Sailor Moon Eternal

by SetsunaKou

This is a full length novel over 1000 pages long of the 6th season of Sailor Moon, our 'Eternal'. The Wedding of Serena & Darien is attended by some familiar shooting stars cutting across the night sky, finding loves of their own in the Outer-most unlikely places. Romances blossom for the Inners, as a dangerous new enemy's threat could destroy Earth & the Sailor Guardians of it...

16. Chapter 16 - Sweeter Than Wine

We do not own "Sailor Moon" nor any of the characters.

"SAILOR MOON ETERNAL"

The 6th Season of the Sailor Moon Saga

Chapter 16

"Sweeter than Wine"

"Do you think we should've left without Star Maker?" Super Sailor Neptune says, worriedly, looking back down the street for the departed Starlight.

"Don't worry, Neptune." Sailor Star Healer squeezes her gloved hand as they walk along side by side.

"He'll be fine." Sailor Star Fighter adds with a confident smile, over Uranus' exhausted golden head pressed to his blue-black PVC bra wearing chest.

"How can you be so sure?" Neptune begins to ask how these two Starlights both could be so certain of their absent third member.

"Because you don't know him yet like we do." Healer succinctly responds to the woman hanging on his arm. Then he gazes deeply into her eyes with a psychic promise that said he was here in her heart to stay. 'But you'll have a long time to figure the three of us out.'

Michelle's soul dances with joy to be so tenderly caressed by her sensitive partner, just when her overwhelmed heart needed him after this emotionally taxing midnight escapade.

"Maker always comes through for the people he cares about." Fighter smiles wistfully with one more reassurance, finishing Healer's sentiment about their always capable, always responsible third brother who often kept the two of them in line.

The night's battles over, a calming peace gently sweeps over him and Sailor Star Fighter begins the transformation back into his regular self. Looking down at a battle worn out, body yet recuperating Uranus, still held in his arms, Sayer Starr senses her suddenly stirring.

"Feels different..." The words slowly whisper from Alex's lips, her eyes still closed as she presses her head against his, now less pliable, chest. Alarmed for a moment at what she said might mean and the implications thereof, Sayer bites his lip, concerned.

"Is that…too bad, Ally? Cause if it is, I might…maybe I could…find a way to…permanently change back…" He trails off, not knowing what he could do about it really. This male form was how he was ordinarily now, and he fully embraced everything it was to be a man. It feels right…Sayer could not alter that fact, except when needed in battle as a Sailor Soldier, of course. And then, at those exciting times, he embraced everything that engendered Sailor Star Fighter thoroughly, too.

"No. It's fine, either way." Alex's languid eyes open, looking deep into Sayer's unsure ones. The rebellious female holds her head up weakly from his now very male chest, simply commenting on the difference she had felt during Fighter's de-transformation.

"That's awesome." Sayer breathes a sigh of relief, quite satisfied with himself as he was in this human form. Chuckling weakly, Uranus begins to come to, meeting Neptune's gaze out of the corner of her eye, and she smiles, glad to be alive.

Something that just might change in a moment or so.

"This is the street that leads to where the Ferrari is. You don't have to call a limo, Michelle, you know I can drive through anything." Alex wonders why her best friend stops at a public phone, requesting a limo employed in her fleet to pick them up, when the Ferrari was only a block or two away.

Michelle gives Alex a scared wide-eyed glance and continues to make the call, as Robin and Sayer exchange apprehensive looks.

"What is it?" Alex's suspicious mind jumps right on it.

"Nothing." Sayer smiles through his teeth.

"Don't lie to me." She says threateningly, even held in his arms, as it seemed an invalid claim. A silence ensues as both men look to the ground.

"What happened to my car?" Suspicious steam was starting to come out her own exhaust engine, as Alex puts two and two together, ready to explode.

"What happened, indeed." Healer interjects smugly, twisting his lip as he gained Sayer's fiercely angry backwards stare for talking out of turn. The slender, smart-mouthed silver screen star wished he too could zap away at this moment, like Evelyna and Jarrod had been lucky to have already teleported away, heading back to Janus minutes before.

"Hehehe. What…gulp…car are you talking about?" Sayer smiles down at her inncreasingly angered face, about to unleash its wrath upon him, somehow knowing anything bad must be all his fault.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO IT, STARR!?" Alex bellows his last name, meaning business.

"It…well…it…kinda…blew up." Sayer finishes the sentence lamely, averting his eyes fearfully at her blazing ones.

"WHAT?!" Her heart breaking over her beloved machine being destroyed, the race car driver was about to take it out on poor Sayer, absolutely certain now it was his doing.

"Amara, calm down. I'm sure Sayer didn't do it on purpose." In her most soothing voice, Michelle returns from being on the phone, doing her best to mitigate her cousin's anger in the middle of the argument. But Alex ignores her words, seething only red.

"You diverted the shot, remember? It was either the Ferrari or me, Ally." Sayer tries to lighten the situation with a big toothy grin, but it only exacerbates her resentment.

"Guess I made the wrong choice." Grumbling under her breath, Alex sulks, looking tersely away. The thought of her sleek golden friend in ruins was almost unbearable.

"You mean that, 'U?'" On the receiving end of her venom, Sayer leans his head down to gain her attention. Alex was determined to continue to brood, but the sad, puppy-dog eyes he was giving her were too pathetic to keep it up for long.

"The limo's here. Just get me home, Michelle." Her low voice huffs finally, frustrated and annoyed. Robin and Michelle, de-transformed to their normal civilian selves—which meant looking debonair and chic, both back again in their still very formal wear—alight into the just arrived limousine.

Alex shakes her head with a miserable sigh, until she looks up into Sayer Starr's sincerely rueful eyes.

"I suppose there are some things a car can't do for you." She aims the innuendo-laden flirt up at Sayer as the hangdog faced young man maneuvers the woman he had been carrying into the limo's back seat. Though dejected, Alex Sokova was not feeling as bad about her Ferrari as she thought she was a moment ago.

"Hold that thought, Ally!" Sayer exclaims enthusiastically right back, touching his fingertip to her lips as he jumps into the waiting limo, unceremoniously sliding in with Alex on his lap as fast as he could.

"Step on it, Driver!" He shouts to the indistinct man up front and the limo takes off with a screech, throwing Michelle and Robin, who were primly seated opposite of them in the back seat, to the floor in an aqua satin pile.

"Oh, Robin…" Michelle's most flirtatious, turned-on voice murmurs through the pitch black car, obviously in close quarters with her comely young beau as a result of the quick pullout.

"Put on your seatbelt, Michelle." Robin's scratchy voice answers more unromantically in return, making Alex smile despite herself, as she images what compromising proximity the sensitive pair were in, as the limousine speeds off into the starlit night.

---

After spending some time together under the moonlit stars, Terry and Susan return to the reception hall, collecting the sedan from the otherwise vacant parking lot.

The pleasant drive home was very quiet and peaceful. As happier than she has ever been before in her life, Susan leans her head on Terry's shoulder as he drives along, with only one arm to steer with, the other wrapped around Susan's arms wearing her lavender bridesmaid gown again.

Sighing blissfully, Susan feels overwhelmed by his mature, appealing cologne, so soft and sexy, his chest so warm. And the once destined to be solitary soldier was sure she will never want to leave it again. Closing her eyes, she loses herself in this ecstasy, knowing his heart, his soul, his very being—which Terry's spirit of the Star Maker had so selflessly relinquished his 'air of freedom' to devote for her instead—was now part of her and hers alone.

"We're home, my lady." Susan hears his low voice whisper to her softly as she wakes from her reverie, the long drive home seemed to go by in a blur. Slowly parting from her gaze, not wishing to leave her side either, Terry forces himself to alight from the sedan where they two were encapsulated alone in these precious moments of true love's culmination.

Offering Susan his hand and gently guiding his graceful lady from the car, Terry was so very proud to have such a beautiful creature on his arm, as they stroll up the walkway to the house.

"There you two are! See Ally, I TOLD you Ter never fails!" Sayer's lively voice opens the front door to greet them, gloating to a rolling eyed Alex as he calls back into the living room to the woman comfortably lounging on the couch there.

"Sayer." Terry nods to his younger brother, feeling extra glad inside to see him. Close as they were, it would have been hard to leave behind this brother who needed him most. But as he and Susan walk into the living room, Terry notices Sayer's jovial mood change when his sharp blue eyes slit with scrutiny as Sayer follows his tall brother enter the area.

"Susan." Alex acknowledges one of her Outer Sailor Scouts, from where she was lying on the couch, her head propped up by a pillow. Under much protesting, the tense Sailor Guardian had finally relaxed enough to de-transform from her new Uranus yellow Sailor uniform back to the jacketless bridesmaid suit she had sported before this wild night began—back into her civilian form after her Sailor spirit finally acquiesced her body's healing was not yet complete. "It's good to—" She starts to say, when Sayer abruptly interrupts, leaping to his feet and going straight to Terry.

"Ter, what…?" Lifting his brother's two forearms up with his astonished hands, Sayer holds Terry's wrists. Somehow, Sayer felt, though they were invisible, the bonds that Time had clasped around Star Maker's—and thus Terry Starr's—wrists.

Terry smiles, touched that their closeness could give oblivious Sayer such insight that he usually did not possess.

"It's fine, Sayer." He meets his brother's worried gaze. "Everything's fine now." He turns his eyes to Susan, who looks up gratefully at him.

Sayer's anxious face slowly turns to a crooked simper as he accepts his fellow Three Lights' words like he always does, believing in Terry's judgment implicitly.

"Have a seat, then, guys, I'll go get you some drinks." Pointing the couple over to a loveseat, Sayer goes to the kitchen like he already owned the place.

Sitting down, Susan sidles up close to Terry, wrapping her arms around him. Smiling, he looks around, just now noticing his other brother and Michelle's silence upon their arrival.

"Are they asleep?" Terry asks the obvious, making conversation with a reclined Alex, whose dark green eyes seemed to be studying the cute couple with concern.

"I think so…" Alex responds, satisfied—for now—that, even though Robin was in Michelle's hair, the Shrimp was only using its voluminous fluff for a pillow. Michelle was innocently enough asleep in Robin's exhausted arms.

"How sweet!" Susan whispers, glancing at the peaceful pair who had been psychically communicating for so long they had finally collapsed into one another in the physical realm after this tiring night.

She considers Neptune and Star Healer's deep bond for a moment before turning her gaze back to her own Starlight wanderer with whom her bond was now forever forged in Time, and in so doing, Maker pledging he could never wander freely again.

"Here you go!" Sayer returns with two Cokes and some glasses, putting them down on the coffee table in front of Susan and Terry.

Seeing his seat from before now filled, Sayer glances around for a new place to sit. Noticing this as well, Alex takes pity upon him—or was it something more…? She lifts her only-still-slightly-aching, more emotionally fatigued body up and pushes the pillows aside. Then Alex pats the couch seat.

"You can…sit here…if you'd like." The golden haired woman offers, a little hesitantly.

"Would I?!" Blinking at his unbelievable luck, Sayer jumps at the offer, excited that she'd even care after the standoffish way she's been treating him since they arrived back, as he quickly plunks his eager butt to where her head used to be moments ago.

Trying to sit up properly, and more pointedly, to the other side of the couch, aloof Alex suddenly feels pain shoot through her body and her arms which were holding her upright, collapse beneath her. Her head lands—PLOP!—on Sayer's unsuspecting lap. Their eyes both widen in surprise, Sayer then smiles.

"Good idea, Ally. Don't want to put a strain on you sitting up in your condition." He advises smugly, nervousness and discouragement about their budding relationship slowly ebbing away.

"It's NOT a strain." Alex tries to lift herself again, never wanting to give in to him, but finds she was weaker than she would let herself think.

"Yes, it is." Sayer bravely holds her down.

"No, it's not." Alex says continuing their seemingly neverending argument. In actuality, both stubborn fighters were quite enjoying their ongoing competitive little spats and maybe even the intimately close proximity to one another, as well.

Watching the two continue to spat, Terry chuckles at them, when suddenly he feels a little tension of his own, as a gentle warm breath blows on his neck amorously.

Turning to see Susan's not so mysteriously smiling face, Terry pulls his lady to his lap, wanting to be as close to her as she wanted to be to him. But he did not realize that, at this very moment, Susan wanted to be even closer. Continuing to blow into his ear, she wraps her slender hands around his neck, her long fingers gently toying with those sweet little curls on his nape. These little flirtatious caresses take their effect on our "proper" gentleman, whose eyes open wider with each of her soft touches.

I know we shouldn't…Terry stiffens a bit, his high morals holding him back, but Susan's persistent stroking would overwhelm even the most stoic of individuals, especially one who was this madly in love with her, and who was certain she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with…as he had already sworn to be a guardian of Time at her side for all eternity…

Well…since we already have…The little devil on Terry's shoulder gives him all the excuses he needed, willing but still his mind was yet stoic.

…I must hold out and not be ruled by the flesh…

Jumping up, and bringing himself and Susan to their feet, Terry's sudden movements surprise both Alex and Sayer, cutting short their argument (to which it seemed Alex had already won, as she always determined she would, seated apart from Sayer on the far end of the couch).

But for all of his high standards and gentlemanly behavior, Terry Starr could physically hold out no longer against Susan's insistent caresses…

"It's getting late, so maybe we should all get some rest." His voice was full of nervous energy as Susan trots off from the living room, down the hall and up the steps like a young gazelle. Sayer and Alex look in surprise to each other at both this and the calm man's sudden change in demeanor, just sitting there, blinking up at him for a moment.

"Maybe in a little while. Still gotta wind down from the evening's events. I'm not really tired yet." Alex answers, sitting up straighter. Her glance was apprehensive for the Outer Sailor Soldier under her immediate command who had little experience in this real world with such creatures as men.

And these three counted in that category from time to time.

"Me neither." Sayer rejects the waste of time called 'sleeping,' as well, as he inches a bit closer to her causing Alex to slide farther down the couch as a result. "You go on, Ter. Susie's waiting." Sayer whispers, naughtily winking with a sly smile.

"Sayer—I…I am ONLY going to bid her a 'goodnight,' as a gentleman should." Terry stumbles, trying to gain his values again, always attempting—though it sometimes seemed increasingly difficult as the three matured—to impress these virtues on his younger, more high strung brother.

But at the moment the point seemed a bit moot, as Susan makes a coy little cough, taking a rather striking pose, at the top of the stairs of Michelle's rural manor in her bedroom doorway.

"Terry, darling." She beckons to him, her eyelids lowered seductively.

"Uh—huh." Sayer smirks at Terry's vain attempts to convince them of his perfectly "innocent" intentions.

To this, Terry was about to refute again. But it becomes irrelevant when Susan begins to hum their waltz's melody, ruffling her satin bridesmaid dress' off the shoulder design at its single hook in a dangerous manner, as her eyes gaze down at him with a silent request.

"I…" Losing all sense of everything else around him, Terry becomes entranced in her eyes, as Susan reaches her hand out to him and he, spellbound and intoxicated in her eyes, goes to her in a single, swift leap and bound over the balcony staircase.

"Ten to one he doesn't come back out 'til the morning." Sayer leans his head towards Alex, whispering conspiratorially, as Terry and Susan disappear behind the upstairs closing door.

"I think Susan has a better head on her shoulders than that. She's just toying with him to test how far he'll go." Alex reasons assuredly, always ready to put down the male sex.

"Oh, yeah?" Sayer feels a challenge. "How much you wanna bet?"

"Betting on a lady's honor? How ungentlemanly." Alex grins at this alien rogue's wickedness, but then soon joins in the fun. "If your brother comes out, within, say, ten minutes, you'll have to buy me anything I want." Alex puts up the wager.

"And if he doesn't come out in said ten minutes," Sayer holds up his finger, "you have to give me anything I want." Sayer's wicked smile spreads to his glistening eyes, which travel up and down until they rest upon Alex's lean, crossed arm frame with wolfish interest.

Alex raises her eyebrows, considering her choices for a moment, neither option sounding startlingly all that horrible to the independent, cheapskate man-hater. So she nods.

"Deal, Starr." Her large hand extends out to him, taking up this shooting star's dangerous challenge.

"Deal, Sokova." Sayer takes it, and shakes her large, sturdy hand, liking the firm grip of Alex's palm in his as the two of them turn their watchful gazes upon Susan's closed bedroom door above...

---

As he closes the door behind them, Terry turns to Susan as she stands facing him, the faint trace of a smile on her parted lips after her deer-like dash up the long flight of steps.

How moist they look. I know what they taste like, but…could I know more? As if some mysterious force was controlling him, Terry slowly moves forward, his strong hands at first tentative, then suddenly not so much, take hold of her bared shoulders. "Susan, my lady." He whispers throatily, heart pounding in his ears like the beats of the chronometer of Time which now controlled him—and vise versa—coursing through his Maker's stellar veins, burning at his well-created wrists.

Her pale purple dress already hanging low, taunting him all evening, and Terry easily reaches around her back for the clasps. But before loosing them free, his long fingers pause in mid-air, as he searches Susan's magenta eyes one more time.

A single meeting of their eyes was enough for him to know exactly what she wanted. Staying away from those luscious lips no longer, Terry tastes her full and passionately, savoring each moment.

Darling, oh, yes, how I love you! Susan's inner thoughts soar with each one of his gentle caresses, his sweet kisses, his hot breaths. Our hearts, our souls have now been joined! So I want to show you how much I love you…Alone and confined in the Doorway's cage for eons, hundreds upon hundreds of endless years, Susan's restrained soul was released at long last. Her slender hands caress her heroic knight over and over as she kisses his neck, his thick, musky cologne pervading her senses.

"My prince from the stars…I love you...make me yours..." She warmly breathes to him as the next words which come out of her mouth, Susan would soon come to regret. "And I won't run away this time."

Suddenly, a beat or two later, she feels his kisses stop, his powerful hands pull back. Trying to catch his breath, Terry Starr looks his destined lady love right in the eye.

"'—run away, this time…'?" His deep voice was still breathless, and filled with the question, bells going off in his head as he repeats the damning phrase.

"I won't, I promise." Susan didn't see his apprehension rising, as her mouth returns to kissing his neck. Terry's eyes widen, his ethics finally—At last!—jabbing the 'gentleman' hard in the gut.

"Susan…do you mean we…haven't already…?" Terry swallows hard, rather relieved he hadn't been so ungentlemanly after all, loosening his hands around her back. Susan shakes her head, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Not yet…" She whispers, excitement written all over her lovely, yearning features.

Terry's eyes widen in relief, but his hands were yet unwilling to obey his mind. The animal urge was so tantalizing, but his high morals were stronger and the desire to do right by this untainted and still yet untouched woman was strongest of all. He pulls his hands away, much to Susan's consternation.

"Susan, I don't think we should…until…" He lifts her dangling dress back onto her bare shoulders gingerly.

"Until…?" Susan's smile drops, disappointment obvious in her large eyes.

"Until…" Terry trails off, his heart breaking at the tears forming in her eyes. "Susan." He takes her shoulders. "You are my pristine Princess beyond measure, my tender rose without a single thorn. It wouldn't be right. You do understand, my lady, don't you?" Terry smiles softly, hoping she would, when he himself didn't understand fully.

Seeing in his adamant, caring eyes no room for argument, Susan nods her head up and down sadly, though truly not really understanding why. If we love each other, then…? In her simple comprehension of the ways of this world she had been kept apart, sheltered from for millennia on end, Susan sighs at this lost chance to feel love as she had heard about on this world, at last, with the man whose wisteria eyes had haunted her dreams for as long as she could recall.

But then she smiles, unable to be anything but pleased his lyrically poetic thoughts were so devoted to her purity.

"What a wonderful man you are, my love. Someday soon I will show you my appreciation." The fire inside was now tamed, but ready to blaze up at any moment as she strokes his cheek adoringly with this coquettish whisper filled with pride in him.

"I will say 'good night' then, my lady." Terry bows, trying to extricate himself from her arms, but to no avail as Susan wraps herself around him, burying her head in his chest.

"Please, don't leave me alone tonight. I am certain I will awaken in the night and fear this has all been but a dream. Please give me at least your presence to know you are real, my darling one." The Guardian of Pluto had been enveloped in such loneliness for so long, just the knowledge that she no longer would be left in solitude, all because of this man with whom she now shared a special, unbreakable bond, was so precious to her fragile psyche. Susan could not stand the thought of being alone—without him, for even a second—especially on this night where it could all be eclipsed into a mere fantasy she would never cease the tearful regret of.

"Susan…I won't waver—" Terry begins to explain his feelings on the subject again.

"Just be near me tonight…I beg of you." Truthfully, honestly, she only wanted him by her side; to be enraptured by his pervasive scent all night; to feel his gentle presence faithfully near; to know she was not destined to live all her days out alone, no matter what, as she bats her long lashes up at the stoic noble man.

Terry smiles tenderly, his eyes lovingly gazing upon her. "I will stay, my lady, but it's been a long night and I very much want you to get some rest." He orders, already exercising his power over her. "Go and get yourself changed. I'll be right here at this desk when you return, where I will remain steadfast all night, if you so wish it." He says reassuringly, squeezing her arms and kissing her forehead sweetly, with a soft pat to Susan's work desk and chair.

"Yes, my lord." Susan obediently nods, gathering her filmy lavender sleepwear and entering the adjoining bathroom. "Someday…" She whispers softly, her eyes upon her handsome Terry as he closes the door behind her.

Someday soon, she thinks, determinedly, as Susan de Venici looks into the no longer clouded mirror at her exhilarated face aglow with the liberated light of the love she feels for him, now and for all time.

---

"Stop that." Alex Sokova's low growl threatens when Sayer Starr's wandering hand rests itself on her leg.

"What?" Pulling his hand away quickly, the Three Lights lead singer's voice was all innocent, his face even having an offended look.

"Just because your brother is…with…Susan..." She sourly admits while fending off this bad member's advances.

"Aha! Then you concede the bet!" Sayer sticks his face in hers smugly, eager to claim victory—and his prize.

"I didn't say that. There's still two more minutes left for him to come out." Glancing at the grandfather clock in the hall and then at the yet tightly shut door in the balcony above, despite her poker face, Alex had a sinking feeling that this time she just might lose her bet.

"Two minutes isn't a very long time." Sayer sings tauntingly, feeling triumphant on the verge of winning.

"It's long enough for me." Alex's husky voice becomes suddenly mysterious in its insinuating way.

"I don't think—so!?" His words are cut off in a yelp, as Alex, quick as the wind, suddenly grabs the wrist of the hand about to mischievously touch her leg again after being batted off numerous times this late evening already. And then, even in her physically weakened state, the spirit of Uranus forcefully pushes that of Star Fighter back, sending Sayer flying down to his back on the couch. For a second, her deep green eyes flash wickedly down into his shocked dark blue ones, as she throws all of her weight into a smacking wet kiss, right over Sayer's winded lips.

Click. Click. Click. Click. Click…

The seconds tick by as Alex's hard, almost feral kiss becomes softer, slower then goes back to being forceful and untamed again. This, their second kiss, was a close match to the passion of their first earlier this evening, leaving both of them completely breathless as Alex continues to relentlessly press Sayer's lean body down to the couch.

Abruptly, Alex pulls up, aggressively staring down like a pouncing wildcat at the huffing rock star trapped beneath her.

Feeling a bit faint, he tries to say something, but nothing comes out, as hopelessly out of breath the usually long-winded singer was. His head flopping back to the couch cushion, Sayer closes his dazed eyes in an attempt to revive his tackled senses.

Ding. Dong. Ding.

The clock strikes 2AM, and their wagered ten minutes were up. Smirking as she loosens her white button-up shirt down the rest of the way, immodestly exposing her brassiere above her blessedly now un-pierced by sword chest. Alex sits up properly on her seat at the other end of the couch again, as if nothing had just happened. The professional runner's regulated breathing was completely normal already in the matter of a few seconds. Looking as though nothing was out of the ordinary, the tough female crosses her arms, quite pleased and comfortable with herself.

Swallowing hard and finally catching his stolen breath enough, Sayer pulls himself to sit up again, appearing hot and disheveled as he totally unplugs from the remainder of his button up shirt. "The ten minutes are up and Ter didn't come out. So I—"

About to announce his swirling headed victory, Alex cuts him off. "And how do you know he didn't come out?" She smiles a catlike grin.

"Were you honestly physically able to watch the entire ten minutes? Or were you otherwise engaged?" She teases, knowing that she had him, smoothing back her mussed hair. "He only had to come out. We didn't say anything about him going back in." She cuts off Sayer's next line of defense before he even thought of it.

"We—I—You did that on purpose!" Sayer yells loudly, feeling cheated somehow.

"Do you regret it?" Her smile turns serious, the taste of his kiss still on her moistened lips.

"Not a chance, U." His miffed feelings gone with the wind, lowering his eyelids, Sayer seductively moves in closer to her. And for once, Alex does not shrink away, the pair of similarly open shirted young bodies were about to go for wild osculation round three and beyond, when—

"Regret what?" But their basic instincts were interrupted by Robin's scratchy voice which was even huskier when he was sleepy. Sayer's exclamation from before had awoken him and Michelle from their peaceful dozing, under classical music playing, on the loveseat across from them.

"Go back to sleep, Shrimp." Sayer remembers Alex's nickname for his shorter brother and takes right to it, a little angry that Robin might have interrupted something truly implausibly thrilling about to happen.

"What's going on here? Should Robin and I retire to my bedroom and leave you two alone here?" Michelle's very feminine voice, though tired, was still able to smile an open invitation French flirtation directed into Robin's deliciously mint cologne scented, gold vested chest, her eyes still closed.

"Big girls like you don't need a little teddy bear to sleep with. Time for bed, Michelle." Insulting her rival for her partner's affections, Alex stands, going to Michelle. She easily pulls her to her feet from the loveseat and pointedly away from Robin's warm arms, as the taller woman eyes him warily.

"Amara?" Half-asleep Michelle smiles up at her friend, too glad to have her alive and well and back to normal overprotectiveness, to mind much tonight, as the aqua head now leans on her best friend's strong shoulder.

With a last, dour look down at Michelle's silver-haired companion who was the recipient of the sensitive Parisian female's many blown kisses in his direction, Alex leads Michelle safely to her bedroom upstairs, alone.

"How 'bout I order some Chinese take-out, Ally, for when you get back? I'm getting hungry." His energy and vocal vitality obviously returned, Sayer, also stands, calling out to her.

"Sounds good to me." Alex agrees, knowing that she should really rest after today's ordeal, but for some reason she didn't want to. Still able to half carry Michelle to her room, Alex starts peeling off that huge aqua satin dress, getting her ready for bed. Going to Michelle's fancy vanity and returning her expensive earrings, necklace and headband to their box, Alex stops, looking at herself in the mirror, feeling there was something new in those eyes which wasn't there before.

"Love does that to us, doesn't it?" Michelle pulls on her French nightgown, leaning her aqua curls over Alex's shoulder, easily reading her best friend's mind.

"Michelle. This isn't love. Attraction, yes. Desire…maybe." With a push back of her golden bangs in as much admission as denial, Alex speaks, clinically detached on the dicey subject. "How many times have I told you? A good soldier has no room for love in this life." Alex then strokes Michelle's hair, talking down to her in that reproving, all-knowing tone. But inwardly, the confused Sailor Soldier who was still a young woman in this era was wondering if she was correct in her lifelong mantra. Alex then lifts her cousin like she would a child, putting Michelle in bed, covering her with the sheet lovingly.

"Well…since you would no doubt say the other two do not always require that difficult commodity called love…On a scale of one to ten, how was his kiss, at least?" Michelle asks curiously, teasingly spinning Alex's words. The psychic did not have to utilize her intuition to sense that Alex had just kissed that lucky young man from a distant star, knowledge gleaned from the risen temperature of her partner's sensual emotions.

Shaking her head and smiling at Michelle's nosiness, Alex simply goes to the wall switch, turning the light off.

"Good night, Michelle." Alex avoids the question, embarrassed a bit, in denial a lot, even to herself. But Michelle only needed to take one fleeting look in her strong partner's eyes for the answer.

"Right off the Richter scale just like my shining star's, hmmm?" Michelle sighs at her ground-quaking partner, chuckling as she falls back to sleep, her own lips longing to taste her Robin's astrophysical, off-the-charts kiss again. Her aqua curls fall to her pillow in ecstasy as she reaches her mind out to him, finding her Healer's mental kisses and caresses almost just as sweet as his physical ones as he too readies for bed across the hallway after this long, memorable day.

For Robin was dreaming of Michelle and tonight's perfect, treasured, unforgettable waltz they two had shared which conveyed her open heart's embraced emotion to welcome his lonely soul in its reflection.

'Since before the stars were born…You took my breath away this day, my mermaid…I thank fate for you…My destiny fulfilled…'

---

At the sound of the door opening, Terry gazes up from the armchair to see Susan meekly standing in the doorway, wearing a man's oversized white shirt.

"It—it's yours." Susan quickly says, at his raised eyebrows, not wanting him to think anything else. "Last night, I…you can have it back if…" She suddenly feels at a loss for words, embarrassed and kicking herself for choosing to wear it, being so overtly obvious rather than the demure, shy woman she was born to be.

"Oh, no! Susan, my lady, please consider it yours! It suits you far better than it ever did me." Terry smoothly compliments, taking her hand and kissing her wrist. Then lifting her easily, he carries her to the bed.

Please, Lord, give me the fortitude I need tonight. He prays silently, his body fighting his tormented mind as he gently lowers her to the center of the bed, Susan's arms still about his neck.

Terry kisses Susan tenderly on her luscious magenta lips. His hand slips into hers and doesn't let go as he pulls a chair closer so he could keep gentle hold. "Sleep well, my Princess." Terry kisses the hand in his once again, brushing Susan's long, deep emerald hair back from her lovely face with his other hand.

"My Prince…" Susan whispers, her heart overflowing with gratitude and love for her heroic man, who made her not feel the unending loneliness any longer. Even when she closes her eyes, Susan feels him still there, haunting her dreams as she slowly drifts into a peaceful slumber, her hand tightly held inside his warm one.

Gazing upon her beautiful, restful face, Terry could not imagine there could be a more splendid creature throughout the entire galaxy. You are the most beautiful creature God has ever created! And you are mine—for all time. I don't know how I am so blessed to have been given you.

A quiet peace overtakes the bedroom as a man in love reflects upon his lady.

How easily she has disarmed me! Without lifting one slender finger, she has broken down all my defenses. In battle, I've never flinched, and yet to this one delicate woman, I've surrendered completely—willingly—and I find I want to.

Whatever she wants, I'll give her. Whatever she needs, I'll supply. Every desire of her heart, I wish to provide from now on…

And she professes she loves me as much as I love her! I am everything to my Susan—as she is all the universe to me… I never imagined such a love would ever be for a star-tossed soldier such as I.

Thank you, Lord God above, for granting me such favor in entrusting the love of this precious woman to me—I vow to protect her, to care for her, to cherish her—for this lifetime and for eternity…

---

Returning to the living room, Alex finds the seat where Robin had been snoozing now vacant, and Sayer Starr fully lazing across the couch. His eyes were closed tight and thinking he had dozed off, Alex almost turns around.

That is, until she hears him start to hum low.

"Hm-hmm-hmmm, hm-hmm-hmmm. Hmm-hmm-hmmmm-hm-hmm-hm-hmmm."

My song.

Instantly recognizing the music she had composed which this songwriter had dubbed 'Initial U,' Alex smiles at his impressive audio memory. Then she makes a somewhat strident entrance as she kicks off her shoes before plopping down on the loveseat opposite him. Alex casually flops her long legs still donning those golden slacks, over the short couch's edge, throwing her arms up over her head, purposely not facing him.

Suddenly Sayer stops humming, his eyes studying the ceiling above, it seemed.

"What are you thinking about?" Alex breaks the suffocating silence, curious of the young traveler with his shirt almost fully unbuttoned by now, lounging across their mansion's living room sofa as if he belonged here.

"Ally, I just realized. I don't know anything about you." Sayer sits up, looking at her quite seriously with those dark, contemplative eyes.

"What's to know?" Alex answers lazily, noncommittally, she not one for back story or interviews, on the racing circuit's press or off the record.

"I don't know…" He shrugs, just wanting to know anything more about the thrilling woman before him to understand her better. Just then, Sayer remembers something she had revealed earlier this evening.

"That's right! Before, you mentioned your mother. Is she…?" Sayer trails off, sorry he said it almost immediately, not wanting to stir up any bad memories.

"She's dead. Since I was five years old." Alex answers, matter-of-factly, showing no emotion whatsoever.

"I'm sorry, Ally. It's just…I never knew my real mother. So, you're up on me there. Never knew my father either, come to think of it." Sayer smiles in a funny daze, never thinking much about his parents before. Queen Melodia—God rest her good soul—had taken him and Maker in as practically newborns. Healer had been orphaned a bit later, and she raised the three of them as royalty of Kinmoku alongside their beloved 'sister' Princess Fireball, whom each had sworn to protect.

"You're better off there, then." Alex sits up, looking him directly in the eye, causing Sayer to raise his eyebrows in surprise at the venomous response to the people who had given her life. "Look. My father mistreated my mother. He beat her body, tormented her mind, controlled her spirit. Sent her to an early grave." Alex's eyes fill with resentment and disgust, as old bitter memories permeate her thoughts. "She was a good woman, sweet and kind and gentle-hearted. Too sweet. Too kind. Too gentle-hearted. Too weak. I saw my mother, suffering day after day, be too weak to leave that monster. Her Russian Orthodox religion wouldn't allow it. Not only that, she loved him unconditionally. And he destroyed her one day, when he finally left—when he abandoned us both on that cold winter day. She died soon after that. Doctors said it was pneumonia, but even as young as I was, I knew what really killed her. Love killed her. It took her shine away. And she died, cold and broken in heart and spirit. I decided from that day on, I'd never be like her. I'll never let myself be that weak. I'll never be broken at a man's hand. I'll NEVER let anyone steal my shine." Alex was becoming more riled up with every past recollection and future declaration as her hands ball into defiant fists.

Perhaps it was this night of soulful upheaval, where she herself had almost died, perhaps this new relationship that part of her was screaming to deny had finally drawn this out.

"So… now you know why I am who I am." Calming down, Alex diverts her dark green eyes, not ashamed, simply falling back into being cynical, recalling the original reason she was as distrustful as she was, particularly with the male sex.

Sitting there, quietly absorbing her uninterrupted sad tale, Sayer begins to look at his golden beauty in a new light, understanding things he never understood before about her. "Ally. Not all men are like that." He says, trying to defend his earthly adopted sex as a whole.

"Aren't they?" Angrily turning away, Alex folds her arms defiantly as she relived these painful memories she thought she had chosen to forget and keep buried deep down. But something about this ray of starlight had spurred her to open up for the first time in ages.

Michelle's the only one I've ever told these personal things to before…so now why him, of all people?

"I would never leave, or do anything to take away your incredible shine." With as much emotion as conviction, Sayer whispers honestly, his bold hand touching her folded arm lightly.

"You wouldn't?" Disoriented Alex asks in bewilderment, feeling her eyes being pulled into his after Sayer swallows hard and shakes his handsome curled dark head. Despite herself, Alex could not help but find something compelling in those dark eyes again. "I might buy that. But maybe only because I suppose you only moderately count as one of those unreliable creatures…Star Fighter…" Unfolding her arms with the biting tease at detestable man-kind, Alex tentatively reaches out to touch Sayer's tickled more than slighted, laughing cheek, believing his words, when suddenly the doorbell rings.

Completely engrossed, he was surprised by the sound in the otherwise dead quiet house, Sayer swiftly jumps up, letting go of her arm and banging his head on the overhanging lamp—again.

"OW!" He rubs it as he goes to answer the door. "Hold that thought! I'll be right back, Ally." He winks back at her while dashing off to the front door of the rural mansion.

At first smiling at his foolishness, Alex quickly gets to her feet, pacing the room's length.

Why did I tell him all that about me?! Why do I want to believe him? Fool! Fool, Alex! Fascinating, gender-shifting star traveler or not, here on earth he's just the same as every other man…isn't he? Alex peeks up down the hallway to where Sayer seemed to be arguing with the chattering Chinaman who was delivering the way past midnight meal.

The navy blue ponytailed idol's funny gestures trying to explain something to the non-English speaking man was quite comical in Alex's eyes, making her chuckle as she hurries back to the couch. She didn't want to be caught doing a silly thing like spying on him, as she puts her feet up casually on the coffee table.

Finally coming around the corner, with a huge cardboard box, chocked full of Chinese food cartons, fortune cookies and sauces of all sorts, Sayer dangerously balances it in one hand, cleaning off the coffee table with the other. That meant just chucking everything to the floor for the messy young man who was accustomed to another picking up after him.

Sayer then smacks Alex's legs off as well, sometimes treating her just as another "one of the guys," something Alex herself found quite appealing about him.

"Now I got some of, uh, this." He displays each carton, holding it high in the air, peeking into each cleverly folded box physically. "And some of, uh, uh, this, gooey looking stuff. Oh and this is really good! It's…uh…pork la mang." He tries to remember some of what the guy at the door called it, mangling the foreign words horribly, making Alex laugh out loud. "You do like Chinese food, I hope?" He smiles, just thinking now to ask her opinion.

"Sure. Who doesn't?" Suddenly hungry at his comical sales pitch, Alex piles some of the lo mein on the paper plate he had expertly slung across the table to land in front of her.

"Actually…I've never had it before." He truthfully admits. "Is that stuff any good?" He inquires as Alex swallows a mouthful, looking quite satisfied with the flavorful treat in her mouth.

"Here, try some." Alex says with a full mouth, taking another big bite and nodding of its goodness while extending the white cardboard bucket towards him.

"Don't mind if I do." Sayer smiles wickedly, going in for some mouth to mouth canoodling directly instead, which Alex surprisingly does not push away nor punish him for. His bold tongue pushes in to steal some of the half-chewed savory noodles right from her mouth, adding more than a little spice to the hot, tasty fare.

That unexpected action causes Alex to swallow the rest down hard to marvel at this fellow soldier's uniquely unsettling, yet succulently appetizing audacity.

"Let's try this one next." Licking his lips, Sayer holds up another bucket of Chinese surprise to his companion's raised brow at the promising-to-be-a-more-juicy-candidate-to-share moo goo gai pan.

"This is going to be a very long meal, isn't it?" Alex smirks, sensing a trend. Her usually heavy heart was feeling light and almost…happy…when she was contending with this star man.

"Hope you're hungry." Sayer teases back as laughingly they pile all different kinds of unknown and aromatically interesting goo onto each other's plates, thoroughly enjoying not only the mouth to mouth taste testing, but also the barbs and teasing passing between them, long into the night.

---

Early the next morning, Susan's eyes slowly flutter open, the warm touch of Terry's hand still in hers. He held my hand the entire night. She gazes lovingly upon the owner of the hand from where she still laid.

Though still seated on the chair, Terry Starr was slumped over, his head lightly resting over the pillow next to hers.

For a moment, Susan simply enjoys gazing at the peaceful features on Terry's handsome face. So darling when you're asleep, too! She smiles as she carefully sits up as not to disturb his slumber. As she does, her eyes drift down upon a small piece of paper lying loosely in Terry's hand, resting on the edge of the bed.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Susan mischievously checks to be sure he was fast asleep. Her fingers hold themselves back from greedily touching the bare skin of his arm and manly hand, as she slides the slip of paper from his still digits. Trying to be as quiet as possible, Susan makes very small movements, not wishing to awaken the diligent young man who had stayed up all night for her as she lifts the white sheet in question to her eyes.

'Your name ever on my lips

Your doe eyes more radiant than the stars

Your unrivaled beauty takes my breath away

Your scent so soft, yet sends my senses reeling

The slightest touch of your delicate hand

Makes my heart skip a beat

Your graceful movements as a dance amidst the stars

Sweeter than wine

The taste of your lips so moist and sensuous

I long to taste them once more

The sound of your gentle song

Whispers in my ear, I need to hear

Throughout eternity

Your passionate spirit

Echo in my lonely soul

All this and more to me

My beloved

My precious

My own Princess,

Susan'

Her eyes fill with tears in silent awe of the poetry written from the heart in such a short span of time this quiet woman—and now her personal poet who had altered her solitary life—were both so a part of.

He wrote this just for me? Susan's breath catches in her dry throat as the tears slip down her soft cheeks, dropping their moist warmth upon Terry's sleeping hand. Opening his wisteria eyes, he looks to gaze upon his beautiful lady as he had done so many times throughout the night and was surprised to find her eyes tearful, staring at a paper in her trembling hand.

"You—you weren't supposed to read that." Terry suddenly feels shy and a little embarrassed over his expressive poetry not meant for his lady's eyes, when he realized what she was intently reading.

"My darling." Feeling more confident to say that possessive name for him each time, Susan looks at Terry, her face filled with wonder as she gazes up from the paper in her hands. "Do you really think all these wonderful things of me?" She whispers in a shaking voice, tears still streaming down her tanned cheeks.

Smiling softly, proud of his lyrical labor of love, Terry was embarrassed no longer, glad that she was able to see his true feelings, his deep passion for her in the form of his poetry.

"Every bit of it, and so much more." Terry gazes intently into her magenta eyes. "There are not enough words in the universe to express what I feel for you here in my heart." Fixing his gratified eyes upon her delicate, trembling features, the 6 foot 2, tall man leans over her slender form. Kneeling one leg to the bed she was yet seated upon, Terry kisses Susan gently, wiping her tears away with his thumbs, and then—

Backing away, Terry swallows hard, clearing his throat nervously, guiltily almost, as he retracts his tall, limber form from the lady's bed area.

"I will take my leave from you now, my lady." He bows like a true gentleman as she fully sits up.

"Terry darling!" When he reaches the door, Susan's eyes were bright as she calls out and throws a kiss to him, to which the romantic man catches in the air, pressing his fingers symbolically to his lips.

Though finding it agonizing to leave, Terry opens the door, closing it behind him slowly, yet still peeking in at his precious lady as he does. Hs chest swells with pride as the poet watches Susan reread his poem and girlishly kiss the page. The look of sheer bliss and wonderment on her beautiful, tearful face makes Terry fall in love with her a million times over again.

Coming into the living room, even Terry—who had become quite used to Sayer's constant messes he generally cleaned up—was shocked to see the utter chaos spread around the area.

Containers and plates of half-eaten foods and beverages were left everywhere, untidily pushed over on the now stained browns and reds coffee table to drip to the floor beneath it. Remote controls, cassettes, videos and CD cases were carelessly strewn across the floor without heed, a trail of disarray leading Terry's shocked eyes up to the culprit at the center of the storm.

Make that TWO culprits, this time, as Terry observes the duo of responsible parties for the cluttered mess in Michelle's out of town mansion.

Their eyes closed, both were casually propped up on surprisingly the same full couch, two lean and long limbed bodies lying opposite of each other, though pressed tight against one another on the sofa cushion meant to only support one person at a time.

Suspicious of the evidential situation, the 'older brother' knew Sayer well enough to realize the irreverent rascal had about zero percent restraint or self-control in this shameless department. After all, if Terry himself had trouble keeping upright and moral against corporeal temptation… he was considering this as he quietly investigated the scene. Terry treads softly over to the supposedly sleeping couple whose snug proximity made him cast serious doubts upon their innocence.

Sayer, I hope you didn't…impose…yourself on Miss Sokova in her condition—

Though the idea of any person forcing Alex to do anything she didn't want to was ridiculous, Terry starts to think chidingly of any ungentlemanly behavior on his more wild sibling's part last night. Standing directly over him, Terry was startled when Sayer's satisfied smiling mouth, his eyes still closed, begins to speak.

"I like that one, too, Ally. You've got good taste." Just then, the tall 'Boy Holmes Detective' star notices the headphone sets affixed over both their ears.

"Thanks. Michelle can't stand these CDs, so I rarely get to listen to them, except when I'm driving alone in my…" She stops, trying to shake off the feeling of the loss of her precious Ferrari. Though her eyes were closed and music blaring in their ears, Alex's keen senses pick up another's presence, as well.

"Your brother's finally back."

Her voice flat and nonplussed, Alex smirks as she remembers their little "bet," which was inexplicably called off, on account of…a sudden wind…last night. Pulling off his headset, a quick beat dance mix sizzling through them, Sayer looks up backwards, to see Terry's disapproving face looking down into his, a question in his eyes.

"Don't you give me that face, Ter. I know what you've been up to in there!" Sayer teases, knowing himself still—sigh—innocent enough, but his taller, more mature and worldly brother though was quite another story.

"Oh, I—uh—" Terry stumbles, surprised at the accusation and blushing at it, making him appear all the more culpable.

"Do I win the bet now?" Sayer gives it one more try, but with an amused 'hmph' Alex merely continues to smirk. She ignores him as she pulls off her earphones and shuts down the CD player with a remote.

"What bet?" Terry's eyes widen as he tries to imagine what intrigues his brother and Miss Sokova were up to in the wee hours of last night, alone.

"Amaralexis Sokova! Don't tell me you stayed up all night when you required complete rest!" Michelle's voice comes high-pitched and reprimanding into the living room as she enters in a particularly stylish new summer dress.

"Well, we…got talking and…" Alex guiltily rubs her head and sits up properly, moving so quickly that her long legs knock Sayer right off the couch onto the floor with a thud, causing those gathered to laugh. Susan joins the mirthful moment as she slides in unnoticed, to naturally hang on Terry's arm.

"Ughh! What a mess! Did you explode the contents of the refrigerator in here, Sayer?" The final occupant in the house comes in with a grumpy, cutting comment, as usual. Grateful for his empathy at least—after the two had already greeted one another on the astral plane while Robin was in the shower. That enticing experience gave the French girl some pretty boy ooh-la-la mental imaging when the fresh out of the water young stud was grooming himself in the mirror. For psychic Michelle was so well in tune with all three fascinating aspects—water, mirror, and Robin Starr—that she could practically have been a butterfly on the shower wall.

Michelle nods, agreeing with Robin wholeheartedly. Then she makes her way to Alex, lightly stepping over the quite 'unlivable' disaster area she once called her high class manor's 'living room.'

"Now it's my turn to put you to bed." She tugs on Alex's arm.

"Michelle, I'm not tired. I thought maybe we could go for a drive." She looks at Sayer with the offer as Terry gives his brother a helping hand off the floor, then suddenly catches herself, realizing her Ferrari was way past out of commission. "—on my motorcycle." She throws in, a beat too late.

"You're in no condition to drive a motorcycle." Michelle's affections become bossy, pulling her difficult cousin to her feet. "You're going to rest here, ALL day. And without reckless distractions." Giving Sayer a dismissive look, Michelle smiles triumphantly when Alex gives in, letting the demure aqua maiden drag her away and towards the spiraling staircase.

Jumping to his feet, Sayer quickly scoops up something small from the coffee table. "You forgot to open your fortune cookie, Ally." He chucks it through the air and up the stairs expertly with a fighter's aim, and Alex reaches out, catching it in one hand, effortlessly on the wind she commanded.

Curious, she pops the cookie open as she climbs the steps, cracking the ingenious message in a tasty treat to reveal a fortune inside. Alex pauses in her gait on Michelle's arm, then reads it aloud for all to hear.

"Greet every new morning with a fresh smile."

She repeats in a droll voice the usual fortune cookie fare, shrugging and crunching it up in her hand as she pops the rest of the crunched up cookie in her mouth.

"That's nice." Susan indeed smiles brilliantly fresh, as she goes to help Terry clear up the living room mess, though he refuses to let her do much of the physical labor, of course. But they could enjoy one another's pleasant company while doing it together.

Before turning into her second floor bedroom, Alex flashes a dazzling pair of eyes down at Sayer, who had been watching her exit take all the shine out of the room for him. With a pleased sigh that she remembered him, the rock star gives his busted partner in crime a familiar salute and smirking wink up at her.

Rolling her eyes at him, Alex then lets herself be led to bed, where "motherly" Michelle busies herself tucking her best friend in.

"Go to sleep, Amara." Michelle orders, kissing her beloved cousin tenderly on the forehead.

"Yes, Michelle." The usually in charge leader succumbs to the rest prescribed, many new thoughts whirring in her swimming head.

Flicking off the lights and leaving Alex's bedroom, she catches a glimpse of something laying on the ground and stoops down, picking it up. Idly looking at it as she walks out and down the steps, Michelle finds the crumpled fortune cookie strip and discovers, to her surprise, it did not read what Alex had said earlier.

"The winds of fate have brought you the one true love of your life."

Smiling at her friend's cover up she thought she had sensed earlier, and the strangely prophetic fortune, Michelle folds the tiny slip of paper and places it in her pocket. The deep souled Sailor Soldier was glad to know that maybe the demanding wind just may be planning to blow a littler softer over her beloved Amara, at long last.

---

Terry literally had to chase his lady from the clean-up effort, recruiting his two reluctant brothers to do the physical work instead. Through Robin's endless complaining about 'dirtying his hands' to 'clean up after' his two favorite people—'Sayer and Alex's mess,' and Sayer being easily distracted while checking out the cd inserts and chomping leftover Chinese noodles spilled on the coffee table, etc, and general slacking off, the job finally gets done.

Finally finished, Sayer and Terry disappear to their room to freshen up and Robin lazily drapes himself in the neatened up living room he had 'slaved' over cleaning.

Feeling quite comfortable in this classy manor of Michelle's, Robin trimly sits on the fancy, tufted chaise lounge settee—the only pristine piece of ivory velvet furniture Sayer and Alex did not dare soil—and turns on the TV's local news, hoping everything would finally settle into a normal, uneventful day. Not a 'morning person,' the silver haired idol was still half asleep as he flops over quite dramatically on the velvety lounge like a lethargic cat in need of his nap.

"What would you three hardworking boys like for breakfast?" Peering into the fairly tidy living room just after the Three Lights had finished picking up, cleaning up, and shaking up the place, Michelle offers, as a proper hostess should, some morning vittles for their three special guests. She and Susan were ready in the kitchen to make a big breakfast for the hardworking lads.

After all, classical French chef Michelle was training Susan to be able to make the meals for Tara and Alex when the performing artist and part-time teacher was unable. Though not nearly as accomplished at haute cuisine as her unlimited in talents friend, Susan was ready and willing to try and cook up a variety of breakfast entrees, while Michelle was eager to take their orders, playacting as coy waitress.

'Oh, Robin, dearest. You're alone? Where did the other two go?' Pursed lipped Michelle psychically asks of her thwarted plan, though totally enjoying entering the room to find her gorgeous, slender bodied model so suavely adorning the sophisticated ivory chaise lounge she herself had chosen to artistically furnish this room with.

He fits right in with my décor. I can get used to this picturesque view every day for the rest of my life…

'Good morning, Michelle. That dress is lovely on you.' He the only one left in the living room, Robin's surprisingly gentle voice when he was invitingly drowsy in the morning invites her to sit beside him on the chaise lounge he rearranges his long legs to sit up. As she flows over to him like an ocean breeze, his art critic eyes gaze upon the young woman in the fashionably summer dress with just as much admiration.

'You cook your own delicious meals, on top of all your other accomplishments? I'm impressed. But I'm always awed with everything you do, Michelle.' Caressing her cheek as she sits beside him, the normally non-tactile, hard-to-get idol—which made him the most desirable—pervades Michelle's mind with compliments on yet another art his sophisticated debutante had mastered, especially of interest when his stomach was starting to growl.

'Why thank you, kind sir. But you have not tasted any of my cuisine yet…so how do you know they are delicious?' There was not a subject that 'Miss Perfect Hair and Looks and Well-Heeled Talents galore' did not excel at, and she knew it. But modesty was becoming to a young ingénue, so Michelle coyly downplays her prestigious and elite École Normale Supérieure de Jeunes Filles in Sèvres, Catholic Parisian Girls Academy's well-trained culinary skills.

Especially to this young man she wished to have the highest opinion of her, as she increasingly did of her handsome and endlessly talented singer from the beyond the stars.

'I'm convinced anything these stunning hands embrace must be made more beautiful. Because you make every world beautiful, Michelle Moreau.' Physically lifting her hands in his tenderly, Robin whispers this psychic serenade to Michelle's yearning ears that needed a little petting after yesterday's frightening affair. As a cat-lover, Robin understood well how a high-strung kitten required his tender stroking that could satisfy any feminine feline's meow.

'I don't know if I said it enough last night, but I've been meaning to thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you did for Uranus. And how you were there for me, my Star Healer. I don't know how I could have survived if you weren't with me.' Michelle abandons her quixotic feminine pride to turn to a more sober, heartfelt note, one which required much gratitude to the fellow Sailor Soldier who had come through for her and her beloved when she was falling apart at the seams.

Robin Starr Healer had come a long way from holding disdain for all things of this world—or any not related to his precious Princess' distant star.

'It was you and your connection that illustrated the way to heal her, Neptune. Evelyna couldn't have found her way right without your perfect example of love for Uranus to show her how. I was only able to help strengthen her because of you and these beautiful hands which have painted my world perfect now.' Robin had matured from the selfish teenager who merely thought of himself when his awakening soul realized it was only half of who he was destined to be.

And that was the moment Michelle's heart called out for his—or was it Robin's heart who first called out for hers?—and the two halves have been discovering what it is to be one whole since.

Looking like a painting themselves, the two attractive figures seated next to one another on the long and stylish settee lounge lean into one another for a long, passionate kiss. Growing wider awake by the second, Robin's hunger was being satisfied as Michelle happily melts into his electromagnetically charged arms.

…'Sing once again with me, our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet'…

In the background, from a television advertisement reverberates the pounding, eerie, yet all-encompassing music, followed by echoing song lyrics that were filled with forbidden romance and drama incomparable as their kiss heats up.

…'And though you turn from me to glance behind'…

Within the unlimited realm of their now spiritually linked minds, Robin and Michelle connect on a thrilling new level unlocking for them. Though never even entertaining the idea of romance, this star of Healer was now discovering the delight of the aquamarine siren's soft lips and Neptune, longing to embrace the watery depths of her destiny all her life, had found the ecstasy of this silver star's all-encompassing touch was real.

…'The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside your mind'…

Lost in the deepest depths of the bottom of the sea, in his tempest tossed soul Robin felt that an angel of light all wrapped in filmy gossamer waves was swimming to fetch him up from his lonely fortification which shunned such closeness before. Michelle presses lovingly into his compelling kiss to draw Robin fully out of his hidden world, and he, spurred on by the beating harmony surrounding, responds by pulling her willing body closer to his on the chaise lounge. Combining the soulful, spiritual and physical, the gripping sound of the spectacular music sweeps the two into a sensual realm of romance neither lonely soul had heard the solitary symphonies of their hearts ever play before—

…'It's me they hear
Your (my) spirit and my (your) voice
In one combined…'

"What happened to our break…fast? Whoa. I'll have some of what you're having, Rob." Just on that cue, smart-mouth Sayer, fresh out of the shower and fresh with a quick witticism, comes bounding out into the living room in an especial hurry.

"Oh…yes…breakfast…Is ham…all right…with your oeufs cocotte—which is basically baked eggs?" Michelle, stuttering breathless and pink-cheeked embarrassed, manages to ask as she jumps up guiltily from the settee after Robin's no longer sleepy, rather zealous and definitely stirred up, morning greeting embrace.

"I like ham and eggs." Robin dreamily affirms with a lingering hand on Michelle's to steady her post hot kiss, still tremulous gait.

"Yeah, I just bet Rob will love your baked eggs, Michelle!" Sayer cleverly insinuates with raising brows down at his oldest, most mission-oriented single-minded of the three, usually least interested in the female sex, sibling.

"Sayer! You're disgusting!" He for one impressed with Michelle's cultured cuisine, Robin berates the rascal, shaking his head as he flops back down on the chaise lounge.

"I'm not the one messing around with the staff." Sayer's irascible voice snidely tosses back the last word as the long-ponytail-still-dripping-wet-all-over-the-floor young man swiftly sidles out the side door towards the garage.

But a perfectly slung small roll pillow violently whacks him from behind in the head in vengeful retaliation as he does.

---

POP! POP! POP!

As the curled aqua 'waitress' was doing battle with the continuously popping, malfunctioning toaster, Michelle frowns, machinery and household chores never much to her liking. That's what servants are employed for! I'm a chef de cuisine!

Abandoning the underdone bread, Michelle leans her coquettish wavy head close to Susan's happily humming one over the stovetop.

"It's so wonderful to be able to do simple things like making breakfast for him." Susan says over the frying ham, humming happily, a smile on her blissful face.

Michelle, her cheeks just coming down from the five shades of pink her Robin had sent her reeling into with his morning kiss, peeks over curiously at Susan's comment as the instructor inspects her student's cooking technique, expertly turning the heat down a bit so Susan does not scorch the already fully cooked meat, sautéing on high heat as she often tended.

"So…how was your evening?" Michelle's flirtatious, empathic mind easily gathered that something was afoot for her normally staid and quiet older friend.

"Wonderful…" Susan responds in a pleased daze, continuing to hum, making Michelle certain of her suspicions now. That's when Terry, freshly showered and dressed in a dashing new suit, enters the kitchen humming the same melody in perfect time with Susan, leaning over her shoulder and kissing her tenderly.

"I don't believe I've said 'Good Morning' to you yet, my darling." Terry smiles romantically. "Allow me, my lady." The gentleman helps Susan flip the multiple ham pieces onto a plate, making the two of them the picture of perfect lovers in Michelle's eyes.

"Good morning, Ms. Moreau." Terry finally notices that Michelle was present, and she nods back at him, then quietly slips out of the kitchen. Drifting back into the living room with a fresh mug of coffee for Robin, Michelle, scratching at the post for more kisses herself, curls up onto the couch next to her own conquest, to where her young man had moved closer to the TV set.

"Hey, Michelle." Robin says simply with a grateful smile, while accepting one of his favorite joys in life he had discovered here on earth-coffee-though his mint green eyes were still glued to the television.

"Robin, dear." She whispers, wanting what Terry was giving to Susan, too, cuddling even closer to her silver haired sweetie sitting there sipping on his morning cup of coffee she had just made him. "Robin-dearest?" She repeats with a superlative, slowly growing anger when he continues to seemingly ignore her blowing lips and finger caresses. Insulted, the used-to-getting-her-way debutante was about to jump to her feet, feeling more than a bit rejected, when Robin's soft voice enters her mind with a fond entreaty.

"Do you want to go to that tonight, Michelle? I think it's something you'd like and it'd be nice to see it together." His pale green eyes direct hers towards the television he had been so engrossed with as the local news' theatre announcement just finishes.

"'The Phantom of the Opera?' But the seats must be sold out if it's tonight." Michelle feels her spirits lifting, glad she was not being ignored, and that really Robin was thinking of her.

He is so romantic. She sighs blissfully at the idea of her beau in tune with her adoration of the theatre few other men enjoyed.

And my Robin is very cultured. And so handsome in his stylish suits. And possesses so stunning a kiss that it still takes my breath away…sigh...

"Don't worry. We'll get tickets." He reassures her swooning heart, knowing both of them had high connections, as he squeezes Michelle's ecstatic hand.

"Thank you, dearest. How did you know that is one of my absolute favorite plays?" She coos aloud, and the pleased as punch French woman lifts her face up to be kissed like before with his healing touch.

"Because I know everything about you, Michelle Moreau. I've glimpsed how beautiful, how elegant and refined your perfect world is." Robin answers with an impressed smile, that sure of this pristinely gorgeous souled sailor soldier's feelings for him. Even if you don't know everything about me…the milk is blending into the coffee…Glancing down into his swirling mug of java with the metaphor, these mysterious, confused emotions he keeps to himself, which even he didn't understand, then cause the soulfully profound young wanderer from a distant star, inexperienced in the ways of love, to pause here. At first blinking at her silent prompting, Robin then smiles again and meets her wanting lips again tenderly, but more tentatively controlled than before.

"You guys at it again, huh? Guess Rob really wants your eggs…" Just passing through with good timing, Sayer rudely interrupts their intimate moment once again as he reenters the mansion through the slammed back door.

His sensitive passions running hot and cold, still unaccustomed to these new emotions and feelings overtaking him, Robin quickly pulls away, much to Michelle's chagrin.

"Sheesh. This place is like a porn star fun house! Rob and Michelle making out twice on that weeny couch. Now I come in the kitchen and find you and Susie practically on the kitchen table..." He trails off, a wry smile on his smug face, mischievous eyes dancing.

"Sayer! Manners and language in front of company. Please forgive his uncouthness, ladies. Breakfast is served." Terry reprimands, breathlessly, as his head peeks up from being buried in Susan's neck around the corner of the table he had been 'aiding' the woman in setting. The faint trace of Susan's deep magenta lipstick was incriminatingly on his lips—and smudged on the tablecloth, as well.

"Are you sure the table will be available now for eating food?" Sayer continues his relentless teasing on the middle brother now, the virile 18-year-old's eyebrows raised as he walks past, winking at the lady clinging all over his brother.

"Morning, Susie." Sayer sings, so full of energy, in a casual t-shirt and stone-washed blue jeans, you wouldn't think he'd been up all night at all.

"Good morning, Sayer." Susan blushes, returning to pouring glasses of orange juice on the table after readjusting the mussed bun on her dark green head.

Robin and Michelle glide in soon thereafter, hand in hand, all lovey-dovey. And the five of them sit at the large kitchen table, enjoying some pleasant conversation of the thrilling previous day and the slightly overcooked ham and scorched eggs.

But the other three diners around had an inkling the cook's mind was elsewhere when she should have been watching the—ahem—eggs.

Susan and Terry spend breakfast in a world of their own—as she moves to sit on his lap and feed him bites of burnt ham and eggs, which he seemed to think was absolutely heavenly from the deliriously happy expression on his face.

"Ugh, it makes me gag…" Robin says sourly under his breath, taking in the sappy scene. Rolling his eyes, his romantic appetite of early morning was obviously long passed as he pushes the remainder of his breakfast plate forward.

Michelle, however, thought it was extremely romantic and turns to Robin with a pout on her disappointed face—obviously hoping that she might do the same to him someday soon, with the same results.

"I meant the smell of the burned eggs." Robin substitutes the foul smelling aroma of burned food before his finicky, crinkling nose, poking at the charred yellow and white bits of protein swirling on his plate overdramatically. Then he glances at Michelle beside him, who seemed to buy his act, as she relaxes her frown and offers him a cup of civilized tea. To which this Sailor Coffee Healer opts for a fresh mug of his favorite sweet and caffeinated beverage instead, and she cordially obliges.

"Where're you guys off to today?" Sayer asks, hurriedly stuffing the last piece of ham in his mouth, oblivious to the whole scenario of a dilapidated breakfast meal, with underdone toast and overcooked ham and eggs.

"My artistic class for me. Robin will stay here to monitor Amara." As she was brewing him a fresh pot—thank goodness Susan had already reloaded the grounds and filter in that despicable machine of Amara's—Michelle states their day's schedule, ordering Robin about like she owned him—like everything else the daughter of wealth desired in this world—just coming to her naturally.

"Oh, joy and wonder." Robin mumbles, not looking forward to spending the day with her, hoping against hope that Alex would sleep all the day through.

"What was that about my beloved, dearest?" Michelle twists her lip to the other person who must share her heart's love.

"Just hoping Alex is having a good slumber." Robin sighs with a shrug, exchanging the words to phonetically sound congruous, though the eyebrow raised, psychic female lets it go with a small 'hmph.'

"Susie?" Sayer turns his attention to the lovely woman at his side, shooting Robin a nasty look as well for defaming an absent Alex.

"I thought we'd just stay home, too, and just…relax." Susan's sparkling eyes rest upon Terry meaningfully.

"What's wrong, Ter?" Sayer enjoys seeing his typically stoic and staid brother squirm under Susan's tantalizing gaze.

"Wrong? Oh, nothing." Terry's low voice was a pitch higher than usual as he covers up, pretending to be clearing the table instead.

Watching Michelle amorously attach herself to Robin, her lips touching his ear under the guise of whispering into it, and Robin's face going into shock at whatever she was saying, Terry could just imagine what she was proposing. Then, he remembers his apprehension earlier this compromising morning about Sayer and Alex's growingly physical and sexually charged sparring matches…

"I was thinking…" Clearing his throat, Terry speaks suddenly, knowing that his willpower was on the brink of collapse, along with everyone else in this tension filled household it seemed.

His left hanging sentence calls the others to pay attention to the serious, intelligent man. "Since we are going to be staying here on Earth from now on—" Michelle and Susan's eyes light up at the rewarding declaration, "we should go and find a suitable apartment for the three of us again." He watches the two ladies' faces drop at the less agreeable culmination of his sentence.

"As soon as possible." Robin adds, again looking into his freshly refilled coffee cup's aromatically blending in contents, Michelle's mouth twitching at that inhospitable implication. "So we can start our career as singers up again." He makes the legitimate excuse that solidified the three no longer wandering stars reestablishment on this planet to stay.

"But you can stay here for as long as you like! You're quite welcome." Michelle smiles all sweetness at Terry, trying to be convincing to 'he who was in charge.'

"I think it's for the best." Terry always tried to be the "big brother," watching out for his two less responsible brothers' safety and wherewithal, as well as their morals suddenly in question, living in the presence of all three tempting women.

Not to mention my own teetering convictions. sigh Seeing Susan's dejected face, Terry gently caresses her hair, hoping she could understand his perspective.

"Would you like to help me look for one today? Let's make a day of it together, and maybe then we can go on a picnic. You have such exquisite taste." He asks, smiling sweetly at her.

Easily lost in his eyes, Susan nods acquiescently with a smile.

"Yes, my prince." She smiles obediently, disappointed they were leaving, but happy he wanted to spend the day with her—their first together as a certified couple.

"You guys going into town, then?" Sayer asks, suddenly in stimulated anticipation. "Good. There's something there I want to do…" He says mysteriously, his dark laser-like eyes aiming up the hallway towards a certain golden haired beauty's bedroom.

---

After dropping Michelle off at her art school, and Sayer off at the street corner in town he so bafflingly pleaded to be left at, Terry and Susan go on a hunt for a new apartment for the three bachelors.

The usual burden was turning into quite an enjoyable experience for our two new lovers on their initial day as an "official" pair—anything would be fun as long as they were together.

Neither of them was very choosy, and one of the first apartment complexes they went to seemed to have a pleasant enough set of suites, large enough to house the three men without them being in each other's hair all the time.

"The view is lovely." Susan opens the glass sliding doors, leading to the airy balcony on the highest floor of the large stately building overlooking Tokyo's skyline.

"Yes, it is." Terry follows her out and puts his arm around Susan's orange midriff bloused shoulder, more looking at her than at the city's scenic skyline, nor the ocean just in view in the short distance.

"Ahem." The apartment man showing them around interrupts the romantic scene. "Is this apartment for you and…ahem…the young lady—Sir?" Obviously the snooty older man did not approve of unwed cohabitation in his high-class establishment. He was even still in doubt of this young man, though well-spoken and polite, having the necessary funds to afford such an luxurious and pricey chunk of real estate.

"No, it's only for Mr. Starr and his brothers." Susan blushes, wishing, just for a second, that it was what he implied.

"Yes. My two brothers and I." Terry says, matter-of-factly, a bit annoyed at the man's disapproving suspicions looking him up and down.

"Ahh, very good, sir." The ritzy building owner nods gladly, not wishing to believe anything else really of such a fine, conservative looking young woman and the well-dressed young man, despite the long ponytail. "Starr…? Could you be Terry Starr of the famed Three Lights?" He suddenly recalled who this tall and extremely handsome young man reminded him of, from recollection of his fanatical daughter's posters plastered on her walls of the chart-topping teen idols of a few years back. "Would you like to take residence with us immediately then, Mr. Starr?" The businessman saw instant monetary signs blink in his head that the super popular singers could no doubt afford this exclusive penthouse suite of rooms allotted for millionaires.

"What do you think of it, my lady?" Terry turns to Susan for his decision, giving her the final choice.

"I think it would suit you three boys beautifully." She glances favorably around the spacious high rise apartment's three bedroom, two bath and open concept studio area. She believed it was very suitable for a grand piano and other instrument filled music room for the trio of composing musicians.

"Then we'll take it." Terry nods to the man who cheerfully pulls some papers out of his briefcase for him to sign.

"These are the highest class apartments, securely monitored and they come fully furnished, as you can see, with the finest quality conveniences." He sweeps his hand towards the high tech looking kitchen with his sales pitch and Terry smiles. He had a feeling that he would be the only member of the bachelor household to be using any of these "quality" conveniences.

"Very good. We can move in tomorrow, then?" Terry signs his name to the contract as the man nods. Taking note of, but not worrying about the pricey cost of living in such an upper class, penthouse suite establishment.

---

That done, Terry and Susan go shopping, taking in all the sights and sounds of the busy city. The carefree pair pick up the things they needed for their day out, then head off to the picnic grounds at a nearby park.

"Perfect day for a picnic." Terry says as he carries the basket full of goodies out to Susan who was sitting very femininely on a blanket he had just laid out.

"Everything's perfect when I'm with you." Susan smiles contentedly up at him and Terry beams back his gorgeous smile. Sitting down on the picnic blanket next to her, the long-limbed man contently stretches his muscular legs out onto the green grass of this incredible planet called earth he was now to call home, too.

It was a beautiful summer day indeed, in the busy parkland, as birds chirp away happily, the sun shining down brightly in the sky. Couples stroll through the pleasant park without a care, as noisy children race to and fro on the breezy, kite-flying day.

"I've never been on a picnic before." Susan busies herself reveling in the normalcy of the calmness of time in the air as she spreads out the many different outdoor luncheon foods on the blanket.

"Do you like it so far?" Terry leans back relaxing as he rolls up his sleeves, his tie and suit jacket already discarded.

"Very much." Susan demurely tosses her hair back, her face basking in the warm sunlight, her radiance adding to the splendor of the day. Terry ponders this as he watches her admiringly, enjoying their time together when he suddenly sees a small child dangerously dangling from a tree.

Jumping up as he rushes to her, he catches the falling little girl in his strong arms.

"Be careful, Little Miss." He smiles, lowering her to the ground. Wide eyed, she points up to the tree pleadingly.

"My kite!" The little girl gestures up to the poor, beleaguered thing caught in a web of branches.

"Not to worry." Terry heartens the child, agilely climbing up the tree, he returns in a flash with the girl's undamaged lost "friend."

"Thank you!" Grabbing her kite, the little waif was off and flying again in a jiff. Proudly watching her boyfriend's (Yes, he is my boyfriend!) heroism, Susan was surprised to hear another girlish voice echoing her thoughts from close beside her.

"Terry-papa is so heroic, isn't he, Puu?" Rini's pink cones bounce up and down as she runs up to her guardian, glad to see Susan again after last night's scare, yet always inwardly believing that she would.

"Yes, he is." Susan pats the ground next to her. "Won't you join us, Small Lady?" She waves her hand over to the basket full of goodies.

"Well…I'm supposed to be with the rest of the girls, but…" The tasty treats were too tempting and our sweet-toothed little lady gives in. "Maybe just a few of those muffins…" Rini stuffs some into her mouth, Susan giggles at her young charge's healthy energy.

"Rini! Where have you gotten…?" Tara's small voice calls out for her missing friend. Stopping suddenly when she sees the woman with Rini—and for a moment their eyes meet.

"Susan!" Tara cries out, rushing to her. The thin girl falls to her knees, throwing herself around the surprised older soldier. Tears in her purple eyes, Tara cries into her guardian's chest.

Tears form in Susan's own eyes, as she whispers "Forgive me for not considering your feelings, Tara."

"No. I was the one wrong. I was just being silly. I finally saw it last night. Terry loves you very much." Tara whispers honestly, looking into Susan's eyes. "I'm sorry." Tara smiles hopefully up at her, the pangs of her first crush slowly passing.

Hugging her tightly, Susan smiles back, happy there was no longer a rift between them, and that they were good friends once again.

Rini smiles at the pair, pleased with how things were going.

"Look what we found!" Mina's loud voice sings like she found a prize through the park, as she, on one arm and Lita on the other, come dragging Terry back along with them, Amy and Rei close behind.

"Susan! You're here, too." Amy smiles at her older friend. Susan nods sweetly, truly glad to see their cheerful faces, when last night she thought she might never again, in this era, anyway.

"Of course." Rei smirks insinuatingly at Terry and Susan, to which Terry smiles back, then suddenly sees Rini's pink little head busily munching away in the picnic basket.

Going to her, he sends all the girls into shock, bowing down on his knee to the little girl reverently. "Princess, you truly are our "Small Lady." To you, I owe an eternal debt of gratitude." Terry states, lowering his eyes deferentially to Rini as he takes her small hand in his large one. His lips lightly brush the child's plump knuckles as he then places the small Time Key, which was so important to his mission last night, into her palm.

Speechless, crumbs of muffin all around her open mouth, Rini smiles into his violet eyes, knowing why, once again, she loved her "Terry-papa" so much. "Terry-papa." She whispers, hugging his bent down neck.

"What's that all about?" Rei whispers behind their backs to Lita, all four girls ignorant of last night's fate altering adventures.

"I don't know." Lita shrugs, eyes wide and interested in anything concerning her favorite rock idol.

"Whatever it is, it's very nice." Amy smiles sweetly at the obvious closeness between Terry and Rini, not to mention Susan.

"Who cares? We're going to be late for the movie!" Mina did not want to miss any part of the newest cheesy romantic flick, especially since she managed that cutie Ken to meet them there. "Come on, girls!" She pulls on Amy, Rei, and Lita. "See you guys later!" Helplessly dragged away by their leader Mina, they all wave goodbye.

"So full of life, aren't they?" Susan waves back to her cherished friends.

"Speaking of which…" Terry smirks, spotting his dark haired brother Three Light chatting up the four departing scouts. But whatever he said made the four of them stick up their noses at him and indignantly stomp off in the other direction.

Shrugging noncommittally, Sayer then comes jogging up to the picnic blanket.

"Sayer, what did you say to them?" Terry curiously asks, ready to reprimand him.

"I only told them that they all looked great yesterday at the wedding." Sayer says innocently enough.

"And…?" Terry somehow knew instinctively that there was more than that to the story.

"And…I just said I wondered what had happened to them today." He smiles, full of extra teasing wickedness for some reason.

"Sayer!" Terry was still shocked at the way his younger brother could crudely treat women, but the three ladies around him giggle anyway.

"Food! I'm starving!" Sayer plunks down next to Tara and begins to dig right in, as Terry hands Rini and Tara some money to buy themselves a kite. And the two children skitter off, hand in hand happily.

Her eyes laughing at their youthful exuberance, Susan turns to Sayer. "Did you accomplish what you wanted to today?" She asks him politely as Terry sits down next to her and puts an arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, yeah." Sayer lazily sprawls out into the grass, his arms behind his head, his enigmatic smile filled with guyish pride. "I sure did." He pulls down his rock star shades over his eyes, the smile still pasted on his face as Tara and Rini race by, a red kite streaming behind them high in the clear blue sky.

---

'The Phantom of the Opera" - written by Andrew Lloyd Weber 1986