AN: Yay! Last full chapter! I hope you guys like it! Thank you all for the reviews, likes, etc. It makes my day :) The only payment us fanfiction authors get is reviews, so pay away ^_^ There is still going to be an epilogue, but this chapter sums up the story very well, I believe. Love me some Usa/Mamo :)

When September Ends
By: Bethany

Chapter 4

"It's six am on this beautiful last day of September. If you have plans today should be a good day to be outdoors. Tomorrow a cold front will be cutting across the area and pushing in the lower temperatures and eff—"

Mamoru blindly hit buttons on his alarm, finally finding the off switch. The same hand then landed back on his face and shoved ebony hair off his forehead. There was a dream still stirring at the edge of his memory. Mamoru sighed and sat up.

It was a few minutes before memories started to reclaim Mamoru's mind. He grabbed his stomach. He had been shot. He had died. He could remember dying. He could remember Usagi… Oh, God, was she ok? He couldn't imagine her having to live through what he had so many times. Suddenly Mamoru was very thankful that him dying wasn't the correct answer, either. He would never want her to have that pain. He stumbled out of the bed, eyes squinting at the sun peeking over the horizon. He had saved her and still the day had started again.

Fate must still be screwing with them. This time Mamoru was ready.

An hour later Mamoru stood outside the Tsukino residence again. He could hear Usagi telling her mom bye. As soon as she was around the corner from her house Mamoru stepped out and in her path. For a moment the Prince of Earth and Princess of the Moon stared at each other. Mamoru let every feeling he had for her, the complete dept, reach out to her. If any lesson was to be learned from this horrific ordeal it was that she needed to know how much he loved her. He needed her to know.

Usagi's hand covered her mouth and her blue eyes filled with tears. "M-Mamo-chan?"

Nothing else matters but her. Nothing. Mamoru took three strides forward and pulled Usagi to him as tight as he could without hurting her. He buried his face in her hair, kissed her head, her ear, her cheek. Tasted the salt of her tears as she cried. She dropped her bag to the ground and wrapped her arms around him, clutching his shirt, his neck.

Without any words spoken between them, Mamoru grabbed up her school bag and scooped her up in his arms. As he entered the alley way he transformed into Tuxedo Kamen and leapt to the roof with Usagi still clutching his neck.

When they entered his apartment the balcony door barely closed behind them until Mamoru was flinging Usagi's bag across the floor and wrapping his arms around her again. He held her close, carefully, but firmly. His lips sought hers again and again, crossing her cheek as he whispered, "I love you. I love you so much. I'm never going to leave you alone again. I don't care about anything else."

Usagi held fast to him and tears poured down her face. Her heart soared with each touch, but she didn't understand what changed. At this moment she didn't even care. Explanations were for later, now it was all she could do to keep from sobbing her relief.

Usagi's stomach grumbled. The mid day sun was filtering through the blinds in Mamoru's room. They had spent several hours lying in each other's arms, rediscovering each other, being together. They still hadn't talked. There was time. Mamoru was sure there was plenty of time now. Usagi was curled up to his side, her head lying on his chest while he played with her hair.

Her stomach grumbled again, louder. Mamoru chuckled and leaned up on his elbow. "Think we should eat something?"

Usagi made a face, snuggling even closer to him. "I don't want to get up. But I am hungry."

"It's ok Usako. We have time," he said seriously, leaning down to kiss her lips again. "We have all the time you want."

Usagi felt tears spring to her eyes again. She hastily swiped at them. "Why?" she whispered.

Fear for the answer was clear in her eyes and Mamoru gently cupped her face in his palm. He swallowed once, twice, trying to figure out where to begin. He kissed her deeply, trying to convince her of his never ending love. When he pulled back he pulled her closer to him, both arms wrapped around her. He explained about the dreams. The oh-so-real dreams that made him fear for her life.

Usagi listened patiently, quietly. Several times Mamoru squeezed her closer as he spoke; afraid this too was all a dream. When he finished he closed his eyes and waited with baited breath for her reaction. Usagi sat up, touched his face gently. "Mamo-chan you baka," she whispered. His eyes opened and she smiled. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

Mamoru sat up as well, his head hanging. "You don't understand how real it was. I wanted to protect you; I don't want anything to ever happen to you."

"You can't protect me from everyth—"

"I can, and I will!" Mamoru vowed, his fists clinching. "You don't understand Usako! There's more… this day, today keeps repeating itself. I have watched you—" he slammed his eyes closed, a tear falling, "—watched you die. I have held your dead body in my arms. Three times now. Today is the fifth day this day has repeated." A sob clutched Mamoru's throat, he barely swallowed it, his chest heaving. "I can't watch you die. I can't. I can't live through it again…"

Usagi launched herself at him, wrapping her thin arms around his neck as tight as she could. Mamoru buried his face in her hair, letting more tears fall, strengthening his resolve. "I will protect you."

Usagi shook her head. "I want to protect you, too, Mamo-chan. But how can I protect you if you don't trust me? If you don't talk to me? Being in a relationship means we face everything together Mamo-chan. No matter what it is."

"I'm so sorry," Mamoru mumbled. "It was stupid, wrong… I didn't know how to protect you. I get it now. It's not just me, it's us. Can you forgive me?"

Usagi caught his hand as it reached for her face and kissed his palm. "Always."

The hand on Tuxedo Kamen's watch showed ten minutes after three. He looked around the sidewalk for the now familiar head of brown hair approaching the arcade. Across the street Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter hid among out door sales racks, inside Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury was behind the counter. Motoki had taken the news that the arcade was gong to be robbed very seriously, but looked scared out of his mind.

Since Sailor Venus had worked with the police as Sailor V she made contact with policemen she knew on the force and explained there was going to be a robbery. No, the Sailor Senshi didn't usually get messed up with petty thieves but Sailor V assured them they wanted to help this time.

Tuxedo Kamen spotted the man approaching and signaled Minako. She didn't look up from the bench where she sat outside the arcade, but he could see her push the button on her communicator to alert the other girls. Across the street Sailor Moon motioned to the plain clothed police officer that was sitting in his car in front of them. He brought a walkie talkie up to his mouth.

Motoki wiped the counter down for the fifth time, trying his best to calm his nerves. He wore a bullet proof vest that wasn't helping him not sweat. He heard Mars whisper "That's him!" and his heart beat picked up even more. A tall brown haired man nervously approached the counter. The Senshi had already made sure no other customers were in the store and without a potential hostage the man was looking a little agitated.

Somehow the blonde man managed to place a smile on his face. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," the man said, still looking around the empty arcade in puzzlement. "Give me all of the money in this store." His hand reached for a gun the same time Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars stood up behind the counter.

"Sabao Spray Freezing," Mercury whispered.

The would-be robber found himself frozen, unable to pull the trigger or run from the building. At the same time the double automatic doors opened, revealing five policemen, Tuxedo Kamen and three more Sailor Senshi. The weakened version of Mercury's attack faded quickly, but not before the police had carefully removed the gun from his hand and stood ready with hand cuffs.

Sailor Moon stood beside Tuxedo Kamen and grabbed his hand as she watched the man who had killed her three times. He didn't even look their way as he was hauled out. Sailor Jupiter and Mars spoke with the police for several minutes, and then the rest of the policemen left. Motoki, looking white and shaky, sat heavily in a booth and put his head in his hands.

"Will you be ok?" Sailor Venus asked Motoki, trying to hide her delight when he looked up at her in awe. He nodded, unable to speak. She gave him a 'V' for victory sign. "You did great!"

His reply was to put his head back in his hands and groan. Venus giggled and joined the rest of the Senshi as they left. "Well, that was easy!" She smacked her hands together. "All in a days work!"

"Just hope we don't have to do it again tomorrow," Mars grumbled.

"Me, too," Tuxedo Kamen agreed. He pulled Sailor Moon up in his arms. "We'll see you girls later. Thank you for your help."

Grinning, Sailor Moon waved to her friends as they leapt to a near-by building. Mamoru stayed quiet until they reached his apartment again. He sat Usagi down on his couch. Back to his civilian clothes, he fell beside her on the sofa and pulled her over to his side. She snuggled there happily, sneaking a kiss on his jaw. "Mamo-chan?"

"Yes?"

Usagi played with the fabric of his shirt, her brows scrunched up. "You said he killed me three times, right?" Mamoru nodded, watching her from the corner of his eye. "But you said this was fifth day? What happened the last time?"

Mamoru took a deep breath, squeezing her tighter to him. "The last time I got there in time."

"I didn't die?"

"No," Mamoru mumbled. "I did." Usagi gasped and her eyes filled with tears. One hand covered her mouth. Mamoru turned, pulling her hand down and kissing her. "And I would gladly do it again, to save you."

Usagi shook her head no, repositioned herself on his lap and brought her face to his. "I would do the same for you, Mamo-chan. To protect you."

"It's six am on this windy first day of October. The temperatures will be falling through out the day as a cold front pushes in. Make sure to remember your coats! For the full forecast—"

Mamoru blindly hit buttons on his alarm, finally finding the off switch. The same hand then landed back on his face and shoved ebony hair off his forehead. There was a dream still stirring at the edge of his memory. For the first time in over a month, the dream didn't end with Usagi dying. Instead it ended with her as his wife, facing their future and whatever challenges it held, together.

-End Chapter 4.