Enough(Revised)

A Sailor Moon fic by Gigi

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine.

Chapter 17: Homecoming

Walking was just shy of excruciating for Usagi, but she could do it. She huffed up at her sweat-soaked bangs in a vain attempt to get them off her forehead, clutching onto Makoto's hand for dear life as she tried to make it to the front door of her house without passing out from the pain.

"Are you sure you're okay to do this?" Ami asked from Usagi's other side.

After a deep breath, the blonde nodded. "As long as you're sure that story you planted about the youma attack on my way home is believable enough."

"It's good," Ami affirmed. "I made sure to put a copy in the digital news archives, so even if they try to verify it, it'll be there."

"Then yes, I'm sure." Usagi knocked on the front door and did her best to stand straight, although her hand was still crushing Makoto's. "I'm still in no shape to go to school, and it's the only thing to explain all these injuries."

Makoto dabbed some of the sweat off her brow. "See if you can do another healing session with Serenity tonight."

Before Usagi had the chance to answer, the door flew open to reveal a frantic Ikuko. "Usagi! Kenji! Usagi is here! Where have you been?" She pulled her daughter into a bone-crushing hug, and Usagi couldn't stop the agonized groan from escaping her lips. Ikuku immediately pulled away, the worry on her face having increased tenfold. "What's wrong?"

"Hi, Mama," Usagi panted, struggling to stand through the onslaught of pain from her mother's embrace. "Sorry I've been gone."

"What happened?" Ikuko immediately ushered Ami and Makoto to help her daughter into the house. "Why are you so hurt?"

"A youma attacked me on my way home." Slowly but surely, the group made their way to the living room couch. "I woke up in the hospital this morning."

"I live just around the corner from the hospital," Makoto supplied. "Usagi called me to help her home when she realized what day it was." The words sounded hollow even to the brunette, but it was all they could think of.

Footsteps thundered down the hallway, and Kenji burst into the living room, his usual buttoned-up look in disarray. "Usagi, thank God, you're okay." He almost sobbed as he gathered her in his arms just as she was about to collapse on the couch.

Another pained whine slipped from Usagi's throat, and Ikuko rushed to pull her husband away. "She's not okay, Kenji," she said, easing her daughter onto the couch. "She was caught up in a youma attack."

Ami redirected Kenji to the couch beside Usagi, needing to move the conversation along. "We all were." They'd planned this out beforehand. Everyone knew they went everywhere together anyway, and there was no way anyone would buy five separate accidents all happening to them in the same weekend. "Usagi got separated from us and got the worst of it."

"Why didn't you tell us what happened to her?" Kenji did his best not to demand answers from Usagi's friends, but they didn't look nearly as injured as his daughter. Though, he thought to himself as he looked closer, they did look rather…exhausted.

"We thought the hospital would have called you," Ami said, looking to Makoto. "But maybe in all the confusion from the last few attacks, they were too overwhelmed?"

Usagi joined the conversation again, finally having gotten her breathing back under control. "I must have lost my bookbag in the attack, so the doctors had no idea who I was." She looked up at both her parents. "I'm sorry to have worried you." Tears sprung into her eyes, threatening to spill over. She genuinely hated keeping her identity secret at this moment.

"We're just so happy you're safe," Ikuko said. She made eye contact with her husband over the blonde's head. He nodded slightly in response. Neither of them quite believed the girls' story, but now was not the time to confront them about it. Something clearly happened to all of them, and technically the youma attack made sense, even if it didn't feel completely right. But Usagi was safe and home, and that's what mattered. Ikuko stroked Usagi's hair as she leaned on her mother. Hopefully, her daughter and her friends weren't into anything dangerous.

xoxoxo

Beryl glowered at the glass case holding the civilian form of Sailor Mars. The wretched girl was suddenly requiring even more dark energy just to keep her incapacitated, let alone turn her allegiance. She'd already almost gone through the generous helping of energy Kunzite managed to gather. It shouldn't be taking this long.

"Kunzite!" she barked, feeling her general materialize behind her not two seconds later.

"Yes, my Queen." Kunzite bowed as he regarded the unconscious senshi beside him. "How can I be of service?"

Beryl sniffed one last time at the coffin and turned to face him. "We can't be sidetracked by Sailor Mars any longer. If we don't get the Silver Crystal, we fall years behind in the amount of energy we'll need to release Metallia." Her blood-red hair cascaded down her back as she gestured for Kunzite to follow her back to the throne room. "The next time you go collect energy, give the Moon brat an ultimatum—either she hands over the Silver Crystal by the end of the week, or her precious Sailor Mars dies."

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Kunzite murmured behind her, conscious of the misshapen underlings that lined the hallways. "It may not come to that. The Moon Princess did not even make an appearance at the last battle." His statement made her pause in her steps, and he watched as the muscles in her back tensed as she listened. "Sailor Moon was gravely injured at Starlight Tower. She may not survive long enough to protect the Crystal."

A sinister smile broke across the Queen's lips. "Do your best to ensure that happens, General Kunzite. I'm counting on you."

The general bowed low, his gloved hand over his heart. "As you command, my Queen."

xoxoxo

Red eyes blinked at Usagi, who lay in her bed half-propped up on a pile of pillows. Luna couldn't wrap her head around it, her tail swinging back and forth frantically as she started pacing on the bedroom floor. Usagi—Usagi—was the Moon Princess. She had been sleeping next to her for the better part of a year, and yet she never once thought her blonde charge could have been who they'd all been looking for.

"Luna," Usagi called from the bed, "please say something."

The black cat shook her head and stopped to look at Usagi. The longer she stared, the clearer the picture of Princess Serenity became in her mind's eye. The same cerulean eyes, the same clear voice and ready smile, the same golden hair. For Selene's sake, she even wore the same royal Lunarian hairstyle in this lifetime. Serenity wasn't even trying to hide. She looked exactly the same!

Except for the fatigue in those eyes. That was new. Luna jumped up onto the bed and started licking Usagi's hand, trying in some small way to comfort her. She had to be exhausted. "How hurt are you?"

Luna could almost feel the relief in the teenager. No doubt, she'd been preparing for Luna to voice the incredulity she'd felt over finding out she was the Moon Princess. "Hurt enough that I can't really do anything without help right now, and it's driving me crazy."

Looking out the window at the near pitch-black sky, her feline advisor furrowed her brow in worry. "It's a shame it's the new moon. It won't be able to help you heal." Not to mention, the last thing the newly realized princess needed was more nightmares interrupting her rest.

"It's okay, Serenity will help me tonight," Usagi said just before a yawn cracked her jaw. "Hopefully I'll be able to get back to school before the end of the week."

As her eyes slid closed and her breathing slowed, Luna watched as a silver glow enveloped Usagi's body. Rest, Princess. She curled up beside her charge and kept one eye trained on the window. I'll watch over you tonight.

xoxoxo

Serenity ducked behind a pillar when her mother's advisors crossed the courtyard on their way back from the midday meal. All morning had been filled with the most dreadfully boring trade negotiations, and the Moon Princess would go positively mad if she was made to go back for the afternoon sessions. As soon as Luna and Artemis turned the corner, Serenity peered around the column to make sure the coast was clear before darting across the courtyard and into the adjacent outdoor corridor.

Where could she go that no one would think to look for her? Her gaze drifted to the expansive garden to her right. As much as she relished the roses, everyone knew that was her favorite place to spend her time. It would be the first place they'd look.

She walked down the corridor, leaving the garden behind. The longer Serenity walked, the sillier she felt. She left the trade meetings because they were boring, but if she was just going to be wandering around the palace by herself, how was that less boring? She almost turned around and resigned herself to her fate, but the faint sounds of swords clashing filtered through the air and stopped her.

Right, I'm near the training grounds, she thought as she absentmindedly continued on her way toward them. I suppose I could watch the soldiers do their drills for a while before I go back. Surely, that would be more entertaining than yet another dry discussion on the cost of glassware from Neptune.

Stepping softly so as not to disturb the practice, Serenity entered the paved archway leading into the training grounds, where she saw not the soldiers she was expecting, but rather the prince from Earth sparring with a white-haired man she hadn't seen before. She couldn't spare any focus on placing the new gentleman, however, being so thoroughly distracted by Endymion's grace. She watched him move around the grounds like he was dancing, the sword but an extension of his arm. His jet-black hair hung damply around his eyes, which seemed to anticipate every move the other man made. But what was probably the most compelling distraction to Serenity was the fact that Endymion's shirt lay on a bench by the fountain two paces to her right.

Serenity's eyes flickered back and forth as Endymion parried and jumped back, the muscles in his chest and abdomen tensing and relaxing in a most fascinating way to the young princess. For the first time, she wondered what it would be like to touch a man's body. Endymion's body, she mentally corrected, unable to quash the curiosity of what feeling such muscles would be like.

The bout ended when Endymion successfully disarmed his companion. The white-haired man dipped his head in defeat, but he was smiling proudly. "Your skill grows with every day, my prince," he said in a deep voice.

"So does that mean you will stop going easy on me, Kunzite?" Endymion laughed as he extended a hand to help him up.

Kunzite exhaled gruffly, wiping sweat from his forehead with his tunic. "I haven't gone easy on you since your 16th nameday."

Shaking his head, Endymion turned toward the fountain and stopped short as he noticed Serenity in the entrance. Serenity instantly felt her cheeks flush a vibrant red, her hand clenching into a fist against the stone archway. "Princess," he said in surprise, forgetting to bow in greeting.

Floundering for a reason to be there, all she could come up with, "So I see you finally found the training grounds." She winced internally at how breathy her words sounded.

Endymion strode quickly to retrieve his shirt and yank it over his head, and Serenity had a vague inkling that the redness in his own face was not solely from exertion. "I did, yes, thank you for allowing me to use them."

Serenity frowned at how proper his tone was, noting how stiffly he stood. Not at all like the smooth ease with which he carried himself in their previous encounters. What had changed, she wondered. "You spar very well," she observed. "At least, from my very limited experience of watching my guards' practices on occasion."

"Thank you, Princess." Endymion remembered to bow this time. "Please, allow me to introduce you to one of my generals and closest friends, Kunzite. General Kunzite, this is Princess Serenity."

Kunzite folded forward in respect. "It is an honor to meet you, Princess Serenity."

Serenity bade him to stand. "The honor is mine, General Kunzite. I have heard many good things about you from King Chronos." This caused the general's eyebrows to shoot up. "He credits you for making sure his son returned unharmed from settling unrest around the kingdom."

"He pays me too much praise, Princess," Kunzite said humbly, clearly uncomfortable with the accolades. "Prince Endymion's skill far surpasses mine."

"It was quite fascinating to watch the two of you spar," Serenity found herself saying, despite the fresh wave of color doing so brought to her cheeks. "I wonder if you would be interested in teaching me how to spar while you are staying with us."

Endymion's eyes widened in shock, only just stopping his jaw from dropping at the request. Kunzite let out a startled cough. "Don't you have your own personal guards for that, Princess?" he asked after a few stunned seconds.

Serenity shook her head disappointedly. "My senshi have been raised since birth to think of protecting me as their life's duty, that I should never fall into a situation where I must wield a weapon for it would mean they would have failed." She raised her eyes to meet Endymion's. "They will not teach me, and I do not like the idea of being helpless."

Cobalt eyes searched hers as if taking her in for the first time. "Okay," Endymion finally said in his deep baritone. "I will teach you to defend yourself while I am here. Shall we meet here tomorrow afternoon?"

Barely able to contain her excitement, Serenity clapped her hands together happily. "Fantastic. I look forward to your tutelage, Prince Endymion." She dipped into a small curtsy before jumping at the sound of her name being called in the distance. "Ah, they have finally noticed I am missing from the conferences. I should return, but I will be here tomorrow." She turned quickly and padded down the hallway she'd come from, newly energized for the next round of negotiations.

Xoxoxo

Usagi bolted upright in bed, almost collapsing back onto the pillows from the blinding pain in her side. She noticed with some relief that at least it was easier to breathe now, and the pain subsided a little quicker. Looking out at the pitch-black sky, she wondered what prompted her to awaken so suddenly.

Luna's red eyes blinked at her from her perch on the windowsill, having been unceremoniously thrown off Usagi's bed when the teenager awoke. "Usagi." Her voice shook as if she'd just seen a ghost. "Artemis just called. There's been a Sailor Mars sighting."

A/N: Thank you all so much for sticking with me through all my horrendously long breaks. Your continued comments and kudos truly are what keep me wanting to finish this story. I promise I haven't given up on this story!