In the soft quietness of the room, Remy could barely catch the even breathing of a person in slumber. Shortly after Nyx had left, Celly's gut-raking sobs had quickly ceased, but the sandman had not come to claim the emotionally battered Otaku until minutes later. It was the saddest thing Remy had ever encountered. Celly's blank, tortured stare was a thousand times worse than her violent sobs. Remy didn't think she could deal with any more of the pain that she felt from Celly. Thank Kami-sama that exhaustion had forced her into sleep.

Remy stood from where she was kneeling at the side of the bed, and silently headed for the door. With any luck, Celly would sleep until morning. As for Remy, she had to get out of the room… Turning her head towards the direction of the bed, she watched the sheets covering Celly rise and fall steadily. Secure in the fact that Celly was asleep, Remy reached out and grasped the round, cold knob of the bedroom door. It opened with a slight protesting creak. She glanced over her shoulder, looking again towards the bed and its occupant. Good. The small noise didn't jar Celly. Remy quickly stepped through the door and closed it without ceremony.

"What the hell is going on…?" Remy murmured under her breath as she leaned back against the wall facing Celly's door. She slid her body down until she felt the floor sturdy beneath her. How could she have read Celly? That just wasn't possible. Remy knew that she didn't completely trust Celly… at least, not in the way she trusted P-kun and Dionysus. So how could this have happened?

Frustrated and extremely confused, Remy drew her legs against her chest, placed her arms over her knees, and rested her head over the two. The images… Celly's past, still swam in her head. She couldn't get them out of her mind. They wouldn't leave her alone. "Get out of my head…" she pleaded, "get out…"

She had to get out of there. She couldn't handle Celly's mind… not now… not ever.

Remy stood and quickly headed towards the exit of the Mori. She flew down the stairs; past the bar; past the shocked expressions of three beautiful Guardians. Almost there… she gripped the handle of the Mori door and stopped mid-turn as a familiar dizziness assaulted her.

Celly and Dion's argument…
The radiance of a yellow rose…
The Earth in the sky…
A blade…
Blood… red blood.
…and then, nothing.

***** * *****

Two faces, each tilted in concern slowly came into view. Remy rubbed her face wearily. It felt like she had just slept for… a week? A day? "How long have I been out?" she croaked out to the three Guardians while struggling into an upright position.

"Fifteen… twenty minutes…"

Remy looked around and took in her surroundings. She was still at the Mori. She was only out for twenty minutes. She was… "You left me on the floor?! For twenty minutes?!" She gave each Guardian an annoyed stare. "Well, thank you so very much for trying to make me more comfortable in my disabled state! You're all just too kind!" she added sarcastically, swatting away their hands as they tried to help her up. "I think you've helped me enough…"

"What happened?" P-kun asked as Remy finally straightened. "You gave me a fright… do you know what it's like watching your charge just collapse like that?"

"Awww…it's comforting to know that you cared."

"Damn right I cared!" P-kun said fiercely, hiding his concern. "Artemis is a member of the Guardians Council… I could've lost my job!"

Remy frowned, then smacked him on the shoulder.

"So what happened?" P-kun asked again.

"uhhhh…" Remy didn't want to explain it. Could she explain it? "ummm…nothing. It was nothing."

"The hell it was nothing!"

"Don't shout at me." Remy winced. "I'm traumatized." She fell back against the wall in a mock swoon.

"Don't…"

"Don't what?" Remy smiled sweetly at P-kun.

"Damn, you're frustrating!"

"Thank you. I try." She turned away from him, intent on leaving the Mori for a calming breath of fresh air, but P-kun wouldn't have it. He wanted answers… now. He gripped her arm… hard. "P-kun, let go."

He stared at her, silently telling her what she needed to do if she wanted him to let go.

"Nothing happened. I just got a little dizzy. That's all."

He wasn't buying it. Something happened. He turned and looked to the other Guardian. No help there. Artemis watched both Guardian and Otaku in interest, but P-kun knew that he wasn't going to do anything to try and get Ko-chan to talk. P-kun turned back towards her.

"I'm telling you, it was-"

Loneliness…
An empty room…
Blood… so much blood.

"Celly…" Remy whispered. Celly was waking up. But how did she know that?

At the sound of Celly's name, Artemis couldn't help but enter the conversation. If it had something to do with with his little brother's one true love, Remy was going to tell all. He didn't care how he got her to do it. "What about Celly? What's wrong?" he demanded.

Remy shook her head as the images slowly faded. "ummm…it's nothing." She said again.

"The hell it's nothing!" P-kun and Artemis shouted.

Alone…
Alone…
Alone…

"I gotta go." She ignored the outburst of the two Guardians and headed towards the stairs; towards Celly's room. Celly had problems with being alone. Remy felt it. And for some strange reason, Remy had to make sure that Celly didn't wake up alone. She quickened her pace. At the sound of following footsteps, Remy stopped. "Don't follow me."

"But Celly…" Artemis started.

"…doesn't want to see you... or Dionysus." Remy finished. "So don't follow me." She repeated fiercely. But before she could run the rest of the way to Celly's room, the Mori door burst open. In it's frame, stood Nyx with an unconsious Mercy in her arms. Remy could only stare as Nyx dropped the Otaku at her feet.

~TBC