A Story of Love

Chapter Three

By: Ices

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Usagi climbed behind the wheel of her car and stared at her reflection in the mirror, her once waist length hair was now neatly cropped and layered around her jaw line. She had also paid the stylist to perm it so that it fell in ringlets around her face; she pulled on one of the curls and made a face at herself in the mirror. Honestly she felt much better having made a change in her life, almost like casting off the shadows of the past. She turned the ignition in and pulled out of the parking spot wondering what she would do now, she glanced at the time and smiled, she could just make the start of the afternoon showings at the theater.

She drove the three blocks down to the large two story theater and climbed out looking at the movie postings. A slow smile spread over her lips as she decided what movie she would see, she walked up to the box office and tapped softly on the window to get the cashiers attention.

"Welcome to Cinema Six how may I help you today?" A young man asked from behind the glass.

"One for My Super Ex-Girlfriend please." Usagi said suppressing her giggles until she had paid for her ticket and went to get a large bucket of popcorn with extra butter.

"It does have some irony..." she muttered and thanked the girl behind the concession stand counter.

As Usagi found her seat in the middle of the theater not too far up; and not too far back, but just right. She realized that for the first time in years she was actually almost happy with herself. She didn't know if it was the hair cut, or the extra fattening popcorn but she really was in a good mood. She munched on her snacks and watched the movie by the time it was over she was covering a yawn behind her hand, but reluctant to go home. She saw that it was almost four and squinted up at the sky, she didn't have to go home yet, it wasn't like she had a curfew like when she had been a kid.

She moved across the street and climbed into her car then tapped her fingers against the steering wheel thoughtful. After a moment she picked up her phone and dialed the number for her friend Amanda.

"Hey Usagi, what's up?" A cheery voice came over the line.

"Manda, hey feel like hitting up Spotlight tonight? I can be there in three hours if I push it real hard."

"Let me check my schedule," tapping could be heard over the phone as Amanda looked her daily schedule up on her computer. "Okay I'm free I'll just move some appointments until day after tomorrow depending on how late we stay out."

"Sounds great Manda, I'll run home really quick to put food out for Luna then head you see you in a few hours." Usagi said and hung up as she pulled out of her parking space and headed home.

Usagi walked into the apartment and looked around for her cat, not seeing her she frowned slightly then moved into the kitchen setting out some dry cat food, and cutting up a bit of roasted salmon sprinkling it on top for an extra treat. She moved into her room and pulled off her brown skirt and white baby t-shirt and dug in her closet until she found the dress that she had designed the year before. It was strapless and black, the back was open except for crisscrossing cords, the skirt while not 'short' was at a diagonal angle, the highest point stopped just below her right hip, and the longest part stopped at her left knee. It was made of a light satin, and had three layers of black silk that layered from the empire cut bodice.

Tossing the dress on the bed Usagi went back to her closest and pulled out a paid of thigh high brushed leather boots that turned down at the tops, and a short waist cut suede jacket. Grinning she changed into her dress and stared at the boots thinking about the three hour drive into Pennsylvania. She went back one last time and grabbed a pair of black flats slipping them onto her feet as she snatched up her jacket, boots, and purse which she had stuck hooker red lipstick into, grey eye shadow and a small bottle of perfume.

As she moved into the living room again, she looked for the cat then scrawled a note on a pad of paper on the coffee table telling Luna where she'd be and left. She was happy for the first time in years, she wasn't going to stay in the apartment and loose her good mood.

- Another part of Baltimore-

Luna trotted along the sidewalk narrowly having her tail stomped on every once and a while. She paused looking up at the tall apartment building and nodded, she had gone to Usagi's publisher in hopes of finding out more about this Mamoru. She had over heard that he was living at the empire apartments, so she had made her way over to the building. However she was unsure of what she should do now, after all she didn't have any idea what this Mamoru even looked like, not to mention after all she was just a cat.

She sat outside the apartment building her tail twitching in thought as she studied the people coming and going from the building. Suddenly pain shot up her tail and she yowled like she was dying, flopping over to her side.

"I'm sorry kitty," a deep masculine voice said.

Luna looked up at the man above her; he had short cut black hair that fell over a pair of midnight colored eyes. She hissed softly when he attempted to pick her up as she moved her tail slowly to see if it was broken.

'Humans…' she thought bitterly.

Mamoru stared down at the pretty black cat guilt swamping him that he had stepped on her in his rush. But he also wondered why it was just sitting out in front of the building alone. He attempted to pick it up and drew back at the warning sound emerging from the feline; he sat back on his haunches and ran a hand through his hair. He was in a hurry but he also couldn't just leave the animal out here, especially if he had injured it.

"Please kitty, let me pick you up and take you somewhere safe." He said feeling slightly stupid for talking to the cat like it could understand what he was saying.

He attempted to pick up the cat once more and was glad when it allowed him to; he retraced his steps into the apartment building and nodded to the door man before walking into the elevator. As he rode up the fourteen floors to his apartment the cat ducked its head against his neck and trembled slightly. He started to pet it trying to calm down the animal, the doors slid open directly into his penthouse apartment and he set the cat down smiling at it.

"Let's see if I can find you some food kitty, then I need to go out for a while." He said moving into the kitchen and looking in the fridge.

Luna looked around the apartment silently then wandered through the living room and seeing some papers on the coffee table hopped onto the white leather couch and leaned over trying to see what they said. She felt her eyes widen as she read the name, Mamoru Chiba, could it be possible that she had stumbled onto Usagi's Mamoru?

Mamoru came back into the living room and grinned at the cat sitting on his couch and picked her up gently an arm around its furry belly. He walked back into the dining room and set it on the table placing a bowl of chopped pork and fish in front of it. He ran a hand down the cats back and grinned when she started to chow down on the food.

"Now puss, I need to go out for a few hours. But make yourself at home." He said shaking his head at himself again.

Luna purred as she devoured the meat in the bowl then watched as the man left the apartment locking the door behind him. Maybe she really had stumbled on to Usagi's Mamoru, but she didn't know why he made her master so upset. He had wonderful hands, and good quality pork, she thought as she continued to purr finishing the food.

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Usagi pulled her car outside Amanda's townhouse and honked the horn, a moment later her friend emerged. Amanda had short brown hair and dark eyes almost black. She was dressed in a short denim skirt and a black halter top; in her hand she carried a blue jean jacket and a pair of black pumps.

"Hey girl sorry it took so long to get here." Usagi said then held her breath trying to suppress a smile.

Amanda climbed into the car not looking toward Usagi and then turned to respond to her friend. She felt her eyes widen at Usagi's short curly hair, her mouth dropped open as she continued to stare. Finally her brain caught up with her mouth and she shrieked.

"What the hell did you do to your hair!"

Usagi burst out laughing as she pulled on one of the short curls, "I felt the need for a change. Does it look bad?"

Amanda shook her head still staring, "Not bad, and just really really different."

Usagi chuckled as she pulled the car away from the curb shaking short curls out of her eyes and maneuvered toward the strip downtown and Spotlight. She felt a shiver of premonition crawl up her spine and shook it off; nothing was going to ruin her good mood. Twenty minutes later found the two friends in a club with blaring techno music and strobbing lights. Usagi looked around trying to keep the goofy smile off her face as she noticed the number of men glancing her way. She turned at a tap on her shoulder and tilted her head at Amanda.

"I'm going to go to the bar, Donald's working tonight." Her friend shouted over the throbbing music.

Usagi grinned and waved Amanda off toward her fiancé and smiled as a man about her age shyly asked her to dance. She moved out on to the dance floor and let her body sway and twist to the fast music. It was going to be a good night, who knew she might even meet someone.

As the night wore on Usagi continued to dance in abandon, taking small breaks to collect a long island ice tea from Donald or yell a few words at Amanda. She moved back on to the dance floor and grinned brightly at the man that she was partnering with even if he was getting a little too fresh with her. He kept rubbing his crotch against her ass or hip causing her to scowl slightly, but with her mind fuzzy from drink it wasn't that big of a deal, was it?

Mamoru entered Spotlight with his friend Nephrite, and looked around already wincing at the loud music and pulsing lights. He shot a glare at the shorter man wondering what had possessed his friend into thinking he would like a place like this. He surveyed the dance floor his eyes drawn toward an energetic blond that was dancing as if it was her last night of freedom. There was something familiar about her but he shook his head making his way toward the bar, and ordered a jager-ball. He drank his drink quickly and turned to talk to Nephrite only to realize he was already on the dance floor. Mamoru let out a deep sigh and leaned back against the bar his eyes once again drawn to the blond, and her overly friendly dance partner.

Usagi was really getting annoyed now, she had brushed the guys' hands from her ass numerous times and he kept putting them back there. She had resorted to slapping at his hands now every time he tried, but he just seemed to think it was some sort of game.

"Come on baby, you wear a dress like that and expect me to keep my hands to myself?" The guy whispered into her ears as he ground his hips into hers.

"Yes, I wore the dress because I like it. I've tried to be polite but I'm leaving." Usagi left trying to pull away from the man.

"My thoughts exactly," he said with a husky whisper.

Usagi felt a fission of fear march up her spine as she stared into his drink clouded eyes.

"Come on baby, I have a truck out back." The guy said and began to pull her in the direction of the stage and the exit there.

Usagi shot a look for Amanda as she dug her heels in against the guy, not wanting to cause a scene. She noticed that her friend wasn't at the bar anymore and Donald was serving drinks to a crowd and would never even hear her if she screamed. In fact she doubted anyone would even notice anything was wrong until it was far too late.

"I don't want to go with you." She tried again to pull herself free from the man.

"Come on bitch, you've been teasing me all night. The least you can do is pay up." The man growled back at her.

"No!"

The man drew back a hand and slapped Usagi hard causing her to stumble back with a cry and bump her hip hard against the stage. She was free for a moment before the man took a hold of her arm once more.

"Now come on." He snarled in her face, the smell of his breath was heavy with the whiskey he had been drinking all night.

"I don't think she wants to go with you." A deep voice laced with rage said from behind her.

Usagi struggled to shake off the effects of the man slapping her and her own fuzzy drunkenness, and focus on the man behind her.

"What do you know?" The man holding her snarled.

"It's obvious that if you have to assault the lady that she's not willing. Even you can figure that out you bastard." The deep voice said.

The man holding Usagi flew back and she was suddenly released as a fist connected with her captors jaw. She stumbled back once more unsteady in her drunken state and the four inch heels of her boots she fell toward the stage once more, this time her head struck the wood with a sickening 'thunk'. She felt strong arms wrap around her gentle and lift her into the air. She struggled to clear her vision and gasped staring up into the face of Mamoru Chiba for the second time in two days. Then her head lolled back over his arm as she lost consciousness.

Mamoru stared the drunk down then caught the woman up in his arms, he looked down to see if she was okay and found himself staring into a shocked pair of cobalt eyes. He had seen the woman being drug off the dance floor from across the club and had leapt into action. But he had never thought that the woman had been Usagi, he knew that it was now as he watched her fall into unconsciousness in his arms. He glanced around a moment then stepped over the drunk he had knocked out and out the exit to get some fresh air and to see if Usagi was okay.