Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER! I know I said it was, but the original chapter was quite long so I decided to split it in two. So, now there are FOUR PARTS! Just thought you all should know of the change! Thanks, and happy reading!

-Review when you are done, thanks!-

"Plagued By Nightmares"

Part 3 of 4: "Strike of Death"

I fly bolt upright in bed, looking over at Momma who was fast asleep. She looks so beautiful, so content. I try to clear the image of her dead from my head, but it was no use. I kept seeing her covered in blood, in pain… I touch her face to reassure myself of her solidarity, and she opens her eyes, sitting up too.

"What is it?" she whispers, so as to not wake up Papa.

"I dreamed that you died, because a man named Death killed you," I inform her, bringing my knees up to my chin. I hugged them, tightly. Momma looked a little scared, but also resolved, like she was going to solve a problem. I'd seen that look before when she gotten ideas to help feed homeless or stop an approaching war or conflict. She was was The Peacemaker Queen.

"I don't know anyone like that; it's best we inform the Senshi," she says, casting a glance at Papa. "Papa too."

I nod. Momma looks back to me and gives me a swift, searching look.

"You need sleep," she states, and I nod again, because I don't trust my voice to talk. If I open my mouth, I'll probably start sobbing. These nightmares of Death are really getting to me. The lump in my throat lessens as I cuddle close to her, for she is my life support in the dark.

oOo

Morning came and I found it impossible to do anything on my own- everywhere I went, someone was there. I was beginning to get fed up with this- did they expect someone to attack us in the castle?

I sigh, looking out the window yearningly. Today was beautiful: birds chirped and the sun was warm and bright. What a nice day it would be to pick flowers with Momma, or take a walk with Papa, or run around with the Senshi!

Momma and Papa were inside, with the Senshi, having a meeting. I wasn't allowed in again, and it annoyed me. I devised a plan; a plan of escape. More than anything I wanted to be outside, alone, perhaps picking flowers or taking a walk even if it meant by myself. No enemy would attack us, it had to be pure nonsense. Really, it was only dreams!

I convinced myself that everything would be OK, and moving punishment out of my head, decided to sneak outside.

I told Cho, who was babysitting me now, that I had to go to the bathroom. She waited outside, and I went into the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind me and clicking the lock into place. Really, I mean, I couldn't have her looking in on me when I was going through with my escapade, could I?

Next I silently as possible turned Luna P into a parachute. With a heave, I pulled open the window, and looked down….down…down… about 100 feet… and to the ground.

I felt a sudden sense of nausea, but closed my eyes and willed it away. I would just have to suck up and do this; it was now or never! Cautiously, so as to avoid falling and slipping, I crawled out onto the ledge. I held my breath, not really knowing why, but looked down again.

Closing my eyes again with a slight tremor of apprehension, I jumped, and silently floated down. Finally, I felt my feet touch solid ground and I turned Luna P back to her normal cat head self. I breathed in the fresh air. Ah, freedom! It was a wonderful thing!

I skipped down to Momma's garden, and began picking flowers for her. Maybe I would make a bouquet. I noticed more flowers up ahead, and skipped around, finding more and more as my bouquet got larger. It felt so good to not have to be watched like I was some delicate, expensive vase that could break at the slightest touch. All enemy nonsense was pushed out of my head as I ran around, purely delighted at being free, and alone.

A few minutes later, I stopped. A large bundle of flowers was held in my hands, and I looked around. With a jolt, I realized I was past the safety grounds, and now was vulnerable to attacks.

"But really, what could happen? I am perfectly safe!" I said aloud, almost to be reassuring. Even as I said this though, the sky turned black and I looked up.

"A thunderstorm, that's all," I said shakily, frozen by fear. I told myself to get back behind the protection wards, but my jelly legs just wouldn't move. My lower lip trembled in fright, and there was a red flash that light up the grounds. I screamed, dropping the flowers and crouching down, hiding my head in my knees. Why couldn't I move?

When I looked up, the man who haunted my nightmares for so long looked down at me in real life from the sky.

"Hello, Small Lady," he greeted mockingly in the voice I knew all too well. I gasped.

"I'm sure you know me. I sent you those nightmares, just to let you know!" Death informed, laughing. All that pain and fright….was caused by him… I stood up as anger filled me.

"Aren't you scared, little baby Lady," he asked in a mock-baby voice.

"No!" I yelled back, trying to look braver than I felt. He eyed me with almost a pitying look.

"I assure you, you're not. Don't lie to me, Small Lady," he jeered, sneering. "But perhaps a dose of pain will help you not to lie, will it not?" He put his hands together and opened them, revealing a ball of electricity. It shot down at me and I was paralyzed by fear, frozen to the place and position I was in, only able to watch it draw nearer…and nearer…

Pain was ripping through my body; it felt as though a thousand burning hot knives were piercing me everywhere. I screamed, louder than ever. Perhaps they could hear me, my Momma and Papa, but whatever happened, I did not care, I only felt the intense pain….

And then it stopped. I dropped to the ground, weak as a jellyfish. I looked up, sweat in my eyes, dampening the pink bangs on my forehead. I panted, gasping for breath and shaking all over as if I had run a mile nonstop. Luna P was beeping, a warning sign to Sailor Pluto. Hopefully she could communicate to Momma and the Senshi before it was too late. Death was laughing.

"Pain is a way to teach obedience," he said.

"Oh yah? Why do I need obedience?" I shot at him, hoping to kill time for someone, anyone to save me.

"Because, my Small Lady," Death replied, "You will soon be in my service." I opened my mouth but no words came out, even though I tried to summon them

"Come with me," he said, demurely sweet. He held out a hand, and I backed away, even though he was still far away. He was scaring me. I didn't want to be his servant!

"Come with me," he repeated, eyes wide and hypnotising.

"MOMMA!" I screamed. "PAPA!"

"Shut up!" Death cried. "SHUT UP!" I screamed more, terrified, crying as I did. He teleported down next to me and drew back his hand. It came back down quick, ruthlessly slapping me across the cheek. It stung, turning red. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice-

"JUPITER THUNDER CLAD ZAP!" Sailor Jupiter's attack zoomed at Death, and he was thrown into the air, bruised.

"What the-" he began, looking around. He swore.

"Sailor Guardians!" I turned my head quickly.

Sailors Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus stood a few feet behind me, Momma and Papa behind them, anger written all over their faces. They ran to me and made a protective circle, and Momma picked up my body. I felt so weak, and clung to her desperately.

"We know who you are, Death," Mars sneered, an ugly look on her face, full of dislike. "We won't let you get away with any harm to our Royal Family!" The man laughed.

"I have the incentive to do so, and I will. Now step aside, Guardian Mars of Fire," he said, swishing his hand as if to make a point.

"We don't take orders from you, baka!" Jupiter exclaimed.

"We Sailor Guardians will chastise you, in the name of our Queen!" Venus cried, and she and the others did the 'Punish You' pose. Death picked his nail, unabashed by their stupid display.

"Guardian Venus of Love, when I say 'step aside', I mean 'step aside'," he said idly. Unexpectedly, he threw another energy ball at all of them and they were torn apart, each screaming as they flew in different directions. I felt my body slam to the ground, and Momma was still clutching me tightly- she took most of the beating though, and it tore my heart apart just to hear her cry out in pain for me.

"Momma, don't do this!" I pleaded. "Why are you doing this?" Momma gasped for breath before she was able to speak.

"Because…I love…you," she said. She gave me a weak smile, and grimaced ever-so-slightly as a few cuts on her face began dropping blood. I imagine they must sting, but Momma let out no whimper or cry of pain from them. She was so strong, and I wished I could be like her. She didn't even shed a tear when she skidded across the ground, but tears gathered in my eyes. I smiled back.

"I love you too, Momma," I whispered.

"Cut the emotional crap and give me Small Lady!" Death shouted. Momma gritted her teeth in anger and pulled me closer to her. She turned around slowly to look Death in the eye, an indefinable power rising from her.

"If you think, that for ONE MINUTE, I am going to give up my only daughter to a freak'in BASTARD like you, then you are out of your DAMN MIND!" Momma screamed. If circumstances were different, I would have been giggling at the colorful, rare choice of profanity that was coming out of her mouth, but seeing as this was now, in matters of life and death….

Death seemed taken aback, but only for a second. He regained posture quickly and said quietly:

"Fine, I see there is no bargaining, no reasoning. You are being foolish. You shall suffer my wrath for her, but she will still come to the same end. Ugh!"

Death flung energy at Momma and I. All I saw was a big red blast; all I felt was my body being torn from Momma's, and being hurled away from her. I cried out as I hit the ground, and upon opening my eyes I saw Momma lying only precious feet from me. She was groaning, fighting to get up. Without thinking I scrambled up, and began running towards Momma.

"SMALL LADY! GET BACK! NOO!" she screamed, fear racing through her face, eying me and something coming at me fast. I stopped, turned, and was frozen by fear.

Oh gods, I'm gonna die, was the first thought running through my paralyzed brain.

Coming at me was a spear, the same as in my dream, flying at me fast, not Momma as in those premonitions. What happened next seemed to take a millennia.

I heard screams, all making no sense to me during my plight.

I heard scrambling, Momma's screaming, in what seemed to be slow-mo to me, as I watched it all occur through my befuddled brain.

I saw Momma dive at me in pure terror, give me a push- a hard one- and I saw the spear rip through her. Blood was splattering, she was screaming, I was screaming, and then everything was black.

oOo

I opened my eyes, and everything seemed to be spinning. I felt groggy, dizzy, and disoriented. Where am I? What happened?

As my vision gradually began to grow stronger, so did all the pains and aches coming from everywhere. I blinked a few times, groaning, then sat up gingerly and slowly. I seemed to be in a dark room, in a purple bed. Purple? That's not my bed. Mine's pink.

I put my face in my hands, as I've done so many times before, and tried to think. Memories came to me slowly.

A man, Death, had attacked me and Momma. He wanted me, then tried to kill me. Momma tried to save me from the spear, but it hit her instead….Oh god, it hit her instead!

My head snapped up and it felt like ice cold water had filled me. Where was she now? Was she dead? Please let her be alive! And where am I? I was drowning in that water, the waters of terror.

I jumped out of bed, ignoring my body's protests as pain filled me again. I limped to a door, a brown one nearby, and giving it a wrench found it was locked. Panic filled me. All I remembered was blacking out, then nothing else. Where was I?

Something shiny caught my eye and I ran to it. It was a mirror, and a stranger seemed to be peering back out of it. But, I knew it was me, even though my reflection seemed to disagree. My sailor fuku was torn, my hair was a disheveled mess, and I had bruises and scratches all over my face. Caked blood was on my legs and arms, and there was a deep gash in my leg.

That would explain the limping, I suppose, I thought grimly. I bit my cut lip gently, thinking of all the possibilities of why I was here.

A hospital? No, no, hospitals are nicer than this.

Someone else's room? Maybe, I thought.

But who's?

My question was answered as my worst fear, my Momma's attacker, walked into the room. It was Death.

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A/N: OK, the NEXT one is the last chapter, peoples! Sorry for the confusion but I had wanted to split it up since it was so long. REVIEW!