Chapter 7: A Christmas Gift

Jonathan studied the cordless phone he held in his hands, wondering what he should do. It seemed that Celeste had left hours ago, promising to meet him at his apartment. However, she had actually only been gone an hour.

But that fact didn’t ease his worries. His mind continued in its flashes of the crumpled form of Sailor Sol lying in a pool of blood somewhere in the cold December night with help too far away to matter. Groaning, he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms, trying to banish the images.

“Where are you?” he whispered, studying the phone again. He should start calling the hospitals. He pushed the “talk” button, bringing the phone to life, only to immediately turn it off.

He got up from the couch. He threw his jacket and tie over the back of the chair as he began to pace the expanse of his living room. Trying to force himself to relax, he undid his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. Then, he undid a couple of buttons when the collar of his dress shirt seemed to constrict around his throat.

As he was about to give in and start calling the hospitals, he heard something on his balcony. Jonathan opened the doors in time to see Sailor Sol transform back into Celeste. With a prayer of gratitude, he hugged her fiercely, unaware that he was about crush the package she held.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He gently eased away from her but kept his hands on her shoulders. “For?”

“For worrying you,” Celeste replied, looking up at him. “You shouldn’t be involved in this.”

“You can’t change who you are,” he said, cupping her cheek. “I wouldn’t want you to. I will worry about you, Celeste, when you are out there as Sol, but I swear I will try to understand. I promise.”

She covered the hand on her cheek with one of hers. “Thank you.”

He gave her a gentle kiss. As Jonathan drew away, he became aware of the package she was holding. Realizing what he was looking at, Celeste smiled and handed the gaily-wrapped box to him.

“Merry Christmas, Jonathan,” she said.

“I thought that you in that dress was my gift,” he teased.

“So I decided to be generous and surprise you a little,” she said. “Aren’t you going to open it?”

“Let me go and get your gift,” he said, handing the box back to her.

“I thought that dinner was my gift,” Celeste cried as he reentered the apartment.

“So I decided to surprise you, too,” he called over his shoulder.

Smiling, Celeste studied the city as she waited from him to return. The city seemed so peaceful, but she knew too well how appearances were deceiving. She had seen that Sofia and her friend had been taken into the emergency room. Celeste had given Sofia her phone number, asking her to call her in a few days. While she still had reservations about getting someone else involved, she knew that she needed the help. Sofia, as Sailor Athene, would be a great ally.

She turned as she heard Jonathan come back onto the balcony. Both grinned as they exchanged boxes. At the count of three, Celeste tore into the festive paper. She paused she realized that Jonathan was watching her instead of opening his gift.

“What?” she asked, holding a scrap of paper in mid-air.

“I want to watch you open it,” Jonathan replied.

With a sigh, Celeste set the package on the ledge. “Fine, then you have to open yours first.”

“Why?”

Celeste folded her arms and lifted a fiery eyebrow.

“All right, all right,” he said, obediently ripping the paper. He paused as he lifted the item from its protective tissue paper. He looked at Celeste speechless.

Pulling her wrap tighter around her body, Celeste tried to judge his reaction. “Do you like it?”

“Of course, I do,” Jonathan declared, holding the picture.

It was a photo of the two of them laughing when they had visited a park in Tokyo. That whole afternoon had been magical. He had never seen Celeste so happy and care-free. It was one of the few times he had seen the sadness in her eyes completely disappear.

He glanced at Celeste. “How long have you had this?”

“Usagi sent it to me,” Celeste replied, “shortly after we returned from Tokyo. I’m sorry, but I kinda came up short on the guy gift list.”

“I love it,” he said. “Will you open yours now?”

She picked up the gift and unwrapped, very aware that Jonathan was watching her intently. She gasped as she saw the delicate music box. She gently opened it and listened to the music.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

He took the music box out of her hands and set it on the small table. “May I have this dance?”

“Here?”

Nodding, he held out his arms. “Why not?”

Hoping that the neighbors were too occupied to watch them, she moved into his arms. They danced to the soft music of the music box. As he looked down as Celeste’s serene face, he was hit by déjà vu. It was like he had done this with her before a long time ago. It wasn’t in one of his fantasies; the feeling was far truer, deeper.

‘Could it be a memory?’ he wondered, gently pulling Celeste closer to him. He didn’t have any of the memories of the Silver Millennium and he didn’t know why.

Celeste glanced up at him, the dreamy look fading from her eyes. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Jonathan replied, placing his forehead against hers. “Right now, everything’s perfect.”


A Christmas Gift Jonathan studied the cordless phone he held in his hands, wondering what he should do. It seemed that Celeste had left hours ago, promising to meet him at his apartment. However, she had actually only been gone an hour. But that fact didn’t ease his worries. His mind continued in its flashes of the crumpled form of Sailor Sol lying in a pool of blood somewhere in the cold December night with help too far away to matter. Groaning, he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms, trying to banish the images. “Where are you?” he whispered, studying the phone again. He should start calling the hospitals. He pushed the “talk” button, bringing the phone to life, only to immediately turn it off. He got up from the couch. He threw his jacket and tie over the back of the chair as he began to pace the expanse of his living room. Trying to force himself to relax, he undid his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. Then, he undid a couple of buttons when the collar of his dress shirt seemed to constrict around his throat. As he was about to give in and start calling the hospitals, he heard something on his balcony. Jonathan opened the doors in time to see Sailor Sol transform back into Celeste. With a prayer of gratitude, he hugged her fiercely, unaware that he was about crush the package she held. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. He gently eased away from her but kept his hands on her shoulders. “For?” “For worrying you,” Celeste replied, looking up at him. “You shouldn’t be involved in this.” “You can’t change who you are,” he said, cupping her cheek. “I wouldn’t want you to. I will worry about you, Celeste, when you are out there as Sol, but I swear I will try to understand. I promise.” She covered the hand on her cheek with one of hers. “Thank you.” He gave her a gentle kiss. As Jonathan drew away, he became aware of the package she was holding. Realizing what he was looking at, Celeste smiled and handed the gaily-wrapped box to him. “Merry Christmas, Jonathan,” she said. “I thought that you in that dress was my gift,” he teased. “So I decided to be generous and surprise you a little,” she said. “Aren’t you going to open it?” “Let me go and get your gift,” he said, handing the box back to her. “I thought that dinner was my gift,” Celeste cried as he reentered the apartment. “So I decided to surprise you, too,” he called over his shoulder. Smiling, Celeste studied the city as she waited from him to return. The city seemed so peaceful, but she knew too well how appearances were deceiving. She had seen that Sofia and her friend had been taken into the emergency room. Celeste had given Sofia her phone number, asking her to call her in a few days. While she still had reservations about getting someone else involved, she knew that she needed the help. Sofia, as Sailor Athene, would be a great ally. She turned as she heard Jonathan come back onto the balcony. Both grinned as they exchanged boxes. At the count of three, Celeste tore into the festive paper. She paused she realized that Jonathan was watching her instead of opening his gift. “What?” she asked, holding a scrap of paper in mid-air. “I want to watch you open it,” Jonathan replied. With a sigh, Celeste set the package on the ledge. “Fine, then you have to open yours first.” “Why?” Celeste folded her arms and lifted a fiery eyebrow. “All right, all right,” he said, obediently ripping the paper. He paused as he lifted the item from its protective tissue paper. He looked at Celeste speechless. Pulling her wrap tighter around her body, Celeste tried to judge his reaction. “Do you like it?” “Of course, I do,” Jonathan declared, holding the picture. It was a photo of the two of them laughing when they had visited a park in Tokyo. That whole afternoon had been magical. He had never seen Celeste so happy and care-free. It was one of the few times he had seen the sadness in her eyes completely disappear. He glanced at Celeste. “How long have you had this?” “Usagi sent it to me,” Celeste replied, “shortly after we returned from Tokyo. I’m sorry, but I kinda came up short on the guy gift list.” “I love it,” he said. “Will you open yours now?” She picked up the gift and unwrapped, very aware that Jonathan was watching her intently. She gasped as she saw the delicate music box. She gently opened it and listened to the music. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered. He took the music box out of her hands and set it on the small table. “May I have this dance?” “Here?” Nodding, he held out his arms. “Why not?” Hoping that the neighbors were too occupied to watch them, she moved into his arms. They danced to the soft music of the music box. As he looked down as Celeste’s serene face, he was hit by déjà vu. It was like he had done this with her before a long time ago. It wasn’t in one of his fantasies; the feeling was far truer, deeper. ‘Could it be a memory?’ he wondered, gently pulling Celeste closer to him. He didn’t have any of the memories of the Silver Millennium and he didn’t know why. Celeste glanced up at him, the dreamy look fading from her eyes. “Is something wrong?” “No,” Jonathan replied, placing his forehead against hers. “Right now, everything’s perfect.”


Chapter 8: New Friends, Old Friends Sailor Sol: Homefront