A/N: It's been so long! There have been some minor changes to the first two chapters posted. While it's nothing major, it has been a very long time since I updated this, so you may or may not need a refresher anyway! :) Thank you all for being so patient with me while I was working through my writer's block. But I am back, baby!

Fireflies

Chapter One

Communications down
I float without
A light to lead me back
I'm lost again
They say silence is golden
Loneliness never shined like this

Fireflies illuminate your eyes
The moon will lead me back to earth again

Sailor Star Fighter leaned against the tall, white pillar of the balcony that over-looked the palace gardens. It was night on Kinmoku and the stars shone brilliantly in the dark sky.

She was alone, arms crossed over her chest, her head pointed towards the sky. This was her nightly routine since the Starlight's returned to their home planet. She would stand completely alone and in utter silence as she gazed up at the sky. But it wasn't the stars that held her attention.

It was the moon. This time of night was the only time she could actually see the tiniest glimpse of the blue planet. And only because she knew exactly where to look for it.

Odango, she thought as she closed her eyes tightly, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. I miss you terribly.

Fighter thought that maybe as soon as she and the other senshi had arrived back on Kinmoku with their Princess, that everything would go back to normal and she would stop thinking about Usagi. She assumed that once they had begun the reconstruction of their planet, her mind would be too busy to think of the blonde, odango haired beauty.

No such luck.

Her heart just wasn't into the efforts she, Maker, and Healer had made for the rebuilding projects. Fighter would do her job, of course, and during the day it almost seemed to help the pain that the young woman was feeling.

But night was a completely different story.

She would lay back in her bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to force the images of Tsukino Usagi's smiling face out of her mind, to no avail. Her dreams would be cluttered with images as Fighter's time as Kou Seiya and Usagi together.

Fighter no longer felt comfortable in her female body. She longed to go back to Earth and be Seiya again. But there would be no point.

Odango has Mamoru, Fighter thought bleakly. She's probably forgotten all about me.

Fighter felt a tear slide down her cheek. It had been two years since the Starlights and Princess Kakyuu had left Sailor Moon and her senshi back on Earth. Usagi was probably already married by now.

"Odango," she whispered. "I hope you're happy, where ever you are."

Unbeknownst to Fighter, someone was watching her. To avoid being seen, the figure held her back against the palace wall and listened.

Princess Kakyuu felt a tear slide down her own cheek. She could see the change in Fighter and could sense the pain she was feeling since they had arrived home. Maker and Healer seemed kind of down in the dumps as well, but not as quite to the point as their leader.

Kakyuu couldn't stand seeing her beloved senshi in pain. And they had worked so hard in their reconstruction efforts to make Kinmoku whole again. They deserve to be happy, she mused.

She didn't want to lose her senshi, but if she could get a smile on Fighter's face again, it might be worth it.

Meanwhile, back on Earth...

Tsukino Usagi was suddenly over come with deja vu. She sat quietly on the park bench, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Why was this happening again?

"Usako," Chiba Mamoru place a hand tenderly on her shoulder, and gave it a light squeeze. "I promise that it won't be forever. One year, two at the most." he paused. "You didn't have this much of a problem with it before."

"Mamo-chan," Usagi sniffled, looking down at her hands. "Do you remember what happened the last time you were supposed to go to America?" she shuddered at the awful memory of nearly losing Mamoru and her friends, just two years ago, at the hands of Galaxia.

He chuckled slightly. "Usagi, you defeated Galaxia. There have been absolutely no signs of any new enemies since then. I'll be fine. You'll be fine."

He reached over and clasped a large hand over her small ones. "Usako, to be on the safe side, seeing how much you suffered the last time," he paused, collecting his thoughts. "I think it would be best if I let you go."

Usagi gasped and turned to look over at him. "You're breaking up with me?"

He sighed and ran a hand though his black hair. "Usako, you know I love you, but I couldn't live with myself if I made you feel lonely, as you did before," he looked over at her and squeezed her shoulder. "We have the rest of our lives to be together, right? We already know our future."

Usagi once again turned her attention back to her trembling hands. "I...I guess you're right." Tears formed in her eyes and she fought desperately to hold them back.

"Besides," he continued. "This is your senior year of high school. The two of us won't have enough time for a proper relationship." he paused and flashed her a sad smile "But I promise, the moment I come back, we'll be together again."

Usagi suddenly stood up, hands clenched into tight fists as anger flowed through her, replacing the sadness that had been there only moments ago. She lifted her hand and pulled off the promise ring he had given her and shoved it into his hand. She wouldn't go through that pain, not again.

"You promised never to leave me again. And now you've broken that promise. I won't go through that again."

Shocked, Mamoru stood silent, as he watched Usagi retreat in the direction of her home. He sighed and reached down to collect his luggage. "Bye, Usako."