Disclaimer: see previous chapter.

"She apparently started using a little over a year ago. She had been doing cocaine as well."

Rei sat down heavily on her futon. She knew she wasn't going to be hearing good news when she saw Setsuna at her door, but she had no idea.

"She's dead, though. Like- She'll never- She's gonna- For real?"

"I'm so sorry, Rei. I know this is hard for you to hear, but I didn't want you to find out through the media."

The confused raved haired woman stared at her hands, not really seeing them. "But she- we- I- I can't- She can't be."

"I'm so sorry."

Rei's purple eyes pleaded with the woman standing over her. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me she's still alive and going to say this is all a joke. It was someone else's body. Tell me something, Sets!"

The older woman hang her head. "I wish I could. I really do."

"Why didn't she tell me? I could have helped her. She should have-"

Setsuna kneeled beside the breaking woman. "She probably didn't want to give you anything else to think about. You were stressed enough as it was."

Rei sniffed as the first of her tears fell to the floor. "But- But now she's- she's gone."

The older woman reached forward and pulled the distraught miko into an embrace. She understood exactly what it felt like to lose someone you had fallen in love with.

"No! You're lying! I don't want to hear it!"

Setsuna sighed. "It's true. They found her-"

"Stop it!"

Setsuna didn't say a word as she took her breaking friend in her arms.

"Tell me it isn't true. Tell me that she's gonna come in my room tomorrow and joke and tease me and we're going to fuss about our managers to each other all day like we always did."

"I can't do that. I'm so sorry."

"How did," the idol leaned out of the embrace and looked Setsuna in the eyes before continuing, "How did Rei take it? Is she okay? Did you tell her yet?"

The older woman sighed. Leave it to Minako to consider how the other woman was doing. "She was alright. A little distraught, but she'll deal in time."

The blond dried her tears and re-applied her make up. No matter how much she was hurting over the loss of her friend, she would have to mourn after her photo shoot.

"How you holding up?"

"I'm alright. I knew it would happen sooner or later, what with our lifespans, but I really wish we could have had more time together." Rei twirled the small ring in her fingers. It was a silver band with rubies going around it. The jewel in the top was a large diamond, accentuated on each side by two small pink diamonds. The inside was engraved, "forever yours, my love," written in red ink. It was more than a sentiment; it was a promise to be together in every way until the end of their lives. Yuuko had given it to Rei after her birthday party.

"I know you'll probably say no, but I still need to do this." Yuuko pulled a small black box out of her jacket pocket and sat it in the lap of the woman sitting beside her. She heard her gasp. "I love you. You know that. I know you don't love me like you love her, and you might not even love me at all, but I would still like to see you wear that ring someday. I won't ever ask you to be mine completely - I'm grateful for what I have now - but I still would like to ask you to consider being mine forever. I don't mind you loving her. I just hope that someday you can learn to love me, too." The model chuckled and kneeled in front of the shocked woman. "I'm rambling. What I wanted to say was, well, I don't ever want to leave your side. No matter what. I'm not asking you to marry me, I'm not asking you to promise to be with me, I just want you to let me stay with you - to keep what we have, at least - until the end. That's all I'm asking."

Rei's eyes fell from Yuuko's sure ones to the small box in her hands. The kneeling model reached forward and took the box, opening it and presenting it to the miko. "I'm not going to ask you to wear this now. I'm not ever going to ask you. I'm just going to leave it with you as a symbol of the feelings I have for you. I just hope I'll get to see you wear it someday."

Rei felt tears sting her eyes as she looked into the box before her. Yuuko had never asked her for anything more than taking care of herself. Even now, as she kneeled before Rei, she wasn't asking her for anything. She was offering her a promise. "Yuuko-"

The model shushed her, pressing a finger gently to her lips. "Don't say a word. All I ask is that you keep this and remember me no matter what happens."

Rei grabbed Yuuko's hand and kissed her knuckles. "Yuuko, do you not want to marry me?"

The taller woman smiled. "I do, but it would be selfish of me to ask you to give me your heart when your heart already belongs to someone else. I just want to be a part of your life."

"You just want to keep what we have?"

"Yes. Nothing more, nothing less, unless you wish it."

Rei blinked and her first tears fell free, leading the way for the others that followed. "I-"

Yuuko wiped the tears from her lover's face and kissed the path that they had taken. "Don't cry, beautiful."

"Why do you do this?"

"Do what, love?"

"You make it so hard." Yuuko caressed Rei's cheeks as she waited for the smaller woman to continue. "You're so giving, and kind. You never ask me for anything I can't easily and readily give, and you never asked for me to love you. I think- If you'll have me- I wouldn't mind, someday, marrying someone as wonderful as you are."

The model's eyes widened.

"I love you too, Yuuko."

For the first time in years, the model felt tears cloud her vision. "Rei, will you marry me?"

The passionate kiss she received was all the answer she needed. Without breaking it, she slipped the ring onto the miko's finger.

"We were going to get married. We never talked about how, or when, or where. We just co-existed together. It was our world and nothing else really mattered - not the past or the future, not our fears our doubts, not heartbreak or stress, nothing. Just me and her in our happy plane of existance.

"She never talked about having issues at work. She would talk about how her mom was a druggie and her dad was an alcoholic. And how her brother sold drugs and her sister fell into prostitution to help the family eat. She told me how her baby brother did't live through his first winter, and her family couldn't afford a funeral, so they had to bury him in the backyard like he was a pet. She talked about how her uncles gang-raped her and her closest brother, and how he was never the same afterwards. She told me about the struggles she had as a teen with trying to get through high school because of her height and sexuality, and how she would cry herself to sleep most nights remembering losing her virginity to her own brother under the guidance of her drunk uncles. She said that she had a few tries at suicide, and that she ended up at a correctional facility for girls. She ended up getting a girlfriend and was sent away from that facility to another juvinile hall. When she finally got back into school, she was struggling, but managed to get a job because of a relationship she had with one of her teachers. She told me how the woman taught her to be comfortable with who she was, and not to let others look down on her. She told me how the woman was a role model to her, up until the woman was killed by her ex-husband. There were the struggles she had trying to make ends meet before her break, and trying to keep it together for her older sister and brother. She ended up watching them turn into her mother and father, and had to make it on her own from there on. She told me about the fears she had of being too skinny, and too lanky, but when she became a model, those were her biggest assets. She prided herself on her beauty, and I think it's the only thing that kept her sane.

"But not once - never - did she mention that she had dealt with drugs. She talked about fearing alcoholism, and even going to rehab, but never drug usage. It was the only thing she didn't tell me, and that was what took her away from me. She wouldn't even let me help her."

Rei looked up into the green eyes of her friend, flintching when she remembered the green eyes of her deceased lover. "She's gone, Mako. I never noticed there was a problem. I never knew she had been using. I never considered the unnatural way her eyes would shine sometimes. I had no idea."

The miko let her gaze fall back to the ring she was playing with. "I didn't realize what was going on. I feel so useless."

Makoto put her hand on her friend's knee. "You know that's not true, Rei. There was no way you could have known she was doing heroine. Her own manager didn't know, and they've been friends for years. Don't blame yourself for it. If anything, you can be glad that she was able to love and be loved before she passed. You gave her something that no one else did before you, Rei. You gave her happiness."

Rei closed her eyes and let her tears wet her cheeks again. Who said it was better to have loved and lost?

"You okay babe?"

"I'm alright. I just wish people would stop slandering her. She was such a good person. None of them even knew her."

"I know. That's why they can speculate - because they didn't know her. Don't think too much about it. Let your memories of her be the only stories you let your mind focus on."

Kei wrapped his arms around his girlfriend as he sat behind her and pulled her between his legs. "I know you miss her." He kissed her on the forehead.

Minako leaned back into the embrace. "I do. But I'm worried about Rei. They were really close."

"Baby, I know you two were friends and all, but you really have to let her go."

"I am, slowly, but I still care about her. She just lost one of the most important people in her life to drugs. That hurts, Kei."

"I know it does. I've lost a few friends to it myself. You'll heal in time."

The blond shook her head. "I'm not worried about myself, Kei. It's Rei. She's been through so much in her life already. She lost everyone important to her. Her mom and grandfather died. Her father abandoned her. She let me go for the sake of my future, and now Yuuko is gone, too. She's just one person, but she's been hurt so much."

"I understand, but she's hurt you, too."

Minako turned and looked him in the eye seriously. "If you can't have compassion for her in her biggest time of need, regardless of how she treated me, then we don't belong together."

Kei swallowed. "I feel for her situation, I really do, but I don't think you should stress about it too much. If she needs you, she'll come to you."

The young woman sighed and relaxed into his embrace again. She let her thoughts carry her away.

"Rei, are you alright?"

The miko turned a cold glare on the creature. "You know you're not supposed to come out here."

The creature recoiled, barely keeping from running away. "I know, but I missed you."

Rei sighed and smiled. "I'm sorry. I didn't really feel like training lately."

The creature nodded and bounced into her arms. "I understand. You really miss her, don't you?"

"I do."

"I never got to thank her."

"For what?"

The small creature in her hands looked up at her. "For saving you. Your life, and your heart. I wasn't sure you'd ever try to love again, but I'm glad you did."

The miko sat down on the ground she had just swept and looked up into the sky. "I'm not sure I am. My love seems like a curse, don't you think?"

"Of course not!"

"But it is. Everyone I love dies."

"Minako didn't."

"Sailor V did."

"Aren't they the same person?"

Rei smiled and looked back down at the being in her hands. "They are, but I still had to get over losing her. The fact that I got her back notwithstanding."

"Oh, Rei. I'm sure that your love just wasn't as fated as you thought. That's all. Maybe you still belong with Minako."

"I don't want to think about that possibility."

"But it is a possibility. Don't dwell on it, but at least try to talk to her once. See how she's doing. She and Yuuko were good friends, too."

The creature hopped out of Rei's hands and in the direction of the woods. It turned and called out to her, "And remember we exist. We worry about you, too, Rei."

The miko smiled and resumed her sweeping. It was nice to hear things like that from time to time.

"Hey, you've reached Minako! I'm kinda busy with something important at the moment, but let me know who you are and what you want, and I'll try to get back to you when I get a break."

Rei hung up. She didn't feel like leaving a message. She wasn't even sure why she called. There was no telling if Minako even wanted to talk to her.

Her depression thought train stopped when her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Are you shitting me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Am I dreaming or did you just call me?"

"Well, I'm not sure if you're awake, but I did just call you."

"I'll be damned. You finally want to talk?"

Rei shifted uneasily. She didn't think this would be so difficult. "Yeah."

"Alright. I'm listening."

Rei fiddled with the collar of her shirt. "Um, how have you been?"

"Depends. I'm pretty okay today; yesterday and the last few weeks were hell; I was great before that, and the tour was lovely."

Rei frowned. Minako wasn't going to make this easy for her. "That's good. Um, how is-"

"Kei? He's alright."

"That's good too. Um."

"Rei, why did you really call? You can't suddenly be worried about how I am."

Rei's hand fell from around her neck. I've been worried all along. "Are you happy? With him?"

She heard the idol sigh, but it sounded more stressed than wistful. "I am. I still miss you, though."

"Really?"

"Of course." Minako frowned. She was supposed to be making this difficult for Rei.

"I miss you too, Mi-chan." The frown dissipated.

"Reiko- Rei, I don't think I can do this."

"Do what?"

"I can't let myself love you again, Rei."

Rei nodded sadly. "I know. I won't ask you to. I just- We were both really close to Yuuko and, well, um-"

"You want to talk?"

"Kinda."

Minako smiled. Rei was still adorable. "We can do that. Not right now, I'm afraid, but I'll try to come see you tonight."

Rei's nerves died down at that. "Alright. Later, Minako."

"Bye, Rei."

Setsuna smiled at her friend. "She's finally ready, Minako."

The idol sighed. "I know."

"This would probably have come sooner had you waited for her to come to you the first time."

"Stop rubbing it in, Sets."

The older woman chuckled. "Fine. Just remember that pushing a stubborn miko into something will never end well."

"Reiko?"

"I'm in here, Mina."

The blond walked through the shrine to the door of Rei's bedroom.

"You've never hesitated to let yourself in before. Why start now?"

"Things are a little different."

Rei looked up from where she was kneeling and met her friend's eyes. "Things are only different when you tell yourself that they are."

Minako hesitantly closed Rei's door and kneeled at the low table beside her. "I suppose you're right. How have you been, Rei?"

"I'm holding up. It's nothing new."

The idol resisted the urge to run her fingers over the miko's skin. "I'm glad you're alright. I've been worried about you."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine."

"I can't really help it. You give me reasons to worry about you."

Rei smiled. "I'm sorry."

Minako's hand found its way into Rei's hair. "Don't be. I like worrying about you. It gives me a reason to think about you."

Rei found that she couldn't meet Minako's eyes. "You shouldn't, you know. I don't deserve it."

"You don't have to tell me that. I hear it all the time from everyone else. I can't help it, and even if I could, I would still worry about you. I care, Rei."

Rei grabbed the arm that was closest to her and held its hand. "Still, I feel bad. I was horrible to you-"

"Don't tell me about it. I understand. I shouldn't have pushed you. I'm the one who should apologize."

"Still, I shouldn't have-"

"Rei, stop it. I didn't come here to pass blame all night." Minako looked down at the ring on Rei's hand. "Did she give you that?"

The miko's fingers instinctively touched the piece of jewelry. "Yeah, she did."

The idol nodded in approval. "She always did have good taste. It's beautiful, Rei."

"Thanks."

"You miss her, don't you?"

"All the time."

Minako smiled. "She was a wonderful woman. I'm gonna miss gossiping with her."

Rei smiled as well. "She was wonderful. I can see how you fell for her."

The blond laughed. "She could charm anyone. She got through to you, didn't she?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

The two sat in companionable silence for a while, enjoying being in each other's company.

"Reiko."

"What is it?"

Minako tore her eyes from the wall and stared at the side of her friend's head. "Can you look at me?"

Rei wasn't sure she could, but she tried.

Minako smiled kindly as Rei's eyes shyly turned toward her. "Reiko, just look at me."

The miko slowly turned her head to look into the smiling face of her friend. "I love you."

Minako's eyes widened. "Reiko-"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I'll just-"

The blond pressed a finger to her friend's lips. "Reiko, I love you too."

The two stayed like that - Minako's finger gently touching Rei's slightly parted lips, Rei's eyes widened in shock and apprehension - until Minako slowly leaned forward. Rei forced herself to stand.

"Minako, we can't."

"I know. We can't, we shouldn't, it's wrong. Rei, I've been trying to do what's right for the past ten months. I haven't even tried to see you once. I'm tired of being good, Reiko."

"Mina-"

"Rei." The idol stood and took Rei's hands in hers, playing with the ring on the miko's left hand. "I know it's wrong. I know we shouldn't. I shouldn't have even come here. But I want to. Everyday of the past year has been hell, Reiko. I don't want to think about responsibility any more. I want to forget about everything outside of this room except us." Minako stepped closer. Rei could feel the other woman's breath on her lips. "Let me pretend that the past year and a half never happened, and we've been in happily ever after all along."

Rei thought Minako was going to close the distance between them, but she didn't. Minako waited for Rei to make the first move. If this was going to happen, Rei was going to be okay with it.

The miko stared into her friend's baby blue eyes before she closed her own. "As you wish, Mi-koi." And she closed the distance between the two of them.

"Stay with me, Minako."

"I can't, Rei. Not yet."

Rei pouted and sat up on the futon. "Minako, come here."

The idol didn't stop putting her clothes on. "I really have to go, Reiko."

"Come here, Minako."

"Where are my pants?"

"Minako!"

"Rei, I can't stay! I've been here too long already. I have to go."

"I know, Mina, but please. Come here."

The blond sighed and walked over her her friend. Rei pulled her down into her lap.

"Be lucky I didn't hide your underwear today."

Minako grinned. "But you hid my pants."

"They're under the bed. Minako, can you leave him?"

"I'm not sure, Rei."

"I wasn't talking about your business relationship. Can you come back to me?"

The blond stroked the side of Rei's face. "I would love to do that, but we both know it's not that simple."

Rei's grip around Minako's waist tightened. "I know that, but if it were just you, me, and him, could you leave him for me?"

"I don't know. There's no point in thinking about what ifs, Rei. We need to deal with reality."

"Minako, you wanted to escape reality tonight. Let's escape together. Stay here with me. You can deal with him tomorrow."

"I wish I could. It'll be hard enough to deal with him as it is."

Rei sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I love you."

"I love you too."

Rei let go of Minako and they stood from the futon. Minako bent to look under the mattress. "Reiko, my pants aren't under here."

Rei grinned, holding the item in her hand. "Are you talking about these?"

Minako stood and slapped the miko on the arm. "You just did that to see me bend over!"

The miko chuckled, unashamed.

"Hey, Minako."

The blond flintched. "Hey, Kei."

The teen leaned down for a kiss and frowned when his lips met cheek. "How was Rei?"

Minako took off her coat and hang it up, walking past Kei toward their bedroom. "She was good." She refused to cringe at the literal meaning behind her words.

"That's good. You feel better now?"

"Yeah, I do. It was nice seeing her."

Kei grabbed Minako's wrist and turned her toward him. "Mina, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

He grabbed her chin and kissed her hard on the mouth, cringing at the taste. A subtle hint of her vanilla lip gloss mixed with a slight taste of cherry, and an undeniable taste of sex. "You had sex with her?"

Minako looked down, unable to say a word.

"You cheated on me? With her? Seriously?" Kei punched the wall, refusing to hit the woman in front of him. "Why?! Why, Minako?! Damn it, say something!"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Say something! At least give an excuse or something!"

"I don't have one. It happened. That's all there is to it."

"I can't believe this." The teen ran a hand through his hair. "Get out. I don't care where you go, but leave. I don't want you in my house right now."

Minako blinked, incredulous. "You've got to be kidding me. It's three in the morning!"

"And you just fucked your ex. Get out. I don't care what time it is."

"Have you lost your fucking mind?!"

"Have you?! I love you! I've been here for you through everything that has happened to you! I've held your hand through every issue that you dealt with! And you cheat on me with your ex simply because she decided to acknowledge that you exist again?! I don't want to look at you right now. Go away."

"Fine!" Minako grabbed her coat and stomped out the front door. She had no idea where she was going to go. Setsuna was probably asleep. She couldn't deal with Rei yet. Rei might kill Kei. There was no hope of waking Usagi, and Makoto had to work.

Minako pulled out her phone and smiled. Haruka was always reliable.

"What happened?"

"I slept with Rei."

Haruka raised an eyebrow. "And he flipped out?"

"Yeah."

"How did you let him find out about it?"

"He kissed me."

Haruka laughed. "You should get a pocket toothbrush."

"Maybe I should. I wouldn't be out here if I had one."

"It's good for him. It'll teach him character."

"Haruka, you just don't like him."

The racer grinned. "That too. Still, it's good for him."

"You're cruel, Haruka."

"So is he."

"What are you talking about?"

Haruka glanced over at Minako seriously. "Minako, you should never, ever leave that boy alone with Rei again."

"What are you talking about, Haruka?"

"Minako, remember your party? The one where Rei stopped talking to you completely?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know why?"

"Because I had sex with Kei."

"Mm. But how would she know that? Who knew that you and Kei had sex?"

"At that point, I don't think anyone did."

"So who could have told Rei?"

Minako frowned as the realization hit her. "Kei."

"Yup. He didn't phrase it nicely, either. As soon as you say the word, I'm going to pummel him for you."

"What did he say?"

"You still have to deal with him for a while, so I'll have to keep my mouth shut on that one. It'll only make matters worse."

"So the reason Rei stopped talking to me-"

"Is because of that brat and his stupid mouth. I'm going to kill him later. Once everyone forgets that you and him were together, I'm going to murder him cruelly."

"I can't believe it."

"Believe it, doll. He deserved getting cheated on. He disrespected you in a room full of your friends and family on your birthday, and ruined your relationship with your best friend."

"Haruka, I can't let you kill him."

"Aww, why not?"

"Because I'm going to do it first."

Haruka laughed and accelerated as she drove down the freeway. "That's my girl. Just let me cut him in the foot or something at least before he dies."

"Minako? Why are you here?"

"Fucked Rei; Kei found out and kicked me out; Haruka picked me up."

Setsuna got a cup of coffee from the maker on the counter and sat down at the kitchen table across from the idol. "You did what?"

"I fucked Rei, got kicked out by Kei, and Haruka brought me here."

"Why on Earth? Minako, what the hell?"

The idol just shrugged.

"Good morning, Minako."

"Morning, Michiru."

"What's wrong, Sets?"

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Minako, she-"

"Fucked Rei, got kicked out by Kei and came here? Yeah. Haruka told me last night."

Setsuna gulped her coffee, ignoring the burning sensation on her throat. It was too early for this. "Minako, why did you do such a thing?"

"Look, I know it's horrible for publicity, and it wasn't really morally correct-"

"I don't care about that! Why did you get caught? You should have at least planned to move out rather than getting kicked out. You didn't even bring your car!"

"I didn't mean to."

"Minako, you irresponsible even in your irresponsibility." Setsuna sighed. "I'll get you your car and work on finding you an apartment. You should talk to Kei. You still need to get your stuff from his house."

The blond stared at the table.

Haruka pounded the wrench she had in one hand into the other. "Can I talk to him for her?"

"Arai Kei-san. Please excuse me." Haruka pushed past the boy into his house. "I believe you have a few things that belong to my friend. I'll just be collecting those. Don't try to stop me; I might pummel you into the ground."

Kei raised his hands in resignation. "I won't try to stop you. In fact, I'll help you."

Two hours saw all of the things Minako had at Kei's house in Haruka's car. "Don't try to contact her any more. I don't need a reason to come break you in half, so don't give me one." Haruka started the engine in her yellow Ferarri, drowning out the reply Kei tried to give her, and drove off.

A/N: FINALLY! I NEVER THOUGHT THIS MOMENT WOULD COME! M/R ARE TOGETHER AND I'M ABOUT TO DESTROY KEI! but I have to weep for Yuuko some more first. I love her so much. She was my very first OC and... and *wail* Oh the sacrifices I make for plot development.

Anyway, it's finally time for me to start to destroy the lives of all the evil people standing in the way of Reinako love and get to the happy ending.