I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything. Guilt overrode most other emotions as I traced the lines of Elizabeth's face with my eyes. How could I have driven her to do that? Why hadn't I been more clear?
Why were we still standing here? Pushing aside all my insecurities I pulled her closer and kissed her, deeply, passionately. It didn't really matter, all the rest, we could work that all out later. Chances to hold her in my arms would be few and fleeting, and I couldn't let this one pass. Catching a glimpse of the bed I swung her up in my arms and headed in that direction
She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned towards me. When I laid her down memories of the previous night assaulted me and I pulled away, watching her gasp for breath. When she reached for me I wanted to pin her to the bed and make love to her until I couldn't move, but I was scheduled to leave that self-same day. Groaning her name I begged her to stop, pulling her hands away from me. It wasn't until I stood up, safely distanced from her curves that I could admit the truth.
"I want more than a rushed fumble before I leave the country." My eyes burned into hers, making a vow that went deeper than words alone. "I want forever."
A tap at the door broke our reverie. "Satoshi? Are you in there? Meiko and Miki are already here, your flight's leaving soon." Yuu's voice was muffled by the door, but still recognizable.
"Yes, I'm here Yuu. Give me a moment." Without waiting for Yuu to come in I kissed Elizabeth once more, softly and sweetly.
While I was still bent over the bed Yuu opened the door. "Satoshi, my father packed your bags last night, and you really do need to go. Elizabeth, would you like to see them off with me?"
Elizabeth blushed a bit when she pushed me off of her and shakily gained her feet, but replied politely, "Yes, I'd like to come."
On the way downstairs I couldn't resist bringing up one last issue that had been bothering me.
"What do you mean by no one has ever affected you deeply?" She didn't meet my eyes but paused in her long strides to gaze out the window across the grounds.
"I've never trusted myself enough to let go. I guess I've just always questioned what I felt." Her quiet voice touched a part of my heart that began to ache. Moving behind her, I wanted to stroke her hair comfortingly, but was stopped by her next words. "Maybe I was just waiting for you!" She sounded evasive, but I didn't press the matter.
"Of course you were." I felt a grin cover my face. It didn't matter if she was using humor to avoid the situation. She'd caught exactly how I felt. God in heaven, I loved this woman already.
We walked downstairs and were whisked quickly toward the waiting vehicles. When Meiko saw Elizabeth and I her face brightened, then Miki spoke up.
"Good, you two are together, but that means we haven't enough room in the cars."
"It's all right." Elizabeth said. I gaped at her. "If you'll give me a moment I'll follow everyone in my car. I know how to get to the airport."
"I'm riding with her." No one seemed surprised at my reply.
Elizabeth's car was a tidy dark green sedan, which she drove well, if without panache. As we pulled out after Brian's Land Rover I commented on it.
"It's a little strange for you to have a car, is it not?"
"Not really, I bought it back in Texas, when I was working. St. Andrew's offered me room, board, tuition, and a living stipend if I'd finish my last year of research here, and teach a few lower-level chemistry courses as well. Normally I'd have kept working, but I haven't had a chance to look, and I'm really too busy for it. There'll be plenty of time once I graduate."
I agreed with her, and spent the remainder of the drive watching her, trying to etch the lines of her profile into my memory for however long it would be until I saw her again. It was a short drive, and uneventful. Before I knew it we were standing at the gate, and it was time to say our farewells.
"I'll…"
"…write me." She answered quickly.
"What?"
"Write me, you know, letters. I enjoy getting them, and they're more tangible than phone calls. It may help me learn Japanese as well."
"All right, if you'd like." She was so cute, standing there, asking if I would write her, I couldn't help it. I'd still call to make sure everything was going well though. I didn't want to make any mistakes.
"Elizabeth?" Miki began hesitantly, "If you want to learn Japanese, do you want to write to me too?" Elizabeth looked puzzled. "Meiko and I had an exchange diary, I miss it. I'd like to help you learn, and become your friend. You could help my English."
Elizabeth's face brightened.
"Miki, that's a good idea. We could write each other in whichever language we felt more comfortable with at the time, and little by little I'd learn your Japanese and you'd learn my English. I like that! You could also tell me how Satoshi was doing, and I could help you keep tabs on Yuu."
"It'd be almost like a bizarre, perpetual double date.." Yuu commented dryly, then grinned. As the girls hugged good-bye and exchanged the necessary addresses he looked meaningfully at me, we both understood that I'd watch out for Miki and he'd watch over Elizabeth.
Pulling Elizabeth away from Miki I held her close. "Remember me." I whispered against her hair. Quickly kissing her I let go of her and walked off.
"Satoshi!" I half turned as she called my name, "Don't worry about me, I could never forget you." She smiled, a bit bravely I thought, and I continued walking, away from New York, away from Elizabeth, back to Japan.