"NO! MAMORU! This can't be happening, this isn't!" Usagi screamed as she bound towards the door of the apartment. She flung the door open and raced through the threshold and down the hall to the elevator. She pressed the down button next to the elevator. "COME ON ALREADY!" Usagi screamed at the elevator. A moment later the elevator doors opened and she hurried in and pressed '1'. "If ianything/i happens to Mamoru...what'll I do? I can't...I can't live without..." Usagi's whisper trailed off as the elevator began to move down. A moment later there was a 'ding!', the elevator had reached the ground level. Usagi had only just noticed that most of the mucles in her body were soar, probably from the beating the pouring rain had given them the previous night. Usagi raced out of the elevator and down the short hallway, to the golden-knobed door. Usagi quickly flung the door open, mabey a bit too quickly; the door quickly swung open and a second later there was a loud, echoeing 'BANG!'. The door had slammed into the wall. Usagi ignored the sudden erie sighlence that filled the once chattering room as well as the fact that the dozens of people in the lobby, had turned to look at her. Instead she raced the ten feet to her left that led to the exit of the apartment complex.

Usagi shivered as the chilly morning air whipped at her skin as she raced down the marble stepps to the sidewalk. She stopped suddenly as a flame-red convertable quickly and violently spun into a half circle and came to rest in front of Usagi. Usagi lept back as this happened, just to be sure she wouldn't get her feet run over. Usagi looked to see who the driver was, he had sandy-blonde hair and a worried expression took residence on his face. He wore a blue t-shirt, black jeans and white sneakers. "Motoki-chan!" Usagi sighed as she approached the car. "Get in." Motoki spoke, though the point in it was unclear because Usagi was already climbing into the passenger seat.

Once Usagi had closed the door and almost had her seatbelt latched, Motoki sped off at top speed. Usagi went white and her insides gave a great lurch as Motoki swerved around other cars that were obeying the speed limit. "Motoki," Usagi gasped shakily as she clutched her hands tightly at her sides, "What the heck...are you trying...to do...GET US KILLED?". Usagi watched as Motoki jumped and glanced breifly at her. "No, I just want to get to Mamoru as fast as possible, don't you?" Motoki replied. "Of course I do! But, we'll be landed in the hospital with him if you don't...slow...down!" Usagi gasped as they narrowly missed a cat that wrongly decided to cross the road at that moment. Motoki didn't slow down and Usagi sank into her seat and closed her eyes. Usagi felt the wind whipping her face and opened her eyes again, they were comeing into traffic and Usagi gulped before looking menacingly at Motoki and screaming his name warningly at the top of her lungs.

Motoki glanced anxiously at Usagi and began to slow down. Usagi sighed with great releif and closed her eyes as her highly tense mucles relaxed somewhat. "Too late," Motoki began calmly, "We are already there.". Usagi opened her eyes and glanced to her right, there stood a tall white building larger than the complex that Mamoru stayed at. Motoki turned off the ignition and got out of the car. Usagi didn't wait for him to open her door, instead she got out on her own.

Motoki raced to the doors of the hospital, Usagi right behind him. Once inside the hospital, they made their way through the tons of people to the reception desk. Usagi bent her knees and put her hands on them as she tried to catch her breath. "Do you know what room Chiba Mamoru is in?" Motoki asked the receptionist. The receptionist was a very young, very pretty, red headed girl. She had bright green eyes and her skin was fair and smooth. The receptionist stoped typing and converted her forest green eyes from the computer screen to Motoki; she smiled and spoke, "Yes, as a matter of fact I do. He is on the first floor, room eleven.".

"Thanks" Motoki spoke just before he turned and followed Usagi, who had already heard the woman and started ahead, to the stairs. "Doesn't the first floor deal with poison?" Usagi asked worriedly as they hurried up a short flight of maroon carpeted stairs. Motoki looked at Usagi with widened eyes, "It does? Thats just igreat/i...". "Yeah," Usagi muttered as she entered the first floor, "Just great...". Usagi stood at the doorway they had just came through, and her eyes trailed along the golden numbers hammered into the door...one...two...three. Usagi's eyes moved faster...eight...nine...ten...beleven/b. Usagi hurried down the hallway followed by Motoki and stopped at room eleven. Hot tears streamed down her face as she slowly raised her hand and placed it upon the cool, golden colored metal doorknob. She twisted it and let the door swing open.

Mamoru came into veiw; he was propped up against pillows in a white-sheeted bed. His jet-black hair was messed up, but just a little and the sheets rested at his waist. His abdomonen and torso was wrapped in gause with something red...blood, on it. The sun filtering into the room iluminated Mamoru's calm face, makeing him look as handsome and peaceful as ever."MAMORU!" Usagi burst as she ran to his side and dropped to her knees. She gripped his hand, lifted it slowly to her cheek, closed her eyes and cried harder than ever. "No!" Usagi gasped.

Motoki walked over to the other side of the bed and sat in a chair, sadly surveying his friend, Mamoru. He transfered his gaze to Usagi, 'That is the first. I haven't ever seen Bunny like this before. The person I'd least expect her to be sad about is Mamoru. But, then again he is...well, still; It is a bit extereme for Bunny to hold his hand.' he thought. "Umm, bunny. There is something I have to tell you, and also something I want to ask you. I think I'll ask you the question first, but you aren't required to awnser. Do you...love Mamoru?" Motoki spoke as he looked at the blonde across from him.

Usagi's eyes shot wide-open and she looked at Motoki, "What...what makes you think that?". Motoki raised an eyebrow to her, "Well, look at you now. And the way you ran out of the apartment complex...". Usagi glanced at Mamoru and then back to Motoki, 'He knows...He KNOWS!'. "Wouldn't any human being who knew a hurt person do that?" Usagi asked. Motoki shrugged, "Yeah, I guess you're right". "What is it you wanted to tell me?" Usagi questioned. Motoki sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Umm...Mamoru...Bunny, see the bandages on Mamoru's stomach and torso? Yeah, well...the Youma attacked him there. The nurse that called me said the youma cut him pretty bad, the cuts are a little less than half an inch deep. They will scar him most likely...if he lives. What is more, the claws of the youma were poisonus and...he, Mamoru, was poisioned.". Usagi started to cry again and held Mamoru's hand tighter and closed her eyes.

"Um, Usagi. I am going to go to the cafeteria. I didn't eat breakfast this morning. I'll be back in a bit." Motoki spoke as he stood from his chair. Usagi watched as walked out of the room. A couple of minutes later Usagi closed her eyes, still holding Mamoru's hand to her cheek and sobbing. His hand was wet from her tears, but so was her face so she noticed no difference. "Mamoru...You...you can't...die...you can't...leave me. Because I...I lo-," Usagi paused for a moment to think and continued, "I love you. I should have and wish I had said that eternities ago, but I missed my chance for you to hear...I regret that...so...so much.". Usagi opened her eyes and looked at Mamoru, half hopeing he had been awake and heard her. But, no, he was asleep.

A nurse entered the room a moment later and when she saw Usagi, she smiled brilliantly. "Good, your here. Are you the one who lives with him?" the nurse asked. Usagi cringed at the words, i'lives with him'/i that didn't sound good at all, then she nodded. "Good. When he wakes up, after we do some tests on him, he can go home. All you need to do is change his bandages and clean the wounds." The nurse spoke. Usagi stood up, "He can't go home, he is poisoned and may die!". "Oh no-no-no-no-no, you have it all wrong. He needs to take this medicine for a week and he will be fine. I promise.". Usagi eyed the nurse, "But why is it iI/i have to clean the wounds and change his bandages?". "Because," Began the nurse, "I can't trust he will change them and clean the wounds because if it pains him he may think, 'why bother', and not do it. So, to make sure he does, I ask you to do it for him.". Usagi sighed and looked at Mamoru before nodding. "Great!" The nurse said enthusiasticaly before turning and leaving the room.

Usagi took Mamoru's hand and laid it against her cheek. She really wanted to hold his head and whisper it would be alright, but knew that would be a mistake. Besides, what if he woke up? Usagi's eyelids became heavier and heavier. Usagi strained to stay awake. She closed her eyes, 'I'll rest for a minute, only a minute...' Usagi thought.

"Do you lo..." familiar voices from far away it seemed, came to Usagi's ears. "...No way!...Um, actually...well, can you keep a secret?" another highly familiar voice spoke. "Of course I can." The first voice came. "Well, I do...I...I really do Motoki. If someth..." the second voice rang in Usagi's ears before she faded back into unconsiousnous.

Usagi's eyes fluttered open and it took her a moment to notice that she was stareing at tan fabric. She yawned quietly. "I can't beleive this happened to me..." The second familiar voice from before, that was Mamoru's, spoke. Usagi's heart began to pound as she heard his voice. Usagi turned her head, the lights were dimmed but the room was illuminated by the moonlight pouring into the room. Usagi's eyes glided over the room and then to Mamoru. Motoki was no longer there, they were alone. Usagi shifted her position so she was sitting in the chair then mentaly slapped herself for makeing noise when Mamoru's eyes that sparkled in the moonlight, drifted from the moon to Usagi. Usagi started to cry again but covered her face and tried to not sob out loud.

"Usagi..." Mamoru's soft voice spoke. Usagi didn't move her hands to look at him, she didn't want him to see her cry. 'Wait...did he just call me iUsagi/i?' Usagi thought.
"Usagi, please, can you come here." Usagi's heart began to race even faster as she slipped out of the chair and walked over to Mamoru's bed. When her thigh bumped into the bed she stopped. Two hands, Mamoru's hands, rested on her shoulders and pressed on them lightly, trying to make Usagi sit down. Usagi knew Mamoru wasn't strong enough to make her sit so she sat down on the bed. Mamoru's hands moved off of Usagi's shoulders and stopped on her hands and gently pulled them from her face, this happened last night in the park.

"Usagi-" "Mamoru, I'm so sorry!" Usagi wailed, cutting off Mamoru. Mamoru's expression became baffled,"For what?". "Its my fault you...you...are hurt. It is all my fault. If it weren't for stupid me needing clothes you wouldn't have been attaked!" Usagi spoke. Mamoru's eyes became hard and angered, "It isn't your fault! If I hear another thing out of you like that, you are going to have to wear my uniforms to school.". Usagi smiled faintly at this last sentance as did Mamoru. They looked at each other in sighlence for a moment. Usagi felt her cheeks get hot and quickly turned away, 'he can't see me blush, that would give it all away!'. They were sighlent for another moment before Mamoru caught Usagi off guard, "Odango...what...what is love like?". Usagi's eyes widdened and she looked at Mamoru with high surprise, "What?". "What is love like?" Mamoru repeated. "Umm, it, uhh...This is hard to explain...Umm, well, it is when someone sees a guy, or in your case a girl and you think about them all the time and no matter how hard you try you can't get them off your mind. When your around them, your heart beats horribly fast and you feel like you will goof up and say something stupid, or talk to much and all you want to do is be in their embrace or embrace them. You want to be with that person forever and never let them go. You turn green with jelousy when you see them with another person and just want to pull them away...And...if something...if something happened to that person...or they rejected your love...you could die...from the pain you feel...". Usagi turned her head away as the tears returned once more.

"Then I am in love with her...Motoki is right." Mamoru thought out loud. "What?" Usagi asked as she swung her head back to look at Mamoru, her golden locks of hair falling over her shoulders. "What?" He said. "You just said, 'Then I am in love with her...Motoki is right.'. In love with who? Come on, tell me. I won't make fun of you or anything." Usagi spoke with a bright smile even though she felt unexplainably hurt that he didn't love her. "Uhh...nobody, I don't love anyone Odano Atama!" Mamoru shot at her as he crossed his arms and looked away with a scowl on his face. "Oh..." Usagi spoke in a downcast voice as she looked at the floor.
"Oh, well, umm...sorry I asked. I guess I should head back home then...see you later...". Usagi stood up and tried to fight back the sobs as she made for the door. 'Come on you baka, say something to her! Don't let her leave!' Mamoru thought. "Usagi." He spoke, but he was too late, she had left.