Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Clearly the cold, Northern air is good for me! After nearly a year away, I seem to be on a roll! Happy holidays everyone!

One last time

I need to be the one who takes you home

One more time

I promise after that I'll let you go

"One Last Time" Ariana Grande

Rei sat back, closing her eyes for a moment and listening to the rustle of the wind through the cherry trees. It was late and she should have gone in long before, but she couldn't seem to go. The bench she currently occupied was far enough from the shrine that no one could see her from within, but she still felt eyes on her. She let out a breath and silently prayed for strength.

She heard a soft sigh and wondered if the woman next to her was thinking the same thing.

"It's been a long time since we were together like this," she said quietly. Rei heard her shift on the wooden bench, felt the warmth as she scooted a little closer. "Just the two of us."

"I know," Rei breathed. There was more she wanted to say, but the words caught in her throat.

"I miss you…"

Rei glanced sideways at her companion before gazing out toward the shadowed trees. "Don't. Please."

"I'm sorry."

Rei wondered exactly what that meant. Sorry for the words she'd just spoken or the past that sat solidly between them. Sorry for the pain she'd caused, the pain they'd caused each other. Rei was sorry too, but not enough to begin things again.

"It's late," Rei said at last. When silence followed, she looked over. Her hands were clasped loosely in her lap and her head was bowed in defeat. A part of Rei wanted to offer comfort. Take the girl into her arms just like she had so many times before. But too much had happened between them and things were different now.

"You loved me once," the girl said finally, a touch of defiance in her tone. "I know you did." Rei nodded; she could hardly deny it. Once she'd been willing to give up everything just for another moment together. She'd been willing to die for her and still would. But that didn't change what they were now. "Every time you touched me, I knew," the blonde continued. "Every time you kissed me I could feel it."

"I did love you." Rei turned away as she said it, unable to watch the fresh hurt that would come from the past tense.

"And now?"

Rei didn't say anything but her silence was answer enough.

"I'm not asking for you to come back to me." Rei could hear a hitch in her breathing and she desperately hoped there would be no tears. It would be too much. It already was. "We've both moved on," she continued, "and too much has happened. But…"

"But?" Rei replied quietly.

A hand landed lightly on her arm, stroking softly down to her fingers and back. Rei felt a shiver run through her but it wasn't pleasure. It was her senses warning her that there was danger here. That this was something she could not let happen.

"Just give me tonight."

Rei wanted to pull her arm away, but felt frozen in place. Emboldened, the blonde continued. "No one would have to know. I promise it would just be this once. I just want to feel you one more time."

Rei finally looked up to meet soft blue eyes. The hand on her arm tightened as the two leaned closer together. Their lips were a breath apart.

"I can't."

Rei pulled back at the last moment, slipping her arm back from unresisting fingers.

"Because of her?"

Rei nodded. "I love her. I can't do this to her."

The blonde nodded, standing from the bench to stare up at the sky. The moon was just coming out from behind a cloud and she smiled sadly as she watched it.

"There was a time when you would have done anything for me. No matter what I did to you or how I hurt you, you would have stayed." Their eyes met, both remembering another life. "You did stay. Until the very end."

"I'll always be there for you," Rei whispered. "You know that."

Blue eyes filled with tears but she turned away before they fell. "I know. And you'll always be my best friend."

Rei listened as she made her way along the cobbled path toward the shrine. After a moment, she started after. She stopped in the courtyard, standing in a pool of light, and watched the lone figure as she started down the stairs. She turned back for a moment, offering a sad smile, and then she was gone.

Rei sighed softly as she stared at the dark, empty arch.

"I'm sorry, Usagi."

She entered her bedroom as quietly as she could, but Minako still stirred. She rolled over and grinned sleepily at her. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to sleep outside tonight," she teased. Rei moved toward the bed and, as she passed the window, the moonlight illuminated her face. Minako's playful smirk was replaced with a concerned frown. She sat up, wordlessly holding her arms out. Rei let herself fall into the embrace. She placed a soft kiss against Minako's throat before resting her forehead against the curve of her neck.

"I love you," she whispered, slipping her arms around Minako's back to pull her closer.

"I love you, too," Minako replied softly. She ran her fingers soothingly through Rei's hair. "Is everything alright?"

Rei nodded, letting the warmth of Minako's love chase out the chill that Usagi had left. "It is now."