The Green Jacket Crisis
	Part 1/1
	By Elisabeth James
	ejames000@ameritech.net

	*bing bong*
	The cheerful doorbell rang again as Mamoru rushed
frantically around the house.
	“Where is it?” he shouted, frustrated with himself, “I know
it was in my closet, where did it disappear to?”
	He looked briefly at the door, he knew it was Usagi. 
Tonight was their date, they were supposed to be going to the
movies and then out to dinner.  He glanced quickly at his watch,
the movie started in 15 minutes.  She was early for once in her life,
well he would let her in in a minute

	*bing bong*
	Usagi pushed the doorbell for the third time.  She could
hear someone rustling around inside the apartment, she stood on
her tip toes and tried to peer in through the peephole.
	“Shoot, can’t see anything” she knocked softly,
“Mamo-chan?  Are you in there?”  still no answer.
	She tried the doorknob, locked.  She kicked it, nothing.
	She was worried, Mamoru had never ever stood her up
before.  Maybe something happen, maybe someone broke into his
apartment.  He could be lying unconscious somewhere, bleeding to
death while she just stood here ringing the doorbell.
	She raised both of her fists to the door and started banging
on it with all of her strength, “Mamo-chan!”  she was getting close
to hysterics when suddenly the door flew open and she fell inside
the apartment.
	“Usa-ko.  I heard you the first time.” he closed his eyes as
if trying to regain some of his lost patience.
	“Well if you heard me then why didn’t you let me in?” she
stood up and brushed her pink denim skirt off.  
	“I was looking for something.” he walked away from her
and started his search again.  She followed him around the
apartment, wondering just what exactly he was looking for.
	“Mamo-chan?  What are you looking for, maybe I can
help.” she smiled hopefully.  He said nothing as continued to look
under his bed.
	“I’m looking for my green jacket.  You know the one I
always wear when I go out.”
	Usagi’s face went pale, “The olive green jacket?  The one
that looks so nice with the black turtleneck?” she stood there
silently praying that her description of the jacket didn’t match the 
one Mamoru was looking for.
	“That’s the one, did you see it some place in the apartment
already?” he finally gave her his full attention.  She averted her
eyes from his and lowered her head to the ground.
	“No, but I know where it is.” she told him softly, her face
was burning bright red.  She felt absolutely horrible, the guilt was
unbearable.
	“So tell me Usa-ko, so we don’t miss the movie.  I certainly
hope I didn’t leave it someplace, that jacket means the world to
me.  It was my father’s.”
	She raised her head and accidentally caught his eyes, “Your
f-father’s?” <Oh no he’s going to kill me.> 
	“Yep, he used to wear it every time he and my mother used
to go out.  That’s the only thing I really remember about my
mother and father, how happy they looked together.  I kept that
jacket as a memento of those times.  So tell me where it is so we
can have happy times of our own.” he smiled at his petite
girlfriend, wondering what was troubling her so badly.
	“It’s sort of not at the apartment anymore...” she trailed off
uneasily.
	He looked at her surprised, “Oh, did I leave it at the
arcade?”
	She shook her head
	“Your house?”
	She shook her head again
	“So where could it be if it’s not here, the arcade or at your
house?”
	Tears welled up in her big blue eyes, “I didn’t mean to
Mamo-chan!  Really I didn’t.  Remember that day we were sorting
clothes to give to Goodwill?” she paused to let him nod, “I saw it
hanging there and I didn’t think that you wore it anymore so I put
it in the bag with all your other old clothes that we took over there
last week.” he went pale.
	“You gave my green blazer to Goodwill?” the voice was
tight and controlled.  She stepped away from him slowly.
	“It was an accident, I didn’t know.” she reached for his arm
but he jerked away coldly from her.
	“Usa-ko, I don’t think we should go out tonight.  It’s
probably best that you go and find something to do with Rei and
the rest of them.”
	“Mamo-chan, please don’t be angry with me.  If I would
have known, I never would have touched that jacket.  Gomen,
gomen Mamo-chan.” she started to cry in the middle of his
bedroom.  She felt horrible, scum of the earth horrible.  “I’ll get it
back, I’ll go downtown and get it for you tomorrow okay?”
	Mamoru remained quiet, his clear blue eyes seething
underneath.  How could she do this to him?  How could she just
throw away the only thing he had left of his parents?  He collapsed
silently onto his bed.
	“Please just go home Usagi.” she froze, he didn’t just call
her that.  She had to be just hearing things.
	“Mamo-chan?” she whispered quietly.  She ran from his
bedroom sobbing into her hands.  She opened the apartment door
and slammed it hard behind her.  “I’m so sorry Mamo-chan.” she
whispered softly as she raced toward the elevator.
	
	He lay on his back unable to sleep, guilt had taken over his
mind.  He felt bad about what he had done to Usagi, it was unfair,
she didn’t know about how important that jacket was to him.  But
on the other hand, she should have known better than to just throw
it in some bag.
	“I should apologize to her, but I’m still so angry.” he told
himself out loud.
	Another voice interrupted his own, “Look at you Mamoru,
for some one who acts so intelligent and mature all the time, you
sure made a mess of things his evening.” Mamoru peered to his
left to see his father standing there shaking his head.
	“Father?” Mamoru sat up in an instant, he rubbed his eyes
to make sure this all just wasn’t some freaky dream.
	“Yes Mamoru, it’s me.  I just came back to tell you how
disappointed I am in you.  What you did tonight was shameful,
treating that poor girl like you did.” Mamoru nodded, if this was
just a dream, it was just best to play along.
	“I know but she gave away your jacket to Goodwill!”
	“So!  It’s a jacket Mamoru, it holds no more importance
than what you chose to give it.” Even after death Mamoru could
still not look his father in his face, the shame was too much.  It was
one thing to be yelled at by your parents, it was completely
different to have your dead father standing before you telling you
that you really screwed up.
	“It was the last thing I had left to remind me of you and
mom.” Mamoru told his father softly, “I didn’t want to let it go.”
	Mamoru’s father sat down next to him on the bed, “Now
look here, that jacket didn’t remind you of us, your memories did. 
No jacket can ever take those away from you.  All I know is that
Usagi girl loves you and you love her.  You need to apologize right
away.  She didn’t mean any harm Mamoru.” he patted his son’s
back, “I know you’ll do the right thing, you always have.”
	“Right father, I will.” he stood up and his father followed
suit.
	“Oh and one more thing, what’s with the tuxedo and the
roses?  I still don’t understand what’s going on there.” Mamoru
only smiled
	“Long story, maybe I’ll tell you someday.” his father only
nodded slightly and smiled.
	“Goodbye Mamoru.” a bright flash of light erupted in the
tiny bedroom and the ghost was gone as quickly as he came.
	“Goodbye Father.”

	“Oh Luna, what am I going to do?  The man I talked
tonight said that he already sold the jacket.  Mamo-chan’s going to
hate me forever.” the black cat only shook her head.
	“Mamoru-san will forgive you Usagi-chan.  He loves you,
he won’t just let some jacket break up your relationship.” Usagi
nodded, tears once again trailing down her cheeks.
	“But it was his father’s.  The last thing he had left to
remember his parents.  He was so angry tonight and who could
blame him, I messed up big time.  I would hate me too. ”she
started to cry harder, her tears rained down on the small black cat.
	“Usagi-chan, give him time.  I’m sure he doesn’t hate you.”
	Usagi gave the cat a warm hug, “Thank you Luna, I feel a
little bit better now.” she didn’t look it but Luna took what she
could get.
	“Get some sleep, everything will look better in the
morning.” Luna jumped off Usagi’s lap and padded out of the
room.  Usagi reached to turn off her light when she saw a face with
a mask peering in at her through her window.  She jumped slightly
but then leaned in closer.  Her eyes widened in recognition.
	“Mamo-chan?” she unlocked the window and lifted it open. 
He slid in smoothly and landed softly on her bed.  He slowly
removed his mask and hat.  “What are you doing here in the
middle of the night?” she asked him quietly, suddenly very aware
that her parents were sleeping in the next room.
	“I came to apologize for being so hard on you earlier
tonight.  I made far too big a deal about that jacket and I never
wanted to make you cry.” he touched her face gently with his
gloved hand, smoothing away the tear streaks.
	“I deserved it Mamo-chan, I deserved every word.  I never
knew, I had no idea how important that jacket was to you.  I even
tried to get it back, I stopped by the main office on the way home
from your apartment.  They already sold it to someone else.” she
kept her eyes on the floor afraid to see the anger in his face.
	“Usa-ko, I don’t care about the jacket anymore.  I will miss
it but you what I would miss even more?” she still didn’t look at
him.
	“What?” it was muffled as she buried her face in her hands. 
He only smiled at her cuteness.
	With a gentle touch he slowly moved her face towards his
own, “You, I would miss you.  There is nothing more important to
me in this world than you Usa-ko.  I love you.” she smiled at him,
“I had a revelation tonight and I realized how stupid I acted.  No
matter what you do in the future, I could never EVER hate you.”
	“You really mean that?  You don’t hate me?” she watched
as a grin broke out on his face.
	“I don’t hate you Usa-ko, but ask me before you
just throw something in a bag while we’re cleaning my closet next
time, okay?” she nodded eagerly and he quickly embraced her.  
	“I don’t deserve you Mamo-chan, you’re too good to me.”
he planted a soft butterfly kiss on her forehead.
	“Nonsense Usa-ko.  We deserve each other.  We take care
of one another, like lovers should.” he kissed her lips delicately
like they were the petals of a flower. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the
game center okay?” she smiled warmly at him.
	“Of course, good night Mamo-chan, pleasant dreams.”
	“Good night Usa.” with a sudden breeze he was gone,
disappearing into the darkness.  With a silly sigh she turned off the
light and got under her covers, sweet dreams of her Mamoru
slowly filling her head.

	“See I told you our son would work it out.” Mamoru’s
father proudly proclaimed.
	“Yes well, I guess you were right honey.  It had to happen
sooner or later I suppose.” Cassiopeia quickly kissed her husband’s
cheek and jumped out of the tree outside Usagi’s room.
	“I still don’t understand that whole tuxedo mask thing
though Cass.” he followed his wife as she headed toward the
street.
	“Don’t concern yourself with it, it’s a girl thing.” she gently
patted her husband’s shoulder and they faded away into the
moonlight.

	This is strictly to hold you over until late this week when
Forbidden Hearts, chapter three will be out.  The chapter itself is
done, just needs a little more work :)

	thanks (as always) to: SB, Kelly, Adrianne, Clare-chan and
Meredith (who came up with the best name for Mamoru's mom and for 
letting me use it :) :) :)

Liz-chan