Finally, chapter 4! No need to say anything. Just read and you'll see.
I'm still thinking how this will continue, but don't worry, I still have got a few ideas left.

Pleeeeease review!

Chapter 4
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The clock's ticking was the only sound that could be heard in the bedroom; this and the two girls' breaths. It was nearly two o'clock in the morning. The weather was warm as the summer was getting close and this night was no exception.

"Natsuki…" It was a faint whisper that could be heard only due to the complete silence of the room. Shizuru was dreaming.

"Natsuki, please don't leave me!" They were in the council room. Alone. It was raining outside and the sky was rather dark. Clouds prevented the sunrays from reaching the windows and lightening the room. It was a nice atmosphere though. The two girls standing side by side behind the window glass didn't seem to notice the heavy rain outside. Or anything else in the world except each other's presence.
The plead coming out of Shizuru's mouth was full of desperation. Her hand reached for Natsuki's and the other girl took it in hers.

"Shizuru…"

Shizuru's eyes closed. The time had come for her to say it out loud. She let the girl's hand go and looked outside the window.
"I love you Natsuki. I loved you from the first time I laid my eyes on you. Getting to know you better, spending more time with you only made this love stronger, deeper. You are my whole life now, Natsuki. The reason of my existence. "
That's it! She said it. Was it enough? Yes, it was enough. There was no need for her to get carried away, not before she heard Natsuki's response. It was silly but she felt shy and a little anxious. She didn't have the courage to look at Natsuki, but it was something that she had to do eventually. She turned slowly to face her, waiting for her words. Natsuki's beautiful eyes showed happiness and something more… 'Love?'

"I love you too Shizuru."
Yes, she had heard right. Shizuru blinked in doubt and Natsuki continued: "As for leaving you, it had never crossed my mind. You see, I can't live without you either!"

It was Natsuki's hand this time that moved and caught Shizuru's, drawing her closer. The distance between their faces was getting shorter and eventually their lips touched into a soft kiss.

Finally! She was complete. All of a sudden, all these worries about Natsuki's reaction seemed ridiculous. What was she thinking? They meant to be together. There was no other way things could have happened.

Their kiss lasted for a few seconds and they looked at each other's eyes again. 'Natsuki loves me!' They kissed again, this time with more passion. Shizuru's heart's beat was getting faster, pounding to be exact, blood rushing through her veins. This was getting out of control, as she was now desperately pressing her body on Natsuki's.

She interrupted the kiss and separated herself from Natsuki, walking to the door. Her hand got out of her pocket a key and she locked the door.
"We wouldn't want anyone to disturb us, do we?" And they resumed their previous occupation…

She opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. Her heart was still beating rapidly, sweat all over her face. 'What a pity! It was getting pretty interesting…' No matter how many times these dreams kept coming, it was impossible for her to get used to the feelings that followed her waking up. Empty, lonely, sad and rather excited…

Her dreams were always about Natsuki, so vivid that many times it took her some time to realize that they were just dreams, fictions of her imagination. Nothing happening there had actually happened in real life. They were just her desires, unsatisfied wishes that her subconscious had transformed into dreams. Torturing her. She sat up on the bed, resting her back on the pillows, still remembering the scene inside the council room, the confession, the kiss…

Natsuki was sleeping soundly on the bed beside hers. Was it even possible for Natsuki to love her like that? Her face had a serious expression as she watched the other girl sleeping. So close to her and so distant at the same time. 'Why am I torturing myself like that?' she asked. 'There is no way Natsuki would return my love.' But Natsuki was her friend; even if she didn't have what she desired she could at least be near her.

Her face blushed a little when she remembered her confession. She could hear every single word in her head. What would happen if she repeated these exact words in front of Natsuki? She nearly laughed when she thought of the other girl's reaction. 'She would faint, that's for sure!' Natsuki was so shy that the smallest tease made her blush rapidly. A confession of love from her friend would knock her out, there was no doubt about that! A wide smile appeared on Shizuru's face when she thought about the numerous times that she had made Natsuki feel awkward, embarrassed.

A sweatdrop ran down her cheek and she raised her hand to touch her forehead. Sweat was all over it. It was the result of that damn dream. She got off the bed trying to make the least possible noise and walked towards the door. She then looked back; Natsuki was still sleeping peacefully. Shizuru continued walking and she entered the bathroom.

"Natsuki I love you. Don't you ever forget that, whatever happens!" It was her mother's sweet voice assuring her. "I want you to do exactly as I say. I want to sit at the back with Duran like a good girl. Ok?"
Natsuki nodded 'yes' and felt her mother's arms around her, holding her in a tight embrace. "I love you too mom!"

Her mother helped her sit on the back seat beside the dog and then sat behind the steering wheel. She started driving. Everything seemed normal to Natsuki, until she saw her mother looking terrified at the car's mirror. The woman's face then took a determined look.

"Natsuki, hold on! Noone is going to take you from me! I will protect you at all costs!"
The car's speed increased and soon they were running down the road followed by a black car. Her mother was a capable driver. She managed easily to increase the distance between the two cars. Now she only had to make the other car lose their tracks. She changed their course, going through narrow streets, taking one turn after another. Left, right, then left again…

The woman sighed relieved as she noticed that the black car wasn't behind them any more. And then, all of a sudden she saw them coming out from a street on their left. They had taken a short cut! Natsuki's mother stepped on the accelerator and the hunting began one more time. Natsuki looked on her mother's serious expression through the mirror, her straggling to escape from the men in the car behind them.

Everything happened so fast that she didn't understand what exactly had happened until their car was out of the road, falling down the cliff. Her mother had lost control of the car that now was on the air. She panicked and held on to Duran, doing what her mother's last words had said.

The car hit the surface of the water faster than she expected and started sinking. Fast. Water filled the cabin of the car. She couldn't breathe. She reached for her mother, placing her hand on her shoulder.

'Mom!'
Her mother wasn't moving.
'No! Mom! Wake up, mom!' She started shaking her but there was no response.
'Wake up! Please! Don't leave me alone! MOM!'

"NO!"
Natsuki jumped up on the bed looking around her terrified! Her mind was unable to process the images around her. She still lived that horrible nightmare. The dream kept repeating almost every night she went to sleep, her mother was dying again and again every time. Her mother that she loved so much! Now Natsuki was all alone in the cold world, abandoned by everyone that she loved. She closed her eyes. Sorrow filled her and tears started pooling in her eyes.

She felt different though from every other time she woke up from this dream. Warm and safe. And then she realized Shizuru's arms, which were already around her body holding her tight.
"It's ok now. It was a bad dream. It's over." It was Shizuru's sweet soft voice soothing her.

No, she was not alone. Upon this realization the tears that she was holding back found their way out. A single tear ran down her cheek, then another and another…
Shizuru was puzzled, feeling the wetness on her shoulder. 'Tears? Was Natsuki crying?'
"Natsuki…"

The warm tears kept falling on Shizuru, following a wet path down her shoulder, running over her collarbone and under her clothes. There was no doubt about it, Natsuki was crying. Natsuki's sobs made her body shaking.
'Please don't cry Natsuki!' It was something that Shizuru couldn't handle. She soon felt tears coming up on her own eyes. Her heart was bleeding… Her arms held the crying girl tighter, closer to her. (Was it even possible?) Although she didn't have a clue why Natsuki was crying, she felt that the girl needed her. 'I'll always be there for you, my Natsuki. Always.' It was a promise she made and was willing to keep, no matter what ever happened.

Eventually, Natsuki's sobs calmed down, but to Shizuru's surprise Natsuki didn't make any move to free herself from the embrace. She had rested her cheek on Shizuru's shoulder, her breath tickling the other girl's neck.
It was Shizuru that spoke first breaking the heavy silence between them.
"Natsuki, are you feeling better now?"

Having Shizuru beside her was so comforting! She almost felt satisfied. She raised her head to face her. Concern was obvious in Shizuru's voice. She straightened her back and looked into these strange red eyes. It was one of only a few times that Natsuki could actually see Shizuru's emotions into them. And this time it was a mix of affection and worry.

"Yes, I'm ok. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
"You don't need to be sorry. You didn't wake me. I was really worried though. You turned and tossed in you sleep and you kept calling you mother."
"My mother…"
"What did you see … in that dream?"

She didn't know what forced her to say that but she regretted doing so immediately. She had no right to ask such a thing. If Natsuki opened her heart to her, it should be something that she alone had decided, not something Shizuru forced her to do.
"Forgive me Natsuki. I shouldn't have asked. It's ok if you don't want to…"
"No.", Natsuki cut Shizuru, "I'll tell you" She took a deep breath and started speaking slowly.

"My mother and I had a car accident when I was six. Our car fell off a cliff and we ended up in the sea. I was lucky enough to survive, but my mother didn't make it. I stayed in the hospital for several months. I was a whole year out of school because of that. In fact I'm a year younger than you." Natsuki's lips formed a bitter smile.
"My father met a woman during that time and they got married. It was the last time I saw him or heard anything about him."

Shizuru was staring at Natsuki's eyes unwilling to believe what she had just heard. She always believed that Natsuki's past hid something painful, mostly because she never spoke about it, but she didn't expect this.
"So you were alone … all this time? Did you have any other relatives to take care of you?"
"No, I was alone. I had no relatives and no friends. I spent a couple of years after that in an orphanage, a few on the streets and here I am now." The bitter smile was still there, while Shizuru's face was serious.

This was the truth about her past. Almost all of it. She of course hadn't said anything about being a HiME, about being able to see a certain red star on the sky or calling her Child. All these things that she had said to Shizuru were more than enough for Natsuki, who had never spoken about her past to any other person except Sakomizou-sensei. Speaking about her problems wouldn't solve anything – this dream kept coming in her sleep nearly everyday for years – but having someone there to comfort her, listen to her concerns was unexpectedly pleasant.

Shizuru was happy that Natsuki had decided to talk to her. Happy and proud. Natsuki was really strong after all., getting over these obstacles, yet her personality left intact. It was true that Natsuki often seemed to the people around her selfish and cold, but not to Shizuru's eyes. She was deep inside just a normal girl; smart, kind, sensitive and caring.

"I am proud of you Natsuki"
Natsuki was so lost in her thoughts that hearing Shizuru speak surprised her. This and Shizuru's words. 'Did she really mean that?'
Shizuru's movement was really fast, faster than Natsuki's reflections.
Before she could understand what was happening, Shizuru's arms were wrapped around her and a soft kiss was placed on Natsuki's cheek.
"Shizuru!" Natsuki yelped blushing.

Shizuru didn't move. She just held her. And then Natsuki felt the other girl move, loosing her grip. She looked at Shizuru who was returning to her bed to resume her sleep. Natsuki had yelled to Shizuru only out of surprise. Having Shizuru so close was a strange pleasant sensation. She wasn't exactly sure why, but she wanted Shizuru to hug her again.
'Please don't go.' She only thought that though. No way she would ever speak out loud these words in front of Shizuru. 'I'd rather wear that ridiculous dress and ran out on the streets dancing, than say it!' A scowl appeared on Natsuki's beautiful face.

'Typical', Shizuru thought. She hadn't seen that scowl for some time now. 'I was beginning to miss it!'
"Natsuki don't worry so much! You'll get wrinkles. It would be a shame to ruin that adorable face of yours."

Natsuki looked at Shizuru angrily. 'She's in teasing mode. Again!' She tried to think something to say to Shizuru, something that could make her stop teasing her, something smart… 'Think, think, think!' Before she found out what to say, Shizuru spoke, a tone of amusement in her voice.
"Goodnight Natsuki! And don't worry. If you see a nightmare again I can always comfort you."

'Something tells me that I'll regret sleeping here…'
"Dream on!" She turned her back to Shizuru and closed her eyes. Deep inside her she was glad. For the first time, after her mother's death, she had someone she could turn to.

The last thing she heard before falling asleep was Shizuru's movement as she lay down on her bed.
'Thank you Shizuru.'

That was chapter 4! Now I'm going to sleep after a long tiring day... Goodbye,for now!

KISSES
Irina67