Walking walking…with this child in my arms. What’s become of my life? I’m certain of nothing but her solid warmth against my chest….my heart within still pounding with the adrenalin of battle.

“Nephrite-sama, thank you,” Naru sighs against me.

“There’s no reason to thank me. I don’t understand myself why I rescued you.”

I don’t understand anything…not this fierce desire to protect her…and not her risking her life for me tonight – prepared to die for a man who’s only used her, time and time again. I feel a twinge of what must be…conscience. I can’t look at her for a moment.

I’m tired. And anxious. I know it’s only a matter of time now. Zoicite has declared open war on me, and things are past repair with Beryl. I’m a hunted man. The only friend I have in the world is this little waif of a girl…and she doesn’t know the first thing about me.

“Besides,” I tell her quietly, “I’ve been lying to you all along. And I’ll probably go on lying to you.”

“It doesn’t matter.” She smiles. “Your heart hasn’t deceived me.”

What the hell does that mean, exactly? She sees something in me that I’ll never understand. She’s young, yes – and foolishly romantic. But it’s more than that. What kind of girlish crush could survive what she’s been through for me? There’s no explaining it.

Laying her head back down on my chest, she sighs, “As long as you’re with me.” But then my torn shirt catches her eye. “Oh no. Look!” she cries. “You’re hurt!”

“It’s nothing.” And it is. I know Zoicite. That battle was just the beginning. I won’t be getting away with just a scratch.

“No, Nephrite!” Naru insists, climbing down from my arms. “You got this for my sake! Those evil creatures might come back.” She looks about us huntedly, then pulls me through the entrance to the park beside us. “Come on. This way.”

I allow her to lead me, tenderly amused by her sudden dominance. We go a short distance, then sit together against a tree.

“Now take off your jacket,” she orders. I obey, pulling the blood-wet fabric away from the wound. I grimace – a small cut, but it stings like hell – laced with the youma’s toxins.

Naru bends down to tear her own shirt. My eyes are drawn to her bare midriff, remembering earlier this evening, in her room…watching her sleeping…searching her body and soul for the ginzuishou…she, so sweet and pure…and my thoughts, not quite so.

“You know…,” Naru says, gently wrapping the strip of cloth around my arm. “Right downtown there’s a café where they serve delicious chocolate parfait…,”

“Chocolate parfait?” I echo dumbly.

“Yes. Do you hate it?” She glances up, catching my eye.

“No…I love it.”

“You’re lying,” she observes with an amused smile, looking back down to tie off the bandage. “But you’re lying for kindness now.”

I flex my arm idly, testing the dressing, unable to think of a reply.

“Thanks, Naru,” I mutter.

She sits back against the tree next to me, hugging her knees against her, looking wistful.

“I always wished we could have a chocolate parfait together. It’s…a little dream…”

“Sure,” I sigh, sitting back also, hating the dejection in her voice. “We should.”

“Really?” she asks nearly disbelievingly, eyes once more alight.

“Do you think I’m lying again?” I tease.

“No,” she sighs, shaking her head, her pretty red hair swinging. “I’m so happy!”

She thinks a moment, then glances up at me with her wide innocent eyes.

“Tell me. Do you get Sundays off in your…evil society?”

I stare at her. The very notion…her earnest expression…I can’t stand it. I collapse in laughter…laughter like I’ve never known.

“Nephrite-sama!” Naru exclaims. “You’re actually laughing!”

I can’t stop. It must be hysteria…exhaustion. But I can’t stop.

“Strange…,” Naru says, laughing slightly also, but sounding perplexed. “Why am I crying?”

I’m about to reach to embrace her…when Zoicite’s youma materialize…attack, faster than I can react – their leader, Gureepu, piercing my right shoulder with her massive thorns.

“Getting careless, aren’t you?” Gureepu taunts me, “Those thorns will drain your energy until you die.”

Agony wracks my body…physical and mental. She’s right. So foolish to sit here off my guard. I struggle to breathe…to open my eyes…to look around for Naru.

“If you don’t want the girl killed as well, hand over the kurozuishou,” Gureepu demands.

“You heard them,” I urge Naru quietly, turning to her with difficulty. “Hurry. Get out of here. Run!”

But she ignores me, nearly hysterical - crawling around in front of me to seize the thorns, even as I try to push her away. Energy crackles painfully over us, and I shout at her angrily.

“Don’t be foolish! Run!” But she continues, pulling with all her might, weeping and groaning with effort.

“Mere human strength can never pull those out,” Gureepu scoffs, looking on with arms crossed impatiently.

“Naru please,” I cry again, trying to convince her, then catch her eye, pleading softly. “It’s okay. You’ve done all you can.”

But she doesn’t heed me, pulling harder still…and to the youma’s and my own mutual amazement…the thorns begin moving.

“Impossible!” Gureepu cries.

I’m stunned as well…just as I was over the kurozuishou’s reaction to Naru-chan. Can it be…‘love’ again? Giving her the power to do this?

“Nephrite-sama, don’t die!” Naru implores me, redoubling her efforts…the thorns slipping further…

“I’ll have to destroy both of you!” Housenka snarls exasperated.

In this instant of forewarning, I hurl Naru to the ground, covering her with my body just as the attack hits us. My kurozuishou falls from me, rolling down an incline and away. As the smoke dissipates, I try to clear my eyes…nearly blacking out from the pain.

“Are you all right?” I ask Naru, unable to see her…unable to sit up any longer…collapsing over her.

A familiar laugh. The horrible scent of cherry blossoms. My ravaged body tenses in hatred.

“Well done,” Zoicite commends his youma calmly, “The Kurozuishou is mine.”

I glance hazily over my shoulder to see him, fondling my crystal, smiling delightedly at my torment.

“Aren’t you lucky?” he sneers at me. “To be able to die with the girl you love?”

To be brought to this…by Zoicite…a sniveling weakling I could have dealt with so easily, long ago…if not for the obviously foolish notion that we were on the same side. The shame is harder to endure than the agony.

“Heartless creature,” I mutter...likely high praise to him.

“Torture them as you wish,” Zoicite instructs tonelessly, departing, as usual, before he can risk his pretty skin.

“Prepare to meet your fate,” Gureepu warns, raising her hands towards me.

“Leave me,” I implore Naru again, wishing desperately that she would obey.

Before she can, however, the air rings with another familiar voice – defiant and childish. For the first time, I am grateful to hear it. For the first time, appreciative of the senshi’s annoying strength and tenacity as they deftly deal with Zoicite’s youma. Yet shame rushes back to me…to fail so blatantly before Zoicite…to be defended by these children. The memory of Zoicite’s last mocking and triumphant look is nearly more than I can bear…

“Nephrite,” Naru calls, tears in her voice, and I open my eyes, unable to remember closing them. Naru cradles my head in her lap, and the senshi stand around looking uncertain.

“Sailor Moon…,” I remark softly, feeling…grateful, I suppose. Relieved that she has kept Naru safe. “Looks like…your secret is safe.” It’s the best I can do. A pax, of sorts.

“No…don’t die,” she protests, tearful. An hour ago she’d have wished me dead…or happily sent me there…

I turn my eyes back to Naru. Darkness is threatening me, my energy failing.

“Sorry.” Such a small word. Too small to express how I feel…my vast regret in having brought Naru to this. This ‘love’ I allowed …even encouraged her to feel for me…it will torment her…blight her. Everything I saw in her…loved in her…she will suffer for. Because of me.

“For what?” Naru asks me, shaking me slightly, trying to keep me from drifting off.

“I don’t think…we can have…that chocolate parfait…”

I try to laugh, but it’s a sickening sound…a parody of laughter. Naru moans slightly…shaking her head at the inevitable, refusing to believe, tears rising in her eyes. I reach up my hand to wipe them away and she presses her face against it, crying in earnest.

“I lied to you until the end,” I mumble, trying to smile, trying to ease her pain…and my own conscience. “I’m sorry.”

I stare at her, her face haloed by encroaching darkness…the pain finally leaving me. I smile. There are worse ways to die than this. I think of Jadeite, strangely, and of the black, soulless Dark Kingdom…and find myself nearly peaceful…grateful. In all the cold expanse of the universe, there is one person who cares for me.

“Don’t forget me?” I ask her, clinging to this notion – that I shall be remembered fondly by someone…that I shall live on, somehow – that my life wasn’t a total waste. “I just want you to know…you’re in my heart.”

The truth, at last. Even if everything else I ever told her was a lie. At least I can leave her with that.

My eyes are open, but I see nothing now…my senses leaving me. For a moment I hear Naru, hysterical with grief, and my soul cringes with a pain much worse than the agony my body knew.

Then…lightness…emptiness…less and less…and finally, nothing at all.