Chapter 2: Author's Note:
"I apologize for the bad structuring of this story. In the program that I use to type it, it's just fine. But apparently this site cannot separate the same way I have it. Once again, I apologize for the first chapter and how badly structured it was. But I'm afraid I can't do anything about it. Sorry! ^^
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It was almost 5:00 a.m. when I wandered down into the kitchen. The large linoleum room smelled of cakes and recently baked meals. The sun had not risen yet, so it was still dark in there. I walked into the freezer area and slid back a door, taking out a box of Usagi's favorite ice cream. Grabbing a spoon from the large cabinet doors that held some of our china, I dug into the ice cream and began eating. It was the heartburn, really. Sometimes, cold food items helped ease heartburn. Swallowing down the chocolate, I turned to look out across the kitchen. When would the day come when I would be rid of these pains? The dizziness was costing me much more than I thought. I hadn't had heartburn in years and now. I was having mood swings. Not normal mood swings. Just something deep inside telling me to act one way, then another. Terrific. Right now? I was feeling lazy. So. I wasn't going to do anything today. Just stay in the bedchambers and stare at myself in the mirror. I tossed the ice cream back in the freezer and dumped the spoon in the sink. As I did, someone walked into the kitchen. It was Jupiter-san. She liked to cook for the family, and I was more than willing to let her, since none of us could actually cook. As she walked by, she looked up at me and smiled. "Hey, Endymion- sama. Why you up this early? And why aren't you in the medical room? I don't think you're quite fully recovered." "I'm fine, Jupiter-san," I mumbled, rummaging for something else sugary. Now I needed a boost of energy. "I've been sleeping all day." As a second thought, I added, "Jupiter-san, have you seen Chibi-Usa acting strangely recently?" "Strangely? What do you mean?" she asked while deploying a pan out of no where, prepared to begin breakfast. I shrugged. "I don't know. Has she seemed like she's been in any pain at all?" Jupiter-san thought about that for a moment, then shook her head slowly. "No, not that I've seen. Why? Have u seen her hurt? Does she need medical attention?" "I don't know." I replied a little tiredly. "She woke up earlier this night with a headache." "Headaches are quite common." "Yeah, but on five-year-olds?" This made her think. She walked over and tied an apron around her waist and neck, then held her chin. "Maybe you're right. I don't know. I'll get Mercury-chan to look at her later. Okay?" "Okay. Thanks, Jupiter-san." "No problem!" She smiled and waved me away as she began cooking. I walked out of the kitchen and ascended up the stairs to the bedchambers. As I came across my room, I could hear the crying again. It was Serenity. I peeked in through the door to find Serenity lying on the bed, hugging her arms and sobbing. Her body shook with gasps for air and she tried desperately to calm herself down. But instead she murmured my name a few times and continued crying. I was frozen in my spot at the image my wife made. She looked so helpless like that, crying and frail. I moved into the room and sat down on the bed beside her. She gasped and looked up at me. I smiled at her and stroked her forehead. "Good morning, love. What's wrong?" She stared at me with red eyes, scarred from crying. Her cheeks were tearstained. Still smiling, I leaned down and kissed each cheek, then wiped away her tears. "What's the matter, Usako?" She watched me for a moment, then sat up slowly. Her eyes never left mine. I stopped smiling and watched her seriously. "Usako?" "Mamo-chan, I." she began, but stopped, fearing her own words. I placed a hand on hers and stroked her fingers. Her shyness was growing. I leaned over and kissed her shoulder. "Usako." "Mamo-chan, darling, I think I. I think that what happened to you." she faltered continuously. "You can tell me, love." "I don't think I can." Her eyes left mine while talking. I sighed, growing a little more tired. Thinking for a second, I smiled a little boyishly at her, then grabbed her waist and pulled her down on top of me as I lied myself down on the bed. She gasped and squealed a little bit, then giggled and watched me as my arms tightened around her waist. "Now, you tell me what's wrong or I'm not letting you go!" I commanded in sarcastic voice. She laughed. "Is that a promise or a threat?" "You decide," I whispered, and gently lowered her head onto my chest. She sighed a little sadly. "What's wrong?" I asked. She shrugged slightly. "Endy, the accident you had. when you fell. I think that." She stopped again. I looked up at her. She was so still, I thought she had stopped breathing. But I could feel the rise and fall of breasts against my chest, and I merely stoked her waist. ". Nothing." She finished it. Just like that. I watched her. "Nothing?" "No. Never mind." "Surely, whatever it was, it must have bothered you. You were crying." "It's nothing. I'll get over it. I guess I'm just still in shock of what happened." She smiled up at me. I smiled back and nodded. "Yeah, I'm still in shock, too. I mean, I should've died. But something kept me alive. Lord." I sighed and let my head drop back. Then Serenity went utterly still. Disturbed, I looked up at her. Tears sprang to her eyes and she looked as if she'd cry all over again. "It's my fault." she sobbed. I watched her, growing curious. "What is?" "I. did it. I made you fall. It was all my fault. I didn't mean to. It was an accident, I swear." "What?!" I gaped, pushing her up to where she rose to her knees and sat beside me. I sat up and stood on the floor, watching her. "What do you mean "It was your fault"?!" I was just a little more than angry. She sobbed. "I didn't mean to! I was only doing what Pluto told me to do! I had to do it! I'm sorry!" "What?! What did Pluto tell you to do?!" I grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. She winced, trying to hide her tears. "What's been happening to me, Serenity?! What have you been doing to me?! Trying to kill me?!" "No!" she cried, and hid her face behind her hands. "No. I was only doing this to protect you. I didn't think the conditions would be this bad. I didn't believe Pluto at first, but after you fell off the palace." "Serenity, what are you talking about?!" I dug my fingers into her shoulders, trying to get something out of her. She only cried harder. "Don't hurt me." she whimpered, covering her mouth to keep herself from sobbing. "Please." she added in a whisper. I stopped, staring at her angrily. Straightening myself and releasing her, I began walking for the door. "Whatever happened to me, fix it. I don't plan to die now." "Endy, I was just doing what was best. Please believe me. I'd never hurt you on purpose. I'm only helping you." I could hear her scoot closer to me across the bed while I stopped at the foot of the bed, dealing with my emotions. As I said, mood swings. Mood: Angry. I was more upset than I would usually be if I were in this case. But I was boiling inside. My wife. My own wife! She had caused me fatal wounds, and even though I still lived, she thought a "sorry" would help?! I turned to her, enraged, pulled back a hand, and slapped her across the face. She cried out and landed back on the bed when my palm hit her face. She lay there, breathing heavily, staring into space with tears frozen in her eyes. The sun began peeking into the room, spilling sunlight across the walls. The rays lit up her face, where I could see a stream of tears make there way down her face. She brought a hand to her face where a red spot now replaced the area where I had hit her. Taking in ragged breaths, she sobbed, closing her eyes. Then she stopped, holding a hand to her mouth to keep herself from breaking out. She just lay there, trying to calm herself down, I suppose, until I left. As I turned to the doorway, not regretting anything I did or said, I saw Usagi standing there. Little Usagi, watching me with tears in her eyes. She clutched the same blue bear in her arms, watching me. I could read her eyes. She saw me as a different person now. Not a loving father. A horrible man who had invaded their life. Closing my eyes to avoid eye contact with her, I walked past her out of the room. As I left, Serenity began crying. It was the same crying I had heard last night as I walked to tuck Usagi in, after I woke up from unconsciousness. It had been her crying. The pain that I caused her. And I had walked out on her, leaving her for the horrible reverie she had to stay in until I released her. And as I continued walking on, listening to Serenity's crying, it began to dawn on me: The woman I loved more than life, whom I had vowed to protect with my own life, this woman, who I dedicated myself to making her happy and keeping her safe. my wife, my love. was crying because I had hit her. I had hit my own wife. I had destroyed my reason for living at all.
"I apologize for the bad structuring of this story. In the program that I use to type it, it's just fine. But apparently this site cannot separate the same way I have it. Once again, I apologize for the first chapter and how badly structured it was. But I'm afraid I can't do anything about it. Sorry! ^^
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It was almost 5:00 a.m. when I wandered down into the kitchen. The large linoleum room smelled of cakes and recently baked meals. The sun had not risen yet, so it was still dark in there. I walked into the freezer area and slid back a door, taking out a box of Usagi's favorite ice cream. Grabbing a spoon from the large cabinet doors that held some of our china, I dug into the ice cream and began eating. It was the heartburn, really. Sometimes, cold food items helped ease heartburn. Swallowing down the chocolate, I turned to look out across the kitchen. When would the day come when I would be rid of these pains? The dizziness was costing me much more than I thought. I hadn't had heartburn in years and now. I was having mood swings. Not normal mood swings. Just something deep inside telling me to act one way, then another. Terrific. Right now? I was feeling lazy. So. I wasn't going to do anything today. Just stay in the bedchambers and stare at myself in the mirror. I tossed the ice cream back in the freezer and dumped the spoon in the sink. As I did, someone walked into the kitchen. It was Jupiter-san. She liked to cook for the family, and I was more than willing to let her, since none of us could actually cook. As she walked by, she looked up at me and smiled. "Hey, Endymion- sama. Why you up this early? And why aren't you in the medical room? I don't think you're quite fully recovered." "I'm fine, Jupiter-san," I mumbled, rummaging for something else sugary. Now I needed a boost of energy. "I've been sleeping all day." As a second thought, I added, "Jupiter-san, have you seen Chibi-Usa acting strangely recently?" "Strangely? What do you mean?" she asked while deploying a pan out of no where, prepared to begin breakfast. I shrugged. "I don't know. Has she seemed like she's been in any pain at all?" Jupiter-san thought about that for a moment, then shook her head slowly. "No, not that I've seen. Why? Have u seen her hurt? Does she need medical attention?" "I don't know." I replied a little tiredly. "She woke up earlier this night with a headache." "Headaches are quite common." "Yeah, but on five-year-olds?" This made her think. She walked over and tied an apron around her waist and neck, then held her chin. "Maybe you're right. I don't know. I'll get Mercury-chan to look at her later. Okay?" "Okay. Thanks, Jupiter-san." "No problem!" She smiled and waved me away as she began cooking. I walked out of the kitchen and ascended up the stairs to the bedchambers. As I came across my room, I could hear the crying again. It was Serenity. I peeked in through the door to find Serenity lying on the bed, hugging her arms and sobbing. Her body shook with gasps for air and she tried desperately to calm herself down. But instead she murmured my name a few times and continued crying. I was frozen in my spot at the image my wife made. She looked so helpless like that, crying and frail. I moved into the room and sat down on the bed beside her. She gasped and looked up at me. I smiled at her and stroked her forehead. "Good morning, love. What's wrong?" She stared at me with red eyes, scarred from crying. Her cheeks were tearstained. Still smiling, I leaned down and kissed each cheek, then wiped away her tears. "What's the matter, Usako?" She watched me for a moment, then sat up slowly. Her eyes never left mine. I stopped smiling and watched her seriously. "Usako?" "Mamo-chan, I." she began, but stopped, fearing her own words. I placed a hand on hers and stroked her fingers. Her shyness was growing. I leaned over and kissed her shoulder. "Usako." "Mamo-chan, darling, I think I. I think that what happened to you." she faltered continuously. "You can tell me, love." "I don't think I can." Her eyes left mine while talking. I sighed, growing a little more tired. Thinking for a second, I smiled a little boyishly at her, then grabbed her waist and pulled her down on top of me as I lied myself down on the bed. She gasped and squealed a little bit, then giggled and watched me as my arms tightened around her waist. "Now, you tell me what's wrong or I'm not letting you go!" I commanded in sarcastic voice. She laughed. "Is that a promise or a threat?" "You decide," I whispered, and gently lowered her head onto my chest. She sighed a little sadly. "What's wrong?" I asked. She shrugged slightly. "Endy, the accident you had. when you fell. I think that." She stopped again. I looked up at her. She was so still, I thought she had stopped breathing. But I could feel the rise and fall of breasts against my chest, and I merely stoked her waist. ". Nothing." She finished it. Just like that. I watched her. "Nothing?" "No. Never mind." "Surely, whatever it was, it must have bothered you. You were crying." "It's nothing. I'll get over it. I guess I'm just still in shock of what happened." She smiled up at me. I smiled back and nodded. "Yeah, I'm still in shock, too. I mean, I should've died. But something kept me alive. Lord." I sighed and let my head drop back. Then Serenity went utterly still. Disturbed, I looked up at her. Tears sprang to her eyes and she looked as if she'd cry all over again. "It's my fault." she sobbed. I watched her, growing curious. "What is?" "I. did it. I made you fall. It was all my fault. I didn't mean to. It was an accident, I swear." "What?!" I gaped, pushing her up to where she rose to her knees and sat beside me. I sat up and stood on the floor, watching her. "What do you mean "It was your fault"?!" I was just a little more than angry. She sobbed. "I didn't mean to! I was only doing what Pluto told me to do! I had to do it! I'm sorry!" "What?! What did Pluto tell you to do?!" I grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. She winced, trying to hide her tears. "What's been happening to me, Serenity?! What have you been doing to me?! Trying to kill me?!" "No!" she cried, and hid her face behind her hands. "No. I was only doing this to protect you. I didn't think the conditions would be this bad. I didn't believe Pluto at first, but after you fell off the palace." "Serenity, what are you talking about?!" I dug my fingers into her shoulders, trying to get something out of her. She only cried harder. "Don't hurt me." she whimpered, covering her mouth to keep herself from sobbing. "Please." she added in a whisper. I stopped, staring at her angrily. Straightening myself and releasing her, I began walking for the door. "Whatever happened to me, fix it. I don't plan to die now." "Endy, I was just doing what was best. Please believe me. I'd never hurt you on purpose. I'm only helping you." I could hear her scoot closer to me across the bed while I stopped at the foot of the bed, dealing with my emotions. As I said, mood swings. Mood: Angry. I was more upset than I would usually be if I were in this case. But I was boiling inside. My wife. My own wife! She had caused me fatal wounds, and even though I still lived, she thought a "sorry" would help?! I turned to her, enraged, pulled back a hand, and slapped her across the face. She cried out and landed back on the bed when my palm hit her face. She lay there, breathing heavily, staring into space with tears frozen in her eyes. The sun began peeking into the room, spilling sunlight across the walls. The rays lit up her face, where I could see a stream of tears make there way down her face. She brought a hand to her face where a red spot now replaced the area where I had hit her. Taking in ragged breaths, she sobbed, closing her eyes. Then she stopped, holding a hand to her mouth to keep herself from breaking out. She just lay there, trying to calm herself down, I suppose, until I left. As I turned to the doorway, not regretting anything I did or said, I saw Usagi standing there. Little Usagi, watching me with tears in her eyes. She clutched the same blue bear in her arms, watching me. I could read her eyes. She saw me as a different person now. Not a loving father. A horrible man who had invaded their life. Closing my eyes to avoid eye contact with her, I walked past her out of the room. As I left, Serenity began crying. It was the same crying I had heard last night as I walked to tuck Usagi in, after I woke up from unconsciousness. It had been her crying. The pain that I caused her. And I had walked out on her, leaving her for the horrible reverie she had to stay in until I released her. And as I continued walking on, listening to Serenity's crying, it began to dawn on me: The woman I loved more than life, whom I had vowed to protect with my own life, this woman, who I dedicated myself to making her happy and keeping her safe. my wife, my love. was crying because I had hit her. I had hit my own wife. I had destroyed my reason for living at all.