Rating: PG-13...there's a little violence in this
chapter...sorry bout that  ^^;;;

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	"Surely the Lord your God has blessed
you in all your undertakings; He knows your going
through this great wilderness. These forty years
the Lord your God has been with you; you have
lacked nothing." Deuteronomy 2:7

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The Coldest December
By Aimee

Chapter 8, Part B

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	"Has the bleeding stopped?"
	"Hai...hand me that bandage."
	"What were you able to tell her?"
	"Nothing...I didn't get the chance."
	The voices were vaguely familiar. Through
the haze of unconsciousness, I struggled to open
my eyes and let out a pitiful moan when the pain
registered. My head was swimming with dizziness.
	"Hey, I think she's waking."
	
	The second voice was male. "Usa? Can you
hear me?"
	
	My lips moved, but nothing came out.
	"Shhh...it's okay, Usa. Don't try to talk,"
Mamoru murmured quietly, stroking my hair.
	I didn't have much of a choice. The dizziness
was overwhelming, and I was forced to give in to
unconsciousness once again.
	Darkness quickly shrouded me...and the
nightmare was close behind.

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	I gazed with tear-filled eyes at the dimly-
lit earth through the open window. My eyes looked
everywhere but the distant horizon of the moon,
which had turned a frightening shade of crimson.
I didn't want to look at it...it was the awful
shade of attacks being cast upon our soldiers in
the battle being fought in the distance. Blinking
back tears of fright and worry, I extinguished a
very unprincesslike whimper. Mother didn't notice.
She listened as Endymion spoke with hurried words,
trying his best to warn and advise my her, but deep
down I knew his attempts were fruitless.
	A cold, prickly feeling made its way up my
spine, and I shivered involuntarily causing the
goblet of water in my hand to shake as well. A few
droplets spilled onto the marble floor. Endymion
looked up at me, and his concerned eyes met mine
for a brief moment. The kindness and strength I
found in their depths calmed me momentarily, but
soon the uncertainty and fear returned, and my
stomach twisted painfully. Placing the goblet hastily
on a table, I wrapped my arms around myself, trying
to end my shaking.
	"Princess..."
	I gasped at the unfamiliar voice and looked
to my mother and fiance, but they did not appear to
have heard the stranger quietly breathing my name.
Fear never occurred to me. The trembling of my limbs
ceased, and a false sense of peace spread slowly
through me.
	"Princess..." The voice was smooth as glass.
"Come to the garden."
	I tried to blink, but I could not.
	
	My mother and fiance did not look up as I
slipped silently from the room, as they were engaged
in studying a map of some sort. The words they
exchanged were no longer heard by my ears. I heard
only the voice.
	
	The hallway was dimly lit, but my feet
found their way regardless of the deep shadows.
My vision was muddy and unfocused, and my thoughts
were fleeting.
	"The garden, princess. Come to me."
	"I'm coming..."
	A servant passing in the hallway glanced
at me curiously, but my gaze never acknowledged
her in return. My eyes were fixed on the garden
door.
	
	"M'lady? Are you ill?" came the servant's
concerned voice. I ignored her, and somewhere in
the back of my mind, I heard the old woman gasp and
call frantically for help. I pressed on, unconcerned
with the woman's alarmed cries. My fingertips touched
the door handle that lead toward the gardens. No
guard was posted there. Most of them had been called
to the battlefield...to the red horizon in the
distance. My unblinking eyes widened even more,
and the handle turned slowly.
	
	"Princess..." hissed the woman before me,
clothed in darkness and deep shadows.
	"SERENITY!!!" The frantic scream belonged
to my mother, but I did not hear her.
	"Approach, child," the shadow-woman ordered
quietly. Her words echoed loudly in my head even
though they were barely audible.
	My feet began to move, but I was hardly
aware of it.
	"No!!" Warm arms seized me from behind,
pulling me back...away from the shadow-woman. I
was turned around roughly, and my wide-eyed gaze
met Endymion's, though I scarcely recognized him.
Studying me for a moment, he cursed and began to
shake me. "Snap out of it, Serenity!"
	The shaking flustered me, and I began to
struggle, tears of confusion and anger coursing
down my cheeks. Where was I? Who was this person,
and why was he shaking me?
	"Stop it!" I cried, trying to get away from
the demanding hands. My vision slowly began to come
into focus. I blinked, realizing for the first time
how cold I was, standing outside with no wrap.
Reality and recognition hit me suddenly, and I
gasped, looking into the face of the one shaking me.
"Endy..." I whimpered, beginning to tremble from
fright. "How...how did I get out here? What happened?"
	He shook his head and pulled me into a relieved
embrace, kissing my forehead. "Sere..."
	Peeking beyond my safe haven, I gazed at
the shadow-woman with a fear I have never known.
She watched us silently, seemingly unconcerned over
her lost mental grasp on me. Her lips thinned angrily
as Endymion pulled away and stepped in front of me.
A smooth metallic sound echoed through the garden
as he unsheathed a lethal-looking sword.
	"Where's mother?" I whimpered behind him,
clutching his cape.
	"Getting the crystal," he answered, glaring
at the creature before us. He spoke the words firmly,
like a warning to the shadow-woman that she was
treading on dangerous ground. The crystal meant
certain death. "Who are you?" Endymion demanded.
	She stepped from the shadows, the sound of
her heels clicking against the stone ground echoing
in the night. "Oh, my God..." I gasped, my eyes
widening as her twisted face was revealed.
	Her red hair fell in waves, almost reaching
the ground. It moved on its own, like flowing water,
despite the fact that there was no wind. Her eyes
were glittering black, and the hate emanating from
their depths made my blood run cold.
	
	"MOTHER!!!" I screamed frantically, looking
behind me toward the still open door. It slammed
shut from an invisible force, and I gasped in horror.
"Trapped...we're trapped. Oh God..."
	"Quiet, you."
	"What do you want?" Endymion demanded, his
hand closing protectively over my wrist.
	"I would think that would be rather obvious,
Prince Endymion. The princess. She'll make a lovely
ransom for her mother's crystal, don't you think?"
	Fear hit me so hard that I struggled to
keep from fainting. "Endy..." I sobbed, gripping
his cape.
	"You'll never lay a hand on her, is that
understood?" he threatened through clenched teeth..
	Beryl laughed deeply. "Your little princess
and her mother will bow to me or be destroyed. The
Moon Kingdom will be taken. Why not join me, Prince
Endymion, and taste the joy of winning for once? I
can't imagine the pain you must have felt when the
Earth was taken. You know, your parents, the king
and queen, were quite shocked when their son's own
generals betrayed them into my hands..."
	Endymion's eyes narrowed into cold slits
of blue ice, and I felt the hand closed over my
wrist begin to shake with anger. "Die."
	"Oh, that's novel! But highly unlikely,"
she remarked with a smirk. "Join me, Endymion, or
you'll be the one who perishes. This is your last
chance..."
	"Go to hell..."
	"Hell can't contain me, boy! Go there
yourself!"
	With a cry of shock and pain, Endymion
collapsed to his knees, driven there by an invisible
force. His sword hit the ground with a resounding
clatter. "Endy...?" I gasped. "What's wrong? Get
up!"
	"I...I can't..."
	Lighting flickered in the distance, and
Beryl stretched out her hands. Eyes bubbling with
fire and hatred, a crimson ball of energy began to
form between her black fingertips. It was the color
of the sky behind her. It gleamed brightly, powerful
energy pulsating through it, and grew larger and
more dense by the second.
	"NO!!! ENDY!!!" I screamed, throwing myself
in front of Endymion's kneeled and vulnerable body,
shielding him with my own. "God, help me!!!"
	"No...Sere...get inside..." His voice was
labored and pained. "Go now...leave me..."
	My head shook back and forth as I choked
on a sob. "MOTHER!!!" Where was she?! It shouldn't
be taking so long for her to come! Had Beryl done
something to her to detain her?
	"Is it really worth it, princess? To die
trying to save a man who's not even your own kind?
He's going to perish regardless, and don't think
I won't hesitate to kill you. I'll get your mother's
crystal despite your death. Now, if you want to
live, move away from him," Beryl ordered angrily,
the ball of energy hovering between her black fingertips
lighting her face up with frightening crimson hues
that flickered like fire.
	Crying violently, I held on to Endymion
desperately. His weakened hands tried to move me,
but he couldn't. His hands had always been so strong...
now he couldn't even move aside a small girl. With
a moan, I remembered the first time he had gathered
me close for a kiss with those strong hands...how
his hands would tangle in my hair while we were
locked in a passionate embrace...how they would
touch me in a way no other had. How could I live
without him? Without his arms around me, giving me
strength? He was everything to me. He was part of
me.
	His lips were at my ear, whispering weakly,
pleading with me to run. "Serenity, please..."
	"If you die," I whispered brokenly, "I am
already dead."
	Gathering what little courage I had, I drug
cold eyes to glare at the witch. I spoke gravely.
"I will not be moved."
	Beryl's lips thinned, and a look of rage
crossed her features. "Foolish child. So be it."
	Tears fell unrestrained as I turned toward
my prince, who was yelling something I was too
frightened to comprehend. I kissed him and whispered
a weak, "I love you."
	His eyes met mine, and for the first time,
I saw tears falling from them. "I'll find a way
back to you...I swear it." My head dropped to his
shoulder with a sob as he whispered, "I love you."
	"SERENITY!!!" came the muffled scream of
my mother, who was trapped behind the locked door.
	Things begin to move in slow motion.
	My visual scope turned blood red. Heat and
pain surged through my body like an unquenchable
fire. My breath left me and my body locked up in
denial of all the pain and anguish.
	Taking in my last breath, my bloodless lips
uttered a final scream.
	"ENDYMION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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	"ENDYMION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
	I was only vaguely aware of my screaming
and thrashing. All I could see was the blood red
hue of Beryl's attack as it burned through me with
searing heat like fire. Tears poured down my cheeks
so heavily, I felt as though I was drowning.
	I screamed when I felt hands on me. "Noooo!!!
Don't touch me!!! Please!!!"
	"Usa..."
	The hands were pushing my hair back, wiping
away my tears.
	"Please..." I moaned, my body racked with
sobs.
	"Usa...I've got you...you're safe..."
	The voice was warm and calm, but my ears
barely registered the words. Still I struggled,
blindly pushing away. Warm arms surrounded me,
capturing me and pulling me close as I cried.
Giving a few more useless struggles, I gave up
and surrendered with a sob of defeat. My body
went slack, but strong arms kept me firmly held
against a warm chest.
	Lips were at my ear, breathing gentle
words I barely understood. "It was a dream,
baby...it was just a dream..."
	My breathing slowed a bit as I began to
calm.
	
	The sights and sounds of the nightmare
became hushed and still, and the blood red hue
that had so flooded my visual scope faded to a
hushed gray.
	The voice murmuring in my ear was male,
and the words were softly spoken...barely a whisper.
They were so full of caring, that my body began to
relax. Only shivering remained. "You're safe, Usa..."
Soft kisses rained down upon me--on my forehead, my
tear-stained cheeks, my hair. "I'm here..."
	I knew that voice...
	
	My eyes fluttered open slowly, and his face
came into focus. God, was he real? I raised a shaking
hand to touch his cheek. "Mamoru..." My face crumpled
again, and another sob escaped.
	"Usa...don't cry, sweetheart...please..."
	My arms flew around his neck, and I hugged
him frantically. "Oh, Mamoru...the...the dream...it
was..."
	"Shhhhh...I know, baby. Believe me, I know."
He brushed hair away from my hot forehead. Kisses
trailed slowly down my cheek, across the wet trails
my tears had left. They brushed momentarily against
my lips, leaving the taste of my own tears there with
his kiss.
	But still, I cried. The memory of the
nightmare was too fresh, and each detail replayed
in my mind a hundred times over. Though I'd had
many nightmares, I had never before remembered what
went on in them. This time was different; I could
recall every detail--the castle, the shaking goblet
of liquid in my hand, the dark witch...
	I shuddered.
	
	But how had the Queen of the NegaVerse
gotten into my dreams? I'd never seen her before...
only heard whispered allegiances to her from the
lips of her generals. But the face in my dream...
it was so real. How could I have imagined such a
horrid creature? Perhaps I was simply frightened
after the evening's intense youma battle, and my
fear brought Beryl to life in my dreams...
	I gasped. The battle! I'd forgotten about
it!
	The memories flooded through me. A twist
of pain shot through my arm, I realized with
confusion that it was bandaged. It took me a few
more moments to remember the searing heat of the
golden tiara slicing through my arm, and I began
to tremble once again as fear spread through me.
	
	Mamoru handled me gently as he held me,
careful not to put pressure on the wound. Hugging
me closer, he began whispering to me once more,
perhaps feeling my trembling. "You're okay, Usa.
You're safe. Try to relax."
	Perhaps it was his words, or simply his
warmth, that calmed me. Refusing to think anymore
about the horrible nightmare and battle, I slowly
composed myself and let him replace my anxiety with
serenity. I snuggled close to him, burying my face
in his chest like a frightened child.
	"Are you gonna be okay?" Mamoru asked in
concern.
	I grimaced, trying to ignore the pain that
had seized my body, but I couldn't seem to get away
from it. "My head hurts...and my arm..." I sniffled.
	"We should probably change your bandages,"
he replied, touching my bandaged arm gently. "And
I've got some medicine for your head in the bathroom.
Come on."
	He helped me to my feet, and I teetered
dangerously to one side with dizziness. His arms
were around me at once, and they steadied me until
I was able to stand and walk on my own. Taking my
hand, he led me down a darkened hallway that I
didn't recognize. It was vaguely familiar, but I
was just so tired that I couldn't seem to place it.
	I groaned when he flipped on the lightswitch
in the bathroom, and he chuckled lightly when I
covered my sleepy eyes with a hand. "Come on, Sleeping
Beauty. Time to wake up," he said, placing his hands
under my arms and lifting me up to sit on the counter.
	"You and your Disney movies..." I muttered
with a sniffle.
	Carefully, he began to unwrap my bandages,
and I peeked between the fingers I'd placed over my
eyes to peer at the wound curiously. It was no longer
bleeding, and it wasn't as bad as I had thought it
would be. It appeared as though the tiara had barely
grazed my arm.
	I shook my head. Geez, all that pain, and
it had barely touched me? I immediately felt sorry
for the many youma I had encountered throughout my
time as Sailor Moon. No wonder they made such a fuss
when they were dusted. I was very lucky that I had
been pushed out of the way in time. I could have...
	I shook my head and shuddered.
	"You okay? Am I hurting you" Mamoru inquired
as he dabbed a bit of ointment onto the wound.
	"No...I'm fine..." I murmured, trying to
shake off the memories of the battle.
	I yawned and blinked a few times, my
surroundings coming into focus as the initial
grogginess of sleep wore off.
	I blinked again...this time in confusion.
I was in Mamoru's apartment. How the heck did I
end up here? Such was my fright and disillusionment
as I woke from the nightmare, I had hardly questioned
my surroundings.
	It was then that I remembered.

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	"That sounded like Naru!" I practically
screamed in panic, taking a few steps toward the
direction the outcry had come from.
	"It's probably a youma," Mamoru said hurriedly.
"You'd better transform."
	I froze.
	Slowly, I turned and gaped at him with wide,
unbelieving eyes. He returned the gaze--almost guiltily.
"Nani?" I breathed.
	"You heard me, Usagi," he said firmly, removing
the locket from my blouse and placing it in my hand.
"Transform--now! Your friend needs you."

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	Mamoru touched my face, concern touching
his features. "What's wrong, Usa? You're shaking
again. Do I need to call a doctor?"
	My face turned away. "How...how did you
know?" I whispered.
	He frowned. "How did I know what?"
	I shook my head, bringing my eyes to meet
his. "You know what I'm talking about..."
	He fell silent for a few moments, and the
same expression I'd seen only a few hours ago
returned to his eyes.
	Guilt.
	Letting out a slow breath, he finished
wrapping a fresh bandage around my arm. "We'll
talk tomorrow, okay? When you're feeling better."
	I looked at him wearily, wanting an
explanation, but hardly having the energy to demand
it. "Mamoru, I need to kn--"
	"Tomorrow, Usa. I promise," he cut me off,
leaning over to gently kiss me. I allowed his lips
to touch mine, but I didn't kiss him back. If he
noticed the lack of participation on my part, he
didn't show it. "I'll bring you some water," he
said as he placed two small pills in my hand.
	I nodded silently, not having the strength
to argue. Moreover, my head was pounding with a
fury. As he left the room, I noticed for the first
time what he was wearing. I frowned in mystification.
	He was clothed in an unbuttoned white dress
shirt and black slacks. They were intricately
designed and seemed to fit him perfectly...almost
like they were designed solely for him. But hadn't
he been wearing khakis and that dreadful green
jacket on our date? Sure, he could of changed, but
why would he choose such expensive and elegant
clothing? It made no sense.
	My head protested my thoughts with furious
pounding. Making a face, I brought a hand to my
aching temple and massaged it gingerly, wishing
Darien would hurry up with the water so that I
could take the medicine he'd given me. Needing
badly to lay down, I drifted silently into the
bedroom, noticing the chair that was pulled up
next to the bed. A smile touched my features as I
realized that he had been watching me as I slept.
	My gaze fell to several articles of clothing
thrown carelessly beside the chair. Curiously, I
kneeled down to look at them, and my eyes wavered
at what I saw.
	"Usa...here's the water I got for..." His
words tapered off when he noticed the expression on
my face.
	I stood slowly, and our eyes locked for one
prolonged moment.
	
	I approached him slowly...carefully...nervously.
Shaky hands lifted the object I'd found on the floor
to his face. My eyes closed in denial.
	The white mask slipped from my fingers and
fluttered to the floor.

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I know, I know...you waited all this time for
these last two chapters, and I ended it with
even more of a cliffhanger than Chapter 7.
Sorry, dear readers, but someone dared me
to end it like that...and it was a *triple* dog
dare with *no* erasies! How could I resist?!
You'll forgive me, right? Stay tuned for
Chapter 10.

E-MAIL!!!  E-MAIL!!!  E-MAIL!!!

Oh, and go see my new website, co-owned with
my best bud, Angela. You'll find the finished
chapters of this story and others there *way*
before they end up anywhere else! You can join
our mailing list to find out exactly when new
chapters are posted:

http://www.geocities.com/moonlit_eclipse/

Ja ne!
Aimee-chan >^..^<
sailor_moon89@hotmail.com

    Source: geocities.com/im_a_good_girl_uk_2000