"Are you sure about this?" Michiru's voice was shaky, both because she was happy and also nervous. Her history with men was dry, and she was worried that she would make a stupid mistake. All of her dreams had come true in the last few seconds, misunderstanding aside.

"I am." Tsukasa's tone dropped as he became somber for a moment. "Isla would have wanted me to be happy, I know that much. Like I said before, you're home to me." A small smile crept onto his face at his own little quip.

"You are such an idiot sometimes. Newbie." Michiru smiled slightly as well, teasing him gently as she found herself closing the distance between them. This kiss was different than their first. Full of a lack of confidence, with a nervous edge from both. Tsukasa pulled away first, feeling this edge and answered the question that they both had in the back of their minds.

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He leaned back in and met her lips with a yet another emotion. One could best describe this feeling as protection driven with an undercurrent of passion. They pulled away from each other after a moment to simply stare into each other's eyes. They held a small silent conversation then, deciding the pace at which they wanted to take the night. What they both knew was that a bright flame often burns hot and burns itself out.

"How was dinner?" Tsukasa broke the tension. I want this to last. More than anything I just want to spend all of my time with this woman right now. He took her hand and they found their way to the couch to relax as Michiru answered.

"It was amazing. I thought you didn't know how to cook?" Michiru had always been curious about the lunches that he had brought from home. When he had first started with the Terminal Service, he had no idea how to cook. Neither had Isla.

"Well, when I was trying to get to know Isla, I figured that making dinner together with her and learning how to would be a good way to get her to break out of her shell." Tsukasa paused, remembering the good times. "It was actually you who suggested it…" Tsukasa found himself feeling guilty and had the urge to put a small distance between them.

" Oh yeah… I had forgotten about that." Michiru also felt guilty. She had not forgotten, but had pushed the thought into the back of her mind. She remembered the jealousy she felt for Tsukasa, and especially Isla during that time. She regretted it more than anything in the whole world.

They spent a long time with an awkward distance between them. Tsukasa looked up and out the window to see the moon full with a clear sky. He stood quietly, leaving Michiru to her thoughts. I know two things. I want to spend my time with Michiru; to make memories with her. But we need to find a balance between the past and the future. He leaned against the railing on the balcony, staring into the cold, lonely moon.

Michiru looked up from her thoughts to see that Tsukasa had left the couch. She felt cold. Looking around she found him against the railing, the moon making the tears from his eyes sparkle more beautifully than diamonds. The beauty and sadness of the scene was more than she could take.

Tsukasa felt the warm tears fall from his face without shame, at a loss for what to do next. He could not hurt the woman that would so easily take his damaged soul into her heart. He wanted happiness, and he wanted happiness for her as well. But how? While his mind reeled he did not notice the woman come to his side with a sad kind of smile on her face. Her hand fell to his with the feeling of cherry blossoms on the river.

Michiru stepped behind him and let her arms wrap around him. She stood in the same position as she did on the first night. But tonight she would have much more to say. " Tsukasa… this is hard for us both I think. When I decided that I wanted you by my side, I knew what I was signing on for." She paused to squeeze him a little closer to her. "I refuse to give up because of this. I don't think that you want to either, otherwise this wouldn't be hurting you so much."

"You're right…" Tsukasa trailed off, turning to face Michiru, Putting his hands on her waist as he did. "I'm not going to give up. This is hard because I'm having a hard time letting go of the past." He pulled her to his chest. "I'm having a hard time separating my memories from my life as it is now. Will you help me?"

Michiru didn't have to think about her answer. She felt the same way about this. Turning her ear to his heart she whispered, "I will. Can I ask you to help me with the same?" Tsukasa let his answer rumble through his chest, so she could feel it as well. Tsukasa swept her up into his arms and carried her back to the couch where she would lay in his lap for the rest of the night.

The night passed swiftly. So quickly, that Tsukasa found himself tracing the lines of Michiru's face as she slept, with the sun rising in the east. This can work. We can make it work. We WILL make it work. Michiru woke when the sun hit her face.

I fell asleep with him again. Michiru's first thought when she squinted through the sunlight. She looked up and found Tsukasa asleep upright, with his hand entwined with hers. He looks like he is in so much pain right now. Before she realized what she was doing, Michiru let her free hand trace from his own hand up to his jawline. She had woken him up, but He decided to let her continue without letting her know that she had done so.

"He is so handsome when he's asleep like this." Michiru had once again allowed herself to speak before thinking about the fact that Tsukasa was still asleep. He smiled slightly when her hand still moved toward his lips.

Slowly so as not to startle her, Tsukasa let his hand come up to meet hers. To let her know that he had woken and that he had heard what she had just said. "Listen, Michiru," He began methodically, knowing that he wanted this to hit home with her. "You should know that I have no plans to let you go anytime soon, but… I'm damaged goods for now. I just to thank you for everything that you've done for me so far. I will protect you and see to it that one day soon, I can return the favor and then some."

He never opened his eyes, never moved from the position he had been in while he was sleeping. If he hadn't been moving his hand with hers, Michiru would never have been able to tell that he was awake. They stayed like this for a long time. The sun had finished rising and the dorm was beginning to warm up.

"Would you like to go into town with me today?" Michiru's sudden question hadn't surprised Tsukasa, If only because he was seconds away from asking the same of her.

" I was just about to ask you the same thing. Anywhere in particular you would like to go?" While he waited for her answer, Tsukasa thought, It seems like we are always thinking the same thing, just like it was with Isla near the end. This startled him, for many reasons. The seemingly biggest was that for the first time since he had lost Isla, the memory of her hadn't stung, and secondly, It seemed like he had skipped through the awkward phase that he had shared with the silver haired girl.

"I was thinking that I was out of tea, so I was going to go to the supermarket and buy some more." Michiru silently wished that she knew where Tsukasa and Isla had gotten their tea from.

" How about this. Why don't I show you where I get mine from. Its from a local garden, and we can grab some drinks afterward?" Tsukasa had seemingly read her mind and knew that she would appreciate the thought.

"That sounds wonderful!" Michiru's excitement took over and she kissed him forcefully on the cheek before bounding to her feet.

That evening, While in the tea garden, Tsukasa stopped dead in his tracks, Almost ripping off Michiru's hand in the process. " Hey Michiru, I'm going to wait outside, the owner is a very nice lady and can help you." A curious look had crossed his face as he let go of her hand.

"O-okay?" Confused, Michiru let go of his hadn and he sauntered out of the shop, wiping something from his eyes. Things have going so well today… I wonder how it feels to come back here after losing Isla. He's hurting….Why do I have to keep hurting him like this?!

I tried. I really did, but it seems like all the thing that I wan to share with her are just memories of another time. I really need to make new memories with her. Tsukasa wasn't waiting long before Michiru came outside and set the bag of tea leaves on the ground.

"It's too soon…Am I right? This place meant a lot to both of you." Michiru had tears in her eyes, and Tsukasa knew that he had hurt her without meaning to by leaving her in there by herself.

She had her own memories of Isla that probably hurt her too… Tsukasa wordlessly stooped to hug her close and whispered, "I'm sorry, I should have prepared myself before coming here, and now I've hurt you as well." It feels like all we can do right now is hurt each other.

The thought was banished from his mind as Michiru grabbed his face in both of her hands, and kissed him like she hadn't before. It was hard, and full of reassurance that they both desperately needed. "You should never think that. I'm so overjoyed that you would share a place like this with me. Let's go home.." With that she grabbed a hold of his hand and they silently made the walk home.

Upon arriving back in Tsukasa's dorm, Michiru led him up to the bed and pulled him to her chest. "I want to make new memories with you, Tsukasa." The words started to choke up in her throat and the rest came out as a sob. "But, Please for both me and Isla, Don't ever feel like your memories hurt me in anyway. It's okay to have memories that cause you pain, because I'm here and I will always be, to help you see the brightness that lies within them."

Michiru had barely the gumption to get this out before she sobbed uncontrollably. Tsukasa Shifted so that he could hold her tighter and rock gently.

A while later he looked at the clock on his nightstand to see that it was 2:19 AM "I like that. Just remember that being strong is okay, but being weak is just as amazing to me." He paused, "Michiru, It's pretty late, and you haven't been home much today. Would you like me to walk you back to your dorm?"

Michiru's only response was to hold him tighter and shake her head into his chest.

"Would you like to stay here with me? We can get some of your things in the morning?" Tsukasa was wary to ask this much of her so soon, and didn't want to overstep his bounds.

When Michiru silently agreed, Tsukasa stood and laid her back down on the blanket. "Stay right here, I'll be right back." He quickly drew an herbal bath and laid out some of his clothes for her.

While Tsukasa was gone, Michiru panicked about the first night that they would be spending together. Well… I guess it's not really our first night together. But the first that we both agreed to. Why am I so nervous?!

When Tsukasa returned, he stood at the top of the stairs and beckoned for her to follow him. When she reached him, Tsukasa scooped her up in a princess carry. He carried her into the warm bath and set her down. "I'll be upstairs waiting for you. Thank you for being so wonderful to me." With that he kissed her lightly on the forehead and excused himself.

I hope the bath helps her relax. She deserves it. His thoughts turned to the beautiful woman in his bath as he made a pot of chamomile tea, to relax and made sure that it was warm so he could give a cup to Michiru when she got out of the bath.

Having finished his tasks, Tsukasa changed and waited patiently in the bed. Meanwhile Michiru had gotten out of the shower and was putting on the oversized shirt that Tsukasa had laid out for her. Even his scent is home to me now. We can get through this…

Her last thought hung in the air for a few moments before she finished dressing and found a hot cup of tea waiting for her on the counter. She grabbed it in both hands and quietly came to join Tsukasa.

Somehow, they both knew that tonight was not one for passion and that they would much rather be taking solace in the presence of each other, when they had settled in for the night. Michiru had reached the top of the stairs and looked to the bed to find a small smile on the sleeping face of the man that she loved.

Thank you, God, for allowing him to smile like he used to. Even if it is in his own mind. Michiru said her prayer with a tear in her eye and padded up to him, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead, just as he had done just moments ago.

Tsukasa felt Michiru join him in bed through his sleep addled brain, and instinctively reached for her. Pulling her close. "Good Night Michiru. I love you."

Michiru's response was a simply sigh of contentment. She buried her face into his chest drifting off.

A thousand nights like these wouldn't be enough.

well it looks like things are starting to look up for our lovely damaged couple. looking forward to the next chapter. but for tonight I'll leave you with this.