Well the move went well, but I'm so tired... Anywho, here's the next chapter! With some hints towards future parts. *evil laugh* Enjoy!

13 – Comfort of a Sort

"Usagi-chan…" A soft knock and her mother's voice got the girl to sit up a little bit. Exhaustion, mental and physical, seemed to bleed from every part of her body. Still, when her mother called, she would respond without a thought. "You have a visitor."

Sighing to herself for a moment, Usagi forced herself into a sitting position. Her head hurt from crying and she was a mess, but really, she was a bit done being alone. The girls didn't want to leave her the previous night, but she still needed some time to think about things. Too bad her thoughts stopped the moment she started crying. Now she just wanted to stop crying. "Minako-chan?"

"Not this time." The door opened and she gasped slightly. Her mother let in someone she never thought would come to her. Kongou-sensei walked slowly in with a soft smile. "Mind if I come in Usagi-kun?"

A little embarrassed that her favorite teacher saw her in such a state, let alone in her bedroom, she started to fuss over herself. "Kongou-sensei! What… What are you doing here?"

He chuckled softly. "One of my favorite students didn't show up to school today," he said quietly. "And after the state I found her in yesterday, I had to be certain she was still alive. How are you doing?"

Embarrassed, she peeked up at him. "A… a little better. I probably shouldn't have skipped class today. But I was so exhausted after last night, I couldn't bring myself out of bed. Did I miss anything important?"

"Two tests and a lab." Her face lost all the color that had absorbed her face earlier. That would put all her efforts to a C average down the drain. Kongou-sensei chuckled lightly. "It won't count against you. Your mother called ahead and told us you weren't feeling well. You'll be able to make it up easily if you return to class soon."

"I see…"

"I brought your missed homework," he added, "plus todays notes from my class for you to get a head start."

"Ah… thank you Kongou-sensei." Color returned to her cheeks, her eyes going to the floor. Her teacher was so nice. She never had one quite like him before. He set a stack of papers on her vanity before spotting something on the floor near her bed.

"Are those the same pictures that upset you the other day?"

Usagi froze for a moment before nodding. Clumsily she gathered them back up and shoved them under her pillow for safe keeping. "I really shouldn't bother you with silly pictures Kongou-sensei. They'll only rot your brain and steal your soul."

"Then you should put them and whoever is in them out of your mind," he counseled her wisely. "Whoever it was that made you cry is not worth another thought."

Slowly she nodded, but still thought the idea was difficult to do. Mamochan was a hard man to forget. "I will do my best to sensei."

"Usagi-chan." She looked up to the door again to see her mother waiting. She had a smile on her face as she gestured down stairs. "You have quite a few guests today. Minako-chan and the rest, along with a new girl, a Sayuri-chan I believe. Naru-chan is here too. Should I send them up or do you want to meet them all down stairs?"

There was an edge to her voice that told her daughter that on no certain terms was she to send her friends packing. Embarrassed, Usagi got off her bed and headed towards the door. "I better meet them down stairs. Kongou-sensei."

"Hm?" The man smiled patiently as she bowed to him formally.

"Thank you so much for stopping by today. I will do my best to return to school tomorrow. Please excuse my rudeness for leaving first."

"Thank you for allowing me the visit." He bowed in return and followed her out of her bedroom door. Usagi took a few deep breaths before meeting her friends downstairs and trying to follow her teacher's advice. She shouldn't think any more about Chiba Mamoru. She had a life to live and she was going to live it. And she had friends, lots of them. They were supporting her all the way.

And for pity's sake, she was Sailor Moon! She could take down Mamoru any day she wanted, once she found that guy again. They'd fight, they'd talk, and maybe they'd fix things. She saw the future before. He may still be in it.

(+)

There was dancing.

He was dancing, with the most beautiful woman he'd ever known. The princess before him moved with a grace alien to the world, and dazzled the Earth with all the glory of the moon. He never wanted to let go of her delicate hand, but a noise in the bushes caught his attention almost immediately. Instantly he held his princess close to his chest, protecting her from whatever was among his roses. No one was supposed to be there. "Who goes there?!"

There were snickers and growls and a few curses, but no one came out. Glaring at the offending brush, he mentally cursed at himself for not keeping his sword on for his rendezvous with his princess. His generals were right; he left his guard down far too often. Drawing on the power of the land, he made the bushes part, revealing four women in a variety of colored uniforms. His princess gasped, recognizing them instantly. Her guards. Red faced, the one in blue started apologizing. The others were blushing, but didn't bother feeling guilty for snooping.

"You just had to try and get closer," the one in red chided the orange one. She didn't hide her sheepish grin back at her friend.

"It was getting good too," the tall one in green murmured, sighing dramatically.

"It would have been better if they did more than just dance," the orange one piped in, casting her princess a mischievous smirk. Both he and his princess tensed at that statement. Their secret rendezvous were mostly hidden from their guards after all. They just felt like dancing this time in the open air. The gardens were just too beautiful to not enjoy. Other things could happen later in another place. Or so they thought until these people came up.

"What are you doing here?" His princess parted from him, glaring at her friends, or attempting to. Her face wasn't made for glaring fiercely. "I thought I told you to-"

"Your mother, the Queen, would have our heads if anything happened to you Serenity." The one in red scoffed, looking back to him. She didn't fully trust him; then again, she didn't fully trust anyone but her teammates and those she swore loyalty to. "And in strange lands, we need to be twice as vigilant."

"How cruel Lady Mars." A male voice came out from around the corner, revealing himself as he started to tease her. "Do you really think we'd let anything happen to your precious princess while with our prince? Do you really think we're that unobservant?"

"Jadeite…" He turned on the soldier who was his age. The cheeky man shrugged, his blue eyes dancing in amusement as he watched the fiery female. He didn't reveal through them where his comrades were hiding, but they had to be around. "How long have you been there?"

He only gave him a cheeky smile before returning to his verbal sparring match with his favorite senshi. With a sigh, the prince looked around to other possible hiding places. "Alright guys! Get out here!"

A few chuckles came from trees and bushes, surrounding them. The girls looked around in alarm as three more men came out of the wood work, along with two young boys who really should be asleep. Their father was probably looking for them right then. While his guards made their presence known with grace, the two imps ran up to him and started hanging on his arms, giggling.

"You found us!" They coursed together, giggling madly. Shaking his head, the prince knelt before them to try and get straight answers. The others knew the best way to get him not mad at them was to send these two up first. Their childlike charm was enough to make him calm down for a few minutes at least.

"What are you two doing out so late? And in the bushes of all things…" He cast his silver haired general an annoyed glare but the man wisely kept his face placid. Kunzite always knew what he was doing, and he would use every tool at his disposal to attain his goals.

"We aren't tired!" The younger boy said quickly. He couldn't be much older than five, flaxen hair a mess and golden cat-like eyes staring up to him in earnest. His brother was only two years older with hair only a shade lighter than his own. He was just as energetic as his brother. "But Daddy wants to put is in bed."

"Kunzite said we could stay up and watch you and the pretty princess if we were quiet," the older one stated, giving way the general's ploy. "He also said if you two started face battling we were supposed to save you."

"Face battling?"

Both of his other two generals held back snickers. It was the younger one, Tanzanite, with sparkling green eyes and light brown, almost blond, hair who spoke. "Kissing milord."

"Kissing's icky," the younger boy stated. "Face battling's more fun!"

"Nephrite did it to Jupiter," the elder stated, pointing to the brunette then to the woman in green. Both turned red, all the girls' attention on the often competitive warrior. "They were wrestling too. Right over-"

"Okay, that's enough out of you." Faster than they could blink, Nephrite picked up the young brunette and propped him on his hip. "It really is time for you to get to bed."

"But I don't wanna-"

"Prince Endymion will tuck you and your brother in." Kunzite's voice cut them all off with a finality they could not argue with. No one dared. He was the oldest there and knew best. The rendezvous was over. These little ones wouldn't go to bed and leave them alone unless their prince led them there, and no one was really going to let the secret royal couple meet alone, at least that night. Kunzite bowed to the women there, polite and formal as ever when needed. "If you will excuse us ladies, these young ones need their rest."

"We're not tired!"

"Silva…" The prince, himself, Endymion, carefully picked up the younger one still on his arm and propped him on his hip. Almost immediately the kid stared to rub his eyes, weariness of the day finally coming to roost. "You need your rest. Your father Animus would not be happy if you two are found wandering because of us. Our lessons, and yours, will forbid any play tomorrow, if you do not sleep. Am I clear? Silva? Otium?"

Both boys pouted cutely, but nodded. Endymion looked once to Serenity, catching her adoring and affectionate smile, already knowing her thoughts. The future lay before them and they had time to make a family of their own. When they did, he prayed he was as good a father as he was a surrogate older brother. He prayed she would always look at him like she did now, and smiled at her in return. "I'm afraid I must take my leave your highness. I pray you have a safe journey home, Serenity."

"As I wish you a good rest, my prince Endymion." She curtsied to him, blushing beautifully, before turning back to her guards and starting to leave the garden. They themselves started towards the palace, preparing for a night's sleep.

"Bye bye moon princess!" Little Silva waved to the girls leaving, getting a chuckle from the people around them. He didn't even make it to the steps before falling asleep, his brother Otium didn't fare much better. Endymion sighed before looking at his guard again.

"Did you have to interrupt us?"

"We did nothing of the sort," Kunzite reminded him, getting a series of snickers from the men around him. "If you recall, it was her highness' ladies who alerted you to watchers, not us."

"But you were going to send these two in if we did more than speak and dance." It was a predictable tactic. No seduction can take place when two energetic children are in the room demanding your attention. One alone would ruin the situation.

"It was a possibility, sire." At least his most trusted adviser wasn't insulting his intelligence. "Should one of us have been distracted, they would perform our duty."

"Distracted eh?" He cast a cursory look towards Jadeite who always loved arguing with Lady Mars whenever she was around. Tanzanite was usually enjoying a debate with the one in blue, and they all heard how Nephrite was with Lady Jupiter. He had his own suspicions about Kunzite and the one in orange, though they were usually quite professional in his presence. "May you be distracted forever then when Serenity is here."

"And who will suffer the most if those outside our group learn of your encounters?" That made his heart stop as Kunzite reminded him of what was at stake. "King Aethlius will not be pleased and there are many others who are against any relation with those beyond our world. There is enough hatred following decisions of the higher courts as is. I believe a reminder of what is at stake is necessary every now and again.

"When you are king, much will be allowed to change," he went on, "but only so far as the people allow. Be careful in your choices my prince."

He held onto Silva a little tighter as the weight of the future returned to him. With Serenity he felt light. Without her, the weight returned along with his duty. She understood that, and wanted to support him, but truly, would he be allowed to? The weight of the entire planet rested on his shoulders, and the lives before him needed him to make the right choices.

He could only pray he made the right ones.

(+)

Ren opened his eyes after his dream and was greeted by the night. His head felt a lot better now and he was really thirsty, but he felt as if a large weight was taken off of his head. Slowly he struggled out of the blankets wrapped around him and pushed himself out from among them to satisfy his needs. The balcony curtains were open and moonlight filled the room so it was really easy to see and walk around. He could even see Marian curled up like a cat on the other end of the couch, likely exhausted after a full thirty-six hours watching him. She was a surprisingly heavy sleeper and didn't even stir when he managed to get out of his cocoon and onto the floor.

Silently he walked around the apartment, visiting the toilet and washing up a little to get rid of the sweaty feeling on his skin, before heading to the kitchen to find something easy to eat. He could see the roses from the day before gathered up and put into a basket, and not one of them had withered away. He picked up one for a moment, remembering his dream from his past life and the rose garden he took his love to.

Serenity.

Her name was Serenity in this world, not Selene. That was why the name didn't ring a bell before. And Serenity was Usako now. That was why he remembered her dying and coming back in different clothes before. She was a moon princess, just like Silva said…

Silva? Putting the rose down, Ren mentally wrestled with the memory and what he knew of the past already. 'Those two kids… I've never seen them before in my memories. I only remembered Kunzite and the rest. Well, it kind of makes sense. I mean, that memory couldn't have been long before we died, and they were pretty young. I guess I wouldn't have a lot of memories with Otium and Silva. But their father...'

He remembered their father. Animus was their teacher and he made certain they learned highly advanced moves. He was strict and sometimes cold, but he was fair to everyone and had a soft spot for his boys. He also had a soft spot for justice and wouldn't punish them for defending others. Ren couldn't remember who his wife was though, and he had a feeling Endymion didn't know her either. Why was now the time he remembered two cute little kids?

For a brief moment another kid came into his mind, a young girl with pink hair and the sunniest smile he'd ever seen. Just the vague memory of this girl filled his heart with warmth he couldn't imagine, making him smile. He knew then and there he loved kids, but this little girl would always be special to him. Already he knew that the only way to see her again was to find Usako.

He'd find those three again, but the girl was the top priority. The boys were from his past, but he knew the girl was he future. He would get it all back. He swore it on the moon.

A/N: I worked forever on that dream sequence, and I kept moving it around too. A few character notes: King Aethlius really is Endymion's father in Green Mythology. Animus, Otium, and Silva are of my own invention, and all names are Latin for Understanding, Peace, and Wealth (crops and production specifically) respectfully. I wanted prosperity but I didn't like the word i was given so I went with Silva. They're for the next story, or at least the kids are. they're rather an unusual pair... Face battling instead of kissing is something my friend told me about off of a meme. I thought it'd be fun to use for young boys. I really like the idea of the Shitennou hooking up with the scouts, and something will be done with them later. We are in the earth's court after all. ;] And Ren is remembering Chibi-Usa! progress!

And with Usagi... well I think the scene explains itself. Anyone care to take a gander as to what's going on with Kongou-sensei? Do share. And DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! :D