Konnichi'wa, minna-san! I'm back with chapter 4 of Rushing In! Aren't you so proud of
me? ^_^ Sorry I left you for so long, but this was a difficult chapter to write. I changed
my mind more times than I can remember, but it's finally done! Do you know what this
means? Only one more chapter to go! That's right, folks. Chapter 5 will be the last
chapter, except for *maybe* an epilogue. So write me! I want to know how I'm doing.
Okay. Enough talk. On with the show!
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko-sensei, TOEI, etc. I'm not trying to steal
from them, I'm just borrowing for a little while.
Rushing In
by: Star Bunny (bunny28@hehe.com)
rated: PG-13
----------
Chapter 4
----------
* * * * * * * * *
Mamoru calmly walked into his apartment, took off his jacket, and went into the kitchen
for a drink of water. Perfectly under control.
Yeah right, he thought. His outward demeanor betrayed none of his inner emotions,
which were at this very moment going haywire. What had come over him at the theater?
Why had he listened to the senshi... he never had before. And he knew -- *knew*,
without a doubt -- that he had done the right thing in marrying Sailor Moon. So why had
he doubted? Why had he left her...?
Oh, she was going to kill him for this stunt.
He sat down on his couch and calmly sipped his water. He would just have to find a way
to make the senshi trust him, that was all. If they trusted him, then there would be no
reason for him not to see Sailor Moon. So how could he do that... the senshi were a
hard-to-please bunch. Maybe if he gave them back the nijizuishou... but he knew that
that was impossible. He needed those crystals to help the princess.
The princess! How had he forgotten her in all this mess? Was he in some way
betraying her by loving Sailor Moon?
He leaned his head back on the couch, outwardly the perfect picture of peace and
control. Peaceful and controlled, that is, until he heard her screams.
"Usagi-san?" He shot up out of the couch and looked around frantically. Where had that
come from? Where was she?
No matter how many fights he had gotten into with that girl, he was deep down a very
nice person. He could never let anyone, especially not a helpless fourteen year old girl,
get into serious trouble. It took him a few moments to realize that she was not
screaming from the inside of his apartment, but that the sound had come from inside his
head.
Must be one of the side effects of being Tuxedo Kamen, he thought offhandedly as
he racked his brain for a solution.
"Come on, Usagi. Show me where you are..."
And she did, if only for a brief second. Mamoru did *not* like what he saw. Growling, he
whipped out a rose and practically flew out the door.
It took him a while to find where she was, since she had apparently blacked out. But
when he did, it wasn't a pretty sight. Anger surging through his veins, he flew at her
attacker, throwing him off of her. The man hit the pavement, then took off running before
Tuxedo Kamen could get a good look at him. He would have run after him, but he
couldn't leave Usagi. She looked horrible. Her clothes were torn and her body was
bloody. She lay crumpled in a heap on the ground, blood slowly pooling around her
head.
"Oh, Usagi-san... how did you get yourself into this mess?" he whispered sadly. He took
off his cape and wrapped it around her body. He gently lifted her up and took her to the
hospital. He was surprised that no one asked any questions of him, but it seemed that
they were only concerned with Usagi.
"What happened to her?" one of the nurses asked as she was being taken into the
emergency room.
"She was attacked. I don't know by whom, and I don't know what he did... or how much I
stopped," he finished wearily. The nurse nodded to him and he left the building before
people got too curious.
He detransformed and wandered around the neighborhood for a little while, not really
ready to go home.
He sighed. Poor Usagi-san. He wished that there weren't people in the world like that
man. Usagi didn't deserve what he did to her, and she definitely didn't deserve to be
disillusioned at such an early age. Poor thing, she had been so happy the day before,
too. He walked through the rose gardens in the park, seeking some understanding. He
finally gave up and went home, but not before sending up a heartfelt prayer that Usagi
would be all right.
* * * * * * * * *
When Rei got the call from Usagi's mother, she didn't waste a minute. She threw down
her broom and ran out of the temple, still in her shrine gown. She ran the whole way to
the hospital, because she knew that she couldn't stand to sit down on a bus.
She burst into the emergency room waiting area, and saw the other senshi sitting in a
group.
"What's the news? How is she?"
Ami looked close to tears as she spoke up, "She was attacked... she had a concussion,
and she'll probably be in a coma for at least a week. They can't tell what kind of damage
has been done to her brain yet, but they do know that... that..." Ami burst into tears,
unable to finish. Makoto spoke up, her voice sounding strangled.
"Apparently, she was raped."
Rei stood in a stunned silence for a moment. She took a few calming breaths. "Who
did this?" she asked tightly.
"They don't know," Minako sobbed. "They've done tests, but whoever it was doesn't
have a Deanna sample on record, or something like that."
"DNA," Ami whispered. "They don't have any suspects, so they can't figure out who did
it."
Rei sat down, furious. But she forced herself to be calm for Usagi's sake. She wouldn't
be able to help if she didn't calm down. "Can't you use your Mercury computer to find
out who it was?" she asked hopefully.
Ami's eyes lit up. "I hadn't thought of that! But I can't get in there yet. Only family's
allowed."
"Ami," Makoto snapped. "You are Sailor Mercury. Our best friend and leader is stuck in
a hospital bed because some wacked out SICKO attacked and raped her, and you're
letting a little *rule* keep you from finding out who did this?!"
"I... I guess you have a point," she conceded. "But... cover for me, okay?" They
nodded, and Ami left.
Minako sat down. "She'll be okay..."
"Maybe the psychopath who did this to her has a death wish," Rei ground out from
behind gritted teeth. Makoto nodded to her, the air in the room seeming to both crackle
with electricity and shimmer from the heat. Mars and Jupiter were ticked, and pity the
poor person on whom their wrath fell.
The group sat for about ten minutes, the only sound in the room the ticking of the clock
and the occasional thud from when Makoto pounded her fist into her palm.
The door flew open and Sailor Mercury stormed in, unaware that she hadn't
detransformed. They could tell that she was angry, because ice crystals had already
begun to form on both her senshi uniform and her Mercury computer, and the Mercury
symbol flashed from beneath her tiara.
"What is it, Mercury?" Minako asked.
Too irate to speak, she shoved the computer in her face. Minako looked at the top of
the screen. The words "Chiba Mamoru" flashed boldly.
"I don't believe it," she whispered. "Mamoru-san?" Then anger began to take over and
her eyes narrowed. "I don't believe it! How could he...and we *trusted* him!"
"Mamoru-san?" Rei asked hesitantly.
"Hai," Ami replied. "There's no doubt about it, he raped her. The Mercury computer is
never wrong."
Rei shook her head. "I never would have guessed that he would be... like that." She
closed her eyes, her mars insignia beginning to glow ever so slightly on her forehead. "I
say that we pay him a little visit tonight. What do you think, girls?"
They grimly nodded and headed over to Mamoru's apartment.
* * * * * * * * *
When Mamoru walked into his apartment, he didn't even have a chance to turn the lights
on before he was attacked and tied to his own chair. One of his assailants turned on a
lamp next to the chair, and he was finally able to see who it was. He rolled his eyes and
inwardly prayed.
Oh, God. Not again... not in one day! How did they find out who I was, anyway? But
he wasn't about to tell them anything. They didn't scare him... that much.
Sailor Mercury approached him, a deadly cold glint in her eyes. "You deranged,
pedophilic... SATAN!" she screamed, launching herself at him. She was held back by
one of the other senshi, and she collapsed crying into her arms.
"Deranged, pedophilic *Satan*?" he mused sarcastically. "Isn't that going a bit far?"
"Why did you do it, Mamoru-san?" Mars asked, having lost all patience with him.
"No. I'm not going to answer that. You already know why I did it. What I want to know is
how you figured out that it was me." Mamoru remained perfectly calm, not a muscle
moving out of place.
"You are a sick man," Venus remarked sadly.
"Sick? It's not like I did anything wrong," he snapped. "I don't see what you're so upset
about. I love her."
That was the last straw for Jupiter, who screamed in rage and launched herself at him.
She let a fist fly at him, connecting with his jaw and succeeding in knocking over the chair
he was tied to.
Mamoru grunted from the floor. "I'm sorry that we have differing opinions about this."
"You *raped* her, Mamoru," Mars came over to the chair, lifting it up and glaring at
Mamoru the whole way.
"That wasn't rape!" Mamoru struggled with his bonds, swearing that if he could just get
to a rose, he would teach these senshi a lesson or two. Preferably two. Rape! He
would never hurt Sailor Moon!
"Then what do you call it?" Mercury snapped.
"I didn't see her complaining."
"No, she wouldn't be complaining, would she?" Venus growled. "You made sure of
that!"
"What did I do wrong?!" he yelled, exasperated.
"She's in the hospital in a coma, Mamoru," Mercury cried. "You raped Usagi-chan!
That's what's wrong. Do you have any idea how she's going to feel when she-"
"Whoa, whoa! Wait! Usagi? What does this have to do with Usagi-san?"
They senshi blinked at each other. Jupiter made a "cookoo" sign with her hand and the
others nodded. Mamoru was definitely messed up in the head.
"Tsukino Usagi," Mercury explained slowly. "Oo-sah-gie. The girl you raped about three
hours ago."
Suddenly realizing that they were talking about completely different things, he relaxed a
little.
"You don't think that I would hurt Usagi-san, do you?" At their incredulous stares, he
shook his head. "I promise, I didn't hurt her! It wasn't me!"
"Mamoru-san, stop trying to play innocent. The Mercury computer says so."
"The Mercury - but I told you! That's impossible. I've never, *ever* even held her hand...
Much less..."
"The Mercury computer doesn't make mistakes. You raped Usagi-chan, and we are
going to have to kill you."
"Listen to me," Mamoru stated firmly. "The only way this could have any *semblance* of
truth would be if she were..." his voice trailed off as he realized the truth. "She's Sailor
Moon, isn't she...?" he breathed.
The girls glanced at each other. "Yeah right," Mars scoffed. "Odango Atama? Please."
"But it's the only explanation," he insisted.
"Mamoru, stalling isn't going to help you any. Neither is making up wild stories."
"But I'm Tuxedo Kamen!"
The girls stared at him. Venus squinted, unbelieving.
"Prove it," she said.
"If you untie me, I might be able to oblige you." Venus nodded at Jupiter.
"But keep a good eye on him, Jupiter. Don't let him try anything funny."
As soon as he was released, he pulled out a rose and transformed. He gave a curt bow
and took off his hat.
"Ladies," he smirked. The senshi stared at him slack jawed. Mars turned to Mercury.
"I thought the Mercury computer was never wrong," she snapped.
"It isn't! He still... uh... even if he didn't rape her, he still..." Mercury blushed brightly.
"Hmph," Jupiter sniffed. "Statutory rape is still rape in my books."
Tuxedo Kamen rolled his eyes. "You girls will never trust me, will you? Do you at least
believe me now that I did not hurt Usagi?"
"Hai," Venus admitted. "I'm glad it wasn't you."
"Likewise," he replied grimly. He sat down and placed his head in his hands. "So
Odango Atama is Sailor Moon. Who would have thought?" He sighed. Tuxedo Kamen
could feel a headache coming on.
"Do you see know why we were so mad at you for marrying Sailor Moon?" Mars bit out.
"This is going to cause all sorts of problems, especially when Usagi-chan comes out of
that coma."
"I know. But first," he replied determinedly, "We have to make sure that she gets better.
Do you girls know where her room is?"
"Yes," Jupiter said, "But only family is allowed." Tuxedo Kamen smiled bitterly.
"I would guess that I count as family, ne?"
"But how will you convince them of that?" Mercury asked curiously. "They can't know
that she's Sailor Moon."
"I have my ways." He paused before jumping out his balcony window. "Is there anything
you would like me to tell her?"
"Tell her we love her," Mercury whispered.
"Tell her that we'll come see her as soon as we can," Jupiter added.
"Make sure that she's comfortable... and get her to smile again," Venus sniffed.
"And tell her that if she doesn't get well, we'll come in and *make* her well," Mars smiled.
Tuxedo Kamen nodded, and then he was gone.
* * * * * * * * *
The hospital waiting room was full of worried and anxious people that night. Usagi's
family was among them, sitting in a group in the corner. They had been there since she
had been brought in earlier that day, and had decided to spend the night. Ikuko's eyes
were red-rimmed and bloodshot, but she managed to keep a fairly calm demeanor.
Shingo's head was in her lap - he was too worn out from the day - and she played
restlessly with his hair. Kenji sat beside her, a haggard look on his face. Somehow, he
blamed himself for this whole episode, though he hadn't quite figured out yet what he
had done wrong. His eyes were dry; he had limited his crying to when he was actually in
the room with her.
None of them had wanted to spend the night in Usagi's room. The perpetual beeping of
the machines, the horrible hospital smell, and the frequent rush of nurses into the room
would not have made for a restful night. And they desperately needed a rest.
Tuxedo Kamen peered sadly through the window at them. He wondered if they felt the
same way that he did: lost, scared, and heartbroken. He saw the guilty look on her
father's face and knew that it mirrored his own. If only he had gotten there sooner!
Maybe he could have stopped this whole thing from happening. He tore his gaze from
them and headed for Usagi's room. He still wasn't sure how he was going to manage
getting in there to see her, but he would not be deterred.
When he entered the room, one of the nurses gasped, her hand flying to the neck of her
uniform.
"T-Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" she breathed.
"I've come to see the patient," he said, his voice brooking no aggression. "Am I allowed
to stay?" This wasn't a question; it was a command. The nurse stood up immediately
and left the room.
"Let me know if anything changes," she called over her shoulder.
He smiled at her retreating form. That was easier than I thought it would be. He then
turned his attention to the figure resting on the bed.
She looked so helpless... Her body was strewn across the bed, hair tangled and eyes
tightly shut. She was attached to several machines and her head was neatly bandaged.
Even now he could feel the link between them. It was a strong, pulsing force, powerful
and gentle at the same time. He wondered how he had ever missed it before.
Odango Atama. Sailor Moon. His wife... He smiled slightly, fond memories of the two
of them together playing through his mind. He reached out gently on the link, trying to
comfort her in the only way he knew how.
"Usagi-san," he murmured, sitting down in the chair next to her bed. He paused, lightly
running a hand over her forehead and down her cheek. Suddenly unable to help
himself, he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Usa-ko," he said, continuing
to stroke her cheek, "Come on, Usa-ko. Wake up. Wake up for me."
Her lips curved upwards in the beginnings of a smile before her face contorted with pain.
She groaned and shakily lifted a hand to her head.
"Tuxedo Kamen--" she croaked, cracking one eye open.
"Usa-ko!" he cried, relief surging through his veins. "You're awake!"
"Hai," she mumbled. Suddenly registering what he had said to her, she opened her
eyes fully and sat up in bed. "What did you just call me?!"
Tuxedo Kamen put his hands on his shoulders and eased her back into bed. "Just rest
for now. You shouldn't be sitting up."
"But what did you call me!"
Tuxedo Kamen's hand faltered as he looked hesitantly into her eyes. "I called you
'Usa-ko'. Do... do you mind?"
Usagi's eyes softened and a smile spread across her face. Then suddenly it
disappeared. "Hai," she frowned. "Hai. I *do* mind. You may call me Tsukino-san."
"Nani?!" he exclaimed, unable to understand why she was so upset. She turned her
nose up, a hurt look on her face.
If I didn't know better, I'd think she was jealous.
"If I remember correctly, Tuxedo-*san*, you are a married man. You have no business
going around calling other women your 'little bunny'," she bit out scathingly.
So that was her problem; she *was* jealous! Well, sort of. Tuxedo Kamen bit back a
smile. He could tell her right now that he knew who she was, but she would probably
give herself a coronary if she found out that she was married to Chiba Mamoru,
especially in her current condition.
"Sumimasen, Tsukino-san. You must forgive me. I meant nothing by it... you merely
reminded me of my wife. I would never betray her."
"Oh," she said in a small voice, obviously touched by his words. Tuxedo Kamen grinned
to himself. He could use his knowledge of who she was to his advantage. "In that case,
you can call me Usagi-chan. I don't mind."
"Arigatou, Usagi-chan." He scooted the chair a little bit closer. "So how are you
feeling?"
"Nasty. If only I could figure out why my head feels like it... was..." Her eyes widened,
then she shut them tightly, as if to erase the memory of what had happened to her. "Iie...
it was only a dream! It wasn't supposed to be real!" She clutched her hands to the neck
of her hospital gown frantically.
"Shh..." he gently unclenched her hands. "You're safe now. I won't let anything else
happen to you."
She opened her eyes, her vision blurred by the tears. "You came, didn't you? You
heard me and you came!"
"Hai. I came."
She started shaking, her breathing coming in erratic bursts. Tuxedo Kamen took her in
his arms and slowly began rubbing her back. She finally broke into tears, clutching at
him as though he were her last lifeline.
"Your friends sent some messages through me," he told her after a little bit."
"They did?"
He almost slipped and blurted out their senshi names, but he caught himself in time. He
had already guessed who they really were... after all, the five of them were practically
inseperable.
"Hai. Mizuno-san says that she loves you, Kino-san says that they'll all come to visit you
as soon as they can, Aino-san wants you to smile, and Hino-san wanted me to tell you
that if you don't get well soon, she'll come down here and *make* you get well."
A tiny smile appeared on her face, at least for a few seconds. "Minna--"
A nurse walked by the door, and Tuxedo Kamen looked over his shoulder briefly.
"I'd better get out of here before they realize that you've woken up and throw me out."
"I don't think they could do that," she smiled. He ruffled her already ruffled hair
affectionately.
"You get well now, you hear?"
"Hai. And Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" He paused from the doorway. "Arigatou gozaimasu.
I am forever in your debt."
"You're welcome, Usagi-chan. Sleep well."
* * * * * * * * *
To be concluded... But first you have to write me! I refuse to work on the last part
without reader support.
Remember, email is a girl's best friend! (bunny28@hehe.com)
Bunny ^_^
"One kind kiss before we part,
Drop a tear and bid adieu;
Though we sever, my fond heart
Till we meet shall pant for you. "
Robert Dodsley (1703-1764): The Parting Kiss
me? ^_^ Sorry I left you for so long, but this was a difficult chapter to write. I changed
my mind more times than I can remember, but it's finally done! Do you know what this
means? Only one more chapter to go! That's right, folks. Chapter 5 will be the last
chapter, except for *maybe* an epilogue. So write me! I want to know how I'm doing.
Okay. Enough talk. On with the show!
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko-sensei, TOEI, etc. I'm not trying to steal
from them, I'm just borrowing for a little while.
Rushing In
by: Star Bunny (bunny28@hehe.com)
rated: PG-13
----------
Chapter 4
----------
* * * * * * * * *
Mamoru calmly walked into his apartment, took off his jacket, and went into the kitchen
for a drink of water. Perfectly under control.
Yeah right, he thought. His outward demeanor betrayed none of his inner emotions,
which were at this very moment going haywire. What had come over him at the theater?
Why had he listened to the senshi... he never had before. And he knew -- *knew*,
without a doubt -- that he had done the right thing in marrying Sailor Moon. So why had
he doubted? Why had he left her...?
Oh, she was going to kill him for this stunt.
He sat down on his couch and calmly sipped his water. He would just have to find a way
to make the senshi trust him, that was all. If they trusted him, then there would be no
reason for him not to see Sailor Moon. So how could he do that... the senshi were a
hard-to-please bunch. Maybe if he gave them back the nijizuishou... but he knew that
that was impossible. He needed those crystals to help the princess.
The princess! How had he forgotten her in all this mess? Was he in some way
betraying her by loving Sailor Moon?
He leaned his head back on the couch, outwardly the perfect picture of peace and
control. Peaceful and controlled, that is, until he heard her screams.
"Usagi-san?" He shot up out of the couch and looked around frantically. Where had that
come from? Where was she?
No matter how many fights he had gotten into with that girl, he was deep down a very
nice person. He could never let anyone, especially not a helpless fourteen year old girl,
get into serious trouble. It took him a few moments to realize that she was not
screaming from the inside of his apartment, but that the sound had come from inside his
head.
Must be one of the side effects of being Tuxedo Kamen, he thought offhandedly as
he racked his brain for a solution.
"Come on, Usagi. Show me where you are..."
And she did, if only for a brief second. Mamoru did *not* like what he saw. Growling, he
whipped out a rose and practically flew out the door.
It took him a while to find where she was, since she had apparently blacked out. But
when he did, it wasn't a pretty sight. Anger surging through his veins, he flew at her
attacker, throwing him off of her. The man hit the pavement, then took off running before
Tuxedo Kamen could get a good look at him. He would have run after him, but he
couldn't leave Usagi. She looked horrible. Her clothes were torn and her body was
bloody. She lay crumpled in a heap on the ground, blood slowly pooling around her
head.
"Oh, Usagi-san... how did you get yourself into this mess?" he whispered sadly. He took
off his cape and wrapped it around her body. He gently lifted her up and took her to the
hospital. He was surprised that no one asked any questions of him, but it seemed that
they were only concerned with Usagi.
"What happened to her?" one of the nurses asked as she was being taken into the
emergency room.
"She was attacked. I don't know by whom, and I don't know what he did... or how much I
stopped," he finished wearily. The nurse nodded to him and he left the building before
people got too curious.
He detransformed and wandered around the neighborhood for a little while, not really
ready to go home.
He sighed. Poor Usagi-san. He wished that there weren't people in the world like that
man. Usagi didn't deserve what he did to her, and she definitely didn't deserve to be
disillusioned at such an early age. Poor thing, she had been so happy the day before,
too. He walked through the rose gardens in the park, seeking some understanding. He
finally gave up and went home, but not before sending up a heartfelt prayer that Usagi
would be all right.
* * * * * * * * *
When Rei got the call from Usagi's mother, she didn't waste a minute. She threw down
her broom and ran out of the temple, still in her shrine gown. She ran the whole way to
the hospital, because she knew that she couldn't stand to sit down on a bus.
She burst into the emergency room waiting area, and saw the other senshi sitting in a
group.
"What's the news? How is she?"
Ami looked close to tears as she spoke up, "She was attacked... she had a concussion,
and she'll probably be in a coma for at least a week. They can't tell what kind of damage
has been done to her brain yet, but they do know that... that..." Ami burst into tears,
unable to finish. Makoto spoke up, her voice sounding strangled.
"Apparently, she was raped."
Rei stood in a stunned silence for a moment. She took a few calming breaths. "Who
did this?" she asked tightly.
"They don't know," Minako sobbed. "They've done tests, but whoever it was doesn't
have a Deanna sample on record, or something like that."
"DNA," Ami whispered. "They don't have any suspects, so they can't figure out who did
it."
Rei sat down, furious. But she forced herself to be calm for Usagi's sake. She wouldn't
be able to help if she didn't calm down. "Can't you use your Mercury computer to find
out who it was?" she asked hopefully.
Ami's eyes lit up. "I hadn't thought of that! But I can't get in there yet. Only family's
allowed."
"Ami," Makoto snapped. "You are Sailor Mercury. Our best friend and leader is stuck in
a hospital bed because some wacked out SICKO attacked and raped her, and you're
letting a little *rule* keep you from finding out who did this?!"
"I... I guess you have a point," she conceded. "But... cover for me, okay?" They
nodded, and Ami left.
Minako sat down. "She'll be okay..."
"Maybe the psychopath who did this to her has a death wish," Rei ground out from
behind gritted teeth. Makoto nodded to her, the air in the room seeming to both crackle
with electricity and shimmer from the heat. Mars and Jupiter were ticked, and pity the
poor person on whom their wrath fell.
The group sat for about ten minutes, the only sound in the room the ticking of the clock
and the occasional thud from when Makoto pounded her fist into her palm.
The door flew open and Sailor Mercury stormed in, unaware that she hadn't
detransformed. They could tell that she was angry, because ice crystals had already
begun to form on both her senshi uniform and her Mercury computer, and the Mercury
symbol flashed from beneath her tiara.
"What is it, Mercury?" Minako asked.
Too irate to speak, she shoved the computer in her face. Minako looked at the top of
the screen. The words "Chiba Mamoru" flashed boldly.
"I don't believe it," she whispered. "Mamoru-san?" Then anger began to take over and
her eyes narrowed. "I don't believe it! How could he...and we *trusted* him!"
"Mamoru-san?" Rei asked hesitantly.
"Hai," Ami replied. "There's no doubt about it, he raped her. The Mercury computer is
never wrong."
Rei shook her head. "I never would have guessed that he would be... like that." She
closed her eyes, her mars insignia beginning to glow ever so slightly on her forehead. "I
say that we pay him a little visit tonight. What do you think, girls?"
They grimly nodded and headed over to Mamoru's apartment.
* * * * * * * * *
When Mamoru walked into his apartment, he didn't even have a chance to turn the lights
on before he was attacked and tied to his own chair. One of his assailants turned on a
lamp next to the chair, and he was finally able to see who it was. He rolled his eyes and
inwardly prayed.
Oh, God. Not again... not in one day! How did they find out who I was, anyway? But
he wasn't about to tell them anything. They didn't scare him... that much.
Sailor Mercury approached him, a deadly cold glint in her eyes. "You deranged,
pedophilic... SATAN!" she screamed, launching herself at him. She was held back by
one of the other senshi, and she collapsed crying into her arms.
"Deranged, pedophilic *Satan*?" he mused sarcastically. "Isn't that going a bit far?"
"Why did you do it, Mamoru-san?" Mars asked, having lost all patience with him.
"No. I'm not going to answer that. You already know why I did it. What I want to know is
how you figured out that it was me." Mamoru remained perfectly calm, not a muscle
moving out of place.
"You are a sick man," Venus remarked sadly.
"Sick? It's not like I did anything wrong," he snapped. "I don't see what you're so upset
about. I love her."
That was the last straw for Jupiter, who screamed in rage and launched herself at him.
She let a fist fly at him, connecting with his jaw and succeeding in knocking over the chair
he was tied to.
Mamoru grunted from the floor. "I'm sorry that we have differing opinions about this."
"You *raped* her, Mamoru," Mars came over to the chair, lifting it up and glaring at
Mamoru the whole way.
"That wasn't rape!" Mamoru struggled with his bonds, swearing that if he could just get
to a rose, he would teach these senshi a lesson or two. Preferably two. Rape! He
would never hurt Sailor Moon!
"Then what do you call it?" Mercury snapped.
"I didn't see her complaining."
"No, she wouldn't be complaining, would she?" Venus growled. "You made sure of
that!"
"What did I do wrong?!" he yelled, exasperated.
"She's in the hospital in a coma, Mamoru," Mercury cried. "You raped Usagi-chan!
That's what's wrong. Do you have any idea how she's going to feel when she-"
"Whoa, whoa! Wait! Usagi? What does this have to do with Usagi-san?"
They senshi blinked at each other. Jupiter made a "cookoo" sign with her hand and the
others nodded. Mamoru was definitely messed up in the head.
"Tsukino Usagi," Mercury explained slowly. "Oo-sah-gie. The girl you raped about three
hours ago."
Suddenly realizing that they were talking about completely different things, he relaxed a
little.
"You don't think that I would hurt Usagi-san, do you?" At their incredulous stares, he
shook his head. "I promise, I didn't hurt her! It wasn't me!"
"Mamoru-san, stop trying to play innocent. The Mercury computer says so."
"The Mercury - but I told you! That's impossible. I've never, *ever* even held her hand...
Much less..."
"The Mercury computer doesn't make mistakes. You raped Usagi-chan, and we are
going to have to kill you."
"Listen to me," Mamoru stated firmly. "The only way this could have any *semblance* of
truth would be if she were..." his voice trailed off as he realized the truth. "She's Sailor
Moon, isn't she...?" he breathed.
The girls glanced at each other. "Yeah right," Mars scoffed. "Odango Atama? Please."
"But it's the only explanation," he insisted.
"Mamoru, stalling isn't going to help you any. Neither is making up wild stories."
"But I'm Tuxedo Kamen!"
The girls stared at him. Venus squinted, unbelieving.
"Prove it," she said.
"If you untie me, I might be able to oblige you." Venus nodded at Jupiter.
"But keep a good eye on him, Jupiter. Don't let him try anything funny."
As soon as he was released, he pulled out a rose and transformed. He gave a curt bow
and took off his hat.
"Ladies," he smirked. The senshi stared at him slack jawed. Mars turned to Mercury.
"I thought the Mercury computer was never wrong," she snapped.
"It isn't! He still... uh... even if he didn't rape her, he still..." Mercury blushed brightly.
"Hmph," Jupiter sniffed. "Statutory rape is still rape in my books."
Tuxedo Kamen rolled his eyes. "You girls will never trust me, will you? Do you at least
believe me now that I did not hurt Usagi?"
"Hai," Venus admitted. "I'm glad it wasn't you."
"Likewise," he replied grimly. He sat down and placed his head in his hands. "So
Odango Atama is Sailor Moon. Who would have thought?" He sighed. Tuxedo Kamen
could feel a headache coming on.
"Do you see know why we were so mad at you for marrying Sailor Moon?" Mars bit out.
"This is going to cause all sorts of problems, especially when Usagi-chan comes out of
that coma."
"I know. But first," he replied determinedly, "We have to make sure that she gets better.
Do you girls know where her room is?"
"Yes," Jupiter said, "But only family is allowed." Tuxedo Kamen smiled bitterly.
"I would guess that I count as family, ne?"
"But how will you convince them of that?" Mercury asked curiously. "They can't know
that she's Sailor Moon."
"I have my ways." He paused before jumping out his balcony window. "Is there anything
you would like me to tell her?"
"Tell her we love her," Mercury whispered.
"Tell her that we'll come see her as soon as we can," Jupiter added.
"Make sure that she's comfortable... and get her to smile again," Venus sniffed.
"And tell her that if she doesn't get well, we'll come in and *make* her well," Mars smiled.
Tuxedo Kamen nodded, and then he was gone.
* * * * * * * * *
The hospital waiting room was full of worried and anxious people that night. Usagi's
family was among them, sitting in a group in the corner. They had been there since she
had been brought in earlier that day, and had decided to spend the night. Ikuko's eyes
were red-rimmed and bloodshot, but she managed to keep a fairly calm demeanor.
Shingo's head was in her lap - he was too worn out from the day - and she played
restlessly with his hair. Kenji sat beside her, a haggard look on his face. Somehow, he
blamed himself for this whole episode, though he hadn't quite figured out yet what he
had done wrong. His eyes were dry; he had limited his crying to when he was actually in
the room with her.
None of them had wanted to spend the night in Usagi's room. The perpetual beeping of
the machines, the horrible hospital smell, and the frequent rush of nurses into the room
would not have made for a restful night. And they desperately needed a rest.
Tuxedo Kamen peered sadly through the window at them. He wondered if they felt the
same way that he did: lost, scared, and heartbroken. He saw the guilty look on her
father's face and knew that it mirrored his own. If only he had gotten there sooner!
Maybe he could have stopped this whole thing from happening. He tore his gaze from
them and headed for Usagi's room. He still wasn't sure how he was going to manage
getting in there to see her, but he would not be deterred.
When he entered the room, one of the nurses gasped, her hand flying to the neck of her
uniform.
"T-Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" she breathed.
"I've come to see the patient," he said, his voice brooking no aggression. "Am I allowed
to stay?" This wasn't a question; it was a command. The nurse stood up immediately
and left the room.
"Let me know if anything changes," she called over her shoulder.
He smiled at her retreating form. That was easier than I thought it would be. He then
turned his attention to the figure resting on the bed.
She looked so helpless... Her body was strewn across the bed, hair tangled and eyes
tightly shut. She was attached to several machines and her head was neatly bandaged.
Even now he could feel the link between them. It was a strong, pulsing force, powerful
and gentle at the same time. He wondered how he had ever missed it before.
Odango Atama. Sailor Moon. His wife... He smiled slightly, fond memories of the two
of them together playing through his mind. He reached out gently on the link, trying to
comfort her in the only way he knew how.
"Usagi-san," he murmured, sitting down in the chair next to her bed. He paused, lightly
running a hand over her forehead and down her cheek. Suddenly unable to help
himself, he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Usa-ko," he said, continuing
to stroke her cheek, "Come on, Usa-ko. Wake up. Wake up for me."
Her lips curved upwards in the beginnings of a smile before her face contorted with pain.
She groaned and shakily lifted a hand to her head.
"Tuxedo Kamen--" she croaked, cracking one eye open.
"Usa-ko!" he cried, relief surging through his veins. "You're awake!"
"Hai," she mumbled. Suddenly registering what he had said to her, she opened her
eyes fully and sat up in bed. "What did you just call me?!"
Tuxedo Kamen put his hands on his shoulders and eased her back into bed. "Just rest
for now. You shouldn't be sitting up."
"But what did you call me!"
Tuxedo Kamen's hand faltered as he looked hesitantly into her eyes. "I called you
'Usa-ko'. Do... do you mind?"
Usagi's eyes softened and a smile spread across her face. Then suddenly it
disappeared. "Hai," she frowned. "Hai. I *do* mind. You may call me Tsukino-san."
"Nani?!" he exclaimed, unable to understand why she was so upset. She turned her
nose up, a hurt look on her face.
If I didn't know better, I'd think she was jealous.
"If I remember correctly, Tuxedo-*san*, you are a married man. You have no business
going around calling other women your 'little bunny'," she bit out scathingly.
So that was her problem; she *was* jealous! Well, sort of. Tuxedo Kamen bit back a
smile. He could tell her right now that he knew who she was, but she would probably
give herself a coronary if she found out that she was married to Chiba Mamoru,
especially in her current condition.
"Sumimasen, Tsukino-san. You must forgive me. I meant nothing by it... you merely
reminded me of my wife. I would never betray her."
"Oh," she said in a small voice, obviously touched by his words. Tuxedo Kamen grinned
to himself. He could use his knowledge of who she was to his advantage. "In that case,
you can call me Usagi-chan. I don't mind."
"Arigatou, Usagi-chan." He scooted the chair a little bit closer. "So how are you
feeling?"
"Nasty. If only I could figure out why my head feels like it... was..." Her eyes widened,
then she shut them tightly, as if to erase the memory of what had happened to her. "Iie...
it was only a dream! It wasn't supposed to be real!" She clutched her hands to the neck
of her hospital gown frantically.
"Shh..." he gently unclenched her hands. "You're safe now. I won't let anything else
happen to you."
She opened her eyes, her vision blurred by the tears. "You came, didn't you? You
heard me and you came!"
"Hai. I came."
She started shaking, her breathing coming in erratic bursts. Tuxedo Kamen took her in
his arms and slowly began rubbing her back. She finally broke into tears, clutching at
him as though he were her last lifeline.
"Your friends sent some messages through me," he told her after a little bit."
"They did?"
He almost slipped and blurted out their senshi names, but he caught himself in time. He
had already guessed who they really were... after all, the five of them were practically
inseperable.
"Hai. Mizuno-san says that she loves you, Kino-san says that they'll all come to visit you
as soon as they can, Aino-san wants you to smile, and Hino-san wanted me to tell you
that if you don't get well soon, she'll come down here and *make* you get well."
A tiny smile appeared on her face, at least for a few seconds. "Minna--"
A nurse walked by the door, and Tuxedo Kamen looked over his shoulder briefly.
"I'd better get out of here before they realize that you've woken up and throw me out."
"I don't think they could do that," she smiled. He ruffled her already ruffled hair
affectionately.
"You get well now, you hear?"
"Hai. And Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" He paused from the doorway. "Arigatou gozaimasu.
I am forever in your debt."
"You're welcome, Usagi-chan. Sleep well."
* * * * * * * * *
To be concluded... But first you have to write me! I refuse to work on the last part
without reader support.
Remember, email is a girl's best friend! (bunny28@hehe.com)
Bunny ^_^
"One kind kiss before we part,
Drop a tear and bid adieu;
Though we sever, my fond heart
Till we meet shall pant for you. "
Robert Dodsley (1703-1764): The Parting Kiss