Thank you to those people who have sent me comments on the previous chapters.
 Here's chapter 3, hope you enjoy it...and don't forget C&C.  :)


********

Author's notes:  Previous notes still apply.  ^_^

Of course you all know that Sailor Moon and it's characters 
belong to Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha, and many other large 
miscellaneous companies.  Any other characters in this story 
(there aren't that many) belong to me, and if you want to use 
them, please let me know.

As always, any and all comments please send them 
to <OTAKU9@aol.com>


                               Wrong Choices
                                by Lady Otaku
                          <OTAKU9@aol.com>


                                 Chapter 3


There was a knock on the door in the Tsukino residence.  
Tsukino Kenji opened the door to find a beautiful woman in a 
pale yellow sundress with silvery hair staring at him with 
tears in her eyes.

"May I help you?" he asked, not noticing the suitcase next to 
her or the strange hairstyle that he should have recognized.

"Papa, it's me," Usagi began, tears streaming down her face, 
"I have come home!"

"Usagi?" he asked, still not believing.  She threw her arms 
around him and cried into his shoulder.  "Usagi, you are home," 
he said as he wrapped his arms around the daughter he had 
missed dearly for six years.

"Kenji, who was at the door?" Tsukino Ikuko asked her husband 
as she came into the room, stopping suddenly at the sight 
of a strange woman in his arms.  "What's going on here?" she 
asked angrily.

"Mama," Usagi raised her head from her father's shoulder to 
look at her mother.

"Usagi?" her mother asked as the silver-headed woman rushed 
into her arms.  "My baby has come home," she whispered as she 
and her daughter collapsed to the floor with tears of joy on 
their cheeks.

"Where are Chibi-Usa and Shingo?" Usagi asked after she and 
her parents had calmed down and were sitting in the living room.

"Who is Chibi-Usa?" her father asked.

"Chibi-Usa, my, uh, cousin?"

"You don't have a cousin!" her father said.  Usagi wondered 
where the pink-haired girl went off to.  Maybe she left and 
forgot to re-hypnotize her parents.  Another mystery she had 
to decipher.

"Anyway, Shingo is studying at the library," her mother 
explained, "he'll be home soon.  Won't he be surprised to 
find his beautiful sister home."

An uncomfortable silence filled the air.  Usagi knew what 
was coming, and she was waiting until the questions began; 
questions she didn't know how to answer. 

"Usagi, why did you leave all those years ago?" her mother 
broke the silence.  "Where did you go?  I know you were in 
America, but why were your letters so short, and why..."

"Mother, that is a VERY long story, and I rather find the 
ending before I tell you anything.  I hope you understand.  
I know you have many questions, and believe me, I want to 
answer them.  I just don't have all the answers myself, and 
until I do, I can't tell you how my story ends."

"But, honey-" her mother stopped suddenly as her father 
raised his hand.

"No, Ikuko.  She is right.  She is a grown woman, and she 
has to solve her own problems.  She'll tell us everything, 
when she is ready."

Usagi gave a thankful look to her father and tried to hide 
her shock behind her smile.  Her father had always been the 
one to overreact to everything, and now he was the voice of 
calm wisdom.  She smiled at the thought.

"Usagi, would you like to see your room?" her mother asked 
tentatively.

"Yes, mother I would like that very much."  They walked to 
her room in silence and her father carried her suitcase.

"Everything is just as you left it," her father said as he 
opened the door and placed her suitcase inside.  "We'll leave 
you alone."

She walked into her room alone, much like that night years ago.  
Though she smiled now at the memories that greeted her, and 
looked around her once cheery room.  Her eyes scanned the 
childish things she had left behind and finally rested on a 
box set on her bed.  It looked like it was once a gift box; it 
was tied in a big red ribbon.  Curiosity claimed her, and she 
walked to the bed and opened the box.  Nestled in tissue paper 
were two ribbons which held together, to her amazement, two 
long blonde ponytails.  She pulled out the first ribbon and ran 
her fingers through her old hair.  Her hair that was her pride 
and joy six years ago and that she cut off as she grieved for 
her lost love.  Her silver hair now was longer than it was 
then.  She put the ribbon and hair back in the box and sighed 
sadly.  It was time to go.  She had to be on stage in three 
hours, and she still had one more stop to make.  She got up 
and walked downstairs to her family.

"I must go.  I have to perform in three hours.  Will you 
come?" she asked her parents.

"Of course we will!  I still can't believe that you are a 
famous dancer.  You were never very graceful," her father 
said and was quickly reprimanded for the thoughtless words 
by his wife's elbow as it collided with his chest.

"You have changed, Usagi, and for the better.  I'm proud to 
call you daughter as I always have been, and of course I 
will be there for you." Ikuko hugged her daughter.

"I won't be able to see you after the show, but I will spend 
the night here.  I will see you tomorrow morning," she offered 
as she opened the door.

"Usagi," her mother began, "why did you dye your hair white?"

"I didn't, mother.  It's naturally silver," and with that she 
walked to her car.

*****

The Ginzuishou's light beat happily, SHE was coming.  It's 
light flashed in tune to the rhythm of her heartbeat; and 
in someone's heart the rhythm would soon begin to echo...

*****

Chiba Mamoru stared longingly out the window of his apartment.  
He longed to be free of this overwhelming sadness, but he no 
longer hoped.  He had longed for the saddness to disappear 
for six years, and it never did.  When she disappeared his 
nightmares vanished with her.  Now he almost willed them back, 
if only to see her in his dreams.  

He had led a lonely life these past six years without her.  
He withdrew so deep within himself that he barely had any 
human contact at all.  If not for Motoki, who found it in 
him to forgive Mamoru's treatment of her, he would have no 
friends at all.  He hadn't realized how much of a part of 
him she was.  Without her he felt empty and he knew that 
nothing or no one would be able to fill the void in his 
heart as she did.

He could barely bring himself to speak her name out loud.  
The pain was unbearable and it pushed him to the brink of 
madness.  He tried to force her out of his mind...out of his 
heart, but he could not.  Minako had been right all those 
years ago; he shouldn't have doubted their love, he never 
should have been afraid of what the future held.  He tried 
to protect her from it, instead he drove her away and soon 
after Chibi-Usa vanished.  He wondered if she would even exist...

Suddenly, a strange feeling washed over him.  His heart 
seemed to stop suddenly then start beating at a different beat.  
He put his hand over his heart as it hammered the familiar beat.  
He knew this beat; this was the beat of her heart...of HIS heart.  
This is what he longed for for years; to be in complete synch 
with his beloved.  Tears of joy leapt instinctively into his eyes, 
and his mouth formed into the now unfamiliar shape of a smile - 
it felt so foreign on his lips.  He closed his eyes and he 
could see her clearly in his mind's eye.

"Usako," he whispered and the simple word made his heart race.  
He had to find her, but where could she be?  Rei would know.  
He ran out of the apartment and barely slammed the door behind 
him as he raced out of the building.

*****

Usagi walked to the Hikawa Shrine after parking her car.  
She didn't know what to expect from Rei and the others.  
She hardly knew her friends now after six years so she 
couldn't venture to guess how they would react.  She strongly 
believed, however, that Rei would be angry with her; she 
always thought she was a coward.  Perhaps she was right.

She reached the top of the stairs and was surprised to find 
Sailor Mars waiting for her, her body posed in the battle 
stance she remembered from long ago.

"Burning Mandala," she screamed as she attacked Usagi.

Usagi back-flipped and dodged each one of the fireballs.

"Impressive, Princess," Sailor Mars said as she detransformed, 
"I see that you have not lost your fighting skills, and that 
you have gained some new ones."  With that she ran at Usagi.  
Usagi closed her eyes and braced herself for the attack she 
so deserved, after all she had run away; but was in shock when 
she felt Rei hug her fiercely and heard her sob in her ear.  
She wrapped her arms around her best friend and cried as well.

"You have returned," Rei said as she pulled away wiping tears 
from her eyes and holding Usagi at arms length.  "How I hoped 
that this day would come.  I see that you have become Princess 
Serenity much earlier than anticipated," she said as she 
pointed at Usagi's hair.

"Rei-chan, you are not angry with me?" Usagi asked softly.

"Of course not, Princess.  You have returned that is all that 
matters now.  You will set right all the wrongs that have 
occurred.  You have to."

They walked silently into the shrine with their arms around 
each other's waists.  A light filled the shrine as she stepped 
in, and she felt her power returning as she welcomed it like 
an old friend.  She opened her eyes to find the Ginzuishou 
glowing under a glass dome.  Almost as if in a trance, she 
walked to it and pulled the dome upwards to find a silver 
crown.  The middle of the crown was in the shape of a heart 
and in the center of the hollow heart lay the Ginzuishou.

"It is your royal crown," said Luna, her eyes flashing in 
the glow of the jewel.

"Luna," Usagi cried as she pulled the cat into her embrace.  
"How I have missed you."  The cat purred loudly as Usagi 
hugged her tightly.

"You have returned, Princess," Luna said.

"I have," said Usagi as she placed the crown on her head.  
The crescent moon appeared on her brow and power surged 
through her body.  She was Princess Serenity now; Usagi 
was no more.

"We must speak, Princess," Rei said as she bowed before 
her ruler.

"Rei-chan, you must not bow to me.  We are friends." 
Rei stood.

"Usagi-chan, you have changed.  You are graceful, 
intelligent, and you wear your mother's silver tresses."  
Rei waited for Usagi to blow up at the slight insult, but 
instead Usagi dropped her head.

"Yes, Rei-chan I have changed.  I changed that night, six 
years ago.  I have grown up, and I am ready for my 
responsibilities.  But please tell me how you and the others 
are doing."  They sat on the floor.

"Usagi-chan, when you left I didn't know what to do.  You 
left me in charge of the senshi, and believe it or not we 
fell apart.  Ami-chan, Minako-chan, and Mako-chan all wanted 
to be leader, and each had their own reasons why they should.  
Our first battle, after you left, we couldn't work as a team.  
Minako-chan got angry that we could not beat the youma, and 
decided to return to London to become Sailor V again. Ami-chan 
was hurt and has been in a coma ever since.  Mako-chan felt 
guilty that she couldn't save Ami-chan, and gave up being a 
senshi to study culinary arts in France.  I have fought alone 
these past six years, and I am tired."

Usagi placed a shaky hand on her friend's shoulder.  Her mind 
raced; Makoto and Minako weren't senshi anymore, Ami was in 
a coma, Rei had fought alone, and it was her doing.  If she 
hadn't run away from her problems....if she wouldn't have 
been so selfish, none of this would have happened.  How 
could she have deserted her friends?

"Rei-chan, this is all my fault!  You are right, I will 
right the wrongs that have occurred because of my cowardice.  
I will start right now."  Before Rei could negate her friend's 
thoughts of her own cowardice, the crescent moon on Usagi's 
forehead and the ginzuishou in her crown glowed as she 
shimmered and disappeared.  Rei was in awe at the control 
that Usagi, no Serenity, displayed over the ginzuishou.

"Luna," Rei said, "everything is finally coming together.  
The Princess has returned to take her rightful place, and 
she will bring back the others.  We must explain to her 
Chibi-Usa's relationship to her, not to mention her 
disappearance.  If she and Endymion do not fulfill their 
destiny, Chibi-Usa may be gone forever."

The cat stared silently at the empty space where Serenity 
sat a few seconds ago and prayed that fate would guide them.

*****

In London, England, a sad and tired Minako stared out the 
window of her apartment.  She had been wrong six years ago; 
she never should have left.  Sailor V had died when Sailor 
Venus was born, and she should have known that.  She was too 
proud to admit to Rei that she was wrong, and she did not 
want to face the comatose Ami.  Artemis walked up to her and 
put his nose on her cheek.  She smiled sadly at him.  Suddenly, 
she and Artemis sensed tremendous power in the room, they 
turned around to find a figure enveloped in light.

"Minako-chan," the figure said.  The light subsided and there 
stood Usagi in a pale yellow sundress, the crescent moon on 
her forehead, a crown on her silvery hair, and a smile upon 
her face.  She almost looked silly wearing a crown and a 
sundress, but the serious look on her face and her eyes 
full of strength betrayed the silly front.

"Usagi-chan," Minako said astonished to find her friend in 
her room.  "How did you--why are you here?"

"I am Serenity now, and I have come to call upon my soldier 
and friend to be beside me."  Minako didn't care that this 
was the Princess of the moon; she ran to her friend and 
threw her arms around her.

"Usagi-chan, why did you leave me?  I needed you more than 
you could ever know.  You were our strength and the glue 
that held us together; we just didn't know it.  When you left, 
we didn't know what to do."  Her eyes were full of tears as 
she looked up into Usagi's kind face.

"I know, Minako-chan, I am sorry.  I was a coward, and I 
should have never run away.  Please forgive me, and join Mars 
and me again.  We miss you."

"Usagi, it's you who should forgive me.  I ran away too.  I 
couldn't face Ami-chan...it was my fault."

"It is all in the past, my friend.  I need you now in my 
ranks as a senshi, and as my friend.  We need to save 
Ami-chan together.  Will you join us?"

"Yes, your highness, I will return to my place.  I will 
return where I belong."  She pulled away from Serenity and 
knelt in front of her.

"Rise, Sailor Venus, you are my friend.  Collect your things, 
we must return."

"There is nothing here for me," she said as she picked up 
her cat.  "Except for him," she said smiling.

"Hello Artemis, it has been a while," said the Princess 
scratching his head.

"Yes, your highness, it has been too long."  

Princess Serenity smiled, touched the ginzuishou on her 
crown and they were gone in a flash of light.

*****

"Makoto, you are not doing it the proper way..." Makoto 
remembered Chef Dupree's heavily accented french words as he 
scolded her yet again.  She didn't know much French, but she 
knew that phrase very well.

She chopped carrots in her apartment to the beat of her 
angry heart.  She was tired of being reprimanded repeatedly 
as she did not perform to her teacher's idea of excellence.  

She hadn't been able to concentrate lately.  She was restless, 
and she knew the reason why.  The power inside her needed to be 
free again.  She hadn't become Sailor Jupiter in almost a year, 
and the pressure was going to drive her crazy.  She looked 
over at the transformation pen on the counter.  How she missed 
her friends, and how she missed the battles.  She also missed 
Usagi.

Almost as if on cue, a light filled the room and a figure 
stepped forward.

"Mako-chan, cooking as usual?" Serenity said as she stepped 
toward her friend.  Makoto's eyes were wide as she dropped 
her knife and took a step away from the Princess.

"Usagi?" she asked as she looked at her.  She wore a pale 
yellow sundress and sandals, and a crown, and the oddest of 
things she had silver hair.  Makoto finally realized that it 
was not Usagi standing in front of her, but Princess 
Serenity.  She instantly stepped forward and fell to one 
knee at Usagi's feet looking down.  "Your highness," she 
said shakily.

"Why do you all have to do that?" she asked with a hint of 
annoyance.  "Rise, Sailor Jupiter, you are my friend, not my 
subject."

Makoto stood and was surprised to see that Usagi, no Serenity 
had changed physically and emotionally.  She smiled through 
teary eyes and hugged her friend.

"Usagi-chan," she said as she pulled away from her.

"Yes, Mako-chan, it's me, and I've come to ask you to return 
with us to fight by my side.  The way it should always have been.  
I'm sorry I abandoned you, I was selfish...I thought that you 
didn't need me, that I would only hold you back."

"Usagi-chan, we needed you more than anything else!  It was my 
fault that Ami-chan was hurt, I couldn't save her..."

"No, my friend, if I would have been there, we would have fought 
as a team.  If it is anyone's fault it's mine, but what's done 
is done, and I will set it right.  Now, Jupiter, do you wish to 
return to your life as a senshi?"

"If you and the others find it in your heart to forgive me, 
I will be honored to return."

"There is nothing to forgive, Mako-chan," Minako said as 
she stepped forward.

"Minako-chan!" Makoto said as they threw their arms around 
each other.  Serenity looked on as the friends said their hellos.

"Mako-chan, please come back," Serenity said.

"Of course, what are we waiting for.  There's fights out there 
with my name on them!" she said grabbing her transformation pen, 
her eyes dancing with joy.  With that, Serenity touched her crown 
and they disappeared in a burst of light.

*****

Rei sensed their return, and was happy that she sensed 
Minako-chan, Mako-chan and Artemis as well as the Princess.

"The mission was a success, Luna," she told the cat.  Luna 
got up, walked over to Rei, and sat next to her awaiting their 
arrival.  As light filled the room, Mamoru arrived to stand 
back and stare in awe at the scene unfolding before his eyes.

Three figures stepped forward as the light disappeared.  Rei 
jumped up and ran to embrace her friends.  All their 
differences and arguments from the past disappeared as the 
friends cried tears of joy.  Serenity was the first to step 
away, and as she stepped out of the protective circle of her 
friends she caught the eye of the observer.

Mamoru gasped in surprise as he saw his love changed by the 
years.  She was taller and too thin, but her grace was apparent 
in every movement she made.  Her hair had turned the silver 
of her ancestors, and her eyes held strength and wisdom; but 
the sadness in her blue eyes, unnoticeable to others, was 
obvious to him.  He watched her as she smiled and laughed, 
but the emotion never reached her eyes.  It is true that the 
eyes are the windows to the soul, and her soul was as laden 
with sadness as his own.  Had she always been this breathtaking?  
Yes, but he was too wrapped up in his nightmares of the future 
to notice.  Now, he was transfixed by her mere presence and 
his heart hammered in his chest.  He watched as the girls broke 
free of each other.  He noticed Ami's absence.  He hadn't seen 
or spoken to the senshi ever since that day six years ago.  Ami's 
missing, I wonder where she is, Mamoru wondered.

"Rei, I couldn't find Chibi-Usa," Serenity said.  Rei turned 
away from her and when Serenity looked at the others they 
averted their eyes.  "Where is Chibi-Usa, Rei?" Serenity's 
innocent question stabbed Mamoru in the heart and forced 
him to show himself.

"Our daughter disappeared after you left," Mamoru said 
finally stepping into the room.

Serenity turned to the sound of the voice and she paled as in 
front of her stood the only man she could ever hope to love.  
Mamoru faced her, his eyes filled with a sadness that mirrored 
her own.  A myriad of emotions swept through her: anger, 
sadness, joy, fear, guilt, hatred...love.  The reality of what 
he had said finally reached her mind.

"Our daughter?" she whispered to him and turned to look at 
Rei for confirmation.

"Yes, Usagi-chan, after you left we discovered who Chibi-Usa's 
mother was.  It was you all along.  She was yours and Endymion's 
child from the future.  She was here to get the ginzuishou to 
help you in the future.  Mamoru-san told us that you were in 
danger in the future and that the only way to save you was by 
him staying away from you.  What Mamoru-san all those years ago 
was true; you were in danger in the future because you were 
together, but Chibi-Usa was here to help you."  Rei's 
explanation made Serenity back away in pain, for she didn't 
want to know the answer to the question screaming in her mind.

"Where is she, Rei-chan?" she finally asked, "and why do you 
speak of her in the past tense?"

"She disappeared, Usagi-chan.  The way I see it, since you and 
Endymion, er, Mamoru-san, were separated maybe the future has 
changed.  A future where she doesn't even exist..." she trailed 
off as she looked at the stricken look on Serenity's face.

"No," she whispered and fell to her knees.  Mamoru stepped 
toward her and knelt behind her, placing his hand softly on 
the shoulder.

"NO," she snapped as she turned suddenly and slapped his 
hand away.  The senshi quietly walked out and left them 
alone as Serenity continued to yell.  They both knelt on the 
floor facing each other.  "This is all your fault.  You told 
me that you didn't love me!  You didn't want me in your life, 
and so I left.  I ran away from everything I had ever known, 
everything I had ever loved because of you!  I haven't been 
able to live a day of my life these past six years without 
sadness claiming my soul.  Ami-chan is in a coma, the senshi 
fell apart, Chibi-Usa's gone, and it's all your fault.  It's 
all MY fault.  Why, Endymion, why?  Why didn't you love me..." 
she trailed off.  She placed her hands on the wooden floor and 
looked down, the anger slipping from her.

"Usako, Serenity, I have loved you every day of my life," 
Mamoru said placing a hand on top of hers.  "Please understand 
me.  I began having dreams of your death and I dismissed them 
as just dreams; but when they started to manifest themselves, 
I couldn't avoid them.  The dreams told me that in order to 
protect you, to save you, I had to stay away from you.  Don't 
you think it hurt me just as much to tell you those words six 
years ago?  And to have you disappear completely from my life?

"I have lived alone these past six years without you.  I don't 
know why I ever thought that staying away from you was the best 
for both of us.  Look at us.  It's useless to try to be apart.  
You were right all along, Usako, we belong together.  Past, 
present, and future we will always be a part of each other.  
Please forgive me, Serenity, it's the only way to set right 
what I have torn apart.  I am as much a part of you as you are 
a part of me.  Look at me, look into my eyes, and see for 
yourself.  I have always loved you and I will always love you."  

A tear rolled off her cheek and landed on their hands.  She 
slowly looked up into his eyes, accepting the challenge, and 
to her surprise she saw her love mirrored in his eyes.  He 
leaned forward slowly and closed his eyes, and as he did so 
her heart began to pound as it did all those years ago.  Her 
lips parted awaiting his, but as she closed her eyes she saw 
Ami lying comatose on a hospital bed.  Guilt ran rampant through 
her mind.  How could she even think of her own happiness with 
Ami in a hospital bed.  No, this was HER fault.  She had let 
her friends down, and she wasn't going to choose cowardice or 
her happiness over them again.

"No, Endymion," she said opening her eyes and backing away 
from him, tears filling her eyes.  He opened his eyes, and found 
her crying again.

"Serenity, please understand, I need you in my life.  I always 
have."

"It hurts too much, Endymion.  I remember the words you said to 
me.  It has been a long time, but they still hurt.  Now I say 
them to you; I stopped loving you that day.  I don't love you 
anymore," she lied averting her eyes as she stood.  The stricken 
look on his face gave her the answer she needed, he wouldn't 
forgive her if she told him the truth.  This was her punishment 
for abandoning her friends and giving up on her love six years 
ago, and she had to accept it.  She had put her friends in danger, 
and Ami-chan in the hospital.  She began to walk away.

He jumped to his feet and grabbed her wrist.  He made her turn 
around to face him and he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Why are you doing this?  Serenity, I know that you feel the 
same way about me, I can see it in your eyes."

"Endymion, please let go of my wrist, I'm late."

"Late for what?"

"I have an appointment," she answered, finally breaking free 
of his hold.  The anger in her eyes barely hiding her true 
feelings.

"Serenity, I will always love you..."

"Endymion, I do not blame you anymore.  The time for 
pointless arguing is over.  I know now that you were only 
trying to protect me.  I never should have left, and I understand 
that this is my fault.  I was selfish, and stupid and now I have 
to set things right."

"No, Serenity..."

"Endymion," she said as she walked backwards away from him, 
"it has to be this way...it's all my fault," and with that 
she turned and ran to her car.

"No, Usako, I won't let you run away again," Mamoru said as he 
walked in the opposite direction to his own car.

Inside, Rei and the others watched the two walk in separate 
directions.  "This doesn't look good," Rei said to the others.

*****

What will happen now that Serenity wants nothing to do with 
Endymion?  What will happen to Chibi-Usa?  See you next 
chapter ^.^