Chapter 8

Awake and Free

Minako groggily awoke to arguing voices. From what she could make out there was a discussion going on just outside her room.

"I don't care if she is a prisoner. She is also a Senshi and a Princess of the Empire we should be allowed to see her." Makoto said in anger. Luna sighed.

"Princess Jupiter, I'm sorry the laws state that she isn't to be talked to until a statement had been made by the victim and if Princess Venus doesn't make it well…lets not discuss that right now."

"I agree with Makoto, she is still our friend, she is still Rei just let us make sure she's being taken care of." Ami's voice now said. A mans voice now joined the group.

"I'm sorry girls, but Princess Mars is being charged with attempted murder and unless Princess Minako regains consciousness and changes these charges I've been instructed by the Queen of Venus to continue in the legal process. Queen Serenity has no choice her hands are tied in diplomatic matters." Minako knew this voice and from what she was hearing she needed to get up and soon. Rei was being imprisoned for what happened and the girls didn't even know if she was alright. Slowly Minako extracted herself from all of the machines attached to her noticing painfully the breathing tube she had to pull from her throat. Once she was free from the confinement the blond slowly stood slipping a little on her weak legs but was able to catch herself with her arms grabbing the bed, but the process caused her great pain. Looking down Minako noticed a large thick bandage covering most of her lower abdomen. 'Owwww it really really hurts'. Minako thought as she slowly made her way to the slightly open door.

"Lord Artemis." Everyone turned at Minako's weak voice.

"Princess. You shouldn't be up." Minako looked at Artemis and said clearly.

"Tell them to let Rei go, it…it was an accident we were training and things got out of hand. I… I made a mistake. It's not her fault." Minako began to feel weak and felt herself slowly being to fall.

"Minako!" came from Makoto as she stepped forward and caught the falling blond.

"Venus! Mako get her back to bed she doesn't need the intubation tube anymore." Makoto walked in to the room and placed Minako onto the bed.

"Does she still need all this other junk on her?" Ami nodded at the Jovian's question.

"Yes obviously she still does but she can breath on her own now, that a really good sign." A man with white hair and beautiful blue eyes stepped into the room.

"Is she going to be alright?" Ami nodded.

"Yes Lord Artemis she should be fine, If she wasn't going to make it I believe she would have died 3 days ago when she had the fever. Right now her body is just weak. With her accelerated healing she should be able to be up and about either tomorrow or the next day." The man raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? That soon?" Ami nodded with a smile.

"Yes her accelerated healing is about 76.7 percent above average. Its even higher then mine which is 68.9 and Makoto's which is 65.7. I haven't gotten a change to study Rei's yet but all of us have an accelerated rate." Luna stepped into the room.

"Speaking of Princess Mars I would say the charges are off wouldn't you Artemis. Princess Venus clearly stated that it was a training accident and most definitely expressed her desire to drop the charges." Artemis nodded and turned.

"I'll inform Queen Serenity, she will be pleased to hear this was all a misunderstanding, all a big accident." Luna nodded and exited with Artemis.

Rei looked up at the sound of her cell door screeching open.

"Your free to go. Minako woke up for a little bit and explained about the training accident." Ami said with a smile.

"Training accident?" Rei said in slight confusion.

"Yes, I don't know why you two were out training on your own with real weapons but accidents can happen sometimes." Ami said but Rei thought she saw a bit of knowledge behind the blunettes eyes indicating she suspected the truth. Rei nodded and exited the room dodging an excited hug from Makoto and the happy hellos from Michiru and Haruka. Once out of the clasp of the other bothersome senshi Rei made her way to her room and immediately washed up. It didn't take long for Rei to finish this task and set out for the Medical Center.

Minako awoke once again to a sound, except this time the sound was soft, extremely quiet and it was the middle of the night. In fact it was more the feelings of the person making the sounds than anything that woke her. Looking to the side Minako smiled as she saw Rei's dark hair fanned out on her bed. Rei was sitting in a chair next to Minako's bed leaned forward and obviously deeply asleep. Minako reached over and softly caressed the Martians silk like hair. Minako heard the whimper again. It seemed the battle hardened Martian was having a nightmare. Moving slowly Minako realized she wasn't in nearly as much pain as she had been the last time that she woke up. Continuing her motion Minako grabbed Rei by the shoulders and softly shook her.

"Rei, Reiko wake up your dreaming." Minako shook the Martian again she knew Rei was afraid she could feel her emotions even while the dark haired princess slept. Rei jerked awake and said groggily.

"I don't wana" Minako giggled and asked the still very sleepy Martian.

"What don't you want to do Reiko?" Rei laid her head back down in an attempt to go back to sleep.

"Hey Rei that's not good for your back come on and sleep up here." Minako said as she tugged on the Martian and scooted over to allow room for Rei. Rei grumbled in her sleep but allowed Minako to pull her into the bed. Minako smiled, the bed was very small and Rei was pressed tightly up against her, Rei's head was slid under the blonds chin and Minako had her arms wrapped around the Martian holding her close. The blond sighed in contentment and closed her eyes allowing sleep to take her once again.

The next time the blond woke she woke with a smile. Rei was still sleeping soundly right up against her. Not to mention the fact that she felt two hundred percent better then she did the night before. Minako moved and flexed a little and noticed a little bit of pain in her abdomen but she figured she could move around pretty good as long as she didn't move to fast. Minako's attention returned to her bed partner when Rei shifted in her sleep laying out flat one arm hanging off the side of the very small bed. Minako smiled again and leaned over the sleeping Martian. 'god she is just so beautiful!' Minako thought and slowly leaned down to place a feather light kiss onto Rei's lips.

Rei jerked awake to the pleasant feeling of something soft on her lips. Opening her eyes she saw Minako's gorgeous smile.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." The blond whispered. Rei didn't answer, in fact she didn't say anything at all the dark haired princess just pulled the blond back down towards her into a searing kiss. Minako was taken by surprise at the ferocity of Rei's lips. Its was unlike any kiss they had previously shared. Rei's lips and tongue conquered. The blond princess mentally smiled when Rei's hands lifted, one going back into the hair at the nape of her neck pulling her even closer into the aggressive kiss while the other softly caressed her cheek. Minako moaned, Rei growled into the kiss. Minako liked this form of Rei's kisses it made her feel good, almost like Rei actually needed her, or at least she hoped, wanted her. Suddenly Rei stopped kissing Minako but it didn't stop there the Martians lips trailed down the blonds neck. Nipping all the way down until the dark haired princess reached the Venusians collar bone. Minako yelp, partially in surprise and partially in slight pain Rei had just bitten her, she had bitten her hard. The blond was sure the mark would be there for a while. Minako looked down at Rei who was now lightly caressing the bite with her tongue. Rei's tongue felt like heaven on her skin Minako moaned.

"Reiko mmhhm that feels so good." Then suddenly as if Rei had just realized what was happening she jerked away. Minako looked confused into the fiery eyes of Rei. Then without warning Minako was flipped over onto her back, gently she realized since she hadn't felt any pain, but the blond was immediately greatly disappointed when Rei stood from the bed and with no words just left the room. Minako sighed in sadness. 'you would think I would be used to this by now. She doesn't even like me.' Minako sniffled a little bit as a tear slid down her cheek. 'I wish I would have just died.' the blond thought as she wrapped her arm gently around her abdomen. 'it wouldn't hurt so much to be without her.'

Rei stormed from the room, seriously angry with herself. 'stupid stupid stupid you try to kill her almost succeed then the moment she wakes up you practically force yourself on her. I'm so stupid! She wont want me, she probably doesn't want to be anywhere near me. She almost died and it was all my fault!' Rei thought as she stomped angrily to her room.

A few days later and Minako had yet to see Rei in more then just passing. The blond missed her more then she ever thought possible. Minako hoped she could convince Rei to dance with her at her birthday ball later that night, but Minako wasn't getting her hopes up. Quietly the blond princess began to undress in preparation of the upcoming ball. Minako sighed as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Minako's fingers lightly caressed her stomach, the blond had never had a scar before. She healed so fast it never really had the chance to scar, but then again Minako had never had a wound like the one that caused this scar. Sighing again she began to dress in the gorgeous golden gown she was meant to wear that evening, Minako was also blissfully happy to notice the dress covered the bite mark that still graced her skin. Once dressed the blond sat down and tied her hair up into an elegant up-do. With a golden ribbon and a few bobby pins the hair arrangement was perfect. Minako plastered on a smile as she opened the door making her way to the ball room.

Queen Serenity smiled everything was ready the ball room looked perfect, a decent representation of the type of party Minako would have had at Venus. Of course much of what happens at Venusian parties would be left out. The large ball room still looked the part. Looking around the queen thought 'Ok a lot of people are here were is Minako and the other girls, of course they would be late to the ball. It important so they cant be on time.' The Queen turned towards the door in surprise as the Herald announced.

"Presenting Her Majesty Princess Serenity Usagi Tsukino, Crown Princess of the White Moon Empire." The queen couldn't believe it. 'What Usagi is here first! that's just strange' The queen thought as she moved to greet her daughter.

"Everything looks amazing mom, its almost like were on Venus." The queen smiled and was about to answer when the herald once again announced the arrival of two important guests.

"Presenting Her Majesty Princess Hermes Ami Mizuno, Crown Princess of Mercury, and Her Majesty Princess Zeus Makoto Kino, Crown Princess of Jupiter." The two senshi join Usagi and Queen Serenity.

"Your majesty you have really outdone yourself this looks nothing like the ballroom before" Ami said as she join the group.

"I agree" Makoto said with a smile, the queen was just about to answer when the herald once again interrupted.

"Presenting Her Majesty Princess Ares Rei Hino, Crown Princess of Mars." The four looked up and were stunned. They had never seen Rei in a dress before.

"She looks amazing" Usagi whispered as Rei slowly descended the stairs.

"Yeah" Ami whispered and immediately blushed at the look Makoto sent her. Rei joined the group with a nod.

"Wow Rei you look good." Makoto said.

"Thank you." was Rei's curt reply. "Where's Venus?"

"She's not here yet." The queen answered. Rei nodded.

"Eager to see Minako?" Jupiter asked. Rei frowned and said.

"Eager to wish her a happy birthday so I can leave. I'm not used to celebrating birthdays with a party." Rei said. Ami nodded.

"Yes Martians don't celebrate birthdays, You spend the day in quiet pray or meditation giving thanks for the life you were granted right?" Rei nodded.

"Yes"

"that seems boring" Makoto said with a smile.

"Actually its seems very interesting, the types of intense meditation Martians are capable of are nothing like you or I could ever truly understand. I imagine it would be a very spiritual experience." Rei nodded. Makoto smiled.

"Intense meditation? So you can like meditate and make things happen in your mind and they like seem real?" Rei looked at the brunette and said.

"Not exactly like that but I guess so." Makoto smiled wider.

"So you can have like a full on orgy in your head and no one would know. Now that would be a spiritual experience" Everyone blushed. A few giggling, the queen being one of them. Rei clenched her jaw tightly.

"No, I mean I could I guess I've never..nor would I…why do conversations always end up being uncomfortable when your around Jupiter." Makoto laughed.

"Just keeping things interesting." The amusing conversation was cut off once again by the herald.

"Presenting His Majesty Prince Rhea Endymion Chiba, Crown Prince of Earth, and His Majesty Prince Apollo Solarus McBain, Crown Prince of the Sun along with his wife Her Majesty Princess Hades Setsuna Meioh, Crown Princess of Pluto." Usagi immediately squealed.

"Ohh Endymion is here." Usagi giggled as she waved to her fiancée.

A/N OK now Rei is feeling really guilty about what happened with Minako. Minako just wishes Rei would look at her. P.S I made all of their real names their planets Greek gods/goddess's hehehe.