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Sailor Moon is a product of Bandai, Toei, and Naoko Takeuchi

All the other characters and this story is property of me Ladydragonguardian.

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Just as long as I get the credit for my story! :)

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This chapter ties in with the previous story. As always reviews are welcomed!

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He stared at the clock on the wall. It was late. The clocks incessant ticking, attempting to drive him mad. Glancing out the window he watched as the continued torrent of rain plastered against his window. He twisted the cap of the large glass bottle. Tipping it up and forcing down another drink of the brown liquid. Noburo wrinkled his face as he lapped up the last few drops that remained in the whiskey bottle. Let out a little snarl as his phone went off again, easily the thousandth time over the last several days. He picked it up, it was Mamoru again. He could never ignore his Master.

"Want to come over?" The text message read.

He grumbled. Nobu wanted nothing to do with anyone. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He wanted nothing more than his green-eyed goddess to show up on his doorstep to smother her in kisses. He stared out the window as another brilliant flash of lightning illuminated the room. All the more reminding him of her.

He wasn't sure what had started the fight. It escaped him. All he knew was, that it had been two weeks since he had seen her. Two weeks since he had heard her joyous laughter. Two weeks since he had tasted her sweet mouth. Two weeks of Tokyo enduring this incredulous storm. A storm that had baffled meteorologists, since it appeared.

They were the last couple. The last of the Shitennou and Senshi. The last ones to take the ceremonial plunge and say their vows. Keisuke and Minako were engaged shortly before them. Amy and Zoi were after. Then Rei and Jun followed months after. But now, now they were all married. The beautiful ceremony of Mamoru and Usagi had been several years ago. Nobu had approached his lover about started to plan for theirs. Thinking that maybe she was just so caught up with everyone else's fanfare that she just simply hadn't had the time for theirs. She did cater all of the events. Made the most gorgeous of cakes. Doted over every wedding, every one of her friends. They had all agreed to all be married in a single year, a year of Wedding's and constant planning and celebration. So why was their event being neglected? That was all that he asked. But something had been different with his lover, it started nearly a year before and escalated two weeks ago. He had been wounded by a creature. Nothing even remotely fatal. But after that she was different. Guarded. He had joked with her afterwards. Jupiter had single handedly annihilated that youma. Nephrite had never seen her get so lost in her emotions, so deeply during a fight. The Senshi exchanged uncomfortable glances when he had tried to jest about it. Haruka explained to him how Makoto was like an undetonated bomb. Perfectly harmless if left undisturbed, but rattle the ground, and well. Regardless, it was a pretty amazing display of power. It had left him in awe. He couldn't wait to worship his Thunder Goddess.

But when she approached him, something was wrong. He could see it in her eyes. It wasn't the burn marks up her arm, the remnants of her skirmish. She looked troubled. Mako had brushed past him without a word. He had reached out, but couldn't due to his injury. Noburo had yelled her name, but she didn't stop walking. He hadn't thought anything about it at the time.

He had begged Minako a week ago. Pleaded with everything he had, that she would talk to his love. Figure out what he had done. He would fix it. He would walk thru fire and flames. To Hell and back for her. Minako would see what she could do, she had acted strangely. Barely making eye contact with him. Never the less surely, the Goddess of Love could fix this. She had been unsuccessful. Her only suggestion was to give her time. New memories had resurfaced, they were all trying to deal with them. When Nobu inquired what he had done, Minako gave no reply. Only that he needed to give her dear friend some space.

His head was pounding. Too much whiskey and not enough of anything else today.

Suddenly there was a soft knock at his front door. He snarled. It was probably Jun and Satsuki again, sent by his Master to rouse him from his reclusive cave. Noburo ignored it. He settled back in his chair.

There it was again. He rolled his eyes and let out a huff. He stormed to the door, slinging it open. He opened his mouth to protest and chastise whoever was at his door step. But words escaped him. His dark blue eyes met emerald.

"Can I come in?" Makoto asked

"Uh, yes! Yes! You're drenched. Let me get a blanket..." He scrambled inside.

Makoto shut the door behind her, walking over and plopping down on his couch.

She could hear him fumbling around in the kitchen. He emerged moments later, holding a mug.

"It's orange peeko. From the Keurig, I know you prefer the tea ball..." Noburo handed her the cup. He noticed the smallest semblance of a smile appear on her face. He relaxed ever so slightly. He decided to sit in the chair across from her. He didn't want to invade her space. There was a long pause of awkward silence.

He opened his mouth to speak. To blubber about how much he missed her. That he was such an idiot, even though he wasn't sure what he had done. But she spoke first.

"You almost died that night you know." She stammered. Not making eye contact. Mako stared into her mug.

He was taken back.

"When? That fight over a year ago? It was only a scratch." He mused. Hoping she was just kidding around. He quickly realized she wasn't. Noburo noticed the tears pooling in her eyes. He quickly strode across the room. Gently taking her face in his large hands.

"What is this really about Mako? Whatever I have done I will fix it. By Gaia, I will do whatever it takes. I am not the same without you. My soul craves yours." He slowly wrapped his arms around her. She succumbed burying her head into his wide chest.

He allowed her to cry. It was a rarity. Nobu rested his head on top of hers. Slowly reaching down, he tipped his chin up towards his face.

"What is wrong, love?" He asked again.

She paused and looked away from him.

"If you ever die, I'll be all alone again..." Her voice trailed off again

"All of the others have family. So if Selene forbid, anything ever happens to one of the Shitennou, they have other people to fall back on. Not saying that we all aren't family. This is the only family I've ever really known. But, if something happens to you. I'm alone again. My heart would be broken. Any time I have truly loved someone, something happens. I can't lose you again, Nobu..." His heart felt like it was being pulled from his very chest.

"I will never, ever leave you Mako. I love you with every fiber of my being." He attempted to console her

"It's not about leaving! What if you die? What if another enemy comes and you get killed! I wouldn't be able to live. You're all I have." She started to get off the couch.

"No. No more running away. Do you not think I worry about you woman? Do you not think that my heart races every time we go in to battle? Do you not think I cringe when you get a little too head strong and go racing off fists flying? Do you not think my breath gets caught in my throat every single time I see one those magnificent lightning bolts come screaming down from the sky? Thinking that, that might be the one that overwhelms you? I worry about you. I worry because I love you. I want more than anything to marry you. For you to be mine for all eternity. But you have to stop running. You have to let me bear some of your burden. Let me carry you sometimes. You've been alone too long. With no one to fret about you. Well that has changed." Nephrite pulled her into a strong embrace, refusing to let go.

In a way he felt honored to see her this way. Vulnerable and afraid. He was the only one she would truly open up to. She had become very good at putting on fake smiles and a pretend guise of strength.

"Let me love you. Let me love you, forever." He softly whispered in her ear.

"Do you have memories from back in the Silver Millennium?" She asked in a hushed voice.

"Some. It's scattered. I get flashes sometimes. Why? What happened? Keisuke and Jun said Minako and Rei were acting oddly. Did you recover something? Is that what's been bothering you?" Nobu inquired

"It's just all been building up. Then, we got a glimpse of a memory. Something, yes. Dreadful." She couldn't look him in the face. Even when he tried to tip her chin towards his own.

His body stiffened. Had he done something? Had they done something? Is this the reason that an exhausted Rei had shown up on Ami and Satsuki's doorstep, uncharacteristicly sobbing and demanding to be medicated?

"What did we do? Mako? What did I do? Damnit I want to know!" He demanded

"No, no you don't. You say that now, that's exactly what I said. What we've all been saying for years. Well we were stupid to want such a thing. I'd just like to forget. " Mako blinked away the tears that were pooling in her eyes.

He felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He had done something. He could tell by her body language. The way she shifting away from his touch, she purposely was avoiding making any eye contact with him. Dear Gaia what had he done?

"I just try to remind myself that it wasn't you. At least Minako said that was what was working for her."

"Maybe one day. When this isn't so new. Just tell me. Did you have any control while you were under Metallia's influence?" She asked. He could see the pain in her eyes and it made him uneasy.

"None. It was like being a puppet. I could see what was going on. But the voice that spoke and action taken were not mine." He reassured her.

"Then, we can save this for another day." She managed a smile for him

She kissed him, deeply. Words were not needed. She relaxed in his lap, her head laying on his chest.

"You smell like whiskey." Mako sleepily chuckled

"And I smell moscato on your breath, my love. Promise never to do this again. Just tell me what's going on." He was going to continue but could only smile as he glanced down at her suddenly sleeping form. Dark circles rimmed her eyes, there was a small amount of comfort in knowing that she had suffered equally to him while they were apart.

"I love you Makoto." He smiled and carried her off to bed.

That night she had a fiendish nightmare. One he couldn't rouse her from. She called out his name, but it wasn't from love or even hatred. Terror, pure unadulterated terror. He tried once more to wake her. The instant that his hand touched her clammy skin, he was flooded with a memory.

...

Mako awoke with a start. She glanced over at the empty side of the bed. She stretched slightly, her toes touching the cool hardwood floor. She noticed the light on in the bathroom, the door only partially shut. She saw a pair of legs sitting on the tub.

"Nobu?" Mako asked as she cracked the door open.

Her heart immediately sank when she saw the disheveled man.

"I do not deserve you. I do not even deserve to live. Why did my Master allow breath to be breathed back into my lungs? How can you even look at me after what I have done? After what I have done to you? You should strike me down where I stand. What we did was unspeakable, unforgivable." She had never seen him cry before. In the now, two lifetimes that she had known this man, he had never shed a tear. She had also never seen him this upset.

Mako took in a deep breath. She got on her knees in front of him, slowly taking both of his large hands in hers. The same hands that once tried to choke the life from her body.

"Has our Usagi not taught you anything? Everyone and anyone can be forgiven. No matter their sin; treason, heresy, murder. It's all the same. Everyone deserves a second chance." She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head into her shoulder.

"But can you forgive me?" He whispered in her ear.

"Yes, in time. I know it wasn't you. But. But it was so real. It was like we were there, again. I can't get it out of my head. The look on Minako and Rei's faces, it's burned into my memory now. We had all just assumed that we had died on the Moon. Died protecting our Queen and our young charge. Usagi keeps asking, and none of us have the heart to tell her. How can we? What are we to say? Minako refuses to tell Kunzite, Rei can't even speak to Jadeite. Time, we just all need some time. I've just never felt so helpless before..." She slowly stood.

"I am so sorry Makoto. I know that means nothing now. I just feel like we will never truly make amends for all of our heinous deeds. I finally start to feel like we can move on..." He dropped his head into his hands.

"I still love you." She whispered.

"I don't know how."

"And I always will."

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A bit of fluff since the past few chapters have been a little on the sad side. I think my next one will be Usagi and Mamoru's wedding! Which will tie back into Motoki's little snippet. Hope you all are enjoying reading! And thank you for the reviews and messages!

-Lady D