-It was all for nothing- Rei realised painfully -I spoke before I could get the last item of clothing on Endymion, I lost my only chance to save them-
In the silence that followed, everyone was watching Rei who's body was racked with sobs from the heart, and Minako, Ami and Mako didn't know what her tears were for, but as they looked at Serenity and Endymion and Small Lady still frozen in crystal it dawned on all of them.
"Her silence, to free them from the crystal Rei had to keep her silence and never speak a word," Ami pieced together correctly and concisely and Mako looked at the rose petals that had fallen everywhere when Rei had thrown the cape.
"And knit gowns and capes from Endymion's favourite flower," Mako deduced and Ami was nodding her agreement.
"It's like some sort of punishment," Minako said, her voice tight as she suddenly realised there was a reason only Rei had been chosen for this task, she was meant to undo what she had done. Could Rei possibly have caused the Crystal Freeze?
Rei could hear the othersenshi commenting about what was going on and Rei knew they were right. It was a punishment, because it was her fault that Crystal Tokyo froze over and it would have to be her undoing that set them all free. But Rei had blown it. It was over. Serenity, Endymion and Small Lady were locked in crystals forever more and it was all Rei's fault.
Rei felt Heero's arms lock around her and for one brief second she felt safe. There was the sound of gasping and exclamations of wonderment followed by harsh words and Heero's grip around Rei's frail body tightened and she felt him take his gun and aim.
"Stay back," Rei heard Heero hiss warningly releasing the safety and cocking the gun.
"I'm her friend you idiot," Rei thought the man who said that seemed vaguely familiar, it was a voice she hadn't heard in years.
"I said stay back," Heero repeated unfazed and Rei felt him tighten his grip on her even more. It felt like he wouldn't let her go.
"Rei!"
That was a voice Rei would never forget.
"Odango?"
Rei ventured to lift her head from Heero's shoulder and saw Serenity's smiling face looking down at her, Heero's gun pressed to her temple. Rei pulled away from Heero, and just stared at Serenity's beautiful face. Heero saw that Rei knew this girl and so put away his gun and stepped back, grasping at his bullet wound. Rei couldn't help it. She burst into a fresh batch of tears and threw herself at the feet of her princess, the tears running down her face and Rei clutched at Serenity's dress.
"Serenity, I'm so sorry," Rei whispered over and over again and Serenity shook her head smiling, kneeling so that she and Rei were at face level.
"Rei I forgive you a thousand times over, I love you always," Serenity said benevolently and Rei sniffed back her tears as Serenity pulled her to her feet and the other girls crowded around all trying to hug Serenity at the same time, crushing Rei between them. Serenity let out a tinkle of laughter and Rei pulled away to see Endymion carrying Small Lady watching them. Rei gave a half wave and both Endymion and Small Lady waved back at her sweetly.
Heero and the other pilots gathered together realising in awe that this was the Neo Queen Serenity. And Neo Queen Serenity was pregnant.
"So Relena…" Duo said breaking off as Relena walked into the throne room, her mouth agape at the scene that fell before her.
"What's going on here?…Oh my God," Relena fell short at the sight of Serenity, who looked like something of an angel. Serenity saw her and smiled widely, knowing at once who this child was.
"Its Relena isn't it? My you have grown up to be beautiful just as I had imagined a child of my senshi would," Serenity said stroking her enlarged stomach and Relena took in Serenity's words slowly.
"A child of your senshi? I'm not your daughter?" Relena asked and Serenity shook her head once again affectionately rubbing her belly.
"No, my second child still sleeps in my belly, I still have a month before my son will greet this world,"
"Then who is my mother?" Relena asked looking at the remaining four senshi and Minako shrugged, looking at Ami, who looked to Makoto who looked at Rei and Rei had nowhere else to look, she had to stare straight into her daughter's eyes and finally face up to the truth.
"I am," Rei said and Relena's eyes widened in shock, and as her eyes fluttered Trowa raced to catch her as she fainted.
Rei didn't dare look at Heero's face. She didn't want to see what he thought of all this. To see the betrayal and disappointment in her eyes would kill her. Serenity took a deep breath looking about her in wonder.
"I think that it is time," she said gently and Quatre frowned.
"For what?" he asked quite innocently and Serenity smiled widely.
"To free Crystal Tokyo."
"No," Minako whispered under her breath knowing what this meant. They would regain their memories, they would finally learn what had happened that night. They were all apprehensive and Minako didn't want to hear it. Whatever she learned would change her life as it was now. And she wanted her life to stay the same. She wanted to stay with Duo forever.
"I must Minako, it is my destiny, but first, we must all remember what happened that night," Serenity said her face showing darkness for a moment and Rei felt the shame and humiliation come upon her. Now everyone would know what a fool she had been.
"Please Serenity no," Rei begged and Serenity kissed her friend's forehead lovingly.
"Fear not Rei, what happened was all part of fate, our destiny, what happened in the past stays in the past, I will not love you less, and neither will the others," Serenity promised taking Rei's hand and with her other hand Rei pulled out the Silver Imperial Crystal.
"I kept this safe for you as I promised," Rei said handing it over and Serenity smiled graciously at her.
"I knew you would," she said then she concentrated causing the crystal to levitate and a bright pink light touched the forehead of all the senshi as they were taken back to that night, so long ago.