AN: I didn't forget Rei and Mina. :)

Rei sat cross-legged in front of the Sacred Fire. Her eyes watched the flames dance, as she meditate on them, not seeking for a vision at the moment, just meditating. Even before the priestess had ever learned that she was Sailor Mars, before she knew she had a past life as a princess and guardian, fire had always had a calming affect on her. She knew fire; she understood it; she respected it.

Many people saw fire as dangerous, and Rei knew that if it was not treated correctly it could be not only dangerous but deadly. However, she had never feared the flames. After all, fire was important to life, bringing warmth, light, and even protection; cooking food; and sterilizing medical equipment. For Rei, fire also brought peace and knowledge.

Except that now she could not find peace in the dancing tongues of flame.

Sighing in exasperation, the priestess stood from where she had sat for the last hour, and stretched.

"You didn't find the answers you were looking for?"

The familiar voice caused Rei to blink and turn. "Michiru!" She grinned seeing her older friend. "I didn't expect you to be home yet. Wait… why are you back early?"

"Sets suggested we might be helpful." She held up a hand before the young woman's anger could be directed at either her or Setsuana for "meddling". "Luna filled us in on what's going on. I thought perhaps you might want to talk. That's all, Rei. And I'll leave if that's what you want."

Rei shook her head and lead the other woman out of the fire room. "No. I… I guess it wouldn't hurt to talk about it." She sighed, "I was just about to get myself some tea, would you like some?"

"Please." Michiru smiled and took a seat when Rei lead her into the private kitchen that was a part of the residence of the temple.

Rei filled the kettle with water and then set it on the stove, turning on the burner. Instead of sitting at the table with Michiru afterwards, she moved about the kitchen, getting out the cups and tea bags, as well as the cream and sugar and some cookies. She knew she was trying to delay the conversation, but she also knew that she needed to talk to someone, and the girls – well, they understood too well.

Michiru did not interrupt Rei while she moved about the kitchen, though she found the delaying tactics quite amusing. Instead, she let the other woman do what she needed to do, waiting patiently.

Finally, the kettle whistled and Rei poured the water into the cups, and then brought the tray over to the table. The two continued in silence as they each selected a tea, and dropped it into the steaming water to steep.

After another moment of silence, Rei sighed. "I don't know what to do. I love Jay. And, yes, I realize that if I wish for Jadeite to come back, I won't be cheating on Jay, because he is Jadeite, but I love Jay now. I don't know if I could love the new Jay that he'd become. And I don't know if I could forgive him. Ever."

Michiru picked up a cookie and shrugged, "Then don't."

"It's not that easy." Rei sighed again, looking into her cup, watching the water become darker as the tea leaves steeped.

"Why not, Rei?"

Rei looked up, "Because if I can't get over this and bring him back, we'll lose Usagi and Mamoru. We'll never get Crystal Tokyo. And it will be all my fault."

Michiru raised an eyebrow, "That's quite a burden to have to carry, Rei. More than you should be carrying on your own."

"I'm just not sure I can sacrifice my happiness for the future like that, Michiru. I'm not sure I'm strong enough."

Michiru laughed and added a bit of cream to her tea after removing the bag, "Rei, you are stronger than you think." She held up her left hand as she stirred her tea, "I know. I know that you think that you just pretend to be strong to cover up the fear. And to some degree, that may be true. But, Rei, much more of your strength is real, much more than you give yourself credit for."

Rei smiled a bit, it always surprised her just how insightful Michiru truly was. "How can I be strong if I'm not even sure what it is that I'm afraid of though?"

The violinist smiled, "You know, when my memories came back, I wanted nothing more than to find Uranus. I wanted to find her even more than I wanted to find the Princess. And yet when I met Haruka, I hesitated. I didn't know if she would, eventually, remember everything that we were to each other. I was afraid that she would not want me in this life, afraid she might like boys." Michiru winked to Rei. "And I was afraid that if she were attracted to me, that maybe it wouldn't work out between us."

Michiru took a sip of her tea after blowing across it. "Haruka actually asked me out before I could even begin to explain to her who I was or who she was. And when her memories returned she kissed me and told me that she did not care about our past, though it was good. She told me that she wanted to get to know me, that she wanted to fall in love with me all over again."

"But the past... I mean. Surely it matters."

The slightly older woman nodded, "It does. But Haruka and I would be together even without that."

"What if I cannot choose that?"

Michiru smiled, "Then you need to be honest with Jay."

Rei blinked, "What? Tell him that I don't love him because in a past life, the part of him that's not him killed me?"

"I don't think I'd put it like that. No. Rei, do you truly love Jay?"

She nodded, miserably. "I do."

"Do you fear he'll abandon you? That he'll hurt you?"

She shook her head, "No. I mean, sometimes I get paranoid that he'll leave me. But, no, I know he won't. Not unless I tell him to. And even then, he'd fight."

"Then when you're ready, make the decision that your heart tells you is right. There's no rush, Rei." She grinned to her, "Haruka and I will make sure that no one hurts the prince and princess in the meantime. Just remember, the future is not set in stone. We can still change it, even if you really can't ever make that choice."

"Thank you, Michi."

Michiru smiled, "It's the least we can do, Rei."

Rei blinked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean that we carry our own guilt. If we had gotten there just a few moments earlier…" She sighed and shook her head slightly, "maybe things would have been different."

Haruka knew that she should have argued better with Michiru. All of the Inner Scouts, including Usgai, were like little sisters to her. However, that did not mean that race car driver, the woman who only wore a skirt in her uniform, wanted to spend the day being dragged from store to store with Minako. She rubbed at her temple as Minako ducked into yet another changing room to try on dresses.

Before being dragged on this expedition, Haruka had tried to reason with the blonde, "Mina, you're a designer. Don't you make your own clothes? Why do we need to go shopping?"

"Because it's fun! And besides, I cannot make everything I wear. I'd never have time to design clothes for everyone else. And! Its good research."

Haruka was definitely going to make her own lady-love pay for this.

"Ok, Haruka. Be honest! What do you think of this outfit on me?" Minako stepped out of the dressing room and twirled around, modeling the mid-thigh length checkered skirt and the burnt orange sweeter with a deep-v neckline.

"It looks beautiful, Minako. Just like every other outfit that you've paraded out in. They all look beautiful. You're gorgeous."

Minako sighed, "You take all the fun out of shopping, Haruka." She rolled her eyes, "Let me get changed, and we can go get coffee. By the way, you're worse to shop with then Ami."

That caught Haruka to laugh, bringing a stern expression to the younger woman's face. "Hmph!" Haruka only laughed harder as Minako stormed back into the changing room and slammed the door.

After a few moments, Minako came out, all trace of huffiness gone, and hung up the remaining outfits, "All right coffee. Though since you ruined my afternoon of shopping, you're paying."

Haruka held up her hands in surrender, "Fair enough."

They left the store and headed down to the corner coffee shop. "So… what do you think I should do?"

Haruka blinked, forgetting just how quickly Minako could get to a point when she decided to. "What do you want to do?"

Minako sighed, "I'm asking for tactical advice here, Haruka. I realize that I have no authority over you, but I would appreciate your assessment of the situation."

Haruka raised an eyebrow, "Tactically? You want my advice from a tactical view point?" She shrugged, "All right. The Shitennou are good fighters, they would make good allies again, if you're sure that they would be allies."

"Do you think they would be allies?"

"I think that when we found out who it was that had killed you, we were all in shock. I remember how dedicated they each were. I also know that we've had other allies who were turned against their will, and that when they were released, each of them managed to be free to be themselves. But I also think that you knew all of that, and that that is not at all what you really wanted to know."

Minako sighed as they entered the coffee shop. She did not say anything more about the subject until they had gotten their coffees and sat down, "Why were you shocked?"

"Because they loved each of you as deeply as I love and loved Michiru. But you're not overly concerned about the other Shitennou right now, are you? When I first heard that Kunzite was trying to court you, I was pissed. I did not want you to get hurt. Despite Michiru's warnings, I challenged him to a duel. It was a draw, but afterwards I informed him that if he ever hurt you, the next time it would not be a draw."

Haruka grinned, "I watched closely, and it became very obvious to me – and to everyone – that he loved you. It was amusing to watch when he'd try to protect you and even more amusing to see you remind him that you were not some dainty woman who needed to be protected, that you were his equal. And it was amusing to know exactly where every one of those arguments would wind up being settled."

Minako blushed, "I don't remember any of it. I remember bits and pieces. I remember being in love. And I remember the last few minutes."

"And Kevin?"

"I love him. I'm just not sure… I'm not sure its true love."

Haruka raised her eyebrow and looked to the young woman, speaking softly enough to make sure that no one overheard them, "Aren't you the Senshi of Love, Minako? If there is anyone who should know whether or not they are truly in love, it should be you."

Minako sighed, "I'm not sure I'm allowed true love."

Haruka rolled her eyes, "That's ridiculous, Mina. I've heard you talk of this curse before, and honestly, the only reason that it would be true, is if you let it be. And I know you, so I really do not think that there is any danger of that, do you?"

"Ok. Then. I… even before this happened, yes, I thought something was missing. But I was ok with it. I knew I could love him if I just gave him a chance. And now he's… him. I mean, what is missing, I can restore it. And I want to. But isn't trust a part of love? And I'm not entirely sure that I could trust him." She sighed.

"Why not, Minako?"

"He ran his sword through my abdomen!"

"Even with everything you know?"

"Love is supposed to conquer all!"

Haruka smirked, "Minako? What is it you don't trust? Kunzite? or Love?"

Minako glowered, "Its supposed to conquer all! It should have been enough to save him! It should have been enough to keep him from giving into her! Why wasn't it enough?!"

Haruka sighed, "Maybe it was, Mina. Maybe it just lost temporarily."

Mina sighed, "Maybe."