Disclaimers: well, duh!

Cure for a Broken heart 1/5
By Elysia [[email protected]]
PG

The endless blue surrounded her. Cloudless sky above, vast azure ocean below. She turned away from the tiny window of the plane, feeling very small and insecure, her thoughts consuming her like the sea beneath her.

Christmas break couldn't have come at a better time. Everything was wearing her out, and college was not the only thing on her list. She also needed a break from people, even her close friends. She was actually going home early this year, having finished all her finals at the University of Hawaii ahead of schedule. But this time it was alone, unlike last year, when she had been with the one she thought she loved.

The tears fell unceasingly now. How could she have been so naïve, so blind to the truth? She had given her heart away like a piece of candy, and it had been taken and crushed without thanks.

He had been her world, her whole life revolved around him. For a year and a half, she supposed he loved her, though she never heard him say so. Serena put her heart and soul into the relationship, doing all she could to prove her love.

But now it was all over, nothing left for her to hold on to anymore. She stared down at her empty hands, hands that had once been held tenderly by his. Everything she had done, it hadn't been enough.

From that horrible day a week ago when he said he didn't want anything to do with her, Serena went over countless times what she could've done differently. Anything would've been better than losing him.

Why had love lied to her? What had she done to deserve such cruel treatment? All the questions floated around in her head and yet, she couldn't answer a single one. Maybe going home would give her a chance to start over, rid herself of all the awful feelings inside.

There was nothing left in her life that held a purpose, nothing left to trust.

Nothing more to give.

Nothing left to love.

******

She pulled her light-weight jacket tighter around her, and took a few moments to adjust to the bitter chill of the approaching winter. The jet lag hadn't set in yet, but the time difference threw her off. She stifled a yawn as she walked off the plane.

Serena set her suitcase down on the floor of the Tokyo airport, and picked up the receiver to the nearest pay phone. She rummaged through her jacket pocket, then after dropping in a few coins in the slot of the pay phone, dialed home. After two rings, her mother's voice filled her ears.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom, it's me."

"Serena!? Is everything all right? You usually don't call home unless there's an emergency," Ikuko Tsukino replied, surprised to hear her daughter on the other end of the line.

She had to try hard to conceal the raw emotions building up inside. "It's all right, Mom. I'm okay and this call is nothing. Oh, by the way, I'm at the airport, and I'll be at the house shortly," mentioning it as if it was nothing new.

"WHAT!? You're here? How did you... why didn't you say something sooner? Of course it's all right! How long do you think it'll take you to get here?"

"I'd say about a half-hour, if the buses are on schedule." Serena shifted the phone to her other ear. "Don't trouble yourself by meeting me anywhere. I'll be there soon."

******

The front door creaked slowly as Serena nudged it open with her foot. She smiled at the old familiar creak that had been there since her junior high and high school years. She had slammed the door so often back then and her father had never taken the time to repair it. Not wanting to let the frigid air in, she dropped her backpack quickly and shut the door behind her.

"Hello? Mom, are you here?" Her voice echoed through the entryway. She inhaled deeply, smelling something wonderful baking in the oven.

Ikuko Tsukino rushed from the kitchen into the hallway, enveloping her daughter in an enormous hug. "Serena!" she exclaimed, "I'm thrilled you're home." She pulled away and held her out at arm's length. "Let me get a good look at you. Living in Hawaii certainly agrees with you. You look so tan!" Serena just smiled at her mother's ranting and raving, hiding her real feelings as much as she could. "Where is everyone?"

"Sammy's out with his friends, he said something about going to a movie, I think. And you know your father. Always trying to put in double hours before the Christmas holiday. Speaking of which, how come you're home so early? I hadn't planned on you for another week."

"I wasn't planning on it either, actually, but I finished my finals early, and no, I don't know the results yet." Before her mother had a chance to inquire any further, she continued, "I had enough money saved to make the trip home a little sooner."

Ikuko glanced around for a moment. "Serena, weren't you were bringing Ben home with you? Where is he? I can hardly wait to see him."

At the mere sound of his name, Serena faltered, and desperately tried to hold back her emotions, but it was no use. She burst into tears and covered her face with shaking hands, startling herself and her mother.

"Oh, sweetie, what's the matter?" She put an arm around her daughter's waist, leading her to the couch. Still sobbing, Serena laid her head on her mother's shoulder, unable to say a word. Ikuko stroked her blonde hair, saying nothing, just waiting for her to calm down.

"He said... he said he didn't want... to see me anymore... and that was it. He wouldn't even... tell me why," Serena hiccuped in between her sobs, trying to get her emotions under control enough to speak.

Her mother spoke in a hushed tone. "Why don't you go upstairs and take a nap? You've had such a long trip, and all this doesn't help. I'll make some lunch for you to eat later."

Serena nodded somberly, slowly trudging up the stairs to her old room, wanting to forget Ben once and for all.

******

A few hours later, she walked silently into the kitchen, her eyes still red from crying. Her mother looked up from the kitchen table, sorting through the mail. She smiled gently. "Did your nap help a little?" Serena nodded, plopping into the chair beside her mother. "I think all the sleep I missed during finals is finally starting to catch up with me."

Ikuko returned to the mail, then abruptly stopped at a small, cream-colored envelope. She placed the letter in front of Serena, who was as surprised as her mother. She rarely got real mail these days.

"Who in the world--?" Serena turned the letter over in her hands, peering quizzically at it. In one swift motion, the printed form letter lay before her. Her eyes flew over the words quickly, then she sat back in her chair and grinned.

"Well? What is it?" Ikuko pressed.

"It's an invitation to my high school five-year reunion. Can you believe it? I hadn't realized it had been so long."

"Well, it certainly came at the perfect time. Will you go?"

A frown crossed Serena's features. "I'm not sure. I don't remember a lot of people. Aren't reunions just for showing yourself off, anyway? I have nothing to show."

Her mother placed a hand on her arm. "Go for the fun of it, Serena. Who cares what everyone else thinks? It's what important to you that matters." She studied the letter again in silence, then looked up. "All right. I guess it wouldn't hurt to see some of my old friends."

Ikuko sized Serena up and down. "That's the spirit. And if I know you, this calls for an occasion to go shopping, am I right?" she replied, a hint of a smile appearing on her face now. Serena flew into her mother's arms, almost knocking her out of her chair, with a fierce hug. "You always could read my mind."

******

Standing in the dimly lit doorway, Serena glanced around the grand ballroom of the hotel. She smoothed down her new dress nervously, taking into consideration how many people were actually in her graduating class.

A shameful feeling hovered back in the corner of her mind. I shouldn't be here. Reunions are for people who have been successful in life and come back here to brag about it. I have nothing to show; I'm only 22 years old and barely putting myself through college. Why did I even bother coming here, anyway? I don't even have a boyfriend to show off. It might have been different if I was still with Ben, but he's not here. I should probably leave while I still have the chance.

As she turned from the doorway to go back into the hall, she bumped into another group of people just arriving. "Some things never change," Serena muttered under her breath. "Sorry about that, I should watch where I'm going more often," she said out loud.

One of the figures in the group stopped suddenly from hearing her voice. "Serena? Serena Tsukino? Is that you?" Serena turned to see whom she had run into more carefully.

The lady grinned broadly. "Serena, it's me, Ami."

******

"So, Ami, what are you doing these days? I mean, besides being happily married and all," Serena replied, setting her water glass down on the table. Ami laid her hand on top of her husband's, who was sitting beside her. "Well, after I married Greg two years ago, about a year or so after that, I got the position as head of the research division at the hospital."

Serena nodded her head. "Sounds like the Ami I remember. Does it keep you busy?" She nodded. "It really all depends on my schedule. I don't often get the graveyard shift, thank goodness, but sometimes I'm on call as a regular physician, especially during the holidays when most of the regulars are on vacation. Today was my day off, and so I had the chance to come here, hoping I run into some people. And I was lucky enough to run into you. Literally," she laughed.

Suddenly Ami's face lit up. "Why don't you come by sometime, take a quick tour around and see what it's like, maybe meet a few of the people I work with on a daily basis?"

Serena could tell Ami sounded really excited, and she couldn't disappoint her by turning her down. Besides, she had plenty of time to do other things she had planned for the holidays. A simple tour of the hospital wouldn't change anything.

(first written 12/98; story has been edited since then)