(Written by Aideen-san! ALL BOW TO THE ALMIGHTY AIDEEN-SAN! ... or just email her at christiewillows@aol.com )

Deliver Me From Questions

There were worst ways to spend the night. Watching an angel sleep was one of the best ways to let time fly. Not the least bit tired, Yohji brushed back a lock of hair from Usagi's face and smiled as she moved closer to his side. He could stay like this forev-

"I see that you don't waste any time."

Yohji looked up to see Ken standing in the doorway of his room. "There's no need to be jealous, Ken-kun."

Ken frowned. "I'm not jealous. I'm just here to tell you that Aya's in a really bad mood and it's your turn to up open shop."

Yohji scowled as Ken threw an apron on the end of his bed. "When isn't that man in a bad mood," he grumbled as he tried to get up. Usagi's small hand refused to let go of his. A faint frown spread across her lips as he pulled away from her. Glancing at his slumbering angel and back at the door he mentally sent Aya to hell, and started to crawl back into his bed.

Moments later his blankets were ripped off his bed, "I am not taking your shift." Yohji glared up at the red head. Aya glared back, before leaving the room with a scowl. It definitely didn't help his mood, when he noticed Usagi sleeping peacefully on Yohji's bed. Curled into a little ball, her hand still holding on to Yohji's. What was he doing thinking about that little blonde?! Just last night he lost his number one target... The one person that mattered slipped through his hands, when his blood should rightfully, be staining the end of his katana.

"One day...one day... I'm gonna..."Yohji mumbled as he gently pryed Usagi's hand from his. Quickly he got dressed and headed out, but not before dropping a quick kiss on her forehead. As the door closed behind him Yohji failed to hear the frightened whimpering coming from his bed.

****

'Did you have pleasant dreams, fraulin? Did you dream of me...'

Usagi stiffened as her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness. Hold on one second...she wasn't awake yet. She tried not to panic after all Yohji promised to protect her. He wouldn't break his promise to her. 'I warned you...Did I not? Yet you did not listen...Perhaps I'll let it slide for now.'

'Yohji-kun wake me up...O-negai!'

'He's not here, love...It's just you and me.' Arms wrapped around her, easily holding her in place even if she should decide to fight back. 'Are you really scared of me?' Gently Schuldich brought one of her hands up to his lips. Slowly, seductively he kissed and caressed each finger. Usagi knew if she looked into his eyes there, in those jade depths, would promises of so much more... 'Or is your heart racing because your frightened...or because you like what I'm doing...'

Usagi tensed. Were these emotions, her doing? 'Iie! Iie!' She jerked away, curling into a ball. Once again she found herself a slave to her emotions. The kisses, the comfort, the newfound freedom...All overshadowing Mamoru's death. No! She couldn't be that selfish...at least not anymore. She owned her childhood savior so much...she couldn't so callously disregard her deceased husband...

'What can you do? He's dead. You think that a former superheroine could go against Takatori?'

'How do you know?!' Usagi demanded.

'Fraulin, I have a better question. What don't I know...'

****

Her pillow was wet.

It was the first thing she noticed as she escaped the dreamrealm. As she sat up, Usagi wondered how could he have possibly known? She accepted that Schuldich could slip into her consciousness but it never occurred to her that he learned her secrets without her acknowledgment.

What don't I know...

The words ranged mockingly in her mind. Before Usagi had thought herself vulnerable but now...Her potential enemy knew her secret and she with no likely allies in sight...

'I can make them do what I want That includes not believing you.'

Usagi glanced at the closed door. Or where they closer than she thought?

Pushing the blankets aside, Usagi scrambled out of the bed. Only to trip onto the floor as her foot got caught in the sheets. Muttering a few unladylike curses, Usagi climbed to her feet. As she walked across the room she didn't notice that her broken ankle no longer pained her. Already healed by the Ginzuishou.

Aya did.

The red head had gotten up right when Yohji's bedroom door opened. Today he would get his answers, whether Usagi like it or not. Nobody would be there to save her since Omi was at school and both Yohji and Ken worked today.

When Usagi reached the guest bedroom's door, an orange sleeved covered arm appeared blocking her way. "A-Aya-san?!" Usagi backed up a bit startled by his suddenappearance. Cold violet eyes assessed her with calculating precision.

"How much do you know?"

"Are you four really veterinarians?" Usagi countered, with much more confidence than she had. In truth Aya and his glares made her want to run and hide.

Aya scowled. That idiot Yohji couldn't come up with a better alibi... "How much do you know about your husband's case against Takatori?"

"I already told you. Some annonymous group hired Mamoru, for the case." Usagi paused. Since she was fourteen, she had always called Mamoru as Mamo-chan. She could have counted the number of times she called Mamoru by his real name on three fingers until now.

"You never said the group was anonymous." Aya pointed out coldly.

Usagi dared to glare at the silent red head as he waited for more answers. '...Abyssinian is the silent cold one.'

"How is that you're able to walk normally when just yesterday you were hobbling around the kitchen?"

Usagi blushed at the mention of the kitchen incident before she realized that he was right. 'The Ginzuishou! It's working again! Of all the bad timing...' "I don't have to tell you anything!" Usagi exclaimed. "Now please get out of my way."

Aya took a step forward causing Usagi to take a step back. She tried not to cower in the shadow of his towering frame. Usagi stretched herself to her fullest height. "I said please."

"Indeed she did." Yohji drawled. Sapphire and amethyst eyes focused on the newcomer. Yohji didn't move from his spot in the doorway. Arms were crossed loosely in front of his chest as Yohji leaning lazily against the door frame. The honey haired man looked completely relaxed. Aya wasn't fooled by his teammates stance, Yohji was ready to lash out to protect his tenshi.

Aya frowned but stepped back. With Yohji hovering about Usagi protectively, Aya knew he wouldn't get any answers. As Usagi tried to slip by him, he grabbed her hand. "You know Takatori killed your husband. There's no denying it. Are you willing to let him get away with his death like it didn't matter? Like it was worthless?"

"Mamoru wasn't worthless!!!" Usagi exclaimed venomously as she jerked away from Aya's grasp. "You will never have any idea how important he was to the future!"

"Tenshi? "Yohji reached out to touch her shoulder to comfort her. Usagi pulled away, tears staining her cheeks.

Wiping away the tears with the cuff of her sleeve, Usagi glared at Aya. "You have no idea what I would do to bring him back, if I could. So don't ever talk to me like that again! You'll see...Reiji Takatori will regret the day he destroyed everything I held dear!"

With great flourish, Usagi swept into her room and slammed the door. The picture frames rattled a bit on their place on the wall before one fell to the floor.

Yohji, scowled at the red head. "What in the hell were you thinking, Aya?!" He demanded. "Usagi isn't our enemy. Treating her like that won't help anyone!"

"I don't care." Aya replied darkly as he walked out, "One way or another she will answer all my questions."

Yohji cursed.

Inside Usagi slid to the floor, crying. Aya was right. She was letting Mamoru's death pass by as though it didn't matter. How could she be so heartless? The death of the man who was meant to be king deserved to avenge. Usagi hiccuped slightly as she once again wiped her tears with her sleeves. As her sobs died down, a small pile of clothes caught her eye.

Getting up she stumble to the bed. Her clothes sat neatly folded on the bed. A note rested on top of the material alongside her brooch. Usagi fingered her brooch. She had all but forgotten about it.

Usagi-chan.

I hope you don't mind, but I washed your clothes.

Your brooch was inside one of your pockets.

Omi

Usagi smiled sadly. Omi was such a sweetheart...Aya could use some lessons on manners from him. Quietly the blonde picked up the brooch and lifted it to the light. Three years since she uttered those simple words that transformed her into Sailor Moon. She always carried it with her everywhere...Not that she had gone anywhere, where she could lose it besides what used to be her home. But once she did find it in the dishwasher. It was nice to know the Ginzuishou could survive the rinse cycle.

Was she still able to wield the Ginzuishou after so long? Usagi wondered. All it took was those words to find out...

Pulling the brooch closer to her chest, she stood up. "Moon Eternal..."

Outside Yohji let Usagi have a few moments to herself before knocking. Aya had rattled her with all his accusations. That baka. What made him think that he would be getting answers, acting like damn jerk? "Tenshi?" Yohji knocked again. He frowned slightly Usagi should have at least answered him. "What are you doing in there? Tenshi..."

'Maybe Usagi had cried herself to sleep.' Yohji thought as he slowly opened the door.

"...Make Up!"

To say that Yohji wasn't excepting a free light show of sorts, would have been an understatement. Shielding his eyes as best as he could with one hand, Yohji watched in disbelief and appreciation. Disbelief that there was a well known superheroine in the room where his tenshi was suppose to be. Appreciation that she had the courtesy to wear such a flattering short skirt. "Not that I don't mind you being here, but what did you do with my tenshi?"

Startled blue eyes looked at him, noticing his presence for the first time. "Yohji-kun?!"

For a moment Yohji didn't say anything. He just let his eyes travel down her body. He had always said that he able to tell who the women was, by her legs and indeed he know who it was... "Usagi?"

Usagi nodded numbly, unsure what to say. Unsure of what Yohji might say. "I can explain..."

"Tenshi, I have to say I love the skirt," Yohji grinned suggestively, "But Omi-kun is coming home soon and I don't think his teenage hormones could take such a wondrous sight without bleeding all over the floor."

Usagi blushed at Yohji's comment. "So...you aren't mad? You don't want me to explain?"

Yohji moved forward, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Tenshi." He tilted her chin up, "What makes you think that I could be mad at such a beautiful women? Or should I say...Sailor Moon?"

"..." Usagi really didn't know what to say as Yohji leaned down, his emerald green eyes closed.

"Whats going on here?"

Usagi jerked away from Yohji grasp as his eyes snapped open, to glare at his teammates who stood in the door way.

"Sailor Moon?!" Omi exclaimed. His voice strangely more high pitched than usual as he turned an unhealthily shade of red. Usagi tried desperately to tug at her short skirt, in vain hope that it would become longer before the younger boy lost consciousness

"You seduce Usagi-chan and Sailor Moon the same day?!" Ken accused. "That's low."

"Yohji-kun didn't seduce me, Ken-kun!"

The door slammed shut, as Aya positioned himself as a blockade in front of door. Folding his arms in front of him, he glared at all of them. The red head no longer cared if the rest of the team was there to hear what he wanted to say. All he wanted was answers and fast. "No one is leaving until Usagi answers all of my questions."

****

In various parts of Tokyo, four women paused and looked up from their work. Each one had felt the sudden surge of power. Each knew what it was. After all it was hard to forget one of the most powerful people in the universe...

Even harder to forget the one you had sworn to protect...

***

(Written by Aideen-san! ALL BOW TO THE ALMIGHTY AIDEEN-SAN! ... or just email her at christiewillows@aol.com )