I stared, lost in the hazel eyes of the man standing beside me. My heart stopped. I had never expected to see him here.

"Caden," he said, resting a hand on the back of my chair. "Is that you?"

Before I realized what was happening, I was being pulled up out of my chair and into a tight hug. As I wrapped my arms around him to return the hug, my face burned. Not from embarrassment, but from shame. At one time in my life, this man was my best friend.

And I had forgotten him completely.

He pulled away and smiled at me. "How have you been?" I felt my heart melt at the sight of his smile.

"I've been good," I answered. "What about yourself?"

"Surviving," he joked. He released me and took a step back, taking in those I was seated with. He then turned back to me. "Where've you been? It's been years." I could hear the pain in his voice as he said this and my heart broke.

"Japan," I said. "I help run a Shinto temple." I also used to fight monsters before I was severely injured that nearly resulted in my death, I added in my head.

"Explains your friends," he said. "Which I have been rude to." He turned to my friends and smiled. "The name is Darren. I'm an old friend of Caden's."

"Not all that old," Minako replied. Her eyes flickered, taking Darren's body in. I could understand Minako's interest. True, I liked girls, but Darren had a body that made anyone swoon, male, female, gay, or straight. But she in for a rude awakening.

Darren turned back to me. "Shaun and Kelly are here."

Two more people I had forgotten.

"Where," I asked, looking behind Darren and scanning the crowd.

"Getting lunch," he said. "Is it cool if we sit with you?"

"Of course you may join us," Usagi replied.

"I'll be back, then." Darren smiled and turned to head back toward the lunch line.

I sat back down, my eyes watching him disappear in the crowd.

"Caden, who was that," Minako asked.

"An old friend," I replied, still slightly dazed.

"He's more than just a friend," Rei replied, amusement in her voice.

I sighed. "Darren and I were high school friends. He move from Ireland the summer before my freshman year and his junior year. He lived next door to me and knew what kind of home I grew up in. He did his best to protect me from what he could of it."

"He sounds like a good man," Mamoru commented.

I nodded. "He is."

"Why haven't you mentioned him before," Michiru asked. "The way you talk about your life, there was nothing good in it."

I chuckled. "I have a tendency to hold onto the bad."

"No kidding," Rei commented with a smirk.

I smiled at my girlfriend. "The reason I didn't mention him was, honestly, I forgot all about him. Before I met you guys, I dated a girl who, before we got together, was great. After that though..,"

I sighed, shaking my head. "I should back up a bit. Darren and I went to high school on the East coast. When Darren graduated high school, he was offered a job to join a band an online friend of his had started. He didn't want to take it because he'd be leaving me at home with my psycho of a mother for at least another two years on my own. I convinced him to go and he did. After I graduated, I moved out here with him.

"Things were...okay. They weren't great but they were more stable than when I was living with my mom. I met a girl who was great. Until we started dating. And then it was like I was dating my mother. She was abusive, to say the least. Not physically, but verbally and mentally. We eventually broke it off. I was in a dark place and that's when our mutual friend Kelly told me how she felt."

"The Kelly Darren just went to get," Ami asked.

I nodded. "It turned out, we weren't very suited for each other, either. We were just better off friends. And that was fine. But a lot of other things were going on; Darren was basically taking care of me finacially and I felt like I was straining the friendship of our group. I wa manic depressive. I should have been on medication but at the time I didn't realize that was the probelm. Even if I did, I would have been too stubborn to take it anyway. So I left and went back to the only place I knew. A few weeks later I was in a coma. My life changed drastically then."

"But you had been back for a year before coming back home," Rei said. "You didn't contact him in all that time?"

I sighed and shook my head. "And I don't even know why. I just...shut down, I guess. I loved it where I was and nothing else compared. So I tried to just focus on myself and get through one day at a time. That meant I shut everything else out." I shrugged. "But to be fair, he didn't try to contact me, either."

The group was quiet. Rei sighed and rubbed the side of her head with her fingers. "Are you okay, Rei," Usagi asked.

"I have a slight headache," she answered. "I've had one since I woke up this morning."

I looked on with concern; Rei never got headaches.

"So you were gonna off yourself over some girl," Mako-chan asked. "No offense, but that's really stupid."

"Makoto," Ami hissed at her wife.

I chuckled. "Its ok, Mako-chan is right. It -is- stupid." I sighed, trying to explain. "I was in a bad place emotionally. I have the unfortunate trait of holding onto the bad in my life. I rarely focus on the good stuff. So I'm always waiting for things to just fall apart. And that's what they did. They fell apart. The breakups weren't the reasons; they were simply the catalyst."

"I don't understand," Usagi said. I smiled. She, of course, wouldn't. It wasn't for Usagi, or the others for that matter, to really know depression the way I did.

"Her attempted suicide would have happened regardless," Haruka said. "There was no avoiding it."

There was silence. It occured to me that only Rei, Michiru and especially Haruka knew just how bad my mental issues were when I was younger. I think it took the rest of the group by surprise.

"You don't feel like that anymore though," Usagi asked quietly. "Right?"

I gave a small smile. "Most days, no. But it's something I'll most likely deal with the rest of my life. It has gotten easier though." I turned toward Rei and my smile grew.

"Aww," I heard Minako gush. My expression grew annoyed and my friends laughed at me. I couldn't help but to chuckle as well.

"Cadence!" The voice was shrieking and made my spine tingle and the hair on my neck stand up. Only -he- would called me that.

We all looked over to see a very large man come charging toward us. I quickly stood up and braced myself for the impact. He was holding a few bags of chips and wrapped subs but he threw them over his shoulder so he could wrap his massive arms around me and lift me from the ground in a tight bear hug.

Ah, Shaun. The best way to describe him would be a big black woman trapped in a big black man's body. He was caring and supportive but would not hesitate to smack a bitch if she, or he, really deserved or needed it. He was also the gayest man I had ever known and could put the most feminine woman to shame with his style and grace.

None of which he was using right now, though.

"Cadence," he squealed again, hugging me tighter and lifting me higher from the ground. "It's been AGES!"

I laughed and squirmed, trying to get out of his embrace. Shaun finally set me down and smiled brightly at me. I took in his costume and mentally groaned. I'm sure he was doing this to be funny, but he was dressed as Sailor Pluto. Shaun was a big boy, to say the least. I saw more of him in that skin tight outfit than I cared to. "Cadence, it's been far too long, honey!"

Ah yes, my full name. Only Shaun would say it. And only he could get away with it.

"Cadence," I heard Michiru say. I didn't have to look at her. I knew she was smiling at me. I could hear giggles from the others as well. I will never hear the end of them using my full name. Fuck.

"Hi, Caden," came a soft voice behind Shaun. I peeked around Shaun and saw Kelly walking toward us with Darren, who had collected all of Shaun's discarded food. Kelly is a tiny little girl. How tiny, you ask? Usagi, the shortest person in our group, is taller than Kelly. But being of Irish descent, her tiny frame hid a loud and boistruous personality. She could also drink anyone under the table.

"Hey, Kel," I smiled and waved. I took in her bright yellow biker outfit and chuckled. "The Bride? Really?" I spyed her katana strapped to her back and my eyebrow raised. "Is that real?"

Kelly chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, but con rules state I must keep it sheathed. Which is fine, I don't know how to use it anyway."

"Caden does," Minako said loudly. "She's really good with a sword!"

I groaned and turned toward Minako in time to see Makoto nudge the blond in the arm.

"You can use a katana, Caden," Darren asked, amazed. "Since when?"

I turned back toward my friend. "Since moving to Japan. I studied at the shrine for relaxation reasons. There is something very soothing about going through the motions."

"You have to tell us about your time in Japan" Shaun said excitedly "How about we leave here and hang out the rest of the day at the house?" I looked at Darren and Kelly and they both seemed keen on the idea. I looked towards my friends, unsure of how they'd feel about it.

"That's a wonderful idea," Usagi said just as I turned toward her. "I, personally, would like to get to know more about Caden's old friends." Usagi stood as she spoke and the others followed suit.

I turned back toward Darren. "I guess we're going to your place."

Darren, Shaun, and Kelly waited while the others and I went to our rooms to change into normal street clothes. Rei and I were the quickest to change and headed back down to the lobby on our own. While riding the elevator down, Rei gently took my hand into hers and squeezed it.

"You seem distracted," she commented. "You okay?"

I shrugged. "I guess. A lot has changed in the past few years. I didn't realize how much until I saw my old friends today."

Rei stepped closer and leaned into my side, resting her head on my shoulder as her arms hung loosely around my waist. I brought my left arm up around the back of her shoulders and gave a firm squeeze. "Do you miss them?"

"...I didn't until I saw them," I answered slowly, but honestly. "I mean, I guess they were always in the back of my mind, just like the rest of my past. I just didn't actually sit and think about it. Not like I did when I left you. You were always on my mind when I woke up. I honestly missed you more and the life we could have had."

"Could have had," Rei asked, pulling away just enough to look up at me.

"Before I knew you were really real," I said, grinning. "I meant during the year I thought it was all a dream."

Rei smiled at me before putting her head back against my shoulder. She knew that but wanted to see me squirm. Brat.

The elevator dinged, indicating we had reached the first floor. Rei pulled away and we exited, looking around for Darren and the others. I walked a step ahead of Rei and scanned the lobby, my hands slipping into the front pocket of my hoodie.

"Caden, over here!"

I turned and saw Darren waving at me from a corner just a few feet from the elevator. Rei and I walked over to him and his eyes widened a bit.

"I figured you were wearing a wig," Darren said, "but your hair..." He reached out slid his hand back through my shoulder length locks. "This is the longest I've seen your hair since high school."

I chuckled. "Yeah, I buzzed it and Rei, well.." I trailed off and looked at my better half, my smile growing.

"I hated it," she said flatly.

Darren, as well the others, laughed.

"Yeah, Rei pretty much has me wrapped around her finger," I said, shrugging. I said it as a joke, but I realized it was true.

"At least you still have your hoodie collection," Kelly said.

"Although," Shaun said, "that outfit you were wearing was the most revealing thing I have ever seen you in." He quirked an eyebrow at Rei. "Your doing?"

"I had no idea until she put it on this morning," Rei answered. "I was just as surprised." Rei gave me a sideways glance and smirked and I smiled. It had been a pleasant surprise, apparently.

The elevator dinged behind us and we turned to see the rest of mine and Rei's friends come spilling out of it. I looked back to Darren and the others and chuckled at the looks of surprise.

"It looks like a clown car," Kelly said, "doesn't it?"

Darren's van, although spacious, could not accommodate all of us. He still lived in the same house he had when I lived with him so my friends and I walked instead while Darren, Shaun, and Kelly drove. The house was just a few blocks from the hotel the con was being held at. It was odd, thinking about it, but there weren't many cars in Crystal Tokyo. While living there I had grown accustomed to walking much farther distances than from the hotel to my old friend's residence. My better half and our friends were much the same.

Darren lived in a small sub division and his street was several away from the entrance. We reached his home, a simple two floor house with a decent sized back yard and attached garage, and had barely broken a sweat. Considering the heat today, I was surprised.

Darren, Shaun, and Kelly were sitting in the garage with the door up. Darren, when he had moved in, had turned the garage into a rec room in which he and his friends would hang out. He had an old set of drums and guitars in one corner opposite of the inside door; on the left side sat an old worn couch and a pair of chairs; opposite of the couch was a small bar and fridge (filled with beer and liquor no doubt) with a large flat screen hanging on the wall above.

Shaun was seated in one of the chairs while Kelly sat at the bar and Darren behind it. He saw us coming up the sidewalk and took a last, long drag off his cigarette before putting it out in the ashtray on the bar. He smiled as Rei and I entered the garage first, followed closely by the others.

"I see you had no trouble finding the place," he said, taking a swig of beer.

I noticed the three of them had changed into regular clothes before we had arrived. I was tnakful I didn't have to see Shaun in that fuku anymore.

"I could find this place in my sleep," I said. "No matter how long I've been away."

I saw a dark emotion dance through Darren's eyes for just a moment before it vanished and he smiled. "I can't believe you walked here. You have changed. You wouldn't have walked farther than you needed to last time I saw you."

"We do a lot of walking back home," Rei said, sliding up onto an extra bar stool.

"It's true," Minako said, sitting on another stool at the end of the bar. I noticed it was also closest to Darren. "No one but Haruka owns a car in our group."

"And I take care of my baby," Haruka said proudly. "Had her a long time."

Over a thousand years, I thought to myself.

"Are we talking about the car or Michiru at this point," Makoto asked playfully.

"So Darren," Minako asked, placing her elbows on the bartop and her chin in her hands, "Tell me about yourself."

I laughed. "Uh, Mina-chan, you may want to cool it." I glanced at Shaun and the man was eyeing Minako. The blond paid him, nor I, any attention.

"You may want to heed Caden's warning," Darren said, chuckling. "Minako, was it?"

"Why is that," Minako asked, not even trying to hide the fact she found Darren attarctive.

"Cause you're trying to hit on my man, hussie," Shaun's voice quiped, annoyed.

I laughed as Minako's face paled. Shaun stood and walked behind the bar, standing between Darren and Minako. Shaun wrapped his arm around Darren protectively and Darren placed a kiss on Shaun's smooth cheek. Shaun turned to Darren.

"Love, you need to shave. Don't kiss me again until you do." Shaun then turned back to Minako, throwing daggers with his eyes. I laughed as Minako blushed, moved off the stool and went to sit on the couch.

I laughed and shook my head. How could I have ever forgotten these people?

As the day marched on, I found myself relaxing. The heat of the day gave way to a cool night and we were all still crowded together in the garage. Darren had gone inside to find more chairs shortly after we arrived and several of his neighbors had come over to inspect the 'pretty Asian girls' he had in his home. And what started out as a get together of old friends, soon turned into a block party in Darren's front yard. People brought their own drinks and food and everyone was having a good time.

Sometime before the sun had offcially set, Darren, Kelly, and I got together to have a jam session. I hadn't picked up a guitar in months. I chalked up to the depression I had sunk into after my accident. But my hands moved of their own accord as Kelly banged out rythems on the drums and Darren played and sang beside me. It was like the last few years of my life had never happened, the way we three synced up.

Darren had been the one to teach me to play guitar. Music had always been his passion and when I had met him, he eagerly taught me what he knew. I had loved music before then, but his passion was what drove me to learn to play in the first place.

We played for several hours, taking requests from Darren's neighbors. My friends sat in awe as we played, I noticed. Its true they had seen me play with Chibiusa and her band on a few occasions, but this was different. They were seeing me as I was in the past, before the darkness in my mind had swallowed me up.

The night dragged on and, eventually, the impromptu party began to thin. Darren's neighbors left to nurse their hangovers. Shaun had gone to bed several hours before citing beauty sleep. Kelly had left sometime ago as well. It was apparent my friends were tired as well and while I too felt myself becoming heavy with fatigue, I couldn't seem to pull myself away. Rei seemed to sense this and told the others to head back to the hotel and that she and I would follow soon after.

I found myself sitting alone at the bar with Rei beside me. Darren had gone inside for a moment which left the priestess and I sitting in a comfortable silence.

"You seemed to have had fun tonight," Rei said softly. "At least, more than you've had in a great while."

I nodded. While it was true I had enjoyed myself and let myself go, something about the way Darren began to act toward the end of the night had me concerned. He had seemed very happy to have found me earlier in the day but the more he had drank, the less cheerful he became. No one else seemed to have noticed but me.

"How's your headache," I asked. "Do you still have it?"

Rei nodded. "I'll take something when we get back to the hotel."

"I'm sure Darren has something," I said, standing from the bar and smiling.

Rei smiled at me. "I'm fine, really."

"Darren won't mind, love," I said as I reached the door, opening it. "I'll be right back."

I walked into the house. The garage door was connected to the kitchen and I walked in to find Darren leaning with his back against the counter, looking down at the floor.

"Where are your pain killers," I asked. "Rei has a headache and I told her you wouldn't mind."

Darren didn't move for several long minutes. Then he brought up the beer bottle I hadn't seen from his side before taking a swig.

"I thought you had died, you know," he said, his Irish accent thick. He looked up at me and I saw that same dark cloud I had seen earlier when I first arrived at his house. "A few weeks after you just up and left, I get a phone call from that bitch of a mother of yours, telling me how it was my fault her 'baby girl' was in a coma and was on the verge of death." He straightened up to his full height and I instinctively took a step back. Darren wouldn't hurt me, I knew that. But my time with the senshi and fighting youma had made me wary and battle ready.

"Not only are you not dead, but you're living in Japan," he asked. "How long have you been there?"

"Few years," I answered.

"And how did you get there? Why are you there?"

"A friend needed a favor," I answered honestly. "When that favor was done, I moved in with Rei."

Darren narrowed his eyes and growled, "And you never thought to call me?"

"Honestly," I said. "No."

Darren yelled and threw his bottle against the wall over the counter he had just been leaning on. "All of this time I've thought you were dead! Why in the hell did you NOT call me? Email me? SOMETHING!"

I stood in silence. I had no answer to his questions so I didn't attempt to give one.

"Do you have any idea what I've been through concerning you," he demanded.

"Do you know what Caden's been through?!"

I startled and turned to see Rei standing in the doorway behind me. Her eyes were narrowed, staring Darren down. I wondered if he knew what kind of trouble he was in.

"No one asked you for your opinion," Darren spat out.

Rei stepped up beside me, one step in front of me in a defensive gesture. "You have no right to yell at her the way you are," Rei said evenly. I could hear her anger, though.

"This is none of your business," Darren said.

"It is," Rei responded heatedly. "She's my partner and I will protect her from what I can. That includes her so called best friend. Do you know how many times she nearly died in the last few yea-"

"Rei-chan," I said calmly, speaking Japanese. "I know you want him to understand, but he can't know. No matter what you say to him, he wouldn't understand it. And for everyone's sake, he can't know it."

Rei turned to me, her face worried. "Caden.."

"It's ok, really." I gave her a reassuring smile.

"What the fuck are you saying," Darren yelled at us. We turned back to him and he shook his head. "Ya know what? It doesn't matter. Just get the fuck out."

I sighed and went to the door, waiting for Rei to pass through it first. I turned back to Darren, wanting to tell him I never meant for anything like this to ever happen come between us.

"Darren," I started, but unsure what to say.

"Get out, Caden," he said hoarsely. "I never want to see you again."

Holy shit, this chapter...This chapter, as sucky as it is, is what held up the story for so long. I breezed through it and I'm sure it shows. I hope you forgive me for that and for taking so long.