A.N: I would have had this chapter out a LOT sooner, but when I was
saving it to my stupid disk, it erased!! I was really really mad when it
did that, and I didn't even want to look at my stupid computer, much less
try and rewrite the chapter. But, then I thought 'well, I can just make the
chapter better this time and plus I still remember how it went last time',
and so I'm rewriting it again. Thank you to everybody who reviewed for the
last chapter, some of them had me laughing pretty hard! (and I'm not evil,
just…well…k maybe I'm a BIT evil) Oh, and both my other stories are
finished now so chapters for this one will be coming a lot faster. Okay
then, with that said, enjoy!
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Usagi's eyes flew open and she fought to suppress the scream trying to tear away from her throat. Her hands clutched the bed sheets in panic, and it seemed like forever before she finally calmed down enough to realize it had all just been a nightmare, but it still took her awhile to unclench her hands. Closing her eyes tightly to hold back the tears, Usagi carefully untangled herself from the bed sheets and the two people sleeping beside her.
The group had decided to stay at Relena's last night, and the girls had taken her bedroom and left the boys to share the guest room. Haruka had taken one look at the three teens she was supposed to share a bed with and had immediately stated she would much rather sleep on the couch, away from any arms and legs that would want to connect with her body.
Sitting up, Usagi carefully lifted Relena's arm from across her and slipped her leg out from underneath Rei's, making sure not to wake them up. She tried the best she could not to jar the bed too much while crawling over Rei, but the moment her feet touched the floor Rei rolled over and tiredly opened her eyes, yawning and stretching out now that she had more room.
"Where are you going Usa?" She whispered, her eyes drooping shut against her will. Usagi smiled and hooked her loose hair behind her ear.
"Just going to the bathroom Rei. Go back to sleep." Rei somewhat nodded, before her breathing evened out and she was once again off in her own little dream land. Usagi stood and watched the two girls sleep, wondering what kind of wonderful things they were dreaming to make them have such a peaceful smile on their faces. Sighing, she turned away and crept to the door, opening it with barely any noise and shutting it softly behind her.
Quietly, she made her way through the hall without a sound, and was soon standing in the living room staring down at an empty couch. Blankets were scattered over the cushion's, but Haruka had obviously not been in them for a while. Looking around, she spotted a clock over the television. It was already 6:00 in the morning, so that meant Haruka had already left to go jogging. How anyone could get up so early just to run was beyond Usagi.
Yawning, she walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, scanning its contents for a snack. Coming across a leftover bowl of fried rice, she popped it into the microwave with as little noise as possible, and sat at the counter to wait. The surface of the chair was cold against her bare legs, but she ignored it and pulled her feet up as she wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin on top.
Relena had given her and Rei long t-shirts to wear to sleep, despite the fact both had told her they could sleep in their day clothes. Relena had insisted and had taken their clothes to be cleaned, even though she had said they could wear something of hers in the morning. Usagi smiled at the thought of the Canq princess as she looked down at the shirt. It was pale lavender and came down to mid-thigh with a large pearl white star across the chest. It was actually really comfortable.
Relena had a heart of gold, but she was just too naïve. Her views of pacifism were a noble idea. But that's all they were. An idea. The world worked in one way and one way only, no matter how much some wanted it changed. There was a system of balance between all things, a balance between good and evil, that kept the world alive. Bad things may happen, but good things were always sure to follow. It was just the way things worked. Relena would never have her peace. Not in the way she wanted it anyway. There would always be that evil, just underneath the surface, no matter how hard you tried to smother it out of existence. It was the duality of mankind. It was meant to be.
The microwave beeped, making her jump slightly. Standing, she grabbed the rice and a fork and sat back down, slowly eating her food while she once again got wrapped up in her own thoughts.
Usagi yawned slightly before taking another bite. This had been her second nightmare in a row, and she really needed her sleep. Usually when she had a bad dream, Mamoru would have held her until she fell asleep, or he would have done something to take her mind off of it, but that just wasn't possible anymore. If only she hadn't run away and met Dr.J. If only she had never found out what Mamoru really did. Her life had been almost perfect, and despite some nights, she had been truly happy with Mamoru.
*Flashback*
Usagi stared in wonder at the garden around her. It was absolutely huge, and there were so many beautiful flowers around she couldn't even count the varieties. Her hand slipped out of her escort's and she ran ahead on the path, giggling wildly until she stopped at a rosebush.
Sinking to her knees, she leaned forward and inhaled the wonderful aroma, fingering the delicate petals. A presence behind her caused her to smile, even before the familiar touch of his lips brushed across her neck. Leaning back against him, she sighed happily when he brushed her hair behind her, letting his fingers trail across her skin.
"You did all this for me?" Her voice was soft, almost hushed.
"Of course. I'd do anything for you." She giggled and let him pull her up. Turning to face him, she rested her hands on his chest and stood on her toes, kissing him on the cheek lovingly.
"Where did you manage to get so many flowers?"
He wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her close against him. "I had them imported from Earth." At her shocked expression, he laughed and kissed her gently, letting his lips linger on hers. Pulling away, he leaned his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes, grinning. "I take it you like it?"
"I love it, Mamo-chan." She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you."
"I love you too, Usako. I'll never stop loving you."
*End Flashback*
A tear ran down her cheek, completely unnoticed. Whoever said ignorance was bliss, definitely knew what they were talking about. Then again, could she really stay with someone who ruthlessly slaughtered those in his way to get what he wanted? Could she stay with someone who made her watch as her friend was burned to death? She shuddered as she thought of her nightmare. It had been one of the most horrible things she had ever experienced, and frankly, she was terrified it would come true.
She was putting everyone around her in danger. If anything happened to them, it was completely her fault. Maybe she should have refused Dr.J's proposal and saved everyone the trouble of fighting for their lives. Maybe she should never have run. Maybe she could still go back.
*Flashback*
Usagi drew the curtains closed, shutting out the beautiful day filled with people enjoying themselves with the many places and things one could find on colony L2. She was growing to despise this place. Despise the way she had to hide during the day like some hermit, and then run around at night from shadow to shadow.
Haruka was doing her best to keep her safe, but this couldn't go on forever. Usagi was starting to feel like a caged bird, always wishing for the freedom that waited just beyond the barred doors, yet never quite getting past them. She was so sick of it all. And to make things worse, she wanted nothing more then to turn back time so she had never followed Haruka in the first place.
Pressing her hand against the cool surface of the glass through the curtain's, Usagi rested her head against the window pane and let the tears fall from her face to drip to the floor in sparkles of shimmering light. It just wasn't fair.
Mamoru had been the only thing she had known for years, and it was extremely hard to forget about him. Hard to hate him. Hard to realize she could never touch him again. She sank to the floor, clutching the curtain's rough cloth against her face to muffle the sobs that shook her body. Why her? Why was she being punished like this? Mamoru stole away her friends, her innocence, and her heart, all against her will.
So why couldn't she hate him?
Things would be so much easier if she hated him. So much more simple. Her world had been turned into a void of confusion and pain, and the only one keeping her from falling off the brink of oblivion at the moment, was Haruka. But how long would it be before Haruka lost her grip?
The door to the apartment opened and Usagi swiftly stood, wiping away the tears and turning away as Haruka entered. She was trying her best, and there was no way Usagi was going to make her feel bad on top of all their other problems.
Haruka shut the door behind her and threw the bag she had been carrying onto the bed carelessly. Crossing to a chair, she fell into it and sighed heavily, propping her feet up on the desk across from her. "We're going to have to be careful tonight, koneko. Mamoru has people out there all over the place." Usagi merely nodded, not trusting her voice to answer. Haruka frowned. "I bought you a YM magazine." Usagi turned around, the corners of her mouth twitching.
"Really?" Haruka nodded, the frown melting into a soft smile.
"And a special treat." Usagi giggled and hopped onto the bed. YM magazine was her absolute favourite reading material, mostly because of the 'Say Anything' articles. Opening the bag, she drew out the magazine, and an Aero bar.
"Thank you Ruka!" She squealed, jumping up and hugging the sandy blonde tightly.
"Your welcome koneko."
(That night)
Usagi pressed herself closer to Haruka, wearily looking all around her. It felt like eyes were watching her from every direction, and frankly, she was terrified. The colony was oddly silent at night, absent of the sounds of the usual night animals one would always hear had they been on earth. Shadows stretched out in every direction where the street lamps were unable to reach, casting darkness everywhere.
A noise from the alley startled Usagi so bad, she stumbled and just about fell flat on her face, had it not been for Haruka catching her at the last minute. "I'm sorry Ruka." She whispered, giggling slightly well she steadied herself on her feet. "I guess I'm a bit more jumpy then usually. All this running's starting to make me paranoid."
Haruka just shook her head, but didn't answer. Expecting a reply, Usagi looked up to face her, and was surprised to see Haruka's stance had gone rigid and she was staring out into the darkness, trying to see into the shadows. Immediately, Usagi clutched her bag with what few things she had brought with her to her chest, debating with herself whether or not she should run. The look in Haruka's eyes told her all she needed to know. Whipping around, Usagi started to run just as a man dressed in a black and silver uniform leapt at Haruka, engaging her in a fight that would determine one of their lives.
She hadn't gotten very far before another man, dressed like the first, slammed into her, pinning her to his body so she couldn't run. Desperately, she tried to scream, but a gloved hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her.
There was a sharp cry from Haruka's direction, followed by a dull thud, before the man pinning her was suddenly rammed from behind. Usagi was flung across the sidewalk and slammed into the wall with enough force to knock her unconscious, but not before she saw a man with platinum blonde hair and grey-blue eyes standing over her.
*End Flashback*
It had been Milliardo and Noin who had saved them that night. The two had taken her and Haruka to a base below the colony's government building, informing them that there was somebody who needed their assistance. Although she hadn't trusted them at first, Usagi had grown close to the two the more time she spent with them, and so had agreed to follow.
It turned out that the person she was meeting was someone she would never forget.
*Flashback*
Usagi followed Noin down a brightly lit corridor, Haruka and Milliardo at her heels, until they reached an unmarked door at the end. Hesitantly, she stepped inside, barely glancing at the long oak table and comfortable looking chairs before her attention was focused on the solitary occupant.
Her first thought was that the man was obviously old. He had long grey hair that came down to his shoulders, bushy eyebrows, and a matching moustache. His eyes were hidden behind odd looking goggles, and his face was worn with age. He wore a long white lab coat and was resting one hand on the table while his other was - actually it was missing. In place where a hand should be, there was instead, a rather scary looking claw. The fact that he was, at the moment, clicking it opened and closed, was making her kind of edgy.
Noin pulled out a chair for her to sit in, but she was reluctant to take it. After having been nudged forward by Milliardo, she sat across from the man, instantly relieved when Haruka took a seat beside her.
"So good of you to finally pay a visit." The man's voice was typically average, but there was a tone underlying it that made her pay more attention. "My name is Dr.J." Before Usagi could respond, he held up his hand to silence her. "No need to make further introductions, as I already know who you are."
The frown on Usagi's face was barely noticeable, but inside, her mind was reeling. This man had been giving off a strange vibe since she had entered, but at first she couldn't place it. Perhaps it was his uninviting demeanour that gave her chills. Or perhaps it was the smile on his face that seemed anything but friendly.
"I'm going to get straight to the point, child. Mamoru Chiba has been steadfastly gaining ground on us for the last month now. However, at your disappearance no more then a week ago, most, if not all, activity on his end has stopped. You're proving to be a great distraction to him."
Usagi's eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't like this man. Not at all. "I thought you were going to get straight to the point."
Dr.J frowned. "I would like to offer you a proposition. I will have my associates, meaning Noin and Milliardo, bring you to Earth and place you under the protection of a very reliable group of young men, and all you have to do is stay out of the way. Since Mamoru's distracted, he's been making mistakes. Rather large ones. If we can keep him distracted, we may be able to stop him before he is able to accomplish anything too drastic." Silence filled the room as Usagi just stared blankly at the man.
Finally, she leaned forward, propping both elbows up on the table and resting her chin in her hands. "You want to use me as bait." She accused, her eyes narrowing. Before Dr.J could reply, she was once again speaking, her voice low and angered. "Instead of hiding me, you wish to place me under his nose, only with enough protection that he will have to waste time planning a way to get to me. That's how you plan to keep him distracted, isn't it?"
Dr.J was silent for a moment. Leaning back in his chair, he once again smiled, sending chills down Usagi's back. "If you want to look at it that way."
Usagi stared at him, partially in disgust. This man was one of the most unfeeling people she had ever met. He may have a friendly outward appearance, but you could hear it in his voice and see it in the way he moved. He only looked out for himself, doing things that would give him an advantage, always at the expense of others. He was heartless.
*End Flashback*
Standing, Usagi placed her empty bowl in the sink and walked back into the living room, laying on the couch and cuddling in the blankets. A glance at the clock told her it had only been ten minutes. Funny. It had seemed so much longer to her.
Closing her eyes, she tried to fall back asleep, but visions of her nightmare kept haunting her mind. Visions of the people protecting her, burned to death and lying at her feet. Her eye's flew open and she slowly sat up, sighing in frustration.
A noise in the hall caused her to practically jump off the couch. Whipping around, she scanned the shadows, but couldn't see anything out of place. Deciding her imagination was playing tricks on her, she turned and nearly screamed when she saw Heero sitting at the opposite end from her, looking as if he'd been there all along.
Glaring at him, she pulled the blankets closer and settled back down. "What is wrong with you? Are you purposely trying to give me a heart attack?" Instead of responding, he just smiled.
Usagi was shocked. Heero was actually smiling? His smile was like nothing she had ever seen before. Not a full smile, but not a smirk either. Rather, it was somewhere in-between, and something altogether different.
"Why aren't you sleeping?"
She frowned, wondering if he really cared. By the sound of his voice, it didn't seem like it. "Why aren't you?" He just looked at her, ignoring her question completely and waiting for her answer. Finally, she relented. "I had another nightmare. I just can't…I keep seeing it every time I close my eyes."
There was a moment of silence between the two where neither moved. After what seemed like hours, Heero reached over to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to his side of the couch. Usagi stared up at him, her hands resting on either shoulder and the rest of her practically on top of him. They were so close, their noses were practically touching and she could feel it every time he breathed. A dark blush spread across her face, and she briefly wondered if he was going to kiss her.
"Go to sleep."
Disappointment briefly flashed through her eyes, but she ignored it. How did she get herself into these situations? Closing her eyes and laying her head on his chest, she tried to push away the feeling of him so close to her, but it was all she could concentrate on. She didn't even notice that in the flurry of nervous thoughts, she had completely forgotten her nightmare, and the more she thought of only Heero, the farther she fell into a deep sleep.
Heero watched her for awhile, wondering if it was him that made her smile so in her sleep. Brushing her hair back behind her ear, he studied her features before sliding out of her grasp and heading back to the room he shared with the pilots.
After all, Haruka would be back any minute, and he rather liked his head where it was.
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A.N: I demand that you review!! Jk. Personally, I don't like this chapter, but that's probably because I had to re-write. (I like making my chapters up while I write, so when I already know everything I'm going to make happen it ruins my creativity (~_~)) I just hope you guys liked this chapter. The next one will be much better! Please review!!!
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Usagi's eyes flew open and she fought to suppress the scream trying to tear away from her throat. Her hands clutched the bed sheets in panic, and it seemed like forever before she finally calmed down enough to realize it had all just been a nightmare, but it still took her awhile to unclench her hands. Closing her eyes tightly to hold back the tears, Usagi carefully untangled herself from the bed sheets and the two people sleeping beside her.
The group had decided to stay at Relena's last night, and the girls had taken her bedroom and left the boys to share the guest room. Haruka had taken one look at the three teens she was supposed to share a bed with and had immediately stated she would much rather sleep on the couch, away from any arms and legs that would want to connect with her body.
Sitting up, Usagi carefully lifted Relena's arm from across her and slipped her leg out from underneath Rei's, making sure not to wake them up. She tried the best she could not to jar the bed too much while crawling over Rei, but the moment her feet touched the floor Rei rolled over and tiredly opened her eyes, yawning and stretching out now that she had more room.
"Where are you going Usa?" She whispered, her eyes drooping shut against her will. Usagi smiled and hooked her loose hair behind her ear.
"Just going to the bathroom Rei. Go back to sleep." Rei somewhat nodded, before her breathing evened out and she was once again off in her own little dream land. Usagi stood and watched the two girls sleep, wondering what kind of wonderful things they were dreaming to make them have such a peaceful smile on their faces. Sighing, she turned away and crept to the door, opening it with barely any noise and shutting it softly behind her.
Quietly, she made her way through the hall without a sound, and was soon standing in the living room staring down at an empty couch. Blankets were scattered over the cushion's, but Haruka had obviously not been in them for a while. Looking around, she spotted a clock over the television. It was already 6:00 in the morning, so that meant Haruka had already left to go jogging. How anyone could get up so early just to run was beyond Usagi.
Yawning, she walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, scanning its contents for a snack. Coming across a leftover bowl of fried rice, she popped it into the microwave with as little noise as possible, and sat at the counter to wait. The surface of the chair was cold against her bare legs, but she ignored it and pulled her feet up as she wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin on top.
Relena had given her and Rei long t-shirts to wear to sleep, despite the fact both had told her they could sleep in their day clothes. Relena had insisted and had taken their clothes to be cleaned, even though she had said they could wear something of hers in the morning. Usagi smiled at the thought of the Canq princess as she looked down at the shirt. It was pale lavender and came down to mid-thigh with a large pearl white star across the chest. It was actually really comfortable.
Relena had a heart of gold, but she was just too naïve. Her views of pacifism were a noble idea. But that's all they were. An idea. The world worked in one way and one way only, no matter how much some wanted it changed. There was a system of balance between all things, a balance between good and evil, that kept the world alive. Bad things may happen, but good things were always sure to follow. It was just the way things worked. Relena would never have her peace. Not in the way she wanted it anyway. There would always be that evil, just underneath the surface, no matter how hard you tried to smother it out of existence. It was the duality of mankind. It was meant to be.
The microwave beeped, making her jump slightly. Standing, she grabbed the rice and a fork and sat back down, slowly eating her food while she once again got wrapped up in her own thoughts.
Usagi yawned slightly before taking another bite. This had been her second nightmare in a row, and she really needed her sleep. Usually when she had a bad dream, Mamoru would have held her until she fell asleep, or he would have done something to take her mind off of it, but that just wasn't possible anymore. If only she hadn't run away and met Dr.J. If only she had never found out what Mamoru really did. Her life had been almost perfect, and despite some nights, she had been truly happy with Mamoru.
*Flashback*
Usagi stared in wonder at the garden around her. It was absolutely huge, and there were so many beautiful flowers around she couldn't even count the varieties. Her hand slipped out of her escort's and she ran ahead on the path, giggling wildly until she stopped at a rosebush.
Sinking to her knees, she leaned forward and inhaled the wonderful aroma, fingering the delicate petals. A presence behind her caused her to smile, even before the familiar touch of his lips brushed across her neck. Leaning back against him, she sighed happily when he brushed her hair behind her, letting his fingers trail across her skin.
"You did all this for me?" Her voice was soft, almost hushed.
"Of course. I'd do anything for you." She giggled and let him pull her up. Turning to face him, she rested her hands on his chest and stood on her toes, kissing him on the cheek lovingly.
"Where did you manage to get so many flowers?"
He wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her close against him. "I had them imported from Earth." At her shocked expression, he laughed and kissed her gently, letting his lips linger on hers. Pulling away, he leaned his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes, grinning. "I take it you like it?"
"I love it, Mamo-chan." She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you."
"I love you too, Usako. I'll never stop loving you."
*End Flashback*
A tear ran down her cheek, completely unnoticed. Whoever said ignorance was bliss, definitely knew what they were talking about. Then again, could she really stay with someone who ruthlessly slaughtered those in his way to get what he wanted? Could she stay with someone who made her watch as her friend was burned to death? She shuddered as she thought of her nightmare. It had been one of the most horrible things she had ever experienced, and frankly, she was terrified it would come true.
She was putting everyone around her in danger. If anything happened to them, it was completely her fault. Maybe she should have refused Dr.J's proposal and saved everyone the trouble of fighting for their lives. Maybe she should never have run. Maybe she could still go back.
*Flashback*
Usagi drew the curtains closed, shutting out the beautiful day filled with people enjoying themselves with the many places and things one could find on colony L2. She was growing to despise this place. Despise the way she had to hide during the day like some hermit, and then run around at night from shadow to shadow.
Haruka was doing her best to keep her safe, but this couldn't go on forever. Usagi was starting to feel like a caged bird, always wishing for the freedom that waited just beyond the barred doors, yet never quite getting past them. She was so sick of it all. And to make things worse, she wanted nothing more then to turn back time so she had never followed Haruka in the first place.
Pressing her hand against the cool surface of the glass through the curtain's, Usagi rested her head against the window pane and let the tears fall from her face to drip to the floor in sparkles of shimmering light. It just wasn't fair.
Mamoru had been the only thing she had known for years, and it was extremely hard to forget about him. Hard to hate him. Hard to realize she could never touch him again. She sank to the floor, clutching the curtain's rough cloth against her face to muffle the sobs that shook her body. Why her? Why was she being punished like this? Mamoru stole away her friends, her innocence, and her heart, all against her will.
So why couldn't she hate him?
Things would be so much easier if she hated him. So much more simple. Her world had been turned into a void of confusion and pain, and the only one keeping her from falling off the brink of oblivion at the moment, was Haruka. But how long would it be before Haruka lost her grip?
The door to the apartment opened and Usagi swiftly stood, wiping away the tears and turning away as Haruka entered. She was trying her best, and there was no way Usagi was going to make her feel bad on top of all their other problems.
Haruka shut the door behind her and threw the bag she had been carrying onto the bed carelessly. Crossing to a chair, she fell into it and sighed heavily, propping her feet up on the desk across from her. "We're going to have to be careful tonight, koneko. Mamoru has people out there all over the place." Usagi merely nodded, not trusting her voice to answer. Haruka frowned. "I bought you a YM magazine." Usagi turned around, the corners of her mouth twitching.
"Really?" Haruka nodded, the frown melting into a soft smile.
"And a special treat." Usagi giggled and hopped onto the bed. YM magazine was her absolute favourite reading material, mostly because of the 'Say Anything' articles. Opening the bag, she drew out the magazine, and an Aero bar.
"Thank you Ruka!" She squealed, jumping up and hugging the sandy blonde tightly.
"Your welcome koneko."
(That night)
Usagi pressed herself closer to Haruka, wearily looking all around her. It felt like eyes were watching her from every direction, and frankly, she was terrified. The colony was oddly silent at night, absent of the sounds of the usual night animals one would always hear had they been on earth. Shadows stretched out in every direction where the street lamps were unable to reach, casting darkness everywhere.
A noise from the alley startled Usagi so bad, she stumbled and just about fell flat on her face, had it not been for Haruka catching her at the last minute. "I'm sorry Ruka." She whispered, giggling slightly well she steadied herself on her feet. "I guess I'm a bit more jumpy then usually. All this running's starting to make me paranoid."
Haruka just shook her head, but didn't answer. Expecting a reply, Usagi looked up to face her, and was surprised to see Haruka's stance had gone rigid and she was staring out into the darkness, trying to see into the shadows. Immediately, Usagi clutched her bag with what few things she had brought with her to her chest, debating with herself whether or not she should run. The look in Haruka's eyes told her all she needed to know. Whipping around, Usagi started to run just as a man dressed in a black and silver uniform leapt at Haruka, engaging her in a fight that would determine one of their lives.
She hadn't gotten very far before another man, dressed like the first, slammed into her, pinning her to his body so she couldn't run. Desperately, she tried to scream, but a gloved hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her.
There was a sharp cry from Haruka's direction, followed by a dull thud, before the man pinning her was suddenly rammed from behind. Usagi was flung across the sidewalk and slammed into the wall with enough force to knock her unconscious, but not before she saw a man with platinum blonde hair and grey-blue eyes standing over her.
*End Flashback*
It had been Milliardo and Noin who had saved them that night. The two had taken her and Haruka to a base below the colony's government building, informing them that there was somebody who needed their assistance. Although she hadn't trusted them at first, Usagi had grown close to the two the more time she spent with them, and so had agreed to follow.
It turned out that the person she was meeting was someone she would never forget.
*Flashback*
Usagi followed Noin down a brightly lit corridor, Haruka and Milliardo at her heels, until they reached an unmarked door at the end. Hesitantly, she stepped inside, barely glancing at the long oak table and comfortable looking chairs before her attention was focused on the solitary occupant.
Her first thought was that the man was obviously old. He had long grey hair that came down to his shoulders, bushy eyebrows, and a matching moustache. His eyes were hidden behind odd looking goggles, and his face was worn with age. He wore a long white lab coat and was resting one hand on the table while his other was - actually it was missing. In place where a hand should be, there was instead, a rather scary looking claw. The fact that he was, at the moment, clicking it opened and closed, was making her kind of edgy.
Noin pulled out a chair for her to sit in, but she was reluctant to take it. After having been nudged forward by Milliardo, she sat across from the man, instantly relieved when Haruka took a seat beside her.
"So good of you to finally pay a visit." The man's voice was typically average, but there was a tone underlying it that made her pay more attention. "My name is Dr.J." Before Usagi could respond, he held up his hand to silence her. "No need to make further introductions, as I already know who you are."
The frown on Usagi's face was barely noticeable, but inside, her mind was reeling. This man had been giving off a strange vibe since she had entered, but at first she couldn't place it. Perhaps it was his uninviting demeanour that gave her chills. Or perhaps it was the smile on his face that seemed anything but friendly.
"I'm going to get straight to the point, child. Mamoru Chiba has been steadfastly gaining ground on us for the last month now. However, at your disappearance no more then a week ago, most, if not all, activity on his end has stopped. You're proving to be a great distraction to him."
Usagi's eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't like this man. Not at all. "I thought you were going to get straight to the point."
Dr.J frowned. "I would like to offer you a proposition. I will have my associates, meaning Noin and Milliardo, bring you to Earth and place you under the protection of a very reliable group of young men, and all you have to do is stay out of the way. Since Mamoru's distracted, he's been making mistakes. Rather large ones. If we can keep him distracted, we may be able to stop him before he is able to accomplish anything too drastic." Silence filled the room as Usagi just stared blankly at the man.
Finally, she leaned forward, propping both elbows up on the table and resting her chin in her hands. "You want to use me as bait." She accused, her eyes narrowing. Before Dr.J could reply, she was once again speaking, her voice low and angered. "Instead of hiding me, you wish to place me under his nose, only with enough protection that he will have to waste time planning a way to get to me. That's how you plan to keep him distracted, isn't it?"
Dr.J was silent for a moment. Leaning back in his chair, he once again smiled, sending chills down Usagi's back. "If you want to look at it that way."
Usagi stared at him, partially in disgust. This man was one of the most unfeeling people she had ever met. He may have a friendly outward appearance, but you could hear it in his voice and see it in the way he moved. He only looked out for himself, doing things that would give him an advantage, always at the expense of others. He was heartless.
*End Flashback*
Standing, Usagi placed her empty bowl in the sink and walked back into the living room, laying on the couch and cuddling in the blankets. A glance at the clock told her it had only been ten minutes. Funny. It had seemed so much longer to her.
Closing her eyes, she tried to fall back asleep, but visions of her nightmare kept haunting her mind. Visions of the people protecting her, burned to death and lying at her feet. Her eye's flew open and she slowly sat up, sighing in frustration.
A noise in the hall caused her to practically jump off the couch. Whipping around, she scanned the shadows, but couldn't see anything out of place. Deciding her imagination was playing tricks on her, she turned and nearly screamed when she saw Heero sitting at the opposite end from her, looking as if he'd been there all along.
Glaring at him, she pulled the blankets closer and settled back down. "What is wrong with you? Are you purposely trying to give me a heart attack?" Instead of responding, he just smiled.
Usagi was shocked. Heero was actually smiling? His smile was like nothing she had ever seen before. Not a full smile, but not a smirk either. Rather, it was somewhere in-between, and something altogether different.
"Why aren't you sleeping?"
She frowned, wondering if he really cared. By the sound of his voice, it didn't seem like it. "Why aren't you?" He just looked at her, ignoring her question completely and waiting for her answer. Finally, she relented. "I had another nightmare. I just can't…I keep seeing it every time I close my eyes."
There was a moment of silence between the two where neither moved. After what seemed like hours, Heero reached over to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to his side of the couch. Usagi stared up at him, her hands resting on either shoulder and the rest of her practically on top of him. They were so close, their noses were practically touching and she could feel it every time he breathed. A dark blush spread across her face, and she briefly wondered if he was going to kiss her.
"Go to sleep."
Disappointment briefly flashed through her eyes, but she ignored it. How did she get herself into these situations? Closing her eyes and laying her head on his chest, she tried to push away the feeling of him so close to her, but it was all she could concentrate on. She didn't even notice that in the flurry of nervous thoughts, she had completely forgotten her nightmare, and the more she thought of only Heero, the farther she fell into a deep sleep.
Heero watched her for awhile, wondering if it was him that made her smile so in her sleep. Brushing her hair back behind her ear, he studied her features before sliding out of her grasp and heading back to the room he shared with the pilots.
After all, Haruka would be back any minute, and he rather liked his head where it was.
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A.N: I demand that you review!! Jk. Personally, I don't like this chapter, but that's probably because I had to re-write. (I like making my chapters up while I write, so when I already know everything I'm going to make happen it ruins my creativity (~_~)) I just hope you guys liked this chapter. The next one will be much better! Please review!!!