The First Four:

Part Two: Forgiveness?

Sunlight streamed in through the palace windows awakening the people who slept within it. A man with blonde hair stirred. Jadeite woke sunlight shining in his face. He was still in shock from last night. He had never known anyone to have such a gentle and loving soul. Well except maybe Rei when her temper wasn't up. He smiled thinking of his raven haired beauty. The smile turned to a frown as he remembered what he had done. Some part of him wanted to believe that it had all been a dream that when he stepped out the door she would be waiting for him with open arms. He knew it was impossible she could never forgive him. She would never forgive him. It had been so long that she probably didn't even love him anymore. He ran a hand through his hair and climbed out of bed.

Draped across a chair beside him was a uniform. Not the grey one of the Dark Kingdom but a black one with gold accents. It was the uniform of the Earth Kingdom. Tears came to his eyes as he picked it up. He didn't deserve this. Endymion and Serenity were to kind. He had betrayed them! He looked around for something else to put on but found nothing. " Damn," he muttered to himself as he heard a knock on the door. He hurriedly put on the black uniform and opened the door.

" I see it fits," Serenity gushed walking in the door and almost knocking Jadeite over. He smiled maybe she wasn't so different after all. Where did she get all that energy? She turned around beaming at him.

" You know I don't really de.."

" Nonsense," Serenity said cutting him of. "You deserve that uniform just as much as the next good loyal man. When are you going to get it through your thick head that it wasn't really you that did all those things? It was Mettelia."

" But Rei� She won't�" Jadeite stammered.

Serenity's face fell. " I can't forgive you for her you know."

" I know but what about Endymion and the others? I can't stay here if everyone else besides you hates me."

" Endymion doesn't hate you. He just has some communication problems.

If he hated you he wouldn't have come to find you in the gardens."

" How do you know?"

Serenity smiled gently as she walked toward the door. " I've been in love with him for over a thousand years and married to him nearly four hundred. I like to think I know when he hates someone. I'll have the servants bring you something to eat," she said walking out the door.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

" I'm sorry I'm late Lady Rei," a young servant said carrying in a breakfast tray.

" That's alright," Rei said finally mustering the strength to get out of bed. She hadn't slept at all. She kept getting the feeling that something was�not wrong exactly but different. Rei listened to the girl's lively chatter with deaf ears until she heard a bit about a new man staying in the west wing. Rei swung her head around, " There's someone staying in the west wing?"

" Yes, I brought him breakfast this morning. He's so cute," the girl said forgetting herself for a minute. " He's got blonde hair and the bluest eyes and� Oh I'm sorry m'lady you don't want to hear about such things," she apologized and looked up at Rei.

Rei was white. The dreams they couldn't be true! They couldn't be! Her mind kept trying to deny the obvious. The west wing. In the old palace on the Moon Kingdom that wing had been reserved for the Earth Generals. No her mind wouldn't accept it. He couldn't be here! He was dead gone forever! She had to find out. Trembling she turned and ran out of the door of her quarters heading towards the west wing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Minako sat under a gigantic weeping willow in the gardens. The shadows and sunlight traced patterns across her face as she strove to keep her mind on the task at hand. She was going over the list of new soldiers enlisted in the Palace Guard. It was usually Haruka's job but Haruka and Michiru were visiting the Southern Countries on a diplomatic mission. No one knew when they would be back. Minako sighed. This was so boring!

Her mind wandered off as she thought of another time she had been stuck with this job. So long ago! Haruka had been off somewhere it had been so long that she couldn't remember where. That's strange she had always had a good memory. She ignored the feeling that there was something she should remember about� Minako wrinkled her brow in concentration. Why couldn't she remember!?

She smiled gently forgetting her frustration as she remembered it had been in a garden just like this and she was doing this same job when he had come up behind her. That was the first time they had kissed. She remembered the feel of his arms around her and she remembered how much she loved him. Her face fell as she remembered the last time she had seen him. When he had been trying to kill them. A tear rolled down her face as she remembered how he cried out in pain when Sailor Moon had killed him with his own attack. Part of her had died that day though at the time she didn't know why she had felt like crying. She almost wished she had never gotten her memories back. She almost wished she wasn't a Senshi. Almost but not quite.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He felt his thoughts returning to him his body reshaping and healing itself. His life coming back to him. His soul returning from the awful place it had been sent to. A pair of silver grey eyes opened slowly and peered around a small cave. The owner of the eyes picked himself off the damp ground. Trying to remember where he was he slowly began walking forward. He caught himself as he stumbled over a rock. He doggedly moved forward. Then the memories rushed back to him and he sunk to his knees crying out in pure agony. He had killed her! And then�then he had tried to kill her again when she had been reincarnated. How could he! She had loved and trusted him! He was supposed to protect her not kill her. He knelt down on the ground and wept for the first time in his life.

A man in a grey uniform lay stretched out on a slab of stone eyes shut and blonde hair spread out around his head. Long dead cherry blossoms littered the ground around him. From a distance it looked as if he was sleeping but when close you could see the man's skin was white and cold to the touch. He was clearly dead. That was why the creatures of the dark that lived in the cave the man was lying in reared back in surprise when the man stirred. First his hand twitched then his green eyes slowly opened unfocused at first then zooming in on the things around him. His mathematical brain went to work on his surroundings. Where was he? What was he doing here? Where was Ami? Where were the others?

The man sat up and got off the stone slab. He walked out of the cave that had been his grave for so long his weary brain trying to process everything at once. It was then that he remembered. Fragments at first but then he slowly put the pieces together shedding tears as he sank down to the ground. He cried out her name his voice pleading with her to forgive him for his crimes, "Ami!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ami jerked her head up with shock as she clearly heard someone call her name. She placed a finger in her book to save her place and looked around the large library searching for the owner of the voice. The voice. It sounded so sad. It almost sounded like his voice. NO! She would not do this to herself. It was him that had made her life so miserable! She could never love another because of him! She had not been involved with anyone not since Ryou. And a part of her knew that she was only with Ryou because he reminded her of him. The man who had betrayed her. NO! She had loved Ryou. She had! But not completely her heart told her head. No not completely but she had tried.

Tried to make his memory go away. Tried to get his eyes and feel of his hands running through her hair out of her mind. She had buried herself in her studies becoming one of the best doctors in the world. Dedicating herself to her job as a Senshi. But nothing had worked. Nothing had ever worked. And nothing ever would.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ever so slowly Kunzite picked himself up of the ground and brushed the dirt if his tattered grey uniform. He had heard someone scream out and wanted to see who it was. He made his way down the long corridors dotted with twists and turns following the echo of the shout. Soon he came upon a man crumbled into a ball. The man was motionless and Kunzite wandered if he were dead. The man's head turned and green eyes met silver ones.

" Zocite?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Makoto whistled cheerfully as she strolled down a lane lined with tall oak trees. She pushed her auburn hair out of her face letting the warm sun warm her skin. It was a beautiful day. The peak of summer really. The trees and grass were emerald green and sky shone a perfect shade of dark blue. All the flowers were in full bloom displaying their colors for all to see. A gentle wind sighed through the trees and iridescent butterflies flitted through the bushes.

Makoto was content with her life even if she was all-alone. She was doing what she had always wanted. She was the head cook at the palace and got to spend plenty of time with her friends. She had to admit thought that there was that empty spot in her soul that cooking or her friends couldn't fill up. She usually just pushed it out of her way pretended that their wasn't a place in her heart that wasn't completely filled. She knew it never would be and she was resigned to that. She shoved the thoughts away that threatened to invade her mind and make her remember. Her pace unknowingly slowed and she found herself going in the direction of her favorite spot. Still trying to keep the thoughts of him from her mind she plopped down under a large oak tree situated by a small pond. She lay down in the cool green grass looking up into the sky and letting her thoughts wander to anything but him. She shut her emerald green eyes and pictured a place that had looked just like this. It had been a day just like this too she thought to herself.

The memory invaded her mind sweeping her back to that time. She sat under a tree her pale green skirts spread around her and her auburn her tumbling down around her shoulder and turning golden in the sunlight. Shining tears ran down her cheeks and dropped onto the green grass. She turned her head slightly and her heart pounded with the mere sight of him coming towards her. Without a word she jumped up into his arms his strong arms encircling and protecting her. " Don't leave me," she whispered into his chest.

Makoto opened her eyes abruptly sitting straight up and wiping the tears form her eyes. She could not do this anymore! Was she destined to spend her life alone tortured with the memories of her one true love who was dead! Makoto lay back down on the grass crying. Crying for the cruel fate life had dealt her and crying for her lost love.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Somewhere far away in the place where lost souls were kept Nephrite was reliving his past yet again. That was his punishment to her die over and over at his own had and then finally realizing at the end of life while a pair or teal eyes hovering over him what exactly he had done.

" NEPHRITE! Don't leave me," Naru cried.

" I'm so sorry I guess we won't be able to have that chocolate parfait after all," Nephrite croaked out blood seeping out from between his parched lips. He could feel his life slipping away. Why did she love him so? There was another that had loved him even more if that were possible. He had only seen blurry images of her in his dreams. He tried to concentrate on breathing but it hurt so much. He could see the Senshi in the background. Why was Sailor Moon so familiar and he got the odd feeling that there should be more of them. One in green his mind thought. All these thoughts went through his head in a millisecond.

In the next second he looked back up at the young girl hovering over him tears pouring down her face and eyes full of love and as he was about to close his eyes for the last time the teal eyes changed to emerald green ones. The face became softer older and hair changed to auburn. His shocked mind tried to grasp this but death was coming for him. As he inhaled his last breath he remembered everything. Makoto. And his last breath came out as an agonizing scream as death wrapped her icy fingers around him.

Then it started all over again. Everything. His childhood and becoming a general of Earth, falling in love with Mako-chan, and then the bad memories the times when he was controlled by Metellia and Beryl. How he had killed her and served the Dark Kingdom. How Naru had healed him her gentle heart and unprejudiced love. It never stopped. Until something brought him back.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Serenity's head nodded as she listened to the endless monotones of the heads of state in front of her. She jerked her head back up willing herself to stay awake and listen to the endless squabbling. She shot a glance over at Endymion and repressed a giggle as she saw him fast asleep with his head thrown back and snores admitting from his still form. She slapped his hand lightly and he jerked awake with a start looking around in a half asleep stupor.

Serenity stood up in shock as the doors of the throne room burst open and an envoy of guards burst in dragging two men in tattered grey uniforms into the room. " Majesties we found these two trespassing on Palace Guards," the lead guard said bowing low. Endymion stood up beside the regal form of his wife about to reprimand the guards for making such a scene and treating two people so cruelly for such a minor infraction. He looked over at Serenity wondering why she wasn't saying anything. She was standing straight frozen staring at the two men who had there heads down and were being supported by guards on both sides. He looked at the men and shock sunk into his body. All he could do was stare as one of the men who had long silver looked up at him.

Serenity was the first to move. Telling the heads of state to leave and to speak to no one of this. She walked down the dais motioning for servants to come. She sent up a thankful prayer that none of the Senshi were present. " Guards you may leave," she said in a loud commanding voice. Then in quieter tones ordered the servants to take the men to the west wing and see that they were comfortable. The men raised their weary heads in shock to look at this woman who would have mercy on them.

" We don't deserve this Princess. We are traitors," Kunzite said not meeting her eyes and struggling to stand up straight.

" No you are wrong," Serenity said her eyes welling up with tears. " You are my friends and you will be provided for."

As the servants led them away they looked up at the frozen King still standing where he had been. Endymion's eyes had turned to a stony grey and his face was set in hardness. Only when they had left did he let his face soften as he set back down on his throne covering his face with his hands. Slowly in silence Serenity climbed the steps sitting down on her own throne reaching out for Endymion's hand. And they sat alone in the magnificent throne room fingers intertwined and heart's beating to the same rhythm.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rei felt her heart beating wildly as she quickly ran down the long halls of marble lined with tapestries. She turned down one hallway then the next not slowing in her pace. She suddenly skidded to a stop as she saw servants leading two men into two guestrooms. " Wait," she cried as she ran up to them.

" Lady Rei," a servant inclining his head. She approached cautiously her pulse throbbing and her head spinning. This couldn't be happening! They were dead they were all dead. She continued walking not able to stop. She got very close to the men trying to see their faces knowing all along who they were. Their heads were down long hair covering their faces. She reached out to one in a dream like trance lifting his head to see his eyes. Blonde hair fell from his face revealing two bright blue eyes. But they changed to green when he was angry she remembered.

She shook her head in disbelief eyes flickering back and forth between the two men slowly backing up not looking where she was going and running into someone. She turned around looking up into the endless pair of eyes that she had fallen in love with so long ago. " NO!" she cried as she dodged him and ran the other way raven hair streaming behind her. Jadeite stood watching her go.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rei burst into the throne room. Still running. She skidded to a halt in front of the thrones. " Everybody out!" she yelled at the heads of state who had filtered back in after the previous interruption. They quickly hurried out having learned the power of Rei's wrath long before. Angry violet eyes met calm crystal blue ones in a show down. Rei looked away first a little of her anger ebbing away. She said softly, " Why are they here Sere how could you let them come back? How could you forgive them?" Rei looked up in shock to see crystal tears running down her Queen's translucent skin.

" What am I supposed to say Rei? I can't judge those men for being traitors any more then you can stop loving him after all that he's done. My heart won't let me not forgive them because they didn't do anything wrong. It wasn't them that did all those things it was Beryl and Metallia," Serenity said her voice growing in intensity.

Rei bit her lower lip indecision dancing in her eyes. She glanced at Endymion searching his face for any clue of what he was thinking as his wife defended the ones that had betrayed them both. She found nothing but detached emotion. He clearly had had nothing to do with this. Rei turned her gaze back to Serenity, " What do you ecpect me to do? Forgive him go about my life as if he never did any of the things he did."

" No," Serenity said softly. " I'm just saying maybe you should talk to him," she said even more softly.

" What about the others? What happens when they find out," Rei said not willing to back to down.

Serenity lowered her gaze for the first time. " I don't know."

" You don't know! These are your best friends! You're protectors! You let the ones that betrayed and killed them into this palace and don't even give a thought to what would happen to us! How could you! How can you call us your friends? How can you trust them again after everything they have done to us," Rei exploded her temper flaring.

Serenity sank back onto her throne with a half suppressed sob. Rei's eyes softened but she did not revoke her rebuke. She opened her mouth to continue but Endymion cut her off. " That's enough Rei!"

" I'm sorry Serenity," Rei breathed. " Your magesties," Rei said bowing slightly and turning quickly for the door.

Endymion turned back to Serenity who had her head between her hands and was hunched over. A few single crystal tears seeped through her fingers and dropped onto the marble floor. Endymion kneeled in front of her gently pulling her hands from her face. He tilted her head up slightly wiping the tears off her cheeks with his thumb. She looked into his eyes and threw her arms around his neck. " Endy did I do the right thing? Letting them stay here and everything? I just want them to be happy. I just want everyone to be happy. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." Endymion smiled slightly as he stroked her silver hair. She may be the Queen of Crystal Tokyo but she still reminded him of the young girl he had fallen in love with so long ago.

" Yes Usako you did the right thing. Everything will turn out all right in the end."

Serenity looked up and gave him a watery smile. " Thank You."