Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Sailor Moon and Co.

Also, if you haven't read 'Winter', 'Spring', or 'Summer', I would suggest you go back and read all those chapters. Yes, this is a fic specifically targeting Rei and Jadeite, but there are references in this story that date back to prior stories. In order to get the references, I would recommend reading those first.

Chapter 1

The fire crackled and burned brightly.

It didn't matter today, nor did it phase her when the wind blew into the room.

Rei's meditation went to a certain brunette couple. Makoto was caring for a recovering Shittenou in her own home. It was almost two weeks since that attack, and Nathan was slowly recovering. After careful examination from Ami, who was already completing her medical internship at the hospital, she deemed that he would be able to leave the bed after one more week of rest. Her scan showed that his bones and repaired tissue were becoming stronger and less fragile. He owed his life to Kunzite (or Kendal), who used his ability to heal his brother-in-arms with his supernatural powers.

That was not what bothered her. What bothered her was the concept of how easily one of them could die. Just like that. They almost lost Nephrite (or Nathan as her friends called him) that night in the early hours of the morning. She saw Jupiter's reaction and was badly shaken. God only knows if someone on her team would lose their life before Usagi and Mamoru returned.

Remember that whole 'moon trip'? Yeah. Turns out the two of them were using their Crystals to rebuild the entire kingdom on the Moon. Something about how they needed a 'home base' to strategize and plan in case this new enemy decided to blow up the entire planet.

Not a good scenario.

She sighed and opened her eyes looking back at the fire. She rubbed her forehead and leaned back. Why couldn't she concentrate today?

"Got a lot on your mind I see."

Violet landed on blue.

She remained silent knowing very well that any comment she made would be thrown back at her by that 'man'. She turned her attention back the fire.

Jay sat to her left with his legs crossed and throwing random little sticks into the fire. "Nathan's near brush with death still bothering you?"

Her lip twitched, "No. Makoto's reaction is."

He nodded his blond head and threw the rest of the sticks in the fire before sitting up with good posture. He was wearing a black pin-striped suit with a blue tie. He must have just come out of a meeting and decided to stop by the temple like he did every week or so. She knew he did so to check on her and see how she was. Not that she spoke to him much, but she was beginning to appreciate his company especially with the growing attacks with stronger and stronger villains.

He nodded his head, "I hear you. That was not a pretty sight."

"I'm glad Kendal had the power to heal him. I'm sure Nathan would have died with the King and Queen off of this planet," spoke Rei with somberness. "I think Makoto is enjoying taking care of him and seeing that he's recovering."

Jay gave a little smirk, "Nathan's enjoying it too... I think a little too much." He found one more stray stick before breaking it in half and throwing it in the fire. "When do you think they will be married?" he asked her.

Rei rolled her eyes.

He glanced over to her, "Tell me."

"I don't know. Maybe next year some time?"

Jay shook his head, "I think sooner."

She never replied back feeling her ire rise in her. The fire before her was beginning to burn hotter, reflecting her rising annoyance.

"You know," spoke Jay again leaning a bit towards her as if he were to share a secret with her. "All the other Senshi and Shittenou are either in a relationship, engaged, or married..."

"Good for them," quickly snapped Rei trying to end this conversation as soon as possible.

He noted this and took it as a hint to continue. He knew he hit a nerve that she was trying to hide from him. Too bad he knew her better than she realized thanks to their past history. "I was thinking... when do you think it would be our turn?"

"I'm a priestess. Never," sharply answered back Rei trying to position herself to meditate again. Perhaps she could ignore him and see if any visions would come to her.

"I know, I know, you're a VIRGIN priestess," he spoke standing up dusting off his suit. "But this Temple won't have anyone tending to it after you're gone if you have no children."

She snapped her eyes open, stood up, stomped her wood-clad foot, and glared at him. "What are you suggesting?" The fire behind her was burning brightly.

He took a few steps up to her and looked at her straight in the eyes. "You have no family to carry on the tradition of keeping up this temple. Face it. You won't be able to remain at this temple forever. And you'll become too old to watch and protect the Queen and King."

The fire began flaring behind her. He smirked. He got her attention. Now, for the kill.

"You need an heir."

"And I'm sure you would be more than happy to assist me with that, aren't you," she sarcastically snapped back.

He smirked widely and shrugged his shoulders, "Now that you mention it..."

"Get out of here."

His deep blue eyes challenged hers. "Make me."

She grabbed her transforming pen readying it to make her move. She didn't anticipate Jay quickly grabbing her wrists and planting a kiss on her lips. He leaned back looking at her with a smug smile. It gave him greater satisfaction to see her jaw drop and her eyes wide as saucers. "Enjoyed it that much?" he suggested softly.

"OWWW!"

Jay immediately backed away from her as he felt a nasty goose-egg welt form on his eyesocket. He covered it with his hands and hissed in pain. She headbutted him HARD! While he staggered in pain and tried to get that stinging to stop, she transformed into her senshi suit for the extra strength and power before grabbing his ear with her gloved hand.

"OWWW! OW OW!" he hissed as she drug him out of the temple by the ear and some hair strands.

She pushed him off the deck of the Shrine and to the courtyard. His feet caught himself before he faceplanted with the rocks. He opened one of his eyes as the other stung like crazy. He saw her glare as she stood as the strong Sailor Mars. The wind began stirring around her whipping up her dark hair around her... as well as her skirt.

"Nice view of your underwear," he spoke. He expected the riled response, which was a fireball launched at his untransformed self. He did dodge the attack before it could burn his clothing and body. He sarcastically added, "I thought you weren't supposed to attack civilians."

"Go to hell," she snapped back with a snarl before turning around and closing both doors to the Shrine. He heard the lock snap into place.

It took a minute longer before he rubbed out the pain on the bone of his eyesocket and the surrounding skin. She might have very well given him a black eye. He smirked and looked back at the room Mars retreated into. She really was a unique one. He nodded to himself and began to leave almost feeling like whistling to himself as he walked down the street back to his condo. Today was a huge accomplishment. The fact that he got a huge rile out of her and planted a small seed into her thoughts was more than a mission accomplished.

Overall, she respected him as a warrior and was thankful that he did cover her blind spots. They were a good team on the battle field. That's where she began tolerating him.

As a civilian, that was another challenge.

He intentionally remained silent for more than 8 months. The first phase of his mission was to get her comfortable with him coming in close proximity, to develop some kind of trust between the two of them.

The first month he did this when he came to visit in the Temple, she almost burned him to a crisp becoming creaped out that he would slip in unannounced while she was meditating. So, by the second month, she would just give him a dirty glare when he would arrive unannounced. When they reached the third month, she just watched him suspiciously as he would feed the fire silently with extra twigs and branches. The fourth month she ignored him... almost like she was expecting him to drop in at any time and maybe say hello. When the fifth month was reached, he tried striking up a conversation with her, she would snap at him because he "broke her concentration". At the sixth month, she would give quick one or two word answers. For the seventh month, she would answer him back with quick little sentences. Now that it was the eighth month, she was finally giving him decent responses in and out of the Temple.

He smirked. Now was the second phase of his plan, which he knew as going to be the most painful part of the phases- to piss her off and ignite her passion.

As he walked down the windy sidewalks with leaves being blown from molting trees, he was thankful that this phase was going rather well. He knew how passionate she was, but he wanted to make sure he directed it in the right direction.

Yes, he did desire to ask her to be his wife and to have a family with her, but she was like a... like a... He paused for a second thinking about that spiny fruit he tried back in America close to the desert, the pink looking one... The Prickly...prickly...

He snapped his fingers. She was like a Prickly Pear.

When you first touched it, you had to be careful or you would be injured by the sharp needles on the fruit. However, once those were cut off and removed, the fruit on the inside was savory and sweet.

Though her hot, fiery exterier could burn people easily, she was very passionate and loving to those who she cared most for and welcomed into her circle of influence.

Jay nodded his head. He did it once before and successfully was able to become part of her circle of influence. This time, however, he made sure to take his time and learn from past mistakes so he wouldn't be burned like in the Silver Millenium.

He called a taxi so he could ride back to his lonely condo.

For several months now, his memories had been completely unlocked. When memories of the Princess of Mars returned, he strongly desired her to return to him. Yet, she did not remember their past life together. After a few days, he recollected how he was able to convince her to become his and the steps he took to get her to finally trust and welcome him into her world. He desperately wanted her back.

He really hoped and desired that Rei would soon take up residence in his home as his wife. Jay wanted to make sure she was safe. He desired greatly to have her back in his arms like the days of old before the kingdoms were destroyed. He really wanted his wife, the Princess of Mars, to be his once again.

Author's Note: Leave a review. If enough are given, I'll update chapter 2 soon. Some of you know very well that I have (at times) updated within that same day or within a 24 hour time period when enough people responded to what they thought of the chapter. Let me know what you think. Till next time.