Just want to see you smile again.

By Luvdarain5

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Overlook

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Ran noticed they were steadily going up, each road getting a little steeper. The streetlights began to thin out until eventually there was no light but what shone from the motorcycle. Eventually they leveled off and he slowed the bike, finally stopping it at a dead end where the road pavement ran out and coarse gravel took its place. Rei parked his motorcycle and helped her off, removing her helmet for her. The small roadway was very dimly lit and overshadowed by a large wall of dirt and grass. It seemed very isolated.

"So, where are we?" Ran asked, both nervous and curious at the same time.

"You'll see." He said taking her hand again in what was becoming a natural act for them both. "Just a little further up." Rei urged and the two began walking up a dirt path. It was a little steep, with large rocks acting as steps, and Ran would have stumbled a couple times with the shoes she was wearing if not for Rei behind, her catching and righting her when she slipped.

"Just what is this?" She demanded, beginning to get irritated. She was going to scratch up her arms and legs if they kept this up. "What's so great about…" Ran broke off her rant when she reached the top just ahead of him, and she let out a startled gasp.

"Rei!" She whispered in awe. "It's beautiful!"

Ran came up behind her, smiling in satisfaction at her reaction. Placing his hands on her shoulders he lightly squeezed her through the layers she wore. "Like it?" He asked softly, though he already had her answer.

"It's amazing." Ran replied, unable to do more than take in the view. The bright light of the moon illuminated a small dark green field laid out before them, with a panoramic view of the city shining brightly just over the edge. Above that, the night sky stretched out, the stars gleaming like diamonds nested in a black velvet setting. It was the most breathtaking thing she had ever seen.

"Wow." Ran murmured, still trying to find the right words to describe how incredible it was.

"Come on." Rei said, moving around her to walk over closer to the edge. He turned and held out his hand, waiting for her to join him. For a moment she felt like she was Eve and he was Adam, and they were the only two people on the earth. This is what paradise must be like, she mused wildly. And wicked temptation.

She moved forward, approaching him slowly. As she came closer, her eyes became fixed on his face, instead of on the incredible view around them. They could not seem to look away from one another, and their surroundings and all else was forgotten.

"Thank you for bringing me here Rei." She said, speaking in subdued tones, in deference to the hush around them.

He reached out a hand to caress the softness of her cheek. "You're welcome." Was all he said, but he lowered his head for a kiss from her and she inhaled shakily at the feelings overwhelming her. What was happening now was stronger even than the physical attraction between them.

He kissed her insistently, almost reverently but did not deepen it into anything more. Releasing her, he took off his leather coat and tossed it on the ground, much to her confusion. Seating himself down, he motioned for her to join him. Gingerly she lowered herself so that she was sitting in front on him so that she was also sitting on his coat, her back aligned with his front. He bent his knees and wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm. She stretched out her legs and leaned her head back onto his shoulder, her arms resting on his legs. He turned and placed a kiss on her neck, as though unable to resist temptation, then signed blissfully. The warmth from his breath on her neck caused her to shiver and giggle at the same time.

"Hmm, you're not doing much for my ego to be laughing at a time like this." He commented, but she could hear the quirk of amusement in his voice.

"Sorry." She shivered harder, her stomach rioting with nerves and something more, and this time his amusement disappeared.

"Cold?" He asked too casually. But he knew the real reason. Because he was reacting just as forcefully to her. His heartbeat was thumping so strongly it threatened to kill him. He was struggling to stay cool but his emotions were demanding to be free, warring with the voice in his head which afraid that he would scare her off.

"I'm fine." She whispered, turning her head to the left ever so slightly to place a kiss on his shoulder. Ran felt a fine tremor sweep through him.

"Ran…" He began, his voice almost a plea, but she stopped him, speaking in a hushed tone.

"How did you find this place?" She wanted to know as though it were important. Her voice sounded urgent.

"It doesn't matter." He said, but for once not upset with her deflection. He sensed she was trying to tell him something.

"This place, its like you." She spoke sincerely, looking up at him as he stared out over the city while trying to calm his senses. Her comment pulled his attention back to her.

"How so?" He asked curiously.

She swallowed, not sure how to explain. "It's beautiful and isolated." Ran offered inadequately. He looked down at her, eyes locked, but it was a moment of understanding that transcended all else. "It's a place that's untouched by everything around it, like you." Ran tried again, still struggling to express what she felt, what she needed to tell him. She shook her head in frustration. "When I see this place, I cant imaging you wasting your life becoming a doctor Rei."

"Ran…" He voice held warning, but not dismissal. Tonight, he was listening. "You're very argument is a contradiction. Most people don't consider becoming a doctor a wasted life."

"But you're not most people. You're your own man, you always have been." She spoke, a little more desperately now. "I've seen you when you're in your own world where there's nothing but the music. It's almost like there's no one else there with you. You feel it deeply, it affects you on another level…its your dream! How can you give that up?" She demanded heatedly. Suddenly she saw his future, bleak and passionless, a life lived for his family where he never smiled ever again, and she was scared to death for him.

The words were too painful for Rei to hear, especially because they were laden with truth. He ground his teeth in denial, then bent his head angrily to hers, proceeding to shut her up the only way that he could.

Closing the gap between them, he kissed her savagely to punish her for her words. Ran accepted his fierce passion, knowing he was hurting and frustrated, and that her words had fueled his rage. But at the same time she felt herself mindlessly responding to his voracious appetite, giving as good as she got. Hands grabbled, tongues dueled, and growling could be heard coming from Rei. They were going to go up in flames if they kept on like this!

The hot passion burned itself out quickly, but the genuine feelings the two felt for one another began to re-assert themselves. Finally, finally the kisses began to deepen and linger, to burgeon into something more sweetly lover-like. Soft sounds filled the air as the couple stroked and caressed, gasped with pleasure and began to give instead of taking.

Rei slowed his melting kisses, delving into her mouth, drugging Ran's senses. She twisted in his embrace, desperate to touch him all over. Breaking apart momentarily in order to turn and face him fully, she raised herself up on her knees so that she now had to lean down to kiss him.

Reaching out Ran grasped his strong, beautiful face, holding him in place so that she could ardently kiss him back, gasping for breath when he reached his arms around her to pull her tightly to him, like steel bands clamping her up against him.

In the dark, the two were brave, daring. He couldn't seem to get enough of the taste of her. Hands ventured where they shouldn't, fingers traced invisible lines past the point of no return, mouths sampled forbidden fruit.

"That feels soooo good" Ran whispered reverently when his hands trailed over and down her shoulder blades to lightly caress the soft skin of her lower backside. Ticklish sensations swirled together with sexual ones and she squirmed at the incredible feelings, alternately moaning and sighing.

Her own hands were out of control, driving Rei to the edge of madness. She had shucked his black jacket, and unbuttoned the row of pearly yellow button studs. "Don't stop…Kotob-" Rei inhaled sharply. "…Ran.." He was breathing hard, definitely labored as she ran her fingertips teasingly over the hard lines of his chest. Despite the chill of the night air, he was feverishly hot.

"Rei!" She gasped, her eyes snapping open at the feel of his breath on the sensitive skin near her breasts. Then her eyes slid closed as he kissed his way back up her shoulder and away from temptation, nuzzling her neck and gently grazing his teeth along the shell of her ear. "Rei…" She breathed again, this time sounding seductive and inviting.

He groaned at the taste of her, the vibrations of his chest against her stomach causing her to press herself even more tightly against him despite the layers of clothing she still wore.

Rei knew that he could have her now if he wanted to. His head pulsed heavily with the knowledge.

But incredibly, he reached out to stop her madding hands, holding her small frame slightly away from him so he could see her, breaking the intimate contact reluctantly.

At first she protested mindlessly but when the erotic haze of moment wore off, she finally noticed the odd expression he was wearing. "Rei?" She asked in concern, seeing the determined look in his eyes. Ran reached out to stroke his hair in a tender gesture that melted his heart and broke down all his defenses. "What's wrong?" She asked barely talking above a whisper.

"Nothings wrong." He tried to assure her. But he knew it was time. "I just have to tell you something." He said, his heart pounding painfully in his ears. Struggling to find a way to begin, his words hung unsaid between them, but in the next moment she gasped, seeing it clearly in his eyes and realized she knew what he was about to say. Wide eyed, she waited.

Rei took a big breath. He hadn't planned on telling her so soon, but the night was turning out to be so much better than he had ever expected. "Ran…I…" He was ready to say the words, and realized she might finally be ready to hear it, when her cell rang loudly, breaking into the moment.

"GAAAAHHHH!" Ran yelled angrily, throwing her fists up in the air.

But incredibly Rei was laughing, partly at her reaction, partly at himself, the intense mood from moments ago having dissipated into relief, at least for him. He had feared this for so long, but now he sensed that she had been ready to hear his confession, and if her actions were any indication, might even reciprocate his feelings. Or at least be open to discussing their relationship. One phone call couldn't derail them from their destiny, he felt sure.

"It's ok Ran, answer your phone. What I have to say can wait." He said, smiling. Obviously it would have to because the phone continued to play its tune.

Scrambling she searched her pockets for the offending object, determined to make the call quick and then get back to Rei to finish what had become a very important conversation.

Possibly the most important conversation she would ever have.

Locating her phone she pulled it out and made a face before answering. Rei pulled her close, resting his head in the crook of her shoulder while she barked out "Moshi Moshi! What do you want?"

In the next moment a chill blew through her at the voice on the other end and Ran desperately wished she had checked the caller id for answering. "Oh. Hi Aya." She said, her voice for a moment sounding just as it had in high school.

Rei pulled back, feeling like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him. He could feel Ran's mental withdraw as well. He scooted away from her, and stood, while she turned around from her knees to sit on her bottom on his coat. The night was cold but his rage and frustration kept him heated. How the hell could this happen? He was so close to confessing his love to her! To finding out how she felt! And now Aya was calling? What he done to deserve this trick of fate?

"OK, um, hold on just a second ok?" He vaguely heard Ran say, then she covered the mouthpiece of her phone and called to him. "Rei, she's in town and wants to see us!" He shook his head angrily before she even finished speaking. "She ran into Yuya and Mami at the old hangout." Ran was talking fast, sounding desperate, and feeling guilty. "They called Tatsuki but he can't make it. But Yamato is on duty so Miyu's going to come out for a bit. Yuya said he tried calling your cell…"

"It's turned off." He growled, his tone implying that hers should have been as well.

"What do we do?" Ran whispered as though afraid Aya would hear them.

"Ran…" Rei began, cold fear whipping through him. "Let's blow them off. It's no big deal, we see them all the time." He knew, without a doubt that if they met up with the others and they saw Aya's face it would set back all the hard won progress they had made this night.

"They don't know that you're here with me, but if we both don't show it'll cause suspicion." She said worriedly.

"So what?" He demanded. "There is something going on, they have a right to be suspicious!" Rei shouted.

Ran looked down at the phone when she heard noises coming from the earpiece. Putting the phone back up to her ear, she uncovered the mouthpiece and offered an apology. "Sorry, it's so noise here," She lied. "Just give me one more sec."

But Aya must have said something more, because the look on Ran's face softened. Pain crossed her face, but so did a crooked smile. "Yeah. Hey that's great." Was all she said in response, but Rei could see that whatever Aya had said had convinced Ran to go meet up with them. "OK, I'll see you soon. And I'll keep trying Otahata." With that she hung up, snapping the phone shut.

"Rei…" She began to speak only to be cut off.

"DAMN IT!" He yelled, picking up a rock and hurtling it with remarkable force over the cliff.

"Rei, we have to go." She told him firmly.

"Bullshit." He answered succinctly. He refused to go sit with a bunch of his friends and pretend nothing had happened when she was so close to finally realizing they were meant to be together.

"Yes." Ran reiterated determinedly.

"Why?" He asked belligerently, picking up another rock to heave. The pounding in his head was killing him. He had to get away from Ran before he said something unforgivable.

"Because Aya wants to introduce us to her fiancé." Ran said, having the perverse satisfaction of seeing Rei totally shell shocked.

After a moment of stunned silence, he dropped the rock, recovering quickly. "Let's go." He said heading for her, helping her up and reaching down to pick up both his thin black coat and his leather jacket.

He dusted off the dirt and shrugged back into his coat and jacket, adjusting the collars. Absently, he buttoned back up the shirt she had undone in her haste to touch him. Turning back to her, he saw Ran was watching him warily. Pausing, he reached out a hand, carefully stroking her cheek, treasuring the feel of her soft skin.

"Ran, if we make it through tonight, you and I are going to have to sit down and have a serious talk." He informed her, more like a parent to a child than lover to lover.

"I know." She said, looking down at her hands, fiddling with her bracelets. But she sighed a little when he leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. Would they make it through the night, she wondered?

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Getting close to the end now!