PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR NOTE YOU MIGHT BE LOST IF YOU DON'T

*(A/N - Hey! Thanks for the reviews. Now, I know this is long but oh well. Sorry to say this but I don't think this story will have couples. At first, I was going to put them in, but when I put the first chapter out, I realized that I liked the way I portrayed Hotaru & Ami. If I put couples in, the image I created for Hotaru and Ami wouldn't be there. Moreover, if you checked the genre, this fic is drama and angst. So, if you're looking for love and junk you're not going to find it here. I'm pretty sure the g-boys will be in the next chapter. If you haven't realized this yet, most of this fic is going to be in flashbacks where Hotaru will be looking back. The end of this chapter might be confusing and corny but you'll understand later on. Like I said before, I know some of this story is going to be confusing so if it is then PLEASE tell me cause I'm sure your not the only one who might be lost. Oh and the plot of this story is NOT I repeat NOT having little magical creatures trying to catch Hotaru & Ami. If you read some of the other SM/GW crossovers, you'll know what I mean. I think people should try to be more creative then having the sailor scouts betray each other all the time. Because that is being used TOO MUCH. It gets VERY boring after awhile. And again, I'm sorry this A/N was so long)*

// thoughts // " what's being said " *( flashback )*

~*~ Disclaimer - I don't own anything but the plot of this story ~*~

The Screen Behind the Mirror: Age of Loneliness

HACHOO! Damn I shouldn't have stayed out in the rain that long. Oh who cares sickness never stopped me before. Hotaru was now inside still looking at the rain out her window. " Gods tears eh." // Why do people try to understand the unknown and why does the unknown try to understand people. In the end, we'll just end up hurting each other //. I've been shunned, hated, betrayed you name it. I met you, a girl like me. I shunned you but you never shunned me. Our lonely hearts met, you made me complete. I once opened my heart to a person, one who would never care to understand, why?

~*~*~*~*~

*( " This feels good," I said, as I found myself walking in the woods skipping yet another class.

" Damn. These unexcused absences are going -"

I thought aloud till' I heard some girl who had light brown hair crying. " Sigh " // my spots been violated. Oh well maybe I should just leave and catch up on my studies, hahahahaha catch up on my studies that's a funny idea //. I was beginning to walk away until I heard the girl say something.

" Please, don't go."

// How did I know you were going to say that. Now that I think about it, I really should catch up on my studies, I skipped this class this whole week //.

" What do you want? " // oops that came out meaner than intended //

" Company, its lonely out here."

I would of left, no, I should of left if she hadn't said that word // lonely //.

Over the next few month, we she began to open up to me. She wasn't that bad once you got to know her a little. Until that day, that day changed everything. I went to my spot and saw her there making out with some guy.

// Gosh, not here idiots // I hid behind a tree, my conscious told me not to make my presence known. They stopped and the guy said, " where's that gothic girl you always hang around with?"

" You mean Hotaru, just some freak who thinks I'm her friend "

// Some freak eh //, just then I noticed a teacher looking for skippers. I ran in his direction without stopping and said " behind the biggest tree," then ran back to class. )*

~*~*~*~*~

Hachoo! Damn cold. In the long run, she just ended up getting expelled. People these days never realize that doing shit like that to a person could scar them for life. It's funny how we tend to close the doors to our heart cause we're scared of letting someone in. Just so no one will know the TRUE us. But what do we do when we meet someone who wants to know the true us. Shouldn't we open our doors? In the end, we're all cowards we're just too scared and cautious to get hurt. When I met you, inside I always pleaded for you to never close my door,
" you never did. "

~*~*~*~*~

*( I found myself late for another class walking in the hallway. // Ami saved me yesterday... she looked so worried //. Thoughts about her roamed through my head all day long. // Why would she save me... I tend to be rude... nobody likes me... yet maybe from the beginning she felt my magical aura, like I felt hers //. Hehe, I really am thinking about her a lot. I was alone in the hallway not really paying attention where I was going until I ran into something hard. " Omph, " I slowly looked up and found myself meeting a wall.

" Now I'm the idiot "

" No your not. "

// Yep, your losing it Hotaru, your not only thinking bout' Ami, your hearing her voice //.

I turned around thinking that nobody was there until I saw no one other than Ami standing in front of me.

" Hi, I'm Ami, " she said in a very gentle voice as she stretched out her hand.

I looked at her hand not really in the mood to shake it.

"I already know your name."

" So do I. "

" Then why are you introducing yourself? "

" Because we haven't talked or had a conversation yet. "

" Yeah... I know "

// Jeez, she wants to talk while I'm finally in the mood to make an effort to go to class //.

I noticed her hand was still stretched out, waiting for some kind of introduction. // Damn, she's persistent //. Reluctantly, I held my hand out and mumbled a " Hotaru " and she smiled.

I looked into her eyes noticing that they were flowing with that familiar magical aura. It was now more obvious than ever that she had magical powers. // Oh yeah, I haven't talked to her about that. To tell you the truth, I haven't talked to her about- //. My thoughts were interrupted when she said, " I think we need to talk. "

" Funny, I was thinking the same thing. Do you want to go to the spot? "

" In the woods behind the school? "

" Yep that's the one, figures you wouldn't be slow "

There was a comfortable silence while we were walking. Not one when you're scrambling for words to say in your head hoping you don't sound like a fool. I started to look at the trees until I remembered something.

" Thanks... for saving me. "

" Huh... Oh your welcome. "

// Jeez, she said that as if she wasn't expecting me to say that //.

" Hey, this tree is fine, " she said as she pointed to the right. I was happy to stop walking, mainly because I was growing curious about her but also I was getting tired. There was again a silence but now I think we were thinking of where to start. I decided to break the silence.

" So, you specialize in water and ice."

"Yep, and you with destruction and healing"

" How did you know? "

" I knew you could heal when I saw that the scar didn't stay on your face when I checked on you. "

I waited silently for her to continue.

" I knew about destruction when I saw your eyes... almost like you've seen too much... the pains of man... and the pains that lie deep in your heart. You're pretty strong to have not destroyed this world yet. "

" I get tempted... a lot. "

" Hehehe, you probably thought I was persistent, when you met me I mean. "

" Yep, either that or crazy. "

" Thought so. "

There was another silence.

" But... I knew you weren't. When you first came, I thought maybe you were like me, with magic powers but I wasn't sure. When you used your spell in the forest, I knew then that you weren't crazy and that you had powers... your eyes made it more obvious. "

" So did yours, I usually don't go up to people like that but I was anxious to see did you have powers. I followed you to the forest, and when I saw that guy slash your face I noticed you didn't black out right away or anything. That's when I saw you heal the wounds on your face and ran to see if you were all right. They slashed you so bad that when I came and saw that nothing was wrong I was shocked. Any normal person would of had to be taken to the hospital right away. "

" How do you know? " her eyes began to cloud a little and spoke almost emotionlessly, something I wouldn't expect from her.

" I'm an orphan... my real parents died when I was young. My stepmother died shortly after. My step dad was a doctor but he... " I noticed how she seemed scared to go on and how her voice began to show a hint of sadness. " You don't have to go on, but it looks like we have something else in common besides powers. "

She looked at me with a slight confusion but seemed like she knew what I was going to say.

" Both of our pasts were clouded with pain, betrayal, loneliness. "

There was a long silence. Ami decided to break it this time.

" I got an idea, I know it sounds corny but lets look out for each other you know. "

" You mean like friends? "

" Yeah, so what do you say, I won't hurt you if you don't hurt me. "

" Deal. "

She smiled a gentle smile while the wind began to flirt with her hair and her eyes sparkled as the sun rays hit them.

And for the first time since we met each other...

I smiled back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

" To lonely hearts meet only to join together and form anultimate bond that not even death can break. "

~*~Please review~*~