"it's good to be back," a tall man with dark hair and intelligent blue eyes commented to himself as he stood in the baggage collection area of Tokyo Airport. An entire year he'd been gone. Granted it wasn't as long as his first trip abroad to America, but he had missed the city none the less.

At least this time he had gotten there without anything going wrong.

He soon realised that such peace was almost boring however, compared to the many adventures... incidents that he had been a part of in the past. He should probably be happy that there was no more fighting, that everything had worked out for the best, but he couldn't help the small nagging in the back of his mind that life had become dull, that he was no longer truly needed.

He shook the thoughts from his mind as he spotted his suitcase, his attention shifted to getting to his luggage before it finished its journey and he would have to wait for it to start its circle all over again.

"Mamo-kun?" he heard the voice just as his hand wrapped around the handle of the baggage, and he spun to face a grinning blonde, her attention on him, and him alone. "Mamo-kun! It is you!" she cried, flinging herself at him, nearly bowling him over in the process.

Smiling, the woman pulled back long enough so that she was able to connect their lips in an intimate, lingering kiss, something she had been wanting to do for an entire year. "I missed you so much!" she laughed lightly as she looked up at him, her eyes threatening to spill over with how happy she had become to see her love again.

Mamoru stared warmly in into the familiar bright blue eyes of the woman before him. He loved to get lost in those gorgeous eyes, how had he forgotten? It had just been so long since he'd last seen her, and even if they had kept in touch for the entire time he was away, the rare letter and constant calls still wasn't enough to ease his ache to feel her once again in his arms as he did now.

A loving smile had already found its way on to his lips as he leant to peck her cheek quickly. "I've missed you too, Mina."

It had happened not long after he'd first returned from America. Everything had seemed perfect then. There was no longer anyone left to threaten them, and he and Usagi were able to be together peacefully, looking forward to the day where Crystal Tokyo would be brought to life. At least, at first it had seemed that way.

Everyone could tell though, that they were no longer as close as they had once been. Seiya's leaving had had a lingering effect on Usagi, and even if Mamoru was still the most precious in her heart, he no longer held all of it as he once did. She wasn't the only one to blame for their parting however.

It wasn't that much later that he had realised they were drifting apart, slowly, a small barrier had begun to form between them. He still loved her, but found himself watching someone else, smiling when they smiled, looking to them for advice or comfort. He tried to push these feelings away though, tried to make his relationship with Usagi work, for the sake of the future, for the sake of the little girl who had become so precious to both of them.

Usagi had noticed that their bond was weakening too though, and even though she wished there was some way to change what was happening, to rewind back to a time when they were both so happy just to be beside one another, she that it would never be the same. She'd noticed, his watching Minako's every move, and even if it almost tore her to pieces to imagine the consequences of her actions, she had accepted what she was going to do.

He'd come home one evening to the apartment they had then shared to find her kneeling on the ground weeping, clutching a photo to her chest as if it were something precious, as if letting it slip from her fingers would cause her to lose her own life. In a way though, it had. She had told him then, that it wouldn't work out. That she didn't want to bring a daughter into a world where her parents no longer loved each other, where they were only together because they believed they had to be. It would be easier to just end it now, she had convinced herself, before they got in too deep. Before she could regret this for the rest of her life.

She had stood, told him that it was time they both truly followed their hearts, and walked past him and out the door without so much as looking back as it shut behind her. After being frozen to the same spot he had been in when she had left for what seemed like hours, he finally was able to move, his eyes flickering to the photo she had held so dearly. Slowly, as if he we some kind of doll being made to move, not in control of his own body, he had picked up the photo and managed to catch one last look as the smiling pink haired girl in his arms, before she faded away completely and tears began to freely fall from his eyes.

"Mamo? Mamo?" the worried voice snapped him from his daze, and he quickly rested his hands over his eyes, trying to compose himself before he looked back to Minako, who was watching him carefully, scared that something was wrong.

He smiled a second later, running a hand through his hair. "If fine, sorry. Must be the jetlag," he laughed lightly, not seeming to have convinced her.

She lightly bit her bottom lip, her eyes searching his face for some other excuse, but when she found none, she simply shook her head and took his arm. "I'm so glad you're back!" she smiled, her usual cheerfulness surfacing once more.

There was a time when he had thought she'd lost it, had been scared she would never be the same Minako he had so quickly fallen in love with. She had blamed herself, said she was the reason for his and Usagi's breakup. She had cried for days about Crystal Tokyo, Chibiusa, and their future. She wouldn't return his calls, or see him when he came to visit her.

It was only when Usagi herself had come to visit her to tell her some good news, that she had finally seemed to come out of her shell. He still didn't know exactly what they had talked about, but for some reason Minako had finally opened up to him, deciding to give them a chance. Whatever Usagi had told her, he would always be thankful to her for it.

"I'm glad to be back too," he nodded, a warm smile promising to never leave his lips as long as she were around.

"You know a year is too long!" she pouted, shaking her head in defiance. "Next time I won't be so stupid and come with you," she chuckled.

He couldn't help but laugh and quickly kissed the top of her head. "Next time? I thought the next trip we were taking was to Paris?" he teased and she blinked quickly, before smiling at the diamond ring on her finger.

"If only we could get married in Paris," she commented dreamily, no longer standing beside him, but in a whole world of her own.

They had been engaged for just over a year now, Mamoru having proposed only a couple of months before leaving for his trip, and he could tell Minako was anxious for the wedding day to finally come. She had been planning the day from the moment he had actually proposed, and was working with the other girls to try and figure out the perfect day. He still had no idea of anything they had planned.

Usagi was honestly happy for them, it had been four years since they had broken up, and not long after Minako had finally agreed to give him a chance, had Usagi announced Seiya's return and their becoming a couple. They were happy together, and Mamoru smiled whenever he saw them. It was obvious Seiya was completely devoted to her, and if he were able to choose anyone to watch over Usagi, the former light would have been his first choice. He knew he would protect her.

They had gotten married a little while before Mamoru had proposed to Minako, and he would swear he had not seen a smile leave either of their faces since. They were so happy together, and he was glad to see Usagi smiling, just like with Minako, he had been scared that they had lost the real Usagi as well.

"It would be beautiful," he agreed, wondering for a moment if that was what she had planned so secretly... and how much it would be costing him. Not that he really minded. If it made her happy, then he would do whatever she wished.

She let out a melodious laugh, poking his arm teasingly in response. "Don't tease me," she sighed. "I already have everything planned, I don't want to have to change everything," she answered, as if he had actually proposed the idea they move everything to Paris, instead of just commenting on it.

"Tell me something," she looked up at him with expectant eyes as she stopped him in front of the exit, resulting in someone shoving them out of the way and Minako yelling out angrily in response, Mamoru having to gently pull her out of the way to the side, where no one would accidentally; or not, walk into them.

Putting a light hand on her shoulder to calm her down, he smiled, wondering what she had been about to say. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

He blinked, taking a moment to see if he had heard her right. "Are you sure?" he furrowed his brow as she looked away from him, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. "Minako..." he started, before it hit him and a small smile replaced his confused look.

"I love you," he told her, letting go of his suitcase to pull her into his arms as their lips connected and he tried to prove that love through his kiss.

It was a few moments later when they finally pulled away from each other, only because they had both needed to breathe. He still didn't let go of her though and could hear a couple of women giggling about what a cute couple they made in the background.

Minako grinned, quickly pressing their lips together once again.

"Well I was going to ask if you met any pretty girls in America, but that does just as well."