Disclaimer:I don't own Sailor Moon...Naoko Takeuchi and some really 
big comapnies with lawyers do which is why I'm waving any legal rights 
right now.  I did not create any of the main characters.  I did create 
some of the minor ones...Feel free to use them in your own fics, just 
mention me in the disclaimer somehwere.  Author notes at the end, 
email me at inspiredthoughts@hotmail.com




			Chapter 3

	As Haja whirled her away from the Earth General Ami felt 
herself staring after him.  The wistfullness she knew was in her 
sapphire gaze surprised her.  Haja leaned down to whisper in her ear.
	"Ami-chan...Are you okay?  Don't let his pretty face fool you 
cousin."  Ami met Haja's serious gaze.
	"Is he...is he like Hawrek then?  Am I THAT bad a judge of 
character?" she asked, her voice small as tears filled her murky eyes.  
Haja sighed and brushed the tears from her eyes with infinitely gentle 
fingers as he led to one of the marble benches that lined the 
ball-room.  His face was troubled as they sat down and he took her 
hands.
	"I believe," he began slowly, "from all that I have heard and 
witnessed that General Zoicite is an honorable man, a good man, who is 
a true friend and protector to his prince and duties.  But he also 
breaks many hearts I think."  
	"Have you heard that also?" Ami asked bitterly, her eyes 
downcast.
	"Perhaps," Haja rumbled, unsettled by the pain he saw in his 
cousin's face, "one shouldn't always believe all they hear.  And 
people CAN change Ami-chan, I will give you that, but I fear for you 
my gentle cousin.  This is not Mercury and I don't..."
	"You don't want to pick up the pieces of my broken heart 
again?"  The two were silent for a long while as they both stared 
mutely at the dream like dancers as they glided across the floor.  
Finally Ami broke the silence.
	"Hawrek was a mistake.  I always knew that what we had wasn't 
true, that it wouldn't last but Haja, I'm so tired of being a shadow!  
I always feel like a stranger, watching life revolve around me but 
never being able to do anything.  I'm invisible and Hawrek, if only 
for a little bit, let me be one of the glittering dancers, let me be 
seen by everyone else and I liked that!  I liked belonging Haja and I 
miss that.  I miss that a lot."  Haja assimilated the information she 
had given him, savored the rare glimpse into Ami's soul, and sighed.
	"Ami," he began softly as he touched her chin to make her meet 
his eyes, "You always have and always will belong here," he placed his 
other hand over his heart as he spoke earnestly to the young woman, 
"in the hearts of all who meet and know you.  No, you're not flashy, 
you're not dazzling, but there's something endearing about you my dear 
Ami-chan that captures people's attention and keeps it.  Something so 
pure and true we're all drawn to you like a moth to a flame but we're 
safe because you, gentle Mercury, will never burn us."
	Ami blushed under the truth of his words and hugged her friend.  
"Thank you Haja," she whispered.  "I think I need some fresh air and 
time to think."  Haja pulled back and nodded.  "If the scouts, excuse 
me, the court asks about me tell them I was tired and went back to my 
rooms."  Haja nodded and with a flourished bow captured Ami's hand and 
pulled her gracefully to her feet.
	"Till we meet again Ami."  Ami nodded and smiled sweetly when 
Haja placed a hand over his heart.  Ami walked briskly out through the 
grand ballroom doors, through the winding staircases, and out one of 
the small side entrances into the gardens.
	The tenseness she had previously felt drained out of her form 
as she drifted among the meticulately kept flowers, flowers of every 
hue and smell, and incredible fountains that sprayed a rainbow colored 
mist over the lush vegitation.  This wasn't Mercury but here, and here 
alone, the Moon almost matched her aquatic world's perfection.
	"It is lovely, isn't it?" whispered a soft voice in her ear.  
Ami jumped, shocked that her warrior training hadn't alerted her to 
someone's presence, and whipped around to meet Zoicite's amused gaze.   
Ami gulped and backed up a step but Zoicite's intense green eyes 
lifted to the sky. 
	"Beautiful night," he commented as he watched Ami out of the 
corner of his eyes.  She didn't seem to notice but joined his 
admiration of the heavens before whispering in a voice that he almost 
couldn't hear...
	"Almost too beautiful..."  He surprised her again by chuckling, 
his voice rich and wonderfully clear.  Ami found herself warming to it 
despite the small voice inside her head whispering for her not to and 
Haja's warnings.  
	"Yessum," she said softly, "sometimes I miss Mercury.  Its 
tranquil here and peace is everywhere and that's nice but what I 
wouldn't give for a good thundershower!"
	"I know what you mean.  Earth has everything, from land 
wrenching gales to the softest of showers.  The Moon is beautiful 
but..."
	"But nothing beats earth, or in my case Mercury."  They shared 
another quiet moment before Zoicite spoke.
	"Why were you avoiding me?"  Ami blushed and answered, her 
voice stammering for he had flustered her.
	"Because...well because the only other...well the only other 
man that has ever shown an interest in me br...broke my heart."  Ami 
bit her lip and looked to the stars once more to avoid Zoicite's 
searching green gaze.  She had just told one of her most personal 
secrets to a stranger.  But he didn't comment on her forwardness at 
all.
	"And Haja?"  Ami laughed weakly.  
	"Haja, my good General, is the one that got me through Hawrek."  
Her voice stilled at her betrayer's name but she resolutely continued 
on.  "Without him I don't know where I'd be today."  Ami remembered 
the pain she felt, the agony of her heart breaking, and the senshi who 
tried desperately to pull her out of her depression but to no avail.  
They were her closest friends but in their group she was the pillar of 
strength, the source of wisdom.  They had been lost when their wisest 
member was decimated.  Haja though was a kind of hero to her, one from 
her childhood, and her source of strength.  It had been enough to get 
her through.
	"He told me to st...stay away from you.  He said he feared you 
would break my heart."  She sensed his startlement and when she dared 
a glance for him saw him blushing!
	"I won't deny I haven't done it before but I feel connected to 
you Ami.  I can't explain it but you catch my attention and draw me to 
you..."  'Like a moth to a flame...'  Zoicite caught her looking at 
him and turned to face her.  Ami was again struck by how handsome he 
was, from his jaded eyes, to his strong chin.  A hesitant finger 
reached up and wrapped a silken strand of sapphire hair around.  The 
other hand came up and stroked her cheek.
	Ami closed her eyes and tried to control her trembling.  He 
shushed her softly and drew her to him.  He touched his forehead to 
hers before straightening and taking her small hands in his large.  Ami 
became aware of the soft strands of music they could still hear from 
the ball as they swayed in time to the melodies that soared like birds 
around their entwined forms.  
	When the music stopped Zoicite paused and whispered in her ear, 
his voice low and rough.  "Just tell me to stop and I will...  I 
promise this though, that I won't break your heart, no matter what 
happens."  Ami felt tears glimmer in her eyes while her head screamed 
with all its considerable might to run, to flee, to tell him to stop 
and leave her alone.  But it felt right, the warmth of his arms around 
her felt right.  She was secure and safe and it was more wonderful 
than she had ever imagined it could be.  Finally she raised her face 
up and smiled -a rare smile that graced the faces of angels- before 
stretching on her toes and touching her lips to his.
	Liquid fire raced through her body, fire that warmed every 
inch of her.  When they paused for breath she whispered, so softly 
that she wondered if Zoicite had even heard.
	"Don't stop, never stop..."  But she ceased to question when 
she felt him smile and kiss her again, letting the liquid fire flare 
up again as it roared in her ears.  'Like a moth to a flame...'

				*	*

	Zoicite held Ami's hand within his own, marveling at the 
smallness and fragility of it as he escorted her back to her rooms.  
She was like a butterfly, beautiful and precious, but if you touched 
the wings too hard they broke making it crippled.
	He felt a bit of fear.  It was true, he had broken many hearts, 
and never thought twice about it but he was scared, scared of hurting 
her!  The shyness, the vulnerbility, it wasn't feigned or an act.  She 
was a child in a world of adults.  Remembering the kiss he amended his 
last thought... perhaps not all a child.  
	But he felt a protectiveness for her that rivaled his 
protection of Endymion and he had only known her for a few hours and 
had played with End when they were children.  It didn't make sense, 
none of it did.  Zoicite squeezed her hand a bit and she dazzled him 
with another smile.  It didn't matter, he decided, whether or not he 
understood what was going on, the conflict within his own heart.  He 
suddenly didn't want to reason his feelings out like he usually did, 
he didn't want to rationalize.  He wanted to hold Ami's hand in his 
and kiss her goodnight and relive these same perfect moments over and 
over again for all eternity.
	They walked through the palace halls and Zoicite felt his 
heart warm when Ami kept her fingers twined with his.  Ami was 
expected to marry a prince, not a general from Earth, but she didn't 
even so much as glance at the servants and courtiers that saw them as 
he took her to her room.  Several minutes later they stopped at her 
door and paused outside it.
	"Zoicite...I..."  He shushed her again and smiled as he gazed 
at her.
	"Princess Mercury, may I call you Ami?"  Her eyes widened and 
she ducked her head a bit, shy, before raising her lovely sapphire 
eyes to his green ones.  His heart thudded at the risk he took.  Only 
very, very close friends may call a Princess by her given name.  She 
bit her lip before reaching up to throw her arms around his neck, 
letting slender fingers comb through his blonde hair as she kissed him 
smartly on the lips before drawing away and grinning at him.
	"You, Zoicite, may call me whatever you wish!"  He looked at 
her speculatively before smiling charmingly.
	"I think I prefer Ami," he whispered, voice low, as he bent 
down and kissed her tenderly.  Finally she drew away.  
	"I should go," she said, but her voice told him she wanted 
with all her might to stay with him.  He closed his eyes and breathed 
deeply.  'Not too fast...'  he cautioned his mind.  It was too soon, 
he could tell.  He remembered his hastily made promise to never hurt 
her and relunctantly let her go, touching her cheek softly before 
using all his will power to turn and leave.
	Ami stared wide eyed after him before touching her lips as the 
realization of what had transpired this evening hit her.  'I think I'm 
in love...' was all that she could come up with as she stared dazedly 
after Zoicite's retreating form.  And so Ami received her first kiss 
from Zoicite and for once Mercury enjoyed the quiet peace of the moon.

Notes:First of all Happy/Safe Holidays all! Hope your days are filled 
with joy.  This is the end of Ami:First Kiss.  Rei:First Love is out 
next week.  All I want for X-mas is some email....Please email me..if 
only to get me to stop whining at the end of chapters..By the way 
thankyou to the *one* email I recieved from Sailor Tears.  See, you 
email I mention you in my chapters..*yeah yeah I know its not a cruise 
or anything but hay it is somthing!*  I like people telling me what 
they think...You know, I want to *know* if you totally think it stinks 
and why so I can make it better. That and I feel like I'm talking to 
myself which by the end of this I probably am sssooo Happy Holidays 
once again, email me!, and see ya'll next week.