A/N: If anyone would like to see my drawing for this story can find under same Title at AO3. Let's continue

Disclaimer: I do not own any Sailor Moon characters

ASSASSIN'S LOVE

CHAPTER FIVE – THE REHABILITATION

The morning sun was bright, and the wind blew softly. The weather was good for outdoor activities. Makoto had just started her rehabilitation session with Mamoru. She had to walk while holding the porch railing. Minako and Usagi had been watching her progress from the porch.

At the beginning, Makoto's legs were shaking badly after not walking for almost a month. But after her third session, she became familiar with walking again, even though her legs were still shaking.

Minako couldn't help but feel amazed by this woman. Usually Makoto had her hair free around her shoulders but today she had her hair in a ponytail above her head. "She's beautiful," Minako said to herself.

"Huh?" Usagi stared at her best friend.

Minako just realized that she had said it out loud. "Ah, nothing," she said sheepishly, and could feel her cheeks become warm.

"I heard you said she was beautiful," Usagi stared at the other blonde suspiciously. She knew Minako was a lesbian and it never stopped her from loving this woman as a friend. "Did you fall in love with her?"

Minako blushed hard and laughed nervously, which made Makoto and Mamoru turn to look at her.

"Shut up," she glared at the woman next to her. "I just said she is beautiful, not saying I'm in love with her." She whispered quietly.

Usagi bumped her shoulder against Minako's. "Come on, Minako. I haven't seen you go for a date since I knew you."

Usagi was right. She hadn't dated anyone for almost three years. She looked at the ring on her index finger. "Maybe I'm not ready yet to let her go," she said in a whisper tone.

The bun-haired woman held Minako's hand. "Who is she? Where is she now?" Usagi asked, curious. Minako rarely talks about her past relationships.

Minako closed her eyes, trying to remember the woman she had been in love with years ago. "Somewhere…" she smiled.

"Minako?"

Makoto's voice brought her back to reality. She saw Makoto standing at the porch. She didn't hold the railing this time.

"I can stand on my own," she said with a proud smile on her face.

The blonde woman grinned at Makoto. Her eyes glistened with tears. She could still remember how helpless this woman had been when she found her. Now she is standing in front of her and has almost fully recovered.

"Awesome."

The taller woman tried to walk to Minako, but her legs gave up on the idea. She lost balance and fell, but Minako managed to catch her. Usagi gasped.

"I got you," Minako whispered to Makoto. She helped Makoto to sit on the chair next to Usagi.

"Thank you," Makoto said. Her expression was different than earlier. She didn't make eye contact with her saviour.

Minako, who saw the exchange in Makoto's behaviour, turned to look at Usagi. Without saying a word, she gave a signal to the other blonde to leave them alone. Usagi nodded, understanding that Makoto needed to be alone.

"Makoto, me and Mamoru have something to do. We will see you soon, okay?" Usagi informed the brunette.

Makoto nodded.

Usagi gave a final look at Makoto and then Minako before leaving them alone at the porch. Minako moved to sit next to Makoto and held Makoto's hands in her own. She looked at the beach in front of her and sighed.

"When I was here for the first time, I was lost and fragile," Minako told Makoto her story. Makoto didn't react. "Rei became my new co-worker and she helped me through the bad times even though she didn't understand why I became like that. Haruka and Michiru are my other co-workers who became close to me after we had a case together. Ami is Rei's housemate. Mamoru and Ami are doctors in the same hospital while Usagi is Mamoru's girlfriend," Minako paused. She looked at their intertwined hands on her lap. "Now, they are my family."

Makoto turned to look at the woman next to her. "Why are you telling me this?" she was confused.

Minako smiled at Makoto. "I made the biggest decision to keep you. I even fought them just to save you," she explained. Their eyes locked. "And I never regret my decision."

"Minako…"

The blonde took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is, I just want you to know, don't give up on yourself. Because I never give up on you."

Blue eyes gave an encouraging look to the emerald eyes. For Makoto, Minako's eyes are beautiful. "I won't give up, Minako," she whispered.

A wide smile appeared on Minako's face as she heard Makoto's words. "Tomorrow we will do it again?" A nod from Makoto made Minako smile wider. She couldn't wait to spend her time with this woman.

"I'm hungry," Makoto announced. Hearing those words from Makoto made a loud growl come from Minako's stomach. The emerald eyes looked at Minako's flushed face. Makoto smirked. "Someone else is hungry too," she teased the smaller woman.

Minako slapped Makoto's arm playfully. "C'mon, let's see what we have in the fridge," Minako said as she stood from the chair. She looked down at Makoto. "Can you walk?" she asked.

Makoto nodded. "But I need a beautiful woman to help me," Makoto winked at Minako.

The blonde couldn't help but laugh at Makoto's teasing. "Come on, young lady," she said as she helped Makoto to stand on her own feet.

The taller woman wrapped her right arm around Minako's shoulder. It felt so good to be around this woman. "What do you want to cook?" Makoto asked while they walked into the house together.

Minako thought for a while. "Have I ever told you that I'm bad at cooking?"

-

"Wow!" Usagi squealed loudly when she saw all the food on the table. "Did you really cook all of this?" she asked, looking up at Makoto.

Makoto scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Kinda…" she said.

Rei and Ami were still surprised by Makoto's talent.

"It amazed me that you remember how to cook," Ami said proudly.

Makoto blushed lightly. "Yeah, it just came naturally to me. Once I'm in the kitchen, everything becomes familiar."

Ami nodded. "That's a good sign," she smiled at the brunette woman.

Rei tasted the food. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Wow! It's delicious!" she complimented. "You really are a good cook," she continued, giving the woman a compliment.

Makoto laughed nervously. "Thank you. Hope you all like it," she said.

"I don't like it," Usagi said. "I love it so much, Makoto."

All the women at the dinner table laughed at Usagi's excitement about the food Makoto had made. Minako, who had been silent since the beginning, just watched as all her best friends gave compliments to Makoto. She had a proud smile on her face while watching Makoto receive all the compliments.

When Rei noticed how quiet Minako had become, she started to point out to her friend. "Why you suddenly became quiet?" Rei asked.

Minako shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just happy you all like Makoto's dishes," she simply answered.

"You said like you had tasted her cooking before," Ami commented.

There was silence after Ami's comment. All eyes were on Minako, including Makoto's. "Of course I had tasted it before when she was cooking earlier," Minako pointed out.

Makoto chuckled slightly. "Yeah, she ate a lot while I was cooking."

Usagi glared at Minako. "You will gain weight, Minako."

Minako rolled her eyes. "I don't care. Makoto's food is so delicious."

"Next time please let me help you cook, Makoto," Usagi requested.

Makoto chuckled at Usagi's eagerness. "I can't handle two blondes in the kitchen by myself," she teased.

Usagi pouted at Makoto's answer while Minako glared at Makoto, "Really?"

Ami chuckled silently watching the playfulness of her friends with Makoto. "Let's eat, girls. We don't want Makoto's delicious food to turn cold."

Usagi put away her sulkiness. "Let's eat!" Usagi exclaimed.

The five of them started to eat happily in Minako's kitchen.

Rei's violet eyes examined her partner, Minako, who looked so happy talking to Makoto. She had a few questions for this woman, but still waited for the right time to ask her.

-

Minako took a deep breath after running at the beach. She stood to face the sea while cooling down her body. She took a final deep breath to finish her exercise this evening. She had a lot of food earlier, so she reminded herself earlier to get some exercise.

"Water?"

The blonde woman turned around to face Rei. She offered her a bottle of plain water. Minako looked at Rei's face and took the bottle from Rei's hand.

"Thanks," she said. She took a sip of the water and waited for her friend to say something. She had known this woman for a few years already and she could tell what was in her mind right now. "You want to ask something?" she asked when she finished drinking the water.

Rei sighed. "You named her Makoto," Rei started the conversation. "And the necklace wasn't hers."

Minako just stayed silent. She knew Rei was awake that night and had heard her and Makoto's

"Minako, you shouldn't do that," Rei continued.

Blue eyes looked at the violet ones. "She didn't know who she was. I just wanted to help her."

"Help her?" Rei snapped. "By giving her a name that precious to you?" she questioned Minako's action.

Minako sighed. She closed her eyes, tried to calm herself. "I don't want to fight," she said in a whisper tone. She walked to leave Rei at the beach.

"You are the one who can't get over her, Minako!" Rei yelled.

Minako stopped. Her eyes stared at the woman at the porch of her house who was having physio therapy with Ami.

"Minako…"

Without a word, Minako left Rei.

Rei sighed in defeat. "Stubborn."

-

"Kill her!" a man shouted to his comrades.

"Damn!" she cursed.

"Hahahaha! You will be dead!" he pointed the gun at her.

Bang!!

~

Makoto's eyes were wide open. She stared at the ceiling fan for a few seconds, taking deep breaths. She was having another nightmare. She closed her eyes, trying to remember about her nightmares. All the nightmares she had were about people wanting to kill her.

'Why did they want to kill me?' she wondered cluelessly.

She turned to look at her right. The bed was empty. She placed her hand on the empty space, the bed sheet was cold, it meant Minako had been awake for hours already. Since Minako came from her outstation job, she had been sleeping in the guest room with Makoto. Makoto still had her nightmares, but having Minako with her every night had calmed her a lot.

Thinking about Minako, Makoto decided to find her.

-

Minako sat at the beach alone. She felt like being alone at the moment. Rei's yesterday questions still playing in her mind.

She asked herself, 'Am I being selfish?'

"Minako?"

Minako turned her head slightly to look up at Makoto, who was standing above her. She noticed that there was no walking support with her.

"Mako?" Minako was surprised by the view. She immediately stood from the sand. "Are you walking by yourself?" Her eyes still looked behind Makoto, wondering if she could see anything or anyone helping Makoto, but there was none.

The taller woman nodded. "Yeah, I walk by myself." She said with a proud smile on her face.

Minako's blue eyes lit up when she heard Makoto's confession. "Oh… my… God…" she put her hand on her mouth, still in a shocked state. She looked up at Makoto's face. "You did it?"

Makoto nodded again with a wide smile on her face. "I tried to call you from the porch, but it seemed you didn't hear me."

"I'm sorry. I was thinking about something," Minako apologized. "But Makoto, you walk by yourself?"

Makoto chuckled softly. She was happy to see Minako's smile after she looked gloomy last night. "Are you happy?" she asked the smaller woman.

Those blue eyes became teary. She nodded at the question. "Of course I'm happy to see you can walk again."

The brunette walked closer to Minako. When she finally stood close to the blonde, their eyes met. Minako could feel her heart beat fast and her cheeks felt warm. Her eyes darted to Makoto's pink lips. She could hear her heartbeat loudly when Makoto moved her head closer to hers. She closed her eyes, waiting for whatever Makoto would like to do to her.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" Makoto asked in a whisper tone.

Minako's eyes shot open and found the emerald eyes staring back at her. Did she just hear this woman asking her on a date?

When Minako didn't answer, Makoto became nervous and panicked. She lost balance and fell backwards. Minako gasped and spontaneously grabbed Makoto, but she also lost her balance and ended up falling on top of Makoto.

"Ouch!" Minako groaned in pain.

"Are you okay?" Makoto asked with a worried face.

Minako shook her head. "I'm okay," she said. She looked up at Makoto and smiled. "Are you okay?" she questioned Makoto, still on top of him.

Makoto nodded. They still gazed at each other.

"Yes," Minako suddenly said.

Makoto blinked her eyes, trying to digest what she just heard.

When Makoto didn't say anything, Minako repeated her answer. "Makoto, my answer is yes to a date with you," she said with a smile on her face.

A smile slowly crept across Makoto's face after hearing Minako's answer to her earlier question. She can't wait for it to happen.

-

"Koan, could you hand me the chart for patient room 605?" Mamoru asked his nurse.

Koan nodded and took the chart from the counter before handing it to the handsome doctor. "There you go, doc," she said.

"Thank you." Mamoru looked at the chart and tried to understand his patient's chronology.

"Dr Chiba," Koan called his name. Mamoru hummed and waited for his nurse to continue talking. "That man over there," she pointed out the blonde man who was sitting at the waiting area. Mamoru's eyes looked at the man that was pointed by Koan. He was wearing a black suit. "He's been sitting there since this morning and it's been for a few days already. He always comes in the morning until night, but I don't see anyone with him."

Mamoru examined the man's face, who was wearing a black spectacle, in the hospital. Without wasting much time, he walked in the direction of the blonde man.

"Hi, I'm Dr Chiba," Mamoru introduced himself. The stranger man looked up at him. "May I know who you are waiting for here?" he asked politely.

The blonde man stood from his seat so they were face to face. He took off his sunglasses and glared at the doctor. "I'm looking for a female patient," he answered.

"Do you have a name?"

The blonde man nodded. "Kino."

Mamoru frowned. "Umm… from my last checking, there's no woman patient named Kino here." Mamoru told the other man. "Or can you describe her?"

The blonde man sighed. "Tall, dark, and wavy hair," he explained.

Mamoru tried to remember his patient on his floor. He shook his head slightly. "Sorry…"

The man shrugged. "Never mind," he said before putting on his sunglasses. He turned around to leave the place but he stopped at the aisle. He turned to face Mamoru again. "Oh, her eyes are green," he said as he remembered to describe the woman he was looking for.

Mamoru shook his head because he couldn't remember anyone with green eyes on his floor. "No," he replied.

With that, the man nodded and turned around to the exit. At the exit, the man bumped his shoulder slightly against Usagi who was visiting the hospital. "Sorry," she said but only got a cold look from the man. Confused by the reaction from the stranger, she walked to her boyfriend's direction. "Who was that?" she asked Mamoru.

"Don't know," Mamoru answered.

Usagi frowned in confusion. "But you talked to him?"

"Koan said he had been on this floor since morning, so I asked him if he was looking or waiting for someone. He was looking for a patient…"

"Then?" Usagi asked, curious.

"A woman, tall, with wavy brown hair," he paused, trying to describe what had been told by the blonde man. "Green eyes…" His eyes widened before turning to face Usagi, who also had her eyes wide.

"We should tell the others," Usagi said, with Mamoru nodding in agreement.