AN: This chapter chronologically takes place after the side story "The Man that killed Cal Omas", available on AO3, as all side stories. While it's not necessary to understand this chapter without having read it, I still strongly recommend so.

She had heard that he was better, he even had sent her a holo message to tell her this personally, and so she was sure that any minute now, she would hear the familiar rumble of starfighter engines coming closer and soon AICA would land nearby. Or would he rather take a car? His new Lamborghini, she definitely had to to drive that thing one time, after she had passed her drivers license next year. Or would he take a cab? It wouldn't matter, she knew he would be here any minute.

He would ring and she would jump up from the chair on the dinner table and run to the door.

And she would open the door and he would be standing there, with a smile, nothing giving away that he had almost died a few days ago. That it had been so grave she had heard at breakfast yesterday when Ami-Chan and Michiru-Mama had talked about his last mission, with hushed voices.

And she would give him a big hug and maybe she would even laugh in delight while he wished her a Happy Birthday and then he would probably tell her to be easy on him, as his wound was still healing.

Her mother would have had arrived at the door as well then and after their hug, Mom and him would look each other in the eye for a moment before Mom would take a step towards him and even she would sling her arms around him and hug him. Carefully of course to not hurt him.

And both adults would blush and she would smile from ear to ear because they were so shy around each other but still there were gentle signs of affection if one kept an eye open, maybe an arm too tightly around the other or a hand on the other's body for a moment too long.

Although the others had already left, she was still in the best of moods. They had ordered Pizza for dinner today and she made sure there was a large piece left for him. She knew he was always extra hungry when he was healing.

After his piece of Pizza they would have a piece of the strawberry cream cake that Chibiusa had baked for her.

Him and her would talk and joke and debate and Setsuna-mama would quietly but content observe them, probably with a small smile. She knew that her mother really enjoyed these moments, although she'd never admit it.

As she knew her mother, she would have had a second tea and she would ask him for another cup as well.

And when he would say yes, she would excuse herself and leave them alone for a moment, and while she would play that one holo message she had been waiting all day to watch and answer it's sender. She would take her sweet time and in turn give the two adults enough time to talk with each other and who knew, maybe they finally would start openly flirting with each other? And maybe one thing would lead to another. How great would it be if they all could have breakfast together tomorrow?

That was what Hotaru had been daydreaming about most of the day already. How it should have been, but it seemed her daydream was about to stay a daydream. Outside it had been dark for quite some time by now and it looked like it could snow, at least the temperatures would definitely drop below zero this night.

Hotaru was still lolling on the table, head lying on her crossed arms and waiting, ever since her guests, Michiru, Hotaru and Chibiusa had left.

Her mother was sitting opposite of her and looked at her with a mixture of sympathy and incomprehension, her legs crossed and one of them tapping, as if Setsuna had grown impatient, which indeed she had.

The Senshi of Time and Space might have felt attraction towards him but this was just another one of the reasons she would never share a bed with him. It was Hotaru's birthday, and he told her yesterday he would come, how could he make the poor girl wait?

She knew, probably better than anybody else, how serious he had been wounded and she'd never forget how close he was to dying and how difficult it had been to save him but where in Chronos's name was he? This simply wasn't the behavior she expected from someone who was supposed to be the role model for Hotaru. Not to mention that Hotaru would have been seriously heartbroken if he wouldn't show up at all.

He definitely had good sides and he wasn't a bad person, sometimes he actually was one of the greatest persons she ever had met in all her millennia on Earth, and he also could be an outstanding father figure, but why did he always had to demolish things with his behavior in the long run? His constant running away from responsibilities was driving her frantic. He could have become the one person the whole Galaxy could look up to, a warrior everybody would rally around, the Man who could win this War, but he was just so caught up in peradventure. Probably he had been drowning his insecurities in alcohol again and was just too hungover to get to Earth, not to mention how much it would hinder the rest of the healing process. The thought that he probably had searched for salvation in another woman's arms crept in her mind and it made her even more furious. And no, it wasn't jealousy, she kept telling to herself.

Suddenly it rang on the door and Hotaru, who had fallen asleep at the table, jolted up and was about to run to the door, only to be stopped by her mother who held a hand up.

"I'll go."

"But Mom, that's him, I'm sure."

"I'll go, why you don't freshen yourself up."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"I saw that." Setsuna stated with an austere voice as she stood up and walked to the door.

She looked through the peephole, sharply drew in air and then opened the door, placing herself in the door with ostentation. Behind SunTzu a taxi left.

SunTzu greeted her with a coy smile, he could see that the Ice Queen was not amused that he had appeared just now, her gaze piercing into him like sharpened icicles.

"Good evening Setsuna."

She kept him in suspense for a few moments before she answered. "Well, seems you finally made it. Not that I was expecting it anymore."

"I'm sorry. I had… some problems."

"Are you sober?"

"W-what?"

"Usually you cope with drinking. Are you drunk right now?"

"Of course I'm sober. I'm here for Hotaru."

"Let me smell your breath."

"Setsuna…"

With a motion of her head she made it clear that she wasn't joking and then placed her nose near his mouth.

He breathed out and she smelled it.

"Smells like you're right."

"I told you. Uhm, may I see Hotaru now? I got a present for her."

"You better apologize for letting her wait so long." Setsuna said after another moment of silence and cold glaring before she stepped aside.

SunTzu got in and took off his shoes, as soon as he was done, running could be heard and Hotaru appeared.

"SunTzu! I was waiting for you."

"Hotaru." Both smiled at each other and SunTzu opened his arms for a hug and Hotaru didn't needed to be asked twice.

They shared a hug with silently watching Setsuna.

"Happy seventeenth Birthday, Firefly."

"Thank you. I'm glad you came."

The two pilots ended their hug.

"What took you so long?"

"I… I was busy on Coruscant."

"I see. Too bad, you missed all the others. I hope it's not because your injuries."

"No, they are healing well. An unknown first responder saved my life."

SunTzu turned around to Setsuna.

"That Bacta Foam you developed was used on me by the person that found me. It saved my life."

Setsuna nodded and SunTzu thought that he saw a twitch of her lips.

"It's in limited use by some units right now. I'm glad it increases the chances of survival for our troops."

SunTzu nodded, apparently he was thinking about something right now.

"Want some cake? Chibiusa baked a kick ass strawberry cake!" Hotaru chimed in and SunTzu snapped out of his thoughts.

"Sure, sounds great."

Hotaru lead SunTzu back to the dinner table and after a moment Setsuna followed them as well.

At least she still cared enough to be a good host to him.

"I'll help you, Hotaru. SunTzu, since it's so late already, I guess you're going with tea."

"No, I'd go with coffee if it's possible."

Setsuna shrugged and both women disappeared in the kitchen.

While the two Senshi were grabbing coffee, tea for them, and cake in the kitchen, SunTzu, knowing he wasn't watched right now, jerked up and began to tiredly rub his face. As soon as he heard them coming back he straightened up again and acted like nothing had happened.

With a smile he took the delicious looking cake and a cup of coffee. Milk but no sugar, Setsuna hadn't forgotten.

"Wow, that cake looks awesome."

"And it's taste is heavenly." Hotaru replied and put a piece of her slice on her fork.

SunTzu followed and tasted the rich looking cake.

"Wow, this is really good. Tell Chibiusa I found a reason in getting out of that Bacta tank, just to taste this." Both pilots smiled at each other and even Setsuna's lips curled up.

"By the way." SunTzu said after his second fork of cake. "I didn't come here without a gift."

SunTzu produced a box in gift paper from his jacket's and slid it over to Hotaru.

"That wasn't necessary."

"But I wanted to give you something nonetheless. C'mon, open it."

Hotaru carefully pulled off the gift paper wrapped around and brought out a medium sized jewelry box.

The youngest of the Senshi slowly opened the box after curiously shooting SunTzu a look, which he answered with a friendly nod.

What was inside made both's, Mother's and Daughter's, eyes widen and both glanced at each other for a moment.

Inside was a elegant, steel Rolex with a purple clock face, the same color as she had on her Sailor Fuku.

"This… whoa." Hotaru fell silent, thinking about what to say.

"A pilot needs a proper watch." SunTzu commented with a smile. "But there's more. May I?" SunTzu reached out and gently took the watch out of the packaging and put it on Hotaru's wrist. It fitted perfectly and Hotaru was marveling at the fine piece of handicraft.

"See that black button on the right?"

Hotaru nodded, she already was asking herself, what the button was for.

"Press it." SunTzu told her.

She furrowed her brows but did as told.

"Hotaru? Hi! I know I sent you a message already but since we're talking, Happy Birthday again, Bestie!" AICA's voice came suddenly out of the watch and Hotaru twitched in surprise.

"Wha… how?" A dumbfounded Hotaru asked and SunTzu smiled again.

"It's basically the same technology as inside my watch and my chrono. It's a Rolex with extras so to say. Just be aware that the range is limited to a few ten thousand kilometers. But if something should come up and AICA is around you can call her now."

Hotaru got up and hugged SunTzu.

"This is such a nice gift!"

"Must have costed a fortune." Setsuna chimed in and SunTzu's eyes moved over to her, while Hotaru still hugged him.

"Hotaru is worth it."

Setsuna's answer was a nod with a following side glance.

They finished their cake while Hotaru didn't stop to glance at her new luxurious watch all the time.

Without any word she cleaned the table then.

As soon as she came back to the table, SunTzu and Setsuna hadn't exchanged a single word with each other in the meantime, SunTzu got up.

"It's late, I better get ready to go."

"Why? You basically just got here." Hotaru stated surprised.

SunTzu looked down for a moment.

"Can we speak in private, Hotaru? There's something I want to tell you."

The look on the teenager's face went from surprised to worried and on the other side of the table Setsuna's eyebrow shot up in curiosity.

"Uhm, sure. Mom?"

"I'll be in the kitchen."

That said Setsuna got up and walked into the kitchen to let both pilots talk in private.

What SunTzu had to tell her was hard for him.

He had left the medical frigate in the New Frontier yesterday morning, alongside Ada and he followed her ship in AICA. The Bavarian was almost as good as before, although the last near death experience was mentally catching up to him more than he would have liked.

SunTzu just couldn't understand it, Gistess and Marvin were dead, and they definitely were better people than the monster he was. Not to mention that being close to him had brought everyone, from the Senshi to Yumeko, into danger. Maybe it would have even been better if he would have died, at least he wouldn't draw any more danger to the persons he loved.

His near death had shown him again, that death was always close to him and just the mere thought to loose one of the people here, the ones he loved and who were so dear to him, proofed too much to bear. It was hard and it would break his heart and hers probably as well, but he just couldn't stay around for too long. For Hotaru's safety, as well as for everybody else's.

This feeling had been made even worse by the nightmares he had endured last night. Over and over he had dreamt of his friends and loved ones, all slain on a battlefield. It had begun with his comrades, the Commandos and Pilots, and the Jedi he considered friends and then came the Royals and the Mau, right behind them lay the slain Phobos and Deimos, as well as Ada and Leon and then the other Senshi's followed, both Inners and Outers dead to his feet, Haruka in a pose where she had tried to protect Michiru but both died. The last one lying on the floor was Rei, tears of blood running from her eyes, her lifeless body ripping his heart apart even worse than the other corpses of his friends. And at the very end of this whole scene lay the smoking wreck of AICA, partly blown to pieces, the canopy was broken apart and revealed a dead Hotaru in the cockpit.

SunTzu had tried to wake up as soon as he had understood what the dream was about, but it wouldn't help. The dream wouldn't stop and soon after he found himself alone in between his dead friends he recognized that the battlefield was the remains of Crystal Tokyo. And then his friends' voices were in his head, telling him it was his fault that they were dead. Because he attracted death and destruction. SunTzu had screamed himself hoarse, not only in this dream but also in his bed but he had to endure the dream until it's end. He had woken up completely drenched in cold sweat, his heart racing and his stomach cramping. He had needed hours to get back to sleep and then it all began again.

SunTzu decided to finally give up on sleep as the dreams haunted him, exhausting him more as any sleep could give him rest.

Both Hotaru and SunTzu had sat down at the table again and SunTzu was obviously looking for the right words.

"So, what's up? What's so important, that Mama can't hear it?" The now seventeen year old Senshi of Silence forced him to speak.

"Hotaru listen." SunTzu had to force himself to look in her face. "I was thinking a lot about lately to get back to Earth or at least spent more time here. Like to be here, so you can train more and I can give you help in becoming the best pilot the Galaxy had ever seen."

Hotaru swallowed hard, she knew what would follow but had wished for the exact opposite.

"But I understand now. After loosing someone close last week and almost dying two days ago. I… I can't stay around those I care for. I'm a threat and it gets worse and worse, as if someone, or something, makes sure, I can't stay around those I cherish. And you definitely are one of those I care for most. So… I won't be coming back to Earth or stay around for long anymore."

"I see. Would it change anything if I remind you that I'm not an ordinary human? That I'm the Sailor Senshi of Death and Rebirth?"

"It's not that. I know how strong you are. I know how excellent of a warrior you are, but I'm still not willing to risk your safety."

He paused for a moment as he fixed the ground again for a moment, the words he wanted to say were hard for him to speak.

"I always thought I could take care of all of you but I can't take care of anything, including myself. So it's better if I stay away."

Hotaru looked at him for a moment.

"I… I wish it was different." She forced herself to a smile, making SunTzu's heart sting even more. "But one day all this will be over and we will have won this War and then we can see each other again without having to worry."

"Oh Hotaru, I promise we will." He got up and put her in a hug. He was afraid that the girl would start crying and he probably wouldn't have been able to keep up his composure as well.

"Does that mean that you cut our contact as well?" She asked, her voice giving away the fear to hear the answer.

"No way. I'll write you every day, okay?"

"Thank you."

"No Hotaru. This is the least I can do."

They stayed another moment in their hug before they finished it and he patted her head before he began to speak again.

"I'll go now."

Hotaru nodded and got up as well.

"Mom, SunTzu is going." Hotaru announced and then mentioned to SunTzu with her phone.

"I'll call you a cab." She turned around and walked a bit away for the telephone call.

Setsuna came out of the kitchen again, her to SunTzu well known Ice Queen expression on her face.

"You came late and you go early." She stated, a tone of sharpness in the statement.

"I have my reasons."

"What could be more important than Hotaru?" She hushed in a sharp tone so Hotaru wouldn't hear her.

"Her safety. And yours as well."

Setsuna wheezed. "Oh please." She rolled her eyes. And then she continued so quiet that SunTzu couldn't understand her. "Just another excuse."

SunTzu looked at her for a moment. "Listen Setsuna, like I said, I have my reasons. Thank you for the hospitality."

"Goodbye SunTzu. Have fun with whatever you think is more important than Hotaru."

"Listen Setsuna, I have to take my distance, for Hotaru's safety. For the safety of everyone that I care for. You saw what happens when people stay around me."

Setsuna just stared at him. His words had enraged her, it was clear how much he cared for Hotaru and yet he would leave her, again. Why couldn't he just stay? She was a Demigoddess and Hotaru was one of the strongest beings in the Galaxy, what should they fear? He could think his part about how much Hotaru always talked about him and would have liked for him and AICA to be back on Earth.

But, on the other side she understood him so well, wasn't that why she kept him at distance as well, to not let her feelings get the best of her? Loosing someone you truly love, Setsuna didn't know if she could endure this again. And she didn't wish for anybody to experience this as well. Understanding him angered her even more.

Maybe that kiss on Tombstone had been a mistake. But if, why had it felt so right then? Why was she so angry that he was leaving again and yet she also didn't want him around?

Hotaru came back to where her mother and SunTzu were.

"The taxi will be here any moment. Goodbye SunTzu. Although it was short, I'm happy you came. And thank you so much for the new watch."

"How couldn't I for my old protégé. Goodbye Firefly. Talk to you tomorrow."

Both hugged again and then SunTzu nodded to Setsuna who just glared at him, before he left.

Outside he lighted a cigarette and silently cursed when the taxi rolled up after two draws of it.

Within one hour he was back in space, ready to get back into the battle, as far away from Earth as he could, at least for a while.

AICA had almost jumped into Hyperspace when a certain teenager came in over her new watch to say her goodbyes again and tell him that she hoped she still would see him and AICA soon again.

SunTzu smiled under his helmet, at least she seemed to take it more lightly than him.

Thousands of light years away, on the planet Saleucami, which had been fortified by hundreds of thousands of Battle Droids by now, a certain Man was reading the lastest update of their troops' progress on his holopad. He was inside a luxurious mansion, in a study on the first upper floor, sitting behind a desk. The Man was very pleased how things were going.

A part of his general staff was shocked by the loss of Cad Bane, but for the Man it was more than alright. Cad Bane had exactly done what he had wanted him to do, just having been the glorified pawn he had to be. The man actually felt more remorse about the loss of the sniper on Tombstone. That young nobleman probably hadn't even known, how much he had aided the cause when he had shot that female Spec Force Officer on Tombstone right next to SunTzu. Not that the Man felt much of remorse, as except for Abeloth and himself, everybody was expendable.

Bane had been useful before but in the end it wasn't his skills as assassin or fighter that aided the cause but the fact that he had dueled SunTzu, further weakening the mind of the German, be it either with fear or disdainfulness. On the other side, with almost killing SunTzu, the pilot had been barely saved and the Man expected a Sailor Senshi behind it, as Abeloth had sensed somebody traveling through Space and Time in the aftermath of the fight, Bane could have ruined everything. So it was just fair that the gun-for-hire had lost his treasured life as punishment.

The Man got up and walked up to the window of the room, where he peaked outside.

The wonderful blonde haired abomination that Abeloth was, was outside in the mansion's courtyard, entertaining herself with a few Gossams she had turned crazy and into mindless killers and which she let fight to the death against each other right now.

Joyful laughing as the individuals killed each other came from the creature's disfigured mouth and she crowed as happy as a child on a playground when one of the Gossams had found a hedge clipper near one of the inner garden's beautifully trimmed bushes and now used it to maim and kill the others.

Beside the Force Divinity a group of Battle Droids were silently, and without any movement, guarding the courtyard.

Abeloth couldn't be left alone with sentient beings as her unstable mind often led her to drive her natural guards insane and making them kill each other for her entertainment.

But for her outstanding work with invading SunTzu's dreams and driving him further away from anyone he cared about she had to be rewarded with something.

Without any emotion the Man followed the deadly spectacle from the window until everyone except the least of the Gossams was dead.

Abeloth began to had a fit of laughter as she made the survivor of the perverted show kill himself with ramming the hedge clipper into his eyes.

The Man walked back to his desk and activated his holo transceiver. He know a certain young woman would still be devastated by the loss of her brother but he could use that to his advantage.

It would make her take her assignment even more serious.