Title: Revelations - Chapter 3

Author: Katigox

Disclaimer: Naoko Takeuchi . . . Naoko Takeuchi . . . Naoko Takeuchi . . . Also though, I do own the poem/song, "Still" that will appear in this chapter. If you feel the need to share, that's fine, just make sure to credit me. Thanks. Now on with chapter 3!

- - - -

Chapter 3

Seiya couldn't stop the tears from forming in his eyes but he refused to let them escape. To shed one tear at this moment would simply mean that he cared at a deeper level than he was willing to admit. That he had never gotten over her - at least not completely and that, yes, he was doing all of this just to get Usagi. He was willing to destroy a family - shatter a man's legacy, reveal a surrogate mother's secret, and worst of all break the heart of the one person he swore never to do that to.

He shut off the machine and without a single word, turned and walked away.

Chibi-Usa stood there, in the dark and didn't move until she heard the heavy shelves close behind Seiya. What had she done? She knew that he loved her mother; and was there any point to remind him of this unrequited love other than for her own amusement? She almost felt sick and quickly ran out of the room herself.

- - - -

The next week passed by uneventfully and quietly. Seiya and Chibi-Usa avoided each other at all costs and Seiya had to run, more than once, in the opposite direction, so Usagi wouldn't see him. They maybe exchanged ten words in the past few days, and only because Usagi would spot him before he had the chance to sneak off. It was lunch time and the Senshi sat around an informal table setting, munching on Makoto's sandwiches when Usagi walked in,

"Guys what's going on?"

The Senshi just kept chewing, hoping Usagi wouldn't question it.

"Guys come on! I haven't seen Chibi-Usa in almost a week and Seiya seems to be avoiding me."

Minako choked on her sandwich and, it wasn't until after Ami patted her back a bit, managed to swallow the bite, "Um Usagi - you really don't know why?"

Usagi pulled up a chair beside them and shook her head, "Do you guys know?"

Rei put her chin in her hand and smirked, "You want the synopsis?"

Usagi nodded and Makoto chimed in, "Well Chibi-Usa is completely embarrassed and ashamed while Seiya is slowly realizing he's falling in love with you again and is trying to avoid you so he can pretend he's not. That way when he goes back home he can tell himself it doesn't matter."

Usagi felt three inches tall and stammered, "I don't - why - um, what's going on with Chibi-Usa again?"

Ami looked down and, trying to approach it a little more tender heartedly than Makoto did, replied, "Usagi, she found out about Pluto being her surrogate mother."

Usagi felt a strong chill crawl along her spine, "But why wouldn't she talk to me about it?"

Rei smiled, "It's been a long time since you guys have really talked-talked and she probably just wanted to deal with this by herself. And besides maybe she didn't want to bother you with it because she knows - we all know - how depressed you've been ever since Ma-"

Usagi tried to stifle her tears but couldn't bear to hold it in any longer so she cried out instead, "My own daughter doesn't feel she can come to me?" She calmed down a few moments later and whispered, "I've shut everybody out instead of leaning on you all - and look what it's cost me . . . Everyone feels they have to walk on eggshells around me-"

She bolted from the chair, letting it fall onto the floor. The Senshi cried out after her, but she continued to run anyway. She needed to get away and get some fresh air.

- - - -

Usagi didn't stop running until she reached a large oak tree off to the side of the main path. Her tears had gotten the best of her and, based on the nauseating feeling that twirled inside her stomach, so did her nerves. She let it come though - not trying to hold it in for a few more moments in futile effort.

The distinct taste of bile filled her mouth afterwards and she slowly made her way towards a gazebo that she knew was hiding in the shadows nearby. She stumbled over a few thick roots on the ground but eventually found it - shaded from the sun by several cherry blossoms.

Usagi smiled weakly at the sight of them and closed her eyes as she took in their smell. They overpowered the previous taste and Usagi opened her eyes softly. She easily took a step forward and when a branch beneath her foot crunched from her weight she simply walked on until she saw the last person she expected.

Seiya.

- - - -

Chibi-Usa stared into the mirror of her suite and combed her hair into her pigtails. She was rehearsing for the confrontation she would inevitably have with Setsuna but she didn't know what she was going to say. She tried to fake a smile, but it didn't happen.

What was she going to say?

Hey surrogate Mom - did you like carrying me around for six months?

She's been trying to rehearse this scenario in her head for a week now and didn't seem any more prepared than when she had first started. That was another thing she couldn't understand. Trying not to picture the details, she knew that her mother and her father conceived her - and then what - she just magically got transported into Setsuna's stomach for safe keeping while Crystal Tokyo was being born?

She leaned forward and laid her head in her arms. How was she supposed to look at either woman the same way ever again? Was she now going to start calling Setsuna "Mom," too?

She sat back up and looked over her pictures. Many of them were obviously of Elios and her, but there were a few of her and her friends. Of Setsuna and her. Of her and Usagi - her mother.

I'm going to have to talk to them eventually. I can't just keep hiding from them.

- - - -

The crunching sound of the twig alerted him of a stranger's presence and he quickly tried to gather up all of his belongings before they might see it.

After he shoved everything into his guitar case he looked up and over to see Usagi.

Of all the people . . .

"Hi," he uttered it with a slight change in pitch which made Usagi smiled. Seiya put his hand on his throat and joked, "You have to excuse me - seems like I'm going through puberty - again."

Usagi leaned against one of the beams and tried not to let what the others had said bother her. She had never let anyone make her feel uncomfortable with him before, why should she let him change that? And with that thought she glided towards him, meaning to sit down beside him but instead tripping over the guitar case and quickly falling down.

It would have been just another one of those klutz moments that Usagi was so well known for but instead of landing on her nose she felt the warm embrace of Seiya's arms wrapped around her.

Warm.

She opened her eyes and stared into Seiya's, blushing sheepishly up at him.

But he simply smiled, and to Usagi it felt as if all the trees rustling and all the birds' songs had stopped, everything was quiet. As if for them alone. Seiya's grip remained as he spoke up gently,

"I'll never let you fall."

Usagi's eyes seemed half closed as she took in his comment, his declaration. She didn't know what to say; she wanted to say something, but she couldn't. Finally he pulled her back up, slowly, and let go of her. He meant to take a step back, establish some distance between them, but instead hit the edge of his guitar case with the back of his foot. Looking down he realized it was open and its contents scattered all over the floor.

Usagi must have kicked it open.

Usagi fallowed the same trail his eyes had just taken and stared in bewilderment. In front of her laid, easily, a dozen photos of her ranging from personal ones that they all took together when they were friends so many years ago to official emblems of her as Neo Queen Serenity that were made and distributed every year to her subjects. One photo was even lodged between two strings on the acoustic guitar which seemed to be almost covered with music sheets that had scattered pencils markings all over them.

Seiya-kun.

Seiya had already bent down to pick up what was left of his dignity and throw everything, once again, into the case. Usagi composed herself and bent down beside him to help. Seiya stopped for a moment and watched her with a sweet surprised look on his face.

Usagi didn't look back at him, and even continued gathering up the photos and papers, as she spoke timidly,

"I think I always knew."

Seiya finally blushed himself and quickly stared down in embarrassment,

"Of course you knew, I told you that day in the rain-"

His heart wouldn't let him finish the sentence and Usagi, stopping for the moment, smiled, "I mean, I think I knew before that."

Seiya closed his eyes for a moment, as the tears tried to come back, begging for release after having been held captive for so long. But, no, he refused to allow that.

He refused to reopen those old wounds.

"Seiya-kun you were always such a good friend to me."

But they had been opened; torn open. Wide open.

"I don't know how I would have been able to survive without Mamoru all those months if you and the others hadn't been there for me."

And now they were gushing.

- - - -

"Where's Mom?"

The Senshi looked up reluctantly and Chibi-Usa asked what was wrong. After the scene was played out for her, she became determined to settle this, "Dammit I am having a damn good wedding and everyone is going to happy!"

She huffed and puffed her way out of the room and all the Senshi looked at each other in serene confusion.

- - - -

Seiya closed the case and was planning on leaving without another word when Usagi spoke up again,

"Seiya-kun?"

His name from her lips stung him as sharply as the thorn in his side did just a week ago. He looked at her and saw the bewilderment in her eyes,

"Yes?"

She took a step towards him and leaned forward a bit, "What were you doing out here?"

Seiya chuckled, only Usagi could distract him from his unhappiness,

"I was writing a new song."

Usagi blinked, "I didn't know you guys still sing."

Seiya waved his hand, "I'm the only one who still uses music as a therapeutic outlet."

Usagi smiled, "Can I hear it?"

"Hear what?" Seiya asked in his distracted haze.

"Your song silly."

"Uh - no I- it's not finished yet," he blurted out a little too quickly making Usagi wonder.

"Liar. Come on just a little bit of it?"

Seiya finally relented and in a few moments had the guitar strap swung around his neck and was leaning against a side rail as Usagi made herself comfortable on the seat across from him. He had removed her picture from his guitar strings to avoid any further awkwardness - like that was even possible,

"Um okay - ahem - uh this is entitled 'Still' and it's written for a girl I left behind."

He meant Usagi of course but she thought he was talking about a current girlfriend back at Planet Kou. She didn't understand why but for some reason that made her sad.

The strings vibrated under his fingers as he plucked to check their tone. Once satisfied, he closed his eyes and began with a slight "hmm" and a few airy, brush stroked notes:

I was strong - and I was brave

When I think - of what I gave

But you made up - my mind for me

When you began - Ignoring me

The notes became deeper and heavier and Seiya opened his eyes, but tried to stay in his stance and not look at Usagi:

You can't tell me that you didn't know

Lie to me and say you didn't care

When you had to watch me go

Flying away into the air

His fingers glided across the strings as the notes became sharper and faster:

Just as I can't lie to you

You're the one I used to think of

When I pictured the, "I Do's"

Oh dear God, I was so much in love!

I still swear I do not ca-

The note ended abruptly when Seiya gripped the neck of the guitar. He finally gathered enough strength to look up and face Usagi. He couldn't keep hiding out under his music. He couldn't keep avoiding her. He had to do something. But he knew that that something did not include discussing "love" with her. He had tried to do that so hard before and had his heart broken. Seiya tried to keep his composure but those tears were finally making their great escape and one even managed to flow down his cheek.

- - - -

Chibi-Usa had asked Pluto to meet her in the throne room but know that she was actually having to wait for her; she was beginning to reconsider the idea.

Oh God, what am I gonna say?

Her thought was interrupted with the tapping of a certain pair of heels that she knew all too well. Gulping, she turned her head a little and looked straight into Pluto's eyes - her eyes,

"Pluto; um I have come across something interesting in the holograms main center."

Pluto smiled gently, "Yes, Small Lady?"

Chibi-Usa looked down for a moment and closed her eyes. Her brow furrowed together and though she didn't mean to, she seemed to have raised her voice an octave higher,

"Puu - why have you lied to me all my life?!"

Setsuna closed her own eyes, "You've found our secret."

Chibi-Usa breathed heavily, refusing to interrupt, making sure that Setsuna continued.

Setsuna opened her eyes and looked back at Chibi-Usa's confused and hurt face, "Small Lady. It was all for your protection."

Chibi-Usa cocked one eyebrow but still remained silent.

"Crystal Tokyo was about to be created, out of the fight of the enemy at that time. Your mother was three months pregnant when they first attacked and we all were scared about your safety. We felt that for Usagi to be able to lead us, and for you to be protected, we needed someone that could carry you and keep you far away from here until the battle was over. Everyone thought I was a good choice because I could hide within the Gates of Time - where no one could find us. It was only supposed to be temporary but one month came after the other until I went into labor with you. I guess you being inside m for so long, you decided to have something of mine -"

Setsuna smiled at Chibi-Usa and Chibi-Usa reached up to touch the skin just below her eye, "Your eyes."

Setsuna nodded but Chibi-Usa yelled, "Why not tell me all this before?!"

- - - -

Usagi looked up at him, with her own set of tears washing her eyes. Unlike Seiya, she let them run freely down her cheeks,

"Seiya-kun that was beautiful."

Seiya placed the guitar against the rail beside him and walked over to Usagi, "It's not done. I don't know the ending yet."

The last sentence obviously carried two meanings but Seiya cut off the possibility of that conversation with a low tone, "Let's just drop the subject."

Usagi stood up and whispered, "Seiya-kun . . .," she stumbled over the next few words, "is this . . . all of this - the past few days and th-that song . . . because - um, because maybe I hurt you again somehow?"

Seiya remained resolute in his silence but Usagi remained just as resolute about her question, "Well maybe?" She leaned in to make sure that, even with his down ward gaze, he would still see her. She wanted to and answered, "Seiya-kun-?"

He opened his eyes only to stare straight into hers; there was no escape, no escaping those eyes of hers.

"Dammit Usagi!," Seiya yelled as he grabbed Usagi, pulling her close to him,

"Maybe it's because I still love you!"

Then he kissed her.

A kiss that he had been needing to give her for twenty years, a kiss he had been praying for, for twenty years. He gently cupped her face in his left hand as his right arm held her tightly against him. She tasted so good - her lips were so soft. He gently felt her knees beginning to give out from under her and he moved his left hand behind her neck, stabling her so he could continue this quest - fulfill this aching need.

Finally he dared to spread his lips and lick hers and to his amazement she responded by licking his tongue. It wasn't until he almost couldn't breathe that he was willing to let her go. But his grip remained tight as his staggered breath revealed the passion he had laid out in front of her,

"Usagi-chan . . . There's your answer"

Usagi hazily opened her eyes and gripped his shirt as not to fall from her lightheadedness. She didn't know what to say or what to do. So many years ago . . . She was almost willing to move on - to be with someone who loved her again. But Mamoru came back and there was no hesitance when she saw him, standing there before her. He loved her and she loved him.

But he loves me, too.

She stared into his eyes, his gorgeous eyes that were filled with a need she had not seen in five years. This man before her, embracing her, loving her was only asking for some kind of love - some acknowledgement.

Mamoru is dead . . . And what if we never spend another lifetime together? I am being given a second chance with a man I almost fell in love with so many years ago . . . Why couldn't I? Why shouldn't I- But what does that say about me if I can move on so easily? What if Mamoru and I are born in the same lifetime together in the future? How could I face him and explain to him that I moved on from him - But I could never move on from Mamo-chan!

Seiya leaned in once again to continue in this dream, but Usagi seemed to loose it for a moment. The next thing she knew, her hand stung and his cheek was bright pink. She cupped the cheeks that he had held just moments before and cried, "What have I done?"

He had refused to look at her and it wasn't even until she spoke that he lost it himself. He was not going to back down again, and he wasn't going to just walk away. He turned around and, slinging his guitar behind his back and picking up the case, cried out angrily,

"All I ever wanted was for you to just give me a chance. Give me an ounce of that look that I saw in your eyes every time somebody just mentioned his name! I know that I am no where close to his league but I would have loved you to me dying day-"

He finally calmed down enough to stare at her and realized that she was crying silently the whole time. It was if that rainy day was repeating itself all over again and he would have to try to comfort her over her loss of the only man she chose to love. But his heart couldn't take that kind of pain again and, more with pride than concern, did he finish his intended sentence,

"And shouldn't that count for something?"

Usagi stifled a sob within her throat and slowly began sinking to the floor. He gave her several moments to reply but when all she did was whimper bitterly; he sighed and turned around,

"Maybe I should just leave. I think we've established my unrequited love for you enough times in my life."

It was only on his third step that he heard the faint murmur of a word.

- - - -

Setsuna bit her lip, "Would it really have made that much of a difference if you would have known all this time?"

Chibi-Usa finally stepped down from her seat and walked right up to her, "I could have thanked you a lot sooner."

Both women smiled with happy tears in their eyes. Chibi-Usa wrapped her arms around her "other" mother and whispered a quiet, "thank you."

Setsuna hugged and back and whispered, "You're welcome."

- - - -

"What did you say?"

Usagi looked up weakly, "Don't go. I can't pretend that I am in love with you when I am not sure, can I? How is that fair to you? But please, please . . . Don't leave."

Seiya bent down to her eyelevel and looked sternly into them, "Why should I stay?"

Usagi bit her lip, "You have always meant a lot to me Seiya. And I know that I care about as more than just a friend but I don't know if I am in love with you and if you have to think about whether you're in love with someone or not-"

"Then you obviously aren't," Seiya breathed. He stretched out his arms and quickly falling into them, began to soften her cries. He brushed a few stray strands behind her ear and whispered, "Can I still tell you that I love you?"

She sat up and looked deeply into his eyes, "Yes, please."

She snuggled up into the crook of his shoulder and, when she seemed to be almost asleep from emotional exhaustion, kissed her forehead ever so gently.

I can tell her I love her. It's a start.

End of Chapter. 3