Until You 12
The dark and empty hall echoed as the sound of the footsteps filled the empty hall. Ian’s face darkened with deep satisfaction of his earlier accomplishment and his lips twisted with anticipation of seeing his archenemy. His success was the most unexpected. He only planned to have the pleasure of beat the hell out of him in front of the rest of the guardians. To have Nephrite within his grasp was an expected gift bestowed to him. And he was going to enjoy every moment with him.
Inside of the dark, windowless room, Nephrite laid on the cold cement floor with his wrists chained to the wall. He was aware of his surrounding, especially how his wounds hurt this very moment. They hurt less now, comparing when he forced all his humanly effort to stay conscious with Ian’s hand around his neck. Just remembering that painful and humiliated moment, immediately sent Nephrite onto his legs, not wanting Ian to find him like this. The pain that surged through his body knocked his knees and Nephrite was forced to sit down, leaning against the wall. Gingerly, he touched the wound on his forehead and shoulder and relieved to find them had stopped bleeding and the bruises that swelled down a bit.
Having the time in his hands, Nephrite recalled things that had happened when he was on verge to unconscious. The voice of Jadeite saying yes to Ian’s request was a great shock to him. He thought surely by now, Jadeite knew how much Lit meant to him. But now, when he thought things over, he knew that Jadeite said that merely because of his affection and love to him. That unconsciously brought a smile to Nephrite’s face. He couldn’t forget the very first time when he met Jadeite in Earth Kingdom. Who would have thought that from the meaningless fight that he had fought with Jadeite would end them both as close as ever. Whatever Ian had in his little brain; Nephrite hoped that he did it tomorrow. He didn’t think that he could handle the wounds that he suspected Ian wanted to put in his face as soon as he met Ian.
Leaning his head against the cold wall, Nephrite closed his eyes as he tried to chase away the pain. As he tried to forget the pain, an image of Lita that he hadn’t had the chance to see her slowly sneaked into his mind. Behind the tightly closed eyes, he could see shadows of Lita slowly hovering and seductively beckoning him. Nephrite smiled softly. Evan in his pain and anger, Lita always had her way to sneak into his mind. He was deeply under her spell and he would absolutely nothing to break it. It made him felt utterly at peace in any world he was into.
The image that he saw behind the tightly closed lids, slowly reducing the width between the reality and the fantasy until he could almost feel her soft breath touch his ear as she leaned over to whisper something.
Be strong, love…
“Lita…” Nephrite whispered in the silence night, still closing his eyes. At that moment, he knew he would give anything just to be beside Lita and sharing his strength and love for her to get through the pain of her brain tumor. “You know I’ll always be strong because of you.”
* * * * *
Awakened from the long and endless dreams, a pair of emerald eyes slowly opened and saw nothing but whiteness. Lita’s vision was blurred from the long sleep, her head hurt and her lips dried. Even her voice seemed to be reluctant to come out when Lita tried to call out. Everywhere she looked was white, silent and still. After that horrendous headache, Lita thought that her head was going to burst at that time in front of her friends…FRIENDS! That thought immediately brought Lita back to the world of reality.
“Am I dead?” Lita croaked softly, hoping that no one answered her doubts. She was still not ready to face her upset and disappointed friends, once they knew that she had been keeping a secret from them, again. Slowly, she raised her hand to rub her still pounding headache, she finally aware that there were tubes attached to her body. Am I that sick? Lita wondered. I thought the doctor said I still have a few months to go…
She slid up and leaned against the headboard. It took several minutes to notice that there was a figure that was sleeping on the couch near her bed. Much to her disappointment and dismay, the figure was not Nephrite as she hoped he was, but Jadeite. She was a little hurt and confuse why Nephrite was not here. Instead the last person that she thought would spent the night, worrying about her, was here. As she continued contemplating, the figure slowly awoke.
“Good morning, Lita.” The greeting was not very friendly, like the one she had always got but cold and she had a very uneasy feeling that he was accusing her of something.
“Good morning to you too.”
Jadeite looked at her coldly. His blue eyes reminded her so much of Nephrite, whenever Ian appeared. Full of…hatred. Lita squirmed uneasily at that thought.
“Where’s the other?” Lita tried to break the silence that she aware Jadeite had built. But Jadeite remained silent and stared at her.
“Why are you here?” She tried again. Silent.
Lita knew she couldn’t take this anymore. She could take anger, hatred and disappointment that she thought her friends would appear to be. But not this. Never this.
“Why are staring at me?” Lita asked bluntly. She hoped to gain some response from him and she succeeded. Jadeite walked toward her, pulled an armless chair and sat beside her.
“You want to know why am I staring at you?” He spoke. Even though, he sounded angry enough but an anguish tone that laced through his words didn’t escape her. For some reason, she couldn’t speak so, she nodded hastily.
“Because I want to see what Nephrite sees in you that made him willing to risk everything for you!” Another angry tone from him that made Lita more confused and a little scared of Jadeite’s meaning.
Lita slowly wrapped her arms around her, not from the coolness of the room but the from Jadeite’s words. She really had a very bad feeling of this; about Nephrite.
“Jadeite, you’re not making any sense!” Lita raised her tone to match his. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ve got this feeling that you’re accusing me of something.”
Jadeite laughed bitterly. He suddenly stood up and walked toward the window. Leaning his arm against the window, he raked his soft blond hair with his other hand as he tried to control his anger. He knew that Lita didn’t deserve his anger but he had so much anger and hatred that he knew that he had to unleash them to someone and the closest target was Lita, since Lita was the reason Nephrite was being taken away.
“Accuse you?! You thought that I am accusing you of something?” Jadeite bit out. He was being unreasonable and he knew it but he couldn’t help himself. He pushed himself away from the window and brought himself to Lita again.
“After all had happened to Nephrite, you thought that I’m accusing you of something?!” Hs face was darkened with anger. He was angry to everyone. He was angry at Ian for taking and hurting his friends, he was angry at Nephrite for never caring himself, he was angry at Lita for she was the reason the this chaos to happen and most of all he was angry at himself, for what had happen to Nephrite and being so unjustly to Lita!
Lita’s confuse look instantly transformed into fear. “Something had happened to Nephrite?!” She demanded.
Jadeite finally realized that Lita didn’t know that Nephrite had been taking away by Ian. He watched Lita’s expression turned into fear and anxious. She didn’t know and like a craze man, he threw all his anger to her. He hated himself more than ever.
“Ian had taken him away!” Jadeite was all but shouted. How he wished that right now, Ian was in front of him, instead of Lita, so he could kill him slowly and painfully.
Unaware of Lita’s pale face, Jadeite continued to unleash his rave. “And for someone who had graduated from international university, Nephrite was stupid enough to give Ian opportunities to do so!” Leaning his arms on the bed, he looked into Lita’s tormented green eyes. “Ian asked for you in exchange for Nephrite, do you know that?”
Lita’s ears pounded and her head was bursting with so many shocking facts. She knew how much Ian had hated Nephrite and even in her wildest imagination, she couldn’t bear to think what would happen to Nephrite once he was in Ian’s evil clutch. Nephrite! Hold on! Oh, please hold on for my sake! She thought hysterically. If she what he wanted, then she will give herself willingly, so long that Nephrite safe!
Now, she understood the reason Jadeite was so bitter and angry with her! Because of her, Nephrite had always be in danger. The last time, he had been dead because of her and now…he would be tortured painfully until his last breath drew out… Stop it! Lita ordered herself. Stop it before you started to think something that even worse! She couldn’t! She couldn’t help herself from thinking all that. And…and it was all because of her!
Jadeite watched the battle of emotions and mind that appeared so clearly on her distraught face. Self-disgust consumed him that he suddenly couldn’t face Lita anymore. With a groan, he pulled himself from Lita and walked abruptly toward the door.
Lita saw his intention of leaving her. How could he leave her now without telling her the whole story? She quickly pulled the tubes from her body and barefooted, she got out from the bed. For a moment, Lita stood silently and Jadeite was unmoved with he facing the door. Lita could feel his anger, anguish and hatred and at that time, she knew the depth of his friendship. But then, maybe she didn’t. Who knows how long those generals had been around each other? Suddenly, she really wanted to vanish the hatred Jadeite felt for her.
“You asked me what Nephrite sees in me,” Lita said softly, breaking the silent. Her heart was breaking from Jadeite’s rejection and Nephrite’s capture but she carefully controlled her emotion. “And…and I think you know the answer yourself.” Jadeite looked sideway. “If you looked Rei and imagined what had happened to Nephrite, happens to you, you will know exactly how she feels…and…and how I feel.”
Lita waited for him to say something. Jadeite still had his back facing Lita and he still silent as if he was thinking the words that Lita had just said. Then, he left her without saying anything.
Slowly, Lita let her weak knees rested and she fell onto the floor, allowing her emotions to be free. She had been restraining her emotions in front of Jadeite and now she was alone, the tears that had choked her throat fell uncontrollably. She cried for the lost of Nephrite and for the guilt that had driven her ever since Ian had appeared. Did everything that had happened to Nephrite had to be her fault? She claimed that she loved Nephrite beyond anything that even death couldn’t kill the love. But now…she was the one who was going to kill the only person that she had loved most.
If she had not used Ian to make Nephrite jealous during the Silver Millennium, none of this would happen. Ian wouldn’t be attracted to her and Nephrite didn’t have to be hurt.
“Nephrite…” Lita whispered through the tiny sobs. “I’m so sorry, darling. God…I am so very sorry, love.” She knew that being with Nephrite, instead of making him happy, she was only making him suffered. Jadeite had known that and Lita knew he was being kind to her by not saying that to her. Now that she knew, she knew that they never meant to be together no matter how strong their love was. Never again would she make her love suffered from anything that she did. She silently promised to herself, once Nephrite back with her, once he was safe with her, she would never let herself near him. Even though it would kill her…
* * * * * *
Nephrite stared at the iron door that had locked him from the outsider. He had not slept the whole night. In case that Ian’s unstable brain decided to beat the hell out of him while he was sleeping, he had stayed up all the night, trying to be prepared. His body was weary but his mind and senses were alert. The wounds were almost cured and even though he couldn’t yet transform, he was ready to face that bastard.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps and he immediately on in his feet. No doubt that the owner of the footsteps was Ian. Strangely enough, Nephrite didn’t feel anything. All he felt was calmness and he was ready to face him. The iron door opened and Ian stepped in, his eyes maliciously narrowed.
“Well, Nephrite. Who would think that the powerful General Nephrite would be in my clutch now? Certainly not you,” Ian laughed at his own joke.
“You’re right. Certainly not me,” Nephrite agreed. “I thought you have rot somewhere on the moon millenniums ago.” Then he narrowed his piercing blue eyes. “Together with your conceit and traitorous little brain.”
It was Ian’s turn to narrow his eyes. “You talk about betrayal, Nephrite. Do you forget the time when you betrayed Prince Endymion and killed the Moon guardians?”
Nephrite let out a small chuckle bitterly, totally unaware that Ian had obviously investigated about his past. “At least I didn’t betray the Earth Kingdom, killed the whole Earth Kingdom and Silver Millennium people and murdered my enemy with the most deceitful way.” Nephrite added the next sentence full of malice and hatred. “God, I hope this time, you really rot in hell!”
Ian gave him a ferocious kick right in Nephrite’s stomach. Nephrite, who had a pride that was so thick, knew that he should never fell in front of Ian. So, Nephrite bit his lips so tight that blood came out from the cut. Through his pain, Nephrite was utterly satisfied to see Ian frowned when Nephrite didn’t fall like he expected.
“You think you tough, didn’t you?” Ian hissed and Nephrite looked back defiantly. “Wait till you so-called friends hand over Lita, and I want to see if you can look as satisfy as you are right now.”
Nephrite’s eyes are still glaring at the door after Ian left but his mind was still spinning as Ian’s words echoed in his mind. When they did nothing when I took you away?
Stop it, Nephrite! He mentally scolded himself. The thought that Ian somehow managed to manipulate his mind even awhile, angered him. How fragile was your trust to your lifetime friends? The muscles in his wrists strained against the metal chains as he tried to control his formidable temper.
* * * * * *
“I can’t believe you’ve done this again Lita!” Darien stated angrily. After Jadeite left, Lita had been left alone for several hours and she had used them wisely. It took forever for Lita to control her hysteric emotion that had gone wild with worries over Nephrite’s safety. The knowledge shook her to the very core of her mind and heart. The way Jadeite’s outburst, which clearly told her that he and maybe the others had enraged with her, was certainly the first warning of whatever might come from her friends. And she was not ready. Not yet…
Darien, Serena and the other Moon guardians, had come to visit her. At least she thought they did. As soon as she heard Darien’s outburst, she wasn’t sure if they really came to see her or not. But then she didn’t really care. She was so deep and lost in her own misery, thinking about Nephrite. “Lita? Are you listening to me?” Darien demanded.
Lita just looked down, several strands of hair fell down from her messily tied hair. Darien looked at her in worry. She looked so pale, perhaps from her illness and he really hoped that none of his guardians had told Lita what had happened to Nephrite. He really wanted to wait until the time is suitable to break the news to Lita.
Serena came in front of her fiancé, silently told him to be silent. She walked slowly and sat on the bed beside Lita. “Lita?” Her voice was soft. Lita thought she heard the tone of pity in Serena’s voice and her towering pride forced her head to raise high, as if she tried to push away the pity that had been thrown to her.
“Darien, I’m very sorry for hiding the truth again. I didn’t mean to do that.” Lita slowly slid herself away from Serena, for she’ll be damned if she received any of her friends sympathy. “It’s just that…”
“What Lita?” Darien cut off angrily. Didn’t she know how much her secrecy hurt them? She acted like they were newly made friends. Among of the scouts, he always thought that Rei was the most mysterious one- practicing fire-reading and mystical stuff. But as he began to know them, he realized that the person that had the damnest stubborn of keeping her troubles from her friends’ acknowledgement was Lita. Damn that woman and her pride.
“I don’t want to spoil your wedding.” Lita said quietly. Five pairs of eyes looked at her, touched by her words. “I knew that you guys had been planning this for this wedding for so long and ironically, it’s always has been me who make postpone it.”
“Lita…we…”
“The last time was the incident in Jupiter Planet, now this illness. Will I ever stop doing that?” Lita lifted her eyes, full of pain to meet Serena’s. Then her lips twisted into a humorless smile. “Maybe that’s why He gives me this illness, so I stopped doing that…”
“No!” Ami rushed in front and grasped Lita’s shoulders. “Don’t say that! Don’t you ever say that!” She gave Lita a shake, trying to put some sense into Lita’s head. “Mother is a doctor! The best of them all. You can be sure that by the time the wedding take place, you’ll be good as you are before!”
"Yes! She will make sure of that!" Mina cried, willing to do anything to bring back some hopes in Lita's eyes. "She had never let us down before and you can be sure that she will not start now!" Rei nodded her head in agreement. Her heart was constricted with sadness that she couldn't speak anything to console Lita.
Lita never knew this feeling. The feeling of wanted and needed by the people around her. It was the feeling that she had lost long time ago when her parents had died in an airplanes crash. She had been alone for such a long time that she had forgotten how good it felt.
“Do you hear me?” Ami whispered brokenly. Lita bit her lips, trying to swallow back the tears that choked her throat. But as Lita felt Ami’s arms wrapped around her, drawing her close, the tears that she had been trying to hold back, slowly slid down over her pale cheeks. She nodded her slowly.
Serena buried her tearful face in Darien’s shoulder as he tried to comfort her. Mina and Rei walked to Lita and sat around her, wanting to share their comforts and strength.
* * * * * *
