Falling INTO Love	
	Part 2/3
	By Elisabeth James
	ejames000@ameritech.net

	A stray breeze rustled through the tree rocking them
silently.  They didn’t speak to one another, they didn’t touch one
another, even though they were only inches apart.  Usagi’s arms
were crossed defiantly across her chest, her blue eyes focused on
the ground that swayed under them.
	“You know this is all your fault Mamoru-san.” she told him
quietly, waiting to see his angry reaction.  She didn’t have to wait
long.
	“My fault?!” he exploded at her, it had been the first time
all day he had shouted at her in fury.  “How this is my fault?” 
	“You were the one who suddenly jerked me closer to you
and made our chutes tangle!” she picked up the cord and shook it
in his face.  He slapped it away furious.
	“It would have been you stuck up here all alone then, I was
trying to help you.” he said seething inside, he knew it would come
down to this.  They never got along before, what made him think
that this situation would be any different?
	“Some help you were.” she grumbled.
	“Thank you Odango.  I’ll remember that the next time
when you’re in trouble.  I saved both our lives up there, and you
still have the nerve to pin everything on me.  It takes two to tango,
or get stuck up in a tree in this case.”
	She closed her mouth and fought back another biting
remark.  She sighed, he was right.  Damn it, why was he always
right?  She would have been lying there lifeless in the dirt if not for
him.
	“Why do we always fight Mamoru-san?  Why can’t we just
get along?” she closed her eyes, she didn’t want to look at him
anymore.  She felt ashamed, she was such a baby, that’s how he
saw her.
	“We just bring out the worst in one another I guess...” he
trailed off, he could feel the anger leaving his body.  No matter
what she said he could never stay mad at Usagi for long.  He gently
touched the side of her face and his fingers came away wet with
blood.  “You’re hurt.” 
	“Yeah well, it’s not that big of a deal.  It’s just a little cut. 
It doesn’t even hurt.” she grimaced as he touched it again, “Stop
doing that!” she pushed his arm away.
	“It’s bleeding pretty bad, will you at least let me look at it
and make sure it’s not too deep.” she shrugged coolly.
	“Do whatever you want, I don’t care.” she watched as he
ripped a scrap of cloth from his suit and started to carefully clean
the cut.  She placed a hand on shoulder to steady herself against
the wind pushing them around.  She didn’t dare breathe his touch
felt so soft and gentle.  He caressed her cheek lightly as he wiped
away the drying blood.
	“It’s not too bad, it shouldn’t scar or anything.” he was
completely aware of her stillness.  His heart seemed to beat fast
with every touch of her skin.  It was so smooth and silky, flawless,
except for the gash that now marred the skin over her left eyebrow. 
He cursed himself silently for not protecting her face better,
perfection deserved better than what he did.
	“That’s good.” she glanced quickly at his face, wondering
how he treated other girls.  Was she the only one privileged to
witness his anger, or his soft touch?  She shook the thought quickly
from her head, this was Mamoru, the man who despised her.  He
was only touching her because she was hurt.
	“I just want to thank you Mamoru-san.” she let go of his
shoulder and they slowly separated.
	“It was just a cut, all I did was clean it up a little bit.”
There was a biting undertone to his voice.  Her brows knitted in
confusion, thinking the anger was meant for her.  She took a deep
breath and proceeded onward with what she wanted to say.  They
were going to be stuck up here for awhile, they might as well try to
get along.
	“No Mamoru, well I mean I appreciate that of course.  I
meant thank you for not letting me go up there.  Though I’m sure
you wanted to, even I wouldn’t have let me do what I did.” his face
registered shock and then relaxed into a soft smile.
	“You were scared, I wasn’t about to push you away.  I
don’t dislike you that much, besides no one has ever needed me as
much as you did for those few short moments.”  She blushed
slightly, the red tinge spread quickly over her face.
	“I still need you Mamoru.  You’re stuck with me until we
get down from here, who knows when that will be?”  she sounded
dejected, there wasn’t any hope of them getting found before night
fell.  She was trapped up here, at Mamoru’s mercy.  She hung her
head, fighting back tears.  She was scared, especially of him.  He
was bringing out all these feelings that she didn’t want to feel
about him.
	“I’m sure it won’t be too long.  They’ll have search teams
out tracking us down, they won’t give up until were found.” he
placed his hand under her chin and drew her eyes up to his.  She
couldn’t hold his gaze, she had to look away.  “I won’t let anything
happen to you here, I promise.”
	She nodded miserably, tears tediously left her eyes
lingering on her cheeks before falling toward the earth.  She
brushed them roughly away, crying was for the weak.  She didn’t
want Mamoru to think of her any less than he already did.
	“You’re scared aren’t you?” she nodded again.  He drew
her into his arms and hugged her tightly.  The ropes got in the way
and rubbed against his face and neck, but he didn’t pull away.  He
felt her tears soak through the wind suit and hit his bare skin
underneath the collar.
	“I’m scared too Usagi, but we have each other we’ll be
fine.  Just watch they’ll find us tomorrow and then you can go
home and see your parents.  And flirt with Motoki-kun again,
everything will be back to normal.  You’ll look bad on this and
laugh, I guarantee it.”
	“Everything will be back to normal?” she pulled away from
him suddenly.  His body cried out from the loss of warmth, but he
held a straight face.  He thought about what she could possibly
mean by asking him that.
	“What you mean Usagi?”
	“Normal is only good if you want things to go back to the
way they were.” the tears continued fall down her dirty face.
	“Well not everything has to go back to normal Usagi,
sometimes change is a good thing too.  I just thought you liked the
way things are in your life right now.” he shrugged as if to tell her
to get over his passing comment, “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
	“I know, I know.  You know what, let’s just not talk to one
another for awhile.” she spun around so she wouldn’t have to look
at him anymore.
	“Fine whatever you want Usagi.” at least talking passed
time, even if it was just meaningless conversation.  Silence meant
having time to think about this whole uncomfortable situation they
had gotten caught up in.  Silence meant thinking about what he
really felt for the petite Odangoed girl hanging next to him.
	Those thoughts were best not thought of...
	So instead he watched her pull leaves off a low hanging
tree branch and try to weave them into a crown.  She hummed
softly to herself completely ignoring Mamoru.  Her hands moved
deftly through the process.  She could feel Mamoru’s eyes burning
into her.  She set the leafy crown on his head and grinned widely at
her trapped companion.
	He looked at her dumbfounded, what the hell was she
doing?  She turned away from him once more and started to grab
more leaves off the branches
	“What are you doing Usagi?” he asked exasperated.  He
slowly removed the crown from his head and gripped tightly in his
hands.  
	“Remember, we aren’t talking to one another right now. 
Complete silence.” She took his crown and placed it back on his
head. “It makes you look cute, leave it on.”
	His mouth fell open with shock, and he pulled the crown on
tighter, “Well when you put it that way...”
	She started to giggle softly.  She playfully pushed him away
and started to work on a crown of her own.

	**~**~**~**~**

	Makoto stared out the window and watched the red sun dip
gracefully below the trees.  Night was falling and Usagi and
Mamoru were still out there somewhere.
	“Where the hell are they?” she cast her nervous eyes
toward the quickly darkening wilderness.
	“They’ll be okay Mako-chan.  Mamoru will protect
Usagi-chan, he wouldn’t just leave her alone out there.” she turned
to Motoki and asked him apprehensively, “Would he?”
	Motoki shook his head quickly, “Mamoru-kun isn’t like
that, wherever they are Usagi is with him.  He won’t let anything
happen to her.”
	“I feel like this is my fault, I pressured Usagi-chan into
jumping.  She never would have been in this predicament if it
weren’t for me.” Rei patted Makoto shoulder in comfort.
	“Don’t blame yourself Mako-chan, you couldn’t have
known that something like this would happen.  They’ll be just fine,
a little hungry and cold, but just fine.”
	“The instructor is taking me back out early tomorrow
morning to search for them again, would you guys like to come?”
Rei and Makoto nodded eagerly.  “How about I drive you two back
to Rei’s temple for tonight, I can pick you both up there around
8:30 or so tomorrow morning.  We’re taking the helicopter out
again, we’ll cover more ground that way.” 
	Rei smiled at Makoto, “That’s sounds good Andrew, let’s
go home Mako-chan.  There’s nothing else we can do tonight.” 
	They walked silently out into the parking lot, their thoughts
still focused on their missing friends.  The ride home was eerily
quiet.

	**~**~**~**~**

	Usagi hugged herself and shivered slightly against the cold
wind that suddenly swept across the field.  The sun had
disappeared long ago leaving Mamoru and Usagi alone in the dark.
	“Are you cold?” the question seemed stupid as soon as it
left his mouth, of course she was cold.  She was shivering and
holding her arms tightly to her body.  Even in the darkness he
could see in what bad shape Usagi was in.  The cut over her left
eyebrow was bleeding again and her skin was pale, an almost
translucent color.  Her eyes were dull and her fiery spirit which
had kept them both amused had been doused by the water of
reality.	
	“I’m fine.” her voice was tight and weary.  Her stomach
rumbled underneath her arms, begging for food.  Her shoulders
ached from the strain of supporting her.
	“You’re shivering.” he said pointedly, she only shrugged.
	“What difference does it make?  There’s nothing you can
do.” she told him, her tone was almost as icy as the wind.
	Without words he drew her into his arms.  His warmth hit
her almost immediately and it only got better from there.  He
briskly rubbed his hands over her back and arms trying to get the
small girl warmed up.
	“See I’m pretty useful.” he smiled at her hoping to cheer
her up.  The leave crown was still perched jauntily on his head, his
black hair was sticking straight up due to the work of the wind. 
“Geez, Usagi you’re frozen solid.”
	“Really, I didn’t notice.” she replied crisply, he narrowed
his blue eyes at her.
	“What’s wrong?” he inquired softly but she remained silent
in his strong arms.
	“I’m cold, tired, and hungry.  My arms hurt, my head is
throbbing and I just want to go home.” she said bitterly.  She let
her head rest on Mamoru’s chest and relaxed as he unconsciously
continued to rub her back.
	“I’m sorry.” what else could he do, he didn’t have food or
could get them down without causing the two of them a lot of pain.
	“It’s not your fault.” she grumbled, he laughed and made
her look up at him.  “What’s so funny?”
	“I’m just glad you don’t blame me anymore for getting us
stuck up here.” his smile was contagious and she smiled weakly
back at him.
	“I never really did, I was just looking for someone to
accuse for getting us into this mess.  After talking to you all this
time, you’re not the vile creature I thought you were Mamoru-san.”
	“I’ll take that as a compliment.” he closed his eyes and
started to drift off.  Usagi snuggled closer trying to stay warm.
	“Mamoru-san?” she asked him softly.
	“Yes Usagi?” his body was ready to shut down, all he
wanted was sleep.
	“Can we sleep like this for tonight?” he smiled above her
and smoothed her hair.
	“Of course, I wouldn’t want you freezing to death, I couldn’t deal with finding a
frozen rabbit hanging next to me tomorrow morning.” she giggled and dozed off,
dreaming of morning and of returning home.