Author's Notes:  I won't ramble on in the beginning (I'll wait till

the end for my thank you's. ^^)  Just a quick plea for e-mail.  I

really need encouragement for this series, as it's a lot harder to

write during the school year than during summer.  I'll try to get 

the next part out within the next two weeks, but I just have one

thing to say (or scream, rather):  MID-TERMS ALREADY????   +_+



Vocab:

Arigatoo=thanks

sumimasen=excuse me

sensei=doctor

hai=yes

minna-san=everyone



===========================================



Chapter 2



	"Takiyma-sensei, you are needed in the OR.  Takiyma-sensei.

You are wanted in OR."  The waiting room's speakers blared in its 

monotone voice, then died out in a blast of static.

	Mamoru sat in the emergency waiting room under the stark 

lights, listlessly ignoring the hospital's announcements.  He hated 

this place;  there were too many bad memories associated with it.  But 

he had to be there.  Usagi had been out of surgery for several hours 

now, and would be waking from the anesthtic anytime.  He wanted to be 

there when that happened.

	Around him sat the other girls.  Ami was to the side, watching 

the door intently for any sign of the doctor.  She looked more composed

now, he noted.  The others had been amazed at her professionalism while

she was caring for Usagi, but as soon as the ambulance doors had closed

and it had sped away, Ami had broken down in tears.  Mako-chan had been

able to comfort her, in spite of the fact that she had been crying 

herself.  Ami still looked a little red-eyed even now, though, he 

thought.

	Minako and Makoto were sitting next to each other;  Minako was 

sleeping with her head on Makoto's shoulder.  She had a tired 

expression on her face.  Makoto looked to be in the worst shape, 

though, as she hadn't stopped crying.  Even while they waited in the 

waiting room for news from the doctor, a tear managed to escape down 

her cheek once or twice.  Her eyes were darting around the room 

anxiously, like a caged bird's.  It was obvious she didn't want to be 

there, but didn't want to abandon her friend either.

	Rei sat away from everyone, quietly thinking.  Mamoru supposed 

that she might be saying some prayers for Usagi.  He knew that he was. 

Rei had been on edge ever since they found Usagi.  No one had blamed 

her for her irratability yet, though, as they knew the cause of it was 

her concern for Usagi.  Unknown to the others was the guilt that she 

was fighting,  at her callous attitude towards Usagi before she knew 

the girl was hurt.

	Rei suddenly stood up from frustration.  "I can't take this!" 

She yelled.  Minako started awake, bleary-eyed.  She and the others 

started at Rei in confusion.

	Rei paced back and forth.  "It's just not fair..." she mumbled,

more to herself than to the others.  "It's not fair."  She walked over

to Ami and turned her eyes pleadinly to her.  "She's gonna be OK, 

right, Ami-chan?"

	Ami hesistated, trying to phrase her answer gently.  She had to

be honest though.  "I don't know, Rei-chan," she finally said.  "You 

saw how she was."

	"That's what I"m afraid of," Rei cried, turning away.  Ami 

tried to reach out to her but Rei shrugged away.  She went back to her

corner to be by herself, Ami looking after her with anguished eyes.

	"Ami."

	Ami looked up.  A trim, pretty woman with long, dark blue hair 

and sapphire eyes to match stood in front of her.  She wore a doctor's 

coat and had concerned look on her face.  Ami jumped up.  "Mom..." she 

choked out, enveloping her in a hug.

	Ami's mother stroked her daughter's hair.  "Ami, are you OK?"

	Ami pulled back and smiled tearily.  "As well as can be 

expected.  How is she?"

	Her mom sighed.  "She's...resting.  I need to speak with her 

parents first, before I tell you more.  Are they here?"

	Mamoru spoke up.  "They signed in a little while ago.  They 

were in here, but they left to go to the chapel."	

	"Arigatoo," Ami's mom answered.  "I'll go look for them."  She 

squeezed Ami's hand encouragingly, then started for the door.  A 

husband and wife walked through with their son about that time.  

"Sumimasen," she excused herself, and started to leave.

	"Mom!"  Ami called out to her.  Ami's mother turned back 

around.  "These are the Tsukinos," Ami said softly.

	"Thank you, Ami," her mom said.  Kenji and Ikuko looked at the 

pretty doctor tiredly.  

	 "Sensei," Kenji said.  "Is there something I can do?"

	"Hai, I need to speak with you," she said, leading them over to

the opposite side of the room.  They sat down, and the adults leaned

in and started speaking in low tones.

	The girls and Mamoru looked on curiously.  "I wonder what 

they're saying..." Makoto said quietly.  No one answered, but Ami 

sighed and moved closer to the other two, growing nervous for some 

reason.  She and Minako rested against Makoto's shoulder.  Mamoru sat 

across from them.  They looked towards Rei, who was still by herself.  

	"Would you like to join us Rei?" Mamoru asked.  "You might feel

 better."

	She shook her head in the negative and looked away.

	There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments, which was

then broken by a loud sob.  "No!  It's my fault...oh, Usagi..." Ikuko 

cried heavily into her husband's shoulder, who reached over and 

comforted her.  Their conversation fell inaudible again. Ami's mother 

looked like she was apologizing for the circumstances.  Off to the 

side, Shingo sat with his head hung, temporarily forgotten by the 

adults.  He stood slowly and walked over towards the others.

	Ami sat up, and patted the seat next to her.  Shingo shyly 

walked over and sat down, head still hung.  The others were silent for 

a moment, and the only noise heard was Shingo struggling not to cry.  

He sniffled a few times, and wiped his eyes.

	"Do you want to talk about it?" Ami asked.

	"She's...she's..." he started, but couldn't continue without 

crying.  Ami rubbed his back comfortly.  "There, there," she soothed.  

Shingo gave up all sense of protocol, and threw himself into Ami's 

arms.  She hugged him tenderly, mothering him, since his own was 

occupied herself at the moment.  After a few minutes, he looked up at 

her with fear in his eyes.

	"The doctor says she's paralyzed.  She can't walk."











		

	'No.  No, no, no.'  Minako's mind refused to process what was 

happening.  'No.  Not Usagi.  Not our princess. No.'

	Beside her Makoto had slumped down in her seat, one hand over 

her eyes, struggling desperately not to cry again.  She tried 

swallowing the tears away but there was a lump the size of Honshu that

was forming in her throat.  In  another corner of the room Rei looked 

over with a horrified expression on her face.

	"Paralyzed?"  Mamoru asked in a strangled voice.  'Oh, Usa...'

	Shingo nodded his head tearily.  "Uh-huh."

	Ami's face went white.  In a daze she reached out to comfort 

Shingo , who was crying again.  The fact embarassed him and he was 

trying to wipe the tears away, but they kept falling.  She stroked his 

hair absentmindedly.  "It's OK to cry, sweetie," she whispered.  Shingo

blushed at the affectionate term, but Ami's mind was reeling with shock

and she didn't notice.

	Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone kneeling beside 

them.  It was her mom.  She let go of Shingo and turned to face her, 

but her mom was looking at Shingo.

	"Shingo, your parents are going to see your sister now," she 

said softly.  "I thought you might want to come along."  

	He looked at her with a frightened look, but nodded his head.  

He started to follow her, but stopped.  Looking back at Ami, he asked, 

"Can Ami come too?"

	The other girls smiled through their tears as Ami blushed.  

Ami's mom smiled also, and said gently, "I think your family wanted you

to be alone the first time they see her.  But her friends will be able 

to go in and visit right after you."  The last sentence was spoken to 

Shingo, but directed to the others.  Ami caught the reference and 

smiled gratefully at her mom.  She knew no one but immediate family 

were usually allowed to visit right after an operation;  her mom must 

be using her authority to bend the rules a bit.

	Ami's mother led Shingo back over to his parents, and the group

walked out of the room.  Shingo cast one more look back at Ami, and 

everyone else, as he walked through the door.











	She felt like she was in a drugged stupor as she woke up.  Her 

mind was foggy and refused to cooperate with her.  As she became more 

and more lucid she realized that it was because she probably *was* in a

drugged stupor.  That's what happened when you went to hospitals.  At 

least that's where it looked where she was.  She was in an unfamiliar 

bed with metal bars on the sides, and stark white walls stared at 

from all for sides.  Strange, complicated machines beeped at her from 

beside her and above her head.  She had no idea what they did.  She was

also vaguely aware of something stuck in her arm, an IV most likely.  

Yup, it looked like she was in a hospital.  And if she wasn't--well, 

then she didn't want to know where she was.

	 She struggled to remember why she was there, and why she 

couldn't remember coming.   But as much as she tried, she couldn't come

up with a reason.    Maybe it was because she was so tired;  she felt 

weak all over.  She still thought it odd that she didn't even remember 

getting hurt, though.

	She was distracted by something at the door.  A doctor was 

coming into the room, probably to check on her.  She tried to turn her 

head to see who it was, and was rewarded by a throbbing pain in her 

neck.

	"Ooo..." she moaned softly.  

	The doctor looked up, surprised. "You're awake already," she 

said.  Walking over to her side, she noticed Usagi attempting to move 

her head again.  "I wouldn't do that if I were you.  You got a nasty 

bump on your head, it will probably hurt to move it."

	"Now you tell me," Usagi's voice was weak from lack of use.

	The doctor smiled.  "At least you're in good spirits.  That 

always helps the recovery," she said, partially to Usagi and partially 

to herself.

	"What happened?" Usagi asked.

	The doctor frowned now, and Usagi suspected she knew something 

that she didn't want to tell her.  "Your friends say that you were 

climbing a tree, and you fell," she said.

	'Now why would I do that?' Usagi thought.  Instead she said, 

"Oh."  She watched as the doctor set about checking her vital signs, 

when another thought struck her.  "Does that mean my friends are here?"

	"Hai," the doctor said, "and your family too."

	"Can I see them?" Usagi asked.

	"They would like that.  They've been waiting for you to wake 

up," the doctor told her.

	"Oh, dear.  I bet I worried them," Usagi said, sounding worried

herself at the distress she was causing them.

	The doctor looked at her gently.  "Now that's nice of you to 

say.  Yes, they are;  but I'm sure they'll feel better now that you're 

awake.  I need to go talk to your family now.  Do you feel up to a 

visit in a few minutes?"

	"Hai!  Of course!" Usagi said.

	"I'll go get them now, then, and bring them back in about ten 

to fifteen minutes.  Call me if you need me.  I'm Dr. Mizuno."

	"Mizuno-sensei?" This surprised Usagi.  "Then are you..."

	"That's right, Ami's mother," the doctor sounded pleased for 

some reason.  She wrote something down on her chart.  "I'll be back in

a minute.  Ja ne."  She walked out of the room.











	"Usagi," someone whispered.  "Usagi, sweetie, are you awake?"

	Usagi squinted up.  She must have dozed off again, waiting for 

her family.  Groggily she stared at the face in front of her, then 

smiled as she recognized it.

	"Mom," she whispered.

	Ikuko reached over and carefully hugged her only daughter.  

"Yes sweetie, it's me.  I'm sorry about this," she said, her voice 

somewhat shaky.

	'Boy, I must have really worried her.  She never calls me 

sweetie,' Usagi thought.  "It's OK mom, I'm fine," she told her, 

patting her back.  She wondered why her parents exchanged nervous 

looks with that statement.  Her dad knelt down by his wife and took 

Usagi's hand.

	"Usagi, darling, we have something we need to tell you," he 

said.

	'Darling?  What's going on?' Usagi thought.

	"This is going to be hard for you, OK?" he said worriedly.

	"All right," she looked at him strangely.  Her eyes glanced 

over him and settled on a small figure in the back.  Her eyes widened 

in disbelief as she noticed his eyes were red, as if he had been crying.

"Shingo?  You came too?  What's wrong?"

	He came forward hesitantly, and stood beside his mom.  "I was 

worried about you," he said shyly.

	Usagi reached over and patted his hand.  "Don't worry, it's 

gonna be all right", she said, outwardly composed and the perfect image

of a comforting big sister.  Inwardly her heart was pounding.  Her 

family was acting really distressed, and that didn't encourage her much

 about what her dad had to say.

	"Usagi," he started, "do you remember what happened?"

	"The doctor said I was climbing a tree," she answered.  "But I 

don't remember doing that."

	"Yes, that's what your friends said," he told her.  "According 

to them, you were trying to rescue a stranded kitten and slipped."

	'I still don't remember that,' Usagi thought.  "How high was 

I?"

	"About thirty feet up."

	Usagi winced.  "Oh...that must have hurt," she said ruefully. 

Her parents smiled bitterly at the humor of her having sympathy on 

herself for something she didn't remember happening.

	"Oh, that's what this is about, isn't it?" Usagi said somberly.

"I must have really gotten hurt when I fell."

	Her father squeezed her hand.  "Yes sweetie, that's right.  I'm

afraid you have a very serious injury."  He faltered a bit, before 

making her promise, "I want you to listen to all of what I say very 

carefully.  Don't ask any questions until I finish.  I want you to hear

the whole story at once."

	"I promise, dad," she said.

	He took a deep breath.  "Usagi, you have a spinal cord injury.

When you fell, you almost broke your neck.  You didn't, but the doctors

say it is 'bruised.'  What this means is right now, you won't be able 

to walk.  You are paralyzed from the waist down."

	Usagi gasped, her mind swimming.  'No wonder my legs feel heavy

...I can't move them...'  Her eyes began filling with tears.

	"Now, I'm not finished yet sweetie.  The good news is it's not 

permanent.    The doctor says that with the proper treatment, you have 

a good chance of being able to walk again.  The bad news is you will 

need a lot of physical therapy to do this.  It might take a long time.  

But we'll be here for you."

	Usagi was crying openly now.  "How long is 'a long time'?" she 

managed.  Her mother reached over and hugged her again, still weeping

herself.  She placed her face next to her daughter's and Usagi felt 

their tears mixing together on her cheek.  Her dad answered in a 

strained voice.

	"The doctors can't say for sure.  It can be anywhere from six 

months to several years.  Part of it depends on chance, while another 

part depends on you and your determination to be well."

	'Six months,' Usagi thought distraughtly.  'This can't be 

happening...oh, Mamo-chan, I need you...'

	Usagi suddenly felt someone take her right hand, on the side 

unoccupied by her parents.  Startled, she looked over and saw Shingo 

holding it fiercely, quietly shedding large tears.

	"Usagi," he said in a small voice, "I know I'm usually not very

nice to you, but...if you get well I promise I'll never sneak in your

room again, or tease you about your schoolwork or anything.  I'll even 

help you if you want, I promise I will....onee-chan."

	"Oh Shingo," Usagi burst into fresh tears and held out her arms.

Without embarassment Shingo crawled up beside her and threw his own arms 

around her in a compassionate hug.  He started bawling into her 

shoulder.

	Usagi stroked his hair.  "Don't cry, Shingo-kun.  Don't you 

worry, I will get better.  I promise," she said fiercely.  'I promise, 

Shingo.  I promise, Mamoru.  I promise...everyone.  Whatever it takes,

I will get better.'

	Beside her, her mother and father smiled at each other through

their tears.











	Ami stood at the door apprehensively.  Seeing as she knew the 

layout of the hospital best, she had been elected to lead them to 

Usagi's room, since her mom had needed to see another patient.  She 

tried to remember what her mom had said about the proper behavior in 

the room of a very sick patient:  keep the patient's spirit uplifted, 

but don't tire them out;  don't talk too loud, but don't act like 

you're in a library;  and no matter how they look, don't show any shock

at their appearance.  Ami thought the last command would be the hardest.

It had been easy enough to see at the park that Usagi had been pretty 

beat up, but to added to that was the knowledge her mom had just given 

her before they came in.

	"The very back part of her head is shaved, where we had to do 

the surgery," her mother had cautioned.  "It's not a lot, and it's easy

to cover if she wears her hair down, but I didn't want it to surprise 

you.  Incidentally, she doesn't know that part yet, so I wouldn't 

mention it."

	As if they weren't already solemn enough, this information had 

definitely sobered them up.  Rei and Mamoru looked especially sad at 

this fact, each silently thinking how they liked to lovingly tease her 

about those odangos.  It looked like she wouldn't be wearing them for a

while.

	And now it was time to face her.  Ami cast a furtive glance to 

the others.  Mamoru had stayed in the waiting room.  He would see Usagi

privately after the reunion.  He had looked haggard as they left.  

Makoto looked ready to run at the smallest noise, and Rei was 

unnaturally subdued.  Only Minako retained any semblance of her usual 

self.  Ami wondered how she herself looked.  A quick glance in the 

glass window to Usagi's room showed tired eyes, but an otherwise 

composed expression.  She sighed.  

	"Let's go inside," she told the others.  'Here goes nothing...'

	The blond-haired girl in bed looked up at the movement at the 

door.  Her eyes lit up at the sight of her friends.  "Minna-san!" she 

squealed. "You came!"

	Rei forced a smile to her face.  "Of course we did."  

	'We wouldn't stay away while you were sick,' she almost said, 

but stopped herself.  Usagi might not want to be reminded of her 

condition.  Instead she remained unusually quiet; she didn't trust 

herself to say anything.  Her voice might turn traiterous and break or 

something.  Her silence went temporarily unobseved, though. 

	The group mostly stayed congregated around the doorway;  Minako

was the only one with the courage to actually walk up to the bed.  She 

leaned down and gave her a hug.  "How are you doing, Usagi?"  

	'I'm glad you don't look as bad as I thought you would,' she 

thought to herself.  Usagi was obviously sick, but other than a few 

external abrasions, looked to be her normal self.  Then again, she 

couldn't walk, and that wasn't normal.

	"Better, now that you are here!" Usagi clapped her hands, not 

any less happier than usual.  The others smiled.  It put them a tad 

bit more at ease, and they moved closer to the bedframe.

	It was Ami that brought it up first.  She figured that now was 

as good as ever a time to mention it, considering that no one else 

would say anything.  Tentatively she asked, "Usagi...do you remember 

what happened?"

	"Ami..." Makoto began to scold.

	"No, she's all right, we don't want our stories to get mixed 

up," Minako defended her.

	Usagi watched the exchange thoughtfully.  "Well, according to 

my parents, I fell out of a tree trying to rescue a kitten.  I take it

that wasn't the case."

	"No, that was the story we told your parents.  We couldn't tell

them the truth.  Do you remember?" Minako asked.

	"No," Usagi sighed, "And I don't know why."

	Ami did.  Her mother had told her that victims of tragic 

accidents usually blocked out the time immediately preceding the 

accident, because it was too difficult for them to accept for the time 

being.  She also recalled that her mom had been pleased that Usagi had 

remembered that she was Ami's mom.  She had been concerened that with a

head injury as serious as Usagi's, she might have had amnesia.  Ami 

didn't think Usagi needed all this information at the moment, though.

	"Well, we can tell you what really happened.  Usagi...do you 

remember what a daimon is?" Ami asked.  They had only faced a couple of

daimons preceding the accident, and she wasn't sure how far back Usagi 

had lost her memory.  A horrible thought struck her.  Did Usagi even 

remember being Sailor Moon?  Surely, if she remembered Ami's mom, that

she wouldn't forget Sailor Moon.  The thought persisted anyway.

	"Daimon...Damon...hey, isn't that the cute American actor who 

was in Saving Private Ryan?" she said.  Most everyone felt like

groaning, but didn't for fear that it would upset her.

	"Uhh...try again," Ami said in a strained voice.

	"I'm just kidding.  It's those strange creatures that keep 

trying to take people's heart crystals," Usagi finished seriosly.  

	'She knows what a daimon is.  Maybe she does remember that 

she's Sailor Moon,' Ami thought in relief.

	"Right.  Uhh...there was an attack, right before...uhh..." Ami

didn't want to say "accident" in front of Usagi.  So Usagi said it for 

her.

	"Before my accident," she said bluntly.  "Was I hurt in the 

attack?"

	"We don't know, but we think so.  You weren't there when we 

arrived, but..." Ami stalled again.

	"Ami found you right afterwards," Minako finished for her.  

Makoto and Rei remained silent in the background.

	Usagi looked at the blue-haired girl sympathetically.  'Poor 

Ami, that must have been hard on her,' she inwardly sighed.

	"I see.  Well, maybe I'll remember as I get better..." Usagi 

stopped mid-sentence.



		'............blue sky and clouds above me, I'm 

		flying...how am I flying?  Oh, 	I'm scared...

		A terrible crash...I smell grass underneath me, feel 

		wind above me...what's wrong with me? I can't 

		move............'



	"Usagi?"  Rei finaly spoke again, concerned.  "Usagi, are you 

OK?"

	Usagi shook herself out of her trance, and the pain in her 

neck reminded her never to do that again.  Somehow she knew without 

asking that she had just experienced her first flashback.  Being back 

around her friends, talking about familar topics, must have helped to 

start bring her memory back.  She could only remember the senses 

though, not actual events.  The senses were bad enough.

	"I'm fine, just forgot what I was going to say," she said 

sheepishly.  "I guess I'm tired."  She didn't want to worry her friends.

	"You guys, we should probably let her rest," Ami said, 

concerned.  Usagi started to protest but Ami cut her short.  "Besides,

there's someone else who wants to see you before we leave."  She 

winked at Usagi.

	"Luna?"  Usagi asked, confused.

	The others finally laughed.  "No, not Luna," Minako said.  

	"Cats can't come in hospitals," Ami added with a grin.

	"But boyfriends are allowed."  A masculine voice came from the

doorway.

	"Mamo-chan!" Usagi squealed, her eyes lighting up.  He walked

in the room and the others crept silently out of the room, to let them

be alone.  Minako waved good-bye to her as she left.

	Mamoru walked cofidentally up to his girlfriend's bed, and took

her hand.  He kissed it gently.  "Usako..." he said softly.  "How are 

you?"

	"I'm fine," she started to say, but he stopped her.

	"No, Usa, I mean how are you *really*?"   He looked at her 

lovingly.  She started to answer again, then made the mistake of 

looking in his eyes.  They seemed to stare straight into her soul.  

They were so full of love and concern.  For her.  Sometimes, Usagi just

couldn't believe someone could love her that much.  Especially now.  

Without having to keep up a happy facade for the others, she reached up

to Mamoru and burst into tears.  He recipricated the motion and 

gathered her up in a fierce hug.

	"Oh, Mamo-chan...I'm so scared..." she whispered.  "So scared..."

	"It's OK, Usako," he said, gently kissing her on the forehead, 

tears glistening in his own eyes.  "Me, too.  But it will be all right

...it will be all right..."

	They stayed in the embrace for an undetermined time, silent, 

drawing comfort from the others' presence.

















===========================================



End part 2

9/20/99



OK, let's ruin the mood with some author's notes!  ^_^



First of all, some standard thanks by this point go out to Sharon, Sora,

and my sister Amanda.  Thanks for all the support...even if I do have

to bribe my sister to read my fics.  Oh, and if Sharon disappears

mysteriously one day, you'll know that she used the "c" word one too 

many times.  ^_^



And a LONG overdue thank you goes out to Lady Guinevere, the lady with

the awesome Ami love story.  My characterization of...someone...(I won't

give anything away... ^^) anyway, this part was written with her story

in mind.  Besides that, she's just a really cool person.  



I have to say hello to Joanne, just so in case she ever reads this she

can freak because I printed her name on the internet.  ^^  And just 

so you know, my friend Namita is the sweetest person in the entire

world, no joke.  (That's also in case she reads this.  ^^)



Lastly, thanks of course to Naoko Takeuchi.  I won't elaborate, though

she most definitely deserves the praise, since I have done so in 

earlier author's notes.  So all I will say for now is...wow.



And to Andrea and ASMR, for all her hard work and generous donation of

her time.  And because I wasn't publishing at the time, a belated thank

you to Slr Skuld. We really appreaciate your effort and will miss you.



I do believe I'll quit using this as a public forum now.  ^_^  Thanks

to everyone who stuck around this long.  Ya'll are wonderful!  (And

ya'll is *still* a word!)



Sayonara...YA'LL!  ^^



Sincerely,

Setsuna M



meiou_setsuna@hotmail.com



(Please write me!)