Author's note: I don't own Sailor Moon or its characters. This is slightly AU.


Sweet Singing in the Choir

Minako sighed as she wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck. Cambridge was cold and windy, and Minako was miserable. England was in the grip on unexpected severe winter weather, and she was stuck here for Christmas and New Year's. The seventeen year old would have much preferred to be back in Japan with her friends for the holidays, but her parents and her agent had accepted a job offer here in England for her, and she was stuck. The minor role on a British TV show really was a good part for her, and Minako was enjoying the work, but she missed home and her friends.

A gust of wind nearly blew her over, and Minako ducked behind a phone booth for a moment to catch her breath. Christmas might not be as big a deal in Japan as it was here in England, but everyone's excitement about the holidays just made Mina more homesick. Deciding that she would attempt to finish walking home from the store, Minako moved on. By the time she was halfway home, she was chilled to the bone and thoroughly disheartened. It did not help that she knew she was going home to an empty house. Her parents were off at a holiday weekend with some business clients of her father's. Mina had needed to stay home in order to finish up the filming going on.

Crossing the street, another gust of wind knocked her off balance just as a bicycle rider swerved into her path. Minako practically fell onto the sidewalk. In fact, she would have fallen if it were for someone grabbing her forearms to keep her on her feet. Instead, Minako found her nose bumping up against someone's chest. Flustered and embarrassed, Mina looked up to meet a pair of grey-green eyes and lost her ability to speak all together.

"Are you all right, miss?" the young man asked.

Minako nodded even as a shiver shook her. He frowned at that.

"Come inside and let me by you a cup of tea. You're shaking from head to toe."

She followed him into the little café that was on the corner and used the time to study him. The man was at least six feet tall, and he clearly worked out. He also had a short ponytail of silver hair, and those rather amazing eyes. It was a little embarrassing to be rescued by such a good looking guy when she was so clearly not having a very good day. Before Mina really knew what was going on, she found herself seated at a little table by the fire place with a cup of hot tea in front of her.

Minako managed to find her voice at this point. "Thank you. You really didn't need to go to the trouble."

He shrugged. "It's not a problem."

"I'm Minako."

"Kenzie." He studied her face a moment. "You're the guest soloist for the police department charity concert."

Minako nodded. "How did you know?"

"I've seen you practice. I'm a sergeant with the force."

Somehow that segued into a conversation about music in general before they moved on to other topics. An hour later, Mina had both a ride home and a date for the concert this weekend. She might not have had the Christmas spirit earlier in the day, but by the time that Kenzie dropped her off at her house, Minako was definitely in the seasonal mood. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to be stuck in England for the holidays after all.