The moment the final word passed through her lips, she felt her energy leave her. Her legs gave out beneath her, and her last thought was of Tenshi as she was engulfed by water.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She awoke to the sounds of the waves crashing against the beach. The sun had risen, and Tenshi�s arms held her close to her.
She closed her eyes again, determined to never leave this position. Tenshi�s body was so natural against hers. She never wanted to leave her. So she would just stay here with her forever.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tenshi felt Neko stir beside her. Perhaps she had finally awakened.
�Koneko,� she breathed into her ear. �You awake?�
�Mm hmm,� Neko answered inarticulately. Tenshi felt Neko�s arms overlap hers. �Tenshi? Did we stay here all night?�
�Yeah. You were in no condition to go up that cliff.�
Neko turned over. Their faces were centimeters away. �Won�t you get in trouble?� she fretted.
She began to shiver, and Tenshi embraced her for warmth and comfort. �It won�t be so bad. As long as you�re okay.�
�But Haruka-sama and Michiru-sama,� Neko said pitifully. �They�ll be mad, and they won�t let you be with me.�
�No, Koneko. They�d never deny us that.�
�They won�t let me marry you,� she whispered in clarification.
*Poor Koneko!* Tenshi thought to herself. Last night, she had practically drowned, yet here she was concerned about Tenshi. Tenshi felt horrible that after all Neko had been through, she still had to worry about their engagement�.
*Wait a second!* Tenshi sat up suddenly, taking Neko who was clinging to her. She pulled her away to look her in the eyes. �Koneko, you know we�re engaged?!�
�Hai.�
Tenshi remembered seeing the two moons in the water. Was it possible? �What else do you remember?�
�Everything,� Neko cried. From her response, Tenshi inferred she had just realized it herself. �I did it, Tenshi!� she told her in an excited hush. �I got my memories back! I did it!�
Tenshi didn�t cry often, but she could feel her eyes begin to tear up. �You did?� she asked emotionally. �You remember us together?�
Neko threw her arms around Tenshi�s neck. �I remember,� she whispered. �I love you so much,� she said, kissing Tenshi on the lips, the neck, the forehead� anywhere she thought of. �How could I have ever doubted that?�
�It�s not your fault,� Tenshi promised her. �There�s no way you could�ve understood what you were feeling.�
Neko looked her in the eyes. �I didn�t miss you at all, but I feel like my body has been craving you. I need you, Tenoh Tenshi. Don�t ever let me go.�
Tenshi wrapped her arms around her, and rested her chin on her head. "I will do my best," she promised.
And it was then, as Neko laid her head against Tenshi's chest that she had the presence of mind to ask, "Ne, Tenshi? Where's your shirt?�
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tenshi hesitated at the edge of the sea.
Where had Neko disappeared to?
She was wasting precious moments standing there, but she didn�t know what direction Neko had gone in. And that was assuming she was still on this plane of existence.
�Koneko!� she yelled into the night.
Nothing.
�NEKO!�
A hint of a whisper reached her. Nothing she could actually hear, just a feeling� a pull into the sea and a sense of danger.
*Koneko�*
There was no hesitation now. Tenshi ran into the water, and when it became too deep to run through, she dove in.
She swam through the dark, the salty water stinging her eyes. Though she could see little, she kept them open, searching desperately for any sign of Neko.
She returned to the surface for air. �No!� she gasped. �I am going to find you!� She inhaled deeply before diving back into the depths.
*Koneko* her heart whispered as she searched blindly. She allowed her heart to guide her. Her soul reached out to find her love, and as it touched Neko�s soul, her hand found Neko�s hand.
She closed her hand around it, and she pulled their bodies together. An arm around Neko�s waist, she kicked her way to the surface.
She gasped for air as they hit the surface, but Neko did not do the same.
�Koneko, stay with me,� Tenshi cried as she towed her back to shore. �Onegai, Koneko. Mi-chan will kill me if you die.�
Neko still wasn�t breathing when Tenshi laid her down in the sand. Tenshi began to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, sharing her breath with Neko, and at the same time, allowing her life force to flow into Neko�s body and revive her soul.
Neko gasped for breath and began to cough up water.
�Easy, Koneko,� Tenshi said gently.
Neko looked at her through half-closed eyelids. �Tenshi,� she said drowsily. �I felt you�� her voice trailed off as she passed out again.
They were both shivering violently. Their soaked clothing enhanced the chill of the cold night air. �Forgive me, Koneko,� Tenshi pleaded as she pulled Neko�s wet blouse and skirt off. She repeated the procedure for her own shirt and pants, and hugged Neko against her, praying their body heat would keep both of them from getting hypothermia.
Well, on the bright side, at least it looked like she was finally going to get to spend the night with her Koneko.
�Goodnight, my love,� she whispered.
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