Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: I think I'm finally past my holiday-induced writer's block! You'll be happy to know I've already started on the next chapter (that will make you especially happy once you finish reading this one!). Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing! Enjoy :)

-Unthinkable-

-Minako-

Minako smiled mechanically as the Jovian woman stood and gave her a gracious bow. The woman was attractive, charming and intelligent, and hadn't been able to hold Minako's interest past the allotted fifteen minutes. For what felt like the hundredth time that day, she glanced at Rei. The Martian had taken up a post leaning against the wall by the corner of the table. She hadn't done more than occasionally blink in the last hour and her stillness was becoming very distracting.

"Good afternoon Princess." Her attention snapped back to the table where a Martian officer was inclining his head to her.

"Good afternoon," she replied politely, looking him over. He wore a military uniform and his right shoulder bore the red braid that marked him as high ranking on their planet. What does he have that Rei doesn't, she thought somewhat sourly as he sat down across from her. He was tall and well muscled, but she was willing to bet that Rei could take him in the sparring ring. She realized she'd missed his name and sighed inwardly, forcing herself to focus on the rather formal and one-sided conversation he was having.

The longer they spoke, however, the more she found her mind drifting away. She couldn't stop thinking about the morning. When she'd first woken up, Rei had been sound asleep and half on top of her with her head resting on her breasts. Minako had stayed perfectly still for as long as she could, relishing the contact between them. She kept picturing her bleary-eyed smile and the way she'd burrowed more into her for a moment, as though she couldn't stand the thought of morning. She'd decided that Rei was at her most adorable in the morning, before she'd gotten her guard up properly.

She noticed that silence had fallen and looked guiltily up at the officer. He merely gave her a benign smile and stood. He bowed and left without a word. Once he was out the door, Minako buried her face in her hands. Four days left. She wondered how long it would be before her parents realized that she wasn't even trying to narrow down her choices. She massaged her temples with her fingers for a moment, then straightened and braced herself for the next suitor.

She was a little surprised to see her sister emerge through the doorway instead. "Helen? Is everything alright?" She moved hastily around the table to face her.

"Everything's fine," she replied with a smile. "How are the interviews going?" Minako shrugged and grimaced, earning an amused eye roll. "Well you're done for now. I'm supposed to tell you to go get ready for the garden party this evening."

Minako blinked at he in surprise. "I didn't realize it was already that late." She'd started doing the interviews just after breakfast. It was hard to believe she'd been at it for most of the day.

Helen smirked before turning away. "Time flies when you're having fun." Minako huffed softly and Helen turned to grin over her shoulder. "See you tonight."

Minako gave her a halfhearted wave, then sighed as she turned back to the room. Rei pushed away from the wall and started toward her. They were in the reception area of the Venusian wing of the palace, which meant the walk back to her room wasn't very long. They would only have a few minutes to talk.

"Rei-"

"Should I escort you back to your room, your Highness?" Her expression was blank, but her eyes held a myriad of emotions.

Minako studied her face for a moment before laying a hand carefully on her forearm. Rei twitched at the contact but didn't pull away. She could see that the soldier was having to work to keep her feelings in check. Minako clasped Rei's hand loosely and gave her a soft smile. "Maybe we should just-"

"There you are Princess!" They jumped away from each other as a small pack of servants filed into the room, all smiling excitedly. "We've got to get started right away, we've only got an hour!"

Oblivious to what they had interrupted, they formed a loose circle around her and began hustling her out of the room. She saw Rei heave a sigh and follow along behind them. Frustrated, Minako walked with them to her room and didn't bother complaining as she was deposited into her chair by the vanity.

Automatically, she glanced in the mirror. Rei was standing stiffly in her usual spot by the wall. Her arms were crossed tightly across her chest and her dark brows were drawn together in a small frown. Minako wished there was some way to set her at ease, but she knew nothing would make the soldier feel better.

An artist cleared her throat, holding up a thin brush pointedly. Obediently, Minako closed her eyes so they could make her up for the evening. While she waited, she ran through different scenarios in her mind. What would it take for Rei and I to be together? It could never happen as long as she was a princess of Venus. It occurred to her that she could do something else, but her training was sadly limited. Her job experience consisted solely of politics and diplomacy, and either of those would lead to Rei's arrest or worse.

No, they would have to leave Venus altogether. She doubted they would be able to go to Mars, surely the Order of Flame frowned on abducting royalty from other planets. They would stick out too much on Mercury or Jupiter. She wondered if Haruka would shelter them on Uranus. Probably, she reasoned, but it would only lead to problems between their two families. Her last and most feasible option was to stay here on the Moon Kingdom. Serenity was one of her closest friends, surely she would want to help.

She squinted around and, when no one tried to stop her, allowed her eyes to open fully. It looked like the makeup artists were nearly finished and one of the stylists began running a brush through her hair thoughtfully. She looked up at Rei's reflection again. The girl was glaring down at the floor in front of her, apparently deep in thought. Minako waited, watching the still form. Rei's lip twitched in an almost-snarl and lines rippled across her lean forearms as she clenched and unclenched her fists.

Minako gave up trying to catch Rei's eye for a moment, instead focusing on the servants flitting around her. One of them studied her head critically then picked up a handful of pins.

"Leave it down, please," she said, glancing up at the woman. The stylist nodded tightly and dropped the pins back into their bowl.

Minako turned back to the mirror just in time to see Rei's faint smile in its reflection. She held back her own smile as she watched the guard surreptitiously school her features. She felt renewed in her determination as Rei's shoulders dropped and she finally relaxed against the wall. They would find a way, she was sure of it.

-Rei-

Rei glanced around, trying to pick familiar faces from the crowds around them. It seemed that every noble from every planet was currently wandering the pathways of the Lunar gardens. Minako had a hand resting in the crook of her arm and her posture was relaxed, but Rei could tell that she was still tense. She didn't blame her after hours of interviews with suitors she had absolutely no interest in. Rei wasn't sure if it was better or worse, knowing that she was the reason for the Princess's indecision.

She looked down at the blonde, studying her features. She had her lower lip caught between her perfect teeth and her long lashes cast thin shadows across her cheeks as she looked around. Tonight she was dressed in a flowing white gown that accentuated her flawless features. Rei's eyes pulled to her shoulder and the thin white strap crossing the smooth, tan skin.

"Do you see her?" Rei blinked, looking questioningly at her. Minako's expression changed to a devious smirk. "Were you just looking down my dress?"

Rei felt her face flush as her eyes bugged out. "What? Of course not!" she sputtered, ducking her head when she realized how loud her voice was. "Of course not!" she repeated in a furious whisper.

Minako merely giggled and squeezed her arm lightly. "Relax, Reiko, I was just teasing. Do you see Serenity?"

Rei shook her head mutely. She wondered if Minako realized she'd just used a nickname on her. She smiled to herself, deciding that she didn't mind if the blonde had a pet name for her. Minako sighed and pressed her forehead to Rei's armored shoulder briefly. "Do you want to just wander? I'm sure we'll find her eventually."

They took a path at random and started down it. Ahead of them, Rei saw the Venusian King and Queen having an animated conversation with a group of diplomats. "Oh, hell no." Minako tugged her arm and they veered onto a less crowded side path.

Rei chuckled softly but didn't comment. Soon they found themselves at a dead end. They were shielded by tall hedges and a small row of spiky shrubs lined the path on one side. Grinning, Rei knelt down to examine one.

"Be careful, that looks dangerous," Minako pointed out, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"It is," Rei assured her, carefully pushing aside a thorny branch. She reached in with the other hand, maneuvering around the sharp triangular leaves until her hand was in its center. "This one is from Mars." She felt around cautiously then her grin widened as her fingers brushed something soft. "See?" She snapped the stem and slowly pulled her arm back to reveal a velvety crimson flower.

"Wow," Minako breathed, running a finger lightly along a petal. Her eyes darted back to the stunted plant it had come from and she grinned, meeting Rei's eyes. "It's kind of reminds me of the people of your planet." Rei arched an eyebrow at her and Minako moved closer, smiling. "Spiky and dangerous on the outside but soft and beautiful on the inside."

Rei looked down at the small flower, unable to think of a response to that assessment. She held the flower out to the other girl and Minako took it with a shy smile. Then she wrapped her arms around Rei's neck, pulling her down into a passionate kiss. Rei responded eagerly, letting her hands slide to Minako's hips. After a few minutes they reluctantly parted. Rei took in her swollen lips, flushed cheeks and darkened eyes and made a conscious effort to step back. She was dangerously close to forgetting the multitude of reasons why she shouldn't act on her feelings.

Minako glanced behind her to the deserted pathway and sighed. "I suppose we should get back," she said reluctantly. She brightened considerably when Rei offered her arm to the princess. Minako immediately curled her hand around her elbow then leaned up to press a kiss on her cheek.

Rei prayed that the blush had faded when they reemerged. Minako's spirits seemed to be greatly improved as she smiled brightly at every person they passed. It wasn't long before Rei spotted Makoto's head near one of the wider open areas. She pointed her out to Minako, who chuckled. "I'll bet Ami's close by," she whispered, grinning.

Sure enough, the bluenette had a hand on Makoto's arm and the two were deep in conversation. As Minako and Rei approached, Makoto leaned down to whisper something that caused a light blush to race across the Mercurian's cheeks.

"Good evening, I hope we're not interrupting," Minako teased, just loud enough for them to hear. Ami's blush darkened and she glared briefly at Minako before giving Rei a faint smile.

Makoto just laughed and ushered them closer. "Where have you guys been all day?"

Minako groaned dramatically. "I've been in interviews since breakfast."

Makoto nodded thoughtfully and Ami arched a quizzical eyebrow. "Did you have any luck?"

As was her habit, Rei checked out of the conversation. Before, listening to talk of Minako's upcoming marriage had just caused vague unease and a feeling of distress. Now, it was more of a gut-wrenching tightening in her chest accompanied by a hard knot in the base of her throat. She looked around for something to focus on and settled for the walkway at the top of the palace wall. People were meandering across on their way to or from the palace, some pausing to look down at the festivities.

"Where did you find a passion rose?" Rei looked back at the group to find Ami staring excitedly at the side of Minako's head. She realized the princess had tucked the flower behind her ear where it was just visible beneath her golden hair. "I didn't know they had any Martian plants here!" Her accusing azure stare fell on Rei, as though she should have informed the Mercurian that the plant was there.

Rei cleared her throat uneasily, aware that all eyes had now turned to her. "Apparently they do," she replied evenly.

Everyone was quiet for a moment then Makoto burst out laughing. She slapped Rei on the back in a friendly fashion that nearly knocked her off her feet. "Relax, Rei, it's a party," she chuckled. Rei looked back at Ami and found her hiding a grin behind her hand. Incensed, she turned to Minako but the girl was laughing as well. She ran a manicured hand down the side of Rei's cheek and winked at her. She was almost relieved to see Princess Serenity over her shoulder, hustling toward them.

She joined the circle, grinning breathlessly. "How are you your Highness," Rei said politely, bowing. Makoto bowed as well and the Princess smiled brightly at them. She smoothed down her snow white dress and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. She'd deviated from her usual hairstyle for the first time in Rei's memory, opting for an elegant up-do rather than pigtails.

"I'm great!" she replied happily. "I think the cooks really outdid themselves for this!" She gestured behind her, presumably in the direction of the refreshment tables.

Ami snorted and attempted to cover it with an unconvincing cough. "We'll have to take a look later," Minako said diplomatically, while shooting Rei a covert smirk.

They resumed chatting and Rei took a moment to survey their surroundings. Despite the relaxed atmosphere of the evening, she couldn't quite shake the uneasy feeling that had been following her since they'd come out. She laid a hand on the reassuring metal of her sword hilt as she scanned the faces around them. Small knots of people were laughing and talking or strolling past, taking in the sights and smells of the vast garden. The area they were in was open but not as crowded as it could be. Past the tall hedge and up on the wall, a couple had stopped to watch the party.

"Is everything alright?" Minako asked close to her ear.

She gave her a quick smile of reassurance. "Sure, I was just looking around." Minako automatically looked around as well, inching closer to her. "I'm just being careful," she promised. Minako smiled at her then moved to stand by Serenity. Ami had pulled Makoto a little away from the group and the two were having a whispered conversation. Rei took one more look at the people standing around them as she moved to stand beside Minako.

Once again, her attention was drawn to the wall. The couple was still there and she noted that they were both wearing cloaks. That seemed unusual, given the warmth of the evening. She tried to follow the line of their stares and it seemed that they were almost looking right at her. Almost, but not quite.

She glanced sideways at Minako and behind her to the high princess. In their matching white dresses they could have been twins. A whisper of a memory floated into her mind …unless someone mistook her for the Moon Princess…

In that moment, she knew instinctively that they were in danger. She stepped forward so she was between Minako and the wall. When she looked back up, it was just in time to see one of the figures draw back on a bow. Her sword was out of its sheath in the same instant that the arrow was released. The sudden silence at her motion was pierced by the swish of her sword slicing through the air. Her blade caught the arrow mid-flight, cutting it neatly in two. The halves landed harmlessly on the cobbles by Serenity's feet and for a moment everything was frozen. Then the high princess screamed and everything dissolved into chaos.

People began moving in a blind panic, trying to get out of the clearing. Evidently enough people had seen what had happened to pass the word on. Rei could hear the shouts spreading away from them that someone had tried to kill the Moon Princess.

Closer to her, the slap of leather indicated that Makoto had drawn her sword as well. Rei looked over to see that she had her head ducked and was looking up frantically. "Where are they Rei?"

"Up th-" she broke off in a pained cry as a second arrow embedded itself in her left arm. "On the wall!" she shouted through gritted teeth.

"Rei, your arm!" Minako was hovering uncertainly at her side, eyes wide as she stared at the wound. With a sick feeling, Rei realized that if she'd been standing any farther over the arrow would have struck the princess instead.

"Minako, get to safety!" she snapped. She twisted away toward Serenity, who hadn't moved since the first shot. Her sky blue eyes were wide and unseeing, clearly she was too shocked to think clearly. "Makoto, get her under cover!"

The Jovian grabbed Serenity by the arm and yanked her unceremoniously out of the clearing. She pulled her back to where Ami was pressed against one of the tall hedges.

Abruptly, Rei was jerked sideways by her sword belt. Another arrow bounced off the cobbles, just past where she'd been standing. She could still feel Minako's hand pressing her hip where it was clutching her belt. She threw the blonde a grateful smile. The five of them stayed close to the hedge, which effectively hid them from view of the archers. The area had cleared, so the approaching footsteps sounded loud in the sudden silence.

Hotaru emerged from one of the pathways, dark eyes flashing furiously as she took in the scene around her. Her glaive was held out, clutched in bloodless knuckles. Behind her, Setsuna's eyes swept the area and she nodded grimly. They shot across the clearing, keeping low as she approached them.

"Is everyone alright?" Setsuna demanded the moment she reached them.

"Rei-"

"We're fine," Rei interrupted. Her left arm hung limply at her side, but she knew the wound wasn't serious. The more immediate concern was catching the shooters. "They're on the wall."

Setsuna nodded, garnet eyes darting between them. "Alright. Hotaru, get the princess to safety." The soldier nodded curtly then caught Serenity by the hand. She kept herself close to Serenity's back, shielding her as they rushed toward one of the adjacent paths. Once they were safely away, Setsuna turned back to them. "Alright, where exactly are they."

Rei pushed away from the hedge to look up at the wall. For some reason she couldn't quite focus and it took her a moment to see the two figures. They were crouched close to the railing and it looked like they were looking at each other rather than the gardens below. "Up there." She pointed with her good arm and Setsuna leaned out long enough to see which direction to go.

"Listen, you're safe here for now, but get back to the palace as soon as you can." With that she sprinted away.

Rei looked after her for a moment, then turned back to the group. "Okay, they've stopped shooting for now. I think we should-"

"Rei, you're bleeding!" Makoto said in alarm, pointing to her arm.

"I know," she replied wryly. She looked down at the dark wooden shaft imbedded above her bicep, just below the edge of her armor. She twisted briefly to check where the arrowhead protruded from the back of her arm. As she watched thin trail of blood trickled lazily down the point and dripped to the cobbles. She let out a shaky breath and pushed her sweaty bangs off her forehead. "It's not that bad."

"Rei, at least let Ami look at it before we try to move," Minako pleaded, touching her back lightly.

Rei tried to smile but was sure it came out a grimace. "It's alright, Minako," she said tightly, turning to the blonde. She blinked rapidly as her vision began to blur. "Just…" she trailed off as her mind seemed to fog over. She shook her head, closing her eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over her. "Just stay behind me…" Her uninjured arm began to tingle and a loud clatter made her realize that she'd dropped her sword.

"Rei…" Minako's voice seemed to echo and Rei frowned, trying to get her vision to settle on the face in front of her. Minako's mouth moved, forming more words, but Rei couldn't hear her over the rushing in her ears. She took a step closer to the princess and felt her knees buckle beneath her. Then everything went black.

-Minako-

"Rei!" Minako tried to catch her, but the soldier was too heavy. She could only sink to the ground with her. "Ami, what's wrong with her?" she cried, trying not to panic as she cradled Rei against her.

Ami knelt down beside them, frowning as she leaned over the wound. She recoiled abruptly, horrified. "Poison," she breathed.

"What? How do you know?"

"I can smell it." Ami rubbed her hands on her thighs, thinking hard. Then she looked up at Minako apologetically. "We've got to pull it out, or it's going to keep feeding the toxin into her system. Makoto?"

The Jovian was already moving to crouch beside them and Minako tightened her hold on Rei. "We've got to do it now or it's going to kill her," Ami said firmly.

Minako hugged Rei protectively, choking back a sob as she nodded her consent. She felt oddly detached as she watched Ami rattle off instructions to Makoto. She closed her eyes, hiding her face in Rei's hair, but she still heard the ugly crack as she snapped the shaft of the arrow.

"It could be worse," Ami said smoothly as she adjusted Rei's limp form so she was leaning forward onto Minako's shoulder. "The head is all the way through, so we just need to pull it the rest of the way."

Ami moved in front of Rei and gripped her injured shoulder tightly with one hand above and one below the broken shaft. Minako heard Rei moan softly and cradled her closer. She watched through a blur of tears as Makoto pulled off one of her gauntlets and used it to wrap around the lethal tip of the arrow. Minako squeezed her eyes shut again. Moments later, Rei's body jerked violently as Makoto gave a grunt of effort. "Got it," she panted. Minako looked up at her as she dropped the broken weapon in distaste.

"We need to get her to the infirmary," Ami said, her voice strained. As she spoke, she shrugged off her outer shirt and wrapped it tightly around Rei's bleeding arm.

Makoto nodded, looking cautiously over the hedge. "The shooters are gone," she informed them grimly. "I know where the infirmary is," she added, kneeling down again. She looked down at Rei for a moment before lifting her emerald eyes to meet Minako's teary stare. "I'll take her," she offered gently. Minako considered refusing, but she knew Makoto was the strongest of them and would get Rei there the fastest. Reluctantly she let go of the guard. Makoto scooped her up effortlessly and started down the path. Ami used Makoto's blood-covered gauntlet to pick up the arrowhead, then hurried after her.

Minako's breath hitched as she stood. She took a step in the direction they'd gone but stopped. Numbly, she picked up Rei's sword from where it had landed, black against the bright white stones. Clutching it tightly, she sprinted after the other two.

It seemed like an eternity before they reached the palace, and even longer to traverse the endless labyrinth of hallways. Finally, they reached the infirmary. A woman with long black hair and deep blue eyes greeted them brusquely and ushered them inside. She directed Makoto to deposit Rei in a bed near the back of the room then shooed her and Minako away. Ami, after a hasty whispered conversation, was allowed to stay. The woman yanked a stark white curtain across the room, hiding them from view.

The moment Rei was out of her sight, Minako was hit with the full weight of what had happened. It had to be the group from Earth again. They'd been firing poisonous arrows with the intent of murdering the Moon Princess. Instead they'd hit Rei… she felt her knees give out and would have fallen if Makoto hadn't caught her shoulders.

Gently, she ushered Minako to a seat by the door then settled beside her. Quietly, Minako hefted Rei's sword and set it on her lap. It was heavy and she knew she could never wield it with the same skill as the Martian, but she felt safer with the weapon in her hands. She ran her fingers lovingly over the ebony hilt. It was finely crafted from a metal she didn't recognize. The two swords were a matching set, she knew, probably a gift from someone she'd worked for in the past. Minako wondered if she would get the chance to ask her.

A tear splashed onto the blade and Minako carefully wiped it off with her finger. Looking down, she noticed streaks of crimson staining her dress. Rei's blood. The sight made her nauseous and she forced her gaze to the opposite wall while she got her breathing under control. "Makoto?" she said in a choked whisper. "Could I ask a favor?"

"Of course," she replied immediately. "Would you like me to escort you back to your chambers?"

"No, I need to stay here." She swallowed hard, glancing at Makoto who watched her in concern. "It's just…" She gestured helplessly down at herself. "I don't want…" She could feel tears coming again and fell silent.

Makoto seemed to understand what she was asking. She laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It won't take me long to get to the Venusian wing. Should I just ask your servants for a change of clothes?"

Minako nodded, wiping her eyes furiously. "Yes. Thank you."

Makoto smiled as she got to her feet. "No problem. I'll let them know where you are so your parents know what happened." She bounded toward the door but paused on her way out. "Rei's tough, Minako, she'll be okay."

Minako smiled bravely until the door closed. Then she crumpled forward and buried her face in her hands, sobbing. She's strong, she'll be okay, she told herself over and over. The weight of the sword in her lap was a comfort and she dropped one hand down to grip the hilt, holding it like a talisman. She'll be okay. She has to be.