*Theme song: Dare, by Stan Bush*

Chris Allot hit himself in the head a few times as he stared at his face in the mirror. He could not get any focus, could not eat or sleep. It was 2:30 AM, Crystal Tokyo standard time. Chris' brain was racking itself trying to come up with a way to make all the problems in his life disappear. He believed he had betrayed Miya by going out on a date with Tara. Even worse, he was attracted to her. His heart spurned and his stomach felt sick as he thought of Miya.

Chris: Why do I have these feelings?! I have and always have loved Miya! WHY DO I SEEM TO LOVE TARA?!

The blood-shot eyes that Chris was staring at in the mirror gave no answer to his question.

Chris: Dear God... Why can't I just be happy?

Michelle Tsuki-Kagayaku walked with a cane to the vending machine in the hospital. She still had a few surgery scars on her stomach and face, and it would take several more hours before her legs regained their full strength, but she was definitely feeling better. She put some money into it and turned her head to the side. She saw Chris approaching with a sad look on his face.

Michelle: Hey, Chris! What's up?

Chris: I don't know... I just feel terrible.

Michelle: Is this about Tara and Miya?

Chris: Yeah... Yeah it is.

Michelle: Then don't talk to me.

Chris: What?

Michelle: It's not that I feel mad at you for the date; it's just that you can't honestly ask one of the Titans on what to do in this matter.

Chris: Why not? You guys are my friends.

Michelle: Yes, but this situation is too complicated for even us. Both Miya and Tara are our friends, and we don't want either to feel bad, but the truth is that you need to ask a neutral party for an opinion.

Chris: And how exactly do I do that?

Michelle: Find them and ask them, duh!

Michelle pinched his shoulder affectionately.

Chris: You are too smart for your own good.

Michelle: That's what my husband tells me.

Michelle playfully stuck her tongue out at Chris.

Astra Koneko fluffed the pillows on the couch and carefully set them back down. She proceeded to run another swipe of her dust rag on the glass table in front of the couch. She was humming some music from a musical she had watched on TV when she got back. All of a sudden, there was a knocking at the door, and Astra set down the dust rag and looked through the peephole. Chris was standing outside, looking depressed. Astra unlocked the door and opened it.

Astra: Hello, Chris! What do you need?

Chris: I need to talk to someone. Can I come in?

Astra: Sure, come on in.

Chris nodded and walked inside.

Astra: I'm doing some cleaning. Reuisu's not used to tidying up things because of the fact that the Void always cleaned itself, so any time I leave him alone in the house, there's a mess waiting for me when I get home.

Chris: Heh, yeah, Reuisu's a riot.

Chris walked over and sat down on the couch. Astra noticed his eyes were bloodshot and had bags under them.

Astra: Trouble sleeping?

Chris: Yeah. Do you know why?

Astra: Well, I'm assuming it's mainly because of you going out on that date with Tara, the new girl, and you're vastly afraid of why you did it and what will happen with you and Miya.

Chris: Yeah. I need help, Astra! I don't know what to do!

Astra: Tough.

Chris raised his head up and looked at her. She was still smiling at him.

Chris: Excuse me?

Astra: I said tough, Chris. As in, I'm not going to help you.

Chris: But you're my friend!

Astra: And it's a friend's job to tell them what to do in a decision that'll affect the rest of their life?

Chris was silent.

Astra: Listen, Chris: Expecting other people to give you advice is stupid. This is a personal matter, and not any of the Titans' business or mine. Sometimes you fight the bull, and sometimes the bull ones and sometimes you win. Life is like that.

Astra put down the dust rag she was holding and opened the door to the apartment. Chris was looking down at the glass table.

Astra: If you can't stand up like a man and face your angst dead on, and do the responsible thing like make a decision for yourself...

Astra began walking out the door. She shouted out to him as she walked.

Astra: Then God, Chris, I don't even want to know you!

Astra closed the door behind her, leaving Chris in deep thought.

Chris: What would you do?

Miya's unconscious body could not give any answer. She laid there, life support equipment plugged into her and giving her nutrients and chemicals to hold back the atrophy that was eating away at her muscles. Chris stood in the doorway, looking at her.

Chris: Seriously, Miya: What would you do in this situation? What if you and Reuisu had gone out to dinner together on a date while I was in a coma?

Chris walked over and sat down in the chair next to her.

Chris: I've known you for the best part of my life, and I seriously don't know what to do. Astra tells me to make a choice, but I can't, damn it! I just can't! On one hand, there's you, the love of my life, the woman I wanted to get married to. On the other hand, there's Tara, who I might've fallen in love with.

Miya could not give an answer to Chris.

Chris: Maybe I should've been left in that dream from the youma, being strangled by you for going on that date with Tara. I feel awful. I haven't felt so awful since I first saw you in pain, so many years ago, at Kurast.

*FLASHBACK*

Miya thought about the battle over and over again in her thoughts. She was sitting out in the rain, on the docks, while the other Titans were in a small hut owned by the owner of the Docks, Ormus.

Miya: Is he truly right? The power of love couldn't destroy his hate beams. Could hatred really be more powerful than love!?!?

Voice: That's not true!

Miya turned around and saw Chris approaching her. He sat down next to her and placed an umbrella over her head.

Chris: Miya, you did all you could to fight Mephisto, you shouldn't worry about it.

Miya: Shouldn't worry about it?!!? Love wasn't strong enough to beat hate!

Chris: But it was! Love is only half the factor. Mephisto's hate was only half the second factor. Mephisto is a demon. More powerful than any demon anyone on this planet has ever faced. Even though you used a power based on love, it wasn't as strong as love itself! It wasn't your fault. And you shouldn't be down here, in the rain, catching pneumonia. We are going to defeat Mephisto. Then Diablo and Baal and all the other demons. We'll do it with the power of your love.

*END FLASHBACK*

Chris: I'd do anything for you, Miya. I would've given my life for you.

*FLASHBACK*

Mephisto fired a green bolt of energy at Sailor Love, and closed her eyes and waited for the blast to hit her. She heard a slight scream, than opened her eyes. Sailor Asteroid was in front of her, and he had taken the blow for her. He collapsed, grasping his heart and chest in pain. Sailor Love gaped and looked at the collapsed Sailor Asteroid.

*END FLASHBACK*

Chris: It was then that you knew that I was in love with you. Since the very first time I laid my eyes upon you. We didn't officially declare out love until the Pandemonium Fortress, though.

*FLASHBACK*

Chris was lying in his bed, unable to sleep. He heard the door to his room creak open, and he immediately shot upwards to see who it was.

Miya: It's me, Chris.

Chris: Ugh, I'm tired, Miya, could this wait until morning?

Miya: No, it can't.

Chris sat up, and Miya walked over and wrapped her robe around herself once more. She sat down on the bed next to Chris.

Chris: All right. What do you want to talk about?

Miya: What happened with Mephisto.

Chris half-winced.

Chris: What about it?

Miya: We need to discuss our relationship.

Chris was beginning to wince a little more.

Chris: What about it?

Miya: Look, Me being Sailor Love has given me a second nature when it comes to crushes and loves. You're in love with me, Chris. You spent as much time as you could with me on Meshif's boat, you helped me through my depression about the battle with Mephisto, and then you took the fall for me when I was about to be killed by Mephisto.

Chris pulled back.

Chris: I-, er... Um, no! No I don't! We're just, um, friends!

Miya leaned in closer to him.

Miya: Look, as surprising as this may sound, I'm attracted to you, too.

Chris' wince suddenly turned into a smile.

Chris: Really?!!?

Realizing he was smiling, he quickly made a fake wince.

Chris: I mean, really?

Miya: Look, we should probably pursue a relationship, but wait for things to settle down against the Prime Evils, first.

Chris smiled.

Chris: Absolutely. Totally agree.

The two stared at each other for three seconds, then embraced and kissed each other passionately.

*END FLASHBACK*

Chris grit his teeth and stood up.

Chris: Astra was right! I'm sick of feeling like some angst-ridden moron from a drama show on TV! Miya, I love you, and only you! Tara can go screw herself for all I care, the damn temptress! I don't know what I was thinking!

Chris grit his teeth once more.

Chris: Okay, Chris, calm down. She's a member of both your family and your team. You have to approach this calmly and rationally. Go to her and tell her what little relationship you had with her is off.

Chris ran out the hospital, leaving Miya in the room. And with all her strength, Miya Aino managed a half-smile in her coma.

Chris: Tara, it's Chris! We have to talk!

Chris knocked once again on her door.

Tara: All right! All right! The door's open, come on in!

Chris opened the door to Tara's apartment. The room was extremely dark, and Chris slowly entered into it.

Chris: Tara?

And with that, Chris felt a powerful blow come to his head! The blackness surrounding him became even more intense as he faded into unconsciousness.

To Be Continued...