Disclaimer : I don't own Sailor Moon etc. etc.
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A Stroll Through Your Dream
By Artemis
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PART FIVE
Grace sat in the board room, waiting with the Head of Operations.
She crossed her legs and uncrossed her legs impatiently.
"Where is Haybert?" she muttered angrily.
Michael ran into the room, out of breath and stumbled into a seat.
"I'm sorry I'm late sir!" he gasped, catching his breath.
"Late? This isn't what I call late, Haybert!" the Head of Operations
growled angrily.
Haybert looked fearfully at a tall man dressed smartly in a military
suit. His badges gleamed. Grace looked at Michael, her eyes always
as cold as ever.
"Thompson, you deal with this man. I don't really want to stand
here and listen to this pathetic excuse of a human being," he frowned.
"I have better things to do."
And with that, the Head of Operations strode out of the room and
slammed the door shut.
Grace and Michael both jumped as the door was slammed. Michael looked
at Grace and grinned. A sudden realisation occured to her.
"Oh my God Haybert," Grace sighed, massaging her temples. "Don't tell
me you planned that?"
"Well I didn't want that grumpy guy to sentence me to death," he shrugged.
Michael sat down casually on a chair and folded his arms.
"Here, write down your formal apology here," Grace frowned and gave
him a piece of paper.
She sat down opposite him in a soft leather chair. As Michael wrote,
his eyes cast down on the paper, Grace watched him.
"You know Grace," Michael spoke up. "Don't you get bored working
for that grumpy guy?"
"No, Haybert," she replied, emphasizing his name.
"You never call me Michael," he frowned and looked up from his writing.
He twirled the pen in his hand.
"Does it make a difference?" Grace asked, busying herself with sorting
through forms. "Get back to writing."
"Do you ever go out to places?" he asked. "I mean, really... like to
nightclubs and things?"
"That is none of your business."
She stood up and walked over to him. Michael watched as she placed
another sheet of paper on the table. That was when he noticed a thin
golden ring on her hand.
"You're married!?" he shouted, not hiding his surprise.
Grace rolled her eyes and didn't reply. She walked back to her chair.
She wondered why he always had to be so dramatic.
"I didn't know you were married," Michael smiled. "Does he work here?"
"Just shut up and keep writing," Grace snapped.
"Geez, I was just asking..."
"I thought you were more interested in a certain blonde girl."
"Well I was, but I haven't had a chance to talk to her."
"Talk to her," Grace told him simply. "If you tell her how you feel,
she'll feel much better."
Then she left the chair, with a folder of sheets. She headed towards
the door, then glanced over to Michael.
"And don't forget to give me back my pen."
Michael looked at the pen, then at her. And before he could say another
word, she left.
Usagi sat with Ami, drinking apple juice.
"So? What did you come to talk to me about?" Ami asked, looking up from
filling in forms. "I'm kind of busy trying to get these astronauts out
of here."
Usagi sighed deeply and put her glass down on the table.
"Do you think I did the right thing to tell Michael, well, you know?"
Ami took off her glasses and shook her hair. She looked at her troubled
friend.
"Look, you can go talk to him this afternoon... And you won't have Grace
at your back either. Those astronauts will be gone and so will he."
"I can always go see him at NASA...."
"And how do you intend to do that Usagi? You're only a junior nurse.
They're not going to let you in."
"Why do you have to be so mean Ami? First you're telling me not to get
involved and now you're telling me to jump at him!"
"Well, I'm only trying to help," she shrugged. "Now scam! I have work
to do!"
Usagi frowned, but then apologised for bothering her. After all, she
was doing work. She knew Ami well enough that she wasn't usually this
irritable around friends.
"Hey Ami, do you think Mamoru's okay to go? I mean... He's still having
those dreams that make him so upset...."
"Well, there's no choice. He's leaving this afternoon and that's Grace's
final decision. She says she can't wait that long any more. They need to
get back to base. Besides, most of them need to start training again."
Usagi nodded and sighed. She didn't want to let Mamoru go. He seemed
to be in so much pain every time he went to sleep and dreamt. She wished
she could do something.
Mamoru was sitting up in his bed when Usagi came back.
"Hi, feeling better?" she smiled.
He nodded. Usagi sat down and sighed.
"What's the matter?" he asked, wondering what or who could trouble her.
"Oh it's nothing," she shook her head. "Are those dreams still coming
back?"
Mamoru nodded. There was an awkward silence.
"When am I supposed to leave here?" he asked her, after a pause.
"Um, around noon I think... Or maybe around ten? So you get back to
base in time for lunch," she told him. "It's a two hour trip."
"Great.." Mamoru murmured sadly.
He suddenly took Usagi's hand and squeezed it gently. She looked up,
surprised and puzzled.
"You've been great," he smiled. "Thanks. I just hope the nurses at base
are as nice as you."
Usagi blushed. "Th..Thanks."
Mamoru laughed softly, amused by the sight of Usagi blushing. He looked
into her eyes and thought he had seen those eyes somewhere before. Where?
He suddenly had an urge to hug her and hold her. The way he felt even
surprised himself. Usagi slipped her hand out of his and turned away
from his gaze. Mamoru felt his heart beating faster than usual.
"Nurse Tsukino?" a voice called her.
Ami walked over to the bed.
"There's a visitor to see you," she smiled. "I'll look after Mr Chiba
for the time being."
"Who is it?" Usagi whispered to Ami as she walked past the bed.
"It's your darling Michael," Ami giggled.
Mamoru picked up Michael's name and wondered why he hadn't come in.
After his eyes followed Usagi out of the door, he turned to Ami.
"I heard Michael's name," he told her, but Ami knew it was a question.
"He's just come to talk to her," she told him simply and her tone
suggested to him that she wasn't going to tell him any more.
Usagi stood nervously next to Michael.
"Sorry to disturb you like this," he smiled. "But I just wanted to tell
you that I completely understand if you don't want to go out to coffee
with me, but let's not avoid each other like this, okay?"
Usagi sighed in relief. So he hadn't come to tell her that he didn't
want to see her any more.
"Sure," Usagi smiled happily. "I was thinking the same thing. I was going
to talk to you after Mamoru and the others were sent back. Although,
I didn't really know how to sneak into NASA."
Michael laughed. Usagi giggled. He took her hand and locked his fingers
into hers.
"You know, the most ironic part of this is that Grace told me to go
talk to you," he told her. "Strange huh? Grace of all people!"
"Well, maybe Grace has been in love too," Usagi suggested.
Michael stared at her and Usagi frowned.
"What?" she asked him, puzzled.
"Are you suggesting that I'm in love with you?"
Usagi realised why he was looking at her strangely. She blushed, red as
a beetroot. Michael laughed.
"I didn't mean that!" she shouted, her voice echoing down the corridor.
"Shhhh," Michael whispered, leaning closer to her. "Usagi, this is
a hospital."
"Michael? What are you doing?" she whispered, feeling his hand on her neck.
"Well, you weren't far off about the love thing," he grinned.
Just as he kissed her startled lips, somebody coughed nearby. Michael let
go of her and turned around immediately.
"Can you keep your flirting to OUTSIDE of the hospital?" came the cold,
harsh tone from Grace's dark red lips.
"Hey there," Michael smiled weakly. "What are you doing here Grace?"
"In case you didn't realise, I work here," she frowned. "I didn't give
you advice so I can catch you playing around."
Usagi frowned. She didn't like the sound of that. And obviously, Michael
didn't either.
"What is it with you Grace!?" he shouted, catching doctors' and other nurses'
attention. "Can't you keep constant with your niceness?"
"If I did, maybe you might think I actually like seeing you everyday," Grace
told him, her composure unchanging.
Then, she glanced at Usagi.
"Aren't you lucky you've only got a few more hours to work?" she smiled slyly.
Usagi clutched onto Michael's arm. They both watched Grace walk away, humming
cheerfully as if nothing had happened.
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END OF PART FIVE
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A Stroll Through Your Dream
By Artemis
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PART FIVE
Grace sat in the board room, waiting with the Head of Operations.
She crossed her legs and uncrossed her legs impatiently.
"Where is Haybert?" she muttered angrily.
Michael ran into the room, out of breath and stumbled into a seat.
"I'm sorry I'm late sir!" he gasped, catching his breath.
"Late? This isn't what I call late, Haybert!" the Head of Operations
growled angrily.
Haybert looked fearfully at a tall man dressed smartly in a military
suit. His badges gleamed. Grace looked at Michael, her eyes always
as cold as ever.
"Thompson, you deal with this man. I don't really want to stand
here and listen to this pathetic excuse of a human being," he frowned.
"I have better things to do."
And with that, the Head of Operations strode out of the room and
slammed the door shut.
Grace and Michael both jumped as the door was slammed. Michael looked
at Grace and grinned. A sudden realisation occured to her.
"Oh my God Haybert," Grace sighed, massaging her temples. "Don't tell
me you planned that?"
"Well I didn't want that grumpy guy to sentence me to death," he shrugged.
Michael sat down casually on a chair and folded his arms.
"Here, write down your formal apology here," Grace frowned and gave
him a piece of paper.
She sat down opposite him in a soft leather chair. As Michael wrote,
his eyes cast down on the paper, Grace watched him.
"You know Grace," Michael spoke up. "Don't you get bored working
for that grumpy guy?"
"No, Haybert," she replied, emphasizing his name.
"You never call me Michael," he frowned and looked up from his writing.
He twirled the pen in his hand.
"Does it make a difference?" Grace asked, busying herself with sorting
through forms. "Get back to writing."
"Do you ever go out to places?" he asked. "I mean, really... like to
nightclubs and things?"
"That is none of your business."
She stood up and walked over to him. Michael watched as she placed
another sheet of paper on the table. That was when he noticed a thin
golden ring on her hand.
"You're married!?" he shouted, not hiding his surprise.
Grace rolled her eyes and didn't reply. She walked back to her chair.
She wondered why he always had to be so dramatic.
"I didn't know you were married," Michael smiled. "Does he work here?"
"Just shut up and keep writing," Grace snapped.
"Geez, I was just asking..."
"I thought you were more interested in a certain blonde girl."
"Well I was, but I haven't had a chance to talk to her."
"Talk to her," Grace told him simply. "If you tell her how you feel,
she'll feel much better."
Then she left the chair, with a folder of sheets. She headed towards
the door, then glanced over to Michael.
"And don't forget to give me back my pen."
Michael looked at the pen, then at her. And before he could say another
word, she left.
Usagi sat with Ami, drinking apple juice.
"So? What did you come to talk to me about?" Ami asked, looking up from
filling in forms. "I'm kind of busy trying to get these astronauts out
of here."
Usagi sighed deeply and put her glass down on the table.
"Do you think I did the right thing to tell Michael, well, you know?"
Ami took off her glasses and shook her hair. She looked at her troubled
friend.
"Look, you can go talk to him this afternoon... And you won't have Grace
at your back either. Those astronauts will be gone and so will he."
"I can always go see him at NASA...."
"And how do you intend to do that Usagi? You're only a junior nurse.
They're not going to let you in."
"Why do you have to be so mean Ami? First you're telling me not to get
involved and now you're telling me to jump at him!"
"Well, I'm only trying to help," she shrugged. "Now scam! I have work
to do!"
Usagi frowned, but then apologised for bothering her. After all, she
was doing work. She knew Ami well enough that she wasn't usually this
irritable around friends.
"Hey Ami, do you think Mamoru's okay to go? I mean... He's still having
those dreams that make him so upset...."
"Well, there's no choice. He's leaving this afternoon and that's Grace's
final decision. She says she can't wait that long any more. They need to
get back to base. Besides, most of them need to start training again."
Usagi nodded and sighed. She didn't want to let Mamoru go. He seemed
to be in so much pain every time he went to sleep and dreamt. She wished
she could do something.
Mamoru was sitting up in his bed when Usagi came back.
"Hi, feeling better?" she smiled.
He nodded. Usagi sat down and sighed.
"What's the matter?" he asked, wondering what or who could trouble her.
"Oh it's nothing," she shook her head. "Are those dreams still coming
back?"
Mamoru nodded. There was an awkward silence.
"When am I supposed to leave here?" he asked her, after a pause.
"Um, around noon I think... Or maybe around ten? So you get back to
base in time for lunch," she told him. "It's a two hour trip."
"Great.." Mamoru murmured sadly.
He suddenly took Usagi's hand and squeezed it gently. She looked up,
surprised and puzzled.
"You've been great," he smiled. "Thanks. I just hope the nurses at base
are as nice as you."
Usagi blushed. "Th..Thanks."
Mamoru laughed softly, amused by the sight of Usagi blushing. He looked
into her eyes and thought he had seen those eyes somewhere before. Where?
He suddenly had an urge to hug her and hold her. The way he felt even
surprised himself. Usagi slipped her hand out of his and turned away
from his gaze. Mamoru felt his heart beating faster than usual.
"Nurse Tsukino?" a voice called her.
Ami walked over to the bed.
"There's a visitor to see you," she smiled. "I'll look after Mr Chiba
for the time being."
"Who is it?" Usagi whispered to Ami as she walked past the bed.
"It's your darling Michael," Ami giggled.
Mamoru picked up Michael's name and wondered why he hadn't come in.
After his eyes followed Usagi out of the door, he turned to Ami.
"I heard Michael's name," he told her, but Ami knew it was a question.
"He's just come to talk to her," she told him simply and her tone
suggested to him that she wasn't going to tell him any more.
Usagi stood nervously next to Michael.
"Sorry to disturb you like this," he smiled. "But I just wanted to tell
you that I completely understand if you don't want to go out to coffee
with me, but let's not avoid each other like this, okay?"
Usagi sighed in relief. So he hadn't come to tell her that he didn't
want to see her any more.
"Sure," Usagi smiled happily. "I was thinking the same thing. I was going
to talk to you after Mamoru and the others were sent back. Although,
I didn't really know how to sneak into NASA."
Michael laughed. Usagi giggled. He took her hand and locked his fingers
into hers.
"You know, the most ironic part of this is that Grace told me to go
talk to you," he told her. "Strange huh? Grace of all people!"
"Well, maybe Grace has been in love too," Usagi suggested.
Michael stared at her and Usagi frowned.
"What?" she asked him, puzzled.
"Are you suggesting that I'm in love with you?"
Usagi realised why he was looking at her strangely. She blushed, red as
a beetroot. Michael laughed.
"I didn't mean that!" she shouted, her voice echoing down the corridor.
"Shhhh," Michael whispered, leaning closer to her. "Usagi, this is
a hospital."
"Michael? What are you doing?" she whispered, feeling his hand on her neck.
"Well, you weren't far off about the love thing," he grinned.
Just as he kissed her startled lips, somebody coughed nearby. Michael let
go of her and turned around immediately.
"Can you keep your flirting to OUTSIDE of the hospital?" came the cold,
harsh tone from Grace's dark red lips.
"Hey there," Michael smiled weakly. "What are you doing here Grace?"
"In case you didn't realise, I work here," she frowned. "I didn't give
you advice so I can catch you playing around."
Usagi frowned. She didn't like the sound of that. And obviously, Michael
didn't either.
"What is it with you Grace!?" he shouted, catching doctors' and other nurses'
attention. "Can't you keep constant with your niceness?"
"If I did, maybe you might think I actually like seeing you everyday," Grace
told him, her composure unchanging.
Then, she glanced at Usagi.
"Aren't you lucky you've only got a few more hours to work?" she smiled slyly.
Usagi clutched onto Michael's arm. They both watched Grace walk away, humming
cheerfully as if nothing had happened.
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END OF PART FIVE
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