A/N: I'm not too sure what I was doing here...I DO know I tried writing in a different...style, voice, something. As far as content...well, I'm noticing that my emotions really affect what it is I write about. And unfortunately right now, life kinda sucks. This...thing...is loosely based on real-life circumstances. Anyway. Enjoy! If you like angst...

UPDATE: So all the breaks in between action weren't showing up, and might've made the story nonsensical to some. It's been fixed now. :D

The early morning sun shines brightly into the room, illuminating a lone finger as it hovers over a cell phone's green CALL symbol.

Just stop calling her. STOP it.

The finger jerks back as if burnt, and Rei forcibly turns her eyes away from the device. She studies the sleek red object one more time before she abruptly gets out of bed and all but runs for the shower.

*W*W*W*W*

shwish shwish shwish shwish

Rei firmly and methodically pushes the broom back and forth across the steps of the shrine, the familiar sound providing a soothing comfort. Her mind is empty, her thoughts are nonexistent…and her phone is still silent.

A frown creases her forehead.

*W*W*W*W*

Amethyst eyes glance furtively at the lifeless phone screen while apathetic ears continue to half-listen to the nonstop chatter at the table.

"…chan said she might bring him with her next time she comes back to visit!" Usagi punctuates her matter-of-fact statement with a loud slurp of her milkshake and a decisive nod.

Suddenly disbelieving eyes stare at Usagi and an angry mouth whispers, "What?"

Makoto leans back nonchalantly into the plush backing of the booth and waves dismissively with her hand. "Eh, that's no news! The whole world knows she's into that guy. Just look at the entertainment news."

Usagi's dramatically crestfallen face and wail of why does everyone always know but me is completely blocked out by eyes and ears now refusing to believe until they see and hear for themselves.

*W*W*W*W*

The small box was cheap enough to buy and light enough to carry home after she left her friends at the Crown. Sliding her door shut, she almost trips in her haste to connect the black square to the lone power outlet in the room. Adjusting the settings, the blank screen now blares to life with excitable chatter from two nighttime news anchors. She peers at the screen as she absently settles on the floor, almost as if trying to discern a vision…but none is forthcoming.

She's just about to cut it off, not having anywhere near the same patience she has in front of the fire, when a splash of golden locks and a lilting voice momentarily invade the screen. She sits transfixed, not really hearing what the anchors' voiceovers are now saying. Because now the screen doesn't just hold bright, golden rays. Now it holds a mesh of flowing gold and short, choppy black, two pairs of blue eyes, hand and bodies that blend into each other as camera flashes explode around white, dazzling smiles-

The power cord is yanked from the wall, and the box is set in the trash bin at the back of the shrine.

*W*W*W*W*

"I'm busy."

shwishshwishshwishshwish

"…I'm sure your grandpa won't mind if you ask him to have someone else cover your duties for the rest of the day. I mean, come on! She's been here 3 days and tonight she's leav-"

shwiiiiiiiiish

"I said, I'm busy."

shwishshwishshwishshwish

At the bottom of the shrine steps, Makoto huffs and looks helplessly at Ami, who's taken off work for the afternoon. The gentle doctor approaches more cautiously.

"Rei…do you think just for a hour, you can put your duties on hold?"

shwishshwishshwishshwish

"No."

Ami pauses before she dares to try one more time. "Rei, she's ask-"

SHRACK

Splintered wood litters the steps, and Ami and Makoto look from the broken broom handle to Rei in startlement.

"No." Ebony locks float in the wind as the priestess turns on her heel and disappears into the shrine.

*W*W*W*W*

Moonlight filters through the shuttered windows, streaking the walls in haphazard patterns. Rei studies them lazily as she lays on her back, willing her mind to be occupied with something, anything as she tries desperately to sleep away the night.

tap tap

Before she can move to sit up, the door slides open and shuts quickly. And where there was empty space, now she is here, kneeling beside the bed with clasped hands. Like she's making supplication at an altar.

"Rei." Minako says her name softly, and it's almost like the past year and a half hasn't happened, like she's just stopping by for the night before a nonstop busy day tomorrow. Almost.

Rei turns over and faces the wall.

"Please…Rei…" The singer reaches out a hand to touch the priestess but flinches away when Rei shoots up and she's suddenly face to face with angry violet eyes.

"Please what? What? WHAT?" Rei starts to breathe in short, violent spurts.

"…I wanted to see…to explain-"

"Explain what? What could you possibly say to explain any of this? How can you explain to me that you stopped calling, didn't text? How can you explain me having to find out from our friends and from the news that we…that you…" Rei sags back against the wall and looks down at her hands. They're trembling. "I was waiting for you. Even when I didn't hear anything and I had no idea what was going on, I was waiting for you." She lifts her glassy eyes to meet glistening blue. "Why couldn't you wait for me, Mina? Can you explain that?"

No words come out of the blonde's mouth at first, only tears spill down her cheeks and she reaches out to hands that still tremble. "Rei, please list-"

"No." Rei pulls her hands away and buries them in the comforter now bunched in her lap. "No. Don't try to explain now, Minako. I've finally stopped waiting." For the first time, a tear escapes from one amethyst eye. "You should leave now. Please."

The kneeling woman sucks in a shaky breath and nods softly before slowly rising and walking to the door. She hesitates, looking back sadly at the silent, unmoving form on the bed and then steps out the door.

When the door slides shut and graceful steps sound farther and farther away, Rei collapses onto her back. The tears that have been shut away for so long release themselves in waves of still unspoken emotions and hours later, she finally falls into restless sleep, visions of a smiling golden-haired woman haunting her dreams.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think. I'm thinking about making one more part to it, as the ending doesn't really seem like an ending to me.