This is the end, friends. It was fun while it lasted. Hope you liked it.

I hate hospitals.

The stench of disinfectant, the cold white walls, death permeating every seam.

Then there's her room.

Rei lying cold, pale, desolate in the bed.

The doctor said she would come to when she was ready. It's been hours.

They said it was lucky I found her when I did.

If not, then she probably wouldn't have survived. Poor Rei...

She's scheduled to see the psychiatrist as soon as she recovers.

They better not take her away from me.

I'm getting hungry. No way I'm leaving her room though. What if she wakes up and I'm not there?

Forget that.

There's a tapping on the door.

"Who is it??"

They walk in without answering.

The first hint is a mass of sea foam green hair...and pointy ears.

He's followed by a wary looking young man with light skin and dark, dark hair.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"We came to visit the fallen Senshi," Fiore replies. It's the first time I've heard him talk in a while.

Kind of unnerving.

Mamoru is carrying an enormous vase of flowers. They're beautiful.

"Any improvement?" He looks worried.

"None yet."

We sit in awkward silence for another few minutes before Fiore speaks up again.

"Is there anything you need? I am more than happy to go to the cafeteria."

"Thanks. Could you just bring some water, maybe a sandwich?"

I can't believe the civility this tragedy brought out in Mamoru and Fiore. It's good to see that I still have a friend in each of them.

He nods once, and leaves the room, humming a strange tune to himself. Maybe one from his past?

Mamoru watches him leave, and turns to look at me.

"OK, so what's the story?"

I sigh.

This is going to be hard.

"Rei tried to kill herself."

Mamoru's jaw drops.

"We had a huge fight; apparently she planted our dreams in order to get closer to me. When I freaked out, she ran off to the temple. I looked everywhere for her. I got to the temple, and she was smelling the fumes from what is believed to be wolfs bane.."

He is glued to everything I say. His expression is incredulous.

"It almost killed her, but they got to it in time. At least that's what we're hoping for. It all depends on whether she wakes up or not."

His brows furrow as he take in everything I said.

"So what do we do now?"

"Wait. Just wait and pray."

Fiore walks back into the room, laden down with goodies.

"Sorry, I'm rather hungry."

We all chow down, though it feels like something mechanical.

Mamoru fills Fiore in on the little details, and he gasps.

Fiore takes his lover's hand, and they hold each other close as the hours pass by yet again.

The day passes slowly. The night is a fitful one of little sleep. Mamoru and Fiore went home, but I slept in the armchair there, keeping Rei's hand warm in my own.

"Please wake up," I pray.

I awaken to a terrible sound.

There is a long, continuous beeping noise coming from the machine.

Then, silence.

Rei!

Her eyes are wide open, but somehow I don't think she can see me.

Mamoru and Fiore are there, panicking.

Wait...Fiore isn't afraid.

He looks. . . calm?

"Usagi," he says. "Go to the bouquet of flowers we brought for Rei. I'm sure you'll recognize one of the blooms."

Is it too good to be true?

I race over, and I cry out in joy.

A flower of life, just like that which saved my own life so long ago.

"But Fiore, whose life force is this?"

He smiles with pride.

"I've been saving this for an emergency. Each day, Mamoru and I would deposit the tiniest amount of our life force into this flower. We did this for close to a year. We managed to collect enough to save one of our lives if it were threatened."

Mamoru comes out of his trance. "Rei needs the flower far more than us, so we're giving it to you. On one condition," he adds.

My heart drops.

"What's that?"

"Promise you will never let go of her again."

"Oh, yes. Of course!"

"Then take the bloom. You know what to do."

I press the flower to my lips, and inhale the sweet scent of the nectar of life.

Then I cross the room to where Rei lies motionless.

I kiss her, my guardian angel.

The life force flows from my lips to hers, and her eyes regain the spark I thought I'd never see again.

She's alive!

"Rei!"

I kiss her harder, not ever wanting to release her from my grasp.

"Usagi-baka!" she wails. "Get offa me!"

"Never!" I wail. "I thought I lost you!"

Mamoru and Fiore grin at our happy reunion, and congratulate themselves on a job well done.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's OK, Usagi. I am too."

Our nightmare is over.

Epilogue

We head home from the hospital, stopping off at my apartment to collect the things she left when she ran away. We're greeted by Luna, who seems ecstatic at our return. We weren't gone that long, wonder what her problem is?

All of the other Senshi threw a return party for our favorite pyro, and life went back to normal.

But somehow, things were never really the same.

Every week, we lunch with Fiore and Mamoru, rebuilding our friendship, and marveling at what happiness a fluke of psychic skill could cause.

Life is good. I'm with my soul mate, and that's all that matters.

Well, that was the longest chapter yet. You like? Hate?

Reviews? Flames?

Was it worth the wait?

Thanks for hanging around. You guys made my first fanfic. . .successful. I love you.

I mean it.

:D