A/N:

Hello, again! I was really excited to write this chapter. I felt like it came back a little to it's roots. There are so many good things to come...I promise! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Are you team Seiya or team Mamoru? It's honestly hard for me because I love them both so much! I was rewatching the anime recently, and I always feel so bad for Seiya...but I also love Mamo-chan so much. It's so hard! Also, if you checked out the last song I recommended, I would also steer you toward "So in Love" by Stello and "Moon Hits" by Vansire. They are some other songs I feel inspired by. I think they fit this chapter pretty well too!

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own Sailor Moon or any of its characters.

4: I hope you'll have a normal life with me

Usagi could tell she was in the limbo of sleep and awake, but the sweet scent of roses still filled her nose. As she came further to her senses, she could hear the sound of waves in the distance and the feeling of a cool breeze against her skin. There was another sweet smell, something familiar that brought up memories, but she couldn't quite place what it was or the memories it evoked. There was a whisper in her ear, yet it sounded far from where she was. Her eyes and limbs felt heavy as though she had slept a thousand years, but she forced her lids open through the thick haze.

To her surprise her eyes were met with the scene of a lavish bedroom. She wasn't quite sure what she was expecting to see, but for some reason she felt out of place. Her head rested on a white, silk pillow that matched the silk sheets covering her pale skin. The bed itself was a pearly white canopy bed with sheer silver curtains tied up to its posts. She sat up quickly, causing her hair, which was down from its normal bun style, to flow freely down her shoulders and torso. Usagi brushed one hand through her hair; it was fine and silvery between her fingers—had it always been this way? She stood from her bed, her satin negligee falling down against her thighs. It was white with gold embroidery and lace around the edges. Its extravagance was every bit of fitting for the room.

The voice that had woken her before now called her name louder. Usagi looked around the room for the source of the voice, but no one was there. The room held silvery furniture including a large armoire, a vanity, and a settee with jewel toned pillows. Gold-framed paintings hung of planets and other worldly but familiar scenery. A large portrait of Usagi and a silvery haired woman with the same hairstyle hung above a marble fireplace. Finally her eyes came to rest on a doorway that opened up to a balcony. A breeze blew the white curtains around the doorway into the room, beckoning her outside. Her feet seemed to move on their own as the voice continued to call out to her. As her bare feet met the cold stone on the balcony, her eyes were met by a beautiful garden that spanned as far as she could see. Large pools of crystal blue water ran down the length of the gardens which were filled with pastel flowers. More surprising than the gardens was what she saw in the sky—a blue, green, and white marble-like planet—the place she loved so much—Earth.

The voice called again, but this time, Usagi knew where it was coming from. She walked to the balcony railing and peered over the edge, where the facade was covered in long trellises of roses that reached from the balcony floor to the ground below. As her eyes trailed across the roses, her eyes met with another pair of blue eyes—eyes as blue as the ocean on the planet above them. Usagi's breath caught in her throat as she looked over the man before her. His dark hair was as black as the night sky, his skin warm and golden. He was donned in dark armor, a long cape billowing behind him. There was an aura about him, something warm and comforting that she could feel even in their distance. She longed to reach out to touch him, to feel his warmth against her chilled skin. He was everything she wasn't; a perfect match to her cool, pale world.

He called her name again, but she didn't quite catch what he said. "I found you," he called, looking over Usagi in her thin nightgown "god, you are stunning." He smirked a knowing smirk and Usagi felt the skin from her cheeks to her chest heat up with a blush. His smile was like a ray of sun and it melted Usagi like she was snow. She steadied herself against the railing. He was familiar, but she couldn't tell why.

"Endymion." The words left her lips as though she had always known them, like his name belonged to the sound of her voice. She reached out for him, her heart beating fast in her chest. "What are you doing here? You know we mustn't…" Usagi pulled her hand back and held it close against her chest.

"I had to see you again…" Endymion glanced behind his shoulder, a noise suddenly picking up from around the outside wall. "Shit. I wanted to be with you, but it sounds like they're already here..." He plucked a single red rose from the trellis and placed a kiss upon the petals before tossing it up to the balcony. It landed perfectly on the railing before Usagi. She picked up the rose and kissed it back, taking in the scent of Endymion's cologne that lingered on the flower. He took a step back, reaching out for Usagi as he prepared to make his exit, but Usagi called out to him.

"Wait!" She patted the single pocket sewn into her sleeping gown and pulled out a golden, star-shaped locket from her pocket, holding it out for Endymion to see. "Take this...as a promise that we will meet again." She tossed the locket down to Endymion, who caught it in his hands effortlessly.

"I'll treasure it," Endymion whispered, kissing the locket. He looked up to Usagi, his eyes softer now, "And one more thing…" There was suddenly a lot of noise and Usagi could hardly hear what Endymion had to say. "—se—ty" He said her name again, but it didn't sound like her name. What was it? "Wake up."

Suddenly there was a bright light shining in Usagi's eyes. The colorful gardens began to fade out, the gentle sound of waves had been lost to the sound of whispers and chatter. Blue eyes and black hair came into focus as Usagi found herself lying in the arms of someone warm. She blinked, moaning, her head and eyes struggling to focus on the face before her.

"Endymion?" She choked out, reaching for his face. It was coming more into focus; his eyes were softer now. They didn't seem to be the same as they were before. She heard someone nearby inhale sharply and then the sound of steps walking away quickly as a muffled voice said their goodbyes, but then she was met with a different voice. This time she knew the voice clearly, it was one she had heard so many times before.

"Usagi, it's Seiya."

Suddenly Usagi's vision was clear, but her head swirled with the memories—no, the dream—she had just had. A sadness so deep filled her chest that she couldn't hold back her tears, and she began to weep. "Where is he? Where is Endymion?" She sat herself up, pulling away slightly from Seiya's protective arms. Her eyes met with those of her friends, Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako—and they all had the same peculiar look on their faces, one she had never seen before...pity. Their frowns seemed to be holding some sort of secret that they were afraid to share with her, for fear they would embarrass her. As she looked at them she realized they somehow seemed more mature since they had been separated in the crowd. Like friends from distant memories you had only seen in photos and then suddenly meet after years of being apart. Did something happen while she had passed out? Did the monster tell them something about her she didn't know? Did they know something about the dream that now left her confused and jostled?

Usagi's sobs came on more strongly now, but everyone was silent and still. Seiya was the only one to come to her side. He wrapped his warm arms around her, and she wept into his shoulder. "I'm so confused," Usagi sobbed, her tears wetting the sleeve of his black jacket.

Seiya's hands stroked her hair, letting her cry into his shirt. "It's alright, Usagi. I think we should go home." He looked up to the girls and nodded, who made way for them to exit. Seiya lifted Usagi up into his arms, carrying her as she cried, her arms around his neck.

The trip to Seiya's house was made in complete silence. Seiya was attentive to her, caressing her back and hair as her sobs slowed into sniffles. She stared out the window, trying to understand everything that had just happened. As everything began to come back to her, she began to ask herself more questions, but the biggest in her mind was what had happened to Mamoru. He had been there helping her...where had he gone? She couldn't remember seeing him after she had woken up. Her heart ached, hoping he was safe. Despite the fact that she was with Seiya who was being so gentle and kind to her, as he always had been, why could she not get Mamoru out of her mind.

When the driver finally stopped at Seiya's house, Seiya kissed Usagi's forehead and opened the door of the car before helping her out of the vehicle. He led her inside to his room and scooped her up and laid her onto his bed.

"Do you want to stay with me tonight?" Seiya asked, pressing another light kiss against Usagi's temple. She looked up to the man she loved, who cared for her so perfectly, and felt a slight blush creep across her cheeks.

"I'll have to tell my mom I'm with the girls again…" she whispered.

Seiya nodded and left the room to his attached bathroom. Usagi heard the water begin to run in the bath and then after a while, Seiya was back, but this time he came back without any clothing on except for a white towel wrapped around his waist. "I drew us a bath." He watched Usagi as he grabbed the bottom of her blouse and began to pull it up, and her arms went over her head, giving him permission to remove the shirt, revealing the smooth skin of her shoulders and torso. He kissed her neck, then her shoulder, and right above the top of her bra as he undid it from the back and pulled that off of her as well. Usagi shimmied out of her shorts, and Seiya's hands followed after, removing her underwear, his fingers causing goosebumps to race down her arms as his finger tips grazed her legs. Then he scooped her up into his arms once more and carried her to the bathtub where bubbles nearly overflowed the edge of the tub. He placed her in lightly before dropping his towel to the floor and seating himself behind her in the water. Usagi leaned back against Seiya's chest, letting the water and Seiya's body warm her. She exhaled, feeling some of the day leave with her breath.

They were silent for a while until Seiya finally spoke up. "Are you alright?" he asked, letting his fingers slide down Usagi's arms ever so lightly.

Usagi felt her breath catch in her throat. She tried to think about what had happened and how she had felt. "I'm confused," she admitted quietly. She looked down into the bubbles, watching as they fizzled and popped around her.

"About what?" Seiya asked, his voice strong but soft.

"Why did this happen to me? What is going on?" Usagi asked, feeling the panic rise in her voice as she spoke. She tried to calm herself and she turned to Seiya, "Have you ever felt like you've forgotten something important, but you can't remember what?"

Seiya's eyes widened at Usagi's question. "What do you mean?"

Usagi looked into Seiya's eyes and for a split moment she thought she could see a little bit of the man from her dream—the black hair, the deep blue eyes, the feeling of protection and warmth…. Perhaps it had truly all been a dream. Maybe what Rei had said had put her into a frenzy. Her heart panged at the thought of her friends. Why did she still feel so ashamed at the thought of them looking at her with such pity?

"It feels like everything has suddenly changed," Usagi continued. "Everything was normal, but now there was a strange monster after me, and Rei saw a premonition, and then I had this strange dream about a prince and...I just want to be normal. It just feels like that's gone now." The tears had started again, and they fell hot against her wet cheeks.

"Well," Seiya trailed began, touching the side of Usagi's face softly, "I don't know why any of this is happening. I can't explain any of it to you, but I can tell you this…" Seiya took a handful of bubbles and placed them on his face like a beard. He lowered his voice and exclaimed, "I am the prince you have been searching for, my princess!" He took some more bubbles and put them on top of Usagi's hair. "And you, the beautiful dumpling princess, are queen of the bubbles."

Usagi stared at Seiya for a moment, completely taken aback by the turn in conversation and began to laugh. "Well it's very rude for the prince to come into the princess's bathtub!" She splashed water at Seiya, who splashed back at her, and before long they commenced a full on water war in the bathroom. As their screams and laughs filled the bathroom, there was a knock at the door.

"Oi! Seiya! "Yaten yelled from the door that was connected to Yaten's room, "water is leaking out of my door!"

Seiya and Usagi looked at each other and laughed hysterically. Seiya clambered out of the tub, nearly slipping as he tried to throw a towel down on the floor. Usagi smiled, feeling more herself than she had all day. Whenever she was with Seiya everything was normal. Everything felt right. If there was nothing else, she could always feel comfortable in his presence. The bad of the day always disappeared.

As the night began to wind down, Seiya was playful and attentive to Usagi. They spent the evening snuggled up to one another, watching movies and eating popcorn. They joked and laughed, and Usagi had nearly forgotten the events of the day. She fell asleep in Seiya's arms and dreamed of them together. The dream was familiar but completely alien to her, like many dreams are—the strange mix of reality and make believe. She could see herself watching Seiya at a concert from the top of a giant ferris wheel, and she knew he was singing to her. It was as if she could feel his love radiating from every word he sang. Underlying everything else, there was a strange urgency to the whole situation, but before she could figure out anything else, she woke to Seiya dressing next to her.

"Good morning, dumpling," Seiya whispered, noticing Usagi stirring. He placed a flurry of kisses on her lips and down her neck to her chest, and Usagi giggled. She sat up slowly, placing her arms around Seiya who turned to finish putting on his shirt.

"What're you doing?" she asked playfully kissing his cheek.

"I wanted to show you something!" Seiya said, disappearing into his closet. There was some rustling, and then he returned with a box. He sat down on the bed next to Usagi, smiling at her briefly, and then opened the box. Slowly, he pulled out a photo album. Beneath it was a collection of more photos, notes, and little trinkets spread out over the bottom of the box. He opened the album, passing through old pictures of Seiya, Yaten, and Taiki, but finally he ended on a section where Usagi began to appear.

"Ah!" Usagi squealed, pointing at one of the photos, "It's our first real date. When you took me to the zoo!" She grinned at Seiya reminiscing on the day.

"Yeah, you were so nervous!" Seiya laughed. "Do you remember when we were in the ferris wheel? When I asked you out? You said no!"

Usagi laughed, "I don't even remember why now…. But you wore me down by the end of the night. Maybe if you had just given me that bear you won from the claw machine...which I still have, you know!" She crossed her arms, wagging her finger at him.

Seiya smiled back at Usagi, "I couldn't just give you something if you were gonna turn me down again! Everyone except you knew how much I liked you!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have been so arrogant!" Usagi joked in response. She flipped to the next page and found an empty spot for a photograph. "Oh, this one's missing...what was it?" She squinted at some small writing where the photo would have been. "Our first dance at the club…?"

Seiya looked to Usagi who looked back to him in confusion. "I don't remember dancing at the club," he murmured, flipping through the book further.

Usagi shook her head in agreement and began to search through the box. "Maybe it's in here! A photo would remind us." She sorted through the photos and random tchotchkes, when she suddenly came across a heart shaped compact. "Oh! Look at this!" She held up the golden brooch. It was encrusted in pink jewels and had white wings coming out the sides. "It's so pretty! I love it! What is this stuff anyway?"

Seiya glanced up from the album to see what Usagi was holding. "Huh, I don't know. This is all just stuff from before we moved here…." He took the brooch and examined it for any indication of whose it might have been. "It's not mine. I'm not sure where this came from." He pressed the top of it and the compact opened up to show sparkling jewels and an empty star shaped hole in the middle.

"Looks like something goes in there," Usagi mumbled, taking it back. She closed it and pinned it at the center of her chest. Seiya's oversized t-shirt she was wearing sagged at the weight of the brooch, but it still laid perfectly on her. "Can I have it?! Wouldn't it be cute on my uniform?!"

"Sure, sure," Seiya agreed, taking his own interest in the contents of the box. "I don't know what half this stuff is…" He pushed things aside picking things up now and then, until suddenly stopped. His fingertips grazed a star-shaped brooch, also encrusted with jewels, much like the one Usagi had found. "What…" Seiya slowly picked the brooch up and stared at it for a long time.

Usagi watched as Seiya stared intently at the brooch. His face seemed to drop as he stared at it. "Seiya...what is it?" She reached out for the brooch herself, but Seiya dropped it back into the box.

"Nothing," he mumbled, quickly throwing things back into the box. "It's nothing." Seiya took the box back to the closet and closed the door behind him, a distant look in his eyes as he stared at the floor. His eyes slowly landed on the brooch at Usagi's chest. "You're right, you know? That brooch seems like it's meant for you." He walked up to Usagi and touched the jewelry at the center of her chest with the tips of his fingers. Then, without a word, he leaned forward and kissed Usagi. It wasn't a soft, playful kiss, it was one full of longing and desire. He pushed Usagi back onto the bed, climbing over her as he pressed his lips against hers. His hands reached down to interlace her fingers in his own and then he pulled them above her head as he kissed her.

"Seiya…" Usagi whispered, looking into his eyes that seemed to be pained from something.

"I just want to be with you, now, Usagi," he murmured, nuzzling his nose into her neck. Usagi lifted his face to hers and kissed him. Seiya pulled at the t-shirt she wore, her soft breasts and skin revealed to him once more. "I will never get tired of your smooth skin." He placed a line of hot kisses down her stomach. Usagi moaned softly and reached to remove Seiya's shirt and pants, leaving him in his boxers.

"Make me yours, Seiya," Usagi whispered, reaching for the top of his boxers.

Seiya smirked, leaning into Usagi's soft body. "You don't have to tell me twice."

Like many of their mornings spent together, Seiya and Usagi made love, becoming one with one another all over again. Seiya was gentle, but seemed more desperate than usual. Usagi could feel the reassurance he needed from her. Truly, they needed each other, both of them a bit frayed from the events of the day before. The uniting of their bodies helped them to take away everything that had gone wrong and remember what they had in each other.

As they laid beside one another, the air conditioner cooled the sweat that had made a little layer on their skin. Usagi watched Seiya's face as he looked into the ceiling. He rolled his head to look at her and took a long moment, just taking the sight of her in. "I love you, you know," he whispered. He caressed the side of her face lightly with his fingers, his eyes still a little distant.

"And I love you," Usagi whispered back, holding Seiya's hands in her own. She searched his face, desperate to read his expression and figure out where his mind had gone...where her confident Seiya had disappeared to.

"I know what you mean now," Seiya said softly.

"Hm?" Usagi sat up slightly, confused.

"About remembering...I think I've forgotten something too…." Seiya sighed, turning his head back to look at the ceiling. A sudden emptiness filled Usagi's chest. She snuggled up next to Seiya's body and quietly prayed that this was just a passing thing, a couple strange days that they would forget in a few weeks….

"We'll be back later!" Seiya called into the house as he and Usagi walked hand-in-hand from the house. After they had finally gotten out of bed and dressed for the day, Seiya decided he would treat Usagi to a cute cafe she had been wanting to visit and then a movie after. She happily agreed to the date, and the day seemed to fall back to normal. Usagi held onto Seiya's arm as she gushed about the sweets she would consume. Seiya added that she would turn into a sweet if she ate too many, and they bickered playfully back and forth as they streets had gotten crowded with people in Tokyo, and Usagi held tight to Seiya's arm. They weaved their way through the crowd and had been doing alright until they bumped into someone else.

"Oh, excuse me," a familiar voice chimed.

Usagi looked up to the voice that had spoken to her and found herself looking into the eyes of Mamoru. His eyes were wide with surprise. She looked at his arm which had a beautiful woman, very fitting of Mamoru's style it seemed, hanging on to him. The woman smiled and apologized briefly as well.

"Kou! Tsukino!" Mamoru said, surprised. "Glad to see you're both well after yesterday's events."

Usagi felt herself covering up a frown that was trying to form on her face. Why hadn't Mamoru stayed to check on her? And who was the woman he was with?

"We are," Seiya nodded, his hand moving around Usagi's waist as he held her a little closer to himself. "Thanks for your help."

Mamoru nodded while the woman at his side scoffed. "Mamoru left me in that crowd of people!" She crossed her arms. "I couldn't find him after the first song, and we had just met!"

A blush covered Mamoru's face, but he was calm as he addressed her, sneaking a glance at Usagi as he did so, "That's not quite right. We got separated in that rush to the stage…." He smiled slightly to the woman who rolled her eyes at him. Usagi's blood boiled at the way she was treating Mamoru—he was obviously being very kind for her sake. He made a slight nod to Seiya and Usagi. "Well, we'll be on our way...we have a dinner reservation."

The couples smiled politely to one another as they bid their goodbyes. Seiya had already turned and was talking about something, but Usagi couldn't help but try to make one last look at Mamoru. To her surprise, he was looking back at her too. She blushed, her eyes widening for just a moment, before she flipped her head back around and rested it against Seiya's arm. Seiya squeezed Usagi close, and she smiled up at him. Everyone had little crushes now and then, and, really, she had lived nearly 18 years of her life without seeing him before, what were the chances she would see him again in a city as big as Tokyo? Usagi felt her heart patter in her chest as she thought about the man beside her. Besides, she had the perfect love right in front of her. She couldn't possibly need anyone else.

A/N:

Well, what do you think now?! I think it's pretty obvious some strange things are happening to our heroine! I hope you really enjoyed this chapter. I really love the fun relationship between Seiya and Usagi. I think they're more alike in their personalities than Mamo and Usa, so they can be pretty goofy. But, damn, it can be real nice to have that handsome, calm Mamoru too! Let me know what you all have thought about the story so far! Your reviews are always such a delight!