Cyborg 009 Fan Fiction ❯ Ante Mortem ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

Ante-Mortem

By: Wildfire Sky

Ok, now everybody can cheer cuz the first part of the date in Romeis finally completed. I apologize for taking so long, but this one had to be one of the best, especially because of the significance of it. BTW, I don't know what the hell that car thing that comes out of the bottom of the Dolphin is called; therefore I refer to it as the cruiser. If you happen to know the technical name, please tell me. Please.

This chappie is going to be much longer than the other chapters. Therefore I'm splitting it up into two parts. This, obviously is part one. So, sorry it took so long to update. I'm still alive!!

Not much more to say after that…I'll bet ya'll just want to read the fic. Well, you get what you ask for, right?? Oh yea…Warning!! Contains a bit of citrus twist!! Read with caution!! I warned you so don't blame me if you're offended by the content. Besides, it's not on the level of a lemon…yet…

Ok, all clear now!! Enjoy the fic!!

Oh yes, and a very special thanks to GoldAngel2, who did me the great honor of beta reading my chapters…you rock girl!!

Ante-Mortem

Chapter Six-Part One

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Joe carefully navigated the sea cruiser between the vessels docked in the bay of Civitavecchia, the golden sunrays filtering in through the glass panel that separated the pair inside from the elements out. The hot beams fell upon Francoise's face as their ship traveled slowly down the cove, giving her a look as if she was glowing. Joe stole a glance at her, appreciating the way her tight kakis hugged her slim waist and her shirt rounded over her top, defining every curvature of her body. Her hair was pulled up into a tight bun, although she still wore her head band.

Joe wanted to touch her and make sure she wasn't some fallen angel that had landed in his lap by accident. But he couldn't…he wouldn't dare touch her without permission. He was scared to. So he sat next to her silently torturing himself. Francoise shifted and Joe's eyes were drawn to her again…more so the plentiful view she gave him of her full breasts as she leaned towards him.

"Are you excited, 009?" she said, staring deep into his red eyes.

Joe gulped, "Y-Yea…I can't wait to get into the city."

Francoise smiled and gently laid a hand on his pants, "Thank you for taking me, 009…I really appreciate it."

Joe's hands tightened on the controls, trying to concentrate on maneuvering the vessel and not the shocks of pleasure that 003's touch was sending through him. The French girl could tell he was uncomfortable and a wicked smile crossed her face.

Innocently, she began to lightly run her hand up and down the thin layer of fabric that separated his skin from that of her soft hands. Her smile grew as she felt him shiver beneath her touch and she let her hand travel higher up his jeans until it was hovering towards the middle. Joe shifted, no sure of whether to urge her closer or move away. His mind was screaming at him to pull out before he got in too deep, but....

Francoise's hand was on the inside of his jeans and was running the length of it. He groaned, eyes fluttering closed.

"Fran…Francoise…" he mumbled, "What…are you doing?"

Francoise smirked up at him and leaned in for a kiss, "Do you like it?"

"Yea…"

She captured his lips in a deep kiss, pulling herself over the controls and into Joe's lap, rolling her hips against his as they pressed their lips together. Joe released the controls, halting the ship and placing his hands on the front of her blouse, the pleasure from their contact exciting him and robbing him of his senses. He broke the kiss, keeping his head bowed as he struggled with the buttons. Finally, with a savage growl, he popped the buttons off and tore open her shirt, enjoying the plumpness of her full breasts. Francoise slid her hands underneath his shirt and began to lift it from his body, Joe raising his hands to assist her. Soon, both were stripped of their shirts, the fabric of their jeans separating them from ultimate pleasure.

Francoise's hands traveled to the top of Joe's pants, but he lowered his hand to stop hers. "Wait. Francoise, are you sure about this?"

The woman didn't reply, but unzipped the front of his pants and slid her hand inside. Joe gasped, soaking in the waves of pleasure that rolled over him. His skin was on fire, the very touch of her hands and her breasts against his chest nearly blinded him with ecstasy. He titled his head back and relaxed, letting 003 pleasure him. He felt her lips brush his and he opened his mouth slightly.

"See the power that I have, Joe?" she whispered, "See what I can do to you?"

Joe's eyes snapped opened and he lowered his head. Francoise had somehow managed to slither down between his legs and she was looking up at him, a strange glint in her eyes. Joe swallowed as a new feeling over came him…fear.

Francoise winked and lowered her head to his lap. Joe moaned, throwing his head back again, a voice whispering in his ear.

"You can never escape me…no matter how hard you try, you cannot beat me…"

"No…" Joe hissed, "Black Ghost…"

Suddenly, the pleasure was gone and 003 snaked back up, now eye level with him. He stared into her sea-green eyes and began to panic.

"Francoise, we have to get out of here! Black Ghost---"

In a horrible shower of blood, a hole expanded in Francoise's forehead. The girl in his lap screamed in pain. Blood flowing from the hole. Covering her body in its thickness. She spasmed on his lap, her death throws reminding him of his horrible dreams.

"Francoise!! No!!" he screamed with horror as his love dissolved in front of his face and materialized again beside him. In the evil hands of Black Ghost. The masked villain laughed and gathered the dead Francoise is his arms.

"Isn't she beautiful, 009? What a gorgeous creature…"

Joe backed as far away from Black Ghost as he could, the tight space of the submergible vessel preventing escape. Black Ghost reached up a hand and grabbed one of 003's exposed breasts, kneading it with a snicker.

"Yes…I would have kept her alive for my own pleasures, but you got to her first. No matter. Women are perfectly good alive or dead."

"You're disgusting." Joe finally managed to choke out, "Get the hell out of my mind."

"You think this is another dream, 009?" Black Ghost snapped, "Does it look like one?"

Joe looked around him, everything seeming perfectly normal. And Francoise. She looked so real…so dead…was it really another nightmare?

Tears began to slip from his eyes. Yes…it was…it was real.

Black Ghost laughed, "You see, 009? The old priest tried to push me away too and it brought him nothing but misery. I warned you. I warned you not to mess with me boy." The evil man grabbed Francoise's head and began to crush it in his hands, blood seeping from the gaping hole. Joe moved forward, desperate to cease Black Ghost's assault…trying to keep him from mutilating Francoise any further…

"Stop…stop it, please…"

"Ah, how I love to hear you beg…" Black Ghost cackled, "Music to my ears!"

Francoise's lips began to move, "Joe…"
The boy stared into her eyes in shock, "Fran…Francoise?!? How…"

Black Ghost frowned, tossing the girl's body behind him, "Damn, that ruins my fun today."

Joe scrambled over his seat, struggling to get at the girl, but Black Ghost put a hand on his chest, holding him back.

"You won't be so lucky next time boy…you will die…"

"Joe!"

Joe pushed Black Ghost away, trying to get back to Francoise, "I'm coming, Francoise! Hold on!"

"Joe, what is wrong with you?"

Suddenly the entire ship seemed to melt and he was suddenly jerked back into his seat, everything falling into place again. Gasping, Joe looked around. The sun was shining, birds calling to each other, ships slowly moving up and down the bay. And Francoise…

Joe closed his eyes and turned his head towards Francoise's seat, slowly opening them, too scared to see if she was really dead.

Francoise stared back into his ruby eyes, her own full of concern. Tears began to fall from Joe's eyes and he reached over, collecting 003 into a fierce hug.

"I thought I lost you forever…" he whispered into her ear, softly kissing her cheek.

Francoise pulled away, eyeing Joe suspiciously, "Joe…what just happened? You went white all of a sudden and then you started crying. I…I tried to ask you what was wrong but you wouldn't respond. Then just now you jerked away and sat up…you scared me half to death, Joe!"

Joe looked down at the floor, "I'm sorry, Francoise…if you want, we can return to the Dolphin…"

003 stared at him for a moment before leaning over and lifting his head, lightly kissing his trembling lips. "No…I want to spend today in Rome with you. We said we would and I'm sticking by that!" she gave him another sweet kiss, deepening it this time before falling back into her seat, "Now let's go, Joe…let's forget all about your nightmares, just for one day."

Joe smiled and reached over, squeezing her hand lovingly. "As you wish." And began to maneuver the tiny ship into the dock.

But he could almost feel the horrible acid chewing away at his mind. Could he really forget about Black Ghost? Or would it haunt him forever?

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The Eternal City seemed to be made of pure gold. The sunlight reflected off of the white marble and back into the wide eyes of Francoise and Joe. They stood in the middle of Foro Romano, the Roman Forum, hand in hand. People moved around them, some native, some foreign…some holding hands and others arguing and pointing at maps. They stood on a large paved road, Via Sacra, as a sign told, the original paved Roman road. Francoise gripped Joe's hand tighter as she looked around.

"Oh, Joe, it's beautiful!" she grinned at him, "Can you believe we're standing on the same road that hundreds of Romans stood on before? It's like going back in time!"

Joe nodded in agreement, not exactly sure why she was so hyped up about a street. About Rome for that matter. She held his hand tight and led them down the street, pointing out the Curia and the white Temple of Vesta. Quickly they clambered up the steps, Francoise's hair billowing out behind her as a strong gust of wind hit her face and caught her long silky hair.

As Joe came up to stand beside her, he found his breath taken away at the view. Laid out before them were the green pastures and hills of Rome, the Imperial palace off in the distance, towering over the ancient residential areas and an old fortress. People could be seen moving amongst the houses, no more than mere dots to the two young cyborgs. Silently the two stood, hand in hand, staring out from the top of the Garden of Palatino, perched atop one of the Seven Hills of Rome.

Joe looked over at Francoise, marveling at the way her hair seemed to halo around her head, the wind brushing through the long strands. He smiled and leaned over towards her.

"Don't you want to see the rest of the city?"

Francoise seemed to snap out of a trance. Joe was taken aback by the sad smile on her face. "Francoise…?"

The girl grinned again, "Come on, Joe! The day is wasting, look! It's almost two o' clock now!"

Joe frowned and playfully tweaked her ear, "Well we could have gotten here faster, but you insisted we take the bus from Civitaveccia all the way here!"

Francoise winked, "But it was an hour ride with me, right? Oh you looked so uncomfortable on the bus, Joe!"

The Japanese youth shook his head and began to pull her away from the garden, "I hate buses. In Japan we usually took the subway everywhere…it was so much more convenient."

The couple slowly left the Forum and headed towards the Via Condotti to shop. Francoise nearly squealed with delight at the site of the clothing stores and quickly dragged Joe into the nearest one, proceeding to look through the selection the moment she stepped inside. Joe watched in amazement as the girl disappeared amongst the lines of clothing.

"Excuse me, sir, but can I help you?"

Joe turned and behind him stood a short, round man dressed in a blue, stripped suit with a white undershirt and a yellow tie. He held himself with confidence, staring at Joe through his beady little eyes, the thin mustache on his lips twitching slightly.

Joe felt very uncomfortable in the presence of the man, but answered, "Uh…my friend is here to look around."

The man sniffed, looking Joe up and down, "You are a tourist, yes?" the man's accent was heavy and Joe had difficulty understanding him, so he simply nodded. The man sniffed again, eyes narrowing.

"This shop is for paying customers only, sir. If you are not buying anything you'll have to leave at once."

Joe blinked, "Excuse me?"

The man stiffened as if no one had dared to ask him to repeat himself, "I said, sir, that you will have to go immediately."

Francoise emerged, arms filled with outfits, "And why is that?"

At the sight of Francoise, the man's attitude changed instantly, "Ah! Such a beautiful young woman we have here! I see that you've chosen a few outfits, perhaps you would like to try them on?"

Joe stepped forward, "Uh…Francoise, maybe we should---"

The round man blocked his path, grabbing Francoise by the arm and leading her towards the back, talking the entire way, "Yes, yes, madam, you will enjoy these outfits, they fit your physique perfectly! And our dressing rooms…superb! Come, come, we must try you in these!"

Joe watched as they disappeared once again amongst the numerous aisles of cloths. He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling for his wallet. He sighed again.

Francoise stayed with the man in the back room for nearly an hour while Joe shifted amongst the various clothing available. He picked up an ordinary looking pair of jeans. Maybe he could by a pair of these. He checked the price tag and his eyes nearly popped from his head. An assistant approached the sweating boy, a warm smile on her face.

"Would you like to try those on sir? There's a special sale today."

Joe looked at her, "Do you realize how much these cost?"

The assistant's smile faded to a puzzled look, "They're on sale sir…fifty percent off only for today."

Joe quickly replaced the pants, "I'm wearing practically the same pair of jeans and those cost nearly twice as much!"

The girl stared at him before quickly walking away. Joe shook his head. There was no way in hell he could afford the stuff in here! He had to find Francoise and get her out of this nightmare of a store, and fast. He walked in between the aisles, searching in vain for the dressing rooms. He knew that the fat man would be able to convince Francoise to buy an outfit, he was born to do that…problem was, Joe was the only person who had brought any money, not wanting Francoise to buy anything. Dinner would be expensive enough, no doubt taking almost every penny he's saved. Still contemplating his dilemma, Joe grabbed the knob of a door and pulled it open.

"Oh, madam, you look absolutely radiant in that dress! Any man would appreciate you!"

"Do you really think so?"

"Of course!!"

Joe froze; his absentminded wandering had led him straight into the dressing rooms…the ladies dressing room. He stood there in shock as a group of half naked women strode back and forth from stall to stall, all of their female glory out for show before him. A strange sensation built up in his chest and he began to sweat nervously. Get out…RUN!! Get out of there!! His brain was screaming at him, but his body didn't want to react...at least not in the way he wanted. Never had he seen a naked woman before except in the pictures that Scar Nose would have hidden away, so this was a new experience for him. And it was having some very interesting effects.

There was a quiet, sharp gasp from the group and the women froze. Joe felt like he was about to have a heart attack. A girl was pointing at him, her mouth hanging open in shock and the others all turned as one body to face him. For a short moment, they stood, looking at each other, not sure how to react. Then…

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!"

An ear splitting scream rocked the entire store, deafening everyone, especially poor Joe. The surprised and extremely embarrassed Japanese boy stumbled back, hand searching for the exit door, trying to tear his eyes away from the girls that wore little more than their underwear.

"Joe!"

Joe's head snapped in the direction of the voice and Francoise stood there looking at him, equally as naked. His eyes bugged out, mouth moving but no sound coming out. Francoise turned a beet red as she grabbed a nearby shirt and wrapped it around her, averting her eyes.

The fat man came out from behind a pile of cloths, staring at the screeching girls, "What? What in the world is all the scre---oh my goodness!!" the man's eyes fell on Joe, his face turning a deep blue with anger, "Out!! Get out immediately, sir!! This is the ladies dressing room! Remove yourself at once!"

The man quickly shuffled over, grabbing Joe by the arm and hauling him from the dressing room, all the while yelling: "Out! Out! Out!"

He bodily dragged Joe from the store and shoved him out into the busy street and commenced to yell at him. "Never has this store been so desecrated in its history!! You are no longer welcome here, young man!! If you return I shall call the police!! Now get out of here!!"

The tubby owner turned sharply on his heel and stormed back inside, slamming the door shut. Miserably, Joe sank down into a nearby bench to wait for Francoise, cupping his chin in the palm of his hand, watching happier couples slowly walk by. The last thing he had wanted was to embarrass Francoise today…

"Having a rough day, young man?"

Joe looked up and there stood an old, gray haired man. The man's hair was slicked back into a short ponytail, and he was dressed in a tattered sports coat and faded jeans. He held a cane that looked as though he'd gotten it out of a trash can years before. A scraggly beard coated his face, but his intense blue eyes caught Joe's attention. The man nodded at the seat next to the gloomy boy.

"Mind if I sit there?"

Joe jumped to his feet, politely helping the man sit on the bench. The old man nodded gratefully, grunting as his rear hit the hard top. "Thank you, young lad…please, sit down here next to me and let's talk. I could help but notice your noisy exit from that store there. That man is very rude so don't take too much offense to it. Touring the city, yes?"

Joe nodded, "Yes sir. I'm taking a friend to see the sites and out to dinner."

"Just a friend, eh?" the man said, "Are you sure it's not something more? I saw the girl you were with, prime piece of meat if you ask me!"

Joe was shocked at the man's bluntness, but the old man laughed heartily and patted the fluttered boy on his back good naturedly, "Forgive me. Apparently youth is not as it was in my day. Now then, many people come to Rome to either find love or enforce it. I'm thinking you're right in between yes? You found someone…but you're not sure about their love in return? Don't worry, my boy…give it time and love will soon bloom."

Joe nodded slowly, unsure of how to react to this man. The old Roman shifted back and forth, rocking on the bench and humming to himself. Suddenly he broke out in a grin and began to sing a quick beat:

Um-do-rye-ah!

Um-do-rye-ah!

Um-do-rye-oo-rye-a!

I'll try to sing you a song of joy,

With a do-rye-oh-rye-a!

He grinned and continued to repeat the verse until he broke out into an entire song. Some tourists stopping to stare as the old man jumped to his feet and began to dance as he sang the fast tune, pounding his feet on the ground, the gathering crowd clapping to the beat. Joe, bewildered, slowly stood and moved away, heading back towards the store.

Francoise stood outside, looking extremely uncomfortable, but eyeing the crowd with interest. She almost leapt into Joe's arms when he approached her, gripping his hands tight.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

Joe glanced back at the gathering people, "Some old man I was talking to decided to start a concert in the middle of the square." He looked back down at Francoise and smiled, "Did you find anything you want in there?"

Francoise shook her head, "No. Everything was just too expensive. No point in acting like I'm rich, right?"

Joe smiled and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her away from the shop. Looking back he could see the beady eyed man glaring at him. Francoise saw the uncomfortable look on his face and started to laugh. Joe raised an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?"

"The look on your face…when you…walked into…the dressing room!" Francoise said between fits of laughter.

"It's not funny," Joe said a hurt look on his face, "I was scared out of my mind. That chubby guy literally threw me from the store!"

Francoise collapsed against Joe with laughter, "It was priceless!! Oh, I wish I had a camera! The others would have loved to see it!"

Joe sighed and shook his head, shoving his hands in his pocket and beginning to walk away, "You're just jealous."

Instantly, Francoise's laughed ceased and she fixed Joe's back with a deadly glare. "Jealous of what, pray tell?"

"Oh nothing…" Joe said smoothly, "Just that the other girls had these great bodies…"

Francoise charged at Joe, but the boy spun around gathering the girl up in his arms and holding her close, snuggling against the inside of her neck. "But none as nice as yours…"

Francoise playfully thumped her fists against his chest, "Put me down Joe Shimamura! It's getting late and we've barely seen half of the city!"

Joe put the girl down, planting a hesitant kiss on her cheek. From a moment, Francoise stared at him, a bright smile crowning her face. Then, her entire attitude seemed to change as if she was no longer sure of herself, and she pulled away slightly, casting the Japanese boy a curious look. Joe, hurt, pulled away and bowed his head.

"Sorry…come on, Francoise, let's keep going…"

Francoise stood still for a moment, staring into Joe's deep ruby eyes. They swirled with emotion, intelligence, and bravery…the three things that attracted Francoise to Joe from the start. He was so kind and compassionate. Willing to sacrifice himself for the good of others. His past never got the best of him, and his eyes…oh those deep red eyes were full of such wisdom that few could compare to. She blinked in surprise as realization hit her like a ton of brinks.

She was falling in love all over again…

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Joe stood in the air conditioned salumeria, staring at the large meat selection curiously. The website he'd gone to before they left the Dolphin had suggested a picnic at one of the many scenic quiet spots of Rome. It also mentioned that he would have to build a picnic basket and to select from the wide variety many specialty stores had to offer. He didn't know how various it could get.

The clerk watched the Japanese man shift nervously up and down the counter, staring at the different salamis he had to offer. A real foreigner, the clerk thought with amusement. Joe scratched his head and looked up at the clerk with a small smile.

"Uh…I'm not exactly sure what I should get…" he said slowly, "See, I'm going on a picnic and I…"

"What country is she from?" the clerk asked in broken English.

"France."

"Ah, France!" the clerk said with a knowing smile, "The French have excellent taste, both in dining and in love, am I right?"

A wave of depression suddenly hit Joe full blast as the clerk's words sank in, "Yes…they do…"

The clerk nodded and fell into his native tongue as he selected a few different rolls of meat and walked over to the cutting board. "How much?" he asked over his shoulder, cutting knife poised in the air.

Joe quickly did some calculations in his head, "Uh…give me about 200grams, please."

"200grams right way, good sir!"

As the man sliced he chattered on endlessly, rapidly tossing slices of meat into wax paper and took out a large brown bag.

"So where is your friend?" he asked, shoving the wedges into the bag, "Out shopping?"

"Yea," Joe said, "I want this to be a surprise."

The clerk chuckled, "So many people come to Rome to find love…if you really want to make an impression go down to the Trevi Fountain, hot place for romance. Proposed to my fiancée there just recently. Going to get married this fall." The clerk turned and handed Joe the bag, "Will you be participating in the Estate Romano?"

Joe took the meat, shaking his head, "What's Estate Romano?"

"What is it?" the clerk exclaimed, "Why it's only the largest festival in the world! Every street corner in Rome becomes a stage. There are fireworks; music; dancing; parades; drinking; women...and then once midnight hits, the great monuments of Rome are lit up! It's a beautiful thing to see."

Joe nodded, his mind already spinning with ideas. This was his big chance to set things right, to make Francoise his again…tonight he would make his move.

He took his bag, paid for the goods, and briskly walked into the noonsun, a calm smile on his face. Planning and scheming, he walked from store to store; buying the best that he could afford. This would be a day Francoise would never forget!

After what seemed like hours of walking and searching, Joe finally spotted Francoise coming out of a nearby store, a clerk handing her a small box as he saw her out. Spotting Joe, Francoise rushed over, a large grin on her face.

"Oh, this is wonderful! I never knew that Rome had such affordable prices!"

Joe frowned slightly, "You bought something?"

"Of course I bought something!" Francoise said with a small laugh, "You seriously didn't expect me to come all the way to Rome and not buy something?"

"But Francoise, I didn't want you to pay for anything while we're here!"

Francoise shook her head softly, "Joe, you're already paying for dinner…let me buy something for you, alright?"

Joe's heart fluttered at the words. Does that mean whatever's in the box is for him? Now he was dying to take a look at it…open it and see what gift she'd gotten him. Happily he reached for her arm, but the French girl absent mindedly pulled away heading towards another store to window shop. He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Maybe she'd show him later…

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Joe was in near tears. Their date in Rome wasn't going as well as he planned. With each passing hour, Francoise seemed to be drifting further and further away from him…not holding his hand as much, barely allowing him to touch her. It seemed that the closeness they shared in the square was just a spur of the moment. Never to happen again. He held the brown bag in his arms closer to him as these thoughts took over.

Now they stood amongst a crowd of dancing gypsies, the women swinging to music played by their men while tiny children scooted between the people with pans, asking for money. Joe gripped his wallet tightly and kept Francoise close, not trusting these strange looking people. A woman danced over to him, slowly swinging her hips in a sensual way and passing him a small wink. Joe couldn't help but smile at the attractive young lady, but his grin was quickly wiped from his face when his eyes made contact with Francoise's. He smiled at her warmly and motioned towards the subway.

Francoise looked at him curiously, "Where are we going, Joe Shimamura?"

Joe winked at her, "To a very beautiful place. Just follow me."

Joe grabbed her arm and strode over to the subway station, quickly descending down the steps. He stopped at the ticket booth, speaking in very rough Italian and pointing constantly with his hands. Finally the salesman handed Joe two subway tickets and they boarded the next train.

The ride on the metro was quiet, neither cyborg speaking to the other, just staring down at the floor or at the tunnel walls as they flew by. Moments later the train began to slow and Joe checked a map, nodding to himself.

"This is our stop, Francoise. Come on!"

He pulled her from the subway train and nearly dragged her up the steps, almost shaking with excitement. Francoise was deeply anticipating whatever surprise had Joe so eager. They hurried along narrow streets and across a small two lane highway until they came upon an empty field that seemed to drop away. Joe was beaming by now, his eyes shining with happiness as he turned to Francoise.

"I wanted you to see this place…"

Slowly he led her forward, never taking his eyes off her face. The entire area was empty and quiet, the only sounds coming from the softly chirping birds that flew amongst the brush surrounding the field. Finally they stood on the edge of a drop off, Joe finally turning away from her and staring down.

Francoise looked as well and gasped with delight. Spread out before them were the ancient ruins of the Ostia Theatre. The steps curved down around the small proscenium where, hundreds of years ago, plays and dances were performed of the entertainment of Roman citizens rich and poor. Francoise slowly walked down the steps, her eyes beginning to water. Memories flooding back.

Joe hung back at the top of the theatre, watching Francoise emotionally. He wanted so bad to kiss her right now, but something was holding him back.

"Something…or someone, 009?"

Joe shook his head, trying to dispel the voice ringing in his head.

"Don't try and fight me, 009. You think that just because you want a little quality time with that whore, I'm just going to leave you alone?"

Joe groaned miserably, his hand reaching up to grasp his throbbing head. Black Ghost cackled in his mind again.

"If you thought this morning was something, just you wait until I'm at my full strength again…enjoy your life while you still can, 009. For soon, you shall be mine!"

"Joe?"

Joe looked around and found himself collapsed on the sloping steps, Francoise next to him, gently rubbing his back and staring at him with large, worried eyes. "Joe, are you alright?"

009 returned her stare before slowly nodding, "Yes…I'm fine. What happened?"

"You fell." Francoise said, dropping her hand from his back, "It looked like you were in a lot of pain…"

Joe smiled nervously, "Just a headache…that's all. Probably the sun or something…"

He stood, helping Francoise to her feet. For a moment, Joe found himself captivated by her swirling blue-green eyes, relishing in the way her hair seemed to catch the sun rays and made her glow. He slowly reached up a hand and stroked his fingers through her silky hair, bringing it down to cup her cheek. Francoise sighed, closing her eyes and leaned into his warm touch. She could feel his other arm slipping around her waist, pressing her against him.

Francoise stared up into Joe's red, half lidded eyes, anticipation filling her breast as he began to lean forward.

"Francoise…I…"

Francoise stood on her toes slightly, angling her head to accept Joe's kiss. But Jet's face suddenly flashed through her mind as their lips barely touched. With a harsh gasp, she turned away, Joe's lips brushing over her cheek. For a moment, he stood still, confused as to her quick actions. Then, recovering, he gently kissed Francoise's cheek, allowing the girl to lean against him, her hands wrapping around his tight chest, her face on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Joe…" she whispered, tears beginning to slip from her eyes, "I'm just so confused right now…"

The cyborg leader sighed to himself and stroked Francoise's hair, feeling the tears stain his shirt. "It's alright, Francoise…I understand. Just know that I'll always be here for you no matter what."

Francoise laughed dryly, "You know what? Jet said the same thing to me earlier…"

At the sound of the other boy's name, Joe stiffened, his eyes hardening with a building hate. It was clear now…clearer than it ever had been before.

This would be his greatest battle yet. This was war. Not just a war against Black Ghost anymore, but a war against one of his greatest friends…and he would win or die trying…

That was a promise.

For the rest of the day they stood on the steps on the ancient theatre, listening to the smooth sounds of the nearby river and the wildlife surrounding them, locked in a tight embrace. Francoise clutched the front of Joe's shirt as the sun set, the picnic long forgotten by Joe as he settled into the comfortable and loving hug of Francoise. Hesitantly he tilted the girl's head up again, staring into her eyes, begging for permission. Francoise smiled and nodded slightly. Joe drew her close once again and leaned down to capture her lips in a passionate, love filled kiss that neither would forget…ever…

I love you, Francoise, Joe thought to himself as the sky grew dark.

I'll always love you…and that's a promise…

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Whew!! Goodness gracious that was a lot of writing!! But it was worth it, right?? At last, they've made it to Romeand with little interference from Black Ghost.

Oh, don't worry, don't worry!! Romeain't over yet!! They've still got dinner and Estate Romano. BTW, that is a real festival that happens every summer in Rome. I would love to see it, but alas…I am poor…oh well!! At least that means I get to stay in good ol' Americaand write for you folks right??

Again, forgive me for taking so long!! There was so much that I had to fit in and I don't even think I got it all!!

Please, do us all a favor and R&R!!!

And, once again, thank you so much GoldAngel2. Couldn't have done this without ya!! ....Seriously….

GoldAngel2:Yes, many people have said just to put it as one chapter…but, after debating with myself for a while (myself won the argument), I decided to split it up. However, if you still don't think it works, tell me and I'll try and fix the problem.

Matti Haibara: Great!! Welcome to the club!! I'm very happy that you happened to see my fic, and it's nice to see some new blood in here!! Yes, yes, you and everybody else hates this 003/002 thing…but calm down and be patient and all will come to a happy end…hopefully…

Wolfwood11:I told your advice (and the advice of others) into consideration when I made my choice. I don't think this scene is too awkward; my others have ended in practically the same fashion, but thanks for the tip!!

RedLion2:Holy hell!! Look to me like we're just catching up, now aren't we?? Lol, just kidding. Hey!! You realized that in chapter 4, it was Black Ghost and not Joe!! Go job!! Although I'm not sure if others have figured it out…but you directly mentioned it!! Thanks for your advice!! Welcome on board and hope you enjoy the rest of the fic!!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!! BTW, do you think this is getting too long?? Naw, me neither!!

WATCH OUT FOR MY NEXT CHAPTER!! THE ROMAN DATE CONCLUDED!!