Disclaimer: I do not own SM or GW. IF I did, Wufei would have a pink katana, and Chaos would reign forever and ever. Figuratively of course. Please read and review!

...

Fuseiseki : Failure

Chapter Four : Remember, You are not Alone.

...

She woke with tears in her eyes. They felt swollen and raw. Wincing, she pulled herself into a sitting position, gasping for the air she lost as she jarred her side. Her dreams were so vivid. She watched them die. Over and over again. Watched them give their lives for their cause, for her. There was a dull ache in her chest.

"You're awake." She jumped at the noise, whimpering slightly at the pain it caused her. If she had the ginshinzou...she'd be healed already. The wounds were taxing. She'd grown used to her accelerated healing. Her eyes caught emerald in the dim room. Trowa.

"Hai. I mean, yes." She brushed at her cheeks, wiping away the few tears that had fallen there. She supposed it didn't matter if he saw now.

"We're leaving soon." Not a man of many words. She guessed. He never said more than he needed to. "You are to accompany us." He stood then, and she saw the clothes that was laid on the end of her infirmary bed. She blushed. She had forgotten that she wore nothing more than a hospital gown. It hadn't seemed important until now. Anything was better than the dirty scrubs she's had on in the Tenshu base.

He said nothing more. Just stood there, patiently waiting on her. With a resigned sigh, she gathered herself, shifting her legs over the bedside. Tentatively, she put her toes on the floor, and pushed away from the bed. Her legs did not hold. She braced for the impact, squinting her eyes closed, waiting to hit the floor.

Only in the silence did she realize she had not made it that far, finding instead she was held in the strong arms of Trowa Barton. She looked up at him, awed at how fast he moved. "You ok?" She was so close she felt his voice rumble in his chest. It made her shiver. All she could do was nod. Gently, he set her back upon the bed. "Don't move."

He turned and walked away briskly, and moments later a small, Arabian girl with long black hair and gentle turquoise eyes came in his place. "Master Trowa requested I assist you in dressing. " Usagi flushed. The girl smiled. "Don't be embarrassed Miss Usgai please. Your wounds were quite severe, and you have not moved in two days. I would prefer that you stay here to rest, but Master Quatre insists you leave today."

She busied herself immediately with gathering up the clothes on the bed, arranging them so she could help Usagi with dressing, piece by piece. Usagi vaguely wondered where the boys had procured such items, a black sports bra, comfortable black underwear, a grey sports top, and black yoga pants. They were all new. The girl seemed to catch the question in her eyes. A perceptive young thing.

"Master Quatre had me shop for a few things for you, Lady Usagi." Usagi allowed her to pull away the hospital gown, leaving her in bandages and naught else. She might have been embarrassed, but the girl was so clinical, so gentle, that she thought nothing of it. It wasn't as if she'd not been through the treatment before. Her memories of the Moon Kingdom were coming back. Ami and Mina, fussing over getting her into a fancy dress... her servants and theirs fixing her hair. The thought was painful for but a moment. A sweet memory that made her cringe. She resisted the urge to clutch at her beating heart.

"Usagi will do." She said softly, and was rewarded with the girl's soft smile. She was preparing to help Usagi clasp the bra around herself. It fit well. "What is your name? Young one?"

The girl was behind her now, clasping the bra, and then moved gracefully to pick up the underwear, bending as she slipped it over Usagi's feet. Usagi flushed a bit, but settled when they were on. She cursed her aching limbs. "Asiya." She said evenly.

"One who heals." Usagi said, the words had left her mouth without pause. Curious. More and more information she'd thought forgotten was surfacing. A side effect of her change, she supposed.

"Yes." the girl looked pleasantly surprised. "My father named me so."

"How perfect." She smiled, and allowed the girl to carefully pull the sport tank over her head. It was firm enough that it held her aching ribs in a comfortable position, caressing her aching side.

"I have packed away a few more outfits for you. Master Quatre has seen them to the car." Asiya moved finally to help Usagi pull on the soft black pants, allowing her to lean upon her small shoulder as she moved them up to her hips. She sat back down with a small gasp. Her legs were still unstable. She glared at them, disappointed in their treachery. This made Asiya giggle.

"Asiya?" She looked at the small girl, who was gathering her hospital gown and tidying up, then bent to inspect Usagi's bandaged arms.

"Yes?" Grey met with turquoise.

"Why do you call Quatre, Master?" He didn't seem the type to keep slaves...he was so innocent, kind. She could feel it.

"For all intents and purposes, he is." Asiya said softly. There was a pride in her voice. "Many families serve master Quatre, as they served his father before him. The Winners are kind. They shelter and feed us. Spoil us. We want for nothing. We repay them with the skills we can offer. Some heal. Some fight. Some cook, or clean, and so on. Master Quatre was there when I was born. As my father was when he was born."

"I see." She didn't think Quatre could keep slaves. It said alot about his character that even this small girl relished in performing a job to repay his kindness. She was housed with some remarkable people.

"If you will excuse me." Asiya gave a polite bow. "Master Duo shall be in to escort you to the car."

"Thank you Asiya." The girl smiled. "You are most welcome, Lady Usagi." She left the room before Usagi had time to protest being called 'Lady'.

Duo seemed to have impeccable timing, entering just seconds after Asiya had made her escape. "Hey babe." He saluted in greeting.

"Ohayo Duo-kun." He sidled up next to her, allowing her to put an arm over his shoulder, supporting her waist carefully. Her body protested the movement, but she sucked it in with a breath. Duo's violet eyes were on her, laced with worry. She smiled at his concern.

"I apologize for the fast move. But it's necessary." She nodded, and hobbled along with him. It was not far from the infirmary, to the door that led outside. The place they stayed looked like a small store on the outside, set in between other small shops on a nice, quite street. It was dark out. She looked up to the sky, something she hadn't seen in a long time. The moon was not out. She wondered if a moon still existed in this world, this time.

Duo lifted her bodily and deposited her gently into the passenger seat of a dark SUV. There were two others parked outside, In front of the one she was in. It seemed Quatre was driving the first, with Trowa the passenger, and Hiiro the second, with Wufei. She laid her head back on the headrest as Duo closed her door, and then got into the SUV himself, starting it up.

"Duo-kun?" She asked softly. "Where are we going?"

He winked sidelong at her, following the other dark SUV's in a convoy, winding through city streets. "Somewhere."

"Will you not tell me?"

He shrugged. "No offense babe, but we don't know you all that well. And you don't know us all that well, despite knowing our names. We need to bring you along because that noggin of yours stands to hold information we need. Usually we work alone."

"Alone." She repeated it softly, looking out the window in to the dark of the city streets. What a solid, depressing word it was.

" You okay babe?" Duo looked worried again.

"Usagi." He raised and eyebrow.

"Huh?"

"My name is Usagi."

He chuckled. The sound warmed her. "Sorry Usagi." He rolled it off his tongue, dragging it out. She took the comfortable silence in stride, busying herself with looking him over. He was handsome. That, she could admit freely. With deep violet eyes and tanned skin, he was exotic looking. His hair was tied in a long braid, one that reached his waist. She didn't think she's ever seem such long hair on a man. His bangs were unruly, framing his face. At the moment he wore a plain black baseball cap, that shadowed his face, and a tight black T-shirt. His muscular chest was visible through the soft fabric. Her eyes traveled to his baggy grey jeans, and black sneakers. Dressed for comfort. This trip might be longer than she'd thought.

"Like what you see?" She blushed at his comment. She didn't know he'd been aware of her inspection.

"I-" He chuckled again.

"Don't worry so much Usa." He winked at her. "Just playing with you." She watched with interest as he glanced in the rear-view mirror. Looking for something? His eyes were guarded for a moment, but he relaxed again immediately. "You should get some rest. We have a long drive."

She nodded, and reclined her chair back, fighting for a moment to get comfortable on the seat. She was tired. And what would be the use of staying awake? Even if Duo had told her where they were going, she didn't know where she was in the first place. Slowly, she drifted off, Duo's soft humming to a song on the radio pushing her over the edge and into a dream. She noted sleepily that he had called her Usa. But was too tired to protest.

...

It was dark. Dark and cold. She stood at the threshold of the battle, looking down upon the bloodied, broken bodies of her friends.

"Do you think their sacrifice was worth it?" She spun so fast on her heel that there was a 'whoosh', and her silver eyes met with bright glowing red. She couldn't stop her eyes widening, her mouth dropping open.

"No. Masaka."

"Oh it's possible. Serenity." The shadowy figure sneered. All she could see was his eyes. The rest of him meshed into the dark. "Did you think I wouldn't find you?" His voice grew louder. "The crystal calls to me. Your light calls to me. As long as you breathe, so do I. And this time, I shall have my revenge."

"Chaos-" He cut her off. The tone of his voice told her her was smirking, amused, enjoying this.

"Oh save the threats Serenity. Or should I say Usagi?" He laughed. It was more of a hiss than anything, dry and raspy. "The silver hair and new eye color don't fool me. You don't have your crystal."

"You bakayaro." She spit. "I'll put you right back down like a dog. If you think you can fuck with me, you have another thing coming."

"Such language." A voice echoed in her ears, far away. "I do believe you are waking up." He raised a hand that was more shadow than solid, in a crude gesture of goodbye. In it, sparkled a small green gem. Pluto's Sailor Star.

She gasped, and reached for him, but the plane they were on was fading. She was tormented by his loud laughter as she came back up into consciousness.

...

"No." She whispered it. The emotion was so powerful that unbidden tears leaked from her eyes. She reached up to wipe them away, but was instead surprised by warm calloused hands doing the job.

"Usa." Duo whispered. His concern warmed her heart, she still felt frozen with fear. Chaos was alive. ALIVE. And he had Sailor Pluto's SailorStar. What had happened when she crashed? Had all of the SailorStars split from her ginshinzou? How was it possible? "Usa?" His voice was more persistent. He was standing half in the SUV, leaning over her. The sun was starting the paint the sky outside. She looked up into his worrying eyes with fear in her she could not hide.

"Duo-kun." Her voice was sorrowful. Scared.

"Usa, are you alright?" She wanted to scold him for calling her that. But the familiarity was keeping her grounded. So peculiar these boys.

"No." She whispered. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and was relieved when she was welcomed warmly. "Nothing is alright."

...

Duo shrugged lightly at the look Hiiro was giving him. What was he supposed to do? The babe was crying. She had been whimpering in her sleep for most of the 45 minute drive. He had only seen the tears when they stopped at thier destination. It was a small Port outside of Yokohama. A private Port, for Preventer air-crafts. Their rush to leave had been due to a leak in information. Tenshu knew their whereabouts, and were not very happy about the rescue of Usa and complete destruction of their base. It had been so rushed they'd barely had time to get things together. Thanks the Gods they had Noin and Milliardo on their side.

The other pilots were exiting their SUV's too, looking upon the braided pilot and the girl with wonder. He waited a moment, and she quieted, bringing a hand up to wipe the tears from her face. "Usa.." He didn't speak loud. He didn't know why, but there was a strong urge to protect this girl he knew nothing about. To make her smile again. Sure, she smiled, once in awhile. He'd seen it. But it never reached her eyes. It was like having a moody female Hiiro around. A bit unsettling. Especially since her facade just looked so damn innocent.

"Where are we Duo?" She was looking at him with eyes of steel. He decided not to push the issue.

"Ever been into space Usa?" He said, and the pilots gathered around them as he helped her from the car. To their credit, not one of them mentioned her episode.

"Space?" Her eyes lit in wonder. The most emotion he'd seen in them since she had woken up.

"Come on." He steadied her, and took her hand. She looked down at his hand intertwined in her own, and smiled slightly. It was a start. He smiled back at 1000 watts, and led her towards the terminal where their shuttle was waiting. Quatre followed, while Wufei and Trowa loaded the bags into the shuttle, and Hiiro climbed on board. He was piloting this time.

"Just another adventure." She whispered so quietly he was sure she'd not meant to have him hear. The tone in her voice was mysterious, but the meaning behind it was lost as Wufei and Trowa entered the shuttle and took their seats. She took her own, and he sat beside her.

"If you want to babe, you can hold my hand." He was surprised slightly when she reached out to take his hand, intertwining their fingers again. She looked nervous and unsure, though it was the set of her mouth that betrayed this, Not her eyes. Never her steely grey eyes. There was little other noise as Hiiro started the engine of the small shuttle, and they lifted off.

...

She was awed. She tried not show it, but she thought all of the occupants of the small shuttle could tell. While they were all young, they were very wise. They had not yet let on to who they were. Though Usagi herself knew she roomed with the former Gundam Pilots, and two very influential people from the wars. Their secrecy told her how important they were. Duo hadn't even given her their real names.

They chatted amicably, about this and that. Her attention was suddenly pulled from the conversation, to the window like a magnet, as before her shone the surface of the pale moon. It was like her heart was in a vice. Her eyes stayed on the shining place of her birth. For a moment, nothing else existed.

She didn't realize she'd been doubled over in pain until his voice broke through her reverie. Didn't realize she hadn't taken a breath until her lungs started to burn. His arms were on her shoulders, shaking her. Everyone else was quiet. Quatre was grasping his chest with sorrow in his eyes. Her vision was blurry, but she tried hard to focus on Duo. It was overwhelming, the thought of the Kingdom that had turned to dust, or the friends her soul wept for still. But Chaos was back. This weakness could not be tolerated. She couldn't falter now.

"Usa." It was as if everything had been mute up until then.. The sound of his worried voice finally came to her ears, "Usa, what's wrong?"

"I'm alright Duo." Her voice betrayed her. It was a gasp.

"You don't look alright." He was kneeling in front of her. He had moved from his seat to do so. With gentle hands, he uncurled her arms, and she winced as he pressed lightly at her side. His hands came back sticky with blood. "Your side." His voice was hushed. "Hiiro!"

There was a grunt from the pilots cabin. "15 minutes."

Usagi's vision was fuzzy again. She struggled to hold onto her consciousness. It was failing. There was the echo of Duo's voice in her head as she gave in, collapsing into his arms.

...

"We're almost there." They hadn't prepared for wounds on this trip. The best they could do was some gauze from the first aid kit in the shuttle. Duo had tucked it under Usagi's shirt and over the used bandages in an effort to stop the bleeding. When they had entered the airspace of L4, they'd had to strap her in. All eyes were on her and the growing stain on her side until they landed, and Duo bent to take her into his arms.

Just as he was about to, there was a hand on his shoulder. "Hiiro."

"I'll take her." The Japanese man bent down and scooped the prone body of Usagi into his arms before Duo could protest. "Quatre?" The Arabian stood, and hurried after Hiiro as he exited the shuttle.

Duo just shrugged his shoulders, wincing as mild pain shot through his arm. He supposed that was why Hiiro had offered to carry her. But with him, who knew? He'd known the man for years and he still didn't get him. He'd accepted that. The others had too. Maybe all except Quatre. Quatre, bleeding heart that he was, never gave up on anyone.

...

There were three vehicles waiting outside. Two were white sedans, and the other was a white van. Hiiro carried his burden to the back of the white van. He was satisfied to see the back had already been cleared out. Clearly Quatre had called ahead to the Maguanacs that had dropped off the vehicles.

As if the blonde had heard him, he spoke. "Rashid has a doctor waiting. But the Mansion is 45 minutes away Hiiro."

"Hnn." Hiiro looked down at the girl in his arms. She was lighter than he had imagined, as if her bones were hollow. Hair of pure silver was spilling over his arms, so long it drug across the ground. Her skin was still covered in bruises of blue and yellow. Her arms, neck, collarbone. Her cheek and left eye. As gently as he could, he transferred her to the floor of the back of the van. Again, reading his mind as he was apt to doing, Quatre jumped in next to her, kneeling beside her.

Nodding, Hiiro ran to the driver's seat, and started the van with a swipe of his fingertips. He liked the vehicles Quatre has on here at home. They were all fingerprint encoded, exclusively to their team. Taking a short glance in the rear-view mirror to make sure Quatre had the girl secured, he hit the gas and practically flew towards the Winner Mansion. His mission was to save the girl and extract what information he could from her. Hiiro Yui did not fail missions.

...

Hiiro watched Rashid and his eldest daughter, whose name he knew was Lana, tended to the unmoving form of the girl called Usagi. He stood out of the way, leaning against a tall mahogany dresser in the common room of the Mansion. They had been waiting there with all manners of gauze, bandages and salve. It was their own concoction. He had to admit, Quatre's servants were skilled at healing. It must run in the family. They'd pulled him out of a scare or two before.

"Ahem." Rashid cleared his throat, looking pointedly at him. He looked at Quatre, who had the decency to blush. Lana was removing Usagi's shirt. He scoffed, but looked away. As if he cared.

He didn't know why his eyes were drawn back when Rashid had turned away. She looked helpless, there on the soft cot Lana had laid on the floor. The bruises he'd seen on her collarbone traveled down her chest, beneath the black bra she was wearing. He watched Lana remove the bandages on her side as Rashid prepared a salve that would help coagulate the girl's blood. There were fingerprints bruised into her hips.

His fists clenched automatically. 'Sexual abuse.' The soldiers of Tenshu were cowards and brutes. Worse than that of OZ. He had heard Doctor Hasin's report. This girl was remarkable. To go through so much and survive... Walk and talk again. He'd seen plenty of men die over less. Though he had an inkling, a soldier's sense, that she was hiding something. He would find out when she woke. If she woke.

Rashid had applied the coagulating salve, and some healing compresses, and Lana followed by gently wrapping the wound with gauze, then tighter with clean white bandage. Usagi groaned in her unconsciousness. Good. If she could feel pain she was alive. That's how he had always gauged it. The absence of pain was death.

When Lana was done, she fussed about changing Usagi's other dressings. He turned away when she started cutting away the girl's pants, Rashid there to assist with his numerous salves. He wasn't an ecchi like Duo no baka.

Speaking of the devil. He narrowed his eyes as Duo burst through the door with two duffel-bags in his hands, his trademark grin plastered on his face. It did not reach his eyes. "How is she?" The braided pilot questioned.

Quatre answered, much to his relief. He was busy, thinking. This girl had only been there for days, and had already impacted two of his comrades. He knew them well enough to see it. They didn't need distractions at a time like this. But they needed what information she had. What information she was hiding. With one last glance her way, he spun on his heel, heading to his room on the second floor to consult his trusty laptop.

...

"I can see you." His voice was like silk shoved down her throat, soft and suffocating. She was frozen. Her limbs would not move. Nor would her mouth. Only her eyes could follow his shadowy form. She noticed with unsettling clarity that his shape was becoming more solid. "Do you think your precious protectors can save you from me? The King of all that is dark? "

Fear for the boys she held company with was like a stone in her chest. 'He wouldn't.' But she knew he would. He'd do anything to get to her. And without her crystal, she had no hope of defeating him. These boys fought with machines, not energy and spells. Chaos was a bit out of their league. Bullets would not frighten him.

"It will be so sweet, your demise." He chuckled. It was the sound of a nail against a chalkboard. "Will you take them along with you?"

A familiar voice was breaking through the fog of the plane that was their meeting place. Chaos spoke once more, both knowing she was waking once again. "You cannot hide from Pluto's SailorStar." Her eyes caught his grotesque smile, a parting of the shadows. "I will see you soon Serenity, and your little protectors too."

And then her eyes were open.

...

It smelled like...Aloe and Comfrey. How did she know those smells? The memory was beyond her reach at the moment. She was thirsty. She licked her lips and looked to her left. The room was dark. There were light covers pulled up to her breasts, which were covered in nothing but her sports bra.

Peeking, she saw that her pants had been taken and replaced with dark grey yoga pants. Her wound... It had been redressed, and pained her less than before. Which was good. Because she needed to be able to move. Soon.

She would not take them with her. These boys had had enough. She needed to get away, to find her crystal. She would not let them die as her senshi had. This was her responsibility. Her burden. She had no more time to think on it, as the door to the room she was in swung open, and light flooded in from the hallway.

Duo walked through the door with a plate of food and a glass of water in hand, and she had to admit the food smelled wonderful. She had forgotten it had been quite a while since she'd eaten anything.

"You're awake!" he said cheerily, and pulled a chair up backwards to sit beside her bed. "Stole some food from the kitchen for you."

He set on her lap a plate with potatoes, cut and boiled, and slices of beef, all doused in beef gravy, and then set the glass of water on her nightstand . "Oh, and this." He pulled from his back pocket a t-shirt, simple and black. She accepted both gratefully.

"Arigatou Duo-kun." She pulled the shirt over her head with little to no trouble, mildly surprised at the lack of pain. As she ate, Duo spoke.

"Rashid and Lana, two of Quatre's primo Doctor's here, patched you up. They are the best at what they do." She chewed thoughtfully. The food was delicious. "Maya cooked that food. I love being here just because of her. She's the best."

'Makoto.' It was a fleeting thought. She tried not to linger on the image of her friend, laughing as flour rose in the air. The smell of cookies filtering through the room. Her hunger sated, Usagi set the plate at her bedside, on a small nightstand, and looked at Duo. Really looked at him.

He was still chatting away about this and that. She traced his figure with her eyes. Lithe and strong. Detected the lines of many scars in his tanned skin. He had fought enough. That much was to be sure. Yet he maintained this pleasing personality, this wonderful smile. If she'd had any doubt there was good in this world, he and his friends had set her right. They were warriors of their own breed.

She turned her eyes quickly when he had stopped talking. She hadn't heard a word he said. "Is that ok?"

"Hmm? My apologies Duo-kun, I was lost in my thoughts." He smiled. Heart-breaker.

"I said Quatre will be moving you to your own room, close to ours. On the second floor. We're waiting on a few friends to arrive. He wanted to make sure you were comfortable in the mean-time."

"That's very generous of him." Duo scoffed.

"Believe me it's no trouble. Quat-man has room to spare." She wondered vaguely what he meant. "Can you stand?"

She nodded. Not that she was entirely sure, but she felt stronger. Resolved. Determined even. She would stand because she had to. He helped her to her feet, and she found her hand intertwined with his again. So sweet, this one. So open. She felt slightly guilty clinging to his hand. She was leaving. She had to leave. But the comfort was appreciated. Wanted. Would it hurt to have a taste? To pretend to be normal for just this moment? She hoped not.

She figured out what Duo had meant by Quatre having more than enough space when she stepped into the hallway with him. The place they occupied was huge. They were in a hallway with floors that stretched on forever, and doors in the hundreds. "This is all Quatre's?" She couldn't keep the awe out of her voice. Duo chuckled.

"You're not the first to be surprised."

"And I'm sure I won't be the last."

He led her to the left, where the hallway opened up into a large sitting room. Beside her, where the hallway opened up, was a flight of elegant looking stairs, dressed with a crystal chandelier. The whole Mansion was nothing but elegant. Quatre, Fire, and Wind sat on some of the plush red chairs that decorated the room, and looked up as she and Duo arrived.

Quatre stood. with a warm smile, and Usagi bowed. "I thank you for your hospitality Quatre-kun."

"It is the least I can do until you can recall where your own home is Usagi."

"You are too kind." She tried to keep the waver from her voice. Home? Home was gone. She belonged no where now.

"I will leave you in Duo's capable hands." Quatre said with laughter in his eyes. She noticed his attention was on their clasped hands. Perhaps it was selfish. She didn't think too much on it. And Quatre gave no other comment. Miss Fire and Mister Wind were quiet. "Perhaps you will join us for dinner if you feel up to it?"

She nodded. "I would love to." She waved a short goodbye as Duo tugged her in the direction of the stairs, and they began to ascend to the second level of the mansion. She had to leave tonight. These people didn't believe she had amnesia. She never had been a very good liar.

The stairs were not as high as she's imagined, and they were on the second floor soon. Four doors down on the right, Duo stopped, opening the door with his free hand. She was led then into a large room, with it's own bathroom, and a large balcony. The bed was canopy, with soft white gauzy material trailing from the of the furniture was mahogany. There was a nightstand, the queen sized bed, and a small table with two sitting chairs. Both the bathroom and the room itself were decorated with soft ivory's and dark reds.

"I'll leave you to explore babe." Duo said with a characteristic smile. " I have some things to do. See you at dinner?" She nodded, and he left, closing the door behind him. Her curiosity peaked at his need to leave so soon, but she brushed it off.

She was tired again, and the bed before her looked so inviting. Padding over to it barefooted, she climbed into the soft covers, and fell immediately into sleep.

...

Hiiro's hands flew over the keys of his laptop, but no matter how hard he searched, he had still not found any information on the girl who had fallen into their laps. Usagi was not a common name, but none of the women he found resembled her at all. None with steel grey eyes, or long silver hair. It was frustrating.

His thoughts turned of their own accord to her pale skin marred with bruises, the feel of her soft hair flowing over his arm. He shook his head to clear it. He didn't like the foreign feeling he gave her. He hadn't been so distracted by a mission since... Relena.

He frowned at the memory. It had been a long time since he'd thought of her. He hadn't seen Relena in a year. Since the End of the Eve wars. Quatre had given him updates on her progress, though he did not ask. From what he heard she was doing well. There had been a time, back then. When he thought he could stay with her. Love her.

It hadn't taken him long to realize it wasn't possible. He, with so much blood on his hands, could never love something as innocent as Relena. He didn't know the feeling. He was built to be a soldier. Nothing more.

But what was this new, alien feeling that rose in his chest when he thought of the mysterious Usagi? She wasn't like Relena. The girl had taken out half a base with a weapon no one could find. And survived weeks of torture and abuse with no hope of rescue. And still she maintained a look of cherubic innocence. Unsettled, he opted instead to push himself from his computer desk, moving to his bed.

Maybe sleep was what he needed.

...

Chaos hadn't invaded her dreams, this time. But she knew enough not to think this was a break. Or that she should stop worrying. His silence was reason enough to think he was up to something. He'd said he could see her. Something that shouldn't be hard as he was in possession of Pluto's Sailor Crystal. She cursed under her breath.

How had that happened? Had her Ginshinzou split from the Sailor Crystals upon her landing? If that was the case, they could be anywhere. And Chaos was already one step ahead of her. Just her luck. What a failure she was. She had failed to seal him, failed to save her friends. The people she loved the most.

The sunlight outside was fading. She would leave tonight. Because these men's lives were not going to be sacrificed for her too. Without her Ginshinzou, or the Sailor Crystals, she could not become Cosmos. She stood, and wandered to the large bathroom that was connected to her room. It was equipped with towels. She turned the water on in the shower, as hot as it could go, and closed the door. There was a floor length mirror behind it, and she stripped herself of her clothes and her bandages.

She gasped mildly in surprise. Her side, which had given her so much trouble previously, was fading to a pink scar. The bruises remained. Yellow now, almost healed, but there. They covered her from head to toe. Faint finger marks were at her hips. She shivered. She hadn't even gone that far with Mamoru. That incident had scarred her on the inside. A wound that would take much more time to heal. Just another thing she had to push down. Another thing she had no time for.

She stepped into the shower and pulled the sliding glass door closed, reveling in the feeling of the hot water washing over her. She imagined that it would absolve her sins, that it would make her clean again. There was cherry blossom soap and shampoo provided. The smell was wonderful. Quatre had thought of everything.

She scrubbed her side vigorously. It pained her little now. She didn't know what had returned her accelerated healing, but it renewed her to think she was regaining some power. Perhaps she didn't need the crystal. Perhaps being Cosmos ascended that power source. She was still unsure. But with Chaos' return, and no plausible way to find the Ginshinzou or the Sailor Crystals, she had to believe there was another way.

There had to be. Or she and this world would fall to darkness like so many worlds before it. She turned the water off and stepped out, wrapping herself in a towel that was so soft she sighed. She returned to her room with the clothes she had been wearing before, about to put them on, when she noticed the bag that Asiya had packed for her. She opened it on the bed with a smile.

Inside was a sun dress, deep red, two pairs of soft black yoga pants, and three shirts. one black t-shirt, one grey sport tank, and one red sport tank. As well as two black bras, and two pairs of comfortable black booty short underwear. She smiled at the girl's thoughtfulness, and decided upon a pair of yoga pants and the red sports tank. Packed underneath the clothes, were a pair of black sneakers, and a pair of red sandals, that matched the top and dress. She donned the sandals, and went back to the bathroom, starting the arduous task of brushing out her long hair. She wondered if all of Quatre's empty room were prepared for guests, or if he'd had this one set up for her.

As she pondered, there was a knock at the door. Still brushing her hair, she moved to open it. Quatre's smiling face was at the other end. He was so handsome. They all were. She wondered what the girls would say to her being in a house of five bishouen. Her resolve made it easier to think of them, but only just.

"Usagi."

"Please come in Quatre." She said, and stepped aside so he could enter. "I was just readying for dinner."

He looked around the room with nostalgia in his eyes. He was so easy to read. A strong empath. He wore his heart on his sleeve, but it did not seem to be a weakness on his part. "I trust you are comfortable?"

"The room is beautiful Quatre-kun." She said, setting the hairbrush down and running her fingers through her hair to help dry it. It was becoming wavy. Just another side effect from ascending into Cosmos' form, she supposed. "Your hospitality is quite generous."

"To be honest, I have more rooms than I know what to do with." He smiled upon her, and the feeling he broadcasted was serene.

"I was rather surprised to learn all of this belonged to you."

He laughed. "Most people are. The Winner mansion and Corporation were passed onto me at my father's passing." It did not seem to bother him to speak of it. She'd known that. Of course she did. She knew more of this boy than he could guess. "This room, used to be my sister Iria's."

She frowned as the memory resurfaced. Not her own, but his. The death of his father, Iria cut down protecting him. A peculiar new power. Something she hadn't possessed since the Moon Kingdom. The power to view others memories through a touch. Would he believe her if she told him? That she'd seen it all? That she knew his pain?

His eyes questioned her when she looked back up, and she covered her thoughts with a small smile. She hadn't realized the emotions that were playing over her face. "Iria. A pretty name."

He smiled back, his question forgotten, and nodded. "Yes. It was. She is buried in the rose garden on this property. Her favorite place to be." Usagi reached out to him before she could stop herself.

He looked first at the contact she made, her hand resting lightly on his arm, and then into her steel grey eyes, gasping as she flowed into him. It was pure instinct, to make the connection. The want to take his pain away. Though he spoke as if it did not matter, the loss of his father and sister was a scar on his heart.

"You mustn't blame yourself Quatre." She said softly. And though her eyes were hard, the set of her mouth was gentle, knowing.

He looked back at her with sorrow in his eyes. "Nor must you." The answer was like a physical blow. Her hand tightened on his arm, and for a moment they stood there, just staring into each others eyes. It was Quatre who shook away first, speaking softly. "I cannot pretend to know what happened to you Usagi. I only know it caused you great pain. I would like..." He paused, searching for the words. "You are more than welcome to stay here to heal. Body and mind."

She wondered what he had been meaning to say, before he'd changed his mind, but brushed it off. Patting his arm where she'd been holding him amicably. "Your kindness knows no bounds Quatre-kun." She brushed her hair behind her ear and stepped back. "I'll never know how to thank you." I only hope I can save you.

He nodded, smiling. "Shall we go to dinner then?" He held out and arm, and she took it gratefully, allowing him to lead her out of her room and down the hallway. Silently wishing there was another way. Wishing she didn't have to lie, and didn't have to leave.

...

And so ends another chapter! I split one chapter into two in the re-write, simply because it was sooooo long. I tend to ramble on at random moments. Keep following Usagi as she is sucked deeper into the Gundam world, and deeper into the hearts of our beloved boys. Ja, .