12

Usagi stood staring towards the bedroom where her future husband lay. It was hard for her to comprehend the fact that he could possibly kill her.

"Usagi-chan? Are you okay?" she asked bring Usagi back from her thoughts.

"Yeah. I'm fine," she said with a distant tone.

"All right, I'll look into Hideo and see what's going on," Rei said.

"Are you sure?" she asked not really believing her friend one the other end of the phone. Right now she wanted to know what was going through her head. It was apparent that she had struck a nerve and scared her, which she knew was going to happen, but didn't want her to do anything yet.

"I'm sure," she doubtfully answered as she hung up the phone.

Rei heard the phone and hung up. She decided to call Ami to see what they should do. She tried, but got no answer.

"Well, I guess there might not be anything that can be done right now," Rei said. In defeat, she went back into her room and stared back at the picture. For some reason, that picture had been catching her eye lately. It had crossed her mind that it might have something to do with what was going on, but how?

Usagi stood in the darkened hallway. All she could do was stare at the door. What was he planning on doing to her? Then again, she knew that it would have something to do with Queen Beryl. "Mamo-chan," she whispered as she twirled the ring that she wore around her finger.

Without a second thought, Usagi got into bed with him. Even after hearing what she had, it was impossible for her to stop loving him. It was also hard for her to believe that it was actually Mamoru himself who was trying to hurt her.

Mamoru stirred and then opened his eyes. "Usako?" asked.

Usagi looked down to him with doubtfulness. "Mamo-chan?" she asked getting his attention. "Would you ever hurt me?"

Mamoru looked to her with utter confusion. "Why? Did I give you the wrong idea or something?" he asked.

"No. I just, I need to know," she said with tears forming in her eyes. She awaited his answer as she tried to figure out whether the tears were out of frustration or betrayal.

Mamoru firmly grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I need you to listen to me. No. I would never hurt you. I'd rather get hurt doing something for you than even think about hurting you," he explained with a deep tone of guilt in his voice. He was thinking back to when he had hurt her. He never wanted to go back there again.

Usagi nodded her head. Without a single word between the two, she collapsed into his chest and cried. This time it was out of fear of losing him. Losing the man that was there for her, the only true man to understand her, and lastly, but certainly not least, the only man who has shown true love to her. Who has shown her what love is all about. What love can do and how it can save people.

"Is there something that I missed?" he asked as he gently rubbed her back.

"I don't know," she said.

Mamoru took kept her in her arms and laid down. He pulled the covers over her and then kissed her on the forehead. "If you figure it out, tell me," he said.

Usagi replied with a small smile. She didn't know if she could. It was too much for her to even think about, let alone explain to some one else.

The next morning, Usagi awakened to the sun shining in through the window. She slowly opened her eyes and realized that Mamoru wasn't with her anymore. "Mamo-chan?" asked. She then turned and saw him with his back turned to her. He was just sitting and staring. Looking to him with confusion, she quickly got out of bed and went over to his side. "What's wrong?" she asked getting worried.

Mamoru looked over at her without any expression. He had obviously been worried or angered by something. She felt bad about it, but the only thought in the back of her head was of him kneeling over her with a sword. He sighed as he looked down. His black, uncombed hair hanging in his face. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he looked up at her. There was a look of seriousness and concern that made her nervous. It was difficult to not think that something was wrong. "I love you Usagi. I just want you to understand that. Anything that I do is for you, even if you don't understand it at the time," he explained. Usagi nodded to let him know that him understood what him know that she understood him.

The phone began to ring. "Here, I'll be right back," she said as she got up.

"Hello?" she asked.

Mamoru sat there in the room. He could hear her talking, although he had no idea what about. All that he knew was that he felt guilty. That was something that he could not tell her and was now beginning to think that she had already known.

"Mamo-chan?" he turned and saw her standing in the doorway. "Hideo had nothing to do with Queen Beryl. Rei and Ami went over to my house and snuck in earlier," she explained.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Usagi just shrugged as she went and sat down on the bed. She just wished she knew what he was sorry about.

Hey, I know this seems to keep dragging on, but the next chapter will be her eighteenth birthday. Then it should pick up a little. I do hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and as always please tell me what you thought about it.