Lita felt like she had running forever and when she stopped, she was breathless. Staring out at the blue-green sea, she sat on a rock near the cliff. The sound of waves crushing against the rocks and birds flying above the sea didn't gave the peace that she had hoped to find. No matter how sternly or how firmly she told herself not to think about the way he gripped her hands and his mouth crushing roughly on her mouth, her mind kept remembering the same thing. She knew she could just kicked him like she had done during the battle, but something stopped her, preventing her from doing that. And she began to wonder, what had stopped her?

When he kissed her so hard, the first feeling she felt was willingness. But when he insulted her with her words, it wasn't angry she felt but hurt as if he had torn her heart into pieces. No one had ever made her felt so angry, affectionate and hurting at the same time. Everyword he had said and everything he had done, made her heart beating fast and her blood running wildly. Lita knew, she reluctantly admired the power he hold within his hand, the tenderness he had shown her and his undoubtedly intelligent and they filled her days with bursting pride.

Right now, she couldn't face him. All she wanted to do was to be alone and as far as she can away from him. She was too confused with unidentified feeling for him and she needed to think through about an unbearably handsome and an irresistible Maxfield Stanton.

* * * * * *

Dusk came to replace the hot evening and Nephrite still hadn't seen a glimpse of Lita. It made him uncomfortably worry. But when the night had came, he was no longer worry he was alarm! Unpleasant thoughts began to display in his mind and he cursed himself for letting his anger took control. Anything could happen in a thick jungle like this, especially at night and he was sincerely hoped that Lita hadn't gone into the jungle. But since Nephrite was worry and anxious about her safety, he decided to go in to search for her.

It was hard to see through the darkness and the light that he had generated using his little power didn't help much. When he arrived at the stream, he hadn't found a trace of her and this made him more worry. Turning back, he tried to think where did Lita will possibly go if was angry. Unfortunately, he knew a little about her because he had only known her for one month. It wasn't enough time to get to know her since she was so damn unapproachable. Perhaps she had gone to the beach. Where else would she go if not there? It appeared , she didn't have much choice.

Cautiously, he went up to the cliff, hoping to find her there. Fate didn't disappoint him when he saw she was there. Lita had changed her position. She was leaning against a huge rock with her knees drew closed to her chest. With the moonlight bathing the exquisite and flawless feature and wind blew her soft chestnut hair across her face, she looked absolutely stunning, eventhough without expensive and elegant clothes and shinning jewels, wrapped around her slender body. His heart slammed with admiration as desire began to pour through his vein.

Withdrawing the power, he silently walked towards her as Lita was totally unawared of his presence. Quietly and gently, he spoke up for the first time since their argument.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" It wasn't exactly what he wanted to say but it exactly what had crossed his mind. Lita abruptly twisted her head together a surprised feature. For awhile they just looked at each other, silent and unmoving.

Lita rested her chin onto her knees as she returned her gaze back at the ocean again. It wasn't that she refused to say anything because she was not angry anymore. It just that she was speechless by his unexpected arrival from no where and wondering whether he came to apologize or another way around.

Nephrite sighed quietly. He had expected that. Without waiting for an invitation, he sat next to her and decided to give another try. "Are you decided to stay up here all the night?"

Turning her head to face him, her lips twitched. Nephrite couldn't tell whether it was a smiling or pouting. "What if, I am?" Her words startled him, because he thought she will stay quiet all the night.

"Just want to inform you, that it will be a long and cool night for you, if you intend to do so," Lita glanced at him, torn between annoyance with his arrogance and amusement for his concern.

"My blood was boiling not long ago and I went up her to cool it down," Tried to suppress a laughter, she continued. "Since I can't abide from getting it from the cold-blooded man that somehow managed to make my blood boiled, I tried to get it here. Pretty confusing, huh?" Lita was almost laughed when she saw him frowning, if she hadn't covered her mouth.

"You can always change that cold-blooded man into warm, if you want to," Nephrite said, decided to give her a teeny bit revenge.

"Really? Just tell me how?" Lita's eyes were twinkled mischievously at him. Nephrite just glanced at her and grinned secretly, as if to tell her, she knew exactly what he mean.

Lita caught his meaning and felt the warmth crept up to her cheeks. She could sworn that her cheeks were pink. "Tell me, did you get your business by inherited it or you started it by your own?" Lita quickly changed the topic. Her choice of topic amused him, since he wanted to get to know her better.

"I inherited it from my father," his answer was short, as if he didn't wish to continue. Lita looked at him as if to wait him to carry on.

"That's it?" she said, raising her eyesbrows. "You really don't like to talk much about yourself, do you? I rather thouht that a famous tycoon like you, would so many things to talk about,"

"I rather be talking about you," he said, smiling amusedly. Nephrite watched her slender body stiffened. After awhile silent, she curved a small smile, as if to cover up her last reaction.

"My life is not very interesting. You'll get bore in any second," she finally said.

"Try me," he challenged. Realizing her didn't answer his question, he decided to continue. "I've never seen your parents. All that I know, you are pretty close to your uncle. So, lets start from there," Lita gave him a sideway look and she was biting her lips, trying not to look amused.

"The only reason you've never seen them because they had gone," she whispered at the last word. Lita never thought she would feel the same kind of emetion that she had felt at their funurel. It was so long and she was afraid, she would forget their smile, their gentle advises and their wonderful laughs. The memories about them, little by little began to fade and she feared soon she will totally forget about them.

"You mean divorced?" his strong and muscular voice, brought her back to reality.

"No, they're dead," To her horror, her eyes were burning. Swallowing back the lump in her throat, she smiled at him.

"Are you saying, you alone now?" he asked her in incredulity. Seeing her shrugged, as if nothing matters, made him instantly proud for her strengh and bravado.

"Do you have any boyfriend?" he asked. "I thought an eighteen years old girl, usually has a boyfriend. So, I assume...." he explained hastily.

"All the boys at my age are...afraid of me," she began hesitated, feeling her face began to blush furiously. Lita looked at his surprise look. "It just that I was unusually tall and I used to get involved in fights," she finished her sentence with a soft laughter. Leaning her lips to her ear, she whispered. "For your information, besides you, no one had ever kissed me," she confessed.

"Surely, you're jesting!" Nephrite was completely shocked. Boys at her place had to be blind. To him, Lita had appeared to be a sophisticated , elegant and absolutely interesting. And she'd appeared to be popular among men, because at his friend's ball two weeks ago, he had seen dozens of men were eager to have a dance with her. She had outshone everuy woman at the ball with her humor and flawless feature.

"It's true. I was the tallest girl in my first year at the high school and at the same height with most the guys. That's why all the boys I had ever dated broke our relationship," she was laughing now. Oddly, what he felt right now was not hilarious but poignant and he was having an urge to punch every stupid boys who had dumped her.

"Because of your height?" he asked.

"And because of my past. Did I tell you that I've kicked out from school because I was fighting?" Her face were flushed the laughter and her eyes twinkled.

"No, but I think it is rather interesting. Never had I met a woman managed to look beautiful and spirited at the same time," his smile was full with tenderness.

"You have no idea how spirited I am," her eyes were shinning secretly.

"Well, the boys who had dumped you were undoubtedly stupid," Nephrite remarked, slowly lowering his face to hers.

"Why?" Lita asked. Her heart was hammering fastly when she realized that he wanted to kiss her.

"Because, you are the loveliest and the most beautiful creature God had ever created," before she could think another suitable answer, his lips touched hers in sweet contact, making Lita unable to think at all.

His kiss were gently at first, but when Lita flattened her palms against his chest and slidded them up to his neck, his restrain broke. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and drew her closer. Hearing her soft moan, making his blood ran wildly through his vein and he was desperately trying to slow down his kiss. His tongue touched her barely parted lips, urging her to opened her mouth.

Surrendering herself to him completely, Lita opened her mouth, permitted for deeper and greater intimacy. His hands were touching every part of her body, as if he could never get enough of her. Lita, unconsciously, brought her hands to his hard cheek and temple and hold it tenderly, as she was uncertain how to respond to his kiss.

It seemed like an eternity when Nephrite finally lifted his head. He watched Lita huge green eyes and her flushed lips, which he had roughly kissed. They were catching their breath, when Lita finally spoke up. "Let go of me," Immediately, Nephrite released her and Lita stood up and ran away from him.

* * * * * *

I don't believe this!" Ami exclaimed angrily, punching off the television. Lita had been missing for three days and the same news repeated again and again. The news of a famous president of Stanton Industries had been a talk to all over the country. They had searched every where for him or his corpse and nothing. And the damnest thing was they had never mentioned except once about Lita. Stupid Dark Kingdom scums! Ami thought irritably.

Standing up, she put on her sweater and decided to go for a walk. The night was unusually cool for a hot city like Tokyo. Her mind flew to previous days, when they encounter the Dark Kingdom's generals again. Strangely enough, she didn't feel the same hatred she had felt during their fight with them. Except for irritated and annoyance, she was felt quite respect for their wealth. The guardians are richer than the prince. Ami unconsciously smiled at the thought.

"Someone could just attack you from behind," a mocking voice greeted her from behind and it startled her. Quickly turned around, Ami saw an annoyingly smile that came from Zoisite, who was leaning against the wall. He started to walk towards her.

"You are so unprepared," he suddenly criticized her. It made Ami felt insulted. But she still could let it go. A calm and collected Mercury had never attack people with her words. "If I am your enemy, I could just attack you,"

"You are still my enemy, and if you always attack your foe from behind, that's make a fighter without dignity," her voice was soft but enough to make Zoisite stiffened and frowned.

"I thought we had agreed to call whatever happened in the past a truce?" Zoisite said. But Ami just looked away and tightened her sweater around her body.

"If you can beat me in chess, I'll call whatever happened the last time we fight a truce," Ami smiled sweetly at him. Zoisite smiled back her and nodded his head as the answer to her challenge.