Disclaimer: I don't own sailormoon...had I, I'd be enjoying the summer in Japan right now...increasing my Japanese language skills. But I'm not.

Horrah, new chapter after a year...and a half. Writer's blocks really kicks ass. Well, for whichever readers I have, here is chapter 3.

Chapter Three

Yaten saw himself standing in front of Sailor Star Healer. She smiled at him, pointing over her shoulder at someone. It was Noni. She was holding blue flowers and was in a black dress. Her black hair was curling down from white flowers in her hair. She looked at Yaten with her purple eyes and smiled an inviting smile.

"Yaten," his senshi self said. "You have to let go."

He looked at her confused. "Let go? Let go of what?"

She jumped and disappeared into the sun. "Just let go," she said, her voice echoing through his head.

He started to open his eyes slowly. He wasn't home, but where was he? He didn't recognize the room. He could be anywhere.

"Just let go!" he heard someone yell.

He stood up, pain shooting through his body. He wasn't in his senshi form. Forget that, where was he?

He walked to the door, grabbing it so he wouldn't fall. He looked around the room he was in. It was odd, with pictures of mythical creatures on the walls, drawings and paintings of many objects and people. It looked almost like a studio rather than a room. Heck if it wasn't for the bed and closet left wide open, he would have thought as much.

"Give it back!"

He looked out the door into the hall and saw Noni fighting with someone a little older than both of them were. Taller, too. He had a camera that was clearly hers. She was trying the best she could to get it back, even though he was at an advantage. She persisted and tried swatting at him, but instead punched him in the stomach a few times, causing him to double over once. He saw her attempting to grab the camera again and he stood up quickly, holding it over his head.

"Yuri, if you don't give it back," she started to say, but trailed off

"What? You'll flash me with the lense?"

"No, but I will mail nana that picture of you and-"

"Okay, I give," he said, tension in his voice, handing her the camera she was fighting for. "All I was looking for was a 'please,' Noni, not a threat."

"Hey, as long as I got it back," she said, a smirk forming in place of a smile.

She examined the camera as the guy she was fighting with started muttering something about her being too into cameras. She saw Yaten and ran to her room, pushing him inside as she closed the door.

"You're awake, that's good," she said. "Uh, my brother doesn't know you're here, so you'll have to stay here until he leaves and I can pretend you're a school friend that came by for a visit, if he comes back."

He made no moves, but the confused look stayed on his face. "Uh, how did I end up here? I don't remember."

"You don't?" she asked. He shook his head. "The monster knocked someone over the wall and when I jumped over to see if they were okay, I saw you. I grabbed you and you kept muttering something to yourself about having to get home to warn the others. You looked fine, but I guess you weren't. You passed out when you were in front of my room. You seriously don't remember?"

"I remember-" he started to say, but trailed off. She doesn't know I'm Sailor Star Healer, he thought to himself. "I don't remember anything."

"That must suck. Um," she started and leaned towards him. "Are you really that girl I saw fighting that monster?"

Yaten looked at her with a shocked face as he sat down on a chair near her computer. He couldn't tell her that he was, but he couldn't lie to her about it. She had seen him after the fight, not Sailor Star Healer. If she knows and word gets around that way, not only will he, but the senshi will. . .that's it.

"I can't tell you. It would put both me and her in danger. I can't take a risk like that. Please don't ask me that again," he said. "You should have just ran like I told you to in the first place."

"I didn't want anything to happen to you. And it just wouldn't have been right. You can trust me with secrets. Now, I want a clear answer: are you or aren't you?"

"I can't tell you. It's a risk I just can't take. Please don't make me put anyone in danger."

She breathed in heavily and turned away, spotting her album. She smiled and grabbed it. He looked at her with an odd expression. There was one question in his mind.

"Um," he started to say, "I do want to know something. It is the main reason for my wanting to see you. It's about that person that attacked me a few weeks ago. How did it come about?"

She looked through her album as though she didn't hear him, but she came across the page she was looking for. She gave him her album. There was a set of five pictures that showed him before the attack took place.

"Uh," she started to say as she leaned close behind him, "these were the only ones I managed to take before he lunged at you and I attacked him. I saw him behind on the corner of the street when he started following. I tried my best to get you to turn around without revealing myself, but it didn't work. I yelled to you before he swung the bat. You turned around too late. My leg had gotten tangled in some of the vines when I tried to get to you. I put the flash in my camera and took one picture that stopped him long enough for me to get the bat away and swat him with it a few times. I managed to hit his balls if that counts for anything. I wanted to see if you were okay, but that guy, um, I think he was Seiya, came and started to attack the guy. The guy ran and I jumped the wall to hide. He spoke your name and started to check if you were alright. He threw you over his shoulder and I followed the two of you to your apartment building."

"I've heard what happened over and over. My dreams won't let me forget. I just want to know how I could have been attacked. I mean, never mind," he said, laughing a bit.

"You looked pretty beaten up. I wanted to see you, but I couldn't just go into the complex without knowing exactly where you lived."

"How did you find the apartment?"

She blushed a bit. "Instinct told me to follow you one day before your attack and I was waiting for my friend to come, we were supposed to go out, and your head was outside the window. After your attack, I was just as cautious as anyone. I followed you from the complex and back. I," she said, blushing and turning away, "followed you to your apartment room, just to make sure you got home safe. I only did that once, by the way."

"Next time, don't do that," he said. "Too many of those psycho girls, ya know? One finds out and there's havoc that comes after."

She laughed at that. A door slammed outside her bedroom. She jumped up and ran to the door.

"Yuri!" someone yelled. "Noni!"

She shut the door and locked it. She grabbed a jacket and a back pack from her closet, along with her camera. She looked at Yaten and let out a deep sigh.

"It's my dad. I don't want to be here. Can I hide in your apartment? Please?" she said with pleading eyes, although her tone was calm. "I won't be a bother, I promise."

"I've just met you. What's going on?" he asked.

"I'll tell you once we're away from here."

He nodded as she opened the window of her home. She climbed out, landing softly on the ground. Yaten followed her around the small streets as she tried her best to avoid the lights. She stopped at a small store and said hello to the owner, a young woman named Ayame. She started rummaging through her back pack, pulling out a shirt and a cap.

"Running from your father again?" she asked.

"Yes, and not for the last time," Noni said, putting a different shirt over her tank top and throwing the jacket on. "Remember the only time I came by was the afternoon on my way home from school."

Noni pulled her hair in a short bun and put the cap over it, letting her bangs hang out a bit. She exited through the back of the store as a car pulled into sight from the direction she and Yaten had come.

(123)

Yaten opened the door to his apartment, looking around cautiously. Neither Taiki or Seiya were in sight. That was a good thing, wasn't it? He moved aside and allowed Noni to enter the apartment.

"Um, I can sleep on the couch if you want to sleep in my room," he said, unsure about what he was saying. "Unless you want to. . . okay, look, we don't really bring in girls that we just met, at all, so I don't-"

"I can sleep on the couch. It's fine, really," she said, smiling. "I just don't want to be home right now. I'm really used to couches, anyway."

Yaten gave her an unsure look. I don't know if I should persist that she take my room, but what if she goes through my things?

"Well, are you sure?" he said, walking towards his room. "I mean, I can sleep on the couch."

He opened the door slowly.

"No, it's okay," she said. "Like I said: I'm used to couches."

He entered his room to get the extra pillow he had, seeing Taiki when he entered, book in hand.

"What are you doing in here?" Yaten said.

"I got worried. I saw a monster in the alley and you weren't back from your walk."

"There was no need to worry," Yaten said, grabbing a pillow. "I know how to take care of myself, Taiki. I don't need someone to take care of me."

Noni had stepped to the door, curious about what was going on. Taiki smiled at her, receiving a smile in return. Taiki took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He set the book down on the floor and Yaten noticed something awkward about this book. It was hand written.

"Yaten, why don't you introduce me to your friend?" he asked, standing up. He took Noni's hand in his and kissed it. "Hello, I'm Taiki."

Noni blushed a bit at the introduction.

"I'm Noni."

"What is a lovely young lady like you doing out so late on a night like this?" he asked, leading her to the living room. "Especially with someone like Yaten. Would you like something to drink?"

"No, but thank you for the offer. Um, I don't mean to bring my troubles with me. I don't want to be a bother."

Yaten almost strangled his pillows. One second he acts anti-social and the next he's the charmer!

"Noni," he said, leaving his room. "You can take my room. I'll sleep on the couch. It's the most I can do."

"It's okay, really, I'll sleep on the couch. It's not a bother, really."

"No, I insist. It wouldn't be right to have you sleep on the couch."

Noni let out a thick sigh. She nodded, caving into Yaten's offer. A look of triumph filled his eyes. He walked back into his room, getting a thin blanket and setting it on the couch. Noni looked at the clock and said her good-nights to both Yaten and Taiki, thanking both for their hospitality. Taiki gave Yaten a look of approval before walking to his room as well. Yaten just stared at the closed door in confusion. Had he just. . .? Nah!

With the lights finally off and the silence drowned by the sounds of the night, Yaten began to think. He had seen the pictures and she had said she had taken a picture of the man that had attacked him, blinding him for a few moments. Why didn't she give it to him? He could get that person and find out why. Put him in jail, finally

After two hours of not receiving sleep, Yaten got his courage intact and walked into his room. He opened the door slowly, so as not to wake Noni. She wasn't on the bed. He heard the low noise of sniffing coming from inside the room. He looked back and forth from the door, spying her on the farthest corner. She had her head buried in her arms.

He walked up to her slowly.

"Noni?" he said, startling her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, wiping away tears from her eyes.

He pulled her hands down and lifted her eyes to his. She looked beautiful with the moon light in her eyes. He wanted to keep her features captured in a photograph, but that wasn't really possible. Not in that particular light. A deep sadness filled his eyes as he continued to gaze into hers. Why did he feel like he had to comfort her? There was no real connection between them, yet his heart told him to do so.

"Tell me what's wrong," he pleaded. The reply he received was her pulling her eyes away from his. He moved closer to her. "Please tell me why you're sad."

She looked at him putting her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. He hesitantly put his arms around her, running his fingers through her hair. Noni, what's wrong?

(1234)

There it was, hoped you liked it. Now I'm off to continue my other fanfics and originals.