Don't own anything.
A few weeks had passed since that night. It was the first of a whole chain of dreams about the boy. Each time she saw him lying in bed twisting and turning. And every time she saw him like that, her heart bled. The same thing happened, over and over: he woke up startled and she did all she could to ease his mind. But she could only do so much, since for some reason she still couldn't touch anything in her dreams.
Sometimes she sat by his side and whispered softly that everything would be okay. The first few times it happened, he looked at her like she was a ghost, but 6 after a while he apparently got used to her being there and seemed happy with her presence.
One time the poor guy had had a rather loud dream and while the Mercurian princess tried to reassure him, someone had come into his room. An elderly woman with a look of concern on her face, which turned into surprise and wonder when she saw Ami sitting there.
In the first dream she had noticed that he wasn't from her country. His facial features were different from anybody she knew. And that language he was talking in...
Definitely not Japanese. From what little she had heard of it, it seemed to be English and every night that would be the language she whispered to him.
During the day, when she paused in her studies for a while, or during dinner, she was thinking of other ways to help the guy at night. Even as she did this, however, she was wondering why. Why did she care so much about one silly though very handsome guy? She didn't even know his name! Hell, she didn't even know if he really existed!
This whole situation was confusing the young bluette very much. After a while her friends began to notice something was off. It wasn't normal for Ami to just space out during dinner. They all began to worry about their smart little friend.
One day Queen Serenity got a visitor and discussed the situation with her.
"Really Setsuna we're all getting very worried. She is eating less, and she hardly ate anything before; she has stopped studying and keeps sighing with a far away look in her eyes."
They were standing on the balcony of the queen's chambers, looking into the gardens where the scout of wisdom and ice was sitting, her hand resting on the water in the fountain.
"You have nothing to worry about, my queen. As Lady Venus would also tell you. This kind of behaviour is very normal when people are in love."
"Ami?" she said, her eyes widening, "When did that happen? And with whom? I mean, it can't be Ryo anymore since he and she broke up right before we were frozen."
Ryo Urawa: one of the only boys Ami had ever showed any interest in. They met at school in their younger years as they both had the highest scores. That same day he had saved Ami's life, only to try and end it again when he was turned into a monster by the Negaverse.
They had shared a long distance relationship and met occasionally, but just before Crystal Tokyo was going to rise up, the couple had broken up, though they remained good friends.
After a moment or two, Setsuna still hadn't answered the questions and the queen seemed to have calmed down, though anyone who knew her would have known that on the inside she was shaking with curiosity, she needed answers and she needed them soon.
"The man we are talking about is her soul-mate. It is the first time these two souls have called out to each other, but their bond is so strong that when they do, it will reach across the bounds of time and space."
"What are you saying, Pluto?"
"Her soul-mate does not belong to this dimension. It has happened only few times before that two people have shared a connection this strong. They needed each other and so they went in search of their mate unconsciously. One night the souls found each other, and since then Ami has been constantly thinking and dreaming about him."
"But with him in another dimension, doesn't this mean they will never meet? If I'm not mistaken the rules say that no man nor woman may live in a dimension other than their own."
"Indeed you are right my queen. Except that this is a special case. You see, not only does the young man need our blue haired friend, so does his dimension."
Serenity turned to Setsuna with a look that clearly said she didn't understand what her friend was talking about.
"It is the only dimension that hasn't got a sailor scout. Subconsciously they have been trying to fill this absence with their own creations. Huge machines called the Thunderbirds. These machines controlled by men are a huge asset in case of human emergencies, but just recently someone in this dimension has discovered his magical heritage and intends to use it for an evil cause."
Looking back at the garden with its visitor she frowned slightly and said,
"But why our Ami? Surely there are others who can go to this dimension. We need her here!"
At this Setsuna sighed deeply and answered truthfully,
"That is just the thing, Your Majesty, we don't. Now that Crystal Tokyo has been created, everyone can return to their ordinary lives. This is fine for you and the rest of your court but Ami's life is not meant to be spent here. She is also the only scout suited for the job. These last few years she has been studying technologies and her strategic mind is just what that dimension needs."
"But what about what Ami needs?" At this moment the Queen felt the beginning of tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, my Queen, but Ami needs them as they need her."
"What do you mean?"
"These last few months haven't been easy for Ami. She feels like she has no purpose in life. She doesn't tell you, nor any of the other scouts, as she doesn't want to bother you, but she gets more depressed every day."
"But if indeed she has felt this way for some time, how could we not notice it?"
"Over the years our little friend has become a master of hiding her feelings from other people. She isn't called the senshi of ice for nothing. It is something her and this young man have in common. He is also able to hide his true, and often sad, feelings from his family."
" So the only way for her to have a happy life is to go to this other dimension you're talking about?"
"I'm afraid so my Queen."
Serenity closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the floor. She opened her eyes again with a determined look on her face.
"Then so be it. She has done so much for all of us and for this country. I believe it's time we gave her something back. Especially since she wouldn't dare ask it herself."
This caused the senshi of time and space to get a little smile on her face.
"But how do we send her away without giving her the idea that we're getting rid of her?"
"Just leave that part to me, my Queen, if you would just warn the other scouts of this I would be happy to talk to Ami in private."
The marble they had used to build the fountain had always reminded her of snow, but now it reminded her of something else. That something being the pale face and white hairs of a certain young man.
The last few weeks he had never been far from her thoughts. During her work in the hospital, during her studies...
She stood up with a sigh and went to her special place. It was somewhere she had discovered not too long after they started to live in this vast castle, a 10 nice open spot with a pond surrounded by high trees that hid its content from other people's searching eyes.
This had always been her hiding place and no one had ever found her there. Until now that is.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Startled, Ami rose from where she had been lying near the pond and turned around to see who was there. It took a moment to sink in, but when it did she ran to her and gave her a bone-crushing hug.
"Sets-chan! How are you? I've missed you so much."
"I can tell! Wow! I've never had such a strong hug from you before, Ami-chan, is something wrong?" the green-haired guardian asked with a soft smile on her face, while they both sat down near the water.
"Yes …No! of course not! Why would anything be wrong? I mean, everything we fought for has finally happened. Crystal Tokyo is here, Serenity and Endymion are ruling peacefully and everyone is living their life happily. I mean, what could possibly be wrong?" As she said this, Ami put a smile on her face that looked so real she could have got an Oscar for it.
"And you? Are you having a happy life, or are you just a very good actress?"
The bluette was just about to deny her sorrow, when she saw the older woman's face and just bowed her head.
"Please tell me the others don't know. I would hate it if they were worrying about me."
"They don't, but I wish you'd tell them. They only worry about you 'cause they care about you."
"I know, I know. But it's not like they can help me, so why bother them?"
"Well first tell me what's wrong and then we'll see if I can help you or not."
"Well I'm... Oh, never mind it's probably just me being silly."
"Let me be the judge of that. Now please tell me what is on your mind, I wish to know."
"Well it's just that I feel so useless!"
She looked at her older friend's face and saw from her expression that she had to explain herself further.
"I mean everywhere I look I see my friends busy with their work, their loved ones, their children, but I don't have those things, it's like I don't belong here."
She sighed deeply.
"Oh god, could I sound more egoistic?"
"Yes you could, and you deserve to be egoistic since you haven't been in a very long time! Heck I don't think I've ever known you to think about yourself ever before!"
To that, the senshi of wisdom had no response. She just blushed and looked at the rippled water, deep in thought.
"I think I can help you though."
With a snap Ami looked back at her friend. If her head had moved any faster it would have given her whiplash.
"You can? How?"
"I need one of the group to go on a long-term mission and you were the one I had in mind."
"A mission?"
"Yes, like the one sailor Venus went on, only hers was a short period whereas yours will be for a couple of years I'm afraid."
"I hope it won't be the same dimension. From what Minako told me, it seems that place is filled with crazy people."
Setsuna looked curious and Ami continued
"You told her to protect 5 people. Right? Well, one of them pointed a gun at her face the moment she smiled at him; one of them chased another one with a katana, threatening to cut off his braid; a fourth one had over thirty sisters; and the last one didn't say ten words the whole time she was there! She also said that the one with the gun could only say three things: 'Mission accepted', 'mission accomplished' and 'I'm going to kill you'. I really hope you won't send me to those people. I'm more likely to freeze them than protect them."(1)
The older woman couldn't help but smile: indeed that had been a rather peculiar dimension. Nonetheless, they had needed the help.
"I don't think you should worry about that."
"Well could you tell me why you were thinking about sending me?"
"This other world hasn't got any sailor scouts, so you would be all on your own, only one person can go so I can't send someone with you. And since you're the most adaptable one out of the scouts... " Giving the blushing girl a soft reassuring smile she continued,
"Also in that world, people count on technology to save their lives and since you're the only scout who knows how to work with that, it seems like you're the perfect woman for the job."
This made Mercury very quiet.
'This is just perfect! It means I will have something to get my mind off of that guy. And I'll have something to do. But if I take this mission then I'll be away for a very long time, who knows when I'll be able to get back here? And what if something bad happens and it isn't possible to come back here?'
"Setsuna, how long will I be gone?"
"I'm afraid you'll have to stay there for at least six months. My powers can only get you back after some time. But during your stay there, your powers will grow and when you support mine with yours, you will be able to come back more often."
"But what if something evil strikes here and I can't come?"
"That, unfortunately, is a risk we'll have to take."
After a moment of silence Ami asked if she could think about it for a while.
"Of course you can my dear, but I hope you realise that if you don't answer me before tomorrow morning, I'll be forced to send someone else on this mission."
***
'She disappeared again'That was John's first thought when he woke up. He had had another nightmare that night. It had happened so many times before and he didn't think it would ever stop. Though these last few weeks had been slightly better.
Every night after one of the nightmares, he would look around his room, only to notice her presence. The first few times he was shocked to death: 'How the hell did she get on the island?' It was a question that kept him busy during the day. He knew he should tell someone about her but for some reason he couldn't (bring) muster up the courage to do it. 'They would only think I'm crazy.'
Anyway, the girl didn't do anything wrong! She only helped him calm down after those horrible dreams, and disappeared right before he fell back asleep. So why should he be a tattle tail? Still, there were three things that bothered him about it. The fact that he couldn't touch her, the fact that she only came when he was too tired to even talk, and the fact that he could only remember her big blue eyes when he got up in the morning. Because of that, he might never be able to say his thanks to her!
He shook those thoughts out of his head. Now was not the time, he had to get up. Today was going to be the day they looked at Thunderbird 5's problems and started repairing.
He got out of bed and made his way towards his bathroom, letting his thoughts drip away with the water. He would get through these confusing times. He just knew it. After taking a longer shower then usual, John got dressed and went down for breakfast.
When he entered the kitchen all the Tracys were already there. Each at their own place at the table, eating, talking, laughing, or in Jeff's case reading the newspaper. He took his place at the table and made sure his back wasn't touching the chair. His burn still bothered him, as did his arm. He had realised that night in the pool, that he shouldn't have played with the others. By doing that it would take longer to heal.
At the table were Scott, his only older brother and pilot of Thunderbird 1, talking and laughing with Virgil, the third born son and pilot of Thunderbird 2. Then his eyes shifted to the other side of the table where Gordon, second youngest of the Tracys and pilot of both Thunderbird 3 and Thunderbird 4, sat talking to their Grandma.
While he was eating, John noticed his father and grandmother looking in his direction with concern in their eyes, but he didn't pay much attention to it as they had been doing that for a while now. And he knew why. He wasn't getting a good night's sleep and it showed, now more then ever. The second oldest Tracy knew his brothers noticed it too, but they didn't mention it since they knew he didn't want to talk about it.
He was about to leave the table, when suddenly his father interrupted their conversation,
"John, I wish to speak to you. Could you meet me in my office in a couple of hours?"
" Of course, Dad." John responded before leaving the table and the room. As he left, he noticed they hadn't started talking again. He could feel their eyes on his back as he walked away.
*John's pov:*
' I knew they were worrying about me and I didn't like it one bit.' Since Brains hadn't started with Thunderbird 5 yet, I felt kind of useless. So I went to one of the only places on the island I felt at ease. Kyrano's gardens.
The first time I ever went there was on my mother's birthday and I missed her so much. Kyrano had just moved in here with his wife and daughter and I had yet to befriend him. So I sat there looking at the beautiful flowers and just thinking about how much I missed my mother. Kyrano sat next to me and we started talking. I told him about my reasons for being there, my mother and how much she had meant to me. I felt relieved to be able to talk about it with someone. I felt more at ease than I had been for a rather long time.
Even without Kyrano's presence, the garden had a soothing effect on me and I gradually became calmer.
Which didn't mean I became less confused of course. I mean, strange beautiful girls were showing up in my room comforting me after I had nightmares of an attack by a madman who tried to lure my father and brothers away from our personal island so he could steal our huge machines, which we use to save people, so he could rob banks. That same man was defeated by my youngest brother who is only about fourteen years old. Try telling that to a psychiatrist without being declared crazy! And you wonder why neither I nor any of my brothers have had a serious relationship since the beginning of IR?
I heard footsteps approaching and tried to identify the person they belonged to. They were definitely male, so it's couldn't be Onaha Tintin nor Grandma. They were too heavy to be Alan or Virgil's and too light to belong to Scott or Dad. I kept listening and noticed that it was a peaceful step, as if the person was in wonder and hadn't been in here too often. I guess I had my answer then.
I turned around and my suspicion was confirmed.
"Hey Gordie! How are you bro?"
"I'm doing fine Johnny. It's you I'm worried about."
'Wow! Talk about a surprise there,' I thought sarcastically, but let him talk. After all, he knows how it is having everyone fussing about you. After that hydrofoil accident of his, everyone was concerned about his welfare, until one day he couldn't take it anymore and asked everyone very friendly-like to just bugger off and leave him the hell alone.
"I've noticed you've had your head in the clouds these last few days. Is there anything you want to talk about?"
I remained silent for a while. I knew I hadn't talked to them about what had happened during the attack although they tried to talk to me. They told me about how scared they had been and I tried my best to assure them that everything was okay now. I wasn't the only one with nightmares.
I guess being someone who people rely on makes it hard to admit you're the one who needs to rely on others for a change. Stubbornness is something me and Scott have in common, it appears.
I thought perhaps I should just admit I need help, at least to one of my brothers. And since Gordon seemed to understand me the most out of the whole bunch, I guess he seemed the best choice.
"I guess it's obvious to everyone that I'm not getting much sleep is it?"
"Well, does the fact that you're starting to look like a panda with those bags under your eyes answer that question?"
I could only glare playfully at him. 'Panda?'
"I reckon it does," he said.
"Hey don't blame me for those! If I had a choice, those nightmares would have disappeared a long time ago." I noticed from his expression he hadn't expected that. 'Damn, I shouldn't have told him that.'
"Nightmares? John, you should have told us about them. You know cramping everything inside won't do you any good."
I just waved his comments away.
"Don't worry yourself to much Gord, it'll only give you wrinkles. Besides, things are getting better." I couldn't help but think about my mystery girl. A half smile, half smirk crept onto my face and I wasn't able to dispose of it before Gordon saw it.
He seemed surprised and curious at it.
"Care to tell me your solution? Since it seems to be working miracles for you."
"Why would you say that?"
"I guess you don't know this, but that was the first smile I've seen on your face since the party we threw for Alan."
He seemed to be thinking about something.
"Actually, I don't recall ever seeing you smile like that before"
"What, now you're analysing my smiles?" I said jokingly and to get him away from that subject. It worked too. He started laughing a bit and after a while we just sat there together looking at the flowers.
Then before I could stop myself, I asked him a question.
"Gordon, how do you know if you're in love with a girl?"
In a way it seemed normal for me to ask him that question since he had more experience with those kind of things then I do, but still. What possessed me to ask Gordon Tracy, the biggest blackmailer in the history of mankind, that question.
I didn't know, and apparently neither did he. That was the second time I'd surprised him in less then 20 minutes. He must have been sure something was wrong with me.
Then he started to grin. And I knew I was in BIG trouble
"It's about time you showed some interest in the ladies, dear brother. I almost gave up on you. As I gave up on Scott a very long time ago."
This of course made me laugh.
"Well I'm not Scott, and you better make sure he doesn't hear you saying that. But still, could you at least tell me how you feel when you're in love with a girl?"
"Well I guess the usual stuff: you can't seem to figure her out, even though pretty much all the girls are like that, she seems to be one big mystery."
I just nodded and kept listening.
"Also you can't seem to get her out of your head. If you love a girl, all kind of things around you make you think about her. And whenever you see her you get that strange feeling in your stomach like you've just re-entered the atmosphere in Thunderbird 3 and suddenly your engine drops out... but in a good way."
This last thing caused me to just stare at him.
'My brother the love professor! But I guess you could describe it a bit like that.'
"So do I know her?"
I looked at my watch before I responded and saw it was about time to go see my father.
"How the hell should I know that? I don't even know her myself."
Not able to hold back a grin at my brother's face - it felt really good to confuse him like that - I got up and said I was going to see Father.
***
So there I was then, looking at my father sitting behind his desk. Wondering what this was all about.
"Okay, John, I guess I'll just tell you why I called you here."
"yes, sir."
"I want you and your grandmother to got to the mainland."
Okay, talk about being blunt but at least he didn't think I couldn't handle that information.
"May I know the reason?"
"You both need some time off. And Penny has invited both of you to her estate in England. I believe it will do you both some good."
I knew that type of voice. When he uses that voice it means that his decision is final and you can do whatever you want but it won't help you at all. So England it was, I guessed.
"I understand, Sir."
*End John's POV*
***
His father had insisted they took Tracy One to get to Lady Penelope's estate . John had piloted it through an easy flight, and they had arrived there right before dinner. Lady Penelope was already waiting for them and after they had eaten their meal she had Parker show them their rooms.
Since it was his Grandmother's first visit, they had been given the grand tour of the place. Unfortunately Grandma wanted to know the history of all the rooms and statues and paintings and everything else in the castle, so by the time the tour was finished he decided to give it a rest and he went to bed.
He blamed it on the change of surroundings but that night's nightmare was one of the worst he had ever had:
He looked around him. He was having trouble breathing and knew it was because of the smoke.
He was standing on the bridge of Thunderbird 5 and could see that almost every computer screen had cracked. Sparks flew up every couple of seconds. Smoke billowed from a few them.
He tried to move, but found that once he did that his legs gave out beneath him.
"Aah my dearest John, I see you've noticed the state your 'bird is in?"
he saw the Hood's face on the only working screen. The villain had a cruel smirk on his face and it seemed as if he knew something John didn't.
"You bastard! What happened to my family?" he screamed, only to end up coughing his lungs out.
"Relax, they're right here with me. If you want to see them just tell me."
"Of course I want to see them! What have you done to them?"
"Well, why don't you see for yourself, since it's all your fault I got to them."
"All my fault? What do you mean by that?"
"If you had been here, I wouldn't have had to use them to find you. You should've been here to protect them, then this wouldn't have happened to them."
"What have you done, you sick bastard?"
"See for yourself."
And then the bodies of his family and friends came into sight. It was a bloodbath, he could hardly recognise them, some were beheaded, others had suffered even worse. If John had had anything in his stomach, he would've had it out by now.
"Ah, I see you realise what could have been avoided if only you had been here."
He woke up in shock, screaming.
He looked around to see if she was there, if his mystery girl had followed him here.
And there she stood, next to his bed. She started whisper soothingly in that warm voice of hers.
Suddenly his Grandmother came in and his blue angel disappeared.
The elderly woman shook her head disbelievingly and stammered: "W…What in H…Heaven's name was that?"
Damn!! This has been the longest chapter ever!!!
Whoever can guess who I'm referring to gets a cookie ^_^
I want to thank TheRimmerConnection she is my new beta unfortunately elemental zer0 couldn't do it anymore. I want to thank both of them for everything they've for me so far ^_^ you both rock!!!
Also I'm sorry but I'll only update the new chapter after three reviews.