Chapter 9

She woke up, looking over her window seeing a cloudy day that waited for her and to be honest it was depressing. Chikaru looked at her phone, turned it on hoping to see a message or a missed call but saw nothing, her heart ached not knowing what happened to Emi since she last talked to her four days ago and it was driving her insane.

She stood up, got dressed then stepped out her dorm to get ready for school even though she would honestly prefer to stay inside. Which surprised her because she usually always wanted to go to school and greet her little friends but now, ever since that call with her Emi… everything felt so dull to her and struggled to go on day by day. Most nights she couldn't even sleep, these past four days she merely slept for an hour or two at most and was beginning to wear her down.

She sat down in class and listened to the teacher's lecture, she tried… she really tried to pay attention but found herself unable too and began to lose herself in thought. She finished up her assignment and left the room just as quickly, she greeted her girls putting on a brave face for them, luckily Kagome hadn't picked up on Chikaru's ever growing sadness so she didn't worry any of them. She finished up her club duties and left Lulim, she began to walk on the paved stone steps but not to her dorm but rather to the parking lot.

Chikaru went down the stairs and towards the parking lot, she leaned against a telephone post and waited, something she had done almost every night this past week. She waited well past sundown hoping, just hoping to see those headlights signaling her that Emi was back and each car that did pass by only filled her with a false sense of hope then was destroyed just as quickly when it wasn't her.

Each day it became harder and harder for her, every day that she never came back was like tearing another piece of Chikaru's heart and throwing it away, she cried the day after that, when she didn't see her.

She heard footsteps behind her, she slightly glanced to see who was behind her.

-"Mind if we join you?"- Shizuma asked with Nagisa following behind her, Chikaru nodded, -"I've… noticed that you've been spending a lot of time here, I always see you here when I walk around with Nagisa out here. Are you okay?"- Shizuma asked.

-"Do you feel sick?"- Nagisa followed up.

Chikaru shook her head, -"No."- she said softly as she glanced down the road, expecting to see her car any minute.

-"It's about Emi isn't it?"- Shizuma asked, -"Did you two break up or something?"-

Tears streamed down her eye, as the truth she had been denying all this time was filling her head, the truth that Emi… was dead. How could she even believe otherwise, she's messaged her, she's called her phone but not once did she ever get an answer and Emi hadn't even tried to return her call… so that only meant that she was gone.

-"No…"- she began to cry, her crying immediately turned into her falling on her knees and sobbing loudly and she didn't even attempt to cover her face with her hands, she just cried. The pain of the harsh truth was too much to bear, her Emi was killed and she could feel it.

-"Then what's wrong?"- Nagisa asked as she knelt down next to her, something Shizuma did as well.

-"She's not coming back."- was all Chikaru managed to say as Nagisa quickly embraced her and did her best to comfort her, Shizuma got closer and held her too.

Another week had gone by and Chikaru tried to get by her day but it eventually became an overwhelming struggle to keep a straight face but at night in her own room she would breakdown, mentally and emotionally. She would sleep less, she would eat less and it became harder for her to keep up her energy, it was all gone and shortly after her girls began to notice.

They tried their best to cheer their sister figure up but nothing ever worked, Chikaru lost her smile and would never see it again.

One week later…

Chikaru fell into a deep depression, she had locked herself up in her room and would hardly come out sometimes even for a few days. Now she didn't go to school, she usually would go for days without sleep and a few days without eating. If it weren't for her girls and Nagisa, they all feared that Chikaru could die and so they would bring food to her and take care of her.

Her teachers began to feel concerned that someone like Chikaru had stopped going to class, while most of the girls were worried to death since they saw her, they all saw that her smile was gone and her usual aura was empty… it was like looking at a different person.

Chikaru laid on her side on her bed, not wanting to do anything and truthfully she didn't even have the energy to do so. She was tired, hungry and her heart was like it had stopped beating and stomped to the ground. Her phone had not rung these past weeks which only confirmed to her that she was dead, her Emi would never come back to her anymore.

Chikaru just felt empty now, all she wanted to do now was leave and never come back anymore.

KNOCK KNOCK

She turned her head to the door but paid no mind to it as it opened up.

-"Chikaru?"- Shizuma stepped inside with Nagisa next to her.

Chikaru didn't say anything.

Shizuma sat on the bed next to her, -"I… I don't know what to say,"- she placed her hand on her cheek and caressed it, -"I'm sorry, I'm sorry you have to go through this Chikaru-chan. You of all people should never have to feel this way, you're the one that cheers everyone up when they get sad."- Nagisa followed up.

-"Come on Chikaru, come with us. It'll help take your mind off things for a while. You could use it."- Shizuma gently pulled Chikaru to her, and she was surprised that Chikaru let her do it.

-"It'll be okay Chikaru-chan."- Nagisa took Chikaru to the restroom and helped her get changed, brushed her hair and made her look cute. The more Nagisa looked at her, the more she could see how lifeless her eyes were and it saddened her beyond words… what could've happened between Emi and Chikaru?

They stepped out of the bathroom as Shizuma waited for them, with a small smile Shizuma lead the two outside the dorms, -"Come on Chikaru, a little fresh air will do you a bit of good."- Shizuma held her hand as the two walked down the path, cutting through the forest.

Shizuma tried her best to make Chikaru talk but nothing she tried worked, even Nagisa gave it a shot but she couldn't get a chuckle or a laugh out of her and it was usually easy to make Chikaru laugh. They missed hearing her voice, it had been weeks since she's said anything and it was scary, they had no idea just how hard this hit her.

They slowly made their way down the steps, Shizuma could already see her limo waiting for her and we're ready to go help Chikaru feel better.

They slowly made their way to the limo as Shizuma gently guided Chikaru to it.

Chikaru glanced at the setting sun one more time as Shizuma opened the door, Chikaru turned back to the door and was about to make her way in till she saw something in the corner of her eye, something glimmering in the distance.

She looked back at it again, as did Shizuma and Nagisa but they couldn't quite tell what it was as the setting sun made it difficult.

The began to get closer and closer, it was now that the three could make it out. Chikaru's heart stopped, were her eyes fooling her? she rubbed her eyes as she took a few steps closer and glanced at it once more.

Tears began to fall when she saw that familiar car get closer, the glossy grey paint job with the black stripe going down the middle of the whole car.

The car parked a few yards ahead of Chikaru, and her heart had never raced so fast in her life and when the car door opened she took more steps closer to it.

She saw a hand grip the top of the door, spotting a white sleeve, she saw a boot step down and could see a figure slowly coming out of the car and they looked like they were struggling to get out.

The figure stepped out then walked towards her with a limp in their step and that's when she saw her as the sun was no longer obscuring the figure. Her blonde hair, her smooth skin, her white leather jacket, her black shirt, and her jeans,

She stopped a few feet away from Chikaru, a smile on her face.

-"E-Emi?"-

She smiled, "Hey Chikaru." She replied, Chikaru closed her eyes as tears streamed down from them, her voice… god how she missed her voice.

She couldn't take it anymore, Chikaru cried as she ran to her and she threw herself on to her and embraced her as Emi caught her and hugged her lovingly.

-"I thought you were…. I thought you were…!"- she cried but she couldn't bring herself to say those words as she buried her head near Emi's collar bone.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to call you but I..., I wouldn't even know what to say… I'm freaking stupid I know but I'm sorry." She replied.

-"You're not stupid!"- she cried.

Shizuma and Nagisa smiled seeing the two reunited, Nagisa however was crying tears of joy seeing Chikaru like that, knowing full well that she would slowly be her old self once more.

-"We'll just get going,"- Shizuma said with a smile on her face, -"Emi, if you want too join us we'll be hanging out by the bar down town for a while."- Shizuma didn't wait for a reply as she gestured Nagisa to come with her, they stepped into their limo and drove off, leaving the two alone as they now had some catching up to do.

"I'm sorry I was gone so long."

-"Please tell me you're real, I'm not just dreaming! Right?"- Chikaru pulled away slightly, never letting go of her.

"No, I'm right here. Alive and kicking butt." She said, she then grabbed Chikaru's hand and placed it on her cheek, "See, totally real."

Chikaru took it all in, feeling her soft skin against her palm and how she missed her, -"What happened?"- she asked with tears in her eyes.

The memory quickly flashed in her mind, how she drove away from that place and stopped by a payphone and dialed up her friend Daniel who knew a friend that was a doctor and asked him to help her since she didn't want to go to a hospital as they asked too many questions. She then used the same payphone to call the F.B.I and told them of the building Dominic stayed in and told them of the evidence there that proved that the police were dirty and working for a mob boss. The police were fired and arrested days later after the investigation turned out fruitful, the F.B.I found the bodies of Dominic and his thugs but no evidence was found on Emi, she was either very lucky or they didn't bother to check thoroughly, chalking it up to gang on gang violence.

She tried to call Chikaru as she was recovering at Daniels home but couldn't bring herself to do it, she was afraid. In the end she much rather see her then call, not knowing what this was doing to Chikaru by not speaking to her.

After she was able to walk and do small stuff, she finally sold her home and kept a few things that belonged to Amy and while she was finally able to move past it, Amy's memory would never be forgotten.

"I'll tell you about it later. When we're both feeling better." She replied.

-"Fair enough."- Chikaru replied as she tried wiping her eyes from the tears, but it filled her heart with even further pain seeing how much Emi struggled to walk, she was hurt she knew it and she didn't know all the details but she was confident that Emi would tell her when she was ready.

The two then gave each other the most loving kiss both had ever felt, and they kissed for what felt like an eternity, one that neither one wanted to come out off, but slowly moved away from each other. Finally happy to have each other back and are together forever once more.

The two got inside her car, revved up the engine, "So… want to go chill with Shizuma?"

-"Yes, that would be great."- Chikaru replied with a smile.

She began to drive, the two held hands while the blonde girl's free hand was on the steering wheel

"Hey guess what!" She said cheerfully.

-"What?"- Chikaru replied with a smile in return.

"I love you Chikaru."

Chikaru giggled, -"I love you so much, you have no idea how much you mean to me and having you with me again is the best thing in my life."

"Same to you."

Chikaru then chuckled, -"You know... It's funny..."-

"What is?" She asked, confused by her response.

-"After all this time," she smiled, -"I still don't even know your name."-

The two shared a warm laugh as they embraced the fact that they were together now. She drove the two towards the city, they still had a few minutes to get there and the two were silent for a while but content to finally be together and enjoying one another's company.

She looked at her slightly and back towards the road as she smiled, "…Clara." She said softly.

-"Nani?"- she looked at her, seeing a soft smile on her face as she drove and it clicked to Chikaru as she realized what she meant and smiled at her.

-"Nice to finally meet you Clara."- Chikaru replied with a loving smile.

"Nice to meet you too Chikaru." Clara replied as the two playfully shook hands as they laughed.

The two continued to drive to the city to join their friends and unwind for a while, god knows the two deserve it and with the four hundred thousand dollars Clara still kept from her winnings she was able to buy a house for her and live in Japan to be with Chikaru.

As the car continued to shrink in the distance, there was no doubt that Chikaru and Clara would be together forever and even though a lot of things still troubled Clara's mind she knew that no matter what Chikaru would always be there for her to help her and Clara would always be there for Chikaru for the rest of her life, no matter what.

Clara could never thank her enough for saving her life from the hell that plagued her heart and soul, but for Chikaru, Clara had saved her in more ways than one and no matter what anyone thought, to her, Clara was a real hero.

The End

I Drive

A/N:I hope you guys enjoyed this story =)

This last chapter was actually going to be more tragic but in the end i decided to give the two girls their happy ending as i felt i put them through enough. I had also planned to do a follow-up Chapter to this but i rather end it like this, feels more fitting maybe at some point i may put it up but who knows. so let me know what you guys thought about this story. so you awesome readers out there have a good one =D