Part V

Zoi and Kunz drape the blankets they've found around the apartment over Jae and Diana.

Zoi touches her brother's face with the back of her hand, finding his skin still dangerously cool.

"Gods, I hope this is working," she comments softly.

Diana looks at her from under the blankets, trying her best to ignore the warring emotions within.

"I'm sure it will," she answers, tucking the blankets more firmly about them both, "especially with all these blankets."

Zoi nods, and looks at Kunz.

"Do you think now would be a good time to ask her about what happened to her?" she telepaths to her lover.

Kunz looks over at Diana cuddled close to Jae. She looks calm, almost sedated from the increasing warmth.

"Hai," he answers telepathically, "she seems calm enough at the moment."

Zoi nods slightly and says in a soft voice, "Diana?"

"Hai?" she answers just as softly.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"No..."

"I noticed when I healed your hand before that you reacted almost...frightened. I was wondering why. Is it something I did?"

Diana bites her lip and rests her head on Jae's shoulder, hugging close and sighing softly.

"No...no...nothing you did. It's just...your healing reminded me of something...horrible," she shudders, "that I just can't talk about yet."

Zoi nods and comfortingly rests a hand on the crown of Diana's head. She's startled to find her friend so warm, but shrugs it off, remembering all the layers of blankets.

"I understand, my friend. Would you like us to leave you two alone?"

Diana can only nod as Kunz and Zoi leave the room.

Several hours later, the others have come and gone, HLM and Neph were filled in and Jae slips closer to consciousness.

"Oh...don't go," he mumbles very softly.

"Hmm?" Diana blinks awake, a little surprised she'd gone to sleep.

"...test can wait...don't go..."

Diana realizes he's dreaming.

He groans softly, shifting slightly in her arms. He shifts dreams as he shifts positions.

"What she says doesn't matter...our love is all that matters..." he murmurs, moving on again.

"...warn palace, beloved...warn palace...hurry..." she feels his tears fall on her bare skin "...sorry...so sorry..." he sobs.

"Shh...shh...it's ok," Diana whispers instinctively, stroking his hair, "everything is ok."

Slowly he stops crying and starts muttering something about collecting energy and destroying "those annoying Sailor Brats".

Through it all, Diana stays with him, listening with puzzlement, holding him gently and letting her body heat give him life saving warmth.

Eventually he falls into a deep, dreamless sleep.

An hour or so later, Jae yawns.

"He must be waking up, I'll just get up now," Diana mutters to herself.

"Mmm...don't go," Jae murmurs, wrapping his arms around Diana and cuddling close, still half asleep. "Warm..."

Diana goes rigid as a board, fear suddenly hitting her like a load of bricks at this sudden move.

"Um...J...Jae," Diana whimpers.

He blinks awake and withdraws hastily once he realizes who he's cuddling and that she's trembling like a kitten.

"Diana! I...I'm sorry! What happened? Are you ok? I...I hope I didn't do anything..."

Diana bites her lip, pulling back and finding her jeans, pulling them on with shaking hands under the covers.

"Uhm...it's ok...I...I'm ok...y...you did...nothing wrong," she whispers, slipping out of the covers and searching for her shirt.

She tries her best to stop her trembling by wrapping her arms tightly around herself. She fails  miserably.

"Uhm...you wouldn't have happened to see my sweater have you?" she whispers almost too softly to be heard.

"Hai," he answers after stretching and looking around, finding her black sweater were he was laying.

"I was laying on i..." he cuts off as soon as he sees the horrible bruising on her back and shoulders.

"My god," he whispers, turning her and finding even more and sometimes worse bruising on her chest and stomach. Her bra has the appearance of having been ripped off at one time.

Part IV
Part VI
Beginnings and Endings Index