Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Tumultuous Tides ❯ The End ( Chapter 10 )

Ami was packing to return to university, but for once her suitcase wasn't bulging at the seams from the amount she was packing, this time the suitcase was practically empty.

Ami had said her goodbyes to the girls, as always, but this time Ami knew it wasn't going to be for long.

Tucking the Juban University leaflet into her back pocket, Ami picked up the suitcase, a little stunned at how light it felt when it wasn't stuffed full with all her clothes.

Ami looked around the apartment; she had given it a good clean in the past couple of days, as well as buying some newer furniture, she was after all going to be living there now.

Ami dumped her suitcase at the front door, she still had two hours until she left and she was hoping to go and visit Shingo before, she wanted at least one person to know about her plan.

Ami had been to see the Juban University only a day ago, requesting to transfer from her own university. They of course had submitted to her requests quickly and politely, easily pulling up her student records from the database. Ami had watched delightedly as their eyes bulged at her report before swiftly saying that they were sure she could transfer, all she would have to do is visit her own university and hand in the forms.

Ami was clutching those forms tightly in her right hand. Looking around the familiar kitchen Ami busied herself by making a cup of tea.

Ami was stalling; she had one more thing to do before she left the apartment but every time she thought she had the nerve to do it, all the courage would suddenly disappear and fail her.

Over the past few days Ami had confided in Shingo about that night, several months ago, although she had not yet disclosed the name of the man but that fact had been of the least importance to Shingo.

Sighing, Ami took a sip of her tea, not really feeling how it burnt at her tongue, staring out the window she watched as the surf gently rolled into the bay, reminding her of every morning she had spent at the window, loving the simplicity of the ocean.

Ami smiled, now realising that she could probably go and swim everyday if she wanted to.

I wonder if Shingo would come with me? Thought Ami, giggling a little at the thought as she considered the unlimited time she could spent with Shingo if she so wished it.

"You sound like a little schoolgirl giggling like that," came the voice of Saeko from behind her.

"I went to call your university and they said that you weren't going back for the summer course," continued Saeko.

"Then they said you weren't coming back at all and it got me wondering what on earth is going on with my little girl." Saeko came up behind Ami giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"So why don't you tell me?" suggested Saeko as she watched the beach with Ami, Ami taking a few drinks of her tea, it no longer scolding her throat anymore.

"I just wanted to be closer to home," said Ami simply, shrugging as her mother gave her a good squeeze in the hug.

"As long as it makes you happy," said Saeko, sighing, rubbing Ami's shoulders with her hands in a comforting way.

"It does," sighed Ami, just basking in the warmth of her mother's hug, and not caring for anything at else at the moment.

Ami and Saeko stood together for awhile, Ami drinking her tea and Saeko just content to be with her daughter.

"I ran into Ikuko in the supermarket today," said Saeko nonchalantly.

"How's Usagi?" asked Ami.

"Getting better, they're discharging Mamoru today so Usagi's very happy about that," Saeko laughed as she remembered how Ikuko how described her daughter's joy at having her husband home again.

"They were always such an odd couple," said Saeko softly.

Ami laughed, "Yeah, they were."

Ami looked up at the clock; it read that she only had an hour until she had to leave. "Ma, I better leave, I've got to call in and see Makoto and Rei's restaurant and I have to see Shingo."

"Shingo's grown into quite a nice, young man," said Saeko coyly as she left her daughter, planting a kiss on her forehead, "Be home soon."

Ami waited until Saeko was left before she went upstairs, her heartbeat pounding in her throat the whole way.

There's nothing to be afraid of, said Ami to herself as she took the stairs.

During one of her long talks with Shingo they had also discussed the possibility of Ami being pregnant and what she would do if she was. Ami had tried to pretend that it wouldn't faze her, but her acting was so poor that Shingo instantly saw through it. Shingo had promised her that if she was that he would stand by her if she needed someone.

Ami bit her bottom lip at the thought, if she was she didn't want to have to drag Shingo into it; he had such a big life ahead of him.

Pausing outside her bedroom door Ami took a step in, still holding her breath she made her way over to her dressing table, pulling open the first draw and instantly spotting the brown paper bag that held her future in it.

You can do this, Ami coaxed herself as she picked up the paper bag with trembling hands.

Opening the bag Ami delved in, picking up the small, really non-offending stick and closing her eyes as she lifted it out of the bag.

"It's now or never," said Ami to herself as she slowly opened her eyes.

Ami flipped the stick over; having read the packaging several times over, she knew what she was looking for if she was pregnant; a little pink cross, as opposed to a blue one.

Ami's eyes quickly found the cross, it's dim, blue colouring sending a shiver of relief down her spine causing her to collapse on the floor as she finally let herself breathe normally again.

Ami leant her head back against the soft cushioning of her bed, a few laughs escaping her lips as she looked up at the roof with its old-fashioned ceiling fan and light fittings.

"I'm not pregnant," said Ami to herself as if to further reinforce the idea in her head.

"I'm not pregnant," she repeated, her future slowly opening up and unfolding before her eyes.

Days at the beach with Shingo, lunches with the girls at Makoto and Rei's restaurant, picnics with Usagi and her family, dinners with her mother and the little Fureo and Ami was sure she could even learn to like Caleb in time too…