Author's Note- Yeah! Chapter 2! I just want to thank every single person who took time out of their busy schedule to write me a little review. One line long, five lines long- every email means so much to me! (tear) So please, continue to review!

Disclaimer- Still don't own Rayearth, still depressing.

Miracle Girl

Chapter 2

Insomnia

Ferio chased the subway until it rolled out of view, the green eyed girl watching him with a look of fear on her face. Growling in anger he turned and stormed back outside, ignoring the strange looks he received. In his frustration he smashed his fist against a nearby wall. Shaking it to relieve the stinging sensation, Ferio plunged the now damaged hand deep into his pocket. He couldn't understand what was going on!

Ferio had stopped at the small previously unvisited bank after being begged by his cousin to check his savings account balance. His cousin was too busy with work, and he needed to know for some reason.

After entering he had immediately noticed the bright emerald green uniforms that the cashiers were forced to wear. Bright and baggy, a uniform consisting of potato sacks would have been more attractive. They looked horrible on all of the employees, except for the one on the end. Her hair was golden and bobbed just under the ear, a natural curl at its' end. She was thin with a long elegant neck, and curves in all the right places that even a bulky uniform couldn't hid. He let his eyes wander over her, drinking their fill. Large glasses framed thick black lashes and eyes that kept glancing at the clock on the far wall. Although her other attributes were breathtaking, it was the eyes that caused his heart to stop. Generous and expressive, the green orbs spoke volumes even though they weren't directed at him. A name tag perched above her right breast read "Fuu" and he thanked heaven that name tags were required.

He had watched her, unsure of what to do. Never before had he had problems talking to a pretty girl. There was something about her though- that he just couldn't put a finger on. Deciding to ask her for a pen, Ferio thought about her reaction with a smile on her face. He had been planning to return the pen and then casually ask her out for coffee. That wasn't meant to be however. The bank had been robbed, and the woman named Fuu had shown him something amazing. And now the robbers were in custody, the hostages were safe, and the girl gone. He clenched his hand in fury, and winced at the sudden pain that the fresh injury emitted.

Feeling his anger ebb, he walked back to the crime scene and waited for Hikaru. On the way he found an emerald green pump that Fuu had lost while making a hasty escape. Eyeing it as if it would answer all his questions, he furrowed his eyebrows in frustration, and shoved the shoe deep into his coat pocket.

Seeing Hikaru in the distance, he quickened his pace. She was talking animatedly with Lantis, a tall, dark, haired, prone to brooding cop. He stood stoically, nodding occasionally at something she said. Hikaru twiddled a finger through her hair and Ferio watched as she went up on her tip toes and whispered something in his ear. Ferio smiled at how funny the two of them looked. A slow small grin spread on Lantis' face, and he nodded a 'yes.' Hikaru blushed and Ferio listened as she gave a hasty and rather clumsy goodbye. Tripping over her own feet, she turned toward Ferio and quickly hid a goofy smile. Lantis watched her walk away, the smirk never wavering. Meeting Ferio's eyes briefly, he nodded, the smile slowly turning back into an ever present frown. He nodded back.

"What was that all about?" Ferio asked, turning back to Hikaru, a sly grin on his face.

Lantis and Hikaru were polar opposites, and yet the two of them seemed to be spending more and more time together. It was too funny to watch. Ferio was like a big brother to her, and was glad that she had found someone that she liked, and who seemed to like her back. Of course, with Lantis, Ferio could never be sure. The two of them had worked their issues out long ago, but the scars ran deep. They had eventually come to a certain understanding about Hikaru and each other.

"Nothing." Hikaru smiled, still blushing, "What's going on with you, you seem very anxious."

Her head cocked to one side as she changed the subject, the blush fading promptly. He banished the thoughts of Lantis from his mind. Hikaru would be disappointed in him if she knew that he didn't trust someone that she did.

Ferio looked at the ground.

"Tonight really shook me up."

"I know what you mean. It's weird to be a part of the robbery-to be on the other side- you know?"

She replaced her cap and faced the bank.

"They were very lucky that you happened to be there. The security system is so old, that the emergency system didn't even work." Hikaru wrapped an arm around his back in comfort, "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there. You saved them. You did a good job."

Hikaru always knew how to cheer him up. They had been friends for years, having met while training, and he trusted her more than anyone. He needed help tracking down Fuu and knew that Hikaru would agree wholeheartedly. The two of them seemed to have bonded during questioning. If she knew anything about Fuu, than he might have a higher chance of finding her, and getting the answers he craved.

"Hikaru are we almost done here?" Ferio needed to talk to her now.

"Just about. Why? What's going on?"

Hikaru looked at him with curiosity written on her round face. He smiled at her sudden attentiveness. Sensing that something was wrong with him, Hikaru would drop everything to help. He was lucky to have her as a friend.

"I… That is… I just need to talk with you."

Usually eloquent, Ferio now stumbled to find words.

"Yeah, we're just about done. Let me turn in this last report, then we can go get some coffee." He nodded, and watched her weave in and out of the crowd toward a police car in the distance, her small form disappearing into the sea of people. Glancing again at the bank, he felt a frown mar his usually smiling face.

"Alright, lets blow this joint."

Hikaru had made record time and stood smiling at him. Shaking his head at how silly she looked in the uniform he started down the street. She bounded after him, a slight spring in her step. Turning the corner, he saw a small coffee house at the next corner.

"Is this alright?"

Ferio asked, opening the door for her. She giggled girlishly at the gentlemanly gesture and went inside. Dimly lit tables lined the walls, and large pieces of bright artwork looked down at the occupants. Several eyes followed them, Hikaru still in her police uniform, but after a few minutes their attentiveness dimmed. Ordering coffee, Ferio's black and strong, Hikaru's a hot chocolate with extra chocolate, they sat in a table nestled between the two back walls.

Feeling a sudden weight on his shoulders, Ferio let himself slump forward and rested his head briefly in his hands.

"Tonight didn't just shake me up because of the whole robbery." Ferio started, unsure of what to say, "That woman Fuu, something happened with her."

Hikaru remained quiet, letting him tell the story at his own pace.

He spoke at first haltingly, then at Hikaru's smiles of support his voice became quiet yet confident. A smile was brought to his face as he went even into the most minor of details. In particular Hikaru's eyebrows shot up in curiosity after he described how beautiful Fuu was for five minutes before realizing that she had met her only hours earlier. He blushed profusely then quickly moved on. As the story ended, he paused briefly before telling her about the second shot, the dying boy, and the bright light that healed him.

He stared into his coffee cup, unsure of how to end it.

"So, I… I chased her to the subway, and she got away. I'm so confused about what happened, and I need to talk with her."

Ferio looked at Hikaru, reading the open expression on her face.

"She healed that boy?" Ferio nodded, hoping that she would believe him, "I thought her story sounded a little fishy, but… Wow…"

Hikaru drank deeply from her now lukewarm hot chocolate, then set the cup down with a resounding clank. The noise rang through the quiet coffee house, and Ferio watched an embarrassed flush spread on her face. Shaking her head as if to dispel the moment from her mind, she looked at him with a renewed fever in her eyes.

"Anyways," She started, "Do you need me to help you track her down? That's why you told me right?"

He looked at the table guiltily and nodded. She knew how to read him like a book, and although he could do the same with her it was more than unnerving.

"Alright! Cause, I actually really liked her. She was so kind and quiet, talking to her made me feel…at peace. Weird huh?" She scratched her now scrunched up nose, "Well, we had to take down her address and everything, because she was a witness, so tomorrow we can start there. Is that what you were thinking?"

"That sounds great." Of course, he hadn't been thinking that, for some unknown reason he hadn't been able to think of anything. He glanced at his wrist watch. It was already midnight, "So we'll go after work then?"

She nodded, getting up and putting her coat on. Ferio picked up his light jacket and slipped it on his shoulders. Just thinking about seeing Fuu again made him shake with excitement. Fuu had made him a junkie. After just meeting her once, he needed her again, like a highly addictive drug. He pictured her curvy body, soft looking blonde hair, and gorgeous eyes. Feeling her soft body pressed up against his after her dizzy spell had been an amazing feeling. His breath had hitched and he had to consciously remove his unwilling arm from her shoulders.

"Ferio? Ferio?"

Ferio blinked and dismissed the memories for the moment. Hikaru stood in front of him waving her hands wildly.

"Almost lost you there, didn't I?"

She smiled wickedly, reading his thoughts yet again. He buttoned his coat, trying to find an excuse not to look Hikaru in the eyes. She took the lead out of the restaurant and stepped into the now chilled air. Breathing out small white puffs, Ferio wrapped his arms around his torso in an effort to keep warm. Putting an arm in the air to catch the next available cab she frowned as the first one sped by. Ferio stood next to her and put his own arm in the air, keeping the other close to his body.

"When are you moving?" He asked Hikaru.

At the moment she lived on the other side of the island, and gas prices, cab fares, and rent were not agreeing with her. Hikaru had been looking for a more closer, more spacious apartment to move into, and the last time they had chatted about it, she had several in mind.

"Well, actually I may visit one tomorrow if I have time. There is an apartment pretty close to the station that I read about in the paper looking for roommates. It'll hold four, and the two people living there are looking for two more. I always wanted roommates! It's even pet friendly!"

Ferio nodded. Hikaru would never move anywhere without her beloved dog, but finding apartments that housed dogs was tough. Her dog wasn't exactly a poodle either.

"I even talked to one of the roommates earlier today. She was so nice! I'm really excited."

Ferio watched another cab zoom by. Hikaru truly deserved the best. She was kind, sweet, and the most understanding person he had met in his entire life. Even though she had had so many difficulties in the past year, from apartment problems to a death in the family, she would always smile and show a keen resolve to move forward. Ferio admired her for that, not that he would ever tell her. She would only deny it profusely before becoming so embarrassed that she wouldn't be able to talk to him for days. A cab slowed down finally pulling over and Hikaru literally jumped up in joy. Opening the door for her, Ferio smiled at his adoptive sister. She sat down in the rubbery seat and turned to Ferio, her eyes unexpectedly serious.

"Don't worry Ferio. I'll help you in any way I can. Everything is going to work out."

Hearing those words brought a calming sensation to his mind and he messed up her hair affectionately.

"Goodnight." He shut the cab door and watched it pull away.

With a sigh he glanced at his watch again and put his other hand in the air. 12:30, and he had to be in office by 8. After another fifteen minutes, a second cab stopped. Shutting the door behind him, he sat for a moment deep in thought.

"Hey buddy." the cab driver's voice was raspy, "Where to?"

Sitting there Ferio realized that he was way to tense to go home and try to sleep. He would just toss and turn. His body needed sleep, but his head was ignoring it and adrenaline was still being pumped through his veins. Thinking briefly for a moment he gave a different address.

"210 on 11th and 3rd."

Sitting back into the grimy seat he watched the bright lights of the city roll by. Soft music the cabby was listening to wafted into the back seat, and the smell of perfume and B.O. hung in the air. The street was lined with cars and people still at this time of night. New York truly was a city that never slept. And Ferio knew only one other person who was prone to insomnia as much as he was. Hopefully she was around right now.

The cab stopped abruptly and Ferio caught himself with his hand on the seat in front of him. Paying the cabbie, he stepped out of the car and walked up the building's front steps. The building resided in a nice part of the city, and Ferio paused a moment to look out on the less busy street. Turning back toward the brick building he quickly found the name E. Random and buzzed the 8th floor. After waiting a few painstaking moments he heard a soft voice.

"Ferio, is that you?" Ferio smiled. She always knew when it was him.

"It's me."

The door went off loudly and Ferio entered the building. A large lobby with intricate rugs and large mirrors decorated the first floor. A desk that usually held an old deaf man named Earl was empty. Walking to the elevators he pressed the 'up' button and waited impatiently. This elevator for some reason always took forever.

He left the elevator and stepped into his sister's apartment. The entire floor was a large apartment, with a kitchen, 4 bedrooms, a living room, and a bath and a half. Decorated neatly in pink, brown, and light green the rooms felt open and inviting. With no lights on, Ferio saw a shaft of light from beneath the bathroom door, and could hear the shower running. Walking over to one of the couches' end tables, he picked up a picture of him and his sister from when they first met.

The shower stopped and Ferio relaxed onto the couch, waiting for her. She always did everything at the weirdest times. He had stopped in at two in the morning once to find her baking a cake.

After a few minutes the door cracked open. A slim back came into view, the body barely covered with a towel, and Ferio knew immediately that it wasn't his sister. His sister wasn't that tall, nor did she have the amazingly curvaceous body that this woman did. Swallowing he realized that he was immersed in the shadows, spying on his sister's roommate and she didn't have any idea. Hair in a towel, she lifted a hand and tucked a stray lock back into place. The small movement caused her towel to ride even higher and gave Ferio a dry throat. Her skin was ivory and flawless. He wished she would turn around.

Turning off the bathroom light, she walked to the end of the hall and went into the far right bedroom. The door closed and a soft light emitted from the door's gaps. Pausing a moment to get himself under control he pushed the image of the towel clad woman out of his mind and searched again for his sister. He pinched himself painfully. Why did a pretty girl always revert him back into a seventeen year old? If she had realized that he had been spying, even if unintentionally, he was sure that she wouldn't understand his situation. He didn't know any girl who would. A noise came from the kitchen, and he knocked lightly.

"You don't need to knock Ferio!"

Pushing open the wooden door, he peeked into the dimly lit room.

Emeraude looked up from the large chocolate sundae she was eating at the table. Hair pulled back in a braid, she wore a plain t-shirt for pajamas. It reached well beyond her knees, and Ferio knew that it was probably Zagato's. Like Hikaru, Emeraude's frame was tiny. Pulling out the chair across from her, he flipped it around and straddled it, leaning his head onto his forearms. Emeraude handed him a spoon and he dug into the other end of her sundae. With long blond hair, deep blue eyes, and amazingly petite stature, Emeraude and Ferio couldn't look less related.

They ate in silence, the sundae quickly disappearing. Chocolate dripped onto his chin, and he wiped it away haphazardly. Ferio licked his spoon as Emeraude picked up the now empty bowl and brought it over to the sink. She rinsed it in hot water and hummed softly to herself. Being around Hikaru was comforting, but being around his sister was the best feeling in the world. There was no pressure between them. He didn't have to say anything and neither did she. They could just sit in each other's presences and take comfort in that.

Having been separated when he was less than a year, Ferio was amazed to find out at eighteen that he had an older sister. At that age he hadn't even known that he was adopted. They had met at a small café, and talked for hours. Ever since that day, he never went more than a few days without seeing her. Looking back, he didn't want to think about what would have happened to him if she hadn't come into his life. He definitely wouldn't be in the service of protecting others. Emeraude was for a long time, his world. Strong and serious, he felt a need to protect her from her own sense of responsibility.

Ferio met Zagato 4 years after he had met Emeraude. Zagato had saved Emeraude from a mugger while she walked home a few weeks before, and they had hit it off immediately. When she introduced him to Ferio, things hadn't gone so smoothly. Even if he didn't exactly like the guy, Ferio was first to admit that Zagato was a good honest man. Not that it made him feel any better that she depended on Zagato and not him. It made him even angrier that he was jealous of that guy. She loaded the dirty bowl into the dishwasher, then moved out into the living room. Ferio followed and settled himself on the couch next to her.

"So, did Connie and Clara finally move out?"

Ferio remembered the loud roommates who had shared quarters with his sister for over six months. Connie was loud, annoying, and amazingly messy, while Clara was argumentative and bitchy. They hadn't gotten along in the least, and when each had announced plans to move out, Ferio had wholeheartedly agreed.

Emeraude nodded, and smiled. She had been nice to Connie and Clara, but Ferio could see the stress they had caused her. Because of her sense of duty, she had felt that it wasn't right to ask them to leave. Those two roommates he was glad to see gone.

"And what about the other one?"

Ferio had never met his sister's fourth roommate. She was an early riser and never was up or around when he dropped by for a visit. Of course he had just seen her in a towel, but he didn't really consider that a formal introduction, considering that all he saw was a good amount of flesh and none of it was her face.

"She's okay. Drawn a little thin I think. Work I guess was hard today, but she didn't really elaborate." Emeraude frowned at her last statement. Emeraude seemed to really like her last roommate, but her roommate wasn't exactly the most friendly person.

"Little bird doesn't like to talk a lot." She smiled at the nickname her roommate had acquired, "But, I'm working on her. I just know she wants to sing."

Ferio sunk lower into the couch and let his head fall back. His eyes closed, and he once again felt the weight of the day on his shoulders.

"I know you will sis. You can do anything."

And the statement was true. Ferio knew that whatever Emeraude put her mind to, she could accomplish. She was that driven, and that talented. And he was the luckiest brother in the world to have someone like her. He felt her small hand on his knee, and cracked an eye open.

"Your tired, you need to rest. What time do you have to be into work tomorrow?"

Emeraude's voice was soft but unyielding. Like Ferio, she felt an unequaled need to protect her sibling, even if it was from himself and his horrible habits. It didn't matter to her that she had nearly all the same habits as him.

"Eight." He croaked out in a tired and strained voice.

"Its past 2." An edge of annoyance had crept into her voice as she stood up and straightened her messy braid.

"I know."

"Well," she plopped down next to him and brushed his hair affectionately out of his eyes. It didn't matter that he was 23 and a grown man, all she could see when she looked at him was a little brother. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

Emeraude nodded before sitting back and flipping on the TV. Watching a late night rerun of some sitcom, they sat in silence. If he didn't want to talk about it, than Emeraude wouldn't press him.

"I've gotten some applications for the two empty rooms." she spoke in flat uninteresting voice, her eyes never leaving the TV. "Hopefully I'll have two new roommates by the end of the month."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, and saw a small smile on her face.

"I really like some of the applicants." she flipped onto her side and rested her head on the arm of the couch, using an afghan on the back of it as a blanket. He slouched even lower and rested his head on a hand.

"Cool."

Sitting next to her, they watched the old sitcom and then the one after it. Glancing at the clock, he groaned at the time. It was nearly 4. Ferio stood up slowly and stretched trying to work out his tense knotted muscles. He would be feeling tonight tomorrow morning.

"Hey Emer-"

He stopped mid sentence when he saw her eyes fastened shut, and drool in the corner of her mouth. Her tiny hands were balled into fists as she clenched the afghan in a death grip. Ferio straightened the afghan so it covered her feet, and smiled at the funny image she made. No one would believe that this girl who looked no older than 13 was actually 27. Leaning over he kissed her on the forehead, before letting himself out of the apartment, taking careful heed to lock the door.

The cool January wind bit at Ferio's heels as he strolled down the street. Street lamps lined the quiet car-less road, and his own ghost like breath was like a jack hammer in the still night. There was no way a cabbie would be wandering around in this area, and he walked toward a busier intersection hoping to find better luck.

After what seemed like an eternity, Ferio finally found a cab, and got home. He strolled up the stairs to the second floor where his apartment was, and let himself in with a resounding 'click' of the key. Walking through the dark rooms, he stumbled into his bedroom. Ferio didn't bother to turn on the light. Kicking off his shoes and pants his hand froze when it reached to take off his coat. Out of the pocket he pulled out the object, not needing the light to know that it was a size 7 emerald green pump. Ferio let his fingers brush over the material, and allowed himself to picture her in his mind. Trying to remember how her weight had felt when he supported her, he wondered briefly how soft her skin was.

Fuu, standing behind the service counter, her large green eyes eyeing the clock longingly. It wasn't an image he would soon forget. There was just something about her that he couldn't explain. More than anything in the world, he felt an incontrollable urge to protect her.

Working his hand, he tried to relieve the stiffness that had set in. The fact that she had retreated from him, hurt him in more ways than one. Couldn't she see that all he wanted was to keep her safe? Acting as if she was a deer caught in headlights, she fled blindly. She had escaped, and his anger was more than a little irrepressible. His hand had suffered unfortunately from his lack of control. He wouldn't be punching another wall anytime soon.

He put the shoe on his nightstand and finished taking of his jacket and shirt. He threw the pile of clothing into the hamper, not even bothering to see if his aim was accurate. Struggling under the sheets in only a pair of boxers, he eyed the shoe once more.

Tomorrow he would hopefully come face to face with the intriguing Fuu once more. He was determined this time to not let her escape. She affected him like no other woman ever had. Ferio needed to see her, needed to have her trust. In only a short amount of time she seemed to have gotten a hold off something deep within him. He would get to the bottom of this if only for his sanity. Because without her, he surely would lose what little control he had on it. No one, not even Hikaru or his sister made him feel this way. They were like sisters, they were family. Fuu was nothing of the sort. He burned for Fuu's touch, her smile, the light she radiated. It was like he was stuck in a twisted Cinderella story, and until he returned the lost shoe, and the last page was turned, he couldn't rest.

Rolling over, he attempted to extinguish his thoughts. There was no way he would be able to fall asleep thinking about Fuu. He laughed for a second at his own foolishness, like he would actually be able to not think of Fuu. When he shut his eyes, it was her face that he longed to see, and when he breathed it was her sent of lilacs that he longed to smell. Ferio glanced at his alarm clock, wondering if he would be able to squeeze in a few hours of sleep. It read 7 am.

Ferio threw the sheets to the floor, and stood up stiffly. Hopefully a cold shower would shake the exhausted feeling from his bones. Sighing heavily he glanced out his window. Morning light filtered through, and he squinted his eyes against the bright rays.

Once again Ferio had suffered from a case of all night insomnia.

Alright guys, I know this chapter there wasn't very much if any Fuu/Ferio. Don't worry, the next chapter should be chocked full of F/F goodness.

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