Hey everyone! Finally the last part of this story!!!! Hurray I am so glad this thing isdone! thanks
to all of the reader who kept reading through this whole thing. The song Angel, is copyrighted (c)
1997 to Sarah McLachlan. Dreeming of You is copyrighted (c) Selena 1995. This story is
copyrighted to me (c)1998 MCRK One ore little note. There was suppossed to be lyrics to
Angel on here, but somehow they got deleted. I am searching for them again so once I find them
they wil be back. Sorry bout that.
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Courage Under Fire Part 5~ The Forgiveness
By MCRK
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Chapter Thirteen
Rei walked outside and sat down on the steps to think. As soon as she sat down her two
pet crows, Phobos, and Diemos, flew towards her and perched on her arm. "So are they pets o
are birds just attracted to you?" Jed asked as he sat down on the steps. "I guess you could call
them pets. They are always here, and they are kind of my protectors." Rei explained. "Do they
have names?" Jed asked. "This one is Phobos, and that one is Diemos." "The moons of Mars."
Jed said. Rei looked up at him surprised. "How did you know that?" she asked. "I know a lot
about the planets, especially Mars." He said, his eyes locking on hers. "You know, the weird
part is, I named them that before I became Sailor Mars." "Kinda like a psychic thing huh?" Jed
said. "Yeah that happens to me a lot." Rei said, never taking her eyes away. It would be a long
time before she would admit it, but at that moment Rei fell in love with Jed all over again. "Is that
from your priestess training or is it just one of the many talents you posses?" Jed teased. Rei
realized that she was flirting with him. 'Oh no.' she thought. 'I have to stop this. It is too late
already.' Jed noticed the change in Rei's eyes. They went from calm to hysteria in seconds. "Is
everything ok?" Jed asked. Rei stood up looking confused. "I have to go…" She was interupted
when Jed unexpectandly stood up and kissed her. After it ended, about two seconds later, Rei
stumbled backwards shocked at what had just happened. "I, uh, have to go answer the phone."
She ran off. 'Damn it!' Jed thought as he slid back down onto the steps. 'What the hell was I
thinking?! She is never going to forgive me now. That's it.' Jed decided. 'I have to get out of
here. It is bad enough having to been on the scouts team with her, but to be staying here? What
was I thinking?' A small voice inside his head answered him. *You were in love.* 'Yeah well she
sure doesn't feel the same way, no matter what she said. I can't even control my freaking
emotions. If I stay here I am going to go insane not being able to kiss her. I have to leave.' He
went inside to pack his bags.
'What is wrong with me?' Rei thought. 'I have this great guy who is totally in love with me, and
would give his life for me, technically he already has, and I run away. I mean it's not like I don't
like him. I love him just as much, but when he kisses me, I freak. Why the hell does this have to
be so hard!' She slammer her fist against the wall. 'Why can't I just have a normal boyfriend?
Why does this have to be so complicated?" *You are making it that way.* She told herself.
'Yeah I guess I am. But now that I am ready to forgive him, is it too late, like in the story? After
all that I have put him through is it really fair of me to just tell him I forgive him? I need to get
some fresh air.' Rei walked out of her room and went down the hallway. As she passed Jed's
room she suddenly stopped short and stared at the sight inside his room. His door was wide
open and there was a suitcase on the bed, which Jed was filling! "You're going?" Rei asked. Jed
looked up to see her staring at him in bewilderment. "Uh, yeah I figured I have bothered you
enough, and obviously we can't get along, so I am going to leave." "But where are you going to
go? No one else has room, and you can't go live on the streets." "Like you really care where I
am going?" Jed said. Rei stared at him hurt, that he would say that. "I guess I totally deserve that
huh?" Rei said. "But I am concerned. Where are you going to stay?" Jed sighed and looked up.
"If you really want to know I plan on staying at a motel somewhere so if you will please excuse
me I have packing to do." "A motel?" Rei said. "That is crazy. What happens if the scouts need
you? It would take to long for you to get here." "I can transport remember?" Jed asked. "Oh
yeah. But still, don't go…" "Why not?" Jed asked. "There is nothing here other then the scouts
and I will still be able to help fight." 'Please say it.' He thought. 'Please say that you want me to
stay.' She thought back to what princess Serenity had said. She gathered up her courage, put
aside her fears and spoke, "Well, here, it is free to stay, you are welcome as long as you like,
and uh…if you went, I would miss you." Rei said softly. Jed turned around to look at her. "You,
would miss me?" He asked. She nodded her head. "How would that work?" He asked. "Earlier
on the steps was the first time we have had some kind of conversation without arguing. What are
you going to miss?" "I know we got off to a a bad start." Rei said. "And that was my fault. But if
you leave, we will never be able to fix it." "You of all people should understand why I am leaving.
I can't stay here anymore. It's too hard. I kissed you because spending all this time with you, and
not being able to do anything is driving me insane. I am not saying that I am giving up on us. I will
never do that. I would and if necessary wait forever for you. I love you, but enough to know that
you have to decide what you want. If I stay here it will affect your decision. You would end up
falling in love with me, but I would end up not being right for you. That is not fair to either of us.
So I am going to leave. You need to see what you really want to do, go out with other guys.
Like that Chad guy." Jed suggested. Rei rolled her eyes. "Maybe if he got a haircut…" She
started. "Besides, I don't love Chad, I don't want to be with him. I love…" Rei was cut of by
Jed, "Don't say that." "Why not? Isn't that what you have wanted all along? For me to forgive
you and love you again?" "Yes." He said. "But I don't want you to say it because you think it will
make me stay here. If you are ever able to forgive me, and fall in love with me again, I want you
to say that, but to mean it with all your heart." "How can you know whether or not I mean it right
now?" Rei questioned. "You were influenced by the kiss, which never should have happened.
Tell me this. If I had not kissed you, and we had not talked, would you still have been as upset
that I was leaving?" Rei was silent. "Now do you see why I have to go?" Jed asked. "Fine." Rei
said. "If you want to leave, who I am I to stop you? You obviously don't believe anything I say
so you might as well leave. But I know that this is goodbye. If you leave now, we both know that
you are not coming back, regardless of what you may say." Now it was Jed's turn to be silent.
"But before you go, I have to ask you a question." She quietly started to sing. At first Jed was
mesmerized by her voice, but when he listened to the words, it was all he could do to not laugh
out loud and the irony of the situation. "How's it going to be, when you don't know me,
anymore? And how's it going be. Wanna get myself back in again." She cut it off there and
quietly walked out of his room closing the door behind her. Jed smiled trying to hold back a
luahg.'That was low.' He thought. 'Exactly something I would do!' He laughed out loud as he put
the suitcase down on the bed in defeat.
Chapter Fourteen
The girls were all meeting at the temple to discuss the upcoming dance at school. "So is
everyone going?" Mina asked. Yes, they all replied. "So Serena what about the guys? Who's
coming?" Mina asked. "Uh Darien said he convinced Ken, Greg, Andrew, to come, and uh...."
Before she finished she looked Rei who said nothing. "He also asked Jed. Do you mind Rei?"
Rei flinched slightly before answering, "Of course not why would I mind if one of your friends
wants to come with us to the dance? It doesn't bother me in the slightest." Her face however told
them otherwise. "Um...I'll be right back I'm going to get some food ok everyone?" Rei got up
and left the room. As soon as she was out of earshot, the girls all started whispering. "She is
definitely still in love with him!" Mina exclaimed. "I know, we have to find a way to get them
together," replied Lita. "We owe them at least that much." "We should try to get them together at
the dance," Serena suggested. "Uh guys..." said Ami who had been silent this whole time, "don't
you think we should let them get together on their own?" "Ami are you crazy!" asked Mina.
"Yeah if we do that they will never get together!" whined Serena. "Well what if they are not
suppossed to end up together? What if they are both predestined to be with someone else?" Ami
asked thoughtfully. "What if they are?" Mina asked. "If we go about like they aren't, and they
really are, it would screw up their lives forever. They are not going to get together with out a little
help." She explained. Ami just sighed. "I've got an idea!" "What Lita tell us!" "Ok at the dance
someone can go up to the DJ and ask him to play Angel." "Angel? What song is that?" asked
Serena. "You know the one by Sarah something or other. It starts out like, spend all your time
waiting for that second chance..." "Ohhh that one! That is perfect!" Serena squealed. "I know
that" said Lita exasperated, "That is why I said to do that song!! 'Anyway tell us the rest of your
plan" Mina said. "Well you know how at our dances, when you dedicat a song to someone, they
have to dance, and the spotlight shines on them for a few minutes? Well if we dedicate "Angel" to
Rei and Jed, they will have to dance, and then they can talk. You can not dance with someone
without talking to them." "Wow!" Mina exclaimed, "That is a wonderful plan!" "Yeah good
thinking Lita," replied Serena. They all looked toward Ami. She raised her head from the book
she was reading and saw three expectant faces. "Well I still think you should let Rei decide what
she wants, but I won't stop you." "Yes, Ami you are the best! Besides what are friends for if we
can't make decisions for them?" Serena questioned. Just as Serena finished talking, the door
opened and Rei walked in carrying a huge tray of food. "Here is some food for you..." She was
cut off as Serena literally jumped on her to get to the food. "Oops, I guess I am a little hungry!"
Chapter Fifteen
The group of friends sat around the table laughing and having a good time just talking and
listening to music. Suddenly the fast dance song that had been playing stopped and the DJ
started to speak. "This next song, is dedicated to Rei and Jed. Would they please come up here
and lead off the dance? The song is Angel by Sarah McLaughlin." Rei turned to look at her
friends who were all smiling innocently. Rei glared at them and if looks could kill Ami, Mina, Lita,
and Serena would have been dead on the spot. "Uh…Rei I think we are supposed to go dance."
Jed said. Rei stopped glaring and got up to dance.
Spend all your time waiting
For that second chance
For a break that will make it okay
There's always some reason
To feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh beautiful release
Memories seep through my veins
Van may be empty
Oh and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark,cold hotel room
And the endless nights that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
Here in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
So tired of the straight life
That everywhere you look
There's vultures and thieves at your back
Storm keeps on twisting
Keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference
Escaping one last time
It's easier to believe
In this sweet madness
Oh this glorious sadness
In brings me to my knees
In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark,cold hotel room
And the endless nights that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
Here in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
Here in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
The two dance under the spotlight silently for a few minutes. Once the spotlight was shut off. Jed
started to speak. "I take it the other scouts did this?" "Who else would have?" Rei asked. "I don't
know. I thought maybe you would have." Rei glared at him as he realized he had said the wrong
thing. "I guess they are really hooked on getting us together huh?" "I guess so." Rei said glancing
around the room. The two danced silently for a few minutes before Jed spoke again. "Can I ask
you a question?" After receiving permission he continued. "I am sure that you know how much I
care for you, and I am talking about you, Rei Hino, not Princess Mars. And I know that you are
angry over what I did in the silver millenium, and now at least you know why I did that. I am
asking you this now, because I know you were trying to figure out what you wanted to do. So
my question is, do you forgive me? I know that you are still scared, and I am afraid to, but we
could get over that together. I know what my life is like without you and it is not something I
want to experience over again." Rei took a deep breath and started to speak. "I understand that
back in the Silver Millenium you were under Beryl's power. And I now understand that you did it
for me. But that still doesn't make the things you did go away. Whether you were aware that you
were doing it or not. I mean can you imagine how it feels to have the person you love suddenly
start trying to kill you? I will admit though that I blamed myself and took that anger out on you."
"What were you blaming yourself for?" Jed asked. "I thought that maybe if I had told you that I
loved you sooner it would have made you stay. I kinda blamed myself for you choosing to fight
on their side. That was the only reason I could think of as why you would choose to fight for
them. So I vowed never to forgive myself, and if I couldn't forgive myself I couldn't forgive you
either." Rei looked down completely ashamed. "How could you ever think that?" Jed asked.
"Even if you did not love me, you were still my best friend and I would never desert you." "But it
still was my fault. You sided with her because of me." Rei said. "True." Jed said slowly. "But it
wasn't something you did. It was to save you. Look the only way that I would not have gone to
their side was if I never knew you and being evil for a million years would be worth it to have
known you. Actually, since Beryl wanted me to fight she was going to find a way to get to me
whether I knew you or not. So it is not at all your fault ok? I mean you can't help it that I was
just so damn popular." Rei smiled. "Hey you never answered my question." Jed said. "After you
switched sides, I made a vow never to forgive you, or myself really. And I planned on keeping
that vow, all up until a few days ago. When an old friend stopped by. She told me a story, and
said that everyone deserves a second chance, especially in love. She also told me that people
make mistakes, but that they deserve to have a chance to redeem themselves as a good person.
And yes, I am still scared, but I don't want my life, and my one chance at love to be ruined
because I am afraid. Being scared has never stopped me before so why should it now?" "Wait, I
still don't get it. Are you forgiving me or not?" Jed asked. Rei laughed, "Yes, I am forgiving you."
Jed let out his breath in a huge sigh of relief. "Do you know how long I have waited to hear that?"
he asked. "I can kinda guess." Rei replied. "Hey," she suddenly said. "Listen to the song." By this
time "Angel" was long over and another song was half way through.
Late at night when all the world is sleeping
I stay up and think of you
And I still can't believe that
You came up to me and said
I love you
I love you too
I'll be dreaming with you tonight
'Til tomorrow and for all of my life
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here in my room dreaming with you endlessly
"So you did hear!" Jed exclaimed. "Yeah sorry about that. I didn't mean to spy on you or
anything but the other scouts wanted to talk to you, and you were talking out loud so you
know…" "I was so worried that if you heard, you would get all pissed off at me." "Well I would
have, but it made me realize that some how you already know that you love me in this lifetime."
Rei said. "Well I feel a lot more relieved," Jed said. "I don't have to worry about you hating me
anymore." "Yeah." Rei said quietly. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?" Jed asked.
"What? Oh no I was just thinking." "About what?" "I was just thinking how weird it is that one of
us is always stopping the other from saying I love you." Rei said. "Yeah. Maybe because the one
being stopped never really meant it." "Maybe." Rei said. "Well what about now?" "What about
it?" Jed asked. "If I were to say right now that I love you, would you let me?" "Would you be
meaning it?" "Yes." Rei said truthfully. "I guess then I can't stop you right?" "Good." She said.
She reached up and kissed him with all the love she had been holding in for the last few thousand
years. "I love you. I always have. It just took my brain a little longer to figure it out." "I love you
too." Jed said. "And I am sorry for everything that you had to go through." Rei said. "What did I
have to go through besides thing that I chose to do. I kept trying to win you back because I love
you. That is why I stayed at the temple." "Wait," Rei said. 'If you loved me so much, how come
you told me to go out with other guys?" "I only said that because I didn't think you really did love
me. After you got so mad, I figured there was no way you could love me anymore. So if you
were happier being with someone else, then that would have made me happy." "Jed, that is
probably the nicest thing you have ever said to me." Rei said getting all teary eyed. "Oh man,
don't cry again! Every time you cry, I end up getting yelled at." Rei laughed. "Well before you
came back, I never used to cry. It's all your fault!" "But it's worth a few tears isn't it?" "Of
course." "By the way, I never proved that I do love you did I?" Jed asked. "What are you talking
about?" Rei asked. "After everthing that you went through for me, you don't think I know you
love me?" "Oh that doesn't matter. I have to prove it now." Jed said slyly. "Fine," Rei said
smiling. "One kiss. But then I have to go tell Serena something ok?" "Don't you think you should
wait till after the dance to share all the details?" Jed asked her. "That is not what I have to tell
her!" Rei protested. "Sure, sure. But hey if I get a kiss out of it…" Jed said. And with that he
leaned down and kissed her with such passion that Rei felt her knees go weak. "Wow," she said
when it had ended. "See, you should have forgiven me a long time ago!" Jed said teasingly. "Go
talk to Serena, I am going to go outside for a minute ok?" Rei nodded her head and went off to
find Serena. Eventually she found all the scouts getting food. She took them out into the hallway
for a minute. "I want to thank you guys for doing the song and everything." Rei said. "I know I
have been acting like a bitch since Jed came back and I' ms orry you guys had to go through
that." "Hey it was no big deal." Lita said. "So did you forgive him?" Ami asked. Rei nodded. 'So
did he kiss you yet?" Mina asked smiling, her eyes sparkling. Rei laughed. "Yeah, i will tell you all
the details after the dance ok?" Satisfied with her answer they started to walk back inside.
"Serena could I talk to you for a minute?" Rei asked. "uh, sure." The other scouts went back in
and left the two alone. "I have to thank you also." Rei said. "What for?" Serena asked. "It wasn't
even my idea to request the song." Rei shook her head and sighed. She reached over and
hugged Serena. Puzzled Serena hugged her back, unitl she heard Rei's voice whisper in her ear.
"Thank You Princess Serenity." Serena smiled and hugged Rei harder knowing everything was
going to work out.
Author's Note
Ok I know the very end sucked and I apologize for that. I was not sure how to end it. Well what
did you think? The fanfic is finally over!!! You do not know what it is like getting this damn thing
out. But i had tons of fun writing it and I hope you have enjoyed reading it. If you did, looke
foward to the next sequel. It should be out next week after I get back from vacation. Next up:
"I'll Be Seeing You." When a death occurs in Rei's family will she be forced to leave Tokyo?
Find out in the next story. Until then, you know the address, Pekkle9983@aol.com Bye luv ya!
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