A/N-Wonderful news for me-I'm up for an award! Not sure who did it but I just wanted to say THANK YOU to whoever nominated 'Her Masters Voice' for two categories-"Usagi and Mamoru Romance/WAFF & One-shots"-on the SMFanfiction site, this was a wonderful, unexpected surprise! -Does a little happy dance. (Note the shameless plug ppl-I have no morals!)

P.S.-If you are a Ami/Zoy fan, you might enjoy this cute little one shot-Librarian Fair by Liari I thought it was so cute!!

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Chapter 10

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Ami stared; stunned to face the man she had never expected to see again. Greg, the man who had caused her so much pain.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded.

Childishly she wanted to retort 'I asked you first.' But instead calmly replied. "I'm here with my…" She hesitated before saying it, not entirely sure it was correct. "boyfriend. You?" At the moment she wasn't sure if Zoi was or wasn't her boyfriend but she prayed he would go along with it for now, especially in front of him.

Greg cocked a brow, visible over the top of his glasses. "Boyfriend?" He echoed, a strange inflection in the word.

Ami couldn't read him. Did he believe her? She felt Zoi standing at her side, his body tense and a new worry bubbled up. How would Zoi act? Would he make trouble for her?

Greg stared hard at Zoi hard for a moment, then said in a low tone to Ami. "Can we talk in private?" He requested in a hushed tone.

Ami looked over at the silent blonde who simmered angrily. But all he did was look to her to decide. When she nodded once, indicating she wanted to talk with Greg also, he gestured curtly to the table he and Ami had just occupied. "Have a seat. But I'll be right inside." He told them both, rather menacingly.

She could help the small smile when she saw Greg swallow nervously. Zoi was taller and more muscled and clearly Greg felt threatened. She couldn't help but think that Zoi was much better looking than him too…

Greg moved to sit down, and Ami followed, when Zoi came up behind her and pulled out her seat for her. A flustered Greg stood; belatedly remembering his manners as Zoi pushed the chair under her. She looked up to thank him and he bent, giving her a brief but possessive kiss that rocked her senses. Before she could say anything, he stood and turned, walking into Lita's café.

After a moment of silence, Greg cleared his throat. "So, he seems like an…" He searched for the right word. "Interesting guy."

Ami couldn't help the glow that Zoi's kiss had left her with. "Yes, he is." She said with an indulgent smile. But when she saw Greg fidgeting, she suddenly wanted very much for this uncomfortable conversation to be over. However pleasantries came first. "How have you been Greg?" She asked politely.

He met her gaze but didn't smile. "I've been well, and you?" He responded quietly.

How was she? Ami pondered the question for a moment. It was hard to know with Zoi in and out of her life. Ami shrugged. "Hectic, I suppose." She answered, and then after a pause she asked the loaded question. "How's your wife?"

She heard the indrawn breath, as though he had not expected the question. Silence hung heavy between them before he finally decided to answer. "I guess you haven't heard, but I'm divorced now." He said slowly.

"Divorced?" She echoed hollowly, disbelievingly. She struggled to keep her expression closed, but nervous jitters wracked her stomach. What did it mean? Did it matter to her that he was available now? Who said that it even meant he was, he could be seeing someone new and she…well who could say what her relationship with Zoi was.

"Ami." Greg whispered, and she glanced up to see he had taken off his glasses, and that his gaze was focused on her. "I never meant to hurt you, you know that. I always thought I was a faithful kind of guy until I met you…" He trailed off at the hurt in her eyes, before she turned away.

His words brought back all the pain she had tried so hard to forget.

They had been co-workers, he the 'quiet type' that no one knew much about, and she the shy one. With their natural reticence towards crowds and large groups, the two had worked well together. Late nights at the office had drifted into friendship, then dating. She had been so happy, thinking that she had finally met 'the one' and was even planning a future together and though they never spoke of it aloud, she was sure he felt the same.

But all that had come crashing down, on what she now thought of as the most humiliating night of her life when they had been ready to take that final step in their relationship. Ami loved Greg and though he hadn't said the words to her, she knew he loved her also.

They had been at her apartment, in her bedroom that very special night. Romantic candles flickered around the bed as kisses had graduated into gentle touches and wonderful caresses, both sweetly anxious to finally consummate their relationship.

An insistent pounding on the door had interrupted them, had changed the course of their night entirely.

The way Greg froze should have been a tip off, she had realized later, but at the time how could she have noticed that? Frustration at being interrupted had turned to pain and disbelief when she realized the person on the other side of her apartment door had every right to put a stop to their relationship.

Because he was married….

The humiliation was acute as Greg's wife stood in the hallway, tears and anger evident as she shrieked for all Ami's neighbors to hear, words like 'adulterous' and 'affair' polluting the air.

When Ami had looked over at Greg, sure that the woman was some crazed lunatic and gravely mistaken, she was further shocked to see the shame on his face, easily confirming the woman's accusations.

Humiliation that Ami had tried so hard to forget swamped her heart and she struggled to breathe. Even as she did so, she heard Greg talking, speaking fast because he knew he only had this one change to make his case.

"Ami, I don't know what trick of fate brought us here today, but it's a sign, can't you see?" He pleaded, desperate "We were meant to be!" He continued. When she didn't appear to be convinced, he decided to go on the attack. "I don't know what you see in that kid, but you need someone who appreciates your intelligence and can have those long walks you love, discussing philosophy and life, and I seriously doubt he can give you that." Making a final bid, he added, "Also, I've received a promotion at work, I'm doing well financially, can he offer you that?" He scoffed confidently. "I doubt it."

"Greg…" Ami struggled to find the right words. She ignored his insults towards Zoi for the moment, her mind spinning. How could he expect her to ever trust him again after what he had done? To be in a relationship would mean she would always be nervous when he had to work late, or was 'out with his friends'…did she want to put herself through that?

And was she really done with Zoi? Intense feelings welling up at the thought of her blond would-be lover, could she just put them to the side for a man she had once thought herself in love with whom in the end had only hurt her? And her relationship with Greg was in the past. Zoi was her present, and maybe even her future. Could she really throw that away on a man she wasn't even sure how she felt about anymore? Who had only caused her pain and degradation?

Questions whirled around her head confusing her, as Greg leaned forward, holding her hands in his, anxious for her answer.

"You can trust me Ami, you're the only woman I ever wanted. I never loved my wife…" It was a familiar argument, once he had tried to convince her with before when his secret had been discovered. But whether he had ever loved his wife or not, he had married her, and to Ami you didn't break those sacred vows. Her own experiences with her parents had strengthened that conviction.

Still, he was saying 'want' not 'love' and that bothered her too.

Before she could answer though, the choice was made for her. Apparently Zoi was no longer going to continue to sit idly by while another man make a play for 'his' woman.

He strode confidently from the café entrance directly to where the two sat. Greg sat up straighter, as though ready to meet him head on, but Ami could see the nervousness there and though she had never been an advocate of bullying or intimidation a perverse part of her was pleased that he was on edge.

"You're finished here." Zoi informed him coolly. "You've wasted enough of her time and mine. I think you should go." He said as he flanked Ami's seat.

"I think that should be her decision, not yours." Greg quickly countered, anxiously looking to her to 'take his side'.

Ami suddenly understood how the rope felt in a tug-of-war game.

"She's made her decision, and you need to respect it. She's moved on, it's time you do the same." Zoi shot back. Ami couldn't help the thrill at his authoritative voice. She momentarily forgot that she didn't like his highhandedness, instead melting inside at the proprietary way he was telling the older man off.

Greg bristled and Zoi stepped forward, relishing an excuse to beat the guy to a pulp.

"Zoi, wait." Ami said softly, and he paused though she could feel the impatience emanating off him in waves. She remembered her impression before of him before as a proud warrior and an image filled her mind, one of herself as a regal princess and he at her side, the impregnable bodyguard watching over his lady. A fanciful daydream but one that weakened her impatience towards Zoi's arrogant attitude.

But before she could say more, Greg spoke in a chilly tone. "I can see you've made up your mind." He told her, eyeing her hands primly folded together on the table, and Zoi standing over her, his arms folded so that his muscles were bulging a little under his shirt. "Clearly you value brawn over brains these days Ami." He said nastily, sounding like a sore looser. "You're not the classy woman I remember."

She gasped, insulted for Zoi's sake. He knew nothing about him, how dare he judge! And who was he to put Zoi down anyways, when he himself had cheated on his wife?

"Hey!" Zoi snapped, and Greg glared in his direction. "Say what you will about me, but you just watch your mouth around her. She's a real lady, not some blond bimbo."

Greg scoffed. "Yeah right. She's such a lady, so much so that she was still a virgin when we were involved several years ago. Did you know that?" He sneered. "A virgin at her age, now if that's not pathetic I don't know wh-"

He never got to finish his sentence.

Zoi had needed no further provocation and rounded the table, easily hauling the smaller man up by his shirtfront and was pulling a fist back to silence the terrified man when Ami intervened.

"Zoi, stop!" She pleaded, breathless at how fast he had moved.

He paused, his fist mid air and looked over at her in disbelief. "You're standing up for this guy?" He demanded, and she heard the implied question. 'Are you choosing him over me?'

"No." She said, striving for calm. Then she dipped her head in the direction of the street. Zoi glanced over and noticed a cop car had pulled up and was watching the scene with a calculating eye, just waiting for him to punch the man so they could haul him in for assault.

He glanced back at her and despite all that was happening, his smile was almost tender. "You looking out for me?" Zoi asked in low tones, and she couldn't help but smile in return.

She shyly ducked her head glanced back up at him from under her lashes. "Someone has to." She said primly and reveled in his chuckle.

"Get a room." Greg snarled, and Zoi glanced at him, as though surprised he was still there. Then he remembered he still had a chokehold on the man and abruptly released him. Greg was unprepared for the sudden move and pin wheeled his hands as he stumbled backwards, falling painfully across the chair he had been sitting in before landing on all fours on the cement sidewalk.

Ami couldn't help it, she laughed out loud. She had never been one to take pleasure in others misfortune, she just wasn't that kind of person, but for some reason she felt tremendous satisfaction at seeing his little 'fall from grace.' He scrambled up and took off in a huff, embarrassment coloring his features.

Zoi moved slowly around the table, his eyes only for her, ignoring the other man entirely. When he reached her, he slid his arms around her small waist, drawing her to him. "Let's get out of here." He murmured, bending to whisper the words in her ear before planting a suggestive kiss on the shell of her ear.

She shivered in response. Words weren't possible at the moment, so she nodded instead.

"Let's go back to your place baby." He continued softly. "I'm tired of waiting, and I think you are too."

Ami pulled back to look up at him, a mixture of nerves and anticipation in her eyes, but she felt total confidence in her decision. "Yes." She agreed warmly, "I am. Come home with me Zoi."

"My pleasure." He answered, and leaned in for one more soul-searing kiss before easing back. Taking her hand, they crossed the street together and headed for her car.

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TBC-Short I know, but I had to stop here-but stay tuned-It's gonna get steamy folks!!