Until You 19

Lita hummed softly under her breath as she prepared dinner for the generals. She had been staying with the generals for three days now, finally giving in to Nephrite’s request. Not that she could refuse him anything. And she had Rei to stay with her for she knew her uncle would disapprove if she stayed alone with four men around her. For the last three days, Lita knew she couldn’t be happier. Nephrite was regaining his strength back and although Lita didn’t what were four of them doing in Nephrite’s room a few nights before, it seemed to succeed in curing Nephrite’s inner pain. Whatever it was, she was glad to have her arrogant and loving Nephrite back in her life.

Lita smiled softly when she recalled yesterday evening when Nephrite sneaked up behind her as she was measuring flour for tonight’s dinner. She was so surprised and ended up his mischief by accidentally covered his face and black blazer with flour. The expression on Nephrite’s face with white flour all over it was so hilarious that she laughed so hard. Obviously, Nephrite didn’t think it was fair for him to be the only one to have flour all over him, so he grasped a handful of flour and threw it onto her head and she abruptly stopped her laughter. Then, they happily spent half an hour laughing and arguing of whose fault was it. Lita laughed softly when she remembered the other generals and Rei’s face when she told them that she had ordered pizza instead for Nephrite had ruined all her cooking.

Yes, she had been so happy for the past few days that she had dreaded the day when Ian would finally show up and finish what he had started earlier. Of course she knew that sooner or later her illness would take the happiness away from her even if Ian didn’t but at least she had a few months left to enjoy all the love Nephrite would offer to her. Each minute that had passed and will come, Lita had endured it with a mixture of bliss and anxiety. Sometimes, when she thought she couldn’t stand the suspense, Lita had actually wanted Ian to appear and get it over with.

The hour was late when Lita finally heard the generals’ voices. Obviously they had teleported from the office. Why couldn’t they use the door like normal people and waste the money by buying expensive cars when they practically don’t need one? Lita thought ironically. Then, she heard Rei greeted and walked in the penthouse, using the door. Smiling amusedly, Lita started to bring out dishes to the dining table. At least there is someone in this house for me to share my normality in transportation.

“Hi, Lita,” Nephrite greeted softly and he kissed her temple. He wanted to kiss her lips but he knew Lita was uncomfortable when all his nosy and irritating brothers around them. “Something smells delicious here.”

“Well, she should make something delicious tonight considering the dinner that you’ve ruined last night,” Zoisite said cheerfully and Nephrite glared at him. Why couldn’t he have some private time with Lita for even a while? He had been looking forward for dinner ever since Lita and Rei was staying with them. Even Nephrite had let go his bad habit; staying late in the office, and followed the office hours. Who could resist Lita’s cooking?

Lita laughed and went to Rei. “So, how’s your grandfather?” Rei’s grandfather had been sick lately and two days ago, he had been hospitalized. Even though, Rei looked less worried than she should be, but all Lita, Serena, Mina and Ami knew how anxious Rei was for her grandfather.

“No changes,” Rei said as she pulled of her red scarf and her lavender eyes clouded. Lita saw this and frowned. Knowing that Lita was worrying about her, Rei immediately put up a mask and smiled. “At least, he isn’t getting worse, right?”

Lita saw her strength and she put her hand onto Rei’s. “Of course. Bad things had happened around us lately and I think it’s about time for the wheels to turn around and favored us some good news.”

Rei looked at Lita’s eyes and suddenly she felt selfish. It was Lita who needed good news. She had been suffering from brain tumor just when she had tasted a little sweetness of life. And now, here she was, comforting her about her grandfather while it was she who was supposed to do the comforting. “Lita,” Rei said hesitantly and saw Lita’s eyebrows raised a little. “I hope the wheels favored us good news about you.”

Lita’s voice caught when she heard compassion in Rei’s words. For a while, Lita was wordless and felt so blessed for everything that had been bestowed upon her. With her emerald eyes shone and her lips smiled, Lita said, “Thank you.” It was inadequate words for Lita to express all love, gratitude and happiness she felt in her heart but when she saw Rei’s smile, she knew Rei understood her feelings.

“Come on,” Lita pulled Rei’s hand and guided her to the dining room.

In the dining room, Rei and Lita’s widened as they both were torn between anger and laughter when they saw the generals were already helping themselves with the dishes. “Why…I’m so touched to see you all are acting very gentlemanly.” Rei said sweetly with her hands were on her hips dangerously. Immediately all four of them stopped the eating and grinned sheepishly at Rei and Lita.

“I hope you are enjoying the food,” Lita mocked with her arms crossed over her breast. “I made especially for all of you.”

Kunzite swallowed quickly the remaining food and smiled charmingly as he stood up. “Um… we are actually waiting for you both to come.”

“Oh?” Lita raised her eyebrows. “So, you get bored while waiting and decided to eat first?” Nephrite covered his mouth, either hiding the food he had been chewing or hiding the laughter that was hovering on his mouth, and silent admiring the way Lita answered Kunzite’s prevarication. “Don’t you dare laugh, Nephrite,” Lita glared but she was trying her damnest not to laugh. The generals’ expression was too comical.

“Now, Lita,” Rei pretended to admonish her. “I’m sure they are suffering from extreme starvation that they couldn’t wait for a few minutes for us.” Then, she glared at Jadeite who in return hastily put down the spoon. Now, I’m really going to laugh! Rei thought.

“Come on, now,” Kunzite tried to calm the two senshi who were famous for their temper. “Why waste the wonderful evening and all those wonderful food by arguing over the thing that was done?” Then he cast a glare to Nephrite and Jadeite, telling them to seat the women.

“Why it has to be me?” Jadeite mumbled as he pulled out a chair for Rei.

“I heard that, Jadeite,” Rei glanced at him and that was when the whole masquerade was cracked. Jadeite saw the laughter in Rei’s shining eyes and beautiful face and he couldn’t stop the grin from coming. And the whole company broke into a merry laughter.

* * * * * *

Ian paced around restlessly around the nearly vacant castle of his. Ever since he had carelessly allowed the generals and the prince to enter his sanctuary, they had ruthlessly murdered all his monsters that used to wander around his castle. And he hadn’t even succeeded in accomplishing his plans! His plans had been so perfect… so easy to achieve and yet the guardians and the generals managed to ruin it. Damn them!

It was time to change the way things went. Ian knew that he would never ever have Jupiter in his clutch and assuage his bloodlust vengeance to Nephrite if he stayed the way he was right now. He had been so damned impatient and so damned sure of himself and that was one of the reasons he had failed. But luckily, Jupiter still bore the brain tumor in her head and that was the at least thing he had in control of. But how to get near to her without any of those annoying generals and guardians around to protect her, Ian didn’t know.

He hadn’t lingered around the castle doing nothing. Ever since the attack that day, he had been observing their activities and irritatingly, Nephrite seemed to be extra cautious by bringing Jupiter to live with him. With four Earth’s most powerful generals and a Moon’s senshi of fire to guard Jupiter, his chances to capture her was decreasing. He was not that stupid to just teleport inside the generals’ penthouse and grabbed Jupiter. After his disastrous encounter with the generals earlier, Ian had learned a lesson that the generals’ abilities weren’t something that he could calculate and use it. Their abilities vary with their passion and emotion during the fights.

So how was he supposed to finish the whole thing if he couldn’t even go near to Jupiter? Ian glanced at the sphere, which had turned into a shade of pale yellow. In just a week, the cluster in Jupiter’s head would explode. Ian knew he had to be patient. He knew that but damn it! He couldn’t help himself. With his previous failure attempt to have both Nephrite and Jupiter in his clutch, his vengeance had doubled and it boiled restlessly inside him, demanding for a very satisfy release. He had to succumb himself into the intense feeling inside him or else…

Ian watched an image of Jupiter in his crystal globe, looking so happy while having a peaceful dinner at the generals’ place. Bloody hell! He wanted Jupiter to think about him, to worry about when he would appear. Not being so carefree with the generals’, laughing and sharing jokes as if an incident three days ago was just a childish nightmare!

Ian’s eyes turned glacial and he gritted his teeth as his mind whirled furiously of a new plan. Through a vivid image in the crystal globe, Ian’s shrewd eyes could see Nephrite sometimes winced whenever the edge of the table was accidentally poked his ribs. Well, well… Apparently, Nephrite’s broken ribs, which was Ian’s doing, hadn’t fully healed yet. Then Ian smirked in satisfaction. That was an awfully hard blow. Of course he hadn’t heal yet! It took a few moment of staring into the crystal for a new plan to emerge in his head and when it will, Ian’s smirk was getting wide.

Soon, Jupiter… Ian silently promised. It won’t be long…

* * * * * *

The glorious light of evening sun streamed through the sheer white curtain and touched Lita’s mahogany hair as the green-eyed young woman leisurely brushed her thick hair. From her room, she could hear sounds of her friends laughing and talking to each other and Lita couldn’t stop the smile that was decorating her face. For once in four days, the generals’ finally agreed to abandon their responsibility in their company and stayed the evening to have some time with their other friends. With all her friends in the living room, Lita knew she had been truly blessed and couldn’t ask for anything more… Well, except for curing the deadly illness, of course. But Lita simply would be thankful for any length of time that was giving to her.

When her hair was securely tied into a ponytail like she always did, Lita walked out of the room and went straight to the kitchen to fetch cookies she had baked earlier. As she walked into the living room, all of them looked at her. The generals cheered noisily at the sight of the freshly baked cookies and the guardians shook their heads but still laughing at their boyish attitude. Serena and Darien exchanged amused looks.

“I don’t know I have so many fans,” Lita joked as she placed down the cookies.

Mina rolled her eyes. “It’s not you that they made them cheered like that, Lita.” Lita laughed at Mina’s remark.

“Where’s Rei?” Lita asked when she finally realized her raven-haired friend’s absence.

“She went out.” Serena explained as her hand quickly reached out the cookie. “I think she went to visit her grandfather.”

“Well, I hope her grandfather recovers quickly,” Ami frowned slightly. “There are so many ill things happen around us lately. I don’t think we can any bad news anymore.”

The atmosphere in the living room suddenly went silent as the same thought went through everyone’s mind. Lita’s illness. They had been so carefree just to take the fact that Lita will eventually be taken over by the illness and left them out of their head. They weren’t being ignorant but avoidant. Especially the sailor scouts, whom Lita had spent the last five years of her life and eight hundred years of her past-life, fighting side by side and depending her life without a slightest hesitation on them.

It was that moment Nephrite suddenly remembered the information Ian had offered to him so smugly and he cursed himself loudly, which brought eight surprise looks to him. “I just remembered something. I don’t how in the living hell I forget about it,” Nephrite explained, overlooking the curse word he had just uttered.

“What is it, Nephrite?” Serena asked curiously. Either Serena also overlooked the curse word or she didn’t mind at all.

“Ian told me that he is the one to be responsible for Lita’s illness. Lita’s brain tumor isn’t a coincident, it is a set up.” Nephrite explained.

All of them, excluding Kunzite and Zoisite gaped with utter disbelief at Nephrite’s words. “As I thought it would be,” Kunzite murmured with a trace of satisfaction and arrogance, which brought a mock-disgust expression on Zoisite’s face.

“Ian told you? Just like that?” Mina demanded, obviously unaware how her words affected Nephrite for painful memories rose in his mind. But Nephrite kept his face as neutral as he could. Not yet… he didn’t mind if his friends, the generals, saw his pain but in front of the senshi, the princess and the prince, is something else. He needed time before he revealed himself more to them.

“Actually it isn’t just like that,” Nephrite tried to take out the bitterness out of his tone and it succeeded to make the senshi oblivious. Just the senshi, of course. The generals could see him through anything. Another bad consequences by living and fighting with the same people for such a long time. “I don’t feel like elaborating but Ian did tell me that.”

“When are you going to tell us?” Serena’s tone was mildly accusing and Nephrite couldn’t stop the frown from appearing. Why is everyone accusing me?

“It slips from my mind,” Nephrite answered back, starting to feel irritated. In fact, if they had only half of his pains, both physically and emotionally, they wouldn’t be asking him all those questions!

“Slips from your mind?” Ami asked but to Nephrite, it felt like a sarcasm. Irritation had become annoyance. “Something that is as important as this?”

Lita kept silent. Unlike the other guardians, she couldn’t make the negative feeling rose inside of her. She was there when Nephrite reluctantly admitted his pain and even though she didn’t wholly understand of what had happened during the imprisonment, she had at least a slight knowledge of what Nephrite felt. But the thing that was swimming in her head was she didn’t know whether she should rejoice over this information or not. If her life was in Ian’s hand, wasn’t that supposed to be dreadful? But at least Lita knew that she could at least do something about that and not to just sat back and willing received the fate that she might be dead in six months.

Jadeite was bewildered too, when Nephrite made an announcement like that. But when he heard the senshi’s accusation to Nephrite, he silently aware of the building tension inside of his best friend. Nephrite was still trying to recover from the nightmares of his broken childhood and from the who-know-what-Ian-did-to-him things. The senshi’s words were unjust. But then, they didn’t know what was Nephrite going through. They weren’t there when Ian tortured Nephrite during his two-day imprisonment or when Nephrite’s guardian abused the still-vulnerable-Nephrite thousands of years ago. As the generals towards the senshi.

“Look, the point is, there is a chance for Lita to recover from her illness, not why Nephrite kept it as a secret for the last five days,” Jadeite reminded them as he tried to tone down the mild animosity between the guardians and Nephrite.

Ami closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When the sapphire eyes appeared back, Ami curved a rueful smile at Nephrite. “Yes, of course. Sorry, Nephrite.” Nephrite just shrugged and nodded his head.

“So what are we going to do about that?” Mina asked, slowly her temper went down as quickly as it went up.

A question that left all of them silent.

* * * * * *

The evening was beautiful. But even the bright sun and the soft wind couldn’t cheer the goddess of fire’s heart. Ever since, her grandfather went ill, Lita’s illness and Ian’s ceaseless attack, the temple was in total disorganized. To make the matter worse, the temple didn’t make any income, forcing her to control her money so tight that she feared her friends might notice how thrifty she had become lately and eventually knew about her predicament. Until she really needed the money, Rei would never tell her friends. Her fiery pride would never allow that to happen.

Rei walked out from the hospital with a weary and worry expression on her face, which was why Rei had refused Jadeite’s offer to accompany her. She never wanted him to see her like this. And most all, she never want him to know about her lack of fund problem. Rei knew that Jadeite ever found out, he would insisted to help her and showered her with his wealth. She didn’t want Jadeite to think she loved him for what he had and not for he was. Never that! She would find a way to solve her money problem even she had to break her back and all!

Her grandfather hadn’t showed any improvement. His temperature was still high and sometimes he went delirious with fever. Rei was scared. Her grandfather was the only living close relative she had ever had, not counting her father of course. As if he cared whether her only daughter was becoming a pauper and was begging on the street! The only thing he had interest in was his carrier as a politician and that was all!

As the raven-haired young woman walked along the street, a few men stared at her, appreciating the extraordinary beauty that Rei beheld in her. Her dark maroon long sleeves and V-neck satin shirt emphasized the aura of senshi of flame around her and her black boot cut jeans showed off her slender thighs. With her hair fell smoothly and almost ethereal behind her until it reached below her waist, and her lavender eyes darkened with untold sorrow, Rei appeared so mysterious and unapproachable. But Rei was so consumed in her problem and she was glad she was alone. She didn’t have to put her I’m-alright mask and when she was alone, she could put all her guard and let her face showed the vulnerability that lived inside her.

She let out a soft sigh and looked ahead the road she was about to cross. She didn’t want to be another bad news to her friends. But as Rei put out her foot to take the first step, a sudden explosion erupted in front of her. She was so surprised that she was thrown backward a few feet away unhurt. “What in the world…?” Rei gasped as she brushed away strands of her dark hair out of her vision line. Struggling on her feet, Rei watched until the clouds of dust and smoke cleared off.

In front of her, stood three monsters, bigger than the one Ian sent to them before he was being pushed backward to his own dimension. “Damn it,” Rei whispered under her breath. Couldn’t Ian just leave them to live in peace for a while? It had only been five days, for heaven’s sake! Rei’s sharp eyes looked around and she was slightly relief to see the men that were staring at her just were still unconscious for the sudden impact. Not only that would avoid any suspicion about how she still could remain unhurt and most of all conscious after the explosion but it also enabled her to transform into Sailor Mars.

“Mars Crystal Power, Make up!” She shouted and her clothes dissolved into the usual red sailor outfit. The monsters were quickly approaching her and Mars doubtlessly knew that she would not be able to defeat the three monsters all by herself. As one of the monsters charged an attack towards her, Mars agilely jumped out of the way and somersaulted away from the monsters so she could contacted her friends without exposing herself to the danger of being attack. Slightly breathless from her acrobatic skills, Mars pulled out her communication device and called Serena while her eyes looked warily at the monsters that seemed to be contented by destroying their surrounding. Brainless monsters… Mars thought.

“Serena!” Mars called urgently and felt a rush of relief when she heard the usual sound of Serena’s cheerful voice.

“Rei?” Serena asked. “Where are you?”

“I’m a few meters away from hospital…” Mars explained quickly, afraid the monsters would lose their interest in destroying things around them and came after her.

“Rei! You would never believe what we’ve found out today while you were away!” Serena cut in before Mars could ever explain the main reason she called her.

“Serena! I was trying to say something!” Mars snapped back irritatingly. “Shut up and listen, will you?” Mars was too busy chiding Serena that she wasn’t aware of one of the monsters that was approaching her fast. “There’s…” With that, Mars was a minute too late when she finally looked up from her communication device and saw an attack was being charged toward her with an astounding speed. “SHIT!” Mars cursed loudly as she tried to avoid the unavoidable attack and luckily it hit on her bare thigh instead of her head like the monster intended in the first place. And the communication device broke in million pieces.

“Rei?!” Serena exclaimed when the connection between them broke and suddenly stood up from the sofa that she had been sitting with her friends while they were waiting for Rei. “Rei? What’s wrong?! Answer me!”

Jadeite could feel something bad was happening to Rei and he demanded. “What happens?”

“I don’t know but looks like Rei is under attack!” Serena was totally distraught. With that all the people in the living room immediately stood up and readied themselves for a fight.

“Did she tell you where she was?” Jadeite quickly stood up and readied himself to teleport. He didn’t care if there were people around him when he suddenly appeared from nowhere in the public. Damn it! He knew he should accompany her!

“The connection is down before she could say anything!”

“There must be something she had said that hinted about her where about!” Jadeite argued and the alarm he felt was rising fast.

“Um…” Serena bit her lips as she tried to calm herself down and thought fast. What did Rei said before she snapped her? She said she was a few meters away from… from where? Think Serena… she encouraged herself. Think very hard… hospital? Yes! That was it! “She said she was not far from hospital!”

With that Jadeite readied himself to teleport but was quickly being grabbed by Kunzite. “What are you doing?” he demanded.

“Teleporting,” Jadeite said firmly. “I don’t care if they were people to watch me. To hell with them!”

“But…” Kunzite stopped when Jadeite vanished in front of him. Scattering curses under his breath about reckless Jadeite, he turned his attention to Nephrite and Lita. “You stayed here, Nephrite!”

Nephrite’s eyebrow rose in disbelief and he opened his mouth to protest. “No way I’m going to stay here like some crippled man! I’m going with you!”

Kunzite groaned inwardly. How he ever managed to become a leader to a handful of hardheaded generals like them for such along time, he didn’t know. “No, I mean it Nephrite! I don’t want you to go into a battle with your ribs not fully healed!”

“It has healed!” Nephrite retorted and started to stand up too.

Kunzite placed a pair of firm hands on each of Nephrite’s shoulders. “No. It hasn’t healed and I know that.” Nephrite opened his mouth again when Kunzite shook his head and said. “I wish King Endymion hadn’t made me as a leader, for you guys are the most exasperating men I have ever met! Do you have so little faith in us that make you feel you must go along?” For a moment, Kunzite and Nephrite’s eyes met and the latter had a decency to flush a little bit.

Nephrite sat back and curved up a small grin. “If I had that much of faith inside me, I wouldn’t fight side by side with you for the that many years.” Then, with a resentful sigh, Nephrite sat back and folded his arms. “Fine, I’ll stay here.” And nursing my injured ribs and pride. Nephrite thought.

“Fine, let’s go,” Kunzite looked back Zoisite and the all of them readied themselves to leave, including Lita. Mina saw this and she lingered while the rest of them walked out of the penthouse. She then, held Lita back and gave her the look.

“No, you’re not going, Lita,” Mina shook her head firmly.

Lita groaned inwardly. Why was everybody treating her this way? “Come on, Mina.” Behind her, she could hear Nephrite smothered a laugh. I’m going to kill him…

“No, you’re not going and that’s it!” Mina superiorly turned around and followed the rest of her friends, leaving Lita to look at her with unbelievable expression.

Turning around, Lita looked for another target to vent her irritation and she found Nephrite, trying his damnest to hide his amusement. “Oh, you think that’s funny?” Lita said sweetly as she reduced the space between them.

Nephrite looked up at the provocative figure in front of him, looking very dangerous with her startling emerald eyes glittered in both amusement and irritation. And he swore at that very moment, he had never seen another living thing more exquisite and yet so full of life in his absurdly long life. Curving up a small intentional smile, Nephrite raised his hand towards Lita. “Come here, Jupiter.”

Lita’s breath caught when she heard Nephrite called her previous life name. Ian called her that too. But with Nephrite, it sounded so sweet, like a memory from a wonderful past. Like the last days of their life had never happened and all the memory that Nephrite invoked when he uttered the name was the happy times and the sweetest days in her life. Lita smiled back at him, thanking the heaven countless times for giving her the chance in her probably short life, to know him and most of all to love him. She walked towards Nephrite and sat beside him, resting her head on the contour of Nephrite’s neck.

“Let down your hair for me, Jupiter,” Nephrite whispered softly, as of he was afraid of breaking the sensual atmosphere that was suddenly surrounding them.

Lita knew her hair was the thing that Nephrite liked most about her and when she heard Nephrite’s request, it pleased her mightily to know that he still loved something about her after all these months. Lita pulled herself closer towards Nephrite as she reached for the green clip that was holding up her hair. Softly and sensually, the heavy mahogany hair cascaded down and over her shoulders and spilled invitingly over Nephrite’s chest.

The hair was persuasively urged him to touch it and Nephrite succumbed into the need. He raised his hand and slowly savored the feel of Lita soft hair under his callous palm. “Lita… I love your hair, your eyes… I love everything about you.” He softly blew the front hair and kissed onto her forehead.

Lita felt so cherished and so needed. Maybe her life was going to be short, but at least Lita had already knew how she was going to spent it…

* * * * * *

Ian’s hard-blue eyes gazed at the fighting scene where his three monsters were fighting with the red-clad senshi. His face was so grim as he waited for the rest of her friends to come. Suddenly, a satisfy grin broke out when he saw all the familiar faces came and the grin was getting wider when he noticed that Nephrite and Lita weren’t with them.

As I expected. Ian thought. Nephrite’s injuries were not fully healed and they would never let Jupiter fight after what had happened a few day ago.

“I’m going to get you, Jupiter.” Ian vowed and then he teleported.

* * * * * *