A/N: Final chapter…thanks again for everyone sticking with me through this decade plus ride. Hope everyone enjoyed it.

Chapter 13: One More Time

5 years later -

"This is the worst idea you've ever had." Mamoru grumbled as he straightened his bow tie for what felt like the fifth time in the past two minutes. Judging by his reflection in the mirror it still didn't look right.

"It's not my fault that tying a bowtie is an area you're deficient in." Kunzite responded coolly as he straightened up his cream colored suit jacket once more. He studied himself in the full length mirror that had been placed in the room. The traditional tuxes had been ruled out since he had found it impossible to find one that fit his broad shoulders. He had gone with an orange vest and an orange bowtie for himself, Minako's favorite colors. The rest of his groomsmen had a matching vest and bowtie to their corresponding bride's maids' dresses.

"I still don't understand why you had to choose pink for my outfit." Mamoru grumbled as he looked over at Nephrite wearing a splendid emerald green bow tie and vest. Jadeite wore a ruby red and even Zoisite's frost blue was to be envied.

"Four groomsmen to three brides' maids', Minako picked out the color scheme before Usagi said she couldn't make it." Kunzite stated and internally winced at the end. It was still a touchy subject to bring up Usagi in front of Mamoru but it was what it was. Kunzite's eyes flitted away from Mamoru pretending he didn't see the frown that crossed the man's face.

After a pause to digest the information he pushed onward without hinting about any sort of disappointment with the turn of events. For some reason he really thought Usagi would make it to this one. She had begged off for the other three but he didn't think she'd miss her cousin's wedding. "Well...couldn't Minako have gotten Haruka, Setsuna, or Michiru to fill in as a fourth?"

"Wouldn't help your cause." Nephrite finally chimed in. "Haruka would have wanted yellow which is too close to orange. Michiru would have wanted a blue or a green color which would be too close to Ami or Makoto and Setsuna would have picked purple. Besides they were all unavailable."

"At least purple is attached to royalty…" Mamoru muttered petulantly.

"Well if we went back approximately sixty to seventy years your color would be considered masculine." Zoisite chimed in helpfully as he seemed insistent on making sure absolutely every piece of his outfit was in alignment. "Don't let those of a small mind force you into a box of what they believe masculinity to be. If you are truly secure it won't matter what you're wearing as long as you are comfortable with who you are...although that won't protect you from looking a fool if you can't color coordinate."

"What?" Zoisite asked as he noticed the fact that he had drawn the attention of everyone in the room. A slight blushed colored the top of his cheeks before he huffed in annoyance at the blank looks he was receiving from all of the others in the room. "If you four would expand your horizons further than the latest muscle car being released this year, I wouldn't have to continue to lecture you all about historical facts."

"History never sold me a car." Jadeite responded with a mirthful smirk as he walked by Zoisite he ruffled the younger man's hair on purpose. "I'll see you up there. Remember to avoid seating Kunzite's grandparents near Minako's grandparents. Best to avoid having a funeral after a wedding."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kunzite looked up sharply with a look of interest at the comment. He never noticed any sort of tension between his grandparents and Minako's grandparents. Of course most people wouldn't call him a real people person.

"Makoto's orders...so unless you want to take the hit on this one?" Nephrite offered up with a smirk since he knew that there would be no way in hell that Kunzite would ever offer himself up for a sacrifice for Makoto's anger.

"Yeah I definitely didn't ask...and I don't intend to question your sister...or Mamoru's sister...really anyone today. I'm planning on doing what I'm told and not questioning anything." Jadeite quickly agreed with Nephrite's assessment of the situation.

"Very well..." Kunzite would have to ask Minako or Makoto later since his friends clearly hadn't delved into the issue any further than it was requested by the bride and the groom's sister. With a final glance at himself in the mirror he straightened up his orange bow tie to align perfectly with the collar. "Just remember not to embarrass yourself up there Jadeite."

"Hey why did you single me out?" The tousle haired blonde turned back from the door to look at his silver haired friend in confusion. A glance to Zoisite and Nephrite only confirmed that everyone had an amused smirk on their face.

"Because you're the only one that got so hung over last time at Nephrite's wedding that you threw up on the flower girl." Mamoru helpfully offered up the reasoning. The group laughed at the memory...well everyone except for Jadeite who stood there looking betrayed that everyone found it so hilarious.

"Oh...oh...I see I'm the only one that has ever caused an embarrassment? So we're just going to ignore what Nephrite did at Zoisite's wedding then?" Jadeite brought up the previous incident in an attempt to avoid them inevitable conversation of how badly Jadeite had been beaten by Makoto. The girl had some anger and she had really let Jadeite have it for that one. It really hadn't helped that he stumbled into the priest after that. Best thing to do as always was to throw someone else under the bus.

"Hey!" Nephrite growled at the betrayal of his friend. That had been a secret. "You promised not to tell them that!"

"...Tell us what…?" Zoisite chimed in a frown marring his face. He suddenly had a sinking feeling that this was something he didn't want to know.

Jadeite waved his hand at Nephrite as if he was a naughty child caught putting his hand in the cookie jar. "Hey I'm not taking a fall without someone else and isn't it about time to tell them all what you did. It's been close to three year…" With a cheeky grin he elaborated much to Nephrite's horror. "You remember how you had to go out last second to purchase a new ring for Ami?"

"Yes…" Zoisite felt a headache coming on. The youngest of the group could never understand why he kept associating with them as they only ever caused issues. With a quirked eyebrow he turned his attention to the fidgeting Nephrite. "Something you'd like to tell me?"

"Right...so…" Nephrite grabbed the back of his head while chuckling a little as he attempted to find a good way on how to explain everything. "Right well...you see I was going over the last preparation and was going to get the rings over to the ring bearer...but umm...well I was still a little drunk."

"Oh this ought to be great." Mamoru chimed in with a small smirk. It was a well known fact that the something interesting happened at each of their weddings so far. Jadeite throwing up on the flower girl and some guests that got in the "splash" zone at Nephrite's wedding. The previously unsolved mystery of the missing ring at Zoisite's wedding and finally the literal fight at Jadeite's wedding between Rei and one of Jadeite's old girlfriends turned stalker.

Kunzite shook his head and silently prayed to whatever deity ruled the heavens that he was not cursed with some screwy happenstance. In his heart he knew something would occur...it was almost like a rule. All he could do was to hope it wasn't anything worse than what had happened at the other 3 weddings.

"So yeah...I may have dropped it down one of the grates in the floor...and I may have pinned it on the ring bearer." Nephrite finally admitted with no small amount of embarrassment.

"You know that child was only five and he thought it was all his fault! He was inconsolable for weeks!" Zoisite shouted. A look of disbelief crossed the youngest groomsman's face, even for their group that was low.

"Hey...don't try to make me feel bad...that kid was a brat." The chagrin response came from Nephrite automatically as he glanced away from the group. It wasn't like he didn't already feel fairly terrible about the entire situation.

"It scares me that you're in charge of protecting not only people but important people at that." Zoisite shook his head in disbelief that a top rated FBI agent would not only pin something on a child but had kept it a secret for years.

"You would have been mad at me...you can't get mad at a kid." Nephrite explained petulantly.

"I am mad at you now! And to make it worse you covered it up!" Zoisite threw his hands in the air before exiting the room in a complete huff. With a glare directed at Nephrite he slammed the door shut behind him. The entire frame shook slightly from the beating it had just taken.

"You think he's mad?" Jadeite ventured with a hint of worry in his voice.

"You think…" Mamoru trailed off sarcastically. He rolled his eyes at Jadeite's sometimes childish nature.

"Real nice…" Nephrite grumbled before he mock punched Jadeite in the shoulder...although he didn't hold back too much to be honest. He opened the door and walked out to find Zoisite to hopefully apologize. "I'll see you up there."

"Ow…" Jadeite muttered as he rubbed his shoulder where Nephrite struck him. He didn't want to admit it but damn that had hurt. With a slight wince he managed to shake it off and shoot the remaining two a smile. "Well I guess we've got your surprise problem Kunzite! At least it's just pissy groomsmen. I better go mediate!"

"Is that really wise?" Kunzite asked. Any mediation with Jadeite involved tended to be...dicey. Unfortunately the tousled blonde was already out the door leaving Kunzite and Mamoru alone in the dressing room. He glanced down at his watch. They will had another half an hour before they had to be up there.

"So ready for this?"

Mamoru's question brought Kunzite back to the present. The slightly older blonde haired man shot a smirk at his younger comrade. "You act like I have a choice...you know Minako has been planning this since Kami's birth."

"True enough." Mamoru responded with a small nod. It had been a surprise the two that they thought would marry first had ended up marrying last of their group...well almost last. He shook his head trying to clear the thoughts from his head. Unfortunately he was with the most perceptive of the bunch.

"Thinking about Usagi again?" Kunzite ventured without a hint of question in his voice. It was a normal conversation between the two so it wasn't like it was unexpected that he would bring it up.

"I guess a little." Mamoru confessed with a hint of hesitation in his voice. Was it really all that proper to bring up one's own romantic troubles on the day of his friend's wedding?

"You know she would have stayed if you asked her." The tall blonde stated without any hint of accusation in his voice. It was just a fact and everyone knew it. After the blonde had recovered from her near death experience she had decided to travel the world with Rini. After being trapped for so long she had decided it would be good for both of them to get away from Japan...too many bad memories. If Mamoru had asked though she would have stayed, they both knew it.

"I know...but it wasn't my place. While I developed feelings for her during our time together it wouldn't have been right. She needed time to heal and I would have just been a crutch. She wouldn't have truly healed not really. She would have only made me her barometer. Everything would have revolved around making me happy." Mamoru stated dispassionately as he looked Kunzite straight in the face.

"Sounds like excuses to me but you know it isn't my place to tell you how to go about your life." Kunzite stated as he stood there patiently waiting for Mamoru to ask the question he really wanted to ask. It wasn't going to change from earlier but he knew he'd ask it. He always did at every wedding.

"Did Usagi tell Minako if she'd be able to make it to the reception?" Any trace of hope he had was carefully tamped down. Not that it would get past Kunzite but the others at least had stopped asking questions about the two.

"She didn't say." Kunzite stated carefully as he weighed his words. Even he hesitated to be so direct about this with Mamoru but the man had continued to hold on to the hope she'd return for the past five years. Every wedding, every holiday, and sometimes just on random days he'd ask Minako. Finally after a moment longer of hesitating to say what he wanted to say he came right out and said it. "You know...perhaps it is time for you to move on…"

Mamoru internally winced...he was surprised that Kunzite hadn't brought it up earlier this year. At the same time he knew it was coming. "I haven't been interested in any girls that I've dated." He replied blithely in an attempt to end the conversation.

"A lie." Kunzite responded coolly with once more no hint of accusation simple cold hard facts. "You haven't dated since you met Usagi." Once more only facts. He gave his friend an appraising look before he continued. "Life is just a series of meetings and partings...some people stay longer than others. Other times those we want to stay depart before we are ready for them to leave. Perhaps you and Usagi will reconnect again in the future...perhaps not. You can't live your life waiting."

"I'm not! I just haven't found anyone yet!" Mamoru responded hotly and in that instance a blush crossed his face because he knew that Kunzite was in fact right. It didn't help that even he couldn't believe his own lie.

"Just promise me...if she doesn't come tonight...I want you to meet a friend of my cousin. She's a sweet girl and I think you two would hit it off." Kunzite ventured in a careful tone. If there was one thing he didn't want to do it was send his best man running before the wedding ceremony.

"Fine…" Mamoru muttered before glancing down at his watch. It was almost time for them to get up there. With a tap of his watch Kunzite glanced down and nodded in understanding. For now the matter was closed and the conversation dropped with it. The two had a wedding to attend.

Mamoru smiled at the dancing couples all of his friends were enjoying their time out there. It wasn't that he had avoided dancing the entire night or anything. He had, had his fair share of dances. Mostly when his cousin Rei drug him out and declared him open season to the single girls.

A rueful shake of his head before Mamoru let the music carry his thoughts away for a moment. He absently stirred the drink in his hand as he enjoyed the momentary reprieve from the dance floor.

It didn't last long though because the dance had ended and he could already see his cousin making a beeline for his position. With a put upon sigh he threw the drink back and got ready to get back on the dance floor.

Right as he was about to approach Rei he swore he saw a plait of blonde hair that looked like Usagi's but when he focused in on it the person had disappeared. He shook his head and turned his attention back to his cousin. He gave her a small smile as she grabbed his arms and started to drag him out as he predicted.

"You keeping Jadeite in line?" He teased with a small smirk.

"As much as I can...my heel to his face can only do so much." Rei replied with a confident smile.

"I don't need to know what my baby cousin does in her free time with her husband." Mamoru teased.

"You want to join Jadeite with a heel to the face?" Rei threatened hotly as she gave her older cousin a glare. The next song had already started and she forced him into a proper stance for the slow dance. She already had lined up her target for dumping her cousin off with. A co-worker of hers that Minako also happened to know.

"Withdrawn." Mamoru responded attempting to hold his hands up in a placating manner...which gave Rei her opening. One moment he had his hands up. The next he was in the arms of a pretty brunette that Rei had switched out with. He gave his cousin a playful glare over the top of the woman's head but it didn't matter much.

Rei had already danced away from the pair putting enough distance that Mamoru wouldn't be able to switch back with his conniving cousin. He glanced down at the girl and let out an annoyed sigh. The woman while he would admit was beautiful was drunk...much like everyone else at this point of the night.

The wedding had ended at around seven and once they moved to the reception hall...which was actually a legitimate ballroom at Minako's parents mansion the drinks had started flowing. Even though the ballroom was huge with the amount of people invited it had gotten warm fast with all of the people dancing and drinking. Even he was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.

So he continued to dance with the unnamed woman in the slowly fading lights of the ballroom as the reception started to wind down and people started to filter out. It wasn't long before he broke away from his dance partner to say goodbye to his conniving cousin and his friend. The two were the first to head out but it was no surprise as Jadeite had a long day ahead of him tomorrow and Rei had a project to wrap up for her work this week.

"You want to come back with us or are you going to get a ride with Ami?" Jadeite asked as he started to put his jacket over his arm and loosen up the bow tie. A small smirk plastered over his face since he thought he looked so cool. Rei nor Mamoru would ever admit it since it would just expand his big head but he did have a certain devil may care look going for him at the moment.

"I'm going to wait around a little longer...so I'll catch a ride with Ami and Zoisite if not i'll grab one from Makoto and Nephrite." Mamoru stated with a wave of his hand unconcerned at this point in making any solid plans.

"Makoto and Nephrite already left. Makoto has to open her bakery extra early tomorrow so she drug Nephrite with her. Unless you want to be trapped in a mansion with Minako and Kunzite on their wedding night, I suggest you firm up your plans with Ami and Zoisite." Rei half informed half lectured her older cousin with a frown. The younger girl knew exactly what he was doing and she did not exactly approve. "Why don't you come home with us?"

"Wellllll I'll just go get the car started." Jadeite whistled to himself finding a way out of the impending Rei Hino blow up. With a pitying glance at Mamoru he left the cousins to argue. While Jadeite had no issue stirring up trouble he didn't have a death wish.

Mamoru rolled his eyes at Jadeite's predictable retreat. Then again he wouldn't want to be in the way when she was on a war path either but unfortunately he knew she was going to say her piece. May as well just give her the reason and let her say what she'd say. "I'm waiting to see if Usagi shows up."

Rei's eyes lit up at the admission. Normally they'd have to dance around the subject until one of them tired of the shadow fighting but tonight he had just gone all in. Finally she could say her piece without trying to come right out and say it. "I'm tired of watching you come to every wedding and every event where everyone comes together and hang around waiting for Usagi."

"Oh?" Mamoru queried as he raised an eyebrow at the blunt statement. It didn't surprise him really. Not six hours earlier Kunzite had stated the same thing. "And what would you have me do?"

"Move on!" Rei started out forcefully before she took in Mamoru's expression. Deep inside he still held out some type of hope at least on some level that she'd come back. Rei shook her head and sighed in annoyance. Why was it she always felt like she was kicking a puppy with him? "She hasn't come back in five years. I don't want you to keep hurting yourself like this." In an uncharacteristic move for Rei she buried her head in Mamoru's chest and hugged him tightly.

"Hey...hey...come on don't worry about me." Mamoru awkwardly patted his cousins back. Luckily the party was still in full swing for the most part and the music hadn't died down so no one was paying attention.

"But I do worry...you never do anything anymore outside of work." Rei huffed into his chest before she finally pulled away still holding onto him for a moment longer. After another moment of staring into his face she huffed and pulled away. She wiped away the moisture that had somehow appeared at the edges of her eyes. It was stupid how much she felt like the older cousin. "Just promise me that you'll visit more...and also just call me if you want to talk...I think it'd be good for you."

"You know I have a degree in that right...in fact I believe I'm a Doctor in that field." Mamoru responded smugly.

"Well you sure don't show it." Rei mock wrapped her knuckles against his skull before shaking her head. "If you don't start becoming more involved I'm going to start coming over when you're off and I won't leave until you get out of that apartment."

"Fine fine...you win." Mamoru knew when he was in a losing fight. It was like the beach trying to fight the ocean. He could build walls all he wanted but the will of Rei Hino would eventually knock them down.

"Good...all I ask." With a wink Rei disentangled herself from her cousin and shot him a victorious smile before she left with a parting comment. "Just remember if you don't call me sometime this week I'll be over! I have your key...and if you really don't call I'll bring Jadeite!"

Mamoru shuttered at the threat before shaking his head in defeat. With a final wave he watched his cousin retreat out of the ball room to find her husband. Once he was sure she was gone he turned back to enjoy what remained of the night. There were still quite a few people out on the dance floor. He supposed he should dance a little longer before finding Zoisite and Ami.

Minako fell into her seat with a sigh. The last of the guests had finally departed...well almost all of them. A glance behind her showed her cousin standing in the doorway of the back entrance to the ballroom. It was only the two of them at this point and some of the wait staff packing everything up. Even Kunzite had retreated to the bedroom to shower. Without turning she addressed her wayward cousin. "Usagi I didn't expect you to show up."

"I'm sorry...I didn't think I was going to come but last minute I decided to come." Usagi addressed her cousin with a nervous grin. She hesitated for a moment but eventually she decided to take a seat next to her cousin.

"How have you been? It's been hard keeping in touch with you." Minako commented as she finally stared at her cousin now that she was sitting next to her at the table. The past five years had done wonders for her cousin. While before the two had a certain similarity that people pegged as family but perhaps distant now the two could almost be mistaken for sisters.

"Good everything has been great. I mean I think it has really helped Rini to be away from here. We're living in France right now but I think we may look into moving to Germany in the next month or two. Rini made friends with an American and his father transferred to Germany a few months ago." Usagi went on a little understanding that this was all small talk. Normally Minako was hyperactively happy to speak with her so she knew something was going on. It would just be a question of how long until Minako brought it up.

Luckily Usagi would not have to wait long. Minako was tired and honestly it had been a long day. Perhaps if she had come by earlier it would have been a more drawn out conversation. As it was, Minako got right to the point rather than dance around her question any longer. "You know Mamoru was here today."

"I know." Usagi responded without any hesitation. Of course she knew that. She had slipped into the ball room hours ago and had made herself scarce. If there was one person that she wasn't prepared to run into it was Mamoru.

"You know he's been waiting for you to return...I'm wondering when you plan on coming back." Minako queried with a hint of curiosity entering her tone. It was well known to the group that Minako had been the matchmaker. The one that through sheer force of will set everyone up, at least initially, afterwards she had let them discover if they were good for each other on their own.

"I'm just here to see you and congratulate you on your wedding." Usagi responded rather lamely. Although she had to admit a small part of her had come back to see Mamoru. She had almost done it. For a moment she thought he had seen her and she had almost gone out to him but in the end she chickened out. It wouldn't have been fair.

"He's been waiting for the past five years." Minako replied once more trying to keep her cousin from dodging the question.

Usagi glanced away from her cousin a frown marring her face. It wasn't like she didn't know that but it still was a little hurtful when it was said out loud. It hurt that Mamoru hadn't moved on. She wasn't ready...after what she had gone through and Rini with her. "I'm still taking my journey...I still don't know anything. After losing so much time with my daughter and everything we've been through I still haven't found what I'm looking for."

"You know if you asked Mamoru would have gone with you." Minako responded almost immediately while she evaluated her cousin's words. In reality she would never understand exactly what Usagi had gone through. While she experienced a part of it for Usagi it was something that stole away her teenage years and her daughter's first years of life. After being caged so long she spread her wings and left what she considered her prison. Japan represented so much pain for the girl it was a surprise she even came back to see her.

"I couldn't do that to him. I would have only used him as an emotional anchor...any relationship built off of that would have been a lie...and now it's been too long. For me to come back after all this time and just start up a relationship again wouldn't be right. Who knows if we'd even work out after all this time?" Usagi chuckled dryly as she shook away the thought.

"You could try though." Minako implored a little in an attempt to stop two people she knew were longing for each other from hurting any more. The self-imposed pain that they put on themselves was heart breaking for her to see.

"At this point I don't know what our relationship would really be based on though. Memories of what could have been? Or who we are now? I'm afraid if I came back now he'd try to force himself to be someone I want him to be...he's been waiting for a different Usagi. It wouldn't be fair to him or to me." Usagi whispered softly. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about it but it wasn't realistic. Not anymore.

"We had our chance five years ago...it's best if he just lets me go." Usagi finished with a sad smile. She looked down at her hands currently folded in her lap. It wasn't what she wanted if she really was going to be honest. Still she refused to put Mamoru in the situation of living up to what they each imagined their relationship would be like. The pressure would inevitably cause them to split apart. She wouldn't do that to Rini either.

Minako evaluated her for a moment. There wasn't much left to say if Usagi was set on her path she couldn't do much to dissuade her. It was with no small amount of regret. It was a low blow but maybe it would create some sort of reaction. "Kunzite told me that he made Mamoru promise him he'd move on if you didn't show up at the wedding today."

At first Usagi's eyes widened in surprise at the statement but she quickly relaxed. It was something that on one hand she had expected for a long time but at the same time actually hearing it was a little jarring. She went silent for a moment as she thought about her decision was it the right one? Perhaps not but it was set in her mind.

After another moment of contemplation Usagi finally nodded in understanding before she picked herself up from her seat before embracing her cousin in a hug. "Just make sure he ends up with someone he truly loves. Don't let him settle Minako. I'll hold you to this promise." Usagi shot her stunned cousin a wink before she withdrew from the hug. "Now I've got a flight to catch. Congratulations on the wedding. I'm sure Kunzite is waiting for you."

"Indeed I am." Kunzite stepped out from the rear entrance dressed in a pair of slacks and a dress shirt with the top two buttons left undone. He had noticed Minako's conspicuous absence and came to investigate. It was a surprise when he found the two talking. He knew he should have announced his presence but it would have been equally rude to interrupt the two. "Would you like me to drive you to the airport?."

Usagi was startled for a moment at the sudden change of topic. She had half expected for the man to pick up where Minako left off. It wasn't as though he hadn't heard most if not everything. She counted her blessings that Kunzite had decided to let the matter drop. "No...I'll see myself out. I have to get back to France anyway. Right now Rini is in the care of her Uncle Yaten."

Usagi saw the looks of surprise on their faces. In a way she could understand. Why would she want to even associate with anyone from the Kou family after what she had been through. Yaten though wasn't Seiya and in a way having him around helped her see that. The man was nothing if not a caring Uncle for Rini. Some of it she was sure was due to the fact that he lost two brothers in the span of one night and was lost just like she was. They had both healed in their own ways.

"Of course who knows how many women he's brought over in the past two days?" Usagi half questioned to herself and half stated with a frown. The man was a completely unrepentant womanizer...something she had yet to cure him. That though was neither here nor there. "Anyway I better go. I have a plane to catch."

With a final hug to her cousin and Kunzite she finally pulled apart and flipped up her phone to call a cab. Right before she left the two alone to start enjoying their honeymoon she gave Kunzite one last look that promised pain. "If you do anything to make her sad, I'll be back."

"Alright Terminator." Kunzite chuckled to himself. The other two shook their head at the bad joke...although to be fair Kunzite had set it up.

Five minutes later Usagi was on her way to the airport. Absently she leaned her head against the glass of the rear window as she stared out at the city one last time before she left once more. After staring for a moment longer she closed her eyes with a sigh.

It had been hard to come back and it was harder to leave without talking to Mamoru but once more she reminded herself that sometimes things in life weren't fair. Once more she reminded herself that it wouldn't be fair. Not to her or to Mamoru. She still had some issues to sort out and she refused to force him to wait.

To some extent she knew she was a coward for not telling him this to his face. It would have been easy to seek him out earlier and explain it all. He would have understood. It would have been so easy but she feared that her resolve would have faltered. She would have chosen Mamoru. In the end it took less effort to just fade away. Eventually she'd just be another memory for him and he would be the same for her. The past no matter how wonderful and terrible it was, was nothing but the past. She could not base her life upon it nor would she let it rule her any longer.

Mamoru watched the traffic pass below from his balcony. The moon hung over head dominating the sky. Stars were hard to see tonight between the Moon and the city lights. He hated to admit it but Kunzite was right. It was time to move on. He didn't regret saving Usagi all those years ago. On the contrary, It had given her a chance to live her life. That was why he got into law enforcement. The chance to save people so they could live there life like they should be able to.

Once more he was silently thankful that somehow that last shot from Seiya had missed her heart even if it was by only a centimeter or two. It had allowed her to live in the end. She had taken a few months to recuperate in the hospital. Yaten the last remaining of the Kou family had visited Usagi and Rini when he learned about everything Seiya had done. He had decided then and there to take care of Usagi and Rini as if they were family.

If he was objective he knew some of the attraction between the two was the draw they felt after both going through multiple life threatening adventures. If it had faded after she left he would have been more inclined to believe it was in fact the life threatening situations that they had found themselves in.

Still she really hadn't come. That made it four weddings and who knows how many holiday events or birthdays she had missed. It was time to accept it. "She's really not coming back." He muttered to himself. Kunzite as much as he hated it was right. It was time to move on. It was time to take the plunge and accept that he was no longer living in the past.

He stood there on the balcony leaning against the rail looking over into the traffic below absently watching the blur of red and white lights. It all became one large blur as his eyes became unfocused as he thought about what to do now. While he had denied it to some extent with Kunzite he had in fact been waiting for Usagi to return.

It really was time to move on. He had lamented the lost chance for five years and had hoped she would come back for the same amount of time. In a way he could say he was both excited and sad for this change. "Usagi Tsukino…I'm giving you up." He declared to the moon above and the people traveling below. It was time to close this chapter of his life and start a new one.

With one final look down at the traffic he pushed himself away from the overhang and made his way back to the open door that led back into his apartment. It was time to stop dwelling on the past and find a new direction for his future.

Fin-

A/N: Perhaps not the finality some were looking for and I'm sure I'll get some flak for not having Usagi and Mamoru together in the end but it would have taken another 20 - 30 thousand words if not more for Usagi to work through the issues and make it viable. I probably could have used the time skip but that is a lazy plot device as it is to wrap everything up. If I hadn't again it would have taken a lot more time to wrap everything up.

So you can take it from here as to what eventually happens between the two. Do they move on or do they end up together? If I end up doing a rewrite maybe I'll change it or maybe I'll leave it rest.

Unfortunately I could keep writing forever if given enough time. It is the issue I'm currently running into with my larger stories so I've decided to find a good place to end the story and do just that. Dragging it on would just make everyone miserable so I hope you all enjoyed the ride and can at least accept that there is an ending even if you don't agree.