Full Metal Panic 1. Chapter 1

There were a few minutes left before the school bell would ring.

Students were rushing to get to class, bundled up against the chill weather. Large flakes of snow fell lazily to the ground, as a biting breeze tugged at hair and coat tails.

Off to one side, out of view to prevent everyone from walking over to say 'Hello,' Tessa stood primly, speaking with Kaname. Both of their long coats were unbuttoned, showing their nicely pressed uniforms and painstakingly chosen jewelry.

"You certainly dressed fancy today," Tessa said. She wanted to frown. Why was Kaname wearing jewelry too? "Did you know I was coming?" She tugged at her ponytail, biting her lip. She had wanted to stand out and catch Sousuke's eye.

"Who could have guessed that you would choose _this_ month to visit again?" Kaname shivered, trying to look nonchalant. Kurz and Melissa had given Sousuke a heads up against orders, and he naturally told her. "You look rather fancy yourself. I guess there's not much chance for something like that, trapped aboard that submarine."

"No, there's not." Tessa shivered when the wind blew under her skirt. "Except when Merida Island throws its formal ball." She smiled. "They held that last month. When Sousuke was called back to Da Danaan for a round of briefings." She looked up at Kaname. "It was purely coincidence." That was true. But, the way she said it added a great deal of doubt.

"Ball…" Kaname's eyes narrowed for a moment, before she waved her hand and tried to seem unaffected. "You mean a formal dance, _right?"_ Sousuke hadn't mentioned anything about a ball. Was there anything else the big idiot had forgotten to tell her?

"Of course," Tessa said amiably. "You've been to one, _haven't_ you?" She paused. "With Sousuke, I mean." She left things hanging at that.

"Not yet…" Kaname said. That sounded a lot better than 'No'.

"Melissa chose the dress I wore." Tessa twirled her ponytail, looking down at her shoes. "I should never have worn it. The cut… it was scandalous…" She smiled. "Commander Mardukas threatened to have the MPs take me back to my room." She looked Kaname in the eyes. "I said I'd gladly go, if my date could go with me."

Tessa knew how Kaname felt about Sousuke. She also had a good idea how the young soldier felt about her fellow Whispered. He had told her that he cared more for Kaname than her, during the Pacific Christmas mission. But, while she wouldn't play dirty and do anything to stand between the two, that didn't mean that she would give up hope. Kaname and Sousuke were like dynamite and a match. Could a relationship like that last?

"_Date?"_ Kaname clenched her fists. She took a deep breath and put on a fake smile, seeing that Tessa had caught her reaction.

"Merely a figure of speech," Tessa replied. "I should simply say 'the boy who accompanied me to the dance'." She didn't add 'under unofficial orders.' "I've never seen the Commander turn so red." He would _never_ have OK'd her coming to Tokyo after that. As a result, had waited until he was away on leave to ask for time off herself.

"I'm sure," Kaname said. "He's very protective of you." That was certainly a safer topic. "Not that anything would _ever_ happen."

"You never know," Tessa said, biting her lip. Things happened in her dreams. But, as long as she was a submarine captain, nothing would ever happen in reality. "Things change…"

"That's right," Kaname said, thinking how things had changed for her and Sousuke. "Sometimes a lot faster than you think." She put her hand in her pocket and swallowed hard.

"Yes," Tessa said. "Sousuke and I talked about that during out long walk on the beach together." She had finally mentioned his name. Kaname already knew who she was talking about. The game was past that point. "It was so warm there. Melissa picked out my bathing suit, too." She blushed. "I thought Sgt. Weber must have…"

"Must have been pretty skimpy, then. Ah _hah hah hah hah_." Kaname took a deep breath and let it out. Sousuke also forgot to mention anything about a walk on a beach.

"It was," Tessa said. "I asked Sousuke what he thought of it. I thought he was going to die." She smiled. It had been fun, watching Sousuke blush. But, that hadn't been the purpose of the walk. She wanted to get a good idea of what he saw in his future, now that High School was winding down and the nasty business with Amalgam was over.

"He just might," Kaname said under her breath. "I guess you might have to replace him anyway, right?" She turned sideways out of the wind, pulling her coat closed.

"Unfortunately," Tessa said, sounding a little crestfallen. "You can't hold onto someone forever." She looked up in Kaname's eyes. "But, sometimes change brings new opportunities." What might happen if she was no longer Sousuke's commanding officer? Would she ever see him again? If she did, might he view her differently?

"That's right!" Kaname struck one of her Class Rep/Vice President poses. "But, not always what you might want." She wasn't as cheerful as she sounded. There was so much uncertainty in her life, even though Leonard Testarossa and his organization were out of commission.

The two girls were quiet for a moment. Both were thinking about Sousuke. Looking around, they saw no sight of him. That was unusual, especially since Tessa was there. When a small bit of snow slid off of the school roof, they looked up and caught sight of him. Tessa waved up at the worried looking soldier. Sousuke was sweating, even though he was not very warmly dressed.

"He always acts so nervous around me," Tessa commented. "It's really quite cute... most of the time..."

"I'm sure," Kaname said. She was feeling a little nervous herself, and not just because of Tessa. Her fingers ran over the plastic thing in her pocket again.

"It was wonderful, teasing him at the dance." Tessa spun slowly, thinking back to a wonderful tropical night. "My hair was done up rather nicely. He'd never seen anything like that. I told him I had made an announcement to the crew, that he was the reason I had changed my hair." Of course, she would never wear her hair like that on the TDD-1. Commander Mardukas would end up in the sick bay suffering from nervous exhaustion.

"Really?" Kaname said, picturing herself at a ball with Sousuke. "I cut his hair for him, you know…" She smiled. In its own way, that was a romantic or intimate thing.

"I can tell," Tessa said with a laugh, looking up at Sousuke again. He was dodging snowballs thrown by some of the other guys. "Maybe I should try that some time." She had an impish look in her eyes.

"You probably shouldn't," Kaname said, feeling a bit defensive. "He'd probably end up in a hospital… _if_ he was lucky…" She tossed her hair. "You are a bit clumsy, you know…" She chuckled. "I actually prefer him _with_ ears…"

"Yes, I'm not as agile as I might like." Tessa frowned. But, she smiled again soon enough. "It _does_ have its benefits, though." She took a moment to brush some snow off of her coat. "I kept falling against him while we danced. He had to wrap his arms around me to keep me from falling." She sighed. "When we slow danced… and I closed my eyes… it was almost like I was in Heaven."

"If only," Kaname said to herself. She chided herself, knowing there was no reason to feel threatened by Tessa. At least, she hoped there was no reason to feel threatened by the smaller girl. In a louder voice, she said "It's nice to have pleasant memories of the past. I prefer to enjoy the things I have in the present." Looking to make certain that none of her classmates were watching, she blew Sousuke a kiss. Her doing that in front of his Captain almost caused him to slide off the roof.

"That's only normal," Tessa said. "As normal as the life of the Whispered can ever get." Her eyes took on a faraway look. "I keep hoping for a better future." She smiled again. "On the veranda… at the dance… we almost kissed…"

"**What!"** Kaname clenched her fists. Her heart was beating loud in her ears. She tried to reassure herself. Tessa was probably stretching the truth mightily. Just the same, she felt an irresistible desire to trump the other girl. She knew how. It was a matter of bringing herself to do it.

"If Melissa hadn't been there, it would have happened." Tessa batted her eyelids. She wasn't about to tell Kaname that Kurz Weber had pushed Sousuke towards her when they were getting a breath of fresh air. Their lips had been inches apart for a brief moment, before a vigilant Melissa had pulled her out of the way.

"I suppose we should be heading in," Kaname said. "The bell should be ringing, and we don't want to catch our death of cold." She pulled her gloves out of her pocket, making certain to bring something out along with them. "_Oooo-ooo-oo-ops_…"

A small salmon-colored round case fell into the snow at Tessa's feet. Her eyes widened. While most of the girls in Jindai High would not recognize what it was… due to the fact that the product had only recently been introduced after a forty year national ban on such things… the young submarine captain had seen just that kind of thing in magazines and on TV in the U.S.

"B-… B-… Birth control pills…" Tessa brought her hand to her mouth. Luckily, none of the students heard her startled exclamation. None except Sousuke.

"Uhhh… _ahhh-hh-h_…" Sousuke fell off of the school roof, only barely managing to snag a rope hanging off of a scaffold used by maintenance workers.

"I was going to surprise him today," Kaname said with a triumphant smirk.


	2. Chapter 2

The level of chatter in the homeroom was way beyond normal.

No one was surprised, seeing that Teletha Testarossa had come to join the class for another week. Everyone was ecstatic, crowding around the diminutive girl.

Tessa seemed somewhat stunned, something the Jindai students attributed to their massed greetings. Sousuke, who stood ramrod stiff back in one corner of the room, was also in a bit of a haze. His fellow students assumed that he was feeling a bit shocked, after a near death experience.

"How's it _hanging_, Sousuke!" OnoD's joke made reference to Sousuke's hanging onto a rope for dear life. But, Sousuke had heard that kind of greeting from Kurz before. It referred to something very different from a scaffold and a length of hemp.

"Uhhh…" Sousuke blinked rapidly. He had gotten a word out. That was a definite victory.

"You better be more careful, _stud." _One of the other guys smiled, looking over at the young soldier. "If something happens to _you, _who's going to take care of cuddly Miss Tessa?" He always called Sousuke 'stud,' precisely because he seemed clueless around women.

"Uhhh…" Sousuke looked over at Kaname, who was watching him, trying not to let him know what she was doing. His usual frantic and anxious feeling regarding his Captain's safety… and the things that one Commander Richard Mardukas might do to him if anything happened to her… was strangely absent. If an alien saucer landed and abducted her, he probably wouldn't be able to do more than say 'Uhhh' at that moment.

"So… Miss Kagurazaka … are you going to put Tessa's desk next to Sousuke's?" Kyouko tied to look innocent, but there was a definite gleam in her eyes. "Or, are you going to put her next to Kaname?" She took a picture of Tessa, marveling at the look on her face.

"Neither, Miss Tokiwa." The teacher made a stern face. "I don't want Mister Sagara and Miss Chidori getting in trouble."

"Uhhh…" Sousuke swallowed hard. He was aware of the colloquialism about 'getting a girl in trouble.' His collar was wet with sweat.

"**_Sousuke!" _**Shinji burst into the class room, squeezing between the well wishers all swarming around Tessa. _"Hey Sousuke!" _He held a large glossy journal in his hand, looking as if he had found the Holy Grail in the bottom of his cereal box. "It finally came in."

"That is…" Sousuke cleared his throat. He was finally able to start bringing his mind back to safer things. "I assume that is the new 'Arm Slaves Quarterly'…" He looked at Kaname out of the corner of his eyes. Why was she grimacing?

"Yes. It's a double issue." Shinji looked like he was excited enough to pee his pants. He was hopping up and own like a small kid, knees held tightly together. "Look at this… the Cambodian Fighting Tournament… just like the ones _you_ were in after you left school… see…."

"Affirmative." Sousuke had every right to tense up, thinking about Nami and Michel. But, at the moment, the old memories actually made him feel calmer.

"**Wow!" **Shinji almost tripped over a desk. He pushed his glasses up on his nose before they fell off. "This RK 92. It looked like someone knocked it up pretty bad." Shinji pointed at one of the losing contestant's machine.

"Uhhh…" Sousuke tensed up again. Knocking up. More suggestive words. He had to get control of himself. He was a Specialist! At least, in military matters. In certain other things, he was worse than a greenhorn.

"All right everyone. I'm as glad as the rest of you to see Miss Testarossa again. " Miss Kagurazaka called out above the din. "But, I would like you all to take your seats now, so we can get started." She nodded her head. _"First, _I've been asked to pass along a message from Miss Kaga. It's about your Home Economics class. She doesn't want to see any stragglers coming in late after lunch. You're all expected to have buns in the oven by 12:20."

"Uhhh…" Sousuke sat down next to Kaname. Looking over at her, he saw her face turn pink. She looked away from him. That gave him an opportunity. He reached into his weapons bag, intending to slip a pistol into his desk without Kaname or the teacher seeing.

"Sousuke…about what you saw…" Kaname turned to look at him, having gathered her courage. Shehad wanted to approach this carefully with Sousuke. He was way beyond his years in some ways, but still just a boy in others. Damn that Tessa. No… it had been her own pride that did her in… she couldn't push the blame off on someone else this time. "We can talk about that after school…"

_**BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG…**_

"_Awwww-www-ww-w_…" It wasn't Sousuke's day. "I… I apologize…" He doubled over in pain. Ricocheting rubber bullets had careened out of his desk. A couple had hit him in the chest and groin area. "It fired prematurely…" With the growing rush of blood sound in his ears, he had only heard Kaname say 'We can' and 'After school.' "_Owwww-www-ww-w_…"

"**MISTER SAGARA!"**

The teacher did not sound very happy. Everyone in the room stepped out of her way as she hurried over to see what Sousuke had done _this_ time. "Are you alright?" She had never seen Sousuke looking cross-eyed before.

"It is… not a…" Sousuke sucked in a deep breath. His eyes watered. "Problem…"

"Sousuke." Kaname sat stunned. She looked over at Tessa. The girls shared a brief moment. _Only Sousuke!_

"You're just not ready, Sgt. Sagara." Tessa sighed. Only she, Kaname, and Sousuke knew what she was talking about.

"A-… Affirmative," Sousuke said.

"We'll _see _about that," Kaname said, narrowing her eyes. Once again, her pride and possessiveness got in the way.

_**BANG!**_

"Take you finger off the trigger, Mister Sagara!" Miss Kagurazaka ordered.

"Y-… Yes… M-… Ma'am…" Sousuke said between clenched teeth.

"I'll help Sousuke to the Nurse's Office," Tessa said. "He may need his wounds looked at." She wasn't aware of where Sousuke had been hit until she saw where he put his hand. She began turning red in the face.

"**_Not by you!" _**Kaname said, glaring at Tessa. She clenched her fists, trying to get under control. This day certainly wasn't going the way she had planned.

"Why don't you give him mouth to mouth," one wise acre said. "Just like you were going to do by the pool." He like the rest of the class remembered Tessa's previous visit like it was a treasured book or a favorite movie. He chuckled along with the other students.

"That's right," OnoD said. "Kiss it and make it better…"

"Oh my…" Tessa put her hand to her mouth.

"**No way in Hell!" **Kaname put her hand on her halisen.

"_Awwww-www-ww-w_…" Sousuke moaned when he stood up.

"Mister Koutarou… Mister Kazama…" Miss Kagurazaka spoke, waving her hands at the two boys. "You two help Mister Sagara to the Nurse's Office." She looked over at Sousuke who was reaching into his desk. "Leave it! You have no business playing with _that_ in class." She meant the pistol of course.

Kaname and Sousuke happened to look at one another for an instant. It was a very good thing that their classmates could not read their minds. When the young operative moaned again, his two friends took him gingerly by the elbows and helped him out of the room.

After that, Kaname spent the rest of the hour staring daggers at Tessa's back. A number of her friends kept tossing her notes, asking about Sousuke, their relationship, and where Tessa would be spending the night. Naturally, they never got caught. But each time she tried to read one or simply slip it into her desk, the teacher caught her.

"There's the bell…" Miss Kagurazaka said, when the ringing sound marked the end of that session. "I hope the rest of your day is not quite so eventful."

Rushing out of the room, Kaname headed down the hall that would bring her to the Nurse's Office. Tessa was close on her heals. She had an idea where the blue-haired girl must be headed. That would save her from having to ask directions.

As often happened, Tessa tripped. She caused a chain reaction, as a number of other hall walkers fell over her and each other.

"Serves you right," Kaname said, turning to take in the scene. "Why don't you just stay there for a while?"

Tessa was helped up by a number of star-struck boys, neither off whom were aware that they had welts on their foreheads. Risking another fall, she ran as quickly as she could manage, her high heels clacking against the floor tiles. "He's my subordinate," Tessa said. "And, he said I was his friend."

"Great… wonderful… good…" Kaname tossed her hair and marched briskly on her way. "He's my boyfriend… _I'm_ the one who should see how he is."

"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't try to show me up," Tessa said. She knew just what role she had played, and felt guilty. But, she was not about to let Kaname Chidori boss her around.

"I wouldn't have had to show you up, if you weren't talking so big." Kaname retorted. Kaname knew her role in things, too. But, this was her school. She was Class Rep and Student Council Vice President. That was close enough to 'Captain.'

Neither of them said another word until they walked into the Nurse's Office. Trying to get through the door at the same time, they were stuck side by side for a few moments, before Kaname wriggled free and stepped in first. They both stopped, hearing the Nurse talking to Sousuke behind a partition. They could see his shadow and hers, but nothing more. The dark area at the bottom of Sousuke's shadow suggested that his pants were down.

"I'm sorry that you had to wait so long," the middle-aged woman said. "We're almost done now. I can't say I've ever seen this before. The kind of wound, I mean." She chuckled. "I shouldn't laugh; but, it _is_ kind of funny." She tried to sound more serious. "I suppose we should expand our Sexual Education talks. We already cover the Human Body… Love and Intimacy… Relationships… Pregnancy… Diseases… Variances, Paraphilias, and Dysfunction… right?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Sousuke said. The sound of his voice told Kaname that he was just answering to move the subject along.

"We also take time to counsel girls not to get involved in Enjokosai or brothels." The nurse but the stopper back on a bottle. "Do we need to have equal time, telling young men not to shoot themselves in their…" She left the word hanging.

"No, Ma'am." Sousuke sounded embarrassed. He didn't know that Kaname was standing there angry, having heard the older woman make light of things. He also didn't know that his Captain was standing there listening as well.

"Good," the nurse said. "After that dries, you can get dressed again. I'm going to send you home for the rest of the day. I'm certain someone can get your assignments for you."

Kaname opened her mouth to say she would, but stopped just in time.

"_Hmmmm-mmm-mm-m_…" The Nurse could be seen sitting back down on a stool near Sousuke. "Come to think of it… were you and Miss Chidori back from your… time away… when we had those classes?"

"I…" Sousuke shook his head. "I was still working to bring her back, Ma'am…"

"Well… well… _well_…" The nurse tapped her fingers on a small folding table top. "We should rectify the situation. No time like the present." She went over to a cabinet and removed a number of folders. "This will give me a chance to see if those pain killers will be enough. After we're done talking, I can give you something more if necessary."

"I…" Sousuke flinched. "But…" He looked at the folders. "It would save you time if Miss Chidori was present too…"

"You big idiot…" Kaname clenched her fists, whispering under her breath. "Don't bring _me_ into it…"

Tessa smiled. That had Kaname clenching her teeth too.

"Oh?" The nurse smiled, raising one eyebrow. "Embarrassed? Think that feeling anxious is wrong, because you're a guy? Big bad soldier should know everything about sex?" Her voice changed. "That's exactly the kind of thinking that gets boys into trouble."

"Uhhh…" Sousuke did indeed feel somewhat inadequate. But, why shouldn't he? He was clueless about so many things that most teenagers took for granted. Sex wasn't anywhere the top of his list, but it was tops in his mind that day.

"Or, is it because you have some other reason to want to hear things together with Miss Chidori?" The nurse paused. "Forget I asked that. It's none of my business."

"Kaname is my girlfriend," Sousuke admitted. "But… we do not…" He thought about what he had heard Tessa say outside, about birth control pills.

Kaname smiled. She was very glad to hear Sousuke talking about her being his girl. It didn't hurt that Tessa was standing right next to her. The young Captain looked like she had sucked on a particularly sour lemon.

"But you're thinking about it?" The nurse was scrutinizing Sousuke's face. "Or she is?" She pursed her lips. "I can also serve as a counselor, you know. If either of you have questions or concerns, I'd be glad to help you." She waited a moment. "I read through both of your records when you came back to the school. I know that neither of you have parents nearby."

"She must bethinking along those lines," Sousuke said. He found that he really _did_ want to talk about this. He didn't feel up to talking with Kurz and Melissa, having no idea where things might go with them. And, with Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin missing, he no longer had anyone he viewed as a father figure, not that he necessarily would have been able to approach the SRT commander with this subject. "Today… during a foolish and self-indulgent exchange with another girl… she dropped something in front of her…"

"S-…S-…S-…" Kaname felt her temper rising. Just how much did that big stupid head intend to tell the Nurse? That 'foolish' didn't sit to well with her either.

"Self-indulgent…" Tessa shuffled her feet some, feeling like someone had turned a big spotlight on her.

"Condoms?" The Nurse guessed. "I take it this other girl is interested in you too?"

"Birth Control Pills," Sousuke said, finding it hard to get those foreign words off of his tongue. "I did not know she had them. Neither did the other girl, who was acting exceedingly childish, especially for one of her intellect."

"Ch-… Ch-… Ch-…" Tessa made a face. Childish? Who was he calling childish? _He _was the one who was stuck in the middle of arrested development!

Kaname didn't know whether she should choke Sousuke to within an inch of his life, mentioning the Pills, or give him a big kiss for thinking Tessa childish.

"Lucky you," the Nurse said, commiserating. "Not about the oral contraceptives, necessarily. Although I must commend Miss Chidori for thinking ahead." She sighed. "It is _never_ good to get caught in the middle of a catfight."

"Affirmative," Sousuke said. "In Afghanistan, growing up, I saw numerous conflicts between feral cats, and between wild canines. There are indeed similarities between that and what I saw outside."

"S-… S-… S-…" Kaname fought the urge to pull back the partition and give Sousuke a piece of her mind.

"Th-… Th-… That…" Tessa had to struggle to keep her voice inaudible. Just wait until she had Sgt. Sagara back onboard Da Danaan.

"A little free advice," the Nurse said. "Never let either girl hear you say anything like that." She chuckled. "It might just save your life."

"Too late," Kaname muttered.

"Yes, Ma'am." Sousuke nodded. "I am not the most clever with my words, unfortunately. But, I know enough not to incite Kaname with mention of her immature behavior with Miss Testarossa." He paused, sniffing slightly. Was that a hint of perfume? No. It was merely the antiseptic the Nurse had used where the impact had torn his skin. "And, it would be very unwise for me to tell the Captain… Tessa… that her actions were unworthy of someone of her stature. By that, I am not commenting on her being short."

"Just… you… wait…" Kaname took one step towards the curtain, but then took two backwards. "Immature, huh?" Now the big dope was lumping her in with Tessa?

"Short…" Tessa's eyes narrowed. She had a look on her face that Kaname had never seen before. The two girls nodded to one another. "Someone is going to find himself short on pay this month…"

"Miss Testarossa," the Nurse said. "The attractive young American girl visiting the school? I reviewed her immunization records, not to mention her academic qualifications." She chuckled again. "You certainly have a way of attracting rather amazing young women. I don't know if you'll find that a blessing or a curse."

"Neither do I…" Sousuke shrugged. Most of the time it felt like a blessing, if he bothered to think about things in those terms. But, there were moments that Kaname had him tied up in knots… or covered in welts.

"_Oooo-oo-o_…" Kaname began trembling some. "So… I might be a curse, huh…" The big jerk should have answered 'blessing' for her, and 'curse' for Tessa.

"I'm sorry that it bothers you so much, Sergeant…" Tessa whispered, feeling her ire on the rise. It was one thing, not being the girl who won Sousuke's affection. It was another thing, thinking that he might consider her some kind of big annoyance.

"It seems that I always attract Wh-…" Sousuke stopped, about to let 'Whispered' slip. He was pretty certain that something like that wouldn't be in either girl's file. "There was another girl who wished to be more than friends." He sighed, thinking of Nami. "But, it may be that being around me is the curse."

Kaname and Tessa both felt their anger die out. For different reasons, each knew about the red-haired girl who had been on Sousuke's A.S. team.

"Being a teenager is filled with doubts," the Nurse said. "Especially about yourself. That's something you need to work through on your own. But, the topic of sexual relations does not need to be a total mystery. I think we should jump ahead a bit, and talk about oral contraceptives, since that is very fresh in your mind." She paused. "Is _that _why you had your accident today? Mind not where it should have been?"

"Affirmative," Sousuke said. "The disclosure came as a shock. I fell off the roof. Only a rope saved me from being here earlier…" He showed her his rope-burned hands. "…Or the hospital. The talk in the classroom reminded me of the earlier event."

Kaname looked down at her shoes. The full weight of what she had done began to settle in her stomach like a week's worth of undigested food. Sneaking a look at Tessa out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the other girl was wrestling with feelings of guilt as well.

"Your legend continues to grow," the Nurse said. She had read Sousuke's school file as well. "OK. The subject at hand. Female oral contraceptives consist of a pill that women take daily. That pill contains doses of synthetic hormones, either designed to be in synchrony with the menstrual cycle, or to keep a constant level of the hormones."

"Daily…" Sousuke slid partially off of the examining table. "Does that mean that Kaname… Miss Chidori… will be wanting to… every day…" His eyes went very wide.

"Wh-… Wh-… Wh-…" Kaname had to fight to keep from coughing and giving herself away. _"What?"_

"Tsk… tsk… tsk…" Tessa's eyes lit up. "My… my… my…"

"That's merely to have the hormones work properly," the Nurse said. "The Pill prevents pregnancy in three ways. It works primarily by preventing ovulation, but it also makes the uterus less likely to accept implantation of an embryo if one is created. The synthetic hormones thicken the mucus in the cervix making it more difficult for sperm to reach any egg."

"Sperm…" Sousuke blinked rapidly. "Uhhh…" He slid a bit more towards the edge of the table. "Yes… I understand…"

"Fine," the Nurse said, smiling. The young man in front of her had piloted a miraculous machine in a battle right in the streets of Tokyo. But, he was reduced to a doe-eyed lump of flesh by something most boys probably joked about since they were old enough to shave.

Kaname shook her head. She didn't know whether to smile and be glad that Sousuke was so naïve in his way, or hang her head and sigh. Either way, he was certainly unique. Looking over at Tessa, she found reason to smile. As well educated and scientifically gifted as the other Whispered girl was, the topic seemed to have her a little off balance too.

"Many women occasionally forget to take the Pill daily, impairing its effectiveness." The Nurse scribbled something down on a pad of paper. She was certain that Miss Chidori would have gotten good counseling from her physician, since the BCPs required a prescription. But, it wouldn't hurt to make sure. "Correct use of the pill usually implies taking it every day at the same hour for twenty days, followed by a pause of seven days. Some packets provide placebos for that time."

"I will make certain Miss Chidori follows orders explicitly!" Sousuke spoke in a great rush. When he realized what he had said, he slid off the table. The sound of falling and bouncing instruments could be heard. A roll of gauze skittered under the partition, stopping by Kaname's foot.

"Uhhh…" Kaname didn't realize what utterance she had used. It had Tessa turning an amused eye on her. Then, the full weight of Sousuke's comment struck her, too. She almost tripped.

"Well, it's certainly good to be a partner in things. That's a very mature attitude, Mister Sagara." The Nurse helped Sousuke up. "Some drugs reduce the effect of the Pill and can cause breakthrough bleeding, or pregnancy, together with unprotected sex, of course. These include antibiotics, barbiturates, phenytoin and carbamazepine. The traditional medicinal herb St John's Wort has also been implicated."

"Kaname does not take any medications," Sousuke said. "Except for weight loss pills."

"You're dead…" Kaname didn't need to look at Tessa to know that she was smiling.

"But… as I have told her before… she does _not_ require those." Sousuke added.

"Oh… never mind…" Kaname grinned.

"She also does not abuse drugs," Sousuke said, as always feeling the need to be complete.

"She just abuses _you,_ right?" The Nurse laughed at her joke.

"Affirmative," Sousuke said.

"Dead!" Kaname could care less about the irony. "_So_ very dead…"

"Tragic," Tessa said, loud enough so that only Kaname could hear her. She was getting a much better idea just how much emotional see-sawing a girl would have to go through, if she had Sousuke for a significant other.

"That's something you… or she… might want to talk to someone about some day," the Nurse said, seriously. "Just because you're tough enough to take it… and do more than your share to earn the young ladies displeasure… too much of _anything_ is bad." She let that sink in.

Tessa flipped her ponytail back and forth in jaunty fashion. She gave Kaname a 'What?' look when the other girl scowled.

The Nurse went on to describe some of the side-effects of the Pill, as well as some of the cautions and contraindications. While it was Kaname's responsibility to choose whatever she took into her own body, she felt that Sousuke should be well aware of the things that his girlfriend would be facing.

"If is something that would harm her, I would not allow her to take it." Sousuke said firmly.

"_Oh?" _The Nurse raised one eyebrow. "How would you stop her?" She wanted to make certain that the young man, someone who had been a soldier from a young age, did not show any warning signs that might foreshadow an abusive relationship.

"I would continue to give her no reason to need such a thing," Sousuke said, as if abstinence would be some valiant deed on his part. Once again, his own implications caught up with him. "Uhhh… I…"

"Really?" Kaname narrowed her eyes. "Maybe I changed my mind." She put her nose in the air. "Idiot."

Tessa began humming, hearing that. She grinned when Kaname shushed her.

"There's never any need to rush into things, in any case." The Nurse gave Sousuke a very pointed look. "Anyway, the effect of the Pill on a woman's sexuality are difficult to judge, depending on the individual and the particular formula. Do you need to lie down?"

"Uhhh…" Sousuke coughed. "I am fine. Please continue. I will see this mission through to the end."

"If neither of you need to worry about sexually transmitted diseases, then the use of the Pill and nothing more makes birth control seem invisible, and may make relations seem spontaneous and more natural." The nurse jotted down more notes. She needed to remember to loan Sousuke and Kaname the videotapes that the other members of their class had watched. "When combined with the Pill's high degree of effectiveness, this may enable the couple... especially the woman... to relax more easily during sex."

Tessa was fidgeting. Listening to all that in the very awkward context had her ready to leave, head over to Sousuke's apartment where she would be staying, and either take a cold shower, or hide her head under a pillow for two weeks straight.

Kaname's reaction was very much different. She was glad to hear that everything she had been told by her doctor at the clinic was being confirmed by the school nurse. She was also very glad that someone else was telling Sousuke this. It would have been hard for her, especially given the way Sousuke was.

"On the other hand, the Pill's various side effects may prove disruptive on a physiological or even a psychological level," the Nurse added. "The hormonal disruption caused by the Pill may result in mood swings, and possibly an injured self-image due to weight gain. Some women who use the Pill despite the teachings of their religious traditions may feel conscious or unconscious guilt; others may not fully trust an invisible method of birth control. This wide range of variables makes prediction of the Pill's effect on sexuality difficult, but the fact that the Pill can and does have an impact in this area, for good or for ill, is well-documented."

"Mood swings," Sousuke said, looking concerned. "What if the woman _already_ has significant and unscheduled changes in behavior?"

"Like Miss Chidori?" The Nurse asked.

"Yes," Sousuke said.

"Sousuke…" Kaname added another black mark on her list. Tessa smiled. Her last visit had been very special in some ways. This one promised to be very interesting.

"Does she have mood swings, depression, anxiety and irritability for a couple of weeks each month?" The Nurse rubbed the back of her neck, thinking of her own menstrual history. "If she does, it could be Premenstrual stress syndrome, or given your description of her, a severe form called premenstrual dysphoric disorder."

"Premenstrual stress syndrome?" Sousuke asked. "Is that a sickness? Is there reason for concern?"

"PMS is very common," the Nurse said. "Most women have some degree of it at some time. It may be more of a reason of concern for you than her." She silently admonished herself for being sracastic. "Other than emotional effects of stress, all that she might suffer are bloating and cramping."

"PMS…" Sousuke nodded his head. _"That _I have heard of. One of my comrades once suggested that Kaname might have continual PMS. I did not know what that meant then." He shrugged, thinking about the multitude of things he had heard from Kurz Weber.

Tessa nodded her head, looking down at her nails.

"He also said that Miss Testarossa should have No Menstrual Syndrome, even though she is one hot babe." Sousuke swallowed hard. "Those were _his_ words."

Tessa froze. Kaname began getting steamed again.

"It is his opinion that she will never have sexual relations, given her unique position." Sousuke said. "He keeps telling me that I should bounce her like a rubber ball." He cleared his throat. "His words again. Otherwise, he thinks that she will need to run naked along the docks, out of sight of her protectors."

Kaname pictured more bouncing than she ever wanted to. But, she couldn't help but toss her hair, hearing that part about the docks. That was a keeper for sure.

Tessa looked like she was ready to pass out.

"That's all very interesting, I'm sure." The Nurse sighed. She could see that Kaname Chidori had her hands full. What a pair! "But… back to the subject…"

"I will question Kaname about bloating and cramping," Sousuke promised. He listened intently. It almost sounded like there was a dog growling somewhere outside the room. "But, since her behavioral changes occur daily, I think it may be something else."

"I suggest you choose safer topics of conversation," the Nurse said, shaking her head. "The school only has a limited supply of medication, and I can't write prescriptions." She thought a moment. "I think you might see a definite change in Miss Chidori's behavior, if you think a bit more before you speak and act."

"**Damn straight!" **Kaname put her hand over her mouth. That one had come out very loud.

"_Oooo-oo-ops_…" Tessa quickly slipped out of the room, after bouncing painfully off of the door jam. She kept from tripping, barely.

The partition was suddenly pulled back. The Nurse stood up, hands on her hips. She gave Kaname a very disapproving look.

"I… it… we just wanted to see how Sousuke was doing…" Kaname realized that she was standing alone in her corner of the room. "Tessa…"

"Mister Sagara, now might be a good time for you to go on your way. If the pain gets any worse, or the swelling in that… area… does not go down, you should pay a visit to the Emergency Department of the nearest hospital."

"Ma'am…" Sousuke realized that his pants and underwear were still down. So did Kaname. He quickly got dressed, knocking over a jar of tongue depressors.

"Miss Chidori," the Nurse said, her voice an exploration in arctic temperatures. "While you may not be ill at the moment, I think we may need to have a little talk."

"About bloating," Sousuke added helpfully. "And cramping…"

"**_OUT!" _**The Nurse and Kaname spoke at the same time and pointed to the door.

"May I pull up my zipper first?" Sousuke asked.

"**YES!" **That was the two women again. "Honestly," the Nurse said. "You don't know the half of it," Kaname claimed.

"I will be at home, Kaname." Sousuke said, waiting at the doorway. "Should I prepare for your spending the night?" His eyes went wide, seeing the play of emotions across Kaname's face. "Uhhh… I mean... since Tessa will be… uhhh… sleeping in my apartment."

"_Geeeez_…" The Nurse shook her head again. "Does that boy have a death wish or something?"

"For his sake, I hope so." Kaname watched as Sousuke disappeared from view.


	3. Chapter 3

The walk home was difficult.

With every step he took, Sousuke grimaced, gasped, or groaned. A big proponent of gun safety, he had messed up big time, distracted by a very touchy matter, so to speak.

He had no idea who Sir Robert Walpole was. If someone had told him the historic figure had said 'Every man has his price,' he probably would have agreed. Today, he would give an awful lot, to make the pain go away.

Furthermore, if he were informed that the one time leader of the Whigs in the House of Commons had also coined the phrase 'Let sleeping dogs lie'… in reference to Britain's dealings with the North American colonies… he would have been pleased to know the origin of the famous phrase.

"Kaname should have left things alone," the young soldier said as he limped along. "I do not know why she felt compelled to go looking for trouble." So far, most of the trouble had landed squarely on him. And, given the fact that his girlfriend had overheard at least part of his discussion with the school nurse, the future promised even more pleasantries. "No doubt I will be blamed…"

After a walk that seemed ten times longer than usual, Sousuke found himself walking into his apartment building. He hoped to make his way past the manager's window unseen, since his landlord was a very nosy woman. But, he was in no condition to be at his stealthy best.

"Mister Sagara, are you alright?" So much for that idea. "Are you hurt? Did you get into _another_ tussle with that pretty blue-haired girl?" The elderly woman smiled, loving to collect gossip. "Is it because she knows about your older visitor?" Her eyes glowed with an unholy hunger. The world seemed alive with so many possibilities. She might just have to put an empty glass to her ear, setting it against the boys door.

"Visitor?" Sousuke swallowed hard. That did not sound good. Clueless as he might be, he realized that the woman was implying a female visitor. The 'older' part effectively excluded Tessa, who had showed up at the school, not here. There could only be one reasonable explanation.

Not feeling cowardly in the least, he reversed field. It had to be Mao. Lt. Melissa Mao was the last person that he wanted to see at that moment. Well, either her _or_ Kurz Weber. If she ordered him to tell her what happened, he would feel compelled to obey.

"**S-O-U-S-U-K-E-!"**

Sousuke closed his eyes and swore under his breath. It was Melissa, alright. He should have known that Mithril would have sent someone to keep an eye on Tessa. Tessa herself may even have arranged for this.

"Sousuke… where are you going…" Melissa walked up jauntily, her outfit showing a fair bit of skin, despite the season. She yawned. There was a definite scent of beer about her. "I happened to look out the window when you came dragging along." She eyed him up and down, seeing no sign of blood. "What happened?" She narrowed her eyes, thinking professionally. "Why aren't you watching Tessa?"

"I had an accident," Sousuke said truthfully. "The school nurse treated me and commanded me to go home." He stood stiff, at attention. He was still uncertain whether or not a specific part of him would be able to do the same again. He tensed up. That was _not_ the kind of thing he wanted bandied about aboard the TDD-1, or at the complexes being rebuilt at Sydney and Merida Island.

"Accident, huh?" Melissa draped herself over Sousuke, seeing the busybody manager eying them. "He's _so-o-o-o-o _hot," she called over. "Wouldn't you agree? Want a video tape? We can make a new one, if you have any special requests." She chuckled, seeing the other woman hurry to call her friends. "So, did this accident have blue hair and a short temper? Tessa do something to set her off?"

"I… you…" Sousuke looked over at the elderly woman. "She…"

"It doesn't hurt to bring some sunshine into someone's life, Sousuke." Melissa turned him around, and began marching him towards the elevator. "I'm certain the old woman won't say anything to Kaname." She shrugged. "And, if she does say something, Kaname ought to know better than believe someone like her." She laughed. "At least I hope so, for your sake. It wouldn't do you much good to get kicked hard in the balls..."

"Uhhh…" Sousuke twitched. That was an understatement.

"I can't wait to hear what it was _this _time," Melissa said, as the door closed and she pushed the button for Sousuke's floor. "Not that I'm happy you're injured, of course." She thought a moment. "If it's a good story, I'll share my beer with you. You look like you might need to get drunk." She mussed Sousuke's hair. She and Kurz had been very worried about him… not to mention themselves… when Amalgam had carried out their first round of attacks. "I'll make sure that Kaname doesn't take advantage of you."

"Uhhh…" Sousuke swallowed hard. Now he was thinking about 'that' again, not that he had ever really stopped. He almost walked into the elevator doors just before they opened.

"OK… spill it!" Melissa collapsed unceremoniously on Sousuke's couch after walking back into his apartment.

"It…" Sousuke decided to volunteer the information. "You see…" He made certain that the communications console was not on 'transmit.' He coughed. "This is embarrassing."

"Better yet," Melissa said, opening a fresh beer. She grabbed another and tossed it to Sousuke.

The young soldier began telling his sad tale. He watched his fellow SRT member's face go through a series of changes.

"You fell off the roof! That is _so_ you…" Melissa chuckled. "But… I never though Tessa would go _that _far…" She smiled. "I have to give Kaname a lot of credit. That took a lot of guts." She finished off the beer on a long chug and tossed the empty in the direction of the kitchen. "I can imagine the look on Tessa's face. Priceless. F-cking priceless." Getting up, she went to retrieve the noodles she had left boiling, talking as she opened a can of crab. "So… is the fall what did you in?"

"Negative." Sousuke began to sweat. He hated to tell his superior something like this. Any tyro knew how to handle a pistol safely. "It happened in class… I was distracted…" He took a deep breath and got things out in a rush.

"**YOU SHOT YOURSELF IN THE FAMILY JEWELS?"**

Melissa began choking on some crab and noodles she swallowed the wrong way. That would teach her to shout with a mouth full of food. For a moment, she looked like something out of a H.P. Lovecraft story, with large streamers of Ramen hanging down from her mouth. She slurped them in and began laughing, holding her belly.

"That is too damn rich," Melissa said. "What Kurz wouldn't give to hear _that_ story!" She rubbed her hands together. "I guess I can reassure Mardukas, if he gets wind of things. You won't be firing your gun any time soon." She was not referring to his Glock.

"I… uhhh… that was not…" Sousuke felt somewhat relived, in a way. Kaname definitely wouldn't be breathing too heavily tonight: not with his current condition… not with Tessa and Melissa around… and not after that incident in the Nurse's Office. "I wasn't planning on…"

"Hey, don't blow a fuse or something, Sousuke." Melissa slid the remaining noodles towards Sousuke along the counter top. "My being here is a formality." She opened another beer. "And, I wanted a chance to see you again. We haven't gone on a mission together for a while." She didn't know if they ever would again. Mithril was fighting to get back on its feet again, and Sousuke had to choose between college and a continued career in the organization.

The two of them spent time catching up on things. Sousuke had never gotten a detailed report on the things that happened after Sydney and Merida were hit, and Arbalest was defeated at the hands of Leonard and Belial. Mao had never heard the story about Kaname, Leonard, and Sousuke's role in things. After giving her a run down on all that, he told her about the other goings on at school that day.

"They were behind the curtain?" Melissa put a hand to her forehead. She passed an entire six pack over to her subordinate. "Man, do _you_ have a good reason to get shit-faced. I know how tightly Kaname holds on to a grudge." She sighed. "Tessa won't be too happy, either."

There was the sound of metal jingling at the front door. Sousuke automatically rolled off of the couch, grabbing the TMP he leapt underneath it. Once again, he should have thought fist. The pain had him gasping like a fish out of water.

"That will be Kaname with your spare key, _right?" _Melissa hadn't moved an inch. She tossed another empty onto a growing stack.

"_Owww-ww-w_… affirmative…" Sousuke watched the door open from his vantage point on the floor. "_Awww-ww-w_…"

Sure enough, the door opened, showing Kaname standing there. Tessa stood right behind her. Both took a look at Sousuke sprawled out on the floor and began frowning. Melissa took note of that… yawned… and then smiled, an evil look in her eyes.

"Want to give me a hand taking the curtains down and setting them up in the middle of the room?" Kaname had said that to Tessa. Having a common target, the two of them had put aside their differences for a while.

"That's a _very_ good idea," Tessa said. "I think a certain sergeant might feel more comfortable that way." She tugged angrily on her pony tail, causing herself to wince. "Who _knows_ what he might say."

"Uhhh… I did not know that you were there…" Sousuke winced, picking himself off the floor.

"Did you hear something?" Kaname asked, pretending not to see Sousuke.

"No," Tessa said, shaking her head.

"You're right," Kaname said, tossing a notebook on the couch near Sousuke. "Silly me." She had written his assignments down for him.

"Uhhh… I apologize… I was only speaking the truth." Sousuke was suddenly quite visible in Kaname's and Tessa's eyes. The growling was evidence of that. "However… if you have made your presence known… instead of skulking…"

Melissa smiled. Sousuke Sagara was the only person she knew who would try to get out of a hole he fell into by digging deeper down.

"_Skulking?" _Kaname and Tessa spoke at the same time. **"Skulking!"**

"Uhhh…" Sousuke began to sweat. This could be a very long night. No, it could be an exceedingly long week.

"I'm too short to skulk," Tessa said with a wry face.

"You left out childish," Kaname said. "I couldn't possibly stay still long enough to skulk, seeing I'm on weight loss pills."

"Yes," Tessa said, still smarting from the mention of 'childish.' "Not to mention bloated and cramping?" She gave Kaname a sweet smile. The two of them stared each other down for a few moments. That had Sousuke thinking back to the Nurse's comment son catfights.

"It sure sounds like you two had an interesting day," Melissa said, like cat sizing up a pair of canaries. "Want a beer?" She held out a six pack. "It's OK, as long as you're not planning to go out on the roof or something."

"Did you tell her everything, Sousuke?" Kaname put her hands on her hips. The look on her face had Sousuke sweating even more heavily.

"Did you bring _my _name into it, Sergeant?" Tessa didn't look too pleased herself. The last thing she wanted was the story to make its way aboard _Da Danaan_. She had been pwned more than she wanted to admit.

"Affirmative," Sousuke said, his throat tightening. "But… Melissa is a friend and comrade… I'm certain…"

"He's dead," Tessa said.

"_So _dead," Kaname agreed.

"Actually, I think Sousuke deserves a round of applause," Melissa said. "It's not every young man who could be honest about such things." She hid a smile behind her hand. How many guys would readily admit they shot themselves in the nads? "It seems to me that he was very responsible in his talk with the nurse. Wouldn't you agree?" She handed Sousuke another beer. He was going to need it.

Kaname stuck her nose in the air and looked away. Tessa busied herself pulling threads off of her uniform blouse.

"At the very least, he behaved better than someone who was trying to make up stories about being kissed," Melissa said. That had Tessa turning pink and tripping over an empty beer can. "I'll tell Kaname the true story later." She turned to look at Kaname. "And, he certainly didn't try to use birth control pills as a way to rub something in someone else's face, _right?"_

"Uhhh…" Sousuke was grateful that Melissa was standing up for him. But, he questioned her motives. And, while Kaname and Tessa both looked somewhat sheepish, each gave him a brief look that promised bad things when Melissa was out of the room.

"So, I think we need to hold our own little class here tonight." Melissa walked over to the refrigerator. She had thrown out some of Sousuke's food, to make room for her beer. Taking out three sixes, she walked back into the living room area and put one in front of Sousuke, Kaname, and Tessa. "I will be the teacher, of course."

"I don't understand," Tessa said, suddenly looking anxious and uncomfortable.

"Just what _kind_ of class?" Kaname raised one eyebrow. She knew Melissa Mao well enough to wonder what kind of trouble she had in mind.

"Sexual Education… Mao style…" Melissa smiled. "Tonight we'll start with Contraceptives, seeing it's a rather hot topic."

"**Melissa!" **Tessa went stiff. "You _wouldn't."_

"You're just joking," Kaname said.

"You think so?" Melissa's smile would have shamed a crocodile. "Well, you think wrong." She looked over at Sousuke. "Don't you think that's a good idea, Tiger?"

"Uhhh…" Sousuke just closed his eyes. If he answered 'No,' Melissa would do things just to spite him. If he answered 'Yes,' she'd credit him with everything, and he would face the wrath of Tessa and Kaname. He stayed quiet.

"See… Sousuke agrees…" Melissa took a long chug of beer, and then let out a satisfied sigh when she was done.

"You can do whatever you like," Kaname said, squaring her shoulders. She was not about to be intimidated by Melissa Mao, no matter how forceful the other woman's personality was. "Since you're here to reassure your superiors about Tessa's stay, I can head home any time I like."

"That's true," Melissa said, grinning. "I _can_ do whatever I like." She looked at Sousuke and shrugged apologetically. "I can mention the whole episode to Kurz. That ought to earn me a cabin full of beer, and a closet full of smokes."

"B-… B-… But…" Kaname's eyes went wide. She was about to say 'You wouldn't,' but knew the opposite was true. "So… if we do this… you promise not to tell anyone…" She hated to give in under pressure. That definitely was not her style. But, she knew the meaning of the saying about cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

"Bingo."Melissa ripped one can out of the plastic rings and sent it tumbling through the air towards Kaname.

"I can order you not to say anything." Tessa felt like a rabbit ready to run. She knew all too well that Lt. Mao never felt pressured by that threat. "And… well… you can't make me listen to anything…" She stuck out her lower lip, feeling a little bit defiant.

"Order away," Melissa said, laughing. She winked at Sousuke, who saw a dark future coming no matter what happened. "You might actually prefer to listen to _my_ little talk. Dr. Mao is a wonderful teacher." She smiled. "But, if you prefer, I'll brief the _other _motivational speakers…" Melissa prepared to drive the knife home. "Dr. Weber…and Dr. Mardukas…"

"We're screwed," Kaname said, shaking her head.

"Not yet," Melissa said cheerfully. "That's the whole point!"

"Uhhh…" Sousuke had just sat down on the edge of the couch. He slid off.

Tessa knocked over a lamp before she made her way to the couch. She sat next to Sousuke, who Mao had helped up. Glaring at everyone for a moment, Kaname elbowed her way between Sousuke and Tessa, but made a big show of ignoring Sousuke.

"Alright then," Melissa said, a look of satisfaction on her face. "Teacher has such eager students." Looking at the three teenagers on the couch, she chuckled, picturing them as the See-no-evil, Hear-no-evil, and Speak-no-evil monkeys that show up on kitschy statues in gift shops world wide. "Let me get a few things I need." She went to grab the bag she kept weapons, clothing, and other gear in.

"Great job, Sousuke." Kaname grumbled.

"Yes," Tessa said. "Just wonderful."

Sousuke just sat quietly. It was like any other mission gone awry. One had to do one's best to survive, hopefully learning something in the process. Putting himself in that frame of mind… as if he was merely sitting in on a briefing… he felt less anxious.

"I'll just be a minute longer," Melissa said, grabbing a glass jar in the refrigerator and sliding open a number of plastic drawers before closing the door on the appliance. "Feel free to experiment while you wait. I'll critique you when I get there." She busied herself working with something over the sink.

Sousuke, Kaname, and Tessa all blushed, making certain not to look at one another. Tessa bit her lip… stood up… and then walked over to sit on the other side of Sousuke. Kaname looked like she blamed the young soldier for leaving a space there.

"OK." Melissa reached into her bag. She took out a long white coat she had 'borrowed' from a hospital once. It made it easy to sneak through medical and research facilities whenever necessary. "Class… today we're going to talk about birth control. It's a controversial topic in some countries… but I say, f-ck'em…" She grinned.

Kaname closed her eyes and sighed. It was going to be a long night. All because she had decided to drop a simple plastic container on the snow at Tessa's feet.

"Probably the oldest method of contraception is _coitus interruptus_," Mao said. "Do I have any volunteers from the audience who want to help demonstrate this?" She grinned, seeing the three sit stone stiff. "Maybe later. During sexual intercourse, the man removes his penis from the woman's vagina just before he shoots his load. He can ejaculate all over her if she likes… or somewhere else for that matter… as long as it's not inside her. Got that Tessa?"

Tessa looked rather pale. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. That had Kaname grinning, even though she was feeling somewhat uncomfortable herself.

"That might not be much fun for the woman, if she didn't get what she wanted yet," Melissa said. "And, it might be hard for the guy to force himself to do it in the heat of passion." She ran a hand through her hair. "Anyway, timing is the key. You'll know what I mean soon enough, Sousuke. Lucky dog."

"Uhhh…" Sousuke swallowed hard. He could feel both Tessa and Kaname brushing against him ever so slightly. He needed a bigger couch.

"That method has a lot of nicknames," Mao said. "One of the most popular is 'the Hail Mary,' due to its low rate of success as well as its connotations for use in the Catholic community." She explained the meaning of a Hail Mary pass in football. She tried not to think about her own Catholic upbringing. "It's inexpensive… requires no artificial devices… has no physical side effects… and can be practiced without a prescription or medical consultation. But, it can be unreliable." She looked at Kaname. "Sousuke told me about the day your class had at the beach. Imagine you're wearing that skimpy white bikini… and your belly is swollen like the watermelon…"

"That…" Kaname's eyes went wide. She then frowned, not wanting to be reminded of Sousuke's reaction to her bathing suit. If he reacted the same way to the lingerie she had felt so dirty buying, he would end up in worse condition than the watermelon had.

"Uhhh…" Sousuke began to sweat again. The whole subject of parents and parenthood was difficult for him, for the obvious reasons. But, at that moment, he pictured a crib with a baby in it. He had to shake his head to clear the image. The infant had been teething on the pull-pin of a grenade.

"Oh my…" Tessa blushed. A spark of mischief danced across her eyes. "Weight loss pills won't help with _that_…" She smiled when Kaname muttered angrily.

"Celibacy, is of course the best birth control method." Melissa said, waving that off with a dismissive gesture. "That can be intentional, or follow the accidental shooting of the male partner in the nuts." She blew Sousuke a kiss. "I can also result from a pissed off partner." She saluted Kaname. "But then, the guy can always find someone else." She nodded to Tessa.

Sousuke felt like a book between two bookends. Both Kaname and Tessa were leaning more heavily against him now.

"I guess I should mention the Rhythm method," Melissa said. "That does _not_ mean doing it to music, Sousuke. You were probably thinking that." She couldn't resist pulling his chain.

"Negative," Sousuke replied.

"Although, I wouldn't be surprised if twangy country music or some of that rap shit might kill sperm better than spermicidal cream." Melissa made a face. "If they don't, that military bagpipe music you listen too probably _will."_ She looked over at Kaname. "It might make things more spontaneous if Sousuke started wearing a kilt, though. What do you think?"

"No!"Kaname shook her head vehemently.

"Tessa, if you ordered him to wear one, he probably would," Mao said. "It would make it easy to sneak a peek…"

"Never!"Tessa couldn't help but look down where Sousuke had his hands covering his crotch area. She turned bright pink.

"Caught you," Melissa said, cocking her finger like a gun and pointing it at her Captain.

"The Rhythm Method means having sex only at times in the month when the woman is less likely to get pregnant." She shook her head. "It's definitely better than nothing; but, the human body can be unpredictable."

"Some people are _too_ predictable," Kaname griped, folding her arms across her chest and looking at Sousuke.

"So true," Tessa said, looking at Kaname. _"Right, _Sousuke?"

Sousuke looked straight ahead. He had felt less stress going up against five _Venom_ class Arm Slaves in Hong Kong, or trying to keep Gauron's self-destruct mechanism from sending the TDD-1 to Davy Jone's Locker.

"Now it's time to move on to barrier methods," Melissa said. She looked over at Kaname. "It doesn'tmean putting something in front of the door to keep Sousuke out." She began rummaging inside of her bag as she spoke.

"We'll see about that," Kaname said sourly.

"The door on my cabin opens outward," Tessa mused, blushing when she realized that she had spoken out loud. That had Kaname sinking her fingernails deep into one of the couch cushions.

"Here's the old tried-and-true." Melissa held up a box of condoms. "Don't leave home without them." She took out packets and threw them to her 'students.' Tessa bobbled hers like it was a hot coal. " Prophylactics. Rubbers. Call them whatever you want. Not only do they keep a girl from being late… if you know what I mean… they also protect against shit you don't want to catch." She gave a brief but colorful description of sexually transmitted diseases.

Tessa looked like she was seriously considering joining a nunnery.

"Open it up and look inside," Melissa said. "The condom is designed to be applied to the tip of the erect member and then rolled over it." She talked about proper application, plus a few caveats. "Water-based sexual lubricants… such as KY Jelly… are safe for use with condoms; but oil-based lubricants… such as Vaseline… weaken latex and cause it to tear or develop holes. Be careful if you have long sharp fingernails. If you put holes in the thing, you're asking for trouble. The condom, I mean."

Sousuke grimaced. He didn't want to think about holes being put in his thing either. He already felt like there was a swarm of bees in his briefs, even though the pain was subsiding. Needing to take his mind off of his discomfort, he looked down at the open package. He shouldn't be feeling funny. He had opened one on more than one occasion, when he needed an emergency canteen.

"So Sousuke, are you thinking about water jugs again?" It was almost as if Melissa could read his mind. She remembered how shocked she had felt when Sousuke told her and Kurz that he had used condoms, before he ruined her illusions by telling them how he had used them.

"Uhhh… I… yes…" Sousuke thought back to the same day. It seemed so long ago now. So many things had happened since then.

"Big otaku idiot," Kaname said.

"Let's do a little hands-on practice now," Melissa said, a wicked gleam in her eyes. She put a jar of pickles down on the floor in front of the couch. "These will have to do, unless you girls can convince Sousuke to let you use the real thing."

"No way!"Kaname blurted out.

"He's… well… he's hurt..." Tessa blushed.

"Well, too bad." Melissa grinned. She opened the jar and held up a rather large pickle. "This will do. It's about actual size." She winked at Sousuke. "I've seen Sousuke naked." The pickle was more than eight inches long and nearly as broad as her wrist.

"**Omigod!" **Kaname's mouth fell open.

Tessa put her fingers on her lips, looking like she was about to pass out.

"Just kidding," Melissa said, taking a bite out of the pickle. That had Sousuke going cross-eyed for a moment. "This is probably more accurate." She held up a small carrot.

"_Hmmmpppfff!"_ Kaname turned red after hearing her own reaction.

"I heard Sgt. Weber once say that size doesn't matter…" Tessa blinked rapidly.

Melissa broke the carrot in half and threw a piece to each of the girls. Sousuke winced at the snapping sound. Neither girl made any effort to eat her snack. Melissa shrugged, took out another carrot, and began nibbling. "Well, I was joking again," she admitted. "I must say Sousuke is being a good sport. Just like he _always_ is, when Kurz and the other losers drag him off with them to visit hookers during shore leave."

"Wh-… Wh-… _What?" _Kaname turned to face Sousuke.

"Sergeant Sagara!"Tessa made a face.

"I always refuse my comrade's offer of money," Sousuke rushed to say. "Just as I always refuse the women's offer of sexual activity." His tongue outran his brain again. "The time the women pulled off my pants, it was not my fault."

**_"WHAT?"_ **Kaname stood up. Hands on her hips, she glared down at Sousuke.

"Uhhh… I managed to pull them back on again before they were able to put their mouth on…" He was wise enough not to finish that sentence. "It required the use of three stun grenades. They were very persistent."

Melissa grinned. That was one of her favorite stories. The way that Kurz told it made her laugh, no matter how many times she had already heard it.

"Clueless… stupid… weapons crazy… jerk…" Kaname sat back down again.

"I think it's kind of sweet," Tessa said, blushing again. "Sousuke was saving himself for someone special."

"I agree," Melissa said, willing to use anything to further Sousuke's cause. She didn't truly put any value on virginity. "I hope a certain girl realizes that. She's pretty lucky. If he were a few years older… or I were a few years younger…" She gave Kaname a meaningful look.

Kaname looked over at Sousuke, her face softening for a moment. Them she tossed her hair made it a point to look unconvinced.

"Here's something you've probably never seen." Reaching inside her bag again, she took out a different box. "Female condoms… femidoms… _not_ to be confused with femdoms."

"Femdoms?" Sousuke had never heard that term before. Neither had Kaname or Tessa.

"Female dominance," Melissa said, chuckling. "It refers to Bondage and Discipline and Sado-Masochism practices where the dominant partner is female." She looked at Kaname. "You're pretty handy with that halisen of yours, I hear. You might make a good dominatrix." That had Tessa giggling. Kaname leaned over to say something to the other Whispered, not realizing she pushed down on Sousuke's sore spot.

"_Awwww-www-ww-w_…" Sousuke bit his tongue.

"See. You're a natural." Mao laughed. "But, I don't know if Sousuke would be into things like strap-on stuff, panty fetishism , boot worship, erotic spanking, or heavy torture." She pursed her lips. "But you never know. Right, Tessa?"

"Me?" Tessa sat upright, banging her head against Sousuke's by accident. "Why are you asking me?"

"_Ohhh-hhh-hh-h_…" Sousuke put his hand to his head. That one would leave a mark.

"If you're finished with foreplay Mistress Tessa, I'll try to get things back on subject." Melissa went to get some ice, and handed it to Sousuke wrapped in a dishrag. "These are larger than male condoms… have a stiffened ring-shaped opening… and are designed to be inserted into the vagina." She reached over to the counter and grabbed a few things she had stashed under a newspaper. "If you want to practice, go ahead." She tossed one half of a hollowed out grapefruit to Kaname, and a similar half of a tangerine to Tessa.

"What?" Kaname stared at the fruit rind.

"But how…" Tessa looked perplexed.

"Those should be about to scale," Melissa said, making another size-related joke. "Give it a try. Aside from cost, one of the reasons for poor sales is that inserting the female condom takes considerably more skill. And, they can make a 'rustling' sound during sex that turns some people off." Neither Kaname nor Tessa made any effort to open their packages. "So Sousuke, what do you prefer, grapefruits or tangerines?"

"It better be grapefruits!"Kaname twitched after saying that.

"Uhhh…" Sousuke was not about to answer. Even he knew a double entendre when he heard it.

"When I get back, I'm going to have to make some changes to the duty roster," Tessa whispered. She glared at Melissa for a moment, before lowering her eyes.

Melissa continued to give her spiel, taking ever opportunity she could to make jokes at Tessa's and Kaname's expense, and zinging a few in there to keep Sousuke on his toes. She spoke about Diaphragms, Cervical Caps, Contraceptive Sponges, and a new Intra Vas Device being developed by a company that Mithril had financial ties to. She also said a few words about IUDs before talking about male and female birth control pills, and the contraceptive patch for women..

"You guys made it through all that pretty well." Mao looked over at Tessa and Kaname. They looked pretty frazzled. No doubt they would be too discombobulated to give Sousuke any trouble that night.

"Whatever," Kaname said. That had indeed left her feeling somewhat numb. But, she was not about to let things slide entirely. "Sousuke… I think you and I should have a little talk…" She laced her fingers together and cracked her knuckles.

"Uhhh…" Sousuke looked over at Melissa.

"That was the boring part," Mao said, impressed by Kaname's resiliency. "The precautions." It looked like she had to keep going. She didn't mind. There was plenty of beer, and she wasn't planning on going anywhere. "Now it's time for us to get down to the nitty gritty…"

"Oh no…" Tessa hung her head.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

END


	4. Chapter 4

Snow was falling again.

It was the third day in a row, that week. That made it a relatively white winter, so far. But, that wasn't what Sousuke was thinking, as he walked alone towards school. To him, it was merely a sign of things repeating.

Melissa had been assigned as a substitute gym teacher at the school, thanks to a promise of more money from Mithril, and a gastrointestinal irritant that Sousuke had put in the regular instructor's Thermos bottle. . No doubt the boys in the Phys Ed class would be working-out extra hard that day, if they weren't sent to the Nurse's office for spontaneous nose-bleeds.

Because Lt. Mao was walking with Tessa and Kaname, Sousuke did not feel derelict in his duty, walking this far ahead of the two Whispered girls. For a moment, he realized that he was guarding Kaname more for personal reasons, than out of any sense of duty or obligation.

"At least the pain has subsided…" He grimaced a bit, slipping on some ice. "For the most part…" There was still some discoloration; but, he didn't have to worry whether or not things would function properly in the future. He found that out last night, in another series of repeats. Was 'repeats' a word? Repetitions. That was one for certain. It was an opportunity to think through something for English class.

**Repeat**. _Verb._ To do or say something again. To do, experience, or produce again.

**Repetition.** _Noun_. The act or process or an instance of repeating or being repeated

Whatever word he chose, there were plenty of practical applications. The snow was falling once more. He had been given multiple talks on human sexuality and contraceptive use. Tessa was back again, and the sleeping arrangements had brought with them a strong feeling of déjà vu.

"They should have known better…" Sousuke rubbed his head. There were a number of welts there. "I made mention of what had happened previously. But, they took her at her word…" Mao, Tessa, and Kaname had all spent the night at his apartment. No one had been hand-cuffed at the start.

Tessa had a habit of walking in her sleep. That fact had been established during her first visit to Japan. Her nocturnal habits had led her to be shackled to Mao at night during the Captains'prior excursion to Jindai High School. But, the young Captain promised it wouldn't happen again this time. She said that the things that happened in the past must have been an aberration.

If so, it was an aberration that had a tendency to repeat in his domicile! Last night, she had crawled into his bed without waking him, even though he was normally a very light sleeper. Naturally, when he rolled over, his hand ended up on her breast again. This time, however, Kaname had been looking for the other girl when it happened. Her shout woke Tessa, whose startled reaction left him with an accidental punch to the jaw. Before Melissa had gotten up herself, Kaname had clobbered him on the head with a fuzzy slipper.

"She did not even wait for an explanation…" Sousuke scowled and marched on. He shouldn't be too surprised. That too was a recurring theme. "Despite all that, Tessa resisted, refusing to be handcuffed like a prisoner again…"

So, to prevent yet another repeat, he took matters into his own hands, so to speak. He decided to sleep under his bed. After all, that was something he was used to. Unfortunately, he had not counted on the power of dreams. At one point, he looked to one side, and saw three pairs of eyes staring at him. Tessa was peeking under the bed at him. Kaname and Melissa were there as well. Sitting upright too quickly, he banged his head on the box springs. They had actual been figments of his imagination.

The second time he saw someone looking under the bed, he incorrectly assumed that he was dreaming again. When he had heard Tessa ask 'Can I come under there with you,' he answered 'You may do whatever you like. This is a dream.' The young Captain had snuggled up next to him, content to press against him and fall asleep. Part of his anatomy was not inclined to do the same, however. When Kaname pulled him out from under the bed by his ankles, he was left in a compromised position. That time, she had tattooed his scalp with the halisen.

"I was treated like a prisoner…" Sousuke said to himself. "Even though they finally handcuffed her…" Mao had put one cuff on her wrist, and the corresponding cuff on Tessa's. That should have solved the problem. But, Kaname wasn't content with that. For some reason, she placed equal blame on him. As a result, she took rope out of his closet and tied him down to his bed.

Melissa had commented on Kaname being a great dominatrix after all. That did not sit well with Kaname. But, she _did_ loosen the ropes ever so slightly. Then, later that night, she went through one of her habitual change of hearts. Seeing that Tessa and Melissa were sound asleep, she climbed into the bed and lay next to him, wanting to speak quietly and apologize for her recent behavior.

It had been a pleasant interlude, one that left him feeling somewhat confused, but hopeful for the future. Having a warm girl pressed up against him was actually quite nice. He thought he could get used to something like that; though, he might prefer having his hands free, if only to keep his wrists from chafing.

When his girlfriend had fallen asleep, Sousuke found that he was too uncomfortable to get any sleep himself. Accordingly, he slipped his hands out from the ropes. After that, he managed to doze off. He might have had a satisfying rest, had Melissa and Tessa not noticed Kaname's absence.

'**WHAT WERE THEY DOING?'**

Tessa's shout had awakened him and Kaname, not to mention any number of his neighbors. The two teenagers found each other in the middle of an unconscious embrace. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing by itself. In fact, Kaname looked somewhat like a cat that had swallowed the canary. But, for Sousuke, it had been a very bad night to have had a wet dream.

Kaname had shouted 'Pervert' and pummeled him yet again. Tessa had stood stiff like a statue for three straight minutes, barely breathing and blinking. Melissa had smiled like she had won a huge lottery jackpot. In the end, Kaname had given him a sleeping back and sent him out into the hall.

"It was cold out there…" Things did not quiet down after he left the apartment. When he had been in the room, his involuntary physical reaction had been a death warrant. But, once he left, it became a point of contention. He could hear every word. Kaname told Tessa that Sousuke had done what he did when _she_ was in bed with him, not when he was with her. Tessa countered with 'Wait until next time.' Melissa told them to hold off fussing until she could get a cold beer. He didn't get any sleep after that.

When morning came, and he snuck back into the apartment to shower, he was ready to forget the past and begin fresh. After all, it was a new day. But, being groggy, he didn't think things through. He was too used to staying in the apartment alone. So, as usual, he didn't lock the bathroom door.

Standing in the shower, he took a moment to think things through before turning the water on. Tired, he had no idea how long he stood like that, trying to come up with some way to survive the coming day. When Tessa pulled back the shower curtain, he froze. She was naked. There had originally been a towel wrapped around her, but that came off as Kaname tried to pull her back, saying _she_ was going to shower first.

'Uhhh…'

That had been all he managed to say. Tessa had turned pink from head to toe. Kaname had turned red in the face, looking like steam could come shooting out of her ears at any moment. Melissa said the best way to resolve things was to put everyone on an equal footing. She pulled off Kaname's towel too. Things had become too jumbled after that to remember. All except the fact that he ended up with _another_ erection, and Mao told the girls to get some condoms to practice with.

Over breakfast, Melissa had tried to smooth everything over. She fixed the food, and did a very good job of it. While the others ate, she walked through things verbally, trying to make certain that everyone knew what had actually happened during the night and first thing that morning. Then, in the guise of talking to Sousuke, she took to lecturing a rather miffed looking Kaname.

'You need a girlfriend who is _understanding_,' she had said. 'You need a girlfriend who _trusts_ you. You need a girlfriend who makes you feel _safe._ You need a girlfriend who makes you laugh and you can have _fun_ with.'

Kaname had nodded her head, looking somewhat shy. It was a new look for her. Tessa had made a face, and it wasn't because of the grapefruit she had been given to eat.

'The most important thing to remember…' Melissa had added. '…Is to make certain that Kaname does notfind out about the _other_ three.'

Kaname had stood up so quickly, that she knocked over her orange juice. Instead of saying 'Melissa,' she turned and shouted 'Sousuke.' Some things never change. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.

Tessa had said 'Perfect,' and gave Melissa a 'V' sign. She reached over and stole the tangerine form Kaname's plate and began peeling it. That started yet another squabble.

A loud air-horn sounded on a truck a few streets over. Mind drawn back to the present, Sousuke focused on working out some stiffness. Moving one shoulder in circle, he loosened up his muscles. He did the same on the other side, and then tried to work a kink out of his neck. Staring off into the distance, he took note of a few scorch marks on the taller buildings, along with areas of broken concrete. They were unwanted reminders from the day that he and Arbalest had battled Leonard and Belial in the streets of Tokyo. Repair work was under way, but things were far from being finished.

"I did everything I could to bring her home…" He looked back at Kaname, who was a good two blocks behind him. Even at that distance, he could easily tell that she stuck her nose in the air and harrumphed. Despite everything that had happened yesterday, he would do things all over again. Just the same, he couldn't help but hope for something different. "I am not used to peace. But, I think I would _like_ to be…"

To be honest, things had gotten a lot better once he brought Kaname back, and the two of them were allowed to resume their schooling at Jindai High School. No doubt that was why Kaname had taken a very big step, visiting a doctor and getting that prescription. But, it would have been nice if she could have been supportive, rather than adversarial. Did she _really_ doubt him that much? Or, did her confident exterior hide a great deal of insecurity?

He heard the sound of hurried footsteps. Was that Kaname, coming to apologize? Turning again, he saw Tessa. That left him feeling somewhat disappointed, and not a little bit anxious. He liked Tessa. He truly did. And, he couldn't deny feeling some slight attraction to her. But, her being in Tokyo did nothing more than bring him a world full of hurt, literally. Just talking with her could get Kaname feeling resentful again.

Sousuke sighed. He tried to be fair. The Captain worked very hard at a difficult job, and deserved at chance at a better life, wherever and whenever she could grab it. It wasn't too much of a sacrifice for him to put up with days like these. It was certainly easier than Boot Camp had been, not to mention his days living with the mujahideen.

"Sousuke…" Tessa sounded somewhat reserved, even for her.

"Yes, Captain?" Sousuke kept looking straight ahead. It was an unconscious reaction. He wasn't trying to be spiteful or make any kind of point.

"Oh… I see…" Tessa stumbled but righted herself. "It's Tessa…" She walked a little further before continuing. "I'm sorry…"

"I accept your apology," Sousuke said flatly. He didn't want to be rude; but, if he was too friendly, it might gloss things over, and Kaname would probably feel compelled to escalate matters. He was not in the mood for _that._

"Don't you want to know what I'm apologizing for, first?" Tessa sounded a bit worried. When Sousuke didn't reply, she needed to fill the void. "I didn't come to Tokyo to cause trouble… I came because I felt so wonderful during my last visit…"

"I see," Sousuke said. "Last time, things were not so pleasant for me." Things were quiet until he decided to be more specific. "I assaulted Cmdr. Mardukas by mistake. I almost drowned in the pool. I became very ill from stress and lack of sleep. You and Kaname fought over my care, and I had a bowl of steaming porridge fall on my face." He did not mention the bedtime issues that happened during that visit. "While everyone else had fun at the hot springs, I needed to work hard to keep Kurz, Shinji, and Onodera from peeping on you and the others."

"Thank you for taking such good care of me then," Tessa said, twisting her pony tail in her hand. The mention of the onsen had her biting her lip. "It really made a big difference in my life. It gave me a renewed sense of purpose, and that helped after Amalgam attacked." She smiled, seeing Sousuke glance sideways at her. "Do you remember… when I came to your apartment that first time… I said that we might look like boyfriend and girlfriend if we walked together…"

"Uhhh…" That had Sousuke turning to stare at Tessa for a few moments. If Kaname overheard something like that! "_Ooooo-ooo-oo-oph_…" Not paying attention, he walked straight into a lamp post. That kind of thing never happened to someone with his innate positioning sense.

"Sergeant Sagara!" Tessa hurried to see if he was alright. Twisting her ankle, she fell up against him.

"**Not another step!"** That was Melissa's voice, no doubt directed at Kaname.

"I will be OK, Captain." Sousuke rubbed his forehead. If Kaname would not chide him for being an otaku fool, it might do him well to wear a combat helmet, the way things had been going lately. "Uhhh… if you are alright, you may let go of me…"

"Sorry." Tessa stepped away. "You're getting to be a lot like _me,_ Sousuke. Running into things." She smiled. "It's nice to have some things in common with you." As if on cue, she tripped and fell. Sousuke caught her.

"**Stay!"** That was Melissa again.

"But…" Kaname said.

"I won't trouble you any more this morning, Sergeant." Tessa straightened the collar of her heavy winter coat. "I know what you and Kaname feel for each other." She sighed. "But, I just want to say that I would never treat you the same way. The hitting, I mean." She felt compelled to say more. "You don't deserve that. You're too nice a guy. It must get old after a while…" She stopped and waited for Mao to catch up.

Sousuke kept on walking. He thought about what Tessa had said, and sought the meaning behind her words. He wasn't so clueless these days that he was blind to the truth. Well, not all of the time.

"Go ahead…" Melissa must have been speaking to Kaname again.

Sure enough, Kaname hurried forward, taking her turn at Sousuke's side. Biting her lip, she reached out and took his hand. When he didn't pull away, she squeezed it a couple of times. She smiled when Sousuke squeezed back. That took a little bit of the fear away.

"Are you… are you _alright,_ Sousuke…" Kaname looked up at him as they strolled together. "That was a nasty accident you had."

"I am fine, Kaname." Sousuke kept looking straight ahead. "I have had much worse recently."

"Oh…" Kaname tried to get him to look at her again, but failed. That had her anxiety level rising. Sousuke had never behaved quite like this before. Was it because of everything that had happened since Tessa arrived at the school? Was it because of something she had just said? Might everything over the past year or so be weighing heavily on him? Was he having second thoughts about the two of them?

They walked in silence for a couple of blocks. Behind them, Kaname heard Melissa say 'stay' again. This time it was obviously for Tessa. Hearing that, Kaname swallowed hard and pushed ahead.

"I know I've been a bit edgy lately…" She coughed to clear her throat. "It's not an excuse… but with Tessa here… it kind of feels like an intrusion, you know…" She held tighter to Sousuke's hand. "After getting back to Tokyo… well… I didn't want to be reminded of Mithril, Whispered, or things like that…"

"You'll always be Whispered," Kaname. Sousuke looked over at her, beginning to understand some of what she must have been feeling. That didn't necessarily make it right; but, it was easier to accept.

"I _know_ that you big…" Kaname caught herself. "I know, Sousuke." She felt a tear come to her eye. "But… I guess it won't be so bad if you're always there… _right?"_

Sousuke took a few more steps before answering "Affirmative." Truth be told, he didn't really want to imagine himself being anywhere else. But, the future held so many uncertainties for him now. While it had been much worse being nothing more than a soldier and killing machine, things had been much simpler before. "I have no wish to be elsewhere…"

"Good." Kaname let go of Sousuke's hand and grabbed his arm instead. She began walking right next to him, bumping against him any chance she got. She wanted to say 'And you have no wish for anyone else either, right,' but thought better of it. She didn't want to sound that needy. "So, what did Tessa say that had you walking into a lamp post?"

"Uhhh…" Sousuke looked straight ahead again. He liked the way that Kaname was behaving at the moment. If he said anything, he might ruin things.

"Come _on,_ soldier." Kaname reached out and hugged him quickly. "I won't get mad. I'm feeling much better now." She smiled and tossed her hair. Running in front of Sousuke, she stop on her tiptoes and gave him a quick smooch.

"No whining!" That was Melissa yet again. "If you want, I'll blindfold you or deliver you to school in a sack."

"**Melissa!"** Tessa's voice went up a couple of octaves.

"The Captain said that she and I looked like boyfriend and girlfriend when we walked together." Sousuke braced himself, waiting for Kaname to explode.

"I see…" Kaname took Sousuke's arm again. "That's nothing more than wishful thinking. _Hmmmpppfff." _She laughed. But, her eyes narrowed. "So, you told her differently… right…"

"Uhhh…" Sousuke swallowed hard. He heard the edge on that 'right.' It could have cut through tempered steel.

"Sousuke? What did you tell her?" Kaname's smile flattened out some. She began walking with a slight stamping motion.

"Uhhh…" Sousuke rubbed his forehead.

"_Wellll-lll-ll-l_…" Kaname stopped. Still holding onto Sousuke's arm, she caused him to swing around some. "What did you say?" She began clenching and unclenching her free hand.

"I believe I said 'Oooppphhh,' Kaname." Sousuke nodded his head. "I had walked into the post."

"I see… Oooppphhh… that's it…" Kaname put her hands on her hips. "Nothing after that?" Her eyes flashed.

"Negative," Sousuke said. "I resumed walking, listening to what she was saying."

"OK. She said that the two of you looked like a couple, and you didn't deny it." Kaname smiled and began walking again. "Hey, that doesn't mean anything, right? I'm perfectly fine with it."

"I bet a six pack that she kicks him." Melissa sounded amused.

"The halisen," Tessa said. "I bet you two bottles of bubble bath."

"_What?"_ Kaname felt like turning and glaring at the two other girls. Instead, she squared her shoulders, tossed her hair, and then walked over and kissed Sousuke again. In a voice only he could hear, she said "You're on my list, mister!"

"You owe me some beer," Melissa said, putting her hands behind her neck and grinning.

"No I don't," Tessa said. "You said she was going to kick him."

"_Kiss_ him," Melissa said. "I bet that she was going to kiss him."

"Melissa." Tessa shook her finger at her friend. "You liar…" Things dissolved into an argument after that.

"They sound so catty," Kaname said, smiling again. "You'd never catch me acting like that, _right?"_

"Uhhh…" Sousuke flinched. Being truthful might keep his pride intact, but could well set Kaname off. Not answering would be the same as saying she _did_ act like that. A little white lie was acceptable at that moment. "Right."

"Such a good boyfriend." Kaname patted Sousuke on his cheek. Then, she pinched him on the buttock, hard. "Next time you know what to tell Tessa! Big idiot…"

After that, Sousuke lapsed into a false sense of security. Walking slowly with Kaname on his arm, he noticed things that he usually overlooked when walking along the same street. The chill wind had his ears stinging ever so slightly, but it barely caught his attention. But, elephant's supposedly never forget. Leeches hang on until they get all the blood they want. Kaname Chidori was cut from similar cloth.

"Sousuke?" Kaname stopped and halted Sousuke's progress. They could see the school now.

"Yes, Kaname?" Sousuke wondered if she wanted him to kiss her in view of Jindai High again, to prove that he was embarrassed being her boyfriend.

"What _else _did Tessa say to you?" Kaname busied herself looking at her nails.

"She… I told her she could let go of me, when she fell against me." Sousuke began feeling tense again.

"That's very good!" She looked up and brushed some snow off of his coat. After smiling a sweet smile, she narrowed her eyes again. "But what did _she_ say…"

"Uhhh… if my memory serves me… I think she said that it was nice to have things in common, seeing that I had behaved in clumsy fashion." Sousuke looked over at the school. So close, and yet so far. It was like seeing a fortification just out of reach, and hearing the characteristic scream of incoming artillery shells.

"And…" Kaname was tapping her foot against the frozen ground, faster and faster.

"She then said that she would not trouble me any more this morning." Sousuke said. He let out a sigh. "That should suffice."

"It should," Kaname remarked. "For someone else." She looked over at Tessa and Melissa, who had stopped to watch them. "What did she say after that?"

"Uhhh… the Captain said that she knew what you and I feel for one another." Sousuke tried to look nonchalant. Maybe _that _would be enough.

"Really?" Kaname looked over at Tessa again. It was good that the other girl knew her place. "And…"

"Kaname?" Sousuke tried his clueless act. That was indeed merely an act these days. Kaname saw through it immediately. When she glared at him, he continued. "She informed me that she would never treat me the same way… she meant striking me…." He cleared his throat again. "She said I do not deserve that. I am too nice a guy. That kind of behavior gets old after a while…"

"Anything _else?"_ Kaname clenched her fists. "So, you think I get old after a while?" She began to tremble ever so slightly.

"Kaname… no… I didn't…" Sousuke held up his hands. "It was Tessa who… _owwww-www-ww-w_…"

"**Big jerk!"** Kaname began stomping off to school in a snit, after giving Sousuke a wicked kick to the shin.

"Hah! That's more beer you owe me," Melissa said to a smirking Tessa.

"What?" Tessa wrinkled up her nose.

"I was right about the kissing _and_ the kicking." She rubbed her hands together. The two of them headed after Kaname, arguing again.

Sousuke stood alone, watching the receding figures. He had survived in a harsh country that had claimed the life of his parents. He had made it out of a Lebanese prison cell. He had escaped an entire squad of enemy insurgents hunting for him in the tall reeds bordering a Cambodian river. He had managed to stay alive during a difficult time in Iraq. He had walked away from encounters with Gauron, Kurama, and Leonard.

He didn't know if he could survive much more of Kaname, Tessa, and Melissa.

Trudging through the accumulating snow, he managed to make it to the school without incurring any more injuries. After hanging his coat in his locker, he found himself in the middle of another sea change. Kaname came running over to him, her face aglow. Tessa and Melissa were following behind her.

"**Sousuke!"** Kaname slid to a halt, so close that he could feel her breath on his face. "Remember last time Tessa visited? We went to the hot springs."

"Affirmative," Sousuke said. He sighed. He was not feeling up to another disaster like that. If Kurz was going to show up again, who knows what someone might let slip.

"Cheer _up,_ you moping military malcontent!" Kaname reached out and tweaked Sousuke's nose. "We're going again." She bent over and whispered in his ear. "Tessa's treat, to make up for everything. No Mizuki. No Shinji. No OnoD. No Kurz Weber. No Kyouko. No Ren. No Melissa. And most importantly, no Tessa." She blew in his ear.

"Uhhh…" Sousuke jerked and banged his injured shin on the locker door.

"That's right," Kaname crowed. "Just you and I alone. We can do whatever we like." She looked over at Tessa. "And no one will be there to stop us. Not that anyone could, anyway…" She turned back to Sousuke again, missing the look in Tessa's eyes.

Once again, she should have left the sleeping dog alone.

"We'll _see _about that," Tessa whispered.

Mao smiled.


End file.

Full Metal Panic, Humor