Here's the next chapter. Just to warn you, the next few may be a few days late; I'm working with a 5th grade basketball team after school now, so I will be late getting home, I've got mountains of homework (actually I should be doing that now instead of this -guilty face-) and I've got to edit these next few chapters a bit more, so sorry if I don't post the next few every day.

Disclaimer:

Who: Me

What: Does not own this.

Where: Anywhere.

When: Ever.

Why: Because Sunrise is a bitch and I'm poor.

The storage facility Shizuru had mentioned was actually another apartment. It was across town from where she lived. Natsuki had never been there before. Shizuru pulled out her keys and chose one off the ring Natsuki had never seen her use. Shizuru opened the door and stepped inside. Natsuki followed her, eyes wide as Shizuru flicked the light switch. The room was lined with cardboard boxes. A small couch and an old TV were pushed off to one side, Shizuru began navigating through the boxes and Natsuki followed.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki's voice was still rough, "What…?"

Shizuru gave a weak smile, "I've had this for years, during the Carnival, when your apartment was destroyed…" both shuddered at the memory, but she continued, "I thought it prudent to have a safe place." She led Natsuki through the maze of boxes to a back room. This apartment was a lot smaller that the one that was now burning. There was a small bathroom and a single bedroom. They entered the bedroom and Shizuru opened the closet revealing racks and racks of clothing. She pointed out one rack.

"Those are yours." She said quietly. Natsuki stepped forward and examined the clothes. She looked at Shizuru incredulously. Shizuru had bought duplicates of some of Natsuki's favorite outfits; they still had tags on them. Shizuru shrugged, "Always be prepared." she smiled, and Natsuki smiled back after a moment. Shizuru then pulled two suitcases down from the shelf at the top of the closet, handing one to Natsuki. She lay hers on the nearest of two cots pushed against the wall and began packing her clothes. Natsuki followed suit and soon they were both packed up.

Shizuru looked at the clock; it was nearly 4 AM. "I suppose we should get some sleep." She wandered over to another corner of the room where a few sleeping bags were stacked. She chose one and rolled it out on one of the cots. Natsuki grabbed one too, but she first pushed her cot up against Shizuru's. Shizuru watched her roll it out, then picked up a third bag herself. This time, after unrolling it, she unzipped it and draped it over the top of the rest. Natsuki smiled weakly at her. "You should take a shower Natsuki, you'll feel better."

Natsuki paused a moment, turning away to hide her tears "I don't want to be alone," her voice was choked, and Shizuru wrapped her arms around Natsuki's waist from behind.

"I won't leave you." She whispered, leading Natsuki to the small bathroom.

When the alarm went off at 7 AM, neither wanted to get up; 2 ½ hours of sleep was not nearly enough. But Shizuru managed it, thinking that they really needed to get on the road. She entered the main room while Natsuki rolled over, snoring loudly. Shizuru unpacked one of the many boxes that were pushed into a corner. She carefully removed one of several pieces that were meant to be connected. She stared at the gleaming metal. One swipe; that's all it would take to end that man's miserable life. As she stared at the blade, her reflection caught. She stared at her own piercing red eyes. No. She placed it back in the soft packing material and closed the box. She would not be the monster again, she had promised, herself, Natsuki, the other HiMEs. After all the carnage, they had gotten together and made a promise, a pact. No one would get hurt because of them again. It was a promise Shizuru would keep.

After several tries, she managed to wake Natsuki up with a long kiss. Natsuki looked up at her and her eyes, usually so bright and deep, were dull and flat. "Let's go, Natsuki."

When they exited the building, however, it was to an unpleasant site. Yoshiro was slumped down on the sidewalk, leaning against the buildings' wall looking ragged and broken. Her stared up at them. "No!" His face was red with tears. "I'm sorry Natsuki! I was angry, I don't…Your bike is fine, I think, I didn't…" his hands were gesturing wildly, "I swear, I don't know what happened to it. I just said that because I wanted to hurt you like you hurt me…and I didn't know they were going to burn..." He crumpled, "You don't believe me, I wouldn't believe me…" The man broke down in tears at that point. Shizuru saw Natsuki looking guilty, so she quickly pulled her to the car. The ruined man continued desperate pleas as Shizuru started the engine and left him there.

Shizuru was wary; how had he known where to wait? She kept a vigilant watch while she drove, looking for signs of treachery.

Natsuki was quiet for a long time. Shizuru glanced at her every now and again, always seeing her staring blankly out the window, not really seeing the landscape. Shizuru drove for hours; stopping only once at a gas station as night began to fall. Finally Natsuki spoke.

"I believe you…" it came out as barely more than a whisper, but Shizuru heard easily. "I should have found some way to make it work…" Shizuru's hands gripped the wheel tighter and the car sped up slightly. "He didn't deserve this; I wish none of this had happened…" Shizuru had had enough. She slowed and pulled to the side of the highway. Natsuki's head snapped up. "What's wrong Shizuru?"

"Natsuki. I am glad this happened." Natsuki looked at her incredulously but she continued, "I should have said this to you years ago, but better late than never I suppose. It's not fair; to me, to him, or to you. What do you want from me? Do you want me to tell you, 'Oh you're right, we'd have been better off keeping this a secret for the rest of our lives'? Because I won't tell you that. It is not true. I love you Natsuki. I would do anything for you. Now we can finally move on…Do you believe it is possible to be in love with two people at once?"

After a moment Natsuki shook her head, "No. You're right. I never should have lead him on." She looked out the window her expression one of sorrow, "I do love him. I do, but I'm not in love with him."

Shizuru gently reached for Natsuki's hand, and squeezed it. "I know. He really is a good guy."

"I hurt him so bad…"

They sat in silence for several minutes, but then Shizuru started the engine again and they were on the road again. It was still a long way to Kyoto. Not too many cars on the road, headlights shining far enough back that they were just a specks, fireflies in the night. There was a motorcycle not too far behind, quickly gaining. Shizuru was going the speed limit; she frowned at the blatant disregard of the law but before she could decide if she was going to honk or not, Natsuki spoke.

"So, you said earlier, we're going to your father's house?"

Shizuru nodded.

"What about your mother?"

Shizuru started slightly at the question. She and Natsuki had not spent much time speaking about their families; she had actually not been asked that question since she was small. "Oh, well, Natsuki and I have something in common in that area."

"Oh." after a moment Natsuki asked, "What's your father like?"

"He's great." Shizuru smiled, "Has a good sense of humor too. I think you'll like him, and I know he'll like you."

"Does he know…?"

"Yes. He actually loves it," Shizuru smiled at the memory, "When I told him, he said, 'Oh good, I don't have to worry about boys with inappropriate ideas.' And then he realized that I might get ideas." She snorted.

Natsuki looked wistfully out the window, "I wish my father was like that."

Shizuru glanced to the side to give Natsuki a quick smile.

"Actually, my father was one of the reasons-"

That was when the motorcycle hit them.

The screaming of an ambulance filled Shizuru's ears. She stirred and opened her eyes. Colored lights flashing surrounded by darkness filled her vision. She wasn't completely sure where she was or how she got there. All she knew was something was terribly, terribly wrong. She tried to move and found a sharp jolt stinging pain in her leg and chest.

Things started coming back to Shizuru in flashes.

Driving. Car. Natsuki. Motorcycle.

She moved her arm, ignoring the pain that shot through her, and reached toward Natsuki.

There was nothing where Natsuki should have been. The space was empty. Shizuru tried to speak, but before the words could come, the world faded into darkness.