Good morning from the west coast everyone,

So here's chapter 9. I hope you all had a great week so far.

I have some exciting news. DarkenedHrt101, who is amazing btw, is now my beta/editor/confidant as I write this story. She has become my voice of reason and I love how excited she gets when we talk about Sailor Moon. She's also in the midst of writing an amazing story "My ex, your crush, our relationship", and I strongly urge you to check it out. I've been lucky enough to get an earlier glance at her stories since last week:)

Now on to the reviews. Once again, thank you to every single one of you who has read this story and left me a review. You guys are the best:)

SailorGuardian314: Here you go mon cheri:) Here's the new chapter and potentially, another awful cliffhanger:D:D Enjoy. Oh and...your theory about the dead royals...Um...well, let's find out:D

Oloferne: I'm so glad you'd found the previous chapter the best chapter:) Let's see how you feel about this one:) Enjoy and let me know your thoughts.

Roxypockets1: And thank you so much reader for being amazing and leaving me a review. Let's see what Mamoru thought during the party, shall we?:)

phillynz: I know, right? Mamoru is pissing me off too:D

DarkenedHrt1: Need I get into this with you, here? :D:D Or shall I just explain myself in our little chatroom?:D

: Mamoru is always his stupid self, what are you talking about?:D Enjoy.

TropicalRemix: Let's read this chapter and find out where Ayane is:)

Syulai: I love Hiro so much. Like honestly, I would go out with him and stuck my tongue out to Usagi. Seriously:D But yes, I am a tease:D:D And I may just tease you a little more:D (Muhahaha)

SerenitySweety: Mmm, Let's see how you feel about this chapter then (wink). Let me know.

Zanahana: The wait is over my friend. Voila! But wait...another cliffhanger I hear?:D

Sieee: :D:D:D I love those wooows.

michiru61600: Is this soon enough for you?:) I hope you enjoy this chapter more than the last one. Let me know your thoughts.

moonwrite: Wouldn't you want to find out? (wink)

Guest: Just relax and enjoy the ride. Yes. That's the spirit:D

Xo: Well, let's find out. Shall we? :)

thatycarter: All my chapters sort of end in the best part:D I'm devious that way:D Enjoy.

Guest: This is considered ASAP for me, seriously:D Enjoy the new chapter and let me know what you think.

ericsookieforever: Have I told you how thrilled I am when I see your reviews? I am so so so grateful for the detailed and oh so spirited reviews you leave me. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. And you know what, I agree with all the things you say about Mamoru...but, I mean, it's Usa and Mamoru. What did you expect?:D:D Enjoy this new chapter my friend.

Guest: Here you go:)

Guest: here's the new chapter:)

Xo: I know, he needs to prove himself to me too:)

Enjoy all.

Golak.


Hiro pulled the car slowly to the curb of the street and turned off the engine.

Usagi looked over at the entrance of Hikawa Shrine; it looked magnificent in the dim light of the streets and the gleaming brilliance of the moon.

She could feel Hiro's eyes on her and before turning around to face him, she took a silent deep breath.

"Are you okay?" He had one arm draped over her seat and the other held the steering wheel. Had he been in a hurry? Did he want to just drop her off and speed away? Usagi gulped down hard; did he suspect something?

"Yeah." She let go of the hem of her skirt she'd been gripping so tightly as if her hands didn't have anything better to do. She fisted them closed and open a couple of times; they felt clammy and detached from her body.

"You've been awfully quiet the whole ride," he said and leaned towards her; Usagi held her breath.

"Did I do something?"

The question alone broke Usagi's heart into pieces. She kept quiet, as she feared that if she opened her mouth, she would effectively open the gate to all the tears she'd been holding on to as well.

"No. You did nothing. You're wonderful…" she breathed and willed herself to look straight into his eyes.

He smiled when she looked at him and quirked an eyebrow, "Since I'm so wonderful and all, won't you give me a kiss?"

She smiled shakily and wrinkled her nose.

"Hey…" He reached his hand and caressed the side of her face, "don't think about it anymore, okay? He was probably drunk...I mean, that really doesn't give him the right to do what he did; but you know him...he was probably tired and—"

"I don't want to talk about him…" she hissed, a little too emotional when she really just needed to act nonchalant; she tried to change the subject, "I had a really good time tonight. Best party I'd ever been to…" she smiled up and covered his hand that still rested on her face with her own.

"Even better than the fabulous Gala Minako-chan took you to the other night?" he teased.

Usagi widened her eyes, "Are you kidding me? She didn't even let me have one tiny little shrimp. Kept saying I'd destroy her reputation. I mean…" she rolled her eyes, "what kind of a reputation would be ruined because of me having any food, right?"

Hiro laughed and tried to push away the images of her stuffing her face as she swallowed down the elaborate plates of sushi and onigiri that adored the fancy table Kosuke-kun had so perfectly arranged. An image of her putting a chocolate-dipped strawberry in her mouth popped into his mind; that was what he should not be thinking about right now...at all, in fact.

"I better get going. Rei-chan has probably stayed up and I don't want her to start scolding me…" she pouted and wrapped the handle of her purse around her wrist, "I mean, she could be worse than Kenji-papa sometimes…"

Hiro nodded and leaned over the gear shift panel and left a butterfly kiss on her lips, "I had fun tonight too..." he whispered against her mouth and kissed her again, "and you looked so beautiful...you always do." He smiled when she gave him a brilliant, albeit, sad smile and kissed his chin.

Usagi tiptoed towards Rei's bedroom; the room had been dark and she assumed that her friend had probably gone to sleep. She sent a little thank you prayer; she didn't have the energy to deal with Rei's probing.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Usagi jumped out of her skin when she slowly and so very quietly opened the sliding door and squeezed herself inside the tiny gap. She blinked a couple of times as her eyes adjusted to the complete darkness of the room and she saw Rei..

She had her back to Usagi, as she sat crossed legged, on her futon. Her arms had been leaning against her knees and she took a few deep breaths before Usagi could get a word out.

"Are you...praying?" Usagi asked, before dropping her purse beside the low table on the other side of the room. She plopped on Rei's futon with a loud huff.

"I'm meditating…" the miko answered, "and don't change the subject. It's almost sunrise—"

"It's not even one Rei-chan…"

Rei took another deep breath and tilted her head towards the blonde, "Didn't I tell you to be home before midnight?"

"No…"

The miko took another deep breath, deeper than the one before, as if she'd been ending an important ritual and then turned and faced Usagi, who laid on her front and wiggled her legs up in the air, "I didn't?" she asked and then thought hard, "I probably forgot. But anyways, next time, be home by twelve…"

She narrowed her eyes at Usagi, who could barely see what she was doing and then unexpectedly leaned down and brought her face nose to nose with the blonde.

"Rei-chan...what the hell," Usagi yelped and pulled away.

"What happened? Tell me…" the other girl growled, "I can feel something happened and it's late. So spare me your usual pouting and eye rolling and stuttering and just tell me what happened."

Usagi rolled her eyes, for good measure, and lifted herself up, "Mamoru kissed me…"

The three tiny words she threw out, so carelessly, floated between them for a long moment. Usagi could feel the heat and anger outpouring from her friend. She decided to let Rei deal with her inner struggles for a moment longer.

"He...did...what?"

Usagi ignored the tightness in Rei's tone; the carefully hidden rage that she always had whenever his name would come up hadn't been news to any of them after all.

"He kissed me, in the bathroom of Kosuke-san's apartment…" she lifted the pink sweater over her head, "the host—"

"Do I even give a fuck about that?"

Usagi took off her skirt, "I mean, I want to give you all the details—"

"Usagi, I swear to God, if you don't start talking fast, I will blast your ass right now…" Rei stood up and tossed her long ponytail to her back, "he just flat out kissed you? Where the hell was Hiro?"

Usagi took out her pajama set from the pink duffle bag she'd left behind before she had gone to the party, "Mamoru came to the bathroom; I was there trying to calm my nerves and…"

She told Rei about the kiss; about how Mamoru had barged into the bathroom, "He obviously knocked Rei-chan, don't be so dramatic," and had blocked her way out, "no, he didn't force himself on me. What's wrong with you?" and had kissed her as if he had every right, "I know he doesn't Rei-chan. You really need to calm down."

She'd left out the part where she had reciprocated the kiss; with the same intensity, the same this-is-what-I've-been-waiting-for want. She also didn't mention the sounds he'd made, deep in his throat, when her tongue had started dancing with his. That moment, that toe-curling, complex and confusing moment, belonged only to her. She didn't want to share it with anyone else.

"I can't believe my ears. Where the fuck was Hiro in all this mayhem?"

Usagi told her how quickly the kiss had ended as if they'd been burnt by each others' lips. He had let her go, as she had pulled herself away; both looking horrified and disbelieving.

"I threw my sweater back on and—"

"What the fuck...you were naked?"

"I wasn't naked. I had that tank top on—"

"Minako's infamous slutty tank top? That tank top you mean?" Rei widened her eyes, "Why the fuck were you naked Usagi?"

It took Rei a while to calm down and when she finally did, Usagi told her how they had walked out of the bathroom, with no words exchanged between them, and they had walked right into Hiro.

"What?" Rei's shriek had probably woken up grandpa Hino, but she didn't seem to care; she clutched the front of her red pajama shirt and stared at Usagi with bulged out eyes.

"Yeah...it was really bad…" Usagi said, "I told him that I'd been trying to cool myself, since I'd been holding my shoes and all...," she shook her head at Rei, "not important…", and started to put pink ribbons around her buns, "...and Mamoru-baka had just walked in, without so much as a knock…" she finished one bun and moved to the other one; her hands moved with expertise in the dark, "Hiro looked a little uncomfortable at first, but then, I mean...wouldn't you be awfully angry if someone just barges into the bathroom—"

"If it's my dead ex-lover who I am destined to be with, I'd be," Rei hissed; she reached up her hands and pulled Usagi's away from her hair, "can you just stop…"

Usagi lowered her arms, one thin pink ribbon in hand, and sat on the futon Rei had spread on the ground for her, "It was so...I mean...I don't know," she looked up at her friend.

Rei had always had this weird connection with Usagi, one that allowed her to see the unseen, hear the silence; she sat in front of the blonde and hugged her hands with her warm fingers.

Usagi fought down the tears that had threatened to fall the moment she had started to retell the story, "I felt like...Rei-chan...I wanted to cry when he kissed me…" she brought their clasped hands up to her forehead, closed her eyes tight, and allowed the tears to drop on Rei's beautiful slim fingers, one by one.


Mamoru pulled over to the side of the street and turned off the engine. From the passenger seat, he could feel Ayane's eyes on him and before turning to face her, he took a deep breath.

"You're still mad," she said with raised eyebrows. She had taken off her black fedora the moment they sat in the car and now it rested on her lap.

"I'm not—"

"Please. I can practically feel the negative aura around you," she cut him off and sighed, "I didn't know it would be that kind of a party; and besides, Kosuke-san is your friend—"

"That's exactly why I didn't want to go…" Mamoru closed his eyes; calm the fuck down you moron; "but it's over now. We went, we saw and now we're home."

Ayane tilted her head and tried to catch his eyes, "And yet you're still mad. And don't tell me you're not. You can't even look at me."

Mamoru's mind had been a jungle of fucked up nonsense. He couldn't concentrate and he desperately needed to find solitude. Every second he spent with Ayane meant a second more of him lying to her; and it cut through him like molten steel.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so tired tonight… and I have a terrible headache," which had been the truth; the headache had started the moment he had exited that fucking bathroom...the moment he had parted ways with Usagi.

Fuck. Don't think about her. Don't fucking think about her.

"Do you want to stay here? I can kiss your headache goodbye."

Ayane's voice, slow and so very comforting, broke his heart. He was a fucking bastard and he deserved to die from this headache; in fact, he will do whatever it took for the headache to not go away. He deserved it; he deserved so much worse.

"I think I'll head home. I have to get up early tomorrow and I don't want to wake you when I do," he massaged the back of his head; he knew he'd been avoiding her eyes; she knew it too. Ayane had always been the mature one in their relationship, the rationale one, the one who could always keep them afloat when they could easily drown.

"Okay...just," she leaned over to him and tilted his head towards her, "take care of yourself, yes?" she smiled and before he could say anything, she kissed him on the cheek and stepped out of the car.

Mamoru watched her slowly make her way to the entrance of her apartment complex. Her small fashionable backpack bounced on her shoulders as she went. She turned then, blew him a tiny kiss and disappeared behind the glass door.

Mamoru sat in the car for a long time. He couldn't concentrate enough to start the car and drive the short fifteen-minute distance to his own apartment.

Usagi had clutched at his shoulders with the same desperation he had gripped her waist. He could still feel the heat of her body against his, and oh God, why the fuck did he have to go there? Why? Why?

He leaned his head against the steering wheel and closed his eyes. He could still hear her tiny moan when he had thrust his tongue into her mouth. He opened his eyes fast and sat up straight. He needed to get home.

It took him two wrong turns, a dangerous U-turn and a few angry honks to finally pull into his parking garage.

He let out the long, overdue sigh, only when he stepped into his dimmed genkan and closed the door behind him.

He walked further inside; in the complete darkness of the living room, only a small array of the moon shone through his tightly shut curtains, as if to mock all his carefully laid out efforts to hide from its light. Mamoru never stood a chance against the moon, nor did he ever stand a chance to avoid what he knew he felt for its princess.

That night, at the bottom steps of Hikawa Shrine, he'd only told Usagi half the truth.

It'd been the truth; he had in fact started to have vivid dreams about the two of them together. They'd felt so real, so emotionally invested, that at some point a few nights ago, he had actually woken up from the dream and had started looking for Usagi in the silence of his apartment.

What he had failed to tell her, nay, what he had kept from her, is the fact that little by little, the walls around his heart that had allowed him to brush Usagi off as just a girl he knew, a girl that only his destiny had been tied to, and not his heart, were coming down, brick by brick. And Mamoru didn't know how to deal with that. In fact, he'd been so lost in the turmoil of emotions cutting through him, that he had decided to stop answering Sailor Moon's silent calls for a few fights; until he could deal with whatever it was he needed to deal with.

But then, the sensation would come and he would take deep breaths and tell himself that she was probably not alone; that the most powerful bunch had her back, looking after her, protecting her. He would turn into the masked hero and still stay rooted on the spot; don't go to her. Fight this. You can fight this. History cannot repeat itself.

The next moment, his legs and arms would be working extra hard to get him that much faster to her, while his heart screamed at him for his fucked up planning. She needed him, and only God knew how much he needed her too.

He stepped inside his bathroom, turned on the shower full blast and walked inside the stall fully dressed.

He allowed the lukewarm water to run down his body, soaking up his white dress shirt and plastering the chino pants to his legs.

He'd never felt that twist in his heart before, but when he had her in his arms, so petite and vulnerable and willing, he'd felt it harder than anything he had ever felt. He had felt like crying as if he had been robbed of something...something, and now, he has come this close to finding it.

He'd seen them the moment they had entered the party. It's funny how Luna had said that the destiny they all shared came without any strings attached, and yet, he always seemed to know the moment she'd been near.

Ayane had left him to his deeds, as she worked up the party with her God-given charisma and beautiful smile. He'd stayed hidden behind, and had only shared a few words with Ayane, Kosuke-kun and a few other classmates. He really didn't want to be there. Parties had never been his thing, and his luck had him dating an over sociable woman. Ayane lived for this kind of scenes.

Usagi looked...older. So much more mature than her usual self, and, had she been wearing Minako's skirt? He was sure he had seen that skirt on the blonde before; especially since she had accused him of checking her out in it. Her entire style screamed Aino. Mamoru knew Usagi's style, and this wasn't it.

He watched her smile up at strangers and woo them with her natural sweetness; Usagi had always wore her emotions on her sleeve; and Mamoru remembered enough of the past to know Serenity hadn't been the same. The princess never had the opportunity to be her true self. Mamoru didn't want to confess, but this part of Usagi, this layer of comfort she composed, had him envious of her.

He watched as Hiro sweet talked to her, whispering words he desperately wanted to know and hated himself for, in her ears.

The moment Usagi had discovered his presence, had been the moment a new revelation had come to him. This scene and the way their eyes had locked through heads and swaying limbs hadn't been the first time he'd caught her eyes.

A memory of them watching each other through a happy crowd resurfaced; in his mind's eye, he saw Serenity watching him from a distance, as another man's hand guided her down fancy gold stairs. And Mamoru knew he'd been watching his wife; not just the moon princess. He had already vowed his undying love for her in that memory. And fuck, he heard his heartbreak into pieces.

Usagi's eyes only reflected only half the feeling he remembered Serenity's had. But he knew the feeling he felt inside was double what he had felt those centuries ago.

What was happening to him?

He had walked out of her sight the moment Hiro came up behind her. He needed to find Ayane; he needed to run away from this party, run away from these people; run away from Usagi.

He needed to run away from himself.

Ayane had been deep in conversation with two people Mamoru didn't know. He walked up to her, with every intention to tell her that they had to leave; but before he reached her, he had caught sight of Usagi disappearing behind the small hallway on the other side of the living room

His feet just followed.

His mind had been void of everything, except her when he had stood in front of her in that bathroom.

He knew the moment he had knocked on that door that he was going to kiss her. And maybe the rueful feeling he'd felt, the moment his tongue invaded her mouth, had to do with the fact that he knew, for sure, that he had finally lost the battle.

He could no longer lie to himself, and he probably lost any chance in lying to Usagi.

The protective part of him that yearned to be by her side in fights, had been the same part that had pushed him away from her in their civilian lives. That part he had brushed off as a sense of responsibility, turned out to be so much more than that.

Mamoru stood under the spraying water in his small shower stall and allowed himself to finally, finally, admit that he had feelings for Usagi.


"And you were naked?"

"I wasn't naked—"

"But you just said you didn't have your sweater on…"

"I had that tank top on—"

"My tank top? That tank top?" Minako pointed at the infamous piece of fabric that poked out of Usagi's duffle bag, "that one? Having that on is even worse than being completely naked."

Usagi rolled her eyes and looked away from the blonde.

"Don't roll your eyes at me…" Minako dropped heavy on Usagi's futon and leaned into her face, "now. Tell me exactly how the kiss happened."

"I told you already. Rei-chan told you over the phone," Usagi threw Rei a murderous stare, "he kissed me. That's it."

"Was there any tongue involved?"

"Minako…"

"What?" the blonde shrugged at Ami's scandalous tone, "I hope you understand that a peck on the lips is different than a full-on make-out session Ami-chan," she looked back at Usagi, "so? Was there?"

"I mean...yes—"

"I knew it. That bastard…" Minako jumped up and flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I'm gonna kick his ass…"

"I'm right behind you," Makoto growled.

Rei had called everyone, even the outers, at seven am, on a weekend, just to let everyone know that Chiba had kissed their princess.

Makoto had arrived in a ball of fury and had vowed to feed Mamoru his own balls and Ami's efforts in calming her had been in vain.

The outers hadn't shown up, thank God, but Haruka had made sure to let Usagi know that the bastard didn't know that the dangerous game he'd started was going to cost him his life, and possibly, his manhood.

Usagi had thought hard about what she'd said; had it been a game? A way for Mamoru to belittle her even more? Kiss her when he wanted and then ignore her when he pleased?

Minako had been calm and collected when she entered through the sliding door and holding one cup of coffee.

"Minako-chan, what the hell. You could've brought us some too," Makoto pouted, but the blonde had brushed her off and had gone straight to Usagi. The latter had just woken up and even though she knew she would soon have to face the rage of her Senshi, her friends, she didn't know it'd be around 8:10 am on a weekend.

"Here. Drink this," Minako had shoved the coffee cup in Usagi's hand.

Usagi sniffed at it, "Mmm, smells good…" she took a tiny sip and immediately pushed the cup back into Minako's hand, "ew, Mina-chan, what the hell is this? Why would you give me a coffee? I thought it was a mocha…"

Minako smirked. She had that look on her face; the one that the rest of them called "Minako's concentration face" in front of her, and "Minako's crazy eyes" behind her back.

"It tastes like shit, doesn't it?" she'd dropped on the futon and stared right into Usagi's eyes, "the aroma is alluring but in reality, it tastes like feet, yes?"

Usagi had been too weirded out by her friend's antics to disagree; she'd just nodded.

Minako had jumped up, a triumphant look on her face, "That's exactly what Chiba is. He looks delicious and yummy to swallow on the outside," she paused and her crazy eyes turned a tiny bit dreamy.

"Um...Mina-chan?" Usagi whispered.

The blonde shook her head and looked around the room, "All I'm saying is that he might look good, but in reality, inside, he's bad news. Bad news Usa-chan. Just like this disgusting double espresso," she brought the cup up and twisted her face at it, "Yuk."

Usagi retold the story again and again. And finally, when she felt like she'd been on the verge of unfolding the whole truth, she had fled the shrine. Especially when Ami, in her usual calm manner, had asked her, "What about Hiro-kun? What will you tell him?" she knew she just needed to run away from her friends. She needed to run away from thoughts of Hiro.

She needed to run away from herself.

She had allowed Luna to accompany her back, "No questions though Luna. I can't talk about this anymore," she'd warned her companion and the cat had seen the sincere frustration in her princess' eyes.

They walked back home in complete silence.

Usagi had locked herself in her room after quickly greeting her parents and hitting Shingo upside the head with a "didn't I tell you not to go in my room, moron?" shriek.

She had laid down on the fluffy peach carpet in the middle of her room and just stared at the ceiling.

Mamoru had clutched her waist with the same desperation she had held on to his shoulders. Her closed eyes had filled up with tears, the moment their tongues met in a dance both nostalgic and new. His hands, so warm and familiar, had angled her face to better delve into the deepest parts of her mouth.

Oh God, she'd never been kissed like that before. She never knew she could be kissed like that.

Hiro…

Her eyes opened and she pushed herself away from the floor.

Fuck. What the hell had she done? How could she just forget about Hiro in all this? She had a boyfriend; someone who genuinely loved her, someone she liked and cared for so very deeply.

The thought of Mamoru's kiss replaced with Hiro's gentle probing of her lips; how he had kissed her before the party and how he had smiled at her when he'd dropped her off at the shrine.

She had a good thing, a great thing going with Hiro; she didn't want to screw it up. And chances were, that this was all just a game to Mamoru.

Usagi changed into a simple dress and decided to join her family downstairs.

She was going to tell Hiro about the kiss, ask him for his forgiveness and then erase Mamoru's kiss from her mind.

Because the fact is, Usagi had been keeping a secret; one that she hadn't shared with anyone else.

Little by little, she had started to remember the games Endymion had played with Serenity after they had exchanged their vows under the shimmering light of the moon; after he had taken her body, her mind and her very soul.

Usagi joined her family in the living room and the Tsukino household erupted with the sound of her bantering with Shingo and loud laughter.

Usagi had started to remember how Endymion had broken Serenity's heart into pieces.


Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. All rights of this fantastic anime/manga belong to the amazing Naoko Takeuchi. I just own the story I tell.