CHAPTER FIFTHTEEN

She didn't need to turn around to know that he was there. She would always know when he was near by. She could feel him.

"Why must he fight what's between them so hard? Why can't he just let himself feel?" she whispered sadly as she watched Prince Darien him and Sailormoon face off.

"You know that it's not that easy my love. He has a piece of Beryl inside of him and her evil is spreading through him like a virus and it will continue to spread until it consumes all of him. And when that happens she'll never be able to reach him nobody will. He'll be lost to her forever"

A small cry of denial past her lips. "We can't let that happen. There has to be something we can do?"

"Where already doing everything that we can. We can't do anymore. The risk to her and to you is too great. You know what could happen if he finds out the truth before he makes his choice."

"I know" she cried "but I don't know how much more of this I can take." She turned around to face him. Her eyes were like windows to her soul he see her love for him and her pain "I miss you." she whispered

He looked into those eyes that mirrored his own feelings and the ache in his heart grew. They were so close. Close enough to touch. He longed to take her in his arms and tell her that everything was going to be ok. But he couldn't. It just wasn't impossible. And he cursed the fates for doing this to them.

She read and shared his frustration. Tears swelled in her eyes along with a longing so great she thought she'd perish if she didn't touch him. She reached out to him despite the fact that she knew it was fruitless a small part of her dared to hope that this time would be different.

"Don't," he cried out hoarsely but it was to late. He watched, as her hand passed through what was his chest.

"Why can't I touch you? I can touch them but not you. It's not fair?" she cried.

Emotion clogged his throat. "I'm so sorry my love if I only had known what my decision would cost us."

She shook her head at him "You would have still made the same choice. It was the only choice you could make. I know that and I don't blame you."

"Oh my love" he whispered "I don't deserve your forgiveness" his hand rose and stopped just inches from her face. He ached to touch her but he knew that if he tried his hand would just pass through her the same as hers did when she tried to touch him "You have to have faith my love they'll find their way to each other soon and when they do you and I will once again be joined."

She smiled at the picture he presented and when she closed her eyes she could almost feel his touch. Sighing she opened her eyes the battle between Darien and Sailormoon was intensifying. "If they don't kill each other first."

The two turned back to the battle knowing that the outcome affected them as much as it did the two fighting.

………………..

"Give up Sailormoon You can't hope to win. I'm stronger and faster than you. Theirs nothing for you to do but surrender the Crystal to me."

Sailormoon stood gasping for breath. She had managed to dodge must of his attacks but suddenly she felt weak and she didn't know why her injuries were not serious she couldn't explain it. But she knew that she couldn't stop fighting her friends were counting on her. With renewed determination she sent her Tiara flying to distract him while she ducked behind some trees. She needed a few minutes to think of her next move she was getting nowhere fast. Thinking she'd have more cover up in the tree than here on the ground she started climbing. She almost fell when the branches on the tree suddenly started swaying viciously. It was like a hundred arms were swinging at her. She managed to dodge them for a while but there was just to many of them. She was trying to retreat back down to the ground when one caught her in the back knocking the breath out of her and sending her sailing through the air towards the ground.

She covered her face preparing for the impact when something wrapped around her waist stopping her free fall. The branch that stop her fall yanked her back to the tree where numerous branches proceeded to wrap around her arms holding her captive. It was laugher that finally made her look up. He stood their grinning.

"You didn't know I could do that did you?" He laughed again and reached out to caress a branch that was holding her. "The Earth and I are bonded in a way you and Beryl could never comprehend." His mind flashed back to earlier when his golden goddess had appeared in Beryl Palace he remembered her words. (Some bonds are unbreakable some you might not know even exist.) "This is why I know that I'm destined to rule this planet. And if the Earth excepts that I' am its master than so should you." His hand trailed down her arm "Now lets see about this Crystal hum."

Sailormoon struggled against her binds but it was useless she couldn't move her arms. She was trapped and she had no way of stopping him from taking the Crystal.

………….

"Prince Darien is on our side." Nephlite exclaimed in disbelief he didn't know how many more of these surprises he could take. When Jedite nodded his head Nephlite demanded that he explain. He listened carefully as Jedite explained about the wedding and how he poisoned Princess Serena with something called the Dark Crystal. Which he also had used to bring all of them back to life.

When he reached the part about Darien tricking Beryl he almost smiled. But what interested him the most was the fact that neither Prince Darien nor Princess Serena remembered who the other one was. To them the other one was simply a stranger and an enemy at that. Which although made things very interesting it also made things somewhat confusing. Why then did Prince Darien want to destroy Jedite so badly? It was obvious from what he heard so far that Jedite was no threat to Darien Beryl had obvious made her choice of who was going to rule by her side. So why then if he didn't remember does he despise Jedite so much?

"You say that Prince Darien wants to destroy you." Jedite nodded now looking at Nephlite warily "Why?"

"I was just wondering what his reasons could be."

"I don't know" Jedite admitted "but I know it has nothing to do with what happened earlier. He's been planning my downfall from the very beginning."

Nephlite's interested perked at his slip. "Oh what happened earlier that would make Prince Darien anxious for your blood?"

Jedite frowned when he realized his slip but then shrugged his shoulders what did it matter now? Prince Darien had already informed Beryl what was one more person.

Nephlite sat back wearing an expression of indifference as if he really didn't care about what had happened but he'd listen if Jedite wanted to tell him. Jedite figuring he had nothing to lose told him about the cave-in, his part in it and about Prince Darien's sudden reappearance.

"Well its no wonder he doesn't like you Jedite if you're going around trying to kill him."

"No its more than that" Jedite insisted immediately and Nephlite noticed that he didn't bother to deny that his intent was to kill Prince Darien.

"He's had it in for me from the beginning. He swore he'd make me pay for what I did to Princess Serena. But I didn't pay his threats any mind I figured once his memories were erased he'd have no reason to seek out any vengeance."

"Are you sure his memory is completely gone?"

I'm sure I've been watching him closely he doesn't remember anything. Which is why I don't understand why he's so set on destroying me. And he is I can feel it every time he looks at me.

"Well you did poison his wife."

"But he doesn't remember that I tell you" Jedite cried out in exasperation

Nephlite leaned back in his chair as a thought occurred to him. "Maybe a part of him does. Think about it." He stated holding a hand up when it seemed Jedite was about to protest. "You struck on what was suppose to be the happiest day of his life. You poison his wife and leave her for dead but not before taunting them about only being able to keep her alive for a few weeks if they their lucky. Only he finds a way to save her. But to do so he needs Beryl's energy. Which he knew she wasn't going to give not if it meant saving the Moon Princes. So what does he do? He tricks her. He tricks her into giving him her energy. But it comes with a heavy price. He now has a part of Beryl inside of him gnawing at him slowly making him hers. So although he's saved her they can't stay together so in retrospect she's alive yes but he lost her anyway." He arched an eyebrow at him "Do you see where I'm going with this? You took her from him. A woman he's loved for both lifetimes. He lost her before because of the Negaverse and now he's lost her again because of you. And it seems for good this time so yes I do believe while he was being converted some part of him hung on to that hatred for you that must have been burning a whole inside him. It makes perfect sense"

"So he hates me but he just doesn't know why" Jedite laughed bitterly a lot of good that did him. "That still doesn't help my situation"

"Your right it doesn't" he agreed, "I think you've made a very powerful enemy Jedite and now that you've showed your hand he has you exactly where he wants you."

"Do you think I don't know that" Jedite raged "Even now he taunts me by keeping me waiting. He's probably watching me now loving every minute of this. Come out come out damn you," he shouted angrily

Nephlite sat back and watched him with amusement. He was enjoying this immensely and now that he got all the information he wanted out of Jedite he was no longer useful and so he really had no reason to stay. With one last smirk he left him alone still yelling at some unseen enemy. Maybe it was true what goes around comes around.

………………………………..

"He's going to take the crystal" she gasped, "We have to stop him."

"No" he commanded, "We can't interfere not now"

"But if he takes the Crystal back to Beryl its all over. Not only for us but for everyone" she cried

"I know" he sighed "Alright let me think maybe theirs away we can stop him from taking the crystal without exposing are selves."

…………….

He took his time taking the Crystal. He was enjoying toying with her. He left his fingers drift down her arm along her shoulder and across her chest His fingers lingered their for a moment before making their way down towards the brooch. He tried to convince himself that the excitement he was feeling was due to finally getting his hands on the Crystal but he knew that was lying to himself. His hand brushed against the brooch but didn't stop there. It was as if it had a mind of its own. He looked into her eyes saw the affect his touch was having on her and was lost. He stepped closer and lowered his head down to hers. He couldn't deny it any longer she affected him like no other and because of that he was in deep trouble.

………………..

Sailormoon felt ashamed. Her friends were in danger and yet she couldn't help but respond to his touch. He was going to take the Crystal and give it to Beryl. He was the enemy. Why couldn't she just accept it? Her breath caught when his fingers moved across her chest. How could he affect her so and yet remain so cool and in control? When his fingers continued their descent she almost fainted when they passed her brooch like it was nothing of importance and continued to move down. Than he looked at her and she realized her wasn't as cool or in control as she thought. She didn't even think about denying him when his head began to lower towards hers. But as his head lowered she saw something over his shoulder that caused fear to strike her heart.

"Look out." she cried out desperately

The fear in her voice broke the spell that he had fallen under as nothing else could have. He swung around. Ice crystals to many to count were heading straight for them. He almost left her their exposed and helpless but some part of him wouldn't let him. He didn't know if he could stop them all. There were so many and they were so close and getting closer. His hand closed over a dozen or more roses and he flung them at the in-coming crystals. Than he threw himself at Sailormoon covering her body with his and making himself vulnerable to any Ice Crystals that might have survived his defense. He didn't allow himself to question his decision. He just hoped he managed to destroy all of them because if he hadn't well then he'd be the first to know.