Chapter 18: The Dawn of a New Day

Author's Notes:

It's odd to me that anyone would think that chapter 17 was the end of this tale. It is, after all, a sequel to A Roman Holiday, which was a harmless piece of fluff. I realise that I'm completely merciless where Chiaki is concerned :D but that said I don't throw exactly throw sad endings around for breakfast. Out of the dozen Nodame stories that I've written only one of them counts as having a sad ending so it's a bit strange that anyone would assume that this story would end in tragedy. Frankly speaking I thought my story was pretty formulaic in so far as it follows the conventions of crime fiction and with that in mind, it's obligatory almost for the main characters to be in jeopardy of some sort for dramatic purposes.

But please read on and be assured that no one dies in this story. Really. ;-)

A dark tunnel... a crack of light breaking through. A slight figure running towards it. He is desperately trying to keep up. He recognizes her and reaches out to her.

Senpai... senpai... do you see it? The light. If we will just follow it.

Nodame... nodame... hold my hand...

It's okay senpai, I'll be alright... we both will.

Nodame... don't leave me. Take my hand

I'll be fine.

Nodame... don't...

Chiaki woke up to the sound of a beeping blood pressure monitor attached to his arm and found himself restrained by a tube connected to an overhanging drip. Cold sweat trickled down his neck and face as he tried to overcome the jitters triggered by the dream.

A familiar figure in a plain brown overcoat was standing over him, playfully twirling a cigar.

"Where am I?" Chiaki's vision was somewhat blurred but what little he saw told him that his surroundings were entirely unfamiliar.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Mr Chiaki. Not that you actually left it, of course."

"Where am I?" Chiaki repeated his question, still groggy and weak. Not however lucid enough to be cantankerous.

"If specifics is what you want, you're currently convalescing in the Vienna General Hospital."

"Hospital?" Chiaki groaned, trying desperately to make head and tail of his predicament. "What happened? Was there some kind of accident?" As the questions flooded his mind, the dream was quickly forgotten.

"You don't remember? You breathed in an unhealthy amount of knockout gas."

"I did?" Images of familiar faces flashed before his eyes. "Knockout gas?" Chiaki was squinting to put names to faces while battling a heavy head and limbs that were refusing to coooperate.

"The stuff that sends people to sleep."

Whether the temporary amnesia was completely or partially responsible for Chiaki's inability to process these disparate bits of information into a coherent whole, it didn't not prevent him from battling valiantly to regain mastery of his mental faculties.

"Why am I having trouble remembering all that?" He asked wearily.

"It's probably an effect of being gassed. I'm sure it'll pass."

For the next few minutes, Chiaki made an effort to put the pieces of his life together as he ticked off a mental checklist.

My name is Shinichi Chiaki... I am a conductor. I was born in Japan and spent my formative years in Europe. My mother is Seiko Miyoshi and my father is Masayuki Chiaki, the pianist. My parents divorced when I was 12. I left Europe and went back to Japan. I attended Momogaoka College of Music as a piano major. It was there I met...

"Nodame!" Crying out her name seemed to have the desired therapeutic effect. In a matter of seconds, the strange happenings of the past few days flooded to clear his hazy mind. He was ready to leap out of his bed, tubes and all, only to be held back by his sluggish limbs.

The man in the brown suit was quick to reassure him. "She's fine... She's gone for a walk. I was wondering when you'd get to asking about her."

"A walk? How long was I out for?" He asked regretfully. Just my luck to miss her again.

"A day."

"A day!"

"You were pretty badly hit... more than she was." The inspector had a strange smile on his face.

"So she's alright?"

"Oh, absolutely... in fact, she's been by your bedside since regaining consciousness but started to get the hunger pangs."

Hunger pangs... geeze... that woman... when I could be dying. "She's obviously back to normal then."

"Her appetite was ravenous... Can't believe someone so small can fit that much food in."

"Yeah, it's quite an experience the first time."

"She wanted to look in on the others – Herr Stresemann and Herr Vieira..."

"And they're alright?"

"Still weak but definitely in the clear."

"Good... I'm glad..." Chiaki gave a deep sigh. "It's been a horrifying few days."

"I'll bet."

"And for a while there, inspector, I wasn't sure we were going to make it out of there alive."

"Nodame, are you sure you want to do this?" Vieira sensei had made his objections known earlier.

"I'll be okay. He never tried to hurt me."

"He tried to kill us, remember?" Stresemann was busy squinting into a mirror, nursing the bruises on his cheek. "Damn... these bruises... I've got a concert in a week's time. Wonder if make up will do the trick."

"That was later and when he was provoked by a certain someone..." Nodame glared at the German conductor who seemed blissfully oblivious to her insinuation.

Vieira sensei was not satisfied and still had reservations. "Are you sure it's necessary? Want me to come with you?"

Nodame shook her head decisively. "No... no... I need to do this alone. Besides you two are still weak and in pain. Rest up. I'll come and see you two later."

"Be careful, Nodame... his is a mind in turmoil."

"I know... which is why I must do this..."

As she strode down the corridor, she heard a familiar voice bellowing objections in one of the nearby rooms. Nodame recognized the voice as that belonging to a certain British conductor and knocked on the door.

"Unless you're offering me a glass of whiskey and a good time, don't bother coming in." was the irascible response.

"Hi James." Her small friendly face peered into the room warily. She saw an attractive female taking his blood pressure details and Beresford looking entirely disgruntled.

"A timely distraction... just as good..." He motioned for her to approach. "I was beginning to die of boredom in here."

"I heard you shouting." Nodame giggled.

"I think the entire hospital heard him shouting." The nurse rolled her eyes and then gave Nodame a quick smile before closing the door behind her.

Beresford patted the chair next to him for her to sit. "Well, my dear, you don't seem the worst for wear."

"Huh?"

"You look good for someone who's been through a major ordeal."

"God was looking after me."

"Well, somebody was." He looked her over quickly. "Not even a jolly scratch."

"I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"Considering that I was zapped by a bolt of lightning..." Beresford saw the look of horror on her face and hastily added "Well... almost anyway. I'll live."

"I'm glad." Nodame exclaimed enthusiastically. Relieved and delighted.

He lowed his voice and spoke to her with a conspiratorial air. "You don't happen to have a flask of whiskey or a cigarette on you, do you?"

Nodame shook her head regretfully and was trying hard not to laugh.

Both sat for some moment in silence, unsure what to say. Beresford drummed his fingers nervously on the sheets. It was, Nodame, however, that broke the silence.

"Why did you go there?"

"Go there?"

"To the amusement park. You knew I was there. Did you come to help me?"

"Well, I wasn't much help, was I?" Beresford responded gruffly while deftly evading the question.

"You were very brave." Nodame said gently. "Thank you."

"I've been called many things in my life. Brave? Never... ha!" Beresford immediately averted his eyes. "Brave is the last thing I am."

"You're a good person..."

Beresford snorted. "Now, that is something else I've never been accused of being."

"Well, you are... you just don't know it yet."

Is this why he fell for her? Such disarming naivete... No doubt she is special and it's not just the music...

"Anyway, James... I should go... there's someone else I need to see." She rose to leave but he own hand leapt up to stay her arm. Almost involuntarily.

"Nodame... I... er... I..." For the first time in his adult life, his wits failed him.

"What is it?" She asked kindly seeing the agony in Beresford's face.

"You... ah... played... ah... very well the other night." He paused fleetingly to gather his thoughts. "I was thinking...that... It would... er... be... a great honour... for me... er... if you'd accept an invitation to peform as guest soloist with the London Symphonia."

Nodame's eyes grew unnaturally large and her face was a mix of perplexity and mounting excitement. Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.

"You don't have to decide immediately, of course... talk it over with Chiaki when you're both feeling rather more like yourselves."

"Me? You want Nodame to play with your orchestra?" She said when she could finally utter the words. Her tone was one of complete astonishment.

"Absolutely." Such childlike enthusiasm. No pretensions at all. Despite being a Tilburn finalist she really has no sense of how stunningly good she is. "Would you be interested?"

Unbelievable. She really is the genuine article.

"Would I be interested? Would Nodame be interested? Of course..." She danced gleefully on the spot and then surprised Beresford when she threw her arms around him excitedly, following that with another dance.

"Nodame will make her London debut with the London Symphonia." She struck a dramatic pose, her left hand on the hip, her right arm in the air.

To show her gratitude, she leaned over to kiss Beresford lightly on the forehead.

"This is wonderful news. I must go tell Shinichi." She patted him on the shoulder. "I'll be back, James."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere." Beresford allowed himself a grin as he watched her saunter merrily out the door.

Weiss was at least right about one thing... she is a treasure...

Closing the door behind her, a sobering thought tampered her enthusiasm. Nodame was reminded that there was still that matter of unfinished business with a certain conductor. I need to see him. If for no other reason but to...

"I suppose we have you to thank for that we're not in a body bag somewhere."

"If it had've been cyanide, it would've been an entirely different story.

"So it wasn't cyanide?"

"Apparently not."

"So he was just trying to scare us?"

"It would seem. But knockout gas can do a lot of damage even if it doesn't kill you right away."

"How did we get out of there?"

"We found you... just in time..."

"Did he really expect to get away with it?"

"His was undoubtedly mentally disturbed. We've been talking to his doctors. He was on medication – or supposed to be. Found different types of anti-depressants at his place. Some untouched. Still I don't expect any court will convict him anway. He'll probably spend the rest of his life in a psychiatric facility."

"Have you found out why? What his motives were? Was it really because of unrequited love? Was Anna Montgomery the reason?"

"I'm no expert... just a humble policeman. But everything points to her death being the trigger. Although, in my experience, it's seldom just the one thing."

"Would he have hurt Nodame?"

"The doctors don't think so... so long as he saw her as his ideal and not as a threat."

"But they can't be sure..."

"In my profession, we learn quickly that nothing is certain except death... and the evil that humans are capable of."

"Must be depressing."

"It's not all bad. I learn to appreciate the good with the bad." The inspector fixed his gaze on Chiaki. "You realize, of course, that that was a completely reckless thing you did back there."

"Yeah, in hindsight, we could have been more circumspect about how we approached Weiss."

"I didn't mean that..."

"Oh... that..." Chiaki blushed turning away from the inspector's eagle eyes. "Things got pretty crazy in there."

"Love has a way of making people do things they wouldn't normally."

"I don't know... I don't think I've ever felt more responsible or helpless in my life. All I knew is I had to do something."

"So you did. Foolishly brave thing..."

"I'm not brave." Chiaki tried to hide his embarrassment. "There wasn't anything brave about what I did."

"Really?"

"It was purely an act of self-preservation."

"Oh yes?"

"I... didn't want to have to live with the guilt of bringing all this on her..."

"That's all?"

"I... I... just don't ever want to see an empty piano and be reminded that she's not there to play it."

"I see." The inspector nodded encouragingly. This must be the famous Japanese reserve I've heard so much about.

"A world without Nodame is not worth thinking about."

Moser said nothing.

"People don't really understand what she's about. I didn't either, for a while. She is difficult to... understand – there was a childhood incident that traumatized her and retarded her musical progress. But when she and the piano come together, it's like it all make sense.

"Music is, quite literally, in her blood. It doesn't matter how many rules she breaks, the spirit of the piece pervades her playing. The pictures and the images she creates are so vivid, so vibrant that it comes alive in one's imagination.

"She's like a child obsessed with her make-belief world and somehow she manages to draw everyone into the fantasy long enough for them to believe that there is beauty and goodness in the world.

"It is as if heaven chose the most unlikely, the most unspectacular gift box and placed in it this amazing musical box. Once opened, it pulls in the listener and captivates him. And the more time he spends with it, the more the music haunts him. So much so that you never want to let it go."

"And that listener... is you...?"

Chiaki did not reply. He didn't have to. The gleam of a single tear trickling down his cheek said it all.

"Why did you come? To gloat... to make fun of me... to kick a man when he's down?" Weiss looked like he'd aged twenty years. Although she maintained her composure, Nodame was secretly relieved to see that Weiss was handcuffed to the railing of the bed.

"Herr Weiss, do you really believe that? Then you're in a more pitiful state than I thought."

"Pity... is this what this is about... pity? I don't need your charity." Weiss mumbled with a dull belligerence.

"I didn't come to give you charity... I came to give you my thanks..."

"Thanks?"

"I came to thank you for a precious gift."

"Whatever for... I can only imagine that this is a joke."

"Nodame is not joking." She went over and hugged him in earnest. "Thank you for showing Nodame that she married a brave and amazing man. Now she knows that he loves her more than his own life."

"It wasn't my intention..."

"I know... but you did... I was wrong about you. You're not a bad man... just a sad boy who wanted to be loved."

"To be in love is merely to be in a state of perceptual anesthesia." Weiss was lost in his thoughts. A sleepwalking in a sleepless dream.

"Now, Nodame must go and rest... I'm tired... You rest too, Herr Weiss." Nodame made her move to leave and glanced once more at the pitiful figure.

"Nodame..." He called out to her with more of a spark in his voice.

"Huh..."

"Why Chiaki... why him?"

Nodame thought a while before saying, "Because he believes in me. When nobody else thought I could, he believed in me."

"She's that amazing, eh?"

"And maddening. She has no sense of decorum in ordinary things. Her life would be in shambles without anyone to pick up after her."

"And that's where you come in."

"It seems to be my lot in life." Chiaki grunted and made a show of being ill-used. "To create some kind of order in the chaos that is Megumi Noda."

"You don't seem all that unhappy about it." The inspector remarked shrewdly.

"The music more or less makes up for it." Chiaki added flippantly.

"I see... so it's a mutually benefical business arrangement." Moser folded his arms.

"Huh..."

"You exchange benefits and throw a few extras in."

"A few extras in? WHAT? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... no need to be so sensitive. It sounds to me to be an ideal situation. I envy you. A good deal all round."

"WHAT?... don't make it sound so cold and calculating... it's not like that at all."

"Isn't it? One good turn deserves another. A conductor by night and a housekeeper by day and by his side, the pianist who is his muse."

"Housekeeper? Muse? She's not my muse for goodness sake. And I'm most certainly not her housekeeper."

Sheesh... Is this guy for real? Nodame my muse?

"Nothing to be embarrassed about, Chiaki. At least she's not marrying you for your money."

So saying, the inspector picked up his hat and placed it firmly on his head. "Time for you to have some rest and for me to leave."

As Moser left the room and out of sight, a small smile formed on his lips.

Ah well... no harm done... always good to give them something to think about...

Chiaki was dozing off when he heard the door creaking, followed by an ill-disguised sound of shuffling feet. Curious and somewhat concerned for his own safety, he pressed the light switch on the remote

"Husband! You're awake." The startled intruder dropped the object she was carrying.

"Why are you sneaking around in my room?".

"It's my room too. I just didn't want to wake you." She said sheepishly pointing to the bed beside his.

"Where have you been?"

"Visiting... some friends..."

"How are Vieira sensei and the old man?"

"They are well except for some cuts and bruises."

"And you? How are you?"

"Nodame is feeling... over the moon..."

"You're in a good mood."

"Nodame is feeling great..." She waltzed around the room gaily until she noticed the wistful, crestfallen look on his face.

She was off on one of her adventures again... without me. Will it always be like this?

"Shinichi... what's wrong?" She ran to his side and jumped onto his bed.

"Owww... hey watch where you land. Unlike some people, some of us are still sore."

"Ooops... sorry." She instantly felt guilty, only too aware of the reason why she had got off relatively unscathed. "It's my fault..."

Chiaki's demeanour softened immediately and his fingers reached to fondle her cheek. "I have no regrets. I'd gladly do it again."

Nodame snuggled up closer so that her head would sit comfortably on his shoulder. "Anata... I missed you."

"I missed you too... Nodame." He whispered past her ear. "Things have been a little crazy lately."

"We're together again... the golden pair..."

"I really messed things up, didn't I... With you particularly."

"Shinichi... it's okay... I don't blame you..."

"Damn it Nodame... I'm trying to apologize... so let me."

"I'm trying to tell you that you don't need to."

"Yes, I do... there are things I have to say. I'm afraid that if I don't say them now, I won't ever do it."

This time there was no interruption. She sensed the urgency in his voice and waited expectantly for him to speak. He did look like he was ready to burst.

"You were right about my father. He's changed. Maybe he hasn't... maybe I'm the one with selective memory. I can't say if I'll have a normal relationship with him but I'm ready to find out. And I... need your help."

"Of course, husband."

"He's invited us to his wedding."

"I know."

"I don't know how I feel about that." Chiaki said tentatively before exclaiming in surprise, "You know?"

"Sure... he dropped by earlier today to see us and left a couple of things behind. Insisted that we should stay with him at the old family house. Can we, can we? It's an wonderful place. I can't wait to see Shinichi's bedroom."

"If you want to..."

"Mukya... Nodame can't wait!"

Her enthusiasm died when she saw how serious he had become. "Don't you want to..."

"Nodame, I don't want to become my father... I don't want to make the mistakes he made."

"You won't."

"But I have already... with you..."

"Huh?"

"I'm thinking of resigning." There was a distinct quiver in his voice.

"Resigning? From what?"

"From my position in the guild... idiot... where else?"

"But why... you loved the guild."

"I'm not leaving the guild." Chiaki snapped impatiently. "Just resigning from the secretary's position."

"But why... you were so excited... I thought it was just a lie to throw Weiss off."

"A day ago... I almost lost you... I could have lost you..."

"Nothing was going to happen to me, husband."

"What if something did... we can't be too sure..."

"I'm sure. Weiss was a very sad man with a very sad life. He just wanted to be taken seriously and mostly to be loved. For some reason he chose me to tell the world about his pain but in the end, I don't think he had enough courage to go any further."

"Didn't have enough courage?! He did enough!"

"He was just a sad little boy. He wanted to be loved but nobody loved him back so he never grew up. It's so sad, really."

"Hmph..."

"I really feel sorry for him... even his music couldn't give him peace."

"You're very forgiving. I don't know if I could... after what he did..."

"Well, I've had many years of practice with you."

"Hey... what are you saying..." He sat up and flashed her one of his dark, threatening looks.

"But you shouldn't resign. It's not necessary."

"It is. Weiss was right about one thing. I was selfish."

"He was wrong about that... When that piano went crazy, you weren't thinking about yourself..."

"That's different..."

In contrast to his uncertainty and diffidence, his wife's voice rang confidently and clearly. As if overnight, she was a woman who had grown again and was ready to take on the next hurdle. As much as she was offering comfort, she was issuing a challenge.

"I chose to be with you, Shinichi, a long time ago... knowing very well who you are and what you're destined for. Of course, it doesn't mean that I'm satisfied with living in your shadow. So becareful, husband, because one day it is you who will have to catch up to me.

"It makes me happy to know that you are willing to sacrifice your own dreams for my sake. But I don't want you to. The price is too high and I hate the idea of living the rest of my life feeling obligated. I can't live up to it. It is hard, I know, to find the balance but we must find our own way to be the golden pair.

"Shinichi, you and I are not like other people. We are born to make music. We live our entire lives surrounded by a community that most people will never be a part of. And yet, people know us even if we don't know who's watching us from far away. We touch them with our music and then as silently we leave. We cannot know what they're thinking or how our music will affect them. We can only hope that our music will bring joy and not sadness to their lives.

Chiaki was both moved and shamed by her words. She was not one for speeches and it reminded him again how much he'd underestimated her. Her potential for growth seemed endless. The fact that she was prepared to struggle to find a space that was theirs showed that she was just as committed to the relationship as ever.

Chiaki leaned over his wife and gazed tenderly into her shining eyes. "Since when did you start growing a brain?"

"I've always had a brain, it's just that I don't think like other people."

"Well I can't argue with that."

"That's why you fell madly in love with me, right?"

"However I may fulfill your fantasies... Mrs Chiaki" He leaned closer still and brushed his lips against her before pressing more firmly against them. All the intensity built up over the last few days found their object. The malady that had driven him to near madness had found its remedy.

The recepient, caught unawares by these fervent overtures, was completely at his mercy. What else was she to do except respond in kind? Instinctively her eyes closed and her body succumbed to the scorching sensations of her pleasures senses.

In a rare moment, when he released her, she came up for air.

"How can I fulfill yours, Mr Chiaki?" She murmured breathlessly, revelling in the scent of the man who was drowning her with his passionate embrace.

"Don't stop now."

Amidst the rustling of sheets and the creaking of springs, he heard a small voice penetrate through his amorous fog.

"Do you think the hospital will let us have a bigger bed?"

The husband looked up, irritated at the interruption. "What sort of question is that?"

"Muki... I can't work like this..."

"Work?"

"How can I be expected to perform my wifely duties under such conditions?"

"Nodame... just shut up..." And that he made sure of by taking control of her lips.

And so she did, the obedient and submissive wife that she was.

Author's Notes:

I suppose it does have a finished feel to it and I guess I can quite easily end it all here but I will most likely include one more chapter... probably an epilogue just to tie up all the threads.

But don't let me stop you from reviewing or giving any comments you may have. :D

Just in case I don't get to the epilogue, I'd like to say that this will probably be my last Nodame story for a while. It largely depends on the outcome of the manga and where that goes. However, I'm embarking on another writing project and am in the process of developing the ideas for it. I won't say too much just in case it doesn't quite work out.

The quote used by Weiss has been attributed to HL Mencken.