A.N. Repost of this story… from 11-23-04. I'm working really hard to make this worth your time…

The Dancing Dream

Chapter Three

By Magawa

Walking home with Luna was no new experience – feeling absolutely drained definitely was. Usagi's steps were as heavy as her heart and just as painfully slow. Luna trailed along uncertainly behind her mistress, keeping a weather eye out for trouble of any kind. Trouble never was as handsome as the man that pulled up in a red car.

"Hey Odango Atama!" the man yelled in greeting. Looking up at Usagi, Luna watched the girl bristle, even in her tired state.

"Shut up Mamoru-baka! I don't have the energy to deal with you today!" Usagi called back from the sidewalk, voice dropping near the end with the effort. Luna looked at Mamoru to see his reaction, but he was already out of his car and up the sidewalk. "No energy for me? That's a pity. Are you feeling okay?" He asked, concern tingeing his tone.

"I was perfectly fine until you showed up…" the girl mumbled half-heartedly.

Luna miaowed loudly to announce her presence to the man standing in front of her mistress blocking her path. Obligingly, Usagi scooped Luna up, pressing her firmly to her chest as if the cat could provide a barrier of protection for the girl.

"Your cat must really like you to follow you like that," Mamoru pointed out as he reached out to scratch the cat behind her ears. He got a warning hiss for his efforts. "She doesn't like me very much though…"

Usagi laughed tiredly, "That's because I told her all about the mean things you say to me."

"Does she always do what you tell her to do?"

Usagi laughed again, the sound soft like the tinkling of bells on a Christmas tree, or the strumming of a harp, or perhaps the sound of raindrops on roses. Either way, the sound was mesmerizing and jolted Mamoru's memory painfully. There was something about that laugh that reminded him of someone.

"She nearly never does what I tell her. Luna's got more free will than the whole free world."

"Is that so?" Mamoru asked, more than amused.

Luna twisted in Usagi's arms so that her mouth was close to the girl's ear. She pretended to be interested in a bird over the girl's shoulder as she whispered, "We need to get home. Let's wrap this up."

Usagi nodded decisively, an answer to both the Mamoru's question and Luna's command. "I need to get going Mamoru. It's been a long day and I'm tired."

"Why don't I give you a lift then? You do look awfully tired…" Mamoru persuaded, unwilling to give her up just yet.

Luna whispered again to her, "Accept. We'll get home a lot faster and he sounds sincere."

Usagi stiffened slightly before answering Mamoru. "Thank you Mamoru. I appreciate your help."

Mamoru smiled briefly as he opened the passenger side door for her, before asking offhandedly, "So do you always do what your cat tells you to do?"

Usagi looked at him sharply and even Luna turned her head to look at him. Seeing the two questioning expressions he had to laugh. "You and your cat look exactly alike Odango Atama!" he said between chuckles. Luna and Usagi looked at each other and then back at Mamoru as if he were absolutely crazy. Luna miaowed at him, her tone obviously displeased with his assessment.

Usagi climbed into the car, relaxing against the cushions before fastening her seatbelt securely. She held Luna lightly on her lap and gave Mamoru directions. Her walk would have taken about 20 more minutes walking as the crow flies. Driving would take only about half that time, but they would have to go the longer street route. It didn't matter really…

Mamoru kept up a light chatter that Usagi listened to with half an ear. Her eyelids felt incredibly heavy and she fought off sleep with slowing blinks. Her eyes slid closed and stayed that way as her body leaned gently forward over Luna. Mamoru's chatter slowed to nothingness as he listened to her breathe. He took his turns as slowly as possible so as not to disturb her, but one was just too sharp. Usagi's relaxed body fell lightly against his and her head nodded against his shoulder. Peace crept over the car and its occupants.

She was dreaming again. It's funny how when you know that you're dreaming you feel like you can change events…

Usagi was dancing with him again and she was wearing the beautiful dress this time. The feeling of being loved pressed in close upon her and she reveled at being in his arms again. She was safer here than anywhere else in the world. His lips touched her forehead gently, a loving caress. Usagi sighed in absolute contentment, keeping herself as close to him as possible, unwilling to give up the joy his presence wrought.

The dream shifted crazily and Usagi found herself becoming frightened for him again. No! I know I'm dreaming… I can control it…I don't want to watch him die again!

But nothing changed… and she woke up screaming his name…

She was so relaxed. Mamoru tucked the girl in close to him so she wouldn't shift around too much before bending slightly to press his lips to her forehead in a near-reflex action. Usagi sighed in her sleep and moved closer. Luna looked questioningly from the girl to Mamoru. Mamoru smiled and placed one finger upon his lips, asking for continued quiet.

It wasn't too much longer before the sleeping girl began to whimper. Usagi curled up in a small ball, her body stiffening painfully before screaming for Endymion.

Mamoru quickly pulled the car over and gathered the frightened girl to his chest so that he could hold her properly. He murmured softly in her ear, brushing her hair back and away from her face as she sobbed. Her eyes were wide and dilated in her terror. Usagi saw Mamoru holding her, but did not recognize him as such. She cried out anew, wrapping her arms about his neck. She kept saying 'Endymion,' a name Mamoru couldn't place, but sounded terrifyingly familiar. He hugged her closer, cradling her within the circle of his arms until her sobs became nothing more than hiccups. Mamoru stroked her back soothingly until Usagi had the presence of mind to scoot back away from him. Luna watched the whole exchange with varying degrees of curiosity. Mamoru has to be Endymion, she thought, It just makes sense…

Usagi was unable to look at Mamoru. Her face burned fifteen shades of red in her embarrassment as she pulled her knees up under her chin and tucked her head between effectively shielding her face from his curiosity, questions and concern. Serenity! I'll never live this down! she mentally wailed. Just when he was finally treating me seriously too! Now I'll always just be that silly little girl that needs protecting from her own nightmares! He'll tease me forever and he'll be merciless and… and … oh! bother-it-all, I'm screwed! Usagi dug her face further into the protection of her knees, rocking back and forth slightly as tears continued to fall.

Mamoru watched the girl quietly. He had expected her to withdraw from him, but he hadn't expected it to be as painful as what he was experiencing now. Watching her curl up into a fetal position to escape him yanked at his heartstrings in a way that made breathing difficult. He wanted to keep holding her, comforting her, but the rational part of him rebelled and made him keep his distance. He'd never been very free with his emotions. Teasing this girl had been the closest he could remember to being affectionate with anyone. Understanding her mortification, Mamoru reached over and patted her gently on the back, hoping she'd at least spare him a glance. Usagi looked up in startlement at hearing her real name and not the teasing nickname he normally reserved for her.

"Usagi." Softly, gently, he called her name as if he were coaxing a frightened wild animal closer. "Please don't cry. It's was just a dream. I hate seeing you cry… "Usagi's eyes widened at his sweetly cajoling tone and how the words he uttered were so familiar…

"Please Usagi," he continued pleadingly. "Don't cry." He gathered her into his arms again, wincing as she tensed against him, still untrusting. "It's okay. It's okay," he murmured soothingly. Adrenaline began to fade out as exhaustion reasserted itself. She tried desperately to keep her eyes open, to sort through her raw tangled emotions.

Mamoru held her securely, saying nothing and feeling everything. Her body was soft, almost limp in his arms from the exhaustion and fear of whatever had haunted her brief slumber. Her hair was disheveled and beautiful and the fragrance of her body made him shiver despite her warmth. Usagi seemed to rouse herself and Mamoru tried to maintain his composed exterior but found himself failing miserably as his concern overrode all other efforts. Trying to forestall her leaving, Mamoru began speaking.

"The dream must have been pretty bad, huh?" he started uncertainly. "Is that why you're so tired today?" He barely waited for Usagi's nod before continuing. "Want to talk about it? I know sometimes just getting it out in the open helps…" he trailed off, still feeling hesitant.

Luna, who had been watching the whole exchange with avid interest, looked up at Usagi and winked. Usagi glared weakly at her cat before sighing in defeat, knowing exactly what Luna wanted her to do. Usagi narrowed her eyes at the cat with a "This is not going to end well" glare.

Usagi began to relate the contents of her dream for the third time that day. Her voice was halting at first, untrusting, and she left out many details. But as he neither challenged her nor made fun of her, she grew bolder and told him everything – even what Rei had said about dreams and her recently remembered memories of the young boy from her class who started it all.

Mamoru kept quiet all throughout her exchange, encouraging her slightly with understanding nods and questioning eyes. Those questioning eyes widened in surprise when he realized that he had been having the same exact dreams as well. Well not the same, exactly… He remembered pining for her, her being out of his league and then finally coming together and dancing, always dancing. He remembered giving her little gifts in his dreams of the girl and the simplistic joy of being together. He'd had feelings of sorrow, of upcoming danger, but hearing Usagi describe his death was frightening in an uncomfortably fantastic way.

More surprising than that though was her admission of love for this dream character, that Mamoru knew, on some unconscious level, was him. Hearing her describe her feelings through her dream was both gratifying and sobering. In the dream she loved him as much as he loved her. Could she love him as he was now? Not the dream him, but the real him?

Rei's revelations about the nature of dreams was nothing new. He knew how fickle and strange they could be, how they could prophesize or remind at Morpheus' whim. Again she surprised him with the news of the boy from her class, and how his entire family disappeared over the holidays and the terrible car crash. Usagi ended on the assertion that she didn't think the boy was dead. Mamoru felt a shiver go all through him but couldn't speak. He couldn't remember much about his past before a certain point. He remembered waking up in the hospital, living in the orphanage and trying to make a life and an identity for himself… but that was all. His parents, his life – they were just scattered fragments. The sheer enormity of what she had said – the similarity of their dreams and the possibility of his past – well, it was overwhelming. He sat back in shock, awed by the girl, as he tried to absorb all the information.

Usagi sat back after explaining everything and watched his face trying to gauge his reaction. He seems… confused, shocked…frightened maybe? What does Mamoru have to be afraid of?

"Mamoru? Are you okay? You look a little spaced out…" Usagi asked uncertainly.

"Yes – of course I'm fine." Mamoru answered, quickly covering his emotions. "That's an amazing memory dream. Most of the ones I've ever heard of were much less vivid and they couldn't actually be tied to any known event," Mamoru covered smoothly. He was unwilling to let her know how much her dreams affected him, or the part that he played in her visions. Looking into her tired, yet still concerned eyes, he could feel nothing but admiration for the girl. She had opened up and told everything – her dream, the fear of it and her uncertainty – to her "enemy." And yet she held nothing but concern for him in those azure eyes.

"We need to get you home before you fall asleep again Odango Atama," Mamoru stated, once again in control of his emotions.

"Don't call me that," Usagi stated automatically, lacking her usual vigor and venom.

"Yeah sure," Mamoru replied softly watching her slide back into sleep. "You must really be exhausted if you can fall asleep that easily…" Luna miaowed in agreement. Mamoru looked at her in surprise. "Hey there Luna-kitty, I forgot you were here too…" Usagi was firmly asleep, by this point, with her head pillowed on the backrest of the seat and her body loosely sprawled in repose. Mamoru began to muse aloud, trying to sort out jumbled thoughts and ideas.

"Hmm… I don't want to wake her up. From the looks of things she hasn't slept in a long time…I don't want to take her home. What would her father say? My apartment is out of the question. That's entirely too dangerous…." Luna cocked her head at that but kept quiet. "I suppose I could just drive to the park and then wait for her to wake up… Yeah I think I'll do that. What do you think, Luna?" Luna miaowed and nudged his hand, obviously granting permission. Mamoru started the car.