Note to readers: Decided to stick with Japanese names for now. Sections flanked by **** are flashbacks, also words in italic are Usagi's thoughts. Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. I'm delighted you're enjoying it. I recently watched the entire show and read the manga again and it is really helping, though I really wish they would remaster it like they've done with several other series.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon; some quotes are excerpts from the Episode 55 English Dubbed Version with my own modifications, no copyright infringement intended. The author and animators created a wonderful series and deserve full credit.

' What do I want?'

As that thought passed through Usagi's mind it brought forth a memory she had attempted to bury long ago, but despite her efforts, it had become her desperate motivation all these years. Thoughts flooded, fresh through her mind, taking her back to that moment in the doorway.

" What do you want?" Why wouldn't he look at me?

"I wanted to apologize. I was so happy to see you I didn't even notice that you were in a bad mood." The forced smile crept along my face; I shut my eyes so they wouldn't betray me.

"No, no. That's not it." An idiotic question slipped through my lips. "What?"

"I just don't have the same feelings for you anymore."

"But, Mamoru…. I promise I'll study harder in school, really, ok?" My smile began to crack as I realized everything my friends said were lies; there was no other option.

"Don't make me say it again. Our relationship is over!" I couldn't stop the flinch from the bite in his words, for the first time I was thankful he wouldn't even open his eyes to look at me.

"Why don't I… believe you? You can't have forgotten h-how you were Prince Mamoru and I was Princess Usagi. Well, it's our destiny. Well, even if we weren't meant to be together, well, it just feels right being together doesn't it?" The stutter was only making it more painful, so embarrassingly painful.

"I don't want to hear any more! Why should my whole life be guided by what happened to us in the past? I…." His teeth bared, fist visibly pulsing with tension. He had to look up at that moment, the moment my heart broke. His timing had always been perfect.

Tears glittered in my eyes. I saw her shoes then. "Chibi-Usa's here isn't she? I-I know she's just a little kid and all, but I feel like she's replaced me somehow."

"Don't be silly." Don't you know me at all?

"You're right, I'm sorry Mamoru. I guess we weren't meant to be together after all." I turned and cracked the door open, sliding through and escaping the darkened doorway.

As Usagi's mind resurfaced she began to breathe short, gasping breaths. Her fists clenched around her sides, as if they were all that was left; the shredded pieces of her hanging barely together.

Years, an enormous amount of time spent wasted on the petty aspirations of a teenage girl. Years that had stolen her innocence, years that had pillaged her life as Usagi Tsukino. She had wasted years on Mamoru.

Time and time again he had destroyed her. From the very beginning, that crossing on the street, he insulted her. Then, he proceeded to indulge Rei, one of her closest friends and win her over to his relentless name-calling. Even when he helped rescue the scouts he stayed distant and was unable to protect the Earth, leaving it up to her to pick up the pieces he left behind.

His mind succumbed to Queen Beryl's influence; several attempts to kill Usagi on her behalf were made. He lost his memory in the rebirth that Usagi had risked her life to grant with the silver imperial crystal whose powers could potentially kill the user. He paid special attention to Usagi's scheming classmate and potential alien nemesis Anne. The visions he experienced during the time of the Nega-Moon's threat made him all too eager to break up with Usagi after finally recovering his memories. He had been relentless in his lies. When the Dark Moon Circus threatened all life on their planet, he lay in bed too weak to help her defend their world, and, finally, the ultimate betrayal, when he decided to leave her for America.

Her relationship with Mamoru had always been difficult, and there never seemed to be anything that bonded them together save for their roles of protectors of the universe. How could she say she loved him when all he ever did was make her cry?

A buzzing in her pocket interrupted her thoughts. She flipped open her phone to see an alarm for a message from Mamoru. He requested her company for dinner tomorrow night, but Usagi slipped her phone back into her pocket without replying. She could afford to leave him no answer for a while, her passive aggressive nature beginning to show. Let him wonder. Her thoughts resonated.

It was not as if Usagi hated Mamoru, but he had become a symbol of everything her she was fighting against. He was a physical embodiment of her destiny, the thief that stole her freedom. She never imagined it could make like so mundane, so pointless and repetitive it seemed. Always knowing where you should end up…

Most people would not pin Usagi as the contemplative type, but with so many problems swarming she couldn't move, bogged down by the weight of it all. What she wouldn't give for a relief, for some fun, to live again.

At that exact moment a particular figure walked by, long black hair trailing behind. Usagi's breathe escaped quickly. Typical, just so typical! I came here to collect myself and just end up taking a jog down memory lane. Once again, I'm unprepared.

She shut her eyes hoping to turn invisible as she heard the footsteps grow closer, as if he had turned around, and was now approaching. She couldn't bare it any longer though, and soon her lashes parted as she searched the hallway for him.

Blue collided with blue as the two stared into each other eyes. Silence ensued.

Seconds became minutes, minutes turned into eternity.

She turned to run, she'd crawl if she had to in order to escape this purgatory. When he looked at her she felt his eyes see right through her, to the deepest parts she was careful to always hide. The parts that were beginning to believe in fairytales.

All the stories say it is the moon and the stars, in the deep abyss of space that give each other company. It is the stars that illuminate the sky for the moon, and the moon that stirs the oceans of Earth. So, if given the choice, which would the moon choose? A relationship in which all it does it give, or one that lights up life, the one that seemed natural.

Humans, particularly ones from this planet had a reputation of making mistakes and harboring arrogance. The moon however was always known to be humble, and the stars even more so. They were what caused one to wonder beyond the skies.

"Odango…." The spell was broken. The world began to feel so loud it might burst Usagi's eardrums. She winced in pain.

"Sieya, how are you?" Nonchalance had never been her forte.

"I'm ok, it's been awhile…."

"Too long." Usagi smiled inside as his eyes widened.

"I'm sorry." He breathed.

"Your return…. I wasn't expecting that." Which of course was true, I was surprised when I learned of your arrival. Why did you come back?

"My mission on Kinmoku was complete. Pluto informed me of another need that I must fulfill." His eyes fell to the ground.

"It is good to hear you are on better terms with the outer soldiers. Welcome back," Usagi reached up to hug him around his neck. It never made sense. How could she have such long legs but always be so much shorter than everyone else? Those thoughts were silenced when he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her up off the ground. He proceeded to spin, a huge grin plastered on his face.

When was the last time anyone had ever been so excited to see her?

And, when has she ever been this happy?