Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all its components is the property of Naoko Takeuchi. Apollo is my own creation, and if you wish to use her, please ask me first.

DAYBREAK

Episode 18

Makoto had just arrived at the temple…last. Rei and Minako were already sitting inside and Makoto could see them through the open door. She also saw Luna and Artemis, who were lying on two pillows. She slowly walked in and stopped.

"Hi, guys," Makoto said quietly. Rei and Minako looked up and expected to see at least Ami along with Makoto. But, to their surprise, the tall girl was all alone.

"Where are Usagi and Ami?" Minako asked.

"Well…" Makoto began.

"USAGIAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Chibiusa ran into the temple, screaming Usagi's name."WHERE ARE YOU?!" Chibiusa was running around frantically, looking for her future mother. She stopped when she saw everyone staring at her. "Where's Usagi?"

"Good question…" Rei commented, looking up at Makoto. "And, for that matter, where's Ami?" Makoto sighed and sat down. The others followed suit and prepared to listen to the explanation.

"Well, I saw them walking together in the opposite direction of both the temple and their houses. I started yelling to them, but they didn't hear me. So, I decided to follow them. They stopped after a few steps and I watched them from around a corner. They just stood there until a car drove up."

"Who was in the car?" Minako wondered why Ami and Usagi were acting so strangely.

"It took me a moment to figure it out, but when the two people in the car turned around, I saw it was Michiru and Haruka."

"What?!" Usagi was with Haruka again?! And why the hell was Ami there?!" Rei was freaking out. She suddenly remembered that Chibiusa was in the room and calmed down.

"Um, I'll just continue. Usagi and Ami got into the car with them and they drove off," Makoto finished. Rei and Minako were staring at her in shock and Luna and Artemis gazed at each other for an explanation. Chibiusa, on the other hand, wasn't satisfied.

"That's no excuse! She said we would go see Mamoru today!" Chibiusa was becoming angrier by the word and she started pouting. "And now she's off somewhere with Haruka and Michiru!"

"Where do you think they went?" Luna suddenly questioned from behind Makoto. She couldn't understand why the two girls had just gone with the pair without telling anyone. Usagi, maybe, but not Ami.

"I have no idea…although they were headed in the direction of Haruka and Michiru's house. At least, from what I remember, they were."

"Then let's go over there and see what's going on!" Rei offered, jumping up. Minako and Makoto nodded their heads and also stood up.

"Usagi's going to pay for this!" Chibiusa got to her feet and ran outside the temple. The three girls followed her, the cats behind them.

"Do either of you want anything to drink or eat?" Michiru was in the kitchen. She wanted to make sure her guests were as comfortable as possible to make for an equally comfortable conversation. Michiru knew that the subject of discussion would be a touchy one, and she wanted everyone to feel good enough to give all the information they had…especially Haruka.

"No, thank you," Ami answered politely. Usagi, on the other hand, perked up at the prospect of food.

"Food?" she repeated. Ami rolled her eyes at her friend's predictability and Haruka laughed. Michiru got the hint and took out a crumb cake and cut it into 12 equal slices. She picked it up and started to walk to the living room table with it. Haruka got up and grabbed it from her. She completed the crumb cake's excursion to the table and Michiru went back to get a few plates. She came back and her and Haruka sat down on the couch opposite the one Ami and Usagi were sitting on. Usagi stared at the crumb cake and Michiru noticed.

"You know, Usagi, you can have a piece." Usagi laughed uneasily at Michiru's remark and watched as she placed a piece on a plate and handed it to her.

"Thanks." Usagi began to eat slowly as the three other girls also took a slice each. They all leaned back and sat in awkward silence. Finally, Ami opened her mouth.

"So, what is it exactly that we are to discuss here?" Haruka looked up at her and turned toward Michiru.

"Well, we have to resolve the problem of not knowing what to do with Kurai. Only the four of us know about her, so we have to figure out some plan," Michiru said.

"A plan for what?" Usagi was becoming curious at what Michiru was hinting at.

"Well, she can't stay in the hospital forever. She's going to have to stay with someone…" Michiru trailed off, glancing over at Usagi.

"Also, we have to tell your other friends sometime," Haruka added.

"Shouldn't we wait until Kurai says it's okay to tell them?" Ami was thinking of how long it had taken Kurai to say anything to Usagi.

"Yeah. And I can't exactly bring a girl that looks exactly like me into my house and expect my parents to believe she's their child, too…" Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Michiru looked at Haruka questioningly and got up. She walked over to the door and opened it. The three other girls only saw her jump back in shock. They then watched Chibiusa run in.

"Usagi!" Usagi gulped and glanced back to see Rei barge in.

"Oh, well isn't this a cozy scene!" Rei stomped over to the table and found Haruka with a confused look, Usagi watching Chibiusa fearfully, and Ami with her head in her hands, shaking it disappointedly. Michiru let the other two girls and cats walk in and followed them over to Rei.

"Rei, it's not what you think…" Usagi began.

"Oh, and what is it?!"

"Rei, I've told you this before…you have to stop jumping to conclusions." Rei glanced down to see Ami looking up at her.

"What do you mean?"

"She means that this is certainly not what you're thinking, unless you know more than we do," Haruka answered. Rei saw the older girl get up and give her a stern look. Michiru stepped over to Haruka.

"She's right. This has nothing to do with anything you know…or think you know." Rei looked back to Ami, who was nodding her head.

"Stop confusing me!' she yelled. Rei looked back to her two friends, who had equally confused expressions. Chibiusa, on the other hand, was only angry.

"I don't care what this is all about, I want to see Mamoru!" Chibiusa ran over to Usagi and yelled in her ear. "NOW!"

"All of you…be quiet!" Haruka couldn't stand it anymore and she decided to take charge. "Now, sit down!" The four girls that had already been there sat down where they had originally been, while Chibiusa took a seat next to Usagi, Rei next to Ami, Minako next to Michiru, and Makoto next to Minako. "Good. Now we can answer questions."

"Um, I have one…" Rei started.

"That's kind of obvious," Haruka instantly replied. Rei stopped for a moment before continuing.

"What are you all doing here, anyway?"

"We're here discussing a very important issue…or at least trying to," Michiru replied. She sighed, thinking about how she'll never find out the big mystery she was trying to uncover.

"And what important issue would that be?" Luna was becoming very inquisitive…if it was so important, how come they weren't sharing it with the other Scouts?

"Should we tell them?" Ami asked Usagi.

"No!" Haruka suddenly exclaimed. The others stared at her sudden outburst. Haruka felt a familiar hand on her shoulder and she looked down.

"Haruka, maybe we should finally tell them?" Michiru was gazing into Haruka's eyes hopefully. Haruka was about to complain when she heard a voice talking to her.

"It's alright…you may tell them." Usagi must have heard the voice also, because she perked up and her eyes widened. Haruka glanced around but only found Michiru staring at her. She calmed down and sat back down. Haruka looked over to Usagi, who nodded her head.

"Okay…it's about time they knew the truth." Michiru smiled at Haruka's response.

"What truth?" Makoto asked, with some suspicion in her voice. Haruka decided she would speak.

"Well, a few days ago, we found out that…" The phone rang as Haruka trailed off. She picked it up and said, "Haruka Tenoh here."

"Cold-Nose?" a feeble voice responded.

"Pixie?" Haruka said warily.

"Yes." There was some fumbling and Haruka could hear another person's voice asking for the receiver. "Alright."

"Hello, Haruka. This is Dr. Mizuno. Kurai has almost full recovered from her wounds, and…"

"Really?!" The other girls were watching Haruka talking on the phone, curious as to what the other half of the conversation sounded like.

"Yes, you can come pick her up in a few minutes."

"I'll be right over." Haruka hung up the phone and turned back to the other girls. "You'll all know the truth soon enough." With that she grabbed her jacket, keys, and opened the door. "I'll be back in an hour." Haruka ran out the door and the other girls heard her drive off.

"Okay…I'm totally confused," Minako commented.

"You and me both," Rei added. Makoto nodded her head in agreement. Ami, Usagi, and Michiru all glanced at each other knowingly. Michiru turned to the four confused girls and two cats.

"I guess we'll just have to wait for Haruka to come back to tell our story…"