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“Minako, Minako?” said a familiar voice. Minako slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a white bed. She couldn’t quite make out the figure yet who was repeating her name. Was it her mother?? Maybe she had had a nightmare.

“Wh-what?” she started to lift her head only to receive a sharp pain up her spine and into her head.

“Careful! Careful, you hit your head when you passed out,” it was Usagi’s voice. She now could see the outline of Usagi’s odangos and started to see her smiling face. There was something wrong though, Usagi looked troubled and there were tears in her eyes.

“Usagi-chan, its you, can’t you tell me what happened?” Minako said in a strained voice.

“Minako, just rest now you will learn what happened when you are feeling better.” Usagi choked out. Now doubting herself and realizing it may not have been a dream Minako asked,

“Wait! Where are my parents? Usagi, tell me now!” Usagi now began to cry and that’s all Minako had to see. Her parents were dead, her world had crashed once more. “Nooo! Please God, no! It can’t be, it can’t it can’t!” Minako now sobbing uncontrollably while all Usagi could do was sit and watch. How could Usagi understand? She never lost anyone that close to her before, she didn’t know what to do. The nurses began to walk in now and Usagi, with a heavy heart, left and let them calm her down.

The next day, Minako awoke and immediately felt depressed once more. Her family was all she ever had, she didn’t even have any brothers, sisters, or even aunts or uncles. Her grandparents were dead and she didn’t even have cousins. And now her parents were dead, dead, dead. She kept repeating that word in her head, it had a new meaning now. Right now she needed her friends, something to take her mind off of the blackness that hovered over her. Coincidentally, her friends peeked through the door. Usagi with food all over her face, Makoto checking out the guy maintenance workers, Ami trying to read a calculus book, Rei making fun of Usagi’s face, and Darien who kept up the back of the group.

“Hey, Minako, how are you doing?” Usagi said in a quiet voice.

“Well, considering the circumstances, pretty well I guess,” Minako said for the first time feeling better with her friends near.

“We have come bearing gifts!” Makoto said proudly. “I think you’ll like them except maybe the books that Ami got you..”

“Makoto! Books are more important then the magazines you guys got her!” Ami said defensively.

By now, an argument had broken out between books and magazines when finally Darien told them to be quiet “Guys! Stop fighting! I’m sure Minako doesn’t want to hear this now!”

“Sorry!” they all said at once.

“No, it’s okay, it’s nice to hear anyone besides these doctors and nurses. I really don’t know what’s going to happen next though, I have no where to stay and I can’t stay HERE forever. All I have is a concussion, I think they’re just keeping me here because I have no where to go,” Minako said with a yawn.

“Well, I think we’d better go and let you have your rest,” said Rei.

“You don’t have to, really, its ok,” Minako really didn’t want them to leave, not now.

“Well, we really have to get back. Usagi is grounded and she isn’t even suppose to be here and we all have a lot of school work to do,” said Ami while Usagi grumbled at her remark.

“Oh, ok,” Minako said with a sad face.

“Well I’d be happy to stay, I have nothing else to do. I don’t have to go to work today so I was just going to stay home and watch TV but I’d rather be here helping a friend,” Darien replied. Minako was very grateful. She said goodbye to the rest of her friends and gazed out the window, it had begun to snow.

“My father always loved the snow. Oh Darien I can’t believe they’re gone!” Minako felt depressed again. “And the worst part is, none of my friends can help me because they have never lost anyone that they have loved so much before. At least when Makoto’s parents died in that plane crash she was so young that she didn’t know what she was missing. You’re the only one who can understand how it feels.”

“Yes, unfortunately I DO understand and I know what you’re going through. I just wish I could do more, I mean to help you. Let me tell you something that my mother told me right before she died. I remember it like it was yesterday. She said not to fret because when someone you love dies, if you love them even more than life itself they will go to heaven and become a star. Every star you see up in the night sky is a loved one in heaven smiling down on you and whenever you think about them they will know and the star will appear more brightly then ever. That way you know they are always with you.” Darien looked down as if he were deep in thought and suddenly spoke.

“Do you really believe that Darien?”

“I don’t know, I think my mother would always tell me the truth and it makes me happy to think that my mother and father are always smiling down upon me, watching over me.” He paused for a brief moment and then spoke up again.“You know, I wouldn’t mind if you stayed with me, you know until you’re old enough to live on your own. I mean you don’t have to and I’d understand if you didn’t want to..."

“Darien, this is more than I could ever hope for, thank you.” Minako exclaimed, actually happy for once, but didn’t show it. “But what if they won’t let me live with you because we’re not related and... “

“It’s ok, I’ll figure out something, don’t worry about it. I have a few friends I can call and we’ll work out something. I’ll pick you up when they decide to let you out of here. Till then, rest up and just know that you’re not alone.” With that, Darien got up, flashed a smile, and left. Minako soon fell asleep with a smile on her face.

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