Title: Who Am I
Rating: PG
Authors: Usa (Usako0@aol.com) and Emiri (bunny_s_@hotmail.com)
Disclaimers: Not ours, but Naoko-sama's

**************
Who Am I
Part 1
**************

Shingo was walking past the door to his parent's bedroom when he over heard Ikuko say something about Usagi and adoption. Ears perked, he leaned closer and listened.

"We're going to have to tell her," Kenji said.

"Iie, what if she gets mad? Or runs away?"

Shingo's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His big sister, wasn't even really his sister!

"Are you sure we should tell her?" Ikuko contined.

Kenji nodded. "It's time."

Shingo heard footsteps heading towards the door so he booked it down the hall and into his bedroom. He had a lot to think about.

Meanwhile, Usagi had just gotten home from a long day of school. She was tired and cranky and just wanted to take a nap before the Senshi meeting at the Shrine. She slowly took her shoes off and trudged up the stairs.

"Hey, Usagi-baka! Don't forget to clean up your own messes," Shingo yelled, coming in.

Usagi glared at her brother. "Go away, Shingo, I am NOT in the mood!"

"Ooh, fail another test?"

"Onegai," Usagi pleaded, trying a different approach. "Just leave me alone. I've had a very long day."

"Eating and sleeping make ya tired?"

"No, now leave me alone!" She shoved him out into the hall.

"Baka!" Shingo ran after her. "You can't push me!"

Usagi ran down the stairs, past her parents. "I'll get you, brat!"

"Ooh, I'm scared! Whatcha gonna do, cry?"

"Why are you always so mean to me? You're just as bad as Rei-chan!"

"It's not my fault you're an easy target!"

Usagi stopped in her tracks, causing Shingo to ram into her. "What's that supposed to mean!?"

"Exactly what I said." Usagi brought her hand up, ready to smack him across the face. Shingo ducked out of the way before she could hit him. "My parents won't like you trying to beat me." He stuck his tongue out at her.

Usagi stared at him a minute. "Why do you mean by "MY" parents? They're mine too, ya know!"

"Iie..." Shingo ran up the stairs and into his room before she could say anything else.

"Matte!" Usagi ran after him. "Shingo, matte!"

"Usagi, what's going on?" Ikuko yelled upstairs.

"Mama, why did is Shingo talking about you and Papa as if I'm not your daughter?"

"Nani yo?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, he just said "my parents" earlier."

"Iie...How does he know?"

"N-nani...?" Usagi asked. "What do mean by that? Masaka... it's not true, is it?"

"Usagi, it's time we tell you." Kenji entered behind Ikuko. "We adopted you."

Usagi looked up at the man who was known to her as Papa. "Iie..."

"Your parents were killed in a car accident."

"M-my parents..." Usagi was feeling lost, scared, but most of all, betrayed. "But I thought that... Kami-sama! Why didn't you tell me sooner!"

"Well, we wanted to wait until we thought you could handle it," Ikuko said gently. "We didn't want to upset you."

Usagi backed away from Ikuko and Kenji. She had to get out of there fast. "I-I..."

"Usagi, matte! You're still our musume, and we love you very much," Kenji told her.

"Iie... I don't know who I am anymore!" Usagi ran out the front door.

*********

Usagi stood at the top of the Hikawa Shrine stairs, out of breath. Tears poured from her eyes as she looked around for signs of her best friend. Heart-broken, Usagi sank to the ground sobbing and shaking. *Why? Why me?*

Rei came out of the shrine after a deep meditation. She knew something was wrong, and was going to tie a prayer to their sacred tree when she nearly tripped over a sobbing Usagi. "Usagi!"

"Rei-chan!" Usagi cried, launching herself into the Miko's arms.

"What's wrong?" Rei hugged her friend.

"I don't know who I am..."

"Nani? Want to go inside and talk about it?" Usagi nodded and was led by hand into Rei's room.

She sat on the floor, against the bed, with her knees drawn up to her chest. Usagi looked up at Rei with tired eyes. "I-I was... Mama, iie, Ikuko-san, she told me..."

"Ikuko-san? Did you two have an arguement?"

Usagi shook her head. "I'm not her daughter."

"Of course you are!"

"I wish it were true, Rei-chan," Usagi whispered. "Demo, I was adopted."

"Iie." Rei exhaled sharply. "When did you find this out?"

Usagi began crying again. "About a half hour ago!"

Rei hugged her more, not knowing exactly what to say. "What all did they tell you?"

"T-that my real parents were killed in a car accident a long time ago." Usagi's voice was shaky now. "I don't know anymore because I ran off."

"Are you...alright?"

Usagi was a bit more calm when she replied, "Do I look all right? How do you think I'm feeling right now?"

"I..don't know...You can stay here for as long as you want...If you need anything, let me know..."

"Do I even belong anywhere?" she whispered, although it was more to herself.

"Nani, Usagi-chan?"

Usagi let out a yawn. "Nothing, Rei-chan."

"Ne, do you want me to call your par--I mean Ikuko-san and Kenji-san to let them know you're here? I'm sure they're worried."

"I don't care."

Rei slowly nodded. "Do you want me to call Minako or Mako or Ami?"

"If you want to..."

"What do *you* want, Usagi-chan?"

"I want to wake up from this nightmare." Usagi stood up and grabbed Rei by the shoulders. "Wake me up, onegai!"

"Gomen, Usagi-chan...but it's real...."

Usagi's arms dropped to her sides. She felt as though someone had stabbed in the heart and was now twisting the knife. "It hurts so much, Rei-chan. It hurts to find out that everything you knew was a lie."

"I don't know how it feels...but I'm here for you. However and whenever you need me. I know that I love you like a neechan, and they love you too."

"Are you sure, Rei-chan?"

"If they didn't, they wouldn'tve adopted you."

Usagi wasn't so certain. "What if they adopted me because they felt sorry for me? What if they adopted me only because my parents had asked them to, not because they wanted to?"

"I know that's not true." Rei was about to cry, she felt so bad for her friend. "Maybe you need to talk to them."

"Maybe..."

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Rei asked gently.

Usagi shook her head. "Is it all right if I stay here for the night, Rei-chan? I want to think about some things before I talk to them."

Rei nodded. "Of course. Do you want me to get you some dinner?"

"I'm not hungry right now," she whispered.

"Ok." Rei nodded. "Do you want me to let you be?
A
Usagi walked over to Rei and gave her a hug. "Arigatou..."

Rei hugged back. "I'll be in the Fire Room if you need me."

"Okay," Usagi replied. She sat on the edge of Rei's bed. "I wonder what my real parents were like." Sighing, she laid down, falling into a dreamless sleep.