Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except for Wyatt. I made him up.
Author's Note: I fixed a few issues with the story in this chapter. May not make sense now, but it will in future chapters hopefully. May not the best fanfiction out there, but I never said that this was the best story ever. Please read and Review.
This story is rated M, so if you're under age or too immature, please turn back now. You have been warned.
When Night Is Falling: Chapter 2
Ami turned off the hot water and allowed the steam to settle around her slender frame.
"Ahhh that felt good…I feel so much better. I think I will go to the book store after this." Ami said to herself.
She pulled back the shower curtain and stepped out onto the cold, tile floor, grabbed her towel and dried her body and hair. She walked to her closet and pulled out her white and blue baseball shirt, then her dresser and got out her bra, underwear and jeans, and then got dressed. Then she put on her socks and was lacing up her converse when there was a knock on her door.
"Ami dear, Rei is here to see you." Ms. Mizuno said.
"Send her in." Ami replied standing.
The door opened and Rei stepped into view, looking as riveting as always. She was sporting her favorite pair of jeans that fit her curves with the utmost precision, a black tank top that revealed more of her ample cleavage than Ami had ever seen her converse and her glasses and her long raven hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. Ami sat in awe for a moment and gathered her thoughts before she realized her mother was still in the room.
"I have to get going Ames; I will be working late tonight. Don't forget to lock up when you leave." Ms. Mizuno said snapping Ami out of her gawking session.
"I won't. I love you mom." Ami said.
"Love you too. Nice to see you again Rei." Ms. Mizuno said.
"You too Mizuno-san." Rei replied.
Ms. Mizuno left the room and went to work.
"So what do I owe this unexpected pleasure Rei-chan?" Ami asked walking over to her desk to pick up her purse.
"I had a vision last night during one of my meditation sessions. I was wondering if I could discuss it with you." Rei asked.
"Rei you know you can talk to me about anything, but I don't know how much help I will be. Shouldn't that be discussed with Setsuna? I mean that is more her department." Ami replied.
"No, Ami it has to be you." Rei said simply.
"Okay, well I was planning on going to the book store, would you like to go with me? We grab some lunch after that and talk." Ami said.
"Sounds wonderful." Rei said smiling.
"Then let's get out of here." Ami said picking up her purse.
The two women walked out into the hallway and out the front door, locking it behind them. They got into the elevator, and went down to the ground floor. Once outside Rei looped her arm in the crook of Ami's elbow and smiled at her.
"Would you rather walk or drive?" Rei asked leading them over to her red mustang.
"I know your car is a convertible, but I think that it would be a shame to waste this day by driving." Ami said smiling.
"God she looks so cute when she smiles like that." Rei thought to herself.
"Then we walk." Rei said taking Ami's arm again.
Meanwhile back at Makoto's…
"So you're saying that she will soon realize what she feels and make the first move?" Makoto asked incredulously.
"Yes, and then you two will probably end up in bed doing the things that you both have been dreaming about." Mina said.
Makoto choked on her coffee.
"And I am sure that Rei is over with Ami, telling her all of this too." Mina said shifting her weight.
"Wait! So both of you are going to talk?" Makoto asked.
"Yes. Look Makoto I know through empathy, Rei found out through her telepathy. It was only a matter of time before either one of us knew or found out about this. I mean the signs are obvious." Mina explained.
"Is it really that obvious?" Makoto asked.
"Are you kidding? God, every time I was in the room with you two, I had to use all of my will power just to keep myself from losing my cool, and jumping you right where you stood. That is how intense it was being around you two. Rei and I would get together and satisfy these feelings I had and the visions she saw. Rei is an intense lover, and I love her. I believe that these feelings you are having for Ami are more than just lust, its love. You are in love with her Makoto. And she is in love with you, which makes these feelings more intense." Mina explained.
Mina chuckled a little and Makoto blushed. For a person who never stayed in a relationship very long, Mina sure knew a lot about this kind of stuff.
"Just watching you and Rei together can be just as intense. It's obvious how much you love one another. I love Ami so much; I just wish I could tell her without her being scared off." Makoto said.
"Like I explained, it will happen soon enough, just give this a little time. Though I know we aren't supposed to 'meddle' in things like this, I believe by just giving you a little push can make things much easier. I mean it is obvious that you two are aware of these feelings, I just want to see you two together already." Mina replied.
They say in silence for a few minutes before Makoto spoke.
"What time is the party tonight?" Makoto asked changing the subject.
Mina could tell that she didn't want to talk about Ami anymore.
"7 I believe, at Rei's Shrine." Mina replied looking at her watch.
"Then we should get cooking." Makoto said standing up.
"Pardon the expression." She added walking into her bedroom.
"We?" Mina asked raising a blonde eyebrow.
"You're going to help me, I need an assistant. Let's get the list together and get going." Makoto said putting on a pair of jeans and her sneakers.
The two women put together a list, and left Makoto's apartment.
"So tell me Rei, what's the real reason you came to see me?" Ami asked as they walked down the sidewalk.
"I told you, I needed help interpreting a vision I had last night." Rei replied.
Ami looked sideways at her friend, and studied her for a moment. Rei knew that the Bluenett wasn't stupid and that she had probably deduced that there was more to this visit than she was letting on. But Rei wasn't about to just blurt out everything she was thinking, she needed Ami to open up about this, though she was a private person, Rei knew that this was something that needed to be helped, not left alone.
"I know there is more to it than that, there's something you're not telling me." Ami said in a harsh tone.
"I don't want to discuss it right now, let's get your books, and go to lunch, we will talk then." Rei said a little surprised by the blunt harshness of the Ami's inquiry.
"Alright." Ami said, she decided that it probably wasn't a good idea to test Rei at the moment. Everyone knew that Rei had a bad temper.
As they walked into the bookstore someone had caught Rei's attention and Ami took that as an opportunity to go and look for the book she wanted. She knew that when Rei finally came over to her, this would be an embarrassing trip to her favorite bookstore.
"Rei I will be over there, I guess find me when you're done." Ami said.
"I will be right there." Rei replied.
Rei stood there for a minute gazing up at the header 'Erotica', and then turned back to her friend, a smile playing on her lips.
Ami let out a long sigh, books were nothing knew to the blue haired woman; however these books were a little out of her usual readings.
"I don't even know what to get! I don't have any experience with women…maybe I should ask Rei…or even Mina, I know she has plenty of experience. But I don't want to be rude." Ami said to herself as her fingers skimmed the row of books in front of her.
Finally she landed on one at random and pulled it from the shelf and flipped through the pages. Rei's friend finally said their goodbye and walked over to Ami. She paused and stared as Ami's fingers expertly skimmed through the pages of a very interesting book. Rei smiled as she remembered what those fingers were doing to Makoto in her vision last night.
"So Ami what have you got there?" Rei asked coming to stand next to her friend.
"Just a…a… um book." Ami stuttered blushing from head to foot.
"I am well aware it's a book Ami-chan. But it's not your typical book on medicine or quantum physics…Actually I think I have read this book." Rei said gently taking the book from her flustered friend, flipping though it smiling.
"I had this dream last night…it's not the first time I have had this particular dream…and I was doing things and having things done to me that I am not familiar with…I just wanted to understand." Ami explained.
"Sometimes you have to experience the feeling; you can't get all your answers from a book Ami-chan. Have you found a love interest?" Rei asked winking.
Ami blushed an even deeper shade of red, and Rei took that as a 'yes'.
"Let's get going." Rei said breaking the silence.
Ami nodded and took the book from Rei's hand and selected two more books off the shelf. Ami placed the books on the checkout counter without shame, and the cashier smiled at her. She began to feel a little bit more confident about her sexuality as she stood next to Rei, she felt like she could do anything. Rei covertly ran her eyes over Ami's body as she stood next to her.
"Wow Ami is quite a catch…I never really noticed before." Rei thought to herself.
The two walked out of the book store arm in arm again. Ami looked rather proud if her situation as she and Rei received cat calls and whistles from on lookers on the street.
"They think we are together." Rei said leaning in close to Ami's ear.
"Maybe we should make out and see what they do." Ami replied giggling a little.
Rei laughed as well as they walked into the pizza joint they had been walking to.
"Let's sit over there." Rei said dragging Ami over to a secluded corner booth.
Rei sat down and picked up a menu, ignoring the stares that were coming from the men at the table across the room.
"Don't you ever get tired of men looking at you like that?" Ami asked looking at her own menu.
"Like what?" Rei asked.
"Like you're some piece of meat." Ami replied a little agitated.
Clearly this was bothering Ami.
"I am comfortable with me body and well I like to flaunt it. I mean I have curves and cleavage and all that good stuff. It makes me feel sexy to know that someone else thinks I am sexy too. But of course after they try and make a pass, I tell them that I bat for the all girls team." Rei explained.
The women were shortly interrupted by the waiter.
"Afternoon ladies, can I start you off with a drink?" He asked.
"I will have iced tea." Ami said.
"I will have the same." Rei said.
"Would you like to order, or do you need a few more minutes?" He asked.
"We can order, I will have a personal cheese pizza with a side salad." Ami replied, handing the waiter her menu.
"And I will have a personal meat lover's pizza with breadsticks." Rei said handing him her menu as well.
"Thank you, I will put your order in. I will be back shortly with your drinks." He said walking away.
Ami turned to Rei, a rather stern expression on her face.
"Cut the crap Rei. I know you know what I am thinking. You're a psychic for god's sake." Ami said rather abruptly.
"Ami I don't know how many times I have to explain this to people, I don't just go around reading the minds of everyone on the street. Every one has some kind of barrier on their mind, even if they aren't aware of it. The mind isn't a book that can be open and read at will. Its complex and fragile and it can even be dangerous." Rei explained.
"Okay so explain." Ami said.
"I had a vision last night during a rather long meditation session. It wasn't a vision of the past or the future. That's a little more in Setsuna's department." Rei explained.
Ami sat in silence for a minute, studying her friend's face.
'Well Setsuna will know about this…And I am sure that what Rei is about to tell me is what I dreamt about…and if they know…Mina knows too.' Ami thought to herself.
As usual she had deduced that this was what Rei wanted to talk about; she knew that the Fire Senshi, like herself, was a private person, unless something was wrong with her friends.
"You and Makoto were…um…well you were intimate with one another…" Rei said, sounded awkward for the first time.
"You…You saw details?" Ami asked incredulously.
Rei nodded, but she did not elaborate.
"Does Mina know?" Ami asked.
Rei choked on her tea, and then looked at Ami which such sadness in her eyes that Ami almost broke down herself.
"Yes…I believe that she knows too. She may even be at Makoto's, I am not sure I haven't spoken to her in months." Rei replied, rather coldly.
"I am sorry…" Ami said quietly.
An awkward silence passed between them.
"So this accounts for why every time I am in the room with Makoto, I can feel the tension rise in you if you are near?" Ami asked.
"Yes, but is it really that obvious?" Rei asked.
"Oh yes, well I guess to me, because I feel like I know you pretty well. I could tell by the way you would shift your weight a lot if you were sitting, crossing your legs and such. Then if Mina was there you two would leave and not come back…" Ami replied.
Just then their pizza arrived and they began to eat.
"Okay Capitan Obvious, what is with those books, from what I understand, you are not naive in the ways of love?" Rei asked.
"I have never been with a woman before…" Ami said rather embarrassed by this admission.
Her sexuality wasn't something she openly discussed with anyone, even of Rei was her friend, she wasn't sure if she was ready to explore this new area of her life.
"Seriously?" Rei asked looking at her friend in shock.
"Seriously…just three men…Wyatt…he was the last and the relationship just ended kind of bad, but I knew that I was in love with him. The other two…they were just flings." Ami explained.
"Relationships that end like that are often still painful even if years have passed." Rei said.
Rei could tell that this was a sensitive subject for Ami, but she understood too that she needed to talk about this and work out these feelings with someone else.
"Our ambitions were taking us in different directions, I was in med school and he was finishing his thesis. We barely saw one another and when we did, it was always sexual, so we had to figure out something. And now he's in America doing what he loves. The pain…it's just still to real right now…I don't know if I am ready to open my heart and let someone in, even if it is Makoto." Ami explained.
Rei took Ami's hand in her faintly calloused one, looking deep into her ice blue eyes; Rei could see the sadness in them. She hadn't realized how alone Ami must feel.
"It can be tough. You know me, I don't let very many people in mainly because of the way my family treated me, I always thought that if people knew so little, then there would be no attachment, and therefore make things less complicated. I hate complicated. Dairen was simple, he was easy to read, easy to please, I on the other hand was impossible. But that didn't seem to bother him as much as it bothered me. Then when I met Serena things became a little more complicated, and I wanted to get out before it got out of control. I realized over time that my feelings for Serena were more than just friendship and it turned into lust, all you guys know she and I were sexually involved, and well so did Darien, I thought I could shut that off when I was with him…but I couldn't. Her name escaped my lips as I climaxed…and I could see the pain and surprise in his eyes when it happened. I got up, got dressed and left, I never looked back. Destiny happened and then I hear from none other than Mina, that Darien and Serena were together. And then I wanted to die, the pain of seeing two people I love together, two people that I had shared so much with…it hurt. I lost control; I let the tears that I had suppressed for the better part of three years come out." Rei explained.
She had never told anyone this before, but with Ami it felt right talking about it.
"I remember…Mina called me the day after that…she was afraid that you had hurt her…so I examined her…all was good, but she cried in my arms because she was hurting for you." Ami said.
"A couple months of avoiding passed and I slowly began to form something with Mina that wasn't just physical, it's like she is my equal. We could talk and do things without having sex, it was difficult not to, but we had to make it work. I had to know that this wasn't just a physical thing that was real and could work. But my past caught up with me when Serena called me one night, I actually had the strength to pick it up this time. But it was a mistake, because it was only to hear that she was engaged, and she wanted me to be her Maiden of Honor, and wanted to know if my grandpa could marry them. I wanted to throw the phone across the room; I didn't answer her right away. But you all know how that all went down, I stood there and sucked it up for her, because even if I wasn't with her, I still hated to see her cry." Rei explained.
Ami didn't know what to say, she just sat still intently listening to Rei. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew that talking about this was making Rei feel better, and that was all that mattered to Ami at the moment, it made her forget about her problems, which she didn't want to talk about anyways, but she knew too; that Rei wasn't going to let her off the hook that easy.
"We had never said the words 'I love you' because we weren't sure about our future, but the night she told me that she was engaged with Darien, she said them, and I was upset. How could those words be said after, 'oh and Dairen and I are engaged, and I want you to be my Maiden of Honor'? I didn't say them back, I told her all I wanted for her was her happiness and that if that meant that she was going to get married then I wanted that for her." Rei explained.
"You let her go that easily? That doesn't seem like you." Ami said.
She was never sure what they dynamics were in their relationship. Rei never talked about it, and out of respect, Serena didn't either.
"It wasn't easy. But I had Mina to help me through it, I mean we weren't a couple, as you know. We were still in the beginning stages, friends with benefits, which we tried not to flaunt, but failed miserably. But we could still do whatever we wanted, it wasn't serious. And it worked for a while. I still loved Serena; even I wouldn't admit it to anyone. Mina had said more than once that I was in love and that I needed to tell Serena before it was too late, but I didn't see the point, it was destiny that they are to be married, and who am I to fuck that up? I just set myself up for failure from that first kiss with Serena." Rei said.
"But that doesn't mean that you couldn't give it a shot. You two still kind of went for it." Ami said finishing her pizza.
"About two weeks after the engagement party Dairen showed up at my estate in Kyoto and told me that Serena missed me, she was in love with me, and he felt as if he was taking me away from Serena. I had to explain to him that this was how it was meant to be, and I wasn't interested in fucking up their future together. I left for my inheritance because it was time for me to move on and I thought that by moving four hours away that I could escape the drama. Mina was on tour and I had the opportunity to mend things with my father, he accepted that I am gay and that I had the right to live my life the way that I wanted. I made him put everything in my name so he couldn't take it away later. It was a long process, but a successful one. I didn't tell him about Serena because I didn't want to think about her, it hurt too much. Darien said that he didn't want me out of their lives, even if that meant Serena needed or wanted to sleep with me, he would be okay with it. At first I was reluctant about this whole thing because my happy ending ends with two people, not three." Rei explained.
"So…all three of you…" Ami said.
"Well at first, it was awkward. I would sleep with him sometimes, and sometimes with her, but I was courteous. I didn't interfere with either of them and their 'alone' time as a married couple. He was finishing college, so he was glad that I could keep Serena company when he couldn't, I felt kind of used because I was involved with both of them, but I was using them too. There wasn't any jealousy or anything like that. Sometimes all three of us would be together…and it was perfect. Mina was a little skeptical about this kind of thing, but she made it as easy as possible for me. She is very patient, and I love her for that, because I know how difficult I can be to handle. Eventually we worked everything out, and I told Serena that I wanted something serious and that I wanted to commit to Mina. It hurt, but she knew like I did, that this couldn't go on forever, so she let me go. And well here we are today." Rei finished.
"From what I understand Rei, you and Mina aren't doing so hot right now are you?" Ami asked, naturally deducing from the tone in Rei's voice that something was going on behind closed doors.
She and Mina were usually inseparable, but lately they hadn't been seen together at all. Which Ami noticed, but never said a word. It wasn't like Rei to throw everything out in the open like that, so of course it wasn't a wonder that Ami had figured out that they weren't doing well.
"No we aren't. But I am not here to talk about her; I am here to talk about you Ami-chan." Rei replied.
Ami took Rei's hand back in hers and stroked the back of her hand soothingly. Rei eased up a little, relaxing back in her chair. Ami could tell that Rei was fighting back tears, and tears were a rare sight from Rei.
"I'm sorry Rei…" Ami said softly.
"It's alright. Now this vision, before I begin I would like you to know that my visions are subjective and they don't necessarily predict anything, nor do I force them happen. When I am in that deep meditative state whatever comes into my mind is put there by some kind of force. I suspect that it is probably the force of my planet Mars. At first I couldn't understand what I was seeing, I thought it may have been a past life vision of Mars and Venus, but as I got deeper into the trance, I saw blue and brown hair, two bodies intertwined, moaning and naked. Then I saw faces and then I realized it wasn't the past, but the future or a possible one. I think I saw this because all the tension I have felt between you two lately has finally manifested into something neither you nor Makoto has realized yet." Rei explained.
"Rei…I think you were inside my head last night…" Ami said in disbelief.
"It wasn't by choice I can assure you." Rei replied.
"I know…I didn't feel like I was being controlled or invaded…but how did you…" Ami trailed off.
"Look Ami, I don't know why this vision was sent to me, but I do understand the rules of my abilities, and I am here to help you, I believe that is why I have these…why Setsuna and I have been chosen to have these abilities. I am here to help you." Rei explained.
The waiter had brought the check and Rei had paid before Ami realized they were finished eating.
"I think I am in love with her Rei. It's just after my last relationship I am reluctant to open my heart again. I know that this thing with Makoto isn't physical, I mean I find her sexually attractive, but that's not all I love about her. And Wyatt showed me that there are more ways to love than sex, but that was all we had time for with our busy schedules, then he got the job in America and he had to go, just like that. The pain…it's still just too raw and real for me and it's been three years." Ami said.
Rei said nothing so she went on.
"I have only slept with two people, and when I started dreaming about Makoto, it made me reconsider my sexuality. I mean I know that I don't necessarily have to be gay to be in love with Makoto, but what if I find that I like other women or something like that, and it drives a wedge between Makoto and I?" Ami asked, she was almost hysterical.
"You're so cute when you over analyze things Ami-chan. Listen, don't worry about the future, we all know too well that it can change in a heartbeat. So don't get ahead of yourself. Just focus on your feelings and what your heart is telling you. Don't think with your groin, you're too smart for that, just follow your heart, as corny as that sounds, your heart is always right." Rei explained.
"Do you still love Darien?" Ami asked boldly.
Rei was caught of guard by the question, but Ami was letting her in, so it was only fair to answer the woman's question.
"Yes…I do…he was my first…and I don't think you ever get over your first. I can't be in the same room with him without wanting to fuck him, and I think that we share that feeling. He will usually make some excuse to leave the room and not come back for a while, just like I will. I don't think Serena really knows that we still love one another. But I won't tell her because we are no longer involved. I don't want to cause any up roar or drama. But if she asks I will answer." Rei replied.
Ami seemed satisfied with this answer and stood.
"I think we should get going, it's getting crowded in here." Ami said looking around the café.
She extended a hand to Rei, she took it, and the two women left the restaurant, Ami's head rested on Rei's shoulder.
They walked in silence back to Ami's flat. Rei could tell that she was deep in thought, they were both armed with new information, and it needed to be processed. They looked at one another as they reached the front of Ami's building. Rei walked closer to her car, and stood there for a moment.
"I had a really awesome time today Rei-chan." Ami said so quietly that Rei almost didn't hear her.
"Me too Ami." Rei said smiling.
Ami seemed a little anxious, and Rei knew what Ami wanted to do, so she braced herself for the action. Rei leaned forward and closed the gap between her and Ami. Their lips met in an intense kiss, Ami moved her body closer to Rei, forcing her to step back and lean against her mustang. Rei moaned in satisfaction, a sound that Ami had never heard from any woman but herself, and she knew what that meant, but knew that Rei wouldn't take advantage of her or the situation. Their conversation had left Ami with new confidence and an assertiveness that wasn't there earlier. A few seconds later Rei broke the kiss, panting and looking into her friend's ice blue eyes.
"I think…I think I should go. I too had an awesome day today Ami. I will see you at the party later…" Rei said getting into her car.
"Yeah, see you later. Bye Rei." Ami said.
Rei started the car, threw it into gear and drove off, rag top down.
Ami stood there for a few minutes, taking in everything that just happened. Rei glanced in her rear view mirror and saw Ami still standing on the sidewalk, she smiled and accelerated. A few minutes later she arrived at the shrine, parked and walked up the twenty steps effortlessly. She took out her phone and sent a text.
'Meet me at my place in two hours alone. R'
She was confident that Mina would respond and show up in two hours. She walked inside and began to clean up before Mina's arrival.
Ami had finally snapped out of her reverie and walked into her building. On her way to the elevator she checked her mail box and then proceeded to the elevator. Once to the door she went inside and locked the door behind her. Ami put down her bag and sat her keys on the counter, then went to sit down on the couch.
"Bill…bill…junk…newsletter…and what's this?" Ami said to herself as she sorted the mail on the coffee table in front of her.
She picked up a blue envelope postmarked, Nenana, Alaska, From a Wyatt Coleman.
"I didn't know that they had a post office there." Ami said to herself as she opened the letter.
Dear Ami,
I know it's been a while since we have been in contact with one another. It gets kind of lonely out here in the Arctic Circle. You should see it up here, the Aurora is so beautiful. It shines all kinds of different colors, but the one that shines the brightest is blue...and it makes me think about you. I know that sounds kind of cheesy but it's true. And I know it is too late to apologize, but I miss you and I am sorry about what we had to go through. I am sorry for what I put you through. You have nothing to feel guilty about. I know you said you felt like it was your fault, but Ami it wasn't. The fault was mine. I honestly didn't mean to hurt you the way that I did. I took something from you that was very special, and then I hurt you. I have written this letter a thousand times trying to find the right words to express what I am feeling, but this is all I have. You know that I am not one for words, only numbers, but I tried for you. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you. My husky Diesel is one of the only creatures that I can really talk to...his eyes remind me so much of yours...not that I am comparing you to a dog or anything. I mean you're loyal and caring, okay that sounded wrong. But you know what I mean. I'm coming back to Tokyo in a few months I'd like to see you if that's okay. I have included my new number and some pictures of the scenery and the dogs. I miss you so much Ami, and I want to still be friends if that is possible, I know that after a relationship like ours it may be difficult. But I do want to try. My email is still the same, shoot me one sometime. You can write but sometimes it takes a while to get mail since everything is run by Husky here. I have to get going. I will send more when I get a chance. Ami I love you, and I always will, no matter who you are with.
Love forever and for always,
Wyatt
Ami folded the letter and took a look at the enclosed pictures. He was right, the scenery was breathtaking, and the huskies were beautiful too. She inhaled sharply at the picture of him next to Diesel, he still looked the same, but she could see that the smile was fake and not as full of happiness as it used to be. She could only hope that she could make things work with Makoto before he came back, so they could try to be friends because being lovers was out of the question. Their breakup had been kind of sudden and it was still painful, they had tried so hard to make it work, but the distance was too far for them to be in any kind of relationship. After a month they called it quits and went their separate ways. They hadn't had any contact in two years. Ami sighed and walked into her room, turned on her ipod to her favorite song "Boston" by Augustana, took off her shoes, and changed into her pajamas. Finally she climbed into bed and pulled the covers over her head and fell asleep, still holding the picture of Wyatt in her hands.
Author's Note 2: Please read and review...
TBC...