AN: Thank you all for the reviews, emails, follows and favorites. I'm thrilled you all are enjoying this! Needless to say it won't take me long to get this story finished and out, I am just in love with writing it!

Enjoy!

When September Ends
By: Bethany

Chapter 2

Mamoru held his breath. This was impossible on more levels than he really cared to list. Careful to stay silent, he dropped in the open window and approached the bed. Her chest moved as even breaths came and went. Her hand that was curled on the sheet tightened its hold and her forehead wrinkled. Without thinking Mamoru sent his new found relief through their bond. Her face evened out in response.

A million thoughts scrambled through his mind. There was no way it had been a dream. He knew dreams, probably better than most. The pain; the Earth shattering, soul ripping horrendous pain could not have been felt in a dream. Twelve hours ago his Usako had been dead in his arms.

His arms physically ached to reach out and pull her to him. He wanted to hold her, cry her name, beg her forgiveness, kiss her lips. The image of her dead came unbidden to his mind's eye; his fists clinched and he backed away. Maybe because he had been so close to forgetting the dream and being with her anyway, this new dream (vision?) had come to tell him how it would feel when she was gone. He couldn't risk it. Couldn't risk her. He loved her too much to not take every precaution there was.

He slipped back to the window, leapt down and ran. Things didn't make sense; but regardless Mamoru wouldn't put her in undo danger. He would rather be alone and miserable, and her alive, than to take the risk of anything harming her. The world needed her.

Mamoru needed her. The world possibly needed her more. He doubted it.

Finally unable to make any more sense than he had all along, Mamoru dressed and went to school. He barely got inside the door to the class room when the clock chimed the hour. He slid into a desk, pulled out his recorder and note pad and started taking notes.

It was lunch time by the time Mamoru caught up with Motoki. The blonde man was leaned against the wall near Reika's desk, talking animatedly about a concert he had been to a few nights before. Mamoru waved and headed over after putting his papers in his bag. "Hey Mamoru-kun!"

Mamoru adjusted his bag on his shoulder. "Hi Motoki, Reika." He started to ask about the robbery, but Mamoru was still working with the theory that the whole thing had been a very intense dream. Shaking his head a little he tried another approach. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. I was having a really bad day."

Motoki gave the most peculiar look, his eye brows scrunched up. "I don't think I saw you yesterday?"

Dumbfounded, but also slightly relieved, Mamoru shrugged. "Must have dreamt it. Never mind."

Still eyeing Mamoru, Motoki went back into the description of the concert. Mamoru politely listened for a few minutes. "Anyway, we were going to get something to eat at the new café on campus, do you want to join us?" Reika announced, standing up with her bag.

"Sure," Mamoru replied. He had forgotten his lunch this morning after the weird dream/vision. He still pondered all of the events he could still see in his mind's eye as he followed his friends. They arrived at the café and were looking over the menu when Mamoru realized he didn't have his bank card.

"Eh, looks like I don't have my bank card. Motoki-kun, do you mind to lend me the money and I will bring it back to you this afternoon?"

"Sure, sure," Motoki replied easily. They ordered food and Mamoru tried not to let the feeling of déjà vu make him too paranoid.

Usagi watched the big hand finally move to the twelve, signaling the bell and the end of the school day. All day Usagi had fought to stay awake. Her dreams last night had been full of nightmares of her trying, and failing, to get Mamoru back. Her heart pounded and her head ached. She just wanted school to be over and now that the bell was finally ringing, she quickly jumped from her seat and made her way to Ami.

"Rei and Minako are meeting us at the arcade in fifteen minutes, we should hurry," Usagi told the blue haired girl. Ami continued to finish her notes in neat hand writing, smiling a little. "Ami-chan, come on! I want a milk shake!"

Laughing to herself, Ami finally conceded and put her notes away in her bag. She followed the blonde out the doors and together they walked to the arcade. "See? We are early," Ami pointed out as they made their way to their favorite booth.

Usagi looked at the clock in mock horror. "Oh no! Rei will flip out!"

No sooner was the words out of her mouth than Rei and Minako came through the automatic doors, a tall brown haired man behind them. Usagi glanced at him quickly, noting his arms were decorated with so many tattoos that she couldn't see the skin color beneath. Her eyes strayed back to Rei and Minako. "Over here!" she called.

"You are already here?" Rei exclaimed. Usagi rolled her eyes. Ami and Minako giggled. "Where's Mako-chan?'

Ami's lips pulled down. "She had to make up an English test after school. She should be here later, though."

"I'm going to order a milk shake!" Usagi proclaimed, standing up. "Anyone else want one?"

"Sure!" the girl's voices rang out.

Usagi slid out of the booth, bouncing up to the counter where Motoki was standing. He was talking to the man who had come in behind Rei and Minako. His eyes looked worried and a little frightened. Usagi felt her heart beat pick up. Motoki glanced at Usagi in silent panic. The man in front of her turned around, a gun held in his hand. Usagi's heart jumped in her throat. The man reached back, wrapped his arm around her throat and pulled her towards him. She felt the cold end of the gun barrel against her temple.

Motoki's eyes flew wide. The man backed up some. He waved the gun around in the air for a moment before putting it back on Usagi's temple. "Everyone stay where you are!" he called. Panic and fear gripped Usagi; her eyes darted over to her friend's horrified faces and then squeezed shut. "Give me the money boy, or I will blow her head off!"

Usagi could hear Motoki open the drawer, the rustle of a bag, the man's heart beating so fast it was like it was flying. She tried to swallow but his arm was so tight on her throat she couldn't do it. Panic and fear was building up inside her, she couldn't stop tears from springing to her eyes. Mamo-chan!

Outside the arcade Mamoru came to a dead stop, fear and panic gripping him like an iron fist. Without thinking he pushed inside the arcade, his mind already telling him what his heart prayed wasn't reality. In the back of the arcade, in front of the counter to the Fruit Parlor, was the same man holding Usagi in a strangle hold. Mamoru blinked and actually pinched himself. This was real. It had to be real. It was happening. Again.

Shaking him self a little he moved forward, a little clumsier than normal. He couldn't believe yesterday had been a dream, there was no way. He had to change the out come. He couldn't live through Usagi dying again. His mind raced around the scenario that had played out twenty four hours ago. He had to get the gun and then she would be safe.

Motoki was putting all the money from the register into the bag as quickly as he could with shaking hands. Mamoru caught Rei's stare. Ignoring her, he crept around the Sailor V game. So far the man hadn't noticed him. But Motoki had. The relief flashed in his friend's eye where the would-be robber saw it. Immediately the man turned before Mamoru could grab his arm and aimed the gun at him.

Usagi's eyes shot open and she gasped. Mamoru slid his gaze from her panicked features to the man's. "No one has to get hurt here," Mamoru said in a slightly pleading tone that he struggled to remain calm. "You'll get the money, just let the girl go."

The gun waved in the air frantically. "Don't be patronizing to me. I let her go and I lose my leverage. Shut up and move around here so I can keep an eye on you."

Mamoru did was he was told slowly, turning so his eyes never left Usagi. Tears were dripping off her face and onto the arm that held her throat. Mamoru could see her panic, feel her fear through their bond; it made his own heart ache for her. He tried to reassure her but it was impossible as panicked as he felt. All he could see was her falling, the blood, her cold body… shaking himself he reached forward. "Please just let her go. Aim at me, shoot me, I don't care. Just let her go."

The man laughed manically, tightening his hold so that Usagi's face turned red. He pressed the barrel of the gun to her temple and she slammed her eyes closed, whimpering. "Hurry UP!" he roared to Motoki.

Mamoru made to lunge forward and the gun whipped around, the safety clicking off at the same time. Usagi's eyes flew open and she struggled to get free. Mamoru heard the 'pop' of the gun, heard glass behind him shatter as the bullet embedded itself in a mirror. The man slammed Usagi down, her head striking the corner of the Sailor V game. Her eyes rolled back in her head. Mamoru grabbed the gun from the man's hand, cold cocking him with it in the side of the head.

The man slid to the floor and Mamoru stepped on him on his way to Usagi. He felt more than heard the three inner Senshi rushing forward. He fell to Usagi's side, carefully checking her for injuries. There was blood coming out of her ear. Mamoru had no more called upon his healing powers than Usagi started convulsing. "Usako," he whispered. The glow from his body increased just as her convulsions stopped. "What? Usako! Usako!"

"Excuse me sir," a man was sitting on the other side of Usagi. A paramedic. Mamoru wanted to shove him aside, try to heal her himself. This was no time for conventional medicine. Another man slid to Usagi's other side, sliding a neck brace under her. Her chest rose feebly under the sheet. Mamoru could feel a shattering pain engulfing his body.

"She's coding!" the one man yelled.

Mamoru's hands clutched his head, shaking back and forth with the knowledge that it hadn't worked. He had known, whether through a vision or dream, that this would happen. And even with the knowledge he hadn't saved her again. He had lost her. Lost everything. Again.

"Usagi!" Minako's sobbing penetrated Mamoru's mind. He turned, looked at her then at Rei. She stared back. A knowing look. A doomed sadness echoed from her violet eyes. The paramedic called the time of death and Mamoru ran from the arcade.

Mamoru found himself at the park. On a secluded bench he put his head in his hands, pulled on his hair, fought the need to scream at everything. The pain raging in his system at the loss of Usagi made him want to fall to the ground and cry and scream out in agony at the same time. His body wanted to reject the pain, wanted a way out at all costs. Images of running his motorcycle off a cliff sprung to mind. Mamoru pushed it away. She would kill him if he did that.

He shook his head. She wouldn't be doing anything. She was gone. It didn't matter what he had done, how much he had tried to keep her safe. It was not enough. Never enough. A sob clutched his chest. Willing himself to keep it together until he got home, Mamoru stood and started toward his apartment.

On auto pilot Mamoru showered in the hottest water he could stand. It turned his skin a brilliant red, the water drops stinging as they hit his body. He couldn't find it in himself to care. His soul felt cold, detached, dead without her. Getting out of the shower he dressed and fell across his bed where sobs racked his body until he fell asleep.

"It's six am on this beautiful last day of September. If you have plans today should be a good day to be outdoors. Tomorrow a cold front will be cutting across the area and p—"

Mamoru shot up to a sitting position on his bed and grabbed the alarm. With frantic fingers he turned it off and jumped out of bed. Without bothering to change out of his pajama pants and t-shirt, he changed into Tuxedo Kamen and fled from his apartment.

He kept his mind clear by focusing on the task at hand; jump here, run across this roof, jump again. Run, faster and faster, until he found himself standing on the ground outside the open window to Usagi's room. His breathing was hard, his heart racing from excursion and fear. What if she wasn't there? But no, the pain was gone again…

Tuxedo Kamen leapt to the tree and over to the window sill. Lying on her side, sleeping in a curled up fetal position, was Usagi. Mamoru stepped inside the room, his heart in his throat and tears in his eyes. Her chest rose with each breath, her hand gripped the blanket.

He couldn't help himself. It was nothing short of physical pain to be apart from her. But now, now it was sheer need. He had to touch her. He had to reassure himself that she was alive. The Prince of Earth knelt beside the bed and reached one shaking hand out and moved golden bangs across her forehead. Her skin was warm, her brow that had been scrunched up slightly smoothed out at his touch. She sighed. Mamoru felt a sob in his chest.

How was this possible? A dream? A vision? No, this was a repeat of the same day. It had to be. Mamoru wanted to know how this happened, but found at this exact moment he didn't care. It didn't matter how many times he found himself broken as long as she was still here. Still alive. His hand stilled on her cheek. Any moment now her alarm would go off, she would wake up. He wanted so badly to look into her eyes, feel her love wash over him. He didn't deserve her, didn't deserve her love, but somehow he had it. He never wanted to live without her.

He could do this, this time. He could save her. He had to; surely that was why this day kept repeating. So he could get it right; could save her. Determinedly he left her room before she could wake and catch him there.

End Chapter 2.

Sooo, obviously I'm working with a whole "Ground Hog Day" scenario, but also meets X-Files. The questions are will Mamoru actually be able to save her? Or will he finally figure out why he hasn't been able to yet? Buwhahaha... hehe, anyway, I'm off to work on the last chapter :)

Reviews and cheese cubes!
God Bless,
Beth
08.21.15