The Truths of Love: Chapter nineteen
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Never have, never will, so please don't sue me.
Usagi sighed and flipped another page of the report she was reading. She looked up at the clock, and when she couldn't find it, she frowned and sat up.
'Ah, there it is,' she thought to herself with a wry smirk. 'Under a pile of dirty clothes.'
Standing up, she stretched slightly, allowing herself to enjoy the feel of her back cracking for a moment, before going over and picking the clothes up off of the clock.
'7:30,' she thought to herself with a small smile. 'Mamoru should be home in about two hours or so. Wait until I show him the bridesmaid dresses!'
She chuckled slightly to herself as she thought about it.
'Not that he'll care all that much,' she concluded. 'But that's alright.'
Picking up the remote control, she set the report down and turned the television on, flipping through the channels.
"Oh, that's right!" She exclaimed aloud. "The Cosby show is on!"
Settling down, she began to watch it, quickly becoming engaged in it, when suddenly the screen flashed.
"We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin." A lady dressed in a slate gray suit with a solemn face appeared on the screen, holding sheets in front of her and reading them.
"We have just been informed that the convict Matt LaClare has broken free from prison, where he was to be put to death within the next few months. We are told that he is armed and extremely dangerous. If anyone has any clues to his whereabouts, call this number: 555-9283. "
The woman kept on speaking, but Usagi wasn't listening anymore. Her face had drained of all color, and she began to tremble.
"He's out... he got out. How did he escape?" Her words stumbled over themselves as she reached for the phone, brushing it off of the table where it sat and jumping as it crashed to the floor. The back cover flew off, and the batteries came out.
Usagi was nearly in tears, her hands shaking so badly that she almost couldn't put the phone back together. Finally, though, she managed to get the batteries in correctly, and put the cover back onto it.
Turning the phone over, she turned it on. It was hard to dial, though, because her eyes were so filled with tears. Somehow, though, she did it, and pressed the phone up to her ear.
After a few rings, there was a click, and then the voice she needed to hear answered.
"Chiba Mamoru speaking."
"M-Mamoru. He's out."
There was a pause.
"What did you say?" His tone was tightly under control, but Usagi could tell he was gripping the phone.
"Mamoru, he escaped. It's all over the news. Please, Mamoru... come home... I need you. I'm scared..."
Mamoru wiped a cold sweat off of his forehead and nodded.
"Alright, love. I'll be there in twenty minutes. In the meantime... lock all the doors and windows. Call the girls, too, and invite them over. At least one of them should be able to come. And whatever you do, do not open the door unless you know it's me or the girls. Is that understood?"
Usagi gulped, nodding her head. Then, realizing he couldn't see her, she answered shakily, "Yes, Mamoru. I promise."
"Good. I'll see you in twenty minutes, then."
Usagi hung up the phone, and taking a deep breath, quickly called the first person she could think of: Rei.
"Hino residence, Rei speaking."
"Rei... its Usagi," she began, her voice shaking.
Rei's eyes narrowed at the sound of her voice.
"Usagi, what is it, what's wrong?"
"Rei, he got out. He's loose."
Rei's eyes flew wide open and she gripped the phone tighter, her voice hoarse.
"How... how do you know?"
"It's all over the news. Rei, can you come over? I called Mamoru, and he'll be here in about twenty minutes, he said. But... I don't want to be alone. I know it's not for long, but can you come over? I'm calling the other girls, too. Please, Rei. It would mean a lot to me."
Rei was already on her feet, pulling off her Shinto robes and shrugging into a sweater and tugging up some pants.
"I'll be there in five minutes. See you then."
With a click, she was gone.
Usagi sighed, and put her head in her hands for a minute, and shrieked as the phone rang.
Picking it up with trembling hands, she slowly pressed it to her ear.
"H-hello?" She answered.
"Usagi, is that you?" Minako's voice demanded on the other side of the phone.
Relaxing, Usagi allowed a small smile on her face.
"Yes, Minako, it's me."
"I'm on my way over. I was in the car, listening to the radio when I heard about it. I'm picking up Makoto on the way; we'll be there in about five minutes. Oof! Red light, gotta go, bye!"
Usagi chuckled slightly and hung up the phone, dialing once more.
"Mizuno household, Ami here."
"Ami, it's Usagi."
"Usagi, oh it's so good to hear from you. Look, I heard about...well...him. Do you want anything? Anything I can do for you? I wasn't sure if I should come over or not; I know you're at Mamoru's place, I only live two minutes from there. Should I come over?"
Usagi smiled slightly.
"Ami, that's why I called. Minako, Makoto and Rei are on their way, I just need you to come as well. Does that work for you?"
Ami smiled slightly to herself.
"Of course, Usa. I'll be there in about three minutes. See ya."
Smiling, Usagi hung up the phone and sat down on the couch to wait for her friends. Soon, the doorbell rang and Usagi shot upright in her seat, staring in panic at the door.
"Usagi, it's me." Ami's voice came from the other side of the door.
Usagi sighed and stood, walking to the door and unlocking it, letting the petite blue haired girl in.
Once she was in, Ami smiled slightly and gently hugged Usagi to her.
"Don't worry, Usa. He won't get to you again, I promise. After all, he doesn't even know where you are!"
Usagi smiled gratefully at the girl.
"Come on, sit down. Do you want anything to drink? I'm sorry I called you here, but... I just don't want to be alone."
Ami nodded her head in understanding and was about to reply when the phone rang.
Usagi's brow furrowed for a minute.
"Oh, that's probably Mamoru."
Reaching over, she grabbed the phone and pressed it to her ear once more.
"Hello?"
A heavy breathing came from the other side of the phone.
Usagi's palms became clammy and she began to shake.
"Who is this?" She tried to sound demanding, but instead her voice came out as more of a squeak.
The voice on the other side of the phone just laughed darkly.
"I'm coming for you, angel," a voice rasped harshly. "You won't escape from me this time."
Then there was a click, and the dial tone came on.
The phone dropped from Usagi's limp hands, and she fell back onto the seat, her eyes wide, and her entire body shaking.
"Usagi? Usagi, what's wrong?" Ami demanded.
"Ami. You were wrong," Usagi whispered. "He knows I'm here. And he's coming for me."
At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and both girls cried out slightly, Usagi clinging onto Ami.
"Usagi, Ami, it's me, Rei!" Rei called. "Let me in."
Ami stood and walked to the door, looking through the eyehole to see an irritated Rei standing outside, tapping her foot impatiently.
Ami relaxed slightly and pulled the door open, and Rei came barging in, her face beet red.
"What is with you guys?" She asked angrily. "I knocked, and you both screamed. I could understand if it was Usagi screaming after what's happened but..."
Suddenly her voice trailed off as she looked back and forth between Ami, who was shaking her head, her eyes wide, and Usagi, who was incredibly pale and shaking, her eyes not quite focused.
Walking over to the girl, Rei placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. Usagi's eyes flew open, and she opened her mouth to scream, when Ami rushed over.
"Usagi, it's me!" Rei said.
Usagi looked up at the raven haired girl, and a bit of recognition flew into her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Rei." She said simply.
Rei's eyes narrowed and she turned to Ami, demanding an explanation.
Ami sighed and motioned for Rei to come with her into the kitchen. Nodding slightly, Rei followed her.
"Ami, what is going on? I knew she'd be at least a little out of it when she heard he was loose, but this? It's insane!"
Ami shook her head, her face serious.
"Rei, you don't understand. The reason we were both so... uptight when you came was because, just before you knocked, he called. He knows she's here, Rei, and he's coming to get her. At least, that's what he told her."
Rei's face had drained of color once more as she took in this new news.
"But...how?" She whispered. "How does he know that she's here? Did someone tell him she was here? And if so...who among us would do such a thing?"
They were silent for a moment, and then Ami shook her head forcefully.
"We don't know how it is that he found out she was here. Maybe it was that wedding announcement we put in the paper. Maybe someone gave it to him and he saw it, and figured that they'd be living together. Or maybe someone did mention it to him. There are so many possibilities as to what could have happened. But I seriously doubt any of us would betray Usagi like that."
Rei pondered this for a moment and then nodded her head in acknowledgement.
"I suppose you're right, Ami. Let's go back to Usagi."
Walking back into the room, Rei glanced at the television, where the Cosby Show was still playing.
"Oh, Usagi, look! The Cosby Show is on!" Rei said as she plopped down on the couch beside Usagi.
Usagi's eyes flashed with interest for a moment and she glanced at the television screen. Rei watched Usagi from the corner of her eye as Usagi's face lost some of its tension as she watched the show, and Rei relaxed when she saw Usagi start to giggle.
A knock at the door interrupted the show and Ami jumped up to let the last of the girls in.
Minako came barreling through the door with Makoto right behind her, and stopped at the sight of Usagi laughing at the show she was watching. Confused, she turned to Ami ands raised a questioning eyebrow.
Ami shrugged slightly in answer.
"She's doing a lot better now then when I first got here," Ami said softly. "And after I got here... he called her, Minako. He knows she's here."
Makoto's eyes narrowed and she slammed her fist into her other hand.
"You see?" She said through gritted teeth. "You should have let me beaten him into a pulp the first time he got to her. But no, you just had to hold me back."
Minako rolled her eyes and lightly swatted at Makoto's shoulder.
"Pull yourself together, Mako," she said. "It wouldn't have done any good, and he'd still be after her. You and I both know it."
Makoto sighed and hung her head in defeat, her auburn hair, still in its usual ponytail, hanging into her face. With an irritable grimace, she flipped the ponytail back right and nodded.
"Alright. Let's cheer Usagi up, at least until Mamoru gets home, alright? That shouldn't be very long, though."
Ami grinned slightly and nodded her head in the direction of Usagi, who had at some point broken out into peals of laughter at the show.
Glancing at the clock, Minako rolled her eyes with a sigh.
"Let me guess, The Cosby Show, right?" She asked with a small smile.
Ami nodded her head, a small smile lingering on her lips.
"You've got it," she answered.
"Well, it'll be over shortly," Minako said quietly, "and we'd best figure out what we're going to do to keep her cheerful."
"Whatever you do, do not bring up his name or him at all," Makoto said softly. "We don't want her going into a panic."
Minako glared at Makoto.
"I know that, baka," she hissed. "I wasn't going to say anything about him, anyways."
Makoto raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall.
"Alright, Minako. If you say so."
At that moment, the ending credits of the Cosby Show began to play, and Usagi glanced up and noticed Makoto and Minako.
"Ah, Minako, Makoto! I'm so sorry that I didn't greet you before... you must think me terribly rude now, eh?"
"Oh yes, terribly," Minako mocked her long time friend, and Usagi rolled her eyes, and Minako shrieked as a pillow came hurling at her head.
"Geez, Usagi," Minako complained. "How long have you been practicing that throw? It gets better every time you chuck... something at me!"
Usagi smiled proudly and crossed her arms.
"I practice just so I can hit you dead on, Minako-chan. And it's paying off... all those long nights that I've stayed up, aiming and throwing...aiming and throwing..."
Her eyes took on a pretend far off look, and she laughed as a pillow connected with the side of her head.
"Do shut up, Usagi," Minako grumbled. "The last thing I need is to be teased by you."
Ami watched the interplay between the two girls, smiling slightly as she noticed how Usagi seemed to be a bit better off.
Usagi, on the other hand, was hiding everything she felt behind a wall she had learned to build up the first few times Matt had gotten to her. However, she'd gotten good at hiding the fact that she was hiding her feelings. It was another one of those things she'd practiced.
Glancing up through her eyelashes, she smiled a little to herself as she looked at each one of her friends in turn.
She knew she wasn't a bother to them; they'd said she wasn't, and she believed them. But she didn't want to trouble them by being so scared, uptight, and nervous now that Matt had escaped.
Matt... just the name alone was enough to cause her to shiver, and her eyes to fill with dread.
Seeing the dramatic change that had come over Usagi, the other four girls knew instantly what she was thinking of, and cast desperate looks at one another.
"Usagi, why don't we go out for ice cream?" Ami threw out into the silence. "Motoki would love to see you, I'm sure of it. And we can have Mamoru meet us down at the Crown Arcade and Café, alright?"
Usagi looked up and nodded her head, her eyes bright at the mention of ice cream.
Minako, Makoto, Ami and Rei all let out breaths they'd never known they'd been holding as they saw this new change cross her face. Minako shook her head with a wry grin.
"Ice cream does cheer you up, doesn't it, Usagi?" she asked the blonde haired girl.
"You know it," Usagi replied as she went and grabbed a light sweater. "Just let me leave a note for Mamo-chan, and we'll go."
Grabbing a pad of paper and a pen, she lightly scribbled a quick note:
Mamo-chan
Minako, Makoto, Ami, Rei and I are at the Crown Arcade and Café. Meet us there when you get home. Love you!
Usagi
Taping that to the counter of the kitchen, she looked around and with a satisfied nod, the five stepped out of the apartment, Usagi closing and locking the door behind her.
As they walked down the stairs of the apartment, none of them noticed the figure watching them, more particularly, watching a certain blonde, the figures eyes slightly crazed.
"You will be mine once more, little bunny," the figure murmured as it slipped back into the shadows, walking down the stairs and out of the building through the back doors, the same way he'd come in. "One way or another, you will be mine."
A/N: Hey fans, editors, and all you other people! Sorry this chapter: A) is so short, and B) took so long to get out. I did do my best, but school, the musical, my job, and my mother all have impacts on me. So, I'll do my best to keep updating, but here's the deal... I need reviews to let me know if I should keep going. If I don't get many, I'll stop while I'm ahead. If I get more... I'll do my best to update as frequently as possible. Again, it's all up to you, my lovely readers and reviewers. My fate...and the fate of the story... is in your hands. Thanks again for all your support, and ta ta for now!