My Girl

by Ashishu

NatsukixShizuru, More into the future, Shizuru invites her old friend to her parents' estate and spend time with each other for oldtimes sake. Meanwhile, Natsuki determines her relationship with Shizuru. CHAP 11! Epilogues to start!

10. Decisive Battle

Do not own Mai-HiME characters.

WOW… I'm sooooo sorry for how long this took; a lot of this took a lot of cranking, if you know what I mean. This is the longest by far of them all. Forgive me if there are a lot of errors, I've been writing this somewhat rushed so it may seem erred in some places. I'm planning to have an epilogue or two or three (I've been waiting for these, hehe). I hope you all like it!

For one of these scenes (you'll figure out which one fast), I was watching the music video Watchin' by Freemasons for the obvious reasons that you will see when you read the chapter. Also, during the same scene, I listened to Beyonce's Green Light (Freemasons Mix) a lot, only because, even though it'd be SO OOC for Shizuru, the beginning made me think of her and wonder, "how would she look if she was giving the camera (meaning Natsuki) the eye while saying that first sentence the same way Beyonce was singing it those couple of times. I guess not only the beginning but a bit of the rest of the song too. Anyway, "You'll see," hehe. XD

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Chapter 10: Decisive Battle

Natsuki grunted as she shifted her weight on the pebble stones. 'I hope Dhuran will be okay, I hated leaving him alone like that.' She thought as she tightened the bolt on the motorcycle's chassis. Her body hunched over the bike to bring her view closer to the object of her attention. 'Though then again, he didn't seem to mind. He practically collapsed after the day we had. I think it was the bath that really did him in.' She grinned at the memory of watery suds and mud being splattered over both of their faces and nearly covered the tile floor. Really, the event itself was more like a wrestling match as, clearly, the dog didn't like baths. Eventually both of them were in the tub together. She didn't want to get Shizuru's car wet from her soaked clothes, so she stripped down and washed and dried her clothes. It took her almost twenty minutes to remember how to use the washer and dryer.

By the time she got back, it was pretty far into the afternoon and she knew Shizuru wouldn't be available, so she came back to continue working on the motorcycle. She was excited to realize that, even though there had been several problems with the bike, she was nearly done with all the major repairs. Thanks to her many motorcycle years, she knew a lot of quick tips and tricks to make a beaten up bike run like new.

Taking a short break to move her stiffened body, she took out the handkerchief that hung out of her back pocket and wiped her mildly-greasy hands. Dusk had come faster than she had expected. The several bright colors she had noticed around her when she first made her way here had now taken on a slightly more grayish hue. She inhaled as she stretched her back into an arch, finding the sound of trickling water behind her and the smell of a forests early-evening dew very relaxing.

In mid-arch, her cell rang. She didn't know why, but this time she had her phone inserted into the gully between her smallish breasts, the phone held there by her bra. Needless to say, the sudden aggressive vibration against her breasts while in her tight arch startled her so that her head almost made impact with the bike's seat.

"Ye-yeah??" Natsuki's voice shook into the speaker, trying to compose herself and lighten her blush. 'I'm never putting it there again.' She thought, her pinked face in her free hand.

"Natsuki? Where are you?" Shizuru's curious voice came through the receiver.

Natsuki's brow quirked – somehow it seemed fitting that Shizuru would be the one to call while her own phone is between her breasts. 'Figures,' she had thought. She then remembered Shizuru's question. "Oh, um, I'm here with the bike. Dhuran's sound asleep at your house."

"It sounds like you two had a good day then, I'm glad. Are you tired at all?" Shizuru seemed to ask in a matter that Natsuki recognized – the older woman had something on her mind, something that involved the both of them.

"Not really, why?" pressing the phone between her ear and her shoulder, she took the rag and wiped off the excess grease and oil from the bike's body. "Do you have something planned?" Somehow she subconsciously knew the answer.

"I do, as a matter of fact. I want to take you out tonight. Would you like to?"

Natsuki noticed the cheery note in which Shizuru used. "Uh, sure. I'll have to dress up, won't I?" That was her least favorite part of going out with anybody. For only a select few, she would allow herself to dress up in formal wear.

"Not at all, it's definitely very casual. Would you mind meeting me out by my car in a couple minutes?"

"Yeah sure, I'll see you in a bit." With that, she flipped her phone shut and stuck it back in her br-… front pocket.

The cover was thrown back over the bike and the tools were collected into a pile along the under-wall of the bridge. Natsuki followed the brook's edge until she came close to what she recognized as the curve of the driveway. From there, she carried on till she came to the two cars parked in front of the house. She hadn't noticed the older woman until she was standing right next to her immaculate car.

Shizuru took her time in stepping down the front steps, regarding the younger girl with a confident look and sure smile. Natsuki smiled back as she came closer to the slightly taller girl. There was something about Shizuru's demeanor that seemed different about her, but Natsuki couldn't put her finger on it; it was a little too dark to tell anyway. She shrugged it off. What she did notice was the thin three-quarter length leather coat she had on. The only part of her outfit that could be seen was her… jeans?

"Are you ready?" Shizuru asked. Despite the sweet air that encircled the simple question, something about Shizuru's mysterious demeanor made her seem as though she wasn't very willing to wait whatever Natsuki's answer may be.

"Um, yeah, I'm just… I've hardly ever seen you wear jeans." Natsuki commented, gazing down at the article of clothes and noticing that, despite their long length, they seemed to ever so slightly rise from the ground. 'Just how high are her heels? And are those bell-bottoms??'

Shizuru gave a light laugh. "Yes, well, I knew I would need them because I'm going to need the… maneuverability. Anyway, shall we?" Without waiting for her answer this time she made her way to her side of the car.

Natsuki had no idea what the hell kind of undertone Shizuru placed in there and decided not to ask. Without a word, she slipped into the passenger seat. When they came to the somewhat traffic-congested thruway, Shizuru finally spoke. "You're hair looks cute in a ponytail." She commented.

Natsuki blinked before she remembered that she had indeed put her hair up when she came back to Shizuru's parent's house. "Oh, yeah, I just put it up so that I wouldn't get grease in it." She idly fingered the hair that she left out of the tie to frame her face. "I'm getting split ends." She murmured to herself as she brought the uneven ends close to her nose.

The other girl laughed. Natsuki didn't care about a lot of things about what other people saw when they looked at her or what made her feel comfortable or uncomfortable; she only thing about her that she did seem to care about was the health of her hair. Shizuru discovered that little fact soon after they started getting closer in school. It was perhaps the most feminine part about Natsuki's nature, right next to her interest in lingerie (thank the gods).

More minutes passed. Natsuki rested her cheek on her fist, elbow propped up onto the armrest hear the window. The red taillights entertained her eyes as she watched each one pass their car in the next lane. Casually looking over to Shizuru's side, she noticed again the coat she was wearing. "Are you really that cold? It doesn't seem that bad to me and I'm wearing a tank-top."

Shizuru gave a mild shrug. "I guess the atmosphere has felt a little cooler to me lately." She couldn't give anything away. Not yet.

Until her eyes wandered to the lit A/C button below the radio tuner, Natsuki had accepted that. Even if someone was wearing a coat as long as that to warm themselves, how would having the A/C button on help? Natsuki only briefly quirked her brows before resting her cheek back onto her fist. Perhaps Shizuru just hadn't noticed it was on.

Another twenty minutes passed before Shizuru finally parked the car along a curb. Natsuki curiously looked around as she got out. Apparently this strip was quite the "hot-spot" for the younger people. At least it looked it as it somewhat resembled the more lively streets in the city near Fuka Academy. It actually reminded her a lot like the strip where Nao would pick up a lot of her "johns" except this was much my stylish and sophisticated, as you'd expect from a Kyoto avenue. Respectable boutiques for all classes dotted the street and high neon signs marked the spots for busy produce markets. Above the roofs of Kyoto was a dome of spectacular cool colors. The coming of the dark and starlight – purple, blood-red and deep ocean-blue layered over the patches of grey clouds.

"Wow," Natsuki exclaimed, her eyes passing high over one end of the street to the other. "Nice place."

Shizuru shut her car door, gathering her purse from the back seat. "I knew you'd like it." She smiled. "Come, it's a block down across the street. I'd park closer but it's always difficult to find a spot there."

"Where?" Natsuki finally asked as she was yanked down the street by Shizuru's hand grabbing hers. She was being surprisingly feisty today, Natsuki noticed. She also noticed that the older girl's strut wasn't… she didn't know, 'Flowing' like that of a classy model striding down the runway like she usually walked. Now, there was a bit more… fire in her step. Did her mom or uncle notice that at all?

"A handsome and popular lounge I discovered a while ago." Though Shizuru answered confidently, she seemed to purposely not make any eye contact with the girl beside her as she spoke. This made Natsuki feel only a little uneasy, but perhaps it was just her.

After passing a few markets and café's which were teeming with life, the entrance came to view. Then it hit her – A night lounge? But isn't that usually code for…

Then she was at the golden-framed security-handled double-doors of The Red Fox Night Lounge. Natsuki's jaw slacked as her neck was still craned up toward the neon sign. 'A Night Club!?' Natsuki watched wordlessly as Shizuru spoke to one of the security men who held the clipboard of names. The burly, bald and neatly suited-up man scanned down the clipboard and scratched it with his pen. After his affirming nod, Shizuru led the slack-jawed girl through the dark wooden doors.

Crossing the doorway was like the force field that snapped her back into reality and allowed her to finally think: "You BROUGHT ME to a NIGHTCLUB!?" Natsuki was nearly floored at the thought of the Best Character awarded student belonging to a night club or to be interested in this kind of crowd: People were drinking at a very long bar at one side of the room; men and women danced almost scantly on the spacious dance floor (then again, despite the large floor space the dance floor offered, little seemed to be available as the place was apparently packed tonight); people were enjoying cigars and cigarettes in near the open multi-colored windows available (which suddenly made Natsuki want a cigarette very badly but for other and more obvious reasons than that).

"Well, at least it holds a sense of class, unlike the many other nightclubs that are stationed in warehouses and concert arenas." Shizuru collectedly explained as she guided her towards a seat at the polished, white steal-rimmed and glass-topped bar. Small lights of multiple colors hung directly over the bar-top with shades of multi-colored blown glass.

As Shizuru seated herself onto the steel-and-leather stool, Natsuki gazed around the room uncertainly. Taking a closer look, she noticed that people were comfortably seated in black leather chairs and couches, casually chatting as they were just out of the way of the dance floor. Delicate candles and what looked like European-Japanese converted lights and lamps decorated each and every corner of the room, setting off a sense of sophistication and style. Casually and finely dressed people alike were enjoying themselves and held the upbeat mood. Taking all of these to note, Natsuki understood what Shizuru meant. But still!

Still a little uneasy, Natsuki maneuvered herself onto the stool. The music wouldn't exactly have been her first choice, but perhaps rock would have been a little out of place for this kind of club when compared to the typical club and dance music it was currently sporting.

When she caught Shizuru's voice, she turned to see if the she was talking to her, only to find that she was talking to the bartender. The usual, she had said. Natsuki's eyes widened, she had a "usual" here? Natsuki's green eyes darted to the side as a thought crossed her mind. "Shizuru, aren't you afraid of someone recognizing you in a place like this?" Out of caution, she asked under her breath. It was also more out of habit for the similar situations she'd been in with the moles she had hired to uncover records.

Shizuru only smiled in her sure way. "Not at all," She answered with a simple shake of her head. "Besides, it's not as though they can hold anything over me by seeing me here compared to seeing me in a gay bar or something of the like."

You know when you swallow and inhale at the same time, making you go into a coughing fit? That's what Natsuki experienced right after hearing that little statement. Shizuru promptly ordered her a drink to help settle her. It took the navy-haired girl a rather long while to say anything as she just eyed the crowd as they moved with the beat on the lit dance floor.

"So um," Natsuki cleared the raspy sound that came from her throat and suddenly found an interest in her naked fingernails. "How did you find out about this place?"

"One of my first suitors brought me here on our first date. He was a man who had a large interest in style and an even greater interest in money, mine particularly." Shizuru casually explained while not turning her gaze to the other girl. If she had, she would've been the only one to notice Natsuki subtly grind her jaw. "He and I had a few drinks, talked right at this bar, and danced."

Natsuki's eyes narrowed, but for one main reason. "You're not going to make me dance, are you?"

Shizuru grinned at her before opening her mouth. However, when the song changed to an easy beat, the older girl stopped and looked as though she was considering something. Shizuru grinned, "As if on queue," Natsuki looked at her in horror. Oh please no… Before she could run back to the car to lock herself inside it, Shizuru grabbed her hand. Oh please god no… the tawny-haired girl handed her purse to the bartender, "Keep an eye on this for me?" She politely asked in her sweet (almost flirtatious) tone. The bartender – a woman perhaps a little older than Shizuru herself and almost as attractive – gave a delightful "of course," and took the purse and set it underneath the bar table. Shizuru was just about to continue pulling her onto the dance floor when she remembered her coat.

As the slightly taller girl quickly went back to her stool, Natsuki looked back towards the people dancing and already felt the anxiety swelling up. "Shizuru, c'mon! You know I ca-…" She stopped as the tawny-haired girl stepped in front of her again. Trying her dear best to keep her jaw from crashing through the floor, she nearly lost her breath at the sight of the outfit the older girl was wearing:

She'd never seen jeans that complimented the form of a woman's legs so well, nor had she ever seen Shizuru wear a jean vest that she swore usually recommended a shirt underneath – the hem came so high that her navel could be seen quite clearly, while the "V" part of the article went so low that she swore she could see the curve of Shizuru's bra – her long, loose tawny hair was just enough to keep from allowing everyone a "perfect view". The collared vest had a black lace trim and instead of buttons it "hooked" together as though it was a corset – needless to say, it flatteringly hugged her curves and accentuated the sheer beauty her body possessed.

Deep inside her mind, the only word that formed for the briefest available second was a tiny-voiced "Shit."

She heard Shizuru giggle within her throat. "Natsuki, what are you staring at?" As though bashful by Natsuki's gawking, her cheeks pinked and sheepishly bit her lower lip.

Natsuki then blinked herself back into reality, shaking off her own blush. "I-I… um…" Jade eyes were glued to the floor.

Shizuru giggled again before taking her hand. "Come on," She lured, guiding her to the dance floor. Natsuki was too busy mentally kicking herself to consciously follow where Shizuru was leading her: "Very articulate, Natsuki." She thought sarcastically.

Shizuru brought her to the middle of the dance floor, a wall of bodies encircling them. "Are you ready?"

"Um, Shizuru, you know I can't dance." Natsuki tried to drill the words 'So why don't we just drop this altogether?' into her head, but apparently it wasn't working at all.

"Well, then I'm just going to have to teach you." Shizuru smiled a smile in which Natsuki recognized a lot of things – it was almost feral like the heated look that rimmed the darkest circle of crimson. The older girl gently took her wrists and brought them around her waist. The navy-haired girl's heart began to pound as her hands felt Shizuru's flawless curves, her arms encircling the lithe form. She had to take a breath just to calm herself, which didn't really benefit Shizuru as she had to suppress the shiver she felt at the feel of Natsuki's warm breath caressing her neck.

Shizuru continued by crossing her arms behind Natsuki's rather toned back, her slender fingers hooking onto the belt loops so that she could help guide her. Slowly, she brought Natsuki against her lower body, their hips pressing together. Shizuru giggled again, sending puffs of air down the side of Natsuki's neck.

Supple lips drew close to Natsuki's ear, "Move with me." She whispered, deep and thick, causing her natural accent to become all the more alluring. Natsuki's hips jerked at the initial feel of Shizuru's hips moving and rotating against hers with the music. Her fingers were stiff on her back as she felt her body and skin move beneath the jean vest.

'Don't look at her eyes. Don't look at her eyes!' Forest green eyes were glued to Shizuru's right shoulder. Natsuki had no idea why she kept telling herself this, but something gave her the feeling that if she did, she'd end up somehow embarrassing herself by doing something stupid. As if it wasn't bad enough that her heartbeat rang louder in her ears than the music did, making her already confused as to where and when her hips should move. She nearly gasped as Shizuru pressed their bodies a little closer together where she could feel the subtle friction between their stomachs.

Despite the rather jive-like feel of the music, Shizuru rotated their hips in somewhat slow and deliberate movements. Her forest-green eyes peeked up; the scorching look in Shizuru's deep scarlet eyes make her breath come shorter. Natsuki could not ignore the seductive undertone in both accounts. Her green eyes involuntarily tried to slip down to hers and Shizuru's hips only to get an eyeful of the older girl's visible and perspired cleavage. During her back-breath and her attempt to pull her vision back up, she caught a whiff of the musky yet flowery scent about her. She felt dizzy and sultrily hot. Was it the room? She eventually felt Shizuru caress her cheek with the tip of her nose and then her cheek like a kitten nuzzling her surrogate mother.

The lightheaded feeling continuing, she let her head fall into Shizuru's neck, letting the older girl carry her body through the music. She heard her giggle, "You're a fast learner, Natsuki," was whispered hotly in her ear before lips pressed against it. Natsuki moaned, what was happening? The flashes of dim lights, the growing and musky heat, the smooth rhythm and enchanting voices: apart from being in Shizuru's arms, she forgot where she was. Her body then began to follow the rhythm on its own accord now while matching her partner's lead. She heard her gasp when her fingers boldly touched her hot skin, soon dipping beneath the hem of her vest.

"Natsuki." Shizuru giggled breathily before moving to press her lips to her cheek, along her jaw, down her neck, along its curve from the neck to her shoulder. The soft moan she received made her lips tremble with the throat she kissed. She could taste the beads of sweat gathering on her skin. Her brow quirked with pleased intrigue as she thought she felt the navy girl's hips grind against her harder. She wanted so badly to request that she part her legs, allowing her room to insert one of her own between, but she feared being too blunt toward the younger girl.

When Shizuru pulled her lips away, she was surprised to feel Natsuki's touch against the corner of her own. "Such a cruel tease you are, Natsuki." She tried to keep the moan out of her voice as she tried to turn and meet those pink lips. But, of course, Natsuki was even crueler by quickly pulling away at the last minute so Shizuru just missed, diverting them instead to press them against the small, soft bit of skin beneath the jade-eyed girl's chin. Butterflies; that was something Shizuru hadn't felt in a very long time, not since she first laid eyes on the beauty she held in her arms only now. However, it was something she couldn't deny feeling now as they seemed to unknowingly play this game of Cat-and-Mouse between each other: their lips would only barely touch and would instead often press against any available skin - Cheek, neck, collarbone, chin, breastbone, shoulder. It was almost like a primal attraction struck between them, an unstoppable force.

Soon, when lips seemed too little a force, hands and fingers touched the skin of stomachs, arms, mid and lower backs. When her hand experimentally caressed Natsuki - breastbone to hip and back up along her curved side, the tips of her fingers trailing over an already-pert nipple - the quiet, drawn out moan and nails she felt almost penetrate her back she earned nearly hazed her crimson eyes over completely.

"Yes, this is perfect." She whispered unconsciously against Natsuki's collarbone. "I don't need to prove to them of how natural and pristine this feels with you." Her lips closed over the bone again.

'Them?' Natsuki ignored the soft suction and slick feeling of the tip of a tongue against her skin this time. The haze dropped from her vision like cool water pouring over her very warm body. She soon stopped dancing as she placed her hand over Shizuru's loose tawny hair. "Shizuru? What do you mean 'Them'? Your mother and uncle?" At Shizuru's stunned yet careful pause, Natsuki continued, her eyes boring almost strictly into those gazing back into her. "What did they say?"

Shizuru sighed, silently wishing she had never mentioned it. She only wished Natsuki would understand as now she felt as though she had forced the younger girl into something out of her own self-centered nature. "My mother seems to be convinced that you're not the kind I should be spending my time with. She claimed it was 'unhealthy'. I didn't like hearing her talk about me, or you, in that manner." She explained, speaking over the music. She watched as Natsuki's gaze swept downward for a moment. The silence bringing her to a state of unease, she was about to speak when, to her surprise, Natsuki seemed to chuckle.

"So," Natsuki paused with a very small smile. "You were rebelling?" She chuckled again, finding the idea of the perfect, courteous top-student rebelling to be quite amusing, perhaps even unheard of.

Shizuru smiled despite herself. "Put simply, yes. But my purposes never included hurting you in any way. I…"

"I know." Natsuki interrupted, smiling empathetically at the other girl's chargeable expression. "I know the feeling real well." She stated in her city-earned slang.

The ocher-haired girl smiled back, her arms falling back to her sides, allowing both her and Natsuki a step back if she wished (which, to her surprise, she didn't take but simply remained where she stood). "Well, do you wish for me to take you back?" Shizuru asked softly, the shame still somewhat evident in her tone because of what she had almost pulled Natsuki into because of her loss of emotional control. Natsuki also the soft change that Shizuru went from Rebellious Shizuru to Natural Shizuru by the way the older girl spoke since she discovered Shizuru's reasons for her behavior.

"Well, can't we…" Natsuki hesitated for a second, not believing what she was about to ask. "Can't we just dance a little longer? This time with less… erm…" She blushed.

"Touching and kissing?" Shizuru couldn't help but grin as she finished for her. At Natsuki's sheepish nod, she answered with a smile, "I would love to." Being able to dance with Natsuki was just as good as any pleasure she'd received that night. That, she would never doubt.

And so they continued dancing, this time without the exchange of heated looks but instead smiles which grew with every second. Shizuru couldn't help but laugh at Natsuki's sudden confidence when it was still rather clear that she was an inexperienced dancer. Yet another thing to love about her – she never gives up. She only toyed with her once, just to see how Natsuki would react, by making her body do a quick shimmy during a short but strong percussion solo. She burst out laughing then too since the look of Natsuki's bulging eyes was priceless. Finally they ended their last dance with their arms around each other so that the other could keep their balance after dancing for nearly over four songs in a row.

Following behind, Natsuki watched Shizuru fluff her hair with her hand as they walked back to the bar. After retrieving the older girl's purse with another polite 'Thank you' to the friendly bartender, they both took one more drink to cool down and left.

When they came outside, they were both surprised at the amount of rain that poured in heavy waves onto the streets. As the rainfall came in silvery trails, water speckled their faces, cooling their skin from the heat indoors.

"Oh my," Shizuru brought her arm up to shield her face from the droplets of water spraying onto her eyes. "I didn't think it was going to rain tonight, it looked to be a beautiful night when we came."

"Yeah, me either." Despite the surprise, the cool damp breeze refreshed her body. She closed her eyes as she ran her hands through her tied hair and grimaced at the feeling of sweat along her hairline and the side of her face. "Mnh, great, my hair's sticking to me. I hate that." Natsuki complained as she tried to slide her wet hair free from her cheeks and neck.

Shizuru chuckled, "You keep complaining about your hair. Maybe it's the length that's bothering you. Have you thought about cutting it?" She asked curiously as she dug through her purse for her retractable umbrella.

"Short?" It was the first time a thought like that crossed her mind. Taking a lock of hair into her fingers, she gazed at it for a few seconds. "Maybe," She pictured herself with boyishly short hair and after a few minutes shook her head. "No, I don't think I'd like it even if it was cut to my shoulders. Besides, I don't really want to outwardly look like I'm…" Natsuki stopped, not wanting to go further. She then looked both ways across the street before starting towards the car, not at all caring at the moment to wait for Shizuru's umbrella to be found.

Shizuru's eyes widened in amazement: did she almost say what she thought she almost said? She then smirked devilishly. She had to find a way to make her say it! Any way she could! Even if just a whisper! "Outwardly look like you're… what?" Shizuru playfully lured as she hurried to follow.

Natsuki pinked, determinedly fixing her attention down the sidewalk. "N-nothing." She quickened her already fast walk.

"Who else has a boyish visage when they're really girls?" Shizuru carried on her curious tone.

Natsuki hesitated. "Stereotypes."

Almost there! "Stereotypes of what?"

Natsuki's eye twitched. "Girls who like other girls." She muttered under gritted teeth.

Shizuru looked down while tapping her index finger against her chin. She looked as though she was musing over an in-depth psychology question. "Oh yes… oh what's the term for girls who fall in love with other girls? Mnh, it's on the tip of my tongue…" She dragged on. "Why can't I…"

"LESBIAN!!" Natsuki bellowed as she sharply turned in the middle of the sidewalk. "I don't want everyone to know that I find girls attractive!! So quit acting stupid because I know that YOU'RE even GAYER than I AM!!" When the red-faced girl finally stopped, her eyes widened as she noticed that the rain had suddenly been let up a surprisingly great deal. She gazed up at the dark steel clouds that rolled passed. 'You just have impeccable timing.' She thought to the skies before nervously looking around any gawking faces. Though there seemed to be only a few, she was relieved to know that she was right in front of Shizuru's Mercedes. She quickly escaped into the car.

Although indescribably pleased inside, Shizuru calmly followed with a smile that resembled a mother that was proud of her child. With a quick shake of her umbrella, she spoke. "Well, I'm glad you were finally able to say that, Natsuki." Shizuru innocently stated with a hint of playfulness as she shut her driver door. Then, she gave the girl next to her an honest, small but sweet smile. "I'm proud of you."

Natsuki rolled her eyes and gave her a dull look that obviously said 'Oh shut up Shizuru.'

"Ugh man, I'm wet again!" Natsuki mumbled to no one in particular as she took a handkerchief Shizuru then lent her and rubbed it on her face and through her hair. When she glanced over to Shizuru she rolled her eyes, "And CUT THAT OUT!!"

Shizuru's lips were pursed to keep herself from grinning, while a light blush dabbed her cheeks, all the while her eyes were closed. "I didn't say anything." She countered, the laughter trying its dear best to break through with each word - Natsuki could hear that.

"Yeah, but I know you were thinking it!" The younger girl growled as she opened her car door a couple inches to ring the edge of her shirt outside.

With a grin, a light blush and a bite on her lower lip, Shizuru muttered under her breath, "You know me too well. So what did you and Dhuran do today?" She asked nonchalantly, seamlessly replacing her mask of playful desire with good chat as she switched gears from park to drive and started down the avenue.

Trying to dry her long azure hair out faster, Natsuki untied her hair and rolled a window open. "Oh, I took him to a park a couple blocks down from your house. Apparently, the earth is his best friend – I had to give him a bath as soon as I got him back to your house. He got me drenched in water and dog shampoo, so I had to use your washer and dryer."

Shizuru looked at her with a mix of surprise and rather extreme curiosity. "What clothes did you wear in the meantime?"

"W-well, I didn't know where your room was and I couldn't find one of your bathrobes or anything so…" Natsuki reddened and whispered, "Nothing." At Shizuru's stunned (but obviously gleeful) look, "I had nothing to wear! I mean I sure as hell wasn't going to wear your underwear and you know how uncomfortable it makes me to wear clothes without something under them! I-I had no choice!" She tried frantically to explain, turning redder.

"Oh, well, you know that's absolutely fine with me, but," – the tips of her fingers went to the center of her breastbone – "I'm just curious as to what the neighbors might have thought!"

Natsuki then whipped around to look at her, horrorstricken. "Oh God!!" She covered her hands with her face to ease the burn of her blush. When Shizuru laughed and said 'not to worry, that she was just kidding and that they couldn't possibly have seen her' she only was responded with a muffled and almost trembling "yeah right."

Once the everlasting wave of absolute end-of-my-life embarrassment finally settled over the poor girl, she slouched back in her car seat. She sighed at the feel of the cool wind against her cheek and neck, evaporating the washed-sweat from her upper body. Shizuru couldn't help but glance from time to time at the wonderful glow the moon had on the damp skin. The shine it gave made it look as though Natsuki's skin was a divine silvery hue, which made her azure hair sparkle and shimmer so beautifully - Natsuki had the unmistakable look of a moon goddess. She wanted so much to lean over and kiss that skin, to worship it, to be taken by it from all five senses.

The simple sight alone was a danger to her senses and focus as it drew her attention far more easily than the road did. When she forced herself to keep her eyes on the road, she looked down at herself and nearly laughed. "Oh, Natsuki, do you mind if we go back to my house for a moment? I must change my attire before my uncle or my mother catch me wearing it."

Natsuki, who had had her eyes closed at the time, blinked the beginnings of fatigue out of them and glanced at the digital clock by the dash. "It's half passed eleven, you sure they won't be asleep before we get there?"

Shizuru gave a light shrug. "I don't want to take any chances." With the younger girl's permission, the older girl turned in the direction of her house.

Eventually, Natsuki recognized the sight, sound and even the smell of aging leaves and freshly-watered flowers that accompanied the character that was Shizuru's neighborhood. As they turned into the driveway, Shizuru's handkerchief slipped from the hand that hung from the open window. Natsuki eyed it as it wafted through the fading wind and toppled onto itself on a patch of leaves on the other side of the road. "I'll get it." Natsuki said as they parked.

When she got out, she caught a red flash at the bottom of her eye. With a curious blink, she looked down at the sea of space-black asphalt along the side of the car, trying to see if she could catch it again. Finding nothing, she shrugged – she was tired, and perhaps it was a trick of the light after being in that city.

Natsuki made her way across the somewhat narrow road, searching for the handkerchief. When she found it, she picked it up and tried to whip the collected water from it. Not thinking much of anything, her eyes absentmindedly looked around as she continued to dry it. Her eyes caught onto a car parked along the side of the road, only a few yards away from Shizuru's entrance. She'd never seen it before, but she just got a very… odd feeling from it. She mentally shook her head, 'C'mon Natsuki,' She thought, 'First flashing lights and suspicious cars?' – she then mentally laughed at herself - Being tailed by First District has apparently taken a toll on you.'

Green orbs looked up as she heard Shizuru laugh. "He's awake and seems eager to see you!" She heard the other girl call with a bright smile. Natsuki couldn't help but grin back at the sight and sound of a dog yipping and jumping up and down against the window. The green eyes flinched when a bright pair of headlights rolled over the corners of her eyes. Shielding her eyes with her arm, she eyed the approaching mid-size car, letting out a sigh of annoyance towards yet another person who doesn't know how to use their high and low beams. Her eyes then traveled back to Shizuru and saw she was having trouble at the door and, eventually, it looked as though the door burst open on her.

Before Natsuki could ask her what the trouble was, she saw Dhuran bound for her. Natsuki's gleeful grin quickly turned to horror. Her eyes snapped back to the rapidly approaching car. "Dhuran! Dhuran stop! STOP!!" Her hands waved back and forth but the dog was far too happy to listen. She looked back to the car as it was about to pass her and didn't seem at all to be slowing its speed. Her eyes widened and her screeches went unheard as the whoosh of the car and the high-pitched yelp of a canine hit the air. "DHURAN!!!"

Natsuki bounded forward, the car finally screeched to a halt passed the dog that lay bleeding and whimpering on the cold black pavement. Gently, she brought her hand over the labored rise and fall of the dog's side, stroking it. Almost all the life was knocked not only out of his body, but his big brown eyes as they just gazed forward along the line of asphalt. She didn't even hear Shizuru race to her side opposite Dhuran, her mind raced far too loudly at the sight of the agonizing young pup by her knees.

"Oh Natsuki…" Shizuru murmured, trying to get Natsuki to look at her, but she wouldn't: her eyes would just roam the poor beast's bruised and beaten body. "He'll be okay, Natsuki. He'll…"

"No he WON'T be okay Shizuru! LOOK AT HIM!" Just then she heard Natsuki's voice dangerously tremble, like she was going to break down at any second. Shizuru's eyes were already brimmed with tears about to be shed, and she waited for Natsuki to look up at her with eyes that match her own. In the many wonderful years she'd known Natsuki, she'd never seen her cry. She half wondered if this girl with the strongest heart – the same one that had built a strong, cold, protective wall around itself since middle school - would allow herself to.

The driver – who apparently was a young hotshot businessman, according to the sporty car and immaculate suit – finally came from his car and looked over them at the dog. "Oh, man I… I'm sorry."

Natsuki said nothing, and Shizuru somehow knew she wouldn't. You'd never get forgiveness from Natsuki Kuga if you hurt or took something she loved. "Come, Natsuki, we can take him to a pet hospital, I know one nearby that's open all night." Natsuki wordlessly obliged and the both gently lifted him up.

"Hey, please, I said I was sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?" The business guy pried again, stepping closer as the two moved back to Shizuru's car.

Natsuki opened the back car door with her shoed toe, carefully sliding him in. She brought her hands from underneath him, and stared at her bloodstained fingers. "You've done enough." She growled through gritted teeth as she shut the car door a bit more forcefully than necessary.

The guy just looked around him, chuckling lightly to himself as she raised his hands as if to say, 'you've gotta be kidding me.' "For Christ sake! It's just a dog!"

Shizuru's eyes flashed with fear as she turned towards Natsuki, whose eyes flashed something totallydifferent from fear. Shizuru watched as Natsuki, with a touch of haste, walked up to him and slammed her fist right into his jaw. Just as Shizuru was running towards her, Natsuki grabbed the man's collar and pulled him toward his car. When the tawny-haired girl watched her best friend slam his head through his left-hand passenger window, making shards of glass fall onto his head and neck and around their feet, she ran and wrapped her hands around the younger girl's waist, pulling her back. She knew how much pain she was in, and she hated him from the depths of her heart for causing this, but if Natsuki continued, she might very well kill him and he wasn't worth such a price: she learned from experience.

Natsuki struggled against her, trying to force herself back to the man who flopped to the ground, clutching his face. "Shizuru! Let me GO!" She protested wildly.

"I can't, Natsuki! Don't do this! Please!" Shizuru spun her in her arms and brought her head to her shoulder. "Let's just go and get Dhuran the medical attention he needs." She whispered into the struggling woman's ear. She felt her trying to push her away, but she held tight and, slowly, returned the tight embrace, her face pressed into Shizuru's neck. The older girl tried to hold her tears back for Natsuki when she felt the wetness gather high on her neck.

A moan came from the car. Shizuru didn't bother to turn and neither did Natsuki. The businessman wobbled to his feet, getting to the front seat, blood running down from his nose and forehead to his suit. "Little bitch! I'll SUE you DRY!!"

"Just get the hell out of here!" Shizuru snapped with disgust, watching his rear lights retreat and disappear with the road. She then led Natsuki to the car and, as gently as she was allowed, drove the car to the only pet hospital in the Kyoto city, which was within the cheaper district.

When they arrived, they carried Dhuran inside the small white-walled hospital building and, it being a severe case, the vets immediately took him in. "You may want to take the night and rest." The older, male vet had said, giving them both a grave look. "We'll call you first thing in the morning. And don't worry; we'll do our very best."

Despite all the encouraging words, Natsuki didn't seem at all impressed. In fact, to Shizuru, she seemed almost hollow. When she stepped close, her eyes looked so frighteningly blank. When Shizuru worriedly called her name, her hands cupping Natsuki's face, the younger girl's only response was "Let's go," and an immediate turn toward the door. Shizuru understood that Natsuki was beyond heartbroken but… the way she was acting – this cool, calm façade – scared her even more so than her violent rush not ten minutes ago.

Never being one to question Natsuki's demands when in this state, Shizuru followed and both drove silently back to her house. The tawny-haired girl hated bringing Natsuki back to the scene – Dhuran's blood still lay in thin puddles on the asphalt, they knew it even in the dark. Broken glass gathered to one side of the road still glimmered in the dim light from other people's homes. However, she knew she had no choice. She felt better bringing Natsuki back to her own home, where she could keep an eye on her and comfort her if she needed it at any time during the night.

Shizuru observed her as Natsuki stepped out of the car and into the house: it frightened her to see how lethargic her stride seemed to be. It seemed as though Natsuki's entire being had fled her body, leaving an empty shell of depression and loss. Shizuru closed the door behind her, her eyes never leaving Natsuki's form which went to turn into the living room she had slept in the other night.

"No," Shizuru gently took Natsuki's arm, pulling the girl back into the hallway. "You're coming up to my room." Knowing the way the younger girl was acting, Shizuru wasn't very surprised when Natsuki didn't speak nor physically refuse. Shizuru slowly guided her up the staircase and led her into her room. Natsuki didn't seem to notice the larger space this bedroom had than the bedroom at her parent's house, nor the several bundles of dried and living bouquets of flowers, nor the thinly-layered purple canopy over the wide bed. The more personalized aspects of the room went by unnoticed to Natsuki's sightless eyes.

Shizuru sat her down on the edge of the bed, gazing at her intently. Natsuki's eyes were still looking tired and dazed as her hands fell onto her lap. "Natsuki," Shizuru called softly, as though worried that Natsuki's self had gone to an entirely different world where she couldn't hear reality. "Natsuki, I'm going to get a towel to help dry you. Okay? I'll return soon." She promised, hastily going to retrieve her best towel from her washroom.

When she returned, she noticed Natsuki's passive expression changed to anguish; her fists had balled to pure white in her lap and the muscles in her jaw tightened. Shizuru quickly came and kneeled before her, setting the towel down next to her. Her crimson eyes gazed over her features worriedly. "Natsuki, it'll be okay. Don't be frightened for Dhuran, I know him and he's a strong puppy, just like you." She let out a light laugh, but it faded when it obviously didn't do much good to help the younger girl. "Everything will be okay."

"It doesn't stop… does it?" Natsuki murmured between gritted teeth, her brows twitching with fury and pain.

Shizuru looked at her, bewildered and unsure if she heard her right. "I'm sorry?"

Natsuki's lip began to quiver as she slowly started to shake her head, her eyes never meeting Shizuru's. Jade eyes began to glisten. "The memories just never…" Her voice grew hoarse as she tried to blink her tears away. "They just never leave me alone for good. Why don't they just…?"

Shizuru took her shoulders, looking deep into Natsuki's pained eyes. "Natsuki, what are you talking about? Please, tell me?" She softly begged, though she already had an idea of what she meant. The younger girl didn't answer, but instead clamped her eyes shut as though trying to mentally eliminate whatever it was that was torturing her. Shizuru leaned closer. "Natsuki…" She whispered.

After a couple seconds, Natsuki grabbed Shizuru by the shoulders and roughly pushed her down to the floor, making her release a dull cry of pain. Before Shizuru could ask what was wrong and why she was acting this way, Natsuki came down upon her, straddling her. What she saw in those green eyes was something she had never seen before – rage, need, loss, pain, desperation.

Shizuru looked up at her, shocked. As she called her name again, Natsuki came down and crushed her lips hard against hers. Her lips impatiently and roughly caressed the girl's underneath her, her tongue wasting no time to capture and taste what she wanted. "Shizuru." Natsuki growled from the back of her throat.

'Natsuki.' Shizuru could only think the girl's name since she gave her no chance to speak it as she was pinned to the floor with strong hands at her wrists. She moaned at her captor's forceful dominance as Natsuki hastily moved her lips down Shizuru's neck. The older girl couldn't help but moan again at how hard her lips suckled and her tongue caressed on the sensitive skin of her neck. "Natsuki, what's…" She tried to speak passed her developing pants. Her body squirmed against the press of Natsuki's own upon her.

Was this what Natsuki wanted to help her forget whatever pain she was suffering? Did Natsuki truly know what she was doing? Shizuru had to wonder as said girl brought her lips down to the swell of her breasts.

"A-ah…" Shizuru panted at the navy-haired girl's ministrations. Releasing Shizuru's wrists, Natsuki lifted herself only to bring both her hands to the hooks on the jean vest. Frantically unhooking the hooks by the bunch, Natsuki parted the vest. She didn't waste any time gazing at the perfect skin before undoing the hooks at the front of the black lace bra and parted the cups. Without even taking the time to admire the pert mounds and cherry-pink nipples, Natsuki brought her mouth to one, her hand helping to hold the mound in place as her tongue flicked and teeth nibbled hard on the nub.

Shizuru's brows furrowed and her eyes clamped shut at the endless waves caused by Natsuki's merciless assault on her. The older girl wasn't sure if this all was supposed to happen, but it was so hard to refuse despite Natsuki's force. She had waited so long for this night, she had dreamt of it so many times and now it felt so good. Gasping, she felt a pool of wetness gather between her legs. "Natsuki…" She moaned as she felt Natsuki suckle hard on her nipple. Her back arched, "Na…Natsuki… Ah…" She bit her lip and moaned deep in her throat to hold back a cry as Natsuki switched to her other nipple.

As the younger girl licked the skin down Shizuru's stomach, she heard Natsuki whimper. Shizuru could tell that that whimper didn't come out of desire, but out of deepening pain. The heat that collected onto Shizuru's cheeks dissipated as she moved her hands to Natsuki's shoulders, keeping her from moving any lower.

"Natsuki, please. You don't know what you're doing. Please stop before you…" Shizuru hesitated, not wanting to continue as she hated the words. With a pained look, she forced herself, "Before you do something you'll regret. I know you desire pleasure to forget pain, but you mustn't continue to allow yourself to fall to that level."

Natsuki finally listened, her head falling on one side on Shizuru's stomach. The tawny-haired girl could feel her friend's body shaking and tears gathering onto her skin. "Shizuru." She cried, her arms tightly enfolding around the older woman's stomach, holding her. "It hurts so much." Her breathing grew heavy as the tears came harder. "I keep seeing it, over and over again."

Shizuru brought Natsuki up to lay her head on her shoulder. She combed her hair softly through her navy hair, soothing her. "Go on. Please tell me. What did you see?" Shizuru murmured, bringing her face close to Natsuki's, pressing her lips into her hair.

Natsuki sniffled. "Everything. I saw everything. Just seeing Dhuran like that made all of the memories of my mother and my Dhuran come back. All the pain. It hurt so much. It all came flooding back to me in a single moment. The day my Dhuran and my mother died; the day I found out about what she was willing to do to me just for money… All those years when I cared for no one, not even myself. I just wanted so badly to forget. When those vets took him away, my goddamned mind just wouldn't stop thinking and imagining things I never wanted to see again!

"And when I watched those brown eyes stare into nothing as he laid there on the street, I just…" Natsuki bit her lip hard, trying to make herself feel physical pain over all the emotional. It didn't help at all. She clamped her eyes tightly shut. "I thought I dealt with them. I thought I was over it and that I didn't care anymore!" Natsuki violently slammed her fist into the floor, only to send another wave of pain in her heart and make her hysterical crying worsen.

Shizuru softly shushed her, kissing her forehead and brushing back strands of blue hair away from her friends face, stroking her cheek as she went. This seemed to calm the younger girl down some. "Natsuki, you must remember, none of those events were done by any fault of yours." Shizuru whispered warmly, still stroking her tear-stained cheeks. "I'd never want you to hurt, Natsuki, and neither would they. It's all in the past, so let's not dwell on that and instead think about the future, where I'll try my very best to make Natsuki happy." Shizuru softly kissed her cheek, just below her eye.

Natsuki, despite the gradual slow of her tears, smiled and tightened her embrace on her best friend. "Thanks. It's just that if something happens to Dhuran, I…"

"Nothing will happen to him," Shizuru promised, "As I said, he's a tough puppy." She smiled, earning another shaky smile back. "Now, come, let's get to bed. It's after midnight." With a nod from the younger girl, Shizuru slowly sat up, helping Natsuki as she did. Her heart sunk when she finally saw the younger girl's puffy red eyes and wet, pallid face. Natsuki reddened as she actually saw the older girl's naked torso. Shizuru looked down and giggled as if to say, 'yeah, look what you've done, you wild girl, you.' Smugly closing her vest over herself, she went to her dresser and pulled out pajamas for the both of them. Natsuki stood up and stood over by the foot of the bed as Shizuru went to turn off the light, causing the light of the moon to spill into the room from the three bedroom windows.

"Can… can I…?" Natsuki struggled shyly. "Can I stay here with you tonight?"

Shizuru smiled. "Certainly." Handing Natsuki her pajamas, she went around and undressed, glancing over to see if Natsuki was watching. She was. At least only until she went to take her jeans and panties off, then she turned away. Shizuru crawled under the covers, waiting for Natsuki to finish changing (being a good girl in the meantime by not looking, even though it was torture). When Natsuki slipped in, she allowed herself to be embraced by the tawny-haired girl. "I didn't want you to feel alone tonight." She whispered. "You don't know how long I've wanted to take you in my arms like this, to hold you as you sleep." Natsuki looked at her and she saw no sign of smugness. She could hear it coming straight from her heart.

Natsuki smiled. Shizuru's heart skipped a beat. There's that genuine smile she'd always wanted to see. She felt so happy, so complete then.

Natsuki then laughed, making Shizuru look at her curiously. "You surprised me quite a few times today." She stated, earning a giggle from the girl next to her. "I mean, I saw sides of you I never thought I'd see. I had no idea you were a clubbing kinda girl, and where the hell did you learn to dance like that?" Natsuki asked her with only half-seriousness.

"Oh, here and there." Shizuru teased (it comes with inborn lesbianism - Natsuki should've caught on by then).

"And I'd never thought I'd hear you curse, ever. I mean, when you said the word 'hell' back there, I woulda been floored if… if the situation was different." Natsuki tried to finish without letting herself be overtaken by the memory of how Dhuran looked laying on the asphalt.

Shizuru laughed in her throat. "Well, Natsuki should know, I can be a very nasty girl when it comes to someone who even thinks of hurting Natsuki in any way."

Natsuki grew silent, her smile fond yet simple. As though asking 'what are you thinking?' Shizuru regarded her curiously again. Natsuki slowly leaned closer and, - with a brief, hesitant pause - pressed her lips tenderly against Shizuru's. The older girl, though admittedly taken by surprise since this was the first time since the Festival that she would be the one to be kissed this time, slowly returned the kiss. She felt Natsuki encircle her arms around her, making her smile into the kiss.

When they broke apart, Natsuki's eyes seemed twinkle. She'd never seen Natsuki gaze at her so deeply and in such a way that made her feel innocent, lovely and pure. The younger girl leaned in and kissed her again. "I love you."

Right then, just by those three words, the woman being kissed by the object of her heart's affection felt that very same heart hurt but in the best possible way. Overcome by the throbbing of her swollen heart, Shizuru moaned into the kiss, drawing Natsuki closer. The taste of her lips felt so much sweeter than before, it seemed. She wasn't sure she'd be able to stop if it hadn't been for her need release a bit of the swell in her heart.

During a brief moment where their lips had parted, Shizuru whispered breathily, "I love you," and pressed her lips back against Natsuki's, which curved up in a smile.

Noticing Shizuru's steady advances and increasing demand in her lips' caresses against her own, Natsuki sheepishly spoke, "I'd love to try and correct all that I'd done wrong with you those few minutes ago, but," she gave an exhausted sigh, "I'm so tired; Both you and Dhuran wore me out."

Shizuru laughed. "Of course. Next time, Natsuki may need all the energy she can get." She whispered, luring her with a sensuous kiss along her neck. The breathy moan made her grin, and laid her head on Natsuki's shoulder.

'This woman will always be a bit more than I can handle.' Natsuki thought, trying to calm her breathing. 'I knew I loved challenges.' She smirked, and closed her heavy eyes.

1:47 AM – Fujino Estate

Girochi hastily strode down the second-floor hallway, his sport coat and tie absent and instead an audio tape and video tape clutched in his hand. He cared not to turn on the hallway lights as he only needed the dim glow of the night flooding through the windows to see his path to his sister-in-law's door. Besides, the effort alone felt as though it took away time that he now very much valued. With growing excitement, his anxious hands grasped the knob of the door and turned.

"I've got it!" He hollered into the darkness as he stepped in, turning her light switch while not caring that he had startled his relative to awaken from her slumber.

"Girochi?" Setsuka fumbled with her sheets as she hastily rose. She glanced at her alarm clock. "It's hardly daybreak! For what reason do you disturb me at this hour of the night?" Her vision beginning to clear upon him, he looked as though he had gone mad with glee; his expression was like that of a fox which now deeply worshipped his clever mind. He also looked as though he hadn't slept in hours; his chocolate-black hair was frazzled and his shirt collar and cuffs were undone.

"A great reason, my dear Setsuka! A great reason!" He gave an eager laugh. "Hurry! Where's your tape player?" His fierce black eyes search impatiently around the spotless room.

Setsuka leaned to the nightstand next to her and produced a rather outdated tape player from a small drawer. "It's right here. Why do you need it?" She strode up to him.

Girochi thanklessly snatched it from her. "Oh, because I've been given invaluable evidence concerning your daughter and her friend." After what looked like great effort, her brother-in-law managed to slip the tape in and pressed play. Setsuka listened with only mild curiosity.

At the start, there was a loud and consistent thundering sound. It slowly began to die and distant voices could be heard, one of which she instantly knew was her daughter's. "LESBIAN!!" It suddenly rang, causing Setsuka to jump and place her hand on her chest. The thundering sound slowly lessened to nothing. "I don't want everyone to know that I find girls attractive!! So quit acting stupid because I know that YOU'RE even GAYER than I AM!!" Mutterings and indecipherable words played as the tape continued before she caught her daughter's voice again. "Well, I'm glad you were finally able to say that, Natsuki." The slam of a car door and a loud, rough hum followed. Girochi stopped the tape and looked at her with an expectant grin.

"This Natsuki girl admits that she prefers the company women over men! Thanks to this" - he indicated the player with his thick finger – "we can now be certain that this girl is the cause of Shizuru's unnatural ways and she must be dealt with!"

Setsuka stared at the recorder, still rather stunned after hearing the utter reality of the situation. "How did you come to obtain this information?"

Girochi produced small black box with a lifeless red light from his pocket and proudly presented it to her. "I bugged Shizuru's car and attached it just below Natsuki's door."

She regarded him with distaste. "Girochi, she is our own flesh and blood! No matter what the accusation, be it truth or false, invading privacy in such a devious way is…"

"She is your flesh and blood, dear Setsuka! Not mine!" Girochi's voice rose, interrupting her. "If it weren't for me, we would never have known how severe this situation is! That is why I also come with video footage I've managed to gather in case you didn't believe this is truthful enough! Would you rather see your own daughter being sexually seduced by her "dearest friend" on the floor of her own bedroom?" He brought his flaming gaze close to hers, murmuring roughly. "And, from what I've seen, it didn't seem as though our sweet Shizuru had any plans in stopping her." He raised the video tape to her eye level. "Would you?"

As though slightly sickened, Setsuka refused with a slow shake of her head. She didn't want to know how her brother-in-law managed to record whatever scene he saw in her daughter's bedroom; the thought of that alone was enough to bear for her mind. She gazed down at her hands. "Setting that aside for now, the audio tape alone displays the obvious evidence." When Girochi was about to eagerly relay his plans, she interrupted him, "However, I noticed that in the recording, Natsuki claimed that Shizuru was… even 'gayer' than she was. And considering Shizuru's response, doesn't this reveal that my daughter discovered her…" She paused as though preparing herself for continuation. "Homosexuality… long before Natsuki did? If this is true, then Natsuki must not be the cause but it seems to simply come down to…" Her voice went soft as the image of her daughter at all ages till present came to her mind. "Shizuru's feelings," Setsuka's dark red eyes gazed into the distance of memories.

"What does it matter!" Girochi nearly bellowed out of growing frustration. "We cannot have the next COD of Fujino Industries have a woman as a lover! It would be an embarrassment and dishonor unto the Fujino family! And I, my sister-in-law, am not one to tolerate embarrassment!" He turned away, his jaw tightening as he strode towards the door. "If you cannot find the strength to protect the sanctity of our very name, then I suggest you consider where your loyalties lie. When you married into this family, that thought should have been first on your list."

With that, he left. Setsuka sat herself on the edge of her bed, eyes ridden with worry and confusion. She raised a hand to rest on the side of her face. She wanted what's best for her daughter, but she wanted her to be happy as well. When she heard a feeble knock at the door, she calmed when she saw it was her maid wrapped in a dark grey throw blanket.

"Is everything alright, Mrs. Fujino?" The maid asked concernedly. "I heard shouting."

"Oh, yes Michuru. That was Girochi. He's just in one of his moods." She covered, not feeling like explaining the whole issue. She let her gaze stay on the younger maid for a moment. She slowly stood and walked closer to the doorway. "Tell me, what do you think of Ms. Kuga?" She asked experimentally.

"Oh, well, to be honest, I didn't like the looks of her one bit when I first saw her in that doorway: She just didn't seem like the kind Miss Shizuru should exchange pleasantries with. However, I cannot bring myself to deny that ever since that woman came, Shizuru's demeanor has greatly changed in comparison to earlier in the year."

Her employer regarded her with a curious eye. "How so?"

The maid paused, unsure as to how she should start. "Well, she…" – Her eyes then gazed unwaveringly into the eyes of her superior – "She hums when she walks through the halls now; She never seemed to think I could hear her when she passed, but I did. And you can tell that something has been making her smile all day as the corners of her mouth are always curving upward. There are times when I don't even think she notices it, when she smiles for almost no reason but perhaps a fresh memory. There are just some things that have seemed to make a brilliant glow around her. If I may say so, madam, she reminds me of a schoolgirl giddy from a crush."

Setsuka gazed at her, and the end result of the equation couldn't have been simpler: her daughter is in love. "Thank you for telling me this." A distant memory between herself and her late husband flashed before her mind. She had an idea of what she could do. She turned back into the room.

Knowing that her superior was about to dismiss her, she quickly spoke up. "Since you've allowed me to be honest concerning your daughter, I'd also like to say that I fear for her."

Wine-red eyes looked back with uncertainty. "What do you mean?"

Hesitantly, the maid brought forth a manila folder from beneath her blanket. "I found this in Mr. Fujino's office, hidden beneath papers. Normally I would have left it alone like I always do for the both of you, but, this one has Miss. Shizuru's name as well as the words "First District" on it. I became suspicious because I wondered why would Miss. Shizuru have anything to do with what is now a heap of debris-ridden hills. Do you have any idea, Mrs. Fujino?"

Setsuka gently took the file folder from her and peered inside. Brows knit together, she skimmed through each document. When she came across the photos, her hand went to her lips as she saw pictures of her own daughter from security cameras. It felt like the person she saw in the picture looked nothing like her daughter but she knew in her gut that it was. It was her Shizuru, her little girl, walking away from the hellfire engulfing First District, a Naginata braced over her shoulder, her favorite kimono ripped half to shreds and blood staining her hands, face and legs. What was this about? What had caused her to…? Then she saw a list of girls with pictures and brief summaries of each. One of which was Natsuki herself. She stopped. If Girochi had information like this and he had absolutely no tolerance for how much Shizuru cared about this girl…

"Michuru, I need to get to my daughter's house as soon as possible and I need you to read this information to me on the way there." Knowing how determined Girochi was when he had left, she knew he wasn't going to waste time in eliminating the problem. She only hoped that she wouldn't be too late.

Xxxxx

Natsuki awoke as she heard the front door slam and hard, merciless footsteps follow along the first floor, stopping at random intervals. This intruder was searching for something specific. Brows knitted, she gently shook Shizuru by the shoulders. "Shizuru,"

"I know." Shizuru whispered back, her eyes already opened while her body remained unmoved. He's finally come…

The footsteps became louder and louder until, within seconds, the door was unpityingly flown open, smashing into the wall. Girochi watched with a heartless smirk as his niece and girlfriend dashed out from beneath the covers.

"I've grown tired of your recent behavior, Shizuru. Tired and disgusted." He murmured, his gaze piercing through the darkness. "And you," He turned his head to Natsuki, who looked back at him with her intrepid jade eyes. "You've tested my patience for the last time; you destroyed everything that must be, everything that is pure and natural for my niece to live happily with her to-be husband."

Natsuki sneered. "She'll never be happy with someone you force her to marry. Let her decide who she wants. It's because of you that she's been miserable with all those men you set her up with."

"What business is it of yours?" He nearly boomed, his face contorting with fury. He was about to continue when Natsuki's voice rose over his.

"As her next suitor, I'd say it's plenty of my business!" There was silence: Natsuki's face had contorted with resentment the way Girochi's had, though his expression had faded to angered shock. Shizuru gazed at the girl next to her in a way that looked as though she was wondering if she had heard her right. Did Natsuki mean to say…? "And, if I may say so," Natsuki carried on, "it looks like Shizuru doesn't have that much of an interest in Reito, so I guess that now makes me her new suitor." Natsuki smirked confidently. "And I know she wants that. I care for her and I love her, unlike you."

It was Girochi's turn to sneer nastily at her. "You little…" With a grunt, he backhanded Natsuki across the face with such force it threw her to the ground. She heard Shizuru shout her name. "You little bitch!" Just as he was about to get onto his knees and land a few more blows on her, Shizuru grabbed his broad shoulders and pulled him back. With the heel of her palm, she slammed into his nose, making him howl in pain as blood began to spurt from it. He growled as he pushed her from him, reached into the sport coat he slipped on before he arrived and pulled out a silver-barreled handgun. Shizuru gasped and remained still as she watched him point the gun at her heart. "I have evidence, Shizuru! I have records of you at First District! If you don't cooperate and marry Kanzaki-san, I'll have no problems with releasing them to the press! You'll be put in jail for life and I'll make sure you stay there!" His eyes burned with hate in every word.

Shocked, Shizuru tried to make words. "How? How did you get them? I… I thought I destroyed all records of not only myself but of Natsuki and the other HiME as well."

Girochi couldn't help but smile a smile full of pride. "I have many connections with both ex-agents of First District and of the more hidden branches of the Searrs Foundation. For a good sum of money, they discovered and delivered to me a file or two from the wreckage." Though his smile remained, his eyes narrowed." I guess your job to destroy wasn't as thorough as your job to kill."

His words echoed in her head, and each time it hurt more than the last. Her troubled eyes darted back and forth from memories of blood and smoke. Her eyes clinched shut as her hands went to her pained expression:

888888Flashback88888

"P-please! Have m-mercy! I don't want to die!"

The blade hung high over his neck. Its razor sharp edge pulsated with its wielder's burning hatred and piercing sorrow. The bleeding and bruised security officer gazed up at the figure looming over him, the features shadowed to obscurity by the monstrous masses of flames slowly engulfing the floors of the main building.

Beneath the shadows, she smiled her malicious smile of satisfaction. "Beg for forgiveness, and I might reconsider."

Though he had no idea what or why he should plead for forgiveness, he groveled and squirmed pitifully beneath his captor's heel. A flicker of light wrapped around the skin of the captor's face: the officer swore he saw a fang peeking out from beneath the pleased lips.

"Very good." With a flick of the wrist, the blade curved and dug deep into the man's neck, making him release a gargled scream. "But never good enough." When the officer's body fell limp onto the concrete floor, the bloody blade was pulled from the neck, and she continued to her objective down the hall. Her smile didn't widen nor fade as she heard the echoes of screams, collapsing walls and beams, and valiant roars and hisses of her trusted Kyohime from the distance.

She took her time as she came to the end of the corridor. One of the many places that needed to be dealt with stood right before her: The database room. She eyed the letters that read the name of the room for a few seconds before flicking and twisting her arm twice. The plaster that held the doorframe slid before crumbling to the floor inside the room, clouds of dust erupting from the plaster debris.

Casually, she strode in. Her eyes narrowed at the line of computers and file cabinets. 'They cannot chase what they do not know.' She thought to herself as she took a step closer towards the blinking monitors.

"Stop where you are!"

She stopped and slowly turned towards the officer hidden in the far corner of her room. The barrel of his pistol aimed directly at her head. He smirked. "This is the end of the line for you!" He continued, a grin playing on his face as he edged closer.

'It seems this one carries a more-than-fair amount of ego.' She smirked. 'This'll be quite fun.' She closed her hollow eyes and loosened the grip on her glaive, raising her hands as though to admit defeat. She heard him laugh as he stepped closer, his gun still raised. "You know, it's funny." She commented casually. "I'd have expected something a little more from District One's Finest," She paused. "Something a little more impressive, such as…" – she opened her eyes – "a greater intellect." Her hand grabbed the butt of her polearm and swung the blade, willing the vine to extent and wrap around his waist. Even as he gasped in surprise, he was flung to the side; straight into the rows of computers.

She watched as electricity, glass and metal engulfed and tortured his twitching body before it too went limp and lifeless along with the computers. A smirk further painted on her face. "Kyohime, finish this." As if on queue, the metallic hydra crashed through the side wall, crushing and tearing everything within, leaving only enough room for her mistress to watch with pleasure. "That's good, Kyohime. Leave nothing in your wake."

"That's enough!"

With an inward sigh, she turned to find yet another security guard. This one was much younger and much more afraid; she could see it in his eyes and in his hands, which trembled as he held his pistol towards her. "Haven't you done enough? You've eliminated everyone and everything! Why are you doing this?" He begged. "Nothing is worth this!"

He looked at her bewilderedly when he noticed that her eyes flashed darkly. With swift and unconsciousable speed, she turned the butt of her naginata so that it smashed against his wrist. He cried out in pain while his gun flew a few feet behind him. Holding his throbbing wrists, he looked up at her: she was motionless, as though waiting for him to do something. Trying to be quick, he turned to try and retrieve his gun.

Rule number one in the world of warfare: Never turn your back on your enemy.

The vine of the blade extended and wrapped around the young guard's neck. She harshly pulled him in her direction, making him fly through the air. With her weapon still latched onto his neck, she watched as he crashed through one of the window's left unbroken. With much concentration, she willed her blade to remain taut as she held him up through the window, the earth now four stories below his dangling feet.

"You wouldn't understand… You'd never understand!" She nearly screamed through the window, her heart threatening to explode with the longing and pain she felt. She pushed the urge to scream at the skies down again: she had to finish what she started. The terribly aggrieved expression fled from her features and was replaced with her hollowed and satisfied one. "I know that the elders are surely trying to flee, where are they?"

The guard struggled to find breath as he held onto the taut vine with his hands. As his silence grew, so did her impatience: she willed the blade to coil tighter around his neck. He choked and gagged. "I-In the Defense Hold!" He rasped.

"Thank you very much. I greatly appreciate it." With a smile, she gave one forceful tug, not at all unnerved by the ungodly Snap! that came from his neck. She jiggled the shaft of her weapon, making it unravel from the body and thoughtlessly let it fall, hearing the echo of the bones cracking once it hit earth.

"Kyohime." It floated from her lips. She felt the tears surface again. Kyohime hovered one of her heads just below the broken window. She crawled through and stepped onto her forehead, petting it with her palm. "Come, let's go pay the elders a visit." With a hiss, the hydra carried her over toward the heavily guarded building. She felt the blood of many others dripping down her skin, making her torn and battered kimono cling to her. However, she held no sympathy. None.

She was empty inside. She felt nothing but a supernova of emotions that hurt her more than how she hurt those guards. She felt as though her heart was being compressed into nothing. Without Natsuki's acceptance of her love, it will never beat freely, for her heart had always belonged to the beautiful rebel of Fuka. And she would kill more, if necessary; she would do anything, slaughter anyone, who dared hurt Natsuki and kept the 'Ice Princess' from belonging to her.

888888EndFlashback888888

Something deep inside her racked her bones. It somewhat terrified her now that she felt only the mere essence of what she felt back when her desire had grown to such gargantuan, uncontrollable proportions. Similar to how blood seeps and eventually engulfs a strip of finest silk, the anger and desire rose within her. Tears began to form in her eyes and slip down her cheeks beneath her hands; it hurt so much, remembering how she had abused the trust of her best friend and first and only love. What had she done?

"Don't listen to him!" Natsuki shouted, standing behind him. "Shizuru! Please don't listen! I still love…"

"Silence you…!" Seeing that Girochi was bringing his gun around with him, she dodged behind his arm and rolled forward as he fired the gun. Shizuru gasped as the bullet shot into a pillowed chair next to a desk similar to the one in Shizuru's other bedroom at Fujino Estate. Not at all startled, Natsuki stood herself close to Shizuru's right.

"Aren't you afraid that if you release that information to the press, not only will she be attacked by the people but you will too! She's your niece!" Natsuki yelled back at him.

Girochi immediately smirked. "Yes, but she isn't MY daughter! It doesn't matter what happens to me; I can pay my way out of the papers, unlike you two." He turned to Shizuru, whose gaze suddenly now turned fiercely unto his. "Now, dear Shizuru, tell me where you'd rather be: loved and honored by the rest of the family by marrying Kanzaki-san, or disowned and left to rot with this girl in a city gutter."

Shizuru hated his confident smirk, as though he felt he would always hold power over everyone who dared cross him. She did enjoy the look she received when she smiled back, the confused glare that came from him. She found it amusing as well since it was the same look she held now that she held while Student Council President all those years ago.

"I don't care where you throw me, Girochi. I feel more warmth when I'm with Natsuki than with anyone else. Throw me in jail or by that gutter, I know I'll be more comfortable there than in the same room with you." Her eyes twinkled with her smile as she watched Girochi frown and knit his bushy eyebrows. "Since that night at First District, I vowed to Natsuki and myself that I'll never pretend to be someone else for anyone's sake and I don't ever intend to break it. That's why I needed her here; I needed her strength to help stop me from making a terrible mistake."

Natsuki, touched by what the girl next to her had said about her, nearly missed a dead giveaway coming from Girochi's hand that held the gun. His fist was taut though his fingers trembled with anger around the grip. His eyes burned with hatred and his breath grew short and sharp. Natsuki's eyes widened as she knew that look and feeling very well. She threw herself to the left.

Girochi shouted something as he brought up his gun at Shizuru and fired with a loud 'BANG!' Shizuru's crimson eyes widened in horror as she watched blue and red mingle together in front of her. She heard Natsuki cry out as the force of the bullet pushed the younger girl on top of her, both falling to the floor.

"NATSUKI!" Shizuru cried, trying to turn the younger girl over so she could look at her face. The forest green eyes were closed. When her hand went to her breastbone, she felt warm wetness gather. She brought up her hand to find it was staining red. She looked back down and saw that she was shot just below her left collarbone, but not so far that it was over the heart. Nevertheless, tears began to stream down her face as she kept calling Natsuki's name, gathering the younger girl's head to rest onto her lap.

Shizuru heard Girochi give a deep "Humph! It's just as good, I've wanted to do that ever since I saw you two out in the field those nights ago. She's finally out of the way."

Shizuru's glazed eyes drifted up to the man standing over them, her eyes began to hollow. She didn't care how much he had seen when he say her and Natsuki together, nor did she care how he felt about the way he felt towards Natsuki. Now, she wanted… so badly… to take his gun… and…

BANG!!

Shizuru's eyes widened as she watched her uncle fall to her feet, unconscious. Her eyes then shot up to where he had once stood. "Mother?" The frazzled Setsuka stood there, the small iron shovel from the fireplace in her hand, now misshapen from the impact at the back of his head.

The darker set of red eyes looked down at her daughter's. "Oh, Shizu… Ms. Kuga!" Her mother gasped as she moved over to Natsuki's side. The blood was already beginning to soak the carpet. After a quick inspection, she reached into the pocket of her light green silk robe and flipped open her cell phone. "Michuru, I… yes, Shizuru's fine but Ms. Kuga's been shot!... I-I'll explain later, just, please, use the car phone and call the police… Thank you…" She flipped her phone of and gazed at her daughter. "Are you alright?" She asked first, needing to know how her daughter was fairing before asking anything else. "Are you hurt?"

Shizuru shook her head. "No, I'm alright." Setsuka watched as Shizuru's fingers stroke Natsuki's cheek. During the brief inspection, she noticed that she was still breathing, although raggedly. "She took a bullet for me," She said softly. When Setsuka looked up, she couldn't see into her daughter's eyes, as her wavy tawny bangs cast a shadow over them. She did notice, however, the sparkle the moon sent unto the runnels of water down her cheek, dripping off of her chin and splashing onto Natsuki's face.

The first and only time she had ever seen her daughter shed tears was during her father's funeral. When she learned the information concerning the HiMEs, their Child and Element, she wasn't so sure about the integrity of love between her daughter and this girl until she saw it, right there, for herself. She was about to speak, but Shizuru beat her to it.

"Too little, I have to sacrifice for her; too much, I would do for her. Don't hate her. She means the world and more to me. I needed her to help me get through this contract you and uncle had forced me to sign."

Setsuka was surprised at the biting tone Shizuru took when she said the word 'contract', though then again, she guessed she understood how her daughter felt about the whole arrangement. She brought her hand to her daughter's hair, stroking it. "Don't worry about that anymore, honey." Her eyes went to the still-unconscious Girochi. "And don't worry about him either, I'll make sure he's cared for and in a way he'll never touch you again. I promise." After giving her brother-in-law a scornful look, she leaned in and kissed her hair.

Shizuru continued to stroke her cheek. Her arm stayed protectively wrapped around her chest until the ambulance came and pried Natsuki from it.

Xxxxxxxx 9:58 – Kyoto Hospital

Shizuru sat by Natsuki's raised bed of her single hospital room. She was dressed though not very refreshed as she hadn't been able to sleep like her mother had told her to when they returned from the hospital earlier that morning. She couldn't help noticing how pale Natsuki was; she had lost so much blood. She had only just noticed the bruise growing on her right cheek, where Girochi struck her. Every time her gaze reattached to the purplish-blue mark, she had a driven need to march right back up to her uncle and strike him hard across the face.

Her chest was bandaged up, the single spot of blood stained through the gauze. The nurses had only recently removed the oxygen mask from her face so as to help her breathe through the night. Her mind kept with the beat of her heart monitor, her own breath relying on the repeat of each 'beep'.

She looked so cold there, Shizuru also thought, despite the fact that the single window in the room wasn't opened and that the covers were brought up to her underarms. Her lips looked almost gray. Her lips… Shizuru stood up from her wooden-armed chair and leaned over Natsuki, on arm holding her side, the other resting beside her face, her fingers idly feeling the splayed blue strands. As she came down, she felt herself pink. Perhaps, no matter deep their relationship was, she may always blush when she kisses the beauty during her slumber. Her eyes closed an inch before their lips touched, releasing a light breath.

When they met, Shizuru bought her hand at her side up to gently touch her face, being careful to not hurt her. She sighed as her warm lips gently caressed the cooler, motionless ones. Innocently relishing the moment, to be able to feel her lips since that horrible moment, she stayed there for several seconds before releasing the soft suction she had on the smaller (though no less supple) pair. With a sigh, turned to go the short distance back to her chair when a raspy voice came behind her:

"Is that a pastime of yours or something?"

Shizuru turned back to the girl in the bed, holding herself back from going and immediately wrapping her arms around the younger girl and holding her tight. "I beg your pardon?"

Natsuki's left eye appeared to be more open than the other. Perhaps the swelling of the bruise had kept the right from opening the way the left was allowed to. Shizuru almost melted at the sight of Natsuki's small, lopsided smile. "You kissing me in my sleep, do you have a record of how many times you've done that hidden somewhere?" She joked. Shizuru was surprised at how well a mood Natsuki seemed to be in despite all that had happened the night before as well as all the pain she must be experiencing.

Shizuru grabbed the chair and dragged it closer to Natsuki's bed. She took the pale hand in hers, pressing it against her cheek as she giggled. "It is one of my favorite hobbies, yes." She smiled and kissed the back of her palm before moving on to her fingers. "How are you feeling?"

Natsuki grimaced as she shifted more comfortably in her bed. The older girl noticed how her left arm remained limp, lying at her side. "Ugh, don't ask. It feels like I got hit by a truck." She returned the squeeze Shizuru gave her hand with the little strength she was given. "Where's that bastard anyway?" Shizuru couldn't tell if her hoarse voice was what made her question sound like a growl.

"The police apprehended him when the ambulance came to retrieve you. He's being jailed for attempted murder and harassment. My mother made sure that all the information concerning us was kept under tight wraps." She kissed her hand again. "We're safe."

Natsuki's head fell back onto her pillow as though a great weight had been released from her chest. Her eyes closed and she let out a sigh. "Good." Was all she said, though Shizuru knew that Natsuki was never really one for lengthy details; just simple answers. 'I guess that means her mom knows about us then.' She kind of feared the next time she'd see the woman. After Girochi, she wasn't afraid of anything or what anyone thought. It was simply the thought and question of how her mother would look at her next: would it be with love and acceptance or uncertainty of the whole idea of the two of them being together as girlfriends or otherwise. "Did he hurt you when I…" Natsuki paused, as though simply saying the words "fell unconscious" was a huge sign of weakness.

Shizuru smiled onto the other girl, appreciating her concern. "No. It was only seconds after that my mother crept behind him and struck him over the head." Her expression turned solemn, her thumb continuing to caress her palm. "That was a brave thing, you did."

"That wasn't the first time I've been shot at, remember the First District goons? Besides, there was no way I was going to lose you when I just got you." Natsuki gazed back at her with the same earnest look.

'You've always had me.' Instead of speaking, Shizuru stood, tears brimming her eyes, placed a hand on Natsuki's side and, with her other arm braced by the younger girl's head, stared into the emerald eyes upon her own, leaned over her and…

"Hem-hem…" Came from the doorway. Shizuru pulled away, startled, and snapped her eyes to her mother's. "Good morning, Shizuru." The woman stood there, dressed in her normal business attire, arms folded over her chest and her eyes seeming contented upon her and Natsuki behind her. "Would you mind so dearly if I had a little chat with Ms. Kuga? There's simply something I'd like to discuss with her." She inquired with no hint of fictitiousness in her mother's rather comfortable tone.

Taken by surprise, it took a few seconds for Shizuru to answer with slight uncertainty. Why would she need to speak with Natsuki? Noticing the expectant quirk of her mother's brow, she tipped her head forward with respect. "Of course, I'll just wait outside."

'Oh god,' Natsuki thought, her eyes widening with growing nervousness. The emerald eyes followed Shizuru's retreating body, catching the brief look she gave her as she disappeared behind the door. Her eyes then snapped to Setsuka, who gave a smile as she seated herself in the chair that Shizuru had taken.

"I hope you are feeling well, I was worried for you when I found you. I'm very sorry for my brother-in-law's actions; being the last son of the Fujino blood line thus far, he values the honor of the Fujino name."

"Yeah, I had guessed that when I first met him." Natsuki answered, trying to carry on the conversation although she deeply wished that Setsuka would just get to the point and skip the drawn out conversation and pleasantries.

Setsuka then gazed at her thoughtfully, making Natsuki all the more nervous. "At first, I wasn't sure what to make of your relationship with my daughter, especially when I read all the information concerning the both of you, about the HiME's." Another brief 'Oh god,' crossed Natsuki's mind. "Can you summon your Child and Element?" She asked.

It took a few minutes for her to answer, wondering where the older woman was going with this. "No. Neither can Shizuru or any of the others. I wish I could summon my element though," Natsuki mentioned offhandedly, "'cause then I wouldn't have this wound. I woulda been able to stop him before he tried to shoot either of us."

Setsuka nodded. "Yes, I am deeply indebted to you for throwing yourself in front of harms way for my daughter. It is only because of that that I know you feelings for her are unambiguous and true." There was another pause. This time, Natsuki was curious as to what Mrs. Fujino was willing to say. Setsuka's burgundy eyes drifted thoughtfully to the window. "My husband, Shizuru's father, died not too long ago. Did she tell you that?" At Natsuki's nod, she continued, her eyes cast to the foot of Natsuki's bed, seeing only memories:

"He dearly hoped that whoever Shizuru fell in love with and wished to marry, he would never be like himself. You see, my husband had many lovers; many mistresses during our marriage. He still loved me; that I knew, as he always promised so every time I'd discover evidence of him having relations with another woman. He always apologized profusely." After another short moment of silence, Setsuka chuckled despite herself, "He had said that perhaps Shizuru would be better off with a woman if many men in the world had his habits. I had thought he meant to say this jokingly until now. I never really took to mind the idea of my own daughter falling for a woman."

Not knowing what to say besides a nervous, "Yeah, well…", Natsuki just sat there, her eyes darting from one object to the next. The thing that really stuck in her mind was the information she'd just received about her father having all these lovers behind her mother's back. "Does she know? About her father, I mean." The question came before she could stop it.

Mrs. Fujino shook her head. "No, not that I'm aware of anyway. She adored him, so I'd prefer she not know." Knowing what Setsuka's expectant look meant – "please don't tell her" – she nodded her wordless promise. Natsuki's hand stiffened for a moment when Mrs. Fujino's hand lightly grasped hers. "Thank you for caring so much for my Shizuru. Treat her well. I know that, if Shizuru's father were still alive, he would love you like he was your own. He never cared who Shizuru fell in love with as long as he or she would never make the mistakes he did and love her just as much. Girochi never understood that about his brother, pity."

She released Natsuki's hand and stood. "I wish you well and hope your strength and health return soon. Again, I deeply apologize for my brother-in-law's actions." She came close to the door, turning to give Natsuki a warm smile. Natsuki tried her best to smile back without making it look lopsided again. "I hope to see you soon in the future, Ms. Kuga, where I will offer you better hospitality than in the past week. I give my best to both you and my daughter. Good day."

Setsuka left, disappearing the same way Shizuru had. Natsuki let out a relieved sigh before she heard mutterings behind the door: "Contact me when she is released from the hospital and let me know of her healing progress." Another voice followed. "I will, mother. Thank you, for everything." There was a brief silence; perhaps they were hugging or something. Footsteps followed, slowly drifting to nothing.

The door opened again, this time it was Shizuru adorning a smile. "So what were you conversing about?"

"Oh, um, she just told me a bit about your dad and how 'indebted' she was to me for taking the bullet. I think I got her blessing too." Natsuki said carefully, knowing that her eyes weren't helping her as they traitorously glancing around.

Shizuru sat next to her on her bed, still smiling. "Did she tell you of all the women he had slept with during his life?"

Emerald orbs snapped to Shizuru's, surprised and unsure. The lack of pain or betrayal left her somewhat bewildered as it looked as though Shizuru thought no less of him and he was still her hero despite. "Y…yeah… She did." Natsuki said uncertainly, eyeing her suspiciously.

Shizuru apparently amused at either the memories or the surreptitiousness of her own mother. "Yes, I had met almost all of them as well. I would spend some time with both my father and his mistress only a few times during the week. Some of them adored me…" – her eyes cast downward, as though trying to remove the memories of the less amiable mistresses – "some of them didn't. However, if my father ever noticed any of his mistresses mistreating me, he would immediately remove her from the second home he kept for them."

Natsuki was silent for a moment. "Psh," suddenly came with a weak wave of her hand. "I woulda kicked ass and taken names than just booting them out." She shifted somewhat roughly in her bed. "I'm happy he was so good to you and loved you so much, but I woulda made them kneel down and apologize to you personally."

Shizuru giggled as she moved her hand gently along Natsuki's side. "Always so rough and tough, my protective Natsuki." She grinned as she watched the younger girl give another small lopsided smile. "So, anything else?" Shizuru asked with mild curiosity.

"No, I'm just glad she didn't ask me what my intentions with you were." Natsuki said with a muffled sigh: her hand had run down her face tiredly.

Shizuru gave a low chuckle from her throat. "It was fortunate that she didn't ask me that question about you when you're healthy and released from the hospital - it would have been inappropriate." She winked flirtatiously. Natsuki turned red and coughed. Shizuru turned her head cutely to one side, grinning. "Would you like me to whisper it to you?" She murmured as she drew closer, her eyes focused though lightly hooded and her hands moving like a cat on the prowl.

"N-n-no, no, that's okay, I'd better not know." Natsuki stuttered, futilely pushing herself back further into the bed while Shizuru came ever closer.

"Oh?" The older girl quirked an eyebrow playfully, "So, you would prefer it to be a surprise? That's understandable. Though, I should warn you, you will need all the energy you can get." She stated in the lowest octave of her voice, making Natsuki involuntarily shudder. Shizuru laughed again as she slowly leaned close enough so Natsuki could feel her warm breath brush her lips. Hypnotized, Natsuki felt herself lean closer.

"Hello there." Came a male voice from the doorway.

Natsuki slammed her head against her pillow, her hands gripped the sheets and her eyes clinched shut, her throat emitting a low, irritated growl. She heard Shizuru sigh and remove herself.

"Oh, hello Reito, it's quite the surprise to see you here." Natsuki's eyes snapped open as she heard Shizuru speak the person's name.

'Sonofabitch.' She thought in a hard rush, trying to hide her sneer.

Reito smiled charmingly again, his eyes drifting from one girl to the other. "Yes, I just stopped by to make sure Kuga-san was okay. Mrs. Fujino told me everything this morning." When he noticed how Shizuru glanced away guiltily, he chuckled. "Don't worry about me, Shizuru. I remember well your feelings for each other all those years ago. I wasn't one bit surprised when your mother told me you had fallen for someone else, as I knew exactly who that person could be." He smiled at Natsuki, who looked at him with mild surprise and gave him an equally mild smile. "I hope to see you up on your feet soon, Kuga-san." He wished politely.

"Yeah, thanks Reito. Appreciate it." Natsuki replied in her coarse voice.

"Thank you for your concern, Reito. Now, Natsuki needs her rest. If you don't mind…" She drifted off, trying to sound polite.

Reito smiled in a smug way that made both girls aware that he knew what she really meant to say. "Of course. Rest well, Natsuki-san." He waved his adieu and exited the room, his smug smile remaining until he was no longer seen.

Shizuru chuckled at Natsuki's aggravated sigh, the bruised and normal eye shutting so Natsuki could relax herself a little easier. She moved back to take her seat on Natsuki's bed. "I spoke to the vet this morning." She murmured.

Jade eyes shot back open again. Shizuru could see the unbearable curiosity behind the fatigued eyes. "Really?" Was all she said, trying not to seem like it was a huge deal for her. It was obvious she didn't want to bring her hopes up.

Shizuru smiled, knowing just how much Natsuki wanted to know. She didn't mind telling at all. "They said he's going to be alright," Her smile grew as Natsuki smiled a broad smile back. "They just request that he remain there for a few more days till he will be well enough for us to continue caring for him." The smile grew to a grin as she watched Natsuki's eyes become glazed with water and her smile remain. Natsuki said no words, only continue smiling gratefully and blink away her tears of happiness. Shizuru took Natsuki's hand and gripped it, showing her undying support and happiness for her.

They remained like that for a few minutes that felt like seconds to them, especially Natsuki since her mind was reeling with thoughts of what she and Dhuran were going to do when they're both well again. "Hey," Natsuki finally muttered. "Doesn't that mean that you'll have two people to care for when the both of us return home?"

Shizuru shrugged and smiled. "I have absolutely no problem with nursing you two, especially you, Natsuki. I want to make sure that you recover without complications, and I know I'll be careful and gentle to the both of you." 'Besides, it'll be fun when Natsuki is well enough that we can turn that into a "role play" game one night. – "Would Natsuki wish me to take of her belt? Or perhaps my dress? What would Natsuki prefer?" – Oh, Natsuki's right, I do have the worst thoughts sometimes.' Shizuru thought, trying to hide her grin.

"By the way," Shizuru immediately continued, trying to get her mind off its dirty thoughts. "What did you mean when you said that Girochi might as well call you my new suitor?" She looked at her with curious expectancy.

Fear shot onto Natsuki's face. Or perhaps it wasn't fear, but intense nervousness. "Oh, yeah, well, um…" She stuttered through words yet again. "I… I was, um…" Her jade eyes peered up to Shizuru's, whose expression hadn't changed one bit and still looked just as innocent. Natsuki sighed, there was no getting out of this, and perhaps now was the best time to say it anyway. "Last night, in your room, I couldn't sleep, at least not for long. I was thinking about you… and me… and I was asking myself questions like, "Could I see myself ever loving someone else this much?" and "Could I ever trust anyone else enough to treat Shizuru the way she deserves?" For all, the answer always ended up being no." Natsuki looked up to Shizuru, who gazed at her fondly.

Though she loved seeing that look, she knew she shouldn't have: it only made her anxious again. She looked away again. "The possibility of… of marrying you kept entering my head and… after thinking about it for a long time… I thought, "Yes, I want to."" This time, she smiled at Shizuru's touched and adoring look, feeling proud of herself for finally revealing her thoughts. "Although," She continued with a shrug, "I wasn't exactly expecting to say this to you only fifteen minutes later when your bastard uncle stormed in. I wanted to give it some time." She admitted in a somewhat sheepish manner.

Shizuru couldn't stop looking at her nor could she stop smiling. This exultant feeling just refused to leave, she wanted to take Natsuki in her arms and kiss her all over her face, but she feared hurting her with that bruise on her face. "Well, why don't you just ask me that important question now?" She asked in a calm tone despite the beaming look on her face.

Natsuki gawked at her exasperatedly. "I can't propose to you here! Not with this bruise and all these bandages and NOT while just sitting in this bed! I want to at least do it properly, with the kneeling and everything." Shizuru's giddy laugh made her pink a little and cast her eyes away shyly.

"Yes, I suppose that's fair. I just hope I can wait that long." Still grinning, Shizuru eyed the contours of Natsuki's body beneath the covers. She peered back up into Natsuki's eyes, 'May I join you?' her eyes said. Natsuki smiled and wordlessly lifted the covers. The older girl eagerly slipped in, throwing the waves of her ocher hair behind her head and laying it close to Natsuki's. "May I at least give you my answer early?" She whispered.

The younger girl smiled again. "Yeah, you can." She whispered back.

"Good," Shizuru murmured, bringing her lips close to the navy hair splayed over the pillow. "Yes, I will." She smiled broadly, feeling Natsuki do the same. She carefully moved her arm to rest over Natsuki's midriff, the other reach down to lace her fingers with the paler ones. She lifted her lips and, finally, brushed them against Natsuki's loving their feel and response. Her tongue teased the younger girl's lips and was very happy to feel Natsuki allow her room to invade her mouth and caress the soft tongue inside. She giggled as she heard the other girl moan softly. Oh, she couldn't wait till the day when she would no longer be restricted to kiss only Natsuki's lips, soft though they were.

Silent seconds passed. Both had eventually broken apart, the 'smacks' of suction upon each other's lips finally ceased. Natsuki listened to the second hand of the clock hung on the eggshell-colored wall tick away. "I wonder what we do now, besides the whole engagement-wedding thing." The azure-haired girl whispered more to herself than anyone else.

Shizuru was silent for a moment, then decided to answer. "Well, I've always wanted to have kids…" She heard the 'beeps' of Natsuki's heart monitor become much closer together.

"WHAT!?"

The End