Authors note: Sorry! Sorry! For taking an eternity and a day to get this out. But between jobs and cousins and holidays and vacations and lack of a muse I've lost track of time. I hope that this satiates you more or less, and let it be known that there will be a definitive conclusion to this - and there is something brand new in the works. And now, without further ado, I present to you the next chapter:

She supposed, and in retrospect, she should have seen it coming. When both parties stood up – clinking their glasses to call the attention, Mai should've known.

When they said that they had an announcement to make – Natsuki shifting from one foot to the other, Shizuru trying to calm her jittery hands – Mai was still uncertain to their intent, somewhat distracted by the disco lights.

When they made their announcement – quietly – in between heartbeats, glasses scattering light, Mai was caught somewhere between a gasp and a giggle. She hadn't suspected that of all places to tell everyone it would happen at one of Midori's gatherings.

She thought it cute; Natsuki, red in the face, trying to stare a riotous Nao down, and Shizuru not alleviating the situation any; her arms wrapped around Natsuki's waist. Haruka was trying to play it off cool – Yukino laughing quietly into her glass cup.

When a drunken Midori pulled a very embarrassed and grumbling Natsuki and amused Shizuru onto the dance floor – prompting them to dance together – slurring out something that sounded like their first dance as an official couple.

They looked good together, she thought – a perfect compliment to each other; slow dancing - oblivious to all around them - Natsuki occasionally leaning right in and whispering things that would make Shizuru turn pink. Mai could almost see the sparks between the two, their steps measured and unhurried, sexy in its own right.

But then Reito interrupted; asking her for a dance, and all thoughts of Natsuki and Shizuru dancing stopped.

Only later, when he feet were sore from all of Reito's energized dancing, would the couple come back to mind - long after they had vanished out of sight and mind.

YAY for character cameos. Next chapter I think will wrap it up nicely, and hopefully in a timely manner.