Drgnlady: Wow, it has been forever since I have updated… I feel sorry that it's taken me this long to get back to it… And I apologize to the people who have been looking forward for another chapter… Lots has happened since I last wrote anything, work is driving me crazy, loans all calling me, I was in the hospital for a lacerated spleen, my Grams passed away, and I have a bulging disc in my spine… I just couldn't find the energy to shake my "Ugh" feeling to even come up with anything to even write… I am going to finish this story though (I promise)… I can't stand to leave things half done!

Ichigo: About time you updated, do you know how long we've been in bed?

Ryou: No complaints here, XD

Ichigo: MEN!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, if I did Masaya would drown in my private pool, while I recorded it so that I can relive the experience over and over and over…

Chapter 11:

Where do we go from here?

I got up slowly from the bed, careful not to wake the other occupant… Something that I had never had to do before… It was an odd feeling, having company in such a manner… A feeling that I found I didn't mind at all. Rushing through my morning routine in a quiet fashion still had its problems, but I figured I would get the hang of it eventually… It could even become habit! I smiled at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I was happy for the first time in what felt like forever, I had something to look forward to when I woke up. The sound of my cell broke through my happy daze as I quickly tried to locate it to shut the ringer off.

"Hello?" I whispered.

"Ichigo? Are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here…" Raising my voice slightly while eyeing the still sleeping form of Ryou.

"Ichigo, why are you whispering? I can barely hear you!"

"No one real reason, my throat is a little sore this morning, that's all…"

"You wouldn't have happened to see Ryo-," Keiichiro paused, "Ahhh…. I see…"

"Hey quit that!" I said at the sound of his chuckle, "There's no need to laugh at me!"

"So I guess you worked out your transformations… I guess Ryou was right and everything did just turn out fine… Well you have no reason to whisper, either, He sleeps like a rock… You think he wakes that early to be in the café on time without help? He sleeps in probably as much as you do! It has to be something with that cat DNA. You really should let me take a sample of your fur…"

"Oh! But he isn't even here! And no you aren't getting any of my fur!"

"Ichigo, it's a little late for that," I could sense his smile through the phone. "But don't worry your secret is safe with me, I told you already that I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Yeah… ok…"

"But I called because Pai has finished his analysis of the Mew Aqua and want to speak with all of the mews back here at the café. So as soon as you can drag lover-boy's butt out of bed you should get over here… I called you first so if you hurry you should be able to get here before everyone else does."

"Ok, I'll be there…" I closed my phone with a snap and walked up to the bed.

"Ryou… Ryou… You have to wake up!" I attempted to shake the sleeping figure.

"5 more minutes… K?" He mumbled as he tried dragging me back into bed with him.

"No! We have to go now, it's about the Mew Aqua!" I struggled against him and finally won. I quickly moved to the end of the bed out of his reach.

"But I don't want to get out of bed… It's so nice here." He peeked out from beneath the cover he had pulled over his head.

"Yes, I know… But it's my bed and I say time to get up!" I yanked the cover away from him and fell laughing.

I still don't know how he get dressed as quickly as he did… To go from being a sleepy, lazy mess to the very clean cut appearance he was now sporting was nothing short of shocking. He was still miffed at me because I had rejected his attempt to hold my hand at least three times since walking out the door. I mean it was going to look bad enough with us showing up together, I didn't need the added problems of what holding hands in public would do.

"They are going to find out eventually, you know…" He sighed as I dodged his hand again.

"I know, but right now I don't want them to…" I couldn't tell him the real reason, that even though he had told he wouldn't break me the same way I still felt cautious about the potential. I had resolved myself to enjoy the time that I had been given me and worry about everything else later. One of the reasons I felt somewhat uneasy about the speed in which we had gotten intimate… But there wasn't much else that could be done about it, can't take back what was already given.

"You got quite, Ichigo, something wrong?"

"Nope, nothing!" I tried to smile to ease his worry.

"You're not still worried about that intruder last night, are you?" He stopped short on the walk and turned to me. "I'll protect you, you don't have to worry about it." He bent to kiss me, which I leaned into, glad I could control my change.

"I have been a little worried about it…" I gladly took the offered problem as the cause, not wanting him to see the real reason I had been thinking so hard.

"We'll get everything straight, no problems." He took my hand this time without a word and led me down the path to the café.