Chapter 16

Usagi lies in her hospital bed. Her breathing begins to get shallow and her heart begins to beat slower. This sends an alarm out to the nurse's station. The nurse on duty races toward Usagi's room. When she reaches the doorway, she sees a strange pale pink glow surrounding Usagi.

The nurse takes a step into the room and the glow immediately intensifies. The glow becomes so bright she backs out of the room shielding her eyes.

She sees the others running down the hall. She quickly stops them, but as they come to a stop they hear a new alarm sound from the nurses' station. The nurses and the doctor standing in the doorway move to enter the room to try to revive Usagi, but as they enter they see that there is no one in the room.

Mamoru holds Serenity tight as they walk from the airport. He keeps whispering to her how much he loves and cares for her.

As they reach the parking lot, Cassandra appears before them. "So, my little creature did not stop you."

Mamoru pulls Serenity closer to him. He wants nothing more then to hold her and protect her from everything. He watches as the others transform to protect them both, except for Kunzite who watches in awe since he had never watched the other Guardians transform or the Senshi.

Serenity's eyes open as she hears the Senshi call their transformation phrases. She looks over toward Kunzite. She closes her eyes and Kunzite begins to glow. When the glow subsides, he is transformed like the other guardians. She turns her attention to Mamoru when she sees Kunzite's transformation. Their eyes meet and she smiles sadly at him. "Transform," she whispers.

"No, Usako. I will not leave you."

"Help." She pleads with him. She knows that he must help the others, and that there is nothing that he can do for her. Her memories had returned and with that was the knowledge of what would happen.

He glances at the others and sees them confront Cassandra and the creatures that she summons to her side. He looks down at Serenity and knows that she is correct, but he does not want to leave her side.

"Usako," he whispers.

"Help."

Reluctantly, he places her on the ground with her back against a tree trunk. He walks a few steps away before turning to look back at her.

"Usako," he begins, but stops when he sees her head shake. He knows that he can not sway her decision.

He walks a little further away as he pulls out his transformation rose. He holds his rose up and lets the transformation wash over him. After he transforms, he hears a scream from where he left Serenity. He quickly turns toward her and sees that she is surrounded by a pale pink light. The glow becomes so bright that he has to shield his eyes.

When he can finally look where he had left Serenity, terror fills him. Serenity is gone. "Usako," he whispers. He runs to where she had been sitting and he falls to his knees. "Usako!" He screams.

Everyone stops and looks back at Tuxedo Kamen. The Senshi and the Guardians gasp as they see that Serenity is gone. Cassandra sees this as well and begins to laugh.

"Come, my creatures, we will go and find the wayward princess ourselves."

With that, they are left alone to figure out their next move.