Aftermath

Disclaimer: Not mine but the plot and Hero is.

A few chapters from Minako's view after Rei's death in 'Suspended', you'll need to read that first before this to make any sense. Vice-chan thank you very much for the suggestion, I just hope I can write this well enough. Enjoy.

"Rei?!" I shook the limp body in my arms vigorously trying to shake out some life into her,

"REI!!" the only response I got from her was more blood seeping slowly from her beaten body, her beautiful moon kissed skin was horribly tainted from the harsh crimson but she still looked as beautiful as ever. Her eyes were closed and she looked peaceful just lying there- a fitting ending for someone who had gone through so much…so much because of me.

"Rei…no…please!" I buried my face in her chest, the blanket of golden hair cascaded around me and form, gold becoming red instantly, however my face pressed against her chest morphed the sickening blood red into a softer more delicate pink- the colour of admiration and sympathy if you considered the colour of roses…

A piercing white light blinded my already blurred vision as Rei suddenly stood up from my embrace smiling down at my tear stained face and bloody clothes,

"Rei…" She was alive? I reached out to take her hand, she was so close her purity radiating from her war weary state, I was bout to make contact but she stepped back from me.

"Rei?" I question, hope suddenly evaporated as she started fading away into small bulbs of light floating upwards into the red painted sky.

"Wait! Don't go!" I screamed, "Please I can't lose you again!" I leapt from the ground in a desperate attempt to catch her, to keep her here with me.

"Why do you only want me now that I am not here?" Her voice whispered, her mouth still upturned in a small, sad smile as she vanished into the depths of space, returning to her planet of origin: Mars.

I jolted upright on my bed, sweating dripping from my face mingling with the streams of tears falling from the depths of my soul as that one question haunted me ever since that terrible night. Throwing off my damp covers my feet padded gently against my carpeted bedroom as I opened a drawer hidden at the back of my room. The crumpled plastic police investigation bag expanded as soon it was given more space to spread itself, clearly displaying the sole content: a hand gun. More specifically Hero's handgun…it was still loaded with one bullet left in it. I smirked at memories of Hero's trial when the judge firmly found him guilty of attempted rape on numerous occasions and murder, however that was not enough to bring back Rei. It was not enough justice to her because there was still one more villain left: me.

Carefully sliding the drawer shut again I eased myself onto the floor cradling my head in my hands, hot prickly tears rolled down my cheeks as I stupidly allowed my parents destroy the most beautiful, the single most wonderful relationship in my entire life just because they couldn't accept me, her, us together. And yet they could accept me being involved with some beast like Hero, something is seriously wrong in the world…

I finally understand Rei's hatred of men, maybe that's what made her so strong but so vulnerable at the same time. If she hadn't gotten involved with me maybe, just maybe she would be alive now. If I hadn't told my parents, if I didn't break her heart…if I didn't exist this would've been all avoided. The tears had dried now; the moisture from my ocean blues eyes had been sucked dry leaving them painfully red and swollen.

My mind took this opportunity to flash memories in front of my bland eyes, memories of us before and after we were together. There was Rei brooding in her shrine closed off from everyone…there was Rei laughing at me as I accidentally fell down all of the steps to her house in an attempt to help her. A small laugh escaped my lips as I remembered all the bruises on my body as I lay twitching at the bottom of the stone steps only for Rei to lift me bridal style and run back up them to treat them. I remember complaining non-stop to her and spilling all of my problems onto her shoulders but she never minded. She always encouraged me to do so, she said keeping things bottled up is a bad thing but I pointed out to her that she never told me anything. Her serene face would smile back as she uttered that it was ok for her since she had grown up not talking to anyone on an intimate basis. I never pushed her to tell me anything, just being with Rei was a pleasure in itself however there were moments she would open herself a little to me and tell me things no one else would ever know. And those were the moments that really made me the most special person in the world because Rei trusted me with those tiny truths.

Those tiny truths burgeoned greatly and something absolutely amazing happened: Rei fell in love with me. She muttered embarrassed on the phone that she had a crush on me and couldn't stop thinking about me. I was completely stunned; I never thought that the exotic, cool Rei would like someone like me. But she did, and those feelings continued to develop within both of us although Rei was pretty sure she was in love, however I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure what I felt, I mean Rei was my best friend…would something more destroy that? Plus Rei was a girl, I know it shouldn't affect anything but for me at the beginning it was a very big factor, I was sure I wasn't gay or anything but…but Rei was different. Rei was Rei and Rei would be the only girl I would ever fall for.

I turned to another drawer and took out an old Christmas card; studying the simple design on the front I flipped it open to gaze longingly at the slightly scribbled writing on the opposite of the card where Rei had poured some of her deep, complicated feelings for me. I smiled I remembered that day, Rei had came over and wasn't sure about giving me the card or not, that was the first I ever saw the confident Rei falter but when I read the last sentence she had written I knew why she had hesitated…

"Will you be mine?"

My throat had constricted itself as I became aware of how Rei was observing my reaction, obviously wanting an immediate response to her unspoken question, her amethyst eyes hypnotised my indecisive ones as the sounds of my breathe became unusually loud, Rei was coming closer to me…her eyes still trained on mine searching for any signs of resistance but my mind had shut down and she claimed my lips smoothly. The sensation was nothing I had ever experienced before, my eyes fluttered closed as I felt Rei gently guide me onto my back still kissing me softly. I felt her strong body lay comfortably on top of my own as we lay there kissing silently. Instinctively my hands lost themselves in Rei's well kept mane of luscious black hair, while hers' were keeping her balanced but I felt her thumb stroke my cheek as her velvet lips sent me into melt down.

I groaned out into my room as I remembered how stupid I was in response to Rei's next move.

She pulled back staring deeply into my glazed ones smirking as she removed herself from me and stood up collecting her things,

"Call me when you have an answer," cool and composed she left my room, I'm pretty sure that my mouth was hanging open at her sudden departure. I laughed at how young and naïve I was back then her touch, her kisses had set me ablaze but I didn't dare call out that I had already made my decision…

It was nearing new years next time I saw Rei, I had decided that I would surprise her on new years by saying yes, however Rei again had managed to unearth my answer during some…some distracting behaviour…ok it wasn't all her fault I suppose…I just found Rei completely intoxicating and couldn't resist placing myself in a position where I could be dominated by Rei…again.

Her kisses were increasingly more addictive each time she graced her lips upon my own, although this time it was different. Rei wasn't restraining herself through her lips she was overwhelming me with her raw passion and I couldn't help squeak out a breathless 'Yes!'. Rei froze instantly and looked at me disbelievingly but I nodded to reassure her that this is what I wanted. Rei is what I wanted. If I thought I was experiencing Rei's raw emotion before it couldn't compare what came after: her love, joy and relief merged together and resonated through my body as I tried to keep up with my own passion for this amazing girl.

I shuddered involuntarily at the spark of passion still burning for Rei deep within my core, I had all these memories and items of Rei haunting me constantly of my stupidity of ever letting her go. I stood up and walked back over to my bed and picked up a small but amazingly soft teddy bear with a faded blue jumper and hugged it close to me, feeling its texture, I whimpered quietly Rei had bought this for me when she was coming back from a trip she had to go on. I remember her saying that she wanted to buy me things that I could hug whenever I needed comforting while she wasn't around. However combining the soft toys Rei had bought for me isn't enough to replace being in her arms listening to her heart pound a solid rhythm against my ear.

I looked out the window adjacent to me and observed the large moon glowing brightly in the clear brisk night sky. Gazing at its beauty I noticed that the moon was tinted a faint colour…pink? No. No it was red!

"Rei," Her name flowed from my mouth towards the moon as I threw open the window hanging out of it haphazardly searching for any signs that would tell me she was there and she was listening. I spent the next few minutes of my life inspecting the moon, trying to feel its energy and trying to reach her. A cold wind howled around me pushing me back inside my room as I sat on my knees, tears threatening to spill again as I clenched my fists tightly around the bed sheets,

"This isn't fair" I sobbed through gritted teeth, "You can't play with me like this…Rei!"

The glow from the window darkened substantially as I forced myself to face the moon once more…

The slight tint of red was now a fresh coat of red equalling that of a red rose and its aura was beaming down at me…

"Rei?" I spoke again tears slipping slowly down my cheeks, as I wasn't sure if this was real. The stars surrounding the moon danced erratically as though their mass of different gasses were being controlled by something or someone who was a master in the element of fire…

It was Rei! My eyes became entranced by Rei's power even after death, the stars flicked from a fiery red to piercing gold several times signalling that she was waiting for something, could it be me?

I wasted no more time in my room as I threw on some clothes and a long jacket that had pockets big enough to hide the bag. Grabbing the windowsill I vaulted myself out effortlessly landing on the grass below and took off running but I knew there was still some unfinished business to be taken care of before I could reunite with Rei once again. I twirled on the ball of my foot and ran towards the large building complex where the rest of the sailor team would be residing at tonight. Panting deeply I knocked at the door this time instead of barging inside because I knew Makoto wouldn't be as tolerant this time.

The door opened surprisingly quickly revealing a dishevelled Makoto but was soon focused on me as she realised who it was.

"What do you want?" She snarled at me, if my excitement at seeing Rei again wasn't there I would've taken a step back at Makoto's aggression.

"Makoto I know I haven't been the best of friends with any of you and especially not Rei," Makoto's electric, emerald eyes narrowed as I mentioned her name, "But I'm going to change everything,"

"And how are you going to do that?" Makoto questioned weariness getting the better of her as her aggression slowly dissociated.

"I'm going to see Rei," I pointed at the still changing stars and the colour of the moon, Makoto followed my hand and gasped at the sight.

"Rei?" her voice had dropped to a whisper as she too hoped for a sign from her deceased friend, she stepped out onto the terrace to get a better view of the phenomenon. I stood next to the taller girl to see what Rei's message to her would be, a star next to the red one suddenly startled into a deep green, sparking majestically down at Makoto and her entire demeanour changed, her shoulders were broad and proud and her eyes had soothed down into a knowing look as a smile graced her features.

"Minako," She spoke quietly not taking her eyes off of her star,

"Yeah?" I asked unsure of what Rei was conveying to the lightning mage.

"Go to Rei and I don't hold anything against you," She turned and encompassed my form in a reassuring hug,

"Thank you Mako-chan, I am truly sorry for everything," I hugged back squeezing her in an extra way of saying thank you before I broke away from her grip and commenced running to my final destination.

My trainers thundered loudly on the concrete path through fields of neatly cut grass and expertly aligned head stones, varying in sizes and shapes but there was only one place I was looking for in the midst of all those who have lain here before I. The trees clumped together in the furthest point of the graveyard protecting a small plot of land big enough for only five people. Well four now since a unique headstone shaped as a burning ember lay to one side of the sanctuary hidden with these trees. I smiled, as the headstone was painted brilliantly red and yellow to signify Rei's ever-lasting passion. The colours were enhanced by the light descending from the stars high above creating natural warmth to radiate from the stone.

I fell to my knees in front of Rei's headstone tenderly touching the engraving with my shaking hands,

"I'm here Rei…I'm here," I whispered to her and my hand dived into the pocket of the jacket and removed the handgun from the bag, I placed the cold metal against my temple wincing at the sudden contrast of temperature on my skin I swallowed hard and spoke my final words firmly,

"I'm coming Rei and this time I will make everything right…"

Snapping my eyes shut my finger pulled the trigger ending my physical life on Earth…

"Ugh man, whose idea was it to do that?" I asked groggily rubbing my temple as I stood up in the marble halls of my palace on Venus.

"Yours' obviously," The sarcastic tone could only belong to one person, elation burst within me and I spiralled to face her: Sailor Mars no…Rei.

My Rei.

Ok so kinda sequel here but with a happier ending, I liked how this turned out so I hope you did too and I hope I returned some support for Minako too because she wasn't all bad deep down inside. Please review – Dark Shadows 01