E-mail: sailor_dafne@hotmail.com
Homepage: www.geocities.com/sailor_dafne
Rating: PG-13
By: Dafne

Standard disclaimer applied.

Rose's tears
Chapter 3: At the hospital

Wednesday (6:35 PM)

I was surrounded by a dense and cold darkness. I could no longer 
feel my body, but I was still aware of my warm blood flowing out 
of me.

I had lost track of time but I figured out just a couple of 
minutes had gone by when I heard someone's footsteps.

The stranger was approaching me, and when he came next to me he 
froze. It didn't take me long to realize that, whoever the 
intruder was, he was utterly shocked to find me lying on the floor 
bleeding uncontrollably.

He ran out of my room and started yelling desperately at the top 
of *her* lungs. I could recognize that voice anywhere... it was 
Chibi - Usa.

Soon after, I heard several people dashing towards my room. When 
they arrived, all the consciousness I had managed to retain 
slipped out of my mind and though I noticed their ragged voices 
were full of worry, I couldn't make out their words...

*	*	*	*	*

"Usagi, dear, what happened to you?" cried Mrs. Tsukino, tears 
already flowing down her face. "Please, darling, wake up!" she 
said while hugging her frail daughter. 

"I'll go and call an ambulance" stated Mr. Tsukino as he turned 
around and walked out of the room. He was apparently the only one 
that had remained calm, but nobody knew about the conflict within 
his soul.

Ikuko and Chibi - Usa were kneeling by Usagi's side sobbing 
mournfully while Shingo was standing at the door watching the 
sentimental scene. He couldn't move, from the moment he caught 
sight of his sister he just paralyzed. With the scarlet blood 
contrasting her ivory skin she looked just like a corpse. He would 
never admit it openly, but he loved her with all his heart and he 
just couldn't stand to see her in such a dreadful condition.

About ten minutes later an ambulance parked in front of the 
Tsukino's. Out of the van came two strong men carrying a hospital 
trolley. 

Kenji was already waiting for them, so they quickly climbed up the 
stairs and went into the girl's room. They lifted Usagi 
effortlessly and placed her on the bed. 5 minutes later they had 
already carried her out of the house and into the back of the van.

As soon as her mother settled herself on a chair beside her 
daughter, they were on their way to Juuban's General Hospital.

(6:20 PM) Hikawa Shrine

I've always had the gift to read someone else's mind, but since my 
grandfather insisted in my developing it even more I've practiced 
everyday and now I know how to interfere with anyone's thoughts. 
However, there are some people (including me) who have learned how 
to shut up their minds so no one can enter, not even I.

I was quite surprised when 2 weeks ago Usagi told me she wanted to 
learn how to read somebody else's mind as well as how to lock up 
her own. At first I thought she was just kidding, but when I saw 
the determined look in her eyes I knew she wasn't.

I was even more flabbergasted when I found out she was a very fast 
learner, for she mastered both aspects in just 3 days, a feat that 
I had fully accomplished after nearly 5 years of practice!

Since that day, the girls and I have noticed a great change in 
her, she's not the Usagi we used to know anymore. I'm not 
complaining about her attitude, actually she has become more 
mature and responsible: she doesn't arrive late at school, she 
does her homework everyday, her grades have improved a lot, she is 
no longer a crybaby, and she has even learned how to eat like a 
civilized person. From the outside she seems to be the same 
cheerful and loving girl, but if you take a more careful look at 
her you would realize she has lost that particular sparkle in her 
eyes, the one thing that could brighten anybody's day just by 
staring at it.

She told us about her break - up with Mamoru and I have no doubt 
that that is the cause of her strange behavior, but as days go by 
she gets worse, and now I'm seriously worried.

I'm sitting in front of the sacred fire trying to concentrate; 
I've been trying to enter Usagi's mind to see if there's anything 
I can do to help her, but she always has it locked up.

I remain this way for a few more minutes until I finally feel her 
defenses weaken. Seconds later her mind is entirely opened for my 
assault. I start to scan through her thoughts and the only thing 
I'm able to see is sorrow, nothing else. I now realize that she 
has lost the will to live, but I won't let her die, I'll get her 
back no matter what. 

I know we're always fighting, but that's just a façade for she's 
my very best friend, and she knows it. No one could ever imagine 
how much I love her, she's like a sister to me and I don't want to 
live in a world without her. *No Usagi, you're not going to leave 
us alone! You're not going to give up just like that, you'll 
overcome this situation and continue with your life, do you 
understand me?!* I yell at her mentally.

Suddenly, almost as if she were answering my call, I sense that 
the grief within her starts to get stronger to such an extent that 
it actually reaches my body. I immediately stop examining her 
emotions. Since I don't dare to invade her mind again I just keep 
imagining the worst...

About an hour and a half later I hear the phone ringing. I walk 
over to it and pick up the receiver. Not being able to contain my 
dreadful concerns I stammer "He... hello?"

From the other side I hear an all too familiar voice... "Rei? Is 
that you?"... Chibi - Usa's.

"Yes, Chibi - Usa. What's the matter?" I ask.

"Well... it's hard to explain..." she begins, but stops abruptly. 
It's actually not hard to realize that she is hesitating whether 
she should tell me or not, but since I'm not one to give up so 
easily when I want to find out something, I urge her on.

"What is it Chibi - Usa? Is something wrong?"

"Actually it's not something, it's someone..." she answers. I can 
feel my blood freezing and my body begin to tremble 
uncontrollably. A few moments later I realize I'm paralyzed to the 
point where I cannot even move a muscle. I hold my breath and 
since I can't say anything I let her continue "U... Usagi is... is at 
the hospital."

I knew it, I knew something was utterly wrong with Usagi. I 
quickly ask Chibi - Usa about Usagi's condition, but since she 
doesn't know exactly what happened to her, I decide to find out 
for myself. I gather up the information I need and head to 
Juuban's General Hospital at once.

(8:15 PM)

When I arrive to the hospital's lobby I bump into Makoto, Ami, and 
Minako. By their appearance I can tell they're as worried as I am. 


We ask the receptionist for Tsukino Usagi's room, but since we are 
only 16 years old she doesn't want to give us any information. 
Makoto and Minako are yelling like madwomen, looking as though 
they're going to kill the poor lady. Meanwhile Ami and I try to 
convince the rest of the nurses to see if any of them could allow 
us the entrance.

Fortunately enough I spot Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino as they come out of 
the cafeteria, both of them holding a mug of steaming coffee 
between their hands. Mr. Tsukino talks to the woman and she 
finally agrees to let us in.

We head towards the elevator and as soon as we're all in Mr. 
Tsukino pushes the button that leads to the 3rd floor.

As soon as the metallic doors open we start walking through the 
aisle. We reach room number 306 and just when we're about to 
enter, a masculine voice stops us.

"Wait" he looks at his blotting pad and then asks "Are you Tsukino 
Usagi's relatives?" Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino quickly nod their heads. 
The girls and I look at each other and without saying a word we 
silently agree to our unspoken question, we give the doctor an 
affirmative gesture. He seems to understand our desperation so he 
only smiles at us and says:

"In that case, please follow me".

We do as he requests. He walks down the aisle and when he reaches 
the end of it he turns to the right. 

Two nurses are at a reception desk, however they don't pay 
attention to us because they're attending a young woman. In front 
of them there's a small waiting room confined by 3 bare white 
walls. In the middle there's a black leather sofa for 4 people 
and, resting on the other two walls, 2 more that stand only for 2. 
At the center of the 3 pieces of furniture there's a mahogany 
table with a glass on top of it for protection. As a final touch 
there are several plants placed on both corners of the room that 
give the latter a more cheerful and comfortable look.

With a movement of his hand the doctor silently encourages us to 
sit down. The girls and I choose the largest couch while Mr. and 
Mrs. Tsukino decide to take the one to our left.

As soon as we're all settled the doctor clears his throat before 
beginning his speech. "When you brought your daughter a while ago" 
he says, addressing Kenji and Ikuko "I thought there was nothing 
important to worry about, that you had come here in vain because 
all I could see were some insignificant bleeding wounds on both of 
her hands." He stops in order to look at the Tsukino's reaction. 
It's obvious they are getting pretty worried, but they're also 
determined to find out the truth no matter how painful it may be. 
The doctor sighs and continues more carefully and softly. "But 
even after giving her the treatment for such small bruises, they 
just wouldn't stop bleeding. We have already tried every possible 
method that we could think of to close the injuries, but it looks 
as though nothing can cease the bloodshed. Thus, I am afraid that 
if your daughter doesn't have a blood transfusion in the next few 
hours she's going to slowly bleed to death."

At the doctor's last words my eyes open wide. I can't believe what 
he's saying and as I turn to look at the girls I notice that 
they're probably thinking the same thing, for they are just 
staring at the doctor with their mouths hanging open and their 
eyes almost out of its sockets. Mrs. Tsukino is crying 
uncontrollably and Mr. Tsukino is trying to comfort her 
unsuccessfully, his gaze fixed on a seemingly nonexistent spot of 
the wall in front of him.

For a while the only thing that can be heard throughout the room 
is Mrs. Tsukino's weeping, other than that everything is silent, 
making the atmosphere tense. 

When the doctor considers we've finally come out of our first 
shock, he surprises us once again with an unexpected question.

"Mr. Tsukino, do you happen to suffer from hemophilia?" 

To be continued...

Last revised: Monday July 2nd, 2001. 7:56 PM