Usagi and Damon were lying on the couch watching a movie. It was 10 am on a Tuesday, but neither of them had class till the afternoon. Damon had come by unexpectedly the night before after work, so they could spend the night and the next morning together. She couldn't believe he had done such a thing. Mamoru had never and would never do something like that for her, and the fact that Damon wasn't expected to made it all the more romantic. If he hadn't of come by that night they wouldn't have seen each other for another week or more. Both had mid-terms to study for and Damon's boss had him working like a dog.

Damon had passed out at Usagi's 3 hours after he had arrived because he had been so exhausted. But Usagi didn't mind, she snuggled up close to him when she went to bed and had stayed that way all night. She even woke up once in Damon's embrace.

They now lay on the couch together now watching a movie when the phone rang. Usagi paused the DVD and answered the phone, while Damon listened to 'Mm-Hmm's' and 'uh-huh's' and finally Usagi saying she'll think about it, thanking whoever was on the phone and hanging up.

"Who was that?" Damon inquired.

"The GM from Mind, Body and Soul."

"The rehab place?"

"Yeah. They want me to start an early internship there."

"Honey! That's great! But… what's there to think about?"

"Well, my Professor said that if they like me, they could hire me. But I'm only here on a student visa, I can't legally work in this country. So I'm wondering if it's worth it."

"Of course it is. Even if you can't work for them you'll gain a lot of experience."

"That's what my Professor said."

"Well, she's right. I mean, take me for instance. Do you think that they're just going to teach me how to operate by making me read books about it only and then giving me my first patient and hoping everything goes well? No, they make us student practice on cadavers first so we gain the experience we need before we go out into the work force."

"What are cadavers?"

"Dead bodies."

"Okay! That's enough. I'm sorry I asked."

"Anyway, it'll be good for you. You need to do this. And you're going to."

Usagi raised her eyebrows, "I am?"

"Yes, because I'm going to make you."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"Because, if you don't. I'll break up with you."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

"You'll put us BOTH through hell, if you did that."

"Well, it's up to you. Keep your boyfri--- fiancé and do something life changing. Or lose him and be stuck in the same rut your entire life?"

It was Usagi's third week on the 'job'. Her professor had gone ahead and recommended her for an internship and she received a call the following week. She was still reluctant to take the offer but thanks to Damon's skills of persuasion, she was here.

She was first put in the receptionist position so she could get to know the patients coming in and out and learn more about their different conditions. She was making some copies at the copy machine in the main foyer, beside the front desk, when two masculine arms came up from behind her and embraced her with love. Her first thought was "Aw. Damon came to visit me." But she soon realized that they way she was being held wasn't the way Damon embraced her. These arms were familiar, but she couldn't place them. She decided to turn around, expecting to see John or Andrew with Damon grinning beside them at the prank they just pulled. Instead, she got the shock of a life time.

"Mamoru!" Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. He looked terrible. He was pale as ever and had lost a lot of weight. Too much weight. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled at her, "I've, uh, I've checked myself in here."

Usagi raised her brow, "What do you mean? You're saying you've come all the way to Canada to go to rehab?"

"And be closer to you." He lifted his hand and gently flipped a lock of her hair, "You, um, you cut your hair."

Usagi moved her hair behind her shoulder with a movement from her head, "Yeah, It was a long time coming. But don't change the subject."

"Well, then to get back on track. Why are you here?"

"I'm doing an internship here."

It was his turn to raise his brow, "An internship?"

"Yeah. I'm studying to become a drug and alcohol abuse counsellor."

"Really?"

"Yeah, figured maybe I could help some people. People who are willing to listen to me and take my advice. Some thing you couldn't do."

"Usako, I'm here now aren't I?"

"It's too little too late for that now. Now excuse me, I've got to get back to work." She began to walk away. She stopped and turned to face him one more time, "Oh. And the name's Usagi."

Usagi flopped down on her bed and heaved a sigh. Everything was going so well. She was within reach of achieving the life that she had imaged and wished for ever since she was a little girl. And then HE just had to show up and ruin everything. Moving here did prove to help her; she was so close to get over her second thoughts about leaving him. But now that he had reappeared she began to second guess herself again. Did she really love Damon? Were her feelings true? Or did she just tricking herself into thinking she felt this way about him, because she so desperately wanted to get over and move past Mamoru? She took a moment to figure out how she felt about Damon at this very moment. Nothing. She pictured his face, his smile, imagined his smooth German voice.

She just felt numb. Maybe she didn't love Damon after all. Maybe she-----

The phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey," It was Damon. She still felt nothing, even at the sound of his voice. "Listen, my mom invited us over for dinner, which is a surprise because she hates the girls I date. (It's an over protective mother thing.)"

What should she say? 'No, I can't because I realized that I don't love you'? What COULD she say?

"Thanks, but no. I'm a little under the weather right now. I really don't feel up to going anywhere. I just wanna change into my PJ's and crawl into bed."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Okay, well you just rest. And I hope you feel better."

"Thanks." She hung up and proceeded to do exactly what she told him she was going to.

Damon hung up the phone. He walked into his mother's living room where she sat on her couch reading a book.

"Mama," Damon began in German, "Looks like we can't stay for dinner. Usagi's not feeling very well, so I'm going to head over to see if there's anything I can do for her."

Mama immediately stood up and waddled into the kitchen. Damon tried hard to keep from laughing. This act always made him think of a penguin. She was 5'2 and very plump, so when she walked quickly she couldn't help but waddle. She went into the fridge and began to pull out various items.

"Here," She handed Damon a container, "Give this to her, and this." Another container was thrust into Damon's arms. Damon inspected the contents.

"Mama, Hasenpfeffer and Zwiebelkuchen? I don't know if she'll like this. She's not used to German food; you have to ease her into it."

Mama looked at her son bewildered, "Nonsense! Everybody LOVES German food. OH! Take this as well." She shoved another container into his arms.

"What's this?"

"Donauwellen."

"Ah. She may like that."

"She'll eat it all, and like it. Now go, go! Go tend to your girl. She gets sicker as she waits for you. Go!"

Usagi lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. What was she going to do? How was she going to break it off with Damon? She would crush his heart. And that was the last thing she wanted to do. But she knew she had to do it. She couldn't marry someone if she didn't love them.

"Hey." Damon's voice came from the door way. He was carrying a tray with a bowl of steaming something and a plate of steaming something. Usagi suppressed a moan. Why was he here? She didn't want to do this right now. Especially when he was trying to make her get well.

She sat up so he could put the breakfast tray on her lap. She stared down at the mysterious food. Her brow came together, "Um, what's this."

He sat down beside her, "Compliments of my mother. Hasenpfeffer and Zwiebelkuchen."

She raised her eyebrow in confusion, "Translation?"

He smiled and chuckled, "Hasenpfeffer is rabbit stew. It has onions, celery, and rabbit. Among many spices and seasonings-----"

"Such as?"

He sighed in thought, "Oh, um, cinnamon, pickling spice, cloves, a bit of lemon, pepper, sugar, wine vinegar."

"Ah. And the other?"

"Zwiebelkuchen is onion pie. It has onions, bacon, sour cream, eggs, salt and caraway seed."

"What's Caraway seed?"

"You know other than it being an herb, I have no idea. But it's good. And just for the record I had nothing to do with this. It was all my mother's doing, so I won't be offended if you don't want it. But there is some cake in the kitchen that I know you'll like. It's called Donauwellen, basically a chocolate cake with cherries and vanilla pudding."

"No, I'll eat it. Just not now, I'm not really up to eating…. Even the cake. And it does sound good."

Damon removed the tray and placed it on the floor so it was out of the way.

"Listen," Usagi began, "I need to talk to you."

"Uh-oh. That can't be good."

"Mmmm."

"No, see. That's where you're supposed to reassure me that everything's fine and you just need help with homework or something like that."

"I don't need help with homework." They were silent for awhile, then finally Usagi burst out. "Everything's falling apart!" She began to bawl.

Damon put his arm around her and pulled her close, "What do you mean?"

"Just that. You know, I thought I knew who my friends were before I came here. I thought that all my friendships and relationship were secure and that I could trust the people in my life. But then Mamoru goes and fucks us over and since I've lived here not one of my friends have talked to me. I've received no phone calls, no email, no mail, no messages at all. Everyone who I thought were my friends aren't anymore and now I….. I….." She trailed off. She couldn't bring herself to tell him. She knew she had to, but she just froze.

Damon rubbed her back, "Shh...Usagi calm down and tell me what led to this." Sniffing, Usagi looked up at him and clung even harder to Damon after seeing the love in his eyes.

How could she do what she had planned to do to him? How could she break his heart like that?

"Nothing. I'm just having a bad day." She sighed.

Damon looked down into her eyes. He hated seeing her like this. He wished that there was something he could do, some sort of magical power he could have to take away all her hurt. But for now he had to settle with the only action he knew of. He tilted her chin up slightly and leaned down until their lips met.

Having his lips upon hers sent a surge of tingles through her body and her stomach. And in that moment she realized what an idiot she was. How could she have possibly thought that she never really loved this man in her arms.

AN: Well, there you have it. Thhe most recent chapter! hope you enjoyed. DOn't forget to review!