It was times like this she needed Ami's crazy research skills, not that there was much material to review in this little alcove they called a library. Three bookcases and a desk in a cheer- and windowless room smaller than her dorm.

"Hey there Rei," said a voice around the range of a masculine tenor. Rei curled one side of her thin lipped mouth disdainfully and turned to regard the owner.

"You have as much subtly as a blizzard," she said, folding arms over her stomach tucked within the loose sleeves of her grey-green robe.

"Oh good," he said and his confident smile sent a not unwelcome chill through her. "I thought I was losing my touch."

She frowned at his casual smarm, or was it bravado? Was it getting hot in here? Rei cleared her throat and pulled at the neck of her robe. Evidently he was not out of practice, or charm, and her gaze lingered on his tan skin and wavy chestnut hair…and…

"Rei, why are you here? Our tutoring session isn't until tonight," he said and crossed over to a shelf of dust covered volumes. "Do you miss me already?"

"I do not miss you!" she retorted, wrinkling her little nose as a blush flooded her cheeks. She turned her head and declared, "I only agreed to learn from you because Marianne doesn't know Armor of Ithan."

"I'm afraid there's no chance that'll put my nose out of joint," he replied with a smirk. "Not when you're smokin'."

"Smoking?!" she cried, than glanced at him doubtfully. "What do…what do you mean?"

Befuddled, he blinked at her and said, "You really don't know!"

"No…"

Rei watched his eyes roam over her as if he could see through her robe, and at first she felt irritated, but then found herself leaning toward him. She inhaled and drew an earthy smell from him, and noticed he was leaning forward…she began to tilt her head but then…

"No, Rei," he said and took hold of her shoulders. "I shouldn't, you're an apprentice."

Her eyes remained fixed on his, unwavering and dancing. She said, softly, "So are you, Juan."

"Yeah, but I…respect you…I would never take advantage of…"

His lips were every bit as soft as they looked, and his fervent kiss eager, but not demanding. Everything ceased to matter, as if there was only light, energy and intense passion between them. Like the firelight of dawn. His hand found the small of her back and pulled her closer, and she did not resist. Then he pulled back, and they were nose to nose, panting and staring at each other.

"I…never knew a woman like you existed," Juan said with a hinted smile.

"Ah…" Rei began, still breathless. "I didn't want to admit I was falling for you. But…you're not a fool."

"I'm pretty sure I'm a fool for you," he quipped, and Rei giggled.

"That's silly."

"Yep. Now, I don't think you really came here for me," he said, and she tossed him a curious look.

"Maybe I was here for you. I just…didn't think it was for romance. I don't…Mina and Usagi are fools for romance, not me."

Jaun donned a sober expression and said, "Your friends from Japan. Through the rift."

Rei sighed and leaned her head on his chest; he really was that much taller. The tears came easily, but silently, though she hiccuped like a three year old. Juan lead her to a seat and pulled a chair up beside her. He took her hand and held it, stroking the palm with light fingers.

"I think it's time," he said, "that you told me everything."

"Why," she said and sniffed, "because you…we…kissed?"

"Because you're miserable, and desperation can be really appealing, but it would hurt you…if you jumped into a relationship with me because of it."

Why didn't men talk like this to her back home? Juan was so unusual. He was oddly mature of his age, and it fascinated her. He was studying her face, and it looked like he was thinking.

"You're really thinking, aren't you?" Rei said, and allowed herself a little smile. "No man I've ever known…has ever been so considerate, not even Mamoru."

His lips twisted, and he adopted a dissatisfied look. He said, "My father was a good man…even when my Mom left. It didn't change him. I never heard him blame her for anything."

Juan continued for a while, and Rei listened, not entirely understanding. The reality of such a rare man seemed impossible, but his behaviour spoke volumes. So did Juan, and by the morning they had shared spellbinding emotional intimacy.

Aspheal, the scholar and founder of the cubby hole repository raised an eyebrow at their wearied pairing when he came to relieve Juan. Rei didn't quite know what to expect, but was pleased to be greeted with a kindly smile. His thin but wild hair complemented the deep creases of a man who never forsook an opportunity to appreciate irony.

"Quite the pair; the firebrand and the quenching dose," he quipped as they strode together out of earshot. Rei sleepily held onto Juan and tried uselessly to suppress relentless yawns. She blinked at him and said:

"You don't seem bothered by the lack of sleep."

"I just hide it better," he said, then yawned. "Shards. You know what they say: 'Work hard when you're young.' It's risky, but has some merit."

The Quin Ferel Academy was a small affair, with less than two hundred students in its body. Each was talented and passionate about their craft to the point that you might even regard it as one great extended family. Rei knew word of their cavorting would get around; Marianne had already been pestering her about when she would ''make her move". She would be ecstatic to hear about this.

When they arrived at her dorm, she held onto Juan's arm while she peeked into the room. Her hand slipped as she turned back to him, and as he began to leave she said, "Juan. Please stay."

The longing in his eyes was unmistakable, but his body language was reserved. A powerful urge to drag him into her room contended with her sluggish mind and weakened inhibitions.

"Rei, I…"

"Please," she said in a softly pleading tone. "I don't…I don't want to be alone."

"I…" he said, and searched the empty hallway as though looking for an interruption.

"Trust me," she said, finally, and took his hand. He nodded, and let her lead him into her unoccupied dorm room. A bunk bed shared the minimal arrangement with a desk, narrow table and just enough kitchen to prepare equally minimal meals.

Rei fell as much as sat on the lower bunk and looked up at Juan. An appreciative smile warmed her face as she said, "I don't think you would cross the line with me unless I asked nicely."

"I want to," he said in response, and shrugged, "but women are important. I think a lot of guys get that in this situation. I can protect the future, but I can't make it."

"That's a nice piece of wisdom," Rei said with a hinted smile.

"Yeah. I don't take life for granted the way they do where…when, you come from."

Maybe that was a dig at her culture, but she only said, "So come sleep with me. Just…hold me."

So he did, and for the first time since arriving in this horrid version of Earth—she didn't believe it was the future of her reality, even so far removed—she slept soundly. Her prevailing thoughts were of wanting to commit to someone like him.

Don't let this rare man go, she warned herself, and drifted promptly into a dream. She knew it was such, familiar with the foreboding emotional landscape.

Spires, endless towers of black, and she wandered among them in an endless night. They were crystalline, dark, containers for venomous energy. A hum radiated from their cloying energy, and in time she discerned a female voice; confident but not arrogant, dominant but not mannerless. It whispered:

'Seek your sisters, Princess of Mars; Find your hope, amid the stars; Ruins are made, should you recind; Comb through light, death ye bring.'

The woman…it was a woman…had a glower in her words, and Rei felt increasingly that the Senshi were out of her reach. She began to chase the hum to locate its source, but as she ran panic ascended until she fell forward.

Right into Juan's embrace.

"Rei! Wake up! Rei!"

His voice was high, worried, but only above a whisper. She blinked and realized she couldn't see clearly. Something soft went into her hand and she rolled over out of his open arms to wipe her sleep encrusted eyes. Eventually, she could see his face, brow wrinkled in concern.

"You were crying, gorgeous," Juan said softly.

"I don't…I wasn't," she demurred. "I know it, my cheeks were dry."

"No, not like that. You were crying out. Under your breath. Something about a Moon Princess."

Rei frowned and gestured for him to get out of the bed. He did, and she pardoned herself to use the communal women's washroom. When she approach the mirror, she took stock of her haggard self. How was it possible that she had slept so peacefully but looked so harrowed and empty?

As she attended to her bodily and cosmetic needs, she felt certain to hear about all the classes they skipped, and there would be rumours. The faculty, on the other hand, encouraged relationships among apprentices. Hope was the reason to do anything and everything.

Juan meanwhile, was no doubt wondering about the reason for her hope: She had a sense that Usagi was still alive, and she knew finding her was paramount. Juan would just have to go along with that. After tonight, would he?

'All students,' asserted a telepathic male voice, 'prepare to defend the school!'

"Shimatta!" Rei cursed uncharacteristically and slapped the brush down to she could snatch up a bow to tie her long hair into a ponytail.

'Seniors to the defensive parameter. Apprentices will prepare to repel any invaders that breach. This is not a drill! Use every means at your disposal to protect each other. D-bees are on the approach. Stay alert, work together and stay alive!'

Rei rushed back to Juan who had used the kitchen sink to give his hair a quick rinse and tied his wet locks into a rather samurai style tail atop his head. "I like it," she said, "Come on. We'll talk at our rally point."

"Right."

Students rallied to the nearest point, and redistributed to balance internal defenders if necessary. At their rally point they met Falra and Marianne, who grinned at Rei appreciatively.

"Oh girl, congratulations!" said the dark skinned apprentice in black robes.

"Leave me alone," Rei said with a grimace. "We're just…friends."

Marianne's broad smile gleamed with bright even teeth. Like a glutton, she continued, "About time you two woke up to the smell of each other!"

"That's not entirely inaccurate," Juan muttered.

"Juan!" Rei said, embarrassed and blushing.

"Rei, heads up!"

Her eyes followed the prompt, just in time to see a five foot tall humanoid bug explode into gobs of acrid goo. She turned and thanked Falra, who was responsible.

"Yeah, okay, sure, but get your game on, pretty girl," declared the short dark haired elemental fusionist.

"She's right, let's get busy," Juan said. His body radiated the faint glow of the spell he was tutoring her to learn. His eyes bore into her, and she thought he might have been flirting, but he said, "Cast it."

"Now?!"

"Yes."

Rei admitted to herself there was no better time. Casual spellcasting was not usually the lot of career magi. She centered her mind on the patterns and emotions that formed the impetus for the spell. She closed her eyes and weeded out all other thoughts. Gradually, like the aligning of stars the moment felt correct and she commanded:

"Armor of Ithan!"

When she opened her eyes, her vision was faintly tinted by a violet haze, and Juan beaming at her like a proud idiot. No, a proud…man. A kind one.

"I wanna celebrate, Rei, but…" he said and pointed to another bug creature flying through the hole on the wall made by the first.

"It's okay, Juan, we're ready," Rei smiled. "We're together!"