*Disclaimer: No own, not even a teeny weeny
little percentage. ::frowns:: BSSM is a huge
business! Can't Takeuchi-san give me a tiny
percentage, like .5% or something? Please?

Medical Miracle
Chapter 20: A Promise Kept
By: The Rose Society
Rating: PG-13
Email: EtrlSlrMn@aol.com
http://www.wishing-blue.net/kii/  *NEW*


	He was late, again. It wasn't his
fault, really. A patient of his was sick last
night, a little girl. Her parents both loved
her very much, but there were bills to pay
and now, huge medical bills too. They both had
to catch some sleep at night or else they
wouldn't be able to work. One of them losing
their job would force them to have to become
homeless, just so they could keep paying for
their daughter's cancer treatments. So Chiba
Mamoru had stayed up with the child as she
cried, hoping to comfort her somewhat.

	It was just a year ago, when the
young intern, fresh from medical school in the
United States, ran into Tokyo Hospital. It was
just a year ago that he first ran down these
hallways, passed the same nurses and doctors,
and sadly, passed the same patients.

	He still looked the same, the young
man that was tearing down the hall. He still
had the same jet-black hair, always falling
haphazardly into his eyes at odd intervals,
obscuring his brilliant blue eyes. His tall
frame was still trim and slightly muscular,
his skin slightly tanned. He had on his
familiar white lab coat, black slacks, dress
shirt and tie, his dress shoes gripping the
linoleum floor as best as they could manage.

	But, a year can make for a large
change in a person. In that short period of
time, the young man in question went from
friendless, cheerless, loner to a completely
different person. Now, he would often greet
other doctors and nurses by name, pausing,
if he wasn't late, to chat a little with
them. His patients didn't cry in fear when
he made his rounds. Instead, they all looked
forward to his visits, knowing that he would
have something funny and interesting to say,
at the very least. He often was able to pull
a few strings too, especially for the
patient's family. If visiting hours were
during their work hours, he got them
permission to visit when it was best for the
family. All in all, the man that was tearing
down the hall was not the same man from a
year ago.

	Mamoru slid around the corner, giving
the nurse he startled and almost ran over an
apologetic look. He really needed to install
a radar system or else he would end up bumping
into some poor soul. That reminded him of
Usagi and how she used to run him down on her
mad dashes to school...

	'No,' Mamoru thought, 'I can't think
of her right now. It'll distract me.'

	Luckily for him, before his mind could
argue, he slid into the chair in front of Doctor
Hongo's desk.

	"I seem to remember you pulling the
same stunt exactly a year ago, Chiba." The voice
emanating from behind the back of the chair was
neutral, not allowing for any inference as to
the mood of the speaker.

	Wincing, Mamoru tried to smooth his
wrinkled clothing. "I'm sorry, Hongo-san, really.
It's just that..."

	The chair swiveled around, interupting
the young man. Doctor Hongo appeared, looking
much as she did a year past, even down to the
scowl. "I heard about your late visit with the
Tatsubara child." If possible, she looked even
more displeased. "What do you think you are
doing, Chiba? You are a doctor, who had a early
morning meeting scheduled with your supervising
doctor. You have applied to that doctor's
resident program, hoping to obtain a position.
What made you think it would be better to waste
your time with a patient instead of sleeping to
make sure you wouldn't oversleep today?" Her
green eyes seemed to snap with cold fire, her
voice chillingly devoid of emotion. But if you
looked carefully, there was a small flicker of
hope in her eyes, as if she was expecting
something.

	Shocked, Mamoru stared at Dr. Hongo for
a moment before he could regain his voice.
"Hongo-san, you're wrong." At her raised eyebrow,
Mamoru kissed his chances of a residency at
Tokyo Hospital goodbye.

	"Oh, am I?" She sat back in her chair,
her arms crossed in front of her chest. "And
what makes you say that?" There, faintly, was
a hint of amusement in her voice. Unfortunately,
Mamoru was too busy mourning over his future
and worrying over the possible loss of life or
limb to notice it.

	"Yes, Dr. Hongo, you're wrong. I wasn't
wasting my time. I was doing exactly what I
should have done." He paused. "What Usagi would
have done. She never neglected a patient in
need, never ignored anyone who was lonely. As
the patient's doctor, I owe them all of my
effort to help them in getting better. That
includes any and all emotional support that I
can give them. Long ago, you said that there was
more to being a true doctor than the desire to
succeed. I found my reason. It's to help people,
to help them in any way I can as a person. If I
help them in some way, regardless of curing them
or not, I think that I would deserve the title
of doctor." He stood. "I'm afraid that I've
overstepped my bounds, Hongo-san, but I had to
say this." He bowed, respectfully. "I appreciate
all that you have taught me. I know that you might
not have found me capable, but I did learn much
from my time as your intern. You taught me to
work much harder, that academics isn't enough.
Even though you probably will wish to end my
chances for a career, I still respectfully
thank you, for you have been a wonderfully
demanding teacher. Goodbye."

	Turning to leave, Mamoru heaved a sigh.
He did so want to be a doctor, but it didn't
seem like it was going to happen.

	"Quitting, Chiba?"

	Pausing, Mamoru turned. "No, Hongo-san.
I'm not quitting. Even though I might not be
able to become a resident, I'll keep trying. I
will find some other internship, rebuild my
career, and do my best to become a true doctor."

	Ayanami Hongo paused, taking full stock
of the man in front of her. A year ago, he was
sure of himself, assured that he was competent
to become a doctor, since he excelled in his
studies. He cared not a whit for his patients,
seeing them as a case, not as a person. But the
man in front of her was different. He was more
affable, warmer than before. He held a softness
in him that had once been cold indifference. He
had matured. Slowly, Dr. Hongo smiled, much to
Mamoru's surprise. He was expecting a dressing
down, or a sarcastic rebuff, anything except a
smile. And not just any smile. He fought the
urge to rub his eyes and take another look. Dr.
Hongo was smiling a smile of genuine warmth and
sincerity. Never had the good doctor directed
such a smile at him, not in the entire 365 days
that he had known her.

	Had he hit his head while he was running
down the halls? Perhaps he did, and was
unconscious right now, stuck in a delusion where
Dr. Hongo would smile at him after he had so
rudely stood up to her. Yes, Mamoru concluded,
that must be the answer.

	Dr. Hongo stood up from her chair and
walked toward the stunned Mamoru. "I must admit,
when I first saw you, I thought that I'd get
rid of you within the week. You were too cocky,
too full of yourself."

	Frowning in confusion, Mamoru reassessed
his original conclusion. Why would his delusions
include a dressing down? Very, very odd.

	"You didn't know the basic rule of
oncology: caring. A little bit of empathy can go
a long way in the healing of a patient. Human
emotions can do so much more than our best
medicine, Mamoru."

	This had to be a nightmare or something.
Dr. Hongo had actually called him by his first
name. This was completely anathema to reality.
It must be some sort of cosmic joke.

	"But I see now, that you've learned so much
more since when you first started here. You see
with new eyes, with a new understanding of the
magic behind medicine. I must say, I'm very much
shocked...and impressed."

	What was going on? Insults one minute,
then praise the other. He really wished his
delusions would pick one method and stick to it.
This was very confusing.

	Dr. Hongo picked up an envelope. "I never
would have thought that this would happen." She
handed the silent Mamoru the envelope. "Go ahead
and open it."

	Mamoru eyed the slim paper envelope with
suspicion. "Is this a letter listing all my
faults? Is this rigged with a bomb or something?"

	Raising another eyebrow, Dr. Hongo looked
at the bewildering man in her office. "Uh, no...
were you expecting something like that? I suppose
then, when you read it, you'll be disappointed."

	Apprehensively, Mamoru gingerly slid his
finger under the flap. Tearing the glued flap, he
carefully took out the piece of paper in the
envelope and slowly unfolded the letter inside.
Scanning the first lines, he frowned, then re-read
them. And re-read them again. "Wait...did you give
me the wrong envelope by mistake?"

	Exasperated, Dr. Hongo whapped Mamoru with
a rolled up patient file. "Are you dense or what!
That, young man, is a letter stating that you have
obtained a position as a resident in Tokyo
Hospital. Of course, if you think it's a mistake,
you're more than welcome to leave it on my desk
and go."

	A grin slowly made its way across Mamoru's
face. "I got in? I got...in. I GOT IN? WAI WAI!"
The odd anime-style cry resounded out of the
office and into the halls, causing a few passer-bys
to pause in confusion.

	Dr. Hongo gave a small smile. "Yeah, you
got in, DOCTOR Chiba. Congratulations. Now, if
you'll excuse me, I'm sure you have some people to
share the news with. I expect to see you early
tomorrow for your first day." She sat back in her
chair and motioned toward the door, a clear sign
of dismissal.

	Not wanting to press his incredible luck,
Mamoru bowed, again, as serious and as mature as
possible while his heart was doing a jig
internally. With an enthusiastic grin, he shut
the door as he left with more gusto than necessary
and practically skipped down the hall. He had to
tell someone. But who? Motoki, who had known about
Mamoru's dream since they first met? Mamoru's old
anatomy professor, whom had tutored the young
college Mamoru to help him for his exams? He
would tell them, but there was one person he felt
he really should tell first, before anyone else.

	Jumping into his car, Mamoru whistled as
he cut through traffic, making his way steadily
toward his destination. Pulling his car into a
parking spot on the street, he placed some money
in the meter and hopped out, locking his doors.
He walked the two blocks and came to a stop in
front of the main gates of Juuban's cemetary.
Slipping quietly past the creaking gates, he
slowly made his way to the Tsukino plot. He had
visited the place often enough to know where
exactly he was going, even in his own jostled
state of mind. He made his way amongst the
markers with various names upon them. Some of
these people had died so young. Others had died
after a long life. Strange how things work out
in this world.

	As he neared the Tsukino plot, he thought
back to those days when Usagi was so sick. After
their trip to the Tower, she had fallen into her
second coma. As per her wishes, they put in her
own home, in her own bed, to spend what they all
thought were her last days. There were no
machines, no extraordinary measures were to be
taken if she stopped breathing. All of them,
from the stone-faced Haruka to the very pregnant
Naru, sat vigilantly by Usagi's bedside. Day by
agonizing day passed. With every dawn, all of
them waited, to see if Usagi would live to see
the next day.

	After a week, it happened. It was a
complete and utter shock. Usagi awoke. True,
her eyelids fluttered for only a moment, but she
was more responsive to the outside world. She
eventually regained full consciousness, much to
the shock of everyone. They thought that her
time was up, for certain. But they didn't want
to grab onto false hope. When Usagi went in for
a scan, they all waited, hoping for the best,
expecting the worst. When the scan actually
showed that the tumor had shrunk, the relief
could be seen in every face, in everyone's body
language. As time passed, Usagi actually
improved and each of her subsequent tests showed
that the tumor was shrinking more and more. She
was in remission. Contrary to the beliefs of her
doctors, experts, anyone in the medical community,
she was in REMISSION. No sweeter words had ever
been invented, in Mamoru's opinion.

	Creeping up behind the slight figure in
front of him, he dangled the envelope in front
of the kneeling figure's eyes. A startled gasp
was his reply as the blonde spun around, her
long hair smacking his chest as they flew by.

	"Mamo-chan! She told you?" An excited
squeal came out of Usagi's once-more rosy lips.

	Mamoru mock-frowned. "Yeah, she told me.
You know, I really was looking forward to
surprising you with this, maybe have you hug me,
kiss me in congratulations..." Interrupting his
sentence as a flurry of blonde hair and slender
arms as Usagi pulled him into a fierce hug.

	"I'm happy for you, Mamo-chan, really!
It couldn't have happened to a better doctor! I
only know cuz Ayanami wanted to tell me
personally of her decision. She knows the past
few months have been rather trying on me and
wanted to spare me any more surprises." Usagi
made a face.

	Hugging the tender bundle in his arms
a little tighter, Mamoru frowned, as he thought
of what Usagi was referring to. With her amazing
recovery from the brink of death, she had been
labeled a 'medical miracle.' The news had leaked
to the press before the full medical
investigation into her case and they were
instantly at Usagi's door, hoping to interview
the 'miracle.' Haruka and Michiru even had to
hire the bodyguards that usually did their own
press events and get them to protect Usagi.
Eventually, the press hounds did back off,
after a few press conferences. The experimental
drug might have been the cause of her recovery
or it might have been something else, her
doctors warned the press. More studies were
needed. But because of the press surrounding the
amazing possibilities of the drug for so many
cancer patients as well as overwhelming public
support, the government was already pushing for
widescale tests. With the news of a possible
cure for cancer, the press finally left Usagi
alone for other news, much to the relief of
everyone involved.

	Shaking free from his thoughts, Mamoru
rocked Usagi a little, saying, "If you're so
happy, then where is my congratulations kiss?"
He pouted, very comically according to Usagi's
point of view.

	With a laugh, she placed a gentle kiss
to Mamoru's forehead. "How's that?"

	Frowning, Mamoru shook his head. With
his eyes still closed, he said, "Not good
enough."

	"This then?" Usagi placed a kiss on
his cheek.

	"No."

	With a smile, Usagi whispered, "You
win," and placed her lips against Mamoru's own.
It was a kiss of celebration for two lives
saved from their own darkness, a life saved
from death, and a life saved from loneliness.

	It was a kiss celebrating a medical
miracle.

Translations:

	None

Author Notes:

	There it is, the ending, the real
ending to Medical Miracle. It's been a long
journey, much longer than I thought it would
be. But I do hope that some of you out there
enjoyed reading this tale, as much as I enjoyed
writing it. I'm not happy with everything in
the story, knowing that it still requires a
lot of work, work I can't put in right at the
moment. For now, I'll let this story rest.
I do want to thank anyone and everyone that
stuck with me, through the long waits and
various mistakes, from the prologue until now.
I do hope your lives are filled with happiness.
Until the next story...

~The moonlight carries the message of love.~
~Tsuki no hikari wa ai no message.~