~~A/N: IIIIIIIII'MMMM BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!! Yes, at long last, here is the next chapter!!!! I LIVE! Many apologies for the long delay! OK then, here we go!~~

Zoisite sat in silence as the others slept, never once taking his eyes from Sailor Mercury. A million thoughts raced through his mind, yet he was silent. Answers, more questions, half-formed hypotheses, possibilities… all whirling through his head. Finally it was Jadeite's turn to stand watch. Despite his fears he would never sleep, Zoisite slept quickly.

***********************

He stood in a beautiful garden, next to a fountain. Water fell gently from the pitcher the statue in the middle held. The woman, smiling gently, actually looked a lot like Mercury…

"It's my mother," came a soft voice. He turned to see Mercury approaching, clad in a flowing periwinkle-blue dress. "Father had it made for her on their first wedding anniversary."

"It's beautiful," Zoisite replied. "Like you." She blushed slightly.

"Father says I got my looks from her," she said. "And my brains from him. Every time he says that, Mother laughs and shoots him an impossible math problem, like what is the last digit of Pi, which he, of course, can't answer, and they both wind up laughing." Zoisite smiled as they sat down on the bench near the fountain.

"Have you heard the rumours?" Mercury asked him. "They say an evil sorceress is gaining power, and is planning to attack the Moon Kingdom."

"I have heard them," he replied. "But for now, they are just that: rumours. Let us hope they stay that way." Mercury smiled and snuggled in closer to him…

The place faded to black…

The garden faded in again… but this time darker, more sombre. Mercury again appeared, this time in shorts and a tank top. She was panting heavily, just come from training. "Zoisite!" she hailed him. He turned, his cloak swishing gently. "I didn't think you were leaving for another two days," she said, reaching him, and hugging him.

"I wasn't planning on it," he said regretfully. "But duty calls. Endymion has asked me to investigate increasing rumours of youma attacks in the northern countries. Kunzite is negotiating a trade agreement with Saturn, Jadeite is recovering after a training accident on Mars, and Nephrite is observing an important astrological phenomenon on Jupiter. He's promised me extra holiday time after I'm done."

"You'd hope so," Mercury commented. "At least he gave you time to say goodbye."

"Yeah." He pulled her close. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Neither of them moved for a minute. Then Mercury said softly,

"Zoisite? I'm scared."

"So am I, my water Senshi. So am I. I'm scared there's going to be a war. Scared that you'll have to fight along with us. I don't want you to get hurt."

"And I don't want to have to fight," Mercury replied. "But I am a Senshi. If there is a war, I will have to fight. I am a protector of the Moon Princess."

"I know," Zoisite replied. "I just don't want to risk losing you." Mercury pulled back slightly and looked deep into his eyes.

"You won't lose me." Zoisite smiled slightly.

"You're too strong for that."  She smiled again and they stood in silence together…

Again the scene faded to black… and faded in again… darker. Yet it was not night. A cloud of fear, doubt, despair hung over the scene. 

Zoisite stood in the garden in full military uniform, again beside the fountain, but this time, no water flowed from it. Soft footsteps announced Mercury's entrance. She stood beside him, clad in her Senshi fuku, again staring deep into his eyes.

"It's coming at last," he said. "The war we've been dreading. The sorceress Beryl is preparing to loose her evil on the Moon Kingdom. Once we said they were only rumours. How I wish that had been all they were."

"Soon I must travel to the Moon to prepare the defences for the royal family," Mercury said quietly. "I don't want to go. I'm frightened I'll never see you again." Zoisite sighed softly.

"I know. But," he said, his jade eyes staring into her sapphire ones, "Hear this now: I will always come for you. No matter where you are, I will find you. Through the doubts and confusions of this life, never doubt one thing: my love for you."

"Zoisite…" she whispered, as he pulled her close. He rested his chin on her head, breathing in the scent that was so uniquely his Mercury.

"Everything will be all right in the end," he said. "You'll see. If it's not all right, it's not the end." Mercury looked up and smiled. 

"Thank you," she whispered. "For giving me hope." Zoisite moved his head back to stare into her eyes as he slowly brought his face closer to hers. She closed her eyes as their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss…

Zoisite's eyes snapped open. He looked over to the sleeping Senshi as the final pieces began to fall into place. *Now,* he thought, *Now I understand.*

~~A/N: Ooh! Just what does Zoisite understand? If you guess correctly, I'll give you a cameo in the next chapter!

Thanks go, as always, to my much-loved reviewers:

Nabooru: Yay! Me hope you hay with this one! I LOVE reviewers!

Kitn: Yes, Mercury is Found! Hope you like this chapter!

Pyro*Chic: Aww, thanks Pyro!!

NeverEndingQuest: For starters, nice name! For seconds: here's more!

nova33 : You're right there, more will be explained next chapter.

SnowKitten: Here's some more!

Shadinah: More for you, my friend!

Tangentsferret: *bows* Arigato!

Ocianne: Oh yes, just wait til Kunzite… *grins evilly.*

Kelly: More!

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Earth: Here's an update! Yeah, Venus is cool.

Gracelyn: *bows* Thankyou for that wonderful review! Yes, I'll give yours a read!

Fire Lady: Jadeite and Mars are after Venus and Kunzite, I'm going in planet order.