Fragments of Me

A/N: This is my first fic, so please be kind. It will be rated M in later chapters. If you have any constructive criticisms, I am more than happy to hear them... just be nice if you can. ; Thank you. I hope you like it!!

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Wish I did, but I don't.

The Crash Heard 'Round the World

The next few days passed quickly for Mimi. She cried. Sometimes she thought she would never be able to stop, but Mimi was task-oriented. She kept herself busy. Her time was occupied by making arrangements, cleaning the apartment top to bottom, contacting various people, and packing.

As the fog of grief lifted from around her, Mimi found that the only thing she cared about was getting out of New York. One word rang throughout her thoughts, an ever-present comfort. Odaiba. Home. Things were simpler there. She had to get away. And where else could she go... Odiaba or bust!

The phone rang three times before someone picked up.

"Moshi, moshi!"

"Sora?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

Mimi's voice caught in her throat, choked with emotion and relief. She felt tears welling from within her, but forced them down. Not now, not yet.

"Sora, this is Mimi. Tachikawa Mimi."

There was a long pause on the other side of the line. Mimi began to wonder if perhaps she had made a mistake in calling. Then an ear-piercing squeal erupted from the phone.

"Oh my god! Mimi! I can't believe it's you! We were all starting to think you'd dropped off the face of the Earth! Why, if it weren't for your emails to TK, we'd really think you had completely forgotten us all!" Sora laughed in joy and continued to gush over her long-lost friend.

Mimi was surprised to find herself smiling. She didn't think it was possible to smile when you felt this... hollow. Well, she knew she could smile; she just didn't know she could mean it. It was nearly enough to make her cry again!

"Well, wow! So what's up?" Sora said finishing her little rant and chastisement for not keeping in touch. The only member of the old gang Mimi had really kept up was TK. He was like a little brother to her.

"Well, it's a long story, but to make it short: I'm coming home," Mimi explained.

"To Odaiba?"

Mimi snorted in amusement. "Of course. Where else? Yeah, I'm coming back to Odaiba. Life's kind of worn me out in New York, so I want to start over. Where else would I go to start anew but the beginning? Odaiba will give me a positive, fresh start."

"That's great Mimi. Everyone will be so happy to see you."

"Thanks. Listen, I have a sort of favor to ask you. I have a plane ticket to fly home in a few days, but I'm so busy trying to arrange things on this end that I'm scared I won't have time to get everything set in Japan..."

"Oh, that's not good. What can I do to help?" Sora asked. "Just say the word, and it's done!"

Mimi felt overwhelming gratitude towards her auburn-haired friend. Sora always was willing to do anything to help. "Well, I'm not going to ask anything huge. I was just wondering if you could keep an eye out for any apartments in the area. I can get a hotel room for a bit, but I need somewhere to move into. Would that be okay?""

"So you've coming back for good?"

Mimi nodded, then realized that Sora couldn't see her nod. Sora couldn't see how the finality of those words for good hit her like a ton of bricks. She found her voice again, but had to clear her throat before she could speak. Although she was excited about going home, she had to admit that she was still rather frightened by what the change would bring. "That's the plan. I'm tired of New York. I'm ready to come home. I miss Japan. I miss my friends. I miss you!"

Sora giggled. "I miss you too. Don't worry about anything. I'll get everyone together; we'll get everything settled on this end."

Mimi sighted theatrically. "Sora you are a lifesaver!" Mimi was glad to hear the sound of Sora's laugh again.

"I try. So tell me what's been up with you! Inquiring minds want to know!"

Mimi felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. "Oh... you don't want to hear about that. It's all pretty boring." She tried to sound lighthearted. The smile she tried to force quickly fell. She just wasn't ready to go into all of this. The wound was much too fresh to be rubbing salt in it.

"Mimi?" Sora sounded as though she had been trying to get Mimi's attention for a few moments. Mimi shook her head back and forth trying to shake herself out of her thoughts and dislodge her depression.

"Yeah, I'm still here. Sorry. I guess I kind of spaced out." She forced a strangled giggle.

"Are you okay, Meems? You seem... distant."

"Oh, I'm fine. You know me!" Her voice was far higher than it ought to be. She knew instantly that she didn't fool Sora for a minute. Here's to hoping she just lets it go Mimi thought.

"Yeah, okay. Well, um... Oh! How's the job thing going? TK told us you might have your show cancelled."

Damn. Mimi took a deep breath. Putting on an act was proving to be far harder than she had expected. It was taking her, too. She was beginning to run low on energy and patience. It's not Sora's fault. She's just trying to be a good friend.

When Mimi didn't answer right away, Sora peaked up. "Oh, you lost it, didn't you? I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

Mimi couldn't help but give a small smile at the amount of apologetic concern that came pouring from her friend. "It's okay. There's no way you could have known. Yeah, I lost it, but it's fine. It was getting old anyway. I'm ready for a change." Mimi lied. She lied through her pearly, white teeth.

"It's great that you're taking it so well. Let me catch you up on what everyone's been up to over here. Then we'll talk more about what you need me to do for your arrival. How's that sound?"

"That sounds wonderful! I can't wait to hear about everyone! I'm so behind on everything..."

"You'll catch up; I promise. Let's see..."

Mimi and Sora talked for nearly two hours that night. They relived old memories about their little group and discussed the latest news on everyone.

Sora and Tai were engaged now. When Mimi heard the news, she felt a surge of excitement for the couple. If anyone belonged together, it was those two. Mimi's hand had reflexively closed into a fist, curling over the silver ring on her finger. She still couldn't bring herself to take it off. The ring was part of her now, the weight a comforting presence on her left ring finger.

Sora's mother had died two years earlier from cancer. It really hit her hard, but Sora was dealing was well as could be expected. Sora had taken over her mother's business, and it was doing well under it's new management.

Jou was a doctor, and had quickly climbed the ranks at the hospital he worked for. He was currently the Chief Resident. He hadn't gotten hitched yet; he spent all his time at the hospital doing menial things like saving people's lives.

Izzy had been hitched. He and his wife, Haruhi, were expecting their first child in the winter. Izzy worked as a high level executive for a computer research and development corporation.

Tai had spent several years trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He had worked several odd jobs, but finally became a gym teacher at a local middle school with encouragement from those around him. He also coached several local sport teams.

TK and Kari were both still in school, close to finishing. Kari would be a teacher; she had a student-teacher position at a private elementary school just outside of town. She did a lot of volunteer work and tutored on weekends.

TK was working on a degree in photography. Mimi knew he was good; he sent her several samples of his work in his emails. Many of his pieces had already been spotlighted in small galleries. He seemed passionate about it, and did all types of work with it. He covered everything from landscape to advertising and modeling photos.

"Let's see, who's left?" Sora wondered, ticking off her friends on her fingers as she listed them to Mimi. Mimi didn't need the list to know who was missing. The only person Sora hadn't told her about was the one she found herself most interested in knowing about.

"Matt," she whispered. Her heartbeat quickened and a fine sweat appeared on her brow. She had a perfect picture of him in her mind, as he looked the last time she'd seen him. Tall, shoulder length blond hair, sultry deep voice, and ocean eyes. She had to forcibly draw breath into her lungs as the image of the 17 year old boy fluttered in her mind, much like the butterflies now fluttering in her stomach.

"Oh yeah. Matt's been doing well. He started his own recording business, you know. He's not huge or anything, but he does make good money. He still plays guitar on the side and even put out a CD of his own. His business is really taking off; he's met some of the wildest music stars!" Sora reported.

"Is he married?" The question flew from her lips before she knew what she was saying, and a feeling in the pit of her stomach told her the fate of her world rested on the answer to this question.

Sora laughed as she heard the anxious interest in Mimi's voice. "Why? Are you looking for someone? No, he's not married. I'm not sure if he's dating anyone right now or not." Sora giggled some more, and Mimi felt a deep blush rise in her cheeks.

"Well, you mentioned whether or not everyone else was married. I was just... wondering." Mimi murmured.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure. Aren't you still with Michael though? Last I heard, you two were going strong."

"No. We're... we're kind of taking a break for a little bit." Mimi wondered if Sora could even hear her whispered response.

Apparently, she had, because she said. "I see. Well, all the more reason to hit the clubs, girlfriend!" Mimi gave a wry smile as her friend attempted to cheer her. Sora then tactfully, and quickly, changed the subject. They hammered out some ideas of what Mimi wanted in an apartment and such. All too soon, in Mimi's opinion, they hung up the phone, promising to talk again soon.

Mimi sat on the bed, her hand still lightly settled on the phone that sat on her bedside table. She just sat there, waiting to decided what to do next. She looked around her room... what had been their room, their bed. Boxes sat in various places around the room, each half full of memories and keepsakes. Her whole life packed away for relocation.

She picked up the phone again. She had to call Michael and let him know she was moving back to Japan. Her thumb lighted on the first digit of his cell phone number, but didn't apply any pressure. A few moments passed, each one seeming like hours. She sat the phone down, quietly. She wasn't ready for that. She promised herself she'd do it tomorrow... or maybe the next day.

She quickly switched off the bedside lamp and exited the room. She threw herself onto the couch and yanked a sheet up over her head. Hidden in the dark shadows of this foreign place she once called home. She let the tears come, let them slide down her face and into the pillow.

She wasn't entirely certain what the tears were for. She felt so much. She was relieved to know she'll be leaving New York, returning home to her friends for the first time in years, and starting over with a clean slate.

But underlying all the joy she felt, was the deep, dull ache of a broken heart, shattered dreams, and a life interrupted. How long would she feel this? How long can a heart break?

Between her racking sobs, Mimi prayed that all her pain might one day be justified. May she have the grace to remember this pain, if only to make the joys yet to come that much more precious. She wasn't really keen on the pain at the moment, but she knew that in the end she'd make her own road and proudly walk it.

She just had to live through the death of her life as she knew it first...