Not many revisions at all to this chapter. Hope
you enjoy.  ^^

Wow! Nearly 2000 hits for Moonlit Eclipse, and
we're only two weeks old! Thanks so much every-
one! Congratulations to Kimberly Harrington,
Isis, Meredith Bronwen Mallory, and W. Bymeeh
for being added to the "Distinctions in Fanfiction"
archive. It's hard to get in, folks! Give these
ladies a big pat on the back!

Love,
Aimee

@--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<-----

	"He doesn't love us because of who we are.
He only loves us because of who He is." Newsboys

@--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<-----

The Coldest December
By Aimee

Chapter Two

	"Tears are falling on my storybook,
	Colors running, I don't want to look.
	There's a cloud on my looking glass,
	Full of questions, I'm afraid to ask..."
	~Whiteheart

	Rain beat a steady rhythm on my window,
painting dimly-lit, spiritless designs on the distant
wall of my bedroom. I watched the rain droplets in
reflective silence, unable to stop the frightened
tears that fell. I glanced down at my wrists, which
were covered in ugly bruises from where the attacker
had so roughly handled me. Every time I closed my
eyes, I saw ghostly shadows of the man--his muddy
brown hair, his ragged clothing, his horrid face.
If it hadn't been for Tuxedo Kamen...
	<My God--I could have been raped...>
	Fear became unadulterated terror in an
instant. Clutching my sheets closer around my
trembling body, I cried harder still, wishing all
the while that Luna was there with me. She would
know what to say and what to make of the situation.
But she wasn't there. I was all alone.
	At least he had been there for me--Tuxedo
Kamen, the man who had saved me from such a horrible
episode. His cape, which had been lying on a chair
in my room, drying from the rain that had thoroughly
soaked it, had disappeared shortly after I returned
home. I assumed that the mysterious man had
detransformed.
	How he knew my name remained a complete
mystery. It occurred to me that the man Tuxedo Kamen
was when he wasn't transformed knew me--Usagi. But
who could he be? Whoever he was, I was almost
completely convinced that he was not an enemy. Surely
a man who saved girls from being raped couldn't be
corrupt.
	I shuddered, eyes clamping shut.
	<Rape...what a repulsive word...>
	Before the memories of the attack could once
again resurface, I arose abruptly and stumbled into
the bathroom. Avoiding the mirror in a feeble attempt
to escape seeing the unsightly bruise that was on my
cheek, I went to the shower and turned on the water
as hot as I could stand. I stripped off my clothes
and stepped into the burning hot stream of water.
Paying no attention to the scorching heat of the
water-flow, I grabbed the soap and began scrubbing
furiously at the skin the odious man had defiled
with his abhorrent caress. But the soap could only
do so much to rid me of the horrible memory of his
touch.
	The tears I shed quickly became bitter sobs.
I leaned on the frigid shower wall for support, and
after a moment, slid to my knees, letting the water
wash over me as I cried over all the hurt and shame
inside of me.
	"Why?" was all I could say. "Why?"

@--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<-----

	I emerged from the bathroom hours later and
genuinely hoped that no one would notice how the
corners of my mouth now sagged. I felt years older
than I should, as though my innocence had been stolen
away from me, but I was determined that I was going
to keep my chin up, no matter how much it hurt inside.
Today, I would smile brilliantly and act as ditzy
as ever...or at least try to. No one could find out
what happened to me--no one. The shame was too much
to bear.
	With a sigh, I entered my bedroom, glancing
at the clock without interest. It was 7 o'clock in
the morning, and I hadn't been to sleep yet.
	"Usagi!" came a sing-song voice. "Breakfast
is ready, honey!"
	I raised an interested eyebrow. Breakfast,
huh? Now there was something I hadn't been able to
partake of for quite some time. Being late for school
every day had taken its toll on breaking my fast.
I thumped down the stairs, a bit groggy from lack
of sleep. My eyes didn't seem to want to stay open,
so I trusted my nose to lead the way toward the
sizzling bacon and eggs that awaited me.
	However, I was rudely awakened by the sound
of a glass slipping from my mother's fingers and
shattering on the floor. "What on earth happened
to your face?!" she cried, alarmed.
	I cupped my cheek in the embarrassed
realization that I'd forgotten about the bruise.
Well, at least I had tried to forget about it. That
moment in my life was not something I wanted to
relive again. How was I going to explain this to my
mother?
	"I...um, tripped?"
	My mother closed her eyes and shook her head
sadly. "Honey," she began slowly. "You've got to be
more careful. You could really hurt yourself one of
these days."
	My mouth dropped open. I could hardly believe
it--the woman actually bought my story. "I know,
Mom. I'll try to be more careful. I promise."
	"That's my girl," she beamed, ruffling my
hair a little bit. "Now let's see if some of my
make-up can hide that bruise."
	Breakfast and a chance to wear make-up with
my mother's approval? Perhaps today wouldn't be so
bad after all...

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	The sun was rising in the eastern sky, and
the grass blades were twinkling with sparkles of
dew as I stepped from the porch. I was made up like
a model thanks to my mother's expertise in the field
of cosmetology. I smiled and began to walk at a
leisurely pace. I didn't have to sprint to school
for once, which was good because I found that I
couldn't move very rapidly after such a hearty
breakfast.
	What an awesome day...
	"Hey! Odango Atama!" said a painstakingly
familiar voice behind me.
	I reiterate. What an awful day...
	"Odango," the voice repeated. "Wait up!"
	Wait up? Yeah right. I purposely began to
walk faster but soon saw the shadow of my archenemy
join mine on the sidewalk. I knew the day was too
good to be true.
	"What do you want?" I asked impatiently,
not even bothering to look at the insufferable man.
I crossed my hands over my chest as I walked, trying
my best to look highly irritated.
	"Well, um..." Mamoru hesitated, and I sensed
him looking at my face rather closely. What was he
up to?
	"Yes?" I pressed.
	"How are you feeling?" he asked a little
sheepishly, running a hand through his thick, black
hair.
	What kind of question was that? Since when
is Baka-san interested in my health? "I'm fine," I
snapped. "Why?"
	He looked a bit taken back, and he hesitated
again. "Gomen," he said quietly, backing off a
little--something he had never done before. "You
just looked a little worn out, I guess."
	My mouth dropped open a few inches,
illustrating my shock quite nicely, and I pinched
myself for good measure. Doth my mind deceive me,
or was he actually being nice to me? Was that
concern in his voice? He was almost...considerate.
	"I'll be okay," I answered, a little less
irritated. "Thanks for asking."
	"Sure," he said simply, his hands buried in
his pant pockets. I held his gaze for a few seconds
longer before I turned slowly and continued walking.
	<His eyes...they're so piercing...so cold...
yet there's something different about them today...>
	"Konnichiha, Mamoru-san," I called softly
over my shoulder.
	"Konnichiha," was the reply.
	I left Mamoru behind on my walk to school,
but I had the strangest feeling that he was watching
me the entire trip.

@--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<-----

	"Are you okay, Usagi?" Makoto asked at the
lunch table. "You look almost...drugged or something."
	Makoto-chan always did know how to wax elegant.
	"I'm fine," I mumbled, stretching and yawning
simultaneously. "I just didn't sleep very well last
night."
	"I didn't either," Ami said, daintily nibbling
on a rice cake. "I was up most of the night studying
for my Japanese Literature midterm. What were you
doing, Usagi-chan?"
	"Just...thinking."
	Had my face not been buried in my arms in
a meek effort to get a little rest, I might have
caught the sideways glances Ami and Makoto exchanged.
I felt Makoto's hand on my back.
	"Are you sure you're all right?" she asked
again, concern evident in the tone of her voice.
"Did something happen?"
	I felt tears sting my eyes, but I fought
them back for the millionth time since I'd been at
school. I should have known my friends would have
sensed that something was amiss. Heck--even Mamoru
had noticed. I bit my lip, feeling the dull ache
from my bruised wrists and cheek. As much as they
hurt, they were nothing compared to the ache in my
heart.
	"I...I don't think I'm ready to talk about
it...if that's okay," I said, glancing wearily at
my friends.
	They exchanged concerned expressions once
again at the sight of tears in my eyes. Both girls
hugged me tightly. "Whenever you're ready to talk
about it, Usagi-chan, we'll be here for you."

@--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<-----

	The rest of my day went relatively smoothly.
People had been unusually nice to me, perhaps because
of the downcast look on my face. Even Tutty-san's
remarks weren't as cutting, and not one teacher
gave me detention. I didn't fail any tests, mainly
because I didn't have any to take. I did however,
find myself getting sleepier and sleepier. I scolded
myself for not resting the night before.
	I trudged home, praying that no energy
sucking Nega-monster would feel like trashing Tokyo.
I felt like a zombie, and I'm sure people were
looking at me rather strangely. Must... find bed...
need...sleep...
	"Hey, Usagi. Need a ride?" I heard someone
say. It sounded like Mamoru, but it couldn't be him.
He'd never called me Usagi before.
	I turned to face my addresser, and sure
enough--there was Mamoru, standing next to the
nicest car I'd seen in a long time. "No thanks," I
replied, feeling like taking a snooze right on the
sidewalk...I probably would have if it hadn't been
so darn cold outside.
	"Come on, Odango," he insisted. "Let me give
you a ride. You look awful."
	Boy, he sure knew how to compliment a lady...
	"I'm almost home, Mamoru," I argued, shivering
as I pulled my thin sweater closer around me to ward
off the frigid wind.
	"No, you're not," he countered my lie.
	How the heck did he find out where I lived?
If I ever discovered the person who gave my address
to him, they would soon feel my wrath.
	Oh, what was the use? I was too tired to
argue, and I might as well take advantage of a free
ride. Besides, it was freezing outside. I sighed
loudly, making sure he heard me clearly and got in
the car.
	"Arigatou," I muttered quietly, fumbling with
my seatbelt.
	"It's no problem," Mamoru answered. He waited
until I was situated before putting the car into
drive and joining the rush hour traffic.
	We sat through most of the ride in silence.
I stole a few candid looks at him, studying his
profile as much as I could in a quick glance. He
was very handsome--there's no denying that. But why
on earth did the wretched man have to be so moody?
	"So Usagi," he began, calling me by my real
name for the second time that day; I was impressed.
"Did you have a rough night last night, or what?
You look exhausted."
	"Um...I was just up late. I had to study for
a math exam."
	Mamoru stole a sideways glance at me. "Is
that right?" Was it just me, or did he not sound too
convinced? "I wasn't aware you were so dedicated to
your studies."
	Truly, that man knew how to rub me the wrong
way. "Yeah? Well, there's a lot of things you don't
know about me."
	He raised an eyebrow. "So I see."
	Why was he looking at me like that...as though
I'd done something wrong or needed to apologize to
him? What on earth had he been smoking? I wanted to
go home! I wanted to be in my nice warm bed cuddling
with my stuffed bunny, not with this evil demon spawn
in his fancy car.
	Growing impatient, I raised the sleeve of
my school uniform to glance at my watch. Mamoru's
eyes narrowed. He slammed on the breaks and pulled
over suddenly, causing me to squeal. "What the hell
are you doing?!"
	He grabbed my wrist, a bit roughly I might
add, and pulled the sleeve up again. "What is this?"
he demanded, pointing to the black and blue marks
there.
	Darn it all, why did he have to notice the
bruises? He must have caught sight of the injuries
when I looked at my watch. He reached for my other
hand, and I struggled with him for a second or two
before giving in to his stubbornness. He inspected
those bruises as well. "Tell me what happened," he
demanded.
	"Nothing..." I said quietly, still trying
to escape from his grasp. "I fell down, that's all.
I fall down all the time if you haven't noticed."
He looked at me that same way again--like he wanted
me to admit something. Could it be possible that he
knew the truth?
	<No...that's impossible. There's no way...>
	"Don't lie to me, Usagi."
	<How does he know I'm lying?>
	Well, I certainly wasn't going to admit it--
and definitely not to him, of all people. "It's none
of your business, Mamoru!" I snapped angrily, pulling
my wrists away from his grasp and yanking the sleeves
down so that the ugly marks were hidden. "Like you
care about me, anyway..."
	A glimpse of hurt passed over his features,
and his eyes clouded over and darkened like an
unfolding shadow. "You know that's not true," he
said, his voice quiet and smooth--a tone I'd never
heard him speak with. For some strange reason, his
vocal timbre remarkably resembled that of Tuxedo
Kamen. "I care about you more than you probably
realize," he continued.
	"Liar--you've always hated me," I growled,
tears springing to my eyes as I unfastened my seatbelt.
"And believe me when I say the feeling is mutual."
	His injured face melted into a deeper
expression of hurt, and even as I threw open the
door of the car and stepped out, that marred face
stayed with me the entire trip home. Had I not been
so angry, I might have felt sorry for him, but this
was not the case.
	I ran as fast as my little legs could carry
me, leaving the wretched man far behind but not
forgotten. I reached my house in record time. Running
up the stairs and into my room, I slammed the door
for all I was worth and squealed, "I HATE HIM!" to
anyone who cared to listen.
	"Let me guess," said a pleasant sounding
voice with a hint of an English accent in her
dialect. "You had another spat with Mamoru?"
	"I don't want to talk about it, Luna," I
told my cat. She rolled her eyes and snuggled up
in my bed to continue her nap.
	I paced around the room angrily. Mamoru and
I had arguments all the time, but this was different.
He hadn't insulted me, but rather he'd gotten too
personal. He had delved where he was not wanted.
	<How dare he! The jerk! Who does he think
he is?>
	Furious, I yanked my homework from my
bookbag, slammed it on the desk, and did a quick
eenie-meenie-minie-moe job on the multiple choice
questions before throwing it back into the bookbag.
	<Jerk! Conceited Jerk!>
	In dire need of sleep, I ignored the fact
that it was four o'clock in the afternoon and changed
into my night clothes. In a huff, I yanked the covers
of my bed back causing Luna to go flying across the
room with a loud "Reeeeoowwwww!!"
	<Darn the man! Darn him!>
	I thumped down on my bed and hastily arranged
my hair so that I wouldn't die of a sudden and
unexpected case of asphyxiation.
	<The *nerve* of that guy...>
	"Sleep well, Usagi," Luna said pleasantly
from the floor. She's obviously quite used to my
silent rages.
	"Whatever..." I growled, shutting my eyes
so that I could get down to the slumber I'd been
look forward to all day. My eyes, however, slowly
opened a few moments later, and I stared miserably
at the ceiling.
	<Great...now I can't sleep...and it's all
*his* fault. I HATE you, Chiba Mamoru!>
	Exhausted from lack of rest, I began to cry
pitiful sobs that I couldn't seem to control. I felt
Luna jump on the bed; she walked over to me and
nuzzled my hair. I gathered her close, crying still.
	"Gomen, Luna," I sobbed. "I'm just so tired,
and..." I trailed off.
	"I know," she comforted me. "Just try to
relax."
	<Man, I love that cat...>
	Dear readers, can you believe this? The
miserable man actually drove me to tears! Okay, so
a mosquito bite makes me cry, but that's beside the
point.
	If Mamoru were here now, he wouldn't care
that I was crying...he'd probably laugh at me. Or
worse...scoff and walk away.
	But deep down, I knew that wasn't true. His
eyes had told me a different story while we argued.
In fact, his eyes had told me many stories about him...
	Luna kept me company while I shed my tears,
and soon her soft purring began to soothe my raw
nerves. In no time at all, the fingers of sleep
pulled me into a deep slumber.

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	I'm not certain what woke me up later that
night, but I was quickly torn from sleep, sitting
up in bed with a strangled cry. Perspiration drenched
my body, and my breathing was labored. Trembling with
fear, I struggled not to cry.
	Was it a nightmare?  *The* nightmare?
	The dream had come and gone for nearly a
year. I never remembered what happened in it, but
whatever it was...it often woke me up screaming.
There were other dreams, too...ones that weren't
bad at all. They were pleasant, even. I had always
dismissed them, albeit hesitantly, as a product of
my overactive imagination, but it often puzzled me
how real they felt...
	Shaking off the initial confusion and
grogginess of my awakening, I frantically tried to
recall what I had been dreaming about before I had
woken up in such a frightful manner. Still, I could
remember nothing.
	I lay back in my bed, but I was still shaken.
The nightmare, or whatever it was, had again rendered
me sleepless. It always did. Thinking over my restless
state for a moment, I decided on a remedy. I gently
shook the sleeping cat beside me and waited till her
eyes met mine before I spoke. "I can't sleep, Luna.
I'm going to go for a walk. Maybe some fresh air will
help me relax."
	"So open a window. It's nearly one in the
morning," she mumbled sleepily. "You can't go out
there by yourself."
	"I go out late all the time for senshi
business!" I whined, I suppose a bit too loudly,
since Luna put her paws over her ears. She's so
cute.
	"That's different. The senshi are there.
You're not alone."
	But wait! I could take Luna with me on my
little stroll, and she could ward off any unwanted
guests! A wonderful epiphany--my ticket to fresh
air! Quickly, I jumped out of bed and grabbed my
clothes.
	"Usagi, I told you that I don't want you
out by yourself..." Luna said, eyeing me with a
slightly annoyed tone in her voice.
	"I know," I responded, picking her up off
the bed. "That's why you're coming with me."
	"What?!" she cried, struggling in my arms.
"But I was having the loveliest dream..."
	"Please, Luna?" I begged, using my most
effective puppy dog face. Luna can't stand it when
I do that...
	She sighed and glanced at me with more
affection and understanding. "Well, if it's that
important to you, I'll go for a short walk."

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	Soon Luna and I were out in the fresh
December air, enjoying the beautiful view of the
stars and moon. I felt better already, and the
nightmare was far from my mind. We came to my
favorite place in the park--a little bench near the
lake. The view was incredible, and I sat contentedly
admiring its beauty for quite some time. Luna fell
asleep in my arms after about twenty minutes, and
I took the opportunity to shed a few more tears.
	I hated the fact that I was a cry-baby, but
I couldn't help it. So much had happened over the
past few days--it was just too much. However, lost
in my little pity party, I failed to hear the soft
sound of approaching footsteps behind me.
	"I thought I asked you not to go out
unaccompanied," said a deep voice.
	I immediately shrieked, springing from the
bench which I was sitting upon. I spun around and
sighed with relief when my eyes met the familiar
form of Tuxedo Kamen. Unfortunately, Luna jolted
awake at my sudden movement.
	"Who? What? When? Where? Mmmmphhhh!" she
hollered, her screeching effectively muffled by the
hand I clamped over her mouth.
	Her eyes became wide when she saw Tuxedo
Kamen looming before us both, and her struggling
soon ceased. She began to play the part of a cat,
watching him carefully, trying to learn as much as
she could from the man who so often protected Sailor
Moon.
	"Y-You scared me," I stuttered, trying to
hide the fact that I was shaking with fright. Why
did this man unnerve me so?
	"My apologies," he said simply, bowing his
head a little for emphasis. "But the question still
stands. Why are you out here alone? I thought we
had an agreement."
	"My cat is here with me," I answered sheepishly.
	"Your pet isn't exactly what I had in mind,
Usagi."
	"H-How do you know my name?" I asked,
feeling more and more perturbed by the man with
each passing moment.
	"You answer my question, and I'll be more
than happy to answer yours," he evaded, approaching
me slowly. The ball of fur in my arms promptly began
to growl.
	"I um...I was looking for my cat again," I
told him, holding up Luna for his eyes to scan. "See?
I found her."
	"Are you sure that's the truth, Usagi? Is
there something else that's wrong?"
	"You answer my question, and I'll answer
yours," I countered, feeling a bit more brave. "How
do you know my name?"
	He cocked his chin. "Fair enough. Your name
is Tsukino Usagi. You attend Juuban High School, and
you are perpetually tardy."
	I wanted to ask him what perpetually meant
but decided to keep the issue to myself. "But how
do you know all of that?" I asked, becoming uncomfortable.
	"I've seen you around, here and there. I
know a lot about you, in fact," he said. "And yet
you're still a complete mystery to me."
	"What's so mysterious about me?" I asked,
my voice wavering a bit.
	"You hide from people; you're hiding from
me right now. For instance, you've lied to me twice
already. The first time was last night when I asked
you what you were doing out so late, and the second
was tonight when I asked you the same question. It
would appear, Miss Tsukino, that you're concealing
something. May I ask what it is?"
	The man was seeing right through me, and I
didn't like it.
	"What makes you think I lied?" I asked,
trying to act innocent. Please note that I was
never known for my acting skills.
	He avoided my question and asked one of his
own. "Why were you crying?"
	So he had been watching me. Why was I crying,
anyway? I suppose it was because of everything that
had happened...the near-rape experience, the fight
with Mamoru, and the nightmares that I could never
remember. Or was I simply crying because of my
loneliness? I don't like admitting to others that
I'm lonely. I suppose I'm afraid they'll laugh since
I'm surrounded by caring friends and a loving family.
Still, even with their love and support, I don't
feel complete. But the Great Tuxedo Kamen wouldn't
care to hear about that, so why tell him? I offered
him an acceptable excuse instead.
	"I was just upset about...what happened
last night," I explained, hoping he would believe
me. Luna glanced up at me, questions evident in her
eyes.
	"You're lying to me again."
	<Damn, he's good.>
	"Usagi, if something is truly wrong, and
you're in some kind of trouble..."
	"I'm not in any trouble," I told him,
truthfully. "It's just..."
	"Yes?" he prompted me.
	I hesitated, looking him in the eye for a
long moment and soaked in the realization that this
man actually cared. I wasn't just a nobody to him.
	He took my silence to heart. "You can trust
me, Usagi. Please believe me when I tell you that."
	I trusted him. At least I thought I did...but
I wasn't sure if I was ready to open up heart and
soul to a person I hardly knew. "I'd rather not talk
about it...if that's okay," I managed sheepishly.
	He eyed me carefully. "Well, at least you
didn't lie to me again. That's progress. Very well--
keep your secret, but I ask that you be more wary
of your surroundings, especially when you're alone.
Promise me?"
	I nodded. "I promise."
	"I hope you know that I will hold you to
that promise, Usagi, and that I expect you to be
honest with me from now on. No more lying--that is
never the best option. It will only get you into
trouble."
	My thoughts turned to my mother and Mamoru--
two people that I had lied to today. Perhaps that
wasn't such a good idea after all...but what could
I do to redeem myself? Tell them the truth? I couldn't
possibly! Could I...?
	"Do you trust me, Usagi?" the man in black
asked. His eyes gazed at me with an intensity that
was both intimidating and exciting.
	"I-I don't know," I answered, completely
unsure of my feelings toward Tuxedo Kamen. Ami's
argument that he could possibly be an adversary
drifted to mind.
	"Why aren't you certain that I am trustworthy?"
he asked, taking a step towards me--I likewise took
a step backwards, away from him. Luna's growls were
becoming rather loud. "Have I done anything
questionable?"
	"No," I answered honestly. "I guess I just
don't know you very well..."
	A slight smile pulled at his lips.
"Understandable."
	I was gaining more courage. "Who are you?"
I asked with a bit more volume in my voice. Luna
fell silent, obviously wanting to know, too, the
identity of this stranger.
	Another smile. "That is something you will
have to figure out for yourself, Miss Tsukino."
	I was flustered. "But how can I...?"
	"Do you trust me, Usagi?" he repeated, cutting
me off effectively.
	I hesitated, looked into his eyes, and saw
kindness there. It took all of my courage to release
the stubbornness inside of me, but I did.
	"I trust you."
	"Good," he answered my firm statement. "I'll
never betray that trust, Usagi. You have my word."
	"D-does that mean I'll see you again?" I
stammered. Luna looked at me incredulously.
	"Would you like that?"
	I hesitated--*would* I like that? Truly? My
head was telling me, 'Go for it!', but my heart was
telling me something else...something I couldn't put
my finger on.
	"Tomorrow night," I decided hastily. "Same
time as tonight."
	Another smile. "I'll be here."

@--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<-----

Yes, I know...I gave Luna an English accent *even
though* I switched from DIC to Japanese. But I
couldn't help it! I've always liked English accents!
^^ I told you this story had quirks in it. *grin*

Stay tuned for chapter three...coming soon!

Ja ne!
Aimee-chan