Title: A Kiss In The Dark
Author: Princess Destiny
Email: In Profile
Author's Homepage: destinysgateway DOT com
Rating: M 15+
Summary: 'One Hour Challenge' #1 and 657 Combined: Response Fanfic. Eleven years ago, Mamoru's father married Usagi's mother. It's now almost Usagi's sixteenth birthday and she has to juggle her secret life as Sailor Moon, on top of school and a job at Motoki's shop. Her life is turned even more upside down when she begins to suspect the masked hero she is falling in love with is actually her awful step-brother!
Genre: Romance/UST/Comedy/Adventure/Action/Angst
Couple: Usagi/Mamoru, Rei/Mamoru
Category: SMTK
Chapters: 27/29
Status: Unfinished
Year Completed: N/A
Size: 783 KB

Comments: Hi everyone! Wow, the reviews for this Fanfic have passed 800! I'm utterly delighted that I was able to write something that you all enjoyed this much. Thank you! You have no idea how much it means to me to have your feedback, good and bad. I take your advise to heart and try and improve on my writing and plot.

Mamoru is a shocker in this Chapter. He finally brings up 'the kiss' in a conversation very pointedly. And as he is Endymion, he doesn't curb his words or his growing feelings for Usagi. She in turn, starts to realise that her feelings for him are more than sisterly. :)

I've just started a new computer game called 'Assassin's Creed'. The graphics are awsome, but I'm not sure about the storyline yet. I guess I'll see how it goes!

Reviewer Response: Actually Serenity-hime, I did always intend to have Rei turn out to be Mamoru's cousin, so things worked out well. I just made the scene happen a little faster than intended because of the reviewers asking that they break up, or she die. LOL

Got a Sailor Moon Fanfic? Come on over to destinysgateway DOT com,
the Official Fanfiction Archives for the 'Sailor Moon And Tuxedo Kamen'
pairing! We would love for you to submit your Fanfiction to the Archives.

A KISS IN THE DARK

By Princess Destiny

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Without thinking, Rei's eyes went again to Mamoru's.

"What is it?" Usagi demanded, blue eyes narrowing on them both with suspicion. "I have this feeling that you're still hiding something." Something other than the two having broken up and what to tell the Senshi. Call her paranoid, but she felt that she knew Mamoru and Rei better than that! She might have just accepted their explanation on things, if not for the surreptitious looks the two kept exchanging.

As if they were trying to communicate a warning to each other not to blurt out something important.

Rei shrugged delicately, as if nothing was wrong. "I think that you're imagining things," She said rather insultingly, rolling her purple eyes skyward. "Isn't hiding that Mamoru is Tuxedo Kamen, and that it's he who has new powers, enough of a problem?"

As long as Mamoru kept his cool, his sister wouldn't figure out what was going on. And frankly, unless her memories of Serenity were advancing swiftly inside of the blonde's mind, she would never be able to figure it out in a million years. Not even in her dreams, would she have considered that her brother was a Prince in a past life, or that Rei was his cousin.

Mamoru's lids dropped for a few seconds as he looked assessingly from the Priestess to the girl who had been reborn as his sister. His lips pressed together and his hands clenched into fists. He wanted to tell Usagi so badly. So much... But she wasn't ready. The blonde would certainly think his a candidate for the loony bin if she heard that he thought he was a prince in a past incarnation. Yeah, that would go down well, he thought sarcastically.

Besides, both he and Rei saying that Usagi was imagining things was starting to look very much like they were hiding something.

"Hmm," The Senshi of the Moon felt doubt creep into her mind. Maybe there was nothing else going on, after all. She was tired, she was stressed and she had been imagining the years stretching out before Rei, filled with pain from her back injury. The doctors had not even been certain that she would wake up from her coma.

Usagi felt tears start into her eyes, and she had to turn away slightly to hide it. She was so happy that her best friend was okay. So, so, very happy.

Even though she was hiding her emotions by angling her body away from them both, Mamoru knew his step-sister well enough to know what she was feeling right then. He smiled slightly and put a warm arm about her waist, hugging her to his side. For a moment, she relaxed into him, and then she yanked away, eyes flashing.

Usagi would have gladly stayed in his comforting embrace, but she felt somehow that she had no right. Not in front of his girlfriend, and not because of what had happened between the siblings. A forbidden kiss. A relationship that was perhaps not as innocent as it should be between a brother and sister. Mamoru and she had always invaded each other's personal space and shared hugs, but now it all felt...wrong. "Good," She said sweetly, aiming a penetrating look at them both. "Because if you two happened to be hiding something from me, I'd have to beat you black and blue...well, okay, so I'd beat up my brother, not Rei." She amended with a grin.

The Priestess In Training grinned back, delighted that Usagi seemed to be acting more like her usual self. God only knew, it was Rei who was not feeling like normal. Sailor Mars seemed to have taken a back seat in her mind, but the memories were flowing free and fast through their mind and it was very distracting and not a little scary for Rei. "Thank you,"

"Yeah, thanks," Mamoru glowered at Usagi and crossed his arms, trying to look irritated. Inwardly, he was thrilled that Usagi seemed to be getting back to normal. It was been such a horrible incident for them all, when Rei had been laying there so injured. He hadn't been entirely sure that if the girl had not recovered, Usagi would ever have been the same again. "How utterly loving of you, sis." He growled.

The two girls giggled and the tense atmosphere was dispelled.

"Personally, I feel as if a truck ran over me," Rei groaned, even though she was not in pain. But she did feel very world-weary and exhausted by it all. She had been badly hurt and although Endymion had healed her, her body knew what it had been through. When the siblings turned their head to look at her in concern, she shook her head. "It's not my injuries, I'm just really worn out."

Well, that had to be true, Mamoru mused silently, eyes going over her form as if seeking reassurance that she was fine. Endymion had healed Mars' wounds, but not dispelled the exhaustion Rei must be feeling right now. It was to be expected; they were all feeling pretty awful after such an intense battle.

"Can I get you some water or something? Pain-killers? Food?" Usagi asked brightly. She reached for one of Rei's slender hands and held it tightly in both of hers. She was so relieved that Tuxedo Kamen had suddenly gotten a new power that she could have cried. Even if the driving force behind it was the Rainbow Crystal.

The Dark Kingdom had almost triumphed there, and it would have been bad for the entire world. Despite her efforts, things had gone through the blonde's mind. About what Rei would have done in the future if she hadn't woken up, or had been paralysed. She would have come to live with the Chiba's, of course, so that Usagi could look after her.

A finger flick to Usagi's forehead brought the girl out of her sad thoughts and she glowered at her step-brother as he smirked at her. "Hey!" She protested, tempted to kick him in the leg.

"Stop thinking bad thoughts. Rei is okay-"

"I'm okay." The Priestess broke in anxiously in agreement, squeezing her best friend's fingers.

"And if you think about what could have happened, then you'll go crazy." Mamoru went on gently, a finger reaching out to touch the dark circles under Usagi's eyes with one finger. He would have dearly loved to take her into his arms, but she had already pulled away from him once tonight. "You need some sleep." He murmured.

"I'm okay, but yeah, I need some sleep," She yawned on queue and flashed them a sheepish look. "And sort of hungry too, as I've already mentioned."

Rei blinked and then smiled. "Yeah, me too. But then, we always get the munchies after a battle."

"Really? Me too," The dark-haired man said with interest, his eyes going from Rei to Usagi, and nothing that their hands were still linked. These girls should have been reincarnated as sisters. What a pity that he had turned out as the sibling. If it had been different, perhaps he and Usagi might have been dating while discovering about their past lives.

And healing someone, it seemed, took a lot out of him. Mamoru was ready to curl up into a chair and sleep. He would have to remember that the next time the Senshi were injured. Oh! And he had to call Hideki and let him know that Rei was alright now. Long explanations were in order and he winced at the thought.

"Ami and Makoto..." The Senshi of Mars said suddenly, realising what had been nagging at the back of her mind. How could she have forgotten her two other friends?! "Are they here?" She asked innocently, as if she didn't already know they were on the roof. She had sensed them earlier, but it had slipped her mind.

Usagi straightened and reluctantly released Rei's hand. "Oh, I didn't tell them you're okay!" She exclaimed, smacking herself on the forehead.

"Perhaps we should get our story straight first?" Rei said worriedly, a frown between her brows. God only knew what her friends had been going through, keeping guard on the roof and knowing that their friend was laying below badly hurt. They didn't know that she was well! She threw back the covers for the second time that night and started inching out of the bed. "Mamoru, you should go and grab them." She ordered. "They must have figured out that Mamoru knows I'm Sailor Mars. I wonder if they know he's Tuxedo Kamen?"

Usagi and Mamoru quickly leapt forward and forced the girl back into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She stared at them like they were nuts.

"They don't know about me being a super hero," He muttered, looking annoyed. She was just going to leap out of bed after all his efforts in healing her? "Good lord, Sha'fra, try and fight your impulsive nature." Mamoru said into her ear, rolling his eyes in exasperation. Her pet name just rolled off of his tongue without him realising. She gaped at him a little and then nodded.

Usagi hadn't heard a word and her expression was still scolding. "Not that I don't trust Mamoru's fab new power, Rei, but have a little sense!" The blonde's fingers smoothed over the bed sheet and then she sank back. "I'll feel better when the doctor has confirmed that everything is okay."

"Exactly!" Her brother said, nodding firmly. As a future doctor himself, he knew that looking fine and actually being fine were too different things.

"Stop fussing, for Mars' sake," Rei spluttered, not knowing whether to be angry or laugh at them. She felt fine. Better than fine. And because her past self had awakened inside of her, and had been a healer, she knew that her body was completely uninjured now. In fact, she felt sort of wired at the same time as feeling tired. How weird.

Usagi smiled and brushed her fringe out of her eyes. It was sort of fun to mother Rei. "Please let us fuss," She said whimsically. "We almost lost you."

The Priestess's purple eyes went first to Mamoru and then to her friend's and she sighed. "Alright," She said expansively, holding her arms out as if to totally embrace whatever babying the two were likely to give her. "Feel free to mother me."

"We're not that bad, pyro," The Senshi of the Moon tried to look offended, but a giggle broke through.

"More importantly, what do we tell the other two?" Mamoru said lazily, smiling at the two girls. They were as close as sisters and had been that way in the past. He foresaw an even deeper relationship building between the two now that Rei had her past memories back.

"Oh, and Motoki figured the secret out." Rei blurted without thinking. She could have smacked herself on the forehead for letting that one out of the bag, when both Mamoru and Usagi gave her identical stunned looks.

"What?!" The siblings almost shouted, feeling shocked.

"He did?" Usagi said weakly, covering her eyes with one hand. Was this a bad thing, or a good thing? Not that Motoki couldn't keep his mouth shut, because she trusted that he would. But damn it, that was another person who had found out about the Senshi's secrets. Who was next-her mom?

Mamoru was more positive than the other two. "What did you expect?" He demanded, "You girls are never really very careful around him. He was bound to discover it one day." Yeah, he was one to talk. He had lived in the same house and only found out recently that Usagi was Sailor Moon. It was only after his eyes had been opened that all the clues had hit him. The girls were always talking secretly about something, they disappeared at all times of the day and night...not to mention Luna. How many cats had a crescent moon on the forehead? Oh, but Usagi didn't know that he knew their cat was a Moon Guardian yet. "Let me guess, you talked about Senshi business while eating food at the Arcade?"

Usagi and Rei stared at him for a moment. "Yeah," They said at last.

"So, what do we tell the girls?" Usagi said tentatively.

"Maybe seeing a Senshi leaving this room will convince the doctors and then our families," Mamoru mused, eyebrows drawn together in thoughts. But that wouldn't convince the Senshi themselves. What were they going to say to Ami and Makoto?

"Brilliant!" The Senshi of the Moon exclaimed, throwing her step-brother a pleased smile. He smiled back and things seemed get less tense between them. She was really much too tired to over-analysing anything right now anyway.

"How about they leave by the window instead?" Rei suggested lightly. "It would save explanations-and the press from ambushing one of us when we come out of the hospital."

"Hmm, and what do we tell the other Senshi?" Mamoru murmured, considering what to tell Ami and Makoto.

"What? The energy is Tuxedo Kamen?" Jupiter said, throwing her friend an incredulous look.

Tuxedo Kamen, the guy who could fly like superman and throw roses with sharp ends was suddenly displaying a funky power?

Her green eyes narrowed in suspicion. Wasn't this a little convenient or something to that effect? Sailor Mars was down for the count, the Dark Kingdom had sprung a surprise attack on them, and the hero had been a trail of dust on the horizon by the time Jupiter and Mercury had gotten back to their friends.

The blue-haired Senshi blinked as she continued to study the findings on her little computer. She stroked a finger along the side of the warm metal, wondering absently what it was made of. Just having it in her hands, and being the only Sailor Senshi who could use it, made her feel more part of the team. "It isn't dark energy. I'd almost say it was-well, it was almost like a Senshi power. It seemed earth-bound."

Which meant, quite frankly, that the dark-haired man was not the enemy. Not if his power was free of Dark Kingdom energy. That fact was both a relief and a worry. He wasn't part of the alien forces invading their planet, but he wasn't exactly acting on the side of good. He stole the Rainbow Crystals from the enemy before the Sailor Senshi could, he used to rob jewellery stores to find the Mystical Silver Crystal, and although he helped them out and rescued Sailor Moon sometimes, he had his own agenda.

"I'm stumped with this one, Jupiter. I would have said that Tuxedo Kamen was a good guy, basically, but he takes the Rainbow Crystals for his own purpose. However, this new power of his...we've never seen it before, so I have to assume it's just new. Sort of like when we get a power-up." She admitted quietly, linking arms with the other girl and dragging her down the hall.

Dragging because her friend had been sidetracked by a handsome doctor staring at them.

"Hi there," The brunette waved at him as she was yanked forcefully down the hall. Jupiter smirked at her friend. "Oh, if that's all... Umm, what did you just say?!" She friend said uncertainly, Mercury's words suddenly sinking in. Tuxedo Kamen was a virtual stranger, and he had no special powers, but he was old and stronger than them. They also had no real idea what he was after, other than stealing their Rainbow Crystals. What if he was working for the Dark Kingdom secretly? Either way, he was now also a liability. And he had lethal roses. "Okay, so he's not a bad guy. You're positive?"

The Senshi of Mercury frowned, looking restless. "How can I be one hundred percent certain of that?" She replied. "I only know that the computer can tell whether he's got Dark Energy inside of him...and he doesn't. His power, which I've never picked up on before, is very pure like a Sailor Senshi's." This fact troubled her greatly. There was no such thing as a female Sailor Senshi!

"Earth-bound? You mean, he has the powers of Earth?" Jupiter said uncertainly. She and her fellow Senshi hurried down the hall, their steps getting faster and faster. Although they were pretty certain Tuxedo Kamen wasn't a bad guy, it was worrying why he would release such an amount of power in a hospital. "A little faster, girl." She muttered to Mercury.

"He's hardly a candidate for Sailor Earth," Mercury said wryly, breaking into a run. They were close to Rei's room, but the sense of urgency in her was no longer there. Almost as if she knew there was no danger. The power had not been malicious. It had been a pure blast of energy. He had been drawing from the planet, almost like a Sailor Senshi.

The blue-haired Senshi thought about it, and then it occurred to her how it had happened. This mind-melding taker that had suddenly been inside of their friends. And then, it abruptly became all clear. "Listen, Jupiter, Sailor Moon got injured the other day on the arm. Rei was injured today, and who knows, maybe Tuxedo Kamen was too. Maybe that's how they infected them. Or got into their minds?" She murmured. The Mercury computer was not being very clear on that point.

"That could be it. But Ami-aren't we overreacting a little thinking it's Dark Kingdom related at all? There are other forces in the world we don't understand. Maybe...I thought about this last month and I wondered about our powers. Maybe we aren't the ones using the powers, but the spirit of the Sailor Senshi, " Jupiter said, frowning. "Usagi has been unlike herself for a few weeks now, and she hasn't done anything to us. In fact, that other person in her head helped us destroy a Youma."

"Spirit of the Senshi? As in another entity inside of us? An alien?" The other girl said incredulously. When they used their wands, were they possibly inviting something into their bodies? "Good god, are you suggesting an evolutionary step in their DNA?" Her mouth gaped open at that shocking thought.

Could Makoto be right about the force inside of their friend being something to do with them being Sailor Senshi? What had this other being inside her friend done to harm them? Nothing really. Usagi was acting the same as normal. It was only when she slept, and that time with the building being knocked down, that the second brainwave even appeared. Did the Senshi have a physical form, that leant them it's power when they transformed? The thought was completely startling-and very plausible. Makoto was a bright girl.

"Alright," She conceded. "We might be acting rashly here. Perhaps we should go about this from another angle. Study Usagi and Rei more, and see what they're up to. After all, they don't know what the other people in their head are doing." And whoever was inside of the blonde Leader of the Senshi had actually tried to help by lending her it's power.

"And Tuxedo Kamen?" Jupiter questioned, frowning. "I can't figure out the guy at all. He does like Sailor Moon a lot though."

"We'll have to watch him too. But how can we ask both Usagi and Rei to step down as Senshi?" She asked quietly. "Not to mention alienating an allie like Tuxedo Kamen would put us at a serious disadvantage."

Jupiter slumped, her green eyes staring up at the stars. "Don't forget that we have Sailor Venus-" She suddenly bolted upright. "I wonder why she didn't turn up? Come on, let's go see what's going on in Rei's room." During their conversation, their original objective had somehow been lost. Usagi and Rei and Tuxedo Kamen suddenly having someone inside of their head was rather distracting.

Her friend's eyes widened. "You're right. It only reinforces my suspicion that the blast wasn't malicious. It was in Rei's room. I assumed it was Tuxedo Kamen's other personality that was being so flamboyant." She smacked her hand against her head. "We really have to talk about this another time."

They halted outside of Rei's door, staring at the paneling as if it held all the answers they were looking for. A nurse hurrying down the hall gaped at them before continuing on her way. A bunch of hospital staff and patients were was trailing behind the Senshi at a safe distance, chattering excitedly.

There was even two security guards amongst the crowd, who were eyeing the Senshi rather warily. But they didn't come any closer, which was a relief. No doubt, they had also been searching for the cause of the bright light, but no one had connected it directly to Rei's room yet.

"Our fans followed us here. Yay," The brunette said drolly, grabbing Mercury by the elbow and yanking her to the door. "In we go!"

As they opened the door and stepped into the room, they overheard Mamoru's comment on what to tell them. What on earth was going on here?

"Tell us what?" Sailor Mercury demanded when the occupants of the room seemed to be oblivious to their audience.

The three turned to face the Senshi, faces guilty.

Jupiter exchanged a glance with her blue-haired girl, eyes tense. What was the be guilty about? Unless, no way were their friends hiding what had happened down here. Were they?! 'What went on in here?' And why were Usagi and Rei talking about the Senshi to Mamoru? Oh wait, he knew that his girlfriend was a Senshi.

Wait-three faces?

"Rei?" The two girls exclaimed, rushing into the room. They were still in Senshi form, which occurred to them belatedly. The hospital staff had been suitably impressed as they witnessed the two forms racing through the halls.

"Tuxedo Kamen healed me! We umm-wondered how to tell you. Since you weren't here," The priestess aid pointedly, nodding towards Mamoru as if hinting that he didn't know who they really were. Jupiter and Mercury had no idea that Mamoru was Tuxedo Kamen, or even that he knew they were Makoto and Ami. She then groaned and closed her eyes. Brilliant, now the two were going to ask where the hero had vanished to. "And then he left." She continued rather lamely.

"So my computer was right about it being Tuxedo Kamen," Mercury said in astonishment, throwing her arms about her friend for a quick hug. If the hero had healed Rei, then this different awareness inside of the three of them couldn't be evil. Right?

Jupiter was thinking the same thing, although she said nothing about it. She rushed over to Rei and grabbed her hands, holding them to her cheek in happiness. "I'm so glad you're alright, Rei." She said, closing her eyes in relief.

"Me too," Mercury said tearfully. If the guy had healed their friend, then this was both good news and bad. Good that their friend was no longer dreadfully wounded, and bad because the man they didn't entirely trust had suddenly gained new powers. Put their mind possession thing into the equation and things didn't look so good. He was taking their Princess' Rainbow Crystals for his own reasons. What if he suddenly decided he didn't want to help the Senshi any more? "The Mercury computer went crazy-not that we couldn't see Tuxedo Kamen's flamboyant display from on top of the hospital."

Surreptitiously, the blue-haired girl took out her computer and scanned Rei. All seemed fine. Baring the extra brainwave that had appeared earlier, of course. Right now, there seemed no sign of another mind inside of the raven-haired priestess, or Usagi.

"You were up there?" Mamoru said, brows raising as if he wasn't aware of them having been there. They had told Usagi, of course, and she had informed him. But for now, he had to act clueless.

"What on earth is going on around here? Are you really the Sailor Senshi? Did you cause that weird light?!" A nurse suddenly demanded from behind them. She was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed, obviously not in awe of the two superhero's present. Her glare could have melted metal.

The two Senshi whirled around and Jupiter dropped Rei's hands quickly. They hadn't even heard her come into the room. So much for Senshi prowess.

"Ah-yes. It was our power. We healed this girl who was injured today in a battle," Mercury said smoothly, gesturing at Rei. Luckily, this nurse was the one who had been attending to her friend today.

The woman gawked a little, as if surprised by the fact, and then she regained her composure. "I'll let the doctor know. You caused a panic!" She scolded, looking a little star-struck by the amazing recovery of her patient, and annoyed at the same time over the disruption to her hospital.

"And now we have to go," Jupiter grabbed Mercury by the arm and the two squeezed past the woman and out into the hall. People were still gathered around outside; patients and hospital staff. Damn it, they hadn't been careful at all!

"It's the Sailor Senshi! alright!" Someone cried out in awe.

"Can I have an autograph?" Surprisingly, this was from the good-looking guy dressed as a doctor that Jupiter had waved at earlier.

"No, we have to go now. Everything is fine." The Senshi of Mercury said hastily. She and Jupiter beat a quick retreat while the crowd watched in amazement. You didn't see girls with powers every day. They were better than celebrities!

"Your doctor was about to give you another check-up. You're a very lucky girl." Rei's nurse told her, looking a little dazed.

Rei exchanged a look with Mamoru and she smiled gently. "I know." She made a shooing motion with one slender hand. "You guys can leave now. I'm sure the examination will required me to remove my clothing." The dark-haired girl's purple eyes were sly as she looked at her former boyfriend.

Mamoru grinned at her. Things were going to be more lively around Rei now that they both shared a past together. Mars had been painfully formal at times, but she had a great sense of humour, which her future self lacked. "I'll be going now."

Usagi and her step-brother went into the hall and closed the door behind them, giving their friend privacy. "So, a new power huh Mamoru? And the Crystals gave it to you?" She said slowly, watching him from the corner eye.

He grimaced in response. "Seems that way." And how much he hated lying to her was eating him up inside!

They stepped around some people and then entered a small waiting room. The TV was on, but no one else was there at that time of the night. Perfect for their conversation. The girl knew something was up with this new 'power' of his, and he and Rei seemed to be hiding something from her. She knew them both well enough to have spotted this. Was the rainbow Crystal really giving out new powers to the people who possessed them?

The blonde didn't know if she liked that or not. He was her brother, after all. Who knew what those alien Crystals would do to him?

"That just...doesn't seem right, somehow," Usagi said, shaking her head. "Why now? Do you trust it, Mamoru?"

Just when had his sister become so smart? The dark-haired man eyed her searchingly and then his lips pressed together. "Hmm, yes. It seems reliable so far. I'm sure it has it perks." He drawled out, settling smoothly into a chair and crossing his legs.

His sister stared at him for a moment, uncertainty written all over her expression. He could see it on her face, that she had been all ready to charge in and accuse him of hiding something from her, but she definitely was hesitating now. Perhaps it was because he was no longer showing any guilt? His lovely girl knew him very well, in the past and the present.

She was absolutely blinded by the smile he abruptly threw her, his eyes rather tender. Usagi swallowed and chose to ignore that look, which was something the blonde was not accustomed to seeing on his face. Affection sure, but that? It was a little...too...intimate all of a sudden, sitting close by his side. Usagi changed her direction as she headed for the couch next to him, and she ended up in a seat across a coffee table from him.

Mamoru gave her a rather put-out stare and then he shook his head at her behaviour. One minute Usagi was comfortable in his presence and the next she was as skittish as a kitten. He couldn't help the sexy grin that crossed his face at the thought of her as a kitten, with furry ears and a tail. Now that he would pay good money to see!

Oh. My. God. That had to be the most devastatingly-sensual smile that she had ever seen cross her step-brother's face. And she had seen a lot of his smiles over the years, from amused to charming. But nothing like this! It was exciting and scary at the same time. And it was being aimed at her.

"You're creeping me out," The blonde blurted, before clapping a hand across her mouth. Okay, that wasn't what she had meant to say.

The dark-haired man looked startled and then a snort escaped him, blue eyes rather sardonic. Creepy? That wasn't what he had been aiming for, and that was for certain. Usagi was not his Serenity, so he supposed that she was entitled to be a little revolted by him looking at her as if he wanted to strip her naked. "Now that was just unkind, dear sister," He said, eyes narrowed.

"Oh, come on," She said, glaring. "You just looked at me like you wanted to-" Usagi broke off, flushing. Nope, she wasn't going to finish that sentence!

"Yes?" Mamoru said silkily, satisfied with the direction this conversation was going. So, she had noticed that he had not looked at as a brother, had she? And the two of them had been dancing around this whole thing for too long. His step-sister had been blocking their kiss out like it was the plague itself.

"Never mind, let's talk about this new power of yours," She told him ominously, eyes flashing with wrath. How dare he bait her?! "Where did it come from-really?" She had been carrying the Crystals around also and nothing weird had...oh dear. That thing with the Moon Wand the other week suddenly came to mind. She swallowed hard and felt bad about doubting him and Rei. Suddenly, things didn't seem so unlikely.

Her mouth opened and she started to apologise, but the suddenly lecherous look on Mamoru's face robbed her of breath.

What could Mamoru say without giving the past away? His blue eyes moved to the floor as he thought of a way to answer her. He spotted her shoe and followed the line of her slender leg up hungrily, skipped over the table top and moved over her skirt and then her chest. When he realised he was blatantly checking his sister out, he stared at the roof, which seemed a lot more safe.

Did he just do what she thought he did? Usagi went red in the face again and her heart began to thump loudly in her ears. "You-?" Usagi practically growled, hands twisting together on her lap. He had stared at her chest, hadn't he?! Or was he looking at the Moon Broach? Oops. She eyed him uncertainly. "Okay, so I believe you about the Rainbow Crystal now," She said sourly, trying to stay angry with him. "But I know you aren't telling me everything, Mamoru. Don't we have enough secrets?"

What was going on in that head of his anyway, when he stared at her that way?!

Okay, that was rather unfair. The dark-haired man's brows rose incredulously and his eyes went to her face. "Oh?" He said mildly. "Then you want to talk about secrets? The Dark Kingdom? Tuxedo Kamen?" Mamoru paused. "The kiss?"

"Wha?!" The blonde spluttered, unable to believe that he had had the gall to mention that forbidden topic. "Brother, I thought that we agree not to talk about that subject."

"When?" Mamoru asked her innocently, flashing her a smirk. "Does that mean that if we weren't related by marriage...?" He let that one trail off without finishing, letting her imagination come up with the rest. Why was he pushing her buttons tonight? He knew that she didn't want to talk about it, but damn it, he was in love with her!

"Mamoru!" Usagi said, aghast. He was really talking about it! And her step-brother had mentioned the one thing that had been bothering her for a while now. They were not really related; only by marriage were they siblings. She bit her lip and looked away, completely stunned by his words. If their parents weren't together, then the dark-haired man sitting across the table from her would not be her step-brother.

It was a taboo subject and she had thought that he understood that and felt the same way.

After a long flustered moment, Usagi aimed a baleful glare in his direction. "Are you trying to start a fight? Because my fist will gladly meet your face in battle if you don't stop pushing it." She threatened, waving her fist in his direction so that he would get the point.

Her gaze faltered under his as their eyes locked and something passed between them. For a moment, he looked so serious and longing that she couldn't help feel something forbidden. But then she swallowed and pushed that thought away. What on earth was wrong with the two of them? Surely being Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon wasn't causing this, even though the two of them had been sporting major crushes on each other.

Mamoru felt a deep longing fill him, and he knew it had been reflected in his eyes for a few seconds. She was his Princess, his love, and he couldn't have her. She would feel nothing remotely like romantic love or sexual desire towards someone she considered a brother. Not until Serenity regained her memories. He could wait. He was a very patient, and persistent sort of guy regarding things that he really wanted.

Badly.

"Just kidding, you dope," He teased, rolling his eyes as if there had been a big joke and she was the butt of it. To emphasise that it had been all tease, he leant over the table and flicked her on the forehead.

"Ouch!" Usagi eyed her brother as if he had lost his marbles, but no, there was only laughter in his eyes and nothing more. His smile was rather taunting too, just as it had always been in the past. The girl felt a deep sigh of relief escape her. This was more like the step-brother she had known for most of her life. "Jerk," She muttered, rubbing where he had flicked her.

She wondered what on earth was going through his head, he was acting so bizarre tonight! Mamoru...only saw her as a sister...right? Anything else made her feel simultaneously excited and frightened. Trapped. Her chest felt like it had a caged bird inside, it was fluttering so much. "Umm, back to your new power?" She said nervously, eyes skittering away from his. She would drop the conversation topic of what he was hiding from her. For now, anyway.

He smiled at her in a disturbing manner and then made a reaching motion. A red Rainbow Crystal fell into his hand and began to glow.

"Idiot!" Usagi almost screeched, looking at the door as if someone would walk in at any moment.

"I have some measure of control over it, even if it is part of the Mystical Silver Crystal." Mamoru said quietly. It was strange that he could affect something that belong to the Moon Princess. It wasn't part of his Golden Crystal, after all. Wait-what was that? He frowned, trying to recall what the hell the Golden Crystal was. For once, Endymion's memories were a big blank, like the Prince's soul was deliberately blocking that one out. 'Huh?' Why would that memory be hidden, when so many others were becoming revealed?

"Are you okay?" His step-sister was suddenly beside him, sinking down onto the couch cushions. They both ignored her thigh pressing against his as her hands closed over his on his lap in concern. "I think we should go home and get some sleep."

He yawned as if in response to her words. The sun was probably not too far off of rising into the sky. "Then we'll say goodbye to Rei and go home for some sleep." He nodded at her and slipped the crystal back into his sub-space pocket. Mamoru got to his feet and took her hand to help her up. He was a gentleman after all. One that had occasional lecherous thoughts about the blonde at his side.

Usagi looked dead on her feet and there were alarming black smudges under her eyes. He touched a finger to her face briefly before pulling away. "Let's go."

She felt suddenly very tired, and exhaustion settled in. The Senshi of the Moon's body felt like lead, come to think of it. Rei was alright, and the other two had probably headed for home after their run-in with the hospital occupants. It was time she and Mamoru went home to bed. Their mom would be worried.

To Be Continued...

Write me if you liked! Comments are adored and much appreciated.

The next Chapter will be out in a few days.

Please don't forget to check out my Archives 'Destiny's Gateway Romance Fanfiction Archives'. We're a 'Couples' Fanfiction Archive, pure romance in any rating and always with a happy ending. Our Sailor Moon section is quite extensive and growing daily. We would love you to come on over and have a read and even submit your own Fanfiction there. :) The link can be found in my Profile, so just click on my pen name above this Chapter and come on over. All of my Fanfiction is up there, and I've written over 135 Fanfics.

Hugs,
Princess Destiny