[mercuryblue_22@hotmail.com]
--------------------------------------------
I will meet you in some place
Where the light lends itself to soft repose
I will let you undress me
But I warn you, I have thorns like any rose
And you could hurt me with your bare hands
You could hurt me using the sharp end of what you say
But I am lost to you now
There's no amount of reason to save me
So break me
Take me
Just let me fill your arms again
Break me
I'll let you make me
Just let me feel your love again
Feels like being underwater
Now that I've let go and lost control
Water kisses fill my mouth
Water fills my soul
Kiss me once
Well maybe twice
Oh, it never felt so nice
~Break Me
Jewel
--------------------------------------------
Altered State, book one
"Tonight, Tonight"
by Mercury Blue
--------------------------------------------
Part Two- The Second Month
Chapter Five-
The Calm Before The Storm
No human creature can give orders to love.
I suppose the old adage is true- the heart cannot choose to whom it
gives its affection. The expression certainly seems to apply in this
case, does it not?
Of course it does. After all, if we could control our emotions, and
pick who we love, I wouldn't be in the situation I am in now. Nor
would the people whose story I've been telling.
Take Raye, for example. If she had control over who she loved, she
wouldn't be dealing with the internal conflict of feelings that have
been constantly plaguing her. She would have forgotten Chad and
easily dealt with his new relationship with Lita.
The same goes for Amy. In any other reality, in any other time
(Time- there's that word again!), she would have never attempted a
relationship with Darien. Even now, if she could control her feelings,
she most certainly would. But the heart cannot be told how to
feel; the heart is its own master.
And so, Time passed, as Time always does, and throughout it, Amy and
Darien are together. For one month, they've been able to hide their
relationship from their friends, and for one month...
They've been falling in love.
It would be beautiful, if it weren't so detrimental.
Then there's Raye, of course. The newly-past month has been eventful
for her as well. Forcing her feelings deep inside, she's been able to
use this time to restore her relationship with Chad nearly to the
solidity it had been before he'd started dating Lita. On that front,
all seems to be well.
All *seems* to be well.
But I'm rambling now, aren't I? I do suppose it's time to continue
on with our little story. Now, where shall I pick it up?
Ah.
I know.
--------------------------------------------
The world was a blank canvas of shimmering white snow. Raye exhaled
heavily, watching in wonder as her newly visible breath twirled before
her eyes in metaphysical ballet.
~Everything looks so majestic,~ she thought to herself, leaning on
the handle of her snow shovel.
It had snowed a good six inches the night before, according to the
local weather stations, and after working for over an hour to clear the
many walkways in front of the shrine, Raye finally allowed herself to
be distracted by the near-perfection that only a fresh blanket of snow
could provide.
She loved winter. It was absolutely her favorite time of the year.
Everything seemed so tranquil when it was frozen over. Flowers
disappeared, trees shed their leaves; even humanity seemed to slow
down and hibernate, as if waiting for spring when life would again be
reborn.
The world seemed a cleaner place when covered in snow. That's how
Raye had always felt. The ground, the buildings, the trees. Even the
air seemed fresher- cleaner, somehow- during the winter months.
It was because of this love of winter that Raye took a break from
shoveling to gaze in awe at the beautiful wonderland that surrounded
her. With a soft smile, she thought to herself that the shrine grounds
were never as lovely as when they were covered with an untouched layer
of pure, virgin snow.
"Raye!"
Raye's momentary trance was interrupted when she heard her name being
called. Turning in the direction of the voice, she saw Chad jogging
towards her, cutting a path through the smooth layer of snow she'd just
been admiring.
~So much for small pleasures,~ she thought to herself with a roll of
the eyes.
"What do you need, Chad?" she asked, regarding him with a humorless
smile. She had to admit to being just a little annoyed with him- he
was supposed to be helping her shovel.
"I'm so sorry, Raye," he said apologetically. "I got a little
distracted. See, Lita called and-" he stopped abruptly, and the two of
them shared a moment of awkward silence.
Over a month had passed since the movie gathering at her home; when
the two of them had shared that fateful kiss in the bathroom. Things
were nearly back to normal between the two of them.
That didn't stop them from feeling uncomfortable discussing Chad's
relationship.
"Well," he continued finally. "I'm just sorry. I didn't mean to
take that long." Chad leaned forward and plucked the snow shovel from
Raye's hands. "But don't worry Raye," he said. "I'll finish up here."
Raye rolled her eyes again, and took her shovel back. "Go get your
own shovel," she said with a sigh. "We'll finish this together." Chad
shot her a grateful look and ran to the shed to fetch a shovel for
himself.
~That guy is absolutely hopeless,~ Raye chuckled to herself, and
tossed several piles of snow to the side. She was just about to reach
for yet another shovelful when she heard her name being called.
"Raye, how's it going?"
Lita ascended the stairs two at a time, smiling behind a pair of rosy
cheeks. She waved a mittened hand in greeting, and Raye nodded in
acknowledgment. "I'm okay," she replied, wiping a strand of hair from
her sweaty brow. "Nothing like a bit of physical labor to start your
day, right?"
The brunette laughed in agreement and then looked around her. "You
wouldn't happen to know where my boyfriend is," she asked, adjusting
the pair of earmuffs she wore.
Raye flinched at the reference and waved towards the shed that Chad
had disappeared into. "He's in there," she told her friend. "He's
looking for a snow-shovel."
"Oh, so he's busy?" Lita looked disappointed, and for the first time
Raye noticed she had a pair of skates draped over her shoulder. "Darn
it."
"Well, he did promise to help me shovel the walks," Raye said. A
confused look passed over her face, and she raised an eyebrow at Lita.
"Wait, didn't you just get off the phone with him?"
Lita seemed to blush a bit, and she shot Raye a warm smile. "Well,
yes," she admitted. "But no sooner did I hang up the phone, then I
realized that this is the perfect weather to go skating." She gestured
to the skates she held. "So I grabbed my skates, and ran right over."
Chad chose that moment to reappear from the shed, sans shovel.
"Raye, I couldn't find-" he began. Then he caught sight of Lita
standing next to her. "Lita, what are you doing here?".
"I came to see if you wanted to go ice skating with me," his
girlfriend replied. "But I see that Raye's busy monopolizing your
time." She tossed a pout in Raye's direction, and Raye threw up her
hands in defeat.
"Fine, Lita. Take him away. Ice skate all day, for all I care. I
just hope you feel good about yourself when my fingers fall off from
shoveling snow by myself all day."
Lita gave a little squeal of joy, and threw her arms around Raye, who
didn't look very amused. "Oh, Raye," she gurgled. "You're the best!"
Chad frowned. "I don't know, Lita. I mean, I *did* promise Raye I'd
help her and-"
"Come on, Chad!" Lita interrupted. "Raye said she was okay with it,
didn't you, Raye?"
Raye shrugged in response. "I suppose I did, didn't I?"
"See? It's okay, Chad." He hesitated.
"Argh," Raye groaned. "Would you just get out of here before I
change my mind?" She waved her shovel at them in mock attack.
"Now, get out of here!".
Chad shot her a bright smile and told Lita to wait while he got
his skates. Within minutes, they were on their way, leaving Raye
to deal with that day's chores alone.
"See you later, Raye!" Chad and Lita waved at her as the headed
down the steps together, and she waved back, smiling tightly.
She couldn't help but feel a little resentful.
* * *
Lavender-scented steam danced throughout the room in gossamer wisps,
filling Amy's lungs as she savored the delicate fragrance. Gentle
fingers of condensation traced the surface of everything it touched,
blocking out the mirror and covering both the porcelain toilet and
brass doorknobs.
A frothy mass of snow-white bubbles filled the tub in which Amy
sleepily reclined, threatening to spill over with every move she made.
With a sigh, she cradled a fragile nest of the tiny bubbles in her
hand and softly blew at them, sending them scattered in graceful
flight across the room.
~I could stay here forever.~
Amy reached for the washcloth next to her and dipped it in the soapy
water. With another sigh, she ran the washcloth lazily across her
throat and over her breasts, smiling as little droplets of water slid
down her body, tickling her.
Well aware that she *should* be getting out soon, Amy simply couldn't
bear to drag herself out of her place of comfort. To her, there was
nothing more relaxing- more *soothing*, really- than a good, long bath.
~And the gods only know, I could use the comfort right now.~
Sighing again, Amy tried not to remind herself of exactly *why* she
needed the comfort. She really didn't want to think about it... about
the dreams.
Those horrible dreams.
She'd been having them for nearly a month now, every single night.
Nightmares, really. Terrible visions of despair- of destruction.
Despite Amy's intelligence, it didn't take a genius to understand what
their purpose was. The dreams were of the future, or rather, the
possible future.
Amy shuddered as she remembered the sight of all of her friends
dying in front of her. The dreams were meant to scare her, that was
for sure. They seemed to show events occurring in the time directly
before the imminent Great Freeze- the freeze that would eventually lead
to the founding of the future Crystal Tokyo. She recalled the horror
she felt every night at the sight of the Silver Crystal- that
miraculous crystal- pulsing in impotent despair. Calling out for help.
Pleading.
~Try not to think about it.~
But it wasn't that easy. Amy was no idiot; she knew exactly why the
dreams had been plaguing her, and why, for the life of her, she
couldn't push them away and forget about them.
It was because she'd been with him.
Darien.
As she thought his name, Amy smiled softly, the dreams temporarily
forgotten. Leaning forward, she plucked the plug from its home in the
drain and stood up carefully. Tiny clusters of bubbles still kissed
her soap-slick body as she stepped out of the tub and wrapped a fluffy
towel around her slender frame. It was about time she started getting
ready, she thought to herself. After all, tonight would be a special
night.
Amy finished drying herself and dropped the towel at her feet,
tugging a worn bathrobe from a hook on the wall. Wrapping it around
her, she stepped towards the bathroom counter and glanced at her
distorted visage in the clouded mirror. One month.
She could hardly believe it, really. But a quick glance at her wall
calendar after she'd awakened that morning had confirmed it- that day
would mark exactly one month from the time she and Darien had decided
to start the secret relationship that they still shared. Amy could
still remember the last time she'd spoken to him about the subject.
He'd been the one to bring it up, actually, much to Amy's surprise.
She hadn't expected him to remember such a thing. But only the week
before, while at a local art exhibit, he'd crept behind her. Wrapping
his arms around her waist, he'd whispered in her ear.
~"One more week, Amy. You know what that means, don't you?"~
Amy knew. She would never admit it, but from the moment the two of
them had started dating, she'd kept track of every intimate detail. A
small leather-bound diary (kept under her mattress for privacy) held
every romantic and erotic moment shared between the two of them from
the very beginning. Darien would have most certainly laughed if he
knew that only the day previous, right under the details of an exciting
night at the opera, Amy had written in bold, heavy strokes: Only one
day until the anniversary. She'd even underlined it.
Now, standing in a whirling cloud of flower-scented steam, Amy used
her finger to trace a heart in the condensation that covered the
mirror.
The two of them had plans for that night, of course; though of what
those plans consisted, Amy had no idea. Darien had been very hushed
about them as of late. The only information he would relay to her was
that she should wear the finest dress she owned. It would not be a
casual affair.
Chuckling at the thought, Amy picked up a comb from the counter,
running it through her damp hair in smooth, even strokes. She had to
admit, her curiosity was piqued by his secrecy. Besides that, she
found it sweet- even charming- that he was so involved in his plans for
celebration. It made her feel as though she were truly cared about.
Loved, even.
Loved.
Amy frowned and set the comb back down. Once again, memories
of her dreams assailed her, and for a moment, she felt faint. If her
visions were accurate, if being with Darien in the future meant losing
all those she cared about... well, that simply couldn't be. As much as
Amy cared for him- as much as she desperately loved being with him-
this relationship couldn't be anything more than a short-time thing.
She wouldn't dare *love* him; she couldn't. And he certainly couldn't
love her. They simply couldn't risk it.
~I'm sure he realizes that,~ Amy thought to herself. ~He must.~
Lifting her head, Amy caught sight of the lopsided heart she'd
scrawled on the fogged-up mirror. It was silly. Childish, really.
That night was to be a celebration of a wonderfully fun, exciting
month. It wasn't about *love*, not in the least.
It *couldn't* be.
Sighing to herself, Amy reached up and ran her hand across the
surface of the mirror, wiping away the small doodle. Catching the eyes
of her reflection in the now clear surface, she forced a small smile.
She didn't want to think about such things anymore. After all, she
still needed to get ready for whatever magical evening Darien had
planned.
Amy's smile widened as, once again, thoughts of him cheered her
instantly. It was going to be an amazing night.
She couldn't wait.
* * *
Raye opened the door to the shed with a sigh and leaned the snow
shovel she'd been using against the door. "Finally done," she muttered
to herself, pulling off the gloves she wore with her teeth. With a
slight groan of pain, she cracked her neck and reached back to rub the
burning muscles of her shoulders with an ice-cold hand.
A glance at her watch told her she'd been at work for over two hours,
and she sighed as she turned to examine the now-clear walkways. It had
been a bitch of a job, and Raye felt a pang of relief for having
finished at all.
~That guy owes me big time.~
Trudging back towards the living quarters of the shrine, Raye stomped
her feet to clear her boots of the excess snow that covered them. "I
hope *he's* having fun," she grumbled as she dusted a layer of snow
from her jacket.
Raye could remember a time, not too long ago, when she had always
been able to count on Chad. But lately, he'd been distracted and for
the most part, absent. It seemed to Raye that whenever an opportunity
for the two of them to work together arose, he would be off somewhere
with Lita, nowhere to be found.
While she was glad that her friendship with Chad seemed to be
restoring itself, and even more pleased that Lita seemed so happy, Raye
couldn't help but resent the time Chad was spending away from the
shrine. Despite the events that had occurred between the two of them,
she still needed his help. She wished he would be around more often.
~I know he's moving on,~ Raye thought to herself. ~But does he have
to distance himself so much?~
With a shiver, Raye pulled an elastic from the ponytail she wore, and
shook her hair free. She was exhausted. All she wanted to do was put
on some warm clothes and...
The sudden ringing of the telephone jolted Raye from her thoughts,
and she picked up her pace, shrugging out of her coat as she went.
When she reached the entrance, she kicked off her wet boots and flew
inside, grappling for the phone with cold and soggy hands.
"Hello?" She managed to answer it on the fourth ring and held her
breath, hoping that the caller was still there.
"Raye? Hi, it's Mina." Raye breathed a sigh of relief into the
phone. "Is this a bad time?".
Barely suppressing a chuckle, Raye rolled her eyes. Her friend
seemed to have a real knack for calling when she was busy outside. "No
Mina, it's fine," she replied with a smile. "What's up?"
* * *
"I don't remember ever sucking this bad."
Chad reached for Lita's hand gratefully and chuckled at himself as
she pulled him from the ice. "Am I ever pathetic." Dusting a layer of
snow and ice from the butt of his jeans, he caught Lita smiling at him,
a wicked glint in her eyes.
"I thought you said you were good at this," Lita laughed, wrapping an
arm around his waist to prop him up. Chad shook his head, his own
laughter joining hers.
"I haven't done this in a while," he told her, a wide grin on his
face. Lita smiled and pulled away from him, leaving him teetering by
himself on the ice.
"It's not that hard," she told him, gliding backwards. "Just go with
the flow." Chad watched as she took off, graceful as a swan on the
slick ice, and waved at him. "Watch me," she called out.
Lita skated across the rink in sleek, easy motions, her hair a
flowing curtain behind her. Faster and faster she moved, until finally
she leapt angelically into the air, spinning and twirling like a
snowflake on the wind. Her landing was smooth, and Chad gasped in
both relief and awe, hypnotized by the way she spun like a top on one
foot.
"Show off!" he called out to her with a grin, secretly amazed at her
talent. Where had she learned to skate like that, he mused.
~I wonder if Raye's ever seen Lita skate,~ Chad thought to himself.
A pang of guilt struck him as he thought her name, and he wondered
how Raye was handling the walkways.
He knew he should have probably stayed to help her, and he felt
bad about that. But Chad couldn't help but feel a small amount of
relief for not having to be there. It was true, their relationship had
returned nearly to normal in the past month, but despite that, he still
didn't feel entirely comfortable working alone with Raye.
She'd hurt him badly when she'd pushed him away all those nights
before. Chad still felt pain whenever he thought about it, and he
thought about it whenever she was around. It was a vicious cycle,
really- one that Chad hoped to break.
~I know you're probably mad that I'm not there, Raye,~ he thought
to himself as he watched Lita perform one talented move after another.
~But don't you see it's just too hard?~
In front of him, Lita put a stop to her little show and grinned at
him, her cheeks glowing from the mixture of cold and physical activity.
"See?" she breathed, sounding a little tired. "Nothing to it." She
skated over to Chad and hugged him tightly, giggling when her cold
nose touched his throat and made him squirm.
"Easy for you to say," he mumbled into her hair.
Lita. Now she was a different story. Chad grinned at her, and
pulled out of her embrace, seeing her bright green eyes track his
movements innocently. Mischief filled Chad's own gaze as he skated
over to the nearest snowbank and seemed to collapse there, his arms
spread out to his sides.
She was a great girl, and Chad loved spending time with her. Despite
his initial misgivings, Lita had proved to be a lot of fun over the
past several weeks. When he was with her, he could forget the pain
he'd been put through with Raye's rejection, and simply enjoy himself.
Which was what he was doing right at that very moment.
From his place in the snowbank, Chad watched Lita approach him with a
mix of concern and caution, clearly wondering what he was up to. He
tried not to smile as she peered down at him curiously, taking another
step towards him. Chad couldn't resist. Before Lita could react, he
snapped his hand out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him.
Taken unawares, Lita could only utter a shriek of surprise as she was
pulled next to him into the snowbank.
* * *
Mina snatched a fry from Raye's plate and smeared it across the blob
of ketchup that rested on the side, an exhausted look spread across
her pretty features.
"I'm so beat," she moaned, popping the fry in her mouth. Raye
regarded her with a half smile.
"I wonder why," she laughed, nodding towards the pile of bags that
rested at her friend's feet. "You just bought out every shop in
Tokyo."
Raye leaned back in her uncomfortable plastic chair and yawned,
taking in the bright colors and gaudy art that surrounded the
restaurant. She'd never been big on fast food but after shopping for
hours, Mina had insisted they stop for a bite to eat. After all, she'd
said, Christmas shopping built up a monster appetite, and if the
amount of bags she carried was any indication, Raye assumed her friend
must have been starving.
"Not every shop," Mina said with a giggle. A mischievous look
crossed her face, and she winked at Raye. "I still have a couple of
places to empty yet." Raye rolled her eyes, and Mina snatched another
fry from her plate. "So," she said, after the fry had been thoroughly
chewed and swallowed, "tell me what you've been up to."
Raye stared at the plate in front of her before pushing it in Mina's
direction. "Nothing," she said with a sigh. "Same boring stuff I do
all the time. Shrine work, getting ready for school. The usual, I
guess."
Mina nodded. "Same here," she said licking a drop of ketchup from
her finger. "That's why I'm so glad Christmas is around the corner.
It gave me the excuse to go out and have some fun, doing what I do
best." She regarded Raye with a wry look. "That is, shopping of
course."
Raye chuckled to herself, and took a long sip of her strawberry
milkshake, cringing as her head screamed in protest at the cold.
"I'm actually really happy about some of the gifts I picked up," Mina
continued, leaning forward to adjust a bag that had just tipped over.
"Serena's been so bummed lately, what with the breakup and all, so
I wanted to find something just right to cheer her up."
Raye nodded, sharing Mina's sentiments. "Yeah, she could sure use
that," she agreed.
"Well, I thought so," said Mina with a smile. "I know she's going to
love the stuffed rabbit and box of imported chocolates I got her.
After all, that gift combines all three of her favorite things: cute
toys, bunnies, and sugar." Mina laughed at herself, and took a bite of
her burger. "I also picked up gifts for Amy and Lita, since they
weren't here. I tried calling both of them, but they seemed to be
otherwise occupied," she winked at Raye. "As always."
Raye blinked, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, I
know where Lita is," she said dryly. "Just this afternoon, she stole
Chad away from his chores to take him ice skating."
Mina giggled and reached over to grab Raye's hand. "You poor
thing," she laughed. "And after that big snow storm last night, too."
Raye pulled her hand away and mock-glared at her friend. "It wasn't
funny," she said, stifling a chuckle herself. "It was hard work!"
Mina only laughed harder.
"I'm sure it was," she said finally, taking a sip of her own shake.
She paused. "But that doesn't explain Amy's absence."
Raye shrugged. "I have no idea where Amy is, or what she could be
doing. That girl has been on her own *planet* these past few weeks.
Something is definitely up with her."
Mina nodded, her smile fading. "It's probably because of her breakup
with Greg," she said with a frown. "Poor girl must be heartbroken. I
mean, they'd been going out for ages."
Raye shook her head. "I don't think so," she said slowly. "She's
been distracted and distant, yes, but... always with an underlying
happiness. Almost as if she's got this wonderful secret that she
refuses to share with any of us."
Blue eyes grew wide, and Raye could practically hear the wheels
turning in Mina's mind. "Hey Raye," she said. "You don't think Amy
has a secret boyfriend or anything, do you?" Her eyes glazed over as
all sorts of romantic notions filled her head.
Raye didn't say anything for a moment as she recalled the night, one
month earlier, when Amy had told her she'd kissed Darien.
~Could it be...?~
Raye shook her head dismissively. No, it couldn't. She refused to
believe that. Besides, Amy had told her a few days afterwards that
she had talked to him, and that they'd decided merely to remain good
friends.
"No," Raye said finally. "I don't think so." She forced a smile
and finished off her milkshake. "But what about you," she asked when
she had finished, changing the subject. "Since we seem to be talking
about breakups, how are you feeling?" It had been a little over a week
since Mina had ended her relationship with the young photographer, and
the two had yet to have a real conversation about it.
Mina shrugged, and took a bite of her near-cold hamburger. "I don't
know," she said with a sigh. "I'm okay, I guess. I mean, I'm not
upset, if that's what you're asking."
Raye nodded slowly. "That's good. I'm glad you're doing okay," she
said.
"Well, I mean... I do miss Jeff in some ways, sure. But the thing
is, Raye- Jeff just wasn't my soulmate. He wasn't the guy I'm meant to
spend the rest of my life with," she sighed again, and popped the rest
of her burger into her mouth. "But then, if you use Serena and Darien
as an example, you can be dating your soulmate, and *still* wind up
heartbroken, so..." She trailed off. "I just didn't think we were
right for one another," she said finally.
"I can understand that," Raye agreed, piling the wrappers and cups
from their meal onto a tray to be dumped into the garbage. "I mean,
you can't pick who you love, right?"
"Exactly," said Mina enthusiastically. "Besides," she added, "at
least I'm doing better than poor Serena has been." The two of them
grew silent at the mention of their friend. "I am just so furious at
Darien. How dare he do this to her? How *dare* he make her feel this
way." Mina's expression grew sullen, and the change in attitude
startled Raye. For a moment, she was reminded of a similar
conversation between herself and Amy the month earlier. Amy's words
still echoed in Raye's ears.
~As hard as it is to believe, he's just- not in love with her
anymore.~
Raye sighed and placed her hand over Mina's. "Mina, I know how
frustrated you feel. Believe me, Serena's my friend too, and I feel
the exact same way."
"What's your point, Raye?" Mina asked, her brow crinkling in
frustration.
"My point is, Mina... Darien doesn't love her anymore. And that
is no more his fault than it is ours or Serena's," she pulled her hand
away from Mina's and ran her hand through her thick hair. "What do
you really expect him to do? Live the rest of his life in a lie,
pretending? Do you really think he deserves that? Do you think
*Serena* deserves that?"
Mina shrugged in defeat. "I don't know," she said. "I just don't
like seeing Serena so upset."
"I don't either, Mina. Do you think I do? Serena is like a sister
to me. As much as she and I may disagree, she means the world to me,
and to see her in this much pain absolutely rips my heart out. But- "
she paused. "It's like we were saying just a few minutes ago. You
can't pick who you love, right?"
Nod. "I guess not."
"Well, Mina, Darien can't pick who he *doesn't* love. It's not his
fault, and I really don't think it's fair for us- either of us- to
blame him." Raye couldn't believe it. She was actually defending
Darien against her Moon Princess. And it felt *right*. "After all
our battles, after what we've *all* been through together, don't you
think he deserves our forgiveness?".
Mina sighed. "You're right, Raye," she grudgingly agreed. "I just
wish that man would have a change of heart."
Raye nodded. "So do I, Mina. So do I."
* * *
The sound of laughter and clinking glass created a cheerful ambiance
in the luxurious restaurant where they enjoyed their dinner. Above the
murmured sound of dozens of conversations, the melodic sound of a
small orchestra could be heard accompanying dinner with classical
pieces by various composers.
With a gentle smile, Amy took in the high ceilings and gorgeous
decorative woodwork that made up the elegant place Darien had brought
her to that evening. Gold trim, expensive linen tablecloths- Amy found
extravagance everywhere she looked, from the marble floors to the
crystal chandeliers that were the establishment's crowning touch.
"Do you like it here?"
It was Darien's voice that finally caught her attention, and she
flashed him a broad smile, reaching out to clasp his hand in her own.
"It's beautiful," she said softly. "Everything has been perfect."
She squeezed his hand gently, and he smiled, reaching out to brush a
strand of sapphire hair from her eye.
"I could say the same about you," he said. It wasn't an
exaggeration; she looked absolutely amazing. In her long gown of black
and grey velvet, she was every ounce the beautiful temptress this
evening.
Darien recalled how she looked when he'd arrived at her apartment
earlier that evening, to pick her up. When she'd opened the door to
him, hair pulled back with silver barrettes, and her shoulders bare in
that gorgeous drop-backed gown with the tiny straps it was all he could
do to keep from tossing the flowers he held to the floor and ravishing
her then and there. She completely took his breath away.
As if she knew what he was thinking, Amy blushed softly and smiled
at him, pulling her hand out of his and placing it in her lap.
"Dinner was delicious," she said finally.
"I'm surprised you even tasted it at all," Darien joked, pushing his
empty plate aside. "After all, you spent so much time looking at
everything around you." Amy blushed a deeper shade of red and looked
up at the chandelier that hung directly above them.
"I'm sorry," she said, meeting his eyes again. "I've never been to a
place like this before."
Darien chuckled to himself and took a sip of the wine that rested in
front of him. "That's perfectly understandable." He smiled.
There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Amy was
about to speak, when above the laughter and the conversation that
filled the restaurant she heard the orchestra begin another piece.
Darien saw her tilt her head in recognition, and sigh. "I love this
song," she said softly, almost dreamily. "It's so beautiful,". She
closed her eyes to fully appreciate the song, and Darien smiled,
watching her.
He recognized the piece as Pachebel's Canon, one of his many
favorites. It was true- it was a lovely song. However, he wasn't
paying attention to it. Rather, his eyes remained fixed on the girl in
front of him, so entranced by the music that she almost swayed along.
Darien had never seen someone so hypnotized by a beautiful melody. His
smile softened as he watched her, as much under her spell as she was
under that of the music.
Finally, Amy lifted her head, and gazed at him almost sleepily
between half-closed eyelids. "I've had a wonderful night, Darien," she
said finally, a gentle smile on her face. "Thank you."
Darien's eyes never left hers as he signalled for the waiter to bring
him the bill. "This night isn't over yet, Amy," he said after a
moment, a secretive look on his face. "There is still one place I
would like to take you."
* * *
Multicolored lights from the television set danced over Raye's face as
she lay sleeping on the sofa. Chad smiled to himself as he watched her
rest, obviously exhausted from the day's endeavors.
"Poor thing," he murmured to himself. "First I leave you with enough
chores for the both of us, then Mina drags you all over the city,
carrying bags. No wonder you're so sleepy." Chad shook his head in
disbelief and sighed.
He'd arrived back at the shrine earlier that day expecting a guilt
trip for leaving her alone with the chores, but instead he couldn't
find her anywhere. When she'd finally arrived from her shopping trip,
exhausted and sore, she was too distracted and tired to so much as
notice that he'd cleaned up and prepared dinner, and instead offered
him a half-mumbled explanation as to where she'd been all day.
The two of them had eaten dinner in a comfortable silence, and Chad
was glad she didn't so much as mention the snow or the work he'd left
for her that day. Later, she'd crawled away from the table, leaving
him to clean the mess in the kitchen and wash the dishes. Chad had to
admit, he didn't mind.
Now, just a few minutes after eight o'clock, Raye was dead to the
world in front of an old movie, snoring softly from her resting place
on the couch. Chad watched her sleep, a tender expression on his
caring face.
He backed out of the doorway and headed down the hall, returning to
the living room only moments later with a thick woolen blanket draped
over his arms. Smiling warmly, he spread it over Raye's sleeping form.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. Without thinking, he leaned to kiss her
forehead, being careful not to wake her. "Goodnight."
With a gentle smile still spread over his handsome features, Chad
turned and headed to his own room for the night.
* * *
"Whatever you do, don't peek."
Amy felt Darien's breath burning in her ear as he whispered his
gentle command, and nodded against the hand he held in front of her
eyes.
They'd arrived only moments before to their secret destination, and
the suspense was simply driving Amy mad. She's been blindfolded since
they'd left the restaurant only twenty minutes earlier, and now,
standing outside Darien's car with not even the slightest hint as to
where she was... Amy couldn't help but feel a little elated.
"Where are we, Darien?" Amy squirmed a little against Darien's hand,
and so he pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist
so she couldn't get away. It was a cold night, being mid-December, but
Amy didn't feel so much as a chill with Darien being so close to her.
"You'll see in a moment," he murmured in her ear. "We're going to
start walking, now".
It was a little awkward, Amy had to admit. Walking blindfolded with
Darien behind her, she imagined that the two of them had the silly
appearance of a couple of penguins, waddling across a field of ice.
She couldn't help but giggle at the thought.
"What?" Darien asked with a chuckle. Amy shook her head, and
laughed.
"Nothing." Another giggle. "Are we there yet?"
Darien suddenly stopped moving, and she stopped with him, falling
gently against his chest as she did so. "Okay," he said softly.
"Tell me what you hear."
Amy paused and tilted her head to listen. There were the typical
sounds that went with the city; that general buzz that followed you
around no matter where you went. But there was something beneath
it; a sound more gentle. More subdued.
"It sounds like... water," she said finally.
"You're right." Darien removed the hand he'd been blinding her with,
and for a moment Amy saw nothing, save for a few bright circles
of light dancing before her eyes. Gradually, her eyes adjusted, and
she gasped at what she saw.
A large artificial pond lay spread in front of her like a giant
mirror resting in the heart of the city, and in it Amy could see all
the colors of the rainbow. Lights, millions of lights, from an
infinite number of sources, were reflected in the gorgeous crystalline
surface. "Beautiful..." she whispered, a hand covering her mouth in
surprise. "So beautiful."
Amy stepped forward, towards the pond, and looked up towards the sky
where a giant moon shone down upon them. It was reflected in the pond,
this beautiful moon, along with all the bright, glimmering lights of
the city. Amy had never seen such a glorious place.
With a look of childish awe on her face, Amy turned to face the man
who had brought her to this magic location. "Darien, this is
absolutely stunning," she said when she had finally found her tongue.
Darien smiled gently at her.
"I come here a lot," he said, taking a step towards her. "To think,
actually." Amy nodded in perfect understanding. "For the longest
time, I've been wanting to show this to you. Of all the people in all
the world, Amy, I knew that you would appreciate this most."
Amy felt tears burning in her eyes, and she embraced him gently,
touched that he would share such a place with her. "Thank you," she
said tenderly, burrowing her face in his chest. His hands went around
her instinctively, pulling her closer to him, and she sighed softly.
Darien placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, and felt her
shiver against him. "Oh damn it, Amy, I didn't think. I'm sorry."
Darien chided himself for not considering the fact that Amy might get
cold outside dressed as she was, and quickly slipped out of his tuxedo
jacket. "Put this on."
With a grateful smile, Amy slipped the jacket on over her dress,
laughing when she noticed how poorly it fit her. Darien simply
grinned and gathered her back into his arms.
~It's been a magical night.~
The thought was mutual as he finally leaned forward and kissed her,
his mouth hot against her own. Gently, he parted her lips with his
tongue, and she responded with equal vigor, lifting her hands to run
them through his hair. Amy could feel the breath being sucked out of
her, and she started to feel dizzy from excitement, happiness and
contentment. It had been a wonderful night, everything had gone
swimmingly. Nothing could ruin the way she felt right now, she
thought. It was... *perfect*.
As if on cue, Darien pulled away from Amy, looking deeply into
her eyes. "There's something I want to give you," he murmured,
running his hand across her cheek. "A gift."
"A gift?" Amy repeated. "Darien, you didn't need to-" he put a
finger to her lips, silencing her.
"I wanted to." Darien gestured to the tuxedo jacket Amy wore.
"Look in the pocket," he said. He ran the back of his hand over
her cheek again, stroking her face.
Amy let her hands trail down her sides, searching for the pocket
Darien spoke of. Eventually, her fingers felt the unmistakable shape
of a velvet jewelers box, and she pulled it out slowly, almost scared
to see what was inside. "Darien, what's this?" she asked as she
pulled it out, and held it in front of her. It wasn't a ring box, Amy
could see that now. It was long and narrow, covered in a thin layer of
black velvet. Darien leaned forward slightly and smiled at her.
"Open it."
Amy gazed for a moment at the box in her hands before reaching for
the clasp. The box opened with a muted 'click'.
She gasped.
In it lay a beautiful necklace of white gold, attached to which was a
shimmering rose no bigger than a thumbnail. Amy tilted the box
slightly, and the rose sparkled, covered with what looked like small
chips of garnet. "Darien..."
"Do you like it?" he asked, taking a step closer to her. She nodded
numbly, not quite sure what to say to him. Tears filled her eyes, and
he reached over to pull her into his arms. "Amy, the past month has
been among the best in my life," he said softly into her ear. "This
gift is to celebrate the joy of countless months to follow." He tilted
her face to meet his, and kissed her tenderly before pulling back to
look her in the eyes again. "But that isn't all," he began.
"Darien," Amy protested weakly. A tear rolled down her face,
followed by another, and another.
"Amy, I've completely fallen in love with you."
Amy stared at him for a moment, mouth agape.
~This can't happen.~
Prying herself gently from his grasp, she turned away from him,
staring out over the resplendent pond that only minutes before had
so hypnotized her. Tears trickled down her cheeks, rolling down her
throat, onto her lips. Gods, didn't he realize? He wasn't allowed to
fall in love with her. He *couldn't* fall in love with her. Not now,
not ever.
Parts of her dream came back to her in flashes, and she cringed
inwardly at the memory.
"Amy, are you okay?" She whirled to face him.
"Darien, I can't accept this," she said finally, shoving the box
towards him. "Please, take it back."
"Amy, what's wrong with you? Is it because of the price?
Because it really wasn't that extravagant. I know this guy, and-"
"It's not that," she denied Her face was soaked from the tears
that flowed so heavily. "I just can't, Darien." Amy grabbed his
hand and placed the box in it, using her own hand to force his
fingers around its velvet surface. Darien stared at her, completely
bewildered.
"Where is this coming from Amy? Have I done something wrong?
Please. You've got to tell me." He reached for her, only to have her
pull away from him.
"I don't want to talk about it, Darien," she sobbed. Her makeup
was beginning to run, but she didn't seem to notice, nor care. "I need
to get out of here." She turned to walk away.
"Okay, that's fine," he started to follow her. "I'll take you home,
then."
"I'd really rather be alone, if you don't mind," she said, raising
her hand to halt him. "I need to think." For a moment, her face
resembled the surface of the pond; all the lights of the city reflected
off her wet skin. She looked like some sort of tormented angel. With
tears still rolling down her cheeks, Amy turned on her heel and ran off
into the shadows of the night.
Darien watched her go, with a mixture of confusion and concern
painted across his features. He wished he had some idea as to why Amy
had suddenly started acting so strangely, but she didn't seem to be in
the frame of mind to explain it to him.
Now, left alone in his place of silent contemplation, Darien opened
the small box he held in his hand and gazed at the twinkling pendant
that laid within. He could almost swear it was winking at him.
"Amy," he whispered aloud. "What have I done wrong?"
--------------------------------------------
The End, Chapter Five
Credits: "No human creature can give orders to love."
-George Sand [Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin, Baronne Dudevant]
Jacques [1834]
AN: This story is dedicated to all the authors out there who have
taken a chance and refused to be bound by the traditional rules. It's
for those writers who've crashed through barriers and put out
fanfiction that is just a little bit different. For all of you, I
offer this humble piece of work. I hope one day, I'll be more like
you.
It's also for Moon Senshi, my *fabulous* editor and pal. A little
more work was involved in the editing process this time around, but
as always, she does the job with grace and brilliance, polishing my
work like a precious gem. Thank you for being there when I needed you,
and for voluntarily taking on such a huge project in addition to your
already packed schedule!
Lastly, it's for Orion, who acted as my own personal cheerleader in
the writing of this chapter. Despite the fact I'll be flying solo
from here on out, she really gave me the confidence (and the kick in
the pants) I needed to get this thing out on time. All I have to say
to you, girl, is THANK YOU!
--------------------------------------------
I will meet you in some place
Where the light lends itself to soft repose
I will let you undress me
But I warn you, I have thorns like any rose
And you could hurt me with your bare hands
You could hurt me using the sharp end of what you say
But I am lost to you now
There's no amount of reason to save me
So break me
Take me
Just let me fill your arms again
Break me
I'll let you make me
Just let me feel your love again
Feels like being underwater
Now that I've let go and lost control
Water kisses fill my mouth
Water fills my soul
Kiss me once
Well maybe twice
Oh, it never felt so nice
~Break Me
Jewel
--------------------------------------------
Altered State, book one
"Tonight, Tonight"
by Mercury Blue
--------------------------------------------
Part Two- The Second Month
Chapter Five-
The Calm Before The Storm
No human creature can give orders to love.
I suppose the old adage is true- the heart cannot choose to whom it
gives its affection. The expression certainly seems to apply in this
case, does it not?
Of course it does. After all, if we could control our emotions, and
pick who we love, I wouldn't be in the situation I am in now. Nor
would the people whose story I've been telling.
Take Raye, for example. If she had control over who she loved, she
wouldn't be dealing with the internal conflict of feelings that have
been constantly plaguing her. She would have forgotten Chad and
easily dealt with his new relationship with Lita.
The same goes for Amy. In any other reality, in any other time
(Time- there's that word again!), she would have never attempted a
relationship with Darien. Even now, if she could control her feelings,
she most certainly would. But the heart cannot be told how to
feel; the heart is its own master.
And so, Time passed, as Time always does, and throughout it, Amy and
Darien are together. For one month, they've been able to hide their
relationship from their friends, and for one month...
They've been falling in love.
It would be beautiful, if it weren't so detrimental.
Then there's Raye, of course. The newly-past month has been eventful
for her as well. Forcing her feelings deep inside, she's been able to
use this time to restore her relationship with Chad nearly to the
solidity it had been before he'd started dating Lita. On that front,
all seems to be well.
All *seems* to be well.
But I'm rambling now, aren't I? I do suppose it's time to continue
on with our little story. Now, where shall I pick it up?
Ah.
I know.
--------------------------------------------
The world was a blank canvas of shimmering white snow. Raye exhaled
heavily, watching in wonder as her newly visible breath twirled before
her eyes in metaphysical ballet.
~Everything looks so majestic,~ she thought to herself, leaning on
the handle of her snow shovel.
It had snowed a good six inches the night before, according to the
local weather stations, and after working for over an hour to clear the
many walkways in front of the shrine, Raye finally allowed herself to
be distracted by the near-perfection that only a fresh blanket of snow
could provide.
She loved winter. It was absolutely her favorite time of the year.
Everything seemed so tranquil when it was frozen over. Flowers
disappeared, trees shed their leaves; even humanity seemed to slow
down and hibernate, as if waiting for spring when life would again be
reborn.
The world seemed a cleaner place when covered in snow. That's how
Raye had always felt. The ground, the buildings, the trees. Even the
air seemed fresher- cleaner, somehow- during the winter months.
It was because of this love of winter that Raye took a break from
shoveling to gaze in awe at the beautiful wonderland that surrounded
her. With a soft smile, she thought to herself that the shrine grounds
were never as lovely as when they were covered with an untouched layer
of pure, virgin snow.
"Raye!"
Raye's momentary trance was interrupted when she heard her name being
called. Turning in the direction of the voice, she saw Chad jogging
towards her, cutting a path through the smooth layer of snow she'd just
been admiring.
~So much for small pleasures,~ she thought to herself with a roll of
the eyes.
"What do you need, Chad?" she asked, regarding him with a humorless
smile. She had to admit to being just a little annoyed with him- he
was supposed to be helping her shovel.
"I'm so sorry, Raye," he said apologetically. "I got a little
distracted. See, Lita called and-" he stopped abruptly, and the two of
them shared a moment of awkward silence.
Over a month had passed since the movie gathering at her home; when
the two of them had shared that fateful kiss in the bathroom. Things
were nearly back to normal between the two of them.
That didn't stop them from feeling uncomfortable discussing Chad's
relationship.
"Well," he continued finally. "I'm just sorry. I didn't mean to
take that long." Chad leaned forward and plucked the snow shovel from
Raye's hands. "But don't worry Raye," he said. "I'll finish up here."
Raye rolled her eyes again, and took her shovel back. "Go get your
own shovel," she said with a sigh. "We'll finish this together." Chad
shot her a grateful look and ran to the shed to fetch a shovel for
himself.
~That guy is absolutely hopeless,~ Raye chuckled to herself, and
tossed several piles of snow to the side. She was just about to reach
for yet another shovelful when she heard her name being called.
"Raye, how's it going?"
Lita ascended the stairs two at a time, smiling behind a pair of rosy
cheeks. She waved a mittened hand in greeting, and Raye nodded in
acknowledgment. "I'm okay," she replied, wiping a strand of hair from
her sweaty brow. "Nothing like a bit of physical labor to start your
day, right?"
The brunette laughed in agreement and then looked around her. "You
wouldn't happen to know where my boyfriend is," she asked, adjusting
the pair of earmuffs she wore.
Raye flinched at the reference and waved towards the shed that Chad
had disappeared into. "He's in there," she told her friend. "He's
looking for a snow-shovel."
"Oh, so he's busy?" Lita looked disappointed, and for the first time
Raye noticed she had a pair of skates draped over her shoulder. "Darn
it."
"Well, he did promise to help me shovel the walks," Raye said. A
confused look passed over her face, and she raised an eyebrow at Lita.
"Wait, didn't you just get off the phone with him?"
Lita seemed to blush a bit, and she shot Raye a warm smile. "Well,
yes," she admitted. "But no sooner did I hang up the phone, then I
realized that this is the perfect weather to go skating." She gestured
to the skates she held. "So I grabbed my skates, and ran right over."
Chad chose that moment to reappear from the shed, sans shovel.
"Raye, I couldn't find-" he began. Then he caught sight of Lita
standing next to her. "Lita, what are you doing here?".
"I came to see if you wanted to go ice skating with me," his
girlfriend replied. "But I see that Raye's busy monopolizing your
time." She tossed a pout in Raye's direction, and Raye threw up her
hands in defeat.
"Fine, Lita. Take him away. Ice skate all day, for all I care. I
just hope you feel good about yourself when my fingers fall off from
shoveling snow by myself all day."
Lita gave a little squeal of joy, and threw her arms around Raye, who
didn't look very amused. "Oh, Raye," she gurgled. "You're the best!"
Chad frowned. "I don't know, Lita. I mean, I *did* promise Raye I'd
help her and-"
"Come on, Chad!" Lita interrupted. "Raye said she was okay with it,
didn't you, Raye?"
Raye shrugged in response. "I suppose I did, didn't I?"
"See? It's okay, Chad." He hesitated.
"Argh," Raye groaned. "Would you just get out of here before I
change my mind?" She waved her shovel at them in mock attack.
"Now, get out of here!".
Chad shot her a bright smile and told Lita to wait while he got
his skates. Within minutes, they were on their way, leaving Raye
to deal with that day's chores alone.
"See you later, Raye!" Chad and Lita waved at her as the headed
down the steps together, and she waved back, smiling tightly.
She couldn't help but feel a little resentful.
* * *
Lavender-scented steam danced throughout the room in gossamer wisps,
filling Amy's lungs as she savored the delicate fragrance. Gentle
fingers of condensation traced the surface of everything it touched,
blocking out the mirror and covering both the porcelain toilet and
brass doorknobs.
A frothy mass of snow-white bubbles filled the tub in which Amy
sleepily reclined, threatening to spill over with every move she made.
With a sigh, she cradled a fragile nest of the tiny bubbles in her
hand and softly blew at them, sending them scattered in graceful
flight across the room.
~I could stay here forever.~
Amy reached for the washcloth next to her and dipped it in the soapy
water. With another sigh, she ran the washcloth lazily across her
throat and over her breasts, smiling as little droplets of water slid
down her body, tickling her.
Well aware that she *should* be getting out soon, Amy simply couldn't
bear to drag herself out of her place of comfort. To her, there was
nothing more relaxing- more *soothing*, really- than a good, long bath.
~And the gods only know, I could use the comfort right now.~
Sighing again, Amy tried not to remind herself of exactly *why* she
needed the comfort. She really didn't want to think about it... about
the dreams.
Those horrible dreams.
She'd been having them for nearly a month now, every single night.
Nightmares, really. Terrible visions of despair- of destruction.
Despite Amy's intelligence, it didn't take a genius to understand what
their purpose was. The dreams were of the future, or rather, the
possible future.
Amy shuddered as she remembered the sight of all of her friends
dying in front of her. The dreams were meant to scare her, that was
for sure. They seemed to show events occurring in the time directly
before the imminent Great Freeze- the freeze that would eventually lead
to the founding of the future Crystal Tokyo. She recalled the horror
she felt every night at the sight of the Silver Crystal- that
miraculous crystal- pulsing in impotent despair. Calling out for help.
Pleading.
~Try not to think about it.~
But it wasn't that easy. Amy was no idiot; she knew exactly why the
dreams had been plaguing her, and why, for the life of her, she
couldn't push them away and forget about them.
It was because she'd been with him.
Darien.
As she thought his name, Amy smiled softly, the dreams temporarily
forgotten. Leaning forward, she plucked the plug from its home in the
drain and stood up carefully. Tiny clusters of bubbles still kissed
her soap-slick body as she stepped out of the tub and wrapped a fluffy
towel around her slender frame. It was about time she started getting
ready, she thought to herself. After all, tonight would be a special
night.
Amy finished drying herself and dropped the towel at her feet,
tugging a worn bathrobe from a hook on the wall. Wrapping it around
her, she stepped towards the bathroom counter and glanced at her
distorted visage in the clouded mirror. One month.
She could hardly believe it, really. But a quick glance at her wall
calendar after she'd awakened that morning had confirmed it- that day
would mark exactly one month from the time she and Darien had decided
to start the secret relationship that they still shared. Amy could
still remember the last time she'd spoken to him about the subject.
He'd been the one to bring it up, actually, much to Amy's surprise.
She hadn't expected him to remember such a thing. But only the week
before, while at a local art exhibit, he'd crept behind her. Wrapping
his arms around her waist, he'd whispered in her ear.
~"One more week, Amy. You know what that means, don't you?"~
Amy knew. She would never admit it, but from the moment the two of
them had started dating, she'd kept track of every intimate detail. A
small leather-bound diary (kept under her mattress for privacy) held
every romantic and erotic moment shared between the two of them from
the very beginning. Darien would have most certainly laughed if he
knew that only the day previous, right under the details of an exciting
night at the opera, Amy had written in bold, heavy strokes: Only one
day until the anniversary. She'd even underlined it.
Now, standing in a whirling cloud of flower-scented steam, Amy used
her finger to trace a heart in the condensation that covered the
mirror.
The two of them had plans for that night, of course; though of what
those plans consisted, Amy had no idea. Darien had been very hushed
about them as of late. The only information he would relay to her was
that she should wear the finest dress she owned. It would not be a
casual affair.
Chuckling at the thought, Amy picked up a comb from the counter,
running it through her damp hair in smooth, even strokes. She had to
admit, her curiosity was piqued by his secrecy. Besides that, she
found it sweet- even charming- that he was so involved in his plans for
celebration. It made her feel as though she were truly cared about.
Loved, even.
Loved.
Amy frowned and set the comb back down. Once again, memories
of her dreams assailed her, and for a moment, she felt faint. If her
visions were accurate, if being with Darien in the future meant losing
all those she cared about... well, that simply couldn't be. As much as
Amy cared for him- as much as she desperately loved being with him-
this relationship couldn't be anything more than a short-time thing.
She wouldn't dare *love* him; she couldn't. And he certainly couldn't
love her. They simply couldn't risk it.
~I'm sure he realizes that,~ Amy thought to herself. ~He must.~
Lifting her head, Amy caught sight of the lopsided heart she'd
scrawled on the fogged-up mirror. It was silly. Childish, really.
That night was to be a celebration of a wonderfully fun, exciting
month. It wasn't about *love*, not in the least.
It *couldn't* be.
Sighing to herself, Amy reached up and ran her hand across the
surface of the mirror, wiping away the small doodle. Catching the eyes
of her reflection in the now clear surface, she forced a small smile.
She didn't want to think about such things anymore. After all, she
still needed to get ready for whatever magical evening Darien had
planned.
Amy's smile widened as, once again, thoughts of him cheered her
instantly. It was going to be an amazing night.
She couldn't wait.
* * *
Raye opened the door to the shed with a sigh and leaned the snow
shovel she'd been using against the door. "Finally done," she muttered
to herself, pulling off the gloves she wore with her teeth. With a
slight groan of pain, she cracked her neck and reached back to rub the
burning muscles of her shoulders with an ice-cold hand.
A glance at her watch told her she'd been at work for over two hours,
and she sighed as she turned to examine the now-clear walkways. It had
been a bitch of a job, and Raye felt a pang of relief for having
finished at all.
~That guy owes me big time.~
Trudging back towards the living quarters of the shrine, Raye stomped
her feet to clear her boots of the excess snow that covered them. "I
hope *he's* having fun," she grumbled as she dusted a layer of snow
from her jacket.
Raye could remember a time, not too long ago, when she had always
been able to count on Chad. But lately, he'd been distracted and for
the most part, absent. It seemed to Raye that whenever an opportunity
for the two of them to work together arose, he would be off somewhere
with Lita, nowhere to be found.
While she was glad that her friendship with Chad seemed to be
restoring itself, and even more pleased that Lita seemed so happy, Raye
couldn't help but resent the time Chad was spending away from the
shrine. Despite the events that had occurred between the two of them,
she still needed his help. She wished he would be around more often.
~I know he's moving on,~ Raye thought to herself. ~But does he have
to distance himself so much?~
With a shiver, Raye pulled an elastic from the ponytail she wore, and
shook her hair free. She was exhausted. All she wanted to do was put
on some warm clothes and...
The sudden ringing of the telephone jolted Raye from her thoughts,
and she picked up her pace, shrugging out of her coat as she went.
When she reached the entrance, she kicked off her wet boots and flew
inside, grappling for the phone with cold and soggy hands.
"Hello?" She managed to answer it on the fourth ring and held her
breath, hoping that the caller was still there.
"Raye? Hi, it's Mina." Raye breathed a sigh of relief into the
phone. "Is this a bad time?".
Barely suppressing a chuckle, Raye rolled her eyes. Her friend
seemed to have a real knack for calling when she was busy outside. "No
Mina, it's fine," she replied with a smile. "What's up?"
* * *
"I don't remember ever sucking this bad."
Chad reached for Lita's hand gratefully and chuckled at himself as
she pulled him from the ice. "Am I ever pathetic." Dusting a layer of
snow and ice from the butt of his jeans, he caught Lita smiling at him,
a wicked glint in her eyes.
"I thought you said you were good at this," Lita laughed, wrapping an
arm around his waist to prop him up. Chad shook his head, his own
laughter joining hers.
"I haven't done this in a while," he told her, a wide grin on his
face. Lita smiled and pulled away from him, leaving him teetering by
himself on the ice.
"It's not that hard," she told him, gliding backwards. "Just go with
the flow." Chad watched as she took off, graceful as a swan on the
slick ice, and waved at him. "Watch me," she called out.
Lita skated across the rink in sleek, easy motions, her hair a
flowing curtain behind her. Faster and faster she moved, until finally
she leapt angelically into the air, spinning and twirling like a
snowflake on the wind. Her landing was smooth, and Chad gasped in
both relief and awe, hypnotized by the way she spun like a top on one
foot.
"Show off!" he called out to her with a grin, secretly amazed at her
talent. Where had she learned to skate like that, he mused.
~I wonder if Raye's ever seen Lita skate,~ Chad thought to himself.
A pang of guilt struck him as he thought her name, and he wondered
how Raye was handling the walkways.
He knew he should have probably stayed to help her, and he felt
bad about that. But Chad couldn't help but feel a small amount of
relief for not having to be there. It was true, their relationship had
returned nearly to normal in the past month, but despite that, he still
didn't feel entirely comfortable working alone with Raye.
She'd hurt him badly when she'd pushed him away all those nights
before. Chad still felt pain whenever he thought about it, and he
thought about it whenever she was around. It was a vicious cycle,
really- one that Chad hoped to break.
~I know you're probably mad that I'm not there, Raye,~ he thought
to himself as he watched Lita perform one talented move after another.
~But don't you see it's just too hard?~
In front of him, Lita put a stop to her little show and grinned at
him, her cheeks glowing from the mixture of cold and physical activity.
"See?" she breathed, sounding a little tired. "Nothing to it." She
skated over to Chad and hugged him tightly, giggling when her cold
nose touched his throat and made him squirm.
"Easy for you to say," he mumbled into her hair.
Lita. Now she was a different story. Chad grinned at her, and
pulled out of her embrace, seeing her bright green eyes track his
movements innocently. Mischief filled Chad's own gaze as he skated
over to the nearest snowbank and seemed to collapse there, his arms
spread out to his sides.
She was a great girl, and Chad loved spending time with her. Despite
his initial misgivings, Lita had proved to be a lot of fun over the
past several weeks. When he was with her, he could forget the pain
he'd been put through with Raye's rejection, and simply enjoy himself.
Which was what he was doing right at that very moment.
From his place in the snowbank, Chad watched Lita approach him with a
mix of concern and caution, clearly wondering what he was up to. He
tried not to smile as she peered down at him curiously, taking another
step towards him. Chad couldn't resist. Before Lita could react, he
snapped his hand out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him.
Taken unawares, Lita could only utter a shriek of surprise as she was
pulled next to him into the snowbank.
* * *
Mina snatched a fry from Raye's plate and smeared it across the blob
of ketchup that rested on the side, an exhausted look spread across
her pretty features.
"I'm so beat," she moaned, popping the fry in her mouth. Raye
regarded her with a half smile.
"I wonder why," she laughed, nodding towards the pile of bags that
rested at her friend's feet. "You just bought out every shop in
Tokyo."
Raye leaned back in her uncomfortable plastic chair and yawned,
taking in the bright colors and gaudy art that surrounded the
restaurant. She'd never been big on fast food but after shopping for
hours, Mina had insisted they stop for a bite to eat. After all, she'd
said, Christmas shopping built up a monster appetite, and if the
amount of bags she carried was any indication, Raye assumed her friend
must have been starving.
"Not every shop," Mina said with a giggle. A mischievous look
crossed her face, and she winked at Raye. "I still have a couple of
places to empty yet." Raye rolled her eyes, and Mina snatched another
fry from her plate. "So," she said, after the fry had been thoroughly
chewed and swallowed, "tell me what you've been up to."
Raye stared at the plate in front of her before pushing it in Mina's
direction. "Nothing," she said with a sigh. "Same boring stuff I do
all the time. Shrine work, getting ready for school. The usual, I
guess."
Mina nodded. "Same here," she said licking a drop of ketchup from
her finger. "That's why I'm so glad Christmas is around the corner.
It gave me the excuse to go out and have some fun, doing what I do
best." She regarded Raye with a wry look. "That is, shopping of
course."
Raye chuckled to herself, and took a long sip of her strawberry
milkshake, cringing as her head screamed in protest at the cold.
"I'm actually really happy about some of the gifts I picked up," Mina
continued, leaning forward to adjust a bag that had just tipped over.
"Serena's been so bummed lately, what with the breakup and all, so
I wanted to find something just right to cheer her up."
Raye nodded, sharing Mina's sentiments. "Yeah, she could sure use
that," she agreed.
"Well, I thought so," said Mina with a smile. "I know she's going to
love the stuffed rabbit and box of imported chocolates I got her.
After all, that gift combines all three of her favorite things: cute
toys, bunnies, and sugar." Mina laughed at herself, and took a bite of
her burger. "I also picked up gifts for Amy and Lita, since they
weren't here. I tried calling both of them, but they seemed to be
otherwise occupied," she winked at Raye. "As always."
Raye blinked, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, I
know where Lita is," she said dryly. "Just this afternoon, she stole
Chad away from his chores to take him ice skating."
Mina giggled and reached over to grab Raye's hand. "You poor
thing," she laughed. "And after that big snow storm last night, too."
Raye pulled her hand away and mock-glared at her friend. "It wasn't
funny," she said, stifling a chuckle herself. "It was hard work!"
Mina only laughed harder.
"I'm sure it was," she said finally, taking a sip of her own shake.
She paused. "But that doesn't explain Amy's absence."
Raye shrugged. "I have no idea where Amy is, or what she could be
doing. That girl has been on her own *planet* these past few weeks.
Something is definitely up with her."
Mina nodded, her smile fading. "It's probably because of her breakup
with Greg," she said with a frown. "Poor girl must be heartbroken. I
mean, they'd been going out for ages."
Raye shook her head. "I don't think so," she said slowly. "She's
been distracted and distant, yes, but... always with an underlying
happiness. Almost as if she's got this wonderful secret that she
refuses to share with any of us."
Blue eyes grew wide, and Raye could practically hear the wheels
turning in Mina's mind. "Hey Raye," she said. "You don't think Amy
has a secret boyfriend or anything, do you?" Her eyes glazed over as
all sorts of romantic notions filled her head.
Raye didn't say anything for a moment as she recalled the night, one
month earlier, when Amy had told her she'd kissed Darien.
~Could it be...?~
Raye shook her head dismissively. No, it couldn't. She refused to
believe that. Besides, Amy had told her a few days afterwards that
she had talked to him, and that they'd decided merely to remain good
friends.
"No," Raye said finally. "I don't think so." She forced a smile
and finished off her milkshake. "But what about you," she asked when
she had finished, changing the subject. "Since we seem to be talking
about breakups, how are you feeling?" It had been a little over a week
since Mina had ended her relationship with the young photographer, and
the two had yet to have a real conversation about it.
Mina shrugged, and took a bite of her near-cold hamburger. "I don't
know," she said with a sigh. "I'm okay, I guess. I mean, I'm not
upset, if that's what you're asking."
Raye nodded slowly. "That's good. I'm glad you're doing okay," she
said.
"Well, I mean... I do miss Jeff in some ways, sure. But the thing
is, Raye- Jeff just wasn't my soulmate. He wasn't the guy I'm meant to
spend the rest of my life with," she sighed again, and popped the rest
of her burger into her mouth. "But then, if you use Serena and Darien
as an example, you can be dating your soulmate, and *still* wind up
heartbroken, so..." She trailed off. "I just didn't think we were
right for one another," she said finally.
"I can understand that," Raye agreed, piling the wrappers and cups
from their meal onto a tray to be dumped into the garbage. "I mean,
you can't pick who you love, right?"
"Exactly," said Mina enthusiastically. "Besides," she added, "at
least I'm doing better than poor Serena has been." The two of them
grew silent at the mention of their friend. "I am just so furious at
Darien. How dare he do this to her? How *dare* he make her feel this
way." Mina's expression grew sullen, and the change in attitude
startled Raye. For a moment, she was reminded of a similar
conversation between herself and Amy the month earlier. Amy's words
still echoed in Raye's ears.
~As hard as it is to believe, he's just- not in love with her
anymore.~
Raye sighed and placed her hand over Mina's. "Mina, I know how
frustrated you feel. Believe me, Serena's my friend too, and I feel
the exact same way."
"What's your point, Raye?" Mina asked, her brow crinkling in
frustration.
"My point is, Mina... Darien doesn't love her anymore. And that
is no more his fault than it is ours or Serena's," she pulled her hand
away from Mina's and ran her hand through her thick hair. "What do
you really expect him to do? Live the rest of his life in a lie,
pretending? Do you really think he deserves that? Do you think
*Serena* deserves that?"
Mina shrugged in defeat. "I don't know," she said. "I just don't
like seeing Serena so upset."
"I don't either, Mina. Do you think I do? Serena is like a sister
to me. As much as she and I may disagree, she means the world to me,
and to see her in this much pain absolutely rips my heart out. But- "
she paused. "It's like we were saying just a few minutes ago. You
can't pick who you love, right?"
Nod. "I guess not."
"Well, Mina, Darien can't pick who he *doesn't* love. It's not his
fault, and I really don't think it's fair for us- either of us- to
blame him." Raye couldn't believe it. She was actually defending
Darien against her Moon Princess. And it felt *right*. "After all
our battles, after what we've *all* been through together, don't you
think he deserves our forgiveness?".
Mina sighed. "You're right, Raye," she grudgingly agreed. "I just
wish that man would have a change of heart."
Raye nodded. "So do I, Mina. So do I."
* * *
The sound of laughter and clinking glass created a cheerful ambiance
in the luxurious restaurant where they enjoyed their dinner. Above the
murmured sound of dozens of conversations, the melodic sound of a
small orchestra could be heard accompanying dinner with classical
pieces by various composers.
With a gentle smile, Amy took in the high ceilings and gorgeous
decorative woodwork that made up the elegant place Darien had brought
her to that evening. Gold trim, expensive linen tablecloths- Amy found
extravagance everywhere she looked, from the marble floors to the
crystal chandeliers that were the establishment's crowning touch.
"Do you like it here?"
It was Darien's voice that finally caught her attention, and she
flashed him a broad smile, reaching out to clasp his hand in her own.
"It's beautiful," she said softly. "Everything has been perfect."
She squeezed his hand gently, and he smiled, reaching out to brush a
strand of sapphire hair from her eye.
"I could say the same about you," he said. It wasn't an
exaggeration; she looked absolutely amazing. In her long gown of black
and grey velvet, she was every ounce the beautiful temptress this
evening.
Darien recalled how she looked when he'd arrived at her apartment
earlier that evening, to pick her up. When she'd opened the door to
him, hair pulled back with silver barrettes, and her shoulders bare in
that gorgeous drop-backed gown with the tiny straps it was all he could
do to keep from tossing the flowers he held to the floor and ravishing
her then and there. She completely took his breath away.
As if she knew what he was thinking, Amy blushed softly and smiled
at him, pulling her hand out of his and placing it in her lap.
"Dinner was delicious," she said finally.
"I'm surprised you even tasted it at all," Darien joked, pushing his
empty plate aside. "After all, you spent so much time looking at
everything around you." Amy blushed a deeper shade of red and looked
up at the chandelier that hung directly above them.
"I'm sorry," she said, meeting his eyes again. "I've never been to a
place like this before."
Darien chuckled to himself and took a sip of the wine that rested in
front of him. "That's perfectly understandable." He smiled.
There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Amy was
about to speak, when above the laughter and the conversation that
filled the restaurant she heard the orchestra begin another piece.
Darien saw her tilt her head in recognition, and sigh. "I love this
song," she said softly, almost dreamily. "It's so beautiful,". She
closed her eyes to fully appreciate the song, and Darien smiled,
watching her.
He recognized the piece as Pachebel's Canon, one of his many
favorites. It was true- it was a lovely song. However, he wasn't
paying attention to it. Rather, his eyes remained fixed on the girl in
front of him, so entranced by the music that she almost swayed along.
Darien had never seen someone so hypnotized by a beautiful melody. His
smile softened as he watched her, as much under her spell as she was
under that of the music.
Finally, Amy lifted her head, and gazed at him almost sleepily
between half-closed eyelids. "I've had a wonderful night, Darien," she
said finally, a gentle smile on her face. "Thank you."
Darien's eyes never left hers as he signalled for the waiter to bring
him the bill. "This night isn't over yet, Amy," he said after a
moment, a secretive look on his face. "There is still one place I
would like to take you."
* * *
Multicolored lights from the television set danced over Raye's face as
she lay sleeping on the sofa. Chad smiled to himself as he watched her
rest, obviously exhausted from the day's endeavors.
"Poor thing," he murmured to himself. "First I leave you with enough
chores for the both of us, then Mina drags you all over the city,
carrying bags. No wonder you're so sleepy." Chad shook his head in
disbelief and sighed.
He'd arrived back at the shrine earlier that day expecting a guilt
trip for leaving her alone with the chores, but instead he couldn't
find her anywhere. When she'd finally arrived from her shopping trip,
exhausted and sore, she was too distracted and tired to so much as
notice that he'd cleaned up and prepared dinner, and instead offered
him a half-mumbled explanation as to where she'd been all day.
The two of them had eaten dinner in a comfortable silence, and Chad
was glad she didn't so much as mention the snow or the work he'd left
for her that day. Later, she'd crawled away from the table, leaving
him to clean the mess in the kitchen and wash the dishes. Chad had to
admit, he didn't mind.
Now, just a few minutes after eight o'clock, Raye was dead to the
world in front of an old movie, snoring softly from her resting place
on the couch. Chad watched her sleep, a tender expression on his
caring face.
He backed out of the doorway and headed down the hall, returning to
the living room only moments later with a thick woolen blanket draped
over his arms. Smiling warmly, he spread it over Raye's sleeping form.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. Without thinking, he leaned to kiss her
forehead, being careful not to wake her. "Goodnight."
With a gentle smile still spread over his handsome features, Chad
turned and headed to his own room for the night.
* * *
"Whatever you do, don't peek."
Amy felt Darien's breath burning in her ear as he whispered his
gentle command, and nodded against the hand he held in front of her
eyes.
They'd arrived only moments before to their secret destination, and
the suspense was simply driving Amy mad. She's been blindfolded since
they'd left the restaurant only twenty minutes earlier, and now,
standing outside Darien's car with not even the slightest hint as to
where she was... Amy couldn't help but feel a little elated.
"Where are we, Darien?" Amy squirmed a little against Darien's hand,
and so he pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist
so she couldn't get away. It was a cold night, being mid-December, but
Amy didn't feel so much as a chill with Darien being so close to her.
"You'll see in a moment," he murmured in her ear. "We're going to
start walking, now".
It was a little awkward, Amy had to admit. Walking blindfolded with
Darien behind her, she imagined that the two of them had the silly
appearance of a couple of penguins, waddling across a field of ice.
She couldn't help but giggle at the thought.
"What?" Darien asked with a chuckle. Amy shook her head, and
laughed.
"Nothing." Another giggle. "Are we there yet?"
Darien suddenly stopped moving, and she stopped with him, falling
gently against his chest as she did so. "Okay," he said softly.
"Tell me what you hear."
Amy paused and tilted her head to listen. There were the typical
sounds that went with the city; that general buzz that followed you
around no matter where you went. But there was something beneath
it; a sound more gentle. More subdued.
"It sounds like... water," she said finally.
"You're right." Darien removed the hand he'd been blinding her with,
and for a moment Amy saw nothing, save for a few bright circles
of light dancing before her eyes. Gradually, her eyes adjusted, and
she gasped at what she saw.
A large artificial pond lay spread in front of her like a giant
mirror resting in the heart of the city, and in it Amy could see all
the colors of the rainbow. Lights, millions of lights, from an
infinite number of sources, were reflected in the gorgeous crystalline
surface. "Beautiful..." she whispered, a hand covering her mouth in
surprise. "So beautiful."
Amy stepped forward, towards the pond, and looked up towards the sky
where a giant moon shone down upon them. It was reflected in the pond,
this beautiful moon, along with all the bright, glimmering lights of
the city. Amy had never seen such a glorious place.
With a look of childish awe on her face, Amy turned to face the man
who had brought her to this magic location. "Darien, this is
absolutely stunning," she said when she had finally found her tongue.
Darien smiled gently at her.
"I come here a lot," he said, taking a step towards her. "To think,
actually." Amy nodded in perfect understanding. "For the longest
time, I've been wanting to show this to you. Of all the people in all
the world, Amy, I knew that you would appreciate this most."
Amy felt tears burning in her eyes, and she embraced him gently,
touched that he would share such a place with her. "Thank you," she
said tenderly, burrowing her face in his chest. His hands went around
her instinctively, pulling her closer to him, and she sighed softly.
Darien placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, and felt her
shiver against him. "Oh damn it, Amy, I didn't think. I'm sorry."
Darien chided himself for not considering the fact that Amy might get
cold outside dressed as she was, and quickly slipped out of his tuxedo
jacket. "Put this on."
With a grateful smile, Amy slipped the jacket on over her dress,
laughing when she noticed how poorly it fit her. Darien simply
grinned and gathered her back into his arms.
~It's been a magical night.~
The thought was mutual as he finally leaned forward and kissed her,
his mouth hot against her own. Gently, he parted her lips with his
tongue, and she responded with equal vigor, lifting her hands to run
them through his hair. Amy could feel the breath being sucked out of
her, and she started to feel dizzy from excitement, happiness and
contentment. It had been a wonderful night, everything had gone
swimmingly. Nothing could ruin the way she felt right now, she
thought. It was... *perfect*.
As if on cue, Darien pulled away from Amy, looking deeply into
her eyes. "There's something I want to give you," he murmured,
running his hand across her cheek. "A gift."
"A gift?" Amy repeated. "Darien, you didn't need to-" he put a
finger to her lips, silencing her.
"I wanted to." Darien gestured to the tuxedo jacket Amy wore.
"Look in the pocket," he said. He ran the back of his hand over
her cheek again, stroking her face.
Amy let her hands trail down her sides, searching for the pocket
Darien spoke of. Eventually, her fingers felt the unmistakable shape
of a velvet jewelers box, and she pulled it out slowly, almost scared
to see what was inside. "Darien, what's this?" she asked as she
pulled it out, and held it in front of her. It wasn't a ring box, Amy
could see that now. It was long and narrow, covered in a thin layer of
black velvet. Darien leaned forward slightly and smiled at her.
"Open it."
Amy gazed for a moment at the box in her hands before reaching for
the clasp. The box opened with a muted 'click'.
She gasped.
In it lay a beautiful necklace of white gold, attached to which was a
shimmering rose no bigger than a thumbnail. Amy tilted the box
slightly, and the rose sparkled, covered with what looked like small
chips of garnet. "Darien..."
"Do you like it?" he asked, taking a step closer to her. She nodded
numbly, not quite sure what to say to him. Tears filled her eyes, and
he reached over to pull her into his arms. "Amy, the past month has
been among the best in my life," he said softly into her ear. "This
gift is to celebrate the joy of countless months to follow." He tilted
her face to meet his, and kissed her tenderly before pulling back to
look her in the eyes again. "But that isn't all," he began.
"Darien," Amy protested weakly. A tear rolled down her face,
followed by another, and another.
"Amy, I've completely fallen in love with you."
Amy stared at him for a moment, mouth agape.
~This can't happen.~
Prying herself gently from his grasp, she turned away from him,
staring out over the resplendent pond that only minutes before had
so hypnotized her. Tears trickled down her cheeks, rolling down her
throat, onto her lips. Gods, didn't he realize? He wasn't allowed to
fall in love with her. He *couldn't* fall in love with her. Not now,
not ever.
Parts of her dream came back to her in flashes, and she cringed
inwardly at the memory.
"Amy, are you okay?" She whirled to face him.
"Darien, I can't accept this," she said finally, shoving the box
towards him. "Please, take it back."
"Amy, what's wrong with you? Is it because of the price?
Because it really wasn't that extravagant. I know this guy, and-"
"It's not that," she denied Her face was soaked from the tears
that flowed so heavily. "I just can't, Darien." Amy grabbed his
hand and placed the box in it, using her own hand to force his
fingers around its velvet surface. Darien stared at her, completely
bewildered.
"Where is this coming from Amy? Have I done something wrong?
Please. You've got to tell me." He reached for her, only to have her
pull away from him.
"I don't want to talk about it, Darien," she sobbed. Her makeup
was beginning to run, but she didn't seem to notice, nor care. "I need
to get out of here." She turned to walk away.
"Okay, that's fine," he started to follow her. "I'll take you home,
then."
"I'd really rather be alone, if you don't mind," she said, raising
her hand to halt him. "I need to think." For a moment, her face
resembled the surface of the pond; all the lights of the city reflected
off her wet skin. She looked like some sort of tormented angel. With
tears still rolling down her cheeks, Amy turned on her heel and ran off
into the shadows of the night.
Darien watched her go, with a mixture of confusion and concern
painted across his features. He wished he had some idea as to why Amy
had suddenly started acting so strangely, but she didn't seem to be in
the frame of mind to explain it to him.
Now, left alone in his place of silent contemplation, Darien opened
the small box he held in his hand and gazed at the twinkling pendant
that laid within. He could almost swear it was winking at him.
"Amy," he whispered aloud. "What have I done wrong?"
--------------------------------------------
The End, Chapter Five
Credits: "No human creature can give orders to love."
-George Sand [Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin, Baronne Dudevant]
Jacques [1834]
AN: This story is dedicated to all the authors out there who have
taken a chance and refused to be bound by the traditional rules. It's
for those writers who've crashed through barriers and put out
fanfiction that is just a little bit different. For all of you, I
offer this humble piece of work. I hope one day, I'll be more like
you.
It's also for Moon Senshi, my *fabulous* editor and pal. A little
more work was involved in the editing process this time around, but
as always, she does the job with grace and brilliance, polishing my
work like a precious gem. Thank you for being there when I needed you,
and for voluntarily taking on such a huge project in addition to your
already packed schedule!
Lastly, it's for Orion, who acted as my own personal cheerleader in
the writing of this chapter. Despite the fact I'll be flying solo
from here on out, she really gave me the confidence (and the kick in
the pants) I needed to get this thing out on time. All I have to say
to you, girl, is THANK YOU!