Title: Long Time No See

By: Moonlit Sea

Disclaimer: you know it so I ain't goin to say it!

*-Thoughts-*

Chapter 5 - Do I Still Love You?

When Kate and Ben were fast asleep, Sam decided to take a walk. She told Max what she was doing so no one would worry and headed off.
She walked along the streets thinking about the day's events, unaware of where she going when she found herself looking at the ocean.
The wind blew at her face, as she sighed although it good to see the team again she didn't think she could go back to being a part of it.
She sighed once again as she tried to decide what to do.

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Back at Tyson's house -

As everyone got ready to go to bed Kai noticed that Sam was nowhere to be seen. After looking around the place and having no luck in finding her he wondered if any of the others had seen her. He headed back to the room where they all spending the night.

"Hey Tyson, have you seen Sam?" he asked.

"No Kai, hey Max you seen her?"

"Yea she said she was going for a walk." Max replied.

"A walk? Is she okay?" Ray asked just walking in.

"She seem fine to me."

"What's up Ray?" Tyson asks seeing the concern on his teammates face.

"Hm? Oh nothing Tyson. I was just thinking that's all." Ray answered.

"If it's got something to do with Sam say it Ray." Kai said seeing that Ray was holding something back.

"It hasn't got anything to do with Sam Kai." He lied.

"Then why did you ask if she was okay?" Tyson asks curiously.

"Tyson, keep you voice down there are people who are trying to sleep." Kenny said not only referring to himself but also Kate and Ben.

"Sorry Chief."
Tyson then turned back to Ray and was about to ask him why he hadn't answered when he saw that Ray was no longer there.

Seeing Tyson's confusion at Ray's sudden 'disappearance' Max said
"Guess we'd all better get some sleep too." Hinting a little as to where Ray went.

Kai looked at Ray before going to his own bed *-I don't know what you're hiding Ray but intend to find out.-*

Later that night when he was sure everyone was asleep Ray sneaked out and went to find Sam. There was something bothering her, he just knew it. He remembered all the times she said she was 'going for a walk' back in the village. Each time she would go off she had something on her mind, something she pretended she could manage when facing everyone but when alone knew that she couldn't. They had become close friends through the years and in way Ray had come to think of Sam as a sister and she had come to see him as a brother.

When he finally found her he saw that she was standing looking out at the ocean, the wind blowing through her long brown hair and the moon giving her a heavenly like glow.
He smiled *-if Kai was here I think he would've died at this sight.-*

Unknown to Ray, Kai was there. He had awoken when he heard Ray sneak out and decided to follow him to see what he was up to. He nearly had a heart attack when he saw Sam standing in the moonlight. *-she looks so beautiful.-* he thought. It took every ounce of his self control not to go over there and kiss her senseless.
Ray's voice however brought him back to his senses or at least partly he was in still in awe at the sight of Sam.

"Sam." Ray said making his presence known.

"What kept you?"

"I had to wait until the others were asleep." He explained. " So what's wrong?" walking up beside her.

Sam sighed "It's nothing really I just… I just needed some air."

"Yea and Tyson's on a diet." Ray said with a hint of sarcasm.

Sam smiled at Ray's comment about Tyson's food obsession.

"Which we both he's not." He continued, "So tell me what's wrong. The last time you were like this you were wondering how to tell me that you were leaving th…" Ray stopped mid sentence. "That's not it is it? You're not leaving are you?"

Again Sam smiled as Ray jumped to conclusions.

"No Ray I'm not leav…" she stopped for a second then continued. "Yes I guess I am in a way but before you ask I'm not leaving the country or anything like that."

"Huh? Sam you're not making any sense."

She turned to him.
"I…I no longer want to be a part of the…te…Bladebreakers Ray."

Ray stared at her in amazement not knowing what to say.

~~~

Behind the trees Kai couldn't believe what he was hearing and before he could stop himself he gasped.

"Who's there?" he heard Sam ask.

He stayed still behind the tree not daring to move or even breathe he didn't want to get discovered… at least not yet, after what seemed like forever he finally heard Ray ask "But why?" to which he slowly let out a breath of relief and continued to listen.

~~~

Sam wouldn't answer she just turned back to look out at the ocean, but before she did Ray saw something in her eyes. Something, which told him that she, was hiding the real reason.

"It's not the team that's the problem is it." He stated.

"O-of course i-it is." She answered stuttering slightly.

"Sam I know you better than that, you're hiding the real reason you're out here."

"Am I?"

Ray took hold of her arm and turned her round so she was facing him.
"So who is it?" he asked looking her in the eye.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ray." Looking right back at him.

"Yes you do…" he started to say when Sam interrupted.

"N-no…I…d-don't." her voice was starting to quiver.

~~~

From behind his tree Kai watched as Ray kept asking Sam about the same thing. His anger was growing with each word Ray said. He felt like going over there and yelling at him, Sam was clearly getting distressed and yet he still kept on at her.

~~~

"Is it Max? Me? Kai?" Ray stopped when he saw Sam's eyes look down at the ground upon hearing Kai's name. "It's Kai isn't it."

Again Sam wouldn't answer she just looked at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Which gave him his answer, he looked at her and saw something he didn't expect to see. *-Tears? But why? What would have her so upset about Kai that it would make her want to cry?-*
"Sam… what…"

Sam now looked at him a single tear falling down her cheek. Ray wiped it away with his thumb without giving it a second thought.

"I don't think I love him anymore Ray." Sam said finally answering.

A few more tears fell down her face and again Ray wiped them away.

"It's okay Sam."

"No, no it's not. He's the father of my children, how can it be okay!"

Ray sighed.
"How do you know that you don't love him?"

"What?"

"I said how do you know?"

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Kai ran from his hiding place back to Tyson's, he couldn't believe what he had just heard. She didn't love him anymore; his heart broke into a million pieces when he heard those words. He felt like breaking down and crying but wouldn't allow himself to do so. Was that the reason she left all those years ago?

When he reached Tyson's he quietly let himself in being careful not to wake anyone up and walked towards his bed. He tried to go to sleep but that scene kept playing in his mind everytime he closed his eyes.
He then realised something, which he hadn't noticed before when Ray was wiping away Sam's tears she didn't move or even flinch at his touch. Could it be that Sam felt something for Ray? From the way Ray was acting it was obvious he did for her. They were so close they could of kissed! But they didn't… could it be that they knew he was there?

'I visited Ray at his village.' Sam's words to Tyson and Max suddenly appearing in his mind. What happened between them when she visited him?
Could it be that she always felt something for Ray? Kai remembered back to when they were facing the Moonlights in London; Sam spent most of her time with Ray instead of him. He soon fell asleep with the questions still floating around in his mind.

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The next morning Kenny was the first to wake or so he thought, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked round the room. He saw everyone still in there beds aside from Ray and Sam.
*-They're up early. I wonder where they could be? They're probably outside.-* he thought.
He got up then after picking up his laptop went to see if where they were. *-They're not out here…maybe I should wake the others. No I'll give them a little time they probably just went for a walk or something.-*

He sat down on the step and opened up his laptop.
"Morning Dizzi."

"Good Morning Chief."

"I've been thinking about how we're going to make Kate's blade," he continued as he typed.

"You're all work and no fun" Dizzi remarked.

"Very funny now take a look at this design and tell me what you think."

"Hey Chief what are ya working on?" Max asks walking up behind Kenny a few minutes later.

Kenny jumped at the sound of Max's voice.
"I wish you and Tyson would stop doing that Max!" he said a little annoyed.

"Doing what?" Max asks suddenly confused as he sits next to him.

"Scaring the daylights outta him." Dizzi answered.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to…"Max started.

"Never mind, I'm working on Kate's new blade." Kenny interrupted.

Dizzi clear her throat (or in this case circuits).
"Your working on Kate's new blade?"

" Okay okay we're working on it" Kenny said almost sighing at his bit-beast's sensitivity.

"That's better." Dizzi said.

Max smiled at the exchange between Kenny and Dizzi.
"Any idea where Ray and…" he started to ask but didn't get to finish.

"Have you guys seen mum?" Ben asked as he came out followed soon after by his sister who still looked a little tired.

"I was just about to ask the same thing." Max said with a little smile.

But Ben wasn't smiling nor was Kate -now that she had woken up a little and realised what was going on-

"No, I don't." Kenny answered shaking his head.

"Ray's 'missing' too." Max added.

Ben and Kate looked at each other and nodded at the same time then ran off without saying another word.

"Hey where are you going?" Max shouted after them. He then looked back at Kenny, "I'm going after them. You'd better wake up Tyson and Kai." Running off in the direction the two went.

"Great what am I suppose to do? It's almost impossible to get Tyson up." Kenny complained.

"Well you're gonna have to think of something Chief and fast." Dizzi said.

"Like that helps Dizzi." He says while walking into the room where the sleeping Tyson lay.

Kai was already up when Ben asked where Sam was, and heard that Ray was also missing. It brought back memories of last night, he turned onto his side trying to shake them not realising he was crying. He could hear Kenny trying to wake up Tyson without much luck.

"Tyson will you please get up!"

"Yea that'll wake him up." Dizzi says sarcastically.

"You gotta better idea." Kenny said back.

"How about you tell him it's time for breakfast." A voice said from behind him.

"Huh? Did someone mention breakfast?" Tyson asked opening his eyes.

Kenny groaned at Tyson's obsession for food.

"Tyson we've been trying to get you up for the last five minutes." Kenny complained exaggerating the time.

"Why what's up?" Tyson asked a tad confused and still a little sleepy.

"Oh nothing much… just that Kate and Ben ran off." Dizzi says.

"Wha?"

"And not to mention that Ray and Sam are both 'missing'." Kenny concluded.

"Not again…" Tyson moaned.

"Where did Ben and Kate go?" Kai asked walking up to them.

"We don't know. Max is following them at the moment." Dizzi answered.

"It was strange though." Kenny said thinking out loud.

"What was?" Tyson asks.

"When Max mentioned that Ray was also missing they both nodded to each other. Then they ran off."

"Sounds like they may know where they are." Kai said.

"Maybe but I guess we'll just have to wait until Max comes back." Tyson says.

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"Hey where are you two going?" Max calls to Ben and Kate as he keeps after them.

They don't reply but just keep running.

"Could you at least slow down a little…"

They begin to slow not because Max asked them to but because they were nearing their destination.
Max finally caught up with them.

"Thanks… why are you two in such a hurry anyway?"

Still he got no reply, after realising that he would get no answer from them whatever he asked he just followed them and nearly fell over Kate when they suddenly stopped.

"Here." Ben said breaking the silence that they both held.

"What?" Max looked and saw a house directly in front of them. "Here?"

Kate nodded. Then both she and her brother walked down its path and to the door.
Max followed but all the time wondering why they had stopped here. Ben tried the door and it opened he walked straight in without any hesitation followed by Kate, Max however was a little more cautious.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" he asked.

"This is our house Max. Close the door on your way in." Kate said with a seriousness in her voice that Max had never heard before but did just as she said.

He followed them to a room where he could hear talking coming from, as they got closer he thought he recognised the voices. When they all walked in Max saw…

"Ray! Sam!"

"Hey Max. Want some tea?" Sam asked cheerily.

"What's up? You look like you've just seen a ghost or something Max." Ray said seeing the shock on Max's face.

All Max could do was stand and stare. There were Ray and Sam happily sitting at a table drinking tea and talking in the kitchen.

"Mum why did you disappear like that?" Kate asked.

"Disappear like what dear?" Sam asked as she got up to get something from one of the cupboards.

"You disappeared without a trace." Ben said firmly.

Ray couldn't help but laugh at Ben's tone of voice to which he received a glare from Ben in return.

"I told you, every bit his father." Sam said talking to Ray while still trying to reach the item she had been looking for but couldn't quite reach it.

"Yea I could see that the moment I walked in yesterday." he answered "Need a hand?" seeing that she wasn't quite tall enough.

"If you don't mind."

Ray stood up and walked over to Sam, who then moved out of the way so he could get what she wanted.

Max, Kate and Ben watched the interaction between the two and wondered what was going on.

*-Since when have Ray and Sam been so…pally?-* Max wondered.
"So… are you two coming back to Tyson's?" he asked finally finding his voice.

"Of course we are Max." Ray replied.

"Whatever made you think we wouldn't?" Sam asked laughing a little.

"Try the fact that ran you off and left us." Ben said his voice extremely serious.

"I didn't leave you anywhere Ben." Sam replied her voice sounding ice cold.

"Yea right." He said disbelieving.

"Besides… now that your father knows I thought it was about time he did his share of looking after you," she said her cheeriness returning.

Ben said nothing and Kate had tears in her eyes.

"But you still left us…" Kate said.

Sam went over and cuddled her.
"I'm sorry Kate but I just needed sometime to think so I came back here. I always intended to go back before you woke up but Ray and I just got talking and I didn't realise the time." She explained then seeing the tears run down her daughters cheeks she said "Ray could you get me a tissue please."

"Sure." He answered while getting what she wanted, then walking over and give to her.

"Thanks." She smiled at him then turned her attention back to Kate and began to wipe the tears away. "You okay now?" she asks.

Kate gave a nod.

Through all this Max watched Sam and Ray's behaviour towards each other and wondered if there was something goin on between them.
"We'd better be getting back to Tyson's. They'll be wondering where we are." He couldn't help but notice the sadness that appeared on Sam's face as he said that

"Right Max" Ray said.

They all headed towards Tyson's place, Kate happily holding onto her mother's hand as they walked.

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Back at Tyson's -

"Hey Kai you okay? You haven't said a thing all morning." Tyson said.

Kai wouldn't answer but just lent against the wall in his normal position looking down at Dranzer.

"Hello… Earth to Kai."

Still Tyson got no response.
"What's with you today Kai?" he continued determined to get a response even if it was just a glare.

Kai sighed.
"Would you just leave me alone for once Tyson." He finally said walking away and putting Dranzer back in his pocket.

"Man what's his problem?" walking over to Kenny.

"I think that maybe you." Dizzi said half joking.

"Very funny Dizzi." Tyson said back.

"Hey I was laughing." Dizzi replied.

"You were the only one that was." Tyson says.

"Will you two cut it out, you're both driving me nuts." Kenny suddenly said surprising them both.

"Heh sorry Chief." Tyson apologised.

At that moment Max walked through the gates.

"Hey Maxie." Tyson greeted glad he had someone else to talk to.
He was about to walk over to when he spotted the others behind him.

Ben looked very annoyed and Kate was happily holding on to someone's hand he couldn't see who it was at first then he saw…

"Sam! Ray!" he exclaimed.

"Huh?" Kenny said looking up from his laptop.

"Where have you guys been?" Tyson asked running over to them.

"No need to worry Tyson we were just over at Sam's place." Ray said.

Sam smiled and gave a nod confirming what Ray had said.

"That's where Ben and Kate ran off to in such a hurry." Max added.

"You could've at least left a note or something." Kenny says walking over to them.

"She tried to dump us on our father." Ben remarked sourly.

Tyson and Kenny looked at Sam waiting for a reply but instead they saw that she was holding Ray's arm and shaking her head at him.

"Er… what's going on?" Tyson asked.

"Ben believes that mum left us and wasn't going to return." Kate started to explain.

"But Ray and I got chatting and I totally forgot about the time." Sam continued.

"I find that hard to believe." Kai said suddenly appearing.

"Believe what you want Kai but it's true."

Everyone was amazed at the tension that suddenly arose between Kai and Sam. If anyone walked in now they would've thought that they were bitter rivals instead of long ago lovers.

*-She really doesn't love him anymore.-* Ray thought sadly.