Author's Note: Thanks to all the people who have reviewed! I am sorry for not updating earlier. I have been having some family issues but now that they are somewhat resolved, I hope to write more. The title of this chapter might not exactly make sense but I couldn't find a title that fit. If you have a better title, please let me know!! And now on to the story!!

To Be Needed

by Grace brings Hope

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize does not belong to me.


A Reminder of Life

I gritted my teeth as the knife ran smoothly across my forearm. A rush of relief filled the empty void that I had been feeling for so long. It has been a week since I met with Matt and that day had been the last time I had cut. The emptiness has lessened some but the need for a cut had overcome me.

I leaned against the kitchen counter as my thoughts started to drift. As usual, they always went back to Mamo-chan.

It's Mamoru. He's not yours anymore, Usagi. He belongs to Rei now.

"Who said that?" The voice seemed quite familiar and almost too close for comfort.

How could you not recognize me, Usagi? I know the pain that you feel every night for the last ten years. I know that your friends have left you when you were in your darkest moments. I have seen the cuts on your arms that bleed constantly, some never healing. Usagi, I am you.

"My friends had a good reason for leaving. I would not let them give up their dreams for my sake. Everything I do is my choice. Get out of my head!" I must look a crazy person talking to myself, but then again, there is no one in my house but me. I am alone.

But I'm you. How do I get out of your head? Let's face it. This is exactly how you feel. You feel betrayed, lonely, and angry. Just admit it. You hate them.

"No, I don't hate them! They didn't even know!" A pain struck my heart as the words of the voice became real. Tears started to flood my eyes.

But they should have felt it. They are attached to you. They were your best friends for years. How could they not tell that their princess needed help?

"No, that's not true!" The tears were falling fast now. I doubled over in pain. "Get out of my head! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

I laid on the kitchen floor crying for what seemed like hours. The pain never lessened and the fresh cut on my arm would not clot. The blood flowed freely with no abandon. And for once, I was actually scared I would die.

Someone. Please save me.


The ache in my chest suddenly turned into what felt like a heart attack. I couldn't breathe and I was immobile. Rei was instantly at my side in concern.

"Mamo-chan! What's wrong? Are you okay?" Rei's eyes filled with tears as she watched me fall to the ground in pain.

I tried to give her a smile of reassurance but the pain turned from bad to ugly. Never had it felt so horrible before. The only thing I could do was scream in pain.

The last thing I heard was Rei screaming for help before I fell into the oblivion of my mind.


I gasped at the sudden change of my body. Nothing was wrong physically with it, but it felt funny, almost as if someone I cared about was in danger. Instantly the picture of Usagi came to mind.

I ran out of the house followed by a mass sound of yells coming from my cousins. I ran as fast as I could in the direction of Usagi's house. At least what I thought was the right direction.

After 10 minutes of running, I realized that it was the wrong way. I turned around and crashed into a girl. I only caught a glimpse of her face as she toppled to the ground. She looked so familiar. "Usagi?"

The girl stood up. "No!" she cried indignantly. "I am not Usagi! I am Aino Minako! How could you not recognize me? I am --" She stopped suddenly with an odd look on her face. "How do you know Usagi?"

I looked at the very curious girl. One minute she is yelling at me, the next I was being interrogated. "She is a friend. I am trying to find her house."

She looked at me with scrutiny. Then as suddenly as before, her mood changed. She smiled widely as she nodded. "I will take you there! She's my cousin. Come on this way!"

As she dragged me down the sidewalk, I realized the differences and the similarities between the two blondes. But for some reason, the name "Aino Minako" stood out to me like a sore thumb.

I slapped my head minutes later as I realized it. "Aren't you that international pop star? What are you doing here?"

She answered sweetly. "I am here to visit my cousin. Kami-sama knows how long it's been since we've seen each other." And suddenly the explanation for her clothes made sense.

She was dressed in an oversized coat with large sunglasses over her eyes. The scarf on top of her head did little to hide the blonde hair underneath but it added taste. I smiled slightly.

We ran for several more minutes before stopping in front of Usagi's house. As I reached up to ring the doorbell, an eery feeling came over me. I rang it once with no answer.

After about the third ring, I reached for the doorknob to find it unlock. The pop star started yelling at me as I stepped into the house. I walked around the corner to a gruesome sight. I could hear Aino's scream from behind me.

Usagi was laying in a pool of blood, her body sprawled out in an akward position. The cut on her arm was bleeding with no sign of stopping. If I hadn't noticed her breathing, I would have said she was dead.

"Aino, call an ambulance! Quickly! I don't think she has much time!" I ran to Usagi's side and picked her up.

"Hold on, Usagi! Please just hold on."


DR. ISHIKAWA, PLEASE REPORT TO INTENSIVE CARE. DR. ISHIKAWA, PLEASE REPORT TO INTENSIVE CARE.

The words on the intercom went in one ear and out the other for me. All I could think about was Usagi. I come home after 7 years to find my cousin and princess collapsed in a pool of blood. Talk about traumatic.

But the one thing that really got me was why nobody was with her. Usually on a summer day such as this, she would be hanging out with Mamoru or at the arcade talking to Motoki. Why was she all alone?

Like you have any place to talk, Minako. You left her behind without a second glance.

I glanced over at the man sitting next to me. He looked so familiar. And very handsome. When he was looking for Usagi's house, I felt no bad vibes from him. The worried look on his face proved he meant no harm. But still, who was this guy? He almost reminds me of...

"Ms. Aino," the doctor addressed me as he walked in the room. I snapped out of my thoughts to focus on what he was about to say.

"How is she, doctor?"

He fiddled with his large-framed glasses. "Well, she'll be ok, but she is very weak. She seems to have lost a lot of blood. And it also seems that she has been cutting. From the healing of the scars, I would say she has been doing this for quite a long time. Do you know anything about this?" He glanced from the strange-but-handsome man to me.

I gave a helpless look. "I am her cousin but I just arrived to Japan yesterday. I haven't seen her in years."

The doctor sighed at my answer. He turned to the worried man. "And you?"

The handsome stranger looked deep in thought. "She was very depressed about a week ago. We ran into a couple that really startled her. I haven't really seen her much since."

The doctor nodded. "Well, I can't really tell you much about her until she wakes up. But she needs someone watching her 24/7. If you two will work it out between yourselves, I will get the paperwork." And with that he walked out of the room.

I turned to the lovely guy now standing in front of me. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"

The guy chuckled slightly. "I'm sorry, I suppose we haven't been properly introduced. My name is Matthew White. As I mentioned before, I am a friend of Usagi's." He reached his hand out in a handshake.

I took it. "I am Aino Minako. I am Usagi's cousin. I am currently back to do some concerts so I figured I would drop in on her."

Matthew smiled hesitantly. "Then would it be alright if I asked for Usagi to stay with me? I live with my 3 cousins. I know it seems quite odd for her to stay with so many men, but she would be under constant watch. My cousins won't mind, we have a large house."

I looked at Matthew with aprehension. Sure, I didn't get any negative vibs froms him but it didn't change the fact that I didn't trust him. But then again, what could I do?

I haven't been around and I probably don't know Usagi that well anymore. I shook my head at the thought. But that is how life goes sometimes. Plus I would be busy most of the time so...

I smiled. "I guess that would be the best arrangement for now. Thank you for being a good friend to her." We shook hands.

If only I had been as good a friend as you...


I opened my eyes slowly to find Matthew smiling at me from above. The lights behind him blinded me causing me to close my eyes once more. I could hear his chuckle as he helped me sit up.

"You gave us quite a scare, Usagi. The doctor says that you need time to rest." I opened my eyes to find him smiling. "He also said that you needed someone to watch over you 24/7. So to respect his request, I would like to introduce you to my cousins."

I turned to find 3 other men sitting in the room. Each of them smiled and waved. But for some reason it seemed as if I had met them before. I stared at a man with dark blonde hair and deep blue eyes. And suddenly, it clicked.

"Oh, my god."