*okay so here's the next chapter…it doesn't really have much of a point except to develop things that may happen later…but I've said too much already you'll just have to wait and see ^.^*

Chapter 9 A Storm

            His eyes shot down, "And that's why you've been so depressed lately?" he looked up only long enough to see his Water Angel nod slightly. He felt a swelling in his chest as anger boiled in his heart. His hands balled into fists; he wanted to kill him for doing this to her.

            "Well that and the fact that Hikaru and Fuu turned on me. It's kind of hard to not feel lonely you know?" she looked up at him, and tears shone in her ocean blue eyes. His eyes met hers, and everyone but those who mattered could tell what they both were hiding.

            "And the fact that you know he's taken?" Clef persisted.

            Her eyes darted up, "He is?" she whispered trying to get the tears to stay in. She had never thought that she and him were a possibility, but now that she knew it was out of the question it hurt, bad.

            "Surely you knew they were more than just friends?"

            "They?" a glimmer of hope sprung in her eyes.

            "Aranami and Ascot; they're lovers you know," he wanted to put a hand on her delicate one and beg her to take second best. He held it and looked at her as she made a small sound that sounded remarkably like a gasp as she blushed fiercely.

            "No no no," she shook her head feeling a weight lifted from her.

            "No what?" his heart leapt into his throat, "You can tell me anything Umi," he forced himself to calm; he probably had it all wrong.

            "That's not who it is," Umi responded smiling slightly praying he didn't catch on.

            "Who is it then?" his pulse quickened. She opened her delicate lips to speak…

            "Not telling," she grinned, "Come on let's go tell the others you're up," she jumped up.

            "Be there in a minute," Clef smiled at her weakly; he had it all wrong. It must be someone from her world.

§§§~~~

            "Shhh… She's coming," Fuu pulled Hikaru behind a corner until she was sure Umi was gone.  Then she stared at Clef's door and pondered, "It is most definitely someone from here, and she seemed surprised when Clef said he was taken. So…someone from here but not Ascot, Lantis or Ferio. Oh that only leaves…"

            "All of Cephiro!" Hikaru shouted annoyed.

            "Hikaru-san," Fuu clapped a hand over her mouth and drug her behind the conrer as Clef walked out, staff in hand.

            "Hikaru?" he called looking around. When he found no one he shrugged and looked down, "Umi," he whispered, "Tell me…please," slowly he looked up and walked the direction Umi had come.

            "Mm…hmmm…Clef!" Hikaru shouted almost too loud when Fuu removed her hand.

            "Shhh…" Fuu hissed.

            "Gomen," Hikaru said quieter now, "That might be who it is!"

            "Well he certainly has something for her," Fuu laughed. 

            "We have to tell her!" Hikaru jumped excited.

            "No we can't," Fuu shook her head, "For a couple of reasons one; we would be caught spying, two; if she doesn't like him back she would act strange around him. We can't do that to either of them."

            Hikaru chewed on this for awhile then said simply, "You're right Fuu-chan."

            Fuu let out an inward sigh as they walked to breakfast.

~~~§§§

Breakfast was silent for them. Hikaru kept stealing glances at Clef who kept stealing glances at Umi. Once Hikaru's eyes met Clef's as he turned back from looking at Umi. She gave him a devilish grin then looked back down as he looked away uninterested.

Umi noticed the tension and decided to start a conversation, "Can you will yourselves new mirrors or something?"

"Already done," Lantis ended that topic.

"It's nice out; we should do something outside. None of us have really seen Cephiro," she suggested.

"Umi-san?" Fuu asked quietly, and Umi looked over and smiled. Finally, she sighed in her mind, a conversation.

"Hai?"

"Um…" she pointed at a window. It was pitch black and pouring with wind as fierce as a hurricane. She hadn't heard it inside the protective magic of the castle.

Umi's jaw dropped, there goes that conversation, she thought. The only thing she could think of next stopped everyone, "When are we going home?"

Ferio's eyes snapped up and met Fuu's as Lantis' hand went to Hikaru's protectively. She could feel eyes burning into her fiercely and decided she wasn't exactly wanted here just then, "Ah…nevermind…I'm gonna go now," she began to slink away. As soon as she was out of sight she ran from the castle and down to the ocean letting the rain pound onto her as she watched the waves crash onto the beach with a deafening roar.

She sat on a large rock and let the waves spray onto her loving the feel of the water and the smell of the salty ocean air. She could live off of only this.

She never got cold in the water, but the wind gave her goose bumps. She started wishing she could be in his arms. God she loved his new form; she blushed at her thoughts and looked into the ocean once more enjoying the solitude. It was good to be out of the castle even if it was raining. She loved the rain anyway.

Before she knew it the clouds were clearing away, and the waves were calming. The storm was over for the ocean but not for her.

She watched as the clouds retreated, and the ocean began its gentle rhythm once more. She sighed and let her mind retreat and crash with the waves that she loved so much.

He watched her for a minute just taking in everything she was. He couldn't even think of one thing he didn't love about her. When she had first come he had seen a selfish spoiled girl who cared only about herself, but that opinion changed quickly. From the first time he had seen her cry, over Emeraude, then over leaving, then over her own selfishness. Her tears were so pure, so genuine, so innocent. It was that innocence that he loved, that beautiful light. The idea that anyone would try to rip that from her angered him beyond compare. Finally he got the courage and walked over to her.

"Umi," he said softly walking closer to the rock where she sat, blue hair clinging close to her.

She turned her head slightly and blushed only making her features soften and make her lovelier, "Oh hi…"

"We were worried; we couldn't find you anywhere in the palace. The storm was bad; you could have gotten hurt," he informed her.

"Gomen, I didn't mean to worry anyone," she looked back to the sea, "I just had to get away from everything for awhile."

"I understand, but…" he stopped Hikaru was running over the gentle slope that could almost be considered a hill, Umi saw that Fuu was close behind her.

"Clef!" they shouted almost in unison.

"She's nowhere! What if…what if…" Hikaru was shouting.

"Hikaru calm down I'm right here," Umi scolded, and Hikaru looked up.

"Umi-chan! Don't do that again!" she shouted pulling her friend down, "We were worried!" she hugged her.

"Gomen Hikaru, Fuu," she nodded to Fuu who had laughter in her eyes.

"Oh Hikaru-san was overreacting, really we knew you could take care of yourself," Fuu told her, and Umi smiled.

"Thank you Guru," Umi bowed to Clef.

"For what?" he asked startled but taken back at her elegance.

"For finding me," Umi grinned, "I wouldn't have been pulled back otherwise."

He smiled at her, "It was my please Water Knight," he turned and walked back toward the castle as Hikaru grinned mischievously, and Fuu kicked her discretely.

Umi gave them narrow glances but didn't say anything as they too headed back to the castle.