Author's Note: Seeing as how this follows the Manga timeline, I apologize for the same old story of Serenity and Endymion's deaths – however, after that we move into uncharted territory since I intend to take some liberties with the storyline of Mamoru and Usagi – not too many, just a couple ;)

--

Chapter 2
And this was more than I had ever been afraid of

Another life
Another happy ending cuts like a knife

Darkness had come, swarming out from the Earth to engulf the moon.

As if Endymion's profession had been the catalyst, Terrans turned towards the Moon and struck barely days later, their rage, superstition and fear fueling a vicious surprise attack that had been intended to eliminate the ruling Royal family.

One by one the guards of the Princess had fallen under the onslaught, but their fall had cost an awesome price in Terran lives. While the cost was great, it had not deterred the army sweeping across the moon. The animosity was too great, twisted by a power none understood, and that the Moon's Queen had tried to expose.

It had lead to a total cessation of contact between the Moon and the Earth - officially. In those dark months, Serenity had risked everything to see Endymion. And now, Endymion had come to her side as the people of his planet invaded her home.

At risk to his own life, he'd tried to warn her but she hadn't listened. She hadn't believed the Terran people capable of what he suggested. They had been on the way to speak with her mother when the attack had begun - led by Endymion's Generals.

Endymion had urged her to flee, but she'd refused. She would not leave her people and her home - she would not leave him. The battle clashed, carrying forward, and Endymion ignored all but her, staying by her side as he struggled to get her to run, hiding her away and fending off any who would come near. One of the soldiers had recognized him as their swords clashed and fallen back, shocked.

"Sire!"

"Stand down!"

"We have a mission - all on the moon must be destroyed! They must pay for their deception and lies - cowards all of them!"

Endymion parried as the man lunged, striking back with a powerful sweep of his sword that sent the man sprawling backwards. A gasp from Serenity drew both Endymion's and the soldier's attention. Hatred and rage covered the man's expression.

"You!"

Serenity took an unintentional step backwards, unprepared for the intense loathing in the man's face. "I-"

The solider let out a roar, drawing the attention of several other men nearby. "Die!"

Endymion stepped between her and the soldier, catching him on his sword blade and running the man through. "You first."

Eyes bulging in an almost comical expression of disbelief, the soldier stared at his liege lord. "But… sire…"

Placing his foot on the man's chest, Endymion kicked him off the blade and took up his defensive stance once more as several more soldiers came his way. Serenity backed into the wall that connected the balcony to the main hallways of the Palace. She was backed into a corner, Endymion's protection the only thing between her and the rabid army out for blood.

The flashing of Endymion's sword in the light, the gray and silver blade covered in the blood of his people as he fought for her safety made her heart ache. He was doing this for her - all of it. By protecting her he was branding himself a traitor, making himself a target for those who wanted him gone.

And she could do nothing to help him.

The fight was short but brutal, Endymion using every tactic and dirty fighting move he knew to disarm, disable and kill the men attacking him. But more always took their place. The Palace was being overrun and they needed to get out of there if they were to survive this.

"Endymion, this is hopeless!"

"I will not… surrender you!"

"If it will stop the fighting-"

"Never!" He slashed at the man attacking him, downing the soldier with one solid sweep of his sword. They had a minute of reprieve and he turned to face her. "I will not let them take you Serenity; they will kill you."

"If my death-"

Silencing her with his lips, his kiss was brutal, forceful and rough. "Never. I cannot live without you. They will not take you from me."

"But to fight your own people-"

"I love you." His intense blue gaze bore down into hers. "I would fight the galaxy to keep you safe, Serenity."

"Endy-chan…" Her eyes widened. "Behind you!"

He whirled, blocking the thrust of a pair of soldiers - but one crept through his guard and scored a line of brilliant red down one thigh before he could knock the blade away. He repaid the injury in kind, barely reacting to it, and two more corpses joined those at his feet.

"Run, Serenity."

"You have been injured!"

"Run."

"No!"

"Do you place so little value on your own life?"

"Without you it is pointless!" He looked at her, surprised, but she was too incensed to notice. "You do not own me, Endymion, nor do you have a monopoly on love."

"It does not matter - you must survive this."

"Not without you - my life is meaningless if you are not there to share it!"

"Serenity…"

Serenity stepped to his side, clutching him tightly as she sought to make him understand. "I will not flee simply to save my life when you will not be there to share it; I love you, Endymion."

He kissed her again, fiercely and she could taste the biter sweetness that came from her declaration and her chosen moment. "You have horrible timing, Princess."

"It will give you something to live for."

His lips kicked into a quick half-smile. "Something more to live for, perhaps - what I had was enough."

"You do not wish me to love you?"

"On the contrary – I simply wish you had chosen another time to tell me." Endymion looked about, and - thinking the coast clear - urged her to follow as he limped off the balcony. "We must get you to safety. If they succeed in killing you, there is no heir to your mother's powers and no one who will be able to restore all of this."

Serenity clasped his hand, lacing their fingers together as he led her through the halls of her childhood and out into the main courtyard. Most of the fighting here was finished, the Terran army having split into division to pillage and loot the city and Palace. They passed the bodies of Serenity's guards as they left the main hallway and she was forced to turn her face away from their bodies. These had been her court; her friends - each of them willing to sacrifice themselves so she might live.

Two of Endymion's Generals were also among the dead, one twined with Jupiter, the other at Mars' feet. Endymion slowed as they passed, his expression dangerously set. Two of four accounted for. They found a third at the base of the palace stairs - but not the last.

Not the head of Endymion's guard and it was Kunzite found them.

"Endymion-sama."

"Kunzite."

"Surrender her and this is over."

Endymion shifted back to a defensive stance in front of Serenity. "Walk away, old friend."

"It is true then," Kunzite's expression twisted in the same cold mask Serenity had seen on the rest of the soldier's faces. "She has bewitched you. Can you not see it? She is evil!"

"No more than I am evil. You fight for a cause that has no grounding, Kunzite; I will not surrender her."

"I will break you free of her lies and influence, your highness, and you will see her for the manipulating spawn she is!

"You will regret those words, Kunzite."

Serenity gasped as Kunzite sudden lunged. Endymion parried, counter attacking with a punch to his head guard's face. "End this!"

"I intend to!"

Whirling, Kunzite jabbed at Endymion's face and punched out with his other hand. Endymion moved a fraction slower, unprepared for the man to take advantage of the injury in his thigh. He blocked the sword, but wasn't able to get his leg completely out of the way of the strong punch. Breath hissed through his teeth as Kunzite's hand slammed into the wound in his thigh.

"Do not hurt him!"

"Endymion-sama is a traitor and must be dealt with."

"Endy-chan!"

"You are next, Princess!"

"You will not touch her."

Kunzite lifted his sword to block Endymion's blade as the Prince seemed to get his second wind, drawing strength from his resolve. The clashed, Kunzite working the Prince's blade high and then low, testing him for other weaknesses. Endymion didn't fall for the trick and as Kunzite feinted, he stepped back, avoiding the real blow with the man's leg, and swept his blade downwards.

Unable to check the momentum, Kunzite couldn't avoid the downward slash, for the amputation just below the knee it caused. Endymion's sword came back across, sending his former friend's blade flying before he ran him through.

Kunzite coughed, sputtering as his eyes widened in surprise.

Endymion dropped his blade and lurched forward, catching the General as he collapsed, and stared down into the face of a man who'd been his closest advisor and friend. "I could not let you do it, Kunzite. Forgive me."

The General smiled, his teeth lined with blood and nodded. He sagged in Endymion's embrace, his spirit exhausted and flown, and Endymion eased him down to the ground. Cold laughter echoed in his ears and his head came up as Serenity gasped.

"Endy-chan!"

Endymion pulled his sword from Kunzite's chest and turned to face the new threat, placing himself once more between his Princess and danger. Only this time the danger was greater than before - the source of the evil that had engulfed the Earth. "Beryl."

"Prince Endymion-sama." The witch hovered in the air above them. "Even in death they serve me well, don't they?"

He readied his blade, unmindful of the blood that seeped through his clothing and coated his skin. It was the blood on his blade, Kunzite's blood that dripped steadily to the ground that had her attention.

Beryl floated closer, but just out of range of his sword, and an evil smile creased her lips. "Leave that twit and come with me, Endymion-sama. The Earth is yours by birthright, mine by right of my power; rule it with me and I will give you everything you desire."

Serenity inched closer, pressing against Endymion's back, her fingers tangling in his cloak as she sought comfort and a way to aid him. He stepped back to her, lending her his strength despite the circumstance, even as he spoke with Beryl.

"There is nothing I want that you could give; you have destroyed my home and poisoned the minds of the people I am responsible for. You have sullied yourself with dark powers and tried to claim that which you have no right to."

"Is that the little Moon Princess speaking?" Beryl's words cracked like a whip. "Is this what she's reduced your too? I'm offering you power beyond anything you can imagine-"

Endymion's free hand curled backwards, finding Serenity's and squeezed. "I make my own choices, witch, and it will never be you or what you offer."

"She's turned you against your people - against me!" The demented, furious shriek was accompanied by a blast of black energy. "She will die!"

Endymion dropped his sword, spinning to collect Serenity in his grasp and dove away, hitting the ground to roll so she wouldn't be crushed beneath him. Dark energy followed them, and he was forced to move away, dodging towards one of the nearby pillars that had been toppled in the attack. He needed a defensible area where he could keep her safe.

"Endy-chan..."

He had no time to reassure her more than to hold her close, vaulting over a broken column and then sprinting to the side as another bolt of dark energy landed where they were supposed to be. Landing, he was completely unprepared for the burning in his leg to suddenly blossom into a full blown nova as spikes of agony raced from the wound and up through his body. He stumbled, going down on one knee

"Endy-chan!"

"I am alright." His assurance was given through clenched teeth. "Run, Serenity."

"Not without you!"

"It is you she is after." Pushing her away, he pointed towards a nearby column. "Run."

Shaking her head, tears streaking down her cheeks, she refused as she knelt next to him. "I will not leave you."

"You will not have a choice, Princess."

Serenity whirled to her feet, turning to find the way Endymion had been pointing blocked by Beryl, Endymion's sword in her hands. "Do not hurt him!"

"It is only you I want."

"Serenity; run!"

The Moon Princess squared her shoulders and spread her arms out wide, protecting Endymion as he'd been protecting her. "If you promise not to hurt him, I will not flee."

Beryl's eyes sparkled with manic joy as she pulled the sword back for the killing stroke and lunged.

Time slowed as the point arrowed in towards Serenity's chest-

The Princess tilting her chin in defiance-

Endymion screaming her name... "Serenity!"

Falling... away and to the side-

The pain of an impact, but not of the sword piercing her skin-

Beryl's scream as she disappeared-

Time resumed its normal flow as Serenity collapsed to the ground, out of harm's way. She twisted, looking back over her shoulder and found Endymion standing where she had been a moment before. As she watched, his sword slid free from his body to slam into the ground, the mortally wounded prince collapsing a moment later. Scrambling to her feet, she lunged for him as he fell, catching him to her.

"Endymion!"

"Run... please."

"Endy-chan!" Cradling his head in her lap, she leaned forward, folding her hands across the vicious wound in his chest, desperate to stem the flow of blood and unmindful of the tears that poured down her face. "No! No, no! You cannot die, you cannot!"

"Serenity..."

"No, Endy-chan, please."

His hands folded over hers, squeezing weekly. "My lo-"

"Endy-chan?" Serenity's horrified whisper skated over his sill countenance as his head lolled to the side. "Endymion? Endymion! NO!!"

Her scream pierced through the battle, echoing over the sound of swords clashing, men grunting and groaning; it echoed through the hills and valleys to resound inside the core of every living being on the planet. The moment froze as each being felt the tearing sensation, the burning of the Princess' pain. A howl rose from the battle field, an echo of her agonized cry.

And then nothing.

Collapsing over Endymion's body, Serenity's fingers brushed against the cool metal of his blade - the blade that had sealed his fate. Unable to see for the tears in her eyes, she caressed his beloved face once more and linked their hands together. "If I cannot be with you in life, my love, I will meet you in death."

Placing the tip of the blade to her chest, Serenity fell on it, the pain of the blade piercing her skin a relief. Her life's blood poured out over Endymion's still body as she collapsed overtop him, content in the knowledge that, in death, they could not be separated.