Chapter One:
Usagi kept ChibiUsa close to her and only her as the weeks flew by. She knew what she was going to do and so she bided her time for the correct moment. "Momma, what's wrong?" ChibiUsa asked seeing her mother in a meditative like state.
Usagi looked down and forced a smile to her lips, "I'm just thinking about the future darling. I know it seems like you've just gone back but my past self and the others will need you."
ChibiUsa blinked, "Need me?" She asked in surprise.
Usagi nodded, "Yes, darling they'll need you. You have to go back to the past and train to be a Sailor Soldier."
A frightened look crossed the young girl's face. "But, Mommy I don't want to leave you…"
Usagi smiled and bending down hugged her daughter's small body close to her own. "It's all right little one. You have to go to the past and have important encounters with other children."
ChibiUsa pulled away, "Other children?" She asked her eyes starting to dance with the prospect.
Usagi giggled, "Of course, darling. You leave tonight."
ChibiUsa winced and buried her head into her mother's dress. "I'll miss you, Mommy," She whispered.
Usagi lay one hand on the girl's back. "But you'll at least have my past self with you. So you shouldn't be too lonely."
ChibiUsa sighed and nodded, "Mommy?"
Usagi smiled softly, "Yes?"
"Mommy, promise me you won't let anything bad happen while I'm gone…"
Usagi nodded, "Of course I won't," She responded hugging her darling child one last time. ChibiUsa grinned and ran off to see Sailor Pluto.
Usagi walked into her room and looked at herself in her full length mirror. 'I'm so much older than I was back then…' she thought silently letting her fingers trace her image.
"Usagi?"
Usagi turned to see Sailor Mars. "What?" She demanded her voice still revealing her inner hurt.
The raven-haired girl managed a wane smile, "I have one of Pluto's time keys. You should leave now if you don't want to be caught."
Usagi's head snapped upwards and she stared at her friend in shock. "Rei," She whispered before enfolding the other woman into a hug. "Thank you," She whispered.
Rei pulled back, "There's only one condition. I want you to bring him and his friends home with you."
Usagi smiled brightly, "Rei," She whispered in happiness.
Rei took a step backwards as Usagi held up the key. "Crystal key take me to the one my heart belongs to!" She commanded.
Rei watched as the pink cloud appeared and her life-long friend was lifted into it. "Goodbye, Meatball head," She whispered fondly before the room flashed and nothing was left of the serene ruler.
Heero glared at the shadowy figure in his dreams. "Leave me alone," He demanded.
She laughed in delight and he saw a glimpse of bright blue eyes dancing. "Heero, do you still have it?" She asked softly.
Heero didn't let his confusion show, "Have what?"
The shadow studied him for a moment. "The only piece of me you have left."
Heero scowled, "I don't know what you're talking about. Leave me alone I have no need for mysterious shadows in my life."
The dark veil vanished and a woman stood her eyes full of hurt. A crescent moon on her forehead glowed brightly and prevented Heero from getting a closer look at her. "Who are you?" He demanded.
The girl smiled sadly, "I love you, Heero," She whispered before vanishing out of sight.
Heero stood still. 'Why did she say that?' he wondered his eyes scanning his hazy surroundings for her.
Usagi appeared above a lake and she managed one shrill scream before falling in. She shivered in the cold water and looked up startled as a pair of arms grabbed her.
Duo had been walking through the colony when he had heard a scream then a splash. He had rushed to the source to find a girl around his age with her hair in the weirdest style he had ever seen, any yet it looked familiar to him. He pushed the thought out of his mind and jumped into the lake. He swam out towards her and managed to grab her. "Hang on I'll get you to land." He promised.
Usagi stared at Duo in shock. He looked five years older than she had remembered. "Is it really you, Duo?" She asked.
Duo dropped the girl in shock and turned, "You know me?"
Usagi flushed, "We met once or twice I think," She covered herself. 'I can't let him know until I find Heero. I want him to be the first.'
Duo racked his brain but couldn't think of one time he had met the girl. "How did we meet?"
Usagi flushed and looked away, "Heero introduced us."
Duo stopped moving and sank underneath the water. He came back up sputtering, "You know Heero!"
Usagi turned bright red as she blushed, "Yes," She responded.
Duo studied her cheeks for a moment. "You weren't at the wedding though."
Usagi felt as if someone had hit her with a sledgehammer. "Wedding?" She asked fearfully.
Duo heard the tone and averted his eyes so he wouldn't see her hurt when he said his next words. "Yeah, his wedding to Relena Peacecraft."
Usagi's eyes filled with tears. "Heero is married?"
Duo stared at the girl in shock, "Yeah, the wedding was three months ago."
Usagi swam towards the land and when she was in the shallow water she curled up into a ball. "Married," She whispered softly.
Duo stared at the girl for a moment. "I feel as if I know you from somewhere," He commented in a slight whisper.
Usagi's head jerked up and she stared at Duo startled. "But how could you?" She asked.
Duo shook his head, "It doesn't matter. I was on my way to talk with Heero about something you're welcome to join me if you want."
Usagi flushed and looked away. "I'm not sure if I could…"
Duo grinned at her and grabbing her arm pulled her after him. "Come on," He encouraged.
Usagi felt butterflies appear in her stomach at the thought of seeing Heero again and with a soft yet sad smile she followed his lead. 'If only to see him one last time,' she thought silently to herself.
Heero looked up as his wife entered the room. She held an odd object in her hand. It appeared to be a yellow crescent moon mounted on a pink staff. "What's this, Heero?" Relena asked softly.
Heero felt unknown emotions flicker through him at the sight of the object. "I don't know why are you asking me?"
Relena looked at him confused, "I found it in the closet in one of your old boxes. Since you don't know what it is shall I throw it away?"
Heero scowled and grabbed the object away from her, "No, I'm going to keep it." He announced. 'Why am I keeping it?' He wondered.
"Mr. Heero, you have a visitor," a faithful Butler informed the couple. Heero nodded and with the odd object still in his hand went downstairs.
Duo grinned as he saw his friend, "Hey Heero, this is…" He turned to Usagi startled, "What did you say your name was again?"
Usagi stared speechlessly at Heero. Her eyes on her moon wand. "You kept it," She whispered softly.
Heero stared hard at the girl in front of him. 'It? Is this what that girl in my dreams was talking about?'
Usagi stepped forward and gently took the moon wand from Heero's fingers. "My name is Usagi," She informed both Duo and Heero.
Duo blinked as he was hit with surpressed memories. He stared at Usagi his eyes wide.
Heero glanced at Duo and scowled, "What's wrong with you?" He demanded.
Usagi turned to Duo startled and saw the recognition in his eyes. Before Usagi could speak Duo grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room, "Heero, I have to talk to her real quick," he offered by way of apology.
As soon as they were outside Usagi pulled her arm out of Duo's grasp. "You came back," Duo whispered softly as if afraid if he spoke louder she would vanish.
Usagi nodded, "I only remembered recently myself. I came here to see him but I didn't think he would be married… perhaps I should leave."
Duo frowned, "You came back just for him?"
Usagi nodded, "I still love him Duo." Her fingers tightened on her wand. "I had hoped that he would remember me as easily as you did…"
Duo studied her for a moment, "So now what are you going to do since he's married?"
Usagi sighed softly and looked away. "I guess I should return home…"
Duo scowled at her, "So you're just giving up?"
Usagi nodded hugging her crescent moon wand close to her body. "Yes, Duo. I have no wish to destroy two marriages for my own selfish needs."
"Two?" Duo asked.
Usagi flushed and looked away, "I meant one…"
Duo shook his head, "No, you said two. You're married to that one prince guy aren't you!"
Usagi blushed brightly and looked away, "Yes, I was married to him but he KNEW about Heero thousands of years ago and he never told me. So I left him and ran away to here but I'm too late."
Duo studied her intensely, "Thousand years? You don't look a day over a hundred," He teased. He watched amused as her jaw dropped in shock.
"Duo!" Usagi screamed in disbelief. She lunged at him but he easily dodged. "How dare you say that!"
"Duo? What are you doing here? Where's Heero?" Asked a soft voice.
Duo and Usagi looked up and Duo smiled tightly, "Hey, Relena. Heero isn't with you?"
Relena shook her head, "No, the butler informed us of a visitor and I haven't seen him since."
Usagi stared up at Relena. "So you're the one married to Heero," She stated softly.
Relena looked at the girl in shock, "Yes, Heero is my husband."
Usagi smiled, "You're pretty," Usagi commented.
Relena was confused as to the way the girl said Heero's name. "Thank you," She said with only a trace of awkardness in her voice. Her eyes dipped down and saw the pink thing in Usagi's hands, "Heero had that earlier how did you get a hold of it?"
Usagi smiled almost sadly, "He gave it to me earlier."
Relena was about to say more when the strange girl left. Duo seemed shocked for a moment before he quickly followed the odd girl. Duo paused as he saw Usagi sitting down back against the wall. She was curled into a ball and he could easily tell she was crying. "Usagi?" He asked softly.
Heero watched silently from the shadows. 'That girl. There's something familiar about her. She reminds me of that annoying shadow in my dream.' He studied her as she curled up into a ball and sobbed.
"Leave me alone, Duo," Usagi demanded upon seeing the boy sitting beside her. Duo frowned at her, "What's got you so weepy now?"
Usagi looked up, "His wife, Duo."
Duo was confused. "What do you mean? Why does Relena make you cry?"
Usagi turned her head away, "She seems perfect, Duo. Besides Heero doesn't remember me and I see now it's better that he doesn't. I should go home and stay out of his life."
Heero stared at the girl confused. 'She talks as if she cares about me,' he thought silently.
Duo watched as more tears trailed down Usagi's cheeks. He stared at her for a moment before cursing and grabbing her chin. Usagi looked up startled, "Duo, what are," She was interrupted as Duo softly kissed her.
Heero felt his hands ball into fists and he glared at his friend. 'Why do I feel so jealous?' he wondered. He watched even closer to see how Usagi would react.
Usagi pulled away her blue eyes wide in shock. "Duo… Why did you?" She shook her head and looked away, "You shouldn't have done that. You know I'll always love Heero."
Duo lowered his eyes, "I don't know why I kissed you but you should get over him, Usagi. He is married after all."
Usagi wiped her tears with the back of her hand, "I… I don't know what to say, Duo."
Heero blinked, 'She loves me?' He frowned in concentration and stared hard at the girl. 'Who is she?' He racked his brain for an answer but couldn't think of anyone he knew that resembled the girl below.
Duo sighed, "So you're going to just pretend to be happy with that husband of yours? He's that one that forced you to return last time right?"
Usagi nodded, "Yes, Duo I'm returning to him. If only I would have remembered sooner. Perhaps there would have been a chance for Heero and I then."
Heero waited a moment for her words to fade before he walked out of the secret spot he had been in. "Heero!" Usagi gasped startled.
Heero ignored Duo still feeling anger at him for kissing Usagi. "Leave, Duo," He demanded.
Duo was about to comment but Usagi stared at him and he quickly shut his mouth, "I think I'll go visit Relena," He offered before leaving.
Heero stared hard at Usagi. Without any words he grabbed her chin, stepped forward, and kissed her. Usagi felt her knees start to fail and was about to collapse when she felt Heero's arm firmly encircle around her keeping her still. She closed her eyes and gave herself to the kiss.
Heero could easily tell from her response that she had not kissed Duo back at all. He pulled away from her staring deeply into her light blue eyes. His own prussian blue eyes questioning. "Heero, do you really remember?" She asked him hope shaky in her voice.
Heero pulled his arms back and watched as she almost fell to the ground. 'Her voice is the same as my dreams.' He took a step back and stared at her for a moment. Again without speaking he started to leave her.
Usagi's eyes widened and she quickly got in front of him pushing against his chest not allowing him to leave. "Please, Heero I have to know if you remember."
Heero averted his eyes, "Don't leave yet," He commanded before walking away.
Usagi blinked and pressed her fingertips against her lips. "Heero," She whispered softly. She took a shaky breath and leaned her forehead against the cold stone wall. "I… I won't leave, Heero I promise," she whimpered before closing her eyes and allowing herself to cry.
Sailor Pluto frowned as she stood in front of the Inner Soldiers. "One of my timekeys is missing. Do any of you know where it is?"
Sailor Mars flushed slightly, "I'm sorry Setsuna. I gave it to Usagi. She was miserable here…"
Sailor Pluto frowned deeper, "You gave it to her?"
King Darien frowned deeply. "My wife has one of those keys?" He demanded anger in his tone.
Sailor Venus grinned, "So Usagi left to go find Heero huh?"
Sailor Mars nodded, "Yes, she promised to come back though."
Darien scowled deeper, "Pluto, give me one of your keys. I'm going to get her."
A gloved arm grabbed his and he turned to see a scowling Sailor Mars. "You're going to stay out of her life. You've already ruined it for her once I won't let you do it again." She told him her eyes flashing with anger.
Darien ignored her, "She's my wife. I won't allow her to get with that boy again," He vowed before grabbing one of Pluto's keys off her waist and quickly vanishing. Unfortunately for him Sailor Mars had managed to grab his leg.
Duo stopped his conversation with Relena as Heero appeared. Relena asked Heero a question but he ignored her and walked upstairs. Duo quickly left the scene.
Duo frowned as he saw Usagi leaning against the stone wall and crying. "What did he say to you?" He demanded.
Usagi pulled away from the wall and turned. "Duo… I don't know what to do," She admitted.
Duo frowned his usually dancing indigo eyes turning serious, "What do you mean you don't know what to do?"
Usagi sighed softly, "After you left Heero… he kissed me." She watched as Duo took a short sharp breath. "I asked if he remembered me but I don't think he does. Before he left he told me to not leave yet…"
Duo sighed, "I know you'll make the right choice," Duo told her before looking away. "Stay around for another day or so," He ordered softly before walking away out of Usagi's sight.