*Disclaimer: La la la...don't own BSSM...la la la.

*********************************************************
There really was no point in hiding the truth from Mamoru.
Ami had reached her decision. Lifting her head, Ami gave
Mamoru a resolved look. "Hai, Mamoru-san. I will tell you
all that has happened to Usagi-chan."
*********************************************************

Medical Miracle
Chapter 8: Memories of the Past...
By: The Rose Society
Rating: PG-13
email: EtrlSlrMn@aol.com
http://www.geocities.com/the_rose_society/index.html

Ami gently closed the door behind her. Shock,
disbelief, sorrow...Ami never thought Mamoru would be so
affected by Usagi's story. It was almost as if he was
reliving everything, through Usagi's eyes.

As Ami walked down the corridor toward her mother's
office, she thought, "It is worse than I thought. Mamoru is
completely in love with Usagi. I am too late. Kami help
them. Kami help us all."

Inside, at his desk, Mamoru stared blankly at the
chair Ami had just vacated. His thoughts whirled and spun,
going so quickly that Mamoru could not think properly.
There was only one thought that would not leave his mind.
'Poor Usagi-chan. My poor Usagi-chan.'

Self-Control sighed. No matter how much sympathy
it might have for Usagi-chan itself, a job is still a job.

'Ano...Mamoru-san.'

No reply.

Clearing its throat, Self-Control tried again.
'Chiba-san!'

Fleeting thoughts still raced by at mach speed.

'That did it.' Self-Control rolled up its
invisible sleeves, spit into its hands and slapped them
together. Beating his fists on Mamoru's mind, Self-Control
began yelling. 'BAKA!! BAKA!! BAKA!!'

*SCREECH* *CRUNCH* *POP* With a bang, Mamoru's
thoughts crashed into a jumbled mess.

'NANI?!?!?!?!' roared a voice. 'WHAT THE HELL
JUST HAPPENED?'

Self-Control winced. 'Uh oh...I got the big guy
angry.' Instantly, the Voice appeared next to
Self-Control.

'HAHAHAHA!!! Boy, are you dead meat. You know how
Order hates when this happens. Once it finds out that you
are responsible...HAHAHAHA!!!' The Voice began to laugh
again, rolling on the floor while holding his sides.

Self-Control paled. 'Shimatta.' It furiously
began to rack its brains for a way out of impending doom.
But the Voice's piercing laughter kept popping
Self-Control's thought bubble. Closer and closer, Order's
heavy footfalls could be heard reverberating throughout
the mental halls.

'What to do, what to do...' Self-Control looked
around desperately for a way out. Its gaze traveled from
the big pile of thoughts to the Voice back to the pile
then back to the Voice...*DING* A slow grin began to
spread across Self-Control's face. Some quick work with
its marker and *PRESTO* Self-Control disappeared just as
Order made the scene.

'WHO IS THE LITTLE PUNK THAT MADE THIS MESS?!'
roared the infuriated Order. The Voice quickly stopped
laughing. While all the facets of Mamoru's mind looked
like a super-deformed chibi Mamoru, Order was one of the
few that did not. Well, at least when it was angry. Right
now, Order had no definite form. It was just a black
gaseous cloud, its only feature two blazing red eyes.
'ANSWER ME, WHO CREATED THIS MESS?'

Stammering, the Voice tried to collect its own
voice. 'Self-Control, Order-sama. It was Self-Control.'

Order turned its eyes of flame toward the Voice.
'INFIDEL! YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN LIE TO THE ALMIGHTY
ORDER? YOU SHALL PERISH!'

The Voice felt its stomach drop to the floor.
'Iie, Order-sama. I swear I speak the truth. Self-Control
caused this mess.' It dropped to its knees. 'Onegai,
Order-sama. It was Self-Control.'

Order laughed a horrible laugh. If the Voice was
not already on its knees, it would have fallen to them at
the sound. 'SELF-CONTROL? HAHAHAHA!'

The Voice thought that this might be a good time
to make its exit. 'Hai...who would have thought that trusty
old Self-Control would have ended up angering Order-sama.
Well, if Order-sama does not need me anymore, I will be
disappearing now.' But before the Voice could make a hasty
retreat, Order stopped laughing and returned to glare at
the Voice.

'FREEZE.' And the Voice froze. 'I TOLD YOU NOT TO
LIE TO THE ALL POWERFUL ORDER. LOOK AT YOU. YOU HAVE GUILTY
WRITTEN ALL OVER YOU!' The Voice looked at himself. Indeed,
he did have the kanji representing 'guilty' written all over
him in marker.

'Why that dirty, double-crossing slime ball!!!' But
before the Voice could say a few more...ahem...choice words,
Order placed the Voice in the Void.

'That ought to hold you, you meddlesome child.' In
a flash, the formless Order turned into a super kawaii,
super-deformed, chibi Mamoru, wearing a neat little pair of
jeans, a cotton button-up shirt and a most adorable little
apron that had "Bless this Mess" printed on it. With a snap
of its fingers, a broom and dustpan magically appeared in
Order's hands. 'SIGH...my work is never done.' With that,
Order promptly set about clearing the jumble of thoughts.

*Fifteen Minutes Later*

Mamoru finally shook himself out of his stupor.
No matter how badly he felt for Usagi, her past was no
longer the main priority. Usagi and her happiness was now
HIS main priority and no matter what, Mamoru had to make
his Usagi happy again. Using his phone, Mamoru dialed the
nurses' main desk.

"Moshi moshi, Tokyo Hospital's main desk. Nurse
Kaneshiro speaking. How may I help you?" said a male voice.

"Ano, Kaneshiro-san. Could you tell me if a Tsukino
Usagi has shown up yet for her shift?" replied Mamoru.

"Usagi-chan? Gomen nasai, demo I can not let out
information about our most gorgeous volunteer to just
anybody. May I ask with whom am I speaking?"

Mamoru stifled his anger. After all, Usagi was not
technically seeing him...yet...and the men in the hospital
had every right to dream...HOPELESSLY. "Kaneshiro-san, I am
DOCTOR Chiba and I needed to talk to Tsukino-san about a
patient that she helped me with."

*Snort* "Chiba-san, you'll have to do better than
that. I need a medical identification number from you."

"NANI? For Kami sake, I am not asking for a
government secret. I just need to know if Tsukino-san has
arrived yet."

Kaneshiro sighed. Usagi-chan's admirers (himself
included) had a history of pestering the front desk for
information about the blond beauty. Eventually, it had
gotten so bad that the people at the desk began making
sure that the people calling about Usagi-chan were truly
medical personnel. There had been one too many incidents
of strange people just walking onto the hospital floor with
flowers for the volunteer. "Chiba-san, if you are a doctor
here, you must be new. If anyone calls about Usagi-chan,
these precautions must be taken. Unless you do not want the
information, I suggest that you tell me your medical ID
number."

Grumbling, Mamoru told the nurse his ID number.
After waiting for the man to verify his identity, Kaneshiro
finally answered Mamoru's question. "Gomen, Dr. Chiba, demo
Usagi-chan is not coming in today."

Mamoru was surprised. Not come in? Was she sick?
"Doushite? I thought she came in everyday of the week."

Kaneshiro sighed. "Usually, Usagi-chan does. Demo
this week is a very personal time for Usagi-chan and she
takes a week's leave of absence. Is that all, doctor?"

"Hai. Arigato. Sayonara." Mamoru hung up the phone.
A week? He would have to wait a week to see Usagi-chan
again. Although the thought of separation from the woman he
loved was disturbing, Mamoru knew he could use time to
figure out exactly how he could ask Usagi out on a date.
Besides, Usagi would most likely need the distraction after
this week. Mamoru sighed. Sadly, he almost knew exactly
what Usagi was going through.

*Tsukino House*

"Shingo, I'm home," called Usagi as she took off
her shoes and placed them neatly on the entryway floor.
As she was putting on her pink pair of house slippers,
Shingo stuck his head into the hallway.

"Kon'wa, onee-chan. Good day at school?" he
inquired as he helped Usagi with her groceries.

Usagi smiled at her very tall younger brother. He
had grown to be as tall as Motoki-onii-chan. His once
unruly sandy blonde hair had now settled into a very
handsome style. His green eyes shone with intelligence and
no longer with mischief. To be sure, Shingo still loved to
have fun, especially if it meant making Usagi laugh, but
over the years, his knowledge of what was appropriate for
the situation had increased immensely. It was not so long
ago that Shingo treated her with as much respect as he
would a mosquito. But now, after all that has happened,
Shingo had matured to a very loving and respectful younger
brother. "Wonderful, Shingo. The kids were very well
behaved today. How were classes today?"

Shingo began walking toward the kitchen, his arms
weighed down by the plastic bags. "Fine, as always. I have
a paper coming up in English and I hoped that you might
have time to read it before I turn it in next week."

Usagi, hindered by her own bags, replied, "Of
course. Just tell me when you are ready." As she passed by
the dining room, she noticed that Shingo's partner had
indeed arrived. "Mika! I did not know that you were here
already." Stopping her journey, Usagi looked at the young
woman.

Mika stood up from her seat and gave Usagi a deep
bow. "Gomen nasai, Usagi-chan for not greeting you at the
door. I was so involved in the project that I did not hear
the doorbell or notice Shingo getting up." Before Usagi
could interrupt, Shingo reappeared from the kitchen.

"Onee-chan, you should not be holding these heavy
bags for so long. You could hurt yourself. Here, let me
take them." Shingo gently wrestled the bags from Usagi's
hands.

Giggling, Usagi mock-glared at Shingo. "Shingo,
I am not a little girl anymore. Besides, you are the
younger one here." Playfully, Shingo stuck out his tongue
before he disappeared back into the kitchen. After laughing
at his antics, Usagi turned her attention back to Mika.
"Mika-chan, you do not have to apologize. I understand
completely. Besides, Shingo only greets me formally
because he wants make me hurry and cook dinner." Both
Mika and Usagi shared a good laugh.

"Nani? What is so funny?" said Shingo as he
reemerged. "Onee-chan? Mika-chan?"

Regaining her control, Usagi patted Shingo on the
head as she headed toward the kitchen. "Nothing, Shingo.
Continue working on the project with Mika-chan."

Shrugging, Shingo nodded. "Onee-chan, when is
dinner going to ready?" Poor Shingo. He had asked his
sister the same question everyday with no incident. But
somehow this time, his question sent his sister and Mika
into another fit of laughter. 'Women...' he thought as he
sat back down to the project.

*Three Hours Later*

After preparing dinner and enjoying it with Mika
and Shingo (who was still looking a bit mystified), Usagi
left the two college students to their work and went to
her room. Usagi showered quickly and changed into her
pajamas. Although it was still quite early, Usagi wanted
to be prepared. Every year, it was the same ritual:
reminisce, cry and fall asleep. For today was not just an
ordinary day to the Tsukino siblings. Today was the day
before the anniversary of the death of their parents.

For Shingo, his heartache and pain would be
expressed tomorrow, when he and his sister visited the
grave site. For him, time had managed to heal his pain a
great deal.

But for Usagi, time had done nothing to help the
poor girl. Every day she felt the pang of longing for her
parents. Even as a grown woman, she still missed hearing
her okaa-san's scolding voice or her otou-san ranting
about her dating a boy.

*Flashback*

14 year-old Usagi walked home dejectedly. Another
school day, another detention and another failed test.
She had even been able to launch the offending test paper
and hit a extremely rude (but very kawaii) young man.

'Even though I hit him, I apologized immediately.
Demo he yelled at me,' thought Usagi with a sniff. 'Why
is everyone being so mean to me today?' A few tears fell
from her eyes.

Knowing what awaited her, Usagi hoped that her
okaa-san would at the very least allow her to come back
home before dinner. Straightening her posture, hoping
that it would bring her some courage, Usagi entered her
home. Immediately, Tsukino Ikuko was blocking the hallway
that would allow Usagi to run to the safety of her room.

"Usagi-chan, Umino said that your class received
their English test scores today. So, how did you do?"
questioned Ikuko.

Reluctantly, Usagi held out the crumpled test
paper and awaited the storm. She did not wait long.

"TSUKINO USAGI," said Ikuko warningly as her
spatula oscillated back and forth dangerously. "A 30?!
NO DAUGHTER OF MINE GETS THESE KIND OF TEST SCORES AND
STILL GETS FED."

*Another Flashback*

"Okaa-san! Okaa-san! Naru-chan is having a party
next week. May I go?" asked Usagi as she hopped up and
down. She absolutely loved going to parties.

Ikuko smiled indulgently at her enthusiastic
daughter. "Who is going to be there, Usagi-chan?"

Usagi shrugged. "Some of my classmates. Naru's
friends and a few of her relatives. May I go, Okaa-san?
Onegai?" Clasping her hands and giving her mother her
best puppy dog look, Usagi hoped that her mother would
say yes.

Ikuko laughed. "You do not have to beg,
Usagi-chan. You may go," Usagi jumped up and cheered,
"...if your otou-san agrees." Usagi immediately was on
the verge of tears.

"O...otou-san? Demo...okaa-san...Naru said that
her guy cousins are going to be there," whispered Usagi
to her mother as she nervously dug her toe into the
floor.

Whoops.

Wrong thing to say.

"BOYS?!?!?! WITHIN FIVE HUNDRED FEET OF MY
USAGI! NOT IN THIS LIFETIME!" bellowed Tsukino Kenji
from the front doorway. Both Usagi and Ikuko looked
at each other in amazement. Kenji was able to hear
Usagi's whispered words with deadly accuracy despite
the fact that he had been in the garage parking the car
and Usagi and Ikuko were upstairs in Usagi's room. Both
Usagi and Ikuko began to sweatdrop as Kenji proclaimed
to the world that if any member of the male species even
tried to get near his daughter, he would soon be
personally introduced to Kenji's beloved kitana
collection. And Kenji stressed the idea of 'personally.'

*End Flashback*

Smiling wistfully, Usagi picked up the family
photo from her shelf. So many happy memories...but cut
off too soon. She was only 15 when her parents were killed
in a freak bus accident on their way to the shopping mall.
A few nights before the accident, Ikuko and Kenji told Usagi
how proud they were that Usagi was really trying to study
for the high school entrance exams. Ami had even started
Usagi out on a strict regime of lessons so that Usagi could
make up for all her lost time, even though the entrance
exams would not take place until the third year of secondary
school. During their conversation, Ikuko told Usagi that she
hoped that Usagi would go to a good high school and then a
good university. When Usagi said that her dream was to be a
doctor, Kenji promised Usagi that he and Ikuko would always
support Usagi's dreams.

*Flashback*

"Usagi-chan, one day, I want to be out there, with
all the other parents, cheering your name. I want to see
you in that black robe and graduation cap getting your
diploma from the dean," Ikuko said as she looked at her
daughter. "When you stand up there, diploma in hand, odangos
shining in the sun, my dream will have come true. My
mesume, you'll grow up to do wonderful things. I only can
hope to be there to see all your great achievements."

Kenji smiled at his wife and gave her hand a loving
squeeze. "My little Usagi, just yesterday you were only as
tall as my knee, tripping over my feet. Now, you are studying
for your high school entrance exams. No matter all the
problems you had getting to this point, I know that you will
do your best. No matter what happens, remember that we love
you. Whether you become a doctor, a teacher, or a," Kenji
choked on the next word, "housewife, although if any man
dares get near you, I'll..." Ikuko poked him in the ribs as
Usagi suppressed a giggle. "...your mother and I will always
be proud of you."

*End Flashback*

Usagi never could forget that conversation. She never
thought that her parents believed that she could get into a
good high school, let alone a university. But knowing that
they had faith in her made Usagi have faith in herself. After
her parents' death, she threw herself into her studies, to
the complete surprise of her friends. Even though Usagi had
been studying hard before, it now seemed as if the school
books had become Usagi's anchor in life. She did not go to
the Crown or any of her other hangouts. Every time Ami or any
of Usagi's other friends tried to get Usagi to do something
with them, Usagi would always say something about a test
coming up or a report being due. For two months, Usagi was a
hermit in her room. All of her friends were concerned but did
not know how they could help her. It got to the point where
Usagi constantly had dark circles under her eyes due to a
lack of sleep and her clothes had begun to hang off her rapidly
thinning body. Eventually it was Shingo who dragged Usagi's
secret out of her. Concerned about his sister's health, Shingo
held Usagi's books hostage until she finally broke down and
told him about her conversation with her parents and why she
was pushing herself beyond her limits.

*Flashback*

"I just want to make okaa-san and otou-san proud of
me, Shingo. I do not want to be a disappointment to them. I
failed them so many times. I will NOT fail their last
request," said Usagi as she sobbed into her pillow.

Shingo was shocked. For the last two months, Usagi
had been studying nonstop in order to please their parents?
His eyes began to fill with tears as well as he awkwardly
patted Usagi's back. "Baka, it's ok. Otou-san and Okaa-san
would be proud of you no matter what. Okaa-san and Otou-san
love you. They would be happy to see you try so hard. But they
would not have wanted you to become like this. Come back to us,
Usagi. Your friends need you." Shingo paused and then whispered,
"and me, onee-chan, I need you too."

Usagi grew still at Shingo's use of 'onee-chan.' Never
had the little pest ever called her anything besides 'baka.'
"Honto ne, Shingo? You need Usagi-baka?" whispered Usagi as she
lifted her face from her tear-soaked pillow. Shingo nodded
through his tears and threw himself into Usagi's embrace. The
two siblings cried together for the rest of the night.

*End Flashback*

Eventually the years passed for the Tsukino family.
Usagi and Shingo's god-parents assumed guardianship of the two
children until Usagi became of age and formally took over
guardianship of Shingo. They continued to live in the house of
their childhood, their father having paid off the mortgage long
ago. Although their parents had saved some money for them, it
would run out eventually. Usagi knew that she had to get a job
as soon as possible. Relatives, as generous as they were, had
families of their own and Usagi did not believe that they should
have to shoulder the burden of two extra people. So, she gave up
the dream of becoming a doctor and instead studied to obtain a
teaching position at the local elementary school. With her job,
she began to support Shingo and herself and she tried her best
to repay her relatives. Although Usagi still wished she had been
able to become a doctor, she knew that she made the right decision.
Her salary was able to support her and Shingo and some of the
money her parents had put aside for her education could now be
given to Shingo so that he could pursue his dream without
having to worry about tuition.

'Otou-san, Okaa-san. Shingo and I miss you guys so much.'
A tear trickled down Usagi's cheek. 'You would be so proud of
Shingo. He's grown into a fine young man. You remember when we
used to fight so much? He'd tease me about my grades, my hair,
everything. Now, he teases all the girls at school. Hai, Okaa-san,
I'm making sure that he treats the girls with the proper respect.
But he's gotten so handsome that they all swoon when he steps onto
Azabu's campus.' Usagi had a small smile on her face as she looked
down upon the picture of her family. 'We get along just fine now.
Remember, Okaa-san, when you used to put your head in your hands
and moan, "When will they ever grow up?" Then I would wail so loud
that the entire neighborhood shook, not to mention the house, that
Shingo had done something to me. But Shingo would only pull down
his eyelid, stick out his tongue, and taunt, "Usagi-baka. Grow up."
Do you see me, Okaa-san, Otou-san? I'm all grown up now. I'm a
teacher now. I have the best class in the world. Every week, I
visit the orphanage and bring minna along with me. Everyday, after
class, I volunteer at the hospital.' Usagi's tears fell without
pause upon the photo frame, but she didn't move to wipe them away.
'But I'm still your mesume. I'm just a little girl who misses her
parents.' Cradling the photo in her arms, Usagi laid down on her
bed and sobbed. 'Okaa-san, Otou-san. Tomorrow is the day I finally
tell Shingo everything. I am slowly getting worse. I can't continue
doing all the things I love. Shingo must be prepared. No matter how
hard it will be to tell him.'

Translations:

ano- um...
doushite- why?
kawaii- cute
kon'wa- short for konnbanwa which means good evening
mesume- daughter
okaa-san- mother
onee-chan- older sister
onii-chan- older brother
otou-san- father
shimatta- curse word

Author Notes:

I know...the whole thing is very choppy but I've been
having a harder time creating the whole story. Gomen nasai =P
Hopefully, I'll be able to finish this story (it is going to
take a lot longer than I thought) and re-edit it once I have
the entire plot written out.
Until the next chapter...

~The moonlight carries the message of love.~
~Tsuki no hikari wa ai no message.~