Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife

Chapter Sixty-Nine

"Today, June 20th, the weather forecast for Tokyo remains in unstable numbers. The government has declared a state of alarm as temperatures remain below seasonal normal with increasing winds coming throughout the west bringing heavy clouds. Unlikely changes are expected to happen in the next few hours with thunderstorms and heavy rain in the areas of—"

"It is a windy, rather strange day out today in Tokyo with temperatures dropping five more digits in the scale of—"

"In other related news, the strange climatic phenomena have been increasing in force and manifesting in a series of strong earthquakes and floods in Europe and America including strong hurricanes and wildlife fires in other places around the world. The Department of Meteorology along with the UN has released a statement alerting the citizens to take the necessary measures for safety and in some cases, total evacuation of their homes."

"Below temperatures are expected to happen in the next few days so please—"

"Take your precautions—"

"—Take your precautions—"

"—Take your precautions—"

"Take extreme precaution."

Megumi sighed heavily as she continued to change the channels on the television in the living room but quickly grew tired and also mortified to see all the news talked about was about the crazy change of weather or the strange events that probably involved the now well-known and much talked about topic of the actual evidence that proved cosmic monarchy existed with further evidence Casanova Akira has continued showing to the media in attempts to reach more people to understand the situation happening around the globe. It had started, people were beginning to notice there was something strange—something beyond common belief. The young maiden let out a frustrated grunt as she pressed the button on the remote to turn the television off and walked to the window to look outside. True, the weather was strange, despite she hadn't been enough in this time to tell, she knew this wasn't what a normal standard for temperatures should be in a city like Tokyo, it was more than logic to her that being at 40 F was not normal for a warm and cozy month like June.

The young maiden had tried to keep her calm about the whole situation but after the conversation with Kunzite the night before, she couldn't stop thinking about the prince's magnificent story and how he, a man of science, was also so linked to the fantasy of a divine heritage. Since the very first moment she met him more than two thousand years ago, she always felt he was different from the rest, that he was not a normal prince in a way that he always put his duty as soldier first then his royal title and crown but there was also something else, something that bloomed from within. Beyond the obvious magic in his eyes and his imposing presence, there was something else that always made her look at him differently; maybe the way he spoke or how his points of view always challenged the archaic thinking and ideals from the court. Prince Endymion always had a different perspective, he always saw far beyond and excelled in everything he set his mind into because of it. It was like he could read everyone's soul, like if he could hear their prayers—hers included; despite being authoritative he was compassionate and despite being hermetic and stoic, he was unselfish and kind.

Megumi turned to look over her shoulder at the bedroom door closed at the end of the hallway and exhaled with worry for the lunar princess. After Kunzite left, she went back to bed with a very well-practiced smile and a promise that she was alright; Megumi knew well she wasn't and no matter how much she tried to convince her friends, she could feel the sorrow in her heart and the rage for having being ripped from the arms of her beloved. She heard her muffled and desperate sobs questioning their fate, and the gods' undying wish to crush their dreams in the middle of the night; she heard her calling her husband's name over and over again with hopes of creating some sort of connection with him. Megumi knew there was something else crushing Serenity's spirit that no matter how much she tried to stand strong, it was there, like a splinter deep in her heart torturing her and making her ache, a splinter only the prince would know how to remove.

Minutes later she watched her walking out of the bedroom wearing a long royal blue maxi dress with thin straps and a v neckline, barefoot, makeup-free and with her long and sleek platinum hair down as she was opting to wear it lately—if only her husband could see her, she thought. Megumi looked at her in awe realizing it was very rare to see the sweet princess wearing a bold color like that that only enhanced her pale, porcelain skin and her moonbeam hair; Megumi noticed Serenity was wearing the terran queen's golden pendant and felt a nostalgic flair in the way she looked, it was almost as she was paying homage to the royals of Earth. The princess joined her at the living room and sighed softly when she looked out at the window and the cloudy sky and sighed softly, "It misses him,"

The maiden blinked and turned her head to look at the regal princess. Serenity placed her warm hand on the cool window and watched how it a small foggy cloud form around it, "Earth is missing its guardian... I miss my guardian... my scrappy lion," she closed her eyes, "She does too..." her brows furrowed in frustration, "She feels it too... this pain, this pungent, heartbreaking pain, since they took him away from her too..."

"Princess?" Megumi asked confused, Serenity leaned her arm on the cold window and opened her icy blue eyes, "I saw her... Queen Gaia. I saw her in a dream, days after my return from Inferno and she told me... she told me... that they had taken her beloved King."

"Queen Gaia..." Megumi's eyes widened with surprise, "Y-You spoke to her, Your Highness?"

Serenity nodded and looked up at the sky, "She and Endymion... they're so much alike. There is a quality in their personality that makes them stand out I am very sure from everyone in the galaxy, if not the universe. They are both strong, beautiful and so regal... and also, so awfully stubborn." She frowned and shook her head showing her slight annoyance and quickly let it go with a soft sigh, "They were forced to live up the expectations of their dynasty but unlike Endymion, the Queen didn't want to fight, not the way she was expected to do it. She didn't want to keep fighting for others but herself. With Endymion, all he wanted was to become strong to fight for those that couldn't, so they could live in peace without really caring for his own well-being." She frowned, "I now know how he must have felt all these years every time I risked my life as Sailor Moon to protect and save others and he couldn't do much about it, how he couldn't stop me from doing it—stop me from going away from him. This hole in the pit of your stomach... this impotence, this..." she shook her head and took a deep breath, "When I threw myself into Pharaoh 90 and he watched me fall without an opportunity to do something to prevent it, this is what he must have felt... when he didn't see me come back." The princess let out a choked sigh, "Queen Gaia suffers for her beloved too... she's in pain and what's worse, she can't fight anymore." She turned to look at Megumi with tears in her eyes, "I can fight... but this is the first time in all my time being a sailor senshi, that I don't know how... I don't know what to do..." her voice started to quiver, "Hell is so deep Megumi... it's so dense..." her eyes narrowed, not minding her tears anymore, "You lose yourself in its ambiance... you wish to die over and over again so you don't have to feel any pain. I'm in hell Megumi..." she looked down at the golden pendant hanging from her neck and held it tight, "But my desire to be with him is far much greater than my wish to die."

Megumi took a step closer and cupped the princess' face in her hands and leaned closer to kiss her tears, taking Serenity completely by surprise by her motherly and protective gesture. The maiden drew back but her hands remained in place, "You have a deep wound in your heart, a wound only my Prince can heal," she looked into the princess' icy blue eyes with determination, "But it is like you said, your desire to be with him is far stronger and I am more than certain that he thinks the same, he will not give up, he will return to you because you two belong to one another..." she gave her a warm smile, "I promise you, Princess, that once my Prince returns, you will have him all to yourself."

The more time she spent with Megumi the more she loved her, the more she admired her. Unlike them, Megumi had no cosmic or divine blessing, but she was without a doubt one of the strongest women she has ever had the pleasure and honor to meet because she has faced true horror and she was still standing with a brave heart and an unfaltering loyalty to them despite her own limitations. While neither the shitennou or senshi had left her side during these difficult times, it was Megumi who courageously had taken Endymion's place and became the anchor that kept her with her feet on the ground. Serenity sniffled and caressed the maiden's cheek and cracked a sad chuckle, "That would be terribly selfish of me..."

"No, it would be a wife spending quality time with her husband." Megumi frowned, "Princess, you need to stop feeling guilty for wanting him to be with you. Even him, with all that unbreakable sense of responsibility and duty you have mentioned he has, he values his time with you more than anything—every minute with you is sacred to him, untouchable—un-negotiable. And I know for certain that it is something he secretly likes—for you to want him only for you, to be this protective of him. I am sure he will make up for it once he returns." She pulled her sleeve to dry the princess' tears with it and shook her head, "I remember the many times I had to come up with lies and alibis to justify His Highness' absence at dinner time because you had come to visit him. He could spend more than a day without seeing Her Majesty but he could not stay one second without seeing you." The comment made Serenity blinked with surprise and tainted her cheeks with a sweet rosy blush, "Really?"

"Oh, if you only knew, Your Highness..." Megumi sighed softly; Serenity cupped the maiden's cheek lovingly, "You are doing it again, pulling me back from the ground and shake the gloominess off my spirit."

"As many times necessary, Princess." Megumi smiled, "For as long as you allow me,"

Serenity pinched her nose, the same way Endymion would pinch hers after having a comforting conversation and tilted her head with a hint of curiosity in her crystal blue eyes, "Is there any tea?"

"Of course," the question lightened the mood between them and made Megumi smile. She walked to the kitchen to take the mugs she was sure the princess wanted her to use and put boiling water "A special blend, in particular, Your Highness?"

"No... I'll leave it to you," Serenity said as she let out a long exhale and walked to the living room to claim her usual seat on the sofa with her legs propped up to her chest and leaned closer to grab the black mug Megumi was offering her, the same one she had been using ever since she returned home—his, "Thank you,"

Megumi put the white cup on the table to let the tea simmer a little longer and turned to the princess with a soft, nostalgic smile, "Lady Jupiter left some special blends the other day, I thought, since you are looking like a true terran royal, rose tea was the most appropriate, after all, it was Her Majesty's favorite. I think it is a lovely way to honor her memory."

Serenity blinked, "Terran royal?"

Megumi nodded, "The deep blue gown... the pendant... you remind me so much of Queen Gaia." She smiled and leaned her back in the sofa's armrest "She always wore these astonishing gowns in very rich colors—blue was her favorite—and she wore it very often... from velour to silk, to gauze, to chiffon... so elegant and poised."

"Queen Gaia..." Serenity leaned to put her mug on the side table and tilted her head, "I imagine you got to assist her?" Megumi quickly shook her head, "Oh no, no, no. Lady Aurea did. She was her personal maid and closest friend—her confidant. She was the only one, besides the royal family, who called Her Majesty by her name. We all thought it was a very bold approach because well, one must never address royalty without acknowledging their title... but she did, and she did the same with His Highness." She chuckled, "It was actually the other way around, whenever Lady Aurea called the Prince by his title it was because she was mad about something and she was ready to give him some serious scolding."

"Aurea..." Serenity widened her eyes and tilted her head with curiosity, "Was she strict?"

"Very," Megumi nodded and leaned to take a sip of her tea, "But..." she put her mug down again and turned to the princess with a soft smile gracing her thin lips, "It was expected her to be. She was, after all, the one that took care of everything around the palace. Lady Aurea supervised everything with close detail. She had to make sure everything went smoothly, but deep down, she was very kind-hearted and she cared for the royal family very much. Her character was rough, sharp—a little too blunt at times, but she always treated everyone with respect."

"I think I remember her..." Serenity leaned her chin on her bent knees, "The day Endymion took me to meet the Queen, she was there... she was introduced as his godmother,"

"Yes," Megumi nodded, "She and Lord Leonidas were Prince Endymion's godparents." She smiled, "Lady Aurea started as a maid at the palace. I am not sure if she started in the kitchen as I did, but, after so many years, she married the King's right hand and advisor—General Leonidas. Then, she gained her noble title as Lady, but she never resigned her position to assist Queen Gaia, nor Her Majesty wanted her to leave her side."

Serenity looked at the maiden with undying curiosity, "What was it like, Megumi, to live in Elysion? What was it like to live in the terran palace?"

Megumi blinked a little startled by the princess' question but then let herself be taken down memory lane, "A dream. Elysion was a beautiful land full of greenery, lakes, and rivulets. The palace..." she let out a dreamy sigh, "It was a beautiful place, so full of greenery. There were roses everywhere, all colors... pink, red, yellow, white... it was magical. Life at the palace was calm with the exception of the west wing, which is where King Eros and Prince Endymion spent most of their time meeting people from all over the world. Her Majesty, Queen Narella—our Mother Queen, well, she was something else." She chuckled lightly, "She loved social gatherings and she was always planning the next luncheon, tea party, or ball. It was a little harder to please her, but she never looked at anyone like she was anyone's superior. I can speak for everyone that worked there that no one felt mistreated by the royal family; they were very inclusive and respectful but, I can say I was very fortunate to be trusted enough to serve Prince Endymion on a daily basis."

"Was he strict?"

"Very,"

"Really?"

Megumi chuckled, "Is he not already?"

Serenity blinked, "Well... he is... but..." she blushed, "He is married to me and I am a lot to handle. He has learned to loosen up a little bit... I think?"

Megumi smiled, "Prince Endymion was very specific with how he wanted things done, that is where his strict behavior rooted. Privacy and organization had to be handled with impeccable hermeticism. Before I was assigned to be his personal maid, he had another person assisting him—as protocol required, it was a maior domus, but, for what I learned from Lady Aurea, he did not feel comfortable mostly because he was used to doing things by himself. He did not like being assisted on things like getting dressed or polishing his boots while he is there getting ready for a meeting, also, because I believe he caught him reading his paperwork once."

"Oh..."

"Yes," Megumi nodded with a chuckle bubbling out, "Oh, indeed."

"Was this person fired?"

"Replaced with immediate action and was put under serious supervision by the Shitennou for some reasonable time—I remember clearly, Lord Zoisite was in charge of this matter. Then I came along."

"Wow," Serenity blinked "And the King and Queen?" She hugged her legs with genuine interest and wonder, "Were they good to you too?"

"The best," Megumi answered simply with a warm smile on her face, "One could truly see the love flowing between Their Majesties. I may not be the best to speak about the King and Queen because I did not get to have much contact with them, but they were very much loved and respected by everyone. They never treated us like servitude, they always asked everything with politeness and respect... it was truly an honor to work for the royal family."

"And the people?"

"People from all around the world traveled to meet with them," Megumi smiled, "The royal family had a tradition to have public audiences as a way to fortify their unity as a nation. They listened to their troubles concerning different matters—health care, economy, employment, security... they listened to it all and they also received countless gifts."

This piece of information caught Serenity's attention; she remembered faintly listening to the prince talking about this once but she didn't really understand how it actually worked. In her world, they didn't do anything remotely close to this, all arrangements and negotiations were made directly with other gods, not with the people. She knew there were inhabitants on the Moon and while it wasn't a big nation, like Earth or any other planet, for that matter, she knew the Moon Kingdom had valuable riches and power. But this, knowing that the royals on Earth actually took time to listen to their people really woke something in her and she wanted to know more—she wanted to learn such valuable principles of humbleness.

"How often did they do this?"

"Once or twice a month. I believe it was a rule King Eros proposed to His Majesty, King Odell, when he was still a Prince. Lady Aurea explained this to me before I started working at the palace since I was going to be needed whenever Prince Endymion had to be present, in case he needed something."

"And were they constant?"

"Oh yes. It was of great importance to them—they took these audiences very seriously. For what I learned, it was a proposal from Queen Gaia herself, before she even married the King and it worked—and later on, when they took the throne as King and Queen, they continued the tradition with Prince Endymion following their legacy. With time and as Her Majesty's health weakened, she stepped aside and let the King and Prince, along with the Shitennou continue with the public audiences."

"They were truly honorary leaders and protectors of the world." Serenity said with admiration, "How marvelous."

"They were royals and they had riches and luxuries no one else had, true, but they listened to their people's needs." Megumi sighed with sadness, "That is why it was so strange when war sprouted with such madness and anger." She closed her eyes, trying to fight her tears, "That night... I did not get to see them before Lady Beryl attacked... it all happened so quickly..."

"War really wasn't a common problem,"

Megumi shook her head and sighed again, "I knew there were disagreements and cults of rebellion against the Monarchy, but... what happened and how it happened... no... it was not normal and it was not fair." Then, the princess' previous words resonated in her mind; she looked up at her with amazement in her chocolate brown eyes and blinked, "Did you really see her, Her Majesty?"

Serenity simply nodded, Megumi frowned, clearly trying to understand this new piece of information "H-How...? When?"

"In a dream... a very lucid dream, a couple of days ago." Serenity leaned back, "She mentioned the King had been taken from her but I didn't understand what she meant..." she turned to look away, "It didn't make sense to me until I heard Kunzite's confession."

"Does it mean she is alive as well?" Megumi leaned closer to the princess with a mix of hope and shock in her chocolate eyes, Serenity shook her head "I don't believe she is Megumi, I think... she was an illusion—stardust, the most beautiful kind." She looked down at the golden stone of her pendant "Similar to that time I went to the Moon and spoke to my mother, the Queen. It's like the stone had some of her power left and it reacted to me somehow."

Megumi was completely engaged in the princess' story when they suddenly heard a soft knock on the door; both women turned, Serenity frowned "Who could that be?"

"Maybe Lady Venus, or Lord Kunzite..."

"If it was any of them, they would have just walked in... they know that by now,"

"You know they are very respectful of your space," Megumi smiled softly, "I will go, Princess,"

Megumi stood up and quickly went to open the door, the second her gaze locked with one of the visitors made her blood run cold in her veins. She stayed quiet for a minute, still processing and thinking the right words to say; inside the apartment, Serenity was taking a longer sip of her rose tea and turned to the door but since her place on the sofa was a blind spot she could not really see what was going on, "Megumi, everything alright?"

"Y-Yes, Princess..." Megumi said softly with her glare still fixed on Haruka, who was standing next to Michiru. As much as she wanted to scream angry words at the tall blonde, Megumi knew it would do little to nothing to improve the situation, after all, she bitterly though, she was also a guardian and one that clearly loved the princess deeply. She was angry and deeply disappointed for her previous behavior but then remembered Serenity didn't know any of this so for now, she had to swallow that frustration and allow her to come in. She turned to Pluto, Saturn, and Neptune and nodded before stepping aside to let them pass and closed the door right after Uranus walked in.

Serenity widened her eyes when she saw the outer senshi walking toward her and tried to stand up, Michiru was the first to break the silence and raised her hand ever so sweetly and went to sit on the sofa next to her, "It's alright, Princess... don't get up," the siren woman gave the princess a gentle smile and combed a piece of silver hair to the side, "I know you are probably asking why we haven't come... but we knew you needed time to assimilate everything that has happened..."

Serenity sighed softly and turn on the sofa to face Neptune, "I will never assimilate what happened and I am not going to question your reasons for being absent these few days, I understand." She looked up at Pluto and then at Uranus, "I was worried about you, I just wished you had called to let me know you were safe." She turned to Saturn and extended her hand to grab hers, "I am so glad to see you are alright,"

Saturn took the princess' hand and sat next to her on the sofa but didn't dare to say a word, instead, she let Serenity break the barrier of silence between them, "It's so good to see you," she cupped the girl's cheek lovingly and could not contain her tears, "I've been wanting to thank you in person for all that you did for me," she smiled sadly and turned to Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus, "All of you."

Megumi felt the words like thorns in her heart given the things she witnessed right after the princess was taken by Athamas and Asteria. The way the prince was close to losing his mind and the way he took the matter into his own hands, not to mention the wind senshi's rage against him and the fight between them. She noticed it, the mortification in Uranus' face, her always confident character being fogged by insecurity and how her always defiant glare was diverted most of the time from the princess.

"We were worried when the girls told us you had run away from the temple, the night of your return."

"I know it is insensitive of me to ask you this, Princess, but... how are you doing?" Pluto sat next to Saturn and looked at Serenity with worry; Serenity shook her head, "It has been difficult... to coexist with this reality." She looked down at her fisted hand, "I can't accept things the way they are and I can forgive either." She frowned and looked up at the guardian of time, "But I have this strong feeling in my gut that you hold another piece to this mad puzzle,"

Pluto took a deep breath and closed her eyes, remembering the conversation she had with Endymion right before she opened the gates for him to cross to Hades' realm. Ever since the princess returned with Saturn from the underworld and she didn't see the prince coming along with them a terrible guilt has been devouring her inside, like a poisonous snake eating her heart. She felt responsible and there was no other way she could see things resolving, she was as guilty as Asteria; she had allowed him to cross through the fourth dimension and what was worse, her spirit had been pinned against a wall because if she hadn't done it, the princess would not have returned. Either way, she would have had to deal with some sort of blame.

"I couldn't stop him, Princess..." Pluto finally addressed the situation in the best way she could, "There was no point of negotiation; he was determined to go."

"Did he mention anything else as to why he was going or what he was planning on doing?" Serenity leaned closer and held Pluto's hand with hope but the guardian of time only shook her head, "His only mission was to bring you back, no matter the consequences."

"Prince Endymion made a deal with my Father,"

Serenity's eyes widened and turned to Saturn, who was looking at her with her intense violet eyes "In order for him to roam freely through the Underworld, he made an agreement with Hades. Your freedom in exchange for Asteria's soul-binding contract." Serenity slowly let go of Pluto's hand and took a deep breath, "What?"

"He knew Asteria was a problem and he knew Prince Endymion was on a mission—Hades saw the opportunity and took it. I tried to persuade him—my father—but, all the Prince asked me to do was to look after you and take you back to safety, just like Pluto said, with no opportunity for further negotiation. I didn't get to speak much with him... all he wanted, all he cared about, was to get to you, Princess." Saturn looked at Serenity with sad eyes, "We failed you, we should have tried harder."

"Saturn..." Neptune turned to the young girl wearing all black with wide eyes, Saturn leaned to hold Serenity's hand again, "Our jurisdiction has always caused you pain, it has always been a bitter scene. We mean no harm and yet, we break your heart. That is why we were not allowed to be close to you in the era of the Silver Millennium." She sighed sadly "Pluto feels guilty for having allowed Prince Endymion to cross those gates, Uranus because she could not protect you, Neptune because she couldn't see this coming and prevent it, and me... I couldn't make Hades reconsider... please, forgive us, Princess."

Serenity sighed softly and lowered her gaze, "I don't want that. I don't want you to feel guilty... this isn't about guilt and this isn't your fault." She pressed her lips, "You could have not prevented it, Endymion is a force to be reckoned with and he was on a mission—he is a polemarchos, Saturn." She looked at the girl in black, then at the other three senshi, "We all seem to forget that he is a warrior too... and just like you, he has his own way of fighting. Whether we like it or not, well, that should not be our problem, he has another jurisdiction and we must respect it the same way he respects ours."

The words fell like a ton of bricks over Haruka's shoulders, the serene but authoritative tone of the princess' voice was a reality check of what she had done when she was taken away. Endymion's sentence echoed in her head and for some reason, even when he was not there, she felt a strong chill that bristled her skin, making her realize the level of authority he had and the importance in Serenity's life. All senshi agreed to remain silent to what happened between her and the prince for the sake of the princess, because the situation was too complicated to mortify her even more by telling her that one of them was against him, the rightful guardian of this planet and heir to their monarchy, the one who would become king.

Megumi widened her eyes with genuine surprise to hear Serenity talk of her husband the way she was with so much resolution and calmness when just minutes ago she almost broke down into tears and understood that she was a soldier, above her life as a married woman and even above her title of princess, Serenity could be shattered inside but deep down she knew her husband was still fighting, he was still in a mission and probably what made her feel so helpless at times was that she was not there fighting with him.

Haruka felt her heart racing in her chest, her throat become dry and her always determinant and fierce glare was fighting the tears that burned down at the very edge of her lids. She couldn't keep it, for some reason, she couldn't stay silent. She felt like she was betraying her and staying silent would be a much greater sin than coming clean and deal with her rage and disappointment. Taking one step closer to her, Haruka looked into Serenity's icy blue eyes and exhaled, "There is something I believe you should know." Michiru widened her eyes and turned to her lover, "Haruka... don—"

"It's something I did, and something I take full responsibility for," Haruka interrupted Michiru, "Because I finally admit, that I was one of those gods."

"Haruka?" Serenity frowned, "What do you mean?"

"The moment the Prince awoke, I had my doubts. I had my fears. I thought you were going to be put through great danger. I knew you were going to suffer." Haruka closed her eyes, "I stood by the god's belief that he was going to bring disgrace to your life—I was following their rules, despite living here. I wasn't entirely happy that you, after knowing where he comes from and knowing he was a monster, still wanted to marry him. To me, it was reckless, and while I tried to accept it and stayed silent... it still echoed in the back of my mind, and it bothered me. I hated he was always a reason to make you cry, that he always put you through the worst of times. I hated he was becoming stronger—that he knew how to fight. I felt replaceable. I came to the conclusion that I would only serve and protect you, not him." She slowly opened her eyes but didn't dare to make eye contact with Serenity, "The day you were taken... I made my thoughts clear. I blamed him for what happened. I insulted him, mocked him, and even raised in arms against him—I fought him. I was mad he was the one going after you when to me, he had done enough. It angered me he wasn't even paying mind to what I was saying, that he didn't even want to fight."

"Haruka, please... not now. We had an agreement, please... stop..." Pluto tried to bring sense and prevent to make things worse than they all felt they were. Serenity shook her head and raised her hand, silently letting Pluto know it was alright to let her talk and turned to Haruka again and let her continue.

"He could have killed me, he was beyond mad and still, after my faults and insults, he walked past me and said he didn't care for anything that I did or said." Haruka took a deep breath and exhaled, "I understood, like you said, that he had a mission... a mission that came clear the moment you returned from the Underworld, safe and sound." She shook her head and from that moment on, the words she would never think she would say blurted out, "I failed you, Princess, I betrayed you."

Serenity stood up and went to stand face to face with the wind senshi with an unfaltering and regal poise, "Look at me, Uranus,"

Haruka shook her head, "I can't..."

"Why?"

"I betrayed your trust. I don't have the courage to look you in the eye and say I'm am deeply sorry."

"Are you?"

"Yes,"

"It's easy to fall into misconceptions, Haruka," Serenity sighed softly and tilted her chin up to meet her eyes, "Endymion has moved on from feeling tied down to guilt for having taken down lives, wielding a sword and take over the responsibility and high demands of what being a titan truly is. That doesn't make him a monster—that doesn't make him a sin, nor his origins or the blood that runs through his veins a curse. Yes, he's different... but to be fair, the gods condemn everything that doesn't follow their laws and see it as a crime—like our union. Love isn't a curse or a sin and yet, we aren't blessed, we've gone against the current ever since we met, more than two thousand years ago. We have everything against us but we fight back. That monster as everyone calls him, has inspired me to go further and break the barriers of fear tying me down. That monster taught me to defend myself and not be afraid to speak up. He listened when no one else did, he supported me when everyone thought it wasn't my place to make myself known and give my opinion. He gave me courage when everybody dismissed my wishes to become stronger, to become a fighter for justice—like all of you. When Athamas, the divine soldier, hurt me, Endymion, the monster, always comforted me and healed my wounds. He has always been there to give me the strength I need, and even in his weakest state, he had my back and gave me all he had. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have found the silver crystal, summoned the moon chalice, or even regain my strength and confidence as Sailor Moon. One way or another, he has always been there." Serenity looked at Haruka with the most intense glare the sandy blonde has ever seen, one that made her feel weak in the knees, one that made her see the petite woman in front of her as a true royal and not just her sweet odango-chan, "I know that man better than anyone and I love him more than anything in this universe. If you can't accept it, Uranus, that is not my cross to bear. The one married to him is me, not you. I chose this path, it was my decision... I don't need to be saved."

Haruka tried to look down but Serenity's hand on her chin prevented her from diverting her attention from her, "You have not betrayed me—you're here, accepting a fault, meaning you want to make things right. I know you're not a bad person but it is not me who you need to give this apology."

"Princess..." Haruka widened her eyes, "B-But I—"

"You didn't offend me, you didn't call me a monster or use your powers against me. You didn't try to kill me." Serenity moved her hand to cup Haruka's cheek, "I love you Uranus... I love you deeply, more than you can imagine. Thank you for coming forward and tell me all this but I cannot accept your apology because it doesn't belong to me." She moved back and turned to Pluto, Neptune, and Saturn with the same determinant look in her eyes, "I too made the mistake to forget that we are different, that our strengths and abilities are different—that he kills. Yes, he's killed before and that he will probably keep doing it to preserve a balance, but he has me to bring redemption—I am his rock, his support. I am his balance. It is not about who can do what, or who can do it better, it's about doing it together." Serenity took a deep breath, "We share a dream and we both have the same wish and one way or another, I know we will make it true, no matter how much I cry, no matter how long it takes... we will find a way to make it true and I wish for you to stand with us."

Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru stood next to Haruka and gave the princess an assuring look. Serenity smiled softly and felt a strong tug in her chest that made her jolt and turn her head to the window, startling everyone in the room, Megumi included. "Princess?" she asked. Serenity frowned and hurried to the window in to look outside and held the golden pendant with force as she looked up at the afternoon sky and took a hasty breath.

O—o—o—o—O

Trapped between coils of veins with thorns, dismembered bodies and haunting spirits, the rustling sound of movement and hasty breaths slowly brought him back from his penumbra. His eyes slowly opened, showing a crisp blue color and slowly widened in awareness. His body felt heavy, and it ached—it ached so much; every muscle, every inch of it. Like if he had been dragged and buried under a pile of rocks, crushing every nerve of his body. It was confusing, how is that he ended under such conditions but as strange as it was, what surprised him the most was that he was still there, alive.

He tried to move but his body was still trying to connect to his brain, or maybe it was because he felt like he was being pushed hard against the ground. He tried to think of recent events, anything that could tell him what has happened and how is that he ended there; a faint voice echoed in the back of his mind, that he remembered, a calling, a plead.

"I am taking you out of here,"

"I am here to take you out of here... I need you to keep breathing... please, don't give up..."

"Don't give up..."

"It took me so long... forgive me, Father, for taking this long..."

"She is waiting for you."

Eros felt his heart started beating fast in his chest like if new blood was pumping in and out, revitalizing each part of his body and slowly turned his head, his blue eyes widened when he saw he was not under a pile of rocks as he initially thought but someone was shielding him from the debris and thorns around him, someone he knew perfectly well for he had once held him in his arms when he was born. For more than two thousand years, his eyes were strong to see with clarity and his heart reacted to his brain and remembered the night he last saw that face—his son's face.

Endymion lay on top of the terran king's body using his as a protective shield from the dark spirits and entities lurking around them. Eros couldn't believe he was seeing the prince there and initially wondered if it was all another illusion, another cruel dream. His limbs finally regained strength and mobility, he no longer felt cold and disconnected to his surroundings; the more he looked at the prince, the more he came to analyze the situation and the more he came to grasp reality.

"E-Endymion..." his chapped lips finally mouthed his son's name with recognition. "Endymion,"

The prince let out a weak cough and slowly moved his face to meet his hazy gaze with his father's livelier eyes and gave him the faintest of smiles, "Rise... and shine... Your Majesty..."

Behind that sarcastic joke, there was an evident surprise and emotion in Endymion's frail voice, something that made the king's heart cringe with melancholy. Eros felt something was not right in the way the prince was talking and his tired gaze. Without paying attention or even caring about what was happening around them, the king finally gathered the strength he needed to break through the stiffness of his body and slowly pushed the prince's body to rest aside. Endymion tried to push himself up but his body was no longer responding, it was giving in, he had reached his limit and with one tumbling move, his arms did no longer resist his weight and fell back on the ground. Eros followed and slowly rolled to the side and kneeled next to the prince and slowly remembered the events that brought him to where he is now; the battle in Elysion, the explosion that confirmed Gaia's death, the crumbling pieces of the palace, Leonidas' death, and the last time he saw his son. The minute he touched Endymion, all the tortuous images of his life in hell played in his mind, the endless times he tried to escape and how his life slowly slipped away, pulling him to a catatonic state. He froze for a minute with disbelief as he watched his son struggled to stay awake and then he felt it, he looked down at his ragged clothes and saw they were soaked wet and widened his eyes when he saw the red stain in his hand and noticed the lining of his son's armor and uniform were also stained, realizing it was his blood what had brought him back from his haze, almost as if it reacted to his and pulsing life back into his body, "No..." Eros shook his head and leaned closer, "No, my son, what have you done?! What happened!?" He looked down at his son's deep wound, "You are wounded... you're bleeding!"

"The Andromedian..." Endymion coughed and made a frown, trying his best to fight the blood in the back of his throat, "The seal... has been broken..." he took a deep breath, "The soldier that took your life... he did this... and broke the seal... he's out... your... brother in law..."

"For heaven's sake, Endymion," Eros muttered angrily, "Even in moments like these you still manage to be as sarcastic as your mother,"

"What did you expect?" Endymion let out a weak, hoarse chuckle, "I'm your son... you made me... this... way..."

"That is not a good excuse,"

"That is... the best excuse, King of Earth,"

"Endymion," Eros shook his head, "H-How...?"

"I know... the truth... about my mother... about you... breaching the laws of nature for love," Endymion blinked slowly as he tried to grasp some air to fill his lungs, "Of what I am... of who I am... it's alright... it's a long story..." he took another deep breath and moved his arm to take the extra key Pluto handed him before he crossed the gates and gave it to the king "Here..."

"What is this?" Eros looked at the intricate design of the key and looked at his son with puzzlement, "What are you giving me a key for?"

"Use it... to get out..." Endymion took a deep breath and coughed softly, "It's a special key—a magical key, if you may," he turned to look at his father, "I snatched it from the Guardian of Time and Space herself, so... don't lose it..." he coughed, "I won't hear the end of it... if you do... alright?"

"Why are you being so careless?! This is so unlike you!"

"Unlikely... would be... leaving you... behind..."

"Stop it! I will not hear any more of this!" Eros said on the verge of tears, "I have to take you out of here!" He tried to carry his son but Endymion slapped his hand away to stop him with a much more serious look on his face, "There is nowhere else to go from here, Father. This is where we part ways,"

"What are you even saying?! Don't be absurd!" Eros shook his head, "No, no... you need to come with me!" Endymion looked at his father, or at least where he thought his father was and shook his head slowly, "I can't go..." he mumbled weakly, "I knew the... risks... of this... I'm sorry..."

"Do not ask for forgiveness!" Eros shook his head, "We need to get out of here, this is an order from your King!"

"I can't..." Endymion shook his head, "My body is failing me, King. I can't move anymore... I used all that was left of energy within me... I have nothing left..." he took a deep breath and exhaled, "I'm tired... so tired... so tired..."

"No!" Eros leaned closer with panic when he saw his son's deep blue eyes started to lose their mysticism and clarity, "Endymion, do not dare to give in!" He put his hands on his shoulders, "Do not dare to close your eyes! Do you hear me!? Do not close your eyes!"

"Usako..." Endymion sighed weakly, "She would be calling me lazy right now... she's probably mad at me... saying I am the worst husband ever..."

"What?" Eros blinked startled; Endymion took a deep breath and smiled sadly, "She would be saying something like... 'Come on, Mamo-chan, wake up... don't be lazy... that's my thing' or 'I'm hungry... can you make pancakes for breakfast again?'" He could not help feeling caught up in the emotion of his own words, realizing what was happening to him and felt a knot in the back of his throat, making him choke with emotion, "I made a fresh batch of that bitter, awful coffee you like... seriously Mamo-chan... how can you drink that thing every single day? You are so weird." A warm smile crossed his handsome face, "Being married... is the best sense of belonging... of complicity... finding her... the best thing... that ever happened to me..."

"Endymion... why are you speaking like that? Stop it. You are frightening me," Eros frowned; Endymion turned to his father with that same weak smile and took another deep breath, "She would let me play with her hair... her beautiful hair of moonbeam..."

"Stop it..."

"She would sing me a song... to cheer me up..."

"Please, stop this..."

"Or run her delicate fingers... through my hair to put me... to sleep..."

"Stop this!"

"She's so beautiful... so beautiful... I've been so damn lucky... so damn blessed... I love her so much... I love her so much..."

"Endymion..."

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Usako..." Endymion let the tears in his eyes roll down slowly down his cheeks, "I'm so sorry..."

"Endymion!"

"I am glad I could see you again... Your Majesty... even if it was only for a little while..." Endymion smiled, "Farewell, Father." Endymion put his hand on top of Eros' and took a deep breath, *"Tempus Custos... esta innocentes vindictam suam vitam ab ista maledictio, quaeso, meas audite preces..."

"No..." Eros looked wide-eyed at the shiny key in his hand glowing a soft garnet color in response to the prince's prayer and looked at his son with panic. Endymion felt limp and heavy, as if the last string of his life slowly unraveled from him and slowly closed his eyes "—I will always be there for you. I will always be with you, even when you can't see me... I'm here..."

Eros frowned and leaned closer when he heard his son mumbling words, almost as if he was having some sort of conversation, "Endymion... what are you talking about?!"

"Pray... just pray... my soul is yours..." Endymion faintly whispered in the air, sounding like if he was not entirely there, almost as if he was talking to someone else there with him. The terran king felt like if his heart had stopped beating, like if he had taken the strongest of blows and his lungs were stripped of all traces of air; his cerulean eyes started to burn with tears and leaned to hold his son in his arms and broke into sobs, "My son, Endymion, what have you done?! What have you done!?" A soft glow and a warmth pulled him away from the prince and disappeared in a flash of light.

O—o—O

As soon as the intense light that engulfed him just seconds ago dimmed, Eros looked up to see the entire chamber, including the prince in his arms, were nowhere to be found. It was like he was suspended in a different time, in a different stage, probably the afterlife. Between heaven and hell, between an illusion and reality. Everything was light, clear, and serene. There was no sound, there was no beginning and no end, but somehow, he still felt guided and a with a sense of warm comfort—after thousands of years of torment and remorse, the king of earth finally felt at peace.

It didn't take long to catch something at the corner of his eye and turned; his blue eyes went wide when he realized he wasn't alone in that vast space and took a deep breath that would feed life into his lungs once again, "Ab omnibus coeli... dea mea..."

O—o—o—o—O

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Usako..."

Serenity widened her eyes when she felt an excruciating pain in her chest, making her take a hoarse gasp. Megumi was the first to notice something was wrong and went quickly to her aid, "Princess!?"

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn jumped also to her rescue when Serenity gave in and collapsed to the floor and started screaming with harrowing pain taking everyone by surprise, compared to how quiet and composed she was just minutes ago. The sandy blonde kneeled next to her and wrapped her arms around her protectively, "Princess?!" Serenity started to shiver and clung to Haruka to dear life and cried louder, "What's happening?! Princess, what's wrong?!"

Pluto widened her eyes when she felt it too, a strong pull alerting her that someone had used a key of time and space and summoned her garnet talisman. Saturn narrowed her eyes and turned to look out the window, "You feel it too?" Pluto turned from her talisman to the young senshi with worry; Saturn nodded, "The disruption in the fourth dimension..."

"Disruption?" Neptune turned to both and frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Something happened..." Saturn mumbled and turned to Neptune, "The mirror—does it say anything?"

Neptune went to look for it and called for its power to reveal something but all she could see was pitch darkness, "No... it doesn't want to react—unbelievable."

Uranus pulled Serenity closer into her arms and clenched her jaw, fearing the worst; listening to the princess' desperate cries made her thing only one thing and turned to Megumi, "Call the girls—call the generals too, they need to come as soon as possible!" Megumi looked at Uranus with hesitance, a thing the blonde clearly accepted and nodded, "I know you don't trust me right now... but she comes first and this is an emergency, they need to be here, please... please... call them... I can deal with anything as long as she's okay."

Megumi looked at Serenity going through another panic attack, very similar to the one she got to witness when Mercury had to give her a tranquilizer to calm her nerves and quickly went to the phone to call her first. Thankful for the quick response, Megumi blurted out with hurry what was going on and it didn't take long for Mercury to get there to check on the princess. By the time she arrived, Haruka had Serenity restrained in her arms and keeping her from getting hurt or hurt others out of consciousness. This was new to the outer senshi, they had never seen the princess lose herself this way and it was heartbreaking. A while later, as Uranus was expecting, the rest of the girls and shitennou got there in a hurry and with a worried look in their faces and took care of the situation by Kunzite taking the princess from Uranus' arms and taking her to the bedroom with the help of Venus, Mars, and Jadeite.

Nephrite and Jupiter stayed in the living room with the girls with Zoisite by Megumi's side to give her emotional support. This was as hard for her as it was for everyone and even more, since she had been creating a special and unique bond with the princess. "It all happened so quickly..." Megumi sniffled softly and dried her tears with her sweater sleeve, "She was doing fine and then she suddenly plummeted into this frenzied panic state,"

"Did she say anything?" Zoisite asked softly to the maiden, to what in response she only shook her head, "No... no, she just started crying and screaming at the top of her lungs..."

The blonde turned to the outer senshi and locked his jade-colored gaze with Uranus', "Or did someone tell her something that made her upset?" Haruka sighed, just like she told Megumi, as expected all eyes were going to be on her, "I did. I take responsibility for what happened."

The blonde man sighed and looked at the outer senshi with concern, "We had an agreement, Sailor Uranus. Princess Serenity was not supposed to know what happened between you and Prince Endymion."

"That was not what upset her, Zoisite," Nephrite joined, Jupiter turned to look at her beloved with curiosity "What do you mean?" The brown-haired general clenched his jaw and exhaled, "Princess Serenity's will is starting to wear out. This has been too much pressure on her and it is beyond us at this point. If Endymion does not return soon, her spirit will be completely broken and she will get lost in deep sorrow."

Minutes later, Mercury walked out of the bedroom with a serious face, "She's alright," she sighed softly, "She's finally asleep. I had to give her another sedative, but her body is starting to get affected by the high amounts of stress she goes through every time she enters in this panic and almost catatonic state. Her health is very delicate and she has not fully recovered from her return from the Underworld—aside from other health conditions she had been dealing with before she was taken away."

Venus felt Mercury tense up, knowing exactly what health conditions she meant and looked at the girls and shitennou in the living room and intervened before they could try and go deep further in the matter, "She's still dealing with severe anemia... she hasn't been eating well, that is why her health right now is fragile." She turned to Uranus, "Before we start throwing balls of blame at Uranus, I want to leave clear that Mamoru was aware of this. He was taking care of her and treating her condition before she was captured by Asteria. That situation has been talked about and cleared by Serenity herself so there is no point on going there once again."

"What happened?" Uranus frowned with mortification, "Why is this happening to her?"

"She's been going through an emotional imbalance, meaning, everything around her affects her on a triple scale. In her case, her response to this is by having severe panic attacks and separation anxiety." Venus turned to the girls and shitennou, "You may remember when the prince was unconscious and she wouldn't leave his side at all times, or how she is not able to sleep if he's not there well this is in a much greater scale."

"Has she always been like this?" Uranus frowned with concern, "I have never seen her being clingy to him or anything,"

"Let's not forget what has been happening over the last few months are not easy to swallow. Jadeite was right when he reminded us she just got married and that this should be her honeymoon phase. Both should be having time on their own and adjust to their new life instead of dealing with this nightmare." Mercury sighed and walked to the sofa to take a seat, "We understand we have different lives, our normal is a different kind, but still, we must not forget she is a woman in love..." The bluenette turned to Uranus and frowned, "I couldn't help overhearing when you said you talked to her,"

Uranus sighed and sat on the sofa, next to Mercury "I did." She looked at Mars, Venus, and Jupiter and raised her hand silently asking them to let her continue, "I know what I did. I know it was wrong—I asked her to forgive me. I know we said it was something that we were not going to talk about with her but I felt like I was betraying her. No matter how much I wanted to come and see her, I couldn't, I didn't have the courage to look her in the eye and act as nothing happened."

"And what happened?" Mars frowned, "Is this why she got so upset?"

"The princess took it with much maturity and grace." Neptune stepped in the conversation to clear things out in behalf of her lover, "She was fine... but, then, something else happened."

"What do you mean?" Jupiter gave the siren a confused glare. Pluto looked at heart-shaped talisman, "My Garnet Talisman reacted," she frowned "I felt a strong energy in the fourth dimension. Saturn felt it too, a disturbance."

"From the Underworld?" Venus turned to Saturn, "What could this mean?"

"It is difficult to know," Saturn looked at the senshi of love and shook her head, "I can't tell for certain what caused such disturbance or what could be related to it, even if I wanted to go and see for myself, Hades has closed all gates that would lead to the realm of the dead."

Jadeite crossed his arms and took a deep breath, "Could it be Endymion?"

"I gave Prince Endymion two space-time keys." Pluto frowned as she looked into her garnet talisman, "I know I was pushing my jurisdiction to the very limit by giving him an extra key but deep down I knew whatever happened in the Underworld, even if he didn't return with the princess, he was going to find his way back." She let out a shaky breath, "That key was used... I sensed the calling and it has returned to me, but there is no trace of his aura."

"We could try going back to the Space-Time corridor and se—" Uranus turned to Pluto with wide-eyes when the guardian of time raised her hand to interrupt her, "Pluto?"

"It's not as easy as it sounds, Uranus. Crossing planes and dimensions so often is a risky move and it could affect our situation even more—if there are disruptions our presence could complicate things and put everyone lives in grave danger. The Space-Time Continuum is a sacred realm—violating the laws of divinity come with a high cost, Prince Endymion knows this and it might be one of the reasons why he hasn't come back."

Neptune looked down at her mirror and took a deep breath, "My talisman isn't foreshadowing anything—all I see is a dark reflection, like I was looking through an onyx mirror."

"Sailor Pluto," Kunzite frowned, "Can you tell who is the person that used that key?"

Pluto tightened her lips with wonder and looked up at the first in command of the shitennou, "I do not know how to describe it... it's strange." Venus leaned closer to Kunzite and turned to Pluto "What do you mean?"

Pluto looked at her garnet talisman and frowned, "It is almost as if... there is another force moving all these pieces. Normally, I am supposed to know—it is my jurisdiction but this... this is strange, I cannot read or detect anything... who this is. It is almost as if a greater power concealed the identity of this individual."

"What if it really was Endymion?" Jadeite asked hopeful, "What if he is finally coming back from Inferno?"

Pluto took a moment to analyze the question and sadly, she shook her head, "The prince's energy is different—it is peculiar. This is not it." She looked at the blonde general, then at the other three shitennou who had the same hopeful look in their faces, "It is not the Prince..."

Saturn sighed softly and walked to the window in silence; her deep violet eyes had so much wisdom and knowledge of the line between life and death. As she looked outside at the cloudy skies the more she felt disconnected from the laws that defined her life so many years ago. She has died and reincarnated so many times to finally understand that sadly, to her father, she was nothing else but a tool—a beautiful tool. One that would solemnly take charge of matters and stain her hands with the blood of both innocent and guilty by laying down her majestic glaive. She has done it before, the definitive fall of the silver millennium and the souls that were there were under her sleeve. She was created to be senseless and trained to never feel empathy for anything, cold, distant and obscure. A morbid image, that she was sure.

Her fate changed and so her beliefs the moment she witnessed the power behind the moon princess. The sweetness in her voice and her way to find beauty in everything, even in someone so somber like her. The moment she was awakened those years back when she slept inside Mistress 9, despite knowing her nature and her duty, she was never judged. Instead, she was seen like one of them, a girl who had a right to feel, to dream and to live in a world away from the shadows of her past. In them she found friendship and a family, she found herself comforted by their care and protection even when she was the messiah of destruction, they welcomed her and nurtured her with nothing but love. She knew what it was like to have someone walking by her side, and someone looking after her; that is the dream she believed in and she wanted to make it a permanent reality. "This planet has started to fall asleep—it won't be long until it completely stops." She narrowed her violet eyes, "The time to be united is now. Princess Serenity is our priority, as sailor senshi and as her friends—in the prince's absence, we must step in and protect her until his return." She turned to look over her shoulder and locked her intense gaze at Uranus, "I stand by his side—I saw his struggle and the anger in his eyes and the desperation to get to Princess Serenity in the abyss of the Underworld. I am witness of their departure and I can say he did it without thinking about his own fate. He made a deal with the devil, exchanged his life for our Princess'—this is not the time to be doubtful because we believe the laws of nature are to cause division among us. Let us not forget where we stand, fellow Sailor Senshi. This is the planet we once believed it was cursed—the one sent to exile and banned from a divine alliance of peace. This is a planet we believed gave life to a monster that lurked in the shadows with the only purpose to take souls—our souls. This is the planet we believed primitive and obsolete, but in reality, all we have done is to try to imitate the ways of it. We wanted its water and we wanted its cool breeze, we wanted its liveliness—open your eyes and see its beauty and how it has embraced us as a part of it. This planet and its guardian welcomed us and allowed us to reincarnate and be reborn here. I stand by the Prince's side because he has protected our Princess to the very end. I do not believe the laws of nature are to harbor evil and hatred, I do not believe in the laws of gods. I, the emissary of the abyss of the Underworld, the Soldier of Death and Silence, I will fight by their side to bring justice once and for all even if it costs me my own life. I, Sailor Saturn, believe in my Princess and I believe in my Prince as well."

O—o—O

"Usako..."

"Mamo-chan..." Serenity whispered and slowly opened her eyes; she looked at the afternoon sun setting in the distance from the large window in the bedroom and let out a long and heavy sigh, "How long will I be able to withstand this nightmare? It's torture... not being with you. I can't sleep if you are not here... it's hard for me to even breathe..."

"Hmm... that's interesting. It doesn't feel like it with all the twirling and kicking you had going on,"

Serenity's eyes widened twice in size and looked down at the arm she knew so well resting over her waist so casually and slowly turned over to finally meet him face to face. There he was, snuggled between the feather duvet she so much wanted him to buy when they went out to do their wedding registry and the pillows he made so much fun of because he said they were like giant marshmallows but eventually ended up loving. Looking like a dream with his dark hair ruffled and messy covering almost half of his face while the other half was still comfortably sunken in the thick and fluffy pillow; there lay the prince of earth. She could see a slight blush in his cheeks, an irrefutable sign that he had been sleeping soundlessly for a very long time—at least for his normal standards. It was unmistakable, the settled scent of his cologne in his skin, musky and fresh, that unique and alluring way it smelled when he had been wearing it for hours.

"W-What...?"

The prince slowly opened his prism eyes and frowned, trying to adjust them to the intense orange and pink rays of the setting sun in the distance, a good homage of the meaning behind his royal name, "What time is it?"

"I-I don't... w-what...?" Serenity shook her head, still feeling completely dumbfounded, "W-When...?"

"Love, are you okay?" Endymion's frown deepened and moved his hand to touch her cheek and smiled softly, "You don't seem to be sick," At his touch, so warm and so gentle—so familiar, Serenity could no longer keep her tears at bay and let them flow along with a symphony of heavy sobs, taking the prince completely off guard, "Buns?"

"When did you get back!?" Serenity took hasty breaths, Endymion blew his long fringe away from his face and looked at her rather confused, "What?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were back!? Why didn't you wake me up to tell me you were home!?" Serenity started crying and kicked him to express her frustration, "Just who the hell do you think you are?! I've been worried sick not knowing anything from you in weeks!"

"Bunny I—"

"Don't Bunny me!" Serenity kicked his shin again, this time hurting and scaring the prince by her erratic behavior. Endymion jumped from his comfortable place on the bed and pulled her into his arms; he held her tight until she started to calm down, "Baby, what are you talking about? I've been here the whole time..." Serenity widened her eyes, "W-What?"

Endymion sighed, "I've been here the whole time," he leaned down and rested his chin on her head, "We came back from having lunch and we were so full we came straight back to take a nap, remember?"

"No... no... nuh-uh, that's not true... no..."

"Love, it's okay. You had a nightmare,"

"No,"

"You were talking in your sleep again,"

"No!"

"No?" Endymion pulled back and looked at her with a quirked brow "Then why are you so anxious?"

"Because—"

"Mm?"

"You... you weren't here! You sent me back..." Serenity shook her head and turned to look around the room and to her surprise, things were not organized the way she remembered. For starters, the clothes resting over the armchair were not the same ones she had used the day before, including the grey hoodie she liked to wear every night to sleep. The vase with flowers Megumi brought in every morning to lighten her mood wasn't there either, instead, there was a thick book next to his reading glasses, one she knew for certainty Endymion had stopped reading because he had rambled on about how boring it was and how every time he tried to give one another chance it put him to sleep. Serenity clearly remembered this because it was rare to hear him complain about something—much less a book of all things because he loved to read.

She turned to check her nightstand and noticed her cotton scented candle and the small golden tray where she put her rings before going to bed were not there either. It was then, when she noticed something was off, it wasn't right no matter how much it appeared to be. She looked down and widened her eyes in panic when she saw she didn't have neither her engagement or wedding band on her finger and turned frantically to look for them, trying to break free from the prince's protective embrace, "My rings..." she said with an anxious tone, "Where are they?!"

"What?"

"My rings... my engagement ring... my wedding ring... I had them on, where are they?!"

"It's okay,"

"No, it's not okay! Where are they!? I want my rings! They mean too much for me! I can't—"

"Buns,"

"I can't lose them! I can't!"

"Love," Endymion frowned and pointed his finger at the wall, "They're on the ceramic tray over the shelf by the t.v., you took them off before coming to bed—you said you felt like a stuffed donut—whatever that means."

Serenity widened her eyes, knowing that was something only she would say whenever she felt too full and shook her head, "You sent me back..."

"What?"

"You sent me back..."

"From where?"

"The Underworld."

"Ah..." Endymion smiled and let out a soft breath, "Baby, it's okay..."

"No... no, it's not okay! This isn't okay!" Serenity shook her head, "I know what I saw, I know it happened! I'm not crazy!"

"Hey..." Endymion cupped her cheek, " I never said you were, my darling, but I am here with you right now, aren't I?"

Endymion was Serenity's biggest weakness and strength. With one look, she would feel completely dismantled, like the only girl in the world. She couldn't resist his voice, that irresistible warm and low baritone voice, sensual and sweet at the same time, so velvety and elegant, like red wine. Her eyes started to burn with tears just by looking at him sitting in front of her on the same bed they shared as a married couple; the same one that has been witness and accomplice of their many snuggles, playful wrestling, pillow fights, and demonstrations of love. With as much desire she had in her heart to believe this was indeed true, Serenity knew her subconscious had created this dream and that the minute she opens her eyes she would have to face her tragic reality all over again, one, when the gorgeous man in front of her wasn't by her side touching her and giving her that beautiful smile she loved and missed so much to see.

Her icy blue eyes widened when Endymion put his hands on each side of her face and looked at her in all seriousness, "I was told once... that the strongest woman I would ever meet was the one that would get to capture my soul, the one that would love me for who I am and not for what I owned... rich or poor... she would love me and me alone," he smiled with melancholy, "And it's true. As always, she was right."

"Who did?"

"A very courageous woman,"

Serenity widened her eyes, "Was it the Queen?"

Endymion tilted his head, his thumbs were gently caressing the soft skin of her lips while his deep blue eyes were locked with her crystal blue ones, "You are the strongest woman I know—to keep up with me and still care for me after all that has happened... after all that I am. You are the bravest woman in this universe and I love you, I love you madly. You are my soulmate."

With those simple words, Serenity couldn't take it anymore and let her tears flow freely, "I hate you."

"What?" Endymion widened his eyes and looked at his wife looking back at him with tear-glossed eyes, "Why are you like this?" Serenity frowned, "Even in a dream, you're too good to be true..." she took a deep breath and broke into sobs, "Why can't you come back to me?!"

"I'm here..."

"No, you're a dream, a beautiful dream... one where you are here next to me and looking into my soul with those beautiful deep blue eyes of yours..."

"Usako," Endymion leaned closer and wiped her tears with his thumbs, "I will always be there for you. I will always be with you, even when you can't see me... I'm here." He smiled softly and tapped her chest with his finger and pressed the pendant against her skin, "You have my fate in your hands... I am yours."

Serenity took a hasty breath, "Why do you keep saying that?! I don't understand! Why do you keep saying that when it's obvious it's not true! You are not here! I want you here with me and yet you are still away... so far away..."

Endymion closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh, "I'm sorry... I shouldn't make you cry... you shouldn't be suffering because of me..."

"Just come home baby, that's all I want... come home..." Serenity closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on his, "Just come home... come back to me... I can't accept a world where I can't be with you. This isn't the deal we made when we got engaged... this isn't what we promised ourselves when we got married... help me, Endymion, please... I will fight, I will do whatever it's needed to be done. I really don't know what to do... please, Mamo-chan, please tell me what to do! Help me! I need your help!" She pulled his black t-shirt and grabbed onto him with all her strength and started crying desperately again, "Tell me what I need to do to bring you back!"

"I love you, Usa," Endymion whispered in Serenity's ear, "I love you, back to the world we belong. I will always love you, Moon Princess... more than you can imagine... more than you will ever know..."

"No... don't do this! You always do this!" Serenity shook her head and pulled her husband closer, "Goddammit, Chiba Mamoru! Don't change the subject! I'm not a therapist! I'm not your crazy ex-girlfriend! I'm your wife! I'm your Usako—I am yours and I need you!" Serenity wrapped her arms around Endymion's neck and sobbed heavily, feeling like he could disappear any second if she let go of him, "I need you!"

"Serenity,"

"Don't leave me Endymion! Please don't leave me again... please... stay with me a little while longer... stay with me... you swore you'll come back... you swore..."

"Pray... just pray... my soul is yours..." Endymion faintly whispered as he pulled her into his arms and slowly laid down with her on the bed Serenity now felt it was different. Everything around them was different despite being the same. It didn't look like it was the same room making her come to terms that she was trapped inside a memory or a place only she could create just for themselves with all the bits and pieces of her life with him. "Don't leave me..."

"I would never..." The prince whispered in her ear as he held her tight. He hushed softly to lull her like he always did whenever she was nervous or mad about something. Serenity slowly succumbed to her husband's tactics and started feeling heavy and hazy again. She was tired, emotionally exhausted. Her heart could no longer deal with so much pain, this was the closest to home, the closest to him and the closest to sanity and she couldn't fight it despite not being real she didn't want to fight it. This felt too real. She felt being lulled by his warm energy, covering her like a soothing and protective mantel and kept repeating the words like a mantra as she let herself be wrapped in her husband's strong arms and slowly drifted into to a heavier sleep.

"Don't leave me..."

"Don't leave... me..."

"Don't... leave... me..."

"Don't..."

The Divinity Series is rated M. Violence, gore, cursing, and intimacy may occur.

I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters.

A/N: Your support is my fuel. Your reviews my inspiration and motivation to keep posting. I am moved to tears, thank you so much.

Latin glossary:

*Vindicate this innocent life from its curse, please, listen to my humble prayer, Time Guardian.