Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Power Of Fire ❯ Chapter 8

Rei felt her hand shaking as she grabbed the teapot and filled it with water. She could hear Usagi in the next room, trying to coax some reasonable response out of Ami.

"I wish they hadn't come over so soon," murmured Rei as she waited for the teapot to fill, "I'm not sure if Ami's completely ready." Rei sighed; she knew she had more than one reason for not wanting them around right now. I wanted Ami to myself for a little while longer, thought Rei as her hands started to shake again.

"You alright Rei?" asked Makoto, coming into the kitchen to grab a plate for the recently made cake she had brought with her.

"I'm fine, just a little tired," Rei attempted a good, fake yawn but yet again, when she looked in Makoto's eyes she felt her body shaking again.

Why am I so threatened? They're my friends! Rei tried to make her reactions make sense, but it didn't seem to work, her body continued to act as if she were in a dangerous situation.

"You seem a bit tense," stated Makoto as she carefully cut the cake into five equal pieces for the girls.

"Not really," Rei was trying for nonchalant approach but her voice rose too high at the end causing Makoto to suddenly look over at her friend. Rei had no idea how her face looked and to be truthful, she didn't want to know because as soon as Makoto saw her face, pure realisation dawned on her own.

"Rei-" started Makoto…

"Don't waste your breath Mako-Chan," said Rei angrily, cutting Makoto off before she could say anything, "It's nobody's business."

Just as Makoto was about to respond Ami walked into the kitchen. The tense atmosphere heightened and Ami's features quickly changed from a careful smile to an anxious scowl as she walked over to Rei, grabbing the teacups for her.

"After you Mako-Chan," said Rei, still disgruntled.

You're being completely irrational! Rei felt like yelling at herself, she hadn't meant to be cruel to Makoto but again the feeling of dejection had reared its head and alighted her temper.

Ami's eyes hesitantly searched Rei's as they stood side by side making sure not to touch in case anybody was watching. Rei nodded a little and started walking back into the lounge room carrying the now full teapot.

Makoto carefully placed the plate down on the table, Minako and Usagi instantly grabbing a piece each. Rei followed trying to rid herself of her irrational behaviour, her body reflexively shielding Ami behind her from the girls.

"Um Rei, I was wondering if we could ask you something," started Minako, setting down her half-eaten cake on the plate again and giving Usagi a look that meant she should follow suit.

"What is it?" sighed Rei exasperated as she, Ami and Makoto took their usual places at the table.

"Well, ah, Haruka and Michiru had this idea that… well that… there was something between you… and ah… Ami-Chan," Minako's voice faltered as she kept her eyes averted from Rei's face.

Rei suddenly felt claustrophobic, like the people around her were breathing in too much air and not leaving enough for her. Trying to keep her face straight and portray no emotion Rei started pouring the tea for everybody, wondering what she should respond with. To be honest, she didn't know if she wanted them to know the truth, she wanted to deny everything but she also knew that if they were her friends that she shouldn't do that.

"Ah, Rei?" asked Usagi, giving Rei's shoulder a little shake as she spoke.

Rei tried to breathe normally but her lungs felt too constricting, like they weren't expanding like they should.

Looking forward Rei could see Ami's shoulders slump, her whole body collapsing in on itself in a protective gesture. If I affirm it, it'll hurt Ami, but if I deny it, it'll hurt her even more.

Rei cleared her throat as both Minako and Usagi looked hesitantly from her to Ami and back again.

"Haruka and Michiru," started Rei, feeling her voice cut out as hysteria flushed over her, her eyes popping as she watched the expectant faces of her friends and her imagination forced upon her a reality that might come for her.

"Well…" coaxed Minako, leaning forward ever more closer to Rei as if being closer to her might make the answer come sooner.

Rei's voice didn't want to work so the word that came out was muffled by her ragged breathing, "Yes…"

Makoto had already realised the relationship but she still shivered at the answer. Usagi's eyes seemed to grow, her mouth dropping open slightly to reveal her tongue lolling against her teeth. Minako sunk back and away from Rei, picking up her half-eaten cake. Ami curled in further and Rei had it sit on her hands to stop from reaching across the small table and holding her.

"Oh, I guess we owe Haruka and Michiru a coffee then," said Minako, still looking down at the table.

The words threw Rei off the handle and her rage seemed to block out everything else that she was feeling at the time, even the dim relief. "YOU WERE BETTING ON THIS?! WHAT KIND OF PERSON MAKES A BET ON SOMETHING LIKE… SOMETHING LIKE… SOMETHING LIKE THIS! WHAT KIND OF FRIEND MAKES A BET?! YOU ARE UTTERLY DISPICABLE, YOU CHILDISH AND IGNORANT BRAT! HOW DARE YOU COME INTO MY HOME! HOW DARE YOU COME NEAR MY TEMPLE!"

Rei's words stung into Minako deep, Rei could see that, also acknowledging the tears that were now welling in Minako's eyes. Usagi's and Makoto's faces look horrified at Rei, while Ami just gave Rei a knowingly look. So this is what it felt like for Ami, like there was no control, like you can't stop it. The thoughts hurt Rei's emotional state even more as she finally comprehended just how Ami had felt. Ami felt angry, and terrified just like I do but she was too nice to hurt us so instead she took it out on herself. Rei winced as she came to the conclusion but by now she couldn't draw her words back in. They stuck, thick, in the air like a bad odour.

Minako slowly got up from her place at the table, grabbing her bag in the process, the tears streaming down her face as she slowly marched down the hallway to the front door and out into the gentle rain that had started to descend from the sky.

"Ah," Rei wanted to say something more but Usagi's crumpled face and Makoto's glare stopped her.

"Just because you're upset Rei doesn't mean you can take it out on anyone!" Makoto's voice was hard and the threat in it was real.

As Makoto got up to leave, Usagi following her Ami slowly stood up, stopping both of the girls in their movements.

"I'll get her," said Ami softly, motioning for Makoto and Usagi to sit back down as she turned and followed Minako out the door.

Rei's thunderous explosion had shocked even her and the weight of her guilt felt as if it might make her implode. Trying to keep her eyes from her two friends Rei looked out the window, a single, solitary tear slipping from her right eye, down onto the table.

"Rei," said Usagi, moving to put a hand around Rei's shoulder but Rei shrugged it off defiantly as another few tears crept down her face before she could stop them.

Another flush of emotion slowly descended on her, tripling the guilt and making it feel unbearably heavy. The vulnerability she felt under her two friends' gaze stifled her posture but the desire to just curl up and let it take her was something she couldn't comprehend.

Fight it, the voice in her head was small but she knew the distinct ring in it, it was her grandfather's voice. Fight it. The two words that had driven Rei as she had grown up; just fight it.

Creasing her brow Rei closed her eyes tight, stopping the tears as the last one hit the wood of the table. Breathing in deeply, almost choking on the guilt that felt so substantial inside of her, Rei pushed herself off the floor, determined to go out and apologise to Minako.

"Rei-Chan," whispered Usagi, watching her friend's face change suddenly, all the emotions now hidden behind a veil.

Just as Rei got to the door, it swung open, Ami had Minako's arm in her hand as if dragging the girl back inside.

"It's okay Rei," said Ami softly, her hand still tight in Minako's lower arm.

Rei's eyes scanned Ami's face but it revealed no falsehood in them, it really was okay.

"Sorry Mina-Chan," said Rei, "I wasn't thinking."

Minako's face broke out with a smile as she embraced her raven-haired friend who had only a few minutes previously had insulted her.

"Apology accepted," cried Minako joyously, her face still a little tear-stained but looking happier by the second.

Minako let go of Rei, her eyes turning from Ami back to the friend she had just embraced, "I'll just go finish my cake," she said, leaving the pair alone.

Rei sighed, slumping against Ami unintentionally.

"Now you get it, don't you," whispered Ami, looking up into Rei's eyes.

Rei didn't know how to respond, she knew that the girls could probably see them but she wasn't paying any attention to them as she kissed Ami's cheek gently.

"Come on, I'm sure Usagi's waiting to steal one of your comic books," said Ami jokingly, a little colour coming back into her cheeks as she spoke.

Suddenly, before Rei or Ami could even move the phone rang, rattling the small, unstable table it was perched on in the hall.

Moving stiffly over to it Rei picked it up, her hand trembling and causing a sickening rattling sound as the plastic of the phone clanked against the small ring she had on.

"Hello, is this Miss Hino?" The voice was unfamiliar to Rei and in the background she could clearly hear the sound of monitors beeping.

"Yes, this is," replied Rei, taking a deep breath.

"We were told to inform you of any occurrence with your grandfather; that is correct?" The voice was harsh, strict and it wanted no intimacy; the way it spoke was more robotic than anything human.

"Yes," answered Rei, her mind instantly jumping to the worst scenario her brain could concoct in the short amount of time that passed.

"Well I have rung to inform you that your grandfather has recently woken up, should you wish to visit him I would advise it as soon as possible as visiting hours will be over in three hours." The voice spoke so matter-of-factly and it made Rei want to strangle who ever was speaking.

"I'll be there as soon as possible," replied Rei almost slamming down the phone in her haste.

Ami looked worriedly at Rei as she raced into her bedroom, grabbing and umbrella and coat, thrusting them both under her arms as she struggled to get her shoes on while still standing.

"What's going on Rei-Chan?" asked Ami, reaching out to grab Rei's wrist to stop the girl from toppling into the wall.

"Grandpa, he's awake," said Rei, at last getting her shoes on and continuing to move too fast, she was out the door and into the rain that had started to pour from the sky in bucket-fulls.

"Rei-Chan, wait!" called out Ami as she watched Rei pulling on her coat over her robe and almost breaking the umbrella as she opened it.

Rei's running didn't slow for a second after Ami called.

The girls came into the hallway, obviously wondering why Ami had called to Rei 'to wait'.

"What's wrong with Rei?" asked Makoto, obviously still a little angry at her friend for her harassment on Minako.

"Her grandpa's woken up," replied Ami calmly, getting her own coat and umbrella, ready to follow Rei to the hospital.

"I'll ring Mamoru," said Usagi, picking up the phone that Rei had hurriedly misplaced.

 

~~~~~

 

Ami finally caught up with Rei just as she reached the entrance to the hospital.

"Rei-Chan! Wait!" Ami's voice came out as a cough, the cold curling around her made the normal chill she had been feeling relatively invisible.

Rei stopped, turning her head back to Ami, obviously in a torn decision. The desire to go and see her grandpa as soon as possible was dragging her forward, but she was also being dragged back with Ami.

"I'll come with you," said Ami, coming to stand beside Rei, resting her hand in Rei's but leaving their fingers un-entwined.

Rei's emotions settled slightly as she saw the reason behind Ami's eyes, "Okay."

"Which floor is it?" asked Ami, looking over at the elevators.

"Third floor," said Rei knowingly, trying to keep from bounding off again and leaving Ami.

"Come on then," said Ami, brushing her fingertips over the palm of Rei's hand in a comforting motion.

Rei walked quickly, her eyes were locked on the elevators progress signals, trying to find the one which would get her to her grandpa the quickest.

"Did they say anything else?" asked Ami, glancing over at Rei's face that was both concerned and overtly excited. I bet she really missed him, even though she'd never admit it, thought Ami just as the closest elevator 'dinged', signalling that it was in the current bay.

"Let's go," said Rei, taking hold of Ami's hand fully and pulling her into the elevator, instantly clicking the number '3' on the board, effectively stopping anyone else from boarding the elevator.

As the doors slid closed, Rei's hand continued to tighten as it climbed the two floors. Even though the ride was relatively short it felt like an eternity for Ami. She couldn't imagine having to do this for someone who's a parental figure; it was hard enough for her just when her mother left for work.

Eventually the elevator 'dinged' again and Rei pushed the doors open, trying to get them to move quicker, again dragging Ami along behind her.

"Rei, relax," said Ami, using her other hand to give Rei's lower arm a sharp squeeze, efficiently causing Rei to loosen her hold on Ami's right hand.

"I just," started Rei but it seemed her voice stopped at that.

Ami gave Rei's hand a gentle squeeze, "What room was it?" she asked.

"Room 23," replied Rei, beginning to walk faster yet again as they approached.

Taking a deep breath, Rei entered the room a smile instantly lighting her face as she saw her grandpa sitting upright and watching TV.

"Grandpa!" exclaimed Rei, forgetting about Ami for a moment as she ran over and pulled her grandfather into a tight hug that made his eyes pop out slightly.

"Rei," replied her grandpa, looking fondly at her, "and Ami too," he continued as he looked over at her.

"It's good to see you better," said Ami walking over to stand by Rei's side, smiling down at the old man.

"The doctors still think I should stay here for awhile longer," replied Rei's grandfather clearly disgruntled at the news.

"And you should; make sure everything's alright," said Rei obstinately trying to look serious but failing as her smile kept creeping back onto her face. "I'm so glad you're okay Grandpa," said Rei, cupping his hand as he spoke, her eyes alight.