Author's note: Thank you SO much for your reviews. They are truly uplifting for me while I write this story which I'm loving writing right now. It's really humbling to know that people are enjoying it. I hope you enjoy this chapter - I've thrown a spanner in the works and boy, have I been waiting for this chapter! Please let me know what you think in the reviews. I'm really excited to hear how you like it!

Chapter 10

"So…" Usagi hesitated, "what was your dream?"

Helios chuckled, his forehead rested against hers.

"Who said I don't have one now?" he asked.

She raised her eyes to look into a pool honey and she blinked. He smirked when he heard her gasp of breath. He brought his hand up to her back, running his fingers up her spine, causing a tingle to course through her.

"You didn't answer the question," she breathed.

"I know," he murmured, bringing his hand at her cheek to rest in the crook of her neck.

He pressed his lips against hers gently and he felt her hands wrap around his waist. This time, she kissed him back, pushing herself against him, deepening their kiss. There was nothing in her wildest dreams that she could have imagined to feel as good as this did. All the many years seemed to just fade away and all there was… was him and her. She pulled back to get her breath back and she looked into his face to see the desire there and she knew if she had a mirror, she would see that in her face, too. Silently, he brushed her bangs back from her eyes, as she watched him.

"You know," he confessed, "I've held quite an affection for Princess Lady Serenity for many, many years."

She frowned, the question obvious in her eyes.

"She came to me in my mind when the Golden Kingdom was in need of protection," he told her. "I didn't put the pieces together for a long time that you were one in the same. I had been searching for a long time for the chosen maiden, a warrior princess possessing the power of the silver crystal to break the seal on the golden crystal. Sailor Moon had that power. But you had so much more. You had the power to energise the golden crystal again with your brilliant, vibrant dreams. You brought me to life when I had none."

Her eyes widened minutely, pressing her lips together into a small smile.

"Even when you wouldn't tell me who you were," she murmured, a delicate blush rising in her cheeks, "you were like a prince to me." He raised his eyebrows. "Okay. I used to feel like when I grew up, you'd be my prince, like Prince Endymion of Earth to the Moon Princess." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. That's really stupid, I know."

"No, it's not," he objected. "You're a beautiful dreamer, Usagi. You are, in every aspect, my princess and shining light."

Usagi swallowed, closing her eyes tight as she brought her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. She felt the tears leak through her closed lids and fall from her lashes. The loneliness she'd felt for so long, for the moment, felt like a memory. She recalled how she never felt lonely in the 20th century when she knew every day, she could talk to Pegasus whenever she pleased, she had a connection with him like no other and when she slept, she knew he watched over her. There was never to be another person like that for her.

"Neo-Eternal Sailor Moon," she heard Helios grin from above her head. "Who'd have thought it?"

"I didn't," she admitted. "That was a surprise that mama didn't tell me about."

"Well, if she had, it wouldn't be a surprise," he pointed out. "But for the record, I did."

"You did?"

"I wouldn't have expected anything less of my maiden," he professed. "You were born to be extraordinary. Just like your mother."

He felt her body shaking in his embrace and he looked down in concern, only to see her trying and failing to keep her laughter in. He dropped his hands from her in shock as he spotted the tears falling from her cheeks as she gave in to her laughter, mixed with genuine sadness. Her arms came round her stomach as her laughter faded and she failed to keep her sadness in any longer. She stepped back a few paces from him and fell onto the bench situated at the side of the balcony, to the side of the large doors that opened to the balcony, facing the view of the city below. Immediately, he dropped down to his knees in front of her, holding her hands in his own, as he gazed at her with his kind eyes while she tried to fight off the emotion that had risen from within her. After a few short minutes, she inhaled steadily and let out the air in her lungs, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground.

"You were the only person to tell me that," she whispered. "Even when I was a child, and I reached 900 years old, and I stopped growing, my parents were worried something went wrong. It was an expectation that I'd be the next Sailor Moon, powerful like the Moon Princess, and Queen Serenity before her. But that was my dynasty. Not because of me."

He patiently listened to her, his expression devoid of his thoughts, his hands still holding hers.

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, or even touched," he said quietly, "they must be felt with the heart. Your light reached me, without the powers of the moon. You possess a power that no one else does, even your ancestors: hope. Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality. You are a more powerful force than anyone ever knew. You were able to be an adult in your childhood, with all the wisdoms of the world held in your eyes, and the dreams that keep light in your life ablaze. You power the very foundation of the kingdom we walk in." He released her hands and wiped the tears from her cheeks gently with his fingers. "They were looking with their eyes and not their hearts."

She smiled, raising her eyes to his as he moved to sit next to her, looping his arm around her.

"Why is it that you always know exactly what to say?" she asked, leaning into him.

"Because I know you," he answered easily.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, while thoughts buzzed around Usagi's head, until she couldn't keep it in anymore.

"Can I ask you something?" she wondered.

"Of course," he replied. "What's on your mind?"

"You," she answered, looking up at him. "I can't be with you, can I?"

That stopped him short and he gaped at her, suddenly lost for words. She pressed her lips together, turning to gaze into her lap.

"I don't know," he returned honestly. "It's apparently no secret with your father that I care for you very much." Her head whipped round in shock at this revelation. "He told me that even when it looks impossible, if it's supposed to be then it will be. You really came into yourself when we met, and I wonder…"

"What?" she asked.

"I just wonder if I would be good for you," he divulged. "My existence feels all the brighter with you in it."

"You have no idea how much I relate to that," she sighed. "I don't want to see you go again."

"I don't want to either," he confessed.

"Helios," Serenity wondered, "why do we need to come outside?"

"Because I couldn't quite carry them inside, your majesty" he replied with a small smile.

"Helios, please," Serenity admonished, "no need for such formalities."

Helios looked at Endymion in amusement, and he simply rolled his eyes in response.

"You know the queen," he said simply.

"That, I do," Helios nodded, shooting the princess a subtle grin.

Helios guided the royal family out of the crystal palace and out into the royal gardens. Even Usagi didn't have a clue what he was doing, and her mother had asked her three times already. She merely shrugged, equally nonplussed. They reached the entrance to the gardens and Helios bowed to them, gesturing for them to enter first. Endymion led the way and gasped at what he found in the centre of the gardens. Serenity accidentally bumped into him from behind, not expecting him to come to a halt so suddenly.

"Endymion!" she scolded. "Why did you stop like that?" Then she peered around him and her eyebrows raised in surprise. She turned to Helios. "What did you do?"

"I hoped you'd be pleased," he smiled.

Usagi walked past her parents, gaping at the two trees stood, side by side, one a little smaller than the first. They weren't usual trees, that much was obvious at first sight. What was special about these trees that they held gemstones and crystals, where there should have been leaves and flowers blooming on each branch.

"Crystal gem trees," Usagi stated, admiring them. She approached the smaller one and instantly felt the power emanating from it. The warmth was almost palpable. "Where did you get them?"

"There are many wonders in Elysion," he answered. "The smaller one is yours, princess."

The king and queen stepped towards the larger tree.

"Tell me," Serenity requested, "what gemstones and crystals do the trees hold?"

Elysion approached the monarch's tree and looked up at it, pointing to each type of crystal and gemstone in turn.

"Amethyst," he told her. "It is said that amethyst is the powerhouse stone. It vibrates at a high frequency, creating a bubble of spiritual protection against negative energy." He pointed to another. "Green jade: it carries energy of the Earth and nature. It provides a wholesome, nurturing energy that uplifts and soothes the heart of those who reside in its home. We have peridot: the positive energy stone. Peridot holds energy of sunshine and has the ability to shower those under its protection with blessings and abundance." He pointed to a particular pink stone and smiled at the family. "I had to include rose quartz. The family of the moon are full of love and this is exactly what this stone is." He gestured to a stone which was exuding a particular warmth that couldn't be ignored. "Sunstone," he enlightened them. "It embodies generosity and expansiveness of the sun, supporting and motivating creativity, leadership and vibrant aliveness. Everything that Crystal Tokyo thrives on."

"It's beautiful," Serenity smiled, gazing in awe at how the light reflected off each gemstone and crystal that adorned the tree.

"It's perfect," Endymion agreed. He glanced at Usagi. "The second holds different stones."

"That it does," Helios nodded, striding over to stand next to Usagi. "Of course, rose quartz. I had rhodonite added to the tree." He glanced at Usagi meaningfully. "It is said to help those in possession of it to understand their gifts and to use them." He pointed to a particular stone which reminded the royal family of the moon. He smiled at the recognition he saw in their faces. "That's moonstone, a stone of feminine power and mystery. It assists in journeying inwardly and finding hidden truths in our unconsciousness and past lives." He nudged Usagi playfully. "I thought it was fitting." She smiled at him, unable to stop the corners of her mouth from raising, as the butterflies started to respond in her stomach. That didn't go unnoticed by her parents who looked at each other knowingly. "You'll see diamonds along the branches as well. They encourage stepping up and into your true power to be a force for good in the world."

"It helps the holder to accept and fulfil the holder's spiritual destiny," Serenity murmured. "It's so like the silver crystal from our dynasty."

"You see why I included it for the daughter who will someday inherit the throne," Helios smiled. He pointed to a yellow stone that was so reminiscent of Sailor Venus' trademark golden colour of her home planet. "Citrine."

"It helps the holder to clearly envision what they want and then gives them the persistence to see it through," Endymion finished. "I recognise this stone from the Golden Kingdom. To manifest your dreams, you first need to know what they are. The Citrine stone helps dreamers to fulfil their dreams and empowers the golden crystal."

"Wow," Usagi and Serenity said in unison.

"In honour of the princess taking her place as Neo-Eternal Sailor Moon, I wanted to gift you powers to help you sustain the peace, prosperity and flourishment that we lend from the Golden Kingdom," Helios told them. "These stones… they lend powers to the golden crystal, which…"

"Supports me," Serenity finished, reaching for Usagi's hand, "and by extension, Usagi."

"Of course," Helios nodded, standing with his feet hip width apart, his hands clasped in front of him.

Endymion looked at Serenity and she nodded. He turned to the high priest of Elysion and considered his daughter stood next to her mother.

"Usagi, you have no interest in a union with anyone we've suggested before, are you?" he asked her. She looked taken aback, opening, and closing her mouth helplessly, which reminded Serenity of a goldfish. He smiled, stepping forward to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. We know you're not. Only you can know your own heart. We won't tell you where it should go." He turned to Helios. "You love our daughter, don't you?"

Helios gaped at him, his eyes flicking to Usagi, who stared back at him. He suddenly found himself without words. Endymion gestured to the trees.

"No one would give such a gift that has the ability to protect and preserve like this," he pointed out. "You did this out of love. It had nothing to do with duty."

Helios inhaled and raised his eyebrows with a nod.

"You're right," he agreed. "You know that my duty comes above anything, but I will never lie to you. She's important to me and I will never let anything happen to her. If I can help her in any way, I will."

"I believe that," Serenity declared. "You look at her the way Endymion looks at me."

Usagi looked between her parents, hesitating. Serenity smiled at her and Endymion simply nodded his head towards Helios. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest as she stepped forward towards him until he reached out for her hand, pulling her towards him, allowing him to slide his hand around her waist. Serenity grinned, looking up at her husband.

"I feel that Queen Serenity herself is smiling down on them," she said.

"Orthosia!" Eirene yelled, making her elder sister jump out of her skin and her blood pressure to raise through the roof.

Orthosia stood to her feet, holding her hand over her chest in annoyance, feeling the accelerated beat under her chest. She traipsed out of the Temple of Promise with a stomp in her stride and followed the sound of her sister's voice in the direction she figured it came from. She entered the gardens where all manner of crystal and gemstone trees were held in rows that provided stability to the kingdom. She blinked as she let her eyes adjust to the brightness.

"What is it, Eirene?" she grumbled. "You almost gave me a heart attack, yelling like that. You knew I was praying, as is our duty in Helios' absence. What is it?"

"Get over here!" Eirene demanded impatiently.

Orthosia sighed and approached her.

"What?"

"Look," she pointed to the Citrine tree. "Can't you feel the power coming from this specific tree? I've never seen it react like this before." She glanced at the other rows of trees. "Or any of them, really. They're charged with power, which is surprising considering so much energy was used at the ceremony of the asteroid senshi."

During the ceremony in Crystal Tokyo, the maenads felt the power being used to grant the asteroid senshi's new status in the solar system. Then they noticed the light from the crystal trees glowing, almost as if they were ablaze like a fire, then just as quickly, that light burned out and they knew it was over. It would have been a cause of concern for them, but they felt the brightness of the silver crystal working in conjunction with the golden crystal. It was then that they witnessed a delicate pink light fall over the crystal garden and they knew that the princess had been involved. Truthfully, they didn't know the full details of how these ceremonies went, just that a great deal of energy was needed in order to perform it. And it seemed their role in supporting that had paid off as the golden crystal was as powerful as ever.

"Eirene," Orthosia replied, a lightbulb moment suddenly coming over her. "You're right. What if this isn't just the power of the crystals. Helios has a great deal of influence over how the power flourishes and feeds into the crystals of the new silver millennium. What if they are reacting like that because of him?"

"What do you mean?" Eirene wondered. "What could he possibly be doing?"

"It's not about what he's doing," Orthosia retorted. "Do you remember in our training when we discussed at great length how the power of the crystals work?" Eirene nodded slowly. "It's about emotion. Think of the silver crystal: it reacts to Neo-Queen Serenity's heart and will. It's like that. Helios must be feeling something pretty intense in order for the Golden Kingdom to react like this."

"What do you think it is?"

"The most powerful thing there is," Orthosia told her. "Love." She smirked to herself. "It seems giving him a kick before he left paid off."

Eirene looked back at the glowing crystals, wondering if they had the capacity to cause such a reaction in the kingdom.

Usagi joined in the celebrations, laughing and socialising, occasionally drinking from her glass, watching the solar system senshi entertain the guests with their elemental abilities as senshi. It was a thrilling time to be part of the festivities, especially with her senshi in whom she saw a huge change since the ceremony. They almost seemed to hold themselves differently. When stood among the inner and outer senshi, they looked like they belonged there, whereas before, they always seemed so uncertain of themselves and it showed in how they held themselves.

"What's on your mind?" Helios' voice rang in her ear.

She turned to her side to see him stood at her shoulder with a drink in hand.

"I was just thinking about my senshi," she told him. "They seem different. Happier. I don't know. I always used to have this feeling that they felt they were cut adrift from mother's senshi because their backgrounds are so different. And that's without the fact that they weren't officially part of the Milky Way Galaxy's guard. They were just… my senshi."

"I can assure you that that would have been enough for them," he said with confidence. "Do you remember when you travelled to the past and met the senshi back then?"

"Yes, of course I do," she replied.

"Well, surely you understand it then," he said. "When you joined the girls for training as a new senshi, the outer senshi didn't work with the inner senshi and found themselves unable to even entertain the thought of working as a team with them. The inner senshi, including Sailor Moon, felt that distance between them, despite the fact that they all worked towards the same goal as senshi, united in planet power. It wasn't easy for them, but they had to acknowledge that they all had different backgrounds, simply because of the role they had. Eventually, they all did come together, and this is the case with your senshi now." He turned to her, taking a careful drink from his glass. "Your role as Sailor Moon will be different from your mother's. Your senshi will face their own challenges, too. It's just…"

"A part of life?" Usagi finished, raising an eyebrow. "I know. I'm happy for them. I only ever wanted them to be happy in their own skin and in Crystal Tokyo. I know it's difficult."

Helios considered her then put his glass down and extended his hand to her.

"Would you like to dance?"

She placed her glass down and put her hand in his with a smile.

"Of course, I would," she smiled, following him to the dance floor.

They danced their way around the dancefloor, passing Haruka and Michiru, and the king and queen who were waltzing gracefully in elegant circles. Usagi felt herself give a sigh of contentment and she rested her head against his shoulder as they continued to twirl around the room. She felt his lips brush against her hair.

"What does it mean for us to be together?" she asked, for his ears only. "My parents seemed to approve of us."

"That was a welcome surprise," he admitted. "I didn't expect that reaction… or your father to so bluntly ask me if I loved you."

He felt her tense in his embrace and he looked down at her, a faint frown between his brows. It was something to hear the words on her father's lips, but Helios had never once said anything of the sort to her. To hear him acknowledge such feelings for her provoked a feeling in her that she couldn't name. The butterflies in her stomach seemed to be doing a tap dance and her heart felt ready to burst out of her chest right here on this dance floor. She was suddenly aware that they had come to a stop on the dancefloor and his hand tracing up her arm.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern laced in his words.

She looked up at him, feeling the air rushing in and out of her lungs uncomfortably, as if it were too fast. She opened her mouth to reply but found that words eluded her. He ran his fingers against her bangs, brushing them away from her eyes temporarily, as he let his fingers slide down her cheek, to rest his hand in the crook of her neck.

"You've never said anything like that to me before," she whispered.

"I suppose I haven't," he acknowledged with a nod. He brought his other hand up to rest in the middle of her back and pushed his lips against hers chastely. When he felt her respond to his kiss, he kissed her deeply, before pulling away when he knew he wanted to be closer to her but couldn't in such a public forum, and kissed her on the cheek, tip of her nose, across to her other cheek and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Well, I love you, Usagi, on my own life."

"I can't tell you how often I dreamed of you saying that," she murmured, lacing her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to place a kiss of her own on his lips. "I've loved you for a very long time, Helios."

Their attention was caught by cheering from guests and they turned in time to see Princess Mercury and Princess Venus using their powers over water and light to create an impressive sight of water being shot into the sky with Venus light following it, illuminating the air above with a sight not unlike a firework. They turned and joined in with the clapping, which the soldiers of wisdom and love bowed to. Everyone then retreated to accept the drinks being circulated round the room, with the finger food that many swept up as they passed.

"Drinks, sir, your highness?" a server invited, holding a tray to them.

"Thank you," they both replied, accepting.

"Have you enjoyed your birthday?" Helios asked, as he raised his glass to her then taking a sip after she clinked her glass against his gently.

"You are here," she replied, "what do you think?"

"I'll take that as a compliment," he smiled affectionately.

"It's definitely a birthday I wouldn't want to forget," she declared.

"This is the most I've seen her smile in a long time," Endymion commented to Serenity, as they danced around the room.

"I know," Serenity sighed. "I'm so glad we insisted that he join us." She peered at Endymion. "Wait a moment, it wasn't because of the ceremony that you suggested he was to be invited, was it?"

"My, I have no idea what you mean," Endymion replied, expressing shock, spinning her out of his hold and then twirling her under their arms before bringing her back into his embrace. She laughed and he placed a kiss on her lips.

"Oh, if I'm going to have another drink, I must grab some food," Usagi commented, spying a server coming her way. She immediately swiped a handful of finger food and easily swallowed them each in turn after a few steady chews. Helios looked most amused at her antics. "What?"

"You just remind me so much of your mother when she was younger," he commented, tweaking her nose playfully.

"Oh, ha, ha," she replied tartly, swallowing the last finger food.

She then turned her attentions to her glass and lifted it to her lips, taking a long throatful of her drink and swallowing. She smiled at Helios for a moment before a faint frown creased her forehead. He considered her while drinking from his glass, then watched as her eyes shuttered down and in the same second, she collapsed to the ground. He promptly threw his glass down out of the way and fell to his knees at her side, pulling her onto his lap. He was vaguely aware of the crowd suddenly gathering around them and the voices of the king and queen ordering everyone to take a step back.

"Usagi, Usagi!" Serenity exclaimed, shaking her shoulders. "Endymion, what's wrong with her?"

By some miracle, the glass that was still in Usagi's grasp was unbroken and he took it from out of her now-slack grip, noticing that some of her drink was still in the glass.

"Can someone take this from me?" he ordered.

Mercury's hand came out of nowhere and had taken the glass from the king, using her power over water to get the rest that had splashed on the floor by the princess back into the glass.

"Endymion," Serenity urged, the worry etched into every contour of her face.

Before he could respond, a blinding white light lit up the whole room and everyone turned to the visitor who now stood in their midst. A tall woman with long, long white hair, pinned up into heart shaped odangos turned to run her eyes over everyone staring at her. She donned a sailor uniform, with white as the primary colour at her collar, the dress, the choker, the barrettes in her hair, the rings on each of her fingers, the earrings, her long white cape and her high heeled shoes with wings at the back of the shoes. The brooch on her chest had a yellow star in the middle and wings attached to either side of the brooch, which she also wore in a smaller size above the multicoloured and white ribbons flowing freely in the middle of her skirt. Each of the coloured ribbons were blue, navy, teal, green, yellow, red, pink, purple, black and white. She had short yellow sleeves with white wings on them, a tiara with white beads on her forehead with a yellow eight-pointed star in the middle, with the same star in the middle of her choker. Her odangos had white and yellow circular covers and it was immediately obvious to all who she was.

"Sailor Cosmos," Serenity gasped, gaping at her friend from aeons ago.