Broken

Nicholas was the first one to wake Saturday morning. His alarm clock informed him it was close to noon, which made him groan since he rarely slept in so late. His craving for waffles and bacon lured him out of bed and down the stairs. He entered the kitchen, opened the fridge… and was heartbroken to see that there was no bacon. He searched for suitable savory alternatives, but there was no sausage, eggs, milk, or butter! And he couldn't even have toast with one slice of bread. "Guess we need groceries," he muttered. He went upstairs to Zach's room and shook him. "Hey, gimme your keys. It's a bacon emergency."

The blond boy mumbled incoherently and flapped his arm in the direction of the desk where Nicholas found the keys beneath a stack of costume designs for The Last Heart. He then spent a few minutes on a grocery list. If there was one thing he had learned since being in college it was to make every dollar count, and shopping while hungry always resulted in unnecessary expenditure. When Nicholas returned to the kitchen a second time, he found Makoto standing in front of the open fridge. Her hair resembled a bird's nest and her shirt had risen halfway up her midsection. She shot him a narrow look, freezing him. "There's no fruit," she grumbled.

"I'll… put it on the list," he replied, distracted by her lacy lavender camisole and cheeky flower-print underwear.

"You guys don't have any food." Makoto spotted the slip of paper in his hand. "Are you going to the store?"

"Yeah… wanna come?"

"Sure." She glanced down at herself. "I should probably get dressed first." Nicholas cleared his throat and stepped aside, trying not to stare while she shuffled back into the living room. After pulling on her jeans and warm hoodie, Makoto frowned when something poked her in the chest. She fished out the necklace Usagi gifted her last night and felt invigorated by the yellow topaz, tucking the zesty gem back into her shirt. Nicholas proffered her sneakers which she quickly tied before following him out to the garage. "How come you don't have a car?" she asked once they were on the road.

"They're expensive," he answered simply. "Gas, insurance, maintenance… I haven't been able to find a job on or around campus. Having 'civil engineer-in-training' on my resumé isn't something most employers are looking for."

Makoto thought for a moment. "I bet you could advertise yourself as a handyman. You're good at fixing things, right? And you know all about green technology. You installed the aerogel insulation, the water recycling system, the solar panels and energy storage… People will want to hire you when you tell them you worked on the Burke Mansion."

Nicholas smiled at the idea. "You think so?" She nodded. "I'll give that a shot." They listened to the radio spew news until arriving at the grocery store. "You'll like this place. They mostly sell local and organic food."

"Perfect!" Makoto grinned, entering the market with a spring in her step. She added a frozen berry blend to the cart along with slivered almonds, cocoa powder, and vanilla almond milk. "That's all I need for my smoothie."

"No kale?" Nicholas teased, making her nose wrinkle. He briskly navigated the aisles, tossing everything but the eggs and milk into the cart. His stomach rumbled incessantly; the cashier's eyes widened when it growled like a beast, prompting her to bag the food faster. Nicholas was in no mood to argue when Makoto insisted on contributing, saving him twenty whole dollars. He sped on the way back home, taking turns like a Grand Prix driver, and Makoto faced the window to hide her delight.

"Why the rush?" she asked once they had returned to the mansion. Both of them carried as many bags as possible on their arms which made opening the front door a rather difficult task. They rustled into the kitchen where Makoto heard a yawn from the living room. 'Trust Usa-chan to wake up when the food arrives.'

"I'm a bit hypoglycemic, and I was trying not to pass out on you," Nicholas sheepishly replied. "I didn't eat much last night 'cause I wanted everyone else to have their fill."

"Hypoglycemic people are supposed to avoid empty carbs, bad fats, and fake sugar." Makoto scrutinized his breakfast ingredients. "Isn't that the foundation of waffles and bacon?"

"I always make my waffles from scratch," he said, and Makoto remarked that they had this in common. "As for the bacon, any fat I consume just gets turned into muscle. When I tried out for the football team in summer, I spoke with a dietitian who put bacon on a list of banned foods. I didn't eat any until you made breakfast after Halloween."

She smirked. "How tragic."

"It was!" Nicholas insisted. "A guy can only handle so much cereal and eggs before he goes crazy. I went to Bastyr at the start of the season to get another opinion, and the dietitian there said I was healthy enough to eat whatever I want." He looked up from the mixing bowl. "That was the same day I browsed the plant sale for Zach, when I met you."

Makoto dumped her frozen fruit into the blender and added a dollop of yogurt. "And who could have guessed that in a few months we'd be making breakfast together in the gourmet kitchen of an Irish millionaire?" The blender's buzz drowned out her laughter as Nicholas grinned and slapped some batter onto the waffle iron. Surely no one could have guessed that, but he was thankful for the circumstances that had led to this moment.

"Thanks for the ride, Rei-chan!" Usagi and Makoto waved at the retreating Acura before climbing the stairs to their apartment. "That was a really good breakfast you and Nikko made for us," the blonde said cheerily. "He should consider cooking instead of engineering, and then he can work for you when you open your bakery!"

Despite Makoto's scoff, Usagi caught a hint of red in her cheeks. "I know you really want to play matchmaker with us, but it's not going to happen. I still barely know him."

"That just means you need to spend some quality time with him! C'mon Mako-chan, he's like the perfect guy for you!" Makoto ignored her while slipping the key into the lock. "Nicholas is in great shape, he's smart, he has that athletic-chic aesthetic you like… and he can cook!"

"Forget it!" Makoto returned, pushing the door open. She would have continued had she not dropped the keys and her jaw at the sight of their home. Usagi stepped around her, the clever comeback dissolving into a cry of confusion.

Their apartment was completely trashed.

Makoto looked down at the remains of dishes scattered throughout the kitchen. The circular wooden table was upended with one leg snapped off, and the chairs had been reduced to kindling. The living room décor had been smashed against the walls; the carpet was too plush to shatter anything, although glass was everywhere. The coffee table was in a thousand pieces, the antique vases had been obliterated, and the sliding door to the balcony was just a frame now.

"What happened, Mako-chan?" Usagi looked at her friend through watery eyes, hoping she could magically explain everything.

"I have no idea, but you should call the police. And try not to disturb anything in case there's evidence." Usagi nodded and returned to the landing, dialing 911 with a trembling finger. Fifteen minutes later two officers showed up, a young man named Danner whistling at the damage.

"I'm sorry for you girls. This was a nice place."

"Yes, it was…" Usagi sniffled. Her head snapped up a second later and she shot Makoto a look of horror. "Where's Michiru?"

Her expression fell as she immediately tried calling the older girl. "What if she was here when they broke in? What if they kidnapped her?!"

"What's the matter, ladies?" asked Morrison, an older officer with a Southern drawl.

"Our other roommate isn't here!" Usagi shouted in English. "She doesn't teach today and she doesn't usually go out for lunch!"

"And she didn't answer her phone!" Makoto wailed.

Officer Danner held up his hands. "Let's calm down for a second. What's the name of this girl?"

"Michiru Kaiou!" they answered together. Danner nodded and returned to his vehicle.

Morrison continued poking around their apartment, jotting things down on a notepad until his radio crackled. The girls couldn't hear what Danner said to him, but the older man sighed deeply before stepping onto the landing where the girls were waiting. "The rookie just finished calling all the hospitals around here. Your friend was admitted to Swedish Medical Center this morning. Another unit picked her up in Magnolia Park around seven."

"Magnolia Park?" Usagi repeated, mirroring her friend's quizzical expression.

"Michiru doesn't jog or go for walks," Makoto mused. "There's no reason why she would have been there so early. Maybe the vandals dumped her there."

Usagi's mouth opened and closed a few times as the connotations of that statement ran rampant through her mind. Officer Danner drove them to the hospital while Morrison waited at their apartment for a forensics team. He tried to reassure the girls by saying someone had most likely broken in to steal something, not kidnap Michiru. "I hope Luna got away safely…" Usagi uttered as Danner turned into the hospital parking lot.

"Maybe she was what they wanted to steal," Makoto said, earning a fearful look. "Purebred dogs get stolen all the time. I bet the same thing happens to cats."

"Gee, thanks, that makes me feel so much better," Usagi returned. She kept quiet while the young officer led them to Michiru's room. Much to their relief she was sitting up in bed and didn't appear overtly traumatized. They both hugged her and battered her with questions until she held up a hand.

"I'm glad you found me. I lost my phone and wasn't sure how to contact you since I haven't memorized your American numbers." A large bandage on her cheek hindered her regretful smile. "Apparently I went for a hike in my pajamas."

"What do you mean 'apparently'?" Makoto asked. "Don't you remember doing it?"

Michiru shook her head. "I have no idea how I got to that park. One doctor suggested I sleepwalked, and nobody stopped me or thought anything of it because I appeared to be awake. I told him I didn't have a history of somnambulism but they want to keep me overnight to be sure."

"So you don't know what happened to our apartment?" Usagi asked.

Her amber eyes narrowed. "What happened to our apartment?"

"Someone broke in and wrecked everything," Makoto answered. Michiru's shock quickly turned to denial. She refuted the claim by saying they lived in a nice area and someone would have to be really gutsy or really stupid to break in with so many people around. She asked if her friends were joking, but their somber expressions convinced her.

"It's okay…" Michiru said after taking several deep breaths, "I have renter's insurance. We'll get reimbursed for everything." She glanced between them. "Were any of your valuables taken?"

"I don't think so," Usagi answered. "My figures and manga were knocked off the shelves, but they were all there." Even though she was being completely serious the brunettes started laughing.

"I think if someone wanted to steal a bunch of action figures and comics they would break into Uwajimaya, not our room," Makoto teased. At that, the three girls knew everything would be all right. Danner came in to gather a report from Michiru, then they bid her goodbye. Usagi faltered at the door and turned back, digging in her purse for the necklaces. The aquamarine teardrop pendant would look beautiful on her friend.

"I don't know what to say, Usa-chan. Thank you so much." After fastening it, Michiru gently took hold of Usagi's hand. "Has anyone told you that you're very selfless? That's such a rare quality to find in people these days."

The compliment made Usagi glow and she felt guilty that neither she nor Makoto could drive Michiru home when she was released… if their apartment could still be called "home" since it was now a crime scene. Officer Danner confirmed her deduction when he asked if they had somewhere to stay during the investigation and repairs, prompting an argument.

"We're not staying with them," Makoto declared. "It's one thing to spend the night on their couch, but I'm not living with five guys for two weeks!"

"Where else can we go, Mako-chan?" Usagi countered. "We can't afford a hotel and we don't really know anyone from school. Plus they have cars so they can drive us around."

She crossed her arms tightly. "I'd rather stay in a halfway house than with those dumb boys."

"No, you wouldn't." While Makoto huffed, Usagi called Mamoru and explained the situation to him, maintaining a cheerful tone as his became fraught with worry. He was placated by the knowledge that Michiru had insurance.

"What about Luna?" he inquired. "Did you find her?"

"No, not yet…" Usagi sighed, "but I have a feeling she'll turn up. She found me once before."

When Usagi and Makoto returned to the mansion with several suitcases of clothing and personal items, Zach greeted them with a beaming smile. "You couldn't get enough of this place, huh?" The tall girl rolled her eyes and strode by him, stopping in the great room where the other four boys were gathered. She noticed they all wore expressions of genuine concern.

"I can't believe this happened to you," Kaelan said. "Someone really wanted to ruin your sense of security. Do either of you have any enemies? Someone jealous of how grand you are?" Usagi smiled weakly at his attempt and shook her head. "Well, make yourselves at home here. Don't hesitate to ask for anything."

"We'll need rides to school and our jobs. We can work out a schedule after Usagi and I wash clothes." Makoto held up her favorite bolero jacket with black smudges all over it. "The cops dusted everything for fingerprints."

"Even your unmentionables?" Zach gasped. "But what kind of freak would break into a place just to plunder some panties?"

"Did you have any odd neighbors?" Joe inquired of the girls. "Maybe one of them saw you in a state of undress and developed a fixation."

"I don't think—" Usagi started to say.

"We can control ourselves around women in their undergarments," Kaelan declared. "You don't have to sacrifice your comfort for our sake."

Nicholas arched a brow. "We've all seen the way you can't keep your hands off Mina whenever she shows the slightest bit of skin."

"That's completely unrelated!" he sputtered. "She and I have a… a relationship!"

"Oh, we know." Mamoru and Zach rolled their eyes simultaneously. "We've heard your relationship unfolding all around the house."

Usagi giggled while they ribbed Kaelan for his indiscreet activities. Makoto just sighed and carried her clothes to the laundry room. Usagi appeared a few minutes later, still smiling. "See, Mako-chan? It won't be so bad here."

"I'm going to break something if I have to hear more details about what Kaelan has done with Mina, and by 'something' I mean his face." She wore a look of disgust. "She's our friend, Usa-chan. You can't expect me to be okay with listening to them talk about Minako like an object."

The smile faded slightly. "They're just exaggerating. That's what guys do!"

"You would know since you've been with so many of them."

A hot mixture of ire and shame coursed through Usagi. She knew Makoto didn't really mean that; she was just lashing out. Whoever vandalized their apartment had ruined their sense of security, but it was worse for Makoto since she had already lost loved ones. She was terrified of the what-ifs, angry for being helpless in this situation. It was her duty to protect Usagi and Michiru, her new family, and defend their castle. If they had all been there when the vandal broke in, Makoto would have stood up to them whether or not they were armed. The image of her best friend dying replaced Usagi's anger, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I know you don't mean that…" she spoke tremulously, "I know you blame yourself, but there's nothing you could have done." Regret flickered across Makoto's visage. "And I know I made a lot of stupid decisions in high school, but I trust these guys and I'm positive we'll be safe here."

Makoto's lips parted in denial, but she didn't have any arguments left. "I'm sorry, Usa-chan…" Now she was the sobbing one as she gave Usagi the tightest hug possible. "I'm sorry I said that. I know you didn't want to come here for attention. I'm starting to trust them too, and I don't want to be let down. I'm sorry for being a bad friend, I'm sorry I'm insecure…" Usagi let Makoto hold her and cry into her hair until they both ran out of tears. They separated, dried their eyes and waited for their complexions to clear up, then they returned to the great room. Zach held the t-shirt he'd been wearing out to them and asked if the girls could include it in their wash. "What's happened to it?" Makoto wondered.

"This asshole spit soda on me!" Zach jerked his thumb at Nicholas who shook from the effort of withholding raucous laughter. Joe covered his face with one hand while Mamoru tried and failed not to grin.

Kaelan finished removing the pillow covers from one of the sofas. Usagi tilted her head in confusion and he straightened with a sigh, gesturing to their suitcases. "Zach, being a nosy fecker, started going through your stuff. He found your lady products and presented them like a world cup trophy. The way Joe freaked out was honestly hilarious." He turned to Zach, thrusting the soiled covers at him. "Since you were acting the maggot, you can clean up."

Usagi stared at the innocent box of tampons on the floor. The boys followed her gaze, Joe's neck and face instantly turning cherry red. Nicholas and Mamoru erupted in amusement as Kaelan pinched the bridge of his nose and Zach stomped off to the laundry room.

Makoto only sighed again. Dealing with this kind of immature bullshit was one of the many reasons why she didn't make friends with boys.

It was easy for the three girls to get into the swing of things. Michiru was rarely seen by anyone, even her besties, since her social calendar was always full. If she wasn't teaching violin students or practicing with a talented pianist named Samuel, she was having dinner at fancy eateries and rubbing elbows with local talent managers. Usagi sighed as she flopped onto her designated couch-bed. Makoto had the spare bed on the third floor. "Michiru is always going out to have fun. Why don't we do that?"

"Because we have classes and jobs and no friends besides each other?" Makoto offered. The blonde stuck out her bottom lip at how lame that made them sound.

Joe, who had picked them up from school, paused with one foot on the stairs. "You don't consider us friends?"

Makoto floundered for a moment having forgotten that he was fluent in Japanese. "Well yeah, but, I mean, you guys are all older than us. We can't go with you to the bar or anything."

"There are lots of things to do around here besides bar hopping. There are museums, the aquarium, the Pacific Science Center and IMAX, theater shows, outdoor activities…" He looked to his housemates for more suggestions.

"We'd even go shopping with you if you asked," Nicholas supplied, like the notion of shopping with girls was worth fearing. Makoto smiled deviously, intending to hold him to his word soon, but right now she had to prepare for work at Amabie. While she went to take a shower, Usagi helped Joe trim some plants in the conservatory.

"I've noticed that Makoto doesn't have much of a filter," he said.

"No, not really… but at least you know she's never lying to you," Usagi pointed out.

"She didn't want to stay with us, did she? I can tell she hates being uprooted, and Mamoru told me about all the work you put into your apartment."

Usagi gave a small nod. "Yeah, Michiru put on a brave face, too. She was so proud of that place."

"Have you heard anything from the police? Do they have any leads or suspects?"

She started to answer, but Kaelan's voice entered the greenhouse and drowned it out. "Usagi! Some lass at the door for you!" She looked at Joe like he'd predicted the future before making her way to the front entrance. Once Kaelan finished greeting the guest and stepped aside, her hand flew to her mouth in disbelief. Luna sat in the arms of the visitor.

It was a young woman with deep brown skin and even darker eyes. She wore cargo jeans, a white halter top, and stacks of white and gold bangles on each arm. "This cat belongs to you," she said in accented English.

"Th-thank you…" Usagi stammered. The girl lowered Luna into her arms, towering over her by at least ten inches. She wasn't much shorter than Nicholas who stood at six-foot-three.

"Where are you from?" he blurted.

"Originally Ghana, but I have traveled the globe. My name is Nia." She refocused on the blonde girl. "Keep Luna close from now on. Do not let her go wandering."

Usagi nodded several times. "I promise I will. Where did you find her?"

"She came to me. She is a very sweet cat, but I knew someone was missing her." Nia ducked her head and smiled at the pair before gracefully taking her leave. The sudden absence of her presence left everyone without words for a few minutes, and in that time Zach came home.

"Who was that incredibly fine lady? She looked like a supermodel." He smirked at Nicholas. "Did you know her? You're both African."

"You're an idiot." He gave Zach a not-so-gentle push and went into the kitchen, Kaelan following a moment later.

Joe scratched Luna's chin while Zach hung up his jacket and kicked off his shoes. Only after that did he notice the black feline. "Is that a baby bobcat?"

"Of course not!" Usagi chided. "This is Luna, she's a Japanese bobtail. She ran away when our apartment was vandalized. That supermodel girl found her and brought her here."

He blinked a few times as a response, then asked, "How did she know where you were?"

"I was wondering that, too," Joe added.

Usagi started to say they were being paranoid when her phone interrupted with "Sunkiss Drop is on my lips, you make all my dreams come true!" She didn't recognize the number and gave a cautious, "Hello?"

"Miss Tsukino? This is Andrew Danner from Seattle PD."

"Oh, hi. Are you calling about the investigation?"

"Partially. An anonymous young lady contacted our animal department about a cat she found. I realized it was yours based on the picture you provided, so I gave her your temporary address."

"Thanks, Officer Danner. She dropped off Luna a few minutes ago." She gave Joe and Zach a reassuring look.

"That's great to hear. I also wanted to let you know that forensics managed to lift a few prints from the furniture in your apartment, mainly the kitchen table, and got a match for them. I was wondering if you and your friends could take a look at a few photos to see if you recognize anyone from the places you frequent."

'Finally, some suspects!' Usagi thought. "We'd be glad to. Oh, but Makoto is about to leave for work and Michiru is out with friends. Should we come by the station tomorrow?"

"I can email you the photos so you can show your friends when they have time. If you're able to identify anyone you can come to the station to follow up."

Usagi agreed, ended the call and opened her laptop, refreshing her inbox every five seconds. Joe and Zach hovered over her shoulders so they could be part of the action. Usagi downloaded the six attachments and opened the first one, a portrait of a French man named Adrien Levesque. The next portrait was of a teenage Chinese girl named Wen Xiu. Three more affiliates of Pakistani, Brazilian, and Australian ethnicities were teenagers as well.

"None of these people live here," Usagi said. "Why would they be suspects?" The answer came when she opened the final photo. She gasped, recoiling from the monitor while the boys leaned forward. Zach snatched up her phone to redial the officer.

"This is Danner," he answered.

"Yeah hi. Listen, we need a K-9 unit or something up in here like right now."

"Who is this?" Danner demanded. "This number is for Miss Tsukino, not some kid trying to make a prank call."

"You don't understand," Zach said disjointedly. "That girl? That…" He squinted at the screen to read her name. "Nia Baffour? She was just at our house."