DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon or the characters do not belong to me. It belongs to the fabulous and talented Naoko Takeuchi! The plot and other original characters however, are all mine!

My first published fanfic! Please enjoy! Constructive criticism is always appreciated!

Chapter 1:

The war with Shadow Galactica had been won. Chaos had fled her body, released from its prison. The universe's star seeds had been guided back to their perspective planets to start over. The Sailor Senshi of Earth breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that there would be peace (at least for now).

After saying goodbye to Princess Kakyuu and the Starlights, the Inner Sailor Senshi felt like they could finish their first year of high school in relative peace. Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Pluto disappeared again to maintain their separation from the Inner Senshi to Usagi's sadness.

The Inner Senshi, Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako felt a burden lift off their shoulders knowing that they had overcome one of the greatest foes they would ever have to face. Each one had grown in her own way during what would be called years later as the Galactic War, but they were eager to fully experience the rest of their high school years.

Mamoru, whose star seed was stolen first from Earth, carried a profound sadness within himself that he was unable to protect either himself or Usagi. He was supposed to be her prince, her knight; and he not only was captured first, but also was the main contribution to her pain. He pushed an uncomfortable unsettling feeling from the pit of his stomach into the back of his mind as he contemplated his future after Kakyuu and the Starlights left.

The biggest change, however, was in Usagi herself. Something happened during the last battle with Galactica. The over eating, irresponsible, klutzy, crybaby was no longer any of those things. She was still endlessly cheerful and saw the best in everyone and everything, but Usagi's aura was calmer and she radiated a quite joy and happiness, it was as if the Silver Imperium Crystal radiated brightness through her presence alone without being in her transformed form.

Her friends didn't notice the change right away as they were all so excited to have life back as normal, but right after the Starlights had left and the joking was over, Usagi withdrew into herself a little. She was no longer late for school, which shocked her parents and Luna the most; she was diligent about her homework and her grades, managing to pass her first year of high school with decent marks. Usagi carried herself serenely with a sense of responsibility and a calm heart.

It was this Usagi who came to a decision about her and Mamoru and gave him a proposal.

"Mamo-chan," a soft sweet voice spoke behind him.

Chiba Mamoru stood up from leaning against the rail on the pier overlooking the sunset. "Usa-ko" he replied turning to her.

The young couple smiled gently at each other, Usagi stepping into Mamoru's arms for an embrace and a kiss.

"Mamo-chan, you've been pensive these past few months," Usagi said as she leaned into Mamoru's chest.

"I know Usa-ko, I'm sorry. It's just…"

Usagi smiled sadly at her boyfriend, "Shhh," she raised a finger to his lips. "I know. We've all been through a lot."

Mamoru looked down at his girlfriend in his arms. He had felt her change instantly. She no longer clung to him like a lifeline or whined to him about ice cream and bad grades. Instead of needing him to save her, to hold her to take care of her, he felt that she was learning to stand on her own two feet; independent. Like a queen.

And that was part of his problem in figuring out his future. He didn't know to how act around a responsible and mature Usagi. He didn't know if she needed him anymore- he didn't know what he wanted for his future.

Usagi's cerulean eyes looked deep into Mamoru's eyes, as if she was reading his soul, seeing his love and the conflict arising, troubling his heart.

"Do you know what you're going to do now, Mamo-chan?" she asked as she broke their eye contact and turned to lean on the railing. The sun was just setting, emitting warm, golden rays of light onto their faces.

"I…I don' t know, Usa-ko" he replied. "I called Harvard and they are still willing to accept me even if it has been almost six months later."

He turned to face the sunset as well as if his answers would come with the last of the day's light.

"Is it what you want to do?" she simply asked.

Her simple question startled Mamoru. It was a good question. One he had not yet asked himself. He closed his eyes turning the conflict inward trying to find an answer. What DO I want to do? He asked himself.

"Want to know what I think?" she asked him quietly.

Mamoru opened his eyes, turning to Usagi waiting to hear her go on. He nodded to her.

"I think that we both need time. Time and space."

"Usa-ko, what do you mean?" his heart beat faster in confusion. "What are you trying to say?"

"Please hear me out. It's not what you think." She turned to him and took his hands into her. "Right now, I know we love each other. I know we love us. But I think that it's time we took destiny into our own hands." Usagi tilted her head to the side looking up into Mamoru's eyes. "For years, we've been told that we are destined for each other; Endymion and Serenity. And while we may have a past life together, we are no longer those people."

Mamoru interrupted her, "but Chibusa…"

"Yes I know. There is our future child to consider." Usagi paused, "I think that she would not want to be born out of an obligation we feel we have to her, but out of our love for each other. Mamo-chan, I know we love each other, but I also know we're not there yet."

"We're not?"

Usagi chewed on her bottom lip thinking her words over, "I love you, but I'm still too young. I'm not ready and I feel like you're not ready yet either; am I wrong?"

Mamoru sighed. He was surprised at himself, but her words not only made all the sense in the world, but they calmed his anxious heart. "No, you're not wrong." Hearing her words about them not being ready felt like a shackle had been released off his ankles and wrists. He realized that he had focused so much on the future that had been foretold, that he lost sight of his immediate life.

Usagi smiled sweetly, "So I'll ask you again, Mamo-chan, what is it that you want to do?"

This time without hesitation, with clarity and a light heart he replied, "I want to go to Harvard. I want to get my medical research degree and save lives."

"And I want you to do what makes you happy now."

"But I still love you Usa-ko. And I want us to be together. What is it that you want?" he asked his girlfriend.

"I want to be an ordinary high school girl. I don't want to have to worry about being a mother or a queen just yet. It's actually really simple when I thought about it," she laughed, "We have all the time in the world for our future as Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion. We don't have to rush anything."

An expression of consideration crossed Mamoru's face. He had never quite thought of it that way. He nodded at her words.

"But then what happens to us?" he asked. "I still love you."

"I love you too Mamo-chan. So much, but I learned in this war with Galactica that I'm not ready to be in a relationship. I need to be able to stand on my own two feet as my own senshi." Usagi looked across Tokyo bay, twilight easing into the sky, a few bright stars already twinkling.

Mamoru was proud and in awe. She had grown so much in the past few months.

"I think it's best if we lived our lives happily right now, pursuing what it is that we want right now. Once we're older, with more life experience from this life, and if we're still in love—then I think we can truly commit to each other."

Pride and sadness grew in his chest, Mamoru knew that she was right, and that her words were spoken with wisdom, but part of him did not want to lose what they had right now. "I will miss you, my Usa-ko."

"Don't think that you'll be rid of me that easily," she laughed with tears in her eyes. "I will always be your friend and I will always love you. That will never ever change. Let's see where this life takes us; we don't need to keep living in the past, just know that I will always be here for you whenever you need me."

Mamoru knelt down onto one knee, taking Usagi's hand to his lips, "and you will always have my love and friendship as well, my princess."

And just for a moment, Mamoru was the Earth's Prince kneeling at the Moon Princess's feet. Her calmness penetrated his being knowing that he would always have a friend and ally with her.

They said their goodbyes and promised each other they would keep in touch, and wished each other good luck. They were ready to take their destinies into their own hands.

How was it?

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