Edited Edition: 1/2011 Please read the following note:

My faithful readers, I have decided it is my goal to finish this poor, underdeveloped story. After re-reading what I had written (I had to convince myself there were too many loyal people waiting for an end to this thing so that I didn't delete it) I have decided to edit everything that has been posted. I am consolidating all original chapters into a longer segment. I have gone back and fixed spelling errors, incorrect Japanese usage, and tried very hard to add more substance and flow to the story without completely changing its original integrity. Please understand I began this story as a student in middle school and I am now a senior in college. My writing ability and standards have greatly changed and I am going to do my best to make this piece flow and come to a realistic ending. I must admit that I have been out of this fandom for a very long time and in my absence have realized that my original plot was quite cliched. Alas, I don't think there is much in the world of fanfiction that is not cliched. Therefore I will strive to be as original as possible, but at the very least this will be very well written. I have changed some parts I felt were quite OOC or unbelievable. With this thought in mind, please take the time to re-read this story. Please expect a two or three part saga.

Vocabulary:

Iie-no

Chikyuu- Earth

Watashi wa ... desu- My name is ...

Arigatou Gozaimasu - Very polite Thank you

Utsukushii - beautiful

hime- princess (some anime also use princessu)

Onegai- please

Ohayou- good morning

konnichiwa- good afternoon

For The Love Of A Soldier

"Usagi you must go. Please Koneko-chan, don't make me beg." A tall woman with short, sandy-brown hair pleaded with her companion. The companion, a short woman with long blonde hair, protested silently by refusing to budge. The tall blonde sighed, earning a curious glance from passerby on their way to board the shuttle that would depart from independence station in a few moments.

Placing her hand on Usagi's chin, the older woman forced their eyes to meet. "You're not safe here anymore Koneko-chan. You know that, I know that. Hell! He knows that." The sandy-blonde tried to reason. "In this time senshi are non-existent. You will be able to have that 'normal' life you always wanted. You need to understand that this time is not invisible to him so I've arranged for you to be taken care of on colony L3."

"I have an obligation to Earth. Not this Earth, my Earth. I won't leave my senshi to fight a losing battle. I will not run like a coward." Usagi spat the words out as if they left a bitter taste in her mouth. "Iie Koneko-chan. You are my princess. My duty is solely to you. To protect you and care for you. I want you to be safe. As long as you live, I know our world can be reborn. That is the only reason I'm sending you away. I do not think the moon a coward, little rabbit." The older woman tried to pacify her princess.

"Final boarding call for flight 0987 to Colony L3." A hollow voice rang throughout the airport."Haruka-chan." Usagi breathed out as the older woman began to shed tears. "Go now Usa. Go now before someone finds you. A man named 'J' will assist you when you arrive on L3. Aishiteru my Koneko." With that Haruka pushed Usagi into the shuttle, just before the flight attendant closed the doors.

Usagi begrudgingly took her seat next to the window. As the pilot rattled off his pre-flight instructions, Usa's thoughts drifted to her senshi. "Minako, Makoto, Ami, Rei, Michiru, Hotaru, Setsuna...Haruka-chan." The teen sighed aloud. Her last thoughts before drifting off were of a bloody battle and eight warriors fighting to their deaths.

Usagi was shaken from her dreams about two hours later by the elderly woman sitting next to her. "Sorry sweetie. Just thought you'd like to know that we're landing soon. The experience is a once-in-a-lifetime event and I thought you might like to watch." With that said, the woman turned back to talk to the man sitting next to her.

Usagi decided to take the old woman's advice, and she stared intently out the window as the shuttle "Liberty" began its docking procedures with colony L3. Her gaze then strayed to the blue, swirling, sphere known as Earth. "Chikyuu..." she breathed. 'Iie. That is not my earth, my home. My earth has already perished, along with all of my people. My senshi...' Usagi's thoughts trailed off toward that tragic topic she had yet to mentally explore.

Thankfully, the pilot chose that moment to make an announcement. "Minna-san, welcome to colony L3. We have successfully completed our docking procedures. Please proceed to gather your carry-on belongings and exit the aircraft. Arigatou Gozaimasu for choosing ESUN airlines."

Grabbing her carry-on duffel bag Usagi shuffled out into the aisle and waited for the people ahead of her to exit the shuttle and move into the airport. Finally reaching her destination Usagi braced herself. 'Here we go Usa. No one's here to hold your hand. This is your new life. Like it or not.' With that final thought she stepped off the shuttle and advanced to gate 31.

Reaching the reception area, the blonde-haired teen surveyed her surroundings. She saw families greeting loved ones, hugging, kissing; glorious homecomings. 'I'll never get to go home.' She thought to herself. Her mood instantly darkening she berated herself. 'Iie. I am here now. I will make the most of the opportunity I have been offered. I will work hard to honor my senshi. They died for me and for a cause. I will not let their sacrifices be in vain.'

She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes at the thought of the Sailor soldiers' deaths. She willed them away. Trying to distract herself, Usagi once again took to her surroundings. She spotted an old man holding a sign that said 'Usagi'. He was standing next to a brown-haired teen. Presumably her age.

Heading over, she held out her hand. "Watashi wa Tsukino Usagi desu." The old man responded by taking her hand in his own and shaking it. "Watashi wa Dr.J desu. Anata wa Heero Yui desu." The doctor introduced himself and his companion.

"Do you have more luggage?" Dr.J questioned. "Hai. Just one suitcase." Usagi responded as the three made their way over to baggage claim. Spotting her suitcase on the conveyor belt, Usagi went to pick it up, but was surprised when Heero grabbed it instead. Noticing him staring at her ID tag with a cute drawing of a little bunny on it she blushed, and managed to stammer out a polite thank-you.

He gave no response. 'How rude!' Usagi thought to herself in mild anger. Her thoughts were interrupted when Dr.J called out to the two teens saying that, "They better get going, they had much to do." Heero complied, and quickly followed the Dr. carrying Usagi's overstuffed suitcase as if it weighed nothing.

'Sugoi! He must be really strong. I had to use two arms to even attempt to lift that!' Usagi snapped out of her thoughts realizing that she was going to be left behind. "Matte!" She called out as she scrambled to catch up. Reaching Heero she decided to ask where they were headed. He gave no response. Sighing in defeat, she quickened her pace to reach the doctor.

"Where are we headed?" He stopped to consider his answer. "You're hiding from someone who knows you as Tsukino Usagi correct?" Dr.J asked. He continued after Usagi nodded. "Well we're going to 'find the new you'." And with that cryptic answer he resumed walking towards the airport exit.

After loading all of Usagi's belongings into the car, the three acquaintances piled in. As Dr.J pulled out of the parking lot and began the drive to selene-knows-where, Usagi admired the scenery. 'It's so pretty. But nature in space is all controlled. The colonies lack the natural splendor of Earth...'

The arrived at the Utsukushii salon about twenty minutes after they set out. Usagi was ushered into a chair in front of a sink so her hair could be washed and then cut. While she was getting her hair cleaned, Dr.J had a hushed conversation with her hairdresser, Heero stood leaning against the wall.

As her primping and pampering progressed, Usagi had to stifle a gasp when she noticed how long the hair falling to the floor was. 'Iie. My hair!' she was about to scream out in indignation when she remembered Haruka's words. 'Please hime, do as Dr.J requests. It's all for your safety. Onegai' Usa sighed to herself. 'For you Haruka-Chan, only you'

A half hour later the stylist announced that she was done. She spun Usagi around so that she could look in the mirror. The young princess could barely recognize herself. Her hair was now mid-length and her roots were dyed a darker color, making her hair now 'dirty blonde'. She was startled out of her stupor as Dr.J spoke from behind her.

"Usagi meet the new you. Rena Yui." 'Nani ...Yui?' Usagi's word came screeching to a halt. With those two simple sentences, Dr.J had ruined her life.

"Ohayou!" Usagi called to her 'husband' as he walked into the sunlit kitchen. He gave a nod in response. 'We've been living together for a week, and he still can't manage a 'good morning'" Usa sighed to herself as she stared into space.

She watched as Heero began to eat the pancakes she had made for him earlier that morning. 'Thank Selene Makoto managed to instill some basic cooking skills into me before...' Usagi trailed off dejectedly.

She was shaken from her thoughts by the ringing of the phone. Glancing at Heero, who made no move to answer it, she picked up the cordless and pushed the 'on' button. "Moshi Moshi." She spoke sweetly into the receiver.

After a moment of silence she replied, "Hai, One moment." She then held the phone out to Heero. He looked at her questioningly, and she just shrugged her shoulders. A monotonous "Moshi, Moshi." was heard from the stoic teen. He listened without responding for a few moments and then hung up.

Rising from the table and depositing his dishes in the sink, Heero made is way over to the door. He threw on his jacket and reached for the door handle but not before an angelic voice stopped him. "Where are you going?" Usagi inquired. "Out. Ill be back in time for dinner." And with that the brunette man was gone.

Usagi just rolled her eyes at his uninformative response. 'Whatever, I'm so tired! I barely slept last night. Stupid thunder. Stupid childish fears...' Usagi mumbled to herself, stifling a yawn as she headed into her room to try to catch up on lost sleep.

Usagi woke a few hours later, and began to try to busy herself with cleaning up. 'If only the girls could see me now! That's twice today I have done something outside of my character. First I cooked a breakfast that was actually edible, and now I'm cleaning!' Usagi mused to herself. She was determined to distract herself as much as possible. Two hours later the house was spotless. She tried again to pass the time by attempting to watch TV. After twenty minutes of flipping through second rate soap operas and talk shows she threw down the remote in frustration. 'Damn daytime TV sucks!' She grumbled. Shuffling to her room, the blonde plopped down onto her bed and contemplated the ceiling. 'I miss them so much! I am so lonely in this place.' Usagi thought to herself. She rolled to her side and reached under her mattress to pull out a small, pink, book. It was titled 'Bunny's scrapbook'.

Opening it up she began to stare intently at the pictures of her senshi, and best friends. Tracing the pictures with a delicate finger, her eyes began to well up with tears.

'Minna-chan, please be at peace. I know that none of you knew what you were doing. I don't blame you. I forgave you the second it all happened. I love you my senshi...p-please come back to me' Usagi's thoughts trailed off as she began to sob hysterically. The sounds she made were so heartbreaking a gut-wrenching that it was almost as if her soul were crying out in agony. Without preamble, Usagi's silver crystal began to glow softly from her bedside table. The crystal would pulse in sync with each heartfelt sound its owner let out. Slowly her wails began to ease, and she could breathe easier.

Glancing at the clock on her dresser, Usagi noticed that it was getting late. 'I better get dinner ready' She mumbled to herself, drying her eyes.

Heero came home that night around dinner time. Usagi had ordered Chinese take-out and was busy pulling out plates as he walked removed his coat and shoes and joined Usagi at the table. They ate in silence. Usagi was debating whether or not to ask again where he had gone, but noting his expression, she decided on the latter.

Seeing that Heero was done eating, Usagi got up to take the dishes to the sink. She was about to head into the kitchen, arms full of dishes, when Heero grabbed her arm to stop her. She looked at him questioningly. He simply handed her a small velvet box, and a manila envelope. She placed the dirty dishes back onto the table and considered the items he gave her.

"Open the box first." Were his only instructions. Usagi complied, and gazed incredulously at the diamond ring. Heero then jumped in with an explanation. "We're married now. I figured it was safer to look the part. I know that this whole ordeal is hard for you, by the way you cry at night."

'Oh My God! He's heard my crying? He must think I am so weak-' Her thoughts were cut off as he continued. "You may not like the situation you have been placed in but I can protect you and assure your safety. It's best for all involved if you just play along."

Without giving her a chance to say a word in response Heero stalked off to his room, and quietly closed the door.

Usagi sank into a chair at the dining room table. 'I can protect you...' She kept repeating the words over and over in her head. 'The last people to say those words to me ended up dead.' Usagi cut herself off before she could continue to think about her situation further.

Sighing in frustration at her confused feelings, she decided to open the envelope. Inside were identification documents for Rena Yui. A birth certificate, a license, passport, resume. Everything she could possibly think of that she'd ever need to use to verify that she was Mrs. Rena Yui.

The clock on the wall chimed ten PM. 'Might as well get to sleep early, incase there's another storm.' Usagi contemplated to herself as she headed for her room. Glancing at the ring one last time, she slid it out of the box and onto her finger. Filled with an emotion she could not decipher, she headed off to get ready for bed.

That night was plagued with thunderstorms. Usagi was shaken from her peaceful sleep, by a particularly loud crash of thunder. 'Iie. Not thunder...' She whimpered to herself. She let out a yelp as the storm sounded again. 'I can protect you...' His words kept repeating through her head. She was shocked as her feet began to move of their own accord.

She found herself standing in the hallway right outside Heero's room. His door wasn't completely shut, so Usa peeked in through the crack. He was sitting, propped up against the headboard, with the nightstand light on, reading a book. Thunder sounded yet again, and Usagi yelped.

Heero, having heard her, looked up. Walking to his door, and pulling it open, he found an unexpected sight. His 'wife' sat on the floor in a heap, with her eyes scrunched shut, and her hands covering her ears.

'She's afraid of the thunder...' he wondered to himself in awe that she could be scared of something so trivial. He sighed to himself as he bent down to her level, to see if she was ok. Thunder crashed outside. Heero was knocked to the floor as a trembling Usa clung to his torso.

Heero found himself wondering what he was doing as he helped Usagi up, and walked her over to his bed. Pulling back the covers he ushered her in. "G-gomen ne..I-I just don't like t-thunder. "The terrified blonde managed to stutter out.

Heero didn't respond. He simply climbed into his side of the bed, and shut off the light. He didn't even flinch as Usagi once again, clung to him as the thunder rolled in the heavens. He simply adopted the attitude he was famous for, one of indifference.

Usagi woke the next morning alone and in unfamiliar surroundings. Slowly her groggy mind began to relay the events of the night before. 'I am so immature sometimes! How embarrassing to have climbed into bed with him! I hope he isn't mad.' The blonde thought frantically to herself. 'Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk.' with that though she climbed out of the bed, and hurried down the hall to the bathroom to shower.

Fifteen minutes later, the beauty emerged, clad in sweatpants and an old tee-shirt, with a towel wrapped around her head. Humming to herself, she made her way into the kitchen. Usa pulled out pancake mix, and a pan, and began to make breakfast. The apartment was absolutely silent.

Determined to put an end to the stifling silence, the blonde beauty decided to turn on the radio. A generic pop song began to play from the speakers and Usagi sang along with the music. Her singing was soft at first, but slowly she began to get louder and louder, until she was belting out the chorus, as if she was on American Idol.

Eyes closed, as she danced around the kitchen, singing to her heart's content, Usagi was unaware of her audience. As the current song ended, so did her dance. With a sporadic spin, arms-up-in-the-air finishing pose, Usagi opened her eyes.

She let out a squeak as she stared into the mesmerizing eyes of her 'roommate'. Trying to cover up her embarrassment, Usagi spoke to him in what she hoped was an even voice. "Breakfast is almost done. Why don't you wash up, and we can eat." Without breaking eye contact, Heero nodded and headed off to the bathroom.

Usagi quietly finished her cooking, and began to set the table. 'I really hope he doesn't want to discuss last night. I will just have to make sure I take a sleeping aid the next time there is supposed to be bad weather. Come to think of it, I wonder where he was this mornin-'She paused at the sound of the doorbell, and headed to answer it.

Peeking through the peep-hole, she saw a young man seemingly her age. He wore all black and his long brown hair was displayed in a braid down his back.

Opening the door, she greeted the stranger. "Konnichiwa. May I help You?" The brown haired man stared blankly at her. He blinked a few times, and then appeared to come out of his stupor.

"Gomen ne beautiful, I was looking for Heero Yui. I think I have the wrong address." The man turned to leave, but Usa called him back.

"Matte. This is Heero Yui's residence. He's in the shower, but feel free to come inside and wait." The man complied. Removing his shoes and sliding on a pair of guest slippers, he stuck out his hand and introduced himself.

"Watashi wa, Maxwel Duo desu. Heero and I are good friends." Usagi smiled and shook his hand in return. "Watashi wa Rena Yui desu."

Duo smiled. "So you're his cousin?" Usagi shook her head."You must be his sister then. I didn't know he had any close family." Usagi shook her head again. At duo's perplexed look she decided to elaborate. "I'm Heero's wife."

Duo could only sputter in reply, as a deep voice called from some other part of the house. "Rena, who was at the door?" "A friend of yours." Was Usagi's reply.

Heero walked into the kitchen and stopped short at the sight of Duo. "Duo, what are you doing here?" He demanded in a monotonous tone, but Duo could detect a hint of something just beneath the surface.

'What could have him so riled up?' Duo wondered to himself. Suddenly he noticed that Heero had steered them to the living room, away from Rena.

'Must be think I'm going to ask something he doesn't want her to hear. Ok, buddy I'll play your game...for now.'

Outwardly he responded, "Your wife. She's your WIFE. Buddy, how could you not tell me you were getting married? Especially to a babe like that! And worse! I wasn't asked to be your best man!"

Deciding to tune out the highly interesting conversation, Usagi returned to the kitchen to finish the breakfast preparations.

This was decidedly not Usagi's day. She had woken up in a strange room, after embarrassingly throwing herself at a man she barely knew, and then she was bombarded by his so-called best friend.

This best friend was definitely someone that should've met Heero's theoretical fiancée before their wedding. The poor man with the braided hair was not taking the news of his Best friend's recent marriage well. Not well at all.

And this Duo person was doing just as Usagi was sure any concerned friend would do; he was asking the couple the particulars of their meeting/engagement/wedding. That was all fine and dandy, except for the face that there had never been and engagement or wedding.

'Oh, all of the sacrifices Ruka-chan made for me. The things they gave up, just to get me here. And its all about to be blown in one sitting, if that bumbling idiot, Heero-san, keeps glaring at Duo-san like that! Well, I'll just have to fix this myself. I'm on my own now; I've got to learn to handle things without calling for help.' Usagi squared her shoulders and prepared herself to confront the braided man head on.

"So, buddy, where was it that you met this gorgeous wife of yours?" Duo attempted to keep is tone polite and cordial, imitating casual conversation. Heero wasn't fooled. He was content to glare at the braided pilot, that is until his 'wife' intervened.

"We met on a flight to Paris." Usagi piped in. Duo seemed startled for a moment; he obviously wasn't expecting a response. Not to be so easily deterred from his mission of finding information about the girl, Duo pressed on.

"How long ago was that?" Usagi was quiet for a moment. "About eight months ago." She replied with a slight nod of her head, as if she was trying to sort out the details in her mind. "Oh, then how long have you been married?"

Duo was truly curious now. 'Heero sure moves fast, especially if they only met eight months ago!' Usagi was again, silent for a moment. "We've been married for a month as of last week, Duo-san." She uttered the statement with a tone of finality that warned against any further questioning.

Duo finally seemed satisfied with his questioning, or at the very least realized that he would get no more answers for the time being, for he returned his gaze to Heero. "So, buddy, ready for that little trip Jay called you about?" Usagi shot Heero a perplexed glance.

"I need to finish getting ready. I'll be back in ten minutes. Rena, why don't you get Duo some breakfast." Heero suggested walking off into his bedroom. Wiping the confused look off her face, Usagi turned to Duo. "Duo-san would you like something to eat?"

"Sure thing babe, I never pass up free food!" The American responded. With that, the two headed into the kitchen, to re-heat the breakfast Usagi had been making before her morning visitor had shown up.

True to his word, Heero re-appeared in the Kitchen ten minutes later dressed in a pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt. Duo looked up, and smiled. "Alright man, let's go!" Thanking Usagi for the breakfast, the American turned to head out the door, but he hung back for a moment.

Heero seemed to pause in his exit, as it dawned on him that Duo was waiting for him to say goodbye to his 'wife'. Waiting for him to say goodbye like a husband would. Heero turned around and walked over to Rena who was clearing the table.

As she paused to ask him what he needed, Heero leaned in and pecked her on the lips. "We'll be back late tonight or early tomorrow. Depends on how quick things go. Be careful, Jay's number is by the phone if you need anything." And with that he was gone.

Oh, yeah, today was definitely, one of those days.

Usagi spent the next hour cleaning up the apartment. She did the dishes from breakfast, dusted, vacuumed, and changed the sheets on the beds. She even did the laundry, which of course resulted in one embarrassing moment where she learned exactly what kind of man her 'husband' was. Boxers, definitely boxers.

It was much later in the day when Usagi finally sat down to rest. Unfortunately, with the end of her chores, came the slow creep of the thoughts Usagi had been trying to suppress. Desperate to avoid her mind, Usa headed to take a shower to wash away the sweat she had worked up during the morning.

The blonde walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Turning on the water as hot as it would go, she pulled the knob on the faucet spout causing water to flow from the shower head. The young woman quickly undressed and stepped into the steady stream.

She shut her eyes, and let the water flow down her back, scalding her delicate skin. Usagi snorted to herself. 'How very delicate indeed. I can't even protect my own people. Some all powerful ruler I am.'

Tears slid down her cheeks, mingling with the droplets of water that glided over her body to fall into oblivion. A sob escaped Usagi as she fell to her knees. Blindly she reached over to turn off the water.

Climbing out, the broken teen looked into the fogged mirror. Reaching out a quivering hand, she wiped the condensation away. The face staring back at her was not her own. She reached out and with a fist, shattered the mirror.

Usagi smirked to herself as she saw the crimson rivulets coating the now shattered reflection. 'There. That's me. The coward that ran away.' She reached forward and grabbed a large shard of the mirror, and left the bathroom.

Bloody handprints and smears of crimson marked the former sailor scout's journey to her room. Groping blindly, she managed to gather together a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and haphazardly threw them on.

Her attention was caught momentarily, by the scrap book lying open on her nightstand. "Minna iie! Usagi-hime" "Don't come any closer you bastard! Run Usagi!" "This is all your fault, coward…coward …COWARD!"

Usagi put her hands to her head, trying to stop the agony. "Go away! I don't want to hear your voices any longer!" The torment continued. "Crybaby. Brat. You failed us all." "Only a traitor flees when the lights go out. You are a traitor Usagi"

With a strangled scream, Usagi scrambled through the apartment, out the front door, and into the storming night beyond.

Usagi ran, crying brokenly into the dark, as the rain poured down harshly on her fragile form. She stumbled into a park and collapsed on a bench.

"Run Sailor Moon. Go Now. You must get to safety." Sailor Mercury pleaded to her leader. "Please hime, I can't hold I off much longer. Go-" Mercury was cut off as her body convulsed and her pupils dilated.

An evil voice, not her own came out of the blue haired teens mouth. "Ready to die bitch?" and with that the chase was on. Moon ran as fast as her mangled body could carry her.

Usagi held the mirror shard in her right hand, and stared with a blank look at her left arm. More flashes crossed her vision, flashes of the death of her friends as the struggled against him, as they struggled not to hurt her.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." Mars sang in a taunting voice, joined moments later by Mercury. Jupiter and Venus fought valiantly but all was for princess did all she could to heal them, but in the end only their minds were freed. Their bodies lay dying at their once proud princesses feet.

Sailor moon was covered in blood. Her blood, their blood, the enemies blood. It didn't matter, it all flowed red and stained her skin like a disease.

When Uranus and Neptune arrived minutes later from their own battle, they barely recognized the broken form of their future queen. She was in a tattered uniform with burns in suspiciously familiar heart skin was torn and bleeding with tiny razor sharp cuts and there remnants of ice crystals scattered on the ground around her.

"Koneko-chan.." Uranus started, but was cut off as her princess threw herself into the older woman's arms.

Usagi didn't remember leaving the battlefield or the days that followed. She had fallen ill due to infection. She would always remember the sight of her fallen comrades. She would always carry the scars.

Slowly, and deliberately Usagi dragged the shard down the pale skin on her left forearm, pushing harder as she went. She let out a humorless laugh as the blood rushed down her skin and fell to the ground.

Exhausted, her body collapsed to a heap and lay motionless in the storm. Her last view was of her bleeding arm, watching as her blood pooled into the ground.

The rain continued to pour down.

She lay there for hours, or maybe it was minutes–she didn't know. Usagi watched with a strange sense of perverse satisfaction as her life force poured out of her body and mingled with the rain. 'It's funny' she thought, 'how everything seems to be in black and white and the only color I can see is red.'

Red. The color of blood. The color of war. A personal war that she had lost. The price of defeat wasn't her own life, no. The price of defeat was her entire world, the lives of her people, the lives of her friends. As Usagi lie on the ground, the rain soaked through her clothing, and into her skin, tiny beads of moisture formed rivulets that cascaded over her body.

She looked up to the sky. 'I was ready to die with my people. Why must I live on alone? Doushite minna? 'And with that last thought, she lost consciousness.

Heero returned home to a dark apartment. He pulled off his coat, and hung it by the door. It was much later than he had anticipated returning home, and he wasn't surprised to find everything quiet.

He went through the kitchen and headed for his bedroom. However, as he made his way quietly down the hall, he was surprised to find blood smeared all down the wall, and droplets covering the floor.

He immediately took his handgun out of the waist of his jeans, clicked off the safety, and crept silently down the hall. He paused outside of each doorway, peeked in around the corner and checked the room thoroughly. After clearing one room, he proceeded onto the next.

When he reached the bathroom, it was trashed. The vanity mirror was shattered, and the shower curtain pulled back as if she had just taken a shower. There were puddles of water on the floor as if she had just stepped out without drying off, and the sink was spattered with blood. This is where the blood originated from Heero noted to himself.

Finally, Heero reached Usagi's room. It was empty; the bed was unmade, a damp towel lying over her desk chair. He could see more blood droplets on the floor, and on the handles of her dresser.

Where did she go? Heero thought, there's no sign of a forced entry, so she must've left on her own. But she's hurt. She doesn't know anybody in this area, so where would she go?

Hero put the safety back on his gun, slipped it into the waistband of his jeans, pulled on a coat, and headed out the door.

Color was absent from the scenery as she traveled through her memories. The only color Usagi could see was red, the color of her blood as it pooled down her arm. She wandered through the Juuban district park, past the swing sets, under the monkey bars, and to the open filed area beyond.

Bodies littered the ground. She saw Rei, her uniform tattered and stained a deep maroon color with dried blood. Minako and Makoto lay next to each other, arms outstretched as if they were trying to grasp the last vestiges of comfort even in death.

Ami was apart from the others, face down in the grass. Her body was covered with scratches and bruises. Usagi crumpled to her knees. "Why must I relive this? I know I failed! I know that my people are dead! I know I ran away like a coward! So why must you torture me so?"

Heero decided the best place to check for his missing wife would be the park. He remembered her remarking how tranquil it looked as they drove by the day she moved in. He was halfway down the walk, when he saw her body. She lay in a puddle next to a bench covered in blood. Oh God…he thought as he ran toward her limp form.

He quickly checked her vitals and hefted her small, lithe, form into his arms and ran back to their apartment. Once inside, he took her into the bathroom, stripped her of her clothes, and turned on the shower. He let the water pour over them, and gently washed out her wounds.

"You must be strong young one. You are not as alone as you think. I have always been here to help you." A quiet authoritative voice stated. Usagi looked around her, seeing no one. "Who are you?" she called. "I am Serenity. I am the cosmos. I am Selene. I am your future, your past, your present. I am the Silver Crystal."

"Why did you leave me then? Why did I have to watch them die? If you are me, then why did your strength fail me in my hour of need?" Usagi spat at the ominous voice. "You were not ready for my power. You were not meant to rule in that time, with those people. Your destiny had become molded, monotonous, and not your own. Somehow that time line had been altered from what it should have been." The voice replied.

"You were meant for grater things, for a life of happiness; happiness that you would have to fight for, happiness that you would die for. You were not meant to be in that time stream. Even if you stayed and fought the impending doom, you would have never found happiness. It was not meant to be."

Usagi laughed bitterly. "So now what? I'm supposed to wander aimlessly from time to time pretending to be something I'm not until destiny decides that I'm good enough to become Selene? What a load of shit! I am through being Fate's plaything!"

The princess of the moon was unaware of the glowing crescent shape on her forehead as she screamed her frustration to the heavens. "I am Serenity. I will make my own destiny!"

The blonde awoke to dim light and a whole new world of pain. She looked around and found herself lying in Heero's bed, arm covered in bandages. She tried to sit up and her head spun. She looked down and noticed her attire for the first time, she was wearing an oversized T-shirt; probably one of Heero's.

Speaking of Heero, where is he? She looked around, and let out a small 'eep!' when she found her Persian blue eyes staring back at her. "We need to talk."

Usagi could feel her heart begin to race as she looked into the eyes of her faux husband of approximately one week. 'Deep breaths, Usagi. This isn't the Spanish inquisition. Your husband..housemate..whatever just wants t know why he found the bathroom trashed and you lying in the middle of the park in a decent sized pool of blood. No big deal.' Usagi sighed to herself. 'Yeah right! He is going to freak.'

"What would you like to talk about Heero-san?" The blonde questioned with the most angelic face she could muster. 'that's it! Play it stupid. Always works in the movies.' Heero gave her a deadpan look. 'Guess not.' She thought to herself.

The blonde heaved a sigh. "I had an accident while showering. I'm sorry about the mess, I'll clean it up." Heero looked at her expectantly, but she refused to say more. "Hn. Get some rest." Heero ordered as he got up to leave the room.

"Dr. J has advised me that we need to go stay with an acquaintance of mine until some business I must attend to can be completed." With those parting words, the brunette exited the bedroom and shut the door behind him with a soft click.

Four days later found Usagi and Heero boarding a plane to the house of the famed Quatre R. Winner, the said acquaintance of Heero and former Gundam pilot.

Usagi didn't know the specifics of the Gundam team and the trials they faced during the war, but Heero, at the urging of Dr.J, felt it necessary to inform his 'wife' of his past so that they could remain under cover while in the presence of his former teammates. Protecting Usagi's identity was more important that preserving Heero's anonymity. As Heero finished loading their carry-on bags into the overhead compartments, and settled into his seat, Usagi joined him, her thoughts restless.

'It's still so hard to believe that Heero was responsible for saving this world, especially at such a young age.' The blonde smirked to herself 'Who am I kidding. I was younger than he was the first time I fought a youma.' Her eyes turned dark at the though of her first transformation as Sailor Moon.

'Luna. Oh, how I wish you were here to guide me. I feel so lost, so alone. I'm facing this uncertain future for the first time and I'm not sure how to proceed. I don't have a set destiny to follow, I'm responsible for making my own way in the universe and the thought terrifies me.'

The blonde took a moment to notice the silent brunette beside her, taking strength from his strong presence. 'Well, maybe I'm not completely alone.' With a satisfied smile on her face, the princess without a kingdom slowly fell asleep.

Usagi was woken a few hours later by the sound of the pilot announcing their landing over the intercom. She looked up from her place nestled against her husband to see if he was awake. The piercing eyes returning her gaze confirmed his state of consciousness. Her cheeks flamed. "Gomen-ne, Heero-san for falling asleep on you." She muttered in apology.

Completely dismissing her apology and discomfort he said instead, "People will think it strange if you address me so formally. Heero is fine." The pilot then resumed his perusal of the scenery through the small window as the aircraft performed its landing maneuvers.

After the plane had landed and the passengers had scattered into the airport, Usagi and Heero made their way to the baggage claim area to pick up their suitcases. "How are we getting to your friend's home?" Usagi questioned curiously. "He will send a car to pick us up." Heero responded, rolling the luggage behind him with one hand, and using the other to pull Usagi along.

Twenty minutes later, the couple pulled up to the Winner estate. Usagi was in complete awe of the compound and the scenery. "It's so beautiful." She couldn't help but state. Heero seemed unimpressed. 'But I guess I would be too, if I had been here before and I knew what to expect.' The blonde mused to herself.

The car came to a stop, and everyone filed out. The driver went around to help Heero unload the baggage from the trunk while Usagi busied herself with grabbing the carry-on bags. They were then escorted to the front door, where they came face to face with a smiling blonde.

"Heero! It is good to see you! The doctor mentioned you would be coming, but he spared me the details. You know those old men, they get a kick out of being cryptic." The Arabian chuckled to himself. He ushered the couple into his mansion, and instructed a servant to bring their bags upstairs.

When they were comfortably seated in the living room, he made the proper introductions. "Welcome to my home Miss, and please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Quatre R. Winner. Any friend of Heero's is a friend of mine. "

Usagi smiled, and bowed politely in response. "My name is Rena Yui. It is nice to finally meet you Mr. Winner." The blonde pilot looked questioningly at Heero. The brunette took his queue to step in. "Quatre this is my wife, Rena. Dr. J has asked you to allow us to stay here while I attend to some business, as our apartment was no longer considered a secure location." Heero was careful with his words, as he knew it was best to keep as much of Rena's story a secret as possible.

Quatre nodded in response. "It would by my pleasure to have you stay here. Take all of the time you need, to gather the information necessary. Consider all of my resources at your disposal. Heero gave a sharp nod of thanks, and got up to survey the compound.

Quatre, ever the gentleman, looked over to Usagi. "Miss Rena, would you like a tour of the mansion?" The girl smiled and accepted his offer. 'Quatre is so kind, and he has a gentle soul. I hope I don't bring trouble to him.' And with that ominous thought, the two blondes quit the living room, to view the rest of the Winner family home.

My ideas for this story have drastically changed. I am realistic enough now to know that I cannot continue with my original plan as it would take me years to finish. Therefore I have some decisions to make regarding the development of this story, but please stick with me.

I appreciate the support you have all given me up until this point and I hope you will all hang on till the end.

~Chibi