Author Notes: And once again due to the fact that I'm really starting to enjoy writing for this fandom... I'm updating with the next chapter. It helps to have a solid plot line to follow and this chapter is where you'll start to see big differences.

Also I realize that I've been a bit behind my normal schedule in releasing this. That's because of a couple things. One I don't really want to go into right now that involves the death of a family pet... and the other is a business I'm fine-tuning. I still need people to get back to me if it's a good idea or not and what they'd be willing to pay for it. What is it? I want to rent manga. If you know about Netflix you can understand the concept. A certain amount of books out at a time, no late fees, and you can rent as many as you want once your current set returns. Not to mention there'd be an added incentive from the buy back rate of like new and lightly stained manga... in any case if you are interested in this just say so in your review. You can visit my site www.smcrossover.us and fill out the form there (will be updated to a form later) or just vote on the poll.

Auroura: I'm glad you picked up on the chocolate reference trying to keep Duo playful while not reducing him to idiot status is pretty tough... and which Ririna angle are you referring to?

AdorableAngel: What do you think it would be in the beginning? ?.? And glad you like the revision sorry Ririna isn't going to be psycho ;; at least not yet . and if (big IF there) there'll be reasons for it.

Usagi Asia Maxwell: Hehe... I'm getting a lot of good comments on the revision. I'm glad people appreciate the work put into revising this thing.

AdorableAngel: heh... glad you gave it a chance. I promise you'll be even more satisfied with this chapter as we start to read into the new territory I keep hinting at.

Pms Avenger: ... first of all I like the name... and second of all. I do like Digimon... yeah I'm probably going to be gaped at for that, but I really thought it was a well done show. I've watched just about every season.

ChibiNerfBrat Tabu-chanX3: Umm wow... bows thanks for the long well thought out review. I appreciate it. Be warned though, my grammar still sucks... I've been told by my mentor that this is the case... as for vocabulary? Depending on what you read/watch will help strengthen it... for example I'll sometimes turn on Dennis Miller and have to go look up some of the words he uses... and also if using Microsoft Word you can find words meaning the same that aren't so repetitive. Thanks for giving it a chance. I know so far the only thing that seems to have changed is the detail and emotions... but you're guaranteed to see something new this chapter. thanks... I try to be original and I can understand characterization to a point. If someone is really out of character I believe there should be a reason why. Not something glossed over but something really put into detail. Last note... I remember Rocko! Is it still on? I used to watch it all the time a few years back...hehe

Small request here... Think of this as a test or just a request. I want readers to go ahead and open the review box and as you read the story make notes in it. Questions that you have and such even if they get answered of things you like or conversations that you think shouldn't have went a particular way... small things like the liking or disliking of a couple moment is fine too.... And after you finish the story you can either hit submit and send the review or if you have the time and feel like it you can go back and revise areas that you want. Now you don't HAVE to do this... It's just a small request I have. If you decide to do so I can be bribed to update anything here or on my site except for Kamereon (but I can pester the person in charge of it right now .)

Chapter One: Quatre

Usagi heard the footsteps before she even noticed the woman above her. Her sweet daughter's lips were curled in intense hatred and disgust. Remembering what happened, Usagi called up on reserve strength and propped herself up on her elbow. Her eyes searched for Duo and she spotted him getting to his feet. "Chibiusa..."

If anything, those red eyes narrowed even more. With a calm that belied her eyes, Chibiusa replied to the woman that had once been her mother. "My name is Usagi," her words were followed by another blast of pink power. She watched the whimpering woman roll on the ground in agony and a sneer slowly crept on her lips. For a moment her eyes weren't full of hate but of gut-wrenching pain. "Why did you betray everyone? Papa... Puu... all of the senshi... Why?" her last word came out in a scream as yet another wave of pink rolled over Usagi.

Duo was confused on what was happening, but it seemed that every time he managed to get to his feet the psycho pink-haired lady was unleashing another attack and sending him rolling. Perhaps it would be best if he distanced himself away from Usagi who seemed to be the target of the crazy lady's wrath. Not that he was planning to abandon Usagi; he just needed to get some distance so he could try to save the girl. As it was now, he couldn't even reach for his gun without feeling as if his hide was blistering.

"I didn't betray anyone," Usagi's words of defense were low but earnest. "Chibiusa," she ignored the glare she received for the use of the name, "the senshi wanted to be free... they all did. They didn't want to live forever and be barren... as for Mamo-chan..." her voice quickly faded as memories washed over her. She fought against the need to slump over and sob and forced herself to meet her daughter's pained eyes. "You're right... I should have tried harder to find a way to stop his aging... a way to share the crystal's power."

Chibiusa snorted as she crossed her arms over her chest and her lips curled in a snarl. She wasn't buying the story for a second. "Even if it is true about the senshi... You wanted Papa to die," her accusation made Usagi's jaw drop in shock. "You wanted him to die so you could steal Elios from me!" her primal scream was accompanied by her strongest attack yet and she watched in smug satisfaction as her former mother howled in pain. No matter what the woman felt it wouldn't even begin to compare with what she had dealt with all this time. Not even close.

Duo had finally managed to put enough room between him and the psychopath. What was the lady doing up on the moon and what in the world was she flinging around? It felt like some sort of weird psychedelic dream to him and he was determined to put a stop to it. He had crept in a half circle around the perimeter as the insane woman threw accusation after accusation at Usagi. How could any of that be true? Usagi was his age for crying out loud! He commended Usagi for her quick thinking of going along with the lady's words so he could sneak up on her. She must have realized his plan and decided to use herself as a distraction. Now he was in position but hearing Usagi's screams were starting to set him on edge. Thinking quickly he grabbed the pink-haired woman and started to shake her.

Or at least that had been his intention. Instead of shaking the girl until her teeth chattered, he found himself face down on the moon's surface. What in the world had just happened? He could have sworn he had her... Frustrated he bounced to his feet only to be met head on with another ball of pink. Just where was she getting those from anyway? If they were some sort of new-age weapon she seemed to have more than a few of them lying about her scantily-clad form.

Usagi screamed in alarm as she saw the attack hit Duo and his subsequent reaction to it. The last blow to her had come from a farther distance and had formed a crack in her helmet. She didn't care if she died on this lonely planet but she wasn't about to let the same thing happen to Duo! He was innocent of all this! "Chibiusa!"

Chibiusa whirled like a viper ready to strike her next target as Duo fell heavily to the ground. Her eyes were still full of pain and fury but there was another emotion added to those; exhaustion. "This isn't over, Serenity," she vowed as she vanished in a flash of bright pink light.

Usagi scrambled off the ground as quickly as her aching body would allow her and crouched by Duo's side. Everything looked fine at first glance... but she more than anyone else knew how deceiving those glances could be. "Duo?" She was positive that the only reason Chibiusa had vanished for now was because the former princess had worn herself out. Chibiusa didn't have the crystal to fall back on for extra power as Usagi herself did. "We need to get out of here, Duo... can you stand?"

Duo grunted in response but got to his feet. He instinctively grabbed onto Usagi as he felt his entire body sway. So this was what Hiiro felt like when he had decided to self destruct his Gundam with himself in it. Once again Duo decided that his friend had to be a bit insane. Leaning on Usagi he managed to stumble back into the shuttle and close and bar the door behind them. He shimmied out of his flight suit and leaned his head back against one of the soft seat cushions. "Who was that chick anyway?"

Protectiveness surged to life inside Usagi and ignoring the fact that the young man was trying to save her, she towered over him like an angry mother bear. "That 'chick' was my..." she trailed off with a sudden frown. She couldn't even reveal who she really was to Ririna, why should she reveal it to Duo? "She was a dear friend of mine." There, that was close enough to the truth.

"Wait... you really knew her?" Duo slipped his hand into his back pocket and caressed his gun. Maybe this girl was more dangerous than he had thought. It figured that he would underestimate someone just because they had a pretty smile. "What weapon was she using? Was that some sort of new grenade type? And why couldn't I touch her?" maybe she had just moved out of the way... yeah that was it. There was no way that he had physically gone through her. It just wasn't possible.

"Weapon?" Usagi parroted not realizing just how much real danger she was in. "Chibiusa was using magic..." she tilted her head to the side as suspicion filled Duo's eyes. Did magic not exist here? Sure it wasn't exactly a known thing back in her teenage years but by the time Crystal Tokyo was founded, everyone knew what magic was. Why would it vanish because of her death?

Duo prided himself on knowing when someone was lying to him. He himself never lied so he was more aware when others 'stretched the truth' here and there. But as he studied the confused girl he came to the realization that she truly believed in what she was saying. Just who was she? Obviously she couldn't be an assassin; she would have displayed some skill in that attack they had survived... Though she had claimed to be friends with her attacker, so perhaps she was holding back? She claimed she wasn't an android and he believed that... So maybe she was mentally ill? Maybe that had been why Ririna had been so nice to her. Perhaps it hadn't been his brightest idea to basically pluck the girl away from under Ririna's nose.

Usagi waved a hand in front of the spaced out Duo. Why was he looking at her in that strange fashion? "Duo?" With a sigh she turned her attention elsewhere and noticed a merrily blinking light. Considering that Duo was occupied... Well she wasn't a cat so she had no need to worry about the old saying and with a grin she tapped the button only to be met with the worried face of Ririna. "Ririna-san!"

"Usagi-san, I'm glad to see that you're okay. I was worried when I noticed that you had vanished and Duo had left without bidding me farewell. Is everything going well?" why was Usagi with Duo? It didn't exactly make a lot of sense to her... of course at the moment she was more concerned with the strange behavior of her brother. The man had been a total wreck before he left! She did hope that he made it back to his own home safely.

Duo snapped out of his reverie in time to catch the conversation. Ririna didn't look troubled about Usagi's disappearance. In fact she just looked relieved. Maybe Usagi deserved a bit more investigation before he pinned her down as any specific thing. It wasn't exactly fair to label her right away without pausing to see if the label fit or not. He always hated it when others did the same thing to him after all.

"Hey, Ririna," he called with a wave. "I'm taking Usagi to go meet Quatre. You'll be at the party right?" at the woman's hesitant nod he grinned. "We'll see you there." With a lightning quick reflex he cut the connection and watched as Usagi blinked at the black monitor in response. As she turned to face him he noticed a combination of bruises and scratches scattered over her skin. It didn't take him long to realize that it was from the attack when they had been on the moon.

Wait a minute... "Why aren't we taking off yet?" Duo jabbed the coordinates into the panel and smirked in triumph as the shuttle shuddered before lifting off from the ground. The further they got away from the cursed moon the better. He glanced over and noticed Usagi was once again gripping the seats for dear life. "Relax," he intoned as he turned around in his seat and entered more commands. "Thirsty?" at her nod he produced a paper cup filled with water. It wasn't the most advanced thing in the world but it did the job.

"Thank you..." Usagi took the offered drink and cautiously sipped at it. She still trusted people to be good and honest but Rei and Haruka had drummed a sense of caution into her. She was wary of what she ate and drank unless it was already sealed. Despite the coiled up emotions inside she forced herself to relax. Duo obviously knew what he was doing. He wasn't about to let them crash in space... Besides as long as they were away from anything with an orbital pull what could they crash into anyway?

Partly to take her mind off her obvious fear, Duo began to speak. "I should probably warn you, my other friends might think you more than a bit strange if you start telling them about what happened back on the moon. I was there and it's hard enough for me to believe it!" and while that was true there was another reason he wanted her to keep the situation secret. He wasn't about to let the guys know that he had been pummeled by something he couldn't even explain without getting a blow in. "But they're nice enough.... Quatre can be a bit of a mother hen sometimes. He'll doctor anything hurt even if it's something that wants to kill him."

Usagi managed a giggle at this information. Ami was much the same to somewhat of a lesser degree. "I had a friend kind of like that... She wouldn't go so far as to nurse something back that wanted to kill her but if it was a person she would go to the ends of the Earth to help them." Surprisingly talking about Ami didn't hurt as much as Usagi thought it would have. It felt like a balm to her wounded heart.

Duo grinned at the sound. "Well he's the only nice one out of the group, besides me of course," he offered with a devilish wink. As expected she didn't even bat an eye at his mild flirting. "Trowa is the silent type he doesn't really say much but when he does speak it's always about something important. Wufei is just kind of insane, he'll probably freak out when he finds out some unnamed woman is joining the party... heh he'll probably freak out when Ririna comes!" the glee in Duo's voice at the prospect of freaking out Wufei was apparent. "Oh and then there's Hiiro. I'll warn you now so you don't get startled but he's always got a gun on him somewhere, don't be alarmed if he pulls it out and threatens anyway with it... He doesn't mean it... usually."

Already Usagi was starting to form mental images of all of Duo's friends. They sounded as if they would be a lot of fun to meet. Well besides the last two... She wasn't particularly fond of guns and the thought of someone nonchalantly threatening others with one, irked her.

Feeling obligated to share what her friends were like she allowed the memories to well once more. "Besides Ami I had three really close friends and some that were just as precious even if I didn't talk to them all the time... Rei was my best friend. She picked on me all the time and threw a fit when I was late or being clumsy. But she really cared about me, she wanted me to be the best person I could..." once again there was the distinct absence of pain at the mention of her loved ones.

Duo listened in silence. Somehow he realized that she was going through an emotional purge. He could feel it. Besides, anything that could make her smile in that heart-warming way was worth it. He was still suspicious of her but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate her cute moments.

"Makoto was my protector... She always got so upset when she felt other people were mistreating me. She was really good at almost everything she did. I think the only real thing that eluded her was studies... and she still wasn't nearly as bad as I was. She could cook; you should have tasted the dishes she created! She always had her house in spic-span shape and actually enjoyed cleaning..." Usagi's shock that such a thing was possible showed in her voice. "She was even good at gardening and dancing! I sometimes wish I could have been more like her... She wasn't afraid to tell the truth or admit her feelings to anyone."

Usagi brightened as she spoke of her next friend. "Minako was... Minako was Minako," she finally announced with a grin. "Her greatest wish was to find someone to love... and she did find it. She never could get some phrases worded right... She was goofy and got the same grades as I did," a blush stole across Usagi's cheeks at memory of her grades. "But she was full of love for life... and uh..." Usagi blushed again. "Before she found her true love she once dated several guys at once and juggled more relationships on the side. She was afraid of missing out on her Mr. Right so she was trying to date as many as possible."

Duo chuckled at the strange logic. The way she was talking about her friends you would have thought them dead. He started to ask about it but only the shuttle beeping to announce their imminent landing interrupted him. "Looks like we're here..." he pushed the button to open the shuttle doors and grinned. "Quatre! What are you doing here? Don't tell me you've been waiting here all day," he chided.

Quatre flushed. It was true that he had decided to spend the day waiting for his friend to return. He had been worried about Duo considering his friend should have been back several hours earlier. He noticed a patch of white out of the corner of his eyes and turned to study Duo's companion. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss, my name is Quatre Raberba Winner. Are you staying for the party?" Quatre paused as he noticed something amiss. Both Duo and his companion were covered with scratches and bruising. "What happened, Duo?"

Duo waved an arm in dismissal. "We're fine, Quatre." Seeking to take his buddy's mind off their less than perfect state he grinned. "That's right, I haven't introduced you yet. Quatre, this is Usagi, she was a guest of Ririna's until I sort of kidnapped her."

"Duo!" Quatre's eyes widened in horror and he whirled on his friend. "What do you mean you kidnapped her?" he demanded. What had Duo got himself into now? He was already nervous enough without Duo adding to it.

"Relax, I'm just kidding... She wanted to go see the moon so I took her. But we're back now and starving... Your servants got any grub?" he chuckled as Quatre's anger and shock faded. It wasn't as fun as riling up Wufei or Hiiro but there was a certain charm in pushing the blonde's buttons.

Usagi bit back a giggle at their antics. Rei would have never let her hear the end of it if she had ever tried to pull a joke like that! "Winner-san?" she questioned softly and brightened when he gave her his attention. "Do you have a bath I could use? I feel like I haven't taken one in ages..." and that was true come to think of it. It was a wonder that she didn't smell like a skunk at this point. Was the Ginzuishou equipped with an air freshener?

"Of course, Usagi-san," Quatre responded with a warm smile. "Is everything finished here, Duo?" at a nod from the other he smiled once more and led the way back to his waiting limousine. "We'll be arriving shortly. Usagi-san, is there anything in particular you'd like for dinner? I could send someone to go pick up some items if you like."

Usagi was too busy staring at the interior of the vehicle in awe. Of course she had such things available to her when she was Queen but she was normally sleeping in them because of her hectic schedules; being a Queen wasn't an easy job after all. Besides the part of her that remembered her simple life growing up would always be wowed by the affairs of those rich; it was practically ingrained into her from birth from all the television and movies she used to watch. With a smile she allowed the smooth ride to lure her into slumber. It really was just like back then....Mamo-chan...

"Looks like she was pretty tired, huh?" Duo offered with a shrug. "On the other hand I have a couple of lists of things we could have for dinner tonight." His grin spoke volumes about the potential feast. There wasn't going to be a green vegetable in sight. A gentle laugh tore him from his daydream and he turned to rant at the perpetrator when he realized it was the sleeping Usagi and not Quatre that was the culprit. "She's really out of it..."

"Is she okay?" Quatre had instantly gone into mother hen mode as he studied the girl in concern. Maybe it was weak of him and one day it could possibly get him killed, but he couldn't stop his feelings for concern he had for all he met. The abrasions on her face were small in size, in fact they weren't even the size of his fingernail but they were everywhere. Duo had them as well and a not too pretty gash over his eyebrow. What had the two gotten in to? "Duo... What happened? Why are you and Usagi-san covered with bruises and cuts?"

"It's nothing, Quatre," Duo again tried to change the subject. "What time are the others supposed to start arriving?" Duo sighed as Quatre stared steadily at him. The Arabian boy wasn't going to give up his questions so easily. "It really was nothing... I mean we went to the moon and fell... that's all."

"Duo... If you two were on the moon you would have had your suits on... but you're cut all over including where the suit should have protected you. What's going on? Besides, why would you visit the moon? There's nothing up there..."

By the time Usagi woke up they had already arrived at their destination. She wiped sleep from her eyes and mentally cursed the traces of tears she found. She should have realized that it had been just a dream. She bit back an instinctive sob at the thought of her friends and forced a smile for her new friends' sake. She turned to study the area and her eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected a fully decked out mansion. Quatre didn't exactly look as if he was filthy rich, but apparently he really was. "This is all yours, Winner-san?"

Quatre mentally winced at the question. People never seemed to act the same around him once they found out about his status. Of course he didn't know this girl too well, but all hopes of a real friendship would be destroyed with his answer. He knew in his heart of hearts that it would be so. "Yes."

"Sugoi..." Usagi grinned at Quatre good-naturedly. Sure she had once lived in a palace, but she really hadn't had time to enjoy the place. This place was even bigger than Ririna's estate! If Ririna was a queen did that make Quatre someone of even higher rank? "Can you take me on a tour later?" she didn't care if she sounded whiny. She really did want to see more of the place and learn more about this boy. Duo's quick character sketch made her think of Ami... It was going to be a test to see if she could survive without her friends or not.

"Of course," Quatre's answer was a bit more cautious than usual. Was the girl trying to get on his good side or did she genuinely want to see his home? "But first you'll probably want to find the baths, correct?" at her nod he smiled and led the way. Why had Duo brought a stranger to the anniversary party? It wasn't that he cared so much as it was the fact that besides her name Duo didn't seem to know much about her.

As they roamed the endless sets of corridors Usagi had to fight the urge to gape. Her palace had been huge but it hadn't been this much like a labyrinth! She was starting to get worried that Quatre was purposely trying to get her lost. Just when she felt that she couldn't take another step Quatre announced they had reached their destination. "Thank you, Winner-san."

"Please, call me Quatre. When you're finished we'll be in the main dining room. It's straight down this hall, a left at the first branch, a second left three halls down and then your third right." At her dazed look he blushed in embarrassment. Maybe Duo hadn't been kidding when he had suggested that Quatre get maps for the place. But it wasn't that hard to navigate... was it?

"I think I've got it..." Usagi managed to smile at the two. "Thank you so much for helping me, Duo, Winner-san." With a tiny wave she slipped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She padded over the black and white marbled tiling and stared at the woman in the full length mirror. Why was she Cosmos? It didn't make a lot of sense... The white hair looked so foreign on her and the absence of any type of senshi outfit mystified her. Timidly she stroked the mirror and watched in wide-eyed wonder as her image did the same.

Was she really going to live her life out again? Was she going to fall in love with someone else? The idea seemed laughable to her. She could never love anyone she loved her Mamo-chan... But if she was going to go through life again... could she do so alone? Chibiusa had brought such joy into her life. Would this life be easier if she had another child? It was a selfish wish but one she couldn't help but ponder.

Like a mechanical doll that was programmed to do so, she began to undress and prepare her bath water. It took her a few minutes to figure out the spout system but once she did so she slipped into the water and leaned her head over the edge. As soon as her body was in a relaxed state the tears started to fall. She was a fool... There was no way she could live her life again without her loved ones. Without any of them... it would be worth their rage and hate of her taking the coward's way out if she could just see them one more time. With a tiny hiccup she forced herself to calm down and scanned the area.

It didn't take long for her eyes to find the razor sitting on the edge of the tub. Quatre wasn't old enough to shave was he? He looked so young... Mystified she picked the razor up and ran a finger over the sharp edge. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for the results. She almost started to cry in joy when she saw red drops trickle down the handle of the blade.

"Gomen, Duo... Winner-san..." this was fate. Why else would the blades just be sitting there as if they were waiting for her to arrive? She closed her eyes as she gently pulled the blade away from the cold plastic. It was time to be with her loved ones again. With a deep breath she began to cut.

White wisps of mists tickled her nose and she looked around herself in awed wonder. Just what had happened? One moment she had been studying the water turning a red color and then... Well she was here, wherever here was. Was this heaven? Were her friends here? "Minna?"

"You shouldn't be here..." the voice was muffled by the mists but she could make out a decidedly male voice. "This isn't where you belong." A figure seemed to arise from the fog and the shadow moved towards her with an almost hypnotizing grace.

"Who are you?" whoever they were they seemed upset with her... Could it be...? "Mamo-chan!" she started to take a step forward when she realized she seemed frozen to the ground. Bewildered she glanced downwards and realized the mist had seemed to harden into shackles around her feet. With a cry she struggled vigorously and tried to escape.

"Take this... it will protect you. I don't want to see you here again," the displeasure in that voice was evident and though the figure moved closer, Usagi still couldn't discern any features. "Goodbye..."

Usagi tried to object. She wanted to stay there! She tried to grab the arm of the figure but instead was slapped with a wet ball of mist across the forehead. With a startled yelp her eyes popped open and she stared at the group of strange women in confusion. "Hello?"

She felt something cutting her palm and spared a glance down to see a light green hued stone clutched tightly in her grasp. Another hand gripped hers and gently removed the stone and she blinked up at a solemn Duo. With a faint wince her eyes dropped from his and she forced herself to look away. It hadn't worked...

"Usagi-san?" Quatre watched as those hazy eyes focused on him. "What... what happened?" he didn't want to believe as Duo did. It couldn't be true that this girl wanted to kill herself... It had to have been an accident, he just knew it. As he saw tears start to brim, he winced and hurriedly fluttered about the room gathering up bandages and supplies. "You don't have to answer that... I shouldn't have asked."

Usagi hated lying... So she hated herself even more as she forced a laugh. "I guess I cut myself with the razor, ne?" she hated the smile that was on her lips. She was so fake it sickened her. "I was falling asleep in the tub and when I felt the water enter my nose I woke up and struggled. I guess I managed to nick myself with the razor. Thanks for saving me..."

Quatre watched as Duo clenched his fist and left the room. Why was Duo so upset? The girl's explanation... well it wasn't exactly plausible... But it could have happened right? Usagi couldn't be lying to them, he wasn't going to believe it. He knew she had a good and kind soul. He just knew it. "Get some rest, Usagi-san... I'll check up on you in a few hours. The servants will be around if you need anything." At her small nod of acceptance he smiled warmly at her before leaving the room. As much as he believed her, he couldn't help but be plagued by doubt.

Duo flopped down on his bed and rubbed sweat from his forehead. He felt a dull pain and glanced down to realize he was holding the strange crystal so tight that it was starting to cut into his flesh. Frustrated he tossed the thing in one of his drawers and rubbed his forehead as his thoughts swirled.

Usagi had tried to kill herself. Quatre could listen to her lines all he liked, Duo knew better. He had noticed the blade separated from the razor... Why did Quatre have a razor in the bathroom anyway? It was suspicious...

How could anyone want to take their own life? He had gone through the urge before himself... But he had conquered it, because he knew that's what his friends would want. Solo wouldn't have wanted him to die, and neither would the Maxwell church. So why had Usagi given in? What was she hiding from them all? Something was haunting her... and he was determined to find out what.

He smiled in memory of his first meeting with the girl and got to his feet. There was one thing he could always turn to that would perk him up, one thing that could make anyone happy if only for a few precious moments.

Duo was going on a mission... He was going to bring Usagi something to boost her spirits and make her smile again even if it was only for a second. He was going to find her a bar of chocolate. It wasn't an easy mission considering Quatre believed strongly in healthy food, but Duo was committed to it and with a much happier expression, left his room in search to go find her a bar.

Duo was lucky that he had gotten lost so often in the mansion that he had puzzled out the most important rooms. It didn't take him long to find the kitchen and draw the attention of the servants and cooks buzzing around. "Do you guys have any chocolate in here?"

"Chocolate?" One snorted at the thought of such unhealthy fluff in his kitchen. "All we have is the chocolate for cooking. That's all the entire palace has." He crossed his beefy arms across his chest and studied the stubborn Duo. "If you don't believe me, you're welcome to search the place yourself."

Duo grinned at the invite and snooped through the numerous cabinets and cupboards. Not one nook or cranny escaped his inquisitive eye. Finally he emerged victorious with a bitter-sweet chocolate bar. He broke a piece off and popped it in his mouth. A moment later he was spitting the chocolate out and searching for something to erase the taste. He steadfastly ignored the cook's laughter at his circumstance.

Once the horrible taste no longer lingered on his tongue Duo tossed the chocolate bar up in the air with his hand. There had to be something he could do... A thought occurred to him and he smiled innocently up at the cook once more. "Got any sugar and milk?" at the burly man's nod Duo grinned and pulled out a pot. It was time for him to get in touch with his chef side.

"You're really lucky, Miss." One of the servants smiled warmly down at the girl. "You were in that tub for well over an hour. You're lucky it was some of the female servants that decided to check on you rather than the Master or his friend."

"Thank you..." Usagi blushed at the very thought of Quatre or Duo finding her. She would have been humiliated to the core if they had seen her in an unclothed state. But the thought remained... Why hadn't she died? If it had been so long shouldn't she have finally joined her friends? It didn't make sense...

As her mind mulled over the strange problem her eyes widened as she recalled the odd dream. Could it have somehow interfered with her death? Maybe the figure in the mist had been her Mamo-chan... It would make sense now that she thought about it. Who else would care enough about her life that they would try to save it? A small smile tugged her lips and a giggle escaped her. Her Mamo-chan had protected her...

"Looks like your mood changed..." Duo set the cup of hot chocolate down beside her table and gave her a quizzical look. "And here I spent the last twenty minutes fixing you this to cheer you up... I guess you don't need it now."

Usagi smiled brightly at Duo. If Mamoru was keeping watch over her... even if from someplace else, she would be able to face the trials of living. It couldn't be that bad... She'd endure the pain for all of their sakes. She peeked at the cups in Duo's possession and grinned as she realized what he had brought. "Hot chocolate! Thanks, Duo!" normally she would of flung herself at him and hugged the life out of him, but due to the far from healed wounds on her arms she settled for a giant grin in his direction.

Duo grinned right back at her and watched as she took a cautious sip of the dark liquid. He was prepared to wince at her reaction if it was unfavorable. After all, it had taken him quite awhile to find a mix of just the right amount to make the stuff taste like real hot chocolate. "Well?"

Usagi cautiously took a sip and grinned once more. "It's great, Duo, thanks." The warm sweet taste spread through her mouth and she couldn't help but giggle again. Maybe living her life one more time wouldn't be so bad after all... How long had it been since she had hot chocolate? And in honor of this new lease on life she was determined to find the ultimate treat for her aching sweet tooth. This hot chocolate was going to be just the beginning.