Minna, I am way behind on replying to all these marvelous fics, but I'm trying! ^^ In the meantime, I thought I might send out this little ditty. Um.... Enjoy? ^_^ ~Meredith Legal Disclaimer: Fiction: Sailor Moon belongs to me. Fact: Sailor Moon *does* belong to Naoko Takeuchi. Fiction: Mamoru is more handsome than Demando. Fact: Demando is OBVIOUSLY... ACK! (Meredith ducks as Lelu chases her from the email ^_~) Personal Disclaimer: How sane can I be if my nickname is 'The Evil Mad Scientist'? ^_~ ------------------------------------------------------------ The Catch 1/1 By Meredith Bronwen Mallory mallorys-giirl@cinci.rr.com ------------------------------------------------------------ He heard screaming, off in the distance. Not one of shrill fear, or one of rage, but one of pure and hopeless despair; one that had given up on life. And yet under all those layers of sadness, grief and loneliness, Mamoru could sense something else. The voice screaming was beautiful, as if belonging to a siren straight out of Greek Mythology. So beautiful... he thought dimly, halfway hypnotized, lost and feeling the despair as his own. ³Hey, Mamoru-kun!² ³Nani!?² With a jolt, reality rushed in on the hapless man, and for a moment he stared at his fellow crew member as though he didnıt even recognize her. Makoto laughed and tossed her long brown hair, knowing full well that the wind would blow it in her face again a moment later. ³You were down there in the fathoms,² she said with a sly grin, ³I thought you were about to jump in there. Hearing mermaids?² The laughter in her jade green eyes gave away the joke. ³Iie,² Mamoru replied softly, staring into the sapphire depths of the ocean once more, ³I heard someone screaming. A girl.² ³I didnıt hear anything.² the young woman replied with concern. ³Never mind,² he turned away, ³Must have been my imagination.² With that he walked down towards the lower deck, where a trio of fishermen were struggling to haul in another net-full of catch. Makoto stared after him for a while, watching without really seeing as Mamoru went to help his friends, easily hoisting the heavy load onto the wooden deck. The look in his eyes... sheıd never seen anyone look so genuinely distressed. It was almost as if.. Off in the distance, a siren blared, and one of the crew members turned up the radio as a shrill tone sounded over the speaker. ³WARNING. WARNING. There is a dangerous storm 200 miles northwest of Tokyo Bay, moving at a speed of 25 miles per hour. Those on the water within the area are asked to head for land *immediately*. I repeat...² ³You heard the man!² Captain Tenhou barked, her voice more terrifying than any weather report, ³Letıs pack it in boys, shows over!² In an instant, Makoto was moving, making her way towards the rear so she could help bring up the anchor But as she stared into the deep blue of the oceanıs waves, waiting for the metallic weight of their anchor to be revealed, she swore she too could hear a woman screaming. --------- Storms on land didnıt bother Chiba Mamoru much. Heıd been at sea in such horrible conditions that simple thunder and lightening had long since ceased to have an effect on him. He simply took his precautions and dealt with the situation calmly. Which was why the girl standing sobbing wet in his doorway puzzled him so. The knock had come but a minute after midnight, almost drowned out with the sound of neighborhood shutters banging and the elements as they roared in the heavens. Heıd been just about ready to go to bed, but there had been something so tentative in that little noise at his door that he simply had see what it was. She stood in his doorway for all of three seconds, staring at him as though he was an angel from heaven (which was funny, since part of his bewildered mind was thinking the same thing about her), before she thrust her small form into his arms. ³Mamo-chan!² she cried, and sobbed into his shirt. It only made the situation more surreal... heıd never met this girl before in his life. And yet, his arms automatically surrounded her, lifted her up a little so she could rest her weight on him. ³A-are you alright?² he managed to ask. She shifted a little so she could look up at him, and it was then that his mind managed to soak in what his subconscious had barely managed to comprehend. This girl was beautiful; long golden locks tarnished by the rain; pale, nearly translucent skin and eyes so blue he swore she had the entire sea wrapped up in them. She was, as Captain Tenhou would have put it, a real looker. ³Iım fine now,² she responded, her voice silvery with loneliness. It sounded oddly familiar. ³You must be cold,² he remarked stupidly, already having noted that she was soaked through to the bone. Had anyone else stumbled into his home like this, Mamoru would have been much less courteous, but there was something about this girl... ³Do you want to take a shower real quick, while I find you something dry to wear?² ³W-water!? Shower!?² she was out of his arms in an instant, a animal like panic having come into her eyes. She calmed quickly though, and smiled sweetly. ³No thank you, but I would like something dry, if you donıt mind.² ³Not at all. There are some towels in the bathroom. Itıs down the hall.² ³Arigato,² said the watery woman, as she fairly glided from the room. ŒAm I dreaming?ı Mamoru wondered as he fetched one of his old flannel shirts for the young womanıs use. He wasnıt even sure the past ten minutes had happened... it was all so surreal. Like something heıd already half-lived. He laid the garment but the bathroom door before returning to his living room, where he gazed into the roaring fire and contemplated the stupidity of sheltering strange young women in the middle of the night. ³Itıs so nice to be dry,² the girl commented as she hugged the shirt to herself. Her hair clung to her sides, he noted, streaming from twin buns. It looked as though sheıd planned something like pigtails, but it hadnıt turned out that way, what with the clumps of hair dangling at odd position. Some part of his mind remarked that she looked adorable. ³Thank you so much, Mamoru,² she said softly, as she sat down in front of the fire, holding out her hands to accept itıs warmth. ³How do you know my name?² he choked, almost in accusation. She looked up at him sharply, eyes filled with regret. ³Oh, Iıve screwed it up already, havenıt I?² she moaned. ³Screwed what up?² ³This,² she gestured to encompass the whole room, before her hands fell to her sides. Exasperated, Mamoru took a seat beside her and decided to start with more simple things. ³Whatıs *your* name?² Again, a flash of pain, but she answered presently. ³Usagi. Tsukino Usagi.² ³Alright, so how do you know me?² ³You-² she began, then took a deep breath, ³You havenıt met me... yet. We were supposed to, but there was... was...² And then, quite suddenly, she took his face between her damp little hands and fused his lips to her own. For some odd, inexplicable reason, Mamoru lost control. Before he knew it she was laying in the cradle of his arms, staring up at him as he stole her breath with heated kisses. At that point, he didnıt much care for where she came from, or how she knew him, if she didnıt want to tell him. Somehow he trusted her implicitly, Mamoru realized, or he never would have let her into the house at all. There was a loneliness in her deep blue eyes that called to him. The ancient corner of his heart that had been searching forever for that intangible *something*, only to have discovered it was too late. But he hadnıt felt like that before, he thought dazedly, Usagiıs lips, tasting of vanilla mixed lightly with salt water, making him heady as nothing else ever had. Something had happened that had stolen his hope. When...? That afternoon, as he gazed into the sea, with the womanıs screams echoing in his ears. His hope had died then. ³Donıt think about that,² Usagi whispered urgently as she sealed their lips again, ³Please, please donıt think about that.² ³Kami-sama, Usagi... Usagi...² he chanted, fully taken in as he tangled his fingers in her still damp locks. Some part of his traitorous brain noted that it should have been dry by then. It was only later, with Usagi curled up in his lap, that Mamoru realized what she did to him. She *filled* him. Sweet heavens, he felt as though he might burst. And all heıd done was kiss her, and listen to her as she murmured softly in his ear, telling him softly of her life in China. How she had been (some part of his mind frowned at the use of past tense) the daughter of the Japanese Ambassador. Her father had never been satisfied with anything she did, no matter how hard she tried. So finally, she ran away, spent what little money sheıd had for a ride on a low-class boat bound for Japan. Heıd taken her face in his hands then, kissed her salty tears as she begged him to return her gift with details of his own life. She was something else, really. How could it have been possible that he hadn't KNOWN her three hours ago, hadnıt been aware of her golden existence until the clock struck midnight? ³So warm...² Usagi murmured sleepily. Mamoru frowned, and moved her closer in his embrace, a little puzzled when her hands came to grasp his wrist, fingers caressing the pulse-point. Not that it wasnıt soothing. In fact, he could feel himself slipping away, into the darkness of sleep... --------- Mamoru had a rather strange dream that night. Feeling oddly detached, he rose from the comfort of his favorite arm chair and walked towards the door. The empty stretch of beach surrounding his humble clap board house was drenched in gray, the waves rushing up to the shore in an almost lazy manner. With a carelessness contrary to his nature, Mamoru left his door open as he wandered out onto the sand. The wind tousling his ebony locks like a much-beloved aunt; the yellow-white grains of sand ground gently against his feet, creeping in between his toes. He walked onward without knowing where he was going. Mamoru was within and without himself, one moment vividly engaged in the sequence of the dream, and the next standing like a spectator on the sidelines. For a single instant, he felt ill at ease; the beach was silent. Not a gull stirred, the air did not ring with the laughter of children or clang of fishermanıs equipment. Then the detachment rushed in again, and he allowed the dream to take him by the hand and guide him. ³Mamo-chan!² It was Usagiıs voice, and he turned to find itıs owner, answering the call with a word of his own. Something impossibly precious... ³Usako!² ³Mamo-chan...² she sounded like she was crying, and he began to run. ³Where are you, Usako!?² ³Here.² The word was spoken like a soft command, and suddenly he saw her standing amongst the waves. She smiled at him softly, beckoning to him with a barely concealed desperation. She spread her slim, pale arms wide in invitation, eyes so blue they but the sea to shame. ³Mamo-chan, weıre one soul. Itıs all so unfair. Wonıt you join me?² she sounded unsure, as if she were fighting a battle within herself, ³Itıs a little cold, but youıre warm, warm...² A thin cold snake slithered along Mamoruıs spin, but he kept his eyes rooted on Usagiıs face; her blue eyes and her smile. Her words unnerved him slightly, but her voice was gentle as it lulled him into a state of easy acceptance. Almost in a trace, he took a step into the water. He woke up. --------- The sun was streaming through the dusty curtains to batter Mamoruıs eyes when he awoke. In the distance, he could hear church bells tolling, and he stretched leisurely, knowing that it was only five oıclock, an hour before his fishing boat was to set out for the day. All of these things were normal, comforting, and yet... Where was Usagi?! Sheıd fallen asleep in his lap, Mamoru remembered, which explained why it felt so cold and empty now. Fear of her absence was only heightened by memories of the strange dream, and Mamoru stood quickly, calling out her name. The house seemed oddly deserted, as if it protested even the presence of itıs owner, but he forged on, checking the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedroom. He padded down the hallway, feeling the air grow more chilly the further along he went, and when his bare feet touched the wet puddle in the carpet he nearly jumped sky high. Startled, he looked down. There were puddles all along the worn carpeting, or rather, they were wet footprints, leading out his door and disappearing down the beach. The door stood open at the end of the corridor, a final testament that, whatever her reasons were, Usagi had vanished. Nearly broken, Mamoru wandered back into the house, searching for a clue that might lead him to his watery angel. But no, her clothes had taken leave with their owner, and his flannel shirt folded neatly on the end of his bed. Gone was the warmth of Usagiıs embrace, and the late-night fire that had roared both between the two of them and in the fire place. Instead, the house felt cold, the air laying heavy and damp. Ill at ease, Mamoru sat heavily on his bed, head cradled in his hands. Something was wrong, he could feel it screaming in his veins. Usagi was gone... everything was so stark and there was something he still wasnıt able to see. Something out of place. It wasnıt until he went to put on his boots that Mamoru realized he had awoken with sand between his toes. -------- The sea was a sapphire gem set into the metallic gray of an over cast sky and, though the threat of storms was still very real, Captain Tenhouıs little fishing boat set sail all the same. It was okay, really, gray suited Mamoru today. His thoughts had taken a gloomy turn, especially after heıd dressed for the day and ran out on the beach, searching a mile in either direction for any trace of Usagi. Heıd followed her footprints northward for a bit, but they disappeared into the water. They did not come out again. ³Hey, you okay in there?² it was Makoto again, coming to join him. He stood leaning against the railing, staring into the sea in much the same fashion as the previous day. Though he didnıt bother to look up, Mamoru knew what heıd see should he choose to. Makotoıs tall visage would stand a scant few inches shorter than he, her chestnut locks forever protesting the confines of her pony tail. Her green eyes were kind, he knew, but he did not want his best friendıs compassion. Rather, he wanted Usagi; no matter how troubled her eyes were, or how much she jumped when he touched her without warning. It was almost laughable, he knew, but even though heıd only met her twelve hours ago, Chiba Mamoru was in love with Tsukino Usagi. And that was when it hit him, the one thing that bothered him most about what he tentatively called their Œrelationshipı. It wasnıt the fact Usagi was hiding something, or the fact that she seemed to be privy to some strange knowledge. But rather, it was the *speed* at which things were progressing. The moment sheıd thrown herself into his arms, time had sped up. Itıs steady trickle onward had become a rushing river, and Mamoru felt almost drowned by it. People who had been aquatinted a mere twelve hours shouldnıt *know* each other like he did Usagi, shouldnıt feel so at ease, so blindly in love. And yet, he was. With an almost unbearable clarity, he realized that they didnıt have *time* for Œgetting aquatintedı. They didnıt have time for him to gaze at her in longing while she wasnıt looking, then keep up the pretense of friendship when she was. They didnıt have time for her to shift back and forth, praying for the courage to tell him how she felt and they didnıt have time for long walks in the park. Their time together was scarce, and they *did* know one another deep down. Time had done them a favor, not a disservice, by allowing that to come to the fore. That was why her kisses seemed so rushed, why his own hands had trembled while they stroked through her hair. The clock was ticking... But counting down to *what*? ³Makoto?² he asked, unaware that he still hadnıt answered her previous question. ³Hai?² ³Do you... do you think you can trust the person you love, even if you havenıt known them that long?² The tall Amazon laughed then, causing Mamoru to jerk his head in her direction and gaze at his friend with hard cobalt blue eyes. ³You should always trust the one you love, even if something tells you that you shouldnıt,² she replied, with wisdom far beyond her years, ³They may prove themselves unworthy of your trust, but you should at least give them a chance. We humans have little choice in who we love, and sometimes... sometimes itıs hard. But you should trust them until they show you otherwise.² ³Ariagto, Makoto-chan,² he replied softly, gazing back down into the infinite depths of the sea. She frowned then, but he didnıt see it. ³Are you sure youıre okay?² ³Hai,² Mamoru lied, the wind cold, bitter and crying in his ears, ³Iım just fine.² Sometime later, he sat beside Captain Tenhou as they charted a course home, half of his mind still weighing Makotoıs words against his own suspicions. With resolve, he thrust himself into the delicate work of co-ordinates and charts, which was probably why he register the following with only his subconscious mind. ³We have the latest news on yesterdayıs storm,² said the soulless radio beside him. Neither Mamoru or Haruka paid it much attention, absorbed in their work, ³The Himmel, a Chinese commercial ship headed for Japan, sank due to the stormıs enormous waves. There were no survivors, and nearly all the bodies have been found. Among the notable missing are Tsuk-...² At that instant, the wire contraption sparked with fire, the sound dying with a low moan. ³Damn thing!² Haruka cursed in frustration, pounding the radio with her fist, ³It never works. I need to get a new one.² ³Hai,² said Mamoru, who hadnıt heard a word. ------ Mamoru didnıt even bother to ask questions that night, when Usagi once again thrust her small body against his own, taller form. Once again, she was soaked straight to the bone, and once again he offered her a shower (which she declined) and some dry clothing (which she accepted). If he had thought that time rushed by the first night, the second night was a hazy blur of flight. Once more they were in each otherıs arms before the fire, touching one another with wondering hands, some part of them knowing that they each needed to store up all the memory they could. The questions were on the tip of his tongue; Where had she been? Why had she come to him in the first place? What was she hiding? But one look at Usagiıs sad eyes and the memory of Makotoıs earlier words convinced him to keep his mouth shut. Instead, he offered her his trust and did not question. He busied his mouth with other things, like Usagiıs soft lips, the curve of her jaw and the pale column of her neck. Trailing kisses down her neck, Mamoru stopped to place his lips right over what should have been her sweet pulse. He fully expected her blood to leap within her veins to meet his touch, but instead her skin simply lay there, not a flutter, not a heartbeat. ³Usako! You...² he gasped, alarmed as he raised his head, and Usagi fixed his worried gaze with a firm one of her own. There was something in her eyes, but it flashed by so quietly, Mamoru could not comprehend it. With shaking hands, he pulled her to him, rocking her gently and unsure of whether he was trying to give comfort, or take it. He must have misjudged... that was all. And yet, he dared not try again. Usagi wrapped her cool limbs around him, smoothed his hair, so Mamoru let her take the worry from him, and rested in her arms. -------- With a heavy sense of dejaıvu, even within the confines of his dream, Mamoru rose from his chair and walked down the hall. The beach called to him, the sea called to him, whispering promises only he could hear. The coast was still, silent as death, with only the gentle lapping of the waves to punctuate the passing of time. ³Mamo-chan...² Usagiıs silver voice traveled like an arrow, straight to the young, bewildered man on the beach. It lodged itself right through his still beating heart. Gazing out at the horizon of blue, Mamoru saw his angel, arms open once more in both askance and invitation. His limbs felt weighted as he approached her, some odd survival instinct having kicked in. He fought against it tooth and nail as he waded knee-deep through the icy waters towards his belovedıs form. ³Usako, Iım coming!² ³Hai, onegai... Oh, Mamo-chan,² she crooned, before her face contorted with pain and tears began to slip from her eyes. ³Usa-² This time, Mamoru woke shivering, his breathing labored as he fought against the oppressive atmosphere that had invaded his home. He lay there for a while, gasping for breath and gazing on the wet foot prints leading to and from his chair. The ones moving away where small and dainty, obviously Usagiıs. It was the larger, more masculine ones that puzzled Mamoru. They lead from the threshold into the living room, and he followed their trail with disbelieving eyes. A long, low moan of disbelief escaped his lungs as Mamoru gazed down at the rest of his body. His jeans were wet with sea water; right up to the knees. --------- The third night, he could not with hold his questions. Usagi came to the door, once again soaked, but a little more calm than previously. They preformed the familiar routine of drying and changing. It was a dance they knew by heart, but they preformed it anyway, needing the familiarity. But once they were seated in front of the fire, Mamoru knew things had to change. There were too many secrets lurking in Usagiıs sad blue eyes, too many things that just couldnıt be explained. The golden girl seemed to sense the questioning in his eyes, though she kept her own focused on the roaring fire. Though she scooted closer to the warm flames, she still shivered, and Mamoru wrapped his arms around her. ³Usako,² he said softly, but she turned away as much as she could. Gently, he took her chin between two fingers and turned her towards him, ³Please,² he begged, ³I canıt... I need to know.² ³Very well,² she whispered, shoulders slumping in defeat. She gave in so easily that Mamoru almost told her to forget about it. He would rather see the light back in her eyes than know the answers to all the questions in the universe. But she forged on quickly, determined. ³We.. we were supposed to meet,² she said, as if they didnıt know each other, ³But there was an accident. I... Oh, Mamo-chan, Iıd waited so long to get away from Papa. He was always measuring me against, Okaa-san. I was never as good as she was, even if she was dead. He.. he was trying to replace *her* with *me*. And when I got on the boat, I felt so *alive*. Like the whole world was waiting for me, and I knew that there was someone special waiting for me at the end of the line... and then... I was... but...² she broke from his arms with surprising strength, and before he could stop her, Usagi had the door open. By the time Mamoru reached the threshold, she was already disappearing down the night beach, her sobs chasing after her. She sounded like a wounded kitten, completely alone. ³Usako!² he cried, chasing after her, though he knew she was already gone, ³Come BACK!² Softer now, the words he hadnıt spoken to her at all, and felt guilty for with holding; ³I love you.² ------ This time, Mamoru was knee deep in the water when he came into the dream, Usagiıs form standing right in front of him. Just a little further... She was crying, as she had when sheıd run from him earlier that night, and the waves were incredibly cold against Mamoruıs flesh. He didnıt think about that, though, he was purely consumed with the goal of reaching her. So consumed, that he didnıt realize how far away he was from the shore, and that he was now swimming out near the point of no return. Usagi hovered about the water, looking strange in the tattered gray travel suit, so different from the way his own flannel shirt had clung to her form. His fingers grazed her own as he reached for her. Salty liquid sloshed in his mouth now, and he was struggling to keep his head above water. Still her hand danced out of reach. There was something in her eyes... was she doing this on PURPOSE!? In the last moment before Mamoru was submerged completely, Usagi dripped down and supported him, lifting him up into the life-giving air. ³Gomen ne! Iım sorry, I Œm sorry!² she sobbed into his shirt, which was already wet with the oceanıs tears, ³I canıt do it! They told me I had three days.. but, oh Mamo-chan, I canıt! Iım sorry!² her arms tightened around him as he gazed down at her in disbelief, ³Aishiteru. I love you, I love you...² Then in a flash so intense it knocked the breath out of him, he was laying on the beach, the stars above him engaged in a dizzying dance. He felt, rather than saw, he caress his cheek as he slipped into unconsciousness He awoke on that same beach, drenched a shivering, with little particles of frost growing on his eye lashes and his hair. For a long time, he simply lay there, knowing it was not a dream and crying silently. He didnıt understand, not at all, but he knew somehow that she had said goodbye. ---------- The Jord, a small finishing boat licensed to Tenhou Haruka, left an hour ahead of schedule three days after the terrible storm that had rocked Tokyo Bay and the surrounding areas. Hers was a skeleton crew that Friday, with only the Captain, Kino Makoto, Chiba Mamoru and Myobishi Hitowa on board. The weather was turning terribly cold, and they didnıt expect to catch much, so they weighted net Makoto and Hitowa were trying to haul over was nothing short of a surprise. It was a clear, windless day, and Makotoıs shrill scream carried easily through the small ship. She screamed, and screamed, and would not stop screaming as Hitowa laid the contents of the net on the deck. More than a little concerned, Haruka and Mamoru came running, only to stop short once the net came into view. While Harukaıs noise was one of pity and a little disgust, Mamoruıs was much more personal. It was a long, low moan of pure despair. You would have thought the love of his life had died. He gazed with unbelieving eyes on the thing entangled in the net. There lay the body of one Tsukino Usagi; still beautiful despite the fact it had spent three days in the icy waters of Tokyo Bay. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, I never said it would have a *happy* ending...... ^^;;;;;; Oh, what the heck. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!