Rose For Eternity By: Usagi Chiba Two weeks. The phrase rang in my head like a bell, I looked over at the bed next to me, and my only love lying in it. Two weeks. Thoughts scream across my head and I watch him, his breathing much like panting, his skin changing from a glorious gold to a pale white. His eyes have lost their blue sparks, and he spends much of his time sleeping. He's as thin as a pole, and he has lost his apetite, not that I blame him, hospital food is awful. I gently cover his hand with mine and I long for him to put his arms around me, comfort me, tell me that everything will be okay. It won't. It won't and I know it. I've tried to be strong, for him, but it is so hard to do that when the only person besides your parents who cares for you is lying in a hospital bed, with two weeks or less to live. His eyes open a crack, and he struggles to flash one of his caring smiles, but fails miserably. I look at him sadly, memorizing each detail of his face, his body. He reaches out weakly and encases my hand in his, then, he whispers, "I love you, Usako." My eyes glisten with tears as I try not to cry, if I cry, it'll just make him feel bad--for leaving me, for leaving me on my own. I close my eyes and unconsciously, the tears slip down my face, I can't stop them. He puts his hand on my shoulder, to comfort me, and I try to avoid his concerned look. I can't bare looking him in the eye when I know, just two weeks from now, I may never see him again. Instead, I close my eyes again, and turn away from him and I think about how this all happened. How I ended up here, and how my love--my prince, got stuck with this horrible fate. "Burning....MANDALA!" Sailor Mars screamed over the youma's piercing laughter. The fire senshi's attack did the youma no harm, and it pranced around like an easter bunny. Sailor Venus looked at the youma with disgust and yelled, "Love and Beauty.....SHOCK!" The heart shaped attack knocked the youma off it's feet, and then Sailor Jupiter finished it off with her, "Sparkling Wide....PRESSURE!" The youma disentegrated, but in it's place was...KUNZITE! "What?!" Sailor Mercury shouted in confusion. I'd killed Kunzite eons ago, but yet, there he was, unmistakably, standing there, smirking. Kunzite took a step toward us, and then fired a ball of black energy, straight at me. I wasn't ready for his attack, and I was too stunned to move, so I watched helplessly as the energy moved closer and closer. >BAM!< I felt something push me to the ground, and when I opened my eyes, there he was--my love, my prince, my savior, my Tuxedo Kamen, lying on top of me, wounded badly. I was shuddering with fear-not for myself, but for my prince, I saw him pale again, and his eyes opened wide, with fear. I wished I could go and hug him, whisper into his ear, and see his brilliant blue eyes light up again, as they did so many time in the past. But that was the past. I thought to myself gloomily, I'd never see his shining smile again, the light of day, dancing in his eyes. I'd never see it again. For a brief moment, my thoughts were filled with hate, filled with hate for him leaving me, hate for Kunzite, for doing this to me, to us. I hated everyone and everything, for a moment. Then, I heard his voice, like the first crack of dawn, breaking through the clouds, like a magnificent rainbow, suddenly appearing, I heard his voice. "Usako..." He whispered to me. I slowly fixed my glance on him, and I almost fainted right there. He looked so different, so different than he did, just last week. His eyes were dull and greyish, his skin was white, completely white, and his muscular body was reduced to a bag of skin and bones. Even so, he was my prince, my only love, and I lunged at him. I didn't want to hurt him, but I couldn't help it, for one moment, our old times were back, he was Mamoru, strong and brave as always, and he held me in his arms. I finally let loose and heart-wrenching sobs wracked my body, I started trembling, and my tears soaked his shirt. I felt his arms around me, and I writhed in his warmth. I loved the feeling of his arms around me, and I looked up at him, his eyes flashing with love and warmth. He whispered, "I love you, Usako." I stared into his deep, blue eyes, and I whispered back, "I love you too, Mamo-chan." I dried my tear-splashed face and looked lovingly into his eyes as handed me a blood-red rose.....the last one he ever gave me. Now, years after my love died, his words echo in my mind, "Our love is like a rose, beautiful while it's in bloom, but it can't last forever." It is a phrase filled with wisdom, love, and hope, just like he was my wisdom, my love, and my hope, his essence is still with me, and one day, we will be together once more.