*dun dun dun! *dramatic movie sounds* next chapter yey! So anyways I want to know what you think is going on here. Predictions? Ideas? Anything? Think about it, because I thought I kinda gave it away in this chapter but I'm not sure ^.^

Oh, also, there is some extremely mild gross stuff in this chapter not anything close to being a different rating or anything, but if you can't stomach that kind of thing you should probably turn back now. Just a fair warning.*

Chapter 12 Crossing the Third Hurdle; Friendship

The ride was a long one lasting a week. They went from village to village being careful not to expose themselves. They tried to keep their ovum gems hidden, but it wasn't very successful and once someone screamed Magic Knights, and they had to flee.

"Why can't they just know?" Hikaru grumbled, "What is wrong with us being known?"

"Cephiro isn't entirely perfect. There are some who are aiding the Dark One in his cause. If anyone hears where we are they'll tell him," Yukito explained.

"It doesn't seem to matter though," Fuu said quietly, "He appears wherever we are, at least that's what it seems like."

Yukito sighed, "I'm afraid that's my doing."

"What?!"

"We are all connected; we have been for many years. He always knows where I am, and I always know where he is. That's how Clef keeps tabs on me," he added to Umi when she looked about to ask, "But as long as we travel through the Forest, unless he gets close the bond is weak. When we get out of the forest though…" he grimaced, "We will have to ride hard to the mountains and hope he doesn't realize that we've broken out until it's too late."

"What will happen once we revive all the Rune-Gods?" Hikaru asked.

"Then you will fight with them as one against the Dark One," Yukito looked down, "And according to the prophecy Clef and I will as well."

Umi tried not to worry at that look.

When they reached the end of the Forest of Silence they could see the mountains in the distance.

"We're going to have to gallop all the way there?" Hikaru moaned looking at the mountains. Even though she had been riding for quite some time now she wasn't very good, and she couldn't stand the pain that galloping caused her.

"Yes, but not now. We'll go early in the morning when he can't reach us and hope that we make it the whole way during the day," Yukito had Mokona pull out tents before they made a fire and sat around it.

They laughed and even managed to find something close to marshmallows for them to toast. They were all having a good time and laughing, and Umi found herself in love with the people around her. Even through their differences they were getting along, "Hey Hikaru," she called to the girl who turned, and was surprised to see that she was met with a smile instead of a glare, "No hard feelings?"

Hikaru grinned and nodded, "Not at all Umi-chan."

Umi felt her cheeks become red, "Arigato."

Hikaru winked and turned back to the conversation she was having with Fuu.

"Umi-san will you pass the marshmallows?" Fuu asked, and Umi blinked.

"Uh…yeah," she passed the bag and realized that this night had changed them. Now they were the best of friends, and nothing could separate them. She didn't think that she had ever had friends like this, never before had she felt this close to a few people. She had always had friends, but not anyone she could confide in. She felt that she could tell them anything.

"You truly are the Magic Knights," Yukito seemed to read her thoughts.

"Clef said that I would learn, and I think he was right," Umi agreed, not even thinking what she was saying before she said it.

"He normally is," Yukito muttered.

Umi looked into his eyes, "You are destined to fight together. Why do you despise him?"

"I told you I can't tell you," he whispered, "As you have your secrets I have mine."

"But I'm ready to tell my secrets," she didn't want to hide anymore. She wanted her friends to know who she was, what she had been through. She wanted to tell them, and she wanted her lover to know what he was dealing with. She thought that if she told them the nightmares would go away.

"Even if you tell yours I don't think I can tell mine. You'll understand… someday," he tried to be gentle, but it hurt.

"Why can't you trust me?" she didn't realize that all eyes were on them, and she didn't realize that they were all glaring at Yukito, ready to defend her.

"It's not trust Umi; it's the extra pain the information will cause you," he told her trying to fend them off, "Come with me," he offered a hand, but she wouldn't take it, "Umi?"

She shook her head and walked into the forest… alone.

They glared at him as he went to walk after her, "Don't move," Hikaru's voice was threatening.

"Don't you think you've done enough damage?" Fuu stood with Hikaru. They followed Umi into the forest, and he watched them leave, completely numb. He turned and walked in the other direction, leaving Ferio to tend the fire and wait for everyone to return.

§§§~~~

"Umi-chan!" they caught up to her quickly, and she wiped away the tears.

"We were worried," Fuu told her as they walked by her on both sides, "You shouldn't just wonder off into the Forest alone."

Umi shook her head, "Gomen."

"He's just a jerk, don't worry about it," Hikaru told her and put a hand on her shoulder.

She put her head down and clenched her fists, "I don't understand him. He won't tell me, but I can see that it eats at him. I see the way he looks at me when he speaks of this matter; there's something about me that he's hiding. I don't like it; it bothers me, gives me the creeps."

They weren't quite sure what to say.

"It'll get better," Hikaru said after a long time.

"I sure hope so," she smiled at the girl who smiled back.

When they got back they found only Ferio, "He…ah…left," was all the explanation they got.

Umi's face twisted in worry, but a few words from the other two, and she was put at ease. She was beginning to trust them; she knew that soon she would tell them.

§§§~~~

"Umi," he touched her shoulder, and she jumped awake.

"Huh?" she stayed quiet, so she wouldn't wake the other two.

"Come with me," he pulled her up, and she groaned softly.

When he had her up they were close, and he could feel her breath against his chest. She tried to pull away, but he held her firmly but gently. He reached down to kiss her, but she turned her head. He looked hurt and let her go. She followed him out where they could speak freely. They walked through the woods until they reached the creek. She sat on a rock and waited for him to begin. She looked at her reflection in the water and smiled at what she saw. She didn't look sickly skinny anymore, simply slender and her hair had regained its shine. Her eyes were bright and sparkled in the moonlight. She touched her skin and saw her mother's face, "Mom…" she thought about her mother alone in that internment camp. A tear slipped down her cheek. There was no one to force her to eat the little food they got, there was no one to force her out of bed. She might not even be alive anymore. She tried to force the thought away, but it kept sneaking up on her, "No!" she screamed.

"Umi," he touched her shoulder, and she came back and realized what had just happened. She had been having a nightmare awake, "What is it?"

"Don't touch me," she ripped away and jumped into the water. It came just past her ankles and the current played with her pajama pants.

He looked at her, and she saw that he was in serious anguish, "Gomen nasai."

"How can I ever trust you?" she demanded, "You want me to open up to you, but you openly tell me that you have secrets? I'm willing to tell you, I want to tell you, but still you will keep your secrets. I can't take that. It's eating me inside."

He saw her expressions twisted in pain and wanted to kill himself for hurting her, "I keep my secrets to keep you safe, to spare you, to make sure you don't feel pain."

"I'm in pain because of what you keep to protect me!"

"Why? What is it you fear that I'm hiding?" he questioned; he knew he would never be able to tell her, no matter what happened she could never know.

"I don't know," she walked onto the shore and sat in the grass, "I don't know."

He sat near her, "Then why bother over it? You shouldn't have doubts. I love you," she turned and met his eyes, "And that's all that matters."

"Please don't do this to me," she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I can't stand secrets."

"Sh…" he touched her cheeks with his thumbs, "Don't cry; you're too beautiful to cry."

She wrapped her arms around him and cried into his chest. She could feel her mind screaming as flashbacks hit her. It was some of the worst she'd had in a long time.

* "Where are you going?"

            "To a meeting."

"What kind of meeting?"

"A resistance meeting."

"Resistance of what?"

"The Germans."

"But they're a continent away."

"Too close for comfort, and I don't like the fact that they're possible allies."

"Oh can I come?"

"It's too dangerous."

"Why?"

"I've told you too much; it's a secret."

"Secrets are deadly," she whispered never looking up from her spot in his lap, "And I can't stand to lose anyone else."

He closed his eyes and pulled her close whispering words of love and encouragement in her ear.

"You don't understand," she turned and sat on his lap wrapping her arms around his neck and putting her head near his neck, "If I lose you I'll be lost. I can't lose you like I lost him, not because of me."

Him? His mind raced, "You won't lose me Umi," he told her softly. Who's him?

She dug her fingers into his neck and kissed him.

"Umi," he said her name so softly it could barely be heard, "Who's him?"

She closed her eyes, then slowly reopened them, "My…" she choked.

"Sh…" he stopped her with a gentle kiss, caressing her with his fingers, "If you had another I don't care."

Her eyes flared, and she pulled away, "Arigato for your care," she said sarcastically.

"What?" he stood and looked at her flaring eyes.

"I told you there was never anyone else!" she screamed, "And you should believe me!"

"Even if there was I wouldn't be angry," he protested, "I just thought that…"

"You didn't think! You would have no right to be angry if there was someone else because there were many someone else's for you!"

"Umi," he grasped her hand forcing calm on her, "Listen!"

She wanted to throw herself in his arms and tell him everything, but she contained herself; she was angry with him, she told herself.

"Listen," he touched her cheek, "That's not at all what I meant. All I meant was to let you know if there was someone else you wouldn't have to worry. I want to know you."

She closed her eyes, "Gomen, I was just being a bitch."

He laughed slightly and kissed her, "No, I was being stupid and letting my ego get to me."

"Okay," she wrapped her arms around him, "Then I guess we're both at fault."

"That's fine with me," he ran his hands across her body as he kissed her neck.

"Touch me," she whispered; her breath was hot on his face as he looked up from kissing her.

"I am," he said softly.

"I want to be closer to you," she put her hands under his shirt and ran her hands down his chest.

"Stop," he begged with a quiver in his voice which only made her work harder.

"Come on," she pouted and kissed his ear, "Tell me you don't want this."

"I can't," he sounded scared, but she would never know his fear was for her.

"Then don't fight it," she pulled off the armor that everyone of Cephiro seemed to wear, and with a hand from him it fell silently as she put trembling hands to his shirt.

"You're shaking," he took her hands.

"I'm scared."

"Then don't do this," but he wasn't sure that what he said was what he wanted.

"I want to," she kissed him, "I want to."

§§§~~~

Fuu looked around her as she sat up. She saw Hikaru was sleeping peacefully and smiled. 'Where's Umi-san?' she asked herself. She got up and put on her clothes before walking out and breathing in the night. She pulled the sweater she wore closer to her and fingered her ovum gem before walking to Ferio's tent and calling softly, "Ferio." When he didn't answer she tried again only louder this time, "Ferio!" The third time she tried she winced from the volume fearing Hikaru would wake. When neither Hikaru nor Ferio came to greet her she walked inside.

He was curled up with the blankets tight around him sleeping soundly. She wondered how he had slept through that. She shrugged her shoulders and sat near him, "Ferio."

"Fuu, gomen nasai," he whispered in his sleep.

She gasped and took a few steps back. When she realized what she was stepping back from she stopped. A determined expression appeared on her face, and she sat on the edge of the bed and shook him awake.

"Huh? What?" he looked up and met dazzling green eyes, "Fuu?"

She smiled, "Gomen, but have you seen Yukito? I haven't seen Umi-san, and I'm worried."

"Oh," he sat up, and she saw he didn't have a shirt on. She blushed and looked away, "What?" he looked down, "Oh," he grinned, got up, and put on a shirt. When he was finished he let her know, then began, "Yukito hasn't been in, not that I've heard, but it's hard to hear him; he's quiet."

"Yes," Fuu frowned slightly, "So is Umi-san, and I don't sleep like a rock."

"If they're both gone then they're together, and we should find them," he brushed the remark off, "Clef would have my head if something happened," Ferio tried not to stare at her beauty.

Fuu nodded, "I wish I knew what that was about."

He sighed and put on his cape and armor, "I'm not sure, but I don't like it. There's something big being hidden from me, and that's something that I don't like. There aren't many people who would dare to…" he stopped and thought about what he was saying; he didn't want to seem stuck up.

"Who would dare to keep secrets from the Prince?" she finished, and he smiled grimly.

"Yeah."

"I know, that's how life was for me too. My father was a major war general, and no one kept anything from me, if they did they would be suspected of treason or something. So everyone told me everything, but I wasn't sure that was a good thing. I don't like being feared."

He wanted to reach out and touch her, to take all the hurt away, but he held back his trembling hands and forced himself to a state of calm, "I don't fear you."

She smiled at him, "Arigato."

§§§~~~

Hikaru sat up and looked around and found herself the only one there, "What? Where are Fuu-chan and Umi-chan?" she asked no one in particular.

"Puu, puu, puu!" was her response, and she looked down and smiled at the creature Mokona.

She got up and got dressed, putting on a red sweater and walked out. She found that the campsite was empty but for her, and the creature that had followed her, "Where is everyone?" she whined.

She didn't know if she should go after them or wait for them to get back. She knew that she wasn't very good in the woods, but her friends might need help. She set her jaw and walked into the forbidding forest in front of her in search of the other four.

§§§~~~

When she had his shirt off she ran her hands down his bare chest and kissed it gently. He took her hands and looked into her eyes before slowly moving his hands to her shirt. He slipped it over her head and just looked at her for what she was; her tiny frame and beautiful eyes with that luxurious hair that fell down her chest. He knew that his eyes said it all, but he wanted her to hear it, "You're beautiful."

She smiled and came close, pushing her body close to him as he put hands behind her back and lay her down on the soft grass. He fingered her lips before he kissed them, "You're sure?" he knew that it would be the last time he asked.

"Hai," she licked her lips, savoring the kiss.

"I love you," he pulled back a strand of hair, "Will you promise me that you'll always remember that?"

She nodded, "And you promise that you'll always remember that I love you too."

He smiled and kissed her again before he let his hands wander.

She tried not to beg for more as he caressed her skin with gentle, teasing touches and kisses. She tried to force herself closer and closer to him to no avail. He began working his way down her body when she heard a dangerous voice behind them.

"Well isn't this nice?"

She heard him curse and felt the murmur of words against her stomach. When she opened her eyes she was standing, fully clothed. 'What?' Then she remembered who she was with and didn't need to wonder. She summoned her sword and spun. She was surprised to find that Yukito didn't have his sword drawn, then she realized why when she met fiery blue eyes, "Fuck," was all she was able to whisper when she saw the Master Mage of Cephiro standing in front of her.

*That was the most disgustingly sick description I've ever written! That is the most I probably ever will write so I'm really really really sorry if you can't stomach stuff like that. There won't be that kind of thing in this fanfiction again so don't worry about it. Ha…I don't know where that came from, so anyway what do you think? Arigato for reading this far!*