A/N: Sorry for the unexpected delay on this chapter – truth be told, it was in a bit of a mess (heaps of thanks go to Jenn-LC for beta-reading/nit-picking it with me until we were both satisfied!) and when it was ready it wouldn't upload! Still trying to fix that problem but in the meantime, thank goodness for Wordpad! Also, thanks to my reviewers for your patience! I hope this chapter satisfies all the shippers…for now. ;)

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Chapter 8 – Thank You

Ryou was a bundle of nerves. He had arrived on the scene minutes ago to what could accurately be described as chaos. People were screaming and running away from what appeared to be an enormous dinosaur. Ryou didn't even have time to contemplate how the aliens had managed the impossible task of finding the DNA of a dinosaur to infuse as he saw the girls attempting to restrain the creature. Their powers were being used in vain though, as the jets of light bounced off the creature's scaly hide and back at the caster, forcing the girls to dodge.

"Ryou!" Mint screamed over the roar of the creature. "Where is Ichigo?"

He could only shrug helplessly as she dove to avoid being hit by the trunk-like tail that was swinging her way. Masha was flying around the creature's head, trying to distract it so the girls could find the tattoo they needed to aim for. Suddenly the robot changed course and flew to Ryou, who had crouched behind an abandoned car. The dinosaur began stomping around in rage, successfully distracted by the annoying pink ball which had escaped its fury.

"Mew Mew approaching! Mew Mew approaching!" Masha trilled in a high pitched voice.

"They're already here, Masha," Ryou told the creature.

"Mew Mew approaching! Mew – mmph!" the noise was cut off as Ryou clamped a hand around the creature.

"She's not here so –"

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!"

Ryou stood up and let go of Masha in surprise, hardly daring to hope. Through the cloud of debris caused by the monster's stamping feet, he could see the girls regrouping. From within them, a flash of pink was penetrating the fog, closing in on the creature. Ryou sank to his knees and whispered the thought echoing through the minds of all the Mews at that moment.

"Thank you."

The battle was over.

They had won.

So why were the girls sitting around the café with worry etched on their faces?

"Thank you for coming, Ichigo-oneechan," Pudding said in an unusually somber voice. "You saved us from defeat."

"I didn't come fast enough," Ichigo replied in a voice hoarse from screaming during battle, looking down into her lap.

"But you came," Zakuro replied in a low voice. "And that's what matters."

"I hope she will be alright," Pudding said.

The others murmured their agreement. Silence fell within the little group again. After what seemed like forever, the door at the top of the stairs opened and Keiichiro emerged, followed closely by Ryou. Keiichiro smiled at the girls.

"Why the long faces, girls? You did it again and Lettuce will be fine. When the monster whipped its tail around, it only hit her leg, which is broken, but she will be fine. She just passed out from the pain," he explained.

Mint let out a sigh of relief and Pudding clapped her hands happily. "Oh, that's not so bad! Lettuce-oneechan will be alright!"

She began to move towards the stairs but Keiichiro held up his hand, gesturing for her to stop. "Sorry Pudding, but she has not woken up yet. We gave her some pain medication that contained a sedative so she will be asleep until tomorrow. I suggest you girls go home and get some rest. The café will be closed today."

Mint and Pudding immediately raced off to the change room, calling out their thanks, as Zakuro followed at a more dignified pace. Keiichiro turned to Ichigo, his smile growing wider. "Thank you for coming. Without you, the girls wouldn't have been able to do it."

"You work best as a group," Ryou said abruptly. "Today certainly proved that, if nothing else did."

Ichigo did not say anything.

"I do need to ask for your favour," Keiichiro continued. "Would we be able to tell Lettuce's parents she is staying with you while she recuperates here in the café? She seems to be stuck in her transformed state while she is unconscious and we cannot allow her parents to see her like that."

Ichigo nodded, her face lowered. Keiichiro walked towards her and knelt in front of her, raising her face slightly so they could see the tears running down her cheeks. Unexpectedly, Ryou felt his heart knot and he suppressed a wince at the jolt of realization. It hurt him to see her cry.

"Don't feel bad Ichigo," Keiichiro said gently. "You came at the right time. Lettuce will heal and she will not be angry at you."

Ichigo smiled a watery smile at Keiichiro. "Thank you Akasama-san, but I still feel bad."

Keiichiro patted her hand sympathetically before rising and turning back to Ryou. "Now is your chance," he mouthed to the blond before walking upstairs and into the room where Lettuce lay.

Ryou's eyes widened. Was he talking about getting Ichigo back to the café or something else…he wasn't sure. 'What do I do? Oh geez.' He scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably before kneeling down in front of her.

"Ichigo, stop cry –" he bit his tongue. He was doing it again and this time, he knew it! He was being impatient with her to hide the feelings that would otherwise be betrayed by his voice…but why was he hiding? Did he need to hide anymore?

"Please stop," he amended in a gentler tone, placing his hand over hers. Ichigo looked up, her red-rimmed eyes the evidence of her guilty conscience and Ryou could focus on nothing else. He smiled at her, the sudden desire to see her smile back at him capturing him. "Do not feel bad about the past. Keiichiro is right – the important thing is that you came. You came when we needed you the most."

"I should have been there from the start," Ichigo whispered. "I should have come back when you asked me to this morning."

"Did you know there was going to be an attack?" Ryou asked her, a flicker of a smirk on his lips. Ichigo shook her head. "Then there was no reason you had to come back. Your request for a bit of thinking time was reasonable."

Ichigo knitted her brow. Ryou stared at her intently. He could almost see her mind weighing the pros and cons at this moment and decided to add some extra persuasion.

"My only hope is that you will decide to join us again. As you probably saw today, we need you Ichigo," he continued.

She hesitated for a split second, before looking up to meet his eyes. "I need you too," she replied softly and his heart skipped.

Suddenly her face broke into a smile. "I'm coming back."

"You're coming back?" Ryou almost cringed at how hopeful his voice sounded. But if she said yes…

"Yes."

He grinned then, a split second grin that made his face light up. "Thank you Ichigo," he whispered.

"It's my duty," she replied, her sweet breath tickling Ryou's face. He blinked slowly and when he opened his eyes, she appeared closer than before. He could see the flecks of amber in her brown eyes, one of which still had a teardrop clinging to the eyelashes. He reached out a thumb to brush the offending drop away and her breath hitched in her throat as the soft pad of his thumb gently brushed her eyelids, trailing the tear down her cheek until it had all dried up.

"Ichigo…"

SMASH!

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry…"

"Keiichiro!"

Ichigo and Ryou sprang back as if they had been burnt. Just in time – Mint stomped out of the dressing room with her regular clothing on and glared at Ichigo and Ryou. "Pudding broke a plate," she explained to them, apparently mistaking their deer-in-the-headlights look for surprise at the sound. "Don't even know where she got it from. I'm leaving now," she added, before tossing her hair and walking out of the café.

Ryou sighed and turned back to Ichigo. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung slightly ajar. He had to struggle with all his self control to prevent himself from touching her face again. Instead, he stood up. "I'd better go and see what the damage is," he muttered to the girl. "Go home and rest, Strawberry." The word slipped out before he could stop it and he turned his face to hide the embarrassed smile that had involuntarily fixed itself on his face as he walked towards the changing room.

What had just happened between them?

More importantly, what would have happened if Mint had not walked in?