Title: Forget I Said That [Part 3]
Author: W. Bymeeh
Rating: G
E-mail: Jhyunl@aol.com  
Website: http://members.tripod.com/jayhyun/sm/

*Author's Note: OH MY GOODNESS!  Who would have thought?  
It's PART 3!!!  Can you believe it?  But despite all my 
personal vices, I will *never* leave a fan fic hanging.  
True, it's been...many, many weeks...but I still got this 
done!  Yahoo!  Only one chapter more and this is done 
forever!  Muahaha...

--> I have inaccuracies in this 'fic, and I know it.  Oh, 
well!  Also, I started this series when I wasn't into 
description & detail, which I like doing now...but I kept 
it that way for style's sake.  =)

*Disclaimer: Hey, I'm just writing about these 
people...they're not mine, k?  

			Forget I Said That
			   [Part 3]

	"Sailor Moon, watch out!"  Mercury's voice echoed in 
the still night.  
	Sailor Moon whirled and froze, pinned to the spot by 
the deadly gaze of the youma, whose snake-like arm was 
slicing the air toward her.  
	This was a bad ending to an even worse day.  
	She had been obsessing over the look in Darien's eyes 
when she had been caught making fun of her hero, and 
fighting horrible guilt all the way home from Raye's 
temple.  At the Scout meeting, she and Raye had bickered as 
usual, with Luna jumping in to scold Serena on being a 
better leader. 
	And then, in the middle of the darkened street was a 
slim, fast-moving green youma with snakes winding all about 
its arms - a typical Negaverse leech.  
	But Sailor Moon was caught off guard by the youma's 
quick reflexes - she had glanced over to see whether her 
teammates had arrived. 
	That was not a wise choice. 
	The youma had pulled back to prepare a heavy blow to 
Sailor Moon, and she was frozen to the ground by her fear. 
	And then, she was saved. 
	She should have been used to it by now, but she never 
was.  The rose that landed in between her and the youma at 
the last possible moment saved Sailor Moon from yet another 
horrible fate that was never to be known.  
	Sailor Moon had never been so happy to see that 
damned rose in her entire life.  For some reason, she had 
thought since she had gone on her tux-bashing fest, he 
wouldn't come and save her anymore.  But all this was 
pushed out of her mind as she looked up at her hero and 
waited for his speech that she knew was forthcoming...the 
few words that he ever said. 
	It didn't come.  
	She looked at him with surprise and expectation 
evident in her eyes, and he returned her gaze but remained 
silent.  Instead, he gestured silently to the youma that 
was gathering its energy to attack again.  
	Maybe he has a sore throat, Sailor Moon thought.  
	Mercury released a fog to distract the monster, while 
Mars and Jupiter unleashed their powers on it from opposing 
sides.  This was enough distraction for Sailor Moon to 
finish it off with her moon wand.  
	Her friends, as usual, crowded around her to begin 
their usual banter, but before they could congratulate 
themselves, Sailor Moon realized that Tuxedo Mask had not 
left the scene as he usually did.  
	She turned her head from her friends and their gazes 
met.  Quickly, the world around her disappeared as she felt 
an awareness of him that she had never felt before.  
	All she could think was, "He's still here, he's still 
here, I'm not dreaming..."  She could hardly believe that 
her dream hero hadn't pulled his usual disappearance act.  
	But then again, he wasn't quite himself.  He hadn't 
even given his usual motivational speech, Sailor Moon 
realized.  And strangely enough, she felt guilty, as if it 
were somehow her fault.  
	As if in a dream, Tuxedo Mask held out his hand to 
her.  She took it slowly, and was not prepared for him 
swirling his cape around her and placing his hand around 
her waist.  She was even more surprised to find herself 
instantly react, and knowing what he was planning, jump 
with him to the rooftop of a nearby building. 
	The mouths of the scouts dropped open.  Never before 
had Tuxedo Mask done something so...out of character.  He 
hadn't given his usual speech, and he hadn't left the scene 
as soon as the monster was defeated.  To boot, he had 
actually leaped to the top of another building with their 
leader in tow!  
	They, like Serena, were puzzled at the strange, 
elusive behavior of Tuxedo Mask, but no one had taken it to 
heart as she did.  Even Raye, who had thought Tuxedo Mask 
was pretty dreamy when she first met him, hadn't kept her 
romantic illusions about him after seeing that he more 
often than not was looking after Sailor Moon.  But Serena 
thought about him to an obsessive extent.  
	Watching their leader in plain view on the rooftop, 
the scouts debated over what Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask 
were doing, and what they should do about it.  
	Mars said in an annoyed tone, "I think that we should 
leap up there to make sure that Tuxedo Mask doesn't hurt 
her.  We don't know if he's the enemy or not, remember."  
	Jupiter snorted.  "Raye, I think Serena will make 
sure that you never live to fight another youma again if 
you interrupt this moment."  
	Mercury added, "We can see them from here.  They're 
not doing anything suspicious..."  She flicked down her 
visor and zoomed in on the two small figures on the 
rooftop.  "Besides, Raye, I don't think you're that 
concerned about Serena's welfare." 
	Jupiter started laughing.  "I think you're more 
concerned about getting to be near Tuxedo Mask!"  
	Mars angrily huffed, her cheeks red, "Well, don't 
blame me if Meatball Head starts crying because of 
something he says!"  
	Mercury looked thoughtfully at the distant couple.  
"I don't think she'll be crying anytime soon..."  	

 	Tuxedo Mask was at the moment praying that his mask 
hid his nervousness.  He had never been in a situation with 
Sailor Moon where there was no danger eminent, since he 
usually dashed off at the first opportunity.  In fact, he 
couldn't remember them ever talking for longer than ten 
seconds, unless he counted the time she was hanging on his 
back in the elevator shaft.  
	So why hadn't he gone yet? 
	Standing on the rooftop, Sailor Moon wondered what 
Tuxedo Mask possibly could have to say.  She looked at him 
and waited, patience actually coming to her for once.  
	Seeing her bright blue eyes turned on him made Tuxedo 
Mask begin to sweat profusely.  This wouldn't do, no matter 
how fascinated he'd been by her since the very beginning.  
	Yet...he heard Serena's mocking words.  Was he really 
that cold?  Maybe just a few words...he would never want 
Sailor Moon to hate him...the way Serena hated Darien.  
That thought made him wince.  He didn't want the superhero 
or the schoolgirl to dislike him, as much as he didn't like 
to admit it. 
	"Sailor Moon...I know we both search for the rainbow 
crystals that the Negaverse hold.  We both search for the 
Imperium Crystal."  Tuxedo Mask paused, thinking of the 
night where he told her he would stop at nothing, not even 
hurting the Sailor scouts, to get the crystal.  Now he knew 
that it wasn't true.
	"I have a mission to complete.  I wasn't exactly 
given a choice in the matter, and so I follow it."  He 
watched Sailor Moon's blue eyes cloud over with confusion, 
and felt panic rise inside him.  It was only his much tried 
control that allowed him to remain motionless and 
expressionless.  He tried again, never moving his eyes from 
Sailor Moon's delicate face.  "Sailor Moon...I don't want 
to hurt you.  I never did, but..."      
	Sailor Moon could almost feel his intense gaze 
burning into her.  She could only nod and give a brilliant 
smile as she said, "I believe you.  I think I've always 
known.  Even when you said that we might be enemies..."  
	Tuxedo Mask winced and cut her off.  "Let's just 
forget I said that...for now.  All right?" 
	Sailor Moon smiled, her eyes lighting up brilliantly.  
Tuxedo Mask wondered at the easiness in which she was able 
to smile at him, despite all that he had ever done and 
said.  And then she asked, "I was waiting for you to say 
what you usually say..."  
	Tuxedo Mask shrugged.  "I decided it was too 
pretentious..."
	Not knowing what pretentious meant, but missing his 
usual words of encouragement, Sailor Moon shook her head.  
"I love your speeches..."  And she did.  She loved 
everything about him, even if she had ridiculed him just a 
few days before.  She had really been frustrated at 
herself, her own weaknesses and insecurities boiling over.  
"They inspire me, they really do."  She added to herself 
silently, 'And I treasure all the words that come from 
you...'
	He smiled.  "I'll remember that next time, Sailor 
Moon."  
	Laughing, Sailor Moon had a devious idea.  "'Till we 
meet again, Tuxedo Mask!"  
	And she leapt off the rooftop to the ground where her 
friends still waited. 
	Tuxedo Mask laughed out loud at the irony.  This 
time, she had been the first to leave, while he was the one 
who was left behind.   
	"'Till we meet again, Sailor Moon."  

********

ONE MORE PART AND I BURY THIS FAN FIC FOREVER!!!
As in, one more part and this series is done. 
*sigh*  A *completed* series...Wow...I've never done 
a series in First Season before.  Hmm.  

Tell me what you thought!!!  Please!!!  :)  

w. bymeeh
jhyunl@aol.com
http://jayhyun.tripod.com/sm/