A/N: Complete! I went through and did a final edit, re-uploaded some edits in previous chapters help with some emphasis, fix some mistakes and highlight emotional response but rereading won't give you new information or scenes.

Great Big thanks to Rising Phoenix for her beta-ing and contributions (especially to the end, she really co wrote this one!) FloraOne's guest Beta-ing of Chapter 7 which due to her contributions is likely the best chapter. A huge thanks for all the follows, reviews, encouragement, questions and PM's. Some of you have reviewed EVERY CHAPTER and I thank you for your kind words, and sticking with this! This went in a different direction than I intended, but I really like how it ended up. Of course, please review this :) Your impressions and thoughts motivate me to write more, and also I just enjoy it.

There is also a nod to Babylon 5 in here. It's there, and really not important but if you notice it yay.

PLEASE NOTE: There are two versions to this doc, the M version is posted in the Mature Alternate Story post in my profile. If you want that version, check it out there.

The sunlight seeping in through the curtains of Mamoru's apartment stirred Usagi. She immediately snuggled deeper into the crook of Mamoru's arm, savoring the warmth of his sleeping figure. He was delightedly warm, his arm wrapped around her almost possessively in his sleep.

She shifted just a little, enough to gaze at his peaceful face, unguarded in his sleep. She noticed how his jaw relaxed, how soft his face looked when he wasn't worried, wasn't battling the enemy or checking in on her. He was simply tranquil, and untroubled.

Serenity remembered an old tradition, one in which a woman was allowed to watch a man sleep for three days to see if she liked his true self, the one unhidden behind the stresses of life, of masks, of honor and duty. And Mamoru's face was always the same, a true calm heart.

She traced a finger down his bare chiseled chest (how how she loved it when he slept shirtless) feeling his slow and steady breathing. She smiled contentedly, pulling herself closer to him with a happy little hum.

She listened to his steady heartbeat, the even quieter sounds of his breathing only interrupted by the sounds of the blanket as she fidgeted. His eyes fluttered open.

"Hey Usako." He smiled warmly, joy flashing in his dark blue eyes, giving her shoulders a little squeeze. It was only a moment before the concern appeared, the tenseness returning to his jaw, the little worried furrow of his brow which made both Serenity and Usagi internally sigh. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

She continued to trace little circles on his chest with a finger, marveling how deep his voice sounded with her ear pressed against his chest. "Never been better."

She didn't have to look at him to know the look he was giving her, communicating that the present moment wasn't exactly what he was talking about. "That's not what I am asking."

She sighed, checking in with her body. She was still fatigued,and feeling a little cold, but definitely no worse for wear. But, she really didn't want to leave his arms either. "I'm tired, but okay. I feel much better than yesterday."

"Hmm, so then you should get ready for school. Ami brought a uniform for you."

Usagi face fell into a little pout. "Of course she did. But, can't we just spend the day together?"

He rolled into his side keeping her close against his chest, smelling her hair for a content moment, considering. "That is really, really tempting you know."

She placed a slow kiss above his heart, lips then hovering mere millimeters from his intoxicating skin, her leg inching between his as she held him close. There was silence for a few moments, the only moment their breathing in synchrony. Each just relishing each other's presence. "I really want to stay here." She murmured the warmth between them transforming into desire, her body pressing up against his.

"Ren…" His voice had a tone of warning, of their previous discussions.

Usagi looked up at him, chin resting on his chest. "No...Usagi. I...want to be with you."

He pushed her back just a little bit to gaze at her face, their warm breath intermingling between them. "Usako...now? What changed?"

She gave a little shrug of her shoulders. "It is hard to describe...but things have been so stressful, and you... you are right here."

"Are you sure this isn't Serenity?"

"It's just that...with life, some things are short and fleeting. And there isn't a reason not too… Besides, Serenity is pretty adamant that I'll enjoy it." She said with a slight blush. She took her hand and ran it through his thick black hair. He closed his eyes for a moment, "Hmm...but we both have school."

"The world could end at any time. Again," she emphasized, "I want to just be with you, and not worry or stress." Her hand traced the side of his soft face, tickling at his ear, she followed with a slow kiss.

"Usako…" He breathed her name between kisses, his voice was deeper as he went through his thoughts weighing the positive and negative of this moment. "...are you sure? Like absolutely sure?"

"Mamo-chan…" She connected her mouth with his soft lips for a long moment before pulling back. "I have never had a problem knowing what I want. If I change my mind, I'll let you know. Okay?"

Eventually, the incessant beeping of her communicator broke through the warm embrace and light slumber. She buried her head into Mamoru's bare chest with a grumble.

"Usako, answer it."

She bit her lip, before deftly stealing the blanket to hop across the room to answer the call.

"Hey!" He called out, naked and suddenly cold. She grinned, signaling for him to be quiet (while taking in a nice, long gaze) before answering.

"Usagi here."

"Usagi you okay?" Ami's appeared, forehead furrowed under her bright blue hair. "Your medical tests indicated last night that you'd be able to come to school by morning."

"Yes, I was just tired...and decided to rest."

Mamoru raised his eyebrows at her and she dismissed him with her free hand. "Really, I'm okay. I'll meet you at Hikawa Shrine after school?"

"I have your assignments." Ami's voice had taken the authoritative no-arguing-about-your- education tone.

Usagi stuck out her tongue at the responsible genius. "Of course, I will get them from you. Thanks. Go eat lunch, I'll see you in a few hours."

"Hey, Usagi chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Tell me next time so I don't worry okay?"

"I'm sorry." She turned off the communicator, dropping it back into her bag with a sigh.

Usagi relaxed back into Mamoru's arms looking out at the city from the temple stairs. They'd eaten a late lunch and arrived prior to the Senshi making their way back from school. She fiddled with her bracelet, spinning it watching the silver and blue on her wrist. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Mamoru patiently waiting for Usagi to speak, but she didn't.

"What are you thinking?"

Usagi tensed, as if she'd forgotten he was right there behind her, holding her close. "I don't know what to do, and they're in pain. They are suffering, and the longer it takes to figure it out, the longer it goes on."

"You will figure it out. We always do. Have faith."

"Why does everyone have faith in me anyway?"

"Both of you have to trust in yourself. You are Sailor Moon. I see you, over and over state your titles, soldier of love and justice, warrior of the moon, princess, and holder of the silver crystal, but sometimes you forget to believe it. It is true. All of it."

"That... isn't an answer."

"It isn't the answer you want. But, it is the truth. You are powerful."

Usagi crossed her arms, staring out into the city beyond the temple gates. After a minute,

Usagi watched as Minako, Ami and Makoto were in a animated heated conversation as they walked up the steps, Rei coming from the other direction not to far behind. Usagi waved at them from her seat.

"Usagi-chan? How are you feeling?" Makoto called out. Usagi grinned with an far too enthusiastic thumbs up. "I'm fine. I promise. "

"We'll see about that, you really should have been able to go to school today." Ami stated, kneeling beside her, little palm computer magically in hand.

"Ami, there is absolutely no reason to…"

Ami's eyes were doing the back and forth with the furrow brow that she always had when she was interpreting data. It was this cute little expression, but also an expression that Usagi long ago learned meant that she wasn't quite listening to verbal cues.

Ami looked up eyes wide with a little blush on her cheeks.

"Ami?" Usagi looked baffled.

Ami turned the little palm device around for Usagi to see the screen. It had two humanoid outlines, each labeled with Usagi, with a date and time stamp. The one on the right had a little circle right around her pelvic area with a dot and blinking text that stated 'new injury.' There were also some graphs and other data Usagi didn't understand.

Ami channeled all of her future potential of being a doctor into producing a professional tone. "As you can see, computer detects physical and energy changes of you over time. And, since I scanned you yesterday before I left Mamoru's apartment...things have changed. You're absolutely fine, but that is NOT a reason to skip school! That goes for both of you."

Usagi groaned, a red hue taking over her face. Mamoru stated in a firm, yet slightly disbelieving tone "This conversation is not happening."

"Your computer shouldn't know these things!" Usagi cried out.

"It scans body tissue. Of course my computer would notice!" Ami yelled back, professional demeanor deteriorating.

"Ami, what's going on? What happened with Usagi?" Minako craned her neck over towards them halting her conversation with Rei and Makoto.

"Nothing. We're moving on. Right now." Mamoru stated, but of course the sworn guard of the princess is not easily persuaded regarding her health and safety.

"Ami!" Rei practically commanded, for more information, crossing her arms.

"Patient/doctor confidentiality. Ask them."

Usagi rolled her eyes, before sitting up straight. "Anyway, we are here for a reason. Rei, did you do a fire reading?"

"Yes, but what is going on?"

Usagi knew the fire senshi didn't let things go. "We decided it was time to move our relationship forward. You know… so, that's it. We can talk about it later if we MUST. But not now." With the voice and focus of Serenity, she cut through their thoughts, and facial expressions (not that they should have been too surprised, thought Serenity) and directed them. "We need to discuss the fire reading."

"Right." Rei paused, staring at the temple, as if imagining the great fire in front of her. "The impression I got was very similar to what you described yesterday. I could feel their sorrow, their anger, their betrayal. Mostly, I saw what happened. By that, I mean the destruction of the Moon Kingdom, but that isn't new for us. This isn't really about what happened, it is about what spirits need. And the answer is resolution."

"But... but how? That is the part I don't get. It is not like we can go back in time and stop the Moon Kingdom from falling, and believe me I want too."

The raven priestess nodded before continuing, "Every tradition, Shinto, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and our old traditions all have ways to honor the deceased. No one was alive to do that. And now, we are reincarnated, but haven't…we've forgotten them."

"I have not."

"That may be true, but they don't know that."

"So, you're telling me we need to do something like a funeral?"

"I think it will have to be more than a funeral, but yes. That is the idea."

"I...Rei, thank you. I know what I need to do." Usagi stood up, and grabbed her bag to leave.

Makoto placed a halting hand on Usagi's shoulder. "Usagi! We need to help you.'

She shook her head sadly, looking up at her tallest protector. "It is our kingdom, and we must do it alone."

"Usagi…" Mamoru gently reminded her, "It is my kingdom too."

She shook her head. "This is for me. I don't like it, and I don't want it, but I understand. Now please, just let me go."

"We are stronger together." He stated simply locking eyes with her. Her breath hitched momentarily, before she strengthened her resolve.

"But this isn't about strength, or power. It is about my responsibility, and that I bare on my own."

Usagi had made it back to her home, thinking with Serenity about what they should do, and if they should do it alone. She mindlessly switched into her house shoes at the door, barely calling out her habitual greeting before heading up the stairs to her room.

Without a word to her cat-advisor, who was lounging on her bed, Usagi unpinned her hair in front of the mirror, and wiped down the little make-up on her face with a towelette. She carefully took out her earrings, removed the jeweled brooch, and the silver/blue bracelet placing them on a small dish by her mirror.

After all jewelry was removed, she carefully took off her pink nail polish, and the multi colored toenail polish.

Luna watched the bed, as Usagi silently removed all adornments, until she was in nothing but a thin dark slip, blonde hair falling all around her.

"What are you doing?"

"It is tradition. Though, I really shouldn't talk either."

"What do you mean?"

"Serenity and I discussed it, the honoring the moon's traditions. Do you remember?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Those of status, we remove all adnorments. Hairstyles, jewelry, objects of power- even the crystal- because in death we are all equal. We wear black as a symbol of passing beyond, and do not speak so that we may hear the message of their life. It's important to remove ourselves from routine, to be able to process the importance of what people have given in their lives."

Luna gave a small nod.

"They feel dishonored, and I must let them know that I...that their deaths weren't in vain. That each one of them is important. And the only way I can think to start that process, is...this. Their traditions."

"What do you do from here?"

Usagi pulled thin fingers to her lips with a silence motion and disappeared.

In a flash of light she transported into the graveyard of her past. It took them both a minute to orient from the sharp contrast of her playful bedroom, to the cold blue tinged grey ground of rocks, dust and scattered debri. Dark, desolate, death reeked upon the ruins of what was once the beautiful Moon Kingdom.

Usagi shivered, wrapping her arms around herself in an attempt to remain warm, the thin slip nothing against the inhospitable cold.

All Usagi wanted to do was return to the blue orb high in the sky, but she forced herself to look at her surroundings instead of what she'd left behind.

She left this kingdom behind first. As if called forth by her guilt, the ground started to move. Inky, black substance started to sprout from the rocks like oil from a well, covering the ground and her bare feet. She tried to run, but the ground was covered in all directions, the liquid inching up pieces of rubble like a paint, covering it, eating away any remnants that this use to be a place of pearls, marble, and iridescence. The scenery darkened until it was almost as if she was standing in space. She wanted so desperately to run, anywhere, but found herself surrounded.

Never to leave.

Usagi's eyes widened, as tears began to fill them. But she didn't let them fall, except for one or two.

The liquid started to take shapes, shadows rising from the darkness. Blotting out the stars in the sky, and looming over her, little red eyes stared, humanoid forms bound to the ground.

'This...All of this...was left? All of these people...All of these...souls?" Usagi breathed, almost in a whisper, unable to fathom the carnage, speaking to them, but more speaking to herself.

Corrupted by time, by anger, by Metalia, Serenity thought.

"It wasn't your faults!" Usagi screamed around her into the far too still air, figures looming towards her, starting to tower over her, and still growing. Her hands were shaking, shadows of the shadows ready to strike at her figure. Doubt filled her mind. Could this even work?

Serenity continued aloud, together: "You were my people - our people. We ruled over you, yet with you. I say with, because we are only as strong as our people make us- our people make us rulers and can take that away...Ruling over, no with you, is simply a privilege. Not a right. Not a given. You're all right. Your anger. Your betrayal. It wasn't you, you shouldn't have died. It was my fault; ours-my mother and mine...My mother for not seeing the problem soon enough, and mine for being a coward and not fighting with or for my people who had remained…"

Usagi gasped, a scream to her lips as a hand reached out from behind her, grabbing her ankle, trying to pull her into the formless darkness.

She turned and wrenched her ankle out of the creatures grasp.

"You betrayed us, Serenity!"

"I know…" Came a mix between Serenity and Usagi's voices.

"You and your mother promised harmony!"

"We did."

"You promised protection!"

Usagi felt her eyes close.

"You both promised us love!"

Usagi gripped her ears, as she fell to her knees.

"You promised us peace!"

She realized Serenity had gone quiet. Something told her, that even though Serenity was scared as hell back then, at some point she had made partial peace with her actions of self-sacrifice.

But Usagi hadn't.

Usagi couldn't bear to hear the pained cries of former patrons of the Moon, couldn't bear to hear the blame they so easily slew in Serenity's direction, couldn't handle the venomous hate that came from their grotesque mouths, as more and more shadow-like, yet human figures crawled and made their way closer and closer, fully encircling Usagi.

"Stop! Please stop it!"

"That's what you cried out to Queen Beryl, and she didn't listen...Stupid child of the moon! What makes you think we should listen to you either?"

Usagi began to internally panic. What was she to do?

What was it that they wanted again?

Eternal peace?

What did Serenity say again?

'...when they were corrupted…' She heard her own voice replay back at her. (Serenity still remained quiet).

"WAIT!" Usagi suddenly shouted.

The constant murmurings that had bombarded Usagi's heart suddenly ceased.

Usagi took a deep breath.

"We can, I can offer you peace...I can heal you."

"Why should we believe you?" Said one soul, rightfully livid.

"I can heal you with this." She raised her hands to the sky, calling the stone of her birthright from Earth. It appeared in her hands, softly slowing. Carefully; cautiously, Usagi gave them a glance at the Silver Crystal in her hands.

"The Imperium Silver Crystal…" One soul fathomed.

"It can't be…"

"It's impossible…"

"No one would have that...Everyone is dead…"

Without noticing herself after she pulled out the silver crystal, Usagi had transformed into Princess Serenity. However, the Serenity in her head was still silent.

Was Usagi actually Serenity? Like it had happened in the past, before duplicity? Usagi couldn't even be sure.

Turning her attention back to the many souls in front of her, who were waiting patiently, considering her current appearance, Usagi took another breath and continued.

"I can assure you, that I am not." Usagi found her voice to regal, yet very gentle, almost as if speaking to a child.

"With Queen Serenity's final sacrifice, she made the ultimate decision. She explained that in making the choices she made, it would give us all a second chance….I am her daughter, reborn...With this silver crystal, I can heal you back to your former selves...Give you peace within your pained souls and give you the afterlife you were meant to have had you not been corrupted by Beryl's evil."

'NO USAGI!" Usagi grimaced ever so quickly at Serenity's shout in her mind. "WE WILL DIE! We can't do this!"

'Didn't you tell me that one day, I could die for the same reasons our mother did?"

"That was for the future! That was on Earth! Not here!"

"Serenity, you said Mother needed you; needed us to make things right; to give them the peace they so much deserved…"

"I know, but…"

"There is no other way, Serenity. This is it. I've felt the guilt radiate off of you since you essentially came to me. Felt it in waves, strong and fierce. You need this more than I do...You need this act of selflessness...And if this one act of redemption can help ease your guilt - because you were a teenager way in over your head of a kingdom you had barely begun to understand the intricacies of; almost thrust into ruling had you survived and the Moon defeated Beryl...that not only do these people need to heal; these souls...But your soul does too."

"No, Usagi. I don't deserve this! I can't do this."

"It's for the greater good. And yes, you do deserve this. This is your chance, and I'd be a selfish ruler or senshi if I didn't let you take it. This is your moment. Take it. It will be okay. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in us. Have faith in your kingdom and your power, Serenity."

With that, Usagi faded away into her body, leaving an almost stunned Serenity to take her place.

The looming creatures were no longer her greatest fear, Serenity trapped in the thoughts of destiny; the souls didn't seem to notice, too wrapped up in Usagi's words of hope.

'I can't do this! This isn't what, or how Mother meant.,

"This is exactly what Mother meant, Serenity. This is what we're-you're supposed to do. This is what she would want you to do, precisely because she couldn't. Her reincarnating us was her last chance to heal these souls...And because she knew that, because she knew she could potentially have us in some version of the future, was absolutely why her sacrifice and her decision was her last - Because she had hope. She had faith. In herself. In us."

'But her decision wasn't a guarantee!'

'No decision ever is.'

Serenity shook her head internally, as the souls waited for her to do something. They were unsure how the crystal worked, so they were ironically patient.

'I'm going to be sick. I can't do this Usagi! Please, you do it!'

'They need you now, just like then. We can rule over the people - the future ones...But I can't do that if you cannot heal the past...If you heal the past, than we, together, can look forward to a prosperous future.'

The Crystal floated in front of her at chest level, it's soft light radiating outwards like a sun. Princess Serenity extend her arms wide, calling out with her heart, her mind, her body, but nothing had happened yet.

"Princess?" One quiet soul inquired.

'Usagi, please!'

'You've got this Serenity.'

'But...I'm...I'm scared…'

'Of what?'

'Failing. I've failed them once. Who says I'm not going to do it again, and have it be even more disastrous? Who is to say I won't attempt to heal them, and then send them into even more eternal damnation that we cannot rescue them from?'

'Serenity! Listen to me! Do you believe in our Mother?'

"Yes'

"Do you believe in me?'

"Yes.'

"Do you believe in the Silver Crystal, and all the good that it can do, and has done?''

"Yes Absolutely."

"Than you have everything you need."

"What?" Serenity was almost flabbergasted. How the hell was Usagi so damn confident?

'With all of that, you should be able to believe in yourself. - For I, and especially you are what the Silver Crystal stands for - even in a roundabout way. It is light, love, and peace. Mother wouldn't trust either of us separately or together with it if she didn't believe that with her entire being. Now, concentrate!'

Serenity found herself nodding. Her eyes became hard in determination.

"Stay still." She found herself softly addressing the still growing crowd.

'You can do this, Serenity. I'm right here. And I know Mother is too...I have no doubt she's watching.'

Serenity closed her eyes, continuing to concentrate, as she felt the Silver Crystal begin to glow brighter, the light spreading out. It was so bright, it was visible from the earth.

'Usagi, what's happening?'

'Keep going. Just keep going…'

'What about -'

'You let me worry about us. You need to do this. Keep going.' Came Usagi's calming, yet firm voice.

As the Silver Crystal continued to glow brightly in Serenity's hands, and warm, almost to the point that Serenity wanted to drop it, she held it firmly.

Her eyes squeezed shut as the heat intensified, missing the bright glow, as if the Moon had been engulfed by the sun, or been a star all along. Serenity felt her body tighten against the force of the crystal, as if battling it herself.

Finally, the silver crystal cooled.

Serenity peeked an eye open, and looked at her end.

There the crystal laid in her hands, twinkling and glistening, as if a that deceptive smile, as if it were to say 'don't you dare underestimate what I can do.'

As she slowly scanned the view before her, no longer was there blackness, but a field full of flowers, of life.

"We...We did it, Usagi."

"No. You did it."

"No. We. Together. I may have held the Crystal, but I wouldn't have been able to do this, at all, without you."

"Hmm...And thanks to you, I know I'll be ready to rule over such wonderful future souls of their descendants when the time comes."

Together they looked around. Magically, they began to see a piece of shattered marble begin to levitate and fit itself back where it belonged before the former column fell.

"I guess it'll be all restored by the time 30th Century Crystal Tokyo arrives…'

'I guess so too...Usagi, thanks for your help.'

'Back at you, Serenity. Truly.'

'What do you say we go home, and get some sleep. I don't know about you, but i'm exhausted.'

'You can sleep if you want, but you'll miss all the fun…' Usagi mused in a sing-song voice.

Serenity thought a moment, then burst out laughing. 'I see. Someone has other ideas.'

'Yep, and they involved a dark haired Prince of Earth!'

'And here I thought you'd want a chocolate sundae.'

'Hey! Hey, what you and Endymion did in your past and private escapades is your own personal business. Besides, I'm saving junk food for tomorrow at the arcade.'

'What about school?'

'It'll be Friday - You can think of an excuse for me this time. - I already used poor Mako this week.'

Serenity laughed, as they concentrated again and they were back in Usagi's bedroom.

-end-

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