Ghosts of the past

Ghosts of the past

A Sailor Moon One shot Fanfiction by Sailor Celestine

Standard Disclaimers apply

Notes:

1. [ ] denotes flashbacks from the Silver Millennium

2. Rated NC-17 due to adult themes and violence due to battle
scenes.

3. Follows the themes and storyline exposed in \"Second
Chances.\"


[The Silver Millennium, Kingdom of Mercury

A new glorious dawn tinted with a mixture of turquoise and
azure hues was rising on the land of Mercury. The young
ambassador stood on the window witnessing the spectacle in
observant silence. The dark haired scientist never ceased to
be amazed by the unusual coloring of the dawns and dusks of
this planet and how they differed from those of his native
Earth. The planet\'s charming landscape had served to ease the
separation from his home, but there was a better reason that
just nature that made him miss Earth less and less every day
that passed by.

His glance rested over the slender frame that lay peacefully
under sky blue sheets. Strands of bluish hair cascaded over
the white pillow in disarray. Its tousled state did not dim
in the least the beauty of soft features that had caught his
attention and captured his heart since he had first laid eyes
on her. Her lips were curved in a soft smile, apparently
evidencing a pleasant dream. A creamy fair shoulder escaped
from the shielding protection of the sheets. His eyes
caressed her resting figure, beholding with admiring eyes the
graceful curves and soft skin his fingers and kisses had
touched just hours before. And yet he still observed her like
it was the first time, delighted on the breathtaking beauty
of his beloved.

Amused, he noticed that her arms were reaching out to the
empty side of the bed and her body stirred at the sudden
realization that something was amiss. Holding the silken
sheet to herself, she rose up, her glance scanning the room
looking for something. Her blue eyes found his dark ones
observing her admiringly. A mischievous smile perched on his
face.

-\"You sure are an early bird,\" she said suppressing a yawn.

-\"I just wanted to admire the dawn.\"

The puzzlement in her expression brought a chuckle from him -
\"I just wanted to convince myself I wasn\'t having a dream
that would end with the sunrise.\"

-\"Silly Rory. The sun is up and I am still here.\"

He looked at the window and realized that indeed the sun was
already up. His fears vanished with the bright sunrays that
bathed everything in sight.

-\"Yes, you are still here. I can see it clearly now.\"

-\"And now that you have made sure I am not a figment of your
imagination, wouldn\'t you care to join me again? I\'m getting
a bit cold here, you know...\" The seductive grin that he knew
was seldom seen adorned her face. He felt privileged, for he
had seen much of it lately. His heart skipped a beat, amazed
of the power she exerted on him with a mere gesture. The
sweet voice that beckoned his attention and bended his will
was summoning him again and he was more than willing to heed
her call.

Taking her hand with his, he bowed his head as he joined her.

-\"Your wishes are orders to me, my princess.\"

Warm arms that embraced him tightly welcomed him back. As his
lips left a warm trail of gentle kisses over her neck, she
murmured to his ear, sighting contented:

\"May we enjoy endless sunrises together, my love.\"]

--------------------------------

Toudai U., Tokyo
The present

Urawa Ryo willed himself to move his feet towards his
apartment. It had been quite a long day between classes,
having a quick lunch with Ami and a busy afternoon filled
with more classes and study group. Although he was a freshman
student, he was already very admired by his peers and the
study group sessions ended up being more like tutoring. He
fidgeted with the key on the doorknob but his mind finally
figured out how to fit the key inside the seemingly elusive
keyhole. The door swung open and books and laptop ended up
sprawled over the kitchen table and his tired body fell
unceremoniously over the futon.

-\"It should be illegal to have this insane amount of college
work. I can feel every single cell in my brain!\"

His trail of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by the
insistent ringing of his cell phone. Pulling himself up
amidst groans and the silent protest of his muscles, he left
the soothing softness of the bed and picked up the small
black gadget.

-\"Hello?\" – he slurred.

-\"Ryo, you sound exhausted. Are you all right?\"

His eyes brightened suddenly and his tiredness seemed to
vanish in thin air at the concerned tone of her voice.

-\"Ami-chan, I\'m okay, just suffering from a temporary energy
drain. But don\'t you worry, I\'ll be fine for our date
tomorrow night.\"

-\"That\'s why I was calling\" Her voice now sounded
disappointed \"I might not make in time. I have to take Mom to
the airport tomorrow because she\'s leaving for the US. She\'s
going to a course at UCLA for a couple of weeks. \"

-\"If you don\'t mind me tagging along, I can go with you and
then we can still be on time to catch part of the Expo. I
think the worst part of rush hour would be over by then.\"

-\"The thing is I have to stay at Juuban. She has asked me to
keep an eye to the apartment, at least once a week until she
returns. She can be really picky about leaving the apartment
closed and her precious plants unattended and with the new
toy parked outside, she\'s worried something might happen to
it. I swear the obsessive care for that thing reeks of
midlife crisis.\" Ami was referring to her mom\'s brand new
silver convertible Lexus, dubbed playfully as \'the toy.\' \"I
really wanted to go to that Tech Expo but instead I\'ll be
bummed house-sitting on a Friday night.\"

-\"Well\" his voice quivered and he coughed slightly, trying to
get the words out. -\"If you don\'t mind the company, I could
help you house-sit...I mean, I know it can get dull being it
that big place all by yourself and with me around there will
be no reason for you to be bored.\"

Ugh, that did not sound right, he realized. He could picture
very well the shade of scarlet her cheeks would acquire on
the other side of the line. A moment of silence ensued.

-\"It was only a silly suggestion. You can also get Mako-chan
to keep you company. I don\'t think she\'ll mind...\"

-\"Ryo, I\'ll be glad to have your company. We can still make it
to the Expo on Saturday.\" Her voice sounded painfully shy but
resolved. His eyes opened wide in reply, a big smile forming
in his face.

-\"Yeah, just tell me when you ladies want me to pick you up.
My car might not be as elegant as your mom\'s Lexus but it
does the job.\"

-\"I\'ll meet you at your place right after class and from
there we go to Juuban to pick Mom up. She\'ll be glad to see
you again.\"

-\"Got it.\"

-\"And Ryo, thank you. I really appreciate your offer. That
place gets awfully lonely and big sometimes and it might
sound silly, but I have gotten used to the hustle and bustle
of campus life. Besides, long nights alone at Mom\'s place
bring back a lot of the old me I rather leave behind.\"

Ryo perceived the pained undertone on her words. On many of
those nights, Dr. Mizuno was pulling the night shift while
Ami spent them alone. Many of those Ryo had kept her company
through long conversations by phone in between homework or
cram school study, whenever she wasn\'t fighting evildoers of
course. He knew it must have been hard to return to an empty
house every so often.

-\"Don\'t worry. My intention is to keep you very busy!\"

Heavens, that sounded even worse, he thought to himself
frustrated. What was with him and double entrée sentences
today? He was behaving like a hormonally challenged teen all
over.

-\"I mean, I have a great PC game that will keep our wits busy
for hours, that\'s what I meant!\"

-\"Ryo, whatever you plan for us, I\'ll be okay with it. See
you tomorrow love.\"

A \"bye, Ami\" was all he could mutter. A sudden bolt of
electricity ran over his spine. Had she really said what he
heard or had he imagined the sexy, sultry tone she used?
Maybe it was just his overly tired state of his mind and body
or just his imagination gone awry. But whether was real or
just imagined, he admitted, it felt good, really good.
Allowing the warm sensation that still lingered wash over
him, he threw himself on the futon again.

-\"Geez, I really need to take it easy.\" Five minutes later,
Ryo surrendered to a deep sleep wishing for pleasant dreams.
He did not he knew he was about to get much more that he had
wished for.

----------------

I don\'t care about tomorrow
I\'ve given up on yesterday
Here and now is all that matters
Right here with you is where I\'ll stay.

[The Silver Millennium, Princess Ami\'s royal quarters

Earth ambassador Gregory Urawa fought to understand clearly
the expression on his *shatranj partner\'s azure eyes. Her
composure was as usual regal and serene but he could swear
that tempestuous emotions were brewing inside. She tapped the
pawn with an elegant finger, pensively reflecting her next
move. The exquisite set carved set in dark and light hues of
blue that she had requested the best palace artisans to make
was indeed beautiful, as he had anticipated by her
enthusiastic and very accurate description. She had been
raving about it for a good while but due to the recent events
they hadn\'t had the chance to try it after she had become
quite good at the Earth game he had taught her.

She seems really out of it today. She should have already
beaten me by now, he reflected at the unusual lack of
interest she displayed. It was really strange, considering
that she had invited him to keep her company at the absence
of the King and Queen of Mercury and General Zoicite, all
summoned by the Moon Kingdom to tackle the ever-growing
rebellion at Earth. She had requested permission to go since
it was a topic that concerned a future ruler of Mercury but
her enthusiasm had received the harsh and firm negative of
her future consort Zoicite, stating that her presence was not
required. It seemed she was still deeply hurt by General
Zoicite\'s answer. She prided herself in being very aware of
everything related to her country and subjects, so he
imagined she hadn\'t taken his negative too lightly.

-\"Princess, your move,\" he said softly.

-\"Oh, sorry, Dr. Urawa. I was a bit distracted that\'s all.
I\'m really sorry this match hasn\'t turned out to be as
exciting as our previous games but I\'ll admit something has
been bothering me a bit.\"

That sounds like an understatement, he told himself
astounded. His instinct could perceive that something else
was the real culprit of her somber mood.

-\"Excuse me if may sound that I\'m exceeding the confidence
you have bestowed upon me but may I ask what it is troubling
you? I know you are upset about being left behind and all but
I think I know you better to realize there\'s more than you
have told me.\"

Ami lifted her eyes and offered a small smile. –\"Doctor, I
have underestimated you. Your sense of perception of people\'s
moods is truly insightful.\"

-\"Please princess, you can call me by my given name. I would
rather drop all formalisms if you allow it, at least when
we\'re not in official business.\"

-\"Okay, doc...I mean Gregory and could you do the same? Our
friendship doesn\'t need the use of any titles.\"

-\"Ami, I really want to make myself useful and you seem that
you could really use a sympathetic ear to let out some of
those worries out.\"

Suddenly, her smile vanished and a grim expression took over
her features. A slight nervousness overcame her. She seemed
to be debating whether to trust him or not.

-\"Gregory, I\'m not sure if I should be saying this to you. I
mean, it is perfectly normal to have expected it...

The deep embarrassment in her face froze him on place.
Whatever was bothering her wasn\'t a small issue at all. He
was now seriously worried. He brought his chair beside hers
and cupped her hand with his.

-\"Ami, you know you can trust me. Go on, please.\"

Ami gripped his hand but avoided making eye contact. His free
arm went over his shoulders. The warmth of his closeness
seemed to comfort her and he perceived the deep breath she
caught before continuing.

-\"It was Zoicite. We had an argument two days ago. I had told
him I wanted to go to the Moon Kingdom but he told me
blatantly that I had no business there. I was upset by this
of course but I opted to avoid more confrontations over this
but then, he tried, he tried to...\"

Her voice broke and her head hung even lower as her cheeks
were now colored bright red. Gregory lifted her chin and
looked deeply to her eyes, moist now, fighting to contain a
stream of tears from escaping. He held her firmer now and his
dark eyes beckoned her to trust him.

-\"He wanted me to sleep with him. He said that he was on his
right to do so because he was about to become my husband and
that I should be getting used to sharing not only the throne
but my bed as well with him. And I refused him, I practically
threw him out of the room and I know he didn\'t take it well
at all because he was still angry at me when he left. And I
know he\'s right, he\'s my fiancée and future husband after all
and I shouldn\'t be scandalized at the notion but I just
can\'t...\"

-\"You don\'t have to apologize. Nobody can force you to do
something you don\'t feel like doing.\"

-\"You don\'t understand. I thought I could do it, that I could
forsake my heart and somehow learn to love him but so far
I\'ve failed miserably. I have realized that as long my heart
belongs to someone else I would never be able to love him or
anybody else. I\'ve deceived no one but myself with this.\"

-\"Ami, please don\'t do this to yourself. We cannot fight
against fate. You\'ve done the right thing. You are the
heiress of Mercury and sacrifices are expected from someone
in your position.\" The words sounded bitter and empty but he
knew she had to come back to her senses.

-\"Have I really done the right thing? Can you look at my in
the eyes and tell me that, that I should just stop loving you
like if it was as easy as erasing your name from my heart and
writing down his instead? Rory, look at me and tell me you
don\'t love me anymore!\"

He knew that the only way to deliver her from this heartache
was to tell her that he didn\'t love her even if it was a lie.
He couldn\'t stand watching her in this miserable state and it
was all his fault. He wanted to free her from this unhealthy
emotion, so she could gain her happiness. Even if it meant
for him living in misery it was a fair trade. Slowly,
gathering all his inner strength, he lifted his head and
stared deeply at her sad, blue eyes.

-\"I, I...\" The words choked on his throat as he struggled to
bring them out.

Tears slipped slowly down her soft cheek and he knew she was
expecting the words that would pierce her heart and liberate
her from this unnecessary burden.

-\"Ami, I...\"

-\"Please don\'t lie to me Rory...\"

-\"Gods, I can\'t do this. You know I love you with all my
might but what good comes out of this? Nothing! I\'m just an
obstacle to you.\"

The tears kept falling down her face and now she was weeping.
With his heart wrenched, he took her into his arms, wishing
for a better way to end this.

-\"Ami please, don\'t cry, I can\'t stand seeing you sad...\"

She looked at him as he gently wiped out the tears with his
fingertips. His eyes mirrored the same struggle she had been
fighting since that fateful night at the engagement ball.
Feelings did not have to make sense she had understood sadly
and the heart could not be ruled by the mind. There was
nothing she could do. Nothing but accept the truth.
Understanding this, she spoke the words at her heart.

-\"Rory, I love you.\"

His resolve melted away with the honesty those words
possessed. He couldn\'t play this cruel charade anymore. He
just could not push her away from him. The turmoil of
emotions inside stormed out like a weakened dam giving up to
the force of the tide. An almost primal sense of
possessiveness overcame him and suddenly his lips met her,
tender first, then demanding. The sweet taste of her lips,
her eager response to his caress brought an urge to have more
of her, to never let go. All rational thoughts vacated his
mind and all that remained was the tantalizing awareness of
her soft body so close against his and the taste of her
kisses sweet as ambrosia, lingering in his mouth, filling his
senses.

Unaware of his own acts, he scooped her up in his arms, his
lips never leaving hers as he slowly brought her down to her
bed. Everything he had held up inside seemed to be pouring
out, his mind clouded by a haze of passion and need. As
Gregory kept exploring the pale column of her neck with his
lips, the sultry cadence of her voice on his ear whispering
his name somehow brought a beam of clarity. He lifted his
head to find her eyes reflecting the same passion he felt.
Her breath was coming in raged gasps and her lips were
swollen. She had never looked so tempting and alluring, he
realized. He had to reign in the impulse to forget all and
just make her his but he had to regain control while he still
could.

-\"I shouldn\'t be doing this...\"- whispered Gregory almost
breathlessly.

-\"Please...!\" The supplicant tone of her voice tore at the
self-control he furiously held on himself.

Ami framed his face with her hands, her fingers following the
contours of his cheeks and jaw.

–\"Rory, I want the man I love to be my first. I want to
treasure these memories and hold on to them when we are
apart. Even if it is for a brief time, let me live and
express my love for you.\" As if to accentuate her words, the
elegant engagement ring that had been perched on her left
hand the night of her engagement came to rest on a nearby
night desk.

A smiled tugged at the corners of his mouth. He caressed the
silken tresses of azure hair and nodded, his head lowering
touching hers.

-\"Then, let\'s make this moment last us a lifetime.\"

--------------------

Ryo woke up startled, his heart beating furiously against his
ribcage. His breath came out agitated and a hint of sweat
crowned his temples. His eyes went to the LCD display of his
alarm clock. The numbers and the fact he was still wearing
yesterday\'s clothes confirmed that he had fallen asleep
soundly soon after his brief chat with Ami. As he stretched
out, the warm tingle that lingered over his body revealed the
rather carnal nature of the dream he had just experienced. It
had might have been just a dream, but a very detailed and
vivid one. He could swear he could still perceive Ami\'s
fragrance and the taste of her lips. His memory jogged to two
nights ago, confirming he had experienced the same vision
three days ago, with the same results. It had been a most
embarrassing situation facing Ami that morning right after
the assault of his unconscious mind to his senses but he had
managed to hide it well.

As he tried to gather his wits between yawns, the answer came
like a bright bolt of light that dissipated the darkness of
his confusion:

-\"A repeat dream, this must be a memory then, just like the
other time.\" - He referred to the series of visions that he
had mistaken as precognitions. - \"I\'m recalling something
from the past but...\"

But what he had dreamt did not seem to fit in with the scant
knowledge of what had taken place back then. Of what he was
certain is that he and then Princess Ami had parted ways the
night she had been publicly engaged to Zoicite. He had
renounced her love and had conformed to remain under
Zoicite\'s service as his scientific advisor while keeping a
discreet platonic devotion. However, these latest visions
showed a much different version of the tale and what he had
remembered was anything but platonic. His face paled as the
pieces kept coming together, shading light to an unexpected
turn in his story.

-\"An affair? Ami and I were lovers while she was still
engaged?\" His voice reflected the surprise such a revelation
implied. Somehow, the notion of correct, ever-tempered Ami
and he engaging in something as torrid as that was completely
foreign to him. His sweet Ami, who was the most moral and
modest person he knew falling for something so scandalous and
dangerous as betraying her fiancée and willingly becoming
part of a triangle, was too far-fetched to even imagine. But
the whole idea did seem very romantic indeed and the
circumstances were very different then, he admitted. It
seemed like a desperate thing to do, but being condemned to
live a life of deception and a loveless marriage could drive
even the most logical individual to act out of character. It
seemed this was the case.

A new feeling, something he understood came from the past
resurfaced stronger. Guilt, as if he had broken a vow of
loyalty. And there was something else: the excruciating pain
of finding true happiness just to have it taken away much too
soon. He knew had pledged loyalty and trust to Zoicite, his
superior during the Silver Millennium. That trust had been
obviously betrayed by his acts. The fact that his ambition
for the throne and for power without concern for anyone\'s
feelings but his own had provoked the whole mess to begin
with did nothing to alleviate the glum feeling that seemed to
be logged inside from times gone by. What they had done was
still wrong and the feeling he understood had been dormant
within him came back to the surface. His regained memories
had served to explain it all.

Could these mixtures of feelings explain then the awkward and
uneasy sentiments he experienced sometimes when he was alone
with Ami? It had been a very embarrassing and frustrating
issue the fact that for unexplained reasons, he could never
feel completely at ease with her and it seemed she had the
same problem. Their mutual attempts to take their
relationship to a more intimate level had resulted in utter
failure. It wasn\'t for lack or desire or enthusiasm but
somehow, something on their psyche triggered the nervous
response that canceled their intentions. It drove him crazy
and he knew she wasn\'t in a better state either. He wanted
her like he had never had wanted anyone else but was unable
to enjoy the glory of making love to his beloved. Somehow
this emotional distress seemed caused by reasons far beyond
stress or paralyzing shyness. Could it be that the fear of
making the same errors of the past provoked that response?

-\"Maybe Zoicite cursed us for our deception,\" he murmured
sarcastically. Although the notion sounded slightly
ridiculous, it wasn\'t amusing in the least.

–\"Ami! I wonder if she\'s remembering this too.\" He secretly
hoped that by figuring out what the memories had to do with
their present \"inconvenience\", they might be able to relive
the more pleasant ones. It seemed quite obvious they did not
have any problems in the past, so there had to be a way out
of this. The notion of reliving the more passionate portion
of his recently acquired memories brought an impish grin to
his face.

On another part of the Toudai campus dorms, Mizuno Ami woke
up with the sensation that her cheeks were positively
burning. It seemed that her face wasn\'t the only part of her
body that felt heated up that morning. She checked the book
she had been reading before she had felt asleep. The cover of
the heavy tome read: \'Basic principles of Neurology.\' No,
this material could never inspire the \"stimulating\" content
of what I\'ve just dreamt. She wondered if the dream was a
reflection of the \"situation\" Ryo and she were facing.
Another wave of beet-red blush overcame her.

-\"I shouldn\'t be so preoccupied with this! I love him and I
know we\'ll work this out\" she told herself, trying to brush
aside the issue. Somehow, the part of her brain that had come
up with this answer had been severely mocked by the rest of
it.

-\"I shouldn\'t feel so worked out with all this.\" Still, even
her logical mind couldn\'t deny the fact that it was more than
a minor \"inconvenience.\" Their relationship had been so
unorthodox since the beginning that she supposed this was yet
another consequence of the many years they spent trying to
deny their mutual feelings. The strident ring of her
telephone served to awake her completely and pull her out of
the issue momentarily.

-\"Yes?\"

-\"Ami, sorry I\'ve woke you up but I think we need to talk!\"

-\"Ryo? Are you okay?\"

-\"I\'m fine but I think we need to discuss some things. Ami,
have you had any \"unusual\" dreams lately?\"

The sudden heat wave that ran through her spine at the mental
image of the dream answered without words. Clearing her
throat, she rushed to answer as she struggled to regain her
composure.

-\"What do you mean by \"unusual?\"

Ryo caught the hesitance in her tone and understood well.
Still, he needed to be sure it had been the same events so he
provided an account of his dream. With her mouth agape, she
heard Ryo make a detailed account of her dream. The chess
game, the fight with Zoicite, their night together, he
mentioned it all.

-\"But I don\'t think that couldn\'t been possible. I mean, I
was engaged then although we never did marry because Beryl\'s
invasion happened soon after and we...well, I don\'t need to
remind you of that part.\"

Their death. The world she had known then ended in death and
destruction brought by Beryl and the hatred she instigated on
the earthlings towards the Moon Kingdom. He had been one of
the few that had been convinced the Moon Kingdom wasn\'t a
threat at all for Earth and that Beryl was lying. Like
Endymion and many others, he also had paid the ultimate price
for opposing the invaders.

-\"I know, but it seems that between your engagement and the
invasion this happened and I feel there\'s still more to this
tale. I\'ve got to hang up, I\'m late for class but until I get
with you later, try to remember. There are still missing
pieces to this story and I know this somehow relate to us in
the present.\"

-\"How?\"

-\"I\'ll let you in my theory later. Love ya!\"

-\"Bye\" Ami wondered what he could be theorizing out of this.
But he was right on one thing. She needed to know the whole
story, although the idea of an affair wasn\'t sounding so bad.
For someone who was considered sometimes too good for her own
good, almost borderline boring, such a story served indeed to
add some color to her profile. It also provided hopes that
her \"little inconvenience\" with Ryo was something fleeting
after all. Things seemed to work pleasantly well in the past,
she admitted as another shade of red colored her face. At
least she knew she could lay the Freudian theories to rest.

-\"An affair,\" she repeated with a mischievous grin. \"Usagi-
chan and the girls will surely flip over this one!\"

-------------------

[The Silver Millennium, Kingdom of Mercury\'s Royal Palace

Annie ran through the long corridors of the palace looking
for her mistress. She had been the princess\'s most esteemed
confidant aside her royal friends and of course, Dr. Gregory
Urawa. She had thanked the stars for his arrival, for the
mood and behavior of her mistress had improved noticeably.
Long years in Ami\'s service had given her a great insight on
her and she could see clearly that she had accepted Zoicite
only to please her parents and for the good of her kingdom.
She had done the impossible to protect her because she was
the only who knew that the young scientist had spent the last
evenings at her highness\'s quarters while her fiancée was
away. But this was a very dangerous game. It could damage her
reputation beyond repair, not to mention trigger Zoicite\'s
well-known temper.

At last she found her mistress at the royal library. Her
clear laughter broke the almost solemn silence of the palace
halls. It had been a while since she remembered Ami laughing
so wholeheartedly. Dr. Urawa was sitting on the floor
surrounded by books, his face covered by a theater mask while
the princess was sitting down in chair facing him, giggling
at his vain attempts of acting up the passages he was reading
out loud.

-\"Dear Rory, you have many talents, but acting is certainly
not one of them.\"

-\"Ugh, tough crowd, but it is said that practice can create
perfection.\"

-\"Then you need a lot of practice!\" she replied chuckling at
his mock expression of despair.

-\"Your highness...\" The sight of Annie startled the princess.
Ami had granted her the day off but by some reason she had
decided to stay.

-\"Annie, are you still here? I thought you were going to
spend the day with your parents.\"

-\"Princess, this is very important. I need to talk to you in
private.\"

Gregory noticed the nervous demeanor of the girl. She was
usually very kind and of bright disposition but something
seemed to be bothering her. Ami\'s expression suddenly
mimicked Annie\'s. Something was definitely not right.

-\"Is everything all right dear?\"

-\"Rory, he knows.\"

-\"He? You do not mean...oh gods, it can\'t be!\" The terrified
expression she had seemed to confirm his worst fears. Zoicite
had found out about them.

-\"But how?\" the dark haired scientist asked, still trying to
make sense out the news.

-\"It seems that I have more enemies than I had thought
possible here.\" Ami replied somberly. \"Annie overhead a
conversation between another servant and some of his guards
and they had already sent a messenger to the Moon Kingdom.
Rory, you need to leave Mercury as soon as possible.\"

-\"I refuse to leave you, not if you have to face his wrath
alone.\"

-\"He will kill you, don\'t you understand?\" she said, almost
on the verge of tears.

-\"He might to hurt you too...or worse.\" Rory was very aware
of the cruel depths his superior was capable of sinking when
scorned.

-\"Listen to me.\" Ami\'s fears vanished as the well-known
levelheaded princess sprang back into action. \"You\'ll leave
this very afternoon to the Moon Kingdom.\"

-\"But...\"

-\"Rory, I will break the engagement. I know this will be a
scandal and father will never forgive me but I can\'t go on
like this. I will meet you there. Look for Royal Counselor
Luna and tell her you come sent by me. You will have royal
protection from then on and Zoicite will be unable to harm
you.\"

-\"Ami...\"

She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. A hopeful smile
illuminated her face as her hands gripped tightly his.

-\"Wait for me. We\'ll meet again.\"]

----------------------

Ami\'s memories seemed to have been stirred up since her
cryptic morning conversation with Ryo. This last episode
served to clarify what had happened so long ago and she felt
very proud of herself in the past. Her steadfast resolution
to challenge all conventions and fight for her love were
nothing short of daring, a trait few realized she could show
in the most testing times.

-\"Ami-chan!\" The sight of her tall friend brought Ami from
her reverie.

-\"Makoto, glad you could make it.\"

-\"The feeling is mutual Ami-chan. Cooking classes are fun but
I miss you guys. How\'s college treating you lately?\"

-\"I\'m surviving.\"

-\"Ever the modest one. I bet you are top of the class
already.\"

-\"Top ten but I\'m closing in.\"

-\"I knew it! And where\'s Ryo-kun? He must not be too far
away.\"

-\"He\'ll be picking me up later to take mom to the airport and
later we\'ll try to go to a Tech Expo.\"

-\"You guys really pick the least romantic settings for your
dates, huh?\"

-\"Very funny. We happen to enjoy ourselves very much.\"

-\"I\'m glad to hear that.\" There was a slight tone of mischief
on her words.

-\"I didn\'t mean that!\" Ami stammered as a faint tone of pink
colored her cheeks.

Makoto smiled playfully. Some things never change, she
thought to herself amused.

-\"I know that you\'ve invited me for lunch to discuss
something aside your odd choice of dates. I\'m all ears.\"

-\"Mako-chan, do you remember anything about our last days
during the Silver Millennium?\"

-\"Well, not really, just very faint memories. Why you ask?\"

-\"I\'ve been remembering a lot lately, a lot of very
surprising things about myself.\"

-\"Really? Spit it out. Judging by your expression I bet it is
good.\"

Two strawberry sherbets later, Makoto was left indeed stunned
and very amused. Who would have thought that shy Ami had the
guts to practically cheat on her fiancée for her true love?
Sounded more like the plot of a soap opera than actual
events. It seemed the past kept very fascinating tales yet to
be told about their previous lives. If this was Ami\'s, she
couldn\'t wait to know Minako-chan\'s!

A familiar figure jogged towards them. Ryo seemed to have run
a long distance judging by the sweat drops on his forehead
and his agitated state. Trying to catch his breath, he lifted
a hand and signaled towards the remnants of Ami\'s sherbet.
She nodded, as both girls expression looked at him
quizzically while he proceeded to drink down the contents of
the cold, tall glass. The glass went back to the table,
completely empty and he sighted loudly.

-\"Ah, that feels much better. Makoto-san, I\'m sorry for
intruding like this but I\'m afraid if we do not hurry up
Mizuno-san will miss her plane to California.\"

-\"But Ryo, Mom hasn\'t told me of any changes in her
schedule...wait, is this one of your precognitions?\"

-\"Yes. An car accident will create an awful traffic jam for
hours on the highway towards the airport so we better hurry
before we\'re stuck in the middle of it.\"

-\"Mako-chan, I\'m sorry...\" Ami said apologetically, fishing
for the cell phone in her purse.

-\"That\'s okay, if you guys don\'t mind, I can drop by at your
mom\'s place during the weekend and join the house-sitting
bliss. Are you sure you are not taking the new convertible
for a ride?\" -\"Mom will positively kill me if I even dare to
touch it Makoto.\"

-\"Aww, for someone who lead such an exciting life in the past
you truly have become quite boring.\"

Ryo stared at Makoto who in turn giggled nervously.

-\"Oops, my bad, but I was bound to find out on my own
eventually once I regained my memories. But I bet Usagi would
have extracted all the juicy details from Ami-chan by then!\"

Ryo and Ami sigh in unison, faces turning equal shades of
red.

-------------------------

With the traffic jam avoided, the mission to leave Dr. Mizuno
was a complete success. As expected, she had taken the time
prior departure to specify the things she expected to be
taken care of while she was away. Mail, plants, bills, all
were laid out in detailed instructions worth of the bright
scientist she was. A special part of the briefing had been
dedicated to \"the toy\", although much to their surprise, she
had given a specific order to have the car warmed up at least
weekly. Makoto might get her ride after all, Ami thought
wistfully. After that, the couple hurried to catch up with
the planned part of their Friday. The visit to the Tech Expo
had turned out better than expected. Ryo came out with new
nifty gadgets for his PDA while Ami had been practically
glued to the presentation what new technologies like nanobots
would do to improve the field of medicine. She had engaged in
quite a lengthy chat with the researchers and they had
expressed genuine interest in counting on her collaboration
after she finished her degree. They found the insight she had
for a freshman student quite remarkable and even invited her
to submit her ideas through e-mail.

Ryo maneuvered his car out of the centric streets of the tech
district of Tokyo to Juuban. All the excitement had rendered
Ami in a state of relaxed slumber. Her head fell over Ryo\'s
shoulder and she seemed to be very comfortable. The slight
movement in her eyelids seemed to indicate she was having a
dream. He brought an arm around her shoulders and held her
tightly.

-\"Sweet dreams, Ami-chan.\"

-----------------------

Ami came out of her sleep gasping. Another vision from
the past had returned in her sleep. Like the others, this
memory had been relived in painstaking detail. Her nose could
still perceive the smell of smoke and blood, and her ears
reverberated with the screams and cries of the fallen. Her
head throbbed, her body apparently reassuring her that she
was still alive. She hated it, having to remember how it all
had ended. Nobody should remember how they died. Of course,
people seldom came back from death, she realized.

Her ideas more in order now, she noticed that she was in her
room at her Mom\'s apartment. How did I get here? she
wondered, since the last thing she remembered was having
fallen asleep on their way back to Juuban. Then she noticed a
familiar and very comforting warmth engulfing her and strong,
protective arms that went around her waist holding her
firmly. Beside her, Ryo was sleeping soundly beside her.
Evidently, not wanting to disturb her when they arrived, he
had brought her to her room. She smiled. Even in her sleep,
his nearness had provided comfort through the nightmarish
images of the last hours of the Moon Kingdom. She realized
that the last piece to her puzzle had been finally revealed.
Watching him in silence, she thought: \"I\'m glad that you are
here again.\" Her fingers brushed against his forehead,
caressing the dark strands of hair that fell in disarray. The
feathery touch made him stir slightly and instinctively moved
closer. Smiling, she brushed her lips against his, eager to
have proof he was alive and in he arms. The kiss was soft yet
insistent. Overwhelmed by the warm sensation over his lips,
Ryo sighted and answered the caress, glad of being awoken in
such a pleasant way.

-\"Mmm…,\" he murmured as they separated. \"I could really get
used to this.\"

-\"I sincerely hope so...I\'m so glad you\'re okay.\"

-\"Why shouldn\'t I? Wait, does that have anything to do with
what you dreamed? You seemed rather agitated.\"

-\"Something like that. Actually, I think I know how our story
ended back then. How about we get some tea and I let you in
on the details?\"

----------------------

And if I should die tomorrow
I\'d go down with a smile on my face
I thank God I\'ve ever known you
I fall down on my knees
For all the love we\'ve made

[The Silver Millennium, the Moon Kingdom

The palace grounds surrounding the Moon Kingdom were now
almost unrecognizable. Imposing buildings and elegant gardens
laid now reduced to mere ruble under the path of destruction
of the invaders. Ami looked at the remains of the former
relaxing gardens with deep sorrow. She treasured so many
memories of herself in happier times with Princess Serenity
on these very grounds. She knew just how much Princess
Serenity loved watching the serene beauty of the royal
gardens from the palace and how many times she had sneaked
out to meet with Prince Endymion. Memories of better times
that seemed to go and never return, vanishing and spreading
into nothing with the columns of thick, grayish smoke that
were left in their place.

She had been summoned now as one of Princess Serenity chosen
guards, the legendary Sailor Senshi, protectors of the
heiress of the kingdom of the Moon. Her duty: defend the
princess at all costs and that\'s what she intended to do.
Makoto, Rei and Minako were already on their positions,
holding the invaders at bay, but they could never have
anticipated the hordes of earthlings Beryl had managed to
brainwash. Their task seemed daunting but they had to try.
Her mind wandered for an instant to her beloved Gregory. Luna
had confirmed his safe arrival and she held that as a small
comfort amidst the hard task now at hand. She knew the palace
was about to be run over by Beryl\'s minions if they didn\'t
stop them.

Sadly, Zoicite\'s treason had come as a half surprise. She had
harbored thoughts that he would be able to resist Beryl\'s
lies but like the rest of the generals, he had fallen prey to
his own weaknesses and ambitions. Suddenly, long reddish
tresses and a gray military uniform caught her attention.
Zoicite was locked in fierce battle with a man. The duel was
intense and the General looked enraged, determined to beat
the man who fought him. The identity of the opponent was made
clear when he turned around, as the blade of the Earth
General had barely missed its mark by a hair.

-\"Gregory!\" She rushed towards them. \"Hold on, I\'m on my way\"
she thought as she willed her legs to speed up. As she
approached the fight, their loud voices could be heard
between clashes of metal against metal.

-\"I\'m glad my men did not find you before I did. I will enjoy
punishing you myself, you traitor. I gave you my trust and
you deceived me with my fiancée behind my back!\" spewed
Zoicite angrily.

-\"You are the deceiver Zoicite. Why are you attacking the
Moon Kingdom? You know very well they mean no harm to us
Earthlings\" replied his former ambassador, trying to instill
some reason to the madness that had possessed him.

-\"Simple Rory, power, more power than a simple man like you
could fathom to acquire.\" The cold resolve in his eyes
extinguished all shreds of hope that Gregory had harbored.
The Zoicite he knew and served was gone.

-\"But why her?\" Pain flickered in his eyes, hurt by his
superior\'s doublecross.

He understood Zoicite menaced to kill him and raid the Moon
Kingdom but still admitted that he had indeed behaved in
treason too. The furious voice of the Earth General snapped
his attention back to his present peril.

-\"Why not? I\'ve developed a liking for the sweet princess and
the knowledge that Mercury treasures might lead us to the
secrets of the Moon Kingdom. Don\'t you see? With their powers
we could be gods on Earth! Now, allow me to kill you quickly
so I can go on with the conquest!\"

-\"Never! I will never allow it!\"

-\"You are a pathetic fool Rory. You know very well you are no
match for me and I\'ve grown tired of playing. Now die!\"
Zoicite\'s sword gleamed a threat as it rushed towards
Gregory. The ambassador managed to deflect the blow but the
impact was so brutal he was practically hurled to the ground.
Zoicite took advantage of the opening and the blade cut
Gregory\'s chest, drawing blood. Gregory winced.

-\"Zoicite, please stop!\" Sailor Mercury shrieked.

-\"So, my two-timer fiancée comes to rescue her lover and in
her Senshi identity. How romantic,\" the General remarked,
sneering. \"I plan to spare your life because you\'re more
useful to me alive, but if you dare to intervene once more,
my benevolent mood might dissipate! Out of my way!\"

Before she could react, his arm connected with her face,
bringing her down violently. Rory regained his footing as a
haze of red anger clouded his better judgment.

-\"You bastard, you will never touch her again.\"

-\"On the contrary, it will be you who will never lay a hand
on her again!\"

Anticipating his move, Zoicite deftly avoided the dark haired
man\'s strike and before Rory could counterattack, the sword
embedded deep in his left ribcage. As the Earth General
retrieved the blood-tainted blade, Gregory\'s body slumped
heavily to the ground.

-\"Rory!\"

-\"Princess, I believe you and I have unfinished business...\"
A lecherous glance appeared on his eyes. Sailor Mercury
struggled to evade his grip trying to reach Gregory but
Zoicite finally grabbed her by the arm. She replied with a
slap to his face.

-\"You\'ll regret that!\" he said as he caressed his stinging
cheek. As he readied himself for an attack, a voice weak but
determined yelled behind him.

-\"You are not done with me yet Zoicite,\" the abassador said
between clenched teeth. Gregory\'s face looked ashen; his hair
was damp with sweat and his free arm held his injured side
tightly, but he was again on his feet. Blood slipped down his
side dampening his clothes. Zoicite stared at him impressed
by his fighting spirit.


-\"You are tougher than I had given you credit for\" the General
conceded. \"It surely will be a pleasure to defeat you.
You\'ve been a worthy opponent.\"

Gregory simply lifted his sword, waiting patiently for his
former superior to make the first move. Zoicite rushed almost
carelessly, overconfident by his challenger\'s rather pitiful
state. However, a second air seemed to have strengthened the
young scientist, as he dodged and parried every savage
attack. Then, in a fateful instant of lowered guard,
Gregory\'s weapon pierced through the General\'s chest.
Flabbergasted, watching as the steel withdrew leaving a
crimson trail over his uniform, Zoicite fell to his knees. His
eyes stared at his former advisor still unable to believe
what had happened.

-\"I, I\'m sorry Zoicite, but I would have never allowed you to
hurt her.\" The sword hit the ground with a metallic sound as
Rory\'s legs gave up on him, his limp body swiftly falling to
the cool soil. He felt his sight dim as darkness seemed to cover
all with its shroud. The warm hands of Sailor Mercury cradling
his head haunted the grip of death on him for an instant.


-\"Ami? I never doubted that you would come to me as promised,
but I\'m afraid we will not be able to see any more sunrises.\"
The words came out between labored breathing.

-\"Rory don\'t talk, save your energy. I\'ll get you out of
here,\" she replied between loud sobs.

A weakened hand lifted to caress the supple cheek, dampened
with tears. -\"I\'m afraid it\'s too late for me. In the end,
destiny has forced us apart but I know we\'ll be together
again. I promise.\"

-\"Don\'t leave me!\"

-\"Don\'t cry, my love, I hate to see your beautiful eyes
dimmed with tears.\" A weak smile curved on his lips. \"I love
you.\" As he said these words, his hand on her face slipped
down as the last breath left his battered body.

Amidst the savage sounds of the battlefield, the cries of the
princess of Mercury pierced the hearts of those who managed
to hear them. Sadly, she wasn\'t the only princess who would
shed tears for her lost love that day. Sailor Mercury stood
up heartbroken, an empty feeling inside her soul. As she
forced her feet to walk away, Zoicite\'s voice startled her.
The former General was lying on the ground. The madness that
had shrouded his mind seemed to have vanished.

-\"Ami...\" Zoicite muttered weakly. -\"What have I done? I\'ve
been a fool and I have killed a loyal subject, a friend and
all for nothing. I\'ve been blinded by lies and deception and
I have received my deserved punishment. Ami, promise me you
will tell him he\'s forgiven. You were never mine but I was
too stubborn and vain to recognize it. It was I who was in
your way.\"

-\"I\'m afraid we\'re too late for that. He\'s gone, \"Ami said
bitterly.

Zoicite stood silence for a moment. His eyes turned
supplicant towards the Princess of Mercury.

-\"I don\'t have the right to ask you this, but for better
times sake and for the true affection I always had for you,
would you have it in your heart to forgive me?\"

She was in pain, more pain she thought it was possible to
feel, more than she believed a sane person could endure
before going insane. She wasn\'t able to hate, as much as she
wished for it, she just couldn\'t. Kneeling beside Zoicite,
she held his hand as she said softly:

-\"I forgive you.\" He looked relieved, as if a burden had been
lifted off his shoulders. Quietly, he closed his eyes as his
life slipped away. Ami turned around, leaving behind the two
men that had meant so much to her. As tears streamed down,
Sailor Mercury brought her steps back towards the palace. She
had the grim feeling that there was more tragedy left to
unravel today.]

----------------------

Ami\'s voice choked. The emotional tale had brought tears to
her eyes. It had been so hard to see Ryo die in her arms, to
witness Zoicite\'s pained confession. No wonder those memories
had locked themselves up for so long, for they brought images
of pain and loss all over. She sighed loudly, as she tried to
calm down. Ryo had remained silent, his eyes lost in his own
visions of his last hours, still absorbing the astounding
revelation of Zoicite\'s petition.

-\"So he forgave me before he died?\"

-\"Yes. It was so sad that he had to come to his senses that
way.\"

-\"I wish you hadn\'t had to remember all this. I can\'t imagine
what you have been through.\"

-\"It\'s all right. It has been sort of a catharsis. Now I\'m
ready to call it a night if you don\'t mind.\"

-\"I agree although...\" surprising her, Ryo closed in on her
and embraced her tightly, his head almost touching hers.

-\"I think forgiveness and the truth have set me free.\"

-\"I don\'t follow you.\"

-\"I think you will now\" he said seductively as his lips went
to reach hers. Ami moaned softly as she parted her lips to
allow him to deepen the kiss. The tender caress turned
passionate as the couple felt an inner peace they had never
quite experienced before as they enjoyed the marvelous
sensation of their body\'s warmth spreading to every nerve
ending and the tantalizing awareness of their closeness. He
broke the kiss as a playful grin materialized on his face.

-\"Love, I think the \"curse\" has been broken...\"

Her eyes went wide as she realized what he meant. She
chuckled as a shiver of anticipation ran down her spine.

-\"Do you think there was such a thing as a curse?\"

-\"I think our repressed feelings and the tragedy we lived
before all got entangled and in a sense manifested themselves
in our little \"inconvenience\" but I have the feeling that it
has finally come to an end.\" His face blushed slightly, a
nervous cough lodging in his throat. -\"Would you like to find
out if...\" The words never made it out as a passionate kiss
from Ami blocked their way out.

As he tried to recover from the sudden rush of passion from
his beloved, she murmured to his ear after nibbling playfully
at his earlobe:

-\"I thought you would never ask.\"

Flashing an impish grin, Ryo recovered from the momentary
shock and not wanting to disappoint her enthusiasm, he soon
took her lips again. Delighting on the ardent response from
Ami, it dawned to him that they were about to step through a
yet unknown boundary that was paradoxically new and old. New,
because technically it was their first time yet old because
of their past lives and all they had lived during those brief
yet meaningful days they had been lovers. It was such a
strange mix of emotions stirring inside him, the nervousness
of the new yet the anticipation of what is known and dearly
coveted again. The weight of a guilt shouldered for thousands
of years lifted at last by the healing power of forgiveness
revealed an undying flame of passion that challenged time and
space. One that was about to be lighted up again.

-\"Ami-chan\", he murmured against her lips as they separated
to catch their breath, \"I hope I don\'t disappoint you. I
mean, I\'m not exactly \'experienced\' in the ways of love.\"

She looked at him surprised, not so much by the confession
but by the blunt honesty of the gesture. She had only hinted
of the possibility because she knew he had remained without a
partner as she had while they were apart. The possibility of
fleeting relationships couldn\'t be ruled out, though. The
flesh is weak after all, and although the thought wasn\'t in
the least amusing, she could never blame him for trying to
shut out the loneliness and frustration in the arms of
another.

The scope of what he had just admitted was just sinking in.
He had really waited all that time for her! Only a man like
Ryo would openly share such a fact with a woman in the
threshold of physical intimacy, but it rightfully
demonstrated the depths of his love and concern for her. She
slipped her fingers down his cheek, looking tenderly at the
embarrassed expression of his face, feeling her love and
respect for him grow even more.

-\"That means were pretty much even then. I\'m a neophyte too
in this sort, so I guess we\'ll just have to try the old
\'trial and error\' method and seek out what can work for us.\"

-\"I\'m sorry. You deserve a man capable of knowing how to
please you and lead you in the ways of desire.\"

-\"Baka, I much rather be with the one who waited for me, the
one that cares for me so much he worries about my needs
rather than his own, and that is you.\"

He took her hand and kissed her fingers, thanking her in
silence for her understanding and trust. -\"Well, I guess
there\'s only one way to find out how this turns out...\" His
eyes flickered with passion and the tone of his voice had
acquired a sensual undertone that Ami found amazingly
seductive. A flurry of the proverbial butterflies stirred
inside her stomach and she suddenly felt impatient. That last
fact caught her off guard. She was at last admitting how much
she had wanted him all along, but she had drowned the rather
awkward sensation under an avalanche of rationalization. That
kind of emotion distracted her from her mission and her goals
in life, or so she told herself. Now she saw it for what it
really was: passion, the need to explore this delicious
emotion to the edge of her senses. For the first time, she
was indulging completely in the overwhelming sensation that
menaced to leave her breathless. At last, she felt completely
liberated from the restraints created by herself as self
protection and from the trauma of the tragedies of the past.
She was free to love and be loved, to hold and be held, to
touch and be touched.

The sweet, alluring sensation of the warmth of his breath
caressing the length of her neck was bringing down the last
of her mental and emotional barriers. As Ryo brought their
mouths together again for a long, exploratory kiss, another
image invaded Ami\'s mind: one of her homeplanet, the place
when they had first met and fallen in love; the time and
place when they had defied destiny declaring their love
amidst everything else. The time when they had become one for
the first time. She was determined to recapture that magic
again.

His hands were now roaming her back, lingering playfully at
her waist before coming up again. Her blouse had been tugged
out off her skirt and his palms were greedily running over
every inch of her skin underneath the fabric. Her arms were
linked around his neck as she arched her back to close in on
him even more. She ached to feel more of him but their
clothes seemed to be annoyingly suffocating, blocking her
hands from touching his tantalizing firm skin. She really
wanted to get them both out of them, the sooner the better.
She surprised herself again in her eagerness but it felt like
she had waited a millennium.

-\"It is because I\'ve really waited that long\" she heard own
voice answer in the recesses of her mind.

Ryo was now maneuvering her to her back with him over but
found that his frame wouldn\'t fit too well in the rather
narrow love seat.

-\"I guess I never noticed how little space this thing offers
until now\" he murmured somewhat frustrated, between raged
breaths.

-\"Love, I think we should move into a more comfortable
place...\" she commented.

Ryo nodded. It would be more appropriate for what he was
planning to do. Ami blushed slightly at his devilish grin.

-\"Sounds like you\'ve already thought of an alternative.\"

The blue-haired genius just smiled and took his hand, leading
him back into her room. As she closed the door, he embraced
her from behind, kissing the back of her neck, his tongue
savoring the delicate taste of her skin underneath her
hairline. She drew in a sharp breath and stood there, almost
paralyzed as his hands slipped slowly down her sides, his
fingertips barely brushing her breasts. A moan escaped her
throat, encouraging him to repeat the caress, this time
bolder. His palms rose from her waist up to brush the peak of
her breasts as his teeth tugged in on her right earlobe. Her
back leaned against his body, plunging her right hand into
his dark hair to guide his head towards hers, capturing his
mouth in a passionate kiss. Liberating himself from her sweet
lips, Ryo spun her around and crushed her against the length
of his body and took the opportunity to look at her. The blue
of her eyes was darkening by desire and her breathing was as
accelerated as his. Ryo\'s mind was sinking in a haze were
nothing but them mattered. He still couldn\'t believe this was
real after endless nights of torturing yet pleasurable
fantasies and visions of a past long lost.

-\"I must be immersed in yet another dream, but if so, please
do not wake me, for it is the most beautiful yet\" he
muttered, his voice husky by lust and emotion.

-\"I can assure you, this time is real.\"

-\"Ami-chan...\"

-\"And if you grant me just a minute, I would like to show you
something...\"

-\"Hmm, that sounds like the dialogue of a movie when the
female character slips into something more comfortable to
seduce the protagonist. Are you trying to seduce me?\" he said
feigning innocence.

-\"As a matter of fact, yes\" she replied with sultry voice,
albeit a faint tone of scarlet had lodged in her cheeks.

Ryo smiled at the confession. He was really enjoying this
more assertive side of Ami.

-\"No problem here although let me remind you that you are
stunning with whatever you wear.\"

-\"I\'ll keep that in mind when I decide to wear my old comfort
clothes. Be right back.\"

-\"Don\'t worry. I don\'t plan to go anywhere.\" He sat down at
the edge of Ami\'s bed watching her disappear to the bathroom.
He was glad that the uneasiness was slowly fading and he felt
his confidence rising. Even with his inexperience, he planned
to make this moment unforgettable and so far things were
going smoothly.

His trail of thoughts came to an abrupt halt as he saw Ami
re-enter the room. His jaw menaced to fall to the ground at
the marvelous sight of Ami\'s figure engulfed in the soft,
blue satin of a nightgown. The gown was long and sleeveless;
its sheer fabric tinted in sky blue hues that emphasized the
darker tone of her hair and eyes and the very noticeable red
of her cheeks. It was modest yet very sensual as it clung
loosely, accentuating the curves of her small frame. The
translucent gown hinted that underneath was only her lovely
body clad in matching underwear. He would actually been a bit
disappointed if she had appeared wearing something far more
revealing and risqué. No, this matched her perfectly.

-\"Ami, you look stunning.\" Ryo finally managed to spell out
when he was capable of speech again.

-\"I\'m glad you like it. It would strike you as odd, but I
wanted to wear something that somehow resembled what I wore
back at the Silver Millennium. Not one of those elaborate
dresses of course, but what I wore when...\"

-\"When we made love. I understand. This is a beautiful detail
and I really appreciate the thought. I wish I could\'ve been
as prepared as you. I would have looked for the most
beautiful roses and the most romantic music to create a
setting worthy of a princess, worthy of you.\"

-\"I\'ll confess I bought this almost like an act of
desperation when we were still confronting our \"little
inconvenience.\"

-\"So you\'ve been planning to seduce me all along? Naughty
Ami-chan! \" Ryo said with a mock expression of outrage.

Her cheeks and ears became decidedly crimson now. Laughing by
the tender mixture of sensuality and shyness, he took her
hand and brought her to his lap.

-\"And you know what? It doesn\'t matter whether you are
naughty or nice, I love you just the same, but I\'ll admit the
playful side of you is truly fascinating, not to mention very
arousing.\"

-\"Ryo, don\'t make fun of me.\"

-\"Never, my love. I could never make fun of the woman I love.
Now, I hope you haven\'t forgotten about the seducing part.\"

-\"Not at all, my dear Ryo. I didn\'t put this on just to play
chess.\"

-\"Then you can do whatever you please with me. I\'m all yours.
I\'ve always been, my princess.\"

-\"As I am yours. Now, about your clothes...\"

Ryo chuckled as Ami proceeded to unbutton his shirt as he
kissed her leisurely on the cheeks, on the tip of the nose
and finally on her lips as his shirt felt discarded to the
ground. He embraced her as he lowered himself towards the bed
with her above, his mouth never leaving hers. His torso was
firm and toned, not overly chiseled but lean yet defined. The
morning exercise sessions at Toudai gym were obviously paying
off. The boyish looks that had caught her attention from the
start had been replaced through the years by more angular and
masculine features, yet the intensity of his dark eyes had
always remained constant. She looked at those eyes,
mesmerized, as she delighted in his steady exploration of
her, tracing a line from both sides of her neck, to her
collarbones and descending further down, just barely touching
her breasts. Her breath caught up on her throat as the
warmness of his hands brushed slightly her bosom, the thin
fabric of the gown allowing her to receive more of his touch.

Suddenly, he flipped her to her back with his body towering
above as his mouth clung to hers in a deep kiss. His tongue
dared hers to take his lead as it explored her sweet
confines. Ryo sensed her hands clinging rather insistent to
the waist of his pants. He understood, lifting himself
slightly so she could work on the button and zipper and then
helping her to pull them down until he was down to only his
underwear.

-\"Now you\'re wearing more than me, girl genius,\" he said in a
low, husky voice as he nibbled on her ear.

-\"I love problems that have a solution,\" she answered with an
impish tone as her hands marveled at the symmetry of the
muscles of his arms and shoulders. She decided she really had
to cut short her morning study session at the library to join
him at the gym.

After a long kiss, his lips traced a way from the neck down
until he was outlining her collarbones. His fingers were
playfully intertwining with the thin strap of her gown,
pulling it off her pale shoulder deliberately slow. She
looked at him, barely breathing, feeling the intense delight
that brushing his bare skin against hers provoked. His touch
was scorching and she could feel the need inside increasing
by leaps and bounds. After what it had felt like an eternity,
the shoulder strap was lowered and Ryo followed suit on its
companion, gently pulling it down with his teeth.
As both straps came down, the rounded mounds of her small yet
proportioned breasts came to his sight. He breathed in at the
magnificent gaze. One thing was to see her through his
memories as the Princess of Mercury but even that did not
prepare him to the spectacle he was witnessing. Reality, his
Mizuno Ami, was oh, so much better. He groaned, his mouth
taking hers hungrily for yet another intense kiss.

-\"Ami, you are perfect,\" he murmured against her swollen lips
and in a sudden urge to bare her all to his hungry gaze, he
brought the gown over her head. Save for her blue underwear,
she was now magnificently naked and Ryo had to momentarily
close his eyes to gather his control as he engulfed her in
his arms. He was afraid of approaching too soon the verge of
his sanity. He wanted to take things slow, to savor every
second and every inch of her flesh but the sensation of her
perfect rounded breasts brushing against his torso, her teeth
nipping on his neck and her shapely legs pressing his thighs
as she inched them closer and closer, was making him insane
with desire.

-\"Slow down love, you\'re driving me crazy.\"

-\"I can\'t help myself. I need you\" she replied, her voice
drowned in sheer desire.

He kissed her fiercely in reply, his hands now closing avidly
on her breasts. She gasped, and he plunged his tongue again
in the depths of her hot mouth. She was writhing underneath
him as his fingers worked a heated magic over her beasts. She
could feel her peaks harden against his hands and was barely
aware of the involuntary moans that she was uttering. Her
hands caught up a will of their own and slowly, they guided
his mouth to the aching peaks. The instant his tongue
flickered over a rosy nipple, she arched her back and
whimpered louder. He initiated a sweet torture; one hand
caressed a breast while his mouth kept busy pleasuring its
twin. She just lay there, running her hands down his back,
arching her body to his solid frame, offering more of herself
to him, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. She could
barely believe such sensations could be experienced and
deeply regretted all the time that had been lost due to their
past traumas.

Ryo was lost in her softness, in the intoxicating fragrance
of her skin, moaning at the insistent rhythmic cadence of her
hips against his. When her hand slipped down under his
underwear, he felt he couldn\'t take anymore.

-\"Ami-chan, please...\" he murmured against her pale breasts.

-\"I\'m just returning the favor. I want to make it up to you,
the man who waited for me. I want to pleasure you as you have
pleasured me.\" While saying this, she kept the intimate
caress, every stroke and every touch eliciting a throaty moan
from him. It was such a fascinating sensation to her, to
bring in the same state of almost euphoria in him as he had
to her. She observed, delighted on the obvious pleasure he
was experiencing. He was hers, Ryo had affirmed, and she
wanted to make everything in her power to keep him hers.

-\"Ami\" he whispered supplicant, almost breathless after an
eternity of the maddening pleasure she was administering. -
\"If you keep doing that I\'m afraid I will not last too long.\"

Ami relented on her caress, a bit disappointed. Ryo kissed
her lips softly but surprised her as his hands rounded her
bottom and clung on the delicate fabric of her panties,
starting to pull them down. Aiding him in the process, she
teasingly scolded him.

-\"You sneaky little devil...\"

-\"And you are my sweet seductress. Now can you help me out
with mine?\"

-\"My pleasure.\"

As they were both now free from their last barrier, Ryo
gathered his blue-haired beauty in his arms and kissed her
senseless as his thigh came possessively to part her legs.
The tantalizing awareness of his obvious arousal against her
own femininity brought back the aching need inside her. She
tightened her hold around his waist, feeling lightning bolts
running down her spine and her blood reaching the boiling
point inside her veins. She was restless, fearing her sanity
was bound to abandon her if her need wasn\'t fulfilled. His
fingers again captured her taut peaks and she felt pushed
inch by inch to the edge.

-\"Ryo\" she whispered in a plea \"I want you.\"

He slipped his hand down and delicately touched the feminine
folds. Instinctively, her hips rose against his fingers,
demanding the touch to deepen. Her reaction made his heart
skip a beat. Their desire was now evenly matched; she wanted
him as much as he wanted her. He delighted in the reaction
again and again, his fingers probing deeper inside. Ami
twisted beneath with each stroke, her body possessed by a
hunger only he could satisfy. It was now obvious to him she
was about to reach the point of no return and wanted to savor
it joined together. His own throbbing arousal demanded to be
sated.

-\"Ami-chan, I will proceed now but you know it will involve a
certain degree of pain.\"

-\"I know love. It can\'t be helped, but I\'m ready.\" The
thought of pain amidst something so pleasant seemed to be out
of context with what she was experiencing but she understood
it was the price to pay for being their first time. She
smiled inwardly as she noticed Ryo couldn\'t mask his
apprehension. She took his hand and placed a delicate kiss
over it.

-\"I love you Ryo. Everything will be okay. We managed it
before, we will now.\"

-\"I love you too, Ami-chan.\"

Ami framed his face and kissed him passionately, her tongue
tracing the contours of his lips. He deepened the caress as
his hands came around her breasts. The whimpers she uttered
as reply reassured him he was on the right track as he slowly
proceeded to position himself over the soft folds. He gasped
as he shut his eyes, furiously reigning in his self-control.
It was so easy just to let himself slip inside her welcoming
warmth and ride the storm, but he knew that more than ever,
he needed to take it slow.

However, the frantic move on Ami\'s hips brought down all his
best intentions, bringing him inside forcefully. Ami flinched
under the unexpected invasion and her eyelids flung open by
the shock of pain that had intruded over the sweet desire.
Noticing the single tear escaping her eyes, Ryo promptly
hugged her, caressing her hair in silence. He struggled to
ensure he didn\'t move further while blocking as hard as he
could the incredible sensation that was making him breathe
shallower by the second. After a moment, she felt the pain
subside and tenderly kissed his cheek.

-\"I\'m okay now. I\'m sorry I hurried up things.\"

Ryo nodded flashing a tender smile and proceeded to move
slowly, waiting for her to pace up with him. It didn\'t take
long as the pleasure that overtook her erased any previous
memory of unpleasantness. She moved in unison with him, as if
it was the most natural thing, and even dared him to give
everything he could, her legs coiling around his waist and
her hands on his firm buttocks bringing all of him towards
herself. He closed his eyes as he felt the heat they were
creating consuming them, their bodies merging into one,
mimicking what their hearts had already done so long ago. The
flames were blazing higher and higher and she couldn\'t
believe she could get any higher...

-\"Ryo, I love you,\" she murmured between pants as she did
indeed rose to the top in a glorious release. Following her
lead, her name whispered like a prayer, Ryo felt like dying
and being reborn in her arms as his release brought him right
beside his beloved, together in the peak of passion and love.

An eternity later, the lovers lay content and relaxed in each
other\'s arms, gazing at the silent vows of love reflected in
the depths of their eyes. Ami listened to the steady beat of
his heart as her head rested over his chest. His hand played
leisurely with the blue locks, observing in silence her
admiring glance.

-\"It seemed things turned out well for us. Not bad for two
virgins, don\'t you think?\" she murmured.

-\"I\'ll say that this was way better that I could have ever
anticipated.\"

Ami lifted her head and now was staring at him in a quizzical
manner.

-\"I know that look...what\'s on your mind, Ami?\"

-\"I know you told me this was your first time but somehow you
did seem to manage yourself in a, shall we call it,
experienced manner?\"

He couldn\'t help but smile at the question. He had been
pleasantly surprised himself by the turn of events.

-\"I\'ll admit I think I drew some inspiration from my past
life and the memories served me well. Even though Gregory and
I are two separate beings in a sense, we\'re still bound by
fate and by a shared life. You also seemed more knowledgeable
that you took credit for, Dr. Mizuno. Now confess, is it that
you are really applying yourself to the more pleasant parts
of biology and anatomy? \"

Ami blushed slightly before answering. -\"None of that. My
memories too gave me a bit of confidence and encouragement,
not to mention inspiration. I just hope we have more time to
live our love than Rory and Princess Ami ever had...\"

-\"We will Ami-chan because I don\'t intent meeting up close
with any sharp blades anytime soon.\"

-\"Baka. That is not funny. I...\"

Ryo cut short her words with a long kiss as he maneuvered her
to her back. -\"And now with your highness permission, I plan
to make up for the time lost by that damned \'curse\'.\"

Feeling about to drown inside those warm dark eyes of his,
she replied softly:

-\"Whatever you please, for I am yours.\"

-\"And I am yours, as I have always been.\"

---------------------------

Everything in this world
Every voice in the night
Every little thing of beauty
Comes shining thru in your eyes
And all that is you becomes part of me too
\'Cause all you do seduces me.


The morning sunrays welcomed back a new day. Urawa Ryo was
sitting beside the window peering out, feeling the energy of
the morning star lifting his spirits. A bright smile tugged
at the corner of his lips as he observed the blue-haired
figure that slept peacefully, wrapped up in blue sheets. She
moved to her side and after her reaching hand found an empty
space, she lifted her head, directing her sleepy glance
towards the young man at the window.

-\"You\'re already up...you sure are an early bird.\"

-\"I\'m just enjoying the sunrise.\" Echoes of the past and the
present were merging in a splendid reality.

-\"So I see.\" A cute and sexy blush covered her cheeks. \"Still
debating if this is all a dream?\"

The young man stood up and sat beside his lover, his fingers
lightly stroking the soft skin of her back. His mouth pressed
over her pale neck, leaving a warm trail of kisses before
stopping over her ear. His breath came hot, eliciting a low
sigh from her lips.

-\"No. I already know I\'m not dreaming because not even in my
dreams I have felt so good.\"

-\"Was it worth the wait?\"

-\"Every second Ami-chan.\"

-\"I\'m glad but I hope it doesn\'t take us that long next time.
A lifetime is much too long.\"

-\"I intend not to repeat the same mistake again love.\"

Ami laughed as she allowed herself to be taken over by the
tides of passion. Wordless vows of eternal love were pledged
by the lovers. The chains of guilt and tragedies gone by
loosened their hold at last and a new, beautiful future was
now being forged, a future filled with hope and love.


The End

Glossary:

1. Shatranj: Arabic game from where modern chess originates.

2. Toudai: Tokyo University

3. Song lyrics taken from \"Seduces Me\" by Celine Dion
(CD: Falling Into You, Sony Music, 1996)


*Author\'s notes (does anybody ever read this?):

This story serves a a follow up to the fic \"Second Chances\" by
regie27. Under apparently serene surface waters there can
be some stormy currents moving, and I wanted to apply the
same theory to our favorite blue-haired genius and her shy
beau, giving them a story of love, tragedy and hope following on
the premises that were laid out in \"Second Chances.\"

This is my first Sailor Moon lemon and only the second I\'ve
ever written so I hope it wasn\'t too bad. Comments, rants,
observations, etc. are more than welcome at
sailorcelestine1@yahoo.com