Chapter 5

Dimension GW

"Heero…" Serenity's eyes skillfully avoided the gun. Instead, they attached themselves to the now harsh and cold Prussian gaze directed back at her.

"Who are you?" Heero repeated flatly. He glared harshly back at the woman who dared speak to him as though they knew each other. As though there was something between them. She said his name with a tenderness he had not known since… since… since… Well, he wasn't sure if anyone had ever spoken to him in so gentle and loving a tone, but he was quite certain he didn't appreciate it.

A soft click echoed through the room as the safety was removed from Heero's gun.

Dimension SM

"Is all in readiness for our departure?" The Dark Prince glanced at his younger brother. The blue-haired man nodded sharply.

"Yes sire." His voice was cool and professional. Glancing slightly at the man above him, he asked a question that had bothered him for some time. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do? Shouldn't we just focus on taking over this time while its unprotected?"

"Sapphire!" The blonde man on the throne exclaimed. He stared with amusement at the man below him. The younger man's face clenched slightly at his brother's heavy and calculating stare. "Did you just question my authority?"

"Never, my lord." Sapphire responded quickly, soothingly. "I would never dare to challenge your leadership. It's just…"

"Darling Sapphire!" A woman in green clothes with green hair said loudly. Her voice was remarkably high pitched, and she followed her statement with a ridiculous laugh. "You ought to know better than to contradict his highness."

"Emerald." Sapphire replied by way of greeting. He turned and glared at her. "I take it that you have given command for the ship to leave as soon as possible."

"Of course." She gave a sickening smile, the sort that doesn't quite reach the eyes. "That idiot Rubeus does have his good points. We will arrive within the hour. I do wish though that we knew why we are going to some far off dimension when our enemies are here."

"Emerald, you're an idiot." Sapphire stated simply, rolling his eyes. "We aren't going to stay here and look for them any longer because they are no longer here. We are going to the alternate dimension to track down those whiny sailor brats. Once we have them, we can take over both that dimension and this one."

The sudden movement of the ship cut off whatever witty retort Emerald was preparing to throw at Sapphire. Caught unaware, the two were thrown off balance by the sharp jerk which obviously indicated that the ship had lifted off. The ruler remained seated quietly on his throne, although a nefarious smile now played across his lips.

"Emerald, Sapphire, please restrain yourselves from arguing." He instructed his subjects. "You're petty bickering is quite annoying."

The rest of the trip was silent as neither of the two could think of anything pleasant to say. Fighting was more or less the only way they knew how to communicate with each other. Not even so much as one of Emerald's loud, annoying laughs, filled the silence. Both Emerald and Sapphire merely alternated between staring at their master and staring at each other.

All the while, the sinister eyes of the man upon the throne remained focused upon a point that did not really exist. His intense gaze wilted anything that had the misfortune of stepping in front of it. He did, however, keep his mind on one specific point.

Revenge was going to be his, no matter what the cost was.

Dimension GW

The moment Heero's gun had clicked into it's ready position, Duo dove in front of Serenity, forcing her to stand behind him. The senshi had taken up positions of attack, their loves mimicking the gesture. The gesture of protection seemed to throw Heero slightly. His thoughts momentarily distracted, the gun was knocked out of his hand immediately by the swift leg of Haruka.

With speed that would have surprised anyone who'd never seen Heero in action before, he swiftly reached down towards his ankle and retrieved yet another gun from a holster there. However, the experienced senshi did not so much as blink before the new gun had been taken from him as well. In a flurry of lights and colors, eight female warriors stood where the girls had once been.

Unfazed, Heero turned and glared at them all. A third gun was removed from his favorite position, in the waistband of his pants against his back, and immediately aimed at Serenity. Before he could move again, Hotaru's glaive appeared at his throat.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Heero?" Duo exploded. The unusually serious and protective expression on his face forced Heero to pull up short. If Duo was being serious, something was greatly wrong. Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, and the blonde man were standing in a semi-circle around this new and suspicious looking woman.

"Hn." Heero replied, glaring full force at the indigo-eyed pilot. Heero glanced down at the deadly weapon for a moment, before glancing at the person holding it. A woman! And to think, Wufei wasn't even rambling about the injustice of it all.

"Hotaru, I don't think that's necessary." Serenity said quietly. She gently pushed the others from in front of herself, and stood alone before the fearsome Gundam pilot. She looked deeply into his Prussian eyes, and smiled slightly. The purple warrior lowered her weapon. Even now, unguarded, the woman did not appear to Heero to be afraid.

Each of the other senshi and pilots watched with baited breathe as Serenity moved timidly towards the only man she could ever love. She was cautious and gentle, as though afraid that any sudden movement would send Heero into an attack or flight. His heart pounded furiously, but with the skill and practice of many years, Heero remained motionless.

"Who are you?" He again inquired. Her footsteps did not slow or stop. She continued to walk in a straight line, directly towards him. She paused only a few inches from him, and held his gaze.

"I." She said. "Am Serenity. And you - are Heero. The man I love with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, with everything I am. And nothing is ever going to keep us apart so long as I can help it."

As she spoke, Serenity's hand slowly lifted from her side, and ran down the side of his face. When everything had been said, Serenity slowly guided Heero's face toward hers. Gently, slowly, she pulled him closer and closer. Heero did not resist. He merely let himself go towards her. Inch by inch, each drew further towards the other until finally, their lips met in the sweetest of kisses.

As they joined together in that moment, a brilliant flash of light filled the room. When it faded, two bodies were lying on the floor. However, they were no longer as two. Their hands had been joined together, and were surrounded by a somewhat foreboding glow of silver.

"We really ought to speak to her about coming up with a less blinding entrance and exit." Quatre mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "We're all going to lose our eyesight if she keeps doing this."

"Maybe it's just her illuminating personality that causes these large blasts of light whenever she teleports." Motoki replied, laughter quietly in his eyes.

"That actually may be a part of it." Ami stated calmly, her eyes focusing again on the computer that was her trademark. "However, I feel it is more probable that the light is merely a built in defense mechanism of her teleports. It prevents anyone from seeing precisely what she does, so that the process can never be duplicated except by those she wishes to teach."

"Ami, can I make one little tiny request?" Makoto said, glancing at her long time friend. "Could you please remember to use smaller words with us, cause I for one understood only about the first word of what you just said."

Ami blushed as the others nodded their agreement. Quatre timidly reached out and took her in his arms, turning both of them brilliant shades of red. Still, peaceful smiles overcame their embarrassment as joy of the embrace took hold.

"I just hope they're all right." Michiru said fretfully. "Heero can be so stubborn, and Serenity would never defend herself against him is he tried to hurt her. She loves him too much for that."

"Hey, don't be so scared." Duo told her as cheerfully as he could. "If anyone can get Heero back to his usually, remembering us all self, it's gonna be Renity. Plus, it isn't like he could actually hurt her - she's a goddess."

"Duo, we all know she's beautiful, but I doubt that her beauty will help her to talk Heero out of his demented mental state." Wufei said seriously. "The man is being such a weakling."

Rei whacked Wufei's head, and he turned to stare at the raven-haired girl. "Duo meant that she is an actual goddess. Remember? An immortal? Honestly, sometimes you're as bad as Chad."

The eyes of the group rolled collectively, while the Gundam boys looked completely lost at the reference.

Astral Realm

Two figures appeared suddenly in the infinite realm. One was a tall, elegant woman. Her silver hair sparkled with the light of the stars. Blue eyes of unimaginable depth were situated perfectly on her face. Tranquillity such as is rarely seen by any permeated her whole being. She was Serenity.

The man who accompanied her was handsome. Prussian eyes peaked out from under chestnut locks. He was dressed in a dapper suit of midnight black, complimented with a vest of the same color. His coat hung open, and he appeared somewhat dangerous. Called by a repressed memory, he held a red rose in his right hand, directly in front of his heart. The original Heero.

"We are in the Astral Realm." Serenity said softly, responding to a question that was left unasked. "I have brought you hear so that we can talk uninterrupted. We will stay here until you remember."

Heero glared at her. She smiled softly, and gently took Heero's right hand in between her palms. She caressed it gently for a moment before Heero yanked his arm out of her reach.

"Fine." Serenity said, chuckling slightly. "You always did have to do things the hard way."

"Who are you?" Heero asked again. His expression was serious and cold, completely impassive.

"I told you already, I am Serenity." She rolled her eyes slightly as he raised an eyebrow, silently informing her that that was not an acceptable answer. "All right, if you want the whole truth, and I know you do, I'll give it to you. You do know that as soon as you remember all of this you're going to feel quite stupid, don't you?"

Heero said nothing.

"Over a thousand years ago, you and I lived in a kingdom on the moon." A hint of disbelief crept into Heero's eyes. "Yes, I said a kingdom on the moon. We've known each other for longer than that, but we're only supposed to remember that lifetime and this one at the same time. This is supposed to be our last try, and we're not going to screw it up."

"Last try at what?" A small smile returned to Serenity's face. He had finally asked her something other than who she was - this meant they were getting somewhere at last.

"Last try at fixing our lives so that we can live happily ever after. Now listen, you have died to save me once, during our lifetime on the Moon. I have died for you once that I remember, although twice in your current set of memories. You have known me as Serenity, Diana, Usagi, Selene, Artemis, and quite a few other names. That is not what is important."

"Than what is important?"

"There is only one thing that has ever been important. Only one thing that will ever be important. I can sum it up with three little words - I love you."

Before Heero had time to react, Serenity had pulled him close to her and captured him in a kiss. She closed her eyes and softly nudged Heero's memory, willing it to come to life again. Silently, Serenity used her gentle touch and deep love for Heero to plead with his mind to recognize her for what she was - the one person he had ever truly loved, his soulmate - no longer dead, but alive once more and safe in his arms.

As Serenity drew gracefully away from him, she dared not open her eyes. She sent up a prayer to high heavens, pleading for the return of what was lost. Heero said nothing for a long moment. Her greatest hopes dashed, Serenity took a step back from him.

Immediately, Heero's hand had reached out and caught her arm in its iron tight grasp. Serenity's eyes flew open.

Sea met sky as the reunited ones lost themselves in each other's eyes. All that existed was the two of them. The outside world, their friends, their family, heaven, their mission - everything - meant nothing. The only thing either cared about was that they were together again.

Slowly, gently, Heero pulled Serenity back towards himself. With a grace born of having done so a hundred thousand times, Heero deliberately brushed the back of his left hand smoothly along the curve of her porcelain face. Their hearts beat as one.

"I love you, too, my sweet Serenity." Heero said quietly before once more claiming her lips with his own.