A/N: Alrighty everyone, you're welcome. I have thrown in a bit of fan service for you to whet your appetites for what you know is coming. PLEASE keep the reviews coming, even if it's just one word.

"I'm more concerned about the bruising right now than the lacerations."

"Do you know if there's anything we can do to reduce it?"

"Well, it's difficult because we can't use any of our current medical equipment… we may need to explore some homeopathic remedies…"

"Very well. See what you can find out, Mercury."

"Of course your Majesty." There was a whisper of movement and then the door closed. He cracked his eyes and saw Serenity standing, staring at the closed door. He tried to shift his position but the pain it caused made him cry out. It was worse than when he had been run through at the end of his previous life. He felt tears come to his eyes again and even though he fought it a sob still escaped him. The pain stretched out to his entire body. It was so intense that he didn't hear the soft padding of feet as Serenity rushed to his side.

"Don't move, don't move." After a couple of minutes the pain subsided but with every heartbeat his whole body throbbed. The cold from the ice pack seeped into his back numbing some of the pain allowing him to breath through it. Serenity brushed his bangs from his face. She sat next to him for some time just running her fingers through his hair. The feeling of her hand was soothing. He cracked his eyes again and looked at her. She was crying.

"It's okay, Serenity." He whispered.

"It's really not, Endymion." Her voice cracked under the strain. "It's not anywhere near okay."

"It's because of you I was able to stay conscious for the whole ordeal. We'll get through this. We've weathered worse." She smiled at him through her tears. "Please don't cry anymore." She sniffled and then nodded.

"I'll try."

"How long was I out this time?"

"A week. We were forced to sedate you for part of it." A call came over her communicator.

"I've been able to get ahold of something that will help with the pain and bruising, Your Majesty."

"Go ahead and bring it up." She rested her hand on his cheek for a moment. "I'll be right back." The door opened and then clicked shut. He could hear the murmur of voices coming through the door. When it opened again Mercury followed Serenity into the room. She walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. "Master Endymion, I'm going to take the ice pack off. Just be very still." The weight left his back and he could feel the throbbing return causing him to wince. She quickly replaced it with a large patch of fabric that covered his entire back. It had some kind of gel on it. The effect was almost instant and he relaxed into the bed sighing with relief.

"What is it?" Serenity asked.

"These are coated with a gel that has a mixture of pure aloe vera, vitamins D, bromelain, and lidocaine. The lidocaine treats the pain specifically and the other ingredients promote the healing of bruises."

"Thank you so much, Mercury."

"My pleasure. Go ahead and use one of these every day and spend a few minutes at a time on the balcony in the sun. Once the lacerations have healed I want you to soak in epsom salt baths before bed. If you need me again I'll be available." Mercury then gathered her things and left the room. After seeing Mercury out Serenity turned to him.

"Are those helping?"

"You have no idea." He mumbled into the pillows.

"Well thank goodness." He was so relieved that he grew very tired.

"I think I want to sleep some more." He said, halfway there already.

"Then go to sleep, darling." And he did.


He slept for another day before being able to stay awake. He never reacted well to being sedated, it always took longer than normal to leave his system. The medicated dressings Mercury had brought were speeding the healing process and his back was already looking better than the day before. It would still be a while before he could start the epsom salt baths but it looked as though he'd be able to get a few of those in at some point. Mercury had already brought some of it to them that was infused with lavender to help with relaxation. He had to stop the shower meditation and yoga for the time being, it was just too painful.

He and Serenity sat at dinner out on their balcony. The evening was perfect weather-wise. It was incredibly clear and the stars sparkled like diamonds against black velvet. He hadn't eaten much and felt sort of like a child, just poking at his food, moving it around on the plate. Serenity was looking over a report and hadn't even glanced at him the whole meal. He stuck a single pea on his fork and popped it into his mouth. This was ridiculous.

"What are you looking at?" He asked. She didn't answer. "Serenity?"

"Hm?"

"What are you looking at?"

"Oh, um. There were some tropical storms in the South Pacific, I'm just going over the damage reports." They fell silent again.

"Was there any loss of life?" She didn't answer. This was turning out to be a very unsuccessful conversation. "Serenity?"

"Hm?"

"Loss of life?"

"Oh… no, everyone was evacuated." She hadn't looked up from the tablet she was holding even once through the whole interchange. She took another bite of her food. He rested his head on a fist and started poking at his dinner again. After a couple of minutes he set his fork down and got up from the table. She didn't notice him walk around behind her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and started massaging them. "Mmmm." She finally put the tablet down and leaned into him. Pressing his face close to her ear he whispered.

"You know, I may not be ready to explore new things but that isn't an excuse to neglect you." He trailed kisses down her neck.

"Endymion, I'm really not in the mood." She said.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I can fix that." He pulled her chair away from the table and circled round in front of her. She let out a frustrated sigh and set the tablet down on the table. She looked at him slightly annoyed. "You were to one who was complaining about not getting attention." He grabbed the back of her neck and drew her into a kiss. "I agree with you." His other hand traveled up from her waist to her breast and he ran his thumb over her nipple through her nightgown. She let out a whisper of a moan. He kissed her cheek and then knelt before her. He lifted her nightgown and pulled her hips to the edge of her chair removing her underwear at the same time. "My Queen, I hope you don't mind if I have dessert…" He trailed kisses up her leg and then began sucking on her clit. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she moaned, pressing onto him. He moved to her opening and dipped his tongue in. He continued his assault until she cried out softly as she came. He licked her clean, not leaving a single drop of her sweet nectar behind. When he stood he captured her lips again, making sure she'd be able to taste herself on his tongue. This time she kissed back with fervor.

"Bed… now." She said between kisses. He pulled her up and walked backwards back into the room while trying not to break away from her for a second. As soon as his legs hit the edge of the bed he fell back. She pulled off her nightgown and tossed it on the floor and he did the same with his shirt. She made it to his pants before he did and already had them undone. After helping her pull off his pants and boxers he moved towards the middle of the bed. She followed him but took her time, kissing her way up his leg and then taking him into her mouth. It was his turn to roll his eyes back and press into her. She didn't linger for very long and when she moved on he whined a little. She met it with a sharp bite to his side, making him jump.

"AH! That hurt."

"Oh hush, you liked it." She made sure to slide her body against his as she moved up. Her lips made it to his neck and latched on. He flipped them over and she landed under him, her eyes glittering with lust. He just looked at her in for a moment. Smooth ivory skin almost shimmered like pearls in the moonlight, her hair fanned out beneath her. She gazed at him as he drank the sight of her in.

"You're so beautiful." He touched her hip and brushed his fingers up and over her stomach following the curve of her breast and finally his knuckles came to rest on her cheek. She was completely relaxed under him, her hands rested where they'd fallen on either side of her head. 'She looks so at peace.' He thought lazily. He leaned down and captured her lips. She kissed back, resting a hand on the back of his head. He nudged her legs apart with his knee and she spread them willingly. Without breaking the kiss he positioned himself and slid into her smoothly, her walls still slick from her previous orgasm. He moaned as she sheathed him completely and she mewled against his cheek. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled out almost completely and then rammed back into her. She cried out softly when he did. He'd hit the sweet spot deep inside her.

"Again, oh do that again." She begged under her breath. And he did, over and over. He set an even deliberate pace making sure to press as far into her as he could. He wasn't going to last very long, dreaming was nice but it had been just as long for him as it had been for her. "Eeh- Eehnd- Endymion. Aah AAAah" She pressed her head into the bed and her legs tightened around him. Feeling her walls clamp down on him pushed him over the edge as well.

"Serenity… oh Serenity…" He rocked into her hard as they came together, their voices reverberating against the walls of the room like a symphony. He collapsed onto her panting, eyes closed and drifting in the aftermath of his finish.

"I told you. I'm an excellent fixer." He said after a few minutes.

"I guess you're right." She shifted under him. "Come on, we need to shower now and I need to put one of those medicated patches on your back." He grumbled a little but followed her to the bathroom anyway.

Serenity washed his back carefully. It felt so good, her running the soapy cloth over his skin. After finishing in the shower she applied the aloe vera fabric and they wound up back in bed, this time under the covers. "I'm sorry, Serenity."

"Why?"

"I've been so self absorbed that I forgot about you and what you must be going through." He lifted himself onto his elbow. "I will do better." He caressed her cheek.

"It's ok, Endymion."

"No, it's not. This whole time you've been taking care of me and instead of giving back I've been wallowing in self-pity. You're caring for my duties and yours. You're making sure that I'm taken care of- the library, the piano, the medical care, dealing with the judicial committee - You even made sure that Small Lady wouldn't be here during all of this."

"Yeah, well, she would have been traumatized to see you like this…and I'm sure you would have been traumatized if she saw you like this."

"Yes. You always take such good care of everyone… I lost sight of that because I was feeling sorry for myself."

"Well, you have a good reason…"

"Such a thing does not exist. There is never a 'good' reason to feel sorry for yourself." She looked at him, exhaustion plain on her face. It wasn't until then that he noticed the bags under her eyes. "No more… I'm not going to leave you alone any more." He ran his thumb across her cheek. Her eyes teared up and a couple of them ran down her cheeks. "I asked you not to cry anymore."

"And I told you I'd try."

"I love you, Usa."

"I love you too, Mamo." They both smiled and just sat looking at one another for a few minutes. "I have to get up early tomorrow."

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"What's that?"

"The Australian Continent would probably be the best option as far as a staging ground for rebuilding in the South Pacific. New Zealand can be used in conjunction." She laughed a little. He would jump to another subject like that.

"That's a good idea. It would be far more efficient than trying to coordinate from here." They spent a few minutes brainstorming for the relief work that needed to be done. Eventually they fell asleep, Serenity on Endymion's chest, and both of them snoring lightly.


Endymion sat in their study reading. He thought back on the previous night. "How can I have been so selfish…" He put his book down. The way that Serenity looked, the level of exhaustion clear in her features… it would have taken far longer than just a day or two for her to look like that and he hadn't noticed at all. Between caring for the Kingdom, dealing with the judicial committee, and caring for his physical, emotional, and mental health… He was feeling exhausted just thinking about it.

He was having a hard time keeping his focus reading so he walked out of the study and back to their room. He went to the piano and ran his hand across the top. She certainly didn't skimp on it. She'd found a baby grand piano that appeared to be made of crystal. The keys were coated in mother of pearl, both white and black and it had a matching bench, the cushion made of silvery velvet. He sat down and rested his hands on the keys. There was so much clarity when he played it. He was still clumsy and slow with some pieces but the basics he understood. He began playing Claire De Lune. It seemed that there were some pieces of music that were timeless. The music was simply able to say what words could not. Who would have thought something like this could bring him such joy and peace? He closed his eyes and smiled. "Serenity would…"

"You've become very proficient, and in such a short time." He jumped. It wasn't Serenity. He looked at the doorway. Guardians Mercury and Neptune stood there. Neptune was the one who spoke. "We did knock."

"Is everything okay?" He asked, worried. "Where's Serenity?"

"Everything is fine, Master Endymion." Mercury said with a smile. "Her Royal Highness had to travel to the Australian Continent last minute to oversee some logistics of the relief work."

"B-but… the last time she left the palace was…"

"Please don't worry yourself needlessly." Neptune said. "All of the remaining guardians, including Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto, have accompanied her. We were asked to stay behind to oversee your care while she is away."

"And, she was able to convince the council to allow us to keep you company too, should you desire it, of course." Mercury said in her chipper way. Well, he couldn't say that he wasn't worried. Australia was a long way away. "We also brought you this." Mercury produced what appeared to be a replica of the moon resting in a nest of ivy made from silver. "It's a holographic communicator. Her Majesty said she would contact you this evening with this." He hadn't actually spent time with anyone other than Serenity in nearly 4 months. He felt awkward speaking to them even though they were two of his closest friends.

"Thank you." He said. Mercury took it to the desk and set it there. Neptune went and sat next to him on the piano bench.

"You were playing Claire De Lune right?"

"Y-yes. Serenity loves it…"

"Would it be presumptuous for me to offer some guidance on your transitions? Maybe I could answer questions you might have about anything involving your music."

"My… music…" he hadn't really thought of it as being his.

"Yes. Her Majesty asked me to stay because she thought you'd appreciate some outside assistance." She turned to the piano. "She found a truly exceptional instrument." He looked back at the piano.

"I… find great peace while playing it."

"Being able to use an instrument of any kind gives us the ability to communicate in ways that words and gestures cannot. Pure emotions can be expressed through music."

"Pure emotions." He echoed. Neptune smiled at him.

"Yes, Master Endymion. Here, I've brought you some of my favorite sheet music." She handed him a binder filled with music. "Now, about those transitions…"

Neptune and Mercury sat with him all afternoon. Neptune had a lot to offer in terms of advice on technique, hand positions, and answered some of his questions about reading complicated scores. Just before dinner Mercury cleaned and bandaged his back with new medicated dressings.

"You're wounds are healing very well with this treatment. It appears that the bruising is fading already."

"The pain has definitely been reduced." He said as he shrugged his shirt back on. "How do the open wounds look?"

"Well, they are certainly beginning to close so don't go straining yourself and open them back up. I think that if it continues like this you should be healed up in about 10 days to two week's time."

"Thank you, both of you, for keeping me company and for all of the assistance."

"It was our pleasure." Neptune said. "We'll leave you for the evening. I will be by in the morning to escort you to the library." Both guardians left. He still felt awkward speaking to them. He stared at the door thinking the afternoon over.

"Was it nice having others to speak to?" The sound of Serenity's voice startled him. He'd forgotten about the communicator Mercury had left for him.

"Serenity…" he went to the desk and sat down in front of the glowing orb, her face reflected back at him. "You left rather suddenly."

"I'm sorry my love. It was necessary and I didn't have time to go to you and let you know in person.'

"Is everything okay?"

"Goodness. I leave the palace and everyone acts like the world is coming to an end. Everything is fine. I'll remind you that this is usually part of your duties. I don't act like the sky is falling when you leave the palace."

"I'm not you. And I'll remind you that the last time you left the palace the sky ACTUALLY fell. You shouldn't be traveling so far abroad."

"I can't argue with that but really Endymion, I'm fine. Was it nice having Neptune to help with your piano?"

"I'll ignore that change in subject and answer anyway. Yes, yes it was." He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. Thank you for making it possible to have company while you are gone."

"I'm happy to hear that her insights were useful."

"Do you know how long you'll be there?"

"No more than 3 days. I'm hoping this will be sorted by tomorrow evening."

"I miss you…"

"I miss you too. I'm sorry but I cannot stay any longer. Please try not to worry. I'll communicate with you tomorrow and I'll be home before you know it."

"Please be safe."

"Good night, my love."

"Good night." Her image faded and the orb reverted to a miniature moon. He looked at it for a long time before getting up to go to bed. He'd had so many distractions lately that only now was he thinking about the desires he'd pushed deep down into his psyche. The image of Serenity laying under him, totally at peace came to his mind. She trusted him completely, that was clear. He thought back to every intimate moment they had over the years. Never had she shown an ounce of doubt. Her faith in him was absolute.

Absolute faith is what he needed