AN: Hey there! I am sorry about the long wait- I got hurt and couldn't write. Once again, Athena Sampaio Beta'd this chapter. On to the action!

Darkest Knight

Sitting at Fuuka University's café alone was a familiar exercise for me. Of course I was sipping at my favorite green tea, perusing through my class notes, while calmly ignoring the stares of my fellow students. The routine was something that I have done since the beginning of my freshman year. That is until this semester. A certain black haired biker should be showing up right about now, pushing her way through the busy café and rudely dispersing the crowd of admirers that were currently taking away valuable space.

A small disturbance in the crowd of people around my table brought my head up. She wouldn't come, would she? I squashed that little ray of hope, furious with myself for becoming so dependent on Natsuki. I had walked out on her and her new... Pretty little thing and haven't spoken to her since. That was about a week and a half ago.

I sighed, realizing that the ruckus was caused by a couple of young men attempting to get a picture of me. Zuru, she is far from you now. You are just going to have to brace yourself. She deserves to know why you went so easily with Tomoe. Tears prickled at my eyes. I've started to refer to myself by her nickname. It wasn't good enough - I wanted to hear her silky grey husk and have her look at me with those eyes. I blinked away my tears and looked back down at my school work when a shadow fell across my table.

"Hey Fox, don't look so down. Trust me, the dumbass misses you more than you think." Nao's smooth voice said from above me.

I glanced up and took in the fiery red head. She was wearing a tight pair of skinny jeans and a nice puffy shiny black jacket. The jacket wound closely around her torso and its hood was trimmed with faux fur. "Nao-chan, it is good to see you today. Are you at least pretending to pay attention whenever you decide to attend your classes?" I asked as I eyed her suspiciously. She has become ARTEMIS' point since Natsuki has suffered such a bad concussion. Reito takes care of his people and Natsuki wasn't allowed back to work until she was symptom free.

"I don't need them so why bother? Besides I'm not here for work." She responded wryly while pointing at the line of students waiting for their caffeine.

Following her gaze, I noticed someone very familiar. "Is that Kaito-kun?" I quickly glanced up at Nao, who nodded. "Ara, he certainly is much more handsome when he isn't scowling at people." I said surprised more at the fact that Nao would date someone as stiff as Kaito seemed to be than at Kaito's appearance.

"Yeah, he's got a great sense of humor, too." She said as she eyed him up and down. He was turning more than a few female heads while he was talking animatedly to one of the young men behind him. His jeans were snug but relaxed, showing off powerful legs and a lean waist. His shoes were casual but a nice brown that matched his leather jacket. Every time I have seen him, his hair was slicked back, but today it was stylishly spiked and his sporty sunglasses were resting over his eyes.

"He has such a nice ass." Nao sighed dreamily. I chuckled, thinking that the girls in front of him had better get moving and stop checking out my father's handsome bodyguard.

I shook my head and gestured at the seat in front of me. "Nao-chan should sit. It looks to be quite the wait." She slid gracefully into the chair. We both ignored the gasps and scandalized whispers from my small group of admirers. "How did you and he -?" I ended my sentence with an airy wave of my hand.

"Well, while we were in Kyoto, I was kinda in charge of training the security personnel in observation." I nodded. Nao had an almost unnerving ability to read people. "He was helping me with the class, well because the majority of your dad's security people piss me off to no end." She didn't need to add that they had a very bad habit of grabbing at female body parts. Kaito was more than likely there to keep Nao's claws away from any of the poor men who dared to try her patience.

"He helped me with my temper, and I found out that he wasn't as much of a stick in the mud as he wants everyone to believe." She paused and her lime green eyes narrowed at something.

"Nao-chan, don't hurt anyone." I warned merrily, as she slunk out of her chair, looking like a cat stalking after her prey. She must be serious about Kaito because she usually never stayed with a man long enough to actually date him.

Sidling up to the tall bodyguard, Nao plastered herself to Kaito's side. I smirked as the two young women who were attempting to flirt with him noticed the short firestorm that was Nao. I couldn't see her face but I saw her wrap her hand around Kaito's waist and her other arm pulling him down to her face. A low musical chuckle escaped my lips as I watched the shocked expressions on not only the two young ladies' faces but on Kaito's as well. Nao was never one to be subtle. Poor Kaito probably didn't even know what hit him.

After Nao so assertively staked her claim, she gave Kaito another squeeze then said something to the girls that made them gasp and her poor boyfriend blush. With those parting shots, Nao got out of line and sauntered back to my table, looking smug.

"Ara, Nao-chan really must like Kaito-kun." I spoke with amusement while eyeing her.

Nao smiled smugly. "Yeah, he's a little rough around the edges but he'll do. Besides those bimbos need to keep their filthy hands to themselves."

I chuckled, knowing the feeling. Natsuki's fan base was comprised mostly of young women, so I had to deal with flashes of jealously, especially since I knew that Natsuki was attracted to women. But I was glad that she finds her fans to be a nuisance. I was and still am extremely upset with the fact that Natsuki has been using Takeda to carry her books. I am actually jealous of Takeda; he gets to hold her up when she falls and he gets to be near her, while I am stuck in this café. My jealousy was never really a problem until Koika Kruger burst into Natsuki's apartment.

"Hey, Fox! What's eating at you?" Nao evidently saw something in my expression. I blinked, surprised that my vision was blurring. Well, having tears in my eyes was fairly obvious.

I took a shaky breath. "Natsuki seems to have replaced me."

Nao's eyes widened and she let out a low whistle. "I dunno, but why would you say that?"

"I brought her home a little over a week ago after she had a nasty bout of vertigo. She had fallen asleep on the couch and I was waiting for her to wake up so I could give her the vertigo medication." Nao rolled her eyes. She knew that Natsuki was not the biggest fan of medicine. Carrying on, I spoke even softer. "Then this beautiful young woman, who is probably a couple years older than me, unlocked the door and walked into the apartment. She then walked right up to Natsuki, like she was familiar with her - she even called her Chibi-chan." I took another breath trying to calm down.

Nao shook her head and I saw something flash in her eye. "I don't think that she has replaced you. You are very special to her, and last time I checked, wolves mate for life."

I wish that Natsuki would feel the same. I thought sadly.

Our conversation was interrupted by Kaito, who had two cups of coffee in his hands and a decidedly uncomfortable look on his face. "Zhang-san, here's your latte." He held a shyness that I thought was adorable. Nao seemed to think so too, since she sent him a brilliant smile. He blushed and turned to me. "Hello, Fujino-sama."

I waved him off. "Kaito-kun, you don't have to do that, please just call me Shizuru." I smiled gently at him.

"Yeah, Kaito - how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Nao? I freaking hate formalities. Besides, I think we are beyond that." She said suggestively. I raised a questioning brow at the two of them. Poor Kaito was burning red.

"Ara, are you actually having fun, Kaito-kun? Perish the thought." I said with humor in my voice. Nao cackled as she got up and laced her arm through Kaito's. I watched them, envious because I had that, even for a short while. "Trust me, I have shown him more fun in the past couple weeks than I think than he has had in his entire life."

"N-Nao! Jeez! You know we just went out on a couple of dates! You don't have to make it look like we did anything more than that." Kaito said in a panic. Nao grinned up at him. He softened and turned to me. "We're going to head out now, Shizuru-san. I'll see you later."

I felt myself grin too as I waved them away. They were a very cute couple. Short, fiery Nao has turned Kaito into a teddy bear. My smile fell off my face, and I quickly gathered my things. Nao's expression when she learned Koika's name was nagging at me. I tried to remember what Natsuki had said of her aunts. The only thing that I could remember was that one was a famous profiler with the FBI, and the other was a CIA agent. Maybe I should head over to visit Anh at the club. She could help me sort out my memories.

I was studying using one of the tables in The HiMe Star, half listening to the sounds of the practicing dancers. JUN had already come over to ask me about my routines. I wasn't really up for trying out a new dance, so he left me alone. Suddenly, one of the male dancers let loose a low whistle. I glanced up from my notes and spotted someone that I had not expected to see here. Koika Kruger strutted across the Star'sfloor dressed in comfortable jeans and a ski jacket. Even with the casual clothes, she still managed to look like she had just come from a fashion shoot. The dancer who whistled at her jumped off the stage and eagerly intercepted Koika's progress.

"Miss, can I help you?" I had to cover my smile. I have only seen Natsuki and Nao illicit such responses from men.

Koika studied him with piercing eyes. I furrowed my brows. That expression was familiar, but it couldn't be. Natsuki would look at people like that when she was mildly annoyed with them. The hazel eyes disappeared as Koika blinked, and the similarities disappeared. "Yes. Could you point me in the direction of Anh Lu's office?" Her smoky voice flowed through the building, completely at odds with her short stature.

The young man straightened and pointed around her back at the employee's entrance. "It's right behind you - go through that door and her office is on the left."

She gave him a brilliant smile and I could see the backs of his ears turn pink. "Thank you." With the simple gratitude, the woman turned around and walked to the employee's door. It snapped shut and everyone began moving again.

The young man moved back to his place on the stage. He gladly took some jostling from his friends and said, "That chick has got to be one of the hottest women I have ever seen. Of course she doesn't hold a candle to you Voila, when you dance!" He raised his voice as he gave me a nod.

"So, she wins every other time? You only like me for my dancing, then?" I pouted and batted my eyes at him, not feeling bad at all for teasing him. I can be mean when I am irritated.

"N-No!" He panicked. "You look great all the time, but she's got something a little different from you! You both are totally hot and totally out of my league."

I chuckled, "Such a reaction! I would not be so petty as to be so upset in your taste in women. I thank you for the sentiment though."

"Haha! No one can out talk you, Voila-san! I give in to the master." The young man gave me a good natured bow. I bowed back, my mind already on why Koika was here.

Gathering my things, I swiftly headed to Anh's office. I had to leave my school bag there anyway, so it hopefully would not look like I am crashing the party as it were. As I reached the door, my courage was beginning to fail me. Was Koika really Natsuki's new girlfriend? She and I never actually had an official date despite feeling like we were a couple. Do I have the right to even try to speak with Koika about their relationship?

Come now, Shizuru! Natsuki wouldn't allow someone to be so close to her in such a short time. She always said that I was the exception. With that thought, I rapped the door with my knuckles.

Counting to five and pushing through, I saw Anh behind her desk with a devilish smirk on her face.

I fought the urge to glare at her. Anh is up to something, I could feel it.

"Ara, Koika-chan and I were just talking about you!" I glanced at the pair of them, Anh's grin had widened even further. Koika had turned in her chair to look at me calmly, her gaze just as powerful as if she were staring straight through me. Yet another thing that she has in common with Natsuki. I suppressed a shiver.

Koika gracefully pulled out of her chair and stepped towards me. "Hello again Fujino-san, I am sorry if I caused any further problems between you and my niece."

Her niece? My brain screamed at me. I walked out on someone who is probably my soul mate because I thought her aunt was her new lover? I blinked furiously through my misting eyes.

Anh's smile fell off her face and she quickly moved to her feet and started to me. When she pulled me into a hug, I couldn't help but start crying. Through my tears, I saw that Koika was watching us with mild interest.

I when I finally cried myself out, Anh rubbed my back and pulled away. "You okay now?"

I nodded, dried my tears and turned to my lover's aunt. "Ara, this was unexpected. I am sorry for my behavior at Natsuki's apartment. It was totally out of character."

Koika shook her reddish-black mane of hair. "There's no need to apologize. Especially after your fight with my idiot, it would only be natural to assume that Natsuki had moved on."

I couldn't disagree more. "She is loyal to the last, and I had completely disregarded that part of her personality." I paused and asked, "Does she remember what she said when she was arguing with Tomoe?" I didn't bother with the back story because I knew that Natsuki told her what she remembered anyways.

Again she pinned me with her stare. "No, but I imagine that it was epically romantic. My idiot is prone to grand statements when she's in the mood."

I liked her. I couldn't help it; she and Natsuki were extremely similar. Grinning, I said. "Yes, Tomoe had claimed me for herself. Natsuki calmly stated that no one could hold on to me and then said that she was mine." I shook my head at the tingles that ran up my back. "Suffice it to say, I was shocked in the most pleasant of ways."

She reached out her small hands and wrapped them around mine. "As much as I would like to speak to you about Natsuki, I would like to have her other aunt with us. She's been dying to meet you."

Giving her a nod I said. "That sounds wonderful. I must confess that I am still a little shocked that Natsuki's aunt is such a beautiful young woman."

She broke out into another brilliant smile and those odd eyes sparkled. "Oh dear, I am not sure that I can take all of these wonderful comments in one day. Would you meet us at the train station by Natsuki's house at three tomorrow? Morgan and I want to do a bit of sightseeing before we meet up."

Letting her hands drop, I smiled once more. "Okay, I will certainly be there."

Anh grinned and handed her the purse that she left on the chair. "Thank you, Anh." As she reached the door, she paused and turned back to me. "Shizuru, how is your English?"

I opened my mouth but Anh spoke up in a cheerful tone. "Oh, her English is just fine. When she and Natsuki speak, the conversations are almost entirely in English. They think it gives them a bit of privacy. Natsuki thinks she has a beautiful accent." I blushed and shot daggers at her.

Kioka's eyebrow shot up. "Is that so? Well, if you don't mind using English tomorrow that would be great." She waited for my nod before showing herself out.

Anh smirked with mischief in her eyes. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know exactly what, Anh. Thank you so much for embarrassing me further."

"No problem!" Anh said with gusto. "Oh, Nao-chan asked for the night off. So-"

The door flew open, revealing an excited Chie. She looked about the room, her chocolate eyes were wide. "Did anyone get the name and number of that super hottie that just walked out of the club?"

Oh tonight was going to be highly entertaining.

Before we could respond Aoi walked in with surprising calm and smacked Chie over the head causing her to utter a sharp yelp.

"Down girl. That woman would eat you alive."

Chie was all smiles as she said "Oh, I was planning on it baby."

Shaking my head, I gathered up my school things and followed the bickering lovers to my dressing room.

The sky was overcast and it was chilly as I waited outside Natsuki's train station. I was so nervous that I got here twenty minutes early. I was dressed sensibly in a wool jacket and a pair of dark jeans. I had decided to wear a nice pair of sneakers instead my usual high heeled boots because the weather could turn for the worst and I hate trying to walk through winter sludge with my boots. I also wore a pair of lightly tinted sunglasses to hide my eyes.

Leaning on a pillar with a flashy movie poster, I tried to ignore the whispers of the commuters who noticed me. There were the ones who would spot me right away and stare until they walked by. Some people would keep glancing in my direction. My favorites were the ones who would do a double take then turn with frantic whispers to their friends and snap quick pictures with their phones. I sighed, hoping that Morgan and Koika would not be late.

Suddenly a young couple stopped right in front of me. Staring wide eyed at me, the young woman spoke up in a nervous voice. "Are you Fujino Shizuru-san?"

With my warm half smile on I said, "Why yes I am. How can I help you?"

The couple looked at each other and the guy spoke up. "Well, we were wondering if your eye color was actually red. We love all of those interviews; you're really funny and down to earth. We just want to know if they were for show or not." His hand waved in front of his face.

Holding in a sigh, I debated my options. I was always sensitive about my eye color. Mother and Father thought that they were wonderful. Father thought that they would help me intimidate people while mother thought that they would add to my unusual beauty. My red eyes ended up alienating me from my classmates in school because they only made me standout further. My classmates stopped treating me as a valued member of their class once teachers demanded that they stopped bothering me about my eyes. Soon I was placed on a pedestal, and kids stopped asking to be friends with me. I was like a doll, a thing to look at and possess but never more than that.

Before I could make a decision, a loud voice spoke up through the crowd. "Hey kiddos, bug off. Y'all are making the lady uncomfortable." The voice was strong and pleasant with a slight southern drawl filtering through the American accent.

Surprised, I looked up and spotted the source of the voice. Ara! She has to be Natsuki's other aunt. "Are you here with Miss Koika?" I asked while eyeing the newcomer. She was dressed in black cargoes that were baggy everywhere but around her waist and a tight leather jacket. She jangled as she stepped forward in her really heavy looking black boots - probably due to the excessive amount of metal that hung from various areas on her outfit. Her deep blue eyes were large but one was partially hidden behind a shock of silvery blond bangs.

The couple jumped and raced off as she ran those eyes over them in a bored manner. "Yes, ma'am. My name is Morgan LeFay. I am Koika's wife and one of Natsuki's guardians." Morgan said cheerfully.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss LeFay. I am Shizuru Fujino." I raised my hand, trying to suppress my surprise at Morgan's open admission of her relationship with Koika.

Morgan grasped my hand in a firm shake and smiled. "Wow, little lady. Natsuki was right - you have a beautiful voice." Letting go she glanced at the crowd and bent down. "Koika wanted me to tell you that she is forcing Natsuki to get her head checked right now and that she will join us a little later."

I shook my head and asked the question that has been eating me for the past couple of weeks. "How is Natsuki?"

Morgan glanced at me then back at the crowd. "As much as I would like to discuss my niece with you, I think that we should move somewhere quiet. I don't like all these people here. It's way too easy for your stalkers to hide themselves in the crowd."

I stiffened and looked up at the tall blonde. Trying to relax, I said. "Well, there is a nice little café that is near the station. It isn't as popular as the Starbucks so there shouldn't be as many people. Perhaps we should go there?"

Morgan nodded with a quick flick of her eyes down ward before snapping back to scan the crowd. "I am sorry for worrying you, but I have this odd feeling that we are in enemy territory. Let's head on out."

I nodded and started for the café. Morgan's heavy boots barely made a sound against the sidewalk as she flowed next to me. So, she must be the CIA agent. Glancing at her face, I noticed that her eyes were everywhere at once. Just like Natsuki.

When we came to the front door of the café, Morgan insisted that I go in first. Once inside, I could feel the tension flow from Morgan like the tide rushing out. "I assume that the threat is now over, yes?" I asked lightly.

Morgan chuckled. "Yes, Little Lady. You sure are a sharp one."

"Well, I just noticed that you and Natsuki move the same way. Whenever Natsuki felt threatened, she would do exactly the same thing." I suppressed a giggle at Morgan's surprised expression. "Shall I order you something to drink? It will be my treat for guarding me so well so soon after we met."

"Oh, could I have one of those, um, what do y'all call 'em?" Morgan scrunched up her face in concentration. "Ah, calupus sodas?"

"Oh, you mean Calpus Soda?" She nodded and I glanced at the menu. "It looks like they have melon soda. It's a lemon lime drink. They also have grape soda."

"I'll take the grape!" She said with enthusiasm. This time I couldn't keep my giggles in. Morgan turned her wide blue eyes at me in question. I waved it off saying, "Miss Morgan is like a little girl with all of her enthusiasm. I am simply not used to it."

Morgan's eyes brightened and she grinned. I ordered a green tea and Morgan's drink. She followed me to a table near the window. We sipped at our drinks in companionable silence. Thinking that Morgan would try to get to know me by bombarding me with questions, I prepared for it but I was surprised that she hadn't yet. Morgan had already seemed to give me a nickname.

"So, Miss Shizuru, how much has Natsuki told you about us?" Morgan's southern accent was warm.

"Ara, she rarely speaks of you two but I do know that you took her in when her mother died. She also drops little tidbits here and there during conversation. You are the CIA agent. Koika is an FBI profiler. That's just about all that I know. She treasures you two and I believe she keeps you both close to her heart because of that. I have never really pushed her on the topic because I know that she would have told me when she was ready."

Morgan's mouth dropped open and she said. "Holy cow. Little Lady, are you a psychology student?" At my nod she grinned and shook her head. "You psychology people are really scary. But I think it's mostly because y'all are ridiculously good at reading others. Koika's the same way. I mean she could tell that I was attracted to her the instant she met me."

"That's because you were checking me out like a dirty old man." A smoky voice said irritably from behind me.

"Oh, hey there, Ko! How'd you figure out where we were?" Morgan shot her spouse a rakish grin. "I suppose you just can't keep away."

Koika snorted as she sat down next to her wife. "No, our niece knows her girlfriend very well and said that I should look here for her." Morgan suddenly jumped and swore. Her hand disappeared under the table, and I guessed that Koika had pinched her.

"Hello, Miss Koika. Is Natsuki well?" I asked.

"She is doing better. Her headaches are no longer as persistent and they took her off her vertigo medicine." Koika said with a sigh. The older women shared a glance and Koika lowered her voice. "I just wish that she would be more careful." Morgan's face was solemn as she reached over and pulled Koika into a one armed hug.

I couldn't take the guilt anymore. Standing up and giving them a deep bow, I said. "I am so sorry for putting your niece into danger. If I had handled the situation a little differently, then perhaps…"

A chair scraped against the tiles and Morgan's voice sounded off above me. "Little Lady, please sit down. Koika and I don't really know what happened because Natsuki doesn't remember much. We would love to hear your side of the story." When I sat down, Koika and Morgan wore twin gentle smiles. Morgan slowly sat back into her chair.

"Okay. I will tell you what happened as best as I can." Taking a deep breath, I let the words spill out of my mouth. I watched the pair as I told them how Tomoe had threatened Natsuki's life and brought me to her little hastily created love nest. Their expressions darkened when I told them of Tomoe's attempted rape and of Natsuki's rescue. Morgan broke into a wry smile when I recounted Natsuki's battle of words with Tomoe. Her smile dropped off her face as she mirrored her wife's murderous rage when I described the effects the Taser had on Natsuki. Silence enveloped us as the two women absorbed what I had told them.

Koika's strange hazel eyes shimmered between gold and light green as she grasped my hand. "Thank you, Shizuru. I will not accept an apology from you because I do not believe that you had done anything wrong. You were incredibly brave to try to keep Natsuki away from Tomoe."

I tugged my sunglasses off my face and wiped at my eyes. "I just feel so helpless. All of the confidence that I had regained since Natsuki had come into my life has been ripped away in one fell stroke. And now I feel that Natsuki and I will never see eye to eye again."

Once again the couple shared a glance, silently communicating something to each other. Morgan smiled. "Ya know - you and Little Nats are very similar, even though you have completely different personalities. You both are strong, proud and lonely young women. I believe that you think that you have to protect your loved ones because you have so few of them. Natsuki's the same."

Koika sighed. "Yes. Natsuki is incredibly loyal to her loved ones and after her mother's death, she couldn't understand why her father - my brother - wasn't as loyal and loving to her. She's always had a bit of a temper but after her family seemed to abandon her, it turned into a smoldering rage." Koika paused and shook her head, carrying on a little sadly. "Natsuki was an angry little girl and once I had earned her trust, she became extremely protective of me. She felt that she personally had to take on those that would do me wrong. It was as though she had to prove her loyalty to me so I wouldn't disappear on her."

Realizing why she had done what she had done, I sucked in a breath. "So that's why she didn't stop."

Morgan chuckled. "Yeah, that girl is extremely hard headed. The stronger the positive feelings she has for a person, the more extreme her protective instincts react to any threat-perceived or real-to that person."

My brain raced through all the things that Natsuki had done during the time I had known her. "Ara." My voice was wispy and thin.

Morgan looked at Koika and asked, "So what does 'ara' mean anyways? She says it almost every sentence."

Koika chuckled. "Well it's a polite exclamation. In English, it could be translated into something like 'my, my.'"

"Oh. Does that mean that she just realized that Natsuki is totally in love with her?"

Koika glowered at her wife and elbowed her in the ribs. "Do you actually have brains in that head of yours? Or are you not thinking straight from lack of oxygen because you are too damn tall?"

Morgan grinned and said, "I never think straight around you. Your beauty bewitches me and I am afraid I cannot find my wits."

I giggled as I watched Koika flush and look away grumbling. "I see where Natsuki gets her silver tongue. Are you the one who got her into the Arthurian romances, Miss Morgan?"

Morgan lifted her head proudly. "Got that right! I may not look it but I love classic literature. When I was little, I couldn't read too many things because of my strict upbringing. I loved fantasy but the genre was axed because it was too fantastical. Then I found an old copy of Tennyson's Arthurian works in the library and I loved them. My parents liked them too because of the religious aspects. They held romance, magic, courage and sacrifice. I gave Natsuki a copy of the works for her birthday and she ate them up. When she started quoting from Idylls of the King I was surprised and so very proud."

Koika looked at me. "Shizuru, you are a people person but I have a feeling that you purposefully keep others at arm's length. Why?"

That was a little sudden, but that's what psychologists do. I sighed. "Well, I have had a number of experiences where I learned that people tend to objectify me. At first it was about the wealth and prestige of my family. Then when I came out of my awkward phase as a supposed beauty, people were just jumping at the chance to be connected to the wealthy and gentle Fujino Shizuru. Now I am idolized for those two things and the fame that I had garnered. It is difficult to be surrounded by people who can't even look me in the eye."

"Oh." Koika paused. "Natsuki challenged you didn't she?"

I looked up, startled. "I suppose that when she decided to flirt with me, it was like a challenge to me. But what drew me to her was that she looked me straight in the eyes and said those things. Somehow I realized that she was not just flattering me but was telling me what she was really feeling."

Morgan sat up eagerly, "Oh? How so?"

I flushed and said quietly. "Well, she looked straight through me when she pretended to describe me to The Disney people." Morgan and Koika looked at me in confusion. "Oh, I had called her Snow White, and as a way to stop my teasing she pretended to call Tokyo Disneyland, claiming that I was a lost princess." Morgan snorted. Koika sighed and shook her head, a rueful smile plastered on her face.

I carried on. "I had an idea when she said that she loved the way my eyes looked when I laughed. I knew when she told me that she thought the color of my eyes were like the maple leaves in autumn. Whenever people want to complement me, they would say that my eyes were like rubies or blood. Or they would say that my voice was like an angel. " I huffed bitterly. "Besides, I sensed that Natsuki probably didn't know that she was actually flirting."

Morgan threw her head back and laughed. "Ha! I knew it! That child is a charmer through and through!"

Koika shook her head. "Yeah, I am sure that Natsuki's sincerity blindsided you. And I must say that Natsuki was drawn to you because you have a warmth about you that you can't hide behind that mask of yours. You are a good person who has been put through a lot but it hasn't tainted that kindness. I think this characteristic, more so than your physical beauty, is what draws people to you. Your experiences have made you more cautious, but nothing more than that." Her warm eyes reassured me as she smiled. Even though she hadn't known me very long, Koika was able to guess a little about my personality. Profilers are frightening.

I blinked. "Ah. Thank you." It was all I could say. This family was incredible. They just made it harder for me to be angry with Natsuki.

"Well, my lovely ladies. Should we get on out of here? I don't wanna get caught in the rain. Or snow, or whatever." Morgan stretched herself out as she stood up. Koika and I stood up and took up our purses.

"I thank you for everything." I said, allowing the cadences of Kyoto to permeate my English. We exited the café to the stares of our fellow costumers.

Koika blinked and gave me a smoky chuckle, "You are incredible Shizuru-chan. I have never heard a Japanese accent sound so musical."

I blushed. "It is merely my Kyoto-ben. Ookini though." I looked away; these two had me so flustered that I was starting to speak Japanese through my English.

"Um, what's a Kyoto-ben?" Morgan asked.

"Kyoto-ben is a dialect of Japanese that is spoken in Osaka and Kyoto. Even though most people think that it is a little out dated, it is a little more lyrical than the Tokyo dialect. Some people, like Shizuru, can make the language beautiful." Koika said with amusement.

"Oh, so it's kind of like the old genteel southern accents?" Morgan's pixie like face lit up with open curiosity.

"Yeah, you got it."

I noticed that Koika and Morgan were content in following me to my train. Stopping and turning to face them, I asked, "Are you on the same train?"

They shook their heads and looked a little guilty. I tilted my head to the side trying to think of reasons why they'd look that way.

Morgan spoke up. "Shizuru, if you don't mind, we would like to escort you to your house. I don't feel comfortable leaving you to yourself until you got home."

"Yeah, Morgan said she felt something off earlier today. Since you are being gang stalked, I wouldn't put it past them to have someone else follow you to the apartment." Koika said with a hint of concern. I wondered when they had spoken of it.

"Ara. Miss Morgan and Miss Koika are too kind. I cannot say no to them. Kannin na. I do not want to keep you from your niece."

"Huh?" Morgan looked confused. "Okay that sounded pretty, but what the hell did you just say?"

"Oh, my! I am so sorry, Miss Morgan. I just said that I don't mind and I am sorry for keeping you from Natsuki." I said, embarrassed. I can't believe that I unconsciously spoke Japanese. These two reminded me too much of Natsuki that they had me twisted in knots.

Koika reached up and patted my shoulder while shaking with laughter. "It's okay, Shizuru. You'd better get used to this though. If Natsuki likes you, then we like you, so you're pretty much stuck with us."

I shook my head. "You both have given Natsuki so much of yourselves that I have seen much of her in you. I am amazed as to how close you are to each other."

Koika blushed and Morgan gave me puppy eyes. I burst out laughing. They were too much.

It took about fifteen minutes for the train get to my stop. The three of us were chatting pleasantly about all kinds of topics by the time we had reached my apartment. Morgan gave a low whistle and complemented me on my building. She then asked if she could have a tour before she left. Knowing that she was politely asking if she could do a security check, I agreed.

While we were waiting in the living room, Koika spoke up. "I am surprised that you put up with all of this." She gestured towards the back room, where Morgan had disappeared. "I would have run out of patience by now." She held an approving tone in her voice.

I nodded. "Well, usually Natsuki is with me, so I never had a problem with her staying a little longer. And -"

"Koika! Shizuru! Call the police!" Morgan said urgently from my bedroom. I vaguely wondered how she got in there without us noticing her movement. When she popped out, she slinked towards us like a large cat. Her face was hard and her eyes had darkened like a stormy sky.

Koika saw her face as she ended her conversation with the police and her eyes widened. "Morgan?" Morgan and Koika's eyes locked and Koika nodded before she turned her gaze on me. "Shizuru-chan, could you call Natsuki? I know that you two aren't on the same page now but I have a feeling that she needs to be here." The smoky tone was soft but firm.

"Okay, Miss Koika. May I see my room?" I looked between the two older women and Morgan shook her head, still seething. I hit the buttons on my phone as I watched Koika walk over to her wife and mold her body to Morgan's. Dial tone gave way to ringing as Koika stood up on her toes to whisper into her lover's ear.

"What?" Natsuki's voice snapped through the line, pulling my eyes away from her two aunts.

"Hello, Natsuki. Could you come over to my place?" I slipped into Japanese, and I heard that my Kyoto accent had become incredibly thick, despite the calm in my voice.

"And why would I want to do that? You can't stand to be around me. Besides, I have company coming." So Morgan and Koika didn't tell Natsuki that they were meeting with me? Sneaky. "Natsuki I am sorry for not trusting you and if you are talking about your aunts then they are here, with me."

The silence on the other end of the line was so thick that I thought that Natsuki had hung up on me. "Okay. So how does Morgan look?" Natsuki's voice was dangerously low.

"Well, she's calmed down but she looked like she was a storm cloud when she first came from my room." I reported. Why had Natsuki asked about Morgan? Perhaps it was because she knew Morgan would be the first on the scene.

I heard rumbling and Natsuki snarled. "Damn it! I'll be down right away." She didn't wait for me to acknowledge that I heard her before she hung up on me.

I looked up at the couple. "She's coming."

Koika visibly relaxed and then looked up at Morgan. "Mo? I am going to go in and check out the room. Perhaps I can help build a profile on this Tomoe person." Morgan, who still hadn't spoken, gave her spouse a sharp nod. Koika gave her a quick kiss before marching into the room.

We waited for a couple minutes in a tense silence. I felt bad that I had pulled Morgan and Koika into my problem. Looking up at the brooding amazon, I thought of a way to get her to sit down. "Miss Morgan? Please sit; it would do us no good if you collapse." I said softly.

Morgan gave me a wry smile and asked "How do you stay so calm?" while she moved to my loveseat.

"Oh, she's not calm. She's just really good at hiding it." Natsuki's smooth husk sounded from the hall. I was elated that her voice was almost back to normal.

"Natsuki, did you drive your motorcycle here?" I asked while eyeing her up and down. She looked nice, but her pale neck was marred by a spot of red and she looked like she hadn't slept in a long time.

"Yeah, the doc said I could ride, now that my concussion symptoms are down. Where's Koko?" She looked passed me to the thin blonde deadly weapon that was her aunt.

I followed her gaze to Morgan, who had pointed to my bedroom. "How do you know that she's upset?"

"Her accent gets thicker and I bet her eyes are a deep crimson." Natsuki said over my shoulder. She was so close but I didn't dare turn towards her.

Morgan suddenly smiled. "How do you know when she gets turned on?"

"Her voice deepens and she smiles like the devil. And -" Natsuki made a choking sound. I glanced behind me and saw that she had gone red. "Morgan! What the hell?"

"What? It's totally normal." Morgan shrugged.

I felt a smile tug at my mouth but before I could say anything, Natsuki bent over and pinned me to the couch with her hands on my shoulders. "You don't get to add anything. I am still angry that you refuse to tell me why you left the dance."

I smiled up at her and brought my hand up to place it against her cheek. "What if I told you that you could have been killed if I hadn't gone with Tomoe?" I asked softly in Japanese.

Her beautiful eyes widened, the extra light making them look like twin emeralds. "I'll still be angry." I felt deflated and I dropped my hand, looking away. Suddenly, a gentle hand lifted my chin. I stared at the coffee table. Natsuki carried on in a seductive murmur, "At myself, for not being there to stop them from taking you in the first place. Then I would thank you for being so brave and selfless." Warm grey silk washed over me and I snapped my focus back to her incredible eyes.

"Kannin na, my Natsuki." I whispered and I tugged her into a hug. "I cannot to this myself. But I need you to stay healthy. Please try to be more careful next time."

We broke apart at a loud squealing sound. "Oh Lordy! I don't even know what y'all said but you two are so cute!" Morgan sounded like she had gotten over her anger.

Koika came out of the room with a silent snarl on her face. "Morgan! Quit acting like a twelve year old!"

A sharp knocking at the door stopped Koika. Then a voice sounded through the apartment. "Fuuka PD! We received a disturbance call! Please open the door."

Kioka hurried to the door and opened it, allowing the police inside. Introductions were given. Morgan gave her account of the scene, since she was the first to witness it, through Koika's translation.

Natsuki wandered into the bedroom ahead of the police officers. Suddenly, Natsuki shouted a colorful curse word and a loud thud reverberated through the apartment.

Morgan, Koika and I stared at each other. I moved first, waving at them to stay in their seats. Koika moved to perch herself on the arm of the loveseat and Morgan wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'll see to Natsuki. Please try to relax. You both have already done so much."

Walking into the room, I stared at the total devastation that had ravaged my room. "Ara." At its center, my bed was torn to shreds. The comforter had long rents in it and my sheets hung in tatters off the sides. A black knife poked out of one of my pillows, and ignoring Natsuki's weak protest, I walked up to the pillow. The knife pierced a picture of Natsuki - dressed as Misaki - straight through her head. I grimaced, and looked at the rest of the damage. My dresser drawers were overturned, their contents strewn about the room, lying next to the rest of my things. My laptop was destroyed, its screen bent and cracked. Books, pictures, clothes: nothing stood in the way of the rage of the person who did this.

The worst of it was what had been scrolled across the walls. Obscenities and graphic images were either etched into the paint or painted on it in green. I felt faint. Tomoe had to have been here. Her proxies couldn't have pulled off the violent rage that was represented in my room. Something struck me. Maybe that's why Morgan thought we were being watched - Tomoe's proxies could have been monitoring my movements and updating their leader.

Natsuki was growling low in her throat. Turning, I noticed that she was standing near a dent in the wall. I wrapped an arm around her waist and patted at her stomach. "Natsuki." I murmured into her ear. "Please calm down. You cannot go hurting yourself again when you just recovered from your last injuries."

Natsuki's growls subsided and she leaned into me. "Zuru, how is it that you are so strong? I have never met someone who can handle a stalker the way you do."

Shivering at the use of my nickname, I led her out of the room so that the police could catalog this incident for their growing file. "Why, Natsuki, it is obvious. I am strong because I know that I have such wonderful people looking out for me. You should have seen me before we met."

Morgan and Koika stood up when we entered the living room. Morgan was looking concerned, while Koika was livid. I don't know why though.

"I just spoke to officer dumbass over there and found out that the police haven't picked up their patrols of the area, even though ARTEMIS has recommended it for all of the stalking cases." The small woman stamped her foot. "I know that stalking is very difficult to prove and the police can't investigate all the claims of but I know that you have a file with them on Shizuru's case! They know that Tomoe is dangerous, because she's assaulted you before! What's going to make them take this seriously?"

"Koko, please don't worry. The police didn't pick up their patrols on Shizuru's building because we didn't want to tip off Tomoe on Shizuru's location." I looked at Natsuki surprised by the revelation. She never mentioned it before. "I guessed that Tomoe hadn't figured out where Shizuru lives because all of her attacks were at The HiMe Star or other public areas. She has always received fan mail from her school PO Box or at the Star. No one but those closest to her knew of her home."

Morgan nodded in approval, and then asked, "I wonder how she was able to find out where you live, Shizuru. Do you take different routes home from work or school?"

I tilted my head, not liking the direction my thoughts were taking me. "Yes, because I am so busy, I often stay over at Anh's place or have to go to interviews straight from school. But I have a theory as to how she got a hold of my address." Looking at everyone in turn, I continued, "Tomoe may have gained access to my student records. She had revealed to me that she knew of my closeness to Natsuki and had somehow gotten a hold of one of her knives. She used it on me during her attempted rape. Since Natsuki and I have been careful about her appearances, she is only Natsuki around me during school." I took in a deep breath. That was hard.

Natsuki whirled on me. "When were you going to tell me that she found my knife? And when were you going to tell me what she said to you while I was beating the crap out of her men?" She asked, her back stiff with anger.

"Natsuki! Chill out!" Morgan scolded her. "Last time I checked, you two were not speaking to each other and did you happen to read your team's reports? I am sure that Shizuru has spoken to at least one of your teammates about this." I nodded, Nao had made sure to write down that Natsuki's knife was on Tomoe, in case Tomoe would try to frame Natsuki for something.

Natsuki flinched. "No, I haven't read the reports. Sorry Zuru." She had deflated and looked at her feet. "I had lost a knife when I threw it at Takeda the first time we met. He was creeping me out so I left the knife in the trunk of one of the trees in that little patch of forest outside the campus. After that, I had forgotten about it till now."

"Terrible form, Natsuki. I taught you better than that!" Morgan gave her niece a disapproving once over and crossed her arms. "Never leave your weapons behind - you don't know if your enemy will use them on your back."

Natsuki sighed and shook her head. "Yes, Miss Mo."

Koika walked over and gave Natsuki a small hug. "Now, now, don't be too hard on yourself. From the sound of it, we don't know if she had gotten to Shizuru's records. If so, then Shizuru can actually do some of the trace work herself. We could still turn this on Tomoe." Natsuki heaved a huge yawn. Koika added, "It's late, and the police have this area secure. I say we should all get some rest."

She hugged Natsuki and then stepped to me and gave me a quick hug. "Please look after each other?" We nodded at her and she looked at Morgan.

"Right! Good night, guys. Stay safe." Morgan gave Natsuki a bear hug and she whispered, "Still super proud of you, Baby Doll." Natsuki nodded into her shoulder, her face reddening.

Turning to me, Morgan gave me a gentle squeeze and said quietly, "Look after my Baby Doll for me, kay?" I chuckled and patted her back, letting her know that I heard her.

"Koika. Quit looking over their shoulders." Morgan said over my head as she withdrew.

I turned at Natsuki's snort to find that Koika had popped her head out of my room and scowled at her family. She directed a smile at me and said. "Shizuru-chan, I asked if it was okay for me to take a change of clothes for you. I found some PJ's but that's just about it."

I smiled at her. "Ookini, Miss Koika. But there's no need. I have -"

A hand clamped down on my mouth, cutting me off. Natsuki pressed into my side, causing a warm tingle of desire to race through me. "She's got a whole bunch of clothes at the club where she works. But a set of PJ's would be awesome for tonight."

All I could do was nod. I didn't know why Natsuki didn't want her aunts to know that she had accumulated a small number of my outfits. Right now I was too busy trying to ignore how close Natsuki was. Not being able to resist, I pursed my lips to give Natsuki's palm a kiss.

She shot off of me and her face was a bright red. Her expression was almost worth the loss of the feeling of her body against mine. "Zuru!"

I affected an innocent expression. See? I am a good girl. Natsuki wasn't as impressed as I'd hoped.

Morgan snorted. "If you and Shizuru weren't having sleepovers, then I'd be concerned. Y'all are crazy not to want to jump each other."

Twin shouts of "Morgan!" erupted from her family.

"What? Just sayin'."

Natsuki rolled her eyes and took the clothes from her shorter aunt. She then went to the kitchen and grabbed a grocery bag from my cabinet. I went to the front hall and pulled my helmet from its place in my hall closet. The two aunts followed Natsuki and me out to her bike.

"Please don't drive like a maniac, Natsuki. You're still recovering." Koika said with a worried expressing as she watched us climb on the bike.

Natsuki gave her a thumbs up and then waved at her aunts while firing up the machine. I nodded at them and clung to Natsuki's waist. We roared off in to the night.

When we got to her studio apartment, I let loose a sigh of relief as Natsuki came in after me and locked the door. Taking my shoes off and hanging up my jacket, I walked over to her couch and sank into it, the tension that I held in draining from me.

"So…" Natsuki began tentatively as she sat next to me.

I leaned over and put my head on her shoulder. "Kannin na, Natsuki. I wish I had told you sooner, but I just couldn't. Every time I close my eyes, there you were, battered and convulsing on the floor. I shudder to think what could have happened if I refused Tomoe."

Natsuki's arm wrapped around my shoulders. "It's okay, Zuru. When Koko told me that it is better for those with memory loss to gain that memory back themselves, I realized that you were partially trying to help. I was basically forcing you to relive a terrible experience and I am so, so, sorry." Remorse was heavy in her voice.

I raised my head and placed a kiss near Natsuki's healing burn on her neck. She tensed and hissed. I pulled back a little so I could look at her face. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Natsuki's rueful chuckles reverberated through her body and her eyes sparkled warmly down at me. "No. The skin is still new so it's a little sensitive. It also doesn't help that you're tickling me." Her free hand pressed mine into her hard stomach through the layers of clothing that she wore. Somehow, I had snaked it under her sweater and was playing my fingers across the soft skin there. I loved the feel of her taut muscles under her silky skin and had fallen back into my habit of stroking her stomach.

I tried to pull my hand away and blushed, looking away. Natsuki tightened her hold on me and I felt her lean down. "You don't have to stop. I am yours, after all." Puffs of air hit my temple and her lips caressed the skin there.

Startled, I raised my eyes to hers. They were so close I could see my wide eyed face reflected in the deep pools of green. "You remembered?"

Instead of answering, her lips found mine and she pulled me into her body. My eyes fluttered closed at the slow, sensual contact that she created. Content in letting her lead on, I settled for pushing my free hand under her sweater to join the one already on her stomach. I circled them around and ran my fingers over the smooth skin on her back. She broke away and my heavy breaths hitched when she pulled at the collar of my turtle neck and went to work on my neck. Her exploring mouth sent sparks of fire through me.

I moaned as she found a sensitive spot and I dug my nails into her back. She stiffened and pulled away. "You have far too many clothes on." She growled out as she pulled her own sweatshirt off, revealing a thin strapped tank top.

I nodded; if she was willing to strip off one of her layers, then I was, too. She stilled and stared at my eyes as long as she could. As soon it was over my head, she took it gently out of my hands and tossed it to the floor. Once again she drew me into a deep kiss. Her hands held my head so softly. She let go to caress her hands over my body and I anchored myself to her with my arms around her neck. She gently shifted her weight and I followed.

Suddenly, the couch's cushions pressed into my back and Natsuki's body rested on mine. Grey slanted eyes flashed across my vision. I felt phantom hands roughly pull at my clothes and cruel teeth bite into my neck.

I gasped and snapped my eyes to her face, breaking the kiss. Natsuki had propped herself on her forearms, with her hands cradling the pillow under my head. The tips of her raven hair tickled my upper chest. Her eyes were studying me with a kind intensity. "Is this okay?" She asked softly.

Tears welled in my eyes. Why is she so kindhearted? I had essentially accused her of cheating and couldn't trust her enough to tell her about Tomoe. She was sporting numerous injuries and was suffering from short term amnesia. Yet here she was, worried that she had hurt me. My vision blurred as those tears fell.

I brought my hands to her face and stroked my fingers against her cheeks. "My dear Natsuki. You are wonderful beyond words."

She pulled her hands out from behind my pillow and sat back. Grasping my wrists, she kissed the underside of one and said, "I could never forget the terror in your eyes as you lay under her." Kissing the other in the same way, she then put each hand over her heart. "And I will never forgive myself for not getting to you before she hurt you. But I will try hard to erase her from your mind. If you will let me." She ended her softly spoken speech and looked at me with forlorn eyes.

It was too much. She was too much. I pulled my hands away from her chest and put them over my face as my body racked with my quiet sobs. She let me cry and shifted so she could pull me into a tight hug. I clung to her neck as I buried my face into her shoulder. Tender fingers brushed through my hair and light caresses played across my back.

"In many ways, my injuries are nothing compared to almost being kidnapped and raped twice. Three times, if you include those men from the beach. And yet you still give people that beautiful smile, even though you know they could hurt you. I am amazed by you every day." She pulled away to study my face and brushed away my tears with gentle hands. "You are so strong, Shizuru. It just makes me love you more." Her smooth husk was low and full of pride.

I giggled through my tears. Only Natsuki would sound like that while declaring her love. "Thank you, my fierce Natsuki." I gave her a tender kiss. "Tonight has been trying, and you have done a wonderful job comforting me, but you are exhausted. We should head to bed."

Natsuki blushed and hopped off the couch. I was tired emotionally and physically. After changing, I climbed into Natsuki's bed and waited for her to crawl in with me. She gave me a questioning look and I opened my arms. She snuggled into me and sighed, acting like a little puppy.

I combed through her soft hair with my fingers, and said, "I love you, too, my Natsuki."

She mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "It's cause I'm cute." And I smiled as I closed my eyes. That was certainly part of it.

AN: Yay! They're back together! What's going to happen next? I have no clue! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and all of you who are favoriting the story and following it!

As always- Reviews are awesome!