What are we going to do?" Usagi asked the Senshi. "First our powers don't work, and then we find out that youma is back, and now Nephrite - he wasn't evil any more last time we saw him, but that's two from the Dark Kingdom who've come back, and who knows how many more there are -"

"And I want to know how Naru and her new powers fit into all this," Rei said.

"Everyone, I've just figured something out," Ami said, tapping on her handheld computer. "Those shadowy things that have been appearing lately, that we haven't been able to beat -"

"Not only can't we beat them," Makoto said, "it seems like our attacks only make them stronger."

"Right," Ami said. "I've discovered a pattern to their appearances. They've all been within a few blocks surrounding the building where the Crystal Sky Gallery is and also near the addresses that are listed as Yumeno Yumemi's and Mikami Tetsiya - Thetis's - residences. Except for the ones that attacked Naru the other day."

This news was greeted with silence as the Senshi thought about its implications. "Do you suppose the three of them are controlling the monsters?" Minako asked.

"But Naru was able to destroy the two that attacked her. And they definitely were going after her," Rei pointed out.

After another silence, Usagi said slowly, "Maybe these monster things aren't our enemies. Maybe they're being sent by someone to help us. That would be why we can't destroy them and our attacks make them stronger."

"But who?" Minako wondered.

"I don't know," Ami said. "It does make sense, though. We've received a lot of help before, that we didn't recognize at first. This could be another instance of that."

"But that would mean that something pretty bad is about to start happening," Makoto pointed out. "At least, that's how it's always been."

The Senshi thought this over some more. "Help coming to us from an as-yet-unknown source," Ami said, "combined with the reappearance of at least two members of the Dark Kingdom, along with someone else connected to the Dark Kingdom battle, and Naru associating with them and suddenly displaying powers she never had before..." She trailed off. The silence in the room was heavy with the implications of what Ami had said.

"I don't want Naru to be our enemy," Usagi said.

"There doesn't seem to be any other explanation," Ami replied.

"It doesn't look good," Makoto said. "But we won't hurt her if we don't have to."

Usagi nodded. "I know. I don't want to hurt her. I don't want to fight against her. But we have to protect the Earth. That's our job, and nothing is more important than that. I can do what has to be done. But if we don't have to hurt her, I'd like that."

"We'll do our best," the other Senshi assured her.

* * * * * * * *

"I think I ought to try to talk to Usagi right away, before things get any worse," Naru said. She and Nephrite had left the gallery, and now Nephrite seemed to want to drive with no particular destination in mind, just for the enjoyment of it. Right now they were on a winding road climbing some cliffs by the sea. Moonlight peeked out through incoming clouds and reflected off the waves below. Naru took her cell phone out of her purse and began scrolling through the directory. "I hope she still has the same number, I haven't talked to her in over a year, not since her wedding." She pushed the "call" button and waited while Usagi's phone rang.

"Hello?" Usagi answered.

Naru smiled with relief. "Usagi, it's Naru. Look, I need to talk to you about what's going on."

"Well, all right... we're at the Hikawa Shrine right now -"

"No. Not with the others. I want to talk to just you. No one else around. I won't bring Nephrite or anyone else with me, I promise."

"I'm not sure -"

"Usagi, how long have we known each other? Since kindergarten, at least. I'm your friend, Usagi-chan. I would never try to hurt you. Even all those years when we hardly ever spoke to each other, I still considered you my best friend. I didn't understand what you were up to or why we drifted apart, but I still wanted to be friends."

"Naru-chan, I'm sorry about that, I never meant to forget about you, there were just so many things happening and it wasn't easy to keep up with the parts of my life that didn't involve being a Senshi."

"It's okay, Usagi-chan. But we need to talk, just you and me, without any one else around to influence things one way or the other. I've got some important things I need to tell you, and I need you to promise you'll listen to me."

In the background, Naru could hear one of the other Senshi demand, "What's she saying?" only to be shushed by someone else.

"Well, okay. I'll listen," Usagi said. "I can't promise anything else."

"And you'll come alone"

"Well, I guess so... the others won't like it, but if that's what you want..." Usagi sounded doubtful.

"Please. How about at the triangle park near my house, tomorrow morning, nine o'clock?"

"Okay, I'll meet you there."

"Alone," Naru emphasized.

"All right. Alone. See you tomorrow."

"Okay." Naru flipped her phone closed.

Nephrite pulled the car into a wide spot of dirt at the edge of the road. "The triangle park near your home. Isn't that where you wanted to meet me that night, when Sailor Moon attacked me with her Moon Tiara and you protected me?"

"That's right."

"Do you remember what you said then? About why you protected me?"

Naru looked into his eyes. "Yes. I said that I loved you."

"Do you still?"

"I always have."

He put his fingers under her chin and though she glanced away in shyness he made her meet his eyes. Then he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers.

A shock went up Naru's spine; at the same time she felt like she was going to melt into a hot puddle. So many years of wondering what it would have been like to kiss him... His mouth worked hungrily at hers, his long hair fell around their faces blocking out the rest of the world, his arms were around her pulling her as close as he could. He buried one hand in her hair at the back of her head, while she clutched at his broad shoulders, trying to keep herself from spinning away.

Finally he broke the kiss and raised his face from hers, breathing hard. "I never got the chance to do that," he said. "I wanted to, at the end, but I was too weak. I didn't want to leave you, Naru-chan."

Tears were starting to make their way down her cheeks. "I always wondered what it would have been like to kiss you. I never knew how you really felt about me."

He sat up straight and pulled her against his chest, holding her for a long time, stroking her hair. "I loved you, but I didn't know how to tell you. All I knew was that I would rather die than see you get hurt, so... that's what I did."

After a while Naru straightened up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Sorry. It's been a long day, so much has happened... I ought to be getting home now, before my mom starts to worry about me."

Reluctantly, Nephrite let go of her. "All right." He started the car again and turned it around, heading back down the cliffside road towards the city.

When they arrived at the OSA*P shop, Nephrite pulled her close and kissed her again. "Thank you, Naru-chan. For bringing me back. I was trapped - I couldn't go on, I knew I wasn't finished here, but I couldn't come back until you led me back." He kissed her again. "And on the whole, I'd much rather be alive than dead. I'm not afraid of dying, but there's a lot I still want to do here."

"If I had known I could bring you back, I would have done it a long time ago," she answered.

* * * * * * * *

Naru awoke the next morning wondering if the whole thing had been a dream. Nephrite coming back to life, kissing her, telling her he loved her... There was no way it could be real. It had to be a dream. She wanted to stay in bed, revelling in the lovely feeling the dream had left her with.

The alarm on her cell phone chirped at her, and Naru remembered. The meeting with Sailor Moon - that was real, and so was the rest of it. Naru hurried to get ready, then left the house and walked down the street to the small park. The first flakes of snow from the latest storm were starting to fall.

She sat down on a bench, and just a few minutes later Usagi came walking down the path. Naru patted the bench next to her. "Come sit down, Usagi-chan."

Her friend joined her on the bench. "So what's this all about?"

"Usagi, there's something terribly wrong with the Silver Crystal."

Usagi stared at her. "You're not supposed to know about that!"

"Well, I do. I'm sure you figured out who I was meeting with at the Takaya building. You know that Yumeno Yumemi isn't just an artist, and that Mikami Tetsiya, the gallery owner, is also Thetis, who was a youma in the Dark Kingdom."

"Yeah, I remember, on the cruise ship, when Jadeite was the general in charge -"

"She's pretty steamed at him for letting her get killed, let me tell you. They were lovers before he went into the Dark Kingdom, and she followed him there."

"Wow," Usagi said. "I never would have pictured him - " Her expression hardened. "What does that have to do with what you wanted to talk about?"

"A long time ago, long before you were born as the Moon Princess during the Silver Millennium -"

"How do you know about that?" Usagi demanded.

Naru ignored the question. "The Silver Crystal and the Golden Crystal, which I'm sure you know about because I know you've met Helios, used to be one crystal, the Celestial Crystal. It was controlled the Order of the Celestial Crystal, which included the Guardians of Earth and their teacher, Helios, and the Moon Princess and the Senshi. Because of a war between the Earth and Moon Kingdoms, long before you were born, the Crystal was split in two. The Order also broke up, and only three priestesses were left in it. At the time of the Dark Kingdom war, Thetis, Yumemi, and I were the three priestesses. Thetis joined the Dark Kingdom, and Yumemi and I joined with the Moon Kingdom and died in the war.

"Naru-chan, where did you - ?"

Naru ignored Usagi's questions. "Yumemi got her memories back after you healed her eight years ago. She was able to bring Thetis back from the dead, and the two of them found me. Yumemi also discovered that the Silver Crystal is starting to become corrupted because it's been broken for so long. Like it's dead and starting to decay. If something isn't done, you and the Senshi are going to lose your powers, or even worse, your powers will turn evil and so will you. We brought back the Guardians of Earth, and we need to find the Golden Crystal, and we also need you and the Senshi to help us join the two Crystals back into the original Celestial Crystal."

"The Guardians - that's Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Kunzite?" Usagi asked.

Naru nodded.

"You've got five people from the Dark Kingdom on your side, and you want me to hand over the Silver Crystal to you?"

Naru was stunned. She hadn't expected Usagi to misunderstand her so badly. "They're not in the Dark Kingdom any more -"

There was a darkness to Usagi's eyes that Naru had never seen before. "I don't care - anyone who wants to take my crystal from me is my enemy."

Suddenly several gray ghost-like figures surrounded them. "Moon Crystal Make-Up!" Usagi cried. There was a flash of rainbow light and Usagi stood transformed into Sailor Moon.

"Usagi, don't, I'll take care of it!" Naru made fire appear in her hand, then with a thought of protecting Sailor Moon, who had saved her so many times, she shot flame towards the gray creatures. Three of them dissolved into ash, but three more took their places. Before she could gather herself to prepare a second attack, Naru began to feel the sick, cold feeling of her energy being drained.

Sailor Moon waved her scepter in the same complicated pattern as before. "Moon Princess Halation!"

"Usagi, it won't work, it'll only make them stronger!"

Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus appeared behind Sailor Moon and called out their attacks all at once. The shadowy creatures grew larger and Naru felt her energy draining away even faster.

"Stop!" she shouted weakly. "You're only..."

The five Senshi fired off another round of attacks. The monsters grew. They're doing this on purpose, Naru realized as everything started to go dark around her. Why?

"Starlight destruction!" Nephrite's voice and the explosions that followed brought her part of the way back to consciousness. After a flash of light, all that was left of the monsters were some gray smears on the sidewalk.

"Nephrite," she said weakly. Somehow, he caught her as she collapsed, then the last thing she knew was the dizzying sense of teleporting.