AN: Welcome back, and I'm sorry for the wait, but inspiration was rather thin on the ground over the past several months. As I'm sure you know if you're looking at this, this is the next in the Time Travel Trouble series, covering the Sailor Stars arc. I'll be taking bits of both the anime and manga as well as (of course) throwing in my own twists. This story takes place about nine months after the conclusion of Golden Ascension. Now, I'm not convinced this is ready yet, but I'm looking for your guys' feedback, regarding both plot and the title. I didn't have any better ideas.

Disclaimer: The world spins on and Sailor Moon still doesn't belong to me.

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Usagi laughed helplessly as she spun into her boyfriend hard enough to send both of them skidding back. Mamoru smiled down at her as they came to a stop.

"You're still a klutz, Odango."

"Only if you're there to catch me," the blonde said with a teasing grin.

"Does that mean you'll be graceful while I'm gone? I should get one of the girls to take pictures and send them to me," he joked.

He wasn't serious, of course, but his words were sobering nonetheless. Mamoru had been accepted into a study abroad program in America for a semester; he wouldn't be back until June. He was flying out in less than a day.

"Hey." She looked up at him, startled. "We're here to have fun before I go, remember?"

Laughing behind them drew their attention. Minako was trying to coax her boyfriend into skating with her as Makoto and Masato slid by, perfectly in sync. Ami and Zane were sitting on a bench behind the partition, sipping hot chocolate as they chatted quietly. They'd tried joining the others, but it wasn't really something Zane enjoyed. Ami had elected to stay with him. Rei and Jomei had their skates on, but instead of taking advantage of that they were having one of their endless arguments.

As a treat before Mamoru left, Keiji had rented a skating rink for the afternoon and arranged a private party for the ten of them. Haruka and the others had been invited, but they'd declined. Usagi and Mamoru were together, of course, but she kept alternating between princess-like grace and being completely incapable of keeping her feet under her. They would both have bruises come morning, but they were having too much fun to care.

"Mina, this is not one of your better ideas," Keiji maintained as he finally gave in to her repeated requests that they try pair skating.

"Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san are doing it."

"Mamoru-sama is far more accustomed to catching Usagi-hime and other such activities than I." He didn't bother adding that Mina wasn't even capable of occasional grace like her princess's when it came to skating. Athletic though she was, her home planet didn't have a lot of ice to practice on.

"Hey! No titles!" Usagi shouted over to them.

Minako finally got him moving, and all the others stopped to see how it went. Keiji's frown deepened a little as he carefully slid across the ice. Makoto decided out loud that he was perfectly capable, but too stiff to really be good. Jomei laughed and looked like he was going to say something stupid, so Masato threw an empty cup at him before he managed to make their boss angry. He was much more reasonable than the blond, and he didn't want to be woken up before dawn someday soon for a twenty kilometer run or something equally unpleasant. Jomei toned it down to a snicker.

Glad their friends were enjoying themselves, Usagi turned back to her boyfriend. "I'm going to miss you, Mamo-chan."

"I know." He studied her, worried. "I could stay if it bothers you."

"You shouldn't have to give up your dreams," she told him. "It's been nine months since Nehellenia; we're at peace. Take the chance while you have it."

"What if something happens?"

"We can manage on our own until you come back. Haruka and the others are in Tokyo, after all. We should have enough firepower to manage a few fights."

"I wouldn't be here to protect you, though."

"You're acting like an attack is already happening. We'll be fine."

Her expression made it obvious she didn't want to discuss the topic anymore, so he twirled her out before pulling her against him again. He nodded toward the leaders of their respective guards, a wicked glint in his eye.

"What do you say we show them how it's done?"

She giggled, sliding back until she was at arm's length. He gave her a courtly bow; she swept an elegant curtsey that shouldn't have been possible in a short skating outfit – not to mention the skates themselves. Channeling Serenity and Endymion's recollections of days spent skating on the moon, they moved without thought into a perfectly matched routine.

Makoto wolf-whistled as she sped by.

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The party had been the others' goodbyes, so Usagi was the only one who accompanied Mamoru in the morning. Chibiusa had returned to her time months ago – what other family did he have to see him off?

It was early enough that the airport was largely empty. They sat in the spacious waiting area, fingers intertwined. They didn't normally stay quiet, but Usagi worried that if she said anything she'd crack. Despite her encouraging him to take the offer, she knew it would be hard for her while he was gone. He was her rock.

When his flight to New York was called, they both got to their feet, but Usagi lingered. "I wish you'd reconsider letting one of the guys go with you."

"I'd rather have them here. Trouble follows you, Usako," he said with a smile.

She managed a laugh, but her expression turned serious again a second later. "I just have a bad feeling about this."

"I told you I can stay."

"I don't want you to lose this sort of opportunity because I'm worried."

He glanced around before studying her. "You haven't had some sort of vision, have you? Is something going to happen?"

Usagi shook her head quickly. "No, nothing like that. It's just… a bad feeling. I mean, we haven't been apart for more than a week since we met if you ignore the time you spent in the Dark Kingdom. I'm not used to it."

"I'll think of you all the time," he promised.

She nodded as tears slipped down her cheeks. She brushed at them futilely. "Oh, I'm sorry; I promised myself I'd see you off with a smile."

"It doesn't matter," Mamoru assured her. "I'll stay in contact as much as I can, but I'll be busy. I might not be able to write very often."

/We always have this,/ she said silently.

/Every night if it'll make you happy./

It made her smile again, but she shook her head. "You'll be busy. If you want to talk, though, you know I'm always a thought away."

"I know." He brushed the last lingering droplets from her face with a gentle touch before reaching in his pocket and offering her a small velvet box. "Here."

"What is it?"

"Open it and see."

The blonde took the little case uncertainly and lifted the top. A lovely pink heart-shaped gem shone in the center of a ring of smaller crystals – diamonds, she thought – set in a slim gold band. She stared at the gift in awe as Mamoru set down his suitcase and took it, slipping it onto the ring finger of her left hand.

"I – it's beautiful."

"It's a promise ring. When I come back we can really think about our future together." He looked straight into her eyes. "After this I don't want to be away from you ever again. I love you, Usako."

"Oh, Mamo-chan," she breathed. "I love you too."

He kissed her, ignoring the fact that they were in a public place. All he could think about was that it would be six months before he saw her again, six months without her smile and the look in her eyes when he told her how much he loved her. She wasn't the only one nervous about the separation, but he agreed that it was too valuable an opportunity to pass up.

They broke apart as his flight was called again, and he managed a dry laugh at the startled look on her face. "Time to go."

"Yeah…" she said softly. It took her a second, but she managed to get her smile back in place. "Goodbye, Mamo-chan. I'll be waiting when you come home."

There was so much else he could say, but he couldn't bring himself to. She knew anyway. "Goodbye, Usako."

He picked up his luggage and walked away, each step feeling like a mile coming between them. Another man brushed past him as he handed over his boarding pass, fighting the urge to look back. If he saw her crying again he'd stay, no matter how amazing of a chance the trip was. There would be time for everything later.

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She watched until he was out of sight, making sure her smile didn't crack until he was gone. The tears slipped past her guard as soon as he was, and she sat down very abruptly in the hard plastic seat. She tried to tell herself that it was just six months; it wasn't like she'd lost him to one of their myriad enemies again. It was a school thing.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Usagi's gaze shot up as she quashed the urge to jump. Seeing a concerned young man looking down at her, she forced a weak grin. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

He offered her a tissue. "Seeing someone off?"

"My boyfriend," she replied distantly, dabbing at the corners of her eyes. "He's going to study abroad."

"That's always tough. I haven't seen my girlfriend in more than a year."

She glanced up at him again. "That's horrible. Where is she?"

He shrugged before offering her a hand up. She took it, her smile becoming a little more genuine at such a gentlemanly gesture. "I don't know. We got separated, and I've been looking for her since."

"I hope you find her," Usagi told him honestly.

"Me too." He smiled and held out his hand again, this time for a handshake. "Seiya Kou. I thought you would've recognized me already, but since you didn't, I should introduce myself."

"Do I know you?"

"You're hard on a guy's ego, Odango."

"Don't call me that," she said automatically before shaking his hand. "Tsukino Usagi."

"Nice to meet you, but I think I prefer 'Odango'. It suits you."

Usagi shook her head, exasperated. "You wouldn't be the first person to think so. Is there anything I can say to make you stop?"

"Hmm… Probably not. Sorry."

"You're not sorry at all." She sighed, but the beginnings of a smile lurked in her expression. After a moment she let it show. "Thanks for making me feel better. I hope you find your girlfriend while you're in town."

She walked away instead of waiting for a reply, knowing the rest of their group would be at the Crown Fruits Parlor (except Keiji, but he was a busy CEO) for one of their last days of break before school picked up again. After all, the girls were in high school and Zane would be starting his second semester at Tokyo University. She wasn't sure what Masato and Jomei were celebrating, but in her mind it was always the more the merrier.

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Her trip across town was quiet, but her arrival at the meeting was anything but. Minako took one look at her and let out an ecstatic shriek, practically pouncing on her, and a clamor rose from the others a second later. It took a few minutes to make out what anyone was saying, but Usagi eventually realized they'd noticed her new ring. After a quick intervention from Unazuki, they all piled into their booth. Usagi was the last one to sit down, but as soon as she did they fixed her in their sights.

"Is that what I think it is?" Minako demanded. "Usagi-chan, did Mamoru-san ask him to marry you before he left?!"

"What? No. Mina-chan, I'm only sixteen."

"It's legal if your parents approve," Ami told her.

Usagi blinked twice. "Really?" She shook her head to clear her momentary distraction. "No, he didn't ask me to marry him. Not yet, anyway. It's a promise ring. He said we'd talk more when he came home."

Rei, Makoto and Minako all sighed dramatically as the guys shot them wary looks. "It's so romantic," Makoto said in what could best be described as a croon.

"Mamoru-san's just perfect, isn't he?" Rei asked.

"That's just weird," Jomei told her. She impatiently shushed him.

"Won't it be hard on you?" Ami asked. "Trying to maintain a relationship long distance is difficult, and I know you must miss him already."

Usagi's face fell. "Yeah. I'm really glad he has a chance to do something like this, but knowing I won't see him for so long is tough."

"Oh, Usagi," Rei said softly, pushing her atypically girly reaction aside. "We'll be here for you; you know that."

If her responding smile seemed a little less than genuine, no one commented. They fell into an intense discussion of what to do with their little remaining freedom before the weight of classes and homework took it away.

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Mamoru ran his thumb across the glass over her face, smiling nostalgically. For whatever reason, he hadn't told Usagi he was taking their 'family photos' with him. Most were in the cargo hold, but he'd kept her favorite in his carry-on. Usagi and Chibiusa beamed out of it at him. He was there too, a small smile on his face, but it was nothing compared to the radiance of theirs. They were just so alive, so happy. He loved them more than he ever would have believed possible. Sure, he had a few other important people in his life – the Shitennou and Motoki – but it was always his girls that mattered most.

He was sliding the photo back into his bag when a crawling sensation swept up his back and a nervous chatter broke out. Whipping around to the window, it took most of his self-control to keep him from reacting the same way. A huge ball of crackling golden energy was barreling straight at the side of the plane. He knew it was dangerous, and he knew with equal certainty that it was coming for him with some nefarious purpose.

Usagi was the last thing he thought of as it struck.

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She woke up screaming at the top of her impressive lungs, but even as the little rational voice in the back of her head said she was going to draw the attention of everyone in the district, she couldn't get it to stop. The scream kept coming, getting rawer and more anguished with each moment. Her mother came charging in, expecting to find a kidnapper or monster in her child's room, but there was no one else there. All it took was a single exchanged look before Ikuko dropped the hairbrush she'd been holding and gathered her poor shaking daughter into her arms.

That was finally enough to break her scream, and Usagi dissolved into tears, weeping pitifully into the front of her mother's robe. "He's gone," she sobbed. "Mama, he's dead!"

Figuring out who 'he' was took less than a heartbeat, but Usagi's mother knew she had to do something. "Shhh, honey, it's only a dream. I'm sure Mamoru-san is fine, and he'll call you as soon as he's settled in America."

Usagi shook her head vehemently. "He's dead. Something terrible happened to him."

"What was it?"

"I don't know." Her voice cracked, but she pressed on. "He was okay, I know he was, then he was gone and I can't find him. He's dead. Mama…"

Kenji slipped in, concerned. "Are you okay, baby?"

Usagi slid bonelessly back onto her mattress as her mother stood, gesturing for her husband to follow her out of the room. She pulled the door nearly shut as Usagi cried behind them. Shingo looked at them worriedly but hung back.

"Usagi just got a phone call," she lied. "Something happened to her boyfriend on his way overseas. They think he might be dead."

Kenji frowned and headed downstairs, turning on the television. A breaking news story came on, saying the international flight from Tokyo to New York had mysteriously vanished from radar. Military planes from a nearby aircraft carrier were already out doing sweeps, but it was as if the plane had never existed.

"Who called?" he asked.

"One of her friends. They didn't want her to find out from some stranger."

"That poor thing," he said quietly.

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Still crying, gasping for breath through her tears, Usagi summoned her Ginzuishou and desperately focused on its inner light. She begged it again and again to bring Mamoru back to her, telling it she would pay any price, but no matter what she said it didn't react.

Mamoru was gone, and it didn't look like there was anything she could do to save him.

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Usagi wasn't the only one who felt Mamoru's death that night. They all knew through their connections to one or both of the couple. If there were any sensitive or powerful humans, they probably noticed the magical shockwave that swept the planet too.

Usagi remained incommunicado for the remainder of the vacation, refusing calls, visitors and anything else. At a loss, the girls went to their partners, giving them a chance to grieve. Keiji was nearly as silent as their princess, but he at least let Minako sit and talk to him. He blamed himself for not being there. It didn't matter that they had no idea what might've killed Mamoru; he was supposed to keep the prince safe.

Monday finally came, and Usagi was in school that morning like nothing had happened. She responded to her friends' greetings and even smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. The most marked problem became obvious when she showed no signs of hearing them if they mentioned Mamoru's death. When one of their other classmates asked, she said he was in America and twisted the ring on her finger. Makoto was ready to yell when the teacher came in and they all had to quiet down.

After they bowed and returned to their seats, their instructor told them they had transfer students and gestured in three young men. All the girls in the class immediately started talking all at once, not needing an introduction to recognize them. One met Usagi's gaze squarely and sauntered to the empty desk next to her. She recognized him immediately; he was the boy from the airport.

"Fancy meeting you here, Odango."

She managed a thin smile before eyeing her classmates skeptically. "Why are they squealing? They sound ridiculous."

"Really?" he asked, a falsely heartbroken look on his handsome face. "You still don't know who I am?"

She shook her head, but before either of them said anything else Minako lobbed a magazine onto her desk. The front cover was emblazoned with the transfer students, labeled "Three Lights". Flipping to the article, Usagi finally realized they were a famous group of singers. She glanced over at Seiya, about to comment, but the teacher was turning her way. Senshi-fast, she whipped the magazine out of sight.

"What was that, Miss Tsukino?" their English teacher asked.

Usagi blinked, widening her eyes innocently. "What was what, Mr. Jenkins?" she responded in perfect, lightly accented English.

The teacher shook his head and looked away, muttering something about seeing things and needing to make an eye appointment. Usagi shot Mina a dark look for nearly getting her in trouble. The other girl only shrugged as the class settled into the lesson.

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The girls tried to corner Usagi during their lunch break, but she vanished the instant class ended. It took twenty minutes to find her, and when they did she was lying with her head in Haruka's lap under a tree at the far edge of campus. Her blotchy face made it clear she'd been crying, but she was asleep now. Michiru, who had been sitting beside them, got up to meet the other girls.

"Let her be," the older teen said quietly. "She's having a rough time as is."

"She won't talk to us," Makoto countered. "She's barely acknowledged anything we say, and if we mention Mamoru it's like she's gone deaf."

"It's not exactly something she can discuss openly," Michiru chided. "He and the other people on that flight are considered missing so far, not dead, and if your peers found out he was on that plane they'll all want to ask her about it. It's too much for her to handle."

"Why did she come to you, then?" Ami asked. "We would've understood if she told us."

"She said you would already have enough stress trying to help the Shitennou cope. You have to be there for them; we don't. She knows we're only concerned about her."

"That's thoughtful and stupid all at once," Mina said after a heavy pause. "No matter what, we'll still be there for her."

Ami frowned. "She did this before. When Mamoru-san was taken by the Dark Kingdom, she only really talked to you and the Shitennou. She didn't want to burden us with what she viewed as her problem."

"She knows you want to help her, but she also knows the others need you more. They don't have anyone else. She said you would need them if anything happened to her."

"Is something going to happen to her?" Makoto demanded.

"You already know the answer to that," Michiru said steadily.

Minako paled. "She can't live without him."

"Their bond," Ami realized in horror. "If he's dead, she'll follow. How long?"

"I'm not sure," Usagi answered, startling them. Haruka smoothed her hair as she sat up. "It could be weeks or even months. It could be anything that does it too."

"Can't you bring him back?" Makoto asked.

Her gaze was steady despite the renewal of her tears. She didn't say anything; she didn't have to.

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AN: I hope this didn't turn you away from the series. There'll be more action coming the next chapter, paired with considerable amounts of angst I can only partially blame on the source material. It is in keeping with the general theme of the Stars arc, though, with all the deaths and trauma they go through. As always, I'm dying for your thoughts, questions, opinions, what have you, so please review. Till next time!