Still don't own Sailor Moon (darn you, Santa!) except my own. Thank you so much for the reviews, you guys! The songs included are Dashboard Confessional's "Stolen," and Disney's Tarzan's "Strangers Like Me," none of which I own, but dearly love.

This probably isn't my best one, but I hope you'll like it! Plus, there's a preview at the end of it for the next chapter!

Chapter Four

"Wow."

Mina blushed at his simple word, but more at the awe surrounding it. She spun for him, her hair flaring out slightly like the peach-hued dress that held nicely to her curves before the skirt nearly touched the floor. Her matching heels clicked on the entranceway's floor as he stared at her in the doorway of her parent's house. "You like it?" She touched a hand to her cheek, wondering if her make-up was right.

"I…um…yeah, definitely," he managed through the racing of his heart. He was getting used to the feeling of breathlessness around her and the pounding of his heart, but seeing her in the dress walking down the steps like a figure from his dreams had been nearly too much.

She surveyed his tall and muscular build usually wildly handsome now almost-regal in his simple tux. "Right back at you," she replied with a smile.

He blew out a sharp breath and cleared his throat. "Thanks. Hate these things, but I don't think they'd let me wear jeans and a t-shirt to a ball, huh?"

Mina giggled at the image of them dancing in plainclothes while everyone else wore formal wear. "I don't think so, but I like how you look, in jeans or in a tux. Does that help?"

EJ nodded and thanked the limo driver for opening the door, helped Mina into the seat and got in as well. When she sighed, he looked at her, saw the troubled look in her eyes. "Mina, what's wrong?" He lifted a hand to her cheek and turned her face towards him. "Tell me, please?"

He's so caring, she thought with a dreamy smile and sigh. "It's just…I told you about my last boyfriend, right?"

A muscle jumped in his jaw. The asshole, Danburite or something like it, had made her love him and had turned out to be working for the Negaverse—though she hadn't said as much but implied it. "Yeah, you did. I still think I should pull some strings, find him and-"

"No!" She blinked at the sharpness of her own voice. "I mean, he's just the reason why I don't want to…"

Surprised, EJ was speechless for a moment. Though the thought had crossed his mind numerous times in the past near-two weeks, it hadn't occurred to him to pressure her or to question why she was afraid to touch any part of him except his face, hair and shoulders. "Mina, I'll only ask once and you don't have to answer if you don't want: did he…violate you?"

Honestly shocked, Mina shook her head vehemently. "No, of course not! But he used me and broke my heart. I haven't dated anyone since then and I'm just…" She trailed off and was mortified by the tear that trickled down her cheek. "Shoot, I didn't want to start crying."

"Angel," he murmured his nickname for her and caught the tear on the ridge of his thumb. "We're in the same boat. Jane stole from me and used my name to push her own," he explained at her puzzled look. Silently, he wondered why they hadn't talked about this before. "Then she cheated on me, knowing I loved her and did so as I was burying my grandparents." He gave a semi-humorless chuckle. "She'd just given back her keys to me when you bumped into me," he confessed and saw the small smile curve her lips.

"Is that why you were in a good mood?"

"I suppose so. I don't care what the papers say about you and I, or what the rumors going around are if there are some. All I care about is if you are happy with me." He took a silent breath, knowing the next question could make or break him. "Are you?"

As they always did when happiness or an emotion in its vicinity simply overpowered her, her eyes began to shine. "Of course I am. Even if you speak really properly and like to give speeches," she added lightly and saw the playful light enter his eyes as she continued with, "Or if you like to be extremely cheesy sometimes and get cuts and bruises overnight."

"I was raised that way, I like getting what I feel or think right out there, you said you liked cheesiness, and I'm a klutz when I'm waking up or going to bed," he returned, responding to each of her accusations and punctuating each phrase with a kiss on her forehead, both cheeks and then her lips.

A little dazed, she looked up at him with a mock-glare. "And when you kiss my, I get all fuzzy-brained."

The grin was, like the others, stunning in its charm and humor. "Then I'm just returning the favor." At the series of flashes outside the limo, he sighed, his breath warm and hinting of his mint toothpaste on her cheeks. "Ready to face the circus?"

"I thought you liked the paparazzi!"

She's just so sweet, he thought and didn't know his eyes took on a shine they had never done before. "I do, but I hate the press at events. They're going to try to pressure you to say things you never mean to say, to do things you never would. Ignore those feelings and pretend it's just you and me while we're out there."

Surprised at the serious tone in his voice, she glanced out the tinted windows. "It's that bad?"

"It can be, most of the time."

Her eyes narrowed sharply. "Don't you think that sounds a little depressing?"

Amused, he brushed his lips against hers. "Yeah, sorry, just a little jaded, I guess." He smiled at her again and got out of the limo, held out a hand for her. "Brace yourself," he murmured and turned with a ready smile.

She blinked in surprise to the near-blinding flashes of cameras and immediately sought his hand to lace her fingers through his and squeeze tightly. Still, she smiled and continued to hold his hand, even though her cheeks were starting to ache. "EJ?" she asked as they moved from one spot to the next, which was the second-to-last one.

He looked down at her, the cameras catching the concern on his face. "Hmm?"

"How do you do it? Smile for so long?"

Chuckling, he kissed her cheek again, brushed a hand over her hair and sent the reporters into a speculative frenzy. Ignoring their chatter, he smiled at her. "I usually don't. This is the first event that I can remember actually smiling. Come on, one left and then we can relax."

With a dramatic sigh, she nodded and felt her heart flutter at his deep laugh as they moved to the last spot and were suddenly joined by all of Mina's friends. "Hey, you guys! EJ do you-"

He chuckled again, mostly at their enthusiasm. "Are you kidding me? I'd be honored." With a broad smile, he wrapped an arm around Mina's waist and waited for the rest of the girls to be put into position and pictures to be taken, some of them being serious but most of them laughing and clearly having fun.

Laughing himself, he followed them into the ballroom and wisely hid his wince at the high-pitched squeal of Princess Diamond as she rushed towards him, taller and slimmer with her once bowl-cut hair now falling in a faintly curling red. She was really quite pretty, but his mind, his heart was for one.

"EJ! EJ, you made it! I was so worried!" She stopped short at the sight of her crush holding hands with a pretty blond and her voice chilled a little as she offered her hand. "You were almost late."

He'd heard the chill in her voice and knew the reason why, found that he didn't care. He'd never actually cared much for the princess, not after she'd bloomed into her current beauty and had adopted a snobbish attitude. Still, he took her hand and quickly kissed her knuckles, didn't bother to smile when he straightened and stepped back to be next to his girlfriend. "Fashionably late," he corrected softly and stuck his free hand in his pant pocket. "Princess, this is my girlfriend, Mina Aino. Mina, Princess Diamond."

Struggling against the clearly uncomfortable air, Mina mustered a smile and gave a small curtsey. "Nice to meet you, princess," she said and looked at the already dancing guests. "This looks wonderful!"

Her pride soothed at the words, the warmth returned to the princess' words. "Thank you, Mina. EJ, the second and third dances are mine."

With that, she moved away and EJ breathed a slow breath, turned to her with calm eyes. "Would you like to dance?"

She smiled and nodded, let him lead her to the dance floor, sweep her into a surprisingly dreamy waltz. "Wow, you really are good!"

"Always helps to have a good partner, though. Look, they're staring at us."

Mina glanced away from his handsome face to people were in fact watching them dance. "I think the women are jealous of me," she whispered.

"And the guys are jealous of me, so we're in the same boat." A smile turned up his lips and he moved so she could see Lita and Tommy arguing in a corner. He winced when Tommy doubled over in pain after Lita socked him in the stomach. "Well, can't say I didn't warn her. Hello, Lita," he greeted with a smile as she marched up to him on the dance floor and easily adjusted to include her in the waltz, much to the chuckling amusement of the others.

"Hey. Tommy's definitely the biggest sleaze ball I've ever met. We hadn't been here for more than ten minutes when he wanted to go make-out!"

He winced at that and caught the interested look in a tall, blond-haired man who was the son of the city's most successful general practitioners and gave a short nod of assent for him to approach. "Did you like decking him?"

Lita's grin was quick and smug. "Definitely." She spotted the blond man and felt her heart flutter. "Who's the hunk?"

He fought off the wince, but it showed in his eyes. "Drake Quincy, Lita Kino." With that, he spun her towards the waiting man's arms and watched with amusement as they began to waltz away. Then he caught Mina staring at him. "What?"

"That was your plan all along, wasn't it?"

"Yep. Teach Tommy a lesson, give Lita an excuse to deck him, and then introduce her to one of my oldest friends. You think it worked?" He nodded to the music director and moved in that direction. "I have to do my set now," he murmured and kissed her temple. "You'll be okay with your friends?"

"Yep." She sighed, rested her cheek on his chest and felt his heart racing. Her heart was doing the same thing but it sank when she was left alone just off the dance floor with her friends.

There was a smattering of applause as he strapped on his guitar, adjusted the microphone stand to the right height and nodded to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. I've been requested to perform two songs tonight for the princess, a ballads of sorts and a more up-beat type. Please, enjoy."

With that, he started the first song, a moderately-paced ballad Mina instantly recognized as "Stolen," one of his first hits. It was a little heavy on the bass drum and he strummed his guitar steadily but lightly. "We watch the season pull up its own stakes and catch the last weekend of the last week. Before the gold and glimmer have been replaced, another sun soaked season fades away." He looked off the stage and smiled at Mina to sing the chorus line, "You have stolen my heart," twice as the music picked up the faint sound of violins and a little harder on the guitars.

Mina blushed when Serena elbowed her lightly in the ribs and loved how he was bouncing only the slightest bit on the balls of his feet in time with the music, how his hair was loosening from the tame style to return back to its long spikes. She loved him, a celebrity, a rock star and he was singing to her about how she'd stolen his heart! Giddy, she grinned.

"Invitation only grant farewells. Crash the best one of the best ones. Clear liquor and cloudy eyed, too early to say goodnight. You have stolen my heart! Oh, you have stolen my heart!" This time the music was at its fullest. "And from the ballroom floor we are in celebration; one good stretch before our hibernation. Our dreams assured and we all will sleep well, sleep well."

EJ shook back his hair that had fallen in his face as the back-up singers repeated his last two lyrics, strummed his guitar a little harder in a build-up for the chorus and plunging into, "Watch you spin around in the highest heels, you are the best on of the best ones! We all look like we feel!" And after the singing of the chorus line three times, they let the chords drift off for a moment. Applause rang out, loudest from Mina and the Scouts. He shot the audience a smile, winked at Mina and knew the princess was glaring at him. Then he launched into the next song, from Disney's 'Tarzan.'

"Whatever you do, I'll do it too," he started and let the orchestra play instead of the back-up band. "Show me everything and tell me how. It all means something and yet nothing to me." He moved without thinking, holding the mike where it was on the stand and keeping his eyes half-closed. "I can see there's so much to learn, it's all so close and yet so far. I see myself as people see me; oh, I just know there's something bigger out there!" He smiled and started the chorus, his soothing baritone rising in pitch a little but naturally. "I wanna know, so can you show me? I wanna know about these strangers like. Tell me more; please show me, because something's familiar about these strangers like." Again, because it was tickling his cheeks, he shoved his hair out of his face.

The song was wonderfully primal, even with the stringed orchestra playing. Mina couldn't stop grinning as she watched him, singing softly along with the song and applauding loudly with her friends when he finished and headed over to them.

"That was great!" she said and saw guests begin to dance. Her heart was racing, but then she saw the princess making her way to them and tapped him on the shoulder. "Your turn to dance?"

"Mm-hmm." Without waiting for consent from Mina, she maneuvered herself into EJ's arms.

The look on his face was clear apology as he looked at Mina that shifted to annoyance as he danced with the princess. "That was low of you," he growled in an undertone so only she could hear. The center of the ballroom cleared to allow them to dance alone and he put a neutral look on his face.

Her smile was sweet and charming, deliberately putting him in the antagonist position. "So? What can you do about it?"

In response, he spun her out, sharply brought her back in and only his eyes smirked at the surprise on her face. "After this next dance, ignore you all night long. I know you've been blackmailing Jane into getting information on me. I didn't tell her anything before and I won't tell you anything now."

There was clear anger on her face as they shifted into the next dance and she made plans to step on his toes. Catching the gleam in her eyes, he mentally cast a spell that hardened the toes of his shoes seconds before she stepped on them. Then his face was a mask of concern when the heel of her shoe snapped, his eyes snapping anger and triumph as he let her be taken away to be seated nearby as a replacement shoe was retrieved.

When it was, she stood. "Would you care to continue?" he asked and felt perverse relief when she smiled with show-gratitude and shook her head, stepped off the dance floor. "Have a good evening," he murmured to her as he brushed a kiss over her knuckles and returned to Mina's side.

"You look mad," she murmured and took his hand, lead him to the balcony that lead to the gardens. He was, his eyes darkened to a honey-hue and the muscle in his jaw jumping in a steady rhythm. Hurt speared through her when he released her hand, and turned from her to brace his hands on the stone banister of the balcony, leaning his weight on it. "EJ?"

The anger was dying as he lifted his gaze to look at the fountain. "She was blackmailing Jane for information on me," he muttered and grimaced at the stinging of a headache. Images played in his head, memories of the last battle on the moon. "Don't you think that's cause enough for a bit of anger?"

Sympathetic, she laid a hand on his shoulder. "Why would she want to…It doesn't matter," she decided and instinctively stepped back when he whirled on her with fury in his eyes. She'd never seen him like this and it was scaring her.

"Doesn't matter?" he repeated. "Mina, don't you get it? She could have dug up something on you or made some horrible rumor up! She could have done the same thing to your friends!" At her fearful look, he let out a feral sigh and turned back to the fountain, his anger growing when staring at the falling water didn't calm him. "She could have hurt you one way or another and it would have been my fault."

Although she was still frightened, she stepped towards him, grateful that they were well hidden in the shadows. "EJ, listen. I know that we're not invincible or anything and this proves it." She gestured to the party. "But it's not your fault she a vindictive and jealous person! Besides, I…" Oh boy, here we go, she thought, knowing what was going to come out of her mouth. "EJ, I…"

She was cut off by the sudden crashing of a monster flying into the ballroom and immediately starting to drain the energy of the guests. She whirled around and let out a scream when EJ was hit by a muscular arm of the monster into the gardens and she rolled out of the way, ran into her friends, who were already transformed. "It got EJ!" she gasped after transforming herself. Anger flared in her eyes and she braced for battle. "Let's get him!"

EJ groaned from his lying position in the gardens and reached beneath him to eye the grab the rose whose thorn had gotten into his side. "Insert joke here," he muttered and stood, instantly on guard when he heard Jedite's voice.

"Shadow Knight, I'm calling you out!"

Lame way to do it, EJ thought and touched his index and middle finger to the always-present wristband after he'd gotten completely out of eyesight. "Star Magic Crystal," he murmured, his voice taking on an echo. Instantly, green smoke surrounded him as his now-naked body took on an ethereal glow and his armored warrior's outfit appeared on him, his cloak flapping in the wind and his drawn sword flashing in the moonlight.

"Shadow Knight, are you afraid to fight me?"

Mina felt her heart sink when there was no answer, then it promptly soar when a sharp, mocking whistle sound from the roof of the embassy where the ball was being held. She looked up with the others and smiled at the black-clad figure standing on the edge of the roof. "Shadow Knight, you came!"

EJ felt the same urge to push back his hood and reveal his face to her but he ignored it and simply bowed slightly to the Scouts. "Continue your battle with the monster and I'll take care of this one."

Jedite snarled at him and threw a powerful ball of energy at him. EJ grunted when he caught it, felt it burn his hands with its evil and tossed it up into the sky. "You think you're so powerful, don't you?"

EJ shrugged. "It's crossed my mind, but at least I'm not serving Beryl. Tell me, Jedite: do you ever feel regret for murdering so many innocents?" he questioned as he launched in the air, his strong sword attack blocked by Jedite in the knick of time.

"In the name of Queen Beryl, I serve as she wishes."

EJ snarled and viciously plowed his knee into the general's stomach, waited for him to catch his breath. "I want this to be a little prolonged," he confessed when the Scouts questioned him from the ground, his glancing down to them enough of a distraction for Jedite to attack.

The deep, slashing wound across his back, caused by Jedite's flaming sword, had cut clear through his armor and burned like a bitch. Enraged at the feel of his free-flowing blood and being caught off guard, EJ slashed Jedite, annoyed when his aim was off and he missed.

"You fucker," he muttered when the general disappeared and struggled against the dizziness caused by the cut. Remaining in mid-air and ignoring the questioning of his health by the Scouts, he smelled the air, vanished seconds before Jedite appeared in front of him and stabbed air. He appeared behind him and tapped him pleasantly on the shoulder.

When the general turned, EJ plowed his fist into his nose, his jaw and gut before grabbing him by the throat, squeezing until he heard the faint popping of bones breaking. He didn't see the shaking hand until it was too late as it grabbed his hood and jerked it back seconds before Jedite was destroyed with a strong energy blast.

In a flash, he appeared on the ground, glanced at the stirring guests inside the ballroom. "Shit," he muttered when his vision grayed considerably, held his cloak to the wound to delay the bleeding. "Look, I'll insert memories of us leaving. Meet me at the temple," he said as he jumped to the banister, a fog surrounding the guests before it vanished. He turned and was pleased that the Scouts were all gone.

Mina paced in front of the temple, worry on her features. "I knew he was Shadow Knight! I just knew it!" She looked at the sky. "Where is he?"

In answer to her question, he shimmered into sight not a few steps from her and instantly sagged against the tree he was beside, weakness on his paled face. "Something's…not right," he managed.

Raye, the resident psychic, held a hand just over his wound. "You've been poisoned. Come on, I have an antidote gel I can make to draw it out." She lifted one of his arms to help bring him in and felt the slice of annoyance when he shook his head and straightened. "You're too weak to get in there!"

"Just indulge this moment of male pride, would you?" he muttered and staggered when she pointed, de-transforming into his tux as he walked and taking off his jacket, vest and shirt before kneeling where directed.

Mina gulped at the sight of the jagged and deep wound and of the powerfully muscled back. "Um, do you want us to go?"

However weak his body was, his mind was still sharp. "Stay if you'd like. Raye, how long does this…Son of a-"

"Don't curse in this temple," the priestess warned him and instantly shut him up as she applied the stingingly cold gel to his cut. "Whoa, this is pretty bad."

The muscles of his back jumped and clenched when she applied another, then another layer of the healing gel. "And by bad, you mean…?"

"Just a few more layers and then the healing will start, tough guy."

"No flirting with my boyfriend, Raye," Mina said lightly to cover her teary eyes.

Raye turned and smiled gently at the unshed tears. "He started it," she protested and mouthed he was going to be okay.

Trista cut in before anyone else could start. "EJ, do you remember anything of the past life?"

He grunted when Raye applied the last layer and didn't bother to look at the strip of paper that had been slapped on his forehead, knowing it was just part of the process. "Yes, everything, including this one." He looked up at her with a small smile, felt the paper grow uncomfortably warm and waited until it had disappeared, the hardened gel vanishing with it to reveal his healed but scarred back. "You look well, my sister."

Kindly, she smiled at him and him at her, exchanging sibling-affection silently. Then he stood and slid his still fresh-looking dress shirt on, buttoning it with a wave of his hand to the top two buttons and leaving it un-tucked.

"How long have you remembered?" Mina asked, still shaken at the sight of his naked torso even though it was now covered.

Pain flashed in his eyes. "When you gave me your bracelet, as I was walking home, I stopped by the park and sat in front of a fountain and was given back my memories by Queen Serenity. I wanted to tell you, a thousand times I did, but I didn't know how to."

She nodded slowly and carefully. "So you knew all this time that I'm Sailor Venus?" He nodded as well. "Did that change anything between us?" He shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He sighed, drug a hand through his hair quickly. "I…good grief, I was terrified of your reaction. If you'd hate me and never talk to me again, or just stare at me blankly like you are now…"

She was? Maybe when joy, shock, and relief were having a race to find out which was more important inside you, that's how a person looked. "I don't know how I feel. No, yes I do," she corrected and knew the Scouts had already discreetly slipped out of the room. "I'm sad that you didn't tell me before, happy that you are Shadow Knight and Prince Emerson both, all with the fact that I'm in love with you to top the cake."

His eyes widened, went a little glassy with shock. "You…you love me?" He'd imagined it. He'd have had to imagined it, right? "Even if I'm Beryl's son, that I'm half evil?"

She shook her head quickly, her hair swishing with the movement. "But you not! You're the most good-hearted, funny, amazing guy I've ever met! And I love you, Emerson J. King, son of Queen Beryl or not."

Overwhelmed by his raging emotions, EJ lifted a hand to her cheek and stopped when he saw it was shaking. "I love you too," he replied softly, saw the tears begin to fall from her eyes and felt wetness in his own. "Good grief," he muttered again and wiped away her tears with a thumb. "What's going to happen now?" he asked.

Mina shrugged and lifted her hands to rest comfortably on his forearms. "I don't know," she confessed. "Let's just ride with it, okay?"

"I can do that." He smiled at her. "You know, we should definitely introduce Artemis and Luna to Mavis. It'll be a hoot."

She giggled. "Definitely. Hey, can he talk?"

"Are you kidding me? He never shuts up! Get all your memories and powers back and receive a chatterbox dog in return!"

"It's him," Beryl told Metaria. "It's my son who is the Shadow Knight."

The newly awakened spirit made a sighing sound. "And are you able to find his hidden identity as he lives among the humans?"

"No, but we will find his weakness soon enough. Soon enough, we will have the greatest powers of the universe!"

A/N: Okay, you guys, the next chapter is going to have a lot of romance and the rating of 'mature,' so you know. I'll post it at the top of the chapter, but still…

It's basically about Mina and EJ introducing the cats and his dog (not the 'mature' part, don't worry!) and finally expressing their love for each other in a more…physical way.