Author's Note: Here is my chapter. There will be a competition...and while we kind of know where we want this to go...we may still surprise you and ourselves! Love all of you... Kiss—Hope you are ready to get going on the next one!

Disclaimer: Okay, so it appears theses fall to me. We do not make any money from this. If we did the updates would probably be faster. Anyway – we own nothing but the plot...

Usagi awoke first the next morning. She stretched and yawned. Her golden hair spilling over her pale skin in the morning light. She looked out over the room. Yaten was sound asleep...her silver hair looking like a pool of molten silver.... She looked so at peace in slumber. Which was good since she never seemed to find it awake.

Rei and Minako were predictably near her. They were in Rei's sleeping bag...so they had presumably had another one of their late night talks and had fallen asleep like that. How different those two were. Both strong and gentle. Even in sleep the guarded her. She gazed at them lovingly. And if they had seen her eyes at that moment they would know she was not as naive as they wanted to think. She knew of their love, but to chose one – that would tear them apart forever. It was better to leave it be.

Ami was curled up in a ball...all you could see was her blue hair... She never had bed hair – ever. Usagi spent a few moments pondering the wrongness of that... Then she smiled gently as she spied a medical journal poking out of Ami's sleeping bag. Oh Ami – you work so hard.

Makoto had a pleased but thoughtful look on her face. As if she were pondering a secret. Usagi hoped it was a happy secret. The chestnut hair of her most headstrong friend was out of its customary ponytail and was a gentle riot of curls around her sleep-flushed face.

Usagi sighed. What had woken her up so early? Morning was not her time of day. In fact she was not sure her clock at home had a time before ten am. But at the same time she was too tense to sleep. She silently slipped out of Rei's bed and padded out to see the morning. She wandered and found herself in the room of the sacred flame. She stared into the flame and prayed to Mamoru to understand...that she had to move on. That her love for him had changed... It was odd. It was like he had heard her and set her free. She still missed him.... but not feel the guilt of not missing him enough. He understood. Wherever he was he understood and freed her from whatever guilt she had. With a sigh she headed to the kitchen. It was amazing how life revelations could spark an appetite.

Yaten awoke to the sound of Usagi leaving the room. Her green eyes darkened and a soft sigh left her lips as she followed her. When she heard the prayers made to the flame her heart lightened. She was ready to move on. To accept that it had just not been meant to be with her and Mamoru in this lifetime... Now to convince Usagi that it WAS meant to be with her. Before Haruka did. She slipped into the kitchen and was making breakfast when a tousled haired blonde walked in.

"Yaten! You startled me! I didn't wake you did I? I hope not!" murmured Usagi as she took a seat and watched Yaten cook. She was only wearing a large man's dress shirt and a pair of boxers that peeked out when she reached for something on a high shelf. Usagi found herself staring and blushed.

"Well, I figured since you can't cook, and Makoto is still asleep I had better start something. So what are you and Haruka doing today?" Yaten said with a smile and a teasing wink.

"Ruka and I? Oh, our date? We do it once a week – more if we can. Just get together and hang out. Catch up with each other. She teaches me how to drive better and I teach her how to have fun and not suspect an apocalypse around every corner." Usagi said still a beater from the muffin batter.

"Hey watch it there lady! You two seem close. Especailly for someone who has betrayed you and your friends." Yaten said seriously turning to look Usagi in the eyes.

Those usually cheerful blue eyes chilled instantly, "Yaten listen closely because I will only say this once. We got over that. All of us did. After you and yours left us. It took awhile to get it back to this level of closeness – if you ruin that ..."

"Hey! I was just making a comment! I know how well you love your friends. I thought I was in that special group of people." Yaten said holding up her hands in defeat.

Rei and Minako looked at each other and grinned outside the kitchen. Time to put the plan to work!

Ami and Makoto listened from the patio on the other side of the kitchen – Yaten did need their help!

Rei poked her head in, "Are those muffins I smell. Yaten I may have to invite you over more often to spend the night if you make breakfast in the morning." She teased taking a seat next to Usagi.

"I know how sweet is that?" asked Ami coming in from the patio followed by Makoto. The four-divided Senshi looked at each other with twinkling eyes and Usagi sighed inwardly – this was going to be a long visit...

Then the phone rang and Rei bounced over to answer it, "Hello Haruka dear! Why yes it is lovely out. No she is awake. I know you should alert the news media. Promptly – this may need pictures to prove it. Want to talk to your date and not me? I am so wounded Haruka...Here she is."

Usagi stuck her tongue out at Rei and then at the phone, "Ruka – I am NOT that bad! No I am not. DO not make me stick out my tongue again at you toady. Just because you can't see me do it does not make in ineffective. See? I am even using big words with no caffeine – I get bonus points for that. When? An hour? I think that is do-able. See you then.... Can we put the top down? See you in an hour!" With that she hung up, pored herself a cup of coffee and winked at the kitchen as she swirled her way to the shower.

Haruka looked at the now silent phone with a grin on her face. Even so she was startled when the phone rang.

"Hello? Rei, we just spoke. What? Ami and Makoto are on Yaten's side? At least I have you and Minako. Just don't meddle... You aren't meddling you're rationally interfering for the common good? Well if you put it tat way it sounds like something Minako would say. What? Treat it as a date? I was going to. Do what? I think I can manage that. You know she will give you all the details. And if not then see me later."

Haruka grabbed her keys and went down to put the top down on her car.... she never could resist the request of a lady after all.

Usagi swirled in front of her friends in a pretty blue and white lacy peasant dress and new strappy sandals. Her hair was up in it's traditional style, eyes sparkling as she darted out the door with a wave as Haruka pulled up and gallantly opened the door for her to climb in. She was swept back to last night when she had walked Haruka out to her car...

'Haruka walked out to her car with her arm over Usagi's shoulder. Tomorrow was the day she began to demand more from her Princess. She looked down and saw Usagi's face illuminated by moonlight. She always had a glow about her, but at night with her planet glowing warmly in the sky...she was magnificent. Usagi looked up at her and grinned.

"Penny for your thoughts Ruka." She teased.

"I don't know if they are worth that much tonight. Do you have time to go for a walk?" Haruka asked, wanting to talk to this girl so very badly. To hint at what was overflowing her heart and her mind.

"Sure, beats fighting with Rei over who gets her bed. Let's go over by the reflecting pond okay?" Usagi said steering them over in that direction.

Haruka stared out over the water for a bit and then turned to Usagi, "I need to talk about Michi and me. Care to be a sounding board?"

Usagi smile softly and settled in, "Fire at ready Haruka. You know I will listen till you are blue in the face."

Smiling ruefully, "Michiru left because I couldn't lover her the way she loved me. I love another. I have for while now. It was unfair to her to stay and unfair for me to think she needed to. This way we both have a chance to be happy. I just don't feel..."

"You just feel heartbroken or lost or whatever you are supposed to feel after your supposed soul mate leaves? I know. All it means is that if you do love them you aren't IN love. In me and Mamoru's case – I loved him as a friend still do, but I was never IN love." Usagi said wit wisdom you would not expect from her.

"Exactly, I knew you would understand." Haruka said looking at her relieved, "So you do not think I am a horrible person?"

"Never Haruka! You are My Ruka...I could never think you are a terrible person. I never did." Usagi replied earnestly looking up into Haruka's eyes. Haruka's breath caught and she smiled nd reached out to cover the small hand on her knee.

Then in the moonlight, Haruka bent down a placed a light kiss on Usagi's soft trembling lips. It was a mere brush of a kiss but it stole her breath. She widened her navy eyes and looked down into Usagi's cerulean blues. Usagi smiled somewhat nd got up offering er nd to Haruka.

"It is getting late Ruka...you should get going. I will walk you to your car. And then I will see you tomorrow right? You are mine all day." Usagi said as they walked back to Haruka's car.

"I am yours all day. You can bet on it." Haruka said as she unlocked the car door. Usagi blew her a kiss and just as she was about to start the car she heard Usagi's voice.

"Ruka, if you plan on more of that kissing tomorrow? Wear that lips gloss, I like it." Nd with that she was gone back in the building.

AN: Here it is the next chapter. I hope you liked it. Thank you by the way. To all of you who review. It means a lot to kiss and I. Thank you again! Okay Kiss, TAG YOU ARE IT!!!!