Okay, so I said I wasn't writing another Nodame story again. That was mostly because I wasn't very impressed with the ending we got from the manga. But after watching the excellent live action feature films, I felt suitably inspired. I also felt a couple doors had been left open for us pedantic types to explore.

Part Manga, Part Live Action, Part Moi

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and any claims otherwise would be absurd. Characters and setting were created by Tomoko Ninomiya.

Concerto

Prologue

It had been a close call.

He had come within a hair's breadth of losing her.

Now that she was back in his arms... back where she belonged, all the chaotic fragments of the past week were coming together for him. All was as it should be. To hold her again so closely... to feel her heart beat... to run his fingers through her hair... was a moment to savour.

If she could see the relief written in his eyes... she would know...

She was back by his side. She, the craziest of women.

All was well with the universe.

Selecting Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos had been a masterstroke on his part. An entirely impulsive scheme to win her back... and it worked. He had been on tenterhooks until the final movement. Even when that was done, he couldn't be sure. But the music had worked its magic.

Never had he thought he would fear losing her this much. Whether it was the fear of never hearing her play at close quarters or the fear he had lost her love... something had driven him to act in desperation: The belief that things would never be the same again.

Things would never be the same again. Of that he was certain.

There was no doubt that her playing had evolved to the next level. But it was more than that. She was a changed woman and it was his turn to keep pace with her.

For him, it didn't matter if she gave up on the idea of making a career out of music. He could live with that.

However, for her not to play again with him... that was a prospect too awful to contemplate.

Standing under a dim light, their lips met, gently pressed in quiet passion. A much needed moment of intimacy that was water to the heart parched from neglect. The spark that had been lost was reignited. Music had brought them back together again.

But now the trick was to move in concert with the music that brought them both under its spell... to never lose sight of it... or of one another.

Their journey had come full circle... and they had learnt many lessons, together and apart. He had learnt the most important one of all... she was the one he wanted to share the music with.

For the rest of his life.

Senpai smelled heavenly... she noted happily, as she nestled against his person. Despite her initial nonchalance, she had missed it so. Now that the tumult of the past week had dissipated, taking refuge in his arms was akin to heaven itself.

Her greatest fear had been losing that bond... the mysterious force that brought them together, at times barely holding them together. He hadn't understood that the passion which held them together, moved in tandem with the music they made together. There would never be one without the other.

The further his journey had taken him away from her ... the more she had sensed the passion wane... not in him... but in her.

Luckily Mozart had been invoked to fan the flames and Mozart had delivered. Even from the grave, the spectre of music's greatest musical genius would not lose his potency as a force for love.

She had learnt a vital lesson too. She learnt that she hadn't needed him... that she could do it without him.

Did that make her his equal? Perhaps... on a certain level. Really, it didn't matter.

What mattered was that she was now free to be the musician she wanted to be.

Her goal to play a concerto with him was now motivated by something else. Performing with Stresemann had shown her another side.

She now understood the pride of a professional... to take the music to ever greater heights of expression.

At last, she no longer felt the need to earn his love through music.

A/N

Early days, I suppose... but like it or hate it... I'm all ears.