Destiny, by Kristii

Getting closer to the end... not sure where I should take this. I started this story as a tragedy to show the difficulties of reconciling Mars and Rei, but I've started tofeel for the characters and really want Rei and Kyle to make it through somehow. What do you guys think?

Sailor Mars and affiliated characters (c) Naoko Takeuchi

It took Rei a good two hours to explain the Silver Millennium,
the battle that had destroyed her, her subsequent arrival on Earth,
her rebirth as Hino Rei... She told Kyle of the past, of the generals'
betrayal, of how Pluto had foreseen the future—and how Kyle Kennedy,
unwittingly wed to Mars, had become caught up in the struggle for Tokyo.

"...and so I wed Jadeite," Rei said softly. "That's what my fuku
cost me, Kyle—it was my duty, as Mars, to protect my princess, no matter
what the cost to myself..." She paused for a moment, looking away. "...or
to you.

"I'm sorry..."

For a long, long moment, no one spoke; even the nurse, who had
been listening raptly to Rei's tale for the past hour, was too stunned
for words. Finally, Kyle broke the uneasy silence, his voice shaky:
"Rei... that's... real?"

"Too real." Rei finally looked up, meeting Kyle's startled
blue eyes with her own. "I'm sorry, Kyle. I don't expect you to
forgive me. What I did to you was too much—WAY—too much."
She closed her eyes for a moment, her face very pale. "I know
it doesn't mean much now, but for what it's worth..." The words stuck
in her throat, refusing to be uttered. Hino Rei has never spoken
these words before, Kyle. Hino Rei does not trust men enough to bare
her soul like this... "You're the only man I've ever loved, Kyle.
Ever. I didn't want to hurt you like this—really..."

And then, her façade finally shattered by truth, Hino Rei
broke down—the first time, since the death of her mother. "I'm sorry,
Kyle... I'm so sorry..." The tears, pent up for months, finally came;
she buried her face in her hands, no longer able to face the man
before her. "I'm sorry..."

"Rei..." Kyle was stunned by Rei's tears—and the words that
preceded them. "Rei... don't cry..." Slowly, gritting his teeth
against the pain, he raised his hand to Rei's face, brushing away her
tears. Rei... don't do this... It's worse than the pain, worse than
anything, to see you crying like this... "Please...?"

At his words, however, Rei only sobbed harder. Desperately,
Kyle glanced at the nurse, hoping the older woman could offer
assistance; she, however, seemed even more at a loss than he did.
"Rei... Shh..."

"I—I'm sorry." Rei finally looked up after a few minutes,
managing a weak smile through her tears. "I—I just" She swallowed
hard, swiping at her watery eyes. "Kyle—how can you still be so nice
to me!"

"Rei..." Kyle looked incredulous, as if he couldn't believe
what Rei was asking; his eyes softened quickly, however, as he looked
at the girl beside him, and a faint smile touched his lips. "Reiko...
I... love you... Don't... you know...?"

"I—" Rei was very still for a long moment. "Kyle..." She had
finally stopped crying, but she suddenly seemed on the verge of tears
again. "Kyle—after all this? After I've been such a bitch to you and
hurt you so badly, you—you can still love me? You can't be..."

She trailed off as she glanced down at Kyle; the look in his
eyes said everything. Rei stared into those big, blue eyes for a long
time, stunned by the depth of emotion she found there. He means it,
Rei... he means it... He still loves you, after everything you've put
him through; he still loves you, after all this shit…

"You know..." Her voice was very soft when she finally spoke
again, slightly dazed. "I never believe all those stories about
unconditional love they used to tell you. I—I never thought I could
ever meet someone like you, someone who meant it..."

"Silly…" Despite himself, Kyle couldn't help laughing at Rei's
words. "Shh," he started, but broke off suddenly as a thought struck
him. Drawing his hand from Rei's, he began reaching for his pillow,
gritting his teeth as he forced his arm through each inch of space. "Rei…"
He tried to lift his head from the pillow, but it took all his strength to just
look up for a few moments. "Something… for you," he whispered weakly.
"Under… pillow… I can't…"

"I'll get it," Rei said quickly. Supporting Kyle's head with her
left hand, she reached under the pillow with her right and closed her fingers
around a folded cloth. "Is this it, Kyle?" She laid his head back against the
pillow and held up the bundle, recognizing a silk handkerchief from her
own personal stash. "This is for me?"

Kyle nodded, too exhausted to speak, and Rei slowly unfolded the
layers of silk; she gasped involuntarily at the sight that greeted her. A platinum
band lay between the folds of shimmering cream silk, a diamond sparkling up
at her. "This—" her glance went from the ring to Kyle's face, turned expectantly
up toward her. "This—my wedding ring…"

"Yeah…" Kyle nodded weakly, closing his eyes as he tried
to calm the sudden wave of fear creeping up in his heart. "Do… do you still…
want…?" He managed, half-hoping and half-fearful of her answer.

"I—" Rei stammered, too flustered to speak; Kyle's heart sunk as he
watched her flounder for words, the cloud of despair that had plagued his
heart for the last few months returning with twice the strength it had had before.
"Please," he whispered, unable to look at Rei as he tried to hold back
his tears. "Please... I need... need you... so much..."

"Kyle… Kyle!" And then, just as Kyle was about to give up
hope completely, Rei's arms were around him. "I've wanted this ever since
I left," she sobbed, pressing her face tightly to his. "I never wanted to
be Mars, Kyle. I just wanted to be your Reiko. I just wanted us to be
together; I didn't want things to go so badly…"

For one stunned moment, all words failed Kyle; the sensation
of Rei's arms tight around his neck was something he had never dreamed
he could ever feel again. "Rei..." Slowly, he raised his own arm and
weakly pulled the girl in closer. "Rei... God... Rei..."

They stayed there for a long time, arms around each other,
both wishing the moment could last to eternity.

Like it? Hate it? tell me: