Sick
by Sereko
sereko13@yahoo.com


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"Damn you all!" The group stared back at her with shock. "Don't give me 
that look, you-" The people surrounding her gasped. For no reason at 
all, it seemed, Usagi had suddenly started to sway. One of her hands 
reached out to steady herself on the wall behind her. The other flew to
her head as a great pain started to sear through her brain. Her eyes 
were as wide as saucers and her mouth hung slightly open as the sudden 
onslaught continued. Her body began to sway even more and she let out 
a little scream when the pain suddenly exploded in her head. The others 
were as frightened as she was. They began to move toward her for 
assistance, but she took the hand that was resting on the wall and used 
it to signal them all back. Bad idea. Without the wall to support her, 
she began to fall. She let out another weak scream and with it a name, 
"Mamo-chan!"

-----

He didn't know why he was heading towards the temple. He just had this 
gut feeling that something bad was happening there, something important,
something that he needed to be present for. 

That's when the pain struck him. He panicked immediately. He knew that 
pain. He knew it *very* well. Without hesitation, he leapt up the last 
temple steps and surveyed the scene before him. Everyone was there. He 
blinked. *Everyone* was there. 'How odd.' Not a senshi, not a guard to 
be left out...even the elusive Meiou Setsuna had decided to take part in 
this gathering.

He shook his head, giving himself a mental reminder that he had a *lot* 
of questions to ask. But all of that would be covered after he helped 
his beloved. 'Oh! Usako!' His head whipped around to where she was 
standing...well, leaning. He began to walk over in her direction when he 
felt the pain increase and saw her begin to fall. He gave out a cry. 

The others looked over at him, completely surprised by his presence. He 
ignored them and ran as quickly as he could to Usagi. She was caught 
right before she hit the ground. "Usako!" 

Usagi moaned and looked into his eyes. She saw the worry there, but 
also the recognition. "Mamo-chan, it's happening again." That statement 
caused an uproar in the crowd surrounding them.

"Again? What does she mean, *again*?!?"

Mamoru gave her a sympathetic smile and smoothed out her hair with one 
of his hands. "I know. I know, Usako. But, don't worry. I'm here. 
Everything will be alright." 

"Mamoru? You knew about this?!"

Mamoru ignored the questions and kept his attention focused on Usagi. 
He slowly brought her over to some steps. He took a seat, but kept her 
in his arms thus leaving her to sit in his lap. She cried out as another
wave of pain hit. He grimaced as well and brushed some strands of hair 
out of her eyes. "Mamo-chan...oh, Mamo-chan..." Her moaning increased. 

The others again tried to approach, tried to help, tried to do 
*anything*, but Mamoru shook his head and motioned them away with one 
arm. 

The exploding pain in Usagi's head seeped down to her neck, then to her 
chest. She could barely breathe. She tried to suck in some air, but it 
was so difficult. She tried again but the weight she felt on her chest 
just increased with each try. Giving a cough from lack of air, she 
glanced up again into Mamoru's face. He was giving her that sympathetic 
smile of his. The one that told her that he wished that he could do 
something to help. The one that told her how much he cared for her. 
"Mamo-chan..." She gave him a strained smile as she whispered his name. 

The pain exploded again and she cried out. With the cry, she brought 
her arms loosely around Mamoru's shoulders and gripped the back of his 
shirt firmly. "Mamo-chan." Another moan escaped her lips as she brought 
her head to rest on his shoulder. He nuzzled her head affectionately 
and whispered, "I'm right here, Usako. I'm right here and I'm not going
anywhere. Don't worry, this will all be over soon." She moaned again 
in reply. Her labored breathing continued as the weight on her chest 
seemed to increase. She coughed again. "Hang in there, baby. Just a 
little while longer." She wrapped her arms more tightly about his 
shoulders as he held her closely with his own arms. 

The crowd surrounding the two was completely baffled. All they could 
see was Mamoru's face and that did not help them relax any. His eyes 
were shut and his face was scrunched into one of great sorrow and pain. 
"It's almost over..." No one could tell if he was talking to Usagi or 
to the group around him, but it didn't matter. They just stood back and 
watched as Mamoru rocked his princess back and forth.

Suddenly, Usagi gripped him tightly. "I know, Usako. Just hold on tight.
I'm here." Letting out a sob, she hugged him with all that she was 
worth and screamed. 

The senshi were scared out of their minds when they heard the raw agony 
in their friend's voice. "Usagi!!" They immediately began to swarm 
around Mamoru. When he noticed what they were doing, he shook his head 
vigorously. 

"No! Stay back!" Everyone stared at him as if he were insane.

Tranq ignored the orders and kept moving forward. "Mamoru, I don't know 
what's gotten into you, but I'm going to see what's wrong with my 
sister!" Before the prince could reach his sick sister, Mamoru abruptly
stood up and took a step back. Tranq glared at the dark-haired young 
man. Mamoru did nothing more than stare back with hard eyes. "Damn it, 
Mamoru! Let me see her!!"

Mamoru's disposition did not change. Usagi's labored breathing 
continued, however, and it caused him to adjust her more comfortably in
his arms. Still looking Tranquility in the eyes, he said calmly, 
"Tranq. She's just been through pain that you can't even begin to 
comprehend. She needs some space right now. You would only make things 
worse."

"How do you know that?!"

Mamoru's patience was wearing thin and his voice began to rise in 
volume. "Because, Tranq! Because the last time this happened in front 
of Michiru and when she touched Usako...damn it...when she touched 
Usako..." His angry spirit fled his body and he collapsed back on the 
temple steps with Usagi. He closed his eyes tightly, "Usako's arm...it 
broke in three places. Completely shattered." 

Tranq and the rest stepped back in shock, then slowly turned their 
heads towards Michiru. The aqua-haired woman was crying silently. With 
her head bowed, she whispered brokenly, "I didn't...didn't mean to...I 
was just trying...to comfort her and...I barely touched her! Honestly! 
I merely lay a finger on her wrist and...and it broke...it fell apart!" 
Michiru broke down into sobs and fell to her knees. Ashe immediately 
ran over to comfort her. "I didn't mean to..."

Another broken whisper accompanied hers. "I know, Michiru-chan. We 
don't blame you. It wasn't your fault...it wasn't." Mamoru had seated 
himself again and was once again rocking Usagi back and forth. He 
kissed the top of her head. "It was this illness that she has."

"Hold on a second. How do you know it wasn't just a one time thing? And 
anyway, you seem to be able to touch her just fine. So what would it 
hurt?" Tranq advanced upon Mamoru once more. 

The Earth prince did not stand up this time. But, his eyes shot open 
and his body tensed. His voice erupted in anger, "Tranquility!!" The 
blonde prince stepped back. "Damn you! Don't you understand!?!" A moan 
from his beloved abruptly stopped Mamoru's outburst. 

Usagi shifted in his arms. Another, louder, moan escaped her mouth. 
"Mamo-chan...it..it.." She screamed out. "No!!!" One of her hands flew 
to her chest. Her breath quickened as her body began to shiver. "Oww...
ohh...please, my love...please stop this." 

Mamoru's eyes watered. He clasped Usagi closer to him. He smoothed out 
her hair and massaged her back. She continued to shiver, though. "I'm 
so sorry, my dearest. You've passed the usual climax. You should be 
getting better, not worse." He looked up at Tranq. Tears were streaming 
down his cheeks. 

"I don't know what to do! She's been having these fits for weeks, but 
they've never lasted this long!" Mamoru took a glance down at Usagi. 
She managed to give him a small smile amidst her grimaces. He looked 
back up. "Tranq...I know that no one can touch her just because. 
Because I can feel the pain that is being wrought upon her when any of 
you are near. Even right now, when you aren't even touching her...even 
now, I can feel the pain." He closed his eyes once more. A tear escaped 
the closed lids and slipped down his cheek to follow the others that he 
had shed. "And for some reason, that pain recedes when I am close to 
her. I'm not sure of the details. I think it might be our soul bond. It
grows stronger the closer we are to each other and becomes quite 
powerful. I believe its intensity is what slowly diminishes her pain, 
until it finally fades away. "

"So, I'm sorry Tranq, but I cannot let you near her. Even if only to 
see if she is all right. I'm sorry." Another heartbreaking moan left 
Usagi's lips. Mamoru's attention immediately changed directions. "Damn 
it!" He sighed in frustration and propped Usagi up against his chest 
once more. "Come on, baby. This shouldn't be lasting so long!" 

Before anything else could be said, Usagi's labored breathing became 
more clear. Her coughing slowly faded, along with the writhing of her 
body. Hope shone in everyone's eyes. "Mamo-chan...it..it's hopeless..."

He held her close. "No, Usako. Never. It'll never be hopeless."

"But it is." She held back a sob as she rest her head upon Mamoru's 
shoulder. "T-The pain is becoming immune to our bond. It's only a 
matter of time-" 

"No!" The pair quickly turned their heads to stare at Tranq. He was 
shaking with emotion. "No! Don't say it!" His hands gripped into fists. 
"I won't let that happen to you!"