********
"Rei-chan is going to be so angry with me!" Usagi huffed, running up the stairs to Hikawa Shrine. She was late getting to the Senshi meeting, as usual.
Usagi headed to Rei's room, only to find that the girls weren't there. She didn't see them anywhere. "Usagi-san!"
"Hai, Yuuchirou-san?"
"Rei-chan told me to let you know that they went to the park. Something about making a killing."
"Arigatou!" Usagi called over her shoulder. 'Baka communicator, Luna really needs to fix it sometime soon!'
"Moon Crisis Make Up!"
~~~~~
The four remaining Senshi stood in front of Mars, protecting her from the creatures continuous attacks. "Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
"Usagi!" Chibi Moon said as her future mother ran up to them. Usagi nodded. "Please Pegasus, protect our dreams.... Twinkle Yell!"
Gathering the Pegasus' power, Usagi chanted, "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!"
"Ahhh! Stage Out!"
The girls detransformed and went to check on Rei. Usagi stood back from a distance. She truly believed it was her fault that Rei had gotten hurt. 'If I hadn't been late as usual, Rei wouldn't be hurt. And I'm sure I could have saved her.'
"Usagi?" Chibiusa looked at her in confusion. Usagi couldn't stand it anymore and ran away. "Usagi!"
Chibiusa felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Minako. "She'll be all right, Chibiusa-chan. Let's get Rei-chan to the hospital."
"Un..." the little girl replied. Somehow she wasn't so sure Usagi would be all right.
~~~~~
'Dear Journal:
It's all my fault. I nearly killed Rei-chan because I was late getting to that Senshi meeting. My friends are going to hate me, I just know it! And Mamo-chan ... what is he going to think? I need some time to think things through. Away from Tokyo. Mama and Papa have agreed to let me go away to sort things out. Chibiusa, I know you're reading this, you always do. Gomen ne. Please don't worry about anything, it'll turn out all right in the end, you'll see. I love you, my musume.'
Usagi closed her journal with a sigh and placed it in her top dresser drawer. She also put two letters, one for the Senshi and one for Mamoru, under her pillow. She knew Luna would find them there.
Picking up her suitcases, Usagi turned to look at her room for the last time, and shut the door.
~~~~~
"Congratulations, Usagi!" Miaka exclaimed.
Miaka Anderson was a friend of her family's. She had moved to California with her husband, Chris. Usagi had been staying with them since she left Tokyo. Now, she was graduating from high school. "Thank you, Miaka! I never would have made it without your help!"
"Usagi, you did all the work yourself. You showed some people here what a bright student you are."
"Ladies," Chris said, heading over to them. "Usagi, I have a surprise for you. There are some people here who stayed in the back of the auditorium. They're friends of mine and they'd like to see you."
Usagi nodded and she and Miaka followed Chris. Usagi stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who it was. A smile spread across her face. "Mama! Papa! Shingo! Chibiusa!" she exclaimed, racing into their arms.
"Usagi!"
"Thank you so much, Miaka and Chris! I've never been so happy in my entire life!"
~~~~~
"I can't believe she's been gone a year," Minako whispered.
"This isn't right!" Makoto said. "We were supposed to graduate together."
Ami nodded. "I wonder where she is. I still can't believe her parents wouldn't tell us where she was."
"She didn't want us to know, minna." Rei got up and stared out the window. "She must have really blamed herself for my getting hurt."
"When it was my fault," Luna replied.
"No, it wasn't Luna," Artemis reassured. "You had a few other communicators to repair. I could've helped out..."
Mamoru entered at that moment. "We could all spend our time blaming ourselves, but it won't do us any good. It won't bring her back." He hesitated before he added, "It might help to know where she is ... and I do."
~~~~~
"Ryan!" Usagi called out. "I've been looking for you all over!"
"Hey, Usa! How's it going?"
Usagi pulled out her chemistry book. "I need some help with the element names. They're so hard to figure out." She grimaced. "I really hate this subject, but I have to take it if I want to be a clinical lab tech."
Ryan laughed. "Okay, I've got to do a few things first. Do you mind if I pick you up from your dorm around seven and we go to Doc's for some pizza and tutoring?"
"Sounds good to me!"
Ryan laughed again. She could never refuse food. He often wondered how she could eat so much, yet never fail to look so gorgeous. "Great, I'll see you then!" He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Usagi watched as Ryan walked away. She felt like she was falling in love. 'What about Chibiusa... Mamo-chan?' She didn't know what to do.
~~~~~
"Will you cut it out, Usagi!" her roommate cried out. "You're gonna wear a hole in the floor!"
"I'm sorry, Julia, it's just that I'm really nervous about this."
"Nervous about what, girl? You've been on a date with Ryan before. Hell, he's even tutored you before. What is the deal?"
Usagi only stared at the door as if willing it to be knocked upon. Anything to get out of this line of questioning. "Oh my God!" Julia exclaimed. "You're in love with him!"
"What? Are you crazy?"
"That's it, isn't it Usagi!" Julia took her friend's silence as a positive response. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking of Mamoru. Usa, he's in your past. From what you told me, he hurt you, right? Forget about him. Ryan loves you. He's always been there for you."
There was a knock at the door. "Are you really sure, Julia? I mean, do you really think he's in love with me too?"
"I know so, girl," Julia responded.
~~~~~
Usagi had barely concentrated on Ryan's explanation of the element molybdenum. Her thoughts were going a mile a minute, but they weren't about chemistry. "Usagi... Earth to Usagi!"
"Huh?" Usagi said. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ryan. I guess, I just can't think right now."
"Oh you can think all right. It's just not about chemistry, is it?" He said with smile. "Usagi, would you mind going for a walk with me?"
"But what about your car. You're just gonna leave it here?"
"I'll get it later. There's something really important that I wanna ask you."
Usagi shrugged. "Okay..."
~~~~~
Ryan and Usagi headed toward the beach. The sky was clear and the moon was shining brightly. Eventually, Ryan spoke up. "Usagi..."
"Yes?" she replied turning to face him. She then realized that Ryan was on one knee.
"Usagi, I love you so very much. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?"
Usagi gasped. Julia had mentioned that Ryan loved her but he wanted to marry her? 'What about Mamo-chan... Forget it, if he loved you he would have come after you. Especially since you told him in his note where you were. Besides, I love Ryan and he's right here in front of me!'
"Usa?"
"Yes, I'll marry you, Ryan!" Usagi exclaimed, hugging him. "I love you too!"
~~~~~
"You mean you knew where she was this entire time and you didn't say anything?" Rei was furious. Looking at the others, Mamoru could tell they were as well. He couldn't reply right away because Rei continued. "Mamoru-san, this was important, why didn't you tell us?"
Mamoru sighed. "Because I thought she would need some time alone. Chibiusa read her journal and she mentioned needing time to think things through. We were right, though. She did blame herself for you getting hurt."
"Wait a minute," Minako said. "If she told you where she was going to be, she would have wanted at least you to follow her there. Tell her she wasn't at fault. If you haven't gone at all then Usagi-chan probably doesn't know we don't blame her. If you didn't go after her, she probably doesn't believe you love her anymore."
Ami nodded in agreement, albeit surprised by Minako's thoughts. "I think two of us should go there with Mamoru-san."
"Who?" Makoto asked.
~~~~~
Usagi tried on her wedding gown. It was similar to her princess dress. Sighing, she looked in the mirror. 'I had always hoped I would share this special day with you, Mamo-chan...'
"Stop it, Usagi!" She told herself. "He was the one who didn't want to be with you!"
"Usagi! You look beautiful!"
"Thank you, Julia, but I'm not sure about this dress..."
Miaka shook her head. "Nonsense, it fits you perfectly. Ryan will really love it on you."
"And off you," Julia whispered in her ear. Usagi turned 8 shades of red. "So two weeks. Ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Usagi replied.
~~~~~
Usagi and Ryan just left the cake shop when chaos broke loose in downtown Los Angeles. Gunshots began whizzing by fast. Usagi felt Ryan pull her down to the pavement as her heart beat rapidly in her chest.
As suddenly as it started, it stopped. Usagi realized that Ryan was lying on top of her. "Sweetheart, save it for the honeymoon," Usagi said with a nervous laugh. "Ryan?" Still no reply. "No..."
"Ryan!" Usagi screamed, finally able to pull him off her. The front of his shirt was stained with blood and she couldn't figure out where he was shot. "Ryan, answer me, please!"
"Usa..." Ryan coughed. "Are you okay?" She nodded, tears falling down her cheeks. "Good. As long as your alive and well, I can go in peace."
Usagi shook her head. "No, Ryan! Please don't leave me! Please! I love you! We're supposed to get married." She added another quiet, "Please."
"I am so sorry, Usagi. I love you too. Don't forget me..." Ryan's hand went limp.
"Noooooooooooo!" Usagi cried in anguish.
~~~~~
Mamoru, Ami, and Rei transformed as soon as the gunfire began, but there was little they could do. "I hate LA," Rei muttered.
"Noooooooooooo!" The three looked at one another.
"What was that?" Mamoru asked.
Ami detransformed. "I don't know, but we'd better find out. Perhaps someone needs help."
They stopped in their tracks when they arrived on the scene. Police cars and ambulances were arriving as well.
Rei looked over at the figure clinging tightly to a young man. A man no older than her. She walked over to them and gasped as the figure sat up, tears staining her cheeks. She still couldn't believe who she was staring at.
The girl sat quietly as the paramedics took the man's body away. "Ryan... I'll always love you."
"Usagi," Rei whispered, putting her arms around her friend.
"Rei-chan!" Usagi was confused but accepted the hug. There would be time for explanations, and hopefully forgiveness, later.
~~~~~
Julia stared at the friends of Usagi. She still couldn't believe they were sitting not 5 feet away from her. What had possessed them to come now? Especially Mamoru. If Usagi hadn't been upset enough as it was, Julia would have kicked them out by now. But she couldn't.
Finally, after a long 20 minutes of staring at one another uncomfortably, Ami spoke up. "Julia, we know we haven't been the greatest friends to Usagi-chan, but..."
"Ami-chan, let me. It's my fault," Mamoru interrupted.
Ami nodded slowly and sat down. "I love Usako, with all my heart. I knew she needed time. I also knew that I needed her, but I was never sure when it would be all right for me to go to her. I was stupid, I admit that, but I can't change what I did."
"You could have called her. At least she would have known that you were thinking of her. That you cared for her. Do you know how much Usagi was hurt because she didn't think any of you cared? I believe she still blames herself for Rei getting hurt because she had no one to tell her otherwise but me. And I wasn't there when it happened so she doesn't think I'm right. Usagi has been through a lot in the past year. I think you'll find she's not the same girl who left Tokyo."
They looked at one another with sad eyes as Julia left to check on Usagi. The girl was right.
"What have we done," Rei whispered.
~~~~~
"Usagi?" Usagi looked up from the photo album she was looking at. Tears still fell down her cheeks. "How are you feeling?" Julia asked.
Usagi shrugged. "Are you hungry?" Another shrug. "Usagi, stop this and answer me, please!"
"I'm sorry, Julia. I just... I just miss him! He died because he shielded me! If only I had the nerve to transform."
"What?" Julia was confused. "What are you talking about?"
Usagi put a hand to her mouth. "N-nothing," she said, looking back at the photos.
"Usagi, you know I can tell when you're lying. Tell me! Maybe I can help."
"I don't think so."
"Please, Usagi."
Usagi thought a minute. 'I do hate keeping secrets from her...'
"All right, Julia. Have you ever heard of the Sailor Senshi?"
"You mean Scouts?"
Usagi nearly choked on the water she had just sipped. "Don't EVER say that word again! It's Senshi or Soldier, is that clear?"
"O-okay," Julia replied nervously. 'Why is she getting all defensive?'
"Well, I'm Sailor Moon." Julia stared at her. "If you don't believe me, I can transform." Usagi went to her dresser and picked up her henshin brooch. "I could also get two of the Senshi ... they're out in the living room."
"No, Usagi, I believe you. I just know you're telling the truth." It then dawned on her. "You mean, a youma attacked and nearly killed Rei?"
Usagi nodded. "And it was my fault, if I--"
"Usagi, it was not your fault! If, if, if! You can't live your life with 'what ifs'! Things happened beyond your control, it happens to everyone. You can't change the past and Rei is alive so stop worrying about it. She doesn't blame you, none of your friends do. And neither does Mamoru."
~~~~~
After Ryan's funeral, Usagi went for a walk with Rei and Ami. "Ami-chan, Rei-chan, gomen nasai."
"Usagi, why are you apologizing?" Rei asked.
"Because I only told Mamo-chan where I was and not my friends. I felt bad for leaving, but I just had to."
"You don't need to apologize, Usagi-chan," Ami said. "We know you needed time."
None of them spoke for a while. Finally, Usagi broke the silence. "Mamo-chan hates me, doesn't he?"
"What makes you say that?" Rei asked in shock.
"One, I ran off and left him and two, I almost married someone else because I didn't believe he loved me anymore." Usagi smiled sadly. "Although I think Ryan really loved me..." She looked up at her friends. "May I have some time alone? I'll meet you back at your hotel. We really need to talk some more but I need to take care of something. Maybe you can see if Mako-chan and Minako-chan can come?"
"Of course, Usagi-chan," Ami replied.
Usagi walked over to the spot on the beach where Ryan proposed. It was also his favorite place to sit and think. Sighing, she took the ring off her left hand. "Ryan, I want to thank you for being there for me and loving me when I didn't think anyone else did. You made me so happy. I just want you to know that I'll always love you and I'll never forget you."
Kissing the ring, Usagi smiled and tossed it into the Pacific Ocean. "I'll never forget you..."
~~~~~
Usagi arrived at the hotel fifteen minutes later. When she knocked on the door, the last person she expected to see opened it. "Mako-chan!"
"Usagi-chan!" Makoto replied, hugging her friend. Usagi still wore the odangos, but her body had matured. "You look fantastic!"
"That's because I haven't eaten your delicious cooking in over a year!"
"Usagi-chan!" Usagi squealed at the sound of Minako's voice. At first glance, the two could be considered twins. "I've missed you so much!"
"Oh, I've missed you too!" Usagi replied. "Ne, how did you two get her so fast?"
"They hopped on a flight right after ours," Rei explained. "These two are impatient."
"Yes, we are," Minako said with a laugh.
Ami entered the room. "Usagi-chan, Mamoru-san is on the balcony if you'd like to see him."
"Ami-chan!" the girls cried out. Ami had never been so blunt.
"Gomen," Ami said, blushing.
Laughing with the others, Usagi headed to the balcony doors. She turned and smiled. They were going to be all right.
When she stepped outside, the first thing Usagi noticed was how pale the moon seemed. It was shining as bright as it should be.
"The Moon is afraid the Earth doesn't want her anymore. She loves the Earth but she may have betrayed him."
Mamoru shook his head. "The Earth knows the Moon didn't betray him. And he wants the Moon now more than ever. The Earth is humbled by how beautiful a celestial body the Moon is."
"Can the Earth forgive the Moon?"
"Can the Moon forgive the Earth?"
Usagi smiled again as Mamoru put his arms protectively around her. "The Earth loves the Moon."
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