AUTHOR NOTE: Sorry for the long wait between chapters. Thank you for following and reviewing my story! It really makes my day! The plot thickens - hope you enjoy!

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Cross-legged in the tall grass, not far from where the Shitennou were deep in conversation, Naru's hands distractedly played with the stem of a flower she had long since pulled the petals off. Restless and anxious, she could not help constantly changing positions, inching just a little bit closer, shifting her weight, waiting for Jadeite to get what he wanted and go away. Throughout all this, her eyes remained fixed on them the entire time. Or rather, on him.

He looked the same as she remembered him. There was something about him that seemed a little different and she could not put her finger on whether he was acting more like Masoto Sanjouin or like the same person who had sat with her under the tree. The way he seemed to be talking with Jadeite was neither. Naru could not tell whether they were arguing or just discussing excitedly. She would have been almost glad to have the chance to just admire Nephrite like this, if it were not for the limited time frame. She found it difficult to sit there and wait patiently while they were deep in conversation and she could not even hear what they were talking about. It was feeling like forever. From time to time, she would see Jadeite step back, and think they were finally finishing. But then he would go back and continue, and Naru would sigh in frustration.

But then, after what seemed like hours though it was only a few minutes, they stopped talking and Jadeite turned around. He cast her a mocking grimace, to which she responded by sticking out her tongue at him, before he started towards the garage. Though he looked genuinely annoyed and displeased, none of this worried Naru as her frustration and uneasiness melted the second her eyes locked with the sapphire gaze before her.

In a matter of seconds, he was there beside her and he knelt down to meet her at eye level where she was sitting. Naru felt the blood rush to her cheeks again.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting Naru, but there were a number of things that had to taken care of."

"That's okay, Nephrite," she replied with a beaming smile, "I'm just happy you're really here. But where did Jadeite go?" The last part she asked with as much forced concern as she could, but really she did not care he was gone as it meant she could be alone with Nephrite.

"He'll be back later on but I just sent him to run a few errands I needed," then raising his eyebrows slightly with a smile as if he had read her mind, "I thought you might prefer to spend some time without him."

Naru, trying to conceal her relief, just smiled, though she knew it was obvious she was a little too pleased. She added, "Oh, we get along just fine…he's just grumpy sometimes."

"He's more than that." Nephrite chuckled. "Jadeite claims you've been a nuisance trying to mutilate the garden in the front and change around everything inside the house?"

"No! I didn't!" Protested Naru, not realizing he was half-joking. "I just wanted to make sure everything looked perfect," her voice quieted a little sadly as she looked down, "since you won't be here too long."

Since he did not say anything right away, Naru looked up surprised to see that Nephrite too, had an expression of regret. But then as their eyes made contact, the corners of his mouth forced into a smile. "It's strange, I almost have trouble remembering this place. Shall we take a tour, then?" he asked gently. At this, Naru's face lit up anew and she was excited that he would see how well she had decorated and cleaned the house. He stood up and extended his hand to help Naru up.

She boldly decided not to let go as they began to walk, but looked down shyly as she could not bring herself to look at him to see his reaction. The contact of his hand upon hers made her heart race. Despite this, there was something the calm stillness of the atmosphere and walking there with Nephrite that made her feel that peace she had been longing for at last. Yet at the very back of her mind was the creeping tick-tock of a clock reminding her that her hours were numbered.

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She would have looked like any other black cat scurrying across the sidewalk, except for the small shape of a moon just above and between her feline eyes. Luna would usually walk a couple of steps before Usagi, who liked to walk slower and would often pause from being distracted from something or other on the street. However, today she stayed a little closer as the streets of downtown Tokyo were crowded and bustling. Up ahead, she heard commotion and the sound of someone yelling, but the tall crowd of people made it impossible to see.

"Hey! You should really watch where you're driving! You almost hit me!"

Just then, a black Ferrari swerved past them and into a parking spot not too far ahead. A man stepped out and briskly walked into the restaurant close by, ignoring the complaints being called after him. They were too far to see the man, but Luna had an uneasy and strange feeling and needed to get closer.

"Boy, he must really be in a hurry!" remarked Usagi absentmindedly. She obviously did not seem as concerned.

"Usagi, I have a bad feeling about that man. We need to get closer."

They moved down the sidewalk until they were right across the street from where the Ferrari was parked and from the restaurant they had seen the man go in, just in time to see him coming out.

Pushing his way past the crowd, they both caught a good glimpse of him. That blond hair, that face… It can't be, thought Luna.

"Jadeite!" exclaimed Usagi, almost loud enough for him to hear. Luckily, he had already gotten in his car and had driven off. She looked at Luna panicked and confused. How could it be?

The black cat walked a little further ahead to where the crowd of people thinned, staring after the speeding vehicle before it disappeared around the corner.

"Alert the scouts. The Negaverse has returned."