The late winter evening found most places of business long since closed, and patrons and businessman alike asleep in their beds. Lamplighters' handiwork dimly illuminated the streets, which were empty but for the rain drumming on the dirty cobblestones. In one particular lane, however, a two-horse coach skidded to a halt and a young man jumped off, landing in a small puddle with a splash. Ignoring the muddy water on his clothes, since everything from his blonde hair to his low-cut boots was soaked already, he ran to one of a dozen similar doors and began pounding frantically on the wood.
"Dr. Stone! Dr. Stone!!"
Emergencies always happened on nights like this, Doctor Kaden Stone silently lamented to himself as he half-fell out of bed. Without bothering to change clothes he slipped into his pair of trusty black boots, shrugged on his overcoat, and snatched his medical kit. Running down the stairs and opening the door, he reflexively caught the young man's fists before they flailed against him at the sudden disappearance of their previous target.
"Who is it?" He demanded briskly, directing the panicked young man toward the waiting carriage.
"It's — It's my wife, doctor." Jumping into the driver's seat and giving Kaden a hand up to sit beside him, he cracked the reigns and the horses broke into a trot, responding to their master's urgency. "We went riding this morning," he continued, raising his voice to be heard over the wind whipping about their heads. "But were caught in the rain a good distance from home. Mary's never had an especially strong constitution, but didn't seem to be ill. Then she passed out near an hour ago…"
Kaden nodded. "How was she doing when you left her?"
"Not well, but I can't give you specifics. I was so worried, all I did was get her to bed, call her maid, and left. Oh, and my name is Daniel Burns."
Clutching his bag to him as the rounded a sharp corner at high speed, Kaden was grateful that he had left his hat in his small bedroom above his office. It would have flown of a minute into this wild ride, though he couldn't blame the anxious husband. The man was still rambling nervously, trying to keep his mind off of his worry.
"I can't help her, and you're the best doctor within a hundred miles of here…"
"Watch the road!" Kaden shouted over the storm, pointing to thick branch lying partway into the muddy highway they had just turned on to. His companion ceased speaking to direct the horses around the obstruction, and failed to resume his monologue.
Kaden sighed quietly. Though he regretted losing a night's sleep, he couldn't begrudge this man… Daniel… his assistance. He was the best doctor of his time. It was a simple fact, not advertising or pride. Of course, he thought bitterly, it helped that his knowledge was asynchronous to this lifetime. The memories of medical training from an advanced, though now long fallen, kingdom meant that even with the primitive tools he had available he could work the equivalent of miracles with his patients.
And yet, he mused further, a melancholy tone entering his thoughts, the memories accompanying this knowledge was nearly beyond the worth of being able to save so many lives. Knowing how many had died by his hand in the past often caused him to wonder whether he could ever redeem himself. It was that, his burning desire for redemption, which caused him to work so hard to give others a second chance of life in the present.
The carriage's sudden stop outside a large manor broke Kaden's reverie. A boy appeared from the shadows to take charge of the horses, and Kaden followed Daniel into the house. There was no time to notice the houses interior as he hurried to his patient, except to note that everything fairly screamed of money.
Upon entering the room, Kaden instantly sent the maid to the kitchens to heat up some water, a command he habitually made no matter the circumstances. Then, with Daniel hovering behind him, wringing his hands agitatedly, Kaden turned his attention to his patient. Sitting down in the chair by the palatial bed, he drew back the woman's long blonde hair to feel her forehead.
And stopped.
After a long moment, he composed himself enough to say, "Mr. Burns, I'm afraid I must ask you to leave. There's no telling if what she has is infectious, and you need to change into dry clothes. I don't want another patient on my hands due to carelessness."
Though the man protested, Kaden firmly escorted him out of the room and shut the door. Then, almost in a trance, he sat down again and gazed at the unconscious woman's pale face, gently rubbing his thumb against her cheek.
"Minako," he breathed, unbelieving. Though he could hardly believe it, he knew that his instincts and memories would never make a mistake about her identity. It was she. Life had treated her differently this time around, but she was still Minako.
At the sound of her old name, the young woman stirred slightly, mumbling under her breath. Regaining his senses, Kaden took her vital signs and paled. Such a weak heartbeat…
"Please, Minako," he begged her sleeping form as he did what little he could for her. "Please don't leave me. Not when I found you." Not when I can ask you to forgive one more time, to tell me that I'm that much closer to redeeming myself from that day.
His hands shook in frustration. This time seemed so primitive; the medicines that he knew could save Minako no longer existed, and he wasn't sure they would ever be discovered again. But the possibilities of the future had no bearing on the fact that they couldn't save Minako now. He couldn't save Minako now. Except, maybe…
Eyes bright with crazed hope, Kaden took one of Minako's small, delicate hand in his large, calloused ones. Concentrating fiercely, he called on the power he once could use without a second thought. A small glow radiated from his hands, absorbing into Minako's body and flowing through it.
Work, he commanded it desperately. Heal her!
After a few moments of eternity Minako stirred once more, moaning softly. Kaden watched as her eyes fluttered open, revealing the familiar cornflower-blue eyes he knew so well. A small, sad smile graced her lips as she focused on his face, and her free hand moved to cup his cheek.
"Hello, love," she whispered, shocking Kaden into silence. She seemed to understand his unspoken question, however, and continued. "You removed my memory blocks just now. I'm so sorry…"
Kaden finally found his voice as he watched Minako's eyes fill with tears. "Minako, for what?" I should be apologizing to you, not the other way around.
"I forgot you, Kunzite. Even though," she coughed weakly, "I promised I never would."
Kaden's heart nearly stopped beating as he stared at Minako in sudden horror. Hardly daring to breathe, he reached out and touched the thin trickle of red coming from her mouth. Blood.
"And for this, too," she said hoarsely. "It's too late for me, Kunzite."
"No." Kaden forced another surge of power into her body, ignoring the strain he was placing upon his own. Minako gasped, her body becoming rigid and her eyes unfocusing for a moment, then relaxed abruptly as the surge ended.
"Kunzite… please," she said pleadingly. "Let me go. We'll have another chance, and I'll find you next time. You can't do anything now."
Kaden looked at her helplessly. Then slowly, he nodded, though his gray-green eyes silently betrayed his desire to help her against her will.
"Thank you, love," Minako murmured peacefully, her eyes half-closed. "I'll see you again soon."
Raising her hand one last time, she pressed her fingers against Kaden's forehead and released a small burst of magic. Her energy spent, her hand dropped and her eyes closed for the last time, but Kaden didn't notice. He was too busy listening to the message Minako had just given him as a farewell.
I forgave you a long time ago, Kunzite. It's time for you to forgive yourself.
"Minako…"
When Daniel Burns entered the sickroom, he found Mary sleeping the peaceful sleep of those beyond waking, and the doctor kneeling beside her bed in the same state. In his hurry to summon help, he was gone when a small golden light rose from Mary's still form, and a similar silver one from the doctor's.
After a moment a strange portal opened in the room and a tall, dark-skinned woman bearing a staff entered. With a bittersweet smile on her face she gently gathered the two lights to her with her free hand. Holding them carefully, she then disappeared back through the portal and it closed behind her. Though no one was present to witness it a whisper floated back through the room:
"Here Atropos cuts the thread, but elsewhere Clotho's spindle turns."
hr
A.N.: Not much to say here, except that eventually I plan on doing more with the idea of multiple lives over the 1000 years after the Silver Millennium, for all the couples. Ah, so many plot bunnies, so little time…
And if you can correctly identify the third Sailor Moon Universe placement, kudos to you. If I could think of a reward, I'd give one to you.
Ocianne