*Scowls* None of my fonts are working…Horrid little Times New Roman font. ^^;; Anyway, I just have a very brief note to make, and then it's on with the chapter.

I had gone to check the reviews for this story today, and one in particular stuck out to me. To Serenitas—this chapter is dedicated to you, with all of two angel's love. As soon as I had read your review, I got straight to work on the next chapter. Even though I don't know you, I have to say that I'm extremely proud of you for being able to be so open about it. I've known so many people who flat out deny it all…*Huggles* Please take care, okies? *Flashes a v-sign and smiles* Enjoy.



Goodbye, Usagi

Chapter Thirteen

Promises…[AKA, I Can't Believe it's Already Thirteen!]



~*USAGI'S POV*~



"…Something very important to discuss with you..."

Oh God, oh God, oh God, the cancer came back, I'm going to die, oh, my God, I'm going to die, oh God, oh God, oh God—

"…bulimia..."

"What?!" I sat bolt upright, eyes wide. OhGodohnotheyknowohGod… I risked a look at Seiya, he was staring at me, hard. I gulped and returned my eyes to the doctor; Ivy was beside him, paler then usual. "Excuse me?" I managed at least. The doctor was gazing at me seriously, her eyes were disapproving. She hated me, she thought I was fat and ugly. Oh my God. I'm so fat that even strangers look at me funny. I need to try harder…

"Bulimia, Miss Tsukino…The tests we ran showed that you had bile in your throat; you were throwing up before you passed out." She was glaring, Seiya looked disappointed in me, Taiki couldn't care less, Yaten looked as though he was smirking. My eyesight was slightly blurry. I hate myself, they're all so mad at me…She knows, she knows, dear God, she knows… Desperately I looked to Ivy, she would know what to do. Ivy always knew what to do.

She caught the glance and held it, she always knew what I needed…Quickly she adopted her usual collected mask and cleared her throat. "Excuse me, doctor…" Her cool eyes settled on the nametag the doctor wore, critically looking over the other's body. The woman didn't flinch. "…'Kipp'. Azure has been sick lately, that's all. She's not bulimic... Are you suggesting she should be?" Her face grew hard and at last the doctor was flustered. "Er, um, no, that's not what I was saying at all, Miss, I was just—"

"Just telling her that she's fat, and because she'd been throwing up she must be bulimic. This is the most shabbily run establishment I've ever seen!" Ivy really is the most marvelous actor. She deserved an Oscar for this performance, she was all indignant female, absolutely disgusted with what the woman was suggesting. Doctor Kipp was visibly uncomfortable now, nothing but a blushing, twitching lump under my friend's cold stare.

"…I apologize, Miss Tsukino," She blurted. "Oh, listen, they're paging me, I really must fly." She dashed out the door, but already I knew she wouldn't be so easily put off next time. She obviously wasn't the type to get flustered so easily, although Ivy could do that to anyone. I looked back at Seiya and the others…Their expressions had faded and they looked more at ease with me now, I thought. I smiled at them weakly. "I'm very tired…"

Taiki, ever the gentlemen, jumped all over himself immediately, grasping onto his and the other two's coats and pulling them off a nearby chair—excluding Ivy's faux fur coat, of course. "We'll see you later, Usagi." He said in his quiet, detached though intense manner while dragging a loudly protesting Seiya out.

"Bye…" I looked to Ivy.

"That was a close one." She seemed sort of angry, I felt a twinge of anticipation. Would she hate me? Oh God, I could hear what she was thinking already… I never had problems like this before she came. It'd be better if she left entirely, she's not getting any thinner anyway. Fat blonde, she'll never amount to anything…

"Ivy…" And suddenly I was crying. If she kicked me out, where would I go? I'd be all alone in a crowded empty city, I already know Seiya and Yaten and Taiki despise me, they must think I'm so hideous… "I'm s-sorry…" It ended on a hiccup.

She looked astonished…"Azure…" She pulled me up, crushing me against her in another one of those hugs where our chest's pressed together. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe my breasts were a little on the large side—did they make me look fat?! Surely not, many women were top heavy and ridiculously proud of it…But then again, the term top heavy must mean something, ne? Oh God, I'm so confused, but I can't ask Ivy…She'd think I was such a stupid fat klutz… More so then she already must, I mean.

"Ivy…" I hiccupped again, sniffling. I'm so pathetic. The world would be a much better place if I fell off it and died…

"Azure, Azure," Ivy was murmuring, rocking me back and forth like a young child. She must think I'm so stupid… "It's not your fault, please don't worry." With a gentle tenderness I'd never have expected her to possess, she brushed back some of my bangs and hair. It reminded me of Mamoru, of Seiya…No, that was silly. Ivy's a girl…

"Y-you're not going to make me leave?" My voice was stupidly childish.

"Never." Her voice was muffled, mouth pressed against my shoulder. "I'll never let you go…"





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~*AUTHOR'S POV*~



"I don't like this, I don't like this at all. Did I mention that?" Seiya was pacing down in the hospital's lobby, tugging at his long hair with both hands, alternately scowling and looking ready to cry, jamming his hands in his pockets. In short, he didn't really appear to know what to do with himself.

"I believe you did," Taiki responded dryly, not raising his eyes from the thick book he was currently wrapped up in. Balancing on the uncomfortably thin strip of metal on the side of his chair, Yaten was perched with some manga or other and a slushee from the hospital cafeteria, far too engrossed in what he claimed was just a fluffy little comic. The other two both had their theories about what it really was…

"DON'T YOU CARE?!" Seiya snapped, spinning on his heel and glaring at them accusingly. Sighing, Taiki closed his large novel and focused on Seiya, opening his mouth to deliver the same speech he'd been repeating for the last fifteen minutes. "Of course we care, Seiya-baka, but—" He was quickly cut off by the impatient other, who was in no mood to listen to the same words again.

"SHUT UP!" He scowled at Taiki. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this," He finally muttered, stalking off towards the vending machine. "I promise you, Odango…"



* * *



~*MAMORU'S POV*~

I stood, stretching, after a long plane journey from Tokyo to Paris. Not that I minded, of course—I'd go to the other side of the world if Usako needed me to. Luna's niggling words about an event in the future came to mind, but I still wanted to erase them. I stood at one of the large windows in the airport, looking at the picturesque city. I didn't know where Usagi was just yet, but I'd find her. I always did, when she needed me.

"Don't worry, Usagi," I promised in a low voice. "I'll never let them tear us apart…"

Famous last words.





*Stretches* Another chapter done…It was admittedly hurried, gomen if it sucked. ^^ Arigatou to everyone who reviewed, please keep it coming! *Both wave* Ja!