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Living In Fear
Part 6
By Usa and Emiri
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"You go first," Minako pushed Makoto ahead. "You're brave."

Makoto gave Minako a look and walked hesitantly over to Ikuko. She looked up when the tall girl stepped up to her. "Ano, Tsukino-san..."

"Kino-san!" Before Makoto could say more, Ikuko swept her into a hug. "I'll understand if you girls can't forget, but gomen nasai! I didn't want to believe that Tanaka could be so horrible!"

"We understand, Tsukino-san," Minako said. "How's Usagi doing?"

Ikuko tried to hold in her tears, but failed. "She-she has amnesia."

"Nani yo?" Rei stepped beside Ikuko, and hugged her. "She'll be alright...she's just gotta be!"

"I hope so, Hino-san, I hope so."

"We have to have faith she will be," Ami told her.

Mamoru uncertainly entered the scene, carrying a large bouquet of roses. "Minna?"

Ami turned. "Mamoru-san!"

"How is Usako?"

Ikuko stood silently. She knew this whole thing was her fault. Clearing her throat, she told him Usagi's condition.

Mamoru inhaled sharply, squeezing his eyes shut. "Iie."

"Hai... and it's all my fault!"

"No it's not, Tsukino-san. How were you to know?" Minako said.

"I should learn to trust my own daughter," she replied. "Excuse me." Ikuko walked back to Usagi's room.

*************

A few weeks later, Usagi was back on her feet...

Usagi lagged behind her friends. She felt so out of place with them. She could also tell they were treating her differently. As if they were only acting the way they were because she had been hurt. She could sense it in Rei the most. The young Miko kept asking if she was all right. For some reason, though, it didn't seem to be in her nature.

"What would you like to do today, Usagi-chan?" Minako asked, a little too brightly.

"I don't know..." Usagi would have said her name but she couldn't remember it.

Makoto looked at her with concern. "Usagi-chan, daijobu? Do you need to rest?"

"Iie, I'm fine," she replied.

"Are you sure?" Ami was also watching her with concern.

Usagi was getting sick of being asked that. She understood that her friends were worried, but this was getting ridiculous! "I am FINE! F-I-N-E! FINE!"

"Heh," Rei muttered. "Any other time I coulda made fun of this..."

"Nani?" Usagi asked, eyeing Rei.

"Nothing." Rei blinked.

Usagi sighed. "Gomen ne, minna. It's just that... I'm so frustrated that I can't remember anything."

"It's okay, Usagi-chan," Makoto said, putting an arm around her. "It's understandable. If you'd rather go home to rest, then that's all right."

"Ohayou, minna." Mamoru walked over to them. "Usako?"

Usagi looked up at the handsome man. She couldn't remember him but she sure didn't mind him calling her 'Usako'. "Ohayou..." she said, swooning a bit.

"Daijobou?" he asked next, wondering if her memories had returned.

Her face turned bright red. "You too!" she cried. Usagi turned and ran away.

"Huh? Minna, what just happened?"

"We've been asking her that all day," Ami explained. "I think she's sick of everyone being so concerned over her."

"Oiii..." Mamoru nodded. "Do you think I'd scare her if I went after her?"

Makoto shook her head. "I don't..."

Mamoru nodded. "I hope you're right," he called as he took off after Usagi.

***********

Usagi ran through the park, not paying a bit of attention to where she was going. She heard Mamoru calling her name, as if warning her about something. She turned to see what he was talking about and received a softball in the face. Usagi fell to the ground unconscious.

"IIE!" Mamoru sprinted to her side. *Not again* "Usako?"

"Oi..." Usagi moaned, putting a hand to her head.

Mamoru was relieved to see her wake up. "Usako?"

"Mamo-chan..." She sat up.

"You...remember?" Mamoru sat back on his heels.

"What do mean? Of course I do," she said, looking around her. Her eyes widened in fear. "Where's Tanaka and why am I outside?"

"Usako! I'm so glad!" Mamoru hugged her tight.

Usagi's face was mushed into his chest. "Itai!" she cried.

"Gomen!" he cried, releasing her. "I never even thought..."

"It's okay, Mamo-chan," Usagi told him. She stood up with his help. "Now, are you going to tell me what happened and where Tanaka is?"

"Usako...you had amnesia. Tanaka nearly killed you, but your mother finally saw...what you did was so stupid...I could've lost you...

Usagi looked down at the ground. "Gomen ne, demo, I didn't want him to turn on Mama. She deserves to be happy. After Papa died... she was afraid of letting anyone near her. I knew she was unhappy though."

"Usako..." Mamoru didn't know what to say.

"Mamo-chan, she probably hates me!" Usagi cried, leaping into his arms again.

Mamoru hugged her, more gently this time. "She loves you so much...we all do. She feels horrible that she didn't believe you."

"You really think so?"

"Haaaai." Mamoru nodded.

"Aishiteru, Mamo-chan!"