Soul Mates
by lady

CHAPTER 11
Love and Friendship: The Rewards of Destiny

 

The stranger looked amused as he surveyed the faces before him. Just as he expected, each one wore a different expression, displaying a multitude of varied emotions among the lot of them. It made it a lot easier to pick the ones who considered him a friend from those who believed him a foe.

Slowly his lips formed into a smile as he took in his friends’ reactions. He noted Galen's relaxed stance beside Haruka, his own lips tilted in a smile and welcome showing in his emerald eyes. Usagi, on his other side, had a happy grin on her face and could barely contain her excitement. On her left, Nathan offered him a nod of acknowledgement, while Ashe gave him the thumbs up sign from his place beside Michiru. Zach managed a wave with his good arm and Kenjo gave him a quick, two-fingered salute. Hotaru clasped the arm Drake held around her shoulders as they both looked towards him with warm welcome. And Justin, as always, had a sly little smile on his lips, looking for the entire world like he was keeping a secret.

The rest of the group weren't exactly hostile looking, but definitely more guarded. Haruka, Michiru and Rei all wore identical suspicious frowns as they gazed at the stranger among them. Ami had a shy, tentative smile on her lips, while Minako and Makoto both looked at him in open admiration. Mamoru's face was a blank mask on the outside, but his intense gaze showed his readiness for anything that could happen.

The stranger had seen enough and, with confidence and understated grace, took the few steps necessary to bring him before Usagi. Some of her companions tensed as he dropped on one knee and raised the fingertips of her right hand to his lips. Usagi was kind of surprised herself, until he finally looked up straight at her and favored her with a slow wink.

"Show off!" she then accused him with a laugh and pulled him to his feet. She gave the giant of a man a big hug and let him know how much she missed him. "I'm so happy that you're finally here, Logan."

"Well, Princess," he replied in a deep baritone. "I'm glad to see you're doing okay."

"Logan," Galen said as he clapped the other man on the shoulder. "It's about time you got here."

"Yeah," Ashe agreed. "We were afraid we had to do all the fighting without you."

"Of course we all know how weak-kneed you get when it comes to a battle," Drake added tongue-in-cheek since most of them knew Logan had more strength in one hand than a dozen ordinary men in their whole bodies.

"Quit ribbing him, you guys," Hotaru admonished. "He might think he wasn't welcome here the way you keep going on and on."

Logan couldn't help but smile at her staunch defense of him. "It's alright, little one," he soothed her. "I've lived with these rogues for a long, long time. I know when they're being serious and when they're acting like clowns." And he gave Drake a playful punch which made the other man wince.

"Ouch! Watch where you put your hands, old buddy. You just might break my bones, you know?"

"He's really that strong?" Makoto asked curiously from Nathan's side.

"Oh! What a man!" Minako added, awe in her voice.

Logan gave them both a courtly bow. "Ladies."

"Ooohhhh!"

"Hey!" Kenjo protested. "How could you swoon like that in front of me?" he asked of his lady.

"Never mind you," Minako replied, thoroughly enjoying herself. "Logan is so tall and handsome."

"And strong and elegant," Makoto piped up, not wanting to be outdone.

"And a perfect gentleman!" they finally chorused.

"What do you think we are? Chopped liver?" Nathan asked, looking comical in his bewilderment.

Everyone laughed at their expense, finally breaking the tension that surrounded part of the group. When things quieted down once again, Logan was reintroduced to Mamoru and the Senshi who had no memory of him. He was surprised to notice that they trusted him immediately, even Haruka. He had been prepared to wait a little while before they were completely at ease with him, but he found there was no need to do so after all. It seemed their friendship was his for the taking.

"Well, people," Zach said when greetings had been exchanged. "I don't know about you, but I'm pooped. I think I'll head back to the Silver Millennium and get some rest."

"I'll go with you," Ami volunteered, assisting him to his feet. They waved their goodbyes and turned to walk away.

"Are we still on, Minako-chan?" Makoto asked when the two had passed the gate.

"Of course we're on."

"What are you talking about?" Rei asked curiously.

It was Nathan who answered. "These two suddenly got it into their heads to go skating. They were dragging Kenjo and me to the rink when we got the distress call."

"Oh."

"Would you like to come, Rei?" Makoto offered. "It'll be fun, I promise."

"Well, I..." she began before thinking it over.

Nathan winced with surprise as he felt a jab on his ribs. He looked down to find Makoto staring at him with wide, meaningful eyes before motioning in Justin's direction. He quickly got the message.

"Umm, Justin, how about it? You're a pretty good skater, if I remember right."

"Better than you, that's for sure," Justin replied half jokingly. He was tempted by the offer before he got a look at Rei's hesitant face and knew she wanted to go. He wasn't about to stand in her way. "But I won't be joining you today. I'm dead tired, and I need a few hours of undisturbed sleep before I'll feel like my old self again. See you!" And he turned and followed in Zach and Ami's wake.

Rei turned pale as she watched Justin's retreating back. He must hate her a lot, she thought, if he was willing to forego something he enjoyed so much just to avoid her. Suddenly, all the excitement and hope of going together as a couple disappeared with his departure. Nothing was left but the ache of regret that seemed to be her constant companion of late. It was enough to bring the tears to her eyes.

"I'm sorry, guys. I'm kind of tired too," she finally said, blinking rapidly to stave off the flood. "I think I'll go home for a bit and meditate." She gave them a final sad smile before walking away.

"Well?" Minako asked of the other couples that were left behind.

Haruka snatched Galen's hand and began dragging him away before he could respond. "We were on our way to lunch and I'm really starving now," she said in explanation. "Maybe next time."

Michiru didn't mind going and was about to say so when Ashe interrupted, "Uhh, Michiru, didn't you have to meet with some people about that concert you'll be giving soon?"

Michiru gave him a puzzled glance but was quick to note his look of desperation. She managed to hide her smile before facing the others. "Oh! I completely forgot about them. I guess we'd better get going so we won't be late. Bye, everyone!" she lied convincingly and quickly hurried after Ashe who had already left.

"Why do I get the feeling she wasn't telling the complete truth?" Minako asked the others.

"Maybe because she wasn't," Drake replied with a laugh. "If you had your memories, you'll remember that Ashe hated skating. He could never get his balance and always ended up with his bum on the ice."

"Really?!" Makoto laughed and tried to imagine the handsome, blond man wiping the ice with the seat of his pants.

"Still!" Minako grumbled after a short while. "It won't be much fun with just the four of us."

"We'll join you," Hotaru volunteered, looking up at Drake. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not," was the quick reply. "I know how much you love to glide across the ice."

"Then it's settled. Now there are six of us."

"I'll go," Logan offered, "if you don't mind sharing partners."

"Well," Nathan answered hesitantly. "I don't know about that. The way they've been behaving towards you, it might not be safe to share them." And he laid a possessive arm around Makoto's shoulder, looking so serious until he ruined it by winking down at her.

"Bully!" she accused him with another jab in the ribs. "Don't let him intimidate you, Logan," she started reassuringly until she realized how absurd the statement was. Logan was taller and larger than Nathan, and with his extraordinary strength, was more than a match for the other man.

"Don't worry, Logan," Minako spoke when Makoto fell silent. "I'll skate with you as many times as you like."

"What about me?" Kenjo was quick to complain.

"You can wait your turn," she answered determinedly. "Surely grown men like you can compromise so that everyone manages to have fun."

Kenjo kept quiet but didn't look any too happy about sharing his time with Minako.

Now all eyes turned to Usagi and Mamoru. "Won't you come with us, Usagi-chan?" Makoto asked her old friend. It was the first time she'd spoken to her since that fateful New Year's Eve. "Luna said you were one of the best skaters in the Moon Kingdom. Maybe you can give us a pointer or two."

Usagi wasn't sure how to react to the offer of renewed friendship. She still had misgivings because of what happened in the past, but knew a lot of things were said in the heat of the moment then. She had already wasted so many years apart from Mamoru because of misunderstandings. Could it be possible that the same reasons were also responsible for the Senshi's reactions before?

Usagi looked up at Mamoru to see what he thought of it. He smiled his encouragement and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze of reassurance. She placed her own hand over his and made up her mind.

"We'll be glad to go with you," she finally replied. She still wasn't completely comfortable with the prospect of opening herself to more pain, but thought it couldn't hurt to spend some time with them and see how things progressed. Perhaps, she told herself, if she let it, time would manage to solve all her problems.

Unaware of her private thoughts, the group around her breathed a sigh of relief. Makoto and Minako exchanged glances, and they both knew they'd been given a chance to redeem the old friendship they had so blithely thrown away. And although everything was not yet forgiven nor forgotten, there was now hope that things will be resolved in the near future.

A tentative friendship was established, as the group started moving towards the park gates. A feeling of excitement was in the air, and the looming presence of the enemy was forgotten for the moment.

* * * * *

In the dark empty caverns underneath the ground, that same enemy sat alone on his throne, contemplating his fate. He hadn't moved from this spot for the past couple of hours, expecting his army to return to him. He had known that something had gone wrong when they didn't arrive at the appointed time.

It started like a spark of a match being lit, this hatred he felt inside. Slowly, breath by breath, it built into a raging inferno as he recalled all the misfortunes he had suffered at Sailor Moon's hands. First there was the loss of his mother, then later his trusted seer, Drago. Now she had gone far enough as to take his whole army from him. She was going to pay for them all.

Fool! he called himself for listening to Athol. The plan was full proof, he'd said. There was no way they could lose. Morgon had listened to him and believed he had made some sense. He almost deserved to lose his whole army because of that.

"My lord," came a weak voice from somewhere in front of him. A glimmer of a man appeared before slowly solidifying. It was none other than the culprit he had just been thinking of.

"My lord...the army...they are gone." He took a choking breath, blood seeping from the wounds he had sustained in the attack. "The warriors...they had...an energy attack...I didn't know...about. They had... no bodies," he continued in disbelief, not making much sense. "We couldn't...touch them...hurt them. They were...invincible." He reached out a trembling hand towards his master in a pathetic plea for help. For a moment, it looked as though Morgon would respond, lifting his own hand. Then an evil glimmer entered his eyes.

"Thank you, Athol, for letting me know," he said to the helpless seer. "Now it's time you joined the rest."

Athol only had time to blink in shock before the burst of dark energy from Morgon's finger entered his chest and exploded. In a moment, all that was left of him was a memory.

How utterly foolish, Morgon thought, to think that I would forgive him just because he came to warn me. To think that I wouldn't see his cowardice in leaving the others to save himself. He deserved far worse than what he got. The glimmer brightened for a moment as he looked at the spot where the seer last stood, before suddenly disappearing. Morgon sat back once again, deep in thought, contemplating his fate, now that he was all alone.

* * * * *

Justin shifted once more on his bed, this time to turn on his back, a hand cradling his head. He had been trying to get some sleep for the past hour or so and hadn't had any luck so far. Now he looked up at the ceiling and wondered, not for the first time, if his friends were having fun skating, if Rei was enjoying herself.

Justin spared a wistful thought on how much he would have enjoyed spinning with her on the ice. He would have grabbed her hand and sped across the rink, not stopping until they were tired, or until they fell down in a tangle of arms and legs. Sitting on the cold surface with him, she would have laughed with merriment, and he would have held her face in his hands and told her how beautiful she looked. Then he would have whispered how much he loved her, and they would have kissed.

Justin shook himself out of the daydream, knowing how utterly farfetched it was. Rei wouldn't be caught dead alone in his company these days, much less holding her hand. The future didn't hold any such moments for them, and it seemed terribly bleak indeed.

* * * * *

The fire blazed warmth around the room as Rei sat in front of it, eyes closed, lips chanting a silent prayer. In meditation, she was supposed to be feeling inner peace, but in truth couldn't concentrate enough to tune out her inner turmoil. She was hurt and confused, and foremost in her mind was Justin's rejection.

Rei recalled the flash of pleasure on his face when the word skating was mentioned. She had looked at him and waited for him to say yes, urging him to do so in her mind. But all the excitement left him when he turned around and saw her eager face. He had suddenly given such a flimsy excuse and was quickly gone.

Rei gave up trying to meditate and buried her face in her hands. Why? she asked silently. Why was she doing this to herself? Hoping and praying for something that could never be hers. Not anymore. It was totally hopeless.

* * * * *

Usagi glided along the edge of the rink, holding Mamoru's hand and just enjoying the feel of the ice under her skates. It was such a change from fumbling and falling on her face, and she was determined to make the most of it.

Mamoru looked down at her serene face as he skated beside her and saw the slight smile hovering on her lips. He wondered what she could be thinking of that would make her smile so beautifully. His gaze fell on their clasped hands, and he marveled once more at the events that transpired that morning. He still could hardly believe that after so many years filled with hopes and frustrations, they were finally together again.

And they would stay together, Mamoru thought in determination. Nothing was going to come between them ever again. He would make sure of it. He gave Usagi's hand a warm squeeze and she looked up at him, her happiness showing on her face.

Across the rink, just stepping out of the ice, Makoto joined Minako, Hotaru and the four men who were taking a break. She took the cola that Nathan handed her with a smile of thanks and proceeded to quench her thirst.

"They look beautiful together, don't they," Minako suddenly asked of no one in particular. Everyone followed her gaze and found Mamoru and Usagi slowly heading their way.

"Yes," Hotaru agreed softly. "They do make a beautiful couple. I always felt they belonged together, even when they first met and Usagi was going out with somebody else."

"What is it you're saying?" Makoto butted in. "I thought it has always been Mamoru and Usagi, even in the Moon Kingdom. How come she was seeing somebody else?"

"She was not only seeing somebody else," Nathan clarified. "She was engaged to be married to him."

"What?!!" both Minako and Makoto almost screamed. "You mean, she loved this other guy and Mamoru came and stole her from him." Minako continued in disbelief.

"Bingo!" Kenjo answered. "Of course she realized later that she only loved him like a brother. They parted as friends and everyone was happy."

Makoto frowned at his careless dismissal of the man's feelings. "How could you say that? This other man must have been devastated when he lost her. He couldn't have been very happy."

Kenjo was about to explain his statement when Minako gasped, "Oh my God! I just realized something."

"What is it?"

"If we were all reincarnated, this man must be alive somewhere at the moment," she answered in a horror-stricken voice. "What if he comes here and wants Usagi back? We have to do something to stop him."

"You're right," Makoto agreed, sharing Minako's distress. "We can't let him break up those two again. It's unthinkable after what they've been through."

The two of them looked at each other in worry, missing the barely held laughter the others were trying to hide. Finally, with a completely solemn face, Drake shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid he's already here," he said seriously. "He's already come between them and you can't do anything to stop him."

"Oh no!" Makoto exclaimed and turned towards the approaching couple once again, fully expecting to see a man between the two of them. Of course there was no one there, but that didn't keep her from worrying.

Mamoru noticed her frown and immediately asked, "What's wrong, Makoto?"

"Nothing!" she answered on a high note, glancing around to make sure no one was trailing them.

"Are you sure?" Usagi followed up, not buying her answer.

"Come now, Makoto," Nathan prodded, taking the chance to pay her back for making fun of him earlier. "You can't hide your worry from Usagi and Mamoru. Why not just ask them about it?"

"Shh," Minako whispered, tempted to clamp a hand to his mouth.

Seeing this reaction, Kenjo's face lit with devilish glee. Ah, sweet revenge! "We've been telling these two about your past," he happily explained to the couple. "They're worried about your lost love coming back to haunt you again, Usagi. We told them it was already too late."

Mamoru's hand tightened around Usagi's until he managed a glimpse at Drake's face. His features were contorted in a comical way, trying to control his laughter over the ruse they were playing. It was then that Mamoru figured it was only a joke and quickly got into the act. He let go of Usagi's hand forcefully, making sure that they all noticed.

"How could you, Usako?" he asked in a hurt voice, blinking and managing a quick wink at Usagi. "You didn't tell me he was back. How could you hold my hand and think about going back to him again?"

"Actually," was the careless reply, "YOU were holding MY hand. Is it my fault if I still love him? I was going to tell you later, but now you know the truth."

Mamoru turned his face away, more to hide his smile than anything else. "That's it," he stated solemnly. "I've had enough. After waiting for you all these years, I finally discover what kind of woman you are. Thanks to you two," he gestured towards the gaping Senshi, "my eyes are finally open. Goodbye, Usako."

"But...but...," Minako stammered, not knowing what to do.

"Wait!" Makoto shouted. "Don't leave. This is not...it's not supposed to be...we didn't mean--" She looked helplessly at the others. "Do something!"

Drake couldn't keep it in anymore and burst out laughing. Once he started it, everyone let go, and they were soon all howling and crying with mirth while Makoto and Minako looked on in bewilderment.

"What's going on?" Makoto asked.

"Your face!" Nathan said on a laugh. "You should have seen your face. I wish I had a camera."

"Hey, guys, what's so funny?" Justin suddenly appeared from between Drake and Hotaru. "Care to share the joke?"

"I think the joke's on us," Minako answered. "We thought we were having a crisis, and then they all started laughing."

Hotaru took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have gone along, but you were so serious."

"I take it, there was no other man," Makoto asked with a raised eyebrow. "Usagi and Mamoru's relationship was never in danger?"

"Actually," Kenjo said, still smiling widely. "Usagi had really been engaged to another man when Mamoru met her in the Moon Kingdom. It's also true that he's very much alive and here in the present."

"Do we know him?" Minako returned. "Is he going to be a problem?"

"I thought he was a problem," Mamoru said seriously. "It turned out I was wrong." He felt Usagi take his hand and smiled down at her.

"Who is he?" the other Senshi asked, breaking into the private moment. Usagi looked at her and answered softly, "Fujiwara Galen."

There was a series of gasps as the two ladies digested this information. Now they understood why the bond seemed so strong between those two. They had loved each other in the past. Maybe they loved each other still, but in a different way. In the end, there was nothing they could really say except, "You're lucky, Usagi-chan, to be loved by not one, but two wonderful men. I could almost envy you, but I don't have to."

Makoto leaned closer to Nathan, and he put an arm around her, making her feel how special she was. Minako was also close in Kenjo's embrace and feeling at peace with the world.

Justin's gaze went from one couple to the next and he felt compelled to look away. It almost seemed like he was intruding on their very private moments. He looked around and, not finding what he wanted, cleared his throat.

"What happened to Rei?"

"She didn't come along," Logan replied from beside him. "She said she was going to meditate."

"I see." But he didn't, not really. He fully expected to see her here when he finally gave in to temptation. He was very disappointed that she wasn't around.

* * * * *

Ami spent the afternoon watching over Zach while he rested in his suite. Since she had nothing else to do, she tried to find the source of the youma who had been troubling them lately. With the data she had gathered from her own computer during the last two attacks, she was able to create some sort of map and poured over it as the afternoon hours ticked away. By the time Zach woke up, she had what she wanted.

"I found it!"

"Found what?" he asked, peering over her shoulder.

"The place where Morgon is hiding. It's right here." And she pointed at the spot she had discovered.

"Well," he said finally, "I think it's time for another meeting. Let's inform the others about what we've found."

"That's what I thought," Ami agreed and reached for the phone.

* * * * *

The meeting was scheduled for two o'clock the following day at the temple. Rei, who had the day off, used the time to prepare for it by doing a fire reading. Although she was able to feel an evil presence however, she wasn't able to pinpoint its direction. Frustrated with her efforts, she finally gave up and went to sit at the front porch to wait for the others.

Usagi was the first to arrive, an hour early for the meeting. She had finished with her appointments sooner than expected and had decided to come straight to the temple since there was nothing else to do. But now, seeing Rei on the porch steps, she stopped in her tracks and waited to see how she would be received.

Rei got up from her sitting position and walked a few steps closer. She could hardly believe her eyes when she saw Usagi walk into the temple gates alone, and the years seemed to melt away as they stood together once again, like they've done so many times before. But no, this Usagi was not anything like the other one. There was no clumsiness in her movements nor any fear or uncertainty in her eyes. She carried herself with confidence and was very much aware of her own worth as a person. No, she was definitely nothing like her old self.

Funny, Rei thought as she smiled slowly. She was going to miss having that old Usagi around. Nevertheless, this new Usagi seemed to be more of a match for her and she welcomed her presence.

"Welcome back, Usagi-chan. It's been a while," she said in greeting. "Why don't we go in and have some tea?"

Usagi wasn't sure what she expected from Rei, but she accepted the offer with relief. She didn't really feel like getting into one of their fights right now and was glad Rei wasn't inclined to do so as well. She followed the other woman into the temple and prompted herself to be as amiable as possible.

They spent the next few minutes getting comfortable and pouring themselves some tea. Usagi sipped hers slowly as she searched her mind for what to say next. She was just getting uncomfortable with the silence when Rei surprised her yet again.

"I'm sorry," the other Senshi apologized. "I know I was one of the main persons who caused you to leave Japan and your family, and I'm sorry."

Usagi was taken aback. She had never expected Rei to apologize without the other Senshi to prompt her, and she didn't know what to do.

"I've always had a bad temper, Usagi, like I'm sure you already know," Rei continued when Usagi didn't say anything. "I was so full of myself in those days, so sure that I was always right. I had to lose someone I cared about before I took a step back and examined myself."

Her hand started shaking, so she put her cup down. She raked her other hand through her hair and took a deep, steadying breath. "That day, when you turned around and I saw your bleeding back, was the first time I admitted to myself how brave you really were. There we were with a few cuts and bruises, berating you for being late, while you stood with your back ripped to pieces and took it all without moaning about your own injury. I didn't know if I could have done the same thing, and I respected you for it."

Usagi sat back and listened in wonder, understanding little by little how the other Senshi must have felt when she disappeared.

"Mamoru-san wanted to go after you right away, but Luna told him to leave you alone for a while. Afterwards, when we found out you were missing, I think he almost went out of his mind. He looked for you everywhere, as did the rest of us, and we couldn't find you. But Mamoru kept on looking for you long after the rest of us gave up. He couldn't accept that you were no longer in the city. He couldn't accept that you were gone."

Unbidden tears started in Usagi's eyes as she pictured Mamoru searching vainly for her. When she had thought she was the only one suffering in Canada, he was back here probably feeling even worse.

"I felt so guilty," Rei admitted with downcast eyes. "I was the one who threw those accusations at you. I was the one who really pushed you to leave. I didn't know what to say to him, so I kept silent and watched him fall apart." She wiped at a stray tear on her cheek. "I was never more grateful than when Luna cornered him and made him see what he was doing to himself. Mamoru seemed to get better after that, and I could tell that he was going to be alright."

The silence that followed seemed charged with tension as Rei took another sip from her cup. Usagi had a feeling that the other Senshi wasn't finished talking yet, so she waited for her to continue. After taking a few moments to compose herself, Rei went on with her story.

"Do you know that we broke up for a while after you left? The Senshi, I mean," she asked her old comrade. "I think we were simply all feeling so guilty about your disappearance that we couldn't stand seeing each other and being reminded of what we've done. We went for months without any contact with each other, until Haruka and Michiru got wind of what was happening and gathered us back together again. The day we became a group once more, we promised ourselves that if you ever returned, we would do everything in our power to bring you back to the fold. But first and foremost, we would ask for your forgiveness. And I guess that's all I'm really doing--asking for you forgiveness." She brushed at more tears and put on a calm face before facing Usagi. Her eyes betrayed her uncertainty however, and made all the difference to the woman who was looking at her.

Usagi could hardly believe her ears. Was this really Rei who was saying sorry for her actions? It didn't seem so. She was more used to hot-tempered, obstinate Rei who wouldn't budge from her decisions no matter how wrong they were. Where had that person gone? She thought back to New Year's Eve, remembered Rei's reaction to the others, and knew the fiery temper was still there, just beneath the surface. It was somehow being subdued by this sad, tearful woman who had suddenly taken over her old friend's body. She wondered if it was just her forgiveness that was troubling the other Senshi, or if there was something more.

"I can't say I wasn't hurt when you threw those accusations at me four years ago," Usagi began softly. "I can't say 'let's forget it' because it will take me a long time to forget. A lot of things changed because of it--not all of them bad--which would never have occurred, or at least taken longer to happen, if the situation wasn't altered. But the bottom line is, I felt betrayed by my friends when it happened. I felt like you all turned your backs on me when I didn't deserve your contempt. It hurt, Rei," she said in a pained voice, remembering how she felt then.

Rei heard the anguish in her words and knew forgiveness might not be possible after all. Usagi had suffered more than any of them had from the break up, since she had been all alone while the rest of them had each other to lean on. It was sad to know she had played a part in hurting her friend so.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Usagi continued, "What I can say is that I'm starting to understand that I wasn't the only one hurt when I left Japan. That I'm starting to realize that things were said and done in the heat of the moment without being meant. However, realizing and understanding this doesn't mean I can totally erase the hurt they inflicted. It can only lessen the pain a little." She shook herself out of her melancholy state and looked at the other Senshi. "So what I propose is a truce. Let's talk without putting fault and blame into the picture. Let's try to get to know one another again. You'll never know, maybe in time, forgiveness will follow."

Her now dry eyes filled with wetness once again as tears of relief overflowed when Rei realized she was being given a reprieve. She stepped closer to Usagi and, to the other woman's surprise, gave her a hug. After a moment, she felt it returned. "You won't regret it, Usagi-chan. I'll be one of your best friends from now on."

"Well, I don't know if I want you to be too good a friend," Usagi said with a twinkle in her eye. "I might not recognize you then."

"Oh, you!" Rei gave her a playful punch and they both laughed, much more at ease in each other's company now than when they first started.

When they were sitting again and drinking tea, Usagi asked Rei how she felt about their new friends. To her utter shock, Rei burst into tears again.

"I hate this!" that Senshi uttered disgustedly, showing a bit of her old fire. "I'm turning into a watering pot. What's the matter with me?"

"That's what I wanted to know," Usagi told her, not unkindly. "What is it, Rei? I know there's something else bothering you besides making up with me. Would you like to talk about it?"

Rei just continued to wipe her tears with her fingers. She had heard what Usagi asked and was quietly deciding whether or not to share her dilemma. After a minute, she decided it wouldn't hurt to tell Usagi the truth.

"I've been so stupid," she admitted to both herself and Usagi. "I lied a bit to you earlier. I haven't completely changed my attitude even after you left Japan. I still believe I'm always right until somebody can prove me wrong." She paused, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. "Well he proved me wrong, alright. He proved me wrong and then he left me. And now I couldn't seem to get him back." Her voice broke over the last words, and she bit her lip to stop it's trembling.

Usagi watched her try to regain control and quickly realized what was wrong. "It's Justin, isn't it?" she guessed correctly.

Rei nodded her head reluctantly.

"What happened? Did you two have a fight, and he turned his back on you? If so, I'll have a few words with him."

"No!" Rei quickly denied. "It's not his fault. It's mine. Please don't say anything to him." Her eyes implored Usagi to listen to her.

"But, Rei...!"

"Please?" she begged Usagi. "He hasn't done anything wrong. He's just...just keeping his promise."

"What promise?" Usagi asked and leaned forward to take a hold of her friend's hands. "Rei, you're obviously hurting. Won't you tell me why?"

"Only if you swear you won't say a word to him."

Usagi sighed. "Very well, if you insist," she finally agreed.

Rei closed her eyes, relieved at hearing those words. There were already so many problems between Justin and her without adding anyone else to complicate things more. Besides, she needed to do her own apologizing.

"Rei?"

She looked up to find Usagi staring at her expectantly and knew what her friend was waiting for. But baring her soul to another person was turning out to be more difficult than she had thought. It took a lot of courage to admit to your own faults.

"I'm sure you already know how stubborn I could be," she finally started, only to be interrupted by Usagi's enthusiastic, "I sure do!" earning herself a heated glare from Rei.

"Do you want to hear this or not?!" the other Senshi flared at her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Usagi quickly replied, although her lips kept twitching at the corners. "I promise not to interrupt you again." She raised her arms to indicate surrender.

Rei looked at her doubtfully then huffed in exasperation. Usagi smiled apologetically and did manage to behave herself for the rest of the afternoon, while the words poured out of Rei's mouth like a dam that had broken. And when the last syllable had been uttered and only the ticking of the clock could be heard, Usagi was no longer smiling.

"Oh, Rei," she sighed softly, at a total loss for words.

"I've really lost him, haven't I, Usagi-chan?" her friend asked in a child's frightened voice. "He's really gone from me."

Usagi didn't like the sound of her voice and moved to sit beside her, determined to put a stop to Rei's surge of self-pity. "No, Rei, you're wrong. Justin is not gone from you, and you won't be letting him go either."

"No?" Rei asked skeptically, but she couldn't keep the hope from her voice. "How do you propose I stop him?"

"By telling him the truth, of course," Usagi assured her. "I know Justin, and he's got a very soft heart. He'll listen to what you have to say and he'll understand. Believe me, he hasn't been acting like himself lately, too."

"Just tell him the truth," Rei repeated, shaking her head. "You make it sound so simple when it's not."

"I didn't say it wouldn't be difficult. But isn't Justin worth a little hardship?"

"I guess," her friend answered, still not totally sure if she could do it.

The sound of approaching voices intruded on their private conversation, and Usagi got up to take a peek at who was coming. She saw Nathan and Makoto together with Zach and Ami just outside the temple doors and waved them in. She then looked back at Rei and said, "Why don't you freshen up, Rei-chan? I'll keep them occupied until you get back."

"Okay," the other woman replied. "Thanks, Usagi-chan." She smiled her appreciation and turned to leave the room. Usagi followed her example and left to greet the others.

The rest of the party arrived within the next half-hour in small groups. Haruka, Michiru, Galen and Ashe came together in one car, while Drake drove Logan and Hotaru in another. Kenjo and Makoto walked over from her house, tagging along the two cats with them. Justin and Mamoru were the last to arrive and the latter went straight for Usagi. That Senshi raised her face for his kiss then tugged him down to sit beside her.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I had a surprise visit from a client and he just wouldn't leave."

"That's okay," she assured him. "We haven't started yet, anyway."

Rei chose that moment to enter and she smiled when she saw everyone had already arrived. "I guess I've kept everyone waiting. Shall we get started?" At everyone's nod of assent, she sat down beside Minako.

Justin was very much aware of her presence across from him. He looked around the group and started feeling uneasy because everyone else seemed to be in pairs. Only the sight of Logan sitting alone made him more relaxed. At least he and Rei were not the only ones without a partner.

"So, Ami-chan," Makoto was asking, "where did you say Morgon's hiding?"

In response, Ami spread a map on the table and pointed to a spot. "Over here. It's practically in the middle of downtown but very deep underground."

Everyone took a closer look, and soon questions and answers were flying back and forth. All of them were so absorbed in their plans that they almost jumped as a group when another voice intruded.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you to go ahead," the voice said derisively. "I leave you alone for a minute and you've got women hanging all over you."

The statement was directed at Logan, and sure enough, all the ladies seemed to be clustered around him. He grinned sheepishly before getting up and approaching the speaker.

"Setsuna," was all he said before bending down to cover her lips with his own in a deep "I missed you a lot" kind of kiss which seemed to go on forever. A series of whistles and throat clearing forced them to pull apart a long time later, but not to look away from each other.

"Whew! Is it hot in here or what?!" Ashe commented with a wolfish grin, pulling at his closed collar.

"If you want to pass a little of that around, Setsuna, I'm all yours," Drake added before wincing from the pinch he got from Hotaru.

"Hmph!"

The older Senshi only smiled and told the younger one, "Don't worry, Hota-chan. The Brat's a little too young for me."

"But I'm not," Galen put in and got up to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You're looking beautiful, as always, Setsuna."

"Thank you, Galen." And in a whisper meant only for his ears, added, "I see you finally got your lady," to which he only smiled in response.

The rest of them followed Galen's lead and surrounded her, giving hugs and kisses and greetings of welcome. It took a while before everyone was once more in their seats around the table.

"Before I forget, I've got a letter for you from Queen Serenity, Usagi." Setsuna handed over the note.

Usagi quickly opened it and scanned the contents. "Oh, look!" she cried excitedly.

"What is it?" Ami asked for everyone.

"It's in Kanji!" she replied, waving the letter in the air.

"Usagi!" Rei cried exasperatedly and threw a cushion at her. She caught it nimbly.

"You've got to give me credit, guys," she said, undeterred. "I've never written in Kanji before."

"Okay, already," Minako grudgingly agreed. "What does the letter say?"

Usagi creased her forehead in a frown as she perused the message again. After a moment, she looked up and admitted, "I don't know. I can't read Kanji yet."

A deluge of cushions were thrown at her this time, and the letter was snatched from her hand.

"That's strange," Ami began after reading it. "It only has two sentences. It says, "Don't you think it's about time to visit Mama, Papa and Shingo again? It's been a while since you've seen them". That's all there is."

"Well, I was never good at writing letters," Usagi explained. "Maybe I'm just trying to remind myself of a special occasion. Let's see, is it Mama's birthday? No. Papa's? No. Maybe it's their anniversary."

"Usagi-chan," Makoto interrupted. "The air of Japan must not be good for you. The longer you're here, the more your brain is turning to mash."

Usagi made a face at her and kept the note in her purse. Mamoru moved nearer and asked, "Do you want to visit your parents later?"

"Sure. Are you coming with me?"

"Of course."

"Great! Are we done yet, people?"

"I guess so," Ami replied. "I'll work on figuring out where the entrance to Morgon's hideout is and I'll let you know."

A chorus of agreement followed her statement, and everyone got ready to leave. Usagi saw Rei looking worriedly at Justin and she pulled Mamoru aside.

"Will you wait for me in the car? I've got something to do first."

"Okay. Don't be long."

Usagi nodded and quickly strode towards Rei. "Don't worry," she told the other Senshi. "I'll make sure he'll come back afterwards."

"What are you going to do?"

"Just leave it to me." Usagi ran after Justin, who was already at the door, and caught his arm. "Wait up! I need to talk to you about the Midorikawa place. There are some blueprints I'm not clear about."

They walked together towards the gates and down the long flight of stairs, before suddenly, "Oh, shoot! I forgot my keys in the temple. I can't go home without them." She gave the stairs an exhausted look and Justin took the hint.

"Do you want me to get them for you?"

"Would you? My feet will be forever grateful."

"No problem." He turned around and sprinted quickly up the steps, without an inkling of what was really happening.

Usagi walked to Mamoru's car and got in. "I'm ready," she told him.

"What's Justin doing?" he asked curiously.

"I think he forget something," she fibbed. "Anyway, he's got his own car so we don't have to wait for him."

Mamoru wasn't completely fooled, but he just shrugged his shoulders and started the engine.

Justin quickly reached the temple and was about to knock, when the door opened suddenly and Rei stood before him. He was startled for a moment but was quick to recover.

"Rei. I, uh, came to get Usagi's keys. She left it in your living room."

Rei just stood like an automaton, equally startled to see Justin on her front porch. She didn't really believe Usagi could persuade him to come back. It seemed she had underestimated her old friend.

"Rei?" Justin prompted when she just continued to stare at him.

"Huh?" she said distractedly.

"Usagi's keys. Can I go look for them?" he reminded her with a smile.

"Oh! Please come in." She moved aside for him to enter.

Justin went straight to the living room and looked at the side table. It wasn't there. He took a glance at the sofa and chairs and didn't find them there either. At a loss as to where else they could be, he started feeling between the cushions just in case they got caught there.

Rei watched him going through her furniture, knowing he wouldn't find what he was looking for. Her heart started pounding harder as she worked up the courage to tell him the truth.

"That's strange," Justin puzzled after coming up with nothing. He looked at the sofa speculatively and seemed to make up his mind. He moved to one side and was about to lift it, when Rei spoke up, "Justin, stop. It's not behind the sofa."

"You don't think so? That's the only place I haven't looked."

"Trust me. It's not there. Usagi's keys are right where it's supposed to be."

Justin frowned. "And that is?"

"Where she put them last--In her purse."

The frown became worse. "Now why would Usagi send me back to look for them if she had them all along? I don't know about you, but it sounds pretty stupid to me."

"Actually, she didn't," Rei fidgeted.

"Didn't what?"

"Send you back to find her keys," she finally confessed. "I know it sounds underhanded, but she only used that excuse to get you back here. She thought we needed to talk."

"I see," Justin said and thought he did. Usagi was trying to play matchmaker again without knowing all the facts. She should have left well enough alone.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. " I won't waste any more of your time." He picked up the coat he dropped on an armchair and proceeded to the front door. "Goodbye."

Rei watched with dread as he walked away, her mouth opening and closing without a sound coming out. He was almost at the door before she managed to shout a word.

"Wait!"

Justin stopped abruptly, his back stiffening. He was half expecting a blow from Rei, but it never came. After a few moments of silence, he turned around to see if she was still there.

Rei stood close behind him, looking at him with desperate eyes. It wasn't an expression he was used to seeing on her face, that he started to worry.

"Rei? What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing." Then, "Everything. I don't know anymore."

Justin used a finger to lift her chin and gently smiled down at her. "I think you need to rest and think things over. I'll leave you alone so you can do just that."

"No!" Rei said, alarmed, catching hold of the hand touching her face. "Usagi's right, Justin. We do need to talk."

Talk, Justin thought and cringed inwardly. Every time they talked lately, Rei ended up yelling at him, and he ended up getting battered emotionally. He didn't think he could handle anymore.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," he started.

"Please, Justin. I really need to say some things to you. It's important." Tears brimmed on her eyes and threatened to overflow.

"Shh," he soothed, not knowing how to stop the tears. "If it's that important to you, I'll listen to what you have to say."

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure," he agreed with a nod. "Just don't cry, okay?"

Rei dubbed at her eyes self-consciously as he continued to watch her. When they were dry, she led the way back to the living room.

Justin sat across from Rei like before and waited for her to begin. Whatever it was she wanted to say was taking a while to come out.

"On New Year's Eve," she finally began, " when I first saw your face, I didn't realize you were the stranger who helped me before."

"Of course you didn't," Justin told her. "You weren't meant to know then."

She smiled weakly. "I guess I could use that as an excuse, but I won't. I should have known that you weren't the Jadeite whom I fought before. When Usagi said you were not who we thought you were, I should have listened."

Justin couldn't stand to see her blame herself. "It's understandable that you were suspicious at first," he told her, trying to lighten her burden. "You had not seen Usagi for a while, and we were all perfect strangers to you. It was alright for you to believe then, that we were the enemies you once had. After all, we looked exactly like them."

Rei shook her head in disagreement. "Maybe it was alright to be leery of you at first, like the other Senshi were. Maybe it was even alright to try to avoid you. But I didn't stop at that, did I? I had to open my big mouth and accuse you of all kinds of horrible things. I even called you a bunch of names you didn't deserve."

"But you didn't know--" Justin tried again before he was quickly interrupted.

"I didn't even try," Rei went on. "Don't you see? I never shut up long enough to listen to your side of the story. If I did that, maybe I wouldn't be sitting here right now, regretting the past few weeks." She finally kept silent and kept her head down, her hands mangling a handkerchief between them.

Justin stared at her forlorn figure and felt disheartened. So that was what this whole thing was all about. She was feeling guilty of the way she'd treated him. He had hoped for so much more, but he was willing to let her off the hook for this one. "There's no need for regrets, Rei," he uttered softly. "Nobody can control their reactions to certain things, and you wouldn't be the Rei I know if you didn't rebel against the situation. Stop worrying about it," he commanded with a gentle smile. "I forgive you."

Rei didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. True, she had wanted his forgiveness, but she'd also wanted so much more. She was hoping that their talk would lead to a return of their old relationship, but it seemed he was only offering his friendship.

Justin got up and prepared to leave. He stopped when he got even with Rei's chair and bowed his head slightly. "You might want to tell Usagi that everything is fine, so she won't pull this kind of trick again. Her matchmaking instincts seem to be working overtime, and she always loved to practice on the two of us."

Curiosity sparked through the despair in her eyes for a moment. "Has she done this kind of thing before?"

"Oh, yes. Even worse, really," he reminisced fondly. "She broke your dollhouse once before."

"I had a dollhouse?" Rei asked with interest.

Justin nodded his assent. "It was a huge dollhouse, perfectly formed and fully furnished. It was your pride and joy. I used to wonder how long it took you to put it all together."

"Wow!" she said but without much enthusiasm. "And you said Usagi broke it? But why?"

"Just chipped it, really," he admitted. "She wanted the two of us to get together, so she figured you'd need my help in repairing your dollhouse. I guess she'd noticed all the longing looks I was sending your way."

Rei closed her eyes and tried to imagine Justin as he was back then. They must have just met, and she didn't have all the preconceived ideas she had when they met in this time. It must have been wonderful to start fresh.

When she opened her eyes, Justin was no longer in sight. She panicked for a moment before she heard his footsteps walking away. She ran to catch up to him.

"Justin!"

He was exactly at the same spot where she stopped him before, and he couldn't help having a feeling of déjà vu. 'What now, Rei?" he asked a trifle impatiently without turning around. His self-control was getting a little thin, and he was afraid he might break any minute and beg Rei to come back to him.

"You said...you said you felt something for me in the Moon Kingdom," she stammered, not wanting to put a name to his feelings.

"That's true," he admitted grudgingly.

"How...how did you feel?"

Justin had to close his eyes. "I don't think talking about it will do any good, Rei. I think I'd better go."

Rei put out a hand to stop him. "Please, Justin. I need to know."

His fingernails bit into his palms as he clenched his fists. He clenched his jaw.

"Justin?"

"Damn you, I loved you! Is that what you wanted to hear?" he said through gritted teeth. "You were everything to me."

Rei reeled back, not from the angry tone, but from the emotion-laden words. So he had really loved her then. What a pity she was such a fool.

"That feeling...I destroyed it, didn't I, Justin?" she asked shakily. "I ruined everything."

Justin didn't reply, and Rei thought he didn't really have to. It was too late to change anything. Too late.

"Thank you for telling me," she said with a watery smile. "I think it's time for you to go now." And she swiftly turned around to hurry into the living room. She was almost through the entrance before she heard his softly spoken words.

"You know, I recall promising to stop bothering you," he reminded her and finally turned around. "I don't remember saying that I would stop loving you." And then he smiled that endearing smile and opened his arms to her.

Rei didn't need a second invitation. She ran into his arms and held on tight, burying her face in his chest. She felt his arms close around her back and looked up to his face.

"Justin, I..."

"Shh. No more regrets, Rei."

She smiled and shook her head. "No more. But, Justin?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and held her ever closer, savoring the words he thought he would never hear again. And in the silence that followed, as they stood by the door in each other's embrace, Justin finally said the words he'd been longing to say for the past thousand years.

"I love you, Rei."

* * * * *

The setting sun found Usagi and Mamoru nearing her parent's house. Usagi had finally given up on guessing what the occasion was and just sat back to enjoy the ride. Mamoru smiled at her indulgently and slowed down to take a turn.

Usagi's communicator beeped as they rounded the last corner. "What's up, Ami-chan?"

"Something disturbing has appeared in the last half-hour. It's got all the signs of Morgon's handiwork."

"What now?" Makoto asked from her end, disgruntled.

"Is it really urgent?" This was from Rei, who was not looking forward to fighting right now.

"I don't really know," was the unwanted reply. "I thought you might want to do a fire reading--"

The screeching of tires interrupted her statement, followed by the slamming of car doors, then the sounds of running feet. After a minute of ominous silence in which everyone held their breath, Usagi's cry of disbelief was heard.

"Oh, my God!"

"Usagi?!!!"

to be continued...