Um... just a little one-shot fic... I'm beginning to think these are the only ones I'm good at. I was going to read Mars 1-10 when inspiration struck. Set during Mars 1, it's Rei's thoughts as he's running down the hall to Kira's rescue. Pretty self-explanatory.

Disclaimer: I don't own Mars. Soryo Fuyumi does. Any dialogue you recognize from Mars #1 is taken from the English version. I changed it a little in some places, but it's not mine either. I do own Mars 1-10, and I was trying to read them, then my muse hit me with a frying pan. Along with this idea, I remembered that J.J. has my Mars #10. And I want it back. *sniffle*

Tatsuya walked in and heavily sat down in his seat. I came over and gave him a congratulatory pat on the back.

"Hey buddy," I said with a grin, "How'd it go with Kira?" He heaved a sigh.

"What a let-down. Thanks to you, the object of her affection." He grumbled. I let out an intelligent, "what?" and gave a quick glance around for her. Strange... she didn't come back with him.

"By the way, where is she?" I asked. He too gave the room a cursory glance.

"Hmm?" he said wonderingly. "I guess she hasn't come back yet since some girls from class called her away." My heart stopped. My blood ran cold and hot at the same time. My eyes swept the room one more time. Chatting, laughing kids leaned unconcernedly against the desks. No Kira. No Harumi. No Harumi!

"Where's Harumi?!" I asked, not even aware that I was yelling. A couple answers were tossed back at me.

"She's not here..."

"Do you know where she went?"

"No idea." Useless!

"Oh... wait," Amari said, pressing a finger to her lips and thinking hard. "I think I saw her over by the gym." There was more talking, but I was already gone, out the door, down the hall. If they had burned her shoes the first time, what were they doing to her now? I took the stairs four at a time, but I wasn't going fast enough! I barely slowed down. If anything, I speeded up as I ran to the railing, shifted my weight, and launched myself over into space. I landed, fell to my knees, rose again and continued running. I noticed, as if from a faraway observation tower, I'd lost my shirt. I also noted that Tatsuya was following me, albeit much slower. The gym was on the other side of the campus. Dammit! I ran faster than I ever had in my life, uncaring of my muscles, which were screaming in protest, and my mind, which was telling me to slow down. I focused instead on Harumi, and what I was going to do to her if Kira was hurt in any way. I would destroy her. No, destroy is far too weak a word for the things I would do. I would kill her. Very painfully. I would... well, then again, what's the use of threats? Whatever happened to her would be her own fault. I vaulted over the bushes that hedged the pool, tangled my foot in one and fell on one knee. Before it could hurt, I was up and running again, a rip in my jeans and my right knee scratched and oozing. I poured on the last bit of my energy as I reached the gym doors and tried to open them. Locked! I tugged and beat on them, hoping they were just stuck, but they were completely locked, and there was nothing I could do about it. A side door! There was always a side door on these gyms, in case of a fire! I ran around the left side of the gym, and flung open the doors. Yes! This door was completely unlocked. My feet pounded against the hardwood floor of the gym, echoing strangely off the walls as I made for the equipment room. I threw the doors open, and there she was. Kira. Oh please no... oh god no... she was clutching her hands to her chest. Her tiny, perfect, angel hands. Too late. I was too late. A five- pound weight glowed dully up at me from the floor.

"Rei..." she whispered. I fell to my knees and took her hands in mine. "I'm okay," she said encouragingly, despite the fresh tears coursing down her face. "I'm fine. They just threatened me. I'm okay." She repeated. I wrapped my arms around her and roughly pulled her to me. I wasn't too late. She was fine. I had made it.

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