Okay, here’s the final part, finally.  Sorry its been so long.  Anyway, thank you to 
everyone who’s e-mailed me, and to everyone who will in the future!!!  

I’m going away for a month (to Kyoto, actually - I’m so excited!)  so I might not respond 
to e-mails right away.  I hope to get to my yahoo account from one of those internet cafes 
or something - so don’t let this deter you from writing me!  However, this also means that 
I won’t get any more stories out for a while.  I hope to write while on vacation, but who 
knows?  I may not get anything done. 

Disclaimer:  I'VE GOT IT! I'VE GOT THE RIGHTS!
After much pleading, and tons of flattery, Naoko-chan e-mailed me this!  
Dearest Yuubou-chan:
Thank you for all your letters, e-mails, faxes, and phone calls.  After so much pleading, 
and tons of your flattery, I would be remiss if I did not answer my number one fan.  This 
is my pitiful attempt to repay all your kindness.  Therefore, I, Naoko, do hereby bequeath 
all rights to Sailor Moon to my dear friend, the greatly esteemed and talented writer. . 
.nobody!!! I'LL TAKE THOSE RIGHTS TO THE GRAVE!
HAHAHA!  I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FELL FOR THAT ONE, YUUBOU-CHAN!  
THAT'S THE OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK!
Love, Naoko

  I guess I really don't own Sailormoon.  But, minna, you got to 
agree with me - that was a really dirty trick for Naoko-chan to play on me, wasn’t it? 

Wordlist:
kirei is beautiful
hime is princess

Title: Crossing Paths
Epilogue:  Together We Walk This New Path 
Author: Yuubou-san
E-mail: yuubou_san@yahoo.com
Rating: G

	Walking along, with nothing to look at, Usagi’s mind wandered to the miraculous 
turn of events.  It turns out that Michelle had followed Alex - who had forgotten her car 
keys, and who noticed the man with auburn hair following Alex.  She also noticed 
Zoisite, parked across the street, who also seemed suspicious.  She was about to alert 
Alex when, apparently, Usagi had screamed and the two dashed into the alleyway.  
Instead of going after them, she ran for help, where she met up with the Three Lights, 
who confessed to be looking for Usagi.  They had dashed off to the alleyway, while 
Michelle alerted the police.  Usagi had learned this from Seiya shortly after arriving at the 
hospital.  She soon found out that Mamoru was fine - the gash on his side made him loose 
a lot of blood but it hadn’t damaged any internal organs.  He had healed rather quickly, 
and was now able to do most everything like normal, short of running a marathon.  It was 
now the end of the term, and Usagi was going to go home soon.  Mamoru had promised 
to go back to Japan as soon as he could - early June, so that they could be together again.

	Mamoru carefully took the girl’s hand in his own.  The action brought the girl 
back to the present.
	 
	"Just a little bit further," he murmured into her ear.  She groped about, blind 
folded, and trusting him with everything.

	They entered some structure, she could tell by the change in the feel and smell of 
the air.  It was warmer in this new place.

	She giggled.  "Just where do you think you're taking me, baka?" she teased.

	"You just have to learn to be patient, Odango," he teased back.

	He brought her further into the room, and then finally stopped.  "I thought we 
could have dinner, here, if you don't mind.  This is one of my favorite places."

	"Just, exactly, where _is_ here?" Usagi complained as she placed her hands on her 
hips.

	Mamoru chuckled.  "Well, Odango," he began as he moved behind her, "why 
don't you see for yourself?" he whispered huskily as he removed the blindfold.

	"Oh, Mamo-chan!" she exclaimed in awe as she took in her surroundings.  They 
were in the middle of a small greenhouse, and were surrounded by thousands of roses, in 
every possible color.  "They are so beautiful."  A small candle lit table was set up in front 
of them, set for two.

	Mamoru slowly turned her around, and enveloped her in his arms.  "You're 
beautiful," he uttered sincerely, and gave her a sweet smile.  She gave him a sweet smile 
in return.

	"I guess sometimes, you gotta stop to smell the roses, ne?" she replied after a 
moment of silence and staring into each others eyes.  Mamoru slowly lifted one of his 
hands from its place in the small of her back, and low and behold, it held a perfect red 
rose.  He caressed her cheek bone with it for a moment, before fluttering it beneath her 
nose so she could breath in its scent.

	She giggled.  "Kirei. . . you know what?"  He gave her a raised eyebrow.  "It 
smells like you.  I like that." She giggled softly again.

	"I work with them so much, I'm not surprised."

	"You work with roses, huh?"  She pulled away slightly from his embrace and took 
the rose in her hand.  "Hey, there's no thorns on this.  I've never seen that before."  She 
wrinkled her forehead as a memory slipped into place and then quickly evaded her.  A 
boy in the hospital. . .

	"I developed them.  I got a research grant from Harvard, and I've been 
manipulating the genes of roses in order to eliminate the thorns from them.  I think I've 
finally got it down.  This is the greenhouse that I work in."

	"Ohh. .  .Do you mind, if I ask you why you'd want to do such a thing?"

	"Well, when I was seven," he began hesitantly - it was still hard for him to open 
up after years of being completely alone.  The look of complete love and trust in her eyes 
compelled him to continue.  "I met a little girl, who gave me a rose to give to my friend 
who was leaving.  I promised her I'd return the favor one day, and I'd make sure that there 
weren't any thorns on it.  Like a love with no down side. . ."

	Usagi nodded her head slowly.  Everything came into focus.

	"Thank you," she uttered softly as she gave him a sunny smile.  "For fulfilling 
your promise to me."  He looked at her questioningly.

	 he wondered.

	"You're not alone, I'm here.  I'll be your family.  Right?"  she asked him.

	He smiled broadly.  "I finally found you, hime.  I. . .Usako. . ." he broke off, tears 
wetting his eyes.  

	"I know."  She smiled understandingly,  while stroking his cheek.  

	"I'm glad its you.  I'm so happy that you are finally with me." He whispered to her, 
breaths deep.

	She giggled again.  "I know the feeling."

	"Usako, I don't know what to say.  I. . .Usa. . ."

	"Mamo-chan," she cut him off softly with a smile.  "You don't have say anything.  
I know.  I feel you.  Besides," she added lightly as she brought his head down until his 
forehead was resting on hers, their eyes, level, "I'd really rather that you stopped talking, 
and just kiss me."
	
	"Oh?" He asked mockingly.  "Is that all I'm good for?"

	"Damn straight."

	As Mamoru was never one to want to disappoint his hime, he slowly lowered his 
head to hers, and their lips brushed together.  She pulled him closer, and their lips began 
to move with each other.  It was a sweet, light kiss at first, but soon became more 
passionate.  Her hand rustled through his hair, as his grasped the small of her back.  He 
pulled her even closer, and his mouth left hers.  He began to make little trails of kisses up 
along her hair line.  She took deep breaths, trying to regain the oxygen that her body had 
been deprived of during the absorbing kiss.  He brought his mouth to hers, to took her 
breath away once more.

	After they pulled apart, Usagi blushed as a memory flitted her way.  He raised an 
eyebrow, and questioned her.

	“What?”

	She giggled.  “You’re a better kisser than I imagined.” 

	“Oh, and just how much have you imagined my kisses?” 

	She giggled and gave him a wink.  “I don’t kiss and tell.”  She turned her attention 
to more important matters, “Now, what exactly do we have to eat?”

	

    Source: geocities.com/im_a_good_girl_uk_2000