All I've got

By Elara

Standard Disclaimer applies.

Bitter Truth

Makoto stepped out of the shower. She dried her hair with one towel and wrapped another around her lithe body. She walked out of the bathroom and froze. She had totally forgotten about the man on her bed. Last night she and him had talked so long, and it got so late that she just asked if he wanted to stay the night. He had agreed, and sometime after 2 A.M. they fell asleep on her bed…together. They had both had trying days, and he had walked over to her apartment to escape from his crazy wife.

He mumbled in his sleep. She could just make out, "Mako, you're so beautiful. I've always wanted to be near you. We're the same, don't leave me like she did, please."

Makoto gasped. She stood there and rubbed her ears, trying to wrap her mind around what she had just heard. Did he really just say that? Does he really feel that way about me? No, no, don't act the fool; he's just saying that because I'm helping him. No one else is helping him. He'll be fine. He's just a friend…yeah a friend…It's true…uggg then why does it feel like you're lying when you say that? Do I like Mamoru? No, that is definitely not it. Makoto watched the sleeping man and smiled softly. He's so handsome when he sleeps. ACK! I do like him! OH GOD! First the wind starts telling me that I have to save the future then I find that I like the future King! I'm cracking up! I've completely lost it. What could possibly be next!

The phone took that moment to ring. Makoto hurried over to answer before Mamoru woke up.

"Moshi, Moshi, Kino Makoto speaking."

"Mako-chan, do you know where Mamoru is? He left Usagi's yesterday and hasn't been back since. Usagi said he was walking."

Makoto frowned into the receiver. She turned toward the bed and gazed at the beautiful man asleep on her bed. Should I tell her? She'll tell Usa if I give him away…then she'll come over and they'll start fighting again…

"Umm… What else did she say? Did she tell you why he left Minako? Maybe what direction he headed in?" Makoto said into the phone, avoiding the original question.

"Mako-chan you sound…. weird. Are you okay?" Minako observed from the other end.

"Of course I'm okay… why wouldn't I be okay," and she chuckled nervously into the phone. Mamoru stirred on the bed but didn't wake up.

"Mako-chan…" Minako said slowly.

"Hehe, I… had an interesting day yesterday." She breathed.

Mamoru groaned softly reaching a hand out to look for another body. He opened his eyes as his hand hit air. Slowly he turned towards her, and he smiled. It was a warm smile filled with relief and something else. Makoto's stomach had apparently joined the gymnastic club, because it was suddenly doing back flips. His eyes took in the sight of her, and his smile grew wider. She was still only in a towel.

"Mako-chan, what happened? Was…was that storm something you did? It was here so suddenly, the weather man said it was almost unnatural," Minako questioned.

"No, that wasn't my doing. It was…" Makoto sat down on the bed next to Mamoru. He moved so that he was close enough to touch, but wasn't actually touching her. "It came to give me a message. It said that the Crystal Palace was crumbling. It said that I had to save the future."

"Save the future? What does that mean? Do you think there's a new enemy?" Minako asked obviously confused.

"No I don't think there's a new enemy." She replied.

"If it isn't a new enemy then how are we supposed to save the future?" Minako was even more confused.

"I don't think it's a 'We' thing. I think it's a 'me' thing. The wind told me that Mamoru was part of the instability. It said that I had to show him the path to peace. I think the problem has something to do with Usagi and Mamoru. I think I'm supposed to be like a marriage counselor or something. They are fighting all the time now. I left yesterday morning because they couldn't stop fighting long enough to learn how to cook a simple meal," Makoto explained. Mamoru mouthed a soft 'I'm sorry' and she smiled.

"I know. I can see how that might cause the future to tremble. Do you really think it applies just to you? Do you think it's wise to trust the wind? Haruka can sense emotions and danger on the wind, but she seems to think the wind is useless for anything beyond that. She says she's never hear the wind speak before." Minako responded.

"I thought about it a lot last night. I don't know if it just applies to me, I'd be more than grateful for some help, but I get the feeling that I might be the only one who can stop whatever this is. As for trusting the wind, I thought about that too. Some one once told me that air or wind in this case is a form of energy. In science we learned that energy couldn't be created or destroyed. I know we can create wind, but the air was already moving. The air is always there. So if the air is always there that would mean that the air is timeless and is there in the past, here in the present, and will be there in the future. It only makes sense that the wind can tell me about the future, it's much the same as Haruka when she feels danger through the wind. I don't know why I can understand the language, but I believe in what I heard. The wind sounded so scared, it was in so much pain, Minako. I'm going to trust the wind, besides, it makes sense," Makoto paused. She and Mamoru had spent hours discussing this disturbing new ability of hers. It exhausted her last night and it was exhausting her now. She unthinkingly leaned back against Mamoru. She sighed, " Usagi and Mamoru can't rule Crystal Tokyo in the future if they can't get their act together now. If they can't agree on what is or is not appropriate in public, they won't be able to agree on how to govern a people, let alone an entire planet!" Mamoru's arms snaked around her waist. He squeezed her for comfort, and rested is arms on her lap.

"I'll trust your judgment on this, Mako-chan. you've never been wrong when you've felt this strongly… You never did answer my first question though. Do you know where Mamoru is?"

Makoto turned to Mamoru and mouthed, 'Do I tell her you're here or not?' He sighed and nodded.

"He's here. He spent the night on the couch. I found him in the park after it had started raining and made him come over and dry off. I told him he needed to cool off before he went home and gave him permission to stay here. He's still asleep." Mamoru smiled at her.

"Mako… Maybe you should wake him up. Usagi looks like she is heading over." Minako whispered into the phone.

"Will do…Do you think you can come over too… With the two of us maybe it won't get out of control."

"Yeah, we'll be there in a few." And she hung up.

Makoto replaced the receiver and looked at Mamoru, "Wake up, she'll be here in a few minutes."

Mamoru sighed. He tightened his arms around her once more. Makoto felt his breath on her neck and shivered. He looked at her just a bit startled. He gently pulled her onto his lap and she leaned completely back against him. She wished desperately to be able to stay like that, but she knew she couldn't and moved out of the embrace. She stood keeping a firm grip on the towel.

"I've got to get dressed and you've got to get a blanket and some pillows out of the hall closet and make it look like you slept on the couch."

He moved off the bed and made his way out the door, closing it behind him. She walked to her closet picking out an outfit to wear. She chose a pair of black pants that had a wide waistband and three decorative buttons on the left hip. After only a moment of searching she also brought out a green sleeveless t-shirt that had the words 'Tell you boyfriend to stop staring at me' written across the front. She had just finished brushing her hair when the heard a frantic knocking on the apartment door.

She left the bedroom and walked to the door, taking note that Mamoru was sitting on the couch looking every bit like he had just woke up. She opened the door.

Without a word Usagi pushed past her and immediately started yelling at the man on the couch. Minako followed quickly trying to calm the other blonde. Makoto was stunned when all of their friends pushed their way past her in order to console their blonde princess.

"Guys…Guys…Guys..." Makoto was trying toget everyone's attention, but to no avail. Everybody was focused on the married couple. "SHUT UP!" She screamed, making her throat sore.

They all got quiet. They turned to the angry brunette only to get an earful. "Who said you could come into MY house and accost MY guest? Usagi what the HELL do you think you're doing? You are destroying the future! How do you expect to rule in peace when YOU ARE NOT, I repeat, NOT in peace yourself!?! I asked if Mina could come over not the entire FREAKING COURT! I didn't invite you so GET OUT!" A strong wind was beating at the window. The shutters came open.

"You need to set it right child. Do not make it harder to rectify." The wind screamed.

Haruka took in the anger of the wind. She had never in her entire life felt anger this strong coming from the wind. But beneath the anger was fear, terrible, trembling, cold, fear. When she looked at Makoto she almost fell over from shock. The girl was angry, that was plain as day to see, but when you're angry you don't have the color drain from your face. Haruka had an idea, and she didn't like it, not one bit.

"You made it angry, Ko, and you understand it too, don't you?" She asked the thunder senshi.

Makoto could only nod.

Rei was fuming, "KINO MAKOTO, YOU DO NOT YELL AT OUR PRINCESS! What kind of protector do you take yourself for? A heathen? A miscreant that can only yell at her superiors! You ungrateful piece of Jovian TRASH!"

"Leave," was Makoto's cold reply.

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME TO LEAVE! YOU WILL LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING!" Rei bellowed.

"No. Rei, you all go… Makoto and I have to have a chat…privately. All of you go ahead and go, I'll be fine," Usagi said, her voice controlled. The sound could have made ice shiver.

"But, Princess…" Rei sputtered.

"No, Rei, I said leave," Usagi, replied a bit more warmly.

Rei glared at Makoto then turned to Usagi and bowed. She stormed past the pale girl in the hall and out the door. The others followed a tiny bit slower.

When Mamoru stood up to go Makoto looked him directly in the eyes, begging him to stay. He glanced at the blonde then sat back down. He looked Makoto square in the eyes and the look made butterflies explode in her belly.

"Mamoru…" the warning was deadly.

"He stays, Usagi. If you are going to punish me then it needs to be a joint deal. I don't just protect you, I protect him as well."

"If you think you can muscle your way around me Makoto, you've got another think coming. You have no place to tell me what to do and what not to do. I'm your princess you serve me! I rule you; YOU do not rule me! If I say Mamoru goes, he goes, is that understood, Jupiter?" Usagi ground out.

"No," Makoto said, pulling herself to her full height. She mentally prepared for the blonde's fury.

"No? Are you really sinking back into your old ways Jupiter? Trying to take control of everything? No? Do you really think this is going to help you? Mamoru's not going to protect you little girl. He's under oath to serve and protect me, and me only. He listens to me!" the venom dripped from her voice as she took a step closer to the taller woman. Usagi looked deep into her eyes and spoke to her husband, "Mamoru leave NOW!"

Again Mamoru stood. "I am sworn to protect and serve the woman I love, Usagi, and that woman is no longer you!"

Usagi turned ever so slowly to face the black haired occupant of the room. "Do you mean to tell me that you love this disgrace to the senshi?" She was laughing, and it wasn't a joyful sound.

Mamoru faltered. "I…I'm…not sure if I love Makoto, but I know that she treats me like a person with worth, not an object that can be kicked around and yelled at. She's everything you lost over the last decade and so very much more! She understands me where you never really did. We have more in common then you and I ever have. We have a friendship that had never been altered by demons or past lives. We are connected in a way that I have only dreamed about. I've always wanted someone to understand me, and I wanted it from you, Usagi. She's never hurt me, and you, you've hurt me more than I ever…EVER thought possible. I need her, Usa, like I wanted to need you. I'm not sure if I love her yet, but I know I'm looking over the edge and I'm about to jump off. I'm not going to fall for her, I'm going to freaking, jump!" Mamoru thundered. He sounded so sure of himself at the end that Usagi actually moved away from him.

"Mamoru…" Usagi was shaken to say the least.

"Mamo, no, you and Usagi have to work things out! Don't do this. The future is counting on you. You have a daughter, a life, and a planet to protect. You don't need me. Don't let the future collapse." Makoto pleaded with him.

"Mako, right now I don't give a rats ass about the future. I'm concerned only about pulling myself out from under her shadow. I want to be happy again, and I don't see myself happy with her," was Mamoru's response.

"The people Mamoru, what about the people? Usagi can't do it without you, especially if she punishes me the way the Silver Law says," Makoto tried to coax him into reconsidering.

Usagi was floored. How could Makoto know she was going to do that? Usagi may have been friends with her warrior but she never felt the lightning-wielding woman knew her. Maybe her new ability to read the wind allowed her to read minds as well? But if she knew what Usagi was going to do then why was she still trying to keep Mamoru and her together? One minute she was defying everything she stood for and the next she was trying to save their marriage. She shook her head trying to clear it. She made up her mind and nodded.

Mamoru took her nod to mean that she was in fact planning to punish the Senshi of Jupiter according to the Silver Law. "Usagi will do NO such thing! The law clearly states that 'any persons in disagreement with the Sovereign family shall be stripped of their status, provided BOTH members of the royal family consents to the punishment, if one member is incapable of decision-making the decision is THEN passed to the JOVIAN ambassador and must be seconded by an ambassador from Mercury, Venus, or Mars.' I do not consent to stripping you of any power, status, or position. I am completely capable of making a decision, and I say NO!" Mamoru exploded.

"I have no intension of removing power from Makoto," Usagi informed. She mentally gapped in shock. She wasn't supposed to say that! She was going to make this woman wish she had never stuck her nose into her business. She looked at Mamoru ready to start another fight, but what came out of her mouth confused her and made her curse her disobedient tongue. "I'll meet you at the lawyers office at 9:00 Monday morning. We'll get a divorce."

Mamoru nodded his agreement.

Makoto was lost. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. How was she supposed to save the future when they made up their minds so strongly? She had lost.

The wind picked up again and people on the street began to scream. The three in the room ran to Makoto's balcony. They looked around and saw a huge tornado headed their way. Makoto heard Usagi and Mamoru both gasp.

Makoto gathered her energy around her and threw it toward the oncoming funnel of wind. She pulsed with the power as she wrapped it around the cyclone of air. She struggled with it, pushing the air the opposite direction. To passersby the tornado stopped in its tracks. The wind howled.

"The future must be saved! Why are you doing nothing to stop the catastrophe from happening, Daughter? Does the future mean nothing to you?"

Makoto felt rage as she forced the tornado to do her bidding, she focused her anger on it, and yelled, "If you call me Daughter then you must know me. If you think I care nothing for the future then you know NOTHING! I cannot sway minds so strongly made up! I cannot make them stay together! I have tried to do what you ask but my heart is sadly betraying me. Crystal Tokyo will function with one ruler whilst I function with a whole heart!" Tears streamed down her face as she screamed at the circling wind. "You will be banished now! You will harm no innocent lives with your wrath. Leave!"

Usagi and Mamoru stared at the enraged woman before them. She was fighting hard to stop the funnel; she was fighting her heart. Usagi looked a Mamoru. He was caught between two women; one, herself, who didn't need him anymore and one, Makoto, who had told herself for decades that she didn't need anyone. Usagi saw a connection between the two people before her. She felt she should still be full of righteous fury, but she didn't feel that way at all. What she did feel was joy and just a little sadness. She looked at these two and saw what she should have seen years ago, Mamoru and Makoto. They were not Endyimon and Jupiter any more, yet they were. She had been a fool.

Makoto slumped against the rail when the battle was won. Her eyes were blurry and she seemed to be breathing erratically. Mamoru looked at Usagi, as if looking for permission. With her nod he picked up the brunette and headed back into the apartment. Her head rested on his shoulder, and only once looked up to see his eyes. During the few steps back into the room, the room had been filled with the waiting faces of the former Court of the Moon.

"She lost control and nearly killed all those people!" Rei shouted. "Serenity-hime, you must punish her!"

"She punished herself, Rei. Calm down, all of you, calm down. She did not create that tornado," Usagi said.

Mamoru sat down in a nearby chair, placing Makoto gently onto his lap. "Usa, we may be getting divorced but she was right. You'll need help and Chibiusa needs a father." Usagi opened her mouth to interrupt but Mamoru continued, "I know you are strong, and have no intention of Chibiusa growing up without me, but you'll need some help. I've ruled Earth before, and I will help you rule it again as King."

Makoto moaned and Mamoru's arms tightened around her. Usagi saw this and smiled. " I accept your offer Endyimon, under one condition."

Everyone was still and leaned in while Mamoru voiced their question. "And that condition would be?"

"Treat her like a goddess."

Rei saw red. "My Queen! You cannot mean that those two pieces of galactic trash are going to be together!"

To the surprise of all, it was Minako who answered. "Serenity and Endyimon were destined to love, create, and fall apart. They were destined to bring peace to the world and to create peace between themselves. Serenity will find her true mate eventually, but Endyimon has already found the one who makes his soul whole. This is not something to be taken lightly. To this day only four of us have found our soul mates, and it will be many, many years until the rest of us find ours."

Mamoru smiled down at the now peacefully sleeping Makoto. My soul mate.