Chapter Five: Picking At The Pieces

Loss and possession,
death and life are one,
there falls no shadow
where there shines no sun.
- Hilaire Belloc

MINAKO

I watched as Rei and Kunzite walked back into the club, his hand had come to rest on her shoulder. Her expression darkened and she spat out a vicious reply. Kunzite smiled softly, sheepishly rubbing a hand across the back of his neck as he headed in my direction. I raised an eyebrow at the rueful look he sent her way. A quick glance of my own in Rei's direction told me she was silently fuming about something.

"What was that about?" I asked Kunzite as he slid an arm around my waist. There was a guilty flicker in his eyes before he sighed.

"Just spent some time catching up with an old friend. I forgot how... intense she could be." He admitted, nostalgia heavy in his voice. I blinked at the emotion tingeing his soul, remorse lay there solidly but there was something else there... something deep rich and complicated.

"You say that like you missed it. Missed her." I pointed out, somehow finding myself narrowing my eyes at the thought. I hadn't even known he and Rei were acquainted. He'd certainly never mentioned it. Nor had she.

"It's nice to have something familiar." He told me, a fond smile on his lips. I paused inwardly, wondering what that look was about. And what I was missing between the two of them.

"Familiar? When did you two meet?" I asked, firmly telling myself I wasn't jealous.

"Work function, back before you and I met." He replied simply, then continued with a soft laugh when I gave him a curious look. "She spent the whole night looking like she wanted to throw someone out a window. I managed to have it not be me and kept her out of trouble. She joined me for some conversation and we've kept in touch ever since."

Kunzite finished with a shrug. It was painfully obvious to me that he was lying about something but I couldn't pick up on which part was the lie, most of it sounded quite convincing from what I knew of the pair. I gave him a smile, deciding to let the matter drop.

"Well, that certainly sounds like Rei. The getting in trouble part at least." I told him.

"She's good at that, isn't she?" He laughed, leaning back against table letting his casual posture do the talking for me. His knee tapped against mine pointedly, drawing my eyes back to his face.

KUNZITE

"So, how about you two? How'd you meet?" I asked, finding myself genuinely curious about how Minako and Rei could have met and not ended up together. I gave her a disarming grin, the one I knew would put her at ease.

At my question her eyes widened slightly before they were drawn down and away from me, she gave a soft smile; fond gentleness I hadn't seen from her before. Or if I'd seen it I hadn't realized its significance. Looking back I knew that it had probably appeared on her face whenever she'd spoken to me of Rei.

"She caught my eye. Seemed like I did the same." Minako sighed, still seeming like she was caught in the past. It was clear to me that some thing some where in her loved Rei. And I couldn't just tell her that because she'd deny it. She needed to see it for herself... I wasn't above trying to point it out to her though.

"What? Like your eyes met across a crowded room?" I laughed, trying not to let my good humour falter as she laughed with me, her hand touching my arm carefully.

"Don't be ridiculous." She told me with warmth in her tone... even as she rolled her eyes at me. I found my concealed grin growing larger despite the faraway look on her face.

"Ridiculous is what I do best, dearest." I retorted out of habit, the endearment slipped through my lips like it belonged there. As it had in the past.

And then, as Minako let out an incredulous laugh, it was like nothing out of place had happened that night. Her laughter did to me what it always had, it brought light to the dark and warmth to my soul. It was like coming home, righting the universe around it... and I somehow found myself forgetting about the bomb that had been dropped into my life just a few minutes before. I found myself truly smiling at the woman before me, just watching the way she responded to my touch as I brushed hair away from her face.

"You'll get no argument from me. You are indeed a ridiculous man." Minako told me, her hand brushing against my chest as our bodies pressed together, our lips nearing

in proximity.

MAMORU

I cringed as Rei stalked back into the club, clearly not having enjoyed her conversation with my friend. Her jaw and hands were clenched as she resumed her position behind the bar, I waved Usagi off knowing that this particular situation was probably best handled by me.

I loved Usagi dearly but sometimes her relentlessly cheery outlook could be a bit much for some. Rei in particular never seemed to have the patience with her the rest of us had developed.

"So... that looked like it went well." I prodded as she busied herself with work, noticing the shaking of her hands as she began to prep the ingredients for the back log of drinks she needed to make.

"Clearly." She bit out each syllable like she could draw blood from the word. But the anger I could see in her face was melting away, taking refuge behind Rei's professional demeanour; the tired patience and scathing humour she wore as a shield during the day to day grind.

This particular mask was well worn but even I could see something off about its presentation tonight, I'd never seen it combined with this level of emotion before. Rei had always been mysterious but there had always been hints as to her intentions, right now there wasn't much, she just seemed frozen.

Makoto sidled up to the counter beside me, sharing a glance with me as Rei turned her back on us to grab one of the many bottles that lined the shelves above the bar.

"How's it going?" She asked as quietly as the music allowed for.

"Haven't gotten that far yet." I replied in an undertone as Rei turned back around. She rolled her eyes at the two of us, tossing a pair of drink menus down in front of us.

"Back in a moment." Was all she said before she grabbed the tray of drinks and began to thread her way through the crowd that had assembled to celebrate our friends engagement.

"Did you volunteer for the feelings talk or did Usagi volunteer you?" Makoto asked me as she idly thumbed through the menu, I got the distinct impression that she already knew what she was getting but needed something to occupy her hands.

"I volunteered, I thought Rei might strangle Usagi if she tried." I admitted with a bit of a laugh. Makoto chuckled as well, clearly recalling their encounter on the way to the airport. I'd only gotten second hand accounts of it but it seemed Rei was on edge. More than usual at least. "How about you?"

"Ami and Rei already hit their heartfelt discussion quota for the week so it fell to me." She replied with a shrug.

"Yeah?" I questioned, hoping to get any information that could help me reach out to my friend.

"Yeah, Ami yelled at her and then they made up. She left the room while they talked so I didn't ask any further questions, figured they needed their privacy."

"When you say yell..?"

"Stern lecture." Rei's voice replied as the empty tray clattered across the counter between us, Makoto and I both cringed. "At best."

"Hey Rei." Makoto greeted weakly, rubbing a hand at the base of her neck. "How's it going?"

We both winced, knowing it was absolutely the wrong question to ask. Rei just gave a low huffing laugh and redirected the conversation.

"Same as usual, Makoto?" Rei asked, her hand already drifting towards one of bottles under the counter. I got the feeling that when Makoto and Rei got together the drinks weren't exactly from menu I'd been handed. When Makoto shrugged Rei poured a liberal helping of liquor into a glass before turning to me. I fumbled inwardly for what to order but came up short. Rei raised an eyebrow at me before pouring me a glass of one of the beers on tap.

"So..." Makoto started out, sharing a glance with me after having a few sips of her drink. "You and Minako's fiancee?"

"Me and Minako's fiancee, what?" Rei replied, falling into her usual strategy of answering questions with questions.

"Know each other." I put in, hoping she'd actually humour us and give us an answer.

"Yes, Kunzite and I know each other." Rei replied without hesitation. "I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"How do you two know each other?" I found myself asking, wanting to know how on earth this had never come up before. I'd known Kunzite for most of my life and Rei had saved my fiancee's life more times than I could count. I would have thought that if our friends knew each other... we all would have known each other. That we all would have been friends. But we hadn't and now I was confused.

"Does it matter? If you want the story ask him. He's your friend." Rei replied with a pointed tone and a shrug, clearly telling me to ask someone who was actually my friend. Unlike her. I did my best not to flinch back. I knew Rei and I weren't the closest but...

"Geez Rei, tone down the hostility would you? You two are friends, despite the fact you're frequently an ass." Makoto chided, an amused look on her face. "And you do have to admit this is a bit suspicious. Both you and him knowing Kunzite and none of us ever having met the guy before today. We're curious and that's natural. Plus, you either get to deal with Mamoru or Usagi. Take your pick Sunshine."

Rei let out a frustrated sigh mixed with a groan before looking between the two of us. With a final roll of her eyes and shake of her head she relented.

"Fine. Just don't bring your girlfriends over here." Rei grumbled, as apologetic as I'd ever heard her. Makoto clinked her glass against mine in victory. Rei ignored that as she messed around with the taps, beginning to pour out another beer. "We've known each other for a long time. Mostly business."

"Some pleasure?" Makoto prompted, the teasing tone and expression not leaving as Rei accidentally let the glass overflow. Rei rolled her eyes again turning away from the two of us, deciding a question like that didn't deserve an answer as she wiped her hands and absently pulled her cell from her pocket. Her gaze narrowed for a split second before smoothing back into her mask, her eyes leaving the phone.

And then the pint glass shattered in Rei's hand, the expression on her face was ice and steel. When I followed her gaze I could see why. Kunzite and Minako's lips were locked together, shutting out the world around them like they were the last two people on the earth. I winced turning away from the sight to look at Rei just as she shoved her hand into her pocket.

"I'll be right back. Need to clean this up." She told us stoically, with barely a glance in our direction. I found myself focusing on the shards of glass in front of me, my gaze narrowing on the crisp streaks of red that glistened on their edges.

"Well, shit." Makoto muttered, raising a hand to her head while reaching out to her glass with the other.

REN

I fumbled for my phone as it buzzed harshly on the coffee table next to my head. I'd barely just settled in after my shift and now someone was interrupting my alone time with the television. I paused the movie as I picked up.

"Hello?"

"I was worried you weren't going to answer." Rei replied, sounding more distracted and distant than I was accustomed too... even taking the recent weeks into account. I sat up fully, knowing that something was wrong. Rei never interrupted my time off without something having gone horribly wrong.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"I... need a favour." She sighed, regret already tinging her voice. "Not a work one, a personal one. Though I guess it's kinda a work one too."

"What is it?" I questioned, getting more and more concerned with how evasive she was being. Normally with work stuff she got straight to the point or just told me to mind my own business. There was another heavy sigh.

"It's her engagement party and I need an out. I cannot be here right now." Came the eventual reply. It took me a few moments to realize what Rei was saying.

"I can be there in half an hour." I told her, swinging my legs down off the couch – already scrambling for my wallet and keys before remembering I'd need to change first.

"I'm sorry Ren, it's your night off and I shouldn't..."Rei started her voice pained and apologetic. In that moment I could picture her in my head, slumped against her desk one hand raking hair out of her face like she wanted to pull at it and scream.

"Shut up Rei. Kade's working the late shift so it's not like I have anything else going on. The double booking was my fault anyway." I replied quickly cutting her off, it was the first time Rei had ever asked me for personal help. And I did not want her to feel guilty about getting help when she needed it, she was far too independent for her own good. It was like she hadn't realized she could rely on other people. "Now I'm hanging up so I hurry over there. We'll talk in a bit."

"Thanks Ren." Rei told me softly.

KUNZITE

I glanced at the door as it opened again, seeing a woman slip inside and head straight for Rei. I found my gaze following her as she approached the bar and stepped behind it, resting a hand on Rei's arm before engaging in conversation. Rei motioned at the glasses on the shelf, causing me a moment of surprise – when had Rei hurt her hand? Mamoru nudged me, jerking me out of my thoughts.

"What are you looking at?" He asked, following my gaze to the bar.

"Thinking about getting another drink." I deflected with a shrug. "Checking to see how busy it was. Didn't want to annoy Hino too much."

Mamoru gave me a look like he didn't believe me, his eyes flicked down to the glass in my hand... which, unfortunately, was full. I kept one eye on Rei as she and the newcomer finished their discussion.

"Not really feeling the whole mixed drink thing right now. I'm already concerned about how I'm going to feel tomorrow, don't need the added sugar on top of everything else." I explained, watching Rei grab a jacket from under the bar and leave the room. Suspicion filled me, I had the feeling she wasn't leaving just because of the situation between Minako and I. Rei cared too much for Minako's happiness for that... well, now that she was here anyway. Missing the party all together was one thing but ditching it was another.

"Well, it doesn't seem like Rei's there to annoy anymore, so have fun with that." Mamoru told me, pushing me towards the bar as he waved over at Nephrite, who began to weave his way through the crowd – grabbing the others on his way by.

Looking around at my friends it was surprising that Rei hadn't murdered me on sight and then gone off in search of the others. Knowing what I did... I realized what she would have seen when we'd walked into the club. An invasion of people who had threatened, attacked, and attempted to assassinate her.

I very nearly flinched when Jadeite's hand clasped my shoulder, logically I knew he was harmless without his memories but the fact I didn't know what could trigger them had me on edge. The Jadeite before me was the man I knew before we'd ever faced The Darkness, he was still a shrewd, tenacious bastard but he lacked the cruelty and bloodlust of his post-confrontation self.

We'd all been changed by our encounter with the Elder God but with him it had been the most noticeable. He had gone from a man I called my friend to someone I no longer trusted... and it was good to have my friend, my brother, returned to me at long last.

"You look lost in thought my friend, and not in the type of thoughts I'd associate with a cheerful gathering." He commented, looking politely exasperated. I managed a wane smile in response.

"Merely musing over the fact this party is tamer than I had expected... and its making me suspicious. Anything you'd like to share with the class?" I asked, allowing myself to tease him gently. I wanted to keep him away from Rei and the potential for triggering his memories for as long as possible.

Jadeite laughed, glancing towards Minako for a second. I put my glass down on the bar top, catching the new bartender's eye before ordering a beer. She gave me a bit of a look but smiled any way. I imagined it was because of the fact she seemed to be close to Rei. I returned my attention to Jadeite just as he replied.

"Well, Nephrite and I did discuss acquiring certain services for the evening." He admitted with a devilish smirk. "Zoisite talked us out of it but if the party is lacking we could..."

"Don't even think about it." Mamoru interceded before I managed to, his tone low and warning. I gave him a grateful look, this was not an idea that needed... fleshing out. Jadeite rolled his eyes.

"You two have gotten boring since you've started these long term relationships." He commented, fondness still evident in his tone. Though the exasperation had become more pronounced as well. I took a drink from my beer, knowing that our lives were anything but boring.

"Seconded." Nephrite commented as he joined the conversation, Zoisite a half step behind him and I found myself floundering in his presence once again. . My breath caught in my throat as memories came rushing forward again. I didn't fight these ones, they were too important; reminding me that not everything had been war and conflict in the old world.

"They're not boring, just too preoccupied to deal with your juvenile games." Zoisite contradicted, but I saw the flicker of something else in his eyes. A hint of the man I used to know and whose presence I cherished more than anything.

"I see you managed to escape your workshop for a couple hours." I greeted with a smile, feeling warmth spread through me. "It's good to see you Zoi."

"Haven't heard that in a while. You feeling nostalgic for university or something?" He questioned, a bit of a grin on his face.

"Something like that." I told him, unable to do anything but grin back. Right now, having my memories back was making me giddy – not sick like they had earlier.

"You two gonna hug it out or what?" Jadeite asked, sounding bored but I could see the twinkle in his eyes. It had been too long since we'd all gotten together, I'd been away from home for too long.

"It's good to be home." I replied opening my arms for a hug after putting my glass down. Zoisite rolled his eyes but stepped forward anyway.

"I see you're still as ridiculous as ever." He muttered as he returned the hug then stepped back. "Nice to see things haven't change with how long you've gone."

"We are who we are, Zoi, don't think any power in the world can change that." I reassured him, keeping my hand on his shoulder for longer than I meant to. I let my hand drop upon realizing what I was doing and in that instant I recognized the lie in my words. I was interacting with him like he was Zoisite and he simply wasn't.

Not yet.

REI

I stepped out of Gaslight with a sigh of relief, extremely happy to have an excuse to leave that hellscape; though I supposed what I was leaving for wasn't exactly an improvement. Dealing with a traumatized soul wasn't exactly the start of a good night.

I shook those thoughts from my head I as looked at my phone to check the arrival's location. Waiting for Ren to arrive had delayed me longer than I'd have liked and I needed to hurry if I were to prevent an incident, the app was great for finding where they'd appear but didn't have the ability to track them down after that. That was all on me.

I confirmed the location and went to go get my vehicle, hopefully I wouldn't get a speeding ticket en-route.

Luckily the encounter had been easier than the last few, Beryl's instruction on how to calm them had helped keep things mostly non-violent and the shadow had let itself melt back into the darkness without causing any property damage either. Which I counted as a win.

I rubbed my neck, feeling completely exhausted. Perhaps it was time to follow Ren's parting advice. She'd suggested I go home and relax, and it actually sounded like a good idea.

I was just getting into my car when the phone rang, I turned on the car and pressed a button to answer the call.

"What's this about?" I practically demanded.

"Your phone manners need work." Beryl's voice pointed out through the stereo system. Her tone sounded almost fond. "How'd it go?"

"Fine. No injuries or property damage." I replied, annoyed all of a sudden. Probably because I was over tired and had a shitty night. I fought the urge to scratch at the healing cuts on my hand and instead shifted out of park. I pulled my car out of its parking space and made a turn down one of the side roads.

"Well, I apologize for being concerned." Beryl told me, her tone not losing its edge... though now she sounded a tad worried as well. I clenched my jaw, not really wanting to talk about it but she deserved to know. I sighed, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel to try and distract myself from the emotions I was feeling.

"I found Kunzite, apparently seeing me sparked something. He remembers." I explained. Beryl went dead silent and after a couple minutes of silence I prompted her. "You still there?"

"Yes, sorry you just caught me by surprise." She told me.

"Caught me by surprise too." I replied, apparently my bitterness leaked into my tone.

"What happened?"

"Check the entertainment section of the news. You'll find it." I told her, not wanting to voice it aloud. Instead of mulling the subject over while she looked it up, I concentrated on the taillights of the car in front of me – traffic was slowing down as we approached the core again.

After a few seconds a soft 'oh' echoed through speakers.

"Yeah. Like things couldn't get anymore complicated." I remarked, some how feeling easier about talking about Minako's situation with Beryl than anyone else. Maybe it was because she was a bit more removed from the situation than the rest of my friends. I didn't feel like getting any further into the matter though. I flicked on my turn signal and eased into the next lane over. My street was coming up. "Speaking of complicated, this is the second time in recent weeks that two shadows have appeared on the same day. Any ideas why they're increasing in frequency?"

"I... I have no idea. Do you think this is enough to be concerned?" She questioned.

"I can handle it." I replied, only realizing once the words were out of my mouth that they sounded defensive.

"I wasn't question that. I was asking if you thought it was something to worry about or if it's just random circumstance." Her voice was calm and a bit patronizing. I had the feeling my caginess was beginning to annoy her.

"I don't know yet but I'm working on figuring it out. I just wanted to know if you knew something I didn't." I told her irritably as some asshole pulled in front of me without signalling.

"If I'd known about something that could help you, I would have told you when we met up. I know you don't trust me but I am being honest with you." Beryl told me in a stern tone like I was a child who was acting out. I felt my temper beginning to rise before I realized that it wasn't her fault I was on edge tonight.

"Sorry. Long night. I should get going." I replied after smothering my anger and hostility.

"Good night Rei. Get some rest." Beryl told me, her voice back to normal again. I hung up just as I pulled into the parking garage. This night felt far longer than it should have. It was still hours earlier than the time I usually went to bed but I was drained. Ready to fall into bed the moment I got home.

KUNZITE

I rolled out of bed early, ignoring the headache pounding away at my temples. My attention was drawn back to the bed where Minako lay tangled in the sheets, I frowned slightly. Some part of me still felt for her, but it wasn't what I had felt for her before. Or maybe it was and the sensation simply paled in comparison to what emotions had surfaced last night.

"Fuck." I groaned softly, rubbing at my eyes with the heel of my hands. "It is too early for this."

"Then get back in bed." Came the muffled reply from the bed, apparently Minako was awake. Not that you could tell by looking at the mess of pillows and blankets she had buried herself under. Part of me absently wondered if she'd need as many if Rei was the one sleeping next to her. I let out a bit of a laugh as I found myself smiling fondly at her from where I stood next to the dresser.

"Go back to sleep Minako." I told her softly, grabbing a t-shirt and pulling it over my head. "If I come back to bed now I won't feel at all compelled to leave, sleeping off this hangover is far too tempting."

Minako made a sleepy sounding noise in response, I felt that fondness and love swell up in my heart again. I crossed back to the bed, leaning over and brushing a quick kiss to the top of her head.

"I'll see you later." I told her, not expecting a reply. We'd been out late and I'd be surprised if either of us had gotten six hours of sleep. But now that I was awake I needed to be doing something. I needed to get out of here and process what was going on. I needed a plan.

When I got back from my run Minako was in the kitchen making breakfast. I gave her a wave and a smile before disappearing into the bathroom to shower.

As I stepped under the spray I grumbled a bit to myself. I'd thought that having time to think things over would make this whole situation easier but I'd been wrong. As seemed to be the pattern with me.

On my run I'd convinced myself that I didn't love Minako and it had held up until I'd stepped through the door and saw her again. I loved her and I didn't understand how I could be so torn over this. Part of me knew what we had was wonderful and perfect... and easy. and easy. Then there was the other part that had burst to life inside me the moment I laid eyes on Zoisite.

A lifetime worth of love had flooded out of my memories and into my being. And I wasn't sure what to do with that. As much as I had seen my old friends in the men they were today, Zoisite wasn't Zoisite... and he certainly wasn't Zoi.

I let the water cascade over my face, doing my best not to let out a primal scream and wondered if this was how Rei felt on a day to day basis. And it was then that I realized I probably couldn't figure anything out by myself, I needed to talk it over with someone. I needed to talk to Rei.

I stepped out of the shower, pulling on the fresh clothes that Minako had left on the counter for me. My heart clenched again at this, falling in love with her hadn't been a fast process. It had taken shape slowly, formed out of little moments like this. The little things she'd do to show she cared. I slung the towel over my shoulders, letting it catch the water from my still wet hair rather than my t-shirt.

When I stepped into the kitchen again Minako was only just putting the food onto plates.

"Need a hand with anything?" I offered, sliding in behind her and watching as she turned slightly, the smile on her face was soft and gentle. Her hand cupped my cheek, guiding me closer to her. Her lips pressed a quick kiss to the corner of my mouth and then she pushed me away with a laugh and a simple 'good morning'.

I returned the smile as I remembered that ever since we'd been cohabiting we'd shared a good morning kiss. It was so ingrained that this morning I'd kissed her without even thinking about it.

With the two sets of memories, even as different as the two realities were, I was having a hard time keeping them straight and separate in my head. And that was a bit worrying, it as almost as if being in Minako's presence was enough to make me forget the past... or at least ignore it. I pushed the thought from my head, refusing to focus on that until I had a chance to talk to Rei.

Minako still hadn't spoken aside from the brief greeting, she was too concentrated on the task at hand. When she had the two plates of food in hand and was unable to retaliate I reached over and ruffled her hair, laughing at the look she gave me.

"You didn't answer my question. Need any help?"

"Get the coffee, idiot. You're the only one who can reach the mugs, remember?" She replied, setting the plates on the table in the breakfast nook. I gave her a bit of sheepish look but ended up breaking it when I laughed.

"It has been a long time since we've been back." I commented as I picked up the coffee pot while reaching into a cupboard for the mugs, the action automatic. My hands knew what they were doing even if I didn't. It was the same for Minako's coffee, I added a lump of sugar and a splash of milk before bringing both the mugs to the table.

Minako looked up and gave me another fond look before returning to the notebook in front of her, I glanced to my left – the newspaper lay there as it always did.

Early on in the relationship I'd been teased mercilessly about my refusal to read the news online. Now it was just habit for us to sit at opposite ends of the table so I had room to open it up and get my daily dose of the outside world. Rather, it was habit when we actually had time for a slow morning. Usually it was a mad dash out of whatever hotel we happened to be in that night.

I absently took a bite of my food as I began to read. On the second page a photo leapt out at me, jerking my focus on to the accompanying story. Normally I didn't read the political stories with much interest but this one had the added benefit of having Rei and Beryl in it.

I studied the photo closely, Beryl's calm demeanour was achingly familiar but it wasn't that that caught my attention. What really drew me in was Rei's poker face. I lifted my mug to my mouth, taking a careful sip as began to read the article. Most of it was just regurgitating voter polls and election forecasts, doing what they could to build up hype around the coming election, and without even getting into anything important came the little note telling me to turn to some random page to continue reading.

I flipped through the paper impatiently, I'd been reading to figure out more about Beryl and Rei... not read information I was already aware of. When I found the right page I dove right in, doing my best to glean what I could about their interaction from the newspaper quotes. It seemed like Rei had given an interview, which according to this reporter was a rather rare event and thus was probably a publicity stunt on AED Corp's behalf. My mind recalled the image of Rei and Beryl standing together, Rei's carefully crafted mask nagged at my mind. She'd talked of putting on a show the night before but I hadn't really put together how good she was at it.

"Reading about politics now?" Minako's voice teased as she reached over to rescue the last slice of toast from my otherwise empty plate. "Who are you and what did you do with my fiance?"

I was startled into a laugh.

"He's tied up in the basement, I just hadn't found time to gift wrap him." I remarked, folding the paper back up and tossing it on to the counter before clearing the dishes from the table.

"As tempting as having two of you around is..." Minako drawled, the teasing tone in her voice reaching almost unholy levels after swallowing her mouthful. This time my laugh came out as more of a snort.

"I'm pretty sure I still wouldn't be able to keep up with you." I told her. Her laughter joined mine as I loaded the dishwasher, my mind still focused on the newspaper. I needed to talk to Rei and Beryl.

"Well, I'm going to have a shower. Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone." Minako told me, passing her coffee cup to me over the counter top before disappearing down the hall. I waited until I heard the shower running before I crossed the room to where Minako's phone was charging.

I picked it up, unlocking the device and scrolling though her contact list. When I found the information I wanted I sent it to myself then deleted the record of the text. I put the cell back exactly the way I found it before pouring myself the rest of the coffee.

After a quick and somewhat confounding conversation with Rei on my own phone, I sent a quick text and did my best to sit innocently at the counter while sipping at the coffee.

Hopefully, Minako wouldn't notice anything suspicious. About the phone at least, I wanted her to notice the coffee. It would get her riled up and distract her from anything she might pick up on in my emotions, well, it was that and the fact I was genuinely looking forward to annoying Minako. We'd been teasing each other since the day we met and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.

Minako's return from the bathroom unfolded the way I'd wanted and after a brief conversation I was making up some excuses about needing to go downtown. And a short time later I found myself in the foyer of the Senator's offices. I brushed snow from my jacket as I took stock of the room.

"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" The woman at the front desk asked me, picking up on the fact I was out of place here. Apparently I stood out more than I had intended, dressed casually as I was.

"No, but I'm an old friend, just thought I'd swing by to say hello since I was in the neighbourhood." I said, giving her my most charming smile. She looked skeptical but gave a sigh as she picked up the phone.

"Sorry to disturb you Madame Senator, but there's a man here to see you. Says he's an old friend, should I get security to deal with him?"

There was a short pause before the assistant looked back to me.

"Name?" She asked curtly with a glance in my direction. I could hear the two bodyguards I'd passed earlier shifting position, no doubt preparing to eject me from the premises if the lady didn't like what she heard.

"Kunzite." I told her with a smile I knew was charming. She frowned in response, lifting a brow smoothly. Obviously waiting for a last name. I chuckled. "She'll know who I am."

"He says his name is Kunzite, thinks that's all you'll need." She relayed, then there was silence as she listened to the reply. "Alright, I'll bring him in ma'am."

The woman rose from her seat and gestured for me to follow her. I ghosted her footsteps as she led me down the hall to a set of solid oak doors.

LUNA

Anxiety still simmered within my chest as I sorted through the articles on Rei and Beryl's meeting yesterday. I'd finally put all the fragmented quotes from various reporters and outlets together to form a coherent enough picture of what had gone on.

Based on past events I had always known Rei would be most difficult to keep tabs on. She'd always been combative and deceitful... well, perhaps deceit wasn't the right word. Deceptive was probably more accurate though the basis of what bothered me remained the same.

She was capable of lying to all of our faces and hiding almost everything about herself from everyone. Including the Venusians. Artemis had told me of Eros' interpretations and fears... and I couldn't ignore that. Rei was dangerous, in the old world I'd just assumed it was only her prowess in battle that made her formidable but now I knew the whole story. She could slip past all of our defences almost effortlessly. And I couldn't ignore that.

Especially not now that every scrap of information I collected placed Rei at Beryl's side, supporting her and her efforts. Particularly alarming was the phrase Rei had used in her introduction of the Senator. To some it would seem like a rather optimistic and hopeful expression but to me it seemed much more sinister. Only Rei could turn the word 'bright' into something so ominous.

Without her memories Rei wouldn't realize how wrong she was, Beryl could never lead this, or any other world, to a future that could be described as bright. Nothing she was involved in could result in anything but death and destruction. And if Rei was unable to recognize how horrific siding with Beryl was and was able to deceive us so completely as she had last time... we would be unable to stop her from stabbing us in the back.

Hopefully I could get them up to speed without arousing suspicion – from either her or Artemis.

I was starting to think his judgment was a bit clouded by his friendship Rei. They weren't as close as he and Minako but he still felt rather protective over her. And I couldn't let his bias distract from the fact Rei was posing a threat to our aims.

However, I also didn't want to alienate Rei despite the fact I didn't trust her with sole access to the information as I had before. Her friends still needed to trust her even if I did not, so I'd keep them in the dark about my suspicions of Rei's defection. They would, unknowingly, keep an eye on her for me.

I reached for my phone, the plan I had been contemplating since the previous day set firmly in my mind. I hadn't brought it to the others attention immediately, trying to allow Minako and her fiancee their night of happiness but now that they'd had their celebration it was time to bring them in. I pressed on the first of the names and lifted the phone to my ear, getting ready to organize a meeting.

"Hey Luna, what's up? Everything okay?" Minako asked, sounding a bit under the weather but not nearly as bad as I was expecting if the late night texts Artemis had received were any indicator. Though I was one to speak, I'd gotten a drunk dial from Usagi around three thirty in the morning.

"Everything's fine." I replied automatically, then gave a bit of a sigh at the absurdity of the statement. Everything was decidedly not fine. "I thought I'd phone and congratulate you on your engagement, I'm sorry that Artemis wasn't able to make it. He was looking forward to meeting your fiancee."

Minako gave a chuckle.

"Honestly I think he would have gotten a bit annoyed by having to babysit us all. I know you two still feel obliged to coddle us... usually more than is strictly necessary." She told me. "But I get the feeling that's not all you wanted to talk about."

"Before Artemis found out you were engaged he was going request that you come back." I admitted, knowing that she wouldn't need more than that to figure it out. Artemis would never ask her to abandon her dream unless...

"They're back." Minako gave a heavy sigh. "Of course they are. Things just can't be easy, can they?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to have to tell you so soon but..." I said, leaving out why I was the one to call her and not Artemis.

"It can't wait." Minako finished for me, her tone all business. "What's been going on?"

"I was actually hoping to debrief you all in person." I explained, knowing that I needed to get everyone involved in this. The more people inadvertently keeping an eye on Rei, the less of a chance Beryl would have at influencing our team. "Later today would be preferable, I'm sure all of us have plans on Sunday."

"Yeah, Christmas kinda does that." Minako remarked, her dry tone starkly reminding me of Rei. "But that works. My place is free if the others don't feel like driving all the way out to yours. Does four o'clock work for you?"

"Won't your fiance be around?"

"Apparently he had some things to do downtown. Probably last minute shopping for gifts, he's terrible." Minako explained, her voice so full of warmth and distraction I had to clear my throat get her attention back. "So yeah, my place is definitely free."

"That sounds wonderful." I agreed, slightly relieved by her offer. It would make it so much easier to keep away from Artemis. "I'll see you later."

"Great. See you at four." Minako said before hanging up. I nodded to myself in satisfaction before scrolling through my contacts to the next number I needed to phone.

REI

I rubbed a hand tiredly across my eyes, I'd been exhausted the night before but had found myself unable to sleep... which brought me to now. I was frustrated and annoyed by the laptop in front of me.

I grumbled to myself, getting up from my office chair and walking into the kitchen to get more tea. Normally I would be drinking coffee at this time of day, having just gotten out of bed but today had no other commitments.

Apparently Ren had sent out an email to the rest of the staff ordering them to call me only in an emergency and only when they were unable to reach her first. So, with no other responsibilities aside from potential appearances I was free to spend the day as I wished. And my only desire for the day was to sleep.

Predictably that was the one thing I seemed unable to do, thus I had turned to the project I'd been working on intermittently for the last five years.

When my tea was refilled I returned to my office and sat back down in front of my computer and began to input more data. I'd been collecting all the information I could about the shadows' appearances and was trying to see if there was any discernible pattern.

Artemis had explained his app to me when I'd first committed myself to staying in the city and from what I could gather it didn't predict the appearances so much as report when the first signs of a shadow phasing into existence began to show. We got some warning but we still didn't have any way to plan in advance for these appearances.

I wasn't content with the idea of relying on what amounted to passive atmospheric scans. I couldn't let the lives of people rely on a system that could be taken down by faulty equipment or time delays due to traffic and other barriers that were frequently put in my way. I didn't want to rely on luck and guess work, I wanted to know where the shadows would appear in advance so I could plan around it; scout the area, devise a strategy, and most importantly make sure no one else was injured.

In an ideal world this data would allow us to predict when and where these shadows would appear. Hopefully from there we'd be able to figure out what made these places ideal for the event and find a way to root the appearances to one location. I didn't understand the science behind what went on, what made them physically able to interact with the world again rather than simply remain intangible spirits. I had the ideas on how to solve the problem but none of the necessary intelligence or know how to implement them.

I didn't understand much beyond what I'd learned in the old world and most of that was fragmented or resulted from an intuitive leap on my part or Ami's. In short, everything I was able to do on my own was speculation at best and I couldn't change any of that because the people I would normally talk this over with didn't have their memories.

Also, I couldn't just bring all of this to Artemis without revealing that I had my full memories and I already knew how that would turn out. They'd no longer trust me, they'd ask why I hadn't come to them about it in the first place. And I had no good answer for them except for the fact I was scared they had a way to take the memories entirely. And I couldn't risk them removing Minako from my life.

I took a sip of tea before pushing my chair over towards the filing cabinet and grabbing a couple of files and wheeling back to the desk. Once there I began to open them up and remove various newspaper clippings, maps, atmospheric data... anything that could be relevant to the shadows influence. Recently I'd been scrambling to collect all the information, the rise in encounters had made it difficult to do the proper research and fact finding. Even transferring the electronic data from my phone was hard to squeeze in with any regularity.

I rubbed at my eyes again as the text on my computer screen blurred again, I hated these goddamned things sometimes. They were excellent for databases and efficiency but it difficult for me to stare at the screen for any length of time... or retain what I had read off it. Part of me missed the old war table maps and information systems. I stifled a yawn as an idea began to flicker to life in the back of my brain.

I pulled out a large map of the city from my desk and walked across the room to the far wall, taping it in place. From one of the other drawers I pulled out a tin of pins and a pad of note paper. After printing out the basic time/place list of encounters I started creating a visual guide to help me process everything that had happened. Certain events got different coloured pins with red being the last colour assigned. I chose it to represent the paired encounters the days where I had to deal with more than one appearance. I turned back to the desk and grabbed one of the red markers I had laying around, drawing a line to connect those events. Then I sat back in my chair and stared at the map, trying to make sense of it.

I awoke slumped in my office chair to the ringing of my phone. I spun the chair around to face the desk again and answered Michiru's call.

"Hey?" I greeted, the salutation trailing off into a question as I yawned.

"Are you alright?" Michiru asked in response, already concerned.

"I'm fine, just woke up."

"Have you not been sleeping again?"

"No more so than usual. Or less depending on how you want to look at it." I remarked, I could almost hear Michiru shake her head in exasperation at my reply. "What were you calling about?"

"I was calling to remind you that you're coming over for Christmas tomorrow." She told me. "Just in case you forgot."

"Right." Was all I managed to get out, completely unable to comprehend how I had forgotten about that. Michiru started to laugh.

"Hang on a sec Rei." She told me before speaking to someone else on her end of the line. "I was right, she forgot."

"Goddamnit Rei. You are the worst. The absolute worst." Haruka swore, though I could hear the amusement and laughter.

"Do I even want to know what the stakes of this bet were?" I asked, doing my best not to yawn again. The occasional wages about my behaviour were a bit of a running joke between the three of us. Setsuna had a running tally of the wins and losses for the two of them and kept me informed. With Haruka's loss today, Michiru was up by four.

"Probably not." Haruka admitted, sounding vaguely guilty. I rolled my eyes.

"Alright so now that you two have had your fun at my expense..." I muttered.

"We should let you go back to sleep." Michiru cut across me, with Haruka bidding me a hasty goodbye. I could hear the door shut on their end. "And in an actual bed this time Rei."

"That wasn't what I was going to say. I was going to ask if you wanted me to bring anything tomorrow."

"Just show up, that's all I need." Michiru reassured me and a sensation of guilt twisted in my stomach over the honesty in her words. We hadn't been seeing each other as often lately and it was pretty much all my fault.

"I'll be there." I promised.

"Alright then. Go to bed." Michiru told me before hanging up. I rose from the office chair stiffly and practically staggered into my bedroom. When my phone rang again, I had absolutely no patience for it.

"What?!" I snarled into the phone, I hadn't recognized the number and gave absolutely zero fucks at this moment in time.

"Rei?" Kunzite asked tentatively. "You okay?"

"What do you want?" I replied tersely, ignoring his question.

"I wanted meet up and talk some things over with you." He proposed, his voice still hesitant.

"Later." I gritted out, shutting my bedroom door behind me and closing the curtains. The room fell into blessed darkness.

"Uh. Okay, how about I meet you downtown for drinks tonight?" He suggested, sounding a bit confused.

"The after Christmas type of later." I corrected shortly, pinching the bridge of my nose in an attempt to avoid swearing at him.

"I was really hoping to do this..."

"Did I give you the impression that I care what you want? If so, I sincerely apologize." I snarled. When there was only stunned silence on the other end of the line I rolled my eyes.

"Text me a time and place after Christmas we can talk then." I practically ordered before hanging up and tossing my phone onto the night table. This time when I collapsed into bed I was instantly dragged into sleep.

KUNZITE

I stepped by Beryl's assistant in the doorway, getting the distinct feel that I was truly setting foot in Beryl's domain yet again. She was standing next to her desk, framed in front of the windows – the soft winter light shining behind her. It made for quite the visual, drawing attention to her presence more than anything else in the room.

I gave a smile.

"Are you this intimidating for everyone or am I just special?" I asked, starting to approach her as the assistant shut the door behind me. Beryl didn't wait for me to reach her, instead crossing the room to meet me.

I could see the emotion on her face as she closed the distance between us. Automatically I spread my arms to embrace her, this had never been a part of our dynamic before but it seemed like something we both needed. A notion that was only confirmed when she stepped into my arms and wrapped her own around me.

"I've missed you." She told me as I let my arms rest around her, I could hear the loneliness in her voice more clearly than I'd ever heard it before.

"How long?" I found myself asking, not really knowing what else to say. The question wasn't really about me... but rather everything.

"As long as I can remember." She told me.

"You don't remember anything else?" I questioned, suddenly realizing she might not understand the conflict I felt inside. Or appreciate it.

"I remember being trapped in a child's body." Beryl admitted, stepping back recognizing the space these differences were creating. I swore softly to myself. She brushed it aside, returning to her seat and gesturing to the one across from her. "But you aren't here to talk about the past. What do you want to know?"

Her expression was carefully constructed, very much resembling the political mask she used to wear when dealing with the interplanetary representatives. And it was in that moment of recognition and familiarity that I found the questions pouring out of me... and not necessarily in a coherent fashion.

All the thoughts I'd had over the last day spewed out of me. What were we going to do about the others? Wake them? Leave them be? We're we mobilizing again? I knew we would need to find The Source if we were to have any chance at all but I didn't know even the basics of how to go about it.

"We will make this work, Kunzite." She told me, not showing any sign of doubt or hesitation.

"What about Rei?" I questioned, my mouth moving against my will yet again. I tried to wrangle my composure into something half way presentable. Mostly I just felt tired. And incredibly old.

"We'll do it with or without her help." Beryl assured me, her expression not betraying anything. I knew there was something going on beneath the surface though, she might have a perfect mask in this world but I knew her past. I knew Rei was important to her. Just like I was important to her or how Mamoru was. I let that issue rest for the moment, even if she didn't say it I knew she wouldn't do anything to compromise Rei. Rei would be left as autonomous as she always was... because freedom was a tricky thing. Rei could be manipulated without interfering in her life at all.

I swallowed roughly.

"What about the others?" And then I hesitated before asking the question that nagged at me the most. "What about Minako?"

Beryl's expression fractured slightly at this, her jaw clenching and gaze darkening.

"Your fiancee?" She asked, her tone nearing what would be called scathing. "I've been assured that they have no distinct memories of who, or what, they opposed. We've no reason to fight with them. Or her."

My gaze narrowed on hers.

"That doesn't answer my question. If you want me to support this I need to know that she won't be hurt. That none of them will be hurt."

"You know I can't promise that." Beryl admitted and I knew that I would follow her again, whole-heartedly and without remorse. She hadn't lied to me; a person with less conviction and resolve would have promised me anything I wanted without hesitation, merely to secure my alliance. Beryl gave me what she could. When she could. And then she continued to speak, her voice soft... nearly righteous. A promise. "Never if we can help it."

Then she simply let the words hang between us. Eventually I nodded, showing her I accepted and trusted what she was saying.

"If they get in our way..." There was a sigh that seemed to come from both of us in unison. "We can't let this world end the same way it did last time.

I buried my face in my hands, feeling a crushing sense of responsibility and pressure settle on my shoulders. My chest felt hot and tight and there wasn't enough air in the room to fill my lungs. I felt Beryl's hand settle over mine.

Then the memories of Zoisite resurfaced in a soothing swirl of shared smiles and gentle reassurance, my entire body relaxed. I took a deep breath.

"Okay, let's do this."

AMI

Minako greeted us warmly as we stepped into her home, taking our coats before leading us into the living room. Luna and Usagi were seated together on one of the couches, clearly catching up on what had transpired in the week they'd gone without seeing each other. Usagi was gesturing enthusiastically, Luna simply smiled and nodded.

Makoto's hand settled on my back, clearly implying we should sit. I nodded, moving into the room and seating myself on the sofa opposite Luna and Usagi. Minako settled into the armchair near the fire.

"Well, now that you're all here... we should begin." Luna said a moment after we'd settled in. I looked over at her sharply.

"Rei's not coming?" I asked, trying to keep the suspicion out of my voice. Luna gave me an easy smile, not seeming at all put off by my question. My suspicion died down a little bit.

"She told me she was busy, I'm meeting with her later." She replied, before returning to what she was going to say. "I'm sure you've all guessed what I called you together to discuss..."

"They're back." Makoto murmured when no one else spoke up. "Or they're coming back. Either way something's changed."

"Yes." Luna replied shortly. "We've been noticing the signs for a while now. But nothing definitive until recently."

My eyes narrowed, why hadn't she just explained about Rei's involvement now? Why not just tell everyone about what Rei had been doing?

"Signs? What kind of signs?" Minako asked, pulling her legs up onto the seat beneath her. Luna gave a heavy sigh, reaching down to the bag by her feet and pulling up out a couple of newspaper clippings. She passed them over to Usagi, who read the titles... her face went pale.

"Three deaths in the park, another incident with two in critical condition, the last article talks about another death... all are described as mysterious circumstances – remaining unsolved." Usagi relayed to us, her voice shaking slightly. She looked up at Luna, her face with a lost expression on it. "This one was from four years ago."

"How do we know these were the... shadows?" Makoto asked, getting up from her seat, leaning over Usagi's shoulder to read the articles for herself. I watched Luna carefully, her face betraying nothing but sorrow.

"We don't, not for certain but they bear all the hallmarks of the attacks you've dealt with in the past. No one can find a... plausible explanation for them. Not one that the public believed anyway." She sighed, regret obvious in her expression. "Artemis did some digging into the official police statements, they all mention... things that the witnesses couldn't explain – could hardly fathom."

"And you waited this long to call us in?" I asked, not having any desire to read the articles or see the pictures that I imagined accompanied them.

"Artemis was developing a system to track them... or their appearances anyway." Luna explained. I nodded, suddenly understanding how Rei managed to protect the entire city without assistance. "He started looking into the deaths and managed to cobble something together. We can track them now. That's why we called you together."

"What do you mean?" Minako asked softly from where she was curled up.

"Artemis developed a tracking program that can be installed on to your cellphones, I'm here to give it to you." Luna told her. Makoto chuckled from her position behind Usagi.

"So you're saying there's an app for that?" She asked, coaxing a similar laugh from Usagi and Minako. Luna looked unimpressed.

"Yes." She replied, almost bitterly then her face smoothed again. "We will need all of you in the coming months, I'm sorry to have to ask this of you again but we need you to stand and fight."

I looked around the room, seeing the resigned acceptance on the faces of my friends. They all knew we were being asked to give up our current jobs, our lives and livelihood for battle once again. I sighed, knowing what lay ahead... just as well as the others did.

"Let's get started then." Minako stated, knowing she spoke for all of us.

REI

Walking into Michiru's on Christmas morning felt surprisingly like coming home, Haruka had greeted me at the door; immediately wrestling me into a truly horrendous sweater before shoving me into the kitchen. Michiru was pouring the coffee while Setsuna had settled in at the table, I smiled watching as Michiru turned around and saw me.

"Rei." She greeted, a smile spreading across her face. She set the coffee pot down, crossing the kitchen towards me, wrapping me in a hug. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Michiru." I replied, letting myself savour the contact. Eventually we broke apart, her hand coming up to cup my cheek.

"It's been too long." She told me.

"It sure has." Haruka agreed, her hand settling on my shoulder. "How about you two go get settled in the living room – catch up a bit? I'll go see if the kid is out of bed yet. She's been looking forward to this."

Michiru reached down, taking my hand in hers as she guided me into the living room. I paused for a second upon coming into the room.

"It's kind of overkill, don't you think?" I asked, looking around the room at the explosion of decorations.

"Says the woman who doesn't have a single decoration in her apartment." Setsuna commented, smiling at me as she passed me a coffee. "We had to make up for your lack of holiday spirit somehow."

"Clearly." I muttered to myself, sitting down at one end of the massive couch. Setsuna settled in on the other end while Michiru curled up on the love seat.

"So how have you been Rei?" Michiru asked gently. I looked over at her, giving a tired smile along with a half shrug.

"Coping – sorting things out as best I can." I replied simply. Michiru nodded looking like she wanted to poke and prod until I elaborated. Bits of our last conversation filtered down through my memories. My smile became slightly strained.

"Doing better than the last time we spoke." I clarified, knowing how worried my near breakdown would have made her. I'd been aiming for a reassuring tone and hit the mark... more or less.

Michiru's eyes skirted over to Setsuna, the question sitting heavy in them.

"Rei's not lying. Most of the issues you two discussed have been resolved. That isn't to say that they weren't replaced by new problems and concerns however." Setsuna asserted, that tone of knowing in her voice. I schooled my expression into neutrality, remembering that Setsuna would have been meeting with Beryl as well.

"I thought we agreed on no work talk." Haruka commented as she strode into the room. Hotaru followed her in, stifling a yawn. However she perked up when she saw me. I hastily got to my feet, knowing what was coming.

"You didn't tell me Rei was here already." Hotaru complained in Haruka's direction before launching herself in mine for a hug. I caught her up in my arms, still a tad concerned about how small and frail she felt.

"Good morning to you too." I greeted.

"You really ought to be more careful with Rei there kiddo. She's getting on in years." Haruka chided with laughter in her voice, her eyes meeting mine over the top of Hotaru's head. I rolled my eyes, giving her the middle finger as stealthily as I could. Haruka grinned at me as she reached over and ruffled Hotaru's hair. "And those bony elbows of yours are military grade weapons, remember?"

Hotaru shuffled out of the hug almost shyly as if remembering she wasn't a child anymore but a teenager. And thus, was above such juvenile displays of affection. Despite that Hotaru settled down on the couch between Setsuna and I. I took the first opportunity to nudge her in the side with my arm.

"It's been awhile." I pointed out conversationally, trying to conceal the concern in my voice with something more lighthearted. I knew that Hotaru remembered as much of her old life as the rest of us... but due to her unusual circumstances... she was basically a normal kid. Aside from the fact she housed the power to reboot a universe. And she had to live with the knowledge that she'd done exactly that. "How are things going?"

Hotaru gave a bit of a shy shrug but she began to share stories about school, her favourite classes, and her friends. I leaned back in my seat I as the family settled into their Christmas morning rituals... content to just watch and listen.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?" Michiru asked as she handed me my jacket and we stepped outside as I pulled it on.

"Yeah, Makoto and Ami asked me to join them months ago. Can't disappoint them, huh?" I replied with the most sincere smile I'd worn in a long time. The day had done wonders for my outlook, the world felt lighter.

Just as Michiru started to say something in response my cell began to ring, the abruptness of the noise nearly making me jump. I took a calming breath, well aware that something inside of me viewed this disruption as something ominous. Michiru brushed a hand against my arm, recognizing the fact I was suddenly on edge as I pulled the phone from my pocket.

I let out a growl of annoyance at seeing Silas' phone number, it was Christmas for fuck's sake and my father still couldn't call me himself. Michiru gave me a questioning look and I showed her the screen. Her face creased slightly when she gave a look between sadness and sympathy, she knew all about my rocky relationship with my father. I gave another short grumble before swiping my finger across the phone to answer.

"Silas." I greeted in a clipped tone. I could give them five minutes, it was Christmas after all.

There was a moment of frenzied speech where I could only pick out a few words. I felt a chill rise up my spine that had nothing to do with the freezing temperatures out here.

"Wait, what?" I asked. Michiru seemed to pick up on my tone because she leaned against the door frame, looking concerned.. "Silas, slow down."

"It's your father, he's taken a turn for the worse. You should probably come say your goodbyes." Silas told me, talking more steadily after my reprimand. I clenched my jaw, honestly finding this hard to comprehend.

"Yeah, I'll be there soon." I replied almost numbly as I hung up. I wasn't really sure how I was feeling right now, it felt like I'd just had the wind knocked out of me. I looked over to Michiru, trying to figure out what to say.

"Uh." I paused, clearing my throat before trying again. "Michiru, would you mind calling Ami and Makoto and letting them know that I won't be able to make it to dinner?"

Michiru reached out, her hand settling on my back as we lingered in the doorway. Right now I felt more emotion over what Silas was going through. It was Christmas and he was away from his family looking after my father. Guilt crept up in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't tell if I was feeling this way because I was trying to distance myself from the pain or if I honestly didn't care about what was going on. Either way I was a complete jackass.

"What's going on Rei?" Michiru asked, clearly worried now.

"Family troubles. I need to go see my father." I told her emotionlessly, not sure how else I was supposed to bring this up. Michiru gave a sigh which told me she understood the undercurrent that ran through my reply. Probably better than I did.

"I'll call and let them know that something came up. You get going and drive safe, Rei." Michiru said before kissing my cheek and stepping back inside.

"Michiru." I called softly, finding it in me to bring up an honest smile. "Thanks for inviting me today."

She gave me another smile, this time it seemed sad.

"You're welcome Rei, we loved having you here."

"Yeah. Merry Christmas." I said out of reflex my tone coming out bitter and sarcastic, both Michiru and I gave a bit of a cringe at this. I let out a dry chuckle, meeting her eyes again as I started to head to my car. "Seriously though. Have a good evening, don't let my shit spoil your family time. It was a good day, one of the best I've had in a long time, don't let this spoil that memory for me; I don't want to know that I'm responsible for ruining what's left of your day."

"Call me if you need to, Rei." Michiru called after me as I turned my back to the house finally and walked down the snow covered drive to my car. I gave her a wave over my shoulder in acknowledgement before reaching down and unlocking the door.

I was consumed by my thoughts as I climbed into the vehicle, throwing the car into drive as the dispassionate, unfeeling, cold swept further through me. Family. I honestly felt that I was leaving my true family behind to go see my father. I gritted my teeth together again, feeling the disgust with myself rise again.

AN: So I thought I posted this a month ago but apparently not. Sorry about that. (But I guess the timing works out? Happy Holidays, I guess?) I'll try and get the next chapter up in a timely fashion. But with work being 12hr days 6 days a week... we'll see.