A/N: Another exciting chapter of Racer!!!!!! Massive backstory...and more to come in the next chapter

disclaimer: Mai Hime and NatShiz are property of Sunrise. boo hoo, right?


Two days later Natsuki and Shizuru found themselves at familiar place neither of them had been since they graduated. Fuka Gakuen had a marvelous remodeling since Mai had become the new director. Natsuki still couldn't figure out how that had happened. Then again she hadn't exactly explained to Mai how she got into the profession she was in. They had a history, Mai and Natsuki, after they finished high school they had plans of going to university together, but then Natsuki disappeared. There they were again; together on the campus of Fuka Gakuen.

"What compelled you to become the Director of Fuka Gakuen Mai?" Natsuki ask as she took a seat by Shizuru in the newly designed office.

"To be honest…I have no idea." Mai laughed.

"It seems like it's flourishing well under your guidance though." Shizuru said.

Mai and Shizuru were the only two wearing formal business attire whereas Natsuki was dressed in ratty holed jeans with a soft pink tank top. Mai looked at Natsuki with a sly expression and then turned her attentions to Shizuru knowing Shizuru would be more than happy to share information with her about how they got together.

"So, Shizuru, it's been more than forever since I've seen the both of you. I was ecstatic when I received your call. Tell me, how long have you two been together? I know you two had a falling out after high school." Mai asked.

Shizuru raised an eyebrow waiting for Natsuki expression to change. Natsuki grunted and looked off to the side as if to say okay. Shizuru smiled at Mai.

"We've been dating for about two or more years." Shizuru said as gave a question expression to Natsuki who held up three fingers. "Okay, three or more years."

"Woah, I would have expected you two to have been together longer."

"I wasn't really expecting it all Mai." Shizuru said flatly.

"Ditto…" Natsuki grunted.

"Ah, huh. So, Shizuru, how did you two eventually end up together? I'm sure there is a good story behind that." Mai said with a giddy tone. Natsuki just glared at her. That comment rehashed some memories she didn't enjoy; a memory of her parting with Shizuru and the tormenting anguish that followed her.

It was almost eight, maybe ten years ago when it ended and real life began. She had causally brushed it off any negative feelings about what happened during the Carnival while in public or basically when surrounded by the others. However it was that night that Shizuru was getting ready to leave for university Natsuki and she sat in Shizuru's dorm. The weather was cool which was surprising for a summer's night. Natsuki had finally let it show. She told Shizuru of her discomfort and her suspicions of that night.

"Shizuru…I need to know. Did you do anything to me?"

"Natsuki…how can you ask that?"

"Let's see because when we were fighting you said 'I'll make you mine'."

"…"

"Tell me damn it!"

"The worst thing I did was steal a kiss…I swear."

"I don't believe you…"

"You know Natsuki…I loved you then, madly and I did not take advantage of your weakened state. Yes I have lusted for you, but I would never take anything from you. I feel horrible about that kiss I stole, but I guess you redeemed me when you broke my insanity with a kiss. If you thought anything happened it was because you imagined it. You can talk to Kikukawa-san. She was just bluffing. But you don't believe. You don't trust me. We've known each other for so long. It's good that we are parting ways Kuga-san."

Natsuki knew then it was over. Her idle thoughts and naïve heart would not let her trust her friend. Shizuru stood up and walked to the dorm's door and opened with a stoic expression.

"Please leave…"

"Shizuru…" Natsuki pleaded realizing too late that their delicate friendship was over. Shizuru would not look at her. She just stood the door gripping the doorknob so tight that her knuckles were whitened.

"I said leave!" Shizuru voice almost shrilled and Natsuki jumped as if the sound wave were daggers. It was over. Natsuki got up and walked out with the door violently slamming behind her. 'Give it sometime and maybe she'll call.' Natsuki thoughts were against her as well, but she hoped too much and pushed too hard. Months had pasted since the day Shizuru left for school and Natsuki would religiously call her twice a week. Towards the end, she was calling anytime she could. However, never once would Shizuru answer until one day, on the day after Natsuki's graduation she called Shizuru.

"We're sorry the phone number you are calling has been disconnected or no longer exists…"

Natsuki shifted in her chair staring intently at the ground in Mai's office. 'Why does she have to ask all these questions?' Shizuru seemed to be under the same condition as Natsuki but she always had an easy time hiding her true feelings.

"Ara ara, how did we end up together? Hmmm…" Shizuru pondered to herself acting as if she couldn't remember making Natsuki enter the conversation. "Natsuki, how did we get together?"

Natsuki coughed and looked at Shizuru with a puzzled expression. 'You're the reason we're together in the first place. How can you not remember?' Natsuki grinned smugly at Shizuru and then Mai.

"I've got something better for you Mai…" Natsuki proudly stated.

"Ooo, this is new. Especially from you Natsuki, but I'm game." Mai chirped.

Shizuru glared at Natsuki, who kept her eyes on Mai as to avoid the evil looks from Shizuru.

"So, let me tell you this before Shizuru and I were together…I didn't exactly have what you would call a stable relationship life. I was a playgirl." Natsuki said making Shizuru eye twitch ever so slightly.

"Oh no way! You a playgirl?" Mai said slamming her down on the table in front of her.

"Well, yeah, I was. I had my reasons…" Natsuki said quietly looking at Shizuru and then back at Mai.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, did you start with men or women?" Mai said leaning forward to entice Natsuki as she held her hands together. Natsuki grinned at Mai's obvious ploy and glanced at a very agitated Shizuru.

"Well, this will be the first time Shizuru gets to hear this so…I don't know if I want to share that kind of information." Natsuki said as if to dangle a treat in front of Mai. However Shizuru wanted to know just as much as Mai did because what Natsuki said was true. Shizuru and Natsuki hooked up without disclosing their pasts to each other.

"Aw, you tease! Come on, tell me!" Mai pouted.

"Yes, darling, tell us about what you started with." Shizuru said with a biting tone. Natsuki smiled and blew a kiss at Shizuru. Shizuru was not accustomed to this kind of behavior from Natsuki. Mai was enjoying every minute of it.

"Okay, okay, I'll spill the beans." Natsuki finally said holding her hands up in defeat. "I actually started with women. I've slept with about eight guys, but the women are by far the best."

"Oh my god! You're a sex fiend!" Mai laughed. Meanwhile Shizuru could not say anything because her jaw managed to lodge itself into the floor. 'Natsuki…how could you have…but…I should have known…I should have known since…you…I'll get you Natsuki.' Mai finished her laughing and looked back at Shizuru.

"So…" snicker "since Natsuki finished her…story. How about you tell the one on how you got together." Mai snickered.

"Of course…" Shizuru said daunted while looking into her lover's green eyes.

"Don't look at me Shizuru. Mai is over there." Natsuki smiled pointing at Mai.

"Well, we, no, I was flipping through the channels one day at my fiancé's house…" Shizuru said lightly before Natsuki grabbed her by the shoulders.

"YOUR, WHAT?" Natsuki shouted.

"Woah…couples' therapy would be good for you two." Mai mumbled leaning back watching her best friend argue with her girlfriend.

"Yes, I was engaged and had been for about eight months." Shizuru said to Natsuki.

"Don't tell me, to a man named Yuri." Natsuki said waiting for confirmation.

"Yes, Yuri was his first name…oh no…I was sleep talking about him that night…" Shizuru said in a far off voice. Natsuki just nodded.

"Ahem!" Mai announced her presence. Shizuru and Natsuki both turned to see the annoyed Director and smiled coyly.

"Okay, um, I was at Yuri's and was flipping through channels when he told me to stop on the sports channel. The Superbike Race World Championship was on…and Yuri seemed really interested in it. I personally didn't like sports of any kind and this one I especially detested because it reminded me of Natsuki. But Yuri said one of his co-workers saw a new racer, a female racer. I asked Yuri why he would want to see this racer and his answer was…I shouldn't continue with that part…" Shizuru stopped as red hue covered her face. Mai blinked several times and then rubbed her eyes to make sure she was seeing a blushing Shizuru.

"Okay, you can skip it." Mai said respecting Shizuru's sudden discomfort with the memory. Natsuki on the other hand was pissed at Mai.

"Oh that is a double standard Mai! You made me talk!" Natsuki grumbled.

"Now now Natsuki, Shizuru is a very sensitive woman." Mai chastised Natsuki like a teacher to a student. " Please, pick up from where ever you want Shizuru."

"Thank you Mai." Shizuru said while Natsuki just frowned. "Well the announcer started talking about this impressive but very reckless rookie in the circuit, and that is when they said her name. The cameras zoomed in to where she was in the race. It was Natsuki. I hadn't seen her, nor want to, in years, but there she was in front of my eyes again." Shizuru sighed. "The camera view stayed fixed on Natsuki while the announcer continued his history on Natsuki career when Natsuki's bike suffered a malfunction and she crashed while taking a turn. I jumped from where I was shocking my fiancé. I grabbed my phone and called my father asking for time off from work to go to where Natsuki was."

"Oh no…" Mai was really into the story and Natsuki was rubbing her head trying to remember the accident.

"I arrived the next day and found the hospital she was staying at. When I approached the room I heard a hideous argument between Natsuki and her then manager. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door making the manager exit the room. I didn't want Natsuki to know I was there, but I had discussed some plans with my father while I was in the middle of traveling. Fujino Corporations wanted to invest into a racing league to get the name out and I convinced my father that it would be a good move to sponsor a female racer in a male dominated sport. Of course I really knew nothing about sport…" Shizuru paused feeling Natsuki's hand on her lap.

"Mou, Shizuru, maybe I should fill in the gaps." Natsuki asked, eager to tell the story in a more effective manner. Shizuru nodded and Mai settled in her chair as if she was watching a massive trilogy movie set. "Well, Mai, the argument between me and manager went like this:

'Kuga! You stupid idiot! You have cost me so much money in the last few months. Your drinking, partying, and racing accidents. I can't keep this up. I'm going to pay for this, but not the recovery and the therapy. And I know you can't pay for it…'

'Oh that's so very sweet of you…'

'You cold hearted bitch! Don't you even care!'

'Yeah I do, but I have broken ribs, a broke leg, and I'm minus an eye, now. You've effectively screwed me out of a career without funding to aid a good recovery. I'll just go back to fixing bikes because you're right. I don't have any money. Spend it fast to live fast…'

That's when someone started knocking on the door and I never saw that manager again. I stayed in the hospital and was taken to all sorts of specialists. I had the best quality physical therapy and my eye actually recovered thanks to the superb treatments." Natsuki said smiling lovingly at Shizuru. Mai rolled her eyes at the couple. Those two had gone through a variety of emotions during the duration of the story. Mai paused and thought about something strange about Natsuki's story. 'If she was injured on the face…shouldn't she have a scar?'

"Oi, Natsuki, did you make up the eye thing? Because you have no scar." Mai asked. Shizuru giggled and patted Natsuki shoulder.

"I do have a scar, but Shizuru makes me wear cover up over it when we're in public. She thinks it makes me hotter and she fears the on coming wave of fangirls and fanboys." Natsuki laughed.

"Can I see it?" Mai asked gingerly.

"No, that scar is for my eyes only Mai." Shizuru said possessively. Mai nodded knowing not to interfere with Shizuru.

"SO!" Natsuki projected getting the two women to look back at her. "Good, now where was I. Ah, the treatments. Once this was finished…and it took a while Mai like months. I was out of the race because of that accident. BUT, once finished I was text messaged to go to a new practice area and to bring my gear. So I went there and found I had a team. This was something new. Plus, they were all calling me Kuga-sama. That was strange. Anyhow I talked to the head of my crew and asked to speak to my manager. When I mention my old manager's name that's when the head of the crew told me I had a new one and had basically been bought by a fancy corporation. So this is where I'll let Shizuru pick up the story." Natsuki looked at Shizuru.

"Well I was walking up right as the crew chief said that…" Shizuru continued telling the story as the memory played out in her mind and Natsuki's.

"Kuga-san, I see you have met your crew." Shizuru said.

'That voice…no it couldn't be…not after all these years.' Natsuki turned around; green eyes locked one to a set of rich crimson eyes. "Shizuru…" Natsuki said as if the wind had been knocked from her.

Shizuru shut her eyes feeling the metaphorical knife twist inside her heart. 'Oh how I've longed to hear your voice say my name, Natsuki.' "Yes, Kuga-san. The Fujino Corp. would like to sponsor you. You can decline this offer and you will not be charged for any of the bills that have been paid for."

"I'm not going to decline. My life is in racing now. Thank you for helping me." Natsuki said wide eyed still staring at Shizuru. 'God, she's so beautiful…but she probably won't let me near her. Not after that argument, but I want to try.' Natsuki walked forward in long strides closing the distance between the two until she was about two feet away from Shizuru. "Please, call me Natsuki, Shizuru." Natsuki extended her hand for Shizuru to shake. 'Come on, take my hand. Let me know you're real.'

Shizuru kept her mask on while extending her had into the hand shake. "I can't do that Kuga-san. It wouldn't be professional…" Shizuru said coldly as she grasped Natsuki hand. Natsuki smiled darkly. 'Gotcha!'

Natsuki hand squeezed Shizuru's ever so gently, "I don't want us to have a professional relationship…" Natsuki said in a sensually husky voice pulling Shizuru into hug wrapping her strong arms around the chestnut brunette.

It was like that time; that time in the burnt down church when Natsuki had broken Shizuru insanity with a single kiss. Shizuru hands trembled as her heart opened up that reservoir of love and angst she had bottled up just for Natsuki. This feeling she had secretly longed for. The smell of this girl, no, this woman intoxicated her. Shizuru's resolve was broken. She knew she came to see Natsuki, but deep down she knew she needed to see her. The desperation she had worked so hard to conceal and destroy resurfaced with no problem after her body and Natsuki's body connected in that embrace.

"Shizuru, I'm so sorry for what I said. Please forgive me…" Natsuki whispered into her ear. Shizuru shut her eyes and her lips trembled and she started pushing on Natsuki's shoulders.

"Let go of me…" Shizuru said trying to disguise her emotion, but Natsuki could sense her feelings as if they were her own. Natsuki breathed deeply and let go, not wanting to damage anymore of their precious reunion. Shizuru looked at Natsuki and sighed. Natsuki couldn't bear seeing Shizuru upset, but kept her distance. "I…"

"Don't worry about it…" Natsuki said in a defeated voice and she looked over to the crew chief, who had gone back to work. "Oi, chief, is the bike ready?" Natsuki shouted as she walked away ignoring Shizuru. 'She'll tell me when she's ready.'


I must assume I live in the land of cliffhangers and angstdom.

review please.