Chapter 15 - Comprehension

Mamoru woke with a start, realising they had both fallen asleep while he had been comforting her fears. She was still asleep, curled up tightly in his arms, as though she was trying to take all the comfort that she could from him. He smiled sadly at her relaxed form, knowing it was probably the safest she had felt in a very long time.

"I'm sorry, Usako," he said, running his hand through her hair in a soothing motion, "I'm sorrier than you'll ever know." Her only reply was a small mmmph noise, as she curled up tighter into him, Mamoru smiled sadly, leaning back into the couch, closing his eyes, and falling asleep once more.

When he awoke the second time, he found Usagi was no longer asleep, nor was she anywhere on the couch or in the living room. His eyes searched frantically around the room, but he didn't see her til he stood and found her standing in his kitchen, looking around, confused, as if she couldn't find something.

"Usagi?" he asked, standing up, running his hand through his hear and over his face, before walking to the kitchen door and leaning against it, "What'cha doing?" Mamoru queried, smiling as she looked at him, glancing then frantically looking away.

"I'm looking for your chocolate stash; I know it's around here somewhere. I wanted to make you something to show you… show you how I felt about you helping me earlier." Usagi said, opening a cupboard door and rummaging around inside, before sighing and flopping onto the ground. "But I can't find it, so I can't make the chocolate fudge cookies I wanted too." Usagi pouted and Mamoru grinned at the childish look on her face, this was the Usagi he remembered. He stepped into the room and reached up, above the fridge, for a cupboard she never could have reached, not at her tiny height of just 4 feet and 11 inches. His hand searched around inside until he found his quarry, a container which held, not only eating chocolate, but cooking chocolate also. Mamoru placed it on the floor in front of her, and watched as her face lit up in delight.

"Yes! Now I can make them!" She grinned, standing up and putting the container on the bench top, then turning to look at him, "Um, where do you keep your flour and pans?" Mamoru chuckled, and helped her retrieve all the tools and ingredients she would need, before being forced out of the kitchen by the pushy blonde.

"You're not to come in here until after I'm done, and you've eaten all of these cookies." She stated, closing the door on him.

"All of them?" He asked through the door, "how many are you planning on making?"

"You'll see, now go watch TV."

Mamoru sat impatiently on the couch, unable to find anything worth watching, and itching curiously about the happenings in his kitchen. "Usaaaagiiiii," he whined, "Come on, quit making me wait, you know I'm impatient."

His only answer was a small giggle.

An hour later, Usagi emerged from the kitchen, carrying what smelt like the most divine cookies ever baked. She smiled softly and placed them on the table in front of him, then withdrew a small distance.

"I – I just wanted to thank you, and I think that my baking shows my appreciation. So, I'll just … go then. Goodbye Mamoru." Usagi picked up the bag that she had thrown sometime during their entrance to the apartment last night, and moved towards the door, frowning when she found it locked.

"Let me out." Usagi said without turning, finding herself moderately angry at the fact she couldn't leave.

"Are you going to go see Rei?" Mamoru asked through a mouthful of cookie, feeling his body turn cold as he saw her pause, her hand outstretched to the door. "Usagi, I didn't mean…"

She turned her head to look at him, "No, its okay." Usagi gave a sad smile to show him that it was okay, "But I can hardly go see her if the door's locked like this!"

Mamoru stood, knowing fully well that she wasn't going to go and see her ex-friend yet, the wounds were still too raw from his own betrayal, but he knew that someday soon, after everything was worked out between them, she would go and try and rekindle her relationship with the girls who had once meant everything to her. He picked up the keys to the door from the table in the entrance hall and slotted them into lock, turning them and opening the door for her.

Usagi took one step before finding an arm around her waist, holding her back, "I know you need time, but please, don't take too much." Mamoru told her, before leaning in and kissing her softly, "I'll be here when you're done."

hey guys, so... I'm thinking. Well I think a lot but thats not the point, the point is.. that I think that this is where this ends, because he's saved her, so.. its sequel time guys. And I know exactly what I'm doing with it. So tell me what you thought of this - because the more reviews I get, the more I write - its a proven fact guys.

I love you all for your wonderful responses, so I can't wait to see what you think of the sequel.

xx Usa