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Living In Fear
Part 4
By Usa and Emiri
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Usagi was still a bit out of it as Tanaka carried her into the house. She knew, though, that she didn't want to be within 2 feet of him. For some reason her mother had believed Tanaka over her friends regarding her injuries. Usagi had tried to explain to her what happened but being on so much pain medication, the young girl slept most of the time.

"Tanaka, watch out for--!" Too late. Ikuko winced as Tanaka "accidentally" banged Usagi's sprained ankle on the door frame of her bedroom.

"Gomen, Usagi."

Usagi looked up at him as he apologized. *Yeah right,* she thought. Out loud, she said, "It's okay..."

As soon as she was settled, Ikuko asked her if there was anything else she needed. Usagi told her no and watched as her mom went downstairs to prepare dinner. There was an uncomfortable silence as she and Tanaka stared at one another.

Moving in, he raised his hand, holding it against her throat. "Don't you dare tell anyone what happened."

Usagi shook her head, gasping out a quiet, "I-I won't!"

"Good." He glared at her, then turned to leave.

As soon as Tanaka was gone, Usagi began to cry. He was so nice to her when her mom was around, why did he have to be so mean when she wasn't? Her mom would never believe that Tanaka was the one who had beat her. Usagi had to come up with a way for her mom to find out... even if it meant getting hurt again.

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"What are we gonna do, minna?" Minako asked.

"That's the million yen question," Makoto replied. "How can we help Usagi-chan with Tanaka if her mom doesn't believe what's going on? I don't want her to get hurt... or worse."

"Can we find some way to talk to Usagi without her okaa knowing?" Rei pondered aloud.

"Why don't we call her communicator?" Ami suggested.

"Good idea yo!" Minako got out her communicator, and called Usagi.

"Ah! Itai!" came Usagi's voice. "Nani?"

"Usagi-chan! Daijobou?"

"Hai, I fell of my bed. What's up? A Youma?"

"Iie. We just wanted to see how you were...and if you wanted help getting your okaa to realize the truth about Tanaka."

Usagi sighed. "I would love that, but I don't know how to short of getting him so angry with me that he'd have to do something in front of her."

"Usagi-chan, that sounds dangerous," Ami said.

"I know, Ami-chan, but unless one of you have another plan, then I'll have to do it this way."

"If you're going to do that," Makoto said. "Lets figure out when and where so you can have some back up. If the Senshi, at least, are around we might have a better chance, you know?"

"Tomorrow night around 7:30. I'll tell my mom I want to eat in the dining room. I know she's going to try to get me to eat up here."

"Okei...and you're going to provoke Tanaka?" Minako asked nervously.

"Un..." Usagi responded, trailing off.

"Usagi-chan, you'd better think this through," Ami said, stealing the communicator from Minako. "If you don't have a definite plan, then things might just be worse off."

"I-I'll be all right," Usagi told them, her voice shaking slightly, "you'll all be there, ne?"

"How are we going to get past Ikuko," Rei whispered.

Makoto nudged Rei to shut her up. "Of course we will, Usagi-chan. Always. Now, why don't you get some sleep?"

"Okay," Usagi said. "Oyasumi, minna!"

"Oyasumi, Usagi-chan!"

Minako turned off her communicator, and Rei repeated her question.
Minako looked thoughtful. "Perhaps if we used the disguise pen? Maybe turn ourselves invisible?"

"I wonder if that would work..." Ami mused.

"Shall we try?" Rei said.

"Lets do it!" Makoto exclaimed.

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Usagi sat in her bed, determined to convince her mom that it was Tanaka who had hurt her, not her friends. Luckily, the man in question was at work for another four hours so they could have a serious conversation. "Mama!" Usagi called.

"Hai, Usagi?" Ikuko flew up the stairs.

"Mama..." she said again, tears in her eyes. She was still wondering what to say.

"Are you in pain, Usagi?" Ikuko sat down beside her, gently hugging her close.

"Iie... I just wanna talk to you about what happened."

"Hai, Usagi?"

Usagi couldn't take it anymore and burst out, "Tanaka did this to me! He hates me and I hate him!" She blinked away more tears. "He's been threatening me since you two were engaged! He's the one who hit me, not my friends! Not Mamo-chan!"

Ikuko blinked. "Usagi...are you sure?"

"Hai, mama. You know I wouldn't lie to you... don't you?"

*Maybe she's just jealous...* Ikuko thought. "Iie...I'm sure you've been feeling neglected lately...gomen..."

"I have NOT!" Usagi screamed. She couldn't believe she was yelling at her mom in this way, but she couldn't help it.

"There's no need to take that tone with me, young lady."

"Mama... onegai," she said, her voice calmer. "Onegai... believe me. My friends would never hurt me. They always protect me."

"Hai, but Tanaka is such a sweet and gentle man. I love you both so much...and I find it hard to belive that he's capable of such a thing."

Usagi took a deep breath and plunged further. "No he's not, Mama. He's cold-hearted and-- and horribly mean."

"Usagi, I could understand you being bitter about me remarrying...demo I don't think I want to hear this..."

*It can't be true, it just can't be*

"I don't want it to be true," Usagi said, hugging her mom. "I know how much you love him... I know how I would feel if someone said the same to me about Mamo-chan. I wouldn't want to believe it... but it's true about Tanaka."

"Are you trying to ruin my happiness? Am I not allowed to be in love?"

"Iie, mama. I am not ruining your happiness, he is."

"Usagi! How can you say such things?"

Usagi sighed in defeat. This wasn't going as she had planned. Her mom wasn't even coming close to believing her. "I suppose if you want to live in your fantasy world, then I'll have no choice but to let you. However, I don't know how much more time I have on this Earth with him around..."

"Usagi! I think you need some time to think about things. Assault is a serious charge. You know that I don't really know anything about all these friends of yours..."

"Mama, they're the only friends I have. I love them dearly. And I love Mamo-chan."

"Did they tell you to lie about them beating you?" Ikuko's eyes narrowed a bit. She couldn't believe all the things she was saying to her daughter.

"Iie! They didn't get to tell me anything because from what I gathered, you ushered them out the door!"

"What would you have done if you had come home to find your husband and only child beaten, with 5 strange people in your house?"

Usagi only watched as her mother left her alone. She pondered that question until she was succombed by sleep.