Author's Notes: I'm sorry this took so long. There's really no excuse. Except that I'm a lazy, exhausted slug… If that counts.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, yadda yadda… But I do own Heaven's Flames. Steal and die.


Heaven's Flames

Chapter 24


Tsukino Ikuko's ears perked when she heard the doorbell ring. She scampered from her spot in the kitchen to the front door. She swung open the large oak door without checking the peephole. Her face lit with surprise.

"Kou Seiya!" she exclaimed excitedly.

The said police officer stood just outside the door, his trademark grin plastered on his lips. He nodded. "Good afternoon, young lady."

Ikuko blushed. "Ah, you're such a kind young boy. What can I do for you, dear?"

Seiya pushed his sunglasses off his nose and unto the top of his head. His eyes sparkled. "I was wondering if your lovely daughter was home, miss."

The violet-haired housewife smiled. "Indeed she is." She ushered the young man in and noticed the bouquet of flowers he held. "And are those for her?" she added, gesturing to the arrangement.

"They are." Seiya toed off his shoes. "How is she?"

Mama Ikuko's smile immediately faltered. "She's…" Ikuko paused. "She's coping," she finally finished.

Seiya's whimsical features turned serious. "It's been two weeks," he stated matter-of-factly. Ikuko only nodded in response.

The police officer was starting to get annoyed. He had been calling Usagi frequently to check up on her and see how she was managing, but not once would she take his call. Over the past weeks he had become rather close with Ikuko, however. And, as nice a woman as Ikuko was, she was not the Tsukino Seiya was interested in. If this moping of her's continued, he was going to have to take drastic measures.

"May I see her?" Seiya queried after a thoughtful moment.

"You can sure try," Ikuko replied.

The two climbed the stairs in the quaint little home and made their way down the hallway. Ikuko stopped at the last room on the right. She faltered nervously before eventually knocking.

"Usagi, dear, that kind police man is here to see you."

As the two expected, there was no response. They both stood, waiting for a few agonizing moments. Then, slowly, Ikuko turned to Seiya with sad eyes.

"Has she even come out of the room since she came from the hospital?" Seiya whispered gravely.

Ikuko shook her head 'no'. "She's barely eaten, too. I'm worried about her."

"As well you should be." The officer stared at the door harshly, as if he could sear it open with his gaze. He paused for a moment and then tried knocking again. "Usagi, it's me. Could I please come in?"

Upon receiving no answer, Ikuko huffed in an exasperated fashion. "I'm opening the door, Usagi," she announced and then did just that.

Before Usagi could even think to protest, Ikuko pushed Seiya into the room and shut the door behind him. The officer blinked. That wasn't how he had planned things…

Usagi, who had been facing away from Seiya, slowly tore her gaze from the window. Her neck turned itself around and limp gold curls fell off her shoulders. Two cold, dead, blue eyes swung to meet Seiya's own. The latter forced down a little sound of shock.

Was this really Usagi? Was this pale, scrawny, deathly looking child really the Tsukino Usagi he met in the game? Where did her vibrant blue eyes go? Or her rosy cheeks? Or her full figure? What happened to her brilliant laugh and unusual hairstyle? Did she leave it behind in the game? With him?

"Uh, hi there," Seiya managed out after a moment. He held out the flowers. "I brought you a get-well present."

Usagi's emotionless eyes fell to the bouquet. She said nothing and turned back to her window.

Seiya frowned. This was too much.

"I'll, uh, just put them over here…" He stepped over to a desk set up against the adjacent wall. He settled down the flowers, but after that he didn't know what to do with his now-empty hands.

Unable to think of anything better, Seiya pulled the desk's chair to the side of Usagi's bed. He sat uncomfortably.

"So, how ya doing? You're mom told me you're a little under the weather."

He was trying to be nice, really he was. He was trying to be polite, and understanding. He was doing all he could to charm her.

And it wasn't working.

Seiya restrained from cursing under his breath.

In one swift movement, Seiya stood from his seat and placed on hand on either side of Usagi. He leaned over her, dangerously close. The girl turned to him with a hint of surprise in her eyes. It was a start.

"Do you really miss him that much?" Seiya asked, voice low.

Usagi stared for a few seconds, not speaking. Then, ever-so-slowly, her chapped lips parted. The voice that came past those lips was not the sweet voice Seiya remembered.

"That's none of your business," she rasped out. Her voice sounded dry and raw, as if she had been screaming. Seiya knew that wasn't the case. The only thing this girl had been doing was sobbing.

With that, Usagi turned her head away again. The officer growled lowly. He shifted all his weight onto one arm and then seized her chin with his other hand. He firmly, yet gently, turned her back to him.

"I'm making it my business," he told her seriously. His voice was gruff, but there was no malice.

Usagi's brow creased just the slightest. The movement was so small, Seiya wondered if he had only imagined it.

"What do you want from me, Seiya?" she asked him, voice flat.

He let got of her chin and leaned back a few inches on his arms. "A 'thank you' might be nice," he spat. He was beginning to lose his temper. "I saved your damn life."

"I wasn't in any danger there," she answered quickly. Emotion was beginning to fall upon her again.

"You were with a vampire!!" he cried, and then, before she could interrupt, he continued. "I brought you home, Usagi! To your family!!"

"Well maybe I don't want to be with my family!!" she screamed.

Seiya faltered backwards somewhat from her sudden outburst. Without him obstructing her view, Usagi caught sight of her mother in the doorway. Her blue eyes went wide.

Ikuko stood stiff, hands trembling. Her mouth worked without any voice following it.

"I, I just, uh…" She looked down shakily at the vase in her hands as if to remind herself why she had entered the room. "I brought this… for the flowers…" She took an unsure step forward and rested the vase on the desk. As she arranged the flowers she kept her head low, not making eye contact. "Sorry," she continued, "for interrupting."

"Mama!" Usagi cried. She pushed Seiya out of the way and swung out of bed. She walked with faulty legs to her mother. "Mama, I didn't - I'm so sorry."

Seiya collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion. This girl sure changed moods fast.

"It's all right, dear, don't you worry about it…" Ikuko finished tending to the flowers and moved to leave.

Usagi tugged on her mother's arm. She felt her eyes burning for the first time in over a week. It surprised her; she thought she had run out of tears.

"I didn't mean it that way." Usagi let her head fall against her mother's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I love you, I do. And I'm glad I'm home." She hiccupped.

Ikuko softened considerably. "But you love him, too." Usagi nodded slowly. "It's all right. I understand. You love your family, and you love him. It's difficult." Ikuko patted her daughter's head. "Either way you choose, you loose something important to you."

Usagi pulled back from her mother. "Mama…" Her voice was wet and she kept the tears in check.

Ikuko smiled at her daughter lovingly. "I'll leave you two, now." She patted Usagi's head once more and then left the room.

The two occupants of the room didn't move for a while. Usagi closed her eyes sadly and hung her head. Seiya watched the girl's hunched shoulders contemplatively. Perhaps this turn of events would be worth his while.

"Hey, Usagi…" Seiya made sure his voice was low and sweet. He padded over to her and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Why don't I take you out somewhere, huh?" He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "We'll go anywhere you want. I'll take your mind off all this nonsense, if only for just a little while."

Usagi turned her head to the side so that Seiya could see her inquisitive profile. She stared at the floor, unsure.

"Come on. It'll be good for you to get some fresh air." Seiya smiled widely. "I'll pay for everything, so don't you worry about that. Wherever you want, we'll go. We can see a movie, or go to a restaurant… or maybe an arcade?"

After a moment's hesitation, Usagi slowly nodded. The poice officer beamed.

"Okay then!" he chirped. Seiya stepped in front of her and grinned. Usagi watched him in mild amusement. "I'll go downstairs while you get dressed. Don't take too long." He winked. "You're pretty either way."

Oddly enough, Seiya's statement was true. Even when he first saw her in that bed no more then ten minutes ago, she was still beautiful. She had an almost ethereal glow about her…

"All right, all right," the blonde replied lowly. She ushered him out of the room. Then something dawned on her.

Usagi pulled on Seiya's retreating arm. He turned to her, still grinning from ear to ear.

"And this is not a date," she added as an after-thought.

Before Seiya could retort, the door was slammed in his face.


Usagi blinked when she felt a tug on her arm. She took another large sip of her soda and turned to her companion. Seiya was grinning at her widely.

"Do ya wanna go in here?" the police officer queried, pointing behind him enthusiastically.

Usagi's cornflower blue eyes shifted to see what Seiya was talking about. The Crown Arcade loomed proudly before her. Her face immediately fell.

An arcade? she pondered warily. Can I really handle that? I think it's a bit too soon to be playing video games again...

Seiya faltered. His arm fell limply at his side. Of course! How could have he had been so dumb? There was no way Usagi would want to play video games, not after everything that happened in Heaven's Flames.

"Oh, uh," he fumbled, "never mind. We should go somewhere else. Catch a movie, maybe?"

Long, gold ponytails swished around Usagi's face as she shook her head. "No, it's ok. Lets go in."

Seiya bristled. "No!" he cried, stepping in front of her. He wanted to woo her, not make her more depressed. "Er, no," he repeated, more gently that time. "I don't think--"

"It's fine," the blonde assured. She stepped around Seiya and made her way through the automatic doors. The police officer had no choice but to follow.

Seiya felt like questioning her certainty, but thought the better of it. Instead he merely threw away his soda and stepped up to the change machine. He stuffed one thousand yen into the slot and waited for his tokens to come out.

"Seiya," Usagi called, though not too cheerily. She gestured to a racing game. "Let's play this, ok?" She assumed it would be the safest game for her current frame of mind.

"Sure." Seiya extracted his coins from the machine and split them evenly between Usagi and he. She smiled at him gratefully, and even though Seiya could tell it was forced, he couldn't help but smile back.

Usagi sat in the Player 1 carseat and positioned her feet appropriately. The raven-haired man took his seat next to her and shifted uncomfortably.

"Hey, Seiya..." the blonde began slowly, inserting her coins. "What happened to the game?"

Seiya eyed her oddly. "The game?" he questioned.

"Yeah." She spoke over the introduction music the game made. "Heaven's Flames, I mean - what happened to it?"

"Oh." Seiya chose which car he wanted to drive absentmindedly. "The police have them in custody. All the games were taken off the market."

The two remained silent for a minute while they picked their path. Usagi chose to drive in manual, whereas Seiya chose automatic. The blonde opened her mouth to make a joke about his choice, but was cut off.

"Shit, that reminds me!" Seiya banged his fist on the steering wheel. Usagi jumped a little. "I never gave back my copy."

Usagi furrowed her brow. "Your copy?"

"Yeah." The race track loaded and Seiya readed himself. "There's a copy of the game at my house, from when I was in there." He revved his engine. "Ah well, I'll just give it back on Monday."

The scantily clad woman in the game lowered the checkered flag and Seiya was off. Usagi faltered for a moment, but then quickly zoomed down the track. She switched gears and sped up without even thinking about it. Something completely unrelated to this videogame was brewing in her mind.


Author's Notes: I TOLD you this wasn't over. XD

I'm sorry that this chapter was so short. I had intended to write one more scene, but after writing that last sentence up there points I though "Hmmm... that looks like a pretty good cliffhanger, to me."

I PROMISE YOU that I will have another chapter out before Feburary hits. And this time I fully intend on keeping that promise. I'm going to work my hardest.

Please do not hate me if there are any atrocious spelling and/or grammar errors in this. I am using a spellcheck/grammarcheck free program because I currently do not have Microsoft Word anymore. Don't hate me?

See you all soon!