Disclaimer: No I do not any of these charaters ...m-must not cry...(starts bawling)

Sasame:Now, now don't cry so.

Rs: (sniff) You're being awfully nice (grows suspicious) Why?

Sasame: No reason!

Rs: I doubt it...oh well... THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER! YAY!

Sasame: Ow you're hurting my ears!

Rs: Oops sorry...well here we are!

Chapter 6: Not Alone Anymore

(recap)

Sasame-san? Are you alright?" Mawata's voice snapped me from my thoughts. "You're…crying…" she pointed out worriedly, her own tears long stopped.

I raised my hand to my cheek feeling the signature dampness of tears." So… I am. It's been so long but the pain is still as fresh as that day." I whispered hastily reaching up to wipe my eyes, as more shameful tears threatened to leak out, but Mawata stopped me.

"Didn't, didn't you tell me that it's ok to cry? Why hide your tears? You listened to my worries; you were there for me…Now I…"she paused tentatively embracing me, " want to be here for you."

Suddenly a dam collapsed inside of me as tears came cascading down my face. It was as if a part of me was melting inside...

She said nothing, holding my head against her chest as a mother comforts her child; a place of security where they obtained life's first nourishment. Her fingers gently ran through my hair as she hummed soothingly. I heaved a sigh when no more tears would come; her very heartbeat in my ears relaxed me.

" Do you feel better now? Did I say something wrong…to make you cry?" her voice rang harmoniously

" Iie, it's just the idea of boxing in your own feelings for the sake of others reminded me of something I once did a long time ago." I closed my eyes trying to blot out the memories of her in vain.

"What happened?"

I hesitated, "Have you heard about Takako? " I finally asked.

Mawata seemed to ponder that for a moment before responding. " Wasn't she the previous Pretear who fell in love with Hayate, but became the Princess of Disaster when her love wasn't returned…" Mawata's voice trailed off sadly.

I flinched slightly hearing my previous love described so…candidly, but it was the truth. "That is true, but what the others didn't know was that I-" I paused slightly not sure if I should go through with this, but decided to. "I loved Takako… I loved her…" I confessed.

Mawata fell silent for a moment. "So…when you talked about loving someone who loved another and not being able to protect them when their own love was rejected on TV that day…you meant Takako?"

"Hai." I admitted

" That must have been…unbearable…to feel so powerless to protect her as you watched her heart break and her soul surrender itself to darkness. Still you must have loved her even then." She murmured sympathetically.

" Hai…I loved her the and at the very moment I was forced to seal her away, to destroy her…" I let out an involuntary shudder, causing her to embrace me tighter. "Kami-sama I'm so pathetic. I have a solution to everyone's problems, yet I can't even mend my own broken heart…so pathetic." I scoffed at myself.

" Oh Sasame you're not pathetic at all. You just did what you really believed was best. It's impossible to have answers for everything in the world." Mawata insisted kindly " I do understand one thing though; that loneliness of feeling unable to tell people the emotions in your heart; that hollow feeling of having nobody to lean on. It's really hard to be the one supporting everybody, because then when you need someone to lean on…there's nobody left." Her voice sounded so distant.

"You'll always have me." I reassured fiercely, nuzzling closer against her while snaking my arms around her waist.

"S-same here. " her voice wavered slightly, her heart had started racing.

I inwardly frowned, what was I doing wrong? I was pretty content; my head snuggled in the valley of her breasts wasn't that bad either-wait valley of her breasts, arms around her waist? How could I be so careless, I hadn't even noticed! Wait, I take that back, part of me had noticed, a part that had noticeably grown. Shit!

As gracefully as I could, I quickly stood up. "A-ano I ought to put some more wood in the fire- it's dying out." I sputtered.

Then I noticed her gaze fell lower than my eyes, focusing with dark eyes what was now at her eye-level. I quickly spun around

'You idiot, standing up? Hell, you might as well just shove it in her face!' I took a deep breath as I refueled the fire. ' It's ok, maybe she didn't see…Just act like nothing's wrong.' I loosened my robe slightly to help "cover myself" before returning to my own couch, quickly sinking into the blanket.

"Better?" I asked.

"Hai…" was it just me or did her eyes seem to glitter devilishly?

"Sasame…" she began, shivering slightly, "I'm positively freezing! May I stay on your side with you one-gai? " She asked mimicking my earlier seducing drawl.

I inwardly gulped " Of course you may." I grinned weakly.

To my surprise she immediately plopped down on my lap, facing me and began snuggling up against me. " You're sooo warm!" she giggled mirthfully.

' Damnit! She's only throwing gasoline on the fire!'

"Glad to help." I choked out, attempting to shift slightly at hard evidence of what she was doing to me.

"It's too late now. I can already feel it." She smirked somewhat proudly, placing a feathery kiss on my cheek as her hips rocked closer to mine…

"Iie! I can't!" I cried out.

Her grip on me loosened as she drew back. "Are you not pleased?" When I didn't answer, she slid off my lap with her head down.

"Gomen I was too forward." She turned to run away in embarrassment, but I grabbed her hand.

"Iie don't you get it? I don't want to hurt you…Mawata…Ashiteru!"

'Oh no…I said it…what now?' my mind raced.

" You love me?" she whispered.

Then she said something I only dreamed she'd ever say, "Baka why didn't you tell me? Didn't you know?" she brushed her lips with mine in an innocent, chaste kiss. "How much I love you?"

I stared at her, completely stupefied. "D-demo?"

"Baka anata!" she kissed me again and this time I eagerly responded, forcing her down on the couch as we kissed again and again, each one more passionate than the last.

Finally, I decided to try to be a little more daring and gently flicked my tongue against her luscious pink lips, pleading for entrance. She hesitated, not exactly sure what to do. However, a few more playful licks told her what I wanted and she parted her lips with a soft moan. I entered her slowly, not wanting to scare her, as the gentle moans escaping were very encouraging.

Soon she attempted to fight back, timidly then aggressively. I had no trouble submitting to her, allowing her the opportunity to take control.

'What a fast learner my woman is! When have I ever been able to call a woman mine? It's a nice feeling…with a good ring to it. Hai, she is mine and mine alone. Those delicate fingers running through my hair, those tantalizing lips kissing mine, those beautiful sounds she makes when I please her, they're gifts she gives me.'

Finally, I decided she had enough practice and I began to play back. She put up a magnificent fight, but I gently forced her tongue down asserting my authority, which basically said, "It is the man's duty to protect his woman."

She relented with an adorable pout and instead began snaking her hand down lower…

"Iie, onegai!" I cried breaking away from her, struggling to regain self-control.

"D-did I do something wrong?" she asked timidly.

Once I could look at her without longing to spring her, I faced her. "Iie, it's just if you go there…I don't think I could stop myself." I panted heavily

"D-demo I don't mi-" I cut her off.

" Iie!" I bellowed frightening her, before I realized my mistake. "Gomen, demo iie you're not ready. Oh…do you know what you do to me?" I groaned.

She blinked "I bring you pleasure? You desire me?"

" Few things turn a guy on more than the honor of being able to teach a young woman about the ways of love." I whispered huskily.

"Then I want you too I-" I placed my index finger on her lips to silence her.

"Are you ready for the possibility of a child? I gave your parents my word as a gentleman. If we're going to make love, I want to do things right with wedding rings on our fingers. Still most importantly I want you to graduate, to go through school. You're still young koi, you might fall in love with someone else someday. I don't want to tie you down." I kissed her forehead.

" That won't happen anata! I love you and only you! Demo you're right though, we should take things slow. I really am not ready, still I was afraid you might reject me if I didn't…you know…" she blushed

" Never, Ashiteru koi." I insisted embracing her tightly.

"Ashiteru." She answered placing a small kiss on my lips, cuddling close to me.

Suddenly I noticed something; it was as if my heart and her's were beating at a faster pace, to those of everyone else. What was more was that they were beating to the rhythm of one.

' Heh, I guess Gensai-san was right. Two frozen hearts can crack the ice off each other.'

THE END

Rs: Whew, that was a lengthly task! LOL I made Mawata somewhat OOC, but I just couldn't resist!

Sasame: I didn't mind...

Rs: I think we can see that (smirks) Ok now if you haven't already and you wish to you can read the lemon companion I made for these two called "Citrus Hearts". It was originally for a contest against one of my more experienced buds, but I think I came out on top!

Sasame: That doesn't sound right...

Rs: Who asked you? Anyways review time! Did you have fun with Tragic?

Sasame: Why of course...(grins devilishly) we had quite a good time.

Rs: Oh boy...Well we have a new reviewer. See?

Sasame: So she likes them fun and playful ne?

Rs: Well you that is... icegirl13-san is writing another multi-chapter masterpiece for you and Mawata.

Sasame: You mean "Brewing Love" ? I love that one!

Rs: Well by all means prepare yourself. (Sasame disappears) Now for our honored guest...(pushes a random button)

icegirl13- (Comes tumbling in a cloud of dust) Ick what am I doing?

Rs: You're here for review time!

icegirl13: What?

Sasame: (Appears clad only in a white bathrobe looking like the God of Love) Greetings icegirl13-san.

icegirl13: Sasame-san...what are you doing?

Sasame: (picks her up bridalstyle) Well...Let's just say...you won't be an ice girl by the time I'm done with you. (kisses her passionately)

Rs: Here you can borrow my muse to help you on your next chapter; consider it a gift from one authuress to another. Have fun! (pushes a button and the couple disappears) Well that's all for now! Sayonara! Until next time!