Aftermath (part 4 of 6)

a Read or Die fanfiction by Shanejayell

Back to Part 3
Together

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They made their way through Tokyo’s streets, Yomiko pointing out the 
sights. Typically, most of the sights she mentioned were book related, 
but Nancy kind of expected that from her. The sun was shining, a warm 
breeze stirred both of their hair, and Nancy was with the one she 
loved. ‘Now, if only she loves me too,’ Nancy thought.

Yomiko opened the door to her building, and Nancy followed her in 
eager to see where Yomiko lived. Nancy’s eyes widened when she saw the 
books stacked in the hallway, and they almost popped out of her head 
when she saw the mountains of books in the main room. They were all 
over the floor, laying on the bed, and draped over every available 
surface. “Bibliophile,” Nancy said, looking around the room in awe, 
“definite bibliophile.”

“What was that?” Yomiko asked cheerfully as she moved a stack of books 
aside and uncovered a chair for Nancy.

Nancy laughed softly, “I was just saying you were a real book lover.” 
She grinned suddenly as she remembered another thing from the battle 
over New York. The girl had leapt from an airplane to rescue a book, 
risking life and limb because she hadn’t read it yet! Yomiko was just 
lucky her coat got caught on the Statue of Liberty’s crown, or she 
might have died. She remembered climbing up, and helping the girl get 
to safety, wryly asking her if she was an idiot.

Nancy sat down, but noticed it was a bit uncomfortable. She fished 
under the seat cushion and pulled out a slim paperback that she handed 
to Yomiko, who blushed and put it aside.

“What happened to you? How did you regain your memory, Nancy-san?” 
Yomiko asked her softly.

Nancy smiled slightly, and leaned back in the chair in her trademark, 
lounging pose. The chair promptly flipped over on it’s back! 
“Nancy-san!” Yomiko cried out worriedly, leaping up and helping Nancy 
up off the floor. Surprisingly, the young woman was laughing 
uncontrollably.

“I’m all right! I am, really,” Nancy reassured Yomiko with a cheery 
smile. They set the chair back up, Nancy brushed herself off and sat 
down somewhat more carefully. She looked intently at Yomiko, “Did you 
know, at the hospital, that it was really me?”

“I wondered,” Yomiko said softly. “There was something in your eyes, 
that I saw in yours when we first met. Kindness, and a little sorrow, 
all mixed up.”

Nancy nodded thoughtfully, “I began to remember things shortly after 
your visit.” She laughed softly, “I thought some of it was purely 
fantasy, honestly.”

Yomiko smiled over at her questioningly. “Like what?”

Nancy laughed softly, “The paper airplane, for one.” She grinned, 
remembering them all standing on the building. They had no way to 
chase the enemy, until Yomiko popped her case of papers open. The 
sheets of paper swirled around them, dancing under Yomiko’s touch, 
until a giant paper airplane formed, hanging in midair. Nancy and 
Drake had looked on disbelievingly, while Yomiko hopped on.

Yomiko blushed, “It wasn’t that bad.”

“After that, the memories gradually returned, and eventually I 
recalled enough to contact Joker,” Nancy explained. She smiled at the 
suddenly alarmed expression on Yomiko’s face, and hurried to reassure 
her, “It’s all right, Joker let me go. He said...”

The phone rang. Nancy looked about wildly at the stacks of books, 
while Yomiko unerringly walked to one stack, shifted a few aside, and 
answered the phone. “Hai, Yomiko Readman’s... oh, Joker-san!... uh 
huh, uh huh, right... Hai!... thank you, Joker-san!” She smiled 
happily, putting the phone down.

“I guess he told you, huh?” Nancy said with a smile.

“You’re free to go,” Yomiko agreed.

“And free to do what I want to,” Nancy said softly. “I still don’t 
remember everything that happened, Yomiko. Who created me, and the 
other great ones is still a mystery to me. But I found my strongest 
memories have been of one person.” She got up from the chair and 
slowly stalked over to a suddenly blushing Yomiko.

“Nancy-san?” Yomiko said softly, as the woman looked down at her. 
Nancy pulled her glasses off, and unpinned her hair, letting it swing 
free.

Nancy knelt down by Yomiko, and smiled at her gently. “I’ve wanted to 
do this for a while,” Nancy said, and softly kissed Yomiko. Yomiko sat 
stock still for a second, then leaned in and began to kiss Nancy back.

“Nancy-san,” Yomiko said breathlessly, “I think I lo...”

Nancy stopped her, a gentle finger to her lips. “Don’t say that yet, 
Yomiko,” Nancy said softly. “You don’t know me that well yet, really. 
But I’d like to give you the chance to get to know me,” Nancy said 
with a smile.

“I feel like I’ve known you forever, Nancy-san,” Yomiko said softly, 
smiling shyly as she looked up into her dark eyes.

“Being in deadly danger can do that,” Nancy said gently. “But you 
don’t know what I eat, or do for fun, or...” she shrugged. “I want to 
give you a chance to see me, warts and all,” she finished.

“What do you want to do?” Yomiko said hesitantly.

“Would you like to go out on a date with me?” Nancy asked her 
tentatively.

Yomiko looked at her blankly, then grinned happily, “I’d love to, 
Nancy-san!” 

Onwards to Part 5


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