Time Heals- Chapter 5

GracedAngel1854: Yup! I'ma updating fool! At least while my brain is still fixated on this story! ^-^'

Angelicmayuka: If I decide to include romance in this, and it's an 80/20 chance that I will now, then it'll be Ami/ Read and find out! And also read to find out what I'm doing with the other girls. I hope you like the idea!

Minimerc: Ami/Heero is fun to read, but Ami needs laughter! And sometimes, friends will help you heal more than love will!

SailorStar9: There are too many Ami/Quatre fics! I'm trying to not be so 'follow the leader.' Sorry. But I hope you like who I'll stick her with.

Kel: Here's more! Enjoy!

Koori: I agree with your statement! Ami-chan is the bestest! But that's just little old me's opinion so no need to yell at me! =)

Mercury Ice Storm: Thanks for reviewing! I is a happy camper now! BTW...Ami is already home! If ya get my drift...

Chiichobi: O.O Am I that good a writer?!? Did I die and go to heaven or some other happy place?!? Wow......thank you!

Kaiya: No worries, it is NOT an Ami/Quatre pairing. They're both so timid there'd never be any action! And thanks very much for reviewing! I feel so loved!

Disclaimer: I have Manga and VHS tapes.....that's it. I don't' own GW or SM. =P

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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMI!" The load of people in Ami's new apartment shouted.

It had been two years since she had willingly been taken to the future. And now she was 18.

~Past memories and thoughts~

The first few months she had been here had been difficult. But with the help of the boys, Duo, Quatre, and Millardo mostly, she had begun to heal. The only thing that prevented her from fully healing was that she did not have the forgiveness of the girls.

A few months after meeting the boys, there had been a youma attack in the park. It's always the park. She had been walking home from her first day at her new job, working for Duo at the junk yard as it were, when she heard the screams.

Duo, being the nice guy that exists somewhere under his joking exterior, was walking Ami home, despite her many protests that she would be fine. You never know who's out at that time of night.

Both Ami and Duo had run towards the screams. They had been coming from an area near the lake.

The youma, once in sight, was pretty basic. It was tall and cadaverous looking with pea green skin. Spikes protruded from its rubbery looking skin. Streaky black and white hair stood on end, like the bride of Frankenstein type hair. It's eyes were the normal shade of blood red.

Duo had shouted at Ami to stay back and let him handle the monster. That went well....the bullets from Duo's gun sank into it's skin, not causing any damage.

Ami, after getting to the victims and making sure they were okay, watched silently as the bullets had no effect. She knew she had to become Mercury again.

It unnerved her that there was no good place to transform at. But since she had been thinking about telling Duo about her past, she figured that now was as good a time as any. "Mercury Star Power, Make up!" She shouted.

Duo glanced over, not understanding what Ami was yelling. His jaw hit the dirt when Ami disappeared, only to be replaced by one of the legendary Sailor Senshi.

Duo had taken an interest in the legend of the Sailor Senshi when he was younger and slightly more innocent. But he had never seen pictures of this Senshi before. Making a mental note to ask Ami about it, he got the hell out of the way.

Ami had seen Duo scamper out of the way after seeing her transform. 'I probably have some explaining to do later' she thought after seeing his slightly confused look.

She knew of his interest in the Sailor Senshi. It was one of the thinks they talked about. She knew the Senshi fascinated him. It was one of the reasons she had thought to tell him. But she knew that he would be confused. Since her past had been erased, so had been Sailor Mercury's.

After dispatching of the youma with a medium powered attack, she dehenshined and found Duo.

"I think you forgot to tell me something Ami!" Duo had exclaimed.

Nodding tiredly, Ami told him that she would explain the next morning.

When that time came, she told him everything. How she became a Senshi, when she became a senshi, why she was here in this time, and why history forgot her. It was an interesting story to tell.

Duo almost didn't believe her, but he did. He knew Ami wouldn't lie, not to him anyway. And her story fit with all the blank spots that he didn't know about her. And why she kept staring at the stars and crying all the time.

After that incident, Duo and Ami had become the best of friends. Duo had wished that it could become something more, but made no mention of that to Ami.

He could tell, even without her telling him, that she still hurt, and that asking her on a real date would only get himself turned down. Ami was the type to try to not have fun while she was feeling guilty.

So they hung out a lot. Duo caused her to smile more and more as time past.

Ami enjoyed working for Duo at the junk yard. There were a lot of old computer parts, some dating back to just past her own time. Those she could repair with her eyes closed. And they sold for big bucks.

Duo taught her how to repair any type of vehicle, and Ami taught him how to be as good as Heero on a computer. Duo had really thanked her for that. He had had a lot of fun with that knowledge.

For the next two years, life had gotten better for Ami. She had not quite forgiven herself for what happened, but had accepted that it was done, and there was nothing she could do but go on with life. And so she did. Eventually.

~Back to the party~

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMI" most everyone shouted. Heero, in his corner, only grunted.

Ami smiled. She was grateful for all her friends. Especially Duo. No matter how depressed she became, he always found a way to make her smile.

Relena herself brought out the cake. After realizing that Ami had no interest in Heero, Relena warmed up to Ami. They weren't the best of friends, but they could get along for more than five minutes.

Which is more than Duo and Wufei could say. And speaking of the devil, there went Duo, followed closely with the katanna wielding Wufei himself.

Ami smiled, wondering what Duo had done this time. And now it was time to blow out the candles on the cake. Some one had flipped the switch for the lights as well as covering the windows and all that could be seen was the candles, and Ami's face, covered in the shadows the flames were creating.

The candles on her cake were glimmering in the darkness. She could get lost in it's hypnotic dance. Thinking of a wish to make, she decided on 'I wish that all my friends will be happy, as long as they don't kill anyone in the process.'

She added the last part in remembrance of Wufei. She didn't want Duo dead, no matter how happy it would make Wufei.

Ami quickly blew out the candles as everyone cheered, and the lights came back on.

Everyone had a small piece of cake before heading out to dinner at a new restaurant called 'Lightening Rose.' It was supposed to have the best food in the city, and the prices weren't that bad either.

The lighting at the 'Lightening Rose' was dim. But not dim in a sense of a dark ally but a sort of romantic dim. Ami and the others were led to the back portion of the restaurant where parties of eight or more were sat. And there were exactly eight of them. The five guys, Millardo, Relena and Ami.

Duo usurped the seat next to Ami, while Relena grabbed one next to Heero. The others just picked a seat and sat. Though Wufei sat as far from Duo as possible.

A waiter took their orders after giving them a few minutes to decide what to order. Bread rolls were brought out with some butter shortly after that.

The conversation over the wonderful food was not as silent as the first meals Ami had had in this time. It was filled with laughter, soft laughter because they were in a restaurant, but laughter none the less.

After dinner was finished, and everyone was full, including Duo, they all decided to head back to Ami's and watch a few movies since no one had to work the next day.

As they were just about to leave, the master chef had just emerged from the kitchen to walk around the place, making sure everyone liked the food.

Ami stared at the chef. She had chocolate brown hair pulled into a pony tail. She was tall and graceful, and when she looked over to Ami's party, Ami noticed that she had emerald green eyes.

Ami just stood there, in shock, and the chef seemed rooted to the spot as well. The chef was the first to recover from shock, and she practically flew towards Ami.

Ami, wondering how she could still be alive, and thinking she was about to be hit, recoiled from Makoto, and hid behind Duo, who was the closest to her.

Makoto froze a few feet from her old friend, wondering why terror was written all over her face. "Ami?"

By then everyone in the restaurant had their attention on them, so Makoto pushed everyone out the door.

"Ami? What's wrong?! Why won't you look at me?" Makoto asked, hurt.

Ami glared at her, surprising the guys. Ami never glared.

"What's wrong?" Ami threw back at Makoto. "Well, gee. I don't know. Maybe they way you guys treated me is what's wrong!" The anger in her tone confused everyone but Millardo and Duo. They knew the name Makoto from Ami.

'So this is one of the girls who hurt Ami' both Millardo and Duo thought, though one was thinking it more scathingly.

"Ami.." Makoto began. "I'm sorry how we treated you. We tried to find you a long time ago to apologize, but you had disappeared!" Makoto was almost in tears, but Ami's eyes were cold once more.

"If you were sorry, then why did you do what you did?" Ami asked, no inflection in her voice.

Makoto looked at her, asking herself how Ami had become so cold. "We were angry!" Makoto stated, heat in her voice. "Usagi had just died! We just wanted someone to blame! We know we shouldn't have blamed you. We're sorry! I'M sorry!" She cried, tears pouring down her face.

Ami's face softened a bit. 'Maybe she really is sorry...' She knelt down next to her old friend. "Makoto...look me in the eyes and say that." Ami said flatly.

Makoto obeyed, tears still shining in her eyes. Green eyes met blue as Makoto told Ami just how sorry she was.

Ami, seeing in her old friend's eyes that she really did mean what she said, nodded.

"I don't know if we can be friends again Makoto." Ami said quietly.

Makoto closed her eyes in pain.

"But..." Ami continued. "We should give it a try anyway. Friends should forgive."

Makoto cringed at Ami's last statement. 'Friends should forgive...'

A piece of paper was lightly placed in Makoto's hand.

"This is my number." Ami said. "Call me when you get a chance."

Makoto looked up, tears still in her eyes, but a happy smile on her face as Ami and her new friends walked away from her. "Thank you" she whispered to the winds.

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That's it folks! Told you I was going to put them back together! Am I true to my word or what! Hope you enjoyed! Couple reviews, and I'll start work on the next chapter. Buh Bye crazies!

~DevilWench~