AN: See my notes at the end for maudlin ramblings. Otherwise, enjoy the ride, and thank you so much for coming along with me.
oOo
"What brings you here, today, Miss…" the nurse trailed off and looked down at her chart, "Tsukino?"
Usagi had to force herself not to channel her inner Rei.
She was in the ER with a giant, makeshift bandage on her head. Why did this woman think she was there? To sample the food?
Okay, maybe, she'd thought about stopping by the cafeteria on her way out, but that was neither here nor there.
"Some shelves fell on her head at my shop and she has a gash," Makoto answered for her, and Usagi shot her a thankful smile through the pounding in her head.
The nurse peeled back the towel Usagi was holding, appearing to scrutinize her wound for a few moments, before she grabbed supplies to clean it with.
Usagi winced and sucked in a pained breath at the sting of the alcohol. She squeezed Makoto's hand to the point where the brunette's expression almost mirrored her own pained one.
"It looks like it'll need stitches, but I'm going to have the on-call neurologist come take a look at you just to make sure you aren't concussed." She scribbled something on the chart, and then began to walk towards the door, turning back as she pushed down the handle. "Dr. Chiba is finishing up with another patient, but will be with you shortly."
Usagi's eyes widened at the name. "I-I'm sorry. Did…did you say, Dr. C-chiba?"
The nurse smiled with a nod. "Yes, he's lovely. I'm sure you'll like him. Just sit tight."
Had the air suddenly disappeared from the room? Why was her vision tunneling? It had to be her mind playing tricks on her.
Regardless of whether this was real or some strange concussion fueled nightmare, Usagi knew she needed to get out.
She scrambled to her feet, nearly collapsing to the floor with unsteadiness, forgetting her injured state in her haste to leave. Makoto caught her by the arm and helped to right her, and then forced her back down on the sterile bed.
"Where are you going?" she asked in surprise, still holding Usagi down and not even breaking a sweat at the pitiful fight she was giving.
"Didn't you hear what she said?! He's coming. We have to go, Mako, quick, hand me my bag."
Makoto's grip loosened just the tiniest bit, and Usagi took advantage, almost making it to the door before she was pulled back. "Oh, no you don't," Makoto ground out, dragging her back. "You need to be seen, Usagi-chan. You need stitches, and you might have a concussion."
She placed Usagi back on the bed for a second time before she moved back to the door, completely blocking the exit. "We're not going anywhere."
"Please, Mako. We can leave now and go to another hospital," she tried to bargain but her friend didn't seem swayed. "Osaka City General isn't that far. And there are no neurologists there named Chiba. It's a perfect alternative, I-"
A knock on the door stopped her cold.
She nearly passed out again when he walked into the room. He'd always been unfairly good looking, but him in a doctor's coat, with a skinny black tie and his stupid name badge hanging from the pocket? Honestly, what the actual fuck, the world was so unfair.
Makoto looked between the two of them, a knowing smile on her face as she watched Usagi's reaction. "I'm just going to…get some coffee."
"Traitor," Usagi hissed at her as she walked around Dr. Chiba and out into the hallway, but not before throwing a completely unsolicited and unwelcome thumbs up.
He didn't acknowledge her, simply put on his reading glasses and examined her chart. She felt so small, so ridiculously silly sitting there in her blood-stained, Hello Kitty print dress. It had seemed like such an adorable thing to put on that morning. But now, she held all the confidence of a five year old who couldn't quite tie their shoes.
When he finally looked at her, she couldn't read him, not that she'd ever been particularly good at that. He was always a mystery.
"Are you embarrassed that I'm here?" she blurted out, unable to stand the lingering silence.
He frowned and stepped closer. "No. May I?" he asked, gesturing towards her head.
She nodded and tried not to let the butterflies in her stomach take over as his nimble fingers touched her face and forehead.
"It'll definitely need a couple of stitches, but the bleeding has mostly stopped, so nothing too serious there," he said and then lifted his hand in front of her eyes. "Follow my finger."
She did, and was annoyed at how perfect that finger was.
"Can you tell me how this happened, exactly?"
Usagi rolled her eyes. "You just want to know so you can make fun of me."
He looked unimpressed. "No, I'm actually making sure you're able to think and recall things that have happened to you."
She had the wherewithal to blush. "I was helping Mako-chan, and some flour shelves fell on me."
"Sounds like something you'd manage," he said while he wrote something on her chart. "I would ask if you could stand on one leg with your eyes closed, but I don't think that would be something you could do on a normal day." He smirked and winked.
He smirked and winked.
That was it. That was her limit.
"You're a real jerk, you know that?" She reached out and slapped his arm while his whole body shook with amusement. "And you could have told me you were working the ER today, Mamo-chan."
He laughed outright, and she glared back. "I did. Multiple times."
"Was I half asleep? Because you know full well nothing sticks if I haven't had any caffeine, yet."
"And that's my problem?"
"Yes."
His face suddenly turned serious. "Were you planning on telling me about this?"
She shrugged her shoulders and scrunched her nose. "I mean, I figured you'd find out eventually."
He shook his head, and reached up to stroke her cheek. "Are you alright? His voice was soft, and she instinctively leaned into his touch, closing her eyes in relief.
"Yes, I'm fine. My pride is hurt worse than anything."
Mamoru smiled, a private little quirk of his lips he only ever sent her way. And suddenly her predicament didn't seem all that bad anymore. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Accidents happen."
About that.
"Well, it wasn't really an accident? She had some of those sugar cookies I love so much hidden in the store room. You know the ones?"
He nodded, raising one eyebrow high, running his fingers through a long streamer of her hair. "I do."
"And I was trying to reach them and lost my footing and fell backwards and…" she shrugged her shoulders. "Mako-chan really should have reinforced those shelves better."
"Or just not hidden the cookies from you in the first place."
She knew he was mocking her, but he wasn't wrong. None of her so-called friends should have been in the business of hiding sweets from her.
He leaned down and kissed the uninjured side of her forehead. "Let me go get Sato-san to stitch that up for you, and you'll be good as new."
"So, I'm going to live?" she asked and thread her fingers with his.
"I'm afraid so," he replied, eyes bright. "I'll see you at home? Assuming you can keep from colliding with any other furniture between now and then."
She narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue, enjoying the mirth in his eyes before she nodded and he squeezed her hand, reluctantly letting go to walk towards the door.
"Hey, Mamo-chan?"
He stopped and turned back to her. "Hmm?"
The grin that broke out on her face could only convey a small fraction of the happiness she found with him.
"I love you."
oOo
What a ride this has been. This story is my Heart Story. The one I love the most, the one I agonized over. We went through a two year breakup, and came back stronger. This fic was born on a train in Japan, a place where I have always felt more at home than I do in my own country, and I will never forget frantically messaging FloraOne about the hot guy two seats away from me, my sneaky photos of him and his weird math article, and the rest is history.
I'm forever indebted to FloraOne for her help and encouragement with every part of this. It wouldn't exist without you. And even when my Sailor Moon obsession waned, you were always right there waiting for when I was ready to come back. I love you. Thank you for betaing for me no matter the fandom, and I hope you've loved this story as much as I do.
Thank you to TinaCentury for her support and beta assistance with the last chapter and just your general uplifting nature. You are a light in this fandom, don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise!
And of course, thank you all, the readers, so, so much for your support with this story. I know I kept you waiting far too long, but your response was overwhelming, and I will honestly cherish it always.
Until next time, and remember your comments and reviews and kudos mean the world to this old, crotchety lady. 33