Chapter 6: Operation Kick Ass

She knew it wouldn't be difficult to put her plan into action. Nick had really done it this time – wounded her heart. Ryan and she hadn't had a single decent conversation since that night on her front porch and it was grating on her nerves. As she sat at the table, stirring her coffee, a ghost of a smirk appeared on her face. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't realized Keisue was at the table.

"What are you thinking Steph?" The statement yanked her out of her devious plotting and brought her to the present.

"Nothing Key... Absolutely nothing..." a grin, of cheshire cat proportions dominated her face as OPERATION KICK ASS, formulated in her mind.

By afternoon, she had managed to convince Yui to go out for a girls' night. Yui was aware of the inherent war going on between the Raine siblings and knew the need for the sudden girls' night. As directed, Yui quite literally kidnapped her best friend sparing her a few seconds to write a note to her beloved.

Arriving at her brother's home, Miaka instinctively walked to her old room which was Steph's now. Over the course of the past week Steph had been redecorating. As she entered the room, she noticed a large cabinet with a sprawling book collection. Absently she picked out a book and a picture of a little girl in a blue trim dress with her hair tied up in flowing ponytails, held up by blue satin ribbons, a colourful swirly lollypop in one hand and a trophy in the other, fell out. 'This is such a cute picture.'

"Steph? Is this you?" Miaka called out as she walked towards the kitchen towards her busy sister – in – law.

"Oh no Miaka." Stephanie's voice took on a tone of amused lightness as she continued, "Miaka, meet Nikola." Following which she took the picture and flipped it over. It was then Miaka saw what was written in clear slant handwriting – December 25th, 1991. Nicky's first State Trophy for Fancy Dress. He secured 1st Place.

'Nicky?' she wondered. Then it suddenly dawned on an unsuspecting Miaka that Nicky is actually NAKAGO! "Oh My Gosh Steph, he looks so cute!" Miaka's voice was almost a scream which resulted in both Yui and Steph shutting their ears for the fear of going deaf.

He couldn't remember the last time he spent time with his beloved. He had been so caught up with work that he barely had time to cook a decent meal for her. 'Something special for you koibito.' The house seemed quiet. Almost immediately his mind deduced that she was not at home. He decided to prepare dinner before she came back with the intention of surprising her.

As he entered the kitchen, a small pink post it caught his attention. On further inspection he noticed the clear words and the scent of strawberry radiating from it. – Out with the girls. See you soon. Aishiteru. – 'Kuso'

He tried to concentrate on his presentation. His attention kept shifting to the cell phone lying on the table once more as it had for the past hour and half. He tried her again. The number you are trying to reach is currently not reachable. Please try again later.

The night was agonising for him. He tried staying up and concentrating on the presentation at hand. He was not used to sleeping without her in his arms that he spent the night on the couch. By the time he reached his office, the tiredness started taking over. He pushed back the headache that was building behind his eyes as he finished the fourth cup of coffee since daylight. His secretary had informed him of the eleventh hour change in meeting schedule. He went through his presentation almost automatically as he called for the last cup of coffee before his meeting. Downing the hot cup of black coffee, he elegantly floated into the boardroom.

He jerked awake fully alert as usual. Taking an inventory of his condition, he immediately realized what had happened to him. 'Those damn sleeping pills!' his part of the brain that was still totally rational exclaimed. He glanced at his watch that was showing half past six and realized he slept through the meeting. Unconsciously his chi flared up and started rattling all the things in the room. Within seconds all the electronics and glasses in the ill fated boardroom shattered. He soon realized that he was running out of strength, his power waned. "Catharine" he heard himself say just as the door opened and he collapsed to the floor.

Miaka had thoroughly enjoyed the impromptu girls' night, apart from the fact that she was almost kidnapped from her house by her best friend. She was so strained that she slept like a baby till almost the half of the next day. She hadn't realized that her phone had been off and her koibito might have been calling her. She left almost immediately after she had scraped most of the food off the vessels.

It was almost nightfall. He hadn't come home nor had he answered her numerous phone calls. She was getting worried now. 'He should have been home an hour or so ago.' Rationalizing, she called his office and spoke to his secretary who had informed her of the day's events.

" Hello? Mr Raine's office. This is Reika. How may I help you?"

"Hello? This is Mrs Raine. Has Mr Raine left the office?"

"No ma'am. He has not moved from his seat since his last meeting. My deduction is that he fell asleep during the meeting and hasn't woken since. The meeting ended three hours ago!"

"Kuso! Arrigatu Reika – sama."

Within a few minutes she was at Raine Consultancy. Following the directions given by the petite Japanese brunette Reika, she made her way to the boardroom on the fifth floor. She hardly got out of the elevator when she felt the strong force of his chi which waned suddenly. She pushed open the door only to find her beloved exhausted and muttering a name under his breath before he collapsed to a heap. 'Catharine, is it? I shall remember to ask him later.' Her mind was racing and she heard herself scream, "NAKAGO! OH MY GOD! He is DEAD!"

She had never seen him so exhausted. After a few minutes of stillness, he moved and held her hand.

"Call Reika please, and I am NOT dead" Nakago's voice was low and surprisingly seductive.

"Oh thank Kami!" Miaka was relived he was still alive. One frantic phone call later, she calmed down stroking his head which was rested affectionately on her lap.

The petite brunette entered the boardroom and was surprised by the ruin. She had always pinned him as the destructive type but didn't expect this. 'How the hell did he manage this and end up on the floor?' she wondered. Quickly calling for the company car, she helped her employer to the black sedan.

Steph was content with the way things were going with her brother. She had decided to check on some things at the office when she bumped into Taka Sukanami on her way out. The next thing that Taka knew was that he was pinned against his car and was bearing the brunt of a cold steel gaze. "Geez Steph what is going on?" He asked, stammering. He really wondered what he had done this time.

"Who is she?" she asked. Her voice was devoured any emotion.

He found it increasing difficult to meet her piercing gaze. Barely looking at her, he asked, "Who She?"

"Just that 5 foot 7 inch tall slender pale woman, with long flowing red hair and the perfect 32 – 28 – 34 body of a model that you towered over and kissed before she got into a cab and drove off with you just standing there staring into oblivion. So who is SHE"

Taka was stunned by her accurate description. Every word that came out of Steph's mouth made Taka go even redder than he already was. She did not stop the piercing stare down. "Ok stop staring! Fine but promise you will not tell anyone."

"Promise" she chimed.

"Her name is Katelynn. She is a fashion designer and my girlfriend. I don't wish to publicize my relationship right now so that's why I didn't tell you."

Steph let go of the blushing 23 year old and turned to walk away saying, "You always had a thing for red heads" as she vanished out of the gate.

She entered the office with a content look on her face. In the process she didn't realize that she had walked into Ryan who apologized too formally. She snapped out of the daze she was in and turned to pierce Ryan with a cold hard stare. "I need to talk to you" was the last he heard as she yanked him to the elevator.

"What is the matter with you?" Her voice was firm and authoritative.

"Nothing" he said as he turned away from her to look at the view from the railing. He had never been to the terrace and he couldn't help but admire the beauty of the Tokyo skyline around dusk.

"I had my reasons why I didn't tell you. I have had terrible experiences with my past relationships" she started softly, hurt evident in her voice. "I thought we were different. For once I wanted to be loved as just Stephanie, the lady instead of Stephanie Raine, the billionaire." She had turned to walk away. "The ball is in your court now."

Ryan felt the hurt that was projecting from her. He realized she was not the only one keeping secrets. He figured if he could keep things from her, so could she. With his back still turned toward her he said "Wait" the same four letters he had used for the first time he introduced himself to her in Tokyo. Silently, he closed the distance between them and turned her around to see the pain in her eyes.

Then, he kissed her. Their emotions, thoughts, feelings all ramming into one. Realizing he over reacted, he deepened the kiss, his lips moved to a soft and sensual rhythm. His arms gently made their way down to her waist as he pinned her to the wall of the terrace. He was sorry he hurt her and was mad at himself to reacting the way he did. How he missed her being in his arms. The two days apart was killing him but he didn't know how to tell her he loved her. He showed her. Quickly getting into the mood, he found her long fingers, entangling themselves in his short silky hair. Realizing it was getting late; he slowly broke the kiss and was met with a short protest in her misty grey eyes.

"I'm sorry. Let me drive you home."

"Hai. I... I mean Yes.."

He drove her to the Yuuki residence. As he walked towards the house, their fingers intertwined, he saw a huge chunk of concrete falling and threatening to crush her. Without thinking, he yanked her out of the path only to find Steph completely confused.

"What happened?" She asked, confused.

"It's nothing..." he said as he kissed her good night and drove home almost immediately.

A/N: As promised, two chapters worth. Hope it makes up for the long delay.

Until next time

PP