Thanks to EssenceofGold for this pairing, well, as you'll see, this chapter could be considered M rated, so please, don't read it if you can't handle it. I don't own TMM.

Lettuce turned away as Ichigo and Ryou started what was bound to be an intolerably long passionate kiss. She took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen, it had only been a week since Masaya called things off with Ichigo. No one knew why he had, but Ichigo had been distraught, and now she was making out with Ryou, yeah that made sense.

"They're my friends I should be happy for them," Lettuce whispered to herself. She put on a large grin and walked up to a table, "Konnichiwa, I'm Midorikawa-san, I'll be your server today, what may I get you to drink?" She wrote down the customer's bored response and went into the kitchen, pouring the warm beverage into delicate china.

"Lettuce, maybe I should get that for you," she heard Zakuro's low voice mutter.

"I-I can h-handle it, Zakuro-san, t-thank you for the offer though," Lettuce stuttered, Zakuro put in the bare minimum, always, no more no less. Lettuce was confused as to why her friend would offer help.

"Your hands are shaking," Zakuro said and took the tea to the customer and promptly returned, "You don't seem to be felling well."

"N-no, I'm fine," Lettuce blushed, was her jealousy that easily read?

"Lovesick, I think," Zakuro said, with a small grin.

"N-no, r-r-re-real-really, I-I-I'm f-f-fi-fine," she said stuttering more and waving her arms as she shook her head, her blush growing even darker.

"Don't deny it, you've been downcast nearly all week," Zakuro pointed out.

"G-gomen, I-I re-really must get back to w-w-work," Lettuce said and rushed off to a table. Zakuro was a good friend, but Lettuce didn't really want help, she would just have to grin and bear it all, there wasn't anything else she could do.

The day seemed to drag on for eons and eons, each time another customer came in Lettuce found it harder and harder to smile. It was easier when a customer was grateful, considering it was mostly teenagers she was serving, that was very few people.

"Café Mew Mew will be closing in 10 minutes, thank you," Keiichiro's voice echoed in room through the speakers. The customers all hurried to get out, and the mews had a large rush to take care of, enough that got Mint up, but not enough to break Ryou and Ichigo apart. Lettuce's blood was uncharacteristically starting to boil. It wasn't right that Ichigo got out of working just because she was dating the boss; the fact that Lettuce happened to have a crush on the very same man had little to do with it. Lettuce and the others worked their butts off and had still been behind because the day was busy; Lettuce would hardly have been surprised if the make-out session turned to something else. She thought of all this as she was changing back into her school uniform and grabbed her jacket ready to depart.

"I'm leaving," Lettuce called as she left since it wasn't her day to stay late.

"Bye, oneechans, na no da!" Pudding yelled and watched the others depart, the others apart from Ichigo that was, Pudding didn't know where Ichigo had run off to, and she was supposed to help Pudding clean up.

"So, what does someone who's already green become when they're envious?" Mint asked jokingly.

"I'm not jealous of Ichigo-san," Lettuce said hoping her voice didn't betray her.

"We all know you're in love with Ryou," Zakuro said, her arms crossed and she looked directly at Lettuce.

"I thought I was, but he's with Ichigo-san, I respect that, though I don't think it's fair that she doesn't have to work just because she's in a relationship with Shirogane-san," her fists clenches as she said this.

"Yeah, I actually had to work," Mint said as if it were the worst thing in the world.

"I, too, agree it isn't fair, but there's nothing we can do about that," Zakuro saw this was where the path split for the three, Zakuro and Mint going one way, Lettuce the other, "See you later."

"Bye, Lettuce-san," Mint said eagerly following her idol on their way. Lettuce sighed and continued on her way home, her thoughts centered on Ichigo and Ryou. As she continued along the path she couldn't help but feel like someone was watching her, every time she turned around though she found no one. She looked around and realized she had taken a wrong turn among her pondering, she saw she was completely alone, and it was starting to get dark. Lettuce heard a deep laugh and turned abruptly.

"You shouldn't wander so far away from, girly," a large thuggish looking man said with a large grin spreading across his dirty face.

"G-gomen nasai!" Lettuce said with a bow.

"Sorry for what?" he asked taking a step closer to her.

"Please, don't come any closer," Lettuce said, her voice shaking.

"Oh?" the thug took several steps closer, and Lettuce backed up each time, soon up against a wall, his face was soon very close to hers, and he put his hands against the wall, her in between his arms, he could see her shaking, "Don't be so scared girly, I ain't gonna hurt ya."

"Please, sir, let me go," tears started to form, making her eyes shimmer.

"I don't think so," he said and pressed his cold lips forcefully against her warm ones. Lettuce squirmed and wiggled, and fought with every fiber of her being to break free, but he just moved his hands to her arms bruising them and holding her still. She continued to struggle and he moved his hands down and then up her shirt, squeezing at her breasts, causing Lettuce to scream, the man broke the kiss for but an instant and Lettuce turned away, he used this as an opportunity to nibble at her neck. Lettuce screamed again and the man forced her head back and starting kissing her again.

Tears were flowing down Lettuce's face as he proceeded to take her clothes off, she continued struggling and fighting, but the man was just too strong. She was about to lose hope as he continued, finally taking her virginity, ignoring the screams and struggles from the young girl under her. Lettuce felt the man come off of her, figuring he was resting, seeing how she had long ago lost her vision, and she was panting, trying to get as much rest as possible.

The Blue Knight proceeded with the near murder of the rapist. Continuously beating him, kicking him, clawing him, doing anything to cause hi pain. The Knight had been depressed since his alternate form had broken up with Ichigo, and now seeing Lettuce in this situation his heart filled with the urge to protect her.

The rapist thug was unconscious, and the Knight decided it was time to focus on Lettuce, "You're hurt," he said, kneeling down in front of her, looking at her abused form, covered in bruises, bite marks, and blood.

"No, no, no more," she said, feeling some heat approaching her once more.

"I won't hurt you," The Blue Knight said, and started dressing her again.

"What are you doing?" he vision was slowly returning, but her glasses had been knocked away, and where crushed at some point, little fragments of glass where imbedded in her back.

"I'm going to get you some help, Mew Lettuce," he said gently lifting her, making her wince, and causing her to panic again.

"What are you doing to me?"

"Don't worry, we're going to the hospital." She was still trembling and tears were still flowing down her cheeks, the Blue Knight realized he would have to leave her at the door, because he couldn't go into the hospital as the Knight, and as long as Lettuce needed him he would remain the Blue Knight, and he could tell she was going to need him for a long time. He teleported to the nearest hospital, and set her on the ground next to the door, "I love you, Lettuce-chan, but you won't be ready for me for a long time, pull through." She started hyperventilating, going into shock, and he teleported to the roof as he saw someone rushing towards the fragile girl.

Dang, I keep writing these really depressing fics, but it was a hard pairing, someone sworn to protect Ichigo falling for Lettuce. You presented two very great challenges, EssenceofGold, but I hope you guys aren't too disappointed.