August 31st, 2010; Akihabara Station, Tokyo; 4:17 p.m.

Standing with a suitcase and carry-on slung over her shoulder, Kurisu absorbed a hug from Mayuri, looking around herself at all of her friends of the Future Gadget Lab with heartfelt emotion.

"We're going to miss you so much, Makise!"

"I'll miss you too, Mayushii. It's been an adventure for sure."

Watching as Okabe and Itaru traded a look, both of them responded in a nod at her hidden hinting towards the experiences with the phone wave.

"Don't you be a stranger just because you're across the ocean."

Squeezing Mayuri with her arm, she nodded.

"I'll keep in touch, as long as I'm not too busy."

"You can message me whenever you want. I always make sure to respond right away to a member of the Lab."

Seeing Shiina beaming with promise, Kurisu slowly exhaled, looking first to Faris, then to Ruka, and then up to Okabe beside her.

Eyes meeting, both of them stood firm, letting several thoughts and memories exchange through a silent channel of information. Then, her free hand hesitantly rose forwards towards him.

"Okabe."

"Kurisu."

Meeting her hand with his own, and slowly, firmly shaking it, her heart slowly released what remained of her confused feelings, letting a delicate wave of acceptance cascade over her being.

"Its been a pleasure... being your assistant."

"Absolutely. Please come by and visit at any point. Your status as Lab Member 004 remains permanently in place."

An uneasy smile lifted her features, but was then replaced by a nod.

"Thank you."

Releasing the one and only hold of his hand she experienced, her fingers drifted down, curling around the handle of one of her bags.

I traveled here to Akihabara from California, and in the span of a month, I've made several friends and been on an eclectic adventure I didn't expect... All the time spent in the lab, and all of the time travel and strange science I've had my eyes opened to. All because I was approached by one oddball guy in a lab coat flapping his gums about having met me before. Somehow I decided to become friends with him, and next thing we know, we're experimenting with altering the past and future in a manner I've specifically convinced myself and others to be theoretically impossible... with a souped up microwave, powered by a television on the floor below.

Eyebrows furrowing, she rubbed the handle of her suitcase with her thumb.

Life is strange. Especially when you try to make sense of it.

"What time is your train leaving?"

"Four thirty-five."

"You've got about fifteen minutes. Better hurry."

Looking towards Daru, her eyebrow rose.

"Oh my. Good thing I already have the return ticket pre-purchased."

"Oh Daru, if you distract her then she will be late!"

"Don't worry, honey. Itaru is hardly the type to hold my attention for too long."

"Hey! You don't know that! There's plenty of times you've been distracted by me."

"Only because I've had to fend off your ruinous and perverted statements."

Trading several amused expressions among the group, Makise then exhaled heavily.

"In all seriousness, I should be on my way. Its been fun, for sure."

Letting Mayuri embrace her one more time, Kurisu tucked her chin against her head fondly, eyes flitting towards Okabe, and then looking away as she slowly turned, towing her bags along towards the entrance of the station.

"Bye Kurisu!"

"Tu-tu-ruuu!"

"So long, Assistant!"

"Have fun in America for us!"

Listening to the echoes of their praise several paces away, she looked back, grinning unexpectedly as all five of them were waving, prompting her own wave in return, before continuing on.

I will. Don't worry.

Stepping through the doorway held open for her, into the shade of the train station's interior, she sighed as a cool rush of conditioned air pushed her long red hair along in an a momentary wave.

As for you all... Try not too cause too much more trouble in the lab. And Okabe, or Kyouma, or whoever you wish to be...

You say you've fought hard for Ruka and Mayuri, so don't you dare let them down. Or I will come back here to Japan and kick your ass.

Heart slowly beating with finality and resolve, she moved towards the platforms, minutes before the train's scheduled departure.

Mayuri will keep me in the loop of things, that darling... And I'm sure Okabe will still be glad to talk science. I'm still his intellectual equal, even if he is a total nutcase.

Eyes rising ahead to the crowd of people moving around several trains, she quickened her pace.

Hououin Kyouma. The lab coat loony that jumped around through time, playing around with people's emotions, and falling for a girl that used to be a boy, who's been in love with him for years throughout the dimensions of time... If this is the path you've chosen, you'd better make the most of it and take good care of Urushibara.

Pressing through several groups of people, she reflected upon secretly treasured memories of him, showing his hidden gentlemanly nature.

I'm sure you will, if you're anything like how you are with Mayuri. Knowing how endlessly enamored Ruka is with you... You shouldn't have any difficulty at all. She loves everything about you.

Her vision lowered to the platform drifting by below her boots in a fleeting glance.

And though it's too late now, I think I felt the same way... But it doesn't matter. What's done is done, and I doubt he intends to go back in time for any reason now. Why undo the events that have finally brought you happiness?

Lowering the handles of her suitcases, she hoisted them up as she stepped aboard the train.

Mayuri is still alive, Ruka is still a girl, and the world seems to be normal, aside from China and Vietnam declaring war on each other last week. He's reached a world line environment ideal enough to satisfy his own feelings, without costing the lives of people he cares about, besides that Moeka girl he mentioned. Still don't have a clue who that is or what happened to her, but her absence seems to be accepted by him now. Not entirely sure why.

Oh well. More things I won't really understand. That's why you busy yourself with practical things you can understand. Science has never failed me, unlike love and human nature. Besides... How can you reasonably apply data to intangible things like emotion, and memory?

Sitting in a seat beside a window, she looked out towards the station concourse outside, observing hundreds of people milling around.

...The same way you can find yourself calculating the functionality of time travel. Suspend your disbelief, and just get right into it, no matter how impossible it seems. Okabe was right. Sometimes you just have to accept what you've seen... And he's seen a lot. That's why he's so goofy and crazy. He's been through some pretty intense stuff that we can't even imagine. Who else has hopped through the folds of time as much as he has? Nobody. Nobody knows what he's experienced. That air of mystery and intellect he emits is what draws all of his friends to him, and under it, his boundless loyalty and caring for the people he values in his life, is what keeps them by his side. That's why little Ruka loves him so much. His mysterious goofiness inspires her, and his caring nature as her mentor and best friend allow her to look up to him as the most important person in her life. So much so that she finally found the willpower to establish her feelings, realizing the conditions were right, even though Okabe was the one who accidentally set them up that way in the first place.

Fascinating. Maybe the science of the heart is a worthy field. There's infinite scenarios to consider, and just as many questions to answer, but, my god, you would never be bored contemplating all of it.

Picturing Okabe tossing his lab coat with a cross of his arms, she slowly smiled, her body moving in a lean from the train departing.

He must feel the same way about the world. So many scenarios, and so many questions... Such is the plight of the mad scientist.

Future Gadget Laboratory; 5:19p.m.

Seated upon the floor, with neatly stacked clothing and material surrounding her, Mayuri busily sewed a bow onto a frilled dress, paying careful attention to the needle weaving in and out.

I miss Makise already. It was so nice having an older girl in the lab. She was like a big sister. Super pretty and super smart too. No wonder she's a popular scientist! She loved working on that microwave and did so much reading... But I think she loved debating with Okarin the most. Those two loved arguing... Friendly arguing. They were both big brains battling, especially when it came to names and stuff. He would always be way out there, and she would bring it back down to normal for the rest of us.

Cutting, and then knotting a string, she smiled.

I'm gonna message her tonight. She might still be on a plane but she'll respond whenever. That way she knows we're thinking about her.

A short distance away, nose deep in a forum displayed on-screen, Daru's finger slowly rolled the wheel of the mouse down, eyes drifting down along the posts on the web page.

Sure is weird, Kurisu suddenly being gone. Less than a month ago we all had just met, and she just kinda arbitrarily became a member of the Lab. Then she was here almost every day, constantly at work with the phone-wave and all the time travel business. Always debating with Okarin too. When it came to his whole mad scientist ego, I don't think I've ever seen a girl facepalm or roll her eyes more than she did. Under all that frustration with his personality though... Yeah. It was pretty obvious that she really liked him. Guess it kinda threw her for a loop when he started getting close to Urushibara. Then once they started disappearing on the weekends... It was pretty clear that whatever feelings she had for Okabe weren't going to influence him. She probably figured out the hard way that Ruka has been Okarin's weakness for a while now.

Other than that... Sure was fun witnessing her roasting Okabe now and then. She sure got him good sometimes.

Turning his head, and looking back towards Mayuri for a moment, he watched her inspect the dress she was working on.

Never did get to see Makise in any cosplay. I bet she would have been seriously hot.

Sitting back against the couch, his bare feet propped upon the coffee table, Okabe's mind wandered, captive in a cloud of reflection. Ruka lay comfortably across his lap, tucked between him and the arm of the couch, her eyes closed as his fingers lazily brushed through the soft tufts of her hair.

One month, one person, and such a profound impact on the world, but only to a level I can observe and understand. First, Kurisu was destined to perish, and then we accidentally altered that. Then Suzuha appeared and vanished, telling of a future dystopia while in search of her father, being Itaru. Then Rumiho and her father and all of Akihabara changing, Mayuri and Moeka and SERN, and the Rounders and the 5100 and god forbid what else...

Then in one step, Rukako and her identity, and both of our dates and the miswritten pager text. Now Mayuri is alive, Kurisu is alive, Ruka is a girl, Moeka is missing, and our neighbors across the sea are waging war. This is what happens when you blunder your way through time over and over. Trying to defy the unstoppable forces of the universe, and pretending that you can perfectly retrace steps to make things right again... Once you leave a past world line, you may think you can return to it, but that's a foolish hope that I've pretty much accepted as logically impossible. Its too easy to irreparably alter minuscule details. All you do is tempt the butterfly effect into happening to an even greater area of effect.

Head turning slightly, he exhaled through his nose as Ruka nuzzled his neck, gracing his mouth with the hint of a smile in response.

However, that's not to say that every alteration made is negative. You just have to find an environment of existence that you can accept within yourself. Though it may be selfish, who else is aware of how things used to be without you saying so? Everything you've experienced in the alternate dimensions of the past is only known to you if you have the ability of Reading Steiner, or if you have been affected emotionally by key events to such an extent that the memory of them is accessible from the far depths of your mind across world lines... Which in itself, is astoundingly profound.

Bringing her nose away from his neck, Ruka calmly observed the movements of his eyes, realizing he was in a fervent whirl of thought.

Oh, Okabe. You're always thinking so much about everything. If we plugged your brain into a speaker, we wouldn't even be able to understand what you're saying cause you've got a million things going on at a million miles per hour.

Heart stirring, a cheeky smile crept onto her face, and she planted a kiss onto his cheek, causing him to blink in a blush.

Maybe that will slow you down a little, boyfriend. You just need to t-

Watching as his head turned, eyebrow raised, a breath left her lungs as his hand moved from her hair, down to her cheek.

Ohhh is he going to ohmygoshyeshe-

Looking up from her work in a hum, Mayuri's ear perked from the shifting of bodies on the couch, and she turned her head, eyes opening in a grin of surprise seeing the red faces of Ruka and Okabe pushed together in a kiss.

Oh my goodness! Okarin and Ruka-chan, sitting in a couch tree... K-i-s-s-i-n-g. You guys are so cute!

Turning her head before being noticed, she looked away with a smug smile.

I bet Ruka never expected to be kissing the big cuddly love of her life. What a dream come true. I'm so proud of her!

Hearing Daru's chair lean back with a squeak, she looked over towards him as he slowly shook his head.

"I can literally hear the sound of your lips."

"Oh Daru, leave them be. We wouldn't comment on you if you were kissing Faris!"

"Hey, hold on Mayushii. You can't just go around saying things like that."

"Why not? You're obsessed with her. I bet on the inside you'd love to give her a big smooch, huh?"

"I, uh, well... I'm not up for discussing stuff like that right now."

Looking over to Okabe, who was restraining laughter, and then to Ruka, who was pursing her lips and smiling with adorable mirth towards her, Shiina giggled happily.

This is what the Future Gadget Lab is really for. Spending time with best friends, being goofy and laughing, and doing nerdy sciency stuff. I wouldn't want to be a hostage anywhere else.

Akihabara, Tokyo; 6:37p.m.

Sitting atop the playground slide near the lab, Okabe sat with Ruka tucked in front of him, both of their feet resting on the steps below. Listening to rest of the world go by, they sat in the comfort of their favorite embrace, fingers mingling between each other as they reveled in the simplicity of being together.

Coexisting, with such mutual understanding and admiration of each other. Unbound by what anybody else thinks. This is the true freedom of being in love. Those who have it, understand it. Those without it, wish for it. It is one of the ultimate highs in life.

Brushing his nose up through a tuft of her hair, he chuckled gently as she moved from the ticklish tingle.

And in truth, I admit, it is absolutely worth the effort to attain it. Even if it means altering the environment you exist in through accidental experimentation...

Letting a lengthy breath pass through his nose, he rested his forehead against her ear.

It's curious, to be universally desired by someone, throughout the expanses of time and space... But only I know that from my travels. Rukako, holding her love for me so dear in every world line, fought a peculiar battle of patience, and throughout the existential circumstances, made decisive moves towards victory. There is no doubt about how proud she must feel, having achieved her ultimate wish... Even if I was the one who inevitably reciprocated, and requested her companionship. How could I not? When would it not be sensible to take action when someone you care so much for, is so deeply, truly in love with you?

Turning his head towards the park bench in the distance, he smiled with memory as she peeked around him in the same direction.

He's looking at that bench again, and I know why. That was where he asked me if I like him, and I finally told him yes. What I didn't tell him at the time, was that when I had that dream the night before... I dreamed that we kissed there. But that was just a dream, even if it felt so real. Our actual first kiss was on the deck of the shrine, after he asked me out on my birthday yesterday. Oh, that was so magical... To finally have Okabe Rintarou as my boyfriend.

Her neck grew warm, fingers squeezing just a little tighter.

He must be just as excited about me being his girlfriend. He's always been so fond of me. Maybe he's just been waiting for the right time to admit his feelings. He's always so secretive about personal stuff, but I guess I am too. Not everyone understands the feelings you have for someone... But not everyone needs to. How you feel about someone is what you hold dear to yourself. I've always felt this way about Okarin. I just never knew if he would feel the same way about me. That's why these past two weeks have been incredible. I think he finally came to understand his feelings, once I finally admitted mine. There's probably a lot more going on with him than I'll readily understand, but at least there's one thing I know for sure...

"I love you."

Watching, heart fluttering, as he turned to her, his eyebrows rose, though his smile showed he wasn't surprised in the slightest.

Held in a suspense of silence, she waited as his lips parted, listening with secret anticipation.

"I love you, Rukako."

Tucking her chin into her collar in a blush, she peeked up at him, only to break into a giggle of mirth from the bashful expression upon his face.

He said it... And for him to admit that, he really means it.

Resting her head back against him, his chin settled upon her neck, and hearts beat together, held safe within each other.

Oh, Okabe. I can't wait to see what the future brings to us. We've gotten this far, and its only been two weeks. Who knows what could happen later on? We could take on the Organization together. Then maybe we could change the world. Or we could just go to the arcade or see movies, or tinker with gadgets and goof around in the lab. I'm sure we both have all kinds of plans up our sleeves that haven't even come to mind yet.

Smiling from a medley of images in her imagination, her eyes drifted shut.

Whatever happens, and wherever we go, I'll be here by your side. Living a dream come true.

Every moment will be amazing, just because I'll be with you.

END.

Thank you sooo much for reading everyone! Hope you enjoyed my first foray into Steins;Gate and the fun and adorable (and frankly overdue/needed) friendship-turned-relationship adventure of Okabe and Ruka. I truly appreciate the feedback and favorites and follows that have blown up my email and inbox too. Keep them coming!

El, Psy, Kongroo;

~ C. Betchimov