Okay, here is the next chapter. This is the last chapter that deals with Rei. Sorry, trying to set the stage for Daycare. *Wince* Was that a spoiler? Opps. From now on though this story is about Ami and Zach. Zach trying to woo Ami. I said trying because he is male. But as always, I hope you enjoy this segment. Read and Review please.
~Ravyn~
Disclaimer: I do not own Ami or Zach. I do own Kei and Mrs. Keys. They are my imagination. Please use your own.
Chapter 4
Ami woke up with a wonderful, one of a kind, headache. It made a train racing through her brain seemed like a quite walk on the beach. It was like the shattering of glass times 2500. It put it mildly, it hurt like hell.
Ami rolled over and buried her head in her soft downy pillows and prayed she would go back to sleep. But with a headache like that one, it would have taken morphine to put her out. Ami moaned. Even the lack of sound hurt.
Ami froze, as she fuzzily comprehended what she had just thought. Lack of noise. Lack of noise. If her memory was working correctly, which was doubtful at the moment, then there should have been a toddler roaming around the room. Bed. Playpen. Something so to cause a pin dropping to be drowned out. Nothing.
Ami shot out of bed and groaned at her stiff neck. She stretched in the way her yoga teacher had taught her years ago and sighed when she heard the nice, loud pop. Looking at the clock, she froze. If, in Ami's young life, she had ever come close to having a heart attack, this would have been it. The numbers on her clock had to be wrong. If they were not, then she was going to have a panic attack.
1:30
Ami considered screaming, but she doubted it would do her any good. Her entire body had frozen in abject horror. Her mind clouded, and shock set it in. SHE HAD SLEPT PAST NOON!
Ami lurched out of bed and pounded down the stairs. Her eyes were wide as she skidded to a stop. Her stocking clad feet slid a few feet as she hit the wood floor. Her already huge eyes reached bug-eyed proportions.
Kei, a toddler as moody as his mother, prone to dislike someone because they had smiled wrong, like his mother, was giving off happy gurgling sounds as he crawled over the long body of her housemate. His throaty laugh seemed to encourage the behavior.
Kei propped himself up on Zach's stomach. He clapped his baby hands and cooed in delight as Zach swung him up and down. The motion was enough to make Ami sick to her stomach.
Ami walked out of the room, barely making a sound. Her features were startled and even bewildered. Especially when the doorbell rang. Half in a daze, Ami swung the door open and met a concerned Mrs. Keys.
" Oh, Ami, I got your note. I am so sorry. Don't worry about a thing," Mrs. Keys said as she bustled in. Zach walked over with Kei propped up on his hip. Kei had his hands buried in Zach's hair, and the baby gurgles had not yet stopped.
" Oh, you are a dear," Mrs. Keys cooed at the baby. Kei wrinkled his brow and gave her a 'look'. It was the one that said, 'Who is this strange lady cooing at me?' Rei had one similar to it, and her mother had caught it on camera when she was about two.
" You have your mommy's face and hair, but those are your daddy's eyes. Oh, what a sweet baby," Mrs. Keys finished with a smile before bustling into the kitchen. Soon the happy sounds of pots and pans could be heard.
Ami closed her eyes and put a hand to her head. She sighed as she desperately tried to get her bearings. Note? Who had left a note? It was a good idea, but she had not given any thought to it, being so emotionally drained last night. Being so drained today. Having slept to long left her sleepy and disoriented.
" I left her the note," Zach's smooth voice told her softly. Ami cracked open one eye and blinked.
" What?" Ami croaked. Her voice refused to respond properly, and she had to blink to get her vision to clear.
" I got up this morning, got Kei, and fixed him and myself breakfast. I also left a note for Mrs. Keys. I figured you were going to have things to cover today. I can watch Kei, and Mrs. Keys has the meal covered," Zach told her gently.
Ami let the hand drop from her face. She looked at him for a moment before walking into the kitchen. She needed to make a few phone calls. Ami gulped down the tears as she thought about the people she was going to have to call.
Zach ignored Kei for a moment as he watched Ami slowly walk into the den. Her shoulders were slumped and her hair limp around her features. Even with her exhausted features, she looked adorable.
Kei whimpered, and Zach adjusted his grip. He pulled as a face as the diaper gave that wonderful squishy feeling. " Time to get changed, isn't it, buddy?" Kei responded by giving out a wail.
Ami walked back in and watched in silent amusement as Zach changed the diaper.
" Okay big guy, let's get this changed," Zach said as he pulled back to the right slightly. Ami felt her lips twitch as she saw a stream of liquid shoot by his ear. It seemed that he knew how to handle a diaper. She might as well get gloves and some paper towels, along with some type of rug cleaner.
Zach tied the diaper back onto Kei's butt and swung the now smiling baby into the air. He heard soft applause from the door. Mrs. Keys stood there with a smile on her face. " You are doing a great job with the little man."
Zach grinned as Ami walked in and handed the gloves, paper towels, and rug cleaner to him. Her face was sweet as she took the little boy off his hands. " Hello Kei. Remember me? I was the one who delivered you." Ami cooed as she walked out of the room.
Zach looked at Mrs. Keys with a startled expression. Mrs. Keys grinned her charming grin and winked at him. " A long story. Get her or Minako to tell it. They will have you rolling."
Zach nodded his head like he had a clue as to what she was talking about. He heard the doorbell ring, and with a sigh, he went to go and answer it. Opening the door, he blinked in surprise. There, standing in the doorway, was a woman even smaller than Ami.
Her long silver hair, not gray, but silver, was pinned on her head in the oddest buns. The large silver blue eyes were wide with tears and heartbreak.
The adorable woman looked at him and asked in a small voice, " Is Ami here?"
Zach offered her a kind smile and pulled the door open as he stepped out of her way to let her in. The silver haired girl walked by, her shoulders drooping. She walked by the steps and failed to notice Mrs. Keys. The elder women stopped what she was doing and blinked.
Zach shook his head and walked by Mrs. Keys and patted her arm. " They will be okay, Mrs. K, they will be okay."
Mrs. Keys looked at him and smiled weakly." The only time I have ever seen that expression on her face was when her cat Luna died. It broke her heart. That child feels so deeply, not only her own pain, but also the pain of others. Right now they all have to keep each other up. I need to go and make a large batch of cookies!"
Zach shook his head and headed back up the stairs. Time for him to hit the computer. He was so far behind schedule, it was not funny. He took one look at the hall that Ami and Usagi, that what Ami had said her name was; had disappeared down. His heart ached for them.
~*~
Ami held the sobbing form of Usagi and wondered if she was going to have to drive the two-hour drive to Rei's small house. Ami rocked her friend and sighed. It seemed every time they were going to Rei's, it was for pain. Rei had buried every important man in her life.
Her father, her lover and husband, and now her grandfather, and every time Usagi came here to cry. It was painful, and it was heartbreaking, but it had to happen.
Ami looked over at Kei, who was sucking on his fist with a cute baby expression on his face, and she too burst into to tears, for. For the love that the little baby would never know.
~*~
Ami shut the car door, walked over, and shook the sleeping Usagi. After they had cried for a while, they had loaded Kei up, left a note for Zach, hugged Mrs. Keys, and Ami had driven to Rei's. The place was quiet, having a air of silence.
Pulling a sleeping Kei into her arms, she walked up the rock path to the house. The house had lights lit inside, and it was quiet. Eerily and heartbreakingly quiet. Ami loathed hitting the doorbell and to accept the pain that was going to come with it, but she did.
A red eyed Rei answered the door. She offered Ami a nod, as if smiling was too painful, and took the sleeping boy from her arms like he was her lifeline. Cradling the dark head against her chest, she let the two in.
" Come in," Rei told them, her voice soft and quiet, pain in her voice. Her shoulders were still ramrod straight, but they had a certain curve to them, as if they were trying to bend, but Rei was to proud to allow it.
" Makoto has tea and cookies in the kitchen," Rei said softly, her arms cradling her precious bundle." I am going to put Kei to bed. You guys go ahead, I will be in there in a few minutes."
Rei turned, and Ami realized with shock that she had cut her hair. Instead of touching her knees like it always had, it brushed just below her shoulders. Ami mourned for the loss. It meant so much.
Ami walked into the kitchen and took at the chair next to Minako. Her hip length golden locks were braided, and her face stark white against the harsh over-head light. Her blue eyes were red rimmed and her lips bloodless.
Makoto sat next to her, looking into her cup of tea like it held the secrets of life. Her dark curls were pinned in a sloppy ponytail like so long ago. Her own eyes were just as red rimmed. The knuckles that were holding the cup were white.
They just sat there in silence for what seemed like ages. No sound was heard except uneven breathing. They looked at the untouched food, and even Usagi looked too upset to touch it.
Rei walked in a few moments later and sat down. The chair scraped across the floor in a harsh scratching sound that hurt the ears and heart. They all just looked at each other helplessly.
" I am moving," Rei said in a simple voice. It held only the briefest of emotions.
Minako looked at her and sighed. " When? And where?"
" Home. Back to where I grew up. Back were we grew up. At least there I know I can raise Kei in some sort of peace. But I cannot stay in this house. I have buried two men in this house; I won't bury another," Rei said, her tone oddly defeated.
Usagi looked at her and smiled. " When you are ready to move, I will help."
" Me too," Makoto said in a firm voice.
" I will do whatever it takes to be there," Minako promised. Ami simply took her friend's hand.
Rei shook her head vehemently. " I need to do this by myself. I need to pack up these memories by myself," Rei softly told them. Her lips were set in a stubborn line. " This is something I have to do."
They all looked mutinous for a moment before Minako looked at her. " You are the strongest person I know."
Rei looked at Minako for a moment and allowed a tear to trickle down her face.
" I don't feel strong. I feel broken." Usagi put her arms around her, and Rei buried her face in her shoulder.
" It will be okay, Rei. It will be okay."
Rei cried for a long time that night.
~*~
It rained the day they buried him. It seemed like even the skies mourned his death, as the rain pelted every inch of the ground, and it caused their depressed minds to fall even farther.
They stood there, with their umbrellas in rubber boots, and Ami thought back to the time that they had played in the rain in third grade. Grandpa had come out and yelled at them. Usagi had looked up and him with her large blue eyes and told him softly that they only wanted to bring joy to the angels that were crying.
From them on, he had played with them.
But on this sunless day it appeared that even the angels refused to stop their tears. As the day wore on, the clouds grew darker and the rain even more heavy. Soon after they reached the house, the thunder threatened to tear the roof from the house in rage.
The worst part was watching the pain slowly cover all the hope in Rei's gaze. When Chad had died, it had been her grandfather who had kept the seams together. Ami wondered who was going to hold her together now.
~*~
Ami walked into her house with a sigh, and she placed her book bag onto one of the stool next to the 'bar'. Slipping off her shoes with a tired sigh, she rubbed at a blister. Some dress shoes were just not made for walking.
" You're back," came his voice. Ami wondered to herself when she had started to refer to the voice as 'his'.
Turning, Ami froze. Zach was standing in his bare feet and boxers. That was it. Licking her lips, Ami headed to the fridge so as not to seem completely captivated by the muscles on his chest.
" Yes. Minako is staying the weekend. Makoto had cooked enough to last her a week. Usagi threatened to beat her with a broom if she did not call. There was not much I could do, except be here if she needs me."
Zach nodded and leaned against the cabinet and wondered what had caused to faint blush to stretch across Ami's face.
" Did you need something, Mr. Green?" Ami questioned gently.
Zach felt a frown etch across his forehead. " Don't you think we know each other well enough to call each other by first name basis?" Zach questioned her gently.
Ami looked at him as if he had lost his mind. She was already in love with his voice. If she heard him say her name, in 'that' tone, she would absolutely melt. That was not a good idea.
" No," Ami responded in a curt tone.
Zach raised his brow. " And why is that?"
Ami looked at him like he was out of his mind. Her quick mind came up blank.
" Because," Ami said, sounding like a child.
Zach looked at her, a perfectly evil plan coming to mind. It probably was not a good thing to cause her to panic when she had just gone through an emotional overload. But he had never been one of convenience.
" Ami," Zach said, deliberately lowering his tone. One brow raised when he saw that cute blush again. He was going to have to file that information away.
" Mr. Green," Ami said, turning to look at him, trying to look imposing. It failed to be more than just a cute glare.
" Miss. Mizuno," Zach said, putting a mocking tone into his voice. " I think we are on good enough terms. But how about this. Let's make a little wager."
" Wager?" Ami squeaked.
" Yes. If you call me Mr. Green again in the next two day, I get to kiss you," Zach said, his tone compelling. Ami felt her eyes widen, and her faceturn the color of overripe tomatoes.
" What?" Ami croaked.
" But if you manage not to call me that, then you can call me Mr. Green for the rest of my stay. You have five seconds to respond," Zach told her, his eyes glinting.
Ami opened her mouth but could not manage to allow a squeak out, much less a single word such as no.
Zach grinned. " Time's up," he told her. Winking his new-forest green eyes at her, he gently tapped her nose. " And personally, I hope you lose."
With that he sauntered off, leaving a red faced Ami behind him. Ami watched him leave, her eyes slowly leaving his back and traveling down. When she realized where her eyes had gone, she froze. Her face turning purple with embarrassment Ami shoved her face into the fridge.
Hopefully the cold air would calm her nerves. " What have I gotten myself into?" Ami moaned.
Zach leaned against the banister and shook his head. He really knew better than to bait someone like that. But after staring at her lips for so long, he really wondered what they felt like. Shrugging, he headed upstairs. Chances were she would not even talk to him, but it was worth a shot.
For, to him, the games were on.
AN: Well here it is. Or there it was. Look for my next chapter next time…whenever that may be! Thank you for all my reviews. I love you readers. You know how all those famous singer always thank the fans and you feel good? Well FEEL GOOD!