8.) Let Someone Else

Experience is not what happens to you;

it's what you do with what happens to you.

- Aldous Huxley

REI

I had just pulled into the parking lot outside Kade's restaurant when my phone rang. The number wasn't one I recognized but the area code told me it was local – and probably an important business call. The board of directors and Silas had been trying to set up meetings with me since the day my father had died. They wanted answers about my father's will. About what I planned to do.

I ran a hand over my face as I answered. I really didn't want to talk about any of this right now. But if I didn't answer they'd just keep calling.

"Hello?" I asked wearily, doing my best to keep my tone clipped and formal. I'd just tell them to fuck off and move on with the rest of my day.

"Rei." A familiar voice greeted in response.

"Minako." I breathed, caught off guard by her call. My heart clenched, homesick and incredibly nostalgic for days gone by.

"I know you two are lying to me." Minako accused.

"What do you want from me, Minako?" I asked her. I honestly didn't know at this point. I knew what I wanted and I couldn't hide it anymore. I'd been yearning for her for too long but I couldn't see any way back to her. Not without telling her what I remembered.

Why had it been so easy for Kunzite and not for me?

"I want the truth, Rei. You'd know that if you talked to me or answered my calls." Minako's voice bordered on harsh, clear and very obviously annoyed with me.

"The truth?" I repeated, more to myself than her. I'd been keeping so much from her from so long. Maybe it was time to just come clean.

"Yes Rei. The truth about you and Kunzite." Minako snarled. I gave a heavy sigh. This was just about Kunzite, not about me. Somehow, in my melancholy, I had allowed myself to forget that.

"I don't know what you want me to tell you Minako. He and I had a drink and caught up. One drink, that's all."

"Ah yes, the woman who hates social interaction will go out for a drink when she won't even talk to her oldest friends." Minako's response was almost vicious, sarcasm oozing from her tone. "Don't try and play me Rei. It's not cute. Or funny. And don't give me that crap story he tried – that you two just understand each other...

She was hurt by this in a way I hadn't expected. It sounded like she was more hurt by the fact I'd gone to Kunzite instead of her. Gods, it almost sounded like she didn't care about what Kunzite had been with me for. She wanted to know why I had been with him.

"Minako." I breathed, my voice soft. An overwhelming urge to tell her everything swept over me. And then I broke, admitting to something I'd been trying to keep inside. "We knew each other."

"I was never arguing that, you were both very clear on when you met..." Minako gritted out. Then her voice trailed off. Something else had caught her attention. I cleared my throat, drawing her attention back to me. This was the most open she'd been to conversation in years and I didn't want to lose her. I needed to get this out before I lost my courage.

"No, you don't get it Minako. We knew each other before. In... in the old world." I admitted, bracing myself for whatever came next.

"You don't remember the past, we all know that. And Kunzite was never there, Rei." She argued. I almost laughed, apparently my act had been rather effective. It would probably be something I'd come to regret... but I couldn't bring myself to care right at his moment. Not when it felt like my Minako was within my grasp for the first time.

"Yes, he was. He was there with Beryl." I had to make her see. I needed her to understand – to remember.

"That is not what happened." The reply came back quick and harsh. I tightened my grip on my cell, trying not to scream at her. I needed to keep my temper and try to reason with her, I needed to help her remember.

"Beryl." She repeated like the pieces were finally falling together for her. And for one brief moment I allowed myself to hope; allowed myself to think that she would believe me.

"Rei, did you run into someone of that name?" Minako asked. My heart dropped, it wasn't the reaction I'd wanted. She didn't remember, she was just taking the new information and making it fit her flawed worldview. The new information wasn't sparking anything in her like it had what I encountered Kunzite.

"Minako..." I started to beg, I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt this defeated.

"No, Rei. You need to listen to me, have you seen Beryl?" Her voice was starting to sound frantic and judgmental. Antagonistic.

"No, she's... She's not messing with my head. I'm telling you the truth. I..." I tried to explain, pleading with her. Trying to ignore the hurt seeping into my soul. Hostility was coiling inside me, riling up my temper.

"You and I need to meet up. Now. As soon as possible." Minako ordered, her tone sharp and accusing.

I couldn't do this. I couldn't handle this right now.

"I'm busy." I snarled, jabbing the end call button.

Fuck that had not gone the way I'd planned. Fuck that –Nothingever went my way.

The phone started to ring.

I honestly didn't know why I bothered anymore. Some part of me had known that wouldn't work. I was going to kill Kunzite for convincing me to try talking to her again.

The phone continued to ring. I ignored it until it stopped... then it started to ring again. How could I have been so stupid? How could I have thought that would work?

I swore as I got out of the vehicle, leaving my cellphone on the seat of my car. I had probably just ruined everything. Years of careful silence ruined in a fit of weakness.

KUNZITE

Rei's face was stoic when she arrived at the restaurant, but something about it was off. Almost like she was having a hard time schooling her features into the expression she wanted. I glanced at Zoisite, taking his hand and trying to seem more at ease with this than I was.

She'd been ready to end the conversation at Gaslight, until I'd mentioned Beryl, and then she'd seemed prepared to talk again. To gain information from us, to see what she could learn. But now she was back to that closed off, borderline antagonistic, frame of mind.

Zoisite squeezed my hand as we walked into the building. Rei had probably just had time to consider everything and was planning for the conversation like she would a war. I'd learned my lesson the last time not to take anything she did at face value, I'd come to terms with the fact she was doing her best to look after her people... and that didn't include me.

At least yet.

Beryl was still pushing to have Rei join us. She'd been very clear about that the last time we'd spoken. Rei might not see us as hers but she damn well was ours.

"Kade?" Rei called out as we entered, a man ducked out of the kitchen and came to greet us. Or Rei rather. He eyed Zoisite and I with suspicion.

"You sure about this?" He asked her, clapping a hand against her shoulder as he gestured us towards one of the tables near the door.

"No." Rei answered bluntly, to me it seemed cold and actually kind of rude but he just laughed as she took her seat.

"At least you know it's a bad idea." He joked, eyeing us until we sat down opposite from Rei.

"When do I ever have good ones?" Rei questioned, he shrugged but still had a wide grin on his face. His eyes were guarded though whenever he looked in my direction.

"Well, I'll be in the back, the very back... with headphones on." He was clearly trying to make a joke of some sort. Which fell kind of flat when he saw the looks of confusion on mine and Zoisite's faces. "Ren told me I was to stay out of this and give you your privacy. And if, in this privacy, you decide to murder them I know nothing."

Rei gave a sharp nod but I could see the set of her shoulders had relaxed somewhat. She tensed slightly when he spoke again.

"Just give me a shout, a really loud one, if you need me, alright? I'll ignore everything else." This Kade fellow was obviously very concerned about her. Rei gave him a tight lipped attempt at a smile.

"Thanks."

And with that he was gone.

We'd only just settled in at the table when Nephrite walked through the front door, laughing as Jadeite stumbled in after him. Rei glanced over at me, giving me a dark glare. Her frustration with me was apparent as she got to her feet, pushing her chair back.

"Some saviours of the universe... I'm out." Rei muttered under her breath, grabbing her jacket from the back of her chair. She was making it very clear she was done with this whole situation. I was just about to try and calm her down, convince her to stay and listen to what the emergence of Zoisite's memories had uncovered, when a feral cry rent the air.

"You!" Jadeite exclaimed, lunging through the room towards Rei. I did my best to step between Jadeite and his target but there was no stopping him as he tackled Rei to the floor.

I suppose I needn't have worried though. In the time it took for them to fall to the ground Rei had wrestled him beneath her – a hand pinning one of his arms behind his back, her other holding a knife to his throat. A vicious expression dominated her face.

One, that, upon seeing, left me wondering how far it actually lurked beneath the surface...

Looking back, I probably should have warned Rei that they were joining us but Zoisite had said he wanted to test a theory and I was helpless before him.

And it wasn't like I was lying to Rei when I'd implied I'd wanted to talk about Beryl. Ihadwanted to do that... but after. I had been just as curious as Zoisite as to whether or not the others would awaken upon seeing Rei.

I was now having doubts about our methods though. Rei did not look pleased. In fact she looked murderous, and I was almost certain it wasn't all directed at Jadeite.

"The fuck are they doing here Kunzite? What were you thinking!" Rei demanded, still pinning a struggling Jadeite to the ground – the knife digging into the flesh of his neck. She obviously wasn't afraid to draw blood.

"I'd appreciate it if you unhanded my friend, Rei. We don't have to fight – we never had to fight." Nephrite stated calmly, he hadn't moved far from his place near the door but he was looking a bit unsteady. Rei glanced at him. Nephrite's voice dropped lower, soft, soothing, and sorrowful. "I know I've said this to you before... but we can fix everything; no one has to die here."

Something complicated happened on Rei's face – a flicker of regret perhaps. Then it flashed back into anger.

"Put a fucking leash on him! Then maybe I'll calm down." Rei replied but she did release her hold on Jadeite; only to kick him back down when he tried to get up. After she retreated some distance away, Jadeite decided it was safe to return to his feet. And he was ready for a fight.

I stepped between them, brushing aside Zoisite's hand on my arm. This was our mistake, I needed to smooth things over and keep Jadeite from escalating things.

"Sorry about that Rei, I didn't realize he'd react like that."

"And why not? It isn't the first time this fucker attacked me." She questioned, barely contained fury in her voice.

"I..." I frowned, not really sure how to answer that. I should have foreseen that outcome, I had just gotten so wrapped up in reawakening my friends I'd forgotten to do what was right. I had been too focused on my emotions, I needed to rein myself in... focus on the big picture.

"I got caught up in testing my hypothesis, I did not stop to think about the implications of reawakening those memories." Zoisite stepped in, studying Rei closely. "I apologize, it was not our intention to put you in harms way."

Rei ignored him, jabbing a finger into my chest.

"From now on you do whatever the hell you want, just leave me out of it." Rei snarled, turning away from me.

I moved, blocking her way to the door before reaching out and resting a hand on her shoulder. She paused, the anger had faded but I could tell there would be no way she'd talk to me in front of the others. We might have reached an understanding but she hadn't with them. I looked over at my three friends.

"Guys, I need the room." I stated, not breaking eye contact with Rei. It was an order to them as much as a promise to her. We would have privacy.

"We're not leaving you alone with her, she's dangerous Kunzite – surely you see that? What will stop her from killing you the moment you two are alone?" Jadeite argued, taking an aggressive step in our direction. I kept an eye on the way Rei's body shifted to the advance. She was ready to take him down at a moments notice.

Again.

I laughed, doing my best to diffuse the situation. Rei had ducked out of my grasp and headed towards the heart of the restaurant, leaving us to talk. Clearly she trusted me just enough to get rid of them.

"She's had plenty of opportunities to kill me before now. The only hint of violence she's shown has been because you attacked her. You know, again. I'll be fine I just want to talk to her about Minako..."

"Oh yeah... that will go well, it's not like she'll be angry over that or anything."

"Jadeite, and I say this in the kindest possible way... Fuck. Off." I said with a roll of my eyes, knowing he wouldn't listen. He never listened. Nephrite stepped in as he always did.

"Yeah come on mate, chill out. Rei's... well, not murdering us all on the spot so I say that earns her some level of trust." Nephrite put in, before sending me a swift look. "Although if she does end up gutting you it's your own damn fault, Kunzite, and I'll probably laugh at you. Fair warning."

"Yeah, yeah. Get out of here. I'll catch up with you guys later." I ordered, jerking my head towards the door. I glanced at Zoi, who gave me a smile of understanding.

"I'll be outside." He told me. I reached into my pocket and passed him the keys to my car so he didn't have to stand out in the cold waiting for me. I watched as they departed before approaching Rei again.

She was seated at the bar, discussing something with her friend. I leaned against the bar next to her, watching as some silent communication passed between them. Her friend nodded, poured two drinks, and placed the bottle of scotch on the counter between us. He did however throw me a suspicious look before disappearing into the kitchen.

"So..." I started, wincing at how unsure I sounded now that I was alone with Rei.

"Good to know that Jadeite's still an asshole." Rei admitted conversationally, her tone taking on a forced lightness. I gave a bit of a laugh, surprised at the fact she was actually trying to make a joke and have a casual conversation with me.

"Yeah." I agreed. Then paused. "So listen, I really am sorry about that. I wasn't expecting him to..."

"Don't worry about it." Rei muttered, clearly having calmed down a bit. She paused to sip at the drink in her hand, I mirrored her. "Not like I didn't anticipate the outcome the moment I saw him."

"Still, all things considered, I should have had your back. He was my friend but he changed when we... did what we did. I should have remembered that and considered the possibility he wouldn't let go of the past like Zoisite and I did. I'm sorry." I met her eyes, hoping she could see how much I regretted what we had done. She deserved better. I was coming to understand why Beryl had wanted her on our side in the old world.

Rei stayed quiet, giving me a look that said I should hurry up and get on with it. I decided to skip talking about Beryl and everything I'd gleaned from Zoisite. Instead I felt the need to talk to Rei about something far more important.

"Do you – do you want to, well, talk about...?" I found myself stuttering over the topic.

"Minako?" Rei completed when it became apparent I was going to keep dancing around the question I wanted to ask. I took another drink, grateful she was being somewhat cooperative. "Not particularly. But I'm getting the impression that it's probably the fastest way to get you to leave me alone... so go ahead."

"Have you considered talking to her? I mean, obviously something has changed. You've managed to unlock all of our memories so maybe..."

"Nothing has changed where I'm concerned. To attribute any of that to me is... flawed at best." Rei replied, her face stony and indecipherable. "To think that I can change anything where she's concerned is idiotic."

I rolled my eyes. I was starting to understand that Rei had a fairly low opinion of herself and abilities in this world. She probably had in the last one too but the here and now was what I was concerned with.

"And you're just going to let what happened in the past stop you?" I asked. Rei's face darkened and she looked ready to punch me. I tried to keep my calm as she kicked her chair back and got to her feet, I could see flames inching along her palms.

"Fuck off." Rei told me, grabbing her jacket before storming out of the restaurant – the door slamming shut behind her. I rubbed at my face. That had not gone the way I'd planned.

"So that went well." A voice interjected from the kitchen as Kade poked his head through the door, clearly drawn by the noise of Rei's exit.

"Yeah. Total fiasco." I agreed, picking up the drink and draining it.

"So... tell me something – why are you meeting Rei? I mean, you have to have figured out she's completely in love with your fiancee, right?" He asked, leaning across the bar and surveying me with such scrutiny I was feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"Ex fiancee." I corrected, doing my best to sidestep the question.

"Ex. Right. Yeah. So, explain." The underlying threat was readily apparent. I carefully flipped through my recollection of the events leading to my newfound championing of Rei's cause, trying to figure out what he might already know. What could be inferred... and what I should never, ever, say.

Rei wanted privacy, that much was clear, and I didn't want to reveal anything he didn't need to know.

In lieu of anything better to say I fell back on the commentary Rei and I came up with... but with my own personal experience thrown in to the mix. My own truth.

"I ran into Rei at the engagement party and... well, I realized that there was more to their relationship than I'd known or understood. I don't want them to miss out on something special. And I don't want to either." I told him, hoping that would be enough for him; that it would sate his protective instinct. I was only caught slightly off guard when he snorted. There was respect in his eyes too which surprised me.

"Gotta say, you probably could have gone about it a better way. Getting caught by the paparazzi wasn't exactly a smooth move."

"You're telling me..."

"Well, good luck not fucking things up any further than you already have." Kade laughed, grabbing the glasses Rei and I had been using before heading back to the kitchen.

I pulled on my coat and headed for the door. Hopefully Rei and Minako would get their shit sorted out eventually.

MAKOTO

Usagi sat on one of the bar stools watching me cook, I still wasn't entirely sure why she'd come over but her company was welcome. I had been experimenting with some new recipes for the restaurant and needed a second opinion.

"Do you think we should get involved?" She asked me finally, sipping on her tea. I looked over, it seemed she was finally getting to the reason for her visit.

"Get involved?"

"Rei and Minako." She clarified. I sighed.

"I've been wondering about that too." When Usagi gave me a questioning look I continued. "Ami says no; we should leave it to them to sort out."

"But?"

"But I know them, they're going to take the hardest path possible to sorting out their issues." I griped. Usagi laughed, the sound light and cheerful.

"What do you think Minako's going to do?"

"Other than be an idiot?"

"She's not an idiot." Her tone less joking now, she and Minako were close; practically sisters. It was my turn to laugh.

"She is where Rei is concerned." I pointed out. There was a bit of a grumble but even Usagi couldn't argue that fact.

"So what do we do?"

"I'm thinking about trying to talk to Minako about it, get her to take a minute and really sort through things before she talks to Rei."

"And if she's already talked to Rei? I'm fairly certain she's been doing everything she can to track Rei down."

"If they've already spoken I guess I'll try get to her before she does it again. I don't want to see this implode."

"Should we try calling her?" Usagi asked, fiddling with her cup. Her eyes were unsure... careful and wary in a way I'd rarely seen before.

"First you need to tell me what's wrong." I was concerned about her now. This was unusual for her.

"Nothing about this feels right. It almost feels like were losing Rei, that she's pulling away from us. I don't want that to happen, she's..." She mumbled.

"She's going through a rough time right now, she never liked putting her problems on us. It makes sense that she needs some time for herself after what happened. She'll come back, she always does." I replied, remembering our time in University when Rei's father first got sick; her life was uprooted and she needed time to find a new normal before talking to us again. She'd disappeared on us for months, aside from the brief moments she helped us in battle – she never let us down in that regard. She always had our backs.

"I suppose you're right. I just feel like we should be talking to her about this. Not Minako."

"She needs time Usagi. We shouldn't keep forcing ourselves into her life. She's got a habit of retreating into herself when things get tough. If we want to see this work out we need to talk to Minako."

"I suppose you're right. You always did understand Rei better than I did." She admitted. I laughed again.

"I'm not sure any one actually understands Rei."

"Should we call her now?" Her question was quiet, I leaned back against the counter as I thought it over. Eventually I reached for my phone and pulled up her contact info. I met Usagi's eyes as I hit the call button. Minako answered on the second ring.

"I was just about to call you." Minako answered.

"What?" Usagi asked, looking astounded. "Why?"

There was a few moments of quiet on Minako's end, I had the feeling she wasn't expecting Usagi to be with me.

"Makoto, you've been around Rei the most since I've been gone?"

"Yeah, usually we get together once a week to go over business dealings. That's fallen through the cracks recently though." I answered, something inside of me feeling deeply uneasy with this.

"When did you start seeing a... a change in her?"

"A change? What do you mean?" I was cautious now, I had the feeling she was fishing for something. Finally Minako replied to my question.

"She's very different from the Rei I remember."

"What do you mean?" I prodded. I didn't want to expose Rei more than necessary. I knew she still loved Minako deeply, that much was painfully obvious. To both myself and Ami.

"I just want your read on the situation." She was avoiding the subject, my brow furrowed as I looked over at Usagi; desperately hoping she had an idea of what this was about. There was a blank look on her face – she had no clue... and she clearly wasn't as concerned about this turn of events as I was.

"Listen Minako, Ami knows Rei a lot better than I do. If you're looking for answers I'd suggest you talk to her."

"I'm not looking for a logical breakdown of Rei's actions, I'm looking for your feelings about this – your gut instinct." Minako replied, her voice almost sharp.

I looked over at Usagi, who nodded encouragingly.

"She's been changing a lot over the last few months. I mean, it's been steadily building over the last few years but she's hit her breaking point... what with her father and all." I finally admitted, trying to paint Rei's slowly deteriorating calm in the fairest way possible. It was easy to see she was stressed as hell, busy, and exhausted, but I also knew she was one of the strongest people I knew. The most grounded and settled spiritually. She was someone who could make the universe bend to her will if she so desired. She just needed time to process and adapt then she would bounce back.

"If either of you manage to get a hold of her tell she's needed for a meeting this Friday. We need to start pushing the issue – we need to start moving forward." Minako seemed to have made a snap decision based on my answer.

"I thought we agreed to ease her into this." I stated after a nervous swallow. "Let her take it at her own pace?"

"I'm worried about her." Minako replied, her voice was calm but her emotions thrummed through me – even from this distance. She said she was worried but her emotions felt more like anger. I glanced at Usagi, glad to see my own concern and skepticism reflected on her face as Minako continued. "But the Rei's just going to have to accept the facts as they are. We don't have time to indulge her."

"Minako..."

"We need to get her to meet us on Friday Makoto, I don't care what you need to do to get her there." She told me, the order clear in her tone.

"Are you sure this isn't just about Kunzite, Minako? Maybe you need to take some time off and just..."

"Either you get Rei there or I will." Minako ordered before hanging up. At the dead silence on the line I tossed my phone down on to the counter top.

"Well, shit." I breathed, hoping Usagi wasn't listening too closely. That had not gone at all the way I'd hoped. I looked up at my friend and let out a bit of a shaky laugh.

"So much for her being accepting." I did my best to keep my tone light and joking but even I could tell it fell flat.

"Minako must have a good reason for it; she's never steered us wrong before." Usagi clearly still followed Minako's lead...no matter where that path might go.

I felt a deep tugging inside of me like maybe that wasn't quite true. But...

"That's true." I found myself saying. "She's always been there for us."

"So we'll bring Rei up to speed whenever one of us manages to track her down. Maybe we should check again with Michiru and Haruka..?"

I nodded in agreement even though I knew damn well if Rei didn't want to be found that Michiru and Haruka certainly wouldn't lead us to her. And Setsuna never did much beyond talking in riddles and cryptic hints.

KUNZITE

I slipped into the car, incredibly happy that Zoisite had decided to wait for me. Both for his presence and the fact that the car was warm. He was reclined in the passenger's seat – staring at his phone.

"She didn't look happy when she left." He commented without looking up from his phone.

"I'm still alive. That's something." I breathed, leaning my head back against the seat and closing my eyes for a moment.

"What's the plan?" The question brought about a firm sense of nostalgia, bringing me back to the war tables and quiet nights in front of a fireplace.

"I assume you and the others set something up after I kicked you out?" I returned the question. Zoisite chuckled.

"Yes."

"Then why are you asking me?" I asked, opening my eyes and watching as he slipped his phone into his pocket.

"I was hoping you had something more than 'let's wing it'. What's Beryl's situation? What's been going on with the opposition?"

"First off, I'm pretty sure we're trying to avoid adversarial language. Beryl is hoping..."

"What? To convince them to join us? To not fight her as she takes over?" He scoffed. "That worked out so well for us last time."

"This time we have Rei though."

"What?! We do? She's on our side?"

"Near enough in any case. Beryl assures me that when the time comes Rei will fold. And once Rei stops fighting... the others are hardly going to matter."

"How can she be so sure?" Zoisite's voice was calm and conversational but I could tell his analytical mindset had set in. He was questioning everything, trying to absorb any and all information he could.

"Apparently Beryl's got 'insider knowledge'." I laughed, knowing that Zoi wouldn't inquire further. He would make some educated guesses. "Rei's ours. There's nothing else to be done where she's concerned. It's just a matter of time."

"Then what was today about?" He asked, his attention focusing in on one of the few places I didn't want it. Mostly because I wasn't sure I'd be able to explain myself if his questions followed their line to their conclusions.

"I was curious about your theories. If we could speed up the time line it would be beneficial. Just because something is assured doesn't mean we can't help the process along." I offered, knowing the next question before he asked it.

"And the talk you had with Rei after we left?" His expression shrewd.

"She's lacking people who understand her."

"So you're doing it to manipulate her?" His voice was a bit more relaxed at this, even if he was still suspicious. As much as I might like Rei I had the feeling he didn't trust anything about her.

"I didn't say that." I breathed, reaching down and starting the car. I didn't know how to explain it.

"You're not denying it either, Kunzite." Zoisite stated, studying me closely. I let out a deep sigh.

"No. I'm not."

MICHIRU

I watched Setsuna with a suspicious gaze, she had gone still some time ago... that unnatural stillness she took on when thinking through her actions; through the past, the present, and the future. Her eyes eventually met mine.

"Just ask."

"You trust Beryl..." I started, waiting until I saw some flicker of emotion on her face to continue. "You trust that she's not doing this to manipulate Rei?"

"She's not." Her answer was just as firm and emphatic as Rei's had been. They were both so certain.

That alone made me worry.

"And she's not doing this to manipulate you?" I asked, knowing that despite the fact she was far more powerful and knowledgeable than us... she still needed people who cared. She needed people who looked out for her.

"Michiru, this is me you're talking to." Her tone was light; fond and slightly chastising. I narrowed my gaze. Both her and Rei were entirely too flippant about their own well-being.

"Everyone has blindspots. And I seem to recall Rei being one of yours." I replied coldly, not pulling any punches. Rei had died on her watch once before. Setsuna sucked in a deep breath, clearly pained by the memory. I refused to let myself be swayed by that. I needed to make sure she was thinking of herself as well as Rei. Big picture be damned. "I imagine Beryl falls under the same heading. Everyone is blinded by what they want to see. You're no exception."

Setsuna did not reply. I reached out, settling my hand on her arm as I softened my tone.

"I worry about you. Almost as much as I worry about Rei."

She gave me a disbelieving look.

"You worry about Rei far more than you do me.

"I just want t0 make sure you're being careful.

"I will be." Setsuna promised. I kissed her cheek before leaving the room.

If both Rei and Setsuna were convinced that Beryl wasn't trying to manipulate them. I was forced to consider other possibilities.

Setsuna was always very particular in her word usage which only allowed me to draw one conclusion. Perhaps Beryl wasn't trying to manipulate them; maybe she was.

BERYL

"Rei, take some time, you don't need to be out here – I won't let any harm come to this city or its people."

Shook her head.

"No. I can't. This... this makes it easier – having something to do makes it better. Thoughts are clearer. I need to be out here. I need to be doing something."

Rei lets Beryl know that her generals are back. All of them. Frayed nerves not obvious but I could sense it. A roiling pit inside her.

"Yeah all of them. I think Jadeite tried to kill me." She's obviously trying to joke about it but I couldn't help the surge of worry."

"You think?"

"Well, he didn't get beyond a clumsy attempt at a tackle."

"And what did you do?"

"Do? Well, I didn't give in to the urge to slit his throat when I had him pinned on the floor that's for damn sure."

"That's... a relief?"

"You'd think right?" Her reply was surly as her expression darkened further.

And then we stood in silence for a few minutes while I churned this over in my mind. I could tell Rei was jumpy still, ready to react to the slightest threat or wrong word. I let out a deep sigh.

"How is everything else going? I imagine Kunzite has been trying to talk you into bringing this up with Minako..." It was a feeble attempt at drawing the conversation in the direction I wanted but it was all I had to offer at the moment.

And by the way Rei stiffened, I knew something had gone wrong. I wouldn't ask though. Rei was struggling enough as it was.

"He's certainly trying..." Rei admitted. "Doesn't help that he's an idiot though."

I felt a wave of indignation at her words, Kunzite was not an idiot – he was one of my most trusted friends. One of the few people who aided me in achieving what we had to. Rei grumbled a bit under her breath.

"Idiot is the wrong word. He's too easily wrapped up in emotion. And as such, he lacks a certain... tactical mindset. Gets caught in the moment and drags everyone else into it." She amended.

"He has a more rigid sense of right and wrong than I do... that much is certain. What he does... he does because he believes it is the best course of action for those around him." I admitted, watching Rei's face carefully. It was so much like it had been years ago – back when she was the lone Martian in the Lunar Court. So careful. So guarded. Her face was inscrutable.

But finally she spoke.

"I've been thinking about it, this whole situation, and I think maybe Artemis and Luna might be worth looking into. I've had suspicions for a while but..." Rei shakes her head. "I can't explain it but they know more than they're saying."

I paused again while I processed that information.

"Do you think there's any chance of me meeting them? I would like to see what they know for myself."

Rei's expression became thoughtful, but ever more conflicted, I decided to press my point.

"Rei, you must understand how vital it is for me to see what they know. If they have any information that can help us... we could avoid a physical confrontation altogether." My voice was a low and carefully desperate. I didn't want to push Rei too hard or she might draw away from me. And I couldn't let that happen.

"The days of old? We still have no idea why the interaction between Metallia and I was necessary – we don't even know if Serenity was approached before me. And I need to know how Serenity changed things in this world, in order to help the 'Shadows' more effectively." I was now pleading my case. She hadn't pulled away yet and I doubted she would. Not after I laid down my trump card.

"Please. It could help me unlock the other's memories. I need this information – one way or another." I finished lowly – watching, with a vague sense of satisfaction, as desperation washed over Rei. She stilled in my grasp and I knew I had her – her attention at least, the rest would become clear later.

It was obvious that something in the last few days had changed though, there was an urgency to Rei that I hadn't seen before. Or I had, just not in this world. It was the exact same Rei I'd met before... just this time she had past experiences that might work in my favour.

This new version of Rei had been deeply wounded and scarred by whatever had happened to her in the past. It was obvious there were things about this world that she wasn't saying – that she wasn't passing along. She had always been about sharing or gathering information... but here, tonight, there was something else lingering at the edges of our conversation.

Something had changed for her. She was more open to further action than she ever had been before. She would take steps in opposing whatever plans Queen Serenity had... she just needed that last push. An excuse. A justification.

She was right where I needed her. Or nearly. I just needed things to fall into place.

REI

"Give me some time. I can try and talk them into giving me the information, I might be able to persuade them to cooperate with me. I don't want war to break out again. We don't need conflict. If that doesn't work... well, then you can take your turn." suggested, Beryl had a point. If Artemis and Luna knew something it could help us.. help me.

"Rei. I highly doubt that they'd be willing to hand over The Source. You will have to choose eventually. They won't let you sit this one out... even if I could convince you to." Beryl said sympathetically.

"At least give me a chance to at least try, if that fails we can move on. I won't ask for a second chance..." I let out a defeated sigh. "This is the second chance. And we can't afford a third."

When she didn't reply I felt compelled to keep talking. It irked me a bit but I knew it was the exact same strategy I used when I wanted to get information from people – when I wanted them to explain things they didn't want to reveal.

"All I'm asking for is time – the next chance I get I'll do everything I can to get answers. No matter what it takes." It took everything I had to stop my voice from taking on a pleading tone. I'd said all I had to say, all I had left was her answer. And I didn't know what I'd do if she refused me.

Beryl's face was clouded but finally she answered me.

"Alright." She sighed, relief sinking through me until I saw that she had her own caveat. "But we can only give you a couple of day at the most. We need to get this over with before things get worse. Metallia is growing impatient and if we don't do this then Earth..."

I cut her off, I had to. I couldn't hear this. I didn't need to, I'd seen worlds die before and I had no inclination to do so again.

"I know. I know the consequences of failure." I replied, the conversation with Minako still raw in my heart, surfacing at exactly the wrong time. I had bigger things to worry about than my love life.

I cleared my throat and continued, pushing aside all of that emotion and distress – choosing instead to focus on my words; on the path that was steadily becoming clearer to me.

"I've got one chance to get them to change and after that we do things the hard way. But I can't do this without... I don't want to start a war without knowing if it's absolutely necessary."

I kept my voice as level as I could, knowing I needed to talk to Artemis and Ami about everything that had been going on. They were the two, the only two, I could count on to hear me out... to keep a level head while I explained. And then with them in the know, and maybe, just maybe, if I brought Setsuna in to speak to the truth of my words, I could convince the rest of them.

Even if I had to omit some minor details, Setsuna wouldn't begrudge me that. No, not if we could settle this in peace – no bloodshed, just everyone hale and hearty.

Well as much as they could be with the knowledge I'd been lying to them since I'd met them. But that was a bridge I'd cross when I got to it though.

Or, knowing my luck, a bridge I'd burn when I got to it.

MINAKO

Even under the street light, Rei looked as if her face was still under a shadow. I felt myself stall, a flicker of a memory trying to fight its way to the surface. I pushed it aside as the monster moved towards us aggressively.

Rei turned away from us and stepped into its path, with her hands held out in a placating manner. Beryl had also reached out to the monster, her hand settling on its flank. The creature let out a growl, sending power thrumming through the air.

"Rei what the hell are you doing? Get out of there." I ordered, not sure if I was more annoyed or concerned by her actions so far.

"It's not going to hurt us." Rei responded in a carefully moderated voice, her eyes never leaving the beasts. She seemed relaxed and calm, her breathing as steady as it would be if she were meditating.

"Rei, they've ripped people apart! They will kill you." Makoto put in, looking like she wanted to physically haul Rei out of there. Rei did nothing but shake her head, not even sparing us a glance.

"They won't attack first." Rei murmured, keeping her hands raised in surrender as she continued to face down Beryl and her monster. They seemed entirely at ease around Rei, like they didn't know what she was capable of.

Or they already knew she wouldn't hurt them...

"For fucks sake Rei, get out of the way." Makoto's patience had worn through. She stepped forward, trying to move around Rei to get to our enemies.

But once again Rei stepped between us and our enemy. I did my best to ignore the expression that crossed Beryl's face. Her arm twitched at her side like she had to stop herself from reaching out to Rei.

Then Rei did something that surprised me even more, she turned her back on them to face us; placing herself directly in front of Beryl, shielding her from any attack we might make.

"You don't need to fight. The shadow's gone for the time being, there's no need for blood to be shed tonight. We can just walk away."

"Have you gone mad?" Makoto remarked, I could feel the surprise and slight betrayal echo through her as she reacted to Rei's seeming insanity. I met Rei's eyes, taking a step closer to her. Rei held her ground.

"Have you forgotten what she's done? To... all of us?" I demanded. Rei's gaze darkened, an almost imperceptible sensation of pain and anger flashed through her before I felt her remedy the lapse in her control. Her emotions settled into an impermeable shield.

"I'm not the one who has forgotten." She replied. I felt frustration rise up within me. She was absolutely impossible. Rei met my eyes unflinchingly, as if trying to convey her absolute conviction in her next words.

"Minako, she's no more a threat to you than I am." Rei had a slight pleading tone to her voice. I hesitated at that – something deep inside me was compelling me to listen to her... to actually believe her.

"Well, you're seeming more and more threatening by the minute..." Makoto put in coolly, drawing me out of my momentary weakness. Rei's eyes flicked over to her as she let out a frustrated groan, it was really more of a growl.

"Why can't you ever just listen to what I say? If she was a threat she would have killed me already, stabbed me in the back the moment she had the opening. And she hasn't. There's no need for us to fight." Rei stated, her eyes holding an indecipherable look she glanced over her shoulder at Beryl. "You should leave while you can."

"We need to do this Rei. Her minions have been terrorizing this city for over a decade. They've torn people to pieces!"

"You don't know anything about that." Rei snarled at me. "They didn't kill those people because of Beryl or the fact they're monsters; they did it because I wasn't there to stop them. Or were you not told about the problems with the early warning system?"

I could hear the wave of guilt in her voice, I was so focused on her I only just noticed Beryl taking a few steps away from us.

"Those things are monsters." Makoto exclaimed, stepping forward in an attempt to pursue our foe. Again Rei moved to block our path to Beryl. "They've slaughtered people...

"And Beryl has them under control now, they won't attack us or anyone else. If we start a fight now there will be no stopping it until we're all torn apart." Then Rei's furious gaze turned on our opponent. "And I thought I told you to leave. Don't let them start something, I'll get this calmed down. Go!"

"So what? You want to let her regain control of an army so she can destroy us later?" I snapped at her, attempting to reach Beryl.

"No!" Rei exclaimed, raising a wall of flames between us and Beryl; allowing her to vanish into the darkness. "That's not going to happen. I told you she doesn't want to fight any more than we do. Let her go in peace and we can deal with this without violence."

Rei glanced over her shoulder and when she could no longer see Beryl she let the barrier fall. Distantly I heard a car start.

"We don't need this to end in blood. We can change things this time." Rei stated I glared at her, shaking my head.

"You just let her escape Rei, we could have ended this. What... God, I need to call Artemis and Luna." I muttered. Rei turned around and began walking back to her motorcycle. I flicked my wrist, sending a sign post towards Rei; wrapping it around her arms carefully, binding her in place.

"You're staying here until we get this sorted out." I told her. She gave me a look.

"I don't remember you being this in to bondage when we were together." Rei quipped; her tone exasperated... then her expression grew dark, all hint of humour drained from her. "You could have just asked me to wait, you know."

"Sometimes I really don't know what to do with you." I told her with a sigh. "I've never understood you or known what was going on in your head. So I'm going to need your word Rei. You're staying until we've sorted this out, yes?"

"I'm not going anywhere." She said firmly, her eyes smouldering. The moment she gave me her word I released her, we would wait together.

AN: There were three POV's I cut from this chapter – mostly cause I couldn't get them to work the way I wanted. One from Rei, detailing her internal monologue about Minako and Kunzite, then one from Ami where she receives a message from the app, leading up to the scene were Beryl and Rei meet again. At which point Rei and Beryl's scene actually happens. Finally, there is a scene with Minako assembling the team to respond to the text alert, cue chaos and confusion... and then they stumble across Rei.

Even with the cut scenes, the general gist of what I wanted is still there so I decided to quit agonizing and just post it. Get out of the slump I've been in with work and totalling a brand new car. I'll try and post the next chapter in a few weeks but no promises. I'll keep working on the deleted scenes as well.

KR out.