-x-

Chapter Four: When Two Worlds Collide

Now it's happened, take no other view
Collision course, you must believe it's true
Now there's nothing left that we can do
When two worlds collide, who will be left
And who will be left alive?

-x-

Today was a particularly boring day at work for a young Yamato Ishida. He had gotten his morning meeting out of the way, done his daily briefing with his team of consultants, sifted through the needless paperwork, went over his agenda for the day and even organized the hazard zone he called a desk. Yet and still he couldn't help but feel as though there was something he had missed.

A knock at the interrupted his very intense game of trash can basketball.

His younger brother poked his head in the door.

"What's good Teeks." Matt nodded his head with out looking at the younger boy.

His brother, Takeru, walked in dressed in a button down and slacks. "You sure look professional." Matt commented sarcastically.

Tk chuckled, "So do you." He gestured towards his older brother's current activity.

"Touché."

It was the first week of the college student's internship and I.I. It was a mere formality though, everyone at the corporation knew Tk had a job secured at this company the moment he stepped foot out of college, it didn't even matter if the kid graduated or not, he was set for life.

Sometimes, rather most times, being Hiro Ishida's son had its perks.

"Working hard?" Matt raised his eyebrows.

"Hardly." Tk snorted, taking a seat across from his older brother. "But it seems as if you're in that boat with me."

"You poke fun, little brother. But you forget I do a lot more than this most days." Matt mentioned. "While you, on the other hand, seem to be doing a lot less. What is this I've been hearing about you and Rika Yamada, anyway?"

Tk chuckled. "You should know better than me there's very little truth to tabloid rumors." The younger blonde insinuated.

"But always just a little. So, anything you'd like to share. You know Rika isn't exactly the type you want to be seen with." He advised. "Just a ploy to piss off the old man?"

Tk shrugged a shoulder. "Me and Hiro have been on good terms lately, actually." He answered. "And believe it or not, Rika's not half as bad as they make her out to be. Sure, she parties a little too hard but since when is that a crime?"

"Since she's Gero Yamada's youngest daughter." Matt answered unabashedly. "The other two have gone on to win noble peace prizes and marry princes from small countries. She's…well, she doesn't exactly fit that mold. Does she?"

Tk frowned. "She's no Zoe Orimoto." It was a subtle dig at Matt. "But she's got a good heart." He defended.

"Leave Zoe out of this, Tk." Matt said, a bit too sharply.

"Trouble in paradise?" He pried further anyway.

Matt gave a frustrated sigh, not speaking.

Finally, after a few silent moments, he drew in a deep breath and opened his mouth. "She wants…more." He inwardly cringed at the implication of it.

Surprise dawned across the younger boy's features. "Zoe?" he asked, a little shocked.

Matt nodded gravely. "And here I thought I had the perfect set up, right." He shook his head. "No one can know about us, I mean I know there are always rumors but those are easy to ignore, especially since they've been flying around about us since grammar school."

"If Hiro finds out, he'll be ecstatic." Tk deadpanned.

Matt gave him a dark look. "Dream come true." He said distastefully. "As if I'm anywhere near ready for all that."

"But I mean, would it really be so bad anyway?"

"Is that a serious question?"

"Well, what I mean is. For as long as I can remember, you've always been somewhat with Z. She's always around. You guys have great chemistry; a great friendship. She really is a good girl, no drama, no fuss. And it's not like you're some big playboy anyway, so there's no real worry of being tied down." Tk rattled off. "And she's gorgeous. That certainly helps matters."

Matt gave a dry chuckle. "All fine and good but shouldn't I at least love someone before I make a life long commitment." He said, monotone.

Tk cracked a smile. "I guess love is somewhat of a prerequisite for marriage." He joked. "Never took you for a romantic though." He said playfully.

"Ah yes, that is most certainly a word that describes me. Hopelessly so, Shakespearean even."

"Your knack for sarcasm never ceases to amaze me."

"Such an attractive quality, no?"

Tk laughed. "I really wonder what women see in you sometimes."

"It's the wit and the charm. Gets 'em every time." He says, shooting another paper ball into the waste basket.

It bounced off the rim and fell near Tk's feet. The young boy rolled his chair over to it, before putting some distance between himself and the basket and shooting the paper. It went in, he gave Matt a triumphant look.

"A wordless challenge, if I've ever seen one." Matt grinned.

"You've got an impeccable ability to read faces."

-x-

Mimi was running around her apartment, trying in vain to collect everything she could and still make it on time. Her toddler was being particularly difficult today, as three year olds could be sometimes, she couldn't find her other shoe and there was something sticking to the back of her elbow that felt suspiciously like the apple sauce her daughter had just been eating.

"No go, no go!" She cried, her tantrum on the floor getting louder with each syllable.

It was days like this that made Mimi reevaluate just about everything in her entire life up to this point. Because in all honesty, she never thought she would end up here when she graduated high school. She thought, that by twenty two, she would be working in the financial sector of Tokyo making more money than she could ever hope to spend and maybe even being involved with a business man just as successful that would wine her, dine her and treat her like a princess.

Instead, she was a single mother to a particularly fussy three year old.

"Mari, sweetheart, don't you wanna see auntie kay?" She asked, her voice strained as she searched in her daughter's toy box for her missing shoe.

She just kept crying and Mimi could swear she heard ringing in her ears or something to that effect and god damn it if she didn't have gray hairs by now.

She held her phone to her ear, hoping the person she was trying to reach would finally pick up.

"Kari, it's me again. Hate to bother you but you said you'd take Mari and I'm seriously late. Get back to me please." She knew she sounded frustrated and short on the phone and she definitely didn't mean it but god was it so hard to pick up the damn phone.

She just needed to start her day already.

She finally found everything she had been looking for and was putting on Mari's jacket when she heard a knock at the door.

Mimi let out a sigh of relief, thank god for Kari. She opened the door to the pixie-like brunette with the beaming smile. Except today, the smile was a couple watts down from normal but still it was there. The poor girl was tired and Mimi knew it was because of her course load at college, her side job at the thrift store and then her babysitting she would do whenever Mimi needed her.

In that moment she felt a rush of gratitude for the girl and horrible for being so frustrated with her. Kari was doing more than she had to, much more. Above and beyond. Mimi knew she should have been more grateful.

She threw her arms around the brunette, pulling her close. "Thank you." She whispered.

Kari just gave a small laugh and rubbed her friend's back. "Don't even mention it." She said, coming inside.

"I have everything all packed up, she just ate so she should be good till noon. She's kinda fussy today so her favorite DVD should do the trick. Honestly, I think she's just tired because last night—

"Meems, I've taken care of Mari since she was six months old. I know." She put a friendly hand on Mimi's shoulder.

Mimi gave a small laugh. "I know, but I can't help it."

Kari just rolled her eyes. "Hey munchkin, you ready to go on our date?" She called to the bawling three year old.

At the voice of her favorite person, her crying immediately ceased. "Park." She demanded, in a way that could only be described as "Mimi."

And Kari laughed because the little was so spoiled, there was no way she wouldn't be getting her way.

"You look really nice, by the way." Kari grabbed the baby off the floor. "Something special today? I never really got to ask."

Mimi collected a folder off the table. She tucked back a lose strand of hair. "Job interview." She murmured, as she tried to figure out if there was something she forgot.

"Really? For what?" She asked, as she grabbed Mari's diaper bag off the table.

Mimi flipped through her notes. "Nothing big, a secretary position at some firm." She said, a bit flippantly.

"What firm?" Kari asked enthusiastically.

"Orimoto Enterprises." She answered.

Kari's mouth dropped. "Mimi! That's the largest bank in the country! How'd you score that deal?" She asked, now even more excited.

Mimi sighed, "You know Sam, right?" She leaned against the dinner table.

"Tall, skinny, dark hair, blue eyes? Twenty-six with money to blow and completely obsessed with you?"

Mimi nodded. "The same." She answered. "Well, his brother Ken works for Orimoto, pretty closely I from what I hear." She supplied. "Sam set me up with a meeting, supposedly the job is as good as mine."

"Pay good?"

"Better than what I make now."

Kari raised an eyebrow. "Think it'll happen?" She asked honestly.

Mimi shrugged. "Worth a shot, right?" She asked, "I've been trying to get out of this business for so long, Kar. This might be my last shot. I can't imagine doing this for a second longer." She never really voiced her displeasure with her work, not to anyone. Except Kari and Sora. Because the way she figured, no one really cared anyway. They all thought of her a certain way, nothing would change that.

"His daughter's a stunner." She said, with a laugh as Mari began babbling to her.

"Zoe, right? She's always in the papers for something or another." Mimi agreed. "I hear she's going to take over when her father retires." She said off handedly.

"That's a mighty large empire, she's a pretty small girl." Kari said with a giggle.

"Whatever the case may be, I just hope I get this job. God knows I could use something with normal hours. Half the time I feel like I barely ever see my kid." She touched a strand of Mari's hair.

-x-

It was somewhat of an obligatory dinner, on his part anyway. Their last meeting was not a very pleasant one, in fact, it was down right excruciating. And nearly four days later, he knew he needed to make amends some how. If not for his personal sanity and relationship with the girl, than for the sake of business. Their fathers were much too closely intertwined for petty things like this to become bigger.

She was polite, cordial and radiant, in no particular order, as usual. The absolute epitome of poise and grace. If there was anything he admired about her, it was that effortless way she made beauty look so entirely easy and pure. She was something to see, that was for sure, ethereal and innocent like an angel with out a halo, all she needed was wings.

And yet with all her redeeming qualities, her infinite charm and intellect, he just couldn't bring himself to feel everything she felt for him. He wished with everything he had, that would change someday. Because if there was one girl he could actually imagine spending his life with (without cringing or feeling the need to vomit) it was Zoe Orimoto.

Of that, he was absolutely certain.

"I won't say you're being quiet. I know that doesn't go over well with you." She mentioned, forking around her pasta from one side to the other.

She'd barely taken two bites.

He forced a grin her way from his place across the table. "I haven't apologized enough for my behavior, have I?" He didn't mean to come off as sarcastic.

But like mostly anything he ever said, she took it that way.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, letting out a patient breath through her nose. "You know—

"I'm sorry." Matt cut her off quickly. "No, seriously. I behaved really rudely and childishly at the benefit. I shouldn't have gotten up and left like that, it was extremely unprofessional not to mention a little embarrassing. You didn't deserve that."

Her expression softened immediately, "You make it awfully hard to stay mad at you, Ishida." She let a small smile slip.

He gave a short laugh. "Well, as cute as you can be when you're pouting. I really couldn't stand to look at it anymore." He joked.

"Oh so the apology was a way of patronizing me." She said playfully.

Matt laughed. "Me?" He feigned shock. "Never."

And just like that, the tension was gone. They were Matt and Zoe again, because besides everything else they were really good friends. And that was one thing he would cherish the most about their relationship. The fact that all the other crap never really changed their friendship. That she was one of the few people he could talk to for hours about anything.

That she had been there with him through everything, from the time they were kids who had to grow up much too quickly given the prominence of their families. Till now, when they were both adults, working at separate firms but still able to balance out a personal relationship. He'd never want to change that for anything. Because if ten years from now, wherever he was, whatever he was doing, if he could still call Zoe Orimoto his friend, he knew he'd consider himself lucky.

"So what's been new, Barbie?" He asked, affectionately using her old boarding school nickname. "Four days can change just about everything and then some in our world, can't it?"

Zoe gave a small giggle behind her hand. "That couldn't be any more true." She agreed. "I won't enlighten you with merger details and ledger discrepancies just yet, considering that's usually reserved for pillow talk." She gave him a wink.

He chuckled in response. "You do know how to talk dirty, Orimoto." He played along.

She rolled her bright blue eyes. "But here's some interesting news, still. You know that half wit Sam that works for my dad, right?"

Matt nodded.

"He recommended a secretary to take Jenyra's place when she goes on maternity leave."

So far, Matt didn't really understand why this was newsworthy. Zoe went through secretaries quicker than his mother had gone through maids. She had a staff of three secretaries, and they were on a constant rotation of being replaced. Always something wrong with one or the other.

In fact, the only employee Zoe had never fired was her personal assistant, Ayaka but Matt figured that had more to do with the fact that she was the blonde's best friend. Of course, if Princess Z ever found out that Ayaka and Matt had a one night stand back in college, she probably would never forgive the poor girl.

"So did you meet with the girl replacing Jenny?" Matt wondered.

Zoe shook her head. "Of course not, as if I have time for all that." She waived off. "I've been in and out of meetings all day, Yamato." She said as if he should just know that.

Zoe was always touchy when it came to business, probably because of the scrutiny she was under as the heir to her father's company. No one really took her seriously, what with her being so young, beautiful and a woman. Because of that, she was always on the defensive, perceiving every slight as a possible doubt of her abilities. Always feeling as though she had to prove herself to everyone.

Matt just rubbed the back of his neck, he knew all this about Zoe, that's why he didn't care if she was harsh with him. He knew it was a defense mechanism. "So Ayaka met with her?" He continued as if it hadn't happened.

Zoe nodded. "Anyway, I feel like this girl might have been a bit of a waste of time. But god damn it, I'm so desperate I'll take just about anyone at this point. Jenyra was the only secretary I could stand having around, she wasn't a complete screw up like the rest of them. But of course she had to go and get knocked up—

"Zoe…" Matt interrupted as politely as possible.

The blonde had the tendency to ramble.

"Oh right." She laughed. "Well, here's the deal with this new girl though. She never finished college and she doesn't have experience in anything secretary-related. God only knows who her last or current employer is and on top of that." Zoe leaned in closer across the table. "She has a kid." She said, a little above a whisper.

Matt couldn't control the sputter of laughter that came out. "Why is that your biggest concern?" He said between laughs. "Shouldn't the red flags be her lack of education or experience?" He asked humorously.

He could see Zoe go a little pink.

She shot him a dark look. "I'm telling you, that Sam is even stupider than I first conceived him to be." She continued. "How could him and his brother be so intellectually opposite. I mean I give the boy one job and that's to find me a competent person to take Jenyra's place. Can he do that? No, instead he brings me ex-cons, wanna-be actresses, star struck females and the butcher from down the street."

Matt laughed again. "Tell me you're joking about the last one."

Zoe put two fingers to her temple and shook her head. "I wish I was." She sighed. "I swear, it's as if ninety-nine percent of the people we're forced to associate with are complete and total morons." She took a sip of her wine.

"You should just hire TK to be your secretary." Matt joked.

Zoe gave a laugh. "Yes, because that would be a wise decision. No offense, but our young Ishida is not quite ready for the real world just yet." She loved Tk the same way Matt did, the two of them practically raised the younger boy. "But he's still got a good two years left in college, he'll come around by the time he graduates." She said honestly.

Matt nodded in agreement. "He's not a bad kid, he'll get it together." He echoed.

"You should really remind him to keep better company though." She gave him a look.

Matt looked at her, momentarily confused.

"Resident rebel, tabloid queen, Rika Yamada… ring any bells, Ishida?"

"Ahh, yes. I mean, I had a talk with him about it. Today, actually. He assured me it's nothing serious and I believe him." Matt said solidly.

It was all Zoe needed, as well. "Well, Teeks has a good head on his shoulders. I'm sure he knows what he's doing." She knew he had good judgment.

"Besides, if Tk sees something in her. I'm sure there's more that meets the eye."

"I'll drink to that." Zoe tipped her glass towards Matt before taking a long sip, finishing it off.

"Easy, tiger. You know you're a lightweight when it comes to red wine." He chuckled.

Zoe laughed, feeling the buzz as he said it. "But I thought you liked me drunk." She blew him a little kiss.

Matt pulled a hand through his hair. "Only when we're both drunk." He corrected. "And I don't have a seven thirty deadline in the morning."

Zoe sent a pout in his direction. "No fun, Ishida. What happened to the days we went shot for shot."

"We graduated and got real jobs, that's what happened."

"Boo. The real world sucks." She complained.

Matt took a sip of his beer. "You can say that again." He muttered. "What's her name, anyway?" He asked off handedly, scrolling through his phone as he did.

"Who's name?"

"Your potential secretary girl." He stated, a bit distracted.

"Something with an M…" she snapped her fingers, trying to recall the name. "Ugh, hold on. Ayaka wrote it down for me. It's something annoyingly cute." She rummaged through her clutch.

"Forget it." He waived off, it wasn't that big of a deal.

"No way. Now it's gonna bother me." Zoe insisted. "Apparently, she's a real looker. I don't know why Ayaka felt the need to inform me of this, not like I have anything to do with how she looks. But I'm sure she must've been something else that Ayaka even mentioned it." She continued to ramble.

Matt just sipped his beer patiently.

"Aha! Found it!" Zoe said, a bit too excitedly. "Here we go. The girl's name is Mimi."

And that was all it took to make Matt unattractively spit his beer all over the brilliantly white table cloth.

-x-

"So, how was it?" Kari practically demanded the moment Mimi stepped foot in her apartment.

"Hi to you too, friend." Mimi said tiredly, she'd gone straight to Indulgences after her job interview.

She was running on four hours of sleep.

Kari grabbed Mimi's coat, hanging it on the rack. "Well, how was it?" If there was anyone that wanted more than a life of stripping for Mimi, it was Kari.

She just knew that the girl had so much more potential. And it killed her to see Mimi wasting it. But at the same time, she understood Mimi had obligations to Mari that had to be met, one way or another.

Kari just wished her friend had more help, maybe then she wouldn't have such a hard life.

"It went." Mimi sighed, padding into her room.

Kari followed her, making sure not to make noise, Mari had just fallen asleep. "Could you be any vaguer, M?" She arched an eyebrow, taking a seat on the brunette's bed.

Mimi rummaged through her drawers for pajamas. "I mean, well first- you know how I'm supposed to be Zoe Orimoto's secretary or whatever…" She trailed off.

"Yeah, so?" Kari asked.

Mimi gave another sigh. "Well, I didn't even meet her. I met with her "assistant." She rolled her eyes. "And on top of that, you know the girl already has two secretaries. I don't even know what I'd be getting paid for. Surely there isn't that much work that she needs three secretaries." Mimi said, trying not to sound too appalled.

"I don't know, Meems. It's a pretty big company and she's probably a big part of it."

Mimi grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms, slipping out of her jeans. "Yeah, I guess. Anyway, I don't know. She kept asking me all these questions about prior work experience and college and I understand these are all legitimate questions I just don't think I had the right answers." She pulled on the pajamas.

Kari just nodded patiently.

"And I mean, when I mentioned I had a kid…the girl kind of like, froze and looked at me like I'd sprouted a second head or something."

"You think they'd have a problem with Mari?" Kari asked, a little confused.

Mimi shrugged. "I mean, from the looks of it, the girl just didn't know how to process the information. I guess she just wasn't expecting me to have one, being so young and all." Mimi was used to that kind of reaction, she'd been getting them since she was pregnant.

First from her mother, then her friends, and then pretty much everyone else.

"Plus, the girl I'm replacing is going on maternity leave. Kinda ironic, huh?" Mimi gave a short laugh.

Kari smiled. "I think you'll get the job." She said optimistically.

Mimi pulled her shirt over her head, throwing it in the hamper. "At least one of us does." She murmured, pulling a sweatshirt on.

"Didn't Sam say it was as good as yours?"

Mimi shrugged a shoulder. "Something tells me he isn't very authoritative in that company, though." She nodded for Kari to follow her into the living room.

"What gives you that idea?" Kari laughed.

"Oh just a hunch." She joked, taking a seat on the couch.

"Regardless, I havent met a single person who falls anything short of in love with you after the first meeting." Kari winked. "I'm sure you charmed the pants off that assistant girl, no matter what the your answers to her questions were."

Mimi smiled, "Thanks for the confidence boost." Mimi touched her shoulder. "And for today, I wouldn't even have been able to go to the interview if it wasn't for you."

"Quit thanking me, I love Mari like my own." Kari waived off.

And Mimi knew that much was true. Kari and Sora had been there for her and her daughter since day one. Neither of them abandoned her when she needed them. "You guys are life savers, honestly." Mimi said seriously.

"Speaking of S, where is she?" Kari asked, looking around for good measure. "I haven't seen her all day."

Mimi nodded. "She's spending the next few days with Joe. I'm sure they need the time, considering they hardly see each other." She said fondly, the two of them were so adorable.

Kari's eyebrows rose. "He's back from med school?" She wondered.

Mimi shook her head. "Just for a few days, mostly to see S." She answered.

Kari gave a nod in recognition. "I love them together. I swear, they compliment each other so much. Their personalities are practically the same. So cute." She gushed.

"I know! It's crazy when someone makes Sora look like the not neurotic one." Mimi laughed. "He's like a thousand times more anxious than her about everything. But its cute that she can keep him calm." Mimi had never been happier for her best friend.

"It's perfect." Kari beamed. "They're gonna get married, I'd put money on it." She said surely.

"I wouldn't take that bet considering I'm so sure they will too." Mimi agreed. "Anyway, besides all that. How was the day with Mari? Was she too much of a handful?" She frowned.

Kari shook her head vigorously. "She was a little fussy towards the beginning, but it was smoothe sailing once we got to the park. It was a pretty uneventful day, actually. I put her shows on for her, she played with her toys and I even got some studying done." She rattled off.

"Oh good! I'm glad. I was really nervous she was going to be cranky, she didn't sleep much last night."

"Nope, she was practically an angel. As usual." Kari assured her.

Mimi felt herself smiling. "As much as I wish I could spend every second with that little girl, it really helps knowing I don't have to worry about her when she's with you or Sora."

"And you never will." Kari promised. "Now, as much as I'd love to sleep over, I've got an early shift tomorrow and by the look on your face I can tell the only thing you wanna do right now is sleep."

Mimi rubbed a hand over her face. "Honestly, there's nothing I want more. I'm ecstatic I can sleep in tomorrow." She said gratefully.

"Thank God for small miracles, huh?" Kari supplied.

Mimi nodded.

"All right, I'm gonna get out of here. I'll give you a call tomorrow. Let's get lunch if you're feeling up to it, my schedule is pretty light tomorrow, I'll be out of work by one."

"That sounds very doable." Mimi said. "Let me know tomorrow, whenever you feel like grabbing lunch." She said, following Kari to the door.

Kari leaned in for a hug. "You got it, babe." She hugged her friend.

"Bye." Mimi waived as she left.

She went into Mari's room as soon as Kari left, just to make sure her daughter was still sleeping. She carefully grabbed the sleeping girl from her bed, taking extra care not to wake her. Holding her close, she sprinkled kisses into her soft brown hair. If there was one thing Mimi knew she'd never get tired of, it was holding her daughter in her arms.

Carefully, Mimi carried her into her room, placing the baby into her bed. She knew she had just recently gotten Mari out of the habit of sleeping in the bed with her, but she figured one night couldn't hurt.

It was only four seconds after she laid her daughter down that she heard a knock at the door.

"Kari probably forgot something." Mimi muttered to herself, the brunette could be such an airhead sometimes.

But when she opened the door, it was the last person she expected to see tonight.

"What the hell are you doing here!"

-x-

A/N: Hello my lovely readers and reviewers! I have missed you all dearly. I know I've been MIA lately (save that incredibly morbid one-shot) and I apologize profusely for that (but then again, when am I not apologizing for it?) Anyway, here is the latest chapter of The way she moves, signed, sealed and delivered. I'm on spring break and I would've hated myself if I didn't write something while I had time on my hands. I hope you all enjoyed it!

Sorry to leave things on a such a cliff-hanger-esque note, not that any of you guys should be surprised if you're familiar with my work ;) but I'll try to update soonish so you guys aren't in suspense for too long. I think it's a little obvious who's at the door, but I'll let you guys squirm with it for a bit.

Let me know what you guys think of this chapter! I really love feedback and reviews are great!

Song Credits:
When Two Worlds Collideby Iron Maiden (title song/lyrics)

Well that's it for now! Love you all!

Ciao!
-Chris.