Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Mercury Mask ❯ "Let the Games begin! ( Chapter 10 )

A/N: Uh, my files were corrupted again...So Chapter 9...not 8...has to be summarized cuz that was the end of the second arc...

So what happened was: There was a school festival, Amanda and Sammy made cookies. 3 yadas, all the people who ate their cookies after the first batch disappeared, JJ is up to know good. Amanda uses a reversal spell, which doesn't work, and drains a lot of her magic. It skips a few weeks, ...this is boring, I'll just get to the point, JJ is not under the control of the Imperious Curse, and for God knows what reason, Amanda is mad at him. This is basically a filler arc; there is no enemy. I'm just writing this for fun, and I like making Amanda temper-mental-like. BTW, if I didn't have this posted with the rest of the story it would seem like something was totally missing!

A/N2: I'm on the 13th page of this and I decided as soon as I write this last scene I'm going to make this a two parter. The second part will begin with Saturday afternoon...you'll get it once you read this! And a big "HI!!!!" to Elayne when she reads this...she my new otaku friend (I lost Ben A. Gen...T_T) at school, she's a year older than me but in my science and english classes (she's not behind in english, I'm ahead...I don't get the science thing...)

Episode 10

"Let the Games Begin!"

Serena grabbed the mail on her way into the house after school; Amanda was lagging behind complaining of a headache. Inside, Serena looked through the mail. Three letters on the same stationary caught her eye. One was for her, and the others were for Amanda, and Ikuko. All three of them opened them at the same time. Amanda's eyes skimmed hers, and she looked confused, then she reread it and stood in complete shock.

"It was very nice of your mother to send a thank you note Amanda," Ikuko commented.

Serena reached the end of her letter and smiled at the "Love, Your future self." She turned Amanda around, who was still standing like a goose staring into space, and dragged her upstairs to her room. Amanda dropped to her knees shaking her head in disbelief with a slight smile on her face.

"So-o-o, do I get a 'thank you'?" Serena asked, "I sent Neo-Queen Serenity a letter with Maige, saying how homesick you were and wanted to see your friends."

"I-I'm eternally grateful..."

"Yeah, well, anyway, the scouts and I are invited to spend a week and a half in the future. So, I should get packing since we leave tomorrow!"

"What?! Trista will be furious! And you guys can't come to the future, again. I mean, you know enough about your future, do you really need to know more?"

"We aren't going to learn about our future, we're going to watch the Children's Olympics in Crystal Tokyo. And have some fun while we're at it," Serena said slyly.

"You can't just take off school, I mean you can't exactly tell your mother and father you're going to go visit your future self in a city that doesn't exist yet. Your mother would never let you go!"

"She won't know, in fact nobody will notice we're gone, it says in my letter to tell my mom we're seeing you off at the airport and we'll be an hour late getting home from school."

"Excuse me for asking, but, HOW DOES A WEEK AND A HALF TURN INTO ONE HOUR?!?!"

"This," Serena said holding up a silver ring with funny engraving on it.

Amanda sat for a moment looking dissatisfied, or should it be doubtful? "You know, Maige isn't supposed to use those, it's against magic laws."

"I think this is an exception, even though I know Trista won't be happy...she thinks we know way too much about our future already, but like I said we won't pay attention to detail."

"Is everybody invited?" Amanda asked curiously.

"I guess," Serena said thoughtfully.

"Great, just peachy. You're going to be at the Games, that means you'll be there during exams. You know, I hope Serenity isn't expecting me to entertain you guys. I mean, I'm going home tomorrow, which means it'll be Tuesday at home. Wednesday is the last day of the Winter Wonderland festival on Mercury, Thursday I have exams with Maige, Friday I have school exams, Saturday I have knight exams, and Sunday is the Opening Ceremonies. As for the rest of the week, well, good luck on finding me, I'm one of the busiest participants, and at night the festival goes on. Saturday is the Closing Ceremonies and the ball. Then Sunday you guys are going right?"

"That's what it says in Neo-Queen Serenity's letter. It sounds like a lot of fun to me..."

"In that case we leave tomorrow..." Amanda groaned.

The next day in a very empty area of a forest park in Azabu. They were waiting on Antonio and Maige. Amanda was sitting in a tree staring into space. It was still hard to believe she would be home in ten minutes time.

"Space Cadet Urawa! Get down here and open the time gate," Maige called from the base of the tree.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Once on the ground, Amanda scowled at JJ, took the key of her wrist, and held it in the air, trying to hide her excitement. "Guardian Chronos, here my cry, open the door to the Gate of Time!" Proceeding this was the circular Cherry Lane, and moments afterwards they were all dropped on theirs bottoms (except Serena and JJ, who both landed on their head...) in the time warp. They were very close to the Time Gate, which meant they didn't have to walk far to their destination. Arriving at the Time Gate, they were received by Sailor Pluto, who was looking grumpy and dejected, if she could look that way, she must follow her orders. She opened the gate and through they went, all with their minds on Crystal Tokyo, of course the Sailor Knights had no idea what this place looked like, having never been there. But they thought of the future, considering it had been good enough the first time the scouts tried this. All of a sudden, what they were walking on dropped from beneath them, and they fell onto green grass. (Most of them landed on their feet with the exception of Serena and JJ once again.)

"I seem to remember getting here slightly different," Serena complained picking herself up off the ground and facing the other scouts, away from the Crystal Palace.

Someone put arms around her and said, "Well, if I may say, I know my memory isn't the greatest..." Serena whirled around, and the future Serena, Serenity, laughed. "Welcome to Crystal Tokyo, again for some of you, and I'm sure it's in much better shape than the last time you were here."

"Your Highness," Maige said bowing and then with a "pop" she disappeared.

"I can't wait 'til I'm allowed to do that!" Amanda said staring towards the palace.

"And to you two, welcome home." At that moment she received a bow from JJ, and a very big hug and a kiss on the cheek from Amanda, who immediately after looked very suspicious.

"Where is Endymion?" she asked.

"Well, it is half past four Amanda, he's probably instructing the-"

"He started with out us!?" JJ and Amanda yelled as they took off running.

Serenity laughed again and shook her head. "I'm positive there was no need of that, they don't have to go to training today, but I suppose they want to get back into the swing of things. To the Palace!" Most of the scouts were too in awe to say anything, it was in much better shape than when the Black Moon had attacked, and it was a very pretty place. They were very close to the palace and upon arrival they met seven girls skipping rope that they didn't want to see. Two were wearing black and white sailor school uniforms, the smallest wearing a black one, and the other four were wearing green blouses with jumpers over the top. Marie scowled at Amara, who returned the look. Once again Serenity laughed, she apparently had not changed much from when she was a high school student, except for the fact that she was a good deal smarter. She also found all of this incredibly amusing. The smallest girl, Sabrina, ran up and sort of goose marched alongside Hotaru, smiling up at her from her big violet eyes. My daughter, Hotaru thought.

The inside of the Crystal Palace seemed much different. It certainly wasn't as gloomy as it was when they were there before. The first floor seemed like a lobby. There was a large circular desk and sitting behind it was Maige, "Good afternoon, how may I help you?" She said before looking up, when she did she said, flushing red, "Oh, good afternoon your Highness." They entered of very large, glass elevator. And it started going up.

"What a beautiful view," Lita said looking out over the city.

"It is, isn't it?" Serenity said happily. The elevator stopped and they got off in a deserted corridor. "I hope you don't mind sharing rooms. Friday, many more guests will be arriving from all over the world. Most of them with their children with them, which means every room is full. This entire floor, though, is yours, above this floor is the girls' rooms, and the next few floors above that are most of our living space." She finished opening the first door on their right, "Amara and Michelle can take this one."

And on they went, two by two their numbers dwindled. At the end of the corridor was a door, and Serenity opened it and she walked in, the three remaining, Serena, Darien, and Hotaru (still accompanied by Sabrina, so that would actually make four...) followed her. "One of my favorite rooms," Serenity said staring into the rainbow sunset, "This is your room, Serena and Darien." She just smiled and walked towards the door, "Dinner is at six," she said exiting and closing the door behind Hotaru, Sabrina, and her.

"Um, Neo-Queen Serenity?" Hotaru said confusedly.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget you Hotaru. I thought you'd rather have the extra room on the next floor up, with the other girls."

Sabrina giggled, "You thleep with uth Hotaru!" Hotaru hadn't noticed her lisp the first time they met, or the second, or even the third. It isso cute, she thought. The next floor, which at one time was referred to as the Nursery, was now merely a colorful corridor lined with doors. Each door had a small sign with a name on it. They went to the end of the hall, Hotaru found that Amanda's room was right above the one Serena and Darien were in. The room to the right was Piper's, and the room to the left had no sign on it, that was to be hers.

"Thith gonna be my room when me get big!"

"When I get bigger, Sabrina," Serenity corrected her.

"Thath what I go to thcool for Threnity!" she replied as if it was totally obvious while skipping down the hall to what still remained the "Nursery."

"She is just the cutest thing," Hotaru said to herself after Serenity had left. Someone knocked hard and sharp on the door. "Who is it?"

"Piper! Who else could have a knock like that," she said with a laugh.

"How could I know that?" Hotaru replied opening the door. Piper came in and sat on the bed.

"So-o-o-o, you guys are gonna be here for a while huh? This should be interesting, good thing I'm on neutral ground with most of you!"

"Uh-"

"You wanna go convince Endymion to let Amanda out of training? He hates it but I think he'll make an exception tonight."

"That sounds like a good idea, no offense but I don't really know any of you." Hotaru said.

"No offense to you, but you don't really know Amanda either..." Piper said heading for the door.

"No," Endymion said clearly when they asked.

"She wasn't even supposed to go to training today! You said so yourself at breakfast!" Piper complained dubiously.

"She's here now, Piper, and she can stand another fifteen minutes until I dismiss all of them," he said firmly.

Piper stuck her tongue out at him and sat down on the bench behind her. Hotaru sat down timidly next to her. "Where's Amanda?" she asked looking over the large soccer field where they were holding martial arts matches.

Piper pointed to two people in the far corner. Once Hotaru saw her, she was surprised at how she didn't see her herself. Amanda was the only girl, and at that, the only person with blue hair pulled back in a high ponytail. About two seconds after that Amanda had her opponent pinned. A few other guys, younger ones, stopped and watched her opponent struggle against her grip. She let him up, and he laughed and shrugged his shoulders. He came their way and went to one of the sports bags on the side of the field and pulled out a piece of paper. As he walked by them, Piper turned red and said dreamily, "Hi Marcus..."

"What's up Piper? And who might your pretty dark haired friend be? Ya look familiar..."

"Ho-Hotaru, Hotaru Tomoe," Hotaru said shyly to the blonde haired knight who seemed very much like he didn't belong there and he belonged more on a beach.

"Like, the former Queen Hotaru? Like from the past? Schwa-a-ay!"

"Marcus!" Endymion yelled at him, "Is the note for me, or are you flirting?"

"Little bit o' both Coach!" he said practically bouncing over to him. Endymion sighed and blew a whistle three times apparently signaling the end of class.

Hotaru hadn't even noticed JJ was right in front of them, "Hey, Hotaru...Piper," he added cautiously.

She growled at him and he smiled, "Chill, you'd think you were pepper instead of Piper."

This time Amanda did the growling, and he looked at her longingly then shrugged his shoulders and walked away. "Is it the mating season of emotions again at the palace, Amanda?" Endymion said pushing her along so she'd move faster. Hotaru blushed, and Piper laughed. (HORRIBLE LINE…I'm sooo sorry…)

"If you mean am I angry with him, then yes, I am. And I wish you wouldn't refer to it as that...it makes it sound so erotic!"

"And why are you angry with him?" he asked slowly, he was one of the few people who knew how to make her talk.

"Because, he shouldn't have been worrying about me in the situation we were in, in the past. I can defend myself against a curse like that, he can't! He should've been a little more concerned about himself!" Piper agreed with this, but Hotaru just nodded not quite knowing how you could deflect a curse, she wished she had known, the one Olivius had used on her was painful.

Endymion stopped walking and asked curiously, "So, you don't even care that he cared enough about you to risk his own sanity?"

Amanda flushed scarlet and walked faster, so she wouldn't have to discuss it any longer. Endymion chuckled to himself and said, "I hope she realizes before it's too late that she's in love with him."

"She hasn't ever been like this before though, I mean, she's been mad at him for over a week! Most of their arguments end in a few hours," Piper said.

"I think this may be the end of any serious quarrels between those two, and we should never give up hope on those two until she stops wearing that necklace." he said thoughtfully.

"You're definitely right about the locket. I don't think she'll take it off unless he really, really makes her angry. By the end of this week they'll have made up. At least they better make up, Amanda's supposed to lead the procession at the Opening Ceremonies and JJ is the flag holder, they have to walk next to each other. And even worse, when they find out what you put their names in for-"

"We'll leave that for Saturday afternoon Piper," he said entering the dining room.

This room was exceptionally large, with one very large table, and one smaller one, though the room looked as if it could hold thirty of the larger ones. "We're using the big dining room? I guess that makes sense, with all of you guys here the regular dining room isn't large enough. Amanda entered and took a seat at the larger of the tables looking very ruffled, and wearing a simple dress of lavender.

"Why are you sitting over there Amanda? Come sit with us at our table," Piper said.

"My mother is making me sit here, with my friends," she said coldly. The next people to enter were Amy, Greg, Lita, and Ken. They sat timidly down with Amanda at the end of the table she was sitting at. Serena, Darien, Raye, and Chad followed this. And soon enough everyone was there except Serenity and those who the scouts hadn't met. When they entered, the scouts couldn't believe their eyes. These were their future selves. There wasn't much change, except for the fact that they looked older, and one of them was an unknown. He introduced himself as Chaz, Charles Yoru, he was Queen Hotaru's husband. Hotaru seemed a little embarrassed by this and was sort of hiding behind Amanda from his view for a while. When Queen Amy walked in, Amanda made a little "squeak" of annoyance. She was glad her mother wasn't sitting next to her. She was still mad at the fact that she had not been with Serenity to welcome her home. Instead she was on the Aragog Space Station. And then telling her to sit with her friends at the "grown up" table...how rude! Her real friends were the ones sitting at the other table, and she hadn't even the chance to gossip with them and catch up on what's been happening in Crystal Tokyo in the last six months. The last three to enter just about made Serena choke on her water. It was Luna, Artemis, and Diana, and they were human!

Dinner was a very quiet affair, many of the scouts just trying hard to have the best manners they could. Their future selves were so proper! The only thing that was said was Piper asking Serenity where Rini was. Apparently she would be home Friday night. Despite the fact Amanda was home she was very unhappy at the moment. She didn't eat much, and as soon as Sabrina left the other girls' table she got up and left too. Most of the other girls got up then too, except Marie, who remained to finish her meal.

Much of Wednesday, they explored the palace. They remembered much of it from searching for Rini when the Black Moon had captured her.

When JJ got home that night from the festival on Mercury (he had been invited by some friends to go) he hit the button on the answering machine in his room (he has his own phone line)."Two messages. First Message," "Hey JJ, it's Chenille, I'm gettin' to town tomarrow mornin', so I'll come by your house abou' ten. A'ight? I wanna spend the whole day with ya...Love ya!"

"Second Message,"

(Timid voice)"JJ, it's Amanda. Do you think you could meet me at the fountain in Cherry Blossom Park tomorrow at noon to skate? I want to talk. 'Kay? Bye."

"End of Messages."

"Great, Chenille is coming..." he couldn't meet Amanda if she was coming, she would drag him around the entire city before she'd let him go.

Michelle ventured to a floor she had found earlier that day containing a music room, and she knew that it was completely empty. Or, at least she thought it was empty. Walking down the corridor, she realized it wasn't. There was music playing from one of the rooms. There was a window on the door and she peeked through it to see Amanda, who was dancing. She opened the door quietly and slipped in; since Amanda's back was turned she didn't see Michelle come in. Amanda turned a pirouette and saw her. She stopped her multiple pirouettes and Michelle clapped, Amanda just stared at her. She pointed at the turntable that was playing the music, and the needle lifted off the recorded and sat on its rest. "Most people knock in this palace before they enter a room," Amanda said coldly.

"I didn't want to disturb you, you looked like you were having fun. I didn't know you danced," she said curiously.

Amanda glanced about the room, Michelle was standing in front of the door, oh, how she wished she could apparate!

"I don't," she said coldly, but knew it was somewhat a lie and added, "anymore."

"Why did you stop, you're very good, by what I can see," she said stepping closer to her.

Now is my chance, Amanda thought as she quickly dodged around Michelle and out the door, slamming it behind her.

The next day happened to be the day Amy went to the library, in the morning. A mistake in Maige's opinion but no doubt slightly planned by Amanda, in Marie's opinion. When she walked in to the library she was hit with a paralyzing curse from Marie, and it took Piper, Amanda, and Maige to undo it.

"I'm so-o-o sorry Miss Amy!" Marie kept saying the rest of the day. "Don't you dare look so smug Miss Smarty Pants! If it hadn't been for me you wouldn't have been able to get your 'A' in Curse reversal!"

"I already earned my 'A+' in Curse reversal by reversing the Imperious Curse on JJ." Amanda would say. Marie would make a noise of annoyance. And then Amanda rushed off somewhere when they left their exams, Amy terrified of going back to the library for fear of a repeat of what had happened.

Amanda spent three hours rollerblading around the fountain in Cherry Blossom Park. JJ never showed. She went around on the bike path, at about four she came back to the area where the fountain was. There were two people sitting on the edge of the fountain. Amanda knew in an instant who they were, JJ and Chenille. She stayed off to the side, behind a tree to hear what they were talking about.

"I'm glad you finally got rid of that stuck up little girly girl," Chenille said pulling him up.

"Amanda is not a stuck up little girl, Chenille, she grew up a lot in the last year," he said in her defense.

"Whatever..." she said putting her arms around him and kissing him.

Amanda came out of her hiding spot, JJ was facing Amanda, and he had not closed his eyes because she had taken him by surprise. He shoved Chenille away from him as Amanda skated off. He had forgotten Amanda wanted to talk to him that day. "Dammit," he said.

At the knight class that afternoon, they were playing team handball, as a fun game to finish out the semester. Greg, Antonio, Ken, Chad, and Darien had joined them, after learning the rules. Amanda was goalie and captain of the red team, and JJ was rather mad at Endymion for making him captain of the blue team, but anyway, they ran the ball up and down the basketball court, passing to each other and scoring, mostly only the red team scoring. I'm not saying that the blue team isn't good, but the red team has Amanda for a goalie. (Good soccer goalie, so in handball the goals are much, much smaller...get the picture?)

JJ was the first blue team member to nearly score, unfortunately, instead of hitting the goal...he hit Amanda in the face, giving her a bloody nose. She, not being in the greatest of moods, went at him. She landed one hit but he held her off after a minute, he kept telling her to calm down, but she kept clawing at him, which was making him mad. So, they were both yelling at each other and then...SMACK.

Amanda stopped clawing and yelling, he had hit her...not in training...not for a purpose that had a kind reason to it. Endymion now came onto the field and looked from one to the other, waiting for an explanation. Amanda couldn't get one out, her eyes just filed with tears and she ran to the locker room. Endymion, trying to be calm about the entire situation, said, "In my office, you have ten minutes, to be there to discuss your suspension, I warned both of you the last time you fought in class. Class dismissed."

"Yes, sir," JJ said walking quickly away. It was half a mile to the palace, if he wanted to change and get there in ten minutes he'd have to run. He was suspended for something he didn't do, he thought outside the door of Endymion's office (ooh, scary thought). He had been there one time alone, for his warning about suspension. He knocked and heard a "Come in," and slowly opened the door.

Endymion was standing in front of the one glass wall, looking outside. "Sit," he said.

"I don't really want to-"

"Sit."

JJ sat in the chair in front of the desk. "Ten weeks is what I told you you'd get if you were to fight again with Amanda, not for the purpose of the lesson. So, I have decided ten weeks is what you will get."

"What about Amanda?"

"I don't think you should be concerned about her at the moment, but she will be getting the same punishment when I speak to her later."

"If I'm suspended, then I can't participate in the Tournament," JJ said worriedly.

"Your suspension, along with Amanda's will begin a week from Sunday. And you won't be allowed in class tomorrow either."

Inside JJ's head he was saying, "Yes! I can still be in the Tournament! I will definitely thank him next Sunday..." Outside he said, "Yes, sir,"

"You can go." JJ got up to leave but as he opened the door Endymion added, with a slight smile, "By the way, a written apology isn't the way to go, say it to her face."

"And get my butt kicked? Well, if it's for her..." he sighed.

"I'm going to add one more thing: you already got your butt kicked, so go put some ice on your eye, then apologize."

"Uh, thanks," he said shutting the door behind him.

A little later Endymion knocked on Amanda's bedroom door. "Leave me alone!" was the reply he received.

"Let me in, Amanda," he said in a voice that Amanda wasn't allowed to refuse, or she'd be grounded for life.

She opened the door and went back and lay down on her bed where she had been. Her eyes were red from tears and she was not in a mood to talk, so she let Endymion do the talking.

"You're suspended for ten weeks starting a week after Sunday. You will not come to class tomorrow either."

"Fine, then leave. And don't dare try to talk to me about it, you would not understand any of this." This was said in a way Amanda rarely talked, and when she did she was incredibly upset about something and almost always obeyed.

A little later there was another knock on her door. The same, "Leave me alone," was given, but Queen Amy opened the door anyway.

"You shouldn't be sulking over some boy right now, you should be studying for your exams tomorrow," she said.

Amanda sat up and turned around with a cold stare, "Do I look like someone who wants to study?"

This seemed to be very effective on the fact that Queen Amy did not reply, only had an expression that was doubtful. She set the cup of tea she was holding on the bedside table and left.

Amanda was bothered yet again, but this time by someone who had a good intention in mind.

"Look, Amanda, I know you wanna be left alone and all, but you should really talk about it," Serena said comfortingly. "I sort of know how you feel, I sort of went through this a couple of years ago, why don't you tell me about why you're so upset," she said putting her arms around her and hugging her.

Amanda hesitated and Serena just told her to start from the beginning. Amanda sighed and started, "Okay, at Starlight Tower, Juzo kept glancing at me, like he thought I was going to be the one who was gonna be in her control. I can fight that curse with my own magic, he's just a normal human, and he can't. It bugs me even more that he knew that, I had warned him about it, and he let his guard down anyway. And then he stood me up because he was on a date with Chenille; you've seen her right? That prissy little stuck up Chicago girl that talks funny? Yeah, her. And then to top it off, he kissed her, in front of me. I mean I know Chenille likes him and all, but I never thought he liked her any more than a friend. Every time we quarrel he never gives up, he's always persistent, but now..."

"So, one, from your point of view, he hurt your pride. In his point of view, he was making sure that his best friend wasn't going to try to kill anybody or herself because some evil witch was controlling her. Two, in your point of view, he was on a date with a girl he never liked. In his point of view, he had already made plans to spend the day with a friend whom he hasn't seen for a year. And three, in your P.O.V. he kissed this friend of his in front of you. And from his P.O.V....hmmm...did he close his eyes?"

"I don't see what that has to do with this!"

"A lot, answer the question."

Amanda sat remembering what had happened, no he didn't, she thought. "No, he didn't."

"Well there! He was taken by surprise and didn't want to be kissed. One of the number one rules of kissing is 'always close your eyes, it's not polite to stare.'" she quoted from an article she read in a magazine.

"What about--" she started, touching her cheek.

"From what I got of the story, you were going insane and needed it, but apparently you were conscious enough to realize what he had done."

They sat for a long while not talking. Amanda had no tears left to cry, it was late, and exams were the next day. I should sleep, she thought.

"At the Starlight Tower, Venessa said, 'that's four of them, and after Wei, and now one of our own.' What did she mean by four of them?" Serena said breaking the silence.

"It's a very long story, and I'd have to tell it all. Of course, I'm positive you're dying to know about how this all came about. And I'm stumped as to why you haven't gotten the Silver Millenium part of the story from Amy or Darien."

"This has something to do with the Silver Millenium?"

Amanda went to the crystal wall and looked out over the sparkling city, she sighed as if she were some great prophetess about to tell a long, sad epic. "'A long time ago, about two thousand years ago, there was a prince on the planet Earth, his name was Endymion. There were many other palaces and other royal families on other planets but this story only involves the one on the planet Mercury. I'm afraid I only know some of the story, and as for the rest, it remains in the hearts of Endymion and a young woman named Maige.

"'On the planet Mercury there was a group of people who did not like the Crown of Mercury, for a reason that only they understood. Their efforts to actually do something about their hatred were always stopped by guards or someone who happened to be in the right place at the right time. That is, until Olivius came. She could easily pose as an innocent little girl. She would wander into the courtyard of Mariner Castle and seek the young Princess of Mercury. The innocent Princess Amy was very naïve and didn't know of this terrorizing group of people. Luckily the day that Olivius did find her, the Queen of Mercury, Annabelle, had invited the Queen of the Earth to tea. She had brought her son, Endymion, and a faithful guard from the palace on Earth, with her. This guard had a daughter, whose name was Maige, and she had come along too. She was half-Mercurial.'" Amanda paused and sighed again, "I'm afraid that is as much as Endymion has ever told me in detail, whenever he gets to that point he says it's either getting late or he has to be somewhere. It's like he doesn't want to recollect what happened. All I know is that somehow Maige helped trap Olivius and convince Queen Annabelle to give her a long sentence on Aragog. The rest of the story, omitting the middle of that story, I know.

"Before I came to the past, and for many years before that, Serenity and Endymion claimed this time as the Solar Imperium Millenium. They were determined to have one thousand years of prosperous times. And, for the last fourteen or so years, we have. About a year or so after I was born, Maige showed up, she claimed to be a friend of Endymion's and as I have always been told he seemed very happy to see her when they met. They are old friends from the Silver Millenium. She helped conquer Olivius' power in the past as I have already told of. Not long after New Year's this year, Olivius' sentence of two thousand years on Aragog was up. So Serenity and my mother went to the Aragog Space Station, Serenity looked calm and cool like she always does, but my mother looked so pale, like she was actually deathly afraid of what might happen. Not long after she was released, she took over the mind of a classmate of mine, Wei Chang. He was a close friend of mine, and he was a knight, and she could easily use him to get near me. Wei was apprehended about two minutes before he would have been able to kill me. Maige apprehended him. I didn't understand any of this at the time, and I've pieced it together over the past few months. That was when I was sent to the past. My mother gave me the lame excuse of wanting me to train and learn how to get on by myself. I was so naïve myself, at the time. Darien opened my eyes as to why I was really there. My mother never told me I would have a murderer who controlled peoples' minds after me when I grew up. Apparently Olivius had sworn to return and kill them all, starting with the successor to the throne of Mercury. Now at the time that she said that, I'm sure nobody was thinking it would be Princess Amy's daughter since her sentence was for two thousand years. But lo' and behold, here I am, two thousand years later and she's planning on keeping her damned word.

"Wei was put under a charm that would protect him from the Imperious Curse, unfortunately it only works after you've been cursed. Serenity made the mistake of telling him where I had gone. Olivius kidnapped him and tortured him until he told her where I was. He wouldn't tell. He was being tortured with a curse that, if used for a long amount of time, will make the sufferer go insane. Well, he didn't tell, and now he doesn't recognize anyone, or anything for that matter. His parents were so sad, I'm sort of glad I wasn't here to see their faces when Serenity had to tell them that. Becky was the next, she was a close friend of Nell's and Nell had told her where I had gotten to go, as if she was jealous. Becky would not tell. And then Anita. Anita is Piper and my friend. She is the Ambassador of Southwestern Europe's daughter. She knew where I was, and told. That is why the first two times Dainel and Malina attacked, they were not after the Ice Flute and the Heart Songs. They were out to kill you instead. Olivius was busy torturing my friends, she couldn't possibly think of something better to do with their spare time. It was mere coincidence that they were in the exact same year that I went to. I guess they thought they could easily catch you off guard," Amanda stopped again, then turned to face Serena, "And now you know, the rest of the story."

"You were right about it being long, and you even skipped a part, and it's not even finished," Serena said sounding a bit astonished. She was planning on asking Darien about the rest of the story in the Silver Millenium. How come he had not told her he had known Amy before he met her? And he certainly had not explained Maige yet; she acted so inconspicuous around her.

"I should be getting to bed Serena, I have exams tomorrow."

"Oh, okay, well thanks for the story, I hope the ending is 'happily ever after,'" she said heading for the door.

"Serena?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said closing the door behind her.

"Darien!" Serena said shutting the door behind her and bouncing onto the bed in their room. He had been sitting there reading a book.

He mimicked her voice and said, "Serena!"

"Ha, ha, ha, I have a question, and it's about something Amanda and I were discussing."

"And what were you discussing?" he asked setting down his book.

"A certain story from the Silver Millenium. An interesting one too, it was about Olivius-"

"I'm not telling that now and I am not going to tell it until Maige wants to. It's up to her, anything beyond the point of the tea party has to do with her life, not mine. And that is up to her to tell." He said this while reading the book, for he started reading again immediately after Serena had said what Amanda and she were discussing.

"So-o-o, that's why Amanda didn't know any further than that. She said Endymion would avoid the subject after that. Anyway, will you at least tell me how you know Maige? That, you can tell me, because it's your business."

Darien set the book down again, with a look that in a way said that she was being nosy. "Maige was the daughter of a guard of the palace on the Earth, she usually was always cleaning or doing things around the palace. Of course, she was using magic to do them. I went and talked to her one day and we became friends. After Olivius was sent to Aragog, she disappeared. That's the end of that story." He leaned over and kissed Serena, "If you're thinking there was ever anything between Maige and I, you thought wrong."

"Okay...are you mad now?"

"You asked about something that I didn't want to talk about, now I'll probably end up thinking about it all night. I'm not mad at you, I'm just mad that no one in this time didn't think enough to leave Olivius where she was put."

"Okay, okay, I get the picture, I'll drop the subject!"

"Ektham day! Ektham day! We all want good gradeth to thow our mommieth!" Sabrina sang skipping down the hall to the dining room. "Therena! Are you gonna come to thchool with uth?"

"Uh, school? No, I think I get enough school at home…" Serena said grimacing, she spotted Amanda and grabbed the seat next to her at the biggest table. Serena now knew why the dining room was so large. It really could hold the aforesaid thirty large tables, and it had to. The other guests at the palace had arrived the day before. More people with impeccable manners, Serena thought. "I don't wanna go to school!" Marie squealed sitting down to eat.

"None of us really want to, but we have to, or we won't matriculate!" Nell said sternly.

"You won't what?" Serena asked.

"'Matriculate-verb-to admit membership, as a student in a college or university. To be entered or enrolled.'" Venessa stated.

Serena stared, and Amanda smiled for the first time since Tuesday. "Venessa is a perfect little 'parrot,'" she said praisingly, "I wish we had her in our debate club and forensics. But of course as you can tell we go to different schools."

"Why do you go to three different schools?" Serena asked curiously.

"It isn't right to make assumptions, Serena. We only go to two different schools. C.T.I.S. and Kumichirou Private. Sabrina attends C.T.I.S. but is not old enough to be in the Alpha Sorority. It's really called Alpha Digamma Omicron, but I don't know why. There's a fraternity also, Beta Epsilon Zeta, shortened to Beta. And we go to different schools because of our different abilities. I sort of despise Venus for not putting Venessa in C.T.I.S so she could work to her abilities. Kumichirou Private works more towards mathematics and many forms of science. Most of the students who graduate from there go on to achieve a degree in the sciences or business. C.T.I.S. focuses more on the more artistic things, like foreign language, literature, music, and art. Both schools are big on athletics, and we get the reputation as being rival schools."

"What does C.T.I.S. stand for?" Amy asked sitting down across from them.

"Crystal Tokyo International School, a lot of kids come from around the world to go to school here, and C.T.I.S. is the biggest school around and it has a very good reputation." Serenity appeared at this moment and tossed Amanda something blue that was a little smaller than a baseball. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Serenity, too bad I won't have reason for a while to use it."

"It'll be your good luck charm today, we'll all be very proud of you if you can be in that splendid cap and gown next May," she said patting Amanda on the head while she pinned the brooch to the bow on her chest.

"You have a graduation ceremony at the end of Junior High?" Amy asked incredulously.

"Of course not," Piper said sitting down on the opposite side of Amanda from Serena, having overheard some of the conversation, she said, "Our ickle Mandy will graduate from high school if she gets a perfect score on her exams today!" Amanda flushed red and felt incredibly embarrassed.

"You mean to tell us that you are a high school student, who is in the same grade as us basically, and you've been posing as an eighth grader at a Junior High? And now that you're back home you'll graduate from high school at the end of the year?" Amy said astonishedly.

"C.T.I.S. lets you work at your own pace. That's what the exams do, depending on your score, you move up in levels, instead of going through twelve grades like at Juuban. I'm on level forty-two, out of forty-five. If I get one hundred-ten percent on my exams today I'll take my level forty-five courses and graduate in May." she said meekly.

"I like the sound of your school, it must be great socially, you'd get to know just about everyone," Amy said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I suppose that's an upside,"

"Is JJ in level forty-two too?" Serena asked nonchalantly.

"No, he's in level forty-three, but we have a few classes together, and we're in some clubs together. He and I are the heads of the Sorority and Fraternity. So we're sort of forced to be civil to each other," she said rather coolly, getting up and walking to the doorway, "See you guys tonight, I have a sorority meeting after school, we have some last minute things to smooth out for Stage Night. You guys should come by, it's at four-thirty."

"Civil my-Good Morning sweetheart!" Serena said to Darien as he came in, a bit bedraggled from not being able to sleep. (I'll leave it to your imagination.)

Sabrina was skipping down the street and swinging her lunchbox. She was on her way to school with Amanda, Madeleine, Piper, and Nell. They would all have to rack their brains to get good grades today!

"I sort of wish it wasn't so nice out today, I want to be outside! We can't even go outside after school because of the sorority meeting!" Piper complained, "Not to mention these black skirts are murder in this sun!"

"'Ou!? 'Ou are not zee one 'oo stayed up so late stoodying for zee exams last night and forgot she 'ad no clean summer uniforms! I 'ave to be in zis sun all day in a black winter uniform!" Madeleine said angrily.

"Oh, don't quarrel girls! It's too nice out today to quarrel!" Amanda said with a big smile on her face, "Nell, I am so-o-o glad that you and Ursula are allowed to tamper with the weather this week and next! For the first year in so long nothing will have to be done in the rain!" Consequently, Amanda's cheerfulness was only temporary for once she was inside the school writing and reciting, she was gloomier than ever.

One particular thing bothered her, in her oral exams for some of the language classes she was taking, she had to recite proverbs. One proverb stuck out in her mind, "'Água mole em pedra dura, tanto bate até que fura.'" Now, to anyone of normal intelligence, this would not mean anything, unless you spoke Portuguese. The meaning was, "'Soft water dripping on a hard stone eventually makes a hole.'" Goodness knows for what reason this bothered her, but she had a hunch it was a million small kind acts from a boy in the back row of that classroom.

"Amanda, I'm not any good with matters of the heart, which is probably why I can't get a boyfriend, but I can clearly see that you are unhappy," Piper said shoving half a rice ball into her mouth, you'd think a princess would have better manners...

"Pipair 'as a point, you are so un'appy Amanda, why not just apologize, pride 'as ruined so many good relationships!" Madeleine said in a very maternal sort of voice.

"I am not the one who should apologize! I will not, absolutely not swallow a piece of humble pie with my reputation at stake."

"Your reputation! Isn't your heart a little more important!" Piper exclaimed indignantly, "Ooh, here he comes!"

Indeed, JJ was coming towards their table. He stood next to the chair next to Amanda and asked politely, "Is this seat taken?"

"No," she said civilly, trying not to sound incredibly nice, although the urge was almost unbearable because of his black eye, which was from her. He sat down and Amanda got up, put her tray away, and went into the girls' bathroom.

"This is hopeless, Piper, isn't it?" he said staring rather sadly after her.

Piper crossed her arms and shook her head, "I do not know much in the matters of the heart, but in my opinion, and Endymion's, she is completely in love with you!"

"Amen to zat!" Madeleine exclaimed slamming her fist on the table.

"What's goin' on? Did I miss somethin'? I thought you vowed not to speak to JJ until Amanda and he made up, Piper?" Marcus said sitting down in Amanda's empty chair.

"I did not! I merely said that I took her side of it. The only problem is that her side is beginning to become ridiculous, and she's not only pulling on but tearing poor JJ's heartstrings to shreds!"

"I think you have the exact description of it, Piper," JJ said pushing his lunch towards Marcus, whom, he knew would eat it, he not being hungry himself.

"Zis is ridiculous! You convinced zee Mademoiselle Serena to speak with 'air about zee matter didn't you Piper?"

"You what?" JJ said coming out of his little reverie.

"I did ask Serena to, but I don't know what became of it."

"She has been at least civil to me today, she speaks to me at least. Even if it is rude, or at the best civil, it's nice to hear her voice, especially when it's directed at me..."

Marcus snorted into his milk carton and said, "You do realize that you're as much in love with her as she is with you?"

"What did you do that pissed her off so bad? I mean, besides slapping her?" Piper asked.

"I didn't mean to slap her, she was between hysterics and murdering me!-"

"She sure did get a good piece of you..." Marcus said with a little chuckle.

JJ ignored this and continued, "but I think she was so mad because she saw Chenille kiss me in the park. She asked me to meet her there at noon, but Chenille dragged me everywhere, Amanda happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Piper closed her eyes and rested her head on her fingertips, then she slowly shook her head. "That's why she cried all night in her room, too bad her mom despises you JJ or you two would make a great couple."

"Don't mention her mom right now, she's the last thing I want to think about. I think I'll just work on getting Amanda's friendship back, before I work on he matter of getting her to be my girlfriend."

At the word girlfriend, coming from one of the most popular guys at the school, the cafeteria fell silent. Marcus, Piper, and Madeleine sweatdropped, and JJ tuned red and sunk down in his chair, "I've got to remember not to say that word in here..." he groaned.

JJ was standing outside the choir room waiting for the bell to ring. He was also reading the list of those who were going to be tested. He smiled when he saw Amanda's name right before his, and right after for a flute solo. The bell rang and he went in and sat down in a chair between Marcus and Amanda, and said, "Hey," to Amanda.

"Good afternoon, " she said curtly.

"So, what're you singing?" he asked drumming on the desk with his fingers.

"Cloud Shadows," she answered politely, just before the girl before her started to sing. When it was her turn, she couldn't help but feel very nervous, not because of her stage fright really, but because of JJ's smile. Why did he have to smile at her so? Nevertheless, she sang without fault, her sweet, clear voice ringing to the corners of the room. When she finished she sat down in her chair and waited for JJ's song to start. She knew he was a very good singer from being in the Glee Club with him. She had a faint smile on her face while he sang, Strangers Like Me. When he got to a certain part, and sung it with such emotion, she knew why he had chosen that particular song. She stood up and quietly left the room, holding back her tears. He stayed and listened to her flute solo, but after that it was time for grades to be announced, everyone would be heading to the auditorium and Amanda had somehow evaded him and disappeared.

Most students succeeded in advancing to another level. But a prized few were raised three levels, including Amanda. To her dismay, JJ didn't make three, but only two, with a ninety-nine. Luckily it didn't matter, and next semester they would have all of their classes together.

Coming down the hall on the way to a large group area with Madeleine and Piper, Amanda spotted the five inner scouts huddled together at the edge of a hall, trying not to get run over by the stampeding students running out for the beginning of the Olympic Holiday. "Hey! Serena! Girls! Over here!"

The girls, still huddled, crept towards them. "How do you know where you're going? This place is so big!" Lita said looking around.

"I guess, but I've been going here since I was three, I pretty much got the swing of things," Amanda said less cheerfully than she wanted it to come out. "Oh, I don't think you've met Madeleine. Madeleine, this is Serena, Lita, Amy, Mina, and Raye."

"Bonjour, J'mappelle Madeleine, ca va?" she said happily. Amy promptly gave an answer, and Lita once again said, "Merci," instead of a greeting. Madeleine giggled and bid them farewell, and good luck to Amanda on her knight examinations the next day.

"We better hurry, or the fraternity is going to be angry that the sorority leader is late." She said this as she started down the hall in the direction she came.

The large group area was a large room with steps going up in a semi-circle around the room. There were tables on each of the steps, and chairs behind them. It looked like a business meeting. On half of the room about fifty guys sat, and vice-versa for the girls. At the front of the room was a long table, and already sitting there was JJ and Marcus. Amanda asked five girls sitting in the front to move to other seats, so the 'guests' could watch over the meeting. The scouts sat down, and Amanda and Piper sat down at the front table, Amanda sat down next to JJ to her surprise. Of course, they were the heads of the clubs in the room, and had to take charge of it.

"Piper, will you please take minutes for the sorority? Thank you," she said, and then everyone quieted.

"Next Friday will be Stage Night, and we're hoping that it will go over better this year than last." JJ shook his head in shame, and there were a few snickers from the boys' side of the room.

"Yes, the senior fraternity members need to keep themselves in check this year. We do not need another episode like last year," Amanda blushed at the remembrance of a scene that was slipped into the musical cues, and there was a scene from the Rocky Horror Show.

"If it hadn't been for the sorority leader's begging, we wouldn't be having this show, or this meeting." JJ said gravely. Amanda's thoughts drifted when he didn't call her Amanda, but quickly snapped into focus when Piper stepped on her toe.

"Since we are still looking for a few extras we would be delighted if you five would join for this week and be in our musical, all you really have to do is dance in the background, and there is one little song at the end everyone sings in. And I still need to know, having been gone so long, who is playing Sandra?"

A girl in the second row stood up, she had blonde hair and a British accent, "I was supposed to be your understudy, but since you're back, you can gladly have the part back, the sorority leaders are supposed to have the lead roles anyway," she said, sounding very thankful that someone else was going to take the lead part.

"Well, alright then," she said motioning to her to sit down.

"I believe there is a small catch to the fact that our guests will be extras in our musical. They must also be in another act, am I correct Miss Urawa?" JJ asked as sweetly as he could just to spite her. Amanda tried to hide that she didn't like being called 'Miss Urawa' by JJ.

"Yes, but I'm sure they will not mind, if they don't wish to do their own act, I have something for them to participate in. What are your opinions of it ladies?" Amanda asked very lady-like.

"I don't mind doing a separate act," Raye said looking at the other girls for support.

"I don't know," Lita said skeptically.

"I suppose I would," Mina said, giving into her dream to be an idol, and someone famous.

"I think I'll take the small part," Serena said about as skeptically as Lita.

"A small part for me is fine," Amy said with confidence.

"Well, does that mean we will have a duet, and I will only get three Muses?" Amanda asked.

Amy said, "Yes," while Serena counted on her fingers.

"Well, I suppose I can live with three Muses, unless all of you will play Muses and you two can still do your duet. We can manage it, I'm nearly the last act. We will put you near the beginning after the musical."

She got anxious yeses, and smiled back at them, nodding.

"Our last business is as serious as it is any other year. But we need everyone here to remember to keep the peace between the teams." JJ said with much gravity, "We don't need any fights with all that's happened this year. We are expected to be the leaders in all of this."

Now Amanda chimed in, "I know Team China is still smarting from their loss of a teammate, but we don't need rivalries right now. Healthy competition is good, but no fights, unless it has the purpose of winning a medal. I believe that's it," she finished standing up.

JJ stood up and everyone else followed, "One last thing, NO SABOTAGE!"

Every member of the fraternity straightened up saluted and said, "Aye, aye Captain!" and laughed. Of course they all stopped when each member of the sorority bowed and said in unison, "A real leader faces the music, even when she doesn't like the tune."

"You are dismissed ladies," Amanda said kindly.

"Go on, most of you have to get to your training for tomorrow," JJ said shooing the members of the fraternity out of the room.

"'Aye, aye, Captain!?'" Amanda squealed with laughter, "I'm so glad the sorority is at least civilized!" She said this hooking her arm in Piper's and heading for the door.

JJ had to admit he had been spited back, and merely sighed. "It has to be done," he said to himself, "as Amanda would say, I have to swallow a piece of humble pie." Then he reflected that the taste may be a bit bitter, but the aftertaste would be sweeter than anything else in the world.

Serena strolled through the gardens on the grounds of the palace alone, she wanted to reflect slightly on what this future was really like, even though she knew she shouldn't. She was also considering the fact the she had begun to play matchmaker and must finish it. To her luck she stumbled upon one of her victims in a secluded ivy garden. She stopped by the entrance, out of view, and watched him. JJ had a laptop open and was either talking to himself or to it. Serena made out that his absent-minded ramblings were an apology.

"So, who's the lucky invisible girl?" Serena said peeking in and smiling.

JJ gave a faint laugh, sighed, and closed his laptop, which was sitting on a pedestal in the center of the circular area. "I don't know what to say Serena, whatever I do say, she'll either not listen, or walk away. I don't know why, either. Can she possibly think I intentionally hurt her?"

"She knows you didn't, I spoke to her about it, I pointed everything out from your point of view, even your reason for slapping her."

"What else was I supposed to do? She was in hysterics!"

"You have a point, but I know if you apologize and tell her how you feel, she'll forgive you."

JJ sighed and quoted from the song he had meant for Amanda that day, "'Every gesture, every move that she makes, makes me feel like never before. Why do I have this growing need to be beside her?'"

Serena smiled to see what Darien may have questioned about their relationship. "So mature, yet so naïve. It's love, and you know it is. Like I said, tell her your feelings, I'm positive she'll forgive you. But tonight, is a night for a party. Don't give any thought to it until the time comes, and then the words will flow." Serena was surprised with herself. How on Earth did I get that to come out sounding so nice, she thought.

Amanda and Hotaru bounded out of the elevator that night; both all a-glitter and a-glamour. Amanda had lent Hotaru a dress for World Bounce, a dance party for many of the older participants in the Games. Piper was waiting for them downstairs, with a few of the scouts who had chosen to go. Another figure bounded from the elevator just before it closed, she was carrying a shoe.

The flash of pink had startled Serena at first, considering it missed her by an inch. But she was more surprised by who it was when she got a good look. "Stupid shoes, I can't believe I have to chaperone a bunch of teenagers! Sometimes, it sucks to be grown up…I'd rather be there to have fun and dance! And flirt with the cute guys!"

"Rini! You shouldn't be saying things like that! You're supposed to be a lady, and you're practically engaged!" Piper exclaimed scornfully.

"Piper! Ix-nay no-ay eth-ay trothal-bay! Orsail-ay er-soldiay!" Amanda said in a loud whisper.

"Oops, forgot…" Piper said glancing at the scouts.

"Uh, hi," was sort of Serena's reaction. Darien had said to expect Black Lady with a sweet smile instead of an evil one, and that is exactly what she saw.

"Don't pay any attention to me, I'm just a complete klutz tonight. We better get going or we'll be late, and the dancing will have already started!" Rini said with an air of the ruler of the world.

"It's too bad Darien can't come, Serena. He could've chaperoned with me, but then again, my mom is making me do this so-oh, well!" Rini said leading everyone past the long line of teenagers in front of the dark building on a busy street downtown.

The music inside as loud, and upbeat. About an hour after it had all started it was quite crowded. After dancing with umpteen different guys Amanda's feet hurt from her high heels and went and sat down at a table with Rini. She glanced at her watch. It was quarter past midnight. She watched Ken and Lita dancing. They're a cute couple, she thought, although it is pretty funny that Ken is shorter than she is and still remains that way today. Then she watched Madeleine dancing with JJ. Well, at least they're still friends, she thought. She watched Chenille 'dancing' her way over to JJ and felt a surge of anger. She cut in on Madeleine and JJ's dance. Madeleine came over to their table looking rejected; "I 'ate that leetle 'ussy!" It wasn't that they were dancing together that bothered her, it was the way they were dancing.

"Get your hands off that!" she said mentally to him. She was surprised when he looked across the room at her and turned scarlet. Hiding her face she grabbed her jacket and left.

"I hope she knows she doesn't have to home until one," Rini said rather more like she didn't care considering she didn't know why Amanda had looked so distant when she said had said she'd see them later.

The next morning, no one saw Amanda, unless you count the blur that went past Maige at the front desk at eight-thirty. "I've got plenty of time!" she told herself as she ran down a path lead into the Forest Park. She took a right on a fork, then a left, then another right. She did this several times until she was in an area that was extremely quiet. There was a small stone gazebo under a shade of trees. She went in and set down her bag. The opposite side of the gazebo looked out over a pond where out on the other side there was a man fishing.

Amanda leaned on the stone railing, closed her eyes, and sighed. It was so peaceful and the perfect place to gather her thoughts before she had to spend five hours with him.

"I should really forgive and forget, but I can't without an apology, even if my reasons are stupid. This is killing me, I keep telling him in my mind to call me 'principessa' or 'Mandi' like he used to," she shook head and put on a headset she had. She hummed with the music, and then started singing. "Why don't people ever want to know what I really like? People always assume that since I'm athletic I love to play sports and that since I'm smart I want to be a doctor like my mother. I hate people that jump to conclusions and just assume that they're right." She paused and pulled down her headphones thinking she had heard something. "Look at me, fidgety, jumpy, and I blush every time somebody looks at me. I feel like a silly character in a romance novel!" Having been talking to herself she didn't here the soft footsteps of someone trying not to disturb her. This 'person' slid their arms around her as a spur of the moment thing to do. Knowing that only one person would do this, well three if you count Darien trying to scare the crap out of her, and Marcus, who teased her that he could pick her up, but she could beat him up, she remained very still but turned a most unbecoming shade of red.

Being quite brave (if he had been a Harry Potter character he would be a Gryffindor) he decided to take his chances at greeting her the way he always had when they weren't fighting. "Buon giorno, principessa."

She felt like crying but was a strong person and merely pursed her lips and shifted with an uncomfortable queasy feeling in her stomach.

"I don't know where we stand anymore. You have one foot in my life and one out the door," JJ said quietly feeling that the line would be effective. Amanda remained silent, fearing if she opened her mouth she would start sobbing. She thought for the moment she'd think of a reply and muster the courage to say it.

"Did you know that today it is exactly ten years to the day since we met?"

Amanda nodded and recalled the sweet memory that she would never forget.

"I hate it when we aren't on speaking terms because every time I hear you talk to me, I feel like I'm the only person there. It hasn't always been that way, but you know how it is when you don't realize how much you care about something until it's gone."

"I know," was the first thing that squeaked out before she thought about it.

"You have your reasons for being mad at me, and me, well, I have mine. You're being childish, but I'm apologizing anyway, so I'm sorry."

Amanda couldn't have possibly held back anything at this point, she pulled out of his arms and yelled between sobs, "I was being-sob-so childish, and I-sob-know it, and I forgive you-sob-if you'll only forgive-sob-me for being so mean to you!"

JJ laughed and realizing that he should be serious stopped and merely smiled and nodded to the sincere look on Amanda's face. "We might be late, it's almost nine-fifteen." he said.

"Oh, dammit, I'll have to run now!"

"Chill, I'll give you a ride."

Amanda laughed at the thought of JJ's motorbike, but agreed.

Though their relationship will never be the same as it was before then it will be much more to both of them, and an important lesson will be taught to the two naïve lovers.