Hey, here I am with chapter 10 of Second Chance. I've yet again rewrote the whole chapter again. What can I say? Everything has to mesh well or it doesn't come out. Anyway, summer sucks. Bring on college! Don't own SM or GW or any names, companies, products, places or things that sound familiar. Don't sue just review. C-ya!
"Wake up, we're almost there." A voice said and Ami blinked as consciousness slowly began to return to her psyche. Gradually the blur in front of her began to take the form of Lita's face, leaning back from the passenger seat. The gentle sway of the car and the beat of wind coming in from a rolled down window greeted her as the rest of her senses finally kicked in. She let out a yawn, noticing a pair of sunglasses slopping forward on her nose, threatening to fall off her face all together. "Come on don't make me come back there." Lita said with a laugh as she turned back around in her seat.
Ami finally lifted her head up only to see a face framed with blond hair only a few inches from her own. 'Quatre?' Confusion was the only thing registering in her head for a few seconds before she became aware of the arm that was wrapped around her waist, keeping her close to the owner of said arm and her head rested on the shoulder attached to that arm. Ami looked back to the face as one blue eye peeked open, closely followed by another. They widened then the whole face relaxed as the arms, now Ami could see that there were two, tightened around her.
"Sleep well?" Ami nodded as another yawn swelled in her throat, making her eyes water.
"My legs are a little cramped." She yawned out and looked down to see that she had been indeed, curled into a ball while leaning against Quatre, who was sitting in the seat normally. A smirk played on his face as one of his arms let go of her waist to reach up and push the sunglasses up on her nose before trailing around her face until his thumb caressed her chin lightly, making goose bumps erupt on her skin. A blush lit her cheeks as her breath caught and his smirk widened.
"Hm." He said before looking around. "Well, you'll get your chance to stretch them soon enough, we're about there now." Ami stopped staring at him long enough to look out the window at the familiar scenery of Newport. Thankful for the sunglasses, Ami let out a groan.
"What time is it?" She asked.
"Nearly two." Trowa said from the driver's seat. Another groan escaped Ami's lips as the morning came back to her. After spending the night at Setsuna's housethe guys, well Heero and Wufei, had woken everyone up at the ungodly hour of four in the morning, claiming that they had something important to do and that they had to leave immediately. In a sleepy haze they had gone back to the hotel, packed, changed, and checked out. Ami had to cancel her breakfast appointment with her father, who had promptly asked to speak with Lita. They were still planning out the Golden Locks Benefit when, after grabbing a bite to eat on the road, Ami drifted off to sleep. Only she didn't exactly remember being curled up next to Quatre when she fell asleep. She had sat by him, as Trowa had volunteered to drive since Quatre had driven on the way there, but she hadn't been just close enough to see the way the sunlight played off his slightly upturned nose. Or to feel the rhythmic intake and exhale of breath as his eyes swept the view that the windows provided.
Ami's eyes darted across his profile, drinking him in like water; from his rumpled hair that tickled across his forehead with the gust of the breeze to his slightly parted lips. A playful thought crossed her mind as she remembered the kiss she had given them yesterday. The brazen kiss that had both racked her nervous system and left a small tingle on her lips. 'I wonder what would happen if I tried it again?' Tickled her mind and she blushed, quickly looking away and trying not to focus on Quatre's hand, that was now moving around her back in the most addictive, soothing circles. He was driving her crazy without even knowing it. 'Maybe I shouldn't have taken that last pill…'
"Oh, I love this song." Lita said learning forward to turn the radio up until the Green Day song When September Ends resounded around the car. Ami let her head fall back on Quatre's shoulder as she looked forward, letting sleep tug at her mind again. She watched curiously as Lita's hand reached over and rested over Trowa's on the gear shift. Her soon-to-be step brother looked over at Lita, who was gazing out of the window, seemingly innocent to the whole act, then looked back in front of him again. Ami smiled then looked back at Quatre who had missed the whole exchange. He looked down at her and she took her sunglasses off and put them on him instead.
"How do I look?" He asked and she yawned again, burying her face in his neck, basking in the familiar scent that lingered there. He stiffened when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Adorable." She sighed. He frowned, taking the sunglasses off and pushing them up in her hair.
"Well then I can't wear them. I can't walk around looking adorable." He said indignantly. Ami rolled her eyes as a giggle escaped her lips.
"Oh yes. We wouldn't want that now would we?" She said in a sarcastic tone.
"I'll loose my street cred." He stated and Ami wrinkled her nose.
"What street cred? You're Quatre Winner. I doubt you've been out on the street without Rashid or some other bodyguard around you." Ami said and Quatre frowned as a laugh came from of all the people in the car, Trowa as he pulled up to Lita's house. Ami nodded in satisfaction as she pulled herself away from Quatre and opened the door.
"Well this certainly was a memorable trip." Lita said as she got out of the car and stretched. "But I must admit I am glad to be home. I wonder if Mina's dropped off Duo yet." Trowa went to the back of the car to get Lita's bag from the luggage compartment.
The Maxwell residence was as grand as the rest of group's houses and sat in a gated community that Trowa had to have the code to enter. The two story, white wash, modern style sat on a lush green yard where two guys were busy cutting the grass without shirts on. The Pacific Ocean gleaming in the distance. Lita removed her sunglasses and smirked. "Only in the O.C. I bet mom and dad should be getting home from church soon. They always stay so long after to talk to everyone." She said with a sigh as they started up the walk to the house, Trowa following them with Lita's bag. In her experience with them, Ami had discovered that the Maxwell's were very kind people. Solo was the priest of a huge church that a lot of high profile Silicon valley CEO's, old money types, and even a few celebrities attended, while Helene ran the bible study groups and helped maintain the business aspect of the congregation.
"He seems a lot calmer this morning then he was last night." Ami whispered to Lita as Trowa hurried passed them.
"Yea, no kidding. Maybe it has to do with whatever the guystalked about last night before they went to sleep." Lita said and Ami nodded, blushing as one of the lawn guys paused to watch them as they passed.
"Perhaps."
"Hey, your dad and I got just about everything for the Golden Locks benefit planned out now. It's going to be better then ever this year. Your dad is really cool." Ami nodded as Trowa walked passed them again, Lita's bag now settled at the door. "We'll probably get a lot for his paintings. Especially since he'll be there too."
The door opened and one of the maids grabbed Lita's bag as they arrived at the front door.
"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." Ami said and Lita smiled, giving her a quick hug.
"You bet. Oh yea, and ask your mom if you can stop by Raye's on the way home after swim practice." Lita looked around to where the gardeners had gone back to tending to the lawn then dropped her voice low. "We're having a scout meeting, we always have them after school but with Serena always in detention, Mina and Raye doing their sports, Darien's volunteer work at the hospital and me always trying to pull Duo away from girls we always end up having it later." Ami nodded, smiling at the thought.
"I'm sure I can come."
"Great. Oh, and bring ear plugs. Serena and Raye like to yell a lot." They bid each other farewell then Ami walked back to the car.
"Time to get you home." Quatre said, he was back in the driver's seat again and Trowa was sitting next to him. Ami climbed into the back and tuned out the boys light but somewhat forced conversation as she gazed out of the window. As soon as she got home Ami was going to take a long shower then a long nap by the pool, perhaps taking a book to read in case she woke up before the sunset.
The laziness of March and the promise of long summer days and longer summer nights were starting to take its toll on her and there were still three months of school left. 'I've really got to try to focus on school more, especially since I'll be adding one more extra curricular activity to my schedule. And who knows when they'll be an attack. I've got to keep myself academically prepared for a day without study time.'
"Ami?" Trowa turned around in his seat as he opened the door. The girl in question blinked then blushed when she realized that they were home. She quickly unlatched her seatbelt then climbed out, pulling the sunglasses from her hair where Quatre had placed them, over her eyes.
"Thanks for the ride Quatre." Ami said. He pulled her bag from the back as Trowa grabbed his own as well as his laptop case.
"It was no problem at all." He said shutting the door and motioning for Ami to follow after Trowa as the tall young man headed up the walkway. "It was actually nice to forget about duties for a few days. Thank you for inviting us." Quatre said and Ami nodded, slowing down and grabbing Quatre's arm to slow him down as well until Trowa was a distance away.
"And sorry for you know, on the beach." Quatre's eyes downcast from hers for a second then he gave her an encouraging half smile. The serene aloofness that had magnetized her to Quatre when he was in the car seemed to have disappeared and Ami scratched at her arm, her whole face burning.
"We'll talk about that later. When we're both ready for it ok?" Ami nodded and looked down at her feet, the great pressure that had been pushing her posture down was removed.
"Promise." She said and he smiled, gave her a quick kiss on the forehead then headed for the door again.
"Amelia Anderson, get your little behind in here and give your Aunt Emily a hug." A woman, who looked not unlike Ami's mom wearing a white velour suit with black flip flops that matched the shirt she wore under the jacket, opened the door and a stunned Trowa stopped walking.
Ami's cheeks burned as the neighbors across the street stopped loading a white truck to look at where the screaming was coming from. Ami ducked her head shyly and the woman placed her hands on her amble hips then brushed passed Trowa, walking down to hug an embarrassed Ami.
"Is that any way to treat me after I traveled all the way from Seattle to see you? Oh and look at you. A spitting image of me at that age." She said a proud grin on her face.
"Hello Aunt Emily. I didn't know you were coming here this weekend." Ami said and the taller woman with almost midnight black hair with navy highlights, crossed her arms.
"Well of course you didn't. But we'll talk about that over a late lunch. Your mother said you weren't supposed to be back until much later." She said as she grabbed Ami's arm and tugged her passed a confused Quatre. "Oh who's the cutie with the bag? You always did go for blonds just like I did." Quatre blushed as he followed them. "Oh and you must be Trowa." She stopped briefly to look over her soon to be nephew. His eyebrows rose as he looked at Ami for an explanation. "You look just like your daddy you know, only with a far more fascinating hair style. How do you do that? Gel?"
"Oh dear, Emily," Ami's mother appeared at the door wearing the same white velour set that her sister was wearing, only her shoes and v-neck t-shirt were lavender. "please don't harass them, they're probably tired." She said sending an apologetic look to Ami.
"I'm not harassing anyone." Emily put an arm around her niece. "We were merely bonding."
"Same thing in your case. Trowa I'd like to introduce you to my sister who kindly decided to pop in for a visit. And Quatre, it's wonderful to see you as always." She added to Quatre as he finally reached the group. Emily smiled.
"My, my so it is serious, already met the parents and everything. I declare Amelia, you're getting more and more like me everyday." She said and Ami blushed again.
"Emily, Quatre is a friend of Trowa's."
"Sure he is Kia. That's why he's carrying Ami's bags. But whatever, this isn't my household. I'm just a guest." She said finally leaving the group to flow back inside.
"I'm sorry you guys. I hope your trip was pleasant?" Trowa nodded and Kia reached forward and gave him a hug. "Well I'm glad you made it home safely." Trowa's cheeks tingled pink and Ami couldn't help but smile at the sight as her mother pulled away and shook her head as if to clear away the moment. "Well, I'm sure you're tired, Quatre would you like to come in? I promise I'll hold my sister off." Quatre smiled but shook his head.
"Actually I've got to be getting home. My parents are probably wondering where I am." He said and she smiled again.
"Very well, do tell your mother I said hello and thank you, she'll know what you're talking about." He nodded, placing Ami's bag down.
"I will. I'll talk to you later Trowa." He sent a look towards Ami, giving her the same message then turned and headed back to his car.
Trowa grabbed Ami's bag without saying a word and ducked inside. "You know Emily's got a point. You two are cute together." Ami's mouth gaped open as her mother let out a laugh and pulled her inside. Trowa was no where to be seen but there were sample flower arrangements, cakes, dinner settings, half picked at entrees, pictures of table centerpieces, invitations, thank you notes and fabric swatches strewn about the room.
"I know it's a mess but I was looking at my calendar and I realized that the wedding is only two months away and I panicked. I just had to call Emily because according to The Complete Idiots Guide to Wedding Planning, you're supposed to have the church booked three to four months in advance. I'm not very good at planning these types of things, you know how I am." Ami nodded as she looked around in amazement.
"Well, have you got anything accomplished?" She asked and her mother nodded.
"Oh yes. The Maxwells are going to do the service at their church and we're going to have the reception on the beach. The Winner's have this great place in Malibu and they offered to let us use it and a week's stay at their vacation home in Aruba as our wedding gift. That dear family is so generous." Ami almost laughed at the dreamy state that her normally cookie cutter mother went into. She hadn't seen her this excited in, well, ever.
"Look who I found trying to hide in the pool house." Emily marched Catherine out. She was wearing the same white velour suit with green sandals and shirt. Catherine blushed as she tried to hide her cell phone behind her back.
"Sorry." She mumbled and Kia just smiled. Ami noticed that she'd been doing that a lot lately.
"Oh don't worry about it."
"Well I don't know about you but I'm ready to get started on our day of beauty." Emily said and Ami looked at her mom, whose cheeks stained red.
"This really isn't necessary." She said but Emily waved the thought away.
"Of course it is. How do you expect to plan a proper wedding all knotted up. Oh Ami, I've got your suit in here too."
"Actually I'm a little tired." Ami tried as the woman disappeared around the corner.
"I know. That's why a day of massaging and pampering is just what you need." She said pulling out a white suit with blue flip flops and shirt from her large bag. "Now you did wear extra small right?"
"Man, what's up with all the missions lately? I mean the doctors are the ones who told us to keep our normal lives to lessen suspicions about who we are. I hope they know that I have the SAT's to study for." Duo sat down on one of the chairs in Heero's living room and looked at the ceiling. They had the place to themselves since Heero's parents were gone to a United Earth Nations convention in Japan, who his father was an ambassador for.
"Duo quit complaining." Wufei sent a glare in the braided ones direction. "You're beginning to give me a headache."
"Well, luckily the doctors are still decoding information and we have another week to prepare for this mission, that way we still have time to finish repairs on the mobile suits." Heero broke them up as he looked away from his laptop. Duo blinked rapidly.
"It begins in one week?" He asked, his hands gripping the arms of the chair. Heero nodded.
"Yes, why?"
"Why? Hello aren't you forgetting a wonderful thing called Spring Break? It starts next week." He stated and Heero nodded.
"I'm aware of that. That's why this is going to be a good mission unless someone finds a way to screw it up." He sent Duo a glare as his rambunctious friend leaned back in his seat. His arms crossed and a pout on his lips.
"Stop being so pathetic Maxwell." Wufei said and Duo looked over at him, his legs bouncing now.
"Well so-rry if I expected to actually break during Spring Break." Duo said and Quatre sighed.
"How long do they think the mission will take?" He asked and Heero closed down his computer.
"A couple of days at the very least. They've set up a safe house somewhere around L3. I've got the coordinates to program into the autopilot tracking systems." Heero said and Duo rolled his eyes.
"Of course they did. And I'm sure it's got a full servant staff and a free continental breakfast. Those shacks they set up could hardly be called houses. I'd sooner be a sitting duck in my gundam, floating around space then stay in one of those flea infested places."
"Maxwell you've got no pride." Wufei yelled, his eyebrow twitching. "I don't know about you guys but I'm personally tired of his bitching. He's starting to sound like Raye after a Negaverse attack." He said and Quatre nearly snickered from the look that came over Duo's face.
"You're a really ass you know what Wu-man! I don't know how Raye can stand to listen to all your injustice rambling, let alone kiss you." A disgusted look over came Duo's face as Wufei's flamed red.
"I told you to never call me that degrading name again Maxwell." He said and Duo just grinned.
"Well from what I've heard, Raye calls you a far worse name. What was that again? Oh yea, Wuffers. That's a classic."
"Prepare to die weakling." Wufei shouted jumping up. Trowa had an amused look on his face while Quatre chuckled behind his hand and Heero ran a his through his hair.
"Regardless of what you want and don't want, we do have a mission and it is our duty to fulfill it. You can do what you like until next Sunday night, I'll be repairing my Gundam." Heero stood and walked between the dueling pair, his laptop folded in a black carrying case.
"Yuy, what the hell you can't just walk through a fight!" Wufei yelled, dropping his guard to reprimand the Perfect Solider. Duo smiled at the opportunity and before Wufei could turn around again Duo had tugged his jeans to his ankles to expose red cotton boxers with little devils all over them.
"I bet Raye got you those." Duo called as he ran after Heero. Wufei turned bright red in anger and embarrassment then pulled up his pants and ran after the braided youth.
"Now you're really going to die Maxwell!"
"You know, I actually think Duo deserves it this time." Quatre said with a smirk tugging his mouth. Trowa just nodded as the two went after their comrades.
Ami turned red from holding in her laughter as the woman continued rubbing her legs and extremely ticklish feet with cooling/exfoliating scrub. It was the last treatment of the day and would've been by the far the most relaxing if she didn't get the nervy tingle to laugh every time her feet were rubbed. Catherine's nose wrinkled up as a small giggle escaped Ami's mouth. She had gone through most of the day reasonably quite. Throughout the manicures and pedicures, full body heated stone therapy and cucumber facials she had said about ten words as her mom and aunt talked about the old days. And now she was finally making a sound. Another giggle echoed around the room and Catherine flipped her head to look at her soon to be step-sister.
"Ticklish?" Catherine asked as her own legs were being wiped off with warm towels that contrasted with the cooling effect of the scrub. Ami's cheeks crimsoned as she nodded.
"I can't help it. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you." Catherine shook her head as she pushed herself up on her elbows.
"Not at all. Actually, this was supposed to be a sisterly bonding session and we haven't even had one conversation. So, did you have fun this weekend?" Ami nodded as the tickling stopped and a warm cloth was laid over her legs.
"Oh yes. It was nice to get away for a little while and the concert was very good. My friend played very well."
"I'm glad. You were so quiet and reserved at first. Well, you still kind of are but you're finally sticking your head out a little. And a lot as far as certain blond heirs go." Ami blushed even more as Catherine smiled. "I'm happy that you've got someone to blush about. Emily was talking all about him when she found me in the pool house. She thinks he's the cutest thing."
"Speaking of her, sorry she attacked. Had I known that she was coming I would've stayed and tried to protect you from her." Ami said and Catherine laughed.
"No one shy of God could protect me from her. Besides she's nice. I like her. She says that we're fitting for bride's maids dresses Saturday afternoon. Now they're trying to rush everything. We're wearing lilac." Ami's eyebrows shot up.
"Really?" Ami pushed herself up on her elbows like Catherine had, suddenly intrigued.
"Yep, lilac and cream is the color scheme they chose." Catherine stated.
"What did you do all weekend?" Catherine smiled at Ami's question.
"Practiced. The circus is going back on tour this summer and I was working on my acts. Hey, you should think about joining us." She said and Ami looked down at her manicured hands.
"Oh, I'm not really talented at anything."
"Alright, all done." Both of their masseuses said at the same time as they stood back.
"Thank you both so much." Catherine said as she sat up, pulling her towel tighter around her chest as she did. "We'll be sure to give you both big tips. That was amazing."
Ami felt her cheeks darken as she pushed herself up and held tight to her towel at the same time. As much as she liked the treatments she didn't know if she'd be coming back anytime soon. Getting completely undressed shy of a towel wasn't exactly her idea of relaxing.
"Actually," One of the masseuses said once Ami was up and her towel was tightly clenched to her. "we can think of a better payment." A feeling a dread and fear ripped through her as before her eyes the two polite ladies dressed in white transformed into one hideous creature with heating stones as hands, and green exfoliating cream covering its body. Catherine let out a gasp as Ami mentally cursed herself for having left her transformation pen in her purse, which was in the women's locker room. "Give me your energy!" It screamed as a stream of hot green stuff shot at their heads from both of its hands. Ami ducked, pulling Catherine with her and turned around to see giant, boiling holes where the muck had landed on the wall.
"It's acid!" Ami whispered. Suddenly there was a loud scream from the other side of the wall where her mother and Aunt were.
"It sounds like there's another one over there too." Catherine said, fright written across her face. "What are we going to do? Where's a Sailor Scout when you need one?" Ami bit her lip as she looked around for a place Catherine could hide so that she could get her pen and call for back up.
"You can duck but you can't hide. Now stop playing games and give me your energy!" Ami looked up and let out a scream as one black eye looked down at them and aimed an arm down at their heads again. A sinister smile spread across the monster's face. "Say goodnight."
"Not so fast scum bag! Did someone order a Sailor Scout?" The youma looked up and let out a growl as Sailor Venus stepped in the door. "This is supposed to be a place of beauty and relaxation and I won't have you tromping around, ruining innocent people's day. My name is Sailor Venus and I will punish you in the name of Venus."
"Enough chatting I have better things to do then waste my time with you." The youma said as she turned and charged the Scout of Love who easily dodged the attack.
"Ditto ugly." Venus said as she kissed her fingers. "Venus Chain Encircle!" The monster let out a scream and Venus looked at Ami and Catherine. "You two hurry and get out of here." She sent Ami a wink then turned back to the monster, who was mumbling but recovering from the weak attack.
"Come on." Ami said to Catherine, helping her hurry out of the room.
"We've got to do something." Catherine said and Ami nodded.
"Ok, you go see if you can help Mom and Emily and I'll go warn everyone and get help." Ami said and Catherine nodded and left for the other room while Ami ran down the hall towards the locker rooms. The commotion had many of the clients looking out of their rooms and a few workers running to see what the ruckus was. "Stay away, there's youma in the back rooms." A wave of screams and appalled, goo covered faces was the last thing Ami saw before she pushed through the doors into the locker room only to stop dead in her tracks.
"You don't know how long I've wished to see you wearing only a towel again Ami." Zach said, only he was wearing a grey suit that had green piping around the cape that was attached to it. He was leaning against her locker with a smug smirk on his face.
"It's true. You're one of them." Ami gasped and he nodded once.
"Actually you'll know me as General Zoicite now, but other then that, right as always Ami, or should I say Sailor Mercury." He looked up as she took an involuntary step back, clutching the towel tighter and desperately wishing she had something on under it. The look he was sending her suggested that he could see right through the terry cloth.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She said and he pushed himself from the locker. She took another step back.
"Don't you? Isn't it the reason you came here, to get that stupid transformation pen. Ha, do you even know how to use the thing? You've never actually been Sailor Mercury in this life have you? What if you're just as confused about what to do as you are now? You know you've never really been that confident Ami." He said, now he was only five feet away and she was backed against the door, feeling for the cool metal of the door handle. "That's why your little friend, Sailor V I believe she calls herself, is going to die in that pitiful battle. She's not fairing too good right now actually."
"You're lying." She shouted and he smiled.
"You know me, I wouldn't lie to you Ami." He took another step forward. "Actually she still might have a chance at living. All of your friends in fact. All you have to do is come with me and we'll spare their lives." He said, the dark gleam reflecting in the center of his piercing green eyes. "Come with me to the Negaverse and we'll have our old lives back again. I still care for you very much and I know you care for me too Ami. I can see it in your eyes." Ami felt her eyes become heavy as a fog seemed to shroud her mind with every word. 'Don't listen to him!' She told herself as she tried to look away from his eyes.
"We can have that again. And power as well, the power to do whatever we want to do, to go where we want to go. Just you and me forever. Don't give that up Ami what we have is special." Ami gripped the door handle to keep balanced, whatever was happening was slowly taking away her brains ability to control her extremities since no matter how much she ordered them her feet wouldn't run. "I said I loved you and I meant Ami and I know you meant it too. Don't throw that away." Tears blurred him together but it didn't matter. He had already closed the distance between them in a few strides. Fear gripped her heart as his body pressed against hers. But there was no warmth there.
Ami shook her head and tried to push him away. "No, stop. You're not real, you're just an illusion. Just, a shadow puppet that's being controlled. The real Zach would never hurt me like you did. And I know he's in there somewhere, buried underneath all the hatred and evil. I'd never go with you in a million years Zoicite." Ami said and he smiled.
"I'm not real?" He said, his smirking face dipping down towards hers. Ami tried to push harder using her strength against the door but he caught her hands in one arm and crushed them together. Ami let out a cry that was instantly smothered by Zoicite's lips as he pressed his body painfully against hers. A dark panic ripped at her heart as she tried to turn her head away, hot tears streaming down her face.
"Zoicite stop, please." She said when he pulled away to kiss her neck, his hand still keeping a bone crushing grip on her wrists so that they had actually gone numb.
"Why stop now? I've already had you once Mercury. We are one. Don't fight it. Just come with me. We can rule together along with Queen Beryl." He said. His freezing cold breath prickling her skin and making goosebumbs spread over it.
"Is she the one who turned you into this monster?" Ami spat and he smirked.
"I'm no monster Ami. I just saw an opportunity I couldn't pass up and took it." A whimper escaped her mouth as his other hand easily pulled out the knot in the towel, making him pressing against her the only thing keeping it up. "And I have you to thank for the extra power." He said, his gloved finger running along her chin. "Now I've got not only the powers passed on from my past lives and the Negaverse, but also a little bit from the planet of ice." He smiled as an ice rose formed in his hand. "A rose for a rose." He smirked as he tucked the mini sculpture behind her ear. "And what have you done with your gorgeous hair? My god how are you supposed to rule with pixie hair? Oh well, your little quirky flaws are what I loved about you."
"Ami where are you?" A distant voice called. Zoicite scowled, looking left of her head to the door.
"Damn your friends have horrible timing." He looked back at her and smirked. "It looks like we'll be continuing this conversation later." With that he disappeared in a whirl of cherry blossoms. Ami stayed where she was for a second, drawing in deep breaths as her eyes swept the room to make sure he was really gone before a cry cut through her and she slid to the floor holding the front of the towel together.
"Ami? Ami is that you?" The voice sounded like it belonged to Lita. The second entrance a few feet away banged open and the tall girl ran in. A furious look was on her face as she looked around then heard the sniffle to her lower left and looked down. Her anger instantly melted as she quickly crouched next to her friend. "What happened?" She said looking down at the girl's hands.
"Hey Lita did you-oh my god." Raye said as she ran in closely followed by Mina.
"Oh Ami what happened? I was worried when you didn't come back." Mina said dabbing at her tears with one of the white towels that was piled on the side of the door.
"I'm sorry, I tried to make it back but he, I-" Ami looked down at her bruised hands. Raye frowned as she leaned forward and placed a hand over the girl's head. She closed her eyes and concentrated until a blurry picture of the previous moments appeared in her head. When she pulled away confusion marred Raye's features but she pulled the smaller girl into a hug anyway.
"What did you see?" Mina mouthed but Raye just closed her eyes again as Ami's tears finally came out.
"It's okay Ami, he's gone now." She said rubbing her back.
"I don't know what I'm going to do." Ami said and Raye sent her a small smile.
"We'll worry about it later. How about we get you dressed and back to your mom okay? She was frantic with worry when I left her with Serena."
"Okay, you've kept the secret long enough, spill. What'd you see?" Mina asked Raye as she, Lita, and Serena sat around the priestess as she conducted a fire reading.
"Mina I'm trying to concentrate." Raye hissed, peeking one violet eye open.
"I know but I'm dying to know. Maybe we'll be able to help Ami now." Mina said and Raye sighed, opening her eyes and letting the fire die down to non-paranormal heights.
"Okay, I'm not entirely sure. Everything was a little confusing but what I could tell was that Zach, who now goes by the name Zoicite, and Ami used to be, well, lovers." Raye said and Serena's cheeks flamed.
"What? You mean like in the past right. Like Silver Millennium past?"
"No I mean like before Ami moved here." Raye said and Lita shook her head.
"No way. I mean this is Ami we're talking about Raye. You know the girl who blushes if you even mention the word sex." Raye nodded.
"Yea, that's what I thought too but that's what he said. And he was trying to get Ami to go with him back to the Negaverse."
"Wait. You mean they know she's not the Moon Princess and they still want her?" Raye nodded to Luna's question.
"Wait, go back to the lovers' thing. Are you sure? I mean…" Mina said and Raye let out an exasperated sigh.
"Yes I'm sure Mina. I mean, he could control ice just like Sailor Mercury back in the Silver Millennium could. Unless there's a way to borrow a Sailor Scout's powers." Raye said looking at Artemis.
"Not that I know of. Intimacy is the only way to spread the power of a Sailor Scout to someone who isn't an heir." He said blushing.
"Then do you think that Ami's gotten some of Zoicite's powers as well? Assuming that they, you know…?" Lita asked and Luna sighed.
"We can only suppose that she did. How about we talk about this tomorrow, it's getting late now. We've just got to keep an extra careful eye on Ami now. She could be in grave danger if Queen Beryl is willing to let Zoicite ask her to join the Negaverse, she may not be against forcing her to join them, which could be terrible. Ami's got the power to locate every one of your weaknesses. That information in the wrong hands could be disastrous." Luna warned.
"My goodness you've had more run ins with these attacks then the Sailor Scouts themselves." Ami looked up from her bandaged hands to where her mother and aunt were making dinner. "Sure you're not one of them?" Ami could tell it was a joke but she only managed a small smile.
"Well, it's no big shock that these things just happen to you. I tell you, when your mother here was pregnant with you all types of weird things happened." Emily said as she tossed the salad a little too hard.
"Really?" Ami asked somewhat halfheartedly and Emily nodded while her sister sighed.
"Emily, can we please not talk about that now?"
"No way, this is a part of Ami's history too. Well, you see Ami, when your mom was about three months along she came to visit me in Seattle. I wasn't expecting her, so the next day I had to go to work but I told her to stay in the house because the streets of Seattle certainly aren't a place for an expectant mother you know? Well, you know how stubborn your old mom can be. She got a strawberry-banana yogurt craving and shot out of my apartment like a bat out of hell.
"She made it to the store alright but on the way back she was in a really bad car accident. The driver of the cab she was in had a seizure and swerved into the opposite lane of traffic. They slammed head on into a delivery truck going forty-five miles an hour. When I got the call I was frantic and ran down to the hospital as quick as I could, expecting to see your mother unconscious or something. I walked into that room and there she was, eating her yogurt as if nothing in the world could bug her. The driver was in critical condition, poor thing was epileptic. But it turned out that the gate that separates the driver from the passengers had clasped over your mother at an angle that kept her safe, not even a glass cut. I tell you, it was a miracle. I still say that there was a guardian angel that looked out for you that day."
"It was just a coincidence." Ami smiled fondly at her mother who was pulling a meatloaf from the oven. "And I haven't eaten yogurt since."
"Nothing like that ever happened to my mom." Catherine said with a small smile tugging at her lips. Ami looked over at her as she wrapped her arms around her legs. She'd never actually heard any one talk about the first Mrs. Barton. The curiosity of what happened to her ebbed at Ami's subconscious. "All she did was plan social benefits and sit around the pool drinking daiquiris."
Silence reigned around the kitchen as Catherine sat back in her seat. "But then she really wasn't much of a mother. Even when Trowa was just born she had nannies and maids to do everything she didn't want to."
Ami reached over and placed a hand over Catherine's and sent her a smile. "Well, now you'll have a mom who'll brag about you, and be there when you really need her." Ami said and Catherine let out a laugh as arms wrapped around both of them.
"You got that right. I'm so proud of both of you and if you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here." Kia kissed both of their heads then turned back to her meatloaf. "And now if someone wants to set the table, we can have dinner."
"That smells good, please tell me that you didn't make it." Triton walked into the room, eyeing the dish.
"What if I did?" Kia asked and he smirked, patting her shoulder.
"Then it's probably not edible." Ami snickered as her mother frowned.
"What makes you think that?"
"Anyone with a pulse who's seen you in the kitchen knows that." Emily said taking the main course. "You can relax, I made it."
"Wait, I'm an okay cook. Right Ami?" Ami looked away from her mother, grabbing the pile of dishes that were to be set in the dining room.
"Catherine, would you mind helping me?" Ami asked and the brunette girl quickly grabbed the silverware.
"Oh ha ha Ami." Her mother called and Ami had to hide her smile. 'At least everything's somewhat normal around here.' She thought but still couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Trowa and Catherine's mom.
That's all for this chapter. I finally got it out. I know, I'm a slow poke but I'm a perfectionist, you can't blame me. Things will be speeding up, don't worry. Please review.