Disclaimers: As per usual, don't own characters or series but writing and idea is my own.

Ch. 2

"Now, we are beginning a new project today. These are the packets. Please take one and pass them along." Click. Squeak. "Oh my! Is she alright?"

The entire class was staring at Mamoru, who had a girl leaning heavily on him and who was trying desperately to keep her upright. She tried to remove herself from his arms, only succeeding in making him tighten his grip on her.

"I'm fine. There's no need to worry." She had managed to pry herself from that iron grasp and was already walking down the aisle of seats to hers when a voice made her pause mid-step.

"Ms. Tsukino." Dread crept into her; it had a tone that brooked no argument.

"Yes?" was the meek reply. She turned around and stared at the teacher innocently.

"I will make you and Mr. Chiba here a copy of my notes and then he will take you home. We will go make those copies now. These are the handouts on our new assignment." She beckoned to Usagi to come up to the front. Usagi sighed inwardly. There seemed to be no way to get out of this.

She had not taken even 3 steps before her legs gave way. Mamoru rushed forward as he saw her eyes roll back slightly and got to her as she crumpled into a heap. He was kneeling as he held Usagi in an embrace, effectively trapping her arms between them. Her face was buried in his cottony shirt. Her hair splayed around them in rivers of golden yellow.

The teacher finally noticed the deadness of the room. No one stirred, no pieces of paper were rustling, there wasn't so much as a squeak of a chair much less voices reverberating in the air. "Yes . . . " The silence was unnerving. By the time she finished speaking, though, the class had come to life. "This assignment will be your project grade for this class. It will be due 5 weeks from today. Please find a partner—only one—and begin reading the packet. I want your topic by the end of today, midnight. E-mail them to me." Turning toward the door, "Chiba, Tsukino, come with me."

While the teacher had been speaking, Mamoru tried to wake up Usagi. Why do I feel so warm . . . if I've died and gone to Heaven, I don't wanna ever leave . . . "Hey Usagi, " the voice whispered. "You really shouldn't fall asleep in class." Everything was still rather hazy but voices, other than the one that had just spoken, were filtering in. She breathed and immediately smelled roses. Where am I? she wondered. With a mumbled, "Go away," she forced her eyes to open, pulling back slightly from the warmth even though she wanted to stay there forever. However, her efforts to keep her eyes open were in vain; her eyelids were drooping heavily. A chuckle reached her ears. "Huh? Oh, it's you again."

He raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Is that any way to greet your savior? You woulda gotten a concussion if I hadn't caught you."

"Hmmph." She was too tired to put much emotion in it.

"Let's work together on the project?" It sounded more like he was telling her than asking her. She gave an imperceptible nod. At that moment, she happened to see a bunch of girls frowning at her. Usagi blinked. What was that? She didn't have much time to ponder as she was pulled to her feet.

In the copy room, the teacher handed them each a set of notes. "Now I expect you both to do well on this. You are wonderful students. Please take this class time off and get some rest. We'll be working on the project for the next few weeks as I cover different areas of the project and allow you to ask me any questions you may have. I must get back now."

All three walked out and headed in separate directions . . . or so Usagi thought. "Stop following me."

"I'm supposed to take you home." He slung an arm around her shoulders. "Now, how do we get there?"

All the fight seemed to drain out of her. "Can we sit outside for awhile? I normally don't go back home until one so they'll suspect something if I get back early. Besides it's nice outside." She pouted, "Please?"

He smiled. Was it her imagination or did he seem different since the last time she had talked to him? Although still cold and aloof, he was easier to talk to and joke with . . . "Sure. So where to?"

"The slabs."

"That's in the center of campus! Are you sure you wanna walk there in your condition?"

She smiled wanly. "As long as you're my walking stick, I'll be fine."

"Great," he mumbled. She laughed and he suddenly wanted to be the one to always make her laugh.