I do not own Sailor Moon, nor any other its subsequent material.

Silence filled the apartment. No one had spoken in several minutes, all waiting for the blonde arcade worker to come to terms with the information. They had decided it was better for him to process the information and make the first decision. Luna and Artemis were paying close attention to him, in case they needed to do damage control.

"Right, well that makes sense."

Everyones' head snapped up. Having predicted and stressed about a much stronger respond, the women in the room looked at each other, not sure how to react. Even the cats seemed clearly confused by this statement, curious if Motoki really believed or if he had somehow lost it. Mamoru however, just gave his friend a smile, knowing how that he would readily accept everything. Receiving a grin in response, the moping man moved back out to the balcony, hoping in vain to find the connection to his lost love.

"Now that we have established why you can't go to the authorities, how about you tell me everything that REALLY happened."

No one came forward with any information, all still to shocked by his easy response. Looking around he could tell he wasn't going to get any answers until the accepted him in the circle. "Ladies, we aren't going to get anywhere, or find Usagi-san, quickly if you sit there with you mouths open." That go everyone's attention. "So who is going to start?"

A quick look went around the girls and with several silent nods, Minako took a deep breath. Then it all came spilling out everything from the first attacks by the dark kingdom and discovering the identities of Endymion and Serenity. The abduction of Mamoru and the final battle when they all gave their lives to save the world.

Motoki proved an excellent listener, politely waiting to speak, barely reacting to the seemingly dangerous and slightly ridiculous situation his friends managed to find themselves in. Honestly, he could barely process half of what he was learning but assumed there would be time for questions after Usagi was back home.

Then Minako's story moved onto more recent goings on. Al and En, who had taken a liking to Usagi and Mamoru respectively. The attempted kidnapping and energy drain of Usagi while Mamoru still had no memories, and yet tried to protect her. Motoki had always wondered about that strange girl who would hang off his best friend. This explained at least part of those strange weeks.

As they caught up with the present, more questions began to be raised. Not just who had taken her and why, but why had the princess been alone that time of night. What had been going on with her lately? How did Mamoru factor into her seemingly new depressing, and why hadn't he been with her? It was clear to everyone that he was beating himself up over the situation, but was it something more?

"And once we realized there was a yuoma attack, we made our way to the park." Minako was coming to the end of the story. "It wasn't until we were at the lake that we ever knew Usagi had been on the site. By then she was already seriously injured and in the arms of the enemy." They all friend into silence again, morning the loss of their princess and friend. Worried about what had become of her.

"The baka hadn't even transformed." An angry outburst from Rei broke them from their thoughts. "How could she have let anyone sneak up on her?"

"Shut up Rei!" Ami nearly screamed across the group. "She is missing and still all you can do is be mean and talk down about her. Get over it and grow up."

There was no response, mainly due to the fact none of them had every seen the blue haired brainiac make such a scene. She was breathing heavily, staring down Rei, with a look that would strike most with paralyzing fear. The guardian of fire at least had the decency to look ashamed. Bowing her head she looked close to tears.

"Gomen, I just get so angry at her sometimes" she admitted. "She is always so happy all the time I just…"

"She's not thought." Motki admitted, surprised her closest friends could be so blind. "More often than not, especially lately, she looks really depressed, especially lately. When she is alone, it is as though she isn't there any more. Its not the old Usagi-chan. The rest of the time it is just an act I would assume."

He looked around, the shocked faces. Surely one of them had noticed. They were her best friends, her guardians. Instead of one of the girls, the answer came from the black cat who had been nodding in agreement to his statements. Luna, he remembered from some distant conversations.

"Its true girls." The mentor agreed, "Usagi-chan has been have a really difficult time lately. I took it as usual teenage stress of school, on top of senshi business, but it has been worse the last few weeks. She has been plauged by terrible nightmares. I thought she had told you."

"She never said anything." Makoto looked horrified. She knew the scouts had been on Usagi lately for her behavior. She have been late more than usual, and in training her mind was never on what she was doing. They had all assumed it was her old laziness reappearing before exams. All of them had been getting frustrated at the innocent blonde. Now they knew it wasn't because she had had her reasons and they were actually legitimately. Everyone looked ashamed at how they had been treating her now. Minako looked shocked that she hadn't been so oblivious. Usagi and she talked about everything, how could this have remained secret.

"She didn't tell you I take." Luna sighed in resignation. "Unfortunately that doesn't surprise me. She never wants to be bothersome to people." The feline looked directly at Motoki," Did you know anything else about how she was doing?"

"No, just that it had been a bad couple of weeks. Is there something else going on?" Suddenly, Motoki realized the time period. A few weeks? That sounded about the same as how long his best friend had been depressed lately. His head snapped in the direction of the balcony. He could just make our the top of a dark haired head through the window.

"He wouldn't." Eyes wide, shaking his head in disbelief, "he didn't" Slowly he turned back to the black cat. A moment passed in comprehension, and she nodded.

"Dear lord, why would he do that?" Fury took over his whole mind. "The fucking idiot." Motoki stormed past the confused looking women out to the balcony. In a feat of strength no one knew he had, the blonde grabbed his best friend and slammed him into a wall.

"You are a god damn idiot you know that?" Anger was pouring out of him. He knew Mamoru wasn't used to having someone care about him, but this was an act of sheer stupidity, and from the look of it, his friend knew it. His eyes were cast down avoiding contact with the bright green right in front of him.

"Well it's no wonder she's been so depressed."

"Could someone please explain to us what happened?" The group of young women had made their way to the balcony following the anger, amazed at the scene in from of them. Makoto looked annoyed but the others just wanted answers.

"I would like to know that as well. What could possibly be happening so you would break-up with the perfect girl." The gasps from the girl proved that the girls really had no idea. "What could she have possibly done to deserve that from you?"

"It wasn't her, It was me." The sounds barely escaped his throat, but it was audible enough.

"Well, then it's your issue. Did you find someone new? What, did you get bored with her? Was she no putting out enough for you? I swear to go if you cheated on her I will throw you off this balcony my self, superpowers or no."

Anger crossed Mamoru's face. "I didn't cheat on her. Dear god, how could you even think that. Don't you know me better?"

"I don't think I know you at all anymore actually. And clearly she doesn't matter to you any more letting her get taken. Did you even try…" he was cut off by a hand on his throat. Before he could ever process the switch in their positions he felt the uneven wall digging into his back,

"Don't you dare." This was no longer his best friend. Before him stood the prince of earth, all his regal glory tainted by pure rage. " Do you really think I allowed her to be stoled from me?" Fury as he had never known coursed through him. "I have don't nothing but love and protect her. More than you could possible comprehend. You have no right to question my feeling for her. She is the most important person in the world and I will never allow for any harm to come to her."

"Great job you have been doing, you highness," contempt was pouring from the blonde. "You broke her heart and in turn broke her soul." Motoki knew he was angering the true prince of earth, and it was probably a bad idea. But honestly he could barley recognized the person in front of him. "You were her whole world, and she thought she was yours. But you turn around and crush her. Did you even tell her why you left, or did you just say its over? No? Big surprise there. I bet she gave up after that. What would have been the point? I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't even want to fight, she probably thought it was the easy way out."

"She would never give up her life. Not willingly."

"No? Mamoru, you were everything to her, everything, and you left her alone. Why would she have wanted to continue through that pain on top of everything else?" Despair flickered through the bright blue eyes. "You know I am right, ever when you don't want to admit it. She gave up, and it is all your fault."

Slowly, the grip on his throat loosened, which was a relief because another minute and he would have passed out. Looking at the form of his friend, the blonde realized he had never seen anyone so defeated.

"I failed her. In trying to keep her safe I lost her. How are we going to find her now? She doesn't want me, I can't even feel her anymore. She is gone."

"What do you mean?" Ami moved towards the pair cautiously, reminding the men of the others presence.

" Our connection, it's gone." The prince explained. "That's what I have been doing since… for the last week. Ever since we remembered who we are, I have been able to find her through a connection of our spirits. She was always there, even after…" He trailed off lost in though for a moment. "But now, there is nothing. It is like she is gone from this world, and it is driving me mad."

"Mamoru, you need to tell us everything." Minako felt horrible for the depression of the man. She realized she needed to step in as the leader of the small band. "Why don't we order some food, make some tea and try to figure this mess out? You need to tell us what has been going on lately. I know there is something you are keeping from us." Turning to the others she saw the sadness taking over everyone. "We are not going to give up. Our princess is out there, and she needs us. We have not and will not loose her, this is just one of those times we need to fight. She is not gone, not after everything we have been through."

Everyone agreed and began to move back to the living room. Rei and Motoki began to clear some of the debris so they could have a comfortable place to sit and chat. Makoti moved in to the kitchen to find a menu, having no desire to cook her self. Ami and Minako began to work on a pot of tea for the group. The prince of earth took another few moments to compose himself on the balcony. With one last look at the moon, he sent out thoughts to his missing princess, praying with all his might she knew that he really loved him and that he was coming for her. Those that took her had no idea what was coming after them. With a last sigh, he moved in side and closed the door.

The royal hadn't noticed the turn in the weather at the dark turn of his thoughts, though it wasn't missed by two men staring out a study window miles away.