The chapter every one's been waiting for! Okay, this is from Ami's POV. Warning, fluffiness ensures! Probably the fluffiest fluff chapter I've ever written! I don't own Sailor Moon.
It had been two days since Ami last visited Keiichi. Two days filled with happiness, love, worry, sorrow and guilt.
Keiichi is Zoisite and Zoisite is Keiichi.
No matter how hard she tried to twist that thought, she always ended up with the same phrase. Maybe it was because of the love that she had held in check ever since they went their own ways—him in death, her in life. No longer was he just a wishful thinking. Now that she knew who he really was, that love kept on threatening to overflow from her heart and sweep through her entire being like the blood in her veins.
It took all of her will to stay away just so she could think things through and not crowd him. She wanted him to remember his past on his own. She didn't want her presence to force him to recall lest his past memories become distorted with new ones. But that wasn't just the only reason why she kept her distance. Another one was the fear of disappointment.
What if he doesn't remember?
What if he does not love me back?
What if I'm not his soul mate?
What if...?
Too many questions plagued her mind. Doubts that added to her guilt. Zoisite had been reincarnated as Keiichi. And in the process it had made Ami happy because she could be with Zoisite (even just as a friend).
And now she was walking along the familiar hospital hallways, carrying a small bouquet. She knew she should not play with his memories but she couldn't help it. Giving some flowers that very much resembled the ones given to her from him was her silent way of asking if his memory was back. She couldn't very well ask outright or she might embarrass herself or scare him away, maybe even both.
She stopped in front of his room, took three cleansing breaths then knocked softly on the door. A muffled 'come in' was heard so she pushed the door open only to stop at the hall. Standing beside the bed was a beautiful woman. Her heart dropped to her stomach and the gastric juices that gnawed through it were replaced by jealousy.
Who is she and what does she mean to Keiichi?
"Can I help you?" The woman walked closer to her with a puzzled look. Ami dared to look at the bed and see for herself if this woman was special based on his facial expression. But she got her second surprise for that day. The guy on the bed was not Keiichi (or Zoisite for that matter). The guy, who was looking as equally puzzled as his girlfriend, was a stranger.
"I'm sorry. I think I have the wrong room," Ami made her apologies and quickly went out the room then leaned on the closed door. It took her a while to calm her heavily beating heart.
Noriko was right. I am an idiot, working myself up for nothing, she thought ruefully with a sigh. She pushed herself off the door and glanced at the number etched on it.
And then she glanced again.
Eh? Room 512. But this is Keiichi's room! A sense of dread spread through her insides. It can't be. Please don't let it be.
But her suspicions were correct. After a brief inquiry at the nurse's station, she found out that Keiichi was indeed released the day before. She had gone this far already so she decided to ask his home address even though she knew that it was against hospital policies. After a couple of minutes of friendly persuasion (then begging), the nurse on duty was about to give her the info but Fate decided to add another hurdle. The head nurse, who was a sucker for obeying the rules word for word, arrived at that moment and gave a glare that shirked any kind of response from the other nurse.
Ami walked away dejectedly and did an unusual hobby she had developed ever since she met Keiichi, which was walking aimlessly around Tokyo. She was so getting good at it that she no longer bumped into people, mailboxes or poles. People and cars alike were the ones who were swerving so as they wouldn't collide with the obviously distressed blue-haired girl.
Now what?
She didn't have his number or address. All she knew was his name plus the names of his other family members. Those and his connection with Mira. She didn't even know what he did when he was not out saving little girls. With those kinds of information, it will take her days even weeks to find him. Tokyo was a big place with a population not to be snorted at.
She wanted to see him...now! She had waited two long years.
Even if he did not love her back anymore, she would still love him. That way she would have some sort of closure despite of the pain it might inflict.
Zoisite...where are you...come to me...
A sudden gust of wind brought her back to reality. Looking around, she found out that she had wandered far and was now standing several meters from the foot of Tokyo Tower. People—locals and tourists alike—were bustling around her but she did not notice a single one of them.
An intense feeling of melancholy overcame her as she looked up at the massive structure. Different images flashed through her head—all of them memories from Cephiro. Some happy, some scary, some sad.
Zoisite...
She was always happy when she was with him. His presence always brought comfort. His gaze chased away the chill of her problems and brought warmth. His voice calmed her spirit and his arms brought her home.
Home. In his arms she felt peace. The few times she found herself in his embrace had always made her forget about everything but him. He was her home—not Tokyo, not Earth, not Mercury. She belonged with him and she wished with all of her heart and mind that he had realized that he belonged with her.
Zoisite...
She buried her nose in the flowers that she still had with her. She inhaled their sweet scent, willing her tears to go away. Another wind blew her way again, stirring her sundress and hair. Some flowers that got loose from the plastic wrapping flew with the wind, giving her an image of being bathed with multicolored petals.
Some people stopped from whatever they were doing and stared at the ethereal image the blue-haired woman projected. Her sorrow itself had magnified her beauty tenfold. She looked like someone you would want to hug and shelter from the world, especially from whatever it was that troubled her.
Ami was still unaware of everything but her thoughts. She did not notice the people looking at her. Nor did she notice the one person among the crowd who dared approach her. He stopped two feet away from her and bent over to pick up a flower that fell from the bouquet. He went nearer to her and brushed the hair from her face with gentle fingers.
Her eyes opened at the touch. Sapphire eyes that filled with tears yet again at the sight of him. Tears she was not able to hold back as he tucked the soft stem behind her ear. But despite of her blurry vision she could still see the change in his wonderful amber eyes. The soft way he was looking at her almost made her heart burst in anticipation.
Zoisite.
"Ami."
He said it! He said my name! Once she said that she'd know for sure if Keiichi was really Zoisite once she heard him say her name. And now she heard it and the doubt was starting to ebb from her heart, mind and soul.
"Zoisite," she whispered back. Something flickered in his eyes when she said his previous self's name. That reaction was forgotten when he suddenly took her in his arms and buried his face against her soft mane.
At last! She was home!
She released her hold on the bouquet and the flowers dropped on the ground. Bright, colorful petals adorned the gray cement of the place as the wind scattered them in different directions. Her arms went around his waist and hugged him with the same amount of fierceness his arms were giving her.
They stayed in the silent embrace for several minutes. Bystanders had long ago gone about their ways but not without a happy if not envious smile on their faces. All of them agreed on one thing...Such a beautiful couple. So in love with each other.
After a while she felt him move against her hair and felt his lips brush her ear. She tried to hide the shiver that was threatening to rack her body but couldn't stop it when she heard him whisper in her ear. "I missed you."
His arms tightened a fraction more when she started sobbing. Did he miss me because I hadn't seen him for two days or was it his past self that's talking? Had he remembered yet? How different was Keiichi from Zoisite?
"Keiichi-san..."
His eyes flickered yet again. He did not let her continue for his lips swooped down on hers for a short, hard kiss. He stared at her face afterwards, eyes lingering at her reddening cheeks. "Zoisite. I want you to call me Zoisite. I remember now, Ami. I remember my past. And I'm not going to let you go again."
"And I won't ever leave you again. I won't make the same mistake twice," she smiled wistfully at him.
"Nor I. I realized something, my Ami."
She shivered yet again at the possessive words as well as at the fingers brushing her tears away. "What is it?"
"That I'm not going to let another minute pass without saying I love you."
"Funny. I was thinking the same thing earlier but then I couldn't find you."
"It wasn't your duty to find me. I heard you call. I'm the one who was supposed to find you. And I did."
"Yes...yes, you did. The wait is over now Zoisite. Nothing will keep us apart any more."
"Ami..."
She knew what he wanted to hear; saw the question in his eyes. Her finger found its way to his lips to keep him quiet. "I love you too, my Zoisite."
A smile appeared on his face and was reflected in his eyes, giving him a boyish look. He gave her finger a soft kiss before he lifted her by the waist despite his injured shoulder and twirled their bodies around with an exultant laugh.
It was a sound she had almost forget. She hadn't heard him laugh in so long. It was an enchanting sound especially when mixed with her own laughter. He stopped after a while and gently placed her down on her feet. Her world did not stop whirling though for he chose that moment to kiss her again, this time with a passion that made her insides tingle with love and happiness.
But this was not how her story ended. In fact, Ami's story was just beginning.
Awww! How adorable! Don't worry. I'm doing an epilogue! Please RR