The Princess Problem

by bunniko

Usagi and Mamoru are together, but the dreams of the princess haven't stopped. Jupiter has been awakened. When a new senshi appears, Mamoru's vow that he will only love Sailor Moon is tested. In addition, the team will face internal and external challenges that may cost them everything. Sequel to An Unlikely Encounter. DRAMA, not mush.

5. A Hostage Situation

AN: Look, I'm alive!! Haha, so I'm the only one laughing. I apologize for the long delay, this chapter took me forever to get out. All thanks for the restored flow of ideas should be directed at Goddess Usagi, wonderful friend, excellent sounding board, and reliable beta. Many thanks also to all who have reviewed me since my last update as well as to those who have contacted me privately to beg me/order me/threaten me to update. Much love to everyone. ADABN 14 and 15 are in the works, more detailed information can be found at my Live Journal (link in my profile). B 1-17-08

/\/\/\/\

Usagi, Ami, and Makoto shared a horrified look, frightened for Yuuichirou and Grandpa, and anxious to get to Rei. "I'll go to Rei. You two go find Minako," Makoto decided.

"No way," Usagi countered. "If there's a youma, you're going to need me." Makoto opened her mouth to argue, but Usagi put her foot down. "Luna made me leader, Mako-chan. And this time, you're going to have to listen. I can't go help Rei alone, I'm not strong enough. But you'll need me to defeat a youma. Ami-chan, call Minako and find out where you can meet her. Prevent her from going to the shrine."

Ami nodded, heading back towards the school, activating the freshly upgraded communicator and pressing the symbol for Venus. Makoto glowered after her for a moment, then sighed, accepting Usagi's wishes. The battle of wills resolved, they ran towards the shrine.

/\/\/\/\

Ami and Minako discussed the situation briefly over their communicators. The princess seemed uncertain as to what she should do. She was clearly worried about the girls at the shrine, but was very wary of putting herself in danger of being captured. She agreed to meet up with Ami and plan things from there.

Minako had been heading to Crown Arcade, so she was on Motoki and Mamoru's route as she ran to meet Ami. Mamoru had offered Motoki a lift in the hopes of using the time to talk about his woes, but when he saw Minako's racing figure, he honked at her and pulled over. "Minako-san!" he yelled, shocking his passenger and the girl. He could tell she was really upset. "What's going on?"

"Rei-chan's in trouble," she gasped out, leaning against Motoki's door to catch her breath.

Mamoru sensed this was bigger than a regular youma attack. Turning to Motoki, he kicked him out as casually as he could. "Sorry, Motoki-kun, is here okay?" Stunned the blonde man nodded, staring at Minako as he had never seen a girl before. "Jump in, Minako-san," Mamoru ordered before Motoki had finished vacating his seat. Mamoru's authoritative voice earned him a strange look from Motoki.

Minako didn't think twice. She jumped into the freshly vacated seat, slamming the door in Motoki's face. Motoki watched as Minako began to talk urgently to Mamoru. Mamoru's face paled, then darkened. He made a quick U-turn, speeding away, leaving his best friend staring after them in confusion.

/\/\/\/\

Usagi and Makoto raced up the steps to Hikawa Jinja. As they neared the top, they slowed and dropped into a crouched position. Carefully, Makoto peeked over the top step and scanned the courtyard. There was no sign of Rei, Yuuichirou, Grandpa, or the Shitennou. Makoto silently shook her head.

Usagi bit her lip and tried to think of a plan. Nothing came immediately to mind. She glanced helplessly over at Makoto.

Makoto caught Usagi's blank look and sighed. 'Strike one for our fearless leader,' her internal voice snarked unkindly. Frowning darkly at that errant thought, she closed her eyes and called on her hidden powers. The world swayed and dipped for a second. When it righted again, she felt her soul link with the trees around her. Following their whispers, she scouted blindly for the location of their friends.

Usagi had seen Makoto do this once before, but she didn't fully understand what was going on. She knew each of the senshi were able to tune into their elements, but being unable to do that herself, she couldn't imagine how it happened or what it felt like. All she could do was wait for the taller girl to come back to herself. She glanced down the steps, practically willing Minako and Ami to arrive.

/\/\/\/\

Mamoru was furious. Not necessarily at Usagi, but at the idea of recklessly charging toward a showdown with not one, but two Shitennou. Although Kunzite had only shown up once before, Mamoru had sensed that he was the most powerful of Queen Beryl's four generals. The man impressed him as a stoic, merciless warrior and he knew the girls were in serious danger.

Minako was silent, twisting her hands nervously as she tried to figure out what to do. In times like this, she always consulted Artemis, but she didn't know where to find him. Her heart demanded that she fight with her team, with the girls she had lived with, fought beside, and died with millennia ago. But her identity as Princess was to be kept secret from the Dark Kingdom for as long as possible. Beryl's hatred was fixated on Serenity and when she found her, Beryl would attempt to eliminate her immediately. Without the Ginzuishou, the Sailor Senshi were vulnerable. Only that precious gem could defeat Queen Beryl and make everything right. If she should fall into Beryl's hands before it was found … Minako shook her head to clear it.

Mamoru spotted a blue head vainly struggling to go against the wave of foot traffic. Finding a spot to parallel park, he slipped out of the car and pushed his way through the crowd until he reached her side. Tapping her lightly on the shoulder, he greeted her, "Ami-chan, Minako and I are here to meet you."

Ami's frustration and fear were evident on her pale face. At his words, she almost broke down in tears of relief and gratitude. But she restrained herself and attempted to smile instead. "Thank you so much, Mamoru-san."

Mamoru nodded tersely and Ami realized he was frustrated and worried, too. They hurried back to the car. Minako and Ami greeted each other quietly and from the tension Ami was radiating, Mamoru wondered what happened at school today. Minako held her seat forward so that Ami could slip into the back. After a slight pause, she slipped into the back, too, beginning a quiet conversation with the senshi of water and effectively shutting Mamoru out of their discussion.

Mamoru glowered darkly at the high-handed princess reflected in his rearview mirror. Whatever stunt the little blonde might try to pull, there was nothing she could do to keep him from protecting Usagi and her friends. She could distrust him all she wanted. He didn't need to prove anything to her.

Ami pulled out her mini-computer and searched for power spikes in the city. Minako settled back in her seat and covertly watched Mamoru as he sped across town. As she watched, his face suddenly tightened as if in pain. Minako frowned, curious as to what had caused that grimace, but it cleared precisely as Ami announced, "They've transformed."

Mamoru nodded, "I know. We aren't far."

Minako wondered how he knew. Ami had taken his comment in stride. She mused speculatively until she remembered his words on the balcony the other night.

"Do you have any memories of your past self?" She looked up at him to gauge his reaction.

"No. All I have are the visions of the Princess and the deep connection to Sailor Moon."

A deep connection to Sailor Moon . . . she hadn't given that comment much thought at the time. Now, it troubled her. Just how deep did that connection run? She would have to discuss it with Artemis later.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Ami's attention. The serious young girl made careful note of the way Minako was staring so intensely at Mamoru. She was uncertain as to what Minako was thinking, but her unwavering gaze was troubling.

/\/\/\/\

Makoto exhaled quietly as she returned completely to herself. "They are at the back of the property, away from the main buildings. We should transform now. By cutting through the woods, we might be able to have an element of surprise on our side."

Usagi nodded, anxious to get moving. Makoto was probably only out of it for about five minutes, but they had felt like the longest five minutes of Usagi's life. Both girls shouted out their transformation phrases.

As Usagi spun about, caught up in the rapture of the transformation, she was momentarily transported to a place of absolute stillness within her psyche. As the magic encircled her, she felt a deep thrumming through her veins and she instinctively knew he was on his way.

Sailor Jupiter waited impatiently for Sailor Moon to complete her transformation and open her eyes. She was not prepared for the happiness that shone in her leader's eyes and sent her a questioning look. Assuming that Sailor Jupiter wanted to know if she was ready, Sailor Moon drew her Crescent Wand and nodded. Intending to ask her about that look later, Sailor Jupiter led the way, avoiding the gravel path in favor of the footstep-muffling woods.

/\/\/\/\

From the time Mamoru had realized he was Tuxedo Kamen and that Sailor Moon's transformation triggered his, he hated every second of life between the time he felt her pull until he reached her side. It was a unique agony, this awareness that she was in danger and needed him. So if he had a bit of a lead foot at the moment, he figured he deserved to be forgiven.

A red light forced him to pause in his race to reach his beloved's side. Displeasure radiated from the handsome young man and he thoughtlessly toyed with the brake, releasing it and letting it go, causing the car to jerk forward in tiny increments. Finally, Ami piped up, "Mamoru-san, is that good for your engine?"

Glancing back at her via the rearview mirror, he favored her with a dark look. Sighing, he closed his eyes and ceased tapping the brake, finding her sympathetic gaze half-irritating and half-endearing.

Minako observed the interaction between her senshi and the re-incarnation of the Prince of Earth with silent disapproval. It reminded her too much of the past. Closing her eyes, she could vaguely see Ami and Prince Endymion seating near each other beside a lake. A slim blonde man had his arm about her, but Ami and Prince Endymion were laughing together over something. Ami's companion was smiling, but appeared more interested in Ami than in whatever they were laughing about. The memory was hazy, but she knew who the man holding Ami was and that knowledge hurt her.

Her head began to throb, as it usually did whenever she focused on the past. She hated knowing that her senshi had loved Endymion's generals and then been so terribly betrayed by them. The image of his adoring face infuriated her. Knowing that he was one of the two generals waiting for them at Hikawa Jinja didn't ease her anger. Glancing discreetly in Ami's direction, she could only pray that Ami would not remember Zoicyte until long after the bastard was dead and buried.

/\/\/\/\

Sailor Mars struggled to her feet. She'd known going in that she was outclassed, but she was not going to leave the most important member of her family in the hands of the Shitennou for one second longer that she had to. Having announced herself with all the bravado and showmanship she could muster, she hoped she would last long enough to buy the other senshi enough time to hide the Princess and then come to her aid.

They hadn't even bothered to talk to her. Zoicyte had attacked her personally, proving he had far more abilities than just preening and flinging flower petals. She'd been hard pressed to deflect his energy bolts and had hardly gotten any of her own attacks off. Kunzite had been content to watch them battle for a while, but then he'd started toying with her.

Grandpa and Yuuichirou were strung up from a tree branch by their hands. Both had clearly been subjected to abuse at one, if not both, of the Shitennou's hands. Now Kunzite had his sword drawn. Mars desperately tried to move towards them, but each time, Zoicyte would block her. When she would refocus on him, Kunzite would distract her by inflicting a fresh wound on one of the two hostages. Unable to block out their pain, Mars' defense would falter and Zoicyte's blows became more effective.

Kunzite studied the young girl before him. She was bloodied, battered, and desperate. He smirked coldly. A few more blows and she would fall into their open arms, a fitting sacrifice for Queen Beryl. He walked behind the old man and brought the flat of his sword violently down upon his back. At his howl of pain, the girl turned, enraged in his direction, opening herself up for a full blast from Zoicyte.

"Supreme Thunder!" A crackle of lightning tore down from the sky and blasted the spot next to Mars, knocking her to the ground. A blur of green and white snatched the girl from the ground and disappeared into the trees.

"What the hell?" Zoicyte snarled, intending to give chase. Kunzite moved swiftly and caught the younger man.

"Wait her out."

"Moon Tiara Magic!" The glowing discus spun out from another part of the woods and neatly sliced through the ropes suspending the two men.

Kunzite sneered at the softness of these girls, so concerned with the lives of their friends. He ignored the crumpled hostages and taunted the hiding senshi, daring them to show themselves. A faint rustling to his right caught his attention and he flung a bolt of energy in that direction. A shriek of pain brought a real smile to his face.

/\/\/\/\

Jupiter laid Mars down carefully on the ground, forced to abandon Moon for the moment. She hoped the blonde would stay hidden and quiet until the rest of the group arrived, but she had little faith in Sailor Moon to wait for help. She held Mars' hair back as the battered girl coughed violently, blood spattering the ground as she did. Jupiter patted her back absently, watching the entrance to the shrine from their vantage point.

As her coughing stilled, Mars attempted to push herself out of Jupiter's arms. "I thought I told you to stay away," she rasped, only half-irritated.

"Are you kidding?" Jupiter burst out, incredulous. "You really thought you could do this alone?"

Mars opened her mouth, ready to spout more bravado-based nonsense, but Mercury's horrified gasp cut her off. "Oh, god, Rei-chan," the sensitive senshi whimpered, skidding to a stop and flopping to the ground beside her, "I'm so sorry it took so long to get here."

Venus and Tuxedo Kamen followed her, both standing over the group. Venus looked proud of her warrior and Mars felt a bit of her hostility towards their Princess slip away in the pleasure of her approval. Mars' elation fled a moment later when she realized the significance of Venus' presence.

"I told you to keep the Princess away from here," she snapped angrily, working herself up.

Tuxedo Kamen interrupted coldly, "Where's Usako?"

Jupiter waved behind her. "We went in together, but I had to intervene to keep this hothead from getting herself killed. I told her to stay hidden and quiet 'til I got back . . ."

A scream of pain silenced the green-clad girl and everyone's eyes widened, knowing that scream all too well. "Usako…" Tuxedo Kamen clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and searched out their link. Mere seconds later, he leapt into the trees and moved swiftly towards the hazy presence tugging on his soul.

"Mercury, let's go," Venus commanded sharply. She spared a glance for Mars and Jupiter. "Keep her still." Jupiter nodded, her hand pushing Mars back down as the fiery young woman again struggled to rise.

/\/\/\/\

Venus followed Mercury into the woods. Once they were out of Jupiter and Mars' sight, Mercury had released a thick fog, blanketing the woods in the direction Tuxedo Kamen had run. Knowing that Tuxedo Kamen could track Sailor Moon intuitively gave Mercury much more flexibility to hamper the Shitennou and protect her friend. Activating her visor, she linked it with her computer to create an effect similar to night vision. Venus trailed behind, trusting in Mercury's abilities to keep them hidden.

Mercury froze suddenly, then pulled Venus down into the bushes. As they crouched together, breathing as quietly as they could, Zoicyte stumbled into view, looming out of the fog. Mercury watched him closely, studying his face. Confused by the fog, the young Shitennou's face looked relaxed, a stark contrast to the hate-filled or enraged appearance he usually presented. An image flashed into her mind, shocking her to her core.

Mercury saw herself dressed in a simple blue gown, her hair softly falling about her face, clutching the slender arm of Zoicyte, who was laughing down at her, eyes sparkling with warmth. She was smiling up at him, adoration obvious in her eyes. A warm, safe feeling spread over Mercury's body as she stared at the incomprehensible mental image.

Within seconds, the image shifted to a dance. Zoicyte held her close to his chest, mid-whirl, his lips but centimeters from hers. Her eyes were shut, face upturned, awaiting his kiss. It was all Mercury could do to keep herself from gasping out in shock, even as she was overwhelmed by a longing for that kiss and a frustration that it would never happen.

The images sped up, flashes of them reading together, swimming together, even training together, and in all of the images, they both seemed equally enamored of each other. Tears began to slip unnoticed from Mercury's eyes as she became painfully aware of the connection and love she had once felt for one of Beryl's minions. Self-loathing warred with a desire to be with him again.

Her mind allowed her to linger on a close-up of her past self lost in a passionate lip lock with him, then cruelly switched gears. She was transformed now, fury and despair painted on her face, her body twisting as she fell backwards. Unwilling to see but unable to look away, Mercury viewed the sword that was run through her body, her mind's eye relentlessly traveling up the blade and towards the gleeful face of her killer: Zoicyte.

The fury she had felt at her death returned full-force, consuming Mercury's small frame. Venus could only watch in helpless understanding as the blue-clad senshi's form pulsed with a glowing blue light. Mercury rose, revealing her presence to the fog-blinded Shitennou, her voice strident as she shouted out, "Mercury Shine Aqua Illusion!"

Ice formed over the startled Shitennou, freezing him in place. It wasn't going to be strong enough to bind him for long, the girls knew, but it would delay him and allow them to continue working their way towards Sailor Moon and the hostages. Venus grabbed Mercury's hand, desperately wanting to rejoice at the girl's progress in awakening her past self and to comfort her about the pain she was obviously feeling, but she knew they didn't have time.

Even as Mercury stared at the ice-covered man, she realized that he was breaking free. Energy flashed out of various cracks in the ice, nearly striking both girls. They turned as one and ran deeper into the woods, further from the shrine, Mercury trailing behind her faster Princess.

/\/\/\/\

Moon crouched low in the bushes, clutching her injured arm close to her side. Peeking through the branches and leaves, she could see Grandpa and Yuuichirou sprawled beneath the large oak tree. She suspected they were unconscious and she was proud of having freed them, even though she knew that Kunzite was heading her way, ready to kill her. As she hid, Minako's words from earlier that day floated across her mind and she wondered if sacrificing herself to save them would be her best choice. Still tormented by Serenity and Endymion's past and by her own weakness as a leader, she honestly pondered drawing Kunzite further and further away from shrine and the girls, especially the badly wounded Mars. The worst he could do was kill her, right? And she would be doing it for the team, for the innocent civilians she wanted so desperately to save from Beryl and her evil companions.

Tuxedo Kamen dropped silently down beside her, his cloak wrapping about her, his worried eyes finding her injury. He had no idea how close his beloved senshi had come to convincing herself to offer her life up in an attempt to save them all. Instead, he was overjoyed to find her. "Are you alright?" he whispered in her ear.

Sailor Moon pointed silently ahead, her eyes wide and her face pale. Tuxedo Kamen became acutely aware that Kunzite was moving methodically in their direction, using his sword to clear-cut the bushes in his path. He knew they had to get out of there before the vicious Shitennou located them.

They rose into a half-crouched position silently as one, Tuxedo Kamen's grip on her wounded arm painful. He tucked her behind him and they backed slowly away, eyes riveted on the densely wooded area in front of them, ears pricked for Kunzite's every move. Unfortunately, the cover that they were relying on gave out as they were dumped into a clearing. Straightening and moving more quickly, Tuxedo Kamen rushed his beautiful girlfriend forward, but a shout from behind them stopped them in their tracks. Kunzite had burst from the copse as well, sword gleaming and eyes glittering.

He sent a blast of energy in their direction, intending to wound them so that he could toy with them longer, the thrill of the chase fueling his savage bloodlust. Tuxedo Kamen dodged it easily, but was distracted by Moon's yelp of pain when he gripped her injured arm more tightly in order to pull her with him. Blood flowed freshly, staining his glove, and he realized belatedly that her injury was more serious than he had thought.

Kunzite stalked his distracted quarry quickly, raising his sword overhead, ready to slash the small girl. At the last moment, Tuxedo Kamen's cane rose between Sailor Moon and Kunzite, deflecting the powerful blow. The collision rang through the clearing and Kunzite grinned. He was up for a challenge, confident he would win. His long fingers deftly loosened the buttons of his uniform jacket and he casually tossed it aside, while Tuxedo Kamen pushed Sailor Moon behind him yet again, crouched a bit, and readied himself for Kunzite's next attack.

As the two men filled the clearing with clanging noises and muttered curses, Sailor Moon found herself helplessly following Tuxedo Kamen's back, unable to help him and terrified that she might accidentally distract him from the task at hand. If he was hurt because of her, the tiny warrior knew she wouldn't be able to bear it. Terror for the man she loved clawed at her throat and she prayed for aid.

Even as her prayers went up, two senshi burst into the clearing, their own hearts silently pleading for assistance. An infuriated and bleeding Zoicyte was on their tails, almost within reach of Mercury. Venus skidded to a stop, stunned by the sight of Kunzite and Tuxedo Kamen engaged in an impromptu (and unfair) sword fight. Kunzite's long white-blonde hair was swirling about him, his white loose shirt gracefully flowing about his muscled torso, his swordplay exquisite to behold. Tuxedo Kamen, on the other hand, was struggling, his top hat lost and his cape hampering his movements.

Mercury slammed into the frozen Princess and they toppled over. If the vision of Kunzite hadn't made Zoicyte's heart stop, he might have slaughtered them there at his feet, limbs tangled together. Instead, his infatuation with the tall, handsome, cruel Shitennou saved their lives and they were able to scramble to their feet. They backed away from Zoicyte, Venus reaching out and grabbing Sailor Moon away from Tuxedo Kamen, freeing him from one handicap. As soon as she was tucked in between the two senshi, Tuxedo Kamen quickly cast aside his cape, improving his ability to defend himself against Kunzite's reverberating blows.

Recovering from his admiring stupor, Zoicyte focused on the three girls. "You don't know how much pleasure it gives me to eradicate your existence," he sneered maliciously, oblivious to the heartbreaking pain his murderous rage was causing Sailor Mercury.

Venus realized that Mercury's rage had faded, leaving her a victim of the betrayal and pain her past self was consumed by. She spun the senshi of water into Sailor Moon's arms, ready to defend both of them to the best of her abilities. "Wake her up, Moon. We need her help," she commanded harshly.

"Venus," Moon protested, "where are Mars and Jupiter?"

"We're going to have to fight without them. Get ready!"

Zoicyte leveled a blast at them and Venus used her compact to deflect most of the energy away from the group. Distracted by the attack, Tuxedo Kamen turned in the small group's direction, leaving himself open for a deadly blow from Kunzite.

"Supreme Thunder!" Jupiter's voice rang out into the clearing, a lightning bolt catching the gleeful Kunzite in the chest and flinging him away from Tuxedo Kamen.

"Mars Flame Sniper!" Mars' voice burst forth a second after Jupiter's, her attack igniting Zoicyte. Tuxedo Kamen reached the small group, removing the still-useless Mercury from Moon's arms and shaking her lightly, unaware that Kunzite has regained his feet and was closing in on them. Jupiter and Mars raced towards their friends as well.

Zoicyte staggered from the force of Mars' injury-weakened blow and Venus quickly followed it with her Crescent Beam attack, her light beam tearing through the Shitennou's uniform and into his chest, knocking him off-balance with a bellow of pain.

As the group united, Kunzite cursed darkly. He had not expected the entire team to appear, having figured they would have killed Sailor Mars long before this. Infuriated by Venus's brutal assault on Zoicyte and determined not to return to Beryl in defeat, his eyes lit on Sailor Moon. Standing on the edge of the group, she was a perfect target. Knowing that Queen Beryl would rejoice the most at the death of the irritating leader of the senshi, Kunzite targeted her, preparing a lethal blow for the oblivious blonde.

Venus, turning away from Zoicyte's battered body, noticed Kunzite's proximity and his fixated attention on Sailor Moon. Interpreting his intentions quickly, she cried out, "Sailor Moon, get down!" Even as the energy shot across empty space towards her, Venus flung herself between them, shoving Moon into Tuxedo Kamen, holding her Crescent Compact to her chest in the hopes that it would again deflect enough of the energy to keep her alive.

Mars, horrified, reached out to stop Venus, screaming out, "No, Princess!"

Jupiter's silencing hand clamped around the raven-haired senshi's mouth too late. Even as the energy enveloped the orange-clad girl, Kunzite's eyes lit up with excitement. The Princess? Here? Even better than killing the irritating Moon senshi would be to throw the Moon Princess at Queen Beryl's feet. He moved quickly towards the fallen girl.

Tuxedo Kamen's ministrations had brought Mercury back to the land of the living and the unfortunate revelation of Venus' identity propelled her into action. "Mercury Shabon Spray!" Panic fueled her attack and the mist she conjured up was freezing cold, blowing harshly in Kunzite's direction, tiny slivers of ice forcing him to drop to one knee and shield his face with one arm. Tuxedo Kamen lifted Venus' body, Jupiter hefted Mars onto her back, and the four relatively unscathed senshi vanished into the trees. Draping Mars against Moon, Jupiter turned back, heroically undertaking the task of removing Yuuichirou and Grandpa Hino from the area as well.

When the mist cleared, only Kunzite and Zoicyte remained in the clearing, the former cursing at the sky and the latter lying unconscious on the ground.

/\/\/\/\

When the group reached the main building of the shrine, Jupiter stopped, exhausted. Her face was red with exertion and she was out of breath. Mercury scanned the area quickly, searching for any sign of pursuit. When she shook her head, Mars reluctantly suggested they enter the large building. Struggling to push aside her irritation at the thought of the purification ritual they would have to perform later, she shoved the heavy entry doors open. Kicking her heels off, she led the group inside, collapsing from exhaustion in the center of the room.

Respectfully, Tuxedo Kamen also removed his shoes, then laid Venus down beside Mars, slipping her orange heels off. Moon padded over and took them from him, then assisted Jupiter with her boots as well, since her arms were still full. Mercury busied herself with arranging everybody's shoes in the provided outdoor storage closest, then slid the wooden panel shut, concealing them from view.

Tuxedo Kamen helped Jupiter stretch Grandpa Hino and Yuuichirou out as well, then began investigating their injuries. Mercury joined him, taking stock of the damage to the two senshi. Moon and Jupiter searched out linens for the two healers to use as bandages.

"Jupiter," Mercury murmured softly, "will you check Rei's room for her first aid kit?"

While the tall senshi was gone, Sailor Moon watched uselessly, feeling horribly guilty and stunned that the Princess had risked her life to save her. The way that Serenity had been treating her, Moon had expected the girl to let her die. The extent of the injuries to Mars, Grandpa, and Yuuichirou further upset the sensitive blonde. Righteous anger boiled up within her and she wanted to march straight into Beryl's lair and end her malice once and for all.

Jupiter called to Moon softly, breaking into the girl's thoughts. "Usagi-chan, give this Ami, please." The green-clad senshi stood in the doorway, holding out Rei's first aid supplies.

"Aren't you coming back in?"

"No, someone has to keep an eye out." She faced away from the room, staring out at the peaceful grounds around them, "We're sitting blind in there."

Sailor Moon's fear returned, reminding her that they might not be out of danger just yet. "Keep me updated," she commanded, fear making her tone sharp. "Often."

Jupiter dropped a reassuring hand on her small friend's shoulder. "We kicked their butts pretty good, Moon. I'm just being paranoid," she tried to comfort.

Moon shook her head vehemently, "Don't try that, Jupiter. Kunzite now knows about the Princess. We only hurt Zoicyte. You know when he wakes up, he's going to be angrier than ever before."

Jupiter nodded, looking away from Moon. She was glad the girl understood the situation, but she still wished she could shield her from the fear and anger flashing in her deep blue eyes. She would just have to leave that to Tuxedo Kamen, she decided as she walked away. She heard the heavy door close behind her and knew she was on her own.

/\/\/\/\

Kunzite stalked around the clearing, venting his anger on Tuxedo Kamen's discarded hat, incinerating it. His mind was no longer focused on the battle lost. Instead, he was thinking about the obligatory report to Beryl. He needed to capture her attention quickly, so that she would actually listen to him. If she let her temper free before he could reveal to her that the Princess had been found, she might punish them both. His eyes involuntarily traveled to the still-unconscious Zoicyte, knowing that Beryl was at the end of her patience with him. This failure could very well mean the death of his secret love.

As he watched, Zoicyte awakened, struggling to stand. His beautiful face was covered in cuts, his uniform and hair singed. Deep gashes were visible through the sleeves of his uniform jacket and his torso was bloody, his chest half bared by the destructiveness of Venus' light attack. Kunzite gazed at the battered, infuriated younger man, but made no move toward him.

Kunzite himself was rumpled, his hair in disarray, his uniform jacket tossed aside during the sword fight, his own face nicked by Mercury's ice storm. As soon as Zoicyte spotted his mentor, he was distracted by Kunzite's appearance. Zoicyte moved closer to him, eyes concerned, shocked that the puny senshi had been able to inflict such injuries on the stoic Shitennou. Zoicyte stumbled, his body too weak for the effort, and Kunzite moved quickly, catching him to his chest supportively. Gazing down into Zoicyte's worried, pain-glazed green eyes, he smiled wickedly.

"What is it?" Zoicyte asked, confused.

Kunzite absently toyed with a strand of Zoicyte's hair, not yet ready to relinquish his hold on the slight blonde, and looked out at the shrine's silent grounds. "They've found the Princess."

Zoicyte gaped, "What? Which one?"

"The blonde who hit you with that beam of light. She's as foolish as ever, throwing herself in front of one of her warriors to save them." His derisive laughter filled the woods.

"So she's wounded, then," Zoicyte mused, a sadistic grin stealing across his face.

Kunzite's eyes returned to Zoicyte, running over his injuries, "Oh, yes, worse than you, I'm sure. And being the soft weakling that she is, I'm sure she'll be slow to rejoin her team." He paused, thinking now would be a good time to start picking the senshi team apart. "If not for that damned Tuxedo Kamen, I would have rid us of Sailor Moon."

Zoicyte frowned, hatred oozing out of him, "That bitch. I hate her! She's like a cockroach… she just won't to die." He sneered, "Not by any skill of her own, though. She's always got that ridiculous Cape Boy to protect her."

"Let's see if we can't change that," Kunzite murmured softly in Zoicyte's ear. He smiled in appreciation when Zoicyte shivered lightly and grinned viciously at the thought of destroying Tuxedo Kamen.

/\/\/\/\

Once the wounds were cleaned and bandaged, Tuxedo Kamen knelt beside Grandpa Hino, summoning up his healing powers. Moon and Mercury watched in interest as he concentrated intently on the various wounds. After several long moments, he rocked back on his heels, looking exhausted.

Sailor Moon wrapped her arms about him, cradling his tired weight against her slight frame. He relaxed slightly into her, gathering strength to tend to Yuuichirou. They would have to trust to Venus and Mars' accelerated healing abilities; he wasn't powerful enough to aid them as well.

Venus was unconscious, the bleeding finally stopped, her chest and arms wrapped in bandages. The skirt of her fuku was shredded, hanging about her legs in jagged ribbons. Her trademark bow had been lost in the battle. Her thick hair was spread out away from her body in an attempt to keep the long strands from being caught in the bandages.

Mars reclined nearby, propped up on one elbow, miserable at having blown Venus' cover. Despite her wounds, she remained conscious, keeping a close eye on Serenity. She was glad that Jupiter had gone out on patrol, feeling relieved that at least someone else understood the situation. She gave Sailor Moon an irritated glare, but she could not ignore the risks she had taken, facing Kunzite down alone. It was Mercury she was the angriest at.

Mercury sensed Mars' glower and turned away from Venus to stare back. "Lie down, Rei-chan," she scolded softly, knowing that it would do no good. "Even when you release your transformation, some of these wounds are going to stay with you. The longer you conserve your power now, the faster those wounds will heal later."

"You're very good at giving out advice, Ami-chan. Why can't you take it?"

Mercury blinked at her friend, confused. "I'm not sure what you are talking about."

Mars rolled her eyes, "I specifically told the three of you to keep the Princess safe. What part of keeping her safe includes bringing her into the heart of a battle with Beryl's top generals?" Her voice rose, echoing in the large room.

"I found her and warned her. I couldn't order her to stay away."

"You could have distracted her. Better yet, you could have kept your mouth shut and instead met up with her to hang out with her."

Mercury sneered, an unusual gesture for the girl, "Hang out with her? Besides Usagi, I've had to put up with her all day." Tuxedo Kamen's head snapped up at that remark, gazing at the angry blue senshi, then turning a questioning look on Sailor Moon. She chose to look innocent, but something lurked in her eyes, reawakening his suspicion that Minako had pulled something at school earlier.

Mars pushed herself forward, getting in Mercury's face, "Whether you like her or not, she is the Princess, Ami-chan. You have to protect her. It's not a choice!" Mercury flushed, trying to regain some semblance of calm, but Mars wouldn't back off. "Instead, we get there in time to find you tangled up with her at Zoicyte's feet like some pathetic kind of sacrifice!" She was really yelling now and both former hostages shifted restlessly in their sleep.

Tuxedo Kamen finally lost his patience, snapping, "Let it go, Rei. It was her choice to come. There was nothing Mercury could have done to dissuade her. "

Mercury had decided to keep her discovery about Zoicyte quiet, but Mars' mention of how close he came to killing her again caused her face to contort in pain. Spinning quickly away from the fire senshi, she stalked off, seeking solace in a far corner of the shrine. Feigning interest in a small altar, she let the memories resurface, trying to discover what perverse part of her was attracted to the evil man. Tears pooled in her cerulean eyes as she recalled the way he looked at her in most of her memories. Had he preyed upon her in Silver Millennium, pretending he loved her in order to learn her weaknesses? How had she even come to know him, this man who served Beryl with such single-mindedness that he would even kill the woman he loved? She could not find it within her to doubt the sincerity of the love and adoration she saw reflected in his eyes, could not bring herself to believe that anyone could have fooled her with fake affection.

Tuxedo Kamen sat quietly beside Yuuichirou, his back to Mars, studying Mercury speculatively. "Usako," he murmured softly, hating to ask her to go, but knowing she needed to, "I think you should join Jupiter in keeping watch. She doesn't seem to be reporting in as often as I think you would like." He could feel the jumpiness she felt at the argument between Mercury and Mars, he had noticed her compulsively glancing at her communicator, and he strongly suspected that Mercury would not open up to him if he asked her what was going on in front of her.

Sailor Moon studied her handsome boyfriend's tired face. Stroking one hand over his hair, she nodded, dropping a tiny kiss on his lips before rising. Casting worried glances at Mars, who glared unrepentantly at her, and at Mercury, who continued to ignore the group, she sighed and walked away, leaving her compassionate, intelligent, but sometimes unintentionally insensitive boyfriend in charge of them.

"Mercury," Tuxedo Kamen called gently, as soon as the heavy door closed behind Moon, "can I talk to you?"

Sighing, Mercury nodded, hastily wiping at the tear tracks on her face before turning around. The despair and confusion could not be so easily wiped away, it was there for anyone to see. The sight of her agony stabbed Mars to the heart and concern for her friend washed away her burning fury.

Mercury knelt beside Tuxedo Kamen, eyes downcast, waiting for him to speak. She didn't have to wait long. "Did something happen while you were alone with Venus?" he asked, his voice hard.

She knew he was asking if Venus had done something to upset her and she felt guilty for making him suspicious of their new leader. Sure, Minako had been a class-one bitch today to Usagi, but she instinctively knew the girl would never let those tensions spill over into senshi matters. Especially since Venus had been willing to sacrifice herself to save Sailor Moon. She shook her head, "No, it's something else. I don't know how to explain it," she paused, glancing briefly over at Mars, fearful that the girl would hate her even more once she confessed.

Mars closed her eyes in shame at the fear in Mercury's eyes. She hadn't meant to hurt her like this, she'd just been blowing off steam. "Mercury, whatever it is, we will get through it together."

"We came upon Zoicyte in the mist. He didn't see us. We were hiding in some bushes. But when I looked at him, I felt weird, like I knew him. Then these memories came back to me. I think . . . no, I know that I loved him." Mars gasped, stunned by that revelation. Mercury fisted a hand in her hair, still staring at the floor. "I don't understand how this could have happened! He is evil!" Mercury's voice rose, then fell to a whisper, "I remembered him killing me."

Both Tuxedo Kamen and Mars were silent. He half-turned, sharing a pained look with the injured senshi. She shook her head at him, indicating that she was clueless as how to comfort Mercury.

"Mercury, there's something Serenity told me last night that I think you should know." He raised an eyebrow at the fact that Mercury did not look surprised that he had spoken with Serenity the night before, but he didn't waste much thought on it. "She told me that the Shitennou were once Endymion's loyal Generals, that they had traveled with him to visit the Moon." He felt Mars' eyes boring into him, but he ignored her. Mercury's eyes latched on to his, understanding slowing filling them. "They weren't always evil; they joined Beryl only at the end. She didn't explain why they joined her. But she did tell me that the four of you had been romantically linked with the four of them." The last sentence was hard for him to get out, to confess to them that Usagi, too, had been betrayed by her lover.

Mercury's face filled with relief. "Then I didn't consort with the enemy?" she asked, just to clarify. "I wasn't the reason we were defeated." Her whole body seemed to relax.

"How could you blame yourself for the destruction of the Moon Kingdom?" Mars demanded, incredulous. She stared at the smaller girl as if she had never seen her before.

The water senshi's calm had been restored and she answered primly, "It is a tried-and-true strategy, Mars. If I had been seduced into trusting him, then I might have given away important information that he could have taken to Beryl."

Mars laid back, pillowing her head on one arm, deciding to leave strategies and tactics to the brainiac. "I wonder which one was mine," she muttered as she stared at the ceiling.

Her question, innocent as it might have been, tore at Tuxedo Kamen. He could not deny that he had spent a fair amount of time wondering which of the traitorous bastards had dared lay claim to his Usako and how the man could have possibly rejected her for Beryl. "I hardly think it's worth wondering about, Mars," he snapped. Ignoring both girls' open stares, he returned his attention to Yuuichirou, finally rested enough to heal the shaggy-haired man.

/\/\/\/\

Jupiter had wandered far from shrine, yet had gone nowhere. Moon found her perched on top of the building, eyes closed. She instinctively knew what Jupiter was doing, so she clambered gracelessly up beside her and waited for Jupiter to return to herself.

While she waited, she admired the serenity of the shrine, tucked away from the noise and bustle of the city. High up on the roof, she could just see Tokyo's skyline stretching away from her beyond the trees. She envied the people out there. People who had no idea how much danger they were in, people who didn't carry the burden of saving the world, people who had no idea just how complicated finding love could really be. People who didn't have to compete with a Princess from the past in their boyfriend's dreams and the Princess reincarnated following them around at school.

She sighed softly, turning her gaze away from the city and back to the surrounding area. She had to get a handle on this melancholy that was sapping her bright personality and ever-present optimism. Slowly exhaling, she nodded to herself. Today was the last day of this depression, she decided. Let Minako, or Serenity, or Beryl, or whoever do their worst. They weren't going to destroy her.

Jupiter blinked slowly, blinded by the sun that now hung very low on the horizon. She was surprised to find Moon sitting behind her, watching the perimeter. She was more surprised to find the blonde smiling contentedly as she did so. She raised an eyebrow at the beatific blonde but all she said was, "They're gone."

Sailor Moon nodded, accepting that Jupiter's bond with plant-life could enable her to sense when the evil of the Dark Kingdom left the planet. They both rose and made their way carefully down, not wanting to dislodge the traditional clay roofing tiles. They quietly removed their shoes, Moon advising Jupiter about the argument between Mars and Mercury. The tall girl was not amused and blamed the Princess whole-heartedly for the dissension between the two, but Moon refrained from joining in.

Instead, she pushed the door open. They were greeted by four pairs of eyes and Moon sighed in relief. Venus was awake.

/\/\/\/\

Upon returning to the Dark Kingdom's headquarters, Kunzite secreted the badly-wounded Zoicyte in his quarters. One of the perks of his cold-hearted dedication to his Queen was that she felt no need to spy on him and his quarters were solely his own domain. Straightening his appearance as best he could, he then headed to the throne room to debrief the hot-tempered witch.

Queen Beryl was waiting for him. "What happened to your face?" she demanded without acknowledging his bow.

"The shrine maiden is indeed Sailor Mars, my Queen." Kunzite informed her, sidestepping the question.

"Is she dead?"

"No, the entire team turned out. Two of them were unconscious when they fled. But I have gathered some interesting information."

Beryl took a deep breath, tamping down on her fury at Kunzite and Zoicyte's failure in order to listen to the man she trusted most, "Well?"

"The Princess has joined them."

Beryl's face contorted in enraged hatred, "What?"

Kunzite smiled darkly at her, "And she's wounded." At Beryl's exultant grin, Kunzite continued, "Even now Zoicyte is working on a plan to tear the senshi team apart, piece by piece."

Beryl murmured an approval, waving the most senior of the Shitennou away. Sinking back down onto her throne, a cruel smile curved her blood-red lips as she lost herself in her second favorite fantasy, the mutilation, torture and murder of Princess Serenity. Now, if she could just locate her beloved Prince Endymion…

/\/\/\/\

Jupiter leaned tiredly against the door, relieved that the Princess was finally awake. "They are gone," she reported. Walking further into the room, she dropped her transformation, her body healing itself as her alter-ego slipped into dormancy.

The others followed her lead, the injuries sustained by Mamoru, Usagi, and Ami disappearing. Unfortunately for Rei and Minako, their accelerated healing couldn't erase all of their wounds. "You're lucky you still had the compact out," Ami told Minako as she knelt to examine her. "It absorbed most of the energy from Kunzite's blast." A brief look of sadness crossed Minako's face, but it disappeared so quickly that no one caught it.

Ami busied herself with clearing Minako's body of excess bandages, while Mamoru took charge of checking Rei's injuries. Discarded bandages quickly piled up between the two of them.

Rei leaned forward, ignoring Mamoru's attentions, and pinning Minako with a serious look. "I am deeply sorry for my thoughtless words, Princess," she stated, head bowed.

Minako waved the formal apology away, "You were caught up in the moment. I understand that. We can't change what happened." Rei continued to keep her head bowed, not comforted in the least by Minako's words. Minako looked carefully at everyone present, excluding the two unconscious men on the floor, "Now that they know who I am, we will all have to be extra careful." She sighed, "We must be on guard every time we are summoned to a battle and we must try to move about in groups as much as possible."

The girls nodded. Mamoru watched Usagi, wondering how she was faring. Her emotional state had become so fragile lately and now the Dark Kingdom had induced an additional bit of paranoia into their already overloaded lives. He longed to wrap her in his arms ands carry her away, to hide her from the nightmare their lives had become.

Minako rolled her head tiredly, mentally and physically exhausted. "I'd like to go home. No offense, Rei-chan, but the gloomy, closed-in atmosphere in here is stifling." She pushed herself stubbornly to her feet, relying on Ami to keep her steady.

Mamoru offered to drive her back to the hotel, which Minako graciously accepted after glancing at Usagi for the okay. Usagi just smiled softly back at her, a friendly gesture that Minako hadn't expected.

Ami and Makoto decided to stay at Rei's for the night, to help her with Yuuichirou and Grandpa as well as to help clean up the mess they had made. Neither girl admitted it, but they didn't want to go home to lonely apartments, nor did they want to leave Rei alone at the shrine. Rei was extremely grateful they were staying, though she claimed it was only because of her remaining injuries and not because she was afraid of being by herself.

/\/\/\/\

When Minako returned home, she found Artemis waiting for her. She filled him in, excitedly, about Ami's unexpected power up and flood of memories. "Her past self is awakening, Artemis! She was able to call upon her powers and summon up an offensive attack!"

Artemis stared at her, not impressed, "So she got angry because of a few memories and gave Zoicyte a time out? That's what has you spinning in circles?" He rolled his eyes and Minako stopped, staring at him in disappointment. "I told you this before, Minako, when you were so excited about your own anger-fueled strength. Any emotion-triggered increase in power is nothing to celebrate. She has to be able to summon her abilities in any situation before it can truly be said her past self is awakening."

Minako sank to the bed, clutching a red pillow to her chest, accepting that she was most likely getting ahead of herself. "I'm sorry, Artemis," she murmured sadly, "I just don't want to be alone anymore." The white cat's eyes were sympathetic and he padded closer to her, resting a paw on her thigh. She reached down to pet him, "She was hurting so much…" her whisper died, lost in the sound of footsteps overhead. Artemis wisely chose to pretend he hadn't heard her, letting Minako deal with her thoughts on her own.

They were both silent, sitting together in the darkened room, lost in their own memories of the Silver Millennium.

Minako's thoughts perversely clung to happier times, deliberately blocking Endymion and his Shitennou from her mind. In her memories, she could find the comfort and camaraderie with the girls that had been denied to her in this life.

Artemis, however, deliberately focused on his memories of the final battle. All five girls had been dressed in their finest gowns for Serenity's birthday. The theme had apparently been something requiring formal attire as every lady present was decked out in shades of white and the men garbed in black jackets and pants. The effect had been stunning against the pristine, white tile of the ballroom. But he took no joy in the image, waiting for Serenity's descent, and the horror that would follow as soon as she took Endymion's hand.

A heartbreaking sigh from Minako jolted him out of his memories and into high alert. Sighs like that always set him on edge because it meant something had happened that she didn't want to tell him about, even though she knew she had to. "Minako-chan?"

She refused to look at him, heaving another heavy sigh. Finally, she spoke, "Please don't get angry, Artemis…" Her pleading tone set the cat's nerves further on edge. "There's something else about the battle that I have yet to tell you about."

Artemis perched completely on her leg, waiting for her to continue, mind racing over several possibilities.

"They know I'm the Princess," she confessed quickly, the terrible sentence hanging in the air. Saying it brought her no relief, rather having it out in the open made it all the more real. Her eyes dry, her chin up, she accepted what this meant.

Artemis hissed darkly, his claws unintentionally sinking into the soft flesh of her thigh. "How?"

Wincing at the pain of his needle-sharp claws, but making no move to shift them, Minako murmured, "I threw myself between Sailor Moon and Kunzite, taking the blow he meant for her."

Artemis had heard this already, when she explained away her injuries. "Yes, yes," he muttered, impatiently, retracting his claws as he shifted on her leg.

Ignoring him, Minako continued, "Well, Sailor Mars tried to stop me and shouted, 'No, Princess!' within Kunzite's earshot. He moved to grab me, but Mercury drove him back with an ice storm attack and Tuxedo Kamen carried me off the battlefield."

"That stupid little…"

"Now, Artemis, stop. I should be grateful Mars is taking her role as guardian so seriously. She took on the Shitennou single-handedly to buy time for the others to warn me to stay away from the shrine. She couldn't have known that I would come anyway. She was furious to see me there." A half-smile formed on her lips and Artemis realized that she was proud of Mars.

He sighed, "This makes everything worse."

"I don't know about that…" Minako mused thoughtfully. "We'll have to be more careful, of course, but this turn of events should…" her sentence ended there, not quite able to convince herself that any real positives could come from this.

Artemis paced the length of the bed, knowing the danger to his charge had just increased immeasurably. Consumed by the thought of losing her, he was unable to offer her any reassurances.

"Well, I'll just stress to the girls that they must protect Usagi at all times." At Artemis's confused look, Minako continued, "As my cousin, she would be next in line for my title, and therefore, should be able to wield the Ginzuishou as well. As long as Beryl can still be destroyed, I won't lament sacrificing myself."

Rising, she studied her reflection in the sliding glass door to her balcony. "They adore her, Artemis. She's everything they need." Her cat was silent behind her, desperate to find a way to protest her line of thinking. "What we had is lost in the past, as dead as Queen Serenity. I don't know how to resurrect it, how to find their friendship again. My only purpose in this time is to make them stronger, to lead them to victory against the darkness that took everything from them. Even as I cannot restore their lovers to them, perhaps neither can they be restored to me." Her voice was flat, devoid of hope, the only clue to her emotions the silent tears dripping down her cheeks.

Artemis rubbed his body against her calf, unable to find the words to soothe his charge and chase the gloom from her heart. He could only stare at the moon, pleading for answers.

/\/\/\/\

Across town, Usagi was curled in Mamoru's lap, his arms clasped tightly about her, his head buried in her loosened hair. She knew he was clinging to her out of his long-suppressed fear for her life, so she let him hold her.

Mamoru's mind replayed every second of danger his precious girl had been in. He knew she had done what she had to do, racing into the lion's den and facing down Kunzite on her own, but that knowledge didn't make this easier. What if he hadn't gotten there in time? What if he hadn't noticed Kunzite's approach in the clearing? Worse still, what if Venus hadn't risked her life for Usagi's? He clutched the pliant girl still tighter, ignoring her involuntary mewl of pain.

Usagi gasped for air as she was crushed into Mamoru's chest. Unsure how comfort him, she slipped a hand into his hair, gently massaging his scalp. His head snapped up, his tragic blue eyes boring into hers, causing her heart to lurch at the pain she saw eating at her strong love.

Mamoru twisted her suddenly, pulling her head towards him, bringing her lips down on his in a desperate, possessive kiss that shocked and thrilled the little blonde to her toes. The hand still tangled in his hair clenched tightly, tugging at the glossy black strands. Mamoru, in turn, gripped the back of her head, holding her in place, as if afraid she would try to escape him. His other arm remained tightly wrapped about her waist, fusing her upper body with his, flattening her curves into the broad plane of his chest.

Usagi whimpered against his lips, dragging her free hand down from his shoulder, wedging it between their chests in an attempt to gain enough room to inflate her lungs. As she moved, she brushed Mamoru's nipple and he froze in her arms. Confused as to what had stopped him, she began to pull back. Mamoru growled softly in protest, the sound unexpectedly heating her blood. She leaned into his body in response and their kiss slowed, becoming more passionate, but no less fierce.

Usagi was so lost in the kiss that she didn't realized Mamoru had shifted her onto to the couch until she registered the weight of his body on hers. Her eyes flew open in surprise, finding him watching her. He broke the kiss, looming over her and waiting for her to say something. His eyes roamed over her flushed face, tangled hair, and askew sailor blouse. He dropped his head, burying it in the crook of her neck, silently cursing her youth. She was only 15, he reminded himself, forcing his desire for her to relinquish control of his mind.

"Mamo-chan?" Usagi murmured, worried about her boyfriend.

"Sorry, Usako," he muttered, lifting his head and dropping a kiss on her nose. "I'm okay now." He lifted himself off her and waited for her to right her blouse and sit up. He stared vacantly at the TV. "I've never been so scared in my life," he confessed, running a hand through his hair, using his fear for her safety as a cover for his hormones.

Usagi curled against him, linking her hand with his. "I was scared, too," she murmured. "I was terrified Kunzite would..." she couldn't continue the sentence, it still scared her.

Mamoru reclined, throwing his head back. Usagi followed, fitting her body comfortably against him, her head resting on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart. "Usako, would you … I mean …" Mamoru floundered, not knowing how to broach the subject, but needing to ask. Usagi stared up at the flustered man, waiting for him to pull it together. "Stay with me tonight." It hung in the air like a question, even though he wanted to demand she stay.

Usagi smiled softly, nodding her agreement. She hated being separated from him, he knew that, so she was surprised he'd had so much trouble suggesting she stay. Her agreement seemed to relax him, and he shifted so that he could cradle her against him more comfortably. Though she still wanted to ask him about Minako's comments earlier, she wasn't ready to ruin this moment. She closed her eyes tightly, imagining that they were two normal people in a normal world.

/\/\/\/\

Mamoru awoke first, bothered by the numbness in his arms and legs. Glancing down at the sleeping girl on his chest, his first thought was of how beautiful she was as she slept. He trailed one finger softly down her nose and over her lips, smiling in satisfaction when she slightly shivered and parted her lips. But there was no way to kiss her from his current angle. Reluctant to wake her, he attempted to shift her body so that he could carry her to his room. He gave up on that attempt when he belatedly remembered that she had not told her parents she wouldn't be home.

Usagi woke slowly to Mamoru's insistent shaking. "What? Is it time for school?" she grumbled sleepily.

Mamoru's laugh woke her fully, startling her out of her dream. She was overjoyed to find him there, since she had been dreaming so sweetly about him. Unfortunately, the words he spoke weren't quite what she had been expecting. "You need to call home, Usako, before it gets any later." She groaned, but nodded, pushing herself away from him and padding towards the phone. "I'll make us something to eat while you do that." Mamoru brushed a gentle kiss against her temple as he walked past her into the kitchen.

/\/\/\/\

Mamoru and Usagi retreated to his bedroom with plates of yakisoba and a DVD in their hands. Curling up in the middle of his large bed, the couple contentedly enjoyed their dinner and movie. Usagi had changed out of her school uniform and into an old T-shirt of Mamoru's, her long hair damp from a quick shower while Mamoru had finished cooking. The recent late nights and the physical exertions of the day caught up with the small blonde quickly, however, and she was asleep beside him before the movie ended.

Shaking his head ruefully at the softly snoring girl in his bed, Mamoru turned the movie off and gathered up their plates, hastily dumping them in the sink, anxious to wrap his body around his angelic girlfriend. As soon as he slipped beneath the sheets to lie beside her, she burrowed into him, tangling her bare legs with his as if to hold him to her. He drifted off to sleep quickly, wishing he would never have to sleep without her beside him again.