[:::Chapter VIII:::]

With everything said and done, Mamoru went back to America and left his pain behind in Japan.  Usagi was crushed and nothing anyone said or did could lighten her spirits, she moped about everywhere, and never had anything to add to the conversation.  Everyone was worried about her, Seiya inparticular.  He hated to see her so broken up, and he knew there was nothing he could do, she was feeling the same pain that he was, but slightly different. she had had a shot at her love and it failed, he had never even made it that far.

"Odango." Seiya said with a serious tone.  They were alone in his apartment. A day had passed and she had stayed the night.  She didn't want to go home and be alone, and didn't feel like explaining what had happened to her parents.  "Its 11:30 in the morning are you sure you're not hungry yet? I will make you anything you want, I can actually cook unlike you!" Usagi smiled briefly at this, but this was enough to get Seiya's hopes up.

"Seiya, have you ever had a broken heart?. Do you have any idea what I'm going through.  To be in love with some one who doesn't return your love and it just kills you every time you think of that person going on in life without you?  I don't know if I'm strong enough to do this, I don't know if I can be alone." Usagi said turning to him with tears in her eyes.

Seiya knew that this was not an appropriate time to discuss his feelings for her so he skipped her question completely.  "You are strong enough, and you have lots of people around you that love you including me.  You will never be alone."  Seiya's words were a bleak ray of hope for Usagi.  She wiped away her tears and put on a fake smile. "Even your fake smile is beautiful" he said with a smile.

The door to the large apartment opened to reveal Yaten and Minako.  "Usagi, I understand if you don't feel like coming with me today, Yaten said that he would be happy to go in your place if you didn't feel up to it."  Usagi didn't say anything at first and then sighed as she looked at Minako.  "I'll keep an eye on Odango, you two go and have fun, good luck Minako." And with that the pair exited the apartment.

"I feel bad that I couldn't be there for her, but I know that I would only bring her down if I was with her, and she doesn't need that, not on an important day like today."

Seiya held her tight and then got up to make her some lunch.  He had gotten halfway into the kitchen when he realized that he had never asked her what she wanted.  He turned around to ask her when he realized that she was gone.  She had taken off, and in her state of mind he was worried about her.  He immediately called the others (except Yaten and Minako) and told them the situation and to get out and look for her.

They scoured the city looking for any sign of their missing friend.  Ami searched the Tenth Street shopping district with Taiki. Makoto searched the school, she figured if Usagi didn't want to be found that would be the last place some one would go looking for her.  Rei headed over to Usagi's house. And Seiya headed for the park.  With a search party like this it wouldn't take long to find her.

They had no luck at the shopping district, school or her house, their hopes lay that Seiya had found her in the park.  And unfortunately he did.  Seiya found Usagi crying beneath a tree and approached her.  "Stop!" she said.  "Just leave me alone, there's nothing left for me, the whole reason I was reborn here was to be with him and now he doesn't want me, so what other reason is there to live?!"  As she finished saying this Seiya noticed the knife in her hands, and unfortunately he knew what she was planning on doing with this.

He didn't want to provoke her but just calm her down.  "Odango, please don't leave me." He whispered to her, he was only about 5 feet from her now.  He inched closed to her and she didn't seem to notice.  "I don't know how I could go on without you." now he was kneeling by her side.  "The whole reason that I came back to this planet was for you. I did nothing but think of you every moment since I left you.  I couldn't do anything else. I couldn't imagine another day without you, even if you were with some one else, I still wanted to see you everyday, to see you smile at me." At this he paused. "I love you" he said as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek to hers.  He could feel the wetness of her tears on his skin but they soon blended in with his own.

By now the others had headed to the park and were stopped by the sight of what they saw going on.  They didn't interrupt but just stood at a distance.

Seiya had managed to ease the knife away from Usagi and throw it into the lake where it couldn't harm her.  He was afraid to look in her eyes after what he had just confessed to her.  But to his surprise she spoke. "So you did know how I feel."

"Oh Odango, I wish you didn't have to go through this I would give anything to make you happy once again.. Anything!" Seiya said with passion in his tone. And with that statement came a beautiful red butterfly.  It hovered around the two glittering all about until Usagi put her hand out to it.  The butterfly landed on her hand and sat there looking at her.  Just as quickly as it landed it was flying again, this time not in circles but straight for Usagi's chest.

This time when the butterfly landed it was right over Usagi's heart and then disappeared.  Usagi took a deep plentiful breath in as her face pointed to the sky.  Her heart felt light and warm.  Her body was filled with light. When the energy ceased her chin came down and she looked at Seiya and smiled.  He smiled back not fully aware of what was going on.  Then she appeared.  His princess appeared behind Usagi.  "I couldn't let your love die, now could I.  This is my final gift to you as I used the power of your transformation to heal her broken heart.  This means that you are no longer Sailor Star Fighter, and you may never return home.  Good-bye my Starlight. remember you said anything." And with that she faded from their sight.

"Thank you." Seiya said as he held Usagi tighter.  He was just an ordinary man now.  He had nothing to go back to only forward and Usagi knew this.  Seiya could feel Usagi's arms around his neck now and when he opened his eyes she was smiling holding him back.  They stayed in that warm embrace for what seemed like ever, neither of them wanting to let go.  But all good things have to end.

Minako had come racing up to them, not aware of what had just happened, with Yaten in tow.  "Guess what you guys. The record label liked my voice so much I got signed to a record deal. Finally Minako the idol is born!"

With Minako's good news came the rest of the group.

Although Usagi still loved Mamoru in her heart, she was no longer hurt by the thought of him and felt a warm satisfaction in the whole situation.  "I love you guys!" she said out of the blue with a huge smile and a hug for everyone.  "Thank you Seiya" she said facing him.  "I told you, you were never alone." He smiled back.