*hums* listening to Eternal Wind. It's so pretty! ^^ And it's raining outside so the mood fits the song so perfectly!

Disclaimer: I don't own it ... nope! Boy ... aren't you surprised?

Editors! Happy Holidays! AutumnHime, DevilsDarling, and UsagiAsiaMaxwell. One of my editors is on vacation! *sniff*

I've managed to tally up the votes, and Hiiro's winning by a lot! Hmmm ... maybe just to get on people's nerves I won't do him? Haha ... that would be funny ... ^_~

Hiiro - 10.5 (Well aren't we just Mr. Popular? *phht* ...but I still adore him! ^^''')

Duo - 2 (But Duo-chan's so cute! How can anybody not like him? He's flirtatious and funny and actually speaks! Are all you Duo-lovers out there going to stand for this?! Are you going to let hardly-speaks-more-words-than-the-average-cat Hiiro beat you?! ARE YOU?! I wouldn't ... sudden Duo obsession? Emotions run haywire? Watch out because the braided baka is climbing up the charts in my mind ... and my votes count a whole lot more, ne? ^^)

Quatre - 0 (Poor Quatre! Don't you feel sorry for the cute widdle blonde? You're all cruel, I tell ya! Evil, evil, evil people!)

Trowa - 1 (Silent Trowa, always the support that the team needs in times of despair! You're breaking up the team, evil people!)

Wufei - 2.5 (Poor Fei-chan! Stuck with two and a half of a vote! No! Not two! No! Not three! But two and a half! How can you people? This is the last time I'm listening to votes ... I think. ^^''')

Not Mamoru - 3 (But Mamoru is nice! You all like Naoko Takeuchi, right? She thought Mamoru was nice! And she is like a deity in the SM world! You're going against her! Blasphemy!)

Heehee. I counted votes 0.5 when they said something like "I want Hiiro most, but Duo is also okay" so Duo gets 0.5 a vote!

…………………

Usagi managed to stay within the boundaries of consciousness. Her misty mind registered voices -- foreign ones -- though she couldn't discern of which gender or how many people there were.

"What's she doing here?" one of the voices choked out, with apparent bewilderment and alarm.

"We should dispose of her," a second voice advised quietly, sidestepping the first's question. Even in her baffled state, Usagi observed that the second voice sounded harsher and less used than the first.

"No, she could be a innocent bystander. We should take her in," yet another voice joined the dispute.

"I agree." This voice sounded unerringly like the second. Her disorientated mind brooded over this for a second before a "fourth" voice sliced in. [1]

"Guards coming. Hurry up and decide whether or not we should keep the onna."

She let a groan flee her mouth and reached up to touch her head. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the voices' attentions spiraling to her, restlessly waiting for her to wake up. This was not to be as the impulsive movement and exertion of energy caused her to traverse to utter nothingness.

…………………

"Where is that girl? Does she want me to tow her over here and humiliate her in front of her potential husband?" the aged lady, Tsukino Yukari, huffed sulkily. At this comment, said 'future husband' blushed.

Shingo eyed his grandmother sympathetically. It was clear she was troubled even though she sought to screen it with her snippy tone.

"She should be here soon..." The fretful mother of Usagi glanced once again at her watch -- 6:39.

"Why can't Usagi just get a move on? She's holding up the party! Besides, we're famished," a blonde relation of Usagi whined. The other teens at the table nodded in conformity.

Casting them a dark look, Shingo entered the discussion. "We should check on her, not sit here like ducks and wait for her to call."

"Yeah, she never calls anyway," the blonde scowled scathingly as payback for the dark look.

"Usagi will call, if she can," a fair, dark-haired and bright-eyed girl spoke up. Her eyes held resolve as she stared defiantly at her older sister.

"You're too young to judge people, Taru-chan." The golden-haired girl scanned the rest of the adolescents at the table as if asking for encouragement.

"Usagi will call," the girl sitting beside her chirped confidently. The blonde turned to her and sneered.

"What would you know about Usagi, Mina-chan? You're away three hundred and sixty-four days a year with that acting job of yours!"

"I know her better than you think," the red-bowed actress sniffed disdainfully, optimistic mood dampened.

Tired of the squabbling, Yukari spoke up, "Kenji..."

"Well what do you want me to do? We can't call the police yet, " Kenji bit out, his temper escalating with his dread as the cousins continued to bicker in the backdrop.

"Relax. Let's just wait some more," Mamoru suggested with his natural, placid air.

The elderly woman gave him an indulgent look as she nodded in agreement.

Ikuko sighed and endeavored to mollify the hungry and still glowering teens by suggesting, "Why don't we start eating?"

…………………

Outside the snow fell tenderly, unmindful to the family's unease. A stranger lurched onto the lawn, ruining the flawless snow with his heavy steps. He reached out unsteadily to tap on the door but faltered. Trying again, he managed a muffled knock, which no one heard. He tried one last time and knocked with all his might before crumpling from lack of energy.

The door unfasten and light and warmth spattered out. The person who opened it gave a sharp gasp before calling for help and then attempting to revive the man. She turned him over, face up, and laid him on the floor.

Only then did she detect his clenched fist and reach for it. Even though unconscious, the man held on to this item with a steel grip. Ikuko let it go and again hollered for help. The man was then laid onto the sofa and kept an eye on. The item in his hand was soon forgotten.

…………………

The Tsukino family experienced a restless night. Ikuko and Yukari bustled in and out, trying to make the nameless man comfortable but more importantly trying to not think about Usagi. Once the man was as snug as they could get him, Yukari settled down while Ikuko paced.

"That girl!" the silver-haired woman sighed, almost exasperated.

"Maybe she's just really late. I mean, anything can happen..." Ikuko launched her cheery speech brightly but her voice diminished. The optimism in her tone was strained as she battled to keep the family's hopes up. She was fighting a loosing battle.

"I'll go call the police," Kenji mumbled awkwardly. Eyes turned to regard him.

Ikuko twisted around to face him, eyes beseeching, imploring for him to not put the family through reality. "Dear, let's just wait a bit more."

"We can't deny it anymore! There is something wrong! You have to face it -- it's the way life is! " And with that, he stormed off to the phone.

"Maybe she didn't want to come home because I'm here?" Mamoru submitted, his appearance earnest.

Too drained to console, Ikuko sighed and looked away.

…………………

"Ikuko ... honey..."

She looked up with distressed eyes, blinking away a sleeping spell. "Kenji...?"

"There was a car crash this evening," he turned his gaze from her traumatized features and aimed them at the floor.

"A-and?" Yukari stammered, her face as ashen as death.

"After the driver came to, he said he had picked up a girl at the airport who fits Usagi's description."

"But it doesn't have to be Usagi right? There's lots of people who fit Usagi's description!" Ikuko had now risen and started tugging at her husband's sleeve, pleading for him to reveal to her that everything was all right.

Kenji reacted by hugging her closely, not trusting himself to lie.

"There's more."

Four pairs of eyes flashed to the fresh voice. The man who they had taken in had awoken. Ikuko hurried to him and struggled to get him to lie back down, but he rejected her attempts.

"I was sent here, by the police, to tell you."

"H-how?"

And at that time, he exposed the item in his hand -- a driver's license -- Usagi's, specifically.

Endeavoring to soothe his quivering wife, Kenji spoke, "So what more is there?"

Looking into the older man's eyes with incisive, cat-like, emerald ones, the man explained, "The girl vanished after the collision. We can't locate her."

"Can't locate -- so that means she could still be alive, right?"

"The chances aren't in your favor. But there's nothing to do but wait."

"For a miracle?" Shingo guessed dimly.

"What's your name, young man?"

"Furuhata Motoki."

Mamoru looked at the guy intently. He was lying; he could tell, used to making business deals. The signs were all there -- too relaxed under such a horrific circumstances and the eyes weren't looking unswervingly at the person he was conversing with.

So who is this guy? If he were trying to flee from somebody, it wouldn't be easy. After all, not many had surprisingly silver hair and razor-edged jade eyes...

"Hey Mister, that's a pretty necklace!" the youngest of all in the category labeled "Usagi's cousins" piped up, oblivious to the disquiet and tension saturating the ambiance.

"Motoki" looked up, startled, and reached to bring it up to his eyes. It sparkled silver in the pooling lamplight and the word emblazoned upon it glared sapphire -- Artemis.

…………………

Okay! Who knew I was going to do that? I'd like to have a show of hands! *crickets chirp* I'd like to have an audience. -_-

Ack! The whole family table talking thing was messed up! Okay, so the cousins are there... where are the aunts and uncles?!

Notes:

1. She thinks the second and fourth voices were from the same person but is confused because they contradict each other. ^^