A/N: This is a story that I've been thinking about for years. I'm a little nervous about jumping into a Marimite story, but I've loved many of the fanfics that others have written and I thought that I'd try my hand with a short story while I battle writer's block with my two ongoing stories. Enjoy and please let me know what you thought.

Disclaimer: I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru. It is the brainchild of the brilliant Konno Oyuki. Besides, if I did own it, the second season would have ended with Sachiko and Yumi confirming their love with a romantic kiss.

Ten Years Later

A Maria-sama ga Miteru Story

Chapter 1: Life as We Know It

Yumi

"I just finished my proposal for the new Haibatsu building. Five years in the company, and my dad finally let me present one of my blueprints," Yumi sighed into the phone. She was talking to her best friend, Shimazu Yoshino.

Yoshino laughed, "You can't really blame him, can you? What would his clients think if they knew that almost every building designed by Fukuzawa Architecture was drawn by a girl just out of Lillian University?"

Puffing her cheeks, the brunette retorted, "I should have known better than to complain to you." Her face and tone softened, "Thank you, Yoshino-san. I needed that. By the way, what are the girls like at Lillian this year?" Yoshino and her cousin/lover, Hasekura Rei were teachers at the all-girls' school. Yoshino taught literature and no surprise, Rei taught physical education and was the advisor for the kendo club. She had won a silver medal at the Kendo World Championships, falling to her high school nemesis, Tanaka Riko*.

"Anytime, Yumi-san," Yoshino replied. "Well, as much as I hate to cut this short, I have a pile of papers that won't grade themselves. And the girls are just as cute as always. There's a Sei-sama clone that cutting a swath through the girls."

Yumi shivered at the thought of another Sei and looked at her watch, "Oh no! I need to get going too. It was my turn to pick Yuuichi from preschool. Masa-kun has a faculty meeting today. Shall we go out for tea soon?"

"It's so hard to think of you as someone's mother, Yumi-san. You are such a mess. I don't know how Masamune-san puts up with you," the literature teacher snorted.

Yumi stuck her tongue at the phone and blushed when realized that there was no way that Yoshino could see her. They agreed to meet later in the week and hung up. As she walking to the parking lot to retrieve her Toyota Camry, Yumi wrinkled her brow sadly at the thought of her husband. She had married her brother's best friend, Kobayashi Masamune while they were both in college. He had earned a PhD from Tokyo University in mathematics and was teaching at Hanadera College. She tried to return the love that he showered on her, but something inside recoiled whenever he touched her. He loved her deeply and much of her emotional stress stemmed from knowing that she was hurting him.

As she carefully navigated the streets, she drove past a red sports car and was suddenly angry. She shook her head, 'Mou, Yumi, it's been ten years since Ogasawara-sama married Kashiwagi-san. Stop dwelling on her. She was always out of my league.' Then suddenly felt that old pain in her chest that arrived every time that Yumi thought of her former Onee-sama, Ogasawara Sachiko. 'We at least one thing in common: neither of us took our husband's name,' she chuckled to herself as tears welled in her eyes. 'I guess even ten years doesn't dull the pain. I wish that I could see her again even if it's going to hurt.'

Sachiko

"Suguru-san, please slow down, you are scaring Yumiko, and me as well," Sachiko's blue eyes were flaring with rage at her husband in name only. He was driving at high speed as usual. They had been forced to marry by both of their families right after she had graduated from Lillian. Her plans to attend the school's University were neatly swept under the rug in order to produce an heir for the Ogasawara clan. Suguru had made it quite clear that he was gay, and had no interest in ever sleeping with her except for that one time on their wedding night. A representative from each family had to witness her deflowering. It was embarrassing, it hurt, and to make matters worse, he called her, "Alice," Suguru's current lover and underclassman from Hanadera. Fortunately, that one time was all that it took to conceive their daughter. Sachiko insisted that the baby be named after her former little sister. Kashiwagi voiced no objections because he too loved the pigtailed girl as a little sister.

"Ma, Ma, Sa-chan, I swear that you become more of an old granny every day," he snorted arrogantly. "Your nagging justifies my sexual preference, not that you have anything to attract a man anyway." Suguru really was not cruel by nature, but the strain of being compelled to live with someone that you didn't love and didn't love you manifested itself in stinging barbs that peppered the couple's daily conversations.

Balling her hands into fists, Sachiko fought retaliating with like slurs while their 9 year-old daughter was within earshot. Instead, she treated her husband to an arch look and said, "Please, Suguru-san, such talk is not appropriate in front of our daughter. If you would like, we could continue this discussion at a later time."

Suguru started to retort, but remembered that there was a child in the car, "I'm sorry, Sa-chan. I forgot myself. Yumi-chan, Daddy's sorry for being mean to Mommy. Daddy had a bad day at work. I promise that it won't happen again."

A veteran of her parent's constant marital battles, Yumiko took it all in stride. Being the child of two aristocratic beauties, she herself was a creature of legend, the idol of the elementary school section of Lillian. She smiled gently to all and revealed her feelings to none.

Sachiko regarded her daughter a mixture with sadness and regret. She had always promised herself that her child would never feel the stress of parental strife, as she did growing up. She really wanted Yumiko to have a warm, loving family like her namesake did. It hurt Sachiko to see so much of herself in Yumiko. She was so emotionally distant that she appeared cold. She was a perfect lady. The one aspect in which she differed from her mother is that her temper did not flare up as easily. 'I wonder if Onee-sama worried about me as much as I worry about Yumiko.' The thought of her Onee-sama, Mizuno Youko brought a rare smile to her face. Youko was a successful Yokohama attorney living with her partner of 12 years, Satou Sei, the former Rosa Gigantea. 'If only I could have chosen love over my family as Onee-sama did, I would be with Yumi now, and I would not have to listen to Suguru-san being a bitch.'

She was distracted by her cell phone ringing. It was her mother, Sayako. "Gokigenyou, Mother," she answered. "How are you and Father doing?"

The elder Ogasawara replied, "We are well, but I'm afraid that I have some sad news. Your grandmother's friend, Ikegami Yumiko-san has passed away this morning. The funeral will be this Saturday, and her family would like you and Yumi-chan to attend as Ikegami-san was quite to close Yumi-chan and you reminded her so much of my mother. Would you call Yumi-chan and let her know?"

Sachiko's heart lurched with an intense, sharp pain that took her breath away. She protested, "Mother, we haven't spoken since before my wedding. I hurt her so badly. How could I possibly call her?"

"Don't you think that ten years are long enough for you to gather your courage and call the one who once was so precious to you?" Sayako asked pointedly. She knew the true nature of her daughter's relationship with her petite soeur. They had admitted their feelings for each other and had chastely dated before Sachiko gave in to the family's demand and married Suguru. Sayako knew that Sachiko still hadn't forgiven herself for not fighting for her love. She continued, "It is up to you, Sachiko. You breached your relationship, so it is up to you to repair it. Give my best to her. Gokigenyou," she finished right before she hung up, leaving the raven-haired heiress speechless.

Later that evening in her lonely, over-sized bedroom, Sachiko was pouring over photos from her years at Lillian. It was easy to see the difference in her expression prior to meeting Yumi to that after Yumi blew into her life like a typhoon. Her first-year pictures broke her heart, 'Oh my God, that's the same look that Yumiko has on her face all the time. I can't believe that I really was that bad before Yumi. I guess I still love her. I probably always will.'

After another ten minutes of smiling and tearing up, Sachiko cleared her eyes and called Yumi's petite soeur, Fukuzawa Touko. After graduation, Touko had married Yumi's younger brother, Yuuki, and they became doctors at the hospital that Touko's grandfather owned. Touko definitely would have her sister-in-law's phone number. "Good evening, Touko-san?"

"Gracious, Sachiko-sama, it's been so long. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" Touko asked.

Sachiko noted a joy in the young doctor's voice that made her envious. Of course, she had married a Fukuzawa, and in Sachiko's opinion, the Fukuzawas were the most wonderful family that she had ever met. 'Another bridge that I burned ten years ago…' To Touko, she responded, "It really has, Touko-san. I was wondering if you could give me Yumi-san's new phone number. A mutual friend of ours has died, and I am in charge of letting her know."

A cold voice on the line asked, "Do you have any right to ask me that question, Sachiko-sama? Do you know what your cowardice did to my Onee-sama? She was suicidal when you broke up with her to go through with that farce with Suguru-nii-san. She only married Kobayashi-san because he was one of the friends that helped keep her alive. Onee-sama has not been really happy since before you dumped her. How dare you put her through all those feelings again?"

Sachiko began to cry, "Don't you think that I don't know all this? My Onee-sama is living with Sei-sama. And Sei-sama was quite angry when she talked to me at the wedding. She told me EVERYTHING that I did to Yumi. I have to live with the knowledge that I let the love of my life get away. I have to live with it every day because my husband will not let me forget it. I wanted to stay with her and live my life in love with her more than anything in the world. I ache to see her, to see those beautiful, smiling brown eyes. I dream of her EVERY night. I and I alone threw all that away. If I had known better and had more courage, then I would have told my grandfather no." Regaining her composure, Sachiko continued, "I am not so foolish to hope that I could ever have her friendship again, but I need to speak with her. So could you please give me that number, Doctor?"

"Sachiko-sama, I'm so sorry," Touko said quietly. "I didn't realize that you still thought of her. Let me do this, I'll talk to Yuu-kun. He knows his sister better than anyone. If he thinks that she can handle it, he'll call you with Onee-sama's number."

The Ogasawara heiress sighed. Half a loaf is better than none. "Okay, we'll do this your way. If I had any choice, I wouldn't be disturbing Yumi's world and dredging up old pain. This is not new pain for me. I feel it every day."

Cheerfully, the formerly drill-haired girl ended the call, saying, "Thank you, Sachiko-sama. I'm sure that Yuu-kun will call you soon. Gokigenyou."

Closing her phone, Sachiko fought the urge to throw it across the room. 'Some hope is better than none,' she sighed in frustration. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she thought of the last conversation that she had with Yumi before they broke up.

Flashback

"Onee-sama, what do you mean that you are still marrying Kashiwagi-san?" Yumi demanded. "I thought that your family had agreed to cancel your engagement because neither you nor Kashiwagi-san wanted to be together." Sachiko had chosen the Greenhouse to tell her petite soeur about her impending marriage. It was the place where Yumi and Sachiko had confirmed their feelings after Sachiko returned to Lillian following her grandmother's death.

Sachiko's lips began to quiver as she saw the chocolate brown eyes that she loved to see her reflection in fill with a visceral pain. "Yumi, please believe me. I convinced my parents, but Grandfather is determined to have this merger with the Kashiwagi, mostly because Suguru-san and I both have same-gender lovers. He feels that this marriage will help us outgrow this "phase" we are going through. I want to be with you more than anything, but he will never allow us any peace if I defy him. He will hunt us to the ends of the Earth. Do you want to live like that? I certainly don't because we'd hate living that way so much that we would learn to hate each other."

Yumi slowly took off her rosary and dropped at Sachiko's feet."I would have hoped that you would fight for me, for our love, but I guess that I really didn't suit you after all. I can't believe that you would give up without fighting. That is not the Ogasawara Sachiko that I fell in love with. The woman that I loved is strong, courageous, and stubborn. I will not take up any more of your time, Ogasawara-sama. Please do not invite me to the wedding, and I hope that you and Kashiwagi-san will be happy. Goodbye," she finished with the little dignity that she had left. Yumi turned and fled in tears, her sobs trailing behind her.

The Greenhouse door slammed and Sachiko's stomach felt like she had been punched. Dropping to her knees, she cried, "Yumi! Come back!" When the young brunette did return, Sachiko picked herself off the floor and asked, "Maria-sama, what have I done? Yumi, you don't understand. I have no choice." Shaking the tears from her eyes, she once again put on the mask of the noblewoman that she was and went to class.

End Flashback

The ringing of her cell phone snapped Sachiko back from her reverie. She looked at her Caller ID, and her heart began to beat rapidly. The voice on the phone was sweet yet cold. "This is Fukuzawa. Is Ogasawara-sama available?"

Sachiko's spirit soared, but she controlled her voice, "Yumi-san? I'm so sorry to contact you after all these years, but I have some news for you."

To be continued

A/N: This was intended originally to be a one shot, but I need a couple of more chapters to wrap this up. This is my first foray into Shoujo-Ai, so please be gentle. Constructive criticism is loved. Thank you for reading!

*I took the liberty of giving the infamous Tanaka-san a first name. I could not find her name in any of the translated light novels on Baka-Tsuki. If someone knows her first name please let me know.