couch.

"Ami-san, what's gotten you so upset? I was so worried!" he breathed, caressing her hand.

Ami never let anyone touch her, anyone but the other senshi though that in its self was rare, and this touching Urawa was doing was making her a little uneasy. She pulled her hand away and brushed the hair out of her face.

"I was emotionally moved to tears, Urawa-kun. Nothing to be alarmed about." She stated.

"But you never cry."

"True, but nothing is set in stone."

"You still look beautiful as ever, Ami-san." He said as he gently touched her hand.

At that same moment, Ami heard Makoto swear as glass broke.

0o0o0

Makoto had been trying hard not to listen to the two friends talk, but when she had heard him call her beautiful…something inside of Makoto bubbled violently. The poor glass she was holding didn't have a chance as she crushed it in her hand at the way she heard HIM say beautiful.

Ami ran into the kitchen, Urawa behind her, and gasped as she saw Makoto facing the cabinet with her left hand clenched in a fist, mid-stretch to put the glass in its proper place, and blood freely flowing from it. She turned to Urawa.

"Urawa-kun, can you come back later this evening? I have some things I need to take care of right now." She said.

He looked at her, Makoto, and then to her again. His thoughts were racing but nodded and showed himself to the door. Once Ami had locked the door and walked back into the kitchen, Makoto was nowhere to be seen. A trail of blood led to her bathroom as Ami saw her try to remove the glass with her left hand.

"Damn left hand…good for nothing but punching and cooking with…" she murmured angrily to herself.

"Let me help you."

She jerked her head up to see Ami moving to her.

"It's nothing; don't worry about it, just a few scratches really." She said as she tried to hide her hand, but it was too late as Ami caught sight of it.

"Mako-chan! That is NOT just a few scratches!"

The blue haired girl moved in front of her wounded friend and the sink to get a better look at the wounds.

Gods, Makoto, some of these are going to take stitches!

"I need to get some things, I'll be right back so don't move." She said, rushing off to find in the house what she needed.

Makoto just stood there, head against the mirror, and watched her blood drip into the sink.

What is my problem?

Urawa always tries to touch her, always compliments her, and always tries ANYTHING.

Ami is going to be a grown woman; she doesn't need me to protect her.

Protection?

Is it only the need to protect her that I feel or is it something I promised never to feel again?

Ami walked back into the bathroom to see Makoto deep in thought and stopped at the door. She studied her friend for a moment, noticing the little bit of skin that seemed to peak out from where her sweater was lifted due to how she was standing and she couldn't help but blush. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and moved back to her previous position between Makoto and the sink.

"This is going to hurt while I pull out the glass and stitch you up, unless you'd rather go to the hospital." She asked, looking at her friend before starting.

"You're practically a doctor as it is, Ami-chan, have at it." Makoto stated, straightening up so Ami could move and see well.

So she started to work with a delicacy that Makoto knew that only she had. To be honest, she didn't really feel the glass leave her body; she was paying attention to the brief touches her skin made with Ami's now and then.

"Ami-chan?"

"Hai?" she responded, not looking up from what she was doing.

"I know that you're Mother will be gone all summer, or at least for most of it, but…" she started to say and found that she was nervous.

"Demo?"

"But, if you wanted to, I'd really like it if you stayed here."

Ami stopped her stitching she was doing on a cut and turned her head to look at Makoto. She saw her friend look down nervously and then look back at her.

"I mean, you'd be alone after your classes and things, and I know you'd just eat those sandwiches so I was thinking that I'd be alone too and why be alone by ourselves when we could be alone together? But you don't have to you, I mean, it's okay, I just wanted you to know that you could or something because…" she trailed off looking back down at her feet and then wincing.

"A 'No' would have been nicer instead of stabbing a needle into my flesh."

Ami's eyes went wide as she turned back to look at Makoto's hand where she had indeed shoved the needle into the wound she was trying to close.

"Mako-chan! Oh Gods, gomen nasai!" she said, removing the needle and finishing that last stitch.

She has also noticed that Makoto hadn't yelled or screamed with pain when it went into her, only a wince. She knew Makoto was strong, most of the youma they had to fight were taken care of by her friend and it was normally Makoto who had the most wounds after a battle. Not that she couldn't fight, Ami was always taken away by the grace Makoto always had in battle, but it was just that she could take more hits than anyone on their team and still be standing.

Makoto noticed that her wounds here closed and moved her hand, much to Ami's surprise.

"Thanks, Ami-chan, I can take care of the rest. I have to work tonight so feel free to do or be wherever." She said and left the bathroom.

"Yes." She said, as Makoto entered the bedroom and stopped.

"Yes?" she asked, turning around.

"I will box some stuff up at home and then later we can bring it here." She said, shyly.

"Really? Sugoi! Just let me know when and I'll bring it here, so you don't have to worry about it." She couldn't help but smile.

Ami returned her smile as she walked out to the bedroom and finished wrapping Makoto's hand.


Authors Notes: So there we go in Chapter 1. I hope you have enjoyed it because Chapter 2 is to follow shortly.

Thank you everyone for giving my fic a chance and reading it!