Four months later.

In Ami's apartment. Her bags were packed and she was dressed, ready to walk out the door. She'd even applied sunscreen.

But Zander wasn't due to arrive for forty minutes.

Ami took a seat by her window and shut her eyes in concentration. She focused, she summoned…

It began as a shimmer on the air, and in a rush of cold vapor the Mercury Harp came to rest in Ami's hands. She smiled. She carefully tuned the pegs, plucking here and there, making sure the Harp was in working order. Perhaps this weekend, perhaps tonight, she would summon the Harp for Zander, and play for him.

He had better be appreciative of the concert, thought a snarky little voice in Ami's head.

He will be, Ami thought.

"Sail away, sail away… from the deep sea of clouds to the islands of the moon…" she hummed, picking out an easeful counterpoint. "It was here the river brought you, it was here the river meant…"

Some people collected songs about first love. Ami collected songs about water.

"Shattered glass pieces reflect something new…"

Three days, they would spend in the mountains. Up at a hot springs resort, old-fashioned and luxurious. In addition to the communal pools, there would be private bathing…

Ah…

Ami brought a hand to her mouth, a gesture of stilling. Then her hand lowered, coolness against the feverish beat of her heart. "Don't suppress this feeling," she whispered to herself. "Observe it… welcome it."

That was a bit of wisdom she'd gotten not from the internet, but from Usagi. Not for the first time, Ami blessed her princess's candor. The two of them had been at Mako's place, watching her make Thai curry (and mango sticky rice for dessert) when the topic of this trip to the mountains came up. And what it meant. And Ami had gone very red, and then she had flipped her notebook to a new page, and said in a rush "If you don't mind I would appreciate any counsel you have to give."

That evening had been most instructive.

In the present day, in the window seat, Ami's fingers moved faster over the strings. "Greensleeves" took shape on the strings. Yes, this was written by a king in love. Perfect for her.

Perfect for Zander.

She laughed abruptly: wouldn't he just love to hear that!

Wait, Greensleeves was written by Henry the VIII… oh dear, that really rather killed the mood.

Her fingers slowed as they picked out the melody, but a smile lingered. Yes, plenty of water up in the mountain. Just the thing, nothing like hot water for a bad case of nerves…

Because she was nervous, yes, more nervous than she could even tell Usagi and Makoto, although probably they guessed.

Ami had never taken anyone to bed; even kisses were a rarity, before Zander. Besides, when you looked at it logically the whole process appeared… painful. Ami had a feeling she was rather tightly wound. There was a lot to be nervous about.

But the water… the water would help. It had always been her friend, her element. What water could express… how it clings to a body, and traces paths, how it caresses and holds, and softens and floods. Ami could be like water.

She sat up in the window seat. She dismissed the Mercury Harp back into its storage within her Transformation Pen. Checked her phone. Twenty minutes until Zander's estimated time of arrival.

Zander. He could manage a rare feat: he could surprise her.

She had thought she could predict him, on the strength of their Silver Millennium memories. But, just as Ami was not the same as Mercury, Zander was not the same as Zoisite. The memories of Zoisite faded into watercolors, while Zander brought the world into brighter color and focus. And Ami… she just wanted to drink in the world that he made. She wanted to drink it in, and drink it in, and drink him in.

Ami found herself licking her lips. Yes, yes, this physical reaction he inspired…

Her mind raced ahead. When Zander was vulnerable in front of her, Ami would learn about herself. She would learn about him.

Now her hand was cold against her fevered brow. Ah…

She had a plan. A persuasive argument with words like "symmetrical" and "manual." She also had a pound of quality Swiss chocolate stashed in her luggage. Just in case.

What if she needed the plan?

What if she didn't need the plan?

Ami reminded herself that the plan did not involve extracurricular activity minutes before Zander was due to arrive. She stood up, hurried to the refrigerator, and took out an ice cube. She pressed it to the back of her neck and things came clear.

Three days. In the mountains.

With Ami driving.

It would be an excellent weekend. They needed to get out of Tokyo. A little time, just for themselves. And the water… yes, and Ami smiled at her thoughts coming full circle. The water would help.

Her phone beeped. Zander was in the lobby of her building. She tossed the ice cube into the sink and texted him "I'll be right down."

Purse, overnight bag with sunscreen, hat, shoes. And the keys to her mother's Toyota, an unobtrusive but efficient little machine.

Ami took the elevator down. As she walked up to Zander she savored the expression on his face. His eyes were dark as he took her rolling overnight bag. "Where to?"

The keys jangled, making beautiful music in Ami's hand. "Follow me," she said.