Author's Notes:
If you need to email me, contact me here: Guardian4@atlantic.net. Please put fanfiction in the subject line so I know what it's pertaining to. I don't own Sailor Moon. It is the property of Naoko Tacheuchi.
Crystal Hearts
When The War Ends Chapter 14: Words Of No Difference
When Rei entered the palace, she found an exultant Chibiusa running toward her. "Hurry up, hurry up," she cried. "Unless you hurry and come, the Outers won't arrive."
"Already?" she exclaimed. "I thought that they weren't due to be here at least until Wednesday!"
"Who cares?! Come on!"
Chibiusa grabbed her hand and dragged her to the teleportation room. Inside, the Inners waited patiently. Minako didn't meet her eyes and she approached the blonde slowly, as one would with a skittish horse.
"Minako-chan? If you're happy, then that's all that matters to me," she whispered.
Minako's eyes locked with hers and she smiled after a moment. "Thank you, Rei-chan." The blonde didn't question how Rei knew; she was psychic, after all.
The floor glowed and a moment later, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn's forms appeared. Chibiusa ran to Saturn joyfully and the two hugged each other happily.
The Inners sedately greeted their fellow comrades and the groups headed to the throne room to see the King and Queen.
"So, how are things with the Shitennou?" asked Uranus seriously.
Three of the four Inners blushed.
"I see," she said, a smile lighting her features. "What about you, Rei-chan?"
Rei looked at her. "What about me?"
"Which King is left unoccupied?"
"What do—oh, Jadeite isn't with anyone."
"And you aren't either," the tall Soldier prompted.
Rei glared at her teasing. "I would sooner date the most poisonous snake in the world. Being with it would be safer than with Jadeite." She stalked off ahead of them.
"Did I say something wrong?" asked Uranus, confused.
"No," Jupiter said, sighing. "Her and Jadeite are on rocky terms at the moment. They're always fighting."
"How badly?" asked Pluto, concerned.
"You'll see," was Venus's reply.
"WHY DON'T YOU GET A LIFE?!"
"I HAVE ONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" yelled Rei hotly.
The other Soldiers, on the other side of the palace, winced and covered their ears. "I didn't know Rei-chan could yell that loudly," commented Neptune.
"Just wait," was Mercury's weary answer.
"YOU INSULT ME ONE MORE TIME, I'LL—"
"I DIDN'T INSULT YOU!" Jadeite screamed back as they were barely a foot apart.
"YES YOU DID!"
"ALL I SAID WAS THAT YOU WERE PRETTY TODAY!"
"IN A SARCASTIC TONE OF VOICE, IS ALL! DOES THAT MEAN THAT I'M NOT PRETTY EVERYDAY?!"
The Senshi sighed.
"WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SO ANTAGONISTIC?" Jadeite cried loudly, finally fed up.
"BECAUSE YOU DESTROYED MY HOME!"
"SHOULD I BOTHER TO MENTION THAT IT WASN'T ME THAT DID THAT?!"
"SHUT UP!" screeched a different voice.
Rei and Jadeite started and turned in surprise to the doorway. Uranus looked beside herself with fury and Neptune was right behind her, with a Deep Submerge ready to use.
"I'll have Neptune cool you off unless you both calm down!" she said hotly. "The Outers have only been here for three days! I don't know how the Inners do it, putting up with you, but the Outers have very limited patience. I want a peaceful Christmas, which is due any day now. Everyone here is tired of your bickering!"
Rei blinked, but said nothing. Jadeite cast an apprehensive look at Uranus' partner. Slowly Neptune dissolved her attack when it was obvious the argument would not continue.
"Why don't you try to go a day without fighting?" she asked wearily.
"We'll try," Rei promised, seeing how tired Neptune looked.
When the two Outer Senshi left, Rei turned to Jadeite. There was silence in the room until Jadeite sighed. "Look, Rei, I'm really tired of fighting too. Can't we call it a truce?"
She nodded. "Truce it is."
"How about we cement that truce with dinner tonight?"
Rei's eyebrow rose, but she agreed readily enough.
"Did you hear?" asked Minako to Serenity in a hushed whisper.
Serenity leaned forward as well. "What?"
"Two days ago, Uranus and Neptune yelled at Rei and Jadeite about their arguments. That very same day, they went on a date. Just yesterday, they went on another one and they've got one planned for tonight as well!"
"You're kidding!" the Queen exclaimed. "They're dating now?"
"Not anymore," said a tired voice from the doorway. Endymion entered and sat down at the table in the kitchen. "They had an argument, a quiet one so not to be noticed by Uranus and Neptune, and they broke up."
A day later, Minako and Serenity were to be found in the kitchen again, gossiping once more.
"They're back together."
"How long are they going to do the off and on thing?" asked Serenity.
Minako shrugged. "I heard Nephrite talked with Naru-chan yesterday."
"What happened?"
"Well, when he explained the distinction between himself and the Nephrite we fought, she said she didn't care who he was, but she loved him anyway. Then he told her that he loved Makoto and she started crying and told him that she'd waited for years for him and how could he do this to her, right?" Serenity nodded, a sad look on her face. "He comforted her as best he could and then I went up and explained to her about soulmates. As is natural for a subject such as this, she asked me who hers was."
"Who is it?"
"Well, I told her I didn't know because I don't. It's not like I can look at someone and then say, 'your soulmate is so-and-so.' It doesn't work like that."
"Oh," said Serenity, striving to look knowledgeable about the subject. Minako just rolled her eyes.
Rei slid to the floor with her back to the wall, tears streaking her face. She was tired of fighting with him, but it was as if she couldn't help herself. This was the third time they had broken up in the past week and a half and it was tearing her up inside. She did love him, but she just couldn't seem to stay with him.
He was just so handsome and perfect; any woman could want him. She felt a surge of anger when she remembered their argument.
"I was not ogling other women!" he yelled.
"Well what do you call it then?" she retorted.
"I call it a simple glance in the woman's direction!"
Rei grabbed her hair in frustration. "Don't you see it, Jadeite? Do you know how many women stare at you because you're so handsome? Haven't you seen how many women try to lure you away from me? I'm scared I'll lose you."
"Don't you trust me?" he asked simply.
Rei could only stare at him. Trust in a man again? After seeing what becomes of trust if given to a man? She couldn't forget her father's neglect of his family.
Shock and hurt claimed his face. With tears of anger and pain, he stalked away while she said nothing.
I just let him go, she thought. I did nothing to stop him leaving. Why?! Why couldn't she have said that she wanted so badly to trust him and did, but couldn't bring herself to say or act upon that trust? Minako's words echoed in her head. She had told her this after their second breakup.
"You both love each other to the death like Serenity and Endymion, but what is that love worth without trust?"
She jumped to her feet and ran from her room. This may be the last time she might get the chance to see him. "Jadeite!" she called frantically. She didn't want to lose him, not like this.
He stopped and turned around, almost nearing the end of the corridor. His eyes were wary and hard. "What?"
She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his chest. "I love you and I do trust you. Please, I can't stand another break up. They hurt like hell so badly that all I ever want to do is die!"
Jadeite's arms wrapped around her and he buried his face in her thick hair. "I'm so sorry. You nearly killed me this time. But words make no difference with love. It only cares about feelings."
Rei looked up at him and managed to smile before a kiss descended on her lips. It surpassed all their previous kisses, with passion, fire, and trust this time.
End Chapter 14