AN - Trying to censor this story is becoming a pain and more trouble than its worth. Unfortunately, the two version of the story are going to start diverging if I keep this up. I'm beginning to think I might just "cut" the parts that need to be censored and let people go read the story elsewhere if they want the whole thing.
---
Her mother holding her hand was the first thing Ami noticed as she woke up. She was hooked to a multitude of tubes and machinery and the unmistakable smell of sanitizing chemicals hung in the air.
"Oh, Ami, I was so worried about you," her mother said shakily.
Ami tried to respond, but her mouth felt like it was full of cotton. Without having to ask, her mother fetched a cup of water and a straw. "I'm sorry you were worried," Ami managed to croak out after taking a sip.
"What happened? The doctors said you were brought in with two others, but they were already released by the time my flight got here," Dr. Mizuno said.
Ami hissed in pain as she tried to sit up. "I was mugged. My friends had to fight them off," she lied.
"You were stabbed in the thigh for your purse?" her mother asked.
"I get the feeling they were looking for something else as well,." Ami shuddered at the memory. "I don't know what I would have done if Rei and Nephrite hadn't shown up."
"Rei and ... Nephrite?"
It was quite an endeavor, but Ami managed to pull herself up on the hand rails of the hospital bed. The limited view out the window showed that the snow was falling heavily again. "You met Rei when she came to see me off to America. You've never met Nephrite."
"What were they doing in America?" Dr. Mizuno asked.
"Coming to see me. I've been so stressed out that I needed some moral support," Ami said avoiding her mother's gaze.
There was a long pause and then her mother said, "Ami-chan, I wish you would say something sooner when you're having a problem."
"I know," Ami replied. "I guess I just wanted to take care of things for myself.
Silence followed for a minute. Finally Dr. Mizuno said slowly, "Sometimes Mama forgets that you're not her little girl anymore." She smiled sadly. "I guess all mothers feel the same way."
Ami smiled. "I'll always be your little girl."
"You know I just want what's best for you right?" Dr Mizuno asked, but Ami never got to answer because the door opened.
"Oh, I'll come back later," Nephrite said, trying to retreat back to the safety of the hallway.
Ami's mother had other ideas. "Come in, it's alright."
Here we go. "Mama, this is Nephrite. Nephrite, this is my mother," Ami said, trying not to laugh at the pleading look in Nephrite's eyes.
"Pleased to meet you," Nephrite said with more of a bow than was strictly necessary. When he righted himself, she could see the ugly purple and green bruise of a healing black eye. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere than were he was.
"So I have you to thank for keeping my daughter in one piece?" Dr. Mizuno asked.
Nephrite scratched at the back of his head. "I guess. I didn't seem to do such a good job." He smiled nervously and glanced longingly at the still open door.
"I'm still alive," Ami cut in. "Were you hurt badly?"
"Not really. Just my eyes and some bruised ribs," he said and Ami could clearly see the padding of the bandages beneath his shirt when she looked. He anticipated her next question and added. "Mars has a few bumps and bruises, but except for a concussion she's fine."
If Ami's mother picked up on the change of names, she didn't say anything. "Have the police said anything about the thugs who attacked you?"
Nephrite blinked slowly a few times as he tried to come up with a suitable story. "Um...no. They seem to have disappeared. He was saved by anymore awkward questions by Rei's arrival with human-Luna in tow.
"Mama, this is Rei and Luna," Ami said. She was surprised to see Luna had come over from Japan, but she'd have time to ask about that later.
Rei had a butterfly bandage over her eyebrow, but otherwise looked as well as Nephrite said. She was no longer in her hakama, but was wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater. "Hi," she said. "Did we come at a bad time?"
Luna ducked under Nephrite's arm and came to the side of the hospital bed. "Everyone was panicking when we heard what happened. I had to fight to convince Usagi and Makoto not to jump on the earliest departing flight." She placed Artemis on the bedside table. "But, I brought Artemis to stay with you."
"How cute!" Dr. Mizuno remarked regarding the two new-comers carefully, and Luna gave her her best innocent, little girl smile. "I was just going to get something to eat," Ami's mother said abruptly and stood up. "I'll be back later."
As soon as she had left the room, Artemis began scratching frantically behind her ear. "I've wanted to do that since we got here."
"How are you doing?" Rei asked as she sat on the edge of the hospital bed.
"Well, my leg hurts," Ami reported with a wry smile. "What happened after I passed out?"
Her friend scanned the room then said,"Amazingly, not much. That weird miko pulled something out of the sludge the youma left, and then ran off."
"What about the senshi?" Ami asked.
"They didn't stick around either and we weren't in any position to chase them" Nephrite reported. He crossed his arms with a huff. "The whole mess is just confusing now."
"That's what I'm here for," Luna said brightly. She was carefully reapplying her lip gloss in her cat-shaped hand mirror. "I'll investigate so you don't have to."
It wasn't an admonishment, but it stung Ami like one. "I plan to stay out of this if I can," she said quietly.
Rei was watching her out of the corner of her eye. "Do you want me to go and drop Luna at your apartment?" she asked pointedly with a surreptitious nod in Nephrite's direction.
"Oh, I don't really have any food," Ami said trying to shake her head slightly. Not that she ever really kept much food in the apartment, but she hadn't had time to do any grocery shopping before the attack, and Luna could consume an amazing quantity of junk food.
"Not a problem," Luna said, starting to edge towards the door. "I am a cat after all."
"I can always buy her some snacks," Rei added, then headed for the door before Ami could say anything to the contrary.
Luna followed after waving goodbye. "We'll be back tomorrow!"
"Somehow I think they had that planned," Nephrite muttered after they had gone.
They sat awkwardly for a few minutes. A million thoughts were flitting through Ami's mind. Should she apologize? Should she ask for an apology? Why hadn't he shown up sooner? Why hadn't she asked for help
The question that finally escaped her lips surprised her completely. "Nephrite, do you think I'm a prude?"
"I-what?" Nephrite sputtered. "Where did that come from?"
She blushed furiously. "It's just that that youma said horrible things to me as Dark Mercury.""
"The worse of which was that you're a prude?" Nephrite asked.
"No...she was just saying she was going to steal my life...and my friends...and you," she said.
His expression was unreadable. "She was going to steal me how? By fucking me?" Then he looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you think I think you're just a warm body to chase?" He looked completely taken aback at the the suggestion.
Shes hadn't realized how badly what she said would hurt him. Her stomach sunk. "No..I guess... I guess I was just so scared I would believe whatever she said. She brought up everything I was worrying about whether I knew it or not."
Nephrite said nothing else, but the matter felt far from closed. She could see the tension in the line of his neck. "Are you going back to Japan," she asked, for lack of anything better to say.
"I don't know," he said thoughtfully. "There are enough people protecting the Princess and there is obviously something going on here."
"Protecting the Princess, not the Prince?" Ami asked.
"Of course, Endymion isn't having the baby," Nephrite replied, watching her with a curious expression.
"Usagi's pregnant?" Ami was aware her mouth was hanging open. I really am a horrible friend.
Nephrite cocked one eyebrow. "You didn't know?"
I am the worst friend ever. "No, I can't believe I'm so stupid," she said incredulously. "How could I not know. Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded.
"I assumed you knew," Nephrite said, a small smile forming as she fussed. "She's due in March."
She flopped back on her pillow. "I'm such an idiot," she moaned.
Her visitor set himself down in the chair her mother had vacated. "Not an idiot, just amusingly oblivious. That's probably why we get along." He reached over to stroke her hair. "I suppose I also need to tell you that we had to destroy two aliens that were trying to suck the energy out of Japan."
Just then, Artemis spoke up, startling Ami. She had completely forgotten he was there. He hopped onto her bed and padded over her stomach. "I wonder if this and the aliens are related."
"I don't think so," Nephrite said. "It didn't feel like the same energy."
A thought occurred to Ami. "Artemis, shouldn't you be with Minako?"
"I"m not that far. She's doing promotion in New York City," Artemis said before hopping down to lay down at her said. "It's only a train ride away."
Nephrite was watching Artemis with interest. "I was worried about leaving you here alone.," he said to Ami. I don't like how that youma seemed like was targeting you."
Artemis nodded. "I'll be on guard. After nodding back, Nephrite leaned over the plushie to press a kiss on Ami's forehead. "I'm going to go so you can get some rest. I"ll try to come back tomorrow."
Ami nodded, "Please do."
Not more than thirty seconds later her mother came in. She must have been nearby, but she didn't act like she had overheard. "I don't suppose that your handsome friend there has anything to with you not having the time to call your mother."
"No, I haven't had time to talk to him either," Ami said sadly. "I haven't talked to anyone."
"If I were you, I would make it a point to make the time to talk to him," Dr. Mizuno said with a small smile.
"Mama!"
---
Two days later, Ami found herself with a sudden lack of visitors. Her mother had to return to her work, Rei was spending the remainder of her time trying to ferret out any other youma with Luna and Nephrite was spending as little time as possible in the hospital.
It was hard to tell if he was avoiding her or if he had something against the hospital itself. Their conversations had gotten increasingly stilted, but he really wasn't much of a conversationalist.
She was left with nothing to do but think and she was tired of replaying the same thoughts over and over. Worrying about the past wasn't doing anything but giving her indigestion.
Artemis was asleep on her chest, taking advantage of the last rays of sunlight. She had to admire his patience in sitting in a hospital room all the time, but he had plenty of practice when he was watching over Minako. Even he would be leaving soon and heading back to Japan.
She absentmindedly flipped thought the channels on the television, but as usual there was nothing on except old movies and some talk shows. Why anyone would want to air their dirty laundry like that in public, she didn't know. Then again, she question the sanity of anyone who was trying to marry their husband's brother's best friend.
Artemis rolled over and began pawing at the air. One of these times the nurses would walk in on the plushie moving or talking and she had spent a few hours trying to come up with a cover up. One of these times the nurses would walk in on the plushie moving or talking and she had spent a few hours trying to come up with a cover up. How did one explain a living plushie, anyway?
She heard Nephrite before she saw him and looked up. He had his hands shoved deep in his pockets. "What are they letting you out of here?" he asked without preamble.
Tomorrow, I think," she said. "Provided I don't get an infection."
"Good." He eyed the full-length brace that immobilized her entire leg. "Are you going to be able to get around with that thing on?"
"I'll have crutches," she replied. "Actually, I wouldn't care if I was going to have to crawl. I just want tot get out of here."
"I don't blame you." He wrinkled his nose. "It smells like death in here."
Smells like death. When she asked about it, Nephrite said he could smell the blood and sweat underneath the chemicals. "I've always had a better sense of smell than most people," he said. "Supposedly I have better hearing as well."
"I'm just bored out to f my mind." She picked Artemis up and put him next to her so she could sit up.
Nephrite flopped into the chair next to her bed. "I would be too." He fingered the Poinsettia that Minako had sent. "What are all the decorations for?"
"Christmas is in two days," Ami said. He wasn't at Krown in December, was he?
"Christmas?" Nephrite asked.
"Christian holiday. It's supposed to be the birthday of their savior,"Ami replied. He probably has no idea what Christianity really is, either.
Nephrite was at least pretending to pay attention. "The big, fat guy?"
"No, that's Santa Claus. The holiday is actually is celebrated by secular people as well. The basic gist is that Santa Claus comes to give presents to well behaved children."
"And this has what to do with the birth of their savior?" Nephrite asked.
"To be honest, I have no idea. I only got the parts that we've adopted in Japan. Basically everybody eats a lot and gives presents," she said, cutting the explanation short. "Rei would probably know."
Nephrite shrugged. "Eating a lot and giving out presents seems like a good holiday for me."
"So you say, you're not eating hospital food," she muttered.
"But you'll be home by then," Nephrite pointed out.
"Unfortunately, a lot of stuff gets closed for Christmas. I'm just lucky that there's enough of a Jewish population that some things will remain open," Ami said.
Nephrite was getting antsy, so she changed the subject. "Have you found out anything about those two senshi?"
"No. They haven't reappeared at all." Nephrite pursed his lips. "At least that probably means that the miko hasn't done anything else either."
She had forgotten about the mysterious miko. What would a miko be doing in sub-urban America? It was a multi-cultural community, but she was almost positive that there was no Shinto temple nearby.
"I'm sure we'll find them again, eventually," she said.
"Not if they don't want us to find them," Nephrite grumbled. "I've been looking everywhere but I haven't found even a hint." He sighted and stared at his hands. "This is Kunzite's thing not mine," he added quietly.
Kunzite had been the one to track down the senshi and find out the true Princess while Nephrite was led on a wild goose chase. Ami squeezed his arm reassuringly. "You'll find them, it will just take time."
---
Once Ami had seen Rei get safely into her cab and on her way to the airport, she collapsed on the living room sofa, bouncing Luna into the air.
"Hey!" the plushie protested before kneading her pillow back into a comfortable shape.
Ignoring her, Ami flipped on her television and searched out the Macy's parade. It wasn't exactly exciting, but what else was there to do on Christmas morning. She had gone to Mass with Rei the night before, but it hadn't been remotely interesting.
She scratched beneath the top edge of her leg brace and swung her leg up on top of the coffee table. It was hardly ladylike, but nothing really was when one leg always stuck out straight.
A loud knock on the door distracted her from the parade. She looked down at her brace in annoyance. "Luna, would you get that?"
"With an exaggerated sigh, Luna transformed into her humanoid form and headed for the front door. "Oh boy!" she said upon opening it.
Ami turned around in time to see Nephrite stumble in, completely overburdened with bags and boxes. Luna took a few so he could remove the handle of one from his mouth. "I am never doing anything for your friends again," he grumbled as he set his things down on her kitchen counter.
"What are they?" Ami asked. She grabbed her crutches and hobbled over to examine things.
"These," Nephrite said, indicating the majority of the bags, "are from Jupiter and Turtle-boy." He peeked into the nearest one. "I think it's food."
"That's quite a lot," Luna broke in.
"The others are from the Princess and Venus. One of them is for Luna," Nephrite continued. Stretching his arms, he added, "Why couldn't your friends just send you a card?"
Ami ignored him and opened the package nearest to her. Inside was an enormous shortcake, smothered in whipped cream. "This is definitely from Usagi."
Across the counter, Nephrite was watching Luna with amusement as she tore into a wrapped packaged with her name on it. "All right!" she exclaimed as she pulled out a massive cosmetic case.
The next box Ami opened was filled to the brim with cookies," Makoto," she mumbled around the one she had popped into her mouth.
The rest contained more sweets, Minako's latest CD and DVD, a few get well cards, a stuffed fish, a sonogram print out (obviously a girl) and a good luck charm in the shape of a turtle.
"That's a lot of crap," Nephrite remarked as Ami swept the wrapping into the garbage can.
She tried not to smirk as she offered him a snickerdoodle. "Well, I guess they've forgiven me for not talking to them for a month."
"What? Did you expect them to just forget about you?" Luna asked with a mouth full of whipped cream and cake.
Nephrite examined an éclair with suspicion. "Try it, it won't kill you," Ami chided him.
---
Once they had gorged themselves on sugar an, they all crowded back onto the couch. Warm and full, Luna fell asleep almost instantly after turning back into a stuffed animal. Nephrite's eyes were half open as he sprawled across more than his half of the sofa.
"I ate too much," Ami moaned.
"Poor baby," Nephrite said, too lazy to even lift his head to look at her. She poked him in the stomach and he groaned.
Scot ting over, she leaned into his non-bruised side. 'You're too bony to be a pillow," she remarked.
"I apologize with all the sincerity required," he said
At the mention of apologies, she froze. Without looking at him, she blurted out," I'm sorry for going after that youma myself.
Nephrite shrugged. "I was just worried about you," he said dismissively. "I should have known you'd go after it."
"I just," she stopped mid-sentence. I just what? "I just felt like I needed to be doing something." She felt more guilty about the fact that she hadn't more to stop the youma than anything self.
Nephrite rested his cheek against the top of her head. "Ami-chan, you aren't a senshi. You don't have to do anything."
Although she smiled at he affectionate address, she didn't feel any better. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't just Ami-chan. It feels like there's...something missing lately. I even kind of like it when you aren't paying attention and call Mercury."
"I though you didn't like fighting?" Nephrite remarked.
"I don't. But..it feels like I'm supposed to do something but I don't know what it is," she said.
"Are you sure it isn't something more everyday? Maybe you forgot to feed your fish something."
For a moment she wasn't sure whether Nephrite was being serious or not but then she considered it in earnest. "No. The last time I felt like this was the months right before I met Usagi." She sighed. "I guess I"ll have to wait and see what happens. Or not."
To change the subject, she brought up the other thing she'd been mulling over since she had been released from the hospital. "Have you decided whether you're going to head back to Japan?"
"I think I'll stay over here for the time being. There are too many strange things happening and we should get more information on them." Nephrite stopped , then added. "And by we, I mean Luna and myself."
"I know, I know. I was just thinking that maybe you could stay here with me instead of teleporting all the time," she said quickly, before she lost her nerve.
Nephrite was quiet and Ami worried whether she'd been too forward. But to her surprise it wasn't her he was concerned about. "Won't people think it's...strange?" he asked.
"Not really. People around here just mind their own business." It was true. She had a vague idea of what her neighbors looked like, but she couldn't remember their names.
"I was actually more concerned about your mother," Nephrite said.
"Why? Are you afraid of her?" Ami teased.
Nephrite took his time coming up with a response. "You said she was worried that you would get distracted from your work. And I can tell you get upset when you do something you don't think she'd approve of."
At least he wasn't opposed to the idea because he didn't want tot stay with her. "I don't have to tell her. And figuring out what's going on is a little more important than me feeling guilty."
Clearly still unsure, Nephrite reluctantly agreed. "If you don't think anyone would mind, it could work. I guess I'd blend in better if I didn't just appear randomly."
"Good. It will give me a good excuse to buy some new furniture too," Ami said, trying to lighten the mood. "You're too big to sleep on the couch." And everyone in Japan would definitely start to talk if you were sleeping in my bed, she added to herself.
