Hey it's me and I'm finally back with Chapter 14. Sorry it took so long, I'm in between vacations and college stuff. Plus was a very deficult chapter for me to write. Thanks for reviewing everyone, I really appreciate it. Anyways, I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing but I do own the plot so please don't steal that! Thanks to Kaiya for the input about my little spelling mistake. I fixed it! That's what I get for using spell check. Extremely LONG CHAPTER AHEAD. And TRUST ME! See ya!

"Wow, so you really did have a busy two weeks." Setsuna said with an impressed look on her gracious face the next day at their session. Ami nodded as she sat up straight and folded her hands neatly in her lap. That was an understatement. And she hadn't even told Setsuna that she was now a Sailor Scout or that her prom date was a Gundam Pilot. Those things, she was quite sure, weren't to be told, especially to a psychological professional. "Well, I guess we no longer have to worry about you finding something to do with your time. It seems as though you've got a lot going for you. And you said that you have a dress fitting tomorrow morning?" Ami nodded as she squirmed a little in her seat.

"Yes, for my mother's wedding. We were scheduled for later this evening but we pushed it back so Catherine can practice tonight." Setsuna nodded as she looked down at her notebook and wrote something down. Ami waited quietly for her to finish, trying not to wonder what she was writing.

"And how do you feel about the wedding? Is everything fine at home?" Ami nodded when Setsuna looked up at her expectantly.

"Yes. Everything's fine and I'm glad my mom is happy."

"And Trowa and Catherine. Is everything fine with them?" Ami went to nod then stopped, tilting her head to the side in thought instead.

"Well, I suppose. Catherine and I get along fine, she's been really nice and Trowa and I get along for the most part." Setsuna wrote something again.

"For the most part?" She asked and Ami sighed as she tried to keep from chipping at her already, nearly gone nail polish.

"Well, he's a bit overprotective." Setsuna nodded in her understanding way, scribbling something.

"Yea, I picked up on that last weekend. So, what do you think about that? Trowa acting like, well, an older brother." Ami shrugged and Setsuna blinked up at her through thin wire frames. They had to be new as Ami had never noticed them before.

"It's a little strange to tell you the truth. I'm just not used to having a guy worried about me like that. Last night for example, when I came home from the boat incident he was sitting on my bed, all but demanding that I tell him what happened. He was quite furious that I had been out alone with Quatre." Setsuna stopped writing and looked up.

"I thought he was the one who set you up in the first place."

"He was. That is what's so strange about it. I thought he would be happy but he was very upset." Setsuna went back to writing so Ami looked around the office. There was also a new plant in the corner by the windows. She could barely glimpse her former school this week as it was shrouded in the thin fog that had settled over the valley. Not even the glimmer of the ocean could be seen from where she was sitting.

"Perhaps he's just worried that you're stealing his best friend from him. It sounds like the two of you have spent a lot of time together." Ami's cheeks tingled. "Maybe you should let them have some time to themselves to talk everything out."

"I am. Next week the girls and I are going skiing with some other friends of ours." Ami explained and Setsuna smirked in an all knowing way that was a little unnerving.

"Other male friends of yours?"

"Yes. Just friends." Ami elaborated and Setsuna nodded then wrote some more.

"And your parents were fine with this?" Ami nodded.

"Greg is coming too and my mom said that she trusts him." Setsuna smiled as she looked up from her notebook.

"And Quatre was fine with this?" Ami blushed again.

"Yes. Well, after a while. Besides the guys have plans as well." Setsuna wrote for a longer time, her pen scratching quickly across the paper.

"Alright. Now Triton. How are you getting along with him?" Ami settled back in the chair.

"Well, I don't know. We don't really see a lot of each other. He is always milling about with the circus. They are going on tour in three months and he is beginning to panic I think."

"I have an assignment for you for our next meeting. I want you to spend a little time with him, really get to know him okay?" Ami nodded and Setsuna smiled kindly, taking off her glasses and sliding them back into her long green hair which had been left down today. "Our session's nearly over now. I just want to tell you to be cautious while you're skiing, it's a very dangerous sport you know." Ami nodded as she grabbed her purse. "And I guess you're free to go unless there's anything else you wish to tell me?" Ami looked at her shrink and froze at the gleaming look in her garnet eyes. 'She knows!' She thought then quickly looked away, focusing on her shoes. 'Stop being foolish. There's no way she could know.'

"No, not really." Ami said and Setsuna nodded, looking a little upset but satisfied.

"Okay then, you're free to go. Have a nice Spring Break and remember to be cautious." Ami nodded then hurried out of the office. Hotaru was sitting in the corner again.

"Hello Ami." She greeted as Ami closed the door behind her. She nodded to the smaller girl who let out a sigh and nervously played with her hands. "I'm sorry about last weekend. I'm sure I embarrassed you in front of your friends. I just tired myself out." Ami shook the thought away and sent the girl a kind smile. Anything to let her know that she wasn't upset in the least.

"Not at all. They all thought you were really nice. So did you win the contest?" Hotaru, looking rather relieved, shook her head.

"No. The guys who went before us did, but it was alright. I'm sure my dad wouldn't have let me continue anyway. Hey, why didn't you tell me that the cute blond guy was Quatre Winner and that you were dating?" Ami frowned but felt a blush spread across her cheeks anyway.

"We're not, what gave you that idea?" Hotaru looked at her like she was slow. She pointed to the TV that sat on the far side of the room. Extra was on and to her surprise there she was, walking off the yellow Coast Guard boat with her head ducked down and her mother trailing behind her.

"It's what they've been saying on just about every news and entertainment channel all morning." Ami felt the blood drain from her face as her mouth gaped open a little. They flashed a picture of the kiss Quatre had given her last night before her mother and she left. It was taken from a ways off but it was definitely her.

"Oh my god." She muttered.

"You are really cute together." Ami looked at the younger girl. "Well, you are." Hotaru said defiantly as Ami sat down on the closest seat to her.

"That's right, it looks like Quatre Winner is officially off the market. Sorry ladies, you'll have to find another fortune heir to fawn over. 16 year old Ami Mizuno as seen in the picture is the daughter of well known artist Mathew Mizuno and Kia Anderson, a doctor at Cedar Sinai who is well accredited from her work on the early detection on cancerous cells in infants. She was also recently engaged to Triton Barton. The wedding is scheduled for mid May, no word as of yet if Quatre will be in attendance."

"How do they know all this?" Ami asked looking at Hotaru as if she would know. The raven haired girl just shrugged.

"I don't see why he wouldn't." Continued the anchorman who sat beside the woman who had been covering the story. "They certainly appear close enough. When asked last night of the girl the heir gave this statement. "Ami and I are just very close friends, no more, no less." We weren't able to get in contact with Ami about the subject but-" Ami let out sigh and turned the TV off.

"I cannot believe this." Ami said burying her face in her hands. The door opened and she looked up to see her father walk in closely followed by Rashid.

"Hello Ami." Rashid said with a deep bow as she stood up.

"I take it you saw?" Her father asked, he looked a little paler then normal and had dark circles under his piercing blue eyes. Ami nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and shrinking away from him. "I suppose we'll talk about this when we get you on the train." He said running a hand through his unruly hair. Ami pulled herself up and followed him out of the door, waving a solemn goodbye to Hotaru as Rashid followed after them.

"I thought that I was scheduled to fly back to Los Angeles." Ami said once they were outside and walking towards not her dad's car but an unmarked black one that looked expensive yet elusive at the same time.

"It's packed with photographers." Her dad explained as he opened the back door and held it open for her. Ami sat down looking up expectantly at her father, who shut the door then got in the front. Rashid silently got in the driver's seat.

"How do they know that I'm here? And all the other things they said on the T.V.?" Ami asked and her father sighed as Rashid backed out of the space.

"We don't know but we are working on it sweetie just let your mother and I worry about it." Ami sat back in her seat and looked at the flashing scenery, feeling both angry and embarrassed. There he was saying things like that again. Just let your mother and I worry about it. He said the same thing when she came home from St. Judy's and asked about her make up homework for the semester.

'Me and your mother will worry about that later, how about you go up stairs and get unpacked then we can grab a bite to eat if you're up to it.' Were his exact words and they had caused just as much frustration then as they did now. Maybe she wanted to worry about it. It was her life after all. It was her right to worry about it. 'They think I won't be able to handle this.' Ami thought bitterly as she slouched down in the back seat. 'They think that this will push me over the edge. I wish I could tell them that I'm a Sailor Scout so they could try to trust me again.' Ami closed her eyes and attempted to rest until at long last, after about forty-five minutes, the car came to a stop at an Amtrak train station. Another Maganac who was greatly shorter then Rashid opened her door for her and she sent him a grateful smile.

The rest of the station looked completely empty sans a single streamlined train that sat on a platform a few feet away. It was silver, had only three cars attached to it and was obviously built for speed. "We're ready to leave whenever you are." The man who had opened her door said as they all walked to the train.

"Very good, very good. Well, let's not dawdle." Rashid said as they reached the train. The door opened and Ami turned to her father only to see him walking on the train.

She looked at Rashid for an answer but he just shrugged and motioned for her to step on. She grabbed the rail and pulled herself up only to discover that it wasn't deserted like the rest of the station.

"Hello Ami." Quatre greeted with a grin from where he was sitting in the very middle of the car. He was reclined in a gray leather chair and had an expanse of papers scattered across the table that was in front of him. Ami felt the familiar speeding up of her heart beat and turned her face so her father couldn't see the blush that she was sure was spreading across her face. "I'm terribly sorry about all this Mr. Mizuno, it's all my fault you see. I hope this isn't a great inconvenience to you."

Her father looked a little taken aback by Quatre's manners but shook his head nonetheless. "No, it's not a problem."

"Master Quatre we've gotten clearance to depart." The short Maganac said walking into the car and Quatre smiled, nodding to the man.

"Very well, please have a seat. These things move really quickly and can throw you off your feet when they start. We should make it to L.A. in three hours at most." Ami hastily took a seat opposite Quatre and her dad sat next to her.

"I'd like to apologize again for last night." Quatre stated more towards her father then her. "You see, my father thought that he'd taken care of everything. He didn't even think to speak with the police photographers because the pictures they take are supposed to be evidence and therefore confidential but it seems as though one of them managed to leak one to the press anyway. The matter is being taking care of as we speak but I'm afraid the damage has been done." He finally looked at Ami now and she felt her cheeks warm. "Hopefully this will blow over quickly and we can all go back to our normal lives."

Her father just nodded and patted her on the knee congenially.

The remainder of the trip was pretty much silent as the train ripped through the valley at a breakneck speed. Ami had even stopped looking out of the window as she was getting a headache from trying to spot and identify certain things as they whipped through fruit groves and a few towns and cities. She settled for trying to fall asleep like her father and Rashid but when that failed, occasionally stole glances at Quatre-who continued looking over the papers in front of him-instead. He actually caught her at it once as he was looking up from the paper to rub his temple. He smiled and looked back at the papers, where Ami had averted her gaze as soon as his blue eyes met hers.

"It's just a list of my dad's former and current clients. He thinks that I should know all of them by the units they bought and how long ago they purchased them." Ami nodded as Quatre straightened a stack and put it aside. "He said every head of a major company should know who's buying their products. I personally don't understand why I need to do it now seeing as I won't inherit the company for a very long time but it gives me something to do."

Ami felt an uncomfortable hallow in her stomach as she was once again reminded of the conversation she had with Mrs. Winner. She had been thinking of it quite a lot now that she knew that the guys were going to be on a mission on Spring Break. She had promised his mother she would take care of Quatre if something did happen to them but she wouldn't be able to look after him if he was going around in a Mobile Suit shooting at people and whatnot. 'Maybe I can ask one of the guys to keep an eye on him if something does happen.' She thought as he went back to looking over the lists, flipping through pages with his lips pulled downward in a slight pout.

It was a little after one when they finally pulled into a train station in a part of Los Angeles she didn't recognize. It was just as deserted as the last except for two cars that were in the parking lot. One was her mother's SUV in which sat both the owner and not surprisingly Trowa who had a pair of Ray Bans covering his eyes. The other car was black and the same model and probably year as the one that had picked Ami up from her appointment with Setsuna. In fact if she weren't positive that it was physically impossible to be, she would've thought it was the same car.

"How as your session honey?" Ami looked towards her mother while Trowa walked over to Quatre and quickly engaged him in conversation. Whatever they were talking about seemed to be quite serious as they frequently sent looks around as the talk progressed.

"I-it was fine." Ami said as her dad placed a hand on her shoulder, regaining her attention. She looked at her parents and noticed the dangerous sizzle that was crackling in the air between them.

"Mathew, I take it you'll be joining us for dinner." The clipped tone of her mother's voice as well as her father's curt reply of "Yes, I think there are some…issues that need to be discussed." Told her that the tight smiles they were giving each other weren't too heartfelt and she was reminded of what it had been like when she was six and she heard them arguing before they got divorced. How much she hated them for it then and how much she resented them for it now.

"I'm heading over to Quatre's." Trowa said, cutting through the thick atmosphere without even noticing it. Ami got a feeling of dread at the stony look on his face. Something obviously was wrong and her intuition told her that it had to do with the mission they were about to impart on. It was doomed even before it could be planned.

"Of course dear," Ami looked back at her mother who was now completely ignoring her ex-husband much to his annoyance. "Have fun and try not to come home too late." Trowa silently nodded and walked back to the black car that Quatre was already seated in. Ami curled her hands at her side as Trowa got in and slammed the door. She wanted to do something. Wave. Wish them luck. Anything. But Setsuna was right. She needed to give them space so they could work out their differences. Especially since those disagreements might be taken onto the battlefield. That certainly couldn't be a good thing. She couldn't even imagine being mad at one of the scouts and fighting the Negaverse at the same time. Even with only one fight under her belt she knew that it required unwavering trust and teamwork. Both of which could suffer at the hands of envy and bitterness.

"Well, let's be going then." Ami looked away from the black car that was now starting to pull out of the parking lot and got into the backseat of her mother's car. The tension was still there, she could tell by the way both of her parents had slammed their doors as they got in. She let out a sigh and leaned against the cool window as they too left the deserted parking lot.

Assuming that there was going to be awkward silence the whole way, Ami pulled out her cell phone and looked through her reminders, hoping that they wouldn't notice the random beeping coming from the back of the car. It was going, well, fine wasn't a good word, but decent until they hit the typical lunch hour rush on the 405 merge to interstate 55, when her father let out a loud, clearly aggravated sigh. Ami looked away from the blue glow of her phone.

"You didn't have to come you know Mathew. Rashid is quite trustworthy." It was the first thing said in the car and Ami wished more then anything that her mother could've taken the words back. She looked over at her dad, hoping that he'd let the comment slide like he did back in the old days.

"I'm sure he is but I wanted to make sure that my daughter was safe. You know, it's what a responsible, non work obsessed parent would do." Ami groaned as she tried to roll down the window in hope that the rush hour ruckus would drown out the rest of the conversation but it wouldn't budge. She felt like strangling someone or screaming. Who put the stupid window lock on their teenagers?

"Oh, you call walking out on me and Ami for four years then magically feeling the need to stop wasting your life on those stupid sketches that you call art and reclaiming your quote, unquote "right" as a parent, being responsible?" Her father sent her mother an annoyed glance for that comment. Ami closed her eyes and tried breathing deep to block out the anger that was bubbling in her. How dare they do this in front of her! Hadn't she gone through enough when she was six?

"You're never going to stop holding that over my head are you?" Mathew shot back. Ami snapped her phone shut and stuffed it back into her purse. Luckily that seemed to pull her mother back into reality.

"Now is neither the time nor place." She said and for once Ami agreed with her mother. Sadly, her father didn't seem to have gotten the memo that Ami wasn't interested in hearing her parents going at each other's throats. Again.

"And when exactly would be the place and time? While we're eating dinner with your new fiancée?" He shot back and Kia turned slightly red in the face. Ami gripped the door handle, all hope of getting out of this without going insane flying from her mind. She looked up at the sloping hills that lined the freeway. The city had been thoughtful enough to plant all kinds of plants and flowers along it so people had something to look at when they were stuck in traffic and their parents were arguing even though they were divorced and lived in two different cities and therefore had nothing to argue about.

"Don't you dare bring Triton into this." Kia hissed back as her fingers gripped the steering wheel so tight her knuckles were beginning to pale. Ami pulled her bag onto her shoulder and eyed the lock on her door then the non moving traffic outside of her window. The only person who was getting through was a guy on a motorcycle who was swerving through the lanes effortlessly.

"Why not? He's going to be family is he not? Don't you want him to know how truly fucked up our family is Kia?" The car nearly moved into the other lane with that out burst. Ami looked back at her father. She'd never heard him curse at other people, and especially not at her mom. Occasionally he would let one slip out when he messed up a stroke on a painting or something but never to make someone feel bad.

"What's that supposed to mean? Ami and I live perfectly normal lives. It's you who can't seem to comprehend the fact that we've moved on from you." Mathew just laughed and shook his head as if she'd said the funniest thing in the world while Ami's heavy hand landed on the lock and pulled up on it.

"You're living normal lives, huh? Have you somehow forgotten that just six months ago Ami tried to kill herself? I mean it's understandable with you busy planning your wedding and all but I was there! You call that normal? She has to see a shrink two times a month and take three antidepressants a-" Whatever he was going to say next Ami hadn't heard because she had pushed the door open and simply hopped out of the car.

She was walking between a stopped H3 and a Nissan Altima by the time the slamming door had awoken her parents from their bickering. She ignored their yells for her to come back as she strolled passed one of the blue emergency phones and up the hill, roughly ripping her white peasant skirt from the branches of flowers and bushes.

As she expected her phone began shrilling at once but she left it where it was. She needed time to think. And space. And air. And something to get rid of her pint up anger.

Which was how she ended up at Newport Beach, shifting her hands through the cool granules of sand as she looked out at the churning surf. There were several locals out milling around the water and the steep bank that lead to it but none of them seemed to notice her sitting in the shade of the pier.

On the way she had actually called Quatre to see if he has any advice but not surprisingly all she got was his voice mail, so she hung up without leaving a message. She figured he had enough to worry about without her moping on his phone about her petty problems. He was probably working out whatever problems and last minute preparations the guys were having before they had to leave.

She'd even considered calling one of the girls but couldn't find it in herself to put her troubles on anyone else's shoulders. She could sort this out on her own. She was the 'brain' of the group after all. And at the beach, surrounded by her element she would be fine and think of something. She crossed her legs in front of her, tossing sand on her discarded flip flops as she did. Large clusters of black sea muscles were clutching to all the long wooden beams that held up the pier. How she wished her life could be that simple. That her biggest fear was that a strong swell was going to knock her from her comfortable post.

"What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" Ami looked to her left, where the voice was coming from and felt a tug of a smile pull at her lips as she caught eyes with a familiar brown haired, violet eyed pop star in a wet suit.

"Hello Taiki." She said politely as he ducked to come under the pier and walked to where she was sitting.

"Well, someone's looking like their world was pulled into a black hole." He said staring down at her as she buried her toes in the sand. "Is there trouble in paradise?"

"A tsunami is more like it." She muttered under her breath but he seemed to hear anyways and crouched next to her.

"Some of our biggest problems don't seem so big when they're spoken out for others to hear." Ami looked at him then sighed, a smile finally spreading on her face despite her attempts at surpressing it.

"I was only thinking." She admitted and he nodded, settling for sitting across from her now. He crossed his legs and looked at her expectantly.

"About…Quatre Winner?" Her cheeks tingled red and Taiki nodded. "It is him then."

"Well, not entirely. It's my parents as well."

"They do not approve then." Taiki said and Ami looked at the water as the sun shimmered off it like diamonds.

"My mother does." Taiki smiled as he too buried his toes into the sand.

"So your father doesn't approve of you dating." Ami nodded eagerly.

"And just now they got into a whole argument about it." Taiki nodded as they both fell into silence. Ami looked out at the water and Taiki looked at her. Only she didn't find it annoying like he was trying to bore a hole into her head. It was more like he was trying to understand her and where she was coming from.

"So." He said after she'd watched some little kids who were playing in the surf for a few minutes. "Have you come up with anything?"

"Huh?" She asked finally looking at him again.

"You said you came here to think. Have you come up with anything?" Ami shook her head and Taiki nodded. "Thought so. May I make a suggestion?" Ami half nodded and half shrugged. "I find that some of my best ideas come when I'm out there." Ami followed the direction of his finger to the ocean. A smile spread across her face.

"I think I've spent a little too much time on boats as it is to tell you the truth." She said and his violet eyes glittered.

"Not on a boat. On a board."

"Excuse me." Ami said tugging on her skirt. "One, I don't even know how to surf and two, I'm not exactly dressed adequately." Taiki just shrugged as he pushed himself up.

"Both are easily fixable." He extended his hand and Ami looked at him with amusement dancing in her eyes.

"You're serious aren't you?" He nodded once, not moving his hand. Ami looked at it for a second. It couldn't hurt really. And she had always wanted to know how. She'd lived her whole by the ocean and had never learned to surf. Now that she thought about it, it was kind of ridiculous. "Well?" Taiki asked and Ami smiled, grabbing his hand.

"Alright. Let's go."

"Taiki, are you quite sure this suit is supposed to be as tight as it is?" Ami asked as she followed her taller companion onto the beach, a bag with her regular clothes and a towel in one hand and a rented blue and white surf board in the other. It had taken nearly an hour but they had done it. He'd bought her a decent two piece and a long sleeved black with blue piping wet suit which she had put on in the girls locker room. They had rented the hibiscus flower covered board, a long one since Taiki claimed short boards were more for tricks, from a place not far from the surfer's side of the pier.

"Yes, it is, now hurry or we'll run out of waves." Taiki said as he reached a spot on the beach and deemed it worthy.

"Which is nearly impossible in this part of southern California." Ami said coming to a stop beside him. He just shrugged and launched into the basics; from how to dive under a wave to the art of paddling to catch the perfect wave.

Once he was sure that he had covered everything, and something's twice, he said that she was ready to go out and promptly pulled a white bar from a pocket on his wet suit. "What's this?" She asked after she was instructed to rub it across the surface of the board.

"That would be sex wax." He said and Ami looked up, turning as red as Taiki's wet suit. He just nodded back towards her board with a smile tugging on his lips. "It helps with traction in the water."

"Well thank you for not making me feel awkward in the very least." She stated sarcastically and Taiki shrugged.

Once both of their boards were ready they headed towards the water, Ami following Taiki a little anxiously. The idea had been fine when she was on the shore but now that she was actually at the water's edge she couldn't help but feel nervous clumps of uncertainty bounce around her stomach as she looked out at the sea of surfers who were already out there, bobbing up and down on the waves.

"Just charge if you're scared." Taiki said as she stopped next to him. He was looking out too, trying to find the right place to paddle out.

"I'm not scared." She said and he smiled, still not looking at her.

"Sure you're not. Your knees are just shaking because you're cold. We both know you've had to face worse then a couple of waves." Ami felt her jaw slacken a little as she looked over at him. 'He can't know.' She thought but before she could ask he had charged at the water and dived under the on coming wave. He reemerged on the opposite side of the wave, laid across his board and began paddling towards the other guys who were waiting for their wave.

Ami sighed as she shielded the sun with her hand, looking out at the waves and one surfer in particular who didn't quite make it out of the curl. 'You can do this. Just get out there then you can ask Taiki what he meant.' She nodded and was ready to run when the shrill of her phone broke through the crash of the waves and the screech of the sea gulls over the pier. She looked down at her bag and shook her head. It was now or never. Ignoring her ringing phone she took a deep breath then ran at the water, adrenaline coursing through her as she went. The cold water slapped at her feet as she pushed herself through a curled out wave. When it reached her knees she dropped the board then launched herself on it in time to dive under an in coming wave. She felt pressure on all side of her body as the wave curled over her. She came back up and paddled towards Taiki who was now watching her with a proud smile on his face.

Her arms hurt by the time she reached him as well as her chest and knees from when she had flopped on the board but the excitement over what she had just done clouded over the pain. He helped her turn her board then clapped her on the shoulder as she sat up and bobbed up and down on the potential waves.

"Congratulations Mizuno. I didn't think you were going to do it." Taiki said as a few more surfers, guys who obviously knew him, sent her encouraging looks. She also couldn't help noticing that she was one of only three girls who were out there and the other two were both smiling at her. One even winked.

"I didn't think I was going to either for a second there." She admitted as a blush tingled on her cheeks. The wet suit helped a lot but she was still rather cold. Taiki must have noticed because he patted her knee and looked back at the water.

"We'll get you on a few then we can head back in. The surf isn't too choppy today so don't worry." Ami nodded as they went through the line. "Remember, paddle when I tell you to, don't hold back, don't hesitate. No fear got it?" Ami nodded as the wet suit constricted against her chest. After fifteen minutes her feet and legs had become accustomed to the temperature of the water but her suit had began to dry from the long time they waited and the prospect of getting her shoulders and back wet again wasn't too appealing. "Alright, you're up next." Taiki said patting her on the shoulder and re-angling her board again. "Just go, your body should know what to do." Ami nodded as she laid on the board again then paddled out, her heart pounding deafeningly in her ears now. She couldn't believe it. She was about to entrust her life to a foam board.

She felt the breeze of the ocean on her back kick up and she knew it was coming. She didn't even hear Taiki's directions. She just paddled like her life depended on it. She was close to the beach when she felt the back end of her board rise up and she quickly pushed herself up on two shaky legs. 'I can do this.' She thought as she imagined herself riding the wave like a professional, Taiki's proud face when she rode right to the shore and hopped off her board, a crowd of surfers clapped and cheered saying how on their first ride they completely chickened out. The rise reached the front of her board and she felt like she was on a roller coaster and the track beneath her had fallen out. A scream ripped at throat as she felt the board jerk from under her feet and she quickly fell into the wave right as it curled out on the beach.

Cold, salty water entered painfully through her nose and sand was pushed into the suit around her neck, wrists and ankles, making it chafe against her skin uncomfortably. The tug of the board line on her ankle was the first indicate that she had been washed up, rather painfully, onto the beach. She coughed some salty seawater from her mouth as she opened her eyes. Another wave crashed in and the water washed over her legs but barely tickled her shoulders, only now her board was laying beside her.

"Have fun?" Taiki's voice asked as his face appeared over her.

"Tons." She managed to say despite the dry, salty feeling of her throat. Taiki smiled as he sat beside her comfortably. Ami briefly wondered how he had gotten to the beach so fast then let out a long sigh as she remembered he actually knew how to surf.

"Way to go shela, best wipe out of the day." A guy who had his blond hair in dreadlocks said as he walked passed them to the ocean. A tight smile spread across Ami's face.

"I don't take it you're planning on going back out today?" Taiki asked squinting out the water. Ami shook her head, which was covered in sand, and sat up on her elbows. She wanted nothing more then to get out of that stupid suit and shower off.

"Nope." She said and Taiki nodded then looked back at her.

"I wiped out my first time too." He said then pushed himself up. "I didn't go back out for a month but I did eventually and you will too." He extended his hand again and she took it without hesitation and was pulled effortlessly to her feet. She let out a sigh, wishing desperately for a glass of non salty water, and quickly unzipped the wet suit, revealing some of the swim suit beneath it. "That's a good look for you, you know." Taiki said as he pulled the Velcro strap from her ankle and pulled both of their boards under his arms. She blushed but pulled the rest of the suit off until she was left in the two piece suit that wasn't too wet surprisingly.

"I don't think I'll be putting it on again anytime soon." She said as she grabbed her bag and pulled on her skirt then stuffed her feet into her sandals. "But thank you for the lesson." Taiki just nodded as they walked back to the rental shack. They returned the board and after grabbing a bottle of water and tying Taiki's board to the roof of his Land Rover they settled to walk around the pier.

"So, do you have any ideas about what to do with your dad?" Taiki, who had changed into some board shorts and a T-shirt, asked.

"Not really, but being out there did help. I'm not as angry I suppose." Ami said as they reached the end of the pier where there was a store that sold food, ice cream and some fishing bait. Taiki sat on one of the wooden benches that lined the pier and looked down at the beach. All the people on it looked like ants. She sat next to him and looked around at everyone as they scuttled around.

Taiki sighed then looked at her again as if she were a specimen to be studied. She looked back at him curiously then blushed when he reached over and pushed a clump of her sun dried locks way from her face. "You have sand in your hair." He said plainly then looked back at the water.

Ami looked back at the water too, noticing the awkward silence that had settled between them now, left from the exchange. The sun was beginning to descend towards the ocean now and fishermen were getting out their floodlights, getting ready for a long evening of night fishing.

A gust of wind blew around them and she wrapped her arms around her chest. She turned to tell him that maybe she should be getting home when he leaned over and placed his lips over hers. Her eyebrows shot up as he placed his hands on either side of her head. Here she was being kissed by her favorite pop star. Five years ago she would've been floored by it. Now all she could think about was how much her mouth still tasted like salt. He pulled away and let out a laugh.

"Absolutely nothing." He said as he finally let go of her face and looked back at the ocean.

"What?" She asked, still a little confused. He just smiled and stood up.

"You felt it too, there's absolutely nothing but friendship between us." Ami nodded and he shook her head as if to clear the thought away. "Good we've got that established. Now come on, you need to go home to face your parents and I need to go home to tell Seiya that he's as good at predicting relationships as a dung beetle."

Ami wordlessly stood and followed Taiki to his car. He seemed happy the whole ride home and gave her his phone number when he dropped her off, saying to call if she ever wanted to talk or have another surf lesson. He said nothing more about the kiss so she assumed he was over it, it really did mean nothing and she decided to forget it as well. Or at least try to.

She still couldn't help but feel like she had somehow cheated on Quatre. Even though they were only prom dates thus far. And it had only been a kiss. And it hadn't even been her idea. She still felt like she'd betrayed him. In fact, guilt was eating at her so much that when she got in the house she was planning on going right to the phone and calling him to tell the truth but was side tracked by the sudden appearance of her best friend in the entrance hall.

"Greg what are you-?"

"Trust me." Greg said as he quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the stairs. "You don't want to go that way." He hissed as they headed towards her room.

"They're still going at it?" She asked once there was one floor and one door between her and her parents.

"Well, they will be when they see you. So, did you have fun? I never saw you as much of a surfer." Greg said and Ami frowned then shrugged, headed towards the bathroom to hang up her wet suit. She almost forgot for a second that he had psychic abilities.

"I'm not, it turns out." She said once she had thrown the suit over the shower door. "I completely embarrassed myself."

"Good. It's about time you found something you suck at so the rest of feel can feel better. And Taiki, how is he?" Ami felt her cheeks blush as she turned to glare at Greg, who was now sitting on her bed, looking at her with a smirk on his face. He had at least shaved this trip she noted.

"You know very well how he is and I was just about to call Quatre about that before you showed up." She said as she finally walked back into her room to look for pajamas to get into.

"So the rumors do not lie. My little water sprite has found a fellow to woo her." Greg said adopting an old English accent.

"We're just friends Greg." Ami said and her friend nodded.

"Yes, yes, of course that's why you're going to call him to confess to a little innocent kiss you shared with your surf instructor."

"He stole that kiss, we didn't share anything." Ami said back and Greg snorted then collapsed back on the bed.

"Whatever you say your highness, go take a shower, I'll hold your parents off for as long as I can." Ami looked at Greg.

"But they aren't-" At the moment she heard the stairs creaking and two angry voices. She sent Greg a thankful smile. "I won't be long." She promised as she disappeared into her bathroom and quickly turned on the shower.

"You know you had us all worried yesterday Ami." Greg handed Ami a bottle of water from the frig as she walked into the kitchen. Catherine was sitting at the breakfast nook, eating a granola bar and looking rather uncomfortable.

"I know and I apologize. I don't know what got into me." Ami said trying to sound sincere and failing horribly. "Where is dad?" She continued before her mother could say anymore.

"He's gone condo hunting. He was thinking about moving here to be closer to his art gallery." She looked away from her water bottle to her mother, who didn't look nearly as excited about the idea as she was.

"Are you serious?" She asked and her mother nodded.

"Unfortunately."

"Hey, how about we head out for the boutique?" Ami was only mildly surprised to see her aunt walk into the room with a silver camera in her hand. But she was still tossing the idea of her father living here too around in her head.

"Sounds like a good plan to me." Catherine said as she stood up abruptly. "Let's leave right now." Ami sent a look at Greg who shrugged.

"Oh alright I'll go get my purse."

"Gees Ami, you really did a number on Kia." Ami looked at her Aunt Emily like she'd told her to drop dead.

"I did a number on her?"

"Well, okay Mathew didn't help much either but she was really scared for you yesterday. I mean, this is L.A. someone could've snatched you up or, or worse." Ami didn't have to ask what worse was. She had already been through worse before.

"I can take care of myself." She stated halfheartedly as Greg shot her a sympathetic look. Kia emerged with a white purse that was made by some designer or other, Ami was too busy trying not to diverge herself into her own memories to care.

"Well, let us be going then." Greg patted Ami gently on the shoulder as he helped steer her towards the garage.

"It's okay Ami, come on. Soon you'll be covered head to toe in tulle and only god and gay guys know what else." A smile cracked across Ami's face at Greg's comedic try. He opened her door for her and she climbed in to the very back of the SUV.

"That wasn't exactly PC you know." She said as he sat beside her and Catherine sat in front of them and shut the door.

"Yea well…" The rest of the drive was quiet except Emily who made it her point to let everyone know how excited she was at every other stop light.

They parked outside of a small boutique in the middle of Beverly Hills nearly forty-five minutes later. There was a group of paparazzi waiting across the street outside of another boutique who didn't even acknowledge their existence luckily. Ami got out as soon as the doors were open and hurried inside with Greg at her heels. A blast of cool, overly fragrant air hit them as soon as the doors opened and all the saleswomen around the store stopped what they were doing and stared at them.

"Hello, may we help you?" One extremely smiley woman with red hair said as she walked over, staring at them like they were two bugs in her salad. "Are you two lost or something?"

"No, they're with us and are just a little excited." Ami sent a grateful look to her Aunt Emily as she walked in with Kia and Catherine at her heels. "We're here to fit for the Anderson-Barton wedding." A real smile came across the lady's face as a buzz seemed to go around the other sales ladies.

"Yes, yes of course. This way please. Philipa, the curtains please they'll want their privacy. And this must be Ami." Ami blinked as the saleslady, Megan according to her name tag, looked at her. "Is that hair color natural?"

"Uh-"

"No time now, I'm sure you're all in a rush. You may have a seat, would you like anything? Water? Wine? Champagne? We've just got a new bottle of Chardonnay that's absolutely divine." A pair of pink curtains covered the windows and another lady locked the door so that the only light was coming from the bulbs of the crystal chandelier in the middle of the store and a few display lights that were placed around the room. It looked a lot bigger inside then it did outside and was covered wall to wall in expensive looking couture gowns and dresses.

"No thank you, we're all perfectly fine." Kia said looking as overwhelmed as Ami felt. Everyone else sat down in plush seats outside of a line of rooms that had blue curtains pulled across them. A light purple, tulle covered dress was pushed into Ami's hands. She looked towards Megan to see an army of women, all holding lilac and cream dresses standing behind her, all smiling just as widely. It was just like Lita's favorite movie Pretty Woman, only scary.

"Ok then, how about you go first since you're standing?" Ami blinked but nodded, trying to look pleasant. Greg smirked and she quickly pushed her purse into his hands, making him frown promptly.

"Alright." She said and Megan smiled and touched the dress Ami was holding.

"Great, now this dress is by an up and coming designer. She does a lot of bead work but her dresses are lovely. Actually I believe that someone wore something like this to the Grammy's…" Ami was pushed into one of the large blue curtained rooms. There was a large oval mirror on the far side of the dressing room, an uncomfortable looking chair and a dress hook on the eggshell colored wall. Ami sighed as she looked at the dress. There didn't appear to be any way of getting out of this. Feeling very much trapped, she reluctantly pulled the dress on. The color was wrong for her skin tone but she had to admit it was a beautiful gown for someone like maybe Raye who was always tanned to perfection. On her it just made her paleness more apparent.

Everyone else agreed and she was pushed back in with another dress. It took nearly an hour of trying on dresses for them to find 'the one'. Her hair was a mess from constantly pulling things over her head but even she had to admit the dress was nice. It was strapless and transparent lavender that had a beige, lace sash that tied around her waist and could be turned into a shawl if she needed one. Tulle made the chiffon flare out slightly to her knees. It was simple so as not to outshine her mother but still lovely. And according Megan, it was the height of couture design.

"It's made by a woman named Trista, one of my favorite little known designers who's based out of the San Francisco Bay area." Ami looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. The dress was really quite flattering. She imagined Quatre's face when he saw her and smirked then frowned. She really did need to talk to him about the whole Taiki thing. She'd thought about it all last night and decided it would be best to tell him in person and to do it before he left just incase someone had seen them. She really didn't want him to find out on the next edition of entertainment news.

"Well, how about you head in Catherine? That way we can get a picture of you two together to make sure your dresses mesh alright." Megan said, who had apparently gotten to know the whole group while Ami was trying on dresses.

Ami crossed to the couches as Catherine disappeared into one of the rooms. "That really is a good look for you, you know." Greg said in a dead on imitation of Taiki's voice. Ami rolled her eyes and pushed her friend in the shoulder. "But really." He said, his tone turning serious and dropping in volume all of a sudden. Ami looked at him curiously as he sent nervous glances around at all the salesladies but they were all focused on Catherine who had walked out in a cream dress that made her look like a doll. "Quatre just called on your phone." Ami felt her heartbeat quicken at his name. "He said that they were leaving today, he'd be careful and that he wanted you to have fun, but not too much." Panic seized her and she looked at Greg who too looked a little unsettled. "I think you should go."

"I can't leave." She whispered back. "My mom would never let me leave, especially now."

"You don't have much time left Ami." Ami looked down at her hands to see the car keys now sitting in them. "I'll make up something, just go."

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this." Ami muttered to herself as she looked up at the white house in front of her. She was parked in between Wufei's truck and one of Heero's motorcycles. "They've probably already left, I should just turn around now and go back." Ami let out a small shriek as two large hands slapped on her rolled down window. She noticed the black jeweled ring that sat on his pinky before Rashid's head thrust down to her eye level.

"Hello Ms. Ami, you're just in time. They're planning on leaving in an hour." Ami nodded as her heart slowed its rampage in her chest, her hair blowing with the sudden breeze as her car door was pulled open.

"Uh, thank you Rashid. I won't be long." She said as she hopped out of the driver's seat and hurried towards the opened door of the Winner residence. She really didn't plan on staying long. Greg had promised her forty minutes at most and it had taken nearly half of that to get here.

The first person she encountered was Duo who was eating a bowl of Lucky Charms in the living room. There was a black duffle bag next to him on the couch, an equally as inky space helmet beside that and he was already wearing his dark space suit. He smiled and nearly spilled the contents of his bowl in his lap when he saw her.

"Hey Ames, nice dress, what are you doing here?" He asked in his normal baritone as he sat his cereal to the side.

"I wanted to wish you all luck." She said and he grinned suggestively.

"Sure if by all you mean Qu-man and by good luck you mean have one last make out session before we leave." Ami blushed as Duo winked at her. "He should be in the warehouse." Ami quickly walked out of the room, Duo chuckling after her as she went.

"I hate Duo." She muttered under her breath as she reached the stairs where Heero was walking down.

"Welcome to the club, we have jackets." Heero said in his typical monotone as she passed him. She looked back at him and let out a laugh. She'd never heard him say an actual joke before. She hadn't even known he had a humorous side. Putting her latest discovery behind her, she continued up the stairs and turned down the corridor that led to Quatre's bedroom.

"Ok, now how am I going to tell him?" She wondered aloud. Now that she was here she had no clue. She couldn't just blurt it out. Then he'd suspect that it had meant something. She had to say it nonchalantly, while sounding slightly offended. Like it had been the worse experience in her life. And sadly too. She let out a sigh as she stopped in front of the door. "This was a mistake."

"Why are you talking to yourself?" Wufei asked as he walked out of the bedroom across from Quatre's with a bag in his hand. Ami jumped and looked at him.

"I'm not." She said and he rolled his eyes, shouldered the heavy looking white bag that had the hilt of his katana sticking out of it.

"Whatever you want to call it onna." He said then walked down the hall in his traditional Chinese garb.

"Good luck Wufei." She called as she pushed the door open.

"I don't need it." Wufei said back and Ami shook her head and walked in.

The room looked just as she remembered, only the bed was actually messed up a little, like someone had been sitting there. A lump formed in her stomach as she walked towards the closet, where she could hear voices, one of which belonged to Quatre. Her heartbeat sped up as she looked down at her watch. She had fifteen minutes to get back to the boutique. She sighed. It was now or never. She pushed her legs forward despite their suddenly heavy weight. She let out a long breath through her slightly parted lips when she twisted the door handle and pushed it open. She looked up from her slightly worn shoes and felt the air seize in her chest. Her eyes widened, hardly believing what she was seeing. Feeling very much like she was being choked, again, she tried to tear her eyes away from the pair in front of her who seemed completely oblivious to her appearance.

"Just be careful okay?" Trowa said as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on Quatre's forehead, and he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Trowa we can't." Quatre said and Trowa wrapped his arms around his waist.

"I know, but you'll be careful anyway." He stated and Ami felt her heart slam against her ribs as she realized that Trowa was leaning towards Quatre. Suddenly everything made sense. Why Trowa had never approved of them. Why he was acting so 'overprotective.' He had said he didn't want anyone to be hurt but he hadn't meant her, he had meant himself.

She took a step back as her world seemed to tilt around her. The car keys slacken and clanged together, they were the only thing anchoring her and she couldn't let go. She tightened her hold on them as the feeling finally came back to her limps. Trowa's lips were just hovering over Quatre's when he turned his head in time to lock eyes with her. His widened in surprise and fear ripped through Ami. 'Run!' Something in her head screamed and she wasted no time in doing just that. She turned and ran as the reality at what she had witnessed hit her.

"Ami stop." A voice called as she pushed passed Quatre's door and into the hall. Wufei looked at her curiously as she rushed passed him and raced down the stairs, her feet pounding in her blue ballet flats. She could hear two sets of footsteps chasing after her but the only thing going through her head was to run, to get as far away as she could.

Her vision began to blur and she nearly ran into Duo who was walking to the kitchen. "Whoa Ami's what's wrong?" Duo asked, grabbing her elbow to steady her. She tried to jerk out of his grip and knocked the empty bowl out of his other hand and it crashed to the ground, breaking into pieces.

"Ami please." She looked up to see Quatre still hurrying down the stairs with Trowa right behind him. Ami pulled again and this time Duo let her go as he stepped away from her and looked between them confusedly. Even Heero had strolled into the room to see what was going on. Ami looked around at all them. Heero and Wufei looked mildly amused at the sight of her wiping away her tears, wearing a dress that still contained its tags, with broken glass glittering around her. Duo looked confused and a little frightened. Trowa was looking around at the rest of the group frantically and Quatre was staring at her with a sad and torn expression on his face.

Ami shook her head and took a cautious step back, her keys jingling in her shaking left hand. "What's going on here?" Rashid asked walking into the room. He froze when he noticed everyone staring at her. "Ms. Ami are you alright? Your leg, it's breeding." He stated and she looked down. The glass from the bowl had probably cut her but she hadn't even felt it. But what she could feel was the familiar cold sensation that made a shiver rip through her spine.

"I have to go now." She stated then took another step back and turned to the door. She could now see the breath dancing white in front of her face. She opened the door and stepped into the sunlight, feeling the cold metal freezing beneath her hand. Suddenly a warm hand wrapped around her wrist and she turned around to come face to face with Quatre.

"Can we talk about this in private? Please?" He asked in barely above a whisper as he stared down at her with watery blue eyes. For a second she nearly did. Nearly said yes and listened to whatever excuse he made up for what she'd seen. But the dull ache in her heart told her to shake her head so she did.

"We have nothing to talk about." She tried to pull out of his grasp like she had Duo's only seconds prior but before she could he had wrapped his arms around her. She let out a strangled sob and pushed against his chest.

"Ami don't say that." He said with a sort of desperation in his voice. Ami felt the tears start to fall again and let her head rest on his shoulder as she stopped fighting him. He had always been there when she needed him. He had promised he'd never hurt her. His arms rubbed over her back and she shook her head as anger and sadness swept over her again. But he had hurt her. More then he knew and now she had no one to turn to. She let out a bitter half laugh as she remembered the very reason she had come. She had felt guilty over a stupid kiss that had meant absolutely nothing. Felt that she had betrayed him and that he deserved to be told the truth because he was her friend and she would expect him to do the same if it happened to him.

"Goodbye Quatre." She said as she pushed away from him with so much force and so abruptly that his grip broke easily. She turned around before he could recover from the shock and walked to the car. She opened the door and turned to see his surprised and confused face. "I don't think it's such a good idea that we go to prom together now." She said then got in, turned the ignition and left without looking back.

It was really hard writing this, really it was but I had to. Thanks to Haley who helped a lot with writing this. I'm off to California but I'll be writing all week so hopefully I can get two more chapters out before I move into my dorm room. I know what you're thinking, but this isn't the end, it's just a…speed bump.I told you to trust me. Please let me know what you think, and yes there is a reason I did this, I just don't know what it is yet. J/K. Review!