When Ami and Rei had returned home, they found that Usagi and Trunks had left.

"Right when we needed them the most." Rei scoffed. "Typical."

"Hey," Bulma chimed in, leaning against the laboratory work table. "I'm sure it's fine. Trunks just took Usagi home. What's so important anyway?"

Rei spoke for the both of them as Ami twiddled around the lab, assembling the spare parts they found. "I'm fairly certain we found out who's behind all the Android attacks."

Bulma's eyes widened. "Really?"

"We've got two names," Rei continued, holding up two fingers. "Kaolinite and Professor Tomoe."

Bulma placed a hand on her chin, wracking her brain for such names. "I don't think I've heard of them... But—!" Bulma bolted up. "This is useful information we could use when I send Trunks into the past!"

"Which is why he should be here. Where is he?" Rei growled.

Ami had managed to cobble together her tracker while her sister and mother were conversing. She toggled it and found Trunks' energy signature. "He's still at Usagi's."

Rei whipped her head around to look at Ami. "Still?"

Ami dipped her head.

Concern flashed onto Rei's face. "You don't think he got hurt and is getting patched up at Chi Chi's?"

"His energy doesn't seem weaker. I doubt he got hurt." Ami said. "And if he did, nothing more than a scratch I would imagine."

Rei crossed her arms. "Then what's taking him so long?"

Bulma bit her inner cheek to keep herself from laughing. Her snickering beckoned the attention of her girls.

"What's so funny?" Rei asked.

"Don't you see it?" Bulma let a chuckle slip out.

Rei raised her brows, briefly glancing at Ami who simply shrugged. "What?" Rei looked back at her mother. "See what?"

Bulma nearly keeled over with laughter.

"What?" Rei went over to Bulma's side, holding onto her arm so she wouldn't fall. "What's wrong? What's so funny?"

"I think what mom is trying to say is that they are romantically involved." Ami spoke.

Rei let go of Bulma. "No way. This is the worst time to be thinking of romance. Trunks should know better."

Bulma stopped laughing, wiping away a tear. "You sound just like your father, because I didn't teach you that. Even as the world is falling apart, there's always a time for romance." The mother explained.

"And you're part Saiyan, Rei. When you find the one, you'll feel a tug in your heart." she continues. "Don't you want to find your true love?"

Rei felt a lump in her throat. "I—"

"I hate to interrupt." Ami interjected. "But I'm sensing an energy similar to a Sailor Guardian's in the middle of the ocean."

Both Bulma and Rei were bewildered. "In the middle of the ocean?" they exclaimed at the same time.

"Moving very slowly." Ami supplied. "Based on the trajectory, the energy is headed for Chi Chi's house." She pointed to the dot on her device.

"I don't want you two girls heading out again this late. You'll get to go tomorrow. As for Trunks..." Bulma placed her hands on her hips. "I hope he's either on his way or has enough sense to stay over."

The girls nod in agreement.

. ｡ * ✧ * ｡ .

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep out here with me?" The Ox King was dressed in his pajamas with his bed rolled out on the floor.

"I'm sure, honest." Trunks put a hand up in defense.

The Ox King shrugged and flopped onto his bed. "Your loss!" As soon as his head hit the pillow he was out like a light, snoring loudly.

"Well Usako," Trunks looked at Usagi. "Guess I'm sleeping in your room."

"It'll be just like when we were little." Usagi clasped her hands together. She then leans over and tugs on Trunks' ear to whisper to him. "I took some tarts from the fridge and hid them in my room." she says. "Let's hurry and eat them before mom finds out."

"Usako..." Trunks chuckled softly.

Usagi smiled softly and pulled away, gently pulling on Trunks' arm to lead him to her room.

As promised, Usagi fished out the tarts from under her pillow. She held one out towards Trunks. She started nibbling on the other one.

"Say Trunks," Usagi scarfed down the sweet. "D'you think that when you go back and change the past, our present will be changed as well?"

"Well..."

Usagi didn't let him speak as she rambled on. She turned and walked over to her bed, sitting stop of it to look out the window. "And if things change... Do you think we'll be still be good friends?"

Trunks proceeded to explain his point of view. "Our moms are good friends, and my mom said our dads were pretty close too. If things somehow change, I think that won't. We'll always be friends."

Part of him still strongly felt that nothing will change for them and they'll be stuck with this wretched timeline forever. But at least... At least her still had her.

Watching Usagi by the window with the moonlight shining on her face made Trunks feel whole. He had completely forgotten about the tart in his hand.

For the first time, looking at her, Trunks felt a pull in his heart.

. ｡ * ✧ * ｡ .

The next morning, Usagi slept in and Trunks didn't wake her. For a while he just watched her sleep. How beautiful she looked, despite contorting in the most uncomfortable looking position. She must have done that while trying to get comfortable in the middle of the night.

Trunks didn't understand why he suddenly felt this way about Usagi. Maybe he always did but was too young to understand it. Maybe...

"Usagi! Trunks!" Chi Chi called out. "We have a visitor!"

Even with Chi Chi yelling, Usagi didn't stir.

Shuffling on his knees, Trunks moved from his bed on the floor to Usagi's bedside. He poked her arm. "Usako, wake up."

"Mmm, five more minutes."

"Usako!" Trunks began to shake her.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Usagi bolted upright, sitting in her bed. "What's going on?"

Trunks gestured towards the door with his thumb. "Chi Chi says there's a guest."

"A guest? Oh gosh! I look like a mess!" Usagi jumped out of bed, pushing past Trunks. In the blink of an eye, she had fixed her hair. Once she was done, she was out the door with Trunks following behind her.

"Who's here, mom?"

Chi Chi stood aside to reveal their guest. "You just wouldn't believe who came to visit! It's Makoto! My, look how she's grown!"

Compared to almost everyone in the room save for the Ox King, Makoto was the tallest. She looked almost as intimidating as Rei.

Mako looked at Usagi and Trunks. "Long time no see."