Look! Another chapter! I'm getting better at this updating thing... I still have many ideas, and lots of chapters to go, so no worries! This fic will be around for a loooooooong time! Well, this is one of the more exciting chapters... Hope it lives up to its expectations! Read on and enjoy!
Enjoying the sunny day, Usagi and Heero strolled in comfortable silence down by
the lake at the park. Somewhere along the way, she had grasped his hand in hers,
and he didn't object.
Turning to the crystal clear water, Usagi smiled. It was so beautiful out today,
definitely not a day to spend indoors. She knew that much the moment she looked out
the window. "It's so beautiful today."
Heero couldn't help but agree. He found that times where he could truly be at
peace were rare, and this was definitely one of those moments. He glanced at the
blonde goddess beside him, a slight smile playing upon his lips. She was so stunning.
"Please, Heero?" he heard her ask. Shaking his head, he turned his attention
back to her. "Say that again?" he requested.
"I asked if you could go and buy me a bottle of water from the vendor at the top of
the hill," she pointed to the cart that was tiny in the distance. "Please?"
"Sure. I'll be back in a minute." Heero proceeded up the hill at a leisurely pace.
Usagi watched him go, smiling. Then she turned back to the lake. This was her
absolute favorite spot. Walking to the edge of the water, she kicked off her sandals
and dipped a toe in. She immediately took it back out, fighting back a shudder. The
water was unusually cold for such a warm day!
In fact, it felt like the weather was starting to cool down as well. Usagi shivered as
a breeze passed over her. What was going on? She suddenly felt like she was being
watched. Glancing around, however, she saw no one, not even Heero. He must have
made it to the top of the hill already.
She was about to call to him when she was shoved backwards into the lake.
Coughing and gagging on the lake water, Usagi surfaced, wiping the water out of her
eyes. She barely took another breath before she was pulled under once again.
Usagi struggled with an invisible force, trying to push to the surface. Her eyes
whipped about wildly as she tried to find the person who held her down, but she saw no
one. Her legs were kicking furiously, trying to propel herself in some direction, any
direction, but she was getting nowhere.
As air became scarce, Usagi could feel her lungs constricting. They felt like they
were going to burst. She desperately wanted the pain to go away, but it wouldn't. She
was starting to panic, and her vision was blurring.
Her kicking slowed, arms floating at her sides. The pressure in her lungs started to
dull. 'Heero... help... me...' was her last thought before the world faded away.
'Heero... help... me...' Heero faintly heard in his head. Usagi's voice! He dropped
the bottle of water he was holding, eyes focusing on the bottom of the hill. He didn't
see her.
Racing down the hill, he stopped at the water's edge. He scanned the area, his
heightened vision seeing far down the path. Damnit! Where was she?
It was then that something caught his eye in the lake. He had glimpsed a piece of
gold, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Then he realized that it was hair, Usagi's
hair.
Heero dove into the water, ignoring the bitter cold that surrounded his body. He
swam over to the lifeless body attached to the blonde hair. Slipping an arm around her
waist, he kicked to the surface and over to the lake's edge.
Pulling both of their bodies out of the water, he gently laid her down on the grass.
Bending his head down, he listened for her breathing. When he didn't hear anything, he
grabbed her wrist in search for a pulse, which was almost nonexistent but still there.
Damnit! Tilting her head up, he pinched her nose with one hand while covering her
open mouth with his own, forcing his own air into her lungs. He sat back up. She still
wasn't breathing, so he tried again.
Gazing at her, his heart thumped painfully. She had to wake up!
He was about to try recessutating her again when her eyes flew open. Turning her
head to the side, she coughed up the water that was choking her. Once her coughing
fit passed, she looked up. "Heero," she croaked out, tears streaming down her face.
"Shhh... you're ok now," he told her soothingly, cradling her body into his own.
Usagi cried into his shirt, her body wracked with sobs. She had died more than
once before, yes, but this was by far the worst way to go. To be swallowed up in a
watery grave... She wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy.
Thank kami for Heero. She was hoping that she had enough energy to project her
cry for help to him. Apparently it had worked.
As she broke into a fresh round of sobs, Heero pulled her closer to him. "Don't cry,
Usa, I'll protect you. I'll always protect you."
Thanks to:
LeaD: I know... I'm gonna cry when Sailor Cadets is finished... It's so cute!
SakuraMona: Hehe, I always enjoy your reviews... They're among the most entertaining ones I receive!
MarsMoonStar: Thanks so much for continually reviewing... It means a lot!
SerenityMoon: By far, that was the longest review I've gotten in a while... Nice and refreshing. Well, I'm glad this fic is still entertaining to you. No worries about Quatre... There's still plenty of time left for him to jump back into the game. And thanks for reviewing my artwork!
Asia-chan: Short, for me? Yeah, I know, but sometimes it's just hard to find a place to break things off so that they don't sound hokey...
Li-chan: Mmm, yep, Quatre most definitely has more than warm and fuzzy feelings for our dear Usa...
Bronwen: I never tire of hearing that! Thanks for the enthusiastic review! I do so appreciate your kind words, and I am anxiously awaiting another chapter from you...
Kita Ginhoshi: Hehe, you're like the only one who keeps wondering where my evil person/people will pop up next. You should be on evil patrol! We'll make you a badge and give you a hat, and you can have a pistol (water, of course... don't want to harm any innocent reviewers)... If you're up for the job, it's yours...
And to everyone else: You guys are absolutely wonderful! All of your reviews made me smile like there was no tomorrow, and I could really use that right about now!
So, was that good enough to satisfy your thirst for evilness, at least for a little while? I know it feels like the evil is taking an awful long time to make a move, but I am strategically planning the action so that everything works out the way it's supposed to. Plus, this gives more room for romance! ~*^ Anyway, please press that little review button in the corner and leave me a note... I love hearing from you guys... And look! This chapter being posted so soon is proof that reviews really do make a difference! Thought I'd add a little incentive there...
Enjoying the sunny day, Usagi and Heero strolled in comfortable silence down by
the lake at the park. Somewhere along the way, she had grasped his hand in hers,
and he didn't object.
Turning to the crystal clear water, Usagi smiled. It was so beautiful out today,
definitely not a day to spend indoors. She knew that much the moment she looked out
the window. "It's so beautiful today."
Heero couldn't help but agree. He found that times where he could truly be at
peace were rare, and this was definitely one of those moments. He glanced at the
blonde goddess beside him, a slight smile playing upon his lips. She was so stunning.
"Please, Heero?" he heard her ask. Shaking his head, he turned his attention
back to her. "Say that again?" he requested.
"I asked if you could go and buy me a bottle of water from the vendor at the top of
the hill," she pointed to the cart that was tiny in the distance. "Please?"
"Sure. I'll be back in a minute." Heero proceeded up the hill at a leisurely pace.
Usagi watched him go, smiling. Then she turned back to the lake. This was her
absolute favorite spot. Walking to the edge of the water, she kicked off her sandals
and dipped a toe in. She immediately took it back out, fighting back a shudder. The
water was unusually cold for such a warm day!
In fact, it felt like the weather was starting to cool down as well. Usagi shivered as
a breeze passed over her. What was going on? She suddenly felt like she was being
watched. Glancing around, however, she saw no one, not even Heero. He must have
made it to the top of the hill already.
She was about to call to him when she was shoved backwards into the lake.
Coughing and gagging on the lake water, Usagi surfaced, wiping the water out of her
eyes. She barely took another breath before she was pulled under once again.
Usagi struggled with an invisible force, trying to push to the surface. Her eyes
whipped about wildly as she tried to find the person who held her down, but she saw no
one. Her legs were kicking furiously, trying to propel herself in some direction, any
direction, but she was getting nowhere.
As air became scarce, Usagi could feel her lungs constricting. They felt like they
were going to burst. She desperately wanted the pain to go away, but it wouldn't. She
was starting to panic, and her vision was blurring.
Her kicking slowed, arms floating at her sides. The pressure in her lungs started to
dull. 'Heero... help... me...' was her last thought before the world faded away.
'Heero... help... me...' Heero faintly heard in his head. Usagi's voice! He dropped
the bottle of water he was holding, eyes focusing on the bottom of the hill. He didn't
see her.
Racing down the hill, he stopped at the water's edge. He scanned the area, his
heightened vision seeing far down the path. Damnit! Where was she?
It was then that something caught his eye in the lake. He had glimpsed a piece of
gold, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Then he realized that it was hair, Usagi's
hair.
Heero dove into the water, ignoring the bitter cold that surrounded his body. He
swam over to the lifeless body attached to the blonde hair. Slipping an arm around her
waist, he kicked to the surface and over to the lake's edge.
Pulling both of their bodies out of the water, he gently laid her down on the grass.
Bending his head down, he listened for her breathing. When he didn't hear anything, he
grabbed her wrist in search for a pulse, which was almost nonexistent but still there.
Damnit! Tilting her head up, he pinched her nose with one hand while covering her
open mouth with his own, forcing his own air into her lungs. He sat back up. She still
wasn't breathing, so he tried again.
Gazing at her, his heart thumped painfully. She had to wake up!
He was about to try recessutating her again when her eyes flew open. Turning her
head to the side, she coughed up the water that was choking her. Once her coughing
fit passed, she looked up. "Heero," she croaked out, tears streaming down her face.
"Shhh... you're ok now," he told her soothingly, cradling her body into his own.
Usagi cried into his shirt, her body wracked with sobs. She had died more than
once before, yes, but this was by far the worst way to go. To be swallowed up in a
watery grave... She wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy.
Thank kami for Heero. She was hoping that she had enough energy to project her
cry for help to him. Apparently it had worked.
As she broke into a fresh round of sobs, Heero pulled her closer to him. "Don't cry,
Usa, I'll protect you. I'll always protect you."
Thanks to:
LeaD: I know... I'm gonna cry when Sailor Cadets is finished... It's so cute!
SakuraMona: Hehe, I always enjoy your reviews... They're among the most entertaining ones I receive!
MarsMoonStar: Thanks so much for continually reviewing... It means a lot!
SerenityMoon: By far, that was the longest review I've gotten in a while... Nice and refreshing. Well, I'm glad this fic is still entertaining to you. No worries about Quatre... There's still plenty of time left for him to jump back into the game. And thanks for reviewing my artwork!
Asia-chan: Short, for me? Yeah, I know, but sometimes it's just hard to find a place to break things off so that they don't sound hokey...
Li-chan: Mmm, yep, Quatre most definitely has more than warm and fuzzy feelings for our dear Usa...
Bronwen: I never tire of hearing that! Thanks for the enthusiastic review! I do so appreciate your kind words, and I am anxiously awaiting another chapter from you...
Kita Ginhoshi: Hehe, you're like the only one who keeps wondering where my evil person/people will pop up next. You should be on evil patrol! We'll make you a badge and give you a hat, and you can have a pistol (water, of course... don't want to harm any innocent reviewers)... If you're up for the job, it's yours...
And to everyone else: You guys are absolutely wonderful! All of your reviews made me smile like there was no tomorrow, and I could really use that right about now!
So, was that good enough to satisfy your thirst for evilness, at least for a little while? I know it feels like the evil is taking an awful long time to make a move, but I am strategically planning the action so that everything works out the way it's supposed to. Plus, this gives more room for romance! ~*^ Anyway, please press that little review button in the corner and leave me a note... I love hearing from you guys... And look! This chapter being posted so soon is proof that reviews really do make a difference! Thought I'd add a little incentive there...
