Chapter 7: 'I knew I'd Wake up in Heaven'

Disclaimer: Don't own. Never have, never will (never say never). I haven't even watched all the episodes yet.

A/N: This is, we hope *cowers away from bunnies* the final chapter. It therefore contains EXCESSIVE fluff and tying up of loose ends. You have been warned. Sick bags are under your seats.

This chapter is dedicated to:

Essence of Gold– 'Write! Write faster! This is weird! You spelt name wrong! Hahahaha, Deep Blue's death scene is funny!' – for basically being an awesome slave-driving beta,

Fireflies Glow and Safaia Bara, for their long, detailed reviews, with many thanks to

Strawberry Kousagi

The Forgotten Creatures

Mystical Water

Booboo-nyaa

Clara954

Kitterfly

Rizu Neko Chan

A fan (thanks for your review)

Crazy for vampires and

Ricco Latte Mew

I love you all!

He was blind. His mouth was parched. There was a ringing in his ears and his chest throbbed and burned in time with his pulse. But in his his nostrils was the sweet smell of strawberries.

'Ichigo,' he whispered. His hand reached up through the pain, and met something good. Her skin. He didn't know why she was there or how long he had, but nothing could negate the pleasure of touching her. And then reality – the sweet, blessed paradise that was reality – came crashing back on him as her lips met his.

'Ichigo!' he gasped again.

'Kisshu,' she whispered, not breaking the kiss even to speak. 'Oh, Kisshu.'

Her voice compelled him to open his eyes. He found her face, and saw it crumple with relief as her gaze met his. 'Oh, Kisshu,' she whispered again, her fingers feverishly stroking his hand, 'thank God...'

'Hiya, Kitty-cat,' he said faintly, smiling as he let his eyes fall shut again. 'Looks like...we're all alive...after all.'

She was shaking her head slowly, her mouth trembling. 'Kisshu-kun, I was so afraid.'

'I wasn't.' He reached up to stroke her cheek, gazing at her, drinking her in. 'I knew I'd wake up in heaven, either way.'

She smiled through the tears that were falling freely now, making her chocolate eyes sparkle and her lashes stick together. It would have been an unbearable sight if she hadn't been weeping for him, and even so he reached out in his haste to comfort her. 'Koneko-chan, please don't cry...'

'I can't help it!' she sobbed. 'Kish, I love you...'

His heart nearly stopped when she said the words. It was as though the realisation of their mutual love was hitting him for the first time, filling everything with its light and vitality. He remembered those few short weeks without her, and shuddered. Everything had been so empty, but now...now the very air seemed golden.

'I love you too, Koneko-chan.'

She bent over him and kissed his neck, her soft, full lips brushing tenderly against his skin, dissolving more of the pain with every touch. Her reddish hair fell around him and tickled his face, her sweet perfume filled his lungs. He felt he could just lie there forever, lost in her presence, but his body was beginning to demand food and water, and niggling worries were appearing in the back of his mind as more of what had happened came back to him. He couldn't stay drifting in sweet oblivion. He had to come back to the world.

He began with the simplest problem. 'I'm thirsty, Ichigo.' She helped him sit up and drink from a glass beside his bed. Once he'd quenched his thirst he supported himself on his hands and looked around a little.

'Where am I?' he wondered.

'About a mile from where the battle was going to take place,' Ichigo told him, 'in a temporary medical facility the army set up, to deal with the casualties. Only there weren't any, besides us, so they're looking after you now. It's early afternoon, and the battle – wasn't yesterday morning, so you've been out for a little over twenty-four hours.'

He looked around the room. It was what the humans called a portacabin, a thin, temporary building raised off the ground, furnished with three more beds, all unoccupied, and a bank of medical equipment. Through the door window and door he could see that several of these buildings had been bolted together to form a makeshift hospital.

'Casualties...' he said. His brain seemed to be working slower than usual. 'Ichigo...where's Pai?'

'You were conscious for that? Don't worry, he's fine!' Ichigo assured him hastily as worry flashed across Kish's face. 'Most of your leaders are off negotiating – they're discussing it internationally now – but he wanted to stay here until you woke up. He feels horrible,' she added more quietly.

'Yeah, well.' Kish tried to smile. 'That's Pai for you. He's always so serious.'

'Be nice to him, won't you?' Ichigo said anxiously.

'You worry too much, Kitty-cat, 'course I will.' Kish suddenly winced in pain and lowered himself gingerly onto his back again. He still felt frighteningly weak. 'God, that was a tense moment.'

Ichigo shuddered involuntarily. She knew what he was talking about: those few seconds when all of them, probably Pai included, had thought she was going to be killed...when Deep Blue had seemed so horribly in control...

'Where is he?' Kish interrupted her thoughts.

'Outside, asleep I think.'

'No need to wake him yet, he must have had a pretty rough time of it, with all that energy stuff frazzling his nerve endings and so on.'

'He told me to fetch him as soon as you woke up.'

'Oh. Alright then,' Kish said carelessly, to try and disguise the fact that he actually wouldn't have minded postponing the interview for a while. It was bound to be uncomfortable. But he made no move to stop Ichigo as she got up and stepped out into the corridor. His sharp ears caught her voice murmuring, and the sound of someone getting heavily to their feet, and then Pai stepped into the room. Ichigo gave Kish an encouraging smile and closed the door softly behind him.

There were dark circles under his eyes and his expression was wary. As he turned his head Kish saw squares of fine gauze taped across his face and neck. One of his arm guards had been replaced with a bandage that twisted around his knuckles and up his arm.

'You were hurt?' he asked.

'Superficial injuries,' Pai replied. 'The doctors thought it best to keep them covered, but they should be healed within a few days.'

'That's...good,' Kish said awkwardly. Pai turned to face him full on, and Kish saw something close to panic flaring in his eyes. He blinked, and next instant Pai was at his bedside, reaching out to grasp one of his hands with crushing strength.

'Kisshu,' he choked. '...brother. I – I'm so sorry.'

'Pai,' Kish said. 'There's nothing to be sorry for.'

'I was blind, deliberately so –'

'I said there's nothing to be sorry for.'

Pai was silent for a long time, and then he said:

'Ichigo said you'd say that. But I should apologise all the same, and for more things than just injuring you. I hoped you'd forgive me.'

'Of course I would.' There was another silence and then Kish said very quietly:

'Why did you do it? How...'

'I didn't know until the last second what I was going to do,' Pai said slowly. 'I haven't been convinced of the justice of our cause for a long time, but it was simpler, easier, to just continue fighting for the side I'd been on all along. Certainly it would have been betrayal to fight with the humans, and trying to stop the battle...well, it seemed like a lost cause to me. I was a coward.'

'Maybe, but not many people would dare stick a sword in Deep Blue. You never know, he might turn out to conduct electricity or something.'

'He nearly did,' Pai said, managing to crack a smile. 'Even after he was dead, I could feel some part of him reaching out, trying instinctively to crush me...if the Mews hadn't stepped in...' He shook his head and continued in his original line. 'So anyway, I'd convinced myself that fighting with the Cyniclons was the only way forward, but then suddenly you were there, with Ichigo beside you, yelling out the truth so that I couldn't ignore it any more. I was horrified, to tell you the truth. I had counted on keeping you out of it by sending you home, but there you were, right in the front line, in terrible danger...I just never imagined that I would be the one to strike the blow. And the worst part was wondering if it had been something more than mere accident. Intentional.' Pai flinched at his own words. 'I wanted nothing more than to stop you speaking the truth that I didn't want to hear, but as soon as it was done I was horrified. However, it seemed to bring the others to their senses. It was right after you'd been hit that they agreed to talk. I was relieved; it seemed that the decision as to which side to join had been taken out of my hands. It looked likely that we'd strike some kind of truce. I thought I would let just let events unfold and accept whatever came my way...and then Deep Blue turned up. I was in despair. I knew that what he spoke and what he asked of me were wrong, but he was going to use me and regain control anyway. And then I looked at the sword and I thought, why not?'

' "Why not?" ' Kish shook his head, half admiring, half incredulous. Pai smiled sadly.

'It was the only way to make good. I didn't think about what would come afterwards. I still feel – '

'Pai, listen to me. You saved Ichigo. You prevented the war. I will never hate you for as long as I live, not now that you've done that for me.'

Pai stared down at the floor, swallowed twice, and finally nodded.

Kish struggled free of his hands and hauled himself up on one elbow. 'Look, man, don't get mushy on me!'

Pai's head snapped up and he glared. 'I wasn't going to!'

'Well good, my nerves are shot enough as it is.'

Pai got gracelessly to his feet, his scowl barely masking his smile of relief. 'You're still the same flippant, disrespectful little brat –'

'Look, Taru-taru! He's alive, na no da!'

Both aliens looked round from their 'quarrel' to see Pudding standing in the doorway, beaming, towing a very disgruntled-looking Tart in her wake.

'Pai, she won't leave me alone...' he started to complain, when Kish sat up in bed and said:

'Hiya, little guy.'

'KISH!' Tart yelled jubilantly, crossing the room in a single bound and leaping onto Kish's bed. Kish winced a little as the mattress bounced, and Pai whipped round with a cry of:

'Taruto, be more care –'

'Pai-oniichan! Pudding forgives you, na no da!'

Pai staggered as Pudding hurled herself at him, nearly knocking him over. 'Now Kisshu onii-chan is better Ichigo will be happy and we can all be friends and Pudding will be able to play with Taru-taru EVERY DAY!'

Pai glanced helplessly at Tart, who had turned quite pale, while pushing feebly at Pudding's shoulders in an attempt to prise her off him. To his relief she decided to release him of her own accord and went for Kish instead. Kish cowered into his pillows as she embraced him with a cry of:

'Kisshu-onii-chan! I'm so happy, na no da!'

He had put up with Tart jumping on him, but now he decided it was time to take advantage of his condition. 'OW, Pudding...I...aaaaahhhhh, the pain, the pain! Pai, Tart! Blacking out! Can't...take...this...'

He fell back with his eyes closed, and seconds later Pudding's weight vanished from the bed. He opened one eye and saw her wriggling in Pai's grasp.

'Kisshu! Are you alright? Has the wound re-opened?'

'I'm super-dooper, Pai,' he grinned, sitting up again.

Pai caught on and gave something that could almost have been an eye-roll. Kish winked and turned to Tart.

'So, how's it been while I've been out?'

'Oh, uh, you know…' Tart cast about for the right words. 'Nightmarish. And sort of a bit surreal, but apart from that, good.'

They turned together to look at Pudding and Tart.

'…and Pudding will try not to make you panic again and tomorrow I will show you how to make a Pudding Ring and I can borrow your fan! I always think it's pretty, your fan!'

'That will be lovely, Pudding,' Pai said awkwardly, patting her on the head.

Kish smiled.

* * *

Ichigo closed Kish's door and stepped quickly out of eavesdropping distance, so she couldn't be tempted. She was standing in a small waiting area with a row of chairs on which Pai had been asleep. Another door opened onto the corridor outside.

She stepped through this door now and began to walk, with a vague idea of seeing Lettuce, who last time she had checked had still been in bed. Exhaustion, the doctors said. The other Mews were still in the hospital as well, so as to be together and in case of any delayed reactions, though with the exception of Lettuce they were all more or less fit to get up. Well, that was what the doctors said. Mint was still swooning around saying that she felt like death. Zakuro had made it up that morning but was still looking pretty tired. Pudding, on the other hand, had been to the opposite extreme. Ryou had had to carry her most of the way to the hospital, but exactly ten hours sleep and one chocolate milkshake later she'd been up and about and there was nothing anyone could do to stop her. She'd been running riot in the cafeteria with Tart the last Ichigo had seen of her.

Ichigo was interrupted in her train of thought as a stretcher was wheeled towards her down the corridor. She pressed into the wall to let it pass, peering anxiously at the occupant as she did so. Her stomach flipped. The last she'd heard the Mew Mews and Kish had been the only casualties of the battle, so who was this?

Dark hair, tanned skin turned eerily pale, long-lashed eyes closed.

Masaya.

She looked up and saw Ryou following the stretcher. He made to hurry past her but she called out:

'Shirogane-san?'

He turned towards her, his expression resigned, almost fearful.

'Yes, Ichigo?'

'A-aoyama-san! What's wrong with him? I didn't see the Blue Knight there! Is he –'

Ryou sighed. 'Ichigo, come with me. I'd have to explain this to you sometime anyway.'

He led her along the corridor to a room with some chairs, sat her down and began to speak.

'OK. Keiichiro and I have been doing some digging over the last twenty-four hours since the battle, and we think we understand a little more about Deep Blue's motives, and about who or what he was. For a long time he didn't have a body of his own, and now it turns out that he was linked to…possessing, we don't really understand it…your old boyfriend Aoyama.'

Ichigo gasped. 'What?'

'Aoyama never acted against us himself, as far as I can tell, and he didn't remember anything about it at the time, but now we have a better understanding of why Deep Blue attempted to destroy both us and the Cyniclons…it seemed a pointless move however we looked at it.

'You see, our planet is rich in Mew Aqua. It's what allows it to support life. A long time ago Deep Blue considered extracting all this Mew Aqua, intending to use its power to become a god. But had he done that the Cyniclons could not have survived, and a god must have subjects. He decided to content himself with this one planet.

'But something in Aoyama's thoughts revived this old plan. You see, Aoyama sometimes feared that neither humans nor Cyniclons could ever learn to protect the Earth. He thought that maybe the only way for the planet to be saved would be if neither species existed. And when Deep Blue possessed him, the two ideas became fused into what Deep Blue eventually became to believe was a plan of his own. Neither of them could stop it. It was random parts of their consciousness, joining together into something neither of them had wanted.'

'Shirogane-san, how do you know all this?'

'I spoke to Aoyama. After Deep Blue's spirit left him he regained consciousness for a few minutes –'

'A few minutes?' Ichigo's face drained of colour. 'You mean he's –'

'He's not dead, Ichigo. His spirit was still just barely alive when I found him, so I used my Mew Aqua to stabilise his condition. But there's been a huge amount of damage. He'll need weeks to heal…Ichigo?'

Ichigo was clenching her fists on the arms of her chair, closing her eyes as she tried to control the anger welling up inside her.

'It's better this way, Ichigo. Deep Blue is gone forever; he can be himself again. He'll be fine, I promise,' Ryou said with uncharacteristic gentleness.

'I know…' She felt suddenly weak and shaky. The walls were shimmering and wavering.

'Ichigo, are you all right? Can I get you anything? A doctor?'

'N-no.' Ichigo fended him off with her hands, getting unsteadily to her feet. 'Kish…Lettuce…I need to see them now.'

* * *

'Why don't you kick the kids out and then you can say goodbye?' Kish suggested. He would never have admitted it, but he was starting to feel tired, and besides, he wanted to see Ichigo again. 'Ichigo said you were meant to be at the discussion right now; I wouldn't want to be responsible for causing an inter-planetary diplomatic incident.'

'No, I can see why not. Well, uh…come along children.'

Kish smothered his laughter in his bedclothes as Pai seized Pudding with one hand and Tart with the other and shepherded them out of the room. 'I hope you will be well soon, Kisshu,' he called, craning back over his shoulder.

'Yeah, get well soon Kish.'

'Good luck, na no da!'

Kish smiled to himself and flopped back on his pillows to wait for Ichigo.

* * *

Once outside Pai released the children and they immediately went whizzing off down the corridor. Tart even looked like he was getting into it. He sighed deeply as he felt a weight roll off his shoulders. The relief he felt, now that he'd seen Kish awake and on the road to recovery, was indescribable. He'd had ample time to talk to Ichigo, and to make the proper acquaintance of Akasaka and Shirogane. There was just one thing left that he had to do…

As if on cue, Lettuce appeared.

She looked pale and tired, but still a lot healthier than when he had last seen her, and she was dressed in her day clothes. She stopped when she saw him, looking flustered.

'Pai-san!' she said at last, pulling herself together a little and bowing clumsily.

'Lettuce-sama,' he replied, returning her bow. She looked taken aback by the name, and a blush tinted her cheeks as she cast about for something to say.

'Um…are you leaving? For the, uh…'

'I am supposed to be representing the Cyniclons in a meeting of the United Nations, yes,' Pai interrupted before she could work herself into any more of a state. 'I persuaded my commander to let me wait until Kisshu regained consciousness.'

'So he's awake?' Lettuce asked, sincere, astonishing compassion filling her face. He still wasn't used to how much she seemed to care for humans and Cyniclons alike. 'Oh, thank goodness, Ichigo was so worried…'

'As was I. But now I must join the negotiators. They've broached the topic of overpopulation and limiting birth rates, which your kind seem to be finding particularly thorny.'

'There was an incident in China…' Lettuce murmured. Her eyes were suddenly troubled, and she met Pai's gaze fully for the first time as she said:

'Pai-san, I'm worried. I know we've stopped the fighting for now, but I don't see how this can possibly work. It's too huge. It's like you said in a way, humans are selfish. I'm so afraid…' She dropped her eyes, shaking her head slowly.

'It's a noble fear.'

'Pai-san?'

'You are afraid of having to kill, Lettuce.' Pai's demeanour was calm, but Lettuce saw him swallow before continuing. 'I want you to know…that you have my unfailing respect. Until very recently I managed to convince myself that your kind were inferior to mine; it was my defence. But you were under no such delusion. From the beginning you saw us as equals, and desired peace…and yet you fought us anyway, to protect those you loved. I'm only just beginning to understand how much courage that must have taken.

'Pai…' Lettuce whispered, her blush deepening. His indigo eyes were boring into hers, and she noticed afresh how tall and imposing and handsome he was…standing there, calling her Lettuce-sama.

'These are uncertain times, as you said. But here is something you can be certain of.' Pai stepped forward and took her firmly by the shoulders, looking straight into her eyes. 'I will never make war on your people, Retasu. I will never fight with you again. This is a promise.' Lettuce gazed back at him, mesmerised by the intensity of his expression. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly bent his head. Time seemed to stop. She held perfectly still as he kissed her Mew mark, and then, very softly, her lips. 'Arigatou, Retasu-chan,' he whispered. Lettuce fought for breath. Her Mark burned.

'Arigatou, Pai-kun,' she said shakily. 'Good luck.'

'Goodbye, Retasu-sama,' he said, bowing formally. 'I hope we meet again soon.' She mirrored his bow, her mind full of his dark eyes and his white skin and the way his voice sounded when he pronounced her name fully…Retasu…

Pai straightened up, and then smiled.

I am going to faint, Lettuce thought. But she didn't, and the next moment Pai was gone and her dizziness was fading, to be replaced by a slowly swelling sense of jubilation.

Ichigo entered the room just in time to see her friend spin round with a cry of 'wheeeeeeeeeeee!' and overbalance into a chair.

'What happened?' she asked, in an all right spill kind of voice.

'Nothing!' Lettuce sang. Then she caught sight of Ichigo's face.

'Ichigo! What's wrong, what happened?'

'Nothing.' Ichigo was reluctant to bring Lettuce down from whatever cloud she was on. She had never seen the reserved green Mew so bubbly and light-hearted. However, this was Lettuce.

'Ichigo, tell me,' she said, gently but firmly.

'It's…it's Aoyama-san. He –'

Lettuce interrupted her softly. 'I know.'

Ichigo gawped. 'You know? How –'

'I saw that it was him when I covered him over on the beach. I didn't say anything, but I would have told you eventually, if Ryou hadn't. Is he going to be OK.'

'I think so,' Ichigo said in subdued tones. 'He looked pretty bad, though.'

'I'm so sorry.'

'It's OK.' Ichigo made an effort and shook off her dark mood, bringing the subject back round to Lettuce. 'I passed Pai on my way in. What did he do?'

Lettuce giggled and whispered: 'He kissed me!' She covered her mouth with her hands and blushed deeply.

'So that's nothing.' Ichigo grinned.

'He's not as useless as he looks then, is he?' Kish shouted from his room.

'Oh!' Ichigo glanced at the door. Lettuce nodded encouragingly.

'Go on, go.'

Ichigo smiled gratefully. 'Thanks, Lettuce.'

'Ichigo, wait!' Lettuce called, grabbing her hand. 'Do you think it's OK?'

'What, for you to be dating the enemy. Lettuce, I'm hardly one to talk.'

'No, I guess not.' Lettuce giggled a bit more, bashfully this time. 'Do you think he might l-love me?'

'Well, we didn't exactly discuss it…' Ichigo smiled slowly, 'but if the amount of time he spent by your bed while you were unconscious is anything to go by, then yes.'

Lettuce blushed absolutely beetroot. 'He did what?' she squeaked. 'I thought it was just coincidence that he was there when I woke up!'

Ichigo was beaming now. 'He hardly left you alone all the time, Lettuce. Trust me, that boy's got it bad.'

'Oh, uh, right.' Lettuce stared down at the floor, drawing interesting patterns with her toe. 'I'm going to go and…'

Ichigo watched, smiling fondly, as she wandered off down the corridor, then slipped into Kish's room.

He looked tired but happy, but as he saw her his face fell.

'Ichigo, what's wrong?' he demanded, struggling to sit up. She flew to his side and laid him back down again, tucking the sheets around his shoulders.

'Nothing much, I'm just a bit shocked, that's all…' Quickly she explained everything Ryou had told her. Kish's face became perfectly blank as she spoke, and his eyes never left her.

'Ichigo…' he said when she was done, 'if you think you've made the wrong choice –'

'No, Kish, no!' Ichigo was instantly contrite, seizing his hand. 'Kish, I love you! It's just a bit of a shock, we were very close for a long time…'

'I know.'

'Kish, I know you hate Aoyama, but please, try to get along with him.'

'Don't worry, Koneko-chan, I will. I've got nothing against him, as long as you choose me.'

His hands tightened possessively around hers on the last word. He tried to smile, but she could still see the anxiety lurking in his eyes.

'I do choose you,' she whispered. 'Absolutely. For always.'

Kish sighed and relaxed as her lips touched his, wiping all his anxiety away. His heart swelled in him until he could barely breath, because they were safe, and they were together, him and his Koneko-chan, whom he could rightfully call his at last. The thought was almost unbearable in it's splendour.

'Ichigo,' he whispered, spreading his arms to her. She hesitated only for a moment before climbing carefully into them, swinging one leg over him and straddling him to the bed. He hissed a little as the mattress moved.

'Kish! Did I hurt you?'

'You never hurt me, Ichigo-chan. I love you…'

'I love you too.' Ichigo gazed down at him, feeling hot tears spring to her eyes as she did so. The expression on his face could only be described as adoration. How could she deny him, how could she ever have denied him, when he loved her so much? She gazed down at him, realising fully for the first time how beautiful he was. His olive-sheened hair contrasted sharply with his pale, almost translucent skin, and his liquid golden eyes looked as though one could dive into them, like pools under trees. He strained up towards her, his breath catching, and she hastily placed her hands on his cheeks and lowered her head towards him.

'It's OK, Kisshu-chan, I'm coming to you.' She pressed her lips to his in a fervent kiss, trying to convey all her overwhelming love for him. He moaned and clutched at her hair, and she felt his tears joining her own on her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around him, wanting desperately to take away his pain.

'Oh Ichigo,' he whispered, touching her cheek. She kissed him again. It seemed too easy, that all it took to make him happy was a simple kiss. She owed him more. And the joy that welled out of him when she pressed her lips willingly to his was irresistible, overwhelming.

'I love you, Kish,' she reiterated, almost growling with fervour as she locked her eyes with his.

'It hurts when you say that, Koneko-chan. It's the sweetest kind of pain. Tell me again.'

'I love you.'

Kish moaned, arching up against her as she kissed him for a third time. Her tongue stroked along his lips and into his mouth, and they were joined, melting inextricably together, and it was all his dreams come true, and so much more. Ichigo loved him. She loved him.

'Oh Ichigo, never leave me,' he whispered, running his hand back and forth along her jaw.

'Kisshu.' She touched her lips briefly to his again. 'I'll need to leave for a while, I have to go home sometime, but I'll come back. I'll never leave you.'

'What I would have done,' he said, 'for one kiss like these…'

'I know that now,' Ichigo said quietly. She rolled off him and knelt by the side of the bed, holding his hand and stroking back his hair. 'You should rest, Kisshu-kun. Sleep, and I'll be back when you wake up.'

'Thank you, Ichigo,' he murmured. 'This is…'

His vision was growing dark, his mind drifting. All sense faded, leaving only the echo of her voice, the caress of her hands. He felt as though he were drifting, more peaceful than he'd been for months, perhaps for his whole life.

'…heaven,' he whispered, just before his eyes closed.

* * *

Three weeks later…

It was mid-afternoon. Kish was sitting on a bench in the park near Ichigo's house, watching while Pudding and Tart whizzed around close by. He still got tired if he tried to do much and the only other person present was Zakuro, who was being no help, so it was quite a relief when Ichigo and Lettuce appeared at the park gate, still in their school uniforms, and came running towards him.

Of course, it was always a relief to see Ichigo.

'Yo, Koneko-chan!' He stood, spreading his arms, and Ichigo ran into them. Kish hugged her tightly, smiling at Lettuce over her shoulder. 'Hi, Retasu-onee-chan.'

'Hello, Kish,' she smiled, still a little shy. 'Pudding, let GO of Taru-taru's ear, you know he doesn't like it…'

Kish and Ichigo broke their hug and turned, arms round each other's waists, to watch as Lettuce ran over to the children and began to restore some semblance of order to the scene.

'She is an angel,' Ichigo murmured, awestruck.

'…I don't care what she did to you, if you drop her in the lake I shall be very angry!'

'OK, OK, Retasu-onee-chan,' Tart sighed, lowering a squealing Pudding back to the ground.

About five minutes later Ryou and Keiichiro arrived, walking from the café. Shortly after their appearance Mint's limo appeared round the corner.

It was an important day for several reasons. Masaya was out of hospital. Kish's bandages had come off. And three hundred Cyniclons were due to take up residence in Tokyo. To celebrate Ryou and Keiichiro had announced a barbeque party in the park. Even Pai was getting time off to be there.

The limo drew up by the curb. Mint got out and then, instead of walking over, turned back, reaching into the car to help somebody else out. As the light fell on his face, Ichigo saw that it was Masaya. He looked thinner than before and he walked using a pair of crutches, but he managed a whole-hearted smile as Mint helped him to find his balance and closed the car door behind him.

'Wow,' Ichigo whispered to Kish. 'Is Mint actually helping someone?'

Kish laughed a little and squeezed her hand, then gave a rather stiff nod as Masaya turned in their direction. Ichigo smiled and waved, but she was glad that Mint seemed to be OK – more than OK – with continuing to look after him. It made things much less awkward, and gave her more time to be with her Kisshu.

Ryou and Keiichiro were beginning to set up a barbecue. Zakuro, Mint and Masaya went to join them, while Lettuce was playing tag with Tart and Pudding, who had become remarkably civilised under her influence. Ichigo squeezed Kish's hand and went jogging over to join in. Kish watched them for a moment and then noticed a ripple in the air a short distance away, in the shadow of the trees.

Pai.

He walked (he didn't feel quite up to running) to the place where he had seen the movement, and came upon Pai quite suddenly, peering out from behind a tree.

'Pai!' he greeted. 'I would say you were lurking, but that can't be right.'

'Kish.' Pai's expression was more resigned than anything else. 'I'm glad to see your feeling better.'

'Yep. Fit as a fiddle (think of that and tremble). I'm glad you're here; Lettuce hasn't shut up about it since she heard you could come. Nor has Tart, for that matter.'

'I don't know what you mean,' Pai said stiffly. Kish clapped him on the shoulder.

'Course you don't.'

They walked back over to the rest of the group, who were now clustered around the barbeque, trying to get it to light.

'No, no, you need to hold the match under the fuel or how do you expect to get anywhere? Hot air rises, you know.'

'Whatever, Ryou.'

'Here, Mint, let me…OW!'

'Pai-onii-chan!' Pudding wailed, turning round and spotting him. 'Keiichiro-onii-chan banged his head on the barbeque! Do you know any first aid?'

'Don't worry, Pudding, I don't need first aid,' Keiichiro said, straightening up and smiling bravely. 'Pai-san! Good afternoon, I'm so pleased you could make it. Oh look, it's caught light at last.'

He opened a large cool-box and began placing sausages and kebabs on the grill. Lettuce, meanwhile, had spotted Pai, flushed a dazzling shade of pink and immersed herself in conversation with Mint and Masaya.

'Don't worry, you've got all evening,' Kish said bracingly, and disappeared back to Ichigo before Pai could retort.

Soon the smell of roasting meat was filling the air. Pudding hung over the grill like a hawk, her eyes sparkling. Tart hovered beside her, and they elbowed each other occasionally, vying for the best position. Finally Ryou poured some coke into a glass and held it aloft for silence.

'Now that we're all here,' he began, and then paused impressively.

'Speech!' Kish yelled.

Ryou looked at him. 'Actually I was going to say let's eat.'

'Oh.' Kish shrugged. 'Well, that works for me as well.'

Keiichiro smiled as if to say 'my work here is done' as the Mews and aliens descended on the food. Pai smiled at Lettuce over the barbeque and she blushed even more deeply and shot away without taking anything.

'Lettuce-onee-chan!' Pudding called, running after her.

'Uh, yes Pudding?' Lettuce asked, torn between courtesy and escape.

'You forgot your kebab! And Pai wants to talk to you.'

'I know, I mean, I, uh…'

'So then,' Tart said, floating cross-legged in midair above Pudding, 'I out with my weapon, and POOOOSSSSHHHH-booooommmm! The guy never knew what hit him!'

'So I here negotiations have been successful thus far?' Keiichiro was saying to Pai.

'More so than I would have believed possible.' Pai seemed distracted, and kept glancing off in the direction of the trees. '…would you excuse me for a moment?'

'Of course,' Keiichiro said graciously. Pai set down his plate and slipped quietly off.

Lettuce was leaning against a tree, out of sight of the others, warring with herself. I should go back out there and make myself agreeable, but what do I say to him? She peeped around the tree, then whipped back out of sight, hyperventillating. Oh no, here he comes!

'Lettuce,' Pai said, stepping in front of her, 'are you running away from me?'

'NO! I – I mean –'

'Don't,' Pai said simply, taking her hands. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes, but still incredibly handsome, and more than a little scary. And – oh God – happy to see her.

'Pai, I…'

'Ssshhh. I messed up.' He gave a rueful smile. 'Again.'

'Huh?'

'I talked to you, I thanked you, I kissed you, and yet I still didn't manage to tell you that I love you!'

'Wait.' Lettuce held up her hands. 'You love me?'

Pai gave her The Look. 'You mean you didn't know?'

'Well, I had a…a fair idea, you know, after the k-kiss, but…'

Pai smiled suddenly, pushing her hair back and cupping her cheek. 'And do you love me back?'

'Yes, of course!'

Pai's face lit up. 'Really?'

'Yes, why on Earth would I not?'

'Well, there's the whole taking over the Earth thing…'

'Yeah, but you've kicked that habit now…'

'And then…' Lettuce noticed to her astonishment that Pai was blushing as well now. 'It's…rather foolish really but I…I was very shy to tell you for a long time because I thought you might not like my fangs and…and my ears.'

'Pai!' Lettuce gave a splutter of laughter, flinging her arms spontaneously around him. He took an astonished step backwards and then relaxed and hugged her back. 'Don't be ridiculous, I don't mind your fangs, and your ears…well, actually I think their kind of c-cute –'

Pai hugged her so hard that he lifted her right off the ground. 'Really? You do?'

'Uh-huh,' Lettuce nodded shakily. She buried her face in his shoulder and squealed: 'I can't believe I just admitted that!'

'I'm glad you did.' Pai took her gently by the chin and turned her face up towards his. 'And as for me…well, I like it when you blush. It's very endearing.'

As if to prove his point Lettuce flushed more deeply still. She giggled as his ears rose upwards along with his smile.

'I love you,' Pai whispered, and pressed his lips gently to hers.

* * *

Over by the barbeque, Ichigo glanced fondly up at the couple who could just be seen, silhouetted against a tree on the edge of the forest.

'I knew they'd manage it.'

'Eventually,' Kish grumbled. 'But that's Pai for you, I suppose. You're just lucky I'm so smooth, Kitty-cat.'

'Huh.'

But Ichigo could only fake annoyance as Pai and Lettuce came hurrying hand in hand towards them, both practically skipping, to help themselves to food.

'You know the one thing that could make this evening any better?' Kish asked of the group in general. Ichigo stiffened, bracing herself for some perverted comment or other.

'What?' Mint asked.

'Neapolitan ice-cream!' Kish yelled childishly. Ichigo gave him a 'what?' look and then burst out laughing.

'As it happens I have some right here,' Keiichiro smiled, delving further into the magic cool-bag.

* * *

Kish was sitting back on the bench, but this time his Kitten was beside him. The other Mews had started up a game of rounders. As he and Ichigo watched Tart stepped up to bat. He hit the ball off into the trees and then teleported straight to fourth base, where Pudding immediately clonked him over the head.

'Taru-taru! Pudding said NO TELEPORTING na no da!'

'What?' Tart said defensively. 'Some people can run faster than others, and they score more rounders. Some people can teleport, and –'

Kish wrapped his arm around Ichigo, toying gently with a strand of her hair. He was still not well enough to play, and it always gave him a little thrill when she chose being with him over something else, no matter how small the occasion. They both smiled at Lettuce's star-struck expression as Pai pulled off a magnificent strike at the ball, sending it spinning far out into the field. Her admiration turned to astonishment as it thudded straight into her open hands.

'Wake up, Lettuce! The ball!' Ryou shouted from third base.

'Oh, right!' Lettuce said, flustered. 'Out!'

'Hahaha, you got caught out,' Tart crowed, turning somersaults in mid-air.

'I never claimed to be a match for Retasu,' Pai returned, smiling softly. Tart made retching noises.

Ichigo smiled and snuggled closer to Kish, turning his face towards her with one hand.

'I love you, Kisshu-chan –' she began.

'Look!' he interrupted, pointing over her shoulder.

A teleporting circle had appeared by the bridge over the lake. As Ichigo looked a group of Cyniclons stepped out of it. A woman with a baby in a sling on her chest, a teenage girl leading her little sister by the hand, a tall man carrying his small son piggyback. Their faces filled with wonder as they took in the lush grass and the shadowy shapes of the trees, and felt the warm breeze blowing. Ichigo felt tears prick her eyes as she watched them.

'My people,' Kish whispered. 'Thank you, Ichigo, for helping this to happen.'

Ichigo turned back to face him, blinking away her tears. 'I hoped…that it would turn out all right,' she said.

'I knew it would turn out all right from the moment I saw you,' Kish whispered back. 'Ever since the day when I swooped down and kissed you without your permission…'

Ichigo gave a hiccuppy giggle. 'It was sort of nice,' she admitted. Kish's arms suddenly tightened around her and he lifted her onto his lap, clasping his hands behind her neck.

'Knew you liked it really,' he teased softly. 'I didn't know what I meant by "right" back then, but all the same, I was sure.'

Ichigo shook her head slowly. 'It amazes me, every time I realise how much you love me.'

'Truly, I do,' Kish murmured. His hand slid up into her hair, pulling her face slowly down towards his. 'Ichigo, these negotiations, this treaty will work out. Whenever people are doubting whether we can live in peace, they'll see how much we love each other and be reassured. And I will never leave you, Koneko-chan.'

'I know,' Ichigo breathed, and kissed him. Kish sighed and leaned back against the bench, basking in the sweetness that filled him just as strongly every time.

'My angel,' he whispered. The stars pricked out overhead, Tart and Pudding squabbled cheerfully, the fire flickered and the first Cyniclons stood and drank in their new home. Kish and Ichigo knew all of this, but they paid it little attention for the moment. It served as a backdrop against which they could play out their love story without guilt or fear, safe in the knowledge that there was nothing they should be doing, no-one they should be fighting and no force that could tear them apart.

'Ichigo…?'

'Heaven.'

The End

A/N: And they all lived sappily ever after…wait! I have just finished my first chaptered fanfic! *faints* And now here is a song to go with this final chapter…oh no! Now I am ACTUALLY CRYING! Review if this fic and this song make you cry. It's from The Lion King II, and if you go to Youtube I expect you will be able to find a clip of smooshy lions singing it.

In a perfect world,
One we've never known,
We would never need to face the world alone.
They can have the world.
We'll create our own.
I may not be brave, or strong or smart,
But somewhere in my secret heart I know

Love will find a way.
Everywhere I go
I'm home,
If you are there beside me by dark,
Turning into day.
Somehow we'll come through.
Now that I've found you.
Love will find a way.

I was so afraid.
Now I realise
Love is never wrong, and so it never dies.
There's a perfect world,
Shining in your eyes,
And if only they could feel it too,
The happiness I share with you they'd know

Love will find a way
Everywhere we go
We're home,
If we are there together, by dark,
Turning into day.
Somehow we'll come through.
Now that I've found you.
Love will find a way.

I know love will find a way.

How long has it actually BEEN since I watched that film? Who knows? Thanks to Essence of Gold for the idea about the Neapolitan ice-cream.

Yes, in the end I couldn't bear to kill Masaya. It would have put a damper on the PaiXLettuce fluff, which came immediately afterwards. To which, BTW, the song can also be applied. And I am away from my desk for the next three weeks, but that is NO EXCUSE NOT TO REVIEW! I will reply to you all when I get back and I expect a nice full inbox!

And now I'm just going to shut up before this smoosh-mobile gets waaaaaayyyyy out of hand.

True XXX. All hail my first ever complete, and quickest ever, chapter fic.

There was the one I co-wrote with Essence of Gold, but that is quite literally another story.