Moon and Stars
Another Goodbye
She sat on the little couch in her apartment. That was strange. She was pretty sure this was a dream; she never dreamed about her apartment. A warm hand running through her hair drew her attention. She closed her eyes and breathed in his presence. They sat together in silence for a few moments.
“Usa-ko?”
“Mmm?”
“I’ve come to say goodbye.” Her eyes flew open.
“Wh-what? What do you mean?”
“I won’t be able to visit you in your dreams anymore.”
“No, Mamo-chan, why? I don’t understand.” The hope she’d felt recently began draining from her chest, leaving her feeling cold and desolate.
“They’ve allowed me to use your dreams to visit you once in awhile to see how you were doing. And when I saw that you weren’t getting better, that you could hardly function, I convinced them, for the safety of the planet, that you needed me to help you. But it was part of our agreement that I once you didn’t need me anymore I’d have to leave.”
“Does that mean I’ll never see you again – that I’ll never dream about you?”
“No, you’ll still dream about me, at least I hope you will.” He smiled down at her. “But they will be dreams of memories; I’ll no longer be able to guide you in them.”
“But Mamo-chan, I do still need you. I…” She stifled the sobs rising in her throat. “I’m not sure I can make it on my own.”
“Usa-ko, you’ve always been able to make it on your own.” He gently lifted her chin to look into her tear-filled eyes. “And you have the girls, and your family: believe me; I would insist on staying if I wasn’t positive you’d be all right.” She vaulted forward into his arms, giving in to her wild sobbing.
“But, Mamo-chan, I don’t want you to go. I don’t want to lose you again.”
“Oh, love, you’re not losing me. I’m just a ghost, a spirit. I’ll always be alive in your memories. Besides, you’ll never be able to move on if I keep hanging around.” His tone was light and he hadn’t really hinted at ‘moving on’ romantically, but a guilty blush rose to her cheeks anyway.
“M-move on?” She looked down at her hands, and he laughed gently.
“My sweet, beautiful princess, you didn’t think I’d begrudge your loving again, did you? That I’d want you to be without a partner, forever? Do you need me to say it?” He squared his shoulders and tilted her face to meet his gaze once more. “I, Mamoru Chiba, declare that you, Usagi Tsukino, are fully entitled to all the joys and happiness that this life can offer, including a husband and children, if you so desire. I free you from any claim that I may have had on you while I was living so that you may be free to be happy, in whatever way you wish.”
He laughed again, eyes sparkling, and drew her to him, gently pressing his lips to hers. As he pulled away she searched his eyes, unsure still whether she could ever let him go like that. His face was easy, but his eyes held an earnest look that made her heart do flips inside her chest.
“I love you Usa-ko; nothing will ever change that.”
“I love you too, Mamo-chan. I wish you didn’t have to go.” He stroked her cheek, and a peace settled over her, allowing her to draw enough strength to smile at him.
“Me too, but for your sake I must go. Anyway, there’s someone waiting for you.”
Kissing her forehead, he got up and went to the front door where he turned and waved before disappearing as a bright light grew around him, obscuring him from her vision. Just as he vanished, she realized she hadn’t asked who ‘they’ were. And, as the light cooled she saw another man silhouetted in her doorway.