Disclaimer: Again, I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the canon characters. My original characters as well as any changes to characters and plots are mine to use. I will not receive monetary compensation for this work.

Author's Note: This is the doom tree arc with a twist. One I truly hope you enjoy. The idea came to me after I threw up my hands at a one-shot I just wasn't sure what to do with. So I decided to combine the one shot with this story and see what I could come up with. Now that I have an idea of what is going to happen I love it, but let me tell you, trying to figure out what to do next was harder than normal. People really seemed to enjoy On Her Own and I want them to enjoy this story as well.

Reader's Note: If you haven't already read On Her Own, please do so before starting this story. There will be more than one POV in this story. If you want other updates and hints to my stories, you can always check out my blog. Go to tumblr and search sailorsilverladybug.

Acknowledgements: I have to thank my readers. All of you who favorited, followed, and reviewed. You are wonderful! I wouldn't be able to keep going without you.

On Their Own
On Her Own: Book Two
Prologue
Vortex

Usagi held Mamoru's hand in hers, not minding in the least that he couldn't seem to handle being separated from her. Truth be told, she hated being away from him for more than a few minutes. Unfortunately, they both had school to get through most days, and even though the Dark Kingdom was gone there was still the occasional Youma. Responsibility weighed heavily on both of them.

"Wait. Hold it," Rei said. Usagi turned to look at her, but the miko wasn't talking to them. She had her hands on her hips and was glaring at Jadeite. "You talked to my grandfather about it instead of coming to me?" She didn't look entirely angry. More confused. Usagi wondered what was going on.

"Come on," Mamoru whispered in her ear. "I want a few minutes alone."

Usagi giggled and followed after him as he tugged her hand. They raced down the hill together, hands still clasped, and she couldn't help but laugh at the relieved expression on his face when Mamoru looked back to see the others still standing around under the tree, looking at Rei and Jadeite, whose face was red.

"What do you think he asked?" Usagi wondered as they made it to the tree line.

"No idea," Mamoru admitted. "There's our bench," he added, pointing to a bench both of them always seemed to find themselves sitting on when their day went wrong. It was as though there had been an unspoken truce in that one spot. Now that they had been friends for months and dating for weeks, Usagi hardly thought about the bench anymore. Together they moved toward it.

"I want to take you on a date," Mamoru said as they settled onto the hard surface. He wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned back, closing his eyes. Usagi tucked herself up against him, cuddling close, and closed her own.

"Where to?" she asked curiously.

Mamoru sighed. "I don't know," he admitted. "Somewhere fun I guess. Maybe we could go to the amusement park."

"You wouldn't like that very much Mamo-chan," Usagi argued. "There are a lot of people there."

"I don't mind them when I'm with you." Usagi felt waves of contentment coming through their Soul-Bond and snuggled even closer. Sometimes he said the sweetest things.

"You know," she started, "we could always do something a little less wild and go to-" Usagi was cut off as a harsh wind seemed to slap at them both.

Opening her eyes, Usagi turned to look toward the stream and gasped. Instead of seeing the bridge and the stream and the trees, all she could see was a massive, swirling black shadow. She instinctively leaned away from it, sensing danger.

"What the hell?" Mamoru asked, his arms wrapping tighter around Usagi as both of them began to feel pulled. She turned and grabbed the back of the bench as Mamoru wrapped his arms fully around her. "I don't like this!" he shouted over the wind, which was growing louder and more violent.

"We have to get out of here," Usagi whimpered.

"I know," Mamoru shouted, his words torn away by the ever-increasing wind. "We need help."

Usagi looked up the hill under the tree where the others were still talking. None of them had even noticed what was happening. "Help!" Usagi screamed. She saw Minako's head come up and the eight protectors all leapt into action, racing down the hill.

The wind grew worse. It seemed as though it was trying to suck them into the shadowy vortex that had formed. Usagi screamed again as her fingers were pulled off the back of the bench. Only Mamoru's arms kept her from flying backwards into the portal and she could tell he was about to lose his grip. She turned in his arms, wrapping both of hers around his neck and tucking her head under his chin so he could hold to the bench with both hands.

"I can't-" Mamoru shouted.

It was too late. All at once it felt as though they were being sucked into an airless tube. Usagi wanted to scream, but there was no breath in her body. She clung to Mamoru and felt his arms around her as they were dragged from the bench and into the swirling storm of wind. Everything went dark and silent. There was no noise. No air. No light.

And then they were falling. Falling and falling until they splashed down into deep water. With no air in her lungs Usagi spluttered and coughed and sucked down a lungful of water. Her vision went grey and in moments she had lost consciousness.