D: Well, hey there guys! It has been a while, huh? I am sorry for that! But, this is not the time for apologies…It is time for news! This chappie is one of the final chappies for this story. I am thinking about a sequel, but I am also unsure since many people haven't read this one…Please review in your response! Now, let the chappie begin!

DISCLAIMER: I own Matsuru, Sakura, Saka, Ayame, Kaori, Cole, Kyle, Sam, and the Tokyo Mew Mew characters belong to Mia Ikumi.

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Chapter 14: Lost

When Kish floated down onto the lush, green grass, a soft breeze blew cherry blossom petals across the scene before him. The café was just as he had remembered it from years previous. As he deeply inhaled to prepare himself for the reunion of his life, his hyper sensitive alien senses caught an odor in the air. He knew almost immediately that it belonged to Ichigo, for it was tinged with faint strawberry scents. But, the smell worried him. In seconds, he placed it.

Panic.

Ichigo was panicking over something a lot. What had happened? Had someone attacked her? Had something gone missing?

Without thinking, he quickly burst through the café doors, expecting hysteria and panicked faces. The scene he found was much different.

There were only three people in the café; Keiichiro was typing furiously away at his laptop, his eyebrows furrowed in worry and disappointment. Mint and Zakuro were hunched over an expansive map of Tokyo, from what Kish could tell. They were murmuring quietly and pointing to various regions in and around the city. What they were looking for, he could not say. But, they were all so engrossed in their work that they did not even stir at his loud entrance. Only when he let the door swing behind him with an audible thump did anyone even notice him.

Zakuro's dark eyes peered up in simple curiosity, but when she caught sight of Kish, her eyes widened and she looked surprised for the first time that he could ever remember.

"Kish? It has been a while."

At her words, both Mint and Keiichiro looked up to him. Their eyes widened and they exchanged a brief glance filled with some emotion, but it passed to quickly for Kish to catalogue it. He opened his mouth to respond to their greeting and ask where Ichigo was when a devastated, but very familiar voice shouted from the kitchen.

"I refuse to sit here and do nothing, Ryou! It's been over two hours! She doesn't know Tokyo at all! What if she got lost? I am sick and tired of waiting around idly! She's in trouble…I can feel it! And…and I know it is all my fault!"

Suddenly, the kitchen doors swung open revealing the familiar red-head. She walked out into the café, Ryou following closely behind her.

"Ichigo, please just-"

"No, Ryou! I need to go out and-"

But, as she caught sight of Keiichiro, Mint, and Zakuro's still forms and expressions, Ichigo's gaze followed theirs' until it fell upon Kish. His heart flitted nervously in his chest when he finally saw her. But, his joy faded when he got a closer look at her. Her hair was falling from it's pigtails as if she had run her hands through it many times, frustrated. Under her wide, brown eyes were dark rings showing lack of sleep and exhaustion piling on top of her. Those same eyes were red from crying and her face showed the aftermath of recent tears. Her whole frame shook and quivered with heavy, sad emotions and when her eyes pierced his, more tears spilled out onto her wet cheeks. Ichigo's throat constricted at his form and she managed to whisper, "K-Kish?"

At first, Kish did not respond, but instead walked towards her and when he stood in front of her, he reached his long fingers up to brush away the few tears clinging to her skin.

"Hey, Ichigo…Long time…"

He gave her one of his familiar, warm smiles and her tears fell more rapidly as she tried to contain them and her wild emotions. Understanding what she needed, he held his long arms out, offering her his embrace. Knowing that he was right, she fell into him and sobbed heavily into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as the sobs racked her thin frame. As she sobbed, he could sense her sadness, but again, lurking beneath it was the panic he had felt earlier.

"Ichigo," he spoke softly into her hair. "What is wrong?"

Kish felt her trembling body stiffen for a second as she lifted her tear stained face to meet his. His eyes were filled with much concern and she almost smiled. But then, reality crashed down and any thoughts of smiling disappeared.

"Kish, my daughter, Matsuru is missing…"

His eyes widened at her name and he said, "I-I wasn't aware that you two had…had reconnected." Ichigo lowered her gaze to his feet, as if she were embarrassed to look into his earnest eyes anymore.

"We…well…I…" She tried to speak, but couldn't form the words. She inhaled deeply before trying again.

"Kish, you and I…we have things we need to discuss."

At her words, everyone in the room resumed their previous motions. Ryou cleared his throat and said briskly, "I should check on the girls. They're probably all asleep."

With that, he walked up the stairs, leading to the personal rooms above the café. Keiichiro went back to his typing as Mint and Zakuro resumed their review of the Tokyo map. Kish released Ichigo and she walked towards a separate set of stairs then the ones Ryou had used. Curling her finger inward, she beckoned for Kish to follow her.

Nodding, he followed her up the thin set of stairs. When they got to the top, they had entered a small hallway. At the end, Ichigo opened a set of double French doors that led into a stone balcony, over looking the back of the café where cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. As Ichigo stepped onto the balcony, Kish joined her.

She went to the railing, resting her elbows on the ledge and placing her head in her open palms. Standing tensely behind her, Kish shifted his weight back and forth on the balls of his feet until Ichigo found the strength to speak to him.

"Kish," she began softly. "A lot has happened since we last spoke…" She inhaled deeply as she laced her thin fingers together. "There are many things that…that I haven't been completely honest with you about…"

She looked down at her trembling hands and bit her lower lip. Kish couldn't remember ever seeing Ichigo as distraught and lost for words as she was then. He came up beside her and leaned backwards against the rail, looking at her down-turned face.

"Ichigo, what is it? What ever you tell me, I could never stop loving you." She gazed into his confident eyes and felt the love and passion he spoke of bubbling up in herself. But then, a sharp pang of guilt lanced through her chest and she shot her gaze away. Closing her eyes and sighing, she began to speak again.

"Do you remember that night, about sixteen years ago, when you found me in the park after I had run away from…Masaya?"

At Masaya's name, Kish automatically stiffened and clenched his hands into fists so hard that the tendons in his arms pulsed outward. He nodded quick and short to acknowledge that he knew the night she spoke of and then she continued.

"After we talked, I came back to your home with you and spent those two weeks with you…"

Her cheeks reddened at the memories of her and Kish together, holding hands…lying with each other…

"Those two weeks," she went on, a little flustered. "I held nothing back from you, and I was honest about everything…And I was finally able to be truthful to myself about my feelings for you…"

Her cheeks reddened further as she remembered the night she had told Kish everything about her and her feelings for him. They had just shared a romantic dinner and then had laid together outside, gazing into the stars beyond. They were holding hands, as they had done many times in those days. But, on that night, her feelings were practically bursting from within her.

Kish watched as she submerged in the memory and joined in it with her, letting his own mind wander with hers.

***

"That was such a wonderful meal, Kish," Ichigo said with a warm smile on her lips.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Koneko-chan," Kish responded as he smiled in returned. They laid outside of his house on the lush, green-black grass and gazed up at the twinkling stars above. They laid next to each other, their hands within inches of touching. Ichigo's finger tips tingled being so close to his and without thinking, she laced his fingers through his. He also slid his fingers into her's and then, they turned their heads and looked into each other's eyes. She rolled onto her side and then leaned her face into his.

Their lips met and a warm kiss bloomed between them. She blushed as they pulled away and paused before tentatively asking, "Um…Kish?"

He stopped moving and answered, "Yes, Ichigo?"

She looked into his beautiful and loving topaz eyes and spoke quietly as her heart pounded furiously away in her chest.

"K-Kish…we have been together for almost two weeks now. You have treated me so nicely, even though I disrespected your feelings before and do not deserve your kindness."

He opened his mouth to object, but she held up a hand and said, "Please, let me finish."

Kish closed his mouth and nodded before she began to speak again. "Kish, I have been lying to myself for far too long. I have been allowing my heart to be hurt and abused because I had the lie of false love. But, by spending the time that I have here with you, I have begun to allow myself to heal a little."

She looked down at their intertwined hands and sighed before she continued. "But, I also realize that if I keep lying to myself, I will never be able to heal completely."

Ichigo took her free hand and ran in down the length of his cheek bone as she spoke.

"I realize now that I have loved, but it has been at the wrong time, and with the wrong person. I feel so foolish for not seeing it in myself before now but…but now I do. I will not lie to myself anymore. Kish, I love you with my whole heart and soul. I realize that this may be sudden, and you may be angry at me for pushing you away for so long, but if you will still have me, I give my whole self to you. I am yours."

She looked up into his eyes again and was surprised to see that he was holding back a smile. Kish sat up, straddled Ichigo's waist, leaned his face down to her's, and chuckled.

"You silly girl," he murmured in her ear. "I love you and have always loved you. No matter what happens, I will always want you in my life."

She smiled as he looked into her brown eyes and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Kish leaned his face into her's and their lips met, igniting a flame of passion between them. The kiss deepened as they parted their lips, trusting each other, and their tongues entwined. As they surfaced for brief gasps of air, Ichigo found herself no longer outside, but inside lying on Kish's bed. He smiled mischievously before they continued the passionate kiss. As they struggled for dominance of their mouths, Kish had removed Ichigo's shirt and Ichigo's trembling hands had slid his off, running her hands over his smooth, rippling muscles. She then moved to remove him of his pants as they pulled apart. He removed her skirt and began trailing kisses down her body while chanting her name like a prayer to a goddess.

"Ichigo…Oh, Ichigo," he moaned. "Ichigo, my sweet Ichigo, Ichigo…Ichigo!"

She removed her bra and panties, the last of her cloth restraints and he removed the last of his. At last, his mouth found her's again, claiming it as his own. She ran her fingers through his tousled, green hair and as they broke apart once more, she whispered, "Make love to me, my Kish."

Their kisses deepened as their bodies touched, lighting each other like fire. They twisted together and at last, they became one in their unending and unbreakable love.

***

Ichigo drew back from the memory, her whole face a dark crimson, and looked at Kish. She was surprised to find his cheeks dusted with a creeping blush. She continued, trying to regain her normal face color.

"That night, we…well…"

The memory crept back into her mind, fresh, and her faced glowed with another round of crimson blush.

"N-never mind…We both know what happened," she mumbled. Clearing her throat, she tried again.

"A few days after…that happened, I knew I had to return to Masaya. I hated leaving you, but somewhere deep inside my heart, I knew it wasn't fair to you in anyway if I did not end my relationship with him. I went back to Masaya, having ever intention to end our relationship. But, somehow, his apologies dug deeper into me than they had ever before. I forgave him, a mistake on my part I will admit, and soon after, I discovered that I was pregnant.

"I was utterly terrified. I did not know who the father was; was it you, or was it Masaya? I knew if the child was your's, Masaya would kill it in an instant, and then kill me. For those nine months, I lived in constant fear, worrying about the safety of my baby.

"When my baby was finally born, the nurses were hesitant and cautious because the baby didn't scream or cry even though her vitals were steady. When the nurses placed the child in my arms, I had my answer about the father. My daughter, my sweet baby, opened her eyes for the first time, and I saw that they were the most beautiful and angelic gold."

Ichigo took a large lungful of air before she spoke, looking down at her trembling hands. "Kish, Matsuru…she is your daughter."

She waited for his response, but he did not answer. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet his and was met with a tense and cold expression. His lips were pressed together into a thin line and his gold eyes were ablaze with unreadable emotion.

After a minute, Ichigo stood up straight and whispered agonizingly, "Kish, please say something!"

His body became absolutely rigid and his face looked like it was carved from stone, hard and cold, as he answered coldly, "What do you want me to say, Ichigo? That I understand why you felt the need to keep that I had a daughter hidden from me for fifteen years? Sorry, but I can't."

She tried to reach out to him, but he moved from her reach and turned his back to her. At his gesture, her eyes watered and her heart ripped open. Without thinking, she ran into him, reaching her arms around his waist, and burying her face into the folds of his shirt as she cried.

"I know what I did was a wrong and unfair thing to do to you Kish, and I could never be more sorry than I am in this moment. But please…please don't turn your back on me. I need you now, more than ever. So many things in my life are spiraling out of my control and I can't keep a hold on what's important…It's slipping away like sand in my hands. And I…I…"

Her words trailed off as she broke down into tears. Kish turned around and held her shaking body against his chest. He laid his cheek against the crown of her head and murmured, "Oh Ichigo, forgive me…I would never turn my back on you. I am just a little…overwhelmed at this. But, don't worry, my koneko…I will always love you."

She hugged tighter around his waist and asked tentatively, "So…you're not angry with me?"

He chuckled and drew her in closer as he replied, "I could never be mad at you, Ichigo."

They drew back and gazed upon each other lovingly before drawing close for a warm, welcomed kiss. When they pulled back, Ichigo's smiling countenance dropped into a sudden frown.

"What's wrong, Ichigo?" Kish asked with much concern coloring his voice.

She pursed her lips and said, "Kish, Matsuru is still out there somewhere, missing. We have called everyone we know to be on the look out for her…but so far we have nothing. It has been over two hours since she left and I am so worried…Do you have any idea where she might have gone?"

"Why did she leave in the first place?" Kish inquired. "That might have some indication to where she'd have gone."

Ichigo looked down and answered quietly. "Well, I brought her here from Chicago, taking her from her friends and a guy she was interested in. After saying her goodbyes, she came with me to Tokyo and I gave her a room. Today, I took her to the café to meet everyone, her aunts and their daughters, but she was turned…turned into a Mew along with everyone else's daughters. After we explained everything about the Mews and the aliens to her, she got very upset and ran off and hasn't been back since."

Kish's face went pale suddenly and he shifted his gaze away from Ichigo's face. She noticed the sudden change in his attitude and laid a hand on his upper arm, saying concernedly, "Kish? What is it? What's wrong?"

He shook his head slowly, as if coming out of a trance, and said in an almost slurred tone, "No…I couldn't have been…"

Ichigo shook him slightly and asked him, "Kish, what are you talking about?"

He cleared his throat and spoke again, more defined and clear. "On my way here this evening, I heard a young woman crying in a park. When I arrived, I found it was the same park you had gone to after Masaya attacked you. She was so distraught and alone, so I felt like I had to go check on her. She almost seemed to draw me in. I flew down and covered my ears before confronting her. At first, she seemed to fear me, but after talking to her, she opened up and told me all about why she was upset. She told me about her mother and how she had taken her from her home in Chicago. She talked about how much she had looked forward to having a family for once, but even though she was happy for that, things had happened to cause her to question her wants. She kept telling me about how much she missed her old friends and her crush, Cole…"

Ichigo's eyes lit up and she said, breathless, "Oh, that was Matsuru! Oh Kish, we have to find her! I can go to the park and look for her…And if she's not there, we can look around there…If I go-"

She had turned to leave the balcony. But Kish grabbed her forearm to stop her. She turned on him in a flurry and gave him a questioning look.

"What are you doing? I have to go find Matsuru! I have to go and-"

"Ichigo, calm down. I will go ahead of you guys. I can move much faster and cover more ground." The smile he gave her warmed her from the inside out. He caressed her cheek and kissed her forehead.

"I will find our daughter and bring her back to us. I promise you that, koneko-chan."

Her lips upturned at the old nickname and she gave him once quick kiss on the lips before she whispered, "Go find her, Kish…We won't be far behind you."

Kish nodded and flew up into the air, vanishing without another word.

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"Okay," Matsuru blurted out to no one. "I am so lost now." She gave an exhausted sigh and tried to remain calm. She had left the park and walked in the direction she thought the café had been. After about fifteen minutes, she realized nothing around her looked familiar. So, to try and start over, she had turned around and walked back for another fifteen minutes. Still, nothing looked familiar. No question…She was lost in a foreign city with nothing to guide her.

Standing by Tokyo Bay, she let the sea breeze blow around her, filling her with momentary calm. Leaning on the railing keeping her from the Bay, she began to think about her situation.

"It figures with my luck…I have the absolute worst sense of direction!" She called out in exasperation.

All she had wanted to do was return to the café and apologize to everyone; especially her mother. As she had been walking, she thought about how outlandish and immature her outburst had been. She realized that she had no right to attack her mother like she did.

As she pondered her situation, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She picked it from her pocket, puzzled at who could be calling, until she saw the caller ID. Then, her face lit up into a smile and she quickly opened the phone, answering it.

"Hey Cole! I'm so happy you called me!"

There was a pause before Cole's voice answered her, uncertain and somewhat confused.

"Matsuru? Is that you?"

She was confused again as she replied, "Yes, it's me."

"Are…" he chuckled quietly and questioned, "Are you speaking Japanese, then? I can't understand you at all."

Oh! She realized with a smile. I am still speaking Japanese!

Concentrating, she answered him in another second in English. "Oh, sorry about that Cole. I am still getting used to the whole bilingual thing." On the other end, he sighed and chuckled louder this time.

"I like it when you speak Japanese. It suits you and who you are."

She smiled and then he spoke again. "I was calling to check up on you, but I can tell something's up. What is it?"

"N-no," She lied, trying to keep a normal tone and not worry him with all that she was going through. "I am fine, really." But he knew her too well and saw through her lie in an instant.

"Matsuru, tell me the truth. You can trust me…I love you."

Her lip quivered and she bit on it for a moment before sighing and decided to tell him everything. She told Cole everything that had happened to her since she had left Chicago. She left nothiing out, and trusted him completely. He listened, not saying anything as he tried to make sense of everything she told him. Matsuru told him about her drawings of her aunts and how her mother had acted when she saw them. She told him about her aunts kids and what they were like.

The only time she hesitated in her story was before telling Cole about the Mews and the aliens. But, after resigning herself and remembering her trust, she barreled onward and explained that to him too. She told him of her 'father' Masaya and his abuse. Matsuru told him about how he wasn't her real father and how the Mews had defeated him. The last thing she talked to him about was about Kish and how he was her real father.

"That's why my eyes are gold. Apparently, most aliens have gold eyes. I just…I don't know, Cole. There is so much stuff going on, and during all this, I now have a father I have yet to meet and I'm some super hero…I can't deal with this all…" Her voice got thick with oncoming tears, but she tried to hold them back.

"Oh Matsuru…I wish I could be there for you right now." He said, soothingly. Her eyes watered further and she hadn't realized until that moment how sad and agonized she had been over the whole situation.

But talking to Cole has made me feel so much better. He is my safe rock and my calm amongst the storm. I-

Her thought was interrupted when a voice sounded from behind her.

"I found you, Matsuru."

She gasped as she spun around, her gaze shifting towards the shadow beneath a large tree. Cole's voice was worried on the other end.

"Matsuru? Are you okay? What's wrong? Is someone there?"

She tried to answer him, but her voice disappeared. The man stepped from the shadows and that's when she finally saw him. When his eyes locked into her's, a sort of strangled noise escaped her lips and her body went numb. The phone dropped from her hand and just before it struck the ground, Cole called out, "Matsuru! What is going-"

Then, the phone struck the cement and clattered a little ways away. Matsuru didn't care because she was too preoccupied with the man that stood before her. Her hand flew to her agape mouth as she took a shaky step back.

"It's…it's you!" She said in a weak voice. The man's lips upturned in a smile as his onyx hair whipped in the breeze. His brown eyes twinkled with kindness, but beneath that, Matsuru could see a layer of hatred and anger.

She took another step back and tripped backward, falling on her butt as the man stepped forward and leaned down. His smile took a sour tone and Matsuru saw time could never change him. He was just as her mother described.

Masaya Aoyama was back.

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D: Ohh, a cliffy! Hooray for me and cliffys! Well, as I said at the beginning, please review and let me know if you want me to do the sequel! Hope you guys liked this-

Matsuru: Hold it! What am I doing with Masaya? Alone!?

D:…You must know by now that I will never tell you until after it's been revealed.

Matsuru: Yeah, yeah. Whatever…--grumble--