-------------------------------------------- I will meet you in some place Where the light lends itself to soft repose I will let you undress me But I warn you, I have thorns like any rose And you could hurt me with your bare hands You could hurt me using the sharp end of what you say But I am lost to you now There's no amount of reason to save me So break me Take me Just let me fill your arms again Break me I'll let you make me Just let me feel your love again Feels like being underwater Now that I've let go and lost control Water kisses fill my mouth Water fills my soul Kiss me once Well maybe twice Oh, it never felt so nice ~Break Me Jewel -------------------------------------------- Altered State, book one "Tonight, Tonight" by Mercury Blue -------------------------------------------- Part Two- The Second Month Chapter Five- The Calm Before The Storm No human creature can give orders to love. I suppose the old adage is true- the heart cannot choose to whom it gives its affection. The expression certainly seems to apply in this case, does it not? Of course it does. After all, if we could control our emotions, and pick who we love, I wouldn't be in the situation I am in now. Nor would the people whose story I've been telling. Take Raye, for example. If she had control over who she loved, she wouldn't be dealing with the internal conflict of feelings that have been constantly plaguing her. She would have forgotten Chad and easily dealt with his new relationship with Lita. The same goes for Amy. In any other reality, in any other time (Time- there's that word again!), she would have never attempted a relationship with Darien. Even now, if she could control her feelings, she most certainly would. But the heart cannot be told how to feel; the heart is its own master. And so, Time passed, as Time always does, and throughout it, Amy and Darien are together. For one month, they've been able to hide their relationship from their friends, and for one month... They've been falling in love. It would be beautiful, if it weren't so detrimental. Then there's Raye, of course. The newly-past month has been eventful for her as well. Forcing her feelings deep inside, she's been able to use this time to restore her relationship with Chad nearly to the solidity it had been before he'd started dating Lita. On that front, all seems to be well. All *seems* to be well. But I'm rambling now, aren't I? I do suppose it's time to continue on with our little story. Now, where shall I pick it up? Ah. I know. -------------------------------------------- The world was a blank canvas of shimmering white snow. Raye exhaled heavily, watching in wonder as her newly visible breath twirled before her eyes in metaphysical ballet. ~Everything looks so majestic,~ she thought to herself, leaning on the handle of her snow shovel. It had snowed a good six inches the night before, according to the local weather stations, and after working for over an hour to clear the many walkways in front of the shrine, Raye finally allowed herself to be distracted by the near-perfection that only a fresh blanket of snow could provide. She loved winter. It was absolutely her favorite time of the year. Everything seemed so tranquil when it was frozen over. Flowers disappeared, trees shed their leaves; even humanity seemed to slow down and hibernate, as if waiting for spring when life would again be reborn. The world seemed a cleaner place when covered in snow. That's how Raye had always felt. The ground, the buildings, the trees. Even the air seemed fresher- cleaner, somehow- during the winter months. It was because of this love of winter that Raye took a break from shoveling to gaze in awe at the beautiful wonderland that surrounded her. With a soft smile, she thought to herself that the shrine grounds were never as lovely as when they were covered with an untouched layer of pure, virgin snow. "Raye!" Raye's momentary trance was interrupted when she heard her name being called. Turning in the direction of the voice, she saw Chad jogging towards her, cutting a path through the smooth layer of snow she'd just been admiring. ~So much for small pleasures,~ she thought to herself with a roll of the eyes. "What do you need, Chad?" she asked, regarding him with a humorless smile. She had to admit to being just a little annoyed with him- he was supposed to be helping her shovel. "I'm so sorry, Raye," he said apologetically. "I got a little distracted. See, Lita called and-" he stopped abruptly, and the two of them shared a moment of awkward silence. Over a month had passed since the movie gathering at her home; when the two of them had shared that fateful kiss in the bathroom. Things were nearly back to normal between the two of them. That didn't stop them from feeling uncomfortable discussing Chad's relationship. "Well," he continued finally. "I'm just sorry. I didn't mean to take that long." Chad leaned forward and plucked the snow shovel from Raye's hands. "But don't worry Raye," he said. "I'll finish up here." Raye rolled her eyes again, and took her shovel back. "Go get your own shovel," she said with a sigh. "We'll finish this together." Chad shot her a grateful look and ran to the shed to fetch a shovel for himself. ~That guy is absolutely hopeless,~ Raye chuckled to herself, and tossed several piles of snow to the side. She was just about to reach for yet another shovelful when she heard her name being called. "Raye, how's it going?" Lita ascended the stairs two at a time, smiling behind a pair of rosy cheeks. She waved a mittened hand in greeting, and Raye nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm okay," she replied, wiping a strand of hair from her sweaty brow. "Nothing like a bit of physical labor to start your day, right?" The brunette laughed in agreement and then looked around her. "You wouldn't happen to know where my boyfriend is," she asked, adjusting the pair of earmuffs she wore. Raye flinched at the reference and waved towards the shed that Chad had disappeared into. "He's in there," she told her friend. "He's looking for a snow-shovel." "Oh, so he's busy?" Lita looked disappointed, and for the first time Raye noticed she had a pair of skates draped over her shoulder. "Darn it." "Well, he did promise to help me shovel the walks," Raye said. A confused look passed over her face, and she raised an eyebrow at Lita. "Wait, didn't you just get off the phone with him?" Lita seemed to blush a bit, and she shot Raye a warm smile. "Well, yes," she admitted. "But no sooner did I hang up the phone, then I realized that this is the perfect weather to go skating." She gestured to the skates she held. "So I grabbed my skates, and ran right over." Chad chose that moment to reappear from the shed, sans shovel. "Raye, I couldn't find-" he began. Then he caught sight of Lita standing next to her. "Lita, what are you doing here?". "I came to see if you wanted to go ice skating with me," his girlfriend replied. "But I see that Raye's busy monopolizing your time." She tossed a pout in Raye's direction, and Raye threw up her hands in defeat. "Fine, Lita. Take him away. Ice skate all day, for all I care. I just hope you feel good about yourself when my fingers fall off from shoveling snow by myself all day." Lita gave a little squeal of joy, and threw her arms around Raye, who didn't look very amused. "Oh, Raye," she gurgled. "You're the best!" Chad frowned. "I don't know, Lita. I mean, I *did* promise Raye I'd help her and-" "Come on, Chad!" Lita interrupted. "Raye said she was okay with it, didn't you, Raye?" Raye shrugged in response. "I suppose I did, didn't I?" "See? It's okay, Chad." He hesitated. "Argh," Raye groaned. "Would you just get out of here before I change my mind?" She waved her shovel at them in mock attack. "Now, get out of here!". Chad shot her a bright smile and told Lita to wait while he got his skates. Within minutes, they were on their way, leaving Raye to deal with that day's chores alone. "See you later, Raye!" Chad and Lita waved at her as the headed down the steps together, and she waved back, smiling tightly. She couldn't help but feel a little resentful. * * * Lavender-scented steam danced throughout the room in gossamer wisps, filling Amy's lungs as she savored the delicate fragrance. Gentle fingers of condensation traced the surface of everything it touched, blocking out the mirror and covering both the porcelain toilet and brass doorknobs. A frothy mass of snow-white bubbles filled the tub in which Amy sleepily reclined, threatening to spill over with every move she made. With a sigh, she cradled a fragile nest of the tiny bubbles in her hand and softly blew at them, sending them scattered in graceful flight across the room. ~I could stay here forever.~ Amy reached for the washcloth next to her and dipped it in the soapy water. With another sigh, she ran the washcloth lazily across her throat and over her breasts, smiling as little droplets of water slid down her body, tickling her. Well aware that she *should* be getting out soon, Amy simply couldn't bear to drag herself out of her place of comfort. To her, there was nothing more relaxing- more *soothing*, really- than a good, long bath. ~And the gods only know, I could use the comfort right now.~ Sighing again, Amy tried not to remind herself of exactly *why* she needed the comfort. She really didn't want to think about it... about the dreams. Those horrible dreams. She'd been having them for nearly a month now, every single night. Nightmares, really. Terrible visions of despair- of destruction. Despite Amy's intelligence, it didn't take a genius to understand what their purpose was. The dreams were of the future, or rather, the possible future. Amy shuddered as she remembered the sight of all of her friends dying in front of her. The dreams were meant to scare her, that was for sure. They seemed to show events occurring in the time directly before the imminent Great Freeze- the freeze that would eventually lead to the founding of the future Crystal Tokyo. She recalled the horror she felt every night at the sight of the Silver Crystal- that miraculous crystal- pulsing in impotent despair. Calling out for help. Pleading. ~Try not to think about it.~ But it wasn't that easy. Amy was no idiot; she knew exactly why the dreams had been plaguing her, and why, for the life of her, she couldn't push them away and forget about them. It was because she'd been with him. Darien. As she thought his name, Amy smiled softly, the dreams temporarily forgotten. Leaning forward, she plucked the plug from its home in the drain and stood up carefully. Tiny clusters of bubbles still kissed her soap-slick body as she stepped out of the tub and wrapped a fluffy towel around her slender frame. It was about time she started getting ready, she thought to herself. After all, tonight would be a special night. Amy finished drying herself and dropped the towel at her feet, tugging a worn bathrobe from a hook on the wall. Wrapping it around her, she stepped towards the bathroom counter and glanced at her distorted visage in the clouded mirror. One month. She could hardly believe it, really. But a quick glance at her wall calendar after she'd awakened that morning had confirmed it- that day would mark exactly one month from the time she and Darien had decided to start the secret relationship that they still shared. Amy could still remember the last time she'd spoken to him about the subject. He'd been the one to bring it up, actually, much to Amy's surprise. She hadn't expected him to remember such a thing. But only the week before, while at a local art exhibit, he'd crept behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he'd whispered in her ear. ~"One more week, Amy. You know what that means, don't you?"~ Amy knew. She would never admit it, but from the moment the two of them had started dating, she'd kept track of every intimate detail. A small leather-bound diary (kept under her mattress for privacy) held every romantic and erotic moment shared between the two of them from the very beginning. Darien would have most certainly laughed if he knew that only the day previous, right under the details of an exciting night at the opera, Amy had written in bold, heavy strokes: Only one day until the anniversary. She'd even underlined it. Now, standing in a whirling cloud of flower-scented steam, Amy used her finger to trace a heart in the condensation that covered the mirror. The two of them had plans for that night, of course; though of what those plans consisted, Amy had no idea. Darien had been very hushed about them as of late. The only information he would relay to her was that she should wear the finest dress she owned. It would not be a casual affair. Chuckling at the thought, Amy picked up a comb from the counter, running it through her damp hair in smooth, even strokes. She had to admit, her curiosity was piqued by his secrecy. Besides that, she found it sweet- even charming- that he was so involved in his plans for celebration. It made her feel as though she were truly cared about. Loved, even. Loved. Amy frowned and set the comb back down. Once again, memories of her dreams assailed her, and for a moment, she felt faint. If her visions were accurate, if being with Darien in the future meant losing all those she cared about... well, that simply couldn't be. As much as Amy cared for him- as much as she desperately loved being with him- this relationship couldn't be anything more than a short-time thing. She wouldn't dare *love* him; she couldn't. And he certainly couldn't love her. They simply couldn't risk it. ~I'm sure he realizes that,~ Amy thought to herself. ~He must.~ Lifting her head, Amy caught sight of the lopsided heart she'd scrawled on the fogged-up mirror. It was silly. Childish, really. That night was to be a celebration of a wonderfully fun, exciting month. It wasn't about *love*, not in the least. It *couldn't* be. Sighing to herself, Amy reached up and ran her hand across the surface of the mirror, wiping away the small doodle. Catching the eyes of her reflection in the now clear surface, she forced a small smile. She didn't want to think about such things anymore. After all, she still needed to get ready for whatever magical evening Darien had planned. Amy's smile widened as, once again, thoughts of him cheered her instantly. It was going to be an amazing night. She couldn't wait. * * * Raye opened the door to the shed with a sigh and leaned the snow shovel she'd been using against the door. "Finally done," she muttered to herself, pulling off the gloves she wore with her teeth. With a slight groan of pain, she cracked her neck and reached back to rub the burning muscles of her shoulders with an ice-cold hand. A glance at her watch told her she'd been at work for over two hours, and she sighed as she turned to examine the now-clear walkways. It had been a bitch of a job, and Raye felt a pang of relief for having finished at all. ~That guy owes me big time.~ Trudging back towards the living quarters of the shrine, Raye stomped her feet to clear her boots of the excess snow that covered them. "I hope *he's* having fun," she grumbled as she dusted a layer of snow from her jacket. Raye could remember a time, not too long ago, when she had always been able to count on Chad. But lately, he'd been distracted and for the most part, absent. It seemed to Raye that whenever an opportunity for the two of them to work together arose, he would be off somewhere with Lita, nowhere to be found. While she was glad that her friendship with Chad seemed to be restoring itself, and even more pleased that Lita seemed so happy, Raye couldn't help but resent the time Chad was spending away from the shrine. Despite the events that had occurred between the two of them, she still needed his help. She wished he would be around more often. ~I know he's moving on,~ Raye thought to herself. ~But does he have to distance himself so much?~ With a shiver, Raye pulled an elastic from the ponytail she wore, and shook her hair free. She was exhausted. All she wanted to do was put on some warm clothes and... The sudden ringing of the telephone jolted Raye from her thoughts, and she picked up her pace, shrugging out of her coat as she went. When she reached the entrance, she kicked off her wet boots and flew inside, grappling for the phone with cold and soggy hands. "Hello?" She managed to answer it on the fourth ring and held her breath, hoping that the caller was still there. "Raye? Hi, it's Mina." Raye breathed a sigh of relief into the phone. "Is this a bad time?". Barely suppressing a chuckle, Raye rolled her eyes. Her friend seemed to have a real knack for calling when she was busy outside. "No Mina, it's fine," she replied with a smile. "What's up?" * * * "I don't remember ever sucking this bad." Chad reached for Lita's hand gratefully and chuckled at himself as she pulled him from the ice. "Am I ever pathetic." Dusting a layer of snow and ice from the butt of his jeans, he caught Lita smiling at him, a wicked glint in her eyes. "I thought you said you were good at this," Lita laughed, wrapping an arm around his waist to prop him up. Chad shook his head, his own laughter joining hers. "I haven't done this in a while," he told her, a wide grin on his face. Lita smiled and pulled away from him, leaving him teetering by himself on the ice. "It's not that hard," she told him, gliding backwards. "Just go with the flow." Chad watched as she took off, graceful as a swan on the slick ice, and waved at him. "Watch me," she called out. Lita skated across the rink in sleek, easy motions, her hair a flowing curtain behind her. Faster and faster she moved, until finally she leapt angelically into the air, spinning and twirling like a snowflake on the wind. Her landing was smooth, and Chad gasped in both relief and awe, hypnotized by the way she spun like a top on one foot. "Show off!" he called out to her with a grin, secretly amazed at her talent. Where had she learned to skate like that, he mused. ~I wonder if Raye's ever seen Lita skate,~ Chad thought to himself. A pang of guilt struck him as he thought her name, and he wondered how Raye was handling the walkways. He knew he should have probably stayed to help her, and he felt bad about that. But Chad couldn't help but feel a small amount of relief for not having to be there. It was true, their relationship had returned nearly to normal in the past month, but despite that, he still didn't feel entirely comfortable working alone with Raye. She'd hurt him badly when she'd pushed him away all those nights before. Chad still felt pain whenever he thought about it, and he thought about it whenever she was around. It was a vicious cycle, really- one that Chad hoped to break. ~I know you're probably mad that I'm not there, Raye,~ he thought to himself as he watched Lita perform one talented move after another. ~But don't you see it's just too hard?~ In front of him, Lita put a stop to her little show and grinned at him, her cheeks glowing from the mixture of cold and physical activity. "See?" she breathed, sounding a little tired. "Nothing to it." She skated over to Chad and hugged him tightly, giggling when her cold nose touched his throat and made him squirm. "Easy for you to say," he mumbled into her hair. Lita. Now she was a different story. Chad grinned at her, and pulled out of her embrace, seeing her bright green eyes track his movements innocently. Mischief filled Chad's own gaze as he skated over to the nearest snowbank and seemed to collapse there, his arms spread out to his sides. She was a great girl, and Chad loved spending time with her. Despite his initial misgivings, Lita had proved to be a lot of fun over the past several weeks. When he was with her, he could forget the pain he'd been put through with Raye's rejection, and simply enjoy himself. Which was what he was doing right at that very moment. From his place in the snowbank, Chad watched Lita approach him with a mix of concern and caution, clearly wondering what he was up to. He tried not to smile as she peered down at him curiously, taking another step towards him. Chad couldn't resist. Before Lita could react, he snapped his hand out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. Taken unawares, Lita could only utter a shriek of surprise as she was pulled next to him into the snowbank. * * * Mina snatched a fry from Raye's plate and smeared it across the blob of ketchup that rested on the side, an exhausted look spread across her pretty features. "I'm so beat," she moaned, popping the fry in her mouth. Raye regarded her with a half smile. "I wonder why," she laughed, nodding towards the pile of bags that rested at her friend's feet. "You just bought out every shop in Tokyo." Raye leaned back in her uncomfortable plastic chair and yawned, taking in the bright colors and gaudy art that surrounded the restaurant. She'd never been big on fast food but after shopping for hours, Mina had insisted they stop for a bite to eat. After all, she'd said, Christmas shopping built up a monster appetite, and if the amount of bags she carried was any indication, Raye assumed her friend must have been starving. "Not every shop," Mina said with a giggle. A mischievous look crossed her face, and she winked at Raye. "I still have a couple of places to empty yet." Raye rolled her eyes, and Mina snatched another fry from her plate. "So," she said, after the fry had been thoroughly chewed and swallowed, "tell me what you've been up to." Raye stared at the plate in front of her before pushing it in Mina's direction. "Nothing," she said with a sigh. "Same boring stuff I do all the time. Shrine work, getting ready for school. The usual, I guess." Mina nodded. "Same here," she said licking a drop of ketchup from her finger. "That's why I'm so glad Christmas is around the corner. It gave me the excuse to go out and have some fun, doing what I do best." She regarded Raye with a wry look. "That is, shopping of course." Raye chuckled to herself, and took a long sip of her strawberry milkshake, cringing as her head screamed in protest at the cold. "I'm actually really happy about some of the gifts I picked up," Mina continued, leaning forward to adjust a bag that had just tipped over. "Serena's been so bummed lately, what with the breakup and all, so I wanted to find something just right to cheer her up." Raye nodded, sharing Mina's sentiments. "Yeah, she could sure use that," she agreed. "Well, I thought so," said Mina with a smile. "I know she's going to love the stuffed rabbit and box of imported chocolates I got her. After all, that gift combines all three of her favorite things: cute toys, bunnies, and sugar." Mina laughed at herself, and took a bite of her burger. "I also picked up gifts for Amy and Lita, since they weren't here. I tried calling both of them, but they seemed to be otherwise occupied," she winked at Raye. "As always." Raye blinked, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, I know where Lita is," she said dryly. "Just this afternoon, she stole Chad away from his chores to take him ice skating." Mina giggled and reached over to grab Raye's hand. "You poor thing," she laughed. "And after that big snow storm last night, too." Raye pulled her hand away and mock-glared at her friend. "It wasn't funny," she said, stifling a chuckle herself. "It was hard work!" Mina only laughed harder. "I'm sure it was," she said finally, taking a sip of her own shake. She paused. "But that doesn't explain Amy's absence." Raye shrugged. "I have no idea where Amy is, or what she could be doing. That girl has been on her own *planet* these past few weeks. Something is definitely up with her." Mina nodded, her smile fading. "It's probably because of her breakup with Greg," she said with a frown. "Poor girl must be heartbroken. I mean, they'd been going out for ages." Raye shook her head. "I don't think so," she said slowly. "She's been distracted and distant, yes, but... always with an underlying happiness. Almost as if she's got this wonderful secret that she refuses to share with any of us." Blue eyes grew wide, and Raye could practically hear the wheels turning in Mina's mind. "Hey Raye," she said. "You don't think Amy has a secret boyfriend or anything, do you?" Her eyes glazed over as all sorts of romantic notions filled her head. Raye didn't say anything for a moment as she recalled the night, one month earlier, when Amy had told her she'd kissed Darien. ~Could it be...?~ Raye shook her head dismissively. No, it couldn't. She refused to believe that. Besides, Amy had told her a few days afterwards that she had talked to him, and that they'd decided merely to remain good friends. "No," Raye said finally. "I don't think so." She forced a smile and finished off her milkshake. "But what about you," she asked when she had finished, changing the subject. "Since we seem to be talking about breakups, how are you feeling?" It had been a little over a week since Mina had ended her relationship with the young photographer, and the two had yet to have a real conversation about it. Mina shrugged, and took a bite of her near-cold hamburger. "I don't know," she said with a sigh. "I'm okay, I guess. I mean, I'm not upset, if that's what you're asking." Raye nodded slowly. "That's good. I'm glad you're doing okay," she said. "Well, I mean... I do miss Jeff in some ways, sure. But the thing is, Raye- Jeff just wasn't my soulmate. He wasn't the guy I'm meant to spend the rest of my life with," she sighed again, and popped the rest of her burger into her mouth. "But then, if you use Serena and Darien as an example, you can be dating your soulmate, and *still* wind up heartbroken, so..." She trailed off. "I just didn't think we were right for one another," she said finally. "I can understand that," Raye agreed, piling the wrappers and cups from their meal onto a tray to be dumped into the garbage. "I mean, you can't pick who you love, right?" "Exactly," said Mina enthusiastically. "Besides," she added, "at least I'm doing better than poor Serena has been." The two of them grew silent at the mention of their friend. "I am just so furious at Darien. How dare he do this to her? How *dare* he make her feel this way." Mina's expression grew sullen, and the change in attitude startled Raye. For a moment, she was reminded of a similar conversation between herself and Amy the month earlier. Amy's words still echoed in Raye's ears. ~As hard as it is to believe, he's just- not in love with her anymore.~ Raye sighed and placed her hand over Mina's. "Mina, I know how frustrated you feel. Believe me, Serena's my friend too, and I feel the exact same way." "What's your point, Raye?" Mina asked, her brow crinkling in frustration. "My point is, Mina... Darien doesn't love her anymore. And that is no more his fault than it is ours or Serena's," she pulled her hand away from Mina's and ran her hand through her thick hair. "What do you really expect him to do? Live the rest of his life in a lie, pretending? Do you really think he deserves that? Do you think *Serena* deserves that?" Mina shrugged in defeat. "I don't know," she said. "I just don't like seeing Serena so upset." "I don't either, Mina. Do you think I do? Serena is like a sister to me. As much as she and I may disagree, she means the world to me, and to see her in this much pain absolutely rips my heart out. But- " she paused. "It's like we were saying just a few minutes ago. You can't pick who you love, right?" Nod. "I guess not." "Well, Mina, Darien can't pick who he *doesn't* love. It's not his fault, and I really don't think it's fair for us- either of us- to blame him." Raye couldn't believe it. She was actually defending Darien against her Moon Princess. And it felt *right*. "After all our battles, after what we've *all* been through together, don't you think he deserves our forgiveness?". Mina sighed. "You're right, Raye," she grudgingly agreed. "I just wish that man would have a change of heart." Raye nodded. "So do I, Mina. So do I." * * * The sound of laughter and clinking glass created a cheerful ambiance in the luxurious restaurant where they enjoyed their dinner. Above the murmured sound of dozens of conversations, the melodic sound of a small orchestra could be heard accompanying dinner with classical pieces by various composers. With a gentle smile, Amy took in the high ceilings and gorgeous decorative woodwork that made up the elegant place Darien had brought her to that evening. Gold trim, expensive linen tablecloths- Amy found extravagance everywhere she looked, from the marble floors to the crystal chandeliers that were the establishment's crowning touch. "Do you like it here?" It was Darien's voice that finally caught her attention, and she flashed him a broad smile, reaching out to clasp his hand in her own. "It's beautiful," she said softly. "Everything has been perfect." She squeezed his hand gently, and he smiled, reaching out to brush a strand of sapphire hair from her eye. "I could say the same about you," he said. It wasn't an exaggeration; she looked absolutely amazing. In her long gown of black and grey velvet, she was every ounce the beautiful temptress this evening. Darien recalled how she looked when he'd arrived at her apartment earlier that evening, to pick her up. When she'd opened the door to him, hair pulled back with silver barrettes, and her shoulders bare in that gorgeous drop-backed gown with the tiny straps it was all he could do to keep from tossing the flowers he held to the floor and ravishing her then and there. She completely took his breath away. As if she knew what he was thinking, Amy blushed softly and smiled at him, pulling her hand out of his and placing it in her lap. "Dinner was delicious," she said finally. "I'm surprised you even tasted it at all," Darien joked, pushing his empty plate aside. "After all, you spent so much time looking at everything around you." Amy blushed a deeper shade of red and looked up at the chandelier that hung directly above them. "I'm sorry," she said, meeting his eyes again. "I've never been to a place like this before." Darien chuckled to himself and took a sip of the wine that rested in front of him. "That's perfectly understandable." He smiled. There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Amy was about to speak, when above the laughter and the conversation that filled the restaurant she heard the orchestra begin another piece. Darien saw her tilt her head in recognition, and sigh. "I love this song," she said softly, almost dreamily. "It's so beautiful,". She closed her eyes to fully appreciate the song, and Darien smiled, watching her. He recognized the piece as Pachebel's Canon, one of his many favorites. It was true- it was a lovely song. However, he wasn't paying attention to it. Rather, his eyes remained fixed on the girl in front of him, so entranced by the music that she almost swayed along. Darien had never seen someone so hypnotized by a beautiful melody. His smile softened as he watched her, as much under her spell as she was under that of the music. Finally, Amy lifted her head, and gazed at him almost sleepily between half-closed eyelids. "I've had a wonderful night, Darien," she said finally, a gentle smile on her face. "Thank you." Darien's eyes never left hers as he signalled for the waiter to bring him the bill. "This night isn't over yet, Amy," he said after a moment, a secretive look on his face. "There is still one place I would like to take you." * * * Multicolored lights from the television set danced over Raye's face as she lay sleeping on the sofa. Chad smiled to himself as he watched her rest, obviously exhausted from the day's endeavors. "Poor thing," he murmured to himself. "First I leave you with enough chores for the both of us, then Mina drags you all over the city, carrying bags. No wonder you're so sleepy." Chad shook his head in disbelief and sighed. He'd arrived back at the shrine earlier that day expecting a guilt trip for leaving her alone with the chores, but instead he couldn't find her anywhere. When she'd finally arrived from her shopping trip, exhausted and sore, she was too distracted and tired to so much as notice that he'd cleaned up and prepared dinner, and instead offered him a half-mumbled explanation as to where she'd been all day. The two of them had eaten dinner in a comfortable silence, and Chad was glad she didn't so much as mention the snow or the work he'd left for her that day. Later, she'd crawled away from the table, leaving him to clean the mess in the kitchen and wash the dishes. Chad had to admit, he didn't mind. Now, just a few minutes after eight o'clock, Raye was dead to the world in front of an old movie, snoring softly from her resting place on the couch. Chad watched her sleep, a tender expression on his caring face. He backed out of the doorway and headed down the hall, returning to the living room only moments later with a thick woolen blanket draped over his arms. Smiling warmly, he spread it over Raye's sleeping form. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Without thinking, he leaned to kiss her forehead, being careful not to wake her. "Goodnight." With a gentle smile still spread over his handsome features, Chad turned and headed to his own room for the night. * * * "Whatever you do, don't peek." Amy felt Darien's breath burning in her ear as he whispered his gentle command, and nodded against the hand he held in front of her eyes. They'd arrived only moments before to their secret destination, and the suspense was simply driving Amy mad. She's been blindfolded since they'd left the restaurant only twenty minutes earlier, and now, standing outside Darien's car with not even the slightest hint as to where she was... Amy couldn't help but feel a little elated. "Where are we, Darien?" Amy squirmed a little against Darien's hand, and so he pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist so she couldn't get away. It was a cold night, being mid-December, but Amy didn't feel so much as a chill with Darien being so close to her. "You'll see in a moment," he murmured in her ear. "We're going to start walking, now". It was a little awkward, Amy had to admit. Walking blindfolded with Darien behind her, she imagined that the two of them had the silly appearance of a couple of penguins, waddling across a field of ice. She couldn't help but giggle at the thought. "What?" Darien asked with a chuckle. Amy shook her head, and laughed. "Nothing." Another giggle. "Are we there yet?" Darien suddenly stopped moving, and she stopped with him, falling gently against his chest as she did so. "Okay," he said softly. "Tell me what you hear." Amy paused and tilted her head to listen. There were the typical sounds that went with the city; that general buzz that followed you around no matter where you went. But there was something beneath it; a sound more gentle. More subdued. "It sounds like... water," she said finally. "You're right." Darien removed the hand he'd been blinding her with, and for a moment Amy saw nothing, save for a few bright circles of light dancing before her eyes. Gradually, her eyes adjusted, and she gasped at what she saw. A large artificial pond lay spread in front of her like a giant mirror resting in the heart of the city, and in it Amy could see all the colors of the rainbow. Lights, millions of lights, from an infinite number of sources, were reflected in the gorgeous crystalline surface. "Beautiful..." she whispered, a hand covering her mouth in surprise. "So beautiful." Amy stepped forward, towards the pond, and looked up towards the sky where a giant moon shone down upon them. It was reflected in the pond, this beautiful moon, along with all the bright, glimmering lights of the city. Amy had never seen such a glorious place. With a look of childish awe on her face, Amy turned to face the man who had brought her to this magic location. "Darien, this is absolutely stunning," she said when she had finally found her tongue. Darien smiled gently at her. "I come here a lot," he said, taking a step towards her. "To think, actually." Amy nodded in perfect understanding. "For the longest time, I've been wanting to show this to you. Of all the people in all the world, Amy, I knew that you would appreciate this most." Amy felt tears burning in her eyes, and she embraced him gently, touched that he would share such a place with her. "Thank you," she said tenderly, burrowing her face in his chest. His hands went around her instinctively, pulling her closer to him, and she sighed softly. Darien placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, and felt her shiver against him. "Oh damn it, Amy, I didn't think. I'm sorry." Darien chided himself for not considering the fact that Amy might get cold outside dressed as she was, and quickly slipped out of his tuxedo jacket. "Put this on." With a grateful smile, Amy slipped the jacket on over her dress, laughing when she noticed how poorly it fit her. Darien simply grinned and gathered her back into his arms. ~It's been a magical night.~ The thought was mutual as he finally leaned forward and kissed her, his mouth hot against her own. Gently, he parted her lips with his tongue, and she responded with equal vigor, lifting her hands to run them through his hair. Amy could feel the breath being sucked out of her, and she started to feel dizzy from excitement, happiness and contentment. It had been a wonderful night, everything had gone swimmingly. Nothing could ruin the way she felt right now, she thought. It was... *perfect*. As if on cue, Darien pulled away from Amy, looking deeply into her eyes. "There's something I want to give you," he murmured, running his hand across her cheek. "A gift." "A gift?" Amy repeated. "Darien, you didn't need to-" he put a finger to her lips, silencing her. "I wanted to." Darien gestured to the tuxedo jacket Amy wore. "Look in the pocket," he said. He ran the back of his hand over her cheek again, stroking her face. Amy let her hands trail down her sides, searching for the pocket Darien spoke of. Eventually, her fingers felt the unmistakable shape of a velvet jewelers box, and she pulled it out slowly, almost scared to see what was inside. "Darien, what's this?" she asked as she pulled it out, and held it in front of her. It wasn't a ring box, Amy could see that now. It was long and narrow, covered in a thin layer of black velvet. Darien leaned forward slightly and smiled at her. "Open it." Amy gazed for a moment at the box in her hands before reaching for the clasp. The box opened with a muted 'click'. She gasped. In it lay a beautiful necklace of white gold, attached to which was a shimmering rose no bigger than a thumbnail. Amy tilted the box slightly, and the rose sparkled, covered with what looked like small chips of garnet. "Darien..." "Do you like it?" he asked, taking a step closer to her. She nodded numbly, not quite sure what to say to him. Tears filled her eyes, and he reached over to pull her into his arms. "Amy, the past month has been among the best in my life," he said softly into her ear. "This gift is to celebrate the joy of countless months to follow." He tilted her face to meet his, and kissed her tenderly before pulling back to look her in the eyes again. "But that isn't all," he began. "Darien," Amy protested weakly. A tear rolled down her face, followed by another, and another. "Amy, I've completely fallen in love with you." Amy stared at him for a moment, mouth agape. ~This can't happen.~ Prying herself gently from his grasp, she turned away from him, staring out over the resplendent pond that only minutes before had so hypnotized her. Tears trickled down her cheeks, rolling down her throat, onto her lips. Gods, didn't he realize? He wasn't allowed to fall in love with her. He *couldn't* fall in love with her. Not now, not ever. Parts of her dream came back to her in flashes, and she cringed inwardly at the memory. "Amy, are you okay?" She whirled to face him. "Darien, I can't accept this," she said finally, shoving the box towards him. "Please, take it back." "Amy, what's wrong with you? Is it because of the price? Because it really wasn't that extravagant. I know this guy, and-" "It's not that," she denied Her face was soaked from the tears that flowed so heavily. "I just can't, Darien." Amy grabbed his hand and placed the box in it, using her own hand to force his fingers around its velvet surface. Darien stared at her, completely bewildered. "Where is this coming from Amy? Have I done something wrong? Please. You've got to tell me." He reached for her, only to have her pull away from him. "I don't want to talk about it, Darien," she sobbed. Her makeup was beginning to run, but she didn't seem to notice, nor care. "I need to get out of here." She turned to walk away. "Okay, that's fine," he started to follow her. "I'll take you home, then." "I'd really rather be alone, if you don't mind," she said, raising her hand to halt him. "I need to think." For a moment, her face resembled the surface of the pond; all the lights of the city reflected off her wet skin. She looked like some sort of tormented angel. With tears still rolling down her cheeks, Amy turned on her heel and ran off into the shadows of the night. Darien watched her go, with a mixture of confusion and concern painted across his features. He wished he had some idea as to why Amy had suddenly started acting so strangely, but she didn't seem to be in the frame of mind to explain it to him. Now, left alone in his place of silent contemplation, Darien opened the small box he held in his hand and gazed at the twinkling pendant that laid within. He could almost swear it was winking at him. "Amy," he whispered aloud. "What have I done wrong?" -------------------------------------------- The End, Chapter Five Credits: "No human creature can give orders to love." -George Sand [Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin, Baronne Dudevant] Jacques [1834] AN: This story is dedicated to all the authors out there who have taken a chance and refused to be bound by the traditional rules. It's for those writers who've crashed through barriers and put out fanfiction that is just a little bit different. For all of you, I offer this humble piece of work. I hope one day, I'll be more like you. It's also for Moon Senshi, my *fabulous* editor and pal. A little more work was involved in the editing process this time around, but as always, she does the job with grace and brilliance, polishing my work like a precious gem. Thank you for being there when I needed you, and for voluntarily taking on such a huge project in addition to your already packed schedule! Lastly, it's for Orion, who acted as my own personal cheerleader in the writing of this chapter. Despite the fact I'll be flying solo from here on out, she really gave me the confidence (and the kick in the pants) I needed to get this thing out on time. All I have to say to you, girl, is THANK YOU!