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Shitsuren ("broken hearted")
Part 2
By Usa and Emiri
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Ikuko walked into the room a few moments later. "Daijoubou, Usagi?"

"Mama!" Usagi exclaimed, rushing to her mother in tears.

Ikuko hugged her daughter. "What exactly happened?" she asked, trying not to seem too shaken by the pale form of Chibiusa in the hospital bed.

"We were walking home from the grocery store. I-I gave her too many bags to carry and I wasn't paying attention to where she was at. A car came out of no where and I couldn't save her! Gomen nasai mama!!" Usagi finished, leaping into Ikuko's arms

"It's not your fault, Usagi. I'm going to go find a doctor, see what the prognosis is."

"Okei..."

********

Ikuko walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Only then did she let the tears flow. Chibiusa...her second daughter. She had to stay strong for Usagi, though. She knew that Usagi would blame herself, and be incredibly upset. Family came first.

Makoto was rushing to Chibiusa's room when she spotted Usagi's mother. "Tsukino-san!"

"Makoto...I take it Usagi called you." Ikuko was caught off guard, and hurredly wiped the tears away. "Don't tell Usagi I was crying, okei?"

"I won't," she replied with a small smile. "She'll be all right, Tsukino-san. Chibiusa-chan is a very strong little girl!"

Ikuko nodded. "I know. But I've got to stay strong for the rest of my family."

Makoto put a hand on Ikuko's shoulder. "We all have to lean on someone at one time or another."

"I suppose...anyway, you can go in and see Chibiusa. I'm going to go find a doctor who can tell me exactly what's going and and how she is."

She bowed. "Ja ne, Tsukino-san."

"Konbanwa, minna," Makoto said to Ami, Minako, and Rei.

"How is she?" Ami asked.

"I haven't gone in to see her yet. I saw Tsukino-san though. She was going to find the docotor."

"Well, let's go in," Minako said. "Usagi-chan needs us." The girls nodded and Ami knocked on the door.

"Come in," Usagi said.

The girls entered slowly, not exactly sure what they were going to find. "Konbanwa, minna," Mamoru said.

Usagi was sitting in a chair next to Chibiusa's bed. She wasn't moving and she didn't say a word. The little girl looked so pale and fragile lying there with the machines humming and her bruised limbs and body. "Usagi-chan, would you like anything to eat?" Rei asked.

"Iie."

"But, Usagi-chan you have to eat something," Ami said.

Makoto knelt in front of her. "I made you some roast beef sandwiches."

"Iie."

"Maybe Usagi-chan just isn't hungry," Minako said, taking the sandwiches and putting them on a far table.

Ami wasn't so certain. Usagi is hungry at any time of the day. She looked at everyone and motioned them to step out into the hall for a moment.

They all followed her. "Hai, Ami-chan?" Rei said.

"Usagi-chan doesn't want to eat because she's afraid Chibiusa-chan won't make it. She's also blaming herself for what happened. Wondering why she couldn't save her in time," Ami explained. "Don't try and push it or she my lose it."

"That's why I took the sandwiches away," Minako said. "Reverse psychology."

"I see," Makoto replied. "All we can really do is be there for her."

"Haaaai," Rei said slowly. "And we have to have faith that Chibiusa-chan will get better and wake up."

**

On the other side of the door, Mamoru was examining Makoto's sandwiches. "These look really good, Usa. I think I'm going to have one...you sure you don't want one?"

She only shrugged. Mamoru walked back to where she was and sat beside her. He took a bite, knowing that Usagi was watching him.

"Mamo-chan..."

"Hai, Usako?" Before he could take another bite, she grabbed the sandwhich and shoved it into her mouth. Mamoru smiled. "I knew you were hungry. Starving yourself isn't going to help Chibiusa any, you know that."

"I know," she replied around roast beef.

"I'm sure she's going to get better. She's strong."

Suddenly the heart monitor was signaling a flatline. Usagi's eyes widened, and she nearly choked on the sandwich. "Chibiusa!"

A doctor came running in. "Clear out!" he yelled as a nurse came with the defribulator.

Usagi felt Mamoru pull her away from the bed. "Iie, Mamo-chan! She can't be alone!" she cried.

"We have to clear out," he said, hugging her as another nurse ushered them into the hall.

"What happened?" Minako asked.

"Chibiusa is..." Usagi couldn't finish. She broke out of Mamoru's grasp to try and get back into the room.

"Iie, Usagi-chan!" Rei said, grabbing her arm.

Usagi nodded, tears coursing down her cheeks. She moved back towards Mamoru. "Is she going to...?"

"We have to keep believing..." She wrapped her arms around him and lay her head on his chest. The steady beat of his heart calmed her somewhat.

He held her close as they paged "Code Blue, STAT!" over the intercom. More doctors came rushing in.

"Iie... onegai..." Usagi whispered, tightening her hold on Mamoru. She tried desparately to ignore the sounds of the hospital.

Makoto held Ami's hand, each praying for the best. They looked at Usagi worriedly. If Chibiusa did die, what would Usagi do?

*The future will be changed* Rei thought. *That means the past will change. It can't be..*

A few more doctors and nurses rushed past Usagi-tachi, this group with a guerny. "We have to move her!" they heard the doctors say. "1, 2, 3."

"Nani?" Usagi cried. "Where are they taking her?"

They rushed past with Chibiusa's lifeless form on the guerny. "We have to take her to the OR. She's begun to bleed internally, and her heart is going to stop if we can't repair the damage."

Usagi's heart skipped a beat. "Mamo-chan!"

"You have to stay here," a nurse said before rushing to the elevator. "Someone will come along soon to keep you informed."

"I couldn't find a..." Ikuko's words died on her lips when she saw the group gathered outside the now empty room. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

Ami explained the situation to her. "We have to stay here though, and wait for someone to let us know what's going on," she finished.

"Kami--"

Usagi was feeling a bit light headed again. "Did they say what's bleeding?" Ikuko asked finally.

Usagi couldn't stand it anymore. It was really hot in that waiting room and that sandwich was heading right back up. With a cry, she ran off to the restroom.

"Usagi-chan!" Minako shouted. "Where are you going?"

Rei ran after Usagi.

***********

Usagi emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. When she was finished, she leaned back. She was clammy and shaky. Things like this weren't supposed to happen to little girls. "Chibiusa..."

"Usagi? You in here?"

She looked up. "Rei-chan."

"I can't even imagine how you must be feeling right now...but I'm here for you."

Usagi got up and ran into Rei's arms. "Kami-sama, I can't help but think the worst!"

"I know," Rei said, hugging her. "I was thinking the same thing...but we have to believe..."

"It's my fault," Usagi said, pulling away from Rei. "I should have been watching her more carefully. I-I have to..." Usagi never finished, she ran out the door.

"Usagi-chan..." Rei sighed and ran after her. Life would be so much simpler if Usagi stopped running. Usagi ran past everyone in the waiting room and out of the hospital.

Rei sprinted past everyone. "Usagi's run off again," she panted. "I don't think she should be alone."

Makoto stood up. "I'm going with her!"