A/N: Another chapter is up at record speed! WOOT! Thank you to all who are reading this insanity, and even more to those who are kind enough to review and leave me messages on how to improve. I may put up a playlist for the songs I was inspired by for this entire fanfic at some point.

WARNING: DARK THEMES, VIOLENCE, ADULT LANGUAGE, BLOOD. If you are at this chapter and you get offended, you are the reason why this world is so jacked up.

With Love,
Korrupted.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON. *is sad-facing*

Ami had fallen asleep shortly after Rei had, both of the girls using their arms as pillows as Makoto dozed, the tall brunette suddenly shouting as she woke up, "STOP IT! PLEASE, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Her emerald eyes wide with unrestrained terror. In an instant, both Ami and Rei had leapt up out of their slumber and transformed. "Mars power, make-up!" "Mercury power, make-up!" Their were eyes roving the room to find the invisible aggressor, the shaking girl on the hospital bed trying to talk with a dry mouth, Sailor Mercury rushing to give her a glass of water. After a few sips, the trembling young woman managed to pant out, "It's o-okay... Just... A dream..." At that moment, Kunzite barreled into the room with the words of, "Fight a man, villain!" His sword in his grip and ready to fight.

All three of the guardians just blinked at each other for a moment, clearly embarrassed at the scene they had made, but a smile tugged at the corners of Makoto's mouth. The silent smile turned into a grin, small giggles seeping into the quiet air, and finally, a sound they had never been more excited to hear echoed in the hospital room; Makoto started laughing. She had only laughed for ten or so seconds before her ribs began to remind her of her injuries, coughing and groaning softly, a smile still in place. "I will... Return to my spot. Gomenasai." Kunzite spoke in a soft voice and bowed his way out, his face red with embarrassment. Rei and Ami reverted to their normal clothes, sitting beside the smiling girl with shy, red faces. "Ah... G-gomen, Mako-chan..." Rei finally uttered, Ami supplying, "We had though you were in trouble." The brunette couldn't remember what she had dreamed, only that it was terrifying and painful, trying to grasp at the fleeing cobwebs of her subconscious. "What happened to me?" She asked after a few minutes.

Rei stiffened visibly, but chose not to speak, Ami mulling over her choices painstakingly slowly. She could tell her the truth, hope that the information wouldn't shatter Makoto's currently fragile mind, try to explain what they knew from the bits she had heard from Usagi and Nephrite. Or, she could lie, hope that Makoto will forgive her when she remembered, try to protect her from the painful truth. "We are uncertain. You and Usagi were both injured, so it must have been a youma attack." The senshi of wisdom uttered, not daring to look Makoto in the eye, completely certain her sapphire hues would give the lie away. Rei also turned her amethyst orbs to the bed, picking absently at a loose string on the cotton material. She could feel the powerful gaze of those stern emerald eyes on her, making it difficult to breathe. "Rei-chan? Is... Is that true?" The raven haired miko steeled her courage, praying to all of the gods that Makoto wouldn't hold this against her when everything came to light later. "Hai. As Ami-chan said, it must have been a youma attack. Usagi is very lucky you had come to her rescue."

Makoto could almost taste the deliberate lie in their words, both of them masking it with half truths and down-cast eyes. She knew they were hiding the truth, but she also knew them; they had to have a very good reason for it. For now, she would accept this 'truth' of what happened, willing to wait until she knew the full truth to cast judgement, or forgiveness. "Okay." She turned her softening gaze out to the window, watching the leaves fall from the trees sadly. "I hate being here. I want to go home." Ami, ever logical, shot down her desires with her concern. "Iie. You just woke up not three hours ago. You can't leave! Your arm and leg are broken, and your ribs! Not to mention you still need time to heal properly or-" On and on she went, listing various infections and other possible medical complications that typically went along with the injuries she had sustained. "And you would need at least two nurses assist you with tasks until you were healed enough to move on your own!" "Okay, then you both can stay with me and help me recover." Both the warriors of flame and ice stared at her in open shock, their faces deep red. "NANI?!" Makoto looked at them sharply, then sighed. "We are senshi. We are not truly humans. I will not be bed-ridden as long as your books say I will. I will heal, I will be fine. I can't bathe by myself, and yes, I will need medical care. Ami-chan, you know medicine well, and Rei-chan, I know you can help her. And..." She paused, her voice dropping lower as she admitted her own partial truth. "And I'm scared. I want people I can trust. People who can help me, and if needed, protect me." Her green eyes looked slightly cold as they looked at purple hues, then blue. "And I will not ask about what happened again, but don't fuck with me. You are both horrible liars. I will trust your judgement for now."

Rei opened her mouth to protest, Ami holding up her hands to signify defeat instead. "I will talk to my mother. Perhaps she can say I will be utilizing this as a live-in nurse internship." The bluenette glanced at the miko before continuing, "She will likely be willing to say I will be assisted by another intern under her guidance. But Mako-chan, you will need to do as we say if she agrees. She will be risking her job." Before another word could be uttered, the studious warrior left to call her mother, leaving the other two alone.

Makoto turned to the suddenly quiet Rei, her expression puzzled. "Nani?" The senshi of fire questioned after she noticed her comrade's eyes on her, feeling a bit of heat rising in her cheeks. It felt so strange to the shrine maiden; that with just a glance Makoto could make her feel struck with a charge of electricity, igniting the flames that she governed into a wild blaze inside of her heart. "You just seem confused. Is everything alright?" "H-hai!" A quirked eyebrow had the miko sighing. "I'm just worried about you, Mako-chan. That's all." She felt Makoto shift, looking up in time to see her hide a grimace as she reached her right hand over to rest on Rei's arm gently. "Arigatou. But I will be fine." That's what she had been telling herself, she will be fine. Even as garbled voices echoed through her subconsciousness, she would be fine. She was the senshi of courage after all; she not only was brave, but inspired others to feel that same courage as well. "I want to get home soon." She admitted, missing her condo now more than ever. She could feel the concern in her friend's eyes increasing, trying to grin for her. "Rei-chan? How is the shrine?" She inquired, trying to get her mind off of the gnawing sensation that she needed to remember more than she currently could.

"Okasan?" Ami quietly spoke into her phone, using an empty room that the nurses had granted her access to so she could talk to her mother in private. "Hai? What is it, Ami?" She could tell she had woken the older bluenette up, but it had to be done. "Makoto wants to be discharged from the hospital, Okasan. She would rather be treated at her home due to the comfort of the surrounds." She could almost see Saeko sitting bolt upright, looking as indignant as she sounded. "Absolutely not. She is still mending broken bones, and is in no shape to be out of this hospital. I don't care if you five are humans, senshi, or talking tofu cakes, I am not going to allow her to be discharged." Ami removed the glasses from her face, setting down the items to rub the bridge of her nose in a gesture she had picked up from the older woman. "Okasan, if you do not discharge her, we both know she will eventually get fed up and try to leave on her own. Mako-chan is-" "Stubborn. Hai, that girl is so stubborn I swear she is part mule. Fine. It will not be for today. What is the story I am using?" Ami literally had never been so glad of her mother's willingness to help them, speaking clearly and slowly. "She will just be going home for treatment. I will be assisting her with tasks for a live-in nurse internship for some experience, and Rei will be helping. That's all."

She could hear a pen scratching on paper on the other end, her mother's voice coming back through tiredly, "That all?" The younger Mizuno nodded and replied, "Hai! Arigatou, Okasan!" The sleepy woman grumbled in reply, hanging up to leave the warrior of ice to tell her friends the news, Ami snatching up her glasses and almost running with glee back to the room, bursting in and saying in a rush, "Okasan agreed to release you in two days!" Watching Makoto grin broadly, but her eyes narrowing almost invisibly at Rei's hand on Makoto's cheek. 'I suppose it will come down to who Makoto chooses. If she even likes women, of course. At least it's Rei who I have to compete with.' Her blue eyes softened as Makoto stuck her tongue out playfully at the two if them. "I get minions! Arigatou, Kami-sama!" Ami felt a faint blush trace her features, shyly smiling back at the obviously excited girl. What power did Makoto have over her to cause her to feel that she was being overflowed with raw energy, to have her deep ocean of wisdom jolted into shy glances and tiny smiles? It was intoxicating almost to the young genius, though the knowledge of having Rei also be one to share her desires for the brunette was more of a comfort than a point of contempt; both were more likely to turn it into a sort of competition, and the best suitor would get the tall, lovely amazonian-like warrior as their prize. "I'm no minion, Mako-chan! I am... Well... I suppose I am." Rei conceded with a laugh, Ami grinning at the thought of spending time with Makoto, alone. Maybe, she would be the one that would be able to hold Makoto, and love her as she knew the battered girl should be.

Usagi was looking out the window in her room quietly, Mamoru holding her hand as he slept on a cot beside her, Minako having gone for a press talk she couldn't worm out of. Zoisite sat in the corner, his dress shirt of pale green a gentle contrast to his white hair that was draped over his right shoulder, the curved blade in his lap the only proof of his willing readiness to kill for the sake of his prince and princess. The blonde blinked slowly, sleepily recalling the images that taunted her in her dreams, reminding her of how one of her friends had been so horribly hurt for her sake.

-Usagi had waited until ten fifty before her desire to crawl into her bed finally won out, passing the still sleeping Makoto as quietly as she could; which included her tripping over her own feet and squeaking as she righted herself. The clumsy princess finally went up the stairs to the main area of the Crown arcade were the cafe was, Nephrite bowing her her. "I will call Endymion-sama to collect you." The moon princess shaking her head quickly. "Iie! Iie, he should be sleeping. Arigatou, Nephrite-kun!" And quickly she dashed out the back door as they always had to leave after hours. She almost resented being coddled at times, not liking how everyone insisted on always going out of their way to protect her. She was Sailor Moon, after all! She should be able to protect herself just fine. She stood a bit straighter as she pushed open the door that lead to the back alley, walking out with an air of confidence that seemed almost regal. As she passed the bar, she heard all of the boisterous noise of the patrons, taking note of sheer number of people in the obviously crowded building. She turned to face the main alley once more, maintaining her strong posture. Until she tripped over a rock and careened into alcove that lead to the bar.

"OOPPMMFF!" A deep male voice let out, his cigarette and beer dropping to the asphalt as he flopped onto his back drunkenly. "EEEEKKKK! G-gomen!" Usagi squeaked as she scrambled to her feet and bowed in apology to the downed, now laughing drunk. "Ahhhh, it's sssright." He slurred, standing with the help of his two friends, all three laughing and swaying, leaning against the final brick wall that turned at the end to lead to the back patio of the bar. "Are you alright, sir?" She asked, worried he had been injured in their stumble and fall to the hard surface. "I'm fine. Hey... You lookin' good. How 'bout a drink on uss? Hai?" He staggered over to the now wary girl, flopping his warm hand against her shoulder only to have her jerk away. "I-iie. I must be going. Gomen!" As Usagi turned, she saw a fourth man leaning against the alcove she had stumbled through. "If you were reeeeally sorry... You would make is up t'us... S'only fair..." He jeered, the now frightened young woman backing up, two of the others also moving to lean against the small sections of brick wall next to the opening, leering at her drunkenly. She felt the man she had stumbled into grab her about the waist, the blonde reacting with a back-handed punch to his nose that Makoto had taught her, hearing him swear just before he struck her across the face, then a few extra blows to her body, using his left hand to cover her mouth and his right to pin her to the wall. 'Rei-chan was right. I should have waited...' She mentally scolded herself, biting onto his hand harshly after he tore off her shirt.

She heard him swear furiously, taking a deep breath to scream for help before her mouth was covered once more, then feeling a searing pain in her right shoulder that caused her to screech into the male's hand. A familiar voice broke through the agony as tears ran down her face, the words a battle-cry of pure rage. "YOU BASTARD!" Her head turned, watching as Makoto came charging in with a fist raised, looking ready to commit murder. But Usagi saw one of the formerly relaxing drunk men swing at he from the side, his fingers sporting several clunky rings, Usagi's yelled warning lost in the hand that muffled her.

As the fist connected with the side of Makoto's head, Usagi saw her eyes roll up blankly, screaming into the hand as she watched her tall friend stumble into the wall to her left and slide down to the floor, looking much like a broken doll as blood trickled down the side of her head. "MMMMHHHKKKKKHHHHHHNNNN!" Usagi was screaming her name in sobbing fear, praying they hadn't just killed her friend and comrade. "Ahhh fuuuck. Whadda I do with thish...?" The thug she had fallen closest to groaned, only to find himself punched hard in the stomach by the formerly downed warrior, only Usagi noting the blank look in her green eyes. The senshi of protection was delving deep into her strength to fight off the unconsciousness that the princess was certain was trying to claim her. Deftly, Makoto stood and rushed at the other two, dodging them to strike them with her powerful fists as well, leaving them gasping, then turning to the one who dropped Usagi and brandished his knife at her. "Fuccck off..." He threatened, Usagi, holding her shoulder to try and somehow halt the blood flow, Makoto silent as she advanced on him. But then she was down again as the sound of breaking glass was heard, a male holding a now broken bottle behind the brunette. However, she kicked his feet out from under him, forcing her way to unsteady feet as she lunged at the male.

With a yelp, he drunkenly fell to the side, Makoto grabbing Usagi, hoisting her up into her arms and running towards the alcove as quickly as her failing legs would let her. Just as the senshi thought they were in the clear, Makoto's leg was jerked out from under her, the senshi of protection using her last bit of hard fought strength to throw Usagi further. "RUN!" The green eyed warrior commanded, fighting the four thugs as the blonde stared on, stunned, terrified, dumb-founded. In the haze of fear, Usagi forgot about transforming, instead doing as she had been told and running to the nearing source of help, tripping over a trash bin to hear the sickening crack of a bone breaking. She looked at her leg, crying as she forced herself to limp to the arcade door, her hand slipping from being coated in blood, dizzy from pain and blood-loss. Finally, it yielded, the girl half dragging herself to the final obstacle between her and Nephrite. She had to get to him. She fell to the ground, panting. She had to get Makoto help. "Ne...Neph...rite..." She whispered, darkness taking her.-

Her blue eyes tore away from the trees outside, impatiently wiping tears from her eyes. This was her fault. If only she had listened to Rei. If only she had transformed. If only...

A/N: YAY! More flashbacks! Next chapter will be the start of amusements and more revelations. If you have a particular pairing you are cheering for, don't be afraid to shout out your favored OTP in a review. Because sooner or later, only one will be the main OTP of this fic. But be warned, things are not always as simplke as they seem... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!