Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is copyright Naoko Takeuchi; story copyright me.

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Days after their encounter at the park, Mamoru still cringed at the fury and hate in Usagi's voice and eyes. He still showed up at fights to protect her, and none of the senshi would talk to him. They ignored him like he wasn't even there. 'Knowing Usagi,' he thought, 'she ordered them, as their princess, to act like I'm dead.'

After a week, he gave up. He ignored the feeling in his stomach that meant Usagi was in trouble. Instead, he wined and dined his fiancée, Natsumi. That is, until a certain priestess made it a point to go see him.

Knock, knock!

Mamoru went and opened the door and blinked at Rei. "Rei? What are you doing here?"

The Mars senshi could hardly contain her anger. "Can I come in?" He opened the door wider so she could step in. She took her shoes off and followed him to the couch, declining a cup of tea.

"She's not eating. She's not sleeping well. She never laughs anymore."

Mamoru didn't have to ask who she meant. "Yeah, so? It's not my problem anymore."

"IT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM?!" Rei yelled.

"I'm dead, remember, Sailor Mars?" he gave her a cold look.

"So you're just gonna throw away your destiny? Your future? Your child?!"

That stopped him. His child... Chibi-usa. But he'll have other kids. "I'll have other kids."

Rei got up and walked to the door. She put her shoes on, and opened the door. Turning back to him, she said "I know you still love her. I know you don't love Natsumi. I don't know why you're being such a jerk, but I do know you still love Usagi and Chibi-usa." She walked out, slamming the door shut behind her. Mamoru stared at where she'd been standing.

'I don't love her. I love Natsumi.'

'You love Usagi!' his other half screamed.

Raising, he stumbled toward his bedroom and fell down on his bed. Within minutes, he was out cold, dreaming.

--Mamoru's Dream--
"You're an idiot, Endymion."

Endymion turned and looked at the voice. "You're not supposed to talk to your prince like that, Kunzite."

"And you're not supposed to hurt your love like you are." Kunzite said.

"Don't you understand? I don't love her!"

"That's bullshit my Prince, and you know it."

"Okay, so I do love her. So what? I'm just trying to protect her!"

"Protect her from what? Your own fears? She loves you, Endymion. You deserve each other by that fact alone!"

"She's too good for me."

"A thousand years ago, when I was courting a certain gold-haired idol-chaser, you told me that if we loved each other, we deserved each other. I thought she was too good for me; I still think that. But I think the gods every day that I got to have her, if only for a while."

Kunzite regarded him through slited eyes. "Go to her. Go to Natsumi and tell her the engagement is off. Then go to Usagi."

Endymion nodded. "Thanks for knocking some sense into me, Kunzite." He gave a crooked smile.

"You're welcome, my Prince."
--End Dream--

The next morning, Mamoru got up and walked to the phone. Picking it up, he dialed Natsumi.

"Hi, Natsumi. Wanna meet at our place? Does noon sound okay? Okay, see you there." After he put the phone down, he walked to his closet and gazed inside. 'What to wear...'