------- Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon ------ Thanks for all of the reviews. I really appreciate them --------

Ami woke the next morning feeling extremely satiated and fulfilled.

As she rose another flush covered her body. This time in embarrassment.

'What a dream' Ami placed her hand on her forehead and got up off her bed and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Dressing quickly she grabbed her school books and bag and headed downstairs to eat breakfast.

Walking down the street, she hurried to catch the school bus something she rarely remembered doing. She had always been on schedule.

"Ami? Late for the bus? I have to be having one of those weird dreams" Greg said as he moved over to let her sit.

'Don't I know it' Ami mused while dropping into the seat that she had been using since Greg had returned from his trip overseas and they started to go to school together. "I know, I overslept"

"Hard night of studying?" Greg said knowing Ami's main focus was that of becoming the best female doctor in Japan.

"No actually," Ami said not wanting to discuss what had been happening to her the past couple of days with her best friend.

"Ok, then what? Or is it something you'd rather not discuss?" Greg queried as he saw her shift uncomfortably, something he could never remember her doing.

"No actually," Ami said and watched as Greg shrugged and sat back in the chair.

That's the one thing she loved about him. He always respected her wishes, not like the scouts who would prod her for information endlessly and when they finished sucking her dry would leave her by herself for days on end.

'Look at yesterday for example, she had left and had any of them called to make sure she was alright? No, of course not, Ami was good enough to take care of herself.'

Inwardly Ami started to fume as she thought to most of the times when she just faded into the background like a wallflower while her so-called friends had all the fun.

Disembarking from the bus Ami and Greg headed towards their homerooms splitting up in the hallway.

"See you later Ames"

"Huh... oh yeah bye Greg" Ami said as she watched him enter his classroom thinking sometimes that he was the only true friend she had.

-------

Later in biology the teacher passed around to pick up assignments and almost dropped the collected papers when Ami told her that she did not have hers.

"Did you leave it in your locker Ami? That's ok you can bring it in after school," the teacher assured her about to walk past.

"No Mrs. Tanashka. I mean I didn't do it at all," Ami clarified.

"What?!" Mrs. Tanashka sat down heavily on one of the chairs "Why Ami?, were you not feeling well?" the other students had stopped working and paid close attention to what was transpiring between teacher and student.

"Actually I've never felt better," Ami said truthfully.

"Ok since this has never happened before with you I'm willing to grant you a day's extension," Mrs. Tanashka said getting up and leaning over Ami said "If you need to talk about something, I'm here."

"Thanks Mrs. Tanashka," Ami said realising what she really wanted to do was leave class, and in fact school on the whole.

'I'm getting tired of this place,' she sighed.

------

"When do we make our move?" Jaedite asked impatiently.

"It's getting close," Zoicite added.

"Be patient," Nephrite growled, not wanting to admit that he was feeling the same urges that his brothers were having trouble suppressing.

Kunzite and Endymion remained silent each lost in their own thoughts about their previous run-ins with Ami on the surface.

-------

Leaving school Ami walked quickly to the courts where she usually met Greg before their walk home. Finding him was easy as he was one of the best spikers in the volleyball team and therefore had the most visible spot on the court.

Watching him, she looked over and saw Mina, Lita, Serena and Raye walking past the courts laughing happily.

Spotting her Serena raised her arm in greeting screaming "Ami!!" and headed towards her.

Feeling angry at only now being remembered Ami sat silently while the four made their way up the bleachers to sit next to her.

"Where have you been?" Serena asked.

"Yeah Ames, where did you disappear to yesterday?" Raye asked as she sat down on her left.

'Someplace where you guys could never find me' Ami thought disparagingly as she continued to watch Greg quietly.

"Nowhere in particular," she answered as she realised the silence was getting overbearing as they stared at her.

"Hey Ami are you ok?" Raye said looking at her strangely.

"Yes why?" Ami stared at Raye as if she had just grown three heads.

"You just look different that's all" Raye observed quietly.

"No she doesn't Raye. Geez sometimes I think you take life too seriously especially from living up at the temple," Lita said dryly as she stretched her long legs ahead of her and stared up at the sky.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Raye asked indignantly.

Picking up on the undercurrents of another argument brewing Ami stated "If all you guys are going to do is argue, I would appreciate it if you did it far away from me. After all, I never asked you to come up here," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Ami? What's gotten into you?" Mina asked as she drew closer to her blue haired friend pushing her face so close to Ami's their noses almost touched. "Raye is right. Something about you has changed."

"Maybe there is and maybe there isn't. What is it to you?" Ami retorted, while clenching her fists.

"We are your friends Ami," Serena said softly "We care."

Snorting in disbelief Ami stood up and hopped over the row of seats in front of her and continued this way until she reached the bottom, realising that her natural grace seemed to be amplified to the point where she was floating down the tiers.

Not even pausing to look back, she made her way across the court to talk to Greg.

The whistle shrilled as she interrupted the practice games but she ignored it.

"Greg," she said upon reaching his side.

"Hey get off the court!!" another player shouted.

"What the heck is going on? Is she stupid or something?"

A ball whizzed past her head nearly hitting her, but if this registered in her mind, she showed no sign of it.

"Ami you're not supposed to be out here, what is it?" he asked worriedly.

"I just wanted to tell you that you won't be seeing me for a few days," she said not even knowing why she said it.

Shock came over his face, "What? Why? Where are you going?"

Smiling at him she placed her hand on his forehead, "Have no worries, I will be fine," her blue eyes gazed at his hypnotically and he nodded his head in assent.

Turning on her heel, she made her way back off the courts and onto the street.

The scouts who had been observing this from the bleachers sat silently and watched as she made her way down the street contemplating what had happened to their usually docile friend.

Arriving at her home she packed a bag with what she considered essentials and walked off heading to where only the drive in her heart was taking her.

Picking up her wand, she frowned at Mercury's insignia and moving to place it in her bag she stopped, opened her top drawer and placed it in there before firmly closing it.

'I don't need it. Not where I am going'

Catching a bus headed for downtown Ami sat quietly, trying to make sense of this drive which had taken over her body since school, but soon gave it up as she could come no closer to the answer.

As the skyscrapers came into view she sighed at the lives of persons around her carried away in the hustle and bustle.

'Would it not be nice if the world could stand still for just a moment and truly appreciate life?'

The sun was setting she walked out of the bus station and she made a right turn heading to the roughest section of town.

As darkness came she gazed up at the bright lights of the buildings surrounding her, not noticing the two figures lurking in the shadows that watched her closely.

"Hmm easy pickings wouldn't you say?" the man looked at his partner grinning.

"You bet"

Turning onto a back street Ami found herself in an alley. As she walked deeper into the darkness she heard a voice behind her.

"Hey girlie are you lost?"

Spinning around she saw two figures one large and bulky wearing a heavy jacket while the other slimmer and sporting a baseball cap.

"Yeah are you?" the heavier one said.

"Because if you are we can help you find your way home," the slimmer man grinned at her wickedly.

"No thanks I'm perfectly fine," Ami said trying to keep the tremor of fear from her voice.

She headed in the direction she had previously intended, this time walking faster but continued to hear their footsteps behind her and so started to run however panic was the first thing coming to her mind as she walked up to a pile of garbage behind which stood a wall.

The alley was a dead end.

'Oh no!' Ami turned around and faced the men 'If only I had brought my wand. Why did I leave it home?'

"See I told you you were lost," the slimmer man made his way towards her and though she could not see his face she could feel his smile and the way he licked his lips as he approached.

"Leave me alone" she said knowing that if she screamed it was hardly unlikely that anyone would hear her but giving it a try anyway.

Letting out a piercing scream Ami was shoved then against the side wall of the alley cruelly as the slimmer man pushed himself onto her.

"Since you're too proud to ask for directions, let's see if your too proud to beg," his foul breath had Ami gasping for air as his hand started to find its way up her thigh squeezing.

Bringing her knee up fast she caught him in his groin before landing a fist in his face watching as he dropped to the ground in agony.

"Bitch!" the heavier guy said, as he brought his massive hand up to cuff her in her face.

Squeezing her eyes shut while ducking Ami said a silent prayer waiting for the punch. It never came.

Hearing a sound like a crack of lightning Ami opened her eyes and found the large man gasping as the hand he had raised to hit her with now lay on the street of the alleyway while the remaining stump was gushing out what appeared to be gallons of blood. Standing behind him was another figure who watched dispassionately even though hearing the man screaming in agony.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly but to her it could be heard as clear as day over the man's shouts for his mother.

Nodding she moved to walk over to him when the slimmer guy, who had been lying still grabbed her skirt and pulled her down to him placing a knife against her back.

"Move away from him," he rasped knowing that he could not get out of the alley without some form of protection.

The figure stiffened but took a small step back.

Sensing his advantage, the slim man looked at his friend "Pick up your arm we're out of here."

The large man though obviously in pain picked his arm up and made to make his way past the tall figure.

Feeling the knife's blade breaking through the skin in her back, Ami gasped as a shot of pain ran through her.

Suddenly the pain eased as the pressure fell away. The slim man did not make a sound as his body fell lifeless to the pile of garbage behind her his baseball cap covering his face.

Staggering backwards strong arms gripped her "Easy," the stranger murmured while the other figure hurried towards them.

Feeling a comfort she had never known, Ami closed her eyes and fainted.

Holding her close to him Zoicite rose and looked at Jaedite, "Let's go home."

"But first," Jaedite turned and watched as the heavy set man stumbled his way through the darkness almost halfway out of the alley "Do you think I should leave him?"

About to answer Zoicite felt a warm stickiness on his hand, and felt the blood drain from his face. "She's been stabbed!"

"What?!" Jaedite turned to look at Ami able to see the faint pulse on her neck even in the darkness. "Her breathing is slowing!"

Dissolving into the mist Zoicite hurried back to the castle, Jaedite about to follow.

With fear and anger rising in his throat Jaedite let out a howl before his eyes changed into silver radiating his power.

Turning to the heavy-set man who was almost out of the alley Jaedite opened the palm of his hand. As a beam hurtled right through the man Jaedite watched in pure pleasure when the man exploded causing a shower of blood and flesh to hit against the walls before burning.

"No one threatens her and lives," he growled and disappeared into the mist to join his brothers.