No one spoke. Zoisite wasn't even sure if anyone was breathing at this point. It had taken a solid three minutes for them to move from the doorway, only after Minako had assured everyone that they were only there to talk. However, as they moved into the living area, no one dared to sit or take their eyes off the opposite group.

Kunzite stood in front of his three friends, his eyes glued to the blonde haired woman who stood in front of her respected group. Their eyes didn't leave one another. Zoisite's eyes glided over each of the others. The only threat he perceived came from the Martian, Rei she was called. He eyes slid from one to the other, murderous intent obvious. They stayed the longest on Jadeite.

For his part, Jadeite kept his eyes straight ahead but avoided the worst of the looks with ease. Nephrite stood, arms crossed and a look of contempt matching Rei's spread across his face. Ami refused to look up, the guilt clearly written across her face.

Kunzite finally broke the silence, "Does he know?"

Confusion passed over the faces of four of the five guests.

"He? Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked, her eyes wide. "Why?"

"No," Ami answered, not looking up from the floor. "They haven't talked to him yet. I… I convinced them to come here first."

"Why?" Nephrite bit at her and Rei moved instinctively closer to Ami, her sharp glare landing on Nephrite. Nephrite ignored it, "We trusted you. Zoisite trusted you."

Ami winced. Nephrite knew exactly what game he was playing. She didn't, however, deny that they'd found out through him. Not immediately anyways. Nephrite wasn't finished.

"Were you that angry? Was what he did… you did that bad?"

"Nephrite," Zoisite started, but didn't have a chance to continue.

"What? She can't control her feelings so she runs off scared and decides to trash the whole thing. I told you, Zoisite. She couldn't be trusted."

"She didn't…" Makoto stepped up, her anger flaring in defense of her friend.

Ami's small hand hit her shoulder, "I did. It's like I told him. It was getting too hard to keep this life and that one separated. I realized that in this life I don't owe loyalty to anyone but my team. I realized that if Zoisite hadn't approached me first, I would have found him and immediately told the others. It was inevitable that we meet. I allowed myself to be sweet talked out of my duties. I ultimately realized that those weren't my own feelings. Honestly, he probably won you guys some time and a less violent introduction."

Zoisite stared at her for a long while, his heart slowly sinking. Her words had been equal parts protecting him and slicing through his feelings. She had said it in a way to make the fault less his. She'd have found him if he hadn't approached her. He may have made everything better by going about it this way. However, she had no loyalty, no feelings, and no care for him.

Zoisite moved his eyes to Kunzite, who had narrowed his own and was looking over the expressions of each of the girls. Having been so invested in Ami, Zoisite had missed the reactions of the other girls to her story. Kunzite, however, had seen something that struck his interested.

His eyes landed on Ami last, sizing her up for a second, "Is that so?"

His was easy and non-threatening and Ami raised her eyes to meet his, her look stern and sure as she nodded sharply.

Kunzite breathed deeply, "All we ask is that the Prince doesn't find out."

"I can't promise that," Usagi answered immediately.

"A month then," Nephrite stepped in, glancing towards Kunzite who nodded.

"A month," Kunzite repeated, "Give us one month. At least to bring him here. We aren't ready."

Usagi bit her lip then nodded, "A month before I bring him."

"What are your plans here?" Minako finally asked.

"To live," Kunzite told her, meeting her eyes once again.

-x-

They'd talked, bargained and explained for nearly two hours before the girls had finally left, leaving each man feeling drained. They each sat for the first time since the girl's entered the room, choosing whichever seat was closest.

"What now?" Jadeite sighed, speaking for the first time.

"America?" Nephrite suggested.

-x-

Ami jumped as the knock sounded from her door. She knew it was none of the girls. She thought it would be Zoisite, finally ready to face her after all that she'd said to him. However, when she opened the door her eyes met gray-blue instead of green.

"Kunzite!" she exclaimed. "How did you find me?"

"Hoping for someone else?" he asked gently, moving into the apartment as she left a small, unsure space. "It wasn't too hard. He surely could have if he'd tried."

Ami's face fell. She hadn't expected him to try. She'd picked her words carefully to cause the maximum amount of pain, to deter him from contacting her again.

"He thought about it," Kunzite revealed, standing in the center of the room as though he'd owned the place. Ami vaguely remember Kunzite always having that air about him. "However, your words last week seemed to have done the trick. That's what you were aiming for with that lie, wasn't it?"

Ami's eyes widened, "What lie?"

"You didn't tell them. Stop playing games. Maybe I don't know Ami but I know you're enough like Mercury that you would never go back on your word, especially to Zoisite. And, you'd never pick such painful sentences without a plan."

Ami deflated, "Did you tell them?"

"No, but I do what to know why," Kunzite stated. It sounded like he was almost asking but Ami knew it was more of a demand.

"I didn't want you guys to blame him anymore than you did, especially Nephrite. And, I didn't want him… It was better if… We need to stay away from one another and I couldn't think of another way for him."

"And for you?"

"It works for that as well. I couldn't face him if I tried."

"I never thought you were one to run from your problems," Kunzite told her, uncrossing his arms and starting towards the door. He'd gotten what he wanted. Only one last thing, "Then again, I didn't think we were the types to run from our problems either."

"Run…?" Ami started to question, but he ignored her and exited the apartment. She stared at the closed door for a few more seconds longer than she should have, the truth hitting her suddenly.

She grabbed her phone as she ran from the apartment, "Usagi, get Mamoru and the others. They're leaving. Meet me at their apartment."

-x-

They had left. Ami knocked on their door until a neighbor finally came out and told her that they and their friends across the hall had movers taking their stuff earlier that day. Usagi had contacted her father who told them that the writer for the business section, whose name had been Khalid they learned, had suddenly left earlier that week.

They sat the next day, after Ami had fruitlessly visited the flower shop only to be told by a teary eyed Sakura that Zachary had suddenly up and left with no explanation, in Rei's shrine. They hadn't discussed it the night before, instead opting to return home and regroup.

"You should have told me sooner, I could have stopped them," Mamoru sighed, shaking his head. "I had a right to know sooner."

Usagi hung her head, "They seemed so desperate."

"They didn't want to see you," Ami said flatly. "They were ashamed."

"They didn't need to…" he started to argue but Ami shook her head.

"That's why."

"I'm not going to miss them," Rei crossed her arms, turning her nose into the air. "I'm glad they're gone for the most part. Though, it'd be easier to know what they were up to if we knew where they were."

"Did they say anything to you that would suggest where?" Minako asked, not making a personal opinion on the matter.

Ami shrugged, "They liked American food. From the way Zoisite talked, Nephrite liked his home country more than the rest of them, except maybe Zoisite. But, Zoisite had nothing to be offered from Australia."

"America's a big place," Makoto sighed with a shake of her head. "We'd never find them, even if that weren't only a guess."

Sorry about the stupid long wait! Won't be as long for the next one. Not the direction I originally planned but the direction I like.