Chapter 8: He Knows

Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your reviews! I honestly just started this as something to get my "creativity" out, but I wasn't expecting all this. As stated before, I will do my best to get more chapters out. I'm also very sorry for the delay, I've been pretty busy.

He was here in her dreams, haunting her as the only method of speaking to her. He wanted his body back and to be near her, but it was becoming unbearable without the Princess' help. How were the rest of the Shitennou supposed to protect the Prince if the two could not find common ground and become the King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo? Jadeite was annoyed beyond belief, but he felt bad for the Princess. He knew he couldn't entirely place blame on her since this transition had affected her the most. The general had to face reality that this was all on the Prince, even if it was unintentional.

The blonde haired man sighed internally as he saw Rei fading away and started to wake up. They would have to meet another time, perhaps when things have been figured out. He disappeared the moment Rei woke up to the sound of someone knocking on her door over and over again in the middle of the night.

The priestess got up, rubbing her eye with her hand in a discombobulated state. Who would be visiting her at such an odd hour of the night? It wasn't like it was a youma, otherwise she could sense that, so was it someone trying to rob her house? Slapping her cheeks and huffing out a sigh, Rei's eyes narrowed with determination to bring down whoever dared to threaten her shrine. As she got closer to the door, she could hear someone crying on the other side. Confused, she leaned in closer to the door to hear who it was.

"Rei-chan….open up…." a tired and soft voice cried out, their knocks getting quieter and quieter.

She opened the door and found no other than her leader, the woman she vowed to protect for the rest of her life and put her own life on the line for. Her dark violet eyes softened in sympathy as she hugged her friend and brought her in, leading her inside with her hand.

"Usagi...what are you doing here? Why are you outside in your nighty at this time of the night?"

Her friend's tear stained face broke her because she knew what the reason was on the inside. It was Mamoru. However, why was she out during the night if she was thinking about him again?

"He," she started while a small hiccup escaped her mouth, "he knows…"

"Wait, what? How?"

Usagi sat there wiping away her tears as she explained to Rei the entire encounter she had with Mamoru and the star locket. How he found her and saw the locket, taking it away from her and finding their picture inside of it. She explained to her how Seiya had kissed her and she told Mamoru, which in turn lead to their kiss. Then she explained the part where he walked away as if nothing had happened.

The guardian of Mars sighed as she offered Usagi another tissue from the box. She rested her head on the side of her bed and handed her friend the trash bin to throw out the used tissue. "I'm sorry to hear that Usagi. Not to defend Mamoru-san, but I think he was trying to do the right thing for his relationship with Ayumi right now. Perhaps he needs to figure out what he wants in life at the moment?" she said, trying to offer some slightly positive advice.

"Why doesn't he want me?" Usagi asked as her eyes watered up again. Her lips were beginning to tremble again. The mere thought of him being disgusted by her was breaking her. After everything she told him and their kiss, he was able to walk away from her like it was nothing. The Mamoru she had before would keep pushing for more because he found her desirable. Her Mamoru would never look at another woman like the way he looked at her. Her Mamoru would have stayed instead of running away.

Rei didn't know what to say to her that would comfort her. It's not that Mamoru didn't want her; it's that he couldn't have her yet and Usagi needed to see that. "Usagi, listen...if Mamoru was a single man, I'm sure everything would have been solved right there and then. However, there is another woman in the picture, so I'm sure that it's not because he doesn't want you, but rather that he can't have you until the other girl is out of the picture. Do you understand?"

The senshi of the Moon nodded her head slowly, taking in everything her friend was saying. She could feel herself calming down as Rei tried making sense to her and sighed outwardly. Times were rough on her right now, but life always found a way of working itself out. She just needed to be patient.

She hugged her friend tightly and muttered, "Thank you, Rei-chan."

The next day was a terrible day; the birds outside singing their music were noisy, the children playing outside were loud and the darkness in his apartment was maddening. The blue silk sheets on the bed were messy and thrown all over itself in a manner which one would assume was without care. The clock read 10:00 a.m., but he had no energy or the will to go to work that day so he called in sick. His mind was racing and the little amount he did sleep just frustrated him more due to the dreams he was having. They only added salt to the injury and more questions.

An angry sigh escaped him as he found himself whipping his alarm clock with strength he never knew he had. The moment it collided with his wall, it cracked and broke, the bright green light inside fading away.

That look on her face…it was haunting him. He couldn't erase it from his mind and every time he closed his eyes that's all he would see; her bright cerulean eyes deep with sadness in which he knew he caused, her swollen pink lips, and her golden locks which framed her oval face so perfectly made him so weak. It took all of his strength to leave her side last night and the only thing he could then feel was the guilt from his betrayal to Ayumi. He didn't know what he was going to do. Ayumi had seen Usagi many times in the hallway when she would come over, but if he broke the news of what happened last night, he was sure it would be over.

'Isn't that what you want though?'

Mamoru's eyes widened. Is that what he really wanted inside? He wanted to end his relationship with Ayumi? He wasn't being logical. But how was it not logical? Apparently he had a past with Usagi…a very deep and long past with her. As much as he wanted to think of her as a liar, he knew she wasn't and his dreams confirmed that. Then the ring…

"I'm not wearing it just cause…he is no longer in my life. He lost his memories. He doesn't even know who I am anymore…"

"Dammit…" he cursed under his breath as he combed his raven hair back with his fingers. He sat on the edge of his mattress with his face buried in his hands, contemplating what to do. He caused her so much grief and without even knowing it. How long had she been wearing it for? How long ago did he propose?

Then worry consumed him. They both lived in the same building but he didn't hear her come home last night. Was she okay? What if something happened to her? No. She had to be okay, she was a strong woman and if she was Sailor Moon she would be fine. However, he had vivid glimpses of the many times he saved her as "Tuxedo Mask" and she wasn't fine for a majority of that.

He had to do something about this.

The day was starting off better than her night had ended. This time, no nightmares accompanied her while she slept and it may have been due to Rei's presence. The temple kept her at calm and so did the quiet atmosphere. People came in to pay their respects and then left, while Rei's grandfather quietly shuffled through the house, preparing tea and snacks for her and his granddaughter.

Usagi woke up with a somber feeling in the pit of her stomach, knowing that this waiting game would need to drag out until she had her final answer from her pre-destined lover. Her eyelids felt very heavy from the excessive four hour cry she had last night before she got to the temple and her head hurt from being so congested. Her eyes scanned over Rei's room and found that not much had changed since she had left for Canada five years ago. The need to escape had finally been lifted off her chest; she was finally coming to terms with how everything was in her life. As much as she loved to have Mamoru there with her, perhaps this turn of event in life had to happen. In the back of her head she had always wondered how badly this affected her future and Chibi-Usa. Was she still around up there? She wanted her to visit more than ever, but she hadn't received a letter from her future daughter in so long. It was disheartening to think of the possibilities, but Usagi needed to keep herself occupied and busy.

Forcing a smile on her face, the young princess got up and exhaled a huge breath of air. She looked around for Rei and figured that she had stepped out for a moment to run an errand. Shuffling through drawers, she finally found a notepad and a pen. She wrote down her gratitude and said she had left to go home.

Usagi borrowed a pair of Rei's pants and a tank top before she headed out. If she went out in her nighty in the middle of the morning, people would believe she had done something that only needs to be done behind doors. That was another embarrassment she wished to never experience.

"...I need to face the music..." she muttered to herself before she walked out the door.

The elevator 'dinged' softly before the doors opened. She walked out of it slowly and kept her eyes peeled open for any signs of him. Seeing the coast clear, she felt her tense muscles relax and let out a breath of air she hadn't realized she was holding. Her footsteps padded quietly on the hallway carpet as she tried to keep quiet and not alarm him; she didn't even know if he was home or not.

Usagi reached into her purse and pulled out her keys which inevitably jingled. She cursed inwardly, hoping that didn't draw his attention. When she didn't hear anything, she turned the key in its hole and waited for the 'click' to indicate the door unlocked. In that exact moment, she heard the door swing open right behind her froze. She clenched her eyes shut, praying that it was a friend leaving his apartment.

She pushed down on the handle and opened the door as fast as she could, but she wasn't quick enough because Mamoru grabbed her wrist.

"We need to talk."