Stone Ashes
Chapter 2
by - DreamHeart (a.k.a. - smileybecka)
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon or any of its characters, BUT I DO OWN the story. Remember plagiarism is bad, and I will hunt you down. .
Lita was in the palace kitchen cooking up a storm when he walked in.
'He looks good enough to eat,' she decided as she allowed her emerald eyes to give him a complete once over. He was dressed in his usual uniform – grey slacks and high collar button down jacket with the gray flap pinned down at the collar with his rank insignia all trimmed with gold. His soft long auburn tresses hugged his shoulders – and oh, those chocolate eyes. Those were definitely her favorite feature.
Those eyes danced with amusement now. Spreading his arms out, he turned completely around giving her a better view.
'Maybe his eyes weren't her favorite feature after all . . . ' she inwardly mused.
"Do you approve?"
Lita felt her face flush at the comment knowing that he had caught her once again staring. Her eyes instantly fell downward and she turned away trying desperately to pretend to be carefully studying a recipe.
He laughed then. It was like music to her ears, like she had just tasted sweet ambrosia. It was intoxicating.
She heard his quiet footsteps as he approached her. She felt two strong hands find their way to her shoulders as he peeked over them to see what she was doing. She could almost see the mischievous twinkle forming in those dark eyes as he realized that she wasn't really doing anything at all. Then those same two strong hands turned to velvet as they began to massage her shoulders.
Then those sweet mind numbing kisses came starting at her ear and trailing down to her collar bone and back. When his lips found her ear once more he breathed, "Why do insist on keeping your hair up?" Turning her around to kiss those sweet tender lips that were swollen in anticipation he gently let her thick brown hair down and allowed his fingers to run through it aimlessly. "I love your hair, your eyes . . . everything."
"Mmm," she murmured as she pulled him back into a kiss. A moment later, however, she shook her head and her heart out of the dizzying trance that he always managed to put her in with his kisses and she pushed him away. "Neph, stop it! I have things to do! Besides you ruined the surprise!"
Mischievously Nephrite feigned a hurt look. "Things better than kissing me? You. . . you don't want me?"
"Oh, stop it, you big oaf. I was making the deserts for the party tonight – one of your favorites.'"
His eyes lit up. "Cheesecake?"
She chuckled lightly at his reaction. "Yup, a big strawberry cheesecake."
His eyes drifted to the bowl she had been stirring when he had come in. "Is that the batter?" He licked his lips hopefully.
"Oh, no you don't." She snatched the bowl away before he had a chance to make a lunge for it. "The last time you asked for a taste you ended up eating the whole thing. And as I recall you got deadly ill afterwards!"
Putting out his lower lip he looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "Please, Firefly?" He dropped the pet name praying that it would break that iron will of hers that she was famous for. "Just a little taste?"
Then grabbing a wooden spoon off of the counter she gave him a don't-mess-with-me look. "No! You'll get to eat it later at the engagement ball and that should be enough! Now scoot!" She swatted his rear with the spoon.
"Hey!"
She shook the spoon at him and Nephrite knew that she was more than prepared to chase him all over that kitchen if it meant that he wouldn't get at the batter. "Ok, ok, I'll go and only because I love you so much, Firefly." He stopped in the doorway and threw her a seductive grin. "I'll get you for this later, love. Make sure it's mouthwatering or you'll be the one getting the spanking later."
Then just as he was ducking out of the room with that final comment just barely avoiding the oven mitt that she had hurled at him everything started to spin until the next thing she knew was that . . . .
He was striding towards her now with his comrades barely noticing the fighting going on all around them. His long auburn hair flew wildly around him and his usually brown eyes held an elusive tinge of red.
Lita, however, did not notice this and even if she had she probably wouldn't have cared. All that mattered was that he was safe. They were all safe. She had feared the worst when they were ordered to return to Earth – to make one final stand against Beryl and the Dark Kingdom. She had begged him not to go and he had promised to return. But that was then and now it seemed as if there was nothing to have been afraid of after all. He was safe. He was safe and they were coming to help them in their hour of need.
She smiled warmly at him, her emerald eyes reflecting all her love and gratitude. She would have run to him then if she had had the chance but as fate would have it she was busy fighting one of the Dark Kingdom's minions. Then just as she plunged her sword into its heart she saw Artemis, out of the corner of her eye, running toward the generals seemingly to direct them to where their aid was most needed. But as he approached them the general closest to him, Nephrite, threw his razor sharp throwing stars at him. Stunned Artemis looked down at his chest to find that the stars had pierced his armor and his scarlet blood was now running freely. He fell and looked up at him. His eyes were full of confusion, hurt, anger, and betrayal. His attacker, however, merely gave an evil snicker and continued on his path towards her.
She just stood there shell shocked while the war continued to rage all around her. It was then and only then that she truly realized that her worst nightmares had come to life. He had come back to her – just like he had promised. He had come back to claim her life. It was clear as day in as she looked tearfully into the depths of his eyes. They say that they eyes are the windows to the soul – but all she saw now was hate. He drew his sword now. There was no trace of the love, kindness, and joy that had resided there once. When had everything changed? He was barely ten feet away. She gulped and before she knew what was happening he was upon her.
And oh God she fought. She fought the unmistakable urge to take him into her arms and shake some sense into him. She fought the urge to just fall to her knees crying out her heart and soul screaming the one question she desperately needed to be answered. Why? Why had he betrayed her? Why had he turned his back on everything – his best friend, his home, their love, hopes, and dreams? It was killing her and still she fought on. It was her duty. It was still HER duty, damn it, to protect the princess, the alliance, and now the prince.
Her planet, her home, Jupiter, had been destroyed along with her parents and their people. Her civilization had been steamrolled. She had known that the Outer Planets had received a similar fate at the beginning of this war but she had never even fathomed the fact that it could happen to her home. The planets of the rest of the Inner Senshi had received the same fates. Queen Serenity had told them of this, just moments before the attack. She had thought that alone was enough to kill her. What a fool she had been! And now as she stared into those cool chocolate eyes once more she knew. Somehow she knew that it was his hand, and his hand alone, that had brought her planet to its knees. And once again she fought the urge to fall to her knees and scream or even to just throw up. It was him. After everything . . . it disgusted her.
Blood, sweat, and tears caused her eyes to burn. She was growing tired, weary from battle. While he, on the other hand, was fresh for the fight.
"What's wrong, Firefly?" He dropped the pet name now just to watch her squirm. 'Is that fear I smell?' Sneering he kicked her legs out from under her.
'Firefly.' She heard his words, their conversation from long ago clear as day in her mind. She fell flat on her back knocking the wind out of her.
'What's a firefly?'
His sword came down hard to strike the final blow. Surprising even herself Lita miraculously found the strength to block the deadly blow with her own sword.
'It's an insect native to Earth. They come out on hot summer nights and dance in the sky. What makes them so special is that they glow. Sometimes people even mistake them for stars. I used to catch them in a jar – my own personal night light. Do you know what I noticed?'
He grinned evilly at the situation at hand, his sword just centimeters from her neck. He kissed her hard on the mouth. "Goodbye, Firefly." 'They were brightest just moment before their deaths.'
'Why am I a firefly?'
'Because you are my own special star shining brightly in the sky guiding me and comforting me as the fireflies of my youth.' Then he with a quick move of his sword he slit her open from her groin all the way up to the base of her throat.
She gasped as she felt the life draining from her body. The returning her gaze to her love, husband, and murderer a thought struck her – 'They were brightest just moments before their deaths.' She knew in that instant what she had to do. Ironic wasn't it that the man who had just sealed her death was now idly playing with her air and gently stroking her jaw line? That was his final mistake. Summoning what was left of her life force she managed summon a huge lightning bolt and send it hurdling towards his skull.
'Goodbye, my love,' taking her last breath she found solace in the fact that she had not gone down without a fight and at the exact moment he turned just in time to see his own death.
"I love you, Lita, my firefly."
Lita woke up in a cold sweat. Bolting upright her knuckles burned white as she clutched the sheet to her chest. Almost hyperventilating with fear her emerald eyes darted about the room in terror searching for him. When she was absolutely sure that Nephrite was not in her room her breathing began to slow down a bit and the tears began to flow down her cheeks in waves.
Why? She didn't understand why. Why after so many years after the defeat of the Dark Kingdom was she having these dreams? No, that wasn't it. She had dreamt of him before but never like that. She had never relived her death, a death at his hands. Of course, she had known. Luna had made sure of that. But there was a difference, a significant difference, between merely knowing that you had been killed at your lover's hand and experiencing it. Why? Why had he turned? Why had he betrayed her? Why?
These questions and a million more plagued her fragile state of mind. Sobbing almost hysterically now she grabbed her pillow and clung to it for dear life as she curled into the fetal position. Why? Why could she still feel his hot breath on the back of her neck? And why did those last bittersweet words seem to linger in the air?
"'I love you, Lita, my firefly."
Her cries now racked her body, depriving it of much needed oxygen at times, as uncontrollable as the tides.
"Why!" she screamed into the pillow. She had given everything to him – her love, her heart, her very soul. Why had that not been enough? What had she done to make him hate her? To make him betray even himself? 'Please, God, someone just tell me why!'
Meanwhile . . .
Rei was gulping down her fourth cup of coffee that night. It had become her nightly ritual these past few weeks. Three weeks to be exact since that conversation with Mina. Cringing at its bitter aftertaste she told herself that it was all for the best. Sure sleeping in fifteen minute intervals for barely two hours a night was for the birds but it was better than the alternative.
Setting the mug down on the island she decided to go outside for a bit. Walking out into the crisp cool night air she hugged her robe around her small frame tightly. This, however, did not prevent a shiver from running down her spine. But then again she could have been standing in the heart of an active volcano and it would have come nonetheless. It wasn't the cold that bothered her. It was those steel blue eyes that haunted her.
In the distance Phobos and Deimos cawed cheerfully as they spotted her. Rei smiled then despite herself. They were always a comfort to her. But she wasn't quite sure, as Phobos lightly landed on her shoulder, that they could be of any help to her now – no one could. True the other Senshi, for sure Mina at least, were probably experiencing similar dreams and emotions but there are some demons that each of us must face alone.
She smiled at the irony of it all. Mina, Minako, the Senshi of Love, was always the one to face every challenge and ordeal alone. Masking her emotions and every thought from the world was her way. That's how she preferred it. Now she wanted to face these memories, these demons, together – or was she just trying to help her through these dark times? Rei couldn't be sure, but that didn't change the fact that she wanted nothing more than to face this alone or rather not face it at all. It was so out of character for the Fire Senshi – passionate, vivacious, ruled by her emotions. When had they changed places?
Oh, yes, everything had changed when she had allowed one man into her heart well over a century ago. She may not have yet, thank the gods, relived their last encounter or bear the physical scars of that day but that by no means meant that her heart did not. Nor did it mean that in this lifetime that it had not incurred new scars either. Yes a part of her knew the truth of Mina's words but another part of her did not want nor believed that she could handle this.
Yes, she was strong. Yes, she had been able to deal with anything and everything this life had dealt her – her mother's death, her father's abandonment, Kaidou's rejection, and even her grandfather's death. It had all left a mark upon her heart and in the process hardened her. But despite all of that she had found the strength to allow Chad in and now it seemed that their relationship would end in rejection – just like Kaidou.
Deimos squawked then at her feet forcing Rei out of her silent revelries. Bending down she offered her hand as a perch and once Deimos was happily upon it she straightened. Glancing at a window across the yard she unknowingly stared straight into pair of deep brown eyes that had been watching her the entire time. Not giving the window a second thought she began to absently stroke Deimos' feathers as she stared up into the night sky.
Chad gave a sigh of relief as he watched Rei walk back inside. She had not caught him watching her – but he had been watching her midnight strolls for three weeks now from the comfort of his bedroom window.
Falling back into his pillows he wondered if he was being too hard on her. Since he had learned her secret he had taken every opportunity to distance himself from her, only being around her when it was absolutely necessary, and even then he was cold and callous to her. She didn't deserve that.
But then the memories of those two days came flooding back to him. She hadn't trusted him. She had whispered someone else's name in her sleep. She loved someone else. How was he supposed to deal with all that? Was he supposed to pretend it never happened? No, he couldn't do that but then again he couldn't go on treating her so badly. 'What am I going to do?'
Then the little voice in the back of his mind voiced the one option he'd been dreading these past three weeks. 'Leave. Go home and never look back.' He knew of course that it was really his only option but it still pained him. It wasn't the fact that he would have to swallow his pride and face his parents that he dreaded. After all home was home and after all their squabbles and misgivings his parents would gladly welcome him home with open arms. It was saying goodbye to Rei. She wouldn't show any emotion to him when the time came. It would be out of character for her if she did but he feared all the thoughts and emotions that he WANTED to reside behind her piercing violet eyes, her emotionless mask.
It was the kindest decision he could make for both of them. He couldn't go on mistreating her when she was unaware of her sins and he couldn't go on loving her from such an agonizing distance. Not when he knew she loved someone else, knowing that it was not his touch that she longed for or that it was not his name that she whispered in her sleep. No, he could not go on like that. It was decided then. 'I'll leave in the morning.'
Dawn came sooner than Chad would have liked but as the golden rays came softly into the room his resolve was only strengthened. He would leave today, this very morning.
As he began to pack his few meager belongings into his backpack, he paused only once. Holding a simple frame in his hands he debated whether or not to leave it behind. It reminded him of a simpler happier time; of a time when he truly believed that he had found his place in the sun. It was just a picture. He gently traced two of the three smiling faces that stared up at him – Grandpa and Rei. He loved them both.
It had nearly killed him when her grandfather had died, but at least he had gotten to say goodbye. That's what Rei had prayed for in the weeks after – just a simple wish, to say goodbye to the man who had taken her in, taught her everything she knew, and had been the only father she had ever known. She did not know, of course, that he had heard her pleading with gods before the Great Fire for some sort of sign that he knew how much she loved him and would miss him. She had been at school when he had the massive stroke. He died in Chad's arms as he waited for the paramedics. It had broken his heart to tell her, to watch her perform the funeral, to witness her secret pain and all the while not seeing her shed a tear. He suspected that it had hardened her and it was the reason he couldn't leave her without saying goodbye.
Sighing he hugged the frame tightly to his chest knowing that he could not leave such a valuable keepsake behind. With that decided he gently placed it amongst his other things and resumed his packing.
Once he was finished he made sure that everything in his room was in order, especially the two things that he had left for Rei on his pillow, before shouldering his backpack and heading of to the kitchen. Tossing his bag into his usual chair he started making breakfast for the still sleeping priestess and readied himself for the storm to come.
She would be waking up soon so he would have to hurry. No, it wasn't that he was going to leave without saying a word, it was just that he couldn't' bear to see her, to be in her presence, for a moment longer than was absolutely necessary.
It was not a second later that he heard her smile from the doorway. "Good morning, Chad."
"Good morning, miko," he replied without so much as glancing at the door. But if he had he would have seen the hurt in her eyes. It had only resided there for the briefest of moments, but the fact was that it was still there.
Taking a seat at the island Rei noticed the bag occupying his usual seat. "Are you going somewhere?"
He turned then for a moment and glanced at the backpack. Returning to his cooking, he answered, "Yes, I'm leaving today. I left you a gift in my chambers. It's my way of thanking you for all of your hospitality."
"And this is your way of saying goodbye? You're not even going to stay for breakfast, are you?" Rei bit her lower lip trying hard to keep both her anger and hurt from revealing themselves in her voice and eyes.
"Yes, miko, this is goodbye. I thought this way would be less painful. Do not mistake it for ungratefulness or even callousness." He set a plate down before her and reached for his bag. "But this is the way it must be. Goodbye, miko." With that he hurried out of the temple.
He was almost at the bottom of the enormous staircase that separated the shrine from the rest of the world when he heard her shout his name.
"Chad!"
Turning he saw her standing at the top of the stairs like goddess. A sudden breeze swept through her long ebony hair making it dance wildly about her. Her striking violet eyes blazed with a fire of their own. The rising sun played upon her alabaster skin giving it an unearthly glow, all while Phobos and Deimos protectively circled her high in the sky.
"If you leave now, don't bother coming back!"
He could feel the hot tears beginning to well up in his eyes. Turning he ran down the remaining stairs, away from the temple, and away from her, as fast as his legs could carry him.
As she watched him run out of her life Rei had a good mind to chase him down and beat some sense into him – or at the very least to just beat him. But she knew deep down inside that she wouldn't, that she couldn't.
Turning back to the comfort of the shrine she allowed her feet to take her wherever they pleased as immersed herself in her thoughts until she found herself seated on the bed in his room, his old room.
Nestled on the pillow was a bouquet of Casablancas and next to it was a small square box wrapped in marble paper with a gold ribbon. Ignoring the flowers for the moment she reached for the box. Holding it for a few minutes in her lap she gingerly played with the ribbon. Then biting her lower lip in both thought and curiosity she freed the ribbon and began to carefully unwrap the box. That accomplished she held her breath as she removed its lid and nestled there in rich black velvet was an oval gold locket with a ruby heart at its center. Removing the necklace from the confines of the box she opened it. There were three panels and in them Chad had placed a picture – one of himself, her grandfather, and her mother.
It was only then that she allowed a single tear to run freely down her cheek as she traced the faces of those she loved – and lost. Lost, yes it seemed that she had finally lost Chad. She had finally driven him away. He had made that perfectly clear this morning at breakfast and again when he ran from the shrine, when he ran from her. Clutching the locket to chest her gaze fell upon the long forgotten Casablancas and the card that was nestled in their midst. Gently closing the locket, she reached for the card and began to read his final goodbye.
Rei,
Words could never express to you my gratitude for all of you hospitality. I know that my behavior these past three weeks and sudden departure this morning do no reflect such a sentiment – but believe me, I am eternally grateful. My leaving was for the best.
Despite this, I need to apologize for the way I have treated you. I was hurt but that by no means excuses my behavior. I know that you're probably wondering why I was hurt but I cannot and will not tell you that. It's between me and Sailor Mars.
Please don't worry about me. I'm going home, back to my parents, my inheritance, and all the responsibilities that come with it. Know that I have treasured every moment I spent at the shrine and will always hold it close to my heart. Take care, dear miko.
Chad Kumada
Author's Notes: Heartbreaking, I know. But it's all very important. Things start to pick up in chapter 3, I promise. Don't forget to review!
