Epilogue

One year later…

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

"Yes, don't worry about me." Ami hastened to reassure her friend. The changeling had been coddling her all day, and it was starting to wear on her nerves. He meant well, but Ami needed some space. She was desperately grateful to Minako when the once famous pop Idol made up an excuse to drag Artemis out of the house for the evening.

"But you've been so sad, you're sure you don't want us to stay?" The lanky man placed a comforting hand on Ami's shoulder. He smiled queerly as he wiggled his thin white eyebrows. "We could make coco and have some girl-talk."

Ami couldn't help but smile a little. Artemis knew she wouldn't accept the offer, but Ami had been in a funk for the last few days and he needed to see her smile. Ami squeezed his hand reassuringly before removing it from her shoulder. "Thanks Artie, I just prefer to be alone tonight."

"Are you sure?" Artemis pressed on in his usual melodic tone.

"Art!" Minako pulled the silver haired man away from their roommate. "She will be fine. Go downstairs and start up the car." Minako spoke in English, still not able to fully grasp the Japanese language.

"Oh all right." Artemis pouted as he started down the hall toward the elevators. He paused halfway before turning once more to his friends. "Girlfriend if you need anything, just call my cell." The tall white haired man made a phone gesture with his hand and wiggled it next to his ear. Minako gave him an annoyed glare, to which he made a funny face before returning on his path toward the elevators.

Minako spared a small smile to her longtime companion before turning to face the young woman who had become her best friend. Ami smiled gratefully as Artemis finally got into the elevator and left them alone. "Thank you for taking him out tonight." Ami spoke softly, her mind obviously burdened with other things.

"No problem, I know how important it is for you to have your space today." Minako paused for a moment, not sure as to what she could say to her hurting friend. "Uhm, I think we'll stay at Ms. Hino's temple tonight."

Ami looked surprised, then grateful. Today was an anniversary of sorts for Ami, though not a good one. Old memories were weighing heavily upon her, and she needed some space. Minako seemed to pick up on that and was graciously giving her the room she needed. Ami was touched that her friend would make that sacrifice for her. It was no secret that although Minako and Rei were good friends, they were also tremendous rivals. They mixed like oil and water and it was not usually a good idea to have them in the same place for any length of time.

Awkwardly, Minako reached out to hug her friend and place a kiss on her cheek. "Please, call us if you need to talk ok?"

"Thank you Mina." Ami whispered as she retuned the hug and kiss. With a gentle squeeze of Ami's hand, Minako departed.

Ami sighed as she watched her friend enter the elevator before she turned inside, locking the door behind her.

After Minako and Artemis had left, Ami decided on a long soak in her tub. The young woman sighed as she ran a trembling hand through her short blue locks. She let her thoughts drift back to the events of one year prior, when she had first confessed her love to Juni Asagai. Tragically, less than twenty-four hours later Juni had died. She was the first of many people that died because of her. Whether or not that was true was debatable, but Ami always carried the burden of the dead.

Finishing her soak Ami drained the tub and made her way to her room to change. When Juni had died, she had left instructions with her lawyer to award the majority of her estate to Ami. This included her condominium, car, and several hundred million yen. The Crystal Academy was left to the surviving teachers. Makoto also received two-million yen.

Ami paused outside the closed door that used to lead into Juni's bedroom. It was where Ami first made love to her. Now though it was just a painful reminder of the past, which is why she offered the room to Minako. Ami's continued on to her room, which used to serve as Garoben's study. Here Ami felt most comfortable, as she could still feel the faint aura of her slain lover and the demon who shared her body. The room also still served as a portal to Garoben's lair in the Dark Kingdom. A place that Ami had called home for several long months.

Ami reveled in the memory of her love, before beginning to gather the items she needed for the ritual she had planned. Once she had everything she needed, Ami went about the condo closing all the blinds, and turning off the lights. As the darkness engulfed her, Ami placed four candles in a circle around her. Traditionally, these candles represented the four points of the compass, but for Ami they also symbolized the four people closest to her who had died over the last year.

Easily finding her way in the dark, Ami lit a few sticks of incense and placed a calming CD on repeat. Ami returned to her room where she retrieved a few of Juni's personal items that she had saved, and the diary that she kept over the last year.

Once everything was prepared, Ami shirked her clothes before entering the circle. She spared a brief thought to the fact that until recently she would always do this dressed in a robe. Thanks to the influence of her completely uninhibited girlfriend, Ami has become much more comfortable with things that used to embarrass her half to death.

Taking a seat in the center of the circle, Ami took a series of calming breaths. These techniques were taught to her by Rei and Vasile, her devoted mentor and hated enemy, to clear the mind and relax the body. Once her mind was clear, Ami picked up one of the items in front of her. It was a velvet box containing a simple but beautiful pair of earrings that were Juni's favorite. Ami looked upon them and remembered.

It was around a month after they had first met, and Juni had just started tutoring her. Ami had a habit of staring at her teacher, but was lucky enough to never get caught. This time however she was, but instead of making excuses she had plainly spoke what was on her mind. "Those earrings are really beautiful on you. They suit you well." A simple compliment, but it had caught Juni off guard and had left the teacher blushing. Ami smiled at the memory, thinking of a few other times when Juni had worn them.

Ami replaced the earrings in the pile of things she brought into the circle of candles. One by one, she went through the rest of the items in a similar manner. Each thing seemed insignificant, but they all held a simple, but precious memory for the young woman shifting through them. Over an hour passed before the only item left was the diary. With teary eyes and shaking hand, Ami reached for it and began to read it for the last time.

Many hours and tears later she was finished. Looking at the items once again, Ami gathered them all up and placed them into a small antique cauldron that Francesco had given her before he died. Wiping away the last of her tears, Ami made her way around the circle extinguishing most of the long burning candles. The last one she took with the cauldron to her balcony.

Donning a thin white robe, Ami walked out onto her balcony setting the cauldron near the edge. Ami's eyes were drawn to the sky, where out of the corner of her eye a star streaked through the night's canopy. Ami took a deep breath before smiling slightly through renewed tears. "I love you Juni Asagai."

Nothing else was said as Ami picked up her diary and set it aflame with the last remaining candle. Once lit, Ami dropped the burning book into the cauldron. Ami watched the flames slowly burn. So much had happened in the last year. Ami had been witness to countless horrors and had to live through the deaths of friends and family. She even sacrificed herself in an attempt to save those close to her, but through a miracle she returned to the living world.

Not all was bad; she also found many friends and even someone who could be more. However, as much as that person pursued her, and as much as she wanted to accept and return her love, Ami, could not shake the pangs of heartbreak and grief that Juni's death had left her with. Tonight was her way of celebrating her first love's life, mourning her death, and saying goodbye.

The sound of the opening door reached Ami, though she was not startled. She knew who it was. Even though she told her that she wanted to be alone tonight, her girlfriend had correctly assumed that her presence would be appreciated

A sigh escaped Ami's lips as strong arms wrapped around her. The night continued in silence. Ami, wrapped securely in a warm embrace relished in the support and love she received. Long after the fire burnt out and the ashes cooled, Ami sat wrapped in her lover's arms staring at the stars, just remembering.

The End