AN: Thanks so much guys! I know not a lot of action in the last chapter but they had to rest. Oh and this chapter is the longest I have written so far.

As always Athena Sampaio has beta'd this and all mistakes you see are mine.


Galatea

"So, Tomoe has a serious case of narcissism. Add that to her borderline personality disorder, and she's got one of the worst possible combinations of psychological problems a person can have." Shizuru spoke confidently, looking at each of us in turn. "Right now, I believe Tomoe may strike within the next couple of weeks. She is still sending me notes. But they have a pattern."

She picked up a stack of papers that were spread out in front of her. I could tell what she was going to say next troubled her. "About a week before Tomoe attacked me in the club, the tone of her letters switched from talking about my interviews to telling me the faults of the people around me, especially the women. And before the attempted abduction from my parent's house in Kyoto, her little presents were also targeting the women closest to me. She is doing it again. With one exception."

Shizuru abruptly stopped her speech, snapping her eyes to my face. They were swirling with suppressed emotions. Around the table, the others all busied themselves with shuffling their papers or watching Shizuru and me.

"Let me guess, she's finally realized what kind of relationship you and Misaki are in and is now demanding that you stay far away from me?" I spoke softly, flicking my black hair off my shoulder. The others in the room nodded slightly and Nao handed me a couple of copies of the most recent letters. I clenched my teeth as I read each note. Some of them even had pictures of Shizuru and me from the beach. How in the name of Heaven did I not see her? My right arm tingled. I rubbed at it slowly.

"Oh."

Shuzuru sighed. "Yes. Tomoe finds you to be the most threatening to her perceived control over me. She has always thought of you as a menace to my purity. If you continue to, ah, pursue me, she will devote more of her time to trying to get rid of you. While she has given me some warnings in the past about you, she hasn't overtly threatened you until now."

I gave an absent nod. I didn't need to mention the Masquerade. Shizuru still hates to talk about it. I think that Tomoe was hoping for an excuse to off me. She may have thought that Shizuru would have made a fuss and then she would have given the order to have me murdered right then and there. But Tomoe forgot that Shizuru is willing to sacrifice herself for a loved one so she quietly went with her, knowing that Tomoe was going to hurt her in some way.

"She's one crazy bitch. Tomoe believes you're her Galatea." Chie piped in, naming the statue that was brought to life from the kiss of her creator, Pygmalion. He had sculpted a statue so beautiful, that he had fallen in love with his own creation. He went to Aphrodite's temple to pray for the Greek goddess to breathe life into the statue. Aphrodite, moved by the tragic artist, graciously granted his wish.

The metaphor suited Shizuru. So many of her fans believed her to be a perfect woman due to her soft manners, sharp wit and of course her beauty. She has become so famous that she can't walk around Fuuka City without someone recognizing her.

"Fox, you've gotta stop being so perfect in public. Tomoe's probably too far gone, but idiots like the lady from Shinjuku or the guy from Ikebukuro will keep popping up. No offense, you're super hot and all that, but I still don't get why you have hordes of crazy fans. You have a serious flirting problem and speak in riddles half the time." She shook her head in mock disbelief. "Unless that's exactly why they're all crazy for you."

"Ara! I think Nao-chan is in denial. She's flirted with fewer of those strapping young men at the club recently. Perhaps she has finally succumbed to my charms." Everyone burst out laughing, glad that Shizuru could tease despite the most recent attack on her.

Nao jumped up and pointed across the table at Shizuru. "Damn succubus! You know full well why!"

I raised a brow. Huh, are Nao and Shizuru like total girlfriends now? Sharing secrets, are we? The pair had grown close and their friendship was as unlikely as mine and Nao's. Rolling my head, I shot a questioning glance at my petite friend.

Since Nao wasn't going to elaborate, I stood up and forcibly shoved her back down into her seat. "Nao, you know she's only messing with you. Chill out." I shot a half-hearted glare at Shizuru, silently telling her to cool it with the jokes. She shrugged and looked away.

Sitting down again I studied Shizuru. She and I had another long discussion about her joining the team. I still had some doubts but Shizuru once again said that she needed to help, that she didn't want to keep feeling so vulnerable. Koika was totally for Shizuru being involved too. I was out voted and out reasoned. So I asked Reito if it was okay for Shizuru to join - he gave the ok since I had already broken one company rule: no fraternizing with your clients. Nao, Chie and Aoi absolutely loved the idea. Today was her first day on the job.

A couple of days ago, Shizuru and Koika had gotten together and created rudimentary psychological profiles of the types of people who would stalk her through her fan mail. Luckily, they hadn't turned up any others that were like Tomoe. They were creepy but harmless.

"Anyways, could you tell us why Tomoe having borderline personality disorder and narcissistic tendencies is so bad?" Aoi asked.

"Yes. As you know, Narcissists believe that they are the center of their world. They cannot view others as human beings. The people in a Narcissist's life are simply objects to prop them up. For example, lovers are there for pleasure and wealth in most cases. Once the lover becomes boring or useless to the Narcissist, they are cast aside. Because of this they have trouble empathizing with others." The musical voice stopped for a breath.

"Those with borderline personality disorder tend to only see in extreme blacks and whites. They cannot see the shades of gray that are a part of everyday life. People with BPD can have trouble forming relationships, but when they do, they are insecure in those bonds. They can also be highly manipulative."

Nao raised her hand and asked. "Aren't these two personality disorders like complete opposites of each other then? Wouldn't they cancel each other out?"

Shizuru shook her head, her tawny waves rippling. "No, in fact, they can amplify certain aspects of each other. For instance, Tomoe wants me because she sees me exactly as her Galatea." She gave Chie a nod. "The Narcissist in her sees me as something to possess, and the BPD emphasizes my good qualities, making me even more desirable in her eyes."

She grimaced and looked at me. "She thought she had me. But suddenly, someone came between us. And I have become deeply attached to this person, something that she never expected to happen. The beautiful statue that she thought only she could have has begun to move. Her Galatea has become human. So she seeks to destroy her rival now because she wants me to stay a statue, an idol."

"Damn." Chie whistled. "Shizuru, that was poetic. I think that you're the only person who could make a psychological diagnosis sound pretty."

"Sonova bitch." I breathed. Now that Tomoe is gunning for me, I could be putting Shizuru in more danger than she already was.

"Natsuki, did you have something to add?" Shizuru asked sweetly. There was a hint of danger in her voice, though.

I jumped and turned to her. "N-nothing, Zuru. I was just thinking that I should not be your bodyguard any longer."

Four pairs of eyes blinked and stared at me, all in various degrees of shock.

"Don't be stupid Natsuki. You are the best trained bodyguard we have. That's why Reito put you in charge in the first place. Besides, Shizuru is closer to you than anyone here. You should be with her." Chie said sharply.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Shizuru spoke up softly. "I would not wish for another, Chie. You all must remember that Tomoe does not realize that Misaki and Natsuki is the same person, yet. She is only aware of Misaki's romantic relationship with me." She said the last part while pinning me to my seat with narrowed eyes. They were a deep, glittering crimson.

Uh-oh, I pissed her off. I thought, startled by their intensity. Well I did blindside her.

"Shizuru." Her eyes softened slightly at my tone. "I would love to stay on as your bodyguard. But I could be putting you into more danger." I gave her an apologetic look.

Shizuru's eyes widened at my expression. She blinked and shook her head, chuckling. "Well, considering that Tomoe's efforts have been thwarted so far, I'd say you've done an exceptional job. I thank you for allowing me to stay at your apartment while I re-locate."

Her eyes disappeared behind long lashes and when they emerged again, they were a playful burgundy. I sucked in a breath - those eyes were dangerous. "It is quite invigorating to be woken up by Natsuki. That sinful voice of hers is devilishly hard to ignore." Her own honeyed tones dipped seductively and I remembered what had happened this morning when I woke her up. I would have to agree that it was invigorating.

I burned red at the memory and hid my face behind my midnight hair. Nao burst out laughing, slapping her hand on the table. Chie and Aoi giggled furiously.

Yeah, Yeah. Yuck it up, guys. Slowly, their laughs died down to chuckles. Everyone was tense because of the destruction of Shizuru's apartment. The team took it personally that her location was found so soon. Shizuru's crack about my voice was small but it was a tease none the less and an indication that she was once again bouncing back from a stressful situation.

Shizuru spoke to everyone in the room. "I should like it if Natsuki were to carry on as Misaki, ladies. Even though Tomoe is a little suspicious of Natsuki in school, we are rarely seen together outside campus. Tomoe is smart enough to figure out that Misaki and Natsuki are one and the same. I do not think that it is wise to make Tomoe want to investigate Natsuki further. Let her chase after the fictional character."

"I agree, Shizuru-san. A good tactic if I must say so. If anything, she has provided some of your fans with some, ah, eye-candy. She's a great distraction." Aoi concurred, amusement evident in her perky voice.

Chie spoke up with waggling eyebrows. "Yum. I bet Natsuki tastes delicious."

"Chie!" Aoi, Nao and I shouted.

"Ara, Chie's correct. Natsuki does have a sugary taste." Shizuru reported helpfully. "It's most likely due to all of those American sweets that she is so fond of." She added with a shrug.

I glared at her. She grinned.

"Oh, do tell." Aoi wanted all the juicy details. Nao was pretending to throw up in her huge cup of coffee. And I was trying my hardest to disappear. The others were looking back and forth between Shizuru and me with curious expressions on their faces. Nope, not invisible yet. Damn.

"Okay, ladies! We have a lot to do still. Aoi and Chie - I want you two to work on more background. Nao - those proxies are all yours. Now that Shizuru is on board we should have better access to private records." I shouted, blushing. I needed to stop this conversion before Shizuru decided to reveal more about our relationship than I would like. Like our recent intimate encounters.

"I'll definitely -" Chie started with a suggestive gesture that was stopped when Aoi grabbed her hands.

"Chie, say one more word and no sex for a week."


A couple days after the meeting I walked up the steps of the hotel that Shizuru was staying at. It was our day off so we decided to pull a study date. Shizuru and I had agreed that it would be safer for the both of us if Shizuru didn't stay at my place as often. The risk of someone following her to my apartment was too high. So, she booked a hotel room for about three weeks and she moved the majority of her new wardrobe into the room. Plus, the hotel was in a relatively secure area. All of the doors were locked after midnight. Staff had their key cards and the guests used their room keys to get in.

Since Shizuru and her family were well known in Fuuka City, it was not that hard to convince the hotel's management to allow for a couple of odd requests. One was that the front desk and operator were not allowed to send any phone calls to Shizuru's room. It is way too easy for someone to trace the call to a specific room and I wasn't going to risk that Tomoe hadn't thought of that tactic. We also asked that housekeeping only allowed a small number of people access to the room. The general manager was naturally upset about the idea - he thought that we didn't trust the staff members. I explained that the staff could be trusted, but since the hotel has an army of maids it is easy for a master key card to get lost. Once that was smoothed over we also asked that surveillance take extra precaution by following her progress whenever she moves through the hotel. If they found anyone suspicious around her they were to immediately contact the guards.

My book bag was heavy with my textbooks and my ever present sketchbook. Since the end of the semester was coming closer and closer, Shizuru and I had loads of studying to do. Luckily for me, I was able to write all of my term papers while I was waiting to get back to work and I just needed to study for my tests. If I passed then I would finally be able to get my elusive Bachelor's Degree. Since the FBI recruited me as a student, I had to stay with them through the duration of my senior year in order to graduate. Well, I was kicked out of the Bureau about six months later, so no degree.

Finally making it up to Shizuru's room, I pulled my key out of my pocket and slid it through the reader. The lock released with a click and I quietly pushed into the room. Once inside I heard the sound of the shower running. I glanced at my watch: it was 10 am. Raising a brow at the bathroom door, I padded to the small table that was snuggled in the far corner of Shizuru's room. Because she was so busy, Shizuru almost always slept in on her days off. Dumping my bag on the table and shrugging off my leather jacket to reveal my fitted tee shirt, I opened the curtains a crack and squinted against the glare of the early morning sun. I tossed the jacket on the unused bed and bent to pull off my boots. Setting them neatly by the foot of the bed, I moved back to the table, sat down and pulled out my sketchbook.

I was just about done with the shading on my newest sketch when the bathroom door clicked open.

"Ara! What a pleasant surprise! Natsuki had agreed to meet me much later than twenty after ten." She sounded surprised and happy. "Perhaps it is because she wanted to catch a glimpse of something, no?" She added with a hint of a husk.

I stiffened, oh I totally wanted to see Shizuru naked but that would lead to some other activities that were not academic. "Um, yeah I thought that I would wake you up but I guess I was a little late." I stared down at my almost completed sketch.

Cloth rustled and I dropped my pencil to grip at the arms of the chair. Ever since that night on the couch when we almost had sex, I have been more aware of her flirting, her body movement, her everything; it just wasn't fair. Tomoe had taken so much from her and she was so vulnerable. It hurt when she stiffened under me and looked up at me with those huge scared eyes. So whenever I woke her up, I made it a point to touch her where Tomoe had left her marks. As if my touch would heal Shizuru. But it was the only thing I could think of.

"Perhaps I should have stayed in bed then." She sounded disappointed. Lithe arms wrapped around my neck. A bed sheet wrapped around me, fluttering against the table and I felt warm soft lips press into my neck. I gulped. "Natsuki's methods of waking me up are most unusual and most appreciated." The dulcet tones of her voice were warm and so sultry.

I arched my neck so she could have better access. "You still naked?"

She chuckled against my neck. "And what if I was?"

I sucked in a breath as she nibbled at my ear. "Because I want you so bad it hurts. And I won't do anything about it until you are ready."

Shizuru stopped her ministrations and her warmth left me. "I am sorry Natsuki. That was cruel of me. I am dressed - it is safe to turn around." All of the playful seduction left and sorrow replaced it.

Damn it.

I growled and spun out of the chair to face Shizuru for the first time since I got here. And froze, stunned at what I saw. She was so beautiful and sad that I wanted to race over and make her happy so the world would feel right again. Her red eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, making them look like bottomless pools. Even with those sorrowful eyes watching me, her chin was still high and proud. She waited for me to say something.

I smiled at her and leaned against the chair, relaxing my posture. "Do you really have clothes under there?" I asked with a nod towards her choice of apparel.

She blinked. "Ara. Natsuki isn't going to accept my apology? Ikezu."

I shook my head. "As far as I am concerned you have nothing to apologize for."

She gave me a dubious look. "But…"

"Look, Zuru. You are so gorgeous that you should not be allowed in public without a certain amount of clothes on." I watched her as she began to crack, the corners of her mouth were twitching up and her eyes were beginning to brighten. "I am seriously considering starting a petition about that. You," I pointed at her dramatically. "Dear lady, are a public menace, addling people's brains… causing grown men to walk into telephone poles… teenaged boys to act like proper gentlemen…" I brought my hand down and shook my head. "I don't even want to know what could happen if you were to walk into a high school with one of your favorite skirts…" I trailed off, knowing that her favorite skirts were of the 'mini' variety, and then added "We must protect our youth from your devious ways." I struck a superhero pose.

Silvery laughter erupted from the bed. Shizuru was cracking up, and she folded, clutching at her sides. I grinned and stepped over to the bed. Crossing my arms I watched as she laughed and cried at the same time.

"I should be upset at Natsuki for taking this so lightly." She said through her giggles. "But I understand what she is saying." She paused and looked up, not at all startled that I had moved. "She likes being teased in such a way, yes?" I nodded. "But I still feel as though I pushed too far."

I sighed and said, "Princess, did I tell you at any point to stop?"

"No. But you were so tense - I thought I had upset you."

I chuckled. "Yea I was tense but that was because I was holding on to the chair for dear life. If I let go, then I probably would have taken you right then and there. And only for my pleasure. That is not what I would have wanted our first time to be like."

Shizuru's eyes widened and she blushed a pretty pink through her golden skin. "Oh."

I bent down and placed my arms on either side of her. I had to put a knee on the bed so I could get close enough to her face. "Perhaps milady would allow me a small taste, then?" I murmured, giving her my biggest puppy eyes.

She softened and smiled. "Thank you for asking."

I grinned and leaned in. Before I could kiss her she stopped me with her fingers to my lips and I whined in my throat.

"You didn't have to pull out the puppy eyes, Natsuki." She chided me with amusement before she slid her arms around my neck and pulled me down to meet my lips with her own. Little bolts of pleasure were sent from her lips through my body. Usually, Shizuru's kisses are full of passion and fire, despite their softness. This one was coaxing, teasing; almost like she wanted me to take over. So I did.

I pulled the rest of my body up on the bed so I could free my hands. Shizuru still had her arms fully around my neck, her hands twinning through my hair and fingers stroking at the back of my neck. Partially straddling her, because she was sitting on her knees, I slowly pushed my hands through the folds of her sheet.

I pulled back slightly and whispered. "Seizo," naming the polite way one would sit when kneeling.

"Shut up," She husked and leaned in again. I resumed my exploration for her body. As my hands were searching I ran my tongue over Shizuru's top lip, asking for entry. Her mouth opened and I gently pushed past her lips to explore. She let out a soft moaning sigh then stiffened when my hands found the smooth skin of her hips.

I broke the kiss and chuckled when my fingers hit the lace of her underwear. "You sure are something else, Zuru."

I let my fingers trace the skin along the lace to her lower back and she shivered. "Natsuki did come into my room while I was in the shower after all. I thought to tease her mercilessly until she blushed that cute shade of red, but alas she has managed to turn the tables." She said with a wry humor in her low voice.

I stared at her playful burgundies then just started to crack up. "Zuru, am I going to find a bra or are you going to have to save me from my imagination?"

She tucked in her head and pushed me further up the bed, so my back bumped against the wall at its head. Then, she scooted closer so she could sit on my lap. Her eyes darkened further, humor giving way to a deep need. Her arms disappeared under her sheet and her fingers found my hands. Grasping them, she guided them so my fingers would trail up her long torso. When they brushed against her belly button ring, she closed her eyes and gasped. I simply watched, fascinated by the play of emotion that flitted across her features. Fear and sorrow fought against desire and love. The burgundies opened again and she guided them further up her body, gently moved them so I could feel the soft mounds of her breasts under the pads of my fingers. I let loose a soft growling moan as she guided my hands all the way up so I could feel her hard nipples under my palms. She arched her back slightly pushing her flesh further into my palms. Her arms once again found their way around my neck and the sheet finally slid off her body to pool around our waists. I fought to keep my eyes on her face.

Don't look down…

I looked down at my hands resting on her breasts and I think my brain just exploded from the sensory overload.

"I do believe that they are real, yes?" She asked, in a breathy voice.

I forced my eyes back up to safer ground and slid my hands down to grasp at her hips. "Holy shit." Yup, that wasn't the smoothest thing that I could have said but those two words pretty much summed up my thought processes.

She chuckled deep in her throat. "Thank you, my fierce, gentle Natsuki." She pressed into me and gave me a short kiss. "I think that I should get changed now. We should order room service for lunch, no?"

I nodded dumbly as she climbed off me and sauntered into the bathroom. I shook myself, trying to calm down. She said that I had turned the tables on her, but what she had just done to my hands totally trumps anything that I had done to her. Something snapped into focus. She just thanked me for something. I was in the middle of thinking about it when hands covered my eyes.

"Zuru! I was trying to think!"

The hands disappeared and a weight fell on my back. "About what?" Shizuru asked softly, her breaths caressing my neck. It was a comfortable feeling, and I had no trouble pushing back the wave of desire I felt.

I leaned into her. "Why did you thank me?"

"I know exactly what you have been trying to do when you wake me up. You are too kind to try. But it is something that I have to overcome on my own, sweet Natsuki." She squeezed me into a hug.

I brought a hand up and placed it on her arm. "I had to try something, Zuru. It hurt to see you so shattered and scared."

"Ara. What next?" She asked sadly.

I turned and hugged her. "The next step is to rid you of Tomoe, and then we can go from there. And you've just proven to me that you are not made of stone."

She laughed and pulled away. "So, do you still want lunch?"

My stomach answered for me, it grumbled in anticipation of the great food that I was going to fill it with. I flushed and patted at it with my hand.

"That must be an overwhelming yes. Perhaps our earlier activities worked up Natsuki's appetite, yes?"

Spinning off the bed to face Shizuru, I held up my hands in surrender. "I give in to the master…" I let the rest of my sentence die as I took in her outfit for the day. Cocking my head to the side, I asked. "Exercise clothes?"

"Yes. Mai and I are going to take advantage of the hotel's wonderful facilities. She is due to arrive in," She glanced at the clock. "About an hour and a half."

I snorted and shook my head. "Still can't believe that you can make a pair of shorts and a tank top look hot." I muttered as I pulled open the heavy curtains all the way.

"Ara, isn't the old saying, 'the clothes don't wear you-you wear them'?" Shizuru asked.

I whirled and grabbed my sketch book off the table. I pointed at her with a halfhearted glare and asked, "What? Do you have super hearing, too?" Before marching over to the bed and flinging myself on it, my hands stretched over my head, and my sketch book clasped between them.

Propping my head in my hand, I watched Shizuru giggle and walk over to the entertainment stand. She opened the second drawer under the TV and hauled out her heavy criminal psychology book. Then she smoothly turned and plopped it on the foot of my bed, continuing to move to the head of her bed and bending over to grab her two pillows.

I followed her every move and ran my gaze over her body. Suddenly a pillow smacked me in the face. "Wha-!" I yelped as I pulled it off me and glowered at Shizuru.

She stood at the side of my bed, one hand on her cocked hip and the other holding the second pillow. "Natsuki, we've talked about you staring at me like that. I told you I can feel it when you do that. You know exactly what it does to me but you still do it." She said with annoyance evident in her voice.

"Sorry." I shot her a big innocent look. I had totally forgotten that I affected her like that. I pushed her pillow up to the head board and scooted to maneuver my own pillows into place. All the while I kept my eyes down.

Shizuru made a scoffing noise and her pillow flashed into view. The bed shifted as her weight hit it. "I shouldn't get upset with you about it, because I love it when you give me that look. Did you know that you broke through all of my defenses when you first did that to me?" She asked.

I shook my head, wondering where this all came from. "You didn't even have to touch me, but the force of your eyes was almost physical. Then you flowed toward me, circled me like some sort of wild animal. And when you brought my eyes to meet yours, they were powerful and warm, like an emerald fire. I wish that I could wrap myself in that fire and stay there, safe from everything." She paused and leaned into her pillows to look down on me. "It is highly frustrating that I can't do that just yet."

I nodded, turned and leaned against the head board, mirroring Shizuru. I reached out and grabbed Shizuru's hand. Gently pulling it up to my lips, I brushed them against her knuckles. "Don't worry, dear lady, the snake shall be chased away."

Shizuru giggled and withdrew her hand. "You are terrible, Natsuki. It is difficult to believe that you don't know how to flirt. You are a natural."

A knock sounded at the door and a male voice spoke loudly through the door. "Room Service."

I swung off the bed and waved Shizuru to stay there. She shook her head but smiled, and I was thankful for her endless patience. She raised a brow when I reached down and pulled a knife from its ankle sheath. I shrugged as I stalked to the door. It's good to be prepared.

I took a quick peek out the eyehole and saw a young man standing patiently in front of the door. I raised my voice. "Could you take a couple steps back from the door, please?" I asked.

When he did, I flattened my body against the wall and slowly pulled the door open. He looked at me with startled eyes. "Um Fujino-sama?" He asked politely, as if he didn't believe that I was her.

"No. I am one of her guards. I can take the food." I said.

He shook his head and straightened. "I am sorry ma'am but my orders are that I am to give the food directly to Fujino-sama…" he trailed off as the door was opened all the way.

"Ara. What a strong commitment to your duty…" she said, stepping in front of me. She tilted her head to the side, silently asking him for his name.

The poor guy looked scared and he bowed very low. "Nakamura Daisuke!" He half shouted.

"Oh, dear! Such vigor! Thank you so much for the food Daisuke-kun." She stepped further into the hall, causing him to straighten. His face was beat red. "Allow me to give you a tip." She said warmly, her musical tones deepening into a seductive range.

I raised an eyebrow. It isn't customary to give out tips and besides that, why the hell was she flirting with him?

"Ye-Yes, ma'am!" He stuttered out and held out his hand.

She bypassed the hand and gave him a sultry peck on the cheek. His eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped fainted dead away.

"Zuru, I think you killed him. Are you sure you're not a succubus?" I asked blithely, as I picked up the tray and walked back in the room with it. On the way back out I grabbed a towel from the bathroom and soaked it in cold water.

"No, I don't feed on people's souls." She ran her gaze over me and added lightly. "I do take Natsuki's wits from time to time. I am surprised that she is still capable of thinking."

I shook my head as I bent down to wipe down the guys face. "Nope. You don't take them, they see you coming and run for the hills. They only return when they think it's safe." I glanced at her and rolled my eyes. "You should head back into the room. The poor guy is going to be embarrassed that a girl caused him to faint."

She pouted. "I only wanted to tease him."

Luckily for all of us I was able to revive him and he went about his merry way, after I threatened to rip his balls off if he told anyone on the staff about his encounter with Shizuru. If word got around the hotel that Shizuru's tips were actually kisses, there would be a mess.

Lunch was yummy and I was able to start on my sketch. I just couldn't get the image of Shizuru wrapped up in the bed's linen out of my head. So I drew her, emerging from a lake. Instead of linen wrapped around her, it was water, swirling around her, and slowly revealing more skin as it ran down her body.

Shizuru kept shooting me glances from over the top of her textbook but I was too wrapped up in my drawing to give her an answer. In no time at all, Mai's cheerful voice echoed through the door and I let her in.

At her mildly disappointed face I grinned. "Aw. I am hurt, Mai. Don't you like me?"

Mai stuttered. "Y-yeah! Of course I like you! I was just hoping that Misaki-kun was here." She clamped her hand over her mouth and flushed. "Sorry, Shizuru-san."

Shizuru blinked and gave us a devilish smile. "Oh, it is okay. I am well aware that Misaki gets a lot of attention because of his looks. I don't think he is very much aware of it, though. I apologize for him in advance if he unintentionally leads you on."

Mai sighed. "He is just so handsome and kind. The girls at the club all have crushes on him. Well, except Nao-chan of course."

Shizuru giggled and tossed and arm around her friend. "Mai-chan is so cute. Let us go to the gym and see how many young men hit on her." She led Mai out the door and down the hall.

I chuckled and moved back to the table to gather up my things. I was going to catch up with them so I could ask Mai for a favor. After I left the room, I padded down the carpeted hallway. The small gym was easy to find and I noticed that it was separated from the hall by a large window. A small group of men were looking in on the two occupants of the room. I looked over their heads and saw Mai and Shizuru running on the treadmills. They had taken off their shirts, and their torsos were glistening with sweat.

I stopped behind the men, crossed my arms and narrowed in on Shizuru's form. Damn it all, she was too gorgeous. I ran my eyes over her then travelled over to the mirror that she was facing and I watched her belly ring glint as she moved. Uninvited, the memory of her soft gasp and the feel of her under my hands rose up in my memories. My breaths started to shorten and heat flew to my cheeks. Shizuru made a short movement with her hands and I shot my eyes up to meet hers through the mirror. Her eyes sparkled with amusement and her polite smile widened slightly when she realized that she was holding my gaze. Never turning, she mouthed 'Ookini' at me. I burned up and stiffened. Her eyes were laughing at me now and I had to stifle a growl. Stupid hormones.

I let out an exasperated huff and forced my gaze away from my sexy girlfriend, remembering the morons who were currently drooling over her and Mai. I cleared my throat and crossed my arms. "Gentlemen, I seriously hope that you all are going to be moving on shortly."

One of them turned towards me and asked, "Honey, why don't you join them?" while running his eyes up and down my body.

"Sorry, darling." I said with derision, "but the ladies in there are trying to enjoy themselves. Please go be a pervert somewhere else." I slid my book bag off my back. It landed with a soft plunk on the carpet. I was frustrated and these assholes were just waiting to be pummeled.

I pointed to Mai. "The red head happens to be a friend of mine and you're scaring her." I lowered my head and glared at them. "I don't like it when my friends get scared."

"Fuck off lady. Unless you want to have some fun with me." Another peeled his eyes away from Shizuru's ass to give me a once over.

I growled. "See her?" I pointed at Shizuru, who was eyeing the men through the mirror on the back wall with wariness etched on the planes of her face. The four men nodded. "She's pretty famous and she could have called security on your nasty asses." They started to protest. I raised my voice. "But…she's too polite to cause a scene."

One of the men moved and put a heavy hand on my shoulder. I looked down at the man's arm and back up at him. "You see, I am not so polite. And you have just given me the excuse to cause a scene." I laced my words with a low growling threat.

Without giving him a chance to think I flowed into motion, whipping my opposite hand over the top of his and peeling it off my shoulder by digging my fingers into the fleshy part of his palm. My other hand came down hard and fast on his elbow, causing him to cry out. Quickly, I pulled him into me and rammed my knee into his groin. He went down with a thump and his pal tried to tackle me. His movement was wild and uncontrolled so I could easily throw him off balance by sidestepping him and sticking out my foot to trip him. He stumbled over his friend, who was currently clutching at his crotch in a fetal position on the floor, and fell on his face.

The other two decided that it would be better to attack in tandem. They crept up to me and they circled around my back. I turned to watch them and backed into the glass of the gym. The door clicked open on my right and I quickly moved over to shove Shizuru back inside the room. A hand grabbed my hair, jerking my head back, painfully. I cried out and grabbed at my capture's hand. Back peddling into him, I eyed the other man, who was bearing down on us. I went limp and then drove a quick snapping kick into his stomach. He ran straight into it and fell with a muffled 'oof.'

Focusing on the man behind me, I stepped a little to the side and quickly jabbed my elbow into his ribs a couple times then slammed the heel of my boot on the top of his foot. He loosened his hold on me and I was able to chop his hand off me then grabbed his other hand-still tangled a bit in my hair - spinning him into an arm bar.

"Give up yet?" I asked.

He was saved from an answer when a couple of security guards ran into the hall and shouted at us to stop. I dropped my captive and stepped away, smoothing out my tee shirt. I glanced at the gym - Mai was looking at me in awe, and Shizuru looked calm but for her eyes; they were spitting red fire. I winced and mouthed a sorry at her. She shook her head slightly and pointed at the two guards.

I walked over to the guards. "So, am I in trouble?" I asked innocently.

"You sure are missy. Can you wait until the police arrive?"

Shit.

"Yeah." I said softly, and leaned up against the wall.


The cell that I was staying in was an isolated one. The police decided to keep me out of the general population holding cell after a couple of women tried to take my pendant and my shirt along with it. The tee shirt and the two women were somewhat worse for wear after that.

The cell was used for people on suicide watch. As such, it had nothing to hang on to and even the bars of the inner door of the cell were on the other side of a thick sheet of Plexiglas. They had given me a kit that consisted of a thin pallet, a blanket and a small pillow. Those I had tossed on the floor furthest away from the hole that served as the toilet.

Shizuru was still back at the hotel, trying to get the surveillance footage to the police. She had insisted on following me down to the police station but I wanted her to stay at the hotel. What had convinced her was that Mai, who was still a little shaken, needed a comforting hand while she calmed down. I paced the cell and fingered at the torn collar of my shirt. I wasn't allowed a new one since I was only supposed to be in here until the incident at the hotel was cleared up.

I looked at the camera and asked if I could get my phone call. I wasn't going to call my aunts, who were currently touring way up north in Nikko - the famous temple town. Nao was out of the question- she'd just laugh and hang up on me. Mai was probably too scared. Shizuru would probably listen. I hope.

The outer cell door opened and a rough looking police officer poked his head in. "Come on little lady, you can have your phone call. Put your hands out through the window." I did so and he cuffed me. "Step away from the door now." I followed my orders without a sound. The bars swung forward and he gestured me outside the cell.

He lightly held on to my arm, escorting me to the public phones. "So, how did a pretty thing like you end up here? We don't really see many like you often."

I shrugged. "I beat up a group of guys who were ogling my girlfriends. One of them is staying at the nice hotel down by the water and they like to use the gym. It's open so people walking down the hall can see through the glass. My friends are very nice to look at, especially when they are working out."

He whistled. "Oh boy."

"Yup. I did ask the men to leave but they didn't want to listen to lil' ole me. One of the brutes tried to get rough with me, so I just had to defend myself." I affected a coy look and batted my eyelashes up at him. It was something that I would almost never do spontaneously, but I've seen Nao and Shizuru do it often enough when they wanted to tease the men around them.

He blinked down at me then threw back his head and a laugh bubbled up from his gut. "Oh, little miss, you are quite the character." Well, that wasn't the desired effect but what the hell, he did laugh.

The burly guard pointed at the line of phones and said, "Good luck. I don't wanna keep you in here for very long."

Oh, I am totally gonna need it. I gave him a grin and said, "Thanks big guy. You're not so bad yourself."

I sat down at the furthest one, and nervously picked up the receiver. I quickly dialed the number of the hotel and waited. The automated machine picked up and I hit Shizuru's room number. When I heard it ring two times I hit the switch on the phone and redialed the hotel. Shizuru picked up on the third ring.

"Natsuki - what the hell?" Shizuru's dulcet tones were laced with angry fire.

"Um, hey Shizuru. Look, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking for a fight I was just coming down to ask Mai a favor before I headed home." I said quietly.

"Not good enough, Natsuki. I can't believe that you picked a fight like that just because those men were looking at us. You know that happens to me everywhere I go."

I winced. "No, you're right. I asked them to leave and they wouldn't listen. A couple of them had begun to harass me, too."

Shizuru heaved a sigh. "You have to remember that people here would treat you differently. You are a beautiful young woman who looks and speaks like a foreigner. In the social order of things, you should be deferential to them. Because of your manners, they had to show each other that they would not bow to a girl. In this case, you should have politely told them to leave or we would call security on them."

"Oh. Right. Cause in the States the guys would have teased me a little then bugged off because I ruined their peep show." I matched Shizuru's sigh.

"Right. And on top of that, it was highly unprofessional to goad one of them into touching you so you could start a fight on grounds of self-defense!" Holy crap, she freaking scares me sometimes.

"And how would you have guessed that?" I asked innocently.

"Because I watched you put your bag down and go into your 'I'm going to kick your ass' stance, Natsuki. And you didn't move until one of them put his hand on your shoulder." She said as she sounded more irritated. "What's worse is that Mai is starting to make a connection. She says that you two move too much alike when you fight." She was being vague on purpose because the police station was most likely recording my call. That's my Zuru: even when she was pissed off at me, she was savvy enough not to let on that I dress up as a boy sometimes.

Shit, Shit, Shit, Shiiittt!

I rubbed my face and banged my head on the metal shelf that was under the telephone. "Is she doing okay? She looked pretty nervous."

"She is well. She insisted that we come bail you out. She didn't want you to stay the night in jail." She paused. "I was all for you staying by the way. You are damn lucky that you are a Japanese citizen, Natsuki. If you were an American citizen, the authorities could have had your visa revoked and they wouldn't blink twice about sending you back to the States. I have heard of people getting sent back for far less and when Japan says that you aren't allowed back in the country for a certain amount of time, they really are politely telling you that you are no longer welcome here." Her voice had gone softer, losing some of its fire. She sounded like a lost little girl and it broke me.

"Zuru, please don't cry." I pleaded with her in my smoothest voice.

A cough came from behind me and I leaned my head back to find my big officer looking at me. "You got a minute, missy. Time to wrap it up."

I switched to English and said softly. "Love you, Zuru. I gotta go."

"Oh, My Natsuki. I love you too. Please be careful while we come get you." She replied in kind.

Too late for that, Princess. I thought with a grimace. "I will. See ya later." I hung up the phone before she could reply. I'd ask her how she figured out that I was a Japanese citizen later.

The big man waited politely while I stood up and turned. He put his hand out, gesturing back to my temporary cell. "Special someone?" He asked as he walked beside me. This time he decided to leave his hand off my upper arm.

I glanced up at him. "How'd you guess that?"

He uttered a short chortling sound. "Little missy, you are all hard edges. Sharp like glass ya know?" He carried on. "Even when you are nice, you still have this look in your eye. You are one scary lady. But I noticed that you softened a little while you were talking to whoever you were talking to. I couldn't see your face but I could tell. Experience, ya know?"

I chuckled. "That person is the only one who makes me feel weak in the knees." We reached my cell and he went about the process of closing the cell door and pulling off my cuffs. When he reached up to push the heavy steel outer door shut, I quickly asked, "Can you keep that door open? It gets too quiet in here."

The burly man shook his head. "Sorry. If I do it for you, I gotta do it for the others. You sure as heck don't need the extra door, but the others do."

I nodded. He shot me a look of apology then shut the door as gently as he could. Now that I knew someone was coming for me, I staved off my boredom by going through some of my training routine. Moving from stance to stance, I threw a couple punches and kicks. Then I slowed down to work on my holds. Grabbing at an invisible opponent with one hand, the other formed a tight blade. Slow and tense, my clawed hand pulled back into my body while the bladed one pushed out. I let my breath out with a hiss. Obviously, the slow movement was not useful in battle but what it does is teach focus and control.

Repeating the maneuver a couple more times, I worked up a bit of a sweat. I ended my final slow technique by pausing and slowly relaxing the muscles in my arms and stomach. Then in a flurry of movement I went through some of my favorite Katas-a designed set of movements that teach the fighter how to move, combining defense and offense into a fierce and beautiful dance. Finishing the final Kata with a throw I slowly pushed back to a straight posture and then bowed at the center of the room.

Whistling and clapping echoed through my cell. I swiveled my head towards the door and saw that the outer one was open. Shizuru and Mai were standing with my big police officer. Mai was staring at me, mouth opened while Shizuru's expression was schooled into a warm smirk and the burly man was grinning from ear to ear.

"Come on little lady - these two have come with evidence and the higher ups have decided that you are only a threat to morons." He said with a hearty laugh.

"Oh, yay. Are you gonna cuff me until I get to booking?" I asked wryly.

Shizuru spoke up. "There's no need, Natsuki. They've dropped all charges and you only have to sign a couple of papers once we get to the lobby."

"Sweet. Thanks guys. I owe you one."

We walked through the jail, past the holding cells. Mai cowered into Shizuru's side at the catcalls and jeering comments sent our way. Shizuru had her head held high and she was no doubt smiling politely at the people in the cells while covering her discomfort.

Finally, we passed through the barred doors into the lobby of the police station. I did not bring anything except my ID and the clothes off my back so the paperwork was easy to complete.

The big officer, whose name was Kousuke, shook my hand and joked that I was the best behaved inmate in the jail. We all laughed and then Mai, Shizuru and I left the jail.

We made it up to the hotel room in relative silence. I sat down on the bed that I had occupied earlier and Shizuru sat on the bed next to me, her legs crossed in front of her. Mai sat down on Shizuru's bed and began to babble about how exciting the day turned out to be. She was probably trying to break the tension between Shizuru and me.

When she excused herself to the bathroom, Shizuru grabbed my damaged collar and pulled me into a fierce kiss. When she pulled back, she gave me a little shake and asked, "Why is Natsuki's shirt ripped? And why was she placed in a suicide watch cell?" She hissed. "Did I not tell her to be careful?"

"Sorry, Zuru. The girls in general population thought that I was an easy target and attacked me." I said softly, and brought my hand up to tangle in her hair. I leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead. "One of them saw my necklace and tried to rip it off. She got a fist full of the shirt before I was able to get her off me."

She was clearly still upset but her grip on my collar loosened and she slid her hand to my shoulder.

"Natsuki…"

Mai stepped out of the bathroom. "What's going on here?"

Shizuru let her hand fall from its place on my shoulder and we both turned to Mai. Her pretty face was scrunched up in a look of confusion. She pointed at me "You..." then her finger moved to Shizuru "and you…are..?" She gestured helplessly.

Shizuru stood up and spoke in her musical tones. "Mai-chan? Could you sit down for a moment?"

Mai nodded in a daze and moved to sit at the side of Shizuru's bed. Shizuru moved back to her position on my bed, but sat a little further away from me than before. "I don't know what to say, really. You two are always super close on campus." She paused and her hand shot to her mouth to hide her gasp. "What about Misaki-kun?" She asked her, eyes wide and slightly angry. "Shame on you, Shizuru-san! I thought better of you!"

I almost had to laugh at the ridiculous nature of the situation. I shot Shizuru a questioning look, silently asking her if it was okay for me to reveal my, ah, other half. She gave me a little shrug and winked She was all in. Turning to Mai, I studied her for a couple seconds. "Mai, you've always wanted Misaki to kiss you, right?"

Mai was thrown by the sudden change of topics. "Y-yeah. But what has that got to do with this?"

"Could you close your eyes, please?"

Mai gave me a suspicious look, but closed them at my warm smile.

I moved in, softly grasped her hand and brought it up to my lips. "Thank you for being so kind to me, Princess Mai." I spoke in the deepest register of my vocal range. Then I kissed her knuckles and replaced her hand. She gasped and I quickly added, "Please keep your eyes closed, princess."

Retreating back to my original position on the bed I ignored the annoyed look that Shizuru was giving me and stared at Mai. Her face was beat red. "You can open them now, Mai." I said in my usual husk.

"Holy…" Mai breathed and stared at me with a wide eyed expression. "I-I thought you and Misaki-kun were like related or something! I mean, you look too much alike and you even move similarly!" She looked at Shizuru, "So that time at the apartment…" If anything her face turned a brighter shade of red as she trailed off and looked away.

"Ara! Mai-san must be thinking perverted things. But nothing happened. I had received an unpleasant package in the mail and Natsuki stayed over for extra security." Shizuru sang out.

"Okay…" Mai said, and then her expression changed. "Oh. My. God. Ohmygod!" She jumped up and pointed at us. "Argh! This is so not cool! I totally fell for an awesome boy and he turns out to be a girl who is the body guard of my friend! On top of the fact that they are lovers - they are ridiculously gorgeous, sweet, and smart. It's like I am watching a real life fairy tale." She paused for a breath. "Who writes this stuff?" Mai finished her rant and sat down with a heavy huff on the bed.

Shizuru and I looked at each other. I could tell that she was trying hard to keep in her laughter. So I turned to Mai again. "Oscar Wilde?" I suggested helpfully. "Or maybe Hans Christian Anderson?"

That did Shizuru in. She burst into a fit of silvery laughter. And I joined in, clutching at my ribs. Mai contributed with her own merry sounds. As our laughs died out, Mai wiped at her eyes and heaved a sigh.

"Well." Mai said. "I always knew that Misaki was out of my league anyways. I guess he is more of a dream than I thought."

Shizuru slid off the bed and went to Mai to grab her hands. "Mai-chan, you will find your prince charming. You are so kind and sweet, the boys fall all over themselves to gain your favor."

I grinned and said, "It helps that you're super pretty, too." They both turned to look at me. Mai widened her eyes and blushed again, while Shizuru narrowed her eyes at me.

She stood up walked over to me and tapped the top of my head with her knuckles. "Natsuki Ikezu."

"Ow!" I grumbled and rubbed my head while glaring at her. She didn't elaborate and instead looked at me with mild amusement.

"Well!" I looked at Mai as she stood up. "I really should get going. Staying with you two is so not good for my health." She moved towards the door. Shizuru wandered after her and I was right behind her.

I circled my hands around Shizuru's waist and put my chin on her shoulder when she stopped. Her hands rested on mine and she leaned into me. Mai turned back to us after she had finished putting her shoes back on. She studied us with a faint air of envy and I suddenly remembered what she had said to me way back when we first met "I wish I could have that special someone…"

"Mai," I started. "I am sorry that I couldn't be your special someone." I gave her a wide eyed look of apology. Shizuru shivered for some reason.

Mai's violet eyes widened and she looked at Shizuru. "Make her stop, please. She is way too cute for her own good. Night guys. And thank you Natsuki. I can guess why you are dressing as a guy - your secrets are safe with me." She gave us a small smile and slipped out the door.

Shizuru sighed. "Natsuki is far too good at flirting." She let go of my hands and spun in my arms. Her own hands reached up to my neck and pulled me into a deep kiss. I was only too glad to press into her further. She pulled away. "These," she kissed me again, "Are mine, no?" She asked with a slight possessiveness that I've never heard from her before.

I narrowed my eyes at her. She was jealous. Of Mai. Somehow that just made me ridiculously happy. "Damn right they are." I growled and then kissed her passionately, enjoying the fiery sensations that ran through my body.

She pushed on me slightly and I back peddled until I hit the soft end of the bed. I sat down and Shizuru climbed on my legs. I vaguely wondered which one of us was going to cave to the overwhelming need that I knew we both felt. My thoughts were cut off when Shizuru started to stroke at the back of my neck, playing with the chain of my pendant. I hissed as shooting pain shot from under her fingers. It felt like every time she brushed against the chain, my skin was on fire.

She pulled back from my face, her burgundy eyes narrowed in concern. "Natsuki? You did get hurt, didn't you?"

I huffed as she gracefully maneuvered around to my back. "I really didn't think I was. I know that my necklace was pulled pretty hard but it was just a little uncomfortable for a while. Honestly, my head still hurts from when the dude grabbed my hair."

Her fingers gently brushed my hair away from my neck. I pulled it down the left side of my body, twisting it so it would stay. She sucked in a breath. "Oh, Natsuki. You've got a pretty nasty abrasion on your neck." Her fingers caressed the sensitive skin around the wound and I stiffened. "We should wash that at least. Please don't move."

I gave her a thumbs up and leaned my head in my hand. "You think Mai'll be okay?"

Shizuru chuckled from the bathroom. "Yes, Mai is kind and strong. She'll have a new crush in no time. I should be mad at you for kissing her hand like that, but I know that you did it with the best of intentions. And that it will never happen again."

"Yup. It was a one-time deal."

The sound of running water and splashing reached my ears. Then the water was shut off. Shizuru emerged and she was carrying a coffee mug and a couple wet hand towels. I watched her until she disappeared around my back. The bed shifted and her fingers gently pushed the necklace away from the wound. It hurt but I only flinched.

"I am sorry, but you should take off your pendant." She said.

"Okay." I pulled the necklace from around my neck and held it in my hands. As soon as I was settled, Shizuru began washing me. She gently dabbed at the wound, and then suddenly pressed the cool towel down.

"I am amazed that you didn't feel this. It's bleeding a little right now. I hope it doesn't hurt much." She said.

"Nah. You are really good at this, Zuru."

"That is good, since I have been patching up Natsuki for a long time now." She quipped.

"And I am happy you have been." I paused at her chuckle. "By the way- how did you know that I was a Japanese citizen, and not an American citizen?"

"I called your aunts." She said lightly while continuing to clean my wound. Her other hand was resting on my shoulder.

"What!" I tried to turn but that hand forced me to stay where I was.

"They needed to know that you'd been arrested." She huffed. "And I asked them what citizenship you had chosen because I was afraid that they would deport you. I just can't stand the thought of not being with you, Natsuki." She said softly.

I nodded. I felt the same way. "Did they say anything to you?"

"Well, Koika was in shock but Morgan told me that you two were going to have a date with the gym when they got back from their trip." She said with quiet amusement.

"Crap. That's her code for: You're training till you puke, then you keep training till I tell you to stop." I said with a grimace.

"Good." She said with satisfaction. "Maybe it will teach Natsuki to use her head more often."

"Zuuurruu!"I turned wide eyes on her.

She giggled and turned my head around. "That will not work this time."

Damn.


AN: Alrighty another chapter in the books! Thank you all again for reviewing/fav/following. It means alot!

About the citizenship thing- the way I understand it is that people up to age 20 are allowed to be a duel Japanese/American citizen. Once they hit 20, Japanese law requires the person choose one or the other. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.