Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon (even though I really want to) or any of the canon characters. I do have my own original characters (OC's) who may appear in any of my stories and those characters, as well as the new plots, are my own. Also, I have some altered characters (AC's) and the changes to them are my own. I will not recieve monetary compensation for this work. Although if you all give me good reviews I might get a warm fuzzy.
I do not own the song that inspired this story (At the Beginning by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis) either, but it's really pretty and I can sing it!

Author's Note: I have to warn you this story is almost completely happy... lots of laughter and smiles and a bunch of happy moments. The prologue might be a bit hard to read, and there are a lot of 'feels' in it and through the first few chapters, but I think you will all truly enjoy it, and it will be among my happier stories.
Manga version where Usagi already has the Crystal.

Credits: Inspired by the song At the Beginning by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis. I first heard it when I watched the movie Anastasia, when I was really young. Every once in a while I hear it again, and recently I was on You Tube and happened across it... instead of the old movie popping into my head I thought of the scene you're about to read.
Also inspired in part by the wonderful Beej88 and her stories, A Twist in Time, When Two Worlds Collide, and Behind the Scene Twists. While my story is vastly different, I'm pretty sure the moment the song inspired me, it was that story that brought this one forth, so I have to give her credit where it's due. If you haven't read her work, please go do so! She is an incredible author and I have to say that even though her story-line made me cry, I couldn't put it down!

At the Beginning
A Second Chance
Prologue
Back At the Beginning

There was silence in the throne room of the Negaverse. So many lay dead at the feet of the three who remained. So many who had once been living, had once smiled and laughed, loved and learned. So many who were far too precious. A tear streaked down Sailor Moon's cheek and she reached for the hand of Tuxedo Kamen, who was whole once more. They both stared at the self-styled queen, whose eyes were huge in her face as she stared at a red-haired man who lay silent on the floor, his blood covering his face like a ghastly shroud.

"We can save you," Sailor Moon said, keeping her voice soft, and her hand outstretched.

"You can?" Beryl titled her head to one side, hand reaching up to touch the necklace she wore around her throat. She turned her eyes away from the red-haired man, and looked directly at Sailor Moon. A shiver ran through her and she grabbed the necklace in her fist and pulled.

A hiss came from Beryl just as the necklace broke. Then she screamed. There was a shockwave of light, sound, and energy throughout the throne room. Sailor Moon felt something tug at her middle as she watched the queen fade away into nothingness while Metalia's evil laugh filled the air. In seconds she had fallen to the cold stone floor. Metalia. She'd killed Beryl, taken every ounce of her energy and left her as nothing more than dust. Sorrow filled the young heroine. She had believed they could save her. It was too late now.

Sailor Moon gasped as she struggled up onto her knees, her breath coming in short gasps that seemed to tear her apart. Beryl's dying scream still echoed through the chamber, but she knew there was no way to fight Metalia. She could feel the blood pooling around her hands, which were clutched around the blade that had been flung into her during the shockwave, and there was pressure in her lungs.

"Moon!" gasped Tuxedo Kamen, apparently catching sight of the sword sticking out of her belly. The blast had knocked it right into her and she could feel herself growing weaker. It was becoming more difficult to breathe with each passing second.

"S-sorry," she panted, reaching up one bloody gloved hand to touch his face. "I d-don't think were going to..." her voice trailed off as she swayed forward, dislodging the blade. She stumbled again as the blood began to flow faster and faster, cascading down her white fuku top and the dark blue skirt. Droplets plopped onto the floor as she met Tuxedo Kamen's eyes.

"No!" Tuxedo Kamen reached her and clasped both her hands in his. "We have to Wish. Like Queen Serenity did." His face showed panic and worry, and his love for her. "We can go back. Start over at the beginning and get it right this time," he said, tears streaking down his cheeks.

"We can?" she asked, fading fast. The edges of her vision were blackening. She felt a strange weightlessness take over her as she drifted in and out of awareness. It had all gone so terribly wrong. Could they ever fix it?

"Yes," he sounded desperate. "Where's your Crystal?"

Sailor Moon pulled it from her wand, fumbling slightly as she lost feeling in her fingertips. "Here," she whispered, barely managing to press it into his palm before her fingers went limp.

Clasping both his hands around the chilled one that held the Silver Crystal, Tuxedo Kamen leaned forward. "Wish with me," he ordered. "I wish we could go back to the day before we met, with our memories intact and have a second chance to do this right."

Sailor Moon mumbled the words after him, thinking it would be wonderful to have a chance. She stared into the beautiful eyes that reminded her of deep ocean or the midnight blue of a summer night sky. She loved him, wanted another chance with him. And they had so many to protect, to save.

"We can do it right this time," he promised. "We can save my men, train them to protect the Senshi. The girls won't ever be alone either."

Sailor Moon nodded, her eyes darting to the side where the Senshi and Shitennou lay, bodies broken in death. Metalia had done that when the Generals had turned, and had killed Beryl to take her strength. Her mind struggled with that. The queen had wavered for just a moment. Sailor Moon could only hope she might be saved as well.

"One more c-chance," she whispered, bringing her free hand up to touch the beloved face that swam in her graying vision. "I l-love you," she breathed, exhaling her last as the Silver Crystal began to glow brightly.

"This time we will get it right," Mamoru said, letting his henshin fade as he pulled his dead princess into his arms. "This time I will tell you I love you the moment we meet."

His own eyes closed as the Silver Crystal swept them away. His thoughts of Sailor Moon, of Usagi, were filled with love and pride. She had become an amazing warrior in her own right while he had been a pawn of the Dark Kingdom. Now they would work together. They would save everyone, all the friends and family who had been torn apart by this awful war with Beryl and Metalia, maybe even the dark queen herself.