The Truths of Love: Chapter sixteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.

"Who are you, and what do you think you are doing, interrupting my court case?" Judge Luna Tomokazu demanded.

"My apologies, your honor. I'm Detective Dylan Bayes. And I believe that I have something here that will put Mr. LaClare into prison for a lot longer than you have in mind."

"Oh is that so?" Luna asked, raising one perfect eyebrow curiously.

Nodding, Detective Bayes walked up to the judge's stand.

"Do you remember that plane crash about a month or so ago?" He asked the judge.

Luna nodded warily.

"Usagi's family was on it," Bayes said.

Usagi's eyes flew wide with shock at the mention of the plane crash that had killed her family. What was he talking about? What did this have to do with anything?

"We thought at the time and for a month afterwards that it was an accident; faulty engineering or some such. Now we know otherwise. That plane crash wasn't accidental: it was planned."

The audience in the court room gaped, and Usagi's eyes flew wide open.

Matt's jaw dropped as he looked at this newcomer.

'How did he find out?!' Matt thought wildly. 'What did he find?'

"Your honor, when we were searching Matt LaClare's house for evidence of what he'd done to Ms. Tsukino, we stumbled over evidence, yes, but not the kind we thought we'd find. I'd like you to look at this."

Bayes fished in his coat pocket, pulling out a series of papers, some folded and some not, some of them in envelopes and others torn from notebooks.

Frowning, Luna took the papers and began to shuffle through them. Her eyes widened in shock at what she was looking at.

Picking up a letter, she began to read.

LaClare:

The plan is going as we wanted it. The information you sent us for the plane has been sent to the other members of the team, and we already have someone willing to make the plan come to reality. July 2nd will be the date that the plane will go down. Good luck with your part of it.

Nicholson

Luna looked up, her eyes blazing.

"You made the plane crash." It was a statement, not a question.

Matt shot her a defiant look.

"And if I did? All you have there is a bunch of papers. Nothing more."

"On the contrary," Bayes said. "What we have here is evidence. We put it all together, LaClare. Everything from the start to the finish. Your plan, I must admit, was brilliant. How did you get the bomb past security is what I want to know."

Matt grinned, the maniacal look on his face returning.

"That was a stroke of genius. I came up with the plan. You see, the bomb was no bigger than a battery of a watch. And that's how we got it past. We put it onto someone's watch, and sent him onto the plane. Of course, he was so drugged he had no idea what he was doing."

Matt shrugged.

"The alarm didn't go off because it looked just like a battery. When the guy got on the plane, he pushed the button on the watch and kaboom! It blew up."

Matt burst into laughter, rocking back and forth on his heels, having finally snapped.

Usagi fell onto the floor in a dead faint.

"Usagi? Usagi!" Mamoru fell to the floor next to her, gathering her in his arms, as the courtroom exploded into action.

No longer were people able to restrain themselves; hey threw themselves at the wall, trying to get past Artemis and other police officers who had appeared almost as if by magic.

A few people made it past the officers and to Matt, and they proceeded to jump on him, hitting punching, kicking and biting, anything they could do to damage the bastard who had crashed the plane.

Finally they were restrained and pushed outside of the wall.

Luna leaned back into her chair, breathing heavily.

"Matt LaClare, for this you are sentenced to death. There are no questions asked, nothing more to be said. We have the evidence against you. You are put on death row. This case is dismissed."

Ami, Minako, Makoto, Rei and Mamoru sat stunned, watching the play of events.

"He caused the plane to crash...?" Ami whispered. "He caused Usagi's family to be killed? How can that be? And he knew her parents were on it... she told him so. That... that...creep!"

Ami stood up, tears filling her cerulean colored eyes, heading over to give Matt a piece of her mind.

Makoto, Mamoru, Minako and Rei each grabbed a hold of her, holding back the normally placid, calm woman who now looked ready to spit fire.

"He caused her so much pain!" Ami cried. "He caused her parents to be killed, and then he caused her pain by raping and abusing her... he doesn't deserve to live! He's not even human! He's a monster! A terrible, no good, awful, inhuman monster!"

"Ami, calm down," Minako said softly. "It's going to be okay... he's not going to get away with it. Just calm down now."

Mamoru stood, his eyes blazing, and turned to Matt.

"Why did you do it, Matt?" He asked. "Why did you crash the plane?"

Matt turned crazed eyes on Mamoru.

"There was someone on it that needed to die, of course. She hurt me in more ways than you could ever imagine. So... I came up with a way to kill her."

"And why did other people go along with you?" Luna asked.

"Because there were people on the plane that they detested. They needed to get rid of business people who opposed them, and I needed to get rid of her. So we planned together, and came up with a way to get rid of all those who needed to be gotten rid of. And it worked fabulously. No one survived!"

Matt began to cackle, his eyes rolling crazily around in his head.

"And then I came to Japan, to get away from the United States. That's when I met Usagi, and I thought everything would be better. I thought she'd be the one to help me get over the pain of what Gina did to me. Usagi was perfect, an angel from above sent to me to help me. And then I found out that her family was on the plane that I had crashed. It changed everything for me, and though she was an angel, I had to make her see that I was not. So I made her mortal in hopes that she could understand what I did. What I had to do. That's all."

His story finished, he wrapped his arms around himself, gibbering unintelligibly. The people in the room stared at him dumbfounded.

Finally Artemis stood, grabbing Matt by the arms and pulling them behind his back, promptly hand cuffing him.

"Alright, Matt, let's go. Show's over, people," he called over his shoulder.

Luna sank back warily in her seat, not believing how this case had turned out.

Usagi was just coming around, and looked up with dazed eyes.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

Her eyes flew around the circle of her friends and narrowed when they saw the tear streaks on Ami's cheeks.

"Ami? What happened? Why are you crying?" Usagi asked, confused.

Looking around at her surroundings, it suddenly all flew back to her: the abuse and the rape, the court room, and...

"Oh, my god," she gasped suddenly. "He crashed the plane. He caused my parents to be killed. And then when I told him...he comforted me?"

Usagi shook her head, her eyes welling up with confusion as she fought to remember that time.

Her eyes grew wide then.

"Yes..." she whispered. "It makes sense... he started to change after that. That day, of course, he was kind and comforting. But after that day was when he began to change. Could it have had something to do with...?"

She stopped and looked at her friends again, grimacing as she saw every one of them with a raised eyebrow.

"Usako, what are you talking about?" Mamoru asked gently.

Usagi shook her head once more.

"It doesn't matter, Mamoru. All that matters is... I understand now...and I wish I didn't." She looked at the ground and then slowly stood.

"Mamoru, can you take me home now, please? I need... I need to sleep..." she said softly.

Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako all turned worried eyes on Mamoru. He glanced at the four of them and gave them a brief nod, indicating everything would be alright.

"Of course I will, Usagi. Come on; let's get you out of here," he said, offering her his arm for support.

She took it gratefully, and before they left, turned back to the four girls who were left staring after them.

"Thank you for coming, you guys. I'm sorry it turned out the way it did..." Her eyes shone with pain. "And I'm sorry for causing you to have to come here in the first place. I'll talk to you later, alright?"

And without a backwards glance she turned and, still holding onto Mamoru's arm, walked out of the court room, leaving the four girl's glancing at each other, confused.

"Poor Usagi..." Minako said softly. "She's so confused right now... and so lost, and alone..."

Rei shook her head emphatically.

"No, guys. Mamoru will take care of her. She's never alone anymore... she had him. Or he has her. Which ever way you choose to look at it. And it may be better that they have each other now..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the doors which were closed now, cutting the view off from where Usagi and Mamoru had walked out.

'I just hope it's enough,' she thought idly to herself.

The ride back to Mamoru's apartment was silent, each of the occupants deep in their own thoughts.

Finally Usagi turned to Mamoru, her eyes blank.

"Mamo-chan, you said before that you had a question you wanted to ask me. What was it?" She asked quietly.

Glancing at the subdued blonde, Mamoru shook his head slightly and faced forward again, unable to look into the eyes of the woman he loved when they looked as they did now.

"It can wait, Usagi. I'm not going to ask it now. Not after...after what just happened. But know that when the time is right, I will ask you. Alright?"

Usagi nodded once and turned to look out the window again.

'He killed my family,' she thought to herself, her eyes welling with tears. 'Matt caused the death of my family. And then he tried to comfort me by saying it would all be alright; that he would protect me. He lied to me.'

The tears in her eyes spilled over her lids, running down her pale cheeks. Soon her body was convulsed in shuddering sobs. When Mamoru finally pulled into the garage of his apartment and parked the car, he turned to her, unbuckling her seatbelt and pulling her into his arms.

"Hush, Usako. It's alright. Everything's going to be alright. You're going to be fine. I promise you."

Usagi shook her head vigorously.

"Don't promise me anything!" She spat viciously. "He promised me all sorts of things, and look where I ended up!"

Mamoru recoiled from the wrath in her voice, and the words she spoke. His eyes filled with sorrow and he slowly let go of the girl, who continued to tremble for a time.

"Alright, Usagi," he said, his tone emotionless. "I won't promise you anything. But do know when I tell you something, that unlike him, I will keep my word. And know that you are and always will be safe with me."

With those words spoken he opened the door of the car and stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Usagi looked up from where she was, watching his retreating back, and her heart nearly broke.

"Mamoru..." she whispered. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean it... I know you're not like him... come back...please..."

Forcing herself up, she pushed the her door open and nearly fell out, stumbling over to Mamoru and taking his hand, her eyes wild with panic.

"Mamoru I didn't mean it," she said. "I'm sorry. I...he...you...I'm sorry," she concluded lamely, looking down.

Mamoru looked down at the blonde holding onto his hand, and his face relaxed.

"I know, Usako. I know. And it's alright. Come on, let's get you inside. You need to sleep."

Usagi nodded and raised one hand to warily rub the excess tears from her eyes.

"What's come over me?" She murmured softly. "Why am I acting this way?"

Mamoru looked over at her curiously, one eyebrow raised.

"Lashing out at people, you mean? Acting as though you've lost everything in the world? As though you've lost the ability to trust anyone's actions and or words? Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you have."

"But not you," she said quietly. "Please, Mamoru. I know I asked you...told you, actually, not to promise me anything... but please, promise that you won't leave me, too. Please."

Her eyes bored into his, and his heart nearly broke at the expression of loss and anguish that her eyes portrayed.

"Never, Usagi. I will always be here for you. Until the end of time, I swear it."

Usagi smiled slightly and linked her fingers slightly with his.

Mamoru looked down at her. Her hand was so tiny inside of his, tiny and frail like a bird. He could have crushed it if he had wished to. Of course, he never would. The thought of harming one hair on her head made his stomach roil in disgust.

Shaking his head to clear that thought, and still holding Usagi's hand, he led her into the apartment, and into the bedroom, where she promptly fell into bed and her eyes closed. Within only a few minutes her breathing evened out and Mamoru knew she was asleep.

Shaking his head, he walked out into the den and collapsed onto the couch, his head in his hands.

Picking up the phone he quickly dialed a number.

After three rings there was a click.

"Hello?"

"Motoki, its Mamoru."

"Mamoru!" Motoki exclaimed. "What happened at the court case? No one told me a thing; I wasn't able to come because I had to work. Tell me what happened."

Mamoru sighed.

"He killed her parents, Motoki. He caused the plane with them on it to crash."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the line.

"He did what?" Came Motoki's incredulous voice.

"You heard me," Mamoru said grimly. "I don't know the exact details. But Detective Bayes found a whole bunch of records at LaClare's place, including letters and other things. He caused the plane to crash, Motoki. He was put on death row."

There was silence.

"How's Usagi taking it?" Motoki asked finally.

"She's sleeping right now. I don't know what's going to happen, Motoki, but I'm worried about her. I have to take care of her, 'Toki. I have to make sure she remains alright."

Motoki frowned slightly, knowing Mamoru couldn't see it.

"Well, of course. And you will, after all, she is living with you."

Mamoru sighed.

"Motoki, I want more than that. I... I love her, Motoki. I want to make sure she's always going to be alright. Always."

Another sharp intake of breath came.

"You're going to ask her...?" Andrew asked in amazement.

"Not now. She couldn't handle it right now," he amended hastily. "But yes, I am. When she's ready for it, I'm going to. Please, Motoki, don't say anything to her or the girls about it. Alright? You have to promise me you won't."

"Alright, alright," Motoki grumbled. "Just let me know when you do. And what her answer is, alright?"

Mamoru let out a sigh of relief.

"You'll be the first to know," he promised.

There was a loud crash in the background from Motoki's end of the phone, followed by a groan.

"Mamoru, I have to go. I don't know what happened, but it didn't sound good."

Mamoru laughed lightly.

"No, it didn't. Go on and take care of it; I'll talk to you later."

"Of course. Take care, Mamoru, and tell Usagi I'm thinking of her."

"Will do. See ya, 'Toki."

"Bye, Mamoru."

Hanging up the phone, Mamoru sat back and relaxed for the first time that day.

"Ah, Motoki," he sighed softly to himself, "You do know how to cheer me up."

Closing his eyes, Mamoru fell into a light sleep.