Ack!!! Gomen, gomen!!! I know I should have updated before, but I've been sick!! *blinks* you'd think being home sick would give me more time to write, wouldn't you? Well, guess what? The computer is located downstairs in the basement, which is also the coldest room in the whole damn house! Well that's enough stalling, just go read the thing!! And if you like this, then check out my s/u short, 'boxers or briefs' happy reading minna ^-^

By the way, no name reviewer, arigatou!! I just love it when people take the time out of their busy schedule to read the entire story and then flame it! I also love it when you leave an anonymous review, makes it so much easier to remove the damn thing! You guys are the greatest, I get tons of laughs out of that!

Now for the actual greatest people, the ones like natsumi, starlight-hime, xaphrin, and others who I can't remember right now due to my heavy medication, I love you all!! Truly you have kept me going and I really am trying to get number six out, I swear.

Sasurai No Nagareboshi – Chapter 5

Seiya glared at his intruders, clearly annoyed. 'I think I should be asking you the same thing, girls.'

Taiki looked a little apologetic, but Yaten's glare never wavered. 'I thought you might've come here for her, a stupid little Earthling!'

'I resent that!' Usagi huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Seiya looked angrily at Yaten. 'It doesn't matter what planet she's from, she's still one of the purest creatures in the galaxy.'

Yaten just totally lost it. 'How could you leave our princess?? Just for her? You didn't even think to ask permission did you? You're so selfish!' Yaten slapped Seiya full across the face.

Seiya's eyes widened. Yaten had never been violent, no matter how pissy she had seemed.

He watched as Taiki laid her hands on Yaten's shoulders in an attempt to calm her down, and Yaten flung herself into Taiki's arms, crying into her neck.

Yaten,' Taiki whispered softly. 'Please, don't get so worked up about this. Yelling at Seiya won't help.' She kissed Yaten softly.

Yaten wiped the tears off her face and turned to Seiya. 'I'm sorry Seiya, but you don't know how worried we all were. The princess sent us to find you. She's not mad, and you don't have to go back; she just wants to make sure you're safe.'

Seiya looked warily at Yaten, and then he relaxed and smiled. 'Well, I didn't mean to worry you, but I am safe. I'm happy with my Odango.' He gazed at Usagi who seemed to be watching the trio, but staying out of business that didn't concern her.

Yaten crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose in the air. 'Well I don't care how happy you are, I still don't trust her.' She glared at Usagi, and Seiya jumped up.

'I think I know why, and she can change that, if you let her. Please, trust me, there are things you need to know about before you can even begin to judge her.'

'What are you proposing she does?' Taiki asked.

'There are memories that someone, Mamoru-baka I think, is blocking. Just let her show you.' Seiya explained.

Taiki turned to Usagi. 'Isn't it dangerous? This could result in a tremendous loss of energy for you and us, couldn't it?

'No. I have excellent control of my crystal, and I wouldn't try it if I thought it would be dangerous to you. I've already done it once today, and I feel fine. Do you want to start?'

Seiya pleaded Taiki silently with his eyes. Taiki looked at Yaten, and after a few moments Yaten nodded.

'Okay. I guess it couldn't hurt to see.'

Usagi smiled. 'Right! Now join hands and close your eyes. Focus on me. Let's start.'

They sat still and quiet, and were starting to get just a little impatient when they were flooded with memories. They broke contact and Yaten and Taiki just sat, wide-eyed.

They were overwhelmed with thoughts they didn't know they had thought, feelings they weren't aware they had felt. The memories kept rolling in, washing over them like crashing, persistent waves.

Taiki was the first to react. She knelt in front of Usagi, taking her hands in her own. 'Please, forgive us.'

For Usagi had showed them her memories as well, proving that what Endymion had told them in the past had been nothing but bitter lies.

Yaten knelt as well, bursting into fresh tears. 'I'm sorry, I had no idea!'

Usagi lowered herself until she was level with them and pulled them both into a hug. 'Please, stop crying. I forgave you so many years ago, so please, stand up! There's no reason to kneel. I know that you pay reverence to no princess but your own, and even if you did, I wouldn't make you treat me like I'm something special. I'm just a regular person!' She lay a hand on each of their shoulders and smiled gently at them.

'Well, you truly are magnificent for a 'regular' person,' Taiki said, standing up with the other two.

Usagi blushed. 'I think we should set up a meeting with the other girls and let them know what's going on.'

'You mean they don't know already?' Yaten asked incredulously.

Usagi laughed, one arm behind her head. 'Um, well... no. I haven't exactly spoken to them in a couple of months.'

'What?!?' Yaten gaped. 'Why not?? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL THEM?!!?' she screamed.

'Calm down,' Usagi pleaded. 'I just found out myself.'

'Oh. Okay.' Yaten seemed satisfied with Usagi's answer.

'Hold on.' Taiki raised her hand. 'If Mamoru's been blocking the memories, then how did you get them back?'

Usagi and Seiya shared a glance and then both turned bright red.

'That's none of you damn business!' Seiya said angrily.

'Geez, what crawled up your ass and died?' Yaten pushed her hair out of her eyes. 'But thanks for getting so mad! Now I know it's something interesting. I'll get it out of Usagi yet!' She smiled mischievously and put one of her arms around Usagi's shoulders. 'So, Usa-chan, what have you and Seiya been doing for the month that you've been together, all alone?'

'Well, I'll start by saying that Seiya is an excellent kisser!' Usagi smiled happily as Yaten and Taiki proceeded to ask questions and tell stories for the next half hour or so.

It was around two hours later when everyone was finally gathered at the Hikawa Jinjya. Usagi, Seiya, Yaten and Taiki were the last to arrive.

Everyone had been chatting among themselves, but the minute that the four of them entered the room they all fell silent.

Minako bit her lip, then jumped up and grabbed Usagi's hands. 'I'm so sorry!'

After that everyone started talking at once.

'Koneko, I--'

'Princess, please--'

'I can't believe I acted so--'

'I had no right--'

'STOP!' Usagi yelled. 'Please. It was my fault. I forgive you all. Haruka, stop kissing my hand, Minako, let go of my hair, and Michiru, Setsuna, would you please get off the floor? We have some very important things to talk about.'

Everyone settled in and waited patiently for Usagi to begin speaking. Seiya and Usagi sat next to each other at the front of the room, facing everyone else. Yaten and Taiki sat near the back, and the Outers sat across from them. Haruka especially kept shooting them suspicious glances. The four Inners sat in the middle of the two groups, however more towards the front of the room. They were all facing Usagi and Seiya.

'Ami, do you remember what I told you yesterday?'

Ami nodded. 'Hai.'

'Okay, well there's a lot more to that story.'

'Usagi-chan, what are you talking about? And why are you and Seiya practically in each others laps?' Minako looked very confused. 'And where is Mamoru?'

'Calm down, I'm explaining it all now. You see, I did a very foolish thing. I kind of... wished myself to change, so that Mamoru might love me. We were never really in love, at least not in the end, and after what Setsuna showed us, I didn't want to give up! Mamoru turned out to be really violent though, and it was pure luck that Seiya stepped in just in time to save me from having my face smashed in. Mamoru hasn't given up completely yet, so I want you all to watch out for him, okay?'

Haruka cracked her knuckles and scowled. 'I have a feeling I could take down the fruity bastard by myself if I ever met him alone at night.'

Usagi shot her a warning glance.

Setsuna sighed. 'I should have told you. The future may appear one way at a given time, but it is always changing. Destiny is yours to chose, and you control your own fate. So while a marriage for you and Mamoru may have been in the future at a time when you were in love, any one thing could have changed that because it was not set in stone. Do you honestly think I would have showed that much of your future?' She sighed again. 'But it was written in the stars though...'

'I know, I know!' Usagi sighed too. 'But what exactly was written in the stars, Setsuna?'

'It has always been very clear that the Tsuki No Hime and her past lover would have a future together on this Earth.'

Usagi smiled brightly. 'Which reminds me, I have more news! You all know that Mamoru has a bond to the Earth and that he is able to connect with people and heal them?(A.N. dealing with the manga here) Well he can do more than heal people. I think he's been suppressing our memories, and changing them to look like something else.

'Setsuna, the stars were right, only it's Seiya that's my lover, not Mamoru. Seiya and I are in love.'

Everyone except Ami, Yaten, and Taiki stared at Usagi and Seiya with wide eyes.

'I know this might be a bit of a shock, but it will be easier to understand once I return your memories to you, and you know what really happened.'

Through all this Luna and Artemis had remained silent. When the wish had been made, Luna had been sent to Minako's because Mamoru hated cats. Luna, of course having been affected as well, did not seem to mind.

She spoke up now. 'Do you mean to say that the memories I gave you were wrong? Impossible!'

Usagi shook her head. 'Trust me on this one Luna, he's tricked us all. Luna, Artemis, if I return the memories to you first, will you help me return them to everyone else?'

'...hai.' They reluctantly agreed.

Usagi must have been getting stronger, because the memories were returned to the cats instantaneously, no contact required. Luna, Artemis, and Usagi quickly returned the memories to the all the senshi present, minus the Star Lights of course.

For awhile everyone was silent, and then Haruka jumped up, fists clenched tightly by her sides. 'I can't believe it! All the time I've spent protecting you from him,' she jerked her thumb towards Seiya, 'so that you could be with Mamoru, and it should have been the other way around!' She seethed. 'By the time I'm through with him he'll be sorry he tricked Ten'ou Haruka, and most importantly, Koneko-chan!'

'Haruka! Please don't speak like this!' Usagi cried. 'I hate him too, but violence won't solve anything.'

'He seems to find it quite effective,' Seiya muttered.

'Don't you start too, Seiya! I know what Mamoru did was wrong, but we can't resort to violence. I don't want anyone getting hurt. Not anyone.' Her question was directed to everyone but Usagi looked sternly at Seiya and Haruka. 'Understand?'

Everyone nodded and Haruka looked down at her lap.

'Usagi-chan,' Hotaru spoke softly. 'Doesn't this mean that Chibi-Usa will never be born?'

Usagi nodded. 'Hai. Gomen nasai Hotaru- chan, but technically Chibi-Usa wouldn't ever have been born if I had control of my life. She was played with too. I hate to place blame on anyone, but it really is Mamoru's fault.'

Hotaru nodded once and looked down. Rei glanced at her sympathetically, and then turned to Usagi.

'I'm really curious, how did you get your memories back?' She asked.

Usagi turned crimson. 'I have a theory. Um, they returned to me while I was asleep, and at first I thought it was a dream. It was right after Seiya and I... uh... oops!'

'Oh.' Rei blushed too.

'Well anyways, I think the familiarity of all the intimacy taking place made something inside of me just snap, and drew the memories out.'

'Ugh!'

'Haruka!' Michiru scolded.

Minako sighed. 'Well I think it's romantic! How love can overcome the biggest of obstacles...'

'Yes, yes, it's a big pile of sugar. Come on Michiru, let's go!' Haruka stood up and stretched.

'Koneko-chan, I'm very sorry I wasn't able to protect you.'

'Haruka, I said it's fine--'

'No, it's not. Well, me and Michiru have some stuff to do at home, so we'll see you later. Ja!'

Setsuna stood as well. 'I have some research to do, so I must leave as well. Hotaru, would you like to come with me?'

'Hai,' the young girl said quietly.

The four outer senshi silently left the room.

'I wonder why Haruka was in such a rush to leave...' Usagi mused.

'Usagi, don't you get it?' Rei snapped.

'Get what?' Usagi asked innocently.

'Usagi-baka, it's so obvious!'

'I think it's OBVIOUS that I don't get it!' Usagi crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her tongue out at Rei.

'You're so childish!' Rei yelled, but she proceeded to stick her own tongue out at Usagi anyways.

'Eh... please, calm down!' Taiki said, trying to avert a mini-war.

'So, Usagi, what have you and Seiya been up to? Um, besides the obvious.' Minako said, her method working more than Taiki's.

Usagi smiled and gripped Seiya's hand a little tighter. 'Seiya rescued me.' She giggled. 'He's helping me get past what Mamoru did to me.'

Everyone chatted among themselves for the next half hour or so before Usagi realized that Rei had been totally silent.

'What's on your mind?' She asked.

'I'm sorry for how I treated you in the park.' There was shame written in her features. 'I can't believe I was flirting with Seiya!'

'I can,' Seiya said. 'It's 'cause I'm so cool.'

Usagi punched him in the arm. 'Yeah, don't you wish buddy.'

'Hey!' Seiya protested. 'I don't get violent when you tell the truth!'

Rei began laughing at the display before her, and it wasn't long before everyone else cracked up too.

'Seriously Rei, I forgive all of you. Although, it should be you who forgives me since it was my foolishness that caused this in the first place.'

'Ah! We have so much to talk about,' Makoto stated happily. 'But I wish Yaten and Taiki would talk about what's going on between them.'

'Nani?' Yaten exclaimed.

'I have no idea what you're talking about,' Taiki said coolly.

Seiya stared at the pair. 'You know, you guys do seem to be hiding something, although not very well. Now spit it out. I want to know how you two got together.'

'Fine, fine!' Taiki relented. 'With you missing, we had no one to turn to. We just fell back on each other for support. I hate to admit that it took the loss of you to make us realize we were exactly what the other needed.'

Yaten sighed. 'In a way we owe this to you, so... arigatou, for bringing us together.'

Seiya stared at Yaten in shock.

'Yes, I know!! I said thank you! Hold onto this moment while you can, it won't happen again too soon.'

***

Usagi ran full speed towards Seiya's apartment building, and she could hear his footsteps behind her. It had started raining and this was their attempt to stay dry, or at least less wet than they already were. They finally made it and stood dripping in the lobby, waiting for the elevator. They stepped in and Seiya pushed the button for the ninth floor.

'Maybe we can dry each other off once we get inside,' Seiya teased.

Usagi smiled weakly at him before looking down at the floor, deep in thought. Seiya seemed to take the hint, so he didn't notice when she wiped a stray tear off her face.

They finally reached the ninth floor. They stepped off the elevator and made their way to the apartment alone. They had discussed it, and it had been decided that Luna would stay at Minako's condo since she was already comfortable there. Taiki and Yaten had already been settled into an apartment for a few days before they had found Seiya and they saw no need to move. Seiya didn't mind, this way he got to keep his privacy with Usagi.

'What's on your mind?' Seiya asked after they had settled in.

Usagi blinked as if she had been broken out of some kind of trance. 'Nothing,' she said with a forced smile.

'Usa,' Seiya began sternly. 'Don't start this with me now. Something's bothering you; please tell me.'

Usagi looked down at her feet and then straight into Seiya's eyes. There was a look in her eyes; kind of ashamed, depressed, and yet resigned and determined all at once. That look disturbed Seiya terribly.

'Maybe it would be best,' Usagi whispered.

'Nani?'

'Maybe it would be best,' Usagi began more forcefully. 'If I went back to Mamoru.'

Seiya's eyes widened in shock. 'You're joking, right?' He asked incredulously.

'If I go back, then he'll have no reason to hurt any of you. I can live with him if it keeps you safe.'

'You're not joking, are you?' Seiya stated, rather then asked, gravely.

'Seiya,' Usagi pleaded. 'Don't you understand?'

'No Odango, You don't understand!' Seiya snapped. 'He'll kill you, and I'll never be able to see you again! I won't be safe because I'll die.'

'But I love you. I'd find a way to see you. 'I'd do anything for you.'

'Yeah?' Seiya said harshly. 'Prove it. Don't do this.'

Usagi fell silent, but her eyes pleaded helplessly with him.

Seiya shook his head in frustration. 'I though we were past this, you know? But I guess I was just fooling myself. I'm going for a walk.'

Usagi jumped up to follow Seiya s he ran out of the apartment.

'Seiya, wait!' She chased after him, closing the door behind her.

She tried to follow him down flight after flight of stairs, but he was faster than her and he had a head start. She ran out onto the street hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but no such luck.

She rubbed her arms through the flimsy material of her shirt. It was soaking wet and clinging to her skin thanks to the beating rain. She wished she had remembered her jacket.

Usagi turned to walk into the building when she remembered two things. One, Seiya's door was broken, and it tended to lock itself when closed. Two, she didn't have a key for the door.

Sighing, she found herself with no other option but to wait for Seiya to return. She sat down on the pavement in front of the building, drawing her knees up to her chest and laying her head down on them. She found the rain pouring down on her to be just punishment for the pain she must have put Seiya through. With that thought in mind, she began to cry.

Seiya ran blindly down the street. He blinked back tears, but a few escaped anyways and he furiously wiped them away. He had been running like a madman for a good forty-five minutes and the exhaustion was beginning to catch up to him.

He stumbled into an alleyway and leaned his back against the brick wall as his legs finally gave way. He cried out in anguish. He held his head in his hands and sobbed brokenly into the air around him.

He should've known that it was too perfect to be true. Good things rarely came to Seiya, and when they did the never lasted long. Usagi was the best thing Seiya had ever had, why should she be the exception to the rule?

Seiya laughed bitterly.

Because you wanted her to be.

He should've known that the universe had stopped caring about what Seiya wanted a long time ago. Seiya shivered, but not from the cold. He couldn't even feel the rain beating mercilessly on him. No, he was shaking from raw anger and pain; the pain of having his heart ripped to shreds.

Maybe even his sub-conscious was against him, or maybe Seiya just liked torturing himself, but either way the scene back at the apartment was playing repeatedly in his head. It was maybe the third or fourth showing in the private theater of his mind that he realized exactly what Usagi had said.

She had mentioned going back to Mamoru to protect everyone. She was willing to sacrifice her self and her happiness for the safety of those around her, and she was doing it because she loved Seiya.

Seiya started running again, but this time back towards his home, and his girlfriend. When it came right down to it, he figured he should have tried reasoning with her instead of being so harsh.

Seiya was glad it was raining, as he had long since given up trying to hold back the tears. The rain was beating just as mercilessly on his face as on everything else, and the crystal drops mingled with his own salty tears, creating the perfect camouflage.

It was only when he was right in front of his building that he literally stumbled upon a quivering mass of wet hair.(A.N. anyone ever watch

'Ah! Gomen!' Seiya apologized. 'Odango?'

Seiya pulled the shivering girl off of the sidewalk and into his arms. 'Kami-sama! You're freezing! Why didn't you go inside?'

Usagi huddled deeper into his arms as he pulled her into the lobby.

'I don't have a key to your apartment, and I didn't want to wait in here and be dry while you were still out in the rain.' She smiled weakly. 'Especially since it was all my fault.' She whispered.

There was a bit of a pause as Seiya's mouth twitched into a small smile. 'Come on, let's go get out of these wet clothes.'

The intent had been to relieve Usagi from the negative emotions he was sure she had been feeling. It didn't work.

'Seiya, please don't joke.' Usagi sniffled.

'Odango, can we not do this here?' Seiya asked nervously.

Usagi's lower lip trembled, and then she flung herself into Seiya's arms. 'Gomen nasai!' She wailed.

'Well so much for that idea,' Seiya muttered.

Seeing that they were receiving some stares from random tenants, he quickly ushered the sobbing girl into an elevator and pushed the close door button before anyone could get on.

'Hey, Odango, you don't have to apologize! It took me awhile, but I understand why you said what you said. It's in your nature to protect people, and it's one of the things that makes you so beautiful.'

Seiya caressed her face softly, wiping the tears from her eyes.

'But try to understand that we are all very capable of kicking Mamoru's ass if need be. And even if I were the weakest man on Earth, hell, even if I was Yaten, I'd put up with Mamoru's bullying if it meant I could be with you.'

Usagi kissed him softly. 'I love you,' she said into his mouth.

'And that's how I like it,' Seiya teased.

About twenty minutes and some fluffy towels later, found Usagi and Seiya sitting on the sofa still wrapped in the towels, cups of steaming ko-cha in their hands. Seiya had attempted to just change clothes, but Usagi had insisted. She had wrapped him in towels and forced him to drink the ko-cha too, saying he was wetter than she was.

'You'll get sick,' she had said. 'And I won't take car of you because it's your fault you got wet in the first place.'

'Hey!' Seiya protested. 'How do you figure? Do I control the elements?'

'No, but if you had stuck around instead of running out then you wouldn't have been out in the rain in the first place. You could have talked about it, but you always seem to expect the worst before collecting all the facts. You really should break that habit of yours.'

'I'm never going to win with you, am I?' Seiya asked, defeated.

Usagi smiled brightly and put down her tea. 'Nope!'

She clung to his arm, and he yelped in surprise. 'Careful, I might spill this on you!'

Usagi eased up and she looked at him with a smile on her face. 'How did I get so lucky anyway?'

'What do you mean?'

'Well, I have a sweet, patient man by my side, who puts up with me and my quirks, even when I do something stupid like I did today.'

Seiya smiled too. 'I will always put up with you, you know.'

He leaned back on the sofa, and placed his hands behind his head.

'Hey, where do you think you're going?' Usagi asked.

'What? You miss me already?' Seiya reached out and pulled her down to rest on top of him.

The towels surrounding Usagi's body slipped and fell away. This time there were no barriers between Usagi and Seiya, and it was total flesh on flesh contact.

Seiya ran his hands over her body and Usagi melted into him. She explored the length of his front totally, and took pleasure in the looks of ecstasy flashing across his face with every passing second.

She loved this man with every breath in her body, and she realized just how close she had come to losing him today.

That thought quickly found its way out of her mind as she succumbed to the will of the liquid fire traveling her veins, permitting Seiya to slip inside her, she allowed herself to travel the very path to heaven in Seiya's own arms.

Finally! Chapter 5 is over! Yay!! Hmm, what do you think? I was going to make this borderline R, and I'm still not sure if it's pg-13? I really wish fanfiction.net hadn't stopped NC-17. it would be a lot easier to rate this if I was allowed to write what I wanted, but I'll leave the complaining up to those who already have. They're doing an excellent job as it is. Please let me know if I should switch the rating or not, before anyone reports this and I have to remove my story!

E-mail me please?? It motivates me to write faster ^-^

~*VioletAngel*~

blue_angel_flame@hotmail.com